040523 - Southern California Midweek Edition

US: 4 new EDCA sites to boost ‘interoperability’ of American, Filipino troops

THE United States, through the Pentagon, said the four new locations under the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) in the Philippines will "strengthen the interoperability" of American and Filipino soldiers.

In a statement shared by the U.S. Embassy in Manila, the Pentagon said the additional EDCA sites will "allow us to

respond more seamlessly together to address a range of shared challenges in the IndoPacific region, including natural and humanitarian disasters."

The U.S. Department of Defense (USDoD) on Monday said it will work "in lockstep" with its Philippine counterpart and the Armed Forces of the Philippines "to rapidly pursue modernization projects at the EDCA sites."

The U.S. said it "stands steadfastly in support of the

Two PH-born soldiers among 9 killed in US Army copter crash

TWO Filipinos were among the nine soldiers killed in a crash involving two U.S. Army Blackhawk helicopters near Fort Campbell, at the Kentucky-Tennessee border.

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FTC brie ng targets scams hitting API communities in CA

FEDERAL and local agencies, community stakeholders, and ethnic media came together to raise public awareness and encourage people to report when they’ve been scammed.

Katsumi Iwasaki is originally from Tokyo but has lived in the Bay Area for more than

Philippines" as it announced the EDCA expansion to include the Naval Base Camilo Osias in Santa Ana, Cagayan; Camp Melchor Dela Cruz in Gamu, Isabela; Balabac Island in Palawan; and Lal-lo Airport in Cagayan.

The Pentagon noted that the naming of these locations followed a February 2023 announcement in which Washington and Manila had "committed to designate four

MANILA — The Philippines on Tuesday, April 4 said recent developments in the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement reaffirm Manila and Washington’s commitment to their decades-old alliance as these also open up economic opportunities for Filipinos with infrastructure developments on the military sites.

“The EDCA will enhance the

China warns Philippine-US base deal ‘endangering regional peace’

CHINA warned on Tuesday, April 4 that Washington was "endangering regional peace" in a new deal with the Philippines that will see four additional bases be used by U.S. troops, including one near the disputed South China Sea and another not far from Taiwan.

"Out of self-interest, the U.S. maintains a zero-sum mentality and continues to strengthen its military deployment in the region," foreign ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said.

Manny Villar tops list of Filipino billionaires in Forbes’ world’s richest list

REAL estate mogul Manuel Villar Jr. topped the catalog of 14 Filipino billionaires who landed in Forbes Magazine’s 2023 World’s Billionaires List.

Villar, the founder of property developer of Vista Land & Lifescapes Inc., Allday Marts supermarkets and Vistamalls Inc., has a net worth of $8.6 billion, making him the 232nd richest person in the world.

The No. 2 richest Filipino is Enrique Razon Jr., owner of

ports operator International Container Terminal Services Inc. and casino company Bloomberry Resorts.

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"The result will inevitably be increased military tension and endangering regional peace and stability," she added.

Longtime treaty allies Manila and Washington agreed in February to expand cooperation in "strategic areas" of the Philippines as they seek to counter Beijing's growing assertiveness over selfgoverned Taiwan and China's construction of bases in the South China Sea.

The 2014 Enhanced Defense Cooperation

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interoperability of our armed forces to collectively better respond to threats, including those requiring close cooperation and coordination for more rapid and effective humanitarian assistance and disaster response,” the Department of Foreign Affairs said in a statement on Tuesday.

“EDCA will lead to the construction of facilities and infrastructure upgrades that directly contribute to the enhancement of

Bongbong Marcos, First Lady to attend King Charles III’s coronation in London

by DAPHNE GALVEZ Inquirer.net

PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos will attend the coronation of King Charles III on May 6 in Westminster Abbey, London, Malacañang confirmed Monday, April 2.

Presidential Communications Office Secretary Cheloy Garafil said the President and First Lady

had accepted the invitation to attend the coronation and the reception at Buckingham Palace, as invited by the Master of the Household on May 5. “President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. and First Lady Louise Araneta-Marcos have accepted the invitation to attend the coronation of His Majesty King Charles III and Her Majesty The Queen Consort at Westminster

This photo taken on March 31 shows Brigadier General Francis Coronel of Philippine army artillery regiment, shaking hands with U.S. army soldiers after a live fire exercise during the joint exercise between the Philippines and the U.S. at Fort Magsaysay in the Philippines’ Nueva Ecija province. Philstar.com photo

Manny Villar Jr. Inquirer.net photo

US: 4 new EDCA sites to boost...

new EDCA sites in strategic areas" of the Philippines.

The USDoD said it "intends to expand funding on top of the $82 million we have already allocated toward infrastructure investments at the existing EDCA sites."

"In addition to supporting 'alliance commitments,' these investments will also spur economic growth and job

opportunities in their respective provinces," it added.

The U.S. also said that it

"is committed to ensuring its activities around EDCA sites are responsive to the needs and priorities of local communities."

"We will continue to consult closely with the Philippines on new opportunities that serve our shared interests," the Pentagon said.

"The United States and the

Philippines have stood shoulderto-shoulder as friends and allies for more than seven decades, unwavering in our treaty commitments and our shared vision for a more peaceful, secure, and prosperous region," it stressed.

"The strides we are making to expand the EDCA and modernize the alliance will ensure this vision endures far into the future," the Pentagon said. g

DFA: EDCA ‘reaffirms’ robust commitment to...

the capabilities of the Armed Forces of the Philippines,” it added.

The EDCA allows U.S. troops to use Philippine military facilities for equipment and to store materials that may be needed for humanitarian relief efforts. The agreement also allows American soldiers to conduct joint training activities with their Filipino counterparts.

The Palace on Monday said the four new EDCA sites will be in Cagayan’s Naval Base Camilo Osias and Lal-lo Airport, Camp Melchor Dela Cruz in Gamu, Isabela, and Balabac Island in Palawan.

The first five EDCA sites are located in Cebu, Cagayan de Oro, Nueva Ecija, Palawan, and Pampanga.

“The new EDCA sites are strategic in the Armed Forces of the Philippines’ thrust to strengthen its capacity to protect the people and the state, advance our national interests, and enhance the country's disaster response capability,” Col. Medel Aguilar, AFP spokesperson, said in a separate statement on Tuesday.

Economic growth

In a separate statement on Monday evening, Philippine time, Pentagon said the U.S. plans to further expand funding to finance EDCA projects on top of the $82 million already spent for infrastructure developments.

The U.S. Department of Defense said this would “spur economic growth and job opportunities in their respective provinces.”

“The United States is

committed to ensuring its activities around EDCA sites are responsive to the needs and priorities of local communities, and we will continue to consult closely with the Philippines on new opportunities that serve our shared interests,” it said.

Prior to the Philippines naming the specific locations, some local government unit officials opposed having an EDCA site in their provinces. However, President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. already spoke to the local officials and discussed its importance.

The DFA also emphasized that the programs and projects under the EDCA are still for the benefit of the country.

“These programs are investments by the Philippines in its own defense and security, benefitting military installations under the full ownership and operational control of the AFP,” the DFA said in its statement on Tuesday.

Constitutional?

Progressive group Sanlakas however pointed out that the 2014 EDCA or the 1998 Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) are “mere executive agreements, which did not pass the rigors of Senate ratification.”

The group also compared EDCA to the government’s refusal to cooperate with the International Criminal Court under the guise of trying to uphold the country’s sovereignty.

“All this talk about sovereignty only but exposes the hypocrisy of the Marcos Jr. Government,” Sanlakas said.

“Unlike both military

agreements, our membership in the ICC was by virtue of the Senate ratification of the Rome Statute in 2011, 11 years after the Philippines signed in 2000,” it added. While the Senate concurrence is needed when ratifying treaties and Congress has oversight on the executive, the Supreme Court in 2016 ruled that the EDCA is not a treaty but an executive agreement former President Benigno Aquino III entered into to implement the VFA and the Mutual Defense Treaty.

The high court also ruled in 2010 that the VFA is constitutional.

US military presence

Meanwhile, Anakbayan said it opposes the upcoming shoulderto-shoulder military exercises between American and Filipino soldiers. The group said further US military presence in the Philippines as it also is a "symptom of prolonged foreign dominance over Philippine economy and politics."

Manila and Washington are holding their biggest Balikatan exercises next week. Over 12,000 American soldiers, 5,000 Filipino troops, and over 100 from the Australian soldiers are set to participate in joint military drills to advance interoperability.

"For the youth, the Balikatan exercises is also a direct attempt to further stir up the rising tensions between the US and China towards a war for control over the resources of the Philippines and neighboring countries–something which could happen with Filipinos at a loss," it said. g

China warns Philippine-US base deal...

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Agreement, known as EDCA, gave U.S. forces access to five Philippine bases.

It was later expanded to nine, but the locations of the four new bases were withheld until Monday while the government consulted with local officials.

The four sites had been assessed by the Philippine military and deemed "suitable and mutually beneficial", the Presidential Communications Office said in a statement Monday.

The U.S. Department of Defense confirmed that the locations announced were the four new EDCA sites.

It also said in a statement it would add to the "$82 million we have already allocated toward infrastructure investments at the existing EDCA sites", without specifying by how much.

Three of the sites are in the northern Philippines, including a naval base and airport in Cagayan province and an army camp in the neighbouring province of Isabela, Manila's statement said.

