052424 - Northern California Edition

Marcos vows to sustain PH economic growth

ready to be utilized.

fiscal impetus.

"We are one of the fastestgrowing economies in the world, [and] we are committed to fostering and continuing this momentum," Marcos said in his speech during the 6th Indo-Pacific Business Forum in Taguig City.

The president said the Philippine economy grew by 5.5 percent last year based on the latest available data, surpassing major economies in Asia.

"With this region accounting for over one-third of global economic activity, this presents immense opportunities for our nation. We are proud to be a major contributor, with our GDP ranking among the fastestgrowing in the region, coupled with our burgeoning population and significant trading outputs," he said.

Marcos said that foreign direct investments in the country increased continually in four consecutive months of expansion.

He added that the Renewable Energy Act boosted the country's renewable energy (RE) potential, with over 491,821 megawatts from sources like geothermal, hydropower, solar and wind

Delano dedicates park to Fil-Am labor rights icon Larry Itliong

The city of Delano in California immortalizes the labor hero’s legacy by inaugurating the ‘Larry Itliong Unity Park’

IN honor of the Filipino American labor icon, the city of Delano in California immortalized the legacy of Larry Itliong by inaugurating a “Larry Itliong Unity Park.”

The park, named in honor of Itliong’s important role in the labor movement, stands as a testament to his enduring impact on the community and the broader struggle for workers’ rights.

For the uninitiated, Itliong, often regarded as a cornerstone figure in the United Farm

Gov. Newsom boosted Califonia’s public health budget during COVID. Now he wants to cut it

WHEN a doctor in Pasadena, California, reported in October that a hospital patient was exhibiting classic symptoms of dengue fever, such as vomiting, a rash, and bone and joint pain, local disease investigators snapped into action.

The mosquito-borne virus is common in places like Southeast Asia, East Africa, and Latin America, and when Americans contract the disease it is usually while traveling. But in this case, the patient hadn’t left California.

Epidemiologists and public health nurses visited 175 households to conduct blood draws and local pest control workers began fumigating the patient’s neighborhood. In the process, they discovered a second infected

Marcos added that the law, allowing 100 percent foreign ownership of inexhaustible RE sources, is attractive for clean energy investments.

"We intend to tap this vast potential as we target to increase the share of renewables in our power generation mix from the current 22 percent to 50 percent by the year 2040," he added

The president said that the country's digital transformation was a catalyst for growth, empowering micro, small and medium enterprises.

Marcos commended the Philippines' involvement in free trade agreements and generalized system of preference, including

Chiz Escudero is new Senate president; Miguel Zubiri out

by MAILA AGER Inquirer.net

MANILA — Sen. Francis “Chiz” Escudero is the new Senate president, replacing Sen. Juan Miguel Zubiri.

No one objected on the Senate floor on Monday, May 20 when Senator Alan Peter Cayetano nominated Escudero to be the next Senate president. Escudero, accompanied by his actress wife Heart Evangelista, immediately took his oath administered by Senator Mark Villar. In his speech, the new Senate chief was all praises for his predecessor.

Marcos backs new Senate leadership

by CATHERINE S. VALENTE ManilaTimes.net

MANILA - President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

on Tuesday, May 21 extended his support to Senate President Francis "Chiz" Escudero, who has taken over the post as the country's new Senate president.

Escudero replaced Sen. Juan Miguel Zubiri, who resigned from the position over his supposed failure to follow instructions from "powerful" blocs in the Senate.

"I extend my support to the new Senate President, Chiz Escudero. His legislative record and commitment to public service have distinguished him as a dedicated leader," Marcos said in a statement posted on his social media.

"Senator Chiz steps into this role following the commendable tenure of Senator Migz Zuburi, and I am confident that under his

leadership, the Senate will continue to prioritize transformative laws to achieve our shared vision for a Bagong Pilipinas," he added. 

and 18 crew members on flight SQ 321 that took off from London Heathrow Airport.

SINGAPORE Airlines confirmed on Wednesday, May 22, that five Filipinos were on the flight from London to the island citystate that experienced severe turbulence, resulting in the death of a 73-year-old male British passenger.

The lone fatality died of a heart attack, while 30 others suffered injuries.

Around midnight on Wednesday, the airline said on a Facebook post that five Filipinos were among the 211 passengers

The Philippine Embassy in Singapore said it was coordinating with authorities to attend to the needs of the five Filipino passengers.

The extreme turbulence forced the plane to make an emergency landing in Bangkok, Thailand.

"We can confirm that there were multiple injuries and one fatality on board the Boeing 777-300ER aircraft. Singapore Airlines offers its deepest condolences to the family of the deceased. We deeply apologize for

“Nais kong pasalamatan si Senate President Zubiri sa kanyang talino, sa kanyang galing, sa kanyang pasensya, sa kanyang kasipagan, sa kanyang hindi mapagkakailang pagmamahal sa bayan, at gayun din sa institusyong ito, at sa ating mga kababayan,” Escudero said. (I want to thank Senate President Zubiri for  PAGE 2

MANILA — For the first time since their election in 2022, Vice President and Education Secretary Sara Duterte obtained lower satisfaction and trust ratings than President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. in the quarterly survey conducted by the OCTA Research group.

Although considered as statistically tied, Duterte’s ratings are both one point lower than those obtained by Marcos,

results of OCTA’s March 24 to 27 survey released on Monday, May 20 showed. Marcos obtained a satisfaction rating of 65 percent, down six points from the 71 percent he obtained in a similar survey conducted in December 2023. Those who were dissatisfied with his performance increased from nine percent to 14 percent. Duterte, meanwhile, obtained a satisfaction rating of 64 percent, down 11 points from 75 percent in December 2023. Her

NEW LEADER. Senate President Francis Escudero (center) takes his oath as Senate president before Senator Mark Villar, the youngest in the chamber, during the plenary session on Monday, May 20. To his right is his wife, actress Heart Evangelista. PNA photo by Avito C. Dalan

OUT. Senator Juan Miguel Zubiri salutes the flag after announcing in a privilege speech his resignation as Senate president on Monday May 20, assuring that he will continue to serve as an independent lawmaker who is loyal only to the Filipino people. PNA photo by Avito Dalan

VP Sara’s ratings dip below Marcos...

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dissatisfaction rating increased from seven percent to 13 percent.

In terms of trust, Marcos obtained a rating of 69 percent, down six points from 75 percent in December 2023. Distrust with the president increased from eight percent to 10 percent.

For Duterte, her trust rating further dipped to 68 percent, from 77 percent in the last survey. Distrust with the vice president increased from five percent to 10 percent.

In OCTA’s October 2022 survey, the first released under the current administration, both Marcos and Duterte obtained a trust rating of 86 percent. The President had a satisfaction rating of 78 percent, while Duterte had 80 percent.

Duterte’s ratings increased in OCTA’s March 2023 survey, with satisfaction at 84 percent and trust at 87 percent. Marcos obtained a satisfaction

rating of 80 percent and a trust rating of 83 percent that quarter. The ratings of both Marcos and Duterte have trended downwards in the following surveys, with the vice president often enjoying higher ratings than the president – that is, until the first quarter of this year. Declines across all areas

Based on the latest survey, the 11-point drop in Duterte’s satisfaction rating was due to declines across all areas, including 16 points in both balance Luzon and the Visayas.

Satisfaction with Duterte was still highest among respondents in her bailiwick Mindanao at 93 percent (from 97 percent), followed by those in the Visayas at 64 percent (from 80 percent), Metro Manila at 56 percent (from 61 percent) and rest of Luzon at 51 percent (from 64 percent).

Her trust ratings also suffered across areas, although it is still very high among those in

Mindanao at 95 percent (from 99 percent). It was followed by the Visayas at 69 percent (from 84 percent), Metro Manila at 61 percent (from 64 percent) and rest of Luzon at 57 percent (from 68 percent).

For Marcos, satisfaction remained highest among those in balance Luzon at 75 percent (from 77 percent), followed by those in Metro Manila at 65 percent (from 67 percent), the Visayas at 60 percent (from 74 percent) and Mindanao at 48 percent (from 57 percent).

The president also obtained his highest trust rating among respondents in balance Luzon at 79 percent (from 77 percent), followed by Metro Manila at 70 percent (from 72 percent), the Visayas at 67 percent (from 79 percent) and Mindanao at 48 percent (from 68 percent).

OCTA’s Tugon ng Masa survey had 1,200 respondents and a margin of error of plus/minus three percent. g

Marcos vows to sustain...

Chiz Escudero is new Senate president...

his wisdom, patience, diligence, and undeniable love for our country, for this institution, and for our countrymen)

“My hats off to you Senate President Zubiri. I salute you, and I hope I will make you proud. You especially among our other colleagues and hopefully you will not leave my side whenever I ask you for guidance. Whenever I ask for help, and whenever I ask for your wisdom,” he added.

Before this, Zubiri announced his resignation, saying he “failed to follow instructions from the powers that be.”

“I fought the good fight. If I have ruffled some feathers in doing so, if I have upset the powers that be, then so be it,” he said in a privilege speech Monday.

“I did not accept the Senate presidency just to let it go down,” Zubiri also said.

In leaving his post, Zubiri promised to continue serving as

an independent member of the Senate.

“I leave with my head held high, knowing I did what is right for the Senate and for the nation,” he said.

Speaking to reporters before the session, Zubiri indicated that he lost his post probably “for not following instructions.”

He did not elaborate, even when asked if the ongoing probe into alleged leaked Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency documents had something to do with his removal as Senate’s top leader.

“That includes everything,” Zubiri simply said.

In another interview, he said he was saddened by what happened, noting he did everything to protect the Senate’s autonomy.

“But that’s just how politics is.

There’s nothing we can do about it,” he said.

The change in leadership happened Monday after several talks of an ouster plot against Zubiri since heading the Senate in

July 2022. Zubiri dismissed a coup rumor against him, which first floated in March 2023 — or barely a year after he was elected Senate president.

This was supposedly because of the low output of the chamber under his watch and his stand on Charter change (Cha-cha).

Just months after, Zubiri’s allies in the Senate had to openly express their support for his leadership after another talk of an alleged move to remove him in June 2023.

Zubiri’s leadership was again confronted with another ouster rumor early this year. This time, however, a colleague – Sen. Imee Marcos – confirmed it.

“Yes, there’s a lot of pressure to change Migz Zubiri,” Marcos said then.

But this move fizzled out after majority of senators signed a statement of support for Zubiri. g

ECO WARRIORS. Young volunteers participate in an interactive storytelling session in celebration of the International Day for Biological Diversity at Gateway Mall 2 in Cubao, Quezon City on Monday, May 20. The event presented by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization-Philippines, Gerry Roxas Foundation, Araneta City and J. Amado Araneta Foundation joined the global community’s call to reexamine the relationship with the natural world and help preserve the ecosystems. PNA photo by Robert Oswald P. Alfiler

Fil-Am PhD student arrested at UCLA explains why they’re protesting

by Jun nucum Inquirer.net

SAN FRANCISCO – Student

protests over the Israel-Hamas war have recently rocked college campuses, and police have arrested more than 2,000 protesters nationwide.

