081623 - Southern California Midweek Edition

IT may be time for U.S. citizens to take precautionary health measures again as the COVID-19 subvariant called EG.5, dubbed “Eris” on social media, has been on the rise— accounting for 17.3 percent of COVID-19 infections in the U.S. as of Aug. 5, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Dr. Andrew Pekosz of the Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology at Johns Hopkins describes the EG.5 variant as very closely related to the XBB Omicron subvariants that have been circulating in the U.S. for the past six months.

“Notably, it contains one particular mutation that is known to evade some of the immunity that you get after an infection or vaccination,” Pekosz says.

While there’s no need to panic, Pekosz

Filipinos want gov’t to assert sea rights

by Kristina Maralit ManilaTimes.net

MAJORITY of Filipinos want the Philippines to assert its territorial rights in the West Philippine Sea, the latest Tugon Ng Masa (TNM) survey commissioned by OCTA Research showed.

The poll conducted from July 22 to 26 showed 70 percent of respondents wanted the government to resolve the issue diplomatically and peacefully.

In terms of region, the Visayas had the highest percentage (84 percent) of respondents who believe that the Marcos administration should prioritize defending territorial rights in the disputed waters.

Part of the WPS is being claimed by China, which has stepped up intrusions in the area. Mindanao tallied 70 percent, while the National Capital Region (NCR) and Balance Luzon were statistically tied at 64 percent and 67 percent, respectively.

In terms of socioeconomic class, 80 percent in Class E hope for diplomacy and other peaceful methods. Class ABC registered 58 percent and Class D 69 percent.

Almost two-thirds or 65 percent of the respondents said the country must fight for territorial rights through military action.

Seventy-one percent came from the NCR, 69 percent from Balanced Luzon, 68 percent from the

Pres. Marcos: COVID-19 pandemic exposed dangers of fake news

by Jean Mangaluz Inquirer.net

MANILA — The dangers of fake news were exposed during the COVID-19 pandemic, President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. said during the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) of the government’s Media Information Literacy campaign on Monday, August 14.

Marcos said that fake news has infiltrated many facets of life and poses dangers.

“It goes into every part of our lives. It becomes dangerous, it became dangerous during the pandemic because people were giving some very outrageous advice, and this was hurting other people,” said Marcos in his speech in Pasay City.

While Marcos did not specify a specific scenario, his predecessor, Rodrigo Duterte, had said gasoline could be used as a disinfectant.

COVID-19 cases are rising once again, possibly fueled by the emergence of the EG.5 variant. Hospitalization rates jumped by 12.5% nationwide in July, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. This uptick comes even as the public health emergency has ended, taking with it free testing and therapeutics.

And COVID fatigue has set in. People no longer wear masks in public, and a study has determined that the majority of Americans will forego new boosters, which will be available this fall.

At an Aug. 11 panel discussion organized by Ethnic Media Services, three eminent COVID experts examined the rise in cases, the new variant, and the new monovalent vaccine which will be available this fall.

Panelists included:

• Dr. Peter Chin-Hong, Associate Dean for Regional Campuses, University of California, San Francisco and Medical Educator, specializing in treating infectious diseases

• Dr. Benjamin Neuman, Professor of

DFA: Help underway for Hawaii wildfire-stricken Filipinos

by Charie abarCa

THE Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) on Tuesday, August 15 said operations to assist distressed Filipinos in Hawaii following the catastrophic wildfires are ongoing.

In a text message to INQUIRER.net, DFA Undersecretary Eduardo de Vega said the Philippine Consulate General in Honolulu, Hawaii, will help Filipinos there.

“Our consulate is proceeding to Wailuku in Maui today to assist distressed kababayans and to get verified information on casualties, missing persons, etc. They are in constant

touch with the local authorities, as it is the latter who are responsible for these operations,” he said.

“The Filipino nation commiserates with the people of the State of Hawaii over this terrible tragedy,” he said.

Asked if the DFA already has the number of Filipinos affected by the wildfires, de Vega answered, “No exact data yet,” adding that there’s “no confirmed data on Filipino citizens affected by the disaster.”

Citing data from the government of Hawaii, de Vega said the wildfires have already claimed the lives of at least 96 people and that the inferno is “being contained.” n

by Catherine S. Valente ManilaTimes.net

PRESIDENT Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr.'s foreign trips and the reopening of the economy are the main drivers of the increasing employment rate in the country, the Employers Confederation of the Philippines (ECOP) said on Friday, August 11. ECOP President Sergio OrtizLuis Jr. made the statement after the Philippine Statistics Authority reported the country's employment rate increased by 95.5 percent in June this year.

During the Laging Handa public briefing, Ortiz-Luis cited a marked increase in Board

of Investments and Philippine Economic Zone Authority registrations.

Also the president of the Philippine Exporters Confederation Inc., he said the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry has been entertaining delegations that are looking for potential business partners in the country.

"Unang-una talaga tuluy-tuloy 'yung pag-alis natin doon sa pandemic era at tuluy-tuloy ang pag-hire (First of all, we continue to recover from the pandemic era and the hiring also continues)," Ortiz-Luis replied when asked about factors that contributed to the increase in local employment.

The Department of Health had to clarify that Duterte could have just made a joke.

“You would look, these people will say, ‘This is a

DOT optimistic of getting

8 million tourists by 2025

MANILA — The Department of Tourism (DOT) is “optimistic” that the Philippines will welcome a large number of tourists by 2025 similar to the figures recorded before the global pandemic hit.

“The DOT is optimistic that we will be able to breach the 2019 pre-pandemic numbers of eight million by 2025,” Tourism

Undersecretary for legal concerns Mae Elaine Bathan said on Thursday morning,

August 10 during the Philippine Economic Briefing at the Dusit D2 Hotel in Davao City.

In 2019, the DOT recorded a total of 8.3 million tourist arrivals led by South Korea, China, the United States, Japan and Taiwan.

Bathan said an estimated 3.35 million foreign travelers have visited the Philippines as of Aug. 9.

“That’s a little more short for the 4.8 million that we have targeted for this year. This shows how strong our tourism

‘BBM foreign trips, economy’s reopening major job creators’

The DOT is optimistic on the prospects of the tourism sector, especially after President Marcos lifted the state of public health emergency due to the pandemic. Philstar.com file photo

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. with First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos Malacañang file photo

Filipinos want gov’t to assert...

Visayas, and 52 percent from Mindanao.

Sixty-one percent want to strengthen the Philippine military's capability to protect the country's realm.

The rate was highest in Mindanao at 68 percent, followed by NCR and Balance Luzon at 65 percent and 61 percent, respectively.

The Visayas had the lowest percentage at 49 percent.

Forty-one percent called for expanded diplomatic initiatives with countries within and outside the region to reduce tension in the WPS, while 40 percent wanted joint maritime patrols and exercises with ally countries prioritized.

Only 2 in 10 Filipinos, or 19

percent, want to set aside the maritime dispute and focus on the joint economic development of the area.

Tensions between the Philippines and China rose in the past week following the blocking by China Coast Guard of a small vessel that was to deliver supplies to troops stationed in Ayungin Shoal.

Beijing demanded that Manila remove the vessel, BRP Sierra Madre, which was deliberately grounded in the Ayungin or Second Thomas Shoal. China claimed that the Philippines failed to deliver on its promise to remove the vessel.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said he was not aware of any agreement with China to remove the Philippine Navy vessel.

The BRP Sierra Madre, which the Philippines deliberately grounded in 1999 in an effort to check China's advance in the hotly contested waters, has long been a flashpoint between Manila and Beijing.

"I'm not aware of any agreement that the Philippines should remove from its own territory its own ship, the BRP Sierra Madre, from the Ayungin Shoal," Marcos said in a video posted on the Presidential Communications Office's Facebook page, using the Philippine name for the Second Thomas Shoal.

"And let me go further: if there does exist such an agreement, I rescind that agreement as of now," he said. (With reports from AFP)

‘BBM foreign trips, economy’s reopening...

"Ang gobyerno naman tuluytuloy ang pag-encourage ng investment, at maraming biyahe ni Presidente. Hindi naman inaasahan na marami talagang iuuwing investors at 'yun ay tuluytuloy (The government continues to encourage investment, and the President travels a lot. It is not expected that he will bring home many investors, and that will continue)," he said.

The ECOP head also said industries that generated more jobs were construction, agriculture, administrative and food services, and public administration and defense on the government side.

To help the government improve the labor force, OrtizLuis added that ECOP has been carrying out an advocacy campaign and forged an agreement with various state agencies, manufacturers, business process outsourcing and tourism industry to create 1 million jobs.

"These are additional jobs, and we continue to conduct trainings and job matching to help create more jobs," he said.

"And we are working with the DoLE (Department of Labor and Employment) on how to address the problems, particularly the job mismatch," Ortiz-Luis added. Meanwhile, the ECOP head

attributed the gross domestic product (GDP) growth of 5.3 percent in the first half of 2023 to the continued opening up of the economy.

He, however, suggested that the government has to boost its spending to meet its GDP growth target this year.

"Our target is a high of 7 percent, 6 percent, between that is the target for this period. We did not meet that. We have just moved little by little, so we have to catch up," Ortiz-Luis said. He also cited the need to accelerate the government's spending to boost the country's economic growth.

"Those budgets of the departments that are not spent, it is understandable because the people, new administration, new people, they are still studying, they do not yet know how to use the money. But maybe they need to spend their budgets more quickly," the ECOP chief said.

The Marcos government said it would accelerate spending in the coming quarters to recover the momentum following the 4.3 percent economic expansion of the country's economy in the second quarter of this year.

"While government expenditure contracted by 7.1 percent in the absence of election-related spending in the first half of the year, government

spending will accelerate in the coming quarters to allow us to recover our growth momentum," the administration's economic managers said in a joint statement on Thursday.

The Economic Development Group, according to the officials, has already been discussing how various government agencies can expedite the implementation of programs and projects for the rest of the year.

The economic team expressed optimism on the strong and positive prospects of the Philippine economy, believing it could sustain the momentum of its initial gains.

"We firmly believe that the prospects of the Philippine economy remain strong and positive. Our economy has weathered the worst and most challenging times during the pandemic. Now, we are better equipped and more resilient to withstand the various risks and challenges on both the external and domestic fronts," the economic managers said.

