Hegseth’s warning: uS not seeking war but ready to defend interests amid sea tensions
IN a stark warning to potential adversaries, U.s. Defense secretary Pete hegseth declared during his visit to manila that while the United states does not seek war, it stands ready to defend its interests including over contested waters. speaking at a joint press conference with Philippine Defense secretary Gilberto teodoro on friday, march 28, hegseth underscored the importance of deterrence against threats from “communist” China. hegseth also said that the U.s. stands ready to face any nation that tests its resolve.
“our partnership demonstrates our commitment to peace and security in the Indo-Pacific. As our president often says, we will achieve peace through strength. We do not seek war; we seek peace. But those who long for peace must prepare for
‘corruption a hindrance to uS trade, investment’
CorrUPtIoN has been identified as one of the barriers to trade and investment confronting United states firms doing business in the Philippines, according to the office of the U.s trade representative (Ustr).
In its 2025 National trade estimate (Nte) report to U.s. President Donald trump and Congress, the Ustr said corruption is a pervasive and longstanding problem that U.s. businesses have to deal with in the Philippines.
“National and local government agencies, particularly the Bureau of Customs, are beset with various corruption issues. Both foreign and domestic investors have expressed concerns about the lack of transparency in judicial and regulator processes,” the Ustr said.
Although the Bureau of Customs launched a modernization program in 2021 to address customs and corruption concerns, the Ustr said there are still widespread reports of corruption and irregularities in customs processing, including undue and costly delays, irregularities in the valuation process, 100 percent inspection and testing of some
Defense team eyeing Duterte interim release
by Neil JaysoN servallos Philstar.com
WAshINGtoN — the United states announced on tuesday, April 1 it has approved a sale of $5.5 billion in f-16 fighter jets to the Philippines, as Washington backs its ally in rising tensions with China. the state Department reported it was green-lighting the sale that includes 20 f-16 jets and related equipment to the Philippines, a treaty-bound ally of the United states. the state Department has made a
determination approving a possible foreign military sale to the Government of the Philippines of f-16 aircraft,” the U.s. Defense security Cooperation Agency (DsCA) said in a statement on tuesday.
DsCA noted it delivered the required certification, notifying U.s. Congress of this possible sale. the sale will “improve the security of a strategic partner that continues to be an important force for political stability, peace and economic progress in southeast Asia,” a
15 Philippine tycoons led by Villar among Forbes ‘world’s richest People’
mANILA — fifteen tycoons from the Philippines, led by property magnate manuel Villar, made it to forbes magazine’s World’s richest People for 2025. Almost the same names made the cut this year, although the list from the country is a bit shorter than the 2024 roster, which had identified 16 local billionaires with net worth exceeding $1 billion.
one notable newcomer is eusebio tanco, whose wealth was buoyed by the surge in the valuation of online gaming firm Digiplus Interactive Corp. Villar topped the list with an estimated net worth of $17.2 billion. recently, the “brown taipan” announced that Golden mV holdings Inc., the mass housing and memorial park developer that he leads, hit
nearly P1 trillion in net profit in 2024 on gains from the assessment of its investment properties, the highest in Philippine history. ranking second is ports and casino tycoon enrique razon, with an estimated wealth of $10.9 billion.
san miguel Corp. chair ramon Ang placed third with $3.7-billion net worth, followed by Lucio tan with $3 billion.
Sy family All the six children of the late sm group founder henry sy sr. landed on the list individually: henry Jr. ($2.3 billion); hans ($2.2 billion), herbert ($2.1 billion), harley ($1.9 billion), teresita ($1.9 billion) and elizabeth ($1.7 billion).
Andrew tan had $1.6 billion credited u PAGE 3
“None of those factors exist in the present situation. so there is a right for mr. Duterte to be released. We are working on that, but the timing of when we intend to introduce
application is yet to be decided,” he added. Duterte’s daughter, Vice President sara Duterte, earlier said they were looking at his interim release before the next ICC hearing in september. meanwhile, Kaufman also relayed his client’s wish for supporters and detractors alike to refrain from interfering with the judicial processes before the ICC.
by daniEl chang KFF Health Newa
It’s a holy grail of health care: forcing the industry to reveal prices negotiated between health plans and hospitals — information that had long been treated as a trade secret. And among the flurry of executive orders President Donald trump signed during his first five weeks back in office was a promise to “make America healthy Again” by giving patients accurate health care prices. the goal is to force hospitals and health insurance companies to make it easier for consumers to compare the actual prices of medical procedures and prescription drugs. trump gave his administration until the end of may to come up with a standard and a mechanism to make sure the health care industry complies.
But trump’s 2025 order is also a symbol of how little progress the country has made since he issued a similar directive nearly six years ago. Consumers find it only partially useful, and the quality of the
Philippines grateful for uS military funding – gibo
mANILA — the Philippines is grateful for the United states’ enduring support and the exemption of the country’s foreign military financing from foreign aid freeze, Defense secretary Gilbert teodoro Jr. said. on friday, march 28, the Philippines hosted U.s. Defense secretary Pete hegseth in his first official visit to Asia and the Indo-Pacific. teodoro emphasized that his
counterpart’s visit showed the importance of the country’s bilateral alliance with the U.s the Philippines, he said, is gratified by the importance placed on the stability and enhancement of U.s.-Philippines relationship as a linchpin of securing peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific.
“We are grateful for the enduring support of the United states, including the state Department in part, in no small way, through the efforts of secretary and the rest of the team, for a waiver of foreign
Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. Philstar.com file photo
Former Senator and property magnate Manuel Villar
Photo from Facebook/@MannyVillar
Philippines grateful for uS military...
military financing for the Philippines,” teodoro said.
the U.s. exempted a “portion” of its military assistance to the Philippines from its foreign aid freeze.
hegseth met with President marcos and teodoro.
the result of the meetings, hegseth said, was an understanding of how to not just continue with the status quo, but to “accelerate the progress in the U.s.-Philippines alliance.”
“And as secretary hegseth said, we are going to work very closely, not only with our treaty ally, but with other like-minded partners in reestablishing deterrence,” teodoro said. this will mean increase interoperational activities, joint exercises, realistic training in a myriad of scenarios to mirror what may be possible in the future, God forbid. however, we must be prepared to answer and to meet and even to
deter any possibility in the future for our mutual defense and the defense of freedom and international law,” he said. on friday, hegseth announced that the U.s. and the Philippines have come together to work toward reestablishing military deterrence in the Indo-Pacific region. the four-piece plan, which hegseth said would build upon the U.s.’ late July 2024 commitment of $500 million to modernize the Philippine military, includes an agreement that the U.s will deploy additional advanced military capabilities to the Philippines, plans for bilateral training between both nations for highend operations, an agreement to prioritize bilateral defense industrial cooperation, and an agreement to launch a bilateral cyber campaign.
the Pentagon chief said that the U.s. intends to send additional capabilities to the Philippine military. the Defense Department will
provide the Philippines with the Navy-marine expeditionary ship Interdiction system, or NmesIs for exercise Balikatan.
Chinese foreign ministry ‘robotic’ the Chinese foreign ministry’s “robotic” quality of statements is a product of limited worldview of a closed society, teodoro said on friday. “We don’t practice propaganda in this country. We practice free speech and democracy. the Philippines is not a mouthpiece, unlike they themselves, who are mouthpieces of Xi Jinping,” teodoro added.
China warned the Philippines ahead of hegseth’s visit to manila last week, urging the Philippine government to “stop serving as other countries’ mouthpiece” and refrain from being used as “chess pieces” in regional power games. Beijing has also warned that nothing good can come from opening the door to a predator. n
Defense team eyeing Duterte...
“the political politics is one issue. he’s aware of what’s going on in the Philippines. Politics will take its course. But that has nothing to do with what’s going on here at the hague,” he said.
Hospital prices remain largely...
information is spotty.
A ‘bold’ first step that fizzled the 2019 order was “pretty bold,” said Gary Claxton, a senior vice president at Kff a health information nonprofit that includes Kff health News. “they basically went at the providers and the plans and said, ‘All this data you think is confidential we’re not going to make confidential anymore.’” What followed was, to consumer advocacy groups, a disappointment. hospitals and insurers posted on websites voluminous, complex, and confusing data about their prices. the information has been a challenge for even experts in health care pricing to navigate, let alone consumers. some members of Congress filed legislation to put the force of law behind price transparency requirements; those bills died. And President Joe Biden’s administration was criticized for not more stringently enforcing the regulations, with one consumer advocacy group even buying a super Bowl ad featuring the rapper fat Joe alleging that “hospitals and insurers hide their prices.”
trump’s new order, signed in february, said that hospitals and health plans “were not adequately held to account when their price transparency data was incomplete or not even posted at all.”
the Government Accountability office reported in october that the Centers for medicare & medicaid services didn’t know whether prices reported by the health care industry were correct or complete. But Cms, which regulates hospitals, now plans to “systematically monitor compliance” and help institutions understand the requirements, said Catherine howden, an agency spokesperson. howden did not answer questions about whether Cms staffers overseeing price transparency compliance have been fired as part of the trump administration’s wideranging effort to cut the federal workforce.
‘Zombie’ rates and other inconsistencies meanwhile, independent researchers have found numerous problems with the quality of price data both hospitals and health insurers do share with consumers.
A recent report from the Peterson-Kff health system tracker found that data reported by four health insurers in New York City often included prices that they say they pay hospitals for services that those health providers don’t — or can’t — provide. these are called “ghost” or “zombie” rates. for example, the health plans reported dentists, optometrists, and audiologists receiving payments for knee replacements, gastrointestinal exams, and other procedures unrelated to their specialties.
In other cases, the data included different prices for the same service paid for by the same insurer at the same hospital. Unitedhealthcare, for example, reported paying New York-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell medical Center three rates —
$47,000, $64,000, and $70,000 — to treat a heart attack. or, the insurers reported paying the same price for vastly different services. Aetna, for example, said it paid exactly $6,292 to mount sinai Beth Israel hospital for the treatment of respiratory infections, heart attacks, cancers of the digestive tract, kidney and urinary tract infections, and psychosis.
Neither Unitedhealthcare nor Aetna addressed the discrepancies in the data. Cole manbeck, a spokesperson for Unitedhealthcare, said the insurer has met price transparency requirements and urged members “to use our costestimator tools for exact costs based on their specific health plan.” Aetna spokesperson shelly Bendit referred questions to AhIP, a lobbying and trade association for insurers.
health insurers have “strongly supported” price transparency, said Chris Bond, a spokesperson for AhIP. the group will work with the trump administration to provide transparency “in a way that is meaningful for the end user, while also promoting a competitive private market,” Bond said.
What’s a consumer to do?
estimates and total prices aren’t very useful for consumers, who are mainly interested in what they’ll ultimately have to pay out-of-pocket, said David Cutler, a professor of applied economics at harvard University. that can vary by health plan, depending on deductibles, copayments, and other fees.
“most of the price transparency information doesn’t have that,” he said. It also doesn’t give consumers information about the quality of care, Cutler added, which can lead to an old bias. “It’s kind of like wine when you go to the restaurant,” he said. “People assume that the more expensive wine is better.”
Cutler said he’s skeptical that price transparency will lower costs for patients. But he said it may offer insight to hospitals and health plans about what their competitors are charging and paying for services — knowledge that could inadvertently lead to price increases if hospitals that receive a lower rate than a competitor demand higher reimbursement from health plans.
trump’s recent executive order notes that the top quarter of the most expensive health service prices have dropped by 6.3% a year since his 2019 order.
however, the same research referenced in the executive order showed that the bottom quarter of services got more expensive, at a rate of about 3.4% per year, according to the analysis by turquoise health, a health care price data firm that examined rates at more than 200 hospitals in the 10 largest U.s. markets.
some patients say that with research and persistence, they’ve been able to make price transparency work for them.
theresa schmotzer, 50, of Goodyear, Arizona, said she used hospital price data to save nearly $3,000 on outpatient surgery to have a fibroid
removed last year. schmotzer, who has health insurance, said the hospital first told her she would owe $3,700 for the procedure and wanted the payment upfront. But she was skeptical. she said her health insurer was unable to quote a price for the procedure or specify how much she would owe. the morning of the surgery, schmotzer said, she found a spreadsheet online at PatientrightsAdvocate.org that included different prices paid by insurers, including hers. the reported price for the procedure was closer to $700, she said. schmotzer said she took a printout of the spreadsheet to the hospital and presented it during preadmission. she paid her $300 deductible and told the hospital to bill her for the rest. A few months later, she said, the bill arrived in the mail for the remaining $400, which she paid.
