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Volume 22 - No. 22 • 12 Pages

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Volume 18 - No. 17 • 2 Sections – 16 Pages

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JUNE 2-8, 2023

Also published in LOS ANGELES, ORANGE COUNTY/INLAND EMPIRE, SAN DIEGO, LAS VEGAS, NEW YORK/NEW JERSEY

CA Attorney General Rob Bonta seeks to DATELINE USA Work on 14 projects improve hate crime reporting, solutions at EDCA sites to begin FROM THE AJPRESS NEWS TEAM ACROSS AMERICA

by DONNABELLE GATDULA-AREVALO

WORK is expected to begin soon on 14 U.S.-funded projects at four new sites where American military personnel would be given access under the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA).

Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) spokesman Col. Medel Aguilar said spadework on at least seven of the 14 projects is seen to commence this year. For the rest, work is expected to begin next year as actual expenses are still being determined.

“On the new sites, identified na rin yung mga projects to be constructed in those areas. We’re looking at construction of facility and mess hall, rehabilitation of runway, construction of additional billeting facilities, acquisition of generators, electrical, installation of electrical system, construction of pier with water supply,” he told reporters in an interview on Wednesday, May 24.

“We are also looking at an HADR ware-

crimes.

Bonta recently hosted a roundtable with Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) press in the CALIFORNIA Attorney General Rob Bonta has state to provide updates on his statewide initiatives vowed to pursue broader and concrete measures to in line with the celebration of May as AAPI Heritage improve the reporting system on racial-related hate Month.

AJPress

Controversial Maharlika bill heads to Malacañang

 PAGE 3

‘We are hitting a crescendo’ – CA commission holds first public forum on hate crimes HATE crimes and hate-related incidents are on the rise nationwide and they are growing more violent, though prosecutions remain stubbornly low. That was one of the messages delivered during a public forum on Wednesday, May 24 hosted by the California Commission on the State of Hate.

California is no outlier, with data from the Department of Justice showing a near doubling of hate crimes across the state over the last decade.

“Behind each data point is a person who has been targeted for hate and chosen to share their story,” said Candice Cho, Managing Director of Policy and Counsel with the AAPI Equity Alliance, and co-founder of the group Stop AAPI Hate.

Cho noted that many of the more than 11,000 reports collected by Stop AAPI Hate since its launch in 2020 happened in public to people “just going about their daily lives” walking the streets, on public transit or at work.

“He spat on my face as he got off the bus, but I was scared and couldn’t do anything,” read one report submitted to Stop  PAGE 4

As the first Filipino American attorney general of California and the second Asian American to occupy the post after now Vice President Kamala Harris, who served between 2011 to 2017, Bonta underscored the need to improve the way hate crimes are being handled, especially in California, a state home  PAGE 2

KADIWA FOR WORKERS. President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. (center) inspects the GSIS Kadiwa para sa Manggagawa at the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) head office in Pasay City on Wednesday, May 31. Marcos also joined the GSIS celebration of its 86th anniversary, commending the social insurance agency for its digitalization efforts.

PNA photo by Rey Baniquet

MANILA — Both chambers of Congress have approved the bill creating the Maharlika Investment Fund, a proposal that has raised concerns that pension funds and other government money will be put at risk.

The STAR reported that the House of Representatives adopted the Senate's version of the bill, which had initially included the Social Security Service and Government Service Insurance System as a source of funding.

This provision was voted off during a marathon session at the Senate that ran into early Wednesday, May 31.

With the House's adoption of its version of the bill, there was no need for the Senate to do anything more— it approved the proposal on third and final reading in the wee hours of Wednesday—Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri said.

The bill will now be sent to Malacañang for President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr.'s signature.

While the president has the power to veto bills, that is unlikely for Maharlika, which he has certified urgent in both chambers of Congress, which promptly passed the measures.

Marcos who has been promoting the proposed fund to potential investors abroad, said Wednesday that the SSS and GSIS would not be the source of seed funding  PAGE 2

Mandatory digitalization to cut red tape – Marcos

by ALEXIS ROMERO Philstar.com

MANILA — President Marcos expressed optimism on Monday, May 29 that the Anti-Red Tape Authority (ARTA) would further simplify government procedures through mandatory digitalization and contribute to efforts to lure investments and promote economic activity in the country.

In a speech read by Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin during ARTA’s fifth anniversary celebration in Manila, Marcos said the agency has been “relentless” in implementing its mandate to curb red

tape and bolster ease of doing business since it was established through Republic Act 11032 in 2018.

“In just five years, the men and women of ARTA have definitely proven that change in the way we serve in government is possible. It is possible to do things now to empower the improvement of processes and make transactions easier and more convenient for our clients, the Filipino people,” the president said.

“As the work is not finished, I look forward to even more accomplishments for ARTA in the years to come. I am confident that with your undiminished and  PAGE 4

House Deputy Speaker and Pampanga Second District Rep. Gloria Macapagal Arroyo ManilaTimes.net file photo

Padilla resigns as PDP-Laban exec to focus on being senator Arroyo firm: I did not

by XAVE GREGORIO Philstar.com

Sen. Robinhood Padilla

MANILA — Sen. Robinhood Padilla announced on Tuesday, May 30 he is resigning as PDPLaban executive vice president to give more time to his duties as a lawmaker.

Padilla remains a member of the party chaired by former President Rodrigo Duterte.

“As an incumbent senator with a heavy mandate, I am aware that other duties — including my position as EVP of the party — must give way to my ability to fulfill my sworn duty to the people,” Padilla said in a statement.

Philstar.com file photo He added, “I believe my

decision is for the good of the party and its members — and more importantly, for the Filipino people.”

As PDP-Laban’s executive vice president, Padilla was part of the party’s National Executive Committee. He also had the power to take over the functions of the party president in case of their prolonged absence, permanent incapacity, suspension, resignation, or expulsion.

Padilla was also tasked to perform other duties and functions assigned by PDPLaban’s National Council.

Cha-cha push falters The senator’s resignation  PAGE 4

plot speaker’s ouster

by MA. REINA TOLENTINO ManilaTimes.net

HOUSE Deputy Speaker and Pampanga Second District Rep. Gloria Macapagal Arroyo on Sunday, May 28 reiterated that she did not plot to unseat Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez.

“A report is going around that I was ‘duped’ by a congresswoman into thinking that the alleged House coup had the blessings of the first lady Marie Louise ‘Liza’ Araneta-Marcos,” Arroyo said in a statement. “I am truly sorry that she should even be dragged into

this political fantasy of a House coup — it is disrespectful to her and to her intelligence.”

“Whoever is spreading these pathetic rumors... should now move on to the serious business of making positive contributions to national progress,” the former president said.

She said she made “a humble contribution to the joining of forces that became the UniTeam, and the resulting supermajority in the House is a major force for delivering President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s agenda.  PAGE 3

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JUNE 2-8, 2023 • NORCAL ASIAN JOURNAL

http://www.asianjournal.com • (650) 689-5160

From the Front Page

Controversial Maharlika bill heads to...

PAGE 1

for Maharlika. He said, however, that "if the pension fund decides that Maharlika fund is a good investment, it's up to them if they want to invest in it."

‘Let’s give it a chance’ Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri earlier told reporters to give the new investment fund “a chance.” Opposition groups and critics of the new law raised concerns that it would be abused and become a vehicle for corruption.

Zubiri noted that other countries also have sovereign wealth funds that are successful. “[There are] maybe 90 plus countries that [have] sovereign wealth funds and under these 90 countries, there’s only one that has an issue, which is Malaysia’s,” the senate president said, referring to the 1Malaysia Development Berhad that faced issues with embezzlement and money laundering.

“We are learning from that mistake but almost 99% of oth-

Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri Philstar.com file photo

er sovereign wealth funds have been very successful… so let’s give it a chance.”

In a statement on the House panel's adoption of the Senate version of the Maharlika bill, Rep. Joey Salceda (Albay) said that the House decided to have the bill ready in time for Marcos' State of the Nation Address in July and so the executive branch can prepare the implementing rules and regulations for it as

soon as possible.

"As promised, the MIF will not touch the funds of the SSS, GSIS, Philhealth, or HDMF. We are thankful for the Senate for retaining most of the accountability and transparency safeguards established by the House," he said.

Salceda, chair of the House Ways and Means Committee, said he raised some suggestions that the executive branch could address in the IRR for the Maharlika fund.

He said that the Philippines could involve multilateral financing institutions like the World Bank and Asian Development in setting up the fund to "bring in not only capital, but also experience, institutional expertise, and international credibility to the Fund."

Salceda also suggested a provision to have the fund listed on the Philippine Stock Exchange, which, he said, would mean more transparency and accountability for the investment fund.

(Philstar.com)

MAINTENANCE. Manila City engineering office workers conduct maintenance work near the Manila Central Post Office at Liwasang Bonifacio in Manila, on Monday, May 29. The Government Service Insurance System earlier started assessing the fire-ravaged post office to determine the cost of damage to the building and the contents that were insured with the state pension fund. PNA photo by Yancy

CA Attorney General Rob Bonta...

PAGE 1 to nearly 6 million AAPIs. A former state assemblymember, Bonta was first appointed

by Governor Gavin Newsom as attorney general in March 2021, before being elected to a full term last November 2022. He was sworn in and delivered his inaugural address in Sacramento last January 6.

During the discussions with AAPI reporters, the state’s chief legal counsel said that amidst the alarming and continuing rising level of anti-Asian hate crimes over the past years, his office is very keen on implementing some definitive short-term and longterm programs to address these concerns.

He said short-term solutions may involve an immediate and effective way to resolve a hate crime as it happens.

“We need accountability for hate crimes when they occur and in my view charging hate crimes as hate crimes when elements are there and making sure that there’s an appropriate and proportionate accountability for those who commit hate crimes,” Bonta said.

According to Bonta, providing relatively prompt help to assist hate crime victims could also be a

part of a short-term scheme.

