AUGUST 20-23, 2022 Volume 32 - No. 66 • 2 Sections – 18 Pages DATELINE USA FROM THE AJPRESS NEWS TEAM ACROSS AMERICA PAGE A4 by KLARIZE MEDENILLA AJPress by NEIL ARWIN MERCADO Inquirer.net Comedian Jo Koy speaks to a crowd at a community screening of “Easter Sunday” hosted by Los Angeles mayoral candidate Rick Caruso (left) at The Americana at Brand in Glendale, California on Tuesday, August 16. Also joining was film producer Dan Lin AJPress(middle). photo by Andy Tecson by AJPRESS Fil-Am former congressman TJ Cox arrested, charged with 28 counts of fraud Fil-Am man sentenced to 45 days in jail for role in Jan. 6 riot PAGE A2 Bongbong Marcos meets US congressional delegation Los Angeles County to begin moneypoxsecondadministeringdosesofvaccine PAGE A2 Courts allow De Lima to receive visitors from US Congress ‘A CELEBRATION OF FILIPINO AMERICANA’
LA mayoral candidate Rick Caruso hosts a celebration of Jo Koy’s ‘Easter Sunday’ by DONNABELLE GATDULA-AREVALO AJPress
MANILA — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said Wednesday, August 17 he will be extending the state of public health emergency due to the COVID-19 pandemic untilAskedyear-end.byareporter whether he will lengthen the state of public health emergency, which is different from the state of national calamity also declared due to COVID-19, Marcos answered in theSayingaffirmative.that amending emergency procurement laws could take time, he told reporters
The 28 charges include “15 counts of wire fraud, 11 counts of money laundering, one count of financial institution fraud, and one count of campaign contribution fraud” in which he made contributions to his own campaigns under a different name, according to a release from the U.S. Department of Justice. During his 2018 congressional run, Cox is alleged to have allocated $25,000 in illegal “straw or conduit donations” in order to pay “family members and associates for donations to his campaign.”TheDOJ report said that Cox stole more than $1.7 million in client payments and company loans and investments from 2013 to 2018, when
Kene Brian Lazo faces 45 days in jail for his participation in the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S.ImagesCapitol.viaNorfolk City Jail, FBI court filings at the sidelines of a vaccination event in Manila that “we will likely extend it (state of public health emergency) until the end of the year.”A state of public health emergency was first declared in March 2020 by then President Rodrigo Duterte in Proclamation No. 922 as the country logged its first 10 cases of COVID-19. The proclamation provides that the state of public health emergency “shall remain in force and effect until lifted or withdrawn
Marcos says to extend state of public health emergency until year-end
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IN a bid to court the Filipino American vote, Los Angeles mayoral candidate and real estate billionaire Rick Caruso recently hosted a special community event in celebration of the first major Fil-Am Hollywood studio film "Easter Sunday," starring stand-up comic Jo TheKoy. event, dubbed “A Celebration of Filipino Americana," had Jo Koy and the film's producer, Dan Lin, in attendance. In hosting the event, Caruso said it is only befitting to hold a very special day for the Fil-Am community,
MANILA — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. met with the United States congressional delegation on Thursday, August 18 in a bid to continue and further strengthen the partnership between the Philippines and the U.S. The U.S. congressional delegation, which was led by Senator Edward Markey, visited Marcos in Malacañang. “We look forward to continuing our partnership with the U.S. in the areas of renewable energy use, agricultural development, economic reform, and mitigation of drug problems,” Marcos Jr. said in a Facebook post. The congressional delegation earlier visited Taiwan days after China held military drills around the island in retaliation for U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s visit. n US-PH TIES. President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. meets with the U.S. Congressional Delegation headed by Senator Edward Markey at Malacañang Palace in Manila on Thursday, Aug. 18. Marcos expressed hope for an improved PhilippinesU.S. cooperation in the fields of economics, energy and agriculture. Malacañang photo
THE Filipino American man who was famously photographed carrying a walis tambo (broom) during the January 6 attack on the United States Capitol has been sentenced to 45 days in jail. Kene Brian Lazo of Norfolk, Virginia was sentenced by a federal judge on Thursday, August 18 to 45 days in jail after being arrested in May 2021 for his participation in the Jan. 6, 2021 riot at the Capitol. He previously entered a not guilty plea to the charges in connection with the incident. Lazo wore a black helmet, googles, and an American flag cape while carrying a 'Captain America'-style shield and the Filipino broom.
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ACTING on her urgent motion, courts where former senator Leila De Lima has pending cases have allowed her to receive visitors from the United States Congress. In separate orders released to the public on Friday, the Regional Trial Court Branch 204 and Branch 256 of Muntinlupa City granted the motion from De Lima’s camp to let lawmakers from the United States, led by Senator Edward John Markey, visit her detention facility. De Lima is still detained at the Philippine National Police (PNP) Custodial Center inside Camp Crame over drug-related charges. De Lima earlier said the accusations are baseless given the recantation of the prosecution’s witnesses and the dismissal of the other charges against her. Initially, the U.S. lawmakers were not allowed by the PNP to visit the detained former senator due to a lack of authority from the“Wherefore,courts. in view of the foregoing, the Extremely Urgent Motion Ex Abundanti Ad THE U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently issued an Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) to allow the JYNNEOS vaccine to be given between layers of the skin (intradermally) for people 18 years of age and older at high risk for monkeypox infection. The recent EUA also allows the vaccine to be given beneath the skin (subcutaneously) for people younger than 18 years of age at high risk for monkeypox infection.Thischange makes it possible for the number of monkeypox vaccine doses in the country to increase five-fold, as one vial of vaccine can now potentially yield five doses instead of just one dose. Based on the earlier federal allocation plan, LA County expected to receive 14,000 vials this week, which would have yielded an estimated 70,000 monkeypox vaccine doses for eligible LA County residents. However,
FORMER United States Representative Terence John “T.J.” Cox was charged with a swath of financial crimes tied to his congressional campaign, according to an indictment that was unsealed on Tuesday, Aug. 16 by a grand jury in California.
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LA mayoral candidate and real estate billionaire Rick Caruso (middle) poses for photos with members of the local Filipino American community during a celebration of “Easter Sunday” on Tuesday, August 16.
His shield carried messages like “FALSE MEDIA = COUP” and “PANDEMIC HOAX = COUP.” His May 28, 2021 arrest came following a tip from someone who recognized the Rodbustars, LLC logo on Lazo’s helmet in a post by Facebook user “Fam Council.” Reports indicate that Lazo and his wife are listed in public documents as owners of Rodbustars, and the FBI used location data for a phone number associated with the company to determine that it was being used inside the Capitol, according to the warrant for Lazo’s arrest. He was among the thousands of supporters of former U.S. President Donald Trump identified by the Federal Bureau of Investigation to be part of the group that illegally entered the government building. His charges include knowingly entering or remaining in a restricted building or grounds without lawful authority; disorderly and disruptive conduct in a restricted building or grounds without lawful authority; disorderly conduct on Capitol grounds or in a Capitol building; and parading, demonstrating or picketing in a Capitol building. The Fil-Am man was inside the building for about 19 minutes, according to the statement of offense filed in federal court. Lazo entered the Capitol around 2:34 p.m., some 14 minutes after the members of the House of Representatives and Senate, including Vice President Mike Pence, were evacuated from the Senate Chamber, the VirginianPilotAlso reported. with his 45-day jail sentence, U.S. District Judge Christopher R. Cooper ordered Lazo to pay a $500 fine. appointment.•Residents who registered through the Public Health registration system and were vaccinated at a Public Health location will receive a second text message when their second dose is due with instructions on where to receive their second dose. There will be an additional 19,000 doses distributed to community providers and public vaccine sites providing first doses to those eligible; 1,000 doses are reserved for close contacts, outbreak response, and special monkeypoxsignup.bytheirpopulations.Eligibleresidents needingfirstdosecannowregistervisiting ph.lacounty.gov/Allfirstandseconddoseswill be administered intradermally, unless contraindicated. The FDA has advised that those under 18 years of age and adults who have a history of developing keloid scars should get the vaccine beneath the skin (subcutaneously), not between the layers of the skin (intradermally).Thosewithout access to the internet or needing help with registration, can call the Public Health Call Center at for more information on monkeypox, including general information, testing, treatment, and vaccines at (833)540-0473. The Public Health Call Center is open 7 days a week 8 a.m. –8:30Forp.m.more information, lacounty.gov/monkeypox/.visit: http://publichealth.please
Fil-Am
former congressman...
LA mayoral candidate Rick Caruso hosts a... the largest Asian American population in California and among the largest immigrant groups in the country. Asked how he feels about the successful turnout of the event, Caruso told the Asian Journal “It’s incredible. It’s amazing." “I feel honored and blessed to have them here,” he added. More than 700 people attended the event held at The Americana at Brand in Glendale, which is one of Caruso,Caruso's who is a well-known real estate developer before he joined the public service, owns The Americana at Brand, The Grove, and Palisades Village. “(I think) we’ve got hundreds of people here (attending the event), not only from the Filipino community but all those who support our cause of championing Filipino talents,” said Caruso, who is running for mayor against Rep. Karen Bass. Caruso is elated to share that he has been getting a lot of support from the Filipino community. “My message (to the Filipino community) is (that) I understand your culture. I’ve been to the Historic Filipinotown. I’ve been meeting people for the last few months,” he said. He particularly noted the similarities between Filipino and Italian cultures. “It’s very much like the Italian culture. (We also have) a lot of immigrants coming here. “(We have) strong faith, strong family, strong sense of community, and (always) want to work hard,” he said. Caruso’s grandparents came to America from Italy through Ellis Island and his father served in WWII, attending the University of Southern California on the GI Bill. In 1987, he founded Caruso, a real estate company that has gone on to build some of Southern California’s most popular shopping centers. For his part, Jo Koy said being able to open doors of opportunity to showcase Filipino ingenuity and talents in the entertainment industry is a dream come true. “I had a goal and this is all I wanted. This right here. This moment right here, make a movie, promoting my culture, talking about my people, this is it all about. I am speaking for other immigrants that come to this country that need a voice,” Jo Koy, who is fondly called “Josep” by his fans and followers. The 51-year-old Joseph Glenn Herbert, Sr., known professionally as Jo Koy, was born to a white father who was in the United States Air Force stationed in the Philippines when he married Koy's Filipina mother. Jo Koy said he hopes that these kinds of initiatives that promote Filipino culture in the film industry will continue long term. “We need to keep the door open,” he said. He called on all Filipinos, not only here in America but around the world, to come together and support these opportunities. “We have to support each other, instead of taking one down, that’s the most important, sometimes within our own community, we’d like to pull each other down and not help one another,” he said.
Former Central Valley congressman Terrance John “TJ” Cox PAGE A1 PAGE A1 Los Angeles County to begin administering... the federal government clarified earlier this week that LA County will receive 5,600 vials (totaling 28,000 doses), not 14,000 vials. Public Health has received assurances from the federal leadership that additional doses will be available in the coming weeks. With the arrival of 28,000 doses later, LA County will open up eligibility to about 8,000 individuals eligible for their second doses. Residents who received their first dose more than 28 days ago can receive their second dose the following ways: • Residents who received their first dose through their healthcare provider over 28 days ago should contact their provider to schedule an Fil-Am man sentenced to 45 days in jail...
“(I would like to) thank Steven Spielberg who made it happen and made it possible, and not only for the Filipino family, but for everyone. This door is open and let’s keep it open so this is one family with their story and let’s have other families not just Filipino families,” the comic, who began his stand-up career in 1994 at a comedy club in Las Vegas,Jokoy’ssaid. stand-up comedy shows, which have sold out arenas, spotlight his personal stories of his family and Filipino culture. It wasn’t until Steven Spielberg got involved that Jo Koy finally got a chance to tell these stories on the big screen. He said "Easter Sunday" is a story not only for Filipino families but all families with different and distinctive cultures, traditions and“Wevalues. are all relatable. The message is clear. We need to hear other people’s cultures... When you watch it, you’ll see that we’re all the same, all relatable, moms to moms, sons to sons, doesn’t matter who you are, that’s what I want us to see in this PAGE A3 Cox was the head of a community development firm. The report also said that Cox had submitted falsified bank statements to a property lender ino order to receive mortgage loan funds for a property that he, allegedly, rented to someone else.Ifhe is convicted, he could face 20 to 30 years in prison, in addition to millions of dollars in fines. Cox — who represented the Fresno, California area from 2019 to 2021 — is the son of a Chinese father and a Filipino mother, both of whom were immigrants. In 2018, he defeated the incumbent, Republican David Valadao, to represent California’s 21st congressional district, which includes portions of Fresno, Kern, and Tulare counties in the San Joaquin Valley. However, it was later revealed that Cox illicitly used campaign contributions to pay for one of his real estate ventures; he lost the seat to Valadao in 2020.
“This door is open, let’s keep it wide open and let other people through. I‘m already here and I just want to keep it going and let other people in,” he pointed out. Jo Koy has also expressed gratitude to those who made the "Easter Sunday" movie possible.
