092923 - Northern California Edition

What payment methods are telltale signs of scams?

PAYMENT methods that scammers insist you use like gift cards, cryptocurrency and wire transfer are telltale signs of scams, the Federal Trade Commission reported at a Sept. 22 Ethnic Media Services news briefing.

For the first six months of 2023, $4.4 billion dollars were lost across over 1.1 million reports of consumer fraud, per the FTC’s Consumer Sentinel Network — “and we know from our working experience, and from surveys, this is only the true tip of the iceberg,” said Lois Greisman, Associate Director of the FTC Division of Marketing Practices.

Forms of contact, payment

The primary point of contact that scammers use to reach people is social

Tagalog most spoken language in 15 US cities besides English and Spanish – study

TAGALOG is the most spoken language besides English and Spanish in households across 15 different U.S. cities, according to a new study.

The wider study found what languages are most popular in each U.S. state and revealed Tagalog to be the most used language in Nevada (besides English and Spanish).

The Word Finder X study found that Tagalog is the most spoken language besides English and Spanish in the following cities:

• Anchorage, Alaska

• Chula Vista, California

•Long Beach, California

•Riverside, California

•San Diego, California

Duterte trust, performance ratings dip

trust ratings of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and Vice President Sara Duterte dipped in the second quarter, independent pollster OCTA Research said on Tuesday, September 26. Its second quarter Tugon ng Masa Survey conducted from July 22-26, 2023, showed Marcos’ trust ratings at 75 percent, 8 percent lower than the 83 percent trust rating in the first quarter. Only 8 percent of Filipinos distrust him, while 17 percent of

Filipinos want Marcos to address high prices

by Kristina Maralit ManilaTimes.net

MAJORITY of Filipinos believe that President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. should give priority to improving the economy, particularly arresting the rising prices of basic goods, the results of Publicus Asia’s “Pahayag 2023 Third Quarter Survey” showed. The public’s economic concerns included affordability of basic necessities and commodities (15 percent), increasing prices (14 percent), job-seeking challenges (12 percent), underpayment (12 percent), and unemployment (10 percent) — issues

PH, US, Japan boost security cooperation

by Javier Joe isMael, Franco Jose Baroña ManilaTimes.net

THE Philippines, the United States and Japan will craft a “work plan” that would advance their trilateral cooperation, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said on Saturday, September 23 as the three states explore ways to further promote peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region.

Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo, U.S. State Secretary Antony Blinken and Japanese Foreign Minister Kamikawa Yoko convened the second trilateral ministerial meeting on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York on September 23.

Manalo, Blinken and former Japanese foreign minister Hayashi Yoshimasa convened

the first Philippine-U.S.-Japan ministerial meeting in Jakarta in July.

DFA spokesman Ma. Teresita Daza said the ministers “will come up with a work plan” after discussing possible activities under the trilateral cooperation. The U.S. State Department said the officials also agreed to “continue to call out behavior that is inconsistent with international law,” including China’s recent actions near Ayungin Shoal that interfered with the Philippines’ lawful exercise of high seas freedom of navigation.”

On the security cooperation, the ministers sought ways to enhance their countries’ partnership on maritime domain awareness, humanitarian assistance and disaster relief efforts.

Divorce bill an uphill battle – Tulfo

by CeCille Suerte Felipe Philstar.com

MANILA — While a Senate panel has approved a consolidated measure that provides for absolute divorce based on various grounds, Sen. Raffy Tulfo has expressed belief that the proposal is facing an “uphill battle” in the upper chamber.

Tulfo, one of the senators who signed the committee report recommending the passage of the divorce bill, said religion is a big factor why other members of the Senate would not support the legal dissolution of marriage.

“I think religion is one big factor. We are all religious. Because of religion, we don’t have divorce as their pastors would lobby not to support it. They cannot go against the church,”

he told “The Chiefs” on OneNewsPh last Saturday night, September 23.

He added that he could not say who among the remaining 23 senators would support the divorce bill. Committee Report No. 124, which recommended the passage of the measure, was signed by Tulfo, its author Senate Deputy Minority Leader Risa Hontiveros, Senate Minority Leader Aquilino Pimentel III, Senate President Pro-Tempore Loren Legarda and Senators Pia Cayetano, Imee Marcos, Robinhood Padilla and Grace Poe.

Although they signed the committee report, Poe and Cayetano indicated their intentions to interpellate and introduce amendments to the proposed measure.

that have become significant concerns for Filipinos heading into the last quarter of the year.

“It has been revealed that the concerns of Filipino citizens remain consistent with those of the previous quarter. However, a significant shift in focus has occurred, as the relentless rise in prices of basic goods has elevated prices/inflation and the Philippine economy to the forefront of national priorities,” Publicus Asia said in a statement on Monday, September 25.

“Approximately a third of Filipinos now see these economic challenges as the most crucial areas for President Ferdinand

OVP spent P125 million confidential funds in 11 days

by Sheila CriSoStomo Philstar.com

MANILA — The Office of Vice

President Sara Duterte spent the controversial P125-million confidential funds in 2022 in just 11 days, the Commission on Audit (COA) confirmed on Monday, September 25.

The COA made the disclosure during Monday’s fifth day of plenary debates on House Bill 8980 or the 2024 General Appropriations Bill at the House of Representatives.

Through its budget sponsor, House committee on appropriations senior vice president Stella Luz Quimbo, the COA corrected Gabriela party-list Rep. Arlene Brosas, who sought confirmation on the

disposition of the P125 million in confidential fund. Brosas and the other Makabayan bloc lawmakers earlier reported that the controversial funding was spent in 19 days. The budget was granted to the OVP for the year 2022 by the Office of the President. “In truth, I was also surprised when I heard the news that it was spent within 19 days so I asked COA and reviewed various reports. It was obligated not within 19 days but 11 days instead,” Quimbo, Marikina representative, said.

To this, a surprised Brosas replied: “It’s hard to comprehend that if that is for surveillance, how many reward

President Marcos visits a Kadiwa ng Pangulo caravan. Malacañang file photo

Marcos, Duterte trust, performance...

adult Filipinos are undecided.

The president’s trust rating is highest in the National Capital Region at 81 percent and among socioeconomic class D and E at 76 percent.

The Visayas gave the lowest trust rating of 63 percent, which is also his lowest rating among the class ABC socioeconomic group. The president’s performance rating was 71 percent, a 9 percent drop from his 80 percent rating last March 2023.

Only 10 percent were dissatisfied with the president’s performance, while 19 percent of adult Filipinos were unsure about his performance.

His satisfaction ratings were high among Class D at 71 percent and Class E at 72 percent, while his lowest among socioeconomic classes is at Class ABC at 62 percent.

Meanwhile, Duterte’s rating,

though high at 83 percent, was also lower than the 87 percent she got in the previous quarter. Only 2 percent of the respondents distrust her, and 14 percent were ambivalent. Her trust rating in Mindanao was highest — 97 percent, while her trust rating in Luzon was the lowest at 75 percent. Among socioeconomic classes, Class E had the highest trust rating for the vice president at 92 percent, while Class ABC had the lowest at 78 percent.

Duterte’s performance rating also remained high, with 82 percent of Filipino adults happy about her performance, slightly lower than the 84 percent recorded in the March survey. Her performance rating was highest in Mindanao at 96 percent, while her lowest satisfaction ratings came from the NCR at 73 percent and Balanced Luzon at 74 percent.

OVP spent P125 million confidential...

Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri and House Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez garnered trust ratings of 56 percent and 54 percent, respectively, in the same survey. Zubiri’s ratings increased by 6 percentage points, while Romualdez dipped by 1 percentage point.

On the other hand, Chief Justice Alexander Gesmundo’s trust rating is at 27 percent, a decrease of 12 percentage points from the 39 percent reported in March 2023.

Among congressional leaders, Zubiri got a 57 percent performance rating, while Romualdez received a 55 percent.

The survey had 1,200 respondents. It had a nationwide margin of error of plus or minus 3 percent and plus or minus 6 percent across major areas. n

payments have been made to spend P11 million per day… Did OVP submit liquidation report to the Office of the President, President of the Senate and Speaker of the House?”

