060823 - Las Vegas Edition

US, ASEAN defense leaders commit to expanded training programs

DEFENSE chiefs of the United States and of members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations have committed to working together for more training opportunities — from fellowships for emerging leaders to expanded regional maritime law enforcement programs.

Austin met with Southeast Asian defense leaders on the sidelines of the International Institute for Strategic Studies Shangri-La Dialogue held in Singapore recently.

They discussed “priorities for expanding cooperation in support of regional stability, security, and prosperity” after the U.S.ASEAN relationship was elevated to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership last year.

This means enhancing programs in areas like trade, the maritime sector, and addressing transnational crimes.

Marcos tells Philippine envoys: Go find foreign partners but observe neutrality

by GABRIEL PABICO LALU Inquirer.net

MANILA — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has instructed Filipino ambassadors to look for non-traditional partners in terms of trade, security, and defense, saying that the country needs to cope with the changes

that the pandemic has brought.

However, the Presidential Communications Office (PCO) said on Wednesday, June 7 that Marcos clarified that the Philippines should remain independent and neutral in terms of foreign policy, which means not siding with the views of other countries.

“We do not subscribe to any notion of a bipolar

world. We only side, of course, to the Philippines, not to the U.S., not to Beijing, not to Moscow. That’s very much being independent in what we do,” Marcos said.

PCO said that Marcos met with recently appointed chiefs of mission and ambassadors in Malacañang  PAGE 2

MORE than 600,000 Americans have lost Medicaid coverage since pandemic protections ended on April 1. And a KFF Health News analysis of state data shows the vast majority were removed from state rolls for not completing paperwork.

Under normal circumstances, states review their Medicaid enrollment lists regularly to ensure every recipient qualifies for coverage. But because of a nationwide pause in those reviews during the pandemic, the health insurance program for lowincome and disabled Americans kept people covered even if they no longer qualified.

Now, in what’s known as the Medicaid unwinding, states are combing through rolls and deciding who stays and who goes. People who are no longer eligible or don’t complete paperwork in time will be dropped.

The overwhelming majority of people who have lost coverage in most states were dropped because of technicalities, not because state officials determined they no longer meet Medicaid income limits. Four

raises

THE World Bank raised its 2023 growth forecast for the Philippines to 6.0 percent from 5.6 percent, citing strong domestic demand

The Washington-based multilateral organization still expects a slowdown to follow, keeping its projections for 2024 and 2025 at 5.9 percent, figures released on Wednesday showed. "Despite weak external conditions, strong domestic demand will drive the Philippine economy to grow at 6.0 percent in 2023 and gradually decline over

the medium term," the World Bank said in its latest Philippine Economic Update.

"This upward revision reflects the latest global growth upgrade for 2023 and the continued strength in domestic demand," it added.

"Private consumption growth will be supported by improved employment, steady remittances, and better consumer sentiments, amid an expected decline in headline inflation and winding down of pentup demand."

External risks to the outlook, the World Bank said, include the possibility of higher-

Sara Duterte says Imee Marcos, not Romualdez, pushed me to run for VP

by GABRIEL PABICO LALU Inquirer.net

MANILA — Vice President Sara Duterte belied claims that Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez was a big factor in her decision to run for her current office in the 2022 national elections, saying that it was Senator Imee Marcos — the sister of the president — who urged her. Duterte made these claims on Wednesday, June 7, supposedly in reply to Cavite 4th District Rep. Elpidio Barzaga who supposedly said that Romualdez played a huge part.

According to the vice president, it is an insult to thousands of people and groups who urged her to seek the country’s second highest office and partner with President Ferdi-

nand Marcos Jr.

“Speaker Martin Romualdez had absolutely nothing to do with my decision to run for vice president. To say that he ‘tremendously helped in pushing for’ my vice presidential bid is acutely inaccurate — an insult to thousands of groups and individuals who incessantly implored me to reconsider an earlier decision not to join national politics,” Duterte said.

“And it was Senator Imee Marcos who eventually persuaded me to run as vice president — and it was a decision sealed only after President Bongbong Marcos agreed to the conditions I set before running for VP,” she added. “There was no Speaker Romualdez in the picture.”

MANILA — Canada has added the Philippines to its electronic travel authorization (eTA) program, effectively allowing Filipinos who held a Canadian visa in the last 10 years, or those who currently hold a U.S. non-immigrant visa, to travel to the country visa free.

Canadian Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Sean Fraser made the announcement on Wednesday, June 7.

He added this expansion is effective immediately.

“This exciting development means that more individuals from around the world can now embark on unforgettable adventures, explore our diverse landscapes, reunite with family and friends, and immerse themselves in our vibrant culture without the hurdle of visa requirements,” said Fraser.

Apart from the Philippines, other countries included in the program are Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Costa Rica, Morocco, Panama, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Seychelles, Thailand, Trinidad and Tobago, and Uruguay.

“This expansion not only enhances convenience for travelers. It will also increase travel, tourism and economic

MANILA – The Muntinlupa

Regional Trial Court Branch 256 has denied the bail petition of former senator Leila De Lima, her lawyer confirm on Wednesday, June 7.

“Sad to inform you that the Court denied Sen. Leila’s Bail application,” Atty. Boni Tacardon told reporters.

Branch 256 is handling the complaint for conspiracy to commit

drug trading against De Lima, former Bureau of Corrections chief Franklin Jesus Bucayu, Bucayu’s former staff, Wilfredo Elli, inmate Jaybee Sebastian, Ronnie Dayan, de Lima’s former security aide, Joenel Sanchez; and Jad Dera. State prosecutors accused De Lima and Bucayu of tolerating the illegal drugs trade inside the New Bilibid Prison’s maximum security compound from May 2013 to May 2015 when she was serving as the Justice Secretary.

As Medicaid purge begins, ‘staggering numbers’ of Americans lose coverage

Marcos tells Philippine envoys...

earlier. Among the envoys present are the following:

- Chief of Mission Carlos Deymek Sorreta, Permanent Representative of the Philippines to the United Nations in Geneva, Switzerland

- Ambassador Henry Sicad Bensurto Jr. (Republic of Turkiye)

- Ambassador Renato Pedro Oabel Villa (Kingdom of Saudi Arabia)

- Ambassador Raul Salavarria Hernandez (Sultanate of Oman)

- Ambassador Paul Raymund Pasion Cortez (Portuguese Republic)

- Ambassador Joel Francisco Ignacio (Republic of India)

- Ambassador Maria Angela Abrera Ponce (Malaysia).

“We are constantly now, after all the changes that have been imposed upon us, like the pandemic economy and the world situation, looking for what we sometimes referred to as non-traditional partners in trades, in any kind, in security and defense issues,” Marcos said.

“All these things, we are always looking for partners,” he added.

The chief executive also urged the ambassadors to be open in discussing with him any opportunities that can be beneficial to the country.

“I’m sure you have heard that we are prioritizing agriculture, energy, all of the infrastructure development, and digitalization. Now, if there are oppor-

tunities that would come up, you should explore them and if they’re promising enough, then we’ll take it up. We’ll try to see if something can come up. There’s no harm in trying and kung anuman ang mangyari (whatever happens), at least we tried,” he said.

“So let us keep looking at those areas. And also what I found many times, you go there and you talk about agri and something else comes up,” he added.

Marcos has maintained that his administration would implement an independent foreign policy, saying that the Philippines would be a friend to all and an enemy to none. Experts however believe that such a vision would be hard to implement, as the Philippines

World Bank raises PH growth...

than-expected global inflation, tighter global financing conditions and an escalation of geopolitical tensions.

Stubborn core inflation that could lead to larger-thananticipated monetary tightening in many countries and the recent banking turmoil may unsettle global financial markets.

"From the domestic front, the threat of El Niño and supply chain bottlenecks may yet again raise food supply challenges and place upward pressure on food prices," the World Bank added.

In an accompanying statement,

the World Bank called for improvements in the efficiency of social protections, saying these were needed to protect the poor and the most vulnerable from economic shocks.

"It is essential to sustain improvements in social protection to help families, especially the poor and vulnerable, cope with economic difficulties as the country navigates the global slowdown, budget constraints, high prices of basic commodities, and climate-related risks," World Bank Country Director Ndiame Diop said.

Ralph Van Doorn, World

Bank senior economist, said risks from inflation would have to be addressed via measures such as reduced tariff and non-tariff barriers, enhanced domestic supplies, and bolstering agriculture with extension services, seeds, and fertilizers.

"In the face of escalating prices, a comprehensive strategy is needed to guarantee sufficient food for everyone," he said.

"This entails a more productive agriculture and food system that is resilient to climate risks, serves all consumers, and competes effectively in both the local and global markets." g

AsMedicaid purge begins, ‘staggering...

cannot be neutral.

But within a year of his presidency, Marcos was able to restructure ties with the United States (U.S.), which was seen by experts to have weakened under his predecessor, former president Rodrigo Duterte — who openly preferred ties with China rather than the western superpower.

This was evidenced by the identification of four additional sites for the Philippines’ Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) with the U.S. Marcos clarified though that reviving ties with the US does not mean closing doors to China. Earlier this year, the President visited China for a state visit — marking the Asian powerhouse as the first country he visited in 2023. g

out of every five people dropped so far either never returned the paperwork or omitted required documents, according to a KFF Health News analysis of data from 11 states that provided details on recent cancellations. Now, lawmakers and advocates are expressing alarm over the volume of people losing coverage and, in some states, calling to pause the process. KFF Health News sought data from the 19 states that started cancellations by May 1. Based on records from 14 states that provided detailed numbers, either in response to a public records request or by posting online, 36% of people whose

eligibility was reviewed have been disenrolled.

In Indiana, 53,000 residents lost coverage in the first month of the unwinding, 89% for procedural reasons like not returning renewal forms. State Rep. Ed Clere, a Republican, expressed dismay at those “staggering numbers” in a May 24 Medicaid advisory group meeting, repeatedly questioning state officials about forms mailed to out-of-date addresses and urging them to give people more than two weeks’ notice before canceling their coverage.

Clere warned that the cancellations set in motion an avoidable revolving door. Some people dropped from Medicaid will have to forgo filling prescriptions and cancel doctor visits because they can’t afford care. Months down the line, after untreated chronic illnesses spiral out of control, they’ll end up in the emergency room where social workers will need to again help them join the program, he said.

Before the unwinding, more than 1 in 4 Americans — 93 million — were covered by Medicaid or CHIP, the Children’s Health Insurance Program, according to KFF Health News’ analysis of the latest enrollment data. Half of all kids are covered by the programs.

About 15 million people will be dropped over the next year as states review participants’ eligibility in monthly tranches.

Most people will find health coverage through new jobs or qualify for subsidized plans through the Affordable Care Act.

But millions of others, including many children, will become uninsured and unable to afford basic prescriptions or preventive care. The uninsured rate among those under 65 is projected to rise from a historical low of 8.3% today to 9.3% next year, according to the Congressional Budget Office.

Because each state is handling the unwinding differently, the share of enrollees dropped in the first weeks varies widely.

Several states are first reviewing people officials believe are no longer eligible or who haven’t recently used their insurance. High cancellation rates in those states should level out as the agencies move on to people who likely still qualify.

In Utah, nearly 56% of people included in early reviews were dropped. In New Hampshire, 44% received cancellation letters within the first two months — almost all for procedural reasons, like not returning paperwork.

But New Hampshire officials found that thousands of people who didn’t fill out the forms indeed earn too much to qualify, according to Henry Lipman, the state’s Medicaid director. They would have been denied anyway. Even so, more people than he expected are not returning renewal forms.

“That tells us that we need to change up our strategy,” said Lipman.

In other states, like Virginia and Nebraska, which aren’t prioritizing renewals by likely eligibility, about 90% have been renewed.

