042623 - Southern California Midweek Edition

A CALIFORNIA judge ruled that the alleged attacker of a Filipino family in a Los Angeles fast-food drive thru lane a year ago will be tried for two counts of felony battery, but he will not be charged with a hate crime.

A video from the May 2022 incident showed suspect Nicholas Weber hurling anti-Asian remarks against the Roques and threatening to kill Nerissa Roque and her daughter Patricia, after Weber’s jeep rearended their vehicle.

Despite the footage, Judge Neetu S. Badhan-Smith ruled that while Weber made “offensive and vulgar statements” against the family, the incident remained a “general intent crime,” according to a San Fernando Valley Sun report.

Badhan-Smith cited the 10- to 15-minute span between the use of racial slurs and the physical assault, and noted that Weber no

Marcos to discuss ‘evolution’ of PH-US military pacts with Biden

Biden next week, including the Philippines’ military agreements with the United States that need to “evolve” amid the changing geopolitical situations.

“We will clarify again, really, these treaty agreements between the Philippines and America and we will look into them because of the many

changes [that have occurred],” the president said in a video interview over state-owned Radyo Pilipinas. Marcos particularly mentioned the 1951 Philippine-U.S. Mutual Defense Treaty and the 1999 Visiting Forces Agreement.

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by Beatrice Pinlac Inquirer.net

THE Southern California Filipino couple who was assaulted while strolling and taking pictures near the California State Capitol last February vowed not to settle with their assailants to help discourage similar attacks from being perpetrated on other people.

Photographer Nicanor Nikki Arriola and his wife, Julienne Ochengco, made the decision after meeting with prosecutors.

The couple believes they are victims of a hate crime, as the attackers specifically targeted them, the only Asians among other tourists in the vicinity.

Ironically, Arriola had been covering the rise of anti-Asian attacks in California as a photojournalist particularly the case of the Roque family who were verbally and physically assaulted at a McDonald’s restaurant drive-thru in North Hollywood last year.

“What we are sure at the moment is that we will push through with the case,” Arriola

MANILA — Almost nine in every 10 adult Filipinos said they were satisfied with how democracy works in the country, according to a survey conducted by Social Weather Stations (SWS) more than six months after the 2022 elections.

Results of the Dec. 10-14 survey released last Friday night, April 21 showed that 89 percent of the respondents were satisfied

with the country’s democracy, 11 points above the 78 percent recorded in a similar survey conducted in April 2021. The latest survey results surpassed the previous record of 86 percent, which was obtained in September 2016, a few months after that year’s presidential elections.

SWS explained that satisfaction with the way democracy works in the country often increases after national elections.

Previous records were set in September

MANILA — Sen. Imee Marcos has urged her brother President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to discuss in his nearing meet with United States President Joe Biden new terms and conditions should Manila and Washington extend the initial 10-year term of their Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA).

A TOTAL of 1,715,757 foreign tourists have arrived in the Philippines from January to April 22 this year, the Department of Tourism (DOT) announced as it continues to welcome travelers amid the government’s efforts to ease some travel restrictions amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Of this number, an estimated 320,294 visitors came from the United States, it added. The agency has yet to provide complete figures of tourist arrivals.

Tourism Secretary Christina Garcia-Frasco revealed the data during the recent launch of the agency’s “Bisita Be My Guest” or BBM-G program, a referral

LOS ANGELES — Hundreds of Filipino American travel enthusiasts and tourism industry players recently flocked to the official launch of the Bisita, Be My Guest (BBMG) program of the Philippine Department of Tourism (DOT).

This was the first-ever Philippine tourism fair of the Marcos administration in the United States after the two-year hiatus from the COVID-19 pandemic. The U.S. has consistently been on the top list of international travelers to the Philippines with about 500,000 arrivals in 2022.

Tourism Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco told reporters on the sidelines of the BBMG launch in Burbank on Saturday, April 22 that the current administration

is optimistic that the U.S. market would continue to be one of the leading countries with the highest number of international arrivals to the Philippines.

“I am extremely delighted to know that the Philippines continues to be a top of line destination for our friends here in the United States. The United States has continued to be a very strong source market for us having been number one last year and number two (as of the first quarter of 2023) this year so we are very excited to welcome more of our Filipino and foreign friends to the Philippines,” Frasco said.

“Last year, it was the United States market that really sustained Philippine international tourism, having been number 1 and having garnered 500,000 international arrivals. As we have just

MANILA — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Monday, April 24 disclosed some discussion points in his agenda when he meets with U.S. President Joe

Sen. Imee Marcos Inquirer.net file photo

Marcos to discuss ‘evolution’ of...

“We have to evolve it. It has to evolve because there is a need to adjust them because there is really an evolution, there are also changes in the situations we are facing here — in the South China Sea, amid the events in Taiwan, North Korea, all of these [where] the situation is a bit simmering,” he said.

Marcos said he would also speak with Biden on “what should we do to lessen the rhetoric because nowadays the exchange of words is a bit serious, [and] offensive words are already being uttered somewhat, so, of course, we worry about that.”

The Presidential Communications Office (PCO) last week announced that Marcos would leave the country on April 30 and his itinerary would begin on May 1 with a meeting with Biden. This will be Marcos’ second trip to the United States as president. He first met with Biden on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York in September last year.

After the U.S. trip, President Marcos will attend the coronation of King Charles III in London on May 6 and will travel to Indonesia for the 42nd Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) Summit from May 9 to May 11.

Assistance

During the video interview, Mr. Marcos said he would also discuss climate change with his

American counterpart and seek help on what strategies should be adopted.

“They’re giving something that’s called green bond, meaning they will give funds to help us fix [the ill-effects of climate change].

For example, the no-build zones [wherein homes] will be moved away from the seas so that they won’t be hit by strong typhoons,” he said.

“We will ask for plenty of help because [we] are recovering from the pandemic. And like in the other trips that I made, [we will pursue] what partnerships can we forge, what new technologies can we bring back to the Philippines that we can use,” he added. Marcos said the country’s “special relationship” with the United States did not always involve military matters, but also economic affairs and cultural exchange.

“We should look at what good partnerships we can have with the U.S.. We will talk with President Biden on how we can be continuously assisted. And it covers so many subjects, not just the military that is being discussed nowadays because of the Edca (Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement), but also the economy, tourism, health care, all of them,” he pointed out.

The PCO earlier said Marcos’ visit would help advance his priorities in such areas as

agriculture, energy, climate change, digital transformation and technology, humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, supply chains, and infrastructure.

At the same time, the president said the Philippines became “well-known” during the pandemic because of its healthcare workers, and recalled that during his overseas trips, foreign leaders would always ask him if their countries could get Filipino nurses, doctors, and medical technologists.

“Because we really became well-known during the pandemic, and we remain their number one preferred source of health-care workers—that’s one of the things we’ll talk about because there is a problem on immigration, training, all of those things. We want to give a chance to those who want to go abroad to find a good job,” he added.

Marcos said he was looking into his schedule with Biden to see if they could talk about all the matters that he wanted.

For items that would not be tackled, he said these would be done through “contacts” in the American government and private sector.

“It’s not only President Biden and me. We have businessmen, we have [officials] from different departments with us so that can really clarify what is really the partnership of the Philippines and the United States,” he said. n

Sen. Imee to Bongbong: Talk to Biden...

Sen. Marcos, head of the Senate foreign relations panel, on Tuesday said she has not spoken to her brother about his meeting with Biden in the U.S. next week.

But if there’s anything she hopes for President Marcos to raise before his US counterpart, it would be the possible renewal of the 2014 Edca, which is only effective for an initial period of 10 years.

“Siguro magandang pagkakataon na magkaliwanagan tungkol sa Edca at umpisahan na iyong pagsusuri ng renewal, kung sakaling ire-renew iyong EDCA…Since last year na siya, siguro it’s an opportunity to discuss a renewal, if we would like one, under new terms and conditions,” Sen. Marcos told reporters in a chance interview.

(It may be a great opportunity to clarify certain provisions in the Edca and begin thoroughly looking into its renewal, should EDCA be renewed…Since it’s in its last year, it may be an opportunity to discuss a renewal, if we would like one, under new terms and conditions.)

The EDCA, signed during the administration of late President

Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino, allows U.S. troops access to select military bases in the Philippines. They can also store defense equipment and supplies in the EDCA sites.

Sen. Marcos reiterated the need to revisit the EDCA terms and conditions to make it more beneficial for the Philippines.

“Dapat naman ata may bayad sila para upahan ang mga base militar natin. Kasi iyon naman ang pakay ng Edca, kumita ang ating sandatahang lakas at higit sa lahat, ma-modernize [sila].

Paano mamo-modernize – tayo nagbabayad sa lahat? Pati iyong kuryente, pati iyong tubig,” she said.

(It is just right that they pay to rent our military bases. Because that’s the purpose of the Edca, for our military forces to earn and modernize. How can they modernize if we’re paying for everything? Even their electricity and water.)

