071223 - Los Angeles Midweek Edition

PEBBLE BEACH, California — Allisen

Corpuz found herself on the biggest and most beautiful stage in women’s golf and made it look like a stroll on the beach.

Never mind that she had never won on the LPGA Tour or that she had heard all week about the historic occasion of the U.S. Women’s Open held at Pebble Beach for the first time. Nothing could make her crack.

"Every few holes I kind of looked out and said, ‘I’m here at Pebble Beach. There’s not many places that are better than this,’” Corpuz said. There weren’t many better performances, either. Corpuz turned a tight duel with Nasa Hataoka into a runaway, closing with a 3-under 69 on Sunday for a three-shot victory to become the first American in 20 years to make the U.S. Women’s Open her first LPGA title.

‘Dramatic increase’ seen in Filipino patrol ships in West Philippine Sea

by FRANCO JOSE C. BAROÑA ManilaTimes.net

THE Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) on Tuesday, July 11 said a shift to external security operations (ESO) "is on the horizon" as it strengthens its defense posture with more aerial

and surface maritime patrols through its naval, air and ground assets in areas covered by the Philippines' exclusive economic zone (EEZ) in disputed waters of the West Philippine Sea (WPS).

The AFP said it deployed additional surface

patrol ships to the Kalayaan Island Group (KIG) situated in the WPS where numerous intrusions by Chinese vessels have been recorded.

The deployment has raised the military presence to about 90 percent, Lt. Col. Enrique Gil  PAGE 2

LOS ANGELES COUNTY, home to one of the nation’s largest population of immigrants, is losing its migrant base, which is moving elsewhere because of the high cost of housing.

One third of LA’s residents are immigrants.

Nearly 45% of the workforce is foreign born, and just under 60% of the children have at least one immigrant parent. Over 800,000 Angelenos are undocumented, and over 1 million people in LA County live with someone who is undocumented.

“The future of the region depends on how immigrants do,” said Dr. Manuel Pastor, Professor of Sociology and American Studies & Ethnicity at the University of Southern California Dornsife, and lead researcher on the annual State of Immigrants in Los Angeles report.

Pastor is also the director of the USC Center for the Study of Immigrant Integration.

Cost of Housing

“The thing that’s affecting migrants lives the most right now is high housing costs and the inability to stay here and make it economically,” Pastor told Ethnic Media Services, noting that migrants are choosing

by MARLON RAMOS Inquirer.net

THE government should come clean on the arrival in the country of more air assets of the United States, Sen. Imee Marcos said on Sunday, July 9 as she surmised that the worsening situation in the South China Sea was due to what she described as “covert” flights of U.S. military planes in the Philippines.

The U.S. Embassy clarified that the flights were part of bilateral military exercises and were authorized by the Department of Foreign Affairs, but the flights were not cleared with airport authorities ostensibly because of “clerical errors.”

As chair of the Senate foreign relations committee, Marcos has been harping on the issue, which she linked to the government plan to host Afghan refugees, since last month. On

June 8, she filed a resolution seeking a Senate probe.

While she acknowledged the current military exercises involving American and Filipino soldiers, President Marcos’ sister said the government should be equally vigilant in protecting the country’s skies from foreign entities the way it had been speaking out against Chinese incursions in the West Philippine Sea.

Last week, the senator filed another resolution seeking an inquiry into the allegedly unauthorized landing of a Boeing C-17 Globemaster transport aircraft of the U.S. Air Force at Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) on June 26.

“Too little is known about ongoing U.S. military activity in our territory while we constantly call out the presence of Chinese

MANILA — President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos should discuss in his second State of the Nation Address when the investment pledges secured during his foreign trips would translate to jobs and other tangible benefits for Filipinos, a senator said on Monday, July 10.

In a press conference, Sen. Raffy Tulfo said that he expects Marcos to discuss his accomplishments, one of which

is the numerous “economic partners and investors” tapped during his trips abroad.

“Although foreign companies have committed — and it sounds nice — when will Filipinos see and experience its benefits? When will they see the money, investments and jobs it will generate?” Tulfo said in Filipino.

Tulfo maintained that the president is doing an “excellent”

 PAGE 3

A CHINESE foreign ministry official believes that Beijing and Manila can resolve their maritime dispute on their own, but a "third party" could turn the South China Sea (SCS) into a "sea of war."

Counselor Zhou Li of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) information department underscored the volatile situation in the South China Sea in her tweet Sunday. Zhou did not identify the third party.

Zhou said China and the Philippines agree that negotiation "is the only way to resolve disputes" in the vast waterway.

China, Brunei, Malaysia, Taiwan, Vietnam and the Philippines have overlapping claims in the South China Sea, believed to be rich in gas and oil deposits.

"We have [the] ability to handle it well but have to stay high-alert that South China Sea might be turned into the sea of war by the third party," Zhou said.

In the past, Beijing has accused the United States of interfering in what has always been a regional concern.

MANILA — The Philippines has become a “victim” of its own success as world leaders have asked for help to send more Filipino health workers abroad, resulting in a “shortage” of personnel, President Marcos admitted on Monday, July 10.

Marcos made the remark during a meeting with members of the Business Executives for National Security (BENS) in Malacañang, which tackled U.S. investments in the Philippines’

health, digital infrastructure and energy programs.

“Unfortunately, in terms of health care workers, we have become victims of our own success in that the Filipinos did really well during the pandemic. And so every leader I meet says ‘can we have more Filipino med

huge immigrant population is being driven out by high cost

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. during his 2022 State of the Nation Address. Malacañang file photo

‘Dramatic increase’ seen in...

Ileto, AFP Public Affairs Office

chief, pointed out.

Ileto said this was a "dramatic increase" from the baseline 30 percent in 2022.

He added that this heightened presence allows the monitoring of sea lines of communications (SLoCs) which is complemented by the AFP's littoral monitoring stations/ detachments (LMS/LMDs) to detect, track and subject foreign ships to interdiction.

Ileto disclosed that a redeployment of naval special operations units and the Philippine Marines was done with Marine Battalion Landing Team 9's transfer to Palawan last month, and that the presence of the 4th Marine Brigade in the country's northern frontier was also part of the AFP's shift to ESO.

He said the employment of the AFP's air surveillance radar systems continues.

"We have improved our capabilities and our presence in strategic locations with the effective presence of our maritime detachments in the Batanes group of islands, the Kalayaan Island Group and Tawi-Tawi," Ileto added.

He said the Armed Forces have facilitated the completion of personnel barracks in Likas, Parola and Kota stations in the island group.

"These are complemented by [the AFP] partnering with its ally and strategic partner armed forces from our global and regional allied countries

that enable leveraging of capabilities through information sharing, subjectmatter expert exchange, and joint and combined maritime exercises," Ileto added.

"All of these are [done] with the help of an interagencywholistic effort through the National Task Force-West Philippine Sea," he said.

China has been challenging the Philippines' ownership of areas in the West Philippine Sea, saying they are part of its territorial waters under the so-called nine-dash line demarcation.

This statement was debunked in 2016 when the Permanent Court of Arbitration issued a landmark ruling in favor of the Philippines' protest against China's sweeping claims in the West Philippine Sea.

Chinese ships, however, remain an intimidating presence in the West Philippine Sea, where incursions have been recorded.

Chinese ships have been reported to employ aggressive behavior when confronting Philippine ships through verbal warnings, the use of water cannons and dangerous maneuvers.

In November 2021, three China Coast Guard ships blocked and fired water cannons at two Philippine boats transporting supplies to Ayungin Shoal, which lies 104 nautical miles west of Palawan and is well within the country's EEZ.

After the Ayungin incident,

Beijing issued a statement urging the Philippines to remove the grounded "BRP Sierra Madre" from the shoal in line with Manila's "commitment."

Early last year, at least 48 Chinese fishing vessels were sighted swarming off Iroquois Reef, located south of the oiland gas-rich Recto Bank in the West Philippine Sea, which is part of the Philippines' EEZ.

Early this year, over 200 Chinese ships suspected to be maritime militia swarmed the Julian Felipe Reef, also within the Philippines' EEZ. There have also been reports of Chinese vessels driving away Filipino fishermen from the West Philippine Sea.

Last February, a laserpointing incident in the Ayungin Shoal involving a China Coast Guard ship and a Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) vessel on a resupply mission was reported.

In June, several Chinese ships reportedly tried to block two PCG vessels from entering Ayungin Shoal. These incidents prompted President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to declare a recalibration of the military's focus on external security defense. Despite this shift, Ileto said, the AFP continues to defeat communist and terrorist groups.

"Our efforts have resulted in success with the significant reduction of their numbers and firearms and the clearing of areas where they used to maintain presence, and [which counter] their propaganda and [suppress] their financial and logistics support," he added.

Ileto noted that of the five active communist guerrilla fronts at year-end 2022, two were dismantled and two were weakened, leaving only one front active.

"In total, 20 are on a weakened status and one active. With these, we have safeguarded the safety and welfare of our fellow citizens, thanks to the tireless efforts, support, and cooperation of government agencies and different sectors of society," he said. g

What the US Supreme Court ban...

The U.S., on the other hand, has warned against China's aggressiveness in asserting its claims in the South China Sea.

Zhou said China's "goal" is for the South China Sea "to become the sea of peace, friendship and cooperation."

"We are confident about this. China has always resolved its disputes through negotiations," the official said.

The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) recently said Chinese patrol vessels blocked two of its boats from entering Ayungin Shoal in the West Philippine Sea (WPS), describing their action as "very dangerous."

National Task Force for the West Philippine Sea spokesman Commodore Jay Tarriela said the June 30 incident involved the PCG ships BRP Malabrigo and BRP Malapascua, which were escorting two supply ships to Ayungin.

Zhou noted that since the formulation of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (Unclos) in 1982, China and countries ringing the South China Sea have "set up bilateral channels of communication to address the

disputes."

On Monday, July 10, the French Embassy in the Philippines called for "respect for international law and the resolution of disputes through dialogue."

"We are resolutely opposed to any use of force or threat to do so. We recall, in this regard, the arbitration award rendered under Unclos on the 12th of July 2016," the embassy said in a statement.

China, Zhou said, negotiated with Vietnam the agreement on maritime delimitation in the Beibu Gulf and the pact on the management of fishing activities in the same area in 2000.

"And in 2011, we also signed an agreement on guiding principles for the settlement of maritime issues," she said. China and the Philippines have maintained communication on fishing and confidence-building measures since 1996, Zhou said.