Because of the three-year pause in renewals, many people on Medicaid have never been through the process or aren’t aware they may need to fill out long verification forms, as a recent KFF poll found. Some people moved and didn’t update their contact information.

And while agencies are required to assist enrollees who don’t speak English well, many are sending the forms in only a few common languages.

Tens of thousands of children are losing coverage, as researchers have warned, even though some may still qualify for Medicaid or CHIP. In its first month of reviews, South Dakota ended coverage for 10% of all Medicaid and CHIP enrollees in the state. More than half of them were children. In Arkansas, about 40% were kids.

Many parents don’t know that limits on household income are

significantly higher for children than adults. Parents should fill out renewal forms even if they don’t qualify themselves, said Joan Alker, executive director of the Georgetown University Center for Children and Families. New Hampshire has moved most families with children to the end of the review process. Lipman, the state’s Medicaid director, said his biggest worry is that a child will end up uninsured. Florida also planned to push kids with serious health conditions and other vulnerable groups to the end of the review line.

But according to Miriam Harmatz, advocacy director and founder of the Florida Health Justice Project, state officials sent cancellation letters to several clients with disabled children who probably still qualify. She’s helping those families appeal.

Nearly 250,000 Floridians reviewed in the first month of the unwinding lost coverage, 82% of them for reasons like incomplete paperwork, the state reported to federal authorities. House Democrats from the state petitioned Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis to pause the unwinding. Advocacy coalitions in both Florida and Arkansas also have called for investigations into the review process and a pause on cancellations.

The state is contacting enrollees by phone, email, and text, and continues to process late applications, said Tori Cuddy, a spokesperson for the Florida Department of Children and Families. Cuddy did not respond to questions about issues raised in the petitions.

Federal officials are investigating those complaints and any other problems that emerge, said Dan Tsai, director of the Center for Medicaid & CHIP Services. “If we find that the rules are not being followed, we will take action.” His agency has directed states to automatically reenroll residents using data from other government programs like unemployment and food assistance when possible. Anyone who can’t be approved through that process must act quickly.

“For the past three years, people have been told to ignore the mail around this, that the renewal was not going to lead to a termination.” Suddenly that mail matters, he said.

Federal law requires states to tell people why they’re losing Medicaid coverage and how to appeal the decision.

Harmatz said some cancellation notices in Florida are vague and could violate due process rules. Letters that she’s seen say “your Medicaid for this period is ending” rather than providing a specific reason for disenrollment, like having too high an income or incomplete paperwork.

If a person requests a hearing before their cancellation takes effect, they can stay covered during the appeals process. Even after being disenrolled, many still have a 90-day window to restore coverage.

In New Hampshire, 13% of people deemed ineligible in the first month have asked for extra time to provide the necessary records. “If you’re eligible for Medicaid, we don’t want you to lose it,” said Lipman.

Clere, the Indiana state representative, pushed his state’s Medicaid officials during the May meeting to immediately make changes to avoid people unnecessarily becoming uninsured. One official responded that they’ll learn and improve over time.

“I’m just concerned that we’re going to be ‘learning’ as a result of people losing coverage,” Clere replied. “So I don’t want to learn at their expense.”

(Hannah Recht/KFF Health News)

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

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. Malacañang photo

One APIA Nevada celebrates the end of Nevada’s 82nd legislative session

ONE APIA Nevada celebrated the end of an eventful legislative session, working hand-in-hand with state legislators, notably the Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) Legislative Caucus, which had a record-breaking 7 AANHPI members, the most in Legislature history. The caucus members reflect the diversity of the growing AANHPI communities in Nevada.

One APIA Nevada urges the governor to support language access for Nevada’s communities

THE Nevada State Senate passed Assembly Bill 246 (AB246) with bipartisan support. AB246 was introduced in the Nevada Assembly by Assemblymember Selena Torres (AD-3) and passed by the Assembly last week with a vote of 28-14. As passed, the bill would require counties in Nevada to go beyond federal requirements as outlined in the Voting Rights Act Section 203 when providing translated materials to Limited English Proficient (LEP) voters.

“One APIA Nevada has conducted consistent voter outreach to Nevada’s growing Asian Pacific Islander American community since 2018, and a key theme we repeatedly hear is: our local communities want more resources in-language,” remarks One APIA Nevada Acting Executive Director Eric Jeng. “Our communities want to be informed, make their voices heard at that ballot box, and seek reliable in-language voting resources. Engaging this community is critical to turning out the vote for our increasingly diverse communities.”

According to the Voting Rights Act Section 203, counties are required to provide translated voting materials for eligible voters

with limited English proficiency. The federal mandate requires that counties with Limited English Proficient populations over 10,000 (according to Census data) must offer these election materials inlanguage. This ensures all eligible voters can access the information they need to exercise their right to vote. Clark County is currently federally mandated to provide translated voting materials in Tagalog and Spanish. If AB246 is signed into law, the new state law will require the county to add translated Chinese language materials by 2024.

In 2021, Clark County fell short of the current federal requirement for by less than 500 eligible voters (9,566 LEP Chinese eligible voters were identified at the time) and, based on Census projections, under the existing mandate, Chinese would not be required until 2026.

“Last year, the Nevada Chinese Association worked with the Asian Community Development Council to pass out more than 5,000 Chinese language sample ballots to local community members and businesses,” says Nevada Chinese Association Vice President Jenny Koo. “We saw

a need in the community that we needed to fill, and we heard many people express relief that all the information they needed was in the booklet we gave out, because they were not sure where to get their voting information inlanguage other than online, which is not always reliable.”

“This bill is an important first step to ensuring our local leaders are ready to provide election information in many languages in the next few years, including Vietnamese,” comments Vietnamese American Community of Las Vegas President Kim Le. “Many times in our community, people will rely on word of mouth or online sources when there are no in-language resources available. Providing election information directly from counties will reassure our community members about the reliability and accuracy of the information.”

On behalf of the organizations that work with Nevada’s LEP communities, One APIA Nevada urges Governor Lombardo to sign AB246 into law, ensuring that all voters have access to the information they need to make informed decisions at the ballot box. g

"As a year-round organizer for the AANHPI community, our organization's top priority issues include healthcare access, voting rights, language equity, and education access," says One APIA Nevada Acting Executive Director Eric Jeng. "During this session, we have achieved significant legislative victories that will directly impact and improve the lives of the most vulnerable members of our community. The Legislature has passed all these groundbreaking bills, and we are awaiting the Governor's signature."

"I believe we came up here and did the work our community wanted us to," Assemblymember Erica Mosca (AD-10), Chair of the AANHPI Legislative Caucus. "We advocated for language access, access to healthcare, the largest budget in NV's history for education and we had the largest AANHPI Lobby Day in state history. We do this because our community expects it and depends on us to be a real voice for our diverse communities."

"We strongly believe in actively listening to our communities and striving to make lives easier for Nevada's working families," comments Assemblymember Duy

Nguyen, Vice-Chair of the AANHPI Legislative Caucus. "As a caucus, we are committed to introducing and passing legislation that fosters progress, creates positive change and amplifies the voices of our communities in our state's legislative process."

In partnership with the AANHPI Legislative Caucus and the Asian Community Development Council (ACDC), One APIA Nevada hosted its third biennial AANHPI Heritage and Lobby Day, with over 120+ community members in attendance. One APIA Nevada also hosted 50+ lobby visits with state legislators and held a reception for legislative staff at the Governor's Mansion.

One APIA Nevada's Legislative Wins: AB73 will allow all students to wear cultural attire in their commencement ceremonies; previously, this was on a caseby-case basis, dependent on the institution.

AB139 will require government agencies to include Middle Eastern and North Africa (MENA) as an ethnic category; previously, there was no specific ethnic distinction for MENA. AB207 will allow school districts to purchase insurance to protect students participating in workstudy programs to address student liability concerns.

AB212 will require NSHE institutions to provide students with their transcripts regardless of unpaid fines and fees, removing a critical economic disparity for students pursuing further education.

AB246 will require counties to go beyond the federal mandate set

by the Voting Rights Act Section 203 and provide translated election materials to more communities.

AB274 will require high school students to take financial literacy classes before graduation, setting up Nevada's students for a financially stable future.

AB286 will allow people in local jails to exercise their right to vote, including those awaiting trial or release; prior, anyone detained in local jails would not be able to vote, regardless of individual eligibility.

SB131 will protect healthcare professionals who provide care for individuals seeking reproductive healthcare services in Nevada.

SB172 will guarantee the ability of a minor to consent to certain health care services, including STD treatment and contraception. Missed Opportunities: AB251, which would require pharmacies to provide the option of translated prescription labels based on the top languages spoken by Limited English Proficient Nevadans, was vetoed by the Governor. We will continue to work with legislators and stakeholders to ensure that the parameters for this bill, language access for prescriptions, are implemented. While there are significant victories passed in the 2023 Legislative Session, there are still missed opportunities to directly impact and improve AANHPI families’ livelihood in Nevada. One APIA Nevada will continue to advocate for the needs of the AANHPI community, including language access, healthcare equity, and education access as the Legislature convenes for Special Sessions. g

US, ASEAN defense leaders commit to...

“[Austin] emphasized the vital role the ASEAN Defense Ministers’ Meeting (ADMM)Plus continues to play in driving multilateral cooperation to address regional challenges,” a readout from the U.S. Department of Defense said. “Southeast Asian defense ministers and heads of delegation reaffirmed their support for United States cooperative activities in the region, including in key forums such as the ADMM-Plus.”

Washington has been

supporting Southeast Asian peers through an ADMM-Plus Experts’ Working Group on Maritime Security and the IndoPacific Partnership for Maritime Domain Awareness Initiative.

The initiative is part of the U.S. Indo-Pacific Strategy to help partners through training and through familiarity with new technology.

Austin also highlighted the U.S. Coast Guard’s expanded regional maritime law enforcement programs.

The USCG is currently holding their first-ever trilateral

exercises with counterparts from Japan and the Philippines that focus on search and rescue operations as well as countering piracy and smuggling of weapons. The trilateral exercises also open professional exchange opportunities for experts and to improve women’s role in the maritime space. The U.S. and ASEAN will be launching their first fellowship program in September for up and coming defense leaders in the region. (Kaycee Valmonte/ Philstar.com)

Eligible Filipinos may now travel to Canada...

benefits, as well as strengthen global bonds with these 13 countries,” said Fraser. To apply for an eTA, travelers need a valid passport, a credit card, an email address, as well as access to the internet.

Meanwhile, those who are not eligible for an eTA will still need a

visitor visa before traveling to the country. Canada says it expects 200,000 visitors from these 13 countries in 2024, garnering about $160 million in revenue within a decade.

The Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) welcomed Fraser’s announcement, tagging it

as an “important milestone and a striking indication” of the country’s friendship with Canada. “The Philippines considers Canada as a close partner due to its well-established people-to-people ties and looks forward to charting a new era of engagement under this new policy,” g

Sara Duterte says Imee Marcos, not

Duterte said Barzaga may have been badly informed about the story.

“Cavite Rep. Elpidio Barzaga Jr. was obviously badly informed or made to believe a lie,” she said.

“Meanwhile, a person who cannot distinguish between attack and humor has no place in politics — especially if one fails to understand that political bickering is just a facet of democracy and should not be used to equate with governance. On the one hand, how the recent political developments have become an opportunity for sycophants is quite amusing,” she added.

Duterte ended by saying that Marcos’ administration still has her support, and that it remains

Romualdez...

“strong and stable.”

“Let me reiterate this, however — the administration of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr is stable and strong. It has my all-out support and the support of the majority of the Filipino people,” she added.

It is unclear what caused a rift between the two leaders, but Romualdez and Duterte have been key fixtures during the presidential campaign of Marcos — with the now-Speaker acting as the vice president’s campaign manager.

In a video recorded during Romualdez’ oath-taking ceremony of Romualdez last June 2022, Duterte thanked Romualdez for “taking” her into Lakas-CMD, and accepting the challenge to manage her campaign.

