040123 - Los Angeles Weekend Edition

PH splits from US democracy summit statement on ICC

by KAYCEE VALMONTE Philstar.com

MANILA — The Philippines on Thursday, March 30 emphasized that "human rights platforms should not be politicized" in response to participating countries in the U.S.-hosted Summit for Democracy made reference to the International Criminal Court. In the statement, the Department of Foreign Affairs said it "disassociates" from the part of the declaration that noted "the important role played by the ICC as a permanent and impartial tribunal complementary

to national jurisdictions in advancing accountability for the most serious crimes under international law."

"While the current language provides a qualifier that the ICC’s role may be acknowledged provided it abides by the principle of complementarity, the Philippines’ earlier decision to withdraw from the ICC was precisely because the Court failed the test of complementarity," the Philippines, which has rejected ICC jurisdiction over alleged crimes against humanity in the "war on drugs", said. This comes after the ICC Appeals Chamber denied the

USA

The week-long immersion brings 15 young Filipino Americans—aged 25 to 45 years old—from across different industries to the Philippines, where they meet with business, community and civic leaders in an effort to bridge and strengthen ties between the United States and the Philippines.

FYLPRO works with the Philippine Embassy and the Consulates General in the United States to search for the most outstanding, next-generation Filipino

Harvard University o ers Tagalog course for rst time in its history

FOR the first time in its history, Harvard University is offering a Tagalog language course starting the 2023-24 academic year.

The Department of South Asian Studies secured funding to hire a preceptor in addition to two who are already teaching Bahasa Indonesian and Thai. Tagalog is the fourth most spoken language in the United States.

The department’s Asia Center raised financial support for three-year term appointments for each preceptor and are renewable for up to five additional years, reported The Harvard Crimson

“We’re very excited and hopeful that these positions will be a game-changer in terms of the Asia Center’s long-term mission to build Southeast Asian studies at Harvard, as well as the university’s engagement with the region,” Harvard Asia Center Executive Director Elizabeth K. Liao told The Crimson.

Eleanor V. Wikstrom ’24, co-president of

Philippines’ request to suspend its investigation into "drug war" deaths.

The Philippines withdrew the country’s ratification of the Rome Statute in 2018 after the court wanted to investigate the country’s "drug war." Withdrawal came into effect in 2019 but does not affect jurisdiction on abuses that may have been done while the Philippines was a party to the treaty.

Summit for Democracy

Washington hosted this year’s Summit for Democracy, with a mostly virtual attendance of 121  PAGE A2

Marcos: Rule of law prevails in PH

by CATHERINE S. VALENTE ManilaTimes.net

PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said during the second Summit for Democracy that the rule of law prevails in the Philippines, and that the criminal and justice system is fully functional.

Marcos issued the statement after the International Criminal Court rejected the Philippines' appeal to suspend its probe into the bloody war on drugs conducted during

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. Malacañang photo

by XAVE GREGORIO Philstar.com

Dela Rosa said in a virtual news briefing that he is mulling to file a Senate resolution that would call for the end of the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement between

the Philippines and U.S. which grants Washington’s troops access to Manila’s military bases.

“Sure, cut aid and we will also end EDCA here. Let’s not conduct any exercises anymore. You are just using us so you can raid Taiwan. What kind of relationship is this? One-way?” the senator said in Filipino.

It is not clear what form Dela Rosa’s mulled resolution would be, but he could file a Sense of the Senate resolution which would embody the chamber’s stand on a particular issue although this would still not

the administration of former president Rodrigo Duterte.

"Let me emphasize that the rule of law prevails in the country — our criminal justice system is fully functioning. We continue to improve mechanisms such as the AO35 inter-agency committee to enhance accountability.

The Philippines' commitment to fight impunity for atrocity crimes is solid and unwavering, notwithstanding the withdrawal of the country from the Rome Statute," Marcos said in a video message played during the

summit's plenary session.

The virtual event was cohosted by the United States, Costa Rica, Zambia, Netherlands and South Korea.

"Our justice reform agenda acknowledges that real justice means the humane treatment of persons deprived of liberty and efficient prosecution of cases," Marcos added.

The president said the Joint Program on Human Rights launched by the Philippines with the United Nations in 2021,  PAGE A2

Philippines, China pursuing joint energy exploration in West Philippine Sea

MANILA — Despite their still unresolved maritime rift, the Philippines and China remain open to the prospect of joint oil and gas explorations in contested waters.

Foreign Affairs Secretary

Enrique Manalo disclosed the

scenario and emphasized that any talks or discussions on the matter would be based on the country’s laws. “In any negotiation on oil and gas, the Philippine position has always been that we will be guided by the constitutional requirements. And that’s how we will proceed in the next round,” he said in a report

Vanessa Hudgens named Global Tourism Ambassador

by KRISTINA MARALIT AND RENSEL SABANDO ManilaTimes.net

FILIPINA American actress Vanessa Hudgens continues to enjoy her stay in the Philippines as she shared photos of her experience in El Nido, Palawan.

The “High School Musical” star uploaded photos of herself on Instagram on Thursday, March 30 wearing a swimsuit while taking a dip at the Pangulasian Island Resort.

She captioned, “Paradise,” adding the hashtag “#foreverphilippines.”

The post garnered more than 2 million likes as of posting time.

Meanwhile, Hudgens – who currently has 49.1 million followers on the social media application – shared the same day a video clip of her dancing traditional folk dance tinikling barefoot while wearing a Filipiñana

dress.

In the background, her Filipina mom Gina can be heard cheering and saying, “so proud of you baby.”

Just last March 28, she also posted an Instagram reel capturing the breathtaking view and sunset of Palawan. “5am hike to the top of the world,” she wrote. The 34-year-old celebrity arrived in the country on Saturday, March 25 for her upcoming travel documentary directed and produced by Paul Soriano.

Before this the Department of Tourism named Hudgens Global Tourism Ambassador in ceremonies in Malacanang.

Hudgens is known for playing the role of

 PAGE A2

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. with Filipina American actress Vanessa Anne Hudgens during her courtesy call at Malacañang Palace on Thursday, March 30. Marcos conferred the title of Global Tourism Ambassador on Hudgens to promote Philippine tourism. PNA photo

MANILA — Sen. Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa threatened on Thursday, March 30 to push for the termination of a key defense agreement between the Philippines and the United States in response to the refiling of a bill in the U.S. House of Representatives that seeks to block security aid to Manila.

THE Filipino Young Leaders Program (FYLPRO) is now accepting applications for its signature immersion program in the Philippines scheduled for the last week of August 2023.

PH splits from US democracy...

world leaders. The DFA said President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. participated via a recorded video message.

The Philippines said its participation is "a testament to our unwavering commitment to upholding our democratic values and principles." However, the Human Rights Watch said its refusal to cooperate with the ICC does not reflect its statements.

"The international community should not be fooled by the Philippine’s government's duplicity and rhetoric," HRW Asia Director Elaine Pearson said in a statement.

"The Marcos administration’s

avowed commitments to protect human rights and fight impunity will be shown by whether it cooperates with the ICC’s investigation."

The U.S. promised nearly $690 million to support global democracies, higher than the $424 million commitment promised during the first summit in 2021. The new funding will back programs to stage free elections, advance independent media and strengthen action against corruption.

With the emphasis on the ICC’s importance, Manila stressed that the domestic justice system remains intact. In

arguing against the ICC probe, the Philippines has repeatedly said that it is conducting its own investigations into the drug war deaths. There have been convictions in two cases of "drug war" related deaths so far while authorities have said further investigation is ongoing in other cases.

"The Philippines likewise reiterates its view that human rights-related dialogues and platforms must not be politicized and targeted against specific countries and instead be constructive, inclusive, and directed at delivering meaningful, long-lasting solutions," the DFA said. 

Marcos: Rule of law prevails...

has shown significant progress in fostering consensus building and collaborative partnership in a broad range of target areas.

Marcos said the Philippines

will continue being an active player on dialogues tackling various issues as long these are constructive, based on facts, and back the country's interests.

"Let me affirm and attest to

what has been a recurring theme for this summit: Democracy does deliver. And it does this best when it places at its center people, their freedom, and human dignity," he said. 

Philippines, China pursuing joint energy...

on GMA7 Wednesday, March 29.

He also told ABS-CBN News on Thursday, March 30 that preliminary talks would focus on technical matters including the general terms of reference to guide future discussions.

The foreign affairs official’s raising the possibility of joint exploration came amid an escalation of Chinese’ provocative actions in the West Philippine Sea, including their deployment of more coast guard vessels in waters within the country’s exclusive economic zone.

At least 20 Chinese coast guard and naval vessels have been spotted in the vicinity of the Kalayaan Island Group, many of which have ignored radio challenges or have made their own against Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) vessels on patrol in the area.

In a statement, the PCG said the BRP Malapascua (MRRV4403) spotted and issued radio challenges against Chinese coast guard vessels and a Jiangdao II Class missile corvette during a patrol mission from March 16 to

21. The PCG also reported spotting Vietnamese vessels in the vicinity of Sabina Shoal, which it tried to drive away by deploying rigid-hull inflatable boats from Malapascua. It was not clear if the Vietnamese boats left.

“The PCG vessels also encountered at least two CCGV’s with bow numbers 5304 and 5305 near (Sabina) shoal. Multiple radio challenges were issued by the PCG vessel, but no response was received. Rigid-hull inflatable boats were deployed to disperse the foreign vessels in and around the shoal,” the PCG said.

Off of Pag-asa Island, the PCG said that the Malapascua also encountered a Chinese naval vessel with hull number 649 within Pag-asa’s 12-nautical mile territorial waters. The PCG said it issued “multiple radio challenges while the PLAN vessel responded with its own challenge.”

The PCG said the Malapascua also sighted CCGV 5201 while it was on its way to Buliluyan Port in Palawan.

The Chinese vessel ignored the

Bato dangles EDCA termination as bill...

be legally binding.

PCG radio challenge and even shadowed the Malapascua at a distance of some 1,600 yards. The Chinese coast guard ship was only some 1.2 nautical miles from a Philippine military outpost on the grounded Sierra Madre. As this developed, Philippine Navy spokesman Capt. Benjo Negranza confirmed on Thursday the transfer of the former USS Monsoon (PC4) and USS Chinook (PC9) to the Philippines – through the Excess Defense Articles program – following their decommissioning in Manama, Bahrain last Tuesday, March 28.

