040723 - Northern California Edition

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.

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.

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 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

Pentagon: New EDCA sites for ‘regional readiness’

by FRANCES MANGOSING, JACOB LAZARO 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 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,

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.

“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.

 PAGE 2

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., 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,

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 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  PAGE 2

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

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 decadesold 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.

“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.

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 on Monday, April 3.

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 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. 

Photo from Facebook/MannyVillar

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

China warns Philippine-US base deal...

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

Pentagon: New EDCA sites for...

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)

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 [U.S.] 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 U.S. requests access to utilize whatever land or facilities, wherever in the country, including private property,” Castro noted. g

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

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 UH60 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)

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

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 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

Claremont Councilor Jed Leano running for California State Assembly in ‘24

CLAREMONT, California Councilmember Jed Leano, the city’s second Filipino American mayor in history, threw in his hat for the 41st State Assembly seat in 2024, as longtime Assemblyman Chris Holden terms out.

Leano will run against Pasadena City Councilor Felicia Williams and former Pasadena Police Lt. Dr. Phlunté Riddle.

Leano was elected to the council in 2018, and in 2021 became Claremont’s second Filipino mayor.

“As Mayor during the pandemic, I fought for small business owners, renters, home owners, and seniors during this time of crisis,” Leano said in a video release. . He said his priorities would be mental health issues and affordable housing.

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. g

“Too many Californians live on the edge,” he said. “People are working harder than ever, but can barely keep up – let alone get ahead. Wages have hardly risen as prices skyrocket, especially rents. It’s hard to pursue the American Dream when you’re struggling to keep a roof over your head.”

Leano is the chair of the San Gabriel Valley Regional Housing Trust Board and the Tri-City Mental Health Board, which partnered with the Claremont Police Department in 2021 to create a team of psychiatric first responders, the Whittier Daily News reported.

Leano is a longtime Pasadena, California immigration lawyer specializing in defending deportation cases of people seeking refugee protection. (Inquirer.net)

Will abortion be the wedge issue in the 2024 elections?

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.

“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 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.

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 15-49 – 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.

75% of voters say women and their doctors should decide; 9% say judges and politicians should decide

Manny Villar tops list of Filipino...

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

FTC briefing targets scams hitting API...

PAGE 1

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.

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.

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.

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

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

“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 U.S. 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

“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)

Will abortion be the wedge...

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 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.

“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 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.

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

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.

Photo from Facebook/MannyVillar

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 (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. n

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

Ang plano para sa taong 2023/24 na taunang plano ng pagkilos ay maaaring ma-download o makita sa ika-8 ng Abril, 2023 sa http://www.contracosta.ca.gov/CDBG. Sa Martes, ika-9 ng Mayo, 2023 humigit kumulang sa alas nuwebe ng umaga, sa kamara ng mga kinatawan sa loob ng gusali ng administrasyon ng kondado na may adres na 1025 Escobar Street, Martinez, California, ang mga tagapangasiwa ng Contra Costa County ay isasaalangalang ang pagsang-ayon ng mga pampublikong serbisyo, pang-ekonomiyang pagunlad, imprastraktura at pampublikong pasilidad, bahagi ng abot-kayang pabahay para sa taong 2023/24 taunang plano ng pagkilos, kabilang ang iminungkahing paggamit sa taong 2023/24 Community Development Block Grant (CDBG), para sa taong 2023/24 Home Investment Partnerships Program (HOME), para sa taong 2023/24 Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG) at para sa taong 2019/20, 2020/21, at 2021/22 Housing Opportunities for Persons with Aids (HOPWA).

Ang publiko ay maaaring dumalo sa pulong ng lupon, in-person o sa ibang paraan gaya ng call-in or Zoom. Ang mga pagpupulong ng lupon ay mapapanood sa telebisyon sa Comcast Cable 27, ATT/U-Verse Channel 99 at WAVE Channel 32 at maaaring makita online sa www.contracosta.ca.gov. Ang mga pagpupulong ng mga lupon ay closed-captioned sa aktwal na oras.