“I would like to personally

thank, publicly thank Congressman Martin Romualdez for taking me in in Lakas-CMD, and accepting the challenge to be one of my two campaign managers during the last elections. It was not without irritations and challenges but you did very well, 32.2 million votes, you did it all,” Duterte said in her speech. It could be recalled that after close ally and Pampanga 2nd District Rep. Gloria Macapagal Arroyo was removed as a senior House deputy speaker, Duterte bolted out of the Lakas-CMD party.

Arroyo, who was replaced by Pampanga 3rd District Rep. Aurelio Gonzales Jr., said that her actions were misconstrued to be part of a coup attempt against Romualdez. g

Muntinlupa court denies bail plea of former...

“…Based on the evidence thus far adduced by the prosecution, the Court is convinced that there is a great probability that the crime charged has been committed and that the accused are the agents thereof,” the Muntinlupa Court said through Presiding Judge Romeo S. Buenaventura.

“Wherefore, premises considered, the instant petitions and motions for bail are hereby denied,” read the ruling dated June 7.

The court said the presentation of the prosecution’s evidence-inchief would proceed as scheduled on June 19 and 26.

With the denial of the bail plea, De Lima will remain in detention while the proceedings continue.

De Lima now has one pending drug case before the Muntinlupa court, as the two other drug cases have been dismissed.

Aside from De Lima, the court also resolved the bail petition of her co-accused Sanchez, Bucayu, Dayan, and Dera.

The court anchored its ruling on the testimonies of prosecution

witnesses, which mostly convicts inside the New Bilibid Prison, including Nonilo Arile, Engelberto Durano, Noel Martinez, Joel Capones, Herbert Colanggo, and Jojo Baligad.

The court said, “The prosecution was able to prove prima facie the agreement and the decision to commit illegal drug trading among the accused as evidenced that NBP inmates were used–the overt act–to sell and trade dangerous drugs by means of mobile phones and other electronic devices through direct proof, that is, the testimonies of the co-conspirators themselves, which are straightforward, positive, and interlocking in material details.

De Lima argued that the testimonies of the witnesses were inconsistent and hearsay.

But the court said, “minor and insignificant inconsistencies tend to bolster, rather than weaken, the credibility of the witnesses for they show that their testimony is not contrived or rehearsed.”

On the argument that the testimonies of the witnesses are mostly hearsay, the court said they fall under the doctrine of

Fil-Am who plays soccer in Brazil also kicks it with PH nat’l women’s team

PHILIPPINE National

Women’s Soccer Team player

independently relevant statements.

“What was admitted as evidence was the fact that the utterances were actually made, not necessarily that the matters stated therein were true. On this basis, the statements attributed by the witnesses to the persons who did not testify are admissible and not covered by the hearsay rule.”

Even with the denial of the bail plea, the court clarified that it does not reflect what the final outcome of the case will be as the presentation of evidence continues.

“To repeat, the purpose of the hearing is merely to determine the weight of evidence for purposes of bail,” the court said.

Meanwhile, Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla said the denial of the bail plea is not the end for De Lima.

“They still have to go through trial because the presentation of evidence has not been terminated,” he said.

“The court decided on and we have to respect the court for its own ruling,” he added. g

Reina Bonta, 24, is one of only four non-Brazilians in a professional Brazilian women’s club based in the city of Santos. Her team, Santos FC, competes in the Campeonato Brasileiro Série A, Copa do Brasil and Campeonato Paulistaleagues.

Before joining Santos FC last March, the defensive forward in October had joined the Philippines national team, which is bound for 2023 Women’s World Cup.

Bonta played high school soccer at Oakland’s Bishop O’Dowd and college ball at Yale.

She is the daughter of Rob Bonta, first Filipino American Attorney General of California who was also first Filipino American in the California State Legislature.

Reina’s father, who was a soccer player at Yale himself, was among her coaches when she started out with Oakland club Bay Oaks. Her subsequent youth soccer for the De Anza Force was particularly grueling, she told SoccerAmerica.Com.

After school, she had to commute by public transportation – Uber plus trains and skateboard—to the team’s practice field across San Francisco Bay from her home in Alameda, California.

De Anza Force 98 won the 2013 Elite Clubs National League (ECNL U-14) national title and reached the ECNL national final four three other times.

Aside from touring Brazilian cities for Santos, Bonta has

traveled with the Philippine national team to Tajikistan and Cambodia. “It’s such a blessing to be able to represent both an iconic club and a history-making national team,” Bonta told Soccer America. (Inquirer.net)

MIGRANT WORKERS. Hundreds of overseas Filipino workers and residents join the Migrant Workers’ Day celebration at SM City Davao on Wednesday, June 7. Various government agencies offered various services for free during the event. PNA photos by Robinson Niñal Jr.

Reina Bonta started with the Philippine National Women’s Soccer team last October.

Photo from Instagram/@reinabonta

DOJ summons Teves over political killings

by Marc Jayson cayabyab Philstar.com

MANILA — The Department of Justice (DOJ)’s panel of prosecutors has summoned suspended Negros Oriental 3rd District Rep. Arnolfo Teves Jr. in connection with the murder complaints filed against him over the string of political killings in his home province.

Senior Deputy State Prosecutor

Richard Fadullon said a panel led by Senior Assistant State Prosecutor Mary Jane Sytat was created to look into the murder complaints filed by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) against Teves for his role in the March 4 attack in Pamplona, Negros Oriental that killed then governor Roel Degamo and nine others.

Teves, who has refused to return to the country from abroad to face the investigation, has been summoned to respond to the charges against him, according to Fadullon.

The DOJ set the preliminary investigation on the murder complaint on June 13.

Teves also faces a separate murder complaint filed by the Philippine National PoliceCriminal Investigation and Detection Group before the DOJ over his alleged role in a series of killings in Negros Oriental in 2019 such as the ambush slay of provincial board member Miguel Dungog in Dumaguete City.

At a press briefing last Tuesday, June 5, Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla said this means that the murder case probe is underway to pin down Teves in

the massacre. Remulla also scored Teves for refusing to come home and for mocking the judicial system in his social media posts.

The justice secretary has alleged that a former DOJ undersecretary in Teves’ camp had bribed the alleged gunmen to take back their statements, adding that the agency is confident of an airtight case despite the recantations.

Bribery try

Meanwhile, Teves’ lawyer on Wednesday, June 7 revealed that DOJ officials are trying to bribe a detained suspect into admitting that the lawmaker was behind the murder of Degamo.

In a statement, Ferdinand Topacio disclosed “intelligence reports” they have received that “high-ranking” DOJ officials “offered a huge amount of money – running into the tens of millions of pesos” – to Marvin Miranda.

“Miranda is the only suspect in custody who has not yet given any sworn statement regarding the murder, but has claimed being tortured while under detention,” Topacio said, adding that Miranda is now under the NBI’s custody.

The NBI is one of the agencies under the DOJ’s supervision.

“We are verifying these reports, but rest assured that they come from sources that have been reliable in the past,” Topacio said.

Ten suspects have recanted their sworn affidavits, saying they were “subjected to repeated physical and psychological violence.”

The defense lawyer also remarked that DOJ officials have apparently become “desperate” in light of the continued recantations,

and that the government is “left with no evidence against Teves.”

Topacio also pointed out that Miranda is the so-called last card of the DOJ, which is why they are “moving heaven and earth and using all the resources at their disposal in order to fabricate evidence against Teves.”

Teves was slapped with another 60-day suspension last May 31 for his continued defiance to the order of Speaker Martin Romualdez for him to return to the country and face the murder charges filed against him.

Romualdez said he has nothing personal against Teves, even if he kept on criticizing him.

“I will not allow anyone or anybody to destroy the integrity of Congress. I have nothing personal here. We are just doing our sworn duty to uphold the rule of law,” the Speaker emphasized, as he noted that Teves has to face the Degamo murder suit.

Romualdez, who is also the president of the ruling Lakas-CMD party, made the pronouncement after Teves challenged authorities to investigate Romualdez’s alleged questionable broadcast deal, through Prime Media, with former TV giant ABS-CBN.

Teves’ 60-day suspension lapsed last May 22. He left for the United States in late February.

“I would like to reiterate that as members of this House, we must be accountable to the people at all times and perform our legislative mandate with utmost competence, efficiency, effectiveness, integrity and fidelity to the people’s welfare – nothing less,” Romualdez said. g

Imee Marcos seeks inquiry into US proposal for PH to ‘house’ Afghans

by Bernadette e tamayo ManilaTimes.net

SEN. Maria Josefa Imelda "Imee" Marcos has called for an inquiry into the United States' reported proposal to the Philippines to "temporarily house" special immigrant visa applicants from Afghanistan.

The senator on Thursday filed Resolution 651 seeking the inquiry. She said these Afghans, who are allegedly U.S. supporters, will be transported directly to the Philippines.

Duterte to accept refugees from Afghanistan, "the government back then sufficiently disclosed its actions relative to such policy."

"Furthermore, during the past year, security and espionage threats have substantially increased because of the sharp escalation in the tension between the super power countries," she said.

Teodoro:

PH courting ‘non-traditional’ partners for national security, territorial integrity

by Catherine S. Valente ManilaTimes.net

NEWLY appointed Defense Secretary Gilberto "Gibo" Teodoro Jr. on Thursday said the Philippines is courting "non-traditional" partners who "will jibe with our national security, territorial integrity and interoperability."

Teodoro issued the statement

after President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. ordered the former ambassador to look for nontraditional partners in the areas of trade and security and defense.

Speaking in Filipino, Teodoro said that "as of now, it is but natural to talk to our treaty ally, the United States. We also know, however, that we have been talking to Israel, Japan,

Korea and recently to Sweden with whom we signed an MoU that was signed by Secretary Galvez at the Shari-la dialogue."

"I think the marching order is to look for a proper fit whatever serves our needs and whatever will jibe with our national security, territorial integrity and interoperability with our present complement," he added. g

Clar k County Fire Department FIRE PREVENTION BUREAU

4701 W. Russell Road • Las Vegas, NV 89118 John Steinbeck, Fire Chief Kelly Blackmon, Sr. Deputy Fire Chief/Fire Marshal Danny Horvat, Assistant Fire Chief • Wayne Dailey, Assistant Fire Chief June 8, 2023

PATALASTAS SA PUBLIKO

Mga Mungkahi’ng Pagbabago sa Kodigo ng Lalawigan ng Clark Tungkol sa: Titulo 13, Kabanata 13.04

Mangyaring bigya’ng pansin na ang isang panuntunan ay iminumungkahi ng Lupon ng mga Komisyonero ng Lalawigan sa Lalawigan ng Clark upang susugan ang Titulo 13, Kabanata 13.04 ng Kodigo ng Lalawigan ng Clark at ang mga kailangan ng pamahaya’ng pang-wisik sa sunog sa pamamagitan ng pag-alis sa 5,000 kwadrado’ng talampakan sa bungad; pag-alis ng kinakailangan upang mapataas ang NFPA 13R sistema ng pang-wisik sa sunog; susugan ang molde upang ipakita ang mga kinakailangan para sa hindi pangkaraniwa’ng sistema ng pang-wisik sa sunog sa pamahayan; idagdag ang kinakailangang ikabit sa kisame’ng mahigit 24 talampakan; susugan ang plano ng daho’ng dagdag ng sibil na pagpapaunlad upang madagdagan ang pinaka-mahaba’ng haba ng kalye sa 600 talampakan; at pagbibigay sa iba pang mga bagay na maayos na nauugnay dito tulad ng sumusunod:

13.04.090 - Susugan ang kinakailangan para sa pagtataas ng pang-wisik sa sunog

13.04.115 - Tanggalin ang kinakailangan na ang lawak ng tirahan ay lagpas sa 5,000 kwadrado talampakan

