100423 - Southern California Midweek Edition

EIGHT members of a single Filipino family were confirmed dead and one is still missing since the Aug. 8 Lahaina, Maui wildfires.

The Maui Police Department on Tuesday identified six of the victims as Felimon Quijano, 61; Luz Bernabe, 64; Joel Villegas, 55; Adela Villegas, 53; Angelica Baclig, 31; and Junmark Quijano, 30.

The other two family members Salvador Coloma, 77, and Glenda Yabes, 48, had been identified previously. The ninth, Lydia Coloma, is still on the FBI’s official list of the missing, according to a Civil Beat report.

Some 5,100 Filipinos resided in Lahaina,

White House honors Fil-Ams in celebration of Filipino American History Month

a statement saying Filipinos and Filipino Americans “have helped forge the very idea of America.” The country is home to 4.4 million Filipinos and Filipino Americans, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, making them the third largest Asian group.

"This Filipino American History Month, the Biden-Harris Administration is proud to honor generations of Filipino Americans who have ensured our nation remains a land of hope, opportunity, and optimism,” the White House added.

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Survey: Filipinos distrust China amid bullying at West Philippine Sea

MANILA — China's continued aggression over the disputed West Philippine Sea territories is causing growing discontent among Filipinos.

This sentiment is shown by a recent survey conducted by Oculum Research and Analytics.

China is the least trusted country among 1,200 respondents in the poll released on September 27, with 51% registering their disapproval.

The United States, Beijing's archnemesis on the global stage, notched the highest approval, at 62%. China recently sparked a diplomatic row after it installed a 300-meter floating barrier along Scarborough Shoal to prevent the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) and fishermen from entering the area, which Beijing claims to be theirs. Authorities slammed the blockage as a "clear violation of international law."

The PCG last week cut off a portion of the barrier under the orders of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

BOSTON – A Filipino from California pleaded guilty Sept. 27 in federal court in Boston to running a large-scale marriage fraud “agency” that arranged hundreds of sham marriages to circumvent immigration laws. This included, among other things, obtaining green cards under the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) by claiming the undocumented clients had been abused by alleged American spouses.

Marcialito Biol Benitez, a.k.a “Mars,” 49, a Philippine national residing in Los Angeles, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit marriage fraud and immigration document fraud. US District Court Judge Denise J. Casper scheduled sentencing for Jan. 10, 2024. Benitez was arrested and charged in April 2022.

Benitez operated what he and others referred to as an “agency” that arranged hundreds of sham marriages between foreign national “clients” and U.S. citizens, including at least one foreign national who resided in Massachusetts. The agency then prepared and submitted false petitions, applications, and other documents to substantiate the sham marriages and

THE U.S. will "surely invoke" its Mutual Defense Treaty (MDT) with the Philippines if an armed attack against the country's "assets, including those of the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG), is committed in the South China Sea," a U.S. official told a congressional hearing in Washington early Friday, September 29.

Lindsey Ford, deputy assistant secretary of the U.S. Defense Department, gave this assurance before the U.S. House of Representatives, which tackled China's continued aggression in the waters, including laser pointing and water cannon attacks against Philippine personnel.

"The [Defense] department has been incredibly clear when it comes to our treaty commitments to the Philippines," Ford told Rep. Young Kim of California, who also heads the subcommittee on Indo-Pacific of the

House Committee on Foreign Affairs.

"We have said repeatedly and will continue to say that we stand by those commitments," Ford said as Kim raised criticisms of the U.S.’s commitment to the Philippines.

"Is the U.S. prepared to back up its Mutual Defense Treaty with military force? And what message would it send to other countries in the region if the U.S. doesn't respond forcefully enough to an event that triggers that treaty?" the U.S. lawmaker asked.

In response, Ford noted the "credibility" of Washington's military partnership with Manila, which she described as "a bedrock part" of the U.S.’ security in the Indo-Pacific and globally.

Aside from securing the U.S. military foothold in the Philippines through the nine

PAGE 2

it was well within the Philippines' exclusive economic zone (EEZ).

Commodore Jay Tarriela, spokesperson of the PCG for the West Philippine Sea, vowed to remove any future

projects.

by

THE Philippines is not looking for a fight with China, but it will defend its borders against aggression, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said on Friday, September 29.

The President made the statement after the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) carried out his orders to take down the 300-meterlong floating barrier the Chinese put up on the approach to the Bajo de Masinloc Shoal in a disputed part of the South China Sea.

Interviewed by reporters while visiting Surigao del Norte, the president insisted that putting up the barrier was not right because

"Hindi naman maaari na lalagyan ng barrier na ganoon at maliwanag naman na nasa loob ng Pilipinas 'yan (There shouldn't be any barrier there and that is clearly within the Philippine territory)," the president said.

"Hindi tayo naghahanap ng gulo, basta't gagawin natin, patuloy nating ipagtanggol ang Pilipinas, ang maritime territory ng Pilipinas, ang karapatan ng mga fisherman natin na mangisda doon sa mga areas kung saan sila nangingisda daang-daang taon na (We are not looking for trouble. We will continue defending the Philippines, the maritime territory

The Sandiganbayan on Monday, October 2 acquitted Janet Lim Napoles and a former lawmaker of plunder but she was found guilty of corruption in connection with the use of the Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF).

The court convicted Napoles of nine counts of corruption of a public official and Apec party-list representative Edgar Valdez of nine counts of direct bribery.

Both were sentenced to up to six years in jail and fined nearly P27 million.

Napoles was believed to have masterminded the PDAF or pork barrel scam. Several lawmakers were accused of misusing their PDAF, a program designed to allow legislators to fund smallscale infrastructure or community

The scam that was first exposed in 2013 involved the funding of ghost projects "implemented" through the companies run by Napoles. Based on court testimonies, the funds were processed through non-existent foundations and fake non-governmental organizations supposedly established under the wing of the JLN Group of Companies, the holding company of Napoles.

The employees of Napoles were named as incorporators or directors and each foundation or NGO served as an official recipient of a particular legislator's PDAF. Some lawmakers were reported to have earned big kickbacks for funneling their pork barrel to Napoles' NGOs. The Supreme Court has ruled that PDAF was unconstitutional. n

US to ‘invoke’ defense pact in attack...

Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) sites across the country, Ford said Washington is also helping an American company operating in Subic in operating a shipyard it sees as a "critical strategic infrastructure."

"The fact that U.S. companies are cooperating and helping to build jobs and make sure that that strategic area stays in friendly hands, I think, is incredibly important," Ford added.

In the same congressional hearing, Vice Admiral Andrew Tiongson, U.S. Coast Guard Pacific Area commander, said that the PCG has "our largest security sector assistance program with them."

Tiongson responded to a comment by Kentucky Rep. Andy Barr about the lack of available assets by the PCG to defend itself.

"In fact, when you talk about assets, we, through the interagency partnerships, built an entire training center to help them with operations, as well as maintenance of the vessels that they do have," Tiongson shared. He said under the U.S. program, the PCG hopes to grow its personnel from "5,000 to their goal of about 35,000."

He said the PCG was "still working on that, but they're well into that right now. And we have assigned a maritime adviser to them to help along that growth projection."

State Department's Assistant Secretary for Multilateral Affairs Jung Pak also said "part of the State Department's goals is to make sure that we're consulting frequently and in-depth to talk about exactly what the Philippines needs."

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Japanese Foreign Minister Kamikawa Yoko, and Philippine Secretary of Foreign Affairs Enrique Manalo held a trilateral meeting in New York on September 22, when the three agreed to continue to call out behavior that is with international law, including China's recent actions near Second Thomas Shoal that interfered with the Philippines' lawful exercise of high seas freedom of navigation.

On September 6, U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and Prime Minister Kishida Fumio met in Jakarta, Indonesia, where they discussed the maritime security environment in the South China Sea and East China Sea and reviewed ways in which their three countries could enhance trilateral maritime cooperation, including humanitarian assistance and disaster relief efforts.

'Moro-moro'

But while the U.S. has been supportive of the PCG and its activities in the South China Sea, the Asian Century Philippines Strategic Studies Institute (ACPSSI), a Manila-based think tank, has called for an investigation

into the "moro-moro" instigated by the PCG when it claimed that it "successfully removed" the floating barrier installed by its Chinese counterparts at the entrance of Bajo de Masinloc (Scarborough Shoal).

In a media briefing on Saturday, September 30 in Quezon City, ACPSSI President Herman Tiu

Laurel echoed the declaration by the China Coast Guard (CCG) that the claim by Commo. Jay Tarriela, PCG spokesman on the West Philippine Sea (WPS), was "fictitious" and "fabricated."

A CCG spokesman said in a statement this week that the nets were deployed temporarily simply to prevent a Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) vessel from "illegally" entering the Huangyan Island, China's name for Bajo de Masinloc, without authorization from the Chinese government and supposedly "stirred up trouble in a provocative manner."

The spokesman said the CCG "took necessary measures in accordance with the law to effectively restrict the Philippine vessel, including calling and warning, route restrictions and temporarily setting blocking nets on the lagoon."

The CCG presented images showing the BFAR ship being blocked by its vessels, the blocking nets it set and its recovery of the nets after.

Laurel said that, on the other PAGE 5

White House honors Fil-Ams in...

Meanwhile, Biden took to X, formerly known as Twitter, to say he and First Lady Jill Biden are “thrilled” to celebrate the month, which honors "the rich heritage and traditions of millions of Filipino Americans.” "To our Filipino American community: Thank you for all

you do to ensure our nation continues to be the land of opportunity,” the president said.

Meanwhile, Harris remarked that the community contributes “contribute to our nation’s success every single day.”

