081322 - Los Angeles Weekend Edition

AUGUST 13-16, 2022 Volume 32 - No. 64 • 2 Sections – 18 Pages

DATELINE

USA

FROM THE AJPRESS NEWS TEAM ACROSS AMERICA

NaFFAA leaders receive int’l recognition in Geneva for piloting ‘FilAmAlerts’ program WASHINGTON, D.C. — To address the growing impact of natural and manmade disasters exacerbated by the effects of climate change, the National Federation of Filipino American Associations (NaFFAA) has piloted a program to coordinate Filipino diaspora groups across the United States. The program, FilAm Alerts, is an effort to streamline and efficiently coordinate resources and relief programs for the benefit of the Philippines.

The FilAm Alerts Program was unveiled at the annual Humanitarian Networks and Partnerships Week (HNPW) in Geneva, Switzerland, held May 16-20, together with the Framework for Diaspora Engagement in Humanitarian Assistance, launched by NaFFAA’s parent partner, the International Organization for Migration (IOM). The program and Framework received recognition from the international humanitarian  PAGE A3

LA looks to land banking to lower construction costs for affordable housing LOS Angeles County is getting ready to launch a project that could lower existing barriers to building much-needed affordable housing in the region. The model, already in use in other cities, would allow the county to purchase and hold land, keeping it out of the speculative market while housing is built.

Initially conceived as part of the recently approved L.A. River Master Plan, County officials say they eventually intend to take the land banking concept countywide.

“Land prices can become a huge obstacle in these affordable housing projects,” said Tensho Takimori, partner at the architectural firm Gehry Partners LLP, which worked with LA County on the design of the L.A. River Master Plan. Takimori explained that the cost of holding land and paying property taxes while a project comes to fruition often makes it cost prohibitive for many affordable housing developers.

With land banking, LA County or a nonprofit  PAGE A3

LA County moves out of high COVID-19 level

by AJPRESS OVER the past week, Los Angeles County’s COVID-19 metrics improved enough to move the county back to the medium level.

The level is based on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) COVID-19 framework.

While Public Health is greatly encouraged by the decline in cases, hospital admissions and deaths, because viral transmission remains high, there are still thousands of new people each day

who are infected and capable of infecting others.

The high rate of transmission continues to be driven by the Omicron variant, which accounts for 100% of sequenced specimens. The highly infectious BA.5 subvariant of Omicron continues to be, by far, the most predominant subvariant. In the week ending July 23, BA.5 comprised 80% of all sequenced county specimens.

With only slight increases in the percentage of BA.5 specimens recently sequenced, it is possible that we may be experiencing a saturation of our population with this subvariant. While we are carefully tracking other subvariants of interest

(including BA.2.75 and BA.4.6), we have no indication at the moment of any new variant hat is spreading, according to Public Health.

The 7-day average case count has fallen to 3,660 cases today, a 22% decrease from 4,719 cases a week prior. The 7-day average test positivity rate this past week is 11.1%, a decrease from 12.5% one week ago.

Over the last seven days, the average number of COVID-positive patients per day in LA County hospitals was 1,112, a decline of 9% from one week ago when the 7-day average number of  PAGE A2

ABS-CBN returning to free TV broadcast

by ELIJAH

FELICE ROSALES Philstar.com

SCHOOL GEAR. Vendor Lily Dimalta (right) helps a girl put on a school bag she has chosen for the coming school year at a stall inside the Zabarte Town Center, Zabarte Road, Camarin, Caloocan City on Friday, Aug. 12. The price of bags ranges from PHP250 to PHP650 depending on the size and quality.

PNA photo by Ben Briones

MANILA — Broadcast giant ABS-CBN Corp. has found its way back to free TV by signing a landmark deal with Manny V. Pangilinan-led TV5 Network Inc. in a P4-billion transaction seen to hurdle legal challenges.

ABS-CBN on Thursday, August 11 informed the the Philippine Stock Exchange that it entered into an investment agreement for the purchase of 6.46 million primary common shares representing 34.99 percent of the voting and outstanding capital stock of TV5 worth P2.16 billion.

The National Telecommunications Commission said it would scrutinize the deal. “The NTC is monitoring the developments in the proposed joint venture between TV5 and ABS-CBN,” Commissioner Gamaliel Cordoba said in a text message to The STAR. In the process, TV5’s parent MediaQuest Holdings Inc. maintains its controlling stake in TV5, but its share in the firm narrows to 64.79 percent of its capital stock.

Likewise, ABS-CBN will spend another P1.84 billion on a convertible note to be issued by TV5. The  PAGE A4

No more ‘more fun in the Philippines’?

DOT wants new slogan for rebrand

by ROSETTE

ADEL

Philstar.com

MANILA — The country’s long-time tourism slogan “it’s more fun in the Philippines” will be replaced in the near future.

Tourism Secretary Christina Frasco bared this on Wednesday, August 10 and said that the Department of Tourism is eyeing to replace the decade-old slogan with a new one that is anchored on making the Filipino brand “distinct.”

This was revealed weeks after President Ferdinand Marcos Jr, in his first State of the Nation Address, mentioned his vision of enhancing the Filipino brand in tourism,

saying it would spark our “sense of pride and reaffirm our strong sense of identity.

“They say, each brand has a story. As for the Filipino brand, ours is deeply rooted in our rich cultural heritage and the tourism sector plays an invaluable role in the promotion of the Filipino brand,” the president said in his SONA. “It is time to welcome the rest of the world with an enhanced Filipino brand that is unique, attractive, and creative,” he added.

Frasco said the agency is brewing ideas In the latest iteration of its list, the Sy siblings of SM fame topped Forbes’ wealthiest by raking for a brand campaign change that will abide in $12.6 billion but saw their net worth drop by $4 billion. by the current administration’s vision of revitalizing the “Filipino brand.”  PAGE A2

Sys of SM retain wealthiest PH immersion program for young Fil-Am leaders returns title in Forbes’ 2022 list AN immersion program in the Philippines for nextgeneration Filipino American leaders announced its return after a two-year hiatus from the pandemic.

The Filipino Young Leaders Program (FYLPRO) — has selected 10 to 15 high performing next-generation leaders who advance the Philippines and the Filipino people through their advocacy and expertise in various industries every year to travel to the Philippines — is now taking applications for its program scheduled for November.

FYLPRO was established in

2012 by Former Ambassador of the Republic of the Philippines to the United States of America, Jose L. Cuisia, Jr. and Mrs. Victoria J. Cuisia in cooperation with the Ayala Foundation Inc. (AFI) to annually identify outstanding young professionals in the Filipino communities across the United States and provide the delegates with invaluable community, business, and government insights and access to distinguished network captains of industry and government.

The organization recently celebrated its 10th anniversary

"Reunite and Reconnect" weekend took place on July 21 to July 24, 2022 in Washington D.C. The celebration was coordinated by FYLPRO board members Joyce King, Jessica Velasco and Sabrina Sayoc.

The anniversary celebration kicked off with a mixer on Thursday July 21.

On Friday, July 22, alumni and members participated in a Capitol tour in the morning and ended the evening with a formal presentation and dinner at the Philippine Embassy.

The evening program included special guests Chargé d’Affaires a.i. Jaime Ramon

T. Ascalon, Jr., Embassy, Vice Consul Mark Dominic E. Lim, Embassy Consul General Iric C. Arribas, and Nancy Hsiung from the Booz Allen Foundation.

“I had the privilege of witnessing how FYLPRO evolved from the time of its launching to when its members started addressing existential questions and challenges such as whether or not it should apply for 501(c)3 organization status or encouraging active participation among the alumni,” said Chargé d’Affaires a.i. Jaime Ramon T. Ascalon, Jr. “And here you are now, a 501(c)3  PAGE A2

by RAMON

ROYANDOYAN Philstar.com

MANILA — The Forbes' list of the Philippines' wealthiest featured the same names as the annual ranking saw minimal movement ranking this year despite some declining net worths.

In the latest iteration of its list, the Sy siblings of SM fame topped Forbes' wealthiest by raking in $12.6 billion but saw their net worth drop by $4 billion.

SM Investments Corp., reported its unaudited net income in the first half of 2022 rose 28.39% year-on-year to P35.4 billion.

Property mogul Manuel Villar trailed behind the Sys, garnering a $7.8 billion wealth. Forbes said Villar is this year’s biggest dollar gainer.

Landing in third was Enrique Razon Jr. and his logistics empire despite a slightly down net worth of $5.6 billion. Net worth was computed by Forbes’ based on stock prices and exchange rates as of July 22.

Forbes noted that the minimum net worth that made their list was $185 million, slightly declining from the $200 million recorded last year.

Rounding out the top were  PAGE A3

A2 AUGUST 13-16, 2022 • LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL

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FROM THE FRONT PAGE

LA County moves out of...

PAGE A1 COVID-positive patients per day was 1,222. Also, the LA County daily hospital admissions rate is now 9.9 admissions per 100,000 people, a small decline from to 10.1 admissions per 100,000 people one week ago.

Deaths, which typically lag hospitalizations by several weeks, are beginning to drop, with an average of 14 deaths reported per day this week.

One week prior, there was an average of 17 deaths reported per day.

On Thursday, August 11 the CDC revised its guidelines and recommendations for residents to protect themselves and others from COVID-19.

These revisions largely align with already established LA County guidelines that require anyone testing positive in LA County to remain isolated away from others for a minimum of five days. In LA County, a person with COVID-19 can exit isolation on or after Day 6 if they have had no fever for 24 hours, their symptoms are improving, and a test taken on Day 5 or later is negative.

Those exiting isolation Day 6-Day 10 should continue to wear a well-fitting mask whenever around others.

Isolation can end after Day

10 as long as there has been no fever for 24 hours. See ph.lacounty.gov/covidisolation for more information.

With many testing at home, and results not reported to Public Health, those who test positive should notify anyone they were in close contact with in the 48 hours prior to their positive test result or COVID symptoms, whichever was first.

Close contacts in LA County are not required to quarantine provided they have no symptoms, test within 3-5 days of their exposure, and wear a well-fitting mask for 10 days from their last exposure to the confirmed case.

“I send my deepest sympathies and wishes of peace and comfort to the many families who have lost a loved one from COVID-19,” said Barbara Ferrer, PhD, MPH, MEd, Director of Public Health. “While we are thankful to see our county move to the medium community level, because we know that getting infected causes disruptions at the workplace and in the family and for some, becoming infected leads to debilitating illness, we advise caution, and ongoing use of a sensible approach for reducing the risk of exposure

and preventing severe illness. All tools available help: getting vaccinated and boosted reduces risk of severe illness, testing before and after gathering, wearing masks when indoors, and staying home and away from others when sick reduces transmission.”

Public Health reported 19 additional deaths and 3,995 new positive cases. Of the 19 new deaths reported today, one person was between the ages of 30-49, three people were between the ages of 5064, six people were between the ages of 65-79, and eight people were aged 80 years or older. For information on the one death reported by the City of Long Beach, visit longbeach. gov. Of the 19 newly reported deaths, 17 had underlying health conditions. To date, the total number of deaths in L.A. County is 32,922.

Public Health has reported a total of 3,351,082 positive cases of COVID-19 across all areas of L.A. County. Today’s positivity rate is 11.1%.

There are 1,065 people with COVID-19 currently hospitalized.

Testing results are available for more than 12,392,466 individuals, with 24% of people testing positive. 

PH immersion program for young Fil-Am...

PAGE A1

organization celebrating its 10th anniversary!”

As part of the program, Chargé d’Affaires a.i. Ascalon and 2021 FYLPRO President Louella Rose Cabalona completed the final signed Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the Embassy, FYLPRO, and the Ayala Foundation Inc (AFI) extending the partnership until December 2025. Previously, the MOU was signed via a virtual ceremony last December 2021.

The evening’s program also included the official launch of Project Ligtas Bata (Project Safe Child) and a tribute to Francine Maigue, a member of the first batch in 2012. She passed away surrounded by her family on Feb. 22, 2022 after battling Stage 4 lung cancer.

FYLPRO President Leezel Tanglao announced the restart of FYLPRO’s signature immersion program.

“We are excited to bring this life changing program back,” said Tanglao.

The annual immersion trip has been the signature piece of the partnership with the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs, the Ayala Foundation and FYLPRO since 2012. The program was deferred the last two years due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The week-long program brings 15 young leaders from across different industries to the Philippines where they meet with business, community and civic leaders in an effort to bridge and strengthen ties between the United States and

the Philippines.

The immersion program is scheduled to take place the week of November 20, 2022.

In addition, the immersion program committee has decided to raise the eligibility age limit to 45 to account for those who might have aged out during the last two years.

Previously, the program age eligibility was 25 to 40.

Applicants must complete the application form, pay a $20 processing fee, essay questions and obtain recommendation letters by the Sept 5, 2022 deadline (Sept. 12, 2022 last day for recommendation letters to be submitted).

Fil-Ams interested in applying can go to https:// fylpro.org/immersionapplication/. 

COMMITMENT. Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte (2nd from left), British Embassy Manila Ambassador Laure Beaufils (2nd from right), Regional Director for East, Southeast Asia, and Oceania at C40 Cities Milag San Jose-Ballesteros (right), and Vice Mayor Gian Sotto (left) sign the pledge of commitment during the launch of the Climate Action Implementation program at Novotel Manila, Cubao, Quezon City on Thursday, August 11. The program, which is funded by the UK government, will implement transformational climate change actions and mainstreaming activities based on the city's Enhanced Local Climate Change Action Plan.

