101422 - Northern California Edition

Jo Koy Day proclaimed in Los Angeles

FILIPINO American stand-up comedian Jo Koy now has a day in his honor in the city of Los Angeles, home to the largest Fil-Am population in California.

The Los Angeles City Council proclaimed Oct. 7 as “Jo Koy Day” during its meeting on Friday.“My goal was always to tell my story and represent my culture the best way that I could. Thank you to the beautiful city of Los Angeles for declaring October 7th Jo Koy Day,” Jo Koy wrote in an Instagram post. “I’m forever grateful and I will continue to wave my flag high. Mahal Kita!”

On Friday, the LA Filipino Association of City Employees (LAFACE) held its 40th year anniversary event at City Hall and honored Jo Koy’s accomplishments in entertainment.

The night before, City Hall was the site of LA’s annual Filipino American History Month celebration, where the “Easter Sunday” star received an honor and lit up the building in

Fake news kicks into high gear ahead of midterm elections

AS the midterms approach, voters are being bombarded with disinformation in multiple languages.

People who are addicted to fake news get it from sources they trust. Trouble is, people who produce it know they are lying.

“This information has always existed,” says Vanessa Cárdenas, deputy director of America’s Voice and a policy expert on political disinformation. During an Ethnic Media Services press call last week, Cárdenas said that there’s a lot more fake news out there and it spreads quickly.

“What’s different is the way in which we are consuming information has changed, and that has created this monster that we are not able to control, and many times the platforms are not able to control,” she said.

News that misleads reaches millions via Facebook and Twitter. When Fox News peddles conspiracy theories, they play to an audience that wants to believe the message regardless of whether it is true or not.

Cárdenas said false narratives about immigration, crime, and the economy are

9 of 10 Filipinos consider fake news a problem

by ANA ROA, KRIXIA SUBINGSUBING Inquirer.net

MANILA — Close to 90 percent of adult Filipinos believe fake news is a problem, a sentiment reflected nationwide and across all socioeconomic classes, according to a recent Pulse Asia Research survey that also pointed to social media “influencers” and journalists as the top culprits.

The Sept. 17-21 survey released on Tuesday, October 12 said a majority (58 percent) of Filipinos nationwide see bloggers and vloggers—the social media influencers—as responsible for “spreading false information” about government and politics.

They were followed by journalists (40 percent), national politicians (37 percent), local politicians (30 percent), leaders of civic or nongovernmental organizations (15 percent), businessmen (11 percent) and academics (4 percent).

For a media scholar, the survey indicated that the Philippine press had “trust issues and credibility issues” at a time when the public believed that the mainstream media served only as a mouthpiece for the elite and did not accurately reflect the true pulse of the masses.

While Filipinos somehow recognize that vloggers and bloggers or content creators and influencers “are getting out of hand with their disrespect for

the facts, (a) more level-headed approach is needed because fake news may differ among respondents,” said University of the Philippines communications professor Danilo Arao.

“This could explain why responsible journalists get unfairly judged as the truth they report gets mistaken for lies, at the same time that the lies of irresponsible colleagues get ascribed to them,” Arao said.

This view of the media will remain as long as certain news organizations “perpetuate state-sponsored disinformation like denialism and Red-tagging,” he said.

Sources of fake news

Marcos: PH can recover from impact of global con icts

by ALEXIS ROMERO Philstar.com

MANILA — Through unity and good governance, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. says he is confident that the Philippines can recover from the impact of global conflicts and economic shocks.

In a video that marked his first 100 days in office, the president noted that the beginning of his administration was confronted by the impact of external conflicts and economic challenges, but maintained that huge problems should not be obstacles to the recovery of the country.

The eight-and-a-half-minute video was posted on YouTube by Ten17P, the film production company of Marcos’ relative Paul Soriano.

“There are many more dreams that we have to focus on and fulfill. Our colleagues in the government are diligent and competent,” Marcos said in Filipino.

“Only 2,400 hours have passed. Be assured that in the coming 2,090 days, with the blessing of God, good governance and our collective efforts, we will recover

Appeals court deems DACA illegal, but current recipients still eligible for renewal

Decision prohibits new applicants to the Obama-era immigration program

by KLARIZE MEDENILLA AJPress

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.

PH appeals court junks Ressa cyber libel appeal; Supreme Court next

by KRISTINE JOY PATAG Philstar.com

MANILA — Rappler CEO Maria Ressa will be bringing an appeal of her conviction on cyber libel against to the Supreme Court after the Court of Appeals dismissed their motion for reconsideration.

“Wherefore, the motion for reconsideration is denied,” the CA’s Fourth Division says in a ruling promulgated October 10.

Ressa and former Rappler researcher Rey Santos sought reconsideration of the same CA court decision dated July 7, 2022 that affirmed Manila Regional Trial Court Branch 46’s ruling that found them guilty beyond

reasonable doubt for the crime of cyber libel.

In the same July ruling, the CA also lengthened potential prison time to six months and a day to six years, eight months and 20 days.

The CA said it found the motion for reconsideration filed by Ressa and Santos had no merit.

“A careful and meticulous review of the motion for reconsideration reveals that the matters raised by the accused-appellants had already been exhaustively resolved and discussed in the assailed Decision,” the ruling, penned by Associate Justice Roberto Quiroz, read.

Concurring were Associate Justices Ramon Bato Jr. and Germano Francisco Legaspi. Ressa, in a statement, said she is disappointed by the ruling but was not surprised. “This is a reminder of the importance of independent journalism holding power to account,” she added. Her lawyer Theodore Te also found the ruling “disappointing”, saying “it ignored basic principles of constitutional and criminal law as well as the evidence presented.”

He said they will bring the case to the Supreme Court next.