The two Cyclone-class patrol ships are expected to arrive in the country sometime in May this year.

“A welcome addition to the Alvarez-Class Patrol Ships of the Littoral Combat Force, they are projected to undertake coastal patrols along our littoral waters and Sea Lanes of Communications, Maritime Interdiction Operations, Escort Operations, Surveillance and Special Operations, as well as Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Response Operations.” 

While some critics say EDCA is a treaty that the Senate should concur to, the government has always viewed it as an executive agreement which does not need the upper chamber’s consent for it to take effect.

Still, Dela Rosa said the Senate can move on its own should it decide that it wants EDCA terminated.

“We can still question that. That’s not a problem. We are not bound by whatever decision of the executive branch of the government because we are independent of each other. We can do whatever we want,” he said.

U.S. Rep. Susan Wild (Pennsylvania, 7th District) again filed the Philippine Human Rights Act (PHRA) before the U.S. House earlier this month in commemoration of the second anniversary of the "Bloody Sunday Massacre" where raids across the Calabarzon region in 2021 left nine activists dead.

The PHRA would suspend Washington’s security assistance

to the Philippines until the government fully investigates and prosecutes any military or police personnel engaged in human rights abuses.

Cebu, Cagayan de Oro, Nueva Ecija, Palawan and Pampanga are hosts of the existing EDCA sites. Four more sites have been identified which President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said will be “scattered around” the country.

"There are some in the north, there are some around Palawan,

there are some further south so these sites are in various, different locations," Marcos said partly in Filipino last week. EDCA allows American and Philippine troops to train together as well as respond to humanitarian crises. With the additional four, total EDCA sites now stand at nine. Agence France-Presse previously reported that negotiations were ongoing for a fifth additional site. 

Applications open for young Fil-Am leaders...

PAGE A1

American leaders to participate in its immersion program in the Philippines. Deadline for the submission of applications is on 14 April 2023. For more information on the 2023 FYLPRO immersion program, please visit this page: https://fylpro.org/filipinoyoung-leaders-programimmersion-2023-applicationsare-now-open/. For questions or concerns, please send FYLPRO an email at immersion@fylpro. org. (Inquirer.net)

Harvard University o ers Tagalog course for...

PAGE A1

the Harvard Philippine Forum and a Crimson Editorial chair, said getting Tagalog offered has been one of the goals for “as long as HPF has been in existence.” Wikstrom, who wrote an op-ed in The Crimson in 2021 criticizing the lack of offerings in the Tagalog language at Harvard said she met resistance to her advocacy efforts and questions about the value of learning Tagalog.

"We’re working against a historical memory that is actively erasing the understanding of the importance of the FilipinoAmerican relationship,” Wikstrom added.

HPF Co-President Marcky C. Antonio ’25 hoped that securing Tagalog course offerings at Harvard will spur more academic

teach this right — not only Tagalog language, but Filipino culture as a whole,” he told The Crimson 

Vanessa Hudgens named Global Tourism...

Gabriella Montez in the hit series “High School Musical” film series which brought her significant success on mainstream media.

This is her first time traveling to the Philippines and was accompanied by her mom Gina

Sen. Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa Philstar.com file photo

Eleanor V. Wikstrom ’24 and Marcky C. Antonio, co-presidents of the Harvard Philippine Forum: Getting Tagalog offered has been one of the goals for “as long as HPF has been in existence.” Contributed photos exchanges between Harvard and the Philippines.

Judge’s decision would make some nocost cancer screenings a thing of the past

A FEDERAL judge on Thursday, March 30 overturned a portion of the Affordable Care Act that makes preventive services, such as some cancer screenings, free to enrollees, a decision that could affect health insurance policyholders nationwide.

The decision from the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas could open the door for insurers or employers to reinstate copayments for some of those preventive services, although many may be reluctant or unable to do so, at least immediately.

The ruling by U.S. District Judge Reed O’Connor builds on a September judgment in which he also said the ACA requirement that employers cover preexposure prophylaxis treatment to prevent HIV violates the Religious Freedom Restoration Act.

His ruling is the latest shot in the legal battle over the ACA.

“Previous cases threatened the very existence of the law and fundamental protections. This decision does not do that,” said Larry Levitt, KFF executive vice president for health policy. But “it strikes down a portion of the law, albeit a very popular one, that is used by a lot of people.”

It is almost certain to be appealed, possibly by both sides: the conservative groups that brought the case and had hoped the decision would be broader, and the Biden administration, which supports the ACA.

“The stakes are really high,” because the ultimate decision could affect millions of Americans, said Andrew Twinamatsiko, associate director of the health policy and the law initiative at the O’Neill Institute at Georgetown University.

“Americans should have peace of mind there will be no immediate disruption in care coverage,” said Matt Eyles, president and CEO of AHIP, the health insurance industry’s leading lobbying group.

Now, the Department of Justice

must decide whether to seek an emergency order putting the ruling on hold during the appeal process.

The decision could affect the no-copay screenings and similar preventive services that most insured Americans have as part of their health plans. But consumers may see little impact initially.

“The word prevention appears a couple hundred times in the ACA,” said Timothy Jost, law professor emeritus at Washington and Lee University School of Law, who closely follows the ACA. “Part of the idea of the ACA was we thought to try to prevent disease or at least identify it earlier when it’s more curable.”

Making such care free to enrollees was a way to encourage screening for disease.

But O’Connor’s ruling said one of the ways those no-cost services are selected — by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, a nongovernmental advisory group — is unconstitutional. In his September opinion, O’Connor wrote that members of the task

force, which is convened by a federal health agency, are actually “officers of the United States” and should therefore be appointed by the president and confirmed by the Senate.

The judge said his decision specifically does not apply to no-copay contraceptives or vaccines, which are selected by

other agencies, although the conservative groups that brought the case had sought their inclusion as well. Mammograms are among those preventive services that may be in a special category because they, too, are recommended by one of those other agencies, so experts at KFF say they will probably

continue to be covered without patient cost sharing, even with this ruling.

O’Connor issued a summary judgment in the case in September. At the time, the decision applied only to the employers that brought the case. Thursday’s ruling expands  PAGE A5

URBAN ART. Amid the rush-hour traffic on Elliptical Road fronting the Quezon City Hall are the calming artworks of the local government’s underpass in this photo taken Friday, March 31. The Quezon City government opted for biodiversity as mural theme for the repainted walls of the underpass connecting the city hall to the Quezon Memorial Circle. PNA photo by Joan Bondoc

DATELINE PHILIPPINES

PH among most TikTok-crazed countries in the world

by CRISTINA ELOISA BACLIG Inquirer.net

MANILA — Amid the controversies and criticisms surrounding the partly Chineseowned app TikTok, the platform’s audience shares continue to skyrocket in the Philippines, among the top countries where people seeking instant fame have been gobbling up the technology like crazy.

TikTok, a short-form video hosting service app, is owned by Chinese company ByteDance, which also owns the app’s Chinese counterpart, Douyin.

From its initial release in 2016, the app’s global popularity massively grew, with over 2 billion mobile downloads worldwide as of October 2020 and an estimated 1 billion global monthly active users based on data as of September 2021.

Despite TikTok’s global success—which placed 6th in DataReportal’s ranking of the world’s most “active” social media platforms—the app now faces a slew of controversies due to concerns from online data privacy to “potential national security threat.”

In a five-hour-long congressional hearing last March 23, US lawmakers grilled TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew over the potential Chinese influence over the platform and the app’s damaging impact on children’s mental health.

Chew, however, denied allegations regarding ByteDance and its executives’ ties to the Chinese Communist Party. He also maintained that the app does not share users’ data with the Chinese government.

Aside from the U.S., other countries have already expressed concerns about the platform and its alleged ties with the Chinese government. Across the globe, several countries and regions have already implemented partial or total bans on TikTok, namely:

India

Taiwan (app is banned on all government-issued devices)

U.S. (more than 50 states have banned TikTok from government devices)

Canada (app is banned on all government-issued devices)

European Union (lawmakers and staff were recommended to remove the app from their personal devices)

Pakistan (temporary ban since October 2020)

Afghanistan.

PH adults hooked on TikTok

Despite security concerns and several countries’ decisions to ban the app, TikTok continues to gain popularity among adults worldwide.

Data published by the company’s self-service advertising tools showed that marketers could reach around 1.051 billion TikTok users aged 18 and above as of January this year.

"These latest figures indicate that marketers can reach roughly 13.1% of all the people on Earth using ads on TikTok today,”

DataReportal explained.

“However, because the company only publishes advertising audience data for users aged 18 and above, TikTok’s actual audience reach rate will likely be higher than these figures suggest,” it added.

Analysis of the available global user statistics showed that the Philippines is among the top 8 countries with the estimated highest number of TikTok users aged 18+ in 2023.

TikTok’s ad audience can reach around 43.4 million Filipino adults who use the app—around 37.3 percent of the country’s population is among the app’s ad audience, according to an analysis by DataReportal.

Out of the total internet users aged 18 and above in the country, data analysis showed that 51 percent is included in TikTok’s ad reach. Meanwhile, 58.2 percent of the country’s adult population is reached by marketers through the platform’s ad service.

The country with the biggest number of adult users, according to DataReportal, is the United States with an estimated 113.3 million TikTok users aged 18 and above.

Other countries on the list were:

Indonesia: 109.9 million users

Brazil: 82.2 million users

Mexico: 57.5 million users

Judge’s decision would make some...

that to all employers and insurers nationwide.

Russia: 54.9 million users

Vietnam: 49.49 million users

Thailand: 40.3 million users.

More than an entertaining app TikTok is known for its numerous viral trends—such as memes, lip-synced songs, comedy videos and skits, dance challenges, food recipes, food reviews, and others—all of which were popular among Filipino users.

As the app gained more users globally, TikTok has become more than just a social media platform for viral trends.

In November last year, TikTok’s Regional Brand Partnership Head of Southeast Asia, David Gomez, announced that the app will develop new methods to support local businesses.

According to a survey commissioned by TikTok, from July 2021 to 2022, News and Entertainment grew by over 70 percent, while Beauty and Fashion and Baby and Parenting grew by over 57 percent and 53 percent in video views, respectively.

A separate commissioned survey also found that 91 percent of Filipinos come to TikTok to learn new things, from funny and entertaining content to the latest trends, while 73 percent came to discover new brands and products and create entertaining or even educational content around them.