PNA photo by Robert Oswald P. Alfiler

No more ‘more fun in the Philippines...

PAGE A1 “We will ensure that we do justice to our cultural identity as a nation and harness our strengths as a people and the brand with which we will move forward will be anchored on all of these elements that make our Filipino brand distinct all over the world,” she told reporters.

The tourism chief said the new branding campaign will take into consideration the change in circumstances, citing that amid the COVID-19 pandemic, people are now in search for substantial and immersive experiences anchored on cultural experience.

The branding campaign will include a new slogan.

For Frasco, the fun factor when traveling in the Philippines need not be said because it’s true.

“But beyond that, we are a beautiful country with beautiful people and a wealth of products and destinations and we want the brand to fully encapsulate all of these nuances of our country beyond having fun,” she said.

The tourism chief also said the slogan launched by the DOT and BBDO Guerrero, one of the country’s most awarded advertising firms, in 2012 has its merits and successes but it is time to “evolve” and “move on.”

Must evolve, move on “It’s More Fun in the

Tourism Secretary Christina Frasco

Philippines” replaced “Wow Philippines” which also promoted the country’s tourism.

“First of all, I would just like to thank all of the efforts that have been put in to developing this tagline for the Philippines. And it’s certainly had its merits and successes, but at the same time just as we are so people and in life in general, we must evolve and we must move on taking into consideration everything that we have been through,” Frasco said.

“So, the Philippines will continue to be fun. But now also it will have a very substantial

Philstar.com photo

approach to its branding campaign,” she added.

Frasco did not disclose when the change in branding campaign and slogan of Philippine tourism will occur but she said she already requested a recalibrated budget for 2023 that could cover her plans for the country’s tourism industry.

The Tourism Promotions Board, on the other hand, reportedly said the government is in the conceptualization stage to achieve this brand revamp that will involve marketing experts and stakeholders. 

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US backs PH vs biological, chemical security threats

by BERNADETTE

E. TAMAYO

ManilaTimes.net

PASSENGER LINE. Commuters queue for a public transport to arrive in Philcoa along Commonwealth Avenue in Quezon City on Thursday, August 11. The minimum fare in public utility jeepneys has been increased to PHP11.

PNA photo by Alfred Frias

NaFFAA leaders receive int’l recognition in...

PAGE A1

community, including humanitarian delegates from Ukraine and other participating countries, and recently received a nomination for IOM’s Global Innovation Awards.

NaFFAA's President and National Chair Brendan Flores and FilAm Alerts Program Director Katrina Hernandez were among the many humanitarian delegates and presenters at this year’s HNPW. As Flores highlighted in the Innovation Awards video, “NaFFAA’s founders sought to represent Filipino-Americans 25 years ago.

With the support of IOM, we’ve targeted specific challenges in providing humanitarian relief to the Philippines.”

“Through this Framework for Diaspora Engagement in Humanitarian Assistance, we identified succinct solutions and effective tools for coordination,” Flores added. “We were able to set up a sustainable and strategic plan for immediate response and recovery. These include our national SMS engagement system following crises in the Philippines and the development of a humanitarian council to streamline coordination amongst U.S.-based Filipinos. From every Filipino here and abroad, thank you for your support in making the FilAmAlerts Program what

it is today and what it will bring to our countrymen for years to come.”

For over two years, NaFFAA has facilitated the formation of the FilAmAlerts Program together with the help of other community leaders representing the Filipino diaspora in the United States. This program calls for national coordination of all humanitarian relief efforts in the Philippines, inviting all organizations to communicate on a single platform. Together, resources and supply information about relief efforts will be available, so relief efforts are most efficient and effective in answering the needs of affected communities. Supported by the IOM both in the United States and the Philippines, as well as the Embassy of the Republic of the Philippines in the United States, and with funding from USAID’s Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance, FilAm Alerts aims to reach all Filipinos in the United States.

NaFFAA is seeking community leaders to be a part of this global initiative to facilitate a more efficient process for humanitarian relief to the Philippines. For more information on the Humanitarian Council or Advocate Circle, please contact NaFFAA Special Projects Program Director Katrina Juco-Hernandez.

LA looks to land banking to lower...

PAGE A1

entity created by it, could purchase plots of land and hold them, keeping costs lower. This system would potentially exempt the entity from property taxes while the land is not in use.

“The County can then work with local non-profits, Community Land Trusts, and Affordable Housing Developers to develop affordable housing on the land bank sites. A land bank could also support preservation of existing affordable housing by purchasing existing buildings,” said Jessica Henson, of OLIN Studio, a landscaping and design firm.

Both Olin and Gehry partners, along with the Southeast Asian Community Alliance and Street Level Advisors, along with LA County experts, made the case for a land bank in the context of the L.A. River Master Plan project recently approved by the Board of Supervisors.

The Land Bank project was approved as a companion to the L.A. River Master Plan and is initially tied to areas within 2 miles of the river that are vulnerable to increased displacement and gentrification as a result of the large public works investment envisioned under the Master Plan. It is meant to eventually expand to the whole county, officials say.

The board directed $50 million in federal funds from the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 to be used for the land bank program. This will be enough to purchase land for about 800 units of affordable housing. The master plan projects 5,200 such units will be required in the coming years.

Sources from the Board of Supervisors indicated that the goal is to secure at least 175 million dollars as a first step in setting up the land bank, and that vulnerable areas near the river will be the first focus.

A county report with details on the implementation of the land bank will be presented midSeptember to the L.A. County Board of Supervisors but it could take a few months to launch the project and secure a first round of acquisitions.

Investment and gentrification A massive public works investment like the L.A. River Master Plan, or any project that expands public transportation — such as those now being undertaken by L.A. METRO (new subway lines and stations) — can push the value of land way up, driving up rents and displacing long-term residents in vulnerable areas at the same time.

“What happens in the

neighborhoods that need investment the most is that the residents in these neighborhoods are the lowest income folks.

Those neighborhoods need investment, parks, and public transit etc.,” said Sissy Trinh from the Southeast Asian Community Alliance, who participated in the L.A. River Master Plan planning process.

But improving these areas has often meant that long-time residents who have lived in these neighborhoods long before they became desirable get pushed out, added Trinh.

Los Angeles County is already confronting a serious deficit of affordable housing, a situation made more dire by the pandemic.

According to County sources, Los Angeles needs to add nearly 500,000 affordable homes to meet demand for households at or below 50 percent area median income.

Even prior to the pandemic, 64 percent of renter households at this income level were severely cost-burdened, paying more than 50 percent of their household income on rent. Poverty and homelessness increased.

Land banking is not a new concept, said Jon Christensen, a professor at the Luskin Center for Innovation and the Institute of the Environment and Sustainability at UCLA. But the one in Los Angeles will work differently than the ones existing in Detroit or New Orleans, he noted.

“In many places hit by a natural disaster where the area becomes vacant — or tax delinquent — a land bank is used to buy the land not being used,” said Christensen. “In LA it is actually the opposite, the point is to get in front of public investments to ensure there’s equitable development.”

A group of environmental and community activists who first participated in the development of the L.A. River Master plan and later sued to prevent it, arguing there was no sufficient community participation in the project, said they are in favor of the land bank.

Public authority land banks are already active in cities like Detroit, Philadelphia, and Eugene, Oregon. Similar projects managed by nonprofits exist in Atlanta, Denver, Minneapolis/St Paul and Richmond Virginia.

In places where land is expensive, like Denver, land banking can significantly reduce the cost of building affordable housing, said Tarik Abdelazim, of the National Land Bank Network, based in Michigan. (Pilar Marrero/ Ethnic Media Services)

Since 1997, the National Federation of Filipino American Associations (NaFFAA) has been the standard-bearer for promoting the welfare and well-being of the four million Filipinos and Filipino Americans throughout the United States.

NaFFAA is the largest nonpartisan, non-profit organization and national affiliation of Filipino American institutions, umbrella organizations, and individuals.

Its fourteen-member regions cover the continental United States, Alaska, Hawaii, and the Pacific Islands.

To learn more about NaFFAA and its programs, or to become a member, visit www.naffaa.org. 

THE United States has pledged to support the Philippines in addressing biological and chemical security threats, its embassy in Manila said on Thursday, August 11.

The U.S. Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA) Cooperative Threat Reduction (CTR) Program recently met with concerned Philippine government officials to discuss current and future biological threat reduction and chemical security capacitybuilding initiatives in the Philippines.

In a statement, the embassy said the DTRA enables the U.S. Department of Defense, the U.S. government, and international partners "to counter and deter weapons of mass destruction and emerging threats."

From July 27 to August 2, DTRA representatives and members of various government agencies discussed the creation of a national training center to support national security and the environment and a five-year biological threat reduction and chemical security capacity-building program, the

embassy said.

Participating agencies were the Department of Health (DoH), the Department of Agriculture (DA), the Department of Science and Technology (DoST), and the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG).

"They also discussed the development of a subnational level laboratory network, and potential future training opportunities on chemical security and bio-risk management," the embassy said.

It noted that over the next five years, the CTR Program will support activities to enhance interagency systems, communication, and other capabilities to prepare the Philippines to prevent, detect, track, report, respond to, and secure biothreat agents and chemicals of security concern.

"We are proud to be a partner in the multi-year effort to jointly address biological and chemical security threats," DTRA CTR Program Manager Michelle Nalabandian said.

"We value our longstanding partnership with interagency partners in the Philippines and look forward to continuing to

work together on threat reduction efforts," Nalabandian said.

Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI) Officer-in-Charge Dr. Reildrin Morales raised the importance of upgrading the capacity of the Philippines' veterinary services.

Morales noted that the CTR Program "will enhance the BAIAnimal Disease Diagnosis and Reference Laboratory to prevent and control the entry and spread of transboundary animal diseases that may pose a threat to the country's agriculture economy".

The CTR Biological Threat Reduction Program (BTRP) has been a partner of the Philippine government since 2016, the embassy noted.

In 2021, BTRP concluded a five-year project to renovate seven Regional Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratories spread throughout the Philippines, it added.

These facilities have increased the Philippines' capacity to detect and diagnose endemic and emerging diseases in the country and have been critical in the local response to African swine fever, avian influenza, and COVID-19 (Coronavirus disease 2019). 

Sys of SM retain wealthiest title in Forbes’...

PAGE A1 Lance Gokongwei and his siblings ($3.1 billion), Aboitiz family ($2.9 billion), Isidro Consunji and siblings ($2.65 billion), Tony Tan Caktion ($2.6 billion), Jaime Zobel De Ayala ($2.55 billion), Ramon Ang ($2.45 billion), and

Andrew Tan ($2.4 billion).

There were notable names that broke bank but did not rank among the top, such as the Uys of broadband provider Converge ICT Solutions, the Po family of Century Pacific Food Inc, and real estate developer Sylvia

Wenceslao.

These corporations likewise benefitted from aid in the form of the Corporate Recovery and Tax Incentives for Enterprises law passed by the Duterte administration within the pandemic. 

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ABS-CBN returning to free TV...

PAGE A1 convertible note will allow the Lopez-led network to increase its primary common shares in TV5 eight years after the issuance, enabling ABS-CBN to boost its equity up to 49.92 percent of TV5’s capital stock.

Proceeds from the subscription of ABS-CBN shares and issuance of convertible note amounting to P4 billion would be used by TV5 to finance its capital expenditures and operating expenses. TV5 also plans to enhance its content and programming and expand its public service.

In exchange, MediaQuest’s Cignal Cable Corp. signed a sale and purchase agreement with the Lopez Group, obtaining 38.88 percent of the issued and outstanding capital stock of ABSCBN’s SkyCable Corp. amounting to P2.86 billion.

Cignal Cable will also invest P4.39 billion in a debt instrument to be issued by the Lopez Group, permitting Cignal to augment its equity to as much as 61.12 percent in SkyCable’s capital stock after eight years.

Furthermore, Cignal Cable will secure from SkyCable a P250 million convertible note that can be turned into primary common shares representing 1.84 percent in capital stock.

The Lopez Group eyes to use the P7.5 billion in proceeds from the sale shares, debt instrument and convertible note to repay certain obligations of ABS-CBN, as well as bankroll its purchase of TV5 equity. PLDT Inc., through its subsidiary ePLDT, will grant the loan needed by Cignal Cable to complete its transaction with SkyCable.

No need for PCC scrutiny Infrawatch PH convenor Terry Ridon believes ABS-CBN and TV5 can overcome any regulatory issues that they may face in closing the deals. SAGIP partylist Rep. Rodante Marcoleta wants the Philippine Competition Commission (PCC) to investigate the transaction entered into by the network giants.

Marcoleta voted against the renewal of the legislative franchise of ABS-CBN, forcing it to shut its airwaves and leave free TV in 2020.

“We don’t see any basis for PCC to strike the deal, as this does not involve a transaction which will reduce or limit competition.

In fact, when ABS-CBN lost its franchise in 2020, it ceased to be the dominant player in the

MediaQuest and ABS-CBN announced on Thursday, August 11 a landmark deal to invest in TV5 – a transaction expected to be completed within this month. Photo shows (from left) Smart and PLDT president and CEO Alfredo Panlilio, MediaQuest Holdings president and CEO Jane Basas, MediaQuest Holdings chairman Manuel V. Pangilinan, ABS-CBN chairman Mark Lopez, ABS-CBN president and CEO Carlo Katigbak and ABS-CBN chief partnership officer Bobby Barreiro.

