032423 - Northern California Edition

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

by KAYCEE VALMONTE Philstar.com

MANILA — The Philippines and the United States once again stand together to condemn China’s illegal activities in the South China Sea that go against a 2016 ruling of the Permanent Court of Arbitration, flexing the two countries' defense pact.

According to a readout from the U.S. Department of Defense released late Monday evening, March 20, U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin III and Department of National Defense Carlito Galvez Jr. discussed programs to strengthen the alliance in a call.

“The two leaders condemned the PRC’s (People’s Republic of China) gray-zone activities, which

USA

Staying safe through California’s March storms

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

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

The storms are seemingly affecting an abundance of counties throughout the state of California, bringing about heavy rainfall as well as snowfall. The Filipino American community makes up a large part of the state, emphasizing how the information in this webinar, held in cooperation with Ethnic Media Services, is crucial to those of us who live in the various affected counties.

California’s 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 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

interfere with the livelihoods of local Philippine communities and the rights of other claimant states that seek to operate lawfully in the South China Sea consistent with the 2016 Arbitral Tribunal ruling,” it said. Austin put emphasis on the U.S.’ commitment to the Philippines, pointing again to the Mutual

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

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

by

PIA LEE-BRAGO Philstar.com

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

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

In its report, the State Department also

said 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.

Government officials and their allies often used red-tagging to label human rights advocates, unions, religious groups, academics and media organizations as fronts

over Taiwan and its building of bases in the South China Sea. The 2014 Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement, known as EDCA, gave U.S. forces access to five bases in the Philippines. It 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

Hunt for Degamo slay suspects goes global

by KRSTINA MARALIT ManilaTimes.net

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

the Interpol — the Blue Notice,” the PCO quoted Department of Justice (DoJ) spokesman Mico Clavano as saying. A Blue Notice is issued “to collect additional information about a person’s identity, location or activities in relation to a criminal investigation.”

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

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

“So, all those that are in relation to the Degamo slay, we have taken concrete steps to issue an international lookout bulletin, to put people on the blue list of

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

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. Malacañang photo

Major

Ramon Guiang, acting

of the

Embassy

Philippines, US defense chiefs...

Defense Treaty that states it will come to the Philippines’ defense in case of armed attacks, including anywhere in the South China Sea.

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

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

China's gray-zone activities

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

nautical miles of the Philippines’ territory, earlier this month.

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

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

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

The Philippine pilot responded that they were flying within his country's territory.

Galvez and Austin also talked about the plans to conduct combined maritime activities and other avenues of cooperation in

the South China Sea. The two defense chiefs said they will review possibilities during the upcoming 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue.

More engagements

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

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

Galvez and Austin also welcomed the coming engagements between the two countries’ armed forces. This includes the “largest iteration” of the Balikatan Exercise next month, where over 17,600 troops will participate.

Majority or 12,000 of whom are American troops, 111 Australians, and 5,000 Philippines soldiers will partake in the exercise. (With reports from AFP)

Hunt for Degamo slay suspects goes...

Cases have been filed against the four gunmen who have been arrested, while 10 more individuals are under investigation, as the DoJ and other law enforcement agencies plug “all the little gaps” in their case buildup. Clavano said investigators already have suspects directly involved in the March 4 attack on Degamo, including the driver and lookout, and the purported middleman, all part of the “security layer” built around the mastermind.

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

One case of illegal firearms possession has been filed against Teves, but eight other cases related to the Degamo killing will be filed once he returns to the country, Clavano said.

Relatedly, the Department of National Defense, Armed Forces of the Philippines and Philippine National Police have created a joint task force to go after the remaining suspects

in the killing of Degamo, as ordered by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

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

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

Marcos vows to continue past admin’s...

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 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 “pre-project 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)

PORT CALL. Commanding Officer Capt. Shockey Snyder (2nd from left) chats with U.S. Navy officers at the landing deck of the USS America (LHA 6) amphibious assault ship anchored at Pier 15 in Manila on Tuesday, March 21. The forward-deployed amphibious assault ship is in the country for a port call.

