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DATELINE USA

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

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

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.

“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. said in his Youtube video published over the weekend.

These projects include transportation infrastructure, digital connectivity, flood control, health-related initiatives and

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

by KAYCEE VALMONTE Philstar.com

MANILA — Filipino and American troops will sink a target vessel near Panatag South China Sea and its potential invasion of Taiwan and will put on their biggest exercise in history with the participation of 17,000 troops

from both sides. This is nearly twice the 8,900 soldiers who joined last year.

The annual joint military exercises — called “Balikatan” or “shoulder-to-shoulder” that will run from April 11 to 28 — will feature some 12,000 U.S. soldiers and 5,000 Filipino troops. Australia will send about a hundred soldiers, while like-minded countries will join

as observers.

The activities will be held across Northern Luzon and the provinces of Palawan and Antique.

The anticipated sinking exercise of an old fishing vessel will be held some 22 kilometers (12 nautical miles) off Zambales, or about 185

Philippines to announce new bases US soldiers can use

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

US report: Red-tagging, journalist attacks continued in PH

by PIA LEE-BRAGO Philstar.com

previous years have remained unresolved.

by JOHN ERIC MENDOZA Inquirer.net

MANILA — President Ferdinand “Bongbong”

Marcos Jr. on Wednesday, March 22 issued a stern warning to Negros Oriental Rep. Arnie Teves, who is still out of the country.

Marcos said that Teves should return to

the Philippines lest the government will be forced to “move without any discussions with him.”

“The only advice I can only give to Cong. Arnie is that habang tumatagal ito mas nagiging mahirap ang sitwasyon mo. Mas maaga kang makauwi, mas marami pang option ang mangyayari.

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

In its report, the State Department also said red-tagging 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 (NTF-ELCAC), an anti-insurgency task force formed during the Duterte administration, is seen as the primary actor in red-tagging media workers and government critics.

HELICOPTER DECK. A Seahawk SH 60 helicopter is carried by the USS America (LHA 6) amphibious assault ship docked at Pier 15 in Manila on Tuesday, March 21. This type of helicopter is deployed aboard U.S. warships equipped with flight decks. PNA photos by Yancy Lim

Marcos to Teves: Return to PH or gov’t will ‘move without any discussions with him’

Philippines, US defense chiefs condemn...

km (100 nautical miles) from Panatag Shoal which China seized from the Philippines in 2012, according to Balikatan spokesperson Col. Michael Logico.

He said it would be conducted by the two countries for the first time as the forthcoming drills focus on “maritime defense, coastal defense and maritime domain awareness.”

Marcos vows to continue past admin’s...

power and energy, among others.

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 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 “preproject preparations.”

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

“We will be sinking a target vessel using a combination of artillery naval gunfire and aviation weapons… We will be firing HIMARS (High Mobility Artillery Rocket System), our artillery … a combination of Philippine Air Force and U.S. Air Force rockets and bombs, and our frigates,” Logico said of the sinking exercise.

The U.S. Army will also hold its first Patriot missile air-defense exercise in the country as part of a coastal defense live-fire exercise, Logico added.

Last year, the United States deployed the Patriot, which stands for “Phased Array Tracking Radar to Intercept of Target,” as part of a mobilization exercise for the Balikatan drills. It was not used for live-fire training then.

Such a weapon system, touted as one of the world’s most advanced air defense systems, was provided by the United States to Ukraine to counter Russian missile and drone attacks. It can track and shoot down incoming missiles and aircraft with a minimum flight time of less than nine seconds and can travel up to 70km to a target.

“This Balikatan seems to be designed to test operational concepts to enhance strategic deterrence posture of the Armed Forces of the Philippines in the West Philippine Sea,” Rommel Jude Ong, a former vice commander of the Philippine Navy, told the Inquirer

He said the large-scale deployment of American troops was a logistics exercise “to assess how it can rapidly deploy a large number of troops and equipment in theater.”

The sinking exercise would likewise test the Philippine Navy’s sea denial strategy, he said.

“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,” he pointed out.

Prelude to Balikatan

The use of the Patriot, meanwhile, would allow the AFP to understand “the need for an anti-air defense system which can protect our land and critical infrastructures from conventional ballistic threats,” Ong said.

When asked if the upcoming joint exercise could stir up China, Logico said: “We have the absolute, inalienable right to defend our territory. We are here to show that we are combat-ready.”

The defense of the Philippine archipelago from potential foreign aggressors is also the focus of the ongoing joint drills between the armies of the Philippines and the United States.

About 3,000 soldiers from the Philippine Army and the US Army are taking part in the annual “Salaknib” (shield in Ilocano) Exercise, which was first held in 2014,

The Army, the Philippine military’s largest service branch, is shifting its focus to territorial defense from insurgency amid China’s increasing assertiveness in the South China Sea.

“We will now be training on scenarios that would require us to work together to face adversaries from out of the country,” Army chief Lt. Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr. said on Monday, March 13 on the sidelines of the opening ceremony of Salaknib at Fort Magsaysay in Nueva Ecija province.

“We will focus on defense operations such as air defense and defense from the shorelines,” he added.