The celebration of Filipino American History Month in October commemorates the first recorded presence of Filipinos in the continental United States, which occurred on October 18, 1587, when “Luzones Indios” came ashore from the Spanish galleon Nuestra Senora de Esperanza and landed at what is now Morro Bay, California, according to the Filipino American National Historical Society (FANHS).

October 1992 was the month dedicated to Filipino Americans was celebrated in the United States, a year after FANHS passed a proclamation.

In 2009, U.S. Congress declared October as Filipino American History Month, and in 2015, then-President Barack Obama celebrated the first FAHM at the White House.

For 2023, FANHS shared this year’s theme as “1898:

Recognizing 125 years of Philippine-American History,” marking the anniversary of the signing of the Treaty of Paris agreement between Spain and the United States that ended the Spanish American War and led to the U.S. annexation of the Philippines.

"As a result of the Treaty of

Paris, Filipino people gained access to the U.S. during an era when other Asian countries were prohibited from doing so,” FANHS wrote.

Through the treaty, Filipino migrants were considered U.S. nationals until 1965 and could migrate to the U.S. and its territories without restrictions. With this, many Filipinos contributed to the agricultural labor force in Hawaii and the west coast of the U.S.

The Pensionado Act of 1903 paved the way for Filipino students to attend U.S. universities until 1943, while American curricula and educational systems were introduced to the Philippines, FAHNS shared. This resulted in English proficiency and the recruitment of Filipino nurses, teachers and other professionals to the U.S.

"The year 1898 also marks an important year in Philippine history. After centuries of Filipinos fighting against Spanish colonizers – with the most successful uprising being the Philippine Revolution (1896-1898) – the people of the Philippines declared their independence on June 12, 1898,” according to FAHNS.

Throughout October, areas across the U.S. proclaim their own recognitions of the month, host celebrations and festivals, and other activities to highlight the community’s contributions to the country’s history. n

ABISO NG PAMPUBLIKONG PAGDINIG KASUNDUAN NG COUNTY NG SAN DIEGO ESTRATEHIYA SA TAUNANG PLANO PARA SA TAON NG PANANALAPI 2024-25 COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT, HOME INVESTMENT PARTNERSHIPS, HOUSING OPPORTUNITIES FOR PERSONS WITH AIDS AT MGA PROGRAMA SA EMERGENCY SOLUTIONS GRANT. Ibinibigay ang abisong ito para ipaalam na ang Lupon ng mga Superbisor (Board of Supervisors) ay magdaraos ng pampublikong pagdinig ng 9:00 ng umaga sa ika-24 ng Oktubre, 2023, sa Room 310 sa County Administration Center, 1600 Pacific Highway, San Diego, CA, tungkol sa Estratehiya sa Taunang Plano Para sa Taon ng Pananalapi (Fiscal Year, FY) 2024-25. Bumubuo ang County ng San Diego ng Taunang Plano bawat taon upang tukuyin ang mga partikular na proyektong popondohan sa darating na taon ng pananalapi, sa pamamagitan ng apat na programa ng gobyerno para sa mga karapat-dapat (entitlement programs) na pinangangasiwaan ng Health and Human Services Agency, Housing and Community Development Services: Community Development Block Grant (CDBG), HOME Investment Partnerships (HOME), Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS (HOPWA) at Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG). Makakatulong ang Estratehiya sa Taunang Plano sa paggabay sa pagbuo ng Taunang Plano. Pinopondohan ng mga Programang CDBG at ESG ang mga aktibidad sa pabahay at pagpapaunlad ng komunidad sa Urban County na binubuo ng mga lugar na wala sa hurisdiksyon ng anumang lungsod (unincorporated area) at anim na kasaling lungsod (Coronado, Del Mar, Imperial Beach, Lemon Grove, Poway, at Solana Beach). Nagbibigay ang Programang HOME ng mga pondo para sa mga aktibidad sa pabahay sa mga sakop ng Kasunduang HOME (HOME Consortium) kabilang na ang Urban County, gayundin ang anim na lungsod ng Kasunduan (Consortium cities) (Carlsbad, Encinitas, La Mesa, San Marcos, Santee, at Vista). Naglilingkod ang Programang HOPWA para sa buong rehiyon ng County ng San Diego. Kinakailangang makumpleto ang Taunang Plano para sa FY 2024-25 bawat taon para sa mga programang CDBG, HOME, HOPWA at ESG ng County. Bago ang pagbuo sa Taunang Plano, binabalangkas ng County ang Estratehiya sa Taunang Plano na tumutukoy sa mga dapat unahing pondohan at mga proseso ng pagpopondo sa darating na taon. Ang balangkas ng kasalukuyang Estratehiya sa Taunang Plano ay maaaring makita sa elektronikong paraan sa website ng Housing and Community Development Services: https://www.sandiegocounty.gov/sdhcd/index.html

Inaanyayahan ang publiko na dumalo sa pampublikong pagdinig upang makapagbigay ng komento sa Estratehiya sa Taunang Plano, at upang makuha ang pananaw ng mga mamamayan tungkol sa mga pangangailangan sa pabahay at pagpapaunlad ng komunidad bago ang paghahanda sa Taunang Plano para sa FY 2024-25. Maaari ding magbigay ng mga nakasulat na komento ang publiko sa loob ng 30 araw na panahon ng pagkokomento na magtatapos sa ika-24 ng Oktubre, 2023. Dapat ipadala ang mga isinulat na komento sa Housing and Community Development Services, sa Community Development Division, 3989 Ruffin Road, San Diego, CA 92123, 858-694-8756, o sa email na Community. Development@sdcounty.ca.gov. Maaaring tawagan ng mga bingi o hirap makarinig ang departamento sa (866) 945-2207. Kinakailangan makipag-ugnayan ng mga nangangailangan ng tulong sa pagsali sa miting (hindi nagsasalita ng Ingles, may kapansanan sa pandinig, atbp.) ang kawani nang hindi bababa sa limang araw bago ang miting upang makahiling ng espesyal na tulong.

8 members of a single Filipino family died...

40 percent of the town’s population. So far, eight Filipino citizens have been confirmed among the fire victims and 17 others had ties to the country, Emil Fernandez, Hawaii’s consul general for the Philippines, told Madeleine List of Civil Beat. Some of the 17 were recently naturalized U.S. citizens, he wrote. Fernandez didn’t provide names.

A GoFundMe page organized by Oliva Coloma described Lydia and Salvador Coloma as her parents; Luz Bernabe, Felimon Quijano, Adela Villegas, and Joel Villegas as aunts and uncles; and Glenda Yabes, Junmark Quijano, and Angelica Quijano as cousins.

She also said that on Sept. 20, DNA for seven of the family members was still in the process of being sent from the Philippines to the FBI and Maui Police Department to help with identification.

Alana Pico, spokeswoman for the Maui Police Department, wrote in an email that she could not comment on specific cases, but said Dr. Jeremy Stuelpnagel, a pathologist with Maui County, has discussed the complexities of performing autopsies and positively identifying those who

died in the fires. Stuelpnagel said during a press conference on Sept. 15 that many remains were extremely fragmented and some were commingled with others. That day, the official death toll dropped from 115 to 97.

(Inquirer.net)

PH national pleads guilty to large-scale...

secure adjustment of clients’

immigration statuses for a fee of between $20,000 and $35,000 in cash.

Benitez operated the agency out of brick-and-mortar offices in Los Angeles, where he employed his co-conspirators as staff. Among other things, Benitez’s staff allegedly assisted with arranging marriages, submitting fraudulent marriage and immigration documents for the agency’s clients — including false tax returns as well as recruiting U.S. citizens to marry the agency’s clients in exchange for payment.

After pairing foreign national

clients with citizen spouses,

Benitez’s agency staged fake wedding ceremonies at chapels, parks, and other locations, performed by hired online officiants. For many clients, the agency would take photos of undocumented clients and citizen spouses in front of prop wedding decorations for later submission with immigration petitions.

Benitez’s agency then submitted fraudulent, marriagebased immigration petitions to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), the federal agency responsible for granting lawful permanent resident status.

Benitez’s agency coached

Survey: Filipinos distrust China amid bullying...

clients and spouses through interviews with USCIS and advised clients about maintaining the appearance of legitimate marriage to their spouses.

Benitez’s agency arranged sham marriages and submitted fraudulent immigration documents for at least 600 clients between October 2016 and March 2022.

Benitez’s agency would assist certain clients — typically those whose spouses became unresponsive or uncooperative — with obtaining green cards under VAWA by claiming the undocumented clients had been abused by alleged American spouses. Specifically, the agency would submit fraudulent applications on clients’ behalf for temporary restraining orders against spouses based on fabricated domestic violence allegations.

Benitez’s agency would then submit the restraining order documentation along with immigration petitions to USCIS, in order to take advantage of VAWA provisions that permit non-citizen victims of spousal abuse to apply for lawful permanent resident status without their spouses’ involvement.

Benitez is the seventh defendant to plead guilty in this case. (Inquirer.net)

obstruction that may hinder fisherfolk from earning a living.

"In the coming months, if ever that barrier will once again be in place, the PCG will do whatever it takes for us to remove the barrier," Tarriela told reporters.

The Philippines is also accusing Chinese maritime militia vessels of massive coral harvesting that left patches of bleached and destructed corals along Rozul (Iroquios) Reef and Sabina (Escoda) Shoal, both part of Manila's exclusive economic zone (EEZ).

"We noticed coral harvesting in their swarming areas. When they left, we pinpointed it and sent divers to do an underwater survey; they saw that no corals were left – it was damaged, and there was debris," Vice Admiral Albert Carlos, head of the Western Command of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, said in a news forum on Septepmber 17. "[Whether] the damage is old or new, but from the eyes of the Navy divers, it looks recent."