The naval base at Cagayan's

Santa Ana is about 400 kilometres (250 miles) from Taiwan.

Another site will be an air base on Balabac Island, off the southern tip of Palawan Island, near the South China Sea.

Cagayan Governor Manuel Mamba has publicly opposed having EDCA sites in his province for fear of jeopardising Chinese investment and becoming a target in a conflict over Taiwan.

But Philippine acting defence chief Carlito Galvez told reporters recently the government had already decided on the sites and that Mamba had agreed to "abide with the decision".

The agreement allows U.S. troops to rotate through the bases and also store defence equipment and supplies.

Martial matters

The United States has a long and complex history with the Philippines.

They share a decades-old mutual defence treaty, but the presence of U.S. troops in the Southeast Asian country remains a sensitive issue.

The United States had two

major military bases in the Philippines but they were closed in the early 1990s after growing nationalist sentiment. U.S. troops return to the Philippines every year for joint military exercises, including Balikatan, which kicks off next week. With more than 17,000 soldiers taking part, it will be the largest yet.

The pact stalled under former president Rodrigo Duterte, who favoured China over the Philippines' former colonial master.

But President Ferdinand Marcos, who succeeded Duterte in June, has adopted a more U.S.-friendly foreign policy and has sought to accelerate the implementation of the EDCA. Marcos has insisted he will not let Beijing trample on Manila's maritime rights.

While the Philippine military is one of the weakest in Asia, the country's proximity to Taiwan and its surrounding waters would make it a key partner for the United States in the event of a conflict with China. (Philstar.com with reports from AFP)

Two PH-born soldiers among 9 killed in...

Cpl. Emilie Marie Eve Bolanos, 23, from Austin, Texas, and Sgt. Isaac John Gayo, from Los Angeles were part of the 101st Airborne Division Soldiers participating in a nighttime training exercise when the crash happened on Wednesday, March 29 at around 10 p.m. Bolanos and Gayo were both born in the Philippines. She enlisted in Austin, he in Los Angeles, both in 2019.

Both were in Fort Jackson, South Carolina for basic training and in Fort Eustis, Virginia for advanced individual training.

Gayo’s awards and decorations include the U.S. Army Achievement Medal, Army Good Conduct Medal and the Overseas Service Ribbon.

In March 2020 Bolanos was assigned to the UH-60 Helicopter Repairer and UH-60 Air Crewmember for the Combat Aviation Brigade, 101st Airborne Division.

A promising non-commis-

by Peter White Ethnic Media Services

POLLS were clear before and after the 2022 midterm election. A large majority of Americans think abortion should be legal. More than any other issue, abortion rights brought people out to vote in the last election.

“The Supreme Court’s decision a few months before the 2022 midterm elections was political suicide,” said Suba Srinivasaraghavan, a field organizer with They See Blue in Virginia.

After the decision, she saw a surge in volunteering for get-out-the-vote initiatives.

“More people said ‘yes’ to field organizers, to not just go out and vote, but also to volunteer, to write cards, knock on doors and to donate to many campaigns,” Srinivasaraghavan said.

“Abortion all of a sudden became front and center for many constituents and candidates alike,” she added.

‘Enough is enough’

During a national briefing by Ethnic Media Services last week, five organizers explained why reproductive rights would be a top issue in the 2024 Presidential Election.

Justice, noted that abortion care has never been accessible for women of color. “Antiabortion politicians have been working for decades to make abortion difficult to get, and the continued attacks on abortion access fall hardest on communities of color and people working to make ends meet,” she said.

distanced themselves from their membership and paid a price. Women organizing for autonomy and the right to choose say they will pay again in 2024.

Sgt. Issacjohn Gayo, 27, of Los Angeles

Staff Sgt. Joshua C. Gore, 25, of Morehead City, North Carolina

Corporal Emilie Marie Eve Bolanos, 23, was part of the 101st Airborne Division Soldiers participating in a nighttime training exercises. Photos from Facebook sioned officer, she served nine months in Germany, graduated from Basic Leader Course in 2022 received multiple Army awards.

The other soldiers who were killed in the helicopter crash are listed below:

Warrant Officer 1 Jeffery Barnes, 33, of Milton, Florida

Chief Warrant Officer 2

Zachary Esparza, 36, of Jackson, Missouri

Warrant Officer 1 Aaron Healy, 32, of Cape Coral, Florida

Staff Sgt. Taylor Mitchell, 30, of Mountain Brook, Alabam Chief Warrant Officer 2 Rusten Smith, 32, of Rolla Missouri

Sgt. David Solinas Jr, 23 of Oradell, New Jersey. (Inquirer. net)

Bongbong Marcos, First Lady to attend...

Abbey on Saturday, 6th May 2023,” Garafil said in a statement.

“Furthermore, the President

and the First Lady have accepted the invitation of the Master of the Household, upon command of His Majesty, to a Reception to be given at Buckingham Palace

in advance of the Coronation of Their Majesties The King and The Queen Consort on Friday, 5th May 2023 at 5:00 p.m,” she added. g

“Voters across the country and across the political spectrum said ‘Enough is enough.’ And in every state where abortion was on the ballot, voters supported protecting and expanding access,” said Angela Vasquez-Giroux, Pro-Choice America’s Vice President of Communications and Research.

A poll conducted by Impact Research after the midterm election, found that abortion has the power to continue to drive votes in future elections. A majority (52%) of voters are concerned that Republicans will try to ban abortion care, including 74% of Black voters and 53% of non-Democrats who voted Democratic in the midterms. A plurality (48%) said they are less likely to support Republicans if they attempt to ban abortion care.

Abortion access inaccessible Lupe Rodriguez, National Executive Director, Latina Institute for Reproductive

The Latina Institute and the National Partnership for Women & Families released research that found that nearly 6.5 million Latinas – 42 percent of all Latinas ages 1549 – live in the 26 states that have banned or are likely to ban abortion. They represent the largest group of women of color impacted by current or likely state bans.

The research also found that nearly 3 million Latinas living in these states are economically insecure and don’t have access to the funds they would need to travel to another state for abortion care.

“This is upsetting, but not surprising. Abortion bans fall hardest on Latinas and other communities of color who may work multiple jobs that provide no sick days or insurance coverage, and live in underserved communities,” said Rodriguez.

Radical Judges

Although abortion is supported by a majority of voters in both major parties, Republican Party officials have

“Radical judges and politicians are taking away our fundamental rights to make decisions about if, when, and how we have a family, and we’re not going to take that sitting down. We will fight, organize, and build power, and vote until we can make our own decisions again,” said Yvonne Hsu, a policy chief with the National Asian Pacific American Women’s Forum (NAPAWF).

Hsu said that Asian American women and Pacific Islanders (AAPI) find themselves in a place “where the clocks have literally been turned back against us”.

Abortion bans

In June 2022, by a 6-3 vote, the Supreme Court overturned Roe v Wade in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization which held women do not have a constitutional right to abortion. Since then, state legislatures have enacted abortion bans in 14 states and restricted them in 12 others.

“The Dobbs decision has been yet another blow to AAPI women seeking abortion care by creating a landscape where states have been emboldened to enact their own abortion

FTC briefing targets scams hitting API...

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thirty years. After losing his partner of more than two decades to cancer, the soft-spoken octogenarian went on dating apps at the urging of friends to cope with the loneliness.

That decision would ultimately lead him into the perilous world of romance scams, costing Iwasaki both his life savings –totaling more than $400,000 –and “my love.”

“I trusted him, because he was an Army officer, and because he was good looking,” recalls Iwasaki, chuckling slightly at the memory. Today he lives monthto-month on a meager budget.

“Be careful out there,” he says, in reference to the growing minefield of scams and scam artists that in 2022 alone cost consumers $8.8 billion.

Iwasaki shared his experience during a March 30 forum on scams targeting API communities organized by the Federal Trade Commission to raise public awareness and encourage people to report when they’ve been scammed.

His was among a litany of cases discussed during the gathering, which was hosted by the FTC’s Western Regional Office in San Francisco and included representatives from federal and local agencies, community stakeholders, and ethnic media.

Community engagement key

“Scammers are everywhere… they’re not just on the phone anymore. They’re in the mail, they’re in advertising, they’re online,” said Rosario Mendez, an attorney with the FTC’s Division of Consumer and Business Education Bureau of Consumer Protection based in Washington DC, who opened the briefing. She noted the record amount consumers lost last year – over $8 billion. “It’s more than we’ve ever seen,” she said.

Mendez’ office has undertaken a series of nationwide listening tours to meet with local communities and to hear directly from them about the types of scams they’re encountering.

The FTC can and does prosecute fraud cases, but its effectiveness depends on what it learns from the public, Mendez said. She shared a story from a recent session in Louisville, Kentucky where a Korean reporter described a scam that one community member had fallen victim to. The FTC used that information to put out an

alert in Korean that was then run across nearly two dozen Korean media outlets.

“The ripple effect is very real,” she said, highlighting the role community engagement with her agency plays in helping to staunch the bleeding.

Making it easier to report

scams

“This is the first convening of this type in the state with the API community,” said San Francisco City Attorney David Chiu in his opening remarks, calling the city the “capital” of the nation’s Asian American community when it comes to “deciding how our community is taken care of.”