Under the EDCA, both countries “agree that the Philippines shall make agreed locations available to the United States forces without rental or similar costs.”

But it notes: “The United States forces shall cover their

necessary operational expenses with respect to their activities at the agreed locations.”

Sen. Marcos had repeatedly questioned the location of four additional Edca sites at Camilo Osias Naval Base and Lallo Airport in Cagayan, Camp Melchor dela Cruz in Isabela, and Balabac in southern Palawan.

This brings the total Philippine military bases made accessible to American troops from five to nine.

Sen. Marcos particularly raised suspicion about the new Edca sites in Northern Luzon, which were a “stone’s throw” away from Taiwan.

China has since lodged a string of warnings to the Philippines, saying the additional EDCA sites could drag the country into its dispute with the U.S. over self-ruled Taiwan and further threaten stability in the region.

The U.S. has firmly stood behind Taiwan amid threats of China to reclaim the island as part of its territory.

But President Marcos said China had nothing to worry about since the Philippines will not allow for its military bases to be used for any offensive operations. n

LOW-PRICED. A wide array of fresh but affordable vegetables available for consumers at the Department of Agriculture-Agribusiness Development Center Kadiwa store in Diliman, Quezon City on Tuesday, April 25. A kilo of bitter melon (ampalaya) is sold at PHP65; cauliflower, PHP80; broccoli, PHP120; eggplant, PHP55; squash, PHP30; string beans, PHP60; sponge gourd (patola), PHP60; winged beans (sigarilyas), PHP100; finger chili, PHP60; sweet potato (kamote), PHP60; okra, PHP70; carrots, PHP50; and cucumber, PHP60. PNA photo by Ben Briones

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. meets with U.S. President Joe Biden during the second bilateral of the President on his six-day working visit to New York City. Malacañang file photo

Judge rules no hate crime in attack on Filipino...

longer used such slurs during the attack itself. She noted, however, that the attack cause significant injuries to the victims.

The victims expressed disappointment at how they’ve “been so far by the justice system.” Patrick Roque, a family member, said. “It’s really obvious from the video that it was a hate crime.”

The assault has triggered outrage in the Asian community, and the Roque family’s supporters vowed to keep protesting until they get a full measure of justice.

allegedly hurled racial slurs and threats, using a mock Asian accent. Weber then allegedly tried to physically attack Patricia. Her father, Gabriel Roque, 60, tried to stop him but was allegedly pushed or punched to the ground, leaving him with a broken rib. Weber also allegedly choked Nerissa. He was arrested on June 16, 2022 but thrice refused to attend his arraignment.

Record 89% satisfied with how PH...

1992 and July 1998, both election years, when satisfaction with the country’s democracy peaked at 70 percent.

It again peaked in September 2010, a few months after the election of the late Benigno Aquino III, at 69 percent.

Preference for democracy has been above 50 percent since June 2015.

democracy” in its Democracy Index 2022.

Satisfaction, however, fell to a disappointing 44 percent in June 2004, a month after the controversial polls that re-elected Gloria MacapagalArroyo.

Meanwhile, those who said that an authoritarian government can be preferable to a democratic one “under some circumstances” rose from 20 percent in April 2021 to 26 percent in December 2022, a point shy of the record 27 percent obtained in a September 2010 survey.

From 54th in 2021, the country improved to 52nd out of the 167 countries and territories included in the annual index. “Flawed democracies” are those that have free and fair elections and where basic civil liberties are respected, but there are significant weaknesses in some aspects, including governance, political culture and participation. n

Weber pleaded not guilty to two counts of battery, but as of the judge’s April 18, he is facing two counts of felony battery without the hate crime charges.

The videoed incident occurred stressed. “Even those who will handle case for us claim that is a big strong case.”

on May 13, 2022 at a McDonald’s drive-thru lane on Victory Boulevard. After Weber rearended the Roques’ vehicle, he

(Inquirer.net)

Injured Filipino couple won’t settle with...

The Arriolas met with Deputy District Attorney is Emilee Divinagracia and Assistant Deputy D.A. Rochelle Beardsley who, incidentally are both Filipinas that will handle our case,” happily shared Arriola.

Detained suspect

One of the suspects, Keylen Xavier Lee Farley, who is now detained at the Sacramento County Main Jail, was arraigned last March 15 before the Department 62 of the Sacramento Superior Court. The other suspect, still unidentified, is at large.

An investigation led to Farley’s arrest and the subsequent filing of three felony counts by the Sacramento District Attorney: two counts for robbery of the second degree and aggravated assault and a third count for elder abuse.

Farley allegedly attempted to steal a professional camera in broad daylight from Arriola who then had two large cameras on his shoulders. In the struggle captured on video, Arriola is seen being knocked to the ground.

In the same video, Farley is seen dragging Arriola on the pavement and kicking him in the chest multiple times. Ochengco was also reportedly pushed to the ground as she tried to restrain the man from attacking her husband.

Farley then rushed to a getaway car driven by the other suspect while the victims were taken to the University of California Davis Medical Center.

Traumatic injuries

The elderly Arriola says he and his wife are still suffering from

physical injuries, psychological trauma and are unable to work as caregivers as before.

“I suffered six broken ribs apart from bruises and abrasions. My wife’s knees suffered even more after the incident as she was already using a cane due to weakened knees for a month before the attack. She also had a lot of bruises even in her chest,” Arriola says. His wife, he says, suddenly burst into tears at the

memory of the attack.

“We really need all the help and support we can get as bills kept piling up through the days that we cannot got to work and even had to attend to the case hearings,” Arriola appealed.

NaFFAA is raising funds for the couple at https://www.gofundme. com/f/vf6zak-fight-for-justiceelderly-filams-attacked, as well as NAFCON at tinyurl.com/ helpthearriolas.” (Inquirer.net)

As reported earlier, some 60 percent of the survey respondents said that “democracy is always preferable to any other kind of government,” up from 54 percent recorded in April 2021.

SWS data showed that it is five points below the recordhigh 65 percent recorded in June 2013 and 13 points above the record-low 47 percent in June 2014.

The remaining 15 percent of the respondents said it did not matter for them whether the Philippines has a democratic or non-democratic regime, down from 26 percent in the April 2021 survey.

The survey had 1,200 respondents and a margin of error of +/- 2.8 percent.

In January, London-based think tank The Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) classified the Philippines as a “flawed

DOT: Philippines welcomes...

and incentive program, at the Philippine Travel Fair in Los Angeles, California.

The program aims to bring in more foreigners by tapping Filipinos, especially those based abroad, who have foreign spouses or friends. Those who will be able to bring foreign visitors can win condominium units, airplane tickets and holiday packages in select destinations.

Frasco said the agency, along with the Department of Migrant Workers and the Tourism Promotions Board, brought the BBM-G program to the U.S. “to give opportunities to fellow Filipinos to become ambassadors for the Philippines.” n

LOS ANGELES COUNTY METROPOLITAN TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY (LACMTA) REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL

LACMTA will receive Proposals for PS48678 - Workers Compensation Services As-Needed Temporary Staffing Services Bench at the 9th Floor Receptionist Desk, Vendor/Contract Management Department, One Gateway Plaza, Los Angeles, CA 90012 or electronically at: bids@ metro.net.

A Virtual Pre-Proposal Conference will be held on Wednesday, May 3, 10:00 a.m. Local Time; attendance is optional.

All Proposals must be submitted to LACMTA in one of two ways: either (1) one hard copy original sealed envelope and marked with the RFP No. PS48678 of the entire Proposal, including all submittal forms, submitted by mail or hand delivered to the reception desk: One Gateway Plaza, 9th floor V/CM Department, Los Angeles, CA 90012 or (2) submitted electronically via email to bids@metro. net on or before 10:00 a.m. Local Time on Monday, June 12, 2023. Proposals received after the above date and time may be rejected and returned unopened. For a copy of the Proposal/Bid specification visit our Solicitation Page on our Vendor Portal at https://business.metro.net or for further information email Shannon Thoene at thoenes@ metro.net. 4/26/23

CNS-3692877#

ASIAN JOURNAL (L.A.)

Antonio* was working in construction when he suffered a serious injury.

Without knowing how long his rehabilitation would take, his biggest concern was how he was going to pay his bills and keep a roof over his head. That all changed when Antonio’s friend referred him to a free housing counseling service. Counselors in this program provide free advice and education on mortgage delinquency, rental housing, homebuying, reverse mortgages, and even preventing homelessness.

Funding for this service comes from California’s State Budget via the National Mortgage Settlement (NMS) and is administered by the California Housing Finance Agency. Through its NMS Housing Counseling Program, CalHFA has already helped more than 50,000 families find HUDcertified housing counselors throughout the state for free, confidential housing counseling services.