Photo by Marc Patrick/BFA.com
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BUFFALO, N.Y. — A Philippine-born scientist at New York’s University at Buffalo has been named a fellow of the American Chemical Society (ACS), one of the world’s largest scientific societies and publisher of some of the most prominent journals in chemistry.
Caruso poses with the Philippine Women’s National BasketballPhotoTeam. by Marc Patrick/BFA.com environmental and agricultural Chemistry, and for innovative contributions in agrochemical analysis to better understand their ecological and health impacts.”Sheis also being cited for her contributions to the ACS’ AGRO division, where she has organized student research, learning and networking activities. AGRO brings together scientists and other partners worldwide to promote innovative solutions for the protection of agricultural productivity, public health and the environment. Aga’s career was inspired by changes she witnessed in her childhood village in the Philippines. She remembers swimming, playing and fishing frequently in a river near her home, but as the years went on, the river gradually became darkened with pollution. Aga joined the UB faculty in 2002 after earning a PhD in analytical and environmental chemistry from the University of Kansas and a bachelor’s degree in agricultural chemistry from the University of the Philippines LosSheBaños.has led the UB RENEW Institute since 2021. This university-wide multidisciplinary research institute focuses on complex energy, environmental issues and related t social and economic issues. A prolific scholar with over 180 refereed papers, Aga Diana Aga, director of the University at Buffalo’s RENEW Institute, is a globally recognized leader in environmental and analytical chemistry.
PH-born scientist named fellow of the American Chemical Society
PAGE A2 movie,” Jo Koy said. Easter Sunday is an American comedy film starring Jo Koy as Joe Valencia, a struggling actor, comedian, and single father who attends a gathering of his loud and dysfunctional Filipino American family on Easter Sunday. The roughly 90-minute film is directed by Jay Chandrasekhar and written by Ken Cheng and Kate Angelo, from a story by Cheng. In the United States and Canada, Easter Sunday was released alongside Bullet Train, and was projected to gross $5–7 million from 3,175 theaters in its opening weekend. The film reportedly made $2 million on its first day, including $500,000 from Thursday night previews. Aside from Jo Koy, the film also stars Jimmy O. Yang, Tia Carrere, Brandon Wardell, Eva Noblezada, Lydia Gaston, Asif Ali, Rodney To, Eugene Cordero, Chandrasekhar, Tiffany Haddish, and Lou Diamond Phillips.
LA mayoral candidate Rick Caruso hosts a...
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The Filipino Americana event began with a reception where guests were treated to a live band entertainment staged at The Green space at the Americana at Brand. Attendees were also able to savor a wide variety of Fil-Am cuisines from well-known local Filipino restaurants — Kuya Lord, Big Boi, B Sweet, and Café 86.The event also had a special performance from the Wish Bus, a traveling stage run by Wish 107.5 radio Followingstation. the reception, guests were treated to a special screening of Easter Sunday with opening remarks by Jo Koy and Caruso.Also spotted in the crowd during the event were Filipino balladeer and Concert King Martin Nievera and his son, Robin; Filipino R&B singer and songwriter Kiana V, Gary Valenciano’s daughter; PBA player Alex Cabagnot; film producer Dan Lin; The Philippine Women’s Basketball team; American Idol Season 1 finalist Rocky Sandoval; singer Jules Aurora; and musical artist Jamieboy.
Diana Aga, PhD, director of the University at Buffalo RENEW Institute and Henry M. Woodburn Professor of Chemistry in the UB College of Arts and Sciences, is among 45 scientists named as 2022 ACS fellows who are being honored for outstanding achievements and contributions to science, the profession and society.Atwo-time Fulbright award winner and a recipient of Germany’s Humboldt Research Fellowship, Aga is globally recognized for her work in environmental and analytical chemistry.Agais being recognized “for encouraging women and underrepresented minority students to pursue careers in
Cautelam is granted, subject to the visitation guidelines under PNP Memorandum Circular No. 2018-027, without prejudice to the liability of those visitors for any infraction punishable by law,” Branch 204 Presiding Judge Abraham Joseph Alcantara said in the “Accordingly,order. the PNP Headquarters Custodial Facility, Camp Crame, is directed to ALLOW the persons mentioned in Annex ‘2’ of the instant motion to visit accused De Lima today, (1)9 August 2022, at 9:00 in the morning to 12:00 o’clock noon,” Branch 256 Presiding Judge Romeo Buenaventura said in his ownHowever,order. both courts stressed that the U.S. Congressional delegation must observe the safety and health protocols being enforced at the PNP Custodial Center to avoid the spread of COVID-19 and that no media or any form of social media coverage would be allowed. Photos and videos sent in by contributors showed who is believed to be Senator Markey, wearing a mask, entering and exiting the PNP Custodial Center. Other delegation members were also escorted inside the detention facility by PNP officials. The U.S. Congressional delegation is in the country for a series of talks with key officials, including President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., and House Speaker Martin Romualdez. In a statement earlier, Romualdez said that aside from Senator Edward John astothatwastheThursday.supposedlymotions”circumspectwas(Republican,Aumua(Democrat,Donald(Democrat,California),Alanwhothe(Democrat-Massachusetts),MarkeyfourotherU.S.lawmakerswerepresentwereRep.Lowenthal(Democrat-Rep.JohnGaramendiCalifornia),Rep.SternoffBeyer,Jr.Virginia),andRep.AmataRadewagenAmericanSamoa)Intheorder,DeLima’scampalsoremindedto“bemoreinfilingurgentasthemotionwasfiledlateafternoonHowever,DeLimasaidvisitoftheU.S.lawmakersalreadypre-arranged,sayingtheywrotealetteraddressedPNPchiefGen.RodolfoAzurinearlyasAugust10. Pabico Lalu/Inquirer.net)
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Courts allow De Lima to receive visitors...
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“When we have public health crises in this country, we tend to have a boom-and-bust cycle of funding,” said Adriane Casalotti, with the National Association of County and City Health Officials. Some federal pandemic relief funding is scheduled to last for years, but other allocations have already run dry. Local health workers will be left to prioritize what to fund with what remains. Meanwhile, historically shortstaffed and underfunded health departments are responding to challenges that intensified during the pandemic, including delayed mental health treatment and routine“You’recare.not just starting from where you were 2½ years ago, there’s actually a higher mountain to climb,” Casalotti said. “But places that were able to build up some of their systems can adapt them to allow for more real-time understanding of public health challenges.” In Atlanta, the Fulton County Board of Health has offered to mail residents free, at-home tests for sexually transmitted diseases. The state has historically had some of the highest rates of reported STDs in the nation. “This program has the power to demonstrate the scalable effects of equitable access to historically underserved communities,” Joshua O’Neal, the county’s director of the sexual health programs, said in a press release announcing the kits.
PNA photo by Jess M. Escaros Jr. by KATHERYN HOUGHTON Kaiser Health News A1 A1
Marcos says to extend state of public health... by the president.” This has never been lifted or withdrawn. What is expiring on September 12 is the declaration of a state of calamity which allows national and local governments to tap into funds allocated for disasters to respond to the ongoing health crisis.Duterte first declared a state of calamity due to COVID-19 on March 16, 2020, which was extended six months after its effectivity and extended anew for a year after that.
The Department of Health had warned that lifting the state of calamity would affect the emergency use authorizations granted to vaccines and medicines for COVID-19 and also the benefits enjoyed by healthcare workers.
COMMEMORATING QUEZON. Department of the Interior and Local Government Undersecretary for Plans, Public Affairs, and Communication Margarita Gutierrez (right) leads the wreath-laying rites for the 144th birth anniversary of former president Manuel L. Quezon at the Quezon Memorial Circle in Quezon City on Friday, Aug. 19. Quezon served as the first president of the Commonwealth of the Philippines from 1935 until he died in 1944.
Public health agencies adapt COVID lessons to curb overdoses, STDS, and gun violence
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LIVINGSTON, Mont. — Shannan Piccolo walked into a hotel with a tote bag full of Narcan and a speech about how easy it is to use the medicine that can reverse opioid overdoses. “Hopefully your business would never have to respond to an overdose, but we’d rather have you have some Narcan on hand just in case,” Piccolo, director of Park City-County Health Department, said to the hotel manager. The manager listened to Piccolo’s instructions on how to use Narcan, the brand name of the drug naloxone, and added four boxes of the nasal spray to the hotel’s first-aid kit. The transaction took less than 10 minutes. It was the third hotel Piccolo had visited that hot July day in Livingston, a mountain town of roughly 8,000, where, as in much of the nation, health officials are worried about a recent rise in the use of the synthetic opioid fentanyl. It was the first time the local health department offered doorto-door training and supplies to prevent overdose deaths. The underlying strategy was forged during the pandemic when public health officials distributed rapid tests and vaccines in high-risk settings.“Welearned this from covid,” said Dr. Laurel Desnick, the county’s public health officer. “We go to people who may not have time to come to us.” The pandemic laid bare the gaps and disparities in the U.S. public health system, and often resulted in blowback against local officials trying to slow the coronavirus’s spread. But one positive outcome, in part fueled by a boost in federal dollars, is that health workers have started adapting lessons they learned from their covid-19 response to other aspects of their work. For example, in Atlanta, the county health department planned to mail out at-home kits to test for diseases, a program modeled on the distribution of covid rapid tests. In Houston, health officials announced this month they’ll begin monitoring the city’s wastewater for monkeypox, a tactic broadly used to gauge how far and fast covid spread. And in Chicago, government agencies have tweaked covid collaborations to tag-team a rise in gun violence. Some of these adaptations should cost little and be relatively simple to incorporate into the departments’ post-pandemic work, such as using vans purchased with covid relief money for vaccine delivery and disease testing. Other tools cost more money and time, including updating covid-borne data and surveillance systems to use in otherSomeways.public health workers worry that the lessons woven into their operations will fall away once the pandemic has passed.
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(Xave Gregorio/Philstar.com)
The changes go beyond government. University of Texas researchers are trying out a statewide program to crowdsource data on fatal and nonfatal opioid overdoses. Those working on the project are frustrated the national effort to track covid outbreaks hasn’t extended to the overdose epidemic.Dr. Allison Arwady, commissioner of the Chicago Department of Public Health, said her team is expanding the covid data-driven approach to track and report neighborhood-level data on opioid drug overdoses. Nonprofits and city agencies that have worked together through the pandemic now meet each month to look at the numbers to shape theirArwadyresponse.said the city is trying to use the pandemic-driven boost in money and attention for programs that can last beyond the covid“Everyemergency.day,we’re having these debates about, ‘How much do we continue on? How big do we go?’” Arwady said. “I feel like it’s such a moment. We’ve shown what we can do during covid, we’ve shown what we can do when we have some additional funding.”
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The Asian and Pacific Islander American Health Forum praised the Biden administration for signing the bill, saying in a press release, “Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander families face significant barriers to health care that were only exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic.”Theyadded, “The Inflation Reduction Act will allow AA and NHPI families and elders to worry less about the high costs of insurance premiums and medication. For many, this means worrying less about choosing between paying for food or medicine. This law could not have come at a better time.”The bill also funds greater efforts to combat climate change, making it more affordable to buy energy efficient appliances, lower utility bills and make it easier and more affordable for lower-income families to replace home“Thisappliances.billisthe biggest step forward on climate,” Biden said, adding that his administration will “boldly take additional steps toward meeting my climate goals.”
Jalen Green leaves lasting impression in
PH-born scientist named fellow of the... also continues to lead a lab in UB’s chemistry department that analyzes pollutants in the environment; develops ways to break them down and clean them up; and investigates the chemicals’ impact on humans andHerwildlife.team’s discoveries have had a far-reaching impact on understanding emerging contaminants such as antimicrobials and other pharmaceuticals; endocrinedisrupting chemicals; and perand polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and other persistent organic pollutants (POPs). Aga is now helping to train the next generation of researchers. She has mentored dozens of undergraduate and graduate students who have gone on to careers in industry, government andSheacademia.hopes to expand this work through programming and partnerships at the RENEW Institute that support pathways to STEM for K-12 and university students from underrepresented groups. (Inquirer.net) by KLARIZE MEDENILLA AJPress
AHEAD of the contentious midterm elections, United States President Joe Biden secured a major victory for his administration by signing the Inflation Reduction Act, the longawaited bill that, among other things, caps prescription drug costs for Medicare recipients. “The American people won, and the special interests lost,” Biden said, referencing Big Pharma companies that lobbied hard against efforts to lower prescription drug costs for lowincomeBidenAmericans.added,“Every single Republican in Congress sided with the special interests in this vote. That’s the choice we face: we can protect the alreadypowerful, or show the courage to build the future where everybody has an even shot.” Lower health care costs are among the more significant parts of the sweeping $430 billion spending package. For seniors, out-of-pocket prescription drug costs will be capped at $2,000 and monthly insulin costs be capped at $35 — these changes will take effect in 2025. The law also provides more free vaccines for Medicare recipients and states that drug manufacturers will have to pay a rebate when their prices raise quicker than inflation. According to the White House Executive Office of the President, nearly 1.5 million AAPIs were uninsured in 2019 and more than 1.3 million people of color weren’t able to access Medicaid due to their states’ refusal to expand the program. (Currently, the uninsured rate is at 8%, according to the Biden administration.)WiththeInflation Reduction Act’s lower monthly premiums that continue advancements from the Trump administration’s American Rescue Plan, the Biden administration predicts that 120,000 more AAPIs will have health coverage by next year.