When people go for surgery and aren’t clear upfront what the cost will be, it stokes fear, she said. “Because they’re going in blind.” Next steps hospitals say they want to work with federal regulators and comply with reporting requirements, said Ariel Levin, director of coverage policy for the American hospital Association, which represents about 5,000 institutions. Levin said consumers should be given the price of services and “a more comprehensive estimate” that represents an entire episode of care and the amount they’ll owe out-of-pocket, based on their health plan.
Cms has developed rules since trump’s 2019 order to make price information reported by hospitals and health plans easier to understand, and the agency has fined more than a dozen hospitals for failing to comply. federal rules allow hospitals to report an estimate, a price range, or a historical rate for their services, while health plans can adjust prices based on factors like the severity of the case, the length of treatment, and a patient’s age.
Kff’s Claxton said that such flexibility doesn’t allow for “apples-to-apples comparisons” and that the data must be reliable before researchers can use it to better understand health care costs. “It doesn’t seem to be that yet,” he said. much remains to be done before price transparency lives up to expectations that it will increase competition and lower costs, said Katie martin, chief executive of the health Care Cost Institute, a nonprofit research group.
Price transparency alone is not a silver bullet, martin said. It’s “a critical first step” for employers, lawmakers, regulators, and others to better understand how money flows through the health care system and how to make it more efficient, she said. “It’s not the whole thing.”
KFF Health News is a national newsroom that produces indepth journalism about health issues and is one of the core operating programs at KFF—an independent source of health policy research, polling, and journalism.
BREAKING THE FAST. Filipino Muslims pray at the Blue Mosque in Maharlika Village, Taguig City on Monday, March 31, to celebrate Eid’l Fitr that marks the end of Ramadan. It is celebrated with congregational prayers at mosques or open grounds, festive meals shared with family and friends, and acts of charity. PNA photo by Avito C. Dalan
Trump says he’ll stop health care fraudsters. Last time, he let them walk.
by Brett Kelman KFF Health News
fIVe years ago, the Ceo of one of the largest pain clinic companies in the southeast was sentenced to more than three years in prison after being convicted in a $4 million illegal kickback scheme.
But after just four months behind bars, John estin Davis walked free. President Donald trump commuted Davis’ sentence in the last days of his first term. In a statement explaining the decision, the White house said that “no one suffered financially” from Davis’ crime.
In court, however, the trump administration was saying something very different. As the president let him go, the Department of Justice alleged in a civil lawsuit that Davis and his company defrauded taxpayers out of tens of millions of dollars with excessive urine drug testing. the DoJ alleged that Comprehensive Pain specialists made such a “staggering” sum from cups of pee that employees had given the testing a profit-minded nickname: “liquid gold.” Davis and the company denied all allegations in court filings and settled the DoJ’s fraud lawsuit without any determination of liability. Davis declined to comment for this article.
since returning to the White house, trump has said he will target fraud in medicare, medicaid, and social security, and his republican allies in Congress have made combating fraud a key argument in their plans to slash spending on medicaid, which provides health care for millions of low-income and disabled Americans. During an address to Congress last month, trump said his administration had found “hundreds of billions of dollars of fraud” without citing any specific examples of fraud.
“taken back a lot of that money,” trump said. “We got it just in time.”
But trump’s history of showing leniency to convicted fraudsters contrasts with his present-day crackdown. In his first and second terms, trump has granted pardons or commutations to at least 68 people convicted of fraud crimes or of
interfering with fraud investigations, according to a Kff health News review of court and clemency records, DoJ press releases, and news reports. At least 13 of those fraudsters were convicted in cases involving more than $1.6 billion of fraudulent claims filed with medicare and medicaid, according to the Department of Justice.
And as one of the first actions of his second term, trump fired 17 independent inspectors general responsible for rooting out fraud and waste in government.
“It sends a really bad message and really hurts DoJ efforts at creating deterrence,” said Jacob elberg, a former assistant U.s. attorney and law professor at seton hall University in New Jersey. “In order to reduce health care fraud, you need people both to be afraid of getting in trouble, but also for people to believe in the legitimacy of the system.”
elberg said considerable fraud in medicare and medicaid exists largely because the programs’ “pay-and-chase models” prioritize paying for patient care first and tracking down stolen dollars second. to prevent more fraud, the programs would likely need to be redesigned in ways that would be slower and more cumbersome for all patients, elberg said.
regardless, elberg said the president’s claimed focus on fraud appears to be a pretext for slashing spending that has been legally appropriated by Congress. trump has empowered the elon musk-led Department of Government efficiency, which he established and named by executive order, to make deep cuts in federal budgets, halting some medical research and aid programs in addition to cutting spending on climate change, transgender health, and diversity, equity, and inclusion programs.
“What’s been the focal point to date of the administration is not what anybody has ever referred to as health care fraud,” elberg said. “there is a real blurring — a seemingly intentional blurring — between what is actually fraud and what is just spending that they are not in favor of.”
Jerry martin, who served as
a U.s. attorney for the middle District of tennessee under President Barack obama and now represents health care fraud whistleblowers, also said trump’s focus on fraud appeared to be “just a platform to attack things that they don’t agree with” rather than “a genuine desire to root out and combat fraud.” even so, martin said some of his whistleblower clients have been emboldened.
“I’ve had clients repeat back to me ‘President trump says fraud is a priority,’” martin said.
“People are listening to it. But I don’t know that what he’s saying translates into what they believe.”
the White house did not respond to requests for comment for this article.
A billion-dollar fraud case and needless eye injections
Presidents enjoy the unique authority to erase federal convictions and prison sentences with pardons and commutations. In theory, the power is intended to be a final bulwark against injustice or overly harsh punishment. But many presidents have been accused of using the pardon power to reward powerful allies and close associates as they leave the White house.
trump issued about 190 pardons and commutations in the final two months of his first term, including for some health care fraudsters convicted of schemes with astonishing costs. for example, trump granted a commutation to Philip esformes, a florida health care executive convicted in 2019 of a $1.3 billion medicare and medicaid fraud scheme. After he was sentenced, DoJ announced in a press release that “the man behind one of the biggest health care frauds in history will be spending 20 years in prison.” trump freed him 14 months later.
trump also granted a commutation to salomon melgen, a florida eye doctor who was serving a 17-year prison sentence for defrauding medicare of $42 million. melgen falsely diagnosed patients with eye diseases, then gave them unnecessary care, including laser treatments and painful eye in-
15 Philippine tycoons led by Villar...
to his name, followed by Lucio Co ($1.4 billion), susan Co ($1.3 billion) and tony tan Caktiong ($1.3 billion).
tanco rounded up the list with an estimated wealth of $1.2 billion.
The list the 15 tycoons and their estimated net worth are as follows:
1. manuel Villar, $17.2 billion
2. enrique razón Jr., $10.9 billion
3. ramon Ang, $3.7 billion
4. Lucio tan, $3 billion
5. henry sy Jr., $2.3 billion
6. hans sy, $2.2 billion
7. herbert sy, $2.1 billion
8. harley sy, $1.9 billion
9. teresita sy-Coson, $1.9 billion
10. elizabeth sy, $1.7 billion
11. Andrew tan, $1.6 billion
12. Lucio Co, $1.4 billion
13. susan Co, $ 1.3 billion
14. tony tan Caktiong, $1.3 billion
15. eusebio tanco, $1.2 billion.
due to the upswing in shares of trump media & technology Group and big cash inflows from his recent crypto ventures.
“It’s another record-breaking year for the world’s richest people, despite financial uncertainty for many and geopolitical tensions on the rise,” said Chase Peterson-Withorn, forbes senior editor, Wealth.
“And, from elon musk to howard Lutnick and the other billionaires taking over the U.s. government, they’re growing more and more powerful.” meta chief mark Zuckerberg took the No. 2 spot with an estimated net worth of $216 billion, followed by Jeff Bezos at No. 3 ($215 billion), Larry ellison at No. 4 ($192 billion) and Bernard Arnault & family ($178 billion) rounding out the top five (inquirer.net) u PAGE 4
PAMPUBLIKONG PAGDINIG NG LUNGSOD NG ALAMEDA TUNGKOL SA
LIMANG-TAONG ISTRATEHIKONG PLANO NG CDBG/HOME PARA SA FY 2025-30 AT PLANONG AKSYON PARA SA FY 2025-26
Ang Lungsod ng Alameda (Lungsod) ay isang Lungsod ng Karapatan sa Programang Blokeng Gawad sa Pagpapaunlad ng Komunidad (Community Development Block Grant, CDBG) ng Kagawaran ng Pabahay at Pagpapaunlad ng Kalunsuran (Housing and Urban Development, HUD) ng U.S. Sa Mayo 6, 2025, susuriin ng Konseho ng Lungsod ang iminumungkahing Limang-Taong Istratehikong Plano at Planong Aksyon ng Taon ng FY 2025-26 (Pinag=isang Plano). Ang Pinag-isang Plano ay nagtatatag ng plano ng Lungsod para sa pagtugon sa mga pangangailangan ng pabahay at pagpapaunlad ng komunidad, kabilang ang paggamit ng mga pondo ng CDBG at HOME. Ang mga ispesipikong layunin para sa parating na taon ay tatalakayin sa iminumungkahing Planong Aksyon ng FY 2025-26 na sasakop sa panahon na Hulyo 1, 2025 hanggang Hunyo 30, 2026. Ang iminumungkahing Planong Aksiyon ng FY 2025-26 ay maglalaan ng humigit-kumulang na $1.1 milyon sa Mga Pondo ng Karapatan ng CDBG at tinatantiyang $60,000 na Kita ng Programa ng CDBG at humigit-kumulang $200,000 ng mga pondo ng HOME.
MAKUKUHA PARA SA PAGSUSURI NG PUBLIKO
Simula sa Abril 4, 2025, ang Pinag-isang Plano, kabilang ang mga detalye sa pagpopondo, ay makukuha para sa pagsusuri ng publiko sa website ng Lungsod ng Alameda sa https://www. alamedaca.gov
PAGKAKATAON NA MARINIG
Ang publiko ay hinihimok at iniimbitahan na lumahok sa proseso ng Planong Aksyon ng CDBG/ HOME at upang magkomento tungkol sa mga plano sa pabahay at pagpapaunlad ng komunidad, nang pabigkas o nakasulat, sa sumusunod na nakatakdang Pampublikong Pagdinig: Mayo 6, 2025 Pulong ng Konseho ng Lungsod sa 7:00 p.m. Pampublikong pagdinig tungkol sa iminumungkahing Limang-Taong Pinag-isang Plano at Planong Aksyon para sa mga Pederal na pondo ng CDBG at HOME sa FY 2025-26. Upang tingnan ang pampublikong pagdinig, bisitahin ang website ng Lungsod ng Alameda sa: https:// alameda.legistar.com/Calendar.aspx
Ang mga komento tungkol sa iminunungkahing Limang-Taong Pinag-isang Plano at Planong Aksyon ay maaaring isumite kay Andre Fairley sa (510) 747-6883 o sa clerk@alamedaca.gov (email). Mangyaring magbigay ng mga komento bago lumampas ang 5:00 p.m. sa Mayo 6, 2025 Ang Konseho ng Lungsod ay makikinig sa mga komento at magsasaalang-alang ng pagpapatibay ng Planong Aksyon sa regular na pulong nito sa 7:00 p.m. sa Mayo 6, 2025. Ang publiko ay hinihimok na lumahok.