13.04.330 - Tanggalin ang Seksyon 22.38 ng NFPA 13

13.04.340 - Tanggalin at palitan ang Seksyon 8.4 ng NFPA 13D

13.04.340 - Idagdag ang Kung Saan Kinakailangan at Pagbubukod

13.04.340 - Idagdag ang mga kinakailangan ng pang-wisik sa sunog ayon sa taas ng kisame

13.04.340 - Idagdag ang Kinakailangan ng Sistema ng Presyon at pagbubukod

13.04.350 - Tanggalin ang Seksyon 7.5 ng NFPA 13R

13.04.520 - Susugan ang haba nang wala nang papasuka’ng kalye

Ang kopya ng iminungkahi’ng panuntunan ay kalakip dito at maaari ding marepaso sa: https://www.clarkcountynv.gov/government/departments/fire_department/fire_prevention_inspections/index.php

Bago ang pagpapatibay sa iminungkahi’ng panuntunan, ang Lupon ng mga Komisyonero ng Lalawigan sa Lalawigan ng Clark ay inatasan ng NRS 237.080 na gumawa ng isang pinagsama-sama’ng pagsisikap upang matukoy kung ang panukala’ng panuntunan ay magpapataw ng isang direkto at malaki’ng pasanin sa ekonomiya nang isang negosyo o direkto’ng paghihigpitan ang pagbuo, pagpapatakbo o pagpapalawak ng isang negosyo. Dahil dito, ang mga samahan sa pangangalakal, may-ari at mga opisyal ng mga negosyo na malamang na maapektuhan ng iminungkahi’ng panuntunan na ito, at ang iba pang interesado’ng mga tao ay kinakailanga’ng patalastasan at bigyan ng pagkakataon na magsumite ng mga komento, datos, o argumento sa Lalawigan tungkol sa kung ang iminungkahi’ng panuntunan ay:

a) Magpapataw ng isang direkto at malaki’ng pasanin sa ekonomiya nang isang negosyo; o

b) Direkto’ng paghihigpitan ang pagbuo, pagpapatakbo o pagpapalawak ng isang negosyo. Ang mga komento ay kailanga’ng isumite nang hindi lalampas sa 5:30 n.h.sa July 6, 2023 (ilagay ang petsa dito) tulad ng sumusunod:

Sa pamamagitan ng Pagdadala sa:

Kagawaran ng Sunog sa Lalawigan ng Clark - Kawanihan ng Pag-iwas sa Sunog

Attn: Sarah Stevens, Sekretarya Administrado

4701 W. Russell Road, Las Vegas, NV 89118

Lunes hanggang Huwebes mula 7:30 n.u hanggang 5:30 n.h.

Sa Pamamagitan ng Koreo sa:

Kagawaran ng Sunog sa Lalawigan ng Clark - Kawanihan ng Pag-iwas sa Sunog

Attn: Sarah Stevens, Sekretarya Administrado

4701 W. Russell Road, Las Vegas, NV 89118

Sa pamamagitan ng email sa: SHS@ClarkCountynv.gov

Sa paksimile sa: (702) 678-5220

Ang isang kopya ng iminungkahi’ng panuntunan ay makikita din para suriin sa: https://www.clarkcountynv.gov/government/departments/fire_department/fire_prevention_inspections/index.php

at Kagawaran ng Sunog sa Lalawigan ng Clark

Lobi sa Una’ng Palapag

575 E. Flamingo Road, Las Vegas, NV 89119

Lunes hanggang Huwebes mula 7:30 n.u. hanggang 5:30 n.h.

Lalawigan ng Clark Kagawaran ng Sunog - Kawanihan ng Pag-iwas sa Sunog

Lobi ng Kustomer 4701 W. Russell Road, Las Vegas, NV 89118

Lunes hanggang Huwebes mula 7:30 n.u. hanggang 5:30 n.h.

"To safeguard the national security and the public interest, it is imperative to ascertain the true intention behind the request of the U.S. to temporarily house foreign nationals in the Philippines," Marcos said.

The Senate must determine "the real nature of the agreement between the Philippines and the U.S. on this matter, and the course of action that the Executive branch plans to take."

She noted that in a letter dated June 5, 2023 by the Presidential Management Staff (PMS), various government agencies were required to attend a "technical coordination meeting" on the "proposed temporary housing in the Philippines of special immigrant visa applicants from Afghanistan.

Marcos said sources revealed that prior to the sending of such a letter, the U.S. had made a request for the Philippine government to allow the admission and temporary housing in the Philippines of foreign nationals from Afghanistan.

"The fact that the U.S. opted to house these foreign nationals in another country and not on U.S. soil even though these individuals are supporters of the U.S. and, possibly, even former employees of the U.S. government or U.S. companies, casts doubts on the character and background of some of these individuals," she said.

Marcos said that while it was the policy of the Philippines during the term of former president Rodrigo

"This, in turn, requires a more cautious stand in admitting refugees, particularly those whose entry into the Philippines is being brokered by a superpower country," Marcos added. She said the fact that the U.S. made a request to the Philippines instead of other countries that are geographically much closer to Afghanistan or which are betterequipped to accommodate such foreign nationals "raises serious questions on the real intention and purpose of the U.S. in making such [a] request."

"There is no showing that the government agencies involved in the matter have made, or are planning to make, independent verifications and investigations on the backgrounds of these foreign individuals," Marcos said.

"Thus, there is a substantial risk that individuals who pose a threat to national security and public safety may be admitted into and housed in the country," she said. g

Southern Nevada Regional Housing Authority

Notice of Public Comment Period and Public Hearing

As required by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Notice is hereby given that the Southern Nevada Regional Housing Authority will hold a Public Hearing to solicit comments on the Southern Nevada Regional Housing Authority’s Annual Agency Plan for FY2024.

The Public Hearing will be held at:

Howard Cannon Center Commission Chambers 340 North 11th Street Las Vegas, Nevada 89101

Monday, June 26, 2023 at 5:00 pm

The Plan will be available on Tuesday, May 9, 2023, at all Public Housing Community Offices as well as in the main lobby area of SNRHA Administrative Offices located at:

Howard Cannon Center – 340 North 11th Street, Las Vegas, NV 89101

W.F. Cottrell Administration Building – 5390 E. Flamingo Rd., Las Vegas, NV 89122 Housing Programs Building – 380 North Maryland Parkway Las Vegas, NV 89101

The Plan will also be available on our website at www.snvrha.org, Welcome Page, scroll down to the Agency Plans section, click on “Click here for all Agency Plans” and scroll down to the pdf icon for this plan.

If you wish to comment on this Plan, require additional information, and/or need special accommodations, please call 702-477-3110.

Written comments will be accepted from Tuesday, May 9, 2023, through Friday, June 23, 2023, at 5:00 pm at the above addresses.

Sen. Imee Marcos ManilaTimes.net file photo

GUIDED TOUR. A tour guide (in red) shows an underground portion of the Museo de Intramuros during a tour for the media after the launch of the Intramuros Pass on Wednesday, June 7. The Intramuros Administration gave them a glimpse of possible itineraries and activities inside the historic Intramuros, the political base of the Spaniards in Manila in the 1500s. PNA photo by Yancy Lim

OFWs deserve better

IN a country where overseas Filipino workers have been raped, tortured, mauled and bitten by their employers’ pet lion, murdered and the bodies burned and stuffed in a freezer, it would be the height of negligence if Philippine embassy personnel fail to help any OFW fleeing from abusive circumstances.

Yet the government of Kuwait has suspended the issuance of new visas to Filipinos and demanded an admission of infractions and an apology from the Philippine government for providing shelter to OFW runaways in the Gulf state. Kuwait apparently remembered that in 2018, Manila had apologized after the Philippine embassy not only provided shelter to runaway OFWs but also for encouraging them to escape from abusive employers.

This time, the Department of Foreign Affairs has stood its ground and refused to apologize, although it has not closed the door on negotiations with Kuwait. There are, after all, some 268,000 Filipinos working in the Gulf state, remitting about $597 million to their home country last year.

On the other hand, the grievous abuses suffered by OFWs in Kuwait also cannot be overlooked. The Overseas Workers Welfare Administration counts 196 OFWs who have died in Kuwait since 2016, with close to 80 percent of the deaths attributed to physical abuse. In 2017 alone, the Philippine embassy in Kuwait recorded 6,000 cases of OFW abuse, sexual harassment and rape.

Babe’s Eye View

THE United States averted an unprecedented crisis after the U.S. Senate passed on Thursday, June 1 the “Fiscal Responsibility Act” that suspended the debt ceiling to 2025, a day after the House of Representatives passed the measure.

The passage of the bill, which received strong bipartisan support, came just a few days before the June 5 deadline set by U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen, who implored legislators to swiftly act before the United States runs out of money to pay for its debt and other financial obligations, which could lead to a potentially catastrophic default because of its global impact.

Created by the U.S. Congress in 1917 under the Second Liberty Bond Act, the debt ceiling sets the limit on the amount of money that the U.S. government can borrow to pay for its bills and other obligations, among them

Commentary

THE National Asian Pacific Center on Aging (NAPCA), a nonprofit focused on improving the life of Asian American and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander older adults and their families, recently received questions from readers. Here are a few of the questions, and NAPCA’s answers:

1. Do I still need to get the COVID-19 vaccine? COVID is still with us. In late March the U.S. still averaged 19,500 cases per day, 585,000 per month. For older adults, COVID is still dangerous. The risk of severe cases that require hospitalization is pretty low for people under 18. If you are 65 and over, the risk is 36 times higher and the older the higher. So older adults are strongly recommended to stay up to date with the most current vaccine. If your last shot was before Sep. 2022, you should get an updated bivalent vaccine and then it provides protection against both the original COVID virus and the Omicron strains that are

Rodrigo Duterte, during his presidency, openly lamented reports of OFW abuse, disappearances and suicides in Kuwait. In February 2018, following the discovery of the body of Joanna Demafelis in a freezer, he ordered a ban on OFW deployment to Kuwait, and urged Filipinos in the Gulf state to come home. Despite these developments, Filipino maid Constancia Lago Dayag was murdered in Kuwait in May 2019. In December 2019, Jeanelyn Villavende was raped by her male employer and beaten to death by his wife.

Following negotiations, the deployment ban was eventually lifted. But on Jan. 21 this year, domestic worker Jullebee Ranara was raped and brutally murdered. Reportedly pregnant, her remains were found in the Kuwaiti desert, burned and the head smashed. The suspect is her employer’s 17-year-old son, who has been arrested. After Ranara’s murder, the Philippines stopped the first-time deployment of domestic workers to Kuwait. Within days of the murder, at least 114 Filipino maids left the Gulf state. Kuwait then announced the indefinite suspension of all new visas for Filipinos.

There are many other countries without the notoriety of the Gulf state in treating migrant workers. OFWs deserve better. (Philstar.com)

Biden: ‘It’s never a good bet to bet against America’

payment for federal employees, the military, Social Security, Medicare, interests on national debt and others. Under the compromise bill – which will be signed by President Biden the minute it reaches his desk – the debt ceiling has been suspended until 2025, allowing the government to borrow more.

It’s evident that the United States continues to face many challenges, among them the situation in the Indo-Pacific region with China’s continuing aggression as demonstrated in a recent incident just last week. According to the account by the U.S. IndoPacific Command, a U.S. Air Force RC-135 aircraft was conducting routine operations in international airspace over the South China Sea when a Chinese J-16 jet “performed an unnecessarily aggressive maneuver” in its intercept when it flew “directly in front of the nose of the RC-135, forcing the U.S. aircraft to fly through its wake turbulence.”

A similar incident was also reported by the U.S. INDOPACOM in December

last year when a Chinese J-11 fighter flew in front of and within 20 feet of the nose of an RC-135 reconnaissance plane that was flying over the South China Sea, almost causing a collision, with the American pilot forced to take evasive maneuvers.