China's billion-dollar disinformation campaign has been warned by the U.S. State Department to challenge the "integrity of the global information space."

"When you look at the pieces of the puzzle and you put it together, you see a breathtaking

ambition on the part of China to seek information dominance in key regions of the world," James Rubin, the State Department's Global Engagement Center special envoy and coordinator, told reporters on September 28.

"If we don't allow this information manipulation to be stopped, there's going to be a slow, steady destruction of democratic values. We don't want to see an Orwellian mix of fact and fiction in our world," he added.

National Security Council

Assistant Secretary and spokesperson Jonathan Malaya previously divulged China's "psychological warfare" to weaken the Philippines's standing on the West Philippine Sea by deploying "political operators" engaged in propaganda. He added China is taking advantage of the political divisiveness engulfing Filipinos.

Headlines of China's provocation caused Filipinos to sour on the world's second superpower, Oculum chief political analyst Dennis Coronacion said.

"Several incidents of harassment committed against the Philippine Coast Guard and the Filipino fishermen by the Chinese Coast Guard in the disputed waters have always resulted in negative public

perception toward China," Coronacion, a political science professor at the University of Santo Tomas, said in a release. "Past and present surveys indicate that the Filipinos have felt strongly about this geopolitical issue." In the July 2022 poll conducted by Pulse Asia, 36% of Filipinos are wary of China compared to 33% who registered their trust. Russia and India also notched high disapprovals, at 36% and 32%, respectively.

Three years earlier, a Social Weather Stations survey classified China's approval rating as "bad," plunging to a -33 score amid warmer relations between the two countries at the time.

Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Manny Mogato said that despite former president Rodrigo Duterte cozying up with Chinese President Xi Jinping, Beijing's persistent bullying already left an indelible mark on the Filipino consciousness.

"Even during the six-year term of former president Rodrigo Duterte, who was considered the most popular leader in power, he failed to influence Filipinos to raise trust ratings in China," he said in a release. "Duterte did not hide the fact that he was an avid fan of China's Xi Jinping and Russia's Vladimir Putin, and PAGE 5

From left: Survivor Kevin Baclig is shown with four of the victims, including his wife Angelica Quijano Baclig, Joel Villegas, Adela Villegas, and Junmark Quijano. Contributed photo

Marcos vows: Philippines will defend...

PAGE 1 released a video showing a diver cutting a rope attached to the buoys that were holding up the barrier.

of the Philippines, and the rights of our fishermen who have been fishing in those areas for hundreds of years)," he said.

"Again, many of these are operational issues and that I really cannot talk about. But in terms of taking down the barrier, I don't see what else we could do," the President said.

Earlier this week, the Chinese foreign ministry spokesman, Wang Wenbin, said Beijing "firmly upholds the sovereignty and maritime rights and interests of the Huangyan island," referring to the shoal by its Chinese name.

"We advise the Philippines not to provoke or stir up trouble," Wang warned.

On Monday, October 2, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG)

Another showed an anchor being hauled from the water into a wooden outrigger boat.

After the rope was cut, the Chinese government vessels, who were watching from a distance, moved in to remove the barrier, said Jay Tarriela, PCG spokesman for the West Philippine Sea.

"The barrier posed a hazard to navigation, a clear violation of international law," Tarriela had said.

It also hinders the fishing and livelihood activities of Filipino fisherfolk in Bajo de Masinloc," he added.

Tarriela cited the 2016 Arbitral Award that ruled that Bajo de Masinloc is 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 barrier was spotted by the PCG and Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources personnel aboard the Navy ships Datu Bankaw during a routine maritime patrol last September 22.

Filipino fishermen who frequented the area said a Chinese maritime militia service boat installed the barrier upon seeing the Datu Bankaw approach the shoal.

Bajo de Masinloc lies 240 kilometers west of Luzon and nearly 900 kilometers from the nearest major Chinese land mass of Hainan. n

Survey: Filipinos distrust China amid bullying...

PAGE 3

he had tried to bring the country closer to Beijing and Moscow and, at the same time, distance from its traditional security ally, the United States."

Mogato added that Filipinos' inclination to democracy, freedom and the rule of law made them more trustful to Western countries such as the United States and Canada.

China has refused to recognize the 2016 ruling of the Permanent Court of Arbitration adjudicating

that the nine-dash line on Beijing maps violated Manila's 200-nautical mile EEZ.

Recently, the Chinese Foreign Ministry warned the Philippines not to make any provocations anymore.

The Oculum survey obtained responses from 1,200 Filipinos nationwide, randomly selected through a computer-assisted tool. It has a ± 3-percent margin of error at the national level.

Other people behind Oculum include chief statistician Joseph

Mercado, former vice president for research, extension, planning and development at the Polytechnic University of the Philippines; project manager Romero Lopez, associate editor at PressONE; and oversight board members Msgr. Pedro Quitorio III, director of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines media office; and Felipe Salvosa II, editor at the Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism. (Philstar.com)

US to ‘invoke’ defense pact in attack...

hand, Commodore Tarriela announced to the public on September 25 through a post on X, formerly known as Twitter, that the PCG has 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. upon the recommendation of the National Task Force for the West Philippine Sea (NTF-WPS).

He said the announcement was accompanied by videos and several photos of the operation.

The problem with Tarriela's videos and photos was that they failed to show the entire length of the floating barrier and that the "so-called evidence was a 6-meter rope with a few floaters attached," the ACPSSI president said.

"It should also be pointed out that the rusted anchor with a few meters of rope, which the PCG retrieved, could not be part of a floating barrier system that's meant to be temporary," he added.

Laurel also noted that based on the accounts of the CCG spokesman, the 300-meter floating barrier "was voluntarily removed" by the CCG on September 23 after they successfully prevented the BFAR vessel from entering the lagoon, and "normal control was restored" in the area.

The CCG photos showed the "long and bulky" floating barrier on the deck of one of its ships.

"Tarriela did not even attempt to present evidence of the 300-meter barrier the PCG says it had removed," said Laurel.

Furthermore, he said the PCG official gave the date for the operation to remove the floating barrier as September 25.

"This could probably be the reason why Tarriela's divers were unable to present any photos of the actual floating barrier that they supposedly removed since it was already taken away by the CCG two days before," Laurel said.

"The moro-moro and subsequent loquacious bragging of Tarriela revealed certain truths: That the Philippine government, the [Department of Foreign Affairs] and the PCG have been lying about what is actually transpiring in the South China Sea for the past decade," he added.

Laurel said this also confirms

what he has been frequently pointing out in the past: that there is no harassment of Filipino fishermen by the CCG in the South China Sea.

"Fish sanctuaries, such as Bajo de Masinloc, are off limits to all fishermen, and because of the CCG, these sanctuaries in the South China Sea are guarded from illegal activities," he said.

Laurel said the PCG does not have the capacity to enforce the protection of fish sanctuaries and yet "ignorantly demands fishermen should be allowed to pursue their activities in these portions of the sea to the possible detriment of the protected marine areas."

'Evidence'

The Manila-based think tank's tirades come as the PCG admitted on Saturday that it could not remove the entire floating barrier installed by the CCG and that it was only its anchor that they could cut and retrieve.

Tarriela said the PCG will use the retrieved anchor as evidence should the Philippine government file charges against China for its activities in the West Philippine Sea.

The PCG and BFAR also encouraged Filipino fisherfolk to sail and catch fish at the Bajo de Masinloc after the "illegal and hazardous" floating barrier was removed.

The area remains free from floating barriers as of Saturday, according to a maritime domain flight conducted by the PCG, although Chinese vessels were still spotted in the shoal.

are not WPS

agents

opposed plans by the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) to use Filipino fishermen to gather intelligence and evidence in the disputed coastal waters in the WPS and the country's exclusive economic zone (EEZ).

De los Santos issued the statement after fishery group Bigkis ng Mangingisda Federation said that fishermen around Scarborough Shoal are offering to monitor the situation in the WPS as they are "the best source of information on what is happening there."

AFP Chief of Staff Romeo Brawner had said that the military plans to train fisherfolk in the disputed area as reserve forces to "defend the country" against intrusions by China.

But de los Santos said that putting fishermen as "intelligence agents" may endanger their lives and urged soldiers, professionals and trained reservists to do their job. He added that it was the main reason the House has decided to move the confidential and intelligence funds from civilian agencies to the PCG and other agencies tasked to monitor the situation in the WPS.

"The Philippine Coast Guard has the mandate on maritime and marine environment law enforcement extending out to the EEZ. The Bantay Dagat sea wardens are for coastal fisheries law enforcement," de los Santos added.

He said it would be better to mobilize the Coast Guard auxiliaries and military reservists if the Coast Guard and the AFP need more people to gather evidence and intelligence.

(Javier Joe Ismael, Franco Jose C. Baroña and Red Mendoza/ ManilaTimes.net)

by Selen Ozturk Ethnic Media Services

THOUGH summer is ending in California, extreme heat is still worsening long-term. At a Sept. 26 EMS briefing, state and community organizations shared how they were adapting on the community level.

Climate change is climate chaos

Braden Kay, Extreme Heat and Community Resilience Program Manager of the California Governor’s Office of Planning and Research, opened the briefing with an overview of these efforts statewide, which are highlighted at heatreadyca. com.

Although the state was largely spared from recordshattering worldwide heat, he stressed that “the impacts of heat, including heat-related deaths and illnesses, don’t just happen on headline-catching days; we’re even starting to see them in the winter.