MGA TADHANA PARA SA MGA TAONG MAY KAPANSANAN
Kung ang isang tao na may interes na lumahok sa programang ito ay isang taong may kapansanan gaya ng nilinaw ng Seksyon 504 ng Rehabilitation Act of 1974 at nangangailangan ng kaluwagan upang makalahok o nagkaroon ng interes, ang isang kahilingan para sa kaluwagan ay maaaring gawin kay Andre Fairley sa (510) 747-6883 (Boses) o sa pamamagitan ng email sa housing@alamedaca.gov. Ang naturang kahilingan ay dapat kabilang ang isang paglalarawan ng kaluwagang hinahangad, kasama ang isang pahayag ng kapansanan na nangangailangan ng kaluwagan. Anumang kahilingan para sa kaluwagan ay dapat suriin at ang isang sagot ay dapat ipagkaloob sa loob ng limang araw ng trabaho pagkatapos matanggap ang naturang kahilingan. Ang paunawa ng anumang kaluwagan na iginawad ay ipagkakaloob agad sa humiling.
MGA IPAGKAKALOOB SA MGA RESIDENTENG HINDI NAGSASALITA NG INGLES
Ang Lungsod ng Alameda ay may ugnayan ng mga empleyadong nagsasalita ng 45 wika na maaaring kumilos bilang mga tagasalin para sa mga residente na naghahangad ng impormasyon na nauukol sa mga programa ng CDBG/HOME. Kung binigyan ng paunawang maaga ng limang araw ng trabaho, makikipag-ayos ang Lungsod upang makakuha ng isang interpreter. Mangyaring kontakin si Andre Fairley sa (510) 747-6883 (Boses), 711 (TYY/TRS), o sa email housing@ alamedaca.gov.
PATAKARANG WALANG-DISKRIMINASYON
Ang Lungsod ng Alameda ay hindi nagdidiskrimina laban sa sinumang mga tao dahil sa lahi, kulay, relihiyon, bansang pinagmulan, angkan, seks, kasarian, kinikilalang kasarian, pagpapahayag ng kasarian, oryentasyong sekswal, katayuang marital, katayuang pampamilya, pinagkukunan ng kita, henetikong impormasyon, kondisyong medikal, kapansanang pisikal o kapansanan ng isipan, o anumang ibang kategoryang protektado ng batas.
Elon Musk tops global list forbes announced a record-breaking 3,028 billionaires with collective wealth of $16.1 trillion on its 39th annual World’s Billionaires list. elon musk dethroned french luxury goods titan Bernard Arnault for the top spot, as the former’s net worth grew by 75 percent to an estimated $342 billion. his jump in wealth followed big new valuations of xAI and spaceX, and a 12-month rise in tesla stock, despite the recent selloff. musk, a close ally of President Donald trump, is the first person on the planet to reach the $300 billion mark. on the other hand, President trump more than doubled his net worth to an estimated $5.1 billion,
One notable newcomer is Eusebio Tanco, whose wealth was buoyed by the surge in the valuation of online gaming firm Digiplus Interactive Corp. Contributed photo
uS approves sale of 20 F-16 fighter... Hegseth’s warning: uS not seeking war but...
state Department statement said. the sale will boost “the Philippine Air force’s ability to conduct maritime domain awareness” and “enhance its suppression of enemy air defenses,” it emphasized.
President Donald trump’s administration has sought to redirect U.s. military efforts to Asia to face a rising China, especially as tensions rise
over taiwan, and to lessen involvement in europe despite russia’s invasion of Ukraine. the Philippines and China have seen months of escalating confrontations in the south China sea. Beijing claims almost the entirety of the crucial waterway, despite an international ruling that its assertion has no merit. on a recent visit to manila, Defense secretary Pete hegseth
vowed to “reestablish deterrence in the Indo-Pacific region” in light of “threats from the Communist Chinese.” secretary of state marco rubio has reiterated U.s. defense commitments to the Philippines, a contrast to the trump administration’s frequent talk of “freeloading” off the United states by allies in europe. (With reports from Agence FrancePresse)
‘corruption a hindrance to uS trade...
products and inconsistent assessment of fees.
the Ustr said that stakeholders have raised concern over the Philippines’ pre-border technical verification (PtV) and cross-border electronic invoicing (CeI), which are intended to streamline inspections and monitor international trade transactions.
“stakeholders have expressed concerns about the PtV, citing increased inspection and logistics costs, delayed movement of goods, duplication of other importation processes, susceptibility of inspection agents to corruption in the country of export and its deviation from standard industry practices,” the Ustr said.
In addition, the Ustr said the implementation of PtV as an integrated package with CeI, which is focused on goods often misdeclared to avoid duties and taxes, shows that the Philippines may be intending to utilize pre-shipment inspection for tariff classification or customs valuation, raising concerns under Article 10.5 of the World trade organization trade facilitation Agreement, which discourages the use of pre-shipment inspections.
Biased procurement the Ustr also said the Philippine government’s procurement system generally favors Philippine nationals or filipino-controlled enterprises.
“While the Philippines passed amendments to the Government Procurement reform Act on July 20, 2024 which are intended to improve the public bidding process, government agencies are required to prioritize and favor Philippine products and services throughout all stages of the procurement process, including raw materials, ingredients, supplies and fixtures,” the Ustr
said. It said that concerns over intellectual property protection and enforcement remain despite the Philippines’ removal from the Watch List in the 2014 special 301 report, which identifies countries with intellectual property problems. stakeholders report issues with online piracy and sales of counterfeit goods, including apparel, shoes, watches, jewelry, perfume and electronics. such counterfeiting and piracy concerns led to the continued inclusion of manila’s Greenhills shopping Center in the 2024 review of Notorious markets for Counterfeiting and Piracy (Notorious markets List),” the Ustr said. moreover, prosecution and conviction of cases are slow, the Ustr said. other barriers cited in the report are sanitary and phytosanitary measures in agriculture and foreign ownership limits in certain sectors. this year’s Nte report was released ahead of the April 2 unveiling of trump’s reciprocal tariffs plan targeting all countries, supposedly to address trade imbalances.
Tariff war downplayed recently, trade secretary Cristina roque said the looming
reciprocal tariffs are unlikely to have a significant impact on Philippine trade.
“We feel that we will not be affected. We’re allies. And also our trade deficit with them is very minimal. so it’s not something that we can worry about for now,” she said.
While it is business as usual for now, she said she had asked for a meeting with her U.s counterparts to discuss trade matters.
rizal Commercial Banking Corp. chief economist michael ricafort said in an email that the proposed reciprocal tariffs and other protectionist policies could lead to higher U.s. import tariffs and eventually retaliatory trade wars, which could slow down global trade and world economic growth.
As the Philippines does not have a free trade agreement (ftA) with the Us, he said the U.s. is likely to match tariffs on its exports.
“In view of these risks, there is a need to further diversify the Philippine export markets to include more goods or products and also more export destinations, especially in reducing reliance on the U.s. as the biggest market for Philippine exports,” he said. (Louella Desiderio/Philstar.com)
war,” hegseth said. earlier friday, hegseth met with President ferdinand marcos Jr., where he reiterated the need for allies to work together in preventing conflict and safeguarding freedom of navigation in key waterways.
hegseth, who serves under republic President Donald trump, criticized former U.s President Joe Biden’s administration for allegedly failing to provide visible support to the Philippines during maritime standoffs.
“What we’re dealing with right now is many years of deferred maintenance, of weakness that we need to reestablish strength and deterrence in multiple places around the globe, but pertinently today for this region,” the Pentagon chief said.
When asked about deploying the U.s. Navy seventh fleet—the largest fleet com-
prising over 50 ships and 150 aircraft—hegseth referred questions to Admiral samuel Paparo Jr.
“I defer to Admiral Paparo and his war plans, real war plans. Admiral Paparo understands the situation, understands the geographic significance, understands the urgency, and is prepared to work with those in the region to ensure we are leaning forward in our posture,” hegseth said.
teodoro, meanwhile, avoided direct references to conflict but stressed the need for preparedness. he said the Philippines is entering several visiting forces agreements with like-minded nations. these deals are expected to increaes rotational presence of foreign forces within its borders.
“We must be prepared to answer and to meet and even to deter any possibility in the future for our mutual defense and
the defense of freedom and international law,” teodoro said.
‘Predator’ allegations Prior to hegseth’s visit, China’s ministry of foreign Affairs warned the Philippines against allowing “predators” within its borders. teodoro dismissed this statement as hypocritical, accusing Beijing of carving out the south China sea for itself. he described China’s perspective as coming from a “limited” source.
“You know what the problem is? You will hear me. the United states will hear me. filipinos will hear me. But 1 billion or more Chinese won’t get to hear what I said,” teodoro said.
teodoro also rebuffed China’s claim that the Philippines acts as a mouthpiece for other countries. “the Philippines is not a mouthpiece, unlike they themselves, who are mouthpieces of Xi Jinping,” he said.
(Jean Mangaluz/Philstar.com)
Trump says he’ll stop health care fraudsters...
jections, according to DoJ and court documents.
“salomon melgen callously took advantage of patients who came to him fearing blindness,” said a DoJ news release after melgen was sentenced in 2018. “they received medically unreasonable and unnecessary tests and procedures that victimized his patients and the American taxpayer.”
Doj: $70 million spent on ‘excessive’ urine testing
Despite the flurry of pardons and commutations at the end of trump’s first term, the leniency he showed Davis was unique. Davis was the only convicted health care fraudster to receive clemency while the trump administration was simultaneously accusing him of more fraud.
As Ceo of Comprehensive Pain specialists from 2011 to 2017, Davis oversaw a rapid expansion to more than 60 locations across 12 states, according to federal court documents. he was indicted in 2018 for using his Ceo position to refer medicare patients in need of medical equipment to a conspirator in return for kickbacks paid through a shell company, according to court documents. he was convicted at trial in April 2019 of defrauding medicare.
three months later, the DoJ filed a fraud lawsuit against Davis and CPs that piggybacked on the claims of seven whistleblowers. the lawsuit alleged that CPs collected more than $70 million from federal insurance programs for urine drug testing, most of which was “excessive,” and that an audit of a sampling of the tests had found at least 93% “lacked medical necessity.” typically, government insurance programs pay for urine testing so pain clinics can verify that patients are taking their prescriptions properly and not abusing any other drugs, which could contribute to an overdose. Patients could be tested as little as once a year or as often as monthly depending on their level of risk, according to the DoJ lawsuit. But Comprehensive Pain specialists performed “myriad urine drug testing on virtually every CPs patient on virtually every visit” then conducted “at least 16 different types of tests” on each sample, and sometimes as many as 51, according to the lawsuit.
trump commuted Davis’ sentence for his criminal conviction in January 2021 as the DoJ was finalizing a settlement in the civil lawsuit. the commutation was supported by country music
Luke Bryan, according to
statement. months later, with President Joe Biden in office, CPs and its owners agreed to repay $4.1 million — less than 10% of the damages sought in the suit — and the case was closed. In the settlement, Davis agreed not to take any job where he would ever again bill medicare or other federal health care programs. he was not required to personally repay anything. martin, who represented one of the whistleblowers who first raised allegations against Davis and CPs, said the leniency that trump showed to him and other health care fraudsters may discourage DoJ employees from pursuing similar investigations during his second term. there are a lot of rank-andfile people who are operating at the lowest point in their professional careers, where they’ve seen a lot of their work essentially be water under the bridge,” martin said. “that’s got to be really demoralizing.” KFF Health News is a national newsroom that produces indepth journalism about health issues and is one of the core operating programs at KFF—an independent source of health policy research, polling, and journalism.
star
a White house
Escudero reminds OFWs: Follow host country’s laws
by cEcillE SuErtE FEliPE Philstar.com
mANILA — senate President
francis escudero reminded filipinos in Qatar, as well as others working overseas, to observe the laws of their host countries to avoid legal woes.
escudero made the reminder after foreign Affairs Undersecretary eduardo Vega reported that one of the 20 held by Qatari authorities, for holding a political rally, was released through the intervention of the Philippine embassy in Doha.
“We remind our fellow citizens always to follow the laws and regulations of the countries they are in. however, what’s important is that they are freed as soon as possible. for me, what they have experienced is enough of a lesson on this matter,” the senate leader said in filipino.