Quimbo replied in the affirmative, noting that the liquidation report was submitted by the OVP on Jan. 17, 2023. She added that at present, COA is still doing an audit of such expenses but the agency was already able to submit its preliminary observation or audit observation memorandum (AOM) to the OVP.

to finish the audit of the confidential fund by Nov. 15.

Quimbo underscored that AOM is “confidential in nature” but issuing it conveys COA’s request for additional documents from the OVP to shed light on certain expenses.

The COA has a proposed budget of P13.360 billion out of the P5.678 trillion in the national budget for 2024.

Duterte has yet to respond to COA’s findings. But in a statement sent to reporters, the OVP said that “we have not yet received an AOM from COA.” (With reports from Neil Jayson Servallos)

The agency has committed Vice President Sara Duterte Philstar.com photo

Filipinos want Marcos to address high...

PAGE 1

Marcos Jr. to address,” it added.

The survey also showed Filipinos’ macro and micro concerns, with 25 percent of minimally educated individuals prioritizing rising prices and inflation and 26 percent of the 50-59 age group focusing on economic stability. On the other hand, 17 percent of those in the Visayas highlighted corruption as a top concern.

At the same time, 22 percent of Filipinos, particularly those less educated, face challenges in meeting basic needs; 19 percent of 25- to 29-year-olds face job scarcity and skill mismatch; and 19 percent of government workers expressed dissatisfaction with their pay, the survey said.

“These findings reveal a diverse array of pressing issues within Filipino society, emphasizing the need for multifaceted solutions,”

Publicus Asia said.

“As we approach the final quarter of 2023, it is evident that the rising prices of essential goods have become a pressing issue for Filipinos,” it added.

The Marcos administration is also now faced with the “critical task of addressing these concerns and stabilizing the Philippine economy” heading into the last three months of the year, the pollster said. n

PH, US, Japan boost security...

PAGE 1 PAGE 1

“They committed to uphold our shared values of freedom, democracy and respect for human rights, and reaffirmed our shared vision, as equal and sovereign partners, for a free and open Indo-Pacific region that upholds international law,” State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said.

The three officials also discussed ways to support economic resiliency and enhance engagements on energy, infrastructure and digital economy issues.

In his remarks, Blinken said the U.S. looks forward to strengthening the partnership “to maintain peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific, and also to foster, to strengthen economic resilience and to promote the common prosperity of our people.”

“I think all three countries believe strongly that our collaboration, not only on a bilateral basis but on a trilateral basis, can produce very positive benefits not only for our countries but also for other countries and partners in the region and beyond,” he said.

Kamikawa, meanwhile, underscored the importance of “multilayered collaboration with allies and like-minded countries” for upholding a rules-based order, especially with what Japan labeled as “recent severe strategic environment” in the region, including the situation in the South China Sea.

The meeting builds on the September 6 trilateral talks among President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris and Japanese Prime Minister Kishida Fumio in Jakarta, Indonesia, where they discussed the maritime security environment

in the South China Sea and reviewed ways in which their three countries could enhance trilateral maritime cooperation, including humanitarian assistance and disaster relief efforts.

The trilateral meeting comes as China continues its aggression in the disputed waters amid a report that two Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) vessels have been shadowed by a China Coast Guard (CCG) ship while patrolling Escoda (Sabina) Shoal and Rozul (Iroquois) Reef, features in the West Philippine Sea that are part of the country’s exclusive economic zone, from September 1 to 21.

Ray Powell, SeaLight director, said on Saturday that the BRP Cabra and BRP Sindangan arrived at Escoda Shoal in the early morning of September 19.

Powell said the two vessels “appeared to examine its northeast approaches before entering the shoal’s interior from the southeast and remaining there overnight.”

On the other hand, CCG 4301 left its patrol near Ayungin (Second Thomas) Shoal and arrived at midday of the same day to observe the PCG vessels from the west.

Powell, who is also the project lead for Project Myoushu at Stanford University’s Gordian Knot Center for National Security Innovation, said later that evening, the CCG ship briefly went back to China’s naval base located at the artificial island near Mischief Reef before returning to Sabina Shoal.

The following day, September 20, he said 10 Chinese maritime militia ships were deployed from Mischief Reef “apparently concerned” that the PCG ships would attempt to approach its outpost aboard the grounded BRP Sierra Madre at Ayungin Shoal.

He said the maritime militia

ships took up blocking positions east of Ayungin, joining two others that were already there.

However, the two PCG ships moved north from Escoda Shoal to inspect Rozul Reef while CCG 4301 “ranged 120 kilometers (km) to the east for reasons that are not clear, finally turning back to the northwest toward Rozul Reef at 4 a.m. on September 21.

“CCG 4201 arrived at Rozul Reef 1600 on September 21, just as the two PCG ships started for home,” said Powell, a 2021 fellow at Stanford’s Distinguished Careers Institute.

He said the CCG ship “shadowed” the PCG vessels for 120 km and did not turn back until they were about 30 km southwest of Escoda Shoal.

Powell said the CCG ship was mostly “dark” or was not broadcasting its automatic information system (AIS) during that period.

He said CCG ships frequently resort to dark operations when they do not want to be detected.

AIS is a signaling system used to identify a vessel’s type, position, course, speed and other navigation safety information, and is required by the International Maritime Organization for larger nonmilitary ships operating in international waters.

‘Hypocritical’

Meanwhile, Defense Secretary Gilberto “Gibo” Teodoro Jr. described as “hypocritical” the recent statement issued by China that the grounded BRP Sierra Madre in Ayungin Shoal is actually causing “irrevocable harm” to the marine environment.

“Talk about the pot calling the kettle black. China continues to damage the [West Philippine u PAGE 4

PAUNAWA NG MGA SENTRO NG PAGBOTO Nobyembre 7, 2023, Espesyal na Halalan

IPINAGBIBIGAY-ALAM SA PAMAMAGITAN NITO na ang Tagapagrehistro ng mga Botante ng County ng Santa Clara ay may sumusunod na mga lokasyon bilang Sentro ng Pagboto para sa bawat presinto ng halalan para sa Espesyal na Halalan na gaganapin sa County ng Santa Clara, sa Martes, Nobyembre 7, 2023

IPINAGBIBIGAY-ALAM NA KARAGDAGAN NITO na ang mga balotang naipatala sa nasabing halalan ay sentralisadong mabibilang sa Opisina ng Tagapagrehistro ng mga Botante ng County ng Santa Clara, 1555 Berger Drive, Building 2, San Jose, California 95112.

Maagang Pagboto sa Opisina ng Tagapagrehistro ng mga Botante 1555 Berger Drive, Building 2, San Jose, CA 95112

Lunes – Biyernes Oktubre 9, 2023 – Nobyembre 6, 2023

ANG MGA LOKASYON AY MAAARING MAGBAGO

Manyaring bisitahin ang www.sccvote.org

Isang scan ka na lang mula sa pag-send ng pera sa Pilipinas kung paano dapat.

Itutok lang ang camera mo sa QR code para automatic na i-download ang Remitly app. May makikita kang app na nasa Tagalog, nag-o-offer ng nakakagulat na murang fees para sa pag-send ng pera at nagno-notify sa iyo kung nasaan ang pera mo sa bawat hakbang ng proseso.

Magpadala ng pera

Paraan ng delivery

Bank deposit and debit card deposit

Cash pickup

Tagalog most spoken language in 15...

•Stockton, California

•Henderson, Nevada

•Las Vegas, Nevada

•Reno, Nevada

•Gilbert, Arizona

•Corpus Christi, Texas

•Jacksonville, Florida

•Chesapeake, Virginia

•Norfolk, Virginia

•Virginia Beach, Virginia The wider study found

what languages are most popular in each U.S. state and revealed Tagalog to be the most used language in Nevada (besides English and Spanish). (Inquirer. net)

PH, US, Japan boost security...

PAGE 2

Sea] by its illegal reclamation activities in the [South China Sea], and it was found to be a violator of international law in the 2016 Arbitral Award when such activities damaged the marine environment,” Teodoro said in a statement issued on Saturday.

