092322 - San Diego Edition

Asian Americans not a monolith, advocates urge for disaggregated health data

CHINESE Americans have a greater rate of cancer than the overall population. Vietnamese Americans have the highest prevalence of Hepatitis B. South Asian Americans suffer staggeringly high rates of heart disease and diabetes.

But such information is largely anecdotal, without data to support empirical findings. Asian Americans are regarded as one large monolith by the U.S. health care system, say health care experts. And currently, there is no attempt to disaggregate data for AAPI sub-ethnicities, leaving out information that is critical to resolving health care disparities.

Moreover, less than 1% of National Institutes of Health funding is granted to researchers working on health care issues specific to the AAPI community, leading

Marcos, Biden meet in New York

NEW YORK – President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. on Thursday, September 22 met with United States (U.S.) President Joe Biden on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA)Marcos,here.who is in the U.S. for a six-day official visit, held a bilateral meeting with Biden to discuss the relations between Manila and Washington.

Press Secretary Rose Beatrix “Trixie” Cruz-Angeles earlier said the two leaders’ meeting aims to further boost the Philippines-U.S. relationship “that has been in 76 years of “Inaasahangcooperation.”matatalakayng dalawang world leader ang pagpapatatag ng relasyong Pilipinas-U.S. na

nasa 76 na taon na ng kooperasyon, pagpapayabong ng kalakalan, pamumuhunan sa ating bansa, at iba pang isyu na kinakaharap ng mundo (The two world leaders are expected to discuss the strengthening of the Philippines-U.S. relationship that has been in 76 years of cooperation, the development of trade, investment in our country, and other issues faced by the world),” she said.

Biden is scheduled to host a reception for all heads of state attending the United Nations General Assembly on Thursday.

In July, Philippine Ambassador to the U.S. Jose Manuel Romualdez said Biden invited Marcos to come to the U.S. through a handwritten letter brought by U.S. Second Gentleman Douglas Emhoff who was his personal emissary to the Filipino leader’s inauguration last June 30.

Marcos, during the New York Stock Exchange event on Monday, September 19 said he could not see the Philippines in the future without its longtime ally, the U.S., as its partner.

“Just earlier today, we had a lunch that was hosted by the U.S.-Philippines Society. And I spoke to them and we talked perhaps more on the subject of geopolitics and explained that it is very clear to me in my vision for the way that the country will move forward that I cannot see the Philippines in the future without having the United States as a partner,” Marcos said.

“And although I was referring to the geopolitics of it and I was referring to the political situation in the region and around the world, that certainly does continue to apply in our exchanges in the economic front,” he added. n

Marcos: Can’t see a future for PH without US partnership

by MoMar G. ViSaya AJPress

PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. is looking forward to a strengthened relationship with the United States and emphasized that this is necessary in a time of global economic and geopolitical crisis.

“It is very clear to me, in my vision for the way that the country will move forward. I cannot see the Philippines in the future without having the United States as a partner,” Marcos told NYSE vice chair and chief commercial officer John Tuttle in a Q-and-A after his speech. “Many of the strongest corporate benefactors, really, to government and to the rest of society in the Philippines were coming from the United States.”

The president said that it is “extremely necessary” to strengthen the alliance between the United States and the Philippines because this partnership u PAGE 2

WITH its June 24 “Dobbs” decision, the U.S. Supreme Court took away the guarantee of a right to abortion it made 50 years earlier under Roe v. Wade. The Dobbs ruling doesn’t make abortion illegal, but it allows individual states to greatly restrict it, and many are.

But in California, and particularly Los Angeles County, legislators are stepping up to protect reproductive rights.

And in November, California voters can add those rights to the state constitution. In January this year, anticipating the Supreme Court’s hostile ruling, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors approved a “Safe Haven Access to Abortion” pilot program to help anyone, anywhere in California, get the

For the first time, peso closes at 58 vs dollar amid looming Fed rate hike

by raMon royandoyan Philstar.com

MANILA — The surging dollar struck another blow to the peso, which closed at the 58-level for the first time ever as the world braces for another outsized rate hike from the U.S. Federal Reserve.

The local currency’s finish on Wednesday, September 21 was weaker than its previous

LA County declares ‘safe haven’ for all seeking reproductive health care aside concerns ex-border officer sentenced for

close of P57.48, marking a new record-low. As it is, the peso’s continued decline is foreboding for a Philippine economy reeling from imported inflation driven partly by expensive oil. The Philippine economy is also looking to regain economic momentum as it recovers from pandemic fallout in the past two Dominiyears.Velasquez, chief economist at

u PAGE 2

Gov. Newsom approves measures that further address anti-AAPI hate

nextPacquiaoyear. and Zayani made it official with a contract signing last week at the Filipino boxing legend’s home in Makati City.

Earlier this month, Pacquiao said in an

SEATTLE – A U.S. District Court sentenced a Filipino American former U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officer Friday, Sept. 16, for agreeing to a sham marriage so that her childhood acquaintance could immigrate to the United States and obtain U.S.Katherinecitizenship.DeLeon Evaristo, 39, of Burien, Washington, was sentenced to two years of probation for immigration fraud. She was to be paid $20,000 for the fake marriage. Evaristo later obtained a job at the Office of Field Operations for CBP and used her position to make an inquiry into her husband’s immigration status.

At the sentencing hearing, U.S. District Judge Richard A. Jones imposed the sentence of two years of probation, noting

by klarize Medenilla AJPress

AS anti-Asian hate continues to be one of the nation’s most pressing race concerns, California Governor Gavin Newsom recently passed two bills that target harassment in public spaces.

On Sept. 13, Newsom signed off on a number of laws — including SB 1161 and AB 2448, which go into effect on Jan. 1, 2023 — that seek to curb verbal and violent assault in retail settings, transportation hubs, and within government agencies andSBdepartments.1161,also known as the Increase Safety for Public Transit Riders bill, is designed to understand where, when, and why harassment occurs in public transportation hubs.

The Mineta Transportation Institute at San Jose State University will create a survey of California transit operators in an effort to create safety solutions for commuters and travelers.

About 40% of the nearly 11,500 reported incidents of anti-Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) harassment

Another bill seeks to incentivize pro-equality practices in businesses, retail spaces over the last two years occurred in public spaces, according to Stop AAPI Hate, the hate crime tracker that aggregates selfreported incidents of anti-AAPI discrimination.Oneinten of these incidents happened on public transportation, including the harassment of a Filipina nurse in San Jose, California early last year that went viral on social media.State Senator Dave Min (D-Irvine) authored the bill and applauded Newsom for passing the “data-driven framework that will help us understand why these incidents keep happening.”Inastatement, Min said, “No Californian should feel unsafe on public transit, yet study after study shows that a majority of women, seniors, LGBTQ riders and other vulnerable populations experience street harassment or worse while commuting.”Thoughit also seeks to encourage safety protocol as well, AB 2448 — the Protect Customers’ Civil Rights at Businesses bill — provides a

MANNY Pacquiao is set for another exhibition fight this time, against his former sparring mate Jaber Zayani in Saudi Arabia

President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. (center) on Monday, Sept. 19 rang the New York Stock Exchange’s closing bell after delivering remarks during a business forum about the investment and economic opportunities in the Philippines. He was joined by First Lady Liza Marcos, Congressman Sandro Marcos, House Speaker Martin Romualdez, Finance Secretary Benjamin Diokno, and NYSE Vice Chair and Chief Commercial Officer John Tuttle. AJPress photo by Troi Santos

by catherine S. Valente ManilaTimes.net

Manny Pacquiao (left) and unbeaten

lightweight

contender

Jaber Zayani (right) sign their respective contracts that will

see them face each other in an 8-round exhibition match in February 2023 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Photo from Jaber Zayani/Contributed

For the first time, peso...

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China Banking Corp. attributed the peso’s weakness to a strong dollar trend due to the Fed’s aggressive tightening.

“Market expectations are currently at another 75 bps for the Fed and some are even betting on as much as 100 bps. Tomorrow’s policy meeting, where consensus forecast is for BSP to increase rate by another 50 bps, will unlikely stem the depreciation momentum,” she said in a Viber message.

Data from the Asian Development Bank showed that the peso has depreciated by 11% since the end of 2021.

“In the local bourse, there was some foreign outflows also as investors remain defensive. As long as the Fed remains aggressive, we will likely see continued peso weakness. Hopefully, remittances and upcoming IPOs will help support the currency,” Velasquez said.

That said, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas is gearing up to keep pace with Fed. On Thursday, Sept. 22, the BSP is widely expected to hike its key policy rate, mirroring actions from other central banks looking to quell inflation and match the Fed’s rate hikes.

Nicholas Antonio Mapa, senior economist of ING Bank in Manila, is one of those who are expecting another rate increase from the BSP. The BSP has so far hiked interest rates by a total of 175 basis points this year.

“The Bangko Sentral is on track to hike 50bp if Fed hikes 75bp but could upsize should Fed do a 100+. Very little emerging market currencies can do in the face of a hawkish Fed,” Mapa tweeted. n

Marcos: Can’t see a future for PH without...

“provides the stability in these highly unstable economic, political, geopolitical, diplomatic environment.”TheUnited States is the third largest trading partner of the Philippines and the second major source of foreign direct investment applications in 2021.

Marcos rang the closing bell at the NYSE after the speech and interview with Tuttle. He was accompanied by his wife Liza Araneta-Marcos and their son, Rep. Sandro Marcos, and some of the economic managers he brought as part of his delegation.

“We are all thrilled to be here. We are familiar with the NYSE and the bell and that most important balcony in the world. We had always watched it from afar, so to have that opportunity to be here personally has been a great opportunity and a great pleasure,” he said.

Marcos delivered a speech at the New York Stock Exchange on Monday, Sept. 19, and called on investors to look into the Philippines, which offers highquality labor, a large consumer market, and a wide range of fiscal and non-fiscal incentives.

In his speech, Marcos touted the economic advancements his administration has made, including the steps they have put in place to open up the country’s economy.“Bouncing back from the pandemic, the Philippine economy has seen robust growth since last year, and as returned to its path toward upper middle-income country status. achievable we believe within the next few years,” he said.

Marcos mentioned that they enacted policies “to further liberalize our economy and welcome more foreign investment to our shores.”

This includes passing legislation to lower corporate income tax rates and rationalized fiscal incentives. The government has also reduced the minimum paid-up capital requirements for foreign retailers and foreign startups bringing in advanced newMarcostechnology.alsoannounced that the Philippines now allows full foreign ownership of companies providing public services such as telecommunications, shipping, air carriers, railways, subways,

airports, and toll roads.

Community gathering

The president and his delegation arrived at the Newark Airport aboard a chartered Philippine Airlines flight on Sunday afternoon. He began his six-day working visit in New York with his first community gathering with hundreds of Filipinos and Filipino Americans at the New Jersey Performing Arts

ChantsCenter.of ‘BBM’ and ‘Marcos Pa Rin’ filled the halls of NJPAC as Marcos was introduced.