PNA photo by Yancy Lim

US report: Red-tagging, journalist...

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 red-tagging because it is not productive.”

Justice Secretary Crispin

Remulla, however, dismissed the criticisms as he told the United Nations Universal Periodic Review of human rights in November that red-tagging is “used when a person belonging to a civil society organization is criticized for the work they’re doing as being related to the persons who commit criminal acts in our country.”

The State Department also noted civil society groups’ showing concern over the implementation of the AntiTerrorism Act of 2020, which they said contributed to red-tagging 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 was killed because of his reporting.

In November, the PNP and the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) filed murder charges against suspended Bureau of

Corrections (BuCor) chief Gerald Bantag, deputy security officer Ricardo Zulueta and 10 other prisoners after the self-confessed gunman linked them to Mabasa’s killing. Five journalists were killed between October 2021 and June 2022, reports said.

Cases filed

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Philippines to announce new bases US...

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.”

“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 was hosting the 23rd Philippines-China Foreign Ministry Consultations (FMC) and the 7th Bilateral Consultations Mechanism (BCM) on the South China Sea on March 23 and 24 in Manila.

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

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

Staying safe through California’s March...

California’s efforts

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

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

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

Philippines to announce new bases US...

PAGE 3

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

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

DFA Undersecretary for bilateral relations and ASEAN affairs

Ma. Theresa Lazaro will lead the Philippine delegation, while the Chinese side will be led by Vice Foreign Minister Sun Weidong.

Wescom seeks boost

In another development, the

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

Sen. Imee Marcos, chairman of the Senate committee on foreign relations, visited Palawan on Sunday, 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 and maintenance, sub-surface detection capability, drone and anti-drone capability and coastal defense.” g

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

Furthermore, she talked about how Cal OES is coordinating with local governments to provide various resources such as comfort kits, generators, sandbags, and other items to assist those who are impacted. “We’ve also moved some resources around the states. Kind of like a neighbor helping a neighbor. Especially for emergency response teams, specialized fire and rescue engines, and swift water rescue teams,” Crofts-Pelayo said, additionally

adding how many counties that aren’t as impacted by the storms are also helping other counties in the state.

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

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

In addition to this declaration, a federal disaster declaration from President Joe Biden was requested. This would provide “life-saving response personnel and resources to the state that then goes to the local government,” she added, listing how some of these resources include generators, road clearance equipment and supplies as well as sheltering and potential mass care assistance. “Being prepared is an essential part of the work that we do here,” Crofts-Pelayo expressed, stating that one way to do this is by signing up for the local community’s warning system. One such alert system to sign up with is on the following website: www. calalerts.org

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

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

Community safety

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

Vance Taylor, Chief of the Office of Access and Functional Needs at Cal OES, provided direct information on how to keep ourselves safe, especially those who are most vulnerable during these natural disasters.

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

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

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

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

• Physical, developmental, or intellectual disabilities.

• Do not have access to reliable transportation.

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

• Those with a chronic injury or illness.

• Are economically depressed.

• Are experiencing homelessness.

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

“For many individuals, they are energy dependent,” Taylor said, detailing how access and functional needs require power for devices they use daily, such as ventilators, assisted devices or technology, and durable medical equipment.

“If there is no power, that presents life safety risks,” he added, recommending that this equipment should always be

charged, especially while there is power present. However, those at risk can also connect with programs like the Disability Disaster Access & Resources Program, which provides a variety of different resources. A few of these resources include backup batteries for important equipment detailed above, evacuation services, transportation, hotel and food vouchers, and gas cards.

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

The next thing that Taylor emphasized was to have an evacuation plan. During these times, people will need to be evacuated and those who are at a higher risk will need more assistance. “Make a list of friends, family members, coworkers, neighbors, or others that can help you evacuate,” he explained, adding how “The idea here is that we can’t expect any one of those individuals to be available 24 hours a day, but by having a network of people it’s likely at least one of those individuals is going to be available to help you evacuate when the time comes.”