Chiu’s office recently opened a hotline for residents to report potential scams. The portal is available in English, Spanish, Chinese and Tagalog. According to Chiu, the hotline’s launch came in response to the “flood” of reports his office has fielded about scams targeting largely immigrant and minority populations.

“We want to make it easy for residents in San Francisco and across California to report to us,” explained Chiu, noting the sense of shame and powerlessness that can come in the wake of being scammed often prevents victims from coming forward. “You feel stupid… like it’s your fault. We need to overcome that.”

Tip of the iceberg

Romance scams like the one Iwasaki fell prey to are just the tip of the iceberg. Speakers recounted dozens of scams they’ve encountered, from shady travel agencies with hidden fees to unscrupulous immigration services that can leave victims in jeopardy of being deported. Equity and home improvement scams are a particular issue in the API community and can leave especially older homeowners underwater or force the sale of their home.

Scammers operate both domestically within the US and increasingly abroad. The rise of artificial intelligence also poses additional challenges on the near horizon, as scammers are turning to the emerging technology to perpetrate more sophisticated scams. Chiu called that potential “frightening.”

Renee Coe is a third-year law student at UC Berkeley and is currently working with the nonprofit Bay Area legal Aid on a twoyear research project looking into how scams are impacting

immigrant communities. She shared the story of one Indian student studying in the US who lost $18,000 to a fraudster claiming to be with ICE.

“One thing that scammers do is they emphasize the urgency of the situation so much that you don’t have time to reach out to friends or family” before it’s too late, said Coe, noting the victim in this case was only able to recover $700 of the total amount she lost.

This story “highlights some of the challenges with recovery from scams, and also some of the areas where our laws could be more protected,” Coe explained, noting victims have just 10 days to report unauthorized withdrawals from banks, during which time banks are required to investigate or be liable for losses. Investment scams, particularly those involving crypto currencies, have ballooned in recent years. Maeve Elise Brown is the Executive Director of Housing and Economic Right Advocates (HERA) based on Oakland. She recalled a friend whose losses totaled in the six figures, and who lost even more after an agency approached him claiming to be able to retrieve his money. Brown believes both instances involved the same entity.

Vindicating the rights of victims “Don’t be afraid to make a fool of yourself,” said Brown, echoing Chiu and the other speakers about the importance of coming forward. “We’re both sad and happy to learn about new scams. Sad that people are being scammed, and happy for having learned about it.”

Iwasaki eventually did come forward, sharing his story with the organization Asian Pacific Islander Legal Outreach, which has brought his case to litigation.

Iwasaki says he’s now preparing to go to court and is hopeful that he will see some – if not all – of his money returned.

“Don’t feel this is your fault,” stressed Chiu. “Part of why we’re here today is to say, no it’s not your fault. You are a victim of a fraud. You need to have your rights vindicated. And if you need justice done, we are the agencies that are looking to do that justice.”

He added, “So we encourage you to reach out to us.”

(Peter Schurmann/Ethnic Media Services)

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Pexels.com photo by Lerone Pieters PAGE

More Filipinos still oppose Charter change, but support for it grew – Pulse Asia

by Beatrice Pinlac Inquirer.net

MANILA — More Filipinos are still opposed to amending the 1987 Constitution although support for it increased since six months ago, according to Pulse Asia’s latest Charter change (Cha-cha) survey released on Tuesday, April 4.

In the poll conducted from March 15-19, Pulse Asia found that revising the Charter remains unfavorable for 45 percent and favorable for 41 percent of 1,200 adult respondents.

Compared with the same survey made in September 2022, however, Pulse Asia noted that Cha-cha has become “more pronounced” in the March audit. To recall, the September 2022 study showed 56 percent disagreed while 31 percent agreed to proposals to tinker with the Constitution.

The March Cha-cha survey was conducted after the House of Representatives passed a bill seeking to implement a resolution calling for a constitutional convention (concon) to amend or revise the 1987 Constitution.

Of the total respondents, 45 percent opposed constitutional change (Cha-cha), with 31 percent completely against it and 14 percent considering the possibility in the future.

Another 14 percent of the respondents said they had not

yet formed their opinion on the proposal.

Cha-cha awareness

‘essentially unchanged’

The Pulse Asia audit likewise mentioned that despite the highly publicized hearings and heated debates on motions to amend the 36-year-old Charter over the past few months, awareness “remain[s] essentially unchanged.”

This was so because only 53 percent of the respondents were knowledgeable about Cha-cha proposals before the conduct of the survey, the polling firm noted.

It also noted that 79 percent of the respondents admitted having little to absolutely no knowledge of the 1987 Constitution, while at least 21 percent have sufficient knowledge about it.

Filipinos buck seven key changes in Charter

Moreover, the Pulse Asia Cha-cha survey found that 53 percent to 76 percent disapprove of the following proposed amendments to the 1987 Constitution:

Allowing foreign individuals and companies to utilize Philippine national resources –76 percent

Allowing foreign individuals and companies to own residential and industrial lands

– 72 percent

Removing limits on shares of stocks in Philippine

corporations that may be owned by foreign individuals and companies – 67 percent

Allowing foreign individuals and companies equal ownership in mass media and advertising –57 percent

Extending terms of office of national and local elective officials – 56 percent

Lifting prohibition on foreign ownership of communication companies – 53 percent

Lifting prohibition on foreign ownership of utilities like electricity – 44 percent

“Nearly the same percentage points are either in favor or not in favor of two Charter change proposals – allowing foreign individuals and companies to practice their profession in the Philippines (40 percent versus 45 percent) and changing the system of government to a federal one (38 percent versus 42 percent),” Pulse Asia said.

Filipinos are likewise “split regarding the creation of a con-con to change the 1987 Philippine Constitution,” it added.

The House has given its final nod to relax economic restrictions in the Charter via con-con, but a similar push in the Senate – distinct with its proposed mode being a constituent assembly – is met with a seemingly unpromising fate as it still lacks support from members of the upper chamber. g

ICC probers invited to Senate inquiry

by Paolo romero Philstar.com

MANILA — The Senate is launching a probe that would have officials of the International Criminal Court (ICC) involved in investigating the Duterte administration’s bloody war on drugs testify before a congressional hearing.

Sen. Francis Tolentino said that ICC officials are being invited to appear before the inquiry to be conducted by the Senate committee on justice

and human rights. He said preparations for the inquiry are still “a work in progress,” but some initial communications – through parliamentary counterparts in the Netherlands – have already been made to invite ICC Chief Prosecutor Karim Khan, former ICC prosecutor Fatou Bensouda and law professor Mervyn Cheong of the National University of Singapore.

Tolentino, who chairs the committee, said that since the inquiry was prompted by resolutions filed in the

Pinoys urged to honor veterans’ legacy, sacrifices

MANILA – Department of National Defense (DND) chief Carlito Galvez Jr. on Monday, April 3 reminded all Filipinos, especially the youth, to take time in honoring the nation's veterans.

and the Philippine Veterans Affairs Office, to memorialize the valor and heroic deeds of the Filipino veterans.

Senate seeking to defend the previous administration, former president Rodrigo Duterte is being eyed among the resource speakers to be invited.

“This (inquiry) is to clarify issues. This has nothing to do with the ICC case. This has something to do with the (Senate) resolutions. If they (ICC) want us to recognize the work they do, they should also recognize what the Philippines is doing by way of a Senate hearing,” Tolentino told dzBB radio in Filipino. g

“Let us take this opportunity to pay tribute to our nation’s patriots and freedom fighters, honor our present-day defenders, and prepare the youth for the two-fold task of securing our nation and ensuring its bright future,” Galvez said during flag-raising rites at the DND headquarters in Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City.

This is in line with the observance of Philippine Veterans Week from April 5 to 12 and Araw ng Kagitingan (Day of Valor) on April 9.

Highlighting the theme of this year’s observance “Kagitingan ng mga Beterano, Pundasyon ng Nagkakaisang Pilipino,” Galvez reminded the members of the One Defense Team to actively participate in the series of commemorative and special events spearheaded by the DND

“As the designated chairperson of the Technical Working Committee for the observance of the Philippine Veterans Week, I humbly request everyone for your strong support to make the commemoration meaningful through your active participation onsite, online, or by actively liking, commenting, and sharing relevant posts via social media,” he added.

Galvez also urged parents to teach their children and the youth love of country and its history so they can better understand the sacrifices made by Filipino veterans and soldiers.

Galvez likewise reaffirmed his unwavering support for those who practice the Christian faith, particularly the Catholics, in their meaningful observance of this year's Holy Week which coincides with the celebration of Philippine Veterans Week.

“During the Lenten break, may we empathize with the

suffering of our fellowmen and find profound meaning in the death of Jesus Christ. It is my fervent hope that all these will help foster social healing, reconciliation, and national unity for nation-building – these are what our veterans lived and died for, especially during that fateful Good Friday when they conquered the infamous Bataan Death March. Our veterans did what they needed to do for the country, for the younger generations, and for everyone –including us,” Galvez stated.

April 9 of every year, by virtue of Executive Order 203 signed in 1987, is “Araw ng Kagitingan” to honor the thousands of Filipino and American forces who fought for the country’s liberty and democracy.

On April 9, 1942 or after 93 days of resistance, an estimated 60,000 Filipino and American troops were taken prisoners of war by the Japanese.

