040222 - Los Angeles Weekend Edition

APRIL 2-5, 2022 Volume 32 - No. 26 • 2 Sections – 16 Pages

‘Our Guiding Star’: Cultural gateway DATELINE USA Two Filipinos attacked installed in LA’s Historic Filipinotown in NYC as community FROM THE AJPRESS NEWS TEAM ACROSS AMERICA

leaders stage #FilipinosRiseUp rally

TWO Filipinos in New York City were added to the growing list of community members who have been victims of brutal, unprovoked attacks. Both incidents happened in midtown Manhattan a few blocks from each other.

On Sunday, March 27, a 73-yearold Filipino was reported to have been assaulted by a homeless individual while on his way to church between 8th Avenue and 40th Street in Manhattan. The following morning, a 53-year-old Filipino was beaten unconscious and robbed by another homeless individual at a McDonald’s store on 7th Avenue near 34th Street.

According to a Daily News report, the man assaulted inside McDonald’s identified as Melvin Dizon pleaded for help from the

by AJPRESS

THE next time you drive through Los Angeles’ Historic Filipinotown, there’s a new landmark to see as the long-awaited gateway was installed on Friday, April 1.

The eastern entrance of Beverly Boulevard is now home to the Historic Filipinotown Eastern Gateway,

Fil-Am Nani Coloretti makes history in Biden’s administration

by MOMAR

CELESTINO Gonzales Almeda, a prominent leader of the Filipino World War II veterans’ fight for U.S. government recognition, died at 104 on March 27 in Gaithersburg, Maryland.

Almeda, born on June 8, 1917 in Biñan, Laguna, Philippines, fought against the Japanese during their occupation of the Philippines in 1941. He retired as a 2nd Lieutenant in the recognized guerrilla forces of the U.S. Armed Forces in the far East (USAFFE) commanded by General Douglas MacArthur.

Retired Maj. Gen. Antonio Taguba of the Filipino Veterans Recognition and Education Project, wrote of Almeda: “He is the embodiment of Patriotism and Duty to County. He survived the battles in WWII. He and his fellow veterans want to be remembered simply for the honor and privilege to serve for their Duty to Country.”

Almeda survived the horrific battles in World War II as one of the 260,000 Filipinos and Americans who fought under the American flag from Dec 1941 to September

G. VISAYA

AJPress

 PAGE A5

Filipino WWII veterans leader Celestino Almeda dies at 104

Among the symbols include the parol (starshaped lantern associated with Christmastime), the gumamela flower also known as hibiscus, which pays tribute to frontline workers; and the sarimanok (a legendary bird in Maranao art that symbolizes good fortune).

The construction has a price tag of $587,000, according to a previous report from the Asian  PAGE A2

officially named “Talang Gabay: Our Guiding Star.”

Standing 30 feet high and spanning 82 feet wide, the gateway features the work of Filipino artists Eliseo Art Silva and Celestino Geronimo, Jr. Blocks from the gateway is Silva’s “Gintong Kasaysayan” mural in Unidad Park.

The gateway has design elements that illustrate Filipino culture and its roots in Historic Filipinotown.

GUIDING STAR INTO HIFI. The highly-anticipated gateway marking the entrance of Los Angeles’ Historic Filipinotown was installed on Friday, April 1. The Historic Filipinotown Eastern Gateway Project, named “Talang Gabay: Our Guiding Star,” which began construction in 2021 along the eastern entrance of Beverly Boulevard, will be publicly unveiled in during a community event in May 2022 to mark Asian Pacific American Heritage Month. Designed by Filipino artists Eliseo Art Silva — whose work includes the “Gintong Kasaysayan” mural in HiFi’s Unidad Park — and Celestino Geronimo, Jr., the gateway has design elements giving a nod to Filipino culture and its roots in Historic Filipinotown.

Photo courtesy of LA Board of Public Works Commissioner Jessica Caloza

NANI Coloretti is now the highest ranking Filipino American in the Biden Administration as the U.S. Senate voted Tuesday, March 29 to confirm her nomination as deputy director of the Office of Management and Budget.

“Nani will bring strong leadership experience and the ability to inspire the next generation of Filipino American leaders in Hawaii and across the country,” said Sen. Brian Schatz of Hawaii. “I am proud to call Nani a friend, and I look forward to continuing to work with her in her new role at OMB.” Sen. Schatz was one of the 57 senators who voted to confirm Coloretti.

The Office of Management and Budget works with federal agencies to oversee the execution of spending programs approved by Congress.

 PAGE A2

Bongbong Marcos courts votes of OFWs

by CATHERINE

S. VALENTE ManilaTimes.net

SURVEY frontrunner Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. on Friday courted millions of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) from 35 different countries ahead of the May 9, 2022 elections.

At the miting de avance at the Resorts World Manila in Pasay City, Marcos met some OFWs who work or now live overseas.

Those who were not physically present at the gathering joined via Zoom.

"For the first time in the country's political history, there will be a large-scale and comprehensive miting de avance for OFWs initiated by a presidential poll leader," Thompson Lantion, secretary

general of the Partido Federal ng Pilipinas (PFP), said.

Saidah Tabao Pukunum, chairman of PFP-OFW International Affairs, said there are 10 million Filipinos living or working abroad.

Of this number, 1.7 million are registered voters who will be part of the absentee voting from April 10 to May 9, Election Day. Overseas voters may only vote for national candidates, namely president, vice president, 12 senators and a party-list group.

They will vote either by mailing or Consul General Elmer G. Cato (fourth from left) and Mrs. Melinda Cato in the booth of the personally casting their ballot at 93 Philippine Department of Tourism at the New York Travel and Adventure Show, with Ms. Luz Alquisola, Francisco Lardizabal, Joey Chanco and Goldwyn Salazar Philippine diplomatic posts overseas.  PAGE A2

‘The Philippines is Open!’: Gary V joins over 100 Robredo supporters Tourism officials, travel advisors for pink caravan in LA’s Historic Filipinotown optimistic about tourist arrivals  PAGE A5

by AJPRESS A WAVE of pink descended upon Los Angeles’ Historic Filipinotown on Sunday, March 27 as Filipino American supporters of Vice President Leni Robredo and Senator Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan rallied together for a pink caravan to show their support for the tandem’s bid for the top two posts in the upcoming Philippine election.

Dubbed the “Kulay ng Rosas Filipino American supporters for Robredo-Pangilinan pose for a group photo in Historic Filipinotown’s Unidad Park on Sunday, March 27 Karavan at Lugawan” event, following a pink caravan.

Photo courtesy of Global Filipinos for Leni  PAGE A5

by MOMAR

G. VISAYA

AJPress

AFTER more than two years since the March 2020 lockdown due to the pandemic, travel professionals are optimistic that with the lifting of COVID-19 restrictions around the world, more people will be traveling in the coming months.

At the New York Travel and Adventure Show at the Jacob Javits Convention Center over the weekend, prospective travelers had a chance to see promotions from airlines, hotels, cruise

companies, and travel agencies.

“The Philippines has been ready to accept tourists even before we open our borders,” said Tourism Attache Francisco Lardizabal. “There are no quarantines and testing upon arrival although we still have rules and regulations for health and safety put in place by the local and national government.”

Currently, only fully vaccinated foreign leisure travelers from visa-free countries are allowed to enter the Philippines.

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FROM THE FRONT PAGE

‘Our Guiding Star’: Cultural...

PAGE A1 Journal.

“This project has been a labor of love by so many people in Historic Filipinotown. This beautiful, historic landmark will be a source of pride for the Filipino community, and will rightfully celebrate this vibrant neighborhood and the incredible contributions Filipino Americans make to the City of Los Angeles,” Councilmember O’Farrell, who represents HiFi, said last February.

In 2018, through a Council motion, O’Farrell committed an initial $152,000 for the Eastern Gateway Project and then identified additional funding for the completion of the landmark.

With full funding finally secured, the community and local

organizations helped guide the process which led to design renderings that were released in June 2020. Construction began in March 2021.

“The key to building and enhancing the beautiful neighborhood we all know as Historic Filipinotown has always been community. The community has long advocated for more visibility and was committed to bringing the Eastern Gateway to life,” said LA Board of Public Works Commissioner Jessica Caloza, who played a leading role in the project.

A public community event highlighting the gateway is slated to be scheduled in May in time for Asian Pacific American Heritage Month.

“Our community finally had a ‘win’ in 2002, when the City Council, under the leadership of then-Councilmember Eric Garcetti, officially designated a 2.5 square mile area just west of downtown Los Angeles as Historic Filipinotown,” said Joselyn Geaga-Rosenthal, community leader and Building and Safety Commissioner with the City of Los Angeles. “20 years later, we have another win: a majestic Eastern Gateway to Historic Filipinotown will rise on Beverly Boulevard! This was hard won - the result of 40 years of community advocacy getting key champions along the way, including this chapter today, from the City of Los Angeles and Councilmember Mitch O’Farrell.” n

Fil-Am Nani Coloretti makes history in...

PAGE A1

According to Schatz, OMB is the largest office within the office of the president, “overseeing the implementation of the president’s vision across the Executive Branch. OMB also manages department and agency organization, the regulatory process, and ensures that funds appropriated by Congress are properly spent.”

Coloretti has led public, private and non-profit organizations to achieve outstanding results, with a focus on increasing opportunity for all. She was a Senior Vice President at the Urban Institute, an independent policy research organization and think tank dedicated to using evidence, insight, and analysis to advance upward mobility, equity, and shared prosperity all Americans.

Coloretti’s federal government service includes deputy secretary of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), Assistant Secretary for Management and Acting CFO of U.S. Department of the Treasury, and Acting COO of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.

Before joining the Obama Administration in 2009, she served as Policy and Budget Director for San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom. Her prior experience includes work in San Francisco to improve the lives of children, youth, and families; program examiner and Presidential Management Fellow in the Office of Management and Budget and work on the State of Hawaii budget.

Ms. Coloretti currently serves as an independent director on the board of the Bank of the West. She is a fellow of the National Academy of Public Administration, Strategic Advisor to Government Executives with the Partnership for Public Services, and has been independently recognized for innovation and leadership, receiving the UC Berkeley Goldman

Nani Coloretti

School of Public Policy Special Award for Policy Innovation, the Public Policy and International Affairs (PPIA) Alumni Achievement Award and the National Public Service award.

She holds a BA in economics and communications from the University of Pennsylvania and an MPP from the University of California, Berkeley. She was raised in Hawaii and currently lives in Bethesda, Maryland with her husband and together they have a son in college. g

Officers of Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) New York led by (from left) current chair Joebert Opulencia and immediate past chair Elizabeth Chin with an unidentified guest and Vic Suarez of Philippine Airlines

‘The Philippines is Open!’: Tourism officials...

PAGE A1

Lardizabal said that starting April 1, the Philippines will be open to foreign tourists as the Department of Tourism has talked with various local government units across the country to make inter-regional and intra-regional travel easier.

The country’s partial reopening that began in February has recorded more than 100,000 tourist arrivals with the United States clocking in the highest number, followed by Canada, the United Kingdom, South Korea, and Australia.

“We are happy to see the gradual reopening of our borders finally bearing fruit as evidenced by the much higher foreign visitor arrivals,” Tourism Secretary Berna Romulo-Puyat said in a report. “This will help safeguard the industry’s revival, providing more jobs and livelihoods to Filipinos in the tourism sector.

In a previous Kapihan with the Fil-Am Press Club of New York, Puyat talked about the high vaccination rate of tourism workers and the country’s compliance with global safety and hygiene protocols. DOT officials are hoping that the current low Covid-19 cases and simplified entry requirements would help boost tourist arrivals to revive the sector that was among the worst hit by the pandemic.

According to the Philippine Statistics Authority. the tourism industry’s contribution to the Philippines’ gross domestic product in 2019 was at 12.7 percent.

In his talk at the travel show, Alvin Adriano of Travelwise talked about how foreign tourists help contribute to the growth of the country’s economy, asking future travelers to consider traveling to countries where they could provide more impact.

