032223 - Southern California Midweek Edition

Philippines, US defense chiefs condemn China’s ‘gray-zone activities’

by KAYCEE VALMONTE Philstar.com

MANILA — The Philippines and the United States once again stand together to condemn China’s illegal activities in the South China Sea that go against a 2016 ruling of the Permanent Court of Arbitration, flexing the two countries' defense pact. According to a readout from the U.S. Department of Defense released late Monday evening, March 20, U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin III and Department of National Defense Carlito Galvez Jr. discussed programs to strengthen the alliance in

a call.

“The two leaders condemned the PRC’s (People’s Republic of China) gray-zone activities, which interfere with the livelihoods of local Philippine communities and the rights of other claimant states that seek to operate lawfully in the South China Sea consistent with the 2016 Arbitral Tribunal ruling,” it said. Austin put emphasis on the U.S.’ commitment to the Philippines, pointing again to the Mutual Defense Treaty that states it will come to the Philippines’ defense in case of armed attacks, including anywhere in the South China Sea.

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JUST when everyone thought the skies were becoming clearer, March has been bringing its own set of storms.

Reiterating the importance of preparedness during natural disasters, such as the immense rainfall experience this winter season, Listos California, a program part of California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES), held a briefing to inform the public on safety measures amid the storms.

The storms are seemingly affecting an abundance of counties throughout the state of California, bringing about heavy rainfall as well as snowfall. The Filipino American community makes up a large part of the state, emphasizing how the

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US report: Red-tagging, journalist attacks continued in

by PIA LEE-BRAGO Philstar.com

MANILA — “Red-tagging” persists under the Marcos administration, whose position on the practice –deemed intended to silence criticism of the government – is unclear, according to the U.S. State Department’s latest annual country report on human rights practices released on Tuesday, March 21.

The same report also showed that physical attacks against journalists continue and several cases from previous years have remained unresolved.

In its report, the State Department also said redtagging has been used to intimidate opponents in local disputes, or provoke legal action against political opponents.

The National Task Force to End Local Communist

Armed Conflict (NTFELCAC), an anti-insurgency task force formed during the Duterte administration, is seen as the primary actor in red-tagging media workers and government critics. Government officials and their allies often used redtagging to label human rights advocates, unions, religious groups, academics and media organizations as fronts for or clandestine

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by MICHAEL PUNONGBAYAN Philstar.com

MANILA — The Philippines and the United States will soon announce the locations of four additional military bases in the Southeast Asian country that American soldiers will be allowed to use, officials said on Monday, March 20.

The longtime treaty allies agreed last month to expand cooperation

in “strategic areas” of the country as they seek to counter China’s growing assertiveness over Taiwan and its building of bases in the South China Sea.

The 2014 Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement, known as EDCA, gave U.S. forces access to five bases in the Philippines. It  PAGE 2

Hunt for Degamo slay suspects goes global

by KRSTINA MARALIT ManilaTimes.net

THE government will request the International Criminal Police Organization or Interpol to issue a Blue Notice against the suspects in the killing of Negros Oriental Gov. Roel Degamo who could have slipped out of the country.

The Presidential Communications Office (PCO) said last Saturday, March 18 the move is among "further precautions" being taken as the Degamo case builds up and more angles are explored.

"So, all those that are in relation to the Degamo slay, we have  PAGE 4

GOV. Gavin Newsom may have been prescient when he acknowledged free speech concerns as he signed California’s COVID misinformation bill last fall. In a message to lawmakers, the governor warned of “the chilling effect other potential laws may have” on the ability of doctors to speak frankly with patients but expressed confidence that the one he was signing did not cross that line.

Yet the law — meant to discipline doctors who give patients false information about COVID-19 — is now in legal limbo after two federal judges issued conflicting rulings in recent lawsuits that say it violates free speech and is too vague for doctors to know what it bars them from telling patients.

In two of the lawsuits, Senior U.S. District Judge William Shubb in Sacramento issued a temporary halt on enforcing the law, but it applies only to the plaintiffs in those cases.Shubb said the law was “unconstitutionally vague,” in

Marcos vows to continue past admin’s over 70 infra projects

MANILA — President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. said his administration will see some projects of former President Rodrigo Duterte come into fruition after the government unveiled its flagship infrastructure program earlier this month.

Out of the 194 infrastructure projects worth P9 trillion, at least 123 are new initiatives and 71 were from the Duterte administration.

said in his Youtube video published over the weekend.

These projects include transportation infrastructure, digital connectivity, flood control, health-related initiatives and power and energy, among others.

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“This is part of our Build Better More program that aims to improve living conditions of the different sectors in our country through modernization and by improving the quality of our public infrastructure,” Marcos Jr.

The chief executive said he hopes these public infrastructure projects will help solve traffic congestion in the metro and improve connectivity in the provinces, as well as alleviate the country’s food security issues and mitigate the climate change impacts.

Earlier this month, the National Economic and Development Authority said at least 45

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California’s COVID misinformation law is entangled in lawsuits, con icting rulings

Staying safe through California’s March storms

Major General Ramon Guiang, acting Commanding General of the Philippine Air Force, Victor Gonzaga, Philippines’ Assistant Secretary for the Office of American Affairs, Philippine acting Defence Secretary Carlito Galvez, Frank Kendall III, US Secretary of the Air Force, United States Ambassador to the Philippines Marykay Carlson, and Major General Jeffrey Hechanova of the Philippine Air Force, pose for a group photo after a ground breaking ceremony of a runway rehabilitation at Basa Air Base in Floridablanca town, Pampanga Province on Monday, March 20.

Photo courtesy of the U.S. Embassy in Manila

Philippines, US defense chiefs...

In recent months, multiple high-level Washington officials, including Austin, Secretary of State Antony Blinken, and Vice President Kamala Harris have visited Manila as the U.S. began seeking warmer ties with its oldest treaty ally in Southeast Asia after “rocky times".

”U.S. Ambassador to the Philippines MaryKay Carlson recently penned a commentary where she noted that the US’ relationship with the Philippines is “a cornerstone of the Biden administration’s Indo-Pacific Strategy.

China's gray-zone activities

The two defense chiefs also discussed “with particular concern” the swarming of over Chinese vessels that included a People’s Liberation Army navy ship around Thitu Island, within 12 nautical miles of the Philippines’ territory, earlier this month.

“The swarming of vessels falls

on the heels of a dangerous incident last month, in which the PRC Coast Guard directed a military-grade laser against a Philippine vessel operating lawfully around Second Thomas Shoal, temporarily blinding some of the crew,” the readout said.

The Philippine Coast Guard flew journalists over the Spratly islands in March 10, where a radio operator aboard a Chinese Coast Guard vessel warned them to “leave immediately.”

The PCG was warned while they were flying over the Chinese reef, which according to the Chinese Coast Guard, "constituted a security threat."

The Philippine pilot responded that they were flying within his country's territory. Galvez and Austin also talked about the plans to conduct combined maritime activities and other avenues of cooperation in the South China Sea. The two defense chiefs said they will review possibilities during

the upcoming 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue.

More engagements

The call comes after Philippine and U.S. officials broke ground for the rehabilitation of Basa Airbase Runway in Pampanga.

The project is among the approved 15 under Manila and Washington’s Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement, which gives U.S. forces access to nine bases in the Philippines to store defense equipment and supplies for any humanitarian relief efforts.

Galvez and Austin also welcomed the coming engagements between the two countries’ armed forces. This includes the “largest iteration” of the Balikatan Exercise next month, where over 17,600 troops will participate. Majority or 12,000 of whom are American troops, 111 Australians, and 5,000 Philippines soldiers will partake in the exercise. (With reports from AFP)

Marcos vows to continue past admin’s over...

of the administration’s flagship infrastructure projects will get funding from the private sector, just as what the previous administrations did.

There are already 95 ongoing projects that have been approved

for implementation, while eight have gotten a go-signal from the government. Meanwhile, 47 are undergoing feasibility studies and 44 are in “pre-project preparations.”

Marcos Jr. added he hopes the new projects will help boost

Philippines to announce new bases US...

employment in the country.

Latest data from the Philippine Statistics Authority showed that there were 2.37 million Filipinos who were jobless in January, up from the 2.22 million logged in December last year as seasonal jobs went dry. (Philstar.com)

has been expanded to nine, but the locations of the four additional bases have not been revealed as the government consults with local officials.

It has been widely reported that two of the sites will be in the northern province of Cagayan, less than 400 kilometers from selfruled Taiwan, which China sees as part of its territory.

Cagayan Gov. Manuel Mamba has publicly opposed having EDCA sites in his province for fear of jeopardizing Chinese investment and becoming a target in a conflict over Taiwan.

But Philippine acting Defense Secretary Carlito Galvez told reporters Monday the government had “already decided” on the sites and that Mamba had agreed to “abide with the decision.”

“The two countries will announce as soon as they can (the locations),” said U.S. Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall at a joint press conference with Galvez and other officials.

Galvez and Kendall were at Basa Air Base, north of the capital Manila, where the United States is investing $24 million in upgrading the 2.8-kilometer runway.

Basa is one of five bases originally included in the EDCA.

The agreement allows U.S. troops to rotate through the bases and also store defense equipment and supplies at them.

The pact stalled under former president Rodrigo Duterte, who favored China over the country’s former colonial master.

But President Marcos, who succeeded Duterte last June, has adopted a more U.S.-friendly foreign policy and has sought to accelerate the implementation of the EDCA.

Beijing has been critical of the agreement, which its embassy in the Philippines said recently was part of “U.S. efforts to encircle and contain China through its military alliance with this country.”

But Kendall said it was for the “good of the region.”

“The defense treaty with the Philippines... is about mutual protection and peace and security in the region in general,” Kendall said.

Earlier, Galvez and U.S. Ambassador Marykay Carlson led the groundbreaking ceremony for the project to rehabilitate Basa Air Base runway and its facilities in Floridablanca, Pampanga.

EDCA was signed in April 2014 to supplement provisions of the PH-U.S. visiting forces Agreement.

“After almost eight years of delays and legal challenges, the EDCA implementation is now in full swing. Today, we laid down the time capsule to signify openly the start of the necessary rehabilitation of the Basa Air Base as one of the EDCA priorities,” Galvez announced.

In his speech during the ceremony, he noted that out of 15 approved EDCA projects, five were already completed, five are ongoing and the remaining five are up for implementation soon, adding that already completed projects include the Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Response (HADR) warehouse, a C2 Fusion Center and fuel range tanks.

He noted that the Basa Air Base runway rehabilitation project is expected to be completed in September 2023 and make it ideal for the efficient conduct of joint task force exercises and as a

natural hub for HADR operations.

This year’s Balikatan exercises set in April will be the biggest ever, with around 17,600 participating troops, of whom 12,000 are Americans.

PH-China consultations

Meanwhile, the Philippines and China will hold consultations this week covering the two countries’ bilateral relations and maritime issues, including developments in the West Philippine Sea.

The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) announced on Tuesday, March 21 that it is hosting the 23rd Philippines-China Foreign Ministry Consultations (FMC) and the 7th Bilateral Consultations Mechanism (BCM) on the South China Sea on March 23 and 24 in Manila.

“The discussions under the two mechanisms will cover a broad number of issues, including economic, people-to-people maritime, security and regional matters,” the DFA said in a statement.

The FMC, which was last held in 2019, reviews the overall bilateral relations and all aspects of cooperation.

The BCM, last held in 2021, covers maritime issues of concern to either side, including developments in the West Philippine Sea and areas of possible maritime cooperation and confidence-building.