This year, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. declared April 10, Monday, a regular holiday in observance of "Araw ng Kagitingan". (PNA)

SIM REGISTRATION. The National Telecommunications Commission in Davao Region (NTC-11) holds simultaneous SIM card registration in Sta. Maria and Malita towns in Davao Occidental on Tuesday, April 4. NTC-11 Director Nelson Cañete appeals to residents in said municipalities to register their SIM cards before the April 26 deadline. PNA photo by Robinson Niñal Jr.

Nurses’ exodus

EVEN before the COVID pandemic, the global demand for nurses had already been high. Advanced economies could dangle high salaries and other attractive incentives to recruit nurses from other countries. Global health experts warned that lower-income states could not match such remunerations and benefits, and were hard-pressed to address the loss of their health professionals.

As early as 2010, member states of the World Health Organization, worried about this trend, had adopted a Global Code of Practice on the International Recruitment of Health Personnel. Among other things, the code urged wealthy countries to recruit health professionals through bilateral agreements, in consultation with the health department in the workers’ country of origin.

The destination country was also encouraged to provide some form of support for public healthcare programs in the source country, and to encourage foreign health professionals to return to their home country after a certain period, and after acquiring certain skills. The question has always been whether migrant health professionals wanted to return home.

The nursing shortage burdened the Philippines at the height of the COVID pandemic, when even the top hospitals that could afford high salaries reported losing a substantial number of their nursing staff. Amid the pandemic, wealthy countries moved aggressively to

recruit health professionals from overseas. Canada, for example, eased language requirements for residency. Germany allowed foreign-trained doctors to move directly into assistant physician positions. Even Finland began recruiting health workers from overseas.

The problem requires less affluent and developing economies to innovate and exert more effort to hang on to their health professionals particularly nurses. Last Wednesday, President Marcos ordered the Commission on Higher Education to address the country’s loss of nurses to states that offer better remuneration. He noted that Filipino nurses are known for the quality of their service. He said that in his meetings with leaders of other countries, they always asked him for nursing staff from the Philippines.

CHED officials have said that so far, several programs are already in place to address the problem. Among these are shorter courses for various nursing competencies, the “re-tooling” of those who fail the nursing board, and a “return

EDCA is about deterrence, not con ict

Babe’s Eye View

BABE ROMUALDEZ

THOSE arguing against expanding the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) with the additional four new locations miss the whole point when they declare it is tantamount to preparing for conflict, or that our efforts to enhance the capability of our military through modernization could get us embroiled in a war over the Taiwan issue which, in their view, is “none of our business.”

Totally wrong. We, together with like-minded countries, want to prevent an armed conflict from occurring within our area. At the same time, we want to deter any more incursions into our territory. No one can dispute that we have been very patient in the face of the aggression that China has been repeatedly demonstrating for so many

years, where we have been filing diplomatic protests for every instance of bullying against our fishermen and the harassment to which they have been subjecting our Coast Guard personnel in areas that are unquestionably within our exclusive economic zone.

La Salle professor Richard Heydarian – a foreign policy and economic analyst whom I have a high regard for because the points he raises on various issues are rational and highly cerebral – correctly pointed out that “diplomacy can only be effective when deployed from a position of strength, otherwise one has limited leverage when dealing with rivals and hostile powers. Worse, diplomacy from a position of weakness is tantamount to glorified surrender.”

And that is precisely how people should view the “potential strategic value of the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement,” he says, as well as the ongoing efforts to establish the Australia-UK-U.S. (AUKUS) alliance and a possible JapanPhilippines-U.S. (JAPHUS) alliance that could serve as mechanisms of “integrated

deterrence” aimed at preventing major power conflicts and “nightmare scenarios such as military adventurism against Taiwan…”

EDCA is a key pillar of the bilateral defense and military cooperation between the Philippines and the U.S., and the approval of four additional locations was a major decision of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., knowing full well that it would boost the collective defense capabilities of both nations. It is also meant to promote interoperability, as well as address existing and potential security threats, including natural disasters, that could hit vulnerable areas in our country.

All of these agreements – the Mutual Defense Treaty, the Visiting Forces Agreement and EDCA – form part of our defense and security strategy to protect our sovereign rights over our maritime territory. At the same time, they can potentially serve as mechanisms of deterrence by preventing threats or actions that could escalate into confrontation, leading to armed conflict or possibly war.

service” program that offers nursing scholarships in exchange for a certain mandatory period of working in the Philippines. A “Nurse para sa Bayan” will be similar to the “Doktor para sa Bayan” scheme under Republic Act 11509.

I came across an article written by Erick Nielson Javier of the National Defense College of the Philippines, and published online in March last year at The Diplomat. Titled “Rethinking the Philippines’ Deterrence in the South China Sea,” Javier puts across the argument that “Manila should change the narrative from a focus on ‘how to defend’ against China toward a more active strategy of deterring China.”

Recalling the Julian Felipe (Whitsun) Reef incident that began in March 2021 where over 200 Chinese “fishing ships” were anchored in an area that was clearly within the exclusive economic zone of the Philippines, Javier emphasized “the importance of coordinated maritime patrols of the Philippine Coast Guard, Navy and Air Force in securing the country’s waters and asserting its territorial claims” and the urgent need to have a fallback – “strong deterrence” – in case diplomacy fails.

Despite diplomatic protests filed against this blatant incursion, China refused to recall the vessels suspected of being maritime militia – but eventually dispersed when the Philippines dispatched military aircraft on

President Marcos gave an accurate assessment: “Our nurses are the best; the whole world is our rival here.” One thing certain is that the country cannot afford to be complacent and ignore the problem. (Philstar.com)

overflight missions, increased the presence of Philippine Navy vessels, including our warships BRP Jose Rizal and Antonio Luna, along with Philippine Coast Guard vessels that conducted sovereignty patrols in the region, and later joined by the US Navy’s Theodore Roosevelt Carrier Strike Group and Makin Island Amphibious Ready Group.

In the opinion piece by the chairman of the Global Council of the International House of Japan and former Asahi Shimbun editor-in chief Yoichi Funabashi titled, “To counter China’s ‘reactive assertiveness,’ ‘quiet deterrence’ is called for” and published in Japan Times, the author wrote about China’s behavior of “reactive assertiveness” as an excuse for aggressive actions in the South China Sea.

“China repeatedly took coercive action against neighboring countries in disputes over territorial rights to a number of reefs and reacted with outrage to minor actions by its neighbors, which it described as ‘provocations’,” Funabashi said, illustrating how China “may feign passivity and claim it has no choice but to respond to ‘provocations’ by others, but in reality, it was the instigator.”

Let me be clear, however: We will continue to find ways and means for a peaceful resolution to the issues surrounding our maritime territory in the West Philippine Sea. Yet there is also no doubt that now more than ever, we have to make a firm stand that what is ours is ours, and that we will not give up even one square inch of our territory to any foreign power, as clearly and firmly enunciated by President BBM. We do not want conflict. All we want is to protect our territory and assert our sovereign rights, and we have made that clear to all our allies. That is also the reason why we are in unison with like-minded nations who want to ensure freedom of navigation and recognize the importance of maintaining security and stability in international waters as a driver of economic prosperity in the region.

At the end of the day, absolutely no one wants conflict – only peace and stability. (Philstar.com) * * *

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

EDCA expansion and Philippine security interests

Strait, Korean Peninsula and the South China Sea.

DESPITE some local oppositions against the expansion of the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA), President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. recently announced his approval to allow the United States to build additional military facilities in four extra locations inside Philippine territory.

Though President Marcos Jr. has not yet identified these extra locations, there are talks that additional US military facilities can be built in 1) Cagayan North International Airport, 2) Lal-lo and Naval Base Camilo Osias, Sta. Ana in Cagayan, 3) Camp Melchor Dela Cruz, Gamu in Isabela and 4) Philippine Air Force Base, Balabac Island in Palawan.

Secretary Carlito Galvez, officerin-charge of the Department of National Defense, said that some elected officials in Camarines Sur have expressed interest to make the province an extra site for EDCA.

Apparently, all these locations can provide the US operational access to Philippine territories to respond to any military contingencies in key flashpoint of conflicts in Asia: the Taiwan

When the Philippines and the United States signed EDCA in 2014, the two countries agreed to train together in order to strengthen their interoperability in responding to natural disasters, humanitarian situations, terrorist threats and maritime security challenges.

With EDCA, the Philippine government allowed the construction of five American military facilities in Fort Magsaysay in Nueva Ecija, Basa Air Base in Pampanga, Antonio Bautista Air Base in Palawan, Mactan-Benito Abuen Air Base in Cebu and Lumbia Air Base in Cagayan de Oro.

Since then, Filipino and American armed forces have been holding joint and combined military exercises in the area of humanitarian assistance and disaster response (HADR), search and rescue operations, counterterrorism cooperation and maritime domain awareness.

What is being downplayed by Filipino and American authorities about EDCA is its strategic intention to counter China’s growing international influence, particularly in the South China Sea where most parts of the West Philippine Sea are located.

In the joint press briefing with Secretary Galvez on Feb. 2,

2023, US Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III admitted that EDCA is “part of our efforts to modernize our alliance, and these efforts are especially important as the People’s Republic of China continues to advance its illegitimate claims in the West Philippine Sea.”

