100822 - Los Angeles Weekend Edition

the updated fall

critical for older vulnerable residents

COUNTY residents who are older than 65 face the greatest risk of serious illness from COVID-19, yet very few have received the new updated Fall COVID-19 booster that offers protection against more recent variants of the SARS-CoV-2 virus.

The updated Fall boosters from Pfizer and Moderna are bivalent vaccines, meaning they protect against both the original virus that causes COVID-19 and the more recently spreading Omicron BA.4 and BA.5 subvariants. Although the two subvariants are different, they have the same spike protein, and the new Fall booster offers protection against both.

It is important for all residents to get the updated Fall booster because immunity from both earlier vaccinations and/or a previous COVID-19 infection wanes over time. The virus has mutated significantly over the past two and a half years, and the new strains can evade some of the protection

Appeals court deems DACA illegal, but current

still eligible for renewal

KLARIZE MEDENILLA AJPress

SACRAMENTO — A day-long conference highlighting California’s 10-year Master Plan for Aging kicked off with a group of disability and aging advocates singing and clapping to the Pharrell Williams song “Happy” as they marched and wheeled around the auditorium.

“Today is a milestone in our movement for healthy aging,” said Susan DeMarois, director of the California Department of Aging, which hosted the Sept. 20 event, named “CA For ALL Ages & Abilities Day of Action.”

The auditorium was packed with representatives of several state agencies as well as disability and aging advocates championing California’s move towards becoming the most-inclusive state in the nation by 2030.

People over 65 are one of the fastestgrowing populations in California. In 2030, the elder population of the state

Fil-Am sworn in as US ambassador to Mongolia

by ARIC JOHN SY CUA ManilaTimes.net

FILIPINO American Richard Buangan has taken his oath as the U.S. ambassador to Mongolia, the U.S. State Department has confirmed.

“I was honored to swear in Richard Buangan as @USAmbMongolia,” tweeted U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman on Tuesday, October 4. “Distinguishing himself through hard work, skilled diplomacy, and positive, collegial relationships, Ambassador Buangan will reinforce our pride as Ambassador Richard Buangan Photo from the U.S. State Department

by ALEXIS ROMERO Philstar.com

MANILA — Assembling the "best and the brightest" to serve in his administration and putting up a "functional" government are what President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. considers as his key achievements in his first 100 days in office, which also saw him grapple with challenges like rising oil prices and the lingering effects of the pandemic.

Speaking before officers and members of the Manila Overseas Press Club, Marcos said his administration still enjoys the "unifying force" that was felt during this year's elections, where he won by landslide with 31

million votes.

Marcos, the first majority president since 1986, added that while elections are polarizing, "a very strong majority made itself felt" and that served as a "foundation" of his government.

"I think what we have managed to do in the first 100 days is put together government which is functional and which has a very, very good idea of what we are targeting in terms of strict economic targets, for example, in terms of the numbers of growth, the numbers of the different measures, the different metrics that we are using for the economy," the president said.

"The promises that were

by GABRIEL PABICO LALU Inquirer.net

MANILA — The high satisfaction rating of President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. is an indicator that he is on the right track of governance, said his cousin, House Speaker and Leyte 1st District Rep. Ferdinand Martin Romualdez.

Romualdez in a statement Friday, October 7 said that Marcos started on the right foot as he was able to convince some of the country’s greatest minds to join his administration.

The House official said this after polling firm Pulse Asia showed in its survey that the Marcos administration got majority approval ratings on 11 of the 13 issues from which its performance was graded last September 2022.

“The good showing means that President Bongbong Marcos is on the right track of governance,” Romualdez said. “(The President)

THE administration of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is undertaking a “transformational reform” of its justice and law enforcement sectors, Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla told member states of the United Nations Human Rights Council.

Human rights watchdogs, however, stressed there is a disconnect between the government’s rhetoric and the situation on the ground.

At the 51st session of the UN Human Rights Council, Remulla claimed the Marcos administration has a “deeply human approach” to law enforcement and the internationally-condemned “war on drugs.” He cited the president’s reminder to the Philippine National Police that the use of force must only be utilized when necessary.

“President Marcos has refocused the anti-illegal drug campaign — tackling the source of the problem. He has stated that criminal masterminds must be apprehended and punished, not small scale users on the street,” Remulla said, adding the government’s focus is the rehabilitation, prevention, and assistance to victims and their families.

Remulla added the justice department is aiming to have 5,000 persons deprived of their liberty released by June 2022, working closely with the Department of the Interior and Local Government and the Supreme Court, and streamlining the investigative and accountability processes of prosecutors and law enforcement agents.

“We want to inject human rights into every step of our law enforcement and judicial processes… We are reforming our system to deliver what our people deserve — real justice in real time,” he said.

The justice chief also called on civil society organizations, witnesses, and families to provide information and file appropriate cases that will help the DOJ-led review panel, which is created to re-examine cases that occurred in the context of the government’s anti-illegal drug campaign.

‘Dire’ situation remains Human rights groups, however, said that "drug war" killings, redtagging of rights defenders and government critics, and other violations continue without let up.

“The human rights situation

days into his term, Marcos shares his key achievements as president

PH to UN rights council: Marcos gov’t doing ‘transformation’ reform of justice, law enforcement

President Ferdinand “Bongbong” R. Marcos Jr. (fifth from right) takes his oath of

as the 17th President of the Republic of the Philippines before Supreme Court Chief

Alexander Gesmundo

Museum

A FEDERAL appeals court on Wednesday, Oct. 5 ruled in favor of a lower court’s 2021 ruling that found an Obama-era immigration program unlawful

but allowed the hundreds of thousands of recipients the option to renew their DACA status. The decision concerns the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, which former President Barack Obama created in 2012

to provide temporary benefits and protections to undocumented immigrants who were brought to the U.S. as children.

In short, the Wednesday decision — made by  PAGE A2

Appeals court deems DACA...

PAGE

the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit — did not change the current status of DACA, but rather left its future hanging in the balance.

The new rule barring new applicants takes effect on Oct. 31.

As of 2022, the average age of a DACA recipient is 28 years old, and there are currently more than 611,000 individuals enrolled in DACA. Though DACA recipients are diverse, a vast majority hail from South America and Asia. According to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), about 3,880 Filipinos are active recipients of DACA.

For years, DACA has remained a controversial topic. Conservatives and antiimmigration groups argue that the government shouldn’t grant undocumented immigrants benefits and protections — even if they were brought to the U.S. as small children. Democrats have been fighting to preserve DACA, especially after former President Donald Trump unsuccessfully tried to terminate the program in 2017.

However, immigrant rights groups have argued that the

issue goes beyond DACA, which is a temporary protections program, and that the White House and Congress ought to prioritize permanent solutions for undocumented individuals.

“It is beyond time for Congress and Biden to act on their promises to secure permanent protections for Dreamers, including a pathway to citizenship for all,” Families Belong Together, an immigrant rights group, said in a statement, referencing the neverpassed DREAM Act that would have guaranteed a pathway to citizenship.

The lower court ruling was made in July 2021 by Judge Andrew Hanen of the Southern District of Texas, which ruled DACA “unlawful” and barred new applications for the program; the order, however, allowed for renewals for existing DACA beneficiaries.

Texas wasn’t the only state claiming that DACA was a financial burden; Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana, Nebraska, South Carolina and West Virginia — all staunchly conservative states — joined Texas in its lawsuit against DACA in 2018.

Advocates for DACA — including the Biden Administration — argue that

without the program, healthcare costs would increase for undocumented immigrants and their families, a point that the appeals court acknowledged in their ruling.

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit wrote that without DACA, the cost of healthcare in Texas “would increase for [undocumented individuals] who remain in Texas, because they would lose their jobs and employer-based health insurance and would rely more on emergency Medicaid.”

But the ruling continues, “That may be, but these estimates do not account for the cost savings — healthcare and educational — from others’ departure. Texas would no longer be required to educate those who depart or the children who depart with them.”

In July arguments, the Biden administration, through the U.S. Justice Department, defended DACA along with multiple immigrant groups, the state of New Jersey and dozens of corporations — including Amazon, Apple, and Google — who all argued that DACA recipients have served as a reliable workforce that continues to stimulate the economy.

100 days into his term, Marcos shares his key...

made during the campaign, for example, that we bring the best and brightest and we do not look at color in terms of - political color, I think we have done that. And more importantly, we have galvanized government once again into governing," he added.

Marcos thanked the experts who are now part of his economic team, saying their decision to join the government is a "sacrifice" for them because they are very successful.

"It is really all about service on their part. And so we are always very grateful for their talent. We are grateful for their industry and to have them in place already I think gives us a very distinct advantage as we try to transform our economy for the next few years," he said.

"It is that unity that we bring people together...for a reason and the reason is not ourselves, it’s not our families, but it’s our community, it’s our country, it’s our people. That I think we have returned into government. I think that’s the most important thing."

While Marcos' choice of cabinet members have drawn praises from various sectors, his administration also saw the resignation of three key appointees namely former executive secretary and his former campaign spokesman Victor Rodriguez, former press secretary Trixie Cruz-Angeles and former Commission on Audit chairman Jose Calida. Rodriguez has been replaced by former chief justice Lucas Bersamin while the next press secretary and COA chief have yet to be announced.

Impetus Admitting that he is worried about complacency in the government, Marcos said he is working to unite people in the public service to achieve the goals of his administration.

"The one thing I worry about very, very much is coasting. It goes like this, “This is okay. This will do. You don’t really need to attend to this anymore. It’s going to be alright. You can all go and have a holiday.' That’s what I worry about the most," Marcos said in Filipino.

"I try very hard to put an impetus into government. “Come on , let’s go. We need to do these things. We haven’t very much time...We have very many difficulties. We cannot count on other countries to

help us in ways that they used to be able to help us so it is up to us," he added.

Marcos said such an attitude has been adopted in the higher positions in government and is slowly filtering down to the rank and file personnel, whom he claimed are beginning to feel that "there is a point to government."

"That kind of message I think has filtered down to not only the elected officials, not only the high officials in government, but to slowly make the bureaucracy understand, make all our officials understand that... as a government we are here to govern," Marcos said.

"We have been put here to try our best to pull us out of this terrible crisis that we have just been suffering for the last two years. And I think we have achieved that," he added, referring to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Coming out party Marcos also touted the gains of his first foreign trips , saying it allowed the Philippines to renew its friendship with its allies. The president embarked on state visits in Indonesia and Singapore and on a working visit in the U.S. last month.

"But I think since this is the coming-out party for the world, it’s not just the Philippines that’s coming out of the pandemic. This is the coming-out party for the Philippines and we are able to explain, this is what the Philippines is now. This is what the Philippines looks like after two and a half years of crisis," the Marcos said.

"This is what the Philippines is doing and this is how we can help each other because not any one country is going to manage this transformation by themselves and we will need each other’s help," he added.

Marcos cited the conflict in Ukraine, which he said has also affected the Philippines.

"Even in the UN (United Nations), I would talk to the other leaders and I say, 'Who would have thought that the war in Eastern Europe would affect the Philippines halfway around the world in the gut — in the food supply, fertilizer prices, seedling prices, fuel?' All of these things.

You never imagine that such a thing would happen but here it is and here we are," Marcos said.

"And so it was very, very important for us to find our place now in the world and to define that place and to explain that to the rest of the world, especially our friends but also those who have not been considered as particularly close partners or allies," he added.

The president reiterated the importance of establishing partnerships with other countries, saying they are necessary in facing uncertainties like food supply issues.