During the administration of President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, the Philippines and China cooperated on joint marine seismic projects in disputed areas, she said.

"It's a pity that the cooperation was stalled later," Zhou said. "We

all understand the complexity of the relevant disputes and know that they cannot be addressed within a short period of time."

She said China "was the earliest to propose the concept of joint development while shelving disputes and differences."

The official said it was to the Philippines that China "made the proposal for the first time." "Both experiences and lessons should be learned. China and the Philippines are both at the critical period of development," Zhou said.

"Our policy has remained unchanged, and cooperation only stopped when [then President Benigno] Aquino 3rd initiated the arbitration," Zhou said.

In January 2013, the Aquino III administration challenged before the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) in The Hague China's nine-dash line policy in the South China Sea, saying it encroached on the Philippines' exclusive economic zone (EEZ).

On July 12, 2016, the court issued a landmark ruling that rejected China's claims and upheld the Philippines' challenge. g

This photo shows Chinese fishing vessels swarming off the Iroquois Reef and Sabina Shoal, south of the oil- and gas-rich Recto Bank in the West Philippine Sea. This was taken from an air patrol by the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) on June 30.

Photo courtesy of the Western Command of the AFP

AGE DOESN’T MATTER. Shirley Barberan (right), an employee of the Pasay City local government, is congratulated by Mayor Emi Calixto-Rubiano during the City University of Pasay graduation ceremony held at the Philippine International Convention Center on Monday, July 10. Barberan earned her Bachelor of Science in Office Administration degree at the age of 65. PNA photo by Yancy Lim

Marcos asked: Explain when Filipinos will...

job. He also quipped that Marcos is different from his predecessor — former President Rodrigo Duterte — who “liked to pin the blame of his problems on the administration he inherited it from.”

Marcos has flown to at least ten countries and made 11 international trips since his term began, many of which involved securing investment pledges during meetings with government and business leaders. In February, Malacañang said that Marcos' trips have generated a total of 116 investment projects worth P3.48 trillion.

Marcos should discuss water

crisis, not just Maharlika Meanwhile, Sen. Koko Pimentel said in a statement that Marcos should also discuss measures to mitigate the recurring water shortage and looming threat of El Niño during his SONA.

Pimentel said that he hopes Marcos will not just focus on the Maharlika Investment Fund.

He cited the statement by the Union Bank of the Philippines, Inc. Chief Economist Ruben Carlo Asuncion that a strong El Niño event could lead to national GDP losses of up to $3.3 billion. "These staggering economic implications highlight the importance of proactive and preventive measures to mitigate the impact of the water crisis

Fil-Am golfer makes history, wins US...

and El Niño. It is crucial for the President to use the State of the Nation Address as a platform to present long-term strategies and sustainable solutions that can mitigate the effects of water shortage and El Niño," Pimentel said.

The Senate minority leader also stressed the need for the government to take an “anticipatory approach” to the current water crisis.

Angat Dam — which supplies over 90% of Metro Manila's water needs — has dipped below the minimum operating level of 180 meters. This has prompted water service interruptions in Metro Manila. (Cristina Chi/ Philstar.com)

Marcos on nurse exodus: We’re victims...

PAGE 1

schemes so as to alleviate that problem. One of the things our Department of Health (DOH) has come up with is that we are coming to an arrangement with countries who will accept Filipino health care workers to at the same time train the equivalent number of health care workers that will stay in the Philippines,” he added.

According to Marcos, the government is also trying to accelerate the board examinations to produce more nurses.

“So that’s the adjustment that we are trying to make. It’s not only in the facilities, it’s also in the training. We are very proud of them but we wish they’d stay home,” the Chief Executive said.

Late last year, the DOH said the Philippines lacks about 194,000 health personnel as it reiterated the need to upgrade the salaries of workers in the sector. The country was short of more than 106,000 nurses and 67,000 physicians, the agency added.

Last month, Health Secretary Ted Herbosa announced a plan to hire nursing graduates whose scores are slightly lower than the 75 percent passing grade in government hospitals. He clarified that only those whose scores are 70 to 74 percent would be tapped to work in state-run hospitals.

At the same meeting, Marcos talked about the government’s initiatives in the health sector, including the groundbreaking of a multi-specialty hospital outside Manila and the plan to build more hospitals in far-flung areas.

“I’m always been a great

believer of bringing health care down to the grassroots level. Right now, there is a tendency for us to only go to the hospital when it is absolutely necessary ... So health care has become an important part of this administration’s efforts,” he added.

Energy, digitalization

Marcos also talked about issues surrounding the energy sector, noting that the price, reliability and supply of energy are among the problems being raised by foreign investors in the country. He assured the members of BENS that the government is addressing the concern.

“The ease of doing business is something that we can do immediately... because putting up power plants, no matter what kind of power plants, there are six, seven years, lead time. So maybe with the new technologies maybe we can do better,” the President said.

“So that we are certainly working on. The distribution has improved. The distribution is a factor because there are parts of the Philippines where they have ... then there are certain areas where they do not, deficit. So that’s what we are hoping to attend to in the near term,” he added.

Marcos also cited the amendments to some laws that seek to make the Philippines more attractive to investors, especially on the digitalization of the country’s economy. He also enumerated measures aimed at assisting micro, small and medium enterprises, the sector that accounts for the bulk of employment in the Philippines.

“We are trying to bring them into the system of digital marketing. So we put up an app for small businesses,” he said.

“We have encouraged all of these private NGOs (nongovernment organizations) who have had an interest in promoting startups. We are trying to create an environment that will be friendly to startups because we know that startups have a higher rate of failure than other traditional businesses. So we need to be able to adjust to that new way of doing things.”

Also mentioned during the meeting was the business process outsourcing industry, which continued operating even during the COVID-19 pandemic through the work-from-home setup.

“It derives from the very clear understanding that many of the challenges that we face today, the solutions lie in new technologies. And that’s why the retraining and re-skilling of our people have become important because we have to get them into that line of work so that we have enough people to occupy that,” Marcos said.

“Actually, the workforce is quite full when it comes to tech. But again, we need to catch up in terms of training, in terms of getting involved in the new technologies that we are seeing for many reasons: for digitalization, for climate change, for cybersecurity,” he said.

In a statement, the Presidential Communications Office said BENS members reaffirmed their commitment to boost the cooperation and investment of

At Pebble Beach, no less. The 25-year-old from Hawaii was calm and cool, no matter the shot or the circumstances, until reality set in as she took a three-shot lead down the 18th fairway. It’s a path taken over the years by the likes of Jack Nicklaus, Tom Watson and Tiger Woods, all of them U.S. Open champions at Pebble Beach.

"Just knowing the history … Tiger just absolutely annihilated this place. Yeah, it’s really special,” Corpuz said. “Twenty, 30 years from now, I think just the fact that it’s a U.S. Open means a lot to me. But know that it’s at Pebble makes it even sweeter.”

She won by three shots over Charley Hull (66) and Jiyai Shin (68) and claimed the $2 million prize, the richest ever for an LPGA major champion.

Corpuz couldn’t contain a wide smile when she tapped in for par, only to cover it with her hand as the tears began to flow. She wiped them with her Aloha-print tower.

Former President Barack Obama was among the first to congratulate her on Twitter. Both went to Punahou School in Honolulu.

“Unreal,” Corpuz said. “This week has felt like a dream come true.”

Hilary Lunke in 2003 at Pumpkin Ridge was the last American to get her first win at the U.S. Women’s Open, that one in a three-way Monday playoff.

Corpuz, who finished at 9-under 279, was the only player to break par all four days.

Corpuz never gave anyone much of a chance.

Hataoka lost her one-shot lead on the opening hole when Corpuz hit her approach to 5 feet for birdie, and the 24-year-old from Japan dropped too many shots down the home stretch.

They were tied at the turn until Corpuz hit her approach to just inside 10 feet for birdie on the 10th. The key moment was at the par-3 12th, when Corpuz came up short in the bunker and had 15 feet for par. Hataoka rolled her birdie putt from the fringe 5 feet by the hole. Corpuz made her par, Hataoka missed her putt and the lead was at two.

It only got larger, Corpuz stretching it to four shots with superb wedges to 8 feet on the par-5 14th and 4 feet on the 15th, both birdies that made the final act a battle for second place.

Hull, who started the final round seven shots behind, closed to within two shots early on the back nine and stayed in the game with a 30-foot birdie putt on the 16th. Only later did she realize Corpuz was pulling away. Hull kept firing, hitting 3-wood from under the cypress tree in the middle of the 18th fairway and nearly pulling it off.

“Shy kids don’t get sweets,” she told herself on the 18th before lashing away and dropping to a knee to watch its flight.

Shin made a birdie on the 18th to join Hull as a runner-up. The two-time major champion from South Korea never had a serious chance to win, but she celebrated a big moment for Corpuz and for women’s golf.

“I’m only watching the TV to Pebble Beach and then finally we are here to play,” Shin said. “This course has a great history, and then finally the women’s history is in.”

That history belonged to Corpuz. She joined Michelle Wie West as the only major champions from Hawaii — Wie West won the Women’s Open at Pinehurst No. 2 in 2014 and played her final

major this week at Pebble Beach. They are linked by the Aloha State, their high school (Punahou) and their emphasis on education — Wie West graduated from Stanford, Corpuz got a business degree and an MBA from USC — and their early start in USGA events. Corpuz broke Wie West’s record as the youngest player to qualify for the U.S. Women’s Amateur Public Links as a 10-year-old.

“I never really thought I’d get this far. Just watching Michelle, she’s been such a huge role model to me, and it was really awesome to break her record for the Public Links,” Corpuz said.

“But I’ve never really compared myself to her. I’ve always wanted to make my own name. She’s just served as a really big inspiration.”

Corpuz was playing in her 19th USGA championship. She knows the USGA formula of fairways and greens, and loads of patience. She is built for this, especially given her concentration that not even a gorgeous day on the Monterey Peninsula could crack.

Officiating behind the fifth green was Mary Bea Porter King, the pioneer of junior golf in Hawaii and one of the most influential figures in the game. Corpuz first came into the Hawaii junior program at age 7.

“She’s always been calm, cool and … I won’t say serious, but she just plodded along. She was sort of a giant killer,” Porter King said. “I don’t think she was fearful of anything.”

That much was obvious at Pebble Beach, which had enough wind to be challenging as ever. Only seven players finished under par.

