MANILA – Former Ilocos Sur Gov. Luis Crisologo “Chavit” Singson has advised former senator and boxing icon Manny Pacquiao to settle his lawsuit first with Paradigm Sports Management (PSM) before accepting exhibition fight offers. The 43-year-old Pacquiao has signed on to fight Korean YouTuber DK Yoo in an exhibition bout set in December, the proceeds of which would go to Butcharity.Singson, 81, believes that it is high time for the 43-yearold Pacquiao to first reach out to those people who last year faced a setback by his decision not to fight under PSM brand despite having a signed contract. “I think he really needs to fix his problem with Paradigm Sports Management first before accepting any tune-up fights,” Singson said. “I don’t have any knowledge about the lawsuit, but it’s better for Manny to settle it [pending court case] first than not.”
OPENING-DAY BLUES. A teacher engages Kindergarten students in physical activities at the Bagong Silang Elementary School in Barangay 176, Caloocan City on Monday, Aug. 22. The teacher said 22 out of her expected 30 pupils attended the first day of classes. PNA photo by Ben Briones
Former senator and boxing icon Manny Pacquiao Philstar.com file photo
US lawmakers hope Marcos gov’t will uphold human rights during visit to
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MANILA — A bill that would provide a new franchise for network giant ABS-CBN, which stopped airing free television and radio programs after its legislative franchise expired in May 2020, has been filed in the House of Representatives.HouseBillNo. 431 authored by Surigao del Norte 2nd District Rep. Johnny Pimentel seeks to allow ABS-CBN to operate again, noting that its news and public affairs division plays a crucial role in the dissemination of relevant information.
PH PAGE 5
Expansion plans include locations in Grand Central, Brooklyn; First Philadelphia store to open next month
LAWMAKERS from the United States were inspired by the courage of Filipinos who faced repression under the Duterte administration, and expressed hope that the new government would set a new tone for the importance of human rights and press freedom, an American senator said. A U.S. congressional delegation led by Senator Edward Markey met with President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr., other government officials, former lawmaker Leila de Lima and journalists this week. According to a release from Markey’s office, the delegation raised concerns about the human rights record of the previous government, and LOS Angeles County logged nearly 8,000 additional cases of the coronavirus over a three-day period, the Department of Public Health reported on Monday, August 22. Data from Public Health showed that 7,924 new cases of COVID-19 were reported in the county, bringing the total to 3,383,792 cases to date. The breakdown includes 3,701 from Saturday, August 20; 2,627 from Sunday, August 21; and 1,596 on Monday, August 22. During this period, the department also logged 25 new deaths related to COVID-19 — 4 on Monday, 7 on Sunday and 14 on Saturday. Since the start of the pandemic, 33,027 individuals have died from the virus. Hospitalization numbers are unavailable due to the delay in reporting from the California Department of Public Health. More than 12,434,000 individuals tested; 24% of people tested positive to date. The county Department of Public Health has urged residents to get tested for COVID frequently, especially if they have been exposed or have symptoms, before and after gatherings and when they travel. Health officials reminded residents that if they test positive, they must isolate. If they test negative but still have symptoms, they should remain at home and test again within 24 to 48 hours. n PAGE 3
ABS-CBN ceased broadcasting on May 5, 2020, after the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) did not allow it to operate due to questions about its franchise’s validity. Congress meanwhile thumbed down a new franchise for the network, forcing it to operate online and through blocktime partnerships.
This view shows the ABS-CBN network headquarters in Quezon City. The Philippines’ top broadcaster ABS-CBN on May 2020 was ordered off the air over a stalled operating licence renewal, drawing fresh charges that authorities were cracking down on press freedom. Inquirer.net file photo
“The news and public affairs program of ABS-CBN serve as the only avenue for crucial and relevant information for a great number of our countrymen. It is the source of information in the most far-flung areas of our
Pacquiao was sued by PSM of CEO Audie Attar before the Superior Court of California for alleged breach of contract last year. PSM is seeking to recover $3.3 million it claims it paid Pacquiao in advance for a fight PSM is eyeing for the boxer. The court case is ongoing in California. “Hereally needs to settle all those problems — not only the court case but also his other concerns to other people — so
LA County logs nearly 8,000 new COVID cases
by KAYCEE VALMONTE Philstar.com by AJPRESS by GAEA KATREENA CABICO Philstar.com pool
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by GABRIEL PABICO LALU Inquirer.net
MANILA — After seeing how China reacted to visits to Taiwan by U.S. officials over the past weeks, analysts point out that the Philippines should prepare to build its capacity and form strategic alliances to defend its Professorterritories.Herman Kraft, political science department chair at the University of the Philippines, noted that China’s playbook "is based on gray zones and short-term gains that [change] conditions on the ground in preparation for the next short-term objective.""Ourlesson here should be to be more active [in] matching the Chinese presence, and asserting our own positions," Kraft said. "Ceding ground to China by claiming that we are not capable of winning a war against them falls into the trap of looking at the issue from the Chinese perspective."
What PH can learn from China’s reaction to Pelosi’s Taiwan visit Settle Paradigm lawsuit before ghting again, Chavit tells Pacquiao
Solon les bill seeking new franchise for ABS-CBN
Clarkson leads 13-man Gilas
Beijing conducted its biggest-ever military exercises around Taiwan after U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi visited the self-governing island earlier this month. China had warned that her visit "seriously harms" its territorial integrity and said there would be consequences for Washington. Pelosi was the highest-ranked elected US official to visit Taiwan in over two decades as Washington recently has been trying to
Best fried chicken chain’ Jollibee opens agship NYC location in Times Square
JOLLIBEE, the Filipino fast food brand aiming to become one of the world's topfive restaurant chains, is taking America by storm with the opening of its new flagship restaurant in the heart of New York City's Times“JustSquare. being in Times Square today is giving me goosebumps. To be here has been a long dream for us at Jollibee. It's really exciting and I know that our kababayans are also very excited about it,” Maribeth Dela Cruz, president, Jollibee Group North America, Philippine Brands told the Asian Journal during the opening on Thursday, August 18.
Volume 32 - No. 66 • 14 Pages AUGUST 24-26, 2022 DATELINE USA FROM THE AJPRESS NEWS TEAM ACROSS AMERICA PAGE 5
FILIPINO American Utah Jazz guard Jordan Clarkson leads the 13-man pool headed to Lebanon for the first game of Gilas Pilipinas in the fourth window of the FIBA World Cup Asian Qualifiers. As Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas spokesman Renauld "Sonny" Barrios previously stated, Clarkson is set to play as a naturalized player for the Philippines as the country's basketball federation has already stopped pleading FIBA to allow Clarkson to play as a local. That is more likely because the 30-yearold Clarkson, who won the 2021 NBA Sixth Man of the Year award, has not secured a Philippine passport before turning 16 years old.Joining Clarkson in Lebanon are first-time Gilas pool members Roosevelt Adams, Jamie Malonzo, Japeth Aguilar, Chris Newsome, Calvin Oftana, Bobby Ray Parks Jr., Dwight Ramos, brothers Kiefer and Thirdy Ravena, Kai Sotto, Carl Tamayo and Scottie Thompson.Thefinal 12-man lineup for Gilas' game
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PNA photo by Robert Oswald P. Alfiler
expressed hope that Marcos will turn the page by upholding the fundamental human rights during their meeting with the new president. “I am pleased to lead the first U.S. Congressional delegation to meet with President Marcos Jr. and look forward to the promise of a renewed partnership with the newly elected government,” Markey said. “I expressed to President Marcos my hope that he will turn the page on the human rights abuses of the previous government.Markeywas banned from visiting the Philippines by President Rodrigo Duterte after calling for De Lima’s release and raising alarm over human rights violations under his watch. Visiting De Lima Markey also said the members of the delegation were “inspired by the courage and resilience of Senator De Lima, the press, and every day Filipinos in the face of persecution and repression under the previous government.”U.S.lawmakers were allowed to visit De Lima at her detention facility in Camp Crame in Quezon City on Friday. The visit, which lasted for more than an hour, came a day after they were barred by police for lacking a courtMarkeyorder.renewed his call to drop all charges against De Lima and release her from detention. De Lima has been in jail since Feb. 24, 2017 on drug charges. De Lima has two pending cases. She had been acquitted in one Markeycase.also stressed that a “free and independent press is the bedrock of any democracy.” The delegation met with journalists from Rappler. Climate change, security issuesAccording to Markey’s office, the delegation discussed cooperation on renewable energy, ways to address climate change, U.S. support for human rights, press freedom, and LGBTQIA+ rights and regional security issues, such as the South China Sea during meetings with Marcos, foreign affairs secretary Enrique Manalo, and justice chief Jesus Crispin Remulla. Markey also met with Filipino lawmakers, with House Speaker Martin Romualdez assuring the American legislators that the lower chamber “will remain committed in enacting laws that would help deepen cooperation with the United States.”
Senate President ProTempore Loren Legarda said the reception hosted by Romualdez was “an opportune time to discuss pressing issues, such as the pandemic, threats to our planet’s health, the global economy, national security as well as public health.”
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From the Front Page
PAGE 1 FILIPINO FIRST.
Members of the U.S. congressional delegation also include Representatives John Garamendi (DemocratCalifornia), Don Beyer (Democrat-Virginia) and Aumua Amata Radewagen (RepublicanAmerican Samoa). Shoppers choose from a wide range of affordable products from different parts of the Philippines at the “Bagsakan” sale at Fisher Mall in Quezon Avenue, Quezon City on Tuesday, Aug. 23. Organized by the Department of Trade and Industry - Bureau of Domestic Trade Promotion, the event will showcase the best products of 37 micro, small, and medium enterprises from the provinces and Metro Manila until August 31.
US lawmakers hope Marcos...
AUGUST 24-26, 2022 • SoCal ASIAN JOURNAL http://www.asianjournal.com • (818) 502-0651 • (213) 250-97974 Dateline USa PAGE 1 PAGE 1 Solon files bill seeking new franchise for...More communities are giving flavored
Proponents of local ordinances and the statewide ban say the measures are primarily intended to protect young people from getting addicted, as Smith did. “We can stop Big Tobacco from using flavors to get kids hooked on nicotine and profiting from addiction, disease, and death,” former state Sen. Jerry Hill, who authored the 2020 law, told lawmakers at a recent legislative hearing on the ballot measure. “If we can save even a few lives by ending the sale of candy-flavored tobacco, it will all be worth it.”