In Qatar, any type of political rally is prohibited, and any individual found guilty of violating the law could face imprisonment of up to three years, according to the Department of foreign Affairs (DfA).
escudero has commended
President Francis Escudero
the DfA and the Department of migrant Workers (DmW) for providing assistance to the 20 filipinos who were arrested in Qatar for taking part in an unauthorized political demonstration.
he said the swift action by DfA and DmW officials has led to the release from detention of four filipinos, including three minors, who participated in a political demonstration in support of former President rodrigo Duterte that coincided with the latter’s 80th birthday
last friday, march 28.
migrant Workers secretary hans Cacdac said the country’s labor attaché in Qatar, who is a lawyer, is providing legal assistance to the detained filipinos.
Duterte is currently in custody at the International Criminal Court in the hague, where he is facing charges of crimes against humanity.
escudero said he expects Philippine authorities to work for the release of the rest of the filipinos held in detention. n
Philippines readies P5.7 million for Pinoys in quake-hit Myanmar
covers shelter expenses if needed.
Marcos Cabinet declines further Senate hearings on Duterte arrest
by JeaN maNgaluz Philstar.com
mANILA — members of President ferdinand marcos Jr.’s Cabinet will no longer be attending senate hearings on the arrest of former President rodrigo Duterte, according to a letter from executive secretary Lucas Bersamin. the letter was released by the office of sen. Imee marcos, who has become estranged from her brother, particularly in light of Duterte’s alleged turnover to the International Criminal Court (ICC) for crimes against humanity related to the drug war. Duterte’s ICC arrest prompted Imee to hold a senate hearing last march as the chair
by criStina chi Philstar.com
mANILA — the Philippine government is preparing at least
$100,000 (roughly P5.7 million) in financial assistance for filipinos affected by the deadly earthquake in myanmar, focusing on the roughly 150 filipinos in mandalay near the quake’s epicenter.
A massive 7.7-magnitude earthquake struck central myanmar on march 28, devastating mandalay, the country’s second-largest city, the capital Naypyitaw, and parts of sagaing region and southern shan state.
the death toll has climbed to 1,700, with over 3,400 injured and more than 300 missing as of sunday, march 30, according to myanmar’s military junta.
Independent sources cited in a myanmar Now report suggest casualties may be much higher, potentially reaching 10,000 deaths. the (Philippine) embassy is requesting the financial assistance authorization ... (for) over $100,000 that will cover the expenses or the needs of our countrymen,” Department of foreign Affairs (DfA) Undersecretary eduardo de Vega said during a press conference on monday, march 31.
“there are filipinos asking for assistance. Not because they’re injured but maybe they need to move to another place or they lost their job,” De Vega added.
four filipinos remain missing in the aftermath of the quake. De Vega told reporters that these individuals may have been trapped under a collapsed condominium building in mandalay.
“God’s mercy, the number of missing filipinos has not yet gone up. We hope for the best,” De Vega said in mixed english and filipino. the DfA undersecretary said the Philippine government doesn’t have a set limit on financial assistance for affected filipinos. But it typically provides around $1,000 per person and
“We don’t have a cap. But usually, we will give 1,000 dollars for assistance and we are paying for shelter if needed. Like what we did in turkey,” De Vega said, adding that plane tickets would also be covered if necessary. the Philippines similarly provided financial aid for filipinos affected by the 2023 earthquake in turkey.
Rescue teams on their way as junta calls for aid the Philippines is also sending a humanitarian contingent to assist in rescue efforts in myanmar this week.
With its death toll continuing to climb, the myanmar junta has issued a rare call for international aid, breaking with the military’s typical rejection of foreign assistance during disasters.
“We will send a humanitarian contingent, doctors, experts on earthquakes, recovery of survivors, the same team that went to turkey,” De Vega said. “they should be there the next day or two.”
the deployed filipino team will need to take an indirect route to reach the affected areas, De Vega said.
“they’re ready to be deployed today or tomorrow. the thing is, I think they will have to fly to thailand first before they go to myanmar,” he said. the humanitarian mission would assist all earthquake victims, not just filipinos, De Vega said.
“When they go there, it’s not deliberate only to look for filipinos. this is for anybody because that’s the nature of rescue,” he said. De Vega said myanmar has acknowledged its limited capacity to handle the disaster. “myanmar admits that they don’t have the means to recover people from the buildings. And there’s a lot of damage.”
Damaged roads, communication outages and closed airports have hampered the delivery of aid to affected areas in myanmar, according to reports.
myanmar has been in conflict since the junta overthrew its democratically elected government in 2021. Parts of the country are under the control of rebel groups, particularly in border regions, where they have established their own administrations and resist the junta’s authority.
Scale of devastation
De Vega expressed sympathy for the people of myanmar, noting that the earthquake had also claimed the life of a foreign service officer from the myanmar foreign ministry who was crushed by a collapsed wall in his office. the official said all 151 filipinos in mandalay are considered affected by the earthquake, as it was the area closest to the epicenter.
“I would say all of them are affected because that’s the worstdamaged place,” De Vega said.
most filipinos in myanmar work as professionals, according to the DfA official. the four missing filipinos are teachers.
“most of the filipinos we know there (in myanmar) - 700 plusare working professional fields. some are teachers, some are in office work. some are travel agents. matataas ang tungkulin (They have high-ranking jobs),” he said.
While no filipinos have requested repatriation so far, De Vega said the government is prepared to handle evacuations if needed.
De Vega urged filipinos who have lost contact with relatives in myanmar or thailand to reach out to the concerned embassy.
filipinos in need of assistance to contact the Philippine embassies in myanmar and thailand can reach the following numbers:
• Philippine Embassy in thailand hotline: +66 81 989 7116
• Philippine Embassy in Yangon hotline: +95 998 521 0991 the DfA official also said filipinos can send a message to the overseas filipino help facebook page — the DfA’s official emergency help page for overseas filipinos in distress. n
Marcos hails alex eala’s ‘historic’ Miami open run
by KristiNe BersamiNa Philstar.com
mANILA — President
ferdinand marcos Jr. congratulated Alex eala for her "historic" performance in the 2025 miami open, calling her a source of pride and inspiration for filipinos.
eala, 19, entered the tournament as a wildcard and pulled off a stunning run, defeating three Grand slam champions—Jelena ostapenko (round of 64), madison Keys (round of 32) and Iga swiatek (quarterfinals). her campaign ended in the semifinals after a hard-fought match against world No. 4 Jessica Pegula, 7-6(3), 5-7, 6-3.
"We would like to congratulate our tennis phenomenon, Alex eala, on her historic and amazing run in the 2025 miami open," marcos said in his Instagram post on saturday, march 29. truly, what you did showed the whole world what a filipino athlete is all about–determined, steadfast and never the one to
back away from any challenges," he added.
marcos praised eala’s determination, saying her performance showcased "what a filipino athlete is all about–determined, steadfast and never the one to back away from any challenges."
“more importantly, Alex’s unprecedented feat serves as an inspiration to everyone, especially to ordinary filipinos who face life’s daily challenges with the same grit and determination,” the president said. the Presidential Communications office (PCo) also commended eala for bringing pride to the country, saying that her journey proves that "anything is possible through persistence."
“Alex surmounted a string of setbacks in her journey to be among the best in the miami open 2025. through her sheer persistence, Alex proved that anything is possible,” the PCo said. the PCo also highlighted
that eala’s success came during Women’s month, recognizing her as a filipina excelling on the global stage. isang napakagandang laban ang iyong ipinakita sa buong mundo. Ngayong Buwan ng Kababaihan, isa na naman filipina ang nagpakita ng kagitingan ng ating lahi buong mundo. Mabuhay ka Alex at ang iyong coach at buong team,” the PCo said.
marcos, meanwhile, believes this is only the beginning for the young star. "We are one with the entire nation in thanking Alex for her sacrifices and hard work in her quest for glory and honor. I'm sure that the elusive championship title is within reach soon," he said.
By reaching the semifinals, eala is set to receive Us$ 332,160 (P19 million) in prize money and gain 390 WtA ranking points. this milestone puts her on track to break into the top 100 and boosts her chances of qualifying for upcoming Grand slam tournaments. n
of the Committee on foreign relations. Bersamin said that Cabinet secretaries and other pertinent officials had already provided information during the march 20 hearing. he added that matters not covered by executive privilege had already been discussed. there are also four supreme Court petitions regarding Duterte’s possible arrest, which, according to Bersamin, are closely related to the topic of the senate hearings. he said that discussing the matter could constitute a violation of the sub judice rule, as it is still being deliberated in court.
“We must respectfully decline the invitation to attend the hearing. Nevertheless, we remain available to extend our full cooperation through other appropriate channels, should there be any further clarifications required within the bounds of the law,” Bersamin said in the letter.
Duterte’s arrest has been highly polarizing. Imee marcos, despite being the president’s sister, has aligned herself with the Duterte clan. What was initially intended
as an inquiry into the implications of the ICC’s actions on foreign relations, however, shifted into a search for who was responsible for Duterte’s predicament. Imee’s preliminary findings from the hearing had little to do with foreign affairs, instead focusing on the marcos administration’s role in Duterte’s legal troubles. she even went as far as to allege that there were lapses in the process and that Duterte’s rights had been violated.
Imee made a public exit from her brother’s presidential slate in protest of Duterte’s arrest. the Palace said that if she believed her values were no longer aligned with the administration, then it was for the best that she left.
During the march 20 senate hearing, Justice secretary Boying remulla acknowledged the failure of the justice system in addressing wrongful deaths in the drug war.
Duterte’s drug war resulted in at least 6,000 confirmed deaths, with some estimates going as high as 30,000. there have only been four known convictions related to the drug war, a mere fraction of the total number of deaths. n
Senate
Philstar.com file photo
Duterte’s ICC arrest prompted Senator Imee Marcos (inset) to hold a Senate hearing last March as the chair of the Committee on Foreign Relations. Photos from Facebook/@ImeeMarcos
OPiniOn Features
National vote-buying capital region
The Commission on elections hesitates to call it the vote-buying capital of the country, but Metro Manila has consistently topped all regions in the number of vote-buying cases, according to Comelec officials.
several possible reasons for this have been raised. Among these is that the National Capital region is the most densely populated region and accounts for a hefty 31.2 percent of gross domestic product – the largest – which also makes it the wealthiest in the country.
But the NCr, despite accounting for the largest contribution to GDP, also has a large number of people living below the poverty line, who are the most vulnerable to the buy-and-sell of votes.
Another possible reason is that there is high public awareness in the NCr of election rules and offenses, and greater civic responsibility to report offenders. regardless of the reason, if vote buying is rampant in the NCr, the region can also serve as a model in efforts to clamp down on the vote buyers.
Digital technology allows the public to record possible vote buying activities. the Comelec must carry out an extensive information campaign instructing the public about prohibited acts
that can be documented on cell phone cameras, and how to alert the poll body about the illegal activities. most people would want anonymity in reporting, so the Comelec must provide the mechanics for this. At the same time, the Comelec must ensure that it will act swiftly on the information and go after suspected vote buyers. Comelec hotlines and dedicated email addresses for reporting possible violations must be widely disseminated. the Comelec is also working with the Bangko sentral ng Pilipinas and e-wallet service providers to clamp down on the movement of large amounts of cash particularly in the week before election day, when vote buying is most rampant. there are people who are skeptical that the initiative will amount to anything. the Comelec must show that the skepticism is unfounded. Beyond reporting vote-buying statistics, the Comelec and its partners must move to stop this form of poll fraud and prosecute the perpetrators. (Philstar.com)
US Defense Secretary Hegseth: Deterrence through strength
the visit of Defense secretary
Pete hegseth to the Philippines is a clear signal of how important our alliance is with the United states and the security of our region. there is absolutely no doubt that the two-day trip to manila – secretary hegseth’s first trip outside the United states – is indicative of the continued upward trajectory of the bilateral relations between our two nations.
We were encouraged to hear this during our in-person meeting at the West Wing of the White house last January with Defense secretary Gilbert teodoro and U.s National security Advisor mike Waltz, Principal Deputy National security Advisor Alex Wong and National security Council senior Director for Asia Ivan Kanapathy, shortly after President trump’s inauguration where we reaffirmed the robust ties and the enduring alliance between our two countries.
