Also published
The order dated Aug. 26 was posted on the SRA website on Tuesday, September
FROM THE AJPRESS NEWS TEAM ACROSS AMERICA
MANILA — President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. will sustain the “war” on narcotics but will focus on preventing the use of banned substances and on rehabilitating drug addicts. Marcos said his administration is eyeing to address the “upstream” of the problem or the prevention side while crafting policies on rehabilitation and law enforcement.
Alexandra Eala of the Philippines screams for joy as she defeated the Czech Republic’s Lucie Havlickova in straight sets, 6-2, 6-4 for the US Open junior girls singles crown on Saturday, September 10. The left-hander is the first Filipino to capture a grand slam junior singles crown. Eala became the highest-ranked player from the Philippines at #280 in the Women’s Tennis Association rankings in July 2022, eclipsing the record of Maricris Fernandez Gentz who was ranked #284 in 1999. Eala is currently ranked #297 in the WTA Tour. AJPress photo by Troi Santos on drugs’ under Pres. Marcos to focus on prevention,
PAGE 2 PAGE 4 PAGE 4 UN rights council urged to pass reso to address ongoing abuses in Philippines PAGE 7 ‘War
Other countries in Southeast Asia — Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore and Vietnam had them as of 2015 — already operate submarines. Myanmar took delivery of a China-made one in late 2021.
by KEATS LONDON Inquirer.net
by KAYCEE VALMONTE Philstar.com
“The war on drugs will continue but we have to do it in a different way,” Marcos said in an interview with vlogger and celebrity Toni Gonzaga aired over All TV on Tuesday, September 13.
DATELINE USA
Ferdinand Marcos Jr., who as concurrent agriculture secretary chairs the Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA) board, signed Sugar Order (SO) No. 1 classifying all sugar produced in the country for the crop year 2022-2023 as “B” sugar,
by JORDEENE B. LAGARE, MELVIN GASCON Inquirer.net
Volume 15 - No.45 • 16 Pages We’ve got you covered from Hollywood to Broadway... and Online! SEPTEMBER 16-22, 2022 133-30 32nd Ave., Flushing, NY 11354 • Tel. (212) 655-5426
FLUSHING MEADOWS, New York — They came from almost everywhere to catch a glimpse of one of their own.
Family members remember Angelo Quinto, a 30-year-old Navy veteran, as someone who enjoyed fishing, scuba diving and video games. Quinto died on Dec. 26, 2020, three days after a police officer reportedly knelt on his neck during a mental health episode. Photo courtesy of
PAGE 4 AJPress photo by Troi Santos
President Marcos orders all sugar output for domestic use
or for the domestic sugar market.
CALIFORNIA Attorney General Rob Bonta will be looking into the death of 30-yearold Filipino American Navy veteran Angelo Quinto, who died in police custody inside his family’s home in 2020.
Fil-Am GeneralAttorneyRobBonta to probe Navy vet’s death in police custody
The review of the public report on Quito’s death comes after the Quinto family’s lawyer, John Burris, and his office sent an email addressed to Bonta’s office on Wednesday, Sept. 7. The email was sent in LOS ANGELES, ORANGE COUNTY/INLAND EMPIRE, LAS VEGAS, NORTHERN CALIFORNIA, SAN DIEGO
— The country is allotting
MANILA — The United Nations Human Rights Council should recognize that the human rights crisis in the Philippines persists and adopt a strong resolution addressing the situation, a human rights organization said Monday, September 12.
In a policy paper submitted to UN member states, Human Rights Watch said that extrajudicial killings in the government’s
“France is obviously committed to work more closely with the Philippines
market.President
13.Other signatories were Agriculture Undersecretary Domingo Panganiban, SRA
‘I
by ALEXIS ROMERO Philstar.com fought with my heart’: Alex Eala, Filipina to win Grand Slam
MANILA — As talks between the two countries continue, France on Tuesday, September 13 said it is “more than ready” to help and work with the Philippines on plans to include submarines in its fleet.
rehabilitation France says ready to help Philippine Navy with dream of having submarines PAGE 4
MANILA its entire sugar production for the current crop year for local consumption to help alleviate the tight supply and stabilize prices in the
rst
One fan, who flew in from Los Angeles, scurried to purchase tickets to the U.S. Open Girls Singles final when she found out a fellow Filipino would battle for the crown.
In their 17-page report, Senators Aquilino Pimentel III and Risa Hontiveros also disputed the committee’s
officers engaged with Quinto was both lawful and objectively reasonable under the circumstances,” District Attorney Becton said in her report.
The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) previously reported that over 2 million more Filipinos ended up poor in 2021 compared with three years ago. After a survey of 165,029 families across the country, the agency said 19.99 million Filipinos were living below the poverty line last year, more than the 17.67
The SWS completed its latest survey from June 26 to 29. It was conducted through faceto-face interviews with 1,500 adults aged 18 years old and above, with 300 respondents each from Metro Manila, Visayas, and Mindanao on top of 600 more participants from other regions in Luzon. — with a report from Ramon Royandoyan (Philstar.com)
For the crop year 20222023, the SRA estimated the total raw sugar production at 1.88 million metric tons (MT). On the other hand, sugar demand for the past three crop years has been around 2.03 million MT.
Importation plan
after Contra Costa County District Attorney Diana Becton said that they would not file charges against the responding officers on the day of Quinto’s death.
The planned importation, he explained, was “just a stop-gap measure” since all refineries would go into full operation by October or November, at the latest.
They issued their report a day after committee chair Sen. Francis Tolentino submitted to the plenary for ratification the panel’s findings.Theminority senators said the four officials acted in good faith in issuing SO 4.
“Contrary to the insinuations made, and as aptly explained in the hearings, the 300,000 (MT) figure mentioned in SO 4 did not come from thin air but is based on facts, historical data, and a result of consultation with stakeholders,” the report read.It zeroed in on OfficeorreferenduminthePresidentSRAsimplyhadbeenandSecretary,Rodriguez,hadbecauseSebastian’spurposelyinRodriguezwithsupposedlySebastian,between“miscommunication”theRodriguezandwhowasfollowinguptheformerthestatusofSO4. ThereportnotedhowhimselfadmittedhistestimonythathedidnotreplytotextmessagesthePresident,too,notgivenanyreplyonthis.ItpointedoutthatasExecutivehadadirectlinkstoodasthegatekeepertothePresident.“TherewouldnothaveanymiscommunicationtheexecutivesecretaryrepliedthattheBoardshouldgivethemoretimetostudydraft(SO4)andtoholdabeyancetheplannedpendingadviceinstructionfromtheofthePresident,”itsaid.
it.After the investigations launched in Congress, the Senate blue ribbon committee recommended to the Ombudsman the filing of criminal and administrative charges against former Agriculture Undersecretary Leocadio Sebastian, former SRA administrator Hermenegildo Serafica, and resigned board members Roland Beltran and Aurelio Valderrama Jr. for alleged corrupt practices, violation of the anti-agricultural smuggling law and usurpation of authority.
The June 2022 survey showed a Net Gainer score of -2, unchanged from the -2 logged in April
Data from the latest survey of the Social Weather Stations (SWS) show that 31% of adult Filipinos believe their quality-of-life got worse in the last year, a trend amid the pandemic-induced lockdowns. Photo from The STAR
“Some sugar mills have already started milling and we will soon have a steady supply of sugar,” he added.
Neither Attorney General Bonta nor District Attorney Becton has released further comments on the matter. (Inquirer.net)
It also added that while the country’s net gainer score has improved since the pandemic, dropping to as low as -78 in May 2020, it has yet to reach positive levels. This means that while the quality of life for Filipinos might have gotten better, the quality of life in the country still has to return to pre-pademic levels.
As of last year, the country’s poverty rate stood at 18.1%, an increase from the 16.6% in the comparable year.
Becton said that the decision not to charge the officers came as a result of the autopsy report, which detailed that there was no damage to Quinto’s larynx or trachea. However, two independent medical examiners hired by Burris’ team ruled Angelo Quinto’s death as restraint aphyxia.
Sugar produced domestically is classified as follows: “A” for U.S. quota, “B” for the domestic market, “C” for reserve, and “D” for the world market.
passed an importation program which will serve both industrial users and consumers,” Alba said.
President Marcos orders all sugar...
Meanwhile, the quality of life in Metro Manila and other Luzon areas last year were ranked “high,” Mindanao ranked “fair,” and Visayas was rated “mediocre.”
million logged in 2018, possibly due to the effects of the pandemic.
The runaway prices of the commodity eventually led to the sugar importation fiasco. That controversy arose when the previous SRA board issued SO 4 allowing the importation of 300,000 MT of sugar. Malacañang immediately rejected the order since the president did not authorize
“For now, [the] priority is [meeting our] domestic need,” Alba said in a message to the Inquirer.
Meanwhile, it also noted that hunger “is significantly higher” in respondents whose life got worse in the past year.
While the committee cleared Executive Secretary Victor Rodriguez, the minority senators said the Palace official was not “totally blameless” as he could be made liable for the lapses he committed that had whipped up the fiasco.
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“The2022.netgainer
recommendation to file graft and administrative charges against the four agriculture officials involved.
The SRA under the previous management did the same for all sugar produced during crop year 2021-2022, also to manage the country’s limited buffer.
“As one of the (SRA) board’s actions to address the tightness of our sugar supply, [it] has already
‘Miscommunication’
Minority report
A coroner’s inquest jury ruled that Quinto’s death was caused by “excited delirium due to drug intoxication, psychiatric conditions, physical exertion and cardiac arrest.”
Ben Nisenbaum, Burris’ legal partner, told KTVU that the charging decision was “outrageous.”“They’relooking at the trachea. But George Floyd‘s trachea was never broken,” Nisenbaum said. “The biggest strawman is that you need to see damage to the throat or neck to have an asphyxiation case. But that’s just now [sic] how it works. Any competent investigator knows this.”
More respondents, 39%, said they believe that their quality of life remains unchanged, while only 29% said that things got better for them compared to a year ago.