In terms of shopping, another TikTok-commissioned study found that 93 percent of Filipinos discovered they were inspired by, or bought a product because they saw it on TikTok. This translated to an influence on viewers who are 1.4 times more likely to consider a brand because of content they have seen, while 4 out of 5 users made a purchase because of a review or recommendation on the platform.

Impact on PH politics

When the election season rolled in last year, TikTok became a crucial political propaganda battleground.

Throughout the election period, videos and hashtags related to the six most prominent presidential candidates —

 PAGE A7

For now, consumers, especially those who buy their own coverage through the ACA marketplace, are likely to continue to get no-cost preventive care in many plans, experts said.

That’s because most such plans run on the calendar year and enrollees have essentially signed contracts “which will cover those services through the end of the year,” said Jost.

Still, depending on the outcome of the appeals, over time each insurer will likely weigh the pros and cons of reinstituting such patient cost sharing.

They will start to make “business decisions to either continue to cover without cost or to impose cost sharing,” said Twinamatsiko at Georgetown.

In job-based plans, through which most insured Americans get their coverage, initial impact may also be muted.

Eighty percent of human resources directors said they would not restore cost sharing for preventive care, according to a recent nonscientific survey of 25 human resources directors at companies with a collective total of about 600,000 workers.

Doing so could upset employees, noted Paul Fronstin, director of health benefits research at the Employee Benefit Research Institute, which ran the survey. And fully covering enrollees’ preventive care, without requiring copayments, is relatively inexpensive. In a separate study, he found that even one of the more costly preventive care treatments — the nearly $14,000-a-year PrEP, to prevent HIV — adds only 0.4% to annual employer spending on health care. Even if an employer were to add a 20% copayment for the worker, it would reduce overall spending by less than one-tenth of 1%, according to the study.

Outside of a few employers that might want to restrict no-cost coverage on religious grounds for treatments like PrEP, James Gelfand said, he doubted many companies would reinstitute copayments. Gelfand is president of the ERISA Industry Committee, which represents large, selfinsured employers.

Services endorsed by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force were selected because they work and “can prevent more acute conditions later,” which are far more costly, said Gelfand.

While most of the task force’s recommendations are noncontroversial, a few have elicited an outcry from some employers, including the parties to the lawsuit, who argue they should not be forced to pay for services or treatments they disagree with, such as HIV-prevention drugs.

O’Connor’s ruling upheld the contention by plaintiff Braidwood Management, a Christian forprofit corporation owned by Steven Hotze, which objects to providing free PrEP to its 70 employees, saying it runs afoul of its religious beliefs to do so.

The judge agreed, saying that forcing Braidwood to provide such free care in its self-insured plan violates the Religious Freedom Restoration Act.

The ruling eliminating preventive coverage without cost sharing for PrEP on religious grounds shows “clear bias,” said Carl Schmid, executive director of the HIV+Hepatitis Policy Institute.

Some states have passed laws that will continue to require coverage of ACA-mandated preventive services even if the federal protections are eliminated.

At least 15 states have laws requiring insurers that sell individual plans to cover the preventive services that the ACA requires, according to an analysis by researchers at Georgetown’s Center on Health Insurance Reforms.

Like the ACA, those state laws mandate the coverage at no cost to consumers.

In some of the states, workers in group insurance plans regulated by the state — called “fully insured” plans — also receive those protections, the analysis found.

Those state laws do not apply to the 65% of covered workers nationwide whose employers pay their health care claims directly rather than buy insurance for that purpose.

Overall, preventive services can lead to better outcomes, said Lisa Lacasse, president of the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network.

Millions of people get screened for breast, colorectal, lung, or cervical cancer each year, she said, adding there is evidence showing any kind of copayment or deductible deters people from getting such testing.

Lacasse said she hopes insurers will continue not to charge copays because such a sharp change midyear would be disruptive, and that enrollees should keep going in for preventive care.

“If you have a screening, you should move forward with that,” she said.

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

Another deadly maritime accident

AS the country braces for heightened travel on all forms of mass transportation for the Holy Week break, tragedy struck an inter-island ferry in Mindanao. The death toll as of Thursday, March 30 from a ferry that was engulfed by fire beginning late Wednesday, March 29 in the waters off Basilan stood at 31, with at least seven more persons still missing.

Authorities have yet to determine the cause of the fire, which broke out before midnight on the MV Lady Mary Joy 3 and raged for eight hours until early Thursday 30 before being put out. The ferry had about 250 passengers and crew, most of whom managed to jump overboard and were rescued by personnel of the Navy, the Coast Guard and local fishermen.

Editorial

and four Coast Guard marshals who were not on the passenger manifest. Based on the manifest, however, the ferry, which had a capacity for about 400 passengers, was not overcrowded.

The ferry was on its way to Sulu’s capital Jolo from Zamboanga City when the fire broke out. When the burned vessel was towed to Basilan’s shore, a search showed 18 of the fatalities in the passenger cabin budget section. Authorities are still trying to determine if more people were on board but were not listed in the ship manifest – a common practice in the domestic shipping industry. The ship reportedly had a security contingent on board consisting of soldiers

Authorities have not ruled out any possible cause of the fire, including an accident, sabotage or even a terrorist attack, or whether the steel-hulled ferry was seaworthy. Over the years, ferries across the archipelago have caught fire due to poorly stowed cargo and engine trouble.

Because of the recent sinking of the refurbished 50-year-old motor tanker Princess Empress, however, whose massive oil spill has polluted vast swathes of waters around four provinces so far, suspicion is also focused on the seaworthiness of the 33-year-old Lady Mary Joy 3.

The country has seen a long string of maritime accidents, with the deadliest peacetime maritime disaster recorded in December 1987, when nearly 4,400 people died in the collision of the

ferry Doña Paz and oil tanker Vector off Mindoro. This latest accident in Basilan should give more urgency to preparations for safe travels with the start of the long Holy Week break. (Philstar.com)

TikTok and the US Congress

MOST recently TikTok

CEO Shou Zi Chew endured a bombardment of questions by U.S. lawmakers who made known their convictions on the app, best known for sharing jokes and dance routines (not to mention great cooking recipes), as a threat to U.S. national security as well as a danger to mental health. As explained by TikTok’s CEO, 150 million Americans use the platform – an app, as Chew says, is a place where people can be curious and creative. In addition, TikTok’s CEO also explained that close to five million businesses in America (mostly small businesses) use the app to fuel their growth and find new customers.

As a parent, it is surely important to keep our children safe from any type of online abuse and as TikTok continues to grow, this short-form video hosting service owned by the Chinese company ByteDance continues to look into the lessons that should be learned from other companies that have come before them, especially on the safety of children.

One of the fastest growing demographic on the platform are people under 35 and a lot of measures have been taken in terms of protection and security, such as family pairing tools where parents can participate in their children’s activities. Chew is fighting a ban in the U.S. and it seems the feedback from people who largely support the app understand how such a platform may indeed be a place where people can learn.

Not too long ago I had mentioned some insights

by George Siy, head of the Integrated Development Studies Institute (IDSI), who explained the importance of re-investing ourselves on the things that are truly essential. Having said this, TikTok’s CEO basically explains the same thing to the U.S. Congress by stating how their app has most recently launched a feed that exclusively features educational videos about STEM and that such videos on TikTok have reached over 116 billion views. It seems TikTok is inspiring, as Chew says, a new generation to discover a passion for math and science.

When it comes to national security concerns, Chew goes further in Congress by emphasizing that ByteDance is not owned or controlled by the Chinese government and that 60 percent of the company is owned by global institutional investors and 20 percent is owned by the founder and

another 20 percent is owned by employees around the world. The company has five board members, three of them being Americans.

What’s even more fascinating is that TikTok itself is not available in mainland China and is headquartered in Singapore and in Los Angeles with 7,000 employees in the U.S.. While TikTok’s approach is not meant to dismiss nor trivialize national security concerns, it has for the last two years done its part by building a firewall intended to protect U.S. data from unauthorized foreign access. The bottom line therefore, as explained by Chew, is their accountability for American data, stored on American soil by an American company, overseen by American personnel under an initiative called Project Texas (through Oracle headquartered in Texas), which is why U.S. TikTok data is stored by default

in Oracle service with the end game being all protected U.S. data to be under the protection of U.S. law and under the control of the U.S.-led security team, hence eliminating the notion of TikTok user data being subject to Chinese law. It seems to me that TikTok is boldly ensuring that their company is the only company that has gone to such tremendous lengths in terms of transparency and will not be manipulated by any government, which leads me to conclude that while Congress did not offer any counter evidence on the matter of TikTok, it could instead shift to more essential matters such as the collapse of two American tech-focused banks or their deteriorating educational system.

Back to us, the Philippines, and having seen this “standoff” in the U.S. Congress, one can’t

help but wonder about how much we are willing to put up with in the name of our own – country, health, people or education (among others). We really should continue asking ourselves where we see our country from now until the next five years perhaps, and how ready we are in benefiting from what is called a multipolar system.

TikTok seems to be figuring all this out as they continue to learn and expand their platform and, regardless of the possibility of getting banned, the numbers don’t lie in the areas of business and education. They are taking advantage of the essentials and maybe, it’s time we do the same. (Philstar.com)

* * *

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

Fighting fake news and disinformation: Some lessons learned

THE ruckus over the former first lady, Mrs. Imelda Marcos, being subjected to false reports about her passing led me to delve deeply into what various countries and media organizations are doing to fight the menace of fake news and disinformation.

I was pleasantly surprised to discover that some countries and organizations have made progress in combating fake news and disinformation effectively. Some have developed tools for controlling the problem. It's surely time for the Philippines to also learn more about this.

When I note how some of our legislators (senators and representatives alike) have flailed wildly to knock down the problem, I am persuaded that part of the problem may be a failure to understand the problem.

Experts suggest that instead of trying to legislate fake news out of existence and concocting schemes to censor and fence the internet and social media, it would be more productive to comprehend the nature of the internet and the proliferation of negativity online.

Internet likes negativity

Derek Thompson, a staff writer of the Atlantic, shared a striking insight about the internet in his newsletter on March 24, 2023. He wrote:

"Last week, I saw a new paper in the journal Nature Human Behavior called 'Negativity Drives Online News Consumption.' That seems bad, I thought. Naturally, I clicked.