Students and faculty at the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA), including Filipino Americans, were calling for an end to the IsraelHamas war and divestment from companies supporting Israel’s military efforts in Gaza.

Most of the rally participants declined to be interviewed for fear of retaliation by the university, but one FilAm protester courageously stepped forward and gave us an interview to shed light on why students have participated in rallies and encampments.

Lauren Daus is a PhD student in the Urban Schooling Division, Department of Education at UCLA.

Q: Why have you staged protest rallies and set up encampments on campus?

A: As the No. 1 public university in the United States, UCLA needs to stop being complicit in the genocide of the Palestinian people. As a student collective fighting for the liberation of Palestine, we have five demands:

• Divest funds from companies and institutions that support Israeli occupation.

• Disclose all assets such as investments, donations and grants for full transparency

• Abolish the heavy policing of Pro-Palestinian advocacy on campus and cut all ties with the LAPD (more cops on campus do not make us feel safe).

• Call for an immediate ceasefire (in Gaza).

• Boycott by severing all UC-wide connections to Israeli universities, programs, fellowships and collaborations, such as UCLA’s Nazarian Center.

I believe (what’s happening in Gaza) is not a conflict. This is a war on Gaza in which over 34,000 Palestinians have been killed, including more than 14,500 children as of May 7, 2024, which marked

seven months of this ongoing genocide. We have been witnessing a genocide happening right in front of our eyes for the past seven months. College students across the country are mobilizing their power to speak out and stand against white supremacy, imperialism and repression. The same fascist tactics being used to execute a genocide in Gaza are being used to silence and repress college students across the nation. Our struggle and fight for liberation are tied together.

Q: Who are the rally/ encampment participants?

A: Participants range from UCLA students, alumni and professors to community members.

Q: Can you tell us what happened when law enforcement officers dismantled the encampments and share your thoughts on this incident?

A: The California Highway Patrol (CHP) made 210 arrests (myself included) at UCLA’s Palestine solidarity encampment early Thursday morning, May 2, 2024. Despite peacefully protecting our encampment with wooden and human barricades, CHP violently stormed our encampment with rubber bullets, flashbangs and batons. It is a complete disgrace that UCLA’s administration would rather call in the police to inflict violence on their own students and faculty than engage with our demands to stop being complicit in the genocide (in Gaza) and the militarization of our campus.

We are reminded of the many times students have resisted UC war profiteering, such as in 1985, when UCLA students and community members fought for divestment from the apartheid in South Africa, eventually forcing UC regents to divest from the apartheid in 1986.

From the unwavering mobilization of students, we are continuing to learn the importance of abolishing the police, divesting from war and continuing to hold onto our collective liberation. We are the ones who protect each

other and we are the ones who keep us safe.

Q: Can you share more details about your arrest and the arrests of other students?

A: My initial reaction was that I couldn’t believe that UCLA’s administration would approve of such violence and arrest its own students and faculty.

I was arrested with a few faculty members and I deeply admire the way they stood up for us students, consistently telling CHP not to harm students, that students were unarmed and that there was no reason for them to respond with batons, flashbangs and rubber bullets.

Yet, students were trampled over, shoved, pushed to the ground and shot at with rubber bullets before being arrested. I was also reflecting on how police have been violently responding to the encampments across the nation.

This tells us that police are not here to protect us. I was detained for almost six hours. I was so upset that it took so long for them to process our information. I could barely move my arms the moment they removed the zip ties from my wrists.

When we were released around 9 a.m. on Thursday, we were welcomed by community members who were waiting for us to provide rides home, feed us and provide us with legal support.

My experience has definitely motivated and inspired me even more to continue fighting for the liberation of Palestine and for the liberation of college students who have been subjected to institutional violence. We take care of each other and are willing to do what it takes to stand against the dehumanization of all peoples.

Q: Any other insights on the issues you have mentioned?

A: The struggles of Palestine and the Philippines are interconnected. In the Philippines, we see the violent repression of people fighting for their basic needs. It is vital that our mass mobilization continues, to struggle towards collective liberation for all. g

Olympic-bound EJ Obiena secures first US win at LA Grand Prix

The winning leap is his season opener as he fine-tunes his performance ahead of the 2024 Olympic Games by

Hans Carbonilla Inquirer.net

FILIPINO pole vault sensation

EJ Obiena has scored another international medal, securing his first win in the U.S. at the annual USA Track and Field Los Angeles Grand Prix.

This victory marks a significant milestone for the Asian champion as he prepares for the upcoming 2024 Olympic Games.

Not just a gold medal win, the world No. 2 also became the only athlete in the competition to clear the 5.8-meter mark, solidifying his dominance at the event.

Ahead of the event, Obiena took to Instagram to share his excitement and invite support from the local Filipino community.

“Kicking off the Olympic season this Saturday in [Los Angeles Grand Prix]. See you all at Drake Stadium at 12:20pm local time,” he wrote, along with photos of his preparation.

The competition, held at the Drake Stadium, saw Obiena face tough competition in a field of seven internationally renowned vaulters, including American record-holder KC Lightfoot, Saudi record-holder Hussain Assem Al-Hizam and 2020 Olympic silver medalist Chris Nilsen.

Despite the fierce competition, the Filipino athlete ascended to the top, outperforming Norwegian Simen Guttormsen and Lightfoot, who claimed silver and bronze respectively.

Reflecting on his performance, Obiena described the Olympic season-opener as a bonus win.

“2024 Olympic Season Opened,” he shared on social

media. “[Los Angeles Grand Prix] was a blast with all the Filipinos who came out waving flags and screamed their hearts out. Some were even wearing the #EJxPUMA shirts!!!”

He concluded his post writing, “5.80m to get things rolling and a bonus win,” accompanied by photos with his Filipino supporters and his winning leap.

EJ Obiena has spent the past six weeks in the U.S., honing

his skills and preparing for the forthcoming season. He will soon head to Europe for more competitions, using these events to fine-tune his performance ahead of the 2024 Olympic Games.

The international athlete continues to defy gravity and expectations, finishing 2023 with a score of 1,443 to maintain his position as number two in the World Rankings. g

Singapore Airlines confirms 5 Pinoys...

PAGE 1

the traumatic experience that our passengers and crew members suffered on this flight," the post read.

Other passengers on board the flight were from Australia, Canada, the United States, Germany, India, Indonesia, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Malaysia, Myanmar, New Zealand, South Korea, Spain, the United Kingdom and Singapore. An announcement from the airline said 131 passengers and 12 crew members arrived in Singapore through a relief flight on Wednesday and were received by Singapore Airlines Chief Executive Officer Goh Choon Phong. Based on recent updates, 79 passengers and six crew were still in Thailand, including those receiving medical care.

"Transportation to their homes or hotel accommodation has been arranged for passengers traveling to Singapore. For passengers with onward connections, we have rebooked them on alternative flights. We have also arranged hotel accommodation or lounge access for them to rest until their next flight," the airline said. g

EJ Obiena

Photo from instagram/@ernestobienapv

Gov. Newsom boosted Califonia’s public health...

person who hadn’t traveled.

Both patients recovered, and in that neighborhood nearly 65% of the carrier mosquitoes, part of a genus called Aedes, were eradicated within seven days, said Matthew Feaster, an epidemiologist with the Pasadena Public Health Department.

The swift and intensive response was funded largely by a new bucket of money in the state budget for public health and preparedness across California, said Manuel Carmona, Pasadena’s deputy director of public health.

In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, and facing pleas from public health officials who said they didn’t have enough resources to track and contain the disease, California Gov. Gavin Newsom had agreed to allocate $300 million each year for the state’s chronically underfunded public health system.

Two years after the money started to flow, and facing a $45 billion deficit, the second-term Democratic governor proposes to slash the funding entirely.

“This is a huge step backwards,” said Kat DeBurgh, executive director of the Health Officers Association of California. “We can’t go back to where we were before the pandemic. That future looks very scary.”

Michelle Gibbons, executive director of the County Health Executives Association of California, said about 900 public health workers have already been hired with the new funding — including some of Pasadena’s disease investigators — positions that are at risk should Newsom prevail.

The governor unveiled his updated budget plan for the 202425 fiscal year on May 10, saying it pained him to push such deep cuts to health and human services but that the state needed to make “difficult decisions” to balance its budget. Unlike the federal government, it cannot operate on a deficit.

Tense budget negotiations are underway between Newsom and the leaders of the state Senate and Assembly, who must reach an agreement on the state’s estimated $288 billion budget by June 15.

“We have a shortfall. We have to be sober about the reality, what our priorities are,” Newsom said after unveiling his suggested cuts. “This is a program that we wish we could continue to absorb and afford.”

Public health officials lobbied Newsom hard in 2020 and 2021 to get more resources, and secured additional annual funding of $100 million for the state Department of Public Health and $200 million for the 61 local health departments that form the backbone of California’s public health system.

Now they are fighting to preserve their funding — just as cities and counties had begun using it to bolster California’s public health defenses.

Some of the workers hired with the money are battling homelessness, fighting climate change, or surveying farmworkers to identify their health and social needs, but most are communicable disease specialists such as epidemiologists and public health nurses charged with investigating threats and outbreaks.

Measles infections are breaking out in Davis, San Diego, Humboldt County, and elsewhere. Long Beach declared a public health emergency early this month over an outbreak of tuberculosis, which spreads through the air when an infected person coughs, speaks, or sneezes. Los Angeles public health authorities are investigating a spate of hepatitis A infections among homeless people.

And around the United States, the spread of bird flu from animals to humans is causing widespread concern.

“The more time this virus is out there transferring between cows and birds, the more chance it has to evolve and spread human to human,” DeBurgh said. She argues that public health agencies must have enough funding to hire workers who can halt threats as they emerge — like they did in Pasadena.

“That dengue outbreak was stopped because we had more ability to hire, and that was a huge

public health success,” she said.

Pasadena public health authorities teamed up with the local mosquito control agency to spray pesticides and deployed 29 staffers to test residents for dengue.

“We put our best people on that case,” Carmona said, adding that four of the disease investigators were funded with about $1 million in new state money the department receives each year.

“Without it, we wouldn’t have a timely response and we probably would have identified dengue as West Nile or some other type of viral virus.”

Rob Oldham, the interim public health officer and director of Health and Human Services for Placer County, said he’s weighing the “devastating” cuts he’d have to make if Newsom’s proposal passes. The county has hired 11 full-time and six part-time workers using about $1.8 million in new annual state funding, he said.

“This money was just starting to take hold,” he said. “Honestly, we’re scrambling, just as we’re responding to another measles case.”

Legislative leaders were reluctant to say whether they would try to safeguard the funding, as they face deep cuts in nearly every sector of state government, including early childhood education, public safety, energy, and transportation.