Public health agencies adapt COVID lessons... gun violence. Employees from across city departments are working together on safety issues for the first time by tracking data, connecting people in highest-risk areas to services, and supporting local efforts such as funding neighborhood block clubs and restoring safe spaces.Separately, neighborhoodbased organizations created to handle covid contact tracing and education are shifting focus to address food security, violence prevention, and diabetes education. Arwady said she hopes to continue grassroots public health efforts in areas with long-standing health disparities by using a patchwork of grants to retain 150 of the 600 people initially hired through pandemic relief“Thedollars.message I’ve really been telling my team is, ‘This is our opportunity to do things that we have long wanted to do,’” Arwady said. “We built some of that up and I just, I’m gonna kick and scream before I let that all get dismantled.”Backin Montana, Desnick said not every change relies on funding.When flooding destroyed buildings and infrastructure in and around Yellowstone National Park in June, the Park County health department used a list of contacts gathered during the pandemic to send updates to schools, churches, and businesses. Desnick posts regular public health video updates that began with covid case counts and broadened to include information on flood levels, federal cleanup assistance, and ice cream socials for people to meet first responders.Piccolo, the county’s health director, spent roughly an hour on that day in July going to hotels in Livingston’s core to offer opioid overdose response training and supplies. Three hotel managers took the offer, two asked her to come back later, and one scheduled an all-staff training for later that week. Piccolo plans to extend the program to restaurants and music venues. It’s that kind of adaptation to her job that doesn’t require the continuing flow of covid aid. The state supplied the Narcan boxes. Otherwise, she said, “it’s just about taking the time to do this.” KHN (Kaiser Health News) is a national newsroom that produces in-depth journalism about health issues. Together with Policy Analysis and Polling, KHN is one of the three major operating programs at KFF (Kaiser Family Foundation). KFF is an endowed nonprofit organization providing information on health issues to the nation.
Philippines with Ilocos basketball clinic LUISA MORALES Philstar.com
PNA photo by Ben Briones Biden administration says landmark In ation Reduction Act will bene t AAPI families
MANILA — Houston Rockets guard Jalen Green made sure to leave behind more than memories in his trip to the Philippines with sports brand adidas, capping off off his visit with a basketball clinic in his mother's home province of Ilocos Sur last weekend. After two days of non-stop engagements in Metro Manila, Green flew out to the north to connect with his roots there, as well as inspire the next generation of young athletes in theGreenclinic. was joined by fellow adidas athlete and hooper Diego Dario, and they spent a day of basketball with some 20 kids in Caoayan municipality. The whole experience spoke volumes of what his mother had said about the Filipino-American cager, where she said he has been a good example in keeping himself grounded with his Filipino roots. "I really don’t have to say much to him he automatically has that mindset of you know, his goals, of where he wants to be in life [as an Asian-American]," Bree Purganan told Philstar.com and SPIN.ph last week. "So I mainly just tell him, keep being level-headed, humble, and just work out what you love and he already knows this, he already works hard and I don’t really have to tell him much. Sometimes, I just tell him, always remember but he’s already doing a great job at it, I don’t have to tell him much about it. In that department he does really good," she added. Green's Ilocos tour was also highlighted by the NBA player enjoying the sights where he did a heritage walk along Calle Crisologo. He also sported a "salakot" during his trip, tasted the famous Ilocos empanada, and experienced a kalesa ride. Adidas Philippines Brand Activation Manager Jen Dacasin was thrilled that Green was able to cap off his trip to his homeland with such a meaningful experience with the clinic. "It means so much to the brand and Jalen to cap off this jam-packed JG4 Manila Tour at the place where Jalen’s Filipino roots began. This trip was the perfect opportunity to inspire and give back to the kids of Caoayan municipality and we’re so grateful to be a part of this," sheThesaid.NBA All-Rookie Team member flew back to the US on Sunday, August 14.
DIVING EXPO. Officials from the Department of Tourism (DOT) and industry stakeholders grace the opening of the Philippine International Dive Expo (PHIDEX) 2022, the biggest platform for the country’s diving industry, at the SMX Convention Center in Pasay City on Friday, Aug. 19. This year’s PHIDEX which carries the theme, “Back into the Blue: One with the Sea”, runs from Aug. 19 to 21.
The city also opened a new safety center modeled on its covid-response base to counter
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"It is highly disturbing that this action stems from a government body tasked to develop our national language and other Philippine languages, counting as members of their commission a few of the country's prominent writers," it added. The KWF, the publishers noted, should instead be "stalwart of the very freedoms that allow language and critical thinking to flourish" and not the very organization that discourages critical thinking. "Intolerance has no place in government, especially in an agency that should be a prime defender of expression. The Book Development Association of the Philippines stands with legions who defend our freedom to think and express, write and publish as fundamental to a nation that is democratic and progressive."Lastweek, the KWF issued an internal memorandum circular to pull out several books from classrooms and libraries for allegedly being antigovernment.TheKWF cited "inciting to commit terrorism" found in Article 9 of the Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA) as grounds to ban the books. The CHR called for caution in interpreting the provisions of the Anti-Terrorism Act, "especially if they may be overreaching, and results in the possible violation of rights rather than protecting them." The publications banned by the KWF included titles Editorial from the late National Artist Bienvenido Lumbera, as well as Reuel Aguila and Malou Jacob, both Palanca Literature award-winning authors. The other writers whose books were banned included Dexter Cayanes, Don Pagusara and Rommel Rodriguez. In a stroke of irony, the ban included works of Jacob, Rodriguez and Pagusara that the KWF itself had published just lastTheApril.Manila Critics Circle, which hands out the National Book Awards, did not mince words. "Such vicious branding [and red-tagging] curtails the free expression of the Filipino writer, disgraces the professional work of the Filipino scholar, and denies the Filipino people's right to information. We call upon the SMNI network to stop misleading the public with bogus information and making unfounded allegations of 'terrorism' against journalists, writers and academics. We appeal to the good sensibility of the KWF commissioners to retract their memorandum of suspension against the five aforesaid books and 17 other publications. Let truth prevail upon this land. And the truth shall set the writers and intellectuals free."The NTF-Elcac was tasked to end communist armed conflict. Instead of tarring and red-tagging, it should file cases in court against those whom it perceives as troublemakers. But how many "insurgents" have they put behind bars? Zero. That big, fat egg speaks volumes about their dismal record, and an utter waste of taxpayers' money. (ManilaTimes.net)
Finally, news emerged in early June that Marcelo Adorco—who the prosecution had described as Espinosa’s bodyguard—had also recanted his corroborative testimony implicating De Lima, claiming that his original affidavit was fabricated in a Leyte police station on orders of a police officer, amid threats to his life if he did not cooperate. Even without these recantations, the Ombudsman in its recent decision dropping the bribery case against the senator concluded that the inconsistencies in the original testimonies—including from those same witnesses—“would prevent a reasonable mind from concluding that the respondents are probably guilty of the offenses charged against them.” But what makes the recantations even more significant is that they are accompanied by very serious allegations that police and government officials coerced the witnesses. Is this not the heinous act—in De Lima’s words, “the illegal use of criminal convicts as state witnesses”—that should be investigated with more urgency, given that the credibility of the justice system itself is at stake? Despite these red flags and glaring question marks, the cases against De Lima continue, and even her requests for bail have been “Withoutdenied. question,” Senators Risa Hontiveros and Koko Pimentel observe, “her continued detention is one of the grossest injustices ever committed to a sitting Senator.” (Inquirer.net)
PINION No to book bans
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Universities, publishers' groups, bookstores, a national book-award giving body and more condemned the move. KWF Director General Arthur Casanova and his group showed what former Foreign Affairs secretary and journalist Teodoro "Teddy Boy" Locsin Jr. called "testicular cowardice" when they banned the books. The Book Development Association of the Philippines described the move as "highly disturbing." "Branding books as subversive violates our freedom to think and express, first as human beings, and second as citizens of this democratic country protected by its Constitution," said the group in a statement.
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BECAUSE the late 12th Philippine President Fidel V. Ramos is one of the most admired presidents of our Motherland — who restored democracy and who recently passed away at age 94 — let me show some vignettes of my close interactions with him through the years before, during and after his presidency. After all, he is my cumprovinciano from Pangasinan. We share some things in common like language, politics, cultural make-up and anecdotes, among others. He was born in Lingayen, but was raised briefly in Asingan, Pangasinan where his father was a five-term congressman. Whenever we were together hosting him during symposia, lunch, dinner book signing, and what have you, he shed off all pretenses of formalities as a stateman befitting his position. FVR, Tabako or Steady Eddie as he is also known, mingles with us like an ordinary guy or common tao. He was charismatic. He was never a dull nor boring person to be with. He always had some tales, jokes and wisdom to share. He had a reservoir of humor — some corny and some hilarious. Inone instance, he told his audience of mostly Pangasinenses. “My fellow Pangalatoks, kaya ba natin ito? I was a little bit unnerved by the term “Panggalatok.” So during the Q&A portion, I corrected him, ‘Mr. President, I believe that there’s no such thing as Panggalatok. Our language or nomenclature as a people is Pangasinan, Pangasinanes or Pangasinense.’ Sensing that I was correct, FVR did not rebut me.On another occasion, he shared with us that some Pangasinanes have Chinese blood in their veins. For example, he said, “Look at Ads Diaz (a former president of Pangasinan BrotherhoodUSA who is so tall at 6’4” for a Filipino), he looks like Limahong” (a Chinese pirate) who built a channel in Lingayen named after him.) The crowd chuckled loudly. “Look at Dan (he was referring to me, also a past president of PB-USA), he looks like Lucio Tan" (the Filipino-Chinese billionaire taipan). The more the audience blurted into laughter. It sounds corny but the audience loved it. I was flattered though. Imagine, comparing me to one of the richest industrialists in the Philippines. That’s how FVR was. He endeared himself to ordinary people like us. During a book signing or a lull in every occasion, people gravitate toward him for picture taking and he relished it. He immediately places his arm on the shoulders of his admirers including me and flashes his thumb up, his signature victory sign.FVR was credited for the economic recovery of our Motherland which had earned the monicker, the “Emerging Tiger of Asia." He travelled to several countries to seek investments. His political partner and top lieutenant in the House of Representatives was former Speaker Joe de Venecia, Jr., (my boss) who is another cumprovinciano whom I had the pleasure to work for as assistant of Public Relations at Landoil ResourcesTogetherCorporation. withtheformer fivetime speaker, they crafted bills and issued executive orders to bail out our beloved Philippines. Examples of these are preventing blackouts, San Roque Dam, coal power plant in Sual, Pangasinan, North-South Skyway, the mass transit system on EDSA, and initiating the bases conversion program like the Fort Bonifacio and Villamor Air Base, now known as the Bonifacio Global City, which has become a tourist and economic hub, among others. The former president anchored his governance on his philosophy of “people empowerment as the engine to operationalize economic development, social equity and national solidarity.” His fivepoint of governance were peace and stability, economic growth and sustainable development, energy and power generation, environmental protection and streamlined bureaucracy. Steady Eddie is a health and fitness buff. On one occasion at a luncheon (hosted by fellow Pangasinense Roger Oriel, publisher of the Asian Journal) in Orange County’s mini White House, an upscale restaurant — he challenged us after a sumptuous lunch — to pushups until he told us to stop. We readily obliged. And had to laugh about it. He was with his wife Ming Martinez Ramos. There was no dull moment with FVR. If there was a lull, he always initiates conversation. On another occasion, we were at the official residence of then Consul General Helen BarbersDela Vega in Los Angeles. He TO see Leila De Lima’s case as independent [from its political context] … is to turn a blind eye to what’s been happening in the country … To see our freedoms as unrelated to hers is to invite the absurdity and the violence to continue.”Iwrote the above words in November 2019 to mark the 1,000 days that former senator Leila De Lima has been in jail on allegations of drug trafficking. Alas, 1,000 days later, Leila De Lima is still in jail, and I could easily have written the exact sameTwolines.thousand days—almost six years—is a very long time. If you think that the two and a half years of the pandemic took away so much from us, think of what has been taken away from the former senator, who has been deprived not just of her duties and privileges as senator, but of the opportunity to be with her family—including her ailing mother. Back in 2018, she was not even allowed to attend her son’s graduation from law school, and even when the pandemic forced the senators to hold virtual sessions, she was deprived of her right to participate in them. Think, too, of how her detention has prevented her from defending herself in the court of public opinion or campaigning for reelection, seriously hurting her public image and political career. With only a standee to stand in for her during the 2022 elections, she obtained just over half— 7,278,602—of the 14,144,070 votes she won in 2016. The human rights lawyer who as justice secretary investigated drugs in Bilibid, and as senator was the first to call for an investigation of the extrajudicial killings under Duterte’s drug war, has been portrayed as drug protector and maligned as an enemy of the state. This is despite the fact that the cases against her have looked even weaker than before, with witness after witness recanting testimony that was crucial in implicating the former senator. First, it was Kerwin Espinosa, who in late April filed a counteraffidavit disavowing his previous statements to the Senate in late 2016 and describing them as an “extrajudicial confession.” The affidavit states: “Any statement he made against the senator are false, and was the result only of pressure, coercion, intimidation, and serious threats to his life and family members from the police, who instructed him to implicate the Senator into the illegal drug trade. For this, undersigned apologizes to Senator De Lima.” Then, days later, it was former Bureau of Corrections officer in charge Rafael Ragos—a key witness—who recanted his highly trumpeted claim of receiving P5 million from Bilibid inmates and handing it over to De Lima’s aide Ronnie Dayan. “As far as I know and based on my professional relationship with Sec. De Lima,” he averred in his new affidavit, “she is incapable of doing anything illegal, much less engage in the illegal drug trade or accept money from Bilibid inmates.” Dayan himself would recant just over a week later, retracting his testimony before Congress that he received money from Kerwin Espinosa on behalf of his boss, claiming that he was forced by a congressman to implicate the former senator.