Ang mga taong nagnanais magsalita sa lupon sa oras ng pampublikong komento o patungkol sa isang bagay na nasa ahenda ay maaaring magkomento in-person, o maaaring tumawag habang ginagaganap ang pagpupulong sa numerong 888-278-0254 at sundan ng koda 843298#. Kinakailangang ipahiwatig ng tumatawag na nais niyang magsalita sa isang bagay na nasa ahenda at pindutin ang “#2” sa kanyang telepono. Ang mga taong nais magsalita nang sa harap ng Lupon in-person ay dapat kumpletuhin ang form na nakalaan para sa layuning ito.

Ang akses sa Zoom ay available sa paggamit ng link na ito: https://cccounty-us.zoom.us/j/87344719204. Ang mga nakikibahagi sa pamamagitan ng Zoom ay dapat magpahiwatig na nais nilang magsalita sa isang bagay sa ahenda sa pamamagitan ng paggamit ng “raise your hand” na nasa Zoom app. Para magbigay ng inyong personal na impormasyon, mangyaring makipag-ugnayan sa Clerk of the Board sa clerkoftheboard@cob. cccounty.us o tumawag sa numerong 925-655-2000.

Aksesibility at Mga Makatwirang Tirahan

Alinsunod sa Americans with Disabilities Act at batas ng California, naging patakaran ng mga miyembro ng Consortium na ialok ang mga pampublikong pulong sa isang paraan na madaling maaabot ng lahat, kasama na ang mga taong may kapansanan. Ang Kondado ay magbibigay ng makatuwirang akomodasyon para sa mga taong may kapansanan na gustong pumunta sa mga pulong ng lupon na makikipag-ugnayan sa Clerk of the Board na hindi bababa sa 24 na oras bago magsimula ang pagpupulong sa numerong (925) 655-2000. Mayroon ding tagapagsalin sa wikang Espanyol upang matulungan ang mga tumatawag gamit ang wikang Espanyol. Community Development Block Grant (CDBG)

Ang mga pangunahing layunin ng programang CDBG ay ang sumusunod:

• Magbigay ng tulong sa mga programa at aktibidades na pakikinabangan ng mga taong mas mababa ang kita

• Pigilan o bawasan ang pagkawasak sa mga itinalagang kapitbahayan.

• Pangalagaan ang umiiral na pabahay at dagdagan ang mga pagkakataon sa pabahay para sa mga taong mas mababa ang kita.

• Magbigay ng mga insentibo para sa pagpapalawak ng negosyo at pagpapanatag upang palawakin ang mga pagkakataon sa trabaho para sa mga taong mas mababa ang kita, kabilang na ang populasyon na may espesyal na pangangailangan.

• Magbigay ng emerhensya at transisyonal na pabahay na may mga angkop na serbisyo ng pagsuporta para sa mga walang tirahang populasyon.

• Magbigay ng tulong sa mga programang lumilikha ng permanenteng oportunidad sa trabaho para sa mga taong mas mababa ang kita.

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

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.

“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

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 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)

• Pagbutihin ang mga pampublikong gawa na imprastraktura, kabilang na ang mga pagpapabuti na tumutugon sa revitalization ng mga kapitbahayan, pagdagdag ng access para sa mga taong may kapansanan at mga naktaatanda, at pagdagdag sa kalusugan at kaligtasan ng mga residente.

• Magbigay ng tulong sa mga mga pasilidad ng kapitbahayan at publiko na naglilingkod sa mga taong mas mababa ang kita at kanilang mga pamilya.

• Magbigay ng payo ukol sa pabahay at impormasyon tungkol sa mga serbisyo, at bawasan ang mga problema sa pabahay dahil sa diskriminasyon.

Ang Kondado ng Contra Costa ay isang lungsod o bayan sa loob ng programa ng CDBG. Sakop ng lungsod ang lahat ng di-inkorporadong mga lugar ng kondado, kasama ang mga siyudad ng Brentwood, Clayton, Danville, El Cerrito, Hercules, Lafayette, Martinez, Moraga, Oakley, Orinda, Pinole, Pleasant Hill, Richmond, San Pablo at San Ramon. Ang mga siyudad ng Antioch, Concord, Pittsburg at Walnut Creek ay tumatanggap ng hiwalay na alokasyon galing sa pondo ng CDBG para sa nasaad na programa upang gamitin sa kanilang nasasakupan.