“We’re knee-deep in budget negotiations but we’re working like hell to protect the progress we’ve made,” said state Senate leader Mike McGuire, a Northern California Democrat.

Public health officials warned the state would be vulnerable to health and economic disasters should they lose the hard-won funding.

“It’s tempting to go back to what we had before, because when we do our jobs, we are invisible. Crises are averted,” Gibbons said. “But it’s devastating to think of going back to this boomand-bust cycle of public health funding that goes neglect, panic, repeat.” (Angela Hart/KFF Health News)

This article was produced by KFF Health News, which publishes California Healthline, an editorially independent service of the California Health Care Foundation.

KFF Health News is a national newsroom that produces in-depth journalism about health issues and is one of the core operating programs at KFF—an independent source of health policy research, polling, and journalism.

Workers (UFW) movement, spearheaded the historic 1965 grape strike in the heart of Central California’s agricultural landscape. This strike, which echoed the demands for fair wages and humane working conditions, marked a turning point in the fight for farmworkers’ rights.

“It didn’t matter what color you are, he helped anybody,” shared Johnny Itliong, his son, in an interview with KBAK. “What I’m trying to do is tell people, ‘Hey, you know what, don’t get your feelings hurt so easily, ’cause your feelings hurt is not racism. Stand up, be a man, be a woman, help each other,’ and that’s what my father’s message was.”

Itliong’s collaboration with fellow labor activists such as Cesar

Chavez and Delores Huerta laid the groundwork for the formation of the UFW, a union dedicated to championing the rights of farmworkers across America.

Beyond commemorating Itliong’s legacy and contributions, “Larry Itliong Unity Park” serves as a vital community space, equipped with amenities such as a playground, amphitheater and the city’s only pool – a refuge from Delano’s scorching summer temperatures.

According to Bakersfield’s report, the $4.5 million project, initiated in 2013 and dedicated to Itliong in 2022, symbolizes a commitment to preserving his memory and acknowledging the enduring contributions of the Filipino community.

As Mayor Joe Alindajao aptly

ANG KONDADO NG CONTRA COSTA KAGAWARAN NG KONSERBASYON AT PAGUNLAD PEDERAL NA PABAHAY AT MGA PROGRAMA SA PAGPAPAUNLAD NG PAMAYANAN

PAUNAWA NG MGA PAMPUBLIKONG PULONG

Ang plano sa taong 2024/25 na taunang plano ng pagkilos ay maaaring ma download o makita sa May 25, 2024 sa http://www.contracosta.ca.gov/CDBG. Sa Martes, Hunyo 25, 2024 humigit kumulang alas nuwebe ng umaga, ang mga tagapangasiwa ng Contra Costa County ay isasaalang-alang ang pagsangayon ng pampublikong serbisyo, pangekonomiyang pagunlad, imprastraktuura at pampublikong pasilidad, bahagi ng abot kayang pabahay para sa taong 2024/25 taunang plano ng pagkilos kabilang ang iminungkahing ginamit sa taong 2024/54 Community Development Block Grant (CDBG), para sa taong 2024/25 Home Investment Partnerships Program (HOME), at para sa taong 2024/25 Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG).

Ang publiko ay maaaring dumalo sa pulong ng lupon, personal o malayo, sa pamamagitan ng call-in or Zoom. Ang pulong ng lupon ay mapapanood sa telebisyon sa Comcast Cable 27, ATT/U-Verse Channel 99 at WAVE Channel 32 at maaaring makita online sa www. contracosta.ca.gov. Ang pulong ng mga lupon ay closed-captioned sa totoong oras. Sino man ang nais magsalita sa lupon sa oras ng pampublikong komento o tungkol sa isang bagay sa ahenda, ay maaaring magkomento ng personal o maaaring tumawag sa oras ng pulong sa numerong 888-278-0254 at sundan ng koda 843298#. Kinakailangang ipahiwatig ng tumatawag na nais niyang magsalita sa isang bagay sa ahenda at pindutin ang “#2” sa kanyang telepono. Ang mga taong nais magsalita nang personal sa Lupon ay dapat kumpletuhin ang isang papel na ibinigay para sa layuning iyon. Maaaring gamitin ang Zoom gamit ang link na ito: https://cccounty-us.zoom.us/j/87344719204. Ang mga nakikibahagi sa pamamagitan ng Zoom ay dapat magpahiwatig na nais nilang magsalita sa isang bagay sa ahenda sa pamamagitan ng paggamit ng “raise your hand” na nasa Zoom app. Upang magbigay ng impormasyon sa pakikipag-ugnay, mangyaring makipag-ugnay sa Clerk of the Board sa clerkoftheboard@cob.cccounty.us o mangyaring tumawag sa numero 925-6552000.

Aksesibility at Makatwirang mga Tirahan

Alinsunod sa kilos ng mga Amerikanong may kapansanan at batas ng California, ito ay patakaran ng miyembro ng consortium na ialok sa pampublikong pulong na mabilisang maabot sa tao, higit sa lahat sa mga taong may kapansanan. Ang Kondado ay magbibigay ng makatwirang akomodasyon para sa mga taong may kapansanan na nagpaplanong dumalo sa pulong, at dapat tumawag sa Clerk of the Board na hindi bababa sa 24 oras bago mag-umpisa ang pulong sa numero (925) 655-2000. Mayroon ding tagapagsalin sa wikang Espanyol upang tulungan ang mga tumatawag sa wikang Espanyol.

Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Ang pangunahing layunin ng programang CDBG ay ang mga sumusunod:

• Magbigay ng tulong sa programa at aktibidades na makikinabang ang mga taong mabababa ang kita

• Pigilan o bawasan ang pagkasisiyasat sa mga itinalagang kapitbahay.

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

• Magbigay ng mga insentibo para sa pagpapalawak ng negosyo at pagpapanatag upang mapalawak ang mga pagkakataon sa trabaho para sa mga mabababang kita, kabilang na ang mga espesyal na pangangailangan ng populasyon.

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

• Magbigay ng tulong sa mga programang lumilikha ng permanenteng oportunidad sa trabaho para sa may mas mababang kita.

• Pagbutihin ang imprastraktura ng publiko, kabilang na ang mga pagpapabuti na tumutugon sa revitalization ng mga kapitbahay, dagdagan ang akses para sa mga taong may kapansanan at nakatatanda, at dagdagan ang kalusugan at kaligtasan ng mga residente.

• Magbigay ng tulong sa mga kapitbahay at pampublikong pasilidad na naglilingkod sa mga may mas mababang kita at kanilang pamilya.

• Magbigay ng payo ukol sa pabahay at impormasyon, at iangat ang problema sa pabahay ukol sa diskriminasyon.

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

sa pondo ng CDBG upang gamitin sa kanilang nasasakupan.

Upang matugunan ang mga layuning ito, ang Kondado ng Contra Costa, sa pamamagitan ng rekomendasyon ng mga kawani ng kondado, komite na pampinansyal at Komite ng Lupon ng mga Superbisor na pang pamilya at serbisyong pangtao at komite na pampinansyal ng abot kayang pabahay, nagmumungkahing gamitin ang pondo ng CDBG para sa taong 2024/25 para sa akitibidades na ilalarawan ng plano ng pagkilos sa taong 2024/25. Lahat ng aktibidad ay pakikinabangan ng mga taong mababa, napakababa at lubhang mababa ang kita.

Pinagmulan ng Pondo ng CDBG: Karapatang Grant sa taong 2024/25

$4,614,953 Nakuha at Kita ng Programa (tinatantiya)

Kabuuan

Rekomendasyong Alokasyon ng CDBG: Programa/Proyekto (tinatantiya)

Pangangasiwa ng Programa (tinatantiya)

Kabuuan

HOME Investment Partnerships Act (HOME)

$1,619,332

$6,234,285

$5,134,294

$1,099,991

$6,234,285

Ang Kondado ng Contra Costa ay tagapangasiwa ng programa ng HOME para sa kasunduan ng HOME ng Contra Costa, na kinabibilangan ng lahat ng Kondado ng Contra Costa. Ang mga lungsod ng Antioch, Concord, Pittsburg at Walnut Creek ay pinagsama-sama ang kanikanilang nakalaang pondo at ang Kondado ay pinangangasiwaan ang mga pondong iyon alinsunod sa mga hinihingi ng Title 1 ng kilos ng pambansang abot-kayang pabahay.

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

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

• Magbigay ng tulong para sa mga napakababa at mababang kitang tao na unang beses na bumili ng bahay.

Pinagmulan ng Pondo: HOME Grant sa taong 2024/25

$2,989,514

Nakuha at Kita ng Programa (tinatantiya) $2,441,495 Kabuuan

$5,431,009

Rekomendasyong Alokasyon ng HOME: Programa ng Abot Kayang Pabahay (tinatantiya) $2,989,514

Pangangasiwa ng Programa (tinatantiya) $ 373,251 Kabuuan

$5,431,009

Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG)

Ang Contra Costa ay isang bayan ng kondado na kinatawan para sa mga layunin ng programa ng ESG. Ang Kondado ay tumatangap at inilalaan ang pondo ng ESG alinsunod sa tulong na kilos para sa mga walang tirahan ng Stewart B. McKinney.

Ang pangunahing layunin ng programa ay:

• Magbigay ng mahahalagang serbisyo para sa mga walang tirahan.

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

• Bumuo at magpatupad ng pag-iwas na mawalan ng tirahan/mabilis na aktibidad ng pabahay.

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

Pinagmulan ng Pondo :

Photo by Melody Ybarra on Bakersfield.com

Labor rights icon Larry Itliong

noted, the park stands as a tangible reminder of Itliong’s advocacy and the resilience of those who continue to strive for social justice in his spirit.

(Hans Carbonilla/ Inquirer.net)

California Gov. Gavin Newsom

PATRON SAINT OF FIREFIGHTERS. Grace Acebes, staff chaplain at the Bureau of Fire Protection - National Capital Region, wipes dust off an image of St. Florian, the patron saint of firefighters, at the agency’s office in Cubao, Quezon City on Tuesday, May 21. The feast of St. Florian, who was said to have put out a fire using only a bucket of water, is celebrated this month, with scheduled novena Masses in different cities of Metro Manila. PNA photo by Robert Oswald P. Alfiler

Dateline PhiliPPines

Agriculture losses due to El Niño reach P9.5 billion

MANILA — The Department of Agriculture (DA) reported on Tuesday, May 21 that the ongoing El Niño phenomenon has caused around P9.5 billion in damage to the agriculture sector.

El Niño’s wrath has affected 175,063 farmers and fisherfolk, and devastated 163,694 hectares of agricultural land, according to the DA.

Regions most affected were

Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR), Ilocos Region, Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon, Calabarzon, MIMAROPA, Bicol Region, Western Visayas, Eastern Visayas,

Zamboanga Peninsula, Central Mindanao, Davao Region and Soccsksargen.

