031624 - Los Angeles Weekend Edition

UNITED States Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s upcoming visit to the Philippines is expected to advance “shared economic priorities” and deepen bilateral cooperation between the two countries.

Blinken will be in Manila from March 18 to 19, the Department of Foreign Affairs announced on Friday, March 15.

During his visit, Blinken will also reiterate the U.S. government’s ironclad commitment to its alliance with the Philippines, according to the U.S. Department of State in a statement on March 14.

“In Manila, Secretary Blinken will meet with President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr., and Secretary of Foreign Affairs Enrique Manalo to advance shared economic priorities and underscore the United States’ ironclad commitment to the U.S.-Philippine alliance,” the U.S. Department of State (DOS) said.

Apart from the economy, regional peace and security, the officials will also tackle health, clean energy, and the digital economy, among others.

“Secretary Blinken, President Marcos, and Secretary Manalo will discuss areas to deepen U.S.-Philippine cooperation on a

Jr. on Wednesday, March 13 said he expects the Philippines to formalize an accord for trilateral cooperation with the U.S. and Japan, as U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Japan's Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa head to Manila next week for talks.

Speaking to the

media delegation here, Marcos said the intention of the meeting was to continue to plan and to strengthen the cooperation

among the three countries.

"We will perhaps formalize ... what we are already doing, which will put a bit more structure to what we will do in terms of scheduling of joint patrols that have already taken place," he added.

Marcos also reiterated the significance of the ongoing deliberations and urged patience as the discussions evolve.

"So that is still in flux. We have to talk about it some more and let's wait for the developments that will come from (Washington) D.C., from Tokyo and here in Manila," he said.

AZUSA – Authorities on Wednesday, March 13, asked for the public’s help locating a 59-year-old woman last seen near Bridge to Nowhere Trail north of Azusa in the San Gabriel Mountains before being swept away by the river current.

Rona May Cuena was last seen Saturday, March 9, at 9 a.m., according to the Sheriff’s Information Bureau.

Deputies described Cuena as a 5-foot-tall Filipino woman weighing 105 pounds with black hair and brown eyes. She was last seen wearing a blue jacket, blue pants, a blue hat and gray shades.

”?

This was how President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. responded to the latest criticism coming from his predecessor, former President Rodrigo Duterte, that he was just out for some leisure whenever going on official trips abroad. In an interview with reporters here, the president stressed that his schedule was so tight that he did not have time to go sightseeing during his three-day working visit to Germany.

“This is my schedule. Where’s the time for leisure? It’s my schedule for today. Where’s the ‘pasyal’? None,” Mr. Marcos said as he held up a copy of his schedule for the Philippine media delegation to see.

“You were with me. We don’t go sightseeing. Even in the places that I spent a lot of time in, I have not been able to visit the places that I used to visit. Because we’re here to work.”

The president was reacting to a statement made by Duterte on Tuesday night, March 12 during a rally held by supporters of embattled televangelist Apollo Quiboloy at

MANILA — President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.’s satisfaction ratings bounced back, based on a new Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey, but dropped significantly in Mindanao.

According to the new SWS survey, Marcos had a net satisfaction rating of +47 (which is the sum of the satisfied and the dissatisfied) as of December 2023.

The president’s satisfaction

rating was previously at 44+ as of September 2023.

“Compared to September 2023, gross satisfaction with President Marcos stayed at 65%, gross undecided rose from 14%, and gross dissatisfaction fell slightly from 21%. The resulting net satisfaction rating is +47 (% satisfied minus % dissatisfied), classified by SWS as good (+30 to +49). This is 3 points up from the good +44 in September 2023,” said the SWS in its report. A closer look at the data, however, reveals a lower

Blinken and Kamikawa are set to visit Manila next week for discussions aimed at strengthening defense and economic relations ahead of an upcoming summit of U.S. President Joe Biden, Japan's Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and President Marcos in Washington, D.C. in April.

Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo, who joined the President during the briefing, confirmed that Blinken will arrive in Manila on March 18 for meetings with Marcos and other senior Philippine officials.

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LOS ANGELES — Filipina American lawyer Ysabel Jurado has emerged as the first place candidate in the City Council race for District 14 (CD-14) during the primary election, propelling her into the run-off election in November.

Jurado leads the race at 24.53% of the vote (8,579 votes) over incumbent councilmember Kevin De León in second place at 23.41% (8,188 votes), according to the Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk as of Friday, March 15.

In an interview with the Asian Journal, Jurado, who could potentially be the first woman and first Filipina to represent CD-14, said she is grateful for the overwhelming support she is getting from the community. She would also become the first Filipino American in the LA city council, if elected.

“Earning first place in a field of eight candidates is an incredible honor and a testament to the power of grassroots organizing. I feel so grateful to the people of CD-14 and so proud of what we've built,” she said.

The 14th District encompasses Boyle Heights, Lincoln Heights, Downtown Los Angeles, El Sereno

VICE President Sara Duterte must learn to differentiate her roles as a Cabinet member and as a personal friend of controversial preacher Apollo Quiboloy, especially in light of the criminal accusations against him, a ranking lawmaker warned on Thursday, March 14.

During a press conference, House Deputy Majority Leader and Iloilo Rep. Janette Garin said Duterte ought to separate her official responsibilities as the country’s second highest official and her personal

associations even if she has “political desires in the future.” Garin is referring to speculations that Duterte might run in the 2028 presidential elections and might be hoping to tap Quiboloy in her future campaign, particularly since her father, former President Rodrigo Duterte, has become administrator of Quiboloy’s estate.

“Being the vice president and being a member of the Cabinet vis-a-vis being a friend or a possible benefactor of Pastor (Quiboloy)—I believe those things should be separate,”

BERLIN — Where’s the “pasyal

PH, US, Japan to formalize...

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He said the Philippines has not received confirmation, however, from the Japanese side.

The high-level meetings come in the wake of recent tensions between Chinese and Philippine vessels in the disputed South China Sea, a situation that has drawn condemnation from the Philippines, the U.S., and Japan.

In the Czech Republic, the second leg of the President's trip to Central Europe, Marcos said the Philippines would continue to engage with all its neighbors and stakeholders "through diplomacy and dialogue" despite China's continued aggression and harassment in the South China Sea.

The president reiterated this position during his meeting with Czech Republic President Petr Pavel in Prague, where they exchanged views on various regional and international issues of mutual concern, including the South China Sea, Taiwan, Ukraine, and the Middle East.

Marcos thanked Pavel for the Czech Republic's support "as a like-minded partner in upholding peace, stability, and the rulesbased international order."

"I briefed President Pavel on the situation in the West Philippine Sea and South China Sea, and I underscored that the Philippine position on the South China Sea remains consistent, clear and firmly anchored in the

1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (Unclos)," Marcos said during a joint press conference with Pavel. "While it is unfortunate that there are persistent incidents of aggression and harassment in the South China Sea, we continue to engage all our neighbors and stakeholders through diplomacy and dialogue," he added.

On Wednesday, Marcos highlighted the importance of maintaining a rules-based order in the South China Sea, saying a safe passage in the disputed area would benefit not just the region but the entire world given the substantial amount of commerce that goes through it.

Marcos said this as the Philippines and Germany agreed to boost defense cooperation to cover maritime and cyber domains amid tensions in the West Philippine Sea.

Chinese President Xi Jinping earlier called on China's armed forces to coordinate preparations for military conflicts at sea, protect maritime rights and interests, and develop the maritime economy.

Marcos said he was unfazed by Xi's order.

"I don't think there is anything new there. That's what they've been doing already. They have defined the 10-dash line and they continue to defend it. For our part, we will continue to defend what we... and the international

community have recognized ... as our maritime territory," he said.

The president reiterated that the Philippines would continue to do what it can to defend its maritime territory.

China claims sovereignty over nearly the entire South China Sea, pointing to a line on its maps that cuts into the exclusive economic zones of Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia, Brunei and Indonesia.

In 2016, the Permanent Court of Arbitration in the Hague said China's claims have no legal basis. But China has rejected that ruling.

On Tuesday, March 12, Marcos said the Philippines did not reject China's proposals to resolve issues in the South China Sea but it questioned its premise, particularly its 10-dash line map, in asserting control over the disputed waters.

"We have not rejected any proposals that China has made for us. But the premise is something that we question. The premise that China has made is that their territory follows the 10-dash line. This is not recognized by any country, by any international body, and certainly not the Philippines," he said.

Marcos pointed out that the Philippines' baselines were already well-established and that China intruded on the Philippines' economic zone. 

Fil-Am hiker swept away by river current...

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Lawmaker questions Vice President Sara...

Garin said.

The Iloilo lawmaker is not the first one to urge prudence from Duterte, who was present at a recent “prayer rally” initially in support of Quiboloy, which subsequently evolved into an anti-Marcos demonstration.

Threat of citation and arrest Quiboloy is under threat of contempt citation and arrest for refusing to appear in congressional investigations into allegations of human trafficking and sexual abuse

of minors, plus questions on the franchise of the Sonshine Media Network International. The network is on the verge of losing its congressional franchise due to serious violations, including disseminating fake news, engaging in Red-tagging, and committing corporate offenses. Garin noted that Duterte was present at the rally when she was designated acting president and government caretaker by Mr. Marcos, who had gone on an official trip to Germany.

Even so, House lawmakers stopped short of asking Duterte to resign her post as education secretary, saying she could stay as long as she had the President’s confidence.

Last Wednesday, March 13, House committee on Muslim affairs chair and Lanao del Norte Rep. Mohamad Khalid Dimaporo said he “wished to believe that her purpose is to at least neutralize the former president’s (rhetoric) because she is still his Cabinet secretary.” 

Marcos’ net satisfaction rating rises...

satisfaction rate in Mindanao.

“Compared to September 2023, net satisfaction with President Marcos rose by 8 points from +36 in Metro Manila, by 4 points from +48 in Balance Luzon, and by 18 points from +33 in the Visayas. However, it fell by 12 points from +50 in Mindanao,” SWS reported. According to the SWS Survey, net satisfaction rose in rural areas but fell in urban areas. It also rose among men but remained steady among women.

The SWS also took note that there was a higher satisfaction rating among respondents who did not finish higher education, and it progressively lowered the higher the educational attainment. “President Marcos’ net satisfaction rating was very good +51 among those who either had no formal education or some elementary education, very good +56 among those who either finished elementary or had some high school education, good +45 among those who either finished junior high school, had some

vocational schooling, had some senior high school, finished senior high school, completed vocational school, or attended some college, and good +36 among those who either graduated from college or took post-graduate studies,” said the SWS.

The SWS survey was conducted through face-to-face interviews from December 8 to 11, 2023, among 1,200 adults. The respondents were spread evenly throughout Metro Manila, Balance Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao. 

Authorities asked for the public’s help locating 59-year-old Fil-Am Rona May Cuena. Photo courtesy of the LA County Sheriff’s Department

HONORED. Concluding his working visit to Germany, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. honored the legacy of Dr. Jose Rizal by paying homage at the Rizal Marker in Jaegerstrasse on Wednesday, March 13. Malacañang photo

How

the anti-vaccine movement pits parental rights against public health

GAYLE Borne has fostered more than 300 children in Springfield, Tennessee. She’s cared for kids who have rarely seen a doctor — kids so neglected that they cannot speak. Such children are now even more vulnerable because of a law Tennessee passed last year that requires the direct consent of birth parents or legal guardians for every routine childhood vaccination. Foster parents, social workers, and other caregivers cannot provide permission.

In January, Borne took a foster baby, born extremely premature at just over 2 pounds, to her first doctor’s appointment. The health providers said that without the consent of the child’s mother, they couldn’t vaccinate her against diseases like pneumonia, hepatitis B, and polio. The mother hasn’t been located, so a social worker is now seeking a court order to permit immunizations.

“We are just waiting,” Borne said. “Our hands are tied.”

Tennessee’s law has also stymied grandmothers and other caregivers who accompany children to routine appointments when parents are at work, in drug and alcohol rehabilitation clinics, or otherwise unavailable.

