041923 - Southern California Midweek Edition

APRIL 18 marked the 2023 Tax Day around the United States, but this year, some taxpayers across California have several months to file and pay their taxes.

The IRS previously announced an extended deadline for Californians to October 16, 2023 due to the damages from the storms in December 2022 and January 2023. The state of California also extended the state tax filing and payment due dates to the same October date.

The following counties are eligible for this extended tax relief, per the IRS announcements.

Residents and businesses in Alameda, Alpine, Amador, Butte, Calaveras, Colusa, Contra Costa, Del Norte, El Dorado, Fresno, Glenn, Humboldt, Inyo, Kings, Lake, Los Angeles, Madera, Marin, Mariposa, Mendocino, Merced, Mono, Monterey, Napa, Nevada, Orange, Placer, Riverside, Sacramento, San Benito, San Bernardino,

‘Improved Philippine ranking in terror index shows waning insurgency’

by ALEXIS ROMERO Philstar.com

MANILA — The Philippines’ improved ranking in the Global Terrorism Index (GTI) proves that the government is “on the right track” in fighting insurgency, the National Security Council (NSC) said

on Monday, April 17.

The Philippines is the 18th most affected by terrorism among 163 countries in this year’s edition of the GTI, a report produced by think tank Institute for Economics and Peace that analyzes the impact of terrorism worldwide.

While the country’s ranking improved from 17th last year, it was the second most affected country in Asia, second only to Myanmar.

The GTI assesses each country using a zero to ten scale, with higher values reflecting higher impact of terrorism. The Philippines’ latest score is 6.328 or  PAGE 2

Fil-Am couple sheds light on hate incidents following assault in Sacramento

by DONNABELLE GATDULA-AREVALO AJPress

WHEN Filipino American veteran photojournalist Nicanor “Nikki” Arriola and his wife Julienne were attacked and assaulted in front of the California state Capitol in Sacramento, he knew it was a calling to speak out against hate incidents.

“It’s like a storyteller becomes a story,” said Nikki Arriola in an interview with the Asian Journal, recounting how he has usually been behind the camera in reporting anti-Asian attacks.

The couple was visiting relatives in Sacramento, with the photojournalist equipped with his two cameras during a stop at the Capitol to "take some human interests photographs that I could use for my work and my advocacy."

However, the tourist experience took a turn and months later, the couple is determined to take action to prevent more hate crimes and incidents.

“This is definitely an eye-opener, not only for us, but

WASHINGTON, D.C. – A group of former U.S. service members and Filipino American community advocates released an open letter to President Joe Biden, urging that the issue of abandoned Amerasian children be included in the terms of the U.S.-Philippine Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement, as “a surge of new Amerasian children can be expected in future years” with expanded U.S. troop access to Philippine military bases.

Amerasians are abandoned children of American military fathers who served in the Philippines during the Cold War and the war in Vietnam.

"These Filipino Amerasians faced widespread discrimination, underemployment, poverty, domestic violence and sexual abuse, according to a 1999 study by a Pearl S. Buck foundation. Sadly, the United States Government short changed them. Fortunately, they have received sympathetic world-wide media  PAGE 4

by DAPHNE GALVEZ Inquirer.net

MANILA — President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. on Tuesday, April 18 tasked the members of the national and regional peace and order councils to address cases of political violence, even those stemming from the illegal drug trade.

Marcos said political violence and illegal drugs are currently the two biggest

by KAYCEE VALMONTE Philstar.com

MANILA — Former Secretary of Foreign Affairs Albert del Rosario — who played a key role in securing the landmark Hague ruling that invalidated China’s expansive claims in the West Philippine Sea — has passed away. He was 83 years old. The Management Association of the Philippines, a business group, announced the passing of its former president on Tuesday, April 18. Del Rosario — also

 PAGE 4

concerns threatening peace and order in the country. According to the Presidential Communications Office (PCO), Marcos made the statement during the 1st Joint National Peace and Order Council and Regional Peace and Order Council Meeting in Malacañang, where he noted the increasing violent activities in the country, particularly since the 2022 elections.

Marcos liable if new

sites cause war – expert

by CATHERINE S.

POLITICAL analyst Romulo

"Bobby" Tuazon said on Saturday, April 15 that President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. could be held accountable in the event the Philippines was dragged into the Taiwan Strait conflict resulting from the country's hosting of more American military installations under its Enhanced

Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) with the United States. "I don't believe in the statement of Bongbong Marcos that the EDCA sites will not be used against China because, in fact, he also said that if the Philippines needed help then the EDCA sites can be used, which means that

‘Improved Philippine ranking in...

“medium impact.”

“We welcome with great enthusiasm and optimism the latest results of the Global Terrorism Index released by the Institute for Economic and Peace showing a much improved ranking for the Philippines at 18th place for the year 2022 compared to being in the top 10 countries worst affected by terrorism several years ago,” the NSC said in a statement.

“This could only mean one thing: That the Philippine government is on the right track and by that we shall continue all counter-insurgency efforts we started years back, focusing mainly on our local peace initiatives and good governance espoused by NTFELCAC (National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict) under the guidance of our chairman, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.,” it added.

The NTF-ELCAC, which was formed under former president

Rodrigo Duterte in 2018, seeks to provide “an efficient mechanism and structure” that will implement a whole-of-nation approach in achieving “inclusive and sustainable peace.”

The NSC said the better ranking was a testament to the Philippine government’s “unrelenting resolve to address the root causes of insurgency.” It cited the implementation of the Bangsamoro Organic Law, the creation of NTF-ELCAC, the “aggressive campaign” in preventing and countering violent extremism and the passage of the Anti-Terrorism Act.

“While it may be true that the Philippines remains to date as the second ‘most impacted country’ by terrorism in Southeast Asia, the 2022 GTI noted that the Philippines recorded its lowest level of terrorism since the inception of the GTI,” the council said.

According to the NSC, the Philippines previously

languished in the top ten list of countries battered by terrorism, along with war-torn states like Iraq, Afghanistan and Somalia.

“Such notoriety, according to the same reports, was due to the atrocities mostly committed by the communist terrorist group New People’s Army and armed groups affiliated with known international terrorist organizations,” the NSC said.

Citing GTI data, the NSC pointed out that from 2011 to 2020, the Philippines had hovered around the tenth spot in the index until it showed great improvements for the years 2021 (16th place) and 2022 (18th place).

The NSC said the Philippines’ ranking worsened between 2016 and 2017 when the country dropped from 12th place to 10th place, a development it attributed to “atrocious attacks” launched by communist rebels. Despite the country’s better ranking, the NSC admitted that its work is “far from over.” g

Marcos liable if new EDCA sites cause war...

any time those sites can be used not only over the tensions in the Taiwan Strait against China but also the maritime disputes in the South China Sea also against China," Tuazon said in The Alphan Forum.

"So, it is possible that Marcos will not only be in violation of the One China policy, but he can be made accountable for violating the constitutional provision providing for an independent foreign policy because this whole fact right now is a pivot to the U.S., in contrast to the previous friendly pivot to China adopted by the Duterte administration," he added.

Tuazon, director for policy studies of Center for People Empowerment in Governance, called on the Philippine government to review its "proU.S. policy" to avoid repeating the mistakes that have been made in the past.

"With the increasing presence again of military forces in the Philippines, I will not be surprised if the same atrocities

that were committed against Filipino civilians in the light of the presence of the military bases of the U.S. before will be repeated soon," he said.

"So that is, in fact, a call for the Philippine government officials to rethink and review its pro-U.S. policy," Tuazon added.

Signed in 2014, EDCA grants U.S. troops access to designated Philippine military facilities, build facilities, as well as pre-position their equipment, aircraft and vessels.

Permanent basing is prohibited.

The five current locations of U.S. military installations under EDCA are Fort Magsaysay in Nueva Ecija; Basa Air Base in Pampanga; Antonio Bautista Air Base in Palawan; Mactan-Benito Ebuen Air Base in Cebu; and Lumbia Air Base in Cagayan de Oro City.

The new EDCA sites approved under Marcos will be established at the Naval Base Camilo Osias in Santa Ana, Cagayan; Lal-lo Airport in Lal-lo, Cagayan; Camp Melchor F. Dela Cruz in Gamu, Isabela; and Balabac Island in

Marcos orders peace and order councils...

Palawan.

Meanwhile, Chinese Ambassador to the Philippines Huang Xilian remains hopeful that the Philippines and China will continue to peacefully coexist.

"Indeed, there are differences between China and the Philippines on the South China Sea issue. However, as neighbors across a narrow strip of water, relations between China and the Philippines are more defined by peaceful coexistence for over a thousand years and will continue to be so in the future. Friendship is always the main stream of our bilateral relations," Huang said during the 8th Manila Forum for Philippines-China Relations at the Astoria Plaza Hotel in Pasig City on Friday, April 14.

"We each have our respective claims and positions regarding the South China Sea. Differences thereof should be resolved by parties directly involved through dialogues and with mutual respect. That is why China is committed to strengthening dialogue mechanisms between us," he added. g

“They happened just after the election and they just… halos sunod-sunod. Kaya’t naging very prominent sa pag-iisip ng taong-bayan na masyado na talagang naging malala ito,” he said, as quoted by PCO.

(They happened one after the other. That’s why it became very prominent in the public’s minds that the situation has worsened.)

“Of course, that is true because even one is too much. But nonetheless, in terms of the political violence, I think, I hope, and we must continue to look out for, and watch out for this is that the experience that we have been having,” Marcos added. The president also told the councils to address the proliferation of illegal or loose firearms that fuel violence in the country, warning about the rise of warlordism. He added that another problem concerning peace and order is violence perpetrated by drug syndicates quarreling over territory with the involvement of some members of the police force.

