040723 - New York & New Jersey Edition

Pentagon: New Edca sites for ‘regional readiness’

by FRanCes

Inquirer.net

MANILA — The U.S. Department of Defense said the new sites under the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (Edca) with the Philippines were aimed at “regional readiness” to address “a range of

Two PH-born soldiers among 9

shared challenges in the Indo-Pacific region” amid concerns over China’s continued assertiveness in the South China Sea and its potential invasion of Taiwan.

The Philippines and the United States on Monday, April 3 identified four additional locations — including three facing Taiwan and one near Chinese artificial military

outposts in the West Philippine Sea — that would allow an expansion of American military presence from the five existing sites under the defense pact signed in 2014.

“These new locations will strengthen the interoperability of the [U.S.] and Philippine armed forces and allow us to respond more seamlessly together to address a range

of shared challenges in the Indo-Pacific region, including natural and humanitarian disasters,” Pentagon Deputy Press Secretary Sabrina Singh said in a press briefing in Washington on Monday.

The four new sites are the Camilo Osias Naval Base in Santa Ana, Cagayan; Lal-lo

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.

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

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

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

by Miguel R. CaMus Inquirer.net

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.,

by KayCee ValMonte Philstar.com

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 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.

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 AranetaMarcos will attend the coronation of King Charles III on May 6 in Westminster Abbey, London, Malacañang confirmed Monday, April 3.

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 AranetaMarcos have accepted the invitation to attend the coronation of His Majesty King Charles III and Her

OF THE CROSS. The Catholic faithful recite prayers at the Stations of the Cross set up on the grounds of the San Agustin Church in Intramuros, Manila on Tuesday, April 4. The Stations of the Cross commemorate Jesus Christ’s passion, from his condemnation until his crucifixion and death. PNA photo by Yancy Lim

DFA: EDCA ‘reaffirms’ robust commitment to alliance, economic opportunities for Filipinos

Mangosing, JaCob lazaRo

Manny Villar Jr. Inquirer.net photo

Bongbong Marcos, First Lady...

Majesty The Queen Consort at Westminster 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. n

Two PH-born soldiers among 9...

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-commissioned 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

Sgt. Issacjohn Gayo, 27, of Los Angeles

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

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) n

DFA: EDCA ‘reaffirms’ robust...

PAGE 1

“EDCA will lead to the construction of facilities and infrastructure upgrades that directly contribute to the enhancement of 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, April 3 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

GOOD SAMARITAN. Police officer Ali Urak Mamukao offers free rides along Elliptical Road, Quezon City on Monday, April 3. Whenever he can, he takes commuters to the Batasan, Litex and Fairview areas during rush hours or on holidays when there are few public utility vehicles. PNA photo by Joan Bondoc

PAGE 1

Corporal Emilie Marie Eve Bolanos, 23, was part of the 101st Airborne Division Soldiers participating in a nighttime training exercise. Photos from Facebook

FTC briefing 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 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 month-to-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

DFA: EDCA ‘reaffirms’ robust...

did not pass the rigors of Senate ratification.”

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

u PAGE 9

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.

U.S. military presence

Meanwhile, Anakbayan said it opposes the upcoming shoulder-to-shoulder military exercises between American and Filipino soldiers. The group said further U.S. 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 U.S. 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. n

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 tops list of Filipino...

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.

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.

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. n

Pentagon: New Edca sites for ‘regional...

Airport also in Cagayan; Camp Melchor dela Cruz in Gamu, Isabela; and Balabac Island in Palawan.

The Pentagon official stressed that the United States was not seeking permanent basing, pointing out that “this is really about regional readiness.”

“So you’re going to see an increase of rotational forces in the region, but this is more about supporting combined training, being able to respond to natural disaster, humanitarian disasters in the region,” she explained.

The United States will be pouring more funds into the new Edca sites on top of the $82 million already allocated to the existing ones, namely Basa Air Base in Pampanga, Fort Magsaysay in Nueva Ecija, Lumbia Air Base in Cagayan de Oro City, Antonio Bautista Air Base in Palawan, and Benito Ebuen Air Base in Mactan, Cebu.