Upang matugunan ang mga layuning ito, ang Kondado ng Contra Costa, sa pamamagitan ng rekomendasyon ng mga kawani ng kondado, Komiteng Pampinansyal, at Komite ng Pamilya at Sebisyong Pantao ng Lupon ng mga Tagapangasiwa, at Komite ng Abot-Kayang Pabahay Pinansiya, ay nagmumungkahing gamitin ang pondo ng CDBG para sa taong 2023/24 para sa akitibidades na inilalarawan sa plano ng pagkilos sa taong 2023/24. Ang lahat ng aktibidades ay pakikinabangan ng mga taong lubhang mababa, napakababa at mababa ang kita. Pinagmulan ng Pondo ng CDBG:

Grant sa taong 2023/24

at Kita ng

(tinantiya)

Rekomendasyong Alokasyon ng CDBG:

HOME Investment Partnerships Act (HOME)

Ang Kondado ng Contra Costa ang tagapangasiwa ng programa ng HOME para sa Contra Costa HOME Consortium na kinabibilangan ng lahat ng Kondado ng Contra Costa. Ang mga lungsod ng Antioch, Concord, Pittsburg at Walnut Creek ay pinagsama-sama ang kani-kanilang alokasyon ng pondo ng HOME at ang Kondado ang nangangasiwa sa mga naturang pondong alinsunod sa mga hinihingi ng Title 1 ng Batas ng Pambansang Abot-Kayang Pabahay..

Ang pangunahing layunin ng programa ng HOME ay madagdagan ang disente, ligtas, malinis at abot-kayang pabahay para sa mga sambahayan na lubhang mababa, napakababa at mababa ang kita. Kabilang sa mga prayoridad para sa paglalaan ng pondo ng HOME ay:

• Kumuha, isaayos at magtayo ng mga abot-kayang paupahan na pabahay para sa iba’t-ibang pamilya, kabilang na ang pabahay para sa mga may espesyal na pangangailangan.

• Magbigay ng tulong para sa mga taong napakababa at mababa ang kita na bibili ng bahay sa unang pagkakataon.

ng Pondo: HOME Grant sa taong 2023/24

at Kita ng

Alokasyon ng HOME:

ng Abot Kayang Pabahay (tinantiya)

Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS (HOPWA)

Ang Kondado ng Contra Costa ay dati nang nakatanggap ng mga pondo ng HOPWA, bilang isang Sponsor ng Proyekto ng Lungsod ng Oakland, bilang Grantee, upang makapagbigay sa mga lokalidad ng mga mapagkukunan at mga insentibo upang makabuo ng mga pangmatagalang estratehiya para matugunan ang mga pangangailangan sa pabahay sa mga taong may acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) o kaugnay na sakit at kanilang mga pamilya. Ang pondo ng HOPWA ay maaaring gamitin para sa malawak na hanay ng pabahay, serbisyong panlipunan, pagpaplano ng programa at mga gastos sa pag-unlad. Simula 2022/23, and Lungsod ng Oakland, bilang HOPWA Grantee, ay nanghihingi ng mga aplikasyon nang direkta para sa mga proyekto at serbisyong pabahay na pinondohan ng HOPWA.

Ang mga pangunahing layunin ng programa ay:

• Kumuha, isaayos o magtayo ng tirahang pasilidad upang magbigay ng abot-kayang pabahay na paupahan sa mga lubhang mababa at napakababa ang kita na mga taong mayroong HIV/AIDS na walang tirahan o may hindi matatag na pabahay.

• Magbigay ng payo sa pabahay at mga programa sa pagsuporta.

• Magbigay ng Maikling Paupahang Sangla at Tulong sa Utility (STRMU) para sa mga taong lubhang mababa at napakababa ang kita na may HIV/AIDS.