The biggest challenge that the U.S. faces – in fact the whole world – is the war in Ukraine. Since the Russian invasion began in February 2022, the U.S. has led western nations in providing humanitarian, financial and military support for Ukraine. According to the data collected by the Ukraine Support Tracker of the Germany-based Kiel Institute for the World Economy, the U.S. has earmarked over 73.1 billion euros (or more than $78 billion) for Ukraine. A few days ago, the U.S. also announced another $300-million arms package that includes air defense systems and tens of millions of rounds of ammunition with the caveat that these should not be used for attacks inside Russia.

There is absolutely no doubt that U.S. military might continues to be formidable and

as strong as ever – as it should be, considering the challenges they are facing worldwide. According to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) report, the U.S. had a record-high military spending of $877 billion in 2022. In terms of technology, there is no doubt that America is still leading the race, with technologically advanced military equipment continually being developed, many of them being deployed and tested in the Ukraine war.

U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin recently established the Office of Strategic Capital that would provide long-term financing to U.S. technology companies, including startups engaged in critical technologies considered to be vital to U.S. national security. These include advanced materials, next-generation biotechnology and quantum science.

“We are in a global competition for leadership in critical technologies, and the Office of Strategic Capital will help us win that competition and build enduring national security advantages,” Secretary

Austin said during the launch last December of the OSC, which aims to bridge that critical gap between the laboratory and full-scale production, which is referred to as the “valley of death” in the industry. Secretary Austin said he is determined to give emerging technologies the support they need to develop sophisticated military hardware that would enhance the defense capabilities of the U.S..

The U.S. is also at the forefront of artificial intelligence (AI) –considered as the “bold new frontier” of technology – as it dabbles in AI-directed drones or bots that can pilot modified F-16 fighters, thereby lessening the risk or threat to human lives. Last March, for instance, the U.S. Air Force said it would field a “nominal quantity” of 200 Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) fighters and 1,000 collaborative combat aircraft (CCA) drones that would serve as wingmen that would be operating alongside the piloted NGAD fighters. This development certainly showcases that U.S. technology is still very much superb.

While some pundits predict

your Medicaid coverage ends.

infecting people right now. The COVID virus changes like the flu virus so it is important to get the most recent updated vaccine to get the best protection.

2. What type of COVID-19 vaccine should I receive? And how many times?

Because the protection provided by the COVID-19 vaccine fades much more quickly for people 65 and older and people who have underlying conditions, the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) updated its COVID-19 vaccine recommendations to allow an additional dose of the updated (bivalent) vaccine for these populations.

No matter how old you are, if you have not gotten a shot since September 2022, you definitely need one!

If you are 65 or older or if you have underlying conditions, it may be a good idea for you to get an extra dose of bivalent vaccine. Talk to your healthcare provider or pharmacist to decide whether it makes sense for you.

3. What is Medicaid redetermination (Unwinding of the Medicaid Continuous Enrollment Provision) and how does it affect my Medicaid?

Medicaid eligibility is required to be renewed periodically, but

during the COVID public health emergency, Medicaid disenrollment has been paused in every state by federal provision. However, the continuous coverage requirement ends on March 31, 2023. Your state checks whether you still qualify for Medicaid coverage and will be able to resume Medicaid disenrollments starting April 1, 2023. The disenrollments will not occur all at once, as the process will be spread out across most of 2023 and the first part of 2024. To be prepared for Medicaid redetermination, make sure your contact information is updated so that you can receive any communications your state sends you. When you receive a Medicaid packet or letter in the mail, you need to fill out the renewal form and send it (with requested documents if applicable) to the address provided. If you are ineligible to renew your Medicaid, you will qualify for a special enrollment period to find and enroll in a new health insurance plan in time for your loss of Medicaid coverage.

4. What option do I have if I lose Medicaid after unwinding Medicaid continuous enrollment condition?

There will generally be three options for those who are no

longer eligible for Medicaid as the result of the Medicaid unwinding process.

Option 1: You can re-apply for Medicaid to find if you still qualify. If your income level or medical need changes, you might qualify for Medicaid in your state. You can apply any time, and there’s no limit to the number of times you can apply.

Option 2: You may be able to get low-cost, quality health coverage through the ACA Marketplace. Submit a new or updated Marketplace application and provide the proof of the last date of Medicaid between March 31, 2023 and July 31, 2024, then you will be eligible for this temporary Special Enrollment Period (SEP). You will have a 60 days’ window after you submit your application to select a Marketplace plan.

Option 3: You may be able to sign up for Medicare without paying a late enrollment penalty. If you now qualify for Medicare but didn’t sign up for it when you first became eligible, you have a limited time (SEP) to sign up without paying the usual penalty. Your SEP starts the day your state notifies you that your Medicaid coverage is ending and continues for 6 months after

Plus, you can try to apply for Medicare Savings Programs to get assistance for your Medicare copays and/or deductibles.

5. I am eligible for Social Security retirement based on my 40 working credits and eligible for spousal benefits based on my husband’s Social Security credits. I am 62 soon and trying to claim spousal retirement which is higher than my worker’s benefit. How much would it be and how do I apply for it?

You could apply for spousal retirement benefit once you reach the age of 62 if your husband already started receiving his retirement. The rule is that depending on your age upon claiming, spousal benefit can range from 32.5% to 50% of your husband’s primary insurance amount (PIA), which is the monthly benefit the retiree is entitled to at full retirement age (FRA). When you apply for spousal benefit at 62, you will receive 32.5% of the husband’s PIA permanently. The longer you wait to claim the spousal benefit until your FRA, the bigger the monthly amount grows. The maximum amount you can receive is up to 50% of his PIA. If your husband

that the 2024 U.S. presidential election would be even more divisive than ever, history has shown that no matter how polarized U.S. politics may seem at the moment, at the end of the day, Americans will close ranks to fight any kind of threat. This is evident in their recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic that was faster than any other major economy in the world, and the passage of the debt ceiling bill despite months of acrimony between Republicans and Democrats.

During his second State of the Union speech in February, President Biden acknowledged that indeed, they “face serious challenges across the world,” but he also emphasized their progress and resilience as a nation and people, emerging from every crisis stronger than when they entered it.

And the U.S. president issued this warning: “Those who bet against America are learning just how wrong they are. It’s never a good bet to bet against America.” (Philstar.com) * * *

The opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by the author do not

took his retirement earlier than his FRA, your spousal benefit in turn will be counted based on his reduced amount.

When you apply for spousal benefit, you must apply for both your worker’s benefit and spousal benefit at the same time. Social Security pays worker’s benefit first, then adds enough of the spousal benefit to make up the difference and match the higher amount..

* * *

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

* * *

The National Asian Pacific Center on Aging (NAPCA) is a non-profit organization dedicated to improving the quality of life of AANHPI older adults and their families. We operate a NAPCA Senior Assistance Center for Older Adults and Caregivers and is available in 5 different languages. If you have additional questions regarding the items discussed in the article, or around the topics of Medicare, Medicaid, Affordable Care Act or other senior benefits, there are 3 ways you can reach us: Call our Senior Assistance Center at: (English) 1-800-3362722; send an email to askNAPCA@napca. org; or send via mail to NAPCA Senior Assistance Center, 1511 3rd Avenue, Suite 914, Seattle, WA 98101.

During this stalemate, the Philippines should review its deployment policy and consider finding new destinations for OFWs other than Kuwait.

Materials for 2nd State of the Nation

Address still being prepared – Marcos

MANILA – President Ferdinand

R. Marcos Jr. on Thursday, June

8 bared that he is still preparing the materials for his second State of the Nation Address (SONA) which will be delivered on July 24.

"The truth of the matter is we're still preparing everything, all the materials that we're going to put together," he told reporters on the sidelines of an event at the Manila Hotel in Manila when asked for an update on his SONA preparations.

"The [second] SONA, it will be a report to the nation as to what the situation [is], what happened in the last year since the last SONA, where we are now, what we have managed to do, and where we still have work to do. That is essentially the template that I am going to use," he added.

Marcos expressed optimism that in his second SONA he would be able to report the accomplishments of his administration, including the

fulfilled plans enumerated in his first SONA.

"The things that I mentioned in the first SONA, we will have a look and see anong nangyari sa mga napag-usapan noong unang SONA. Sa palagay ko naman, meron tayong maipapakita (what happened to the plans we mentioned during my first SONA. I think, we will be able to report some progress)," he said.

To recall, it was Marcos who drafted his first SONA delivered at the Batasang Pambansa in Quezon City on July 25, 2022.

Marcos' first SONA was one hour and 14 minutes long, highlighting his administration's agenda on economic recovery, coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic response, foreign policy and legislative priorities.

The most applauded statements in Marcos' speech include his emphasis to bring the much-needed health facilities outside Metro Manila, as well as

his promise not to surrender the country's territory. Marcos was also lauded for delivering a "data-driven" SONA that laid out his plans for the Philippines during his six-year term.

The House of Representatives has already begun its preparations for Marcos' SONA.

The Batasan Complex where the House of Representatives is located is the traditional site of the Philippine president's annual speech.

Article 7, Section 23 of the 1987 Constitution requires the President to “address the Congress at the opening of its regular session”.

The Philippine president delivers the SONA every year, usually held every last Monday of July, to report the state of the country, unveil the administration’s agenda for the coming year, and ask Congress to pass priority legislative measures. (PNA)

‘Deepening’ PH-China ties outweigh differences

MANILA – The Philippines' "healthy" and "deepening" relationship with China outweighs the two nations' differences, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. said on Thursday, June 8. In a speech delivered at the Manila Hotel, Marcos said the Philippines is committed to strengthening its bilateral ties with China, given that it has become a "boon to our country's economic strength over the past years."

"It is my firm belief that our relationship must not be defined by our innate differences," Marcos said during the Award for Promoting PhilippinesChina Understanding (APPCU) awarding ceremony.

"There is a lot more that we can and must do to celebrate our bilateral ties. Time and again, we have proven that it is in our mutual interest to preserve the special rapport and kindred spirit that we have established and nurtured throughout our history," he added.

Marcos made the statement, as he acknowledged China as the Philippines' "top partner"

in terms of total trade, ranking first as imports source and second as exports destination.

He also noted that China and its special administrative regions serve as "second home to a substantial number of overseas Filipinos."

"So, we will exert utmost efforts to strengthen this relationship. We will strive to make it more comprehensive, more strategic, all with the view to advancing the paramount interest of both our nations and our peoples," Marcos said.

'Continuing' communication Marcos denied that the Philippines has shifted away its policy away from China, saying that his administration continues to foster the friendship, the relationship and the partnership with Beijing.

"Some people have said that the Philippines has shifted its policy away from the People's Republic [of China] and to other powers. That is certainly not true. We have not shifted away from China in any way whatsoever," he said.

He noted that the Philippine government has a "continuing" communication with the

New health chief Herbosa vows to to pay nurses ‘correctly’ to make them stay

by Gaea Katreena CabiCo Philstar.com

Chinese government following his state visit to China in January this year upon the invitation of Chinese President Xi Jinping.

He said he and Xi are both determined to find solutions to various issues confronting the two countries, including the South China Sea disputes.

"Slowly, the process that we began after my visit to President Xi and to China in January, we have developed those concepts of communication [on] the issues about the fishing grounds. All of these things are continuing and perhaps soon, we will be able to report. So, this is the way that we strengthen this relationship that we have with China," he said.

"That continues. Whatever else happens, this relationship again will not be defined by the differences but by our common areas of interest and our common beliefs and the similarities in our culture which both countries will understand very well. I think that is a very fertile ground to build, to plant our relationship and keep it growing," Marcos added. (PNA)

MANILA — The new secretary of the Department of Health promised Thursday, June 8 to give healthcare workers more competitive salaries to encourage them to stay in the Philippines.