"We have been able to show that the Philippines is standing on its feet. The Philippines...continues to have its aspirations and its dreams and we are willing to do our part in making those dreams come true. And partnerships once again are going to be important and we invite you to join us. So that is one thing we have staked our place in the community of nations. I think that has been very, very important," he said.

Marcos said his administration also spent the first 50 to 60 days "putting out fires," citing its efforts to address sugar supply woes and rising fertilizer prices by looking for non-traditional sources of commodities. He confirmed that the Philippines is considering acquiring fuel and fertilizer from Russia and feed wheat from Ukraine, countries that are now embroiled in an armed conflict.

"All of these things have now become part of the mix that has made really --- has made the world situation more volatile and more complex than it was before," he said.

"We have already made it clear where the Philippines stands in all of this. And it is something that I made clear again to the other leaders and I said that... essentially we are driven by our desire for peace. And all the economic development that we plan and all that we hope to do will come to naught unless there is peace."

Recently, Marcos traveled to Singapore for the second time to watch the Formula 1 Grand Prix, a trip that he claimed was productive since he met new business friends who are ready to invest in the Philippines. The trip did not sit well with critics who claimed that it was unnecessary and insensitive to the plight of Filipinos who are still reeling from the effects of super typhoon "Karding."

BREAKING GROUND. Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD) Secretary Jose Rizalino Acuzar (3rd from right) and Marikina City Mayor Marcelino Teodoro (4th from right) lead the lowering of the time capsule at the groundbreaking rites for the Bagong Sibol housing project in Barangay Nangka in Marikina City on Friday, Oct. 7. The project is under President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.'s "Pambansang Pabahay para sa Pilipino" program aimed at building one million housing units every year or a total of six million housing units within the six years of the current administration.

PNA photo by Joey O. Razon

PH to UN rights council: Marcos gov’t doing...

in the Philippines remains dire.

Domestic remedies remain largely ineffective in pursuing successful prosecution of perpetrators of extrajudicial killings and other violations,” Karapatan secretary general Cristina Palabay said in an oral statement delivered during the council’s session.

For Human Rights Watch senior researcher Carlos Conde, Remulla said things that the international community that has been monitoring the situation in the Philippines wants to hear.

“But the forces on the ground are doing something else altogether. There is a disconnect between rhetoric and what’s happening on the ground,” Conde said in an interview with ABS-CBN News Channel Thursday, October 6.

“The challenge now for the Human Rights Council is to really make sure that the government makes good on those commitments,” he added.

HRW earlier criticized the council for failing to pass a resolution that will ensure continued on-the-ground scrutiny of the country’s human rights situation.

Joint Programme

The Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights and the United Nations resident coordinator for the Philippines welcomed the commitment of the Marcos administration to enhance the implementation of the UN Joint Programme.

The program, signed in July 2021, provides technical assistance and capacity building to improve the human rights situation in the Philippines.

“At the same time, I cannot help but to note that polarization and a deficit of trust among different actors remains a critical obstacle,” said Gustavo Gonzalez, UN resident coordinator for the Philippines.

In a report released last month, the UN rights office said the Philippines has taken initiatives to advance accountability for human rights abuses, but access to justice remains very limited.

“Numerous victims and their families still await justice. So, in the time remaining in the Joint Programme, together with other efforts, concrete progress on accountability is expected—to help bring about human rights reforms that will prevent recurring violations,” said acting UN rights office chief Nada Al-Nashif. (Philstar. com)

Fil-Am sworn in as US ambassador to...

PAGE A1

Mongolia’s Third Neighbor.”

U.S. President Joe Biden appointed Buangan as ambassador to Mongolia last April.

Current U.S. ambassador to the Philippines MaryKay Carlson congratulated Buangan on Twitter.

“Congratulations to my good friend, Richard!” she wrote

on Tuesday, adding that her friendship with the career diplomat goes “a long way back.”

Based on his State Department profile, Buangan joined the U.S. Department of State in 1999 and was assigned to Israel, China, France and the Ivory Coast. He also served as an executive assistant to then Secretary of State Mike

Pompeo and more recently as the acting assistant secretary to the Bureau of Global Public Affairs from April 4 to June 30.

Born to a Filipino family in San Diego, California, he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and Economics from St. Edward’s University in Austin, Texas, and speaks four languages fluently. 

Getting the updated fall COVID-19 booster critical for older...

A1

from earlier vaccinations or previous infections.

As of September 2, about 126,000 seniors have received the updated Fall booster, which is just 10% of the more than 1.2 million Los Angeles County residents 65 and older.

There are 1,046 vaccination sites across the county offering the updated Fall booster.

Seniors and residents who can’t easily leave their home can contact Public Health telehealth services at (833) 540-0473, seven days a week, from 8:00 am to 8:30 pm to arrange for at-home Fall booster and primary series vaccinations or transportation to a vaccination center.

Insurance is not required, and callers can be assisted in multiple languages.

If seniors do test positive for COVID-19, they can contact telehealth services or promptly call their doctor to see if they qualify for medication to treat COVID-19. Older residents who are at elevated risk for severe illness may be able to receive treatment that include the oral medications, Paxlovid and Molnupiravir, or injectable medications, such as Bebtelovimab or Remdesivir.

Overall, the county does continue to report improved COVID-19 case and death metrics. The 7-day average case count in the county is 1,138, a 12% decline from one week ago when the 7-day average of 1,291 cases was reported.

Over the past seven days, the average number of daily COVID-positive patients in LA County hospitals remains stable from one week ago when the average number of daily COVID-positive patients per day was about 500.

Deaths, which typically lag hospitalizations by several weeks, have remained at about 11 deaths reported each day this past week.

The Omicron variant still accounts for 100% of Los Angeles County sequenced specimens, and the BA.5 subvariant of Omicron remains the predominant subvariant, making up nearly 90% of cases.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that, for the week ending October 1, 90% of specimens in Region 9, which includes California, Arizona, Nevada, Hawaii, and U.S. territories in the Pacific Ocean, were BA.5. For the U.S. overall, the CDC estimates that 81% of specimens were BA.5 reflecting the increases in other parts of the country.

This past week, there were county increases in a few of the sublineages that Public Health has been monitoring: BA.4.6 increased from about 3% last week to 5% this week. BA.2.75 now accounts for 1% of specimens with 42 specimens to date, an increase from 30 specimens last week.

There are also three LA County specimens of BA.2.75.2, which Public Health will continue to watch closely, since this

sublineage has been spreading in parts of Asia and Europe and may both evade prior protections and not respond to some currently available treatments.

Two weeks ago, Public Health began tracking a new subvariant, called BF.7, a sublineage of BA.5 also referred to as BA.5.2.1.7. So far, 50 sequenced specimens in LA County have been determined to be from BF.7, now accounting for 1.4% of sequenced samples. While Public Health noted the small increase in three of the sublineages that are being tracked because of their immune-evading properties, the new sublineages currently circulating are increasing slowly and not yet crowding out BA.5.

Lastly, in Europe, as of September 30, it’s estimated that of the variants of concern, BA.4/BA.5 accounted for more than 98% of cases across 13 countries, just under 1% of cases was estimated to be BA.2, and .8% was detected as BA.2.75.

“I send my deepest sympathies and wishes of peace and comfort to the many families who have lost a loved one from COVID-19,” said Barbara Ferrer, PhD, MPH, MEd, Director of Public Health. “For so many of us who are already fully vaccinated and boosted with one or more doses, it may be confusing to hear that we need another booster. While the original vaccines do continue to provide significant protection against severe illness and death, it is important to know that these early vaccines may provide less protection against the transmission of the virus.

For the county’s vulnerable residents who are 65 and older, it is especially important to get the new, updated Fall booster. Keeping older and more vulnerable residents safe also means testing before gathering indoors and staying away if we are sick. With the cooler weather and Fall holidays, many more of us will be staying indoors, gathering with others, or traveling, so it is still practical to follow all health safety measures.”

Public Health reported 11 additional deaths and 1,336 new positive cases. Of the 11 new deaths reported today, two people were between the ages of 50-64, four people were between the ages of 6579, and five people were aged 80 years or older. Of the 11 newly reported deaths, all had underlying health conditions.

To date, the total number of deaths in L.A. County is 33,740.

Public Health has reported a total of 3,464,157 positive cases of COVID-19 across all areas of L.A. County. Today’s positivity rate is 4.6%.

There are 500 people with COVID-19 currently hospitalized.

Testing results are available for more than 12,582,282 individuals, with 24% of people testing positive.

Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla

Philstar.com file photo

TRADE EVENT. President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. on Thursday, October 6, attended the opening ceremonies of the Agrilink/ Foodlink/Aqualink 2022 at the World Trade Center in Pasay City. Marcos pledged to take all initiatives that would help transform the Philippines as a “leading agricultural resource hub” in the world. Malacanang photo

What inclusion for all means: California embraces...

is expected to jump to 8.6 million. In the next decade, seniors will comprise more than one quarter of California’s population.

“We must continue to build statewide capacity and infrastructure so that all Californians have access to the care and services and economic independence they demand and deserve,” said DeMarois.

California’s Master Plan for Aging launched Jan. 6, 2021 via an executive order from Gov. Gavin Newsom. It is a 10-year blueprint addressing current inequities for older adults and disabled people.

Over 132 initiatives have been launched over the past 18 months to support the plan, which focuses on five primary goals: affordable housing for elders; overall affordability in cost of living for people on fixed incomes; a new vision for health care; support for caregivers; and inclusion for all seniors.

The State Legislature has passed several “age and disability-friendly” bills to increase affordable housing, improve access to health care, expand long-term care and support services, and strengthen the direct care workforce.

The State Legislature has also allocated several billion dollars to support affordable housing programs for seniors, along with expanding homebased care services, meal programs, fall prevention, and other support programs.

Keynote speaker Ashton Applewhite, author of “This Chair Rocks,” discussed rampant discrimination targeting older adults and disabled people, who she said are often rendered invisible, particularly in the work force and in health care.

“Age and disability are not the problem. Discrimination is the problem,” declared Applewhite.

People ages 65 and older made up 80 percent of deaths from Covid, yet the US health care system was ageist in its response, noted the writer.

“The lethal, measurable global impact of ageism and ableism is that we see older and disabled people as less valuable members of society,”

said Applewhite.

During the morning portion of the conference, several aging and disability advocates presented their recommendations for expanding the master plan.

Affordable housing is especially critical, several speakers pointed out. Across the U.S., more than 50 percent of homeless people are over the age of 50 and became homeless after reaching that age.

The most-burdened are renters: housing costs have jumped by 15 percent, but fixed income cost of living adjustments have not kept pace. Older Black renters are most likely to struggle with rent unaffordability and are overrepresented in California’s homeless population, according to the organization Justice in Aging.

“Older adults have been squeezed out of the rental market. We need to keep people in housing they already have. Without a home, there can be no home-based services,” said Patti Prunhuber, senior housing attorney at Justice in Aging.

Debbie Toth, president and CEO of Choice in Aging, advocated for better public transportation systems to serve the elderly and disabled. “If you have a roof over your head but can’t get to the grocery store, you cannot live and thrive in your community.”

Dr. Mark Ghaly, Secretary for the California Health and Human Services Agency, moderated a panel of speakers on implementing the master plan. Speakers included: Sen. Richard Pan, a physician who represents portions of Sacramento and Yolo County in the California state Senate; Assembly member Joaquin Arambula, a physician who represents Fresno; and Melinda Grant, Undersecretary at the California Business, Consumer Services and Housing Agency.