SWS: Life the same for most Filipinos, worse since last year for 31%
Fil-Am Attorney General Rob Bonta...
score was generally negative until 2015 when it rose to positive numbers until the drastic deterioration beginning with the COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns,” the survey notice read.
In December 2019, just before the pandemic hit, the net gainer score stood at +18.
The survey also showed that nearly half or 48% of Filipino families rated themselves poor, 31% are “borderline poor,” and 21% said they do not consider themselves as poor.
Acting Administrator David John Thaddeus Alba and SRA acting board members Ma. Mitzi Mangwag (as millers’ representative) and Pablo Luis Azcona (planters’ representative).Thismeans no locally produced sugar for the current crop year, which began on Sept. 1 and ends on Aug. 31, 2023, has been set aside for export to the United States.
PAGE 1 PAGE 1
Tight supply and declining production have pushed sugar prices higher this year. As of Tuesday, Sept. 13 the Department of Agriculture’s price monitoring showed that refined sugar in Metro Manila markets retailed for P95 a kilo, or nearly double from only P50 a year ago, while brown sugar was being sold for P70 a kilo, also up from P42.
g
MANILA — More than a quarter of respondents in a Social Weather Stations survey said their quality of life got worse in the last year, a trend amid the social and economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“The manner in which the Antioch
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“I think both of us were tired,” she later said during the press conference. “It’s normal in a final match. We’re not going to be fresh.”
“Even as we speak, there (is) a working group putting together...They knew war on drugs. We are looking more for the upstream, upstream of the problem, the prevention. Let us teach the children: ‘Do not go there. You won’t achieve anything. Most of those who went there were either jailed or are now dead. So why would you want that?’” he added.
Things were looking up for Philippine tennis after that, before politics reared its ugly head and put the local federation in turmoil with power struggle the mainThefare.country has never had anyone flaunt the talent worthy of the global stage
Stop drug war, red tagging
PAGE 1 PAGE 1
“I think she did hold out really well, especially in the second set,” she said of her foe, who played a total of three matches on Friday, September 9.
More than 6,000 drug suspects were acknowledged killed in anti-drug operations during the time of Duterte, alarming human rights advocates who claimed that the crackdown had encouraged summary executions and other abuses.
“UN member states should not be fooled by the baseless claims from the new Philippine government that the rights situation has suddenly improved,” McKernan said.
The resolution should also explicitly request continued reporting by the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights on the situation in the country, the HRW said.
Lucy McKernan, Geneva director at HRW, stressed that continued UN scrutiny is “vitally important.”
HRW said the resolution should call on President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to unequivocally end the “war on drugs,” and form a “truth commission” that will gather testimony from witnesses and victims and make recommendations for achieving justice and ensuring payment forMarcosreparations.earlier said he would continue the internationally condemned program “within the framework of the law.”
Pursuing her dream No Filipino before her made it past the semifinals of a Grand Slam event.
“And then even on the enforcement side... I’d like to formulate that one,” he added.
big platform, being able to inspire other younger people,” she said.
chance to serve for the championship.“Ijusttried to focus on every point and visualize what I was going to do,” said the scholar of the Rafael Nadal Academy in Spain who idolizes the 22time Grand Slam Spanish champion and channeled him all week.
“The war on drugs will continue but we have to do it in a different way,” Marcos said in an interview with vlogger and celebrity Toni Gonzaga aired over All TV on Tuesday, September 13. Photo from Instagram.com/@celestinegonzaga
HORSE-DRAWN CARRIAGE. A man rides his horse-drawn carriage (kalesa) as motorists cruise past him along Espana Avenue in Manila on Tuesday, Sept, 13,. The carriage was used by Filipinos in the olden times as a way to move around.
‘Big platform’
for at the time.
“Filipinos who suffered the most during the Duterte administration are looking to the Human Rights Council to help them achieve justice for themselves and their loved ones,” she added. (by Gaea Katreena Cabico/ Philstar.com)
Girl power
PNA photo by Rico H. Borja
After the trophy presentation, the group came together and the Inquirer asked if anyone had a Philippine flag. Someone unfurled a huge one and Eala graciously posed with it and the crowd.
“The biggest thing I notice in Rafa is how he fights till the end, how his thoughts are so clear. He’s so calm, but at the same time so fired up. I think I really tried to channel that energy during this whole week,” Eala said.
Channeling Nadal Eala flaunted a stronger game en route to becoming the first Filipino to win a Singles Grand Slam trophy. With steadier serves than the last time she was here, Eala also showed remarkable fitness as she battled both her opponent and the brutal New York summer heat.
Duterte has been accused of committing crimes against humanity before the International Criminal Court over the deaths tied to his drug war but the former president insists that the tribunal has no jurisdiction over the matter.
F
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The text should also urge the
government to halt the practice of red-tagging critics of the government, and the harassment of journalists and activists.Itshould also urge Marcos to release former lawmaker Leila de Lima, to name independent human rights experts to the Commission on Human Rights, and to facilitate the full participation of civil society organizations in the UN joint program.“UNmember states should make sure they don’t drop the ball on the Philippines and instead strengthen the Human Rights Council’s efforts to improve human rights in the country,” HRW’s McKernan said.
There were a few welling eyes in the crowd as well.
Felix Barrientos, the enigmatic baseliner who was the mainstay of numerous Davis Cup squads, made the Final Four of Wimbledon in 1985, only to run into a methodical Mexican machine in Eduardo Velez to lose, 7-6, 6-0. Velez would go on to win the crown against his countryman Leonardo Lavalle, 6-4, 6-4.
Having regained momentum, Eala backed Havlickova into a 4015 hole and converted championship points after the tournament second seed slapped a backhand low into theThenet.Filipino crowd on the court whooped it up.
Eala’s victory follows a string of international successes for the country carved out with girl power.
“But the key was to be surrounded by good people and people that I look up to—[to] guide me the right way,” she added.
UN rights council urged to pass...
“That’s also what I tried to show [to] people who look up to me, to think with a clear head and to not act irrationally.”
“In fact, right now, we are trying to formulate how, what is the latest and what’s the best way for the rehabilitation,” the president said.
For them, for her family, and for her country, Alex Eala put on a show.
sinceUntilthen.Eala came into the picture and took the sacrifice to be away from family so that she could pursue her dream. This kind of
‘War on drugs’ under...
“This victory is not only mine but ours,” she tearfully told the crowd after thanking her family, coaches, and fans.
And after dismissing girls world No. 3 Lucie Havlickova of the Czech Republic, 6-2, 6-4, on Saturday, September 10 here, Eala apologetically sought the indulgence of the on-court emcee so she could speak in Filipino.
“It’s very overwhelming right now. But I think this is a huge step for me personally as well. I’m super happy to represent my country and do something with a
HRW called on the 47-member council to pass a resolution creating expanded human rights monitoring mechanisms and continuing the UN Joint Program. The joint program was the UNHRC’s response in 2020 to the clamor to stop human rights violations linked to the government’s campaign against illegal drugs. It stopped short of an independent probe into the human rights situation that groups were calling
But Eala went back a break up at 5-4 to get the
“war on drugs” still continue. The UN Human Rights Council will hold its 51st session from September 12 to October 7 in Geneva, Switzerland.
PAGE 1
The OHCHR calculated in its report to the rights council that the death toll was at least 8,663. But human rights groups estimate the figure is possibly triple the number recorded in the UN report.
‘I fought with my heart’: Alex Eala...
Marcos’ predecessor, former president Rodrigo Duterte, had waged a bloody war on illegal drugs, saying it is necessary to preserve the next generation of Filipinos. Duterte had ordered law enforcers to “destroy” the apparatus of drug traders and to shoot drug offenders if they feel that their lives are in danger.
Marcos said those who are addicted to narcotics should undergo treatment.
Eala strung five masterful games to take the first set against the Czech, but she had quite a battle in her hands in the second set after Havlickova took a 4-3 lead.
While Duterte supports the reimposition of death penalty in the Philippines, Marcos admitted that the issue is a “tough one because there is a practical issue and a moral issue involved.”
Hearing Eala ask permission to speak in her native tongue certainly speaks of the patriotism in the 17-year-old, whose parents have sacrificed a lot to allow her to play the game at the highest level possible.Hermother, the former Rizza Maniego, was also an ex-national athlete, doing track and field for the Philippines.“Ialsosaid that I fought with my heart for this trophy,” Eala said. “I did this not just for myself, I did it so that I could help Philippine tennis.”
F
Golfer Yuka Saso touched that off with a victory in the US Open at Olympic Club in San Francisco in June 2021 where she was also followed by a horde of her countrymen. Saso became the first Filipino to win a golfing major for the Philippines.Afterrepresenting the Philippines in the Tokyo Olympics a few months after, the convenience of holding a Japanese passport prompted Yuka to adopt her father Masakasi Saso’s land of Weightlifterbirth. Hidilyn Diaz contributed to the streak next when she won the country’s first Olympics gold medal, defeating her Chinese opponent to end a wait that spanned almost a century. g
Capital punishment was abolished in 2006 under former president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. g rom the ront P age
“Idream.would say the biggest obstacle is probably being away from my family,” she said. “And many other things a lot of other tennis players go through.”
“And the question is, (does) the society have the right to kill its own people? And that’s a tough one to get around,” Marcos said.“And as a practical matter, does the death penalty, actually, does it discourage people from committing heinous crimes? And I think the data, not only from the Philippines but from other countries, shows that we have to be very stringent about applying the law,” he added.
blessing (nay, BLESSINGS).
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To be blessed with a pretty college sweetheart and then be blessed some more with a wife willing to put up with a husband who was on the job virtually 24/7 as an advertising man, newsmancolumnist, screenplay writer, TV producer-director, and breadwinner of parents and siblings, and then be blessed even more with a life partner
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As in much of the world outside the British Commonwealth, there has been a high interest among Filipinos in developments in the United Kingdom following the death of Queen Elizabeth II. Aside from the global popularity and pervasiveness of British culture, including the availability of numerous materials on multimedia about the British royal family, there are strong people-to-people bonds between the
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he was also born on 9-11, I added him as a third curse.