“We provide victims with the services that they need to heal in the way that they need for them to heal, could be trauma form of care, it could be culturally competent care, could be in-language care like programs and services that allow and assist and expedite the healing of victims,” he said.

For long-term solutions, he said there is a need to implement a strategic plan of action involving education, cross-cultural awareness, and ethnic studies.

The government official also admitted that pushing for solid steps in tackling hate crimes is tedious as it entails a more complex approach in terms of implementation and execution of legislative measures and law enforcement.

“We need to have a lot of guidance on this with local enforcement on how to identify, investigate and how to build a hate crime case when the evidence is there,” he said.

He likewise underscored the need for the active participation of all concerned individuals to have an effective reporting system for these hate crimes.

“We also need a reporting system that people consistently and in a high percentage participate

in so we could understand the problem, its nature, the hotspots, who’s been targeted, why, and we can get to, address the root process,” he said.

One main dilemma of coming up with an effective reporting system, he noted, is the victims’ inability to come out in the open.

“Not everyone reports. Some folks do not report to law enforcement because they do not trust the law enforcement. Some people don’t report because they could be retaliated against, for example, an undocumented individual victim of a hate crime may not want to report to law enforcement because they might be worried about any potential adverse immigration consequences and so the people will report when they think something might be done and they won’t be retaliated against,” he said.

Bonta called on community leaders and groups and social services agencies to assist his office in addressing these concerns.

“We need to create those systems but I think that largely lies with community groups who are trusted, who’ve earned the trust, who have deep roots and deep histories with communities like u PAGE 3

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Filipina teen from PH and CA Attorney General Rob Bonta...

California makes car racing history PAGE 2

BIANCA Bustamante, 18, is the first Filipino to win an F1 Academy race with PREMA Racing. F1Academy is an all-female Formula-4 level racing championship series founded by Formula 1.

Bustamante a resident of both Laguna, Philippines and San Jose, California, is the daughter of Raymund and Janice Bustamante. Race driver Darryl O’Young is her sporting and business manager.

Bustamante started go-carting at age 3, competing in gokart races at Sonoma Raceway, in San Francisco Bay Area. She won the Macau International Kart Grand Prix at the age of nine.

Her inspiration is former NASCAR and IndyCar racer Danica Patrick and dreams of racing in the main F1 series, IndyCar, or NASCAR. “My dad was an O-F-W. He was an overseas Filipino worker in America in San Jose so there he worked a lot in construction,” Bustamante told KGO-TV’s J.R. Stone.

Bustamante started go-carting at age 3, competing in go-kart races at Sonoma Raceway, in San Francisco Bay Area.

Photo from Twitter/@racebia

“He worked three jobs to give money for my racing to put food on the table and because of this I rarely saw him and that’s why it meant so

much that I won because it wasn’t just for me. It was for every Filipino out there, especially when the anthem was played.” (Inquirer.net)

Work on 14 projects at EDCA sites...

PAGE 1

house, meaning humanitarian and disaster response, construction of HADR hangar and with electrical and water facilities, and of course construction of billeting for our personnel, barracks complete with amenities. We are also establishing command and control fusion system,” Aguilar added.

“So they’re ongoing, the projects have been identified and ready for implementation – maybe depending on the release of the budget,” Aguilar said.

The four new EDCA sites are the Naval Base Camilo Osias in Sta. Ana, Cagayan; Lal-lo Airport in Lal-lo, Cagayan; Camp Melchor dela Cruz in Gamu, Isabela; and Balabac Island in Palawan.

The other EDCA sites are at Fort Magsaysay, Nueva Ecija; Antonio Bautista Air Base in Palawan, Basa Air Base in Pampanga, Lumbia Airport in Cagayan de Oro, and the Benito Ebuen Air Base in Mactan in Cebu.

“Now we are looking at mak-

ing these facility available especially that we have an upcoming typhoon and we’re looking to serve its purpose and to be able to help our countrymen who would be affected. Hopefully it (typhoon) will not (make) landfall but at least we have facility that we can use for the storage of relief goods,” Aguilar said.

The AFP said the 14 new projects are aligned with the military’s modernization program and are designed to “strengthen our capabilities because these EDCA sites will facilitate the conduct of training, and this is very important, and if we can have equipment stored there so we can use them if we need to,” he added.

Aguilar stressed that EDCA sites would be used chiefly for emergency purposes – like for disaster response – and in case of foreign attack, which would trigger the implementation of the Mutual Defense Treaty with the U.S. The projects for the first EDCA sites cost $81.95 million.

The cost of completing the 14 projects at the four new sites

would still have to be determined.

Australia, Sweden defense ties Meanwhile, the AFP and the Department of National Defense are working on strengthening ties and defense relations with Australia and Sweden.

Australian Army Deputy Chief Maj. Gen. Natasha Fox met with Philippine Army Commanding General Gen. Romeo Brawner at Fort Bonifacio on Wednesday to discuss such efforts.

Accompanied by Australian Defense Attaché Col. Paul Joseph Barta, the ranking military official is in the country to attend the 6th Philippine-Australia Staff Talks.

At the meeting, the Philippine Army and the Australian Army key officers mapped out bilateral engagement plans for the next year and did some update on joint activities for the year.

Fox said Australian troops have been learning a lot in jungle warfare from Philippine Army soldiers during joint exercises. (Michael Punongbayan/ Philstar.com)

to Stop AAPI Hate, a lot of folks call them because of their reputation and they have good data that helps us understand the problem better,” he said.

Stop AAPI Hate, a coalition of community organizations that started in May 2020, tracks and responds to incidents of hate, violence, harassment and discrimination against the AAPI community.

Over the last two years, anti-AAPI hate crimes went up 107% followed by an additional 177% increase the year before.

The next updated data on hate crimes will be released in coming months, Bonta said.

With this unprecedented rise of hate crimes, Bonta also spearheaded the creation of a Racial Justice Bureau a few weeks after assuming office in 2021.

“We want to take a very strong stance against the forces of hate to push back. So I created a Racial Justice Bureau to stand against racial justice in all its forms, including hate crimes, hate violence, hate incidents,” the attorney general earlier said.

Asked about the role of the Racial Justice Bureau and its goal, Bonta said “we created Racial Justice Bureau to call out racial injustice in the state of California in all its forms and we plan of fighting the ground and say we are going to fight the racial injustice and fight against the forces of hate, and organizations that are organized around hate and violate other people’s rights or commit crimes.”

“We’re going to take on racial injustice in our schools where our children were submitted to unfair disciplinary process, suspensions, expulsion, unwillful defiance, and discipline. So from children, to hate groups, to hate crimes to any civil rights issues where race and ethnicity are being used as a way to target to hurt or harm people,

we will be involved and that’s our racial bureau has done,” he elaborated.

Putting up a Racial Justice Bureau, he said, would enable them to have a dedicated set of personnel within his office to facilitate and focus on racial injustices.

“It has taken resources from across our office and brought them into a team with a common goal to take on racial injustice.

We are largely focusing on hate crimes given the environment and the landscape and the pain and hurt and the harm that Californians are suffering when it comes to hate crimes and so but it is to fight for racial justice and all its forms and what’s happening in California will define the work that we prioritize and what we do but right now what we do are on hate crimes,” he added.

Aside from hate crimes, Bonta also wants to address other equally significant and socially-relevant issues, such as human trafficking, housing access, home care affordability, education, elder abuse, reproductive freedom, gun safety, the rights of LGBTQ communities, climate change, and among others.

2026 plans During the virtual media roundtable, when asked about his apparent plan to run for governorship in 2026, Bonta said right now his priorities are set on addressing critical concerns of the state.

“Quite a number of people are reaching out to me asking me to run, encouraging me to run, and for that, I am honored and flattered and humbled. I will make a decision about running for governor for 2026 but the time for that decision is not now. I am focused on my work and role as an attorney general now and at an appropriate time in the future, I’ll make a decision and it will be known,” he said.

Bonta, whose parents Cynthia and Warren are both advocates of

social justice, was also asked by reporters if he has plans to meet Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. who will be in California in November this year.

“I would like to spend time with President Marcos at some point [and] have a dialogue. I am open to a son not being the father and trying a different course and being different and I know that if you share a name as he does, there are assumptions and presumptions,” Bonta explained.

The attorney general added, “I hope he’ll go in a completely different direction and free himself of the reputation of his father and be someone who can lift up the people of the Philippines who needed him so much, who are wrestling with so many challenges from poverty to inequality, to natural disasters and lack of necessary infrastructure, there are so much that can be done by a leader who loves their people and I hope he could be that leader.”

Bonta was also asked to comment on earlier reports about Marcos’ apparent plans to rewrite Philippine history.

“Part of being a good leader is building and working from the facts and the truth and not erasing the history. History is what it is — you can’t change it, you can’t go back and change it, but you can change where you go next,” he said.

“It is painful today when you erase the history of yesterday when people have been hurt, family members have been taken away, killed, tortured and then you say it didn’t happen, that is harmful today so that is not something any leader should be doing,” Bonta said. “Who knows when will I spend time with him, what our discussions will be but I hope I would have a productive discussion about how to move the Philippines forward and most importantly lift up every people of the Philippines.” g

Rumors of a conspiracy to overthrow Romualdez circulated after Arroyo was demoted from senior deputy speaker to deputy speaker last May 17.

She was replaced by Pampanga Third District Rep. Aurelio “Dong” Gonzales Jr. Arroyo said in a May 18 statement that she aspired for the House speakership when Marcos

won the presidential election last year, but that she was no longer interested in the position.

She said her political objectives now were to represent her district, support the legislative agenda of Romualdez and President Marcos, and use her experience as a former president to help out when called upon to do so. g

Arroyo firm: I did not plot speaker’s...

PAGE 1 “Thus, I would never take any action to destroy it,” she said.