Pan said California’s programs to support older people and the disabled were growing rapidly, but still not fast enough. He recommended an annual 5 percent increase for Long-Term Services and Support programs.

The doctor-politician also advocated for better support services for caregivers. “I have

parents who live close by. We often struggle with how to best support them.”

Arambula lauded Newsom’s expansion of the state’s MediCal program. In June, the governor signed a $307.9 billion budget allocation that makes all low-income adults eligible for Medi-Cal by 2024, including undocumented immigrants.

“There are so many people in the shadows unable to access the healthcare they need. I’m so grateful to Governor Newsom for expanding MediCal regardless of immigration status.”

In an interview with EMS after the panel discussion, Ghaly said: “Covid has been the great unmasker of health care disparities in our state, particularly for our elderly and disabled residents.”

“I lament every day the 96,000 people who lost their lives to the pandemic,” said Ghaly. He noted, however, that the “jolt” of the pandemic presented opportunities to retool the health care system, including expanding access to tele-health.

Department of Rehabilitation Director Joe Xavier moderated an afternoon panel offering personal perspectives from people who are disabled, and caregivers.

“Growing up, I would often hear people say: ‘I would rather be dead than disabled,’” said Xavier, who is blind. “I look forward to the day when conversations normalize disability so that it is woven into the fabric of society just like all of the other characteristics which make us who we are as human beings.”

Simone Nazzal, who cares for her mother who struggles with dementia, spoke of the need to support caregivers, a key piece of the Master Plan.

“We expect that all caregivers are able to smile and do their work in supporting another person without taking a toll on themselves. That is not fair,” she said.

“Get help as soon as you can. You cannot afford not to. You need self-care,” said Nazzal.

There are more than five million family caregivers in California, according to the Alzheimer’s Association. (Sunita Sohrabji/Ethnic Media Services)

Bongbong Marcos’ high approval ratings means...

started on the right foot by convincing the best and the brightest and most capable among Filipinos to serve the people by joining his economic team and his Cabinet.”

According to Pulse Asia, Marcos’ administration got the following remarks on key issues:

• calamity response (78%)

• controlling the spread of COVID-19 (78%)

• promoting peace in the country (69%)

• protecting the welfare of overseas Filipino workers (68%)

• fighting criminality (67%)

• law enforcement (62%)

• creating more jobs (59%)

• increasing workers’ pay (59%)

• fighting graft and corruption in government (58%)

• environment protection (57%)

• defense of the country’s territorial integrity (52%).

However, the government scored badly in terms of poverty reduction (39%) and control of inflation (31%).

Romualdez asked the public for patience as he claimed that the problems plaguing the country today are due to external factors — like the weakening peso against the U.S. dollar, the increasing price of crude oil due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, and the COVID-19 pandemic.

He assured the public, though, that the administration is trying its best to address these problems.

“Singly, each of these events already puts pressure on inflation. Their confluence makes matters worse for all consumers throughout the world,” he said.

“Let us be patient. With the cooperation of everyone, we will get there. President Bongbong has said he would not let even a single Filipino (be) added to the ranks of the poor,” he added.

While there have been people happy with Marcos and his administration’s performance, there have been critics who have pointed out that the problems affecting the country before have worsened.

Earlier, Minority lawmaker and Albay 1st District Rep. Edcel Lagman said that the administration cannot deny that figures show that economic problems have worsened, as

headline inflation rates rose from 6.1 percent in June to 6.9 percent in September while unemployment rates also spiked from 5.2 percent in July to 5.3 percent in August. 

LOS ANGELES COUNTY METROPOLITAN TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY (LACMTA) REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL

LACMTA will receive Proposals for PS43815Customer Experience Research at the 9th Floor Receptionist Desk, Vendor/Contract Management Department, One Gateway Plaza, Los Angeles, CA 90012.

All Proposals must be submitted to LACMTA, and be filed at the reception desk, 9th floor, V/CM Department, on or before 2:00 p.m. Pacific Time on Monday, November 7, 2022. Proposals received after the above date and time may be rejected and returned unopened. Each proposal must be sealed and marked Proposal No. PS43815.

For a copy of the Proposal/ Bid specification visit our Solicitation Page on our Vendor Portal at https://business.metro. net or for further information email Shannon Thoene at thoenes@metro.net. 10/8/22 CNS-3628678# ASIAN JOURNAL (L.A.)

LOS ANGELES COUNTY METROPOLITAN TRANSPORTATION

AUTHORITY (LACMTA) REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL

LACMTA will receive proposals for OP91160 - Graffiti Abatement Servicesat the 9th Floor Receptionist Desk, Vendor/Contract Management Department, One Gateway Plaza, Los Angeles, CA 90012.

This project is a Small Business Enterprise (SBE) SetAside contract. To participate in this RFP, proposers must be SBE certified with LACMTA prior to proposal due date. For information on the Set-Aside Program, visit: https://business. metro.net/VendorPortal/faces/ home1/certifications.

All proposals must be received on or before 2:00 p.m. Pacific Time on Thursday, October 27, 2022 at the address listed above, sent to the attention of Marc Margoni. Proposals received later than the above date and time will be rejected and returned to the proposer unopened.

For a copy of the Proposal/ Bid specification visit our Solicitation Page on our Vendor Portal at https://business.metro. net or for further information email Marc Margoni at margonim@metro.net. 10/8/22 CNS-3631131#

ASIAN JOURNAL (L.A.)

President Bongbong Marcos

Malacañang photo

Mutual Defense Treaty badly in need of overhaul

THE United States appears to be fortifying its alliances in the Indo-Pacific region as tension simmers in the South China Sea, Taiwan Strait and the Sea of Japan.

Several days ago, the U.S. and South Korea fired a volley of missiles into the Sea of Japan in response to what Washington describes as North Korea's "dangerous and reckless" test-firing of a missile capable of hitting U.S. military bases in Guam.

Editorial

The U.S. has also reiterated its promise to defend Taiwan against an attack by China, ramping up the sale of military hardware to the island nation.

And earlier this week, U.S. and Philippine Marines held joint combat drills in Palawan and Luzon to improve "interoperability" in times of conflict.

The drills were carried out days after American and Philippine defense officials met in Hawaii to discuss how to fine-tune the Mutual Defense Treaty (MDT) to make it more responsive to the shifting political winds in the Indo-Pacific region.

Signed on Aug. 30, 1951, the treaty stipulates that one nation must come to the other's aid if one is attacked by a foreign aggressor.

The MDT has been one of the pillars of the relationship between the longtime allies. But lately there have been calls for the Philippine government to take a hard look at the pact to find out its relevance to the country's security.

The MDT was conceived during the Cold War, when the "Free World" and the "Iron Curtain" were locked in a fierce brinkmanship contest. The lines of confrontation were clearly drawn; a country is either an ally or an enemy.

The U.S. took the Philippines under its wing to protect it from the clutches of "communist domination" in Southeast Asia.

Seven decades later, the political landscape has vastly changed. The line between ally and enemy has blurred.

China, once pictured as the communist menace in Asia, has become the epitome of benevolence, winning over its neighbors with offerings of economic windfall.

Rodrigo Duterte welcomed the Chinese overtures like no other Philippine president did, and turned his back on the U.S.

Under the Duterte doctrine, a war with China would be unwinnable for the Philippines, so there is no point holding on to military commitments with America.

Washington had to do some fancy maneuvering to prevent the Philippines from fully drifting to Beijing's side. It also helped that Duterte's successor, Ferdinand Marcos Jr., had announced that under his administration, the Philippines would be a "friend to all, an enemy to none."

Washington jumped on the policy swing to rebuild its security ties with Manila. And it begins with a serious assessment of the MDT.

As early as last year, the defense secretary, Delfin Lorenzana, pushed for "a comprehensive review of our alliance, taking stock of the pros and cons of the MDT and what happened in the past 70 years."

Lorenzana pretty well summed up what is

basically wrong with the treaty.

"The Philippines got hand-me-down equipment" still in the U.S. inventory from World War 2 and Vietnam, he said.

Increased cooperation between the two nations' coast guards is a myth, Lorenzana said, because "we do not have [the ships] to operate seamlessly with other friendly nations."

He said the Philippines needs more advanced weapons systems to build up its "minimum deterrence" capability against threats, lamenting that the U.S. provides even non-treaty allies billions in military aid.

He acknowledges that MDT "has been beneficial

to the Philippines, but not enough to make it stand on its own feet. We cannot be forever relying on others for our security."

Sen. Robinhood Padilla echoed Lorenzana's concern about the Philippines' over-reliance on the U.S. for military assistance. Padilla said such a dependence creates a sense of bravado among the people, when the country is just a "fly perched on top of a carabao."

It's true the MDT needs a lot of work. But we must make sure that this time the Philippines does not get the short end of the stick.

It is a "mutual" treaty, after all. Meaning, everybody benefits from it. (ManilaTimes.net)

Boycott is a legitimate form of protest, but...

employ unfair labor

IT is not as if the threat to boycott, or an actual boycott of, a particular company is a new protest strategy. Even countries have boycotted events such as meetings, or even the Olympics, to show displeasure. The Los Angeles Olympics in 1984 was boycotted by 18 countries led by the then Soviet Union.

This was in retaliation against the boycott by 66 countries led by the United States of the 1980 Moscow Olympics, where the Philippines was one of the boycotting countries. And there were other Olympic boycotts that occurred aside from these two instances. When countries withdraw their diplomatic delegations, the action is practically a form of boycott.

The threat to, or the actual act of, boycott is an instrument of pressure used even in democratic societies. After all, democracy ensures that people, whether as consumers or as

voters, would be free to withhold their consumption of a particular product, or their participation in an activity, including political activity. It is one of the tools in the arsenal of social movements and pressure groups to legitimately air their grievances and to gain attention, even as it is a valid measure to pressure companies or decision makers to recalibrate their actions. It is also a valid tool to hold people accountable and to punish. The ultimate form of "boycott" during elections is not just when people abstain or refuse to vote, but also includes when voters withhold their support by not voting for a particular candidate or political party.

However, it is important to assess this form of consumer or political action in the context of the rationality of its cause. Certainly, a product that is defective, or puts the health of people at risk, deserves to be boycotted. It is reasonable to boycott companies that render poor services to their customers, or produce products and/or engaged in practices that are detrimental to the health of people and the environment, or

It is however a slippery slope when the reason for boycotting a company is simply because you disagree with the politics of its owners, or of its endorsers, as in the case of Shopee being threatened with a boycott by critics of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. because it chose Toni Gonzaga, a known Marcos supporter, as its promotional face. Certainly, while it is not illegal, it begs the question whether the politics of individuals should necessarily be the burden of an entire company. It is reasonable when a company pollutes the environment, or oppresses its workers, or has poor customer service relations to bear the burden. But to punish the entire company for the political beliefs of its owner or endorser, including the employees who may not even share their politics, is not only disproportionally irrational, but utterly childish, and most unfair.

Indeed, the political opposition has been at the forefront of boycotting companies in the last election whose management openly supported President

Marcos. This was in addition to their call to cancel popular personalities who supported him. It is the woke culture that went into a frenzy of issuing threats and statements, even enumerating the names of companies to be boycotted and personalities to be canceled.