“It stems from the territorial

fights over areas where drugs are distributed, who controls the drug trade in that area.

Kung minsan naririnig natin, mayroong talagang scalawag diyan,” Marcos said.

(We can hear reports that scallawag police officers are involved.)

“So kailangan talaga natin bantayan nang mabuti that these activities that are growing have to be dismantled,” he added.

(So we need to ensure these growing activities are dismantled.)

The PCO said the 1st Joint NPOC and RPOC Clusters’ Meeting was organized to provide updates on the country’s peace and order issues, aid policy decisions, and facilitate immediate action from concerned agencies.

The 2016-2022 accomplishments include the successful surveillance and intelligence operations by the National Intelligence Coordinating Agency (NICA), anti-insurgency and antiterrorism efforts, anti-illegal drugs campaign, and effective COVID-19 response.

Through the anti-insurgency and anti-terrorism efforts and the revitalized National Task Force on Ending Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC), the PCO said the government disbanded 67 guerilla fronts, neutralized 8,645 Communist Terrorist Groups (CTG), and facilitated the surrender of 28,713 rebel members.

In the fight against illegal drugs, the government reported a total of 261,642 anti-illegal drug operations conducted from 2016 to 2022, which resulted in the arrest of 376,582 drug personalities and the seizure of 12 tons of marijuana, 14 tons of shabu, 190,324 pieces of ecstasy, and 500 kilograms of cocaine. Regarding the overall peace and order situation, the government reported that the total crime volume in 2022 decreased by 11.87 percent, from 235,059 in 2021 to 207,143.

The PCO said that crime solution and clearance efficiency by the end of 2022 were 82.28 percent and 96.72 percent, respectively. g

SPECIAL GUEST. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. (right) and First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos flank Czech Republic Prime Minister Petr Fiala during an official dinner at Malacañang Palace in Manila on Monday, April 17. Fiala arrived Sunday, April 16 and capped his official visit with a wreath-laying ceremony at Jose Rizal’s monument on Tuesday, April 18. PNA photo by Rolando Mailo

Watch for the yellow envelope – 15 million CA MediCal enrollees’ eligibility under review

by MARK HEDIN Ethnic Media Services

MEDICAL enrollees are encouraged to update their information to keep their status as the state reviews eligibility for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic.

For the first time in three years, an estimated 80 million Americans whose health care is through Medicaid will have their eligibility for it checked.

If you’re one of those people and live in California, keep an eye out for a yellow envelope appearing in your mailbox, state Department of Health Care Services officials said at an April 12 press briefing hosted by Ethnic Media Services and California Black Media.

2020’s Families First Coronavirus Response Act required Medicaid programs nationwide to keep everyone enrolled during the COVID-19 public health emergency, suspending the “redetermination” process.

But with that emergency now considered over as of March 31, states have to confirm everyone’s eligibility again. California’s Medicaid program,

MediCal, is the country’s largest, serving about 15 million people – including 5.7 million children, 70% of them nonwhite. Over the next 14 months, the state will be reviewing accounts to make sure contact information is up to date and that everyone enrolled is still eligible.

The yellow envelopes that began going out earlier this month in the mail indicate that DHCS is requesting additional information. If you get one of those, DHCS Assistant Deputy Director Yingjia Huang said, reply within the deadline it states, usually about 45-60 days.

But people can also check their coverage status online and over the phone.

Huang also estimates that 30% of Medi-Cal recipients will receive notices that they’ve been automatically renewed for a year.

Health care for undocumented immigrants

On top of that, she noted, California has become the first state in the country to allow undocumented 26- to 49-yearolds to enroll in its Medicaid program.

Mayra Alvarez, Executive Director of Children’s Partnership, a national children’s

Fil-Am couple sheds light on hate incidents...

advocacy agency, added that the state has extended its policy of providing “continuous coverage” for children up to 5 years old.

The full breadth of medical services on the table includes everything from typical medical and preventive care to dental care and prescription coverage.

You don’t have to indicate your citizenship status when applying for MediCal, Alvarez said, and furthermore, she explained, undocumented Californians also need not worry that using MediCal will impact their applications for a green card under “public charge” rules, a widespread, long-standing fear. New rules in late 2022 barred any past, current or future use of public safety net protections, such as Medicaid, but also including housing, food and tax credits, from being deemed a “public charge,” and jeopardizing immigration applications. Nor does signing up your child for benefits count against you.

2-3 million could lose benefits Nonetheless, Huang said, the state expects between 2 million and 3 million Californians will lose their benefits, many others may become newly eligible.

for the entire society. We have to stand firm in letting the authorities know that we cannot just let these incidents pass and stay unnoticed. We should, as a society, also be vigilant against these types of crimes,” Arriola said, who noted that similar cases in the past have been left unresolved as most of the victims often opted to let them slide due to the fear of retaliation from assailants and possible immigration-related repercussions.

“We have met actual people who have experienced the same fate but who remained mum. They thought it's just going to be a waste of time and the case will not prosper at all. Some of these people were ‘undocumented’ and they fear that coming out in the open and telling their ordeal will adversely affect their stay in the US. But we explained to them that [immigration] and police matters are totally different,” he added.

On February 1, while Arriola, who was wearing his press badge, and his wife Julienne were strolling and taking pictures at the Sacramento State Capitol, a 6-foot man believed to be in his 30s tried to grab Arriola's camera. When the couple struggled, the assailant kicked, punched and dragged them toward his getaway car. This incident reportedly happened in front of a crowd of witnesses.

“He didn’t hesitate. I was even wearing my press ID. He knew there were a lot of people taking videos and pictures of him. We knew it was not random. He had got his prying eyes on us before he decided to attack us,” Arriola recounted.

The suspect, identified as Keylen Xavier Lee Farley, was charged with three felony counts by the Sacramento District Attorney, according to reports. The counts include two for robbery of the second degree and aggravated assault and a third count for elder abuse.

Arriola said their case is not considered a hate crime since there were no racist slurs involved during the incident.

Arriola, 63, suffered six broken ribs, head concussions, and abrasions all over his body while Julienne, 65, had knee and other bone injuries. Both were confined at the University of California Davis Medical Center for several days after the assault.

In the weeks following the assault, the Arriolas have actively

been engaging themselves in the community and church groups to retell their story and let the public learn from their experience.

The assailant, who is now in jail, is awaiting a preliminary hearing on May 1.

"We can forgive him (the assailant) as God has told us offenders can change if given a chance, but we cannot let him get away with what he has done to us. We have the law. We have to let the law do its work,” said Arriola.

For her part, Thelma Sugay, president of the Fil-Am Press Association of California said they recently learned that police are now investigating a "person of interest" as the driver of the getaway vehicle.

Sugay is also helping the Arriolas with their next plan of action. “According to Nikki, his plan is after he goes through with this, he could come up with a manual to serve as some sort of guide for [future] hate crime victims. He would try to learn the process and he would share all his knowledge and the pitfalls so it could be expedited for the next one,” she said.

“I think, this is a very noble (move on the part of Nikki). I think he does not want this incident that almost cost his life to be insignificant. He just wants to help people to go through or those who might be going through this process to learn how to deal with it and don’t be afraid,” said Sugay.

According to Nikki, they are also planning to hold a series of anti-hate forums and symposiums on this matter to help educate the public.

“We will never stop until we get justice. We’ve been badly hurt. We are still suffering up to now from our injuries. We’ve been traumatized. We thought that will

be the end of us and we’ll just die there,” Arriola lamented.

“The wounds may heal but the trauma will still be there for God knows how long. Sometimes, I will just find myself crying. We cannot even go back to our normal jobs," Julienne said.

Since last month, Arriola had been in and out of the emergency room due to continued swelling and inflammation from his broken ribs. His wife, who had been diagnosed with osteoporosis, is still hurting and sometimes needs assistance when walking and standing up. Since they migrated to the United States in 2001, caregiving has been the Arriolas' main source of income. However, they can barely cope with their daily finances since their injuries are preventing them from carrying out their normal work routines, which require heavy lifting and standing for long periods. Despite the ordeal that they went through, the couple still believes in the goodness of society.

They credit the witnesses who were able to get the plate number of the getaway car and those who tried, in a way, to stand between Arriola and the assailant.

“I would like to thank all the people who’ve extended help and those who are helping us go through this situation. My fellow journalists both here and in the Philippines, my churchmates, the Fil-Am community, my family and I are very grateful for all your support,” Arriola said.

Fil-Am groups have created GoFundMe initiatives for the Arriolas. The fundraiser, organized by the National Alliance for Filipino Concerns (NAFCON) member organizations, LA PAGE 4

Filipino American veteran photojournalist Nicanor “Nikki” Arriola (pictured) and his wife Julienne were attacked in broad daylight during a visit to the California state Capitol in Sacramento last February. In the months following the attack, they are still recovering from their injuries and are making it their mission to speak out against hate incidents.

WREATH LAYING. Visiting Czech Republic Prime Minister Petr Fiala offers a wreath at the monument of national hero, Dr. Jose P. Rizal, in Rizal Park in Manila on Tuesday, April 18. Fiala ended his three-day official visit to the Philippines, which included a meeting with President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. at Malacañang Palace.

PNA photo by Alfred Frias

PAGE

Group urges Biden to include issue of Filipino...

attention,” the letter released by the Filipino Amerasians Reunification Coalition said.

The coalition asks for a humanitarian executive order “that would protect the rights and welfare of current and future Filipino Amerasian children and adults by including them in the US-PH EDCA Agreement terms of engagement. This would heal this festering wound between the Filipino and American People.”

The EDCA terms of engagement are being negotiated by Secretary of State Blinken and Defense Secretary Austin with their PH counterparts in 2+2 meetings in Washington. Earlier, they have agreed to increase the number of PH military-run joint bases to nine.