DFA Undersecretary for bilateral relations and ASEAN affairs Ma. Theresa Lazaro will lead the Philippine delegation, while the Chinese side will be led by Vice Foreign Minister Sun Weidong.

Wescom seeks boost

In another development, the Western Command (WESCOM) of the Armed Forces is asking for legislative support that will eventually provide funds to boost the country’s presence and defenses amid China’s increasingly aggressive behavior in Philippine territorial waters in the West Philippine Sea.

Sen. Imee Marcos, chairman of the Senate committee on foreign relations, visited Palawan on Sunday, providing the military a chance to offer recommendations on how to improve its capabilities in the West Philippine Sea.

WESCOM commander Vice Admiral Alberto Carlos had admitted that “we are grappling with the realities of our complex relations with our neighbors in Asia, our allies in the region, the United States and other countries.”

In a dialogue with Marcos, the military said it offered several recommendations attuned to a Self-Reliant Defense Posture that seeks to improve the country’s external defense operations in the West Philippine Sea. Carlos specifically asked the elder sister of President Marcos for “support for the sustainment of effective presence in the Kalayaan Island Group, shipbuilding and maintenance, sub-surface detection capability, drone and anti-drone capability and coastal defense.” g

US report: Red-tagging...

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members of insurgent and other opposition groups.

In August, the Department of Justice charged 16 members of the Rural Missionaries of the Philippines with financing communist insurgent groups.

“The Marcos administration’s position on red-tagging was unclear,” the report noted.

It also cited former National Security Advisor Clarita Carlos for condemning the practice in a June statement, saying, “Let’s stop red-tagging because it is not productive.”

Justice Secretary Crispin Remulla, however, dismissed the criticisms as he told the United Nations Universal Periodic

Review of human rights in November that red-tagging is “used when a person belonging to a civil society organization is criticized for the work they’re doing as being related to the persons who commit criminal acts in our country.”

The State Department also noted civil society groups’ showing concern over the implementation of the AntiTerrorism Act of 2020, which they said contributed to redtagging and was prone to abuse.

In April, responding to petitions filed by NGOs and opposition lawmakers, the Supreme Court declared unconstitutional the law’s definition of terrorism,

California’s College Corps program a respite for student volunteers

by SUNITA SOHRABJI Ethnic Media Services

THE California College Corps program offers students the chance to find purpose and connection through service at a moment of rising anxiety and isolation across campuses.

The California For All College Corps program, launched last year by Gov. Gavin Newsom, is a unique initiative which offers up to $10,000 in college scholarships to students, in exchange for volunteering for 450 hours of community service during the academic year.

Several UC campuses as well as CSUs and community colleges are participating in the program: the list of participating colleges can be found here.

US report: Red-tagging...

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deeming it “overbroad and violative of freedom of expression.”

Opponents argued the legislation could be used to tag some common speech or innocuous political activities as incitement to terrorism.

Some leaders of communist and leftist organizations, rural NGOs and human rights defenders complained of routine surveillance and harassment.

“Although the government generally respected restrictions on search and seizure within private homes, searches without warrants continued. Judges generally declared illegally obtained evidence to be inadmissible,” the report pointed.

Impunity remains

The government investigated some reported human rights abuses, including abuses by its forces and paramilitary forces, “but concerns about police impunity remained, given reports of continued extrajudicial killings by police.”

“Officials frequently engaged in corrupt practices with impunity,” the report said.

Major human rights issues in the Philippines included credible reports of unlawful or arbitrary killings, including extrajudicial

killings; forced disappearance; torture or cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment by and on behalf of the government and other physical abuses by non-state actors; serious problems with the independence of the judiciary and high-level and widespread government corruption, among others.

The State Department report also highlighted the continued harassment of and physical attacks on journalists, usually by government officials and powerful individuals.

The report noted that while the Constitution provides for freedom of expression, including for members of the press, “threats and actions by government, allied groups and powerful individuals against journalists, media organizations, government critics and others continued.”

“Journalists continued to face harassment and threats of violence, including from individual politicians, government authorities and powerful private persons critical of their reporting. These abuses intensified during the election season,” the report pointed out.

The report noted that media generally remains free, active and able to voice criticism of

the government, despite the chilling effect caused by the killings of journalists and political pressure on specific major media organizations.

On Oct. 3, radio broadcaster Percival “Percy Lapid” Mabasa was killed in an ambush on his way to work. Mabasa was a prominent radio host who reported on government corruption and had challenged the Marcos administration and the former Duterte administration on human rights and the protection of fundamental freedoms. He was the second journalist killed since President Marcos took office in June. Another radio broadcaster, Renato “Rey” Blanco, was killed in September. The Philippine National Police (PNP) created a special task force to investigate Mabasa’s murder, admitting it was “highly probable” he was killed because of his reporting.

In November, the PNP and the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) filed murder charges against suspended Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) chief Gerald Bantag, deputy security officer Ricardo Zulueta and 10 other prisoners after the self-confessed gunman linked them to Mabasa’s killing. Five journalists were PAGE 4

California Volunteers, the agency which administers the College Corps program is hoping to recruit 3,000 participants for the 2023-2024 academic year. Priority applications were due March 15, but deadlines vary at participating campuses.

The College Corps program is currently available to full-time enrolled undergraduate students. Eligible students must meet at least one of the following criteria:

• Qualify for a Federal Pell Grant

• Qualify for a State Cal Grant

• Qualify for a Middle Class Scholarship

Need to work part time and/or borrow student loans

In its first year, the California College Corps recruited a diverse group of participants, with 80% students of color and 500 socalled DREAMERs. College Corps fellows are placed in communitybased organizations working in K-12 education, climate action, and food insecurity.

Confronting multiple crises

At a March 13 news briefing, jointly organized by Ethnic Media Services and California Black Media, California Chief Service Officer Josh Fryday noted Governor Newsom is aware of the multiple crises confronting the state.

“We’re facing a student debt crisis. We’re facing crises of enormous existential issues, a climate crisis, a food insecurity crisis, education disparity crises. And we’re also, at the same time, facing a crisis of the spirit,” said

Fryday.

“College Corps helps us address all of these multiple crises at once,” he added. “These young people are doing really meaningful work for all of our communities. They’re doing work around climate change. They’re doing really critical work around food insecurity, helping get food to those who need it the most, and dealing with the education disparities that we’re seeing, especially among our low income youth coming out of COVID.”

College Corps volunteer Emilio Ruiz spoke about how the program had transformed his life. The 24-year-old, who is studying at CSU Long Beach with the intent of pursuing a career in education, comes from a troubled childhood. “School was always my safe space. It was always the place where I could go to steer clear of my dilemmas and adversities, and where I could lean on adults to get support and praise.”

Through the College Corps at the Beach internship program, Ruiz was placed with Ground Education, a nonprofit organization that teaches outdoor and garden-based learning. Finding purpose through service

“Ground Education is a shining example of the goal of creating safe spaces in schools for children. By being able to work with this

incredible organization, I feel like I’ve gone from being a student who once desperately needed a safe space to learn, to being the trusted adult who can provide students with an environment where they have a deep sense of belonging and know that they are seen, heard, supported and valued,” said Ruiz.

Dr. Allison Briscoe-Smith, Senior Fellow of the Greater Good Science Center and the coinstructor of the GGSC’s Bridging Differences online course, noted that anxiety and depression have been spiking on college campuses.

“Many clinicians like myself are hearing from students that hopelessness, purposelessness, and isolation are contributing to a sense of not feeling like they belong, and not knowing where they can get help,” said BriscoeSmith.

“So we are hopeful that the College Corps program provides an antidote: finding purpose through service. Being able to see yourself and the folks that you serve is an amazing opportunity for transformation and connection,” she said.

Project Optimism Ishmael Pruitt, co-founder and CEO of Project Optimism, said his epiphany came about as he mentored students at PAGE 4

Staying safe through California’s March...

information in this webinar, held in cooperation with Ethnic Media Services, is crucial to those of us who live in the various affected counties.

California’s efforts

Diana Crofts-Pelayo, assistant director with the Crisis Communication & Public Affairs at Cal OES, spoke about what the state has been doing to mediate the impact of the storms.

Across 14 counties, 33 shelters have so far been opened, with 15,800 under evacuation orders in 16 counties and another 6,800 currently living without power as of March 13, Crofts-Pelayo shared.

“The state is having round the clock 24/7 coordination," she highlighted, stating how the governor has activated the State Operations Center.

“This is essentially the full weight of the state, the knowledge of the state, altogether in one place…” she detailed, further specifying how they “have tightly coordinated responses and are rapidly deploying resources to protect impacted communities.”

Furthermore, she talked about how Cal OES is coordinating with local governments to provide various resources such as comfort kits, generators, sandbags, and other items to assist those who are impacted. “We’ve also moved some

resources around the states. Kind of like a neighbor helping a neighbor. Especially for emergency response teams, specialized fire and rescue engines, and swift water rescue teams,” Crofts-Pelayo said, additionally adding how many counties that aren’t as impacted by the storms are also helping other counties in the state.

Governor Gavin Newsom recently declared another state of emergency for 40 counties across the state: Amador, Butte, Calaveras, Del Norte, El Dorado, Fresno, Glenn, Humboldt, Imperial, Inyo, Kern, Kings, Lake, Los Angeles, Madera, Mariposa, Mendocino, Merced, Mono, Monterey, Napa, Nevada, Placer, Plumas, Sacramento, San Benito, San Bernardino, San Francisco, San Joaquin, San Luis Obispo, San Mateo, Santa Barbara, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, Sierra, Sonoma, Stanislaus, Tulare, Tuolumne, and Yuba.

“Basically what this does is brings that coordinated state response to the communities on a local level so that we can help during this emergency,” Crofts-Pelayo said.

In addition to this declaration, a federal disaster declaration from President Joe Biden was requested. This would provide “life-saving response personnel and resources to the state that then goes to the local government,” she added, listing how some of these

resources include generators, road clearance equipment and supplies as well as sheltering and potential mass care assistance.

“Being prepared is an essential part of the work that we do here,” Crofts-Pelayo expressed, stating that one way to do this is by signing up for the local community’s warning system. One such alert system to sign up with is on the following website: www. calalerts.org

“If you are told to evacuate, please do so immediately,” Crofts-Pelayo said, encouraging others to put together an emergency kit in order to be completely prepared. This kit would consist of essentials such as food, water, important documents, and other things that might be needed for one’s family, including pets.

“Do not drive around barricades. Local responders use them to safely direct traffic,” she said, detailing another way in which Californians can stay safe as driving around barricades could result in one being swept away by as little as 6 inches of water.

Community safety

The webinar's speakers emphasized keeping the community safe throughout these storms.

Vance Taylor, Chief of the Office of Access and Functional Needs at Cal OES, provided PAGE 5

Red-tagging, journalist attacks...

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killed between October 2021 and June 2022, reports said.

Cases filed

In March, Daily Tribune correspondent and Baguio Correspondents and Broadcasters Club president Aldwin Quitasol survived an attack by two unidentified assailants in Baguio City.

Expressing outrage over media harassment, the Center for Media Freedom and Responsibility said red tagging was part of the blame as it “endangers victims, including journalists, of being hauled to court on trumped up charges.”

The center also cited five incidents of surveillance, including police visits and vehicle tailing.

In its report the center said state agents, including local and national government officials and security and law enforcement personnel, were the leading perpetrators of threats and violence against media.

The National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP) noted that NTF-ELCAC openly called several journalists communist allies, “leading to a barrage of online harassment and threats against media workers.”

Meanwhile, the Philippines has defended its human rights record before the UN as it told the Special Rapporteur during a recent dialogue in Geneva that it values the role of human rights defenders as partners in building just and humane societies.