“Disingenuous propaganda lines such as this only serve to expose China’s insincerity and will only heighten the mistrust by the Filipino people and the rest of the world of the Chinese Government,” he added.

The Philippine government has announced that it will pursue the filing of environmental cases against China for its numerous destructive activities in the West Philippine Sea for many years.

The announcement came just days after the PCG confirmed the report recently released by the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Western Command about the severe damage inflicted upon the marine environment and coral reef in the seabed of Rozul Reef and Escoda Shoal.

These were the same areas where approximately 33 Chinese maritime vessels were monitored to be “swarming” from August 9 to September 11.

China, however, denied

“harvesting” and damaging the corals off Rozul Reef and said that the Philippines was “creating a political drama from fiction.”

“If the Philippines truly cares about the ecological environment of the South China Sea, it should tow away the illegally ‘grounded’ warship at Ren’ai Jiao (Ayungin Shoal) as soon as possible, stop it from discharging polluted water into the ocean and not let the rusting warship bring irrevocable harm to the ocean,” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Mao Ning said on Thursday, September 21, referring to Ayungin Shoal by its name assigned by Beijing.

‘No factual basis’

Herman Tiu Laurel, Asian Century Philippines Strategic Studies Institute president, said the allegation made by the PCG and the AFP that China was somehow responsible for the destruction of the corals in the Rozul Reef is without “solid, factual basis.”

He pointed out that coral destruction in the South China Sea has been a “half-century-old problem” caused by destructive dynamite and cyanide fishing.

Such illegal fishing practices were due to the government’s neglect of the Filipino fishermen’s economic plight, failure of the policing by the PCG and in recent

decades due to the warming of the oceans and rising acidity of the sea, said Laurel.

He cited a survey of Philippine coral reefs conducted from 2015 to 2017 and published in the Philippine Journal of Science that showed there are no longer any reefs in excellent condition and 90 percent were classified as either poor or fair.

Laurel further cited a 2017 report by the United Nations wherein it was predicted that all 29 World Heritage coral reefs, including one in the Philippines, will die by 2100 unless carbon emissions are drastically reduced. He said another contributing factor to the destruction of corals is the unhampered dynamite and cyanide fishing.

“Blast fishing and dynamite fishing are practices of many subsistence Filipino fishermen desperate for sizable catches to sustain family incomes severely depleted by decades of increasing poverty, poverty that the Philippine government has not been able to alleviate,” Laurel said during a forum on Saturday.

“Nor has the PCG been able to stop the practice of illegal and deleterious fishing practices,” he added. (With reports from the Philippine News Agency)

What payment methods are telltale signs...

PAGE 1

media, by which $658 million was reported lost in the first half of 2023. Phone calls have the highest per person reported losses, with a median loss of $1,400 per person.

“Just as scammers like certain forms of contact, like the telephone, which are most effective at getting someone to part with their money,” said Greisman, “they like certain types of payment because they

can take the money with very little trail, while for the consumer it’s virtually impossible to get this money back.”

By far the greatest losses by payment method owe to bank transfers, for which $901 million was reported lost in the first six months of 2023 alone.

An example of this scam: “I get a call. I am told my grandson has been in a car accident, can’t find an insurance card, and needs surgery right away. The only way he can get it is if I go to my bank and I ask them to transfer $7,895 to an account in Canada,” Greisman said.

Other common payment methods include wire transfers, by which $164 million was lost in the first half of 2023; credit cards, by which $123 million was lost; gift cards, by which $109 million was lost; debit cards, amounting to $106 million; and payment apps like Zelle and Venmo, and Cash App, amounting to $102 million.

Much of these losses owe to imposter, lottery, investment, and business fraud — for example, “You get a phone call from the IRS that you owe back taxes, or from the sheriff’s office that there’s a warrant out for your arrest, or you’ve won the lottery and all you have to do is pay a processing fee” by sending or reading aloud the numbers of “a gift card for $100, or a few hundred,” Greisman said.

In the case of larger payments in the thousands and tens of thousands through cryptocurrency and wire transfers, “there may be an ‘expert’ online who wants to teach you how to get rich quick trading cryptocurrency, or becoming an entrepreneur by selling on eBay,” she added.

Sophia Siddiqui, an attorney for the FTC Division of Marketing Practices, said that due to low regulations, cryptocurrency has been on the rise over recent years as “the payment method preferred by scammers. Through online trading groups or social media, they’ll say they’re making millions in cryptocurrency, and that they’re offering investment advice for a limited time for an upfront $10,000 fee. You pay using their link, they put that money in their crypto wallet, and never contact you again.”

Never send money “to someone you don’t know or trust, who pressures you to

pay immediately, or says that a certain payment method like a wire, gift card, or crypto is the only way to pay,” said Siddiqui. Owing to low regulations and small paper trails, it’s very unlikely that money lost to cryptocurrency and wire scams, and gift cards can be recovered. Conversely, credit cards offer the best protections under federal law.

Stopping scams

“If you call your bank and say you didn’t authorize a charge on your credit card, they have to investigate, and you shouldn’t be liable for more than $50 — many banks won’t even charge you that,” said Siddiqui.

Likewise, for a gift card like Amazon, or a wire transfer like Western Union, “contact the company and ask them to reverse the charge. If you send cash or a gift card in the mail, ask USPS to intercept the package. If you give a scammer your social security number, go to identitytheft.gov to see what steps to take, like monitoring your credit,” she continued. “If you give a scammer access to your phone or computer, update your security software, run a scan, and delete anything problematic.”

Those facing a scam can report it at reportfraud.ftc. gov, and find information on how to avoid scams in various languages including Arabic, Chinese, Hmong, Korean, Spanish, Russian, Tagalog and Vietnamese at ftc.gov/ languages.

Red flags

The best weapon in the fight against scams is, by far, education, Greisman and Siddiqui agreed. Never underestimate how persuasive a scammer can be,” said Greisman. “What most helps is informing people about red flags. The bottom line is that how they want you to pay is the red flag. If you get a call or message asking with threats or promising returns for a gift card, a wire transfer, crypto — hang up, delete it, go offline, do whatever you need to do to stop contact. That’s not how a government entity or other institution would reach you.”

Likewise, Siddiqui added, it boils down to this: “Only a scammer will guarantee that you will make a lot of money with no risk.” (Selen

Ozturk/Ethnic media Services)

Divorce bill an uphill battle...

PAGE 1

Tulfo, who has a television show, said he is in favor of the proposed divorce bill after he received and continues to receive complaints about husbands maltreating and abusing their wives.

“I’m in favor of divorce due to the number of complaints of husbands beating their wives. The wives wanted to file annulment, but it’s an expensive and long process. It’s difficult for a woman to move on. She can’t live with another man as she might be sued,” he added.

For the senator, a marriage can be dissolved only with strong reasons like the wife being abused by the husband who is a drunkard, womanizer, addict and the like.

Recently, the Senate committee on women, children, family relations and gender equality approved a consolidated measure that provides for absolute divorce based on various grounds, including five years of separation, whether continuous or broken, and the commission of the crime of rape before or after marriage. n

Sen. Raffy Tulfo on February 14, 2023.

Senate photo

YOUNG WEAVER. Leianzy Mamites, a member of the Bagobo-Tagabawa tribe, wows visitors with her weaving prowess during the FiestaKucha

Kadayawan 2023 at the Philippine Women’s College in Davao City on Tuesday, September 26. The group of Mamites, a beneficiary of the Department of Trade and Industry’s livelihood assistance, was invited to showcase its products. PNA photo by Robinson Niñal Jr.

Three-pronged fight vs drugs proposed

SEN. Christopher "Bong" Go has emphasized the roles of law enforcement, rehabilitation and prevention in combatting drug problems in the country.

The senator, in a chance interview after the launch of the 159th Malasakit Center in Bislig City, Surigao del Sur, on September 15, proposed a three-pronged approach to address illegal drugs.

Go said every administration had its approach to combat the drug problem. He said former president Rodrigo Duterte pursued a "massive campaign" against drugs.