The president shared that New York plays a special role in his life and reminisced that it was here where he met his future wife.

He said he used to live in Cherry Hill, New Jersey when he was studying at Wharton. He met Liza Araneta in court back in 1986 while he was waiting for Imelda’s case while she was visiting one of their fellow lawyers.“More than 25 years din kaming hindi nakabalik dito,” he quipped.Marcos then thanked the audience for their support in the recent elections.

“My profound gratitude to our kababayans here in the United States who were among the 31 million Filipinos in the Philippines and other parts of the world in giving me a resounding mandate to lead our country and our people in the next six years,” heHesaid.also paid tribute to the

almost 4.5 million Filipinos in the US “for the role you play and continue to play in advancing the interest of the Philippines and the Filipino people here in this part of the world.”

“We have over 10 million kababayans all over the world and as your president, I understand and know full well the significant impact of the Filipino diaspora on our motherland, especially in terms of supporting our postpandemic economic recovery,” heDollarsaid. remittances have hit an all-time high of 34.88 billion dollars in 2021, representing a 5.1 percent increase from the 33.19 billion in 2020.

“Halos 40 porsiyento ng remittance nung 2021 ay galing dito sa America,” Marcs said.

“You sent this record-breaking figure even when many of you were affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.”

Revitalization of the economy

“As we continue to search for more solutions to revitalize our beloved country it is not the time to look at the past, it is now the time to look to the future, and the future looks bright,” Marcos said as he laid out his goals and targets.Hesaid he expects to grow by 6.5 to 7.5 percent this year and to achieve that, the government will implement tax reforms that will be responsive to the development of the digital economy and will increase revenue collection.

He and his team are also

targetting a 9 percent or singledigit poverty rate by 2028 and on top of that, the attainment of upper middle-income country status by 2024.

“We have formulated our medium-term fiscal strategy to achieve measurable mediumterm macroeconomic and fiscal objectives such as 6.5 to 8 percent real GDP growth annually between 2023 and 2028,” he said.

Marcos was joined onstage by his delegation led by the First Lady Liza Marcos, their sons Rep. Sandro Marcos and Simon Marcos, House Speaker Martin Romualdez, Ambassador Babe Romualdez, Permanent Representative to the United Nations Ambassador Antonio Lagdameo Sr., Special Assistant to the President Antonio Lagdameo Jr.., and Special Envoy to UNICEF Nikki Prieto Teodoro.Among the Cabinet secretaries present at the event were Enrique Manalo (Foreign Affairs), Manny Bonoan (Public Works and Highways), Alfredo Pascual (Trade and Industry), Christina Frasco (Tourism), Jaime Bautista (Transportation), Amenah Pangandaman (Budget and Management), Ivan John Uy (Information and Communications Technology), Susan Ople (Migrant Workers), Arsenio Balisacan (NEDA), Trixie Cruz-Angeles (Press), Maria Zenaida Angping (Presidential Management Staff), and Ben Diokno (Finance). n

MEETING THE FIL-AM COMMUNITY. President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. met with the Filipino community at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center on Sunday, Sept. 18. Marcos was the first Southeast Asian head of state to deliver a statement at the 77th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) on Tuesday afternoon, Sept. 20. AJPress photo by Troi Santos

Philippine President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. speaks during the 77th Session of the UN General Assembly on Tuesday, Sept. 20, where he discussed topics from the country’s bid for a seat on the UN Security Council to calling for an end to Asian hate in the United States. This marks Marcos’ first trip to the U.S. since becoming president with a packed itinerary that included a meeting with the Fil-Am community in New Jersey and speaking at an economic forum at the New York Stock Exchange. Malacañang photo

A motorist pays for its tank refueling in a gas station along Nangka J.P. Rizal in Marikina on Monday, June 20, 2022. Philstar photo by Walter Bollozos

Fil-Am ex-border officer sentenced...

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Evaristo had lost her career in public service and was unlikely to Accordingreoffend. to court records, in late 2012, Evaristo was approached by a cousin about a sham marriage after she attended her brother’s funeral in theShePhilippines.agreed to the sham marriage in exchange for $20,000 with half paid at the start of the scheme and the other half when the fake spouse obtained

Evaristocitizenship.appliedfor a fiancé visa for the fake spouse, he traveled to the U.S. in 2015, and the couple was “married” in San Diego.

In 2017, the couple applied for citizenship for the “spouse,” and in 2019, again lied in their interview about the sham marriage to try to obtain citizenship.Theinvestigation began when Evaristo improperly used her access to a federal law enforcement database to check on the immigration status of her shamCBPhusband.officers looking into the improper access knew Evaristo was dating another person and so began to unravel the sham marriage scheme. When Evaristo was interviewed in 2021, she admitted to the scheme. Evaristo was indicted in September 2021. She pleaded

guilty in May 2022. In recommending a probationary sentence, prosecutors noted that Evaristo is the single parent of infant twins: “Evaristo has experienced significant consequences of her crime that go beyond a custodial sentence: She lost her job at CBP—a job she spent years securing and that afforded her a comfortable income—and now works a lower-wage warehouse job. These consequences along with the restricted liberty of probation reflect the seriousness of the crime and are likely to deter any future criminal conduct,” prosecutors wrote in their sentencing memo. (Inquirer.net) n

Manny Pacquiao set for Saudi...

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interview with Agence France-Presse that they were just about to begin talks for the bout.

The non-sanctioned eight-round bout is targeted around mid-February 2023 at King Fahd Stadium in “IRiyadh.personally negotiated with the senator together with my team and after months of talks, we finally agreed to a face off next year. He already signed the contract so it is a go,” said Zayani in a press release on Tuesday, September 20.

Zayani served as one of Pacquiao’s sparmates during his training camp for his world title fight against Keith Thurman in 2019.

Pacquiao retired in September of last year to focus on his bid for the Philippine presidency, just a month after he suffered an upset loss to Yordenis Ugas.The 43-year-old Pacquiao is scheduled for his ring return in December when he faces martial arts YouTuber DK Yoo in a charity event in Seoul, South Korea.While Yoo had already admitted he won’t beat

Pacquiao, Zayani is keen on making the most out of the rare opportunity to be in the same ring as one of the greatest fighters in the history of the sport.

“Call it an exhibition or something but when the senator signed the deal, I told him to prepare well because I’m going to give him a real fight. He then told me, ‘you better be prepared,’” said Zayani, who signed a five-year multimillion promotional deal with Saudi Prince Al-Walid Ben Talal.

“I was honest with the senator that I’m looking at this as my biggest break which I will surely maximize. I aim to create a buzz and become a household name. Sure, the organizers are calling this an exhibition but for me, it’s a chance to exhibit my talent as a future world champion,” he added.

The 31-year-old Frenchman, who stands at 5-foot-9, is an up-and-coming lightweight with a record of 18-0 with 11 knockouts including three victories over Filipinos.

“That’s going to be a December Samgyup party for the senator but once he meets me inside the right, he’s going to get French toasted,” said Zayani. n

Gov. Newsom approves...

pilot program for business owners to ensure their businesses foster “welcoming and safe spaces” forAssemblymembercustomers. Phil Ting (D-San Francisco) authored the bill and said in a statement, “Customers have the right to feel safe in businesses, and workers need training on ensuring that. Right now, our state’s civil rights laws do not adequately protect people who are verbally harassed and intimidated while grocery shopping or eating at a restaurant.”

The “first-of-its-kind” pilot program mandated under AB 2448, which had unanimously passed both chambers of the state Legislature, would give recognition to businesses that thoroughly train their employees on how to handle discrimination and provide clear codes of conduct that encourages respectful behavior for customers.

AB 2448’s passing comes as incidents of racial discrimination, harassment, and abuse are being recorded and spreading across social media on a mass scale.

Businesses that are cleared as complying with AB 2448’s guidelines will receive a certificate of compliance, which may help customers decide which businesses to frequent based on how seriously retailers take discrimination and harrassment.“Ourstatehas made great strides in redressing historic wrongs and stubborn disparities, but we know that much work remains to tackle the barriers that hold back too many Californians and undermine our collective prosperity,” Newsom said in a statement that introduced multiple actions targeting various social justice concerns.

In addition to signing these bills, Newsom, via executive order, has directed all state agencies and departments to also “take additional actions and embed explicit analysis of equity considerations in policies in Specifically,practices.”theorder recommends that these agencies take extra steps to understand systemic discrimination that has historically limited access to statewide resources for disenfranchised communities. n

Asian Americans not a monolith...

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to further gaps in information. Asian Americans are the fastestgrowing population in the U.S., projected to reach nearly 34 million by 2050.

“We are treated as one giant group, but we are not a monolith,” said Dr. Bryant Lin, a Stanford professor of medicine, who in 2018 co-founded the Center for Asian Health Research and Education with Dr. Latha Palaniappan. The two doctors currently co-direct the Center, based at Stanford, with the aim of driving better health outcomes for Asian Americans.

Systemic racism impedes better data

At an Ethnic Media Services briefing Sept. 16, co-hosted by the Stanford Medicine Center for Asian Health Research and Education, Lin noted that disaggregating data was not as simple as just adding boxes to the clinic check-in sheet.

“We’re having trouble, even at Stanford. There are definitely issues, given the history of systemic racism, that leads to these concerns about selfreporting,” he said.

“The capacity to disaggregate data for AAPIs within the electronic health records is there. But the political will and the leadership across health care systems is still lacking,” said Dr. Winston Wong, a scholar-inresidence at the UCLA Kaiser Permanente Center for Health Equity.Epic, the predominant electronic health records system used in the U.S. has a vast capacity to capture trillions of data bits every day, said Wong. But those who manage data collection must have the capacity to ask patients about their sub-ethnicities in a culturally sensitive way, he said.

The critical need for disaggregated data became especially acute during the COVID-19 pandemic. News headlines screamed that the virus was primarily killing and hospitalizing Black and Latino people.Butin New York, which had the highest rates of infection early on in the pandemic, it was

actually Chinese Americans who had the highest rates of hospitalizations, reported Wong.

“That was never seen as a news headline,” he said, attributing it to a lack of data.

In Northwest Arkansas, the number one group that was getting hospitalized and dying from COVID were the Marshallese people of the Micronesian diaspora, noted Wong. Marshallese people were particularly hard-hit as they worked in poultrypackaging plants and lived in very crowded conditions. And in New Jersey, there was a high rate of hospitalizations among Bangladeshi people.

“This kind of data is only identified at this point by the activists, the community providers, the physicians and nurses who care for that community because they’re providing the culturally competent and linguistically accessible care to these populations,” said Wong, adding that it is not captured at the statewide level, and used as a tool for allocation of resources to hard-hit communities.

‘Our community went underground’

Tu Quach, president of Asian Health Services, noted another fallout of COVID on the AAPI population: an uptick in hate crimes against the community.

“Our Asian American populations were simultaneously blamed for the virus and ignored when it came to services because of the racist narratives that were predominantly put out by the former administration that blamed Asians for causing the virus,” she said.