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The KWF has banned five books and 17 other publications, making it the latest tempest in the teapot of free expression. Apparently fearing a backlash from the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-Elcac), the KWF banned the so-called anti-government books. The ban was issued on the same day that former NTF-Elcac spokesman Lorraine Badoy showed portions of the five books during a show at the SMNI network. Badoy and other government officials had questioned the 17 books published by KWF for being "subversive," "anti-Marcos" and "antiDuterte."Theresponse was breathtaking; several groups swiftly issued statements against this fascist act.
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FVR, a very endearing Philippine president 2,000 days of injustice
THE Komisyon ng Wikang Filipino (KWF) is a government body tasked to promote and develop the Filipino languages. It was not tasked to ban books since nobody in his right mind would do that in a democracy. The Commission on Human Rights (CHR) was correct to point out that democracy thrives in the plurality of ideas, including critical ones. The Constitution itself protects this right to dissent, done without violence and malice.
showed me his eye lasses but without lenses. He also handed me a tiny pamphlet souvenir of his accumulated nuggets of wisdom, wits and humor. He said to keep it in my wallet. And added, “So you’ll always remember me when I’m gone.”
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DAN E. NINO From My Point of View
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MANILA — Speaker Martin Romualdez has expressed confidence that the Philippines and the United States’ close and friendly ties will remain strong under the administration of PresidentRomualdezMarcos.made the statement after meeting with the fivemember US Congress delegation led by Sen. Edward John deepofdeepenopportunityhereNovember(Haiyan)causeddevastationthefirsttoexpressedthethebeneficialthetoforappreciationonTheyManilaFriendshipCongressionalPhilippinesThursday(Democrat-Massachusetts)Markeyonnight.ThedelegationisinthefortheUS-PhilippinesDelegationCaucusheldattheGolfandCountryClub.earlierpaidacourtesycallthePresident.“WeextendourdeeptoyourdelegationgivingusthisopportunityfortifyourengagementswithUSCongressonmatterstothePhilippinesandUnitedStates,”hesaid.Romualdez,whorepresentsfirstdistrictofLeyte,alsohisdeepgratitudetheUSforbeingoneoftheresponder-countriesinaftermathoftheimmenseandlossoflivesbysuperTyphoonYolandainEasternVisayasin2013.“Indeedyourpresencemeansalottous.Itisanforustofurtherandstrengthenourtiesfriendshipandmanifestourappreciationforthestrong support and for all the assistance during our crises after Typhoon Haiyan in my district,” he noted. According to the lawmaker, their “relationship is getting stronger despite all the crises that we faced in the international arena.”“Iknow this relationship will endure and help us here stay the course, moving forward peace, prosperity and progress, not just in the Philippines, but in the region and of course with our partner, the United States,” he added. Maritime cooperation Meanwhile, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), the US Pacific Fleet and the Australian Defense Force have vowed to continue working together in the area of maritime domain awareness.Officials of all three military forces met separately on Thursday to affirm their commitment toward promoting cooperation on maritime concerns and issues. AFP chief Lt. Gen. Bartolome Vicente Bacarro first met with the commander of the United States Pacific Fleet, Admiral Samuel Paparo, in Camp Aguinaldo. The ranking US military officials’ visit follows the recently concluded Pacific Partnership 2022 and the Rim of the Pacific exercises in Hawaii. AFP public affairs office chief Col. Jorry Baclor said both military leaders affirmed their desire for greater cooperation, especially in establishing real-time information sharing and collaboration in maritime domain awareness. He added that Bacarro and Paparo also anticipate the successful conduct of marquee activities, including Exercise Sama-Sama between the Philippine Fleet and the US Navy in October, Exercise Kamandag between the Philippine and US Marine Corps in October and Balikatan exercises next year.
by SHIELA CRISOSTOMO Philstar.com by DENISON REY A. DALUPANG Inquirer.net
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Jordan Clarkson arrives in Manila to bolster Gilas Pilipinas
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MANILA – Jordan Clarkson is back in town. The Utah Jazz star arrived on Friday, August 19 in Manila a little before 7pm via Philippine Airlines flight PR113 from Los Angeles to give Gilas Pilipinas at least five days of prep time for two key Fiba games slated next week.Clarkson, the winner of the NBA’s Sixth Man of the Year award two seasons ago, will serve as a naturalized player for a squad that will be peppered with PBA standouts, overseas campaigners, and a pair of varsity standouts.Heisset to train with the Nationals this Saturday at Meralco gym in Pasig City. “Awesome [to be back],” said Clarkson in an ambush interview withWhenreporters.asked about his expectations for the upcoming Fiba qualifying window, Clarkson said: “Just win. Let’s get it.” Clarkson last represented the Philippines in the 2018 Asian Games in Jakarta, Indonesia. Gilas Pilipinas is scheduled to play Asia Cup silver medalist Lebanon on Aug. 25 and then Saudi Arabia at Mall of Asia Arena on Aug. 29. The Philippines holds a 2-2 win-loss record in the qualifiers, and is using the showcase as trial phase for a World Cup squad that will be built around the FilipinoAmerican NBA star.
Speaker Martin Romualdez Philstar.com file photo
Speaker con dent PH, US ties to remain strong
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Iligtas ang inyong tahanan YHOMESOUR
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PNA photo by Robert Oswald P. Alfiler
PH detects 2 more monkeypox cases
“This multilateral exercise will enhance the cooperation among the Philippines, Southeast Asian and European countries to address crises, contingencies, and illegal activities in the maritime domain using standard tactics, techniques and procedures,” said Rear Adm. Toribio Adaci, commander of Naval Forces in Western Mindanao. The Navy will deploy the BRP Andres Bonifacio and an AW109 helicopter.Thesea phase will include boarding operations by multiple nations designed to provide training in real-world at-sea environments, the U.S. Navy said. The exercise also included a maritime domain awareness (MDA) seminar that was held from Aug. 16 to Aug. 18. The shore training will feature an unmanned aerial systems (UAS) workshop that will cover a broad range of UAS and the tactics, procedures to develop maritime domain awareness, the U.S. Navy said. “This iteration of Seacat is designed … to use all MDA assets available to conduct multilateral intercepts using standard procedures,” said Capt. Tom Ogden, commander of U.S. Destroyer Squadron 7. “Training together develops capability and trust among participating countries to cooperate and provide mutual support in response to a crisis or illegal activity in the maritime domain,” he said.
MANILA — Filipino consumers now reach out to businesses through messaging applications more frequently compared to the pre-pandemic period, a study conducted by Meta and the USbased Boston Consulting Group found.Itsaid 71 percent of respondents from the Philippines have adopted business messaging or the use of messaging applications and other channels to reach out to businesses.ThePhilippines ranked second among those included by the survey, after Vietnam with 73 percent.Following Filipino consumers in terms of usage of business messaging were Indonesia (69 percent), Thailand (66 percent), Taiwan (64 percent), Australia (58 percent) and South Korea (55 percent).Thesame survey also found that 38 percent of Filipinos chat more frequently with businesses than before the COVID-19 outbreak. Another 32 percent said it was the same as before, while the remaining 30 percent said it was less than during the pre-pandemic period.Twenty-six percent of respondents from the Philippines message businesses at least once a week, while 38 percent said at least once every two to three weeks. Another 36 percent said they reach out to businesses at least once a month. “The COVID-19 pandemic forced countries around the world to go into lockdowns, enforce strict social distancing rules and restrict in-person business operations,” said Anthony Oundijian, managing director and senior partner at BCG. “This resulted in more Filipinos going online, with businesses across many industries increasing their investment and engagement on online channels to connect with customers,” he added. Oundijian said their research also found that business messaging adoption is gaining traction beyond small businesses in the “WhilePhilippines.smaller businesses have been using business messaging to digitize and scale their online presence for years, large businesses now recognize messaging as a critical component of their ?business model. In fact, seven in 10 large businesses have rated messaging as very or extremely important to their overall business,” Oundijian pointed out. The survey also found that 97 percent of Philippine businesses recognize that messaging apps are important for success, with 65 percent of Filipino consumers preferring to reach out to businesses via chat than through email or phone. Meta country director John Rubio said the pandemic has accelerated the fundamental shifts in how people and businesses connect.“The report shows that the ability to message a business is emerging as a consumer baseline expectation. As business messaging largely takes place across social and messaging platforms, we are committed to enabling businesses of all sizes with capabilities to activate this channel for growth,” Rubio said. Meta owns social media platforms Facebook and Instagram, as well as instant messaging applications Messenger and WhatsApp. The survey found that Meta technologies hold advantages in terms of business messaging, citing the overall reach of its platforms.
MANILA — The Philippines announced Friday, August 19 that it detected two more cases of monkeypox, bringing the total number of confirmed cases in the country to three. According to the Department of Health, the two new cases, a 34-year-old individual and a 29-year-old individual, both had recent travel history to a country with confirmed monkeypox infections.The34-year-old is under home isolation while the 29-year-old is isolated in a health facility. Authorities are still tracing contacts of the 34-year-old, while 17 contacts of the 29-year-old have so far been identified and their details are being verified. DOH officer-in-charge Maria Rosario Vergeire said they could not release any other details on the two new monkeypox patients to protect their privacy. The DOH announced on July 29 the first case of monkeypox in the Philippines — a Filipino who had returned from a country that has recorded monkeypox cases. This patient has recovered and their 10 close contacts did not exhibit any symptoms until their isolation ended on August 16.A surge in monkeypox infections has been reported since early May outside the endemic African countries. The WHO declared the situation an international public health emergency on July 23. More than 35,000 cases in 92 countries, and 12 deaths, have now been reported to the WHO. Almost all new cases are being reported from Europe and the Americas. (Xave Gregorio/ Philstar.com with a report from AFP) by FRANCES MANGOSING Inquirer.net unconventional warfare, maritime operations, and a full mission profile or culmination exercise. After this year’s Balance Piston was launched on Monday, the U.S.-led Seacat was also launched in Singapore on Tuesday, August 16.The Seacat will also have activities in the Sulu Sea among participants from 21 nations, including six member nations of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean). Aside from the Philippines, other Asean member nations joining the exercise are Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. The 14 other participating countries are Australia, Bangladesh, Canada, France, Germany, India, Japan, Maldives, New Zealand, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Timor-Leste, the United Kingdom and the United States.
LAST-MINUTE SHOPPING. Parents and their children pick from a wide array of school uniforms at the Commonwealth Market in Quezon City on Friday, Aug. 19. All public Kinder to Grade 12 classes will resume on Monday, Aug. 22.
MANILA — Sen. Imee Marcos has renewed the call to abolish the Philippine International Trading Corp. (PITC) and the Procurement Service of the Department of Budget and Management (PS-DBM), which were both created during the administration of her father Ferdinand Marcos Sr. Marcos had filed Senate Bills 1122 and 1123, which sought to abolish the PITC and PS-DBM for supposedly being responsible for questionable procurement contracts in the government. “The series of procurement controversies that surfaced during the pandemic must end. In fact, the COA (Commission on Audit) has reported that they go back more than a decade,” Marcos said. “We can step up emergency response with direct purchases of supplies, equipment and services. The government will also be able to avoid redundant allocations and save billions in next year’s national budget,” she added.The COA flagged the PSDBM last year over the allegedly overpriced procurement of P42 billion worth of COVID-19 supplies for the Department of Health.Last week, the PS-DBM was embroiled anew in the questionable purchase of P2.4 billion worth of teachers’ laptops for the Department of Education. Marcos also questioned the practice of the PS-DBM of reselling equipment and supplies to national government agencies that funded their procurement. She said the PITC has become “a repository for unobligated funds of national government agencies” that were avoiding the return of unused portions of their budget to the national treasury and using them to fund yearend bonuses.State auditors have flagged the PITC over at least P34 billion in idle funds from various agencies, including those for the procurement of fire trucks and militaryMarcossupplies.ispushing for direct procurement by national government agencies ahead of an extended state of public health emergency and congressional hearings on the 2023 national budget.“Both agencies were created during the term of my father in the ’70s. But they have not only outlived their usefulness; they have in fact become agencies of malfeasance and corruption,” the senator said. Marcos emphasized that the procurement services of government agencies should be strengthened, in accordance with Republic Act 9184 or the Government Procurement ReformMeanwhile,Act. Sen. Risa Hontiveros said President Marcos should be transparent in his decision regarding the government’s pandemic response.Shemade the statement as the President is reportedly inclined to continue the state of public health emergency until the end of the year.