"I support President [Ferdinand] Bongbong Marcos [Jr.] in whatever approach [to address the drug problem]. The fight against illegal drugs must continue," he said in Filipino.

He raised the need to empower law enforcement agencies to earn the trust of the people they are mandated to protect.

Go sought a "competent and corruption-free police force and other law enforcement agencies to effectively combat

drug syndicates."

The chairman of the Senate Committee on Health and Demography also raised the need to rehabilitate drug users.

"Most of them are merely victims [of drug syndicates]."

Go has filed a bill to institutionalize a technical vocational education and livelihood program for rehabilitated drug dependents.

He said the third approach centers on prevention, particularly among the youth.

"We encourage the youth to get into sports. That is one way to

PH Coast Guard removes shoal barrier

by Franco Jose c. Baroña ManilaTimes.net

THE Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) said it has removed the floating barrier installed by the China Coast Guard (CCG) off Bajo de Masinloc (Scarborough Shoal).

In a report issued late Monday night, September 25, the PCG said it “executed a special operation” to remove the floating barrier that obstructed the southeast entrance of Bajo De Masinloc in compliance with the instruction of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

The PCG said the directive was issued by National Security Adviser Eduardo Año, who also sits as chairman of the National Task Force for the West Philippine Sea (NTF-WPS). It did not specify the exact time the operation was conducted.

“The barrier posed a hazard to navigation, a clear violation of international law,” said Commodore Jay Tarriela, PCG spokesman on the West Philippine Sea.

“It also hinders the conduct of fishing and livelihood activities of Filipino fisherfolk in Bajo de Masinloc, which is an integral part of the Philippine national territory,” he added.

Tarriela cited the 2016 Arbitral Award that affirmed Bajo de Masinloc as a traditional fishing ground for Filipino fishermen.

“Thus, any obstruction hindering the livelihoods of

Filipino fisherfolk in the shoal violates international law. It also infringes on the Philippines’ sovereignty over Bajo de Masinloc,” he said.

The floating barrier, which measures 300 meters in length, was discovered by the PCG and Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) personnel onboard Barko ng Republika ng Pilipinas (BRP) Datu Bankaw when they conducted a routine maritime patrol on September 22 in the vicinity of the atoll.

Based on the accounts of Filipino fishermen who frequented the area, three CCG Rigid Hull Inflatable Boats (RHIBs) and a Chinese maritime militia service boat installed the floating barrier upon the arrival of the BFAR vessel in the vicinity of the shoal.

Doubts

Manila-based Asian Century Philippines Strategic Studies Institute (ACPSSI) President Herman Tiu Laurel, however, questioned the veracity of the photos and videos released by the PCG showing ropes tied to the supposed floating barrier being cut by divers.

Laurel told The Manila Times that the images and videos did not provide other important details, such as whether the entire barrier was actually removed and the time the operation was conducted.

“The scarcity of important details of the PCG report and video of the barrier removal

operation leaves too many questions unanswered, leading to doubts about the authenticity of the operation and report,” he said.

Laurel cited a social media post of the international research network South China Sea Probing Initiative (SCSPI) reviewing the images publicly released by Tarriela.

The post pointed out that a floating barrier is temporarily deployed between two ships, which is “not quite like the one [PCG personnel] removed.”

Meanwhile, the Office of the Solicitor General (OSG) said it will review all incidents involving Chinese vessels in the West Philippine Sea since the 2016 Arbitral Award was handed down. Solicitor General Menardo Guevarra said whatever details they collect will serve as evidence to support a possible case against China.

“The OSG will gather information on all incidents at the WPS since the first arbitral award in 2016, including the most recent ones involving reef destruction and floating barriers,” Solicitor General Guevarra said in a statement.

“We need solid evidence that will stand up in any tribunal,” he added.

Guevarra also said authorities will evaluate all possible legal options before making a recommendation to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and to the Department of Foreign Affairs. n

keep them away from drugs."

Go, also the chairman of the Senate Committee on Sports, has advocated sports-related programs as a means to divert the youth from the lure of illegal drugs and criminality.

The senator filed Senate Bill (SB) 422, which aims to provide free legal assistance to the country's uniformed personnel, particularly those wrongfully accused.

He also proposed SB 428 establishing drug rehabilitation and treatment centers in every province nationwide. n

WHAT NOW? Filipino fishermen look at the floating barrier placed by China to stop them from fishing in rich waters.

Photo courtesy of the Philippine Coast Guard

Out of school

A MORE comprehensive study is needed, but the data released by the Philippine Statistics Authority this week provides a glimpse into another troubling aspect of education in this country. In 2022, according to the PSA study, 18.6 percent of Filipinos aged five to 24 did not attend school. This translates into about 7.85 million children and youths, the PSA said.

Asked about the reasons for staying out of school, the biggest percentage at 21.1 cited the completion of a college or postsecondary degree. Employment was the second biggest reason cited, at 19.7 percent, followed by lack of interest (12.6 percent), marriage (10.7 percent) and the high cost of education or financial problems (9.9 percent).

Editorial

While education is no sure-fire guarantee of personal advancement, it generally opens opportunities and raises the chances of improving the quality of life. Education also plays a critical role in national competitiveness and prosperity. The most competitive countries give top priority to education and innovation, pouring resources into the provision of quality education that is accessible to all their citizens.

In the Philippines, universal free education from kindergarten to tertiary level has not translated into quality education. The COVID lockdowns worsened the problem, with education stakeholders concerned that the learning gap became wider during the two years of forced shift to a blended education mode dominated by remote learning.

The economic tsunami caused by the pandemic also worsened the capability of many parents to finance the formal education of their children. There are many other expenses apart from tuition and basic miscellaneous fees that parents must shoulder in sending their children to school. During the pandemic lockdowns, many parents especially those with several school-age children could not afford the gadget requirements for blended learning, despite state subsidies and donations from private groups. Even before the lockdowns, the government was already grappling with a high dropout rate in basic education as well as learning gaps that were manifested in the results of international tests, including one that showed Filipino 10-yearolds faring poorly in reading comprehension, mathematics and science. The government is tweaking the K-12 curriculum to address the learning gaps. Teachers, meanwhile, continue to press for better pay, resources and working conditions. The PSA report should give more urgency to the reforms needed in the education sector. (Philstar.com)

Triple whammy in our territorial waters

economic zone are slowly but surely being destroyed.

IT’S bad enough that our Philippine Coast Guard vessels and boats bringing food, water and other supplies to our troops stationed at BRP Sierra Madre in Ayungin Shoal are continuously being harassed and bullied, our fishermen regularly being prevented from plying their livelihood by Chinese Coast Guard and militia vessels – and now, our precious coral reefs in seabeds within our exclusive

According to a report filed by the Armed Forces of the Philippines’ Western Command (WesCom) and confirmed by the Philippine Coast Guard that conducted extensive underwater surveys, the marine ecosystems in Rozul Reef and Escoda Shoal are dying – if not already dead – most likely caused by the illegal and indiscriminate activities of Chinese vessels that have been swarming the areas, resulting in the massive destruction of coral reefs in the aforementioned West Philippine Sea features.

From Aug. 9 to Sept. 11 alone this year, approximately 33 Chinese maritime militia vessels in Rozul Reef and 15 in Escoda Shoal were monitored by the Philippine Coast Guard. Quoting divers who conducted the underwater surveys, WesCom chief Vice Admiral Alberto Carlos said “there is nothing left” of the corals in Rozul Reef, adding that they have been “destroyed, and only debris was there.”

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) says that about “25 percent of the ocean’s fish depend on healthy coral reefs” where “fishes and other organisms

shelter, find food, reproduce and rear their young in the many nooks and crannies formed by corals.” The rich biodiversity found in the habitat created by corals is also the reason why coral reefs are described as the “rainforests of the sea.”

A report published at the MIT Science Policy review in August 2020 disclosed that coral reefs “provide ecosystem services worth $11 trillion annually by protecting coasts, sustaining fisheries, generating tourism and creating jobs across the tropics,” and that as many as one billion people across the planet depend on coral reefs for food, income and coastal protection.