Philstar.com photo

broadcast segment. TV5 has not yet attained that dominant status in the same sector,” Ridon told The STAR. Similarly, Ridon said ABSCBN and TV5 no longer need to submit their transactions to the PCC for its review given that the value of the deals falls below the mandatory threshold of P50 billion.

“However, given the size of the transaction and entities involved, they may opt to undertake the voluntary review with the PCC. This is not compulsory though, as the transaction does not meet the current P50 billion threshold for compulsory review,” Ridon said.

Traders also said the network deals clear the path for ABS-CBN to generate additional revenue on the way back to profitability.

Regina Capital head of sales Luis Limlingan said ABS-CBN can maximize the transactions to polish its synergies with TV5.

“On the industry front, the partnership should help level the playing field as the companies could leverage on each other’s expertise against the everchanging and technology-driven business,” Limlingan said.

During the talks, AlphaPrimus Advisors and Picazo Law advised the Pangilinan camp, while law firms Romulo Mabanta and Quiason Makalintal guided the Lopez side.

After losing its broadcast franchise in 2020, ABS-CBN hopes to return to profitability in the near term, as its finances improve with its presence widening in multiple platforms.

NTC probe Meanwhile, NTC’s Cordoba said they want to look into the supposed violations committed

by ABS-CBN that led the 18th Congress to deny its franchise

renewal. Also, he reminded franchise grantees like TV5 that they are prohibited from entering into commercial agreements with broadcast networks with existing issues.

On NTC’s order, franchise grantees are barred from signing mergers, joint ventures or sale with NTC-regulated entities with outstanding obligations. The agency also instructed transacting parties to clear their transactions with the Bureau of Internal Revenue, Bureau of Customs, and the Securities and Exchange Commission before proceeding.

“The commercial agreements together with the clearances should be submitted by the franchise grantee to the NTC prior to the consummation,” Cordoba said.

He said the full force of the government, including the Department of Justice, would be used to scrutinize the return of ABS-CBN to free TV. The PCC on Thursday also said that it has yet to be notified

by ABS-CBN and TV5 of their agreement.

As mandated by the Bayanihan to Recover as One Act, all transactions that meet the P50 billion threshold should be filed with the PCC for review.

PCC officer in charge Johannes Bernabe said they may also conduct an initial assessment on the impact of the ABS-CBN-TV5 deal on industry competition. In its possible review of the merger, the PCC would determine whether the transaction would reduce competition in the broadcast market.

“Lack of competition may lead to higher prices or lower quality products and services, all to the disadvantage of consumers,” Bernabe said. 

Filipino doctor in CA suspended for alleged sex with patients SACRAMENTO — A Filipino doctor has been suspended

by California’s Medical Board after it allegedly found evidence of sexual misconduct with his patients.

The board suspended Gilbert Luceno’s medical license after three separate patients came forward. The doctor worked in Sacramento and Roseville, California.

The state board stated that his continued practice places the public in imminent danger.

Luceno allegedly used his work time with patients to abuse his power.

“We are committed to providing a safe environment for all employees and patients and we take these matters very seriously. We are looking into

these allegations and we cannot discuss any specifics at this time,” Dignity Health stated.

An investigation said three patients from the spring of 2019 to the spring of 2021 lodged multiple accusations of inappropriate behavior, according to Fox40 News.

Luceno allegedly initiated talk of intimacy, which led to talk about graphic sex acts. It went on into an exchange of personal phone numbers. Things escalated from phone sex in the parking lot to oral sex in the examination room.

On one occasion, Luceno allegedly put a sign on his office door saying he was on a telehealth appointment. He then went to the parking lot with a female patient and spent 45 minutes with her in

the back seat of a car.

Luceno left Dignity Health in March last year and went to work at Capital Internal Medicine.

Off camera, patients there liked seeing him and were shocked about the allegations, reported Fox40 News.

Luceno resigned from Capital Internal Medicine on May 11.

He might have known that he was under investigation and that his license was going to be suspended. He also reportedly put his house up for sale.

A doctor who worked with Luceno told Fox40 that Luceno texted him, asking for a reference for a job in the Philippines.

The state board says Luceno is unable to practice medicine until the charges against him are resolved. (Inquirer.net)

MANILA — Filipinos players Jared Bahay and Quinn Kacey Dela Rosa were named AllStars in the recently-concluded Basketball Without Borders (BWB) Asia Camp 2022 in Canberra, Australia.

Other Filipinos who attended the camp, which is a joint global project of the NBA and Fiba, were Caelum Harris, Camille Nolasco and LA John Andres.

Roman Siulepa and Lulu

Laditan of Australia took home the boys’ and girls’ camp MVP plums.

During the final day, players participated in a Q&A session with NBA players Josh Green, Jarrett Allen, Cam Johnson and Coby White.

Former WNBA player and 4-time Olympic medalist Kristi Harrower also took part in answering questions and sharing their experiences.

Gwanwoo Lee of South Korea and Amy Kurkowski from the host country took home the boys’ and girls’ 3-point shootout crown.

Joshua Dent of Australia and Chianti Yokohama of Japan took home Defensive MVP honors while the Patrick Baumann Sportsmanship Award was notched by Tajon Akira Jacobs (Japan) and Maia Riley Jones (New Zealand). (Inquirer.net)

Two Filipino players named All-Stars at Basketball Without Borders Asia camp

ENSURING BRIGHT SMILES. Teachers of the Delfin Geraldez Elementary School in Fairview, Quezon City undergo dental check-up sponsored by the Schools Division Office in the city at the school’s covered court on Friday, Aug. 12. The Department of Education (DepEd) mandates the provision of dental services to ensure good oral health among learners and school personnel under Department Order No. 41, series of 2020.

PNA photo by Oliver Marquez

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A5

Joint PH-US sea patrols eyed CHR seeks talks with presidential panel

by FRANCIS

EARL CUETO ManilaTimes.net

THE Philippines is ready to conduct joint patrols with the United States in the West Philippine Sea (WPS), the Department of National Defense (DND) told The Manila Times on Thursday, August 11.

DND spokesman Arsenio Andolong said joint patrols with the U.S. can be "explored," especially if the arrangement will be beneficial to the country.

Andolong was asked to comment on the statements of Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo that joint patrols between the Philippines and the U.S. in the West Philippine Sea can be explored, in the face of continuing aggressive actions by China in the waterway.

Manalo was quoted as saying that the patrols "can take place under the ambit of the Mutual

Defense Treaty."

Signed in 1951, the treaty calls for the Philippines and the U.S. to defend each other from aggression.

Manalo made the observation after the visit of U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken last week.

Manila has filed a series of protests against the repeated incursions of Chinese vessels in the West Philippine Sea. The incidents include Chinese ships blocking Filipino resupply missions and around 200 Chinese militia vessels swarming a reef located in Philippine waters.

It is not the first time that the idea of joint patrols in the WPS was floated.

During the time of President Benigno Aquino III, then secretary of Foreign Affairs Albert Del Rosario met twice with Blinken, who was then U.S. Deputy Secretary of State, to discuss the feasibility of joint patrols.

Meanwhile, Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Bartolome Vicente Bacarro reiterated that the military was more than willing to carry out its mandate to protect the country's sovereignty.

Bacarro stressed this point during his first command conference Wednesday, August 10.

In his State of the Nation Address, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. vowed not to surrender even one square inch of the nation's territory to any foreign power.

"We only do what is required of us to do and what is important is we are able to perform our mandate to protect (the state and) our people," Bacarro was quoted

by AFP acting spokesman Col. Medel Aguilar, as saying.

Bacarro took over the helm of the AFP from Gen. Andres Centino last August 8. 

‘You want Tagle to be pope? Shut up, pray’

by ROBERTZON

RAMIREZ

Philstar.com

MANILA — Amid reports of former Manila archbishop Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle possibly becoming the next pope, an official of the Catholic Church urged the Catholic faithful to pray for him if they want him to succeed Pope Francis.

St. John Paul II parish priest Aris Sison told “The Chiefs” on Cignal TV’s One News that the conclave, or the election of a pope, is not an ordinary election and is not a matter of popularity where the most talked about cardinal is likely to get elected.

He added that those who want Tagle to become the next pope should storm the heavens with prayers, as “it is the Holy Spirit who will choose the next pope.” Tagle is currently in the Vatican working as prefect for the Congregation of the Evangelization of Peoples.

“The papacy is not a matter of popularity. You don’t campaign for someone to become a pope. I have been telling my friends who want Cardinal Tagle to be pope.

‘If you want Cardinal Tagle to be pope, shut up. Keep quiet and just pray,” Sison said.

Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle Philstar.com file photo

“You can’t campaign for it.

And all of these speculations … it’s the Holy Spirit who chooses the next pope,” he added, as he recalled that Pope Francis was not the popular cardinal when he was elected into the papacy.

Premature Sison also emphasized that it is still premature to talk about the successor of Pope Francis since the 85-year-old pontiff is still alive and capable of serving the Catholic Church around the globe despite his medical condition.

He said Pope Francis is still able to perform his duties as the leader of the Catholic Church

even if he has only one lung, had his left colon removed, had undergone therapy on his knee and has been suffering from sciatica.

“He’s getting old (turning 86 on Dec. 17). He’s showing signs of age. He has given hints about retiring … The pope may be getting old, but he is alive. And if you saw him during his recent trip to Canada, he was relatively fine,” he said.

“He is well and he has not resigned. For those who are asking about possibilities of the next pope, I would say pray for the pope more than anything else. Pray for the pope,” he added when asked to comment about the possibility of Pope Francis cutting short his papacy.

Sison explained that a pope is elected through a conclave of the cardinal electors. He said that there is going to be a consistory, where a fresh batch of at least 16 new cardinals will be “created” on Aug. 27.

Citing Vatican records, Sison said there are a total of 206 cardinals as of Aug. 8. Of the number, only 116 are cardinal electors capable of electing and becoming the next pope, while four are non-voting cardinals. 

for UN review of PH rights pledges

by GABRIEL

PABICO Inquirer.net

LALU

MANILA— The Commission on Human Rights (CHR) has “reached out” to the Presidential Human Rights Committee (PHRC) in a bid to conduct dialogues with them for the impending United Nations (UN) review of the Philippines’ human rights pledges.

The UN Universal Periodic Review (UPR) of the Philippines’ human rights status is held every five years. It is set to be conducted sometime in October this year; it would be the first under the administration of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. CHR Executive Director Jacqueline de Guia revealed during a press briefing about the body’s own report for the UN rights review on Thursday, August 11 that they have sent a letter to the PHRC, seeking a discussion on the UPR. “Of course, we want to make sure that our recommendations are heard, and that’s the primary purpose of today’s press conference, to popularize the issues and concerns surfaced by civil society and by the CHR. We continue also to open the lines of communications with [the] government and engage with them further,” de Guia, who is acting as CHR’s caretaker in the absence of a chairperson, told reporters.

“That is the reason why we at CHR through our Human Rights Policy Office has reached out to the Presidential Human Rights Committee in recent days to make sure that we are also able to provide them our recommendations with regards the upcoming UPR,” she added.

De Guia said their letter contains requests for a consultation, that CHR be included in the process of making a report ahead of the UPR. The government of a country being reviewed by the UN is required to submit its report on human rights. But the CHR will also submit its own version that includes inputs from civil society organizations – which observers

utilize to countercheck the government’s claims.

The acting CHR head said they asked the PHRC if they could comment on the report, and if they could also listen to grassroots organization before crafting the report.

“In that letter, we highlighted the need for genuine consultation, we asked that we be made part of the process that if we can also have copies of their reports, and if we can be also asked to comment on those reports to enrich the discussions of course on the human rights issues, if they can also extend a listening ear to civil society and engage them also in meetings,” de Guia explained.

“We have the UNJP program right now, and one of the key thrusts of the program is to make sure there is continuous engagement with civil society and they are given opportunity to be heard, and I hope that through the UPR process we’re able to continue the discourse of human rights,” she added.

De Guia admitted that they are cautiously optimistic about the current administration, noting that while the review is not about the incumbent government, it would reflect a lot about their stand on human rights.

“Of course we remain cautiously optimistic with this new administration, we must take into consideration that the UPR review is a flashback, is a review of the past five years and therefore does not necessarily reflect the current administration,” she said.

“However, the challenge remains for the incumbent administration to act upon those issues and concerns, and make sure that they are able to convey an image and more importantly action, concrete action on the ground that will illustrate human rights protection and promotion,” she noted.

Since assuming the presidency, Marcos Jr.’s administration has not clearly expressed its human rights policy as it was not even mentioned in his first State of the Nation Address in July. However, stakeholders

have been optimistic despite his family’s history, as he assured UN Resident Coordinator in the Philippines Gustavo Gonzalez of his commitment to human rights.

It is also not clear what Marcos Jr.’s plans are for the CHR, which is still without some commissioners and a chairperson.

CHR’s commissioners have taken turns doing leadership and caretaker roles since October 2021, after the untimely death of former chair Chito Gascon due to COVID-19. But most of CHR commissioners have already ended their seven-year terms, creating a gap within the constitutional body.

De Guia said during the same briefing that they completely have no idea as to who might get appointed to the CHR’s sixth en banc. 

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8/13/22 CNS-3610231# ASIAN JOURNAL (L.A.)