However, it is important to point out that the threat to boycott, or to actually boycott a particular brand or company is not the monopoly of the political opposition. It is a strategy that is also deployed even by progovernment people. In fact, while the threat by the political opposition to boycott was louder and noisier — arrogantly boasting of their influence through their purchasing power which they feel they have more of, and therefore they have the ability to hurt more companies they target by withholding their purchases and refusing to patronize their products — there is no actual empirical evidence that these actually worked against their targets. The boycott call made against a popular hopia brand appears to have failed. If at all, it was the boycott by die-

hard Duterte supporters (DDS) that had some effect on a brand of sardines whose owner posted critical comments against former President Rodrigo Duterte. Apparently the brand suffered a significant reduction in sales as a result of the boycott call made by Duterte supporters against it.

And this is where it becomes a bit odd that many Marcos loyalists, many of whom are also DDS, would take issue with the call to boycott Shopee made by the political opposition, considering that their ranks did the same to that sardine company. Many of them argue that calling for a boycott of Shopee is irresponsible since it would affect an entire industry chain composed of sellers and riders, without even thinking of the employees of the sardine company who were adversely affected when its operations were scaled down.

One cannot be offended by a call to boycott Shopee because it can affect innocent people, yet lustily cheered when Congress practically canceled ABS-CBN by refusing to renew its franchise, which led to the loss of jobs of

‘Advice unasked, advice unwise’

anonymity. The “PBBM” referred to is none other than President Ferdinand “BBM” Marcos Jr.

WITH Vic Rodriguez out of Malacañang as executive secretary and even as chief of staff, which he tried to bargain for when he knew he would be replaced as ES, the bureau directors that he appointed are not far behind.

Many heads are on the chopping block.

Two of Vic’s appointees are in the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) and the Bureau of Customs (BOC), whose appointments raised eyebrows among those in the know.

One of these two appointees was in the drug list of the Philippine National Police (PNP); the other was charged with graft during a previous administration.

“Apparently, PBBM wasn’t aware that shady characters were placed in sensitive positions, relying on Rodriguez in making the choices. I hope that PBBM has learned his lesson from Rodriguez, and should have a direct hand in appointing people to key and sensitive positions,” said an official who asked for

Aware of the saying “advice unasked is advice unwise,” may I humbly suggest at least three names for various positions: Clint Aranas for the BIR, Ariel Nepomuceno for the BOC and Manila Regional Trial Court Judge Jaime Santiago for the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI).

Aranas is an expert tax lawyer who was the BIR deputy commissioner for legal affairs. He was kicked upstairs – as the general manager of the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) – for being a fly in the ointment to his superiors in the BIR during the previous administration. Aranas had a clean record at the BIR.

At the GSIS, the previous administration had to let Aranas go – a euphemism for being dismissed – after he tried to demand payment from a very powerful individual for pieces of real estate owned by the GSIS.

Nepomuceno was customs deputy commissioner for enforcement during the Benigno “PNoy” Aquino III administration, but he resigned when Isidro Lapeña took over as

customs commissioner during president Rodrigo “Digong” Duterte’s watch.

Nepomuceno told this columnist he could not stomach the “unacceptable” activities of the men that Lapena, a retired police general, took with him to the customs bureau.

Like Aranas at the BIR, Nepomuceno had a clean record at the customs bureau when he resigned.

My third nominee, if I may, is Judge Santiago, who started as a patrolman at the Manila Police District (MPD) when I covered it as police reporter for the Manila Bulletin.

Santiago was a favorite subordinate of then Col. Vicente Vinarao, head of the MPD’s intelligence and special operations division, or ISOD. Santiago, a sharpshooter, was always at the scene of hostage incidents. He always got hostage-takers in the head.

The unassuming Jimmy Santiago was taking up law while he was a Manila police beat patrolman.

He would be an excellent choice as NBI chief because of his experience in law enforcement.

Speaking of the NBI, my apologies to Reynaldo

Esmeralda and Ruel Lasala, who were recently reinstated to the bureau.

Esmeralda and Lasala were reinstated by the Court of Appeals (CA), not by the Sandiganbayan as I wrote in an item in a previous column.

The appellate court ordered both of them reinstated to their former rank of Director III and back salaries.

Esmeralda and Lasala were dismissed from the service by former justice secretary Leila de Lima without charges being filed against them.

The only reason the two NBI officials could find for their dismissal was that they were appointed by president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo as deputy directors and the newly-installed Aquino administration needed to have their men to occupy their positions.

The CA ruling protects NBI line agents and other civil service employees from executive overreach or abuse.

Some salient features of the appellate court decision re Esmeralda and Lasala:

• Two organic laws creating the NBI do not require additional qualification for appointment. Top career NBI officials, who are either lawyers or certified public accountants,

are not required to take the Career Executive Service Officer (CESO) course because of their high educational attainment.

• Dismissal of a permanent government official or employee without investigation, charges and hearing is illegal and violates the Constitution and civil service laws.

• The position of NBI deputy director is not covered by the CESO Law.

Roel Degamo was defeated for the governorship of Negros Oriental in the last election on account of a nuisance candidate that was made to run by his detractors under the name Ruel Degamo.

The real name of the nuisance candidate is Grego Gaudia.

Roel Degamo, the incumbent governor during the last election, has been proclaimed by the Commission on Elections (Comelec) as the real winner.

Because of Gaudia, the nuisance candidate, the real Degamo only garnered 281,773 votes with the fake Degamo getting 49,953.

As a result, Degamo’s rival, Pryde Henry Teves, was proclaimed winner with 301,319 votes.

With the Comelec transferring nuisance candidate Gaudia’s

many people who relied on the network for their livelihood.

It is important to frame any attempt to use the threat of a boycott, or of actually using it, to punish and to pressure in the context not only of consistency, but also of the reason behind it. Because it will affect innocent people, the action should rise to the level where actual harm is done, or that actual rights have been violated. It should not be used to punish an entire company for the politics of its owners, or of anyone involved in its operations, based simply on partisan disagreements and differences. Toni Gonzaga made a choice, and people may criticize her, within the bounds of the law. But to punish Shopee, and indirectly the people who rely on it, simply because Ms. Gonzaga is pro-Marcos is nothing but a partisan tantrum and cheapens the political value of a boycott. (ManilaTimes.net)

* *

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.

votes to the genuine Degamo, the final tally for the incumbent governor was 331,726 votes against Teves’ 301,319.

The poll body annulled Teves’ proclamation as governor and proclaimed Degamo as governor.

Teves is the brother of Arnulfo, reelected congressman of the third district of Negros Oriental.

Arnulfo’s son is Kirk Matthew Teves who, along with several bodyguards, mauled a security of the subdivision in Parañaque and made him kneel and beg for mercy before them.

Congressman Arnie Teves, who once admitted to being a drug user, defended his son’s abusive behavior.

The Teveses are known in Negros Oriental for their alleged abuse of power, reportedly beating up people at the drop of a hat.

Brothers Pryde Henry and Arnulfo Teves should be prosecuted in court if investigation finds they conspired to put up the nuisance candidate. (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.

RAMON TULFO

US hands over P11.5-M COVID supplies, humanitarian aid to Surigao del Norte

MANILA— The United States delivered P11.5 million ($200,000) worth of humanitarian assistance and COVID-19 response supplies to assist communities affected by Typhoon Odette (international name: Rai) in Surigao del Norte.

“In collaboration with our partners, these efforts to bring COVID-19 cases down to manageable levels challenge us to work toward adaptive solutions to further strengthen the resilience of local communities,” USAID Philippines Health Office Director Lang-Alli said.

The latest round of donations bring the US Agency for International Development’s total aid for Typhoon Odette victims to P1.7 billion ($29.650 million). This includes COVID-19 support for vaccinations and

responders, training for gender-based violence, and support for the mental health and psychosocial wellbeing of crisis-affected communities.

On September 27, the USAID team brought 10 generator sets and field tents, 22 laptops and routers, 50 oxygen tanks, 10 oxygen concentrators, and equipment for vital sign monitoring to Surigao del Norte.

“USAID has been a steady and reliable partner as we pick up from the devastating effects of the typhoon and rebuild lives as we continue to grapple with the pandemic,” Surigao del Norte Governor Robert Lyndon Barbers said.

“USAID assistance enabled us to provide vaccines and further improve patient care and

management of COVID-19 cases.”

Surigao del Norte in the Caraga region was among the hard-hit provinces, which include Palawan, Negros Occidental, Bohol, Cebu, Negros Oriental, Southern Leyte, Leyte, and Dinagat Islands.

According to the final report of the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Coucil, Odette affected over 7.846 million individuals and almost 2.273 million families. In July, the United Nations estimated that over 3,000 remain displaced because of the typhoon.

The typhoon left 405 dead and 1,371 injured after damaged houses were pegged at P62.675 million and infrastructure damage stood at P29.763 billion. (Kaycee Valmonte/ Philstar.com)

Reward for leads in Percy Lapid killing now P1.5M

by BEATRICE PINLAC Inquirer.net

MANILA — The reward for anyone who could provide crucial information on the killers of veteran radio broadcaster Percival Mabasa, also known as Percy Lapid, has now reached P1.5 million.

Interior Secretary Benjamin Abalos Jr. said this on Friday, October 7 as he unveiled a photo of the person of interest tagged in Lapid’s murder.

“Alam naman ninyo na tayo’y nagbibigay ng reward – P500,000 galing sa akin at P1 million galing kay Alex Lopez at marami pang gustong tumulong,” he said in a press briefing at the headquarters of the National Capital Region Police Office.

(You know that we’ve already pledged a reward – P500,000 from me and P1 million from Alex Lopez, and many others have vowed to help as well.)

In a Facebook post on Wednesday, October 5, Lopez – a lawyer and businessman –said he was offering the reward to hasten the arrest of the radioman’s murderers.

Abalos, meanwhile, announced his reward in a visit to Lapid’s wake.

He likewise condemned the killing of Lapid, and assured the public that the government will

make sure the slain journalist gets justice.

Lapid, a fierce critic of the administration of former President Rodrigo Duterte and

of the present administration of President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., was shot dead near the gate of a Las Piñas City subdivision on

ABISO NG PAMPUBLIKONG PAGDINIG

ITO AY ISANG PAUNAWA na ang Lupon ng mga Superbisor sa County ng San Diego ay magsasagawa ng isang pampublikong pagdinig sa Apila ng isang Pansamantalang Mapa at Administratibong Permiso, ayon sa sumusunod:

IMPORMASYON SA PAGDINIG:

Petsa: Oktubre 26, 2022 Oras: Alas 9:00 n.u.

Lokasyon: County Administration Center, 1600 Pacific Highway, Room 310, San Diego, California 92101

APLIKANTE: Oscar Uranga, Escondido Estates LLC

MGA NUMERO NG PROYEKTO/KASO: Escondido Estates Tentative Map (Pansamantalang Mapa): PDS2020-TM-5639; PDS2020-AD-20-007; PDS2020-ER-20-08-007

LOKASYON: Ang proyekto ay matatagpuan sa timog-silangang bahagi ng interseksyon ng Idaho Avenue at San Pasqual Valley Road (SR-78) sa loob ng Subrehiyonal na Plano ng North County Metropolitan. (APN: 234-231-01).

DESKRIPSYON NG PROYEKTO: Ang proyekto ay isang kahilingan para sa isang Pansamantalang Mapa na binubuo ng subdibisyon ng isang 10.23-ektaryang parsela sa 20 na mga lote para sa isang-pamilyang tirahan. Kasama rin sa proyekto ang isang Administratibong Permiso para pahintulutan ang mga lote na mas maliit sa minimum na sukat (pamantayan ng lugar ng lote). Ang akses sa lugar ay ibibigay ng isang pribadong pasukan na kalsada na kumokonekta sa Idaho Avenue. Ang Proyekto ay paglilingkuran ng mga sistema ng paggamot sa basura para sa bawat lote at inangkat na tubig mula sa Lungsod ng Escondido. Iminumungkahing mga dami ng lupa para sa proyekto ay binubuo ng 54,705 kubiko yarda ng hiwa at 70,906 kubiko yarda ng puno at may 16,201 kubiko yarda ng angkat na mungkahi ng proyekto.