“The Philippines is a thirdworld country so your tourism dollars that you spend there will go a long way and change its economic outlook,” Adriano said. “Or you can go to places like Paris, which has 26 million visitors. But how much are you helping? How much are you contributing to over-tourism?”

Tips from Travel Advisors “The thing to keep in mind is to always be mindful of your destination’s current situation because that can change

overnight,” shared Elizabeth Chin, former chair of the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) New York. “Some borders still remain close, so that’s one of the reasons why it’s so important to keep in touch with a Travel Advisor because if you booked on your own, you are on your own.”

Joebert Opulencia, the current chair of PATA, is hopeful that more people will be traveling this year because they were not able to do so in the past two years.

“It’s been a long two years for everyone to be at home or you know working from home. The only thing I would say is go to where your heart takes you,” he said.

He also echoed Chin’s tip about working with travel advisors.

“They are the people that can create ideal travel plans for you. They are your source of information. If you don’t get them or if you don’t approach them, then you’re on your own,” Opulencia said. “There is industry information out there available only to travel advisors that are not on websites so take advantage of that.”

Chin talked about the pent-up demand of travelers after two years.

“Many people have accumulated wealth, big or small. There wasn’t much spending to do so aside from the pent-up demand, people have money now to spend,” she said.

“So go out and spend, and go out and travel.”

Opulencia also talked about insurance requirements, particularly medical insurance with a $35,000 coverage requirement for foreign tourists visiting the Philippines.

“Insurance is very important, it

is essential. In the end, this would save you money if emergencies happen, like trip cancellation or if you need to extend your travel because you tested positive. The insurance pays for all of that,” he explained.

Flight Updates The country’s flag carrier, Philippine Airlines, joined the Department of Tourism in the travel show.

Vic Suarez, PAL’s area manager, provided updates about the flights from New York.

PAL currently flies three times weekly, every Tuesday Thursday, and Saturday from JFK Airport.

“Our New York JFK to Manila (PR 127) is temporarily being rerouted to avoid flying through Russian airspace for now,” Suarez shared. “We are taking this precautionary measure in view of airspace closure concerns related to the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict.”

JFK-Manila and TorontoManila flights need to stop over briefly in Vancouver for a one-hour refueling stop before proceeding to Manila.

The eastbound flights from Manila (PR 126 and PR 118) will continue to operate nonstop Manila to New York JFK, and nonstop Manila to Toronto because these flights do not overfly Russian territory.

“If you’re a foreign tourist flying with PAL, be sure you get your COVID travel insurance for at least 35,000 US dollars.

That should cover you for COVID issues while you’re in the Philippines then you can either get your negative PCR test results within 48 hours before departure or the most updated one or antigen test 24 hours before departure,” Suarez shared. 

PAGE A1 Among the countries with a huge number of OFWs who attended the meeting with Marcos are Thailand, Vietnam, Hong Kong, Macau, Singapore, Brunei, Japan, New Zealand, Australia, Cambodia, Taiwan, Turkey, Cyprus, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, Italy, France, Russia, Armenia, Spain, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Egypt, Qatar, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), Bahrain, Israel, Canada and Chile.

Jeremy Harry Amar, president of PFP-OFW International Affairs, said apart from the 35 countries with OFWs, most of the overseas workers are also in various states, provinces or regions, such as the six emirates in the UAE — Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Um Al Quwain, Sharjah, Fujairah and Ras Al Khaimai.

OFWs from Rome and Milan in Italy, Jeddah and Riyadh in the KSA, states in the United States and provinces in Canada such as Winnipeg, Vancouver and Toronto also attended the event.

In the 2016 race for vice president, Marcos won the month-long overseas absentee voting, where he gained 176,669 over his closest rival, Maria Leonor "Leni" Robredo, who got 89,935 votes.

The running mate of Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio had said he supports the creation of a separate department for migrant workers.

According to him, there is a need to streamline agencies that will only focus on local workers and OFWs. "The ideal is that nobody has to go, that we have enough jobs here in the Philippines.

Hindi na kailangan magbyahe sa (There will be no need to

travel and work) abroad, not by necessity anyway, that they have a choice to remain here in the Philippines," Marcos had said.

"The ideal is to bring them all home if they want to come home. But we are a long way from that," he added.

In December 2021, President Rodrigo Duterte signed into law the measure establishing the Department of Migrant Workers, which is dedicated to overseeing the affairs and protecting the rights of millions of OFWs. The Department of Migrant Workers is established to regulate the recruitment, employment and deployment of OFWs and launch investigations and file cases concerning illegal recruitment and human trafficking involving OFWs. It is expected to benefit an estimated 2.2 million Filipinos abroad, based on the 2019 Survey on Overseas Filipinos released in 2020 by the Philippine Statistics Authority.

Robredo went local also on Friday, April 1 holding a dialogue with the Bamboo Landers Multi-Sectoral Rural Workers Association in Buadiposo-Buntong, Lanao del Sur, asking for the community's and the province's support in order for her to win next month's elections where she is also running for president.

A significant advantage to winning in the area, according to her, is her regular visits.

She mentioned that she was the only candidate who visited the province in 2016.

"Sampung beses ako dito bumalik. Sampung beses dahil marami po tayo ditong project (I came back here ten times.

Because there are so many projects here)," Robredo said.

She also mentioned efforts related to the pandemic and the Marawi siege.

Robredo said she is sure that what she achieved in 2016 was a clean victory, though it was tainted with accusations of cheating leveled by her closest rival, Marcos.

She requested the people from the community to replicate the event.

"Noong 2016, nanalo ako dito.

Kung naalala n'yo, kinasuhan pa po ako na kinukuwestyon 'yung resulta dito sa Lanao del Sur kasi nandaya daw ako dito.

Kayo 'yung makakapagsabi, kayo 'yung makakapagsabi na walang nandaya rito (In 2016, I received the most votes in this province. If you recall, a complaint was filed against me in Lanao del Sur, challenging the results of the ballots because they said I cheated. You're the only ones who can determine whether there's been cheating here)," Robredo said.

She added that apart from her visits, she has a good track record and enough proof to back it up and persuade people to vote for her.

The vice president promised that if she got the job, she would visit all of Lanao del Sur's communities and provide them with good governance.

"Kami po ang magiging pangatlong bahay mo, Madam (Madam, we'll be your third home)," the people said.

In February 2022, the Office of the Vice President, through its Sustainable Livelihood and Training Program, handed out a livelihood subsidy of P257,265 to the Bamboo Landers Multi-Sectoral Rural Workers Association for the production of garments. 

Guests at the Travel and Adventure Show were able to take part in in-depth, 30-minute workshops on where to go, how to get there and what to do at the top locations from around the world from the trip advisors and travel experts, including Francisco Lardizabal of the Philippine Department of Tourism.

Bongbong Marcos courts votes of...

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Two Filipinos attacked in NYC as community...

PAGE A1 staff and customers but no one came to help him.

“I said, ‘Help, help, please call the cops,’” Dizon told the Daily News from his Bellevue Hospital bed on Tuesday, March 29. “I was hoping people were going to help me, but they didn’t ... they were just watching and they didn’t get involved. I guess they’re scared.”

Based on a security video released by the NYPD, Dizon was making a purchase from a kiosk when his attacker came up from behind and pummeled him to the ground before stealing his phone and cash.

An ABC7 news report on Wednesday, March 30, said that police have arrested the man who assaulted Dizon.

He was identified as Rasheed Osundairo, 30, and was arrested after he was recognized by an off-duty police officer while on the subway. He was additionally

charged with an assault on the subway on March 23 and for criminal possession of stolen property said to be found in his possession at the time of his arrest.

The Philippine Consulate General in New York has issued a statement condemning the latest attacks against members of the Filipino Community and the senseless violence that has left many Filipinos in fear.

“The Philippine Consulate General in New York condemns in the strongest terms the latest attacks against members of the Filipino Community,” Consul General Elmer Cato said in a statement.

“The Philippine Consulate General in New York reminds kababayans to be vigilant at all times and to take the necessary precautions, especially when in public,” the statement added.

“The Consulate again calls on authorities to do more to make sure that the streets of New

York City are safe again for everyone.”

The assaults, which follow the brutal attack against a 67-year-old Filipino woman in Yonkers, New York, two weeks ago, bring to 34 the number of anti-Asian hate incidents and criminal violence involving Filipinos since last year.

According to Consul General Cato, the incidents in Manhattan bring to seven the number of cases involving members the Filipino Community reported to or monitored by the Philippine Consulate General in New York this year.

The Consulate issued a call for authorities to “do more to make sure that New York City is safe again for everyone by removing dangerous individuals, especially those with criminal records, from the streets and addressing concerns related to homelessness and mental health”. (Momar G. Visaya/ AJPress)

Filipino WWII veterans leader Celestino...

PAGE A1 1945.

He survived the war, but later experienced formidable challenges in pursuit of U.S. and benefits promised him and to thousands of his fellow soldiers. He was determined to fight for their benefits, but he did not realize how long this fight would last.

In February 1946, the US Congress passed the Recission Acts, which denied the active duty status and revoked the U.S. nationality status of 200,000 Filipino WWII soldiers.

Promised compensation were revoked and not made available for their wartime service.

Almeda helped organize a national action organization comprised of WWII veterans, civic leaders, community supporters to call attention to the injustice and inequality the Veterans suffered at the end of WWII. Almeda and his brothers in arms never wavered in their faith, hope, and trust in the United States. They confronted and appealed to Congress in pursuit of their case for equity.

They were undeterred despite being denied repeatedly by members of Congress, senior leaders at the Dept of Veterans Affairs, and the U.S. Army and

Celestino Almena with his Congressional Gold Medal

relentless in presenting their case to audiences at civic events across the country.

A Story of Patriotism and Duty to Country Celestino Almeda lived with his family in Gaithersburg, Maryland and is survived by his daughter, Evelyn Campbell, and his sons, Roberto and Reynaldo, grandchildren and great grandchildren.

His favorite quote was from General Douglas MacArthur:

LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL • APRIL 2-5, 2022 A5

Gary V joins over 100 Robredo supporters...

PAGE A1 over 100 community members drove their pink decorated cars along Temple Blvd. in HiFi and gathered in Unidad Park for lugaw and remarks from supporters.

Filipino entertainer Gary Valenciano — known as “Mr. Pure Energy” — surprised the crowd with a brief speech and performance.

“This is the future of our country and I personally believe — in my mind, in my heart and in my spirit — the next president and vice president of the Philippines should be President Leni Robredo and Vice President Kiko Pangilinan,” Valenciano told the crowd.

Valenciano was joined by his wife Angeli, who is the sister of Senator Pangilinan, and their daughter Kiana Vee, an R&B singer and songwriter.

Both Angeli and Kiana also made their appeals to overseas Filipinos who are eligible to vote to participate in the upcoming May polls.

“Hearing from Kiko’s sister Angeli about Kiko was very endearing; Kiana’s appeal to the young voters are on-point; and Gary V’s unexpected performance along with his captivating impromptu speech about the Leni-Kiko movement and energetic performance were very motivating,” Ethel Rubio, a community leader who spearheaded the March 27 effort as part of “Global Filipinos for Leni,” said.

“Kakampinks” also came

Angeli Pangilinan (Sen. Kiko Pangilinan’s sister) and famed Filipino singer Gary Valenciano (Angeli’s husband) joined a pink caravan on March 27 in Historic Filipinotown with VP Leni Robredo’s UP dormmates Ethel Rubio, Monette Carranceja with her husband Jude, Mel Paras, Ted Fernandez, and Eugene from Gary V’s team.

Photos courtesy of Global Filipinos for Leni

from outside of LA to join, including supporters from Arizona, Nevada, Texas and the East Coast.

Rubio shared that she and Robredo were dormmates at the University of the Philippines, Diliman and Kiko’s brother was her classmate, which motivated her to organize an event.

“I knew from the get-go that I wanted to be a part of the Pink Caravan in Los Angeles and it has to happen in Historic Filipinotown of Los Angeles because VP Leni Robredo visited this place in 2019,” Rubio said.