A housing counselor worked with Antonio, answering his questions about banking and credit options. The session was

focused on how he could meet his financial goals even when unable to work due to the injury. They worked on the basics of establishing credit and reviewed the banking process as he did not have a bank account. The housing counselor helped him establish a general lifestyle budget to manage expenses and start saving towards his financial goals. In addition, the housing counselor helped him enroll in an English as a Second Language course, because language was something Antonio wanted to expand. Finally, he was referred to an advocate who helped him file a Workers Compensation claim.

“Hard-working Californians who deserve to take part in the American dream don’t always have a safety net to fall back on in difficult times,” said Tiena Johnson Hall, Executive Director of California Housing Finance Agency.

“This program helps people stabilize their living situation with advice and access to programs and resources that they might not otherwise know about.”

To find a counselor, anyone can visit CalHFA’s

website and search NMS, or go straight to the counseling page at https://www.calhfa. ca.gov/community/nms/ resources.htm. All sessions are free, and homeowners can contact one of these organizations even if they don’t live in the same geographic area, since counseling can be done over the telephone or a video call.

The NMS Housing Counseling Program got Antonio through a tough spot. When he later checked back in with his counselor, he was pleased to have opened a bank account, was working on his credit score, and had started a community college class focused on ESL. Most importantly, Antonio was still in his home with a roof over his head.

Says Johnson Hall, “Housing counseling is a crucial service that reduces homelessness, addresses housing insecurity and reduces barriers to homeownership, all of which can set people on the path to financial wellbeing. I hope anybody who is having trouble takes this opportunity for free help.”

*not client’s real name

Trying to keep a brave face, couple Nicanor Arriola (left) and wife Julienne Ochengco comfort each other in the hospital despite still suffering from the physical and psychological injuries they sustained from assault at the State Capitol in Sacramento. Contributed photo

Video shows suspect Nicolas Weber hurling anti-Asian slurs and threats at Roque family members before allegedly attacking them physically. File photo

Passengers crowd the counters as they troop early to the NAIA Terminal 3 in Pasay City on April 2, 2023 to avoid the influx of passengers heading to their respective provinces for the holy week break. Philstar file photo by Miguel de Guzman

Fil-Am skater, partner make history for PH in world ice figure skating

by Charmaine rodriguez Inquirer.net

A FILIPINA American figure skater and her partner made history as the first pair from the Philippines and Southeast Asia to qualify for the world championships this year.

Although they finished 18th among the 20 pairs who competed in the 2023 ISU World Figure Skating Championships in Saitama, Japan, it was no small feat for the team of Isabella Gamez and Alexander Korovin who had to work hard and win in smaller competitions to secure a spot in the prestigious competition. For a tropical country like the Philippines, qualifying in skating or any other winter sports will always be one for the books.

The last time the Philippines sent a competitor to the World Championships was back in 2017 with Michael Martinez.

Filipinos in Canada might have a chance to wave the Philippine flag for the first time and support the duo next year when Montreal hosts the world figure skating championships again.

The ISU World Figure Skating Championships is an annual event that moves around the globe, attracting more than 300 million television viewers worldwide and showcasing the 200 best athletes from 50 countries in four disciplines: men, women, pair and ice dance, its website reads. The 2024 World Championships will mark Canada’s 11th time hosting, and a second for Montreal. Montreal

last hosted the Championships in 1932, the very first time Canada hosted the event. Canada last hosted the event in London, Ontario, in 2013, it added.

But this is not the first that the Florida-born Gamez will be in Canada.

In 2017, she moved to Montreal for her training and her new coaches hooked her up with Spanish skater Tón Cònsul, according to Myles A. Garcia in PositivelyFilipino.com.

“Because of her family’s FilHispanic connections, it was easy enough to switch and skate with Cònsul for Spain. At the 2018 Junior World Championships, the young Spanish-Filipino pair finished in 13th place. Cònsul, however, quickly decided to retire from competitive skating thereafter. Having spent time and vacations with family in the Philippines, Isabella always knew that she wanted to skate for her parents’ country—but how and when could it happen?” Garcia writes.

According to Rappler, Gamez eventually partnered with Canadian David-Alexandre Paradis, where they competed in the 2020 Four Continents Championships. However, the two went their separate ways at the conclusion of the season due to the pandemic and subsequent retirement of Paradis. It was only in 2021 with Korovin paired up with Gamez

‘Bisita, Be My Guest’ program launched...

PAGE 1 closed out the first quarter, we have already received over 300,000 visitors from the United States,” she noted. Frasco reiterated President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos’ call for all Filipinos (including those who live in the U.S.) around the globe to become Philippine tourism ambassadors.

“I’m here, together with our team from the Department of Tourism, carrying with us the love and warmth of the Filipino people as we champion Philippine tourism. We are here to invite our fellow Filipinos to become tourism ambassadors for the Philippines by inviting a foreign friend, guest or spouse to visit any of our beautiful islands in the country in exchange for

prizes such as a house and lot, condominium units, free airline tickets and holiday packages and tours," Frasco said, while explaining the mechanics of the BBMG program.

She described the various destinations that overseas Filipinos and foreigners alike can enjoy, such as Cebu, Palawan and Bohol, for its beaches and water activities like diving. For surfing, she recommended Siargao and La Union; the Cordilleras and Baguio for nature adventures.

"If you want to experience Filipino food, of course, we have the very delicious offerings of Pampanga, as well as in many other places where the delicacies are actually quite distinct regionally," the secretary added.

“The Philippines is now the world’s leading beach destination and the world’s leading dive destination as well as Asia’s leading tourist attraction,” she added.

The tourism chief also called on Filipino Americans to be part of their endeavor in achieving a goal of a 100% turnaround of the country’s tourism industry by next year.

“The target for the Philippines last year was set at 1.7 million international arrivals but because of the strong interests that continue for the Philippines, we received over 2.65 million international arrivals therefore surpassing our targets. This year, overall by the end of 2023, we will able to garner over 4.8 million international visitors and anticipate a 100 percent recovery for international travel next year,” she said.

This projection, she said, is earlier than what was projected before she assumed office that the country would reach the pre-pandemic travel numbers by 2025. The country recorded 8.26 million visitors in 2019.

She likewise expressed gratitude for the overwhelming response they got from the U.S.based Filipinos.

“Thank you so much for continuing to champion the Philippines by showing your love for our country and your great interests across our islands. As we are very excited to launch this program here in the United States and we are very hopeful that with the help of our fellow Filipinos here in the United States, we could continue to herald the good news about Philippines, the love and warmth of the Filipinos await you," she said.

Frasco also assured that the DOT, consistent with its mandate to help in the government’s sustainable growth, is doing its best to come up with various programs like the BBMG, to give not only the country’s tourism sector a boost but also the entire Philippine economy.

She recognized the tourism revenue contribution coming from the domestic front.

“Domestic tourism continues to help our regions and provinces greatly in terms of its contribution to the economy. And that is why we fully foresee, a 100 percent recovery of domestic tourism this year with no less than 122 million domestic trips taken by our fellow Filipinos. All of these translate to the most important purpose of pushing for Philippine tourism and that is the livelihood and employment of our fellow Filipinos. The

tourism industry generated no less than 5.2 million for employment jobs for Filipinos last year,” she noted.

Prior to the U.S. launch, the DOT met with various travel stakeholders and Filipino communities in Japan and Germany to continuously promote the Philippines as a prime tourist destination.

“Since the start of the Marcos administration, we have begun the work of aggressively promoting the Philippines worldwide. As a matter of fact, I just returned from ITB Berlin, having brought the biggest Philippine delegation. Thankfully, with the support of our friends from various places in Europe, that particular exhibition generated for the Philippines $250 million in negotiated sales,” she said.

“We are also very grateful for the opportunity to have pitched for the Philippines in various jurisdictions including the United Kingdom as well as Saudi Arabia. We’ve also been to Thailand as well as Japan and many other jurisdictions by maintaining our positive relationship with fellow government ministers as well as our government-to-government relations, country to country,” she added.

To be able to attain their goal of 100 percent recovery by 2024, she said aside from BBMG and other tourism development initiatives, the DOT head said the Marcos administration is seeing to it that it would maintain friendly relationships with other nations.

“We are blessed by the fact that our president maintains a stance to be a friend to all and enemy to none and that has benefitted Philippine tourism greatly because our dual partnerships with countries that share our interests and the push for tourism continues to be sustained,” she said.

When asked about peace and order concerns, Frasco said while she has not encountered any from her meetings with the tourism stakeholders, she assured that the Philippine government, coinciding the implementation of these tourism promotion strategies, is making sure that security and peace and order in the country’s tourism destinations are of utmost priority.

The BBMG event in Southern California also highlighted exhibition booths from various travel agencies, aviation and airline firms, real estate and Filipino American entrepreneurs. Mr. Pure Energy Gary Valenciano was also a guest performer at the launch. BBMG was officially launched by DOT last December 13, 2022. Aside from the DOT, the campaign, which will run from January 2023 to April 2024, will also include participation from the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW).