Kay said that as heatwaves intensify, to protect Californians — especially those most vulnerable to the heat like children, older adults, people with disabilities, outdoor workers, and those who are unhoused — “we need to talk about and prepare for heat not just in deep summer, but also from spring into the fall, or ‘second summer.’”

One key challenge with climate change, “is that it’s not just change, it’s chaos,” he added. “Often, folks say ‘You said it was gonna be hot, but it was less hot this summer.’ It’s not a linear path that every summer is going to be hotter; the weather is going to be more unpredictable.”

Unequal heat burdens

As the weather grows more unpredictable, so do its impacts, said Dr. Maggie Park, San Joaquin County Public Health Officer.

The county numbers about 750,000 people. While 88% of the land is rural, Park said, “only 8% of our population live in those rural areas.”

Describing the unequal impacts of climate chaos on the most vulnerable populations, said Park. “Even within one city, the heat burden is not shared equally.

Low-income neighborhoods with higher Black, Hispanic and Asian populations experience significantly more

urban heat than wealthier and predominantly white neighborhoods, because poor and minority groups live in areas with more buildings, concrete, density, less vegetation, less trees, less heat-absorbing surfaces.”

This burden falls uniquely on the homeless, of which there are 2,319 in San Joaquin County –1,355 unsheltered – as of 2022.

As many unhoused people don’t want to leave their tents and belongings to go to a cooling center, Park said, county public health staff have been approaching them to provide frozen water bottles, mobile shower units, and information about safe food storage, recognizing the signs of heat-related illness, and tips for cooling down.

For migrant farm workers, another uniquely vulnerable population, Park said the main challenge her staff faces — and is surmounting — is getting “heat materials and education translated into their indigenous languages.”

Community outreach

Multilingual messaging is key to communitywide heat outreach, said Dr. Inés RuizHuston, Vice President of Special Programs & Civic Engagement at Stockton-based community organization El Concilio.

Both online social media and in-person door-to-door outreach have been key to reaching those “who go to work very early in

the morning, who may miss that morning news about how hot it’s going to be and how they can stay safe,” she added. “Boots on the ground is the most effective method,” said Ruiz-Huston. “Families are afraid to run air conditioners due to the cost of electricity, or fear of power outages,” she said. El Concilio focuses its multilingual messaging on available cooling centers and transportation to those sites.

Also critical is who is reached, Ruiz-Huston emphasized. When it comes to keeping a community safe: “Flyers aren’t enough. What is? Find the talkers representing your neighborhood. The person that knows everything about the community is their first to tell everybody in it what’s going on.”

Success stories

Sharing success stories of community heat help, Patrizia Hironimus, Executive Director of the Butte Environmental Council, noted the large populations of both wildfire survivors and environmentally active college students in Butte County.

Home weatherization and extreme heat awareness workshops — where students and other community members learn to use household materials like cardboard to deflect heat and bounce light from windows — have been a particularly u PAGE 7

Under the U.S. program, the Philippine Coast Guard hopes to grow its personnel from "5,000 to their goal of about 35,000. ManilaTimes.net file photo

photo by Robert Oswald P. Alfiler

Regulate secret funds

IN handling massive amounts of public funds, the less personal discretion is entrusted to public officials, the better for good governance. This principle partly underpinned the decision of the Supreme Court to abolish the congressional pork barrel. Now it turns out that lawmakers aren’t the only ones enjoying control over billions in discretionary funds.

Amid scrutiny of huge amounts of confidential funds allocated to Sara Duterte as Vice President and during her six years as Davao City mayor, the Department of the Interior and Local Government has explained that local government units are allowed by law to have secret funds for dealing with peace and order problems in their communities. DILG Secretary Benhur Abalos, himself a former mayor, said the allocation of confidential funds to LGUs “is just fine… as long as it is not abused.”

Editorial

And there lies the rub, in this land of endemic corruption, where many politicians along with their extended families and business cronies treat public coffers as their personal piggybanks. This is done easily when the requirements for transparency and public accountability in the utilization of people’s money are relaxed. And they are most relaxed in the case of confidential and intelligence funds or CIF. Little wonder that dynasty-building is shamelessly out of control, and murder is rampant in local politics.

CIF allocation requests are rising exponentially each year in the executive branch. Taxpayers won’t begrudge security and certain civilian agencies

BaBe Romualdez

WHEN President Marcos received confirmation from National Security Adviser Secretary Eduardo Año that indeed, the Chinese Coast Guard had installed a floating rope and net barrier at the Bajo de Masinloc, also known as Scarborough Shoal, without hesitation the president decisively gave instructions to dismantle the barrier. Secretary Año is chair of the National Task Force for the West Philippine Sea, and he was more than happy to immediately order the Philippine Coast Guard to conduct a special operation implementing the president’s directive.

Aside from posing a hazard to navigation, the 300-meter-long floating barrier that obstructed the southeast entrance of Bajo de Masinloc was also preventing fisherfolk from conducting activities in an area that the 2016 Permanent Court of Arbitration arbitral ruling declared as traditional fishing ground of Filipino fishermen. News of the decisive action taken by the president reverberated well not only among Filipinos but the international community as well. The president made it very clear when he said during a news briefing the other

Just Thinking

DON’T let the view outside your window deceive you.

That’s no romantic Parisian fog; it’s the city smog! I take little comfort in knowing that the haze is not a harbinger of another Taal eruption. Members of our government have thus given the same, now all too familiar advice:

Mask up!

There seems to be no escaping face masks in the Philippines.

Even before the not-so-new normal imposed by COVID-19, we Filipinos were ahead of the curve. In January 2020, when Taal Volcano erupted for the first time in 43 years, we raided our local drugstores and stockpiled face masks. Little did we know that our mask hoarding and price gouging would foreshadow the challenges that lay ahead. For the next three years, veiling our faces would

secret funds. People won’t mind realigning billions in confidential funds to agencies that are clearly in dire need of greater funding, such as the Philippine Coast Guard.

The PCG received a total of P118.7 million in confidential funds in the past 17 years.

Compare this with the P125 million in confidential funds that the Office of the Vice President received in the final months of 2022, and spent in December. Whether it was spent within 19 days, as Vice President Duterte maintains, or just 11 days, as Marikina Rep. Stella Quimbo has said, the allocation still speaks volumes about the spending priorities under the current administration.

The P125 million pales in comparison to the even larger secret funds allocated to Davao City when Sara Duterte was the mayor. Annual audit reports on the city conducted by the Commission on Audit showed that the city government incurred a whopping P2.697 billion in confidential expenses from 2016 to 2022, surging from P144 million in 2016 to P460 million annually from 2019 to 2022. Davao’s confidential spending was greater than those of larger or wealthier cities including Cebu, Quezon City, Manila and Makati.

There are state security agencies specifically tasked to maintain peace and order and protect the citizenry. Why should more tax money be allocated outside these agencies for the same

Mabuhay ang Pilipinas!

day, “We are not looking for trouble, but we will continue to defend the maritime territory of the Philippines and the rights of our fishermen, who have been fishing in those areas for centuries.

With the barrier removed, fishermen were able to catch 164 tons of fish on that day alone, giving a very clear picture of the economic losses our fisherfolk have been suffering due to intimidation and aggression from China Coast Guard and maritime militia vessels in areas within our exclusive economic zone.

There is no doubt our fishermen have long endured Chinese harassment. It is truly heartbreaking to hear fisherfolk recount the struggles they faced at having been deprived of their livelihood, the frustration and helplessness they felt at being unable to put food on the table, lamenting that they have been made to feel like thieves in their own backyard.

What is equally mortifying is the wanton destruction of our coral reefs, with the damage to our reef ecosystem amounting to billions of pesos every year. No leader with any sense of decency and humanity would tolerate such desecration of rich maritime resources that Senate President Migz Zubiri rightly described as “God’s gift” to mankind.

It is extremely ironic that China has the audacity to claim that

become a matter of law. The worst days of COVID-19 may be behind us, or so we would hope, but that doesn’t mean we can cast our N95 masks aside.

As we live and breathe beneath the sullied skyline, face masks are here to stay. Our very own out-ofhousehold staple.

We celebrated International Day of Clean Air for Blue Skies (Sept. 7) and World Car-Free Day (Sept. 22) in the shadow of pollutants and vehicular emissions. Yet, alas, there’s more than just environmental pollution in the air.

It’s thick with political intrigue, corruption, and the haze of misinformation. Indeed, news on the smog that contaminates our city is overshadowed by smoke and mirrors. By graft, bribery, and plunder. Enter the Office of the Vice President’s (OVP) request for P250 million in confidential funds, ostensibly—and most ironically— for the “safe implementation of various projects and activities under the Good Governance

we are the ones destroying the environment with the presence of the BRP Sierra Madre in Ayungin Shoal. As Defense Secretary Gibo Teodoro succinctly pointed out, China’s statement is hypocritical. “Talk about the pot calling the kettle black!” Secretary Teodoro fired back, pointing out that China continues to damage the West Philippine Sea and the marine environment by conducting illegal reclamation activities in violation of international law.

The president’s decisive action and the courage displayed by the Philippine Coast Guard as well as the Armed Forces of the Philippines have lifted the morale of Filipinos. This is very evident in the comments and reactions to stories carried by international news outlets. For instance, in the report filed by BBC News about the removal of the floating barrier where Bajo de Masinloc was described as “contested territory,” many commenters pointed out that the area is “not contested since it is within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone,” with many more expressing their support and admiration for the Philippine Navy, the Armed Forces and the PCG.