As the Philippines is located just south of Taiwan, analysts point out that any form of aggressiveness from China could spill over to Manila — for example, through the Scarborough Shoal (Panatag) that is part of the West Philippine Sea. This would then open up more cans of worms as both Beijing and Manila have claims over the waters, which a 2016 arbitral tribunal said was a traditional fishing ground that claimants cannot bar fishers from other countries from going to. China continues to ignore the Hague ruling that invalidated its nine-dash claims over parts of the South China Sea and instead provided that it is part of the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone and continental shelf. The effect of pressure that China is putting on Taiwan goes beyond the region, Manhit said. "It also affects Northern East Asia countries who [have] concerns with China, especially the East China Sea with Japan. This is what we should be looking at, how it affects the East Asia security and peace situation." Like in the West Philippine Sea and South China Sea, there are also disputes over the East China Sea between China and Japan as the two countries along with South Korea and Taiwan share theThewaters.Philippines has called on both the U.S. and China “to ensure continuing communication” to keep tensions from further escalating. Andasthe situation continues to unfold, the Department of Migrant Workers has instructed the Philippines’ three labor attaches in Taiwan to stay vigilant and make themselves visible to the over 150,000 overseas Filipino workers there. Amador Research Services Founder and CEO Julio Amador pointed out that the country’s contingency plans should also go beyond OFWs and "look at how any potential conflict will affect our economy and our security."
A 2021 survey by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that about 75% of middle school students and 80% of high school students who use tobacco use a product with flavoring, often in “kid-friendly flavors, such as berry, cherry, apple, cotton candy, and bubble gum,” which mask the harshness of tobacco and act as a gateway for underage smoking. In 2020, an estimated 4.5 million middle and high school students used tobacco products. Before the pandemic, the number of young people surveyed on school campuses who used tobacco had been climbing steadily, rising from 3.6 million in 2017 to 6.2 million 2019, according to CDC surveys.“It’snot good for young people’s developing brains,” said Kevin Schroth, an associate professor at the Rutgers University School of Public Health. Schroth previously worked on tobacco control policy in New York City, which banned the sale of flavored tobacco in 2009. “There’s no reason that they should be developing addictions to these products.” If Californians uphold the state law, theirs would be the fifth state to adopt a flavor ban after Rhode Island, New Jersey, New York, and Massachusetts, according to the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids. About 345 localities across the nation prohibit the sale of flavored tobacco. But some of these laws, including California’s, contain glaring loopholes, such as allowing flavors in premium cigars, hookahs, pipe tobacco, and online purchases. While some cities and states have banned internet sales, others have cited legal concerns about regulating interstate commerce — leaving it to the federal government to act. The FDA in April proposed rules banning the manufacture, distribution, and sale of menthol cigarettes and flavored cigars, but the rules have yet to be finalized. In June, the agency ordered vaping company Juul to stop selling its e-cigarettes, but a week and a half later suspended the ban, following a federal lawsuit by the company. The FDA said its order needed further scientific review. Meanwhile, legislation in Congress to ban the sale of flavored tobacco has stalled. The tobacco industry has spent nearly $22 million to overturn the California law compared with $5.7 million spent by supporters of the ban. “NO on Prop 31” campaign spokesperson Beth Miller said via email that government regulation restricts adult smokers’ right to choose and takes away an alternative to cigarettes that some people use to kick the habit. Miller said the campaign agrees “youth should never have access to any tobacco products,” which have been illegal in California for anyone under 21 since 2016. Public health officials, however, say that flavored products are clearly marketed to young kids — and that they use them. A 2021 survey by Santa Clara County, for example, found that 93% of high school students who had used tobacco chose a flavored product. Just over half of those surveyed who vape said they bought their own“Whene-cigarettes.products are available, youth may be able to find a way they can get these products,” said Don Tran, policy coordinator for the county’s Tobacco-Free Communities program. “But when you’re actually able to physically remove the product from being sold on the shelf, you’re going to drastically reduce thatIt’savailability.”tooearlyto tell whether the flavor ban is working in San Jose. At Houdini’s Smoke Shop downtown, co-owner John Tokhi said the store has lost about 80% of its sales to neighboring municipalities where the sales of products are still legal. Before the ban, he said, a warm summer evening would attract a line of businesspeople and concertgoers. Those crowds have been replaced with clientele sporadically
by Zinnia Finn Kaiser Health News PAGE 5
"We know for a fact there’s no quick solution to our weak capacity to defend ourselves but the quickest way is how to build partnerships and alliances that have offered us help," he said. (With reports from Agence France-Presse)
Many people in rural areas felt they had missed out on critical news, especially reporting on disasters, when ABS-CBN was shut down because its Regional Stations no longer broadcast. Former vice president Leni Robredo said in December 2021 that Typhoon Odette victims shared the same sentiment that the absence of ABS-CBN’s wide coverage during typhoons and other calamities also made it difficult for them to attract help or assistance.
A third U.S. delegation landed in Taiwan on Sunday led by Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb to pursue trade discussions with Taipei even after China conducted its military drills in the areas surrounding it. China sees Taiwan as part of its territory and has vowed that it would reclaim it one day. Any diplomatic action that would give legitimacy to Taiwan would raise tension with Beijing.
"Are we ready to accept refugees from Taiwan? Can we be a potential relocation hub for out. corporations?," AmadorTaiwanesepointed What else can the Philippines do? Meanwhile, Kraft said the situation could make the Philippines take a "more nuanced approach" to an independent foreign policy as takes into consideration both the U.S. and China.Headded that the Philippines should "work diplomatically" with partners and at the same time, "exploit the alliance with the U.S. in terms of developing our securityManilacapabilities."andWashington have a Mutual Defense Treaty (MDT), which means that any attack on either country’s military forces could trigger a mutual defense response from the other. Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo earlier said that joint patrols in the West Philippine Sea with the United States — engagement that the Duterte administration shunned — may be "continued to be explored bilaterally" as this is also provided in the MDT. Meanwhile, Manhit points out that investments in the Philippine Navy and the Philippine Coast Guard are also needed to secure the country's territorial claims against the constant threat from China.Healso said that it's time to consider checking the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement as the country also needs to project a strategic initiative. He also emphasized that there are also countries such as Australia, Japan, the United Kingdom, and some members of the European Union that have offered to conduct joint patrols with Philippine vessels.
At issue is a 2020 state law that would have banned the sale of those products — but never went into effect. Within days of its passage, Big Tobacco launched a referendum drive to overturn the law.A“yes” vote on the referendum, known as Proposition 31, would uphold the law, banning the sale of flavored tobacco. A “no” vote would overturn the law. If the measure passes, more restrictive local ordinances would remain in place while the state law would override weaker bans. If the referendum fails, all local bans would remain in effect. San Jose began prohibiting the sale of flavored tobacco products on July 1. City resident Joseph Smith, who was working in a local tobacco shop on a recent Tuesday, said he started smoking at age 12 when his friend gave him a menthol cigarette. Now 30, Smith said he quit smoking cigarettes two years ago by smoking Puff Bars — slim disposable vapes that are now illegal to sell under the city’s ban. He also said he no longerSmithvapes.said he doesn’t support Big Tobacco’s marketing tactics but also doesn’t support taking away people’s freedom to buy their favorite product at the local store.“They kill people; they profit off people’s lives,” Smith said about the tobacco industry. “But overall, I still feel like people have the right to do what they want.”
What PH can learn from China’s reaction...
"Their playbook is based on the idea of projecting strength without firing bullets so that means they will always project that they can bully you and we need to accept that as the game that China is playing in the region," Manhit said. Affecting regional security
build a strategic partnership with the democratic island. Both the United States and the Philippines maintain a "One China" policy, which recognizes only one Chinese government. However, Beijing said Pelosi's recent visit sends a wrong signal to separatist Stratbase-ADRforces.
country, keeping its far-reaches up-to-date with the relevant happenings,” Pimentel said in the bill’s explanatory note. The bill was filed as early as June 30, but reporters did not get a copy of the proposal until it was uploaded to the House of Representatives website. NTC back then said that while other networks were allowed to continue operating despite their respective franchises still being deliberated on, ABS-CBN could not be given the same privilege as there were concerns about the validity of their franchise. In an interview with ABSradio CBN’s station DZMM hours before the network was shut down, NTC Deputy Commissioner Edgardo Cabarios admitted that the questions regarding the franchise’s validity stemmed from the quo warranto petition filed by former solicitor general and current Commission on Audit Chair Jose Calida.
SAN JOSE, Calif. — California’s third-largest city banished flavored tobacco products from store shelves this summer, joining scores of other cities and counties in the state in a public health push to reduce nicotine addiction among youths and young adults. Like San Jose, Sacramento County also imposed a ban this summer. Los Angeles, California’s largest city, and San Diego will implement prohibitions in January.Even though big and small communities across the state have already acted, Californians in November will decide whether to enact one of the nation’s most comprehensive statewide bans on flavored tobacco — making it illegal for brick-and-mortar retailers to sell flavored cigarettes, e-cigarettes, or vapes, including those flavored with menthol. Sales of gums or gummies that contain nicotine and are not approved by the FDA would also be prohibited.
tobacco the boot. Will California follow?
Institute president Victor Andres Manhit said Manila could learn from how China "will continue their aggressive behavior on what they define as their territory."
World-famous for its chicken, burgers, and pies, the fastgrowing restaurant brand’s Times Square location is its fourth in New York City, 60th in the United States, and 84th in NorthOpeningAmerica. aflagship "at the crossroads of the world" — a global destination and retail hot spot — marks a critical milestone in Jollibee’s mission to become one of the world's top-five restaurant chains. In the next five to seven years, the company intends to grow to 500 locations in the region. “We want to really accelerate the growth since we've been successful so far in establishing ourselves. And so the intent is to accelerate the growth because North America has been identified as a key pillar of growth for Jollibee. Of course, the bigger vision is to become one of the top five restaurant companies in the world. And the U.S. and Canada have been pegged as a growth market for international expansion,” Dela CruzTheexplained. Filipinopride, which has more than 1,300 restaurants worldwide, opened its second location in Queens last month, taking over the ground floor of a century-old, four-story building in Jamaica that was recently renovated. The new Times Square flagship joins Jollibee’s existing Manhattan location, which opened back in 2018 to tremendous fanfare. The aggressive and rapid expansion means that there are already plans to open the fifth and sixth stores in NYC — one by Grand Central next year and another along Kings Highway in Brooklyn. They are also opening their first store in Philadelphia nextDelamonth.Cruz recognized Filipinos in America for being an ally in supporting and uplifting the brand.“It's been a long journey for Jollibee. But you know, we're very thankful to the Filipino Americans who have always believed in the brand, so we established ourselves first in that primary market,” she said. “We wanted to make sure that we are able to provide the taste of home to the Filipinos who have migrated here already.” Through their journey in North America, they found out that even non-Filipinos enjoy the food.
"They did a hard practice yesterday according to the briefing of the coaching staff and team manager Butch Antonio. Coach Chot (Reyes), coach Tim (Cone) and coach Jong (Uichico) want that to be the team's mindset, nothing was easy. Players have actually hurt each other. I noticed that the energy of the team was very high yesterday morning."