The law claims to “give parents back the right to make medical decisions for their children.”

Framed in the rhetoric of choice and consent, it is one of more than a dozen recent and pending pieces of legislation nationwide that pit parental freedom against community and children’s health. In actuality, they create obstacles to vaccination, the foundation of pediatric care. Such policies have another effect. They seed doubt about vaccine safety in a climate rife with medical misinformation.

The trend has exploded as politicians and social media influencers make false claims about risks, despite studies showing otherwise.

Doctors traditionally give caregivers vaccine information and get their permission before delivering more than a dozen childhood immunizations that defend against measles, polio, and other debilitating diseases.

But now, Tennessee’s law

demands that birth parents attend routine appointments and sign consent forms for every vaccine given over two or more years. “The forms could have a chilling effect,” said Jason Yaun, a Memphis pediatrician and past president of the Tennessee chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics.

“People who promote parental rights on vaccines tend to downplay the rights of children,” said Dorit Reiss, a vaccine policy researcher at the University of California Law-San Francisco. Drop in routine vaccination rates Misinformation coupled with a parental rights movement that shifts decision-making away from public health expertise has contributed to the lowest childhood vaccine rates in a decade.

This year, legislators in Arizona, Iowa, and West Virginia have introduced related consent bills. A “Parents’ Bill of Rights” amendment in Oklahoma seeks to ensure that parents know they can exempt their children from school vaccine mandates along with lessons on sex education and AIDS. In Florida, the medical skeptic leading the state’s health department recently defied guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention by telling parents they could send unvaccinated children to a school during a measles outbreak.

Last year, Mississippi began allowing exemptions from school vaccine requirements for religious reasons because of a lawsuit funded by the Informed Consent Action Network, which is listed as a leading source of anti-vaccine disinformation by the Center for Countering Digital Hate. A post on ICAN’s website said it “could not be more proud” in Mississippi to “restore the right of every parent in this country to have his or her convictions respected and not trampled by the government.”

Even if some bills fail, Reiss fears, the revived parental rights movement may eventually abolish policies that require routine immunizations to attend school. At a recent campaign rally, Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump said, “I will not give one penny to any school that has a vaccine mandate.”

The movement dates to the wake of the 1918 influenza pandemic, when some parents pushed back against progressive reforms that required school attendance and prohibited child labor. Since then, tensions between state measures and parental freedom have occasionally flared over a variety of issues. Vaccines became a prominent one in 2021, as the movement found common ground with people skeptical of COVID-19 vaccines.

“The parental rights movement didn’t start with vaccines,” Reiss said, “but the anti-vaccine movement has allied themselves with it and has expanded their reach by riding on its coattails.”

When lawmakers silence health experts

In Tennessee, anti-vaccine activists and libertarian-leaning organizations railed against the state’s health department in 2021 when it recommended covid vaccines to minors, following CDC guidance. Gary Humble, executive director of the conservative group Tennessee Stands, asked legislators to blast the health department for advising masks and vaccination, suggesting the department “could be dissolved and reconstituted at your pleasure.”

Backlash also followed a notice sent to doctors from Michelle Fiscus, then the state’s immunization director. She reminded them that they didn’t need parental permission to vaccinate consenting adolescents 14 or older, according to a decades-old state rule called the Mature Minor Doctrine.

In the weeks that followed, state legislators threatened to defund the health department and pressured it into scaling back covid vaccine promotion, as revealed by The Tennessean. Fiscus was abruptly fired. “Today I became the 25th of 64 state and territorial immunization program directors to leave their position during this pandemic,” she wrote in a statement. “That’s nearly 40% of us.” Tennessee’s covid death rate climbed to one of the nation’s highest by mid-2022.

By the time two state legislators introduced a bill to reverse the Mature Minor Doctrine, the health department was silent on the proposal. Despite obstacles for foster children who would  PAGE A4

Fil-Am lawyer leads race for LA City Council...

PAGE A1 and Northeast Los Angeles.

“This movement extends beyond the ballot box: we’re empowering volunteers, organizers and local supporters to become community leaders who will continue fighting for justice and equality in their neighborhoods for years to come,” she said.

A single mom, a daughter of undocumented Filipino immigrants, and a lifelong Angeleno, Jurado was born and raised in Highland Park.

“This victory is for the single working moms struggling to put food on the table, for the tenants who have been pushed to the margins, for the immigrant families living hand to mouth — I am honored to have earned their trust, and I can't wait to bring each and every one of them to City Hall,” she said. Asked what the voters could expect from her after she advanced to the run-off elections, Jurado said she would continue to adhere to her mission of honest and efficient public services.

“From day one, our mission has been to mobilize those who have been left behind and marginalized by oppressive systems of power. Throughout this campaign I made a deliberate, concerted choice to consistently amplify the voices of our community that have

been systematically silenced –and that’s exactly what we plan to do in the runoff, and when we get to City Hall. We will continue to listen to and center the voices of CD-14, not the political establishment,” the candidate said.

She also underscored the need “to keep focusing on earning trust and developing authentic, real relationships with our neighbors throughout the district by meeting people where they're at and continuing to prioritize one-on-one conversations at folks' front doorstep.”

She said the campaign is excited for November and has been preparing to ensure a seat on the Los Angeles city council by "doubling down" on grassroots efforts. "[O]ur campaign is about more than just winning an election (which we have every intention of doing); it's about building a movement that will continue long after November,” she said.

Addressing the voters, she said she is appreciative of all the enormous assistance in all forms from her supporters and the community. “I am immensely grateful for every volunteer, every call, every text, every house party, every vote, every postcard, every endorsement, every door knocked, every donation, and every conversation that has

brought us to this moment,” she said.

In an earlier press statement, Jurado noted that they were able to knock over 85,000 doors. They were able to raise over $223,000 from more than 1,400 donors and earned $174,000 in public funding.

Jurado attended Pasadena City College and put herself through college at UCLA, where she completed her bachelor’s degree.

She then went to UCLA School of Law, where she graduated with a Juris Doctorate with specializations in Critical Race Studies and the David J. Epstein Program in Public Interest Law and Policy.

The tenants' rights attorney assured her supporters that she would not be remiss in continuing efforts to defend the working families of the community from corporate greed and City Hall corruption.

“I’ve watched as my neighbors and historic, legacy businesses have been priced out because of luxury real estate developers who build fancy condominiums only the very rich can afford.

The decades of betrayal by our councilmen will not define us any longer. Together, we're ushering in a new era where the people of CD-14 are at the forefront of decision-making. Let’s build a Los Angeles as good as its promise,” she stressed. 

What ‘pasyal’? Marcos reacts...

Liwasang Bonifacio in Manila.

Meetings, forum

The president arrived here in Berlin on Monday night, March 11 for a three-day working visit.

On Tuesday, he had backto-back meetings with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and executives of German companies and attended the PhilippineGerman Business Forum.

Later at night, Mr. Marcos met with the Filipino community in Berlin and then sat down for an interview with reporters the following day.

The president left Berlin on Wednesday afternoon, March 13 to fly to Prague, where he was invited for a three-day state visit to the Czech Republic.

His visit to Germany was his 24th foreign trip since he assumed office in mid-2022.

Germany was the 16th country he visited as president.

Travel budget spike

An earlier target of criticism was the sharp spike in Mr.

Marcos’ budget for local and foreign trips: from P893.57 million in 2023 to P1.408 billion this year, up by 58 percent.

In comparison, Duterte made 21 trips to 20 countries during his entire presidency from 2016 to 2022. He also did not go outside Asia, except for two visits to Russia in 2017 and 2019.

Charter change motive

As to Duterte’s claim that Mr. Marcos only wanted to lift term limits in the 1987 Constitution to allow him to remain longer in power, the president said: “I am confused with the former president’s remarks because he keeps changing his stance.

“I have to examine it further, study what he is really saying. I can’t understand it, he seems to be changing his remarks, so I will try to make sense of it,” Mr. Marcos said.

“I don’t take it personally. It’s not easy, but I am able to separate what is work and what is personal. So I don’t see the problem there,” he added. 

Blinken to boost US-PH ties...

range of bilateral and global issues, including on regional peace and stability, human rights and democracy, economic prosperity, health, clean energy, semiconductors, and the digital economy,” the U.S. DOS added.

Blinken’s visit to the country is part of a larger travel agenda, which includes stops in Vienna, Austria; Seoul, South Korea, and Manila from March 14 to 20. (Adrian Parungao/Inquirer.net)

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FIRE PREVENTION. In time for Fire Prevention Month, the Bureau of Fire Protection 11 (Davao Region) holds a simulation fire rescue operation at SM City Davao on Wednesday, March 13. The event is part of the 3rd nationwide simultaneous fire drill. PNA photo by Robinson Niñal Jr.

Concerns grow over quality of care as investor groups buy not-for-pro t nursing homes

by HARRIS MEYER KFF Health News

SHELLY Olson’s mother, who has dementia, has lived at the Scandia Village nursing home in rural Sister Bay, Wisconsin, for almost five years. At first, Olson said, her mother received great care at the facility, then owned by a not-for-profit organization, the Evangelical Lutheran Good Samaritan Society.

Then in 2019, Sanford Health — a not-for-profit, tax-exempt hospital system — acquired the nursing home. The covid-19 pandemic struck soon after. From then on, the facility was regularly short of staff, and residents endured long wait times and other care problems, said Olson, a registered nurse who formerly worked at the facility.

Now Scandia Village has a new, for-profit owner, Continuum Healthcare. Olson said she was reassured when Continuum hired two locals as the facility’s new administrator and nursing director.

But Kathy Wagner, a former Scandia Village nursing director, is not optimistic. “The forprofit owner will face the same problems,” said Wagner, who is now retired and serves on an informal task force that monitors the facility’s quality of care. “No one has articulated what the forprofit owner will bring to the table to change the picture.”

The sale of Scandia Village this year is part of a trend of for-profit companies, including private equity groups and real estate investment trusts, snapping up struggling not-for-profit nursing homes, many of which were operated for decades by Lutheran, Catholic, Jewish, and other faithbased organizations.

The pace of sales has ticked up, reaching a high last year, according to Ziegler Investment Banking. Since 2015, 900 not-forprofit nursing homes and senior living communities nationwide have changed hands, with more than half of them acquired by forprofit operators.

For-profit groups own about 72% of the roughly 15,000 nursing homes in the United States, which serve more than 1.3 million residents.

While overall for-profit ownership percentage hasn’t notably increased in recent years,

the type of for-profit companies that own these facilities has shifted toward private equity, real estate investment trusts, and complicated ownership structures, said David Grabowski, a professor of health care policy at Harvard Medical School. Consumer advocates, researchers, and regulators are leery about this trend. They point to studies showing that nursing homes owned by forprofit companies — particularly investors in private equity and real estate — tend to have skimpier staffing, lower quality ratings, and more regulatory violations. Motivated by these concerns, the Biden administration issued a rule last fall that requires nursing homes to disclose more information about their owners and management firms.

Executives at not-for-profit organizations, as well as researchers who study nursing homes, wonder how for-profit companies can accomplish what the previous not-for-profit owners could not: reviving financially struggling nursing homes.

“I don’t know where these investor groups can see savings without cutting back on the level of quality,” Grabowski said.

Part of the problem is that to boost profits, many for-profit operators set up a network of related companies to provide fee-based services such as management, physical therapy, and staffing. They also may sell a nursing home’s real estate to a sister company, which then charges high rent. These payments cut into the available operating funds to provide adequate staffing and quality care.

Last year, New York Attorney General Letitia James sued the for-profit owners of four nursing homes for financial fraud and resident neglect, alleging that they used more than $83 million in public funds to enrich themselves through a complex network of related companies while providing horrendous care.

“When nonprofits are sold, you start to see a precipitous decline in quality,” said Sam Brooks, director of public policy for National Consumer Voice for Quality Long-Term Care. “Nonprofits generally staff well above for-profits. When churches and nonprofits divest these

homes, for-profits move in, and the care gets really bad.”