She added she “did not have any conversation, here or abroad, with any congressman or congresswoman, or any other politician active or retired, to plot, support, encourage or participate in any way in any alleged House coup.”

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JUNE 2-8, 2023 • NORCAL ASIAN JOURNAL

Mandatory digitalization to cut...

PAGE 1

steadfast dedication to serve the people and given your passion to advance the mandates of RA 11032, ARTA will be ready and equipped to lead over the hurdles the future holds,” he added.

Marcos also lauded ARTA for being a “disruptor of negative norms and practices in the bureaucracy.”

The president cited the agency’s streamlining of regulations and processes in the telecommunications sector, which he said paved the way for smoother operations and enhanced connectivity in the Philippines.

He said the number of required permits for the sector has been reduced from 13 to eight while that of the documentary requirements has been cut from 86 to 35. The turnaround time has also been cut drastically from 241 to 16 working days, he added.

“ARTA has effectively facilitated the rapid deployment of telecommunication infrastructure across the land,” Marcos said.

Marcos said through a joint memorandum circular, ARTA reduced the number of permits from 11 to five, simplified documentary requirements from 62 to 26 and slashed the turnaround time from 868 to 74 working days.

The reduced requirements have resulted in an increase in the number of permits to 36,264 in 2020-2021 from 9,363 permits in 2019-2020,

the president said.

“These improvements in telecommunications have not gone unnoticed on the global stage. According to the Ookla speed test global index report released in March 2023, the Philippines has significantly improved its rankings. In mobile internet speed, our country climbed from 93rd to 79th place, while in fixed broadband, we went to 60th to 41st place,” Marcos said.

“This progress has enhanced communication infrastructure, facilitated economic growth and generally improved the lives of our citizens. It has hastened the digitalization of government services, thereby enabling the government to deliver timely and accessible services to the citizens in this rapidly evolving digital era,” he added.

Marcos also mentioned the implementation of the e-BOSS, which he said has slashed the time required for registering a business and has encouraged entrepreneurs to establish and grow their enterprises. He noted that out of the 17 local governments assessed, only seven have achieved full implementation of the e-BOSS. Five of the seven local governments that have fully implemented the e-BOSS “have witnessed a collective increase in business registration and revenue collection for the year 2022,” the Chief Executive said.

“The success of e-BOSS is a testament to the power of digital transformation in promot-

Dateline USa

ing ease of business and stimulating economic development,” Marcos said.

Marcos also cited ARTA’s partnership with the 888 citizens complaint center, a move that he said has provided a channel for citizens to voice their concerns and initiate complaints against agencies that fail to deliver efficient, timely and effective public services.

Marcos ended his speech by emphasizing the importance of digitalization in the bureaucracy.

“While we say that digitalization is no longer a mere option but already a mandatory requirement in the rendition of government services, we do not impose undue burdens on the shoulders of our fellow servants. As we shorten the lines, cut the steps and simplify the procedures, we assure everyone that doing so can only be the next best way to enable our stakeholders to reach their goals,” the president said.

In a video message, First Lady Liza Marcos thanked ARTA for its contributions in improving the delivery of government services.

“I was told that this year’s theme, SPEED, stands for streamlining the Philippines for effective and efficient digitalization... So SPEED is aligned with the president’s priorities in the delivery of government services,” Liza said.

“Thank you for all you do to make our country a better place to live in,” she added. g

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MANGO BUSINESS. Balong Villamor buys mango wholesale for P1,000 per tree in Barangay Estrada, Digos City, Davao del Sur on Monday May 29. Villamor says a tree usually produces around 500 kilos of ripe mangoes, sold at P12 per kilo.

PNA photo by

‘We are hitting a crescendo’ – CA commission...

PAGE 1 AAPI Hate and shared by Cho. “On the packed bus, no one helped me.”

According to Cho, many of the cases her organization has tracked involve non-criminal acts, like verbal abuse, bullying at school or micro-aggressions in the workplace. But Cho stressed that violent or otherwise, “discrimination is hate,” and that such acts can have severe negative side effects for both the victims and the wider community.

Victims often report feeling depression, fear, and losing a sense of belonging in society, at times shifting work, school, or neighborhoods in response.

“Even if they did nothing wrong, they had to make adjustments in their life,” noted Stop AAPI Hate Co-Founder Annie Lee, adding that more than a quarter of respondents said these encounters had negatively impacted their personal relationships, suggesting wider societal impacts of hate and discrimination.

Toughening civil rights laws Lee, Managing Director of Policy with Chinese for Affirmative Action, shared results from a 2022 survey that found half of all Asian American and Pacific Islanders nationwide have experienced discrimination in one form or another but that just 15% reported their encounters.

A majority (52%) said they felt it would make no difference, while 4 in 10 said they did not know where to go to file a report. More than a third reported fearing unwanted attention, while a quarter said they feared reprisals from their attackers.

Of note, 60% of respondents said they wanted to learn more about what their civil rights are and about available resources, many pointing to social media and the ethnic press as their preferred channels. Two thirds also favored new civil rights legislation.

In 2021 California passed the API Equity Budget, funneling $166.5 million into community and frontline groups working to stem the rise in ant-Asian hate. Last year the state passed two bills – AB 1664 and AB 2282 – which aim to better protect religious minorities while toughening penalties for cross burnings or the use of swastikas or nooses as overt hate symbols.

This year Stop AAPI Hate is co-sponsoring the “Public Transit for All” bill (SB 434), which would require public transit agencies across the state to collect survey data as a first step toward ensuring ridership safety.

Together, says Lee, these laws “shift the burden of being safe away from individuals and onto public agencies.”

The Commission on the State of Hate, part of California’s Civil Rights Department, was created to strengthen the state’s efforts to combat the surge in hate crimes and hate incidents and to foster improved relations across its diverse communities.

Wednesday’s public forum was the commission’s first, the intent being to solicit input

on recommendations for how to achieve its aims. “The goal of the forum today is to listen,” said Commissioner Cece Feiler, who noted that she is the daughter of Holocaust survivors and immigrants to the U.S. Tracking the numbers Brian Levin directs the Center for the Study of Hate and Extremism at Cal State-San Bernadino and is a veteran when it comes to tracking hate, with close to four decades including playing a key role in the first Supreme Court case to affirm the constitutionality of hate crimes laws in 1993.

“We are hitting this crescendo,” said Levin, as data show the number of hate crimes reaching new records even as they grow more violent.

Pointing to FBI data, which Levin stressed is inherently flawed given the lack of reporting across law enforcement agencies, he noted in 2020 there were 8,263 reported hate crimes – defined as crimes motivated by prejudice on the basis of ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, or similar grounds – with cases of aggravated assault trending upward.

There was a 12% increase in reported hate crimes in 2021, according to FBI numbers.

Data for 2022 is currently unavailable.

States, meanwhile, continue to prosecute barely a fraction of reported hate crimes cases, with Texas prosecuting just five of the “hundreds and hundreds” brought before courts there. California, Levin added, is “pretty decent… and even we’re low.”

Anti-Black, anti-gay and anti-Jewish attacks were among the highest recorded, though Levin says targeted groups vary by city, with Los Angeles seeing more anti-Black attacks and San Francisco, with a larger Asian population, seeing more attacks targeting the API community.

And while Levin notes there have been more attacks between and among minority groups the overwhelming majority are fueled by right-wing extremists and white supremacists.

With PRIDE month here, Levin called the “demonization and genocidal language” now being aimed at the LGBTQ+ community a “warning sign” and he urged greater vigilance and reporting in the runup to PRIDE related events.

“When we see residents of our state being maligned,” he said, “I don’t care what their faith or identity is. The laws of California mandate that we have to protect our civil rights.” (Peter Schurmann/Ethnic Media services)

Padilla resigns as PDP-Laban...

PAGE 1

as a PDP-Laban official came after he proclaimed the death of his push to amend economic provisions in the Constitution supposedly to allow more foreign investments.

Padilla said the final nail on Cha-cha’s coffin was the demotion of Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo (Pampanga) as senior deputy speaker at the House of Representatives, calling this a “big issue” among lawmakers which had a “huge effect.”

Padilla previously threatened to leave PDP-Laban entirely if it decides not to back his proposal for economic Charter change. The party did end up supporting Cha-cha in general and Padilla got the backing of his fellow PDP-Laban senators.

Adjustment to Senate protocol He recently came under fire on social media over a video clip from the May 16 plenary session where he was accused of disregarding parliamentary

procedures when he responded in Filipino and seemed confused about how to make a proper motion on the Senate floor.

The incident has been brought up in chat groups among senators, Senate Majority Leader Joel Villanueva told reporters at the Senate on Monday, May 29, adding it served as a “reminder” for all of them to follow rules and observe proper decorum during plenary sessions.

“It is a concern that decorum should be strictly followed, not just in committee hearings but even during Senate sessions,” Villanueva said partly in Filipino. “I think we’re all grown-ups and professionals.

And as public servants we are all aware that public office is a public trust.”

Sen. JV Ejercito said the incident was a challenge for him and other senators to use parliamentary terms in Filipino, while Sen. Francis Escudero said Padilla did not violate any rules. g

Dateline PhiliPPines

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Keep ‘It’s more fun in the PH’ tagline – it’s more fun

by Margie T. LogarTa ManilaTimes.net

TOURISM Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco is making sure the industry — and travelers alike — is not identifying the new country branding, "We Give the World Our Best," recently introduced by the Office of the Presidential Advisor on Creative Communications, as her department's tourism brand for the Philippines.

She said the latest initiative "translates to everything that permeates our sense of hospitality and service as a tourism industry. 'We give the world our best' is a statement of fact. It is a rallying call.

"And it is [an] aspiration for those who may still face a host of challenges and through government intervention will finally have the opportunity to be developed and fully maximized."

In a recent engagement with local tourism frontliners, she said, "The DoT (Department of Tourism) will subsequently come out with a tourism brand for the Philippines, aligned with the country brand, and enhancing

the present tagline."