Hataoka, whose 66 on Saturday was nearly nine shots better than the field, had a 40 on the back nine and tied for fourth with Bailey Tardy, the 36hole leader who went 75-73 on the weekend for her best finish in her LPGA rookie season.

Rose Zhang, who dominated the amateur scene and then won her first LPGA Tour start as a pro, never got on track and closed with a 72 to tie for ninth. She now has top 10s in both majors as a pro, though this time she was never in the mix. (Inquirer.net with repots from AP)

Allisen Corpuz was born to May and Marcos Corpuz on March 20, 1998. Allisen’s father is from Ilocos Norte, Philippines, and her mother is of Korean descent. Corpuz was also an avid golf player who moved to Hawaii with his parents when he at eight years old.

Photo from Instagram/@allysoncorpuz

LA’s huge immigrant population is being...

other cheaper states from which to restart their lives in the U.S.

The average monthly rent in Los Angeles County is about $2700, but the average wage for immigrant workers is roughly $19-26 per hour, according to the California Immigrant Data Portal.

The MIT Living Wage Calculator notes an annual income of $76,610 is required to live comfortably in Los Angeles County.

Mayor Karen Bass released figures July 6 noting that the number of homeless people in Los Angeles County grew by 10% to an estimated 75,518 individuals as of January 2023, up from 69,144 in January 2022. Some 70% had no shelter and are sleeping on the streets.

Overcrowded Housing

The city of Los Angeles has the largest number of unhoused people in the US.

As she took office last December, Bass declared a state of emergency on homelessness in Los Angeles. She has committed $1.3 billion to eradicating street homelessness, including getting people into motels while they wait for a spot in permanent housing.

Bass has also fast-tracked the approval process for building affordable housing, among other solutions.

“I want Angelenos to see that tents are disappearing and not coming back,” she said in an interview with The Wall Street Journal.

Immigrants tend to overcrowd rather than going unhoused, Pastor told EMS, adding that it is not uncommon to see 4 or 5 people in a one-bedroom apartment. “We’re getting way too much overcrowding, way too much income being eaten up by housing costs,” he said.

Excerpts from the Interview:

EMS: Did the end of Title 42 significantly impact the number of migrants entering Los Angeles?

Pastor: The ending of Title 42 does not seem to impact the flow at the border. I think that we were all anticipating that Title 42 had restricted some of the flows and that its end would lead to a surge at the border, but it doesn’t seem to have been the case. We’ve got longstanding pressures for people to come to the United States. There is a lot of economic displacement, climate disasters and a variety of other things that are pushing people in particular out of Central America and then a lot of others from around the world.

So while it’s right to focus on

Title 42, its ending, and… what we’re really trying to do in this report is focus more on the long term factors that lead people to migrate and then interestingly, whether or not they migrate to California.

In the fourth year of this report, we are paying attention to some of the broader issues that affect all Angelenos: housing, state of the economy, health care, ability to start a business, minimum wage unionization, and the education of children.

These are broad issues and it’s one of the reasons why we keep calling in the report for an intersectional approach to immigrant inclusion.

EMS: The report mentions that 36% of undocumented residents have no health insurance, despite our plan in California to expand access to undocumented residents. Why is that? Is there still the fear of public charge that continues even in the Biden administration?

Pastor: Our data is from the period 2017 to 2021. So I imagine that, currently, that percentage is a little better.

But I do think that immigrants are frightened to make use of resources that are available to them. And that’s not just undocumented folks, but even documented folks in mixed status families who are worried about what being connected to the government will mean for your undocumented family member.

72% of undocumented Angelenos have been in the country for longer than a decade. And that means there are a lot of people who are in situations where they make either too much money or the family makes too much money to qualify for MediCal. They’re not MediCal eligible, but they might still be in very difficult economic circumstances. And health care is very expensive. So I think that’s a part of the population that’s going to need to be considered as we move forward.

(EMS note: An individual seeking to qualify for MediCal must have an income below $18,756 for 2023. Immigrant advocates have suggested raising the income threshold to 250 percent of the federal poverty line, about $34,875 in annual wages.)

EMS: Are we lagging behind in providing culturally specific resources, given the huge demographic changes in who immigrants are?

Pastor: Yeah, I think there’s a tendency to think that if we deliver everything in Spanish, we’ve

done our job. It is true that a very large share of Guatemalans and Hondurans are undocumented. But there are big numbers of Indian and Chinese who are undocumented. For the new undocumented, more than half are visa overstayers, people who came in on tourist or student visas. There is also a sizable Black population that is undocumented. We need to be reaching people in languages that they understand and providing interpreters, particularly for important circumstances, dealing with legal authorities and government services. Having everything available in every language can be quite difficult. But it’s one of the reasons why we need a county wide approach to some of these issues so that there would be a go to place for at least some of the smaller language groups to be able to get the interpreters and translators they need to be able to access the services that are necessary.

EMS: There is a huge shortage of culturally appropriate mental health providers and similarly in healthcare at large. What would you say about the need to create pipelines of people of color to better serve the immigrant population?

Pastor: This is a big concern of mine: there’s just simply mental stress and trauma that’s associated with being an immigrant, leaving your home, an uncertain journey, and for many, a risky and dangerous journey. And then you arrive in a place where you’re dislocated, don’t know the language and are scrambling to establish ties. That’s a lot of stress, often accompanied by mistreatment at work, and fear about being deported.

And when you couple that together with a common migratory ethos of ‘you got to be tough and get through this journey’ and the fact that Asian, Latino, and African cultures are not necessarily open in terms of talking about their feelings, then you really have this very difficult recipe for a lack of mental health support because you’ve got all these stressors coupled with cultural reluctance.

Imee questions ‘covert’ US military...

PAGE 1

vessels in the South China Sea,” Marcos said in a statement.

“[T]he same zeal in tracking any violations in our maritime territory and EEZ (exclusive economic zone) must also apply where Philippine air traffic rules and joint military agreements with the U.S. are concerned,” she stressed.

Marcos also urged defense and security officials to look into the possibility that “covert U.S. military flights aggravated the already tense situation in the

South China Sea and Taiwan

Strait.”

She also asked them to “weigh the risks to public safety” of the presence of U.S. military planes in the country.

Citing information from international flight tracker AirNav Systems, the senator said a Boeing C-17 Globemaster plane, with flight code MC244/RCH244, arrived in Manila at 6:03 a.m. on July 7. Earlier, Marcos also complained about the arrival of another military cargo plane on June 26. g Sen. Imee Marcos Inquirer.net

Marcos on nurse exodus: We’re victims...

PAGE 3

the U.S. in the health, digital infrastructure and energy programs in the Philippines.

their rights and eases professional and social integration.

the Federal State of Vienna and the Austrian Federal Economic Chamber.

Department of Migrant Workers

Sohrabji/ Ethnic Media Services)

And then you meet a health system that you might be worried about being too associated with the government and doesn’t have a whole lot of people who look like you or understand the culture that you’re coming from. That’s really challenging in the face of an emergency. (Sunita

Founded in 1982, BENS is a ten-member business group in the US. Its members are in the Philippines until July 13 to discuss business and national security issues with Philippine leaders and explore potential areas for investment and cooperation.

Nurses in Vienna

Meanwhile, the Philippine embassy in Austria and the city of Vienna signed a new agreement to bring Filipino nurses to Vienna under a framework that protects

The agreement comes exactly 50 years after the signing of a similar agreement between Manila and Vienna in 1973. This agreement facilitated the “first wave” of approximately 600 Filipino health care professionals, who worked in 14 different hospitals in the Austrian capital in the 1970s.

Philippine Ambassador to Austria Evangelina Lourdes

Arroyo-Bernas signed on behalf of the Philippines the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on the recruitment of Filipino nurses between the Philippines and

Undersecretary Patricia Yvonne Caunan was a signatory witness to the agreement, which is seen as the culmination of sustained bilateral labor talks between the two countries, and a revival of the longstanding cooperation in the field of health care.

The MOU outlines an ethical, transparent and sustainable recruitment framework that will govern the entry, hiring and integration of Filipino health care professionals in Vienna. g

photo

SHOWER. Malabon Zoo owner Manny Tangco gives two-year-old tiger Bongbong a little relief from the heat on Tuesday, July 11. Malabon will experience water service interruption starting July 12 from 7 p.m. to 4 a.m., along with Caloocan, Valenzuela, Navotas, Quezon City and Manila, according to Maynilad, but Tangco said they will cope with their conservation measures. PNA photo by Joan Bondoc

DOT chief going on family leave

by Ghio onG Philstar.com

MANILA — Has the controversy over the discredited promotional video for the “Love the Philippines” tourism rebranding campaign – launched just two weeks ago – taken a toll on Tourism Secretary Christina Garcia-Frasco?

The STAR learned from sources that Frasco will take a break from her work starting this week to take a vacation overseas with her family, including husband Cebu 5th District Rep. Vincent Franco Frasco, deputy speaker of the House of Representatives. It’s not clear yet how long and where she will spend her vacation.

She might not be able to attend the second State of the Nation Address of President Marcos on July 24.

On World Population Day, governments urged to invest in gender equality

MANILA — The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) on Tuesday, July 11 called on governments to invest in gender equality, emphasizing its critical role in building a resilient global population.

The organization made this call during the observance of World Population Day.

Established by the United Nations in 1987 when the global population reached five billion, the World Population Day serves as a global platform to raise awareness about populationrelated issues, focusing on the urgency and significance of these concerns annually on July 11th.

“We must advance gender equality to create a more just, resilient and sustainable world.

The creativity, ingenuity, resources and power of women and girls are fundamental to addressing demographic and other challenges that threaten our future, including climate change and conflict. Women play a powerful role in advancing consensus and building peace at

all levels,” the UNFPA said.

According to the UNFPA, gender inequality is the root of a global problem that excludes and marginalizes women and girls, despite comprising nearly half of the world's population.

“They make up 49.7 percent of the global population, yet women and girls are often ignored in discussions on demographics, with their rights violated in population policies,” the organization said.

Women and girls facing exclusion from education, employment, and leadership roles, restricted autonomy in health and reproductive decisions, and heightened vulnerability to violence and preventable maternal mortality continue to grapple with a pervasive injustice.

“This process starts by listening to the voices of women, girls and other marginalized people and introducing laws and policies that enable them to exert their rights and make meaningful choices,” the UNPF said.

This year, World Population Day's theme is "Unleashing the power of gender equality: Uplifting the voices of women and girls to unlock our world's infinite possibilities."