Under the incentive program, registrants will be provided with a travel passport that they can use to go across key destinations, get stamps, and claim a prize at the airport. This will also give them a privilege card featuring discounts at accredited establishments across the country. There are also raffle prizes for qualified sponsors. For more details about the program, you can go to http://bbmg. philippines.travel. n

The first Philippine Travel Fair in Southern California featured travel and tour operators, local Fil-Am businesses and organizations. Photos courtesy of the Philippine Department of Tourism

Philippine Tourism Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco (center) is joined by officials of the Department of Tourism and Tourism Promotions Board on Saturday, April 22 during the launch of Bisita, Be My Guest in Southern California.

The Philippines’ representatives Isabella Gamez and Alexander Korovin perform during the 2023 ISU World Figure Skating Championships in Japan. Photo courtesy of Yonhap News

NCR positivity rate rises to 10.6% – OCTA

by Janvic Mateo Philstar.com

MANILA — The number of people testing positive for COVID-19 in the National Capital Region (NCR) further increased over the past week, according to monitoring conducted by the OCTA Research group.

Citing data from the Department of Health, OCTA fellow Guido David said the region’s sevenday positivity rate increased from 7.3 percent on April 16 to 10.6 percent on April 23.

The positivity rate measures the percentage of positive results out of the total number of RT-PCR tests conducted.

The World Health Organization recommends a positivity rate of five percent or below to effectively manage the pandemic.

As of Monday, David said the nationwide positivity rate is at 10 percent.

In a post on his Twitter account,

he noted that the NCR has an average of only 3,120 RT-PCR tests per day, down from around 11,000 in April 2022.

Dateline PhiliPPines President Marcos counting remaining days in his presidency

Official government data only take into account RT-PCR tests and not the antigen tests that have become a common way of testing for COVID-19 infection. While this means that cases could be higher than the official count, David earlier said that looking at positivity rates and other indicators could still show trends in the number of cases.

Over the past weeks, positivity rates in various areas have seen a steady rise.

On Monday, April 24, the DOH reported 429 new cases, with 180 in NCR. He said the positivity rate in the region is on track to hit 15 percent before possibly plateauing by mid-May.

Hospital occupancy remained low at 21 percent.

QC still ‘low risk’

While the number of new cases

has slightly increased, the Quezon City government said the city remains at low risk for COVID-19.

Citing an assessment from OCTA Research, the city government said the number of average daily new cases increased from 17 last week to 22 this week.

The positivity rate, meanwhile, increased from 5.9 percent to 8.3 percent.

“The city remains at low risk level,” it said in an advisory in Filipino. “But the local government continues to remind everyone to stay safe and follow minimum health protocols to protect yourself from the virus and other contagious diseases.”

The city government said it has administered over 6.8 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines. A total of 2.6 million adults and minors are considered fully vaccinated, while almost 1.6 million first and second booster doses have been administered. n

Oscar M. Lopez passes at 93

MANILA — Oscar Lopez, businessman and patriarch of the Lopez clan, has passed away at age 93.

“He was our North Star, the inspiration, and guide for succeeding generations of Lopez Group executives and employees who learned to treasure and practice with him the Group’s distinct core values: a pioneering entrepreneurial spirit, business excellence, unity, nationalism, and social justice,” First Philippine Holdings, where Lopez sat as chairman emeritus, said in a statement on Sunday, April 23.

Lopez was the chairman emeritus of local conglomerate, Lopez Holdings Corp. The Lopez family incorporated the conglomerate in 1993 as the holding company for its major investments.

Lopez Holdings Corp. has stakes in various business sectors: power and energy through First Gen Corp. and Energy Development Corp., media via ABS-CBN and Sky Cable, the property sector through Rockwell Land Corp. and First Philippine Industrial Park, as well as in manufacturing via First Philec Corp. It was ABS-CBN that first reported on his death.

ABS-CBN News was first to report his passing on late Saturday night, April 22.

Apart from First Philippine Holdings and Lopez Holdings Corp., Lopez was also the chairman emeritus of First Gen, EDC, First Balfour, Rockwell Land, among others.

Forbes listed Lopez as 45th in its 2022 edition of Philippines 50 Richest, with a net worth of $245 million.

While he is known for his contributions across the business sector, First Philippine Holdings said his legacy will be being among the pioneers

in putting into consideration the environmental and community impact of business dealings. He founded a climate think-tank, which is now named after him.

The Oscar M. Lopez Center for Climate Change Adaptation and Disaster Risk Management Foundation, Inc. was created to look for solutions and technologies that develop climate risk information for use of communities.

Lopez studied at Harvard College and graduated cum laude in 1951 and finished his graduate degree – a Masters of Public Administration – in 1995.

He received a Doctor of Humanities honoris causa from De La Salle University and Ateneo de Manila University as well as a Doctor of Laws honoris cause from the Philippine Women’s University and the University of the Philippines. (Philstar.com)

by alexis RoMeRo Philstar.com

MANILA — He is just about to enter his second year in office, but President Marcos said he is already counting the remaining days of his administration, describing everything he does as “urgent.”

Marcos said being a president is a “real privilege” that allows him to help a lot of people, so he is trying to maximize his time.

“It’s like a countdown in six years. I do not count the years. I do not count the months. I count the days, how many days left before it ends so I want to ensure that I will finish everything I need

to accomplish within those days,”

the President said in an interview with state-run Radyo Pilipinas last Monday, April 24.

According to Marcos, he needs to set priorities and address concerns that require immediate action.

“Before you know it, your schedule is already full because you need to do all these things and you really need prioritization, you need to choose what to prioritize,” he said.

“That’s the way it is. You cannot do anything. You need to do it. As I said, you cannot just postpone. One thing I learned since I assumed office is that everything is important, everything is urgent.”

Marcos said he needs to be aware of new developments both here and abroad in the morning so he would know the issues to ponder on as well as matters to discuss at meetings.

“That’s what we are doing now. So far, we have been efficient somehow,” the Chief Executive said, adding that some work cannot be rushed.

The presidency requires a lot of planning and things can get complicated, Marcos stressed, adding that such scenarios are expected.

“I am lucky because I have been watching the events and activities of the president because of my father,” Marcos said. n

Fil-Am skater, partner make history for...

PAGE 3

but could not compete since he still represented Russia and had to wait for the ISU’s go signal. He is also currently applying for a Filipino citizenship.

“Together, we both had different techniques coming from that he has a very strong European-Russian technique, and I had a very bold North American technique which we had to find a common ground,” Gamez told Rappler.

“We really took the time for those two years to meet in the middle for our skating and we really wanted, we really had to be patient for our techniques so that is where we are standing,” she continued. We still have a lot to learn from each other especially that this was our first competition competing together and we had to understand each other’s nerves and emotions and what we’re like, she added.

In October 2022, the skating pair gave the Philippines its first medal in international figure skating — a second place finish at the 2022 Trophée Métropole Nice Côte d’Azur in France.

Born to Gerardo Gamez and Marivic Ramirez, who were both born and raised in the Philippines, Gamez was not shortchanged of Filipino culture and heritage. Her mother is also related to Filipino sports icon

Freddie Webb.

Philippine mall developer, SM Supermalls, is one of the pair’s sponsors. The pair aims to qualify for the Winter Olympics happening in 2026 in Milano, Cortina.

“We would like to congratulate our homegrown talents who have all glided their way to the world championships. These two major wins are definitely one for

the books as once again, we will be able to show the world how talented Filipino skaters are. And we at SM Supermalls will always be proud that you have brought pride to the country,” said Joseph V. Silva, AVP for Operations for SM Lifestyle Inc. Sports & Leisure Centers, when the pair won inthe Challenge Cup held in Tilburg, Netherlands on February 26, 2023. n

Oscar Lopez

ABS-CBN photo

A new man in the PNP

THE Philippine National Police changed leadership on Monday, April 24 amid an ongoing purge targeting officers linked to drug trafficking. Gen. Rodolfo Azurin bowed out of the PNP just days after finding himself entangled in controversy over a raid that yielded 990 kilos of shabu, of which 42 kilos were allegedly pilfered by the police raiders.

The PNP also continues to face unresolved accusations of serious abuses in the so-called war on drugs waged by the previous administration. Maj. Gen. Benjamin Acorda Jr., the new PNP chief, will have to carry out the preferred approach of the Marcos administration to the drug scourge, which is less bloody and does not openly encourage police to shoot first and ask questions later.

Editorial

with reports of simmering unrest over a proposal to cut and overhaul the retirement pensions and benefits of military, police and other uniformed personnel. President Marcos, for his part, reportedly instructed Acorda to exercise maximum tolerance in dealing with government critics.

Acorda, a native of Ilocos Norte who reaches the retirement age of 56 this December, will also have to allay public concerns about a seeming deterioration of peace and order amid a string of brazen assassinations targeting mostly politicians and, in one daring attack in Metro Manila, a broadcaster. An encouraging aspect is that perpetrators have been arrested or identified in several of the cases including the murders of Negros Oriental governor Roel Degamo and radio commentator Percy Lapid. But much more is needed to end the impunity in committing murder in this country.