Bob Zozobrado, current president of the Tourism Congress of the Philippines, said, "She (Secretary Frasco) assured me and all the other travel organizations that this is not a tourism slogan."

He added, "She would consult us first before crafting a new tourism slogan."

The concept of launching a fresh tourism branding initiative, however, did not appear to stir strong interest nor build excitement among industry professionals and stalwarts.

Well-known chef Myrna Segismundo said, "There's going to be a new tagline again?

"Everything changes every time a new administration comes in. Since there is no continuity, everything is always just beginning."

Jojo Clemente, president of Rajah Tours Philippines, echoed the popular sentiment of the private sector, which saw no need to abandon the immensely successful "It's More Fun in the Philippines" campaign, a brainchild of the then-Tourism chief Ramon Jimenez Jr., and

launched in 2012. Clemente observed, "It's a slogan that works and continues to do so. It put the country on the radar of foreign markets. It encapsulates the country, its people and what's best about the Philippines."

Zozobrado agreed with his colleague, saying, "It's more fun" gave us the arrival numbers we needed. The momentum is already there. If we come up with a new slogan. We may start from scratch all over again."

Alejandra Clemente, who founded Rajah Tours Philippines and is a pioneering pillar of their trade, has this to say: "I don't think it's the right time for a new slogan. DoT should focus on tourism recovery. With their meager promotion and marketing budget, they shouldn't plow this into a branding campaign that entails billions of pesos and takes years to be accepted in the international market.

"I can't understand the logic of changing the 'It's more fun in the Philippines' slogan now and shelving its promotional materials. As it is, the DoT has no campaign tagline, only Philippines." g

Last-ditch effort to delay Maharlika’s Senate approval fails

by Vaxe GreGorio Philstar.com

MANILA — The two-member Senate minority’s last-ditch attempt to stop the proposed Maharlika Investment Fund on its track towards approval failed on Tuesday, May 30 as their parliamentary maneuver was thwarted by the overwhelming vote of the majority.

Senate Minority Leader Aquilino Pimentel III and Sen. Risa Hontiveros, the only members of the minority bloc in the upper chamber, were the lone dissenters to Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri’s ruling against Pimentel’s motion to send back the Maharlika fund bill to the government corporations panel.

In contrast, 16 senators backed Zubiri’s ruling that the Senate had already tackled the matter, handily defeating Pimentel’s motion.

After delivering a nearly twohour speech against the Maharlika fund bill, Pimentel moved to send back the measure to the government corporations panel, saying this was the committee that should have handled the proposal in the first place.

Senate Majority Leader Joel Villanueva objected to Pimentel’s motion. This was followed by a point of order from Sen. Francis Escudero who said the period to appeal the plenary referral of the Maharlika bill has passed.

But Pimentel insisted that he was not making an appeal, but a new motion, considering that the bill has been greatly changed since it was filed.

In January, Pimentel also tried to have the Maharlika fund bill referred to the government corporations panel chaired by Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano instead of Sen. Mark Villar’s banks committee.

Pimentel had argued the Senate was wrong to refer the Maharlika fund bills to Villar’s committee as he said these seek to create a government corporation and had nothing to do with banks, financial institutions or currencies.

The Senate minority leader again raised these arguments in his turno en contra speech saying, “Corporate concepts dominate the proposed bill. There is hardly any banking concept that is mentioned in the bill.”

He also appealed to the Senate to allow for more time for further scrutiny of the Maharlika fund, which he said will “lead us to the road of debt, debt and more debts like we are not swimming in an ocean of debts of more than P13 trillion.”

“Such a divisive, incomplete and unjustified idea needs more than 12 days, 12 weeks or even 12 months of discussion,” Pimentel said. g

NORCAL ASIAN JOURNAL • JUNE 2-8, 2023

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OPINION

FEATURES

Desaparecidos

AS the country faced a super typhoon last weekend, there are families that are counting the days, weeks and years since their loved ones disappeared, never to be seen or heard from again.

The last week of May is marked as the International Week of the Disappeared. And there are still too many victims of enforced disappearances who remain unaccounted for in this country.

Apart from activists, 34 online cockfight enthusiasts were kidnapped between April 2021 and January 2022. Their whereabouts are unknown, despite surveillance camera footage showing some of them being dragged into vans by armed men.

The ranks of the desaparecidos were highest during the Marcos dictatorship, when causeoriented groups counted 926 activists who were victims of enforced disappearances.

The restoration of democracy did not end the disappearances. The advocacy groups count 206 activists who went missing during the nineyear presidency of Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, 29 in the time of Benigno Aquino III and 20 under Rodrigo Duterte.

Accountability has been abysmal in the cases.

One high-profile case at least has led to the conviction of the perpetrators. In June last year, the Court of Appeals affirmed the conviction of retired Army Maj. Gen. Jovito Palparan Jr. and two other military officers for the kidnapping and serious illegal detention of University of

the Philippines students Karen Empeño and Sherlyn Cadapan.

While Palparan was sentenced in 2018 to life in prison without parole together with Lt. Col. Felipe Anotado and Staff Sgt. Edgardo Osorio, the two victims remain missing.

Empeño was a 22-year-old sociology student while Cadapan, 29, was pursuing a course in human kinetics and was reportedly two months pregnant when gunmen seized them from a house the students were renting in Hagonoy, Bulacan on June 26, 2006.

Palparan, dubbed “The Butcher” by human rights advocates, has maintained his innocence and is seeking the reversal of his conviction. To this day, no one knows the fate of the two UP students.

Under the new Marcos administration, rights advocates are looking for missing activists Ariel Badiang, Dexter Capuyan, Gene Roz Jamil de Jesus, Lyn Grace Martullinas, Denald Laloy Mialen, Elgene Mungcal, Ma. Elena Pampoza, Leonardo Sermona Jr. and Renel delos Santos.

Rights groups say the nine were kidnapped.

The second Marcos administration is getting relatively better assessments in the human rights department compared with the martial law this can translate into justice for the missing, or regime and the Duterte administration. Perhaps at least information on what happened to them, if

Babe’s Eye View

The sad fate of the iconic Post Office building

Editorial

BABE ROMUALDEZ FILIPINOS worldwide were dismayed to learn about the massive fire that gutted the Manila Central Post Office building, a 97-year-old structure considered to be an architectural treasure and declared as an “Important Cultural Property” by the National Museum of the Philippines in November 2018.

It was similarly heartbreaking to watch videos of the burning building which took 80 firetrucks and 30 hours before the firemen declared a “fire out” – with damage initially estimated at P300 million.

News about the fire was carried in the United States by the New York Times, Bloomberg, the Los Angeles Times and other media because the building carries a significant place in the relationship and shared history of the United States and the Philippines.

Designed in the neoclassical style by Filipino architects Juan M. Arellano and Tomas Mapua (who were both

sent to the United States as pensionados or scholars under the 1903 Pensionado Act of the Philippine Commission) and American architect Ralph Doane (who was appointed as consulting architect to the Philippine government in 1916), the Manila Central Post Office became a fierce combat zone during the Battle of Manila in 1945.

According to an account by the National Historical Commission of the Philippines, Japanese forces were using the “earthquake-proof and heavily reinforced concrete” building that was “practically impervious to direct artillery, tank, and tank destroyer fire” as a garrison – forcing American soldiers to “enter the building and engage the Japanese in room-to-room combat.”

The Japanese were initially able to repel the American forces because the rooms and corridors have been heavily barricaded with sandbags and barbed wire. But on Feb. 22, 1945 the Americans “managed to enter the building through a second story window and eliminated the Japanese who retreated to the Post Office’s

BBM and GMA

Virtual Reality

TONY LOPEZ FERDINAND “Bongbong” Romualdez Marcos Jr. is the luckiest president in Philippine history.

He was elected in May 2022 with the largest number of votes garnered by any president, 31.6 million. The mandate enabled him to unify the country, combining the Solid North and the Disparate South in one full swing of an electoral exercise with a record number of participants.

He inherited an economy with strong fundamentals after coming from the deepest recession in 100 years. That strength manifested itself in a 7.6 percent GDP growth in 2022, the highest in 46 years.

The last time the economy showed higher growth rate than 7.6 was in 1976 (8.8 percent), under President Ferdinand Edralin Marcos Sr. In the first quarter of 2023, GDP growth was 6.4 percent, the best in ASEAN. BBM is hugely popular. So

large, dark basement,” the NHCP account went.

The war severely damaged the iconic building due to heavy bombardment, but it was restored a year later in 1946. In fact, a photo of the post office building is featured in the Harry S. Truman Library and Museum with an explanatory note that the photo is “part of a collected group of photos belonging to Francis P. Mathews as Secretary of the Navy and associated with the United States Philippine War Damage Commission.”

The photo showed the damaged building prior to its reconstruction under the Philippine Rehabilitation Act of 1946.

There are growing calls for the restoration of the building from private groups as well as our legislators. Senate President Migz Zubiri and Senator Sonny Angara, who is chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, said they will be working with the Department of Budget and Management “towards finding funds to help restore the Post Office.”

Describing the building as a “cultural treasure that deserves national attention and

many countries, big and small, want him as their guest, either as a working or official visitor, like what the United States did, or for a state visit, like what France wants.

Such fame gives the president a tremendous platform to do two things: one, to sell the Philippines as a tourist or investment destination; and two, to rehabilitate the Marcos name which had been battered by western media smear campaign painting BBM’s dad as a strongman, dictator, human rights violator.

But then strongmen and dictators have suddenly become fashionable. Take a look at the leaders of India, China, Brazil, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, and to some extent France. More than half the world is under the grip of strongmen.

Finally, BBM is lucky to have one thing his predecessors did not have – three living expresidents – Joseph Estrada, Rodrigo Duterte, and Gloria Macapagal Arroyo (GMA).