"Our robust growth strategies and the active participation of all sectors of society, especially our private partners, will keep us on track to achieving our social and economic transformation agenda toward a prosperous, inclusive and resilient Philippines," they added. n

DOT optimistic of getting 8 million...

PAGE 1

industry is and how optimistic we are that we will be able to breach yet again our targets for this year,” Bathan said.

The DOT is optimistic on the prospects of the tourism sector, especially after President Marcos lifted the state of public health emergency due to the

pandemic.

“We know that tourism is one of the economic drivers of our country and such proclamation signifies that the Philippines is at par with its neighboring countries in terms of safety and travel protocols,” Bathan said. “It also signifies that the Philippines is open and safe

for travel and we are more than willing and ready to welcome our visitors to our shores.” During the same event, Bathan pitched Mindanao as a “viable, safe and worthwhile destination for all” including business executives, officers of local and foreign business chambers and government officials. n

Pres. Marcos: COVID-19 pandemic exposed...

PAGE 1

thing that you can do.’ What they are saying can be ‘We’re pro-vax, anti-vax, wear your masks, don’t wear a mask. It’s a

political statement.’ We were all confused, and there was very little that you could do to find out except to find out who these people were,” said Marcos.

Marcos hoped that with the signing of the MOU, citizens, especially the youth, could be equipped with the tools to identify fake news. n

TEAMWORK. Students clean the windows of a classroom at Batasan National High School in Quezon City on Tuesday, August 15. The nationwide volunteer maintenance activity dubbed “Brigada Eskwela” prepares public schools for Academic Year 2023-2024 that opens Aug. 29. PNA photo by Joan Bondoc

The dangers of fake news were exposed during the COVID-19 pandemic, President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. said during the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) of the government’s Media Information Literacy campaign on Monday, August 14. Malacañang photo

COVID makes a comeback, but new vaccines...

Texas

• Dr. William Schaffner, Professor of Preventive Medicine and Infectious Diseases, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine

What are the origins of the EG.5 variant? Does it differ substantially from its predecessors?

Dr. Neuman: EG.5 is one of the variants that’s spreading the fastest right now. It is a child of a thing called XBB 1.9. Basically, it’s another version of Omicron. And everything that is circulating in the world right now has about 100 to 110 differences from the original version.

This variant is spreading because it has a lot of changes at the receptor binding site that is the target of most of the vaccines and of some of the most useful parts of the immune system. Will the new vaccines recognize the new variant and be effective against it?

Dr. Neuman: When the target changes, you have to change your aim. It has been over a year since we have had an updated version of the vaccine. It’s coming slowly, but uptake has not been great. The total uptake in the US for the bivalent vaccine is only 17%.

The formulation of the new booster is supposed to be a monovalent against the XBB variant. From the studies that we have now, it looks like new variants like EG.5 are close enough that a vaccine against XBB seems to work against it pretty well. So I think it’s a good move, and I wish they’d hurry up to release it.

Hospitalization rates remain relatively stable despite the summer surge of infections. Do you expect that hospitalization rates are going to rise at some point?

Dr. Chin-Hong: There has been a slight uptick in hospitalizations, not a tsunami, not even a surge. The way I think about it is a swell. It’s kind of like a general wave coming. It doesn’t overwhelm you. You don’t get submerged into it, but you kind of ride it until it goes to the shore.

So if you look at California, for example, one year ago, we had about 4700 people hospitalized at one point. And right now we have about 890 people

hospitalized. So in perspective, it’s nothing compared to even one year ago when it was 4700. Why is there a slight swell of cases now?

Dr. Chin-Hong: Four reasons. There are big concerts like Taylor Swift, bringing a lot of people together. And unprecedented heat waves have driven a lot of people indoors. So it’s kind of like a winter almost, even though it’s the summer.

People’s immunity is kind of waning from the last time a lot of people got infected, which was last winter. And then — although it’s speculative at this point — there’s the role of how EG.5 might relate to this uptick.

We’re seeing so many people get COVID in the community. But we’ve all been so exposed to COVID already, so it’s coming on inhospitable soil. More than 95% of us have had an exposure or have had a vaccine at some point. So that probably minimizes or mitigates the risk of serious disease.

Paxlovid and Remdesivir are currently the only therapeutics we have in our arsenal to battle. But they are problematic.

Dr. Schaffner: We know that if you administer Paxlovid — particularly to people at high risk — very shortly after they are infected, we can reduce their risk of developing severe disease. But Paxlovid has limitations, as any therapy does. There are drug interactions. So if you’re taking certain medications, you have to be careful about taking Paxlovid. Or you may not be able to get it if you have kidney failure.

Remdesivir we now use very quickly once the patient is admitted to the hospital. But wouldn’t it be better if we had more therapeutic agents aimed at keeping people out of the hospital?

Will we soon have new therapeutics?

Studies still continue on other therapeutic agents, but I cannot tell you when they will become available. I think we’ll just have to see. But the research community continues, I think, to make some of the very best contributions to the control of COVID around the world.

Can you get long COVID from the vaccines or boosters?

Dr. Schaffner: Let us make it clear the vaccine is not associated with long COVID. There are some people who have received

the vaccine who nonetheless can get COVID. We all know that that can happen. The vaccines seem to have some effect in reducing the likelihood of long COVID. But, yes, you can get COVID, and as a consequence, long COVID, even though you have been vaccinated. But the vaccines really reduce the risk of long COVID.

Minority populations and low-income communities have always been at a higher risk for hospitalization and death from COVID. With the end of the Public Health Emergency, how can we ensure that everyone gets the tests, vaccines, and therapeutics they need to stay healthy?

Dr. Chin-Hong: Throughout the pandemic, we’ve seen a lot of disparities, including and particularly amongst the African American communities, both in terms of who is dying first of all and who is being hospitalized. But then we began to address some of the root causes, which were related to access to testing and related to probably a lot of structural racism. Of course, politics played a role, but even after the new administration, those disparities still persisted.

I think one silver lining was that vaccinations increased uptake in all communities, probably given the advocacy of a lot of grassroots organizations and community-based organizations.

So what is still free, after the Public Health Emergency ended May 11? Vaccines are still free. There’s a bridge program that’s going to probably come into effect nationally that allows people without demonstrating ability to pay to get them at least until the end of the year in California, and probably extended with a national bridge program.

And then if you have insurance or MediCal or MediCare, people are obligated to give you the vaccine for free without a copay because of the Affordable Care Act.

Final remarks?

Dr. Neuman: The moon is far away. Mars is far away. We’ve been to both of those. It seems like the end of COVID is far away right now, but I have to believe that with human ingenuity, we can get there. I think the biggest challenge was and is in people’s hearts, convincing PAGE 4

Proposed rule would make hospital prices even more transparent

by Julie Appleby KFF Health News

“HOW much is the ice cream?”

A simple enough question, featured on a new TV and online advertisement, posed by a man who just wants something cold. A woman behind the counter responds with a smile: “Prices? No, we don’t have those anymore. We have estimates.”

The satirical ad pretends to be a news report highlighting a “trend” in which more retail outlets take up “the hospital pricing method”: substituting estimates for actual prices for the cost of meals, merchandise on store shelves, and clothing. The scene ends with a partially deleted expletive from the ice cream-seeking man.

While the use of estimates in retail settings is imaginary and preposterous, the advertisement is part of an ongoing campaign by the advocacy group Patient Rights Advocate, which contends that some hospitals are still falling short of a law that went into effect in 2021 requiring them to publicly post their prices. Even then, said Cynthia Fisher, the group’s founder and chairperson, too many post estimates rather than exact dollar-and-cent figures.

“People need price certainty,” said Fisher. “Estimates are a way of gaming the people who pay for health care.”

Although government data shows that hospitals’ compliance with price transparency rules

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has improved, updating the requirements of that law is the focus of a new proposal by the Biden administration, which aims to further standardize the required data, increase its usefulness for consumers, and boost enforcement. Even with all that, however, the goal of exact price tags in every situation is likely to remain elusive.

“We’re closer to that, but we’re not there,” said Gerard Anderson, a professor at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, who studies hospital pricing using the data that hospitals have already posted.

The proposed rule is designed to make it easier for consumers to learn in advance exactly what they might owe for nonemergency hospital care — though that was what the original price transparency rules were supposed to do.

Requiring hospitals to post their prices is part of a larger effort to make medical costs less opaque, which could help individual consumers predict their expenses and possibly slow health cost inflation, if it leads employers and insurers to contract with less expensive providers.

But the data files themselves are massive, often hard to find, and complex to decipher.

“Even for us, it’s really hard to use,” said Anderson.

Under current regulations, hospitals must publicly post prices for every service they offer,

from drugs to stitches to time a patient spends in an operating room, as well as show all the bundled costs associated with 300 “shoppable” services, which are things people can plan for, such as a hip replacement or having a baby. Several different prices are required, including those they’ve negotiated with insurers and what they charge cash-paying customers.

Similar regulations, but with more prescriptive details and tougher penalties for noncompliance, went into effect for insurance companies in 2022, requiring them to post prices not only for hospital care, but also for outpatient centers and physician services.

The new hospital requirements proposed by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services help “catch up to what they did with health plans,” said Hal Andrews, CEO and president of Trilliant Health, a market research and analysis company.

“It’s a step down the path to making the data more accessible” to data analysis firms that create online price comparison tools, said Jeff Leibach, a partner at the consulting firm Guidehouse. “And, ultimately, consumers who want to shop will then find this data more easily.” Many hospitals, insurers, and third-party data firms have made such cost comparison tools available.

Even the new requirements PAGE 4

Statewide Filipino leaders endorse Christopher Cabaldon for California Senate

THE campaign for Filipino

American Christopher Cabaldon announced a series of endorsements from prominent Filipino public officials and community leaders throughout the state of California.

Cabaldon was the longestserving mayor in West Sacramento’s history, and was the first openly gay Filipino elected mayor in the United States.

The 57-year-old Democrat is now running for the state Senate seat for District 3. The district stretches over the northern San Francisco Bay Area and the southern Sacramento Valley, and includes parts of North Bay, Napa and Sonoma counties, and the SacramentoSan Joaquin River Delta.