The agriculture department also reported that El Niño has caused an estimated 426,798 metric tons (MT) in production losses across various crops, including 185,561 MT for palay, 180,807 MT for corn, 48,949 MT for high-value crops, and 147 MT for cassava.

The impacted area accounted for 3.91% of the targeted planting area, while the production loss was equivalent to 2.01% of the production target for this year’s dry cropping seasons

Meanwhile, corn losses represent 6.08% of the targeted planting area and 4.02% of the production loss.

The DA said that it has provided financial assistance of around P8.59 billion and P658.22 worth of aid for production support.

El Niño, a climate pattern associated with extreme heat and drought, continues to weaken, but its impacts are expected to persist until June. There is around 60% chance of La Niña, a cooling climate pattern, developing in the JuneJuly-August season. (Gaea Katreena Cabico/Philstar.com)

Marcos pitches PH as key player in Indo-Pacific

MANILA — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Tuesday, May 21 touted the economic strengths of the Philippines as he positioned the country to become a key player in the Indo-Pacific region.

Speaking at the 6th IndoPacific Business Forum at the Bonifacio Global City, Taguig, Marcos cited the country’s outstanding economic record and soaring foreign investments which will make the country a major contributor to the IndoPacific region’s economic activity.

Marcos said the Philippine economy grew by 5.5% last year, surpassing major economies in Asia. He added that foreign direct investments (FDI) continue to flow in with four consecutive months of expansion.

The president noted that the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF) partner countries play a significant role in the country's robust economic growth, contributing substantially to the Philippines' FDI and approved investments.

The forum, according to the president, provides a platform for the country to “showcase our investment opportunities, economic potential, and ongoing development projects, solidifying our leadership role in the Indo-Pacific region.”

“As the Philippines occupies a strategic position in the IndoPacific, we are leveraging our strategic geopolitical location, economic engagements,

and participation in regional agreements,” Marcos said.

“With this region accounting for over one-third of global economic activity, this presents immense opportunities for our nation,” he added.

Game-changing legislations In his speech, Marcos also cited “game-changing” reforms that his administration has pushed for to provide investors with a conducive business environment.

The president identified the reforms such as the Corporate Recovery and Tax Incentives for Enterprises (CREATE) ACT, the Ease of Doing Business Act, and the Green Lanes for Strategic Investments Executive Order.

He said the CREATE More Act “represents a significant leap forward” as the Philippines expands and refines the incentives introduced under the CREATE Act, making the country even more attractive for investments.

“Through these reforms, we assure you that the Philippine government is fully committed to supporting and facilitating your business endeavors in our country. We extend our hand in partnership and stand ready to provide any assistance that you may require as you navigate the business landscape in the Philippines,” Marcos said.

Smart, sustainable transport Likewise, the chief executive emphasized the importance of a sustainable and efficient transport system to the country’s

socioeconomic growth.

Marcos said he has directed the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), Department of Transportation (DOTr), and the National Economic Development Authority (NEDA) to develop and implement transportation projects that meet the needs of Filipinos and businesses, adding that the government is embracing new technologies in making the country’s transport systems smarter and more responsive to changing needs.

“There is a long way to go still, but we are committed to making the Philippines a leader in smart and sustainable transportation. And we believe that with the right investments and partnerships, we will achieve that goal,” he said.

Infra projects Marcos also invited foreign investors to participate in his administration’s "Build Better More" infrastructure program, which includes 185 high-impact projects worth PHP9.5 trillion.

"These projects contribute to our goal to be the next logistics hub in Asia," he said.

The chief executive said a whole-of-nation approach, particularly private investments, is necessary to achieve this goal.

"Therefore, we invite foreign investors to participate in this endeavor through public-private partnerships, engineering, procurement, and construction contracts, and for feasibility studies, as well," he said. (PNA)

MANILA — The Philippines remains at low risk for the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) amid reports of new variants monitored abroad, the Department of Health (DOH) said on Tuesday, May 21.

The agency said it was in close coordination with international health authorities in monitoring newly designated COVID-19 variants.

“While there is an observed increase recently, it is small and lower than previously observed increases. Out of the new cases reported, seven had severe or critical disease,” the DOH said in a statement.

The World Health Organization (WHO) Covid-19 Epidemiological Update on May 17 noted three new variants under monitoring (VUM) -- JN.1.18, KP.2 and KP.3 -- which are descendants of JN.1.

As of May 12, only 11 percent or 119 out of 1,117 dedicated COVID-19 intensive care unit (ICU) beds were occupied.

Only 1,238 or 13 percent of dedicated COVID-19 non-ICU beds were used.

Based on hospital reports in the DOH Data Collect application, severe and critical COVID-19

cases admitted in various hospitals total only 116 as of May 12.

About 877 new COVID-19 cases were reported, with an average of 125 cases reported per day from May 7 to 13, 2024.

“Five deaths were recorded, which occurred in the recent two weeks (April 30 to May 13).”

The DOH called on doctors, including their clinics, hospitals, and other health facilities “to accurately and immediately report cases of COVID-19, whether tested by PCR (polymerase chain reaction) or rapid antigen test” as mandated by law.

“This will help guide public health decision-making,” the DOH said.

New variants

Variants KP.2 and KP.3 are also called as “FLiRT” by some researchers to describe amino acid changes in the COVID-19 virus’ spike protein.

The WHO observed that “there are currently no reported laboratory or epidemiological reports indicating any association between variants of interest or VUMs and increased disease severity.”

Earlier, the Singapore government said it is closely

tracking a new wave of COVID-19 infections after its estimated count of weekly cases nearly doubled from May 5 to 11, 2024 with 25,900 cases compared with 13,700 cases in the prior period.

Its Ministry of Health said the new set of "FLiRT" variants account for over two-thirds of the country’s cases and the wave is expected to peak in the next two to four weeks.

Travel restrictions

The WHO said there is no current evidence that the KP.2 and KP.3 variants are causing severe to critical COVID-19.

It said further assessment is needed to determine transmissibility and capacity to evade immune response.

The DOH said, “there is no scientific basis for travel restrictions to any country because of an increase in COVID-19 cases.”

“The voluntary use of face masks should be done properly, along with standard precautions like hand washing, avoiding crowds, and choosing good airflow,” it added.

Those who feel ill are advised to stay at home or to wear masks properly should there be a need to go out. (PNA)

RISKY TASK. Workers clean and paint the exterior of tall buildings along Scout Fuentebella Street in Quezon City on Tuesday, May 21. Their safety harness gives them the confidence to take on the job despite the risks. PNA photo by Robert Oswald P. Alfiler

OPINION FEATURES

Leadership change

IT has happened many times in the history of Congress, so it was no big surprise that Juan Miguel Zubiri was replaced on Monday, May 20 as Senate president. Zubiri, who held the post in the first two years of the Marcos administration, was accorded a graceful exit, by officially resigning instead of being ousted in a vote, although he counted 14 colleagues who wanted him out.

Zubiri cited the Senate’s opposition to the people’s initiative to amend the Constitution and its timetable on economic Charter change that is deemed too slow by the House of Representatives, along with the ongoing probe of the so-called PDEA leaks, as key reasons for his ouster. With his replacement, Senate committees are also being reorganized, with Sen. Ronald dela Rosa likely to lose the panel on public order and dangerous drugs.

Editorial

down on Monday, Dela Rosa himself cited in contempt his star witness, former PDEA agent Jonathan Morales, along with another person for inconsistencies and lying to the committee. President Marcos had earlier dismissed Morales as a “jukebox” that would play any song when a coin is inserted.

The panel is undertaking the probe on the alleged inclusion of Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on the watchlist of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency in 2012. The PDEA allegedly failed to validate this raw intel because it was stopped by the executive secretary at the time, Paquito Ochoa, a partner in the law firm of Marcos’ wife Liza. Ochoa faced Dela Rosa’s panel on Monday and denied stopping the PDEA surveillance. PDEA officials had previously denied the existence of any document that mentioned Bongbong Marcos as a drug personality. Ironically for Zubiri, as he was forced to step

WE are extremely pleased with the announcement by Cerberus Capital Management that they have finalized a lease agreement for HD Hyundai – the global leader in shipbuilding and offshore engineering – to lease a portion of the Agila Subic facility in Subic Bay. It can be recalled that the Subic shipyard was abandoned by Hanjin Heavy Industries that declared bankruptcy in 2019 after incurring over $412 million in debts, leaving thousands of Filipinos jobless.

We were fortunate to play a role in saving the facility during a meeting at the White House with then-deputy national security adviser Matt Pottinger to discuss the shuttered facility in Subic Bay. The administration of President Donald Trump was interested in saving the shipyard and put it to good use, such as a docking and repair facility for U.S. ships and still make it commercially viable. Obviously, what was important for us was to make the Subic site economically viable and get our local banks paid, plus making sure that it does not fall into the wrong hands. The process was very challenging and complex because Hanjin had a lot of lenders, both domestic and international. It took almost three years for us and then-finance secretary Sonny Dominguez to put the Hanjin project together, with leading private equity firm

PALO ALTO — Whenever I visit Stanford University, with its gorgeous architecture and temperate climate, I tend to succumb to a surreal combination of healthy skepticism and cautious optimism. On one hand, I never bought into the whole techno-optimist hype of “Big Tech” companies in the surrounding Silicon Valley. From laying out underwater fiber optic cables to launching satellites into space and dumping billions on speculative metaverses and cyborgs, the market hegemony of Tech Titans evokes a neomedieval era of aristocratic selfindulgence with a vengeance. The unjustifiable meta-wealth and puerile rants of Elon Musks of this world are a mockery of our most fundamental ideals as

An emotional Zubiri explained on Monday that he was forced out of his post because “I failed to follow the instructions of the powers that be.” He stressed that he had no regrets, and he took pride in maintaining the independence of the Senate amid pressure from those powers on various issues.

Although the probe on the PDEA leaks was among the factors believed to have led to his ouster, Zubiri congratulated Dela Rosa for standing firm in efforts to ferret out the truth.

The Senate has in fact been seen as a chamber that shows independence even when its members are predominantly allies of the administration. Senators can even be deemed independent to a fault; their description as “independent republics”

is not always given as a compliment.

the public has come to expect this independence from senators. Under new leadership, the senators must

Cerberus and Hyundai Subic partnership

Cerberus emerging as the “white knight” and whose unwavering commitment resulted in the completion of the agreement in April 2022.

As Cerberus senior managing director Alex Benard noted, it was not easy to get an abandoned, 350-hectare facility back on its feet and make it operational again. I remember when we visited the site in June 2022 with members of the U.S.-Philippines Society and Cabinet officials, several of the buildings were already rundown and dilapidated. But in just two years since the American financial firm took over the facility through its portfolio company Agila Subic, they have managed to attract several tenants that include global subsea fiberoptic cable company Subcom, logistics company V2X and the Philippine Navy that was the facility’s very first tenant, occupying some 100 hectares in the northern portion. No doubt Cerberus is getting closer to realizing its vision of revitalizing the Subic shipyard and transforming it into a multiuse facility to make it more economically sustainable instead of using it as just one huge shipbuilding site. As explained by Alex, a key component to their business plan is a diversified business model where different parts of the shipyard would be used for different purposes.