Actually, BBM had four living predecessors, until Fidel V. Ramos succumbed to COVID-19 on July 31, 2022.

Among these predecessors,

GMA stands out, a sui generis, a class by herself. Her father was Diosdado Macapagal (president from 1962-1966), the former partymate and later bitter political rival of Marcos Sr. In the elections of November 1965, then Senate President Marcos Sr. easily trounced reelectionist Macapagal, 55/45 percent.

GMA, however, is an ally today of BBM. What an ally.

She brokered the BBM-Sara Duterte Unity Team of 2022 that shattered the opposition to oblivion, for good.

GMA has the second longest presidency (nine years) after the elder Marcos’s 20 years.

She presided over the longest uninterrupted economic expansion in the country’s history, 36 quarters. Arroyo had pro-growth foreign and economic policy. She opened up the economy, expanded ties with China, joined the Coalition of the Willing in the invasion of Iraq, and sold a number of huge government assets.

That experience GMA brings to the BBM team. Marcos Jr. appreciates it. In nearly all his foreign trips, GMA was beside him, as an elder statesman and as a senior adviser.

ManilaTimes.net photo

not a complete end to enforced disappearances.

(Philstar.com)

support,” Tourism Secretary Christina Frasco has vowed to help in its rehabilitation, noting that an attached agency, the Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority, “has long lent assistance in terms of rehabilitation of heritage structures.”

There are a number of NGOs in the U.S. that are prepared to help in the restoration efforts, with recommendations that while the neoclassical style is retained to preserve the historic legacy of the building, perhaps the government can turn it into a more multifunctional structure rather than limiting it into a mail sorting and distribution center, especially since technology has changed the way documents and parcels are delivered.

What happened to the Post Office building is definitely a wakeup call on how we need to conduct regular monitoring and inspection of these old buildings to make sure that the wirings are updated and kept in good condition. According to reports and interviews with officials of the Bureau of Fire Protection, the building had no fire alarm system and did not have water sprinklers – ironic considering

that it contained mail and parcel that could turn a small fire into a conflagration.

There is also a strong indication that an aggravating factor may have been climate change, contributing to the rising heat in Metro Manila that has become an “urban heat island” – a phenomenon wherein materials like asphalt and concrete absorb and trap more solar energy, thereby increasing the risk and intensity of fires according to experts.

I received hundreds of emails from loyal readers expressing their sadness at the destruction of the Post Office building, sharing the memories it played in their lives. One recalled the excitement he felt when he received a package and a letter from his girlfriend – now his wife of 50 years.

It would certainly be a good idea to modernize these old buildings in a way that would not compromise their original architectural designs, but would enable them to withstand threats such as fires, earthquakes and natural disasters that are now increasing in intensity due to climate change.

We have precisely been doing

that here in Washington, D.C. with the recent renovation of the Ambassador’s Residence, which was in disarray and neglected for so many years.

We also finished the previously uncompleted renovation of the Old Chancery Building. We made sure both were declared as national historical landmarks to ensure that some “wise guy” will not have ideas of selling them like what happened in 1986 when the GSIS/PAL Union Square building in San Francisco was sold for a song.

Today, that property would be worth hundreds of millions of dollars.

Government buildings belong to the people. They should be properly maintained and duly respected as such. We should preserve these structures that are priceless; often, they are reminders of our history as a nation and as a people. (Philstar. com) ***

Such a role, however, breeds envy and intrigue.

As the second longest serving president and a good president at that, GMA has natural allies and constituency that can be parlayed by any ambitious politician. She is thus reckoned as an emerging opposition leader, by proxy or in reality.

Benigno S. Aquino III knew that.

So the son of Corazon Aquino put her under house arrest for nearly four years.

The latest intrigue painting Mrs. Arroyo as a villain is linking her to allegations that the House of Representatives May 17 coup, removing her as the Senior Deputy Speaker, had the blessings of First Lady Liza Araneta Marcos (LAM).

“I am truly sorry that she should even be dragged into this political fantasy of a House coup,” Mrs. Arroyo said on May 28, “it is disrespectful to her and to her intelligence.” Here is the rest of GMA’s Facebook statement: “Whoever is spreading these pathetic rumors are the ones duping the Filipino people, and they should now move on to the serious business of making positive contributions to national progress.

“I will just say three things: “First, every politician worth

his or her salt would know that in the Philippines, no House coup can ever succeed without the consent of the president.

That is simply a fact of life in Philippine politics.

“Second, I made a humble contribution to the joining of forces that became the UniTeam, and the resulting supermajority in the House is a major force for delivering our president’s agenda. Thus, I would never take any action to destroy it.

“Third, I did not have any conversation, here or abroad, with any congressman or congresswoman, or any other politician active or retired, to plot, support, encourage or participate in any way in any alleged House coup.”

In an earlier statement on May 18, 2023, Mrs. Arroyo also stressed: “I do not want to precipitate or intensify any tendencies toward early politicking. We are just barely a year into the administration of President Marcos, Jr., and it would be unfortunate if early politicking resulted in any dilution of the tremendous mandate that the UniTeam, led by our president, earned in the 2022 elections.

After all, the president ran on the platform of unity.”

“To be clear, my political

objectives are three: “First, to represent the 2nd district of Pampanga.

“Second, to support the legislative agenda of Speaker Romualdez and President Marcos.

“Third, to use whatever experience I have as a former president to help out when I am called upon to do so.

“Outside of my role as Congresswoman, my public interest going forward is to help reduce tensions between the United States and China, given that I was strongly allied to both countries when I was president.”

As to her ambitions to become speaker again, GMA sneered, paraphrasing an American public figure, the Civil War General William Tecumseh Sherman who, when being enticed to run for the American presidency in 1884, declined by saying something like, “If nominated, I will not run, and if elected, I will not serve.”

(Philstar.com) ***

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

*** babeseyeview@gmail.com

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

*** Email: biznewsasia@gmail.com

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

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Dateline PhiliPPines

Bills to address climate change threats gain traction in House

MANILA – The House of Representatives has approved two measures that will address the ill effects of climate change through the rehabilitation and conservation of key resources.

During the plenary session on Monday, May 29, a total of 268 lawmakers voted to approve on final reading House Bill 8204, which seeks to enhance the conservation and restoration of peatlands to allow the country to manage it sustainably given their value as natural solutions to address climate change.

PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE. Forty-four former rebels and members of communist front organizations pledge their allegiance to the government Speaker Martin Romualdez at the National Capital Region Police Office hall in Taguig City on Tuesday, May 30. The rebel returnees, who also surrendered 11 firearms, said peatlands, which are wetwill undergo medical evaluation, livelihood training, and other activities to assist them in reintegrating into society.

PNA photo by land ecosystems with accumulation of decomposed plant materials, have peat and permanent water logging and vegetation in the form of trees, shrubs, grasses, and mosses.

Romualdez further pointed out that these are nature-based solution for climate change mitby Kristofer Purnell Philstar.com igation considering that they function as carbon sinks because MANILA — Just one step rethey take in and store more carmains for content creator Kyle bon than they release.

Douglas "Kulas" Jennermann, “Hence, this measure will the Canadian national behind the provide opportunities for the popular YouTube channel "Becountry to achieve multiple bencoming Filipino," to become a efits for biodiversity and climate Filipino citizen. resiliency, including financing Last May 29, the Senate unanthrough market-based instruimously passed on its third and ments and mechanisms,” he final reading House Bill No. 7185 said.

— having passed Congress unanThe bill tasks the Department imously last February — which of Environment and Natural Reseeks to grant Filipino citizenship OFFICIALLY FILIPINO. The Senate approves the Philippine citizenship petition of Canadianto Kulas.

The principal sponsor of the born vlogger Kyle Douglas Jennermann (middle row, 5th from left) on Monday, May 29.

Senate's version of the bill was Popularly known as Kulas, the 35-year-old came to live in the Philippines in 2013 and has since created video contents that showcase Filipino culture and the country’s natural resources.

Sen. Francis Tolentino, with SenMANILA – The camp of former PNA photo by Avito Dalan ate President Miguel Zubiri and senator Leila De Lima said on senators Joel Villanueva, Bato outreach programs and govern- make you a Filipino."

Tuesday, May 30 it will ask the In an Instagram post, Kulas Muntinlupa Regional Trial Court Dela Rosa, and Sonny Angara as ment disaster response operaco-sponsors. tions, to the point that Kulas quit said he felt excited, grateful, and (RTC) to disregard the motion "Kulas has dedicated his You- his job in Hong Kong to pack re- filled with inspiration and motiva- for reconsideration (MR) filed by Tube channel to feature the Phil- lief goods at a Red Cross station tion. prosecutors asking for a second "So much love! Being im- look on her acquittal. ippines' natural beauty and pro- in Cagayan de Oro following Sumersed and connected with the mote the country's culture and per Typhoon Yolanda in 2013.

The MR is a “mere scrap of identity to the world," said Zubiri, Kulas also assisted in setting up Filipino community both here in paper” because the proceednoting that the content creator One Tacloban to raise donations the country and around the world. ings in the criminal case have has visited more provinces than for Tacloban residents, led relief It just fills me with so much opti- already been concluded with the senator himself. operations in Dinaagat Island fol- mism... the positive things we can finality with the judgment of acZubiri also said that the lowing Super Typhoon Odette in do together," Kulas also said. quittal, de Lima lawyer Boni TaKulas expressed his gratitude cardon told reporters through 35-year-old Kulas loves Filipinos, 2021, and visited Upi in Maguindrespects Philippine culture, and anao which was padly affected by for the aforementioned senators Viber. promotes the country's natural Severe Tropical Storm Paeng the for their supportive and affirming "De Lima's defense team will words. As of writing the "Becom- be filing a motion to expunge the beauty every chance he gets, "He following year. is a better promoter of the Philip"This just shows that being a ing Filipino" YouTube channel MR,” Tacardon said. pines than many of the people I Filipino does not always mean has over a million subscribers.