In line with this, the United Nations underscored the crucial role of gender equality in sustainable development.

World Population Day serves as a global reminder to address population issues, promote gender equality, and create a thriving world while highlighting challenges and opportunities tied to global population growth, encompassing healthcare access, family planning, gender equality, poverty alleviation, sustainable development and the environment.

Meanwhile, last month, the Philippines remained among the leading countries in East Asia and the Pacific in terms of gender equality in this year’s Global Gender Gap Report of the World Economic Forum (WEF). It garnered a parity score of 0.791. (Sheila May Balagan/ Philstar.com)

Without directly confirming Frasco’s leave, some officials who spoke to The STAR emphasized it is “common practice” for any official going on leave to tap the next ranking official to take over his or her place.

According to the Department of Tourism’s list of officials available on its website, Frasco’s chief of staff and Undersecretary for legal and special concerns Mae Elaine Bathan ranks next to the secretary and her head executive assistant.

Since the outbreak of the controversy over the rebranding campaign, Frasco has been elusive to members of the media who wished to hear more from her about the issue.

The controversy was spawned by the use of stock footage shot in other countries for the “Love the Philippines” promotional video shown at the launch of the program last June 27 attended by President Marcos.

DDB Philippines, the ad agency tapped for the project, has since apologized for the blunder. Frasco later announced the termination of the DOT’s contract with DDB and emphasized “not a single peso was paid.”

Asked repeatedly by the media if the DOT would retain the controversial slogan, she kept on saying “Love the Philippines!”

The department was still using the “Love the Philippines” logo and slogan during its events

last week. It was visible in the photo booths, in buses used for the Philippines Hop-on/Hop-off bus tours in Manila and even on tokens for guests.

Business as usual

Meanwhile, it’s “business as usual” for private tourism stakeholders who insist they are undeterred by the furor over the discredited “Love the Philippines” tourism rebranding campaign.

In an interview on Monday, July 10 with dwPM Radyo 630, Philippine Tour Operators’ Association (PHILTOA) president Fe Abling-Yu said there is no letup in their “aggressive” drive to promote the country’s tourism, which has been slowly recovering from the impact of the more than two year pandemictriggered lockdown.

While the slogan for the new tourism campaign could “help” promote Philippine tourism, Yu emphasized tourism businesses such as tour operators “did not bank on the slogan that much kasi kaya namin sa (because we can manage anyway in the) private sector.”

She also lauded the DOT for coming up with a new tourism campaign and addressing the mistakes early on.

“The DOT is properly performing its task of developing tourism. They’re not perfect but Secretary Frasco, being a lawyer, is quick to act,” Yu said mostly in Filipino.

Yu said the issue has not diminished the interest of both foreign and local tourists in exploring the Philippines.

“In the domestic scene, it didn’t pose a problem. We ourselves do the packaging – with images – when we make presentation before clients,” she said.

Meanwhile, Yu said the easing of COVID-19 travel restrictions starting last year has contributed to the so-called “revenge tourism” and “revenge tourism spending.”

She cited rising figures of foreign tourists availing themselves of their tour packages.

According to DOT data as of July 5, the country has welcomed a total of 2,767,138 tourists, composed of 2,529,971 foreigners and 237,167 overseas Filipinos.

Travelers from South Korea were so far the most numerous at 683,983, followed by the United States with 506,496, Australia with 136,606, Japan (131,939), Canada (122,865), China (112,837), Taiwan (94,308), United Kingdom (79,513), Singapore (76,778) and Malaysia (50,850).

According to Yu, they would offer tour packages in Manila –which she said is rich in history and heritage – to foreign tourists upon arrival in the country. Eventually, they would choose to proceed to destinations where they could relax.

“We would take them first to nearby places like Tagaytay and Pampanga where is lot to experience. And then slowly we take them to island destinations like Boracay, Coron, El Nido and Puerto Princesa in Palawan, Cebu and Davao,” she said. g

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Victim of our success?

HOSPITALS both state-run and private are so hard-pressed to find nurses that the new health secretary has proposed hiring graduates who flunked the nursing board exams to augment health workforces.

Nursing continues to be in demand as a career, but many graduates are jobless by choice, waiting mainly for the opportunity to leave for work overseas. The COVID pandemic heightened this problem. Nurses, worried about catching the virus in the workplace and infecting their households, stopped working.

As of December 2020, the first year of the pandemic, an estimated 200,000 nurses were reportedly out of work – not because of lack of employment opportunities, but because they didn’t want the work conditions starting with the pay in the Philippines.

The problem is about to get worse, as highincome countries facing a nursing shortage ease their rules for migrant workers and dangle incentives such as resettlement for nurses’ families in the destination country. This could mean a slowdown in remittances as nurses are joined abroad by their families who are the recipients of their earnings.

Addressing this problem on Monday, July 10, President Marcos tried to put a positive spin, reiterating his assessment that Philippine nurses have become so in demand all over the world that

Babe’s Eye View

BABE ROMUALDEZ

WHEN the Philippines initiated arbitration proceedings before the Permanent Court of Arbitration at The Hague in January 2013 against China’s expansive claims and assertions about its supposed “historic rights” over the South China Sea on the basis of its so-called “ninedash line,” many – including the United States based on the information we received –were initially doubtful about the initiative taken by the late Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario.

During the Obama presidency, the United States was not too eager in supporting the PCA suit. Their policy then was, “The United States does not get involved in territorial disputes.” There were also those –including within the Philippines – who were skeptical about such a move because China, after all, was a giant in terms of economic and military might, while the Philippines “did not have much conventional power,” as one analyst described it. In fact, former

Commonsense

INSPITE of the hue and cry over some “stock footages” featuring tourism attractions in other countries, the freshly launched country brand “Love the Philippines” of the Department of Tourism (DOT) is here to stay. And after what were all said and done, so to speak, Tourism Secretary Christina Frasco also remains in the Cabinet of President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. (PBBM). Claiming no public funds were paid for the “mood video,” Frasco asserted the rights of the DOT to terminate the contract with the agency that produced the P49-million video used in the launch of “Love the Philippines” last June 27.

PBBM virtually saved the day for the embattled Sec.Frasco whom he credited for taking decisive actions on the matter.

Asked over the weekend if Frasco still enjoys his trust and confidence, the Chief Executive retorted: “I think she has it under control. She knows what to do. What she has done so

the country has become a victim of its own success. In a meeting with the US-based Business Executives for National Security, the President said that in his numerous jaunts across the planet, world leaders ask him to send more health workers.

The problem is how to replace those health workers. As of the third quarter last year, the Department of Health said the country faced a shortage of 194,000 health personnel including 106,000 nurses and 67,000 physicians. Also lacking are pharmacists, medical technologists and physical therapists. The DOH itself had over 2,000 unfilled plantilla positions, including 624 for nurses, 1,332 for midwives and 63 for dentists. This is in state-run hospitals, where the pay is better than the smaller private facilities. Imagine what the problem is like in private hospitals.

The impact is felt in the inadequacy of public health care. Affluent economies can afford to hire health workers from all over the world. Developing countries like the Philippines cannot make up for the loss. It’s no success at all, but abject failure to provide decent jobs to our own people. (Philstar.com)

PCA arbitral ruling: Seven years after

Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi stated during an ASEAN foreign ministers meeting in 2010, “China is a big country and other countries are small countries, and that’s just a fact.”

With legal research coming from former Supreme Court Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio as outlined in his presentation titled “Historical Facts, Historical Lies and Historical Rights in the West Philippine Sea” with corresponding maps, international cases and decisions that sunk China’s supposed “historic” claims, Secretary Del Rosario went ahead with the filing of the case, oftentimes standing alone in his beliefs during international gatherings.

Saying that our nation “has long placed its faith in the rules and institutions that the international community has created to regulate relations among States” in his impassioned statement before the Permanent Court of Arbitration in July 2015, the late foreign affairs secretary highlighted the “equalizing power of international law.”

Believing that the dispute resolution provisions on the

far inspires confidence that she will fix the problem and that the campaign of Love the Philippines will be as successful as we hope for it to be.”

The new country brand “Love the Philippines” initially raised the hackles of Albay Rep. Joey Salceda. The feisty lawmaker deplored in strongest terms the depiction of the iconic Mt. Mayon of Albay into mere pixel in the country brand logo.

Following the furor, the DDB Philippines that produced the unwanted “stock footages” apologized for it. While describing the use of “mood video” as a standard practice in their industry, the agency accepted its full responsibility. When the dust settled, the DDB Philippines was the only party, so far, held accountable for the entire brouhaha.

A lawyer by profession, Frasco immediately announced the DOT will investigate how such “stock footages” came into this DOT contract with the DDB Philippines. Even after the advertising agency issued a public apology and its contract terminated, Frasco absorbed the full blowback of the DOT fiasco. However, this averted what could have been a full-

UN Convention on the Law of the Sea allow “the weak to challenge the powerful on an equal footing,” Secretary Del Rosario was proven correct in his conviction that “principles trump power; that law triumphs over force and that right prevails over might” when the PCA unanimously ruled that China’s claims on the South China Sea had “no legal basis.”

Some dubious individuals who tried, and are still trying, to thrash the landmark win of the Philippines are totally wrong – because today, many nations recognize the 2016 Permanent Court of Arbitration ruling as legally binding, among them the most powerful nations known as the G7 – the United States, Canada, Japan, the United Kingdom, France, Germany and Italy, as well as the European Union. India, which simply said it has “noted the Award of the Arbitral Tribunal” when the ruling came out, has now revised its position – calling for adherence to the arbitral ruling.

In a joint statement during the recent 5th India-Philippines Joint Commission on Bilateral Cooperation, the Philippines and India “underlined the need for peaceful settlement of

blown scandal.

Congressman Salceda still believes though Sec.Frasco still has a lot of explaining to do on this DOT fiasco. As far as lawmakers are concerned, Salceda pointed out, Sec.Frasco must present and submit the results and recommendations of the DOT’s internal investigation into this controversy-rocked contract with the DDB Philippines. Since the 19th Congress is still in recess, the congressional inquiry won’t happen yet until sessions of both chambers resume this July 24. Salceda and Frasco are actually political allies dating back during the vice presidential campaign of former Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte who run and won in the May, 2022 elections. Running for reelection as Mayor of Liloan City in Cebu, Frasco was the official spokesperson of then Mayor Sara. Salceda, on the other hand, coined the Ro-Sa tandem that pushed for the campaign for exVP Leni Robredo as Presidential bet with Mayor Sara as her VP runningmate.