Within the PNP, Acorda will also have to deal

Babe’s Eye View

BaBE romualdEz

THE announcement that U.S.

President Joe Biden will be hosting President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. at the White House during their bilateral meeting on May 1 definitely underscores the special friendship and the ever-strengthening ties between the United States and the Philippines.

President Marcos will be bringing key Cabinet members who will engage with their counterparts to cover many aspects of the bilateral relations between our two countries.

As Malacañang put it, this allimportant visit to the U.S. will “substantively progress efforts to further deepen relations and political ties, to bring about lasting socio-economic partnerships, as well as to enhance defense and security cooperation.”

The bilateral meeting between President Marcos and President Biden will also reaffirm the ironclad commitment of the United States to the defense of the Philippines, with the discussion expected to touch on how the two nations can further deepen economic cooperation,

Acorda, whose last posting was as PNP intelligence chief, is aware of the long festering problems in the police organization. Since its creation, the PNP has become tainted by scandals linking its members including former PNP chiefs to large-scale corruption. Lower ranking cops, meanwhile, have been implicated in a wide range of criminal activities including protection rackets and murders related to e-sabong, jueteng and other forms of illegal gambling. Housecleaning is a constant challenge within the PNP, even as it carries out its principal mandate of keeping the public safe. These are best carried out with public trust and confidence in the PNP, from its chief down to the new recruits. (Philstar.com)

Philippines-US relations: Stars fully aligned

promote inclusive prosperity and expand the special peopleto-people ties that have been in existence for so many decades – underpinning the close friendship between the Philippines and the U.S.. I received so many messages expressing elation over this latest development, and I responded by telling them the stars seem to be fully aligned because the timing seems to be very opportune, with recent events and activities leading up to this auspicious state of affairs.

As we had mentioned in our column last Sunday, April 23, the economy of the Philippines is on an upward trajectory, with growth expected to be sustained this year. In the most recent World Economic Outlook Report by the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the projection for the country’s gross domestic product (GDP) growth was upgraded to 6 percent from the previous 5 percent forecast issued last January. The Philippines is also expected to register the fastest growth in Asia, outpacing India, China, Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand whose economies are also projected to expand this year.

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) also gave a similarly positive outlook for the economy, with growth also projected at 6 percent. While the Philippines will also be facing challenges like the rest of the world, ADB Philippines country director Kelly Bird sees the country growing “at its potential this year and next, and is on track toward its goal to become an upper middleincome country.”

During the Philippine Economic Briefing we hosted in Washington, DC last April 12, the country’s 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 Secretary Arsenio Balisacan were able to deliver a clear message to all the attendees composed of American business executives, U.S. government officials, think tanks and those from the business, financial and investment community that the Philippines is open for business and is ready to engage the United States to further strengthen trade and investment ties as well as

deepen public-private sector collaboration.

The participants were impressed with the presentations and the succeeding Q and A that highlighted how “the Philippine economy managed to weather the storms and stay the course towards sustainable economic growth” amid a challenging global environment, as Secretary Diokno put it. Among the sectors that generated a lot of interest include energy, information technologybusiness process management (IT-BPM), semiconductor and agribusiness. There are also tremendous opportunities in logistics, transportation, manufacturing, tourism, health, education and digital connectivity.

Aside from the IMF-World Bank Annual Spring Meetings and the Philippine Economic Briefing, there was also the 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue of Foreign Affairs Secretary Ricky Manalo and Defense OIC Charlie Galvez with U.S. State Secretary Antony Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin.

The 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue recognized the important role of the alliance in maintaining peace and stability in the IndoPacific region and put forth

a shared vision that supports an international rules-based order and deeper economic ties, along with an “enduring commitment to stand shoulderto-shoulder as allies to bring greater security, prosperity and stability to the Indo-Pacific region and beyond.”

Speaker Martin Romualdez – who was at the Philippine Economic Briefing – also led a delegation of congressmen to Washington and engaged with members of the U.S. House of Representatives that included Majority Leader Steve Scalise of Louisiana. The visit was capped by a meeting between Speaker Romualdez and his American counterpart, the new Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy of California. As described by Speaker Martin, the meetings were very fruitful and engaging, with legislators from both countries recognizing the important role they play in ensuring that the benefits of the “dynamic relationship” between the two nations would become even more tangible.

“Our message to the U.S. legislators was clear. The U.S.Philippine relation is strong, and is reaching new heights and levels of understanding under the administrations of President Ferdinand

‘Bongbong’ Marcos Jr. and U.S. President Joe Biden,” Speaker Romualdez said, explaining that the delegation of Filipino congressmen managed to impress upon Speaker McCarthy the need to ramp up discussion between legislators from both countries in order to boost bilateral relations. In other words, the whole Philippine government’s relationship with the United States is on an upswing. But what is most significant is that all these interactions do not solely address concerns regarding defense and security but, more importantly, also focus on the economic aspect of the relationship as our nations seek mutual prosperity and economic security. I hope those naysayers who continue to carp about our defense agreements with the United States would look more closely on the positive side of having more opportunities for trade mainly due to peace and security. (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

The Philippines in the US-China conflict

of these potential conflicts, I would suggest some readings.

It is not farfetched to say that the next world war could start not in Ukraine but in East Asia. Conflict between the West and Russia is ultimately lopsided because in terms of military and economic strength, the United States and Western Europe have overwhelming advantage over Russia. If we look elsewhere, specifically to Asia, the balance of power is more evenly distributed as China is on its way to becoming a bigger economy than the United States in the next one or two decades.

The Philippines will be embroiled in this conflict whether you like it or not because of its geographic location. Our nation’s western shorelines border the West Philippine Sea (South China Sea) which is the center of the conflict between different nations. For any person that wants to be a serious student in understanding the nature

The first is The South China Sea: The Struggle for Power in Asia by Bill Hayton, Yale University Press, 2014. The author is a journalist with extensive experience in the region. His book tries to make the reader understand the complex history and contemporary reality of the West Philippine Sea (WPS)/South China Sea (SCS). He examines the high stakes involved for China, Taiwan, United States, Vietnam, the Philippines and the rest of Southeast Asia as well as India, Russia and the wider world. In his Introduction, he writes: “Will China’s rise lead to conflict between the superpowers? Does the Chinese leadership intend to play by the rules of the international game or challenge them? Does the United States have the will to stand its ground? Will the countries of Southeast Asia win or lose from superpower competition? How has the hunt for hydrocarbons affected the conflict? Above all, what will prevent war from ever breaking

out? How could the resources of the Sea be equitably shared among hundreds of millions of mostly poor people living around its shores?”

The book begins with the history of the SCS and the countries around it from prehistory to 1995. There is also a chapter devoted to maps and lines. One critical observation that in all the maps, the Philippines occupies a strategic location.

One very interesting chapter for Filipino readers is the story of Tomas Cloma, who actually is responsible for making the Philippines the de facto owner of the islands in the SCS.

Even today, Cloma is often described in the Philippines as the man who “discovered the islands.” Cloma was from Bohol who worked in the shipping department of the Manila Bulletin newspaper. He wrote about shipping movements by day and studied law by night.

He passed the Bar in 1941.

After the Second World War in 1947, Cloma with some friends formed the Visayan Fish Corporation. He also set up the

Philippine Maritime Institute offering three-month courses.

Eventually, Cloma issued the so-called Freedom Land Charter declaring the Spratly Islands and the surrounding area as independent nation.

Eventually, Cloma was required to sign over Freedom Land to the Philippine government, which renamed the territory the Kalayaan Islands since this was the Tagalog word for “freedom.”

In 1978, Kalayaan was decreed as a municipality of Palawan province. The more complete version of the Cloma story is in the book.

The rest of the book focuses on attempts to settle the disputes peacefully. However, after all these years, the possibility of peaceful settlement has become a distant dream. China has forcefully taken over territories, claiming that the SCS is their territory in defiance of international law, which awarded parts of these to the Philippines.

The next book I recommend is Asia’s Cauldron: The South China Sea and the End of a

Stable Pacific by Robert D. Kaplan, Random House, 2014.

The Foreign Policy magazine a decade ago named Kaplan as one of the world’s top 100 Global Thinkers. In this book, the author offers a vivid snapshot of the nations surrounding the WPS/SCS: the conflicts both existing and potential in the region from the dawn of the 21st century to the present; and the implications for global peace and stability.