"In a randomized study of 105,000 headlines and 370 million

impressions from a dataset of articles published by the online news dispensary Upworthy, researchers concluded that each negative word increased the click-through rate by more than 2 percent. 'The presence of positive words in a news

"Are you even remotely surprised by any of this? Probably not. Neither was New York University's Claire E. Robertson, a co-author of the paper. 'People have been saying 'If it bleeds, it leads' for decades,' she told me. But what does that actually mean?

Maybe substantively bad news naturally gets more attention, as it probably should. Or, maybe, even humdrum and unimportant stories can be juiced to attract eyes and ears if editors inject their headlines with a dose of sadness and catastrophe....

"[Upworthy's] database offers an unusually perfect opportunity to test the effect of headlines on audience behavior, because the site has made public the headline tests it ran for many news stories. 'Even controlling for the same news story, framing more negatively increases engagement,' Robertson said.

"Although blaming journalists and editors for this bias is easy, it's also too simple. After all, it's audiences who are reading— and watching, clicking, and subscribing to — all this stuff.

(An alternate media maxim might be 'If it bleeds, she reads.') Even public-service-minded editors and journalists may feel they need to shape their coverage to match the decisions and emotional dispositions of their consumers. Negativity is not, strictly speaking, a news-maker problem; it's a human problem — or, more to the point, a collective-action problem, in a dual-sided marketplace.

"Although news makes up a small fraction of online content, this is where negativity seems to have the biggest lift for traffic. Robertson said her research validated several other studies showing that people are 'especially likely' to consume political and economic news 'when it is negative.' Surprisingly, to both me and the researchers, the study did not find that anger increased clicks; instead, sadness seemed to drive traffic in the Upworthy data set. But other research has found that high-arousal emotions, such as outrage, are most likely to be shared by users.

"'There's evidence that the people who post and retweet are both in the minority of online users and tend to be more extreme than the average user,' Robertson said. 'When taking this into account, it's logical that high-arousal content is most often shared or posted, even when it's not what people are most interested in.'

"When you put it all together, the big picture looks like this: Online news is a weird and small subset of the internet, which is driven by an even weirder and smaller set of writers and posters, who have contributed to an ecosystem in which emotionality drives sharing and negativity drives clicks."

The relevance of this to the false report about Imelda Marcos' passing lies in this. The falsehood went viral not because, as some feared, of the recrudescence of Marcos hatred or demonization. More likely, netizens just clicked and shared the story because of its sheer negativity and sadness.

Definitions

It's also important to carry in our minds a working knowledge of the differences between

the buzzwords of the day: "fake news," "disinformation," "misinformation" and "deepfakes." The terms are part and parcel of the digital age we live in.

"Read before you retweet. Remind yourself that there are human beings in the picture," counsels Danielle Citron.

Sorting through the vast amount of information created and shared online is challenging even for experts.. The more aware you are of what false information is and how it spreads, the better you will be at avoiding it yourself.

Everyone has heard the term "fake news" — but do you know what it really means? Do you know the difference between misinformation and disinformation? Understanding the various ways that false information is shared, and the motives and appeal behind it, is important in avoiding and combating it.

Misinformation is "false information that is spread, regardless of whether there is intent to mislead."

Disinformation is "deliberately misleading or biased information; manipulated narrative or facts; propaganda."

Fake news is "purposefully crafted, sensational, emotionally charged, misleading or totally fabricated information that mimics the form of mainstream news."

Deepfakes are a new and particularly challenging type of audio, video or image disinformation, generally used in malicious ways. They have the potential to rapidly spread false words and actions to a global audience, and can be extremely difficult to distinguish from real content.

Merriam-Webster says: "The term 'deepfake' is typically used to refer to a video that has been edited using an algorithm to replace the person in the original video with someone else (especially a public figure) in a way that makes the video look authentic."

Forbes magazine has warned: "Deepfakes are going to wreak havoc on society. We are not prepared."

'Facts against fakes' Deutsche Presse Agentur (DPA), the German press agency, reports that there is in the continent a new website dedicated to tackling internet disinformation. DPA reported from Hamburg:

"A new fact-checking platform on the internet makes it easier for citizens to identify false claims and disinformation campaigns on the web. Under the title 'Facts against Fakes,' fact-checking organizations from Germany and Austria offer up-to-date articles on false information currently being circulated on the internet. This creates the largest freely accessible archive of fact checks in the German language. In addition, the site provides learning opportunities to promote media literacy among citizens, as well as many research articles. The new platform can be accessed under Fakten-gegen-Fakes.de and Gadmo.de or Gadmo.eu.

"The project brings together the largest grouping of factchecking teams and research units in German-speaking countries under the heading of the German-Austrian Digital Media Observatory (Gadmo). Its goal is the coordinated fight against disand misinformation.

"For the first time, the leading fact-checking organizations in Germany and Austria are working together: Deutsche

Presse-Agentur (DPA), Agence France-Press (AFP), Austria Presse Agentur (APA) and the independent research network Correctiv. The fact-checkers cooperate with experts from TU Dortmund University and the AIT Austrian Institute Of Technology. The Athens Technology Center is the partner in charge of all the technological aspects of the project. Gadmo is funded by the EU Commission for an initial two and a half years.

"Gadmo pursues among others the following goals:

"– Makes fact checks more accessible to the public and assembles them in a unified repository.

"– Identifies disinformation campaigns and investigates them scientifically.

"– Promotes media literacy in Austria and Germany.

"This German-Austrian cooperation will be part of the European Digital Media Observatory's network (EDMO). This EU-funded, independent coordinating body was launched in 2020 and aims to unite the forces of fact-checkers, researchers and other experts from all over Europe in the fight against disinformation. Including Gadmo, the network now consists of nine regional centers active in 17 European countries. Further centers will be launched in 2023. The project partners will be able to collaborate and conduct joint research across Europe using a common online platform." (ManilaTimes.net)

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

* * * yenobserver@gmail.com

Solon wants annulment led in churches, other religious sects

MANILA – A Senate bill is seeking the filing of wedding annulment pleas before the Church or any other religious sects.

As allowed by the state to solemnize marriages, it is only proper that annulment cases be filed before them, according to Senate Bill 2047 or the Church Decree Annulment Act.

Author Senator Robinhood

Padilla noted that since the Family Code of the Philippines provides that marriage may be solemnized by a priest, rabbi or minister of a church or religious sect, and registered with the Civil Registrar General, it is only rational for the same church or religious sect to have the power to rule on its nullity, "which ideally must take the same effect in the eyes of the State."

On Feb. 23, the House Committee on Population and Family Relations approved a similar bill filed by Tingog Partylist Representatives Jude Acidre and Yedda Marie Romualdez.

Acidre said if the bill becomes a law, a declaration of nullity (of marriage) decreed by the Church will hold as much weight and have the same effect as a civil annulment.

Padilla said his proposal will also solve the backlog cases and high cost of payment to free those trapped in unhealthy and

abusive relationships.

Under the measure, the status of children of marriages subject to the church annulment or dissolution decree shall be determined under the Family Code of the Philippines.

He explained that if the ground for church annulment or dissolution is not similar to any of the grounds in the Family Code, their common children born or conceived before the issuance of the church annulment decree shall be considered legitimate.

Under the bill, the spouses shall agree upon the partition and distribution of the properties, and custody and support of the common children. If no agreement is met, the Family Code's provisions shall be carried out. The church annulment decree shall be recorded in appropriate civil registries along with the agreement of the spouses within 30 days from the issuance of the church annulment decree.

After this, either of the former spouses may marry again.

Meanwhile, Padilla also filed Senate Bill 2048 or The Film and Live Events Recovery Act to remove amusement taxes and grant tax holidays to Filipinoowned local productions to recover from their losses during the pandemic. The bill exempts from

Ople rea rms Philippine government commitment to uphold migrant rights

amusement tax all locally produced creative materials whose copyright is owned by Filipinos and from local productions with at least 10 percent equity owned by Filipinos.

It also grants the film and music industries a tax holiday of two years and lowers the cap for amusement tax collection under the Local Government Code to five percent from the current 10 percent.

"Hence, it is imperative to give our film and music industries the necessary boost to thrive and recover from the pandemic and new challenges that cost them major losses while ensuring that the gains redound to local productions, thereby benefiting our people and economy," read the bill’s explanatory note.

He said none of the locally produced films in 2022 hit PHP10 million in gross sales, a result of the existing taxes requiring the films to gross 270 percent of production costs to just break even.

The bill exempts from payment of amusement taxes locally produced film productions, musical plays, operas, concerts, dramas, recitals, painting and art exhibitions, flower shows, musical programs, and literary and oratorical presentations. (PNA)

Sara rejects peace negotiations with Reds

MANILA — Vice President Sara Duterte warned the Marcos administration against the call of a progressive lawmaker to consider resuming peace negotiations with communist groups, saying it was doomed to fail.

In a statement issued on Thursday, March 30, the concurrent education secretary slammed House deputy minority leader and ACT Teachers party-list Rep. France Castro for her proposal to reopen peace negotiations between the government and the National Democratic Front (NDF).

“May I respectfully warn the Marcos administration not to fall into this trap,” she said.

“Castro’s assertion that the peace negotiations would address the root causes of the armed conflict was ludicrous. Instead, it would only give legitimacy to the absurdity of the terrorism perpetrated by the armed wing of the NDF, the NPA (New People’s Army). Negotiating with the NDF is always doomed to fail,” she added.

Duterte’s statement is the latest in her word war with ACT Teachers party-list and its affiliate organization, the Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT).

On Wednesday, March 29,

she challenged the groups to denounce recent NPA activities in Masbate, which forced some schools to suspend in-person classes and shift to distance learning.

Castro responded by saying that the incidents in Masbate are “indeed condemnable and an independent probe should be conducted by forensic experts and the Commission on Human Rights to see the real perpetrators of the gun firing near the schools.”

“These incidents also highlight the need for the resumption of the peace negotiations between the government of the Republic of the Philippines and NDF to address the root causes of the armed conflict,” she added.

The lawmaker maintained that it is Duterte who is diverting attention from crucial issues in the education sector.

“Our call for hiring 30,000 new teachers and constructing 50,000 new classrooms yearly, until 2028, to eradicate teacher and classroom shortages and improve education quality are perfectly legitimate and logical demands,” she said.

“In fact, the past two administrations were able to get near these targets as the Aquino administration hired an average of 29,166 teachers per year and even the administration of the current Vice President and concurrent DepEd secretary’s father was

able to hire 25,000 teachers per year,” added the lawmaker.