A previous pink caravan was held last October in West Covina, California, while other

Photo courtesy of FILVETREP

“Old soldiers never die, they just fade away.”

In lieu of flowers, his family requests that contributions be made to the Filipino Veterans Recognition and Education Project. https://filvetrep.org/ donate/ A Graveside Service will take place on Thursday, April 7, 2022 at 11:00 a.m. at Quantico National Cemetery, 18424 Over 100 cars participated in a pink caravan in Los Angeles’ Historic Filipinotown on March 27 Joplin Rd, Triangle, Virginia in support of Vice President Leni Robredo and Senator Kiko Pangilinan’s presidential and vice 22172.  presidential bids, respectively, in the upcoming Philippine election in May.

efforts have been organized in Jersey City, New York City, and Canada.

Leading up to the May 9 election, Filipino and Filipino Americans across the United States are organizing rallies and caravans for their respective presidential picks. 

LOS ANGELES COUNTY METROPOLITAN TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY (LACMTA) REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL LACMTA will receive Proposals for PS80828-2 - E-Business Suite Support agreement via email (see RFP for details).

All Proposals must be submitted to LACMTA via email (bids@metro.net) on or before Pacific Time 10:00 a.m. on ,Monday, April 18, 2022 . Proposals received after the above date and time may be rejected.

For a copy of the Proposal specification visit our Solicitation Page on our Vendor Portal at https://business.metro.net or for further information email Victor Zepeda at zepedav@ metro.net.

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OPINION

FEATURES

Insulate ayuda from epals

LAST week the Department of Social Welfare and Development signed an agreement with the Department of the Interior and Local Government and the Commission on Elections to keep out partisan politics from aid programs of the DSWD in this election season.

The tripartite agreement actually revives the “Bawal ang Epal Dito” deal signed by the same agencies for the 2013 midterm elections.

Epal refers to politicians and other public officials who take personal credit for tax-funded projects and programs, especially during election campaigns.

The DSWD has been exempted by the Comelec from the ban on public spending in this election period. DSWD officials want the department’s aid and other social amelioration programs subjected to proper fund liquidation and insulated from misuse by epal candidates.

Apart from the conditional cash transfer or 4Ps program, the DSWD is in charge of pandemic aid distribution and relief programs for victims of natural disasters. The DSWD leadership must ensure that the department’s rank and file across the country will not bow to pressure from incumbent officials to use the agency’s aid programs for partisan political purposes.

This is where the DILG comes in. Politicians who use ayuda programs for partisan purposes must be reported immediately by local DSWD personnel to their head office, the DILG and Comelec. Action on such complaints by the three agencies must be swift, and penalties must be imposed. Without penalties, this initiative will go nowhere, like the Comelec’s rules on COVIDsafe campaigning and restrictions on the display of campaign materials.

With the signing of the tripartite agreement, Comelec Chairman Saidamen Pangarungan reminded everyone that “government funds may not be used for any election activity.”

“During the election period, we cannot condone activities that we all know as epal,” he added. Considering the record of the Comelec in enforcing its own rules, the public can only hope that his statement does not get stuck in the realm of OPM: Oh promise me. (Philstar.com)

Editorial

Philstar.com photo

Kiko Pangilinan is my vice president to my President Leni Robredo and here are the personal reasons why

The Fil-Am Perspective GEL SANTOS-RELOS KIKO Pangilinan was a tall skinny student when I first saw him as Chairperson of the UP Student Council. I was ahead of him by one year at the University of the Philippines in Diliman, but I witnessed from a distance how active and committed he was in serving the interest and fighting for the rights of the students of UP. He also served as a student regent of the UP Board of Regents in 1987.

Even after I graduated from College and started teaching as Instructor in the UP College of Mass Communications, I saw how Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan’s leadership widened to include the youth and students from other colleges and universities.

I witnessed how his advocacies went beyond student needs and affairs, leading in the fight for human rights and clean and honest elections among the youth.

Kiko was a NAMFREL volunteer (National Citizens’ Movement for Free Elections) during the SNAP elections when Marcos tried to cheat his way to remain in power which eventually lead to his ouster through the 1986 People Power Revolution and the presidency of the late President Corazon Aquino.

In 1988, Kiko was elected as the youngest councilor of my hometown Quezon City from the 4th district. During his term, he became the founding president of

the National Movement of Young Legislators.

Fast forward to the early 90s when I was already anchoring my own radio program on ABS-CBN DZMM, hosting “Tatak Pilipino” and substituting for Mel Tiangco on“TV Patrol” on Channel 2.

During this time, I would see Kiko in the studios as he was then already helping out in giving legal education through his occasional guesting in “Hoy!Gising!” It was then that I found out that he eventually obtained his Bachelor of Laws degree from the UP College of Law. However, we only met each when I was already anchoring “Hoy!Gising!”

With Korina Sanchez and Ted Failon. It was in the mid 90s when he substituted for Ted Failon. It was also during this time when his budding romance with Sharon Cuneta eventually lead to their lifelong commitment through the sacrament of marriage.

I invited Kiko to guest in my radio program “Relos Reports” to give legal advice to my listeners.

It was also around this time that the late Senator Rene Cayetano and I started our partnership in “Compañero y Compañera”on radio and television. I remember calling the young Kiko “Abogado de Campanilla”. Atty. Cayetano (he wasn’t in politics yet then) must have heard that on radio and told me that “Abogado de Campanilla” was a title given to seasoned lawyers only, and

Kiko was just a neophyte. Well, time has proven that Kiko did more than just earning the title “Abogado de Campanilla”.

In 1997, Kiko along with Sharon and KC moved to Boston, Massachusetts to pursue his Master of Public Administration degree at Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government. Kiko applied for so many scholarships for this post-graduate education and he graduated with a general average of A-.

When his family came back to the Philippines, I invited Kiko to guest again on my program “Relos Reports”. Compañero already left ABS-CBN after he successfully won a Senate seat in 1998 and so Kiko joined me on radio on a regular basis along with other volunteers from the Integrated Bar of the Philippines.

He also introduced me to Atty.

Danny Concepcion (now UP President) who gladly joined our team as a volunteer.

When Kiko was onboard with me giving free legal advice, we called the program “Relos Reports with Atty. Kiko.” It was then that we became very good friends along with my radio staff. We found Kiko to be a very authentic person — no “ere” or superiority complex, no hidden agenda in giving public service to our audience.

Kiko was so grounded and humble, and truly relatable to ordinary Filipinos. One of our

If Marcos Jr. becomes president Public Lives

RANDY DAVID IF Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. becomes president, our country’s brittle institutions would be subjected to their most difficult test. Would they dare to rule against his interest in the many unresolved cases that have been filed against members of his family? Or would the Marcos scion’s election to the nation’s highest office be interpreted as a popular mandate that tacitly absolves them of all past liabilities?

Because we think of ourselves as a democracy, we assume that the legal system is separate from the political system, and that no one is above the law. We also believe that the judiciary is independent from the other branches of government, and that the various agencies of government enjoy autonomy

from executive power.

But we are only too aware that our democratic system has not reached the level of maturity that we often note, with envy, in other countries. A case in point: In 1995, Sweden’s then Deputy Prime Minister Mona Sahlin was prosecuted for charging private expenses (like a bar of Toblerone chocolate) to her official credit card. She was subsequently acquitted. But years later, she was found guilty of tax evasion for failing to declare income earned from her writing and speaking engagements.

Compare this to the Priority Development Assistance Fund scandal involving convicted plunderer Janet Lim Napoles.

Only a couple of cases were actually filed against the legislators who, in partnership with Napoles, monetized portions of their pork barrel allocations for their personal use. Three senators landed in jail but, under a new president, all were later declared innocent and released. Only their underlings have remained in jail.

In 2005, New Zealand’s then Prime Minister Helen Clark’s motorcade was on its way to the airport when it was flagged down by the police for speeding and dangerous driving. The drivers were found guilty and fined, and PM Clark, who was a passenger in one of the three cars, was taken to task for allowing the speeding to happen. Such effrontery (for that’s how our politicians and police would have perceived it) would never happen here.

It took President Noynoy Aquino, at his inaugural speech in 2010, to remind the Filipino people that elected public officials were not entitled to break the law.

His “no more wang-wang” policy was emblematic of his belief that in a democracy, the people are the real boss. But under a new president, we quickly went back to the same ingrained habits.

We have allowed political privilege to undercut the state so often that rule of law doesn’t really mean much. We have become so accustomed to treating the powerful differently, conferring upon them an unspoken right

favorite things to do was to go to “Mamon Luk” along Quezon Blvd. with my staff to feast on his favorite chicken mami, siomai, siopao, camaron rebozado. He has always been so pleasant to be with, and he never ran out of jokes even before he moved up to “Dad jokes”!

He would tell us stories about his youth, shared with us cute sweet anecdotes about how he would woo Sharon by giving her random sweet notes in the most unexpected places. We rejoiced with him when he announced that they were having a baby Kakie!

It was bittersweet for me to say goodbye to my career when my family immigrated to the United States in May of 2001, just before the Elections where Kiko won a seat in the Senate. But our friendship continued on through the years and our barkada would see each other whenever I was in Manila for a visit.

From a distance, I witnessed how the Kiko that I saw as a student leader at the UP, the Kiko I worked with on “Hoy!Gising!”, the Kiko that volunteered his time and energy to give free legal education to my radio listeners on DZMM, the Kiko as Senator and now, the Kiko as candidate for Vice President -- never changed in his core values and advocacies.

Kiko remained true to his faith, his Catholic upbringing and his calling -- , steadfast in working hard to serve ordinary

people in need and finding ways to help uplift those who were marginalized in society, especially when he has accorded the power of the Office of Senator.

The bills that he filed and were enacted into law helped pushed for access to education and health care for ordinary Filipinos. He also found his calling in addressing the needs of our farmers, especially after he became a farmer himself. His heart was always for the poor, the less privileged people. He has always been truly “tootoong tao” and “makatao.”

He also remained faithful to his commitment to uphold the Constitution and the rule of law, and never compromised his values and principles amid the chronic corruption that has plagued the Philippine government for a long time. His integrity was never up for sale, and his fight for the truth and justice never wavered.

I have seen many public servants and politicians who started out as good people with the best intentions but evolved to be Trapos — traditional politicians who would say and do everything for political expediency and survival, even selling themselves to the devil. Kiko remained true to his calling.

These are the very reasons why VP Leni Robredo chose Kiko from among many possible candidates.

She saw in Kiko’s lifelong history the very same advocacies and fight that she has been working

so hard for — gobyernong tapat para angat buhay lahat. And people are seeing these two amazing true public servants beyond the fake news peddled by their political opponents who want to keep the status quo and continue on with their selfserving corrupt practices.

For these reasons, I am endorsing Leni Robredo for President and Kiko Pangilinan for Vice President.

Their leadership by example is already bringing out the best in people.

Their visions and platform and trustworthiness have been giving hope and empowerment to the Filipino people again that this time, we have true public servants who genuinely work hard to help them by faithfully transforming the Philippine government to be government of the people, by the people, for the people. ***

to certain exemptions, that we are no longer surprised when they behave arrogantly. This entitlement is not written in our laws. It is rather deeply embedded in our feudalistic culture, forever constraining the system of modern law enforcement, and preventing our institutions from functioning effectively.

If Marcos Jr. wins in the May 2022 presidential election, as the opinion polls project, it is fair to ask what will happen to the cases against the Marcoses that have remained unresolved. These have hardly moved over the last three decades largely because of clever legal maneuvering by their highly-paid lawyers.

I quote from a recent Business World column (BW, 3/17/22) by former Bangko Sentral deputy governor Diwa C. Guinigundo: “Some 942 items of real property worth P29.1 billion are still under court litigation.

We are also running after 914 items of personal properties like corporations, aircraft, and paintings worth P96.9 billion. All in, P125.98 billion is 2.5% of our annual budget.”