This year’s Salaknib, considered a prelude to the Balikatan exercises, is being conducted in two phases across northern Luzon, including Fort Magsaysay, one of the first five agreed locations under the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement, a deal that gives the U.S. access to Philippine bases for joint training and prepositioning of equipment. g

Philippines to announce...

access to five bases in the Philippines. It 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 self-ruled 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.”

TAYO AWARDEES. Senators led by Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri (5th from right) pose with the 2022 Ten Accomplished Youth Organization (TAYO) awardees on Tuesday, March 21. The Senate has adopted a resolution congratulating and commending the 10 outstanding youth organizations that won in the TAYO awards.

PNA photo by Avito Dalan

REDISCOVER MANILA ZOO. Visitors walk towards the entrance of the rehabilitated Manila Zoological and Botanical Garden on Monday, March 20. Once inside, they can enjoy a variety of attractions such as the animal museum, zoo lagoon, botanical and butterfly gardens and a children’s park. The zoo was rehabilitated in 2020 and reopened in December 2021. PNA photo by Joan Bondoc

California’s COVID...

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 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

Marcos to Teves: Return to PH or...

Pero pagka masyado nang late, wala na, mapipilitan ang gobyerno, we will have to move without any discussions with him,” Marcos said in an ambush interview.

(My only advice to Cong. Teves is as time goes by, your situation will become harder. If you come home earlier, then there will be more options for you. But if you come back too late, then the government would be forced; we will have to move without any discussions with him.)

Teves has been linked to the killing of Negros Oriental Governor Roel Degamo and eight provincial staff and constituents, after the suspects tagged him as the alleged mastermind in the governor’s killing.

Teves has denied having a hand in the incident.

The lawmaker has yet to return to the country despite his authority to travel to the United States being valid only from February 28 to March 9.

The lawmaker’s camp has also insisted several times that there was a threat to him and his family.

Marcos, meanwhile, reassured Teves that the government would provide all kinds of security for him.

“To reassure him, we will provide all kinds of security kung ano ang

gusto mo. Mayaman ka naman, may private jet ka naman eh, maglanding ka kung saan mo gusto, sa air force base, maglanding siya sa basa, papaligiran natin ng sundalo, walang makakalapit ng isang kilometro that will guarantee his security,” Marcos said.

(To reassure him, we will provide all kinds of security, anything he wants. After all, he’s rich, and he has a private jet, so just land wherever you want to, even in the air force base, where he will be surrounded by soldiers. No one will be able to come near him, and it will guarantee his security.)

Not about e-sabong

Marcos also dismissed Teves’ claims that he was being tagged as the alleged mastermind due to his former e-sabong business.

Teves, in a Facebook post, claims: “Ang ibang naririnig ko lang naman na anggulo is yung sa e sabong. Meron daw mga ilang tao na gusto daw nilang masolo ang e-sabong kaya kinakana nila ako. Matagal ko nang sinabi, wala na ako dyan. Kung gusto nyo mag-negosyo ng e sabong mag negosyo kayo, wala naman pumipigil sa inyo eh. Ewan ko lang kung papayag si President BBM.”

(I have also heard another angle, which is the e-sabong. They said there are some people who want to have e-sabong for themselves, so they are

targeting me. I said long ago that I am no longer involved there. If you want to have e-sabong as a business, then by all means, do so, no one’s stopping you. I just don’t know if President BBM would approve.)

Marcos, however, said all of the recent developments were due to the death of Degamo.

“Ang puno’t dulo nito ay e-sabong? Hindi. Ang puno’t dulo nito ay pagkapaslang kay Gov. Degamo,” he said.

(The cause of it all is e-sabong? No. This is due to the death of Governor Degamo.)

“Nagkaproblema na kami sa e-sabong noon, but that’s not what it’s about. Because noong nagkakaroon ng e-sabong doon, hindi naman natin ginawa ‘yung re-organization, hindi natin nilipat ‘yung mga pulis, hindi natin ipinasok ‘yung military dahil sa e-sabong,” the President added.

(We have had problems in e-sabong before, but that’s not what it’s about. Because when there were problems in e-sabong, we did not do the reorganization, we did not transfer the police or get the military involved due to e-sabong.)

“This is about the killing of Gov. Degamo. Pure and simple,” Marcos continued. g

US report: Red-tagging, journalist...

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 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 redtagging 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, 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

FEATURES OPINION 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.

Editorial

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 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.

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

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 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) (Philstar.com)

US-PH troops prepare for possible war with China

missile as part of a drill in coastal defense.

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 livefiring here of a U.S. Patriot

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 firing HIMARS [HighMobility 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 livefiring 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:

“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

The views expressed by our Op-Ed contributors are solely their own and do not necessarily reflect the predilection of the

info@asianjournalinc.com

• This year’s Balikatan

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Dateline PhiliPPines

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

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, March 21 during a luncheon meeting with ambassadors of AsiaPacific 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,

PAGE 8

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 low-interest 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

US report: Red-tagging, journalist...

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 selfconfessed gunman linked them to Mabasa’s killing. Five journalists were 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 NTFELCAC 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 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 nonprofit organizations, 60,000 of which are engaged in socio-political advocacy waork domestically and in the UN. g

Philippines to announce new bases...