Clarkson leads 13-man Gilas... against Lebanon on August 26 at 2 a.m (Philippine time) will be announced a day before the match.Barrios, meanwhile, said Aguilar, who initially was taken out from the pool after testing positive for Covid-19, has been reinstated after being cleared by Gilas medical team head Dr. Randy"OurMolo.medical team, headed by Dr. Randy Molo, gave him (Aguilar) clearance to play. He's been monitored the past week or so. He's actually fine already but we're just being cautious," said Barrios in the Philippine Sportswriters Association online forum on Tuesday, August 23.
The Southern California Regional Rail Authority (SCRRA) is
More communities are giving... rushing in for packs of cigarettes and smoking paraphernalia. The back shelves of his shop that once showcased flavored vapes are now nearly empty, populated only with nicotine-free vapes and a few ballcaps. “There’s a bunch of angry customers,” Tokhi said. “They’re really upset. They don’t want to drive further. It’s slowed down a lot.”Studies show flavored tobacco laws have worked to curb teen use. In New York City, for example, public health officials analyzed declining sales of flavored tobacco and concluded that teens were 37% less likely to try flavored tobacco four years after the local ban passed. Dr. Achala Talati, director of tobacco policy and programs for New York City’s Bureau of Chronic Disease Prevention, said young people “use tobacco opportunistically” by sharing products with friends or smoking when it is easily available. So, decreasing the availability of flavored products lowers youth nicotine exposure, she“Reducingsaid. access to products locally results in less use,” Talati said. This story was produced by KHN, which publishes California Healthline, an editorially independent service of the California Health Care Foundation. 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.
Meanwhile, the players who were part of the initial 24-man Gilas pool but has been cut or have begged off from participating are June Mar Fajardo, CJ Perez, Allein Maliksi, Raymond Almazan, Francis Lopez, Kevin Quiambao, Kevin Alas, Jio Jalalon, Ian Sanggalang, Robert Bolick and Arvin Tolentino. After Gilas' game against Lebanon, the Filipinos head back home to play Saudi Arabia on Monday at 7 p.m. at the Mall of AsiaTheArena.Philippines heads to this fourth window of the qualifiers with a 2-2 slate, fourth in Group E. Lebanon (3-1) and Saudi Arabia (1-3) are at the second and fifth spots, respectively. (Niel Victor C. Masoy/ManilaTimes.net)
“That means to say that delicious food has no boundaries. And so that has given us the encouragement to continue to expand our footprint going to places where non-Filipinos reside,” she remarked. “We've evolved as well, including our menu to make sure that we are also able to attract the nonFilipinos but still keeping the core of what Jollibee is.”
Part of the evolution that Dela Cruz mentioned are the new introductions to the menu, available exclusively for now at the Times Square location. “The Chickenjoy is our best-seller, so to enhance the experience, we introduced new side dishes that are familiar to non-Filipinos,” Dela Cruz said. “We have the baked mac and cheese, which is creamy and cheesy, and then we also have put in the biscuits, with butter and honey to be enjoyed with our Chickenjoy.” Jollibeeis rounding-out its menu with several new offerings –starting with a brand-new burger line-up in honor of this enduring icon of American cuisine. It is also introducing a host of new salads and sides, giving its longtime fans something new to discover and giving those who haven't yet tried Jollibee a lot more reasons to do so. Centrally and strategically located at 1500 Broadway (between 43rd and 44th Streets) in the center of New York City's most famous landmark, Jollibee is focused on serving not just its hordes of loyal fans but also those who haven’t tried the brand yet. Just recently, Jollibee’s Chickenjoy bested 14 of its fiercest competitors like Popeye’s and KFC in four rounds of contests and was recently named "the best chain fried chicken in America" by Eater.com, an international food website by Vox“We’reMedia. very excited that more people are beginning to take notice of Jollibee. For us to make our mark here in this very highly competitive food service industry, especially chicken… it is giving us the motivation to push forward,” Dela Cruz said. Dela Cruz has been with Jollibee for close to 30 years, starting as a shift supervisor, then as a shift manager in one of the restaurants back in the Philippines. Through the years, she has grown into various leadership positions in operations. “In 2005, I was tapped to come over here in the U.S. to help turn around our business. And, here we are, almost close to 20 years later, ready to accelerate the growth of Jollibee,” she shared. In 2019, Dela Cruz assumed the presidency of North America. Then the pandemic struck in 2020, crippling the global economy and closing a lot of small restaurants. “It entailed a lot of preparation in anticipation of what's to come. Of course, it was unknown. Nobody knew about it, but I had to prepare the organization for the worst-case scenario,” she recalled.Jollibee North America adjusted and made some pivots, including launching their delivery service. Still in the middle of the pandemic last year, they were able to open three stores in New Jersey — a pair in Jersey City and one in Edison. “So even through the pandemic we continued to grow and we've been growing double-digit since, and that's something because other restaurants are struggling but, we were able to get over that challenge,” Dela Cruz said. (Momar G. Visaya/AJPress)
Photo from Facebook/@JollibeePhilippines
(818) 502-0651 • (213) 250-9797 • http://www.asianjournal.com SoCal ASIAN JOURNAL • AUGUST 24-26, 2022 5Dateline USa PAGE 1PAGE 1 PAGE 1 PAGE 4 IFBREGIONALCALIFORNIASOUTHERNRAILAUTHORITYNo.MTL2304832LUBRICATORGREASE
seeking quotes for Lubricator Grease. Bid documents may be obtained at contactP.M.Electronicbusinessmetrolinktrains.com/doing-https://(freeregistration).Bidsaredueat2:00(PT)on09/07/2022.Forfurtherinformation,ArisaHicks,ContractSpecialist,at(213)452-0250orhicksa@scrra.net8/24/22CNS-3618045#ASIANJOURNAL(L.A.) Settle Paradigm lawsuit before fighting...
"There's nothing bothersome or major (health issue with Japeth). He just played (with Ginebra) in the PBA semifinals. He better be rested because our schedule is hectic." Barrios revealed that the Gilas pool, which will leave for Lebanon on Tuesday midnight, is hard at work in Monday's practice.
that he can get a good tune-up fight,” Singson added. “If there’s no hindrance, that would be nice.”Meanwhile, Pacquiao’s former confidante Jayke Joson echoed Singson’s sentiments, adding that it is only right for the future boxing hall of famer to resolve all his problems first before doing any“Manongfights. Chavit knows the ins and outs of life. He’s been in many struggles and won all the fights he encountered. I agree with him that Manny should settle his issue with Paradigm first before entertaining any offers,” Joson said. Singson, also a highly respected business tycoon, earlier brought up a possible exhibition opponent for Pacquiao — retired 6-foot-4 heavyweight mixed martial artist Bob Sapp — once everything is settled for good. Sapp, 48, and Singson recently paid a visit to Pacquiao’s house, but no formal agreement was made.“This fight will earn him millions of money if it happens. But again, he needs to settle his court case first in the US,” Singson said. The politician-businessman also downplayed Pacquiao’s upcoming bout Yoo. “That’s nothing. He will not earn big money there because that’s not a champion and not popular,” Singson said. “Bob [Sapp] is definitely the fight Manny needs, or a super fight with famous MMA UFC fighter Connor McGregor.” (Philstar. com)
Best fried chicken chain’ Jollibee opens flagship...
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THANKS to the timely response of two Muntinlupa judges who allowed a United States congressional delegation to visit former senator Leila de Lima in her detention cell on Friday, a potentially embarrassing row for the Marcos Jr. administration was averted. The day prior, the Philippine National Police prevented the visit, saying that aside from COVID-19 cases at its headquarters in Camp Crame, the US lawmakers did not have the permission of the courts handling De Lima’s alleged drug cases. he U.S. delegation was led by Sen. Edward J. Markey, chair of the US Senate foreign relations subcommittee on East Asia and Pacific, who has been consistently calling for De Lima’s release since she was detained in 2017. He was joined by District Representatives Alan Lowenthal and John Garamendi of California, Don Beyer of Virginia, and Aumua Amata Coleman Radewagen of American Samoa. Markey, a Democrat from Massachusetts, was among the senators banned from entering the Philippines in 2019 by then President Duterte after they sponsored a US travel prohibition against Philippine officials who had a role in De Lima’s case. The potential crisis was somehow diffused when the U.S. lawmakers made a courtesy call on President Marcos Jr. in Malacañang later on Thursday afternoon. It was not known if the foiled visit to De Lima was discussed, but the U.S. embassy said lawmakers also met with Justice Secretary Crispin Remulla.OnFriday, the U.S. lawmakers were finally able to visit De Lima after Muntinlupa City Regional
Trial Court Judges Abraham Joseph Alcantara of Branch 204 and Romeo Buenaventura of Branch 256 granted the “extremely urgent motion” filed by her lawyers on behalf of the U.S. delegation. But the courts issued a gag order, preventing De Lima from making any comments about the visit. No media coverage was allowed, either.It was later revealed from Judge Alcantara’s order that Markey’s office wrote a letter to PNP chief Gen. Rodolfo Azurin Jr. as early as Aug. 9, asking permission to visit De Lima, but that “… despite follow-ups, the PNP has not timely responded to the request.” De Lima herself said the visit was requested in advance, through a U.S. embassy note verbale sent to the Department of Foreign Affairs and forwarded to the PNP. But why was the PNP so reluctant to allow the visit to the former senator? Did the police fear that seeing De Lima’s shameful condition in detention would add fuel to the international condemnation of her continuing ordeal? Back in May, Markey and five other U.S. senators issued a joint statement calling on the Philippine government to drop the charges against De Lima and release her after convicted felons lined up as witnesses by the Duterte administration recanted their allegations against her one after the other. The U.S. delegation’s visit underscores how the De Lima case can become a thorn on the side of the Marcos Jr. administration if it does nothing to correct the misuse of the justice system by its predecessor. It is not only the U.S. lawmakers who are pushing for De Lima’s release. Foreign ambassadors always Editorial
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The pandemic forced the lockdown of places of worship nationwide. Father Sison says the faithful have been grateful for the availability of livestreamed masses throughout the lockdowns, with some attending mass every day instead of just once a week. He says the challenge now, with 100 percent capacity again allowed in churches, is to persuade those who have grown used to online masses to physically return to church. This could require innovation and special effort. My mother, who regularly attended mass in different churches prepandemic, has become spoiled by the ease of attending mass from the comfort of home. Her favorite is the Sunday mass livestreamed at noon from the SVD Mission House Chapel of Christ the King Mission Seminary in Quezon City. She likes watching Father Jerry Orbos playing the guitar and singing the Carpenters’ “Sing” at the end of the mass. I guess the lyrics are uplifting amid all the sadness of the times: “… Sing of good things, not bad. Sing of happy, not sad…” What about the pastors? Are people still interested in becoming shepherds of the Catholic flock? Sison told “The Chiefs” on One News last week that there has been no dramatic fall in the number of Filipino seminarians, and most proceed to ordination asHepriests.isn’t knowledgeable about the situation in the nunneries, but he confirmed that Filipino nuns are being deployed in other countries.Globally, while Church attendance and interest in the priesthood are falling in Europe, Sison says the faith remains strong in other regions such as Latin America. He noted that Cambodia and South Korea recently had their first Catholic cardinals.AsofAug. 8, there were 206 cardinals worldwide. At least 16 are expected to be added during a consistory on Aug. 27. Sison said only 116 of them are “cardinal electors” – those who get to attend the conclave that picks a new Ultimately,pope.says Father Sison, “it is the Holy Spirit who will choose the next pope.” His advice to those hoping to see Tagle become the first Filipino pope: shut up, and just pray for the cardinal. (Philstar.com)
AUGUST 24-26, 2022 • SoCal ASIAN JOURNAL http://www.asianjournal.com • (818) 502-0651 • (213) 250-97976 OpiniOn & Features
A Filipino pope?