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

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

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

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

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

CalHHS resources

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

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

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

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

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

“CalHHS, has prioritized work across 12 departments and five offices and with our statewide partners, to ensure that we are collectively preparing the most vulnerable in our communities for the impact of these storms,” Buchanan emphasized, declaring how the agency has also created a task force, the Priority Populations Task Force, to help those who are most vulnerable.

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

• People who are homeless or unsheltered.

• People who are older or

AMPHIBIOUS ASSAULT SHIP. The USS America (LHA 6) amphibious assault ship docked at Pier 15 in Manila on Tuesday, March 21. The forward-deployed amphibious assault ship is in the country for a port call. PNA photo by Yancy Lim

California’s COVID misinformation law is...

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 clearcut cases: Doctors who tout treatments such as ivermectin, an anti-parasitic agent that is unproven as a COVID treatment and can be dangerous; who exaggerate the risk of getting vaccinated compared with the dangers of the disease; or who spread unfounded theories about the vaccines, including that they can cause infertility or harm DNA.

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

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

“On a matter like COVID, science is changing all the time, so what does it mean to say there is scientific consensus?” she asked. “To me, there are lots of examples of statements that clearly, with no vagueness involved, meet the definition of the kind of conduct that the legislature was going after. The problem is that there are all kinds of other hypothetical things that people can say that don’t clearly violate it.”

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

Cassel’s view mirrors Newsom’s rationale for signing the legislation despite his awareness of potential free speech concerns. “I am confident,” he wrote in his message to lawmakers, “that discussing emerging ideas or treatments including the subsequent risks and benefits does not constitute misinformation or disinformation under this bill’s criteria.”

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

request to temporarily halt the law.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

mga pondo ng Lungsod na natanggap sa pamamagitan ng pormula mula sa HUD ay kinabibilangan ng Community Development Block Grant (CDBG), Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG), HOME Investment Partnerships (HOME), at Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS (HOPWA). Ang mga pondo ng pormula ng Lungsod ay may average na humigit-kumulang $14 milyon taun-taon, depende sa pederal na badyet. Ang pagsulong ng Planong ito ay ipinaaalam nang lubusan sa pamamagitan ng mga feedback ng publiko. Kung gusto mong magbigay ng mga komento sa pag-amyenda sa Plano, tinatanggap ng Lungsod ang iyong pagdalo sa alinman sa mga pulong na nakalista sa iskedyul sa ibaba. Bukod pa rito, ang mga komento ay maaaring ibigay sa pamamagitan ng telepono, regular na koreo (sa Lungsod ng San José Housing Department, 200 E. Santa Clara Street, 12th Floor, San José, California 95113), o sa pamamagitan ng pag-email sa mga contact information na nakalista sa ibaba para sa mga nagsasalita ng Ingles at ang mga may limitadong kasanayan sa Ingles. Ang draft sa FY 2023-2024 na Annual Action Plan ay magagamit para sa pampublikong komento sa website ng Housing Department’s website mula Marso 24, 2023 hanggang

Abril 24, 2023.

Upang humiling ng mga espesyal na akomodasyon para sa alinman sa mga pagpupulong o isang alternatibong pormat para sa anumang nauugnay na naka-print na materyales, mangyaring tumawag sa (408) 294-9337 (TTY) sa lalong madaling panahon, ngunit hindi bababa sa tatlong araw ng negosyo bago ang pulong. Ang lahat ng mga pampublikong pagpupulong ay naa-access ng mga may kapansanan sa pagkilos.

Iskedyul ng mga Pampublikong Pagdinig Ano Sino Saan Kailan

Paglabas ng Draft sa FY 20232024 na AAP Simula ng 30-araw na pagbibigay ng mga komento ng publiko

Tingnan ang website ng Housing Department, http://www.sanjoseca.gov/ housingconplan para maghanap ng mga elektronikong kopya, o tumawag

Staying safe through California’s March...

PAGE 4

medically vulnerable.

• Those with disabilities (both visible and invisible).