“Nothing short of a Supreme All that remains is for President Court decision reopening the know who do that for a living." that you are born a citizen of Tolentino noted some of the the Philippines," said Tolentino. Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. case can vest the judge with juefforts that Kulas did to help Fil- "Sometimes, embodying Filipino to sign the bill into law and Kulas risdiction anew to alter a judgipinos inculding joining different culture and values is enough to will officially become Filipino. g ment of acquittal which is final

‘Becoming Filipino’ nears becoming Filipino after Senate approves naturalization bill

NORCAL ASIAN JOURNAL • JUNE 2-8, 2023

sources (DENR), through the Biodiversity Management Bureau (BMB), to lead the monitoring and overall implementation of the proposed legislation.

Under the measure, the DENR shall develop a National Peatland Conservation and Restoration Program to provide direction, support and guidance to the local government units (LGUs) and stakeholders in the development and implementation of their local peatland conservation and restoration programs.

The program will include a mapping of peatlands in the country, and assessment of vulnerability to climate change and disaster risk management, among others.

The proposed law requires that peatlands classified as agricultural lands will be reclassified to either forest lands or national parks, upon DENR’s recommendation.

The bill also prohibits the drainage, deforestation, clearing, dumping of waste and introduction of invasive alien species in peatlands.

The chamber also overwhelmingly approved with 284 votes House Bill 7754, which seeks to reforest and rehabilitate fishponds that have been abandoned or unutilized for three years.

The bill proposes to amend Section 43 of Presidential De-

7

cree 705 or the “Revised Forestry Code of the Philippines” and reduce from five years to three years the period needed to reforest unutilized or abandoned fishponds.

Romualdez said instead of remaining an idle asset, these abandoned or unutilized fishponds can be used to help in efforts to safeguard and protect the environment.

“This measure also aims to address the ill effects of climate change by actively promoting reforestation in areas that can be planted with trees,” he said.

The main objective of HB 7754 is to expedite the reversion of unutilized or abandoned fishponds to forest lands so that these can be “immediately rehabilitated and reforested”.

It also mandates the Department of Agriculture and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources to jointly set guidelines in the determination and rehabilitation of abandoned, undeveloped or underutilized fishponds covered by Fishpond Lease Agreements.

The measure was introduced

by Agusan del Sur Representatives Alfelito Bascug and Eddiebong Plaza, together with Bulacan Rep. Linabelle Ruth Villarica, and was approved in the House Committee on Natural Resources chaired by Cavite Rep. Elpidio Barzaga. (PNA)

Lawyer says De Lima acquittal final, prosecution appeal futile and executory immediately, hence unappealable, whether by MR with the trial court or appeal to a higher court."

The De Lima camp is awaiting a ruling on their request for bail in another Muntinlupa court trying the remaining charge -tolerating the drug trade inside the New Bilibid Prison (NBP) in Muntinlupa City when she was still justice secretary.

On May 12, the Muntinlupa RTC dropped the case of conspiracy to commit illegal drug trading against De Lima, related to her alleged involvement in shady deals at the NBP. After key witness and former Bureau of Corrections deputy director Rafael Ragos recanted his testimonies last year, presiding judge Joseph Alcantara of Branch 204 said reasonable

doubt was cast on the guilt of the 63-year-old De Lima, who has been under detention since February 2017.

“Under the circumstances of this case, the testimony of witness Ragos is necessary to sustain any possible conviction.

Without his testimony, the crucial link to establish conspiracy is shrouded with reasonable doubt," the court said.

The prosecution claimed proceeds from the sale of illegal drugs were delivered to de Lima in two tranches of PHP5 million on Nov. 24 and Dec. 15, 2012.

Ragos and intelligence agent Jovencio Ablen were initially presented as witnesses but the judge noted that only the former claimed knowledge of the supposed source of the money.

(PNA)

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Sharon urges netizens to just ‘be happy’ for Coco, Julia

by HANNAH MALLORCA Inquirer.net

AMID the backlash drawn by Coco Martin over his admission of having started dating Julia Montes when she was just a minor, Sharon Cuneta finally spoke about the couple’s secret relationship.

Martin earlier revealed that he’s been with Julia Montes for 12 years, during which he let slip in an interview with ABS-CBN’s TV Patrol that the actress was only 16 years old when she got into a relationship with the then 29 year old actor back in 2011.

This prompted observers to criticize Martin not only their huge age gap, but also on wooing her at such a young age, while some even accused him of allegedly grooming his real-life partner.

On Instagram, Sharon Cuneta expressed happiness for the

couple, as she also urged netizens to just support her “Batang Quiapo” co-stars for their love to last. The veteran actress said that she became close to the “Walang Hanggan” stars when she joined the cast of “Ang Probinsyano” in 2021.

“Umamin na ang mga anak ko yaayyy!!! Happy si Mommy ‘mysha! [emojis] I became close to Coco [and] Julia when Coco asked me to join FPJ’s ‘Ang Probinsyano’ towards the end of 2021. Whatever they may have gone through together, well, it all seems to have been for the best because they are so good to and for each other.” she wrote in the caption.

The seasoned actress said that being her personal friends, she is protective and supportive of Martin and Montes, adding that people “should focus on what is and what will be.”

“They are happy and that makes me and so many others happy. I love them both very much — and no matter what, my friends know that I am protective and loyal and supportive — and that certainly will not change,” she said. “I believe people should focus on what is and what will be rather than what was. Let’s all be happy with our own lives and be happy for them.”

Cuneta’s post caught the attention of eagle-eyed observers, as seen in the comments of her post, with some pointing out that Martin supposedly took back the admission of his relationship with Montes.

While the couple has yet to disclose how their romance began, they first worked together in the 2008 show “Ligaw na Bulaklak” and were then launched as a love team in “Walang Hanggan” four Angelica Lopez, Anna Valencia Lakrini years later.

Get to know these newly-crowned Binibinis: Angelica Lopez and Anna Valencia Lakrini

by HANNAH MALLORCA Inquirer.net

Sharon Cuneta, Julia Montes, Coco Martin

Philstar.com photos

Michelle comes out as bisexual

by JAN MILO SEVERO Philstar.com

MISS Universe Philippines 2023 Michelle Dee revealed that she is bisexual.

In a Mega Magazine special issue released on Monday, May 29, Michelle said that she has identified herself as bisexual for the longest time, stressing that telling her story now is her way of taking control of her narrative.

“I definitely identify myself as bisexual. I’ve identified with that for as long as I can remember," Michelle said.

"I’m attracted to all forms of beauty, all shapes and sizes,” she added.

Dee is aware of her old photos that resurfaced at the height of the Miss Universe Philippines 2023 competition.

“I want to come out with this story because I know that those photos were spread with malicious intent — to kind of distract me, make me feel I’m not worthy of the crown,” she explained. “I acknowledge that it was so malicious that I felt — and this applies to everyone — when somebody

Miss Universe Philippines 2023 Michelle Dee Photo from Instagram/@michelledee

takes away your story, then you should take control of that narrative. Turn it around and make it an empowering story."

The actress-beauty queen said that she grew up with "empowered and strong individuals" liker her mother, Miss International 1979 Melanie Marquez.

“My mom would say, ‘O, anak, when I was young, I had five girl-

friends.’ She’d teased me sometimes because I had a very boyish demeanor. I liked doing sports; my sister did ballet. So I grew up in an environment where we’d appreciate pogi, maganda,” Michelle said.

“You know, anak, for your girlfriend, she’d better be prettier than you.” Another time, Melanie asked her, “That girl you introduced to me, is she your girlfriend?” When Michelle said no, Melanie replied, “Buti na lang, ’cause she doesn’t meet the standards," she added.

Michelle also said that she is an advocate of the LGBTQ community before coming out.

“Even before coming out, I’ve been attending pride marches. I have too many friends and best friends in the community,” she said.

“I’ve been a loud and proud ally. It’s just that I never gave a confirmation [of my sexuality],” she added.

Michelle was named Miss Universe Philippines 2023 earlier this month. She was also crowned Miss World Philippines 2019.

Nora Aunor topbills horror flick ‘Mananambal’

MANANAMBAL is a new horror film of National Artist for Film and Broadcast Arts Nora Aunor. Principal photography starts this June in Siquijor island in Central Visayas.

At 70, the legendary icon of Philippine Cinema continues to essay lead roles in film, as long as she believes in the story material and finds it interesting to do.

From La Aunor’s own words, “Maganda ang istorya. Mababait rin ang mga tao sa production,” that’s why BC Entertainment Productions, a new independent movie company, got Nora’s nod to accept the offer.

Mananambal will be directed

by Philip Daffon, his directorial debut. For the record, direk Philip has been a seasoned thespian in the production industry for 33 years now. His background is doing work in advertising, documentary films and projects, and the likes.

Screenplay is from the collaboration of the creative minds of Bel Paquiz, Gabriel Divina, and Veronica Reyes.

Director of photography is Peter Frac (who did camera work in Way Of The Cross and Trasla-

Photos from Instagram/@angelicalopezofficial, Instagram/@annavalencia_

ANGELICA Lopez and Anna Valencia Lakrini are no strangers to vying for a beauty pageant title several times, with their recent triumphs a testament to the stars aligning at the right time.

Lopez and Lakrini are set to represent the Philippines at the Miss International and Miss Globe pageants, respectively.

And while the titles haven’t been in the country’s hands in a long time, these stunning Binibinis hope they clinch it this time around.

Angelica Lopez The moment Lopez was declared as Binibining Pilipinas International 2023, shock was evidently written on her face as she expected that she’s more of a Miss Globe prototype.

"Everyone’s telling me that I’m fit for Miss Globe and they called me [as] Miss International,” she explained to broadcast journalist Mario Dumaual, when asked about her notable reaction to her win.