Thus, EDCA’s larger goal is to support American efforts to get strategic advantage over China amidst their worsening major power rivalry.

In fact, Pentagon leaders just requested last week the US Congress to approve the $842-billion budget for the Department of Defense (DOD) in order to modernize the US military as it prepares for a possible confrontation with China.

General Mark Milley, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, stressed during the most recent budget hearing that China’s current actions “are moving it down the path toward confrontation and potential conflict with its neighbors and possibly the United States.” He added that preparing for war “is extraordinarily expensive, but it’s not as expensive as fighting a war. And this budget prevents war and prepares us to fight it if necessary.”

Apparently, EDCA expansion is part of US access arrangements in Asia to decisively implement

American military deterrence strategy and defense preparation plan against China. As such, EDCA expansion largely serves American military interests to counter China rather than caters to Philippine national interests to harmoniously live at peace with China.

Hence, EDCA expansion can inevitably harm Filipino security interests as China can hit the Philippines in armed conflict situations with the US because of American military facilities in Philippine territories. The Chinese embassy in Manila already warned that EDCA expansion can “seriously harm Philippine national interests and endanger regional peace and stability.”

The Chinese embassy further explained, “Whereas the US claims that such cooperation is intended to help the disaster relief efforts of the Philippines and some Americans even tout the EDCA sites as driver of local economy, it is plain and simple that those moves are part of the US efforts to encircle and contain China through its military alliance with this country.”

Filipino and American security officials exclaim that EDCA aims to strengthen PhilippineAmerican military alliance and to reaffirm the commitment of the US to defend the Philippines against external attacks.

EDCA, however, can only deepen Philippine reliance on the US for its defense. Instead of relying heavily on the US for its national defense, the Philippines needs to pursue self-reliance to defend itself.

Senator Imee Marcos, chair of the Senate committee on foreign relations, hits the nail on the head when she calls for the revival of the Self Reliance Defense Program (SRDP) initiated in 1974 by then president Ferdinand E. Marcos. She urges the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) to resuscitate the SRDP in order to “scale down our dependence on foreign goodwill in the sticky web of geopolitics.”

Senator Marcos also challenges the EDCA expansion when she underscores that EDCA “is addressing the escalation of tensions in the Taiwan strait, not the Philippine interests in the West Philippine Sea.”

Local Filipino residents have also voiced their apprehensions against EDCA expansion.

Governor Manuel Mamba of Cagayan province already conveyed worries of his constituents that EDCA could turn his province “into a key target of the Chinese military if a conflict involving the US military breaks out over Taiwan.”

Though Governor Mamba showed his respect to President

Marcos Jr.’s approval on EDCA expansion, he said, “It is the President’s call, not mine,” highlighting that “I maintain my stand against any foreign forces stationed in my province. Still, I am against EDCA sites in my province.” Governor Mamba also raised the lack of local consultations and stakeholders’ participation on the proposed EDCA expansion in Cagayan. Rather than promote Philippine security interests, EDCA expansion can therefore endanger Philippine interests as it can drag the country into a war not of its own choosing.

As candidly argued by Harry Roque, an expert in international law and foreign relations, “Participating in any war does not serve our national interest. We must never allow our territory to become a launch pad for an offensive attack against another state.”

It is therefore imperative for patriotic and freedom-loving Filipinos to oppose EDCA and its expansion to make the Philippines a zone of peace rather than the battleground of an American proxy war. (Philstar.com) * * * The opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by the author do not necessarily reflect the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints of the Asian Journal, its management, editorial board and staff.

Manny Villar tops list of Filipino...

Razon has a net worth of $7.3 billion, according to Forbes. San Miguel Corp. (SMC) president Ramon Ang, with a fortune of $3.4 billion, is the country’s third richest man in the country.

SMC is one of the country’s largest conglomerates with interests spanning food and beverage, energy and infrastructure.

Henry Sy Jr., vice chair of property, banking and retail conglomerate SM Investments Corp., is the country’s fourth richest man with a net worth of $2.5 billion.

Sy, whose sisters and bothers are also part of the Forbes rich list, is the chair of Synergy Grid & Development Phils Inc., which controls the country’s power transmission operator, National Grid Corp. of the Philippines.

He shares the No. 4 spot with Andrew Tan, founder of conglomerate Alliance Global Group, a property, beverage, gaming and fast food holding company.

Siblings Hans Sy and Herbert Sy, who each have a net worth of $2.4 billion, occupy the No. 5 spot in the Forbes rich list.

Hans was the longtime president of property giant SM Prime Holdings, where he remains a director, and serves as adviser of SM Investments,

chair of China Banking Corp. and chair of National University.

Hebert is also an adviser of SM Investments and plays an active role in the group’s supermarket operations.

Sharing the No. 5 spot is taipan Lucio Tan with a net worth of $2.4 billion.

Tan is the owner of Philippine Airlines, the country’s flag carrier, and chair of LT Group, a conglomerate with interests in tobacco, spirits, banking and real estate.

Siblings Harley Sy and Teresita Sy-Coson, each with a net worth $2.2 billion, shared the No. 6 spot on the list.

Harley is the former president of SM Investments, where he remains executive director. He is also a director of China Bank, an adviser of BDO Private Bank and co-vice chair of SM Retail.

Teresita, eldest child of the late taipan and SM Group founder Henry Sy Sr., is the vice chair of SM Investments and chair of BDO Unibank, the country’s biggest lender.

Their sister Elizabeth Sy, occupying the No. 7 spot, has a net worth of $1.9 billion.

Elizabeth is an adviser of SM Investments and plays an active role in the group’s tourism, leisure and hospitality operations. She is the current chair and president of SM Hotels and Conventions.

Marcos urges Filipinos: Be conveyors of truth

At No. 8 is Lance Gokongwei with a net worth of $1.4 billion. Gokongwei, the only son of the late taipan John Gokongwei Jr., is the CEO of JG Summit Holdings, a conglomerate with interests that span food and beverage, real estate, airlines, telecommunications, power and electricity distribution.

Fast food tycoon Tony Tan Caktiong, with a fortune of $1.2 billion, is the country’s 9th richest man.

Caktiong is the founder and chair of Jollibee Foods Corp., a fast-food giant with over 6,400 stores around the world.

At No. 10 is Iñigo Zobel with a fortune of $1 billion.

Zobel’s fortune comes from his stake in San Miguel Corp, where he sits as board director. He also has a stake in the country’s oldest conglomerate, Ayala Corp., which is controlled by his relatives.

According to Forbes, French luxury goods tycoon Bernard Arnault tops the world’s billionaires ranking for the first time, with an estimated net worth of $211 billion. He dislodged American tech billionaire Elon Musk, who dropped to the No. 2 spot with a net worth of $180 billion. The latest Forbes rich list counted 2,640 global billionaires, down from 2,668 last year, with a combined net worth of $12.2 trillion. g

Will abortion be the wedge issue in the...

restrictions or bans,” Hsu said.

Hsu noted that cultural, economic, and logistical barriers for AAPI community members, especially those working in frontline service jobs, makes traveling and getting an abortion often difficult, if not impossible.

“These impacts on the AAPI community have fueled NAPAWF’s work galvanizing Asian American women voters in critical states like Florida, Georgia, and Texas,” she said.

The abortion pill

Currently, battles continue in a number of states about access to medication abortions.

According to the Guttmacher Institute, a two-drug combination of mifepristone and misoprostol accounted for more than half of all facilitybased abortions in 2020.

A Texas lawsuit could

stop access to abortion pills nationwide if it succeeds in reversing the FDA’s approval of mifepristone. In North Carolina and West Virginia abortion rights advocates have filed lawsuits challenging restrictions on access to abortion pills.

“Our partners across the country are faced with ensuring their communities have access to reproductive healthcare including, safe and affordable abortion care, while also responding to other community needs,” said Ebony Baylor, Vice President of Government Affairs, In Our Own Voice: National Black Women’s Reproductive Justice Agenda. Baylor said Black women do not live single-issue lives and when thinking about who best represents them, they consider many factors.

by Alexis RomeRo Philstar.com

MANILA — President Marcos called on Filipino Christians to be “better agents of change” and “conveyors of truth” as they began observing Holy Week on Sunday, April 2.

As Christians are given the chance to contemplate on the impact of Jesus Christ’s passion and death this year, Marcos said it is inevitable that their thoughts would gravitate to events and challenges they encountered in recent years.

“Lest we end up defeated by the troubles of this world, it is imperative that we direct our thoughts and our actions more to the resurrection of the

Lord and the victory that this gives us to this very day,” the President said in his message for Holy Week.

“Indeed, while it may be difficult to comprehend, the message of salvation and eternal life remains as timely as ever. I urge all of us now to make this promise personal:

let it stir in each of us the desire to know Jesus Christ more so that we may become better agents of change and conveyors of truth wherever we go,” he added.

Marcos said God’s love for humanity emerges during the Holy Week, which he described as a blessed occasion commemorated in varying degrees and traditions.

“Ultimately, no matter how constant or diverse this occasion is in the Filipino psyche, one thing emerges true each time: that God, in His divine and everlasting wisdom, manifested His immeasurable and incomparable love to us all through the very human person of Jesus Christ,” he said.