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

Within this task force, Buchanan additionally described how they have three main goals. The first is to be able to develop and spread information to local partners regarding weather conditions as well as to emphasize state and federal resources available to the populations listed above. The second goal has the task force working together with local and county governments to provide technical assistance and support in local planning efforts to coordinate a timely response for information and resource requests.

Lastly, the task force is also evaluating these requests from locals to make recommendations and support in the deployment of resources that may be scarce. Buchanan then described some of the resources that are available for those who have been impacted. “It is not too late to be prepared,” she reiterated, directing people to the CalHHS website, www. chhs.ca.gov, which has guides for emergency resources, in both English and Spanish, as well as a downloadable

template for creating a personal emergency plan.

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

• Statewide Long-Term Care Ombudsman CRISIS line for those who are worried about

the well-being of a loved one that is living in a long term care facility. The number is 1-800231-4024 and it is available 24/7.

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

• The Friendship Line, which is meant for free crisis intervention for non-emergency support, specifically for older adults. The line can be reached at 1-888-670-1360. (Amry Ferido/AJPress)

PARA RESIDENTES QUE HABLAN ESPAÑOL: Para preguntas o comentarios acerca de Proyecto FY 2023-2024 Planes de Acción Anual, por favor contactar a Luisa Cantu (408) 535-8357.

THÔNG TIN LIÊN LẠC:: Nếu quý vị có những câu hỏi hay ý kiến

Photo by Atilla Bingöl on Unsplash

Accountability in disaster

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

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

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

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

The oil spill has so far affected over 151,000

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

That’s what the upscaled Balikatan” joint U.S.-Philippines war exercises from April 11 to 28 will highlight. This latest annual event, which started in 2002 on the heels of the U.S. “war on terror,” will deploy 17,000 troops: 12,000 Americans and 5,000 Filipinos.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Remulla has said criminal and civil cases are

US-PH troops prepare for possible war with China

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Pacific by citing China’s military moves.

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

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

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

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

days,” Berger stressed.

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

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

War freaks are surely getting excited. (Philstar.com)

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

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Email: satur.ocampo@gmail.com

Dealing with Marcoses’ charm o ensive

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

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

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

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

To put it simply, the academe, and the scientific community is not friendly territory for President Marcos. And yet, he braved the odds and spoke at the 2023 Annual Scientific Conference and the 90th General Membership Assembly of the National Research Council of the Philippines held last Saturday, March 11, at the Philippine International Convention Center.

And in his speech he declared his support for the scientific endeavor, and his recognition of the value of scientists and their research to national development.

And this is not all political talk.

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

Sarai, which is a technology developed with the leadership of researchers from the School of Environmental Science and Management of UP Los Baños, that would provide agricultural stakeholders with site-specific crop advisories based on data gathered from the Diwata microsatellite. He expressed support for the establishment of the Virology Institute of the Philippines and the Centers for Disease Control. And even during his campaign, he already articulated his commitment to a robust scientific agenda. He commits to improving the internet backbone of the country, and for increasing more scholarships in science-oriented degrees.

And five days after on Thursday, March 16, President Marcos once again ventured into what could be considered as hostile territory. He graced the groundbreaking ceremonies of a housing project in Naga City under the Pambansang Pabahay ng Pamilyang Pilipino of his administration. He also earlier attended the opening of a Kadiwa center in neighboring Pili, Camarines Sur. This is a province that awarded him

The views expressed by our Op-Ed contributors are solely their own and do

with only 9.51 percent of the total votes, or 102,921 out of the 1,307,553 total votes cast. This lopsided defeat is simply because Camarines Sur and Naga City are the bailiwicks of his fiercest rival, former vice president Maria Leonor Robredo. Less than a year after, President Marcos, despite being preferred only by less than one out of 10 voters in Camarines Sur, has now become its adopted son by virtue of Resolution 133, Series of 2023, passed unanimously by the Sangguniang Panlalawigan of the province.