“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 PhilippinesChina Foreign Ministry Consultations (FMC) and the 7th Bilateral Consultations Mechanism (BCM) on the South China

California’s COVID...

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.

Sea on March 23 and 24 in Manila.

“The discussions under the two mechanisms will cover a broad number of issues, including economic, people-topeople 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 confidencebuilding.

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, March 19 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

g

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

by KHN,

was produced

which publishes California Healthline, an editorially independent service of the California Health Care Foundation. 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.

and maintenance, subsurface detection capability, drone and anti-drone capability and coastal defense.”

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

House approved...

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. (by Gabriel Pabico Lalu/Inquirer.net)

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

NATURE TRIP. A boulder measuring about eight feet long and 5-foot-7 in height, installed with markers, is a good spot for taking photos at the Manila Baywalk Dolomite Beach on a sunny Monday, March 20. It serves as a constant reminder that the former stench and garbage-filled shore is a thing of the past after the Duterte administration pursued its rehabilition starting in 2019. PNA

This photo shows Comelec Commissioner George Garcia

Photo from News 5 / Greg

US experts arrive in Mindoro to support PH oil spill response

MANILA – The United States government has dispatched eight experts to Oriental Mindoro province to support the Philippines in its oil spill response efforts, the U.S. Embassy in Manila said on Tuesday, March 21.

The team arrived in Pola town, Oriental Mindoro on March 21, a day after a briefing with the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) and the Japan Disaster Relief Expert Team about mitigation efforts taken so far since the tanker MT Princess Empress capsized and spilled about 800,000 liters of industrial fuel oil off Naujan town last month.

“When vessels are in deep water, as in this case, cleaning up the remaining oil becomes a complicated issue. Through our incident management professionals’ wealth of experience and strong expertise in oil spill response, we will assist the PCG in developing safe and efficient methods to contain and recover the oil and minimize

damage to the environment,” said Commander Stacey Crecy, commanding officer of the U.S. Coast Guard’s (USCG) Pacific Strike Team.

“The USCG remains deeply committed to our relationship with the PCG.”

The U.S. Embassy said the assistance is upon the request of the Philippine government.

Five of the experts are from the U.S. Coast Guard National Strike Force and will assess the affected areas to determine the most effective method and equipment to contain and clean up the slick from the sunken vessel.

Two are from the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) who will work closely with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources to conduct rapid environmental assessments of affected areas, identify priority areas at risk of environmental damage, and assess needs for ecosystem restoration.

NOAA, on the other hand,

has provided the PCG with satellite imagery to boost assessment efforts and the University of the PhilippinesMarine Sciences Institute with support for scientific modeling to estimate the trajectory of the spill.

The last member is a Navy Supervisor of Salvage and Diving who will evaluate the technical parameters required to support the possible deployment of a remotely operated vehicle.

Earlier this month, the US Agency for International Development partnered with the World Food Program to help the Department of Social Welfare and Development transport 20,000 food packs for families affected by the oil spill.

Meanwhile, 80 pieces of coco coir logs were transported Monday afternoon from Batangas province to Mindoro to help contain the oil spill.

Fr. Edwin Gariguez, director of the Diocesan Action Center of Calapan,

Divorce bill to make PH conform to global norm

said in a social media post that 20 coco coir logs were sent to Verde Island Passage, another 20 to Lobo town, Batangas and the remaining 40 are for this city.

The use and deployment of the materials are facilitated by the Center for Energy, Ecology and Development in coordination with the Diocesan Social Action Center of Oriental Mindoro, the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office of Oriental Mindoro and the city government of Calapan.

Coco coir logs are made of interwoven coconut fibers that are bound together with biodegradable netting.

“According to a scientific journal, the coir fiber absorbs a fair amount of crude oil and studies also indicate that a simple squeezing was sufficient to remove most of the oil absorbed by the fibers so that the sorbents can be reused several times for oil spill clean-up,” Gariguez noted in his post. (PNA)

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

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 (con-con).

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 Con-con?

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 con-con, 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 welldeliberated 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)

‘Help Filipinos jailed abroad’ - solon

Moises Cruz ManilaTimes.net

KABAYAN party-list Rep. Ron Salo appealed on Monday, March 20 to Philippine embassies in Muslim-majority nations where there are overseas Filipinos detained or facing the death sentence to intervene on their behalf.

He also asked the National Commission on Muslim Filipinos to assist in whatever way it could.

The Department of Foreign Affairs reported that there are 83 Filipinos on death row abroad, including 56 in Malaysia, six in the United Arab Emirates, five in Saudi Arabia, one in Indonesia (Mary Jane Veloso), and

15 from other countries, including Bangladesh, China, Vietnam, the United States, Japan and Brunei.

Moreover, 1,267 overseas Filipinos are currently detained, of which 914 are in the Middle East, 321 are in Asia and the Pacific, 23 are in Europe, five are in America, and four are in Africa.

“Ramadan, which begins on March 22, is a time of mercy and compassion. It is an opportune time for Muslim majority countries to exercise these virtues by showing leniency to Filipinos who are incarcerated,” Salo said.