It is heartwarming to see the encouragement coming from people in other parts of the world, among them India, Indonesia, Japan, Taiwan, the UK, Ireland, the U.S., saying “Well done,

program” in 2022. This request raises eyebrows given the cloud of corruption that has loomed over our nation for years.

COVID-19 may be the defining global pandemic of our time, but corruption is an endemic problem as old as time itself. We are all too familiar with the stories of public funds disappearing into private pockets, of the elected, the appointed, and the powersthat-be steal and then, after, steal more. Our nation’s pockets may run deep, but when it comes to corruption, avarice runs apace. Particularly, in Vice President Sara Duterte’s case, at a rate of almost P500,000 per hour. That is to say, at P125 million of confidential funds spent in just 11 days.

But interestingly, when we put the OVP’s expenditure into question, and rightfully so, it is not simply a money matter. Private siphoning of funds may be nothing new (we’ve seen it many times before in the shape of the “pork barrel” system, discretionary disbursements, etc.), but using

Filipinos! We are proud and stand by you,” “I’m very proud of my brothers and sisters in Philippines,” “God bless the Filipinos for standing up and defending its sovereign territory. May all ASEAN countries stand together as one,” and similar comments.

In fact, support from the international community has been growing, expressing solidarity with the Philippines and its pushback against the continuing aggression of China in the West Philippine Sea. More countries are also keen to conduct joint maritime activities with the Philippines, such as Canada, whose Royal Canadian Navy frigate HMCS Ottawa sailed with BRP Antonio Luna and performed joint maneuvers in the West Philippine Sea a week ago.

Early this month, the Philippines will be hosting joint naval exercises with the U.S. on the fundamentals of anti-submarine warfare, anti-surface warfare, anti-air warfare and electronic warfare, with interoperability drills to focus on “warfighting serials.” Dubbed “Samasama” (together), the exercise will also have participants from Japan, Canada, the UK and Australia along with personnel from France, New Zealand and Indonesia.

In a phone call to President Marcos, French President Emmanuel Macron expressed support for the Philippines in

the guise of “confidence” raises the stakes in an unfamiliar and unexpected way. By engaging in corruption through the medium of confidence, Duterte sets herself up against a much higher standard and, possibly, a much harder fall. The terms “confidential” and “confidence” share etymological roots in the Latin term confidere (to have full trust). The misuse of P125 million is thus not only a pecuniary issue. It is a personal one. The matter on confidential funds is thus, at its heart, a matter of confidence. The OVP has asked us to place our trust in it with P125 million. Regrettably, we cannot. Some may argue that the subpar state of government services in the Philippines is a result of a weak economy. “The Philippines is not a rich country,” so I’ve heard. But let’s be clear, our nation boasts an estimated GDP of P24.56 trillion!

Yet, no matter how deep these pockets may be, greed knows no boundaries; it only hungers for more. However deep these pockets go, greed does not go

purpose, and with politicians given wide berth to spend huge amounts as they please? It’s time to put discretionary funds under tighter rein. (Philstar.com)

the face of Chinese aggression.

France had earlier offered to help the Philippines develop its submarine force to boost the country’s maritime capabilities.

Certainly, funding support from Congress will bolster the capability of the National Intelligence Coordinating Agency, NSC, AFP and PCG to conduct intelligence work together with our allies and partners. Surveillance equipment is also being upgraded, with the PCG receiving a boost through the US donation of a P250-million training center and P11 million worth of monitoring equipment to enhance their maritime law enforcement efforts. During her visit last November, U.S.

Vice President Kamala Harris lauded the PCG for being “on the

only farther. It grows wider.

It is not only shocking, but disturbing that, in a country where 50 percent of Filipino families selfrate themselves as poor, where three million families endure involuntary hunger, and where 95 children succumb to malnutrition daily, the appetites and the avarice of the privileged few remain insatiable. Our country’s situation is not a case of lack of means but mismanagement. It provides enough to satisfy every man’s needs. Just not every man’s greed.

My journey in advocating for accountability and justice began in high school, participating in public rallies and calls for change. In 2008, I recall decrying the rampant corruption under the Gloria Macapagal Arroyo administration with a slogan simple yet profound: “Moderate your greed!” This wasn’t some starry-eyed plea for an unattainable utopia; quite the opposite. It was a pragmatic demand in an imperfect world

frontlines of standing up for the international rules-based order.”

All these recent developments have awakened a greater sense of patriotism among Filipinos who no longer feel helpless and alone, especially with likeminded nations being supportive of efforts to push back and assert our maritime territorial rights and protect our sovereignty in the wake of China’s relentless bullying and aggression. Mabuhay ang Pilipinas! (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

that often takes too much and gives too back little.

Every Thursday for the past year and a half, I’ve had the distinct honor of dedicating this column to delve into these imperfections with the aim of understanding them not only better, but more deeply. Even now, as I briefly step away to continue my humanitarian work in Geneva, I hold onto the optimism that the solutions to age-old issues are within our grasp.

The problems of our time won’t disappear on their own. The political winds may shift and change, but these issues will not blow over. We must face them, steadfast, ready, and armed. With more than just thoughts, but with just thinking.

*

* * 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.

* * * thinkjustly@gmail.com

Photo from the Philippine Coast Guard shows one of its divers cutting the rope of the floating barrier at Panatag Shoal. Contributed photo

‘Philippines economy losing steam’ Rising prices still top concern among Filipinos — Pulse Asia

MANILA — The Philippine economy is losing steam much faster than anticipated, prompting another foreign bank to slash the country’s gross domestic product (GDP) growth forecast this year.

In its latest Asia Economic Outlook Q4 2023, ANZ said it has lowered its GDP growth projection for the Philippines to five percent, from 5.8 percent, for this year.

“The Q2 2023 outcome was weaker than anticipated and prospects are subdued. Private consumption growth should continue to moderate on the back of slower growth in remittances and an uninspiring pattern of job creation,” ANZ said.

It added that both the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) and World Bank have confirmed that the bulk of new job creation has been in agriculture and sales, both of which are low paying.

GDP growth slowed significantly to 4.3 percent in the second quarter from 6.4 percent in the first quarter of the year, bringing the average to 5.3 percent in the first half and way below the government’s six to seven percent target for 2023.

ANZ said the flow of funds data suggests households are dissaving and the only tangible support to household consumption has been credit.

“Consumption credit has been rising in double digits and is also

reflected in sturdy auto sales and consumer goods imports. However, this support is unlikely to be sustained in the face of higher interest rates and tighter bank lending standards,” it said.

According to ANZ, the recent implementation of a new liquidity absorption tool by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) would only enhance the transmission of the increases in the policy rate to lending and deposit rates.

The BSP‘s Monetary Board raised interest rates by 425 basis points between May last year and March this year to tame inflation and stabilize the peso that slumped to an all-time low of 59 to $1 last October.

It maintained a hawkish pause for four straight rate-setting meetings in May, June, August and September amid the inflation downtrend and the stable local currency.

Inflation averaged 6.6 percent and stayed above the BSP’s two to four percent target range after quickening to 5.3 percent in August after easing for six straight months to 4.7 percent in July from a peak of 8.7 percent last January.

“The outlook for inflation has deteriorated, owing to the recent rise in food and energy prices. While the intensity of the emerging El Niño or the effectiveness of the recently imposed rice price ceiling are yet to be established, the momentum in headline CPI (consumer price index) suggests it will fall back into the central bank’s target

range of two to four percent only in Q1 2024, compared with our earlier expectation of Q4 2023,”

ANZ said.

by Lawrence agcaoiLi Philstar.com by gaea Katreena caBico Philstar.com

ANZ sees inflation accelerating to six percent this year from 5.8 percent last year before easing to 3.5 percent for 2024 and three percent in 2025.

According to ANZ, the Monetary Board is likely to keep the benchmark interest rate at 6.25 percent until the end of next year

“Our view is that the BSP will hold the policy rate at 6.25 percent and that a cut is unlikely even in 2024,” it said. For 2025, ANZ expects the BSP to slash interest rates by 50 basis points.

ANZ pointed out that outlook for exports for the Philippines remains muddy.

“Our GDP growth forecasts for key markets for Philippines’ exports suggest weaker demand in 2024. Admittedly, the tech cycle is now reviving but the strength of the rebound is yet to be established. The competitiveness of the Philippines’ electronics industry is also debatable,” it said.

The Philippines managed to trim its trade deficit to $13.2 billion in the second quarter from $14.7 billion in the first quarter owing to weaker domestic demand and improving terms of trade.

How is California beating the...

effective way to pvromote heat resilience, she said.

The best way to reach wildfire survivors displaced from resilience resources like air conditioning has been through resources they do use, Hironimus added, like food pantries and farmer’s markets.

The worse the heat is, however, the harder it makes effective outreach. “If the temperature at a market is 105, the pavement will be past 110, and we can’t table outside. We can’t tell people about the warning signs of extreme heat

in the extreme heat because it’s a cognitive dissidence, if we’re saying ‘Don’t be out here.’”

Disabled and older adults

Susan Henderson, Executive Director of the Disability Rights Education and Defense Fund, said disabled and elderly people are a prevalent heat-vulnerable population.

Up to one in four people in the U.S. have a disability. “A large portion of that number are older people, as pretty much all of us age into disability,” she said. Access to safe and airconditioned housing is key to protecting disabled and older

MANILA — Controlling the rising prices of goods and services remained the top concern of most Filipinos, a survey by pollster Pulse Asia showed.