Publisher & Chairman of the Board
MOMAR G. VISAYA Editor Editor-in-Chief Jersey Asian
to improve their plight, had pointed out the financial constraints currently faced by the government.Unlessnurses and other HCWs get decent compensation, however, the country will continue to see their exodus for greener pastures, not just in the UK but all over the world. And it is the Philippine health care system that will feel the pain. (Philstar.com)
and
Journal
Then came the attack on New York’s Twin Towers and the Pentagon in Washington DC. These would supplant Pearl Harbor America”s Day of Infamy.During the incumbency of President Gloria Arroyo. an arrmy general gained notoriety as the Butcher for the disappearance and suspected extra-judicial killing of radicals. Because
Still overworked and underpaid
OFEATURES PINION
GREG B. MACABENTA
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Parsons was the first person to administer the first globally recognized COVID-19 vaccine, the Pfizer-BioNTech jab, in December 2020. British officials said her presence at the awarding ceremony in Windsor was meant to show that “the UK is grateful to the 30,000 Filipino nurses working for our NHS.” That’s
nurses.During her recent visit to the Philippines, where she obtained a nursing degree at the University of Santo Tomas, Parsons had lamented the low pay received by Filipino nurses especially in private hospitals. The problem of overworked and underpaid healthcare workers has plagued health services even before the COVID-19 pandemic. HCWs are now seeking the help of the Department of Labor and Employment to address low pay and non-payment of benefits in private hospitals, where the DOLE said monthly pay can be as low as P5,000 to
and Homeland Security, as well as the Supreme Court. Indeed, there there is a lot of truth in the saying that the funds one’s wife manages for the family would never be enough but for her uncanny ability to make ends meet.
Client any litigation.
What’s important is the
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TalkStreet
more than half of the 53,000 Filipinos currently residing in the UK. And there will likely be more, if opportunities open up; the UK is one of the top destinations for Filipino
One curse is bad enough, let alone two or three, but one blessing could make up for the bad fortune.
P12,000 for a 10- to12-hour working day. Entry-level pay for workers in government hospitals is set at P30,000. But HCWs in these hospitals are also complaining of long delays in the payment of their hazard pay, One COVID Allowance Information System and health emergency allowance. President Marcos, while recently hailing nurses as “heroes” of the pandemic and promising
For9-11.years that date was celebrated (or cursed) as the birthday of President Ferdinand Edralin Marcos.
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On December 24, 2022 God willing, Gigi and I will have been married 58 years. We met before turning 20. went steady for 3 years
3 curses and a blessing
ROGER LAGMAY ORIEL
MY wife Gigi always causes eyebrows to rise whenever she gives her date of birth.
Many Filipinos have received world-class education in British schools, among them President Marcos and his sons. And among the biggest Filipino ambassadors of goodwill in the UK are nurses and other health care workers. Only last July, Queen Elizabeth, assisted by then Prince Charles, had conferred the prestigious Gold Cross medal on the UK’s National Health Service, with Filipina nurse May Parsons among those present to receive the award at Windsor Castle.
But I can’t remember his name. He is lost in the garbage dump of history. Anyway, 9-11 is a reminder that one’s curse could be somebody else’s blessing.
who was also a JusticetoEducationCabinet,ongovernmentwhatwithinthreetutor-cook–disciplinarianmother-driver-ofboysandonegirlandouroldagetobeblessedacaregiverandnurse–morecanoneaskfor?IfourhouseholdwasaGigiçouldtakeallthefunctionsofthefromSecretaryoftoSocialWelfareFinancetoHealthevento,InteriorandDefense
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He replaced Rogelio Gevero Jr., who was designated as the bureau’s officer-in-charge last month.
lawmaker has filed a measure seeking to abolish the Presidential Commission on Good Government, the government agency created in 1986 to reclaim ill-gotten wealth from the Marcos family and its cronies during the Martial Law regime.
In filing House Bill No. 4331, Rep. Benny Abante (Manila, 6th District) argued that the PCGG has “not produced significant accomplishment [and] has outgrown its usefulness.”
Water announced that the 62-year-old Zobel de Ayala has resigned as a member of each of the listed companies’ board of directors to focus on the health issues he is facing. The disclosures did not specify the health issues.
PAGE 7
House bill seeks PCGG abolition; functions transferred to DOJ
Dateline PhiliPPines
by Ed Paolo Salting ManilaTimes.net
CrispinUnderRemulla.theproposed measure, all sequestered real and personal assets and properties previously under the PCGG and all records and documents on its operations are transferred to the Privatization Office of the Department of TheFinance.bill also calls for a “physical inventory and complete accounting of the sequestered properties and assets” in coordination with the Commission on Audit headed by Marcos loyalist Jose Callida. (By Franco Luna/Philstar. com)
In separate disclosures on Monday, September 12 Ayala Land, Globe Telecom, Integrated Micro-Electronics Inc. (IMI), Ayala Corp., Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI), ACEN Corp. and Manila
Zobel de Ayala was board chairman of AyalaLand before he handed in his resignation. At Globe Telecom, he was covice chairman of the board
by alExiS RomERo Philstar.com
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Newchiefimmigrationnamed
MANILAcompanies.— A
FERNANDO Zóbel de Ayala has quit all his executive positions in the Ayala group of
Zobel de Ayala gives up all executive posts
According to an article posted on the website of staterun People’s Television (PTV), Tansingco worked at the bureau for nearly 10 years from July 2007 to January 2017 as chief of staff of former commissioner Marcelino Libanan, now the House minority leader and representative of 4Ps party-list.Thenew immigration chief was concurrent technical assistant for operations under the Office of the Commissioner and attorney III of the bureau’s special inquiry
Beforeboard.working for the immigration bureau, Tansingco was Libanan’s chief of staff at the House of Representatives from July 1998 to June 2007, PTV reported. Libanan was representative of Eastern Samar’s lone district at the time. The new immigration chief is a certified public accountant and was admitted to the Philippine Bar in 1991. g
But in its 2020 Annual Report, the PCGG reported the recovery of a total of P174.2 billion since its establishment
in 1986 until December 31, 2020. In the same accomplishment report, PCGG said it has an estimated P99.678-billion value of assets under litigation as of end of “The2020.abolition of the PCGG does not mean that the recovery of plundered wealth and its proper disposition will no longer be pursued,” Abante — a pastor — reasons in his explanatory note.Should the measure pass, the functions of the PCGG will be passed to the Department of Justice headed by Marcos Jr. appointee, Secretary Jesus
MANILA — President Marcos has named a lawyer and former congressional chief of staff as new immigration commissioner.NormanGarcera Tansingco has been appointed commissioner of the Bureau of Immigration, Press Secretary Trixie Cruz-Angeles confirmed in a statement on Monday, September 12.
Through the CFRA, international collaboration provides science as the basis of evidence in building more sustainable management of the South China Sea’s resources.
The senator on Monday, September 12, said that the nutribun’s popularity in the 1970’s “still inspires the local feeding programs of incumbent and aspiring politicians.”Thenutribun feeding program was a project funded by the United States Agency for International Development during the administration of president Ferdinand E. Marcos Sr.
and have a more strategic relations with the Philippines so, of course, we are ready,” French Ambassador Michèle Boccoz said in a press briefing on Wednesday, September 14 during its Naval Day Symposium.Boccozsaid France is in discussions with the Philippine government on the acquisition of two submarines by the Naval Group, a French company that designs and builds submarines and related assets. It is the same firm behind the Philippine Coast Guard’s BRP Gabriela Silang patrol ship.
by Danessa RiveRa Philstar.com
Jaime Augusto Zobel de Ayala added that the family is “fully supportive” of his brother’s decision to take a leave.“Let us all give Fernando the support he needs to focus on improving his health,” he said.The Ayala companies announced in their disclosures that Zobel de Ayala’s replacement will be elected by their boards in due time. g
The joint analysis of five countries shows that regional scientists can work together to develop the scientific evidence that is essential for an effective regional response.
Victor Manhit, president of Stratbase ADR Institute for Strategic and International Studies, emphasized that the Philippines, as an archipelagic state, needs to grow its “strategic assets to protect and assert our rights.”
revival of the nutribun feeding program on Sunday, her father’s 105th birth anniversary.Shewarned that the government’s nutrition programs are “undernourished and will not withstand a looming global food“Wecrisis.”must restore the nutribun feeding program’s place as a viable solution to undernutrition among children. It can’t remain an intermittent and sporadic advocacy,” Marcos said in a statement.Shejoined forces with the National Nutrition Council, which her father established in 1974, local government units, municipal offices of the Department of Social Welfare and Development and village
PH, 4 others to address depleting South China Sea fish stocks
At IMI, Zobel de Ayala was vice chairman of the board, president and CEO.
Zobel de Ayala gives...
MANILA — Five countries, including the Philippines, have launched the first Common Fisheries Resource Analysis (CFRA) to address depleting fish stocks, particularly of skipjack tuna or “gulyasan,” in the South China Sea.
He was board chairman at ACEN Corp., vice chairman at BPI and a board member at Manila Water.
National Security Adviser Clarita Carlos stressed the importance of the report and how the fishing agreement can be one of the things that she would want to focus on in a non-traditional
and sat on the Executive, Compensation and Remuneration Committee and Finance Committees.
Prior to the launch, participants from five countries have been convening between 2018 and 2022, with more than 100 scientists and other experts contributing to the CFRA report.
According to the five-country report, there is increasing use of fishing equipment that can catch juvenile skipjack tuna throughout the South China Sea.
France says ready to help Philippine...
Should the Philippines take on France’s offer, de la Villamarque said it may take five years to build a submarine and another year might be needed to ensure it is fully operational. Atleast two submarine crews and a reserve team will undergo training for to four years in France. Officials from the Philippine Navy have long attended trainings and military courses in the European country. g
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Science and South China Sea dispute
“Why do I want the scientists to take the frontline here, to be the major actors in resolving the issue? Because it is the scientists who will have a different mind frame about the sea. And this is the kind of mind frame, which I feel you all have now, is that there is only one ocean, there’s only one heritage of mankind. There is only one ecology,” Carlos said.