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VISAYA Executive Editor With offices in Los Angeles, San Francisco, New York/New Jersey Las Vegas, San Diego, Philippines AnA MArie PAMintuAn Sketches A continuing embarrassment
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THERE is a lesson in foreign relations from the U.S. policy on Taiwan that the Philippine government ought to remember with respect to the recent call made by a U.S. congressional delegation on detained former senator Leila de Lima, and repeated calls by U.S. lawmakers for her release. This is the U.S. claim of "strategic ambiguity" in its commitment to the defense of Taiwan. For half a century, U.S. policy on Taiwan has clung to this policy whose main idea is to leave China guessing as to what exactly it would, or would not do, in regard to Taiwan's defense. Even President Biden seems to be guessing. He has said, three times, that the U.S. would actively defend Taiwan — but also walked it back three times. Pelosi's visit to Taiwan On August 2, U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi made her pre-announced trip to Taiwan, which President Biden had quietly opposed.Pelosi went anyway, bringing along with her four other House Democrats, including Rep. Gregory Meeks (D-NY), chairman of the House foreign affairs committee.Thetripwas virulently opposed by the Chinese Communist Party FILIPINO Catholics are understandably excited by reports that the former archbishop of Manila, Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle, could be in the running to succeed Pope Francis, in case the hugely popular pontiff decides to retire for health reasons. Tagle himself has doused the speculations as premature, even if he is widely seen to be favored by the pope, who appointed him as prefect of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples. Fr. Aris Sison, rector of the Immaculate Conception Cathedral of Cubao, also reminded the faithful that a pope does not get to handpick his successor. Instead, about 120 cardinals from all over the world attend a conclave to elect someone among them who will be the next leader of 1.3 billion Roman Catholics. Nearly all the cardinals are papabile – a possible candidate to become pope. We watched such conclaves that were broadcast worldwide (but only from outside the Apostolic Palace in the Vatican) when Joseph Ratzinger of Germany was elected in 2005 and became Pope Benedict XVI following the death of John Paul II. Benedict was replaced by Argentina’s Jorge Mario Bergoglio who named himself after St. Francis of Assissi. There is a saying in such gatherings, according to Father Sison: he who enters the conclave as a pope leaves as a cardinal. Sison, who teaches Homiletics (the art of writing and delivering homilies or sermons) at the Immaculate Conception Graduate School of Theology, stresses that one does not lobby for the papacy. In fact, he says lobbying could doom the chances of whoever engages in Bergoglioit.was a dark horse to replace Benedict, a conservative intellectual who lamented modern “cafeteria-style” religious devotion – the adherence only to Catholic teachings that suits a person.Benedict’s hardline approach, which earned him the moniker “God’s Rottweiler” from the British press as well as “Nazinger” following his election because of his brief, involuntary membership in the Hitler Youth, must have been deemed to have a negative impact on Church following in the 21st century. Combined with the sex abuse scandals that rocked the Church, the challenges prompted him to resign in 2013 –becoming only the second pontiff to do so in the history of the faith, after Celestine V in 1294. * * * Those who watched the exquisite movie “The Two Popes” saw the emergence of Bergoglio from a dark horse papabile to the hope for a different leader who can forge a new path in a modern Church.And Francis has not disappointed. I know lapsed Catholics who were drawn back to the Church because of his accessibility and compassionate understanding of human frailties, of the spiritual challenges confronting troubled souls in this age.The speculative reports about his retirement were triggered by the pope’s remarks at a recent gathering for the elderly. Sison notes that for the pope, who is turning 86 on Dec. 17, raising the possibility of his own retirement would have been appropriate in thatThesituation.popehad part of one lung removed in 1957 and half of his colon last year. He suffers from a bad knee and sciatica. But is he seriously considering retirement? Last month he visited Canada, during which he apologized to indigenous peoples for the “evil” policy carried out in that country to assimilate them into Christian culture.Now he may be preparing to attend the Congress of the Leaders of World and Traditional Religions, scheduled in Kazakhstan next month. That doesn’t look like a pope who, although slowing down at 85 years old, is ready to retire. Nearly all popes, after all, kept their posts all the way to their deathbed. Still, the speculations have triggered concern among some quarters that he might be replaced by a conservative like Benedict.Howwill this impact the following of the* Church?* *
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.
ask him about the cases against De Lima, Remulla recently told a Senate hearing, adding that he did not know what to say “because I don’t know what stages these cases are.” This is puzzling for a justice secretary, who is supposed to be in command of all state prosecutors handling the cases against De Lima.
In June, after several witnesses against De Lima recanted, then DOJ Secretary Menardo Guevarra ordered a review of the pending cases. But the panel of prosecutors, he said, advised him that “there is a good reason to continue the active prosecution” of the staunch Duterte critic. Does that order still stand?Inthe face of the recantation and the Ombudsman’s ruling in January dismissing the bribery charges against De Lima and her former aide Ronnie Dayan, shouldn’t Remulla order an independent review of the two pending drug cases and direct the prosecutors on how to proceed? Failing that, the decent thing is for the DOJ to resist being used as a tool for political persecution, which is what the cases against De Lima are all about: a retaliation for her investigations of the Davao Death Squads and the Duterte drug war. When the US delegation returns home, they can be expected to come up with a report on De Lima’s situation and apply pressure on U.S. decision-makers. Any adverse report could have repercussions on Mr. Marcos’ U.S, visit next month to address the United Nations General Assembly in New York, and on his future visits to Washington. Not only is De Lima’s detention on trumped-up charges a miscarriage of justice; it is now a continuing embarrassment for the Marcos Jr. administration that merely inherited this case of political persecution from the Duterte administration. Unless this injustice is corrected and De Lima freed, her image as a political prisoner will hound the current administration as it tries to shore up the confidence and trust of other nations, including its closest allies in the Western world. (Inquirer.net)
Commentary
The London-based publication said: "The trip is a symptom of America's incoherent approach to China — the country's single most important opponent in the long run. If so, a trip designed to convey strength risks instead showing up the Biden administration's confusion and lack of purpose. What is strategic ambiguity?
"Former assistant secretary of defense Joseph Nye was only a little more blunt than other U.S. officials when he told his Chinese hosts in 1995: 'We don't know, and you don't know.' But now another U.S. official, Deputy Secretary of State Robert Zoellick, may have inadvertently eliminated any ambiguity in an emotional, offhand remark to a congressional committee," Carpenter wrote. "[Zoellick] made the comment while responding to withering criticism by some members of the House international relations committee about the Bush administration's refusal to allow Taiwanese President Chen Shuibian to make a transit stop in the continental U.S.. Mr. Zoellick warned that Washington should not become too supportive of Taiwan because that would encourage pro-independence forces on the island. 'Let me be very clear,' he said. 'Independence means war. And that means American soldiers, sailors, airmen and"Althoughmarines.' his comment was clearly designed to dampen enthusiasm in Congress for the Taiwanese cause, it is more likely to be seen as a green light by the pro-independence faction in Taiwan. For strategic ambiguity to work, both Taipei and Beijing must be uncertain of the U.S. response to a crisis. That uncertainty supposedly will lead to caution in both capitals. "What Mr. Zoellick said, however, is that U.S. forces would intervene even if Taiwan created a crisis by asserting its independence. Strategic ambiguity has been revealed as a fraud. Mr. Zoellick's remark confirmed that Washington would prevent the mainland from conquering Taiwan regardless of how a conflict began. "Mr. Chen and the hardline elements of the Democratic Progressive Party could scarcely imagine a clearer green light for their goal of an independent Taiwan...."Thisdevelopment underscores the perilous nature of U.S. policy. Washington is at the mercy of decisions in both Beijing and Taipei over which it has little or no control."Strategic ambiguity was a dubious policy which assumed that both Taipei and Beijing would assess the likely U.S. response in exactly the way Washington wanted. But at least it gave the U.S. the option of avoiding a war at the last minute by abandoning Taiwan. Mr. Zoellick's inadvertent candor has eliminated that option." US lawmakers visit de Lima On August 18, the Markey delegation proceeded from Taipei to Manila, ostensibly to visit detained former senator Leila de Lima.The request of Senator Markey and the other U.S. lawmakers to visit detained former senator de Lima was green lighted by a trial court on August 19. According to the decision, the Muntinlupa Regional Trial Court Branch 204 granted the extremely urgent motion ex abundanti ad cautelam, and the U.S. lawmakers were finally permitted to pay de Lima a visit granting that they would observe the safety and health protocols imposed by the Philippine National Police, and no media or any form of social platform coverage would be allowed during the visit.
Strategic ambiguity: A lesson in foreign policy regime in Beijing, which claims authority over Taiwan. Ever since, China has been conducting menacing military "drills" in the Taiwan Strait area — including edgy missile launches in the direction of other Asian countries, including Japan. On August 14, a second U.S. congressional delegation arrived in Taiwan, this one led by Sen. Ed Markey (D-MA). And then, as night follows day, China announced a new round of military "drills" meant to intimidate. Back in July 20, Biden answered a reporter's question about Pelosi's pending trip in a desultory manner: "The military thinks it's not a good idea right now. But I don't know what the status of it is." The optics of Pelosi's trip became a muddle as Biden jousted with Pelosi via proxy, even as the Beijing regime sent ships and airplanes to encircle the island of ForTaiwan.her part, on August 11, Pelosi added some new fuzz to the ball of confusion, when she told reporters of the U.S. military's stance toward her trip, "I don't remember them ever telling us not to go." So, is it possible that the Biden administration didn't want Pelosi to go and didn't dare stop it? That even secretaries and generals and admirals were unwilling to confront the speaker, even indirectly? All of which led The Economist magazine to call out this "incoherence."
Markey, who is also the chairman of the Senate foreign relations subcommittee on East Asia and Pacific, is among the bipartisan group of U.S. senators who have been calling for de Lima's release since 2017. After failing to make the visit, the U.S. delegation met with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. who told the group:
"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 Keepingproblem."everyone in the dark
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.