The survey conducted from September 10 to 14 found that 74% of Filipinos said that taming inflation was their “leading urgent national concern” that the administration of President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. must address immediately. The figure was 11 percentage points higher than the June survey. “Public sentiment on the matter is virtually unchanged between June 2023 and September 2023 as well as yearon-year,” Pulse Asia noted. In all regions, managing inflation, which accelerated to 5.3% in August, was the topmost concern. It was highest in Visayas at 80%, followed by Mindanao at 79%, Balance Luzon at 72%, and Metro Manila at 66%.

The survey also found that

public disapproval of how the Marcos government is handling inflation has risen to 56% in September from 37% in June.

Only 16% said they approved of the administration’s response to inflation, and 28% were undecided.

A separate Pulse Asia poll showed that the approval rating of Marcos and Vice President Sara Duterte has declined by double digits. The two top officials, however, maintained majority support from the public.

Other top concerns

The second top concern of Filipinos was increasing the pay of workers (49%).

Other concerns of the public were creating more jobs (27%), reducing poverty (25%), and fighting graft and corruption in the government (22%), fighting criminality (18%), addressing involuntary hunger (14%), providing assistance to farmers (13), and enforcing the law (11%).

Less than 10% of respondents identified providing support to small entrepreneurs, promoting peace, stopping environmental destruction,

defending the integrity of the Philippine territory, reducing taxes, protecting the welfare of migrant workers, and preparing to face any kind of terrorism as their major concerns.

The Marcos administration had majority approval ratings in protecting overseas Filipino workers (74%), helping calamity-hit areas (72%), promoting peace (63%), defending national territory (59%), combating crime (57%), enforcing rule of law (55%), providing assistance to farmers (55%), and protecting the environment (54%).

More Filipinos also disapproved of the administration’s work in fighting corruption and reducing poverty.

The survey was conducted at a time when lawmakers deliberated the budget for 2024, the government set price ceiling for rice, and the inflation quickened after a six-month downtrend.

The poll was based on interviews with 1,200 Filipino adults, and had a ± 2.8% error margin at the 95% confidence level. n

UN: Remove all barriers to right to information

“Unfortunately, the more recent surge in food and energy prices will complicate further progress. Food and energy account for 25 percent of the overall import bill,” it said. n MANILA — The United Nations has called on governments to remove all barriers to the right to information, which it described as “the oxygen” that would make democracy and development flourish.

adults from extreme heat impacts, Henderson continued, as is transportation to resources like cooling centers and hospitals, and backup electricity in the event of outages. Even when heat help is available, however, “disabled people and older adults on fixed incomes often have to bear the cost for it, and choose between electricity and other basic needs.” Key to overcoming this are accessibility audits of community heat resources, she said. “To make accommodations, ask the disabled person what they need, and how.” n

by Pia Lee-Brago Philstar.com

Many states have reportedly adopted laws on access to information, with some even recognizing access to the internet as a legal right, but these laws are often not implemented effectively, UN Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression Irene Khan revealed.

She noted that various tactics are used to restrict or deny access to information, both online and offline, to

investigative journalists, human rights defenders and other civil society representatives.

Khan reported that over the past five years, governments in more than 74 countries have shut down or slowed down the internet or blocked mobile communications for intermittent or prolonged periods.

These measures affected access to information and disrupted health, education and other essential services.

“Information, freedom of expression and active participation, online and offline, of youth, civil society and independent media are vital, whether to tackle global challenges, such as climate change and pandemics or to break age-old patterns of discrimination, exclusion and violence,” she said.

In the Philippines, the

passage of a Freedom of Information Law is crucial for Filipinos to exercise their right to access government-held information.

Such a law will empower citizen participation in demanding for transparency and accountability from the government. All branches of the government will be mandated to disclose all documents as well as the procedures for accessing these documents.

Khan explained that access to information, whether online or off, enables people to be better informed and better equipped to participate in decision-making, to improve the quality and sustainability of development outcomes.

By empowering citizens, civil society and the media to hold governments and companies to account, she said it makes democracy more meaningful. n

Wednesday OCTOBER 4, 2023

Fil-Am Broadway actor Eva Noblezada gives a peek of upcoming ‘Gatsby’ musical

The Tony-nominated actor performed a preview of “The Great Gatsby” musical ahead of its Oct. 12 opening

AHEAD of its Broadway opening on Oct. 12, the cast of “The Great Gatsby” musical, including FilipinoAmerican actor Eva Noblezada, performed a series of songs in a preview last week.

Noblezada stars as Daisy Buchanan in the new Marc Bruni-directed musical that features a book by Kait Kerrigan and a jazz- and popinfluenced original score by Jason Howland and Nathan Tysen.

During the preview, Noblezada sang her heart out in the ballad “Beautiful Little Fool,” which alludes to her fear for her infant daughter to be such. “The best thing a girl can be in this world is a beautiful little fool,” she trails off, its lyrics a direct quote from the 1925 novel by F. Scott Fitzgerald.

She was also joined by Jeremy Jordan, who plays Jay Gatsby, in a romantic duet entitled “My Green Light.” The song starts with a playful exchange—with flying shirts—between the two leads but climaxes into a song of

Noblezada was announced to play Buchanan in July following a buzzy film acting debut in 2019 in the movie “Yellow Rose” alongside Lea Salonga. She is a Tony-nominated Broadway actor known for her role as Kim in the 2017 revival of “Miss Saigon” and as Eurydice in the 2019 musical “Hadestown.” She earned Best Actress nominations at the Tony Awards for these portrayals.

What’s the flavor of the month? Bretman Rock’s ‘Da Fruity Salad’ ice cream collab

Screencap from Playbill/YouTube

longing, “Only heaven knows what I might do. If I save you, will you save me, too?”

The story, set in Jazz Age, Long Island, New York, follows the mysterious millionaire Gatsby trying to rekindle an old flame with Buchanan.

Born to a Filipino father and a Mexican-American mother in San Diego, California, Noblezada was discovered by casting director Tara Rubin at the 2013 National High School Musical Theatre Awards.

“The Great Gatsby” musical opens Oct. 12 and runs until Nov. 12 at New Jersey’s Paper Mill Playhouse. (Inquirer.net)

Andres Muhlach still undecided to join showbiz, wants to finish studies first

By leah C. salterio Philstar.com

HE is undoubtedly showbiz royalty. His grandma was the late actress Amalia Fuentes. His parents are award-winning actor Aga Muhlach and actress-beauty queen Charlene Gonzalez. Former child superstar Niño Muhlach is an uncle,

actresses Arlene Muhlach and Almira Muhlach are his aunts.

However, while his relatives started their acting careers early on, goodlooking and towering Andres Muhlach remains undecided whether or not he will venture into show business and follow in the footsteps of his parents and popular relatives.

Grabe, you’re putting me on the spot,” Andres said. “We’ll see if the opportunity is there already, why not? Right now, I’m still thinking about it. I’m still thinking about the options and opportunities. I’m still waiting on what my parents have to say. I still have a year left with my studies. I’m considering taking the

Continued on Page 11

By Kristel sambile Inquirer.net

IN a colorful collaboration that celebrates both Filipino American History Month and Honolulu Pride Month, Bretman Rock and Wanderlust Creamery have introduced their latest creation: Da Fruity Salad ice cream.

This vegan and dairy-free treat promises a taste of Bretman’s cherished Filipino fruit salad from his childhood.

Bretman Rock, the social media sensation known for his vibrant personality and unwavering support for LGBTQIA+ causes, has joined forces with Wanderlust Creamery to craft an ice cream flavor that’s not only delicious but also meaningful.

As part of the collaboration, the proceeds from “Da Fruity Salad” will be

donated to the Golden Gays, a Philippine nonprofit dedicated to providing support and care facilities for elderly LGBTQIA+ individuals.

The creation of Da Fruity Salad was a labor of love. Wanderlust Creamery’s cofounder Adrienne Borlongan worked closely with Bretman to capture the essence of the Filipino fruit salad. The dairyfree base is made with lentil milk while the ice cream is enriched with tropical flavors like coconut sport, jackfruit, pineapple and coconut-pandan jellies, maraschino cherries, and peach sorbet pearls, all beautifully swirled with Philippine mango jam.

To celebrate the launch of Da Fruity Salad, Bretman will be making store visits at Wanderlust Creamery’s eight locations in Los Angeles. The

Continued on Page 10

Photos from Bretman Rock and Wanderlust Creamery/Instagram

SB19 launches own company 1Z Entertainment with Pablo as CEO

By HannaH Mallorca Inquirer.net

What ABS-CBN Ball attendees say they’re ‘forever grateful’ for

By Marinel cruz Inquirer.net

ACTRESS Kim Chiu is grateful that her big sister, Lakam, who was hospitalized early this year, was able to attend the 2023 ABS-CBN Ball with her.

Actor Enchong Dee said he was happy to have had the chance to represent the country in an international film festival this year by way of Richard Somes’ “Topakk,” while Robi Domingo was thankful that ABS-CBN has “successfully rebranded” from being a broadcast network to being a storyteller and content provider, “but has remained to be in the service of the Filipino, despite the absence of a broadcasting franchise.”

They were just some of the Kapamilya talents who donned their best outfits and walked the red carpet that was set up at the Makati Shangri-La Hotel on Saturday night. They agreed that the party’s theme, “Forever Grateful,” suited the general sentiment of Kapamilya talents whose last network-organized get-together was held four long years ago.

‘We are still here’

“Grateful is a big word,” said Kim, who wore a silhouette gown by Francis Libiran that night. “I have so much to say ‘thank you’ for, even the small things like the smiles of the people I run into. Rather than dwell on the negative things, it’s better to just focus on the more important stuff. At the end of the day, I’m blessed that I still have work and that I’m able to eat three times a day.”