The Philippines said it

Hunt for Degamo slay suspects...

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taken concrete steps to issue an international lookout bulletin, to put people on the blue list of the Interpol — the Blue Notice," the PCO quoted Department of Justice (DoJ) spokesman Mico Clavano as saying. A Blue Notice is issued "to collect additional information about a person's identity, location or activities in relation to a criminal investigation."

suspects abroad. Cases have been filed against the four gunmen who have been arrested, while 10 more individuals are under investigation, as the DoJ and other law enforcement agencies plug "all the little gaps" in their case buildup.

acknowledges their role in “speaking truth to power and holding duty-bearers accountable for excesses and lapses.”

The Permanent Mission of the Philippines to the UN and International Organizations in Geneva participated in the Interactive Dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders held on March 15 as part of the 52nd Regular Session of the Human Rights Council.

The Philippine Mission said the Philippines has a thriving and highly participative democratic space, with over 100,000 registered non-profit organizations, 60,000 of which are engaged in socio-political advocacy work domestically and in the UN. g

It is one of the color-coded notices under international requests for cooperation or alerts allowing police in Interpol member-countries to share critical crime-related information, and are issued by the agency's General Secretariat at the request of a member country. By issuing a Blue Notice, the government will be able to better monitor the movements of the

Clavano said investigators already have suspects directly involved in the March 4 attack on Degamo, including the driver and lookout, and the purported middleman, all part of the "security layer" built around the mastermind.

Topping the list is Negros Oriental Third District Rep. Arnolfo Teves, a political rival of Degamo who the DoJ strongly believes to be the mastermind.

One case of illegal firearms possession has been filed against Teves, but eight other cases

related to the Degamo killing will be filed once he returns to the country, Clavano said. Relatedly, the Department of National Defense, Armed Forces of the Philippines and Philippine National Police have created a joint task force to go after the remaining suspects in the killing of Degamo, as ordered by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

The President previously directed the Department of the Interior and Local Government and the police to identify "hot spots" in Negros Oriental and clamp down on private armies in the province.

Marcos considers the killing as "purely" political, "that's why we are looking and getting all the best intelligence we can from our people on the ground to tell us where are the places we should be looking at." g

California’s COVID misinformation law is...

part because it “fails to provide a person of ordinary intelligence fair notice of what is prohibited.” His ruling last month clashed with one handed down in Santa Ana in December; in that case, U.S. District Judge Fred Slaughter refused to halt the law and said it was “likely to promote the health and safety of California COVID-19 patients.”

The legal fight in the nation’s most populous state is to some extent a perpetuation of the pandemic-era tussle pitting supporters of public health guidelines against groups and individuals who resisted masking orders, school shutdowns, and vaccine mandates.

California’s COVID misinformation law, which took effect Jan. 1, is being challenged by vaccine skeptics and civil liberties groups. Among those suing to get the law declared unconstitutional is a group founded by Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who has questioned the science and safety of vaccines for years.

But doubts about the law are not confined to those who have battled the scientific mainstream.

Dr. Leana Wen, a health policy professor at George Washington University who previously served as president of Planned Parenthood and as Baltimore’s health commissioner, wrote in an op-ed a few weeks before Newsom signed the law that it would exert “a chilling effect on medical practice, with widespread repercussions that could paradoxically worsen patient care.”

The Northern California affiliate of the American Civil Liberties Union has weighed in against the law on free speech grounds, though the national organization has affirmed the constitutionality of COVID vaccine mandates.

“If doctors are scared of losing their licenses for giving advice that they think is helpful and appropriate, but they don’t quite know what the law means, they will be less likely to speak openly and frankly with their patients,” said Hannah Kieschnick, an attorney with the ACLU of Northern California.

The law establishes that doctors who give false information about COVID to patients are engaging in unprofessional conduct, which could subject them to discipline by the Medical Board of California

or the Osteopathic Medical Board of California.

Proponents of the law sought to crack down on what they believe are the most clear-cut cases: Doctors who tout treatments such as ivermectin, an anti-parasitic agent that is unproven as a COVID treatment and can be dangerous; who exaggerate the risk of getting vaccinated compared with the dangers of the disease; or who spread unfounded theories about the vaccines, including that they can cause infertility or harm DNA.

But the law lacks such specifics, defining misinformation only as “false information that is contradicted by contemporary scientific consensus contrary to the standard of care.”

Michelle Mello, a professor of law and health policy at Stanford University, said the wording is confusing.

“On a matter like COVID, science is changing all the time, so what does it mean to say there is scientific consensus?” she asked.

“To me, there are lots of examples of statements that clearly, with no vagueness involved, meet the definition of the kind of conduct that the legislature was going after. The problem is that there are all kinds of other hypothetical things that people can say that don’t clearly violate it.”

Dr. Christine Cassel, a professor of medicine at the University of California-San Francisco, said she expects the law to be applied only in the most flagrant cases. “I trust scientists enough to know where there’s a legitimate dispute,” she said.

Cassel’s view mirrors Newsom’s rationale for signing the legislation despite his awareness of potential free speech concerns.

“I am confident,” he wrote in his message to lawmakers, “that discussing emerging ideas or treatments including the subsequent risks and benefits does not constitute misinformation or disinformation under this bill’s criteria.”

Plaintiffs in the Santa Ana case, two doctors who have sometimes diverged from public health guidelines, appealed Slaughter’s ruling allowing the law to stand. The case has been combined in the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals with another case in which a San Diego judge declined to rule on a similar request to temporarily halt the law.

Newsom spokesperson Brandon Richards said in early February that the administration would not appeal the two Sacramento cases in which Shubb issued the narrow injunction. The plaintiffs’ lawyers had expected the state to appeal the decision, thinking all four lawsuits would then be decided by the appeals court, providing greater clarity for all parties.

Richard Jaffe, lead attorney in one of the Sacramento cases — brought by a doctor, Kennedy’s Children’s Health Defense, and a group called Physicians for Informed Consent — said Newsom’s decision not to appeal is “just going to increase the level of chaos in terms of who the law applies to.”

But the Newsom administration has decided to wait for the appeals court to rule on the other two judges’ decisions that left the law intact for now.

Jenin Younes, a lawyer with the New Civil Liberties Alliance who is lead counsel in the other Sacramento case in which Shubb issued his injunction, said Newsom may be calculating that “you’re in a stronger position going up on a win than on a loss.”

A victory for Newsom in the appeals court, Jaffe and others said, could dampen the impact of the two Sacramento cases.

Opponents of California’s COVID misinformation law question why it is needed at all, since the medical boards already have authority to discipline doctors for unprofessional conduct. Yet only about 3% of the nearly 90,000 complaints the Medical Board of California received over a decade resulted in doctors being disciplined, according to a 2021 investigation by the Los Angeles Times.

That could be good news for doctors who worry the new law could constrain their ability to advise patients.

“I don’t see medical boards being particularly vigorous in policing physicians’ competence in general,” said Stanford’s Mello. “You have to be really bad to get their attention.” (Bernard J.

Wolfson/Kaiser Health News)

This story was produced by KHN, which publishes California Healthline, an editorially independent service of the California Health Care Foundation.

California’s College Corps program...

Hiram Johnson High School, the lowest performing high school in Sacramento County. “Working with the students there boosted my confidence. I started to find my identity and trust that I had something to contribute to the world beyond just enrolling in college.”

“I wanted to create this opportunity for other people. So I created a student organization for local high schools and middle schools called Project Optimism. And they had that same transformative experience,” said Pruitt, noting that students who volunteered with the Project Optimism initiative had better

grades, focus, and engagement.

Project Optimism serves youth from Sacramento County all the way to Los Angeles County, about 340 students for the full year. Students are aligned with mentorship cohorts, and an intentional guiding curriculum that supports the whole student.

Dr. Beth Manke, Professor of Human Development and Program Director for the CSU Long Beach College Corps Program, noted that her campus enrolled 50 undergraduate students in the College Corps program, including a number of undocumented students.

“These are experiences that have proven to be quite

transformative for our students.

Over 85% of our student fellows reported that their internships have helped them in positive ways. They’re talking about how they’re able to apply course knowledge to real world experiences. They’re acquiring job or work related skills, developing skills to work effectively as part of a team,” said Manke.

“Our students are also telling us about the fact that they’re really getting a chance to understand their role in their own community. Many students today feel they don’t belong on their college campuses. Our students feel a sense of purpose and belonging,” she said. g

BSP assures Marcos of PH banks’ stability

by NIÑA MYKA ARCEO ManilaTimes.net

THE Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) on Monday, March 20 reiterated the stability of the Philippine banking system following the collapse of two U.S. banks.

Local banks are "strong and prepared to withstand possible shocks" and also have asset bases significantly different from those of U.S. banks, the BSP said in notes sent to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

Philippine banks, in particular, were said to:

• mostly hold loans that are less susceptible to changes in fair value;

• have lower market risk exposure compared to U.S. banks;

• maintain a diversified lending base and manageable loan quality;

• have strong risk governance and risk management systems;

• be highly liquid and tend to rely on a wide depositor base; and

• not have material exposure to the failed banks.

Specifically, the BSP said that Philippine bank losses due to rising interest rates were expected to be smaller compared to their U..S counterparts. The successive collapses of Silicon Valley Bank and Signature Bank have been attributed to their extensive holdings of lowinterest securities. While the local banking sector remains strong, the BSP said it would continue to closely monitor developments,

assess their impact, and act accordingly.

It noted that monetary authorities had been implementing structural reforms including:

• sound governance and risk management standards;

• prudential limits and requirements, including Basel III reforms on capital and liquidity; and

• strengthened surveillance mechanisms and coordination efforts.

Emergency loan facilities that can be tapped by solvent banks experiencing liquidity problems are also in place, the BSP said. Changes to the charter of the Philippine Deposit Insurance Corp., it added, had provided the central bank with "enhanced resolution authority." g

House approved legislation making PH ready for more investments, envoys told

by Gabriel Pabico lalu Inquirer.net

MANILA — The Philippines is now ready for more foreign investments as lawmakers passed key legislation such as the proposed Maharlika Investment Fund (MIF).

Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez declared this Tuesday during a luncheon meeting with ambassadors of Asia-Pacific Parliamentary Forum (APPF) member countries. He also mentioned the approval of measures seeking to amend the 1987 Constitution’s restrictive economic provisions. And according to him, such bills would help the country attract more investments.

“Two of our more promising initiatives is the Maharlika Investment Fund proposal and the efforts to amend the economic provisions of our existing Constitution through a Constitutional Convention,” he said.

“These measures, we at the House of Representatives believe, will help create a more vibrant economy not only for the Philippines but also for the countries in the Asia-Pacific

Region, by reducing, if not, totally eliminating economic barriers to investments. Indeed, there [is] so much more to look forward to,” he added.

Resolution of Both Houses No.

6, which calls for a constitutional convention to amend the 1987 Constitution was approved by the lower chamber last February 27 while its implementing bill was passed on March 14.

Meanwhile, House Bill No. 6608 for the establishment of the MIF was approved on December 15, 2022.

Romualdez then asked the ambassadors to extend the Philippines’ invitation to businesses from their countries of origin.

“Our dear Ambassadors, please extend our warmest invitation to our peers in your countries and let them know that the Philippines is very much open for business, and we have a lot to offer,” the Speaker said.

“This year, 2023, in Manila, your parliamentarians will rediscover another unique and rich culture, reflecting all three of our heritage — our island nation ancestry, our deep Southeast Asian roots as well as our Latin American kinship,” he

added.