KATAYUAN SA KAPALIGIRAN: Mga Tagubiling ng CEQA § 15183 Eksempsyon

REKOMENDASYON NG KOMISYON NG PAGPAPLANO: Noong Hulyo 22, 2022, inirerekomenda ng Komisyon ng Pagpaplano ang pag-apruba ng Proyektong Iminungkahi.

KAUGNAYANG KAWANI: Para sa karagdagang impormasyon, kontakin lamang si Juliette Orozco sa (619) 323-7949, o Juliette. Orozco@sdcounty.ca.gov.

PAMPUBLIKONG PARTISIPASYON: Ang mga miyembro ng publiko ay maaaring makilahok sa pulong nang personal o sa pamamagitan ng telekumperensya ayon sa mga regulasyon na nakatakda sa oras ng pulong. Ang mga nagnanais makilahok sa pulong at/o magkomento ay dapat bisitahin ang website ng Lupon ng mga Superbisor sa: https://www.sandiegocounty.gov/content/ sdc/cob/bosa.html#watch. Kung mayroon kang anumang mga katanungan, kontakin lamang ang Klerk ng Lupon sa (619) 5315434 o publiccomment@sdcounty.ca.gov.

TULONG PARA SA MGA TAONG MAY KAPANSANAN: Kontakin ang kalihim sa pagdinig (619) 517-4193 sa mga tanong o humiling ng akomodasyon na may kaugnayan sa kapansanan. Dapat kontakin ng mga indibidwal na nangangailangan ng tagasalin sa sign laguage ang Countywide ADA Title III Coordinator sa (619) 531-4908. Ang mga kahilingan para sa akomodasyon o tulong ay dapat isumite nang hindi kukulangin sa 72 oras bago ang pulong para maisayos.

TANDAAN: Para sa karagdagang impormasyon tungkol sa kung kailan magagamit ang Ulat ng Kawani, Mga Gabay sa Tagapagsalita, Pangkalahatang Pamamaraan sa Pagdinig at Apela, mangyaring repasuhin ang Impormasyon sa Pampublikong Pagdinig San Diego County na matatagpuan sa website ng Pagpaplano ng Proyekto sa https://www.sandiegocounty.gov/content/sdc/pds/Project_ Planning_page.html.

TANDAAN: Kung hahamunin mo ang aksyon na maaaring gawin sa panukalang ito sa hukuman, maaari kang malimitahan lamang sa pagtataas ng mga isyung inihain mo o ng ibang tao sa pampublikong pagdinig, o sa nakasulat na liham na ipinadala sa Katawan ng Pagdinig sa o bago ang pagdinig. Ang mga tuntunin ng Katawan ng Pagdinig ay maaaring maglimita o magpataw ng mga kinakailangan sa pagsumite ng gayong nakasulat na liham. 10/8/22 CNS-3631692#

ASIAN JOURNAL (L.A.)

Monday night, October 3.

The slain broadcaster hosted Lapid Fire, a radio program aired on DWBL 1242. Lapid was known for his sharp commentaries. 

CONDOLENCES. Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Benjamin Abalos Jr. (in black shirt with logo) visits the wake of veteran broadcaster Percival Mabasa, also known as “Percy Lapid”, in La Funeraria Paz at the Manila Memorial Park in Sucat, Parañaque City on Wednesday, Oct. 5. Abalos has offered a P500,000 reward for any information to find those behind Lapid’s ambush on the night of October 3. PNA photo by Avito Dalan

US, PH reinforce alliance with joint military drills

SAN ANTONIO — U.S. and Philippine marines stormed a beach near a disputed rocky outcrop in the South China Sea on Friday, October 7 as part of joint military drills involving more than 3,500 troops.

It is the first time the annual naval exercises have been held under Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos, who has expressed strong support for the decades-old alliance, after rocky relations under his predecessor Rodrigo Duterte.

Duterte had threatened to cancel drills and axe a key military deal with the United States as he pivoted towards China.

But Marcos told U.S. President Joe Biden during a meeting in New York last month that he appreciated America's role in "maintaining the peace in our region".  China's recent war games around Taiwan, which it claims as part of its territory, rang alarm bells among nations surrounding the South China Sea.

Beijing claims sovereignty over almost the entire sea, while the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia

and Brunei have overlapping claims to parts of it.

China has ignored an international court ruling that its claims have no legal basis, and has aggressively asserted its stance.

It has built artificial islands as well as deployed hundreds of coast guard and maritime militia vessels to prowl the strategic waters, swarming reefs and harassing fishing and other boats.

The KAMANDAG exercises — the Filipino acronym for "Cooperation of the Warriors of the Sea" — kicked off on Monday, October 3 and will be held across the country's main island of Luzon until October 14.

One of the objectives is improving the Philippine military's coastal defence capability.

Around 300 troops were involved in Friday's amphibious drills held on an uninhabited beach in Zambales province, about 240 kilometres (150 miles) east of Scarborough Shoal, which China seized from the Philippines in 2012.

The rich fishing ground has become a flashpoint between the two countries.

"We are preparing for any

threat that will be coming sooner or later," said Major Emery Torre, spokesman for the Philippine Marine Corps.

But Torre said the exercises did not simulate an attack by a particular country and were not related to a specific situation.

Marcos has taken a harder line on defending Philippine waters, insisting he would not let China trample on Manila's maritime rights.

During aerial surveillance over Scarborough Shoal on Thursday, October 6, the Philippine Coast Guard spotted six Chinese vessels, including four coast guard and two militia boats, in and around the small ring of reefs.

"We are doing the patrol operations to establish a presence at the area and also for the sake of our fishermen," said coast guard spokesman Armand Balilo.

As regional tensions rise, Washington is keen to preserve its security alliance with Manila, which includes a mutual defence treaty and permission for the U.S. military to store defence equipment and supplies on several Philippine bases.

It also allows U.S. troops to access certain military bases in

De Lima says prosecution ‘blocking truth’ as it keeps Ragos from testifying anew

MANILA — Leila De Lima accused government prosecutors of “blocking the truth” as it moved to prevent Rafael Ragos, one of their key witnesses in one of the drug cases against the former senator, from taking the witness stand anew to reaffirm his recantation of his testimony against the staunch critic of former President Rodrigo Duterte.

“They’re blocking the TRUTH. A gross distortion of DOJ’s (Department of Justice) mandate,” De Lima said on Saturday, October 1 in a series of tweets where she called the prosecution’s opposition to Ragos’ return to the witness stand “deplorable.”

Quoting a 1974 Supreme Court decision, De Lima said a prosecutor’s “noble task is to prosecute only the guilty and to protect the innocent.”

Government lawyers filed an appeal on Thursday night, September 29 before the Muntinlupa court to reconsider its decision to allow the former Bureau of Corrections official to testify on his recantation, according to the legal teams of Ragos and De Lima.

The court gave De Lima five days to comment on the prosecution’s motion for reconsideration.

Ragos’ lawyer moved to suppress and expunge all his previous affidavits in light of his recantation, but this was not acted on by the court due to the prosecution’s opposition to him taking the witness stand.

Imee: Don’t make us choose between US, China

by PAOLO ROMERO Philstar.com

MANILA — The Philippines and other Southeast Asian countries are calling for a “rational approach” in their relations between the U.S. and China, which are competing more intensely now for turf and resources in the region, Sen. Imee Marcos said.

Marcos – who chairs the Senate committee on foreign relations – issued the statement during a roundtable in Washington this week in clarifying the country’s approach in dealing with the US and China.

“Do not make us choose between the U.S. and China,” Marcos told a largely American assembly at the Center for Strategic and International Studies where leading think tanks, embassies, companies and universities took part in the forum.

Other participants included the federal U.S. Institute for Peace, U.S.-ASEAN Business Council, Center for a New American Security and the Asia Foundation.

She stressed the Philippines and its Southeast Asian neighbors are calling for a “rational approach” in relations between Washington and Beijing to prevent a return to

the “melodrama” of the Cold War.

The senator’s statements arose from a Seven-Point Plan she unveiled at the forum and which she envisions for the Philippines’ foreign policy regime and future legislation.

Top item of the plan is to “reexamine,” rather than revise, the 1951 Philippines-US Mutual Defense Treaty and Visiting Forces Agreement and how the language of both accords is to be implemented, as well as to assess the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement’s delivery of development aid as promised.

The plan also pursues increased military assistance and support for local defense contractors.

With the recent formation of multilateral defense arrangements as the AUKUS and the QUAD, the proposal also calls for a deeper study of their consequences for the Philippines and existing regional groupings.

Apart from military affairs, the senator’s foreign policy blueprint seeks new trade opportunities in deep-sea fishing and in the production and export of Philippine metals and semiconductor chips through a “Green Metals Initiative” and cooperation

under the U.S.’s CHIPS and Science Act of 2022.

Marcos also took the opportunity to thank the USAID and U.S-.Philippines Society for their constant assistance in disaster relief and recovery, as she sought improvements in social protection and public safety nets.

She also encouraged professional exchanges, particularly of health care workers, teachers and academics, for better training, transfer of know-how, and potential job creation.

Marcos affirmed the strong alliance between the Philippines and the U.S. but said it should not inhibit engagement with China, which her plan hopes to expand through confidencebuilding measures, joint development, and finalizing a code of conduct in the South China Sea.

The senator’s remarks echo recent statements by her brother, President Marcos, during his speech and bilateral talks with U.S. President Joe Biden at the 77th United Nations General Assembly in New York.

The Washington event was sponsored by the U.S.Philippines Society and the Stimson Center’s Southeast Asia Forum.

This development has left Ragos, the former officer-in-charge at the Bureau of Corrections, fearing for his security, his lawyer Michael Christopher De Castro said. (Xave Gregorio/ Philstar.com)

Former senator Leila De Lima Philstar.com file photo

EARLY GIFTS TO KIDS. Government officials, led by Vice President and Education Secretary Sara Duterte (3rd from left), and State of Qatar

Ambassador to the Philippines Dr. Ali Ibrahim Al-Malki (right) pose for a souvenir photo with children at the Atrium of the Mandaluyong City Hall on Thursday, Oct. 6. Duterte led the gift-giving and distribution of learning materials to daycare students. PNA photo by Joey O. Razon

Atty. Gurfinkel answers immigration questions from Kapamilya in San Diego on part 1 of Citizen Pinoy’s ‘Your Tanong, My Sagot’

Fil-Am fashion designer named NHL team creative strategist

By Aric John Sy cuA ManilaTimes.net

A RENOWNED Filipino American fashion designer is set to become a creative strategist with a National Hockey League (NHL) team.

The Arizona Coyotes NHL team announced on Thursday, October 6 that Rhuigi Villaseñor, and his Rheimagine agency, is joining the team starting this upcoming hockey season.

“The Arizona Coyotes announced today that global fashion designer and Filipino-American Rhuigi Villaseñor has partnered with the Meruelo Group as a Creative Strategist through his agency, Rheimagine,” the team wrote on its website. “Joining for the 2022-2023 season, Villaseñor will be at the helm of exclusive player, team and fan apparel, including a special edition on ice jersey, hoodies, shirts and hats.”