More than 500 species of coral and more than 2,000 species of fish live in the waters of the Philippines, which is part of the most diverse and biologically complex marine ecosystem in the world known as the “Coral Triangle” that covers 5.7 million square kilometers of ocean waters spanning across parts of Indonesia, Malaysia, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, Timor Leste and the Philippines, according to NOAA.

As early as 2019, Dr. Deo Florence Onda, an oceanographer and professor at the University of the Philippines’ Marine Science Institute, has been warning that the Philippines is losing an estimated P33 billion worth of damage to its reef ecosystem annually, all because of China’s land reclamation activities within our exclusive economic zone.

Aside from illegal fishing activities, Chinese vessels have also been poaching giant clams under the reefs and taking corals and the species therein, which

they use as decorative materials, ornaments and jewelry, said maritime law expert Professor Jay Batongbacal.

Videos released by the PCG showed the crushed corals, with “visible discoloration” in the seabed of Escoda Shoal that is indicative of “deliberate activities… undertaken to modify the natural topography of its underwater terrain,” said PCG spokesperson Commodore Jay Tarriela.

Not surprisingly, reactions to the videos ranged from shock to sadness to anger over the colossal damage that has been wrought upon our marine ecosystem. But what is even more disturbing – totally infuriating – to many Filipinos is that the destruction of the coral reefs is actually a prelude to land reclamation by the Chinese. In Tagalog, “niluluto tayo sa sariling mantika” (we are being cooked in our own fat) – constructing artificial islands with our own corals.

Both Senator Francis Tolentino and Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro have warned about this. Intelligence we gathered confirm that these corals are deliberately being crushed, processed and dumped on the seabed.

Since 2013, China has been turning disputed land features in the Spratlys into military bases with ports, runways and other infrastructure. But to use the damaged corals from Rozul Reef and Escoda Shoal to make the artificial islands? Absolutely unacceptable.

Support is growing for the filing of cases against China before an international tribunal for the destruction of our corals, and elevating the issue before

Staying up to date with the new COVID

prevalent COVID-19 variant and is available for administration starting from late September, 2023.

Q: Does everyone need to get the new COVID-19 vaccine?

Q: I have already received the updated Bivalent COVID-19 vaccine when it came out last year. Do I still need to get vaccinated for COVID-19?

A: Like flu virus, the virus that causes COVID-19 has changed over time. The bivalent vaccine which was available since September 2022 isn’t well matched to the currently circulating strains of COVID.

A new vaccine has been developed and was approved by the FDA on Sep 11, 2023. The new vaccine provides better protection against the currently

A: CDC recommends everyone 6 months and older get an updated COVID-19 vaccine to protect against the potentially serious outcomes of COVID-19 illness this fall and winter. Getting vaccinated every year is the best way to prevent serious illness requiring hospitalization. The people most at risk for getting very sick from COVID-19 are over age 65 or have health conditions like asthma, diabetes, or heart and lung disease. The risk of hospitalization is pretty low for those under 18-year-

olds. But if you are 65-74 that risk is 36 times higher. The older you are, the higher your risk is. So, if you are over age 65 or have underlying condition, it is especially important to get the most updated vaccine. Note that young people should be considered to get vaccinated not only for themselves but also to protect the older adults who live with them.

Q: If I already had COVID-19 and recovered, do I still need to get a COVID-19 vaccine?

A: COVID-19 vaccine after you recover from COVID-19 infection provides added protection against COVID-19. You may consider delaying your vaccine by at least 3 months from when your symptoms started or, if you

had no symptoms, when you recovered a positive test. People who already had COVID-19 and don’t get vaccinated after their recovery are more likely to get COVID-19 again than those who get vaccinated after their recovery.

Q: Do I need to wait after getting a flu vaccine or another vaccine before getting a COVID-19 vaccine?

A: There is no recommendation waiting period between getting a COVID-19 vaccine and other vaccines. You can get a COVID-19 vaccine and other vaccines, including a Flu vaccine, at the same visit. Possible side effects after getting vaccinated are generally the same when given alone or with other vaccines.

the UN General Assembly. Calls are also mounting to make China pay billions of pesos not only for the enormous destruction of our coral reefs but for robbing our fisherfolk of their livelihood and threatening the food security of Filipinos.

And for those who continue to make a lot of noise complaining about our Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement with the United States – wake up! Just think – when the USS Guardian accidentally ran aground on Tubbataha Reef in January 2013, the U.S. paid P87 million for the damage the minesweeper had caused.

China, on the other hand, has built bases in maritime areas that are located within our exclusive economic zone and scoffingly dismisses the destruction of the corals in Rozul Reef and Escoda Shoal as “political drama.”

So who is being a responsible member of the community of nations, and who is not? As Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla pointed out, “with or without the territorial dispute, the destruction of the environment is a sin against humanity.”

There is absolutely no justification for this type of behavior by the Chinese. We must do all we can and join hands with the international community in putting a stop to these insane activities, and bring everything to its just conclusion. (Philstar.com)

* * * 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. * * * babeseyeview@gmail.com

vaccine

Talk to your healthcare provider about getting vaccines.

Q: Does my health insurance cover the flu and COVID-19 vaccines? What if I don’t have health insurance?

A: Yes, Medicare Part B and most state Medicaid cover Flu and COVID-19 vaccines at no cost. All Health Insurance Marketplace plans and most other private insurance plans cover these vaccines without charging out-of-pocket cost when provided by an in-network provider.

People who don’t have health insurance or with health plans that do not cover the cost can get a free vaccine from their local health centers; state, local, tribal, or territorial health department;

and pharmacies participating in the CDC’s Bridge Access Program. Your state health department can tell you where to go for free and low-cost vaccines, including community centers, schools, and religious centers.

* * * 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.

* * * National Asian Pacific Center on Aging (NAPCA) is a non-profit organization dedicated to improving the quality of life of AANHPI older adults and their families. We operate a NAPCA Senior Assistance Center for Older Adults and Caregivers and is available in 5 different languages.

Diverse suppliers are good for business and the community

Diverse businesses are the backbone of many of communities. That’s why JPMorgan Chase is committed to helping these businesses develop and thrive. Ted Archer, Global Head of Business Partner Diversity for JPMorgan Chase, recently spoke about why diverse suppliers are good for business and the community.

1. How did you come to lead supplier diversity at JPMorgan Chase and what inspired you to get involved in this work?

I’ve been at JPMorgan Chase for seven years and most of my career has been dedicated to building business programs that drive economic growth. One of the most rewarding parts of my job is working with underrepresented businesses to make sure they have the tools they need to succeed. At JPMorgan Chase, supplier diversity is just one way we make dreams possible for these diverse business owners, their employees, and their communities.

2. Why should companies prioritize supplier diversity?

Supplier diversity provides companies with access to innovation. Diverse suppliers bring new perspectives and solutions to business problems. They also know how to operate efficiently with limited resources, and are agile to suit different business needs. In addition, supplier diversity generates wealth in diverse communities. Diverse suppliers tend to hire within their local areas, providing jobs and incomes, lifting the overall economy. A prosperous and thriving community is good for everyone.

3. How are you re-thinking supplier diversity? What is JPMorgan Chase doing differently?

An important component of supplier diversity is supplier development. Small and underrepresented businesses often don’t have access to the same resources, financing and contacts that large majority-owned companies do. Building deeper relationships with these businesses enables us to identify other ways to support their growth, including creating connections to networks that lead to contract opportunities, capital and other resources.

4. How are you amplifying the impact of supplier diversity across the wider business community?

We have mobilized over 100 of our top

suppliers to mirror the firm’s commitment to supplier diversity by creating and enhancing their own supplier diversity programs. Through mentoring, coaching and education, we help these companies develop and operate their own sustainable supplier diversity programs, which will generate opportunity and growth for decades.

The results speak for themselves: 85% of the businesses enrolled in our mentorship program launched new supplier diversity programs in 2022. Additionally, over the last two years, nearly 90% of our top suppliers have committed to spending increases generating more than $6 billion in new spend with underrepresented businesses.