"Your Amerasian executive order will be timely in light of the 15,000 visiting US troops now in “Balikatan” training with Filipino soldiers. A surge of new Amerasian children can be expected in future years,” the letter states.

The coalition urged Biden to support Filipino Amerasian legislation in the US Senate and House (“Uniting Families Act of 2021” (H.R. 4522 in www. congress.gov) that wold reunite Amerasians with “their fathers and/or American siblings who have accepted financial responsibility for them since they have proven through their DNA to be the offspring of the American service member.”

The coalition also asks the Biden administration to “seriously promote democracy and protect human rights” with the government of President Marcos Jr. “Your reasonable increases of

Amerasians are abandoned children of American military fathers who served in the Philippines during the Cold War and the war in Vietnam. Photo courtesy of UPA

Albert Del Rosario, ex-top diplomat who won...

a businessman — was a MAP member for 45 years.

Prior to his appointment as foreign affairs secretary under the late Benigno Aquino III, Del Rosario served as Philippine Ambassador to the United States under former President Gloria Arroyo’s administration.

“He was a consummate diplomat and an inspiring leader who led the DFA with integrity and unwavering commitment to public service,” Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo said in a statement on Tuesday.

“You will be missed, Mr. Secretary,” Manalo said of his former boss.

Del Rosario, the diplomat Del Rosario served as the secretary of foreign affairs beginning February 2011 before resigning in March 2016 due to health reasons. His term was supposed to end in June, the same time as Aquino’s.

The DFA described him as a “staunch advocate” of protecting Filipinos here and abroad. Under his term as foreign affairs chief, Del Rosario led the evacuation

of Filipinos working in wartorn countries such as Libya and was also on the frontline of negotiations for the case of Mary Jane Veloso, an overseas Filipino worker who was put on death row in Indonesia after being caught smuggling heroin into the country.

The Philippines filed its case to invalidate China’s expansive claims across the South China Sea at the Permanent Court of Arbitration in 2014. The court’s decision on the case was released months after Del Rosario’s resignation in May 2016.

Despite stepping down from the post, Del Rosario continued to actively engage in discussions on the West Philippine Sea. He also criticized the foreign policy thrust of President Rodrigo Duterte – whom Del Rosario said left a “shameful legacy” after Duterte “quickly shelved the Arbitral Award” in exchange for Chinese investments.

As the country’s envoy to the US, a position he held beginning 2001, del Rosario secured a $1.2 billion funding assistance to the

Philippines along with other business opportunities such as investments into the country’s Business Process Outsourcing Industry, among others. He was reportedly recalled after disagreements with Arroyo.

Del Rosario, the businessman Del Rosario has a vast experience in the private sector. Stratbase ADR Institute notes that before he entered public service, Del Rosario was on the board of directors of “over 50 firms.”

Aside from his company Gotuaco, del Rosario Insurance Brokes, he was chairman of Stratbase and the Makati Foundation for Education. He also served as president of the Philippine Telecommunications Investment Corp. He was MAP President in 2007, while he was also conferred the MAP Management Man of the Year in 2014. Del Rosario graduated from New York University with a Bachelors Degree in Economics. He is survived by his wife, Gretchen de Venecia, and their five children. g

mutual defense funding, trade and economic incentives to the PH would assure peace in the West Philippine Sea and stability in the Indo-Pacific region. We believe EDCA will protect the Filipino People’s sovereignty from outside aggression and intimidation,” the letter says.

The letter was signed by Loida Nicolas Lewis, National Chair (NY) U.S. Filipinos for Good Governance

Contributed photo

(FB.com/USFGG) & convenor

Filipino Amerasians Reunification Coalition; John Haines, USN Ret. (WI) and Chad Southard ,USMC Ret. (GA), Fathers of Filipino Amerasians (FAFA) founders; Angela Aquino, founder chair, EqualRightsforChildren.org (NY); Christopher Lapinig, Esq, FARC Legal Counsel (CA); Eric Lachica, coordinator

Most CA taxpayers have until Oct. 16 to...

San Diego, San Francisco, San Joaquin, San Luis Obispo, San Mateo, Santa Barbara, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, Siskiyou, Solano, Sonoma, Stanislaus, Sutter, Tehama, Trinity, Tulare, Tuolumne, Ventura, Yolo, and Yuba counties who have been affected by severe winter storms, flooding, landslides, and

mudslides are eligible for tax relief.

To help alleviate some of the hardship many have endured during this trying period, the FTB has extended the filing and payment deadlines for individuals and businesses in California until October 16, 2023.

This relief applies to deadlines falling on or after January 8, 2023, and before October 16, 2023, including the 2022 individual income tax returns due on April 18 and the quarterly estimated tax payments, typically due on January 17, 2023 and April 18, 2023. Those payments were previously extended to May 15, 2023 for those impacted by winter storms.

The IRS announced tax relief for Californians affected by these winter storms. Taxpayers affected by these storms qualify for an extension to October 16, 2023 to file individual and business tax returns and make certain tax payments. This includes:

Individuals whose tax returns and payments are due on April 18, 2023. Quarterly estimated tax payments due January 17, 2023, April 18, 2023, June 15, 2023, and September 15, 2023. Business entities whose tax returns are normally due on March 15 and April 18.

PTE Elective Tax payments due on June 15, 2023. (AJPress)

Watch for the yellow envelope...

PAGE 3

People who have been hired at jobs where health insurance is included may lose their eligibility for MediCal. Others may now be earning enough that they will be shifted from Medi-Cal coverage to the Covered California program, which subsidizes people’s health care on a sliding scale.

“For families on Medi-Cal, it may have been a long time since they last renewed their coverage,” Alvarez noted.

She said that her biggest fear is that people who are still eligible for MedicaidCal will lose their coverage in this “unwinding” process, simply because the state can no longer find them.

“If, for example, a termination notice is sent to an old address, they may never get that information, and those who actually might still be eligible may end up losing their coverage.

Families need to know that if they’ve moved since March 2020, they need to update their contact information,” she emphasized.

This “redetermination” won’t happen overnight, and the yellow envelope DHCS officials mentioned is only one of several ways to find out about your eligibility status.

Community outreach

You can also call or email your county office. The contact information for all 58 California

counties can be found here. Or you can check on your account online. That page will direct you to one of two web pages, benefitscal.com, that applies to 45 California counties, or mybenefitscalwin.org/#/home for the other 13, where you can see if you’re eligible, apply for benefits, report changes and more.

On top of all that, Huang said, the DHCS is devoting “a huge budget” for partnerships with community-based organizations to hire trusted messengers in the community to augment its own 1,700 “coverage ambassadors” to help people get or stay insured. Another thing to take into consideration is if there are new members of the family who hadn’t been born at the time of the last eligibility check, or if you’ve assumed new caretaking responsibilities.

“Now is the time to make sure we’re taking the necessary steps to keep our coverage,” Alvarez said. “Anybody, regardless of their immigration status, regardless of their income, can apply for MediCal.”

“This is especially important for people of color, who are more likely to rely on MediCal for coverage, and more likely to be at risk of losing that coverage.”

“It’s a lifeline for so many in our communities.” g

Fil-Am couple sheds light on...

PAGE 3

Kalusugan Collective (LAKAS) and the Filipino Migrant Center, can be found at http://tinyurl.com/ helpthearriolas. The National Federation of Filipino American Associations Greater LA has also started a GoFundMe page at: https://www.gofundme.com/f/ vf6zak-fight-for-justice-elderlyfilams-attacked.

"We implore you to join us

in calling for justice. As an organization, NaFFAA GLA, we strongly condemn this brutal act of violence and demand that California Attorney General Rob Bonta investigate this crime as a potential Anti-Asian hate crime. We must hold the attackers accountable for their actions and ensure that justice is served," the organization wrote on the GoFundMe page. g

USFGG & FARC (Washington DC). g

PH not meddling in Taiwan affairs

by Franco Jose c. Baroña, Bernadette e tamayo and Kristina maralit ManilaTimes.net

THE Department of National Defense (DND) has denied that the Philippine government is meddling in China's dispute with Taiwan. "We reiterate that our primordial concern in Taiwan is the safety and well-being of the Filipinos living and working on the island," DND spokesman Arsenio Andolong said in a statement.

Andolong was reacting to the statement of Chinese Ambassador to the Philippines Huang Xilian that the safety and welfare of the thousands of Filipinos working in Taiwan could be jeopardized if Manila continues to recognize the independence of the island nation.

Beijing has long claimed that Taiwan is a province of China.

Andolong also disagreed with Huang that the situation in Taiwan is similar to Manila's security concerns in Mindanao.

"We wish to emphasize that the issues are different from each other. The whole context and rich experience of our peace process in Mindanao, which allowed the participation of the international community, is aligned with the Philippines' position of resolving disputes peacefully," he said.

Andolong stressed that the DND "deems it prudent to prepare for any contingencies to ensure the safety of Filipinos overseas, especially those based in Taiwan."

He said that considering the complex regional security landscape, the DND seeks to improve the Philippines' defense capabilities "through all the means available to us."

Andolong made it clear the implementation of the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) between the Philippines and the United States "is not directed against any country and is in line with our efforts to modernize our alliance and enable collective defense and peace, promote our national interest, protect our national sovereignty, ensure the livelihood and welfare of our fisherfolk and communities, and enhance our capability to

respond to emergencies and disasters, as well as provide humanitarian assistance."

He renewed the appeal to all concerned parties and states "to adhere to the rule of law and diplomacy in managing differences."

Speaking at a forum on Friday, Huang advised the Philippines to "unequivocally oppose Taiwan independence rather than stoking the fire by offering the U.S. access to the military bases near the Taiwan Strait if you care genuinely about the 150,000 [overseas Filipino workers]."