THE military is participating in at least two exercises with allies this month, the regular Balance Piston bilateral exercise with the United States in Palawan and the 21-nation Southeast Asia Cooperation and Training (Seacat). The monthlong Balance Piston 22-3 was launched on Monday , August 15 and will involve about a hundred commandos from the Army’s Special Forces Regiment (Airborne) and the U.S. Army’s Special Operations Command Pacific.Army spokesperson Col. Xerxes Trinidad said in a statement that the drills will last until September and will be held at the Joint Maritime Law Enforcement Training Center in Puerto Princesa City.The Filipino and American commandos will also have activities at the headquarters of the 18th Special Forces ‘Riverine’ Company in Punta Baja in Rizal town, also in Palawan. The bilateral exercise will focus on long-range marksmanship, combat marksmanship, closequarter combat, small unit tactics, by CECILLE SUERTE FELIPE Philstar.com by JANVIC MATEO Philstar.com
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More Filipinos use messaging apps to reach businesses Abolition of PITC, DBM o ce sought over questionable procurements
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PAROKYA ni Edgar frontman Chito Miranda considers himself very lucky to have won the heart of his dear wife, celebrity mompreneur Neri Naig, and he is not one to be modest about it. “Yup…nagyayabang lang talaga ako sa post na ‘to. Asawa ko sya, at inlab na inlab sya sa akin. Jackpot talaga ko eh,” he said today in his Instagram page, Aug. 16. (Yup, I am really bragging in this post. She is my wife and she is so in love with me. I really hit the jackpot.) But Miranda said he did not just hope for luck to attain the “Pinaghirapanjackpot.ko lahaaat ng dahilan kung bakit nya ako pinansin, kung bakit ko sya
Visas issued despite petitioner’s death, this Sunday on Citizen Pinoy
By Alex BrosAs Inquirer.net By DAnA Cruz Inquirer.net
crew! Here’s to taking risks and stepping out of the norm. And I know we hear this often, but let’s go bigger and reach greater heights, yeah? Can I get a yeehaw?” she said. Aside from her cowgirl look, Poe looked stunning in various other attire including: a blacked webbed gown by GomezGarcia, a black leather bikini and jacket, and black bikini set with harnesses that was paired with
ALMITA’S father petitioned her in 2001. However, before her visa was issued, her father died on Christmas Eve of 2014. This resulted in the petition being “revoked.” Her previous lawyer suggested that the family lie about the petitioner’s death, pretending he was alive, and continue pursuing the case. However, Almita’s mother did not want to lie. They discussed Humanitarian Revalidation but were informed by the lawyer that he did not handle such cases. However, the lawyer sent a single-page letter to the National Visa Center (NVC) seeking Humanitarian Revalidation. Due to delays and missing documents from the previous lawyer, the USCIS eventually officially revoked the petition. Mom refused to give up and insisted on getting the “Attorney-of-Last-Hope,” Michael J. Gurfinkel, who was able to submit a new humanitarian revalidation request that was approved. Almita and her five children were able to get their immigrant visas and arrived in the U.S. in November 2021. Watch this success story on an encore episode of “Citizen Pinoy’ on Sunday, August 21 at 6:30 PM PT (9:30 PM ET thru select Cable/Satellite providers), right after TV Patrol Linggo. Citizen Pinoy is also available on iWantTFC. Viewers may download the free app. (Advertising Supplement)
Why Chito feels so lucky to have Neri as his wife
THIS FAMILY NOW NEEDS A “BIGGER RICE COOKER” AFTER DAUGHTER AND HER FIVE CHILDREN GOT THEIR IMMIGRANT VISAS, THIS SUNDAY ON CITIZEN PINOY. Almita (left) was petitioned as single by her father in 1997, but because she married her boyfriend, she had to be repetitioned in 2001. Unfortunately, Almita’s father died before she could get her visa. Her previous lawyer sent a one-page letter seeking Humanitarian Revalidation, but USCIS revoked the petition. It seemed her dreams of immigrating to the U.S. were “dead.” Almita’s sisters, Evelyn (2nd from left), Mimi (3rd from left) and their mother consulted with leading U.S. Immigration Attorney Michael J. Gurfinkel (right) who filed a new humanitarian revalidation request and was able to get it approved. Almita and her five children had their visas issued and immigrated to the U.S. in November 2021. Watch this success story on an encore episode of “Citizen Pinoy” on Sunday, August 21 at 6:30 PM PT (9:30 PM ET) through select Cable/Satellite providers, right after TV Patrol Linggo. (Advertising Supplement)
Lovi channels cowgirl vibes as cover star of LA-based magazine
LOVI Poe got all dressed up as a cowgirl when she landed on the recent cover of the Los Angelesbased FAULT Magazine. The actress donned a black two-piece fringe ensemble and a cowboy hat as she posed for her photo shoot with the magazine, as seen on her Instagram page on Thursday, Aug. 18. “What a fun shoot with a funNeri Naig with Chito Miranda Photo from Instagram/@mrsnerimiranda Lovi Poe Photo from Instagram/@lovipoe
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West Covina pays tribute to frontliners at the Fil-Am Bayani Day on Aug. 27
PrincessInstagramPunzalanphoto/@realprincesspunzalan Alberto Isaac Photo courtesy of Robert Flate Photography Beauty of God’s work in what we‘Connected’do. to a lifestyle is a criterion used by Alan Del Rosario, who reportedly can just sight see a woman as an example, Janet Nepales, a world-traveled journalist. From looking at her, he can design her fabulous clothes. Colleagues at the Cannes Film Festival wondered how big Janet’s suitcase is. She showed them how small it is. Del Rosario’s gowns are packable, and unwrinkled, a fundamental for traveling public figures like Janet. She wore an original Tiffanyblue colored dress, embossed with flowers and a cape by Del Rosario when she accepted her multiple awards this year from the Los Angeles Press Club. Instead of Janet asking celebrities who made their dresses, she reversed this trend unwittingly when KCAL news anchor Pat Harvey stopped her to ask who designed her dress. Did Alan create them with specific geometry of architectural forms, shapes, and synchronicity of shifted proportions, given his background on civil engineering? Imagine how that mannequin, if an actual person, felt while perched on that rooftop? Secretly, I wish to have a dress made by this designer. Tenyears ago, Oliver Tolentino designed for my sister Sion and her daughter Jennifer’s bridal gown. Both felt confidently beautiful, as I did. Oliver designed for me an offshouldered muted red gown. I had broad smiles wearing the gown. Tolentino will be the first Filipino American designer to join Austria’s fashion week in September 2022, held in Vienna, the site of 400 balls every year. Novel or novelty awaits Austrians. In the meantime, let’s find out more about this uplifting passion project. Immersion in social creativity and diversity: The process Social creativity is a process of drawing in people, a rich set of interconnections, contacts and initiating many layers of dialogues. It is drawing in diversity, a multiplicity of perspectives to usher new ideas from and to receive them with cultural humility, a stance that I don’t have all the answers to. With diversity and openness to various ethnic perspectives, where in Los Angeles alone, 220 distinct languages are spoken, how do you do it when you are in Dubai, Italy, France and Hollywood? How do you combine social creativity and diversity, I asked Janet in a one-on-one interview in Dec. 2021?
THE U.S. Philippines Business Association (UPBA), with the support of the City of West Covina, is proudly organizing the first-ever Filipino American Frontliners Heroes Day (“Bayani Day”) on Saturday, August 27 from 11:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. at the West Covina Civic Center. Theevent is open to the public, with no admission fee. Surprise gifts also await lucky frontliners in attendance at the event. The milestone event honors all Filipino American frontliners — such as police, service men and women, doctors, nurses, caregivers, transportation and healthcare workers, grocery and food industry workers — whose sacrifice, courage and selfless dedication throughout the now two-year COVID-19 pandemic has helped save countless lives. Their efforts have enabled the Los Angeles community at large to survive and adapt to the changing demands and conditions of these pandemic times. Performances from local and international artists highlights the event and features fusion of Filipino American food products, services and organizations. Interested vendors may contact the event organizers at usaphilsbaca@gmail.com or 626360-3388. Follow the UPBA’s official Facebook page informationat https://fb.me/e/23KfTbEBR forat https://www.facebook.com/1UPBA ormoreaboutevent. PAGE B4 Filipino American actor Alberto Isaac and award-winning Filipino actress Princess Punzalan to appear as Thony’s in-laws SEASON 2 of FOX’s primetime drama series “The Cleaning Lady,” premiering on September 19 at 9 p.m. ET/PT, announces its new guest stars, Princess Punzalan and Alberto Isaac, to play Thony’s in-laws. “The Cleaning Lady” is the groundbreaking FOX series and the network’s first primetime drama to be produced by and starring an Asian female. Based on the Argentinean series of the same name and produced by Warner Bros. Television and FOX Entertainment, “The Cleaning Lady” is a story of empowerment, resilience and the human spirit that asks us all if the ends justify the means. Miranda Kwok (“The 100”) developed the series and is a FOX’s ‘The Cleaning Lady’ continues to lead in Southeast Asian representation with their season 2 guest stars
Prosy AbArquez DelAcruz, J.D. Rhizomes “CREATIVE people are critical: they don’t stop with the given and the (supposedly) “obvious.” They are imaginative. They make a habit of thinking in more open and simple ways, keeping their minds two steps ahead of things as they are. They are inventive. They consciously seek to devise new ways of thinking. And creative people are disciplined and persistent – creativity can require a certain kind of playfulness – but it does not mean just letting go. Creativity takes work.” –Anthony Weston, Creativity for Critical Thinkers, 2007. “I thought I was on top of the world,” proclaims designer Alan Del Rosario after seeing the gown he made on a mannequin perched on the house’s rooftop in Hollywood.Speaking of the world, our creative spirits were frozen from a million plus deaths of coronavirus in America, Dec. 4, 2021, and worldwide, more than six million perished. Thatwas enough to scare folks into hibernation, but not the brave ones, like Janet Susan R. Nepales. Little was going on in terms of public events, schools, offices, Broadway shows, movie houses, and school activities, except meetings on Zoom. Janet Susan R. Nepales launched ‘FASHION. Filipino. Hollywood. The World,’ on Dec. 3, 2021, while hundreds braved to join her outdoors, in compliance with COVID-19 protocols. Janet envisioned a museum to house all these finest gowns made by fifteen Filipino designers around the world: Manila, Dubai, Los Angeles, New York, Las Vegas and San Diego. Wondering how she would do it, two folks rose to theWithoutoccasion. any footsteps to follow, Lisa Lew and David Tupaz actualized her vision. Mannequins were shipped from Las Vegas, dressed with Janet’s haute couture gowns, and placed in the host’s home. Inkeeping with the atmospheric plan of the author, even cookies were imprinted with Janet’s logo and artistry was predominant. She referred to Lisa and David as her “creative geniuses and her angels.” Define fashion Still my overthinking brain asks, “What is there to celebrate from single bolts of fabric? Is this my subconscious bias?” Recall how 10 ruffled yards of a light blue gown with a lavish train wrapped Lady Gaga’s body with suchMuchelegance? likeher song, excerpted here: “Step into the room like it’s catwalkFashion!Singingto the tune, just to keep talkingFashion!Walkinto the light Display your diamonds and pearls in sight Fashion! Married to the night I own the world, we own the world Are these scholastic or subversive products from the imaginative minds of irrepressible spirits drawn to create, worldwide? Is this what Bessie Badilla’s definition of fashion is? A composite of three elemental C’s: character – do I choose age appropriate or my mood for the moment?; confident – how I want to feel for a party, wedding or event; comfort – her first criterion in looking for in trying out clothes. Or a fourth C, did it connect? ‘Connected’ I was still looking for a writing muse until I attended the bridal shower of my niece, Jessica, who used the fourth element of fashion, the concept of being connected to the‘Connected’dress. was the descriptor Jessica used, how it made her feel. Jessica Del Rosario was dressed in a long dress with intricate lace and daisy flowered designs, with spaghetti straps, with her wellkept hair, untousled, and tidy. She told us in a bridal shower that she tried on 50 dresses in three dress shops, to which I quipped silently, she had that patience? As she was about to give up, a darling bridal gown ‘connected to her.’ Even more meaningful was that her mom, Rachel, also got her bridal gown from the same shop, three decades ago. She was raised as an artist with free-flowing imagination. During childhood, she was drawing with crayons and pentel pens. Her creativity was visible in a ‘DIY’ bridal shower, save the date cards, invitations, flower arrangements with stems wrapped with lemon slices, and choices of registry gifts. Every little detail reflected her sensibilities and quality standards, including twenty-four framed photos of the bride and groom’s nine years journey. My query continued, reaching down to recall memories of my mother.Wasthat fashion that I saw from my mother, Asuncion, daily? She was confident, composed, and happy when she donned her street clothes, coordinated in patterns, colors from dress, bag and shoes. She was a diligent science and math teacher who commuted in Manila, and took three buses from Cerritos to Los Angeles to teach for four decades in Catholic private schools, public schools in the Los Angeles Unified School District and the Artesia, Bellflower, and Cerritos School District. I am seeing more connectedness. Might this be my divine push to write about what Janet’s book has achieved? Jessica’s excited response: “How cool of a book that showcases Filipino designers!” It is a collection of 15 fashion designers’ work in a coffee table book: Alan del Rosario, Alexis “Bong” Monsanto, David Tupaz, Ezra Santos, Francis Libiran, Furne One Amato, Josie Natori, Kenneth Barlis, Michael Cinco, Monique Lhuiller, Oliver Tolentino, Puey Quiñones, Rajo Laurel, RC Caylan and Rocky Gathercole. They hail from Manila, Dubai, New York, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, and San Diego. The thematical categories are: Roots, Home, Imagination, Hollywood, Tradition, Culture, Femininity, Architecture and Janet Susan R. Nepales’ head-turning book on ‘FASHION. Filipino. Hollywood. The World’ Sthanlee Mirador, Bessie Badilla, Alan del Rosario, David Tupaz (back row); Janet Nepales, Michael Cinco and Alexis “Bong” Monsanto Taken by Ruben V. Nepales at Lisa Lew’s Apl.de.Ap of the Black Eyed Peas works the crowd at the Fil-Am History Month (FAHM) event last October 2021 organized by UPBA. Food festival at Paskong Pinoy at West Covina last December 2021, also organized by UPBA Stunning Lady Gaga at the Golden Globes. Photo taken by Sthanlee Mirador Janet Nepales inside Michael Cinco’s Dubai shop, taken from her Facebook post. Janet R. Nepales signing her book at Michael Cinco’s DubaiPhotoshop.courtesy of Janet Nepales
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PD: Given this passion project of a coffee table book, from its conception to planning to execution, please describe the creative process you took. JRN: ”You are the first one to know that. You are the first one I told even before you published your own book. Now, I am happy to share with you my book.” Janet preselected the designers based on her interviews, and identified the fashion icon images she wanted to include from decades of covering Hollywood celebrities, as an officer of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association. She then had to contact all the designers and secure their permission, including all their photographers. The work was laborious. She chose her team, an editor, her husband Ruben V. Nepales, and her friend, Bessie Badilla as the curator and digital artist. In a few months, they were ready to publish the book.