And then there is the matter of unsettled estate tax liabilities,

now amounting to P203.81 billion. Guinigundo continues: “Marcos Jr. and his spokesman’s reasoning that the tax obligation could not be settled all these years because the amount is yet to be settled between the BIR and the Presidential Commission on Good Government, does not hold water.” Citing a source from the BIR, he says that “as early as 1997, the judgment on the tax case had become final and executory.”

It is good to know that the BIR has not forgotten. BIR Commissioner Caesar R. Dulay confirms that as recently as Dec. 2 last year, they sent a demand letter to the Marcos heirs concerning their still unpaid tax liabilities. If Ferdinand Marcos Jr. can repeatedly ignore the BIR as executor of the Marcos estate, do we expect him to be more law-abiding when he becomes president?

In highly unequal societies like ours, the scales of justice have generally tipped in favor of those who are in possession of political and economic power.

The Marcoses are not known to be modest in their use of power.

More than the redemption of the family name, we can assume

that it is the resolution of these pending cases under more favorable circumstances that is at the root of Marcos Jr.’s bid for the presidency.

Alongside these cases — all involving huge amounts of money and property — are the longstanding claims of the Marcoses to portions of the wealth of Marcos Sr.’s former cronies. If Marcos Jr. becomes president, there would be no need for the family to resort to expensive and prolonged litigation to get back what they believe is theirs.

Yet the irony of it all — and this may be what is fueling Marcos Jr.’s support among the poor and oppressed in our society — is that the prospective return of a Marcos to Malacañang is being depicted, telenovela style, as a redemption for past humiliation, and a vicarious balm for the pains of popular discontent. (Inquirer. net) ***

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

*** Gel Santos Relos has been in news, talk, public service and educational broadcasting since 1989. She was a news anchor, TV host and radio commentator and public service host for ABS- CBN and DZMM. She is now working on her advocacies independently, serving the Filipino audience using different media platforms. You may contact her through email at gelrelos@ icloud.com, or send her a message via Facebook at Facebook.com/Gel.Santos.Relos. Also on Twitter, Instagram: Gel Santos Relos

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.

*** public.lives@gmail.com

The views expressed by our Op-Ed contributors are solely their own and do not necessarily reflect the predilection of the editorial board and staff of Asian Journal.

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LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL • APRIL 2-5, 2022 A7

After PDP-Laban backs Marcos’ bid, Duterte insists to remain neutral

by KRISTINE JOY

Philstar.com

JAMPACKED. Devotees of the Black Nazarene offer prayers outside of the Quiapo Church, Plaza Miranda in Manila for the first on Friday, April 1.

Several police personnel were deployed to secure the area and ensure that everyone wears a face mask.

PNA photo by Joey O. Razon

Comelec, Smartmatic discuss security breach issue

by ROBERTZON

RAMIREZ

Philstar.com

MANILA — Commission on Elections (Comelec) Chairman Saidamen Pangarungan has met with officials of Smartmatic to discuss issues on alleged security breach involving the operations of the poll automatic contractor.

“We required the Smartmatic to submit a report on what happened to the leakage of that file by one employee,” Pangarungan told journalists during the virtual press conference on Thursday, March 31.

He assured the public that the Comelec would ensure clean, honest and credible elections.

Pangarungan said he required the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) to submit its

report on the alleged security breach.

Senate joint congressional oversight committee on elections chair Sen. Imee Marcos recently reported the alleged security breach involving the operations of Smartmatic, the Comelec service provider for the May 9 elections.

Smartmatic officials denied the allegations.

Aside from the meeting with Smartmatic officials, Pangarungan said he also met with the officials of poll watchdog Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting (PPCRV) as part of the Comelec’s efforts to ensure transparency.

He said he is set to meet next week the officials of the National Citizens’ Movement for Free

Elections (Namfrel).

“We will listen to their concerns, whatever it is basta for honest, orderly and peaceful elections. We are open. Gagawin namin ‘yan. We will adopt that,” Pangarungan said.

Namfrel has expressed concern on the alleged “security breach” and urged the Comelec to deal with the matter.

“Concrete actions must be taken by the Comelec as to the issue concerning Smartmatic.

Although I believe that for now, they are still awaiting the release of the results of investigation of the NBI,” Namfrel secretarygeneral Eric Alvia said.

In another development, Commissioner George Garcia said that deployment of the official ballots that will be used for overseas voting is ongoing.

Carpio says gov’t can’t collect P203-B estate tax if Marcos wins presidency

by FRANCO LUNA Philstar.com

MANILA — If former senator Ferdinand Marcos Jr. becomes president, the unpaid P203-billion estate tax his family owes the Philippine government is "gone forever," retired Supreme Court Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio said on Thursday, March 31.

Speaking in an interview aired over ANC's "Headstart," Carpio, who is also lead convenor of opposition coalition 1Sambayan, said that the Bureau of Internal Revenue can sue citizens for "willful refusal to pay their taxes."

"I think we should ask the BIR why they did not do anything. And if they did do something, they should tell us what they did. They owe an explanation to the Filipino people," he said.

"They will collect that if you are an ordinary person. But if you are a government official, you are a senator or governor, they will not collect it. How much more if you are now president? Can the BIR collect if you are the president?

That's gone forever."

But why were these issues only raised now, instead of when Marcos ran for the Senate or the vice presidency?

"Nobody questioned it.

Everybody was, they were not worried. But now that he wants to be the president, if you are president you must be the model for the nation, and a model taxpayer, too. But if you are the biggest tax evader in the country, then who will now pay taxes to the government?" he said.

"For the Marcoses, it's almost,

from the time the case became final in 1999, it's almost 25 years.

That's willful already," he also said. No charges have been filed over the issue in that time span.

The Marcos family has not paid its estate tax despite a 1997 Supreme Court court decision ordering the Marcoses to pay a tax liability of P23.29 billion. Carpio earlier said that penalties in the decades that Marcos heirs failed to pay the debt have seen the amount balloon to P203 billion.

To recall, the Presidential Commission on Good Government, the agency created to recover illgotten wealth from the Marcoses and their cronies, said that the tax bureau determined the following liabilities in 1991: • Deficiency Estate Tax Assessment against the Estate of Ferdinand Marcos in the amount of P23,293,607,638.

• Deficiency Income Tax Assessments against Ferdinand Marcos and Imelda Marcos in the aggregate amount of P184,159,289.70 for the years 1985 to 1986 • Deficiency Income Tax Assessment against Ferdinand Marcos Jr. [for the years] 1982 to 1985 in the aggregate amount of P20,410.

Marcos filed a petition against this before the Court of Appeals, which dismissed the petition on June 5, 1999 on the ground that the estate tax assessment of BIR — amounting to P23,293,607,638 — had already become final and unappealable.

The Supreme Court would later affirm the Court of Appeals' decision. Carpio earlier said

the written demand has to be renewed every five years for the debt to be collectible. Since the 1997 ruling by the Supreme Court, five administrations have been unable to collect the tax.

Carpio said that under the tax code, "the heirs cannot get a single centavo from the estate of Marcos Sr. unless the estate tax is paid."

"So how are they able to live?

They are running every election, spending money, but how are they getting this money?"

Despite the ruling, lawyer Vic Rodriguez, Marcos' spokesperson, has taken on the narrative that the estate tax owed by the Marcos family from 1982 to 1986 was still pending a decision on the forfeiture of the properties used as the basis for the taxable amount. "[If elected, Marcos] will appoint the BIR Commissioner.

Will the BIR commissioner send him a notice of payment for the estate tax? That commissioner will be fired...because the president has supervision and control over the entire executive department," Carpio said.

"Control means he can reverse their decisions. He can preempt them and make the decision himself."

The survey frontrunner is heavily banking on the Marcos brand, seen by victims of his father’s martial rule to carry him to Malacañang as a way for his family to get back to the presidential palace from where they were forced to flee due to a popular military-backed uprising called the People Power Revolution 36 years ago. 

SWS survey: Most Filipinos believe gov’t must provide free medicines

by CATHRINE

GONZALES Inquirer.net

MANILA — Most Filipinos believe that the government should provide free medicines to Filipinos, based on the Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey.

The survey, commissioned by the Pharmaceutical and Healthcare Association of the Philippines (PHAP), showed that 78 percent of adult Filipinos believe that the government “should definitely” provide free medicines, while 17 percent believe the government “should probably” give free medicines to those who need them.

The survey also found that medicines ranked first as the most burdensome healthcare expense, followed by the payment for doctor’s fees, laboratory fees, and hospital room.

According to a press statement from PHAP sent to the media on Thursday, it is estimated that for every P100 spent on medicines, P85 is paid “out-of-pocket” by

Filipino families or shared by voluntary private insurance.

Out-of-pocket spending is the expense of medical care that families pay directly from their own money or savings.

PHAP noted that the country’s private share in medical expenses is one of the highest in the world compared with Malaysia (45 percent), South Korea (42 percent), New Zealand (32 percent), and Thailand (9 percent).

The survey further reported the high preference of Filipinos for free and subsidized medicines as the most helpful way of obtaining medicines for grave illnesses.

“At present, the government is providing subsidized or free medicines for certain diseases but would need to be expanded to provide more support to patients, and cover more health conditions, especially for economically challenged patients,” PHAP noted.

Specifically, the respondents ranked “guaranteed PhilHealth

financial subsidy to cover full or a portion of medication expenses” as the most helpful way to obtain medicines, followed by “acquiring free medications procured by the government from public hospitals, health centers, and government pharmacies.”

The third most helpful way to obtain medicines, according to respondents, is to “fully pay for the total cost of the prescribed medicines at a discounted price,” and the fourth is to “fully pay for the total cost of the prescribed medicines first, and ask the government to reimburse the full amount after.”

The survey was conducted from December 12 to 16, 2021 using face-to-face interviews of 1,440 adults nationwide, consisting of 360 each in Balance Luzon, Metro Manila, Visayas, and Mindanao.

It used a sampling error margin of ±2.6 percent for national percentages and ±5.2 percent for Balance Luzon, Metro Manila, Visayas, and Mindanao. 

PATAG

DAVAO CITY — After bagging the support of the majority ruling PDP-Laban party, presidential aspirant Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. has yet to earn his much-hoped endorsement from the incumbent President Rodrigo Duterte.

On Thursday, March 31, Duterte said partly in Filipino: "Let me reiterate.... I am not supporting any presidential candidate. I am neutral."

"So this is not a campaign because I am not campaigning for any particular candidate," Duterte was quoted in a tweet report by The Star.

Last March 24, Palace spokesperson Martin Andanar confirmed last week that Duterte met with Marcos, but he said the outgoing president only talked about his experiences and insights with the presidential aspirant.

Marcos has long admitted to courting the incumbent president for his endorsement, and so far, he already bagged the support of several political parties including PDP-Laban.

But the majority ruling party’s chairman, Duterte, has yet to give his endorsement of the survey frontrunner.

Last February, the president said he won't endorse any candidate for president unless there is a "compelling reason" for him to change his mind.

After his party declared support to Marcos’ bid, Duterte however talked about the issue of unpaid estate tax. Although he did not identify anyone, Marcos is being hounded by the estimated P203 billion tax deficiencies their family has yet to pay. This is also an issue he himself refused to address personally.

In November last year, Duterte described Marcos as "spoiled" and a "weak leader" with baggage.

UniTeam PDP-Laban, although, has long adopted Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte, the running-mate of Marcos, as their vice presidential bet.

Marcos and Duterte, dubbed as UniTeam, wooed Mindanao voters this week. In an ambush interview with reporters in Carmen, Davao del Norte on Wednesday, the presidential daughter distanced herself from the meeting between her father and running-mate.

“I do not know what they talked about. I was not there during the meeting,” she said partly in Filipino.

Marcos in a recent interview said he identifies himself as an administration ally. Although at some point, when Sen. "Christopher" Bong Go was still in the presidential derby, Rodriguez said this was then inaccurate.

Marcos had promised to continue the administration’s programs like the Build, Build, Build. 