In preparation for secretary hegseth’s visit to the Philippines, I met with Deputy Assistant secretary of Defense for south and southeast Asia, Dr. Andrew Byers, to discuss
closer security cooperation against the backdrop of regional and global challenges. A wellrespected figure in the Defense establishment, Dr. Byers has worked in counterproliferation, counterterrorism and homeland security as well as technology development. In his current role, he serves as the principal advisor for policy on the development and implementation of defense strategies for the south and southeast Asian region.
During his visit, secretary hegseth emphasized that the partnership between the Philippines and the U.s. “not only continues today, but we are doubling down on that partnership. And our ironclad alliance has never been stronger,” he said, highlighting that the key next step would be to “reestablish deterrence in the Indo-Pacific region.” these efforts, he added, “build on an ongoing $500-million commitment to foreign military financing and other security assistance to support the Philippines’ military modernization. first, we agree that the United states will deploy additional advanced capabilities to the Philippines,” he said. the fact that you have come to the Philippines as your first stop is a very strong indication and sends a very strong message of the commitment of both our countries to continue to work together, to maintain
the peace in the Indo-Pacific region within the south China sea,” President marcos remarked during the courtesy call of the U.s. Cabinet official in malacañang.
the president also lauded its only treaty partner for its continued support for peace, describing the U.s. as “the greatest force for peace” in the Indo-Pacific region, particularly in the south China sea.
“Peace through strength is a very real thing,” the U.s official said, emphasizing once again that “deterrence is necessary around the world, but specifically in this region, in your country, considering the threats from the communist Chinese and that friends need to stand shoulder-to-shoulder to deter conflict, to ensure that there’s free navigation.”
As I have told our friends in the media, the U.s. Defense secretary’s visit only proves that we are part of the overall mutual defense strategy which also serves as a tacit recognition of the important role our country plays in the overall deterrence factor, together with our other allies such as Japan and Australia in the Indo-Pacific region.
At the same time, the visit exemplifies the commitment of the trump administration to strengthen the military ties between the United states and the Philippines, with focus on “deterrence through strength,” which underscores the need
for the Philippines to boost the capability of its armed forces and enhance interoperability through joint exercises and other activities. this was highlighted by Defense secretary Gilbert teodoro, who said that “because of the increased interoperability activities, we expect increased rotational presence of likeminded and allied troops in the Philippines. With our strategic basing initiative, we will also expect a heightened tempo of the Philippine armed forces for external and territorial defense to put in our share of deterrence.”
As I have said on many occasions, we do not wish to instigate any conflict, practicing maximum restraint, pursuing preventive diplomacy and keeping communication lines open to de-escalate the ongoing tension in the West Philippine sea, primarily because of the aggression and harassment by the China Coast Guard and militia vessels.
“We don’t seek intervention. President trump has made it clear we don’t seek war. We don’t seek to nation-build. We don’t seek to use chess pieces and move them around the board. All we seek is peace. All we seek is freedom and cooperation and mutual benefit. And we find that in friends like our friends in the Philippines,” secretary hegseth underscored.
In the same vein, he also issued a stern warning: “Do
Depleted
not mistake our friendship, do not mistake our belief in peace and our desire for peace, for a lack of resolve. too many have. And America still stands strong today and will continue in the future,” he said, adding that there has been “a long line of countries in the past who have attempted to test U.s. resolve.
We are resolved at this time, at this moment, to work with our partners to reestablish the warrior ethos, to rebuild our military and reestablish deterrence and come alongside our allies and partners, first and foremost, in this region.”
the latest available opinion poll gave President ferdinand marcos Jr. a mere 14 percent approval rating. sara Duterte enjoys nearly triple that rate. the political grapevine is abuzz with talk of an even more recent poll – still embargoed –that puts the president’s approval rating at single digits. that is an appalling measure.
No sitting filipino president has ever scored so low in the public opinion polls. It is hard to imagine how President BBm could manage to climb out of that resounding rejection by the public. Approval ratings, by inference, measure another thing: political capital. the polls are clearly indicating that the president’s political capital is severely depleted. If the presidency were a bank, this one invites a bank run.
Political capital is what
enables political leaders to accomplish things. It makes the leader capable of drawing public support for his initiatives. With his political capital almost fully depleted, the nation is in peril of leadership paralysis – if that has not already happened. the president’s rating has been declining over the past few months over the worsening state of the economy. one poll says more people report involuntary hunger than during the depths of the pandemic. over the past few months, his approval ratings have been on a tailspin. the precipitous drop in President BBm’s approval ratings happened after the crude arrest and hasty deportation of former President rodrigo Duterte. Last friday, march 28, underreported by the mainstream press, hundreds of thousands of filipinos throughout the archipelago and in many places across the globe turned out to protest the treatment of Duterte. the detained former president has become a lightning rod for all the discontent building up because of what many perceive
to be a do-nothing presidency. It was bad enough that President marcos was described as weak and indecisive. Now more and more people see him as completely unmotivated. to compound things, judging from available photographs, several doctors see signs of marcos’ deteriorating health. this could invite all sorts of political adventures, producing even more uncertainty in our political situation. I have it on good source that a “legacy campaign” has been ordered by the Palace to boost the president’s image. But what this presidency has is not a public relations problem. It is a performance problem. the president’s ratings are tailspinning. his political acceptability is on a free fall. the sloppy handling of rodrigo Duterte’s arrest is not the root cause of this. It is simply the spark that set off what now seems to be a roaring prairie fire. In the face of what appears to be a rapidly failing presidency, every political faction will behave according to what serves their
respective interests best. With its depleted political capital, the ruling faction will not have much – except for hard cash – to manage the unfolding of events. the pro-Duterte politicians will try to use the former president as a rallying point to improve their political positions. It will be to their advantage to deepen the public’s discontent. the ambitious politicians identified with the president’s camp will act more frantically to arrest the political collapse. In their haste, they will be prone to make even more tactical errors. the yellows, the pinks and the reds have no ability to determine tactical outcomes. they will cling to the fringes of the marcos camp for lack of any other option. Businessmen are severely disappointed by the way the national budget was mangled to serve partisan goals. they are bothered by what seems to be a rising tide of corruption that will ultimately make the domestic economy untenable. the poor has increasing difficulty coping with inflation. While the aggregate inflation
Let me be clear: while we seek to resolve conflict through diplomacy and wish to pursue good relations, no amount of coercive actions and misleading comments from China can undermine the enduring partnership between the United states and the Philippines, which has been reinforced over the years through agreements such as the 1951 mutual Defense treaty. In other words, our alliance with the U.s. is – and will continue to be – ironclad. (Philstar.com)
numbers may suggest a moderation of the problem, food inflation runs rampant. this is what harms the poor most. What might save the marcos presidency eventually, even as it merely crawls along towards the end of its term, is the sheer lack of a viable political alternative on the horizon. the price for solving the problem of phlegmatic political leadership might be one most of us are unwilling to pay. there are more and more people willing, entirely out of exasperation, to deal with the possibility of an institutional break from the prevailing order. Whatever such a break might look like, no one seems ready to fully elaborate. If nothing dramatic happens over the next period, then the nation will be interred in a political purgatory. In this twilight zone, we have leaders but no leadership. We have extensive cash aid programs to buy popularity but no break-out plan for the nation’s development. With each passing day, opportunities will pass us. We have the poorest infrastructure
* * * The opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by the author do not necessarily reflect the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints of Asian Journal, its management, editorial board and staff.
* * * Email: babeseyeview@gmail.com
and transport investments in the region. Internal trade is hampered by protectionist policies such as cabotage that brings profit for local shipowners but expensive food for everybody else. our education system cannot prepare the next generation of filipinos for the next economy. two years ago, we had a presidency that did not have the political will to undertake the radical reforms to pull up our agriculture from subsistence mode. Now we have a presidency that does not have the political capital to do it. filipinos are tenaciously optimistic. But today there is little for our hopefulness to cling to.
Dynastic politics, with the culture of corruption on which it thrives, denied our people the firm, determined and clearsighted leadership the nation needs. (Philstar.com) * * *
The opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by the author do not necessarily reflect the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints of Asian Journal, its management, editorial board and staff.
U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth visits President Ferdinand Marcos at the Malacañang Palace on Friday, March 28, 2025. Malacañang photo
Romualdez calls for stronger
mANILA
he said this after some industry stakeholders raised concerns about food products such as large chicken eggs being sold at P9 to P12 per piece, when the DA’s Bantay Presyo data pegs the price at P8 to P9 per piece. According to the house leader, a difference of a peso or two would go a long way. may price monitoring mechanisms ang ating mga ahensiya pero dapat siguruhin nating nakikita sa pamilihan ang nakasaad na presyo sa monitoring na ito. sa ngayon kasi, mukhang hindi akma ang estimate sa price monitoring sa tunay na presyo sa mga pamilihan,” romualdez said in a statement.
(our agencies have price monitoring mechanisms, but we have to ensure that we can see the prices stated in these monitoring activities in our markets. currently, it seems that the price estimates based on monitoring do not correspond to true prices at the markets.)
“Nakikita natin na sa wet markets, ang ganitong mga itlog ay nabibili sa P9–P11, at sa ilang supermarket, umaabot pa sa P12,” he explained. “Bakit may diperensya sa presyo, kahit piso lang?”
romualdez said that he understands that DA is doing everything it can to monitor prices, but there might be a need to put extra mechanisms in place to ensure that consumers’ rights are protected.
“every peso is important. We have to correct this so that we can rectify prices at the markets,” he added.
A press release from the DA, posted by the Philippine Information Agency on tuesday, showed that the department, according to Agriculture secretary francisco tiu Laurel, is closely monitoring egg prices to ensure they do not rise to
“unreasonable levels.”
According to Laurel, there are suggestions to implement a maximum suggested retail price (msrP) on eggs, but “as with goods like rice and pork,” they would have to consult stakeholders first “so as not to shock the industry.”
the DA revealed during a Jan. 15 hearing of the house Quinta committee, which probed the rising prices of basic goods, that the department intended to place a P58 per kilogram msrP on premium grains. According to the DA, it intends to create a ripple effect, wherein the prices of well-milled rice and regular-milled rice do not differ much. this would, therefore, force sellers to lower the prices of cheaper variants. on monday, march 31, DA set the msrP of imported rice at P45 per kilogram.
Lawmakers, however, have raised concerns about the msrP. ACt teachers party-list rep. france Castro said that the DA is placing a cap that is higher than the price of rice sold at the market during that time.
Iloilo 1st District rep. Janette Garin called out the DA for seemingly pulling out the P58 per kilogram msrP out of thin air.
Synchronized approach romualdez also noted that the DA and the Department of trade and Industry (DtI) have
their own monitoring systems, which could be strengthened if both agencies synchronize their activities.
“may monitoring ang DA. may monitoring ang DtI. Dapat nagkakaisa ang mga ahensya para makuha natin ang tunay na larawan ng presyo sa pamilihan. Ito ang magiging susi para sa isang maayos at matatag na ekonomiya,” he said.
(DA has its monitoring. The DTi has its own. We have to unite the initiatives of these agencies so that we can get the actual prices inside marketplaces. This is key for a strong economy.)
“Alam natin na hindi lang itlog ang apektado. Ang presyo ng karne at poultry ay patuloy na tumataas dahil sa mga isyung tulad ng African swine fever, kakulangan sa storage facilities, at init ng summer. hindi ito maaaring balewalain,” he added.
(We know that not only eggs are affected; meat and poultry prices continue to rise due to issues like the African swine fever, shortage in storage facilities, and the summer heat. We cannot set these issues aside.)
In february, the DA said there may be an egg supply shortage from April to may as many local producers suffered losses due to oversupply and lower prices in 2024.
According to romualdez, these issues must be addressed before the holy Week, which is set from April 13 to April 20 this year.
“hindi natin puwedeng palipasin pa ang mahal na Araw bago natin solusyunan ang mga problemang ito. Kailangan agad nating gumawa ng hakbang para sa ating mga mamamayan,” he said.
(We cannot let the Holy Week pass by without solving these problems. We need to take steps for our people.)