The meeting held at a hotel in Taguig City was part of preparations for the 31st Annual APPF conference that the Philippines is slated to host in November 2023.

The ambassadors and diplomats who attended the luncheon meeting came from countries like Australia, Cambodia, Canada, China, Colombia, Indonesia, Laos, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Russia, Singapore, Thailand, United States of America, and Vietnam.

“Our country extends the open hand of friendship to our neighbors as we host the Asia Pacific Parliamentarians Forum this year. We are excited to have your legislators here. I am sure that the Senate President shares this sentiment,” he said, referring to Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri who was also present in the event.

“Personally, I am eager to meet our counterparts from our neighboring countries. I am quite partial to face-to-face meetings. I find it easier to communicate, coordinate and provide support to each other when we are all physically present,” he added. g

Comelec to release transmission logs of 2022 polls ‘to erase doubts’

by Kaycee Valmonte Philstar.com

MANILA — The Commission on Elections will be releasing copies of transmission logs of votes from last year’s elections to "erase doubts" on the conduct of the last polls.

A hard copy will be provided to Ret. Col. Leonardo Odoño who claimed it is “impossible” that around 20 million votes were transmitted to the poll body’s server in an hour after polls closed, according to a report by the ABS-CBN. The KBP (Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster ng Pilipinas), NAMFREL (National Citizens Movement for Free Elections), and LENTE (Legal Network for Truthful Elections) meanwhile will receive soft copies of the said transmission logs "even without request," said Comelec Chairman George Garcia. Garcia in a letter dated March 20 said they will be releasing transmission logs “to erase

doubts as to the transmission of the votes in the first hour after the close of polls” in the May elections.

“Col. Odoño will get the certified hard copies of the same.”

Results of the elections were quickly reflected on transparency servers last year, prompting some groups to question the speed of the vote counting.

In a protest a day after the elections, one of the protesters, Fr. Robert Reyes, described it as “a dark magical moment in Philippine history.”

Garcia said in an interview that the poll body was able to determine the source of the seven-hour glitch in the 2019 midterm elections and a week prior to the 2022 national and local elections glitch, he added that the Comelec has since updated its system to prevent a repeat of that.

He explained then that the data will be sent to the transparency

servers “in bulk” with 106,000 voting precincts sending in data by batches of 10,000, making data available fast without having necessarily overloading the system.

In the March 20 letter, the poll body noted that the transmission logs have been provided to lawmakers part of the Joint Congressional Oversight Committee on the Automated Election Systems and the Parish Pastoral Council on Responsible Voting last year. Comelec said the document may be picked up at its Intramuros headquarters by Odoño on Thursday, March 23, once provisions of the request have been greenlighted.

“The commission hopes that the provision of the transmission logs will clear the controversies you stated,” Garcia said.

“However, any subsequent specific questions that you may have on the transmission logs will be answered by the commission.” g

LIVELIHOOD PROGRAM. Nathan Cariaga arranges her products at a souvenir shop in Davao City on Tuesday, March 21. The items, like lamps, ornaments, containers and cups, are made by persons deprived of liberty, who generate income for their personal upkeep and to support their families even while locked up.

PNA photo by Robinson Niñal Jr.

Accountability in disaster

SCIENTISTS say the Verde Island Passage in Batangas is home to 36 marine protected areas with an estimated 1,700 fish species and 300 coral species. About two million people depend on the passage for their livelihoods, mostly fishermen and workers in the tourism industry.

Tragically, the industrial oil spilling from the sunken motor tanker Princess Empress has reached several coastal barangays on Verde Island. This was reported on Monday, March 20 by the Philippine Coast Guard, which is part of the teams tracking the movement of the oil spill and struggling to contain it. Later in the afternoon, the PCG said an aerial inspection showed that the oil sheen spotted in the waters near the island had dissipated.

While teams from different agencies assisted by civilian groups as well as Japan and now the U.S. scramble to contain the oil spill, probers must speed up the determination of accountability in one of the country’s worst environmental disasters. Reports last week said the vessel was originally an LPG tanker named Dorothy that was about 50 years old but was refurbished and made to appear new.

Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla described the vessel as “a rebuilt scrap… it was not built to be a tanker from the very beginning.” He also said the ship ignored a gale warning when it set sail on Feb. 28. The ship owners have declined to comment.

The oil spill has so far affected over 151,000

LIVE-fire training, using naval artillery gunfire and aviation rockets and bombs to sink a vessel in the West Philippine Sea, where China continues its aggressive maneuvers. And the first live-firing here of a U.S. Patriot missile as part of a drill in coastal defense.

That’s what the upscaled “Balikatan” joint U.S.Philippines war exercises from April 11 to 28 will highlight.

This latest annual event, which started in 2002 on the heels of the U.S. “war on terror,” will deploy 17,000 troops: 12,000 Americans and 5,000 Filipinos.

According to the Philippine military’s announcement last Tuesday, March 21, the target vessel will be located 22 kilometers from Zambales or 185 kilometers from Panatag Shoal, the traditionally open fishing ground which China seized from the Philippines and controlled since 2012.

“We will be sinking a target vessel using a combination of artillery naval gunfire and aviation weapons… We will be

people in 131 barangays in Oriental Mindoro, Palawan and Antique, according to the Department of Social Welfare and Development, which is providing various forms of immediate relief to the residents.

Scientists have warned that the oil spill could cause long-term damage to the marine ecosystem in the affected areas. This could mean prolonged disruption of fisheries in several provinces. The pollution is also destroying beaches this summer, the peak travel season when the affected communities had hoped to bounce back from three years of pandemic disruptions.

Japan has provided a remotely operated underwater vehicle to pinpoint the exact location of the sunken tanker and determine if its cargo of 800,000 liters of bunker oil is leaking along with its fuel. Initial probes indicate that the tanker has settled at a depth of about 400 meters.

Why the ship was cleared to sail remains unclear. An official of the Maritime Industry Authority said a document bearing his signature and presented by ship owner RDC Reield Marine Service is fake. Congress is still investigating the role of the MARINA and Coast Guard in the disaster.

Remulla has said criminal and civil cases are

US-PH troops prepare for possible war with China

firing HIMARS [High-Mobility Artillery Rocket System], a combination of Philippine Air Force and U.S. Air Force rockets and bombs…,” Balikatan spokesperson Col. Michael Logico was quoted as saying. A symbolic attack on a foreign military vessel (Chinese?).

Not symbolic, however, will be the U.S. Army’s live-firing of a Patriot missile in the country. Last year, the U.S. already deployed the Patriot system in a Balikatan mobilization exercise, but didn’t fire any missile. In the ongoing Russian war on Ukraine, the U.S. has provided this weapon system to the Ukrainians, who have used it to counter Russian missile and drone attacks.

Former Philippine Navy vice commander Rommel Jude Ong explained these new aspects of Balikatan 2023:

• This year’s Balikatan “seems to be designed to test operational concepts to enhance [the AFP’S] strategic deterrence posture” in the West Philippine Sea.

• The deployment of 12,000 American troops, the expert said, is a logistics exercise “to assess how it can rapidly deploy a large number of troops and equipment in the [war] theater.”

• The vessel-sinking exercise

aims to test the Philippine Navy sea-denial strategy. “It is premised on the idea that a land-based anti-ship missile can defend the country’s waters from any adversary’s naval shipping, even from a distance.”

• Deploying the Patriot missile would allow the AFP to understand “the need for an anti-air defense system which can protect our land and critical infrastructure from conventional ballistic threats.” (Is there a push for the AFP to buy the Patriot missile system? Cost: $1.1 billion.)

Wouldn’t China be riled by these war games? reporters asked. Col. Logico replied, “We have the absolute, inalienable right to defend our territory. We are here to show that we are combat ready.”

Preceding the Balikatan, three weeks of U.S.-PH army-to-army exercises, dubbed “Salaknib (shield)”, began on March 13 at Fort Magsaysay in Nueva Ecija. That’s the country’s largest military camp, one of the initial five bases where the U.S. forces are setting up facilities exclusively for their use, as allowed under the controversial 2014 Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA).

In the U.S., a newly-formed U.S. Marine Corps unit, the Third Marine Littoral Regiment (TMLR), has just concluded a 10-day mock battle across southern California, using a series of mock-up military bases to represent an unnamed “Pacific island chain.”

The TMLR was formed to fight on islands and along coastal shorelines (“littoral regions”). It has been given special equipment and freedom to innovate, and develop new tactics for one “highest” priority project: “How to fight a war against Chinese forces in their own backyard, and win,” according to a New York Times report. The TMLR consists of three component forces: an infantry battalion of roughly 800 Marines, an anti-aircraft battalion that is testing new weapons and tactics and a logistics battalion. Over the next two years, it will hold “4-5 times more” war exercises than most infantry regiments.

“Its next big test,” the NYT pointed out, “will be in the Philippines in April,” referring to the Balikatan exercises.

Gen. David Berger, the USMC top general, justified preparations for a potential future armed conflict in the

Pacific by citing China’s military moves.

“Each year they are expanding their deployment,” Berger said. “Not only in terms of the complexity of them, but also the distances they cover.” He took note that China’s navy is taking after the U.S. Navy: operating in strike groups, with destroyers and other warships escorting an aircraft carrier.

One role the TMLR could take up would be to serve as spotters who would pass along the enemy forces’ positions to US warplanes, warships or submarines for them to attack.

Or the TMLR could do the attack themselves.

Berger also talked of new battlefield conditions anticipated in a prospective war: Enemy and civilian spy satellites fly overhead, and anyone turning on a small cellphone can become the target of a longrange rocket or missile. “If you are emitting radio energy, you can be detected by the enemy. If detected, you can be located and seen. If seen, you can be killed.”

“We have to unlearn the way we were trained… You have to have an incredible amount of trust when you haven’t heard from your Marines for several

days,” Berger stressed.

The Americans assume, noted the NYT, that any battle with China may take place in what the Pentagon refers to as the “first island chain.” That includes Okinawa and Taiwan down to Malaysia, the Spratlys and the Paracels – disputed islands in the South China Sea. The “second island chain” includes the Philippines, going from Japan to Guam to south of Palau.

Most likely, if sent to fight in the Western Pacific, the TMLR would use their most capable drones: the MQ-9 Reaper, which could drop bombs and fire missiles, while beaming back intelligence information. Significantly, the drones could take off from runways only 915 meters long. Could the USMC command be eyeing the EDCA sites in the country to build therein runways for the MQ-9 Reaper? War freaks are surely getting excited. (Philstar.com)

* * *

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

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Email: satur.ocampo@gmail.com

Dealing with Marcoses’ charm o ensive

DURING the May 2022 presidential elections, thencandidate Ferdinand Marcos Jr. was not entirely the favorite of many in the scientific community, and in academia. Straw votes and informal polling conducted in many universities, including their faculty, revealed that Marcos was even at the bottom among the candidates.

A mere suspicion that an academic was favoring Marcos, more so if the person concerned was actually for Marcos, would position him or her for outright cancellation by peers in academe.

I do not have to go very far and cite the experience of others, like that of former national security adviser and retired professor Clarita Carlos, to attest to the heavy burden borne by people who were “Marcos-tagged,” rightly or wrongly. I experienced it firsthand. Even if I did not vote for Marcos, since I voted for Norberto Gonzales, and just because I was trying to be

fair in my commentaries about the former, not to mention my critical stance toward his fiercest rival, I became the object of a vilification campaign. Until now, those who cannot move on from their resounding electoral defeat, and continue to dwell in their mistaken fantasies about my politics, remain convinced that I am a Marcos loyalist.