The major objective, however, is to bring shipbuilding back to Subic, and Cerberus has taken a very major step towards that direction through the partnership with HD Hyundai that, along with its affiliates, is acknowledged as

modern citizens. Tech Titans’ self-serving libertarian policy advocacies and Nietzschean nihilism constitute a clear threat to democracy, which is anchored in egalitarianism and robust state institutions. Nevertheless, I always welcomed visionary leadership based on realistic recognition of potential and positive trends. My latest talk at Stanford concerned the future of the Southeast Asian region. Joined by Indonesia’s former trade minister Gita Wirjawan as well as Professor Don Emmerson of Stanford University, I forwarded a vision of a region filled with increasingly assertive and self-assured middle powers. From Indonesia to Vietnam and Thailand, the region is set to feature multiple trillion-dollar economies with relatively robust militaries—and a greater sense of themselves and their place in the world. Far from a rosetinted worldview, however,

a global leader in shipbuilding and offshore engineering. As a matter of fact, U.S. Secretary of the Navy Carlos del Toro admits that he was “floored” and impressed by the shipbuilding capabilities of Hyundai during his visit to the Korean shipbuilder’s headquarters in Ulsan earlier this year.

Hyundai is leasing the bigger of the two drydocks in Subic and is expected to bring large-scale maritime manufacturing back to the facility, initially focusing on offshore wind platforms. Site preparations will be commencing soon, with operations projected to start within the next 18 months.

According to the Korean shipbuilder, they plan to build a state-of-the-art maritime complex capable of handling offshore wind structures, ship block fabrication, ship repairs and other services. Aside from creating jobs and boosting the local economy, we’re optimistic that Hyundai’s presence will also equip Filipino workers – who are talented and very hardworking –with world-class skills, knowledge and expertise.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. was very pleased by this latest development, saying this is an opportunity that would “bring maritime manufacturing back to Subic and restore the glory days of shipbuilding back to our shores.”

The president also took note of Cerberus’ “impeccable track record,” describing it as a “powerful force that would spur growth and development across many sectors.”

He also expressed optimism that the investments that will be created from thereon will be “especially beneficial to Subic because these will strengthen the freeport area’s vital role as a hotspot for industrial, commercial and other economic activities” –becoming a growth driver for the rest of the Philippines.

* * * We commend the Atin Ito (This is Ours) Coalition for demonstrating what true Filipino nationalism is all about when its advance team of 10 people successfully breached the blockade put up by China at Panatag Shoal in the West Philippine Sea, and delivered essential supplies to Filipino

fishers in the area. They showed the true spirit and courage of the Filipino – standing by what is rightfully ours.

“Talagang atin ‘to” is all I can say to those few misguided individuals who continue to defend China’s harassment and bullying in the West Philippine Sea, saying we are being used by the United States to fight their war. Really? To those people challenging the leadership of President Marcos, saying he is “masyadong mabait” (too softhearted) or weak – they are gravely mistaken. They are underestimating him for his politeness reflective of his upbringing and British education. PBBM, born under the Virgo

sign, is a perfectionist and I know him well enough to categorically say that when he puts his mind into something – he will get it done. He did not become president by accident. And when he says he will protect our sovereignty and will not give up even a square inch of our maritime territory, you can be darn sure he will – and without a doubt do what is right for our country.

(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

I acknowledged increasing political polarization at home, growing economic inequality, and the disruptive power of climate change and artificial intelligence, which could upend some Southeast Asian societies in coming decades.

It’s my contention, however, that, against all odds, the Philippines is Asia’s unsung success story. Despite our broken politics and kakistocracy, the country has managed to become one of the fastest-growing economies on earth. In fact, the Philippines is expected to go toeto-toe with Vietnam and India in terms of annual GDP rate in the coming years. Thanks to our more favorable demographic trends, and healthy rates of remittances from overseas, the Philippines will likely outgrow Vietnam, which has a similar per capita income to us. As The Economist magazine recently put it, “Without fanfare, the Philippines is getting richer”

(4/23/24).

Global interest in the Philippines is growing. Over the past year alone, I have met with at least three senior journalists from The Economist magazine, including a deputy editor, who picked my mind on the country’s overall political economy and long-term prospects. I think the dynamic and visionary Sabin Aboitiz was up to something when he argued, before global investors, that the Philippines is “the next big thing in Asia.”

It goes without saying that we should up our game. Unlike Vietnam, which has successfully lifted tens of millions out of poverty, the Philippines is yet to build a robust manufacturing sector, which is sine qua non for inclusive and sustained development. And unlike India, which is set to become the third largest economy on earth, we don’t have a particularly large domestic market to leverage on

the global stage. As I have repeatedly argued in these pages, the Philippines desperately needs, not only good governance, but also a proactive industrial and trade policy. As Harvard economist Dani Rodrik has correctly argued, an effective 21st-century industrial policy will have to combine specificity (i.e., targeting particular sectors), social partnership (i.e., based on public-private collaboration), and systemic scrutiny (i.e., subsidize and support only successful firms and sectors). For instance, we need a more modest version of America’s CHIPS and Science Act to develop our semiconductor industry. Just as crucial, however, is developing a proper narrative of national success. As my copanelist in my latest Stanford engagement, Gita Wirjawan, rightly emphasized: We also need “good story-tellers” in our region to inspire economic

dynamism and good governance. At once, we should reject both politically motivated naysayers as well as toxic-positivity propagandists. Instead, we need thought leaders, who transcend poverty porn narratives about the Philippines in favor of those that celebrate our large aspirational middle class, worldclass professionals, and young and dynamic entrepreneurs, who are collectively catapulting our country into a new era of prosperity and self-confidence. Time to dispense with selfdefeating mindsets and performative populism—and make the most out of our new moment in the sun. (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

About 100 fishing boats sail toward Pan- atag Shoal during the second civilian-led resupply mission by the Atin Ito Coalition. Philstar.com photo

RICHARD HEYDARIAN

ManilaTimes.net photo

Still,

not forget that their loyalty is not to whoever is in power, but to the nation and the Filipino people. (Philstar.com)

As he marks his 15th anniversary, Xian Lim is ‘living truthfully’

by MARINEL CRUZ Inquirer.net

XIAN Lim, who is celebrating his 15th year in the business, said he would want to be remembered as an actor unafraid to take on unconventional roles, who puts in time on improving his craft and, most of all, as someone who is known “for living truthfully.”

From the time Xian joined show biz in 2008, to when he landed his first lead role in 2011 (“My Binondo Girl”), to when he portrayed a man who gets pregnant in 2022 (“False Positive”), he has always maintained that he is “a shy kid.”

This was why he couldn’t understand why he is such “a magnet of intrigues and fake news,” he said. It didn’t help his cause after his “painful breakup” with actress Kim Chiu, his girlfriend of 12 years, in November 2023. He claimed to have begun receiving “below-the-belt messages” from former supporters of their love team, KimXi.

“My friends say, ‘Things are getting out of hand. Hahayaan mo na lang ba? Just tell the truth.’

Again, I don’t want to be defined simply by all these. I worked really hard to get to where I am today.

Fifteen years is no joke. I don’t want people to remember me just because of this breakup, just because of the made-up things that people are saying now. I want to be remembered for living truthfully,” he said in a recent interview. In this hourlong chat with Xian, not only did he discuss his goals as an actor and filmmaker, he also bravely answered questions on topics that he described as “absurd,” as well as clarified an issue related to his work behavior.

“These are the things that played out. I wouldn’t say talking about them felt liberating, but people deserve to know the truth,” he pointed out.

Excerpts from the interview with Xian:

What are some of the highlights of your 15 years as an actor?

A highlight would be lasting this long in this field, which isn’t for everyone. It’s hard to land a job or exist in this space. Another one would be my evolution or growth.

Prior to joining ABS-CBN, I was a shy kid. I wasn’t used to performing. So, the growth of being an actor, then becoming a writer and filmmaker…I never imagined that would be me. As a sporty guy, I’ve always thought of becoming someone famous in sports. But this was where fate brought me. What are the things you consider major blows or setbacks, and what have you learned from them?

Each artist has a different path. For some reason, I feel like I’m a magnet for intrigues and fake news. Maybe because, to be honest, I don’t really care. But I’m only human and I also feel hurt and I question why this is happening to me. I try not to let this get to my head. It was difficult in the beginning, but I’ve learned to live with it. So be it. I’m just going to be myself. What direction do you see yourself heading in terms of being an artist?

I think all [my experiences] work hand in hand. Being an actor made me so curious about the world, especially through the roles I agreed to portray. From the time I left my previous network up to now, I’ve been given a chance to do things I like. They led me to wonderful stories. This is also the reason I have this dream of becoming a filmmaker, which I’m pursuing now. Everything is possible. It’s not true that actors are always busy. We have plenty of time, to be honest. When did you fall in love with the industry?

I was an introvert. I was introduced to an acting workshop years ago. I auditioned. Every Wednesday—this is open to the public—they show potential talents to Mr. M (Johnny Manahan, founder of ABS-CBN’s Star Magic), then whoever has potential will have to attend a workshop. I was picked to attend a basic acting workshop with personalities like Robi Domingo, Ejay Falcon and Maricar Reyes. We were all just starting then. That’s when I realized, “Oh wow! There

is actually a world that allows you to live a crazy life!” In this world, anything is possible. Have you ever felt so frustrated that you thought of quitting? What kept you going?

Yes, a lot of times—from not being able to memorize my lines to not being able to cry [on cue].

[There was also] the time when the director always shouted “cut!” because he didn’t like my acting. Being an actor, you constantly get judged for your appearance, for how you carry yourself. What kept me going was the love [for the craft]. I would always remember that spark, the time I fell in love with the industry and I try to return to that moment. I wouldn’t have it any other way. How proud are you of this milestone?

As much as possible, I didn’t want to count the years. I love motorcycles. To become a good rider, you can take as many workshops and courses as you can, but it’s all about saddle time, or how long you’ve been on the motorcycle, about how comfortable you are staying there. I think being an actor takes a little more time to get in tune with your emotions. I’m proud that I’ve been doing this for 15 years and hope to do more.

I remember when I did “Everything About Her” with Ms Vilma Santos, the two of us had a talk. Because I was so nervous and I couldn’t memorize my lines, she told me that she’s been doing it for 50 years and one can’t fully grasp what it is that we do. We are still under the baton of the director, of everyone around us. To be an actor is to be a vessel. I’m not saying that I already know everything, but I’m proud of the experience.

What advice can you give your younger self?