“Many Asian Americans, including our patients and our own staff who were coming into work, were being attacked both physically and verbally in so many ways. So our community essentially went underground,” said“NearlyQuach. three quarters of them said they were too afraid to leave their homes. They were hiding from attacks, but also dangerously missing out on critical care, including getting COVID testing and so many

otherQuachservices.”alsonoted that fewer COVID resources were devoted to the AAPI community, because the prevailing narrative was that it was hitting hard black and brown“Ourcommunities.community was also impacted. But this was not highlighted in the narrative. So this community continues to suffer in silence,” said Quach.

New recruitment efforts

The lack of disaggregated data may be due to very low levels of research participation among Asian Americans, said Dr. Van Ta Park, a professor at the University of California San Francisco’s School of Nursing, in the Department of Community Health Systems.

Park is also the lead researcher of an NIH/NIA R24 grant called, “Collaborative Approach for AAPI Research and Education.” The goal of CARE is to recruit 10,000 AAPI who are interested in participating in research. CARE is available in sixThelanguages.CAREregistry launched during the COVID pandemic and already has recruited 9,300 participants who speak Chinese, Mandarin, Cantonese, Hindi, Korean, Vietnamese, and Samoan through its online portal.Thus far, the registry has referred more than 500 individuals to 27 studies, said Park.Intake workers ask questions about sociodemographic information, health conditions and behaviors, and caregiving experiences to better match participants to research studies.

One of the areas of most concern to Park is Alzheimer’s’ research. One out of every three people in the US will be afflicted by Alzheimer’s, but AAPIs represent only 7% of participants in clinical research.

CARE has developed the “Asian Cohort on Alzheimer’s Disease,” a US Canada study to study the impact of lifestyle genetic factors on Alzheimer’s disease risk in Asian Americans and Canadians. (By Sunita Sohrabji / Ethnic Media Services) n

LA County declares ‘safe haven’ for all...

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help they need, regardless of immigration status, financial resources, or laws in other states where they may live.

At a Sept. 14 press briefing hosted by the LA County Chief Executive Office and Ethnic Media Services, County Board of Supervisors Chair Holly Mitchell, other government officials and social service providers described some of the many ways California is taking the lead nationwide in protecting health care rights, and abortion services in “It’sparticular.important that L.A. County be a safe haven for women seeking abortion services,” Mitchell said. “It’s our duty, particularly to those who have been historically underserved in black and brown communities.”Joiningherat the press conference were Chanel Smith, executive director of the county’s Women’s and Girls Initiative program; Susie Baldwin, medical director for the county Department of Public Health’s Office of Women’s Health; Sylvia Castillo, of Essential Health Access; Sasha Nochimow, of Access Reproductive Justice; and Rigoberto Reyes, executive director of the county’s Office of Immigrant“RegardlessAffairs.of ethnicity, country of origin, religion, documentation status or the languages they speak, reproductive health care, including abortion services, are still legal and available in Los Angeles County,” Smith said.

She noted the need to increase the number of health care workers to meet an expected spike in demand as more states enact new restrictions.

“In some states,” Smith pointed out, treatment for miscarriage is now banned or illegal. So we need to build a pipeline of people in L.A. County who want to do this work.”

She also mentioned a recently formed coalition of pro-bono lawyers to help people meet potential legal challenges now being considered by a number of states as part of a bevy of new restrictions, including possibly charging individuals who cross state lines seeking abortion access.

“The Safe Haven plan is to be a beacon for reproductive health and rights in this state and in this country,” said Susie Baldwin, medical director of the county’s Office of Women’s Health.

“We have lots of evidence over decades of the harms of denying people abortions when they need them,” she said.

California, she noted, has declared itself a “reproductive freedom’ state.”

“There are other pockets around the country that are also trying to increase accessibility to abortion,” she said, citing Oregon to the north.

“It’s so important that we create these safe places because when you deny access to basic reproductive health care, it has really serious effects on physical health, on mental health, leaving people to live in poverty, and for their children to be in poverty.”

Besides safeguarding abortion access, Safe Haven is intended to help people have safe pregnancies and healthy deliveries and prevent unwanted pregnancies.Baldwindirected people to a link within the county’s Department of Public Health website, currently viewable in English and Spanish, with another dozen languages to come.

“Nobody will be denied on the basis of cost,” she said, noting that the state has allocated funding to reimburse providers for treating those who can’t otherwise pay for their care.

California is one of just eight states that provides its own funds to supplement its Medicaid program — in California, it’s Medi-Cal — to cover reproductive health costs. The 1976 Hyde Amendment forbids Medicaid from providing such funding for its enrollees, including federal workers and the military.

And whereas many states bar health insurance companies from paying for abortions, California requires them to.

“The reality today,” said Sylvia Castillo of Essential Access Health, “is that since the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade earlier this summer, 21 million people have lost access to abortion care.”

Sasha Nochimow described how, for 30 years, Access Reproductive Justice (1-800 376-4636) has helped people meet the costs of abortion care — from the procedures themselves to transportation, lodging, childcare and counseling.

Los Angeles County, with 28% of the state’s population, has always been its priority, but, more than a third of California counties (22 of 58) have no abortion providers, whereas Los Angeles has 56, including some in hospital settings, vital to those experiencing high-risk pregnancies or needing specialized care.

With new restrictions already in place across the country, or proposed, such as in nearby Arizona, providers are already seeing an increase in demand,

AID TO COMMUTERS. Passengers board the bus of the “Libreng Sakay” (free ride) program of the Department of Transportation at the EDSA Busway Carousel-Nepa Q-Mart Station in Quezon City on Tuesday, Sept. 20. The Marcos administration has opted to continue the program to cushion the adverse effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on ordinary working Filipinos. PNA photo by Joey O. Razon

Weeding out corruption

IN a recent survey among the country’s top business executives, corruption was identified as the biggest barrier to our economic recovery from the pandemic and the top concern that the government must address.

In a 2022 CEO survey conducted from July to August this year by

ofManagement(PwC)PricewaterhouseCoopersthePhilippinesandtheAssociationthePhilippines(MAP),

67 percent of 119 business leaders ranked corruption as the No. 1 economic obstacle.

Corruption outranked other pressing problems such as lower foreign and domestic investments (38 percent); political uncertainty (30 percent); uncontrolled inflation (29 percent); rising oil prices (28 percent), and lower quality of education (27 percent).

These and other issues like the RussiaUkraine conflict and higher inflation and fuel costs were giving Philippine business leaders sleepless nights, said Mary Jade T. Roxas-Divinagracia, PwC Philippines deals and corporate finance manager.Thepessimism was evident in 52 percent of respondents who said it will take more than two years for the country’s economy to recover from the pandemic, in contrast to projections by economic managers that recovery will happen this year.

The respondents specifically identified corruption in the handling of pandemic funds under the Duterte administration.

“In the past three years, issues such as undocumented health spending, misallocated health care funds, and procurement of outdated equipment surfaced and have not been resolved,” according to the survey briefer.

The respondents were apparently

referring to the underfunded Pharmally Pharmaceutical Corp., linked to President Duterte’s Chinese adviser Michael Yang, which was accused of overpriced, substandard, or undelivered pandemic supplies, as well as the Department of Education’s purchase in 2021 of overpriced but outdated laptops for public school teachers worth P2.4 billion.

Pharmally cornered almost P11 billion in pandemic contracts, some of which came from then Health Secretary Francisco Duque III’s dubious transfer of P42 billion to the controversial Procurement Service of the Department of Budget and Management (PSDBM). A scathing report by the Senate implicating Duque and President Duterte did not pass after the latter’s allies refused to sign the report.

There has also been no transparent accounting of the billions set aside under two Bayanihan laws (around P602 billion for Bayanihan 1 and P569 billion for Bayanihan 2) for the pandemic response, as well as the massive foreign borrowings that the Duterte administration incurred.

Not that corruption is new in the Philippines, which slid down in Transparency International’s global corruption index in 2021, ranking 117th out of 180 countries, two notches below its 2020 ranking.

The cost of corruption is mindboggling. In 2019, Deputy Ombudsman Cyril Ramos estimated that the country

was losing P700 billion every year to corruption, making the Philippines the sixth most corrupt nation in the Asia Pacific.This staggering amount is equal to some 20 percent of the annual government budget, and could have purchased 1.4 million housing units for the poor, provide assistance for around 7 million Filipinos, and a buffer stock of rice good for a year, Ramos said It was thus a disappointment for many that President Marcos Jr. did not mention corruption, nor how his administration would tackle it, in his first State of the Nation Address in July. This early, the problem has reared its head anew, with the sugar importation mess leading to the resignation of the President’s chief of staff at the Department of Agriculture

and his “Little President,” Executive Secretary Victor Rodriguez.

But such symbolic gesture and rhetoric are not enough. After all, Rodrigo Duterte failed miserably when he promised “not even a whiff” of corruption will happen during his watch, with his administration embroiled in the biggest corruption scandal during the pandemic. The Marcos Jr. administration would do well to listen to the sentiments expressed by business leaders, who will be the government’s partner in economic recovery. The PwC-MAP survey is a clear message that government corruption is utterly unacceptable during these adverse times when the ranks of the poor keep rising, and many businesses are struggling to get back on their feet. The new government should

demonstrate that it will brook no corruption by holding to account individuals involved in graft and other anomalies, even if they are allies. The President’s tremendous political capital must be put to good use in cleaning up the traditional corruption hotspots in the bureaucracy—the internal revenue, customs, public works, immigration, budget, and justice departments. Beyond expressing concern about the problem, the private sector must similarly do its part in curbing corruption in its ranks, with bribery and commissions for government contracts being open secrets.Corruption has blocked our progress as a nation for far too long. It’s time to make its eradication an urgent national undertaking. (Inquirer.net)

United Nations: An important platform for our diplomacy

EyeBabe’sView

BaBe Romualdez

THE United Nations has been criticized in the past about its perceived failures, with critics saying that its powerful body – the Security Council – has been ineffective in maintaining peace and security and easing tensions between nations as some disputes have escalated into armed conflicts, pointing to the war in Ukraine as a recent example.Others also accuse the UN of being inefficient when it comes to achieving the goal of mitigating hunger and poverty despite the billions of dollars being spent on economic and social development programs. In fact, the relevance of the 76-yearold organization in today’s world is being questioned by some sectors who claim that it is continually going on a decline and nearing obsolescence,

supposedly because of its bureaucratic systems, coupled by its perceived inability to evolve amid the changing geopolitical landscape. But while it has been less than perfect, many people still look at the United Nations in a positive light, as evidenced by the 2021 Pew Research Center survey conducted in 17 countries that showed 67 percent of respondents expressing a favorable opinion of the UN regarding its handling of many issues, including climate change. The same results are also reflected in the latest Pew Research Center survey released last month, with “a note of positivity” also seen among survey respondents (65 percent) across 19 nations regarding their view of the Interestingly,UN. a big number of people are optimistic that “the problems facing their country can be solved by working with other countries,” with 64 percent of the respondents in the 2022 survey saying they believe “many problems can be solved by working together,” as against 31 percent who say that few problems can be solved by

HAS the human rights situation in the Philippines improved, as some United Nations Human Rights Council (UN HRC) member states want to Sincebelieve?Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

became president two months ago, Philippine press reports about killings in the “war on drugs” seem to have decreased. Perhaps because the evervolatile Rodrigo Duterte left office, there is less sense of urgency around “drug war” violence. Many observers now appear willing to buy the idea that perhaps Mr. Marcos is different, that he may improve

the country’s human rights situation.Theresult is that HRC member states now appear less inclined to take a strong action on the Philippines at the 51st session that began Monday, September 19 in Geneva. This mindset runs counter to the continuing human rights calamity in the Philippines. Drug-related killings remain commonplace. Dahas, a program of the University of the Philippines’ Third World Studies Center, found by looking at police and media reports that there were more drug-related killings—in which the victim had alleged links to the illicit drug trade—in July, the first month of the Marcos Jr. presidency, than in June, the last month of the Duterte administration. Altogether,

way of international cooperation. Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the ongoing war in Ukraine and other global challenges and threats, climate change emerged as the major concern, particularly among people living in advanced economies.