Long before “Love the Philippines” got mired in the DOT controversy, its Tagalog translation – “Mahalin ang

disputes and for adherence to international law, especially the UNCLOS and the 2016 Arbitral Award on the South China Sea in this regard.”

Other claimant nations to the disputed territories in the South China Sea are also using the 2016 arbitral award as basis for their submissions that contest the excessive claims of China over the South China Sea, such as Malaysia that made a submission to the UN in December 2019 rejecting China’s historic rights and its nine-dash line claims; in May 2020, Indonesia submitted a note verbale to the UN challenging China’s wide-ranging claims in the South China Sea as having no international legal basis; in March 2020, Vietnam also submitted a note verbale objecting to China’s historic rights claims, saying Vietnam’s position is compatible with the key findings of the 2016 arbitral ruling. Non-claimant nations such as Japan have also challenged China’s position in the South China Sea through a submission to the UN, citing the 2016 arbitration award, along with Australia, the UK, the U.S., France and Germany

Pilipinas” – has been the battle cry, so to speak, of VP Sara since she first became an elected politician. So it should not be surprising that the DOT adopted “Love the Philippines” country brand which loosely translated in English means: “Mahalin ang Pilipinas.”

Following the career track in politics of her father, former President Rodrigo Duterte, she first got elected as vice mayor of Davao City in 2007 to 2010 while her father was then Mayor of their home city. The father-anddaughter switched positions as Mayor and Vice Mayor of Davao City.

With a maternal grandfather a Jewish who fled to the Philippines from Germany during World War II, VP Sara was born to a half-German mother, Elizabeth Zimmerman (nee) Duterte. When she became VP, Sara kept her public espousal for love of her birthplace – the Philippines.

As VP, she has kept standard extro or ending of her public speeches which she always caps with ardent appeals: “Mahalin natin ang Pilipinas.”

Salceda believes VP Sara’s love for country is much more demonstrated as the concurrent

that rebuked China’s claims as being inconsistent with the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, to which China is a signatory.

China’s reclamation activities and construction of artificial islands have also endangered marine biodiversity, causing irreparable harm to the coral reef ecosystem. As early as 2019, marine scientists from the University of the Philippines’ Marine Science Institute have warned that the Philippines loses about P33 billion a year due to China’s reclamation and illegal fishing activities. A group of scientists also said the country’s food security is threatened with fish and marine species losing their habitat, while over 600,000 Filipino fishermen could lose their livelihood due to harassment and bullying by Chinese vessels.

Filipinos are alarmed at Chinese Coast Guard vessels continuing to harass, bully and obstruct our Philippine Coast Guard patrol vessels escorting boats on a resupply mission for Philippine Navy troops at the Ayungin (Second Thomas) Shoal, conducting dangerous maneuvers and coming within

Secretary of the Department of Education (DepEd). Being a mother of three children, he credited VP Sara for being able to ensure that children and students went back to school safely without any COVID-19 resurgence.

The gradual resumption last year to the face-to-face classes at all levels of schools that got underway nationwide paved the way for the “national reopening” of the Philippines after the COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns, Salceda recalled.

To Salceda, this is the top “executive accomplishment” of the PBBM administration in its first year in office. After more than two years of the closures of schools during the pandemic, Salceda believes the onsite and physical return to schools of students contributed a lot to the economic recovery of the country as well.

Giving PBBM a grade of eight in a scale of ten as the highest, Salceda credited VP Sara to some of the better performances in key areas of governance in the first year in office of this administration. This is the same love for country, Salceda explained, where VP Sara is obviously coming from in her

100 yards of the PCG vessels. Last Friday, the Armed Forces of the Philippines also reported the presence of 48 Chinese fishing vessels in Del Pilar (Iroquois) Reef and Escoda (Sabina) Shoal within our exclusive economic zone, describing it as “alarming” and a “potential threat” to Recto Bank.

This Chinese aggression simply tells us one important fact: We must continue to push for strengthening our defense capabilities and working with our allies and partners in standing up for freedom of navigation and the international rule of law.

In any event, we are confident a peaceful resolution of issues between claimant nations to the disputed territories will eventually take place. More importantly, the ASEAN community would like to see the United States and China resolve their differences peacefully. (Philstar.com)

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

* * * babeseyeview@gmail.com

strong support for the approval of the bill on the return of the Reserve Officers Training Corps (ROTC) as mandatory in the college curriculum. VP Sara is her self a member of the ROTC. She got confirmed by the Congressional Commission on Appointments on her promotion as Army Colonel.

Naturally, VP Sara also publicly rants against intrusions of communist ideology in the country’s education system.

The ROTC bill is pending passage in Congress and is among the new set of priority bills approved by the LegislativeExecutive Advisory Council (LEDAC) that PBBM convened last week at Malacanang.

“This (ROTC bill) is to instill love for country, especially by our youth as future leaders of the Philippines,” Salceda enthused.

So by complementarity, the DOT keeps “Love the Philippines,” or “Mahalin ang Pilipinas” as the new country brand hallmark. (Philstar.com) * * *

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

‘Mahalin ang Pilipinas’

donates P7-M for PH human rights promotion

by Michael Punongbayan Philstar.com

MANILA — The United States government recently donated nearly P7 million to help promote human rights in the country through the PhilippinesUnited Nations Joint Program for Human Rights.

U.S. Ambassador MaryKay Carlson announced on July 6 that the contribution was made through the US Agency for International Development

(USAID). The funds were given to support the Philippine government in strengthening accountability mechanisms and promoting human rights in the country.

U.S. President Joe Biden expressed support for advancing human rights in the Philippines during his recent meeting with President Marcos in Washington. Promoting respect for human rights and the rule of law, as well as ensuring the safety of civil

society leaders and marginalized communities, are among the key priorities in the US-Philippines relationship.

“Human rights are a critical pillar in development, and we believe it is not possible for any country to rise to its full potential without them,” Carlson said.

“We are proud to join the international community in supporting the Philippines to protect human rights and uphold every person’s individual dignity,” she added. g

Higher voter turnout for overseas Pinoys eyed with online voting

MANILA – The Commission on Elections (Comelec) on Tuesday, July 11 underscored the need for internet voting to ease the conduct of elections and increase voter turnout for overseas Filipinos.

The Comelec made the remark on the sidelines of the demonstration of internet voting in preparation for the 2025 national and local elections.

In a Facebook livestream, Comelec chairperson George Erwin Garcia said it is high time to take advantage of the technological advancements to explore the country's options for automated voting.

"We should now venture (into) the other modes of voting. And therefore during the en banc session, the en banc adopted a policy to proceed the internet voting, and we interpreted the provision of the law, authorizing the Commission on Elections to venture (into) other modes of voting such as internet voting," he said.

Garcia recalled that just for the 2022 polls, the Philippines spent around PHP417 million just to ensure that 600,000 voters would be able to cast their votes.

"Per capita, that would be about PHP400 per voter, (that's) too expensive considering that we only have a 39-percent voter turnout. That's the reason why the Comelec is now thinking outside the box," he added.

In a separate statement, Comelec spokesperson

John Rex Laudiangco said the poll body is mandated to "study and explore the use of the internet to cast votes for overseas Filipino voters," pursuant to Republic Act 9189 or the Overseas Absentee Voting Act of 2003.

Meanwhile, the demonstration included the presentation of eight multinational internet voting solutions providers.

Among the participating solutions providers are Miru, Smartmatic, Dermalog, Indra, E-Corp, Tambuli Labs, Voatz and Thales.

Laudiangco said the output derived from the demonstration shall be crafted as the country's term of reference (TOR).

"Such TOR will then be the subject and basis of a competitive public bidding in time for the 2025 national and local elections," he said.

The crafting of TOR is also expected to fit in the country's situation in terms of its requirement for "cybersecurity, accuracy, cost-effectiveness, efficiency, integrity, convenience, sustainability,

transparency, inclusivity, and auditability."

Other agencies also supported the demonstration to assess the technology systems used by the internet voting solutions providers.

Participating offices include the Comelec Advisory Council, the Department of Information and Communications Technology, the Department of Science and Technology, and some representatives from the IT community in the country.

‘Step into the future’

OFW Party-list Representative Marissa “Del Mar” Magsino lauded the Comelec for its persistent efforts towards the fulfillment of an advocacy where the overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) will be able to vote online.

“Ngayong araw ay nakita na natin ang konkretong plano ng technology providers at ang malaking posibilidad na ito’y maisagawa sa 2025 elections. (Today, we witnessed the concrete plan of our technology providers and the big possibility for it be implemented in 2025 elections). We’re finally stepping into the future of democracy,” Magsino said in a statement on Tuesday.

She said the House fully support the innovations being taken by the Comelec.

“However, to prevent any legal impediments that may derail this endeavor later on, we will pursue our proposed legislation. This will be a parallel effort of the OFW Party-list to ensure that internet voting will be a reality for the 1.8 million overseas voters by 2025 on top of supporting the allocations for the project in the budget deliberations for FY 2024 and years thereafter,” she said. (PNA)

BI says thorough inspection crucial to combat human trafficking

MANILA – The Bureau of Immigration (BI) on Tuesday, July 11 underscored the importance of thorough inspection in preventing Filipinos from being human trafficking victims.

In a statement, BI Commissioner Norman Tansingco said the BI's series of inquiries, particularly on its secondary inspection, help them uncover possible human trafficking schemes.

"Our immigration officers play a crucial role in preventing these illegal activities at our airports. Their dedication and thoroughness in identifying potential victims are key in our fight against human trafficking," he said.

Tansingco made the statement following another report of an online recruitment wherein a 49-year-old Amsterdam-bound Filipina has been reportedly urged to come up with false departure claims. The interception happened at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 1 last July 4.

"During secondary inspection, the victim claimed to be a businesswoman on vacation to Amsterdam. She presented various business documents in an attempt to support her claim," the BI said.

An immigration interview further resulted in the victim's disclosure that she paid around

PHP148,000 for her ticket and fake documents as a businesswoman.

To date, the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking initiated assistance to the victim to file possible charges against her employer.

Meanwhile, Tansingco maintained a stance to pursue stringent measures to ensure the protection of Filipino travelers amid complaints about long

immigration queues and lengthy inspection procedures.

"We remain steadfast in our commitment to combat human trafficking and protect the rights and welfare of individuals who may fall victim to these illegal activities," he said.