To put it simply, the academe, and the scientific community is not friendly territory for President Marcos. And yet, he braved the odds and spoke at the 2023 Annual Scientific Conference and the 90th General Membership Assembly of the National Research Council of the Philippines held last Saturday, March 11, at the Philippine International Convention Center. And in his speech he declared his support for the scientific endeavor, and his recognition of the value of scientists and their research to national development.

And this is not all political talk.

For several years, researchers kept on pushing for digital agriculture. It was President Marcos who eventually made a commitment to institutionalize the Department of Science and

Technology’s digital platform Sarai, which is a technology developed with the leadership of researchers from the School of Environmental Science and Management of UP Los Baños, that would provide agricultural stakeholders with site-specific crop advisories based on data gathered from the Diwata microsatellite. He expressed support for the establishment of the Virology Institute of the Philippines and the Centers for Disease Control. And even during his campaign, he already articulated his commitment to a robust scientific agenda. He commits to improving the internet backbone of the country, and for increasing more scholarships in science-oriented degrees. And five days after on Thursday, March 16, President Marcos once again ventured into what could be considered as hostile territory. He graced the groundbreaking ceremonies of a housing project in Naga City under the Pambansang Pabahay ng Pamilyang Pilipino of his administration. He also earlier attended the opening of a Kadiwa center in neighboring Pili, Camarines Sur. This is a province that awarded him with only 9.51

percent of the total votes, or 102,921 out of the 1,307,553 total votes cast. This lopsided defeat is simply because Camarines Sur and Naga City are the bailiwicks of his fiercest rival, former vice president Maria Leonor Robredo. Less than a year after, President Marcos, despite being preferred only by less than one out of 10 voters in Camarines Sur, has now become its adopted son by virtue of Resolution 133, Series of 2023, passed unanimously by the Sangguniang Panlalawigan of the province.

This is typical of the Marcos style of doing politics. And it is a clear answer to those who are demanding evidence of how he will forge unity in a divided political landscape, and continue to doubt his seriousness in reaching out to his critics.

The president’s sister, Sen. Maria Imelda Josefa Marcos, also conducted her own unity walk to match the talk that became the signature of her brother’s campaign. She invited the warring factions of her brother’s support base, particularly the bloggers and vloggers who are now at each other’s throats, to dinner. It was a symbolic

gesture, and is symptomatic of the Marcos brand of a charm offensive. Recognizing that the root cause of discontent of some Marcos supporters is their view that supporters of former president Rodrigo Duterte have increasingly become more critical of the president, Senator Marcos made an effort to project unity between the Marcoses and the Dutertes by earlier posing with the former president in the Davao screening of the movie she produced, “Martyr or Murderer.”

It is too early to tell if such moves will appease the disgruntled supporters, considering that some of the discontent also stems from what they perceive as a palpable preferential treatment given to some vloggers, particularly by some powerful members of the Marcos family.

For the Marcoses, politics is always addition, even if it means bringing into their very large tent pretenders and sycophants, and those who would only obviously become allies simply because it is the most politically convenient and promising. But the acceptance of the Marcoses of these political opportunists and butterflies is but the other side

of the courage the President has shown to venture into the most hostile territory inhabited by antiMarcos academics and scientists, and of that part of the archipelago that gave him his worst defeat in the last elections. It is a risk that the Marcoses will always take, not only to honestly forge unity, but perhaps to play the game of politics where you keep your enemies closer. Disgruntled supporters who feel taken for granted can only hope that their reliability and loyalty should not lead them to be ignored.

This should serve as a lesson to those who support the President and the Marcoses. In their game of politics where they reach out even to critics, it doesn’t hurt to play a bit hard to get. Blind loyalty may not be the best option. It is easy to take for granted those who are always there through thick and thin. That is true in personal relationships as it is in politics. (ManilaTimes.net)

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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.

being studied against the ship owners and anyone else who may be found culpable for the disaster.

Accountability is crucial in preventing a repeat of this environmental crisis. (Philstar.com)

Staying safe through California’s March...

direct information on how to keep ourselves safe, especially those who are most vulnerable during these natural disasters.

“We’ve got some very serious weather coming our way. The reality is that this is gonna impact people throughout the state,” he said, adding how many of the areas that were already hit would once again be affected. Taylor described how with storms occurring more often, there will also be an increase in the number of people sheltering.

“Because it's such a widespread event and the impact area is spread throughout the entire state, there is going to be a limit in what the government can do to help people in these situations,” Taylor said.

He added, “What can city, county, and state governments do to assist and what can we as individuals do to prepare to be safe before, during, and after disasters."

Californians can prepare in these situations, especially those with access and functional needs, such as the following:

• Physical, developmental, or intellectual disabilities.

• Do not have access to reliable transportation.

• Those who do not have English as their primary language.

• Those with a chronic injury or illness.

• Are economically depressed.

• Are experiencing homelessness.

“These are individuals who are going to be at highest risk for negative impact in these disasters,” Taylor said, sharing how there are three areas in which those with these needs can prepare for during the recent and ongoing storms.

“For many individuals, they are energy dependent,” Taylor said, detailing how access and functional needs require power for devices they use daily, such as ventilators, assisted devices or technology, and durable medical equipment. “If there is no power, that presents life safety risks,” he added, recommending that this equipment should always be charged, especially while there is power present.

However, those at risk can also connect with programs like the Disability Disaster Access & Resources Program, which provides a variety of different resources.

A few of these resources include backup batteries for important equipment detailed above, evacuation services, transportation, hotel and food vouchers, and gas cards.

“When it comes to loss of power, activate friends, family, care providers so they can assist you if the power goes out,” Taylor added how a support network is also crucial, describing how these should be people you know, trust, and can rely on as if or when the power goes out, they’ll immediately know to come support you.

The next thing that Taylor emphasized was to have an evacuation plan. During these times, people will need to be

evacuated and those who are at a higher risk will need more assistance. “Make a list of friends, family members, coworkers, neighbors, or others that can help you evacuate,” he explained, adding how

“The idea here is that we can’t expect any one of those individuals to be available 24 hours a day, but by having a network of people it’s likely at least one of those individuals is going to be available to help you evacuate when the time comes.”

Taylor not only reminded participants to rely on a support system, but also encouraged them to follow the guidance of local authorities as storms are unprecedented.

“Learn different evacuation routes to leave your community and as much as you can, practice your plan regularly,” he said.

Taylor described how signing up for emergency alerts on the Cal Alerts website is also one other important step to take.

“It gives you reliable information so you know what’s coming, how to prepare, and what appropriate steps you need to take for your health and safety,” he said.

“When your life is at risk, you can't receive too many alerts,” Taylor declared, stating how Cal Alerts is only one of many alerts that people can sign up for, where the more information, the likelihood of being prepared increases. “Those small steps will make all the difference. Plan today so you can be prepared tomorrow,” he encouraged audience members.

CalHHS resources

With the abundance of resources each speaker has already provided, Corrin Buchanan, deputy secretary for the California Health and Human Services Agency (CalHHs), provided a few more towards the end of the webinar.

“We have mobilized much of our agency (CalHHS) to continue to respond to these storms,” Buchanan declared, adding that the Department of Social Services has also supported 33 shelters that have been stood up throughout the state.

“608 individuals were supported across these sites last night. In addition, 12 shelters are on stand-by and ready to be stood up as quickly as needed,” she expressed, emphasizing the full support of the state for those affected by the storms.

Buchanan further described how various agencies have been pulling through to help Californians during this time.

“The team at the Emergency Medical Services Authority has prepositioned assets and staged ambulance strike teams to be prepared to augment local capacity and ensure the EMS system is able to respond,” she described, adding how the Department of Public Health has also played a big role in helping those impacted by proactively working with their healthcare partners in ensuring that they maintain operations and have sufficient capacity.

“CalHHS, has prioritized work across 12 departments and five offices and with our

statewide partners, to ensure that we are collectively preparing the most vulnerable in our communities for the impact of these storms,” Buchanan emphasized, declaring how the agency has also created a task force, the Priority Populations Task Force, to help those who are most vulnerable.

“CalHHS and CalOES are the co-chairs of this task force and we have 20 other state agencies that participate as well,” she explained, highlighting how the task force is primarily focused on four priority populations:

• People who are homeless or unsheltered.

• People who are older or medically vulnerable.

• Those with disabilities (both visible and invisible).

• Those who are residing in congregate facilities (both medical and non-medical).

Within this task force, Buchanan additionally described how they have three main goals. The first is to be able to develop and spread information to local partners regarding weather conditions as well as to emphasize state and federal resources available to the populations listed above.

The second goal has the task force working together with local and county governments to provide technical assistance and support in local planning efforts to coordinate a timely response for information and resource requests.

Lastly, the task force is also evaluating these requests from locals to make recommendations and support in the deployment of resources that may be scarce.

Buchanan then described some of the resources that are available for those who have been impacted. “It is not too late to be prepared,” she reiterated, directing people to the CalHHS website, www.chhs. ca.gov, which has guides for emergency resources, in both English and Spanish, as well as a downloadable template for creating a personal emergency plan.

The Department of Social Services website (www.cdss.ca.org) is another resource that is useful for finding information about available shelters and warming centers. In addition to these various websites, Buchanan also referenced a few numbers that can provide support for many during these times:

• Statewide Long-Term Care Ombudsman CRISIS line for those who are worried about the well-being of a loved one that is living in a long term care facility. The number is 1-800-231-4024 and it is available 24/7.

• Cal Hope: The number is 1-833-317HOPE (4673) or one can visit their website at www.calhope.org.

• The Friendship Line, which is meant for free crisis intervention for nonemergency support, specifically for older adults. The line can be reached at 1-888670-1360. (Amry Ferido/AJPress)

Divorce bill to make PH conform to global norm

MANILA – The committee approval of the bill reinstituting absolute divorce for plenary debates will put the country at the "threshold of joining the universality of absolute divorce in the community of nations", a lawmaker said on Tuesday, March 21.

Albay Representative Edcel Lagman said the divorce bill will give spouses, especially wives, the option of getting out of an "irremediably broken marriage" and a chance to start over as the House Committee on Population and Family Relations gave its thumbs up to the proposal.

"While it is said that marriages are solemnized in heaven, the fact is some marriages plummet into hell because of human frailty and imperfections. The Divorce Act seeks to redeem couples, particularly the abused or abandoned wives, from infernal agony," Lagman said.

He noted that the proposed law would be for the exceptional circumstances of married couples who are "marooned in toxic, dysfunctional and even abusive marriages, particularly for wives who suffer the torment of irreversibly dead marriages."

The bill provides that a divorce

petition will undergo a judicial process where proof of the cause for the divorce is established and that the marriage has completely collapsed without any possibility of reconciliation.

Quickie, notarial, email and other speedy drive-thru divorces are prohibited, it added.

There is a cooling-off period of 60 days after the filing of the divorce petition wherein the judge shall exert earnest efforts to reconcile the parties. The public prosecutor is mandated to conduct an investigation to assure that there is no collusion between the parties or whether one party coerced the other to file the divorce petition. At any time during the proceedings, if the parties agree to reconcile, the petition is dismissed. Even after the issuance of an absolute divorce decree, when the parties decide to reconcile, the divorce decree shall be nullified, according to the proposed law.

The bill proposes harsh penalties for those who collude to secure a divorce decree or of one spouse coercing the other to file for divorce. The penalties consist of an indivisible punishment of five years imprisonment and a sizeable fine. (PNA)

Enrile still pushes con-ass

MANILA – Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Juan Ponce Enrile still believes that the constitutional assembly (con-ass) mode to introduce amendments to the 1987 Constitution makes better sense rather than convening a constitutional convention (concon).