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OPINION

FEATURES

Costly sugar

For many Filipinos, sugar figures in the morning routine. The day starts with a cup of coffee, usually with a bit of sugar stirred in, and a piece of bread that is more on the sweet side rather than salty despite the name, pan de sal.

For the rest of the day, sugar is often part of snacks and main meals.

When millions of children resume face-to-face classes this month, the subsidized school feeding program in public schools will include milk, chocolate drinks or juices that also include sugar. Even instant noodles, a staple for low-income families, have sugar as an ingredient.

Prices of these basic food items have surged along with the higher cost of ingredients including sugar. Since last year, prices of raw and refined sugar have doubled amid a shortage attributed to weather disturbances and higher production input costs particularly of fertilizer.

Last month, inflation soared close to a four-year high of 6.4 percent, driven mainly by food and transport costs, with the rate for food and nonalcoholic beverages rising higher at 6.9 percent.

Officials said fish, chicken, sugar, and bread and baked products that heavily use sugar were the biggest contributors to the food inflation.

President Marcos campaigned on a promise – later dialed down to an “aspiration” – of rice retailed at P20 per kilo. As concurrent secretary of agriculture, he will also have to deal decisively with

the astronomical prices of sugar, which are affecting industrial users and households alike particularly the poorest families.

Like rice, the needs of consumers will also have to be balanced with those of sugar producers. Sugarcane growers are opposing the government’s go-to solution during shortages of agricultural products: flooding the market with imports.

Last February, the Sugar Regulatory Administration was set to bring in 200,000 metric tons of sugar, but two regional trial courts in the province of Negros Occidental, which accounts for over half of the country’s sugar output, issued restraining orders on the importation. The result: refined sugar prices have soared up to P115 per kilo as of last month from just P60 last year.

Now the SRA wants to import 300,000 MT of sugar as an emergency measure to arrest the shortage and continuing price surge. The government is also studying proposals to impose price caps, which could encourage hoarding and aggravate the shortage. But the greater challenge, as in rice, is boosting domestic production.

(Philstar.com)

Editorial

Philstar.com photo

The evolving shape of our ideal leaders

Flea Market of Ideas JOEL RUIZ BUTUYAN IT’S a growing puzzle to many well-meaning Filipinos.

Increasingly in our past few elections, our countrymen have been choosing leaders who are either of ill repute based on our traditional model of leaders, or bereft of a reputation for public service. This has been true for both our national and local leaders.

There have been many reasons offered to explain this disturbing development. Many blame rising illiteracy. Others point to widespread poverty, which gives fertile ground for vote-buying.

Rampant disinformation is cited as a

major culprit more recently. The failure of supposed-to-be role model leaders to bring about improved lives is another oftrepeated reason. Our weakening concept of right and wrong is also a principal reason I cited in a previous article (“War for our nation’s concept of right and wrong,” 12/13/2021). All of these have their places in the basket of reasons. But there are more explanations for this phenomenon of our changing model of leaders.

In the eyes of the electorate, our leaders are not clearly demarcated as purely good or completely bad. Even those generally with ill repute— judged on the basis of our customary standards—have their redeeming attributes in the minds of certain sectors of our

AT the first Cabinet meeting at Malacañang Palace, newly installed President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. explicitly asked them to ensure they are all working in synch with each other. That was how President Marcos summed up his strings of instructions and directives to all Cabinet team appointed on Day One of his administration.

During the press conference that followed the Palace meeting, reporters asked President Marcos what were his “marching orders” to the new heads he appointed to the various Executive Departments.

Initially, the President grappled for words to explain succinctly how the various activities of the government “interconnect” with each other. His worst critics even attacked his stuttered response in memes that went viral in social media.

As he had declared earlier, he does not need any presidential spokesman but would speak for himself. Aware of how the bureaucracy works, the 64-year old Chief Executive cut through the chase and riposted: “The left hand must know what the right hand is doing.”

The President is again vindicated in his alluding to this popular idiomatic expression in the current raging controversy over the no contact apprehension program (NCAP). Whenever the government is dipping too much on everything, most likely than not, the right hand forgets what

rights and corruption occupy the lower levels. There’s another segment of our population that considers the reverse of these problems in their levels of importance.

Politicians who gained ill repute on issues of corruption, human rights, and morality are, nevertheless, considered of good repute on economic concerns. With public funds at their full disposal, ill-reputed politicians easily bolster their standing with generous doleouts of financial assistance, scholarships, medical aid, farm inputs, job order employment, and the like. These dole-outs create a sense of patronage that is reciprocated by voters come election time.

Politicians of ill repute have also become savvy at burnishing

their image with publicity stunts aimed at showing them as more readily responsive to the primary needs most important to major segments of our society. In contrast, leaders who give premium attention to issues of corruption, human rights, and morals are viewed as unsympathetic to economic and criminality issues.

Our country’s changing concept of the model leader reflects our changing reality.

We will be shouting ourselves hoarse if we concentrate our energies on denouncing the shenanigans of politicians of ill repute. As we’ve seen in the last election, our denunciations fall largely on ears programmed to listen only to choice issues.

We need to roll up our sleeves and work to address our

changing reality if we want to influence the shape and mold of our ideal leader. As private citizens are summoned to help fellow citizens, the tasks ahead are gargantuan. But given the evolving mold of our leaders who will be our rulers potentially in a succession of reigns, the developing reality in our horizon is a future starkly reminiscent of the fate of the biblical Jews, who wandered for 40 years in the wilderness searching for the Promised Land. (Inquirer.net) *** The opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by the author do not necessarily reflect the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints of the Asian Journal, its management, editorial board and staff.

*** Comments to fleamarketofideas@gmail. com

Caught in money-making camera

Commonsense

MARICHU A. VILLANUEVA

society. Our country has become segmented based on gut issues that each considers as primary and urgent among our nation’s myriad problems.

The issues that fragment our people into electoral groups include economic woes, crime, public infrastructure, corruption, morality, human rights, among others. There are overlapping boundaries because people have clusters of issues they consider direly important.

But people belong to particular segments, because to them, one issue stands out in its level of importance compared to the rest.

There’s a huge segment of our society that deems our economic woes as occupying the highest point on the totem pole of our societal problems, while human

its left hand is doing.

A case in point is the various government agencies involved in the NCAP. These include the Land Transportation Office (LTO), the Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) and the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG). It was brought to light after several local government units (LGUs) in Metro Manila and even in Bataan implemented it already without benefit of public hearings. But none of these agencies would take responsibility when things go awry.

Most denounced is the amounts of fines ranging from P1,500 to as much as P5,000 per violation.

Such amounts are excessively greater than the measly daily earnings of public utility drivers.

Still getting out of their economic dislocation from oil price hikes and pandemic restrictions, such punishing fines could paralyze them already.

The NCAP is actually a PublicPrivate Partnership contract of the MMDA and LGUs with a company called Qpax. According to Valenzuela City Mayor Wes Gatchalian, the CCTV was put up and is being operated by the Qpax under a 70-30 arrangement, or 70 percent of the collections from fines and penalties go to the operator while 30% goes to the LGU. Not a party to this business deal but is getting also the flaks from the motoring public, LTO chief Teofilo Guadiz III announced he would move for the suspension of the NCAP implementation until issues against it are ironed out. For example, Guadiz noted, the LGUs need to install timers

in their traffic lights because the CCTV catches all vehicles caught in the middle of an intersection whenever there is traffic jam.

The LTO, Guadiz explained, becomes the “repository” of the uncollected NCAP notices that would be served to the owners of the vehicles involved in traffic violations come registration time. If the LGUs would reject the LTO’s appeal, Guadiz vowed to elevate this to DILG Secretary Benhur Abalos and recommend a review and temporary suspension of NCAP. The NCAP is currently implemented by the MMDA as well as in the cities of Manila, Quezon City, Paranaque, Valenzuela whose Mayors opposed the LTO chief’s suspension call. The LGU chief executives invoked their autonomy as guaranteed under the Local Government Code.

The brouhaha prompted lawmakers of the 19th Congress to take matters into their hands.

Congressmen Rep. Robert Ace Barbers of Surigao del Norte and Joey Sarte-Salceda of Albay took up the cudgels for this yet seemingly headless chicken project of the government. In a privilege speech in the House of Representatives at the Batasan Pambansa last Tuesday, August 9, Barbers called for an inquiry in aid of legislation of how NCAP has been abusing its power to fine “without due process.” At the outset, Barbers declared the NCAP fines were in violation of the constitutional rights of the people for a fair hearing.

Salceda echoed such arbitrariness of the NCAP during our weekly Kapihan sa Manila Bay last Wednesday, August 10.

A sign warning motorists of Quezon City’s no contact apprehension policy is seen at the corner of Kamias Road and Kalayaan Avenue.

Philstar.com file photo

Speaking in our news forum at Café Adriatico in Malate, Salceda admitted having been issued with NCAP notices of violations and fines to be paid. While he is more than willing to pay and settle the fines, Salceda fears that it might become a case of “recidivism,” if not contested.

For now, Salceda disclosed, he filed House Bill No. 3423 proposing to enshrine a Bill of Rights for motorists in Traffic Code and to cap penalties for those who drive vehicles for a living. It shall be known as “Motorist Protection and Rights Act.” The NCAP, Salceda believes, based their rules on traffic violations apparently from Republic Act (RA) 4136, or the Traffic Code of the Philippines that became a law in 1964.

For almost seven decades ago since RA 4136 was enacted, more modernized land transportation vehicles and road traffic volume have evolved through these years, Salceda pointed out. During those days in the past, there were no Grab or Angkas companies whose vehicles are registered by their operators to the LTO and not to the drivers who commit the traffic infractions, he added.

“In that law, there is no recourse for motorists, they cannot complain ... So I filed the bill to protect the motorists’ rights,” Salceda pointed out.

The NCAP primarily uses closed circuit television (CCTV) cameras installed in key traffic areas in catching traffic violations.

Motorists caught violating traffic

rules and regulations get issued with NCAP notice from the LGUs where they committed the infraction.

As envisioned by this project, it will remove incidents of “kotong” or extortion activities of erring traffic enforcers, improve road discipline of drivers, and therefore greater safety on the road from less reckless driving. However, the righteous rage has weighed down the very good intentions of this project when caught in this moneymaking cameras. (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.

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A7

Marcos pushes creation of virology PH to loosen up COVID restrictions institute, disease control center but at a ‘slower’ pace - DOH

by ALEXIS

ROMERO Philstar.com

MANILA — To better consolidate research, knowledge sources and new data related to the pandemic, President Marcos on Thursday, August 11 pushed for the passage of measures creating a virology institute and a disease control center even as he urged health researchers to continue exchanging information due to the evolving nature of COVID-19.

“We have been in consultation with the House of Representatives and the Senate to bring these — to create these agencies so that we can bring them to bear in what we are up to now continuing to have to fight,” the President said during the celebration of the 15th Philippine national health research system week in Pampanga.

“We will continue to work so that our people are safer, so that our citizens have better access to health care and so that... the quality of our health care will improve,” he added.

Measures seeking to create the Virology Institute of the Philippines and a disease control center are included in Marcos’ 19 priority bills.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. Philstar photo

Marcos, who has caught COVID-19 twice, said openness of mind and the continuing flow of information among different agencies have become critical, given that the virus is mutating.

“All of these things just — have kept coming at us. It has gotten to the point where I always — I’m hesitant to say we are at the tail end of the pandemic. Every time I say that, there’s a new surge,” Marcos said.

“The first meeting that Usec.

(Rosario) Vergeire and I had, I said, ‘It seems that it is now over. It seems that we are at the tail end of the pandemic.’

And here we come again with a

new variant of coronavirus... of Omicron that now we have to deal with, that you have to genome sequence again, that we have to find a booster so that the people are fully immunized,” he added, referring to the Department of Health officer-in-charge who also attended the event in Pampanga.

Vulnerable Marcos said the present health crisis has exposed the vulnerability of Filipinos and has prodded authorities to devise efficient responses and mechanisms.

“That is why I believe we continue to remain open to these new ideas and commit to work together. And I suppose it is different when we talk about hard science and primary research, like what you are doing now, because we are still at primary research when it comes to the pandemic.

So we must really be very wary of getting fixed and say this is what it is. Because we know, it evolves, it mutates. And after a couple of months, it is not what it is any longer.”

According to Marcos, health researchers have demonstrated intellectual humility and have remained open to gaining new insights and knowledge. 

Marcos bats for close coordination on food supply between nat’l, local governments

by NEIL

ARWIN MERCADO Inquirer.net

MANILA — President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. stressed the need to have better coordination between the national and local government when it comes to food supply, saying a “bahala na kayo” mentality cannot be allowed.

Marcos issued the statement during his meeting with the members of the League of Provinces of the Philippines on Thursday, according to a Palace press release shared to the media on Friday, August 12.

“We have to coordinate our efforts on food supply. We cannot just allow ‘bahala na kayo’,” Marcos was quoted as saying during the meeting.

Further, Marcos stressed the importance of planning, saying it will give the idea of the provinces’ cropping schedules, yield, soil problems, and use of

fertilizer.

“But this has to be part of a plan, and that is why, more than ever, the President needs the help of the governors. Dati, ang agriculture (Before, agriculture), for example, was really under the national government,” Marcos said.

Marcos currently serves as the concurrent secretary of the Department of Agriculture.

Strengthen coordination in digitalization Marcos also sought a stronger coordination between the local and national government in terms of digitalization.