Just be prepared to work hard. I knew very little of the industry when I first joined. I did not grow up here [in the Philippines]. Another advice is to try to know everyone around you, and to be prepared to get out of your comfort zone. That’s one of the hardest things I’ve experienced. I was just in my shell as a kid. If I’m surrounded by people and they’re trying to talk to me all at the same time—like on a set, where everyone seems to be shouting at one another—I would feel rattled. So, be prepared, work hard and be ready to roll with the punches. Speaking of criticisms, can you react to the issue about a scriptwriter saying you’re difficult to work with?

There’s really no relationship between an actor and a writer for a TV show. This is possible when doing a film because it’s a collaborative process, so you get to jam. But in a TV show, it’s very systematic. So, the only people I talk to are the production manager and the creative head of GMA 7. I remember they pitched this show (“Hearts on Ice”) to me very vaguely. They just said, “Xian, are you willing to accept a project, a love story that happens on ice?” When I asked about the role, I was told, “Naku! ’Di pa namin alam ang full details, but you will fall in love on ice. [It’s about] figure skating.”

I said, “This is amazing! What a perfect time to show how hard I work as an actor.” I didn’t know how to figure skate, but I said “yes” to the project and paid for private lessons with my own money. That’s what I want to be proud of—the amount of time I put in with Coach Ronan (Capili) and Coach Dale (Feliciano), who are both talented figure skaters. I went in for six months.

It took a year for us to start this particular project. I even got my FS1 certificate. This only means you’re comfortable on ice. It took six months before I was issued one. Finally, the show began and during the initial [meeting], the creatives asked how I was doing and how comfortable I was on ice. I proudly showed the certificate. I just asked about my character and what I was expected to do. I think this was valid because I will be the one portraying the character.

I’ve never even met the guy. I just wish he can elaborate. I’ve

done nothing but put in the time. Your breakup with Kim sparked controversies. Who helped you cope with them?

My mom. She advised me to stay away from the news, from all social media platforms, because things were getting too out of hand. She also advised me to not mind all the fake news and the things people are saying about me, that deep inside, we know the truth and that’s all that matters. She also said that if people like to believe all these, then there’s nothing I can do about it.

She’s my support, my pillar, the wall I lean on, even until now. I’m lucky that she’s a strong woman. Other people might have broken down because of what’s happening. She’s been getting harmful, below-the-belt messages, even threats. For some reason, people got hold of her number.

I just want to explain this well and give it some context so people will understand. Our fans—I don’t even call them fans because they eventually became our friends, they became family—have my mom’s number. For the past 12 years, we were OK. She was always just a text away from our followers. All of a sudden, this happened—Kim and I broke up. I just don’t understand why these people we know are now going out of their way to say hurtful words to my mother. What for? We gave a reason for the split, that’s it. Just take that. ‘Di na kailangan himayin. We were very sad, of course. These were people we trusted. We considered them family. My mom had to change her number. We don’t even talk about it in the house anymore. She just tells me, “As long as we know the truth, we don’t have to play this game with them.”

Maybe they reacted that way because they felt disappointed by the breakup.

All I can say is that, we also felt hurt. I know it’s painful, but we never wanted this to happen. This relationship lasted for 12 years because we worked on it. It’s just that life happened. It was also painful for us. It was unexpected, but it’s best if we all just move on with our lives.

What is your current mindset?

Are you moving on?

There are no ill feelings. Where am I now? I want to be more creative as possible. I just finished writing and directing a horror movie called “Kuman Thong.” We shot it in Thailand. This is why I have so much to do. I just want to be creative, to work. That’s where my focus is now.

There were no ill feelings because we talked about this when we last spoke. It was a wonderful 12 years. It wasn’t a toxic relationship. You never heard us fight in public. In those 12 years, nothing scandalous happened. So when the breakup happened, we ended on good terms.

This may seem petty, but it’s putting you in a bad light. Can you clarify the “steak” issue? (Talk has it that Xian asked Kim to cook steak for him before breaking up with her.)

There’s no truth to it. It’s absurd. I don’t see where it’s coming from. Is it because people are using us for entertainment? I cannot orchestrate that. I wasn’t the one who initiated the breakup. All these fake news, all these dagdag-bawas, are just too much already.

There’s also the issue about you calling Kim to ask her permission to announce that you already have a girlfriend. What was that about? When this story first came to me, I didn’t understand it, to be honest. There’s also no truth to it. But I’ll say this—the truth is that I really did call Kim. When we parted ways, there were various stories coming out. Some parties are purposely becoming noisy. This was also the time when my family started getting messages that were below the belt.

If I may give an example for the sake of context, there was an instance when they said, “Sana mamatay na ang lola mo.” They even brought up her cancer. This was from a supporter whom we know and eventually became like family. It had already gotten way out of hand during the two weeks

since we broke up, so I had to give her a call. This was around November. I was actually begging Kim, saying we should release a statement that we’ve already gone our separate ways, that we separated on good terms at walang sigawan. Of course, there were tears, pero walang masamang tinapay. I said, ‘Can we just release it? A lot of people are getting dragged into this, including my mom and grandmother.” I begged her that both of us could release a statement, but she said not yet because they’re doing the press launch of her series. I said, “But this isn’t work-related. It’s personal.” That’s the truth to it. I don’t want any conflict between us. My intention now is to tell the truth—that I called to beg her, but she said, “in time.” I guess by that she meant late December, before Christmas. I don’t know why they decided for us to do it then. I was just glad that we both got to release statements. I guess some people, whoever they are, want us fighting. We haven’t spoken after I begged for the statement, but we are on good terms. From the time we separated, we were OK. Does it feel liberating to talk about these things now?

I wouldn’t say it’s liberating, but I think people deserve to know the truth.

Again, I don’t want to be defined simply by all these. I work really hard to get to where I am today. I don’t want people to remember me just because of this breakup, just because of the negative and made-up things that people are saying now. I want to be remembered for the projects that I do, for living truthfully.

How do you de-stress these days?

I posted this on Instagram recently. I find doing hand pan therapeutic. It’s actually sound therapy. It makes me calm, gets me grounded. It takes my mind away from all the craziness. Tell us something about your interest in puppetry.

To begin with, I’ve always been a fan of “Sesame Street” and “Batibot.” I love the ambiguity and the feeling that puppets give you.

During the pandemic in 2020, the CCP (Cultural Center of the Philippines) came to me and asked me make a puppetry film to explain “Ibong Adarna” to kids in easier terms.

Also because of this fascination, I reached out to Filipino puppeteers Wan Lu and Ony Carcamo, who introduced me to the basics of ventriloquism. We have a solid community here in the Philippines. Through puppetry, we were able to recreate “Ibong Adarna.”

What’s next for you?

I still have a couple of things that I’m writing and directing. I just returned from Thailand. The star of the horror film I’m directing is Thai star Max Nattapol Diloknawarit. It’s under Viva Films. What’s next are more edgy, out-of-the-box roles. I like to do things that you wouldn’t expect from me. I’m not going to let go of the rom-com genre because that’s my core. I also want to do action, either a film or a series. It’s something I haven’t fully explored.

Alden Richards, Kathryn Bernardo share story behind ‘Hello, Love, Again’ teaser

by KATHLEEN A. LLEMIT Philstar.com

ALDEN Richards and Kathryn Bernardo admitted that they had to rediscover their “Hello, Love, Goodbye” characters when they did the teaser shoot for its upcoming sequel “Hello, Love, Again.” Star Cinema and GMA Pictures will collaborate for the first time in the said sequel scheduled for release in Philippine theaters on November 13.

As part of its promotions, Alden and Kathryn shot a teaser where Kathryn’s Joy is seen looking at a snowy mountain in Canada, where the sequel will be set. She turns her head and finds that Alden’s Ethan has finally visited her from Hong Kong. In the 2019 film, they had to part ways to pursue their dreams and fulfill their promises to their families. Ethan remained in Hong Kong, while Joy pushed through with her plan of migrating to Canada.

“Shino-shoot pa lang namin ‘yung teaser, naramdaman ko na e kung ano ‘yung mga nangyayari, which also excites me. Siyempre may takot din kasi ‘yun ‘yung last time na naka-trabaho ko si Direk and si Kath,” Alden said.

Apart from them, Cathy Garcia-Sampana will return to direct the sequel, so with writers Carmi Raymundo and Krystal San Miguel. Gaya ng sinabi ni Kath, hindi ko alam on how we’re going to react to one another again after five years. More of the takot, it’s more of the excitement e,” added the actor during last Sunday’s (May 19) special announcement confirming the sequel held in ABS-CBN.

Kathryn, meanwhile, said that it was sort of a reunion for them when she saw that almost the same crew from 2019 were present at their sequel teaser shoot. She also wore the same scarf that she wore in the 2019 film. Yung feeling na parang reunion. Nag-take na si Direk Cathy parang nangapa ulit kami. Of course, we’re familiar with the characters pero ang tagal na nu’ng five years. Parang nawala na siya sa katawan mo. But then excited kami and kinakabahan pareho kung paano kami papasok sa characters nina Joy and Ethan,” she said.

Shaina Magdayao attends Meryl Streep’s talk in Cannes

by KRISTOFER PURNELL Philstar.com

ACTRESS Shaina Magdayao was starstruck to be in the same room as award-winning actress Meryl Streep at the 2024 Cannes Film Festival.

Shaina was in Cannes for the Directors Factory program of the festival’s Directors’ Fortnight (Quinzaine des cinéastes), which is highlighting Filipino filmmakers.

She stars in one of the four films, “Walay Balay,” alongside Ruby Ruiz, who is also in Cannes with several other Filipino filmmakers and actors.

The actress wore a white terno dress by Russel May Cordero, shoes from True Story, a bag from Bling & Co. and accessories by Farah Abu.

Right after the Directors’ Fortnight event, Shaina rushed to a different venue to catch the talk by Meryl, who was presented with an Honorary Palme d’Or during the festival opener.

“I am so excited,” Shaina said in an Instagram story when she arrived in the Claude Debussy Theatre.

A different Instagram story by

Shaina shows Meryl receiving a standing ovation when she arrived.

“I had a wave of feelings. This flow of tears in the audience, that was a lot to process,” Meryl recalled after receiving the special Palme d’Or. “So much love, here, in Cannes, was overwhelming. At home, nobody respects me!” Meryl also talked about her past iconic roles like “Sophie’s Choice,” “The Devil Wears Prada” and “The Bridges of Madison County,” her opinion on French films and female roles today, and her advice for young actors.

“You are my hero! What a beautiful and extraordinarily talented human being!” Shaina praised Meryl. “Thank you, bestest actress!” The 77th Cannes Film Festival runs until May 25, as presided by “Barbie” filmmaker Greta Gerwig, where 22 films, including Francis Ford Coppola’s “Megalopolis,” Yorgos Lanthimos’

“Kinds of Kindness” and Sean Baker’s “Anora,” are competing for the Palme d’Or. Apart from Meryl, Studio Ghibli and George Lucas are set to receive their own Honorary Palme d’Ors in the coming days.