In her latest statement, the vice president accused Castro of attempting to “lawyer” for the NPA, claiming that she is “fake representative of learners, educators and other members of the education sector in Congress.”

“It was a tactic intended to cast doubts over the integrity of official reports that the sighting of elements of NPA in an area near a school in Barangay Locso-an, Placer town, triggered the Masbate fighting,” said Duterte.

Castro in her statement merely stated the need for an independent investigation to identify the real perpetrators of the reported gun firing near schools.

The ACT, meanwhile, scored the DepEd anew for the latest department order discouraging teachers from doing volunteer and community service work during work hours.

“How can discouraging teachers from rendering community service be ‘empowering’? The agency is not setting a good example here, as teachers, in fact, have a moral obligation to encourage and initiate community involvement and service, according to Article III of Republic Act 7836, Code of Ethics for Professional Teachers,” ACT chairperson Vladimer Quetua said. 

Government revises departure protocols after complaints vs immigration o cers

MANILA — Immigration procedures are undergoing revisions following complaints over the apparently overly strict implementation of departure protocols for travelers leaving the Philippines, the Department of Justice said on Thursday, March 30.

In a statement, the DOJ said the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking is "in the process of revising the departure formalities to better reflect current trends and plug the gaps that arose along the way."

IACAT, chaired by the DOJ, serves as the coordinating and monitoring mechanism on all anti-human trafficking efforts of the government.

Several travelers have complained on social media about missing their flights or being offloaded after fielding probing questions by Bureau of Immigration officers.

"Moreover, we are in coordination with the BI and other stakeholders to minimize the inconvenience caused by the departure formalities to

Filipino travelers," the DOJ said, adding that the "excessive or inappropriate behavior" of some immigration officers are being investigated.

According to a source familiar with procedures, immigration officers may ask follow-up questions when a travelers' circumstances — like not having enough pocket money or a visible source of income — raise suspicions. Those with acting working visas to a third country could also come under scrutiny, a source said.

Fight vs human trafficking

The DOJ, however, stressed that BI officers are tasked to protect Filipinos from human trafficking and other dangers.

"The departure formalities are only one of IACAT’s measures to combat human trafficking. It is an integral part of a holistic and multi-dimensional campaign that involves prevention, protection, prosecution, partnership and policy," it said.

The department noted that a recent scheme—recruitment of educated and well-traveled

MANILA -- The Philippine government is committed to uphold international statutes protecting the rights of migrant workers and extend special attention to female workers and their children.

In her closing remarks on Friday, March 31s at the 21st Session of the United Nations (UN) Committee on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of their Family in Geneva, Switzerland, Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) Secretary Susan Ople reaffirmed the country’s commitment and cited the government’s whole-ofgovernment approach to address the concerns of migrant workers and their families.

“We underscored throughout the past two days the Philippine government’s belief that migrant workers’ rights are human rights and that our State has both the obligation and privilege of caring for them, and for their families,” Ople said.

“At the time of their greatest need, we are there.”

The DMW chief assured the committee and its member-states that the Philippine government will continue to engage the civil society, uphold the rights of inbound migrants, and be conscious of the need to protect and shield families, especially children left behind, from the social costs of labor migration. She said the Philippine government’s focus on building a stronger and more robust economy will help address concerns over the growing number of women seeking employment abroad.

“You have also raised concerns on the feminization of migration, a concern that we share, and the reason why our whole-ofgovernment approach to building a stronger and more robust economy is focused on addressing this issue at its core,” she said.

Ople likewise pledged greater effort to inform the department’s stakeholders about the International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families (CMW) and its provisions.

The Philippine government will actively work to convince other UN member-states to ratify the CMW, she added.

Ople led a high-level delegation to the UN on Thursday, March 30

and Friday to present the status of the Philippine government’s compliance with the CMW.

Member-states that are signatories to the Convention are asked to appear every five years before the UN committee, composed of labor migration experts from various countries.

The Philippine delegation is co-chaired by Ambassador Evan Garcia, head of the Philippine Mission in Geneva; and Undersecretary Severo Catura, Executive Director of the Presidential Human Rights Committee Secretariat.

The Philippine delegation includes senior officials from the Department of Foreign Affairs, Department of Justice, Department of Health, Department of Social Welfare and Development, Philippine Statistics Authority, and Presidential Human Rights Committee Secretariat.

According to Ople, the two-day dialogue “gave us an opportunity to convey with pride our best practices – our milestones amid our many challenges – in ensuring that the welfare and security of our overseas migrant workers and their families are promoted, protected and fulfilled.”

In her opening remarks delivered at the start of the session on Thursday, Ople shared how Philippine government departments and agencies “work together as one -- in times of crisis -- to come to the aid of our overseas Filipino workers.”

She said the Philippine government’s dedication to migrant workers and their families are guided by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s statement during his State of the Nation Address (SONA) in July last year.

In his SONA, the President recognized the role of migrant workers in national development and assured them that their welfare and protection, including those of their families, are foremost in government’s priorities.

Ople cited examples of recent actions taken by the Philippine government, among them aid and relief assistance extended to migrant workers displaced by the COVID-19 (coronavirus disease 2019) pandemic, as well as natural calamities in their host countries.

She also said the Philippine government has allocated emergency funds for migrant workers in distress, extends

health care and other services for migrants and their families, and pursues an aggressive campaign against illegal recruitment and human trafficking.

“At times of crisis affecting our migrant workers and their families, we respond with a wholeof-government approach,” Ople said.

Bilateral agreements were also signed with Kuwait, United Arab Emirates, and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia extending greater protection for domestic workers.

“The Philippines will never cease to protect its OFWs, regardless of gender, status, and the skills they possess. We believe, not only as a government but as a democratic country, as a society, that migrant workers’ rights are human rights,” she said.

“Diminishing these rights, diminishes us all.” (PNA)

Filipinos who have the financial capacity for travel to work in call centers engaged in online scamming—poses a challenge to the implementation of departure formalities.

"The underlying problem here lies in the fact that for these new schemes, it is extremely difficult to distinguish regular passengers from potential victims of human trafficking. The main consideration of the department is not only stopping trafficking per se, but also lessening the victims of this heinous crime," the DOJ said.

"We are asking for the public’s consideration in bearing with the BI in its efforts to combat human trafficking," it added.

According to the DOJ, the BI deferred the departure of 6,788 out of 1,056,247 Filipinos who exited the country’s international airport. Of the figure, 57 were referred to IACAT as likely victims of human trafficking. The rest were deferred for other reasons such as incomplete, improper or misrepresented documents. (Phistar.com)

PH among most TikTok-crazed countries...

Robredo, Marcos, Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso, Manny Pacquiao, Panfilo Lacson, and Leody de Guzman became among the most watched content on the platform. However, historians and fact-checkers fear that TikTok could be a new means to spread disinformation that can evade scrutiny.

According to Tony La Viña, the lead convener of the Movement Against Disinformation, the platform’s feature to upload a 3-minute short is “exactly why TikTok has become relevant in the context of the 2022 elections, (where) the majority of the 2022 voters are the youth vote. [That] and the nature of short-form videos itself: one (false) video can destroy hours of your work in

terms of explaining something.”

Moreover, a study published by Internews in December 2021 on emerging social media platforms observed “misinformation and disinformation on TikTok videos, particularly on COVID-19 and the upcoming 2022 Philippine general elections, with fairly huge engagements, although it is difficult to discern how extensive the reach of such content is.” 

itation Page on our Vendor Portal at https://business.metro.net or for further information email Antonio Monreal at monrealan@ metro.net. 4/1/23

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Asian Journal WKND

Success story: Triple triumphs scored for client on Citizen Pinoy this

PATRICK was petitioned for a green card by his aunt as a cook for her restaurant.

Interestingly, not many people are aware that family members can petition other family members for an employment-based green card, provided it is a real job and the employer is earning enough to pay the worker’s salary.

Sunday

After establishing that the position at his aunt’s restaurant was a bona fide job, and after the aunt was able to provide additional evidence and documents, the Department of Labor approved the labor certification application, and eventually, the immigrant petition for

Gardo survives heart attack, undergoes angioplasty

procedure

By Jan Milo Severo Philstar.com

ACTOR Gardo Versoza survived a heart attack and is now recovering after he underwent an angioplasty procedure on Tuesday. March 28.

In a report by ABS-CBN News, Gardo’s wife Ivy Vicencio said that they did not know that the actor had a heart attack.

“Unusual ‘yung signs kaya hindi namin alam na heart attack. Kasi ang masakit sa kanya ‘yung likod, back pain at batok at ulo. So hindi talaga namin iniisip na inaatake na siya. After niyang sumakit ulo, nagsuka siya ng dalawang beses. After niya magsuka nagla-lock na ‘yung jaw niya, so ‘yun 8 p.m. (dinala ko na siya sa ospital),” Ivy said.

“After nun nakita sa ECG confirmed heart attack nga siya. ‘Yung isang ugat ginawa ay angioplasty. ‘Yung ginawa nila ay kritikal na kumbaga kung

nahuli kami ng oras pwedeng nawala na siya. Kaya mabilis ang pangyayari sa hospital na talagang wala silang sinayang na oras,” she added.

Ivy said that the actor will

Pokwang braces for legal battle vs ex Lee O’Brian, taps high profile lawyer

By HannaH Mallorca Inquirer.net

ACTRESS-COMEDIENNE Pokwang appeared to be taking her domestic woes with estranged partner Lee O’Brian to court over the custody of and child support for their daughter Malia, after she tapped a high-profile law firm to represent her.

Chang, who Pokwang met during the 2022 presidential campaign for former Vice President Leni Robredo.

“Thank you atty. @ralph_calinisan [emojis] #tuloylanglabanparasakinabukasan,” she began. “Hindi ako susuko para sayo anak @malia_obrian kung naitaguyod ko si ate ng mag isa, mas lalo ako magsisipag at magiging matapang para sayo at sa inyo ng ate mo,” said Pokwang on Instagram.

undergo another procedure in the next months.

“’

Yung isang ugat ay gagawin pa rin po after two to three months kasi hindi pwedeng

While she did not specifically disclose the case she would be filing, Pokwang was in fighting form when she appeared before the Calinisan Domingo and Beron law offices, where public interest lawyer Ralph Calinisan was a founding partner.

Calinisan is also the boyfriend of actress Dawn

(Thank you, Atty. Ralph Calinisan. The fight for our future continues. I am not going to give up for you, my daughter Malia. If I can raise my eldest daughter alone, I will continue to work hard and be courageous for you and your older sister.)