In an interview over SMNI, Enrile questioned the decision of a House of Representatives to approve a resolution calling for a Con-con to amend the charter.

“Bakit gusto ng Kongreso Concon? Naku! Kung gagawin mong constituent assembly, milyon lang ang gagastusin mo. Pag con-con, bilyon-bilyon na naman ‘yan (Why does Congress prefer con-con? Under the constituent assembly, you’ll only need millions, but if concon, billions),” he said.

Earlier, National Economic Development Authority (NEDA)

Undersecretary Krystal Uy said that holding a con-con is more expensive than holding a conass with around PHP10 billion

difference between the two modes of amending the Constitution.

Enrile said he preferred con-ass because the con-con will use up the little funds of the government to pay for the salaries of the delegates of the convention and travel allowance.

“…All you have to do is remove some of the provisions that you want to remove and you have a ready-made, well-discussed, well-prepared, well-studied and well-deliberated Constitutional provision that was already used in the Philippines,” the former Senate president added.

Under con-ass, Congress sits down to propose amendments to the Constitution while the proposed con-con requires the regions to elect representatives who will suggest amendments to the Charter.

Enrile likewise emphasized the need to amend the economic provisions of the Constitution, which he said hindered the country from development. (PNA)

The Asian Journal MDWK

Wednesday MARCH 22, 2023

‘Siya na’: Gerald Anderson pledges to marry Julia Barretto

By Jan Milo Severo Philstar.com

said he’s working hard because he knows that the time is coming that he will tie the knot with Julia.

“You know, everything na ginagawa ko ngayon is because alam ko naman na malapit na ‘yun, e. Hindi naman ako, kumbaga, ‘yung 25-year-old na, ‘Di trabaho muna ako, career muna ako’,” he said.

“You know, honestly, generally, lahat ng ginagawa ko sa career ko, sa show business, sa pagiging businessman, is leading up to that point,” he added.  Korina then asked Gerald if Julia is the one.

Siya talaga,” Gerald answered.

“Alam mo, you just know, alam mo na, e. You feel na may nagbabago sa’yo. You feel na nagiiba or mas nag-iiba ‘yung priorities mo or mas naging malinaw sa’yo ‘yung priorities mo Alam mo ‘yung kasabihan na ‘you just know.’ Ang hirap mag-explain, e, iba ‘yung feel. Iba ‘yung feel,” he added.  Gerald, however, clarified that they not yet engaged.

‘Wrong Issa’: Iza Calzado teasing Nadine Lustre video resurfaces amid viral James Reid, Issa Pressman holding hands pic

By Jan Milo Severo Philstar.com

MANILA — A video of Iza Calzado teasing Nadine Lustre about James Reid and Issa Pressman resurfaced on social media.

In the video, Iza apologized to Nadine for stealing James. “Bago tayo mag-seryoso, may gusto lang akong i-address dito. Let’s just get the elephant in the room get

out of the way. Nadine, I’m sorry. I’m sorry for stealing James. Char,” Iza said.

“Wrong Issa, wrong Issa,” Nadine replied.

It can be recalled that during Nadine and James Reid’s breakup, Iza spread some good vibes in her Instagram account as she posted a screenshot of a blog titled “Ginalingan,” with her photo on it. The blog allegedly accused her for being the third

ABS-CBN TFC news entertainment reporter Yong Chavez wins

International Media Award in Hollywood

Recognition for years of blood, sweat and tears, and gratitude for a family who believed in her audacious dreams

LOS ANGELES, March 15,

party in the split.

Kung totoo man ang issue, sana masaya ka sa ginawa mo kay James and Nadine,” the blog wrote as caption on Iza’s photo.

“People of the Philippines, Anong kaguluhan ito??? Hahaha! May asawa na Ako! Lord!” Iza wrote in the screenshot of the blog.

In another Instagram story, Iza also shared a screenshot of

Continued on Page 9

2022 – ABS-CBN’s TFC News Hollywood correspondent Yong Chavez won the International Media Award at the 60th Annual ICG Publicists Awards. The winners were announced on March 10 at the awards luncheon at the Beverly Hills Hilton.

Asians represent Chavez has been covering Hollywood for over 15 years now, and receiving the award on the same weekend as the 95th Oscar Awards where the triumph of “Everything, Everywhere, All At Once” was a breakthrough for Asian talent, was “wonderfully surreal.”

Chavez recounts that “For years I looked for any Asian talent at all the red carpets I covered. I put a spotlight on them and fought for their representation. So, to see them celebrated now in such a huge way and for my own humble award to coincidentally be given on the same weekend and same award season is mind-blowing to me.”

Recipe for success

Being on the red carpet and interviewing celebrities might appear glamorous to an outsider, but there is much hard work, perseverance, and a lot of rejection along the way.

Chavez shares that her recipe for success is to “always be the hardest worker in the room. But hard work isn’t enough sometimes. You have to work smart, so you don’t burn out.” She also adds a very important point: “be kind. The universe has a way of rewarding you back for anything you selflessly do for others. And remember always what matters most: your personal relationships and your respect for yourself.”

On the pursuit of dreams

Always an avid fan of movies and TV, Chavez read in a movie magazine once: “Nothing is ever too hard to achieve if you have the faith to believe in it and the courage to fight for it.”

She has always fought for her dreams. Unknown to most, Chavez’s full time job for more than 15 years until 2021 was as a TV/film English and Tagalog subtitle editor for the deaf and hard of hearing.

The flexibility in the schedule allowed her to cover Hollywood news for Balitang

America (now TFC News), TV Patrol, and ANC. Chavez explains that “Flex time made it possible but note that I didn’t say ‘easy’. It was difficult, but I did it happily because reporting was my passion while the salary I received from the regular job went to my mom and my sister in the Philippines, especially when my mom got sick.”

When Chavez’s mother and sister passed in quick succession, she continued working the grueling schedule until the pandemic when “the great resignation/life reevaluation happened to so many people, including me. I quit the regular job, but then started joining organizations like the HFPA and the HCA which also kept me busy and helped me improve myself and

my career in other ways.” She muses, “It was a hard climb, but it was well worth it. I worked for my dreams. It was years of blood, sweat, and tears. But I didn’t do it alone. I have my family. I have my friends. And I have my ABS-CBN and TFC family who believed in me and my audacious dreams.”

The other entertainment journalists in Chavez’s category are Dan Jolin of Empire (UK), Garry Maddox of the Sydney Morning Herald (Australia), Zachary Ntim of Deadline (UK), Helen O’Hara of Empire (Northern Ireland), and Adam Tanswell of Total Film (UK).

Read the ABS-CBN News report, and see the full list of winners and nominees from the 60th Annual ICG Publicists Awards.

How married life has changed Sam

By CharMie Joy Pagulong Philstar.com

TV and radio host Sam YG is “enjoying married life so far” and is “looking forward to more years of being married” to nonshowbiz partner Essa Santos. They are still in the “adjustment phase” and discovering more things about each other a year after they tied the knot.

Essa was born in Cagayan de Oro and works in the corporate

world. They met years ago when Essa got Sam to host a corporate event. The two started their relationship in 2018.

“I’m enjoying it (married life),” said Sam during the press conference of Nego King Philippines. He was launched as the host of the local edition of South Korea’s variety show, which offers great bargains to customers. Nego King Philippines drops a new episode weekly on ANIMA

Studios’ YouTube Channel and LazLive on the Lazada app.

“Of course, there’s an adjustment phase that we’re going through kasi nga hinahanap na ako ‘pag 12 o’clock. ‘Where are you? Trabaho pa ba yan or chumichika ka na lang sa mga tao diyan?’ A few things like that,” he shared.

Nevertheless, married life has been “great” for Sam. “Choose a great partner in life… She has

Continued on Page 10

Photo courtesy of ICG Publicists

Yong Chavez with Ethan Peck, Spock of “Star Trek: Strange New World,” who presented the International Media Award.

Photo courtesy of ICG Publicists

Yong Chavez at the 2nd Annual Hollywood Critics Association TV Awards where she presented the HCA Spotlight Award to the cast and creator of “As We See It.”

Photo courtesy of HCA

Clockwise from left: Yong Chavez with multi-award-winning songwriter/singer H.E.R.; presenting Best Original Song Award at the 2023 Hollywood Creative Arts Awards; with actor and retired professional wrestler Dave Bautista; with Jamie Lee Curtis and Michelle Yeoh at the 2023 Spirit Awards.

Julia Barretto and Gerald Anderson

Photo from Instagram/@andersongeraldjr

MANILA — Actor Gerald Anderson pledged that Julia Barretto is the one he will marry.

In his interview with Korina Sanchez, Gerald

Jason on Moira taking a swipe at him in her songs

By Jan milo SEvEro Philstar.com

SINGER Jason Marvin Hernandez revealed that it is okay with him if his estranged wife, singer Moira Dela Torre takes a swipe at him in her songs.

In an interview with the media during the launch of GMA-7’s upcoming show “The Write One,” the singer said he deserved it. Hernandez wrote and sang “Oras,” the show’s official sound track.

May mga details lang na iba, pero okay lang ‘yun. Ganu’n kasi ako, e. Never n’yo maririnig na gaganti ako,” he said.

“Naniniwala kasi ako na si God na bahala sa kanya. Siya na ‘yung mag-aano… I really don’t need to defend (myself pa),” he added.

He also said that he’s not affected by bashers.

“Hindi ako affected kasi hindi ko sila kilala. Never ako sumagot. Hindi ko sila masisisi, kasi they know one side of the story. Ako rin naman, ako ang nagsasalita,” he said.

“I’d rather be private,” he added.

The singer said that he is now living a simple life in El Nido, Palawan.

“Dapat vacation lang. Now I’m staying for the last seven months. Tapos, ang dami kong naging tropa du’n. Ang dami kong naging kaibigan, I just

go here ‘pag may event, recording,” he said. Doon ko na-realize na you don’t need a lot of things pala para maging masaya. Limang t-shirts, dalawang shorts, apat na briefs, okay na. Ang saya! Sobrang saya,” he added.

Nathalie: I’ve learned from my past mistakes

By nathaliE tomada Philstar.com

NATHALIE Hart has promised herself that she’s not going to talk about her non-showbiz fiancé — and love life in general — until she’s married. Huwag nating pagusapan. That’s a part of me that’s already out of showbiz,”

Nathalie requested the press during an intimate group interview about her comeback film, Viva Films’ Kunwari… Mahal Kita, which opened in cinemas on March 15.

After her relationship with the father of her child broke down, the 30-year-old actress found love again and got engaged to her Australian boyfriend last year.

But don’t expect her to be as candid about it as before.

In response to a question from The STAR, Nathalie explained: “I feel like before I was a lot open. Ikakasal na ako, then a week before the wedding date, we canceled.

sa lahat. Actually, ‘di naman nakakahiya sa public, but nakakahiya sa pamilya mo.

“At the end of the day, I’ve learned to really take a step back and wait. Kung para sa ‘yo talaga ang taong yan, para sa ‘yo… Kung kami talaga, eh di kami na, and then that person will have to be a stepfather to my child,” she said.

Nathalie honestly admitted that it’s not been easy to “restart” this part of her life due to past “trauma” but more importantly because she’s a mom now to her four-year-old girl Penelope, whose feelings she has to take into account in everything that she does.

Miss Universe 2022 R’Bonney

Gabriel to visit Philippines in May

By EvangElinE valdErrama Inquirer.net

REIGNING Miss Universe R’Bonney Gabriel of the United States will be visiting the Philippines in May due to a “huge event” of the Miss Universe Organization.