The BI earlier confirmed NAIA's commitment to expanding immigration areas to address challenges in queues. (PNA)

JUSTICE. Suspect Eduardo Almario Legazpi II, one of five suspects in the shooting of tabloid photojournalist Joshua Abiad, is mobbed by the media at Camp Karingal in Quezon City on Tuesday, July 11 following his arrest in Muntinlupa City. Abiad and six relatives were inside his vehicle when fired upon in Barangay Masambong, Quezon City on June 29, resulting in the death of one of three minors on July 3. PNA photo by Joan Bondoc

Comelec office in Quezon City. Philstar.com file photo

JULY 12, 2023

Olivia Rodrigo stuns as the first Fil-Am on the cover of Vogue US

By amrie Cruz Philstar.com

A FILIPINO American is finally on the cover of American Vogue, and another Fil-Am got to profile her for the story.

Ahead of the release of her upcoming “Guts” album, Olivia Rodrigo makes her story as she stuns on the latest Vogue cover, and writer Jia Tolentino is dishing details on their East Village meet-up where they talked about Rodrigo’s twenties and how all Filipinos can, purportedly, sing.

On the cover, the 20-year-old from Riverside County, Southern California, stuns in a metallic Emporio Armani dress. Other notable looks in the spread include a whimsical Loewe top and Prada skirt pairing. There are also ’60s callbacks with Miu Miu dresses.

28-year-old Bubble Gang reinvents itself

By Nathalie tomada Philstar.com

IT’S a welcome change.”

Said Michael V. of the latest developments — from new timeslot, new cast members to new live-audience format — in the country’s longest-running comedy program, which is now also called as BBLGANG.

“We’re giving it a new face, of course, because habang tumatagal , you always have to really reinvent yourself, especially for a program that has lasted this long,” said Lilybeth Rasonable, senior vice president for GMA Entertainment Group.

The GMA 7 show, which is turning 29 years old this year,

will officially be relaunched tonight, moving from its late-night Friday schedule to its new primetime and more family-friendly timeslot at 6 p.m. every Sunday.

“For the longest time, Bubble Gang has been airing on Friday nights. The Sunday night timeslot is more wholesome,” said Michael V during a mediacon.

“(The timeslot is) for a wider audience and we’re very, very conscious of the content we’re creating.”

The timeslot change is also connected to the relevance of the show.

According to director Frasco Mortiz, “ Pinu -push namin maging more relevant ang show in the advent of

social media, where every day you see comedy content. So how do you stay relevant when your competition is social media?

“So, we make our topics relatable to the wider audience… and that would make people more engaged.

“Yes, it’s more wholesome, but maloko pa rin kami. ‘Di mawawala ang tatak Bubble Gang.”

Another big change for the cast is the instant reaction they get via the live audience. Frasco said that the artists now deliver a different kind of energy while doing sketches and skits. “You feel that they’re all on their toes,” he said.

Continued on Page 11

Tolentino gushed about getting to hang with Rodrigo at the A-1 Record Shop in East Village and Mogador on St. Marks “just before she got the keys to her new apartment, her SATC era, her whole twenties.”

“Her paternal family is Filipino, as my family is, and in A-1 Records, we joke about the more-or-less accurate ethnic stereotype about Filipinos: We all know how to sing,” writes Tolentino in the profile.

Living the Dream

Rodrigo opened up about pursuing her Hollywood dreams at a young age. She also talked about heartbreak, “Peter Pan boys,” her penchant for writing autobiographical, and the public’s interest in her relationships.

The pop star also shared being possibly not single and moving to New York, where she’s currently living her “Sex & The City” fantasy.

On her IG Story, Tolentino also shared how when she told Rodrigo that her daughter is “half white, half Filipino, like she is,” the singer replied, “OMG! She’ll probably look like me!”

Another interesting anecdote in the story is how Rodrigo brought up a piece about abortion that Tolentino wrote in 2022. “The reproductive rights rollback, [Rodrigo] says, feels ‘actually insane—I think it’s sickening.’ We talk about how many girls in her generation, and in my daughter’s, and in mine, will be ‘forced to give birth if they get pregnant,’ she says.”

Preorders for “Guts” began on June 26, and it is set for release on Sept. 8. Its massive lead single “Vampire” is out and climbing towards a #1 debut on music charts.

Kathryn, Daniel, Belle, Donny lead Star Magic 30 catalogue

SOME of the brightest stars, love teams, and new generation celebrities graced the pages of the Star Magic 30 catalogue to mark the talent agency’s 30th anniversary, which according to ABS-CBN’s head of TV production Laurenti Dyogi, took “three years in the making.”

During a launch event, Dyogi shared that the catalog was brought to life during the height of the pandemic, where he admitted that it was “too difficult” to shoot the featured

Continued on Page 11

Sarah Geronimo to perform 2 shows at Pechanga Summit in

September

SARAH Geronimo is a very famous Filipina singer and actress, with numerous albums, TV shows and movies accredited to her name. She has been in the entertainment industry since she was four years old, having a very prosperous and long career. She has held 2 concerts at Pechanga before, and will be coming back to Pechanga this year.

Sarah Geronimo will be performing 2 live concerts at Pechanga Summit in September on Friday, September 8 at 9 p.m., and Sunday, September 10, at 6 p.m.

Geronimo rose to fame after winning the television singing contest Star for a Night, where she procured a recording contract with Viva Records at just 14 years old. During her career, Sarah has won 15 Awit Awards, 28 Myx Music Awards, 8 Aliw Awards, 4 FAMAS Awards, the FAMAS Golden Artist Award and a World Music Award. She has also been named one of the most powerful influencers by Forbes Asia. In 2013, she was inducted into the Anak TV Hall of Fame. Geronimo is also a Goodwill Ambassador for Music of the National Commission for Culture and the Arts, as well as a recipient of their “Harvest of Honors” state recognition for multi-disciplinary arts.

In 2004, she starred in Sarah the Teen Princess, her first television show, as well as hosting regularly and performing on the variety show ASAP. She has appeared in 18 films, 25 television shows, and has released 13 albums throughout her career.

Geronimo has made a name for herself from her beautiful, soulful voice to her many appearances on film and TV. In 2014, YES! Magazine ranked her as the “Most Beautiful Star,” taking the number 1 spot out of 100 celebrities. Since 2014, she has been the most streamed solo Filipino artist in Spotify Philippines, where millions of people can stream her music.

Pechanga Summit features a 40,000-square foot area for entertainers, concerts, live sporting events, trade shows, weddings, or any large groups to book. In total, Pechanga now offers 274,500 square feet of indoor/outdoor contemporary meeting and event space, which significantly enhanced the amenities, space and visibility of Pechanga’s event offerings.

To get tickets to Sarah Geronimo’s concerts at the Pechanga Summit, call the Pechanga

Box Office at (888) 810-8871, or go to www. pechanga.com.

Pechanga Resort Casino offers one of the largest and most expansive resort/casino experiences anywhere in the United States.

Voted the number one casino in the country by USA Today and rated a Four Diamond property by AAA since 2002, Pechanga Resort Casino provides an unparalleled getaway, whether for the day or for an extended luxury stay. Offering more than 5,500 of the hottest slots, table games, world-class entertainment, 1,100 hotel rooms, dining, spa and golf at Journey at Pechanga, Pechanga Resort Casino features a destination that meets and exceeds the needs of its guests and the community. Pechanga Resort Casino is owned and operated by the Pechanga Band of Luiseño Indians. For more information, call toll free (877) 711-2946 or visit www.Pechanga.com. Follow Pechanga Resort Casino on Facebook, Instagram and on Twitter @PechangaCasino.

(Advertising Supplement)

Paolo Contis, Michael V., Betong Sumaya, Kokoy de Santos, Chariz Solomon and Analyn Barro

GMA photos

A photo of Olivia Rodrigo at the A-1 Record Shop taken by Jia Tolentino.

Kathryn Bernardo, Daniel Padilla, Donny Pangilinan, Belle Mariano Photo from Instagram/@niceprintphoto

Megaworld International launches KKK Raffle promo in partnership with NHCP

MEGAWORLD International

celebrates the Philippines’ 125th Independence Anniversary in partnership with the National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP) through the Kalayaan, Kinabukasan, at Kasaysayan (KKK) raffle promo that offers a chance to win a brand new condominium unit at One Eastwood Avenue, an investment for education, and a limited edition home furniture piece from the renowned Filipino designer, Ito Kish, among other prizes.

The global marketing specialist of Megaworld Corporation—Megaworld International—aims to join the NHCP in igniting nationhood, promoting Philippine history and cultural heritage among the Filipino people with the KKK, highlighting the marketing group’s biggest raffle promo to date.

The raffle promo will run from June 25, 2023 to June 25, 2024. Participants will get more chances of winning minor prizes with three quarterly draws and the major prizes in the grand raffle draw. Per DTI Fair Trade Permit No. FTEB-170502 Series of 2023.

The memorandum of agreement was signed on January 2023 between Megaworld International’s Executive Vice President and Managing Director Ms. Maria Victoria M. Acosta (center left); National Historical Commission of the Philippines’ OIC Executive Director Ms. Carminda R. Arevalo (center right); witnessed by Vice President for Marketing and Customer Care Ms. Mia A. Buenaventura (left); and Deputy Executive Director for Programs and Projects Mr. Alvin Alcid (right).

Kalayaan, Kinabukasan at Kasaysayan raffle promo hopes to showcase Filipino artistry, hospitality, and worldclass investments to the global community. Megaworld International ties with the best and the biggest brands to date: Megaworld Corporation, Global-Estate Resorts, Inc., Suntrust Properties Inc., Emperador Inc., Megaworld Hotels and Resorts, Megaworld Club Access, Pick-A-Roo, Ito Kish, Makina Watches, and

Roots Collective. The promo is open to everyone who purchased or sold one (1) unit of Megaworld Corporation, Global-Estate Properties, Inc., Suntrust Properties, Inc., and Stateland Inc. projects from any of the participating projects—for a minimum of P6,000,000.

Major prizes are categorized into three: The Kalayaan Package, Kinabukasan Package, and Kasaysayan Package.

In the spirit of nationhood, Megaworld International affirms its corporate vision to uplift lives, impact society and help shape the nation through the KKK raffle promo. At the core of this endeavor, the international marketing group visualizes a financially-free country by investing in worldclass Megaworld properties. The Company is exerting efforts to increase the demand for the nation’s real estate landscape, so its homegrown brands and partners may reach the worldwide market.