Cabaldon's endorsements

include:

Public officials

· Ruth Uy Asmundson, Mayor of Davis (Ret.) · Vigdis Asmundson, Trustee (Ret.), Davis Unified School

District

· Pamela Bulahan, Mayor of Isleton

· Quirina Orozco, Vice Mayor of West Sacramento

· Mona Pasquil Rogers, former Acting Lieutenant Governor of California

· Mark Pulido, National CoChair, Filipinos for Biden

· Joselyn Geaga-Rosenthal, Past Chair, CDP Filipino

American Democratic Caucus

· Dave Tamayo, Sacramento Municipal Utilities District Board Member

· Frank Aurelio Yokoyama, Treasurer, CDP Filipino

American Democratic Caucus Community leaders

· Sorcy Apostol, Tagalog professor, UC Davis & Sacramento City College (Ret.)

· Alex Avera, President, Ilocano Foundation of California

· Ling Avera, President, Filipino

Family Fraternity

· Cynthia Bonta, Past President, Philippine National Day Association & Founder, Outstanding Filipino Youth Awards

· Ben de Guzman, former National Coordinator for the

National Alliance for Filipino Veterans Equity

· Derek Ledda, Secretary, Filipino American Lawyers Association

· Elmer Manaid, President, Filipino American Association of American Canyon (Napa County)

· Dick Mazon, President, Filipino Community of Sacramento & Vicinity

· Murray Navarro, President, Filipino Fiesta

· Joey Palma, Board Chair, Filipino American Chamber of Solano County

· Connie Pasquil, Retiree

· Jose Patria, Past President, Filipino Women’s Club

· Leila Pereira, President, Filipino Women’s Club

· Anthony Quicho, Past President, Filipino American Association of American Canyon

· Eloise Escano Scott, Chairperson, Vallejo Pista Sa Nayon cultural committee & Past President, Hinunangan Association

· Danny Yap-Diangco, President, Aklan Association

In response to these endorsements, Cabaldon released the following statement: "I am deeply honored to receive the endorsement of such incredible Filipino leaders from across the state. As a Filipino American, our shared heritage and values have always been a driving force of my public service. To have the trust and support of so many leaders throughout the district and the state is truly humbling." n

COVID makes a comeback, but new vaccines...

them not to fear the new and the newly approved and to do everything in their power to stop this virus. Because it doesn’t add anything to life, it only takes it away.

Dr. Schaffner: We have to remind ourselves that although the pandemic has receded, the virus is still with us and will be for the foreseeable future. It has the capacity to make people very, very ill. As I like to

say, the virus is bad, vaccines are good. Take advantage of the new updated booster vaccine that will be available this fall, starting sometime in September. That will provide the best protection for yourself. Make sure your family is protected, and contribute to the protection of your own community.

Dr. Chin-Hong: Who would ever believe that we rallied together as a world to have so

many tools to solve this crisis? It’s going to be around with us for a while: the 1918 flu influenza pandemic, there’s still vestiges still today. But the point is, we have these tools and it’s up to us to use it. And science and taking care of ourselves is not a political issue. We have to take care of all populations and make sure everybody has access and ability to get these tools. (Sunita Sohrabji/Ethnic Media Services)

Proposed rule would make...

may not resolve the demand that is central to the dystopian ad’s ice cream-seeking man: getting exact prices, in dollars and cents. Such specificity may remain elusive for some consumers, if only because of the nature of medical care.

“Each patient is unique and uses a slightly different bundle of services,” said Anderson of Johns Hopkins. “You might be in the operating room for 30 minutes, or it might be 45. You might need this lab test and not that one.”

The proposed rule would, for one thing, further standardize the data required so that reporting is more comparable between facilities. It also mandates hospitals make their data sets easier to find on their websites, which could help data aggregators and consumers alike, and puts administrators in the hot seat to attest that their hospitals have posted all the required information accurately.

Individual hospitals that fail to post properly would face additional publicity by federal regulators: “Consider it a public naughty list,” said Marcus Dorstel, vice president of operations at data analysis firm Turquoise Health, which provides an online tool consumers can use to check prices across hospitals.

In addition, the proposal adds a data category awkwardly called “consumer-friendly expected allowed charges,” aimed at giving more information tied to the varied ways hospitals set prices. In plainer language, those allowed amounts are what hospitals expect to be reimbursed by insurance companies.

Some experts say that will be helpful.

For example, Dorstel said, currently a service might not be listed as a particular dollar amount, but the hospital will show the price is based on “70% of charges.”

“Without the expected allowed amount, that doesn’t tell you anything,” Dorstel said.

Still, critics — such as Patient Rights Advocate, the group behind the new ad campaign — say that nodding to such allowed amounts will lead to even more estimates, rather than what they prefer: dollar-and-cent assessments.

“You and I would not buy a blouse at an average estimated

amount,” said Fisher. Health care isn’t like blouses or ice cream, responded executives from the American Hospital Association when asked about the advertisement and Fisher’s concerns about exact, upfront amounts. In many situations, for example, it may be hard to know ahead of time exactly what kind of care a patient will need.

“Very few health services are so straightforward where you can expect no variation in the course of care,” which could then result in a different cost than the original assessment,” said Molly Smith, AHA’s group vice president for public policy. “Organizations are doing the best they can to provide the closest estimate. If something changes in the course of your care, that estimate might adjust.”

While hospitals’ compliance with posting price information has improved, it still falls short, said Fisher, whose group in a July report said only 36% of 2,000 hospitals it reviewed complied with all aspects of the current law, marking as deficient those that had incomplete data fields or used formulas instead of dollar prices.

But the American Hospital Association says Fisher’s group “misconstrues” hospital compliance, in part because hospitals are allowed to leave spaces blank, if, for example, they don’t have a cash-only price. And formulas are allowed if that is how the prices are set.

The hospital group points instead to a CMS report from earlier this year that showed compliance was increasing year over year. It said 70% of hospitals were compliant with the current requirements of the law.

It took some doing to get that far. Since 2021, the federal government has sent more than 900 warning letters to hospitals about their posted data, with most resolving those concerns, according to the proposed rule. Four hospitals have been fined for failing to comply with the transparency law.

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

‘Eris’ on the rise: What we know...

PAGE

suggests those susceptible to severe COVID-19 such as the elderly and those with medical conditions should take care not to dismiss respiratory symptoms.

Like in previous variants, EG.5 symptoms include headache, cough, fever, fatigue, and muscle aches.

“Its disease potential appears to be exactly the same as other variants’ as well. The antivirals currently available should work against it,” adds Pekosz. “And the diagnostic tests, both the at-home rapid tests as well as tests that you get at medical facilities, all should recognize this variant quite well.”

With EG.5 closely related to XBB variants, the new COVID-19 vaccine targeting the XBB 1.5 variant set for a fall rollout is expected to protect against EG.5 as well.

“Based on the available

evidence, the public health risk posed by EG.5 is evaluated as low at the global level, aligning with the risk associated with XBB.1.16 and the other currently circulating variants of interest,” wrote the World Health Organization in its EG.5 Initial Risk Evaluation on Aug. 9.

“While EG.5 has shown increased prevalence, growth advantage, and immune escape properties, there have been no reported changes in disease severity to date,” the WHO went on to say. “However, due to its growth advantage and immune escape characteristics, EG.5 may cause a rise in case incidence and become dominant in some countries or even globally.”

This serves as a reminder for us that COVID-19 is still around and we should keep ourselves updated on how we can protect ourselves from it. (Amrie Cruz/Inquirer.net)

Christopher Cabaldon

Sandigan junks Napoles appeal on ‘pork’ case

by ElizabEth MarcElo Philstar.com

MANILA — The Sandiganbayan has denied another attempt of detained businesswoman Janet Lim-Napoles to be cleared of a plunder case in connection with the alleged misuse of the Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) or pork barrel of former congressman Edgar Valdez.

In a resolution promulgated last Aug. 8, the court’s Fifth Division said Napoles failed to raise any new meritorious argument in her motion for reconsideration that would warrant the reversal of its July 4 resolution, in which the court refused to admit her memorandum containing the summary of arguments and evidence her camp presented during trial.

Napoles, in her memorandum, prayed to the court to acquit her of the case, insisting that the Office of the Ombudsman’s prosecution panel failed to prove her guilt beyond reasonable doubt.

In its new resolution, the Fifth Division maintained that the memorandum must not be admitted for being filed beyond the 30-day deadline.

The Fifth Division had earlier noted that while Valdez and the prosecution filed their memoranda last Feb. 15 and Feb. 20, respectively, Napoles only filed her memorandum on March 31, more than a month from the deadline of filing.

Besides, the Fifth Division pointed out, refusal to admit Napoles’ memorandum will not

result in violation of her right to due process as the filing and admission of a memorandum is not mandatory and is solely upon the discretion of the court.

Furthermore, the court said, all the parties were already given the opportunity to be heard and present their evidence during the trial.

Meanwhile, in the same resolution, the Fifth Division also denied Napoles’ appeal to take judicial notice of the transcript of stenographic notes (TSNs) of the testimony of primary state witness Benhur Luy, in which Luy supposedly admitted that he has no proof that the kickbacks allegedly received by Valdez came from Napoles’ JLN Corp. or from non-government organizations (NGOs).

“After careful examination of the issue at hand, we are not persuaded to take judicial notice

of TSNs pertaining to the crossexamination of witness Benhur Luy by accused’s counsel,” the Fifth Division said.

With the denial of Napoles’ appeal to have her memorandum admitted by the court, the case is now deemed submitted for decision.

Filed by the ombudsman in 2015, the case stemmed from the alleged misuse of Valdez’s PDAF from 2004 to 2010 during his term as representative of the party-list group Association of Philippine Electric Cooperatives.

Valdez allegedly received P57.78 million worth of kickbacks from Napoles in exchange for allocating his PDAF to the businesswoman’s bogus NGOs for the supposed implementation of his livelihood projects. The ombudsman said the projects turned out to be fictitious or were never implemented.

Valdez and Napoles were granted bail by the Fifth Division in April 2016.

Valdez had earlier posted P1.71 million bail for his provisional liberty while Napoles remains in detention at the Correctional Institution for Women in Mandaluyong City following her conviction of plunder in connection with the misuse of PDAF of since reelected Sen. Ramon Revilla Jr.

Napoles is also named as coaccused in the pending plunder cases against former senator Juan Ponce Enrile, reelected Sen. Jinggoy Estrada and former Masbate Third District representative Rizalina SeachonLanete. n

PRA defends Manila Bay reclamation projects

MANILA — Philippine Reclamation Authority (PRA) assistant general manager Joseph Literal is defending reclamation projects in Manila Bay, maintaining that the projects are compliant with government requirements.