“I’m so proud because I’m the second Palaweña to be crowned after Janicel Lubina [in 2015].

I really want to break the stereotype that Miss International should be a pristine lady.”

But it’s clear that the Palaweña stunner’s coronation is akin to a Cinderella story — but hers is a reminder that she doesn’t need a man to succeed on her own.

Before entering pageantry, Lopez started working as a waitress and dishwasher at the age of 14, which she mentioned in multiple interviews.

“I didn’t have a golden childhood, I had to start working very

hard at an early age to help lessen my mothers’ pain from the stress of her job,” she said on Instagram in January 2023.

“When I was around 8 years old I made a promise to myself that whenever I had the opportunity to help, I would do so since I understand what it’s like to have nothing. I’m incredibly grateful that during the years I’ve fought, God has heard my prayers, seen me cry, and guided me when I feel lost and in pain,” she continued.

Despite the hardships, the beauty queen finds strength in her mother and manager whom she describes as her role models.

Lopez, who’s passionate about inspirational books, philosophy of life, and documentaries, believes that children deserve to have access to quality education, which is her advocacy.

“I am in pursuit of inspiring, empowering, and educating the less fortunate children to be resilient and limitless amidst life challenges.”

The determination to prove herself as a shining example of resilience can be seen in her steely-eyed expression throughout her pageant journey.

From being named as Miss Asia Global 2022 first runner-up, advancing to the Miss Universe Philippines 2022 Top 16, and eventually becoming the reigning Binibining Pilipinas International, her journey is one of the many proofs of Catriona Gray’s familiar anecdote: “To everyone with a dream, know that your dreams are valid, and on your path you are never denied, and only redirected.”

It’s clear that perseverance was one of Angelica’s greatest weapons in clinching one of the

national tilt’s coveted crowns.

And this time, she would make sure that it would guide her to win the country’s sixth Miss International crown.

Anna Valencia Lakrini Another shining testament to winning the crown after multiple attempts is Anna Valencia Lakrini, who was crowned as Binibining Pilipinas Globe 2023 in her second try.

While it’s clear that Lakrini has what it takes to be crowned, her seeming growth from her first Binibining Pilipinas attempt to the present has been massive — as if she’s been mindful of what she needs to take note of before competing.

Another noteworthy characteristic of the beauty queen is her advocacy, as she revealed during the pageant’s question-and-answer portion that she is passionate about ensuring proper nutrition.

“My cause that is dear to my heart is nutrition. As a nutrition scientist [and] as an advocate for proper nutrition, I know that [by] advocating with this platform from Binibining Pilipinas, we can inspire so many people. A politician can inspire a whole community, and so can we,” she said.

It can also be noted in the Binibining Pilipinas website that she spoke about the country having the means to “accessible and affordable nutrition,” which can be noted in her job as a nutrition scientist.

Although Lakrini’s journey can be loosely related to her idol, Miss Universe 2015 Pia Wurtzbach, her journey is proof that first tries are not always as lucky. But if destiny allows you to fulfill your dreams, you are truly unstoppable.

Max confirms breakup with Pancho

by JAN MILO SEVERO Philstar.com

KAPUSO actress Max Collins confirmed that she and husband Pancho Magno have separated.

In her interview with Boy Abunda on "Fast Talk with Boy Abunda" recently, Max said that they decided to call it quits during the pandemic.

“I didn’t talk about it because siyempre, marami kaming pinagdaanan as a family that time because there was a pandemic, nanganak ako, my mar-

riage was falling apart,” Max said.

“I had to process everything, and I wanted to quiet the noise.

I didn’t want to hear other people’s opinions, suggestions, comments because I mean, artista na po ako, ayaw ko namang gawing teleserye ‘yung buhay namin,” she added.

Max said that they tried hard to save their marriage for their son but failed.

“Every separation naman is difficult, but it was amicable.

We were not working [out], and we needed to try spending time

apart to see how that would work because we have a son to think about," she said.

"We’ve been together for like eight years total. Nilaban namin hangga’t kaya ng mga puso namin in a sense where dumating ‘yung point na we stopped becoming in denial about it. I didn’t want to lie to myself anymore, and I think he didn’t want to as well,” she added.

Separation rumors between the two began when they celebrated their son's birthday separately. Max and Pancho tied the knot on December 2017.

National Artist for Film and Broadcast Arts Nora Aunor will start shooting for “Mananambal” this June in Siquijor.

Philstar.com photo

cion: Ang Paglakad Sa Altar Ng Alanganin). Producers are Alvin Anson and GWard, Inc. (headed by its CEO Gorio Vicuna) with executive producer Karen Ortua (whose initial movie venture was Lagaslas).

Mananambal is a Filipino practitioner of traditional medicine, who is also capable of performing sorcery, as common knowledge puts it.

Like the general albularyo, a mananambal obtain his or her status through ancestry,

apprenticeship, or through an epiphany and is generally performed by the elders of the community, regardless of gender.

The practice, called panambal, has a combination of elements from Christianity and sorcery which appear to be opposites since one involves faith healing while the other requires black magic and witchcraft.

The supporting cast members of Mananambal will be announced soon. (Philstar.com) Max Collins and Pancho Magno

GMA photo

Features

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NORCAL ASIAN JOURNAL • JUNE 2-8, 2023

More and more AAPI families choosing CA charter public schools for their child’s education

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Charter schools are helping students succeed in college, career and life

AS student enrollment in public schools across the state continues to change, one notable trend is the large increase in Asian American & Pacific Islander (AAPI) families choosing a charter public school for their child’s education over the past decade.

According to an enrollment analysis by the California Charter Schools Association (CCSA) of California Department of Education (CDE) data, AAPI enrollment in charter public schools grew by 78 percent from 2012-2023, outpacing enrollment growth for all students (66 percent).

AAPI students now represent six percent of charter public school students in 2023, up from three percent in 2012. These numbers suggest a growing sentiment that charter public schools provide the education options that parents and students want in a public school.

Some of the most common AAPI background of students at charter public schools include Vietnamese, Filipino, Chinese, and Korean. Charter public schools like the O’Farrell Charter School in San Diego and Yav Pem Suab in Sacramento were founded to bring high-quality educational options to AAPI communities.

“For three decades, charter public schools across California have offered families the opportunity for their children to receive a high-quality education with the rigor and supports needed to help students enter college and succeed,” said Mr. Oliver Sicat, Chief Executive Officer & Co-Founder of Ednovate Schools and a Board Member of the USC Asian Pacific Alumni Association. “Charter schools offer families the opportunity to be creative with design, curriculum, and supports to ensure students don’t just finish high school but are positioned well for what comes next: to enter college and succeed.”

Ednovate schools are a network of public, tuition-free, high-performing college prep high schools in Los Angeles and Orange County that primarily serve first-generation college-bound students. They have a 99 percent college acceptance

AN 8-PESO CRIMINAL CASE FROM 1979 ALMOST PREVENTED TATAY FLORENTINO FROM JOINING HIS FAMILY IN THE U.S. When U.S. citizen Allen (4th from left) petitioned her parents, Nanay (2nd from left) had no problems, but Tatay Florentino (left) had several problems when the family tried to handle it themselves. His NBI records showed a criminal matter from over 40 years ago – a traffic violation for a broken taillight, to which he pled guilty and paid the P8.00 fine. Tatay believed this case had been settled and terminated, until the U.S. Embassy refused to issue his visa due to “administrative processing.” Leading U.S. Immigration Attorney Michael J. Gurfinkel (center) instructed Tatay to provide documents establishing his identity and other court records.

After a thorough process and submission of key documents and evidence, Tatay Florentino’s visa was finally issued. Watch this success story on a brand-new episode of “Citizen Pinoy” on Sunday, June 4 at 6:30 PM PT (9:30 PM ET) through select Cable/ Satellite providers, right after TV Patrol Linggo.

(Advertising Supplement)

rate for their students.

California charter public schools are preparing students for college with focused learning content in the areas of science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM), global studies, language immersion, and various arts programs. As a result, charter public school students are being prepared to succeed in college, career, and life regardless of race, gender, religion, or zip code.

CCSA’s report Charter Public School Students in Focus: Asian American & Pacific Islanders found that AAPI charter school students from low-income communities outperform their traditional public school counterparts in both English Language Arts (ELA) and Math, on average.

This difference is more strongly seen in ELA, where 44 percent of charter school students met or exceeded grade-level standards, compared to only 30 percent of district students.

“Students of all backgrounds deserve educational opportunities as creative and responsive to their varied interests as they are,

and charter public schools provide successful school models that give every child the ability to achieve their own and their families’ aspirations,” said Myrna Castrejón, CCSA President and CEO. “California parents have said time and time again there need to be more high-quality choices for public education to be competitive in a global job market.”

The vision of the California Charter Schools Association (CCSA) is to build great public schools of joy and rigor that prepare all California students for success in college, career, community, and life. The mission of CCSA is to meet parent, educator, and community need for great public school options by supporting and advocating for high quality non-profit charter schools and sharing their success throughout California’s public schools.

Parents interested in learning more about charter schools or to find a charter in their area may visit https://info.ccsa.org/tagalog.

Visa issued despite a criminal record, a traffic violation, and an eight-peso fine, on a brand-new episode of Citizen Pinoy IN an earlier episode of Citizen Pinoy, leading U.S. Immigration Attorney helped Allen obtain her fiancée visa through U.S. citizen Wendel, who is now her husband. Since then, Allen has become a U.S. citizen herself, and she petitioned her parents.

Nanay had no problem with her case. But Tatay Florentino encountered several obstacles when the family tried to handle it themselves.

He had worked in Iraq, which created issues. He also had to go through three sputum tests. But

most importantly, his NBI records showed a criminal matter and arrest warrant from over 40 years ago.