In fairness to the UN, it has been successful in bringing attention to issues of global importance and has promoted discussion in a peaceful manner. Take, for instance, the upcoming UN General Assembly that, obviously, continues to be an important forum for world leaders to discuss various threats and concerns that vary from the social to economic to political andAsenvironmental.thePewreport noted, people still see “the benefits of international cooperation for solving problems and the importance of common values for bringing nations together” despite the “many depressing stories dominating the international news cycle.”

Not surprisingly, a lot of interest is being generated regarding the participation of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. in the 77th UN General Assembly

in New York, where he is set to deliver a speech on Sept. 20 which is the first day of the highlevel general debate with the theme “A Watershed Moment: Transformative Solutions to Interlocking Challenges.”

The UN General Assembly is an important part of our diplomacy. No doubt the participation of President Marcos is an opportunity for the country to take center stage because of the high level of interest on what the President will say during his speech. As I said during my interview with CNN’s “The Source” hosted by Pinky Webb, the President will likely call attention to climate change, a top priority of his administration.

The Department of Energy in fact is looking at alternative sources of energy, most especially clean energy. While we are still dependent on fossil fuel, we have to start looking at the future and, on many occasions, the President has talked about clean energy sources, particularly small modular reactors that hopefully would be available to the world initially in the next year or so. The Philippines has a lot of potential energy sources

including hydro, solar and wind power, which the President is very familiar with because of the windmills in Ilocos Norte which contribute to the power supply in theWeprovince.arealso opening up our mining sector, which is a very good development because the Philippines has an estimated 4.8 million metric tons of nickel reserves – one of the largest in the world. Nickel is a major component in battery production and so we anticipate a strong market for nickel in the future with electric vehicles being the wave of the future.

The President’s schedule is extremely tight, with a large number of requests for meetings from state leaders including those from Latin America and the African states. Among those finalized are the meetings with Prime Minister Fumio Kishida of Japan and Prime Minister Ismail Sabri bin Yaakob of Malaysia, and other state leaders that are awaiting confirmation so most likely the President will have about six to eight bilaterals.

We are still finalizing the bilateral meeting between President Bongbong Marcos and

UN still needs to scrutinize the Philippines

72 drug-related killings were recorded in July and August.

Impunity persists. Out of the more than 6,200 “drug war” killings by police since 2016, according to their own statistics, only one case— JUST ONE—has resulted in conviction. Authorities assert that some cases are being investigated but when only 12 officers have been charged out of thousands of cases, that’s a travesty both for the victims’ families and society at large.

The much-vaunted UN Joint Program that the HRC and the Philippine government began last year got off to a slow start. The government has been unhelpful or unwilling in fully carrying out the program’s mandate. It has failed to provide significant information on “drug war” cases. It has

opposed the participation of several rights groups. Not one of the six “technical working groups” has conducted strategic planning sessions and couldn’t even meet regularly. Despite the effort that the UN side put into devising a good program, Manila treated the program as a public relations tool to provide window dressing for ongoing abuses.Sofar, Mr. Marcos has not introduced measures to improve human rights in the country. Instead, he has promised to continue Duterte’s “drug war.” He has not convened a new Commission on Human Rights nor indicated he will appoint qualified, independent human rights experts who will uphold the commission’s constitutional mandate to investigate and help prosecute cases.

Other longstanding rights problems are also going unaddressed. “Red-tagging” and the country’s anti-terrorism law continue to be used to harass leftist activists and human rights defenders. The security forces continue to commit often deadly violations in their campaign against the insurgent New People’s Army.

In June, the International Criminal Court (ICC) prosecutor submitted a request to the court to resume the investigation into “drug war” killings, which it paused last November at the Philippine government’s request. The prosecutor’s request to reopen the investigation came after he concluded that the government was not taking adequate steps to ensure accountability at the domestic level. Members of

the HRC should take heed of the prosecutor’s determination, which only further underscores the need for international engagement. For those who see Mr. Marcos as offering a breath of fresh air, the ICC is an instructive example. All UN HRC member states should support a resolution at the upcoming session to ensure continued, strong scrutiny of the Philippine situation. The council needs to send a message that a new presidency is not a clean slate to commit new *abuses.**

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.

San Diego Office: 550 East National CA Tel

U.S. President Joe Biden, but as we all know, the sad news about the passing of Queen Elizabeth II has changed a lot of schedules. Nevertheless, we are hopeful that this would happen, with the U.S. being an important ally of theAPhilippines.number of American businessmen are also eager to meet President BBM, and we have also received many requests from members of the Filipino community from as far as Guam and Honolulu and across the U.S. We have instructed the consulates to coordinate and have them in one place, possibly at the Kalayaan Hall in our consulate in New York, where the President can hopefully meet them and reiterate the message of unity, which he believes is the only way we can surpass the challenges and problems that the world faces today. (Philstar. com) The opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by the author do not necessarily reflect the opinions, and viewpoints of the Asian Journal, its management, editorial board and staff. babeseyeview@gmail.com Francisco,

* * * Carlos Conde is a senior Philippines researcher at Human Rights Watch.

Dateline

Alex Eala happy to see Filipino fans appreciate more sports

By lance agcaoili Inquirer.net

MANILA — Alex Eala was nothing but grateful for the support of her Filipino fans, who stayed up all night and even watched pay-per-view back home, to watch her magical run in the US Open girls’ singles.

The 17-year-old tennis star admitted she was surprised by the support she received from the country that has sports fans who are generally more passionate about basketball and volleyball.

“Definitely super surprised with everyone who tuned in to watch. As you said, the Philippines is a basketball [crazy country] and I would say also a volleyball-dominated country. People tend to enjoy those more,” said Eala during her virtual press conference on Friday, September

16.For the newly-crowned US Open juniors champion, it feels good to see more of her fellow countrymen appreciating other sports, where the Filipinos excel, too.“I think it’s a good thing that they’re starting to appreciate more sports. I think it’s important that we give attention to all of the athletes,” she said. “I’m super happy and super grateful for all of the small things, pay-per-view or staying up in the night. I’m super thankful.”

Trail blazers

With her recent historic feat of becoming the first Filipino to become a Grand Slam singles champion, Eala also joined a group of athletes outside basketball and volleyball who have brought honor to the country, like EJ Obiena, who finished first place in six of his eight world tournaments, and Tokyo Olympic gold medalist Hidilyn Diaz.

The Filipinas also made history, booking a ticket to the Fifa Women’s World Cup 2023, winning a championship in the AFF Women’s Cup, and a historic bronze medal in the 31st Southeast Asian Games in Hanoi, Vietnam. Yuka Saso also brought honor to the country by winning US Women’s Open golf win in San Francisco’s Olympic Club in June 2021 before deciding to change her citizenship.

Eala didn’t expect that speaking in Filipino upon receiving her US Open trophy would have a significant impact on the Filipino fans, who were inspired and felt pride after watching her speech.

“I didn’t think that it would be such a big thing. But I’ve been getting a lot of positive feedback from that. And I guess it hit a spot for the Filipinos because it is not a lot of the times that you hear Tagalog on a worldwide stage,” she said. “I’m super happy (with) the impact it’s had on the Filipino people and I hope that it meant something to them.”

The Rafael Nadal Academy scholar admitted she misses home. But she still doesn’t know when is she coming back to the Philippines due to her busy

schedule in the pro circuits for the remainder of the year.

“I would really love to go home. Especially my family, deserves to share this win with me and I just want to tell them about all of my matches, all of the experiences that I had but unfortunately, it’s not so easy to schedule that,” Eala said. “I have a lot of tournaments and I think it’s part of the journey and it’s part of keeping my head down is that I’m reminded that I still have to work and life still goes on even after a big win.”

Despite being away from the country for several months, the young tennis sensation expressed her love to the fans, hoping to give back someday.

“I would just like to say thank you, that’s really all I can say right now. There’s so much that you’ve done to help me and motivate me. And I hope that I can return the favor and maybe just make you a little happier in the day by seeing my matches, or seeing that I won, or seeing my speech or whatever,” she said. “But thank you so much for the support It really means a lot to me and it does affect me and make an impact.” n

LA County declares ‘safe haven’ for all... PAGE 4

and expect it to grow.

Rigoberto Reyes, Director of the Office of Immigrant Affairs, acknowledged that abortion can be difficult for some to even talk about and offered his office’s readiness to speak with anyone

Irene represents Marcos Jr. in queen’s funeral

NEW YORK – Irene Marcos Araneta represented her brother President Marcos in the funeral of Queen Elizabeth in London, Malacañang said on Monday, September 19.

Press Secretary Trixie Cruz-Angeles said Araneta was accompanied by her spouse, Gregorio María Araneta III.

“Mrs. Irene Romualdez Marcos Araneta will be the President’s special representative who will attend the state funeral of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II,” Angeles said in a statement.

“Mrs. Marcos-Araneta and her spouse will be attending the events for the State Funeral beginning with the lying-in-state of the Queen taking place today (Sept. 19),” she added.

Queen Elizabeth, the longest-serving monarch in British history, died on Sept. 8 at the age of 96.

World leaders and prominent personalities gathered in London to pay their last respects to the queen, who reigned for 70 years. (Philstar.com) n

Remulla sees POGO shutdowns sparking ‘humanitarian crisis’

by Marlon raMos Inquirer.net

MANILA — The closure of Philippine offshore gaming operators (Pogos) may result in a “humanitarian crisis” as China has made it hard for its citizens to return to their country after working in online gambling companies in the Philippines, Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla warned on Tuesday, SeptemberDefending22. the annual budget of the Department of Justice (DOJ) in the Senate, Remulla said the Bureau of Immigration (BI) has started locating Chinese nationals who were formerly employed in Pogos that were earlier shut down by the government.

He said some 40,000 Chinese could still be working in 216 illegal POGOs, whose permits to operate had already been canceled by the state regulator Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (Pagcor).

in monitoring former Pogo employees who have yet to leave the country.

concerned about whether accessing abortion rights would impact immigration status.