Gabriel, who is half-Filipino courtesy of her father who was born and raised in Manila, announced her Philippine visit on the Texas-based lifestyle show Houston Life, hosted by her friend Derrick Shore.

During the TV program, the Louisiana-based beauty queen again proudly stated that she has Filipino blood and that as a child she would go on vacation in the Philippines with her father.

“I cannot believe it, it warms my heart. I grew up going to the Philippines as a child and just going on a vacation there, and to actually be somewhat of an inspiration to the people in the Philippines now is amazing. Actually, I will be visiting the Philippines soon, in May. We’re gonna have a huge event there, as Miss Universe, so I’m really excited,” she said.

“So for all the Filipinos

tuning in, I cannot wait to meet you,” she added.

Since becoming Miss Universe in January, Gabriel has been staying in New York. But because of her homecoming in Houston in Texas, she said that one of

the top five things she would be doing, especially now that her birthday weekend is coming along is, to have some friends over and eat her favorite Filipino treats such as ensaymada pastries and sinigang soup in a Filipino restaurant.

In a previous interviews, Gabriel mentioned that while she grew up in the US, her heart has always been Filipino, a trait instilled in her by her doctor father, Remigio Bonzon “R’Bon” Gabriel, whose name she inherited as well.

A fashion designer by profession, Gabriel is the first Filipino-American to be crowned Miss Universe and Miss USA. The US still holds the record with 22 uninterrupted placements from 1977 to 1998.

The Philippines’ Celeste Cortesi, meanwhile, did not place in the Top 16 of the pageant, breaking the country’s 12-year streak of securing a spot in the Miss Universe semifinals. This streak started in 2010 courtesy of Venus Raj who finished fifth in the competition held in Las Vegas, Nevada, in the US that year.

‘Wrong Issa’: Iza Calzado teasing Nadine...

From Page 8

After a lengthy break to focus on motherhood, Nathalie Hart restarts her acting career. Photo from So, I feel like mas maganda na kasal na ako before I share a lot of things. “I’ve learned so much from my past mistakes na ‘di mo naman kailangan sabihin

According to her, she’s not “hiding” her relationship because she’s ashamed of it. Rather, she’s doing this for her daughter.

“Now, it’s not only me, I also have a child to think about. What about my daughter? What about her feelings, does she feel good (about it) and does she

Continued on Page 11

a JaDine fan’s direct message to her. Grabe ka Iza, alam mo naman na madaming nagmamahal sa JADINE. Inahas mo pa si James. Kawawa naman si Nadine. Ahas!” the fan messaged her.   “But wait, there’s more! Does this mean pasok pa Ako sa early 20s market? May asim pa si Tita Iza? Wrong account though! Hahaha!” Iza wrote in the screenshot.

A photo of James and Issa holding hands revived romance rumors between the two.  Issa posted on her Instagram account photos and videos of her and James

attending Harry Styles’ concert at the Philippine Arena.

In one of the photos,

Stay ahead of the curve

Nadine Lustre’s ex-boyfriend and Yassi Pressman’s sister were seen holding hands.

S u n’s “New PM” to remain at the forefront of modern manufacturing

by C onnie Y oung

Powder metallurgy, also known as PM, is a manufacturing process that involves the production of metal parts through the use of metal powders. This process offers a number of advantages over traditional metalworking techniques. For one, it allows for the production of complex parts with intricate shapes that would be difficult or impossible to create through other means. Additionally, powder metallurgy can result in parts with superior mechanical properties, such as increased strength, toughness, and wear resistance. This makes it an ideal choice for applications where high performance is critical, such as in the automotive, aerospace, and medical industries. PM is also a more sustainable and environmentally friendly process, as it generates less waste and uses less energy compared to traditional manufacturing methods. For these reasons, the development trend of the PM industry has received the attention of industry leaders and politicians around the world.

Mr. Liyu Sun, VP of GKN Powder Metallurgy (Asia), a leading global manufacturer of metal powders and powder metallurgy parts, believes that the key driver behind the development trend of the PM industry is an industry-wide understanding of the challenges facing the automotive industry today and tomorrow. “The automotive industry is one of the largest consumers of powder metallurgy products.

If you look inside a car engine, you will find crucial components such as the connecting rods, camshafts, and gears are all made using PM technologies,” said Sun. “As the automotive industry continues to evolve and become more focused on sustainability, the powder metallurgy industry has to play an even greater role in the production of high-quality automotive components,” he continued. Sun plans to lead GNK and ride the next wave by applying what he calls the “New PM” strategy, where “P stands for production techniques, and M stands for materials.” Over the years, Sun has invented many new production techniques that offer improved efficiency, reduced waste, and lower costs. Utilizing these proprietary production technologies, GNK is able to stay ahead of its competitors and remain a global leader in powder metallurgy by offering its customers (ZF, Siemens, Honda, etc.) the best possible products at a competitive price.

The other component of Sun’s “New PM” strategy is the development of new materials. As the demand for high-performance metal components grows, new materials with improved properties are needed to meet these requirements. By focusing on the development of new materials, Sun ensures that GNK can create products that offer superior performance and durability compared to traditional materials. “I believe we are uniquely positioned

to leverage our extensive experience in supplying the automotive industry and innovative manufacturing processes, to meet the increasing demand for a stable supply of vital EV components. This requires the development of new materials as the internal components of an electric motor are very different from what you would see inside an internal combustion engine,” said Sun. Today, GNK is one of the very few major players in the PM industry that has the capability to tailor powder blends and pre-alloyed materials to fit the needs of

both traditional vehicle and EV manufacturers.

Another trend in the powder metallurgy industry is the increasing use of automation and digitalization. As with many manufacturing processes, PM is becoming more automated, with robots and other machines handling many of the repetitive tasks involved in producing metal parts. This not only improves efficiency and reduces costs but also improves quality by reducing the risk of human error. Once again, Sun managed to stay ahead of the curve as he has made several inventions in the

factory and production management software system. “PM is increasingly being integrated with digital technologies such as 3D printing and computer-aided design (CAD), which allow for faster and more precise production of metal parts. This trend is expected to continue as manufacturers seek to improve efficiency and stay competitive in a rapidly changing market,” Sun said.

The powder metallurgy industry is experiencing significant growth and development as manufacturers seek to

take advantage of the many advantages offered by this manufacturing process. Trends such as the use of advanced materials, automation and digitalization, sustainability, miniaturization, lightweight components, and customization are all driving innovation and growth in the PM industry. As these trends continue to evolve and new technologies are developed, we can expect a new PM industry, envisioned by the industry’s top experts such as Mr. Sun to remain at the forefront of modern manufacturing.

Miss Universe 2022 R’Bonney Gabriel Photo from Instagram/@missuniverse

From left: Actress Iza Calzado; social media influencer Issa Pressman, sister of actress Yassi Pressman The Farm, Ayala Malls / Released

Singer Jason Marvin Hernandez Photo from Instagram/@jasonmarvinph

Solenn introduces second child to the public

By Rensel sabando ManilaTimes.net

ACTRESS Solenn Heussaff finally introduced her second daughter Maëlys Lionel to the public.

On Monday morning, the 37-year-old posted a short Instagram Reel that showed the face of her three-monthold.

“Always Making us smile Maelys,” Heussaff said.

In just a matter of hours, the video garnered 1 million views, 164,000 likes and more than a thousand comments, most of which expressed their

Sushi & Sake keep festival season in full swing this spring at Pechanga

Resort Casino

3rd Annual Pechanga Sushi & Sake Festival back by demand, benefits Habitat For Humanity Inland Valley

excitement in virtually meeting the baby.

Maelys, born in December 2022, is Heussaff’s second daughter with husband Nico Bolzico. Their first child, Thylane or Tili, who has turned into a social media darling, was born in January 2020.

As with their first child, the couple decided to hold off the public introduction of Maelys. She only previously shared that they named their daughter after the Argentine football superstar Lionel Messi, much to the delight of her Argentine husband Bolzico who is also a huge football fan.

Talent manager recalls ‘begging’ for roles for David Licauco

By allan PolicaRPio Inquirer.net

MARIA Clara at Ibarra” was supposed to be David Licauco’s “one last hurrah.”

Disheartened by his seemingly stagnating career, the 28-year-old actor was ready to call it quits with show biz last year. However, the unexpected success of the said GMA 7 series and his screen tandem with Barbie Forteza had David changing his tune, his talent manager, Arnold Vegafria, said.

“He was thinking of focusing on his businesses instead. He felt that nothing was happening with his career, that it’s stagnant, not moving. He has been raring to do lead roles in a soap opera, but he couldn’t land any.

‘Maria Clara at Ibarra’ was supposed to be his last hurrah,” Vegafria told a small group of reporters in a recent chat.

In fact, David and his team weren’t even planning on accepting the role of Fidel, the haughty best friend of Crisostomo Ibarra (Dennis Trillo). “But GMA 7 managed to convince us. And we’re like, ‘OK, why not give it a shot? Let’s see … we might get lucky this time,” said Vegafria, who heads the management company ALV Talent Circuit. They did.

Good portrayal and chemistry

Fidel was originally meant to be nothing more than a supporting character. But when the creative team behind the series realized that his scenes and the funny cat-and-mouse dynamic he had with Klay (Barbie) were gaining traction among fans, they adjusted the script

accordingly. “I told David, ‘Even if it’s just a supporting role,’ try to get noticed. Show them what you can do. Study your role well. Magpacute ka!’” Vegafrida related. “We didn’t expect that the show and characters would click. David delivered a good portrayal. He also had chemistry with Barbie.”

“That’s why they had to make some rewrites,” he added. “There was luck involved, too. But of course, David’s dedication and hard work were also big factors … ‘So, hindi ka na hihinto [sa show biz]?’ I asked him. ‘Dire-diretso na tayo.’”

Continued on Page 11

FESTIVAL season stays on a roll this spring at Pechanga Resort Casino. The Annual Pechanga Sushi & Sake Festival serves up the freshest catches and smooth sake inside the Summit Events Center on Saturday, April 8. The popular one-day event includes an afternoon filled with premium Japanese sake, house-made sushi by master Pechanga chefs, a silent auction and live music. Tickets are on sale and may be purchased at the Pechanga Box Office, by calling (877) 711-2946 or online at Pechanga.com. Proceeds from the event benefit Habitat for Humanity Inland Valley.

Four ticket levels are available:

• VIP – $160 and includes early entry at 11 a.m., sampling delectable sushi and several dessert items, more than 40 varieties of sake, eight types of beer and talk with sake makers, chefs and bid on silent auction items before general admission attendees.

• Designated Driver VIP –$75 and allows early entry at 11 a.m., sampling just-sliced sushi, dessert items, bidding on silent auction items before general admission attendees, and enjoyment of live music.

• General Admission –$120 and includes entry at 1 p.m., sampling delectable sushi and several dessert items, more than 40 varieties of sake, eight types of beer, sampling the freshest sushi prepared by master Pechanga chefs, live music and bidding on silent auction items.

• Designated Driver – $75 and includes trying the freshest sushi prepared by master Pechanga chefs, enjoying dessert items, plus live music and bidding on silent auction items.

With one ticket, guests can taste more than 40 premium sakes (daiginjo, ginjo, junmai and sparkling) including many award-winning brands and styles from all over Japan and around the world. Pechanga chefs get rolled up in the festival as they prepare thousands of fresh sushi pieces to pair with the sake selections. Chefs Kiyo Ikeda, head chef of Umi Sushi & Oyster Bar, Kok Che, executive sous chef of Pechanga’s Asian restaurants, and Andre Pinto, Pechanga Executive Chef, will be on hand to meet with guests, present them with fresh, made-on-site sushi, and share their expert suggestions for matching sushi with sake.