The chairman of the House Committee on Overseas Workers Affairs observed that in the past, authorities

US-PH troops prepare for possible...

military moves.

of Muslim majority countries have agreed to shorten or pardon convicts’ sentences during Ramadan.

In recent years, heads of state in Saudi Arabia and Yemen have marked the Islamic holy month of Ramadan by issuing pardons or reducing the sentences of detainees facing the death penalty via the intercession of Philippine embassies.

In 2018, the Emir of Qatar granted royal pardon to 25 Filipinos accused of various offenses in his country as part of a gesture marking the completion of Ramadan.

“We have to exhaust all means to save the lives and reclaim the liberties of our overseas Filipinos. Let us appeal to the merciful hearts of our Muslim brothers and sisters in this holy month of fasting,” Salo said.

“Our embassies must work closely with local authorities and the families of our overseas Filipinos to gather all necessary information to support their appeals for clemency,” he added.

Salo is hopeful that his call to action will be heard by Philippine embassies across the world, and thaat governments in Muslimmajority nations will show mercy and compassion to Filipinos during Ramadan. g

Divorce bill to make PH conform to...

PAGE 9

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

exercise aims to test the Philippine Navy seadenial 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 antiair 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.

“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 long-range 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.

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)

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

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. * * *

KABAYAN party-list Rep. Ron Salo

Facebook Photo

COMMUNITY JOURNAL

Success story: Aged-out daughter

obtains immigrant visa through CSPA, on Citizen Pinoy this Sunday

MARIVIC, a U.S. citizen, filed a petition for her daughter, Alyssa, in May 2019.

However, in January 2021, after filing all paperwork and fees, Marivic was notified by the U.S. Embassy that her daughter’s interview was cancelled since the latter aged-out when she turned 21 in August 2019.

Marivic was desperate and wanted to

explore other ways of bringing Alyssa to the U.S. and consulted with leading U.S. Immigration Attorney Michael J. Gurfinkel to see if her daughter could apply for a work or a student visa.

Atty. Gurfinkel saw that Alyssa was eligible for her visa under the Child Status Protection Act (CSPA) and demonstrated PAGE 12

Health@Heart The healthiest habits

HABITS

The healthiest habits: eating a healthy diet, avoiding/minimizing intake of sugar and sweets, drinking at least 8 glasses of filtered water, exercising daily, and sleeping 8 hours (when possible) daily; taking mini vacation/staycation to destress, doing charity work, and having regular medical/ dental checkups.

Fruits

The healthiest fruits are lemons, strawberries, blueberries, oranges, limes, grapefruits, blackberries, avocados, apples, pomegranates, pineapples and bananas.

Vegetables

The healthiest vegetables are asparagus, beetroot, broad beans, broccoli, Brussel sprouts, butternut squash, carrots, cauliflower, celery, chard, garlic and kale.

Drinks

Besides pure filtered water, milk, coffee, tea, kombucha, and vegetable smoothies are the healthiest drinks. The worst beverages are soft drinks – they are poison to our body, especially to children, increasing the drinkers’ risk for metabolic syndrome. Thirst quencher sport drinks, like Gatorade and others, contribute to childhood obesity. Drinking hot water upon rising in the morning is healthiest, instead of cold drinks.

Recreational

Non-drug involved activities are the healthiest: Gardening, swimming, volleyball, skiing/ snowboarding, horseback riding, hiking, yoga and paddling. Find a practical choice for yourself and your circumstance.

Exercise

These are the healthiest: Swimming, tai-chi, tai-bo, normal or brisk walking (jogging eventually damages joints). I find tai-bo works as a personal preference – I tailor the duration and intensity to what my senior body can take and endure, with safety.

Diet

The healthiest: Mediterranean Diet, which is a plant-based diet consisting of a lot of variety of vegetables, olive oil, whole grains, beans, legumes, nuts, herbs, and spices. Fish, other seafood, lean beef, lean poultry, and sweets [can be consumed] sparingly. Besides quality of food items, quantity is vital to good health. Maintain a normal weight and live longer.

Attitude

The healthiest attitude includes waking up cheerful, being positive and always hopeful, being loving and compassionate, being forgiving, showing courage under fire, with malice towards none, and bringing your own sunshine to people everywhere you go.

Brain exercise

The healthiest: Solving memory games, jigsaw puzzles, crossword puzzles; reading stimulating

books, writing letters/ stories, playing chess or joining sports competitions for seniors, and social interactions with people.

Exercise for joints

The healthiest exercise that minimizes damage to the spine, hip, knee and ankle joints are walking, bicycling, swimming, and water aerobics. Jogging is becoming less popular because it has been linked to damages of the hip, knee, and ankle joints over time.

Sleep apnea

The healthiest way to treat obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), or prolonged frequent breath-holding while asleep resulting in hypoxemia (low blood oxygen level), is with the use of a CPAP (Continuous Positive Airway Pressure) machine. Using items advertised as treatment (nose clips, mouth guard, medications, etc.) are unhealthy and dangerous. CPAP addresses the pathology of OSA and effectively keeps the collapsing airway passage in the throat wide open with air pressure for normal air exchange.

Shoes for walking

The healthiest (to minimize trauma to joints, prevent foot blisters, and provide foot comfort) for women is the Ryka Devotion Plus 3; and for men, the Brooks Glycerin GTS 19. Both are available at Amazon.