Holy Week, which starts on Palm Sunday and ends on Black Saturday, commemorates the passion and death of Jesus Christ. Christians believe that Jesus died on the cross to save humanity from sin. More than 80 percent of Filipinos identify as Christians, a huge majority of them Roman Catholics. g

CHR expresses alarm over increased ‘targeted’ attacks on women, gov’t officials

MANILA – The Commission on Human Rights expressed concern on Tuesday, April 4 over an increase in violent incidents against women and minority groups, as well as government officials.

In a statement, the human rights body said Tuesday that it has started its independent probe on the deaths of a barangay councilor and a college student who were killed in separate incidents recently.

abuse to its Citizens’ Help and Assistance Division.

“By exercising our fundamental rights to speech and participation, we support the calls for justice and redress for the affected as well as stand up against these heinous acts,” the CHR said.

In the US State Department’s latest annual country report on human rights practices, it found that “red-tagging” and impunity among armed forces

remained persistent under the Marcos administration.

Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla told the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) in March that the Philippines continues to be committed to respecting human rights and that it will be implementing a reform program aimed at establishing the rule of law. (Cristina Chi with reports from Pia Lee-Brago/ Philstar.com)

Voter suppression

“Our civil and human rights are being attacked from all sides – lack of access to health care, clean water, child care, social justice, and more are all things Black women think about when facing crucial decisions about their lives, families, and communities,” she said.

Access to the ballot box remains a big issue for Black women voters, says Baylor. “Voter suppression and subversion laws are being introduced by elected leaders in state houses across the country at an alarming rate,” she said.

How significant will reproductive rights be in 2024?

Baylor noted that Black voters are not single-issue voters but abortion rights is going to be an important issue.

“It’s going to be a deciding factor,” she said. g

The human rights body’s investigation will look into the deaths of barangay councilor Aldrin Pantos in Sta. Maria, Bulacan and De La Salle University - Dasmariñas student Leanne Duguesing.

Duguesing was stabbed to death in a dormitory in Dasmariñas City in late March. Police personnel arrested the suspect on April 1 after a hot pursuit operation.

“It is particularly troubling that certain groups, such as women, children, minorities, and even government officials, have recently been the most targeted,” the commission said.

“We stress that violence, in any form, undermines human dignity, erodes social stability, and violates individuals’ fundamental human rights,” it added.

CHR also called on the public to remain vigilant of all possible human rights violations and to report incidents of violence and

D r. Anabelle M analo -Morgan looks back at her journey from baskketball to science and how it helped save her son

by MoMar G. Visaya / AJPress

2016, Dr. Annabelle Manalo-Morgan gave birth to her son, Macario. At just two days old, Macario began suffering from severe seizures that required neurosurgery, which ultimately removed 38% of his brain.

Doctors predicted a future of limited speech, movement, and uncertainty for Macario, and the medications required for his recovery left him in a permanent haze.

“When Macario got sick, I knew had to do something,”

Dr. Anabelle told the Asian Journal. “And now that he’s well and better than well, he’s healthy, I have to share that goodness. I have to try to help and contribute because that’s what God gave me.”

That journey has been documented and it is now a memoir published by Forbes Books called Mighty Flower: How Cannabis Saved My Son. Part heartfelt memoir, part exploration of a watershed time and place for medicinal cannabis, Mighty Flower outlines the circumstances that have shaped Dr. Annabelle into who she is now and what she stands for.

“I feel humbled. I mean, it has really been a tough journey and to see this day, it’s almost I just want to celebrate, you know, and I want to celebrate with people that have been supporting me,” she told us at the launch of the book.

Among them is her husband Gramps Morgan a member of the Grammy-winning reggae group Morgan Heritage, known for their socially conscious lyrics and fusion of reggae, R&B, and hip hop. She said that as a couple, they wanted their firstborn to have a Filipino-sounding first name and Macario, which also means means “fortunate” or “supremely blessed” fit to T.

Born and raised in Canada, Dr. Anabelle is a cell and developmental biologist who spent over 10 years at Vanderbilt University working

in neuroscience and cardiooncology before moving into the clinical trial space.

Today, Dr. Annabelle is the Founder and Chief Scientific Officer of Masaya Medical, a brand dedicated to producing the highest-quality CBD and educating the world on its medical applications.

Her dad, an engineer was from Taal, Batangas, and her mom, a singer was from Nueva Ecija. They met and fell in love in Canada, where they still live and reside.

Dr. Anabelle moved to the United States to play basketball and got herself a basketball scholarship to pursue this career.

“I wanted to be a basketball player, I didn’t want to be a doctor or a scientist,” she quipped.

She played collegiate basketball in New Orleans when Hurricane Katrina hit, an unexpected curveball as she was on her way to achieving her dream. Dr. Annabelle ended up at Eastern Kentucky University where she received

her bachelor’s in Biology. She began her graduate studies in Neuroscience at Georgetown University, ultimately earning a Ph.D. in Cell and Developmental Biology from Vanderbilt University.

Dr. Anabelle said she bared her soul in this book.

“The book talks about my upbringing as a young Filipino girl growing up with a strict father and how all of that prepared me for that moment when I had to save my son,” she said.

It has also been quite the process.

She finished writing the book in 2019 but it didn’t get published until early 2023.

“When I held the book, I had to turn it over, five or six times wondering if this was really it or just a sample,” she recalled laughing.

“I’m a very private person so putting my heart and soul into telling my true journey, and telling things that I normally wouldn’t talk about, that was the hardest part,” she revealed. “But I knew that all of

KZ Tandingan, Bamboo discuss upcoming North American tour, California shows

By Klarize Medenilla AJPress

THE talented duo will perform at Fantasy Springs Resort Casino in Indio on April 22 and the Sacramento Hard Rock Hotel and Casino on April

23

Amid a break from their successful stints as coaches on the Philippine version of “The Voice Kids,” singer-musicians

KZ Tandingan and Bamboo

Manalac are embarking on a North American tour this spring, which includes two shows in The Golden State.

On the evening of Saturday, April 22, the pair will perform at the Fantasy Springs Resort Casino in Indio, California. The following night on April 23, KZ and Bamboo will head north to perform at Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Sacramento at Fire Mountain.

KZ, 31, first rose to prominence as the much-loved winner of the first season of “The X Factor Philippines” in 2012, and since then, has emerged as one of the country’s beloved singers and personalities. Known as Asia’s Soul Supreme for her rich vocals, the Davao del Sur native has branded herself as a modern pop star, integrating rap into her music.

KZ’s fellow “Voice” coach Bamboo — real name Francisco Manalac — is a Filipino American singer whose mellow rock sound and singing style have made him a reliable figure in the contemporary Filipino music scene. In a press conference

discussing the two’s highly anticipated stateside stretch, both artists shared their excitement for the engagement and look forward to meeting the American audiences.

“Collaboration in the creative process is so important, and that’s the most gratifying thing that I do in this job,”

Bamboo told Philippine and American media representatives in a virtual press conference held on Thursday, March 23.

“It’s all about giving it your all, which makes it such a humbling experience,” Bamboo said, noting that he and the other coaches on “The Voice Kids” preach this message to their young contestants.

Since winning “The X Factor Philippines,” KZ has branded herself as a multi-faceted performer and personality who said she’s most excited about the unpredictable nature of performing.

“We don’t want to be boxed

those pieces have to be shared because they’re important.”

The Miracle of Macario

At the book launch held at Forbes Media’s offices near Union Square, Macario was like a regular boy running around, jumping, and screaming. At one point, he sang along as his dad performed onstage. There is no trace that he was born with severe epilepsy and that he had almost 40 percent of his brain removed at five weeks old and was put on every medication.

Most people say that necessity is the mother of invention but in the case of Dr. Anabelle, desperation was. In investigating the options to help Macario’s development, she found out that cannabidiol, or CBD – one of the hundreds of chemical compounds found in the cannabis plant – had therapeutic benefits for numerous conditions, including epilepsy.

Because she was determined to find solutions to save her son, Dr. Annabelle worked to develop the purest and most consistent form of CBD oil, with no other cannabinoids or fillers.

In an op-ed piece, Dr. Anabelle wrote: I took my son off his heavy drug regimen and began administering my creation directly through the feeding tube protruding from his little belly. The results were nearly immediate. Macario soon began to express emotion and had the energy for normal movements.  Three years later, in 2019, Macario had caught up to his other preschool classmates. Today, he can walk, run, play, and speak as well as his peers.

“After seeing how this plant saved my son, I felt a strong

need to lend my voice to set the record straight, once and for all,” she said. “God gave me a gift not just to hold on to but to give it to others.”

Determined to remove the drug’s historical stigma, Dr. Annabelle’s work is fixated on the future, and what she believes to be an emerging

cannabis revolution within medicine. “My work doesn’t look back,” she said. “It looks forward, toward the potential of precision medicine of cannabis medicine, of translational biology and an increasing dialogue between holistic care and modern treatment.”

Bianca shares photos of her first child

BIANCA King posted several videos and photos of her first child with her non-showbiz husband Ralph Wintle on Instagram.

In one of the videos, Bianca is shown in various stages of her pregnancy. The end of the clip shows her carrying her child.

Actress Iza Calzado left a comment on the post of her sister-in-law. “There they are!”

Bianca’s husband, Ralph, is the brother of Iza’s husband, Ben Wintle.