“Marami sa inyong medyo progressive, inunahan niyo na ang national government.

Now, we have to bring the system together. Kailangan ‘yung information na hawak ng isang probinsya, ng isang agency, accessible doon sa kabila as long as they have authorization,” Marcos was also

quoted as saying during the meeting.

(A lot of you have been progressive and even surpassed the national government. Now, we have to bring the system together. The information held by a province or an agency has to be accessible as long as they have authorization.)

“We have to be literally interconnected.

So that’s another area where we are hoping that we can strengthen the cooperation – the planning, the coordination between national government and local government,” the President added.

In his first State of the Nation Address, Marcos committed to the delivery of 30 million physical and 20 million digital National IDs by the end of 2022.

Marcos said his administration aims to accomplish the issuance of 92 million National IDs by 2023. 

by RED

MENDOZA ManilaTimes.net

THE Philippines will follow the United States in terms of loosening coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) restrictions such as quarantines and physical distancing but at a "much slower" pace, according to the Department of Health (DOH).

The United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention had recommended the lifting of health protocols such as physical distancing and quarantines to focus more on those with severe and critical conditions.

At a media briefing on Friday, August 12, Health Officer-incharge Secretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said that the country has been making a "shift in mindset" on how it treats COVID-19.

"We know that the virus will

stay, ang importante lang sa ating lahat (what is important to all of us), and I think the U.S. government has that kind of objective, to protect the most vulnerable, protect the healthcare system from being overwhelmed, and prevent as much as possible severe and critical cases and deaths," Vergeire said.

She added that the United States wants to shift the responsibility of preventing COVID-19 infections from the government to the citizens, something that the Philippines is also considering "in that direction".

"We will encourage people to take care of themselves, aside from government interventions, kailangan, ang tao, alam nila kung paano proteksyunan ang kanilang sarili (We are encouraging people to take care of themselves, and aside from government

interventions, people should know how to protect themselves)," Vergeire said.

She also added that the government is just ensuring that once the wall of immunity increases through the administration of booster shots, it would be able to lift most of the restrictions as long as it is based on evidence.

The country continues to experience an increase in COVID cases, with an average of 4,025 per day, or 9 percent more than the previous week. The figure is still comparable to the second week of February, but it remains under a low risk classification.

Most areas have registered an uptrend but Luzon and Visayas are now experiencing a plateau while the National Capital Region (NCR) is on a downtrend, according to Vergeire. 

Sen. Padilla seeks equal rights for same-sex couples in civil union bill

by XAVE

GREGORIO Philstar.com

MANILA — Sen. Robinhood Padilla has filed a bill that seeks to give same-sex couples the same rights enjoyed by married straight couples under the law, saying it is 'high time" for the Philippines to do so.

"It is high time that the Philippines provides equal rights and recognition for couples of the same sex with no prejudice as to sexual relationships are protected and recognized and given access to basic social protection and security," Padilla said in Senate Bill No. 449 filed last month but only made publicly available on Thursday, August 11.

Under his proposal, a civil union can happen between two people who are 18 years old, not engaged in a relationship considered contrary to public policy under the Articles 37 and 38 of the Family Code, and free from any previous bond of marriage or civil union.

Those who enter into civil unions will be granted "all benefits and protections" enjoyed by married couples under existing laws.

Meanwhile, couples who enter into civil unions "legally owe each other respect, fidelity, support and assistance."

Sen. Robinhood Padilla

Philstar photo

"They are bound to live together and are jointly responsible in the management of their household; exercise of parental authority, if applicable; the contribution towards expenses; the maintenance of the civil union residence; and other duties which married couples under the Family Code are jointly responsible for," the bill reads.

The bill also provides a fine of at least P500,000 to P1 million or jail time of 10 years for people who refuse to issue civil union licenses or certificates, deny rights and benefits entitled to couples in civil unions, or discriminate against couples or their children.

"Providing equal rights and privileges for same-sex couples will in no way diminish or trample

on the rights granted to married couples," Padilla said.

A similar measure has been filed in the House of Representatives

by Rep. Bernadette Herrera-Dy in the hopes that it would finally pass Congress after failing to do so in the 17th and 18th Congresses.

Currently, same-sex couples are not allowed to marry as the Family Code defines marriage as a "special contract of permanent union between a man and a woman."

The constitutionality of the Family Code provision was challenged before the Supreme Court by lawyer Jesus Falcis in 2018, but magistrates junked his petition on procedural grounds.

A civil partnership bill was first filed in the House during the speakership of Davao del Norte Rep. Pantaleon Alvarez in the 17th Congress by himself and other lawmakers, but this did not pass the committee level.

Alvarez and Herrera refiled the bill in the 18th Congress, but it also got stuck at the committee level.

To complicate things further, pro-LGBTQIA+ legislation has had a hard time hurdling Congress as conservative lawmakers have successfully employed parliamentary tactics to delay or even completely block the passage of these measures. 

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Grace OuanO Awarded

Knighthood by Pope Francis Mass of

and Bellflower’s Mayor Michael Davitt, who were there to support and congratulate Grace. The crowd of nearly 300 family members, friends, colleagues, dignitaries, priests, and nuns filed out of the church into the lovely California sunset, on their way to a celebratory dinner at Capital Seafood in as Dame of the Papal Order Arcadia where Dame Grace continued her The Order is awarded to Catholic men and of St. Gregory the Great long tradition of generosity. women in recognition of their personal On August 4th Grace Mercado Ouano became the first Filipino-American to receive the Order of St. Gregory the Great from the Catholic Church. Monsignor Lawrence J. Spiteri, on behalf of Pope Francis, bestowed the knighthood at St. Therese Roman Catholic Church in Alhambra, California.

INVESTITURE

Ms. Grace Mercado Ouano

service to the Holy See and to the Roman An Impressive Record Catholic Church, through their unusual CELEBRANT labors, their support of the Holy See, Over a span of 30 years, Grace O has built an and their excellent examples set forth in impressive record of business achievement, Monsignor Lawrence J. Spiteri,community jcd, phbuilding, d their communities and their countries. philanthropy, and Dame Grace Mercado Ouano sharesRoman this Supreme Justice, Rota community service in California. Guided by honor with such great luminaries as G.K. her spirit of entrepreneurship and building Chesterton, Bob and Dolores Hope, and on a model of generosity learned from her Eunice Kennedy Shriver. family, Grace has spent a lifetime helping August 4th, 2022 people heal through food and medicine.

Medals Awarded When she moved from the Philippines to The beautiful ceremony included a full mass the U.S. in 1992, she began her impressive with the Philippine Chamber Singers of Los corporate ascent from employee to owner Angeles and six musicians, including a pipe and operator of a number of skilled nursing organist. For the investiture, Monsignor facilities in California.

Spiteri changed into his red and white

St. Therese Roman Catholic Church

vestments to fulfill his role as the Supreme Justice of the Roman Rota. He pinned the medals onto Dame Grace’s emerald green cape, custom-designed, along with her black dress, by David Tupaz for the occasion.

Grace acknowledged Msgr. Spiteri’s spiritual guidance as her big brother in her acceptance speech. She also said, “A sincere thank you to my family and friends. I am deeply touched that you are here on one of the most important days of my life. I will always remember this day and that you were all here to celebrate with me.”

Grace’s Special Words With special words to her husband Rupert Ouano (pictured at right with Grace) and her staff, Grace quoted St. Gregory, “If not for your encouragement, hard work and patience, I would not be here celebrating this honor. As St Gregory himself said, ‘If we are, in fact, now occupied in good deeds, we should not attribute the strength with which we are doing them to ourselves.’ It is with your help, competence, and fortitude that I am able to carry out God’s work. From the bottom of my heart, I thank you.”

Special guests included Los Angeles’ Philippine Consul General Edgar Badajos, La Cañada Flintridges’s Mayor Sonny Santa,

In 2011, Grace combined her entrepreneurial skills, her passion for the culinary arts, and her commitment to health by launching a new culinary brand, FoodTrients®, a nonprofit website and cookbooks dedicated to the nutrients in foods that help prevent the diseases of aging. She is the author of two award-winning cookbooks—The Age GRACEfully Cookbook: The Power of FOODTRIENTS to Promote Health and Well-being for a Joyful and Sustainable Life and The Age Beautifully Cookbook: Easy and Exotic Longevity Secrets from Around the World. Her third cookbook — Anti-Aging Dishes from Around the World — published

by Skyhorse Publishing, will be released this month on August 23.

To further understand and help prevent the diseases of aging, Grace launched the Grace O Foundation, which is dedicated to nutrition and longevity research, health education, food advocacy, and other charitable efforts.

All proceeds from her cookbooks are contributed to the Foundation’s research and programs.

Grace encourages others to join in her efforts to educate the world about eating for health and longevity.

PHOTOS BY MATTHEW FRIED AND RICHARD FADERA

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Features

LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL • AUGUST 13-16, 2022 A9

New golf entertainment facility expected to open near The Strat by Fall 2023

by RealtoR

Fely Quitevis-Bateman

LAS Vegas continues to expand the boundaries when it comes to presenting fun for people of all ages and skill levels.

No longer just purely a gambling haven, the city that hosts a PGA Tour stop at TPC Summerlin will see an Atomic Range rise on seven acres of adjacent land near The Strat Hotel. The 99,000-squarefoot golf entertainment complex will feature 103 hitting bays, 10 putting bays, plenty of places to eat and drink, and a large “Astrocade” where visitors can view sports and entertainment on large scale screens. Atomic Range is expected to be completed by Fall of 2023.

Local officials, including Las Vegas Mayor Carolyn Goodman and Councilwoman Olivia Diaz, took part in groundbreaking ceremonies recently for the project that will eventually add 500 jobs to the city’s economy, according to local news reports.

According to an official with

Flite Golf & Entertainment, which is developing the project, they see this as a way to allow people of all ages to come and learn to play golf in a non-intimidating environment, while having fun in a facility that will be about four stories high.

The company, which owns facilities in other parts of the United States as well as in locales like London and Saudi Arabia, estimates that the cost to build the Atomic Range in Las Vegas will be about $70 million. The LV Atomic Range will be the company’s flagship, per a company official.

Flite Golf & Entertainment, which will share the revenue with Golden Entertainment, the company that purchased The Strat in 2017, shared with news outlets both companies expect a mutuallybeneficial arrangement with Atomic Range customers who may end up going to the casino, and The Strat bringing in customers to the golf facilty.

Realtor Fely Quitevis-Bateman helps those who need business financing, including loans for small businesses. For more information, call (702) 538-4948, or send email to fely@preciousproperties.com or fely.precious@gmail.com.

Atomic Range is expected to be a premier golf destination in Las Vegas with facility users able to have an immersive experience.

The facility will feature the latest in golf and entertainment technology, and will certainly create memorable experiences for facility visitors.

The Atomic Range project is just one of the many projects expected to open or take place in the latter part of 2023 in Las Vegas.

The Fontainebleau Las Vegas, which is only about a mile away from The Strat, is expected to open towards the end of 2023, just ahead of the 2024 Super Bowl scheduled in the city.

The many-sided tall blue building with the “fb” etched prominently in the 2000 block of South Las Vegas Boulevard is one of the tallest structures in Las Vegas and will feature a casino, retail mall spaces and lots of meeting spaces. The Fontainebleau, according to reports, will focus on conferences to take advantage of its location adjacent to the Las Vegas Convention Center.

Formula 1 Racing will also be on the menu for late 2023 as the Las Vegas Grand Prix event will have the sport’s top drivers competing in a 14-turn track that will run for 3.8 miles, with top speeds expected to hit around 212 miles per hour.

Sin City’s iconic landmarks will serve as the backdrop for the race that will feature three straights, a high-speed cornering sequence and a single chicane section, with Grand Prix drivers running over 50 laps and trying to outmaneuver each other to win the event. Not since the 1980s has there been a Grand Prix event in Las Vegas, and racing fans are excited at the prospect of witnessing Formula 1 Racing and seeing their favorite drivers.

Meanwhile, in another piece of news for Las Vegas, billionaire Tilman Fertitta is reportedly eyeing a 6-acre property to build an upscale resort, according to recent reports. This will reportedly give the Houston Rockets owner a bigger footprint in Las Vegas. Fertitta also owns the Golden Nugget Hotel and Casino in the downtown area, which is part of his Landry’s Inc. portfolio that operates more than 600 restaurants, hotels, casinos and entertainment destinations across the U.S. Although this is just speculation at the moment as there have been no confirmed reports of a finalized deal, the property in question is located near the Planet Hollywood Resort and across from

Atomic Range will be an immersive kind of golf experience for Nevada residents and tourists. Photo above shows where the Atomic Range will be constructed relative to The Strat; inset photo shows rendering of the golf facility by Flite Golf & Entertainment.

File photos/www.flitegolf.com

Atomic Range, which is scheduled to open in late 2023, is just behind The Strat. It is just about a 10- to 15-minute walk from Realtor Fely Quitevis-Bateman’s Turnberry Place residence.

Work is ongoing at the Fontainbleau Las Vegas, the blue building behind Realtor Fely QuitevisBateman, which is scheduled to open in 2023.

the CityCenter Complex. Sources quoted by news outlets have suggested that Fertitta is buying the property for over $200 million.

Per sources quoted by news reports, the casino-resort property being developed in the 6-acre property will not be another Golden Nugget type, but will be more upscale. This project, if it happens, will probably take a few years to complete.