Cities in the world

The top eight healthiest (and happiest) cities: Copenhagen, Denmark;

AGED-OUT CHILD GETS VISA UNDER CHILD STATUS PROTECTION ACT ON CITIZEN PINOY EPISODE. “Attorney-of-Last-Hope” Michael J. Gurfinkel (right) convinced the U.S. Embassy that an aged-out child was eligible for a visa under the Child Status Protection Act, in an encore success story episode of Citizen Pinoy this Sunday. The U.S. Embassy cancelled the interview for Alyssa (left), the daughter of U.S. citizen Marivic (center), after Alyssa aged-out in August 2019. Desperate to find a way to bring her daughter to the U.S., Marivic wanted to explore other options like a student visa or a work visa, but Atty. Gurfinkel was able to convince the U.S. Embassy that Alyssa was eligible for an immigrant visa under the Child Status Protection Act (CSPA). Watch this success story on an encore episode of “Citizen Pinoy” on Sunday, March 26 at 6:30 PM PT (9:30 PM ET) through select Cable/Satellite providers, right after TV Patrol Linggo. s(Advertising Supplement)

PhiliP S. Chua, MD, FaCS, FPCS

Success story: Aged-out daughter...

card. Watch this success story on an encore episode of “Citizen Pinoy” on Sunday, March 26 at 6:30 PM PT (9:30 PM ET) through select PAGE 11

Cable/Satellite providers, right after TV Patrol Linggo. Citizen Pinoy is also available on iWantTFC. Viewers may download the free app. (Advertising Supplement)

By Ronnie CaRRasCo iii ManilaTimes.net

AS many as the “isanlibo’t isang tuwa” line in the iconic anthem of “Eat Bulaga” are the circulating rumors about the fate that awaits the nearly 44-year-old noontime program in the country.

Hopefully, however, the nagging questions will finally be answered as Tape, Inc., which produces EB, holds a long-overdue media conference on April 15 — two days before the legendary show is relaunched.

The public can’t help but be consumed by both anxiety and excitement as EB announces the major changes it will undergo, that are — at the same time — expected to define the landscape of Philippine television.

show in mid-April given his topnotch skills.

Leading U.S. Immigration Attorney Michael J. Gurfinkel (right) was able to get a visa for Alyssa (left) through her mother, Marivic’s (middle) petition, despite aging out, on a brand-new episode of Citizen Pinoy.

PAGE 11

Frankfurt, Germany; Amsterdam, The Netherlands; Helsinki, Finland; Berlin, Germany; Stockholm, Sweden; Fukuoka, Japan; and Geneva, Switzerland. The people of the United States were the unhappiest in 50 years, according to the mid-2020 study by NORC at the University of Chicago.

Cities in the United States

The ten healthiest cities in the U.S. according to the Mindbody + Class Pass Annual Wellness Index, in this order: San Francisco, not the safest but ranked the healthiest; Miami, Florida; San Diego, CA; Atlanta, GA; Chicago (the murder capital?), Illinois; Albuquerque, NM; Los Angeles, CA, (despite air pollution?); New York, NY; Oakland, CA; and Tampa, FL.

And finally, I challenge all of you and your loved ones to enjoy life and be the healthiest and happiest possible!

Erythritol danger?

A new study revealed erythritol, a sugar alcohol used in artificial sweeteners, can increase the risk for blood clot formation, heart attack, and stroke, and result in digestive disorders. A few of the sugar substitutes that contain erythritol are Stevia, Truvia, Splenda Monk Fruit in packets, jar or pouch, Splenda Stevia packets, Splenda Magic Baker, Splenda Coffee Creamer, Trim Healthy Mama Sweet Blend, and Zsweet and Swerve (France). Pure 100 percent Monk Fruit does not contain erythritol.

Erythritol is a type of carbohydrate also known as polyol, with zero calorie. This was approved by the WHO in 1999 as a sugar substitute. It has only 6 percent calories of sugar but 70 percent (200-400 times) of the sweetness. When ingested, erythritol goes to the blood stream; only 10 percent goes to the colon (where it could cause inflammation and digestive problems), and about 90 percent is excreted in the urine. The tested safety of erythritol was the reason it was recommended for diabetics since it also does not affect blood sugar or insulin.

However, this new small-scale and limited study recently put the spotlight on erythritol and its safety, per CNN. A Small amount (adding it to coffee, etc.) like a couple of packets a day is deemed safe from the reported risks listed above. The benefits from erythritol are the following: has antioxidant properties that protect against blood vessel damage and heart attack caused by high blood sugar level among diabetics; Erythritol also suppresses the growth of bacteria in the mouth, like Xylitol (in toothpaste/mouth wash) does, reducing plaque and cavities.

The study is too small to be valid. Large multi-nation clinical research is needed to provide convincing scientific evidence-based data before the verdict becomes a valid part of the standard of care.

* * *

The main objective of this column is to educate and inspire people live a healthier lifestyle to prevent illnesses and disabilities and achieve a happier and more productive life. Any diagnosis, recommendation or treatment in our article are general medical information and not intended to be applicable or appropriate for anyone. This column is not a substitute for your physician, who knows your condition well and who is your best ally when it comes to your health.