The other countries are Indonesia, Malaysia, Vietnam and Government-affiliatedChina.scientists from these five countries joined forces for the first landmark analysis of the region’s shared fish resources providing food and livelihoods for millions of people.
‘Need’ of an archipelagic state
The senator said that the success of the nutribun project “has hardly been matched by subsequent administrations.”Marcospressed for the
spirits, but he has asked for some time to focus on his health and recovery,” he said.“We all have so many responsibilities and commitments in all aspects of our lives, but first and foremost, we should all prioritize our health and well-being,” he added.
The CFRA report is part of HD’s efforts on private diplomacy, multitrack mediation, and peacemaking efforts in more than 75 percent of armed conflicts around the world.
The Department of National Defense has long been considering getting a submarine to boost the country’s maritime defense.
Earlier this week, the Israel embassy in Manila also pitched to Philippine defense agencies Israel-based firms and their anti-drone systems.
SEN. Maria Imelda Josefa “Imee” Marcos has pressed for the revival of the nutribun feeding program as a viable solution to undernutrition among children.
Imee Marcos eyes return of nutribun
way of dealing with the dispute in the South China Sea.
PNA photo by Avito Dalan
Jaime Augusto Zobel de Ayala confirmed the news on a Facebook post the same day, and explained that his brother was taking a temporary medical leave to “focus on improving his health.”“Iwant to assure everyone that Fernando is in high
However, it is not yet clear whether the Philippines will buy the Scorpène submarines, which the company said could be acquired through education,globalwhatoperateinreadymaintainedfromVillamarqueAsia-PacificPresidentprogram.government-to-governmentaWhileNavalGroupViceforIndiaandNicolasdelashiedawaydiscussionsoncost,hethatthefirmstandstoassistthePhilippinestrainingpersonneltothesubmarines.“It’smuchmoreaboutwecanprovide[as]apartnershipintermsoftraining,interms
In this February 2021 file photo, French nuclear attack submarine SNA Emeraude conducts a patrol through the South China Sea accompanied by support ship BSAM Seine.
If left unmanaged, this could result in too many juveniles being caught before they can breed, which would result in a rapid decline in the population.
“Each country has a piece of the puzzle and that no one country can manage fish stocks alone. The region needs to act together and that to do this, actions must be based on a scientific consensus,” said Mudjekeewis Santos, a researcher from the Department of Agriculture-National Fisheries Research and Development Institute (DA-NFRDI).ThefirstCFRA focuses on skipjack
tuna.“It is economically important, it can be caught by all five countries, and it is classified as highly migratory species by the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), imposing a duty of states to cooperate,” Santos said.
The CFRA launch was jointly hosted by DA-NFRDI and the Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue (HD), a private diplomacy organization based in Switzerland that assists in mediation between conflicting parties to prevent or end armed conflicts.
The ongoing talks to acquire assets from France come as the Armed Forces of the Philippines continues its modernization program.
OUTSTANDING PINOYS. Senators, led by Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri (8th from right, 2nd row), pose with the 2022 Metrobank Foundation 10 Outstanding Filipinos at the plenary hall on Tuesday, Sept. 13. The Senate adopted Resolution No. 106 authored by Senator Grace Poe, honoring the 10 awardees recognized by the foundation this year for their excellence in their respective fields.
PAGE 10 PAGE 8
The Rodrigo Duterte administration, citing the Philippines’ weak armed forces, sought warmer relations with Beijing, a policy that President Ferdinant Marcos Jr. has indicated he will“Thecontinue. next step should be [figuring out] how do we assert our rights? Is it about investing? That’s very important, but more importantly it’s also, how do we work with countries with [the] technology that can help us strengthen our capacity with regards to the security,
(212) 655-5426 • http://www.asianjournal.com NEW YORK AND NEW JERSEY ASIAN JOURNAL • SEPTEMBER 16-22, 2022 7
This means better maritime defense in light of a dispute with China, which has been encroaching in the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone in the West Philippine Sea despite a 2016 Hague ruling invalidating
A previous study showed that the fish stocks in the region have been decreasing from 70 percent to 95 percent since the 1950s.
Beijing’s sweeping claims over the South China Sea.
She also underscored the importance of science and marine scientists all over the world as frontliners in this dispute.
PAGE 1
of transfer of technology,” de la Villamarque said.
News that Zobel de Ayala was stepping down was first revealed on August 15 in a disclosure by Ayala Corp.
maritime challenges of our archipelagic nature of the Philippines,” Manhit said.
Last year, the DND was looking into getting a submarine from South Korea for the Philippine Navy and, in 2018, Russia was also ready to help Philippines with acquiring one.
health workers in reviving the program.Simultaneous pilot-testing of the nutribun feeding program took place Sunday in Rizal, Cebu, and Ilocos Norte, where 1,000 children ages 3 to 5 in each province received packs of the iconic bread made with squash, malunggay (moringa), and other locally available highnutrient crops.
CHR remained firm on its assertions that there were many instances when law enforcers used excessive force and showed an intent to kill drug war suspects, citing that police have been using the “nanlaban” tag too much, or claims that suspects fought it out with theAspolice.ofApril 30, the so-called Real Numbers on the drug war released by the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency showed that 6,248 suspects have died in legitimate drug operations since Duterte took office on July 1, 2016.
The WB noted in its 2021 report that there have been “almost no improvements in the prevalence of undernutrition in the Philippines” in the past 30 years.Itadded that “the country is ranked fifth in the East Asia and Pacific Region with the highest prevalence of stunting and is among the 10 countries in the world with the highest number of stunted“There’schildren.”nomore time to lose, if the next generations of Filipino children are to be healthy in body and mind, and ultimately productive as grown-up citizens,” Marcos said. (ManilaTimes.net) g
MANILA — Suggestions for the next administration to continue the war on drugs despite a “damning” report from the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) heaped criticisms from a rights group, saying that the anti-drug campaign has been bloody and deadly.
In a statement on Tuesday, September 13 Karapatan called out outgoing President Rodrigo Duterte for suggesting to President-elect Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. the continuation of the drug war, which was supposedly made in some of the meetings between the two Karapatanleaders.secretary general Cristina Palabay claimed that the drug war only pushes for more killings and even more impunity.“Despite the CHR’s damning report indicting the Duterte administration for failing to protect human rights in the sham and bloody drug war, Duterte wants the incoming MarcosDuterte administration to continue this murderous campaign,” Palabay said.
As of now, there has been only one case where police officers involved in the drug war were convicted — that of teenager Kian delos Santos, who was summarily executed despite surrendering and pleading innocent, according to court findings. g
Commission said that the administration’s drug war only encouraged impunity and failed to protect the people’s rights.
by Gabriel Pabico lalu Inquirer.net
“The ICC should therefore resume its investigations as soon as possible to prosecute Duterte,” she added.
She said her office and all government workers involved will monitor the children’s weight and state of health in the next 120 days.
Marcos’ personal initiative complements the government’s nutrition programs to be bolstered with $178 million in recent funding
Last September 2021, the ICC pretrial chamber authorized the start of the investigation of the drug war, acting upon the request of former prosecutor Fatou Bensouda. But in November 2021, ICC granted the Philippine government’s request to stop the investigation of the drug war killings, with the latter claiming that the justice system in the country is fully functional.
SEPTEMBER 16-22, 2022 • NEW YORK AND NEW JERSEY ASIAN JOURNAL http://www.asianjournal.com • (212) 655-54268
from the World Bank (WB) to reverse child stunting.
Group questions suggestions for next admin to continue ‘bloody’ drug war
Palabay said the drug war should not continue as CHR’s report also highlighted that justice has not been provided to most of the drug war victims’ families.“The CHR’s report clearly states, verbatim, that ‘justice remains elusive’ for the victims of the sham drug war and their families, precisely because of the failure of domestic accountability mechanisms due to the Duterte administration’s blatant efforts to stonewall independent inquiries and investigations,” Palabay noted.
However, there are some sectors that claim that the number is larger, leading to complaints against past and present PNP officials and President Duterte himself before the International Criminal Court (ICC), for allegedly committing the crime against humanity of murder.
Imee Marcos eyes...
SEN. Maria Josefa Imelda “Imee” Marcos. Manilatimes.net file photo
“Without doubt, this only means more killings and even more impunity,” she added.Palabay was referring to the CHR report released mid-May, where the
The war against illegal drugs has been a landmark campaign of President Duterte, who ran in 2016 on a promise to rid the streets of illegal drugs in three to six Dutertemonths.and his allies have earned criticism for the drug war, not only because of failing to remove drugs from the country, but also due to the campaign being bloody and violent.
PAGE 6
Falling home prices in Southern Nevada a boon to home buyers
PAGE 10
Higher borrowing costs have contributed to the lull from home buyers as the average rates for a 30-year home loan have risen to
By REALTOR FELY QUITEVIS-BATEMAN
5.22% in August of 2022 (slightly lower than June’s 5.52%), but still above the 2.84% range in August of 2021, according to a report from Freddie Mac.
Behind Russ Bateman in photo above is the Fontainebleau Hotel (tall blue building) which is undergoing massive construction. It is scheduled to have its grand opening in October of 2023.
from its highest point, home prices are still up substantially from about a year ago, with median home prices at the $375,000 range in August of 2021.
Now, house hunters have more of a bargaining chip with sellers as there are more choices in the
This has, in turn, allowed more inventory to flow into the market as house hunters have pulled back on home purchases, unlike in 2020 and 2021 when sellers were having multiple buyers having a bidding war on their properties.
very hard to find a piece of land
A combination of factors are contributing to falling home sales, although industry experts say that Southern Nevada is still in the buyer’s market category.
FOR the third consecutive month, home prices have fallen in Southern Nevada, including Las Vegas.From a median sales price high of $482,000 in May 2022, the median price of homes dropped to $450,000 in August 2022, which is a $15,000 drop from the previous month (July 2022), according to a report in the Las Vegas ReviewJournal. Despite the $32,000 drop
During the most frenzied time in the home buying arena, many properties were flooded with offers and more often than not sold far more from their original selling point. Builders put buyers on waiting lists and it was not uncommon for prices to be raised regularly. At times, lotteries were even put in place to determine who would be able to purchase a property.According to Realtors and industry experts, the price drop is actually good for the Las Vegas area and neighboring communities as those who may have been priced out before due to high home prices and bidding wars can again participate in the market.
real estate market. Unlike the last couple of years when buyers had to pull out all the stops or squeeze their budget to be able to participate, buyers now have the option of negotiating with a seller due to the slowdown in home sales.