“If you make it to California soil, no matter immigration status or anything else, you can get the health care you need in California,” Castillo affirmed. (By Mark Hedin/Ethnic Media Services) n

However, Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian said their number could reach more than 100,000, asking the BI to closely coordinate with Pagcor

“But we cannot immediately stop the operations of all these Remulla sees POGO shutdowns sparking ‘humanitarian crisis’s because it may cause a humanitarian crisis,” Remulla said at the hearing presided over by Sen. Juan Edgardo Angara, chair of the Senate finance committee.

“The problem we are facing is the protocol of China in admitting deportees because they have specific requirements,” he said.

He recalled that the Quezon City Police District had difficulties in detaining more than 300 Chinese citizens who were arrested after the government imposed a lockdown at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.

According to the justice secretary, Beijing had been destroying the passports of its citizens who went back home after being employed in POGOs.

“They (former Pogo workers) are also hounded by their government to pay certain fines

Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla and Sen. Aquilino Pimentel III File photos from the Senate Public Relations and Information Bureau

Irene Marcos Araneta signs the book of condolences for the death of Queen Elizabeth at Lancaster House in London as her husband Gregorio Araneta looks on. Philstar.com file photo

Alex Eala always had her eyes on the prize. She then poses with her biggest support system, (from left, front row) father Mike, brother Miko and mom Rizza, together with the Philippine flag and delirious Filipino fans. Photo by Keats London

Remulla sees POGO shutdowns sparking ‘humanitarian crisis’...

when they go home,” Remulla added.

“Many of them will consider not coming home a good option for themselves,” he added.

Appeal to China

He said he would immediately meet with Chinese Ambassador to the Philippines Huang Xilian to ensure that Chinese POGO workers who were already set for deportation would be brought back to China as soon as possible.“We’re meeting with (Huang) to make sure that the protocols of deportation are followed properly so we can start deporting these people,” heSenatesaid.

Minority Leader Aquilino Pimentel III called on China not to discourage its citizens from returning home, saying the Philippines should not carry the burden of taking care of illegal aliens.

“China has to do something not to disincentivize their people from going home voluntarily to their country. That’s our request to China,” Pimentel said.“If they scare their citizens staying in our country, they will not really go home,” he pointed out. “China can lessen the reasons for them not to want to go home. In the first place, they left ChinaSpeakinglegally.”with reporters after the budget proceedings, Pimentel said declaring Pogos illegal would make it easier for authorities to run after those behind the gambling businesses.

He added that outlawing the Chinese-run gaming firms would be swift if President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. himself would sign an executive order just like what former President Duterte did in pulling the plug on “e-sabong,” or online cockfighting.

“An executive action can actually

shorten everything,” Pimentel said.

Senate probe Public interest in the Pogo industry resurfaced after mounting complaints about the spate of kidnappings involving Chinese nationals.

Just last week, the Anti-Kidnapping Group (AKG) of the Philippine National Police successfully rescued 43 Chinese nationals “who were enslaved under human trafficking conditions” at the POGO building of Lucky South 99 Outsourcing Inc. on Fil-am Friendship Highway in Angeles City, Pampanga province.Thisprompted the Senate public order and dangerous drugs committee to start an investigation of the reported kidnappings and killings of Pogo workers. Some senators have pushed for banning POGOs in the wake of its high social cost compared to the P6 billion the government earns from them.

LEGAL SERVICES LEGAL SERVICES

CASE NUMBER: 37-2022-00034145-CU-PT-CTL ALL INTERESTED

PERSONS: Petitioner Chelsea Joan Crowell filed a petition with this court for a decree changing names as follows: a. Chelsea Joan Crowell to Chelsea Joan Burgess.

THE COURT ORDERS that all persons interested in this matter appear before this court at the hearing indicated below to show cause, if any, why the petition for change of name should not be granted. Any person objecting to the name changes described above must file a written objection that includes the reasons for the objection at least two court days before the matter is scheduled to be heard and must appear at the hearing to show cause why the petition should not be granted. If no written objection is timely filed, the court may grant the petition without a hearing.

NOTICE OF HEARING

Date: 10/12/2022

Time: 8:30 AM

Dept. Superior61 Court of California, County of San Diego 330 WEST BROADWAY DEPT. 61 San Diego, CA 92101

A copy of this Order to Show Cause shall be published at least once each week for four successive weeks prior to the date set for hearing on the petition in the following newspaper of general circulation printed in this county.

Asian Journal: FEB. 16, 2022

NO HEARING WILL OCCUR ON ABOVE DATE: SEE

ATTACHMENTMichaelT.Smyth

Judge of the Superior Court AJ 1030 09/02, 09/09, 09/16, and 09/23/2022

ATTACHMENT TO ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME (JC Form #NC-120)

NO HEARING WILL OCCUR ON THE DATE SPECIFIED IN THE ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE. The Court will review the documents filed as of the date specified on the Order to Show Cause for Change of Name (JC Form #NC-120).

If all requirements for a name change have been met as of the date specified, and no timely written objection has been received (required at least two court days before the date specified), the Petition for Change of Name (JC Form #NC-100) will be granted without a hearing. One certified copy of the Order Granting Petition will be mailed to the petitioner.

If all the requirements have not been met as of the date specified, the Court will mail the petitioner a written order with further directions.Iftimely objection is filed, the Court will set a hearing date and contact the parties by mail with further directions.

A RESPONDENT OBJECTING TO THE NAME CHANGE, MUST FILE A WRITTEN OBJECTION AT LEAST TWO COURT DAYS (excluding weekends and holidays) BEFORE THE DATE SPECIFIED. Do not come to court on the specified date. The court will notify the parties by mail of a future hearing date.

Any Petition for the name change of a minor, that is signed by only one parent, must have this Attachment served along with the Petition and Order to Show Cause, on the other, non-signing parent, and proof of service must be filed with the Court.

AJSD#1030

Elevated located at 216 Via Las Brisas, San Marcos, CA 92069.Registrant: Matthew Escalona, 216 Via Las Brisas, San Marcos, CA 92069.This business is conducted by

CASE NUMBER: 37-2022-00034276-CU-PT-CTL TO ALL INTERESTED

PERSONS: Petitioner Dana Marlene Sanchez Ramirez on behalf of a minor filed a petition with this court for a decree changing names as follows: a. Leah Maylin Gonzalez Sanchez to Leah Maylin Sanchez. THE COURT ORDERS that all persons interested in this matter appear before this court at the hearing indicated below to show cause, if any, why the petition for change of name should not be granted. Any person objecting to the name changes described above must file a written objection that includes the reasons for the objection at least two court days before the matter is scheduled to be heard and must appear at the hearing to show cause why the petition should not be granted. If no written objection is timely filed, the court may grant the petition without a hearing.

NOTICE OF HEARING

Date: 10/13/2022

Time: 8:30 AM

Dept. Superior61 Court of California, County of San Diego 330 WEST BROADWAY DEPT. 61 San Diego, CA 92101

A copy of this Order to Show Cause shall be published at least once each week for four successive weeks prior to the date set for hearing on the petition in the following newspaper of general circulation printed in this county. Asian Journal: AUG. 26, 2022 NO HEARING WILL OCCUR ON ABOVE DATE: SEE ATTACHMENTMichaelT.Smyth

Judge of the Superior Court AJ 1033 09/09, 09/16, 09/23, and 09/30/2022

ATTACHMENT TO ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME (JC Form #NC-120) NO HEARING WILL OCCUR ON THE DATE SPECIFIED IN THE ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE.

The Court will review the documents filed as of the date specified on the Order to Show Cause for Change of Name (JC Form #NC-120).

If all requirements for a name change have been met as of the date specified, and no timely written objection has been received (required at least two court days before the date specified), the Petition for Change of Name (JC Form #NC-100) will be granted without a hearing. One certified copy of the Order Granting Petition will be mailed to the petitioner.

If all the requirements have not been met as of the date specified, the Court will mail the petitioner a written order with further directions.

If timely objection is filed, the Court will set a hearing date and contact the parties by mail with further directions.

A RESPONDENT OBJECTING TO THE NAME CHANGE, MUST FILE A WRITTEN OBJECTION AT LEAST TWO COURT DAYS (excluding weekends and holidays) BEFORE THE DATE SPECIFIED. Do not come to court on the specified date. The court will notify the parties by mail of a future hearing date.

Any Petition for the name change of a minor, that is signed by only one parent, must have this Attachment served along with the Petition and Order to Show Cause, on the other, non-signing parent, and proof of service must be filed with the Court.

AJSD#1033

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS

NAME STATEMENT NO. 2022-9020691 Ray Alcantara Real Estate, LLC located at 1833 Fabled Waters Drive, Spring Valley, CA Registrant:91977.Ray Alcantara Real Estate, LLC, 1833 Fabled Waters Drive, Spring Valley, CA 91977. This business is conducted by Limited LiabilityREGISTRANTCompany. FIRST BEGUN TO TRANSACT BUSINESS UNDER THE NAME(S) AS OF 09/15/2022.Signature: Ray Neil Alcantara.

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT NO. 2022-9017932

Landscaping Company Cruz’s located at 1224 E. 18th St. Apt#11, National City, CA 91950.Registrant: a. Jose Cruz Paz Gutierrez, 1224 E. 18th St. Apt#11, National City, CA 91950.b.Veronica Rojas Gervacio, 1224 E. 18th St. Apt#11, National City, CA 91950.

This business is conducted by Married REGISTRANTCouple. FIRST BEGUN TO TRANSACT BUSINESS UNDER THE NAME(S) AS OF 07/27/2022.

Signature: Jose Cruz Paz Gutierrez.

Statement filed with Recorder/County Clerk of San Diego County on 08/09/2022. AJ 1025 09/02, 09/09, 09/16, and 09/23/2022. AJSD 1025

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT NO. 2022-9019255

JELAM AIRBNB located at 764 Cholla Road, Chula Vista, CA Registrant:91910.a. Lamberto De Leon JR., 764 Cholla Road, Chula Vista, CA 91910.b.Jesusan De Leon, 764 Cholla Road, Chula Vista, CAThis91910.business is conducted by Married REGISTRANTCoupleHAS NOT BEGUN TO TRANSACT BUSINESS UNDER THE NAME(S)Signature:ABOVE.Lamberto De Leon JR.. Statement filed with Recorder/County Clerk of San Diego County on 08/25/2022.AJ1029 09/02, 09/09, 09/16, and 09/23/2022. AJSD#1029

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT NO. 2022-9020120

JohnnieLetters located at 8455 Happy Way S, El Cajon, CA Registrant:92021.a. Joanne

Liezl Emerick, 8455 Happy Way S, El Cajon, CA 92021.

b. Robert Jay Emerick, 8455 Happy Way S, El Cajon, CA 92021. This business is conducted by Married REGISTRANTCouple.HAS NOT BEGUN TO TRANSACT BUSINESS UNDER THE NAME(S)Signature:ABOVE.Joanne Emerick.