Actor Gardo Versoza and his wife Ivy Vicencio Photo from Instagram/@gardo_vesoza

alien worker was approved. Patrick was also able to apply for lawful permanent status and was able get his green card in the U.S. without having to return to the U.S. Embassy in Manila, and his green card was approved without an interview.

Watch this success story on a brand-new episode of “Citizen Pinoy” on Sunday, April 2 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)

Zaijian buys first car, fulfills promise for Lauren Dyogi

By Jan Milo Severo Philstar.com

ZAIJIAN Jaranilla fulfilled his promise to drive ABS-CBN Head of TV Productions Lauren Dyogi in his own car.

In his Instagram account, Lauren posted a video on Monday, March 27 wherein he was fetched by Zaijian from his office.

“Isang karangalang makisakay sa pinaghirapang sasakyan ng isang mahusay na batang artista. Last year, I was teasing Zaijian who was back then planning to get his own vehicle he could already drive to work. He promised he will let me ride his new car,” Lauren said.

“This week, promise fulfilled by him and am very honored and proud to share a ride with Zaijian who is destined to be

a very important actor of this generation. Congrats Zaijian @zaijianjaranilla1 for all your blessings in life! Cheers to more great roles and projects for you!” he added. In the video, Lauren said he’s proud of what Zaijian has achieved.

“Excited na’ko, matutupad na ang pangako sa akin. Sabi ko ipagdrive nya ko,” he said. Yun ang pangako nya sa akin nung una pa lang na pinaplano pa lang nya kung ano yung sasakyan nya,” he added.

Zaijian started his showbiz career as the lead star in the hit teleserye “May Bukas Pa” in 2019. Now 21 years old, he played Ding in the recently concluded “Darna” starring Jane De Leon, Joshua Garcia and Janella Salvador. g

Kim says he’s not afraid of death

By Jan Milo Severo Philstar.com

KAPUSO host Kim Atienza revealed that he is not afraid to die.

In his interview with Boy Abunda, Kim said that he is sure that he will go to heaven after he die.

Hindi na ko takot mamatay Boy. I can die today,” he said.

Kasi alam ko kung san ako pupunta. Alam kong pupunta ko sa langit,” he added.

Santa Clarita Valley Chamber of Commerce launches Asian Pacific Islander (API) business council

by aMryloiS Ferido AJPress

TOGETHERNESS is an important part of what makes the Filipino community continue to thrive. This can be seen in connections with each other, through family and friends, or even in the community building amongst businesses.

On March 23, the Santa Clarita Valley (SCV) Chamber of Commerce launched the Asian Pacific Islander (API) Business Council at the Seafood City located in Santa Clarita. In attendance were various members of the SCV Chamber of Commerce, different business leaders from the area, as well as Jennifer Avancena, the founding chair of the API Business Council, who spoke with attendees.

This new API Business Council for the Santa Clarita Valley, aims to strengthen and provide growth for API owned businesses within the area. This council will work towards identifying and addressing challenges faced by API-owned businesses within the Santa Clarita Valley by deploying resources that will aid their owners.

When asked by Boy why he is sure that he will go to heaven, Kim said: “Because I’ve accepted the Lord Jesus Christ.”

“I still sin but I repent all the time,” he added.

Kim said that he will go to heaven not because of his good acts but because he trusts the Lord.

“

Sigurado ko pupunta ko sa langit. Not because of what I’m doing or works, but I have faith

As a business owner herself, Avancena understands the struggles as well as the community building that happens when running and owning a business. Alongside her husband, she runs a catering company called Calajo Catering, which serves Filipino-inspired cuisine. She declared how she and her husband have been in the hospitality sector for over 20 years, making her qualified to head the business council with her immense experience.

After relaying her own experience that she’s gained through running her business, she additionally praised the SCV Chamber for the help they’ve given her throughout. “I can’t really thank the Chamber enough for all that they’ve done for our business. They’ve really helped us in our business, credibility, reputation, and our network,” she expressed, encouraging other business owners to build a connection with the Chamber as well.

The SCV Chamber of Commerce was founded in 1923 and is the largest business membership organization in the Santa Clarita Valley. They advocate, educate, and connect the business community within the area, making it a great way to help foster a growing business. The formation of the API Business Council is a way for the Chamber to focus specifically on the representation of Asians

in the community, which Avancena explained to attendees.  Avancena had noticed how there was representation for various ethnic groups and their businesses within the area, so she wanted to take that similar step forward for the API community.

“If you don’t know, Asians are the third largest demographic here in Santa Clarita,” she expressed. She added, “My point in doing this (creating the API Council) is what we’re doing now, getting to know each other,” emphasizing how her communication with the audience is already a form of connecting with one another, regardless if it is business related or not.

She highlighted how through this newlyformed council, she wants connect with the Asian entrepreneurs and business leaders in the community to provide support to them. In getting to know the Santa Clarita Valley Asian community and their businesses, the council aims to address the unique needs of the community in the area as well as what makes API businesses different from other businesses as a whole.  g

Gardo survives heart attack...

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pagsabayan dahil ganoon ka-kritikal ang lagay niya, na kapag pinagsabay ay hindi kakayanin ng katawan niya,” she said.

Gardo is still in the intensive care unit but now in stable condition.

“

Kailangan ng close monitoring kaya nasa ICU. Recovering na rin. Hinahabaol lang ng konti ‘yung salita, ang steps niya ay baby steps lang ganyan.

Nag-start na rin siyang mag-cardiac rehab,” she said. Kasi healthy siya, active siya. Pero ‘yun pala, awareness na rin sa mga tao na hindi ibig sabihin eh active eh healthy na sa tingin mo. Si Gardo naging extreme naman ang workout at biking niya kaya ang heart niya naman ang tinira. Kasi extreme lagi. So dapat talaga in moderation,” she added. g

Pokwang braces for legal battle vs...

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Pokwang also uploaded a photo of herself posing with Atty. Calinisan, and her daughters Malia and Ria, on her Instagram Stories.

“Thank you, Atty. @ralph_ calinisan lalaban tayo! Bansa ko ang [Pilipinas] so sino ang mag-aadjust? Para kay Malia di ako susuko t*h ka! Wooh! Ang saya sayaaaa,” she wrote on the photo. (Thank you, Atty. Ralph Calinisan. We will fight. The Philippines is my country so who will adjust? For Malia, I will not give up. I’m so happy.)

While the comedienne has

yet to reveal the details of their meet-up, it seems that she is aiming for a legal battle for custody against O’Brian, as seen in the comments of her post, where she responded to one of her supporters.

“File child support here [in the U.S because] he’s a US citizen,” one @susan_bq pointed out. O’Brian, who’s currently based in the Philippines, is noted to be a citizen of the U.S.

Pokwang responded, “Tamaaa!!!! (Correct!)”

Calinisan also uploaded the photo of their meet-up on his personal Instagram account,

which appeared to have occurred last March 17. “Alam na this. Salamat po ma’am,” he said in the caption. (You know this. Thank you, ma’am.)

Earlier this month, Pokwang became emotional after a Philippine Airlines flight attendant approached her to commend her for being a strong mother, during a trip to the U.S. She also revealed that there’s no stopping her from pushing back against O’Brian, noting that the latter never said sorry for his supposed wrongdoings against her and her children. g

Zaijian Jaranilla

Photo from Instagram/@zaijianjaranilla1

Kuya Kim Atienza Philstar.com photo

Leading U.S. Immigration Attorney Michael J. Gurfinkel (right) was able to earn triple victories for Patrick (left) on a brand-new episode of Citizen Pinoy.

Filipina American entrepreneur Jennifer Avencena is the founding chair of the Santa Clarita Valley Chamber of Commerce’s API Business Council.

Members of the Santa Clarita Valley Chamber of Commerce API Business Council gather at Seafood City in Santa Clarita.

Pokwang with Atty. Ralph Calinisan

Photo from Instagram/@itspokwang27

2nd annual Mayfest event is coming to City of Carson

CARSON, CA – Mayfest

2023 is happening at the Carson Civic Center on Sunday May 7, at 12:00 pm to 6:00 pm. There will be two stages of amazing performances, a car show, a fashion show, games, awards, prizes and other fun activities, and all members of the community are welcome to join this fun-filled, familyfriendly event. We will recognize caregivers, agencies and care providers who are exceptional leaders in care and whose services are valuable to the community. Admission to the event is FREE!

The Carson High School Marching Band, Spotlight

Awards Best Female Vocalist

Jane Provido, Amerasia

Awards Most Outstanding

Performer of the Year Caren Mempin, international R&B recording artist Honore and award-winning FilipinoAmerican rapper C-Tru who has collaborated with rappers DMX and Snoop Dogg are joining the lineup of new talents and some of the best performers in the community. The premier provider of alternative platforms for musical acts Wish USA is bringing their world-renowned bus to the event. Artists such as Wish USA DJ Morgan Ashley, R&B/Rap duo Zupanova that will be debuting their latest single in this event, indie rock singer/songwriters Melody Del Mundo and Robin Nievera, and award-winning Fil-Am rock band Introvoys will be performing at the Mayfest

Zupanova

indoor main stage and at the Wish USA Stopover Sessions outdoor stage. This event is brought to you by W Group Foundation and Mic Diaz Presents with the support of co-presentors Wish USA, Asian Journal and Paco’s Place and is sponsored by Remitly. This fundraiser event is for the Ca Care Association, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to enriching the lives of California’s most vulnerable residents in assisted living communities. They promote self-determined and personcentered home and community-

based programs to preserve, develop and enhance licensed adult and senior care.

To show our appreciation for caregivers, agencies, and care providers, who make incredible contributions to individuals and the community, we are asking you to donate to the efforts of Ca Care Association by donating at www.mayfest.care/donate!

“It is an honor for Ca Care Association to be the beneficiary of Mayfest 2023! Proceeds of the event will improve the delivery of care for individuals and increase the quality skills of direct care workers. Our organizers

Dingdong returns to primetime

GMA Network’s Kapuso Primetime King Dingdong Dantes is making his highly-anticipated comeback to the small screen in the upcoming series, “Royal Blood.”

From the creator of Widows’ Web, Ken de Leon and RJ Nuevas, the series is a murder mystery drama that promises to keep viewers at the edge of their seats night after night.

“Royal Blood” follows the story of Napoy (Dantes), a loving single father who struggles to provide for his daughter’s needs by working as a motorcycle rider. He is also the bastard son of a business tycoon.