The Pentagon said the U.S. defense department would work closely with its Philippine counterpart to pursue modernization projects in the new locations.

But Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning, at a press briefing in Beijing on Tuesday, said the U.S. action “would only lead to more tensions and less peace and stability in the region.”

“Facts are very clear that the U.S. has been increasing its military deployment in the region driven by a zerosum mentality in pursuit of selfish interests… Regional countries need to think about what is right for the region and mutually beneficial so as to make a choice that

serves regional peace and stability as well as their own interests,” Mao said.

Military drills

On Tuesday, April 4, the armies of the Philippines and the United States wrapped up the first phase of a major exercise that focused on what an Army official had earlier described as a “defense of the archipelago from potential foreign aggressors.”

“We don’t want to have any conflict against anyone. But nevertheless, we should always be prepared should there be one,” the Army’s 5th Infantry Division commander, Maj. Gen. Audrey Pasia, said in his speech at the closing ceremony of the first phase of the Salaknib joint drills, an army-level exercise of the two allies.

“We all live in this tumultuous world where friendship and alliances are still maintained for survival and for the protection of their mutual interests. Let

that mutual interest bind us together as we move forward,” he said.

The Salaknib drills are a prelude to the biggestever Balikatan joint military exercises set to begin next week with more than 17,000 participating troops.

According to the U.S. Embassy, some 5,400 members of the AFP and 12,200 U.S. military personnel will be part of the 38th Balikatan from April 11 to 28.

During the nearly monthlong exercise, American and Filipino soldiers will be developing interoperability and improved capabilities in the areas of “maritime security, amphibious operations, live-fire training, urban and aviation operations, cyberdefense, counterterrorism, and humanitarian assistance and disaster relief preparedness.”

“The Balikatan Exercise enhances both the AFP and the U.S. Armed Forces’ tactics, techniques and procedures across a wide range of military operations,” said AFP spokesperson Col. Medel Aguilar.

Pretext

“It increases our ability to work together effectively and efficiently in response to various crisis situations,” he added.

The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) described the four new Edca sites as proof of the “robust commitment” between the Philippines and the United States in facing “emerging security challenges in the region.”

“Edca will lead to the construction of facilities and infrastructure upgrades

that directly contribute to the enhancement of the capabilities of the [AFP],” the DFA said in a statement.

Former Foreign Secretary Albert del Rosario also welcomed the addition of more Edca sites, saying it would help in the enforcement of the rule of law in the South China Sea where there has been an increased presence of Chinese maritime militia vessels even in the waters covered by the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone.

“With the help of our ally, this will also enhance our capabilities to deter aggression against our sovereignty,” Del Rosario said in a statement.

The provincial government of Palawan on Tuesday also adopted a resolution supporting the expansion of Edca to include the town of Balabac “to promote peace security and humanitarian assistance in the Philippines.”

Provincial Board Member Ryan Maminta said Edca had proven to be favorable to the province in terms of humanitarian assistance and disaster relief.

In Congress, a Makabayan lawmaker warned that the Philippines was now turning into a base of the United States with the expansion of Edca sites.

“There are nine Edca locations which are also bound to increase using whatever pretext like prepositioning, disaster preparedness and the like, inevitably trampling on our sovereignty,” said House Deputy Minority Leader France Castro.

She cited Article 3, Paragraph 2 of Edca, which stated that “when requested, the designated authority of the Philippines shall assist in facilitating transit or temporary access by [US] forces to public land and facilities (including roads, ports and airfields), including those owned or controlled by local governments, and to other land and facilities (including roads, ports and airfields).”

“In other words, we cannot refuse if the US requests access to utilize whatever land or facilities, wherever in the country, including private property,” Castro noted.

—with reports from Julie M. Aurelio and Geraldford Ticke n

RANDOM CHECK. Metropolitan Manila Development Authority acting chair Don Artes talks to the media during a break in the agency’s inspection of bus terminals in Cubao, Quezon City on Tuesday, April 4. He said no drivers or conductors tested positive in the random drug testing using urine samples. PNA photo by Joan Bondoc

AID FROM ALLY. United States Secretary of the Air Force Frank Kendall III (center) and acting Defense Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr. (left) lead the groundbreaking ceremony for a runway rehabilitation project under the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement at Basa Air Base in Pampanga on March 20, 2023.