5. How would a diverse business get started working with large companies like JPMorgan Chase?

For businesses interested in providing services to companies in the private sector, the best first step is to become certified by a diverse business certifying organization. While many business owners are familiar with government diversity certifications, there are also certifications recognized by privatesector corporations, such as the National Minority Supplier Development Council or the Women’s Business Enterprise National Council. These organizations can also help connect businesses with prospective corporate clients via conferences, seminars and webinars – all designed to provide business owners with information and enable them to meet and network with corporate executives.

In addition, companies with active supplier diversity programs often have online registration portals through which they invite business owners to share their company history and capabilities. JPMorgan Chase has a Supplier Diversity Network, which is a searchable database for our supplier diversity and sourcing teams to find new diverse businesses when contract opportunities come up.

6. Are there any final thoughts?

Supplier diversity programs are good for any business, and they have a powerful positive impact on employees, families, and communities. It’s an honor to work with diverse businesses to provide jobs, lift local economies, and make dreams come true.

Jose Mari Chan featured in

Time Magazine as the Philippines’ ‘face, voice of Christmas’

by Jan Milo Severo Philstar.com

MANILA — Jose Mari Chan

was featured in international publication Time Magazine which described him the face and voice of holiday season in the Philippines.

Time said that Filipinos are excited annually for September 1 to post memes of Chan as a means of announcing the holiday season.

The publication also compared Chan to Mariah Carey.

"Chan’s carols that have, over the past few decades, become ubiquitous throughout the final four months of every year in malls, restaurants, karaoke bars, and radio broadcasts across the archipelagic Southeast Asian nation of 110 million people," it said.

Time also discussed Chan being a "first a businessman, and second a singer-songwriter."

It then said that Chan's musical career rose to fame in the '90s after he wrote "Christmas In Our

Hearts."

Chan told Time why he allowed people to take selfies with him.

“I don’t have the heart to say no,” he told Time. “I don’t want

Pia Wurtzbach, Colombia’s Ariadna Gutierrez reunite at Paris fashion event

by HannaH Mallorca Inquirer.net

IT’S the reunion that every pageant fan was waiting for.

Pia Wurtzbach and Colombian model Ariadna

Gutierrez have finally reunited at a fashion event in Paris, eight years after the Filipina-German beauty queen was crowned Miss Universe in 2015 — a crowning moment that everyone knew all too well.

Gutierrez was mistakenly announced by TV host

Steve Harvey as the winner of the international beauty pageant, but a few minutes later, he was made to retract his words and declared Wurtzbach to be that year’s Miss Universe.

The incident was considered to be one of the most iconic, if not controversial, moments in pageant history, with Gutierrez being forced to relinquish her crown that had been placed on her head only briefly by the then reigning Miss Universe Paulina Vega. It would have been a back-to-back win for Colombia, if not for the Filipina beauty that got in the way.

Fast forward to the present, the two beauty queens appeared to have moved on from the incident and have now reunited at a fashion event in Paris, as seen on Wurtzbach’s Instagram account on Tuesday, Sept. 26.

“The reunion you’ve all been waiting for,” she wrote.

to appear arrogant.”

Despite being "the face and voice of Christmas" in the country, Chan said he's not primarily interested in profit for his songs.

SB19 keeps monthly checkups, healthy lifestyle to stay on top of their game

by HannaH Mallorca Inquirer.net

THERE is no shadow of doubt that SB19 is everywhere. From their sold-out concerts at the home front, to their appearances and shows abroad, their punishing schedule can take a toll on their health. Still, the group is able to deliver a near-perfect performance every time.

The group attributes this to their healthy habits and in prioritizing their well-being.

“Be aware kung anong nangyayari, physically, mentally, and of course, ‘yung health mo from the inside (Be aware what’s happening to you, physically, mentally, and of course, your health from the inside),” Stell told reporters during a brief interview for their joint concert with local acts Ben&Ben and Zack Tabudlo.

“Hindi naman [tayo] sure kung ano ba talaga ang nararamdaman namin so you have to have weekly or monthly check-ups. But other than that, siyempre meron tayong pangangailangan sa katawan. [Alagaan] din ang hygiene, alagaan mo ang sarili mo. Exercise,” the “Voice Generations” coach added.

(We’re not sure what we’re really feeling from the inside so weekly or monthly check-ups are a must. But other than that, our bodies have needs as well. Take care of your hygiene and yourself as a whole. Exercise.)

Pablo, Josh, Stell, Ken, and Justin returned to the country earlier this month after their “Pagtatag” tour in North America. While it seemed that they’re done meeting their fans, they confirmed that they will extend their tour to Asia, with the additional legs hinted for an October release.

Despite having packed schedules, SB19 remained

energetic and welcoming to fans and the media all throughout. This led to Stell sharing that being mindful of their health is helpful to them as artists.

“Nakakatulong ‘yun for us as artists na laging busy, walang tulog, pero sa tulong ng mga products at vitamins na tinetake namin, mas nagkakaroon kami lalo ng lakas na gawin ang mga kailangan namin gawin sa araw-araw. And important din talaga kasi humaharap kami sa maraming tao,” he said.

(It’s helpful for us as artists who are always busy, having no sleep. But with the help of the products and vitamins we always take, we become more alive to deal with our daily activities. Plus, it’s important for us since we’re facing a lot of people.)

Stell added that it’s imperative for them to be “energetic, happy, and alive” at all times.

“Dapat hindi nila nakikita na pagod kami lagi kaya dapat very energetic, happy, and alive palagi (Fans shouldn’t see us looking tired all the time. We must look energetic, happy, and alive at all times). When you feel good and feel great, it shows. You look good and feel confident,” he added.

For their part, Pablo emphasized the importance of “sleep and taking your vitamins” while Josh emphasized that “eating right” is a must to stay healthy.

Performing back home

The joint concert is one of the group’s recent activities since coming home, and they admitted that they’re “very excited” to face their Filipino audience after being away for about two months.

“Kakagaling lang namin and we’re very excited to perform sa harap ng maraming Filipino audience sa Pilipinas. And ‘yung Watsons Playlist concert ang isa

sa mga una naming performances after our tour,” Justin said. “Nakakaexcite na makakasama namin sina Ben&Ben and Zack. Nakakaexcite, we’re very happy to be here.”

(We just came home and we’re very excited to perform in front of our Filipino audience in the Philippines. The Watsons Playlist concert is one of our first performances after our tour.)

And it seemed that they haven’t been away from their home country for so long. Their fan service remained topnotch, including their performances of “Gento,” “I Want You,” “Liham,” “Crimzone,” and “Mapa (band version)” with Ben&Ben.

Josh even revealed that they returned to rehearsals after returning from their tour, an apparent sign of how much they “value their craft so much.”

“Pag-uwi pa lang namin, nagrehearse na kami together with Ben&Ben, Skouts — ‘yung mga kasama naming dancers — and napansin niyo na matagal ang stage rehearsal namin kasi we want to make sure na aligned lahat,” he said. “Gusto naming bigyan ng magandang show ang mga manonood. Gusto namin mabigay ang best performance namin.”

(When we arrived home, we rehearsed right away with Ben&Ben, Skouts — the dance crew we’re working with — and if you noticed, our stage rehearsal took time because we wanted to make sure that everything was aligned. We want to put on a good show for the viewers. We want to give our best performance.)

Aside from extending their “Pagtatag” tour, the quintet was recently announced as one of the performers for the Asia Artist Awards (AAA) 2023 which will take place on Dec. 14 at the Philippine Arena.

On the other hand, Gutierrez expressed her joy over seeing Wurtzbach again on her Instagram Stories, where she was seen getting chummy with the latter.

“It’s been almost 8 years since the last time we were together. So happy to see you again @ piawurtzbach,” she said. “When time makes sure you meet the right people once again.”

In a December 2015 interview, Wurtzbach

confessed that she was feeling “mixed emotions” after winning the Miss Universe crown as she “felt sad” for Gutierrez.

“I felt calm when I was called first runner-up because I felt it was fate. But when they announced that I was Miss Universe, I had mixed emotions. I was happy because I really wanted to win but felt sad for Miss Colombia… I even tried to approach her after [but] I couldn’t get near as she was surrounded by the Latin American contestants.”