(212) 655-5426 • http://www.asianjournal.com NEW YORK AND NEW JERSEY ASIAN JOURNAL • SEPTEMBER 16-22, 2022 9
Russ Bateman and Realtor Fely QuitevisBateman strolled along Las Vegas Blvd. and saw developments going on that may keep the “buyer’s market” around due to massive job creation from these ongoing
It is a different story though when it comes to commercial properties in Las Vegas, particularly along the Strip.Itis
that is not going to sell for a good amount. Everyone wants a piece of the pie, so to speak. Casino/resort groups are continually improving their operations by buying when it suits them and offloading or closing properties when they become liabilities, and billionaires and venture capitalists want to stake their claim in Las Vegas before it becomes too expensive to enter the
A table from the Las Vegas Review-Journal shows the price drop of median sales prices of homes in Southern Nevada. From a high of $482,000 in May 2022, the current median sales price was pegged at $450,000 in August 2022, which is still substantially up from figures last year (2021).
Falling home prices in Southern...
We had no honeymoon. I was back at work next business day.
Lord for His blessings.
would be enough local supply for the whole year. But what’s happening now is that with its implementation, we just keep on importing massive volumes (of fish). That means that there is something wrong with our implementation,” he said.
her remaining years. And the kids, for whom she mine.blessingsandtoanddriver-confidant-cook-tutorwascaregiverhavepromisedtakecareofher.ShewillatleastberelievedabletoenjoyherasIhaveenjoyedHappybirthday,Mrs.Mac,
Realtor Fely Quitevis-Bateman helps those who need business financing, including loans for small businesses. For more information, call (702) 5384948, or send email to fely@precious-properties.com or fely.precious@
Certainly, property appreciation in Nevada, especially in hot markets like Las Vegas, is a given. And with the rapid development in the area, it is not a surprise that per square foot prices in different neighborhoods have skyrocketed in the past few decades.Ifyou are looking for property in Las Vegas or neighboring communities
PAGE 9
But it was a nice wedding, otherwise.
But when you have a lifetime partner like my wife money can never repay the
It was not a well-planned choreographed wedding. In showbiz lingo, much of it was ad lib or bahala na si Batman.The printed invitations were handed to the guests in the church. At the church entrance, Gigi’s parents met mine for the first time. We had the best man and the bridesmaid handle all the usual chores (cord, veil, etc).
Las Vegas is a unique place to be at, as many projects are in construction that will contribute their fair share of jobs and economic opportunities for those who are able to take advantage.
then decided to make the relationship permanent. We had both just turned 24, wth me a few weeks older.
market.The past few months have seen acres of land sell for millions in Las Vegas, including 10 acres just across the Strip from Resorts World Las Vegas acquired by the Siegel Group that will in probability be developed into a hotel/casino and entertainment arena, and 2.2 acres of land just across the from the Mandalay Bay Convention Center that sold for $12.8 million. The former has been called the last great piece of land available in the north end of the strip, while the latter is just walking distance away from the iconic “Welcome to Las Vegas” sign that attracts thousands of visitors every year.
Even with the current slowdown in home sales, median home prices continue to be above level from past years and decades. In fact, through the years, median home prices have continued to improve, even when there are housing market crashes, as what happened in 2008.
She borrowed the wedding dress of her younger SISTER, Lourdes, who had gotten marred to Lito Uy, A year earlier, also on December 24.
‘Poor fishing ban implementation’
Hicap pointed out that while their group is supportive of the policy as it promotes sustainable fishing, it is being used by the BFAR and its alleged cohort traders as an excuse for massive importation.
story and screenplay for our wedding funds and Gigi only had her monthly allowance from her parents.
my love, my Blessing(s).***
Philippines fisheries production bounces back
Latest data from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) showed the country’s April to June fisheries production went up by 5.6 percent from 1.15 million metric tons last year to 1.21 million MT this year.
The PSA said the higher fisheries production was traced from aquaculture, commercial and marine municipal fisheries, while inland fisheries reported a drop in production.Thedata showed commercial fisheries output was at 276,000 MT for the period, a 1.4 percent rise from 272,100 MT. It contributed 22.7 percent to the total fisheries production.Italsoshowed total unloadings in municipal landing centers rose 14.2 percent from 246,280 MT to 281,240 MT, constituting 23.2 percent of the total output.
“During the last quarter of 2021, the initial 2000 metric tons (of fish imports) and the additional 60,000 metric tons, majority of these were from China,” Hicap said.
PAGE 5
We were scrimping, of course. I had to write a
like Pahrump, Henderson or Boulder City, now is the time to take a look at what’s available in the market, especially when there’s a lull. Aside from the ability to look over many properties that may suit your needs, you don’t need to cater to all of the seller’s demands, unlike before.Ihave been a Realtor for many decades now and have seen the growth of many Nevada communities. I consider Nevada as one of the best states to live in, especially as it has no state income tax and there are many other advantages to having a business in Nevada. With many residential and commercial developments in Las Vegas and neighboring communities, and many planned projects that will continue to add to the diversity to each city’s or town’s entertainment
God has been kind to us.
SEPTEMBER 16-22, 2022 • NEW YORK AND NEW JERSEY ASIAN JOURNAL http://www.asianjournal.com • (212) 655-542610
“This is what we called the balikbayan fish, those are from our waters, caught by China and are now being imported by our government from China,” Hicap said.
Total harvests from aquaculture farms reached 619,460 MT, which increased by 5.8 percent from 585,480 MT last year, the PSA dataTheshowed.aquaculture subsector had the biggest share of 51.1 percent to the total fisheries production.Ontheother hand, the PSA data showed inland municipal fisheries production slipped by 19.7 percent from 45,570 MT to 36,610 MT. It also recorded the least share to total fisheries at three percent. g
Also to blame is the Department of Agriculture’s supposed poor implementation of the fishing ban or the closed fishing season policy, he said.
“Aside from the massive importation killing our local fishing industry, imported fish also poses health risks to consumers. There have been numerous studies abroad showing that imported fish were laced with chemicals such as formalin to preserve their freshness,” Hicap added.
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.
Meanwhile, fisherfolk group Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (Pamalakaya) has blamed Chinese incursions in the West Philippine Sea and poor implementation of the closed fishing season policy for the dwindling supply of “galunggong” or round scad in the market.
Meanwhile, the country’s fisheries production bounced back in the second quarter, owed largely to the higher output of the aquaculture, marine municipal and commercial fisheries subsectors.
Hicap pointed out that based on Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) data, about 20 percent of the country’s total fisheries production was coming from the West Philippine Sea, which included up to 80 percent of the supply of galunggong.
Hicap noted that the majority of the Philippines’ fish imports are from China.
Consider this: In 1940, the median home price in Nevada was at $20,700. The median price grew to $136,000 by 1980, and was pegged at $142,000 in 2000. In 2010, the median price was at $143,651, right smack in the middle of the housing crash. About a decade later, there was a surge in home prices as the median home price was placed at around $345,000 in 2020.
A limo was not an option. Raul Silos , who was my best man offered his Renault Gordini, no larger than a VW Beetle, but I had to find a driver, decorate the car myself, and deliver the car to Gigi’s dorm. My family and I had to take a cab to church.
PH, 4 others to address...
offerings, Nevada is truly is a good place to look for a home, an investment property or a piece of land where you may want to construct your dream home in or sell for a profit later.Some of my clients who have taken the plunge and purchased properties are now reaping the benefits of their good choices by setting up their place as Airbnb or as a rental property. My company, Precious Properties, is a full-service company that has served its clientele since 1992. You can reach me at 775-513-8447, 805-559-2476 and 702-5384948 for more information, or send me an email at escrowNevadahousesWefely.precious@gmail.com.precious-properties.comfely@orhaveinvestorswhobuyinCaliforniaandforcashandquickinasshortas7days.
At any rate, we made up for the scrimping on our 50th anniversary.We pulled out all the stops, including a designer gown for Gigi and a new tuxedo for me. The kids also hired a limousine.
* * * gregmacabenta@hotmail
curses and a blessing...
Mercifully we had enough left for taxi fare and a small family reception at home.
“So, that’s what we have lost. Because now, the commercial fishing [vessels] of China can freely go fishing there while our Filipino fishermen are being harassed. There were instances that Chinese Coast Guard (personnel) were confiscating the catch of our fishermen,” Hicap said in Filipino.
“The implementation of the closed season or fishing ban aims to ensure that there
The second quarter figure recovered from the 2.4 percent decline in the same period last year and the 0.2 percent decrease in the first quarter this year.
In our old age, the Lord may decide to send for me first. I have made sure she has no heavy debts to pay. There is no mortgage or car loan, no heavy medical bills and Gigi will have a modest nest egg and a small Social Security pension to last
3
Chinese incursions blamed for low galunggong supply
PAGE 7
I kept counting all the guests and the drinks to make sure we were within budget.
Worse, the round scad caught by China from Philippine waters are now being imported by our government, said Hicap.
(Advertising Supplement)
In an interview with “The Chiefs” on Cignal TV’s One News Wednesday night, September 14, Pamalakaya national chairperson Fernando Hicap said that the country started losing its primary source of galunggong when Chinese vessels began fishing in the West Philippine Sea.