“(The 13 Manila Bay reclamation projects which were all underway) have scrupulously obtained their Environmental Compliance Reports, area clearances and necessary certifications while adhering to additional prerequisites,” Literal said in a radio interview over the weekend.

He added that the projects un-

derwent “meticulous environmental evaluations, encompassing comprehensive studies delving into climate change impacts, geological analyses and holistic ecological ramifications.”

In a statement sent to The STAR, Literal claimed that the projects would not cause flooding in the mainland as reclaimed lands would be situated 20 to 200 meters from Manila Bay’s coastlines.

The 13 approved reclamation projects would develop only 5,000 of the estimated 199,000 hectares in Manila Bay from Navotas

City to Tanza in Cavite, he noted. There are a total of 22 reclamation projects nationwide. President Marcos suspended the 22 reclamation projects last week pending review of their compliance with environmental laws.

As for Chinese companies blacklisted by the United States and involved in the reclamation projects, Literal said they “possess Philippine Contractor’s Accreditation Board special licenses, substantiating their non-blacklisted status and compliance with Philippine laws, evading blacklisting.” (Philstar.com)

MANILA — Malacañang

defended on Monday, August 14 a fashion show held inside the Palace last week, saying no public funds were used for the event.

Deputy social secretary Dina Arroyo Tantoco made the response following criticism of the fashion show dubbed “Isang Pilipinas,” which was held at the Goldenberg Mansion on Aug. 8, featuring the collection of fashion designer Michael Leyva.

“The government does not spend anything on the event because it is paid for by the

designers and private institutions they partner with,” Tantoco said in a statement.

This was the third of the “Fashion at Goldenberg” series project of First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos. Tantoco said the objective of the fashion show series is to provide a platform for Filipino artists to show their work in a historical setting “relevant to our cultural Identity.”

“The output is a collaboration between various creatives in the industry and creates awareness, thereby generating demand, for local fabrics and designs which

have always been instrumental in our cultural identity,” she said. Militant farmers group Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP) said on Saturday, Auugst 12 the fashion show was inappropriate as the county “is deep in debt.” KMP chairman Danilo Ramos earlier challenged other sectors to criticize the “extravagant” spending habit of the First Family. He said the event happened after many Filipinos were affected by recent calamities and the rising prices of rice, food and other commodities. (Helen Flores/Philstar.com)

Janet Lim-Napoles Philstar.com file photo

Sentinels of sovereignty

THE Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague has spoken, and awarded the Philippines sovereign rights over Ayungin or Second Thomas Shoal. The United States, the European Union, the Group of Seven and Australia, among others, have publicly recognized the PCA ruling, which also invalidated China’s so-called nine-dash-line claim over nearly all of the South China Sea.

So it’s time for the Philippines to more forcefully assert those sovereign rights, awarded in accordance with the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, which both the country and China have affirmed. Based on UNCLOS, the PCA defined the Philippines’ maritime entitlements within its 200-nautical-mile exclusive economic zone.

Editorial

ran aground the vessel on the shoal. His defense secretary at the time, Orlando Mercado, has denied that Estrada made any promise to the Chinese that the ship would be removed. President Marcos has said that even if any such commitment was made, he was rescinding it.

The PCA ruling specifically awarded the Philippines sovereign rights over Ayungin, Panganiban or Mischief Reef and Recto or Reed Bank, and ruled that China has no right to shoo away anyone from Panatag or Scarborough Shoal.

Beijing has refused to vacate Panganiban, where it first built huts that it claimed were fishermen’s shelters. The reef has since been converted into an artificial island, with the huts transformed into a multistory concrete military installation.

With the arbitral award, the Philippines can claim the right to develop Ayungin, or at least to upgrade the facility that houses a Marine outpost. The rusty, World War II-vintage BRP Sierra Madre looks like a badly injured whale beached on Ayungin. In 1999, the administration of Joseph Estrada deliberately

Babe’s Eye View

BaBe Romualdez

PHILIPPINE Coast Guard spokesperson Commodore Jay Tarriela correctly called out a few misguided Filipinos who defend China’s aggression and even act like its mouthpiece as unpatriotic and a traitor to our country.

“If you are a Filipino, whether in government or private sector, regardless of your politics, defending and making excuses for China’s aggressive behavior should deem you unpatriotic, and a traitor to the Philippines and to our people. Given current developments in the West Philippine Sea, it is important to show loyalty to country.

“While I recognize freedom of speech as an important right guaranteed by our constitution, it should not be misused as a means to justify unpatriotic actions by acting as China’s mouthpiece,” Tarriela posted on Twitter, underscoring that all Filipinos should “stand united in protecting our nation’s interest” in the wake of China’s unlawful and aggressive behavior in the

What the current administration can do is support moves in Congress to upgrade the Ayungin outpost to something befitting the military personnel assigned to the shoal, who are sentinels of the nation’s sovereignty. Unlike the artificial island building undertaken by the Chinese, the improvement of the Ayungin outpost should not destroy the marine environment.

Several senators are pushing for the allocation of at least P100 million in 2024 for permanent improvements in Ayungin, such as the provision of a pier and decent lodgings for the personnel stationed there as well as fishermen of all nationalities who might seek shelter during bad weather. The proposed funding will be under civilian agencies such as the Department of Public Works and Highways and the Philippine

Coast Guard, which is under the Department of Transportation.

The Chinese coast guard, unlike other such services in most countries, is not a civilian agency but is under its Central Military Commission. The

Philippines cannot match the military resources of the world’s second largest economy. But the Philippines can give its Marines stationed in Ayungin the decent facilities that they deserve. (Philstar.com)

We support and stand by our Philippine Coast Guard

West Philippine Sea, whose rich resources are for Filipinos. Commodore Tarriela’s post – which has since garnered hundreds of thousands of views and shared on social media platforms such as Facebook –has elicited strong reactions and angry comments, describing these “traitors” as descendants of the “Makapili” who collaborated with the enemy and betrayed fellow Filipinos during World War II. No one can really blame the PCG spokesman for expressing such sentiments because if anything, the members of the Philippine Coast Guard are at the frontline in defending our country’s maritime territory from encroachment, with no less than President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. recognizing the PCG’s role in “defending our economic zones and our baselines.”

Aside from defending our territory, the PCG is also tasked with protecting Filipino fishermen and ensuring their safety while they engage in fishing activities which have been their source of livelihood for generations. Absolutely no one doubts the kind of harassment and bullying that

his water cistern project at Fort Bonifacio in Taguig City, was met with vehement opposition from the local politico.

Filipino fishermen have been subjected to by Chinese Coast Guard and militia vessels that shadow the fishing boats, forcing them to leave traditional fishing grounds that are within our exclusive economic zone.

Filipinos rely on our fishermen for the supply of fish which is a staple food, but according to the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources, Chinese incursions have contributed to the decline of fish production in 2022 –which is ironic considering that we have one of the longest coastlines in the world, even longer than the United States or China.

China’s bullying and aggression is a highly emotional issue for patriotic Filipinos so when they hear a few misguided, “intellectually stupid” people acting like China’s apologists, justifying the reprehensible actions of Chinese Coast Guard and militia vessels in the West Philippine Sea, it really makes them feel so angry. It will not be surprising if it drives them to become a lynch mob.

The recent incident where the Chinese Coast Guard conducted dangerous maneuvers and sprayed water cannons at two

Philippine boats carrying rice, water, vegetables and other food supplies for troops stationed at the BRP Sierra Madre in Ayungin Shoal is just another example of the relentless harassment and bullying that we have been facing for years. While China keeps professing that it wants to resolve maritime disputes through “peaceful means,” clearly its actions indicate otherwise.

At the Singapore Shangri-La Dialogue last June, Commodore Tarriela pointedly asked Chinese Defense Minister Li Shangfu: “While China is talking about dialogue, China’s actions show confrontation. Why is there a big difference between China’s words and its actions?” The Chinese Defense Minister did not give a direct answer.

Like so many Filipinos, we commend the men and women of the Philippine Coast Guard who are true patriots, and it’s no surprise that they are getting a lot of support from our countrymen, including patriotic legislators like Senator Francis Tolentino and Senate President Migz Zubiri who declared, “I stand… with our Coast Guard men and women as they face

hostile actions by intruders right on our very own seas.”

Senator Risa Hontiveros, who has been very outspoken, is also getting so much respect. “China is not a friend. She is not even a good neighbor. Hindi tayo papayag na wala tayong gawin habang inaabuso at inaalipusta niya ang ating mga kababayan sa sarili nating karagatan (We will not just do nothing while they abuse and insult our countrymen in our own seas),” she said.

The response of the President to China’s claims that the Philippines promised to remove the BRP Sierra Madre, an active Philippine Navy commissioned vessel (which was deliberately grounded in Ayungin Shoal in 1999 and currently a military outpost manned by Philippine Marines), also uplifted the spirits of Filipinos.

“I’m not aware of any agreement that the Philippines should remove from its own territory, its own ship, the BRP Sierra Madre, from the Ayungin Shoal. And let me go further – if there does exist such an agreement, I rescind that agreement as of now,” the president said.

Saying “the Philippines has not and will never enter into any agreement abandoning its sovereign rights and jurisdiction over Ayungin Shoal,” National Security Council Assistant Director General Jonathan Malaya challenged the Chinese government to identify the person or persons who made such promise to them.

Support is mounting for the proposal to refurbish BRP Sierra Madre, with Senate President Migz saying the Senate will fund a request, hailing our “brave men and women of the Marines and Navy” who deserve “our unconditional support as they sacrifice themselves for us.”

More and more countries are joining Filipinos worldwide in condemning China’s aggression and violation of our sovereign rights in the West Philippine Sea.

More importantly, true Filipinos support our troops.

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

* * *

Email: babeseyeview@gmail.com

PERCHED at the very center, flanked by a legion of national and local politicos eager to make their mark, he remained cool and composed. Although there were hints of exhaustion, he remained focused throughout the hour-long briefing. Though the nation’s most powerful man, he acted more like a school principal—gently listening to the counsel of various officials in attendance.

Far from a domineering patriarch, President Marcos gently moderated back-andforth exchanges among those in attendance. The occasion was a very public “situation briefing” among multiple stakeholders on the persistent flooding crisis in Pampanga. He kept his cool, politely directing questions and seeking clarification from various quarters.