File photo by Marianne Bermudez / Philippine Daily Inquirer

Features OpiniOn 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.

Editorial

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 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

Babe’s Eye View

BaBe Romualdez

THOSE arguing against expanding the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) with the additional four new locations

The problem requires less affluent and developing economies to innovate and exert more effort to hang on to their health professionals particularly nurses. On Wednesday, March 29, 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 “retooling” of those who fail the nursing board, and a “return 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.

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)

EDCA is about deterrence, not conflict

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

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

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Dateline PhiliPPines

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 (con-con) 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

Pinoys urged to honor veterans’ legacy, sacrifices

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

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.

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

“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

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 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. n

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.

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

China warns Philippine-US base deal...

region,” foreign ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said.

“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 self-governed Taiwan and China’s construction of bases in the South China Sea.

The 2014 Enhanced Defense Cooperation 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

Pinoys urged to...

PAGE 6

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.

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) n

More Filipinos still...

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foreign ownership of communication companies –53 percent

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

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. n

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. File photo from Philstar.com

PAGE 9

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.

New report shows drastic economic impact of illiteracy on the Philippines

by Cristina Chi Philstar.com

MANILA — A new report by the World Literacy Foundation found that the problem of illiteracy costs the country’s economy an estimated P258 billion or $4.72 billion every year.

In its report “Economic Cost and Social Impact of Illiteracy” released Monday, April 3 the international organization said they found that the impact of illiteracy cuts across different aspects of social welfare and the economy.

To approximate the economic impact of illiteracy on people’s personal income and on a country’s national income, the World Literacy Foundation used UNESCO’s mathematical formula for calculating the economic impact of illiteracy.

The study, released ahead of the threeday literacy conference held by the World Literacy Council, found that the estimated cost of illiteracy to the global economy is estimated at $1.19 trillion.

“Around the world, the impact of illiteracy on personal income varies but it is clear earning potential is limited. Illiterate people earn 30%-42% less than their literate counterparts,” the report said.

It added that people who cannot read or write struggle to find opportunities to increase their earnings due to the absence of basic literacy skills needed for vocational

PH among most TikTok-crazed countries in the world

education or training.

Missed opportunities to climb socio-econ ladder

The study also found that illiteracy has led to lost earnings and limited employability and lost business productivity around the world.

Surprisingly, it also showed that the effects and costs of illiteracy apply equally in both developed and developing nations.

People struggling to read and write can also miss out on “wealth creation” opportunities due to the comprehension skills required of individuals applying for a loan or investments in various financial instruments.

“Typically, a family in a developed country will purchase a home using a mortgage and work many years to pay off the house. Many such ‘home owners’ do not understand the bank loans they take out although they sign legally-binding documents to get them,” the report stated.

People struggling with literacy will also struggle to establish a “personal financial plan” or evaluate financial investments to provide themselves with a retirement income, among other means of generating income.

Pandemic worsened illiteracy

While the Philippines’ Department of Education has long detected several frustrated readers in schools, prompting the creation of several local and national reading programs through the years, the pandemic’s disruptions to education have also deepened

PAGE 10

by Cristina Eloisa BaClig Inquirer.net

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

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

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

Despite TikTok’s global

success—which placed 6th in DataReportal’s ranking of the world’s most “active” social media platforms— the app now faces a slew of controversies due to

concerns from online data privacy to “potential national security threat.”

In a five-hour-long congressional hearing last

PAGE 10

Philstar graphic by Ed Lustan

FTC briefing targets scams hitting API...

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 non-profit Bay Area legal Aid on a two-year 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) n

CHR expresses alarm...