Since this book was published ten years ago, much of the data regarding the different nations and their leaders have changed. However, the geopolitical situation has not changed and has even become more politically tense. One of the interesting chapters is the one entitled “China’s Caribbean.” It should be noted that the United States tried to impose its will on the Caribbean Sea and the nations in that geographic region. This is primarily dictated by the fact that the Caribbean borders American territory. But it should be further noted that the United States, after various attempts, failed in its efforts to

subjugate the nations around the Caribbean. In fact, Cuba has remained as the strongest opponent of the United States in the western hemisphere. To this day, China claims indisputable sovereignty over the SCS against international rulings that have recognized the claim of Vietnam over the Paracels and that of the Philippines in the Spratlys. The imperialist ambitions of China in the SCS is similar to the imperialist ambitions of the United States in the Caribbean Sea. If one can learn from history, then both ambitions are doomed to fail.

Asia’s Cauldron is a very readable book that could serve as an indispensable guide to this part of the world that will affect the lives of people in all corners of the world for decades to come. (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.

* * * Email: elfrencruz@gmail.com

New PNP chief Acorda vows to maintain cleansing of ranks

MANILA — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has picked Police Maj. Gen. Benjamin Acorda Jr. as the new chief of the 228,000-strong Philippine National Police, a move hailed by lawmakers and colleagues.

In his acceptance speech during the change-of-command ceremony led by the President on Monday, April 24 at Camp Crame, Acorda, the former chief of the PNP Directorate for Intelligence, promised to continue his predecessor’s campaign to cleanse the police organization of scalawags.

“My stand on [illegal] drugs is clear—no police should be involved in pushing, using or whatever means of illegal drug trade,” he pointed out.

“You will be charged and removed from the service. This is my warning to each and everyone of you, our fight will be holistic in prevention and aggressive in operations,” he told policemen. “Under my leadership, rewards and punishment will be quick and decisive, it shall be fair and impartial and due process shall be observed.”

Acorda vowed that the PNP would be transparent under his watch: “To the media, our long-time partners, we welcome critics as our independent source of check and balance. We are allies in bringing out the truth… We will be transparent.”

He is expected to lead the PNP for almost eight months, with his retirement set on Dec. 3 when he turns 56 years old, the mandatory retirement age.

Acorda replaced now retired Gen. Rodolfo Azurin Jr., whom the President thanked for his leadership and service to the country.

‘Dependable’

Explaining his choice of Acorda, Mr. Marcos said in an interview over state-owned Radyo Pilipinas: “There are many things happening in our police, we’re looking at them. We’re having problems so there is a need for us to place a dependable commander [and Acorda] is somebody who is well-known to me.”

The President said he knew the abilities and reputation of Acorda inside the PNP and that

Philippine banks in Forbes’ World’s Best Banks list

by Lawrence agcaoiLi Philstar.com

MANILA — Prominent business magazine Forbes has included 10 financial institutions from the Philippines in its recently published list of The World’s Best Banks for 2023.

The 415 banks that earned a spot on Forbes ranking were evaluated in categories, such as digital services, customer services, financial advice and trust.

“If you cannot trust your financial institution, all other perks and services dwindle,” Parijat Banerjee, global head of business services at LatentView Analytics, said.

Forbes’ World’s Best Banks 2023 reflects trust and other industry trends especially after the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank and Signature Bank in the US.

Compiled in partnership with market research firm Statista, the list is based on a worldwide survey of 48,000 banking customers in 32 countries.

The Top 10 banks in the Philippines include CIMB

by Frances Mangosing, JeroMe aning Inquirer.net

Acorda’s name was “always part of the shortlist” for PNP chief.

“He is well-recognized within the police force and even in our civilian leadership, especially in the places he’d been in— he became a PD (provincial director) and RD (regional director). We heard his name and the report about him is good so I said, maybe, he is the one most fit [to be PNP chief] now,” he said.

Ilocano roots

Just like his predecessor, Acorda traces his roots back to Mr. Marcos’ home province of Ilocos Norte where he grew up and finished his elementary and secondary education at Gabaldon Elementary School’s Special Education Center in the capital city of Laoag and Bacarra National Comprehensive High School in Bacarra town, respectively, before moving to the Philippine Military Academy where he graduated in 1991. He also has a Master’s Degree in Management from the Philippine Christian University.

Acorda’s father and namesake served as a lawyer for the Citizen’s Legal Assistance Office, now known as the Public Attorney’s Office, in La Union province. His mother, Purificacion Casuga Acorda, was a government nurse in La Union.

Prior to becoming PNP chief, he widely served in his home province of Ilocos Norte as chief of operations and plans, intelligence officer and assistant provincial director for operations in 2008, and Criminal Investigation and Detection Group deputy chief of operations in 2010.

He headed the Palawan provincial police and the regional police office in Northern Mindanao before he headed the Directorate for Intelligence in August 2022.

The low-profile Acorda has no known baggage and will be stepping into the PNP leadership without major controversies linked to his name in a career spanning more than three decades.

The new PNP chief also earned numerous accolades, including the Bronze Cross Medal, a prestigious singlegrade military decoration of

the AFP awarded for heroism involving risk of life, and several presidential citations, awards and decorations.

Acorda served as the chief of staff of the PNP Civil Security Group and was one of the officials who pioneered the creation of the PNP AntiCybercrime Group.

Right choice

Interior Secretary Benjamin Abalos Jr. welcomed Acorda’s appointment and assured him of his agency’s support.

Senators on Monday also lauded the appointment of Acorda, with Sen. Ronald dela Rosa saying that he was the “best choice” to lead the PNP.

Dela Rosa, himself a former PNP chief, described Acorda as a “silent operator” and a “very professional officer” who knows how to stand his ground despite “pressures from selfish politicians.”

Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri was also elated over Acorda’s designation as he noted the police general’s accomplishments when he led the Northern Mindanao regional police.

Sen. Risa Hontiveros said she received information that Acorda was “well-meaning and idealistic,” qualities that would help him implement reforms in the police organization.

In the House of Representatives, dangerous drugs committee chair Rep. Robert Ace Barbers said Acorda should continue cleansing the PNP’s ranks amid controversies surrounding its antinarcotics drive.

In Pangasinan province, Arturo Lomibao, also a former PNP chief, said he believed Acorda was prepared to assume the post with his “experience, knowledge and skills” despite “jumping over” three senior officers occupying three-star positions. Retired Police Col. Paterno Orduña, a former intelligence officer of the Pangasinan police, described Acorda as a “hardworking” and “low-profile” junior officer in

Bank, Lucio Tan’s Philippine National Bank (PNB), Ayala-led Bank of the Philippine Islands, Aboitiz-led Union Bank of the Philippines, and Sy-led BDO Unibank.

Completing the list were state-run Land Bank of the Philippines, Metrobank Group’s Philippine Savings Bank (PSBank), Yuchengco-led Rizal Commercial Banking Corp. (RCBC), Maya Bank of PLDT’s Voyager Innovations, and Gokongwei-owned Robinsons Bank Corp.

According to Forbes, the biggest banks were not necessarily the best as online banks are at the top in many countries, reflecting the COVID-19 pandemic’s impact on customers’ digital comfort.

Over the past two years, Banerjee said that banks rapidly adopted new digital technology that made customers’ experiences more robust, swift and personal – all necessary to appeal to Millennial and Gen Z customers.

CIMB Bank is the 31st largest lender in the Philippines in terms of assets at P30.26 billion as

of end-2022, while PNB is the seventh largest bank with total resources amounting to P1.17 trillion.

BDO, owned by the family of the late retail and banking magnate Henry Sy, continued to dominate the industry with assets of P3.92 trillion and capital of P459.82 billion.

BPI is the country’s third largest bank with assets of P2.6 trillion and capitalization of P316.07 billion. The 171-yearold bank aims to complete its merger with Robinsons Bank , the country’s 16th largest bank with resources of P183.25 billion.

UnionBank is the country’s 9th largest bank with resources amounting to P961.58 billion, while RCBC is ranked sixth with P1.18 trillion.

On the other hand, PSBank – the thrift banking arm of the Metrobank Group – is the country’s largest mid-sized bank with assets of P263.37 billion and capitalization of P35.74 billion.

Maya Bank is one of the six entities granted digital banking licenses by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas. n

Pangasinan when Lomibao served the Ilocos regional police. (With reports from Marlon Ramos, Julie M. Aurelio, Yolanda Sotelo and John Michael Mugas)

LAST DAY. Gen. Rodolfo Azurin Jr. (right) bids farewell to the Philippine National Police as he leaves the service after nearly

40 years during

his retirement ceremony at

Camp Crame in Quezon City on Monday, April 24, with PNP deputy chief for administration Lt. Gen Rhodel Sermonia

beside him. In

his retirement speech, Azurin said he remained true to his promise to ensure peace, order and stability in the administration

of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. PNA photo by Robert Oswald P. Alfiler

Fil-Am ac tor Arielle Jacobs to lead Brroadway c ast of ‘Here Lies Love’

by AJPress

FILIPINA

The musical, written by David Byrne and Fatboy Slim, will begin preview performances at the Broadway Theatre in New York on June 17 ahead of opening on Thursday, July 20.