On Sunday, April 16, Sen. Ana Theresia "Risa" Hontiveros demanded that Beijing recall Huang over his "threatening" statements.

Hontiveros said if China has issues with the U.S., she should "not drag the Philippines" into their fight.

Beijing has accused Washington of creating tension in the region by expanding its military presence.

Huang said the Philippines is "stoking the fire by offering the U.S. access to the military bases near the Taiwan Strait" referring to the bases designated as EDCA sites.

Two of the four new sites — which will house visiting U.S. troops and their equipment — are in Cagayan province which is near Taiwan.

"These are truly disgraceful statements from Ambassador Huang Xilian. How dare he threaten us," the senator said.

"Our OFWs in Taiwan will continue to work where they work. End of story. Filipinos will thrive and make a living according to our wishes," she stressed in a statement.

"The Palace should tell Beijing to recall their representative in Manila as soon as possible," Hontiveros said.

She said Huang "has no business being a diplomat if he is unable to engage with us in a respectful and dignified manner."

The Philippines, she said, will never interfere with the issue of Taiwanese independence. "That is exclusively for the people of

Taiwan to tackle." She said it was China "who has been stoking tensions in the region, claiming territories that aren't hers."

"It is China who continues to bully, harass, and intimidate other smaller nations in the region. It is China who is making all this mess," Hontiveros said, Hontiveros said Huang "along with his country's ships and artificial islands in the West Philippine Sea, should pack up and leave."

"We, in the Philippines, respect the right of the Taiwanese people to self-determination, and this right must be upheld by all other nations that share this planet, even including the autocratic regime of China," she said.

The U.S. Embassy in Manila, in a text to reporters, said it has "no specific response to Ambassador Huang's comments, other than to say what we have said repeatedly: EDCA sites will support combined training exercises and interoperability between US and Philippine forces to ensure that we're even better prepared for future crises."

"EDCA is a key component of the US Philippine alliance, and is not about any other third country," the embassy said.

In a statement over the weekend, National Security Council Assistant Director General and spokesman Jonathan Malaya reacted strongly to Huang's insinuation that the Philippines is a willing participant in the attempt of the US to push its "anti-China agenda" by adding four more EDCA sites.

"National Security Adviser Eduardo M. Año has made our position clear that the increased security cooperation between the Philippines and the United States is meant to develop and strengthen the capabilities of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) to enable it to protect and defend the territory of the Philippines and is not meant to contain or counter any nation in the region or to interfere in another nation's affairs," Malaya u PAGE 7

Day One of e-Travel smooth – BI

MANILA — The full implementation of the e-Travel system that required the online registration of all departing and arriving air travelers was “very smooth, with no glitches,” the Bureau of Immigration (BI) reported on Sunday, April 16.

Immigration Commissioner Norman Tansingco said the BI’s single data collection platform for integrated border control, health surveillance and economic data analysis of all passengers through the airport that began last Saturday was a success.

In a statement, Dennis Javier who heads the Technical Working Group of the e-Travel System said, “So far, the implementation remains very smooth, with no noted glitches or issues.”

Tansingco expressed satisfaction that this online registration for airport procedures is now at par with systems being used by other countries for their arrival and

departure data.

“Modernization of the bureau is really one of the priorities of the BI. This is but the first step in many technological improvements in immigration,” he said.

The commissioner added that more than 32,000 arriving foreigners and Filipinos have registered in the system, while more than 14,000 departing Filipinos had logged in at the site.

The platform, which was initially launched in December to cover only arriving passengers, has now expanded to include departing travelers for a full system rollout.

Last April 14, a virtual orientation and questionand-answer session was conducted with the Airline Operators Council to address various inquiries from airlines participating in the system’s implementation, said Javier.

They also held a meeting with BI terminal heads and immigration officers and addressed operational concerns.

Under the new system, all

passengers and crewmembers arriving in the Philippines are required to register through etravel.gov.ph not earlier than 72 hours from their intended arrival.

Those who fail to register through e-Travel will be assisted by the airline staff upon arrival and before assessment by the quarantine office.

As a replacement of the paperbased departure cards, only outbound Filipino passengers are required to register in the system at least 72 hours, but not less than three hours, from their scheduled departure from the Philippines.

Departing Filipinos who fail to register or update their e-Travel record may do it before the immigration inspection or may fill out departure cards, which are readily available inside the immigration area.

Registered passengers may update their status under the “Edit Registration” tab and the crew, under the “Registered Crew” tab. The registering and updating of records are free of charge. g

by EvElyn Macairan Philstar.com

A worthwhile campaign vs malnutrition, child stunting

THE Management Association of the Philippines (MAP) has just launched a campaign against malnutrition and child stunting in the country through initiatives that will complement the government’s Philippine Multi-Sectoral Nutrition Project.

This comes after a study by the World Bank showed that the country has one of the worst cases of child stunting in the world. The Philippines ranked fifth with the highest stunting prevalence among countries in the East Asia and Pacific Region. It is also among the top 10 worst countries in the world. In last week's editorial, we traced malnutrition as one of the causes why Filipino elementary-school students got very low marks in science, mathematics and English proficiency in Southeast Asia.

Editorial

According to the World Health Organization, stunting is a growth and development impairment of children resulting from poor nutrition, repeated infection and inadequate psychosocial stimulation.

According to MAP President and BDB Law founding partner Benedicta Du-Baladad, the group's presence in the food, retail, health care, education and logistics industries, as well as other sectors, would help leapfrog progress in resolving malnutrition through sustainable and effective interventions and actions.

Rightly so; the MAP will broaden its role beyond fund generation and philanthropy to a shared responsibility in addressing malnutrition in the country. Henceforth, it will actively participate in the programming and governance of nutrition strategies and interventions, using the much-vaunted project management skills of its members.

Dr. Cielito Habito, governor in charge for the MAP Cluster on Resilience and Recovery, said MAP's

Babe’s Eye View

BABE ROMUALDEZ

THE Philippine Economic Briefing (PEB) we hosted at the Fairmont Hotel in Washington, DC was extremely successful and attended by close to 170 top business executives from various American companies and organizations.

Our team of economic managers led by Finance

Secretary Ben Diokno, Bangko

Sentral ng Pilipinas Governor Felipe Medalla, Budget Secretary

Amenah Pangandaman and National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA)

Secretary Arsenio Balisacan gave their presentations during the PEB that was held on the sidelines of the seven-day International Monetary FundWorld Bank (IMF-WB) Annual Spring Meetings in Washington.

Joining the economic team managers during the briefing were Foreign Affairs Secretary Ricky Manalo, Information and Communications Technology

Secretary Ivan Uy, Congressman Mujiv Hataman of Basilan, GSIS president and general manager

diverse ecosystem would muster the strength of the private sector to mobilize and help the government achieve its nutrition's objectives. He said child stunting is a "major threat" to the country's future.

If the problem is not addressed in an urgent and decisive manner, we will be placing our country's future in the hands of stunted children who will become adults with limited capacities to be productive, competitive and creative. Its exponential effect on national development and progress will be calamitous.

The MAP will collaborate with the Department of Health, National Nutrition Council, and Department of Social Welfare and Development. It will also ask the government to declare stunting as a priority national agenda. Beyond words, concrete actions should be cascaded to the community level. This would allow the local government units to allocate funds for feeding programs with emphasis on maternal nutrition, babies and toddlers. Vegetable farms in the communities and vegetable gardens in the elementary schools should be encouraged again. According to the Global Nutrition Institute, schools and educators have a role to play in reducing malnutrition around the world. They can do these through various ways.

First, girls' participation in schooling can be improved. Girls' schooling can reduce adolescent pregnancy — a risk factor for small birth size — as well as raise the age of marriage and reduce total

fertility. Clearly, in the long run what girls learn in school is even more important. This is not just basic literacy and numeracy, but also information on health and nutrition.

Second, the school can serve as a platform for nutrition education and other nutrition-related services. There is evidence on school-based modules for nutrition education, particularly in encouraging healthy eating and promoting exercise to curb obesity. Hygiene and handwashing should also be encouraged, well as the teaching of modules addressing risky activities linked to adolescent pregnancies.

Third, make school meals a nutrition intervention and use school feeding as a potential support to agricultural development. In addition to its nutrition,

education and social protection objectives, school feeding is increasingly asked to support agricultural development through homegrown school feeding programs. Adding a new objective increases the trade-offs that must be considered. In the case of homegrown school feeding, decentralization makes fortification — one means by which school meals can reduce micronutrient deficiencies — more challenging, but not impossible. Over time, however, homegrown school feeding may improve dietary diversity and increase food security among low-income producers. These are doable and concrete measures that the schools can do and that the MAP should encourage. The future of a stunted Filipino nation is difficult to contemplate. (ManilaTimes.net)

Philippine economy on an upward trajectory

Wick Veloso and SSS president and CEO Rolando Macasaet. We have had numerous economic briefings in Washington in the past, but I must say that the one we held last Wednesday was the best I have ever seen in all my years, as the presentations highlighted the Philippine economy to be dynamic, as well as responsive and adaptive to challenges and opportunities.

There is no doubt that our security alliance with the US played a key role, but it is clear that ensuring economic security is equally critical in order to build a resilient and inclusive economy that will strengthen both the Philippines and the United States. Solidifying our alliance through more trade and investments can increase commerce, empower our people and ensure a peaceful, secure and prosperous environment for all of us.

In his presentation, Secretary Diokno emphasized that infrastructure spending is front and center of the Philippines’ growth strategy, with the government committed to reverse the under-investment in infrastructure that has been going on for more than a decade,

averaging at only two percent of gross domestic product (GDP) growth.