PAGE 7

violations and to report incidents of violence and 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 U.S. 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) n

STATIONS OF THE CROSS. Government workers observe Holy Week with the traditional Stations of the Cross (Via Crucis) within the Philippine Information Agency Building in Visayas Avenue, Quezon City on Holy Tuesday, April 4. The 14-step devotion involves reflections and prayers starting from Jesus Christ’s condemnation to death until His body was placed in a sepulcher. PNA photo by Ben Briones

March 23, U.S. lawmakers grilled TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew over the potential Chinese influence over the platform and the app’s damaging impact on children’s mental health.

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

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

• India

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

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

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

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

• Pakistan (temporary ban since October 2020)

Afghanistan

PH adults hooked on TikTok

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

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

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

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

Analysis of the available global user statistics showed that the Philippines is among the top 8 countries with the

estimated highest number of TikTok users aged 18+ in 2023.

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

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

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

Other countries on the list were:

• Indonesia: 109.9 million users

• Brazil: 82.2 million users

• Mexico: 57.5 million users

• Russia: 54.9 million users

• Vietnam: 49.49 million users

• Thailand: 40.3 million users

More than an entertaining app

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

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

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

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

A separate commissioned survey also found that 91 percent of Filipinos come to TikTok to

things, from funny and entertaining content to the latest trends, while 73 percent came to discover new brands and products and create entertaining or even educational content around them.

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

Impact on PH politics

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

Throughout the election period, videos and hashtags related to the six most prominent presidential candidates — Robredo, Marcos, Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso, Manny Pacquiao, Panfilo Lacson, and Leody de Guzman became among the most watched content on the platform.

However, historians and fact-checkers fear that TikTok could be a new means to spread disinformation that can evade scrutiny.

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

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

inequalities in children’s literacy skills.

World Literacy Foundation Chief Executive Officer and co-author of the report Andrew Kay said that “early data shows a drop in literacy rates post-pandemic,” justifying the need for urgent literacy programs.

In the Philippines, at least nine out of 10 children aged 10 struggle to read and write simple text, according to the World Bank’s latest statistics on learning poverty in 2021.

The country also ranked lowest among 79 countries

that participated in a 2018 international reading literacy assessment.

In January, Education Secretary Sara Duterte, also the country’s vice president, acknowledged the severity of the country’s growing number of frustrated readers in the department’s first Basic Education Report.

Meanwhile, teachers and other local education officials have highlighted how students’ inability to grasp complex material affects their performance in almost every other subject area, like history and the

social sciences.

To address illiteracy, the report recommended governments around the world to implement adult and parental literacy programs.

Education leaders should also come up with strategies to ensure students stay in schools, such as the inclusion of vocational training, the construction of more schools to reach geographically isolated students and more scholarships for financially insecure students, according to the report. n

EDCA is about deterrence...

PAGE 5

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.

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 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 editorin 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)

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COMMUNITY JOURNAL

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

PATRICK was petitioned for a green card by his aunt as a cook for her restaurant. Interestingly, not many people are aware that family members can petition other family members for an employment-based green card, provided it is a real job and the employer is earning enough to pay the worker’s salary.

After establishing that the position at his

aunt’s restaurant was a bona fide job, and after the aunt was able to provide additional evidence and documents, the Department of Labor approved the labor certification application, and eventually, the immigrant petition for an alien worker was approved.

Patrick was also able to apply for lawful permanent status and was able get his

Health@Heart Walking vs jogging

WHILE cheetahs, gazelle, horses, deer, and other animals in the wild were obviously born to run, it is becoming clearer, medically, that we humans were born to walk, not to jog or run. While jogging became popular since the late 60s, forty years thereafter, the negative health effects became obvious, overshadowing the health benefits.

Jogging traumatizes the body, including the muscles, joints, heart and kidneys, especially when done excessively. Running thickens the heart tissue, causing fibrosis (scarring) that can cause atrial fibrillation. It also leads to cardiac diastolic dysfunction and stiffening of the large arterial walls. Other injuries include shin splints and stress fractures. More obvious and more common are injuries to the spine, hips, knee, and ankle joints, leading to arthritis of those joints and chronic pain. Some seniors eventually require hip or knee replacement.