“I’m also thankful that despite everything that happened to ABS-CBN, we are still here, we’re still doing what we love doing. As a result, our reach has gotten wider with all the networks and platforms that we are partnering with,” she told Inquirer Entertainment.

Enchong, who flew to Switzerland to participate in the 76th Locarno International Film Festival in August, said he was grateful for the opportunity to witness people of different nationalities all looking up to Filipinos when it comes to filmmaking. “I’m also grateful that I’m still standing here, despite the things that happened this year, not just to me personally, but also to the network. This is a night to celebrate the efforts of everyone in the industry, every Kapamilya, Kapuso and Kapatid, as well as all the other networks and platforms,” said Enchong, who wore a Boom Sason suit.

Rough years

Robi had to explain why he walked the red carpet solo this year. “As much as we want Maiqui (Pineda, his fiancée) to be here, she is immunocompromised, so we said she should just relax,” said Robi, who wore a suit by Vin Orias. “Her request? Just like the movie of Kathryn (Bernardo, ‘A Very Good Girl’), she wants me to become a very good boy. I have to call her after the program when I get to my room.”

Miss Universe 2018 Catriona Gray, who walked the red carpet with fiancé, actor Sam Milby, said she was grateful to be his date this year. “My first ABS-CBN Ball was before I won Miss Universe. Now, I’m here with my fiancé,” she recalled. “Also, I’m grateful that we have had a very eventful year together, especially because we were able to travel a lot. Admittedly, at the beginning of our relationship, it wasn’t the case. This time, we’re visiting new places together. That’s really wonderful. In fact, we’ll be traveling to Canada in two weeks for a concert.”

Sam, who wore a suit by Edwin Tan, added: “I agree with Cat. Also, it’s been a rough few years for our network, the whole country and, actually, the world. I’m just happy that we’re all surviving. It is also great to have this night dedicated to ABS-CBN Foundation.”

With this, Sam meant that the ball is more than just a night of glitz and glamor, it also gives them the opportunity to pay it forward. A portion of the funds collected from sponsors and online voting will be given to the foundation.

Meanwhile, it was interesting to note that despite his success as an actor, Donny Pangilinan is more grateful for “that good circle I can go back to—my family.”

The onscreen partner of Belle Mariano added: “Despite everything, I’m happy that our supporters are always there; that we are able to do amazing projects like this one (‘Can’t Buy Me Love’), which is super different from the previous ones we did.”

Like Donny, Belle said she is thankful for her “own circle,” as well as for their supporters.

“I’ve been reading a lot of their tweets about our show’s trailer. They’re really amazing!” said Belle, who wore a Michael Leyva ball gown.

Actress and social media star Maymay Entrata said

Continued on Page 10

SB19 — consisting of Pablo, Josh, Stell, Ken, and Justin — took a leap in their careers as they officially launched their own company 1Z Entertainment, months after declaring they have transitioned into being self-managed stars.

The P-pop supergroup made the announcement during a YouTube live on Sunday, Oct. 1, where their leader Pablo will take on the role as the chief executive office (CEO). The video also showed SB19 unveiling 1Z’s “identity and logo,” which they hoped will create a “new standard of Filipino artists.”

“Sobrang excited ako kasi pinaka-pride namin itong 1Z Entertainment. Isa ito sa mga biggest achievements namin in life… 1Z Entertainment is built by the members of SB19 together with all the people behind the camera. Kasama namin sila sa 1Z (I’m so excited because 1Z Entertainment is our pride. It’s one of our biggest achievements in life.

1Z Entertainment is built by the members of SB19 together with the people behind the camera who are with us),” Pablo said.

What’s the flavor of the...

From Page 8

flavor is also available for delivery, ensuring that fans near and far can savor this unique creation.

Alongside this fruity collaboration is a selection of flavors dedicated to “growing up Filipino in America” in time for Filipino American History Month, such as the

brown butter sans rival, green mango, wanderlust halo halo, mani milk tsokolate, and sapin sapin.

Talk about an ice cream collaboration not only brings together the flavors of Filipino heritage but also contributes to a meaningful cause. This is one temptation we would give in to.

Pablo said their company aims to “challenge everything we see in the industry,” while promoting “Filipino music, Filipino talent, and the whole Filipino culture.”

“Sometimes, nabi-view pa kami as nagma-magaling kasi gusto namin ay hands-on kami sa lahat ng ginagawa namin. But in truth, we’re just so focused on our goal, on the vision that we want to achieve that’s why we couldn’t just blindly follow the things that we were told to do… Tinake namin ang wheel. Since this is also our future, gusto namin hands-on kami sa ginagawa

namin,” he said.

(Sometimes, we’re viewed as know-it-alls because we want to be hands-on in everything that we do. But in truth, we’re just so focused on our goal, on the vision that we want to achieve that’s why we couldn’t just blindly follow the things that we were told to do. We took the wheel. Since this is also our future, we want to be hands-on with everything we do.)

The “La Luna” singer noted that their company aimed to function as an “ecosystem” where artists can help each other create quality content

in hopes of “leveling up” the entertainment industry.

“Noong nagkaroon kami ng chance na i-build ‘yung 1Z, it took all the might to take a step forward,” Pablo said. “Sobrang hirap niya kung iisipin. Pero iniisip namin we have vision and we have the people behind us na talagang tutulungan kami na ma-achieve ang [vision] na ‘yun.”

(When we had the chance to build 1Z, it took all the might to take a step forward. It’s hard if you think about it. But we believe in our vision and we have the people behind us who can help us in achieving our vision.)

‘Get you into the zone, break the norm’

Pablo underscored 1Z’s motto to create a “brighter future” for the next generation of artists, performers and creatives alike.

“We consider this as a sanctuary or a dojo where we work on ourselves, we try to hone our talents and try to develop all the aspects and individualities. This company is inspired by SB19’s key message is to get you into the zone and break the norm,” he said.

“We believe that in

Continued on Page 10

SB19 members (from left) Ken, Justin, Pablo, Josh, Stell. Image: X/@SB19Official

Kathryn Bernardo Daniel Padilla Photos by Eugene Araneta

Kim Jones and Jericho Rosales Sam Milby and Catriona Gray

community

SB19 launches own company...

From

breaking norms, we see that the new standard of Filipino artists unfold. It is our mission to hone breakthrough artists who express their limitless creativity and passion through groundbreaking music, arts, and entertainment in an ecosystem that is the zone,” he further explained.

SB19 also took to 1Z’s Instagram account to share their company logo andfuture goals,

The five-piece act previously spoke about managing their own label during their “Pagtatag” media launch last June, where

Pechanga presents APO

Hiking Society on Nov. 3-4

Josh said 1Z is built for the “P-pop and OPM industry.”

“It’s a risk that we’re taking because we believe in Filipino talents. I hope we can help each other to push the arts and culture of the Philippines. This is not an easy path, it’s a big risk we’re taking right now but I hope this can inspire a lot of people who want to challenge the market and to grow the industry,” he said.

SB19 was previously under ShowBT Philippines before confirming earlier this year their “freedom” as self-managed artists.

What ABS-CBN Ball attendees say...

From Page 9

that while getting married to Canadian boyfriend, Aaron Haskell, is still far from her mind, she is thankful that, “The person I love also loves me back.”

Another reason to be grateful for, said Maymay, is the chance to be able to help the foundation. “We’ve experienced typhoons and

floods. This is the least we can do to help our kababayan,” said the actress, who wore a fully-beaded Neric Beltran piece.

Meanwhile, Paulo Avelino, Kim’s leading man in the psychological-thriller “Linlang,” said: “I’m actually very grateful for a lot of things: at this point in my career, I could still work on projects I want; at this point

in my life, I can still do things I want and love doing.”

JM de Guzman, who has been very vocal about his battle with various mood disorders, said he is thankful that, “I’m still breathing and fighting a good fight; that I am still able to work and entertain people; that I’m now able to help take care of my family.” JM is also in the cast of “Linlang.”

PECHANGA Resort Casino proudly presents the APO Hiking Society 50 Years USA Concert Tour 2023 that will be held on Friday, November 3, and Saturday, November 4, 2023 at 8 p.m., at the Pechanga Theater.

APO Hiking Society is one of the pillars and icons of Original Pilipino Music (OPM). Formed in 1969, the group has released 27 albums, with two successful tribute albums produced in 2006 and 2007 featuring numerous young bands.

The group started with 12 members, but only 3 remained to pursue music — Danny Javier, Jim Paredes, and Boboy Garrovillo. They have gone on to win many awards, including the first Dangal ng Musikang Pilipino by Awit Awards, the Filipino equivalent of the Grammy.

In 2009, APO was inducted to the Philippines Eastwood City Walk of Fame. In 2010, Javier, Paredes, and Garrovillo retired the group’s name after 41 years of performing. Unfortunately, in 2022, the group lost Danny Javier due to a prolonged illness. Now, to celebrate 50 years of performing, APO Hiking Society members Jim Paredes and Boboy Garrovillo are coming to the Pechanga Theater to put on a show for their fans.

Hurry! The APO Hiking Society 50 Years USA Concert only happens once! This is a show not to be missed! Buy your tickets now from the Pechanga Box Office, or by calling 888-810-8871, or visit www.pechnga.com.

Shows in the Pechanga Theater offer a comfortable and intimate concert experience. With 1,200 seats in its theater, each show features state-of-the-art, acoustically perfected sound, plus comfortable chairs, and an upclose view from every theater seat.

Pechanga Resort Casino offers one of the largest and most expansive resort/casino experiences anywhere in the United States.