On June 12, 2006, the South China Morning Post of Hong Kong published an article by Ted Galen Carpenter where he wrote of the US decades-long policy of "strategic ambiguity" about what Washington would do if conflict broke out in the Taiwan Strait.
All this time, Filipinos and their government have believed that U.S. commitment to the defense of the Philippines against attack is ironclad. That faith has been sustained by the commitment of successive U.S. administrations. The question that arises now is what would happen, if the U.S., under a new administration, suddenly invokes strategic ambiguity with respect to the defense of the Philippines from attack. It is well-known in the country that there is a segment of the American polity, notably that led by conservative leaders like Patrick Buchanan, who believe that U.S. commitment to the defense of countries like the Philippines is a bridge too far and not in America's interest. You could claim of course that Philippine ties with America are more deeply rooted than those that attend its relations with Taiwan.Thelogic of strategic ambiguity, however, is to keep everyone in the dark. (ManilaTimes.net)
THE Office of the Press Secretary on Tuesday, reminded all inbound international passengers to first register online for the One Health Pass (OHP) before embarking on their trip as this is one of the requirements needed for their entry into the country.Press Secretary Rose Beatrix "Trixie" Cruz-Angeles also cautioned the public against accessing websites posing as legitimate government offices to ensure their hassle-free arrival.
“Mukhang mapayapa at ligtas ‘yung pagbabalik eskwela ng learners this morning (It seems the return of learners to schools this morning is peaceful and safe). We have been monitoring the situation and we’re getting reports from regional offices nationwide,” he said in an interview over GMA News’ Unang Hirit. The Philippines was among the countries that shut schools theThelongest.return of students to schools comes as the country deals with a renewed surge in COVID-19 cases and entry of monkeypox virus.
In a statement, President Ferdinand ‘Bongbong’ Marcos, Jr. welcomed the return of students to schools. “It has always been my belief that learning will be more effective inside classrooms where students can fully interact with their teachers and fellow students,” Marcos said as he reminded learners and educators to continue observing minimum health protocols.SafereopeningTheeducation department adheres to a “nondiscrimination” policy for both vaccinated and unvaccinated students and personnel. Last week, DepEd reported only 19% of students have completed vaccination against COVID-19. Meanwhile, 92% of teaching and non-teaching personnel have been fully vaccinated.Publicschool teachers from the Alliance of Concerned Teachers welcomed the opening of the new school year by staging a protest in Mendiola, Manila. They called for safe reopening of schools. “Of all the many unprepared school openings that we have experienced, this is one of the worst. It is very unfortunate and ironic as this should have been the one that we are most ready for because we are in a pandemic situation and the government had two years to prepare for this,” ACT chairperson Vladimer Quetua said.“If the government fails big time in ensuring the physical and material needs of education, its readiness to implement a sound and viable education recovery plan is even more questionable,” Quetua added. (Philstar.com)
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Filipino students return to in-person classes after 2 years of distance learning SAFE CLASS OPENING. Members of the Southern Police District stand guard outside the Jose Rizal Elementary School in Pasay City on Monday, Aug. 22. The National Capital Region Police Office said close to 10,000 police personnel have been deployed to secure the opening of classes in the region. PNA photo by Avito Dalan
Health pass a requirement for incoming international travelers
OFW issues tackled at Cabinet meeting with Pres. Marcos by Kristina Maralit ManilaTimes.net
"The only official website of the Bureau of Quarantine's One Health Pass for all international travelers arriving in the Philippines is https:// www.onehealthpass. com.ph," she said in a statement. "The OHP is required for all arriving international travelers in accordance with the Inter-Agency Task Force [for the Management of] Emerging Infectious Diseases Resolution 135 to prevent and/or minimize the entry of suspected or confirmed individuals with emerging infectious diseases," Cruz-Angeles added. Such diseases include Covid-19 andThemonkeypox.Department of Health earlier detected the fourth case of monkeypox in the country. The patient, however, has no documented history of travel to where there is an outbreak of the viralPresidentdisease. Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. has said there will be no more lockdowns as the local economy can no longer take any more beatings resulting from closing the county's borders. Instead, the Chief Executive directed ramping up mass vaccinations against Covid-19 and also reminded the public to continue adhering to minimum health standards to prevent the spread of the disease and other illnesses.
MANILA — President Marcos and his officials discussed the priorities of the labor and migrant workers departments during the sixth Cabinet meeting on Tuesday, August 23 at Malacañang. Press Secretary Trixie CruzAngeles said the migrant workers department discussed its plans on digitalization, bilateral labor agreements, repatriation and reintegration of overseas Filipino workers and scholarships, protection and health programs for children of OFWs. Also discussed during the meeting were matters related to the One Repatriation Command Center, OFW mobile application and the national reintegration program, according to a Facebook post by the Office of the President. Angeles said the labor department discussed its context, mandates, structure and role in the socio-economic agenda; program, priorities and strategic linkages and “ways Malacañangforward.”said the agency’s core priority would be to increase employment opportunities, ensure just and humane working conditions and deliver accessible, prompt and continuous services to the“Theypeople.will discuss the details later on, possibly next week, for the specifics of their plans and programs,” Angeles said. A Facebook post by Radio Television Malacañang said the President mentioned Tropical Storm Florita in his opening remarks during the meeting. Marcos suspended government work and public school classes in Metro Manila as well as in Bataan, Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna, Rizal and Zambales yesterday and today due to the Meanwhile,storm. a Senate proposal seeking to ban the deployment of domestic helpers in countries practicing Kafala system drew flak from the recruitment industry. The proposal seeks to prevent abuses of Filipino workers in these countries, mostly located in the MiddleSenateEast.Minority Leader Koko Pimentel raised his concern during the plenary session on Aug. 17 after Sen. Raffy Tulfo presented the plight of some OFWs who were sexually abused, physically assaulted, insulted and not being paid on time by their employers. Recruitment industry leaders opposed the proposal, saying a deployment ban is not the best solution to the problems besetting Filipino domestic workers. The proposal covers newly hired domestic workers to eight countries in the Middle East. (Philstar.com)
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MANILA — Millions of mask-wearing students across the archipelago returned to learning institutions on Monday, August 22 more than two years after schools were forced to close and learners shifted to distance learning due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Over 28.03 million students have so far enrolled for School Year 2022 to 2023, latest data from DepEd showed. The figure is still short of the department's target of 28.6 million enrollees. DepEd earlier said that more than 24,000 schools will implement five days of face-toface classes, while over 29,000 institutions will continue holding classes through blended learning until October. By November 2, all public and private schools must shift to five days of in-person classes. DepEd spokesperson Michael Poa said the agency has yet to receive reports of “major incidents or challenges.”
MANILA — A lawmaker is once again pushing for the revival of death penalty even if the country is barred by an international agreement from reintroducing capital punishment.
It is not right that we become majority or independent or minority in different season for a different purpose],” Hontiveros said. “It is important for bodies such as these to have clarity as to the positions of each members. This is important for lines of accountability, and important to ensure that we have a genuine minority voice,” she added. After Hontiveros, Cayetano also stood up to say he was not alluded to by Hontiveros’ statement. “Again, Mr. President napakarami po nating trabaho [we have a lot of work to do] and I don’t feel alluded to the statement of Senator Risa because I’ve been very consistent in my advocacies and the rules of both the CA and the Senate will bear us out,” he said.Cayetano has requested that the CA reclassify him, as he was incorrectly included in the Senate’s majority bloc. He believed he belonged to the minority.Citing the Senate and House of Representatives rules, he said that lawmakers who do not fall with either group qualify as “independent minorities.”
MANILA — The United States has donated P11 million or $196,000 worth of maritime tactical gear and vessel maintenance equipment to the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) to help the agency with its maritime law enforcement efforts. Through the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL), the PCG received visual detection and monitoring equipment, first aid kits that would help in providing trauma care, and tools for shore-based maintenance of “Thevessels. PCG is on a promising trajectory, and we are committed to support them in achieving their vital and ambitious development goals and in responding to a wide range of maritime challenges,” U.S. Ambassador to the Philippines MaryKay Carlson said during the turnover ceremony held on August 22.Washington also donated P3 million or $54,000 worth of maritime and tactical first aid equipment to the Philippine National Police’s Maritime Group just last week. The U.S. Embassy and the PCG are currently preparing ahead of the visit of U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Midgett to Manila next week.
“If there is a strong sentiment that the Philippines would want a restoration of death penalty for the capital crimes or the heinous crimes committed, then no international organization can stop us from implementing such,” Barbers said Tuesday, August 23 in a news conference. He added that he will stand by the democratic process and whatever the majority approves.
MANILA, Philippines — The House of Representatives on Monday received the P5.268trillion proposed budget of the Marcos administration for 2023, nearly a third of which will be used to repay the government’s debt swollen by massive loans used to address the COVID-19 pandemic. During the turnover by Budget Secretary Amenah Pangandaman of the 2023 national expenditure program, Speaker Martin Romualdez assured the public that the lower chamber would act with dispatch in crafting the 2023 general appropriations bill and conclude committee and plenary deliberations before Oct. 1, when Congress goes into recess. Committee-level deliberations are set to start on Aug. 26. According to Romualdez, they would make sure that “every centavo of the national budget will be spent wisely to implement programs that would save lives, protect communities and make our economy strong and more agile.”He said the House would perform its constitutional mandate to “scrutinize and act deliberately and judiciously and very, very cautiously in the deliberations of the national budget,” saying that the 2023 general appropriations bill would be the most important piece of legislation this year. The speaker added: “The budget (process) of 2023 will be transparent. This will be a product of the entire House of Representatives where the majority will listen to the minority bloc’s concerns and of course, we as the representatives of the people will also be attuned to their needs.”