Current research reveals that walking 8,000 brisk steps or more per day confers great health benefits, practically equal to the benefits from jogging, minus the attendant injuries from running. More importantly, most seniors are only able to brisk walk or walk but not jog anymore. Indeed, brisk walking is in.

Brisk walking is defined as walking 3 miles an hour: If one can recite lyrics of a song, with a pause (to breathe) between phrases, but unable to sing them, they are walking briskly.

The new study demonstrated that “walking just one to two days is still associated with significant reduction in all-cause and cardiovascular mortality.” Each additional day of walking provides even greater health benefits.

“People taking just 8,000 steps one or two days a week are also less likely to die over a ten-year followup period, 14.9 % less likely to die compared to people who were sedentary, and 16% reduction for those who walked 3 to 7 days a week,” concludes the study published in JAMA Network.

This is, indeed, a wonderful finding, which would inspire and encourage everyone, especially seniors, to take those 8,000 steps to better health. And add another day at their own pace and comfort every week or two till they reach their goal.

For those with medical issues, consult your physician before embarking on any exercise regimen.

Spring COVID booster?

There has been fake news on television and social media that claimed the bivalent COVID-19 booster was unsafe, causing cardiovascular side-effects.

Thanks to a new French study, the world now has factual scientific data. The population-based

study “found no evidence of an increased risk of cardiovascular events at 21 days among the recipients of the bivalent vaccine versus recipients of the monovalent vaccine, including strokes, heart attacks, pulmonary embolism and all four events combined.”

This is welcome news, especially to those immunocompromised and seniors with health issues, since the spring booster (bivalent) is recommended by the CDC, because those who had the original booster, with or without having been infected, are all recommended to have a spring booster. The reason is the immunity of those who had the first booster, and even those who have natural immunity from getting the infection have protection that would have waned by spring. Natural immunity is less stable, less consistent, and less effective than immunity from the vaccines. At any rate, the bivalent booster has been proven all over again to be safe and effective. Getting the bivalent booster this spring will confer safety from a serious residual COVID-19 infection and as of Monday, April 3, 2023, there were still more than a million (1,066,175) active cases, and 10 new deaths.

Seaweed and endometriosis

Polyunsaturated fatty acids (like omerga-3 and omega-6) reduce proliferation of endometriosis lesions and are most beneficial in

NEPHEW PETITIONED FOR EMPLOYMENT-BASED GREEN CARD ON AN ENCODE SUCCESS STORY CITIZEN PINOY THIS SUNDAY! This encore episode has three lessons and victories: 1) Family can petition other family members for a green card through an employment-based petition; 2) Patrick was able to get his green card in the U.S. without having to return to the U.S. Embassy in Manila; and 3) His green card was approved even without an interview. Watch this success story on an encore episode of “Citizen Pinoy” on Sunday, April 9 at 6:30 PM PT (9:30 PM ET) through select Cable/Satellite providers, right after TV Patrol Linggo. (Advertising Supplement)

PhiliP S. Chua, MD, FaCS, FPCS

Nepal gears up for revenge travel, targets 3.5M tourists by 2032

By MoMar G. Visaya AJPress

NEPAL is ready to welcome tourists who are all set for revenge travel this year, according to the country’s officials.

“This is a call to prospective travelers to think of Nepal from different perspectives,” Consul General Bishnu Gautam said. “Besides adventure, exotic locations, and sightseeing, the journey to Nepal can be a watershed experience and a path to personal development or a new awareness of possibilities in oneself and the world.”

Success story: Triple triumphs...

PAGE 11

green card in the U.S. without having to return to the U.S. Embassy in Manila, and his green card was approved without an

interview.

Watch this success story on an encore episode of “Citizen Pinoy” on Sunday, April 9 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)

Walking vs jogging...

managing this common female illness where tissues that line the inside of the uterus grow outside the womb and in places they do not belong (like the ovaries, fallopian tubes, and bowels, or even the lungs and the brain). It causes abdominal pains and irregular and painful period, among other symptoms, as well as pain during intercourse or bowel movements.