The leaders of not-for-profits that have sold facilities to forprofit operators cite a variety of reasons for exiting or downsizing. Those reasons include state Medicaid payment rates that are too low to cover operating costs and a shortage of nursing and other staffers that makes it hard to maintain quality care. In addition, they say their facilities have seen fewer admissions, at least partly because Medicare Advantage plans have tightened coverage policies for rehabilitation care in nursing homes.

Susan McCrary, chief executive of St. Ignatius Community Services in Philadelphia, said her organization sold its nursing home because it was losing money. She said low state Medicaid rates forced their hand, even after the state bolstered its Medicaid payments by 17.5% in January 2023.

McCrary said the St. Ignatius board worried the losses would jeopardize the organization’s ability to continue its mission of serving low-income seniors, for whom it also operates three independent-living and assisted living buildings.

At the same time, “our board definitely had concerns about selling to a for-profit because we’re aware of the research that shows the quality of care is not the same as with a nonprofit,” McCrary said. “But we knew we needed to move forward with this process to continue our services in West Philadelphia.”

Nate Schema, CEO of the Evangelical Lutheran Good Samaritan Society, said his organization decided to sell some of its long-term care facilities to Continuum Healthcare, a New Jersey-based corporation, and a second company, Idahobased Cascadia Healthcare, as part of its strategy to better serve its communities. Good Samaritan now operates in seven Midwestern states, down from 22 states. Consolidating markets better enables his organization to launch programs for nursing home residents in conjunction with Sanford’s hospitals and clinics.

“We’ve been very intentional about finding quality partners to carry on our mission,” Schema  PAGE A5

How the anti-vaccine movement pits parental...

require a court order for routine immunizations, Tennessee’s Department of Children’s Services was silent, too.

Notably, the legislator who introduced the bill, Republican Rep. John Ragan, was among those simultaneously overseeing a review of the agency that would determine its leadership and budget for the coming years. “Children belong to their families, not the state,” said Ragan as he presented the bill at a state hearing in April 2023.

Democratic Rep. Justin Pearson spoke out against the bill. It “doesn’t take into account people and children who are neglected,” he told Ragan. “We are legislating from a point of privilege and not recognizing the people who are not privileged in this way.”

Rather than address such concerns, Ragan referenced a Supreme Court ruling in favor of parental rights in 2000. Specifically, judges determined that a mother had legal authority to decide who could visit her daughters. Yet the Supreme Court has also done the opposite. For instance, it sided against a legal guardian who removed her child from school to proselytize for the Jehovah’s Witnesses.

Still, Ragan swiftly won the majority vote. Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee, a Republican, signed the bill in May, making it effective immediately. Deborah Lowen, then the deputy commissioner of child health at the Department of Children’s Services, was flooded with calls from doctors who now face jailtime and fines for vaccinating minors without adequate consent. “I was and remain very disheartened,” she said.

A right to health Yaun, the Memphis pediatrician, said he was shaken as he declined to administer a first series of vaccines to an infant accompanied by a social worker. “That child is going into a situation where they are around other children and adults,” he said, “where they could be exposed to something we failed to protect them from.”

“We have had numerous angry grandparents in our waiting room who take kids to appointments because the parents are at work or down on their luck,” said Hunter Butler, a pediatrician in Springfield, Tennessee. “I once called a

rehabilitation facility to find a mom and get her on the phone to get verbal consent to vaccinate her baby,” he said. “And it’s unclear if that was OK.”

Childhood immunization rates have dropped for three consecutive years in Tennessee. Nationwide, downward trends in measles vaccination led the CDC to estimate that a quarter million kindergartners are at risk of the highly contagious disease.

Communities with low vaccination rates are vulnerable as measles surges internationally. Confirmed measles cases in 2023 were almost double those in 2022 — a year in which the World Health Organization estimates that more than 136,000 people died from the disease globally. When travelers infected abroad land in communities with low childhood vaccination rates, the highly contagious virus can spread swiftly among unvaccinated people, as well as babies too young to be vaccinated and people with weakened immune systems.

“There’s a freedom piece on the other side of this argument,” said Caitlin Gilmet, communications director at the vaccine advocacy group SAFE Communities Coalition and Action Fund. “You should have the right to protect your family from preventable diseases.”

In late January, Gilmet and other child health advocates gathered in a room at the Tennessee Statehouse in Nashville, offering a free breakfast of fried chicken biscuits. They handed out flyers as legislators and their aides drifted in to eat.

One pamphlet described the toll of a 2018-19 measles outbreak in Washington state that sickened 72 people, most of whom were unvaccinated, costing $76,000 in medical care, $2.3 million for the public health response, and an estimated $1 million in economic losses due to illness, quarantine, and caregiving.

Barb Dentz, an advocate with the grassroots group Tennessee Families for Vaccines, repeated that most of the state’s constituents support strong policies in favor of immunizations. Indeed, seven in 10 U.S. adults maintained that public schools should require vaccination against measles, mumps, and rubella, in a Pew Research Center poll last year. But numbers have been dropping.

“Protecting kids should be such a no-brainer,” Dentz told Republican Rep. Sam Whitson, later that morning in his office. Whitson agreed and reflected on an explosion of anti-vaccine misinformation. “Dr. Google and Facebook have been such a challenge,” he said. “Fighting ignorance has become a full-time job.”

Whitson was among a minority of Republicans who voted against Tennessee’s vaccine amendment last year. “The parental rights thing has really taken hold,” he said, “and it can be used for and against us.”

KFF Health News is a national newsroom that produces in-depth journalism about health issues and is one of the core operating programs at KFF—an independent source of health policy research, polling, and journalism.

Barb Dentz (right), an advocate with Tennessee Families for Vaccines, met with her state representative, Sam Whitson, to discuss the state’s declining childhood immunization rates in January. KFF Health news photo by Amy Maxmen

economic gains.”

The DOF secretary said they are looking to promote the ease of doing business where investors can process their documents online.

“My priorities are to collect the revenues of the government so that we can implement and execute the budget for the year. That’s number one. Number two, to make it easy for businesses to do business so that we can create jobs in the process,” Recto said.

“We will improve tax administration efficiency of the BIR (Bureau of Internal Revenue) and the (Bureau of) Customs,” he said.

He also expressed support to the amendment of the Corporate Recovery and Tax Incentives for Enterprises Act as exporters should be exempted from Value Added Tax so they will be more competitive globally.

He added that “digitalization is a priority of President Marcos in BIR, BOC, and the ease of doing business, in e-commerce. You can better build a business,

pay taxes, reduce traffic, pollution and corruption if the process is digitized.”

Instead of imposing new taxes, Recto said the best way to inculcate tax obedience is still to promote ease of payment, and to show that taxes that are efficiently collected are effectively spent.

Earlier, Recto explained that the proposed 2024 national budget of P5.767 trillion translates to average daily spending of P15.8 billion, but only P11.7 billion of which is supportable by revenues, leaving a P4 billion hole which must be plugged by debt.

“In the words of the president, replacing red tape with a red carpet, but, if I may add, without sweeping the unsavory under the rug or trampling rights and rules.”

Recto was the last department secretary appointed to complete the administration of President Marcos. CA chairman and Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri expressed confidence that “Recto’s extensive experiences as a legislator and his time as National Economic and Development Authority chief have prepared him well for this demanding position.”

“When he was in the Senate, Secretary Ralph was our resident numbers guy, not only because he was brilliant at crunching the numbers, but more importantly, because he could immediately see the big picture. He would

be our go to adviser on the economy, on taxes, and even in life,” he added.

Sen. Ramon Revilla Jr., who presided over the CA finance committee meeting, said “Recto has undeniably proven himself over your years of top caliber public service. And your statement today solidifies this and all the more convinces us of how truly qualified and competent you are.”

‘No tolerance for violence’

The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) gave assurance on Wednesday that the military does not tolerate violence against women among its ranks amid allegations of domestic abuse raised by the wife of Brig. Gen. Ranulfo Sevilla at the CA on Tuesday, March 12.

The military cannot comment on the facts of the case of the ranking military official who is currently the deputy commander of the Special Operations Command because of a January 2024 gag order issued by the Dipolog City regional trial court, according to AFP public affairs office chief Col. Xerxes Trinidad.

However, he stressed that “the AFP takes seriously all allegations and complaints pertaining to the protection of women and children.”

“Rest assured that the AFP does not tolerate any form of abuse and continue to inculcate among our personnel strong social and family values,” he said. 

by DONA Z. PAZZIBUGAN, JACOB LAZARO Philstar.com

Survivors and victims of extrajudicial killing (EJK), human trafficking, online sexual abuse, and other grave human rights abuses may now seek compensation from the government after their inclusion in the victims’ compensation program run by the Department of Justice (DOJ).

The DOJ has entered into an agreement with the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) to cover victims of such rights violations under the program originally intended for those who suffered illegal detention, enforced disappearance, or violent crime.

Under the memorandum of agreement (MOA) signed on Thursday, March 14, the DOJ’s Board of Claims (BOC) would receive and facilitate referrals of “all interested and qualified applicants” from the CHR when investigating rights violations.

“This includes victims of extrajudicial killings, torture, enforced disappearances, unjust imprisonment, human trafficking,

and online sexual exploitation, among others,” the CHR said in a statement.

Transitional justice

The commission said it would also be able to accept cases endorsed by the BOC that are not qualified for the compensation program but may be eligible for separate financial assistance from the CHR.

A victim who was already financially compensated by the CHR is not precluded from applying under the program, according to the DOJ.

“By broadening the reach of this compensation system through this cooperation agreement, we are ensuring recognition of the fundamental human rights and establishing accountability for violations or abuses—a step forward to a progressive realization of transitional justice,”

CHR Chair Richard Palpal-latoc said at the signing event.

“We express our high hopes that this MOA will allow the CHR and the DOJ to take a more active role in assisting victims of human rights violations and abuses in claiming for compensation,” the CHR chief added.

During the event, DOJ and CHR officials urged Congress to expedite the passage of proposals to increase the maximum compensation under the program.

The victims’ compensation program was created under Republic Act No. 7309 to provide monetary compensation to victims of arbitrary or illegal detention, enforced or involuntary disappearances, and violent crimes, including offenses perpetrated with “malice or cruelty,” and resulting in physical or psychological harm, disability, insanity and “serious trauma committed through torture, cruelty, or barbarity.”

Under the law passed in 1992, victims of unjust imprisonment may receive up to P1,000 per month of imprisonment, while victims of violent crimes may receive up to P10,000, or the amount required to reimburse expenses incurred for wage loss, hospitalization, and medical treatment as a result of the violence.

Maximum compensation

Because submitting a claim for compensation could take too  PAGE A7

Concerns grow over quality of care as...

said. “Unfortunately, we haven’t seen a lot of nonprofit providers coming to us.”

Continuum, which took over Scandia Village nursing home in January, will address staffing shortages by improving wages, benefits, and career opportunities, said Tim Hodges, the corporation’s communications director. Continuum, which is owned by private investors and commercial lenders, owns eight nursing homes in four states.

Similarly, Steve LaForte, Cascadia’s executive vice president, said his company has revived the finances of the nine Good Samaritan nursing homes it took over in the Pacific Northwest partly by attracting more patient referrals and strengthening relationships with state policymakers, in the

hope it “leads to more realistic Medicaid rates.” He said Cascadia has also focused on workplace culture — such as by not using workers from staffing agencies — and on empowering those who run the individual facilities to select vendors for pharmacy, rehabilitation, and other services. Cascadia, he said, does not use tactics like contracting with sister vendors to boost its profits.