Villaseñor, who is also the founder and creative director of Los Angeles-based streetwear brand Rhude and Creative Director of the Swiss brand Bally, will work with the ice hockey team for its exclusive Collection and a special edition 3rd jersey for its players under the Run with the Pack campaign.

The Filipino American fashion designer, who

moved to the U.S. from the Philippines, at the age of 23, said he is excited to work with the team’s owners, Alex Meruelo. g

Karylle, Gian star in Repertory Philippines’ grander ‘Carousel’ live stage return

REPERTORY Philippines will be staging a contemporary version of “Rodgers and Hammerstein’s (R&H) Carousel” with Karylle Tatlonghari and Gian Magdangal as among the lead characters in a minimized cast.

“R&H’s Carousel” was initially going to be staged in May 2020 under the direction of Toff de Venecia, however, the COVID-19 pandemic prevented two years of live performances, making

YOUR TANONG, MY SAGOT IN SAN DIEGO, PART 1. Leading U.S. Immigration Atty. Michael J. Gurfinkel answers immigration questions from Kapamilya in San Diego, in Part 1 of Citizen Pinoy’s “Your Tanong, My Sagot.” Some of the questions Atty. Gurfinkel answers are – From Jefferson and Virginia: Virginia petitioned his son, Jefferson, as single but he got married. Is there a way to revive Mommy Virginia’s petition?; From Kathy of Mira Mesa: Can a person visit the U.S. as a tourist if they are under petition?; From Edith of National City: I am waiting for my green card through another daughter’s petition. My 15-year-old daughter is in the U.S. on a tourist visa extension. Is there a way my 15-year-old can stay in the U.S. with me?; the Cruz family: Grandpa Lando, Dad Allan, and grandson Chean drop by to visit Atty. Gurfinkel who worked on their case and successfully reunited the family. Watch Part 1 of “Your Tanong, My Sagot” in San Diego on an encore episode of “Citizen Pinoy” on Sunday, October 9 at 6:30 PM PT (9:30 PM ET) through select Cable/Satellite providers, right after TV Patrol Linggo.

LEADING U.S. Immigration Atty. Michael J. Gurfinkel

Tanong

• Kathy, of Mira Mesa,

Raquel of San Diego

Rhuigi Villaseñor Photo from Instagram/@

Can I file a divorce in California if my spouse resides outside California?

community and separate properties between the spouses and awarding support payments.

THIS is a common question among people contemplating divorce in California when the other spouse does not live in the state. California Courts have the power to grant a divorce, annulment, or legal separation if either party is domiciled in the state. Domicile is where a person lives and intends to remain. However, there is an additional requirement if you are seeking a divorce rather than annulment or legal separation. To obtain a divorce in California, one of the parties must have been a resident of California for six months immediately before the filing of the divorce petition. Responding spouses can use this requirement as a defense if the Petitioning spouse does not meet such requirement when the petitioner filed for divorce. In addition, divorce petitions may be filed in the county where at least one spouse resided for 3 months immediately prior to filing the petition.

Now apart from getting a divorce, legal separation, or annulled status, there may be issues relating to distributing

In order for the California Courts to have the power to make orders, the California Courts must have personal jurisdiction over the respondent. Personal jurisdiction means the respondent has minimum contacts with California even if not physically here.

Some of the factors looked at is respondents presence in the state, domicile, residence, citizenship, consent, appearance in the action, doing business in the state, doing an act that causes an effect in the state, ownership in the state, other relationship to the state. If the respondent does not have minimum contact with California, respondent may challenge any orders relating to distribution of property and support based on the court’s lack of jurisdiction.

With regards to initial child custody issues, these issues are resolved under the Uniform Child Custody Jurisdiction and Enforcement Act. California Courts have the power to make initial custody orders if it is the child’s home state at the time the action was filed. California may also assume power to make custody orders if California has been the child’s home state within six months before the action was filed, the child is absent form California, and a parent continues to live in California. California may also exercise jurisdiction

when no other state is the child’s home state or when all court’s having jurisdiction over the child has declined to act and deferred to California as the more appropriate place to make custody orders.

California may also exercise jurisdiction if no other state would have jurisdiction over the child.

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

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Attorney Kenneth Ursua Reyes is a Board Certified Family Law Specialist. He was President of the Philippine American Bar Association. He is a member of both the Family law section and Immigration law section of the Los Angeles County Bar Association. He is a graduate of Southwestern University Law School in Los Angeles and California State University, San Bernardino School of Business Administration. He has extensive CPA experience prior to law practice. LAW OFFICES OF KENNETH REYES, P.C. is located at 3699 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 700, Los Angeles, CA, 90010. Tel. (213) 388-1611 or e-mail kenneth@ kenreyeslaw.com or visit our website at Kenreyeslaw.com . (Advertising Supplement)

Is client liable personally for company lease of warehouse? Company opts for Chapter 7

THE landlord of the warehouse leased by the client’s company has filed a lawsuit to collect $300,000 of unpaid rent from the company.

The question that immediately comes to mind is whether or not the client, as in an individual person, is liable also for the unpaid $300,000 lease of the company.

It looks like the landlord has sued both the client as an individual person, and the client’s company, which operated the warehouse, although I have not actually seen the lawsuit.

Therefore, the first matter to dissect is who is actually legally liable on the unpaid lease, is it the individual owner of the company that operated the warehouse, the company that operated the warehouse, or both of them.

This is a simple enough analysis. Look at the commercial lease contract itself. Who is shown as the lessee or renter of the warehouse? And who signed as lessee or renter of the warehouse? And is there a personal guarantee anywhere in the contract that binds the individual owner of the company to pay for the lease?

If the contract states in the beginning clause that the renter or lessee is just the company and nobody else, then it looks like

Debt Relief

only the company itself is liable on the lease. But look further down to the last page. On the signature page at the bottom of the contract, does the signature portion look like this: name of company, by: Mr. X, president or CEO, and nothing else appears after, then it’s quite sure that only the company itself is legally liable on the lease.

However, it there something else below, let’s say Mr. CEO signed twice, once as CEO of the company renter, and second as an individual in his personal capacity, then both the company and the CEO as an individual person are on the hook. Here, the CEO first signed to bind the company on the lease, and signed a second time, to bind himself as an individual in his personal capacity. That’s quite brave but a really dumb and stupid move on his part.

The third scenario is where the company itself is already bound on the lease, but there is a separate clause that the individual executes a personal guarantee that states he guarantees the payment of the lease, if the company does not pay the lease.

This is equally brave but a really dumb and stupid move on his part as well. If this is the case, the landlord will sue the company first to collect the unpaid lease.

After the landlord wins the judgment against the company, the landlord will then file another lawsuit to sue the guarantor to enforce the personal guaranty.

The second lawsuit will tell the court that the company has not paid the lease, so the landlord is now suing to collect on the personal guaranty to collect the unpaid lease.

In this client’s case, he has explained to me that he has not guaranteed the lease as an individual, and he has not signed the lease contract to personally bind himself as the renter. So all is well and good then, it looks like only the company is liable on the unpaid $300,000 rent of the warehouse.

However, I still have to make sure that this is the correct conclusion by examining the actual lease contract as signed.

Aside from the $300,000 lease, the company owes credit lines and suppliers totaling another $400K. Thus, the total owed is $700K. The company still has some inventory and receivables.

The question is can the company pay expenses while the Chapter 7 has not yet been filed? Yes, of course, for certain kinds of expenses. For instance, it can continue to pay payroll, even salaries owed to management,

including the CEO. Let’s say the CEO is owed $10,000 for unpaid back salaries. That can be paid.

However, money lent to the company by insiders cannot be repaid at this time. For example, CEO lent the company $100,000 in loans from his own pocket by refinancing his house, the company cannot at this time repay that $100,000 or even part of that back to the CEO.

If this repayment is done, the Chapter 7 trustee will file an adversary case to recover the payment under his avoiding powers. The money will be recovered and that will be part of the assets of the bankruptcy estate of the debtor company.

What about the inventory? That belongs to the bankruptcy estate and the trustee will attempt to auction off the inventory for cash. The matter of inventory is a sensitive one of course. The current state of the inventory must make accounting sense.  What do I mean by this? If the inventory value based on the 2019 tax returns was $1 million as of December 31, 2019, and only $40,000 is left right now, then the trustee will ask for an explanation and breakdown of what happened to the $1 million that is shown in the 2019 tax returns. In other words, what happened to the $960,000 of inventory? Well of course so much got sold and the sale proceeds were used to pay expenses etc. etc. Whatever the explanation is, it has to be true and correct. You don’t want a situation where there’s a smaller warehouse where $960,000 of inventory is still being stored. That would be lying through your teeth making you subject to perjury and nobody wants that to happen.

It is more than advisable to keep accurate documentary records that clearly explain how the inventory was used up. This brings to mind a former client who borrowed $30 million from the banks using his phantom inventory as collateral. He had a big warehouse with lots of inventory. But when the banks conducted an audit, the inventory was short $40 million. Well, that creates a huge problem does it not? Of course, it does. So we don’t want a situation where the inventory just sort of disappeared into thin air.

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DISCLAIMER: NONE OF THE FOREGOING IS CONSIDERED LEGAL ADVICE. EACH CASE IS DIFFERENT.

Atty. Gurfinkel answers...

• Edith is waiting for her green card through her U.S. citizen daughter. Her other daughter who is 15 years old, is in the U.S. on a tourist visa extension. Edith wants to know how her 15-yearold daughter can stay in the U.S. with her.

• Jefferson was petitioned as single by his mother, Virginia. However, he got married. Jefferson now asks if there is a way to revive his mother’s petition.

Atty. Gurfinkel also gets a surprise visit from the Cruz family. It was nearly 10 years ago when Atty. Gurfinkel helped the grandfather, Lando Cruz, after the U.S. Embassy in Manila denied

his son Allan’s visa because of a misunderstanding. The Law Offices of Michael Gurfinkel were able to help bring Allan and his son, Chean, to the U.S. It was a memorable success story featured on Citizen Pinoy.

Atty. Gurfinkel answers these questions in Part 1 of “Your Tanong, My Sagot,” with Kapamilya from San Diego and adjacent areas. Watch this encore episode of “Citizen Pinoy” on Sunday, October 9 at 6:30 PM PT (9:30 PM ET thru select Cable/ Satellite providers), right after TV Patrol Linggo. Citizen Pinoy is also available on iWantTFC.

may download the

app.

(L-R) Edith, Jefferson and his mother, Virginia, and Kathy. Their questions will be answered on this episode of Citizen Pinoy.

The

family is one of the success stories featured on Citizen Pinoy. (L-R) Grandson Chean, Dad Allan, and petitioner Grandpa Orlando, with leading U.S. Immigration Attorney Michael J. Gurfinkel.

Atty. LAwrence yAng

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* Lawrence Bautista Yang specializes in Bankruptcy, Business, Real Estate and Civil Litigation and has successfully represented more than five thousand clients in California. Please call Angie, Barbara or Jess at (626) 284-1142 for an appointment at 20274 Carrey Road, Walnut, CA 91789 or 1000 S. Fremont Ave., Mailstop 58, Building A-10 South Suite 10042, Alhambra, CA 91803. (Advertising Supplement)

Gary Valenciano embarks on US Tour this Fall 2022

Mr. Pure Energy has sold out in two cities

MR. Pure Energy Gary Valenciano returns to the US in “GaryV ReEnergized!” raring to go onstage with a live band and guests Yeng Constantino and Kiana V. GaryV, as he is called by fans, has sold out in Cache Creek and Temecula. Still available but low in ticket stock are Seattle (Sept 30) at the Pantages Tacoma, Los Angeles (October 9) at Royce Hall UCLA, Dallas (Oct 15) at Texas Hall UT Arlington, Anchorage (Oct 21) and New York (Oct 23).