Comelec logs over 7.22 million deactivated voters MANILA — Over 7.229 million voter registrations have been deactivated after failing to participate in the last two elections, the Commission on Elections reported.

Comelec is also calling on the relatives of deceased voters to report their deaths so their registration could be canceled.

In a briefing on Thursday, the poll body gave updates on voter registration for the upcoming May polls. The data provided was based on Comelec data from August 2019 to end-October last year.

Comelec said it logged 6.95 new registered voters. Meanwhile, 763,729 voters had their registrations reactivated and 213,918 had theirs reactivated with corrected entries.

“Ganyan kadami ang gustong bumoto sa darating na eleksyon na dalawang beses nang hindi bumuboto sa dalawang magkasunod na eleksyon,” Comelec Commissioner George Garcia said.

(That’s how many of those who haven’t voted in the previous two elections want to participate in the upcoming polls.)

‘Report deaths of voters you

know’ The poll body canceled the registration of 755,769 deceased voters. Comelec is calling on relatives of the recently departed to report the death to the commission.

“Kung ‘yung mismong pamilya naman ay nagbigay ng certification mula sa civil registrar na namatay talaga ‘yung kaanak [nila], sure po na tatanggalin ‘yun ng local Comelec natin. Hindi na maghihintay ng certification mula sa civil registrar nila kasi nagbigay na ng death certificate ‘yung pamilya,” Garcia said.

(If the family itself gives a certification from the civil registrar that [their] relative actually died, our local Comelec will surely remove their record. They will no longer wait for certification from their civil registrar because the family has already issued a death certificate.)

Comelec said it might have missed some registered voters who died of COVID-19, especially those whose deaths occurred outside their hometowns.

The poll body said it usually waits for the civil registrar to issue a certification about the death of

a person. However, Garcia said it becomes a problem if, for example, a man from Nueva Ecija dies in Manila.

“We do not expect the civil registrar of Manila to issue a certification addressed to the election officer of Nueva Ecija [about the death],” Garcia said.

Garcia said the poll body had asked the Philippine Statistics Authority if it could send Comelec data on nationwide deaths to Comelec’s main office. The poll body will then send the names to its local offices.

However, the idea was put on the backburner because Comelec could not afford the cost of the proposal.

“May bayad po silang i-chacharge sa amin. Hindi ko nalang po babanggitin ‘yung bayad, medyo malaki, wala pong budget ang commission sa ganoon so it will require legislation,” Garcia said.

(They will charge us a fee. I will not mention how much, it is quite expensive, the commission does not have budget for that so it will require legislation.) (Philstar.com)

A8 APRIL 2-5, 2022 • LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL

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LIFESTYLE CONSUMER GUIDE COMMUNITY MARKETPLACE

Atty. Gurfinkel answers more immigration questions and concerns in part 2 of episode featuring the SoCal Pinoys ON a previous episode of Citizen Pinoy, leading U.S. Immigration Attorney Michael J. Gurfinkel met with members of SoCal Pinoys, where they talked about the group’s goals and accomplishments, and answered their immigration questions and concerns.

In this second installment of this community episode, Atty. Gurfinkel answers more immigration questions from the members of SoCal Pinoys. Some questions include: • “My brother had a massive stroke and heart attack and had to undergo brain surgery just before his interview at the Embassy. He is now receiving long term care. Would he still be able to immigrate to the U.S. given his current condition?”

• “A baby was given to me 17 years ago when I was still in the Philippines. Her birth certificate shows me as her mother. Six years later, her

biological mother’s relatives took her back. Now that I’m a U.S. Citizen, can I petition her as my child?”

These questions and more will be answered

by Atty. Gurfinkel in Part 2 of “Your Tanong, My Sagot,” with the SoCal Pinoys.

Other Fil-Am community organizations in the U.S. can have the chance to be featured on Citizen Pinoy. Visit the Facebook page of the Law Offices of Michael J. Gurfinkel and signify your interest by sending a private message via messenger.

Watch Part 2 of this community feature on brand-new episode of “Citizen Pinoy” on Sunday, April 3 at 7:00 PM PT (10:00 PM ET thru select Cable/Satellite providers), right after TV Patrol Linggo. Citizen Pinoy is also available on iWantTFC. Viewers may download the free app.

(Advertising Supplement)

From Goin’ Bulilit star to music artist: Sharlene stays relevant

By Charmie Joy

Pagulong Philstar.com

SPORTING a fresh hairstyle and look, Sharlene San Pedro granted The STAR an exclusive Zoom interview detailing her new single Running and updating us with her career since her Goin’ Bulilit days.

First, we took notice of her new blond hair color that pretty much suited her. Although she is a selfconfessed Blink, BLACKPINK’s

fandom, she revealed it was inspired by Red Velvet’s Wendy.

A week before they filmed her music video for her latest single Running, which was dropped last Friday, Sharlene asked permission from her record label Yellow Room Music if she could change the color of her hair — and so, here we are.

“I told them para lang may bago. Kasi lagi na lang ganito ang itsura ko, para maiba naman,” she told this paper and agreed with

comments that she now bore a resemblance to K-pop idols with her new look.

With her striking appearance and musical talent, it was not surprising that she got the attention of fellow artists in the industry, one of them is SB19’s Justin who openly said that Sharlene is her celebrity crush.

Modesty aside, Sharlene is aware that there are P-pop artists who have expressed their PAGE B2

ATTY. GURFINKEL ANSWERS MORE IMMIGRATION QUESTIONS AND CONCERNS IN PART 2 OF EPISODE FEATURING THE SOCAL PINOYS. Leading U.S. Immigration Attorney Michael J. Gurfinkel (in photo above) answers more immigration questions from the SoCal Pinoys in Part 2 of “Your Tanong, My Sagot.” Among the questions Atty. Gurfinkel answers are: “My brother-in-law was petitioned 30 years ago as “single” even though he was married. His jealous wife reported his status to the Embassy, so the petition was denied. His mother is now 82 and wants him to still come to the U.S. What are his options?” and “A baby was given to me 17 years ago when I was still in the Philippines. Her birth certificate lists me as her mother. Six years later, her biological mother’s relatives took her back. Now that I am a U.S. citizen, can I petition her as my child?” Watch Part 2 of this Filipino community episode on a brand-new episode of “Citizen Pinoy” on Sunday, April 3 at 7:00 PM PT (10:00 PM ET) through select Cable/Satellite providers, right after TV Patrol Linggo.

(Advertising Supplement)

Chesca sets aside plans for fourth baby after three failed IVF attempts

By Dana

Cruz Inquirer.net

CHESCA Garcia got candid about the in vitro fertilization (IVF) experience that she and her husband Doug Kramer went through and why she set aside her plans of having a new baby after three failed attempts at the procedure.

The celebrity mom opened up on what she felt when she underwent IVF during her guesting at the morning talk

show “Magandang Buhay,” as seen on ABS-CBN’s YouTube channel on Thursday, March 31.

“In your mind actually, when they put the embryo, you are already pregnant. You are just waiting for it to grow and become a baby talaga (really become a baby), so I think it’s very hard for women who are doing IVF and expecting because you have a two-week wait window,” she said.

Garcia recalled that during Chesca Garcia PAGE B2 Photo from Instagram/@chekakramer

EntErtainmEnt

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Charlie talks about the pros and cons of being part of a love team

By Marinel

Cruz

Inquirer.net

FOR award-winning actress Charlie Dizon, the hardest thing about not being part of a love team is creating chemistry with each and every male partner she has to work with.

Charlie has just finished taping for the drama series “Viral Scandal,” which is currently streaming on the Kapamilya Channel. There, she is paired with Joshua Garcia.

For an episode in the drama anthology “Maalaala Mo Kaya” (MMK) this April, she had

Charlie Dizon

Photo from Instagram/@charliedizon_

to work with Kiko Estrada.

“It all depends on who I’m partnered with. I would usually try to check first if the person is easy to talk with. Most of the time, I’m the one who breaks the ice. I would often introduce myself first and ask how he is doing,” Charlie said during a virtual chat to promote the MMK episodes lined up for the month of April.

“I’m lucky that the actors I’ve partnered with were all nice to me. They’re also easy to work with. The advantage of this is that I get to learn from each of them, and that I grow as an actress.

If I see that they have this particular technique that I also find effective, I adapt it. I’m lucky because all of them are as passionate as I am with the work they do,” added Charlie.

She was also able to work with Paulo Avelino in the movie “Fangirl,” and with Jameson Blake on projects like “Four Sisters and a Wedding,” and “Sunset Girl.” Charlie’s first MMK project, the 2021 Valentine’s Day episode, was with Jameson.

Working with Kiko Recalling what it was like working with Kiko, Charlie said: “When I learned that he would be my partner, I felt shy because I have never met him in person before. I was worried that we might look awkward together, especially because we will be portraying real people here and that we’re supposed to be lovers,” she began.

“But when we attended our pictorial for the picture props we will use in the episode, I realized that we jibed immediately. We were sharing jokes with each other right away. I knew then that work would be easy with Kiko,” Charlie said.

She also noticed that Kiko is a dedicated actor.

“He memorized the script beforehand. We also talked about our characters and the dynamics PAGE B5

From Goin’ Bulilit star to music...

PAGE B1 admiration for her. She shared, “(May mga) nagsasabi na ako nga daw po ang celebrity crush (nila)... I read it on Twitter… they admire me as an artist.”

Meanwhile, Sharlene has officially launched Running after two years of not releasing any music. She also considers the song as an advanced gift to herself for her birthday, which falls on April 5. Written and produced by Mayonnaise’s Monty Macalino, the song is about “how we respond to life’s various struggles — running through the motions versus running toward one’s hopes and dreams,” as per media release.

For Sharlene, Running is about love. “Most of the listeners relate the meaning of the song to love.

Like, parang gusto mo na lang mag-stay dun sa memories na meron kayo or sa mga memories na nagawa niyo. You know that you are running out of time.

That’s about it. Kumbaga, it’s too late for me now,” she mused.

The 22-year-old’s musical inclination began the moment she met “Sir Monty” during MYX events and shows where she was a VJ before. “Naikuwento ko sa kanya na, ‘Sir, alam niyo po ba na when I was in high school, I used to sing Synesthesia?’ Sabi niya, ‘Talaga? O tara jam tayo sa studio namin,’” she recalled.

Then her first-ever track Paraan came after that. “I thought I was just going to cover it for a content on YouTube but they suddenly released it with the band, (on) Spotify and iTunes. After that, nagtuloy-tuloy na po ang pagrelease ko ng tracks with them.”

Sharlene flaunts her new blond look in an Instagram post.

Photo from Instagram/@sharlenesanpedro1

Paraan went on to be nominated as MYX Favorite Remake of the Year and won.

Apart from Mayonnaise, which played a huge part in her music career, the young artist also cited American rock band Paramore and local bands Moonstar88, December Avenue and Silent Sanctuary as her favorites.

She learned to strum the guitar through their family driver who taught her the basic D-AG-A chords and studied further through watching YouTube videos, “googling” on the Internet and being part of a high school band back then.

Sharlene is a well-rounded individual. Aside from acting and music, she also prioritizes her education. She is a graduating student, taking up Bachelor of Arts in Psychology, and a video gaming creator on Facebook.

With her hands full, the young artist maintains proper time

Fil-Am designer Oliver Tolentino celebrates busy awards season FILIPINO-AMERICAN fashion designer Oliver Tolentino was busy during the recent Hollywood awards season, dressing many celebrities.

Nominated actress ANN DOWD wore an Oliver Tolentino navy blue chiffon off-shoulder couture gown with ball skirt and up-cycled, hand-embellished 3D floral appliqué bodice to the 28th Screen Actors Guild Awards.

Dowd was nominated for “Outstanding Performance by a Drama Ensemble” for The Handmaid’s Tale.

The following week, Oscarwinning actress Marcia Gay Harden presented at the 26th Annual Art Directors Guild Awards in the designer’s multi-colored pink sequined off-shoulder column gown.