* * *

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.

* * *

Philip S. Chua, MD, FACS, FPCS, a Cardiac Surgeon Emeritus based in Northwest Indiana and Las Vegas, Nevada, is an international medical lecturer/author, Health Advocate, newspaper columnist, and Chairman of the Filipino United Network-USA, a 501(c)3 humanitarian foundation in the United States. He was a recipient of the Indiana Sagamore of the Wabash Award in 1995. Other Sagamore past awardees include President Harry Truman, President George HW Bush, Muhammad Ali, and Astronaut Gus Grissom (Wikipedia). Websites: FUN8888.com, Today.SPSAtoday.com, and philipSchua.com; Email: scalpelpen@gmail.com.

This is apparently the reason why the current batch of hosts has declined to grant any interviews so as not to preempt the program’s official announcement. Allan K, for instance, is consistent with his evasive yet polite refusal to volunteer any comments, “Huwag muna.”

The following are basic random questions that any curious, loyal EB viewer wants answered.

First on the list is what happens to the comedic trio of TVJ (Tito, Vic Sotto and Joey de Leon)? Will they still be retained under the Jalosjos management? Or will they head towards the direction of Tony Tuviera, reportedly to Net25?

In the event that the TVJ trio gets eased out, is it true that Jose Manalo, Wally Bayola and Allan K automatically take their place to give the show a younger look? If this is the premise, where does this leave Paolo Ballesteros of JoWaPao fame?

Is there also truth to the buzz that Alden Richards — only when his work sched will permit him — will be positioned as the program’s “poste” or pillar? And what

Maine’s supporters, on the other hand, are less worried for their idol since word has it that she’ll be preoccupied with prepping up for her wedding to Quezon City First District Congressman Arjo Atayde, which is happening anytime soon.

There’s also less tension among the fans of Maja Salvador — in case she’s among the outgoing hosts — who’s also getting hitched with Rambo Nuñez.

Manning a thriving, stable food business with wife Judy Ann Santos, Ryan Agoncillo shouldn’t likewise feel worried about his finances getting affected.

With the exodus of the oldtimers, there are persistent talks that a number of GMA’s Sparkle artists are coming into the fray. Reportedly, this is the result of the meeting between the senior Jalosjos and the GMA executives led by Johnny Manahan.

With no final list of network artists yet, the idea is to infuse fresh faces in EB to attract more millennial audience.

At present, EB is under the helm of Louie Ignacio. There’s a likely chance that Louie will still direct the

And since he’s reportedly close to the Jalosjos family, are we to see Kim Atienza join the wacky gang? If confirmed, is Kuya Kim willing to give up his stint on “TikToClock,” EB’s pre-programming?

Also, how true are reports that already retired Malou Choa-Fagar (then-SVP for finance) is being wooed to rejoin EB? If so, won’t there be any duplication of functions since Romeo’s son Jon-jon is the company’s treasurer?

Lastly, doesn’t the TVJ trio deserve to get paid their retirement benefits?

Albeit network or contractual talents are not generally covered by existing labor laws, are they not entitled at least to severance pay most especially for all the struggles they had to endure during EB’s fledgling years?

More than 43 years of hosting is just as long as any senior employee’s stint with any company. Pa-konsuwelo, to use a better term even if they don’t need it at all.

While all these questions beg for answers, we can only ascertain what will surely disappear co-terminus with TVJ: the program title by Joey de Leon and the EB anthem by Bossing Vic.

Yes, Eat Bulaga — as we’ve all known it — will never be the same again. g

Gabriel to visit Philippines

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

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 Louisianabased 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.

PAGE 15

With the grand media conference not happening until April 15, fans are left wondering about the fate of their favorite ‘Dabarkads.’ Photo from Facebook/ about Maine Mendoza, Alden’s erstwhile EB partner, is the senior Jalosjos’ daughter Soraya nudging her out of the scene?

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

Miss Universe 2022...

“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 U.S., 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 U.S. that year.  g

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. g

‘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

EMPLOYMENT EMPLOYMENT

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

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

Singer Jason Marvin Hernandez Photo from Instagaram/@jasonmarvinph

Actress Iza Calzado; social media influencer Issa Pressman, sister of actress Yassi Pressman Photos from The Farm, Ayala for being the

‘Accidental Author’: Abi Balingit’s book ‘Mayumu’ highlights Filipino sweets and treats

by MOMAR G. VISAYA / AJPress

FILIPINO American Abi Balingit’s unlikely journey as a cookbook author began when she posted photos of Lao Gan Ma spicy chili crisp cupcakes that she made. Her now-literary agent reached out and asked if she was interested in writing a cookbook.

“I wasn’t thinking about writing a cookbook at all but obviously I was like ‘yeah, why not?’ she told the Asian Journal.

This was a few months into the pandemic, around September 2020, and about a month since she started her baking blog called The Dusky Kitchen out of her apartment in Brooklyn.

Two-and-a-half years later and Balingit is a newly-minted accidental author with her book ‘Mayumu: Filipino Desserts Remixed”. The book is a nice combination of remixed Filipino American dessert recipes and essays on her Filipino American experience.