Seaweed, fish and nuts contain a lot of polyunsaturated fatty acids, and are found to be helpful when added to the diet. Seaweed has been long proven to benefit women with endometriosis, alleviating their symptoms. Adding more vegetables, particularly cruciferous ones, legumes, and fruits, providing rich antioxidants and fiber, also help. Dietary changes, adding those items listed above plus ginger, turmeric, and gluten-free items, certainly benefit women with endometriosis, as pointed out in the British Medical journal Open in 2020. This diet, together with prescribed therapy by a gynecologist, will make life a lot more comfortable to women with endometriosis.

Toxin triggers MS

Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is a long-term condition that afflicts the central nervous system, causing muscle weakness and vision problems, as the immune system stacks the outer coating of the nerve cells to the eyes. MS most often victimizes young adults between the ages 20 and 40, also seniors, more in women than men. There are about 2.8 million individuals around the world living with MS. The cause of MS is still a mystery. A new study has determined that “a toxin from a common bacterium may trigger MS in people with a genetic susceptibility.” This recent discovery would lead to more scientific investigation worldwide to eventually find a prevention and/or cure for multiple sclerosis,

a gravely debilitating disease. Do fish drown?

When thrown back to a body of water, fish do not drown. However, they do drown (suffocate) when the water does not have enough dissolved oxygen in it, like in eutrophication (too much nutrients or harmful chemicals in water), or drought. They also drown following the removal of their fins (as in harvesting sharks’ fins for Chinese soup delicacy). Throwing back sharks after fin removal results in their suffocation since they need their fins to swim. When their gills are damaged by predators, they also drown. So, technically, fish do drown too.

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The main objective of this column is to educate and inspire people live a healthier lifestyle to prevent illnesses and disabilities and achieve a happier and more productive life. Any diagnosis, recommendation or treatment in our article are general medical information and not intended to be applicable or appropriate for anyone. This column is not a substitute for your physician, who knows your condition well and who is your best ally when it comes to your health.

* * *

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.

* * *

Philip S. Chua, MD, FACS, FPCS, a Cardiac Surgeon Emeritus based in Northwest Indiana and Las Vegas, Nevada, is an international medical lecturer/author, Health Advocate, newspaper columnist, and Chairman of the Filipino United Network-USA, a 501(c)3 humanitarian foundation in the United States. He was a recipient of the Indiana Sagamore of the Wabash Award in 1995. Other Sagamore past awardees include President Harry Truman, President George HW Bush, Muhammad Ali, and Astronaut Gus Grissom (Wikipedia). Websites: FUN8888. com, Today.SPSAtoday.com, and philipSchua.com; Email: scalpelpen@gmail.com.

The Consulate General of Nepal in New York hosted an event to mark the occasion of the 75th anniversary of NepalUSA diplomatic relations. Dubbed “Reimagine Yourself in Nepal,” the event also showcased speakers who talked about the country’s tourism plans, some of which were derailed by the pandemic.

Before COVID, tourism used to contribute between six to seven percent to the country’s national GDP, enough to support over one million jobs direct and indirect. But due to the pandemic, many people lost their jobs and businesses.

According to Consul General Gautam, Nepal’s tourism recovered by around 51% in 2022, less than the global embrace. The country also welcomed over 600,000 tourists with over 77,000 coming from the United States, a recovery of over 80%.

“With renewed confidence, Nepal is open and is keen to welcome an even higher number of tourists from the United States and other countries,” Consul General Gautam added.

“Tourism connection is one of the best ways of consolidating our relations and further expand and extend them as well as business growth and support the communities and empower the people.”

The Consul General also talked about the government’s strategic plan for the decade between 2023 to 2032 which is focused on making the natural, cultural, and manmade destinations to become better and safer en route to becoming the first choice country for travelers.

“What is there still to be said about Nepal? All you have to do is visit the country yourself,” said Joebert Opulencia, Chairman of PATA-New York Chapter. “The only way you can judge the country is by going there to experience everything that it has to offer.”

Opulencia also assured that their group at PATANew York is committed to promoting Nepal as a major tourist destination.