‘Hello, Love, Goodbye’ director Cathy Garcia-Sampana is flanked by her actors Kathryn Bernardo and Alden Richards at the special announcement of their movie’s sequel titled ‘Hello, Love, Again’ held on Sunday, May 19 in ABS-CBN. Philstar.com photo

Shaina Magdayao in Cannes for Meryl Streep’s

Xian Lim Photo from Instagram/@xianlimm

by VINCE YUEN Community Organizer

MAY

an exciting month for the Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) community. Not only is May AAPI Heritage Month, a month-long celebration that pays tribute to the generations of AAPIs who have shaped our nation’s history, it is also when we honor and recognize our brave men and women who sacrificed for our freedom. As we commemorate Memorial Day, celebrating what our community has achieved and sacrificed, I encourage all of us right here in California to do our part in honoring our community by keeping it litter free and beautiful. As a long-time community organizer dedicated to mobilizing residents to keep our communities clean, I know the holidays can create a bit more trash than we would like. Not only does litter and debris create an unwelcoming and unattractive atmosphere for us, but it also damages the environment and can be harmful to wildlife. So, whether you’re out on a fishing trip, road tripping or having a barbeque with your family at the park during this extended Memorial Day weekend, please remember we all have a part to play in keeping our community at its best. To help, here are some simple tips we can all practice to keep our community litter- and debris -free.

• Pack out what you bring in. Litter builds up and easily ruins our environment. To prevent this, bring a trash bag with you on your outings to ensure you’re able to easily dispose of your trash. Whether you’re outdoors hiking or picnicking or on a road trip, be responsible and pick up after yourself. I encourage you to go the extra mile and pick up litter you see, even if it’s not yours. Picking up even one piece of trash can make a drastic change if we all work together.

• Choose reusable over single-use items. This sustainable practice reduces waste and helps prevent harmful toxins from getting into our water and recreational spaces through litter. Plus, reusable items are more economical in the long run.

• Properly dispose of trash, recycling, and broken large items like canopies, chairs, and coolers. Plastic is one of the main contributors to waste and litter. Recycling contributes to a healthier environment when done correctly. Trash and recycling should not mix, and improper sorting can lead to more trash, so please sort your items beforehand, especially if you use cans or plastic water bottles. Leaving large and/or broken items at beaches or parks can be considered illegally dumping, even if it’s near a trash bin, and you could be fined up to $10,000. Don’t take the risk—take it home to dispose of properly.

• Secure your load. Make sure you are properly tying down items to your vehicles to prevent them from falling off onto highways and roads during transit. This small step of extra care can go a long way towards keeping our roads safer and cleaner.

• Teach your children or families how to be litter conscious. Change starts with you, and this is something I practice in my house too. Pick up small, littered items such as bottle caps, food

wrappers, and cigarette butts and dispose of them.

Encourage your family to pick up after themselves and educate them on how they can contribute to a cleaner California.

I have made it a priority in my house to maintain and beautify our public spaces. I encourage my family to do the same. I do this because I believe change starts with us, and by motivating our families to do the same, we can create a ripple effect that will also inspire others to participate.

We all want to live in a healthy, clean, and beautiful community. Let’s be diligent and do our part to keep our communities clean, preserving our resources for our children and their futures.

Not only is it our responsibility, it’s also the right thing to do. By making small changes and utilizing sustainable practices, we can keep our spaces clean for future generations.

If you would like to join the statewide movement to keep California litter free, organize a cleanup in your neighborhood or order cleanup kits, visit Clean California’s website at CleanCA.com.

Have a wonderful, clean Memorial Day Weekend, and let’s make zero litter in California our goal!

Vince Yuen, Community Organizer and Founder, Refuse Refuse

Vince Yuen is a regular Californian who cares about creating a clean environment for future generations. He started out by cleaning his block with his two daughters. Through these local cleanup efforts, he discovered others who felt the same way and were already picking up trash. Word spread to neighbors from all over the city. They came together and joined the Refuse Refuse movement to keep their city clean. Yuen discovered that caring for San Francisco was one of his greatest passions. He established Refuse Refuse in March 2021 and has organized over 1,500 community cleanups. Through a collective community-driven effort of 10,000 volunteers, Refuse Refuse has collected more than 425,000 gallons of litter. Learn more about Vince Yuen and his work at Refuse Refuse by visiting www.refuserefusesf.org.

East Bay Regional Parks District issues coyote advisory

AS visitation to East Bay Regional Parks increases in warmer months, encounters with coyotes become more common. Coyotes are native to California and are found in various wildland habitats, as well as in rural and urban areas. They hold cultural and ecological importance throughout the state.

Coyote parents are active and protective of den sites from spring through fall, when new pups are born. It is a normal reaction for them to run away when spotted, although some have become used to human presence and will continue their activities while being watched. Visitors are encouraged to keep

coyote safety precautions in mind when visiting Regional Parks throughout the year.

Coyote safety tips:

• Avoid hiking alone so you have help in case of emergency.

• Keep children and pets nearby; keep your dog(s) on a leash.

• Be aware of your surroundings as you walk, jog, or ride.

• Stay on trails.

• Never attempt to feed a coyote.

What to do if you see a coyote Keep an eye on the coyote and observe from afar. Do not approach or engage with the coyote; walk away calmly and

leave the area quickly. Do not run. If you have small children, keep them close by. If you have a small dog, keep them on a leash. What to do if approached by a coyote Rarely, a coyote may approach you. If a coyote moves within 50 feet and does not go away on its own, encourage the coyote to move away to help it retain a natural fear of humans.

• Be as big and loud as possible; shout in a deep, loud, and aggressive voice.

• Wave your arms.

• Keep dogs and children nearby.

• Maintain eye contact, which PAGE 11

Vince Yuen

UST Alumni Gala in America set for July 2024 in SF On Medicare, Medigap and LIHEAP

SAN FRANCISCO – Lumina

Pandit is Latin for “Spread the Light”. Inspired by Saint Thomas Aquinas and one of the benchmark events of the University during its quadricentennial celebration in 2011, Thomasians USA, the Pontifical and Royal University of Santo Tomas Alumni Association in the United States, is staging an alumni homecoming event on July 6, 2024.

Initially planned to be held at the Cathedral of Saint Mary of the Assumption, co-sponsored by the Archdiocese of San Francisco, the supposed April 2020 event was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Rising from the pandemic hiatus, Thomasians USA will be holding the gala dinner at the Basque Cultural Center in South San Francisco on July 6, 2024, Saturday night – the choice of venue being a salute to our rich heritage as a royal university under the patronage of the Spanish crown, since the university’s establishment in 1611.

Apart from the huge number of Thomasian alumni now living in the United States, University of Santo Tomas enjoys great ties with the U.S. not only due to the University hosting American dignitaries, from General Douglas MacArthur (UST Doctor of Laws, 1945, honoris causa) to Secretary Hillary Clinton, but also due to the University’s bittersweet past as internment camp for thousands of Americans during the Second World War, when the Japanese occupied the Commonwealth of the Philippines. One may also remember that during the American occupation of the Philippines, UST was the oldest university under the American flag, as UST predates Harvard by a quarter of a century.

Since 1987, Thomasians USA has been actively engaged in efforts of the Filipino community in the United States towards educational empowerment and civil rights, with most of its years under the tutelage and leadership of renowned Filipino American civil rights leader, alumna and former UST Sociology department chair, Prof. Alice Peña Bulos, until her passing in 2016. Under the helm of succeeding alumni presidents: academic Amelia Fernandez (2016-2017), architect and urban planner Joseph Palafox (2017-2019), and model and entrepreneur Jeffrey Manalang (2019-present), Thomasians USA has continuously evolved and grown its network of community

partners and alumni alike in the fields of business, academe, and public service, among others.

From a government-recognized non-profit based in the United States, Thomasians USA has recently been recognized as the official arm of the University of Santo Tomas Alumni Association in the United States. Efforts have been made to also establish official arms in Canada and other North America countries with significant alumni presence. Apart from the continuing project to support deserving scholars and perform donation drives for disaster-stricken areas in the Philippines, Thomasians USA heavily lobbied and supported the California State Legislature’s resolution to rename a state highway in California, stretching long as Metro Manila’s Sucat Road. The scenic state highway set a stone’s throw away from the Pacific Ocean was unveiled in 2022 as the Alice Peña Bulos Memorial Freeway. Among others, UST alumni making waves in the United States include Golden Globe awardee Gini Cruz Santos, National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) 2018

Honor Awardee Engr. Benjamin Saldua, Telly Award winning host and singer Enteng Evangelista, University of Las Vegas Nevada (UNLV) med-school dean Dr. John Fildes, Scottish Rite 33rd Degree Masonic leader Froilan Ancheta, and musical theatre actress Lora Nicolas Olaes who co-produced the Tony-nominated Broadway musical Here Lies Love.

A night of food, music, and entertainment, the 2024 gala of Thomasians USA is open to the public and encourages participation of non-alumni friends and family members and civil society. The event also coincides with other significant events celebrated by the Thomasian community this year, most notably, the opening of the academic year for the University of Santo Tomas campus in General Santos City, Mindanao. As of now, the University of Santo Tomas system operates four campuses: UST Manila, UST Angelicum Quezon City, UST Legazpi, and UST General Santos. Two more campuses are in the pipeline with the integration of the Angelicum campus in Iloilo City and the establishment of UST in Santa Rosa, Laguna. (Thomasians USA)

New data: SF street homelessness hits 10-year low

rate that San Francisco has seen in five years.

Point-in-Time (PIT) Count conducted in January 2024 found that fewer than 3,000 people are living in tents, structures, or on the streets, a 13% drop since the 2022 PIT Count and the lowest level since before the 2015 PIT Count. This decline matches recent declines in the city's quarterly tent count. Based on the April tent count, there are 41% fewer tents than since July 2023, the lowest

“We are working every day to move people off our streets and into shelter, housing, and care,” said Mayor London Breed. “This is safer and healthier for people on our streets, and it is better for all of us that want a cleaner and safer San Francisco. Our city workforce is dedicated to making a difference, and we will keep working to get tents off our streets, bring people indoors, and change the conditions in our neighborhoods.”

Lowest street homelessness level in 10 years In the 2024 PIT Count, 2,912 people were found to be sleeping unsheltered on San Francisco’s streets, either in tents, structures, or on the street. This is a 13% decrease from 2022 when the number was 3,347. This is the

lowest this count has been since before 2015, when 3,791 people were found sleeping on the streets. Since coming into office, Mayor Breed has prioritized moving people indoors, by expanding shelter and housing to new historic highs, directing consistent encampment outreach efforts, and launching innovative programs like Street to Home, which has bypassed bureaucratic barriers to more quickly place people into vacant housing. She has also successfully worked with state legislators to expand mental health laws at the state level, allowing San Francisco to compel more people unwilling or unable to accept help into treatment and care.