“That type of organization gives the whole industry a bad name,” LaForte said. The overall perception of forprofit corporations is unfair, said Zach Shamberg, CEO of the Pennsylvania Health Care Association, because all nursing homes are struggling under inadequate Medicaid rates and high labor costs due to a shortage in workers

He said he hopes that

Pennsylvania’s Medicaid rate increase — plus a new minimum staffing requirement and a mandate that 70% of total costs be dedicated to resident care — will address the financial and quality issues. Nursing homes in Pennsylvania and across the country are also lobbying state lawmakers and the federal government to offer extra payments tied to quality outcomes for residents.

“If there aren’t for-profit entities to buy these facilities, these facilities are closing, which would exacerbate the existing access to care crisis as the population gets older,” Shamberg said.

KFF Health News is a national newsroom that produces in-depth journalism about health issues and is one of the core operating programs at KFF—an independent source of health policy research, polling, and journalism.

The Captain’s Peak Garden and Resort in Sagbayan town invites guests to see the Chocolate Hills up close. The Protected Area Management Board of the DENR allows private owners in the 50-square-kilometer area that straddles three Bohol towns to develop their properties for tourism. PAMB guidelines for property development, however, are reportedly silent on whether swimming pools and slides are allowed so close to the mounds.

On June 18, 1988, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization declared the Chocolate Hills a National Geological Monument, “in recognition of its scientific value and geomorphic uniqueness.” It is the third in the Philippines to receive that recognition from UNESCO.

While likening the conical hills that turn chocolate brown during the dry season to similar geological formations in Java, Indonesia, UNESCO describes the Chocolate Hills, estimated to number 1,776 mounds, as “more aesthetically extensive.”

In May last year, UNESCO adopted a resolution declaring Bohol island part of a global network of 195 geoparks in 48 countries – the first such recognition in the Philippines. In adopting the resolution, UNESCO declared that the island “features wondrous, not-yet-popular karstic geosites like caves, sinkholes, among others.” UNESCO also cited Bohol’s “400 years of rich history and cultural traditions in harmony with its unique geological treasures.”

Those treasures are in danger of looking like cheap, fake trinkets if tourism development around the limestone hills is not properly managed. The PAMB guidelines for private property development were released, however, before the UNESCO recognition of Bohol as a global geopark.

The people of Bohol, and the rest of the country, have a stake in protecting this unique natural attraction. A delicate balance must be struck between private property owners’ rights and the need to preserve a national treasure.

(Philstar.com)

AS pastor Apollo Quiboloy continues to snub subpoenas from both the Senate and House committee hearings regarding charges of conspiracy to engage in sex trafficking in the former and the suspension of his sect Kingdom of Jesus Christ’s Sonshine Media Network International (SMNI) franchise in the latter, both committees have cited him in contempt.

Moreover, Sen. Risa Hontiveros, the chair of the Senate committee on women, children, family relations, and gender equality, asked the Senate leadership to approve her motion to arrest Quiboloy. Sen. Robinhood Padilla, a professed friend of Quiboloy, sought to block the motion. While he got the support of Sen. Cynthia Villar, Sen. Imee Marcos, and Sen. Christopher “Bong” Go, this was not enough, and a show cause order was issued.

While perhaps for Padilla it was a disappointing parliamentary exercise, it did reveal some rather intimate truths. His stated reason for opposing the motion was “may utang na loob tayo rito (we owe him),” pertaining to Quiboloy’s supposed support in the armed struggle against

communism. Thus, the senator seems to be seeking differential treatment for—in his own words—his “comrade.” His reasons, as a senator and public servant, seemed to have nothing to do with the best interest of the Filipino people or even related to the current investigations into serious allegations of sex trafficking. Villar was just as candid about her reason for blocking the motion. She admitted that “kaibigan ko si Pastor Quiboloy. Mabait siya sa aming pamilya (Pastor Quiboloy is my friend. He is good to our family)” and expressed skepticism about the charge against him. Moreover, she explained that she couldn’t have him arrested as “you don’t do that to a friend.” Again, you have a public servant openly admitting that their legislative moves are based purely on friendship. Sen. Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa also gave his support to Quiboloy by saying he “cannot do anything disgusting” as he is a “most respected person.”

How is it that public servants are willing to obstruct and shut down investigations in order to protect a friendship? Why is it so hard for them to reconcile that their very good friend may have done very bad things?

In Psychology, we have a basic concept called cognitive dissonance. This is the discomfort that occurs when we

are faced with two conflicting beliefs, values, or behaviors. For them, due to their close ties with the pastor (and perhaps the default belief that all religious men are good), they believe that Quiboloy is a good man. As such, the thought that he has done terrible things contradicts this belief. There is mental distress when this happens. We like to think that our friends are good people. We wouldn’t be friends with them otherwise. And so when confronted with the possibility that they may have done immoral acts, it seems unthinkable. It would make us question our judgment of others. It would also make us question our own goodness, as our insistence on being a good friend now collides against being a good person.

Because of this discomfort, the temptation is to doubledown on one belief instead of making space for both. In this instance, even without a completed investigation, they have already shut down the possibility that Quiboloy may have been involved in heinous crimes such as sex trafficking so as to avoid cognitive dissonance. Dela Rosa’s statement describes this dissonance perfectly: he “cannot do anything disgusting” because he is a “most respected person.”

In reality, however, these two seemingly incompatible

beliefs can be true at the same time. Someone who has been good to us could have done bad things to others. Someone who is respected by the community could be doing disrespectful things in private. Someone who campaigned alongside you may also hold beliefs very much different from yours.

As long as we recognize cognitive dissonance for what it is, it can motivate us toward self-reflection and lead us to wisdom. However, not being

able to tolerate the discomfort that comes with cognitive dissonance can lead us to defensive reactions and stunt our ability to handle ethical and moral dilemmas. It can either make our beliefs more rigid and impervious to reality, or worse: it can set us adrift from our moral center. The path forward is to center our behaviors on all our values, not just on one. If we value both friendship and justice, then it is better to expend

effort toward ensuring that due process is upheld. Obstructing investigations and exempting a friend from due process does not do your friend—or your country—any favors in the long run. (Inquirer.net) * * *

* * * aatuazon@up.edu.ph

a devoted following that included the cult— among many others backing him.

On Monday, March 11, the former president said he volunteered because his friend the besieged pastor “is distracted at the moment.” He will run things for now, he added, though he clarified this means focusing on the pastor’s properties “to see to it that it is preserved well for the congregation … the buildings and the properties which the kingdom owns.” A lawyer seems to think otherwise, that the former president will be expected to do a lot more: “He shall see to it that assets are protected, payables are paid, receivables collected

and all financial matters are handled with due diligence with the end in view of benefiting the members of KOJC (Kingdom of Jesus Christ) in the best possible manner.”

The same lawyer told members of the House of Representatives that the fugitive Apollo Quiboloy didn’t actually have anything to do with running his media empire since “the last quarter of 2018.” This was by way of explaining to the House, which is threatening to revoke the franchise of Sonshine Media Network International (SMNI), that he neither owns it nor runs it. One congressman brushed aside the former president’s becoming a human shield and suggested instead that Quiboloy’s affairs seem to be in disarray: “We could not even clarify when did he leave SMNI, or when did Pastor (Marlon) Acobo take over. The records of the Securities and Exchange Commission are also in disarray,” 1-Rider party

list Rep. Rodge Gutierrez told reporters. A rule of thumb is that national media is less relevant to members of the House while it’s essential to the political prospects of members of the Senate. It may explain why the House shows no signs of letting go while the Senate has a small but formidable cluster of senators who have taken Quiboloy’s side, from the president’s own contrarian sister Imee Marcos, to Nacionalista Party (NP) matriarch Cynthia Villar, and Duterte bloc members Bong Go and Robin Padilla. At a time when the media landscape and thus, its reach (and the autonomy or independence of media itself) has drastically shrunk, Quiboloy’s media empire is one of the last ones standing independent of the administration.

Fewer seem convinced that the coalition elected in 2022 will go into the 2025 midterms as anything other than enemies. Though a confrontation was

inevitable, it wasn’t until 2028 was near that it had to be so; indeed the vice president herself is still trying to ensure she remains, officially at least, part of the ruling coalition until then. But even if she does, she risks doing so as a hostage and no longer a partner with independent political means. Her won “aggrupation,” Hugpong ng Pagbabago, remains overshadowed by her father’s affiliations and indeed, in danger of extinction. Her father’s affiliations are also shrinking, and with it, his independence. You can track influence by looking at party size. Since March 2023, when I last looked, to today, the relative standing of parties reveals the relative standing of their principals.

The two traditional parties, the PDP-Laban (from 39 to five) and Lakas-CMD (from 67 to 92), have shrunk and grown significantly, respectively. For the parties that are essentially

commercial enterprises, they have retained their cohesion, rather well: the Nacionalistas went from 36 to 34; the Nationalist People’s Coalition (NPC), from 35 to 33; and the National Unity Party (NUP), from 33 to 36. Even the nominal affiliations of the president and vice president, respectively, have changed: the Partido Federal ng Pilipinas, from two to 10; and the Hugpong ng Pagbabago, from six to one.

The picture is different in the local arena. PDP-Laban retains 19 governorships and 29 vice governorships and has 269 provincial board members; Lakas-CMD has 10 governorships, 18 provincial board members, but also, 68 city and municipal mayorships and 514 city and municipal councilors; the Partido Federal has 17 governors and three vice governors while Hugpong ng Pagbabago seems to have none at all. The Marcos-Romualdez dual party system thus has the

Duterte-Arroyo machine trapped in a kind of political sandwich. I should mention as an aside, that the NP (12 governors, 10 vice governors, 116 provincial board members), NPC (11 governors, six vice governors, 90 provincial board members), and NUP (nine governors, 67 provincial board members, 125 city and municipal mayors, and 990 councilors) to me, are different political animals altogether since they are best understood as corporate subsidiaries.

By turning himself into a human shield for Quiboloy, the former president will find himself volunteering for a fight that narrows his circle, win or lose. (Inquirer.net)

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

* * *

Email: mlquezon3@gmail.com; Twitter: @mlq3

UltraPass

DOH: COVID cases continue to drop

COVID-19 cases in the country continue to drop, the Department of Health (DOH) said on Thursday, March 14.

From February 27 to March 4,

only 251 new COVID cases were reported, or an average of 36 cases a day.

This is 27 percent lower than the average 133 daily cases last February 20 to 26. Only three of the cases were either severe or critical. Seven deaths were recorded, five of which occurred from February 20 to March 4.

The DoH said the low severity and fatality rates can be attributed

to the high vaccination coverage.

Out of the 1,185 dedicated COVID-19 intensive care unit (ICU) beds available, only 115 or 10 percent were occupied. Only 1,119 or 11 percent of the 10,097 dedicated COVID non-ICU beds were in use. "Moving forward, we have learned our lessons and we now know better. The UHC (Universal Health Care) Act is still our reference, and it is the order of President Marcos to strengthen primary health care to prepare us for the next pandemic," said Health Secretary Teodoro "Ted" Herbosa.

The DOH said it is monitoring new infectious disease threats, along with the many other health conditions affecting Filipinos, even four years after the Inter-agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) imposed a nationwide enhanced community quarantine.

It has also been a year since President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. declared that COVID-19 is no longer a public health emergency, on the recommendation of the IATF-EID and consistent with pronouncements by the World Health Organization.

(ManilaTimes.net)

EJK, tra cking victims now covered...

PAGE A5

TrustLink for privacy-preserving data sharing, and TrustLink Edge for secure data exchange withing critical infrastructure – has identified the Philippines as a dynamic market ripe for the adoption of advanced digital identity systems.

During the Presidential Trade and Investment Mission, UltraPass ID announced agreements with the Department of Budget and Management and NOW Corporation, highlighting the growing demand for robust digital identity infrastructure that prioritizes security, interoperability, and user privacy.