BY now, many newspapers have covered the recent decline in home sales in Nevada, particularly home sales in cities like Las Vegas and Pahrump. Spurred in part by the Federal Reserve raising interest rates in order to cool inflation and to slow down the dramatic rise in home prices, home sales have slightly dipped in both areas – Pahrump down by 18.6% from June 2022 to July 2022, and Las Vegas down by 24.7% in the same period. In Pahrump, the median home price is pegged at $369,715 (or $197/sqft) in July 2022, while in Las Vegas, median home price is at $402,717 (or $240/ sqft), also for July 2022. These prices still represent a big difference over prices from a year ago, with Pahrump homes up by $70,456 (23.5%) over July 2021 numbers, and Las Vegas up by $75,195 (23%) over July 2021 prices. The average sale time for homes have a big difference though in these two areas – Las Vegas has remained steady at 16 days from the period of July 2021 to July 2022, while Pahrump’s AST has gone up from 18 days to 37 days in the sameWhileperiod.LasVegas continues to be in a seller’s market, Pahrump has moved to neutralTheseterritory.numbers were presented in reports by the Pahrump Valley Times and Las Vegas Review Journal in recent stories, gleaned from numbers presented by Rocket Homes, which, in turn, got its data via the internet data exchange program of the Las Vegas Realtors® MLS.
Realtor Fely Quitevis-Bateman helps those who need business financing, including loans for small businesses. For more information, call (702) 538-4948, or send email to fely@precious-properties. com or fely.precious@gmail.com.
Now that the market is moving towards a buyer’s market, it is time to put your resources to work for you. My team and I will help you find the best opportunities in the market – be it for a first home, a second/vacation home, a land/property investment, or simply an addition to your real estate holdings. My company, Precious Properties, is a full-service company that has served its clientele since 1992. You can reach me at 775-513-8447, 805-559-2476 and 702-538-4948 for more information, or send me an email at fely@preciousproperties.com or fely.precious@gmail. com. We have investors who buy houses in California and Nevada for cash and quick escrow in as short as 7 days. (Advertising Supplement)
Pahrump, Las Vegas home sales decline, but prices still up from 2021
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According to the same news reports, the number of homes for sale in Pahrump (328) went up by 10.4% in July 2022, from an inventory of 297 in June 2022. In Las Vegas, the jump in number of homes for sale was at 11.2% in the same period (3,627 in June 2022 versus 4,034 in July 2022). This meant more homes available for buyers looking to purchase in both areas. While Las Vegas experienced an increase of nearly 10% or more in availability for homes in the 2-bedroom to 5+ bedroom range, homes in the 1-bedroom category declined by a little bit more than 4%. In Pahrump, the availability of 1-bedroom and 5+ bedroom homes declined, but 2- to 4-bedroom homes experienced an increase.Inboth markets, it was indicated in the numbers that buyers may be able to get a good deal when looking to purchase homes – 39% of homes were sold below the asking price in Las Vegas, while in Pahrump 45.8% of homes sold in the town were sold below asking price. The advice given to buyers: homes are selling fast in both markets so quickly fast if you are planning to purchase a home. This means a good deal for buyers looking to purchase a home, or even real estate in Nevada. More inventory, fewer sales and price cuts mean more negotiating power for buyers. According to a local LVR official interviewed by the Pahrump Valley Times, while rising interest rates and today’s prices may present challenges to poten tial buyers, the availability of more homes, particularly in the Las Vegas area, presents a boon to would-be home buyers as more choices abound. Perhaps, more importantly, buyers are negotiating more with sellers based on the fact that there are more choices, unlike a year ago when buyers had to concede a lot to sellers, oftentimes going over the asking price or many buyers being put on a waiting list in order to be able to just see home they were interested in purchasing. This is just normal in the ebb and flow of real estate – there are periods of lull and periods of frenzy. Still, what is important is that real estate and home prices continue to be above the levels of what they were from a year, a decade, or even two decades ago. Nevada, including the areas of Las Vegas, Pahrump, Boulder City and Henderson, continues to be an affordable market for the home buyer or investment seeker, especially when you compare to other areas in the United States.With many development and housing projects slated for cities and towns like Las Vegas and Pahrump, and an expected 1 million people added to the population of Clark County where Las Vegas belongs to (plus a couple of thousand for Nye County where Pahrump belongs to), housing will always be in-demand in these areas. As tourism bounces back in Sin City, and visitors embrace the Las Vegas experience, more and more people will be looking at opportunities in Nevada, whether it will be in the form of employment, housing or investments. I have been a Realtor for decades and have helped many of my clients pursue their American dream of home/land ownership, whether it is in Las Vegas or Pahrump. In fact, many of my clients have reaped the rewards of entering the real estate market sooner, with some renting out their properties for Airbnb, or selling their investments at a good price, or growing their real estate portfolio many-fold over the years.
Pahrump used to be a farming community so anything grows in the town. Realtor Fely QuitevisBateman’s (3rd from left) friend’s garden in Pahrump attracted her investors, Chris and Vicky, who bought several land parcels. Meet my future neighbors in Pahrump, Rose and Jessica Pacheco of North Las Vegas. We are working together towards the construction of their new home. Rose has a God-healing gift, does feng shui and numerology. Rose can be contacted at 702-249-6959. Photo above shows (from left) Rose Pacheco, Realtor Fely QuitevisBateman and Jessica Pacheco. Mr. & Mrs. Hung Yeh, with Realtor Rely QuitevisBateman (extreme right), bought an acre-plus on Highway 160. They will be bringing a national chain to be one of their tenants in their planned development.
By REALTOR FELY QUITEVIS-BATEMAN
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Bessie has a reputational title of supermodel, earned from being on global magazine covers, as a Balenciaga asset. She is treasured by photographers for her ability to work with many cultures, easy-going personality, a sense of humor, and camaraderie. I experienced that, while with her, taking photographs of the fog-covered Golden Gate Bridge at sunrise years ago. I was curious as to the transition from supermodel to photographer and now a digital artist and her creative design process. On her creative design process as a digital artist/curator: “After a successful first coffee table book for Sir Ruben, I took some months off from layout designing and publishing. The adrenaline high and excitement of actually completing an ambitious project like, ‘Through a Writer’s Lens’ needed to calm down before I could start my next publication. I told Lady Jane to continue to mold her ideas of a red carpet book while I took a short break. I needed to clear my mind so I could start fresh on the book. In less than two months, I asked Lady Jane if she had a title for her tome, she responded: ‘FASHION. Filipino. Hollywood. The World.’ I immediately went to work! If there were any low points, it was having to reject [hundreds of photos] that were too small that the program I was using (Adobe InDesign) would not accept.” Not only did Bessie take the time to learn digital software to work with, but she also had a work ethic. On her work process: “I worked on the book after dinner when our household quieted down. I would work until 3-4 in the morning in case I had any questions for Lady Jane, then she would be awake in Los Angeles. I enjoyed doing the layout and design of this book because the topic was easy for me. I understood the aesthetics of a good red carpet photo wherein both celebrity and dress complemented each other. I know fashion. It was my life and I was successful in it.” Note her confidence. Still, I was curious about the designers featured in this book. I asked Janet to share the first thing that comes to mind about each of them. Alan is very structured — a person who followed his heart to become a fashion designer, after majoring in civil engineering. It is a dream come true to see him dressing up Michele Pfeiffer, Paula Abdul, Paris Hilton and Lea Michele. Michael Cinco has dressed up five beauty queens in the latest Miss Universe pageant. He is the ‘go to’ designer of beauty queens. “Everybody feels like a princess when they go to the red carpet. He has dressed up Hollywood stars like Lady Gaga, Mariah Carey, Sofia Vergara, Britney Spears, Jennifer Lopez and Beyoncé. He is bold,” Janet asserted. Oliver Tolentino exhibited his gowns in LA Fashion Week. Janet affirmed his creativity and said, “He surprised me, he went over and beyond,” it is as if his creativity stepped up to higher levels.” He has dressed up Pia Wurtzbach, Jennifer Lee, Debbie Reynolds, and Carrie Fisher. Thiscoming Sept. 14, Tolentino will showcase 30 Fall/Winter outfits in Vienna, Austria Fashion Week. Janet on Rocky Gathercole, “I was the last journalist to interview him before he passed away. Including him is a tribute to his work. He is an avant garde. He dressed me up for a New York event, one of the fashion shows with Renee Salud.” On Kenneth Barlis: “This is what the future will be. His work is being copiedAlexistoo.”“Bong” Monsanto – “His works are out of this world, [it] should be fantasy. Something you will want to wear if you want to be somebody else, daring, can stand out.” RC Caylan – “He is daring, not scared of his critics, was on the Dubai runway and [he] showed his creativity and originality.” Furne One Amato – “Think of fantasy, think out of this world, futuristic andMoniquespectacular.”Lhuillier – “You think of a princess on the red carpet. She started it all. She even dressed up Former First Lady Michelle Obama.”
Janet said that Natori shared: “After the Grammys. in 2019, you can see from our website, Lady Gaga came out with our bra…literally; she was just wearing a panty hose, a coat and a bra. Amazing.”
On being on the red carpet, Janet described that when she puts on the gown, “Being myself, but also a different persona is being expressed, the gown brings out something in you. You end up giving life to the dresses. It is like hidden personalities, the little Janets, the Miss Janets, putting on the elegant dress and you become yourself plus more.”
writer and executive producer. Melissa Carter (“Queen Sugar”) is showrunner and executive producer. Shay Mitchell (“You,” “Pretty Little Liars”), David Dean Portelli, Rose Marie Vega and Paola Suarez also are executive producers. Season Two of “The Cleaning Lady” picks up with Thony (Yung) desperately trying to find her son, Luca (Sebastien & Valentino LeSalle), after he was kidnapped by his father, Marco (Ivan Shaw). With nowhere else to turn, she enlists the help of FBI Agent Garrett Miller (Oliver Hudson) to track him down before they leave the country. Meanwhile, an incident involving Chris (Sean Lew) forces Fiona (Martha Millan) to shield her son by any means necessary, furthering the theme of how far a mother will go to protect her child. This season continues to examine the plight of undocumented immigrants and their difficulties accessing necessary healthcare and resources. Galvanized by the many roadblocks she faced while searching for a treatment to save her son, Thony will utilize her expertise as a doctor to find ways to help her underserved community. However, as Thony continues to entwine her business undertakings with Arman, she once again crosses the moral line into the dark underbelly of Las Vegas. The series also stars Faith Bryant as Jaz. napasagot, kung bakit nya ako minahal ng todo todo, at kung bakit nya ako pinakasalan,” he said. (I worked hard for all the reasons why she gave me attention, why I earned her “yes,” why she loves me so much, and why she married me.)