And then, all of a sudden, the temperature in the room rose to a boiling point. Former public works secretary Rogelio Singson’s proposal for a water impounding system, similar to

“We will not allow the impounding of Candaba Swamp … If you want a security problem, go ahead and ruin the livelihoods of all the farmers in Candaba. We will walk out from here,” Pampanga Rep. Anna York Bondoc said, clearly asserting her authority as a local government leader. At this point, however, Mr. Marcos immediately stepped in. He firmly, yet politely, explained the science as well as economics behind Singson’s proposal. He also reassured his local government counterpart that “[w]e have no interest in destroying the livelihoods of our farmers [in Candaba]. We will not leave them behind …”

Instead of engaging in populist antics or bullying subaltern politicos to please his ego or base, he pellucidly explained the rationale behind the proposal of Singson, who served as former president Benigno Aquino III’s infrastructure czar. In barely a single minute, he also evinced a respectable degree of familiarity with the fundamentals of environmental science, which

clearly took some in the audience by surprise. At once, he was both presidential and authoritative. The curious episode was refreshingly revealing. It stood in stark contrast to preconceptions about Mr. Marcos prior to his assumption of power. Forget about the whole host of sensational rumors— and, at times, slanderous comments—circulating among his supposedly progressive critics. No less than former president Rodrigo Duterte, in a thinly veiled public rant, tried to justify his refusal to endorse Mr. Marcos in last year’s elections: “I am not impressed by him. He is really a weak leader.”

In fairness, Mr. Marcos’ tenure, so far, can be credibly criticized for a whole package of gaffes. From trafficking in historical distortion to multimillion “rebranding” projects and a multibillion Maharlika sovereign wealth fund, there is no shortage of questionable moves. And mind you, we are yet to see whether this administration will have any robust form of anti-corruption initiative, which is crucial both to our democratic health as well as economic dynamism. Having said that, Mr.

Marcos has clearly exceeded expectations on many fronts, most notably on foreign policy. By all accounts, it was the former president who was a “weak leader” when it came to defending the West Philippine Sea. Instead of prosecuting our national position, he repeatedly echoed Beijing’s version of geopolitical reality. By alienating our closest allies, he empowered our rivals.

And his self-styled trip to Beijing last month, which effectively made him a “special envoy” to China, is a telltale sign of the former president’s foreign policy track record: Tough on the crimes of the West a century or half a millennia ago, but totally diffident (if not enabler) in face of Oriental imperialism in the Philippines’ own backyard.

In stark contrast, Mr. Marcos has consistently adopted an uncompromising stance, including on the finality and binding nature of our 2016 arbitral tribunal award victory under the aegis of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.

Crucially, the President has been flanked by an impressive group of individuals, including Defense Secretary Gilbert

Teodoro, Ambassador Jose Manuel Romualdez, and Philippine Coast Guard spokesperson Commodore Jay Tarriela, who have taken up the cudgels for the rule of law in our region. So far, Mr. Marcos has shown that one need not become a “strongman,” like Duterte or his father, in order to be tough where it counts. It remains to

be seen, however, if this is more signal than noise for his full term in office. (Inquirer.net)

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

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. Malacañang photo

Rice prices surge to P56 per kilo

by Ramon EfREn LazaRo Romina CabReRa Philstar.com

MANILA — The Department of Agriculture (DA) said it is probing manipulation or hoarding that has jacked up rice prices that have reached P56 per kilo in the market.

DA deputy spokesman Rex Estoperez said the government is monitoring and taking steps to stabilize rice prices.

“If rice prices right now are reaching P56 (per kilo), that’s not right. We will import if needed. This is what we do to stabilize (prices),” Estoperez said in Filipino.

He said the DA can task its Inspectorate and Enforcement Office to conduct monitoring even if the National Food Authority (NFA) has lost its regulatory powers.

“Someone is saying there is stockpiling of palay and rice; that will be our focus. Even if the NFA has lost its regulatory function, we will ask the Inspectorate and Enforcement Office to grant visiting powers to see if someone really is manipulating (prices) or hoarding,” Estoperez said in an interview on radio dwPM.

He said they are verifying reports that boatloads of rice were imported into the country, and that some traders were overpricing their stocks.

Still, Estoperez noted that rice prices have been affected, as the harvest season is over and won’t begin again until October.

Prices of imported rice have also increased, particularly in Vietnam, that has also led to price increases.

Estoperez said some traders are playing with the prices, offering as low as P38 per kilo for very limited quantities, and that is affecting the price structure.

“It’s ruining the price structure. They’re selling in low quantities and raising prices. People are panic buying,” he added.

The DA official said the department is willing to help out private traders and retailers if they need assistance in logistics.

Estoperez also called for the review of the Rice Tariffication Law, but noted that they are still awaiting data from the

private sector in terms of buffer stocks to ensure that the country has enough rice. He noted that the NFA only has nine days of buffer stock, while the rest of the 81 days should be shouldered by the private sector.

“If it’s less than 81 days with the private sector, there will be trouble and our national inventory will be lacking. That’s what we need to address,” he said. No manipulation

Rice traders in the Intercity Industrial Estate and Golden City Business Park – two of the country’s major rice trading centers – have denied allegations by some quarters that they are involved in rice price manipulations.

Rice stakeholders claimed that the Bureau of Internal Revenue has started conducting revenue inspections on rice traders in the two major rice trading centers, but wondered why the inspections are being conducted when rice and palay stocks are currently thin and business is on a slump.

A text message in Filipino forwarded to The STAR states, “They (BIR) said issued receipts must have the buyer’s address… the penalty would be P5k per receipt.”

On the other hand, Malou Tolentino, Bulacan coordinator of the Philippine Rice Industry Stakeholders Movement, confided that many wholesale rice traders in Bulacan are thinking of temporarily shutting down their business due to the high cost of palay that translates to the rising prices of rice.

Meanwhile, rice trader Tony Santos said that the country is now currently at the peak of the “rice lean months” wherein stocks of the grain are thinly spread throughout the country.

He cited that rice prices usually increase during these times, as palay traders and rice traders have thin volume stocks of the staple grains, and prices follow the law of supply and demand.

Santos explained that the law of supply and demand states that prices are determined on the volume and supply of a product, wherein if the supply of a good or service outstrips the demand for it, prices will

fall. If demand exceeds supply, prices will rise.

Citing reports from some quarters that rice traders manipulated the spike in rice prices, Santos urged these sectors to first assess the meaning of rice lean months; assess if the NFA or what government agency has enough rice buffer stocks for the country’s rice lean months; the effect in the increase of fuel prices and the rising dollar-peso exchange rate.

“What really happened is that rice prices in the world market increased,” Santos said in Filipino.

On the other hand, Rosendo So, president of the Samahang Industriya ng Agrikultura (SINAG), in a telephone interview, denied there is a rice cartel.

Just like Santos, So said the country is at the peak of the rice lean months and the DA can conduct inspections on rice/palay warehouses.

The inspections can only show thinly stocked volumes of rice/palay, he said. So added that based on their monitoring, rice farmers engaged in a three-cycle crop season are currently harvesting their rice crops like in Pangasinan.

Farmgate price of fresh palay is pegged at P25 per kilo and farmgate price of clean and dry palay at P30 per kilo, he said.

However, So noted the bulk of the country’s rice harvests is expected to take place in October, and farmgate prices of fresh palay is expected to go down to P23 per kilo and clean and dry palay to P28 per kilo.

At these price ranges, production cost of rice would translate to P2,146 per 50-kilo sack or P42.93 per kilo. Plus, the mark-up price of retailers will cost less than P50 per kilo.

Currently, imported Vietnam rice is being sold in the local market at P2,500 per 50-kilo sack or P50 per kilo, while imported Thailand rice is being sold in the local market at P2,600 per 50-kilo sack or P52 per kilo.

That’s why rice importers have only orders until October, since these will have stiff competition from locally produced rice that is cheaper compared to imported rice. n

Kai Sotto medically cleared to play for Gilas in Fiba World Cup – SBP

LanCe agCaoiLi Inquirer.net

MANILA — Kai Sotto has been cleared to join Gilas Pilipinas in the remainder of its preparation for the Fiba World Cup 2023 starting August 25.

Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas president Al Panlilio on Tuesday announced that the team’s medical team and the 7-foot-3 center’s doctors have cleared Sotto after he suffered from back spasms from his NBA Summer League stint.

“I was there the other night as I’ve said. Everybody was there. Kai [Sotto] was there, Scottie [Thompson] was there, JC [Jordan Clarkson] was there. So the whole 16 players were all there,” said Panlilio during the special edition of the Philippine Sportswriters Association (PSA) Forum at Meralco Multi-Purpose Hall.

“Kai also played. And just to really share, our doctors spoke yesterday to the doctors of Kai, the SBP doctors and he’s been cleared to play. That’s good news. He’s been cleared to play and again,” he added.

“We didn’t see any MRI results. What we wanted to do to really put closure and also move forward and really just focus on the games. Our doctors met. The doctors of Kai and our doctor, doctor Randy Molo met and they’ve cleared him.”

Panlilio bared that the 21-year-

old only needs to get in top shape after missing the action for the past few weeks since arriving from Las Vegas, where he played for the Orlando Magic in the Summer League.

“Obviously, what Kai needs to do next ten days is to really improve his fitness because he’s also not been playing. So I think that’s one aspect of the game that he really needs to work on and I think he was working hard the other night, you can see that he’s getting tired at some point

but I think that that’s the area that needs to work on in the next days. He’s cleared to play,” he said.

The SBP chief expects Sotto to join the three friendlies of Gilas Pilipinas before the World Cup, facing Ivory Coast, Montenegro, and Mexico

“We’re looking forward to seeing him play also in the friendlies to get ready… I mean for everybody to get ready when the games start on the 25th,” Panlilio said. n

The Asian Journal MDWK

AUGUST 16, 2023

Heart Evangelista breaks silence on falling-out with glam team: ‘Life is like that’

By haNNah mallorCa Inquirer.net

AMID the speculation shrouding the falling-out between Heart Evangelista and her previous glam team, the actress-socialite appeared to be taking an equanimous stand on the matter, saying that it’s simply a part of life.

Rumors of Evangelista allegedly firing her previous glam team came to light following a blind item by DJ Jhaiho, in which he said a “famous celebrity” dismissed her “stylist and makeup artist” because they allegedly maxed out her credit card.