Many Filipino healthcare workers — especially nurses — seek employment abroad as they are often overworked but underpaid.

To encourage them to serve the country, Health Secretary Teodoro Herbosa said the government “needs to pay them correctly.”

“Our nurses are world class. They’re being asked by presidents of other countries. They should be serving the Filipino people. We should be the ones paying them the salaries those guys are paying them,” Herbosa said in an interview with ABS-CBN News Channel.

But Herbosa stressed that he cannot prevent health workers from leaving the country.

“If a nurse wants to go abroad to get a salary that I cannot give, I should not stop that person… So I will search for the solution on what will make them stay,” he said.

Over 100,000 nurses in the private sector earn P537 per day in Metro Manila and much lower in areas outside the capital region, according to the Filipino Nurses United. Nurses in the government sector, although they

have relatively higher pay, suffer from work and patient overload.

To address the lack of health workers in the country, Herbosa said he is looking at the possibility of allowing nursing graduates who have yet to pass the licensure exam to work in the government.

“In the government, you can’t work without a license. But I’m willing to take them if they have a diploma,” Herbosa said, noting there are around 4,500 vacancies for nurses in the department.

“If you have a diploma from an accredited school, I’ll give you a period of time to pass it… Then you make them work for five years. I’m giving them five years to pass the board,” he added.

COVID-19 benefits

Herbosa also vowed to address the health workers’ delayed COVID-19 benefits.

“I will make sure we continue to have the funding for that so these benefits will be given to them,” he said.

President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. appointed Herbosa nearly a year after he assumed office.

Herbosa's comments and statements on the pandemic and other national concerns previously drew backlash.

These incidents were when Herbosa shared “fake news” about COVID-19 infections, poked fun at a person who died while lining up at a community pantry and shared a rape joke on Facebook.

In August 2021, Herbosa shared a tweet thanking health workers, but wrote on his caption: “except those who protested.”

In a tweet, he apologized for earlier statements and called for the public's support. g

RAINY WEDNESDAY. Armed with umbrella, students of Quezon City High School on Scout Ybardolaza Street brave the rain on Wednesday, June 7 as they leave the school. Tropical storm Chedeng is enhancing the southwest monsoon (habagat) that brings rain showers in some parts of the country, according to the weather bureau. PNA

photo by Robert Oswald P. Alfiler

Malacañang photo

VEGAS&STYLE

Alexa says her mom approves of KD

by HannaH Mallorca Inquirer.net

ALEXA Ilacad revealed that her mother approves of her onscreen partner, singer-actor KD Estrada, with the actress saying that they are still in the courting stage.

Ilacad spoke about the status of her relationship with Estrada during an interview with the morning show “Magandang Buhay,” which was uploaded on ABS-CBN Entertainment’s official YouTube channel last Tuesday, June 7.

"Nakakatuwa po [si KD] actually.

Kasi minsan lumalabas kami, let’s say after work, after [ng] pag-uwi namin, aakyat siya sa house tapos maghe-hello siya kay Mommy ta’s lagi niyang sasabihan ng, ‘Tita, thank you for letting me take out your daughter.’ Ta’s si Mommy, ‘Ano bang ginawa niyo? Ano ba, okay lang naman,’” she said. (KD is amusing actually. Because when we sometimes go out, let’s say

after work, after coming home, he would visit our house then he would say “hello” to Mommy. He would constantly say, “Tita, thank you for letting me take out your daughter.’ Then my Mommy would say, “What did you do? Don’t worry, it’s fine.”)

When asked by host Jolina Magdangal if the singer-actress’ mother approves of Estrada, she said that her mom is very supportive of the “Days” singer.

“Si Mommy, botong-boto [siya]. Super (Mommy approves of him a lot. Super),” she said in response, while her loveteam partner was spotted smiling during Ilacad’s response.

During the interview, the “Killer Bride” star admitted that Estrada is still courting her until this day.

“Actually, past tense na ‘yung naganap [ang panliligaw]. So present tense,” Ilacad replied to host Melai Cantiveros. “Yes, [nililigawan niya ako] for a very long time because why the rush?”

(Actually, it’s past tense to say

that he’s done courting me, so present tense. Yes, he’s courting me for a very long time because why the rush?)

The “Pinoy Big Brother” alum seconded Ilacad’s statement saying, “Why rush a good thing?” Ilacad and Estrada first crossed paths as housemates in “Pinoy Big Brother: Kumunity Season 10” which aired from October 2021 to May 2022.

The loveteam, also known as KDLex, admitted during an interview with Philippine Daily Inquirer that they refused to “put a label” in their relationship despite being sweet to one another on- and off-screen.

“We see each other as partners but right now, especially with our very busy careers, we don’t want to put a label on it. We fear this will only cause problems later on; that it’s going to make the relationship more high maintenance. As of now, we just want to take it slow,” Estrada said.

Former ‘Eat Bulaga’ hosts move to TV5

THE original "Eat Bulaga" trio of former senate president Vicente "Tito" Sotto 3rd, Vic Sotto, and Joey De Leon have moved networks. An announcement by Mediaquest

Holdings Inc. on Wednesday, June 7 confirmed the move of the trio from GMA to TV5 and the group's other platforms.

"The Mediaquest Group has entered into an agreement with Tito, Vic, and Joey and the Dabarkads to produce content for TV5 and other Mediaquest

platforms," the announcement read. The trio left the noontime variety show Eat Bulaga last week, after 44 years due to a dispute with producers TAPE Inc. On Monday, June 5, the noontime show presented new hosts led by Paolo Contis.

Iya on hosting new ‘Eat Bulaga’

TV host Iya Villania revealed that she may consider hosting the new "Eat Bulaga" show if it will not have the same title.

Philstar.com asked Iya if she was willing to be one of the new hosts of a noontime show on GMA-7 during the Eden Cheese event earlier today in Trinoma, Quezon City.

"Oh my gulay. It's hard to talk speak. Siguro kung iba 'yung pangalan ng show. I probably... I would consider," the host said. Iya is currently seen as the segment host of "Chika Minute," which airs on GMA-7's nightly newscast "24 Oras."

"Siguro kasi I guess it's kind of sensitive especially because of the title. And the memories that it holds, the people that it holds so ayon, if ever, I might consider if it wasn't the title," she said.

Tito Sotto, Vic Sotto and Joey De Leon announced on Wednesday, May 31, that they have resigned from Television and Production Exponents Inc. (TAPE Inc.), the production company that produced the longest-running noontime show. Their co-hosts,

Ryan Agoncillo, Wally Bayola, Maine Mendoza, Ryzza Mae Dizon, Jose Manalo and Paolo Ballesteros, followed suit as seen in the letter uploaded on the Instagram Stories of Pauleen Luna-Sotto.

In its official statement, TAPE said that “Eat Bulaga” will continue despite the exodus of its hosts. It also asked the public to watch out for upcoming news

on the beleaguered show.

“Abangan ninyo ang mga bagong magpapasaya at magpapatibok ng ating mga puso. Aasahan niyo ang mas masaya, mas nakakaaliw at HIGIT PA SA ISANG LIBO'T ISANG TUWA na Eat Bulaga. Patuloy ang Dabarkads na maglilingkod para sa inyo, mga Kapuso MULA APARRI HANGGANG JOLO AT SA BUONG MUNDO,” it said.

‘Eat Bulaga’ introduces new hosts

by Iza IglesIas ManilaTimes.net

LONGEST running noontime variety show "Eat Bulaga" aired live on Monday, June 5 and introduced a new set of hosts nearly a week after original hosts Tito Sotto, Vic Sotto and Joey de Leon parted ways with production company Television and Production Exponents Inc. (Tape Inc.).

The new hosts are Paolo Contis, Buboy Villar, Betong Sumaya, Alexa Miro, Cassy Legaspi and Mavy Legaspi.

The fresh faces opened the show performing the song "Best Day of My Life." This was followed by a game where they gave out cash prizes and iPhone 14 to the audience.

Local girl group XOXO and Kokoy de Santos joined them as guest performers.

While some viewers welcomed the major change, it did not sit well with most social media users.

"The 'New' Eat Bulaga is not

that I used to watch. TVJ is irreplaceable indeed," Twitter user @honeygalvez22 wrote.

"You can use the logo, you can use the opening song, you can even use the terms and words TVJ uses, but these new wannabes will never personify the term dabarkads. Not in the slightest. And we all know that certainly this is fake. #FakeBulaga," posted by user @GeraldPGrana.

"My mother immediately switched to Netflix after seeing the new hosts of EB. Not because she hates the hosts, but for her, it will never be her most loved noontime show without TVJ, JoWaPao, Maine, Alden, Ryzza, Ryan, AK, etc. Change the name please! Dont use EB," said @itsmelendel.

On May 31, the iconic trio TVJ announced they are leaving Tape Inc. after 43 years. This was followed by the resignation of Paolo Ballesteros, Jose Manalo, Maine Mendoza, Ryzza Mae Dizon, Wally Bayola, Ryan Agoncillo, Al-

lan K., and the remaining writers, sales and production personnel and cameramen.

A day after, Tape Inc. said that while they are "saddened" by the turn of events, they remain committed to "provide quality entertainment" to the public.

On Monday, Tito Sotto said in a television interview that they are in talks with a number of networks and will announce where they will be bringing their new show in the coming days.

"We have yet to decide. We agreed among ourselves that by June 7 we will be ready to announce," Sotto said.

"If things work out the way we want it to, perhaps at least maybe the first week of July we would be able to air," he added.

There have been reports from showbiz insiders that TVJ will open a new noontime show produced by Brightlight Productions of Bacolod City Mayor Albee Benitez in TV5.

Brightlight is a block timer and producer of "Rated Korina."

by Aric John Sy cuA ManilaTimes.net by Jan Milo Severo Philstar.com

Tito Sotto, Vic Sotto and Joey De Leon

GMA photo

Iya Villania

Photo from Instagram/@iyavillania

KD Estrada, Alexa Ilacad

Photo from Instagram/@alexailacad

Sunshine’s powerful weapon

by Ronnie CaRRasCo iii ManilaTimes.net

SUNSHINE DIZON did not play the lead role on GMA's fantasy series "Urduja" (which preceded "Voltes V: Legacy"), but she seemed to have unleashed her weapon in one episode of "Fast Talk with Boy Abunda."

In her particular case, the freelance actress is — to this day — wielding her might to battle her personal demons brought about by her separation from husband Timothy Tan in 2016.

It took all of eight years for Sunshine to finally process the pain, which she now acknowledges as part of her coping mechanism.

She confessed to harboring nothing but hate, trying to figure out what was wrong with herself.

"I don't know where did I fall short," Sunshine told Boy who thought that maybe the culprit was not what his interviewee believed she lacked or fell short of, but rather her excesses.

Still, Sunshine was unable to provide the answer.

All she knew is that she tried as much as she could to save her marriage from falling apart.

What Sunshine cared more about was how to make their two children feel that everything was as normal as she and Timothy could be.

"We were living in the same house but in different rooms. I wanted to create a semblance of a perfect household for them," she shared.

Has Sunshine found forgiveness in her heart? As Boy stressed, only can we set ourselves free if we are able to forgive people who have wronged us.

"Yes and no," was Sunshine's curt, quite ambiguous reply.

Then she proceeded to qualify her answer.

Yes in the sense that she's appreciative of Timothy being a good father to the kids.

Sunshine even recalled when Timothy knelt on his knees, saying he couldn't live to be away from the

children, hence Sunshine's agreeing to their co-parenting setup.

But a no answer at the same time for all the sufferings their separation has caused upon her.

"I can forgive but I can never ever forget," Sunshine later on admitted.

In December last year, it will be remembered that Sunshine was diagnosed with PTSD or post-traumatic stress disorder.