This focus on infrastructure spending was echoed by Budget Secretary Amenah Pangandaman, who disclosed that the Philippines is determined to maintain infrastructure spending at 5-6 percent of GDP in the medium term, knowing full well that infrastructure is “the backbone of the economy.”

American investors were also pleased to know that the bulk of the administration’s infrastructure budget is aimed at improving physical connectivity throughout the Philippines through the construction of accessible road networks, railways, buildings and flood control infrastructure, among many others.

Improving the country’s digital infrastructure was also a priority as this will help ensure that the Philippines continues to be a viable investment destination, with P24.13 billion or $434.3 million allocated to accelerate the country’s digital transformation, Secretary Pangandaman disclosed.

Secretary Diokno also bared that the “economic liberalization measures that the Philippine government has enacted in recent

years have opened up key highgrowth sectors to international participation,” outlining the reforms such as the amendments to the Retail Trade Liberalization Act (RTLA), Foreign Investments Act (FIA) and the Public Service Act (PSA) that relaxed foreign restrictions on investments in the Philippines.

“Companies engaged in solar, wind, hydro and tidal energy are also welcome to invest in the Philippines’ renewable energy sector now that it has been opened up to full foreign ownership,” Secretary Diokno told the businessmen present.

As I explained to the attendees, our economic managers, in partnership with the legislature, the private sector and other stakeholders, are making changes to improve infrastructure and establish game-changing measures that will facilitate not only more economic activities for the Philippine business sector but also more foreign investments. But what struck me most during the briefing were the extemporaneous remarks of Ndiamé Diop, the World Bank’s Country Director for the Philippines, Malaysia, Thailand and Brunei. In my experience as a news reporter, I know for a

fact that when a person speaks extemporaneously, it means that he has real knowledge on what he is talking about, compared to someone who totally reads from his prepared remarks.

Mr. Diop noted the Philippines’ “remarkable growth story” and how it rebounded very strongly from the Covid-19 pandemic with 7.6 percent growth. He agreed with the interconnected structural reforms mentioned by Secretary Diokno, adding that “prudent macro-fiscal and macro financial management” is also behind the resilience of the country’s growth and macro stability.

The country’s push for infrastructure could really accelerate the transformation of the Philippine economy in the next decade. Recalling a World Bank analysis almost a decade earlier showing that productivity loss due to lack of infrastructure was around $54 million every day or about $80 billion a year, lifting the infrastructure spending to 5 percent is therefore a “game changer,” the WB executive said. He also noted that the investment regime of the Philippines has for a long time been “one of the most restrictive in the region,” but what the government has been doing

over the last few years to open up these infrastructure services to foreign direct investment and all types of investment is “very significant.”

We are the fastest growing economy right now in our part of the world, a fact affirmed by many, including the IMF that expects the Philippines to record the fastest economic growth in Asia. Having ended 2022 with the fastest growth in the last 40 years, things are really looking good, especially with the recently concluded 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue that has made American investors feel more reassured due to the strengthened relations between the Philippines and the U.S.

As I told the briefing attendees, investing in the Philippines is both a smart and strategic economic decision. By supporting the growth and development of our country, they are contributing to the stability and prosperity of the region. (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

Explaining the popularity of Duterte and Marcos

WHEN Pulse Asia released its latest approval rating for our top political leaders based on interviews with 1,200 randomly selected respondents across the country between March 15 and 19, the partisan reaction was excruciatingly predictable.

On one hand, impresarios and diehard supporters of the House of Duterte and House of Marcos were ecstatic. Their leaders’ apparent popularity, per the survey, was taken as an unquestionable reaffirmation of their unshakable belief in the magical powers of their patrons.

Meanwhile, some supporters of the opposition reverted to a familiar playbook: shooting the messenger! Per tradition, “False Asia” began to trend anew on Twitter, the one social media

platform that is not dominated by far-right influencers, who tend to be wit-shy. A familiar coterie of intellectual charlatans leaned on their art of nitpicking to expose supposed flaws in either the survey design or the very integrity of the polling agency.

Right off the bat, let me make this crystal clear, dear readers: Both sides are wrong.

To begin with, baselessly questioning the integrity of authoritative survey agencies such as Pulse Asia, which is led and staffed by folks of utmost professionalism, is deeply unethical. Mind you, mindless attacks on credible institutions—in favor of dodgy “analytics”—constitutes its own form of disinformation.

To understand the apparent popularity of President Marcos and Vice President Sara Duterte, there are three data sets and factors to keep in mind. First of all, a cursory look at the Social

Weather Stations’ surveys in the post-dictatorship shows that all Filipino presidents, with the notable exception of Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, had extremely high net satisfaction ratings in their first year in office. In fact, the late President Fidel Ramos, arguably our most competent by our admittedly humble standards, started at close to +70 net satisfaction rating.

Second, the popularity of both House of Marcos and House of Duterte reflects a more fundamental structural reality, namely widespread dissatisfaction with our broken democratic institutions, which failed to uplift the vast number of Filipino people out of destitution three decades after the fall of a kleptocratic dictatorship.

After all, how on earth can we call ours a democratic system when up to 90 percent of legislative offices are dominated by political

dynasties, while 40 richest families have been gobbling up the bulk of newly created growth in recent memory? Not even Latin American nations have such a comprehensive oligarchic system! Mind you: the concentration of power in the hands of dynasties was even exacerbated during reformist presidencies, with close to 80 percent of congressional seats in the hands of few families by the mid-2010s.

No wonder then, all reputable global surveys show that only a minority of Filipinos are fully committed to liberal democratic politics. To put things into perspective: A 2017 Pew Research Center survey, confirming an earlier World Values Survey in the early2010s, showed that more than eight out of 10 Filipinos were either supportive of or open to an authoritarian system. In 2020, another Pew Survey showed that almost half of

Filipino respondents said “most elected officials do not care” about the welfare of ordinary citizens.

The political scientist Adele Webb described this phenomenon as “democratic ambivalence.” I described it earlier as nothing less than “democracy fatigue,” even if we never truly had a democracy. In short, our oligarchs gave a bad name to democracy.

And this brings us to the third factor: The return of what German sociologist Max Weber described as “charismatic” leadership, namely political figures who are, in the eyes of their diehard supporters, “endowed with supernatural, superhuman, or at least specifically exceptional powers or qualities.” By all accounts, both Mr. Marcos and Duterte are primarily charismatic leaders, thus beneficiaries of what can be best described as “asymmetrical accountability”:

The views expressed by our Op-Ed contributors are solely their own and do not necessarily reflect the predilection of

When things go wrong, it’s always the fault of their underlings or institutions under their watch, but when things go right, the credit goes to the charismatic leader. The concept of command responsibility is nonexistent. It’s all about faith in political will.

This partly explains why our top two leaders enjoy extremely high approval ratings even if all reputable surveys show low confidence in either the presidential Cabinet or, more specifically, the Department of Education, which is run by the Vice President. In Philippine politics, subjective charisma trumps objective competence. (Inquirer.net)

* *

*

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

* * * rheydarian@inquirer.com.ph

board and staff

Cagayanos hold rally vs 2 EDCA sites

ABOUT 7,000 people gathered at the Rizal Park in this city to convince President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to change his mind on designating two military camps in Cagayan province as Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) sites.

"We are asking for a miracle that the President will change his mind about EDCA," Tuao, Cagayan Mayor William Mamba told the participants of the prayer rally.

Clarita Lunas, retired regional supervisor from the Department of Education and a provincial consultant on education, said the concept of the prayer rally started after The Naval Base Camilo Osias in Santa Ana and the Lal-lo Airport have been selected as locations where the U.S. military can stock weapons and equipment under the EDCA. Seven other sites have been named in other parts of the country.

Lunas, one of the convenors of the prayer rally, told The Manila Times "the only weapon we have, during our meeting [with other convenors] is prayer."

Lunas said the EDCA sites are "clear areas where American forces will launch their impending war because of China's plan to recover Taiwan.

She said it is a conflict "that

Cagayan has nothing to do with."

"Because of this, many lives will surely be lost and properties damaged," Lunas said.

She made it clear that Cagayan is not against President Marcos, "neither are we against the national policy."

"What we are fighting is the establishment of two EDCA sites in our province," she said.

"It is the duty of our leaders to protect the Cagayan people from the hardship and suffering brought about by a potential war between the U.S.-China over the Taiwan issue."

In his speech during the rally, Cagayan Gov. Manuel Mamba said that for him, "EDCA is simply war."

"Additional EDCA sites are an obstacle to the economic development of Cagayan. Foreign investors from China, South Korea, Japan and even Taiwan will be afraid of Cagayan because of the fear that Cagayan will become a stronghold in America's war," said Mamba.

He said the presence of the EDCA sites will be an obstacle to the realization of the Cagayan Development Agenda 2025 and the Cagayan International Gateway Project (CIGP) which aims to open the international

airport in Piat, Cagayan, and the international seaport in Aparri.

"A peaceful and productive relationship with our Asian neighbors will bring prosperity to Cagayan. We want Cagayan to be the center of agro-industrial hubs in the international port, and not the center of foreign military bases whose clear objective is to enable war between America and China," he said.

Mamba said that the presence of foreign forces in the province puts Cagayan in a "risky situation" if war breaks out between America and China.

"If the EDCA sites are meant to protect our territory in the West Philippine Sea against China, these sites should be established near the West Philippine Sea and not in Cagayan, a province in the North that is very far from the said Philippine territory," the governor said.

"The only military forces we want and need in Cagayan are our own Armed Forces of the Philippines," he said.

Mamba said armed conflict as a means of settling disputes between nations is unacceptable.