Echoing Secretary Raimondo's assertion that "economic security is national security," necessitat-

ing robust cybersecurity, Starr's vision for the Philippines is ambitious. He announced plans to establish an innovation hub in the country, aiming to make the Philippines a global beacon for decentralized digital identity innovation. This initiative seeks to attract international attention, drive job growth, and showcase the Philippines' capability in deploying cutting-edge technology. The Starr's call to action is clear: with the support of both the United States and Philippine governments, UltraPass ID's vision can transform the digital identity landscape, fostering a more secure, inclusive, and interconnected world. Highlighted by agreements with DBM and NOW Corp and advanced discussions with a number of other agencies, Starr's enthusiasm for the potential of the Philippine market and the urgent demand for UltraPass ID's solutions reflect a promising future for digital transformation in the country. As UltraPass ID continues to navigate the bureaucratic landscape and seeks to expedite agreements with numerous government agencies, the support from the administration remains crucial. Starr's commitment to “move fast and fix things”, sets a new paradigm for technological advancement in the Philippines, promising a future where digital identity solutions not only en-

hance security but also empow-

er individuals with control over their information.

UltraPass ID's participation in the Presidential Trade and Investment Mission represents a significant step in collaboration between the United States and the Philippines. It aims at achieving unprecedented success in digital identity and beyond, firmly rooted in the belief that securing economic and national security begins with robust cybersecurity.

UltraPass ID's participation in the Presidential Trade and Investment Mission marks a significant step in U.S.-Philippines collaboration, emphasizing a mutual commitment to decentralized identity solutions for enhanced cybersecurity, data privacy and global interoperability. 

long, Congress established the BOC to oversee the administrative process for filing claims under the DOJ, which releases the monetary compensation to the program. Senior Assistant State Prosecutor Jovyanne Santamaria, the BOC operations chief, said the maximum compensation for unjust imprisonment was P60,000, equivalent to five years of unjust imprisonment. She said the proposal was to increase the compensation to P5,000 per month of unjust imprisonment and up to a maximum P300,000, equivalent to five years of unjust imprisonment. Santamaria said there was another proposal to raise the maximum compensation for

victims of violent crimes from P10,000 to P50,000. Justice Undersecretary Deo Marco, the BOC head, said the referral system would benefit “not only persons who are entitled but are unaware of the victims compensation program, but also those who are beyond its scope.”

“The very creation of the victims compensation program recognizes that there are imperfections in our legal justice system, and gives the people a mode of directly seeking this recognition by way of compensation,” he said. Justice Undersecretary Raul Vasquez, head of the DOJ’s human rights office, said the current range of compensation under the program was “no longer realistic.”

“We will try to coordinate with the OP (Office of the President) to make [the increase in compensation] a priority bill,” he said.

From 1992 to 2023, the BOC approved 52,234 claims amounting to P514.9 million.

Former prisoners who were subsequently released due to acquittal, who were subsequently released without being charged, and victims of arbitrary or illegal detention by authorities after final court judgment may also seek compensation.

Most applicants for compensation were victims of violent crimes, including rape and trafficking, as well as offenses that resulted in death or serious physical injuries. 

GREEN LANE. Joggers and those who simply want a stroll amid green spaces occupy a portion of the University of the Philippines Academic Oval in Diliman, Quezon City on Thursday, March 14. The 2.2-kilometer path is among the favorite spots even of outsiders who want to run, brisk walk and ride a bicycle. PNA photo by Joan Bondoc

Secretary Gina Raimondo (left) with UltraPass ID CEO Eric Starr.

Asian Journal WKND

Charo Santos credits MMK for her growth as woman

By Jessica ann evangelista Inquirer.net

CHARO Santos acknowledged how telling inspiring real-life stories through her former program “Maalaala Mo Kaya” (MMK) made her a better individual.

Speaking at Women Lead Conference 2024 on Monday, March 11, to celebrate International Women’s Month, the veteran host recounted how Asia’s longest-running drama anthology gave her the

opportunity to tell empowering stories that helped her survive her personal experiences as well. “People often thank me for making a difference in their lives through MMK. But it is I who should be grateful to them. Their beautiful stories of prevailing over the toughest of odds ground me and lift me up during my times of self-doubt and despair,” she said in her speech.

Santos remarked that hosting MMK for 31 years made her a better person because of the

by Jessica ann evangelista Inquirer.net

CELEBRITY couple Gabbi Garcia and Khalil Ramos shared that they have already been discussing getting married, as they regard the topic as part of their relationship. In a guest appearance on “Fast Talk with Boy Abunda”

on Wednesday, March 13, the couple said that they have the same “end goal,” which is marriage, even at the early stages of their relationship.

“It’s something that we actually talk about a lot,” said the actor, pertaining to plans of getting married even from the start of their relationship.

“Same naman talaga kami ng

end goal (we have the same end goal). Even at the start of this relationship why waste time with someone you don’t wanna end up with,” added the actress.

Garcia remarked that they are not afraid to discuss getting married because it’s “a beautiful thing” to converse about in a relationship.

Charo Santos credits MMK for growth as woman Photo from Instagram/@charosantos

Recipe for a green card: The journey...

mall. Life was still hard, and Jonas struggled.

One day, Jonas saw a “Now Hiring Cooks” sign outside the Gerry’s Grill branch at the mall where he worked. He applied and prepared pinakbet when he was asked to show his cooking skills. He was hired right away and was asked to start the next day.

Jonas kept improving his kitchen skills and eventually he became Cook in Charge of the branch in Batangas. In 2016 and in 2017, Jonas became the champion of the company’s annual cooking competition. It was then that Gerry’s Grill owner, Gerry Apolinario, put Jonas in the short list of his staff who would be sent to the U.S. to run the branch in Houston, Texas.

Gerry hired leading U.S. Immigration Attorney Michael J. Gurfinkel to work on Jonas’ petition as Senior Line Cook, and in less than two years, Jonas acquired his green card.

It has been 20 years since Jonas was hired by Gerry’s back in Pampanga, and even now, he cannot believe how dramatically different his life has been from the days he was struggling in Bacolod, when he could hardly put food on the table, to the present, where he is able to provide food, shelter, and a better life for his family.

Watch this success story on a brand-new episode

of Citizen Pinoy on Sunday, March 17 at 6:30 PM PT

Gabbi Garcia, Khalil Ramos...

“From the get-go I feel like we were aligned that we want to keep this relationship special for the future,” she said. “I’m not afraid to talk about it kasi that’s part of life and it’s such a beautiful thing,”

Despite being aware that

they want their relationship to lead to the church, the couple acknowledged that they were also pressured to settle down by the people around them. However, they explained that it only becomes a problem when they succumb to the pressure and are not able to handle it

properly.

“I’m approaching my 30s na, we both see ourselves starting a family eventually,” said the actor.

“It’s about being aware that there is that pressure and how you manage that,”

Ramos and Garcia named Anne Curtis and Erwan Heussaff as one of the couples that they look up to. The actress also shared that she already has an idea of what wedding gown she’d like to wear on her big day and said that she wants an “intimate, quiet wedding.”

The young couple have been dating for seven years now and have worked together on the 2022 Kapuso mystery romance series “Love You Stranger.” g

Charo Santos credits MMK for her...

humane stories that she and the program got to feature.

“Through MMK, I experienced God’s handiwork first-hand and gained a deeper appreciation of what it is and how it is to be human. I have become a better person because of MMK,” she added.

On Instagram, the seasoned media executive and actress also expressed how difficult it was for

her to be a woman who strived to have a place in a patriarchal society. “It’s not easy being a woman! My life has been a constant uphill battle. From my probinsyana beginnings to the boardroom, my road to success has been full of challenges,” she wrote. With MMK, Santos became a household name and an entertainment pillar. The anthology series has also

cemented its place in the hearts of it’s viewers, showcasing the heartwarming real-life stories portrayed by some stellar actors in the industry over the years. In 2022, MMK bid its farewell after three decades of being on air. In December of the same year, Santos got reunited with 31 letter senders and had heartto-heart conversations for a two-hour special episode titled “MMK Grand Kumustahan.” g

Two-time Emmy Award winner Marc Anthony Nicolas to ‘Make his Marc’ on GMA Pinoy TV

FILIPINO American producer Marc Anthony

Nicolas has no less than two Emmy awards under his belt, and on March 24, he will officially be a part of GMA Pinoy TV, the Home of Global Pinoy.

Marc has worked with some of the best talk shows in the U.S. – The Ellen DeGeneres Show, The Tyra Banks Show, The Kelly Clarkson Show, and The Talk – and with all the accolades he has received, he surely has made a mark in the American television industry. Now, he is about to make Filipino content for his global Pinoys around the world.

“Being part of GMA Pinoy TV is very special because my family always watches this network and it has become a platform where people can share their stories. I am so excited because it is going to be airing in Guam, Japan, North America, and all these amazing places and I am just so lucky and so blessed to have this team behind me,” he said.

“Working on this project, it is so nice to see people who look like me and talk like me and share that special bond and heritage and tradition and that is what makes it feel so special because I have that connection not only with the trailblazers who are Filipino but also the crew,” Marc added.

Christian Reyes, the director of Make Your Marc, has this to say: “Rarely do we meet a team or producers that trust us. So it is always, do this, do that, you know, there is no collaborative thing. It is different now because both of you believe in us and you want to work with youngsters, for lack of a better term. And I thank you for that.”

Executive producer Chris Gordon believes in the talent but also in the passion of the team behind “Make Your Marc.”

“One, I have never been on a set or worked on a project where just about everybody is a person of color or a Filipino American or Filipino. And the production team, Christian and his crew are young and they are vibrant and they are fresh and they are hungry and you can feel it,” Gordon said.

Aside from that, Chris believes in the wit and brilliance of Marc as a host, and his passion for producing inspiring stories that move people.

“I also think that folks are going to be represented here. I feel as though with the trailblazers and people whom they have inspired, I feel as though there are a lot of people who will be inspired by these trailblazers stories and how they have become, how they have made their mark in the world,” he stated.

Watch out for the amazing stories of global Pinoys who have made a difference in their fields, including Ranella Ferrer, known for her excellent performances of the national anthem and who has been a mentor to many other young, aspiring singers; Filipino fashion designer Kenneth Barlis, who has dressed global icons such as Janet Jackson, Alicia Keys, and Carrie Underwood; Maricris Lapaix, who has not only carved a name in sculpting bodies but have also inspired others with her health and wellness

journey; acclaimed Filipino Chef, author, and TV host Alvin Cailan, who has made a name in the world of culinary; the prominent figures in the The Outstanding Filipino Awards (TOFA) including veteran host Boy Abunda, multi-awarded broadcast journalist Jessica Soho, and TOFA founder Elton Lugay; entrepreneur Sandro Roco, the founder of the first Asian-inspired sparkling water; Filipino teacher Joseph Alcario who was awarded as “California’s Teacher of the Year” because of his passion for teaching; and lastly, Dr. Audrey Sue Cruz, who was recognized for her contribution in healthcare during the pandemic and was honored with a Barbie figure. With Marc and his team’s passion for relevant and inspiring content, expect extraordinary narratives from trailblazers around the world with “Make Your Marc.” Catch it on March 24, 2024, 4 PM (Paficic)/7 PM (Eastern) on GMA Pinoy TV. To check the airing schedule in your area, visit www.gmapinoytv.com/ programguide. For details on how to subscribe, visit www.gmapinoytv.com/subscribe. g

Gabbi Garcia and Khalil Ramos

Photos from Instagram/@gabbi

Two-time Emmy winner Marc Anthony Nicolas Instagram photo/@marcanthonynicolas

Fil-Am

By ariC John Sy Cua ManilaTimes.net

city of Ewa Beach at the state’s capitol in Honolulu.

“As a young elected [official], it is truly my honor to recognize the achievements of another young person,” Kila wrote on his Instagram.

“Please know that wherever you go in the world, you have a community of supporters who are

cheering you on every step of the way in Nanakuli, Waipahu, Ewa Beach, Waikiki, in Hawai’i and even here in the house chamber,” he added.

The internet personality thanked Kila and also said he spent the day with the Filipino caucus.

“Thank you so much for the opportunity, I was just an Ewa Beach boy twerking behind the manupua truck, giving MTV tours of my high school, and singing my boba song everywhere,” he wrote on Instagram.