Along with it came a caboodle of other conditions such as depression, panic and anxiety attacks, abandonment issues, etc. which had her in and out of the hospital.

Thankfully, it wasn't a chronic thing that adversely took a toll on her outlook toward work.

Although she rued she should have undergone therapy at the onset, proof that she's back on her toes — as she was shortly after their separation — is keeping herself preoccupied with so much on her plate.

Presently trying to rebuild herself, Sunshine left an inspiring message — not to other women trapped in the same situation — but to herself.

"Never give up. Take life as it is. With God's grace, you'll be able to get through it," Sunshine said as she faced Boy's imaginary mirror.

Looking forward to yet another sunshiny day, the actress' name isn't in fact a misnomer.

Anne Curtis ‘so proud’ of Erwan Heussaff for ‘Oscars of culinary world’ win

ACTRESS and TV host Anne Curtis is so proud of restaurateur and content creator husband Erwan Heussaff for winning the Social Media Account category of the 2023 James Beard Awards, considered by many as the culinary world’s “Oscars.”

“Dahlia and I are so proud of you mon amour,” said Anne as a comment in Erwan’s post showing his medal.

“I'm still shaking. We made it!!” he said on Instagram.

Founded in 1990, the annual James Beard Awards recognizes "exceptional talent and achievement in the culinary arts, hospitality, media, and broader food system."

Erwan won the Social Media Account category of the James Beard Foundation Broadcast Media Awards division, which "recognizes excellence in a single food-related post or compilation of up to three posts that clearly represents the social media account's intention."

Erwan prevailed over fellow nominees and content creators Andrew Huang, Ewa Huang, and Jeromy Ko of "Nom Life," and Kalamata's Kitchen Staff behind "Kalamatas Kitchen - Of Course It's Kid Friendly.”

Besides Erwan, nominated for Best Chef: Northwest and Pacific is Chef Aaron Verzosa of Archipelago in Seattle, Washington, which serves "Pacific Northwest cuisine through progressive Filipino American flavors."

Two Filipinos are nominated for Outstanding Pastry Chef or Baker: Chef Vince Bugtong of ABACÁ in San Francisco and Chef Margarita Manzke of République in Los Angeles, both in California. (Deni Rose Afinidad-Bernardo/Philstar.com)

‘Rosalinda’ actor Fernando Carrillo admits ‘dating’ Korina Sanchez in the past

by HannaH MalloRCa Inquirer.net

REMEMBER Fernando Carillo, the Venezuelan actor who played the role of Fernando Jose in the Mexican telenovela “Rosalinda”?

The swoon-worthy actor of the late 90’s just let out his charm when he visited the country recently, but dropped a little bombshell when he admitted to “dating” broadcast journalist Korina Sanchez in the past.

During a June 8 episode of afternoon talk show “Fast Talk with Boy Abunda,” Carrillo was asked if he has ever fallen in love with a Filipina before, who which the Latino actor answered in the negative, though he admitted to always having been captivated by Filipina beauties.

“I don’t think I (have fallen) in love [with a Filipina], but I’ve always been attracted to the beauty of the Filipino women,” he said. “And I’ve met some very beautiful women, and I keep meeting beautiful women.”

When host Boy Abunda asked him if he ever dated a Filipino woman in the past, Carrillo admitted that he went out with Sanchez with some friends.

Sanchez is now married to former Senator and Interior Secretary Mar Roxas, with whom she shared twins.

“It depends on what ‘date’ means, but I went to dinner with a very smart Filipino. Can I say who it was? Or are we going to get in trouble,” he said. “I have huge respect for Korina Sanchez. She’s a good friend, and I respect her very much.”

While the Venezuelan actor didn’t disclose further details about their dinner, he shared that

Jericho returns to acting ‘in front of the camera’ after four-year hiatus

by HannaH MalloRCa Inquirer.net

JERICHO Rosales couldn’t contain his excitement to return to acting, as he unveiled a sneak peak of his character, Cenon Santiago, in the upcoming prison series “Sellblock.”

Rosales took to his personal Instagram page on Sunday, June 4, to share some behind-thescenes photos of himself as Cenon Santiago, where he was seen wearing a prison uniform while getting a mugshot at what appears to be a police station.

“I’m just very happy to be acting in front of the camera again. Hi to my #SellBlock fam. You all are amazing,” he said. “I’m honored… and happy I’m not waking up at 3am tomorrow. [tongue out emoji] Sweet meme.”

Rosales’ last teleserye was Halik” with Yen Santos and Sam Milby, which ended in 2019, while he made the romantic-comedy

film “The Girl in the Orange Dress” with Jessy Mendiola in 2018.

Fellow celebrities including Iza Calzado, Piolo Pascual, and Dimples Romana also expressed support for Rosales’ acting comeback, as seen in the comments of the latter’s post.

Reports of Rosales headlining “Sellblock” was confirmed by U.S.-based media outlet Variety in March 2022, which will be produced by ABS-CBN and Manila-based BlackOps Studios Asia.

The actor will be joined by Cherry Pie Picache, Tirso Cruz III, Ronnie Lazaro, Rosanna Roces, Mon Confiado and RK Bagatsing. However, details about the premiere date and plot are yet to be disclosed.

“Sellblock” marks the actor’s return to showbiz after a four-year break from showbiz, sharing to Philippine Daily Inquirer that he’s set to open up his own production outfit. However, he didn’t reveal

it happened during his past visit in the country.

“We did an amazing interview once upon a time in Miami, and then I came to the Philippines once. And we went to have dinner with some friends. [Maybe that], we can call it a date. But she’s a dear friend whom I respect and I admire very much,” said Carillo, who is now married to a woman from Colombia.

Carrillo also revealed in the same interview that he’s currently in the Philippines for endorsements and to launch a reality show that aims to create a co-ed singing group. The actor gained widespread popularity after starring with Mexican superstar Thalia in the 1999 telenovela “Rosalinda,” where the former’s character is a man of social status. The hit Mexican drama was then remade in the Philippines in 2009, with Carla Abellana and Geoff Eigenmann taking on the roles of Rosalinda and Fernando Jose, respectively.

Carrillo signed a contract with Viva Entertainment in 2012 to expand his career in the country.

the name of the company in the report. “The projects I’m working on take time, patience and a lot of effort. I’m determined to make them happen. My dream is to make excellent projects here, then showcase them abroad. That’s what we’re working on. It takes a lot of time to write and produce stuff, but I’m patient enough,” he was quoted as saying.

Sunshine Dizon Photo from Instagram/@m_sunshinedizon

Fernando Carillo GMA photo

Erwan Heussaff wearing his James Beard Awards 2023 medal

Photo from Instagram/@erwan

Jericho Rosales

Photo from Instagram/@

MD, FaCS, FPCS

SOME of us may already be doing a good job at wrecking our heart, besides other organs in our body, but for the others who may not be as innovative and cunning, here are eight easy and simple ways to accomplish the job more efficiently and effectively.

• If you are not a cigarette smoker, start smoking or inhale as much secondhand smoke as possible. If you are, continue this very dangerous and expensive habit. Out of the 1.3 billion smokers around the world, one dies from smoking every 6.5 seconds. Smoking kills 5.4 million each year. This is projected to rise to 6.5 million by 2015, and 8.3 million by 2030. One billion will die from tobacco use in this century alone. Besides heart disease, smoking causes cancer of the lungs and other organs, besides causing emphysema and air-hunger. Secondhand smoke is no less a brutal killer.

People who quit smoking lower their risk of heart disease to the level of nonsmokers in just 2 years and protect their loved ones from secondhand smoke.

• Binge daily, 3 times a day or more, on saturated animal fats like red meats (pork, beef, especially processed foods like bacon, hamburgers, ham, hotdogs, sausages, etc.), french fries, junk food, and foods with trans-fats. Do not eat any vegetables, fruits, nuts, oatmeal, bran, and other hi-fiber foods because these lower cholesterol, are good for our immune system, and lower our risk for cancer. Besides, these are healthy foods, good for our body. They will not damage but protect our heart, colon, brain, kidneys, liver, etc. So, stay away from Mediterranean diet and other health diets, and binge on fast foods and other unhealthy diet. Your aim is to wreck your heart (body, life) anyway.

• Throw away the scale. Just take in all the calories you can grab, especially carbohydrates (rice, bread, cookies, candies, ice cream, sweets, and many people’s favorite beverage, the mega sugar-loaded soft drinks, which I call the ‘liquid candy,’ the poisonous potion). Allow yourself to put on as much weight as possible. Forget about the gorgeous body curves, ladies. The fatter, the heavier, the faster we can damage the heart, and obesity will also give you the privilege of getting diabetes, heart stack, stroke, and even cancer.

So, do not read food labels and learn about the calorie-fat-sodium-trans-fat contents. Just don’t watch your diet, because losing 10 pounds alone will lessen the risk for heart attack by 50 percent and help lower cholesterol,

How to ruin your health in just seven easy steps!

blood pressure, and the risk of cancer too. So, stay heavy. Fat is cute, anyway.

• Be a couch potato. Be lazy.

Live a sedentary life. Do not exercise. Do not move a muscle, except the fingers needed to click on the TV remote control, as we gorge on junk food while watching the soaps, sports, or game shows, comfortable in a couch; or doing social media on your laptop or cell phone. Lack of exercise weakens not only our body but our heart and brain. Believe it or not, it also impacts our psyche. For those who are overweight, dieting and counting calories would be more effective with daily exercise in achieving the target more effectively. So, why exercise? It will only help bless you with a healthy body lengthen your life.

• Eat more salt. Don’t listen to your doctor. Add salt to everything you eat, even before tasting the food. Just keep on shaking. This will raise your blood pressure and cause damage to the arteries in your body, including those that supply blood to your heart. The higher the blood pressure, the greater the risk for stroke and heart attack. If you lower the salt intake, it will help lower your chances of developing high blood pressure, and among those already with hypertension, it will greatly help in maintaining a normal blood pressure. Eating a lot of salty foods also increases the chances of developing cancer of the stomach. For flavoring, go the natural way and use pepper, garlic, onion, oregano and other no-sodium food seasoning. But I want to warn you that this will NOT damage your heart.

• Sleep and rest as little as possible. The TV shows are exciting and worth the time. You can nap while you drive, anyway, and you can also snooze on the job. If you want to harm your heart, why even have rest and relaxation, which are simple and natural pleasures that are healthy. Those who lack sleep are prone to heart attack, high blood pressure, and stroke. These conditions and diabetes become harder to manage and control when sleep and rest are not adequate. Why even sleep? And if you are suspect to have Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA), do not have a Sleep Study, because this will clinch the diagnosis of OSA, and require CPAP to prevent you from holding your breath for a long time, hundreds of times at night depriving your brain, heart, and other organs of oxygen, and increasing your risk for high blood pressure, diabetes, heart attack, strokes, Alzheimer’s and even cancer. Remember, sleep is not important unless you want to be healthy and well.

Julia replaces Bea in upcoming film with Alden

by HannaH Mallorca Inquirer.net

Bea Alonzo’s loss is Julia Barretto’s gain once again after the latter agreed to take the Kapuso actress’ place in the upcoming film “Special Memory,” which also topbills Alden Richards. Alonzo had begged off from the project due to her “full schedule.”

Barretto’s decision to join the cast of “Special Memory” has been confirmed by Viva president and CEO Vincent del Rosario III last Thursday, June 2, per Inquirer Bandera.

“Dating Alden-Bea, tapos nag-issue na naman kami ng statement (VIVA) and GMA na magpapahinga ata muna si Bea. So, si Julia na,” del Rosario said. “Ito ‘yung remake ng isang hit Korean movie ‘A Moment To Remember’ local version.”

(The film used to star Alden Richards and Bea Alonzo, then Viva and GMA announced in a statement that Bea stepped back from the project to rest. So, Julia will take over. This will be a local remake of the film, “A Moment to Remember.”)