"Our strength is to be a friend to everyone and not an enemy to anyone," he said. (ManilaTimes. net)

Immigration bureau: New trafficking scheme uses pilgrimage as cover

by KRistinE Joy patag Philstar.com

MANILA — A new trafficking scheme targeting Filipinos who want to work abroad as household workers has them trying to leave the country by claiming to be religious pilgrims. This is the new scheme that the Bureau of Immigration uncovered after officers of their travel control and enforcement unit intercepted two women trying to fly out to Doha in Qatar.

In a statement on Monday, April 17, BI said the two trafficking victims, aged 36 and 37 years old, claimed to be Muslim pilgrims. They said they planned to travel by bus to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to participate in Umrah —

De Lima drug case now up for decision

by Ralph Edwin VillanuEVa Philstar.com

MANILA — One of the two remaining drug cases filed against Leila De Lima has been submitted for decision, the former senator’s camp announced on Monday, April 17.

Escorted by police, De Lima attended the hearing on Monday at the Muntinlupa Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 204.

Filibon Tacardon, lawyer for De Lima, said they are expecting the decision to be promulgated on May 12.

“We will soon find out if former senator Leila de Lima is

innocent of the charges. We are asking our countrymen to pray for the dismissal of the case filed against her,” Tacardon told reporters.

The charges stemmed from the allegation that De Lima received drug money from former Bureau of Corrections officer-in-charge Rafael Ragos.

Ragos and self-confessed drug trafficker Kerwin Espinosa have retracted their allegations against De Lima.

Following the recantation of Ragos and Espinosa, Tacordon said the former senator’s camp has decided to submit the case for resolution.

Tacardon said the petition for

PH not meddling in Taiwan...

said.

He noted that Año even had a meeting with Huang last week to assure the Chinese government that the Marcos administration is for the peaceful resolution of the Taiwan issue and the continued stability of the region.

"The identified EDCA sites are

Philippine bases which we want to further develop based on the requirements for strategic basing and development of the AFP. These were not U.S.dictated but identified by our armed forces," Malaya said.

"By developing our military and base infrastructure, we are pursuing our national interest

bail for the remaining drug case filed against De Lima before the Muntinlupa RTC Branch 256 remains pending.

In February 2021, the Muntinlupa RTC Branch 205 dismissed one of the three drug complaints lodged against De Lima.

De Lima has been accused of benefiting financially from the illegal drug trade at the New Bilibid Prison in Muntinlupa when she was justice secretary. She has denied the allegation.

She marked her sixth year in detention at the Philippine National Police Custodial Center at Camp Crame in Quezon City in February. g

and actually contributing to regional peace and stability," he said.

Malaya also maintained that the country observes the One China policy and subscribes to the principle of the Association of Southeast Nations "of noninterference in approaching regional issues." g

a non-obligatory but important pilgrimage for Muslims.

They had also said that they recently converted to Islam and they planned to stay in Saudi for seven days.

"However, the officers noted numerous inconsistencies in their statements," BI said.

The two later on admitted that their documents were fabricated and that a woman recruited them, via Facebook, and processed their visas and tickets. The victims said they were instructed to pose as Muslims to depart the country.

The two have since been turned over to the Inter-Agency Council against Trafficking for further investigation and to initiate cases against their recruiter.

Trafficking schemes on the

rise In March, the immigration bureau said it had noted an increase in n the number of young professionals – even "those with good travel records, gainfully employed and are graduates of good schools " — being deceived by cryptocurrency scams abroad that advertise false promises of high salaries. BI officers have since resorted to conducting lengthy interviews to screen passengers. Immigration Commissioner Norman Tansingco last week said that eliminating human trafficking and illegal recruitment will require a concerted effort from all government agencies. g

Solons say divorce bill will help abused spouses start anew

MANILA – The Senate needs to pick up speed on the divorce bill for the sake of spouses who are victim-survivors of domestic abuse and after the House of Representatives already approved the measure “in principle.”

The Committee on Women, Children, Family Relations, and Gender Equality, chaired by Senator Risa Hontiveros, conducted a hearing on Tuesday on various bills about the dissolution of marriage. She particularly cited women who need legal recourse to get out of their marriage.

"Some Filipino women have almost been killed by their own husbands. But most of them cannot leave their marriages because of the prohibitive costs of filing for an annulment. Bigyan na natin ang ating mga kababaihan ng pagkakataong makalaya sa masalimuot at abusadong pagsasama. Bigyan natin sila ng oportunidad na mahalin at magmahal muli. Ipasa na ang (Let us give them a chance to be free from a complicated and abusive union. Let us give them an opportunity to love and be loved again. Let us pass the) divorce bill," Hontiveros said in her opening statement.

“Once you've realized you've made a mistake, the way out shouldn't be traumatizing to the average married Filipino -financially, psychologically, and socially. We all deserve a second chance at love and in life.”

The 2017 National Demographic and Health Survey by the Philippine Statistics Authority showed one in four married women aged 15 years to 49 years experienced spousal violence, whether physical, sexual, or emotional.

"When a marriage becomes irreparable, it is incumbent upon the State to not only provide

relief to spouses, but also protect children from the pain, anxiety, and trauma of witnessing regular marital clashes. Let us give Filipino families the chance to let go of toxic relationships," Hontiveros said.

The House, she said, has been making moves to help the country catch up with the rest of the world.

The Philippines and the Vatican City are the only two places in the world where divorce is not allowed.

“The Senate must do the same. Past surveys have demonstrated that the majority of Filipinos favor divorce to be instituted in the country. We better listen to our people," Hontiveros said.

Senators Raffy Tulfo also invited anti-divorce advocates to attend the next hearing.

In February, the House

Committee on Population and Family Relations approved House Bill 1593 (Church Nullity Act of 2022) and endorsed it to a technical working group tasked with crafting a substitute measure. Albay 1st District Rep Edcel Lagman said the divorce bill would give spouses, especially wives, the option of getting out of an "irremediably broken marriage" and a chance to start over.

"While it is said that marriages are solemnized in heaven, the fact is some marriages plummet into hell because of human frailty and imperfections. The Divorce Act seeks to redeem couples, particularly the abused or abandoned wives, from infernal agony," Lagman said in a previous statement. (Leonel Abasola/PNA)

EMPLOYMENT EMPLOYMENT EMPLOYMENT

NATURE TRIP. The Senate Committees on Tourism, led by Sen. Nancy Binay (front), and

photo by Franco Jose Baroña

The Asian Journal MDWK

Anji reinvents herself

By bot Glorioso Philstar.com

ANJI Salvacion is saying goodbye to her sweet, bubbly image for a more sophisticated and alluring look that complemented the sound and feel of her new single titled “Paraiso.”

“This track will pave the way for new Anji — alluring, jaunty, immaculate,” enthused the Pinoy Big Brother Kumunity Season 10 grand winner who has become visible on screen as a singer, actress and host.

“I like to explore and experiment with different sounds. So, I believe that “Paraiso ” is the perfect song to introduce the new me,” she added.

Released under Tarsier Records, “ Paraiso ” sees Anji creating a sound different from the ballads in her debut EP Kasingkasing Dalampasigan released last year. She is toning down the sound of heartbreak and turning up the volume of happiness and fun.

“I always sing heartbreaking songs. Everybody knows how I love to sing songs that break me. But now, I love to sing songs that really inspire me — my roots, everything about me,” declared the 20-year-old Kapamilya talent.

Composed by U.S.-based Filipina Annie Lennox and produced by Exale, Paraiso can make any listener grooving to its upbeat sound. That’s why, Anji agreed that the song can be a summer anthem.

“When I first heard the song, I felt excited because it’s

empowering and I really love the lyrics of the song,” she offered. “The beat always reminds me of the beach every time I listen to it on my laptop, naka-save na kasi ito even before its release (last April 14).

“It just made me dance, but at the same time, it made me so nervous because I was thinking, ‘Oh my god, the lyrics are so beautiful, the beat — everything was so beautiful,’ and I don’t know if I’m gonna deliver this well or (if I’m) good enough.”

Thus, Anji was elated no end when everything just worked out beautifully. “While we were recording it, I felt like the song made me confident

about myself. It made me love myself even more. I just hope everyone will resonate with me when they listen to the song. I want everyone to love themselves even more,” she offered.

Anji admitted to having felt butterflies in her stomach during the first day of the recording sessions with Annie and Exale.

“I was really nervous because it’s my first time working with different people. I used to only work with Sir Rox (Rox Santos, ABSCBN Music head) and Sir Jo (Jonathan Manalo, ABS-CBN Music creative director). But I was so happy that everybody in Tarsier was so chill and so welcoming, especially Miss Annie, so I felt comfortable right away.”

Asked what she considers as her concept of paradise, Anji replied without batting an eyelash, “Of course, my home(town) Siargao. It has always been a paradise for me and growing up in such a beautiful place with beautiful memories, it’s amazing. I would always choose Siargao and go back to Siargao.”

To recall, Anji was introduced as the Singing Sweetheart of Siargao when she entered PBB house as one of the housemates last year. She couldn’t help but recall her journey after her stint in PBB.

Unti-unting na nga siyang natupad (pangarap). First, I was able to release my song Dalampasigan, then I felt so blessed when they offered me to do a concert — digital

Continued on Page 9

7’s Football League to host international tournament in Philippines

Donnabelle GatDula-arevalo

By

THE 7’s Football League (7s FL), headed by Filipino American football icon Anton del Rosario, is kicking off two major first-of-its kind seven-aside football tournaments.

Del Rosario, in an interview with the Asian Journal, said the league will hold its first international tournament in the Philippines from April 21-23, 2023, with title sponsor BPI AIA Life Assurance Corp.

The BPI AIA Asia 7s Football Championship, which will determine the best in the continent in terms of sevena-side football, will feature teams from the Philippines, India, Brunei and Japan.