Statement filed with Recorder/County Clerk of San Diego County on 09/08/2022.AJ1035 09/16, 09/23, 09/30, and 10/07/2022. AJSD#1035

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT NO. 2022-9020119

West Marine Services located at 16301 Oak Springs Dr., Ramona, CA 92065.Registrant: Edward Villanueva West, 16301 Oak Springs Dr., Ramona, CAThis92065. business is conducted by VillanuevaNAME(S)BUSINESSBEGUNREGISTRANTIndividual.HASNOTTOTRANSACTUNDERTHEABOVE.Signature:EdwardWest.

Many of the licensed POGO workers have moved to the so-called POGO Island, the biggest commercial complex housing Chinese-run gaming companies and dormitories for their workers.The36-hectare property in Kawit, Cavite province, formerly known as Island Cove Resort was sold in 2018 by the Remulla family to wealthy ChineseFilipino investors engaged in POGO operations.Considered a major development in the POGO industry, the property along the coast of Manila Bay was transformed into a Pogo complex with offices for operators, dormitories to house the Chinese workers who man the gaming operations, and several commercial and recreation establishments to cater to the needs of the thousands of foreign employees expected to live there.

The idea was to make the people

involved in POGOs to work, eat, play and sleep in the complex to minimize the social ills that civil society groups have been blaming on the POGOs.

The facility was reported to be able to accommodate 20,000 to 50,000 workers once fully developed.

Also in July this year, the newly appointed justice secretary ordered the National Bureau of Investigation to stop its operations against Pogos due to reports of extortion and other irregularities.“Itold(NBI officer in charge) Director (Medardo) De Lemos to stop everybody from operating on Pogos because we are getting a very bad reputation on the matter,” Remulla said on the sidelines of a Rotary Club of Manila Remullagathering.saidthese irregularities were “described simply as ‘hulidap.’” —with a report from Inquirer research n

LEGAL SERVICES

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT NO. 2022-9019290

PB Trucking located at 2235 L Ave., National City, CARegistrant:91950. a. Kristy L. Weller, 2235 L Ave., National City, CA 91950.

b. Robert Weller II, 2235 L Ave., National City, CA 91950.Thisbusiness is conducted by Married REGISTRANTCouple. FIRST BEGUN TO TRANSACT BUSINESS UNDER THE NAME(S) AS OF 08/26/2022.Signature: Kristy L. Weller.

Statement filed with Recorder/County Clerk of San Diego County on 08/26/2022.AJ1026 09/02, 09/09, 09/16, and 09/23/2022. AJSD 1026

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT NO. 2022-90119595

J&A Handyman Service located at 4833 Reno Dr., San Diego, CA 92105.

Registrant: Jorge Alberto Soto, 4833 Reno Dr., San Diego, CA 92105. This business is conducted by Soto.ABOVE.UNDERTRANSACTNOTREGISTRANTIndividualHASBEGUNTOBUSINESSTHENAME(S)Signature:JorgeAlberto

Statement filed with Recorder/County Clerk of San Diego County on 08/3/2022.AJ1031 09/02, 09/09, 09/16, and 09/23/2022.AJSD#1031

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT NO. 2022-9019142

a. Anye Trading located at 830 E Ave., Apt A, Coronado, CA 92118.

b. Anye Marketing located at 830 E Ave., Apt A, Coronado, CA 92118.c.Avocado Queen located at 830 E Ave., Apt A, Coronado, CA 92118.d.La Mexicana Produce located at 830 E Ave., Apt A, Coronado, CAe.92118.Teddy Tomatoes located at 830 E Ave., Apt A, Coronado, CA 92118.Registrant: Anye Produce Inc., 830 E Ave., Apt A, Coronado, CA 92118.This business is conducted by Corporation.REGISTRANT FIRST BEGUN TO TRANSACT BUSINESS UNDER THE NAME(S) AS OF 07/16/2016.Signature: Natalia A. MerienneMorales.

Statement filed with Recorder/ County Clerk of San Diego County onAJ08/24/2022.103609/16, 09/23, 09/30, 10/07/2022. AJSD#1036

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT NO. 2022-9020882

a. SF FINANCIAL SERVICES INC located at 669 Broadway, Chula Vista, CAb.91910.FERREGUT SERVICES INC located at 669 Broadway, Chula Vista, CA 91910.

Registrant: SF FINANCIAL SERVICES INC, 669 Broadway, Chula Vista, CA 91910.This business is conducted byREGISTRANTCorporation.

FIRST BEGUN TO TRANSACT BUSINESS UNDER THE NAME(S) AS OF 09/09/2022.

Signature: Selene B Ferregut.

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT NO. 2022-9018608

Live Oak Springs Market located at 37820 Old Highway 80, Boulevard, CA 91905.Registrant: Mario Market, Inc., 3015 Cottonwood View Dr., El Cajon, CA 92019. This business is conducted by

THEBUSINESSBEGUNREGISTRANTCorporation.FIRSTTOTRANSACTUNDERNAME(S)ASOF08/17/2022.Signature:GhassanMatte.

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT NO. 2022-9019334

ClearCART Captioning located at 8956 Haveteur Way, San Diego, CA 92123. Registrant: Cristine R. Gerongco, 8956 Haveteur Way, San Diego, CA 92123. This business is conducted by

THEBUSINESSBEGUNREGISTRANTIndividual.FIRSTTOTRANSACTUNDERNAME(S)ASOF08/29/2022.Signature:CristineR.Gerongco.

Statement filed with Recorder/County Clerk of San Diego County on 08/17/2022.AJ1027 09/02, 09/09, 09/16, and 09/23/2022. AJSD 1027

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT NO. 2022-9019848

Angel Kids Cuts By Teresa located at 2015 Birch Rd #401, Chula Vista CA Registrant:91915.Teresa L. Padilla, 2322 Grove Ave #5, San Diego, CA 92154. This business is conducted by Padilla.NAME(S)BUSINESSBEGUNREGISTRANTIndividual.HASNOTTOTRANSACTUNDERTHEABOVE.Signature:TeresaL.

Statement filed with Recorder/County Clerk of San Diego County on 09/02/2022.AJ1032 09/09, 09/16, 09/23, and 09/30/2022.AJSD#1032

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT NO. 2022-9020234

Robert’s Auto Service located at 4630 Mission Bay Drive, San Diego, CA 92109.

Registrant: Ghobadi Ventures Inc., 16550 Vanowen Street, No. 114, Van Nuys, CA 91406. This business is conducted byREGISTRANTCorporation. HAS NOT BEGUN TO TRANSACT BUSINESS UNDER THE NAME(S)Signature:ABOVE. Hamid Ghobadi. Statement filed with Recorder/County Clerk of San Diego County on 09/09/2022.AJ1037 09/16, 09/23, 09/30, and 10/07/2022. AJSD 1037

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Kurved By K located at 2429 Fenton St., Ste 5, Chula Vista, CA 91914.

Registrant: Klarissa Renteria, 703 Salot St., National City, CA 91950. This business is conducted by Renteria.07/25/2022.THEBUSINESSBEGUNREGISTRANTIndividual.FIRSTTOTRANSACTUNDERNAME(S)ASOFSignature:Klarissa

Statement filed with Recorder/County Clerk of San Diego County on 09/07/2022.AJ1034 09/09, 09/16, 09/23, and 09/30/2022.AJSD 1034

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT NO. 2022-9020305

Mr. Moto Pizza located at 4646 Convoy St., Suite 114, San Diego, CA 92111.

Registrant: Convoy Moto Corp., 1929 Cable St., Suite 2B, San Diego, CA 92107. This business is conducted byREGISTRANTCorporation. FIRST BEGUN TO TRANSACT BUSINESS UNDER THE NAME(S) AS OF 09/02/2022.Signature: Gibran Fernandez. Statement filed with Recorder/County Clerk of San Diego County on 09/09/2022.AJ1038 09/16, 09/23, 09/30, and 10/07/2022. AJSD 1038

Statement filed with Recorder/County Clerk of San Diego County on 09/14/2022.AJ1039 09/16, 09/23, 09/30, and 10/07/2022.AJSD#1039

Statement filed with Recorder/County Clerk of San Diego County on 09/16/2022.AJ1040 09/23, 09/30, 10/07, and 10/14/2022. AJSD#1040

Statement filed with Recorder/County Clerk of San Diego County on 09/08/2022.AJ1041 09/23, 09/30, 10/07, and 10/14/2022.

AJSD#1041

Statement filed with Recorder/County Clerk of San Diego County on 09/19/2022.AJ1042 09/23, 09/30, 10/07, and 10/14/2022.

AJSD#1042

S il verlens unveils New York galler y, hopes to open doors for Filipino ar tists globall y

by MoMar G. Visaya / AJPress

Known for its robust roster of Asian Diaspora artists, Silverlens unveiled its New York space early this month. The new gallery is a 2,500-square-foot space with 20-foot ceilings located on the ground floor at 505 W 24th Street.“We show contemporary art from the Philippines, Southeast Asia, from the diaspora, so that’s Asian American and Asian American artists,” Silverlens founder Isa Lorenzo told the Asian Journal. “Our goal is to shine a light on underrepresented minority artists, especially since so much of the population here in America is migrant population.”

“We realized that a lot of our audience is starting to come from here from America in particular, we saw that in our numbers, in our website and our social media,” Rachel Rillo said. “And we have quite a bit of friends here in the art world in New York, so we felt like let’s jump that clear.”

Silverlens has earned recognition as one of the leading contemporary art galleries in Southeast Asia as it continues its efforts to transcend borders across art communities. It was founded in Manila by Lorenzo in 2004 and she was joined as codirector by Rillo in 2007.

“A lot of the artists or artists that you see now, like I-Lann from Malaysia and Martha Atienza, they’ve been around the world showing their works at Bienniale and other museum shows as well that I feel like it’s time,” Rillo added, referring to their inaugural exhibitions by artists Martha Atienza and Yee I-Lann.Atienza and Yee, both mixedraced women artists working collaboratively with their island communities, embody the culture and energy that allow art to be made under the most difficultLorenzocircumstances.hopesthat the work of the artists they represent gets collected by major institutions so that there’s a ripple effect.

“It’s incredibly exciting. I can’t even begin, I’m just enjoying the moment. This is only gonna happen once,” she quipped.

The opening of Silverlens New York is a major milestone in the gallery’s eighteen-year existence. The New York gallery plans to activate the space with both gallery-curated and curatorled exhibitions, along with artist talks, panel discussions, film screenings, and events.

Lorenzo is excited for the New York market to get to know the works of Atienza and all the other artists they represent.