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

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

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

It is too early to tell if such moves will appease the disgruntled supporters, considering that some of the discontent also stems from what they perceive as a palpable preferential treatment given to some vloggers, particularly by some powerful members of the Marcos family. For the Marcoses, politics is always addition, even if it means bringing into their very large tent pretenders and sycophants, and those who would only obviously become allies simply because it is the most politically convenient and promising. But the acceptance of the Marcoses of these political opportunists

and butterflies is but the other side of the courage the President has shown to venture into the most hostile territory inhabited by anti-Marcos academics and scientists, and of that part of the archipelago that gave him his worst defeat in the last elections. It is a risk that the Marcoses will always take, not only to honestly forge unity, but perhaps to play the game of politics where you keep your enemies closer. Disgruntled supporters who feel taken for granted can only hope that their reliability and loyalty should not lead them to be ignored. This should serve as a lesson to those who support the President and the Marcoses. In their game of politics where they reach out even to critics, it doesn’t hurt to play a bit hard to get. Blind loyalty may not be the best option. It is easy to take for granted those who are always there through thick and thin. That is true in personal relationships as it is in politics. (ManilaTimes.net)

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

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

Dateline PhiliPPines

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

by Gabriel Pabico lalu Inquirer.net

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

Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez declared this Tuesday, March 21 during a luncheon meeting with ambassadors of Asia-Pacific Parliamentary Forum (APPF) member countries. He also mentioned the approval of measures seeking to amend the 1987 Constitution’s restrictive economic provisions. And according to him, such bills would help the country attract more investments.

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

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 ABSCBN.

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 sevenhour 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

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 Concon? Naku! Kung gagawin mong constituent assembly, milyon lang ang gagastusin mo. Pag con-con, bilyon-bilyon na naman ‘yan (Why does Congress prefer con-con? Under the constituent assembly, you’ll only need millions, but if 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 con-ass with around PHP10 billion difference between the

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

“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

file photo

meeting came from countries like Australia, Cambodia, Canada, China, Colombia, Indonesia, Laos, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Russia, Singapore, Thailand, United States of America, and Vietnam.

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

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

two modes of amending the Constitution.

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

“…All you have to do is remove some of the provisions that you want to remove and you have a ready-made, well-discussed, well-prepared, well-studied and well-deliberated Constitutional provision that was already used in the Philippines,” the former Senate president added. Under con-ass, Congress sits down to propose amendments to the Constitution while the proposed con-coan 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)

House Speaker Martin Romualdez Inquirer.net

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

ABS-CBN TFC news entertainment reporter Yong Chavez wins International Media Award in Hollywood

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

LOS ANGELES – ABS-CBN’s

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

Asians represent

Chavez has been covering Hollywood for over 15 years now, and receiving the award on the same weekend as the 95th Oscar Awards where the triumph of “Everything, Ev-

erywhere, All At Once” was a breakthrough for Asian talent, was “wonderfully surreal.”

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

Recipe for success

Being on the red carpet and

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

Chavez shares that her recipe for success is to “always be the hardest worker in the room. But hard work isn’t enough sometimes. You have to work smart, so you don’t burn out.”

She also adds a very important point: “be kind. The universe has a way of rewarding you back for anything you selflessly do for others. And remem-

ber always what matters most: your personal relationships and your respect for yourself.”

On the pursuit of dreams

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

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

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

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

She muses, “It was a hard

climb, but it was well worth it. I worked for my dreams. It was years of blood, sweat, and tears. But I didn’t do it alone. I have my family. I have my friends. And I have my ABSCBN and TFC family who believed in me and my audacious dreams.”

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

Miss Universe 2022 R’Bonney Gabriel to visit Philippines in May

by EVANGELINE VALDERRAMA Inquirer.net

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

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

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

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

“So for all the Filipinos tuning in, I cannot wait to meet you,” she added.

Since becoming Miss Universe in January, Gabriel has been staying in New York. But because of her homecoming in Houston in Texas, she said that one of the top five things she would be doing, especially now that her birthday weekend is coming along is, to have some friends over and eat her favorite Filipino treats such as ensaymada pastries and sinigang soup in a Filipino restaurant.

In a previous interviews, Gabriel mentioned that while she grew up in the 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 U.S. 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.