Gaining popularity as more sports enthusiasts around the world are getting hooked to it, the seven-a-side football is one of the mini variations of football. From the usual 11-a-side, it is played among seven players in each team consisting of one goalkeeper and six outfield players. The pitch of seven-a-side football ranges from 50-65 yards in length and 25-50 yards in width, respectively.

Another first-ever event with a hefty prize pot, he said, is going to be held in the United States.

“We also have a competition in the U.S. We are already preparing for it. It’s a $1 million winner-takes-all tournament,” he said.

This seven-a-side football tournment will be held in North Carolina on June 1-4, 2023.  Around 32 teams from all over the world are expected to join in this exciting tournament. There will be a $20,000 registration fee each team.

Del Rosario is thrilled as this is going to be an event where a “very interesting community of football players getting together.”

“Our team will be consisting of captains and old national team players of countries across Southeast Asia. It will be composed of Filipinos and other Asian ethnicities, primarily Southeast Asian. Specifically, we will have three Filipinos, two Indonesians, one from Guam and another from Thailand,”

he said.

AJPress impact and change-driven entrepreneur Dion Ugbebor, who is a co-owner and partner in 7’s FL, will also be helping in providing a positive platform for the youth to play and champion their love for football, and that love for sports can help them empower their way into the future: healthy, ambitious but joyful, positive risk takers.

Some of the teams that will be participating are top class, del Rosario said. One of which is owned by actor Ryan Reynolds. His team Wrexham, which has grown extremely popular from the Hulu documentary, “Welcome to Wrexham,” will be fielding their top team.

Eva Longoria will also be sending her team from Mexico’s top league, Necaxa.

We can also expect legends of the U.S. Men’s National Team and Legends of the U.S. Women’s National Team to participate.

“For this tournament, we are putting together a team of international players from across Southeast Asia to compete and win $1 million, and to extend seven-a-side football across Asia. That’s our story and that’s our goal,” del Rosario said.

He is optimistic that this tournament will also gain a lot of support from sports and football enthusiasts as the players who would be participating are quite popular and have a lot of online followers in social media.

“All of these players are quite influential,” he said. “Our player from Indonesia has 1.5 million followers. Our teammate from Thailand has 1.3 million followers. Our teammate from Philippines has 150,000 followers. Our teammate from Malaysia has 350,000 followers. So we are putting together a very special team with influential people from across Asia,” he said.

The tournament in the Philippines, on the other hand, will be a different set-up as participating teams will be representing their respective countries, he said.

“The teams competing in the Philippines are representing the countries itself. The one competing here in the U.S. will be representing all of Asia,” the football icon said.

He said they are planning to tap other Asian countries, not only Southeast Asia like Vietnam and Korea, to join this first-of-its-kind seven-a-side football tournament.

U.S.-based social

The 7’s football tournament in the Philippines will also be supported by Esdiac Calling App, TapGo, Ovation Productions and the City of BGC (Bonifacio Global City).  Esdiac will be providing free calling minutes to all international partners; TapGo will be in-charge of the streaming platform; Ovation Productions will be handling the festivities/concert; and the City of BGC will serve as the host city/venue of the event.

Del Rosario said they have also coordinated with the Philippine Department of Tourism (DOT) as many foreign visitors will be flying in to the country to participate and/or watch the tournament.

According to del Rosario, these kinds of events may be used by the Philippines and the DOT as a possible avenue to promote the country’s sports tourism.

“We are already in talks with the DOT to be able to support the event and be a partner. They gave us their 100% support in this endeavor. We cannot discount the possibility of this, being the start of promoting the Philippines’ sports tourism industry,” he said.

For the upcoming Philippine competition, del Rosario, who is now based in Los Angeles, is encouraging Fil-Ams who are passionate in the game of football to visit their home country.

He reiterated that if given the right support, the future of the seven-a-side football is bright for all Filipinos wherever they are.  “I want the seven-a-side football to be started in the Philippines. I want it to be the origin country, the place where it took place. Later on, in the history books, seven-aside football, once it becomes a sport, I want the Philippines to be on that article,” he stressed.

Filipino American athlete Anton del Rosario is the founder of the Philippines’ 7’s Football League and is determined

football a popular way to play the sport.

Photo courtesy of the 7’s Football

The BPI AIA Asia 7s Football Championship will be held on April 21-23, 2023 in Manila and will feature teams from the Philippines, India, Brunei and Japan. Photo courtesy of the 7’s Football League

Kapamilya talent Anji Salvacion says her new single, “Paraiso,” will pave the way for her new image. The single, released under Tarsier Records, is now available in various music streaming platforms. Photo from Instagram/@_anjisalvacio_

really

Claudine shares rare photos of son Santino

By HannaH Mallorca Inquirer.net

FOR the first time in a long while, Claudine Barretto posted on social media a photo of Santino, her son with estranged husband Raymart Santiago.

Tippy Dos Santos, Eva Patalinjug, Inah Revilla among 2022 Bar exam passers

By Kristofer Purnell Philstar.com

SINGER and former

Myx VJ Tippy Dos Santos and Binibining Pilipinas

Grand International 2018

Eva Patalinjug were among the nearly 4,000 individuals who passed the 2022 Bar examinations.

Tippy was surrounded by family members during the announcement of results and her live reaction to seeing her name was caught on camera.

Her husband Miguel Porcuna further congratulated Tippy on surpassing this hurdle to becoming a lawyer.

“Called it. Congratulations, my love! No doubt since day one! Nowhere but up, and I am excited for what’s in store for you!” Miguel wrote in an Instagram post.

Eva, who had finished outside the Top 20 of Miss

Grand International 2018, documented her achievement on her own Instagram account.

“Finally, ATTY. EVA

PSYCHEE S. PATALINJUG, R.N.,” Eva wrote in her caption, this as she is also a registered nurse, along with a scales emoji.

Also a 2022 Bar exam passer is Inah Revilla, the daughter of actor-senator Bong Revilla and Cavite 2nd district Representative Lani MercadoRevilla.

Both of Inah’s parents took to social media to congratulate their daughter on passing and to acknowledge there is now a lawyer in the family. Lahat ng hirap, sakripisyo, at pagsisipag ay laging nagbubunga ng maganda,” Lani had written.

Bong, meanwhile, noted that apart from balancing it with her duties as a mother, Inah had pursued becoming a

lawyer partly because of him and for him.

Hindi ko mapigilan maluha sa tuwa, at hindi ko mailagay sa salita ang pagiging proud ko bilang isang ama... Now that you have reached your dream of becoming a lawyer, always remember why God has blessed you with this — to help and bless others,” said Bong.

3,992 people passed the 2022 Bar exams — the second one conducted under the shadow of the COVID-19 pandemic — out of the 9,183 examinees who finished the four-day test for aspiring lawyers, yielding a passing rate of 43.47% which is significantly lower than 2020/21’s 72.28%.

Tippy, Eva, Inah, and all other 2022 Bar Exam passers will become practicing lawyers after the oath-taking and signing of the Roll of Attorneys at the Philippine International Convention Center on May 2.

Anji reinvents herself...

From Page 8

concert. I was so grateful for that.

“This time, my wish to be in a teleserye is also coming true. To be an actress, to be given a chance, the opportunity to act with great,

great people, great actors, great talents.”

Anji is also hoping to get international attention through “ Paraiso ”, “and this is the first step in realizing that dream with Tarsier releasing the song internationally.”

Barretto was one proud mom when she showed a rare photo of her son on Instagram on Sunday, April 16, even though he specifically told her not to post them since he was not fond of taking pictures of himself. The seasoned actress was seen leaning on her bespectacled son from behind, while the latter appeared to have a serious expression on his face.

“Wow [starry-eyed emoji] Finally, he agreed to have his picture taken with me. I promised not to post this though,” she said in the caption. The rare mother-and-son moment caught the attention of netizens, with many pointing out Santino’s strong resemblance to the “Milan” star in the comments. On the other hand, others

called out the seasoned actress for supposedly not respecting his personal boundaries. Barretto then appeared to clarify the matter to some netizens, saying that her son eventually agreed to have their photos posted online.

“Ok lang po sa kanya. Alam [niya] na. Natawa lang po. Hirap po talaga pag binata,” she said in response to one @schoolnursemaria_ncsn.

(It’s okay with him. He knows

Liza says she doesn’t want to be ‘in front of the camera’ once she hits her 30s

By HannaH Mallorca Inquirer.net

LIZA Soberano has her eyes set on being a “world class artist and actress” in Hollywood at the moment, but she is also firm in her conviction that she wouldn’t stay in front of the camera for the rest of her life.

Soberano admitted that she’s considering a career behind the camera once she reaches her 30s in a cover story with local fashion magazine Preview, where she shared her thoughts about her career

growth.

“I feel like there will come a time, especially when I hit my 30s, that I won’t want to be in front of the camera anymore. So, I want to be able to learn how things work behind the scenes because I really love creating films, and I love anything creative,” she began.

“ I feel like that’s the direction I’m leaning towards. Creating, instead of being the one in front of the camera.”

The controversial actress then revealed that while trying her luck in Hollywood is a big

Continued on Page 10

already. It’s a little hard if your son is a teenage boy.) The actress also shared that Santino found the public post to be amusing. “Ok na po sa kanya. Sinabi ko na sa kanya natawa lang [siya],” she replied to another @parananangbutot. Barretto recently made headlines after she shared a video of herself visiting the grave of her ex-boyfriend, late actor Rico Yan, earlier this month.

Composite image of Tippy Dos Santos, Bong Revilla with his daughter Inah, and Eva Patalinjug Photos from Instagram/@tippydossantos8, @bongrevillajrph and @evepatalinjug

Claudine Barretto and her son Santino

Photo from Instagram/@claubarretto

Liza Soberano

Photo from Instagram/@lizasoberano

Liza says she doesn’t want to be ‘in...