• Magbigay ng Permanenteng Serbisyo sa Paglalagay ng Pabahay.

ng Pondo:

ng HOPWA sa taong 2022/23

Nakaraang Taon: Hindi naitalaga na pondo ng

ng

(tinantiya)

ng Programa (tinantiya)

Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG)

Ang Contra Costa ay isang bayan ng Kondado na kinatawan para sa mga layunin ng programa ng ESG. Ang Kondado ay tumatangap at naglalaan ng mga pondo ng ESG alinsunod sa Stewart B. McKinney Homeless Assistance Act.

Ang mga pangunahing layunin ng programa ay:

• Magbigay ng mga esensyal na serbisyo para sa mga walang tirahan.

• Magbigay ng suporta sa pagpapatakbo para sa kanlungan ng mga taong walang tirahan.

• Bumuo at magsagawa ng mga aktibidades ukol sa pagpigil ng kawalan ng tirahan/mabilisan na pagpapalipat.

• Baguhin, isaayos o ibahin ang mga gusali na gagamitin bilang emerhensya na kanlungan para sa mga taong walang tirahan.

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. 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 “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 U.S. 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, officer-in-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 U.S. 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, counter-terrorism 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, U.S. 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 U.S. Congress to approve the $842-billion budget for the Department of Defense (DOD) in order to modernize the U.S. 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 U.S. access arrangements in Asia to

The views expressed by our Op-Ed contributors are solely their own and do

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 U.S. 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 U.S. 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 U.S. 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 U.S. to defend the Philippines

against external attacks.

EDCA, however, can only deepen Philippine reliance on the U.S. for its defense. Instead of relying heavily on the U.S. for its national defense, the Philippines needs to pursue selfreliance 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 U.S. 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.

New report shows drastic economic impact of illiteracy on the Philippines

by Christina 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.

Marcos urges Filipinos: Be conveyors of truth

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.

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 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)

“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

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 three-day 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 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 inequalities in children’s literacy skills.

World Literacy Foundation

Chief Executive Officer and coauthor 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. g

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

‘MIGHTY FLOWER: HOW

CANNABIS SAVED MY SON’

Dr. Anabelle Manalo-Morgan looks back at her journey from basketball to science and how it helped save her son

BY MOMAR G. VISAYA / AJPRESS

IN 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 doc-

and it is now a mem-

felt 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 cardio-oncology before moving into the clinical trial space.

Today, Dr. Annabelle is the Founder and Chief Scientific Of-

ficer 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 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, des-

peration 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.

‘Eat

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.”

hosts

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, March 31.

"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.

“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 Leon. His co-hosts, Maja Salvador, Ryan Agoncillo, Paolo Ballesteros, Wally Bayola and Jose Manolo, also greeted the host on his birthday.

Biology from Vanderbilt University where her focus is on genetic mutations that mimic the offset effects that chemotherapy has on heart disease. AJPress Photos

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

Vice Ganda Photo from Instagram/@praybeytbenjamin

Success story: Triple triumphs scored for client on

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Asian Eatery for an eclectic mix of Japanese and East Asian cooking. The Marketplace is the spot for casual dining and features everything from burritos to award-winning barbeque at Everett & Jones. Graton’s six bars and lounges feature something for everyone – from the sports lover at G Bar to the high energy of the Sky lounge to live music five nights a week throughout the casino.

Located in Sonoma County, Graton Resort & Casino has a commanding presence among the rolling hills of Northern California's wine country. Owned and operated by the Federated Indians of Graton Rancheria, Graton Resort & Casino features table games, the latest slot machines, upscale and casual dining, plus entertainment options for visitors and locals alike. For more information, please visit www.gratonresortcasino. com or call 707-588-7100.

(Advertising Supplement)

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 now-deleted 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.

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 mahurt, pwedeng may masaktan na hindi mo intensyon. You really have to be careful,” she added.

entries.

According to the actress, the cake-smearing 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

(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

"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 PAGE 11

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 follow-up 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

Walking vs jogging

on television and social media that claimed the bivalent COVID-19 booster was unsafe, causing cardiovascular sideeffects. 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 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.

* * *

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

* * *

The 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.

* * *

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.

Success story: Triple triumphs scored...