Iza herself recently announced the birth of her firstborn, Deia Amihan, named after her famous TV character, Amihan, in “Encantadia.”

Bianca and Ralph are based in Australia, where they tied

in during our performances. We always have this structure of how a song goes, but we always let the music and the energy of the audience dictate what happens on stage,” KZ told the Asian Journal.

Praising Bamboo, she noted the dynamic nature of their performances together.

“Whenever I watch Sir Bamboo perform, that’s what I always feel, that although he might be singing this particular song at all the venues, he never sings it the same way, and I think that’s why we work well together,” she said.

For tickets and more information to the Indio show, visit https://www. fantasyspringsresort.com/ bamboo-kz-tandingan/.

For tickets to the Sacramento show, visit https://www.ticketmaster. com/bamboo-kztandingan-wheatlandcalifornia-04-23-2023/ event/1C005E3299CC3716.

Vice Ganda reacts to birthday greeting from ‘Eat Bulaga’ hosts

By Kathleen a lleMit Philstar.com

VICE Ganda could not contain his joy upon hearing that the hosts of “Eat Bulaga,” led by Joey de Leon, sent him birthday greetings during last Friday’s episode.

“Oh wait lang guys,” he said to co-hosts Ogie Alcasid, Karylle and Vhong Navarro. “I’m so happy! Binati nila ko ng happy birthday sa ‘Eat Bulaga!’”

The four hosts opened the segment “Isip Bata” when Vice Ganda revealed that he was greeted on-air by the hosts of their rival noontime show.

“Thank you very much! Kay Tito Joey, sir Joey de Leon,

maraming maraming salamat. Binati nila ako do’n. Ang saya.”

“Mabuhay kayo ‘Eat Bulaga.’ I love ‘Eat Bulaga.’ My God, nabati ako sa ‘Eat Bulaga.’ Masabi ‘yung pangalan mo ng mga Dabarkads. I love it!” the host said.

Vice Ganda turned 47 last Friday, March 31.

“Last day na ng March.

Birthday ng nanay ko ngayon Birthday din ni Vice Ganda ata Happy birthday!” said original “Eat Bulaga” host Joey de

Bianca King with her first child. Photo by Bianca King, Argel Diosep Photography via Instagram the knot in 2021. The actress announced her pregnancy in August last year. (Kathleen A. Llemit/Philstar.com)

Bamboo and KZ Tandingan Photos from Instagram/@bamboomuzaklive, @kztandingan

Ganda Photo from Instagram/@praybeytbenjamin

Dr. Morgan with husband Gramps Morgan, Loida Nicolas Lewis and members of the Fil-Am community

Annabelle Manalo Morgan, PhD at the launch of her book Mighty Flower: How Cannabis Saved My Son published by Forbes Books. A native of Canada, Dr. Annabelle balances life as a scientist, educator, author, and mother of five. Dr. Annabelle has a doctorate in Cell and Development Biology from Vanderbilt University where her focus is on genetic mutations that mimic the offset effects that chemotherapy has on heart disease. AJPress Photos by Troi Santos

It’s time to move on from Liza

By Ronnie CaRRasCo

EVEN words said in the simplest of ways can be the hardest to understand. This is how lady director Antoinette Jadaone views the situation involving Liza Soberano in the still-raging word war with former manager Ogie Diaz.

Admittedly though, the lady director purposely opted to reserve her comment on Liza’s tell-all This Is Me vlog that started it all, “Gulo, gulo, gulo... gugulo lang if I had spoken. No matter how well-intentioned you are, words will find a different meaning.”

For instance, Ogie’s advice to Liza to be grateful toward the people who helped her become the person that she is today was taken to mean lack of “utang na loob” by the 25-year-old actress herself.

Ogie insists that he doesn’t remember having said that Liza has none, “Magkaiba ‘yun sa sinabi kong ‘Be grateful’.”

For her part, Liza stands her ground that what she raised on her vlog were not complaints. She was merely stating facts.

There’s not a scintilla of doubt that Liza was — as far as she’s concerned — sticking to the basic facts, yet clearly in a complaining manner.

If at all she wasn’t whinging, why make an issue of only three alternating directors of the films she did under Star Cinema?

If she felt that every actor has the right to artistic freedom, why didn’t Liza exercise her carte blanche to select the director she wanted?

Also as important as her choice of director, why was Liza complaining about the only leading man she got paired with?

If the crux of the issue is about stating facts, Ogie parried Liza’s assertion by saying his ward was even offered to do a film with some other partner but the latter was apprehensive the LizQuen fans might not be ready for it.

Also, with nary an intention to ruffle her feathers, Ogie has time and again stressed that he wasn’t refuting every word Liza mouthed but was simply telling his narrative based on what he knew.

Alex says cake smearing controversy was ‘wake-up call for me to mature’

By HannaH MalloRCa Inquirer.net

MONTHS after her viral cake smearing controversy, Alex Gonzaga admitted that the incident continued to haunt her, saying it taught her a very important lesson about sensitivity towards the feelings of other people.

Gonzaga was referring to the nowdeleted video of herself smearing cake icing on a waiter’s forehead during her birthday party, which went viral in January. The video, which was uploaded by Dani Barretto, showed the actress celebrating her 35th birthday with her loved ones, including her husband Lipa City councilor Mikee Morada.

Under no circumstance did Ogie say that Liza was spewing half-truths but in fact, was intrigued to ask, “Saan galing ‘yon?”

One thing’s clear though, it’s sad that the 12-year-old manager-talent relationship had to end on a bitter note.

Aside from Jadaone who speaks highly of Liza, Star Magic head Lauren Dyogi chooses to understand Liza’s quarter life crisis.

Dyogi, in fact, is enjoining everybody to move on and leave Liza where she is.

And speaking of where Liza is, given her indomitable spirit in pursuit of her Hollywood dream, it is but fair to wish her luck.

Of course, it is an expectedly arduous journey for Liza. The fact that she’s well aware of this herself is even more reason to pray she realizes her dream.

As Liza puts it in a platitudinous way: it’s better to have tried and lost than to have not tried at all.

God forbid, does Liza have a career she can come home to in case she fails?

Reassuringly, Dyogi says yes, ABS-CBN will still be willing to take her back. After getting the boot, will Ogie’s heart thaw with Liza’s display of rekindled “filial” affection if ever?

If we’d answer for the bruised manager, there’s a greater possibility that he will get his hands off Liza’s career all over again. But his “paternal” doors remain open.

“Huwag na tayong uminom, first birthday party ko ‘yun na sinabi kong iinom ako (Let’s not drink anymore. It was my first birthday party where I wanted to drink),” Gonzaga told reporters during a pre-Summer Metro Manila Film Festival Parade of Stars interview, where her film “Single Bells” is one of the entries.

According to the actress, the cakesmearing incident was a “wake-up call” for her to be more mindful and more mature as an individual, as she realized that being sensitive about the feelings of others is a must at all times.

“‘Yun yung mga times na sobrang saya mo, you should really be careful pa rin. Kahit na you think it’s your safe space, pwede ka pa ring makahurt ng iba. Pwede ka ring makagawa ng bagay na di mo gustong gawin,” she said.

(You should really be careful even if you’re in a state of happiness. Even if you think that you’re in your safe space, you can still hurt other people. You can still do things that you didn’t intend to do.)

“It’s really a wake-up call for me to mature, and grow and think kung anong pwedeng mangyari sa paligid ko na kung ano mang pwedeng maramdaman sa paligid ko na pwede may ma-hurt, pwedeng may masaktan na hindi mo intensyon. You really have to be careful,” she added.

(It’s really a wake-up call for me to mature, grow, and think about what other people around me would feel. Unknowingly, you might hurt other people even if it’s not your intention to do so. You really have to be careful.)

When asked about those who defended her at the height of the controversy, Gonzaga revealed that she’s “really thankful” for the people who stood by her side.

“Nagpapasalamat ako,” she began. “Kasi noong time na ‘yun, hindi muna ako nagbabasa ng social media. Pero ‘yung kasama namin sa pelikula na si Papa Jackson, narinig ko na pinagtanggol ako. ‘Yung mga taong hindi ko talaga friends pero they stood up for me, I’m really thankful for them.”

(I’m thankful. I wasn’t reading through social media at that time, but when I heard that people stood up for me, including my co-star Papa Jackson and those who aren’t my friends in real life, I’m really thankful for them.)

“Ito ‘yung mga moments na hindi mo makakalimutan ever kasi nakita mo ‘yung mga tao na sasama at tatayo para sa’yo kahit ganito pa rin ang nangyari,” she further added. (This is a moment that I will never forget because this is where I witnessed other people defending and standing up for me despite what happened.)

Gonzaga, when pressed on how she’s doing after the controversy, said that she’s “okay” and is “thankful” that she still has projects lined up for her. “Okay naman. Okay na ako, and thankful ako na meron pa ring projects and sana magtuloy-tuloy pa rin,” she said.

“Single Bells” co-star Angeline Quinto also recalled a time when she invited Gonzaga to a party, where the latter joked that there should be no cakes before agreeing to go.

“Sabi nga niya, basta walang cake (She said, as long as there are no cakes),” Quinto said, before laughing with the controversial actress.

“Dapat gelatin [o] gulaman na lang ang ino-offer na desserts, ganun (Gelatin or gulaman should be offered as desserts instead),” Gonzaga shared.