A traditional Japanese Taiko drummer, a Japanese guitarist and a “Koto” (Japanese harpist) will set the mood of the festival’s musical interludes for the festival. A silent auction also features sought after gifts such as art, vacation packages and more.

“There have been other sushi festivals around Southern California, but none that have had the staying power that Pechanga’s Sushi & Sake Festival has,” said Kiyo Ikeda, head chef of Umi Sushi & Oyster bar at Pechanga Resort Casino. “The fact our guests can enjoy amazing sushi, sake, have a great time and help charity while they’re doing

that, it makes everyone feel great about the whole event.”

The festival’s idea sprang from the popularity of beer and sake within Southern California, as well as the continued rise of sushi as a mainstay of soughtafter fare in America. The 2nd place win for Pechanga’s Umi Sushi & Oyster Bar in USA

Today’s Best Casino Restaurant readers’ poll in 2018 also helped cement the festival’s viability at the Temecula resort/casino.

Proceeds support Habitat For Humanity Inland Valley’s programs that provide housing to deserving individuals and families, and home repairs to senior citizens and those no longer able to do such work themselves.

The festival’s tasting menu and sake selections will be released soon.

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experiences anywhere in the United States. Voted the best casino resort in the west by the readers of USA Today and rated a Four Diamond property by AAA since 2002, Pechanga Resort Casino provides an unparalleled getaway, whether for the day or for an extended luxury stay. Offering 5,400 of the hottest slots, table games, world-class entertainment, 1,100 hotel rooms, dining, spa and golf at Journey at Pechanga, Pechanga Resort Casino features a destination that meets and exceeds the needs of its guests and the community. Pechanga Resort Casino is owned and operated by the Pechanga Band of Luiseño Indians. For more information, call toll free (877) 711-2946 or visit www.Pechanga.com. Follow Pechanga Resort Casino on Facebook, Instagram and on Twitter @PechangaCasino. (Advertising Supplement)

How married life has changed...

been very supportive. And I’m very grateful for somebody like that coming (into my life)… She has been supporting my strengths and my weaknesses naman. Siya ang magaling dun. We complement (each other).”

From Page 8 shared that they are “still discovering each other,” adding, “Kahit naman after 10 years, I think it’s still discovering about your partner na parang, ‘Ay may ganito ka pa lang ugali. Dati hindi ko alam.’ And it’s always gonna be like that because people change.”

The newly-married couple recently took some time off from work to jet around Asia and Europe. During the pandemic lockdowns, they didn’t get the chance to travel. So this year, they plan to travel “as much as we can,” said Sam, “so we can explore the world together, especially those faraway places.”

Sam also plans to bring his wife to India within this year to visit some of his relatives there.

Sam likewise told The STAR that deep conversations helped them click as partners. “I think whenever we talk, it’s always parang, of course, the connection is there, but it’s always a deep conversation alam mo yun? Alam mong you, guys, are a great team together. I think that’s where I felt that this is the one.”

Sabi nga nila, when you know, you know. Dati hindi ako naniniwala dun, until I met her. Umpisa pa lang, malalaman mo na ‘yun, few months, few weeks. There’s something in her na hindi mo mafeel sa iba,” he added.

On who between them does the “nego” whenever conflicts arise, Sam answered, “It depends on the issue. ‘Di mo masasabi, eh. Of course, (it’s about) compromise (when you are) committed… And it’s always gonna be a work in progress. There will be things that you have to ‘nego’ left and right na OK.”

Having been married for just a year, Sam

Speaking of change, Sam was also queried on how things have changed for him since Boys Night Out. He replied, “I think wala. Kasi even Boys Night Out is such a real show. So ngayon, talagang humihirit ako na parang, ‘Naku dati pwede pa akong mag-ano… Sama pa ako sa inyo. Pero ngayon guys alam niyo naman. May asawa na tayo. Bago na tayo ‘di ba.’”

He further quipped, “Hindi na ‘ko tumitingin sa mga maikling shorts na ganyan. Ikli na nga, punitpunit pa (laughs).”

On a serious note, he offered, “Of course, you have to maintain your energy and your job, but you have to twist it in a way that make(s) people know that it’s a different Sam YG. How you make that interesting, that’s the challenge.”

The Filipino-Indian and former Eat, Bulaga cohost maintained that he wants to be remembered in the industry as someone who is “dynamic” in his decades-long career. “Na parang kahit saan mo ibato yan, kaya niya yan. That’s what I like about Nego King. One minute you talk to a fish ball vendor and next minute, you talk to the CEO of the company on the same day in a span of three hours. “I think adaptable and dynamic aside from the energy, of course. As a host, you need that energy and the wit. Kailangan yung bilis ng pag-iisip. So hopefully, those things,” he added.

Solenn Heussaff with daughter Maëlys Lionel Photo from Instagram/@solenn

David Licauco

Photo from Instagram/@davidlicauco

Photos provided by iGraphix/Pechanga Resort Casino

Getting around the six month residency requirement to file a divorce in California

Barrister’s Corner

Atty. Kenneth UrsUA reyes

GENERALLY, you must have resided in California for at least six months in order to file a divorce in this case.

Under Family Code Section 2320, a judgment of marriage dissolution (divorce) may not be entered unless one of the spouses has been a “resident” of California for six months and of the county where the proceeding is filed for three months immediately preceding the filing of the petition. This poses a problem for divorcing couples that has not resided in California for at least 6 months. Couples that moved to California from other states or other countries are faced with this problem because they cannot get divorced until they satisfy the residency requirements. Even a bigger problem is when they need immediate temporary orders from the California Court regarding child custody, child support, management and control of community businesses and property.

The solution for this type of problem is filing nullity or legal separation petition rather than a divorce and amending the petition later on to convert it

to a divorce once the residency requirement has been met by one of the parties. Millar v. Millar. Unlike a divorce, there is no residency requirement to filing an Annulment or a legal separation.

The advantage of this strategy is you would immediately have access to the courts and can ask the court for immediate temporary orders needed to maintain the status quo or preserve the marital assets. If domestic violence is involved in the case, the domestic violence issue can be heard in the same court room by the same judge that would be hearing the divorce case. In addition, service on the legal separation petition (to be amended later to a divorce) will also start the clock on the six-month “waiting period” for finality of a judgment terminating marital status, optimizing the time-frame within which the parties will be legally restored to “single” status. As far as the county where to file the legal separation or nullity, venue is proper in the county where either party resided at the time the petition was filed pursuant to CCP 395(a).

Once the parties have satisfied the residency requirements, the Petition may be amended from legal separation to Dissolution without permission from the Court as long as notice is provided the opposing party under Marriage of Dick. The

Talent manager...

From Page 10

Prior to his recent career breakthrough, the only way David could land a starring role, Vegafria admitted, was if they themselves produced the project he would star in. At the moment, he top bills with Barbie the weekly anthology “Daig Kayo ng Lola Ko.” The “FiLay” love team is also set to shoot a film and another series.

“Back then, we used to have a hard time landing roles. I had to beg networks to give him a role. Or we had to produce a movie for him so he could get noticed,” Vegafria related. “But I still believed in him. And if I believe in an artist, I’m very passionate. I will really push for him. I saw that he has the X factor and that I can do something to help him.”

‘Pambansang Ginoo’

For the longest time, David’s image has been that of a hunky chinito heartthrob. Fans gush over his physique that he flaunts in sexy photo shoots and advertisements. But now that he’s dubbed “Pambansang Ginoo” and has attracted a lot of teenage girls and young fans, his team thought it was only prudent that David stopped modeling for a big clothing brand’s underwear line. “Of course, if he goes to the beach, for example, it’s only natural for him to go topless. But we also have to listen to the children and the teenagers who look up to him as a role model,” Vegafria pointed out.

“It was our personal choice. We talked to the brand and they understood everything. They pulled him out from the underwear line. In exchange, they intend to make him one of the faces of the brand’s main line, as well as the skin care, hair care, activewear lines,” Vegafria said. “So from one [endorsement], he now has four.”

One of the things Vegafria admires most about David’s recent rise to fame is his humility. “Usually, popularity breeds inflated egos. But it’s the opposite with David. He’s the kind of person who became even more humble after achieving fame,” he said.

Nathalie: I’ve learned from...

From Page 9

Petitioner would also be in a safer position if the intent to amend from legal separation/ nullity to a divorce is stated in the initial Petition.

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

* * *

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, APLC is located at 3699 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 747, Los Angeles, CA, 90010. Tel. (213) 388-1611 or e-mail kenneth@ kenreyeslaw.com or visit our website at Kenreyeslaw.com.

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understand that there’s another man coming into my life? So parang ayoko ng paguluhin ang lahat ng bagay (I don’t want to complicate things),” Nathalie shared.

Interestingly, her experiences in life are somehow mirrored in her new film, a family drama and romantic-comedy rolled into one, which also stars Ryza Cenon and Joseph Marco. It’s directed by Roderick Lindayag, whose previous works include the series How To Move On in 30 Days and Los Bastardos.

“I actually felt this (role) is coming from my real experience, especially as I realized a lot of things during this pandemic and from my last relationship. Akala ko wala ng pag-asa…

“In Kunwari…Mahal Kita, (my character would realize) that she and Joseph Marco’s character weren’t working anymore, so nakipaghiwalay ako sa kanya. She wants to file an annulment but will later on realize that she’s on the losing end of things. As my character, ang yabang-yabang ko sa una, pero ayoko rin naman makipag-hiwalay.

“Then, I realized while doing the film, ‘Oh my God, is this me?’ I was actually looking at myself and I was like naranasan ko na ‘to dati. Nakipaghiwalay ako pero na-realize ko, ako pala ang mali. Hindi mo dapat sukuan ang mga bagay na hindi naman dapat. It takes maturity. So, this movie is coming from real experiences from my life. It’s kind of funny.”

Besides acting, Nathalie is also returning to school this year.

“I’m doing an online school in Sydney and I’m taking up Psychology. As I get this chance or opportunity to work again in the showbiz industry, I’ll also be studying.”

Meanwhile, Kunwari…Mahal Kita officially restarts the Fil-Australian’s acting career. She took a lengthy break to focus on her daughter.

“I was in Australia last year. It didn’t really

bother me much. It was actually good to be with my family. I’ve been living here in the Philippines for so long and I haven’t seen my own family in Sydney,” she shared.

The last time she went home was five years ago when her father passed on. “It was really nice to be there again and I was looking at things that I wanted to really do there. Having a break was actually a great, special time for me. I really needed it.”

With her daughter a little bit older now, the actress who is under the wing of veteran talent manager Leo Dominguez felt ready to dip her feet into showbiz again.

“I really want to try it again this time.

(Penelope) has her own life now. She has her own schedule. I have time for myself. She tells me how she feels, what she wants to do. She’s a lot easier to handle now than when she was a child,” Nathalie shared. She could say that motherhood mellowed her down. “It gave me a lot of responsibilities. Before, okay lang kahit anong oras ako magising basta walang trabaho. Now, it’s different. You do have to plan your day. It actually made me a healthier person,” she reflected.

“I’m not saying that I had vices. I’m more mentally stable after having a child. It slowed me down, gave me purpose. It gave me responsibilities and made me a better person.”

With her film being released this Women’s Month, Nathalie has some words of encouragement for moms struggling to raise their child or children on their own.

“Being a single mother is not easy. I have a lot of respect for you, guys. I am also part of that. Do not put yourself down. At the end of the day, there is much more to life and you have a child that’s going to look up to you one day and you have to make that person proud na kinaya mong lahat,” she said.