“tayo’y magtutulungan upang matiyak na abot-kaya ang bilihin ng bawat sambayanan,” he declared. “hindi ito laban ng iisang ahensya o grupo—ito ay laban nating lahat para sa mas maliwanag na kinabukasan.”
(Let us help each other to ensure that prices of goods are affordable for our people. This is not the fight of a single agency or a group — this is a fight for all of us, for a better future.) n
by zacarian Sarao Inquirer.net
mANILA — Vice President sara Duterte thanked President ferdinand marcos Jr. for allowing her and her father, former President rodrigo Duterte, to mend their relationship. the former president is detained after the International Criminal Court (ICC) ordered his arrest for his crimes against humanity arising out of his drug war. the vice president made the pronouncement in a chance interview in the hague, Netherlands. this really is ironic, but I have to thank Bongbong marcos because there was forgiveness between me and [former President rodrigo Duterte] for all that has happened in our lives,” she said.
“And we have a relationship now – a father-daughter relationship,” she continued. the vice president was responding to a question on how she felt about developments surrounding her father’s case.
According to her, the time she spent visiting the former chief executive inside the ICC Detention Centre was “one of
the longest meetings” she ever had together.
she recalled that that former president was always busy when she was growing up.
“Now, I have this every day with him, talking about life, talking about family, and for that, I feel that I am blessed, because at this point, he is already 80. he is already retired,” the vice president said.
“We were given this time to talk as father and daughter,” she stressed.
“sad that it has to happen inside the ICC. But yes, thank you to him,” she said, referring to marcos.
she said she was happy because she became close with her half-sister Veronica amid what she called “attacks” against her family.
“I’m blessed because I gained a sister with what happened to me after the attacks – the confidential funds attacks, the impeachment – we have a relationship now. I have a relationship with Kitty,” revealed the vice president. this campaign reportedly killed at least 6,000 people. But human rights groups say the number is as high around 20,000.
the elderly Duterte’s arrest was seen as divisive amid protests from his supporters against the marcos administration. the vice president and her siblings were at the forefront, criticizing marcos and his government for allegedly cooperating with the ICC. Duterte’s camp argued that the country was no longer under the jurisdiction of the ICC. hence, the former president’s arrest was invalid. however, marcos repeatedly said the government was merely cooperating with the International Criminal Police organization when it enforced the ICC arrest warrant against the former Philippine leader. Palace and other legal experts argue that the ICC retains its jurisdiction over crimes committed when the Philippines was still a member of the rome statute. It was in 2011 when the Philippines ratified the rome statute and became a member of the ICC. however, by march 2019, under Duterte’s term, the Philippines ceased to be under the authority of the international legal body. n
House Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez Inquirer.net file photo
FRESH PRODUCE. Buyers pick from various fresh produce sold at Divisoria Market in Manila on Tuesday, April 1. The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas said the upward price pressures for March are expected to be offset by lower prices of rice, fruits and vegetables, due to favorable domestic supply conditions.
PNA photo by Yancy Lim
Friday, April 4,
‘g ame of Thrones’ actor iain glen says filming Quezon biopic is an adventure
by Jessica ann evangelista Inquirer.net
“GAme of thrones” star Iain Glen described his work experience in the production of the upcoming historical filipino film “Quezon” as a thrilling “adventure.”
through a recent post on Instagram, Glen gave a glimpse into his character in the movie, Leonard Wood, a physician and former governor-general of the Philippines. one of the images he shared was him in a full-white ensemble seated in a wooden chair surrounded by the production crew. the post also included another snap of him in his military uniform. the scottish actor also posted an image of him posing with filipino actors Jericho rosales, Benjamin Alves and mon Confiado. shooting a film, #Quezon, in the Philippines, playing their last Governor General, Leonard Wood, as the country sought independence from American rule. really wonderful cast and crew. What an adventure. more to follow,” he captioned the post. In the comments section, Glen’s co-stars also extended their enthusiasm having the chance to work with the hollywood star. honored and privileged! You are an amazing actor! ” wrote Confiado.
Leonard Wood was an American Army general who served as the governor-general of the Philippines from 1921 to 1927. he played a significant role in the political and economic decisions that preceded the Philippines’ independence from colonizers. Given his historical influence, two major roads, in Baguio City and in Zamboanga City, and a public school in mandaue City were named after him. Glen, on the other hand, rose to fame for his performance as ser Jorah mormont in the hit series “Game of thrones” alongside Kit harrington, emilia Clarke, Lena headey, and Peter Dinklage, among others. he’s also known for his role
as Dr. Alexander Isaacs in the “resident evil” film series, sir richard Carlisle in “Downton Abbey,” and Larry Winters in silent scream,” for which he won the silver Bear for Best Actor at the Berlin International film festival. meanwhile, rosales was earlier announced as the lead star of “Quezon,” where he will portray the titular manuel L. Quezon with Alves set to play the younger version of the character.
Gloria Diaz still speaks her mind
mIss Universe 1969 Gloria Diaz, known for her unfiltered comments whenever she’s interviewed, mused that she’s trying to dial down her bluntness — but it’s proving to be a challenge. on the sidelines of the media conference for regal films’ horror movie “Untold” premiering on April 30, Gloria appeared aware of an observation that while she’s fearless, many are afraid of the things she says.
“I know, that’s what they say,” she quipped in response to the notion that her candor had caused some stir. she noted that even her daughter, Isabelle Daza, has even joked about it, commenting on her mom’s Instagram back in 2018, “Without filter since 1969.”
But Gloria admitted that she’s making a conscious effort to be more careful with her words.
“No, I try. Because nowadays, I always have to try to lower… not say everything kasi napapahiya sila,” she said, explaining how sometimes her comments are misinterpreted. “or I’m quoted… sometimes, taken wrongly.”
Despite her best efforts,
Gloria confessed that it’s not always easy to keep her honest thoughts to herself. “In a way, I’m able to explain why I said this and why I said that. But in truth, I’m trying very hard,” she shared. “Not always successful to be more, you know, sedate, more careful, medyo filtered. But it still comes out.” But in the end, she said, “I also always say what I want.” she clearly spoke her mind when asked about possibly sharing “untold” stories from her life in a memoir. “No. too many men, too little time,” she quipped. on the current state of beauty pageants, Gloria didn’t hide her reservations about the overemphasis on training and preparation. “I don’t like too much yung training-trainingtraining,” she said. Ayoko yung masyadong trained na pati turning, pati tingin, pati tayo, I don’t like that… I want to see a more natural person.”
she’s neither in favor of candidates being judged solely on their answers.
“I also don’t like that they are judged by what they answer. Because sometimes, the answer is so complicated I myself
Arnel Pineda dismisses false claims he faces life sentence
by anne PasaJol Inquirer.net
ArNeL Pineda slammed the fake videos circulating on social media and claiming that the Journey lead vocalist was “sentenced to life imprisonment” in the United states. the fake claims stated that Pineda was supposedly convicted in a san francisco, California, court due to an apparent “pattern of predatory and abusive behavior.” these claims have been spread online through videos on Youtube which used an edited photo of Pineda wearing a prison uniform. these clips have garnered thousands of views.
Pineda then seemed to have subtly dismissed this through his Instagram page last saturday, march 29, as he showed himself enjoying the view of metro manila from a high-rise building.
“heatwave in metro manila won’t stop me from enjoying my unfiltered sunsets,” he captioned his post.
one netizen then left a comment on this post, asking, “What’s going on with the Youtube video about you being sentenced to life?” making an outright response, Pineda wrote, “Well I’m somewhere nice and the sentence was in [san francisco]. Do the math,” adding a kissing face emoji.
Feeling ‘lost’ like
Kathryn Bernardo? Here’s how to deal with quarter-life crisis
by nathalie tomada Philstar.com
always cannot understand what they’re saying.
“this is not an IQ contest. It’s a beauty contest. It’s okay with me, all the plastic surgery and all that. I don’t care.
“But I don’t like these very parang genius answers and people think just because you could speak english, magaling ka na. Hindi.
Gloria said that she prefers that candidates speak in tagalog, Bisaya or whatever their local language is so that the answer is “more from the heart.”
“I always wanted them to speak in their language, whatever they’re comfortable with…
“I’m not impressed with those big words na diaspora, serendipity. Parang balewala naman iyan sa akin, hindi ba?”
As for the evolving miss Universe competition, Gloria acknowledged the changes but admitted she wasn’t fully on board. “the miss Universe now, I think, basta iba, iba na talaga they made it more, how do you say that? Inclusive, hindi ba?”
she noted the inclusion of older women and non-traditional contestants.
“But I’m not really for that. Because miss Universe should be mga ganun, 18 to 25, 26…
During my time, when you’re above 23, 24, they always say, ‘And now, the oldest candidate for miss Universe, 24-year-old something-something!’ right?
“so parang naninibago ako. But I try to adjust, kasi marami namang magagandang 28 years old… But I’m not crazy about, you know, all the changes happening.
Gloria, nevertheless, still holds miss Universe as the top pageant, despite the rise of many others. “Siyempre, miss Universe pa rin. And there’s nothing next.” meanwhile, the veteran actress is turning 74 on April 5. she shared her birthday wish: “health, wealth, and time to spend it.” she revealed that her celebrations have traditionally been intimate, usually involving dinner with her long-time partner, banker mike de Jesus. this year, she plans to still keep things lowkey and celebrate at home with her family. (Philstar.com)
“PILIPINAs Got talent” judge Kathryn Bernardo recently opened up about experiencing a quarter-life crisis as she approached her 29th birthday on march 26. her openness struck a chord with many, somehow shedding light on the internal struggles that come with adulthood and personal growth. It was at the presscon for “Pilipinas Got talent” when Kathryn was asked about the bravest thing she has done for herself lately and part of her answer was the admission that she was facing a quarter-life crisis. the bravest thing I’ve done for myself… I don’t know… I’m turning 29, right, in a few days, so I’m at the point in my life again wherein I feel so lost. I felt this, I remember, when I gave a message for our thanksgiving party for ‘the hows of Us’ (in 2018). this was the same feeling. I didn’t expect na ma-feel ko ulit ito,” the Kapamilya star shared. maybe it’s part of, you know, adulting and growing, and I’m feeling it now, just like everybody else. I don’t know kung nararamdaman ito talaga kapag medyo ganitong age ka na, but it’s hitting me hard. to be honest, I’m so scared. I’m so lost.”
“But, I think, it’s so brave that every day, I show up… I show up and I choose to grow and accept all the uncertainties. Because, I don’t know, I just suddenly felt it, of course, after ‘hello, Love, Again’ and now I’m doing ‘PGt.’
Pero may feeling lang ako na parang iba, I think birthday blues na ito. May quarter-life crisis na parang, ‘What’s next for me?’” she reflected.
“I’m feeling all these emotions. so the feeling is, it’s just brave that I accepted that. I’m allowing myself to be vulnerable. I have my days and hindi ko na ‘yan tinatago sa mga tao.” Kathryn also shared that she’s making changes to grow, like getting her own place, which is a big step toward being more independent. so now, I think part of me growing is me getting my own place as well. I think it’s, like, my transition stage. I like to call this my transition stage na feeling ko kasi, in the next coming years, it’s very, very important kasi yun yung magdi-dictate kung saan ako sa future,” she said.
“It’s not like, ‘oK, I’m in my early 20s. I still have a lot of time to learn.’ But now it seems different when you’re turning 29. so, feeling ko, getting my own place, it’s a big adjustment for me, my family, especially my mom. But it’s my way of getting to know myself more and growing.”
In an interview with The Philippine STAr, professional clinical psychologist Dr. sherryl muli-Abellanosa explained that
what Kathryn and many others are experiencing is a natural part of emerging adulthood, which is the “age between 18 to 25 or can be extended to 29.”
“According to erik erikson’s developmental theory, each stage of human development involves navigating different life crises. emerging adulthood falls under the stage of intimacy versus isolation, where individuals face the challenge of forming intimate relationships.
“successfully resolving this crisis leads to meaningful connections, while failure to do so can result in feelings of isolation and loneliness,” said Dr. muli-Abellanosa, a permanent faculty member of University of san Carlos’ Psychology Department and board director of the Psychological Association of the Philippines (PAP).