Despite facing financial problems, Napoy is able to provide for his child with the help of friends and neighbors. However, chaos begins when his estranged father suddenly appears and wants to make amends with him.

As Napoy steps into the family of his wealthy father, he gets to know his half-siblings and discovers that being rich does not guarantee a perfect and happy life. Soon enough, things become more complicated when their father is murdered, and Napoy becomes the primary suspect.

Completing a star-studded cast for Royal Blood are Megan Young, Dion Ignacio, Mikael Daez, Lianne Valentin and Rhian Ramos. Miss Universe Philippines 2020 Rabiya Mateo is also part of the supporting cast in an introductory role, joining Benjie Paras, Arthur Solinap and veteran actor Tirso Cruz 3rd in a special role as Napoy’s father.

Directed by the prolific Dominic Zapata, GMA Network will announce Royal Blood’s premiere date very soon. (ManilaTimes. net)

will have entertainment and activities that include new talents, the best performers in the community, a car show, live music, dance performances and cultural or organizational talent demonstrations. WE ARE EXCITED TO SEE YOU THERE!!,” said Mark John M Alipio, Executive Director of Ca Care Association. For information about the Mayfest event, sponsorships and donations, please contact event organizers, Wallace Goodwin of W Foundation at (818) 4479374, and Mic Diaz of Mic Diaz Presents at (213) 677-9768. g

Kim says he’s not afraid...

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in Him and He died in the cross for me,” he said. If he will die tonight, Kim said that he will spend the remaining hours of his life with his loved ones.

Pupunta ko sa Misis ko, yayakapin ko, sasabihin kong

mahal ko siya. Kakausapin ko lahat ng anak ko na nasa America at sasabihin ko kung gaano ko sila kamahal,” he said. “Pupuntahan ko ang magulang ko, lahat ng tao na pwede kong sabihan na mahal na mahal ko sila, sasabihin ko sa kanila,” he added. g

Caren Mempin Honore

Introvoys

Nievera

Jane Provido C-Tru

Dingdong Dantes Photo from Instagram/@dongdantes

AJ removes breast implant

by Jan Milo Severo Philstar.com

ACTRESS AJ Raval has removed her breast implants.

In her Instagram account, AJ posted a photo of her holding the removed implants.

She only captioned the post with a heart emoji.

In December last year, AJ said that she wanted to undergo breast implant removal.

“I’m planning po, kasi last year, nagpa-enhance po ako ng boobs. Ayoko pong magsinungaling, natural na po sa akin ‘yun. Pero planning po ako na ipatanggal next year. Gusto ko pong magkaroon ng freedom sa sarili ko,” she told PEP.

”Before kasi, hindi naman ako nako-conscious sa boobs ko. Pero ever since na ipinalagay po, dun po ako nag-start na ma-conscious. Planning po ako next year na ipatanggal,” she added.

Last Valentine’s Day, AJ finally confirmed her relationship with Aljur Abrenica.

In a post on her Instagram account, AJ published a photo of her holding hands with Aljur on a beach.

“I’ll always give you all the love I have in my heart and love you unconditionally,” AJ wrote in the caption, ending it with a heart emoji. g

Heart reunites with ex-boyfriend Jericho

FORMER lovers Heart Evangelista and Jericho Rosales were reunited in an intimate gathering with other former Star Magic artists.

In her Instagram account, Heart posted photos of the reunion with Jericho, Bea Alonzo, Maja Salvador, Diether Ocampo, Piolo Pascual and Johnny Manahan.

“About last night,” Heart wrote in the caption.

“Growing up together was fun … seeing where life has taken all of us is pretty cool,” she added.

It can be recalled that Heart said then that Jericho was her “greatest love.”

Heart and Jericho broke up in 2008. The actress said then that her parents made her believe that the actor cheated on her with Malaysian actress Carmen Soo.

She, however, learned that Jericho did not really cheat on her.

Heart also said that her parents did not approve of Jericho because he already had a child from a previous relationship. (by Jan Milo Severo/Philstar. com)

Maja Salvador, Jericho Rosales, Heart Evangelista and Bea Alonzo

AJ Raval Photo from Instagram/@ajravsss

NoyPitz Owners at NoyPitz Las Vegas. L-R: Nestor Manahan, Larry Calonzo, Rey Perez and Col. Ding Vilela

Keeping stories of Filipino World War II veterans alive in White Sands

UNDER the banner of the Filipino Veterans Recognition and Education Project (FilVetREP), 25 Filipinos Americans from across the U.S., including a living World War II veteran, were among the more than 5,000 participants who converged in White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico on March 19 for the Bataan Memorial Death March (BMDM).

Six Filipino military personnel, representing the Philippine Department of National Defense, also joined the marchers who either ran or walked the 26.2 miles or 14.2 miles of rugged terrain of gravel and sand.

It was the third annual event attended by Senior Chief Petty Officer Remigio ‘Ray’ Cabacar, 95 (U.S. Navy Retired), of Ft. Washington, Md. who braved a cold Sunday morning to see the marchers off with high fives and fist bumps. He is one of only two living veterans in the Washington, D.C. area.

Considered one of the toughest of its kind in the U.S., BMDM honors the sacrifice of approximately 75,000 Filipino and American soldiers who endured the grueling 65-mile march to prison camps in April 1942. Of the estimated 10,000 who died during that ordeal, about 9,000 were Filipino soldiers.

The presence of Filipino Americans in this annual marathon, which was first held in 1989, has been significantly highlighted every year since 2017 when the Philippine Flag and the Philippine National Anthem were prominently displayed and sang at official ceremonies. The 2017 event was historic as it was also the 75th anniversary of the Bataan Death March.

At this year’s opening ceremony, WSMR Commander Brig. Gen. Eric Little reminded the marchers that “While you’re marching through the high desert this morning, likely into the afternoon, remember those who were forced to participate in a very different march 81 years ago, many to the death. When your feet hurt, knees, hips, whatever the body part think about them. Use that as fuel to reinforce your remembrance of these great heroes. We, everyone marching, really are privileged with the opportunity to honor their sacrifice today.”

Humbling and inspiring

A first-time marcher, Joe Garbanzos of San Diego, CA. says of his experience as a non-military participant: “I was humbled by the sacrifice made by veterans and their families, and inspired to see sprite living veterans in their 90’s braving the freezing desert morning to see the marchers off. I was also amazed to see inter-generational marchers – young men and women, X-gens, proudly marching in honor of their ‘lolos.’ It tugs one’s heart.”

Garbanzos, a FilVetREP board member, is a community advocate in healthcare and livable communities and AARP’s California State President.

Christy Poisot of Houston, Texas, granddaughter of World War II veteran and Bataan Death March survivor Francisco Panis,

When unwelcome or offensive conduct creates an illegal hostile work environment

Protecting Employee & Consumer Rights

Atty. C. Joe SAyAS, Jr

JANE Doe worked in the office of the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR). She and another CDCR employee who worked in the same location, Correctional Officer Luis Serna, became sexually involved. Serna recorded their sexual encounter at her home. He then disclosed the video to their coworkers, and eventually, to others outside of work. Jane Doe had not consented to the video’s disclosure.

Several months later, Jane Doe learned about the video’s distribution. She complained to prison officials about it and told them that she was experiencing sexual harassment because of the video disclosure. Jane Doe eventually sued the CDCR and several officers for sexual harassment.

A few months later, she resigned from CDCR. Three months after her resignation, CDCR issued a finding that the distribution of the video constituted sexual harassment.

A classic example would be the boss who threatens to fire an employee if the employee refuses to have sex with him or her.

The second type involves harassment resulting from a “hostile work environment.”

California law “declares that harassment creates a hostile, offensive, oppressive, or intimidating work environment and deprives victims of their statutory right to work in a place free of discrimination when the harassing conduct sufficiently

threats of violence against safety and well-being). Courts use both an objective and subjective “reasonable person standard” when determining whether a hostile work environment exists.

The CDCR argued that the circulation of the video involving Jane Doe was not workplace harassment and it was neither severe nor pervasive.

However, California law states that “A single incident of harassing conduct is sufficient to create a triable issue regarding the existence of a hostile work environment if the harassing conduct has unreasonably interfered with the plaintiff’s work performance or created an intimidating, hostile, or offensive working environment.”

The case went to trial.

The Daily Journal reports that the jury found in favor of the employee’s claims of sexual harassment in the workplace, failure to prevent harassment, and gender discrimination. They awarded her $650,000 in emotional distress damages, $59,555 for lost wages, and $1,327,270 in costs and attorneys’ fees.

has been marching in White Sands for six times now. “I am involved with FilVetREP because I was in search of myself and how my grandfather’s story of survival was never really told,” she says.

“Our participation in a major national event like this helps create greater awareness of these stories which, some veterans tell me, are never meant to be told.”

Poisot is National Vice President of the Filipino American National Historical Society and FilVetREP Regional Director. Congressional Gold Medal ceremony

Since 2018, FilVetREP’s education project and a Congressional Gold Medal ceremony have been part of BMDM’s official activities, held at the Las Cruces Convention Center. This year, more than a hundred people saw a presentation of FilVetREP’s online education program, “Duty to Country,” and witnessed the awarding of the Congressional Gold Medal to six recipients.

The two living veterans honored were 97-year-old Lt. Nino A. Sylmar, who served in the Recognized Guerrilla Forces and a Bataan Death March prisoner of war; and Lt. George Bach, 96, a platoon leader in the Philippine Scout Detachment, Army Forces Western Pacific.

The other awardees include:

Staff Sergeant Harley Shaw (deceased), a U.S. enlisted soldier in the 200th Coastal Artillery Regiment and a Bataan Death March survivor. Her great niece, Deborah Apgar, accepted the award. Technical

Sergeant Geronimo Secretario (deceased) served as a mess sergeant serving the 45th and 57th Infantry Regiment of the Philippine Scouts, a Bataan Death March survivor, and a member of the Recognized Guerrilla forces. His son Magdelino Secretario Sr. accepted the award. Sergeant Rafael Pamintuan

(deceased) was with the 554th Ordinance Medium Automotive Maintenance Company of the Philippine Scouts. His son, Rafael Pamintuan, Jr., accepted his award. Private Emilio Y. Alzona (deceased) served under the 24th Field Artillery Regiment of the Philippine Scouts and a Bataan Death March survivor. His niece, Cezarina C. Alzona, accepted his award.