This raffle promo aims to connect with the different Filipino societies all over the globe. whether to the permanent residents abroad, dual citizens, or Fllipino workers who stay overseas- all in an effort to bridge the country’s heritage and financial freedom objectives to the countrymen, wherever they may be.

Megaworld International implements various activitiesboth in online and offline platforms-such as roadshows presentations, conferences, expos, recruitment events, events sponsorships, business summits, and financial literacy talks. For this year-long promo,

Free entertainment, admission & fun for the whole family at LA County’s largest Philippine American Friendship Day

LOS Angeles County’s largest Philippine-American Friendship Day, presented by The National Federation of Filipino American Associations Greater Los Angeles Region (NaFFAA Greater LA) – is definitely on! With this year’s theme of “Building Bridges Across Communities,” NaFFAA Greater L.A. aims to ignite a spark within our community, encouraging the celebration of our diversity through shared accomplishments, values, and dreams in a multicultural world.

patrol and a helicopter flyover will surely enliven the parade around the lake. Inside the air-conditioned gymnasium, will be a oneday basketball tournament where attendees will have a chance to score LA Clippers merchandise, among many other prizes and surprises!

also available on social media platforms.

Special shoutout to our generous sponsors - Southern CA Toyota, McDonald’s Southern Ca, Pechanga Resort Casino, Law Office of Perry & Alznauer, Megaworld, Philippine Airlines, Vistaland, Jollibee, AMP Staffing Network.

Megaworld International will participate in NHCP’s series of events in celebration of the 125th Philippine Independence anniversary.

The National Historical Commission of the Philppines is a recognized government agency whose mission is to promote the history and cultural heritage of the Philippines through various means such as conducting and supporting research, information dissemination, and implementation of educational activities to popularize Philippine history.

Megaworld International is the international marketing specialist of property giant Megaworld Corporation, the Philippines’` leading residential condominium developer office space developer, and pioneer of the live-work-play-learn lifestyle concept. The international group has been proudly showcasing world-class MEGA townships for 23 years to over 60 countries worldwide.

For more information, visit: www.megaworldinternational.com. Facebook: https:// www.facebook.com/ megaworldintlmktg Instagram: https:// instagram.com/megaworld_ intl/.

On July 15th 2023, the Don Knabe Community Regional Park in Cerritos will come to life in a festive atmosphere filled with cultural experiences, culinary delights, and exhilarating entertainment, from 8am6pm. Your day will be filled with world-class entertainment from our exceptionally talented artists and performers. Catch Nievera, the eldest son of Philippine concert king Martin Nievera and concert queen Pops Fernandez render his original music and covers of famous hits. Witness internationallyacclaimed all-male hip-hop dance group Junior New System show off Pinoy pride with heart-stopping performances in 6-pinch heels! Party and enjoy the heart-pumping beats from DJ Rocky Rock, Filipino-American scratch artist known for Black Eyed Peas song Bebot!

Don’t miss the fun parade starting at 8:30 a.m. that will be attended by different Filipino organizations. Winners will be chosen according to categories - “Largest contingent”, “Liveliest Contingent”, “Most Colorful Contingent” - and will receive cash prizes. As an added feature, a mounted sheriff

The workshop area will feature a FREE immigration clinic, conducted by Atty. John Perry of the Law Office of Perry & Alznauer at 11:00 AM. For small business owners, the William and Stephanie Foundation will hold a workshop on applying for grants and funding, including State of California services for entrepreneurs. Megaworld, a leading real estate developer in the Philippines, will give a talk on investing in the Philippines.

Young participants and attendees will enjoy the Kids Zone filled with face painting; mini-golf; books; arts and crafts; and many more attractions.

The fun never stops as McDonald’s, the world’s largest fast-food restaurant chain, will be providing free smoothies to event attendees. Get to explore the newest Toyota models such as the All-Electric SUV bZ4X and Sequoia.

To top it all, a pair of Philippine Airlines economy tickets will be raffled off at the event!

This event is estimated to draw attendees of about 6K+ this year and is co-presented by Los Angeles County Supervisor Janice Hahn.

Over-all event chair is Jannelle

So-Perkins of So Jannelle TVThe Filipino-American lifestyle/ talk/magazine show SoJTV, which airs US-wide on cable channels The Filipino Channel (TFC) and ANC; as well as on local Southern CA digital channel KNET 25.1; and is

Special thanks to our media sponsors; The Filipino Channel (TFC), Asian Journal, Balita Media, Philippine Post & Philippine News. Social Media Partner: Adobers; and Community Partner: SoCal Filipinos.

Don’t miss your chance to be part of this greatly anticipated celebration of friendship and history between the Philippines and US! We cordially invite you to join us at L.A. County’s Largest PhilippineAmerican Friendship Day, FREE admission. For further inquiries, interested parties may call: Dan E. Nino @ 562508-8099 or MaryAnn Omega @747-777-9811.

L.A. County’s Largest

Philippine-American Friendship Day

Saturday, July 15, 2023, 8 am to 6 pm Don Knabe Community Regional Park 19700 S. Bloomfield Ave., Cerritos, CA

The National Federation of Filipino American Associations Greater Los Angeles Region (NaFFAA Greater LA) is a dynamic organization committed to promoting the welfare, interests, and empowerment of the Filipino American community. With a steadfast dedication to unity, diversity, and progress, NaFFAA Greater LA strives to build bridges, forge connections, and create lasting impact in the lives of individuals in the FilipinoAmerican community.

Division of a business in a California divorce

Barrister’s Corner

When a married couple decides to divorce in California, one of the most significant issues they will face is dividing their assets and debts. If the couple owns a business together, this can be particularly complicated whether it is operated by only one spouse or both spouses jointly. In this article, we will discuss how property division works in a California divorce when a business is involved.

California is a community property state, which means that property acquired during the marriage is generally considered community property and must be divided equally between the spouses upon divorce. This includes businesses and business assets. However, the division of a business in a divorce can be complex, especially if the business was started before the marriage or if only one spouse was involved in its creation or operation.

One option for dividing a business in a divorce is for one spouse to buy out the other’s share of the business. This can be done through negotiation or mediation, or it may require a court order through trial.

If the spouses cannot agree on a buyout price, the court may order a valuation of the business to determine its worth. Typically, this is done by having a forensic CPA perform a business valuation. If the parties are in agreement on who they want to use as an expert, the parties can stipulate that a certain forensic CPA be appointed as the court’s expert to value the business pursuant to evidence code section 730. If the parties are not in agreement in the appointment of a 730 expert or

if one of the parties are not in agreement with the valuation of the 730 expert, each party can retain their own forensic CPA to value the business. Typically, the court will order that each party’s forensic CPA meet and confer and do a side by side evaluation of their calculation to isolate where they differ. This is typically done in preparation for trial.

Another option is for the spouses to continue to co-own the business after the divorce. This is rare, but it can work if the spouses are willing to continue working together and can establish a clear plan for managing the business. However, this option is usually not recommended, as it can lead to ongoing conflict and legal disputes. If the business was started before the marriage or if only one spouse was involved in its creation or operation, the court may consider these factors when determining how to divide the business.

For example, if one spouse started the business before the marriage and the other spouse made no significant contributions to the business, the court may consider the business to be the separate property of the spouse who started it. However, if the other spouse contributed significantly to the business during the marriage or if the business has grown significantly during the marriage due to the hard work of the owner spouse during the marriage, the court may still award them a portion of the business or its profits. In order to determine what percentage of a business is community property versus separate property, there are two methods used based on two cases, Van Camp v. Van Camp, (1921) 53 Cal.App. 17 and Pereira v. Pereira, (1909) 156 Cal. 1, 103. These formulas are used to determine the value attributed to the community and separate property interests.  The Pereira case involves

Who is an honest debtor or one in good faith?

Debt Relief

a married couple who ran a profitable business. Although the husband claimed that he had started the business before the marriage with separate capital, the Court found that a share of the earnings was community property. The Court, however, emphasized that the success of the business was largely due to the husband, who ran the company. The Pereira method of analysis is typically applied when business profits are mainly attributed to the efforts of the “community.” The concept of a Pereira analysis is to allocate a fair return to the separate property investment in the business and principally apportion the remainder of the value to the community property. As a result, the Pereira analysis is usually applied to small businesses where the efforts of the owner are significant in the success of the business, and it is assumed that the business would not have had such success without the business owner’s efforts.

The Van Camp case resulted from a successful family business. The son of the business owners ran a successful packaging company in California. When the son married, the son’s wife ultimately relied on the holding of the Pereira case and argued that the community interest in the business was due to its successful management. The Court, however, found that the success of the business was also due to the investment of capital into the corporation. As a result, the business increased in value due to the initial investment and various assets rather than the son’s efforts during the marriage.

The Van Camp method is used when the increase in the value of a business is primarily the result of the unique nature of the particular asset, and not necessarily the efforts of the community. The goal of a Van Camp analysis is to obtain the

Continued on Page 11

LAwrence yAng

THE honest debtor is the only debtor who can get a discharge in bankruptcy. But who is an honest debtor? If we go by layman’s definition just to get an idea of who an honest debtor is, then the honest debtor is one who is in good faith when he files for bankruptcy. Of course, this definition is still vague. Courts analyze the issue of good faith and thus the issue of the honesty of the debtor in question on a case-to-case basis and based on the past and present conduct of the debtor in connection with his debts, and his bankruptcy. Although the right to bankruptcy is enshrined in the American constitution, it’s up to the courts to determine who actually is an honest debtor.

So let’s examine an actual case I handled a long time ago. Debtor was married, had no non-exempt assets, and had zero income when her chapter 7 case was filed. She wanted to discharge $90K of credit cards. A portion of those cards about $60K debtor used to gamble. Her husband was self-employed as a “handyman” making about $2500 a month but was supposed to inherit $3.0M from his father. However, his brother was full of greed and managed to keep all of the $3.0M for himself. Almost like a Cain and Abel relationship between the brothers.

After the case was filed, one creditor objected to discharge claiming that debtor had filled out the credit application stating that she earned $48K a year. Another creditor also objected to discharge of their credit card on the same grounds. Both creditors said that if they had known the truth that she actually had no income, they would not have given her any credit.