“Martha Atienza is from Bantayan Island north of Cebu. Her work is really about the community and how to help fisherfolk have a voice, giving them a visual identity, giving them power, the dignity so that they can continue what they’re doing, which is protecting the environment,” Lorenzo explained.Martha Atienza’s exhibition

The Protectors brings together a new body of work asking, “Who owns the land? Who owns the sea?”—questions that persistently come to mind when working with communities across the Bantayan group of islands.It includes new video works entitled Tigpanalipod (the

the Bantayan Islands in the Philippines.Herwork calls the viewer to participate in the act of remembering, as the places featured are repositories of knowledge for oppressed people. Remembering in itself is a way to challenge a system designed to suppress.Yee’sexhibition on the other hand features photographic works as well as woven textile pieces including a billboard woven by Malaysian and stateless women from the Bajau and Sama Dilaut communities on Omadal Island found on the border between the Sulu and Celebes Seas.

In At the Roof of the Mouth, Yee I-Lann presents tikar—woven mats—that were made in collaboration with Sabahan Dusun and Murut weavers in the Keningau interior and with Bajau Sama Dilaut weavers from Pulau Omadal, Semporna.

A unique language of making has developed, bringing the weavers’ skills, knowledge, and stories together with I-Lann’s ideas and propositions, often making strong statements calling for a politics of inclusion: “This body of work claims and celebrates communities and their geographies, often at the peripheries, that give shape to the center.”

The Armory Show It is also the first time for Silverlens to showcase at The Armory Show, which brings the world’s leading international contemporary and modern art galleries to New York each year.

“We applied for the Armory before we even figured that we would start here,” Rillo shared.

“Things just fell into place. We just made everything happen quite quickly. So tamangtama, just by luck that we were accepted by the Armory at the same time. We really pushed this opening to come around the same time. The stars aligned, it’s showing us that it’s time.

For The Armory, Silverlens

showcased works by three widely collected artists from Southeast Asia: Mit Jai Inn (Thailand), Pow Martinez, and Maria Taniguchi (Manila).MitJai Inn, a widely respected senior artist known for his boundary-defying painting and socially engaged practices, presented work from his series Patchworks. Pow Martinez showed new oil on canvas paintings featuring cliché characters, easily recognizable in the Western canon. In these situational portraits, the artist’s sitters find themselves at their mostMariaabsurd.Taniguchi’s practice investigates space and time, alongside historical and social contexts. The laborious and painstaking process seen in her “Untitled” brick paintings creates a subtle yet complex pattern on the surface — an ongoing series sinceThe2008.Armory Show plays a leading role in the city’s position as an important cultural capital through elevated presentations, thoughtful programming, curatorial leadership, meaningful institutional partnerships, and engaging public art activations.

“We’re excited to be at The Armory, it’s expanding our market. We are doing a national service, we’re bringing all this art into the world,” Lorenzo said. “So we’re quite active globally. I mean, landing in New York is one thing but we do a lot of other shows abroad like at this moment we’re in Istanbul and London as well.” n

T HE established Manila-based gallery Silverlens has found a home in New York City, in the heart of Chelsea no less.

Isa Lorenzo and Rachel Rillo pose with some of the special guests who attended the opening of Silverlens New York, among them Stella Abrera, Rafe Totengco and Josie Natori.

Martha Atienza’s practice explores installation and video as a way of documenting and questioning issues around the environment, community, and development. Her work is mostly constructed in video, of an almost sociological nature, studying her direct environment in the Philippines. In this new body of work for Silverlens New York, Atienza asks, ‘Who owns the land? Who owns the sea?’. These are questions that persistently come to mind when working with communities across the Bantayan group of islands, north of Cebu.

Rachel Rillo poses in front of a piece created by Malaysian artist Yee I-Lann, who sees the woven mat as architectural; it provides a platform that invites communal gathering and activation, where everyone sits together on the same level. Throughout the region, all mother tongues have a different name for the mat, but nevertheless there is an unparalleled intimacy in the shared experience of the mat tied to everyday life and ritual. It is local, egalitarian, democratic, feminist. “The mat, to me, is a portal to story-telling and a way to discover and unroll other knowledges,” Yee I-Lann says.

Through its artist representation, institutional partnerships, art consultancy, and exhibition programming including art fairs and gallery collaborations, Silverlens aims to place its artists within the broader framework of the contemporary art dialogue. Its continuing efforts to transcend borders across art communities in Asia have earned it recognition as one of the leading contemporary art galleries in Southeast Asia. For the first time, Silverlens joined The Armory Show at the Javits Convention Center to highlight underrepresented Southeast Asian artists.

Silverlens was by Isa Lorenzo by Rachel Rillo courtesy of Edwin Josue

Sec. Ben Diokno and Sec. Ivan Uy lead mini-conference on ‘Incredible changes of the 2020s: Helping the Filipino thrive’

ON the evening of Oct. 28 (U.S.) and morning of Oct. 29 (Philippines), Dr. Jun David, President of the UP Alumni Association in America, Mr. Bob Reyes, President of its first chapter, the UPAA in Arizona, and Dr. Lillian Aquino, President of the UPMASA Arizona Chapter are pleased to invite you to the Mini-Conference on the Filipino with the theme “The Incredible Changes of the 2020s. Helping the Filipino Thrive.” It is indeed very timely to pause and recognize that there has been many changes and we must navigate them

Thewell.most prominent, of course, is Covid. All of us, especially healthcare professionals, have had to address this pandemic that greeted us at the turn of the decade. It has killed 6.5 million people so far and reduced lifespans everywhere by two years or more. Lockdowns, mask mandates, and vaccine campaigns have resulted in impacts to our social, economic, and political environments.

Things like the rise of fake news, the polarization of society, and the virtualization of a lot of processes have emerged. And there are even social impacts we all did not want like the Great Resignation, including the divide and debate about work-fromhome, that has affected industries, especially small businesses. What is most regrettable is the negative impact on the quality of our children’s

Filipinoseducation.willstill thrive, wherever we may be, as we have done in the past. But the three organizations have invited successful Filipino professionals from the Philippines and from the US to tell us what

they have done in the past that can help today. Let’s be inspired by Mon Isberto, former PLDT Communications Head and Sheila Coronel, Inaugural Director of the Stabile School of Journalism of Columbia University, for the Media Track; Mon Ibrahim, former Undersecretary of the Department of Information and Computer Technology and Mariels Almeda Winhoffer, VP and Global Managing Director of IBM for the Technology Track; and Dr. Gap Legaspi, PGH Executive Director and Dr. Lou Publico, Chief, Rehabilitation Medicine of Harlem Hospital for the Healthcare Track. Moderators for each of the tracks are: TJ Manotoc, News Anchor of ABSCBN, Carol Colborn, former Deputy Commissioner of BIR, and Dr. Jun

David, President of the UP Alumni Association in America.Inaddition, three new Cabinet Secretaries, Sec. Ben Diokno of the Department of Finance, Sec. Ivan Uy of the Department of Information and Communication Technology, and Sec. Fred Pascual of the Department of Trade and Industry will give short messages about their overall plans and how they will help us navigate the changes.

This virtual conference is free of charge but donations are welcome. There is an optional raffle for a 5-night/six-day stay at any Club Wyndham Resort for a $10 ticket.

For registration, please go to upaainamerica.eventbrite.com, then choose “Incredible Changes of the 2020’s.” n

$7.5M Wells Fargo Foundation grant helps boost San Diego homeownership for people of color

By Grace nall AJPress

SAN DIEGO – The San Diego Housing Commission (SDHC) received a $7.5 million Wells Fargo Foundation Grant at the Sherman Community Center on Wednesday, September 21, a day proclaimed by the City of San Diego as “Homeowner Equity Day.”

The Wells Fargo Grant is an expanded effort to help create 5,000 new homeowners of color in the San Diego region by the end of 2025. SDHC is among the 16 organizations in the San Diego Homeownership Equity

Collaborative.“Wehave a huge home ownership challenge here,” said San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria, who also addressed the significant homelessness crisis and housing crisis facing the Accordingcity. to the Urban Institute Study commissioned by SDHC, homeownership rates for many households of color are significantly lower than other racial groups.

The San Diego City-County Reinvestment Task Force (RTF) will lead the implementation of the San Diego Homeownership Equity Collaborative’s strategies throughout the San Diego region.

SDHC provides staff support for RTF and administers first-time homebuyer programs for the City of San Diego, County of San Diego, and the cities of Chula Vista and El Cajon.

Over the next 4 years, services and resources for homebuyers of color will be developed, such as down payment assistance, credit counseling, and first-time home buyer education.“What we are doing is a comprehensive effort,” said Mayor Gloria.

“We want you here because of the diversity and strength of the city and homeownership is the power that helps provide the stability the city needs to move forward,” said Mayor Todd Gloria. “So again, thank you to Wells Fargo.”

Prepare for natural disasters to protect your legacy

FAMILIES and individuals work hard to establish their homes and businesses and fill them with cherished people and memories. Don’t let a natural disaster destroy your legacy.

“To remind everyone what is at stake, the theme for 2022’s National Preparedness Month is ‘A Lasting Legacy,’” said Jeff Toney, director of the San Diego County Office of Emergency Services. “The destructive Border 32 fire made the point earlier this month that while wildfires are a year-round threat to the San Diego region, fall is peak fire season. As we continue into the fall months, the wildfire threat will only increase as grasses and brush dry out further. This September, take time to create or review a personal disaster plan for your family.”In addition to wildfires, San Diego faces other natural disaster hazards such as earthquakes and flooding. Communities face various levels of risk for different hazards and it is important to know your hazard risk so you can take appropriate measures to safeguard from damages. Visit the County’s ReadySanDiego’s page helpsmayfamily,make-a-plan.html)org/content/oesready/en-us/(https://www.readysandiego.12onyourthecouldpotentialandembersareofandtheirrisksbasedeasyyour-hazards.html)content/oesready/en-us/know-www.readysandiego.org/(https://tolaunchantooltodetermineyourriskonspecificaddresses.Knowingspecifichazardallowspeopletocustomizepersonaldisasterplanpossiblylowerthelevelrisk.Someexamplesofthisprotectingyourhomefrombyclearingawayleavesdebris,woodpilesorotherflammableitemsthatfuelasparkoffire.Orincaseofflooding,protectinghomebyhavingsandbagshand,ifneeded.Templatesinlanguagesareavailableonlinetoguideyouraswellasforpeoplewhoneedassistance.Apersonaldisasterplanpeopleconsiderhowand

where families will reunite if phone lines are affected and they are separated. It also helps gather important phone numbers for quick reference if phone lines are not affected. Families or individuals can plan how they would respond to an earthquake in various locations such as home, work or school, and determine which areas in each room would be safest to drop, cover and hold on in. In the case of a house fire, families can discuss how and where to escape.Gathering emergency supplies such as water, nonperishable food, medications, and special dietary needs as well as flashlights, batteries, a radio and first aid materials will also be a critical part of your plan. A printable list of suggested items may help guide people in putting a kit together.Once a personal disaster plan is complete, people are more likely to minimize potential risks around their home or business and be ready to act in a stressful real-life situation, especially if the plan is discussed and practiced by all household members.

In the event of a disaster, it will be important to stay informed with official information. San Diego County offers AlertSanDiego, a mass emergency notification tool that sends information to all hard-wired home and business phones. Cell phones need to be registered to receive the alert. Additionally, the County will also put more information out on its SD Emergency page and people can download the SD Emergency App at no cost to receive information directly to their phones. The app includes early earthquake warning capability and has a brief personal disaster plan template.