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

Photo courtesy of HCA

Miss Universe 2022 R’Bonney Gabriel

Photo from Instagram/@missuniverse

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

NaFFAA mourns loss of Fil-Am community advocate Jesse Vizcocho

WASHINGTON, DC – The National Federation of Filipino American Associations (NaFFAA) is mourning the passing of one of the Filipino American community’s most remarkable leaders, Jesus “Jesse” Antonio Vizcocho, who passed away on March 11, 2023. Born in the Philippines on December 25, 1960, Jesse immigrated to Kodiak, Alaska in 1991. He later moved to Anchorage in 2003.

In 1997, Jesse became the first Fil-Am to be appointed as a councilmember for the City of Kodiak, where he served two terms and was elected Deputy Mayor of Kodiak in 2000. He served as president of the Asian American Pacific Islander Coalition of Alaska. He also recently became the

vice president for Internal Affairs and a member of the Board of Governors for the Asian American Unity Coalition (AAUC). For 30 years, he has served as a volunteer and leader of many civic, social, and religious organizations, including Community Volunteer Leader for the American Red Cross of Alaska and Government Affairs Director for the National Federation of Filipino American Associations. NaFFAA National Chair Brendan Flores described Jesse as “an outstanding leader who wants nothing but to serve and empower those around him, especially our Filipino Americans. He was one of the biggest inspirations behind our Fil-Am Vote Program and was a

good advocate for our Run For Office Program.”

Lou Vargas, Pacific Northwest Region President, added, “During NaFFAA National’s and Region’s visit to Alaska, Jesse introduced us to several elected officials he worked with and ensured our Filipino Americans have a seat at the table where decisions regarding our communities are made.”

NaFFAA National President Mariela Fletcher, for her part, said, “Jesse was the type of leader who was very committed to his role. His passion for civic engagement was unmatched. He lived a life full of meaningful service.”

Alaska U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski issued a statement, saying, “I was so saddened to hear of Jesse Vizcocho’s passing, and send my deep condolences to his friends and family. This is a loss to the Filipino American community in Alaska that I know is being felt deeply by all who knew him. NaFFAA plays an important role in advocating for and giving a voice to the Filipino American community in Alaska – Jesse was a leader in those efforts. I’m grateful that I had the opportunity to know Jesse and learn from him about how we can all work together to make Alaska a more welcoming and vibrant place for everyone who calls our state home.”

Any donations to the Vizcocho family could be sent to Teresita Vizcocho at P.O Box 241304, Anchorage, AS 99524.

NaFFAA National and the Pacific Northwest Region will celebrate Jesse’s life at a Memorial via Zoom with his family to be led by PNW Region President at a soon to be determined date.

(NaFFAA Release)

Solenn introduces second child to the public

by Rensel sabando ManilaTimes.net

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

On Monday morning, 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.

NaFFAA government affairs director, community advocate and local politician Jesse Vizcocho passed away on March 11.

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

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 de-stress, 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,

The healthiest habits

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 breathholding 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; 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 evidencebased data before the verdict becomes a valid part of the standard of care.

* * *

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.

* * *

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.

*

* * 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 NetworkUSA, a 501(c)3 humanitarian foundation in the United States. Websites: FUN8888.com, Today.SPSAtoday.com, and philipSchua.com; Email: scalpelpen@gmail.com.

Success story: Aged-out daughter obtains...

student visa.

Atty. Gurfinkel saw that Alyssa was eligible for her visa under the Child Status Protection Act (CSPA) and demonstrated her eligibility to the U.S. Embassy. Alyssa was rescheduled for her interview, and obtained her immigrant visa and green 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 Cable/Satellite providers, right after TV Patrol Linggo. Citizen Pinoy is also available on iWantTFC. Viewers may download the free app. (Advertising Supplement)

THE Philippine Consulate General in San Francisco organized a Consular Outreach Mission in Poplar, California on March 11, 2023 at the Larry Itliong Resource Center (4665 Road 192, Poplar, California 93257), providing a total of 272 services. The consular outreach afforded Filipinos and Filipino Americans passport and dual citizenship services, as well as registration for overseas voting without having to travel to San Francisco. Applicants from throughout Central California

and other states, including Alaska, Arizona, Montana, Washington, among others, availed of consular services during the outreach.