Bretman Rock currently has 18.9 million Instagram followers, where he is active. g

‘KimPau’ on workplace romance, being ‘right’ for each other

by Marinel Cruz Inquirer.net

“IT feels weird, but thank you,” said actress Kim Chiu in reaction to comments from netizens trying to match her romantically with onscreen partner Paulo Avelino, especially now that they’re promoting their new series “What’s Wrong With Secretary Kim?”

The series, directed by Chad Vidanes, is a local adaptation of the Korean hit with the same title. It will start streaming on Viu on March 18.

“Sometimes, we would read stuff about us on X. It’s a happy feeling that, even at our age, people are still trying to ‘ship’ us. To prove their point, they would say things about us that we would just laugh at, but we’re very thankful for their support,” Kim told reporters during a grand media gathering over the weekend. The two first worked together in the dramatic thriller Linlang.”

At one point in the press con, the duo, collectively known as “KimPau,” were asked to talk about what is “right” about each other, as a play on the show’s title. To this, Paulo said: “What’s right about Kim? Everything. Things are going well for her, career-wise. There’s only one aspect that’s not right,” said the actor, who is most likely referring to Kim’s current lack of romantic relationship since she just broke up with longtime boyfriend Xian Lim.

“I think she knows this. She just has to be more positive about her outlook. Everything’s right with her. She’s beautiful and has a wonderful career, as well.”

“Paulo is perfect—that’s what his character in this series would often describe himself. He’s very professional and is now very funny. He is being himself—that’s what makes him right,” Kim said. Kim and Paulo were also asked to reveal the unusual things they’ve done for love. Kim

jokingly asked Paulo: “What’s love, anyway? I’ve already forgotten. Are you going to remind me?”

Because of love

“Can my answer be something I did for a friend or coworker? I guess agreeing to do ‘Secretary Kim’ is the most unusual thing I did for my love for Kim. This is to repay her for everything she has given us in ‘Linlang.’ As a way to give back to her, I’m here in this series,” he replied.

Kim would later explain that it was a challenge for Paulo, whose forte is heavy drama, to be part of a romantic comedy series. “He is so funny in this show. You will not see the usual Paulo Avelino,” Kim declared. “I think if this was offered to me and Kim [was not the leading lady], I would have had second thoughts. This is because of Kim and Sir Deo (Endrinal, the late business unit head of Dreamscape Entertainment),” said Paulo.

Kim said she has done so many “unusual

things” as a way to show her love to people she cares about that she no longer considers them unusual. “I’m such a giving person— it’s my nature. I don’t want anyone feeling left out. I give as long as I can give. I will keep doing things for people because of love.” They were also asked to reveal what they love about each other. Paulo was the first to answer. “When I was new at ABS-CBN, I already wanted to work with Kim. I was just not given the opportunity until last year when we did ‘Linlang.’ I wanted to work with her not just because Kim is a star, but also because I like working with people who work fast and know what they are doing. We never had any problems on the set.”

Same passion

Kim added: “Pau knows his work as an actor. He is very consistent. We share the same passion when it comes to work. We want the same things. It’s nice to have finally found my boy counterpart. We would both

By JeSSiCa ann evangeliSta Inquirer.net

CELEBRITY couple Aubrey Miles and Troy Montero shared that they took 18 years before tying the knot because the actress wasn’t ready to be a bride before.

Sitting down on Fast Talk with Boy Abunda on Tuesday, March 12, Miles revealed that she was the one who hesitated for them to be wed in church.

“Parang siya din nafefeel niya na ‘di pa ako ready. May moment na biglang ready tapos biglang hindi. Saka hindi ako nagmamadali nung time na ‘yon,” she said.

(It’s like he also feels that I’m not ready yet. There is a moment when you feel that you are ready and then suddenly you are not. I was also not in a hurry at that time.)

The former “Survivor Philippines” castaway underscored that she wasn’t the demanding type of girlfriend, as she stressed that she was content at the time with whatever they had.

“Hindi ko siya pinepressure. Siguro ang swerte nga niya hindi ako nampepressure. Hindi ako nagdedemand ng ganito,” Miles remarked. (I didn’t pressure him [to marry me]. Maybe he’s lucky I’m not the one to demand things.)

“Happy ako. Super happy ako sa sitwasyon. Parang bakit ko gagalawin kung okay naman. Masaya naman ako sa

kaniya,” added the actress. (I’m happy. I’m super happy with the situation. It’s like why should I change something if it’s okay already. I am happy with him.)

Montero, meanwhile, claimed their children also play a part in helping them realize that they need matrimony, saying, “I think ‘yung [mga] bata, our kids, the ones made us decide it’s time.”

Being tagged as the “sexual couple,” they also revealed that they sleep naked every time they travel without their kids.

“Whenever we travel, kapag kaming dalawa lang, we’re always naked sa hotel,” shared the Montero. (Whenever we travel, when it’s just the two of us, we’re always naked at the hotel)

“Natutulog kami na naka[hubad]. Normal lang… Even sa bathroom, we talk, nakahubad,” added Miles. (We sleep [naked]. It’s normal… Even in the bathroom, we talk, naked)

The married couple reiterated that “intimacy” is very important to their relationship as they affirmed it’s the fun part of the union.

“It’s one of the fun parts of the relationship. It’s important, maybe not a necessity na kailangan lagi kang sexy. Para sa amin, it’s a fun thing to do,” remarked the actress.

Miles and Montero tied the knot in March 2022, and they have two children, Hunter and Rocket. The actress has another son, John Maurie, with exboyfriend JP Obligacion. g

By JeSSiCa ann evangeliSta Inquirer.net

JUDY Ann Santos is ready to grace the Filipino television screen again as she prepares for her comeback TV role after five years.

On Instagram, the “Mara Clara” star shared a video of her first filming day for the series “The Bagman,” in which she will play the role of the country’s president.

In the video, Santos was wearing a black suit and roaming around the set as she totally embodied the character in between takes. “I’m back acting! After Starla, ito na ulit. I am back with ABS-CBN… Ganito pala pakiramdam ng presidente, may taga-payong, may mga naka shades na bodyguard,” the actress said in her video.

Aubrey

Filipino American influencer Bretman Rock Photo from Instagram/@bretmanrock

Paulo Avelino and Kim Chiu scene from “What’s Wrong With Secretary Kim?”

ABS-CBN photo

Paolo Contis, Kaye Abad, Patrick Garcia reunion movie trailer released

TABING Ilog”

Get set for spring & summer! Pechanga Resort Casino announces its 4.5-acre pool oasis has opened for the season

Guests can make a splash at The Cove, Pechanga’s pool complex, the size of 5 football fields

JUST in time for Spring Break this March, one of the largest resort pool complexes at one of the country’s biggest resort/casinos reopened for the season on Monday, March 11.

This year, pool-goers everywhere will have access to The Cove’s oasis-like environment that’s the size of five football fields.

Pechanga Resort Casino’s Cove management makes day passes, cabana and daybed rentals available for non-hotel guests, as well as to Pechanga hotel, Pechanga RV and Temecula Creek Inn guests.

Day passes are priced at $50 plus tax for non-hotel guests. These are available at The Cove check in area. Cabana and daybed reservations may be made in advance by hotel and non-hotel guests by calling (888) 732-4264. Cabana and daybed rental rates vary based on day of the week and availability.

Pechanga Resort Casino’s 4.5-acre pool complex, The Cove, equals in size to five American football fields. Guests can enjoy four pools, two spas, two twisty waterslides, 27 cabanas, six oversized daybeds that skim the main pool, a swim up bar with 18 submerged seats and Baja ledges.

The main pool spans 7,500 square feet and features the swim up bar with bartenders blending up the freshest and sweetest poolside drinks. The Cove’s main pool is a 21 and older area. The family area includes six cabanas around its perimeter and the two twisty waterslides that empty into the deep end of the 4,358 square foot pool.

Many guests rave about The Cove’s food and beverage menu. Specialty cocktails, as well as tried and true favorites are available from The Cove’s two bars – in the lounge or the swim up bar – and from servers throughout the venue. Poolside favorite eats include burgers, fries, nachos, wings, salads, sandwiches and of course, mouthwatering ice cream delights.

By the numbers:

• The Cove’s area equals 4.5 acres. That’s more than 5 football fields combined.

• 4 pools. The largest is the 21 & older main pool at 7,500 square feet. The family pool is 4,358 square feet.

• 2 twisty waterslides at the family pool

• 18 underwater seats at the swim-up bar at the main pool

• 27 Cabanas & 6 Daybeds. Since opening in 2019, The Cove has proved a popular oasis-like spot for guests

celebrating birthdays and bridal showers, and of course, for those who just want to soak up the Southern California sun in style. Grabbing a bite to eat or a refreshing drink at The Cove is easy with dedicated cabana servers, as well as poolside service at your lounger or at the walkup food bar. Inside the Cove complex, guests will also find several modern fire pits perfect for sitting by and sipping a refreshing beverage, men’s/ women’s locker and changing rooms, the walk-up Coveside Grill restaurant, luxury cabanas with personalized food and drink service, and a 26,140 square foot lush green lawn for private events.

Other important info:

• Pechanga hotel guest admission to The Cove –complimentary

• Non-Hotel Guest day passes – $50

• Pechanga RV and Temecula Creek Inn guest admission to The Cove – $30 day pass

• Cabanas & Daybeds – rate varies based on weekday/

weekends and on availability. For more information on the Cove, visit Pechanga.com/ indulge/the-cove or call (951) 770-8457.

Pechanga Resort Casino offers one of the largest and most expansive resort/casino experiences anywhere in the country. Voted the best casino in the West by USA Today and rated a Four Diamond property by AAA since 2002, Pechanga Resort Casino provides an unparalleled getaway, whether for the day or for an extended luxury stay. Offering 5,500 of the hottest slots, 152 table games, world-class entertainment, 1,100 hotel rooms, dining, spa and golf at Journey at Pechanga, Pechanga Resort Casino features an unparalleled in California. Pechanga Resort Casino is owned and operated by the Pechanga Band of Indians. For more information, call toll free (877) 711-2946 or visit www.Pechanga.com. Follow Pechanga Resort Casino on Facebook, Instagram and on Twitter @PechangaCasino. (Advertising Supplement)

photo of him with Paolo Contis (foreground) and Kaye Abad (center) on his Instagram post. The three are starring in an untitled film that is set to pay tribute to their hit ‘90s teen series “Tabing Ilog.” Photo from Instagram/@onlypatrickgarcia

she says yes. Patrick then says they are going to Tasmania, Australia.

1.

of the business’s tangible and intangible assets, such as equipment, inventory, intellectual property, and goodwill.

4. Combination Approach: In some cases, a combination of valuation methods may be used to provide a more comprehensive assessment of the business’s value. This can involve considering multiple factors, such as market data, income projections, and asset values.

The best method to value a business will depend on the specific nature of the business, its profitability, and its assets. It is important that both the forensic CPA and the divorce attorney have a thorough understanding of the business or businesses at issue in the case.

Now, who values the business in a divorce case? There are several options.

• The parties can try to value the business on their own. The parties may have an in-depth knowledge of the value of the business by virtue of being operators, but this can also result in undervaluation or over valuation. Also, if one spouse is the sole operator, it can place the other spouse in an extreme disadvantage.

2.

3.

This method focuses on the value of the company’s assets. It involves assessing the fair market value

• Hiring a joint forensic accountant for the business valuation during the divorce either pursuant to Evidence Code Section 730 or informally. A joint forensic accountant is one who both spouses trust to provide a proper valuation and on whom both spouses rely in negotiations that may lead to a settlement. A joint forensic accountant, like any forensic accountant, does not provide legal advice. Spouses who hire a joint forensic accountant can also utilize a separate forensic accountant to review the joint accountant’s work.

• Each spouse can hire his

and her forensic accountant for a business valuation.