The UST filed a motion to dismiss chapter 7 case pursuant to 11 U.S. C. § 707 (b)(3) with prejudice. This section of the bankruptcy code allows the court to dismiss a case for bad

faith, or based on the “totality of circumstances” of the case, even if there is no presumption of abuse under the means test. What does “with prejudice” mean? This means that if the court grants the UST motion to dismiss, debtor can never ever file for any kind of bankruptcy in the United States. It’s the same as having the “A” carved on your forehead to identify you as having been tried and found guilty of “adultery”. It doesn’t mean that you’re a straight A student. I don’t understand why that society should do this to their own citizens who should have their own freedom to have sex with whoever they want; this is between consenting adults after all. At least, this is more humane than the “honor” killing of their own daughters by members of their own family for something as insignificant as your sister wearing a pair of jeans. This is a definite escalation of having the scarlet “A” tattooed on your forehead. This probably just applies to their women. If you’re a man, then I guess it would be tattooed on your ass where there’s no public exposure.

The court granted the motion to dismiss with prejudice and this is what the court said:

“There is no rational basis for believing that she could repay her debts with gambling proceeds because she had no history of actually winning any significant amount of money, at least not enough to justify over $50,000 in cash advances. Compare In re Karelin, 109 B.R. 943, and In re Kong (even giant gorillas need debt relief it appears) 239 B.R.815. Likewise, there was little rational basis for relying on her husband’s potential stock market profits. The Debtor herself acknowledged that her husband had always lost the money he invested and had never seen any significant profit (apparently husband did not have a brain structure similar to Warren Buffet, but had one that was more similar to the giant gorilla aforesaid). The debtor’s husband admits that in 9 of the last 10 years, he experienced net losses on the stock market. The one year he made a profit, it was less than $5,000. Furthermore, the Court finds that the Debtor

did not reasonably rely on the possibility that her husband’s brother might actually pay the $1.0M he owed given that:

1. Over 20 years had passed without compliance 2. His brother King Kong would thump his chest loudly every time he asked for his share of the $3.0M or acted like Al Pacino in “Scarface”, bring out his AK 47 and say “say hello to my little friend” to obtain and keep his interest in the family business of making high end coffins made from yellow jade from magic mountain 3. The fact that no one ever pursued any legal action like hiring mobsters to enforce the contact in question…

Finally, the debtor’s reliance on assistance of any kind from the genie in Aladdin’s lamp that she claimed she had just obtained in a flea market in Tijuana and was close to obtaining the password for the genie to pop out was questionable. In sum, none of the debtor’s wishful thinking, even though done on a starless night of a blue moon was a legitimate basis for accumulating additional, unnecessary debt. If, for example, she had incurred those obligations in order to meet daily living expenses or to pay medical bills the situation might be different. Unfortunately, however, that is not the case here.”

Obviously, the court found that debtor was in bad faith and considered the totality of circumstances to dismiss her case with prejudice.

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

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

* * * Lawrence Bautista Yang specializes in Bankruptcy, Business, Real Estate and Civil Litigation and has successfully represented more than five thousand clients in California. Please call Angie, Barbara or Jess at (626) 284-1142 for an appointment at 20274 Carrey Road, Walnut, CA 91789 or 1000 S. Fremont Ave., Mailstop 58, Building A-10 South Suite 10042, Alhambra, CA 91803. (Advertising Supplement)

Atty.

28-year-old Bubble Gang reinvents...

The director also came up with the idea of a rooftop setting, reimaginging BBLGANG as a hangout place for family and friends to chill, relax and have some laughs.

“True enough, I think it has a different flavor…. because there’s instant reaction from the audience.

Nakukuha namin kaagad ang pakiramdam kung maganda ba yung ginagawa namin. For me, it’s still the same Bubble Gang with different sketches. (At the same time), it’s a different vibe. Parang nabuhayan ulit .”

Michael V said that an inspiration for the live audience is the American sketch-comedy show Saturday Night Live (SNL).

“Even before direk Frasco (came onboard in 2021), SNL was an inspiration. We tried that several times during the lifespan of Bubble Gang,” he said.

The most notable was Parokya Bente Dos, which “was really a big endeavor for Bubble Gang and a milestone of the show.”

“This time, we will give it a try once again and will see what happens,” Michael V added.

The veteran comedian also suggested as much that the materials for this new phase of the comedy show will be somewhat “different in flavor.”

“For the longest time I was also the creative director of Bubble Gang and so for the longest time, I knew the flavor of the show. But this time around, nagbago ng konti. That for me is the biggest change.”

He pointed out that the good thing about BBLGANG is that its creative team is “always in the present.”

“ Palaging aware sa mga nangyayari sa paligid. Parang naging requirement na yan for the creative team, for the writers, and whoever is part of that team,” he explained.

“Even the cast, we have to be aware of what’s happening right now. As long as there’s material na pinanggagalingan, hindi ka mauubusan ng material i -produce.”

Asked if social media is a boon or bane to the show when it comes to content creation, direk Frasco said, “We get something from online, they get something from what we do. I think that’s the new norm na kailangan namin makasanayan, magiiba at mag-iiba talaga yung means of how we devour content. It’s up to us kung paano maging up to date in the things that we do.”

He further said the only advantage of social media is in terms of speed or how fast it reacts to events and issues.

“Let’s say, may issue na pumutok ngayong umaga, sa hapon may spoof na sila. Before, yung Bubble Gang known for that. If may issue

ngayon , next episode may makikita ka ng parody or something,” Frasco said. “But in terms of creativity and content, nanggagaling pa rin talaga dun sa creative team and the cast yung humor that audiences look for every week.”

For Michael V, it’s a symbiotic relationship. He admitted that social media is now a “big part of mainstream television and entertainment.” It does provide some ideas, he noted, especially “if it’s a gem, talagang dapat you have to do something about it. Pero hindi mo dapat gayahin. You have to do something better and improve.”

But he also pointed out, “If you analyze yung mga ginagawa sa social media, if you dig deeper, madalas ang source niyan Bubble Gang. It’s very evident na ang inspiration ng gumagawa ng comedy sa social media, it’s also the show. But it’s not just this show but even the (comedy) movies that came before us and …. other sitcoms, not just in GMA but also in other networks.

“So, it’s safe to say mainstream is still at this point inevitable, necessity pa rin siya to produce content,” he said.

One thing is for sure, everyone on the show is dependent on each other, in creating content and making the comedy click with its viewers.

“I always say that the gang, the Bubble Gang, is not one person, we are a gang for a reason,” Michael V said.

“And that’s not just within the cast, it’s the same with the creative team, with the production, with the network and all those who are helping us. As long as we are like that, as long as we’re a definitive gang, ‘di kami mauubusan ng material.”

In this new era of Bubble Gang or BBLGang, they are introducing fresh faces like EA Guzman, Buboy Villar and Chesca Fausto. Paolo Contis, Chariz Solomon, Kokoy de Santos, Betong Sumaya and Analyn Barro are still part of the show, but Valeen Montenegro, Faye Lorenzo, Sef Cadayona and Archie Alemania were let go.

Maliit lang naman ang mundong ginagalawan ,” said Michael V. “Even with our former cast members, there was a time when we made it a point to guest ‘graduates’ like sila Rufa Mae Quinto, Ara Mina… It was going to happen. It’s inevitable.”

The ideal cast members for him are “ kelangan magaling ka na artista, that’s No. 1. Hindi lang kasi pagpapatawa ang comedy, a good chunk of it is acting so as long as you’re confident in doing characters and being someone else other than yourself, I think that’s a good sign. That’s a plus factor when it comes to joining the show.”

For his part, direk Frasco said, “That person should also be fearless, not afraid to join the gang. Because if you’re a newcomer, you will really feel intimidated to be in the company of these people (referring to Michael V, et. al.).

And may hilig din magpatawa, magpasaya because if the comedy is innate in that artista , it will show. It’s a team effort.”

As the only remaining original member and one-time creative director of Bubble Gang, Michael V stressed that they’re not strangers to major casting changes.

“Being the eldest in the show, we’re a bit used to the reformat. This is not the first time na nangyari ,” he said.

“I’m always open to welcome new faces to the show. It’s an opportunity for the older cast to train and work with the younger talents.

“Hopefully, we can produce a bunch of new comedians and talented performers under our tutelage,” he added.

Besides the possiblity of having former cast members as guests, Michael V wants It’s Showtime host and Kapamilya comedian Vice Ganda to appear in the show for a collab skit with his signature character, Mr. Assimo.

“Vice Ganda has always been open to collaboration. And the last time we met, the last time we talked… He has always said, ‘I hope to guest in Bubble Gang.’ ”

Kathryn, Daniel, Belle, Donny....

artists.

From Page 8

“If only each page could say a story, ang dami pong laman na kwento ng aming catalogue (our catalogue had so much stories to tell). It took us three years. Three long years to have this physical catalogue because of the pandemic because it was too difficult to shoot, and gather our artists with all the protocols during COVID,” he said. “It was really very challenging and that’s why this catalog is very special and dear to us.”

Among the stars featured in the catalog are Kathryn Bernardo, Daniel Padilla, Barbie Imperial, KD Estrada, Alexa Ilacad, Chie Filomeno, AC Bonifacio, Dimples Romana, Xyriel

Manabat, Robi Domingo, and Anji Salvacion.

Also included in Star Magic’s record are Donny Pangilinan, Belle Mariano, Seth Fedelin, Francine Diaz, Jolina Magdangal, Vivoree Esclito, Jane Oineza, RK Bagatsing, and Jake Ejercito.

Other Star Magic artists seen at the catalog are Joshua Garcia, Jane De Leon, Janella Salvador, Ria Atayde, Zanjoe Marudo, Maymay Entrata, Sue Ramirez, Barbie Imperial, John Arcilla, Angeline Quinto, Shaina Magdayao, Arjo Atayde, Ivana Alawi, Charlie Dizon, Carlo Aquino, Kim Chiu, Gerald Anderson, Angelica Panganiban, and P-pop groups BINI and BGYO, as seen during the official photos reveal at the event. (By Hannah Mallorca/Inquirer.net)

Division of a business in a...

From Page 10

reasonable value of the community’s services and then to allocate that amount to the community property and the remainder to the separate property.

In some cases, the court may order the sale of the business and the division of the proceeds between the spouses. This is usually only done if the spouses cannot agree on any other division method or if the business is not profitable.

In conclusion, dividing a business in a California divorce can be complex and requires careful consideration of all factors involved. It is essential to work with an experienced divorce attorney who can help you navigate the legal process and protect your interests. By working together with your spouse and your attorney, you can find a fair and equitable solution for dividing your business and other assets in your divorce.

* * *

Please