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Miranda thinks that “luck favors those who work hard” and he realized that the harder he works, the luckier he becomes. He feels that everything he worked for made him more equipped to catch a girl as amazing and as beautiful as his wife. He also respects his wife’s character of not being obsessed with looking good. Instead, she values learning more and always striving to reach new heights.“[Tulad ngayon, after graduating, MBA naman,” he said. (Like now, after graduating, she is aiming for a master’s degree in business administration.) g
Ezra Santos – “He is part of the respected trilogy, the top three designers in Dubai, all in Vogue. Yet, he is humble, soft spoken, simple and his works speak for himself.” Puey Quiñones – “He recently got married and came out with a shoe line. He dressed me up, my daughter Bianca, the bride, my younger daughter Ella, the Maid of Honor for Bianca’s wedding. He created simple, feminine dresses perfect for the occasion, a garden wedding.”
FOX’s ‘The Cleaning Lady’ continues to lead in... Janet Susan R. Nepales’...
Alberto Isaac plays Jacinto de la Rosa, aka ‘Lolo,’ who is Fiona and Marco’s loving yet overbearing and often critical father, which all comes from a protective instinct to care for his family the only way he knows how.
David Tupaz - “He was already dressing up Hollywood stars like Cris Jenner, Lisa Rinna and Christine Baranski and the like as early as I can remember. They were even walking the runway for David even before it became a Confidencetrend.”begets confidence, the feeling one is home. And in being home to oneself, one can confidently be fashionable.
I have now come to terms with what I experienced with Jessica, my niece; Asuncion, my mom; and Janet’s beautiful book for Filipino designers. I look forward to her next book about her interviews with these designers and how their creative instincts were nurtured from home or Withinnature.afew weeks in December 2021, all hardbound copies sold out. There are paperbound copies now available on Amazon. Don’t miss taking this book home, if to just enjoy the colors, textures, fabrics and the icons of Hollywood and their insights and humble beginnings against all odds. * * * Prosy Abarquez-Delacruz, J.D. writes a weekly column for Asian Journal, called “Rhizomes.”
Janet described how Bessie Badilla captures the impact of walking the red carpet. She becomes a different Bessie on the runway. “She knows what would move folks, as she has the eye, the innate creative aesthetics, just like how she picked out Rita Moreno wearing an original Pitoy Moreno gown, a classic to be included in my book,” sheThelmaadded.Sioson-San Juan, a lifestyle editor based in the Philippines, considered this fashion book as piercing the invisibility veil. She writes, “there is no pigeon-holing the Filipino fashion design, not even on the red carpet. It is minimalism one moment, maximalist next (without visual breathing space), restrained now, flamboyant next, classic now and cutting edge next.” To me, this book was a brave shout-out to the world-class artistry of Filipino designers from Manila, New York, Dubai, Los Angeles, Las Vegas and San Diego. It gave folks upliftment, a source of connecting with friends from the community, and also for Hollywood mainstream producers to get a taste of sisterhood and coming together for Janet’s book.Itis also the first book to assemble the finest works of Filipino designers, with Janet and Bessie as critics with good eyes, capturing icons’ images taken mostly by Sthanlee B. Mirador, about who is leading theItculture.isalsoa book that illustrated what’s functional and what’s beautiful, but also the embedded creativity, and hard work behind fashion, where sewn beads, crystals, sequins, lace, buttons, and sashes are crying out to be seen as beautiful and appreciated as more than just the stereotypical debauchery of the rich. Fashion is wearable art, a canvas where each designer left their valuable imprint and signature in stitches.
Alberto recently shot a supporting lead in the Lionsgate feature “Shotgun Wedding” opposite Jennifer Lopez, which will debut on Amazon Prime Video. Other credits include “American Crime Story: Versace,” “Get Short,” and recurring roles in “Crazy Ex-Girlfriend,” “Good Luck Charlie,” and “Family Law.” Alberto is repped by Stewart Talent. Princess Punzalan plays Alma de la Rosa aka ‘Lola.’ While appearing quiet and reserved next to her domineering husband, Lola has a deep strength, compassion and wisdom, and often brings the voice of reason when it matters most. Punzalan is a native and respected veteran actor of the Philippines and the daughter of celebrated Philippine broadcasters and producers Helen Vela (“Lovingly Yours, Helen”) and Orlando Punzalan. Princess’ most famous role was as Selina, the villain in the long-running Philippine TV series “Mula Sa Puso,” for which she won the PMPC Star Awards for Television’s “Best Actress in a Drama Series.” Most recently, Princess stars in the award-winning short film, “The Gift,” currently streaming on HBO Max in the APA Visionaries collection. She resides in Los Angeles and is represented theatrically by Aileen Bailin of Connect Entertainment Group and managed globally by Anthony Leones at Shushu Entertainment. g
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Why Chito feels so lucky to have...
Rajo Laurel – “Pia Clemente, the first Filipina American Oscar nominee in 2005, was dressed by Rajo Laurel and David Tupaz. Rajo is a pioneer, meticulous and a perfectionist. He creates simple, daring and classic dresses.” Francis Libiran – “He supports Philippine fabric weavers and uses a lot of indigenous textiles from different parts of the archipelago. His favorite is jusi, a mixture of pineapple threads and silk; piña made from pineapple fibers and abaca made of banana tree fibers and abaca plant fibers. He has dressed up Darren Criss, Billie Porter, Tyra Banks, Gwen Stefani, among others. He has also dressed up Pia Wurtzbach and Catriona Gray who are both Miss Universe holders and Megan Young, Miss World title holder.” Josie Natori – “She was the first to bring fashion to the lingerie world.”
She has been writing for AJ Press for 12 years. She also contributes to Balikbayan Magazine. Her training and experiences are in science, food technology, law and community volunteerism for 4 decades. She holds a B.S. degree from the University of the Philippines, a law degree from Whittier College School of Law in California and a certificate on 21st Century Leadership from Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government. She has been a participant in NVM Writing Workshops taught by Prof. Peter Bacho for 4 years and Prof. Russell Leong. She has travelled to France, Holland, Belgium, Spain, Portugal, Japan, Costa Rica, Mexico and over 22 national parks in the U.S., in her pursuit of love for nature and the arts.
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* * 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.
NotesPastor’s On stepping outside of our boundaries
IT was eight o’clock on a quiet night in the municipality of Izalco in Sonsonate, El Salvador. The parish priest, Padre Napo, and his vicar, Padre Jorge, invited me to come to a meeting with members of their parish pastoral council. I didn’t know what to expect from this encounter. All I knew was that I was stepping outside of my boundaries with a group of people I would be meeting for the first time and chatting with only in Spanish. I introduced myself and sat with them in the living room. I allowed myself to blend in naturally by overcoming any B6 Triple G USA and SFVGC Invitational Golf Tournament 2022. Closest to the Pin award Hole no. 6 at 6 1/2 inches goes to Apollo Miranda. Congratulations.
AMANDA Frlekin and others worked for Apple Inc. as retail store employees in California. Apple imposed mandatory searches of employees’ bags, packages, purses, backpacks, briefcases, and personal Apple technology devices. Apple employees are required to clock out before submitting to the exit search. Failure to comply with this policy may lead to disciplinary action, up to and including termination. Apple employees bring bags to work for many reasons. Some employees bring bags to carry Apple-provided apparel, which employees must wear while working but are required to remove or cover up while outside the store. Others bring bags containing their cell phones, food, keys, wallets, or eyeglasses. Managers estimated that 30 percent of Apple employees bring such bags to work. However, employees estimated that “nearly all”Employeedo. estimates of the time spent awaiting and undergoing an exit search range from five to 20 minutes, depending on manager or security guard availability. On the busiest days, Apple employees have reported waiting up to 45 minutes to undergo an exit search. As a rule, they are not compensated for this time. The employees sued Apple in a class action alleging that Apple failed to pay its employees minimum and overtime wages for time spent undergoing Apple’s exit searches in violation feeling of shyness and distance. They were interested in what I had to say. They asked questions about my origin, culture, and ministry. They were delighted to hear my answers and my stories. We kept on chatting for an hour until we all got up to sit for dinner at one table. We smiled and laughed as we shared experiences and thought of meeting again someday. I felt something profound when I sat at the dinner table with this group of strangers. I did not feel like an outsider; I felt one with them. We spoke the same language: our faith in Jesus Christ, our Church, discipleship and leadership, our joys and challenges, and the beauty of all these.Much more than the feeling of oneness with them was Christ’s presence at that moment. Jesus was in our midst. It was the same thing I sensed earlier that day when I visited the tomb of Archbishop Romero and the chapel where he was martyred for the people of El Salvador.Ateach place, I become one with Archbishop Romero—in an intimate prayer of intercession for God’s people, priests, and bishops.Itwas the same feeling I had for my host family—Mario and Maria Elena Ortiz with their daughter, Fatima, and Maria’s mother, Cristina. They took me around El Salvador for three days.Itwas also the same feeling I had for my hosts and friends in Guatemala during my prior week’s visit—for Hector Castaneda and his beloved mother, Maria Luisa, and all their relatives. Every encounter with them and their “paisanos” was a profound encounter with God.Ilearned this lesson again during my visit to Guatemala rreverendodelG.
Lovi channels cowgirl vibes as cover... PAGE B1 EMPLOYMENT EMPLOYMENT FOR RENT FOR SERVICESSALE PAGE
Poe currently stars in the Philippine adaptation of the South Korean thriller “Flower of Evil.” She will soon be appearing in the upcoming Idris Elbaproduced film “The Chelsea Cowboy,” in which she portrays British blues singer Dana Gillespie. g of California law. Employees alleged the bag checks amounted to about $1,500 in unpaid wages per employee per year. The case reached the California Supreme Court, which had to answer this question:Istime spent on the employer’s premises undergoing required exit searches of items voluntarily brought to work by employees compensable as “hours worked”?TheSupreme Court ruled that, yes, time spent on the employer’s premises undergoing security or bag checks should be paid as “hours worked.” “Hours worked” means the time during which an employee is subject to the control of an employer, and includes all the time the employee is suffered or permitted to work, whether or not required to do so. The Court noted that the level of the employer’s control over its employees, determines whether an activity is compensable as “hours worked.” If an activity is required by the employer, this may also prove that an employee is subject to the employer’s control. However, the mandatory nature of an activity is not the only factor to consider. Additional relevant factors — such as the location of the activity, the degree of the employer’s control, whether the activity primarily benefits the employee or employer, and whether the activity is enforced through disciplinary measures — may also be used to evaluate whether an employer-controlled activity is compensable. In applying these factors, the Court found that the employees were subject to Apple’s control during the exit searches. Apple’s exit searches are required for business reasons, occur at the workplace, involve a significant degree of control, are imposed primarily for Apple’s benefit, and are enforced through threat of discipline. Thus, according to the “hours worked” control clause, employees “must be paid.” The court stated that Apple may tailor its bag-search policy to minimize the time required for exit searches by hiring sufficient security personnel or employing adequate security technology. But it still must compensate those employees for the time spent waiting for and undergoing theseDespitesearches.the ruling from California’s Supreme Court, which was handed down in early 2020, the parties took approximately two years to resolve the case. In late 2021, Apple agreed to pay $30.5 million in damages to settle the case. A federal judge approved the settlement this month. The settlement is expected to benefit 15,000 former and current retail workers at Apple.
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Time spent by employees on required bag checks must be paid Atty. C. Joe SAyAS, Jr
Bro. Cris Hero Bayani III. Chairman, Triple G USA Invitational USA 2022 at the Knollwood Country Club on August 13, 2022.
Triple G USA and San Fernando Valley GC would like to congratulate all the winners in our recent Invitational Golf Tournament 2022 held at Knollwood Country Club. August 13, 2022. Special mention to our youngest champion Joseph Tumaneng. From left, Andrew Famularcano (Champion Class B), Joseph Tumaneng (center) and Marton Alejandrino (right).
* * * The Law Offices of C. Joe Sayas, Jr. welcomes inquiries about this topic. All inquiries are confidential and at no-cost. You can contact the office at (818) 291-0088 or visit www. joesayaslaw.com. [C. Joe Sayas, Jr., Esq. is an experienced trial attorney who has successfully recovered wages and other monetary damages for thousands of employees and consumers. He was named Top Labor & Employment Attorney in California by the Daily Journal, consistently selected as Super Lawyer by the Los Angeles Magazine, and is a past Presidential Awardee for Outstanding Filipino Overseas.](Advertising Supplement)
Rights&EmployeeProtectingConsumer
BAlAGtAS
an oversized coat by Charles and Ron, as seen on the magazine’s Instagram page. This is not the first time that Poe graced the cover of a Los Angeles-based magazine as she had appeared on the cover of Now Magazine back in July last year. The actress recently launched her own production company, C’est Lovi Productions, where her British producer boyfriend Monty Blencowe also serves as an executive.