Although there is a reported slowing down in the housing market in Las Vegas, it is still one of the most viable land and property markets in the U.S. With a lot of construction projects happening in the city, and unemployment at or near historic lows, Las Vegas will

continue to be a great destination for real estate buyers in the years – or decades – to come.

Property values in Las Vegas and nearby communities are more affordable than in other parts of the United States. Many property owners who took a gamble before and plunked down their money for Las Vegas properties are reaping the benefits of their investments, by way of increasing real estate prices and the ability to turn their property purchases into income-generating investments in the form of airbnbs or rentals.

If you are looking to invest in real estate in Nevada, I have decades of experience in helping kababayans find their piece of the

Realtor Nida Santos (right), an investor from Manila of Realtor Fely Quitevis-Bateman (left), was amazed at the massive changes that have taken place in Las Vegas and Pahrump since her last visit 13 years ago.

American Dream, whether it is in Las Vegas, Pahrump (which is only 62 miles west of Sin City) or other neighboring cities/towns. My team and I would be more than happy to help find your slice of land in one of the most exciting cities in the world.

My company, Precious Properties, is a full-service company that has served its clientele since 1992. You can reach me at 775513-8447, 805-559-2476 and 702538-4948 for more information, or send me an email at fely@preciousproperties.com or fely.precious@ gmail.com. We have investors who buy houses in California and Nevada for cash and quick escrow in as short as 7 days.

(Advertising Supplement)

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Asian Journal

WKND

B1

Saturday, AUGUST 13, 2022

LIFESTYLE CONSUMER GUIDE COMMUNITY MARKETPLACE

Family petitions family for employment, this Sunday on Citizen Pinoy MOST people think they can only file family petitions for relatives. Actually, they can also petition their family member for a green card through employment.

In this brand-new episode, viewers can learn how Ana petitioned her aunt, Susan, as a housekeeper. Since the minimum requirement for the job was three months experience in housekeeping, Aunt Susan was qualified since she worked as a housekeeper in the Middle East and Canada for years.

Ana consulted with, and retained, leading

U.S. Immigration Attorney Michael J. Gurfinkel, who prepared and submitted all necessary documents, including police clearances from Canada and other countries where Aunt Susan has worked before.

Watch this success story on an encore episode of “Citizen Pinoy” on Sunday, August 14 at 6:30 PM PT (9:30 PM ET thru select Cable/Satellite providers), right after TV Patrol Linggo. Citizen Pinoy is also available on iWantTFC. Viewers may download free app.

(Advertising Supplement)

How Claudine lost 60 lbs for TV comeback THE Philippines’ drama princess and so-called “Optimum Star” Claudine Barretto is back on TV and with a “revenge body” to boot.

In an interview with Lhar Santiago aired on Thursday, August 11 on “24 Oras,” Claudine bared how she lost about 60 pounds in time for headlining the “Bisita” episode of “Wish Ko Lang” as part of the show’s month-long 20th anniversary specials.

According to the mother of four, she lost weight by following Intermittent Fasting, wherein she had to fast for 16 to 18 hours and only had four to six hours as window time for eating.

Intermittent Fasting is quite popular among celebrities, most notably, Hollywood stars Jennifer Aniston, Halle Berry, Hugh Jackman and Chris Pratt.

In the special “Wish Ko Lang”

NIECE PETITIONS HER AUNT AS HOUSEKEEPER, THIS SUNDAY ON CITIZEN PINOY. Many people believe the only way to bring relatives to the U.S. is through a family petition. This is not true. Family can petition other family members through an employment-based visa, which can be much faster and is perfectly legal. This is exactly what Ana (center) did when she petitioned her aunt Susan (left) as her housekeeper, through the help of Attorney Michael J. Gurfinkel (right). Watch this success story on an encore episode of “Citizen Pinoy” on Sunday, August 14 at 6:30 PM PT (9:30 PM ET) through select Cable/Satellite providers, right after TV Patrol Linggo.

(Advertising Supplement)

Liza to star in first Hollywood film

By Christina

alpad ManilaTimes.net

Actress Claudine Barretto

episode, Claudine brings to life the story of Manda. Manda is a happy housewife to Willard (James Blanco) and they have a daughter named Hailey (Rhed Bustamante). But their almost

Photo from Instagram/@claubarretto

perfect family will be disrupted when their aunt Rosita (Glenda Garcia) and her daughter Rebecca (Faye Lorenzo) arrive one day.

PAGE B2

HOLLYWOOD has beckoned actress Liza Soberano, and she has accepted. The Filipina American confirmed on social media that she will be part of the upcoming horror comedy, “Lisa Frankenstein.” Kathryn Newton and Cole Sprouse are the movie’s lead stars.

Lisa Frankenstein will mark Soberano’s first major Hollywood project since actively pursuing an international career this year.

“Ecstatic to be part of this

film [zombie emoji],” the actress confirmed on her Instagram account @lizasoberano on Friday, August 12, sharing a screenshot of the Deadline article.

Besides Soberano, Carla Gugino (“The Fall of the House of Usher”), Joe Chrest (“Stranger Things”) and Henry Eikenberry (“The Crowded Room”) were also announced as part of the cast.

According to Deadline, Lisa Frankenstein is set in 1989.

The plot will follow the titular character, an unpopular high school student (Newton), who accidentally re-animates a

handsome Victorian corpse (Sprouse) one stormy evening and works to rebuild him into the man of her dreams.

Chrest reportedly plays Newton’s father in the film, but the other roles, including Soberano’s, have yet to be disclosed.

Lisa Frankenstein is backed by a stellar creative team with Academy Award and Tony winner Diablo Cody in charge of the screenplay and actressdirector Zelda Williams at the helm. Williams is the daughter of the late legendary actor Robin PAGE B2

Community

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Jessy, Luis expecting first baby

By Jan

Milo Severo Philstar.com

Celebrity couple Luis Manzano and Jessy Mendiola Photo from Instagram/@senorita_jessy

CELEBRITY couple Luis Manzano and Jessy Mendiola is set to become parents.

In a video posted by Jessy in her YouTube channel, the couple showed ultrasound photos with images of their child.

“What a pleasant surprise!

We had planned for our church wedding this year but suddenly God gave us this wonderful blessing, proving time and again that God is the master planner,” Jessy wrote in the description of the video.

“No matter what your plans are, HE has a divine plan for you, one that is definitely BETTER than what you have imagined.

His plan is always the best,” she added.

Jessy said that their planned church wedding will now not push through until their baby is born.

“We decided to share this wonderful news with you through a video shot in one of God’s houses - a beautiful chapel in Benguet,” she said.

“For now, our planned church wedding will have to take a backseat until our bundle of joy arrives. This is, by far, (is) the best surprise we have received in our lives. Indeed, with God all things are possible,” she added.

Jessy and Luis got married in February 2021 after they confirmed their relationship in 2016. g

Markus says no regrets on early fatherhood Chynna urges women to get mammogram check-up

By Kathleen

a. lleMit

Philstar.com

AMID persistent rumors of breaking up with Janella Salvador, Markus Paterson said he has no regrets fathering a child in his early 20s amid his rising popularity.

Speaking at the recent presscon of his guesting on the long-running weekly drama anthology “Maalala Mo Kaya” (MMK), the 24-year-old Paterson said his world “flipped upside down” the moment he saw his son, Jude, on the delivery room.

“I guess I could say I sacrificed all the necessary sacrifices. Lahat ng auditions.

Everything that young, 22-year-olds do. Go around, party. Mga ganong sakripisyo na kinailangan talaga,” Markus said.

He and Janella welcomed their son Jude on October 20, 2020 in the United Kingdom.

It was not until January 5, 2021 that they revealed they were already parents on their YouTube channel.

“It wasn’t even a hard thing to do but, yeah, the necessary sacrifices becoming a young father. I embraced. Worth it, definitely. As

Markus Paterson with son Jude Photo from Instagram/@markus

soon as I saw him in the delivery room, my life flipped upside down talaga e. No regrets, no regrets,” Markus said.

He also recently commented about the status of his and Janella’s relationship in an

exclusive interview with Star Magic’s Inside News.

“Ang importante lang sa aming dalawa na she’s happy, I am happy, our hearts are both happy. That’s important, you know. We will always be there for each other no matter what,” said Paterson in the video.

Markus returned to “MMK” last Saturday, August 6 with an episode that touches on long-distance relationships (LDR). He costarred with Heaven Peralejo, whom he has known since they were both 16 and 17, respectively.

He might have played a hopeless romantic character in the drama who was okay with LDR but Markus does not see himself going into that kind of set-up.

“Personally, no. I value being with someone physically. Parang preference ko lang naman because my love language is physical touch.

For me lang, I wouldn’t survive. Siguro, medyo clingy lang ako,” he shared.

In an interview with the media after the grand press conference of “Mars Ravelo’s Darna,” Janella said that she and Markus are happy as individuals. She neither admitted or denied the rumored split. g

AFTER undergoing mammogram, actress Chynna Ortaleza was quick to advise everyone to get medical check-up, stressing that early detection or prevention is always better than cure.

Ortaleza believes in the importance of mammogram to women as can be seen on her Instagram page on Monday, Aug. 8, where she shared two photos of her while in a clinic.

“I made a very important appointment today & I am so happy I did! I was also able to convince my Mom to get her very first mammogram,” she said.

“I felt safe, welcome & the nurses and Doc Norman are real light workers,” she added.

And the good news, according to her, is that both she and her mom were cleared of possible breast cancer.

“Good news! Both Mama and I Chynna Ortaleza are in the clear. I was also taught Photo from Instagram/@chynsortaleza how to properly examine my breasts and was reminded to stay said that the “mammogram did away from food that won’t help me not hurt at all contrary to what & to manage my stress,” she said. I’ve heard.”

For Chynna, it is always impor“The machine is top notch! tant to “prioritize yourself & don’t More of a firm steady hug than lock-in tapings at the height of wait until you are already feeling a painful tear jerking squeeze,” the pandemic lockdowns because ill before you evaluate your body. she said, advising women of 35 he simply wanted to stay close Prevention & Early Detection is and have a history of cancer in the to home. “As a dad, my family key.” family to schedule an appointment is more important than my work As per experience, Ortaleza and empower themselves. g now,” he said.

Meryll added, “Guido is very lucky that he has both his parents by his side. I think it’s a blessing, yung pandemic during our pregnancy, our giving birth at that time, na walang pwedeng pumasok sa bubble namin. We were given the time and space to be parents.

“Because, of course, 14 years ago, that wasn’t my setup. I was a single parent (to Eli)… So, I’m celebrating this time that we’re together. And Joem is a hands-on dad. At first he didn’t want me to even change diapers, he wanted to do it himself, now he lets me do it (laughs). But yes… I really saw how he was changed by fatherhood and how we became closer to each other because of our sons,” the actress further said.

Embracing motherhood the second time around, she could honestly say what a great feeling it is to have a partner in life to rely on.

“Sobrang pilay ako ‘pag wala si Joem kasi grabe yung pag-aalaga niya sa amin. And di lang sa amin ni Guido but yung anak namin Liza Soberano Photo from Instagram/@ lizasoberano na panganay, si Eli. I appreciate everything that Joem is doing for the family and I’m really enjoying it,” she shared.

Joem also looked back on how PAGE B1 the pandemic brought him and Williams and the movie will mark her first full length directorial job.

Meryll back together. “During The film started production in New Orleans three days ago based the pandemic, after 10 or 12 on Newton’s Instagram account. No release date has been set, but years kaming magkahiwalay, bigla the movie will be distributed in the U.S. and internationally by Focus nalang kami nagsama sa bahay ng Features, and Universal Pictures International, respectively. tatlong taong straight. We were Before Lisa Frankenstein, Soberano’s last project was the Netflix’s given the chance to rediscover animated series, “Trese,” where she lent her voice to the Filipino dub ourselves, to take care of our of the titular character. children. Sobrang saya!

It can be remembered that Soberano signed with actor-manager “Minsan nag-uusap kami ang James Reid’s Careless Music back in June. Reid has been part of the hirap no, but at the end of the Los Angeles-based label and artist management company Transparent day, ‘di na namin mababalikan Arts since 2020. He has said in previous interviews that besides trying yung mga ganitong pagkakataon to get his career going in Hollywood, his partnership with Transparent ng mga anak namin. So. we’re Arts would hopefully pave the path for other Filipino artists too. really enjoying whatever we have Soberano is represented by both Careless Music and Transparent Arts with Guido and Eli. Kasi for sure, for this project. g ‘pag tanda nila, dalawa nalang kami sa bahay, magkukwentuhan nalang kami kung ano nangyari (pandemic).”

Meryll revealed that when she PAGE B1 Hosted by GMA News and and Joem first became a couple, Rosita asks Manda if she and Public Affairs pillar Vicky Eli was only two years old and the actor took care of him. Now with Rebecca can live with her first Morales, “Wish Ko Lang” is the arrival of their Baby Guido, – their house in the province celebrating 20 years of granting “it’s like a full-circle moment for is said to have been destroyed wishes with the most cinematic by a storm. Manda is surprised anniversary episodes and him,” she said. g because she has been sending biggest presents to date. them help ever since. Rosita “Bisita” is penned by Riza tells her that everything has del Rio with head writer Erwin been used up. Manda can do Caezar Bravo. The episode is nothing but accept them in directed by Rommel Penesa. their house.