Progress on street encampments San Francisco’s encampment PAGE 11

IN this month’s column, the National Asian Pacific Center for Aging selected general questions about Medicare and other social benefits from the calls and letters it received, and is sharing the information via the following question and answer segment.

Question 1: I just turned 65. Can I sign up for Medicare?

Yes. Medicare is a health insurance program for people 65 or older.

If you have been receiving Social Security benefits for at least 4 months prior to turning 65, you’ll get Medicare automatically. If not, you must actively sign up. When you first sign up for Medicare during your 7 month-IEP (Initial Enrollment Period), you will have Medicare Part A (hospital/inpatient coverage) and Part B (medical/ outpatient coverage), which is known as Original Medicare or Traditional Medicare.

You must pay a monthly premium for Part B and/or Part A (almost all beneficiaries don’t have to pay a Part A monthly premium if they or their spouse have at least 40 Social Security work credits). You still have to pay 20% coinsurance and deductible. If you want to fill this expense gap, you can choose to purchase either Medicare Part C (Medicare Advantage plan) or Medigap (also called Medicare Supplement Insurance).

Lastly, there is Medicare Part D, prescription drug coverage. Part D covers prescription drugs.

If you have Original Medicare and want prescription drug coverage, you should purchase a stand-alone drug plan; however, many Medicare Advantage plans include prescription drug coverage.

Question 2: What are Medicare Advantage Plans and Medigap?

If you have Part A and Part B, you can join a Medicare Advantage Plan, sometimes called “Part C” or an “MA plan.” MA plans must offer, at minimum, the same benefits as Original Medicare. Unlike Original Medicare, MA plans can offer additional benefits such as dental or vision coverage and have annual out-of-pocket maximum limits. Many MA plans provide Part D coverage as part of their benefits package. You have to pay a monthly premium for MA, but some MA plans have $0 monthly premiums. So, you can save significantly on your health care costs. However, MA plans typically have network restrictions, meaning that you will likely be more limited in your choice of doctors, hospitals, and service areas. Plans may require a referral for specialist visits or prior authorization from your plan. If cost is your prior concern or you live in an urban area, MA plan may be a good option.

Medigap (also called Medicare Supplement Insurance) is a private health insurance policy to fill cost-sharing gaps such as 20% coinsurance in Medicare Parts A & B and only those enrolled in Original Medicare can purchase a Medigap plan. Medigap offers neither prescription drugs nor additional benefits such as dental or vision. If you want additional coverage, you’ll need to purchase the plan you want to add separately. You will need to pay monthly premiums for Part B and Medigap plan (and if applicable, additional coverage plans), totaling about $400 or more

Daly City is awarded illegal dumping funds from Mattress Recycling Council

DALY CITY – The Mattress Recycling Council (MRC) has awarded Daly City funds to combat the illegal dumping of mattresses in the community.

“We are very grateful to the Mattress Recycling Council for awarding Daly City the funding to jumpstart the project and help combat illegal dumping,” said Juslyn C. Manalo, Mayor of Daly City. “These funds will further allow us to create clean and environmentally responsible communities and address illegal dumping in our vibrant underserved neighborhoods.”

Starting in 2021, MRC encouraged communities harmed by illegal mattress dumping to propose pilot

projects to address the problem.

So far, MRC has funded projects in Berkeley, San Jose, Palmdale and San Rafael to support their innovative efforts to combat illegal dumping.

The illegal dumping prevention project in Daly City will span over 8 months and will directly bring resources to the community members most in need in the form of hyper-local neighborhood mattress collection events that offer curbside mattress pickup in 12 different neighborhoods.

The curbside mattress pickups will specifically focus efforts on addressing illegal dumping hotspots and concentrations of multi-family dwellings. These funds and the efforts

made by this project will help to make mattress recycling accessible to all members of the Daly City community.

“We are pleased to work with Daly City in their efforts to combat illegal dumping, promote sustainability, and make mattress recycling more accessible to their community members,” said Taylor Grimes, Illegally Dumped Mattress Collection Initiative Coordinator at the Mattress Recycling Council. “All Californians have access to mattress recycling but we want to make sure that all communities have equitable access to easily recycle their unwanted mattress.” (Daly City Release)

Atty. Gurfinkel answers more immigration...

Success Story subjects back one more time with their own immigration concerns.

Ayie is a U.S. citizen. She is also a computer engineer and an entrepreneur. She wants to know if she can bring her sister to the U.S. through an employment-based petition, to work for her business. She is also asking if she can bring her mother over as a tourist, and then process her mother’s papers in the U.S.

Lani, a nurse and an entrepreneur, wants to start her own business recruiting nurses. She wants to know if Atty. Gurfinkel can help her with that.

Dr. Feb is a green card holder (through her U.S. citizen spouse) and wants to know if she can now petition her mother.

Jonas, head cook at Gerry’s Grill Houston, recently obtained his green card. He wants to know how he can bring all his children to the U.S. and if he can also bring his live-in partner, who is the mother of his children.

Atty. Gurfinkel answers these questions in this special edition of “Your Tanong, My Sagot” – One More Time in Houston, Texas. Watch this brandnew episode of Citizen Pinoy on Sunday, May 26 at 6:30 PM PT (9:30 PM ET through select Cable/ Satellite providers), right after TV Patrol Linggo.

Ayie (left) and Lani (right)

Dr. Feb (left) and Jonas (right)

Citizen Pinoy is also available on iWantTFC. Viewers may download the free app. (Advertising Supplement)

New data: SF street homelessness hits...

teams, organized under the Healthy Street Outreach Center (HSOC), have been conducting operations to offer people shelter and services, enforce local laws to prevent camping when people refuse services, and clean up encampments.

Since the last Point-inTime Count in 2022, HSOC encampment teams have conducted over 900 operations, moving over 2,800 people directly from encampments into shelter. This is in addition to the thousands of others who accessed shelter during that time through other access points.

HSOC encampment teams have continued this work in 2024, exceeding their previous year's pace with over 250 operations so far this year. This work has followed the clarification by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit in the fall of 2023 that stated that people who refuse offers of shelter do not meet the definition of “involuntarily homeless,” and thus, the federal preliminary injunction order does not apply to them. Prior to that clarification, the city had been constrained in what laws could be enforced due to the federal injunction.

Expanding shelter and housing

San Francisco has expanded shelter capacity by over 60% since 2018, with more shelter beds coming online soon that will reach a 66% expansion. As part of the PIT Count, the sheltered population now accounts for 48%

of the overall homeless count, up from 2019 when it only accounted for 36% of the overall homeless count.

San Francisco has also increased housing slots by over 50% since 2018, giving San Francisco the most housing for the formerly homeless of any city in the Bay Area and the second most per-capita in the country.

San Francisco has helped over 15,000 people exit homelessness into housing since 2018 and has dramatically increased the rate at which people are exiting homelessness in the last two years. In 2022 and 2023, San Francisco helped an average of 3,300 people per year exit homelessness, a nearly 80% increase from the previous average between 2019 and 2021.

This includes people moving into permanent supportive housing, accessing rental subsidies, or receiving travel relocation assistance.

Mayor Breed’s work to move people off the street and into shelter, housing or back home with family has resulted in a 41% decrease in tents.

Inflow increase

Despite these significant investments, service improvements, and positive outcomes, our community is still seeing a high rate of people becoming homeless. More than 22,000 entered the homelessness response system since our latest PIT Count in 2022. The Department of Homelessness and Supportive Housing (HSH) estimates that for

every one person HSH resolves homelessness for annually, three people become homeless. Though San Francisco’s unsheltered population decreased again in 2024 from 2022 and remains down significantly from 2019, due to Mayor Breed’s significant expansion of shelter, the overall count that includes sheltered and unsheltered individuals increased.

This can be seen in the increase in the rise in family homelessness and vehicular homelessness between 2022 and 2024. The overall unsheltered population as defined in the PIT Count, which includes both people living on the streets and in vehicles, dropped by 1%, and remains down 16% since 2019. But there was a rise in vehicular homelessness between 2022 and 2024, though the number of people living in vehicles remains below 2019 levels.

This rise in vehicular homelessness is driven in particular by an increase in family homelessness that has occurred in the last year, resulting from post-COVID economic hardships and by new families arriving in San Francisco without access to housing. Specifically, the 2024 PIT Count saw a 94% increase in families from 2022, which aligns with other city data. 67% of these families are sheltered. Of the families living unsheltered, 90% are residing in vehicles. Mayor Breed’s Safer Families proposes to address this immediate need. (SF Mayor’s Office Release)

Valley

CONSUL Neil Ferrer of the Philippine Consulate General in San Francisco attended the 10th Annual Silicon Valley Briefing on May 7, 2024 at the

The annual briefing was hosted by the International LDS Business & Civic Association, led by its chair Marguerite Gong Hancock, in collaboration with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS) Consular Liaisons in San Francisco Bob and Kathy Fotheringham.

The 2024 program included a backgrounder by Marguerite Hancock on the unique history and central role of Stanford University in the development of Silicon Valley.

Dr. Russell Hancock, president and CEO of Joint Venture Silicon Valley and an adjunct Professor at Stanford University’s Public Policy Program, provided a presentation on the state of Silicon Valley’s economy and society, based on current data.

A panel of Silicon Valley experts discussed prevailing trends, especially around artificial intelligence (AI), innovation, and startup growth, as well as their implications for the economy and society.

The panel composed of Angela Graves Winegar, Head of Growth at Carta, Ethan Choi, Partner at Khosla Ventures, David Kimball, CEO of Prosper Marketplace, Justin Larkin, Investing Partner at Andreessen Horowitz, and Chris Perry, Colab

Lead at Google, shared their insights on AI and its applications in various sectors, such as finance and healthcare.

Consular officials from 32 countries joined the briefing and networking. Consul General Ferrer, along with Consul Vanessa Bago-Llona and Consul Rowena Pangilinan-Daquipil, also joined a tour of the Computing and AI work at Stanford including a preview of the Stanford Robotics Center, after the briefing. (PCGSF Release)

East Bay Regional Parks District issues...

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can make coyotes uncomfortable and timid.

• If the coyote continues to approach, do not run or turn your back on the coyote but continue to exaggerate the above gestures while backing away slowly. Help protect all wildlife and their environment. Never feed,

approach, or pet wild animals. For emergencies, contact 911 or the East Bay Regional Park District Public Safety line (510) 8811833, 24 hours a day. For more information, visit www.ebparks.org/safety.

The East Bay Regional Park District is the largest regional park system in the nation, comprising

73 parks, 55 miles of shoreline, and over 1,330 miles of trails for hiking, biking, horseback riding, and environmental education.

The Park District receives an estimated 30 million visits annually throughout Alameda and Contra Costa counties in the San Francisco Bay Area. (EBRPD Release)

From left: Consul Rowena Pangilinan-Daquipil; Matt Ball, Director of Public & International

California of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints; John McClellan, Consular