The award ceremony was the 102nd since that epic day of October 25, 2017, when Congress formally recognized the more than 260,000 soldiers who served under the U.S. flag. It was also the third award ceremony in Las Cruces. In 2018 and 2019, FilVetREP honored seven living World War II veterans and 32 descendants with the medal. More than 3,000 medals have been awarded so far.

In his remarks, FilVetREP Chairman Maj. Gen. Antonio Taguba (ret) noted that, although it took nearly 75 years to secure U.S. recognition for the 260,000 men and women who served, “this moment will be long remembered and eternally enshrined in our minds and historical record.” The law’s passage, he added, “finally recognized their wartime accomplishments, restored their honor and dignity, and claimed their right to be called veterans.”

Reynaldo B. Mapagu, Philippine Veterans Affairs Office (PVAO) Administrator, who led a delegation of Department of National Defense officials, also spoke at the CGM ceremony. He noted that only 1,367 veterans are still alive today. To date, PVAO has conducted 23 awarding ceremonies in various parts of the Philippines. Of the total 666 awardees, 319 are living veterans.

“We will continue to find ways to ensure that the benefits that our veterans deserve are more accessible and more responsive to their needs while they are still with us,” Mapagu said.

The next mission FilVetREP’s next mission, Taguba asserted, is to have Congress rescind the Rescission Acts of 1946, that denied veterans their status of active service and deprived them of rightful benefits. “FilVetREP is launching a national repeal campaign to close a dark chapter in U.S. history that has created a lifetime of indignation and injustice that still lingers to this day. They accomplished their mission. We must now accomplish ours,” Taguba said.

FilVetREP is also supporting a campaign to honor Telesforo Dela Cruz Trinidad, the only Filipino in the U.S. Navy to be awarded the Medal of Honor for his bravery in 1915 aboard USS San Diego. The U.S. Navy has already approved naming a ship after Trinidad and funding its construction. Once completed in the Fall of 2026, it will become part of the active Navy Fleet. Col. Nonie Cabana, USAF (Ret), a FilVetREP board member and Founder/President/ CEO of the USS Telesforo Trinidad Commissioning Committee, said the commissioning ceremony will be held in San Diego, CA. in 2028.

(FilVetREP Release)

In her lawsuit, Jane Doe alleged that the actions of Serna and other CDCR officers constituted sexual harassment in the workplace. She claimed that the events caused her to suffer emotional distress, leading to her resignation. She was so traumatized by what happened that she continues to need mental health treatment.

Courts recognize two types of sexual harassment. The first type is called quid pro quo harassment. This harassment exists when submission to a sexual conduct is made a condition of employment benefits such as a promotion, a pay increase, or a job itself.

offends, humiliates, distresses, or intrudes upon its victim, so as to disrupt the victim’s emotional tranquility in the workplace, affect the victim’s ability to perform the job as usual, or otherwise interfere with and undermine the victim’s personal sense of well-being.” California law follows the standard set forth by Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg who wrote “. . . that the harassment so altered working conditions as to make it more difficult to do the job.”

Courts have ruled that to prevail in a hostile work environment lawsuit, the employee must prove that the unwelcome or offensive conduct was either pervasive (meaning, not an isolated incident) or severe (e.g.

* * * 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 Law Offices of C. Joe Sayas, Jr. welcomes inquiries about this topic. All inquiries are confidential and at nocost. You can contact the office at (818) 291-0088 or visit www.joesayaslaw. com. [For more than 25 years, C. Joe Sayas, Jr., Esq. successfully recovered wages and other monetary damages for thousands of employees and consumers. He was named Top Labor & Employment Attorney in California by the Daily Journal, consistently selected as Super Lawyer by the Los Angeles Magazine, and is a past Presidential Awardee for Outstanding Filipino Overseas.]

(Advertising Supplement)

However, California law states that “A single incident of harassing conduct is sufficient to create a triable issue regarding the existence of a hostile work environment if the harassing conduct has unreasonably interfered with the plaintiff’s work performance or created an intimidating, hostile, or offensive working environment.”

Members of the Philippine delegation prepare to run the 26-mile marathon.

Joe Garbanzos (left) is complimented with a high five upon finishing 14.2 miles at the Bataan Memorial Death March in White Sands, New Mexico. BMDM

FilVetREP’s Jon Melegrito (left) walks with two other sons of Bataan Death March survivors, Jack Duresky and Dave Britt. They are among the last to reach the finish line, taking them almost 8 hours to complete 14.2 miles. Photo by

(seated).

Recipients of the Congressional Gold Medal and their families, FilVetREP leaders and White Sands Missile Range officers pose for a group picture after the awarding ceremony.

FilVetREPphotos

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

Barrister’s Corner

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

Under Family Code Section 2320, a judgment of marriage dissolution (divorce) may not be entered unless one of the spouses has been a “resident” of California for six months and of the county where the proceeding is filed for three months immediately preceding the filing of the petition. This poses a problem for divorcing couples that has not resided in California for at least 6 months.

Couples that moved to California from other states or other countries are faced with this problem because they cannot get divorced until they satisfy the residency requirements. Even a bigger problem is when they need immediate temporary orders from the California Court regarding child custody, child support, management and control of community businesses and property.

The solution for this type of problem is filing nullity or legal separation petition rather than

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

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

Once the parties have satisfied the residency requirements, the Petition may be amended from legal separation to Dissolution without permission from the

Jeremy G reflects on ‘rollercoaster’ music career

by Bot Glorioso Philstar.com

clue. So, nakakatuwa the kind of guesses I see on social media,” he enthused.

Court as long as notice is provided the opposing party under Marriage of Dick. The Petitioner would also be in a safer position if the intent to amend from legal separation/ nullity to a divorce is stated in the initial Petition.

* * *

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

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

JEREMY G is beaming with contentment. And why shouldn’t he? Aside from being a singer, he is now also a songwriter and a host. He, too, moonlights as an actor.

To be able to showcase his other talents is something the Star Music artist never thought would ever happen when he entered the music scene six years ago.

“It surprises me every single day that aside from singing and songwriting, I am being blessed with shows like on Pie Channel, I host for Pak na Pak! Palong Follow, and then, I’m part of The Voice Kids DigiTV and ASAP,” said Jeremy about the opportunities given by ABSCBN.

“So, it’s overwhelming and I feel humbled by the trust given to me by ABS(-CBN) and it just makes me want to become better in all these aspects because if it wasn’t for them giving the opportunity to do hosting, I wouldn’t find my love to actually become a host.”

The hosting duty also allows Jeremy to exchange stories with other artists about their craft “like I do when I’m in ASAP, so, I’m also learning through that.”

That’s why, Jeremy is grateful to ABS-CBN for opening new doors for him. “And I just hope for more blessings in the future.”

Speaking of blessings, Jeremy has a new single titled BINI,

released under Star Music. It is a new dance-pop ditty that expresses the difficulty of finding the right words to say to someone special.

“The song is basically about that one dream girl that you think she’s beautiful yet you feel so shy to approach her,” explained Jeremy of the song.

“I feel like listeners would vibe to the song, along with feeling like they’re falling in love while listening,” he added.

What’s more interesting is the fact that Jeremy composed BINI with ABS-CBN Music creative director Jonathan Manalo and Star Pop label head Rox Santos.

Jeremy drew inspiration from his own personal experience to come up with a song that expresses the real feelings of a guy.

“I must admit there’s an inspiration for this song,” he beamed. “There’s a person that I wrote this to. But for me, if that person would want to know if the song is about her, I would gladly tell her. Although if you ask me who, well, I would just like to keep it to myself. In terms of disclosing who this song is specifically for, it’s just between me and that person, hahahaha.”

His ideal girl, Jeremy shared, is someone who has a sense of humor and the type whom he can talk to for hours without getting bored.

“I’m sure you know that feeling. No matter how long you talk to this person, it won’t feel long enough because you love being with the person.”

But Jeremy is still mum about the one girl to whom he is dedicating BINI. In fact, he is aware of how netizens have been trying to guess the identity of the girl.

“Nakakatuwa and at the same time, it’s funny seeing how many people are making (wild) guesses. Some people are even thinking that the letter ‘S’ on the art cover is a clue while others say that the outline itself is the

Jeremy first became popular during his stint in the first season of The Voice Teens Philippines where he became a grand finalist under coach Sharon Cuneta’s team. His debut single Sa ‘Yo, released in 2019, was named the Best R&B Recording at the 33rd Awit Awards. He also had a collaboration with Kyle Echarri for Kahit Na Masungit that won the Second Best Song award at the 11th Himig Handog.

Asked to describe his journey in the music industry, The Voice Teens alum replied, “I would say (it’s a) rollercoaster because I never know where music is gonna take me.

“Let’s say, if you told me two years ago that I’d be writing my own music, I’d be completing an album, I’d be recording with various artists like Bini and BGYO, I wouldn’t believe it.

“But with the help of Star Music, with the guidance of Sir Jonathan Manalo, Sir Rox Santos and trust from Sir Roxy Liquigan, sobrang thankful ako na it’s overwhelming in a good way because I never thought that I (would) be able to explore this aspect of music.

“I thought I was just going to be a singer and just sing the songs that they will give me, but instead, I’m writing the songs I’m going to sing and I’m starting to write for other artists as well. So, sobrang nakakatuwa.

In a humble tone, Jeremy happily expressed how he has become “hands-on” with his music. “In the past six years, I know you can feel or you can tell whenever you listen to my songs the difference in my approach (as) compared to my style before. You can tell that I’ve matured, well, hindi naman ako ganun katanda but I can say that I’ve learned a lot about music kaya mas hands-on na ko at mas may depth na (ang kanta).”

Last year, Jeremy was able to release 13 singles and composed several songs for series soundtracks, including My Time for The Idol Philippines Season 2. He, too, portrayed the character Stevie in the iWantTFC series Lyric and Beat and composed its theme song with Jonathan.

Jeremy is hoping that he gets to collaborate with KZ Tandingan and Jason Dy in the coming days.

“Of course, it’s really an honor for me to collaborate with other singers like the Icons who I get to be with on the same stage in ASAP. On top of my head is KZ because I feel like her passion in music and my passion would create something beautiful.

“The other one is Jason Dy. We were just talking that we should start writing some stuff soon. BGYO, as well. I helped in sound engineering some of their tracks in their albums,” he shared. g

Jeremy G has just released his new single titled BINI under Star Music. ABS-CBN