Voted “Best Casino in the West” by USA Today and rated a Four Diamond property by AAA since 2002, Pechanga Resort Casino provides an unparalleled getaway, whether for the day or for an extended luxury stay. Offering 5500 of hottest slots, 152 table games, a 1,100 room and suite hotel, dining, luxury spa, and golf at Journey at Pechanga, Pechanga Resort Casino features a destination unrivaled anywhere in California. Pechanga Resort Casino is owned and operated by the Pechanga Band of Indians. For more information, call toll free (877) 711-2946 or visit www.Pechanga.com. Follow Pechanga Resort Casino on Instagram, Facebook and on X (formerly Twitter) @PechangaCasino. (Advertising Supplement)

Calendar of events

OCTOBER: FILIPINO AMERICAN HISTORY MONTH

OCTOBER

R3-23

Filipino

Pista

6pm - 12mn

DoubleTree by Hilton Buena Park 700 Beach Blvd., Buena Park, CA 90620 For inquiries email us at info@basc87.org.

NOVEMBER

Five benefits of establishing a revocable living trust

Barrister’s Corner

THERE is never the perfect time to think about who you would like to inherit from your estate in case you pass away or at least who among your closest friends (BFFs) and family members are even deserving of inheriting from your estate. In doing so, you should also think about which vehicle you plan to use in implementing your estate plan. One of the best vehicle in implementing your estate plan is a revocable living trust. Five major benefits of establishing a revocable living trust are:

1. Your estate can avoid the time, cost, and hassle of going through the probate court process. If you pass away without a will (intestate) in California, one of your close family would have to file a petition in probate court to probate your estate. Your estate will be divided and distributed according to the California probate code rules of intestate succession. Even if you have a will when you pass away, your family would still need to file a petition in probate court if your estate is worth over $184,500 and go through the probate process. This can become a circus if certain beneficiaries contest the validity of the Will or the distribution of the estate. Your estate will pay for attorney’s fees, probate referee fees, appraisers and other experts, CPA fees, etc. If people contest the case, your estate would end up paying legal fees to defend the estate in litigation. The entire process can take anywhere from 9 months to years depending on the contentiousness of the probate case.

With a revocable living trust, your trustee or successor trustee if you were the initial trustee, would administer the trust and distribute the estate according to the trust document without having to open a probate court case. If the trust is funded with all your assets, it is possible to administer and distribute the trust assets without any Court involvement at all. This process is a lot faster than going through probate.

2. Your estate is not public record

When you file a probate case, the public has access to your probate case file. The

public will know the assets of the estate including the values of those assets. If the Will is admitted into probate, the terms of the Will is open to public scrutiny.

Establishing a revocable living trust makes your estate affairs private. Strangers do not have access to the terms of your living trust. Only certain beneficiaries and possible heirs can request a copy of the revocable living trust after you pass away.

3. You can dictate who will inherit from your estate.

If you pass away without a Will, your estate will be divided and distributed in Probate Court following the rules of intestate succession in the California probate code. Certain relatives will be entitled to a share of your estate even if you feel they are not deserving. By establishing a revocable living trust, you can designate who you want to inherit from your estate. You can designate what and how much each one will received from your estate after you pass away. The assets distributed to each beneficiaries does not have to be equal. The people you designate as beneficiaries of your living trust does not even have to be close family members. You can designate anyone as a beneficiary, with certain exceptions, of your estate.

4. You can structure your estate to minimize estate taxes

If your estate is valued above the estate tax exemption, establishing a trust can allow you to divide up your estate into smaller sub trusts to minimize the overall estate tax effect on your estate. It allows you to set up a vehicle for certain charitable giving which carries tax advantage and asset protection.

5. You can choose who will administer your estate after your death

When you establish a revocable trust, you can appoint someone else as trustee or you can appoint a successor trustee if you are the initial trustee. The trustee will be administering (managing) the trust after you pass away without a need to open a probate court case. This allows for continuity in operating the trust and the efficient and cost effective distribution of estate assets. If you are concerned about whether you can trust any family members as your trustee, you can appoint an institution as a professional trustee to carry out the terms of the declaration of trust. These type of trustee services are often offered by

banks, financial institutions, wealth management firms, and business management firms for a reasonable fee. This minimizes conflicts within the family and prevents negligence and wrong doing by inexperienced family members.

* * * Please note that this article is not legal advice and is not intended as legal advice. The article is intended to provide only general, non-specific legal information. This article is not intended to cover all the issues related to the topic discussed. The specific facts that apply to your matter may make the outcome different than would be anticipated by you. This article does create any attorney client relationship between you and the Law Offices of Kenneth U. Reyes, APLC. This article is not a solicitation.

* * *

Attorney Kenneth Ursua Reyes is a Certified Family Law Specialist. He was President of the Philippine American Bar Association. He is a member of both the Family law section and Immigration law section of the Los Angeles County Bar Association. He is a graduate of Southwestern University Law School in Los Angeles and California State University, San Bernardino School of Business Administration. He has extensive CPA experience prior to law practice. He is founder and Managing Partner of LAW OFFICES OF KENNETH REYES, APC located at 3699 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 747, Los Angeles, CA, 90010. Tel. (213) 388-1611 or e-mail kenneth@ kenreyeslaw.com or visit our website at Kenreyeslaw.com.

(Advertising Supplement)

Andres Muhlach still...

From Page 8

rest of my studies online, but I will do it here in Manila.”

Turning 22 in November, Andres’ priority is to finish his studies at a university in Spain, where he is taking up a Business and Communications course.

“I’m not sure yet what I’ll do after college,” he said. “I have to graduate first. We’ll see where it goes after I graduate.”

His twin sister, Atasha, recently graduated with honors from the Nottingham Trent University in the United Kingdom, where she completed her Business Management degree. Atasha, however, got the green light from her parents to join showbiz.

“I’m very, very happy for her,” Andres said. “I’ve known for a while that she really wanted to pursue showbiz. That’s really her dream. We will always support her.”

The brother is protective of his twin sister, who recently signed up a management contract with Viva Artists Agency (VAA) and joined E.A.T. as one of the hosts.

Possible suitors of Atasha are “scared of me,” Andres smiled. “I’m like her first wall. If there’s someone out there who wants to court her, they have to go through me.”

Andres, who was recently in Manila on a school break,

shared how he’s enjoying his life as a student in Spain. “Being able to walk to the school every day, 30 minutes going there and 30 minutes back, I really like to walk,” Andres shared.

“Even my groceries, I really have to count them. Sometimes, I don’t even have enough money to do the grocery, so I count my coins.”

He’s proud that he learned how to cook chicken mechado, his favorite dish. “I’m a chicken guy, so the very basic cooking for chicken, I can do that.”

Andres and Atasha grew up in Batangas away from the glare of klieg lights. “Honestly, I never really saw my parents as showbiz talaga,” he said. “We grew up properly in Batangas. I just saw them as my parents, as regular people.”

“My sister and I just grew up playing outdoors, biking, hiking. I really love basketball. Almost every day, I play basketball. I’ve played basketball with Grae (Fernandez), although he’s in New York now, also with Benj (Pangilinan). I also play with Andoy (Andrew Muhlach),” he added.

Andres has gotten used to the attention he has been getting whenever he’s outside. Just recently, he attended the wake of entertainment columnist Ethel Ramos, who was the talent manager of his dad.

“Ang daming cameras all over. Have you seen it? But I guess gano’n talaga.” He is aware that his mom Charlene previously hosted a dancing show, saying: “I think I got my grooves from her and also a little bit from my dad. I learned how to dance from them.”

Told that he is a “Crush ng Bayan,” Andres simply smiled sheepishly.

“I appreciate the love,” he said. “It’s a lot of love. Thank you.”

Marian Celebration in October

THE Federation of Filipino Rosary Groups, 2000 Hail Mary and Knights of Columbus will host the Rosary Rally at Incarnation Church, 1001 Brand Avenue, Glendale on Sunday, October 15th , 2023. A Eucharistic celebration honoring the Blessed Virgin Mary will start with a procession at 1:15 pm followed by praying the rosary. Mass in Tagalog will start at 2:00 PM which will be presided by Reverend Rodel Balagtas.

Filipino Catholics all over the world are continuing the tradition of praying the rosary. Through various devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary, many remain grounded in their faith. Filipinos come to Mary for her powerful intercession and protection. Love for “Mama Mary” or “Inang Mahal”, her connection with her Son, Jesus Christ, is what keeps their relationship to the Sacred and Immaculate hearts real.

Several churches will be celebrating the Feast of the Holy Rosary as well. Our Lady of Fatima Rosary Crusade of St. Lorenzo Ruiz Parish, 747 Meadow Pass Road, Walnut, CA will hold its event on Saturday, October 14th, 2023. Rosary begins at 4:00 pm, followed by Mass at 5:00 pm. Contact: Vangie Sia (626) 523-8880 and Linda Basilio (626) 862-8010. At Hoy Family Church, 209 E. Lomita Avenue, Glendale, CA, Our Lady of Fatima Rosary Crusade will hold its Rosary Rally on Saturday, October 28th at 2:00 PM. Contacts: Aurora Fernandez (323) 513-3476 and Alma Purugganan (818) 458-5197.

All are welcome to attend these events that will help strengthen our faith communities. As Tess Domingo, President of Federation of Filipino Groups said, “Our Blessed Mother helps us in our life’s journey. Through ups and downs, she is always there. Let us remember that her compassion and kindness make life’s challenges easier to handle.”

For more information, please call:

Didi Pimentel (818) 929-3646

Myrna Cruz (323) 493-2224

Oscar Talosig (951) 240-9595

Vessel of Mary Liturgical dancers will perform at prelude on Oct. 14th Mass at St. Lorenzo Ruiz Parish in Walnut, CA.