His concerts often sell out since he always puts together a sensational show. It’s a repertoire of familiar tunes which he puts in new staging and new settings. He is every bit the creative and producer of his work, whether it be a recorded release, a video on social media or a live concert.

Coming out of a pandemic brings even more to look forward to as he mentions in a recent interview with SoCal Filipinos. He wants nothing more than to be in front of an audience. Inspirational hits from “Take Me Out Of The Dark,” and “Could You Be Messiah” to the upbeat “Shout For Joy” brings audiences to their feet like “Hataw Na” where GaryV displays his signature dance moves.

It’s as if he has released music for every aspect of our lives. From catchy pop hits “Di Bale Nalang,” and “Wag Mo Na Sanang Isipin,” to soaring ballads like “Sana Maulit Muli,” “How Did You Know”, Gary V, as he is more affectionately known has made 39 album releases, documented on www.garyv.com.

In this concert “GaryV ReEnergized!” directed

by Paolo Valenciano and musical direction by his longtime collaborator Mon Faustino, GaryV will be presenting new arrangements, a new duet with Yeng Constantino and more surprises that just shows the overflowing of talent and showmanship that he is known for.

As the song goes “Babalik Ka Rin,” GaryV keeps coming back on to the concert stage because the audience simply cannot get enough. A Gary V show is truly a memorable experience, proven by his track record of sold out shows all over the world.

Log on to www.starmediaentertainment.com for more information, email buy@maitickets. com or call/text (818) 337-1665 (Seattle, Los Angeles and Seattle only.) For events of Music Arts International, visit www.maitickets.com

The Los Angeles producers Music Arts International LLC and promoter Starmedia Entertainment and Manila Genesis thank media partners Asian Journal, iWant TV, TFC The Filipino Channel and sponsors Varsobia Luxury Homes, T-Mobile, ChimeTV, Philippine Airlines, Tancinco Law Offices, BayaniPay, National Diversity Coalition (NDC) and the National Asian American Coalition (NAAC), Atty JR Canlobo of JRC Law, Leo Bato and Associates, Valencia Financial Agency, Seafood City, Fiesta Fastfood, Ala-ala Arckopolis Records, David Banes of Onyx Auto Collection, Regal Estate Gal Janice Jimenez, Bamboo Bistro, Max and Lucy’s, Philippine Patrons of the Arts USA, SoCal Filipinos and community partner the Filipino American Chamber of Commerce of Greater Los Angeles. (Advertising Supplement)

Karylle, Gian star in Repertory...

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this return grander than ever imagined.

“[We are] stepping into a bold new stage with this reimagination that is postmodern and contemporary,” said Repertory Philippines’ Artistic Director Liesl BatucanDel Rosario at the recent media launch for the musical.

Liesl was referring to “R&H’s Carousel” being staged in the brand new Tanghalang Ignacio Gimenez, a black box theater, made possible by a venue grant by the Cultural Center of the Philippines.

This will be the first time that Karylle, Gian, and Toff will be working with Repertory Philippines, which recently had the license with the R&H estate extended following the pandemic, thus allowing them to continue staging “R&H’s Carousel.”

The need for commentary Toff’s first encounter with “R&H’s Carousel” was through segments of the “Hey, Mr. Producer!” concert honoring theater producer Cameron Mackintosh, but while he admired the choreography and singing, there was one thing that kept nagging at him.

“There’s that really faulty porch scene text that I didn’t realize was faulty until revisiting it again decades later,” Toff admitted, referring to how in a post-#MeToo era, the world is more informed about misogyny and violence.

This is what filled Toff with the necessity to address these “landmines” in the text, which could be drowned out by the music, orchestration, and choreography.

“[In] previous stagings of this show, there is always this harkening to romanticism and grandiosity, which glosses over all these [“landmines”] we can no longer ignore at this point,” Toff said.

As a director, Toff admitted to finding the social justice components of texts, which led to the initially planned 2020 production, and now the radically different 2022 staging.

“I’m most excited about being able to comment on this classical R&H 20th century musical and sort of come from a 21st century post-modern perspective,” Toff continued, adding the production may inspire how future shows can be created post-pandemic.

Objective changes

Toff is aware that “R&H’s Carousel” is normally done on a standard stage with grand set pieces, costumes, and choreography, but being in a black box theater meant that the musical’s iconic bells and whistles will be absent.

“Basically, we’re returning to the text and the space, infusing it with intention,” the director explained, touching on how they will push against familiar tropes of “tyranny of the text and the Broadway form.”

Apart from a post-modern

take, Repertory Philippines’ new staging of “R&H’s Carousel” will be utilizing a two-piano orchestration rather than a full orchestra or a minus-one recording, which will be a first in the world by a major production.

“When you think of ‘Carousel,’ [it’s] very grandiose, usually done by 24 to 30 orchestra members,” said the show’s musical director EJ Yatco. “But apparently, may license ang [R&H] estate for two-piano but in concerto style, so imagine all those instruments inserted into two pianos.”

Yatco will be performing one of the pianos and will be assisted by veteran pianist Jed Balsamo; the two had also collaborated together for the “Himala” musical.

Cast breakdown

The 2020 production had an initial cast of 30 cast members — Toff admitted to have never previously worked with over five cast members — that was whittled down to 14 members for this new staging, which was both prompted by safety protocols and creative direction.

Karylle and Gian play Julie Jordan and Billy Bigelow, respectively, and joining them as leads are Mikkie BradshawVolante as Carrie Pipperidge and Lorenz Martinez as Enoch Snow.

Gian and Mikkie were already part of the inital 2020 cast which was already three weeks into rehearsals, while Nikki Gil was supposed to play Julie Jordan and Mikkie’s real-life husband Nyoy Volante was assigned as Enoch Snow, however, the pandemic and Nikki’s second pregnancy saw them step away.

In supporting roles are Roxy Aldiosa, Noel Rayos, Red Nuestro, Ballet Philippines’ Gia Gequinto, and Mia Bolaños, the latter playing Nettie who sings the musical’s famous song “You’ll Never Walk Alone.”

Making up the ensemble and dancers are Cara Barredo, Steven Hotchkiss, Paula Paguio, Roby Malubay, and Julio Laforteza with two swings to step in should an emergency arise.

Repertory Philippines’ “Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Carousel” will be staged from November 26 to December 18 in Tanghalang Ignacio Gimenez Black Box Theater of the Cultural Center of the Philippines.

(By Kristofer Purnell/Philstar.com)

My employer wants me to be a contractor or 1099 worker – is this good for me?

Protecting Employee & Consumer Rights

Atty. C. Joe SAyAS, Jr

Q: I AM starting to work as a caregiver for a healthcare agency in Los Angeles. The employer asked me to sign an independent contractor agreement which will make me a 1099 worker. He told me that this is good for me because it allows me to take home all my pay with no with no deductions. I have always been regarded as an employee and received a W-2 in my previous work. Is this legal? What do I need to know about independent contractor agreements?

A: There are several things you should know about being classified as an “independent contractor” (IC) or 1099 worker. First of all, ICs are not considered employees and do not have the same rights as employees.

Unlike employees, ICs do not have to be paid minimum wage, overtime, or missed breaks. ICs are not entitled to benefits such as health insurance, retirement or pension benefits. ICs are not entitled to reimbursements for business expenses. These expenses may include fuel, insurance, living, and other travel expenses; purchasing supplies, tools, materials, or equipment such as cell phones related to work. Employees are entitled to reimbursements if they incur these business expenses.

ICs are also not entitled to workers’ compensation protection. When employees are injured at work, workers’ compensation benefits provide them medical treatments and disability payments. If ICs are harmed at work, they’re on their own and the company that hired them are not liable for any of their injuries.

It might sound good to receive pay that has no withholdings

like taxes. However, at the end of the tax year, the company will still issue an IRS form 1099. This means the worker will still have to pay taxes on their wages.

Companies cannot classify workers as ICs just because it wants to

The status of a true independent contractor is determined by law. California follows the so called ABC standard for properly classifying a worker as an independent contractor. If you are a worker being asked to sign an IC agreement, ask yourself

Employers resort to misclassification occurs to maximize profits even in the face of laws protecting employment status that guarantee workers’ rights. Workers lose with misclassification. Hence, it is unlawful.

the following questions:

(A) Am I free from the control and direction of the company in how I do the work?

(B) Am I doing work that is outside the usual course of the company’s business? and

(C) Do I have my own business or established trade or occupation that I normally do which is the same type of work performed for the company?

If your answer to all of the questions above is a No, then you are more likely an employee than an IC. Specifically under test B, a worker is presumed to be an employee but may be classified as an independent contractor only if “the worker performs work that is outside the usual course of the hiring entity’s business.”

This means the ABC test presumes a worker hired by a company is an employee and

it is the company’s burden to prove that the worker is an independent contractor. If the company fails to show that the worker satisfies each of the three criteria, the worker must be classified as an employee, not an independent contractor.

Companies have misclassified nurses, accountants, caregivers, drivers, appraisers, technicians, janitors, and other workers in various industries as independent contractors. Employers resort to misclassification occurs to maximize profits even in the face of laws protecting employment status that guarantee workers’ rights.

Workers lose with misclassification. Hence, it is unlawful. The law provides remedies to misclassified workers, including back wages, interest, attorneys’ fees, liquidated damages, and penalties, among others. Workers should consult with experienced employment attorneys to determine the full extent of their rights. The inability to pay attorneys’ fees upfront should not be an obstacle to gaining access to counsel as lawyers’ representation is available on a contingency (no recovery no fee) basis.

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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.

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The Law Offices of C. Joe Sayas, Jr. welcomes inquiries about this topic. All inquiries are confidential and at nocost. You can contact the office at (818) 291-0088 or visit www.joesayaslaw. com. [For more than 25 years, C. Joe Sayas, Jr., Esq. successfully recovered wages and other monetary damages for thousands of employees and consumers. He was named Top Labor & Employment Attorney in California by the Daily Journal, consistently selected as Super Lawyer by the Los Angeles Magazine, and is a past Presidential Awardee for Outstanding Filipino Overseas.]

(Advertising Supplement)

Filipina-owned insurance network expands yet again

MELODY Avecilla is no stranger to the insurance business. For over two decades, the Filipina American entrepreneur and insurance expert has been serving customers in California and beyond.

Since 2001, Cost Wise Insurance Network, a full-service Insurance Super Center, has been ready to serve customers in Southern California, with offices in Burbank, Newport Beach and soon, Arizona, Nevada, Washington and Colorado.

“We have evolved to not only serve beyond California but added menu of top rated carriers to help us shop best rates and coverage for our community,” Avecilla says, adding “Experience matters. We have a long history of being the go-to, trusted insurance advisor in Southern California.”

The company leads in commercial insurance, helping small and medium sized business owners, such as restaurants, health care, medical spa, hotel, auto body shops, commercial buildings, and commercial auto fleet. They also service personal insurance needs, like auto, home, umbrella, life and health.

The company has consistently enjoyed accolades from Chairman Circles Award, MDRT (Million Dollar Round Table), President’s club. They are most proud of their word of mouth referral program as well as clients’ testimonials.

“I like developing talents to help them grow in the insurance and financial  industry. Its rewarding to see them open their own shops, flourish and become leaders in their

community,” Avecilla shares.