YOUR TANONG, MY SAGOT IN SAN DIEGO, PART 3. Leading U.S. Immigration Atty. Michael J. Gurfinkel (center) answers immigration questions from Kapamilya in San Diego, in Part 3 of Citizen Pinoy’s “Your Tanong, My Sagot” – the U.S. Navy Episode. Some of the questions Atty. Gurfinkel (center) answers are – From Marilyn (left): My friend’s sister is a green card holder. She gave birth to her daughter in the Philippines and would like to bring her to the U.S. She tried to bring the daughter in as a tourist but was denied. What can she do?; From Maricar (2nd from left): I want to petition my sister who is currently residing in London. Will it be faster to petition her if she becomes a permanent resident or a citizen of England?; From Mark (4th from left): In my job, I often encounter U.S. Navy personnel who want to marry somebody from the Philippines. What is the process of petitioning someone for a K-1 or “Fiancée Visa?”; From Gay (right): My three children have been waiting for their interview date for two years now. I am worried that they might age out. The eldest is turning 21 in December and the second child is turning 19 soon. What can I do? Watch Part 3 of “Your Tanong, My Sagot” in San Diego on a brand-new episode of “Citizen Pinoy” on Sunday, September 18 at 6:30 PM PT (9:30 PM ET) through select Cable/Satellite providers, right after TV Patrol Linggo. (Advertising Supplement)
THIS new episode of Citizen Pinoy in San Diego is special because all the guests are associated with the U.S. Navy in some way. That is why, leading U.S. Immigration Atty. Michael J. Gurfinkel refers to this as the “U.S. Navy episode.”InPart 3 of “Your Tanong, My Sagot” from San Diego, viewers will hear answers to the following immigration concerns:•Marilyn, who works for the U.S. Navy, asks a question for a green card holder friend, who gave birth in the Philippines and would like to bring her child to the U.S. She tried applying for a tourist but was denied. What can she do?
PAGE 12
Atty. Gurfinkel answers more immigration questions from Kapamilya in San Diego, in the 3rd episode of Citizen Pinoy’s ‘Your Tanong, My Sagot’
• Maricar, who is married to a U.S. Navy retiree, has a sister who is residing in London. Maricar wants to know how long it will take if she petitions her sister now.
(212) 655-5426 • http://www.asianjournal.com NEW YORK AND NEW JERSEY ASIAN JOURNAL • SEPTEMBER 16-22, 2022 11
COMMUNITY JOURNAL
Unhealthy foods
PhiliP S. Chua, MD, FaCS, FPCS RP calamity
If a food item has any single one of the following ingredients, it is an ultraprocessed food: sugars, fats, and preservatives; additives designed to imitate natural unprocessed foods; flavor enhancers, colorings, and ingredients made through the synthesis of various unhealthy food constituents, like maltodextrin, highfructose corn syrup, and hydrogenated fats. Hamburgers, hot dogs, sausages, bacon, and canned/bottled vegetables, meats and fruits are unhealthy processed foods.
Longevity extender
Gay (left) and Mark (right) get answers to their Immigration questions from Atty. Michael J. Gurfinkel.
Atty. Gurfinkel answers more...
Photo from Instagram/@mj_lastimosa
PAGE 11
A clinical study recently showed that individuals who received the flu shot have 12 percent lower risk of a
Marilyn (left) and Maricar (right) ask their questions during the Citizen Pinoy “Your Tanong, My Sagot” in San Diego.
Computer Engineering from the University of Mindanao. All throughout her college life, she tried to avoid joining the intra-college beauty contest despite the persistence of her classmates and professors. Eventually, through the tenacity of her peers, she had no choice but to succumb to their pleas. Joining a beauty contest never crossed her mind, she was a simple girl with simple dreams. She won Mutya ng
Flu shot lowers stroke
When I asked her if she had any foreign blood, she told me her father is Saudi Arabian while her mother is Filipina. As a child, she lived in Manila, but when her parents moved to Saudi Arabia, she was left in the care of her older sister and her uncle who was living in NorthSheCotabato.admitted that her uncle was very strict since he was raising six girls (including her and her sister) in a war-torn province at that time. It was this kind of environment that led her to work and excel in school. Fortunately, she received a DOST (Department of Science and Technology) scholarship and graduated with a Bachelor Science degree in
Processed foods, especially ultra-processed foods are linked to increased risk for heart disease, colorectal cancer, and death (all-cause mortality), according to two new studies at the Tufts University, published in The British Medical Journal. Earlier research revealed that poor diet was associated with 20 percent (1 in 5) deaths worldwide, which could be prevented by a healthier diet. On the same issue, Italian scientists noted that people with the lowest quality diet and consuming the highest amount of ultraprocessed food have an increased risk of both allcause cardiovascular deaths.
Atty. Gurfinkel answers these questions in part three of “Your Tanong, My Sagot,” with Kapamilya from San Diego. Watch this brand-new episode of “Citizen Pinoy” on Sunday, September 18 at 6:30 PM PT (9:30 PM ET thru select Cable/Satellite providers), right after TV Patrol Linggo. Citizen Pinoy is also available on iWantTFC. Viewers may download the free app. (Advertising Supplement)
As I have underscored in my 800-page home health guide on healthy lifestyle and preemptive and proactive disease prevention (Let’s Stop “Killing” Our Children, published by Xlibris, available at amazon. com and philipSchua.com), the best way to maximize health and longevity is by protecting the body’s DNA, starting from the womb and “dieting” to start in the crib, not when they are in grade school or later when their DNA has already been subjected to various insults to their Whenhealth.the DNA is damaged, weakness in our health results and various metabolic illnesses creep in gradually, until we get to our 40s and the signs and symptoms start. High blood pressure, diabetes, heart disease, stroke, cancer, Alzheimer’s…one by one, or any combination, as we get older.The less red meat, the better for us. Fish and legumes (various color beans, chickpeas, peanuts, green peas, lentils) are good plant-based protein. We do not need red meat to survive. Vegetarians are healthy people. And don’t worry about muscle weakness. Many of the powerful animals are herbivores (elephants, cows, horses, carabaos, rhinoceros, and many dinosaurs, with massive strength).
In spite of the infection rate, the authorities seem to be in a hurry to end, instead of maintaining, the mitigating strategies (masking, distancing) against COVID-19 viruses, while extending the state of calamity. Lowering the guards now might spell spikes and waves of infections.
PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. declared an extension of the state of calamity which former president Rodrigo Duterte initially proclaimed two years ago (in March 2020), in view of the rising cases of COVID-19 infections in the country. Press Trixie Cruz-Angeles said the state of calamity, which expired on Monday, September 12 was extended by about three months, “primarily to allow purchases and provide hazard allowances for healthcare workers.
Health@Heart
Like Ponce de Leon, we all want to find the fountain of youth and extend our longevity. Since life is wonderful, despite all the challenges and tribulations on our good earth, it is but natural for man to desire for a life that is longer than our current life expectancy, which in the U.S. is currently 79.05 years, and 71.53 years in the ResearchersPhilippines. recently recognized that the drug Rapamycin is a potential anti-aging drug. This drug was named after the island where it was discovered in the late 1960s – Easter Island, or Rapa Nui (the Polynesian equivalent). It was isolated from bacteria living in the island soil which were found greatly effective in suppressing the immune system, and may slow skin aging in humans, effective against neurodegenerative illnesses, and extend the healthy longevity of some organisms.Butitis also known that long-term use of Rapamycin have undesirable sideeffects, like any antibiotic.
SEPTEMBER 16-22, 2022 • NEW YORK AND NEW JERSEY ASIAN JOURNAL http://www.asianjournal.com • (212) 655-542612
stints.MJ thrived in the College of Engineering and graduated on schedule. According to her, she doesn’t walk away from math problems easily and that’s the same approach she took when she started embracing the pageant girl in her. She pursued, persevered, and it took her three long years to finally walk the international stage of Miss Universe. Unknown to many, in 2011, MJ placed second runner-up in Bb. Pilipinas.In2012, she was among the Top 12 finalists and in 2014, she won the title Miss Universe 2014 along with the Best in Swimsuit award. In 2015, it was MJ who crowned Pia Wurtzbach as her MJsuccessor.mentioned that there are moments when she misses being an engineer, but she admitted that with the ever-evolving technology, the things she learned in
The question scientists are now wondering about is whether a short course of this drug prescribed early in life would provide anti-aging results over an entire lifetime of humans. Experimental laboratory results in animal studies are so far very promising.
Like most beauty queens, MJ has found herself in show business. She is grateful for the opportunities that have come her way.
• Mark is on active duty in the Navy. His friends always ask him how they can bring a Filipina to the U.S. to marry, so he would like to know the process of petitioning someone on the K-1 or “Fiancée Visa.”
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Mocked for his obsessive search for the fountain of youth since 1513, Ponce de Leon in his grave must now be saying to us “I told you so!”.
University of Mindanao in 2006 and from then on, there was no stopping her from winning various beauty titles until her Binibining Pilipinas
• Gay has a daughter in the U.S. Navy. She is worried that her children might age out because they have been waiting for their interview date for two years now. The eldest is turning 21 in December, while the other one will be 19 soon. She wants to know what she can do.
By Pat-P Daz Philstar.com
percent of Filipino diets are made up of unhealthy ultraprocessed foods, causing metabolic syndromes (obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, joint diseases, thyroid problems, gut illnesses, etc.
Protecting DNA
The Philippines “is among the Southeast Asian nations that has imposed the longest lockdowns around the world, causing economic recession in decades and deepened poverty, hunger, and unemployment.”
Samples of ultra-processed foods include sodas (soft drinks), sweetened juices, sports and energy drinks, energy bars, powdered and instant soups, margarine, hamburgers, fries, massproduced and packaged bread and baked goods made with hydrogenated fats, sugar, and additives, pre-prepared meals such as pizza, hot dogs, chicken nuggets, and fish sticks, infant formulas, meal replacement beverages, mass-produced ice cream, candies, sweetened yogurt, etc.Around 58 percent of American and more than 80
LAST week, we taped Season 2 of Lutong Daza for NET25 with my cousin, Sandy Daza. One of our guests was MJ Lastimosa, Miss Universe Philippines 2014. It was the first time I met her and I couldn’t help but notice her big, beautiful, light brown eyes.
MJ continues to learn and ride the waves of life
Minus negative behavior and bad habits, a healthy lifestyle requires abstinence from tobacco, disciplined alcohol intake, a positive state of mind, and stress management. During this COVID-19 pandemic, part of our disciplined life strategy includes mitigating measures (masking, distancing, avoiding crowds where cases are high), and most importantly timely vaccination. At this juncture, the bivalent booster #3 or #4. This will greatly help protect our DNA too.