Hannah Precillas sings the Everything is okay at first but theme song “Pag-asa.”

Manda notices that Rosita has The second offering of was tapped to portray the “pic- no plan of leaving soon. Months “Wish Ko Lang’s” month-long ture-perfect” superhero. passed by but it seems Rosita anniversary special airs this “It has been 18 years since and Rebecca have totally made Saturday, August 13, 4 p.m.

I was first approached, sat Manda’s house their own. They on GMA Network with live down and told, ‘We want you to even treat Hailey as their helper, streaming on GMA Public Affairs play Darna’—without it being leading Manda and Willard to social media accounts. (By Deni a dream role of mine growing have arguments. Until when can Rose M. Afinidad-Bernardo/ PAGE B5 Manda tolerate her visitors?

Philstar.com)

Meryll, Joem find ‘comfort’ in being reel and real-life partners By nathalie

M. toMada

Philstar.com

REAL-LIFE couple Meryll Soriano and Joem Bascon felt lucky to be finally paired on screen via the 2022 Cinemalaya Independent Film Festival finalist Angkas.

In the full-length feature directed by Rainerio “Rain” Yamson II, based on the Palancawinning screenplay of Jaymar Castro, Angkas tells the story of friends Leo (Joem), Ditas (Meryll) and Miguel (Ben Alves).

According to the press notes, their relationships intersect once again when Leo is asked to take on a “special assignment.” He is a habal-habal driver but at the same time, the resident ambulance who transports dead bodies from the mountains in their remote village in Compostela Valley.

His estranged friend Miguel particularly seeks his help in retrieving the dead body of their childhood friend and Leo’s former lover Ditas, who joined the New People’s Army and died in the crossfire with government forces.

As Leo and Miguel go on a perilous journey on habal-habal, they encounter playful diwatas, dangerous roads and cliffs, government and rebel clashes, and an unlikely “savior” in a dead woman.

Meryll said she was immediately drawn to the film’s “very powerful characters.” And when she learned that this was inspired by a true story, she said she fell in love with the narrative even more.

“It’s not just a love story, it’s not just about friendship, ang dami niyang tinatamaan pero ang simple-simple niya (the material) but (also) very powerful,” she recently told The STAR in a virtual interview.

As for Joem, part of the reason he joined the project was to keep his promise to direk Rain, a two-time FAMAS winner as a cinematographer, to be part of his directorial debut.

It was also offered at a time when the material resonated strongly with his personal life.

He recalled being at a crossroads where he had a lot of what-ifs like his character.

The actor said, “Malapit na malapit siya sa pagkatao ko nung panahon na ‘yun. Yung nabasa ko siya, the question, ‘What if?’ was

Meryll Soriano and Joem Bascon

always asked in the script. Like, what if this is my decision, will I be able to accept the consequences?

What if (I find myself in the fork in the road) and this is the direction I pursued?

“What if, what if? Puro ganun ang tanong ko sa sarili ko at that time at sa script. What if my character chooses this, will he be happy? Will he be successful in life, but sad in his love life? Or if he’s not successful, will he be super happy in his love life? (But what if) yun yung meaning niya sa ‘success’ sa buhay?

“So, I was at that stage in my life and I was very happy doing the role because it hit close to home. Plus, Meme (Meryll) became part of the casting. I was happy because I was able to act with her on the big screen for the first time.”

For her part, Meryll said her character reminded her of who she was in the past.

“Or a few years ago, before I found maturity. Ditas is somebody who’s really close to my personality before. She’s a fighter, kung ano lang yung paniniwalaan, ‘yun lang ang gagawin. Kumbaga bahala na lahat, basta kung ano gusto ko, ano ang pinaglalaban ko, dun ako.”

Through the role, she said she was able to revisit her “former self.” “It rekindled that fire and but also forgiveness sa sarili kasi malaking parte ng buhay ko yung ganun ako nuon, maybe it’s because I have a bipolar condition. It really resonated (with me) as I was like that before and there’s a lot of forgiveness kung sino man ako ngayon. That’s why I think the role is really special,” Meryll explained.

Meanwhile, Angkas marked the first time that Meryll and Joem acted together on the big

Photo from Instagram/@planetumeboshi

screen. They’ve worked on the same projects but never really shared scenes or storyline until Angkas. Besides that, what made this new film of theirs a different experience is that it came at a time where they have since evolved as actors and individuals.

Said Joem, “It’s different because probably we’ve matured when it comes to our acting.

The film is more of the internal, subtext, and your experiences in life you carry them through your nuances and just the eyes. Hindi mo siya sobrang pinapakita sa lahat ng tao na naghihirap kami o pinaglalaban ko ang isang bagay na ‘to.”

As for Meryll, there’s comfort in working with Joem. “There’s a sense of maturity already and sigurado na kami sa buhay namin.

The connection is really there.

And also the comfort and security not just as actors, but also as people.”

The actress is also excited for the audiences to see Joem’s portrayal in Angkas. “I’ve always believed in him. I’ve always supported him even during the time that we were not together.

I’ve always celebrated him as a really good actor. I’m excited (about that) more than anything.”

Aside from being happy to be reel partners, they are also happy being real-life partners. And as parents, they are both hands-on with their one-year-old son Guido.

To recall, the couple surprised the public when they introduced their son on New Year’s Day 2021 and finally answered speculations of a sweet reconciliation.

“Because he’s my first son, parang binibigay ko lahat sa kanya, attention, lahat. I want to see everything, his milestones and all that he’s capable of doing,” Joem shared.

He recalled struggling with

Iza recounts two surgeries ‘to fix body’ for Darna role: ‘Why was I so impulsive?’ upcoming “Mars Ravelo’s Darna: The TV Series.”

In an exclusive interview IZA Calzado looked back on with King of Talk Boy Abunda, her 18-year Darna journey, from as seen on the latter’s YouTube when she was first offered the channel on Thursday, Aug. 11, titular role in 2004 to her cur- the actress revealed the surgerIza Calzado Photo from Instagram/@missizacalzado rent role as “first Darna” in the ies she had in 2004 after she By anne PaSaJol Inquirer.net

Liza to star in first...

How Claudine lost 60 lbs...

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When any conflict arises Pastor’s Notes reverend rodel G. BAlAGtAS NONE of us wants conflict. On the contrary, we all want to live in peace and harmony. But the reality is that we will always live with conflict. There will always be conflict in the family and among relatives, at work, and in the community; conflict among members of a political party, congress, and city councils; and not to say the least, conflict in the Church, an age-old problem!

And there will always be conflict within ourselves in the critical decisions we have to make and the “demons” and sins we struggle with daily.

I would always tell my students when I was teaching in the seminary to have a “thick” skin when they become pastors to manage and resolve conflicts.

“It’s all part of being a leader,” I would remind them.

The Scripture Readings this Sunday (August 14) speak about conflicts in Jeremiah’s life and that of Jesus and his apostles.

They faced deep conflicts with people of their times. Jeremiah ran into conflict with his people, so they threw him out in a cistern. Aware of some family members’ rejection of him and

his teachings, Jesus told his disciples, “I have come to set the earth on fire, and how I wish it were already blazing.”

So how should we deal with any conflict?

First, we must face it courageously instead of running away. As Brene Brown says, we need to rumble with the emotions arising from any conflict. She states in her book, Dare to Lead: Brave Work.

Tough Conversations. Whole Hearts: “When we find ourselves zigzagging—hiding out, pretending, avoiding, procrastinating, rationalizing, blaming, lying---we need to remind ourselves that running is a huge energy suck and probably way outside our values. At some point, we need to turn toward vulnerability and make that call.”

Second, we need to learn how to enter into honest and challenging conversations with one another. As one priest said, “to be brutally honest with each other.”

Does this mean that we come immediately with our defenses and best arguments? No. It means that we come together safely, first of all, to listen to each other’s feelings and concerns.

As our Christian principles say, to seek first to understand, then to be understood.

Brene Brown describes brave conversations in this way: “Here’s what I’m seeing; here’s what I’m making up

about what I see. I have a lot of questions. Can you help me understand?” Then dig in, take notes, ask questions, followed by “I need some time to think about this. Can we circle back tomorrow? I’ll come to you if more questions come up, and if you have questions, please come to me.”

Third, we must stand by our Christian principles, values, and unselfish intentions for the common good. Dialogue means not always catering to other people’s wishes and opinions. It is standing on God’s side because we can’t stand anywhere else.

The Second Reading from the Book of Hebrew speaks about the need to stand firm in the face of conflicts and opposition: “Consider how he [Jesus] endured such opposition from sinners, so that you may not grow weary and lose heart. In your struggle against sin, you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding blood.”

Friends, let’s deal with conflicts in a most Christian way.

That way, we can live in peace and harmony! . *** 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. *** Fr. Rodel “Odey” Balagtas is the pastor of Incarnation Church in

Iza recounts two surgeries ‘to...

PAGE B2 up [because Darna is] picture-perfect,” she said.

“Beyond Barbie pa ito kasi naka-two-piece, perfect ka dapat.” (This is beyond Barbie because [Darna] is wearing a two-piece [costume], so you have to be perfect.)

“So I did two surgeries to, kind of, fix the body and it wasn’t enough. Because I had lost a hundred pounds—so loose skin and everything—I had a tummy tuck and thigh lift. It was one after the other,” she added.

Calzado recalled having to still audition for the role despite her surgeries, admitting that it pained her at the time when she was not cast as Darna. Nevertheless, Calzado stressed that she was never possessive of the role, and that fellow actress Angel Locsin, who portrayed the iconic superhero at the time, was meant and perfect for the character.

“I let go pero syempre ‘di ba (but of course), the feeling of I did the surgeries for a role, that stays with you,” she stated. “The regret, ‘Why

was I so impulsive in deciding to do this for a specific project na hindi naman natuloy (that did not push through)?’—I had to deal with that, I had to grapple with that for years.”

Calzado then spoke about the self-love journey she underwent which helped her heal and change her perspective. After several years, Calzado was then offered her current role in 2017 “without her manifesting it.”

Aside from her Darna journey, Calzado also opened up about her plans of having a child with her husband Ben Wintle, noting that such a blessing will come in God’s perfect time.

“I think He really has His divine timing and when the time comes, I know that He’ll give me that baby,” Calzado said.

Calzado will be starring in the TV series alongside Jane de Leon, who will be playing Narda, Joshua Garcia and Janella Salvador, among others.

The show, directed by Chito Roño and Avel Sunpongco, started taping in November 2021 and is set to premiere on Aug. 15. g

Misclassification as independent contractors harms workers Protecting Employee & Consumer Rights Atty. C. Joe SAyAS, Jr. JAMES Karl signed a sales associate agreement classifying him as an independent contractor with Zimmer Biomet Holdings, Inc. a company that designs, manufactures, and markets medical products. Karl sold orthopedic devices in the San Francisco Bay Area. He and his team were paid by commissions.

Karl’s time was spent primarily on demonstrating the products, setting them up, and assisting the doctors who use them Karl filed a class action lawsuit against Zimmer in federal court alleging that he and his fellow sales associates in California were misclassified as independent contractors.

Because of the misclassification, Zimmer failed to pay them overtime wages, meal and rest break premiums, and reimbursements for necessary business expenses. After a series of complex procedural setbacks and triumphs, the parties eventually agreed to settle the case. Zimmer has agreed to pay class members approximately $7.4 million.

When Assembly Bill 5 became the law in California, it was intended to deter businesses from engaging in misclassification of independent contractors. The new law states that a person providing labor or services for remuneration shall be considered an employee rather than an independent contractor unless the hiring entity demonstrates that: 1) the person is free from the control and direction of the hiring entity in connection with the performance of the work; 2) the person performs work that is outside the usual course of the hiring entity’s business; and 3) the person is customarily

engaged in an independently established trade, occupation or business.

Even if workers sign an agreement that labels them as independent contractors (IC), this agreement may not be enforced by the courts if an actual employment relationship can be demonstrated between the worker and the hiring entity. Employment status is determined by law, not by the parties’ agreement. This is for the protection of workers.

Independent contractors are not employees and do not have employee rights or protections.

Below are the disadvantages of being an independent

discrimination • No protection from wrongful termination of employment Even if AB 5 continues to be challenged, California courts engage in a factcentered analysis to determine worker’s status. A worker is likely not an independent contractor if the employer retains the right to control the worker’s manner and means of performing the job. If the employer directs the employee on what tasks to accomplish and how to accomplish them then the worker is likely an employee. Classifying them as independent contractors violates the law.

Employees misclassified as ICs lose big time – in money and legal protection. Thus, workers classified as ICs should carefully examine the nature of their working relationship with their companies. If they are really employees, they are entitled to back wages, reimbursements for expenses, and the value of employment benefits such as health insurance, retirement or pension benefits. Knowing your rights at work makes a lot of difference. *** The opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by the author do not necessarily reflect the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints of the Asian Journal, its management, editorial board and staff. *** The Law Offices of C. Joe Sayas, Jr. welcomes inquiries about this topic.

All inquiries are confidential and at no-cost. You can contact the office at (818) 291-0088 or visit www. joesayaslaw.com. [C. Joe Sayas, Jr., Esq. is an experienced trial attorney who has successfully recovered wages and other monetary damages for thousands of employees and consumers. He was named Top Labor & Employment Attorney in California by the Daily Journal, consistently selected as Super Lawyer by the Los Angeles Magazine, and is a Presidential Awardee for Outstanding Filipino Overseas in 2018.]