Dennis and Bea return to drama, describe each other as actors

by Jerry Donato Philstar.com

EVEN if they know drama like the back of their hand, Dennis Trillo and Bea Alonzo cannot afford to be complacent and rest on their laurels in Love Before Sunrise.

The GMA actor and actress are aware of and privy to the specificity that the narrative and their dramatis personae present. They play Atom and Stella, who start as acquaintances, then become sweethearts, and move on as former lovers.

Even though some aspects of the Telebabad romantic drama seem and sound familiar to them, Dennis and Bea are definitely up for the challenge of fleshing out details about how their characters have found the right love but at the wrong time.

Love Before Sunrise airs weeknights at 8:50 and is also available on GMA Pinoy TV and Viu (for advanced episodes).

“It’s still challenging,” said Dennis about doing drama in a recent group interview that also featured Bea. “I think regardless of what drama you do, for people to get affected (as the story unfolds) and for you to create a scene that will inspire them and make them cry and laugh, I think you need to give your work time and work hard (to make your portrayal) effective. That’s why doing drama is not that easy, especially the work dynamics changes every time you collaborate with a new partner,” added he.

As for Bea, who said that she has acted in this kind of genre and explored a seemingly similar plot before, the challenge lies in how to make her role different from previous ones or show a shade of distinction in what one may put as almost the same roles.

“I think walang paulit-ulit (no portrayals are the same) because as I age, of course, I learn from my life experiences. There are perhaps moments or scenes in which I draw (inspiration) from my personal life na hindi ko alam gawin before kasi hindi ko pa yun natututunan (that I’ve had no idea of doing before because I’ve not learned it yet),” shared the actress.

Prior to this team-up with Dennis, Bea was seen acting opposite Alden Richards in the rom-com and local adaptation of the hit Korean series Start-Up PH for GMA.

“So, I miss it,” said Bea about starring in a drama series with Dennis, who was described by Bea as “professional (and) he’s 10 steps ahead.”

Dennis Trillo and Bea Alonzo play Atom and Stella, who start as acquaintances, then become sweethearts and move on as former lovers in the GMA Telebabad series titled Love Before Sunrise. They consider drama as a genre of acting challenging since the working dynamics changes every time actors collaborate with new partners, and there’s a need to offer something new in doing a familiar role. GMA photo

For a quick recall, Dennis played Crisostomo Ibarra, Simoun and Barry Torres in the historical portal fantasy series, Maria Clara at Ibarra, and Ned Armstrong in the retelling of a popular ‘70s Japanese animé Voltes V Legacy. The actor is, in a way, making a return to drama.

“Every taping day, I would check how many scenes I need to prepare for,” said Dennis, if ever he and Bea have scenes together.

Respetado ko siya, I know the movies that she has done as well as the awards she has received, of course, if you respect your co-actor, mas maganda yung samahan nyo, mas maganda yung mga eksena na nagagawa nyo, mas maganda yung flow ng trabaho nyo (the partnership becomes better, the scenes you do together and the work flow also become better).

During the interview, Dennis and Bea were also asked to give their two cents’ worth on the reasons behind the titles given to each of them: She as the BoxOffice Queen, while he as the Kapuso Drama King.

“Bukod sa galing niya at sa mga magagandang projects na nakukuha niya, siguro more than that, yung pagmamahal niya sa fans (Besides her talent and the good projects she has been getting, I think it’s her love for the fans),” said Dennis. “I see how very warm she is to her fans, it’s her love for those who appreciate and support her.”

For her part, Bea said that Dennis has done iconic roles and top-rated shows as well as received awards.

“Aside from accolades, I think it’s because he really takes his job seriously,” said she, “and that he sees his job as a profession. Alam mo ni-re-respeto niya ang

lahat ng tao sa paligid niya at pinag-aaralan niyang mabuti bago niya pasukin (You know he respects the people around him and studies closely the work he embarks on).”

“He picks his projects well, and he knows what he can give,” added Bea.

Given the life realities of their characters that will create ripples of twists and turns in this tale about love and the emotional roller-coaster ride Atom and Stella will treat audiences to, Bea had this to say: “What I know is, this is a very beautiful story, especially if one follows it from the beginning, like the first two weeks will introduce the love story of Atom and Stella.

“After that, new characters Czarina and Roald, as played by Andrea (Torres) and Sid (Lucero), will come in. Before pumasok yung characters nila, nag-simmer na sa inyo yung pagmamahalan nina Atom and Stella, kaya mas masakit siguro ‘pag nabuwag yung pagmamahalan nila di ba or, ‘pag na-shake (that’s why it’s painful to see their love falling apart or being shaken).

And part of the various themes is the saying, “Love prevails.” “Yung love, yan yung isa sa mga pinaka-masarap na pakiramdam na pwedeng maramdaman ng isang tao, eh (Love is one of the most beautiful feelings a person can experience),” said Dennis. “I believe if you love someone, you’ll really fight for that person. So, nangyari na yun ilang beses sa buhay ko (It has happened a few times in my life).” Watch Dennis and Bea as Atom and Stella, who navigate the intricacies of finding true love and fighting for it.

Iconic balladeer Jose Mari Chan

Photo release

(From left) Ariadna Gutierrez, Pia Wurtzbach. Photo from Instagram/@piawurtzbach

Atty. Gurfinkel answers more immigration questions from Kapamilya in Manila on Citizen Pinoy

IN the sixth and final installment of Citizen Pinoy’s “Your Tanong, My Sagot” in Manila, leading U.S. Immigration Atty. Michael J. Gurfinkel provides answers to several important immigration inquiries from Kapamilya in the Philippines.

• Vilma’s U.S. citizen son petitioned her back in 2020. She wants to know what is causing the delay with interview schedule.

• Ester has a tourist visa, and she visits the U.S. every year and stays for five months to care for her sick mother and sister.

She wants to know how she can lengthen her stay with her family.

• Karla’s husband filed separate petitions for her and for their daughter. Karla wants to know if it will affect their petitions if her husband naturalizes.

UPAASF celebrates 50 years of service, legacy building

SAN FRANCISCO – The

University of the Philippines

Alumni Association of San Francisco (UPAASF) is thrilled to announce its upcoming milestone event, “UPAASF at 50 – 50 Years of Service, Building a Legacy.”

Alumni, friends, and supporters are cordially invited to join the celebration on Saturday, October 14, 2023, at the Embassy Suites San Francisco Airport Waterfront in Burlingame, CA as UPAASF marks five decades of unwavering commitment to service and community development in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Registration starts at 5 p.m.

Special guest of the evening is University of the Philippines President Angelo A. Jimenez who will deliver a keynote address. UP President Jimenez’s contributions to education, leadership, and community empowerment have made a profound impact on countless lives. He will be joined by distinguished UP alumni, dignitaries, and corporate partners of UPAASF.

In recognition of exceptional dedication to community building, UPAASF will present a special award to Cynthia A. Bonta, an esteemed alumna who has tirelessly worked to uplift the community. Bonta's commitment to creating positive change exemplifies the spirit of the UP community.

The proceeds generated from this remarkable fundraising event will play a crucial role in the much-needed upgrade of the university’s beloved Kalayaan Residence Hall. As

the first co-ed dormitory in UP, Kalayaan Residence has been a cornerstone of education and camaraderie for incoming freshmen from diverse provinces. Over the years, it has nurtured numerous “iskolars ng bayan,” who have gone on to become influential figures in various industries, community advocates, and even global leaders.

Kalayaan Residence not only offers shelter but also fosters an environment of camaraderie, enabling the development of lasting relationships among future community leaders and advocates. However, the residence is currently in need of urgent upgrades to continue providing an enriching living experience to students.

The University of the Philippines Alumni Association of San Francisco (UPAASF) is a dynamic organization committed to fostering a vibrant and engaged UP alumni community in the San Francisco

Bay Area. For five decades, UPAASF has championed education, community service, and networking among UP alumni, contributing to the development of leaders and change-makers across various sectors.