Harden won Best Supporting Actress Oscar for Pollock in 2000 and again was nominated for supporting actress in Mystic River. Harden previously wore a Tolentino black and white gown to the Producers Guild Awards a few years ago.

Actress Danica Mckellar, known for The Wonder Years and many Hallmark movies, presented an award to Kid LaRoi at the iHeartRadio Awards show, televised in the U.S., in a see-through tulle mermaid gown with royal blue fabric remnants in a geometric design. Her gown was featured across media platforms such as E!News and Yahoo, Good Housekeeping and Country Living magazines, and on the Today Show. This also isn’t the first time McKellar has worn the designer’s creations. Three years ago she walked New York Fashion Week’s American Red Cross charity fashion show in his red gown.

Three celebs of Filipino descent also wore Tolentino looks in the past few weeks.

Actor Vincent Rodriguez (Crazy Ex-Girlfriend) attended last week’s premiere of Michelle Yeoh’s new movie, Everything Everywhere All At Once, in the designer’s piña Barong Tagalog. Rodriguez is

management to juggle all her interests. She has this gentle reminder for youngsters like her, “Kahit sobrang dami mong ginagawa dapat matuto lang magpahinga. Without proper rest, you will get burned out. So make sure that habang ginagawa mo ‘to lahat, you will make time for yourself to rest.”

Moreover, she also recalled how her stint at Goin’ Bulilit shaped her life and profession. “It did not only create a huge impact on my life but it likewise taught me how to deal with people, aside from acting. Goin’ Bulilit was not only a show, it also functioned like a school. Tinuturuan kami (like) school for work? Sa tingin ko yan ang pinakamalaking naibago at naiambag niya in my life.”

Of course, she also experienced the awkward stage while transitioning to adulthood, particularly while doing the teen series Luv U. “Very thankful ako sa team ni direk Bobot (Mortiz) dahil Goin’ Bulilit pa lang inaalagaan na nila kami. Nung nag-teen kami sa Luv U ay talagang hindi kami pinapabayaan. Medyo mahirap din po, especially magpapayat during that awkward stage,” she admitted.

Nevertheless, Sharlene has managed to stay relevant to this Tia Carrere in Oliver Tolentino blue gown at day, especially now that she has Elton John OSCARS party 3.27.22 released new music. “Feeling ko Photo from Getty/Amy Sussman yun yung gino-goal ko eh, not the big role or project or something successful na magagawa mo.

Pero yung kumbaga kung gaano ang itatagal mo at kung gaano ka mag-stay relevant dun sa career na kung saang path ka man naroon. Yun ang importante — the longevity.” g

Ann Dowd in Oliver Tolentino at 28th SAG Awards 2.27.22 Photo by Sthanlee

Arci Muñoz cropped pic at Oscars viewing party 2022 Photos courtesy of artist Arci Muñoz

Arci Muñoz in Oliver Tolentino green gown at Oscars viewing party 2022

Danica McKellar Getty pic in blue gown iHeartsRadio Photo from Getty/Frazer Harrison

Marcia Gay Harden in Oliver Tolentino to present at 26th Annual Art Directors Guild Awards Photo from Getty/Alberto E. Rodriguez

Petra Nemcova in Oliver Tolentino blue eco mini at Oscars party 2022 Photo courtesy of Nemcova

currently starring in With Love on Amazon Prime.

At last weekend’s Oscars, Tia Carrere wore Tolentino’s royal blue draped gown to

the popular Elton John Oscars Party.

The chiffon gown featured a corset with upcycled fabric remnants and a high slit.

Across town at the Roosevelt Hotel, Filipina celeb Arci Munoz attended an Oscarsviewing party in the designer’s emerald green silk charmeuse gown, featuring a fully handbeaded bodice and draped skirt with high slit.

And last but not least, international fashion icon Petra Nemcova attended an Oscars party in a modern hand-dyed blue piña mini dress. Tolentino’s eco creation featured draped piña, side peplum, and embellishments of Vince Rodriguez in Oliver Tolentino Barong cut-outs and covered buttons.

Tagalog at Everything Everywhere All At Oliver Tolentino boutiques Once premiere on March 2022 are located in Beverly Hills and Photo courtesy of actor Makati. g

Derek reminisces on proposal to Ellen one year after: ‘Best decision of my life’

Starfleet Innotech partners with startup Luyten to enter $19-M global 3D printing construction market STARFLEET Innotech, Inc. announced a new strategic partnership with Australiabased 3D concrete printing startup Luyten.

The exclusive agreement will see Luyten’s revolutionary construction technologies utilized across SFIO’s real estate projects in the Philippines, towards the conglomerate’s goal of building a more sustainable, equitable future for community living.

As SFIO continues growing its portfolio of development projects through its real estate division, led by premiere wellness tourism brand Moraya, Luyten will play a pivotal role in championing Moraya’s mission of wellness through purposeful innovations.

According to Grand View Research, the global 3D printing construction market is estimated at roughly $19 million and is expected to reach almost $5 billion by 2030. Using their own 3D printing devices and proprietary mixtures, Luyten is able to complete construction projects with 60% less waste, 70% less production time, and at only 20% of the labor costs of traditional means.

According to the startup, walls for a twobedroom home can be printed in as little as two days. Optimized for quick deployment, Luyten’s devices can be mobilized and operational in hours, as opposed to the multiple days it takes to set up traditional machinery. Through their robotic systems, Luyten can remotely control their machinery from anywhere in the world. These innovations translate to more productive, and, therefore, more cost-effective,

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construction periods.

Over the next few years, Luyten will be providing the machinery and materials needed to augment SFIO’s real estate developments – an exclusive arrangement in the Philippines, where a majority of the Moraya developments will be placed. Under this agreement, SFIO will have exclusive distribution rights to Luyten’s devices in the Philippines and projects to sell at least fifty units of 3D concrete printing machinery to other developers and organizations over the next 12 months, following regulatory approvals.

“Our partnership with Luyten stems from our commitment to invest in the futures of the industries we operate in,” said Starfleet Innotech CEO Jeths Lacson. “Joining Moraya’s divisional ecosystem, Luyten will play a key role as an enabler for our various real estate initiatives. Their affordable, sustainable offerings will allow us to build exciting projects that champion both the new communities we hope to build, as well as the existing communities we hope to serve.”

In addition to augmenting Moraya’s current township developments, this partnership will see up to 500 low-cost housing units constructed across the Philippines over the next two years. Through this exclusive agreement in the Philippines, SFIO will also be able to distribute Luyten’s machinery to local government units and nonprofit organizations seeking more affordable means to build quality, resilient homes.

(Advertising Supplement)

By Dana

Cruz Inquirer.net

DEREK Ramsay looked back at the day he got engaged to his wife, fellow actor Ellen Adarna, a year after he popped the question.

The actor recalled the milestone while showing moments from his proposal on his Instagram page on Wednesday, March 30.

Ramsay can be seen hugging Adarna in front of a neon sign bearing the words “Will you marry me?” and posing with her alongside her son Elias, whom she had with her ex-boyfriend John Lloyd Cruz, as well as his son Austin.

“Exactly one year ago, I made the best decision of my life. I love you, [Ellen Adarna],” he told his wife.

For her part, Adarna showed throwback photos of Ramsay on one knee and giving her an engagement ring, as seen on her Instagram page, also yesterday.

“Same day last year,” she said, along with a heart emoji.

Adarna and Ramsay had a whirlwind romance last year, first confirming in February 2021 that they are in a relationship.

The couple then got engaged a month later and tied the knot in November in a dreamy Derek Ramsay with wife Ellen Adarna Photo from Instagram/@ramsayderek07 ceremony in Bataan. g

Chesca sets aside plans for fourth...

PAGE B1 her third attempt at IVF, she was really hoping that she would get pregnant, but the procedure was unsuccessful.

“My last one, my third one, I was really hoping that I was pregnant because I actually missed my period. When I did the pregnancy test, I was not pregnant. But I already know the gender of my baby and everything, so it’s a very hard journey for anyone who’s doing IVF simply because may wait period (there’s a wait period),” she narrated.

“Kapag nag-fail siya, may invested emotions ka kasi (When it fails, you have already invested emotions).”

When asked by host Melai Cantiveros whether she and Kramer would try IVF for the fourth time, Garcia admitted that she still wants a baby, but she also wants to “be obedient to the Lord.”

“Sometimes things don’t go as planned because

He has a good reason for it, and I also want to be an obedient daughter and follower. I still have that longing you know, but for now I’m going to be setting it aside,” she added.

Garcia then talked about how the unsuccessful IVF attempts affected her family, especially her kids. She recounted an instance when her son Gavin refused to hug her because he was “just really hoping to be a kuya.”

Host Regine Velasquez also related that she had gone through IVF herself, adding that fathers may feel bad about the experience as well, but could express their sadness in a different way from mothers—a sentiment that Garcia agreed with.

Kramer and Garcia started trying IVF in hopes of having their fourth baby back in 2019. They have been married for 13 years and have three children together, namely Kendra, Scarlett and Gavin. g

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There are many things to do in Pahrump, NV Racing, biking, shooting among recreational activities for residents, visitors

By realTOr

FelY QuiTeViS-BaTeMan

THERE are times when the question of “What activities can we do in that place?” becomes one of the main questions when a person is considering a location to invest property in, buy a first or second home, or retire to.

This makes sense, obviously, because you would not want to move to an area where there is absolutely nothing for you to do.

Of course, aside from this, there is the question of availability, affordability and getting a good return on your investment. In this week’s article, I will focus on some of the things that you can do recreationally in Pahrump, which is located about 62 miles west of Las Vegas.

If racing or motorsports is your passion, look no further than Spring Mountain Motor Resort and Country Club, which is currently owned by John Morris. The place hosts various driving schools, track rentals and is the home of a private motorsports country club.

It has North America’s longest racetrack at 6.1 miles, and there are signs, and perhaps already in the works, of an expansion for additional track (as well as facility expansion) that will make the total racetrack grow to over 9 miles when completed.

It has generated excitement in the community as job openings have resulted with these expansion plans, with some reports saying that “Spring Mountain will be one of the most

Realtor Fely Quitevis-Bateman (right) with Dr. Philip Palarecio (left) who is planning to expand his dental clinic to Pahrump. Dr. Palarecio has one of the most advanced dental facilities in Las Vegas.

Gloria Estillore of Silicon Valley (right) is looking for a large commercial parcel to build at least a minimum 100-bed assisted living facility. She is in photo above with Realtor Fely Quitevis-Bateman.

exciting places to work and build a long-lasting career.”

Incidentally, right next to the racetrack is Spring Mountain Estates, luxury trackside homesites where homeowners will have access to all the amenities that Spring Mountain has to offer, which includes the Clubhouse Lounge, workout facility, and other services (e.g. massage therapist).

What’s more, owning a home at the Spring Mountain Estates puts you minutes away from the cool, clear waters of Lake Spring Mountain where you can enjoy activities like paddle boarding, kayaking, flying on jetpack and more. There are 80 homesite lots (for home and mixed-use), 50 of which have been sold. As of now, there are 17 homes built or are under construction.

If cycling is your passion, a new

bicycling group in Pahrump called Pahrump Valley Cyclists, is inviting the community to ride with them, according to the Pahrump Valley Times. This social club gathers biking enthusiasts for fitness and for fun, and welcomes riders of all age levels and gender.

The club’s goal is to connect cyclists and allow them the opportunity to get together and enjoy group rides in Pahrump and neighboring communities. The group’s rides can be shifted to accommodate cyclists of all levels, from beginners to the more experienced.

If walking or hiking is what drives you, there are many trails and parks in the area that are of interest. Among them are Discovery Park, Ian Deutch Memorial Park, Calvada Eye, Simkins

In photo above are some of my big repeat investors – Dr. Pete Racoma, and Wilmer & Gerlie Comahig – who got approved for a 100-bed senior living resort on Homestead Road.

Tony and Neneth Suarez are extremely happy with their Airbnb in Pahrump, which is always fully booked. All their kids own properties in Pahrump as well.