• Do not pay attention to stress or depression. Both have adverse impacts on the heart, besides the mind and, actually, on the whole being. The earlier they are managed, the easier they are to cure. Stress and depression increase the risk for heart attack by more than 30 percent and also lead to weakened immune systems, which predisposes these people to other illnesses as well. So, why prevent stress and depression? Allow them to overwhelm and control you.

Almost 1.6 million people die from heart attack (or 3 every minutes), 136,000 from stroke, about 75,000 from diabetes, and about 263,000 from cancer each year. Those seemingly effortless 7 steps are, indeed, very tempting. But since they are obviously dangerous alternatives that only guarantee sickness and misery, the more prudent and wiser “one-step” option is living a healthy lifestyle and growing self-reliant and happily to as close to a hundred or so.

However challenging and often frustrating growing older might be, the blessing of a long and fairly healthy life is a privilege. While getting old is a problem, growing old is a solution, in spite of all the aches and pains that come with the package. Life is tough, and more especially so for the seniors. Growing old is, indeed, not for sissies or the faint of hearts.

But let’s be realistic and face it, we’ve got only one other option. That option is to stop aging. And the only way to achieve that alternative is to die young. Not a palatable nor a more attractive alternative, indeed. Since we cannot control and direct the winds in our voyage through this sometimes-harsh ocean of life, we can at least, to quote a wise man, “adjust our sails,” and find happiness and peace during our journey and wherever fate takes us.

* * * 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 NetworkUSA, 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.

Where do we go from here: Jodi, Joshua and Gabbi on ABS-CBN-GMA 7 collab

by Marinel cruz Inquirer.net

SOMETIMES, there are events in our lives that need to happen no matter how painful because it’s going to redirect us to something more beautiful.”

Thus said actress Jodi Sta. Maria, referring to the controversial nonrenewal of broadcast network ABS-CBN’s franchise in 2020 that eventually led to a groundbreaking collaboration with rival channel GMA 7: The romantic drama series “Unbreak My Heart.”

The series, currently streaming on the Viu app and airing on the Kapuso network, also features Joshua Garcia, Richard Yap and Gabbi Garcia.

“ABS-CBN was hit with a double whammy at the time. A few months into the pandemic, it was announced that our franchise would not be renewed. What happened was that nadapa ka na nga, nasubsob ka pa nang sobra. I believe most of us thought, ‘Where do we go from here?’ ‘How do we move forward?’ It’s hard to refer to it as a ‘blessing in disguise.’ If you will try to look back, you will realize that there were things that you couldn’t find any logical explanation for,” Jodi told Inquirer Entertainment in a recent interview to promote the series that was shot on location in Switzerland and Italy.

“If ABS-CBN was still on free TV, I don’t think this partnership with GMA 7 would be possible at all. There will still be that rivalry. I also don’t think the partnership with other streaming platforms would happen. I’m just so thankful that I’m part of this redirection,” the actress pointed out.

‘No more competition’

“Today, there’s no more competition. Everyone is considered an ally. We are doing this for the audience and for the people working in this industry. This was the best thing that came out of a painful past experience,” Jodi declared.

Meanwhile, Gabbi Garcia, the Kapuso network’s main figurehead in the landmark project, agreed with Jodi and said: “I also didn’t think it was a ‘blessing in disguise’ because a lot of people got displaced as a result of what happened. I’m friends with a lot of people in ABS-CBN. Nobody wanted that to happen.

“I’m just so grateful that, at least, something good came out of it. Let’s pray that more doors will open for everybody. I also hope that there will be more partnerships because, after all, we’re all in one industry,” Gabbi pointed out.

Discussions

In December 2022, executives of both networks began discussions for the collaboration. ABS-CBN’s production unit,

Dreamscape Entertainment, was tasked to develop the show. In February 2023, the cast and crew flew to Europe to shoot the series.

In “Unbreak My Heart,” romance blossoms between a young man (Joshua) and a woman (Jodi), who is incidentally searching for her estranged daughter in Europe. After their relationship fails, a twist of fate brings him and her daughter together. Asked what viewers can expect from the series, Joshua, who plays the lonely and troubled Renz, said: “This features different stories of love. It is also about how a number of characters try to ‘unbreak’ their hearts, meaning heal from previous experiences. You can learn a lot from the series, depending on which perspective you hold. It tells the struggles of OFWs (overseas Filipino workers) in Europe, as well. It also shows the undying love of a parent, a partner and a friend.”

Not the typical boy-meetsgirl story For Gabbi, “Unbreak My Heart” is not the typical boymeets-girl story. “A lot of twists are going to happen. As one of the actors, I get to read the script first. I tell you, every time there’s a fresh one, we always look forward to reading it. There’s always something new and exciting in terms of character development of all the leads in the series. This definitely offers a different flavor to the audience. They should watch out for the crazy love story that happens among our characters, as well as with Papa Chen (Richard).”

An interesting promotional teaser for the program described it as such: “Destiny finds its way to show you a love that’s beyond

ordinary.” When asked whether or not she believes in the idea of destiny, Gabbi replied: “My character, Alex, doesn’t believe in destiny but, as Gabbi, I do. My mom would always tell me when I was younger, ‘Kung para sa ‘yo, para sa ‘yo.’ That’s destiny for me. I would always get frustrated when I was a kid, especially when my contemporaries in the industry—those I see doing VTRs with me—are already professional actors. She would always say to me: Your time will come.”

Destiny Josh agreed with Gabbi and said: “Everything that’s happening in our lives is part of a bigger story. This will all lead to what is meant for us in the future.”

While Jodi claimed to believe in destiny, too, she offered this interesting thought to mull over. “I have been thinking about the idea for days now. Has everything really been written for you and you’re just walking the story of your life, or do we have some sort of freedom to control the narrative of our stories? If you’re going to ask me now, my answer would be, I believe that even before we were conceived in the minds of our parents, there has already been something that’s laid out for us.

“But we cannot negate the fact that we have to be responsible also for the choices we make in life. Yes, maybe life has destined you to be a writer, for example, but if you don’t act on the opportunities given to you or if you don’t take care of the gifts meant for you, then how will this materialize? For me, it’s 50-50. Yes, you’re destined for something, but you also have to do something to achieve it,” she explained.

Kelvin believes the right girl will come

by Jerry Donato Philstar.com

privileged Ralph in Unica Hija and entered the world of young professional Norman in Missed Connections.

Del Rosario was further quoted as saying that Barretto is excited to start working with Richards, who has already co-starred with several other Kapamilya in some movies.

Barretto is also set to start working on another project with Aga Muhlach initially labeled “Forgetting.”

“Well excited siya, hindi lang dito pati ‘yung movie nila with Aga Muhlach ‘yung ‘Forgetting.’

Siyempre isa si Julia sa mga importanteng artista ng Viva so binibigyan siya ng magaganda and malalaking projects,” he said.

In May 2023, Alonzo’s management confirmed in a statement released to “Fast Talk with Boy Abunda” that the actress had “respectfully beg[ged] off from the movie” due to her “full schedule.” Talks of the project started as early as December 2020, and contracts for the film were signed in March 2021.

The original movie stars South Korean actors Son Ye-jin and Jung Woo-sung, as it revolves around the hardships of a couple, where the former’s character Su-jin suffers from Alzheimer’s disease.

KELVIN Miranda wishes and aspires to portray and pursue varied roles and stories, as he expressed in a previous interview with this paper. His web designer-gamer-cosplay geek character named Norman is another answer to that. Now streaming on Netflix, the film Missed Connections sees Kelvin’s Norman as someone who falls in love with a “grocery girl” and is loved by another “grocery girl,” also known as “gingerhead.” It’s in stark contrast to his Ralph, a friend and admirer of the human clone Hope, in the Afternoon Prime series, Unica Hija, which concluded last March.

“Yung pagkatao niya is very awkward (He has a very awkward personality) and he is an NBSB (no girlfriend since birth),” described Kelvin of Norman in a recent virtual one-on-one with The STAR. “An introvert, who only talks about things he is interested in and has OCD (obsessive compulsive disorder). That perhaps explains why he is a perfectionist when it comes to finding the (right) someone (girl) for him. Kung sino talaga yung gusto niya, yun talaga ang gusto niya (He only falls for someone he truly loves).”

Norman has made a special connection at varying levels with the artist-entrepreneur Mae and social media influencer Julia, played by Miles Ocampo and Chie Filomeno, respectively. The website-forum called “Missed Connections” plays a role in this contemporary tale about love triangle.

Based on Kelvin’s recollections, after taping his weekly scenes for Unica Hija, he would report for work on the set of Missed Connections. The young actor found his schedule at that time challenging, but he delivered the goods, as one may put it. He had to be in the shoes of

“It was challenging and enjoyable for me because I got to learn how to show the differences (between the characters) and of the projects I was doing,” said Kelvin, “but the entire process was fun.”

With the show touching on the “Love-in-the-time-of-socialmedia-apps” idea, the Sparkle GMA Artist Center talent said he acknowledged the uses of social media platforms and face-to-face as formal and valid ways for people to meet up and get to know each other.

“It’s still up to the persons how they will talk (or start the conversations and move forward from there),” added he. “Nagkakaroon lang ng missed connections kapag hindi kayo nagkaintindihan (Missed connections happen when both parties don’t understand one another or misread the signals). I’m not favoring the online or face-to-face way (or I’m not thinking that one is better than the other).”

Kelvin furthered the discussion by saying that people usually have some expectations in creating connections. He also shared that they have the gift to choose “like whatever you want (in life) or whoever you want to be with.”

Asked about the qualities he is looking for in a girl, Kelvin had this to say: “I don’t believe in (having an) ideal girl or ideal woman. For me, as long as na totoo (she is true to herself)… hindi siya hinahanap talaga, kumbaga darating siya kung para sa’yo talaga (The right one is not someone you look for. That person will come in the right place, at the right time in your life).”

Following his line of thought, one could say that Kelvin believes in making real connections — and a relationship is a work in progress.

“There are people who have

been together (for a long time), but they fall out of love,” said he, who worked with Miles for the first time and considered the experience a good one. “She’s professional and loves her craft. She’s collaborative,” added Kelvin.

As for Miles’ character, he said that Mae is a hopeless romantic. “Kung ano yung pinanghahawakan niya sa pagmamahal, sa pag-ibig (Whatever she holds on to love), parang kahit ilang beses pa siyang masaktan, kahit ilang beses pa siyang mabalewala (and no matter how many times she has gotten hurt or ignored), for as long as she sees a chance, she will take the opportunity. She is also jolly.”

With his Norman, Kelvin likes the fact that the character knows what he wants in love and life and never gives up easily to chase it. How does it feel that his film is being showcased on the most popular streaming platform?

“Nanumbalik yung feeling sa

akin na sobrang saya at nakaka-proud (I had the same feelings of happiness and pride) dahil siyempre nakikilala yung pelikulang Pilipino sa buong mundo (because another Filipino film gets to be introduced to the world),” answered Kelvin, whose happy memories about the time when his 2019 movie, Dead Kids, premiered on Netflix, came rushing back. These happened when he saw again its logo with the letter “N” and heard the signature sound. “This is a big thing to me and I feel so happy to be part of the film.”

From the streaming platform, Kelvin is also seen on TV via the GMA action-comedy series, Walang Matigas na Pulis sa Matinik na Misis, where he plays the diligent student Gary, who idolizes Police Major Bartolome, portrayed by Sen. Bong Revilla Jr. With that, Kelvin’s talent and visibility are showcased and felt on both traditional and new media platforms.

Jodi Sta. Maria as Rose

Gabbi Garcia as Alex

GMA photos

Kelvin Miranda Photo from Instagram/@iamkelvinmiranda

Julia Barretto, Alden Richards, Bea Alonzo Photos from Instagram/@juliabarretto, @aldenrichards02, @beaalonzo