With a mission statement of “We believe a person caring about each other represents life’s greatest value,” Cost Wise Insurance prides themselves in putting their customers’ peace of mind at center stage and instilling honesty and integrity throughout the process.

“Of course, it truly never gets old, my team and I love working with people . Helping them find a solution to their pain points and delivering the promise. Leaving a footprint of happy clients with all our dealings,” Avecilla adds.

In addition to insurance, Avecilla has a shoe fashion line called Runway Heels and hosts a leadership podcast called Dreamers to Leaders.

Wise Insurance Network can be

Why Kim considers boyfriend Xian her ‘Mr. Right’

By Marinel Cruz Inquirer.net

ACTING alongside Xian Lim now takes a lot of getting used to, according to his girlfriend Kim Chiu.

Collectively known as “KimXi,” the reel- and reallife couple was last seen together in Mae Cruz’s romantic-comedy “Bride for Rent.” This year, they are reunited in the Dado Lomibao dramatic piece “Always.”

Nakakapanibago. In the beginning, it was kind of hard to process the idea that we have to act a certain way in front of the camera. We’ve been together for so long that we’re already used to being with each other.

It felt different that we had to act out some intimate scenes,” Kim told reporters during a recent media gathering in Quezon City.

“Always,” produced by Viva Entertainment, had its theatrical release on Sept. 28.

‘Super unique’

“All in all, it has been a super unique experience for me to portray such a role. I’m happy that it’s finally out and that it’s well-accepted by the audience. Why did I agree to do it? That it’s a Korean adaptation is enough reason. My favorite

Karylle

Melody

Kim Chiu with real-life boyfriend

Photo

Why Kim considers boyfriend Xian...

believe it. We’ve been attending block screenings since the film was released on Wednesday, October 5. We had eight special screenings that day, and seven the following day. We made the rounds until Sunday. There’s one fan who arranged for a block screening just for herself because she simply wanted to show her support,” the actress reported.

However, Kim said nothing much has changed between her and Xian, who opted to transfer from Star Magic to Viva Artist Agency in 2018. He has since been appearing in programs produced by rival channel GMA 7. “I always get asked what the disadvantage is of us being from different networks. We’re doing projects individually, separately. I think that’s part of our growth as artists, of the choices we make in life,” Kim explained.

At this point, Kim was asked whether she and Xian have plans of bringing their romantic relationship to another level. To this, she replied: “I really don’t know what to say. Shouldn’t we be asking the guy? At 30 and 31, we’re still quite young. Given today’s standards, settling down at my age is still too early.”

“Yes, I consider him my ‘Mr. Right,’”

said Kim, in reference to the pop single she released in 2015. “He has never been the cause of my headaches. He is very loyal. By this I mean that even if you make all the women stand in front of him, ako pa rin ang maganda,” she said, laughing.

The media gathering was to announce Kim’s contract renewal as endorser of the hair cosmetics brand Lifestrong Hairfix, as well as the recent hair donation drive, conducted along with Kim and Hair for Hope, a charitable group aiming to improve the lives of cancer patients.

Upping her game

At the launch, Kim admitted that, as a celebrity endorser, she is now more pressured to up her game, so to speak, especially since she is now competing not only with other show biz personalities, but also with social media influencers and YouTube content makers. “The brands now have more choices. They can pick endorsers from other platforms, too. I’m thankful to be given another year with the brand, knowing that I’m now competing with a lot of other personalities,” she explained.

“We are now in a digital era, where everyone can be popular, and anyone can influence everyone’s choices of

products to buy. It’s actually more fun for the brands and their consumers.

The brands now have more options when it comes to picking endorsers, not just artists like me,” she pointed out.

Negative comments

This is why, Kim said, she makes the effort to come up with content for her YouTube channel (with 2.9 million subscribers) and Tiktok account (7 million followers) regularly. Humahabol ako. I understand that with the Internet, the world is now so much bigger. You can just be at home but gain a lot of views,” she said. “Celebrities like us can’t just chill whenever we want to. It’s already a different world out there. Now, given the different platforms that we have, we have work cut out for us. At least, we feel challenged as an artist.”

Kim said she understands that dealing with negative comments is part of this change. However, she claimed to have “become immune to this already.”

She explained: “After the ‘Bawal Lumabas’ controversy, I’m already used to them. Napaliguan na nila ako ng bonggang-bongga noon. I consider the comments I get now as minor ones. I simply say, ‘Hello!’ to them.” g

Herlene accuses former manager of not giving her talent fees

HERLENE Budol has filed a complaint against her former manager, who she accused of pocketing her earnings from endorsements during the pandemic.

The Binibining Pilipinas 2022 first runnerup made these claims against her former manager Elizabeth Estrada when she appeared on Radyo5’s “Wanted sa Radyo” with Sen. Raffy Tulfo, as seen on Tulfo’s YouTube channel on Tuesday, Oct. 4.

Budol recalled that she asked Estrada’s help in finding work amid the COVID-19 pandemic and entered into an agreement with the latter without a formal contract.

“Wala kaming kontrata. Kaibigan tapos nagpatulong ako sa kanya na rumaket during the pandemic kasi walang wala na akong trabaho nun. Bago ako pumunta sa mga interview, sa kanya ako lumapit,” she told Tulfo.

(We did not have a contract. We were friends and I asked for her help in finding jobs during the pandemic because I really did not have work then. Before I came to interviews, I approached her first.)

Budol noted that Estrada was not the only person she had approached for help in finding jobs. She also got in touch with several other individuals, recounting that she told them they could take a “cut” of her earnings if necessary. Eventually, she got

offers while working with Estrada. “Binigyan ko siya (Estrada) ng maraming time para makapagbayad. Kaso parang pinapaulit-ulit niya yung promise niya na asikasuhin, ipapa-accounting,” she narrated. “Humingi na ako last time ng computation na alam niya sa sarili niya na alam niya kung magkano yung pera ko sa kanya, pero ang ending ako pa yung magbabayad sa kanya.

(I gave her so much time to pay me. But she would just repeatedly promise that she would work on it, have it go through accounting. I asked for a computation of the amount of money that she owed me, but in the end it appeared as if I was the one who should pay her.)

When asked about the amount owed by Estrada, Budol confirmed Tulfo’s estimation that it could be up to P1 million. She also stated that so far, she only received small payments including P66,000 for a car endorsement.

Budol is now managed by Wilbert Tolentino, who pushed her to join the Binibining Pilipinas pageant where she was named first runner-up. She is now gearing up to represent the Philippines in the Miss Planet International pageant to be held on Nov. 19 at Kampala, Uganda. (By Dana Cruz/Inquirer.net)

EMPLOYMENT EMPLOYMENT EMPLOYMENT

$3B entertainment hub planned for south area of Las Vegas Strip

IN major news announced this past Spring, Las Vegas will add another jewel to the glittering skyline in the Las Vegas Strip’s southern part as a major player in building arenas in the United States unveiled plans to build a major arena, entertainment hub and casino.

The Oak View Group, according to reports, have acquired 25 acres in an area just minutes away from Harry Reid International Airport. It plans to break ground and start construction by next year, and says that the property should be operational by 2026.

As with other aspects of Sin City, this new development will cater an experience for those who can afford it.

Customers, reports claim, will be able to purchase a package for hotel and a live event, with their hotel suite key granting

them access to a private club in the arena. The hotel is likely to be able to accommodate about 2,000 guests, while the 20,000seat arena can host concerts for major music acts and even be a home to a professional sports team.

According to a Bloomberg article, Oak View Group CEO Tim Leiweke said that they are “going to go after every big event that exists” and described the experience they want their clients to have as, “It’s exclusive, it’s high-end and it will be built in a way where it’s the perfect experience for those willing to spend the money to have the greatest experience in live entertainment.”

It was revealed as well that the arena will be built to the highest specifications of the National Basketball Association (NBA) as the league has

indicated

consider adding a team in a couple of areas, including Las Vegas, should the NBA decide to expand. The arena would be an option for the NBA, although the Oak View Group is well aware that nothing is set in stone yet.

Having an NBA team would add to the allure of Las Vegas, which already is home to professional teams in sports like women’s basketball, football, hockey, soccer and baseball.

Recently, the city’s WNBA team, the Las Vegas Aces, won the WNBA Championship by defeating the Connecticut Sun in four games, which capped off a dominant season where the team went 26-10 in the regular season and was the top seed in the playoffs.

And adding another great arena in the ever-expanding landscape of Las Vegas would be beneficial as the city has become used to hosting big events in the last few decades. Las Vegas was host to the most recent Grammy Awards, which features the world’s greatest musical acts, and will be featuring the world’s most famous Formula 1 racecar drivers in an event scheduled for late 2023. Las Vegas will also will host the Super Bowl in 2024 Live entertainment will be a major calling card for the planned entertainment hub as one of its founders is music mogul Irving Azoff.

The planned arena is expected to attract many of today’s artists as the Oak View Group has ample experience in building venues. In fact, the Oak View Group operates places in Seattle, New York and Austin, and plans to build at least a dozen more venues.

Actually, it used to be thought that when artists’ or performers’ careers were on a downward trajectory or if they are in the last legs of their musical journey, then they would start performing or getting residencies in Las Vegas. That is not the case today, as artists like BTS, Adele, Lady Gaga, Maroon 5, Mariah Carey, Jennifer Lopez, Katy Perry, Celine Dion and Lionel Richie have performed in concerts or established residencies in the various major hotels in Las Vegas. The demand fueled by the influx of tourists and money in Las Vegas will only make the city’s arenas more attractive to

musical acts looking to touch base with their fans and bring an experience to them like no other.

The planned arena, according to the same Bloomberg article, will be at a reported cost of $1 billion, double the amount it took to make T-Mobile Arena, which is now the home of the Las Vegas Golden Knights hockey team.

With the renovations going on in the downtown area, and with this arena and other plans on the horizon for Las Vegas, it is a great time to consider investing in real estate property in Las Vegas and its surrounding neighborhoods. With more inventory available in the area right now due to a slowdown in sales, buyers have more options to look at and have the ability to negotiate prices with sellers.

The developments in Las Vegas will have great impact on outside neighborhoods, including Pahrump, which is about 62 miles west of the gambling and entertainment capital of the world, as more people will be looking for affordable alternatives.

The state offers great opportunities for the savvy and forward-thinking – great returns on your investments in real estate and a host of tax benefits for Nevada residents (competitive business state tax, a county sales tax of 6.75% (not on food items), and no taxes associated with estate/ inheritance, franchise, gift, inventory/interstate commerce,

corporate income and personal income).

I can definitely help you look for the best opportunities for real estate in Las Vegas, Pahrump and other areas. Now is the time to take advantage of deals in land and real estate properties. I have had decades of experience in helping people look for that piece of real estate heaven they want to build their special place or something that their budget can afford.

My company, Precious

Properties, is a full-service company that has successfully helped its clientele find the best deals since 1992. You can reach me at 775-513-8447, 805-559-2476 and 702-5384948 for more information, or send me an email at fely@ precious-properties.com or fely.precious@gmail.com. We have investors who buy houses in California and Nevada for cash and quick escrow in as short as 7 days. (Advertising Supplement)

Realtor Fely Quitevis-Bateman inside the $1B Allegiant Arena in Las Vegas. Russ Bateman at the Las Vegas Ballpark Arena in Summerlin.

Realtor Fely Quitevis-Bateman with former Nevada State Senator Sue Lowden, one of the owners of the 27 acres between Sahara Hotel and Turnberry Place where former NBA player Jackie Robinson will build his proposed All Net Resort & Arena along the Las Vegas Strip.

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