Focus on career
“The first thing we discussed, between the two of us, was the boundaries. Because we really have to get comfortable with each other, you have to lay your boundaries. Because it’s very awkward, especially for a guy…. to be told that (your leading lady) was experiencing discomfort and might think you’ve taken advantage (of her). Things like that. It’s tricky. It’s a tightropeAskedact.”ifhe ever felt afraid of the possibility of falling in love with actresses he plays
work?“We have to be comfortable physically with each other (on set).
Carmina’s only request is for Mavy and Cassy to continue focusing on their career and studies. And so far, the two are doing a good job juggling their responsibilities. “I’m just here to support whatever they want to achieve in life… Even if they’re in show biz, they don’t neglect their studies. They’re in college now, and things are more flexible,” she said. “We’re here to guide them.” g
Lastly, when I asked her if she had any plans of settling down soon, she said she’s quite picky with her suitors. However, she’s not closing her doors and if the door of love opens, she’ll be glad to walk right in. g calamity...
Mavylives.is currently in a romantic relationship with fellow GMA 7 artist Kyline Alcantara. Cassy, on the other hand, has been going out and enjoying the company of singer Darren Espanto. “I will say nagseselos ako, na gusto ko ako lang. But I won’t do anything. I will just cry it out,” she said, laughing.
to stay fit all the way until he reaches his 60s.
AS a mother, Carmina Villaroel admitted that she has a tendency to be “selosa”—but never to the point of meddling in her twins’ personal lives.
Though Cassy and Darren are indeed “very close,” Carmina clarified that the two have yet to reach the courtship stage. “Darren is part of the twins’ circle of friends. What’s good about Darren is that he visits our home, so Zoren and I know him well. He’s such a good and respectful kid,” she said.
first stroke. The vaccine’s anti-inflammatory effect is postulated to be the reason for this side-benefit of the vaccine.
Yes, the COVID-19 booster vaccines and the flu shot may be administered at the same time, one in each arm, according to experts at the Georgetown University School of Medicine. In the United States, the flu season occurs in the fall and winter, with the peak in the period between December and February, but this could last till May.
lifestyle.Toher, the irony was that prior to watching the documentary, she was not a big fan of vegetables and loved munching on chicken! For the past 10 years, she has gone shopping in weekend markets looking for fresh fruits and vegetables, learning new vegan recipes and reading up on the latest research on food healing.
“Me and against myself,” he said in his Instagram page last Friday, Sept. 9, where he shared a portrait of himself shirtless, with his muscles
* * *
Ian Veneracion Photo from Instagram/@ianveneracion1
As of last Tuesday, September 13, 2022, there were 87,002 cases of COVID-19 in the United States, with 569 deaths, and 32,291 in the hospital. Only 68 percent of the people are fully vaccinated, so there are still more than 100 million unvaccinated. This large number of potentially virus spreaders will keep
By nAthAlie M. toMAdA Philstar.com
about boundaries with Heaven. After all, the last thing he would want to happen was have his co-star feeling like she’s been taken advantage of.
COVID-19 with us much longer, if not permanently. It is, sadly, most unfortunate.
Ian as leading man: ‘A part of you has to fall in love’
MJ is also a certified vegan. A vegan only eats plant-based foods or, in other words, foods that don’t have “parents.” It started in 2012, when a friend from the United States lent her a video documentary of how doctors were using food as medicine. She got so emotional after watching the video that she went cold and fully committed herself to a plant-based
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things get more serious, [so be it]. ’Wag nating pangunahan. I just let them enjoy themselves. I think Cassy also wants to focus on her career for now,” she added.
Carmina VillaroelPhoto from Instagram/@mina_villaroel
The 47-year-old actor still enjoys romantic lead status on screen and continues to be paired with some of the hottest actresses today.
MJ continues to learn and ride...
COVID-Flu shots?
* * *
IF there’s a manual on how to be an “effective” leading man, Ian Veneracion can very well write one.
Doug sets fitness goals he can sustain ’til he’s 60
“I don’t think I will ever be ready. Selosa akong nanay—and it’s something I’m vocal about—but I won’t be a hindrance to their happiness. Hindi ko pipigilan ang kaligayahan ng mga anak ko. I’m just here to support,” Carmina said when the conversation at the virtual conference for the soap “Abot Kamay Na Pangarap” veered toward her children’s love
The main objective of this column is to educate and inspire people live a healthier lifestyle to prevent illnesses and disabilities and achieve a happier and more productive life. Any diagnosis, recommendation or treatment in our article are general medical information and not intended to be applicable or appropriate for anyone. This column is not a substitute for your physician, who knows your condition well and who is your best ally when it comes to your health.
by AllAn PolicArPio Inquirer.net
Asked if she approves of Kyline for Mavy, Carmina said she supports whoever makes her children happy. “It doesn’t matter who my children [are seeing]. I just want them to respect us (her and husband Zoren Legaspi) and my children… as long as they love my children. I don’t have a say on who I like or don’t like. I will respect whoever my children choose,” she said.
To be comfortable with each other, he first talked
FORMER professional basketball player and celebrity father Doug Kramer is so passionate about keeping himself healthy that he already has plans on how
“They’re very close friends, they go out and hang out with each other. I know they’re safe with each other. If ever
One of his upcoming projects, the 2022 Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) official entry Nanahimik Ang Gabi, sees the actor taking on another “romantic” lead role albeit the edgier, darker kind. He plays a corrupt cop who becomes the sugar daddy to the character of Heaven Peralejo who, in real life, is 25 years the actor’s junior. How does he make their pairing
Like most beauty queens, MJ has found herself in show business. She is grateful for the opportunities that have come her way, and she continues to learn and ride the waves of life.
DougPhotoKramerfrom Instagram/@dougkramer
“I’m just happy that we’re open to each other—whether it be about love life, studies or work. They consult me and Zoren. If they ask for our advice about something, we sit down and discuss it as a family. We only want what’s best for them,” she said.
COVID-19 update
Carmina keeps an open mind when it comes to her twins’ love lives. They’re 21 years old, after all. “Pinagdaanan ko rin ’yan,” she pointed out. And she’s happy that Mavy and Cassy are comfortable enough to discuss these things with her.
Sometimes, intentionally, nakadikit kami, sometimes nakasandal siya, nakasandal ako kasi alam mo yun at makikita mo yun ‘pag may
PAGE 12 PAGE 12 RP
Philip S. Chua, MD, FACS, FPCS, a Cardiac Surgeon Emeritus based in Northwest Indiana and Las Vegas, Nevada, is an international medical lecturer/author, Health Advocate, newspaper columnist, and Chairman of the Filipino United Network-USA, a 501(c)3 humanitarian foundation in the United States. Websites: FUN8888.com, Today.SPSAtoday. com, and philipSchua.com; Email: scalpelpen@gmail.com.
Carmina refuses to be a hindrance to children’s happiness
Kramershown.believes that to challenge himself, he needs to “put up a personal fitness level goal” and that is to be at his “best physical shape” and “healthiest” when he turns“Then40. sustain till I’m 60,” he explained. He also attested to the fact that once a person gets older, metabolism “slows down tremendously.”“IfIchoseto let go, golly, I can smash a whole pizza and a cake all to myself,” he said. “I don’t have to, but I WANTWithto.”that, Kramer has to keep himself disciplined while there are “so much good food to resist” and “habits to change.”
“I’m willing to take the road less traveled,” he stressed. “Health is wealth!” (By Alex Brosas/ Inquirer.net)
Trust is another crucial factor. “Like I have said, I also went through this stage in my life. And I want my kids to enjoy their youth. I always tell them that I trust them, so they have to take care of that,” Carmina said. “Good thing they’re not selfish kids… They’re sensitive about our feelings, too.”
computer engineering are probably obsolete by now.
awkwardness, when there’s tension ‘pag first time on screen na meron kang kissing scene, and (when) you’re not comfortable. Kita yun eh (It’s noticeable),” he said during a recent interview.
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eet Sophia N. Lee, a Filipino author of books for kids and young adults. Simon & Schuster (under its imprint Atheneum), one of the Big 5 publishers in the United States, released last week Lee’s latest book Holding On. It is the first Filipino picture book to be published by a major American publishing firm.
The picture book is about a young girl who visits her Lola in the Philippines every summer. Set in the Philippines, this story focuses on the relationship between a young Filipino girl and her Lola (the Filipino word for grandma).
“I feel really privileged knowing that Holding On is helping pave the way for more Filipino stories. I hope that it signals to readers everywhere that our stories matter too, that we are capable of being the heroes in our stories,” Lee told the Asian Journal. “I love that I’m able to show the world all that I love about the Philippines and our culture.”
As the story progresses, Lola’s memory starts to fade. However, the story does not dwell in sadness, instead, the young girl uses music and community to help her Lola hold onto joy and love. It is illustrated by New York-based Filipino illustrator Isabel Roxas.While the story pays homage to Filipino culture, traditions, food, and music, it also Also focuses on multicultural, intergenerational love. The book is for anyone who has ever cherished a grandparent, making it perfect for Grandparent’s Day, which the United States celebrates every SeptemberGrandparent’s11. Day started with a nine-year-old child writing President Richard Nixon asking for a day to celebrate and honor grandparents. It was founded as a holiday by President Jimmy Carter and was first celebrated in 1979 after obtaining great public support. Theholiday has been celebrated annually to show the bond between grandparents and their grandchildren, and this is the heart of Lee’s book celebrating the love between Lola and
“Isabel was one of the names my editor sent me, and I was really glad about that. I was already a fan of her art and I had seen her work with so many big names in kid lit already, both in the Philippines and abroad,” she said. “I know the book is just so much better because of all the love and longing and pride for home that she put into it.”
by MOMAR G. VISAYA / AJPress
Lee grew up in the Philippines and the book was mostly inspired by the childhood summers she spent in the province with her paternal grandparents. “Ihadbeena sickly child, and in the summer, I would spend a few weeks to a month at my Lola Josefina’s house (we called her Mama Jessie) so I could be nursed back to health, in a sense,” sheTherevealed. sicklykid wanted to be many things growing up: doctor, teacher, ballerina, ninja, spy, wizard, journalist, and lawyer. She likes to think she can still be all these things and more through writing.