“I’m so honored to be able to tell this story and to step into the shoes of Imelda Marcos, literally and figuratively,” said Jacobs said in a statement. “Here Lies Love is a very transformative and powerful opportunity for everyone involved, and I think will also be the same for everyone who comes to experience the production.”

“Here Lies Love” tells the story of Imelda Marcos’ rise to power and subsequent fall at the hands of the Philippine People Power Revolution.  Director Alex Timbers said, “Arielle blew us away in the casting process. She combines such charisma, wit, strength, and fierce intelligence that it was immediately clear to all of us she should lead our Broadway company.”

Jacobs has starred on Broadway as Princess Jasmine in Disney’s “Aladdin,” in the hit musical “Wicked,” and

his original role of Ferdinand Marcos, and Conrad Ricamora (“How to Get Away with Murder”), who will reprise his role as Senator Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino.”

Tony Award winner Lea Salonga also joins the cast in a special five-week-only guest engagement from July 11-August 13. Additional casting will be announced soon. Tickets are on sale now at Telecharge.com or by phone at 212-239-6200.

The Broadway Theatre box office will open on Saturday, May 20. “Here Lies Love” transforms the Broadway Theatre’s floor space into a dance club environment, where some audience members will stand and move with the actors, and others will enjoy from seats located around the theatre.

From its world premiere at The Public Theater in 2013, “Here Lies Love” has enjoyed popular and critical acclaim. The show returned to The Public in 2014-2015, debuted at London’s Royal National Theatre in 2014, and most recently opened at

Llana,

Seattle Repertory Theatre in 2017.

The creative team for “Here Lies Love” on Broadway includes threetime Tony Award® nominee David Korins (scenic design), Tony Award® winner Clint Ramos (costume design), Tony Award® winner Justin Townsend (lighting design), M.L. Dogg & Cody Spencer (sound design), and threetime Tony Award® nominee Peter Nigrini (projection

design), with casting by Tara Rubin CSA, Xavier Rubiano CSA, Gail Quintos and general management by Foresight Theatrical.

Additional creative team members include ATW Jonathan Larson Grant recipient J. Oconer Navarro (music director), Billy Bustamante (assistant director), Renée Albulario (assistant choreographer), Bobby Garcia (casting consultant/Philippines),

Gregory T. Livoti (production stage manager), and Ryan Gohsman and Sheryl Polancos (assistant stage managers). Giselle “G” Töngi is the show’s Cultural and Community Liaison. “Here Lies Love” is produced by Hal Luftig, Patrick Catullo, Diana DiMenna and Plate Spinner Productions, Clint Ramos, and Jose Antonio Vargas, with Aaron Lustbader serving as Executive Producer.

Fil-Am Josh dela Cruz on how life has changed since hosting Blue’s Clues

By Nathalie tomada Philstar.com

IT’S been some four years since Josh dela Cruz was selected from thousands of hopefuls to become the host in Blue’s Clues & You, the reboot of Nickelodeon’s iconic children’s show Blue’s Clues.

The Filipino-American actor was cast to play Josh, the human sidekick to animated puppy Blue, making history as the first Asian-American to be a regular in the series that originally ran from 1996 to 2006.

The Philippine STAR had a virtual oneon-one with Josh recently to talk about his

show’s movie-musical version, Blue’s Big City Adventure, where Josh the character brings Blue with him to New York City to pursue an opportunity of a lifetime — audition for a Broadway show. To state that the storyline rings familiar to Josh is an understatement given his background. The musical theater actor was the lead of Broadway’s Aladdin when he won the part in Blue’s Clues & You.

Now, asked how his life has changed since joining the Nickelodeon series, the 34-yearold readily acknowledged to The STAR that it changed a lot.

“The show has changed my life in so many

Continued on Page 9

American actor Arielle Jacobs will lead the Broadway cast of “Here Lies Love” in the role of former Philippine first lady Imelda Marcos.

Arielle Jacobs Photos by Harold Julian

Jose

Arielle Jacobs, and Conrad Ricamora played Nina Rosario in the final cast of the four-time Tony Award and Grammy Award winning musical “In The Heights.”  She joins Jose Llana (“The King and I”), who will play

Filipino-American actor-singer Josh dela Cruz on becoming the current Blue’s Clues host: ‘I work hard every single day to make sure that I do the very best I can. So that I can keep representing Filipinos and the potential that we have.’

Fil-Am Josh dela Cruz...

From Page 8

ways. I get to work with incredibly talented people and I get to connect with so many wonderful people who want to have a kid point to the screen and say, ‘He looks like me,’” Josh said.

“And I hope that even if I don’t look like you or if you don’t identify with me on some level, know that it could be you someday, whether it be on film, TV, journalism, science, teaching. Whatever it is, you could be that person, you just have to work hard and be kind to the people around you, build a community to help each other and there’s no stopping you.”

One could say this is a wish fulfilled for Josh because he has always wanted to work on screen after years of being on Broadway.  “I’ve always said that this is kind of like a paid scholarship because I’ve always wanted to work in film and television. When I decided that was something that I wanted to do after I was on Broadway, I was like, well, why stop here?” he said.

“I was like, all I want to do is work on TV. I want to learn how to do that, I want to film on location. I want to learn how to direct like, why are they doing this? Or why did they choose to do that instead of this? And because of this job and because of everyone’s generosity on set, I get to ask these questions and have fun learning. But also, have fun doing the thing that I always love doing in a completely new way.”

But before Josh became a Blue’s Clues host, he had to hurdle 3,000 others who

Journey at Pechanga hosts more than 30 top LPGA players in 16th CM Pro-Am April 3 & 4

were also eyeing the role. That he got the job speaks a lot of his artistry and the trust the showrunners had in his capability to deliver (the original host, Steve Burns, was reported to have helped in the audition process for the new host.) But it’s not hard to imagine as well the amount of pressure he must have felt when chosen to lead the show.

How he’s been able to cope with that, he said, “You know, it’s interesting. I do have a lot of anxiety. I have anxiety, I’ve ADD, so a lot of stuff is like bubbling always. But there’s only so much that you can control and the what-ifs you can’t really control. So, you can only focus on what can you do.

“Focus on what are the holistic things that I can do –whether it be to get enough sleep, whether it be to prepare the night before, prepare everything that I need for the next day, make sure to exercise and then once I’m on set, just take it one step at a time.

“I think that’s the only way for me, at least, to deal with the pressure — to just have fun. And I can’t have fun if I don’t make sure that I’ve done all the work.

“I wake up at 4:30 a.m. to finish up some notes from the night before, to prepare and to get it in my brain. Then I work out and then I walk to work and then I go to work and then once I get home from work, I take a shower, I have some dinner and then I work on storyboards and everything for the next day. Ideally, I’m done working by 9 p.m. and

Continued on Page 10

JOURNEY at Pechanga at Pechanga Resort Casino hosted Character Media’s 16th Annual Pro-am Golf Tournament on April 3 and 4, 2023. This marked the 10th year the championship course set amid the Temecula rolling hills hosted the tournament as its official sponsor. Journey at Pechanga is Pechanga Resort Casino’s premier championship golf course which is already well known among many Asian golfers.

Character Media’s ProAm continues to serve as a community event by inviting the Great Oak High School (GOHS) Girls’ Golf team to help with the tournament, providing the students an opportunity to meet and greet pro players and see them in action. This year, the GOHS Girls’ Golf team provided more than 30 volunteers to assist with various areas of the event including scorekeeping. The CM Pro-Am has been donating to the GOHS golf program since 2017, and this year will donate $2,000 to support the team. The GOHS Girls’ Golf team won their league championship in 2022 and made it to the postseason of the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF).

The CM 2023 Pro-Am featured many outstanding LPGA professional golfers, including Yu Liu, Jennifer Chang, Haeji Kang, Grace Kim and Kelly Tan.

• Jennifer Chang, Rolex Ranking 157th as of March 9, 2023, recorded a season best T10 result at the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship. She decided to play professionally after her junior year at USC.

• Yu Liu, Rolex Ranking 163rd as of March 9, 2023, started playing golf at the age of 9. In 2017, she won the Tullymore Classic, becoming the third player from China to ever win on the Symetra Tour.

• Grace Kim reached No. 29 in the World Amateur Golf

Ranking in 2019, becoming Australia’s highest-ranked female amateur. She was ranked 179th in the Rolex Rankings as of March 9, 2023.

• Haeji Kang is a South Korean professional golfer, with a Rolex Ranking of 181st as of March 9, 2023. She started playing golf at the age of 10, turning pro in 2008.

• Jaravee Boonchant started playing golf at age 6 in Bangkok, Thailand. At Duke, she was named a three-time All-ACC and four-time AllAmerican selection. She ranks 190th in the Rolex Rankings as

of March 9, 2023.