Among the other speakers were Amrit Bahadur Rai, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Nepal to

the United Nations in New York; Alexander K. Hardin, New York Regional Director of US State Department Office of Foreign Missions; and Alp Ozaman, Turkish Airlines Regional Marketing Manager in New York.

Dr. Seth Sicroff, Director of Mountain Legacy International and CEO of the Sir Edmund Hillary Medal Project spoke about his experiences as a veteran trekker and shared various ideas for further promoting Nepal-USA connections.

Vanessa O’Brien, mountaineer, and sixtime Guinness World Record holder as the first woman to reach extremes on land, sea, and air, served as the keynote speaker as she spoke on Nepal’s leadership in mountaineering. She is also the Honorary Ambassador of the US Nepal Climbers Association Inc.

O’Brien talked about the towering mountains, deep gorges and breathtaking glaciers, which once seen on a trek can offer serenity and peace.

“I am who I am because I trekked in Nepal,” she said. “Who would have imagined - then an unemployed businesswoman, me attempting Mount Everest, only to find herself a decade later humbled by what the mountains in Nepal would teach her.”

“Having solidified some of my best friendships in Nepal, gained wisdom about patience and control while hiking in the mountains, and reimagined myself to become the explorer I am today. I hope you will join me in reimagining yourself in Nepal,” O’Brien added. n

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

Consul General Bishnu Gautam from the Consulate General of Nepal

Amrit Bahadur Rai, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Nepal to the United Nations in New York

Joebert Opulencia, Chairman of PATANew York Chapter

Vanessa O’Brien, mountaineer, and sixtime Guinness World Record holder as the first woman to reach extremes on land, sea, and air.

From Finance to Fine Ar t: The Reinvention of Chadwick Arcinue

by MoMar G. Visaya / AJPress

CHADWICK Arcinue worked in business and finance for almost two decades before he ventured into the art world full-time back in 2018.

“It was a process and the evolution was probably years in the making, but I was not consciously thinking about it,” Arcinue told the Asian Journal. “When I started my first painting in 2003, it wasn’t because I wanted to paint, it was out of necessity.”

By necessity, he meant living in an apartment with bare walls and he and his wife Leanne didn’t have money to buy paintings. He asked her to go to an art store with him so they could buy some painting materials. He painted cherry blossoms and called the finished work Boston, in honor of the city where they resided then as he was pursuing his MBA.

He didn’t consider himself an artist though, for him it was just a hobby.

“After all those years of working in finance I guess, that toll eventually caught me and I had to choose between continuing that career, which is nice, or doing art full time,” he shared. “I guess it’s never too late to chase one’s passion and it’s also never too early.”

Arcinue believed that it was his right time, he was in the right place and the fact that he was not getting any younger made him wonder ‘If I don’t do it now, I might not do it ever’

With his wife’s full support, he decided to jump into this new world and pursue his passion for art.

Leanne shared. “Go lang Life is short. Do what you love. Self-actualize. I was just thinking, pursue your passions so that when we’re older and look back, we have fewer regrets in life.”

of London and New York. His success on the runway has extended to museum galleries across the world, and in many celebrities’ homes in the Philippines.

“It is a new collection that evokes the emotions and colors of spring which is a season for renewal and rebirth. It is an opportunity to unshackle ourselves from the past and embrace opportunities and possibilities,” Arcinue said.

Arcinue’s works are a celebration of texture and color.

One of the paintings he brought is titled Springtime at Giverny because it reminds him of the Monet water lilies. It’s the palette of Monet, of spring and it doesn’t show you the water lilies or flowers, but when you look at it, it evokes the tranquility of the Giverny gardens.

As a texture artist, Arcinue does a lot of impasto and texture in his abstract works, a pronounced evolution from his cherry blossoms era which he calls his impressionist roots.

5

proven

“He was with EY for 13 years and working towards a Partner track. We both work in professional services so I was surprised he wanted to pursue a career in the arts,”

Chad established The Chadwick Concepts in 2018, and since then has exhibited his work all over the world, from Rome, Vienna to Berlin and Shanghai. Last year, he launched his first NFT

collection in Times Square. ArtExpo New York 2023

At the recently-concluded ArtExpo New York, Arcinue collaborated with Manilabased artist Jef Albea who himself underwent a reinvention during the pandemic.