Dr. muli-Abellanosa also cited Jeffrey Arnett’s theory of emerging adulthood, which highlights instability and identity exploration contributing to “feelings of uncertainty and anxiety, which I think most people at this stage can relate to.”
“Understandably, this is the time when an individual breaks away from adolescence and enters the phase of young adulthood. so many expectations are laid down to be accomplished — career, relationships, the resolution of who you are in society, taking more responsibilities at home and being more independent from your family,” she said.
“Developmental age plays a role in instability since they tend to take more responsibilities, but at the same time, they also do not feel like adults. some of them are aware of this and some are not.”
muli-Abellanosa offered some helpful advice for young adults on how to handle these challenges:
set realistic goals. she said,
“Breaking down larger goals into smaller, manageable tasks can prevent feelings of overwhelm and demotivation. Celebrating each achievement, no matter how small, can foster a sense of fulfillment and life satisfaction.”
Practice gratitude and selfreflection. “Practicing gratitude and reflecting on core values can also help. By recognizing what truly matters and aligning actions with these values, emerging adults can diffuse stress and anxiety.
“taking time for introspection allows for self-discovery and exploration without the pressure to figure everything out immediately.”
self-care is key. “It’s another vital practice. Avoiding comparisons with others, engaging in physical activities, maintaining hobbies and spending time in nature can boost mental, emotional and physical health.”
Build a support system. sharing experiences with friends, family or professionals can provide new perspectives and lighten the emotional load.”
Kathryn’s refreshing honesty about her quarter-life experiences definitely opens up an important conversation on the challenges of growing into adulthood. With expert insights and practical strategies, individuals going through similar struggles can find comfort and reassurance that these feelings are normal and, more importantly, manageable.
muli-Abellanosa further said, emerging adulthood is a time of growth and transformation.
“By embracing self-reflection, setting realistic goals, practicing self-care, seeking support and focusing on personal growth, emerging adults can navigate the uncertainties of this phase with resilience and confidence,” she said.
Iain Glen as Leonard Wood in the upcoming Filipino historical film “Quezon.” Photo from Instagram/@iainglen60
Arnel Pineda
Photo from Instagram/@arnelpineda2007
Another netizen urged the singer to take legal action against those who disseminate such false claims to teach them a lesson. Pineda did not immediately respond to this. Pineda was introduced as the lead singer of Journey, replacing the band’s original vocalist steve Perry in february 2008. During
Bernardo,
crisis. Photo from Instagram/@bernardokath
PH Consulate’s ‘Women in Law’ forum spotlights pathbreaking
Filipina American lawyers, justices
sAN frANCIsCo – the Philippine Consulate General in san francisco assembled an esteemed panel of filipina American lawyers for a forum in celebration of National Women’s month in the Philippines and Women’s history month in America. the Consulate hosted the “Women in Law: A forum with Pathbreaking filipina American Lawyers and Justices” at the Kalayaan hall of the Philippine Center in san francisco on march 21, 2025.
moderated by Vice Consul
Glaiza Quarteros, the forum explored the indispensable contributions of filipino American women in the practice of law in the United states. the event is a continuation of the Women’s month forum series of the Consulate, including the “Women in tech” online forum in 2021, the “Women in health” online forum in 2022, the “Women in Government” forum in 2023, and the “Women and Philippine Culture” forum in 2024.
In his welcome remarks, Consul General Neil ferrer said
that the 2025 National Women’s month subtheme “Babae sa Lahat ng Sektor, Aangat ang Bukas sa Bagong Pilipinas,” reflects “the Philippine government’s commitment to translating gender equality efforts from policy into tangible, meaningful changes in the lives of women.”
“through this event, we celebrate not only their remarkable achievements but also the collective strength of filipino women in law. We acknowledge the indelible contributions of women who have defied barriers, shattered glass and bamboo ceilings, and redefined what is possible,” Consul General ferrer said.
the Philippine Consul General recognized trailblazers such as filipina lawyer erlinda Arce Ignacio espiritu, the first-ever woman to graduate from the prestigious harvard Law school, and retired Chief Justice tani Cantil-sakauye, the first filipino and Asian American to serve as Chief Justice of California.
“As we recognize the successes of filipino American women in law, I also wish to ask for
the commitment of everyone in the law profession to foster greater inclusivity, mentorship, and support systems. may you continue to open doors for future lawyers, justices and advocates, ensuring that justice is not just a principle you uphold in the courtroom but a reality for all, regardless of gender, race or creed,” Consul General ferrer added.
former Chief Justice Cantilsakauye, who now serves as president and Ceo of the Public Policy Institute of California, recorded a video message for the forum.
“I have had the privilege to be a lawyer and to serve 32 years on the judiciary, the last 12 leading the third branch of government, the judiciary. I did this all with strength from my filipino heritage, from my family, my culture, my history… so I encourage all of you to rely on your strength of your community, your history, to inspire you and continue working the law,” Chief Justice Cantilsakauye remarked. Judge marlo Nisperos of the PAGE 11
vital legal insights for filipinos seeking clarity on their immigration status and options in the U.s
Among the guests was tim schulze, Associate Coo of seton medical Center, who highlighted the demand for highly trained filipino nurses in the U.s he asked Atty. Gurfinkel about the process of bringing more of these skilled professionals into the country to help fill critical staffing shortages
From left: Vice Consuls Hannah Go, Adrian Baccay, and Glaiza Quarteros; Deputy Consul General Maria Paz Cortes; Consul General Neil Ferrer; Atty. Maribeth Charvet; Atty. Melba Cawit; and Atty. Elaine Bordeaux. San Francisco PCG photo
mArCh is Women’s history month. I will feature women from all walks of life. I asked the female respondents (last batch): What is the significant role of women in our society? their replies are as follows: having served as president of st. scholastica’s College for six years and dean for 18 years, prioress of the missionary Benedictine sisters in the manila Priory and national chairperson of the Association of major religious superiors of the Philippines, sr. mary John mananzan, one of the 100 most Inspiring Persons in the World at the cen-
tennial of International Women’s Day: “Women like men have to be agents of change especially in our Philippine society that is plagued with many social issues like corruption in all levels of society, lack of a sense of common good shown in the concentration of power in family dynasties, weaponization of law, loss of moral fiber, etc. Women should raise their voices against these issues, take active part in the implementation of laws and in raising consciousness not only about women issues but about the social issues mentioned above. Women’s place is not only in the home but in the struggle – for social transformation.” the late Pres. Cory Aquino’s appointments secretary margie Penson Juico, a product of st. theresa’s College: “Gone are the days when women were referred to as the fairer, weaker sex. We have transformed into architects of society, domestic engineers and molders of the hearts and minds of the young. We have championed passionately family causes that threaten the moral fabric of society. We have emerged to occupy the highest positions of power and wielded immense influence in government and governance. And we still continue to propagate our race even as we scatter and make a difference in many parts of the world. We break ceilings in fields normally occupied by men and make a difference in the lives of a lot of filipi-
Sr. Mary John Mananzan: ‘women like men have to
nos. this is what is in the heart of every filipino woman!” sovereign seal of Business triumph and remarkable Achievers awardee salvie Collado Paparon, Ceo of sheanne roll Up Door Construction services: “Women are the pillar of strength of everything. Without woman, a home is empty. Nobody can replace a woman in a family.”
former manila Bulletin entertainment editor Crispina martinez-Belen: “A woman has many roles in life but for me the most significant is being a mother, to nurture her children to become responsible and caring members of human society.”
Angela Valdez, little talia’s mom (she’s expecting another child) who has been working for a company for over 12 years: “Women do everything. If a woman chooses to become a wife and mother, she is the essentially the core unit of the family. If she chooses a career path, her possibilities are endless. many women in our society choose both. Women are often expected to play a certain role in life and are looked down upon if they’re not able to meet those expectations. most women will persevere and push through these challenges to prove that she can. Women need society’s support so they can help lead the younger generation.”
rochie Cuevas, assistant laboratory director at the Napa-solano-Yolo-marin County Public health Laboratory in fairfield: “Women as leaders. many of the public health laboratories in California are currently led by women. they introduce new technologies at critical times, such as during the CoVID-19 pandemic. this incredibly increases the laboratories’ capacities to provide diagnoses when we needed it the most. At the beginning of the pandemic, the laboratories could give out results two weeks after samples have been submitted. But now, testing for the presence of the sArs-CoV-2 virus takes under 2 hours. Aside from introducing new technologies, women leaders in the public health laboratories invest in people. A lot of our time and effort are spent in nurturing the next generation of laboratorians through mentorship and
technical training. I guess this is part of our being mission-oriented. solano County Public health’s vision is ‘healthy People - healthy Community.’ By continually providing opportunities for microbiologists to practise the profession, we contribute to safeguarding the community from communicable diseases. Women leaders are inclusive. they embrace diversity and use it at an advantage to make public health laboratories great places to work in. Women are effective leaders because they seek work-life balance... A person’s worldview is highly influenced by the teachers that he/she encounters. I think women shape society because they teach children. the mother is often a child’s first teacher. most schoolteachers I have encountered are women too.”
* * *
Vicky manalastas toribio, who used to work at Central Bank in the Philippines as technical assistant for 20 years, migrated to the U.s. in 1978 as a professional worker. A product of the far eastern University in manila (she obtained a degree in commerce with a major in financial management), she is now retired. All her children, Amado Jr., Anna, and raymond are now living in the United states. she has been actively involved in the Christian community and has been participating in Christian missions in the Philippines, the latest of which was last february this year in a medical mission in Antipolo, rizal. her group also went to san fernando, Pampanga.
*
* * thanks to Lily Nguyen from Vietnam of Kim’s salon & spa and Denise magana of Great Clips, both located on Business Center Drive in fairfield, California for our new cut hair. It was a long worthwhile walk passing through several nice houses in villages and a beautiful park before reaching the salons.
* * * The opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by the author do not necessarily reflect the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints of Asian Journal, its management, editorial board and staff.
citizen Pinoy continues immigration Q&a at...
* * * rogeliocmedina@yahoo.com in healthcare.
Jowana Lynn raised a heartbreaking family matter. her cousin had been petitioned by his mother, but she passed away before the immigration process was completed. she wanted to know if her cousin could still immigrate despite this unfortunate turn of events. Atty. Gurfinkel explained the legal implications of such situations and whether there were any options available to keep the petition moving forward.
Brandon Lim, owner of Ling Nam, inquired about employmentbased immigration, asking
whether his restaurant could petition family members from the Philippines to work in the business.
With family-run establishments being the backbone of many filipino American communities, his question would surely resonate with many entrepreneurs seeking ways to support both their businesses and loved ones abroad.
Atty. Gurfinkel breaks down the complexities of immigration law, offering practical advice on familybased petitions, employment sponsorships, and opportunities for filipino professionals seeking
to live and work in the U.s
Whether you are an employer, a family member, or someone navigating the immigration process, this episode provides valuable insights you will not want to miss. Be sure to watch Part 2 of this
“Your Tanong, my Sagot” episode filmed at Ling Nam on Citizen Pinoy on sunday, April 6 at 6:30 Pm Pt (9:30 Pm et) through select Cable/satellite providers, right after tV Patrol Linggo. Citizen Pinoy is also available on iWanttfC. Viewers may download the free app. (Advertising Supplement)
San Francisco’s Muni hits 75% in
ridership recovery, marking significant milestone in the city’s recovery
sAN frANCIsCo — on
monday, march 31, mayor Daniel Lurie and the san francisco municipal transportation Agency (sfmtA) announced new data showing significant and continued growth in muni ridership in 2024, with a total of 158 million passenger trips, reflecting an increase of 13.5 million trips compared to 2023. mayor Lurie has made san francisco’s public transportation network a top priority, understanding the long-term health of the muni system is critical to the city’s continued economic growth. the increase in passenger rides in 2024 is a strong indicator of the momentum seen in san francisco’s recovery efforts, and signals that when there is a focus on cleanliness, safety, and service reliability, more people will take public transportation. In 2024, the sfmtA saw the highest volume of growth in ridership since 2019, with recovery at 75% of 2019 levels, with monthly recovery peaking at 78% in september. the city also announced that muni received the highest customer ratings since 2021. the increase in muni ridership demonstrates that when we get the basics right on service delivery people will want to take public transit,” said mayor Lurie.