As a pandemic project, her blog became an outlet to share her baking journey and the pasalubong treat boxes she sold to benefit some non-profit organizations that she supported.

“I used baking as a tool to cope. I’m really glad that baking was there and through the blog, it was also a way to connect with people outside of my apartment and the people I already knew,” she explained.

Balingit has been baking since she was 13. She humbly rated herself a seven when I asked her.

“I was self-taught. I had just learned on YouTube and my mom showed me some things like Filipino recipes,” she said. “There’s so much more for me to still learn even after doing this book and baking is so precise and such a science that I definitely learned a lot while doing research for it.”

Born and raised in the Bay Area, Balingit feels that all her influences have contributed to developing her palate and her taste and those are what she offers in the book.

“Growing up in California and even living in New York, you’re exposed to so many different cultures here and you get to try so much different food. And so I think a lot of the inspiration that I got was from childhood nostalgia and

meeting new people and trying other people’s food,” she said. “I do like how certain flavors can play together but still trying to like respect where things come from.”

She cited the sapin-sapin as an example.

“The hardest thing to explain about the book is like, I try really hard to you know, be intentional about where these flavors are coming from and to show sapin-sapin I know is like ube, jackfruit, and macapuno I think are the three flavors and that’s usually purple, orange and white, but you know there’s so much more you can do with those different layers.

For her, these layers are a good opening for other people who may not have tried Filipino desserts before. In her book, Balingit made it Strawberry Shortcake Sapin Sapin (Layered Rice Cake) with layers of red strawberry, white vanilla and brown molasses.

With her book, Balingit says she wants to offer options to home bakers so they can use whatever is accessible or familiar to them.

Because she created her remixed and

reimagined version of some traditional Filipino pastries and desserts, she is ready when she encounters comments with negative connotations such as “Adobo cookies, of course, she’d do that because she’s Fil-Am.”

“I think a lot of the savory combinations that I come up with, it’s like, you know, I don’t want you to taste, to bite into and be like ‘Ugh!” I would never put ratios that are too much, I don’t want you to feel like you’re eating it with rice but that it’s the flavor inspiration,” she said.

‘Bahala ka sa buhay mo’

Balingit learned a lot of life lessons from her parents Arnel and Angelita, which is why she chose Mayumu as the book’s title to honor her parents’ mother tongue – the word means sweet in Kapampangan.

She memorialized one of these life lessons in her book, which she dedicated to them. She wrote: ‘To my parents. You told me “Bahala ka sa buhay mo!” So I did.’

A rough translation would be “Do whatever you want with your life” and parents usually deliver this line to their wayward children.

“I think that’s mostly what my parents say when they’re mad at me. It’s always like what are you gonna do, what are you doing, are you going out, are you doing this? I always think about that a lot,” she explained. “They just want you to succeed and you know, it’s not always positive but it’s always with good intentions.”

Balingit took that to heart and despite having a business degree, she set forth into the field of baking and it is a journey she’s enjoying to the hilt.

“There are things that your parents would want for you but I think that you’re only happiest when you can do the things that you personally want. And by that point, they’ll be happy for you,” she added. “Baking is a passion but I still

Tibok-Tibok for One

Photos by Nico Schinco Strawberry Shortcake Sapin Sapin

Abi Balingit with her mom, dad, and sisters in front of the Golden Gate Bridge.

Photo courtesy of Abi Balingit

Sago’t Gulaman Iced Coffee

Makes 1 serving

Ingredients:

* ½ cup Arnibal (page 28)

* 2 tablespoons big sago, uncooked

* Nonstick spray

* 1 teaspoon agar-agar powder

* ½ cup sugar

* 1 cup cold-brew coffee

* Heavy cream or milk, as desired

Directions:

• Pour the arnibal into silicone ice cube molds. I like using molds with fun shapes like hearts and stars. Place in the freezer and allow to chill for at least 2 hours, or until completely frozen.

• Add 2 cups water to a small saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Once the water is boiling, add in the uncooked sago. Cook, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon, for 30 minutes. Remove from the heat and strain using a large sieve. Add 2 cups of fresh water to the saucepan and repeat this boiling and straining process again.

• For the third round, boil the sago for 30 minutes as usual, but do not strain the water. Turn off the heat and cover the pan with a lid. The sago will still have white centers. Let the sago sit overnight in the pan. After the sago is done soaking, strain and rinse the sago. The balls should be fully translucent and no longer hard. If there are still some white centers, boil 2 cups of water again and boil the sago for another 5 to 10 minutes. Strain and rinse the sago again. Place in a small bowl.

• Grease an 8 × 8-inch square pan with nonstick spray and line with parchment paper. You want enough overhang on all sides to be able to easily lift the gulaman out later.

• Combine 1½ cups water, the agar-agar powder, and sugar in a small saucepan. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring frequently with a rubber spatula, until the mixture starts to boil, 5 to 6 minutes. Let the mixture boil for another 2 minutes, then turn off the heat. Immediately pour the mixture into the prepared pan. Let cool to room temperature for about 20 minutes. Transfer to the fridge and chill for at least 2 hours to completely set.