Park and Petrack Park. These areas offer trails, opportunities for bird watching and nature-tripping, and wonderful walkways to share with the four-legged members of your family. What’s more, there are friendly residents to chat with or share a moment with as you enjoy your walk or hike.

Golf, one of the popular sports in the country, has a presence in Pahrump with the Mountain Falls Golf Club, which is co-designed by famed architecture firms Nicklaus Design Group and Cal Olson Design. It is an 18-hole golf course and country club that is capable of hosting events of all types, be it weddings, holiday parties, corporate weddings and more. It has visually striking, breathtaking views, and is a must-visit visitors to the area.

I had the pleasure of hosting former Philippine President Fidel V. Ramos at Mountain Falls Golf Club many, many years ago. He was impressed with it, and enjoyed playing golf at the club.

Aside from these, there are many other activities to do in the area. Sports activities include leagues for soccer, basketball, baseball and softball.

Residents can indulge in tennis, bowling, martial arts (karate, jiu jitsu, muay Thai) and even horseback riding.

There are gambling establishments in Pahrump, which include the Pahrump Nugget Casino, Terrible’s Lakeside Casino, Saddle West Hotel, Casino & RV Resort, Irene’s Casino

and Terrible’s Road House Casino.

When you have partaken of all the things that you want to do in Pahrump, there is Las Vegas, which is less than an hour’s drive from Pahrump.

Concerts, theater shows, more gambling, shopping and dining is at your fingertips in Las Vegas.

Whether you want to consider Pahrump as your retirement place, your next residence or an investment, it has many factors going for it.

Real estate prices continue to thrive in Pahrump and it is one of the many places that housing builders are looking at, especially with the skyrocketing land prices in Las Vegas.

Pahrump’s proximity to Las Vegas and it’s having less crime and big city problems make it ideal for those looking to settle down with their family in another area, or a prospect for those wanting to invest in their future.

Now is the time to take a look at Pahrump. I can help you look for the best real estate opportunities in the area.

My company, Precious Properties, is a full-service company that has successfully helped its clientele find the best deals since 1992. You can reach me at 775-513-8447, 805-5592476 and 702-538-4948 for more information. We have investors who buy houses in California and Nevada for cash and quick escrow in as short as 7 days.

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Pastor’s Notes reverend rodel G. BAlAGtAS IN his book, “Let Us Dream, The Path to a Better Future” Pope Francis acknowledges the challenging realities of our times. He states: “Sometimes, when I think about the challenges before us, I feel overwhelmed. But I’m never hopeless. We are accompanied.

We are being sifted, yes, and it is painful; many of us feel powerless and even afraid. But there is also an opportunity in this crisis to come out better.

What the Lord asks us today is a culture of service, not a throwaway culture. But we can’t serve others unless we let their reality speak to us.

To go there, you have to open your eyes and let the suffering around you touch you so that you hear the Spirit of God speaking to you from the margins.”

These words of Pope Francis could help us grapple with the painful realities of the war in Ukraine. Indeed, like the Holy

Being sifted like wheat Father, the war in Ukraine has shaken us to the core of our being. It has “sifted” us like wheat, which means that it has made us see the horrific effects of war: the diabolic violence against humanity and the devastation of a country and its people. But it has also made us recognize our common bonds and the goodness of our hearts, like compassion, prayers, and assistance for the people of Ukraine.

Again, borrowing the insights of Pope Francis, the war in Ukraine is revealing everyone’s heart: “how solid it is, how merciful, how big or small.”

It allows us to make the right choices, showing our true hearts.

We must choose to keep rejecting and renouncing the evil forces happening in our world and do everything possible to bring peace. We hope that these are the choices of our world leaders.

The Holy Father urges us to guard ourselves against despair, discouragement, and pessimism, the devil’s works.

Instead, he asks us to be cocreators of the future. He states:

“From this crisis we can come out better or worse. We can slide backward or we can create something new. But, for now, what we need is the chance to make space for the new things we need. It’s like God says to Isaiah: Come, let us talk this over. If you are ready to listen, we will have a great future. But if you refuse to listen, you’ll be devoured by the sword (Isaiah 1-18-20).

Let’s keep praying for the end of the war in Ukraine. Let’s show the people of Ukraine that we’re one with them in their sufferings and pain. Let’s pray for our world leaders to find solutions to these global conflicts. And let’s heed the call of the Holy Father to pray for Russia through the intercession of the Immaculate Heart of Mary. *** The opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by the author do not necessarily reflect the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints of the Asian Journal, its management, editorial board and staff. *** Fr. Rodel “Odey” Balagtas is the pastor of Incarnation Church in Glendale, California.

Charlie talks about the pros and...

PAGE B2 of us being boyfriend-girlfriend in the show,” Charlie observed. “Kiko comes from a family of actors. He shared with me how his parents would give him advice about working in show biz and how passionate they are when it comes to the craft. That helped me, too, because I understood where Kiko is coming from.”

Charlie said that, like Kiko, she would always aim to “level up” in terms of performance in each new project she takes on. “It really depends on the material that’s offered to me, as well as on the people I would be closely working with.

Each project has different sets of artists and production team members. One thing is certain, I make sure to learn something new in each set I step on, even if it’s just by way of observing my coworkers,” she pointed out.

Testing limits “I thought I was already challenged when I did ‘Fangirl.’ When I did ‘Viral Scandal,’ I realized that it’s far more difficult. Through the show, I got to test my limits. I learned about the technical side of acting, too. The experience was really different,” Charlie recalled.

“I’ve been acting for quite a while now, but I was never conscious of my camera angles and blocking. Back then, I’d say, ‘bahala na,’ but now I realized that I needed to take note of these things as well in order to make work easier for the rest of the team. I’m lucky that I was well

taken care of on the set; that everyone I worked with was dedicated to playing their roles well, not just my coactors but also the directors and staff members. They’re all very passionate that you’d feel ashamed not to be at the same level as they are.”

Playing an OFW nurse In the episode that will air on April 23, Charlie plays an OFW nurse named Raquel, who meets Ralph (Kiko) while she was in the process of mending her broken heart. Ralph eventually proposed marriage to Raquel. As they were preparing for the wedding, COVID-19 happens.

Charlie said playing Raquel had been a “refreshing change” from portraying Rica Sicat in “Viral Scandal,” but not necessarily easier to do. “To be honest, I really felt the pressure. I was portraying a real-life character. I just hope that my performance is close to what really happened.

I hope I was able to give the right emotions, even though I wasn’t really around when the story happened and that I was just depending on the script,” she pointed out.

“I really wanted to be told that I did well. It was a good thing that I got to talk with the letter sender before the shoot,” Charlie said. “I got a deeper understanding of what she is like as a person. I also asked her for tips on what she wanted to see from me, like the emotions I should express. I realized that I needed to portray this as truthfully as possible.” g

Sexual assault and sexual harassment survivors cannot be forced into arbitration Protecting Employee & Consumer Rights Atty. C. Joe SAyAS, Jr. ARBITRATION is a procedure to resolve disputes without filing a complaint in court.

By signing an employment arbitration agreement, the employee agrees to adjudicate any claim against the employer before an arbitrator and not before a judge or a jury. This means the employee cannot sue that employer in court.

Unlike court proceedings which are public, an arbitration proceeding is a private process and its results are generally confidential and not disclosed.

Many studies regarding arbitration outcomes show that they favor the defendants and defense firms that pay the bills.

Arbitrators are not required to follow the law, and there is little opportunity to appeal an arbitrator’s ruling.

The use of arbitration in employment disputes has often been seen as problematic.

It is usually not a product of negotiation between parties of equal power. The employer may make the signing of an arbitration agreement a condition of employment.

Employees often automatically sign these types of agreements without understanding the consequences.

Nowhere is the impact of arbitration agreements more tragic than in sexual misconduct claims that are later denied access to the courts. Since the complaint is not brought in the open, the wrongful conduct may continue to persist.

California passed into law Assembly Bill 51 (AB 51) effective January 2020, which prohibits employers from requiring employees, as a condition of employment, to sign mandatory arbitration agreements to resolve discrimination claims covered under FEHA and for any

claims under the Labor Code, including wages and other employee protections.

However, courts were faced with the uncertainty of upholding AB 51 because it was seen as likely contradicting the federal statute, the Federal Arbitration Act (FAA).

On March 3, 2022, President Biden signed a new federal law called Ending Forced Arbitration of Sexual Assault and Sexual Harassment Act of 2021, previously passed

by Congress. The bill, H.R. 4445, amends the FAA to make it possible for survivors of sexual assault and victims of sexual harassment to sue in court and not be forced to arbitrate their legal claims.

The new law provides the following: • Employees with sexual assault or sexual harassment claims are no longer forced to arbitration even if they previously signed an agreement limiting their legal remedies to arbitration only.

• The new law applies to “pre-dispute” arbitration agreements entered into before the occurrence of the alleged harassment or assault and does not apply to agreements to arbitrate reached after a dispute arises.

• Pre-dispute mandatory arbitration agreements are not outright prohibited.

Instead, the law gives victims the choice of either arbitrating their sexual assault or sexual harassment claims or instead suing in court. The employee ultimately gets to decide whether to arbitrate or sue in court.

• Employees may choose to sue as an individual or through a class action, regardless of whether the employee also signed a Class Action Waiver (an agreement waiving their right to class or collective action).

• Whether this new law applies to a given set of facts will be decided by a federal judge and not an arbitrator.

• This new law is partially retroactive.

Any existing

forced arbitration agreements signed before March 3, 2022 are now voidable, even if the individual signed the forced arbitration agreement before March 3, 2022. However, prior cases that have already been completed through forced arbitration cannot be reopened and litigated in court.

• Aside from employees, other people potentially affected by this law include clients, customers, patients and consumers. These persons are often required to sign forced arbitration agreements in order to avail of services.

A conventional civil lawsuit in state or federal court adds greater transparency and should make it less easy for companies to sweep sexual harassment or sexual assault claims under the rug by offering the accuser money and a confidential settlement.

The confidential nature of the settlement means that the perpetrator can more easily find a new victim. The new law, which received bipartisan support in Congress and the U.S. Senate, hopes to end the culture of silence and secrecy that protects perpetrators at the cost of victims’ rights. *** 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 no-cost. 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.]

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Which is better? Chapter 7 or 13 vs. debt consolidation and debt settlement

I’VE recently gotten a couple of clients who have been on debt consolidation and are now ready to jump into Chapter 7 or Chapter 13.

First, let’s distinguish debt consolidation from debt settlement. No, they are not the same thing actually. However, both debt consolidation and debt settlement require negotiations with creditors because the aim of both is to either reduce payment by reducing the interest rate, or settling the debt owed by less than what is owed. Does this sound complicated? It’s not really.

Let’s take a look at one client’s case. He owes $60,000 of credit cards, to 10 different creditors.

He pays a minimum of $1,900 monthly to keep all these cards current. The interest rate on average for these cards is 21%.

If the client keeps on paying the minimum of $1,900 at 21% p.a., it may take him more than 30 years to pay the principal down to zero.

In other words, he would have paid $684,000 in 30 years to pay off $60,000 of credit cards in full.

You don’t need to be a “stable genius” like you know who, to figure out that that’s a bad deal for you and your family. Paying $684,000 over 30 years to pay off $60,000 of credit card debt is just plain stupid as stupid does according to Forrest Gump. As someone would say, “Sad!” That’s the same as cutting off your two arms and two legs plus your two ears and a nose to pay $60,000 of credit cards.

In consolidation, the consolidator will try to get each one of your creditors to accept a lower monthly payment by agreeing to accept a lower interest. The effect of the lower interest is to shorten the amount of time it takes to pay off the principal because more principal gets paid with every payment. You pay the consolidator a lump sum amount, which he distributes to each creditor after the creditors have agreed to reduce their interest rate.

Debt settlement, on the other hand, is where the negotiator, negotiates with your creditors to accept an amount that is less than what you owe as a final settlement of your debt. You then pay the negotiator who pays off the creditor.