Cayetano is the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL), the Philippine Coast Guard received visual detection and monitoring equipment, first aid kits that would help in providing trauma care, and tools for shore-based maintenance of Photo courtesy of the U.S. Embassy in Manila PAGPAPA-UNLAD KOMU NIDAD, MGA PAKIKIPAGSO SOYO SA PABAHAY, MGA OPORTUNI DAD SA PABAHAY PARA SA MGA TAONG MAY SAKIT NA AIDS AT MGA EMERHENSI YANG SOLUSYON Ito ay isang paunawa na ang Lupon ng mga Superbisor ay magdaraos ng pampublikong pagdinig sa alas 9:00 ng uma ga sa Setyembre 13, 2022, sa Room 310 sa County Admin istration Center, 1600 Pacific Highway, San Diego, CA tung kol sa Fiscal Year (FY) (Taon ng Pananalapi) 2021-22 Con solidated Annual Performance and Evaluation Report (CAPER) (Pinagsamang Taunang Pag ganap at Ulat ng Ebalwasyon). Bawat taon, ang County ay kail angang magsumite ng CAPER na naglalarawan ng mga naga wa ng programa sa nakaraang taon para sa mga programang Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) (Block Grant para sa Pagpapa-unlad ng Komuni dad), Home Investment Part nerships (HOME) (Mga Pakiki pagsosyo sa Pamumuhunan sa Pabahay), Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG) (Mga Gawad para sa Emerhensiyang mga Solusy on), at Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS (HOPWA) (Mga Oportunidad sa Pabahay para sa mga taong mayroong AIDS). Ang mga programang “Urban County” CDBG at ESG ng San Diego ay pinopondohan ang pabahay, pagpapaunlad ng komunidad at mga serbisyo sa mga walang tirahan at mga ak tibidad sa hindi pinagsamang lugar at sa anim na kalahok na lungsod (Coronado, Del Mar, Imperial Beach, Lemon Grove, Poway, at Solana Beach). Ang Programang HOME Consortium ng San Diego County ay nag bibigay ng pondo para sa mga aktibidad sa pabahay sa mga lugar ng programa ng CDBG at ESG at sa anim na lungsod ng Konsorsyum (Carlsbad, En cinitas, La Mesa, San Marcos, Santee, at Vista). Ang pro gramang HOPWA ay naglalaan ng pagpopondo sa pabahay at mga serbisyong may kinalaman sa pabahay para sa mga taong may HIV/AIDS at ang kanilang mga pamilya sa buong County ng San Diego. Ang publiko ay inaanyayahang dumalo sa pam publikong pagdinig upang mag komento sa 2021-22 na CAPER. Ang publiko ay maaari ding magbigay ng mga nakasulat na komento sa loob ng 15-araw na panahon ng pagkomento na magtatapos sa Setyembre 13, 2022. Ang CAPER ay maaaring matingnan sa elektronikong paraan sa www.sdhcd.com. Ang nakasulat na mga komen to ay dapat ipadala sa Housing and Community Development Services, Community Devel opment Division, 3989 Ruffin Road, San Diego, CA 92123, (619) 346-3375, o ipadala sa email sa: syallongsakawanidapatpansanannagsasalitamakibahagigailangan2207.saaymgament@sdcounty.ca.gov.Community.DevelopYaongbingiohirapsapandinigmaaaringmakipag-ugnayandepartamentosa(866)945-Parasamgananganngtulongupangsapulong(hindingIngles,maykasapandinig,atbp.)aymakipag-ugnayansamgananghindikukulanginlimangarawbagoangpuupanghumilingngespenakaayusan.8/24/22CNS-3616333#ASIANJOURNAL(L.A.)
“It’s against this backdrop that we created the (2023 budget). At the heart of the proposed national budget is inclusive and sustainable prosperity,” she said, adding that government spending would be anchored on strengthening the purchasing power of Filipinos; reducing vulnerability and mitigating scarring from the COVID-19 pandemic; ensuring sound macroeconomic fundamentals, and supporting local governments.” Infra push Under the proposed budget, the allocation for the Department of Education (DepEd) of P852.8 billion was crafted with the hope of resuming in-person classes.
The Philippines is a party to the Second Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights which explicitly prohibits state parties from carrying out executions within their jurisdictions. This, however, is not deterring lawmakers like Rep. Robert Ace Barbers (Surigao del Norte) from pushing for the reimposition of the death penalty for heinous crimes, with him saying that the will of the majority trumps any mandate imposed by international organizations.
PAUNAWA NG PAMPUB LIKONG PAGDINIG KON SORSYUM NG SAN DIEGO COUNTY 2021-22 PINAGSA MANG TAUNANG PAGGANAP AT ULAT NG EBALWASYON MGA PROGRAMANG GAWAD SA BLOCK GRANT PARA SA
vessels.
PCG Deputy Commandant for Operations Vice Admiral Eduardo Fabricante, who accepted the donation on behalf of the agency, noted that the US government always supported the PCG in its programs and helped facilitate the training of its personnel. The INL and other U.S. partners have reportedly been working with the PCG since 2015. The PCG has also received assistance in the form of major infrastructure development, comprehensive vessel support programs, and donation of other operational support equipment.
International law expert William Schabas said in a 2019 speech that reviving death penalty would mean that the Philippines will no longer be able to enter future international treaties as it would earn a global reputation as a country unable to abide by its word.The last time that the Philippines exited an international agreement was when former President Rodrigo Duterte withdrew the country from the Rome Statute which established the International Criminal Court after its prosecutor initiated a preliminary examination into the alleged crimes against humanity that occurred during the course of the “drug war.” But unlike the Rome Statute, the ICCPR and its Second Optional Protocol do not have withdrawal clauses, effectively binding the Philippines not to carry out executions permanently. If the Philippines goes ahead with its death penalty measure, it would be the first country after North Korea to openly challenge a global treaty and would be known worldwide as an international outlaw, Schabas said. Despite this prospect hanging over the country, the House of Representatives in 2017 still passed death penalty for drugrelated crimes. The Senate, however, did not pass the proposal.Aside from Barbers, Reps. Eric Go Yap (Benguet), Paolo Duterte (Davao City) and Edvic Yap (ACT-CIS party-list) have also filed a bill reviving death penalty for heinous crimes, while Sen. Ronald dela Rosa filed a bill reimposing capital punishment for large-scale illegal drug trafficking.
ACT Teachers Rep. France Castro still described as “measly” the budget set aside for DepEd, noting that at least P1.3 trillion should be allocated to the department.Castro,in a statement, said that education, “especially ones that hone critical and analytical thinking,” was not prioritized with the slashing by P2.5 billion and P893 million of the budgets of the University of the Philippines system and UP-Philippine General Hospital, respectively. The agriculture sector will get P184.1 billion, P30.5 billion of which will be set aside for the national rice program to “help maintain the price of rice at affordable levels and for the production of other vital agricultural P476development,P296.3receivepublicsectorsagriculture,P1.2More”programssubsidiesnetworksroads,rehabilitationfundswillAgriculturalcommodities.”productivitybecomplementedwithfortheconstructionandoffarm-to-marketimprovementofirrigationandprovisionofandcreditaccesstofarmersandfisherfolk.Shovel-readyinfrastructureunderthe“BuildBetterprogramwillreceivetrillion“topropelgrowthintradeandtourismandeventuallyreducetransportandlogisticscosts.”Amongthedepartments,worksandhighwayswillP718.4billion;health,billion;socialwelfareandP197billion;energy,billion;andtransportation,P167.1billion.
MANILA — Senator Alan Peter Cayetano, who is part of socalled independent bloc in the Senate, was elected minority floor leader of the Commission on Appointments (CA) on Tuesday, August 23. No one objected when a motion electing Cayetano as minority floor leader was made during the CA’s first plenary session. But after his election, opposition Senator Risa Hontiveros took the floor and expressed her “serious concern over the election of a CA minority leader who is not an original member of the minority in the Senate.” “I wish to express for the record my serious concern over the election of a CA minority leader who is not an original member of the minority in the Senate,” Hontiveros said. While the Supreme Court has ruled that the Senate may freely determine who belongs to the minority, she stressed that “making determinations to assuage satayooheartconsiderationsless-than-institutionalstrikesattheveryofdemocracy.”“Hindipwedengmajoritytayoindependenttayoominoritysaiba’tibangpanahonparaiba’tibanglayunin[
“If you don’t vote for the Senate President and I would have wished to have voted for you, Mr. President and it’s not about not voting for you, you know my circumstances and my relationship vis-a-vis this administration. So may I ask that that be corrected and that I also be considered part of the minority, Mr. President,” Cayetano said, addressing the presiding chairman, Senate President Juan MiguelAsideZubiri.from Cayetano, two other opposition members were elected assistant minority floor leaders, GP Rep. Jose Padiernos and Surigao del Sur Rep. Johnny Pimentel.Hontiveros is also part of the minority representatives in the CA. Senator Risa HontiverosInquirer.net file photo
AUGUST 24-26, 2022 • SoCal ASIAN JOURNAL http://www.asianjournal.com • (818) 502-0651 • (213) 250-97978 Dateline PhiliPPines by Xave GreGorio Philstar.com by Maila aGer Inquirer.net EMPLOYMENT EMPLOYMENTEMPLOYMENT US donates P11-M maritime tactical gear, vessel maintenance equipment to Coast Guard Nearly a third of P5.3-trillion budget to pay for debts For lawmaker, no stopping death penalty revival even if PH is barred from doing so
(Inquirer.net)
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CA’s minority leader; Hontiveros airs ‘serious’ concern Through
Debt servicing A big chunk of the proposed budget will be eaten up by debt servicing as the government will repay a record P1.6 trillion in debts next year — the highest yearly debt servicing on record — or 29.8 percent of the proposed 2023Nextbudget.year’s debt servicing expenses will be bigger than the P1.26 trillion set aside to repay maturing obligations this year. In 2023, the government will settle P1.35 trillion in domestic debts (up from P1.02 trillion this year), and P253.8 billion in foreign obligations (up from this year’s P240.1 billion). Debt payments under next year’s national budget will include a record P1.02 trillion in principal amortization (up from P751.1 billion this year), on top of P582.3 billion in interest (up from this year’s P512.6 billion). Despite the huge repayment, the national government’s outstanding debt will still jump to a new high of P14.63 trillion by the end of 2023, the Marcos administration’s first full year in office, budget documents showed. ‘Inclusive prosperity’ “The overall goal is to reinvigorate job creation and reduce poverty by steering the economy back to its high growth path in the near term and sustaining the high yet inclusive and resilient growth of 6.5 to 8 percent up to 2028. To reduce vulnerability and remedy the scars from the pandemic, we will continue to implement riskmanaged interventions to fully reopen the economy and ensure the unimpeded and adequate delivery of social services such as health, education and social protection,” President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said as he urged Congress to pass the proposed 2023Pangandamanbudget. noted that the proposed 2023 national budget, higher by 4.9 percent than the 2022 budget, was crafted with the theme “Agenda for Prosperity: Economic Transformation Towards Inclusivity and Sustainability.”Pangandaman pointed out that while it was the government’s responsibility to ensure that no citizen was left behind, “the harsh truth is many Filipinos suffer because of soaring oil and food prices, insufficient health facilities, and expensive commodities” as well as the effects of the pandemic.