Each spouse can hire their own forensic accountant for business valuation as their own expert. Typically, the court will order that the two experts do a side by side in their calculation of the business valuation in order to focus and isolate where the difference between the two expert valuations lie.

Dividing private businesses during the divorce poses challenges to divorce litigants where there is no readily available quote as to the value of the private business. As a result, heavy reliance is placed on the appraisal by forensic CPA who may have different valuations for the same business..

* * *

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, APC.  This article is not a solicitation.

* * *

Attorney Kenneth Ursua Reyes is a Board 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, APC is located at 3699 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 700, Los Angeles, CA, 90010. Tel. (213) 388-1611 or e-mail kenneth@ kenreyeslaw.com or visit our website at Kenreyeslaw.com.

Paolo Contis, Kaye Abad, Patrick Garcia...

While the trailer shows scenic photos of the trio’s trip to Tasmania, it also highlights a scene with the three actors hanging out in a makeshift, wooden walkway with a hammock by the river. The scene harkens to the opening billboard and the favorite hangout of the three actors’

characters in the ‘90s show, which is a comingof-age weekend drama about about a group of teenage friends who loves to hang out at that particular meeting place.

“Go skinny dipping. See penguins. Plan funeral,” wrote Netflix in its caption on social media for its trailer post. g

God’s voice in our hearts

Pastor’s Notes

ReveRend

Rodel G. BalaGtas

“I WILL place my law within them and write it upon their hearts; I will be their God, and they shall be my people.” (Jeremiah 31:33-34)

What messages has Jesus placed in your heart this Lent? How is He affirming, challenging, inspiring, and encouraging you through the Scriptures and the homilies, and how are you responding to His messages?

Often, we perceive a homily as a one-way communication. However, it is not; it signifies a dialogue between you and Jesus. The priest or deacon delivering

the homily, believing that his words stem from prayer, study, reflection, and discernment, serves as the mouthpiece of Jesus Christ. It is the role of the listeners to internalize and act upon what the preacher imparts.

Both the preacher and the congregation should embrace moments of silence during Mass to cultivate this communication with God, particularly after the homily or during communion. These pauses help renew and inspire our hearts and minds to put the Word of God into action.

Additionally, the Gospel we encounter at Mass should evoke deep gratitude towards God, prompting us to praise and thank Him during the Eucharistic celebration. With resolute amens, we acknowledge the living God who enlightens and moves us with wisdom and love through the Scriptures and the homily. Every Mass should

lead us to appreciate the “pearl of great price” and prompt a prayer of gratitude.

As we move with joyful anticipation towards Easter, may we continue to listen and respond to Jesus’ voice in our hearts, urging us to share the beauty and strength of our Christian Catholic faith with others.

Let us pray that we, as preachers, ignite the hearts of the congregation as we proclaim the Good News, recognizing that our words are always rooted in prayer.

* * * 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.

*

* * Fr. Rodel “Odey” Balagtas is the pastor of Incarnation Church in Glendale, California.

Judy Ann Santos dons president’s...

(So this is how a president feels: he has someone to hold an umbrella for him, and he has bodyguards wearing shades.)

Fellow celebrities, including Matteo Guidicelli and Aiko Melendez, left a comment on Santos’ post and expressed how excited they are to see the actress play Madame President Isabel.

The “Esperanza” actress was last seen in television as Attorney Teresa Dichavez-Manalo in the 2019 fantasy drama series “Starla.”

In an interview with TV Patrol, Santos remarked that she has mixed feelings about coming back to television since her last was pre-pandemic and things were different then.

“Ngayon na lang ulit ako gumawa ng series.

Nandiyan excitement, nervous, cold feet. Hindi ko alam saan ako magsisimula, I will play it by ear. Para ulit ako nag-aaral, Grade 1. Lahat bago sa akin. Ibang-iba ang production ngayon sa bago ng pandemya,” she explained.

(It’s been a long time since I made a series. There is excitement, nervousness, and cold feet. I don’t know where to start, so I will play it by ear. It’s like I’m studying again, Grade 1. Everything is new to me. Today’s production is very different from before the pandemic.)

“The Bagman” is a spin-off of the original digital series “Bagman,” which stars Arjo Atayde, who will be reprising his role as Benjo Malaya. “Bagman” won for Atayde the Best Actor award at the 2020 Winner Asian Academy Creative Awards. g

Bankruptcy: When life doesn’t go as planned

Minding Your Finances

Atty. RAymond BulAon

LIFE happens. Sometimes even the best laid plans can go wrong. How do you respond when this happens to you? Do you easily give up when you’re overwhelmed? Remaining calm can be difficult when things are chaotic and so the usual reaction is panic.

Bankruptcy can be a lifesaver for people who are at the end of their financial rope. Since the pandemic started, a lot of people have been struggling to just keep up with their bills. The pandemic may have caused job instability; for business owners affected by the pandemic, the government

did what it could to help mitigate losses by offering financial assistance and loans. People who couldn’t pay their mortgage were allowed forbearances. Renters who couldn’t pay their landlord were protected with eviction suspension laws. Unfortunately, all the above are no longer available to most families who are still under a tremendous financial burden.

Real estate values surprisingly shot up during the pandemic but once the Feds started raising interest rates, people who could otherwise refinance their mortgage and squeeze out some of their equity from their home are no longer able to do that because of the high cost of borrowing. Buying has also slowed down and according to a recent article, mortgage applications have plunged to a 28-year low. People with little credit card debt had no other choice but

to borrow, hoping that “when things get better,” they can just pay it all back slowly. Of course, this is nothing more than a temporary solution that could backfire if the additional debt is not paid back. At some point, the credit lines are exhausted, and they are in a deeper financial hole that is hard to get out of. I know this sounds discouraging when you’re clueless about where to turn once you have exhausted your resources. But there is hope.

If you are currently facing a financial crisis, it may be tempting to just throw in the towel and give up all hope for a better financial future. But let me tell you that instead of getting frustrated and angry about things that you cannot control or change, your energy will be better spent focusing on finding a solution. Stop analyzing everything that happened and quit being too

hard on yourself. In life, things will not always go your way but keep your head up and focus on putting the pieces of the puzzle back together. In the meantime, seek legal counsel about your situation especially if important assets or legal rights are at risk.

It’s better to know your options now so you can plan before your situation becomes a financial emergency. * * *

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. * * *

None of the information herein is intended to give legal advice for any specific situation.  Atty. Ray J. Bulaon has successfully helped over 6,000 clients in getting out of debt. For a free attorney evaluation of your situation, please call RJB Law Offices at TOLL FREE  1-866-471-8272. (Advertising Supplement)

Why Barbie Imperial is game to work anew with ex JM de Guzman

By Marinel Cruz Inquirer.net

DESPITE their short-lived relationship in the past, it wasn’t that hard to persuade JM de Guzman and Barbie Imperial to reunite in a movie, this time in director RC delos Reyes’ “3 Days 2 Nights in Poblacion,” now showing in cinemas.

The challenging part though was to convince the two to execute the kissing scene in the romantic flick, according to the film director.

“I talked to Barbie, of course, I asked permission (as a courtesy). I told her, ‘B, ito yung naisip namin, si JM, ganyan,” direk RC shared in an interview during the film’s special screening in Century City Mall Cinema in Makati City. “I didn’t know… Maybe she knew about JM’s backstories like what he has been doing, his progress. I texted her and she said, ‘OK, sige go.’”

“Maybe more than the history, she thought how good JM is (as an actor),” surmised direk RC. “That’s one thing she considered when we talked, she wants to work with JM because she believes how good he is and I also believed in that. So, perfect!”

“I think, ang pinaka-nahirapan ako maconvince (siya) was the kiss,” added the director. “It was a one-time, big-time (scene). Andami kong kinonvince dito kay Barbie.”

But Barbie agreed, nonetheless. “Of course, I still asked permission from her because it’s needed in the story. And she saw it. She and JM were very professional.” They did one take for that particular scene.

“There was no problem for JM. He is very

easy to talk to,” described direk RC of JM, adding that JM is the quiet type of person.

“When I asked him if he had a comment, (JM answered), ‘None, direk, none.’ When it came to the kissing scene, he also saw that it was part of the story.”

Direk RC, actually, told the two about the kissing scene right there and then while filming. “When they kissed, parang may

spark. Even Jas (Jasmine Curtis-Smith), natuwa. Kahit biglaan lang siya. It was really part of the script.

“At first, she (Barbie) was really hesitant maybe because it was too personal. Sabi nila, ‘Direk, pwede wala?’ But when we shot it, I said, ‘B, it’s really needed because it’s part of the story.’ (Barbie replied with a sigh), ‘OK direk, one lang.’ So, I said thank you so much.’

In an e-mail interview with The STAR, Barbie shared she really said no initially. “I think pinersonal ko siya (I took it personally). But when direk RC said it was needed in the scene, I said OK. JM is very professional. He takes care of people, especially when it comes to his co-actors.”

Barbie added that she accepted the project because of direk RC, citing his previous and latest works as “masterpieces.” The actress previously worked with the director in the trending film “I Love Lizzy.”

“I was also excited to work with Black Cap Pictures, Jasmine and JM,” she added.

On collaborating with JM, she said she was more “excited than nervous” in working with him. “Ngayon lang kami ulit nagka-trabaho after ‘Araw Gabi,’” she said, referring to their ABS-CBN drama that aired in 2018. “I knew it was gonna be easy. I just know how JM works, he’s amazing.”

In the film, Barbie is Charlie, described as a “cool and cosmopolitan young woman who has curated the best version of herself in the big city, far from her probinsya roots.” She and her childhood bestfriend Gabbie (Jasmine) will get entangled in a love triangle with Javi (JM). They go on a threeday and two-night adventure in the streets of Poblacion in Makati City. g

Catriona Gray unfazed by relationship woes with Sam Milby

By MJ Marfori Philstar.com

FINALLY, we had a Miss Universe sighting!

For the first time since her management, Cornerstone Entertainment, shared with the universe about the challenges the relationship between its talents, Catriona Gray and Sam Milby, has been facing and which they have been actively working out, we spotted Queen Cat in the flesh at the K Essentials by Katinko health and beauty event in Quezon City, where she is the new face of the brand. She wore a bright yellow dress with a huge local woven bow that was as big as her smile, energy, and happiness that day.

Now usually, whenever we see celebrities going through a major challenge in their personal lives that the public suddenly dips on, the celebrity would shy away, ignore or not even entertain the press in an event sighting. With Queen Cat, it was the opposite. She indulged and stayed all throughout the program and had a conversation with us one-on-one afterwards.

Catriona was still not wearing her engagement ring. But prior to the interview, it was nice enough of her team to courteously relay that enough had been shared about her and Sam, and that she was just grateful to talk about all other issues that would be of more concern.

Just last week, their friend and fellow Cornerstone artist John Prats shared photos on his Instagram where Sam and Cat were spotted playing pickleball.

We threw some questions to her, and boy, did she eat up the microphone on these topics.

First up, the faux pas that has been surrounding the Miss Universe Organization (MUO) since the leaked video of coowner Anne Jakrajutatip went viral. For those who don’t know, the video was about Anne allegedly saying on video that

the pageant’s efforts to promote inclusivity are just but a form of “communication strategy” and it does not mean that the ladies who fall under the category would stand a chance to win. This is a big no-no for the Miss Universe 2018 as she shared, “I just hope that the brand would really take accountability for it. Inclusivity is not just a token for the pageant community.

“Like yes, we’re inclusive, but just for the look of it and sana na-embrace naman nila. Inclusivity is not a token thing. It is something that needs to be embraced.”

She continued, “I love the movement of inclusivity because I have always believed what pageantry is and why should we afford (the opportunity to) women who fit in a certain shape and perception of beauty, which is ever changing in our society?

“I don’t know what actions

were taken after that video happened, sana accountability was taken.”

Catriona didn’t stop there. She also had her own opinion on the “divisive” viral video of the legendary tattoo artist Apo Whang-od touching actor Piolo Pascual’s crotch.