So both consolidation and settlement are done by negotiation with your creditors. There is no court or judge involved in the process. Thus, both are done by mutual agreement with the creditors.

One problem with consolidation or settlement is what happens when not all your creditors agree to consolidation or settlement.

Those who do not agree can just decide to sue you directly to collect their money and thereafter, levy your bank accounts, garnish your wages and put a lien on your house and cars. So who wants this kind of legal hassles? There is no

Debt Relief

atty. LawrEncE yang peace of mind. It’s like an open wound that keeps on festering.

And, any amount reduced or saved becomes your income, so you’ll have to answer to the IRS for the additional income you made by reducing debt payments.

Nobody wants to have this kind of problem with the IRS. Failure to disclose the income so derived may subject you to audit and penalties. Another set of problems arises.

On the other hand, Chapter 7 and Chapter 13 are bankruptcy procedures that discharge debt.

The discharge order wipes out your debt and gives you a fresh start in life in Chapter 7, or reorganizes your finances by allowing you to pay less than what you owe, through the bankruptcy court system.

Upon filing Chapter 7 or 13, the court issues an automatic stay order against all of your creditors.

It says that your creditors cannot call you, file a lawsuit against you, stop wage garnishments, stop bank levies, stop liens against your house and personal assets. The stay gives you immediate peace of mind by ordering all your creditors to stop whatever they are doing to collect their money as soon as the case is filed. No more calls in the middle of the night or early morning. No more letters and lawsuits to collect. No more wage garnishments. No more creditor harassment day or night, forever.

Peace of mind immediately.

What happens is the bankruptcy court comes in and protects you and your assets from creditors and eventually, the court discharges or wipes out your legal liability to pay the debt. What can be better than this?

You need to exempt your assets, however. There are two legal systems to exempt assets in bankruptcy. Check with an experienced bankruptcy lawyer.

He or she knows what to do to exempt your assets. You get to keep your house, your cars, your retirement accounts, and pretty much everything you own as long as you are able to exempt them legally. So, you keep all your assets, but discharge or wipe out all your debts in one stroke. Before the discharge order is issued, and after the case is filed, your creditors cannot touch you or your assets. They can’t even call you. It’s like having Bruce Lee as your bodyguard. You become invincible. You then get a fresh start in life with no debt while keeping all your assets.

In Chapter 13, you might pay a portion of your debt, depending

on the value of your non-exempt asset. In the above example, if you had a house with non-exempt equity of $10,000, you would only pay $170 a month for 60 months.

After making all payments, the court will wipe out the balance of $50,000. In other words, instead of paying $1,900 a month for 30 years, you only pay $170 a month for 5 years, or a total of $10,000.

You pay the $170 to a courtsupervised Chapter 13 trustee, an officer of the court. He or she distribute or pays the $170 to all of your creditors. You pay only 16% of your total debt of $60,000.

And the trustee cannot run away with your payments. There is no such thing as a Chapter 13 trustee absconding and running away with your money. Whatever you pay under your plan is guaranteed to pay your creditors, and the court will wipe out the rest of the unpaid debt as long as you finish your plan payments on time.

Once you’re done with your bankruptcy, as long as you pay your new debts on time, your credit score will improve very fast.

On the second year from filing, your credit score may already reach 600. On the third year from filing, your credit score may already reach 670. That’s how fast your score will improve as long as you handle new debt with timely repayment. You can buy a car as soon as you obtain your discharge.

Most car dealers finance debtors who have just emerged from Bk. You need to bring your discharge order. Expect a higher car loan interest if you buy a car as soon as you get your discharge, maybe 19%.

It’s a no-brainer. Even Walt Disney filed for Chapter 7 twice before his Disneyland business succeeded. The owner of Hershey chocolates, the world’s largest chocolate business, also filed for Chapter 7 once before his business succeeded. Bankruptcy is the best and most effective way to get rid of debt and start fresh in life without accumulated debt. Just ask Mr. Disney and Mr. Hershey.

They both became billionaires after starting fresh in life without debt through bankruptcy. Without Chapter 7, there would be no Disneyland or Hershey chocolates.

Our world would be a sadder place indeed! *** Disclaimer: None of the foregoing is considered legal advise for anyone.

There is absolutely no attorney client relationship established by reading this article. *** Lawrence Bautista Yang specializes in Bankruptcy, Business, Real Estate and Civil Litigation and has successfully represented more than five thousand clients in California. Please call Angie, Barbara or Jess at (626) 284-1142 for an appointment at 1000 S. Fremont Ave, Mailstop 58, Building A-1 Suite 1125, Alhambra, CA 91803 or at 20274 Carrey Road, Walnut, CA 91789.

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Some informational tips for 2022 tax season Tax Tips

Dan E. nino THE 2022 Tax Season is very much underway for tax year 2021. Due to the pandemic, there are new tax laws that were enacted like the American Rescue Plan to mitigate the needs of taxpayers especially those who were affected.

In addition, tax deductions and credits can reduce the amount we pay to Internal Revenue Service or Franchise Tax Board.

Let me count the ways: • If you are qualified and you didn’t receive the Economic impact Payment under the Recovery Credit Rebate of the Biden Administration in 2021, you might still be entitled to receive $1,400. The threshold of Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) to be qualified are: $75,000 and below for single; $112,500 and below for Head of Household; and $150,00 and below for Married Filing Jointly.

• If your income is too low and are qualified, you’ll be entitled to an Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) which will provide you additional credits and refunds.

The is a tax credit designed to help low to moderate income taxpayers. For taxpayers who qualify, it provides a significant tax break that can offset taxes owed or can increase the amount of their refund. Eligibility for the EITC is determined by several factors, like the amount of money earned in a given year and the

number of qualifying children.

• The easiest way to calculate a client’s EITC is using a TaxSlayer Professional software, which I’ve been using for many years now.

• Some closing costs on a sale of your main home are tax deductible.

• Charitable contributions are still very much in place if you want to increase you itemized deductions. If you are a high income taxpayer with plenty of qualified itemized deductions, the tax software will choose the itemized deductions. Otherwise, the standard deduction which has increased since three years ago will be the better option.

• If you are a home owner and you pay the monthly mortgage, the following are still deductible: mortgage interest, mortgage insurance premiums, and real estate taxes paid which is subject to a total cap of $10,000.

• In 2021, the child tax credit can be worth as much as $3,600 for each child aged five and under, up from a maximum of $2,000 per child in 2020. Most parents who qualify for the credit began receiving advance payments of $1,000 in July 2021.

The credit phases out for high income taxpayers.

• If you are a business owner, you can deduct many of the costs necessary of running your business.

• If you have an employer and you work at home or remotely, you cannot deduct home office expenses unless you work for yourself.

• A taxpayer may qualify to exclude from their income all or part of any gain from the sale of their main home. Generally, taxpayers can exclude up to $250,000 if filing single and

$500,000 if married and filing jointly from the gain of a sale of a main home.

• If you sell your second or vacation home, the sale is called Personal Capital Asset. The capital gains are taxable unless you reinvest it within the 180 days on another property.

• Contributions to an individual retirement account or IRA can reduce once’s taxable income.

• A Student Loan Interest up to $2,500 in interest paid on qualified student loan is deductible.

• Doctor’s visits and out of pocket prescription medications are tax deductible.

There are many other guides, common deductions and credits that are out there. Just consult your tax preparer or consultant.

These deductions can help lower the amount you pay the IRS and increase your chances of refunds.

If you are retired and receive your 1099R (distributions from Pensions or Retirement), make sure that you deduct adequate tax withholding so you don’t have to pay large some of taxes during the tax season. *** 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. *** Should you have some questions, please don’t hesitate to write or call me at 562-508-8099 or email me at denino1951@gmail.com.

The author wear several hats. He is a lifelong journalist, community leader, tax practitioner (income tax, sales tax and non-profit organizations), business consultant and motivational speaker based in Cerritos, California.

Preparing your estate for the COVID-19 pandemic Barrister’s Corner atty. KEnnEth UrsUa rEyEs THE COVID-19 Pandemic is a scary reality which affects everyone globally and has shut down the global economy. Individuals over 65 are more at risk of having serious complications with this virus. Although we cannot completely control how we would respond to such virus, we can prepare our finances and estate incase the worst happens.

Legally, there are several ways you can do this.

1. Create a Living Trust If you pass away with at least $166,250 in gross assets and you do not have a living trust (even if you have a will), your benefi-

ciaries would have to open up a probate case before title to the assets can pass to them. When I say gross asset, I mean regardless of how much debt you owe on them.

For example if you own a house valued at $350,000 at the time of your death, it does not matter that your mortgage balance is $300,000, a probate case has to be opened in order to pass title to that property. The same is true with other types of assets such as owning a business, a professional practice, bonds, equities, etc.

This is a very low threshold to exceed specially in California where real estate prices, even after the economic crisis, remains in the upper end of the curve among the 50 states.

Commencing a probate case is expensive and a very slow process. Someone qualified will have to file a Petition with the probate court to have someone appointed as executor or administrator. The Petitioner’s attorney gets paid a statutory rate for attorney’s fees commencing with 4% of the gross estate. The probate referee will have to be paid for appraising the assets of the estate. If it is necessary to post bond, the premium on the bond would have to be paid as well. There is also the cost of administering the estate such as selling some of the assets to satisfy the estate’s obligations and to divide the estate according to the will or the intestate line of succession if there is no will. The entire process could take up years specially if certain beneficiaries and creditors file certain claims.

The probate court file would be public record.

On the other hand if you have a living trust, your estate can avoid the entire court system and court supervision. In certain situations, the process may also save you estate taxes which may be substantial if your assets exceed a certain threshold. Basically, you and/or your spouse can be named as the initial trustee of the trust while you are alive. The trustee is the person who manages the trust.

This means you retain control of all your assets the same way as if you never had a trust. For revocable trusts, you can later on, at any time during your lifetime, revoke the entire trust if you change your mind.

The assets held in your living trust will be managed by the trustee and distributed according to your directions without court supervision and involvement when you pass away. This can save your heirs time and money.

Since the trust would not be under the direct management of the probate court, your assets and their value and your beneficiaries’ identities would not become a public record. Your heirs and beneficiaries would still have to be notified about the living trust and advised, among other things, of their right to obtain a copy of the trust.

Having a trust is also benefi-

cial in case you become incapacitated. The person you name as successor trustee can step up and manage the assets in your trust on your behalf.

2. Power of Attorney A power of attorney designates another individual the power to manage your financial affairs on your behalf. You can limit this power and define what the scope of the power you are giving your attorney in fact. A power of attorney is also revocable if you decide to cancel the power you have given this individual. By giving another person the power of attorney, you do not lose the power to manage your financial affairs.

You can continue to make financial decisions on your own affairs.

3. Durable Power of Attorney for Healthcare A Durable Power of Attorney for Healthcare allows your to designate specific individual to have the power to make healthcare decisions on your behalf incase you no longer have the capacity to make decisions for yourself due to health conditions. You can define the scope of your agent’s authority. This is also revocable if you change your mind in the future. Your agent will have the authority to access and review your medical records and sign any authorization on your behalf.

This is helpful incase you are unable to make healthcare decisions for yourself.

4. Last Will and Testament A Last Will and Testament allows your to designate how your assets will be distributed after you pass away. This allows you to customize how your estate will be divided and distributed. In the absence of a Will, you would pass away intestate and the probate court would simply follow the California intestate succession laws which are in the probate code. *** 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 Certified Family Law Specialist. He was President of the Philippine American Bar Association. He is a member of both the Family law section and Immigration law section of the Los Angeles County Bar Association. He is a graduate of Southwestern University Law School in Los Angeles and California State University, San Bernardino School of Business Administration. He has extensive CPA experience prior to law practice. LAW OFFICES OF KENNETH REYES, APC is located at 3699 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 747, Los Angeles, CA, 90010. Tel. (213) 3881611 or e-mail kenneth@kenreyeslaw.com or visit our website at Kenreyeslaw.com.

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