The outreach was conducted with the support of the Central Valley Empowerment Alliance, which offered to provide the Larry Itliong Resource Center as the venue. Larry Micari, District 1 Supervisor of Tulare County, personally came to the outreach to thank the visiting Consulate team for providing Consular services to his constituents.

This outreach is the first mission conducted by the Consulate in 2023. Filipinos residing under the Consulate’s jurisdiction may visit pcgsanfrancisco.org/ consular-outreach-missions/ for details on succeeding outreach missions.

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. The Consulate team at the consular outreach mission in Poplar, CA.

BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION AT SANTANA ROW. Leny Dy Sarmiento

Basig, Mellie Roberts, celebrant Leny Sarmiento, Tess Gregorio and Cleo Manuel at the

Photo above right shows Tess Gregorio (right) with the celebrant's daughter, Pam Sarmiento. Photos courtesy of Tess Gregorio

Golden State Warriors celebrate Filipino Heritage Night

by Joseph L. peraLta AJPress

DEFENDING National Basketball Association (NBA) champion the Golden State Warriors celebrated Filipino Heritage Night on February 24 as it faced Western conference rival the Houston Rockets in a soldout game at Chase Center in San Francisco, CA.

Started in 2008, the Warriors’ Filipino Heritage Night started as an annual event during the season. With demand from fans and the night’s success, the Warriors organization increased the Filipino Heritage Nights to its current number of two games within the season.

Heritage night ticket holders received a t-shirt with “Mabuhay Warriors!” printed on the front side, and were treated to pregame and halftime special performances by Filipino American performers and groups, and a special performance by the Warriors Dance Team to music by P-Lo.

Prior to the opening of the stadium doors, a tailgate in Thrive City was open to fans where vendors such as Señor

Sisig catered to the needs of the Warriors faithful. There were a sketch artist and photo booth; fans were able to purchase Warriors memorabilia and merchandise via the team’s store near the plaza.

Warriors season ticket holders and Vallejo residents Jess and Gloria Malgapo graciously allowed Fil-Am media to interview them a couple of hours before tipoff.

“We are very happy to be season ticket holders. Warriors fans are happy to support the team, win or lose. We come here early and are always one of the last to leave,” Jess revealed, adding that they are big fans of original Splash Brothers Steph Curry and Klay Thompson, as well as Jordan Poole.

“We are very proud to be here during Filipino Heritage Night.

Filipinos are very loyal, die-hard fans,” he said.

The Malgapos’ normal routine during games include arriving early at Chase Center, doing some shopping at the team’s store, and eating at any of the arena’s many food vendors so that afterwards they are ready to watch the game and cheer for the home team.

According to Jess and Gloria,

who are both retired, they will pass down the tradition of being season ticket holders to their family members as they enjoy watching the Warriors play.

Inside the arena, fans got to see performances by Toro Y Moi, who curated a special selection of highenergy tracks in celebration of Filipino Heritage Night; students representing the Filipino Students of Arts & Culture from Sacramento State University who performed a few Philippine folk dances; and Bytes and Notes, who sang the national anthem prior to tip-off.

Singer-songwriter, record producer and graphic designer Toro Y Moi, whose most recent studio album is entitled 2022’s “Mahal” which so far has generated singles “Postman,” “Magazine,” “The Loop” and “Déjà vu,” told the Asian Journal that he thinks Filipino Night is “phenomenal… it’s really cool to recognize Filipinos in the city and make everyone feel included.”

“It’s about the kids feeling inspired… if anything, it’s about everyone having the same fun experience,” he added, while advising young kids who may look up to him to surround themselves with good, like-minded people.

Toro Y Moi, who says he is a young Warriors fan, revealed that he has an upcoming performance at the Frost Amphitheater in Palo Alto this June.