Join UPAASF as it commemorates half a century of the organization’s dedication to education, community, and service. Your presence and support will contribute to the legacy of excellence and empowerment that the University of the Philippines Alumni Association of San Francisco has upheld for 50 remarkable years. For further information, ticket purchases, and event registration, please visit the official UPAASF website at www.upaasf.org. You may also register directly at https:// bit.ly/upaasf50. Follow us on Facebook or on Instagram for updates on future events and activities.

(UPAASF Release)

SAN FRANCISCO – To wrap up this year’s celebration of Buwan ng Wikang Pambansa (National Language Month) in the Philippines, the Philippine Consulate General and Sentro Rizal San Francisco teamed up with the Filipino Education Center (FEC) Galing Bata Bilingual Program to conduct an event at the Bessie Carmichael Elementary School, SOMA Pilipinas in San Francisco on August 31, 2023. The event consisted of screenings of Filipino short stories “Hugo The Troublemaker” and “The First Monkey” from the Department of Foreign Affairs’ oral storytelling event “Samot-Saring Hiraya: Imagination Through Filipino Stories,” and an episode of the TV series “Usapang Wika on Filipino and Tagalog from the National Commission

ADVERTISE YOUR EVENTS!

PRE-EVENT AND POST EVENT GO DEEPER. GO WIDER. LET THE WORLD KNOW. CALL ASIAN JOURNAL: (818) 502-0651

DISPLAY AD SIZES AT SPECIAL RATES FOR NON-PROFIT GROUPS

San Francisco Fil-Am History Month

City Hall, 5:30 p.m.

OCTOBER 6

Buhay: Art and

Kalayaan Hall, Philippine Center, San Francisco,

OCTOBER 7

Kasayahan sa Daly City

Marchbank

Park, Daly City, 11:00 a.m.

OCTOBER 13

San Jose Fil-Am History Month

OCTOBER 21

6:00 p.m.

Month

PH Consulate, Sentro Rizal SF partner with...

for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) and the ABS-CBN News Channel.

Around 50 Filipino and American children from Bessie Carmichael School and other elementary schools in San Francisco, and 20 of their parents attended the event.

On behalf of Consul General

Neil Ferrer, Vice Consul Adrian Baccay thanked the FEC Galing Bata team — led by Site Director Charm Consolacion — for their continued support to the Consulate’s cultural promotion activities.

Vice Consul Baccay also took the opportunity to promote the other programs of Sentro Rizal San Francisco, including the NCCA’s “Sentro Rizal Virtual Masterclass” with renowned Filipino performing artists Dr. Raul Sunico, the Philippine

Madrigal Singers and the Bayanihan Dance Company, and field trips to the Consulate’s Sentro Rizal Museum and Library.

The Consulate’s other activities with FEC Galing Bata within the last year include the donation of Filipiniana books to the Bessie Carmichael School Library in October 2022, the baybayin art event with P-Pop group SB19 in November 2022, and the special watch party of the GMA primetime TV series “Maria Clara at Ibarra” in December 2022.

For almost 22 years now, the FEC Galing Bata Program at the Bessie Carmichael School has been promoting biliteracy development in English and Filipino, and multicultural education of students from kindergarten to the eighth grade.

Classic holiday hit ‘Jingle Bell Rock’ gets update

Christmas favorite to be sung in over 10 languages featuring original singer Bobby Helms, guest artists

THE classic Christmas holiday hit “Jingle Bell Rock” will saturate radio and streaming services once again this year, like it has since 1957, but with one major difference. It will be sung in over 10 different languages and in duet form.

For the first time since its original release by legendary recording artist Bobby Helms over 60 years ago, it will be heard worldwide in different languages and also several English duet versions. Professional celebrity vocalists in each country have joined the musical mission to “Jingle Bell Rock the World.” Each artist adds their own musical style and lyric variations to fit their language’s translation of the famous tune.

Helms is heard singing a portion of the song in English and a portion is also heard in the native language of the guest artist.

The non-English languages and artists include French by Sonith, German by Katrin Lion, Spanish by Destiny Malibu, Portuguese by Danda Brasil, Hindi by She Shree, Croation by Nikita, Norwegian and Swedish by Ronnie Sun, Japanese by Manami, Tamil by Lekha Gopi Meunier aka Lexaholism, Sahoue-Gbe by Wes B, Croatian by Nikita, Slovak by LeRa, Farsi by Fanarak Shahroozi, and Armenian by sisters Blue Nectarine. Included in the celebrity English duets with Helms are America’s Got Talent Champion Marcelito Pomoy, Kool & the

Gang” and “Dazz Band” lead singer Skip Martin, internet celebrity influencer and singer Destiny Malibu, Australian music legend “Swanee”, and Elvis Presley’s daughter Elaine Elizabeth Presley.

All versions of the songs are available for streaming and downloading on most major services and also on YouTube by searching Bobby Helms Duets Channel. The songs are produced by Hellmut Wolf, and distribution is by Wolf Entertainment.

All song versions aare vailable for licensing for commercial use from Jingle Bell Rock Music/John Kleiman©. All Licensing inquiries should be made to: The Ace Duran at ace@dreamnomorestudios.com.

Bayview Apartments

Note; only 1 application can be submitted, either via website or paper application, NOT BOTH. Incomplete applications or applications submitted after the deadline will not be accepted. Household members can only appear on one application. If an application contains household members that are on other applications for this listing, all applications will be disqualified. Any fraudulent statements will cause application to be

Rents for this affordable housing program are based on total gross household income. Applicants must be income eligible and meet occupancy guidelines. Households must earn no more than the maximum income levels noted below:

The program targets not only newcomer children, but also U.S.-born children and families interested in bilingual education.

The FEC Galing Bata Program and the Filipino language program at Longfellow Elementary School are part of the “World Language in Elementary School” Program of the San Francisco Unified School District.

“The Consulate wanted to hold its Buwan ng Wikang Pambansa celebration with FEC Galing Bata so we could encourage more parents to enroll in the program, thereby allowing young Filipinos and Filipino Americans to reconnect to their ancestral roots through our native language,” Consul General Ferrer said in a separate message.

(PCGSF Release)

Atty. Gurfinkel answers more...

• Allen’s grandmother filed an F-3 petition for his father, which was converted to F-1 when his mother died in 2019. As a derivative, he has aged out, but Allen wants to know if he still

qualifies for CSPA.

Atty. Gurfinkel answers these questions in Part 6 of “Your Tanong, My Sagot” in Manila. Watch this brand-new episode of “Citizen Pinoy” on Sunday, October 1 at 6:30 PM PT (9:30

PM ET through select Cable/ Satellite providers), right after TV Patrol Linggo. Citizen Pinoy is also available on iWantTFC. Viewers may download the app for free. (Advertising Supplement)

Applications may be submitted online at: www.BayviewAptsSF.com during the open application period. Paper applications will also be made available for pick in person at the Bayview Leasing Office located at 5 Commer Court, San Francisco, CA. 94124. Applicants with mobile restrictions can also pick up applications at the leasing office, 5 Commer Court, San Francisco, CA 94124.

Completed paper applications must be returned by mail to: Bayview Apartments Leasing Office, 5 Commer Court San Francisco, CA 94124. Mailed applications must be post marked by October 13th, 2023 at 5 p.m. to be included in the application lottery. Applications received after this date and time will not be accepted.

Application information and our resident selection criteria is available at www. BayviewAptsSF.com or may be viewed at the address above. You may begin submitting applications starting September 29th, 2023 at 3pm (pst). The open application period will end on October 13th, 2023 at 5pm (pst). Please contact Related Management for building info at (415) 285‐7344 TTY 711 or email us at BayviewSF@related.com

If you need help filling out an online application, you can contact a rental housing counselor. A list of names and contact numbers can be found at this link: https:// housing.sfgov.org/housing‐counselors.

Income limits are subject to change based on changes to the Area Median Income

as published by

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Atty. Michael J. Gurfinkel answers the questions of Kapamilya from Manila – Vilma (left) and Ester (right).

Atty. Michael J. Gurfinkel is shown here with Karla (left photo) and with Allen (right photo).

Section 8 Waiting List Opening