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Hollywood afterparty The night after the main concert, all the Star Magic stars, ABS-CBN team and invited guests enjoyed a celebration dinner under the stars at the world-famous Yamashiro restaurant in the Hollywood performancesPunctuatedHills.byfrom Star Magic’s top singers, attendees had the opportunity to mingle with the young stars to explore future opportunities and possibilities of partnerships. “Moving forward means we have to do collaborations with other players in the industry, both in the Philippines and internationally,” said Aldrin Cerrado, Chief Operating Officer of ABS-CBN Global. “ We do our best to manage our resources very well to deliver the best product, the best content, for our audiences.” Bringing Filipino worldclass talent to the global center stage is the underlying theme of the evening, especially to the Latin American market under TFC’s North and Latin America“Musicdivision.isthe key to helping us penetrate the Latin American market,” said Jun Del Rosario, Managing Director of ABS-CBN Global. “We have shown the world how amazing our singers and performers are, and I feel our music will bridge our culture withAndtheirs.”tofurther fortify their skills and talents, some of the Star Magic members said they enrolled in performance workshops in Los Angeles;
Wednesday AUGUST 24, 2022
The Asian
Belle Mariano and Donny Pangilinan had the audience swooning during this sweet number. Photos courtesy of The love team of KD Estrada and Alexa Ilacad delivers the flutters in their romantic duet.
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By Therese Jamora-Garceau Philstar.com
The hype opening number from (Top L-R) Andrea Brillantes, AC Bonifacio, Alexa Ilacad, and Charlie Dizon; (Bottom L-R) Edward Barber, Maymay Entrata, Kim Chiu, Maris Racal, and Kyle Echarri. Photo courtesy of The members of the Star Magic tour perform their final show at the Saban Theater in Beverly Hills. Photo courtesy of Sthanlee Mirador
STAR Magic’s 30th Anniversary Concert “Beyond the Stars” culminated their three-city concert tour at the Saban Theater in Beverly Hills on Monday, August 14, marking the return of Star Magicon the live concert stages in the U.S. after two years.With 20 of Star Magic’s brightest talents from the Philippines, “Beyond the Stars” showcased what Filipino and international audiences always expect from ABS-CBN shows: excellence.“Ourworld is a landscape of change, and just like our company, Star Magic is evolving,” said Star Magic Head Lauren Dyogi. “ Audiences now, in the digital age, are clamoring for diversity and Filipino talent can be appreciated anywhere and everywhere—and we have proven that.” The tour kicked off in New York City, where the young stars performed for its discerning audiences. The next stop was San Francisco for a legacy-laced show at the historical home of the Filipino American diaspora. And the tour’s finale was in the hub of global entertainment Los Angeles. The young stars dazzled thousands across the U.S.—claiming their place as some of the top performers in the Withworld.an energized house on its feet, the show started with an electrifying tableau of Filipino dance hits with Philippines’ sweetheart Maymay Entrata, Edward Barber, Maris Racal, Charlie Dizon and Alexa Ilacad. The opening number continued with a celebration of Filipino Pop Rock with seasoned performer Kim Chiu, dance vixen AC Bonifacio and “Gold Squad” heartthrobs Kyle Echarri and Andrea Brillantes. Music lovers swooned over the ‘Sessionistas’ segment of the concert—where topcaliber singers performed beloved OPM (Original Pilipino Music) hits. Angela Ken, Lian Kyla, Sab, KD Estrada and Carlo Aquino serenaded the audience with their smooth acoustic sounds, highlighting their musicality and instrumental talents. Teleserye fans’ hearts melted when Star Magic’s top vocalists sang their favorite shows’ theme songs. The powerhouse vocals of Gigi de Star Magic’s 30th anniversary concert ‘Beyond the Stars’ completes a coast-to-coast US tour with a SoCal extravaganza
The breakout star of the night is funny man Eric Nicolas. His quick wit, funny antics and comical interactions with the crowd had the whole theater howling in laughter. The show ended with the whole cast on stage singing the song “Sama Sama” which sends messages of love, unity, and regardlessbeen“Ourtogetherness.corehasalwaystoserveouraudienceofcircumstances,” said Arnie Garcia, ABS-CBN Global Head of Events. “Star Magic’s Beyond the Stars is ABS-CBN Global Events’ way to start reaching out to our audience amidst these challenging times and prove to them that we would continue to bring joy and inspiration to everyone,” Garcia adds.
MDWKJournalMAGAZINE idea,” notes Patwa. “He is insanely creative. I think that’s what it takes to be a movie star for that long. He’s artistic, he’s genuine, he’s authentic, and so even the design of (the bottle) — every part of it was really his direction and his vision for what this could look and feel like. My job is to listen to him, because he’s actually quite detailed in the way he even holds the bottle, the way he selects the bottle, the color palette — he just wore an outfit like this to the Bullet Train premiere with this color (she holds up a bottle of Enroot’s Strawberry Lavender-Rosemary Tulsi Relax flavor that has the Bullet Train logo on the back, and ladybug artwork on the front), which is more like a salmon color. And this we did for his movie, Bullet Train. You remember his character, Ladybug, and how his character wants to find peace? So the Relax is to help calm and promote finding peace. This is actually for the movie collaboration with him, which is amazing. Everybody I know loves the way it presents. Everything inside (Enroot) is the chefs’; everything outside is Brad.” Patwa grew up in Buhangin, Davao, until she was eight years old. Cristina Patwa, Filipina cofounder and CEO of Enroot: “I wanted to pay tribute to what my grandmother gifted me with.” Photo from Instagram/@crispatwa
Lana, Janine Berdin, Angela Ken, Lian Kyla and Sab brought the emotions of each of the drama series’ themes to their embracing fans. And with what felt like a lightning bolt striking the theater, the fans suddenly levitated when ‘love teams’ took the stage. KD Estrada and Alexa Ilacad, known as their “shipped-name” KDLEX, delighted their fans by singing a duet that explored the mysteries of young love. The screams intensified when the hottest love team in the Philippines took the spotlight. Donny Pangilinan and Belle Mariano, more popularly known as “DonBelle” sang, danced, and interacted with their adoring fans, reinforcing the undeniable chemistry they have that their global fans Multi-award-winningcrave. actor Zanjoe Marudo brought the romance only a top matinee idol can bring to the show, making his fans swoon with his triple-threat performance and boy-next-door charm.
IT’S a long way from Buhangin, Davao City, to Hollywood; from dirt roads and riding carabaos to running a business for Brad Pitt, but Cristina Patwa has made that journey in less than her 42 years on earth. I actually mistook Patwa for a teenager when I came in to interview her. When I remarked on her youthful looks, this mother of an eight-year-old girl laughed and said, “It must be the teas.” “The teas” in question belong to Enroot, a sparkling tea beverage brand Patwa cofounded along with Pitt and John Fogelman, a Hollywood agent-turned-entrepreneur who’s a dear friend of both.“My business partner of 15 years, John and I have built different businesses together,” Patwa says. “John was one of the largest shareholders of a talent agency called William Morris, and he has known Brad for 25 years. They’ve been friends for 25 projects. “We have another business with Brad,” she continues. “We helped him with something in (Chateau) Miraval (the French winery he coowned with ex-wife Angelina Jolie), and then over dinner together, Brad came up with the idea of this wellness, alcohol-free experience.” The idea was Enroot, a line of sparkling, cold-brew tea beverages that would fill a niche in the nonalcoholic beverage market for a bubbly drink like champagne. Patwa, Pitt and Fogelman called in a group of 12 James Beard Award-winning chefs to develop and blend flavors that could be paired with elevated cuisine. At a brewery in Santa Cruz, California, they cold-brew organic fruit and floral purees in small batches with the best teas from around the world for three days, resulting in a low-calorie drink (only 25 calories a bottle) that is refreshing, lowsugar (no sugar or stevia is added), and a healthy alternative to not only champagne but also sodas. “Brad was the one who came up with the Cristina Patwa’s tea-rrific journey from Davao to Hollywood and working with Brad Pitt
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.
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By Marinel Cruz Inquirer.net
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 unprepared.Ifyoupass away 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.
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 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. On the 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. Please note that this article is not legal advice and is not intended as legal advice. The article is intended to provide only general, non-specific legal information. This article is not intended to cover all the issues related to the topic discussed. The specific facts that apply to your matter may make the outcome different than would be anticipated by you. This article does create any attorney client relationship between you and the Law Offices of Kenneth U. Reyes, P.C. This article is not a solicitation.
* Attorney Kenneth Ursua Reyes is a 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 at Kenreyeslaw.com.(AdvertisingSupplement)
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one more, a girl this time,” said the wife of TV host Billy Crawford.“Ireally hope the next one would be a girl because, now, I don’t want to have more than two kids. I also want to space it out. I’m still okay with having just Amari until he reaches 5. It really depends on our situation in the coming year, because as
By riCky Calderon ManilaTimes.net GERALD Santos is reprising his role as Thuy in the “Miss Saigon” edition of Denmark for 2023.He first played the role of Thuy in the “Miss Saigon” UK International Tour from 2017 to 2019.In fact, he has logged 553 performances as Thuy, the most by any actor who played the role in Miss Saigon based on the recent productions of the famed musical.Being chosen to play Thuy boosted Gerald’s career as a singer and being tapped to do the role again is a testament to his talent.“Iamvery happy to be given another chance to portray the role but I am kind of afraid and nervous because we are doing it on Danish language. But that will challenge me because out of my comfort zone,” said Gerald Gerald plays Thuy in ‘Miss Saigon’ anew Gerald Santos as Thuy Photo from Instagram/@thegeraldsantos via Facebook Messenger. “Miss Saigon” will be produced by Det Ny Teater, a privately-owned theater that have been producing Broadway and West End titles since 1994. Congratulations Gerald and may you continue to bring pride to the Philippines.
Food festival at Paskong Pinoy at West Covina last December 2021, also organized by West Covina pays tribute to frontliners at the Fil-Am Bayani Day on Aug. 27
Coleen Garcia with husband Billy Crawford and son Amari Inquirer.net photo
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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 CivicTheCenter.event 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.Interestedvendors may contact the event organizers at usaphilsbaca@gmail.com or 626-360-3388. Follow the UPBA’s official Facebook page at com/1UPBAhttps://www.facebook.orathttps:// fb.me/e/23KfTbEBR for more information about event.
ACTRESS Coleen Garcia, whose son is turning 2 years old in September, is now praying for a baby girl. “We always thought we wanted four to six children, but if we only have Amari, I would be more than happy with that. But I hope we get Hands-on mom Coleen wants a sister for baby Amari
CornerBarrister’s
10 The Asian Journal MDWK MAGAZINE - August 24, 2022 community
How important is it to have a living trust?
Pahrump, Las Vegas home sales decline, but prices still up from 2021
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BY now, many newspapers have covered the recent decline in home sales in Nevada, particularly home sales in cities like Las Vegas andSpurredPahrump.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.
Pahrump used to be a farming community so anything grows in the town. Realtor Fely Quitevis-Bateman’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 Quitevis-Bateman and Jessica Pacheco.
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.Las Vegas continues to be in a seller’s market, Pahrump has moved to neutral territory. These 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. 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 JulyThis2022).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. In both 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
By RealtoR Fely Quitevis-Bateman
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 theseAsareas.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. 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.
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.