To learn more about ways to prepare for a disaster, visit ReadySanDiego.org.

(Yvette Urrea Moe/County of San Diego Communications Office) n

Reina Bonta talks about inspiration for directorial debut

By Donnabelle GatDula arevalo AJPress

LOS ANGELES — Emerging Filipina American filmmaker

Reina Gabriela Bonta says her earnest love for her family’s roots is what gave rise to her directorial debut, “LAHI”.

“Primarily, I am constantly struck by the privilege associated with having a living grandparent, who existed through and was a critical piece in major historical and cultural events, have such a sharp memory and be so eager to share about her experiences. I’ve wanted to, for a few years,

find a way to document her life story for future generations to commemorate, says Bonta, age 23, when asked about her motivation in making her short film.LAHI, a Tagalog word for race or legacy, is a short film about cultural identity filmed in Hawaii. It is inspired by Bonta’s own experiences as a thirdgeneration Filipina, as well as the life of her lola Cynthia, a WWII survivor who was born and raised in the Philippines.

Specifically, the 21-minute LAHI tells a story of a young, culturally-disconnected Filipina girl named “Mimi” who returns to O’ahu for her grandmother’s funeral. On the island, she embarks on a journey to return a family heirloom and is visited by the apparition of her grandmother and elders whose stories about Filipino identity turn her worldview upside down.

“I saw this work as an opportunity to create a narrativeinfused archive of my lola’s incredible life story, as well as flex my imagination and the creative possibilities of a short film,” says Bonta, daughter of Rob Bonta, California’s first Filipino Attorney General, and Mia Bonta, an 18th District CA Assemblymember.“Ioftenrefer to ‘LAHI’ as a love letter to my lola, and by casting her in the film as well, I was able to deepen our relationship in new, profound ways,” she

Recentlyadded.graduated with distinction at Yale University with Bachelor of Arts in Film and Media Studies, Bonta reckons her love for filmmaking began at a tender age.

“To some degree, I believe I was always drawn to film. When I was about five years old, and a ball of unbridled energy disrupting the house, my mother would hand me a disposable camera and send me into the backyard to ‘turn my energy into art’,” she

Growingrecalls.up, she remembers also taking on photography from an early age, which naturally evolved into her deep love for film. “The year I spent away from Yale during the pandemic of 2020-2021 really affirmed this passion as something real and viable as a career for myself, building upon my lessons in the classroom,” she said. Some of her photography were featured in world-renowned publications

including Forbes Magazine.

Her passion for film intensified further when she got to spend a lot of time in the film/ movie industry during the past few “Iyears.spent the first half of the year working as a production assistant in Hawaii on a multimillion dollar CBS television show, and the second half of the year working on-location in Kenya on a documentary project about endangered black rhinos on a wildlife conservancy and the rangers that protect them from poachers,” she says.

“These incredible experiences allowed me to learn about film in a new and adventurous way, outside of a more classically pedagogical learning environment, and cemented my passion for it,” adds Bonta, born and raised in California, who is now currently based in Brooklyn, New York.

Bonta is also a life-long competitive soccer player like her father. Rob, who also attended Yale University where he graduated cum laude with a B.A. in History in 1993, played on the Yale Bulldogs men’s soccer team. The young Bonta is currently playing with the Philippines Women’s National Team in preparation for the 2023 FIFA World Cup.

In this ever-changing world,

Bonta believes that it’s nice that some culture and traditions remain the same as reflected in the “Infilm.my eyes, the (film) story itself is reflected in the act of making it... both center on a young, third-generation Filipina engaging in a journey towards cultural reconnection. During a modern time where people may grow further from their cultural roots, LAHI is a reminder that preserving and honoring culture, specifically Filipino culture, is still a virtue of my generation,” she Bontaopines.comes from a family of Filipino and Puerto Rican activists, which deeply informs all of her pursuits as a storyteller.

After viewing the film, she hopes that all supporters and audience members of LAHI will feel a renewed sense of optimism.LAHI will be having its World Premiere at Portland Film Festival, screening on October 14 and 17. Simultaneously, it will also be screening on October 14, 5pm, at the San Diego Filipino FilmBontaFestival.told the Asian Journal that LAHI has also been selected to be shown, in other festivals such as LA Femme International Film Festival (Los Angeles, CA), Twin Cities Film Festival (Minneapolis, Minnesota),

and Hawai’i International Film Festival (Honolulu, HI), within the months of October and November this year.

LAHI features exceptional performances by Tiki Willis as Mimi (debut lead performance, known for Magnum P.I., upcoming Netflix pilot project), Tessie Magaoay as Andrea, Virginia Almonte-Savella Harper as Gabriela, and Cynthia Bonta (Reina’s grandmother, lifelong activist) as Lola’s Apparition.

DP Kilani Villiaros (NCIS: Hawaii), Producers Connie M. Florez (Waikiki) and Angelique Kalani Axelrode, and Executive Producer Bryan Spicer (24, Bones, The X Files) are crew members of the project.

Asked about her future and upcoming projects after LAHI, Bonta says she is currently producing a narrative feature film called “Characters Disappearing”, which centers on the IWK (the less visible Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) counterpart to the Black Panthers and Young Lords who were instrumental to the 1970s Yellow Power Movement), and is primed for production in New York’s Chinatown in November of this“Asyear.for my own directorial pursuits, I am exploring the concept of expanding LAHI into a feature,” she adds. n

File

A still from LAHI shows Mimi (played by Tiki Willis) at the thrift store.

San Diego is among eight markets in the United States to receive the grant, which comes from Wells Fargo’s Wealth Opportunity Restored Through Homeownership (WORTH) initiative, a $60 million national effort to help address systemic barriers to ownership for people of color.

A list of current resources for potential San Diego homebuyers are available at the SDHC’s website equity-project/.housing-opportunities/homeownership-https://www.sdhc.org/ n

Sec. Ben Diokno of the Department of Finance

San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria

Sec. Ivan Uy of the Department of Information and Communication Technology

Photo above shows members of the San Diego Homeownership

Equity Collaborative holding the proclamation that declared September 21 as “Homeownership Equity Day,” with Mayor Todd Gloria (extreme left), SDHC Board Chair Eugene “Mitch” Mitchell and City Council President Pro Tem Monica Montgomery Steppe. Photos by Nonong Roxas/AJ Press

Station Casinos plans to build 67-acre hotel-casino project in North Las Vegas

THE North Las Vegas Planning Commission recently approved Station Casinos’ plans to build a 67-acre hotel-casino at the northwest corner of Losee Road and the 215 Beltway, it was recently reported in the Las Vegas Review-Journal

This project, according to the report, will be built in two phases. When completed, it will feature 600 hotel rooms, more than 75,700 square feet of casino space, and include restaurants, a movie theater, banquet facilities and other amenities.AStation representative told the planning commission that the proposed development will provide more than 1,100 construction jobs and, at project’s completion, up to 840 permanent full-time jobs.

The company’s proposed project is scheduled to go

before the commission for a first reading and a vote in October.Station Casinos’ parent company is Red Rock Resorts, which has been a busy player in the real estate field lately. Red Rock recently announced that a trio of casinos shuttered during the pandemic – Fiesta Hendeson, Fiesta Rancho and Texas Station – will be closed for good, torn down and the land

Accordingsold. to Red Rock, the decision to close the three properties were due to the fact that, despite their popularity, patrons who frequented the establishments have switched over to other Station casinos. Currently, there are no mentioned interested buyers for the land on which the three casinos sit on, which is a total of 107.5 acres.

The locals-oriented casino company sold the Palms casino property for about $650 million in Red2021.Rock Resorts, in addition to a property with its own name in Summerlin and Green Valley Ranch in Henderson, operates multiple gaming properties under the Station brand throughout Las Vegas. It also runs 10 Wildfire casinos, which includes seven properties in the Henderson area.

The company is also looking to cement on its status as the dominant operator of localsoriented casinos, with the construction of a Wildfire casino in the downtown area, specifically along the busy Fremont Street tourist destination.

A statement issued by Red Rock Resorts said that they are “excited to bring a new Wildfire casino with fresh new amenities to the local residents of downtown Las Vegas.”

Wildfire Casinos are said to be typically heavy on slot machines and video poker. It also features casual and affordable dining options that cater to Las Vegas locals.Aside from the casino in the downtown area, Red Rock is also busy constructing a Durango project in Southwestern Las Vegas. The project is expected to include a 73,000-squarefoot casino, sports book, a 200room hotel, four restaurants and meeting space. That resort will sit on the intersection of Durango Drive and Interstate 215.

Although it is not a dominant player in the downtown area nor does it have a presence along the Strip, Red Rock Resorts, via its many casino properties in the Las Vegas area and neighboring communities, is a huge player in the gaming arena. Its emphasis on serving Las Vegas locals may well play to its advantage, as the area’s population continues to grow, courtesy of retirees who are moving to Nevada due to the lower cost of living and those who are moving to the area for other reasons, including employment and business opportunities.

Many Californians who have moved to Nevada are also benefitting local casino properties as they are not as affected by the changing numbers of workers in the construction arena and those who work in other casino properties.

Indeed, these are busy times for Red Rock Resorts and its Station Casinos and Wildfire brands. Its goal is to double its portfolio by 2030, and the projects it is currently undertaking are just the tip of the iceberg in Red Rock Resorts’ long-term bid to widen its reach.

While news of a housing slowdown has dominated recently, there is still a lot of construction going on in Las Vegas, with many planned casino-resorts and other mega projects opening within the next few years. That means continued employment for many, and a bevy of permanent jobs that will be available when these projects are nearing completion or are completed. And many of

those jobs are not in the gaming industry, but are in other fields which include hospitality, conventions and sports.

If you are looking to buy property or land in Las Vegas or neighboring areas, now is the time to make that investment.

You will be able to negotiate with sellers as there is more inventory available, and you will be able to look for that piece of land/property which can fit your budget, plans and dreams.

I have many decades of experience in assisting clients who are looking for their first home, second/vacation homes, investment properties or land (for future use/development).

I can assist you in looking for these opportunities. Many

of my clients have begun to reap the benefits of their investments, including turning their properties to rentals or Airbnb, or getting a good return on investment for the properties they bought in previous years.

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 fely@ precious-properties.com or fely. precious@gmail.com. We have investors who buy houses in California and Nevada for cash and quick escrow in as short as 7 days. (Advertising Supplement)

Realtor Fely Quitevis-Bateman’s investors from the Bay Area keep buying more land in Pahrump.

Realtor Fely Quitevis-Bateman (2nd from right) with her new wave of Pahrump investors from San Antonio, Texas and Guam.

Realtor Fely Quitevis-Bateman attended the Commercial Alliance Symposium sponsored by the Las Vegas Realtors association to gain more insight on real estate trends that she can share with her clientele.

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

By RealtoR Fely Quitevis-Bateman