DEAR Attorney Tan, I recently married a US Citizen, who is my second husband. He has filed an immigrant visa petition and green card application for me. My husband recently received from USCIS a Notice of Intent to Deny the petition that he filed on my behalf. The Notice indicated that the immigrant visa petition could not be approved since the USCIS had determined that I previously entered into a fraudulent marriage to get a green card several years ago. My ex-husband previously filed an immigrant petition on my behalf several years ago, which was denied since USCIS determined that I only married him to get a green card. My second husband and I truly love each other. What are my options? -- In Love but Out of Status Dear In Love but Out of Status,Under INA Section 204(c), a person who “attempted or conspired to enter into a marriage” in order to receive permanent resident status in the US is prohibited from obtaining USCIS approval of an immigrant visa petition. Simply stated, Section 204(c) prohibits approval of any immigrant visa petition if there has been a finding of “marriage fraud” in a prior marriage-based petition. Based on the above law, your case seems at first glance like an “open-and-shut” case in favor of denial. However, you still have hope of getting a green card—a person can apply for and get his immigrant petition approved despite the prior finding of “marriage fraud” under certain circumstances. You may ask, how is this possible? Isn’t Section 204(c) straightforward? Not quite. The answer lies in the fact that USCIS must independently examine the prior finding of “marriage fraud” in considering the subsequently filed immigrant visa petition. Before invoking the Sec. 204(c) bar to approval of a subsequent visa petition, USCIS must make an independent determination of fraud based upon the record, including but not limited to any evidence gathered during adjudication of the prior visa petition, but may not parrot or rely on the conclusions made by other adjudicators. USCIS must have “substantial and probative” evidence of “marriage fraud.” Matter of Tawfik, 20 I. & N. Dec. 166,The168.determination is to be made by the USCIS district director while adjudicating the subsequent visa petition. Matter of Samsen, 15 I. & N. Dec. 28, 1974 WL 29995 (B.I.A. 1974). The district director should not give conclusive effect to the determinations made in the prior proceedings, but should reach his own independent conclusion based on the evidence actually before him. Matter of F-, 9 I. & N. Dec. 684 (BIA 1962). Therefore, in cases such as and El Salvador—that we must have the courage to step outside our boundaries and comfort zones. It’s not easy, but it is a fundamental call of Christian discipleship. Stepping out of our boundaries means opening our hearts and homes to other people—learning their culture, sharing each other’s resources, and most of all, loving God’s people, especially the poor and the oppressed. However difficult, stepping out of our boundaries brings a surprising moment—we encounter God! He is alive and working in other people’s lives! (I wrote this article in 2016 as part of a book I published, Walking with God: The Journey of a Priest’s Heart. I still have copies of this book if anyone is interested in obtaining one. I thought it relates to this Sunday’s Gospel on entering the “narrow gate.” Indeed stepping out of our boundaries and comfort zones is not easy—the path is narrow, but it’s all worth it when we persevere!).
On stepping outside of our boundaries
Atty. LAwrence yAng ReliefDebt Severe financial distress?
* * * Darrick V. Tan, Esq. is admitted to practice law in California and Nevada. Mr. Tan is a graduate of UCLA and Southwestern University School of Law. He is a member of the Consumers Attorney Association of Los Angeles and is a former member of the Board of Governors of the Philippine American Bar Association. LAW OFFICES OF DARRICK V. TAN, 3580 Wilshire Boulevard, Suite 900, Los Angeles, CA 90010. Tel: 323639-0277. Email: (Advertisinginfo@dtanlaw.comSupplement)
Atty. Kenneth UrsUA reyes CornerBarrister’s How important is it to have a living trust?
* * * The opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by the author do not necessarily reflect the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints of the Asian Journal, its management, editorial board and staff. * * * Fr. Rodel “Odey” Balagtas is the pastor of Incarnation Church in Glendale, California.
Commencing a probate case is expensive and a very slow process. Someone qualified will have to file a Petition with the probate court to have someone appointed as executor or administrator. The Petitioner’s attorney gets paid a statutory rate for attorney’s yours in which the USCIS has indicated it intends to deny the subsequent immigrant visa petition due to the prior finding of “marriage fraud,” new evidence can be submitted that demonstrates that the prior finding of “marriage fraud” was incorrect—i.e., evidence that shows that the prior marriage petition was based on a bona fide marriage, or that explains that the prior denial was based on an incomplete or inaccurate assessment of the facts. In cases in which the subsequent immigrant visa petition has already been denied, this new evidence should be submitted as part of a motion to reconsider. I recommend that you seek an experienced attorney to assist you in properly presenting the law and facts to the USCIS adjudicator to address the Section 204(c) bar. * * * 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.
* * Attorney Kenneth Ursua Reyes is a Certified Family Law Specialist. He was President of the Philippine American Bar Association. He is a member of both the Family law section and Immigration law section of the Los Angeles County Bar Association. He is a graduate of Southwestern University Law School in Los Angeles and California State University, San Bernardino School of Business Administration. He has extensive CPA experience prior to law practice. LAW OFFICES OF KENNETH REYES, P.C. is located at 3699 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 747, Los Angeles, CA, 90010. Tel. (213) 388-1611 or e-mail kenneth@ kenreyeslaw.com or visit our website
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Can I get a green card if I had a previous marriage petition denied based on fraud?
send him $50,000, come see me for a Chapter 7 or Chapter 13, okay? You are never going to see your prince charming, and you are never going to see your $50,000 again, not in this lifetime.Putting the senior client on the title to her house was a big mistake because instead of being able to file for Chapter 7 relief, he can only qualify for Chapter 13 to handle the $50K of debt. We could have done his Chapter 7 first and wiped out the $50,000, and then if she still wanted to, she could put his name on the title six months after the Chapter 7 discharge date. But she put him on the title as soon as he moved in with her. That fact changes the whole ball game in terms of getting the appropriate bankruptcy relief. When he came to see me the first time, I knew the $50,000 really irritated him to no end, even complaining why he would owe $16,000 of repo deficiency when the car has been returned to the creditor. Sorry, that’s the way contract law works. I can’t blame him for being stressed out. Who wants to have to pay $50,000 of debt at the age of 90? Nobody I know wants this kind of financial stress at any age; what more when you’re already 90 and you don’t know how much longer you have on thisTheearth?client then got sick with liver cancer and was given only a year to live. The court confirmed his Chapter 13 case last week. Right after his case was confirmed, the client passed away. Rest in peace and I am sure he is happy now in heaven with God the Father, God the Son, Jesus Christ, and God the Holy Spirit. So what happens to his Chapter 13 case, and more interestingly, what happens to his ex-wife’s house that has his name on it? And what happens to all of the $50,000 unsecured debt that he was going to pay through Chapter 13? We will discuss this at a later date. It’s really better to get rid of your debts sooner than later. Don’t wait too long. If you can qualify now for Chapter 7, just do it now. It’s harder all around if you wait until you’re 80. The spirit is willing but the body is literally too weak at 80. I have another senior client who was only 74 but on dialysis. He also passed away late last year just when the virus began to rear its ugly head. In his case, his joint debtor widow continued the plan payments. She moved in with her son and just rented out their house. It had a default of about $30,000. That was the reason for Chapter 13: to save the house from foreclosure. It was the right move, because the equity is now about $200,000 and she now gets rental income from it, which is net positive after mortgage payment. For her, things worked out. Her son asked her to move in with him and his wife and family, and she was able to keep her house from foreclosure and benefit significantly from the increase in equity. But of course, although there was that risk of dying, her husband was on the waiting list for a kidney transplant. The husband had a major heart attack at night before they went to sleep. It was too late when the paramedics arrived, he was gone. My classmate is still in a coma two months after being infected with the virus. He is still on a ventilator and has suffered multiple mini strokes. We are praying for a miracle to get him back fully recovered and conscious again. “Ask and it will be given.” “Knock and the door will open.” If it is God’s will, he will bless my friend with a miracle of full recovery. His wife and family still need him. Businessowner with several restaurants needs Chapter 7 relief The next client is only 50. Believe me, that is young. He owns three restaurants. He sold one recently, but one of his former employees filed a lawsuit for unpaid overtime of several years. He wants to close the 2nd restaurant that is no longer profitable because of the lockdown. The problem is that he personally is on the commercial lease at $7,000 a month for five more years. So he’s on the hook for $500,000 of unpaid rent. His third restaurant is still doing ok despite the lockdown. He wants to keep that restaurant. So, this is not unusual nowadays with the pandemic still untamed here in our beautiful country. This client needs Chapter 7 relief for a fresh start with no debt but with the ability to continue operating the third restaurant. * * * Disclaimer: None of the foregoing is considered legal advice for anyone. There is absolutely no attorneyclient relationship established by reading this article.***
THINKING about one’s demise is not something people want to spend time thinking about. However reality is that we all have to face this one day. It is just a matter of whether you depart this world prepared or Ifunprepared.youpassaway with at least $184,500 in gross assets and you do not have a living trust (even if you have a will), your beneficiaries would have to open up a probate case before title to the assets can pass to them. When I say gross assets, I mean regardless of how much debt you owe on them. For example if you own a house valued at $350,000 at the time of your death, it does not matter that your mortgage balance is $300,000, a probate case has to be opened in order to pass title to that property. The same is true with other types of assets such as owning a business, a professional practice, bonds, equities, etc. This is a very low threshold to exceed specially in California where real estate prices, even after the economic crisis, remains in the upper end of the curve among the 50 states.
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Lawrence Bautista Yang specializes in Bankruptcy, Business, Real Estate and Civil Litigation and has successfully represented more than five thousand clients in California. Please call Angie, Barbara or Jess at (626) 284-1142 for an appointment at 20274 Carrey Road, Walnut, CA 91789 or 1000 S. Fremont Ave., Mailstop 58, Building A-10 South Suite 10042, Alhambra, CA 91803.
* * * Please note that this article is not legal advice and is not intended as legal advice. The article is intended to provide only general, non-specific legal information. This article is not intended to cover all the issues related to the topic discussed. The specific facts that apply to your matter may make the outcome different than would be anticipated by you. This article does create any attorney client relationship between you and the Law Offices of Kenneth U. Reyes, P.C. This article is not a solicitation.
AT 90 years old, this senior was my oldest client. Everything came crashing down on him during his golden years, unfortunately. He had a business, which looked like it never made money but he kept on doing the business just because it gave him something to do every day. So, he had $34,000 in credit cards, and $16,000 repo deficiency for the total unsecured debt of $50,000. That’s a significant amount of debt when you’re 90. He was receiving about $2,000 a month with social security a pension but had already sold his house with zero net proceeds two years ago. He has three adult children who are gainfully employed but he just wanted to live by himself, and I guess his three children pretty much left him alone. He was married twice and divorced twice and was already single. His ex-second wife offered to let him live with her in her house. She still loves him. For unknown reasons, exwife no. 2 put him on a title to her house! Oops. Her house already has a very large equity, more than $500,000. She has her own adult children with her first husband. She had no financial problems until he moved in with her. I won’t go into details but she ended up losing $300,000 of her 401K. The two of them believed a scammer that promised a $10 million pot of gold at the end of the rainbow, if only they forked over $300,000. Wow, what a deal of deals — for $300K, you get $10 million! Let’s not get into that right now. Suffice it to say that if it’s too good to be true, then it’s not true. When someone gives you this kind of proposal where you have to give money upfront to get a big windfall, just walk away and just don’t think about it again. It’s a Forscam.example, for the senior ladies, if you suddenly meet a guy overseas who wants to marry you and he says that he’s some white dude who is the second cousin of the queen of England, and he sends you a picture of a white dude who looks like Tom Cruise in full military uniform of the British Royal Air Force, better hold on tight to your money in the bank! The fool and her money will soon be parted. If you actually use up your credit cards to fees commencing with 4% of the gross estate. The probate referee will have to be paid for appraising the assets of the estate. If it is necessary to post bond, the premium on the bond would have to be paid as well. There is also the cost of administering the estate such as selling some of the assets to satisfy the estate’s obligations and to divide the estate according to the will or the intestate line of succession if there is no will. The entire process could take up years specially if certain beneficiaries and creditors file certain claims. The probate court file would be public record.Onthe other hand if you have a living trust, your estate can avoid the entire court system and court supervision. In certain situations, the process may also save you estate taxes which may be substantial if your assets exceed a certain threshold. Basically, you and/or your spouse can be named as the initial trustee of the trust while you are alive. The trustee is the person who manages the trust. This means you retain control of all your assets the same way as if you never had a trust. For revocable trusts, you can later on, at any time during your lifetime, revoke the entire trust if you change your mind. The assets held in your living trust will be managed by the trustee and distributed according to your directions without court supervision and involvement when you pass away. This can save your heirs time and money. Since the trust would not be under the direct management of the probate court, your assets and their value and your beneficiaries’ identities would not become a public record. Your heirs and beneficiaries would still have to be notified about the living trust and advised, among other things, of their right to obtain a copy of the trust. If you are contemplating setting up a trust or have an existing trust that needs to be updated because your family circumstances have changed over the years, you should set an appointment with an experienced attorney that understands and can competently advise you in the law.
Bankruptcy can help
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