Before trying his hand at sculpture, Albea was a successful fashion designer. His creations have graced the fashion-week runways

Since he is a self-taught artist, Arcinue did a lot of experimentation. He had to learn on his own and relied on Google and YouTube for tips and techniques.

“I started with Monet, a lot of Impressionist flowers, seascapes, and then eventually, it became very abstract and expressionist, meaning by movements,” he explained. “It’s the movement - you see the splatters and sprays on the canvas. The focus of that kind

Jef Albea and Chadwick Arcinue at the 2023 ArtExpo

Albea brought six sculptures, including the one featured here.

With no formal training in art, Chadwick Arcinue left a burgeoning career in business and finance and focused on his passion for art.

Chad Arcinue and Jef Albea with Loida Nicolas Lewis (center), Chad’s wife Leanne Laudico Arcinue, and Carissa Villacorta AJPress photos by Momar G. Visaya

Chad with Loida Nicolas Lewis and Ayesha Vera Yu, founder of ARK, a social impact innovator that is solving hunger in

weeks in rural communities during a time where food insecurity is at its height. Through its

community-wide vegetable solution called Feed Back, ARK empowers at-risk families to secure nourishing food from their backyards, and create excess to exchange with neighbors and sell to nearby towns leading to much needed new income. At the end of the 16-week program, ARK Feed Back leaves the community happy, united, and investing in each other.

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,” singermusicians 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

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.”

Reason for bullying

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 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-kztandingan/.

For tickets to the Sacramento show, visit https://www.ticketmaster. com/bamboo-kz-tandinganwheatland-california-04-23-2023/ event/1C005E3299CC3716. n

From Finance to Fine Art: The Reinvention of...

PAGE 14

of style is expressionism, or the expressions of the artist, how he moved his hand or how he shook the brush. So that’s the art in there.”

He has been painting for two years when the pandemic struck in 2020. Like everyone else, he had no choice but to stay indoors. He worked on his craft and watched video tutorials.

The business side then boomed as the pandemic went on as people were spending more time staring at their blank walls to the point that they wanted to redecorate or renovate. Because of this, Arcinue became quite busy with commissions, creating paintings that his clients

wanted for their walls or as Zoom backgrounds.

“It’s not fun to attend a virtual art show and nobody wants to see paintings on the screen,” he quipped. “They’re meant to be experienced in person, face to face.”

Arcinue first joined Art Expo in 2019. As an up-andcoming artist, he feels it’s a privilege to showcase at the same art show where Andy Warhol started.

A lot of his collectors love his colorscapes and their corresponding texture and movement.

“They’re very monochromatic and seemingly simple because they’re usually just one color but it’s more of the

texture that attracts them and connects them to the painting,” he explained. “Because for me, if you buy a painting and you’re a collector, you need to be happy with it and you need to enjoy it every day so you put it in your living room.”

Five years and multiple exhibitions in major European cities later and the self-taught Arcinue continues to find and hone his voice.

“I travel a lot and I do fun things. I try to experience new things so I go to new places. I eat good food, I drink a lot of wine,” he said.

“My wife is very supportive and my biggest fan and I wouldn’t be able to do my art and my journey in this field

without her.”

Chad and Leanne have been married for 20 years now. They met back in college at the Ateneo de Manila University through Hangad, a Jesuit Music Ministry that Chad co-founded with his Ateneo High School friends from Days with the Lord. He finished with a Management Informations Systems degree in 1996 and then a Communications degree in 1997.

“Until now, I struggle with calling myself an artist because there are so many great artists in the world,” he revealed further. “I’m still trying to discover my identity as an artist; It’s still evolving and I’m still experimenting. I’m still learning.” n

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 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 “girlfriendor 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.

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.n

Marco Gumabao

Photo from Instagram/@gumabaomarco

Bamboo and KZ Tandingan

Photos from Instagram/@bamboomuzaklive, @kztandingan