Lee came to the United States in 2016 for her MFA in Creative Writing for Children and Young Adults, which she received from The New School in New York City in 2018.
Sophia Lee says it’s an honor and a privilege to share Filipino stories
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Having it illustrated by someone of Filipino ancestry was important to Lee, especially because it was the first time that Simon & Schuster was investing in a Filipino story.
She wanted someone who would understand and celebrate all that she loved about the Philippines through the art in the book.
“I’ve been really lucky in that I’m able to stay and build a career here since then, writing books while also teaching creative writing,” she said. The manuscript for the book had gone out for submission right before the pandemic hit in March 2020, and it went into auction at the height of the pandemic when everything began closingAuctionsdown. happen when there is interest from multiple publishing houses. This means that the interested houses submitted competing offers and part of what was offered to Lee was the opportunity to have a say in who her illustrator would be.
Born in Manila, Isabel “Pepper” Roxas is now based in New York as well. She has made a name as an illustrator of children’s books—she already did the art for nine titles published in the United States, including Filipino American Erin Entrada Kelly’s Newborn Medalwinning “Hello Universe” (soon to be
her apo (grandchild)
‘HOLDING ON’: SIMON & SCHUSTER’S FIRST FILIPINO PICTURE BOOK
Isabel SophiaRoxasNLeePAGE 15
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Sophia Lee says it’s an honor and a...
Maricar on having no kids yet: ‘Doesn’t make me feel less of a person or female’
He further cited the example of his work experience with Bea, his co-star in the hit 2017 romantic-drama A Love To Last.
opposite of, Ian who’s been married for over two decades now noted that no leading lady has been linked to him.
“We hope audiences realize that casting was very tricky. So when they agreed to do the film — Mon, Heaven and Ian – we somehow felt relieved because, again, there was work to be done.” g
Meanwhile, Nanahimik Ang Gabi is one of the newest projects of Rein Entertainment, co-founded by Lino Cayetano, Philip King and Shugo Praico, the makers of the awardwinning Bagman series for iWant and the LGBT-themed romcom series BetCin for WeTV, among others. Last week, Rein Entertainment also entered into a non-exclusive partnership with Viva for a multi-series and movie deal.
“After two years nung kinasal kami — we really planned on not having kids for the first two years — after that pwede na,” Reyes said. “We even got checked. There’s no problem with him and there’s no problem with me.
stated she does not feel such because she tries to find acceptance in every situation.“Meron lang talaga kong peace na kung meron, OK, kung wala, OK. It doesn’t make me feel like I’m less of a person or I’m less of a female,” she added. “Kung wala, wala e. Ginawa mo naman ‘yung part mo e and I rest on that.”
According to Shugo, the idea and script for this horrorthriller came about at the height of the pandemic. “All of the sentiments and prevailing emotions, fears and anxieties during that time were poured into this script,” he said.
Unreal
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“For example, with Bea, my character was in love na in love with Andeng, her character. But with us, we’re really super close friends. Up to now, we still message each other. We’re constantly updating each other about the goings-on in our lives. The respect is there because it’s clear how professional yung pagkakagawa (ng series).”
(I just have peace about the fact that I am OK whether I will be [given kids] or not. It does not make me feel like I am less of a person or I am less of a female. If there really would be none, then so be it. [I] already did [my] part and I rest on that.)
a Netflix Submittingseries).the manuscript was just the first hurdle. Lee quickly realized that there was just so much uncertainty going around when the book wasMultipleacquired. questions bothered her mind. Would publishing carry on despite the pandemic? Would the world look the same once the book is released? Would she live through the pandemic to see this day come?
– how I was using Filipino music to hold on too,” she recalled. “It reminded me of every time I saw someone belting it out on karaoke back home – be it at a family reunion or a barkada night out, or outside of a grocery store in the mall, or even at one of those side-street karinderias.”
“I held in my hands certain proof that my dream had come true, that I had willed it into existence. It reaffirmed my conviction too that this was what I was meant to be doing,” Lee shared when asked about how it felt holding the book for the first Describingtime.itfurther, she said it felt surreal and was “like breathing out after a long time holding your breath.” “Abook is such a quiet thing, starting out as a
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(After two years when we got married — we really planned on not having kids for the first two years — we [already tried] after that. We even got checked. There’s no problem with him and there’s no problem with me. I feel like we did our due diligence, [what is] humanly possible, but we still have no child.)
Mama Jessie immigrated to New York in the early 90s, a few years after her husband had passed.
“Then it all clicked for me
Lee was navigating the ways their relationship had changed from when she spent summers with her as a little girl to when she was older and she had already been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s.Sheremembered the songs her Lola used to sing for her, it didn’t matter if it was from Sammy Davis Jr., Dean Martin, Basil Valdez, or Nora Aunor. “There is always singing in Lola’s house,” Lee writes in the book, reminiscing the summer days she spent visiting her Lola’s house in Tarlac.“Many Filipinos, wherever they are, use music as a way to get by. I love what that signifies about us: that we’re always able to find the melody amidst the chaos of our days,” Lee said, recalling why music became the unifying theme for her book.As a Filipino living abroad, there was a constant yearning for home and she wanted to channel that.
Asked how he prepared for this role, he said, “My preparation was internal because the script has so many layers and your appreciation of the script will depend on how much truth you’re willing to face because there are so many levels. It’s a social commentary also, but it’s not just it.
Maricar Reyes
Photo from Instagram/@maricareyespoon
“You’ll be able to see yourself, when you dig deep enough, that ‘I also have that (similarity with) these characters.’ If you really look for it, you’ll realize you’re a bit like Chief (and think) ‘I’m kind of abusive, siguro if marami akong pera, siguro mamili ako ng babae,’ yung ganun. Or kung ikaw siguro si Me-ann, ‘I’ll also compromise my morals or something.’ Mahahanap mo sa sarili mo.
Reyes and Poon got married in 2013. They celebrated their ninth anniversary last June. g
That makes the book’s publication a bit bittersweet for“Myher.Mama Jessie passed away during that season –not due to COVID, but due to complications from her preexisting conditions,” she recalled. “The manuscript actually sold on the day that she died. I’d like to think that that was her way of still looking out for me.”
Atheneum. “It’sinspired by the years that I spent helping out at my family’s village sari-sari store, and at my grand-aunt’s sari-sari store in Tarlac, but it’s also a testament to the global Filipino community and the way we build found families and communities wherever we go,” she shared. g
Said direk Shugo: “This is a story of two lovers — a sugar daddy and sugar baby. One day, they go to an isolated place for a weekend getaway. What is supposed to be a passionate night of an illicit affair, suddenly turns into something crazy and a nightmare because there are secrets that will be exposed on this Alsonight.”part of the cast is veteran actor Mon Confiado, the uninvited guest of Ian and Heaven’s characters as Chief and Me-Ann.While it’s seen as a departure from the roles he has done, Ian said yes because of the material, first and foremost. How viewers will react to their film, he further said, will hinge on how open they are to “face layers of truth.” “Kung hindi ka mabother sa movie, there’s something wrong with you,” he added.
Feeling ko we did our due diligence naman on our side, humanly possible, pero wala e.”
“Ang dami (questions). And so you try to grasp it with what you have by research, reading, observing your surroundings… and being a writer, dun nabubuhos yung lahat ng mga nararamdaman ko — the fears, anxieties — into the script,” he added.Thedirector readily admitted that the material is difficult. “It is challenging. But every day, we tried to hit the vision to be able to give justice to the material. Everyone aligned and decided to work together,” Shugo noted.
by Anne PAsAjol Inquirer.net
Nevertheless, when it comes to chemistry and “with attraction, especially with leading ladies, a part of you really has to fall in love,” he added. “For example, whether it’s with Heaven, Bea (Alonzo) or Jodi (Sta. Maria), yung part mo talaga, kailangan may love dun (there has to be love there) because makikita mo naman sa mata kung fake eh. But it’s the character falling in love with her character.”
Producers said Nanahimik Ang Gabi, which is directed and written by Shugo, is a cautionary tale.
“Even with the character of Mon, you’re (also) protecting your sanity. You can see yourself in all the characters. And depends on how deep you’ll go with the characters of the story… you will realize how subjective morality is.”
Reyes opened up about this after actress-vlogger Rica Peralejo asked if the couple plans on having children, as seen on the latter’s YouTube channel Sunday, Sept. 11.
whisper in your mind until you convince yourself to commit the words to paper,” she explained. “But it’s also an act of faith – you write the story unsure if it’s going to sell or be appreciated by anyone other than yourself, and you keep committing to it until you see it through to the end of the publishing process.” Lee,who is also the author of Soaring Saturdays; What Things Mean (2014 Scholastic Asian Book Award grand prize winner); and Holding On is already looking forward to what’s next.She’s releasing another picture book titled Lolo’s Sari-sari Store, illustrated by Filipino-American artist Christine Almeda – also with Simon & Schuster under
When asked if she gets envious of other couples who have children, Reyes
MARICAR Reyes revealed that she and her husband, singer Richard Poon, have been trying to have kids since the second year of their marriage, but she stressed that she is at “peace” despite having none yet.
Writing the story became Lee’s way of holding on to the person that she knew her grandmother to be, especially after she lost herself to Alzheimer’s. She wrote the manuscript while she was in graduate school living with her grandmother Mama Jessie in New York.
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Lee and her agent went through the motions of submitting, anyway because they were firm believers that good stories will find a way to endure, and they needed to believe that the world would make space for a story like this, especially after the pandemic.
“I remember waking up not knowing what’s going to happen. There’s that fear of the unknown. You don’t know if there’s still work tomorrow or what. Zombie na ba tayo sa mga susunod na araw? Papasukin ba tayo ng kung sino mamayang gabi? Yung virus ba makakarating sa bahay mo and maapektuhan ka?
Ian as leading man...
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