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Employees misclassified as ICs lose big time – in money and legal protection. Thus, workers classified as ICs should carefully examine the nature of their working relationship with their companies. contractor: • No right to minimum wage • No right to overtime pay for working more than 8 hours per day or 40 hours per week • No right to be reimbursed for business-related expenses • No right to meal breaks and rest breaks during work • No right to the employer’s share of the social security, unemployment and disability taxes (and you cannot collect these benefits if you are fired or laid off) • No workers’ compensation protection if you get injured at work • Not entitled to additional benefits such as sick pay, retirement and profit-sharing plans • No protection from

B6 AUGUST 13-16, 2022 • LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL

Janno, Anjo adapt to modern brand of comedy

By Charmie Joy

Pagulong

Philstar.com

THE style of comedy that was popular back in the ‘90s is still somewhat relevant today, according to veteran comedians Anjo Yllana and Janno Gibbs.

During the recent virtual media conference of their newest film Hello, Universe for Vivamax, the two who were also joined by Gene Padilla shared how they merged the classic and modern brands of comedy to engage the younger generation of audiences.

The fantasy-comedy-drama Hello, Universe is written and directed by Xian Lim and will premiere on Vivamax soon.

“Siguro mixed. Kasi yung mga millennials, that’s how they are. Hindi na rin nila parang naabutan yung comedy nuon,” replied Anjo when asked if the millennials and Gen Z still patronize their kind of comedy.

One that is punchline-laden with slapstick style of humor.

EMPLOYMENT

“Ewan ko lang, feeling ko lang yung mga millennials kasi nga there was a time nung ‘90s na talagang comedy yung malakas. Tapos napunta na tayo sa telenovela ngayon.

Wala masyadong comedy, so siguro mixed. We reintroduce, we invent and at the same time, adapt siguro kaming mga beterano, mga bagong comedy ngayon. Ganern.”

“For me, proven din nung nagbalik kami ni Andrew E., Dennis Padilla with our Sanggano, Sanggago’t Sanggwapo series,” added Janno. “Na-prove lang na para sa akin kasi funny is funny.

Universal ang funny. Basta nakakatawa, alam mo kung ano ang nakakatawa at hindi.

Hindi nagbabago yun. Plus with the younger generation, yung ginagawa namin, it’s new to them. So, sa kanila, ano yun, ‘Iba ‘to.’ Bago sa panlasa nila.”

Gene, brother of Dennis Padilla, concurred, “I’ve talked PAGE B7

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Debt Relief

Atty. LAwrence yAng AT 90 years old, this senior was my oldest client. Everything came crashing down on him during his golden years, unfortunately. He had a business, which looked like it never made money but he kept on doing the business just because it gave him something to do every day.

So, he had $34,000 in credit cards, and $16,000 repo deficiency for the total unsecured debt of $50,000. That’s a significant amount of debt when you’re 90. He was receiving about $2,000 a month with social security a pension but had already sold his house with zero net proceeds two years ago. He has three adult children who are gainfully employed but he just wanted to live by himself, and I guess his three children pretty much left him alone. He was married twice and divorced twice and was already single.

His ex-second wife offered

EMPLOYMENT

Senior passes away right after Chapter 13 plan confirmation to let him live with her in her house. She still loves him. For unknown reasons, ex-wife no. 2 put him on a title to her house!

Oops. Her house already has a very large equity, more than $500,000. She has her own adult children with her first husband.

She had no financial problems until he moved in with her. I won’t go into details but she ended up losing $300,000 of her 401K. The two of them believed a scammer that promised a $10 million pot of gold at the end of the rainbow, if only they forked over $300,000. Wow, what a deal of deals — for $300K, you get $10 million! Let’s not get into that right now. Suffice it to say that if it’s too good to be true, then it’s not true. When someone gives you this kind of proposal where you have to give money upfront to get a big windfall, just walk away and just don’t think about it again. It’s a scam.

For example, for the senior ladies, if you suddenly meet a guy overseas who wants to

marry you and he says that he’s some white dude who is the second cousin of the queen of England, and he sends you a picture of a white dude who looks like Tom Cruise in full military uniform of the British Royal Air Force, better hold on tight to your money in the bank!

The fool and her money will soon be parted. If you actually use up your credit cards to send him $50,000, come see me for a Chapter 7 or Chapter 13, okay?

You are never going to see your prince charming, and you are never going to see your $50,000 again, not in this lifetime.

Putting the senior client on the title to her house was a big mistake because instead of being able to file for Chapter 7 relief, he can only qualify for Chapter 13 to handle the $50K of debt. We could have done his Chapter 7 first and wiped out the $50,000, and then if she still wanted to, she could put his name on the title six months after the Chapter 7 discharge date.

EMPLOYMENT

FOR LEASE

FOR RENT

FOR SALE

But she put him on the title as soon as he moved in with her.

That fact changes the whole ball game in terms of getting the appropriate bankruptcy relief.

When he came to see me the first time, I knew the $50,000 really irritated him to no end, even complaining why he would owe $16,000 of repo deficiency when the car has been returned to the creditor. Sorry, that’s the way contract law works. I can’t blame him for being stressed out. Who wants to have to pay $50,000 of debt at the age of 90? Nobody I know wants this kind of financial stress at any age; what more when you’re already 90 and you don’t know how much longer you have on this earth?

The client then got sick with liver cancer and was given only a year to live. The court confirmed his Chapter 13 case last week. Right after his case was confirmed, the client passed away. Rest in peace and I am sure he is happy now in heaven PAGE B7

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Senior passes away right after...

PAGE B6 with God the Father, God the Son, Jesus Christ, and God the Holy Spirit.

So what happens to his Chapter 13 case, and more interestingly, what happens to his ex-wife’s house that has his name on it? And what happens to all of the $50,000 unsecured debt that he was going to pay through Chapter 13? We will discuss this at a later date.

It’s really better to get rid of your debts sooner than later. Don’t wait too long. If you can qualify now for Chapter 7, just do it now. It’s harder all around if you wait until you’re 80. The spirit is willing but the body is literally too weak at 80. I have another senior client who was only 74 but on dialysis. He also passed away late last year just when the virus began to rear its ugly head. In his case, his joint debtor widow continued the plan payments. She moved in with her son and just rented out their house. It had a default of about $30,000. That was the reason for Chapter 13: to save the house from foreclosure. It was the right move, because the equity is now about $200,000 and she now gets rental income from it, which is net positive after mortgage payment. For her, things worked out.

Her son asked her to move in with him and his wife and family, and she was able to keep her house from foreclosure and benefit significantly from the increase in equity. But of course, although there was that risk of dying, her husband was on the waiting list for a kidney transplant. The husband had a major heart attack at night before they went to sleep. It was too late when the paramedics arrived, he was gone.

My classmate is still in a coma two months

after being infected with the virus. He is still on a ventilator and has suffered multiple mini strokes.

We are praying for a miracle to get him back fully recovered and conscious again. “Ask and it will be given.” “Knock and the door will open.” If it is God’s will, he will bless my friend with a miracle of full recovery. His wife and family still need him.

Businessowner with several restaurants needs Chapter 7 relief The next client is only 50. Believe me, that is young. He owns three restaurants. He sold one recently, but one of his former employees filed a lawsuit for unpaid overtime of several years. He wants to close the 2nd restaurant that is no longer profitable because of the lockdown. The problem is that he personally is on the commercial lease at $7,000 a month for five more years. So he’s on the hook for $500,000 of unpaid rent. His third restaurant is still doing ok despite the lockdown. He wants to keep that restaurant. So, this is not unusual nowadays with the pandemic still untamed here in our beautiful country. This client needs Chapter 7 relief for a fresh start with no debt but with the ability to continue operating the third restaurant. *** Disclaimer: None of the foregoing is considered legal advice. Each case is different. *** 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.

Janno, Anjo adapt to modern brand of...

PAGE B6 with a lot of younger viewers who like to watch comedy shows and movies. Nowadays, because of social media, they can watch on YouTube and Facebook yung mga eksena namin dati. So nagagandahan pa rin sila.”

“Janno was right when he said, ‘Funny is funny,’ wala ka nang dapat baguhin,” he agreed. “Tapos bago nga sa pandinig nila, bago sa paningin nila, so they still appreciate it.

So kami kailangan lang siguro naming ibalik o kaya mag-add on kumbaga na papasok pa rin sa panlasa ng millennial. Just like that.”

“Adjust-adjust lang. Pero hindi namin tatanggalin kung ano kami, kung anong brand of comedy na meron kami because that’s like our bread and butter,” shared Gene.

Anjo and Janno felt nostalgic over their Ober da Bakod days, a sitcom broadcast on GMA Network in the ‘90s, where they played brothers Bubuli and Mokong Dayukdok, respectively.

“Sobrang na-mi-miss (Ober da Bakod times). We worked together in Net25 last year or two years ago but as actors, we really miss each other, acting together. Here (in Hello, Universe), we play best friends.

I think it’s not easy to ‘bake’ or to manufacture one’s closeness.

Us, being best friends will come out naturally in this film.

“Parang hindi pa namin nailabas lahat, parang marami pa kaming tinatagong mga comedy as a tandem and (we are) looking forward nga dito sa Viva. This is our first movie together after signing,” stated Anjo and hoped to show more of their funny sides. “Kasi proven

naman dati na natatawa na naman sa amin (ang) mga tao.

Nagka-noontime show naman kami last year, natawa naman yung tao so…”

Anjo referred to Janno as his “favorite person.” “I don’t know why. On- and off-(cam), vibes kami even if magkaiba kami ng ugali,” and he joked, “Babaero siya, ako hindi (laughs).”

“We are like brothers,” Janno interjected. “That’s why we call each other ‘tol.’”

As per synopsis, Hello, Universe tells the story of Ariel (Janno), a man full of regrets, who believes that his life became miserable after he failed to shoot his “winning shot” during their high school basketball league.

He lost against his rival Mac (Gene), who went on to become a rich and famous basketball coach. He believes that if he just made his “winning shot” in that championship game, maybe his life would have been different.

Ariel’s regrets and insecurities resurface when Mac and his basketball team suddenly return to Ariel’s La Union hometown for the first time in decades. Ariel begins to dwell on his failure to be a good provider to his loving wife, Jennifer (Maui Taylor), their daughter Faith (Madelaine Red), and his mother Osna (Lola Ube). Good thing is, he has a loyal best friend, Rocky (Anjo), to cheer him up. But Ariel has had enough.

Ariel then meets Jessie (Benjie Paras), a mysterious yet hilarious jeepney driver, who magically transports him to an alternate universe, wherein he is rich and successful. Ariel gets to rewrite his past and lives his dream life in an alternate universe. But at what cost?

Hello, Universe is Xian’s second movie as a filmmaker after Cinemalaya’s Tabon in 2019. He also directed Pasabuy, a WeTV original six-episode series, starring Gino Roque and Heaven Peralejo. g

Parent’s right to change child’s residence to another state in custody cases Barrister’s Corner Atty. Kenneth UrsUA reyes PARENTS who are going through divorce and legal separation sometimes have to make a decision to move out of state for various reasons. It may be because their family network is in another state.

This decision often have a significant impact on the visitation of the other parent because it would be more difficult for the noncustodial parent to exercise his or her visitation rights in a frequent and continuing manner if the custodial parent moves to a different state hundreds or thousands of miles away from the non custodial parent.

The parent that has Custody of the child has a presumptive right to change the child’s residence unless the non custodial parent can show that the move would be a detriment to the child. In cases where there has not been any final custody order, the court has to make a custody determination using “the best interest” standard. Court will look at the factors and decide

what is in the best interest of the child. Custody is usually given to the parent that is more likely to allow frequent and continuing contact between the child and the other parent.

On the other hand if there has been a final Custody determination, then the noncustodial parent would have to show a “significant change in circumstances” to change the custody arrangement.

The Court would then consider certain factors laid out in the case Marriage of LaMusga in deciding whether the child would suffer detriment from the relocation and whether a change of custody should be ordered.

The LaMusga factors which the Court will consider are 1) the children’s interest in stability and continuity in the custodial arrangement; 2) the distance of the move; 3) the children’s age; 4)the children’s relationship with both parents; 5) the relationship between the parents including, but not limited to, their ability to communicate and cooperate effectively and their willingness to put the children’s interests above their individual interests; 6) the children’s wishes if they are mature enough to make that inquiry appropriate; 7)

the reasons for the proposed move; and 8) the extent to which the parents currently are sharing custody. *** Please note that this article is not legal advice and is not intended as legal advice. The article is intended to provide only general, non-specific legal information. This article is not intended to cover all the issues related to the topic discussed. The specific facts that apply to your matter may make the outcome different than would be anticipated by you. This article does create any attorney client relationship between you and the Law Offices of Kenneth U. Reyes, P.C. This article is not a solicitation. *** Attorney Kenneth Ursua Reyes is a Board Certified Family Law Specialist.

He was President of the Philippine American Bar Association. He is a member of both the Family law section and Immigration law section of the Los Angeles County Bar Association. He is a graduate of Southwestern University Law School in Los Angeles and California State University, San Bernardino School of Business Administration. He has extensive CPA experience prior to law practice. LAW OFFICES OF KENNETH REYES, P.C. is located at 3699 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 700, Los Angeles, CA, 90010. Tel. (213) 388-1611 or e-mail kureyeslaw@gmail.com or visit our website at Kenreyeslaw.com.

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