PAGE 9

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 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)

SAN FRANCISCO – The Bataan Legacy Historical Society, in partnership with the San Francisco National Cemetery, VFW 91st Division/Chinatown

Post 4618, American Legion Riders Chapter 105 and Memorial Squadron, will commemorate the 81st anniversary of the Bataan Death March on Saturday, April 15 at 10 a.m. at the San Francisco National Cemetery at the Presidio (1 Lincoln Boulevard, San Francisco, CA).

Eighty-one years ago, on April 9, 1942, approximately 75,000 Filipino and American troops of the U.S. Armed Forces in the Far East (USAFFE) were forced to surrender to the Imperial Japanese Army after fighting in the Bataan Peninsula in the Philippines. Despite suffering from massive disease, starvation and fighting without any air support, the USAFFE troops were able to delay the 50-day timetable of the Japanese Army by holding onto Bataan for 99 days.

After the Fall of Bataan they were forced to march to their prison camp about 65 miles away under extreme tropical conditions with no provisions for food, water, shelter or medicine. Those who could no longer go on were beaten, bayoneted, shot and some were even beheaded. Thousands died during this march, which became infamously known as the Bataan Death March. It became a rallying cry in the United States as thousands enlisted to join the war.

This year’s commemoration will bring together Filipino and American descendants of the U.S. Army Forces in the Far East (USAFFE) and civilians during WWII in the Philippines. The program will have the participation of the U.S. Armed Forces (Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard), the San Francisco Sheriff’s Department, San Francisco Fire Department, BART Police, University of San Francisco ROTC Program, the San Francisco Unified School District JROTC Program, the American Legion Riders, the Golden Gate Young Marines, the Civil Air Patrol and the Memorial Squadron.

Brig. Gen. (Ret) Steven McLaughlin will be master of ceremonies. Philippine Consul General of San Francisco Neil Ferrer will be one of the

speakers and the keynote speaker will be Maj. Gen. Miles Davis, Commanding General of the 63rd Readiness Division.

Rear Admiral (Ret) Jonathan Yuen will lead the Tolling of the Bells for those who made the ultimate sacrifice. He will be joined by flag and senior officers of the Armed Forces, local law enforcement and descendants. Music will be provided by members of the 191st U.S. Army Band, the Universal Choir and Soprano Judith Javier-Tiu. A 21-gun salute will be provided by the American Legion Riders Chapter 105. A flyover during the procession will be provided by the San Francisco Sheriff’s Air Squadron while a flyover tribute to the Missing Man will be made by the Memorial Squadron while Taps is being played.

Bataan Legacy Historical Society, a 501(c)(3) organization,

worked successfully with the California Department of Education to include World War II in the Philippines as part of Chapter 16 of the Grade 11 U.S. History curriculum framework. Its mission is to instill civic pride and engagement in young adults through the lessons of WWII in the Philippines from the perspectives of Filipino and American military and civilians. Registration (free) is encouraged through Eventbrite (https://www.eventbrite.com/e/ bataan-death-march-81stanniversary-commemorationtickets-532523651577?utmcampaign=social&utmcontent=attendeeshare&utmmedium=discovery&utmterm=listing&utmsource=cp&aff=escb). For more information, please visit our website at www.bataanlegacy. org. (BLHS Release)

HOUSING

EVER had a bad online shopping experience? Maybe you ordered one thing but got another. Or that new company never shipped your order, despite charging you. So, what do you do?

If you can relate, you’re not alone. In 2022, online shopping scams were the second-most reported type of scam to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). The good news is you have rights, and there are steps you can take.

If something didn't arrive or you didn't accept it, and now the company won't refund your money, dispute the charges. If products show up that you never ordered, you don’t have to pay for them. Federal law protects you.

To try to stay ahead of these problems, if you haven’t shopped with a company before, start by searching online for the company’s name, plus words like “review,” “complaint,” or “scam.” See what other people

are saying.

And no matter where you shop online, remember:

• Check refund and return policies. Sellers often have different (and stricter) refund and return policies for sale items, and dishonest sellers will use tricky disclosures and fine print to deny refund requests.