Mr. & Mrs. Hung Yeh, with Realtor Rely Quitevis-Bateman (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.
My company, Precious Properties, is a fullservice 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@ precious-properties.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
11 The Asian Journal MDWK MAGAZINE - August 24, 2022 community
From Page 10 she has just started getting back into rhythm in terms of her work as an actress. “I’m just getting back to doing what I love, to the things that make me ‘me,’ but at the same time having Amari with me on this journey. So when things start to slow down and when I really am in that rhythm, then maybe, Billy and I can work on having another child,” she declared. Until such time comes, Amari can be assured of being the apple of his parents’ eyes. “He is such a crazy little boy,” Amari’s mom beamed. “He is so active. He loves to run around. When we were shooting ‘ Kaluskos, ’ he was already happy just to be able to run across the garden. He has been talking a lot now, too, although not so straight yet.”Coleen said that this early, Amari’s personality is starting to show. “What’s amazing is that he is starting to show traits that are unique to him. He would have mannerisms that we didn’t teach him at all. We would always hear parents say, ‘You got that from Mommy, or from Daddy!’ But now, we are starting to see the real him.”
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Patwa’s lola passed away last January, at the age of 96. “I wanted to pay tribute to what she gifted me with. She was planting seeds along the way, the overall model of the kind of woman I am and want to be. I’m glad she got to see at least the launch of Enroot and she knew what I was building it for.”
“Davao then was a lot of dirt roads, a lot of farms. There’s pictures of me with a carabao, and I was afraid of the geese,” she laughs. “I didn’t know there was a whole world outside of our farms, my grandmother and the community — you knew everybody and everybody knew you — it felt like a real family. “We moved to the US when I was eight, and I would spend a lot of time with my grandmother because both parents had to work. You know, it’s immigrants, we’re in Queens, we need to survive. And so I spent a lot of time with my grandma, and we would come back to the Philippines every other year growing up. “The most joyful parts of my childhood were with my grandmother or here in the Philippines, because in the US, Christmas is not celebrated the same way — the feeding each other and making sure you’re okay. Filipinos naturally think of the other person first before ourselves. And I wish that the US had more of that, where we can break bread and take care of somebody across from you. That connection is actually a foundation of building a community, and I want Enroot to be a community, first and foremost.”
Patwa is a staunch tea drinker herself. “When I became a mom, I couldn’t have as much caffeine and alcohol,” she says. “I just love teas. I drink a lot of tea.” Part of her trip here is to find farms from which Enroot can source ingredients. “Because we source organic, it means by default that the big farms are the conventional ones that are not organic, and most organic farms are smaller. So we have coconut in this (flavor), and I would love to find jasmine — I loved the sampaguitas growing up — and the hibiscus, the gumamelas. It would be amazing because we’re trying to source them where they’re indigenously grown already. And then we have another flavor that will come out that has mango and ginger, and that’s like my hometown flavors. I would love that.” Enroot is a sustainable, socially responsible brand that also supports women’s programs, and Patwa says that Pitt is a partner who believes and understands the importance of those values. “Once he heard everything he came up with (their trademark) ‘Food, Family, Farms.’ He loves the simplicity of things. He and John were the ones who pushed me and said, ‘You need to run this. This is you.’ And I said, ‘I’m an accountant. What do I know?’ But they’re so wonderful as partners and so supportive. I couldn’t ask for better partners in something that’s so meaningful in a lot of different ways. I feel very blessed.”
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12 The Asian Journal MDWK MAGAZINE - August 24, 2022 community
(CONTINUED from last week …) You hope that a smattering of beautiful memories, yours as well as of those you leave behind, are indelibly marked in a few hearts and minds for a generation or two — strong enough to move them to bring you flowers on your gravesite long after you’re gone. If your life were to be compressed to a 60-second video, you hope that the awful parts were edited out and landed on the cutting room floor permanently deleted. The saddest thing about a life is to be forgotten as though you neverButlived.what seems clear is that this phase of life which may be aptly called the pre-departure stage before the final journey should still be filled with purpose.Without a goal, we tend to be rudderless, aimless blobs floating in an ocean of nothingness. There is no force to push or pull us into a port of call. Without a plan, we hit the doldrums. Without a reason to get up in the morning and seize the day, our body and soul tend to wither away. Such is our nature as human beings. When the purpose that drove our lives for decades, such as the family’s well-being or any other purpose, is gone, we tend to lose our bearings and we begin to drift. Suddenly, no one needs us. No one calls except endless spam robot cold callers or those darn polling, marketing and political calls asking for donations. UGH!!! No one seems to care. Our sense of self worth dissipates and is gone with the wind. But it does not have to be. If there is anything we learned about life in the trenches, we don’t surrender without a fight. The saddest thing about a life is to be forgotten as though you never lived..…”
Hands-on mom Coleen wants...
Do more Prior to appearing in Roman Perez Jr’s psychological thriller Kaluskos ,” Coleen was also part of Jon Red’s revengethemed action-drama “Adarna Gang.”“I’m just waiting for good projects, for whatever falls on my lap that I can throw myself into. I don’t want to do anything half-assed anymore. I want to commit to whatever projects given to me because I’m in a state where I’m so hungry and I want to be able to work, work, work!” Coleen pointed out. “Comparing my job to Billy’s—who hosts a daily show— mine is seasonal. I go through so many months without work and just be with Amari, then I shoot a movie for six days. I want to be able to do more of that in the coming months,” she declared.
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.
We can harness what we made of ourselves and put our life skills to good use. In short, we adapt to our circumstances or go extinct like the dodo bird. So how does one repurpose one’s life? One way is to set a new goal. In hitting the bullseye, experts in darts and archery advise to set your aim just a tad higher. The concept probably works the same way in achieving one’s goal during this stage of life. Set a goal bigger than one’s self. A goal bigger than one’s self could be spending time reading to young ones in the library or bringing hot lunch and the Holy Eucharist to the elderly and homebound, or bringing joy to wherever and whomever may appreciate the gesture and spread the cheer in a ripple effect. Or we can write letters of encouragement to those who live in darkness. Or in many cultures, such as the Filipino culture, caring for the grandchildren when their parents are at work, has become he default norm in retirement.Itiscalled “apostolic” work, “apo” being the Tagalog word for grandchild. Take the chance to imbue in young minds and hearts solid, Christian values like respect for life, prayer, love of God, humility and caring for each other. This is a time when you can become the sower of good seeds in the hope that dividends in the lives of the next generation will come about like a great harvest in due time. Get savvy with social media skills and engage in battle. Your 2 cents worth, if reinvested and repeated by like-minded people of light, can resonate and capture minds and hearts and amount to great value over time.We can engage in symbolic or actual skirmishes and battles that abound on earth where there is a perpetual struggle between good and evil where you know without a doubt that good and light will always prevail. There is always a call for devout prayer warriors who spend their lives in silence and in deep prayer and meditation. Prayer, after all, is the most powerful force in the universe. I have observed with fascination that those who welcome retirement years with a zestful purpose bigger than themselves and their needs seem the happiest. The dividend is that they enjoy longer, healthier lives. They seem to have found a way to circumvent the laws of nature for the time being, staving off the body’s time clock as long as possible.Theargument they give to their Maker is that their lives are still useful to do His will. Those passionate about living may even pray to God and beg: “Will you Lord, pretty, pretty please let me hang on for dear life just a little while longer? Let me come home when I’m good and ready without unduly burdening my loved ones and, more importantly, until YOU say it is time.”
Nota Bene: Monette Adeva Maglaya writes Asianfor Journal. To send comments, monette.maglaya@asianjournalinc.come-mail
NOTE: Due to COVID-19 pandemic, I am offering free consultations BY PHONE to anyone who needs help in dealing with their debt problems. None of the information herein is intended to give legal advice for any specific situ ation. Atty. Ray Bulaon has successfully helped over 5,000 clients in getting out of debt. For a free attorney evaluation of your situation, please call RJB Law Offices at TOLL FREE 1-866-477-7772.
Starting a new life after bankruptcy
Grazing in the grass (Conclusion of 2 parts)
if anything, can only help them rebuild their credit in the long run. Yes, in most cases that I see, bankruptcy can actually improve credit by allowing the person a chance to start over after wiping out debts. What most people don’t understand is that creditors look at several factors when evaluating a credit application and that whether or not a bankruptcy shows up on your report is only one of those factors. For example, when buying a home, banks are not as concerned about it if your bankruptcy is at least 3 years old and all other credit characteristics are appropriate (good character, stable employment, amount of down payment, etc.). And if you are buying a car after bankruptcy, this is usually not a problem although in the beginning, you will obviously pay a higher interest rate or may even need a co-signor until such time you proveWhethercreditworthiness.ornotbankruptcy is the right solution for you also involves looking at your long-term financial goals. For example, while your credit may suffer for a few years, the fact that bankruptcy may be your only and quickest way to recover financially outweighs any temporary disadvantages. Have a long-term focus and start thinking outside the box. Filing bankruptcy often means getting rid of old ways of thinking and developing a new mindset.Filing bankruptcy may be just what you need in order to get immediate relief from creditor calls, harassment, wage garnishment and to protect your property and other assets. When appropriate for your situation bankruptcy protection can help you get out debt, rebuild your credit and give you peace of mind once again. If you are tired of being in debt and having sleepless nights worrying about your finances all the time, your life doesn’t have to be this way and there may be something you can do right now to turn things around quickly. Let me evaluate your situation and help you explore all possibilities. For a free consultation, call Toll-Free 1-866-477-7772.
Cristina Patwa’s tea-rrific journey from...
From Page 9
IF you are in debt and are seriously considering bankruptcy as an option, I am sure a lot of thoughts are going through your mind. I just want to get out of debt and start a new life but how quickly can I recover from bankruptcy? What are the different types of bankruptcy available? How do I know I am making the right decision? These are all legitimate concerns, and a competent and knowledgeable bankruptcy attorney should be able to help you determine whether bankruptcy is in fact your best course of action. I find that most people are concerned about the effects of bankruptcy on their credit more than anything else. They are under the mistaken notion that once they file for bankruptcy, their credit is ruined forever and that they will never be able to buy a house or obtain credit again. Of course, this is simply not true! Yes, bankruptcy is reported on your credit record for 7-10 years depending on the type of bankruptcy you are filing but a lot of people quickly bounce back from bankruptcy in as little as 2-3 years. I also find that most people who are in debt trouble already have bad credit anyway and filing bankruptcy,
you know, Billy is not getting any younger and I need help in taking care of Amari,” said Coleen, 29, of her husband who is 40. ‘Very hands-on with him’ “Timing is important also because I want Amari to be old enough to understand why a new baby is around. We’re very hands-on with him. I don’t want to take away time from Amari, especially since I’m going to be so tired taking care of the new baby,” she pointedThereout.isalso the fact that
Atty. RAymond BulAon Minding Your Finances
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