For their part, Ann Marie Tecson, who owns San Josebased Bytes and Notes, along with chorale director Anthony Mine, expressed elation at once again performing the United States national anthem in front of Warriors fans.

“It’s a privilege,” Tecson said, on being tapped to sing the national anthem during Warriors’ Filipino heritage game nights. “We’ve been doing this for, I think, the past ten seasons or so, and it’s always a privilege to sing for [the Warriors and the community].”

Mine, who revealed that the youngest chorale group member is eight years old, told the Asian Journal that they had to practice for three months to prepare for this game. The chorale members, who are taking individual lessons at the music studio, rehearsed about twice a month, usually on Saturdays.

Tecson added that the chorale group sings regularly at the masses at The Cathedral Basilica of St. Joseph in downtown San Jose every second Sunday of the month. Additionally, the Bytes and Notes chorale group has a musical concert in May, and it also usually gets invited to perform during Philippine Independence

Day events in the Southbay.

For the half-time performance, Filipino-owned business Dancel’s Academy of Tae Kwon Do showcased martial arts, including Arnis, also known as Kali or Eskrima, for basketball fans.

Arnis is considered the national martial arts of the Philippines, and features weapon-based fighting with sticks, knives, bladed weapons and other improvised weapons, as well as open hand techniques without weapons.

The San Bruno-based martial arts school featured a demonstration from its students and instructors that delighted Warriors fans.

The half-time show also featured the Warriors honoring Filipino American community leader and advocate Bernadette Sy as Impact Warrior.

“I am totally excited,” Sy told the Asian Journal on receiving the recognition. “I’m here for the Filipino community here in south of Market and in San Francisco.”

“Filipinos love basketball. It’s one of their most favorite sports and I think it’s wonderful that they’ve been always supportive of the Warriors. And you can see that because we have multiple Filipino Heritage Nights… it’s amazing,” she added, while disclosing that her family member are avid Warriors fans and that her favorite player is Steph Curry.

Sy, who established the

Filipino American Development Foundation (FADF) with her father, Dr. Mario Borja, said that the SOMA Pilipinas Cultural District leadership is currently working on a visible gateway in the South of Market so that Filipino Americans and other communities can see and realize the long, rich history of the Fil-Am community in San Francisco. It was under Sy’s FADF term that the SOMA Pilipinas Cultural District was created that honors the community’s 120-plus years of presence in the Bay Area, and keeps alive many of the community’s cultural assets, community rituals, small businesses and initiatives that support not only Fil-Ams but the Asian Pacific Islander community.

As for the game, Warriors fans were delighted as the Golden State Warriors beat the visiting Houston Rockets, 116-101. The Warriors were led by Klay Thompson’s 42 points that included a 12 of 17 shooting performance from threepoint land.

After being down at various points in the first half to a scrappy Rockets team, the Warriors took control in the second quarter by outscoring their opponents 40-23 to take a 66-49 lead at halftime. Although the Rockets threatened to make the game close in the second half, timely shooting by Thompson and the rest of the Warriors preserved the win for the defending NBA champions.

Filipino American students from Sacramento State University performed Philippine folk dances, including the “Pandanggo Sa Ilaw,” during the pre-game festivities.

Warriors fans indulge in some Filipino fare at Chase Center, including longganisa dirty dog, coconut juice and curly fries. Photo above shows (from left) Nicksai Ung, Chio Sayen, Adriel Lacanagazon and Hannah Moral.

Fil-Am families and friends gather in one of the upper floors, partaking of the food offerings at the Chase Center while watching the Warriors play the Rockets. AJPress hotos by Joseph L. Peralta

FADF founder, community leader/advocate and mentor Bernadette Sy was honored as Impact Warrior towards the end of the halftime break. Jess and Gloria Malgapo are season ticket holders and avid Warriors fans.

Singer, songwriter and record producer Toro Y Moi (left) treated special fans to a specially-curated selection during the pregame festivities.

Filipino American Golden State Warriors fans display the t-shirts given away to ticket holders during Filipino Heritage Night.