This led to netizens to speculate that the host was referring to Evangelista, and her former makeup artist Justin Louise Soriano, and former hair stylist Jeck Aguilar.

Following DJ Jhaiho’s blind item, Soriano went on to speak up about the rumors on social media days later, although he clarified that their spat had “nothing to do with money matters.”

In an interview with GMA’s 24 Oras on Monday, August 14, Evangelista briefly addressed the issue when asked by Lhar Santiago to comment about the falling-out.

“Life is like that… Marami

tayong pagdadaanan (We go through a lot) with our careers and our personal life and everything is for a reason and everything is for us to, you know, be stronger so we can face everything else in life,” she said, without disclosing any details about the disagreement.

Evangelista said that her husband, Senator Francis “Chiz” Escudero would always advise her that “everything is made for a reason.”

“My husband would always tell me with glory comes the punches, so you can’t have a perfect life and nobody is perfect. So everything is made for a reason to make us better people and stronger,” she

Why Cinemalaya win ‘a big deal’ for Dolly de Leon

claimed.

Prior to Soriano’s revelation, an old video containing the actress-socialite appearing to be shocked about a certain someone’s betrayal resurfaced on Tiktok, where she noted that her credit card apparently follows a 24 months to pay basis.

“‘Yung ready ka na sana magwaldas dahil may mga nangg*g* sayo pero nakalimutan mo na may 24 months to pay na pala sa card mo (When you’re ready to spend all of your money because someone betrayed you, but you forgot that your card follows a 24 months to pay basis),” the video read.

Why do rainy days and Mondays get songwriters inspired?

IT was a rainy Monday morning and a friend posted these lyrics on his Facebook page: “Talkin’ to myself and feeling old/ Sometimes I’d like to quit/ Nothin’ ever seems to fit/ Hangin’ around/ Nothin’ to do but frown/ Rainy days and Mondays always get me down.”

The song was Rainy Days and Mondays, which was a huge hit by The Carpenters. It was composed by Roger Nichols with lyrics by the brilliant singer/ composer and actor, Paul Williams. Remember him in Phantom of Paradise, Planet of the Apes and others? He has also written other songs like Evergreen, We’ve Only Just Began, You and Me Against the World, Rainbow Connection and others.

For Rainy Days and Mondays though, Williams fell into what is called the Monday trap in songwriting. For some strange reason, Monday, named after the moon goddess and the first working day of the week, always gets a bad rap. Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday are plain weekdays. Everybody is thankful for Friday. Satuday, which in the old days was when people took a bath, is now more associated with fun. Of course, Sunday is all sunshine and a day to relax in.

Nobody seems to like Mondays and this is evident in all of those Monday songs The Mamas and the Papas sang, “Monday, Monday, can’t trust that day/ Monday, Monday, it just turns out that way…”

The Bangles told of “It’s just another manic Monday/ I wish it was Sunday/ cause that’s my fun day…” The Boomtown Rats were more specific, “I don’t like Mondays/ I want to shoot the whole day down.”

Maybe this is because after the Saturday and Sunday lull, Monday is the start of work and

the school classes. A rigorous schedule comes to play, also the medical appointments, the bill collectors and all the things to do, most of them unpleasant, that were put off from the previous week, return as haunting wraiths.

This is not so with the rain even if it comes with thunder and lightning. The downpour brings on traffic jams and floods, expenses for house repairs, not to mention colds and flu. But maybe because of the water’s association with verdant fields and bountiful harvests, there remains something joyous and even romantic about the rainy season. And the same goes for rain songs.

Gene Kelly sang and danced to “I’m singing in the rain…” The Cascades found music with “Listen to the rhythm of the falling rain…” The Creedence Clearwater Revival went looking for it, “Have you ever seen the rain…” It is an invitation from Diana Ross, “Cause I love you any way, come in from the rain…” And look at what happened to Barry Manilow, “I made it through the rain and found myself respected by the others who got rained on too and made it through.” And many others.

Filipino songwriters stay away from songs about the

days of the week. The only one I can think of is “Lunes, nang tayo’y magkakilala…” Maybe this is because our days of the week are of Spanish origin and do not fit well with the flow of the Tagalog language. But not so with rain or ulan, which they seem to love.

George Canseco turned Boy Mondragon into a hitmaker with “Rain gently falls whenever we say goodbye…” The Itchyworms sang about “Raindrops are falling, water is whistling…” The Apo Hiking Society did “Pumapatak na naman ang ulan sa bubong ng bahay…” Aegis opened emotions with “Heto ako ngayon, basang-basa sa ulan…” Ryan Cayabyab romanced with Buhos na ulan, aking mundo’y lunuring tuluyan, tulad ng pagagos mo’y di mapipigil ang puso kong nagliliyab…”

And what can you say about the No. 1 selling Filipino song of the moment from Lola Amour, “It’s been raining in Manila, hindi ka ba nilalamig…” The perky tune has even spawned a joke. It is said to be the reason why it just keeps raining in Manila these days.

The rains are okay as long as we are home and cozy and the dams don’t overflow. But like what Paul Williams wrote, “just not on Monday mornings.”

(Baby A. Gil/Philstar.com)

By mariNel Cruz Inquirer.net finalist [Adolfo Alix Jr’s ‘4 Days’].

IT felt so good,” said Dolly de Leon, who, after personally accepting trophies she has won in different parts of the globe, admitted that it was her first time ever on Sunday night, August 13 to ascend a local stage for an award. Dolly bagged the best supporting actress honor for Carl Joseph Papa’s “Iti Mapukpukaw” at the recently concluded 19th Cinemalaya Philippine Independent Film Festival.

She has already brought home five trophies for her performance in Swedish director Ruben Ostlund’s “Triangle of Sadness” from award-giving bodies in Sweden, Portugal and the United States.

“It’s my first time delivering a speech in front of a local audience while accepting an award. I’ve won [in 2020], but the trophy was just delivered to my house,” Dolly said of her best supporting actress recognition for Raymund Ribay Gutierrez’s “Verdict” from the Filipino Academy of Movie Arts and Sciences.

“I have not had this experience before. I’m so happy, especially because Cinemalaya is a big deal to me,” added Dolly, who also appeared in another full-length finalist, Dustin Celestino’s Ang Duyan ng Magiting.”

In “Iti Mapukpukaw,” Dolly plays a mother to a mute portrayed by Carlo Aquino. “The message of the film is that if you have been dealing with trauma for quite a while now, it’s OK, you have someone who will listen to you; and if you are too afraid to talk, that’s OK, too. We will give you all the space to heal. Just know that we’re here for you,” she pointed out.

Meanwhile, Mikoy Morales was heralded best actor for his performance in Gian Arre’s “Tether.” Mikoy said he felt “shocked” upon hearing the good news. “It hasn’t sunk in yet. I’m just on ‘function mode’ right now until I get home, where I imagine I’ll most likely break down,” he told Inquirer Entertainment after the awards show held at Philippine International Convention Center in Pasay City on Sunday night. “This community really means a lot to me. My first film ever was also a Cinemalaya

Almost a decade later, this happened. It’s too much for me right now.”

Talking about what he hoped the audience would learn from the experience of James, his character in “Tether,” Mikoy said: “Be aware of toxic relationships. It’s hard to distinguish one when you’re in it. ‘Tether’ is also based on the concept of empathy, which is important in order to get to know your partner. Also, you have to be sensitive enough so you won’t end up hurting each other.”

Newcomer Pat Tingjuy won best actress for Samantha Lee’s “Rookie,” which follows the queer romance between two volleyball stars, her character Ace and Aya Fernandez’s Jana.

Just like Mikoy, Pat said, “I still can’t believe that this happened to me. To think that I haven’t gotten used to the fact that I played Ace. I hope to continue acting. Sayang naman since I’m already here.”

Understood

Pat said she felt thrilled to have witnessed the support that the LGBTQIA+ community gave to the project. “I guess they all felt and understood what the two characters are going through.

I’m happy that they’ve embraced the movie. For people who are like Ace, just accept yourself for who you are and be brave. It’s as simple as that,” she said.

Bon Andrew Lentajan is this year’s best supporting actor for Ryan Machado’s “Huling Palabas.” The movie also bagged the best director prize for Machado.

Bon, who grew up in Bulacan, said it was a challenge for him to speak Bisaya for the movie, which was shot entirely in Romblon.

“It was really all about how to deliver my lines naturally. I also had to deliver it in a specific tone. We had to make sure to do it right because whatever error we commit would reflect on the image of Romblon,” he pointed out.

“We studied the language for two to three weeks. While we had a language coach on the set, we also tried to talk with the locals in Bisaya.”

Bon dedicated his award to fellow actor JM Canlas, who passed away a few days before the festival concluded. “We

attended acting workshops together. We also saw each other at auditions. His brother, Jerom, is part of the movie as the assistant director. His other brother, Elijah, as well as their parents, also helped when we were raising funds for this film,” said Bon.

Meanwhile, Carl described the best picture victory of “Iti Mapukpukaw” as “bittersweet.” The film, which is Cinemalaya’s first animated full-length feature, also won the Netpac (Network for the Promotion of Asian Cinema) Award.

“I’m happy because any form of recognition is a validation of the work of everyone in the production team. The experience is quite bittersweet because, in a perfect world, this kind of story wouldn’t exist. But here we are, convinced that this story needs to be told. Hopefully, Cinemalaya will become a vehicle to get its message across,” he said.

A showcase

“I’m happy for the animation team. We rarely get to see original animated content from the Philippines, so this is a showcase for them. This shows that there are good animators here who could also do Filipino stories,” he declared.

Ang Duyan ng Magiting” won the award for best ensemble, as well as the Special Jury Prize. “Tether” was also awarded best sound design for Gian Arre.

Kevin Mayuga’s “When This is All Over” won the best original music score for Kindred Music Productions, best production design for Kaye Banaag, and best cinematography for Martika Escobar.

“Gitling” won best screenplay for Jopy Arnaldo, while “Rookie” won best editing for Ilsa Malsi, as well as the Audience Choice award.

Kim Timan and Sam Villareal’s “Hm Hm Mhm” won the Special Jury Prize for short feature, while Mike Cabarles copped the best director for the short film “Makoko sa Baybay.”

Januar Yap’s “Sibuyas ni Perfecto” is this year’s best short film, while “Hinakdal” won the Netpac Award for shorts, as well as best screenplay for Arvin Belarmino and Kyla Romero.