• Use a credit card for online purchases, if possible. Credit cards offer the most protection against fraud compared to other types of payments including the right to dispute charges if there

are problems with your purchase.

• Always save your receipts and confirmation emails. If something goes wrong, these can help you get your money back from the seller or file a dispute with your credit card company. Learn more about online shopping. Or if you want to learn more about last year’s top scams, visit ftc.gov/data.

And if you suspect a scam, report it to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.

(Andrew Rayo/Consumer Education Specialist, FTC)

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

GIVE back to your Santa Clara community and volunteer to serve on a City Board, Committee or Commission on projects, events, initiatives, and more!

The City of Santa Clara is recruiting to fill seven (7) vacancies on the following bodies:

Vacancies for Full Terms ending June 30, 2027:

• Civil Service Commission: Two (2) vacancies

• Historic Landmarks Commission: One (1) vacancy

• Senior Advisory Commission: One (1) vacancy.

Vacancies for partial terms on:

• Civil Service Commission: One (1) term ending June 30, 2025

• Cultural Commission: One (1) term ending June 30, 2025

• Planning Commission: One (1) term ending June 30, 2024.

Applications are due by 5 p.m., Friday, April 21,

2023. A tentative date of May 22, 2023 is set to conduct interviews. How to apply

• Apply online! Applications available at SantaClaraCA.gov/Commissions

• Apply in-person at the City Clerk’s office, 1500 Warburton Ave. Santa Clara, Monday to Thursday, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

• Application for Cultural Commission, Historical & Landmark Commission and Senior Advisory Commission (https://lfwebprod.santaclaraca.gov/ Forms/ApplicationSHC)

• Application for Civil Service Commission, Cultural Commission and Planning Commission (https:// lfwebprod.santaclaraca.gov/Forms/ApplicatonBCC).

For more information, contact the City Clerk's office at clerk@santaclaraca.gov or call 408-6152220. Learn more by visiting SantaClaraCA.gov/ Commissions. (City of Santa Clara Release)

ConGen Ferrer calls on Wilsonville mayor, meets Fil-Am community leaders in Oregon

Philippine

WILSONVILLE, OR –

Consul General in San Francisco

Neil Frank Ferrer paid a courtesy call on Mayor Julie Fitzgerald of the City of Wilsonville in Oregon and met with Filipino American community leaders in Oregon at the Wilsonville City Hall on March 27, 2023.

During the call on Mayor Fitzgerald, Consul General Ferrer thanked the Mayor for hosting his meeting with the Filipino American community leaders in the City Hall, and highlighted the invaluable contribution of Filipino Americans in the growth and development of Oregon.

Consul General Ferrer and Mayor Fitzgerald explored possible trade opportunities for Wilsonville and the Philippines, particularly in agricultural products. The Consul General sought the Mayor’s support in encouraging companies based in Wilsonville to consider the Philippines as a trading and investment partner, should they plan to expand in Asia.

The two sides also discussed possible collaboration in the conduct of consular outreach missions by the Consulate.

After the call, Consul General Ferrer met with the Filipino American community leaders in Oregon. During the meeting, the Consul General updated the community on forthcoming activities of the Consulate including the consular outreach mission in Tigard, Oregon in April and the 2023 Very Important Pinoy Tour in July. He

shared that the Philippines will be featured during the World Beat Festival in June in Salem, Oregon and sought the support of the leaders in making Philippine participation a success.

The community leaders updated the Consulate of their activities and forthcoming projects. They also discussed the various challenges faced by the members of the Filipino American community in the state and how the community groups are lending support and

assistance towards addressing these issues.

The community meeting with the Consul General was attended by the leaders from the Philippine American Chamber of Commerce in Oregon (PACCO), Coalition of Filipino-American Associations (CFAA), FilipinoAmerican Association of Portland and Vicinity, Inc., Filipino Bayanihan Center, and National Federation of Filipino American Associations (NaFAA)-Oregon. (PCGSF Release)

by Ronnie CaRRasCo iii ManilaTimes.net

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 whining, 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.

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.

Alex says cake smearing controversy...

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 costar 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.

Liza Soberano Photo from Instagram/@lizasoberano

San Francisco PCG photos