• After chilling, take the gulaman out of the square pan using the parchment paper overhang. Cut into ½-inch cubes. You will have leftovers, so you can store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.

• Place the cooked sago and 2 tablespoons of the gulaman cubes at the bottom of a glass cup. Pour in the cold-brew coffee and a touch of cream or milk, if desired. Top with arnibal ice cubes. Give it a stir and drink with a straw. Use a spoon to scoop up and eat the sago and gulaman.

Arnibal

Makes 1½ cups

Ingredients: 1 cup packed dark brown sugar

Directions:

• Combine 1 cup water and the dark brown sugar in a small saucepan. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon until the mixture comes to a boil.

• Reduce the heat to low and continue to simmer for 2 to 3 minutes, or until the sugar is completely dissolved. Turn off the heat.

• Pour the arnibal into a large glass jar and let it cool at room temperature. Use as you would a simple syrup in your favorite beverages. After sealing the glass jar with a lid, you can store the arnibal in the fridge for up to 3 weeks.

From Mayumu by Abi Balingit. Copyright © 2023 by Abigail Balingit. Reprinted by permission of Harvest, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers.

By Jan Milo Severo Philstar.com

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

In his interview with Korina Sanchez, Gerald said he’s working hard because he knows that the time is coming that he will tie the knot with Julia.

‘Siya na’: Gerald Anderson pledges to marry Julia Barretto Solenn introduces second child to the public

“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 nag-iiba or mas nagiiba ‘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. g

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

On Monday, March 20 the 37-year-old posted a short Instagram Reel that showed the face of her three-month-old.

“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 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. (By Rensel Sabando/ManilaTimes.net)

‘Accidental Author’: Abi Balingit’s...

PAGE 14

do everything to stay stable until I am financially secure.”

She also fondly remembers her mom telling her ‘Do your best and God will do the rest’ while her dad would tell her to just be good to other people a major life lesson that she learned at such a young age through the folk story about the monkey and the turtle that her dad used to tell her as a kid.

Her parents inculcated in her to lead her life with kindness and do good for others and that’s what she has been doing with her baking. The joy of doing it is sharing the stuff that she has created with other people and one way to do that is through the book. Another way is that every time she holds a pop-up, she tries her best to donate proceeds to mutual aid organizations.

California homecoming

After a couple of events in New York earlier this month, Balingit is all set to fly to California to do a mini book tour to launch the book.

“In my heart and my feelings, I feel very proud and very excited,” she told us. “My parents have a book already and they’re reading it right now. But it’s really special to come home - I’m the only one here on the East Coast right now and it’s been six years of me living here.”

She knew from the get-go her primary market and she made sure her publishers knew about it.

“I was very upfront and I was like,

obviously personally, I want Filipinos… to make the Filipino Americans as the most specific target but I hope that this is also to all bakers out there,” she said.

“I don’t think there’s any reason why anyone should turn an eye and be like, ‘Oh, I’m not Filipino and I have a Filipino cookbook’ because I think there’s genuine curiosity across every type of baker and every different level of baker. So I think this book appeals to hopefully everyone,” she added.

Balingit was on a vacation in Key West, Florida with her boyfriend as a celebration of their fifth anniversary. Her editor emailed her saying that she has the first copies of the book and it was sent to her by mail.

“I was so excited and I cried,” she said, recalling the moment. “A lot of people compare writing a book to literally having a baby because it’s such a long gestation period.”

“Holding the book for the first time was just surreal. I think it was like a pinch yourself kind of thing because I just didn’t think it’d ever be done, to be honest.”

The sweet test

Balingit admits that as a young kid, she loved everything sweet, from candies and cakes to pastries. As she grew up, her taste matured as well.

“Now my favorite thing to say is like that’s not too sweet, that’s so good and that’s a major compliment, you know. And I think a lot of the times like

American desserts are traditionally a bit sweeter,” she shared.

This is the reason why among the 75 recipes included in her book, some have savory influences, like the aforementioned Adobo Chocolate Chip Cookies. Then there’s Miso Caramelized White Chocolate Champorado with Pork Floss, Kare-Kare Cookies, Stamped Calamansi-Fish Sauce Shortbread, Spicy Bagoong Caramels, and Sampalok Tajin Snickerdoodle, among others.

It was a conscious effort on her part to create these recipes that are not too sweet so she found ways to cut the sweetness by adding salty and savory components to balance things out.

Asked about what’s in store for the future for her, Balingit said she is open to everything. Some people have asked her to open a café to showcase all her treats, and others have suggested a follow-up book.

“I still want to love baking, I think that’s what I want to continue to do,” she said. “But it’s also about finding that delicate balance. I think maybe the right time will come for me to do all these things.”

“It’s interesting how it wasn’t always my intention to write a book, it wasn’t my intention to have this blow up the way that it did. But I’m really grateful for it,” Balingit added. “But it’s more like, I’m letting the tide take me and that’s how I want the future to be so I will never say no to anything.”

Julia Barretto and Gerald Anderson

Photo from Instagram_@

Solenn Heussaff‘s daughter Maëlys Lionel Photo from Instagram/@solenn

Sago’t Gulaman Iced Coffee Photo by Nico Schinco