Since her pageant days, Catriona was very much close to ethno-linguistic groups and she has been actively helping communities have better living conditions and growth opportunities.

So, for Queen Cat, she has a positive take on the video that circulated widely online.

“It’s a great way to boost and invite people to learn more our tribes, our ethnic linguistic groups because we are so diverse and if it is not as accessible to people and to be able to invite our people to learn more as a positive thing,” she concluded. g

Cristine Reyes and Baron Geisler mull over ‘package deal’ concept in blended families

ONE of my fave relationship quotes goes: If you have emotional baggage, find someone who’s willing to help you unpack. That holds true for couples in a blended family setup.

Viva Films’ latest offering, “Dearly Beloved”—showing in cinemas on March 30—tackles such a situation. Megged by Marla Ancheta, it is headlined by Cristine Reyes and Baron Geisler. Let Shel (Cristine) and Deo’s (Baron) story show you what a package deal kind of love is all about.

Here are quotes from Cristine (C), Baron (B) and Marla (M):

C: In a blended family situation, it’s the couple who has to adjust and not the kids. It won’t work out if the adults think like kids and expect their children to mature faster. The priority should be the kids’ well-being.

B: I am in a blended family, so my role is right up my alley. While I was courting my wife Jamie, I also wooed her two sons. It’s not easy to get the right mix. But when you and your partner are emotionally attuned to each other, it will all fall into place.

M: Our film is a modernday version of Ate Vi & Boyet’s

classic film, “Relasyon.” “Dearly Beloved” is a term used by priests during weddings. We used it as our title to emphasize the irony that even if Shel and Deo are so in love, they can’t get married due to legalities.

C: My answer to our film’s tagline—do second chances deserve a happy ever after?—is yes. I have given second chances to people who deserve it. I have also been given a second chance not just in love, but also in my career, and I made sure not to mess it up.

B: While I was in rehab as a recovering alcoholic, I watched Cristine’s films and I became a fan of hers instantly. At the time, I thought I won’t be able to do movies again. I was ready to just become a fisherman. By God’s grace, I’m back and in better shape.

M: After directing Baron in “Dollhouse,” I must say that he’s improved a lot because he’s no longer in a lost place. Before, I had to motivate him in each scene. This time around, he made my work easier. No matter how long his lines were, he took the words to heart and delivered them.

(Inquirer.net)

Heart Evangelista, Chiz Escudero on overcoming marital problems

By JessiCa ann evangelista Inquirer.net

HEART Evangelista and Chiz Escudero opened up about the difficulty they recently experienced in their marriage and shared the biggest lessons they got from it.

On “Fast Talk with Boy Abunda” Thursday, March 14, the celebrity couple looked back on the rough patch that tested their relationship and which was rumored to be the reason for their “brief separation” at the time.

Evangelista said she learned how important it is for a partner to “stay strong” while the other person deals with personal struggles, which her husband did for her.

“If one is going through a really tough time, the other one really has to be strong because I don’t think we would be sitting here today if he wasn’t strong. Like seriously he was like I’ve never met anyone, not even a friend, like everybody failed me during that time,” she remarked.

“But he believed in my heart and it’s because of his belief and like the Heart that he knows, he knew that I was going to come back. If he didn’t, it would have been down,” added the actress.  Escudero underscored that it

was hard for him to be strong for both of them amid the marriage troubles, but the “Lord made it easier.”

“God made it easier for me, so lesson learned there is to be still and know there is a God. Be still until you surrender,” he said.

The Filipina fashion icon explained that at the time it seemed like the “problem was bigger than their love,” as she stressed that she was “out of character” while handling the situation at hand.

“I was very confused and it also didn’t help that I was with the wrong set of people, so I was basically out of character. You know I wasn’t a teenager for me

to say, ‘Oh I was young I didn’t know what I was doing. I didn’t know what was wrong or right,’” she said.

The Kapuso actress remarked that when they were experiencing the marriage fallout, she was also experiencing the “darkest moment” in her life, which made things blurry for her at the time.

“It’s for me my darkest time because I knew what I was doing but I just don’t know why I’m here, like I feel like I was possessed and taken somewhere else and I was full of anger,” she opened up.

Evangelista and Escudero tied the knot in 2015 and renewed their vows this year.  g

‘KimPau’ on workplace romance, being...

say, ‘Let’s work fast, but work well.’” “I’m her low-batt version,” Paulo interjected. “Yes, I’m the high-energy version. I was amazed that he agreed to do a rom-com project with me. I admire him because of that,” said Kim. “Now we know that, as an actor, he can do everything. You will be surprised with what he gave us for this show.”

On the other hand, Paulo said he was amazed by Kim’s ability to set the mood on set. “What I noticed when I first worked with her was that when Kim is sad, the set would also be somber and gloomy. If she’s in high energy, the set would be energized, as well. It’s only now that I’ve met a person who is able to set the energy level of an entire set,” Paulo declared.

Professional

The Korean version starred Park Seo-Joon and Park Min-Young. The series is about a workaholic

and narcissistic boss, who falls in love with his competent and driven secretary. He eventually asks for Secretary Kim’s hand in marriage but she rejects him repeatedly. This ultimately challenges the overly confident boss.

Asked to give their opinion on office or workplace romance, Paulo said: “It’s always better to be professional. I always want to be professional on the set or when I’m working, but I understand that this happens, especially if you work with the same person everyday, eight hours a day. I guess, one just has to choose the appropriate setting.”

Kim agreed with Paulo, but added: “I know that in some cases this can’t be helped, especially if you work together for long hours everyday. For me, a good work output is more important, because that’s what I signed up for. Ending up with a love life is just a bonus. You don’t want to be accused of failing to concentrate while in the office if you prioritize your heart over your head.” g

Cristine Reyes (top) and Baron Geisler

Photo from VIVA films

Barbie

Photo

Vilma Santos refused offer to head Film Academy of the Philippines

By anne PaSaJol Inquirer.net

VILMA Santos-Recto stressed that while she did not accept the offer to lead the Film Academy of the Philippines (FAP) as its director general, she is more than willing to extend her help and support for the film industry in her own ways.

The Star for All Seasons disclosed this after she was asked if she was offered to lead the Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP) after Tirso Cruz III’s resignation as its chairperson.

Santos talked to the members of the press during the opening ceremony of the Barako Fest 2024 in Lipa City in Batangas on Thursday, March 14.

“With modesty aside, they were asking me to lead the Film Academy of the Philippines; FDCP, hindi. Wala na rin si Pipo,” she said.

“Pero kasi ngayon, ‘yung sa show business, since ako ay isa nang pribadong citizen ngayon, parang ang naging adbokasiya ko ngayon after ‘When I Met You in Tokyo’—in fact, even [during] ‘When I Met You in Tokyo’—[ay] maibalik lang ‘yung mga tao sa sinehan,” she continued. “Kasi namatay e, lalo na nung nag-pandemic. Namatay ang mga sine talaga so ‘yon ang naging adbokasiya namin.”

Speaking about her reason for turning down the offer,

the veteran actress said she currently prioritizes “paying back” those who have been supporting her in show business and even during her stint as a public servant. “Hindi ko man tinanggap ‘yung maging director general ng Film Academy, nandito ako para sumuporta sa kanila. Tawagan lang ako, all the time nakasuporta ako,” she noted. Santos further revealed that she has received numerous film offers but that she is now very particular with the projects she involves herself with.

“‘Yung mga movies naman, ang dami kong script sa bahay ngayon. May mga offers pero

Atasha Muhlach admits getting first phone at 17, still learning social media

HOST-MODEL Atasha

Muhlach, daughter of celebrity couple Aga Muhlach and Charlene Gonzales, revealed that she received her first-ever phone just five years ago when she was 17 years old.

Atasha was at a Women Summit 2024 event last week where she was asked about her usage of social media for branding, given she is fairly new in the local showbiz industry.

“Actually, I’m still learning the ropes of social media because I was only given a phone at the age of 17,” Atasha admitted, explaining she grew up in a traditional household.

The 22-year-old Atasha said her family had a “very old-school” kind of living, prominently using landline phones in her youth, and had limited access to social media.

The host-model said social media is very beneficial for people beginning to open up small business and to figure out one’s identity, individuality and desires.

Atasha is currently a host on the noontime variety show “Eat Bulaga.” Last October, she released her first single “Pasuyo.” She only entered showbiz after finishing a Business degree with honors from the United Kingdom’s Nottingham Trent University. Her twin brother, Andres, is completing a similar degree in Spain. The Muhlach family are slated to appear together in an upcoming sitcom later this year. (Kristofer Purnell /Philstar.com)

Mark Leviste gives updates on Kris Aquino’s health condition

hindi ko naman kayang gawin lahat. I’m taking my time,” she said.

Gagawa na lang ako ng pelikula [‘pag] ‘yung gusto ko—a movie that will challenge me again. Pero kung magiging katulad lang ng dati, hindi na muna,” she added.

“

Kasi 35 years old na ako,” she continued, joking. “Gusto ko naman kahit paano ay makapagenjoy sa sarili, my family, my apo…. So, time management lang. Hindi ako nagmamadali.

Promoting Batangas through films

Beaming with pride as a Batangueño, Santos also expressed hopes of featuring what the province has to offer— most especially its kapeng barako—through movies.

Siguro later on, given a chance, that’s why even the fest na meron kami, Barako ‘yung ipinangalan. Given a chance, step by step,” she stated. “Tingan natin kung even the coffee industry, kaya nating ipagmalaki pa through social media or maybe even in the movies.”

During the event, Vilma then gave emphasis on how the threeday Barako Fest was organized to promote tourism in the province, and with much consideration of the interest of the youth.

Santos was with Ryan Christian Recto—her son with her husband, finance chief Ralph Recto—during the event. g

By Jan Milo Severo Philstar.com

BATANGAS Vice Governor Mark Leviste gave an update on his girlfriend Kris Aquino’s condition.

In an interview with the media during the BarakoFest 2024, Mark said Kris postponed her confinement in the hospital due to a COVID-19 alert.

“She postponed her confinement at UCLA hospital. While I was still there, nagkaroon ng COVID alert sa mga medical facilities. That’s why I decided to go home first kasi waiting time. But any time that she needs me to be in Los Angeles, of course, I’ll give it my utmost priority,” he said.

Mark said he’s in the country to fulfill his responsibility to his constituents, but will go back to LA if needed.

Siyempre, may mga responsibilidad naman din ako dito kaya kailangang magtrabaho din. But as I’ve said, isang tawag lang, mabilis pa ako sa alas-kuwatro na darating sa Los Angeles,” he said.

When asked when he is coming back to LA for Kris, Mark said, “Well, kung walang emergency, after Holy Week.”

“Kasi nagsasalitan din kami ng mga sisters niya, ibang kaibigan, para hindi sabay-sabay. That way, we are assured na Madam is in good company, other than the good company of Bimb kasi

si Kuya Josh nandito sa Pilipinas

e. Together with Vilma Santos, Mark led the opening of BarakoFest 2024 yesterday in Lipa, Batangas.

From March 14 to 16, the three-day festival pays homage to the rich culture of the region, highlighting the “Barako” characteristic of Batangueños.

“BarakoFest is not just a celebration of our Barako spirit but also a showcase of hard work, ingenuity, entrepreneurship, and passion of our people in Batangas. We are excited to

share our culture, our traditions, and our indomitable Barako spirit with the world,” Vilma said.

BarakoFest 2024 promises an immersive experience into the world of music, art, food, adrenaline rush, and non-stop partying with a special focus on the Batangueño fellowship, known for its strong bond and valiant spirit. The festival invites a smorgasbord of enthusiasts, local communities, and tourists to take part in a variety of activities designed to entertain, educate, and invigorate the senses. g

Host-model Atasha Muhlach

Photo from Instagram/@atashamuhlach_

Photo from Instagram/@markleviste

Vilma Santos INQUIRER.net/Anne Pasajol