Paolo Contis on relationship with Yen Santos: It’s doing great

By Nathalie tomada Philstar.com

PAOLO Contis recently explained why he’s keeping his relationship with girlfriend Yen Santos away from the public eye. The actor was also asked for his reaction to news about the upcoming wedding of his ex, LJ Reyes.

“It’s a very conscious decision. It’s quiet and better. It’s doing great,” he said when asked by The STAR and a few other reporters if he was intentionally keeping his relationship off social media, on the sidelines of a look test for his upcoming film, Fuchsia Libre, with Volpi Best Actor John Arcilla over the weekend. (The father-and-son story is Paolo’s fourth film with the production company this year; more on this in a separate story.)

Past experiences led to this decision to be more private. “Yun na nga ang naging

Continued on Page 10

problema… masyado nang maraming alam, which is, again, also my mistake. I shared too much, I shared a lot and then I stopped there. So hanggang dun lang alam nila. So nung nagdecision tayo na ‘wag na maglabas, hanggang dun lang alam nila,” he said.

Asked if that meant he also had no plans of bringing Yen to public events, like his premieres, the actor said, “Wala naman ganun. Eventually maybe,” adding that he just wants to protect Yen from bashers.

“For now, you know, I will not subject her to any criticism just because I want to be with her in public. She does not deserve that,” he said.

“Ganun din naman kung lumabas kami sa premiere night or kung lumabas kami for dinner, dinner nalang kaming dalawa, mas tahimik.”

He is open to working with Yen on another film after their first film together, A Faraway Land

Continued on Page 10

Filipino songwriters stay away from songs about the days of the week. But not so with rain or ulan, which they seem to love. National Artist for Music Ryan Cayabyab (left) romanced with Tuwing Umuulan At Kapiling Ka, while No. 1 selling Filipino song of the moment from Lola Amour is Raining in Manila. Photos from artists’ official social media

Dolly de Leon (second from left) with the cast of “Ang Duyan ng Magiting”

(L-R) Celebrity makeup artist Justin Louise Soriano, Heart Evangelista and celebrity hairstylist Jeck Aguilar.

Photo from Instagram/@justinlouisesoriano

‘We’re all underpaid’: Chito Miranda recalls ‘90s bands’ plight, explains why today is OPM’s ‘Golden Age’

Filipino American art exhibition celebrates rich cultural heritage, diversity

LOS ANGELES –

Tambayan Collective is thrilled to announce the opening of a groundbreaking Filipino American art exhibition, showcasing the vibrant and diverse artistic expressions of the Filipino American community. The exhibition, entitled “You are Welcome,” is set to take place at 3118 Sunset Blvd., in Los Angeles from August 18-19, 2023.

With the aim of promoting cultural exchange and fostering a deeper understanding of Filipino American identity, “You are Welcome” will feature an extraordinary collection of artworks, including paintings, sculptures, photography, mixed media, and more. Through these artistic creations, visitors will embark on a visual journey that captures the essence of Filipino heritage, stories, and experiences.

The exhibition is a collaborative effort of talented Filipino American artists, curators, and community organizations. By bringing together various art forms, “You are Welcome” highlights the richness of Filipino culture, its history, traditions, and the continuous evolution of its diaspora experience.

“We hope that ‘You are Welcome’ will not only inspire art enthusiasts but also create meaningful conversations about the significance of Filipino American art and culture. Through this exhibition, we aspire to strengthen the connection between the Filipino American community and the broader public,” the event organizers stated.

The Filipino American Art Exhibition is open to all, and encourage is encouraged to attend and explore the creativity and talent that reflect the unique identity of the Filipino American community.

The list of participating artists include Jared Abayata, Clarisse Abelarde, Trixi Agiao, Alex J. Cabalu, Alfred Camacho, Jon Steven Camacho, Rimski Chua, Vianca

David, Jonji Decastro, Tomas De Los Reyes, Amy Doyo, John Yoyogi Fortes, DJ Javier, Krylik, Bodeck Luna, Mary Rose Cabarrubias Mendoza, Dee Jae Paeste, DB Quiero, Jimmy Quinzon, Candace Reyes, Kyle Reyes, Steffany Maybel Reyes, Michael Rippens, Walid Shaharul, Kyrie Ventura, and 6Shorty.

Artist/curator Edmund Arevalo is first generation Filipino American artist who lives and works in Los Angeles. His paintings, sculptures and installations tell the stories of colonial histories, familial narratives, and the Filipino diaspora. Arevalo combines portraits of family and archival materials to

retell and challenge traditional narratives of migration and cultural assimilation. Arevalo is the recipient of the Quinn Emmanuel Artist Fellowship (2023), and a Not Real Art Grant (2019). His work has recently been included in South Land Vol.2 (2022) at Charlie James Gallery, Barrio mi Barrio (2022) at South Gate

Museum, and Tambayan Vol.2 (2022) at Residency Art Gallery. Arevalo’s work has also been exhibited at public institutions such as the Los Angeles Municipal Art Gallery, Torrance Art Museum and Los Angeles City College. Edmund Arevalo will receive a B.A. in Art from California State University Dominguez Hills (2023).

Event co-curator Timothy Obar, aka Timmy TWOTONE, is a Filipino-American freelance photographer and graphic designer. Born and raised in Santa Ana, CA, he now resides in Long Beach, CA. His work is truly inspired by building community, shedding light on individual experiences, and connecting through cultural diversity.

One of the exhibit’s featured artists is Clarisse Abelarde, an immigrant from the Philippines who is incredibly influenced by adaptation and the changes that occur when assimilating to a culture foreign to her own upbringing. Displacement and disorientation are two prominent themes in her paintings as she attempts to pinpoint her place in society. Her work deals with issues of identity and representation.

As she develops her more recent work, Abelarde’s paintings echo the visceral impact of the abstract expressionist movement as she is drawn to their physicality and raw emotion. Combining the techniques and skills she has accumulated throughout the years, she sees a balance between chaos and structure.

Another featured artist is Alfred Timothy Adriano Camacho whose artistic practice focuses on the importance of vulnerability being viewed as a strength instead of a weakness. His paintings and drawings explore the short-lived feelings of relief and hopefulness before sharp disapproval and criticism from others.

Alfred Timothy is a Filipino-American artist, who

was born and raised in the Bay Area with Ilocano roots from Caba, La Union in the Philippines.

Visual artist/painter Jimmy Quinzon, also one of the artists featured in “You are Welcome,” is a 60-year-old native of Manila, embarked on a life-changing journey when he migrated to America in 1999. Hailing from a family with strong Ilocano roots, his father originally hails from La Union, while his mother proudly hails from Bagued, Abra. Despite enduring a challenging decade on dialysis, Jimmy’s resilience shone through as he found solace and passion in the realms of art and music.

A multi-talented individual, Jimmy embraced music and graphic design while working full-time during the 1990s. However, it was his love for painting that truly ignited his artistic spirit. He became a classical academic traditional portrait realist, heavily influenced by iconic artists like Rembrandt, Ruben, Van Dyke, Bouguereau, Ingres, and Solomon J Solomon. Jimmy’s motto, inspired by Rembrandt’s wisdom, is “without atmosphere, a painting is nothing.” Guided by this principle, he infuses each masterpiece with captivating ambiance and emotion, drawing viewers into the world he skillfully brings to life on the canvas. In 2020, during the pandemic, he returned to painting with renewed vigor, dedicating himself wholeheartedly to his craft and captivating audiences with the timeless allure of his classical masterpieces.

This exhibition is a testament to the thriving creativity of Filipino American artists. Organized by Tambayan Collective and curated by Edmund Arevalo and Tim Obar, the exhibition aims to showcase the rich cultural heritage and diversity of the Filipino American community through various art forms.

(Tambayan Collective Release)

“You are Welcome” artist/curator Edmund Arevalo

Painter Alfredo Camacho

Painter Clarisse Abelarde

Visual artist/painter Jimmy Quinzon

“You are Welcome” co-curator Tim Obar

‘We’re all underpaid’: Chito Miranda...

From Page 8

‘yung kanta ng mga banda,” he said.  Pero nu’ng time na ‘yun we were all underpaid, hati hati kami sa isang hotel room, kadalasan walang decent backstage or dressing room, ‘di maganda ‘yung soundsytem...

at kahit sobrang sikat na ng mga bands, para pa rin kaming mga 2nd class citizens compared sa mga mainstream singers and artistas. Pero we loved it kasi... rakenrol kami eh! And we loved the fact that we were outcasts, kasi it was cool not to be a part of their

Yassi Pressman seen getting cozy with Sandro Marcos, Luigi Villafuerte

By Jan Milo Severo Philstar.com

system. Sobrang saya ng ‘90s,” he added.

Chito said that in today’s OPM scene, artists don’t need recording companies to produce their song as they are now backed by modern technology.

“Pero for me, ngayon ang Golden Age ng OPM. Artists and bands now don’t need mainstream media and recording companies anymore (not that mainstream media nor having a recording contract is a bad thing), but artists now are no longer dependent on them to make it big,” he said.

Pwede na silang mag-sulat lang basta ng kung anong trip nila, without considering kung ‘patok ba sa masa’ or kung ‘radio friendly’ ba ‘yung kanta.

Pwede sila mag-record at magrelease kung kelan nila gusto.

Kaya sobrang solid ng mga artists ngayon eh... kasi naririnig talaga natin ‘yung actual artistic intention nila without compromise.

Kumbaga sa painting, we get to see their most honest artwork... tapos nakakatuwa kasi sobrang patok sa mga Pinoy.

Tapos, ang masaya dun, bands and artists now get paid, and are treated, like celebrities.

Mula sa mga oldies namin tulad ng PNE and KMKZ, hanggang sa mga younger artists like Ben&Ben, DecAve, Zack Tabudlo, Flow G, SB19, etc... all are now treated how artists should be treated.”

Chito also commended music festivals such as Bobapalooza, Wanderland and others, who are giving OPM a platform to perform in front of thousands.

Sobrang ganda na ng mga Music Festivals, with kids actually buying tickets, backed up by major sponsors, sobrang ganda ng mga stage, and world class ‘yung soundsytem, nakabusiness class na palagi... wala kaming ganito nu’ng 90s,” he said.