From Page 9

career opportunity for her, she noted that setting her sights on a different path is a way of pushing for growth.

“I am making it a point to only do things that I think serve me and make me happy and push for my growth.

That’s one thing that I’ve kind of been able to learn in these past few months. And because I feel more confident and comfortable in doing so, I know it’s going to happen,” she said in the report. “Am I going to find what it is I’m looking for [in

How filing for divorce can affect your green card and what you can do to protect it

Hollywood]? Honestly, I don’t know. I hope so. I will try my best and I will work just as hard as I ever did, but who really knows for sure,” she further explained.

The “Dolce Amore” star, who signed with James Reid’s label Careless in June 2022, also admitted that she used to see change as a “negative thing,” although she realized that it can be seen as an opportunity to learn and grow.

“I grew up hearing from the more experienced people in my industry, ‘Wag ka magbago ah, ‘wag lalaki yung ulo mo.’ So that really stuck with me and I started viewing change as a negative thing,” she recalled. “Having been in the industry for over a decade, I started wanting to explore different things, to go beyond what I think I’m capable of. I’m human, we’re ever evolving and have the right to aspire for growth and will naturally change our minds about things. It’s just a natural process, and it shouldn’t be seen so negatively.”

The ex-Kapamilya star received backlash following her controversial vlog in February 2023, where she opened up about her experiences in working with ABS-CBN and former talent manager Ogie Diaz when she was 12 years old.

A month later, Soberano apologized to her previous network, Diaz, and boyfriend, Enrique Gil at an exclusive uncut interview with Boy Abunda. “You know ABS-CBN was always my second home. I have devoted so many years to them, and I’m also sorry again to them if there were people that I’ve worked with closely that were offended by some of the things I’ve said in my vlog. It was not my intention,” she said.

The actress however expressed her gratitude to ABS-CBN for taking a “risk” on her, saying, “They know this. I’m thankful to them for taking a risk on me when I was a nobody, for investing in me, developing me, and for creating Liza Soberano.”

DIVORCE is a difficult and emotional process that can have a significant impact on many aspects of a person’s life, including their immigration status. For individuals who have obtained a green card through marriage to a U.S. citizen or permanent resident, a divorce can have serious consequences. There are many people in this situation specially in major metropolitan cities such as Los Angeles which is a melting pot of intercultural marriages.

When a foreign national marries a U.S. citizen or permanent resident and the marriage is less than two years old, the foreign national is granted a conditional green card. This conditional green card is valid for two years and must be converted to a permanent green card before it expires. To convert the conditional green card to a permanent green card, the couple must jointly file a petition to remove the conditions within the 90-day period before the expiration of the conditional green card. This requires the signature of both the US Citizen Spouse and the LPR spouse on the I-751 form.

If the couple is divorced before the two-year period is up, the foreign national may be at risk of losing their conditional green card. However, if the couple has already filed a

joint petition to remove the conditions and the foreign national is divorced before the petition is approved, the foreign national may still be able to obtain permanent residency by converting the joint petition into a waiver. If the joint petition to remove the conditional lpr has not yet been filed, then the immigrant spouse may file for a waiver of the joint petition requirement.

To obtain a waiver, the foreign national must prove one of three things: that the marriage was entered into in good faith but ended in divorce or annulment, that the foreign national was subjected to domestic violence or extreme cruelty by the U.S. citizen or permanent resident spouse, or that the foreign national would suffer extreme hardship if they were forced to leave the United States.

The process of obtaining a waiver can be complex and requires a significant amount of documentation and evidence. It is important to consult with an experienced immigration attorney to ensure that all necessary documentation is submitted and that the waiver application is prepared properly.

In some cases, a divorce can also affect a foreign national’s ability to obtain a green card in the first place. If a U.S. citizen or permanent resident spouse files for divorce before the foreign national’s green card application is approved, the foreign national may be denied a green card. This is because the U.S. government may view the marriage as fraudulent if the couple divorces before the foreign national’s green card

application is approved. If you are a foreign national who has obtained a green card through marriage and you are considering divorce, it is important to consult with an experienced attorney that practices in the area of family law and immigration to understand how the divorce may impact your immigration status. An attorney can help you navigate the complex immigration laws and ensure that your rights are protected throughout the divorce process.

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

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

What is the purpose of bankruptcy law?

Debt Relief

Atty. LAwrence yAng

THE highest profile cases of bankruptcy filings are Walt Disney, Milton Hershey, Orange County, a certain Catholic diocese in the USA that was hit by the child molestation cases, the bankruptcy filings of the Trump companies during the 90s wiping out billions of debt, Toys R Us, Hertz car rentals, among many others.

A distinction can be made between individual bankruptcies as in the person Walt Disney, and the person Milton Hershey who both filed personal Chapter 7 cases, with Mr. Disney filing twice, and Mr. Hershey filing Chapter 7 once, before their businesses became wildly successful and making them both billionaires subsequently, and entity or business filings as in Orange County, the Catholic church dioceses, Hertz car rentals, and the Trump companies.

Why did the Constitution of the United States specifically authorize congress to enact bankruptcy law?

The United States Supreme Court has time and again stated that the primary policy of bankruptcy law is to give consumer debtors a “fresh start” by discharging their debt.

In the case of businesses, the policy is almost the same; that is, the purpose of bankruptcy law is to give the business a chance to start again by discharging their debt. Of course in the case of businesses, the owners of the business, the stockholders bear the brunt of the loss after creditors are paid under a bankruptcy liquidation or reorganization. In the case of Hertz — which already had financial problems before the pandemic struck, due to its large debt of $19B that it was having a hard time paying — had its stock price drop from about $100 in 2014, to $15 just before the pandemic hit in late 2019, and dropping rock bottom to $1 when it filed for bankruptcy reorganization in the middle of 2020. So, stockholders who did not sell at the peak in 2014, saw their shares of the company drop to almost zero when it filed for bankruptcy.

Because the court approved its bankruptcy reorganization plan, the company exited bankruptcy in late 2021. So those who bought at $1 have already been rewarded with a six times return on the investment of $1 that is now $6. Certainly, the plan would pay something to creditors but not

$19B, most likely a portion of that, maybe 20%. Hertz came out of bankruptcy as a much lighter company with very manageable debt and become a productive business again, able to bring in good profits as travel business continue to recover with the virus totally under control.

The “fresh start” is accomplished by allowing debtors to keep most if not all their assets through a system of exemptions provided by federal or state law, while discharge all debts, which are dischargeable. A debt is dischargeable in bankruptcy if it is not excepted from discharge. If it is not excepted, then it is discharged.

The exceptions to discharge are limited and clearly stated in the bankruptcy code. For example, a debt obtained by fraud is not dischargeable. So if you obtained a credit line of $1M from the bank by falsely claiming that your business sells $10M a year and it is later discovered that the sales figure is grossly inflated —  as proven by the significant absence of the necessary inventory in the warehouse stated in the financial statements submitted to the bank when applying for the loan —  then that credit line of $1M is not dischargeable because of fraud.

Another example is a debt owed because you killed someone because of your negligence. You made an illegal U turn, which caused an accident that killed someone. The deceased left a wife and two kids who sued you the death of her husband and their father. They were able to get a judgment against you for $3M. That $3M judgment is not dischargeble. Or, let’s say you’re the pilot who flew the helicopter that crashed and killed Kobe and his daughter. There is a judgment against you for $10M. That judgment is not dischargeable.

All debts are dischargeable unless excepted. Thus, if you owe $280,000 of credit cards and $5M of bank loans that you guaranteed for your business, all of that $5.280M is dischargeable when you file Chapter 7. How do you get a fresh start? Let’s say you own a house in LA with equity of $400,000, a retirement account of $500,000, two nice cars which you are still paying for, all the furniture in your house (assuming these are normal stuff, not like a concert piano worth $100,000), you get to keep all of these assets while getting rid of all of your debt of $5.280M.

So you get to keep all your assets, which are worth $900,000 while you wipe out all of your unsecured debt of $5.280M. That’s how you get a fresh start in life. Let’s say your income as an executive is

$90,000 a year, you still keep that income which is protected by law so your creditors can’t touch it. You still keep your two cars as long as you keep on making the car payments on time.

You get a fresh start because you don’t have to worry about the $5.280M of creditors hounding you day and night, suing you and threatening to put a lien on your house and garnish your wages.

You just flush the $5.280M of debt down the drain and don’t have to worry about them anymore for the rest of your life, but you still own your house, your retirement account, your furniture, your cars, just about all of what you own, including your salary. Isn’t that great? It sure is.

In other countries, you lose everything when you declare bankruptcy. Here in the good old USA, you get a “fresh start,” without accumulated debt and keep most if not everything you own. It’s the best bankruptcy law in the planet that favors debtors over creditors, just so debtors can have a “fresh start” in life without accumulated and debilitating debt. It’s literally a resurrection after financial death, a new life with all your assets intact without debt.

What more can anybody ask for? Just ask Walt Disney and Milton Hershey. Mr. Disney filed for Chapter 7 twice then his Disney business became a global success making him a billionaire. Mr. Hershey filed once, then his business became the biggest global chocolate business making him a billionaire. Bankruptcy law in the USA is a blessing indeed!

Without it, we won’t have Disneyland to go to, and we won’t have Hershey chocolate bars to enjoy. Both these business were made possible and came to fruition because of bankruptcy law. And the next time you rent a car from Hertz, you can thank bankruptcy law for its resurrection.

If you have too much debt and need relief, please set an appointment to see me. I will analyze your case personally.

* * * Disclaimer: None of the foregoing is considered legal advice for anyone. Each case is different. There is no absolutely no attorney client relationship established by reading this article.

*

Atty. Kenneth UrsUA reyes

Barrister’s Corner