Marco on rumored GF

Cristine: She’s ‘wife material’

By allan PoliCaRPio Inquirer.net

WHILE Marco Gumabao isn’t denying that what he and Cristine Reyes have right now is “something special,” the actor still feels reluctant to put a label on their relationship. “That puts a lot of pressure on the relationship. The thing is we’re both happy. We’re

not seeing other people…

But yeah, I’m just not into labels,” he told reporters at a recent press conference for TV5 and Viva Entertainment’s new weekly comedy series “Kurdapya.”

And should things get “official” between them, people will know about it “when the time is right,” added the 28-year-old hunk, who was

recently spotted vacationing with Cristine in Siargao island. Marco and Cristine aren’t hiding the fact that they’re dating—“what you see is what you get.” “Outside work and behind the cameras, we’re just two normal people who enjoy going out, eating out, and spending time in the mall. We don’t wear shades or try to

Liza Soberano Photo from Instagram/@lizasoberano

Alex Gonzaga Photo from Instagram/@cathygonzaga

Marco Gumabao

Photo from Instagram/@gumabaomarco

Priscilla goes cryptic as she asks: ‘What to call a female that entertains a married man?

By Anne PAsAjol Inquirer.net

PRISCILLA Meirelles, wife of actor John Estrada, has intrigued fans after she dropped a cryptic remark about a “female that entertains a married man,” as well as a quote urging a man to “change.”

The Brazilian beauty queen took to her Instagram page to ask her followers, “What to call a female that entertains [a] married man?” The post has since expired but has been reuploaded by netizens on social media.

Meirelles then showed in a separate post a list of the

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

Barrister’s Corner

Kenneth UrsUA reyes

rather than a divorce and amending the petition later on to convert it to a divorce once the residency requirement has been met by one of the parties. Millar v. Millar.

answers from netizens, quipping how her vocabulary increased with “new meaningful words.”

Meirelles also shared a post from Instagram user @ thinkingmindspage which calls for men to change into a person whose qualities they would want for their daughters’ partners.

“Imagine you have a daughter. Imagine she is dating a guy like you. Did you smile? No? Then change,” it said. Meirelles and Estrada tied the knot in a beach wedding in La Union in 2011. The couple, who celebrated their 12th wedding anniversary last Feb. 26, have an 11-year-old daughter named Anechka.

Marco on rumored GF...

From Page 9

obscure our identities. If people see us, then they see us,” he said.

But still, they don’t want to attract unnecessary attention.

“Right now, we just want to enjoy our time together without other people sticking their noses in. The reason I try to be private about my love life is that other people start meddling and scrutinizing you when they find out you’re dating someone—I don’t want that. I want a happy and quiet life,”

he said.

“We’re both single. We’re not stepping on other people. It’s just better to keep things private.”

What attracted him to Cristine? She’s “girlfriend- or wife-material,” for one. “She’s very kind. Walang arte. She’s fun to be with wherever you go. She’s loving and caring,” said Marco, who doesn’t mind the fact that Cristine already has a daughter from a past relationship.

“She’s not the first woman

to be a single parent. And there’s nothing wrong with being one,” he stressed.

Reason for bullying

Meanwhile, because bullying is one of the themes “Kurdapya” touches on, Marco looked back on his childhood and how he was teased and mocked by his classmates when his father, Dennis Roldan, was sent to jail for kidnapping in 2005.

“When I was in Grade 4, my father went to jail. That was the time when everyone in the school who wanted to bully me finally found a reason to do so. I wasn’t a bully and I wasn’t about to let myself get bullied. If I allowed that, then everyone would do it, too. My batch knew it was a sensitive topic. I also made sure to show that just because my father got jailed, didn’t mean they had the right to bully me,” he said.

There was a time, though, when he felt isolated. “I was young and I think that’s how I felt… But now that I’m older, I just think that everything happens for a reason,” he said.

In a way, that experience prepared Marco for the constant scrutiny celebrities experience on social media.

“As a public personality, your every move is being watched. And they can comment about whatever you do. But try not to let that get to you. Pasok sa isang tenga, labas sa kabila. Kill them with kindness. I laugh off their comments. And sometimes, if I have free time, I engage with them, just for fun. Sayang naman ang effort nila!

“Social media has opened up new venues for bullying. So let’s always think about what we say. Think before you click and speak,” he said.

GENERALLY, you must have resided in California for at least six months in order to file a divorce in this case. Under Family Code Section 2320, a judgment of marriage dissolution (divorce) may not be entered unless one of the spouses has been a “resident” of California for six months and of the county where the proceeding is filed for three months immediately preceding the filing of the petition. This poses a problem for divorcing couples that has not resided in California for at least 6 months. Couples that moved to California from other states or other countries are faced with this problem because they cannot get divorced until they satisfy the residency requirements. Even a bigger problem is when they need immediate temporary orders from the California Court regarding child custody, child support, management and control of community businesses and property.

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

Unlike a divorce, there is no residency requirement to filing an Annulment or a legal separation.

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

Once the parties have satisfied the residency requirements, the Petition may be amended from legal

separation to Dissolution without permission from the Court as long as notice is provided the opposing party under Marriage of Dick. The Petitioner would also be in a safer position if the intent to amend from legal separation/ nullity to a divorce is stated in the initial Petition.

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

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

Disabled senior needs Chapter 7 relief from $50k credit cards

Debt

Relief

Atty.

AT some point in your life, you will have to confront your own mortality as well as the mortality of your loved ones.

When you’re 12, you’re in a hurry to become a teenager. When you’re a teenager, you’re in a hurry to become 21. In the meantime, before you turn 21, you’re in college or starting to work and earn a living, becoming independent. From then on, you’re just living life as it comes, just enjoying yourself, your good health and your youth. You feel like you will never get old. How old is old? You can’t really say. If you’re 21, someone who is 45 appears old to you. But 45, I can tell you, is really young from the perspective of one who is say, 65.

That is only a 20-year difference numerically, but physically, the outward appearance of one who is 65 now comparing himself to when he was 45 is quite obvious if you look at a picture of yourself taken now at 65, and a picture of yourself taken while you were 45.

There’s less hair and whatever hair is left has, or at least a big portion, turned white. If you haven’t exercised regularly and controlled your diet, you probably have a little tummy over your belt, a kangaroo pouch. But if you have been exercising regularly and controlling what you eat, you probably are still fit and trim and the only sign of aging is the change in hair color, and the lessening of it.

Going back to business.

By young senior, I mean the client is only 63. He has never married and lives by himself. He has no children. He used to work for a bank in mid-level management. For 30 years, his life was good. Then last year, he suffered a minor stroke.

He’s recovering well but he can’t work anymore. He receives a disability payment of $1,800 a month. The problem is that he owes $50,000 of credit cards. Why is this a problem? For $50,000 of credit card debt, he needs $1,500 a month for minimum payments to keep all of them current. Since his disability is $1,800 vs. $1,500 of minimum card payments, there’s only $300 left for rent and living expenses. Even if he became homeless and lived out in a tent by the 101 Fwy, he would not even have enough for food after making the minimum credit card payment of $1,500. So, there’s no question that he needs to get rid of the $50,000 credit cards if he wants to keep his $1,800 of disability income intact for rent and necessities. He quickly decides to obtain Chapter 7 relief for a fresh start and wipe out the $50,000 of credit cards.

Senior needs Chapter 7 relief for $30K credit cards

Another senior is a little older. He’s 74. He owns a house with an equity of $200,000. As I said earlier this year, if you live in LA, the size of the equity will be completely exempt from bankruptcy up to $600,000. Some people think there’s a three-year waiting period or residency requirement. No, there’s no such thing as a residency period requirement. As long as you live here in LA, it doesn’t matter when you bought the house; its equity is exempt up

to $600,000. Maybe you just bought it yesterday. That’s fine. No problem. Debtor now receives $1,600 of social security. His wife still works and makes $3,000 a month. He owes $30,000 of credit card debt. He needs $1,000 a month for minimum monthly credit card payments. Well, obviously, there’s a financial hardship here with credit card payments eating up 65% of his social security income. It’s ironic that you work all your life; then get social security that’s a paltry amount, but you have to give more than half of that to your credit card masters when you retire. It’s just not right. This is as ironic as getting the virus today when the vaccine is now available to anyone who wants it. I got mine two months ago. You should get yours too. If you’re an anti-vaxxer and antimasker, good luck with your opinion. You’re not superman and even superman succumbs to kryptonite. My HS classmate just died on the 24th from the virus. His wife and daughter also got it but they recovered. He could not get the vaccine in the country he lived in. If you need debt relief, please set an appointment and I will analyze your case personally.

* * * Disclaimer: None of the foregoing is considered legal advice. Each case is different.

* * * Lawrence Bautista Yang specializes in Bankruptcy, Business, Real Estate and Civil Litigation and has successfully represented more than five thousand clients in California. Please call Angie, Barbara or Jess at (626) 284-1142 for an appointment at 20274 Carrey Road, Walnut, CA 91789 or 1000 S. Fremont Ave., Mailstop 58, Building A-10 South, Suite 10042, Alhambra, CA 91803. (Advertising Supplement)

Atty.

Priscilla Meirelles

Photo from Instagram/@primeirelles

LAwrence

Cristine Reyes Photo from Instagram/@cristinereyes