“1st hand ko nakita at na-compare yung value na binibigay nila sa bands noon at ngayon... and sobrang saya ko na ganito na nila i-treat ‘yung mga bands ngayon. Mabuhay ang OPM,” he added.

Continued on Page 11

Paolo Contis on relationship with Yen...

From Page 8

(2021), also under MAVX. “‘Pag gusto na niya, I think mag-aano na yan. Naniniwala ako MAVX would get her, if there will be an opportunity.”

“Nag-e-enjoy siya ngayon eh (away from the cameras),” he said.

Does Paolo ever entertain the idea of settling down?

Darating rin naman yun, darating yung time na yun…,” he admitted.

Yung nangyayari sa akin ngayon, itong lahat ng trabahong ito, blessing ito, kasama ito sa pag-aayos ng lahat para sa future mo and everything. And ‘pag lahat maging maayos, that’s the only time we can think about that. Siempre ayoko maging unfair sa lahat ng parties (I don’t want to be unfair to all parties) Gusto ko kapag ready, malinis lahat. I think Yen deserves that.”

Asked if Yen is “the one” for him, he said, “Oo naman, bakit hindi? I mean, yung pinagdaanan naman… She’s a very, very good person. Katulad ng sinabi ko, she deserves a clean slate.”

As the whole industry knows, the start of their relationship was fraught with controversy and the actor bombarded with criticism. It has been two years since, but his career didn’t take a heavy hit.

Mahirap yung time na yun. Hanggang ngayon naman… pero again, ‘pag yung core samahan, yung mga sinasamahan mo eh okay naman, kumbaga hindi ka napabayaan, malaki ang suporta… never kong inakala maano ko siya, madadaanan ko

siya, masu-survive ko siya.”

Paolo is probably at his busiest these days with a daily TV show and successive movies. And for that, he is grateful.

“Thankful ako na… siguro testimony? That at the end of the day, in this industry, importante, hindi yung personal mo na problema kasi kahit pinagdadaanan ko yun, I made sure na maayos ako katrabaho, na professional ako, na ginagawa ko ang kailangan kong gawin

“And now that the blessings are coming in… lagi kong sinasabi, halimbawa ako yung… gusto kong may doctor ako, na nuknukan ng galing but may personal siya na problema, ‘di ko siya kukunin dahil mayroon siya na personal na mali? I think hindi di ba? So, for me, sana ganun din ang tao pagdating sa ganun. Hiwalay yung personal

ko.”

Paolo, nevertheless, readily owned up to past mistakes.

“Yes, mali. Maraming mali and yes inaayos ko siya personally na ‘di niyo kailangan malaman but I hope you also see the professional side that I’m doing what I can at work.

I’m thankful to MAVX, GMA, Sparkle, TAPE because they’re looking at my professionalism, not my personal problems.” One press member, who was close to Paolo, told him that with his career going well, he hoped the actor’s relationship with his three daughters — one with LJ and two with ex-wife Lian Paz — will be fully OK.

“It will come,” he said, expressing hope, but tightlipped on the matter.

Asked what his prayer was on that aspect, “ang lagi kong prayer sana hindi kayo makialam,” he joked, before turning serious while explaining, Kasi alam mo, sa akin lang, the problem is… I hope you understand that anything you say, iibahin yan.

“So mas magandang tumahimik kasi kung ano man ang sabihin ko ngayon, yung mga magagaling na vlogger and content creator kukuha ng picture ko umiiyak, kukunin yung ganun para sa clickbait para kumita.”

Meanwhile, Paolo was also asked for his reaction to LJ’s upcoming marriage in the US.

“Of course, I’m very happy for her na nakita niya yung pagibig,” he sincerely expressed. “I don’t have anything bad to say, she has the right to be happy. Karapatan niya yun and I’m very happy that she’s happy.”

Paolo Contis on girlfriend Yen Santos: ‘I

Yassi Pressman with Sandro Marcos (left) and Luigi Villafuerte (right) Benrome Viola via Facebook,@_kitkatsz via TikTok

MANILA — Following the viral video of her getting cozy with presidential son and Ilocos Norte Rep. Sandro Marcos, actress Yassi Pressman is once again making waves as Camarines Sur Gov. Luigi Villafuerte plants a friendly kiss on her cheeks.

Grandparent visitation in California after the death of a parent

Barrister’s Corner

WHEN a parent dies, the surviving parent sometimes cuts off their children from the deceased parents family and grandparent. The children relationship with the grandparent from the deceased parent may be severed by the surviving parent. This can be especially difficult for young children, who may have had a close relationship with their deceased parent’s parents. California law recognizes the importance of grandparent visitation in these cases, and allows grandparents to petition the court for visitation rights with their grandchildren after the death of a parent. Who can petition for grandparent visitation?

Under California Family Code Section 3102, the following relatives of a deceased parent may petition the court for visitation rights with the deceased parent’s child:

• The deceased parent’s children • The deceased parent’s siblings • The deceased parent’s parents • The deceased parent’s grandparents When can grandparents petition for visitation?

Grandparents can petition for visitation rights at any time after the death of a parent.

However, the court is more likely to grant visitation if the petition is filed soon after the death.

What factors does the court consider when deciding whether to grant visitation?

The court will consider a number of factors when deciding whether to grant grandparent visitation, including:

• The nature and quality of the relationship between the grandparent and the child prior to the death of the parent

• The child’s age and developmental stage

• The child’s wishes, if the child is of sufficient age and capacity to form an intelligent understanding of the issues

• The surviving parent’s objections to visitation

• The effect of visitation on the child’s emotional and physical health

• The effect of visitation on the child’s relationship with the surviving parent

What if the surviving parent objects to visitation?

The surviving parent’s objections to visitation will be given “special weight” by the court. However, the surviving parent’s objections will not automatically prevent the court from granting visitation. The court will still consider all of the factors listed above, and may grant visitation even if the surviving parent objects.

What happens if the court grants visitation?

If the court grants visitation, it will order a specific visitation schedule. The visitation schedule may include in-person visits, phone calls, or email exchanges. The court may also order that the

grandparents pay child support or other expenses related to visitation.

Grandparent visitation can be a valuable way for grandparents to stay involved in their grandchildren’s lives after the death of a parent. If you are a grandparent who is interested in petitioning for visitation rights, you should speak with an experienced family law attorney. An attorney can help you understand your rights and options, and can represent you in court if necessary.

* * *

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, APLC 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, Estates and Trusts section, and Immigration law sections 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, APC is located at 3699 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 747, Los Angeles, CA, 90010. Tel. (213) 388-1611 or e-mail kenneth@ kenreyeslaw.com or visit our website at Kenreyeslaw.com. (Advertising Supplement)

Yassi Pressman seen getting cozy with...

From Page 10

Yassi hosted the 74th Foundation Event of Bombon, Camarines Sur last Sunday, August 13.

In the trending video, Yassi and Luigi are teasing each other with a kiss.

Ako na lang ha [ang kikiss],” Yassi said.

The crowd, however, wanted the governor to initiate the kiss.

Palakpakan po natin Yassi Pressman. Ang espesyal na tao sa puso ni Gov. Luigi. Bagay ?” Luigi said with a smile after the kiss.

Last month, a TikTok video of Yassi and Sandro

Filipino Americans set to debut at the Walt Disney Concert Hall in ‘Jazzmopolitan™’

FOUR exceptional Filipino American artists will be making their Walt Disney Concert debuts at “Jazzmopolitan”, an evening of eclectic vocal and instrumental jazz music on Saturday, August 19.  The star-studded lineup, headlined by Grammy-award winning sextet TAKE 6 and the versatile and prolific jazz guitarist Peter White will also see performances by saxman Michael Paulo, jazz vocalist Melissa Morgan, singer/songwriter Chris Chatman and two-time Grammy winner Tia Carrere.

getting cozy with each other in an event also trended online.

The video, however, is now deleted.

Rumors are circulating about Yassi and her boyfriend Jon Semira parting ways, yet she has neither confirmed nor denied these speculations.

Paulo, one of the versatile saxophonists in pop, soul and contemporary jazz for nearly 35 years, was the saxman for the legendary singer Al Jarreau for over ten years.  He’s also played with the iconic Johnny Mathis and artists including Oleta Adams, David Benoit, Patti Austin, Kenny Loggins and Jeffrey Osborne.  He joined the pop/rock Hawaiian band Kalapana at a young age and was a featured player on their albums from 1975 through 1979. In 1988, He recorded his first major solo release “One Passion” which was critically acclaimed as one of the most influential records in contemporary jazz.  Paulo founded and produced the Temecula Wine and Music Festival and the Pacific Rim Jazz Festival in Hawaii aside from numerous jazz concerts in California and Hawaii.

Jazz musician John Clayton called Melissa Morgan’s voice “sassy and sexy” and once you hear her sing, it’s both…and more! Born and raised in New York City, she began studying piano at a young age and in 2002 she received a degree in jazz vocal performance

from SUNY Purchase Conservatory of Music. In 2004, Morgan was named a semi-finalist in the prestigious Thelonious Monk International Jazz Competition (judged by none other than Quincy Jones, Al Jarreau, Kurt Elling, Jimmy Scott, Dee Dee Bridgewater and Flora Purim).  She released her debut album “Until I Met You” in 2009 to enthusiastic and critical reviews. Listen closely, and you can hear the influences of Nancy Wilson, Dinah Washington and Billie Holiday is her wondrous singing. Singer/songwriter Chris Chatman was born and raised in Los Angeles but he has traveled the world pursuing his vocal dreams.  He’s been fortunate enough to perform with the likes of Gladys Knight, Chicago, Billy Idol, AJ Rafael, Tituss Burgess and Lin-Manuel Miranda, just to name a few.  Now, he’s working on his first EP with Grammy Award-winning A. Blake. Audiences have seen actress Tia Carrere in movies (“Wayne’s World”, “True Lies”, and most recently, “Easter Sunday”) and on television (“Relic Hunter”, “Dancing with the Stars”, “Curb Your Enthusiasm”, to name a few) but most people do not know she’s also a two-time Grammy award winning singer. Collaborating with her long time friend and fellow Grammy winner Daniel Ho (who will be playing with the singer during the evening’s performance), Carrere won her first Grammy for Best Hawaiian Music Album “Ikena” in 2009. And just two years later, she won her second Grammy for “Huana Ke Aloha”. She is set to co-star in the upcoming live action remake of Disney’s “Lilo and Stitch”.