Apparently, the arrest warrant was issued against Tatay Florentino for the traffic violation of PAGE 10

LJ Reyes announces engagement to non-showbiz boyfriend

by Christina alpad ManilaTimes.net

LJ Reyes surprised fans and followers when she shared proposal photos on her social media accounts on Tuesday, May 30.

"For I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord. 'They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope,'" the actress wrote on her Instagram, quoting the Bible verse Jeremiah 29:11.

The actress has yet to share details about her non-showbiz fiancé Philip Evangelista, whose private Instagram account was tagged on the former's post, but congratulatory messages from showbiz friends and fans flooded the post.

Marian Rivera, Gary Valenciano, Camille Prats and Iza Calzado were among the first greeters.

Reyes has been living in New York since September 2021 with her kids Aki and Summer. She moved overseas followLJ Reyes and fiancé Philip Evangelista ing the public falling out with her former partner Paolo ConPhoto from Instagram/@lj_reyes tis, Summer's father. g (Advertising Supplement)

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JUNE 2-8, 2023 • NORCAL ASIAN JOURNAL

Features Health @Heart PhiliP S. Chua, MD, FaCS, FPCS

The Philippine Consulate General in San Francisco organized Consular Outreach Missions in Colorado and Wyoming from May 20 to 22, 2023. The outreach missions were led by Consul General Neil Frank Ferrer.

San Francisco PCG photos

PH Consulate General in SF conducts consular outreach missions in Colorado, Wyoming

THE Philippine Consulate General in San Francisco organized Consular Outreach Missions in Colorado and Wyoming from May 20 to 22, 2023.

The outreach missions led by Consul General Neil Frank R. Ferrer were held at the Filipino American Community of Colorado, 1900 N. Harlan St., Edgewater, Colorado (20-21 May) and at the Little America Hotel, 2800 W Lincolnway, Cheyenne, Wyoming (22 May).

The consular outreach afforded Filipinos and Filipino Americans passport, dual citizenship, and overseas voting registration services without having to travel to San Francisco. Applicants from throughout Colorado, Wyoming and other states, including Florida, Montana, Nebraska, New Mexico, North Dakota, Utah, Washington, among others, availed of services during the outreach. A total of 556 services were provided during these missions.

The outreach mission in Colorado was held with the support of Philippine Honorary Consul in Colorado Donna Lavigne and various Filipino-American groups in Colorado, especially the Filipino American Community of Colorado.

These outreach missions are the fourth and fifth

missions conducted by the Consulate in 2023. It is scheduled to conduct an outreach mission in Washington State in July 2023.

Filipinos residing under the Consulate’s jurisdiction may visit pcgsanfrancisco.org/consular-outreach-missions/ for details on succeeding outreach missions.

AS far as health is concerned, the majority, if not all of us, want the best health minus the sacrifices needed to achieve it effectively and safely. We want to be healthy without exercising, dieting or abstaining from smoking and without disciplined alcohol intake. We want to have good blood pressure and good cholesterol level without skimping on our salt and fat intake and quitting cigarettes. We want to lose weight without cutting down on our calorie intake and exercising daily.

For expediency, any pill or juice or gadget that comes along with the claim that it is good for our health becomes a “must-buy” crutch, believing it will confer upon us good health and longevity, without lifting a finger, moving a muscle, or getting off the couch and putting down the remote control and the potato chips.

Unfortunately, the manufacturers of these “health” lotions, potions, pills, juices and gadgets are mostly interested in making their bank accounts healthy, and least interested in the health of its consumer-victims. Otherwise, they won’t continue to prey on the unsuspecting public and sell their useless products, which may even have severe long-term side-effects. And organ-failure and cancer are some of those possibilities!

It is one thing to pay for a very expensive pill or juice or machine and find out years from now that

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The ‘Ionizer’ scam it was not effective. It is another to discover years down the line that its use has caused a debilitating or deadly disease.

Now comes the water ionizer, the “ionized” alkaline water it produces, the “special drinking water.” Not only are these marketed waters and the ionizing machines expensive, but they are, according to scientists, “medically baseless and worthless.” Most of the good effects these manufacturers claim for their products are available in healthy food items, like fish, fruits, bran, wheat, nuts, vegetables, and water purified by the most advanced multiple-stage reverse-osmosis filtration system.

It might come as a surprise to many but boiled water, minus its sediments, is safer than some of this expensive drinking water.

Using the commercially available home water filtration pitcher or the below-the-sink multiple-stage reversed osmosis filtration system, and then boiling the water will even double the protection.

This will certainly not cost $1,500 to $2,500 like the ionizers.

When it comes to health, there is no better guide than modern science, where extensive and rigidly controlled laboratory testing, and double-blind, randomized, human clinical trials are the standard before any medication or device gets official approval and goes out to the market.

Anecdotal reports (usually solicited) or testimonials (usually from paid endorsers) are not scientific proofs. These are misinformation used to market the product with some semblance of “truth.” Candidly, these are nothing but lies. If not approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), RP-BFAD or any other similar national health agencies, any product is a potential suspect.

So, public, beware!

As far as the water ionizer is concerned, here is “the bottom line” as objectively explained in a detailed scientific paper, which aims to educate and protect the public: “Here, in a nutshell, are few basic facts that anyone with a solid background in chemistry or physiology would concur with: (1) “Ionized water” is nothing more than sales fiction; the term is meaningless to chemists; (2)

*** The opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by the author do not necessarily reflect the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints of the Asian Journal, its management, editorial board and staff. *** Philip S. Chua, MD, FACS, FPCS, a Cardiac Surgeon Emeritus based in Northwest Indiana and Las Vegas, Nevada, is an international medical lecturer/author, Health Advocate, newspaper columnist, and Chairman of the Filipino United Network-USA, a 501(c)3 humanitarian foundation in the United States. He was a recipient of the Indiana Sagamore of the Wabash Award in 1995.

Other Sagamore past awardees include President Harry Truman, President George HW Bush, Muhammad Ali and Astronaut Gus Grissom (Wikipedia). Websites: FUN8888. com, Today.SPSAtoday.com, and philipSchua. com; Email: scalpelpen@gmail.com.

THE community is invited to support locally-owned businesses by coming to a market featuring all your favorite Filipino-owned brands! Kultivate Labs/Kapwa Gardens are very excited to curate a marketplace with the community’s favorite local businesses. Support Bindlestiff Studio as they grace the Kapwa Gardens’ stage – this is a comedy act you don’t want to miss!

Kultivate Labs/Kapwa Gardens are excited to partner with 5M again for the Philippine Independence Crawl. Take a stroll down to 5M Park and enjoy more shopping, food, and performances.

Come eat, drink, shop, and vibe as we spend a beautiful afternoon in the heart of SOMA Pilipinas. Kapwa Gardens and 5M Park will be two of the venues for Be Free Festival. Be Free Festival is an annual celebration that showcases the vibrant Filipino culture. Kultivate Labs along with its community partners in SOMA Pilipinas are welcoming everyone to SOMA Pilipinas to eat, connect, learn, and get down to celebrate 125 years of liberation.

Vendors participating in the Be Free Festival include Arkipelago Books, Avenoir Co, Barkada Baby, Bayan Art, Clarize Yale Revadavia, Handmade by PMac-

cay, Mie Makes, Native Sol, Pamana Plantas, Parents Are Human, Piñatas By D, Purple Phantasm, Rejins Wellness, Smooch, Walang Sayang Co., Wounded Healing Art, The Buddy Company, Studio Damili, Ugat Clothing, Drae’s Lemonade, Jungle Dog, Marley’s Treats, Street Stix, Wildflour and Lady Victory.

Performers at the Kapwa Gardens and 5M stages include Bindlestiff Studio, Dakila, Barangay Dance Company, DJ Broadstrokes, Kulintang Dialect and Proof.

Tickets for the market @ Be Free Festival are FREE but the organizers are accepting sliding scale donations. Your donations will help them continue to host future events and keep the garden growing.

To get tickets, go to https:// www.kapwagardens.com/ events/be-free-festival.

Most water that is fit for drinking is too non-conductive to undergo significant electrolysis; (3) Pure water can never be alkaline or acidic, nor can it be made so by electrolysis; (4) Ground waters containing metal ions such as calcium and magnesium can be rendered slightly alkaline by electrolysis, but after it hits the highly acidic gastric fluid in the stomach, its alkalinity is gone; (5) The idea that one must consume alkaline water to neutralize the effects of acidic foods is ridiculous; we get rid of excess acid by exhaling carbon dioxide; (6) The claims about health benefits of drinking alkaline water were not supported by credible scientific evidence; (7) There is nothing wrong with drinking slightly acidic waters such as rainwater. Body pH is a meaningless concept in this context because different parts of the body (and even individual cells) can have widely different pH value; (8) If you really want to de-acidify your stomach (at possible cost of interfering with protein digestion), why spend hundreds of dollars for an electrolysis device when you can take calcium-magnesium pills, Alka-Seltzers or Milk of Magnesia?; (9) Electrolysis devices or ionizers are generally worthless for treating water for health enhancement, removal of common impurities, disinfection and scale control.”

To protect our health and pocketbook, we must use our wisdom and due diligence.

Be Free Festival market, June 10

Visa issued despite a criminal record, a traffic violation...

PAGE 9 having a broken taillight, which he never had the chance to take care of.

Consequently, he pled guilty for the offense charged and paid the P8.00 fine. He thought the case had been settled, until it surfaced some 40 years later, preventing him from joining his family in the U.S. Lost records and damaged files due to fire, flood, or termites did not help Tatay Florentino’s case either. Fortunately, Atty.

Gurfinkel handled the case, gathering documents and requesting court records, and guiding the client every step of the way, until his visa was finally issued.

Watch this success story on a brand-new episode of “Citizen Pinoy” on Sunday, June 2 at 6:30 PM PT (9:30 PM ET) through select Cable/Satellite providers, right after TV Patrol Linggo. Citizen Pinoy is also available on iWantTFC. Viewers may download the free app.

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