The following LPGA superstars also joined the game: Amelia Garvey, Amy

Lee, Angel Yin, Brianna Do, Gabriella Then, Greta Voelker, Harang Lee, ILHee Lee, Jaravee

Boonchant, Jillian Hollis, Jiwon

Jeon, Kaley In, Karen Chung, Louise Ridderstrom, Luna

Sobron, Mi Hyang Lee, Min-G

Kim, Mo Martin, Rebecca LeeBentham, Roberta Liti, Robynn

Ree, Sarah Jane Smith, SsuChia Cheng, Sydnee Michaels, Tisha Alyn, Vicky Hurst and Yae

Eun Hong. This elite group of 32 pro golfers challenged each

other on the stimulating and demanding course, along with their fans and golf partners. Through the tournament, tee sponsors got to swing their clubs alongside the talented golf athletes. Sponsors were able to find out which LPGA pro golfers they will be playing with the night before the tournament. The tournament began at 10 a.m. on April 4 following a brief press conference for the players. Players competed in an 18-hole scramble tournament and the team with

The winner of the CM Pro-Am Cup were pro golfer Angel Yin’s team seen in photo above accepting their trophies. The team’s other membrs were James Ryu, Raymund Sun, Michael Yamaki and Sung Tae Yu. Photos courtesy of iGraphix

32 Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA) stars featured in the CM Pro-Am Cup this year at the Journey at Pechanga championship course. They are shown in photo above with officials from Pechanga Resort Casino.

From left: Pechanga Resort Casino General Manager Tjeerd Brink, LPGA Ambassador Gabriella

Then and Pechanga Resort Casino Chief Marketing Officer Bill Anderson.

LPGA tour member Amelia Garvey after hitting a shot at the course.

The LPGA’s Mi Hyang Lee answers media questions prior to the Pro-Am Cup start.

Fil-Am Josh dela Cruz...

From Page 9

then I’m in bed by 10.

“You know, sleeping at the right time, it’s something that I’m working on. (But) being prepared is one of the best ways for me to help with the pressure and the anxiety. And if I’m prepared, I’ll have fun.”

Here’s a bit of Blue’s Clues & You trivia: His character is named Josh also because of him.

He revealed: “They gave me the option whether to keep my name as Josh. I think some of the names that were floated around were Ben or

Navigating the challenges of divorcing a narcissist

Nick. But I decided to go with Josh. And I put so much of myself into this character. Everything I do, it’s only a piece of who I am. It’s a piece of the whole and only so many people in my life know who Josh is completely.

“But I put all of my hard work into this role every single day. And we’re very similar in how silly we are and how physical we are. But yeah, there’s a lot of method acting because I’m typically a very dark and brooding person. So, I’m glad that finally somebody asked me (about it).”

With Josh on board, audiences from the U.S. and around the world have been enjoying a taste of Filipino culture through the show.

Having the chance to share a part of his heritage through this platform is so important to Josh. “I’m so honored to be here. I’m so honored to have had this opportunity, that I was prepared, that all the right people were in the room when they made the decision. And that I have the support system that got me here. I’m so honored and I’m so blessed because it is important to know that we’re not just villains,” he said.

“We’re not just people that know martial arts, even though martial arts is amazing. We’re not just Asian, we’re Filipino to be specific. I think the more specific we are, the more people can realize like oh, so much like me, you know? The fact that we get to say, loud and proud, ‘Lola,’ is incredible, because no one knew what Lola was. What’s a Lola? ‘That Lola?’ No different (laughs). Different, it’s my grandma.

“And now people are saying, oh your Lola is on there. And it makes me think about my lolas and I’m just so thankful for them. I wouldn’t be here without them. They’re no longer with us. But I’m just filled with so much joy and so much gratitude that I get to do this. I work hard every single day to make sure that I do the very best I can so that we can keep doing this and so that I can keep representing Filipinos and the potential that we have. This isn’t the end, you know. This is just the beginning.”

NARCISSISTIC behavior can be a major factor in the breakdown of a marriage, leading to divorce. Many divorcing spouses would point to the other spouse’s personality as the reason they decided to file for divorce.

When describing their spouse’s personality, it often fits many of the characteristics of Narcissism. Narcissism is a personality disorder characterized by a grandiose sense of selfimportance, a lack of empathy for others, and a need for admiration. Narcissists often have an exaggerated sense of entitlement and may exploit others for their own gain.

Narcissistic behavior can manifest in a variety of ways, including:

1. Lack of Empathy: Narcissists often lack the ability to empathize with their partners, making it difficult for them to understand their partner’s feelings and needs.

2. Manipulation: Narcissists are often skilled at manipulating others to get what they want. They may use emotional blackmail, guilt-tripping, or other tactics to control their partner.

3. Gaslighting: Narcissists often use gaslighting, a tactic where they deny or distort reality to make their partner doubt their own memories or experiences.

4. Blame-Shifting: Narcissists may frequently shift blame onto their partner, making it difficult for them to take responsibility

for their actions.

5. Lack of Commitment: Narcissists often struggle with commitment, preferring to keep their options open and maintain their independence.

All of these behaviors can take a toll on a marriage, leading to feelings of frustration, anger, and resentment. Eventually, these negative emotions can become too much to bear, leading to the breakdown of the relationship and ultimately, divorce.

Furthermore, narcissists often struggle with intimate relationships and may struggle to form deep, meaningful connections with their partners. They may see their partner as an extension of themselves rather than as a separate individual with their own needs and desires. This can make it difficult for the relationship to thrive and grow over time.

If you are in a relationship with a narcissist and are considering divorce, it is important to seek professional help and support. Divorcing a narcissist can be challenging, and it is important to have a support system in place to help you navigate the process. A therapist or counselor can help you work through your emotions and develop strategies to cope with the challenges of divorcing a narcissist. This may also apply to the minor children in the family who become victims of the narcissistic spouse.

Narcissistic spouse’s also have a tendency of weaponizing the judicial process against the other spouse rather than focusing in resolving he divorce case. This may be in the form of over litigating a case for purposes of racking up legal fees for the other spouse. Fabricating

false allegations against the other spouse in the context of custody or domestic violence. Refusal to engage in good faith settlement negotiations. They will take unreasonable positions without any willingness to compromise. This will leave you with no option but to either roll over to their unreasonable positions or take the case to trial and get a ruling from the court.

Narcissistic behavior can be a major factor in the breakdown of a marriage, leading to divorce. Recognizing the signs of narcissism and seeking professional help can help you navigate the challenges of divorcing a narcissist and move forward with your life.

* * *

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, APC. 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)

Business owner needs Chapter 13 to reorganize

Debt Relief

Atty.

CLIENT is a young senior. At 65, in my book, she’s a young senior. She has been living by herself since she divorced 20 years ago. Her adult children have their

own lives and

LA lifestyle.

Fortunately for client, her condo is fully paid off. It’s now worth close to $600K. The problem is that she operates two retail outlets in the food industry. Both outlets were doing great before the pandemic. 4 years of pandemic killed one of the outlets. The other outlet is still surviving and provides a source of regular income for client. In addition, she enjoys doing that business so she wants to continue doing that business.

The outlet that died as it could no longer pay the rent of $10K a month owes $180K of rent. So obviously, the landlord wants to get paid. Client did not borrow from the SBA for the PPP loans to keep this outlet going, unlike many business owners who did resort to that alternative which did help to survive the pandemic, but it’s a fact that businesses have not yet been able to get back to income at levels before the pandemic so there’s that dilemma, that many businesses have to contend with. Client only owes unpaid rent of $180K and unsecured debt of $20K. Landlord now wants to sue client for $180K.

Her initial desire is to file for Chapter 7 for a fresh start with no debt. Although theoretically her condo is totally exempt under current exemption of $630K, there is a significant risk that she could lose her condo to the Chapter 7 trustee. You never know, the trustee might have an interested buyer willing

to pay $700K for her condo. Home prices are supposed to have dropped a little bit, but why even assume the risk of losing her condo with Chapter 7?

In Chapter 13, we can submit a plan that say, pays only $300 a month for 60 months, or a total of $18K without interest. This is only 9% of her total debt of $200K. Is she makes all plan payments timely, the court will discharge or wipe out $182K. And more importantly, in Chapter 13, there is zero risk of losing her condo to the trustee. Chapter 13 trustees do not have the power, unlike Chapter 7 trustees, to sell debtor houses. Being a businesswoman for 40 years, client immediately sees the wisdom of using Chapter 13 in her situation. 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. There is absolutely no attorney client relationship established by reading this article.

From left: Wade Lai, Pechanga CMO Bill Anderson, LPGA stars Jennifer Chang, Mi Hyang Lee, Karen Chung, Amelia Garvey, Greta Vokeler, LPGA Ambassador Garbiella Then, Pechanga Development Corporation 2nd Vice President John Palinkas, and Pechanga GM Tjeerd Brink.

Journey at Pechanga hosts more than...

From Page 9

Atty. Kenneth UrsUA reyes

Barrister’s Corner

Photos courtesy of iGraphix