“A thriving san francisco needs an affordable, reliable, and safe muni network so workers can get to their jobs, our seniors can get to their doctor’s appointments, and our families can get to school. We have a lot of work still to do, but this shows that we are on the right track.”
Key highlights from the 2024 muni ridership review include:
• Daily boardings on the rise: muni averaged 486,000 boardings on weekdays and 318,000 on weekends, an increase of 46,000 trips on weekdays and 17,000 on weekends from 2023.
• Strong weekend recovery: Weekend ridership recovery peaked at 92% in september, while weekday recovery reached 75% in october, demonstrating growing confidence in muni's service.
• High-performing routes: the t third, 38r Geary rapid, 49 Van Ness/mission, and N Judah were among the top lines experiencing the largest ridership gains. muni’s investment in fast, frequent service (with arrivals ev-
ery 10 minutes or less) played a key role in this growth.
• Special event success: Major city events drove transit demand, with record ridership days for lines serving hardly strictly Bluegrass, Portola music festival, and the sunset Night market. this new ridership data comes at a time when muni ridership is expected to gain more usage over the coming years, with companies like openAI and Databricks announcing major office expansions in mission Bay and Downtown, welcoming thousands of new employees back into the office in san francisco. over the next two years, san francisco will host dozens of new and returning conferences as well as major sporting events like superbowl LX and the 2026 World Cup that are expected to draw hundreds of thousands of visitors.
“muni’s ridership growth in 2024 reflects our commitment to delivering fast, reliable, and accessible public transit for san francisco,” said Julie Kirschbaum, sfmtA Director of transportation. “this achievement wouldn’t be possible without the dedication of our operators and support staff, who work tirelessly every day to keep our city moving. their hard work ensures that millions of additional trips are made possible, and it’s clear that more people are choosing muni as their go-to mode of transportation. While we celebrate this progress, we recognize there’s still work to do, and we remain dedicated to ensuring that public transit continues to connect communities across the city.”
muni is a core component of the city’s economic vitality, and is a top priority for the city, regional and state partners, who are working to ensure families and children, students, workers and visitors can rely on muni to get to where they need to be, despite projected financial challenges. As muni ridership continues its recovery, the sftmA is facing significant short-term and longterm fiscal challenges, with a $50 million budget deficit starting this July growing to a $320 million deficit when federal and state one-time relief funds are exhausted by June 2026. mayor Lurie has appointed new leadership to tackle these fiscal challenges head on, appointing Kirschbaum
last month as the new Director of transportation for the sfmtA. Under Director Kirschbaum’s leadership, muni has continued to deliver operational improvements throughout the system, including embracing the proactive, preventative maintenance practices that have helped reduce subway delays by 70%. mayor Lurie also appointed Alfonso felder, an operational expert with significant transportation and urban development planning experience, to the sfmtA Board of Directors. the mayor and sfmtA leadership are working proactively to address the structural funding crisis, including collaborating with the muni funding Working Group. Led by the Controller’s office, the working group brings together the mayor’s office, the Board of supervisors, sfmtA leadership, community partners, and members of the public to gather input, identify solutions, and provide recommendations to address the near-term and longer-term funding gaps. With the Working Group providing a foundation for the efforts to come, the sfmtA has developed an updated service and efficiency plan that cuts costs while protecting muni connections and frequency. the proposed service cuts will be revisited at tomorrow’s sfmtA Board of Directors meeting. At a regional level, mayor Lurie, sfmtA leadership, and state senators scott Wiener and Jesse Arreguín, have also taken bold steps to launch a multi-county effort to protect our transportation networks. With renewed accountability and a refocus on service delivery, the sfmtA will continue to pursue sustainable revenue-generating strategies and advocate for long-term funding at the regional and state levels to keep muni moving for all. the muni system saw positive trends throughout 2024, with several routes surpassing pre-pandemic levels — a testament to the growing demand for reliable public transit. As ridership increases, the sfmtA remains committed to reliable service, improving safety, and ensuring muni remains the best option for san francisco residents and visitors. for more details on muni
Tessie Ang See (left) and Margie Penson Juico (right) stand in front of a framed poster of former President Corazon Aquino.
Sr. Mary John Mananzan Photos compiled by Rogelio C. Medina
Multi-awarded CEO Salvie Collado Paparon
Former Central Bank of the Philippines technical assistant Vicky Manalastas Toribio
Angela Valdez with daughter Talia
Former Manila Bulletin entertainment editor Crispina Martinez-Belen
AJ columnist Rogelio Medina with his hair stylist Denise Magana
Scientist and former radio show co-host Rochie Cuevas Rosita Medina with her hair stylist Lily Nguyen
PH consulate’s ‘women in law’ forum...
superior Court of California in solano County also spoke at forum through a video message.
“It is important to have more filipino American lawyers and judges in the United states. the system that oversees the fair and equitable resolutions of civil and criminal cases should be representative of the communities it serves. It ensures a sense of justice, fairness, and understanding,” Judge Nisperos said.
“As immigrants, the children of immigrants or grandchildren of immigrants, we bring valuable insight to our cases as advocates and adjudicators. We bring courage, compassion, and dedication to our work, which results in the betterment of our community,” Judge Nisperos added.
the following joined the distinguished panel: elaine Bordeaux, managing partner of e. Antonio Bordeaux PLLC in Colorado; melba Cawit, past president of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP) California Chapter; and maribeth Charvet, president-elect of the filipino Bar Association of Northern California (fBANC). the invited speakers shared their stories and experiences as immigrants and legal practitioners, their views on local and national issues, and their thoughts about the influence of their filipino ancestry and heritage in their role as lawyers, justices and advocates.
“Data shows that about 50% of enrollees in [law] schools are women. But the truth remains that we are in a disadvantaged position versus our male counterparts. But things are changing. so I would encourage everyone to pursue their dreams. hard work, determination, and persistence will get you through. We need more women lawyers in the field because I believe women are more compassionate, more quickthinker, more determined,” Atty. Cawit said.
“there is a lot of value to being authentic to yourself. there's no need to hide your qualities as a woman, as a filipino or filipino American. that's what makes us so unique. Being a well-rounded attorney is more valuable than just
someone who can cite the cases in the book and argue whatever if you are able to provide good client service where your client feels seen, heard, and cared for. that creates a much more fulfilling career,” Atty. Charvet shared.
“I am a lawyer and I am an artist, a sculptor. Whether you want to be a lawyer, an artist, a nurse, a doctor, you have to put your heart into it. It is a lot of work, but it is definitely worth it... surround yourself with people who can lift you up, who can inspire you… Whatever is your situation in life, you have to be courageous to dream and you have to do something for that dream,” Atty. Bordeaux said.
In her closing remarks, Deputy Consul General maria Paz Cortes expressed her gratitude to all filipina lawyers in the United
states for the work that they do in advancing justice, especially for the filipino American community.
“Let us thank them for breaking the glass ceiling in the field of law and legal practice here in the U.s and for showing us and future generations that we can achieve even more — so that instead of saying ‘she is the first filipino American to hold this position.’ we will soon say, ‘she is one of many.’ that is our hope that, someday, we can talk about many more filipino Americans leading in the practice of law and helping empower our communities,” Deputy Consul General Cortes said. the “Women in Law” forum may be viewed in its entirety on the Consulate’s official facebook page: https://www.facebook. com/Phinsf/live_videos. (PcGSF release)
SF Mayor Lurie ends distribution of fentanyl smoking supplies without counseling and treatment
sAN frANCIsCo – mayor
Daniel Lurie on Wednesday, April 2 announced a major policy shift in san francisco’s response to the fentanyl crisis, focused on getting people off the streets and quickly into treatment and care. Under new guidelines issued by Department of Public health (DPh) Director Dan tsai, individuals must now receive treatment counseling or be connected to services to receive safer drug use supplies.
“We can no longer accept the reality of two people dying a day from overdose. the status quo has failed to ensure the health and safety of our entire community, as well as those in the throes of addiction. fentanyl has changed the game, and we’ve been relying on strategies that preceded this new drug epidemic, which ends today,” said mayor Daniel Lurie. our new policy will connect individuals to treatment quickly, and that is a big step toward reclaiming our public spaces.
I thank Director Dan tsai for meeting the moment with this evidence-based approach.”
this policy goes into effect April 30 and applies to all cityfunded public health programs distributing drug use supplies, including sterile syringes and smoking kits. the new approach mandates that any distribution of supplies be paired with proactive treatment counseling and connections to care, requiring distribution programs to provide treatment referrals and on-site engagement to enable entry into services. the policy also prohibits the distribution of smoking supplies in public spaces.
“As public health, we are responsible for the health of the individual on the street and the health of the community impacted by this crisis. We are implementing strategic changes to build a more responsive system of care that moves people from the streets into effective treatment and sustained recovery,” said Department of Public health Director Dan tsai. “We are committed to proven, evidence-based health interventions and safer use supplies are most effective when paired with counseling, healthcare, and access to treatment and recovery services to create meaningful change for an individual.”
As part of this policy pivot, DPh will closely monitor overdose rates, hIV/hepatitis C transmission to ensure this policy aligns with overall public health goals. this shift is part
of broader DPh roadmap for tackling the fentanyl epidemic, which includes expanding treatment beds and services, more quickly connecting individuals to stabilization and treatment services, reducing barriers that prevent people from progressing in treatment, and rapid connections to medications for opioid use disorder (moUD) including buprenorphine and methadone.
“Connecting the distribution of safer use supplies to counseling and treatment is not a retreat from compassion — it’s an embrace of what actually helps people recover,” said Keith humphreys, Professor of Psychiatry at stanford University. “We know from decades of research and experience that addiction is rarely overcome without more proactive, assertive attempts to connect people to treatment and supports. this policy gives san francisco a stronger hand in saving lives by ensuring that every encounter is also an opportunity to guide someone toward care and recovery.”
the new DPh policy follows mayor Lurie’s “Breaking the Cycle” executive directive, which laid out his vision for tackling san francisco’s homelessness and behavioral health crisis. that executive directive listed both immediate and long-term reforms needed to fundamentally transform the city’s health and homelessness response with a focus on coordination, accountability, and outcomes.
one of the 100-day actions included a directive to reassess policies for distribution of fentanyl smoking supplies and re-focus on access to longstanding evidence-based public health interventions alongside strategies to connect individuals to treatment and recovery.
Wednesday’s policy announcement delivers on that goal. Key elements of DPh’s new policy include:
• Beginning April 30, individuals must engage with counseling that encourages and connects them to treatment options in order to receive any safer use supplies from any city staff or DPh-funded contractor or subcontractor.
• In addition to the treatment counseling requirement, all cityfunded programs can no longer distribute smoking supplies outdoors in public spaces.
• DPH-funded programs that currently distribute smoking supplies in public spaces must
San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie
File photo/www.sf.gov shift to doing indoors or DPhapproved controlled spaces.
• DPH will be working with partners to transition the majority of distribution programs indoors or away from public spaces by April 30, and all programs by may 30.
this policy is one of many tools the city is now using to address the fentanyl crisis, which also include increased enforcement, building more interim housing and treatment beds, and reforming street outreach teams into a more accountable and neighborhoodbased model. the new unified street teams launched last week, with the Department of emergency management and san francisco Police Department co-leading the new neighborhood-based operational model that coordinates law enforcement and services across multiple partner agencies to get people off the streets. the new policy also marks a significant shift in the city’s public health approach — grounded in evidence, focused on outcomes, and aligned with mayor Lurie’s broader commitment to connect more individuals to treatment, consider the wellbeing of the entire community, and restore public trust in the city’s response. It builds on work the Lurie administration has been doing since day one to get people off the street and connected to the services they need. After announcing the fentanyl state of emergency ordinance on his first day in office, mayor Lurie partnered with the Board of supervisors to pass it 10-1 and then signed it into law, unlocking critical tools to treat this crisis as the emergency it is. he also announced plans for a 24/7 police-friendly stabilization center that will open at 822 Geary street this spring on an expedited timeline thanks to the ordinance. (SF Mayor’s office release)