For the legal community, this is a test case to the nascent anti-

Marcos won’t intervene in De Lima case – Palace

by CATHERINE S. VALENTE ManilaTimes.net

PRESIDENT Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. will not interfere in the case of former senator Leila de Lima and will let the courts decide on whether the detained lawmaker will be given a furlough, Malacañang said on Tuesday, October 11.

Cheloy Garafil, officer-incharge of the Office of the Press Secretary, made the statement after the President’s sister, Sen. Maria Imelda Josefa “Imee” Marcos, urged De Lima to take the extended home furlough after she was briefly taken hostage in the Philippine National Police (PNP) Custodial Center on Sunday, October 9. “Ang mga kaso po ni De Lima nasa korte na. So hayaan na

lang po natin ang mga abogado niya (De Lima’s cases are already with the courts. Let us allow her lawyers) to make the proper motion and the President cannot and will not intervene in any case that’s already with the courts,” Garafil said during a Palace press briefing.

It can be recalled that De Lima was last granted a furlough in June, but only a medical one, to allow her to undergo a “major” surgery from June 19 to 25.

After the hostage incident, Marcos said he would speak with De Lima and ask her if she wants to be transferred to another detention facility.

He also tasked security personnel to ensure that this incident will not happen again in any detention center.

TOMBSTONE.

photo

Frias

Rappler CEO Maria Ressa

Philstar.com file photo

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Filipinos consider...

Fake news kicks into high gear ahead...

Pulse Asia polled 1,200 respondents. Its survey had a margin of error of plus-minus 2.8 percentage points for national percentages.

The poll was taken as some “key developments” were reported in the news prior to or during the survey period.

These include the order signed by President Marcos lifting the mandate on wearing face masks in open and noncrowded outdoor areas; the 50th anniversary of the declaration of martial law by the President’s late father and namesake; Mr. Marcos’ state visits to Singapore and Indonesia where he said he obtained P805 billion in investment pledges; and the depreciation of the Philippine peso to a record low of P58 to the dollar.

The survey results showed that 90 percent of respondents had heard, read or watched fake news, with 21 percent saying they were exposed to fake news at least once a day. A fourth of the respondents said they encountered fake news a few times a month while another 26 percent said a few times a week and 17 percent said once a week.

The survey showed 86 percent believe fake news was a problem, but only 55 percent were confident in their ability to determine whether the political news they encounter were truthful or not.

Only 44 percent said they were sure that the political news they were getting were not fake news while 11 percent said they were unsure, and 44 percent could not determine the veracity of the news.

Social media or the internet (68 percent) and television (67 percent) were cited as top sources

of fake news, followed by radio (32 percent), friends or acquaintances (28 percent), family or relatives (21 percent).

The least cited sources of fake news were community leaders (4 percent), newspapers (3 percent), and religious leaders (1 percent).

An earlier survey (Sept. 6-11, 2021) by Pulse Asia showed that television was the source of news for an overwhelming number (91 percent) of respondents. Following in far second was radio (49 percent) and third the internet (48 percent).

Family and relatives (37 percent) and friends and relatives (25 percent) were more popular sources of news than newspapers, which a mere 3 percent of respondents had read.

The spread of false information online was among the top global concerns cited of respondents in a recent Pew Research Center survey across 19 countries.

The survey report, released in August, showed a median of 70 percent across 19 countries view the spread of false information online as a major national threat, after global climate change.

In 2018, the Philippines was referred to by Facebook’s Global Politics and Government Outreach director Katie Harbath as “patient zero” in the global war against disinformation.

In that same year, a Pulse Asia survey found 88 percent of Filipinos who accessed social media accounts were aware of fake news on social media with 79 percent of respondents saying they considered fake news to be widespread on those platforms.

A December 2021 survey by

Social Weather Stations also found 69 percent of Filipinos saying the problem of fake news in the media was serious.

Former Bayan Rep. Neri Colmenares, who campaigned on a platform to eradicate disinformation in his run for the Senate in the May elections, said the Pulse Asia survey reflected current realities.

“The problem of fake news is growing because people in power feed it and are continuously feeding it through hired trolls or creating vlogs and posts with dubious content,” he said. “It is incumbent upon real journalists and the public who strive for the truth to combat this scourge of the digital age.”

Arao said it was interesting that at least 55 percent of the survey respondents were confident that Filipinos could tell the truthfulness of the political news they received.

But still, he said, a large number (37 percent) were not confident about whether others could spot fake news.

This lack of confidence, according to Arao, could be a factor in the ranking of journalists next to content creators and influencers as sources of fake news.

He urged the media to “veer away” from gossip, trivia, and rumor and to focus on relevant matters.

By doing so, Arao hopes that the public would not pay attention to propagandists who project themselves as alternatives to mainstream media.

“These contribute to a better media system and can hopefully earn the trust of audiences,” he said. g

Marcos won’t intervene in De Lima case...

PAGE 1 PAGE 1

De Lima herself later issued a statement on that ordeal. The 63-year-old former senator was subsequently given the standard medical checkup, according to her lawyer Boni Tacardon.

Tacardon said De Lima’s camp is studying possible home furlough for her as suggested by Senator Marcos.

If De Lima agrees, Tacardon said they will prepare and file a motion for home furlough for the former senator.

“Kung sakaling pumayag

si Senator Leila de Lima ay maghahanda kami ng kaukulang mosyon para ihain ito sa hukuman at hingin ang permiso ng ating huwes para mabigyan siya ng home furlough (If Senator Leila de Lima agrees, we will prepare a motion and file it to the court),” he said.

The former senator was set to attend the resumption of the hearing on one of the remaining illegal drug charges filed against her on Monday, October 10.

De Lima, a leading critic of the drug war of Marcos’ predecessor

Rodrigo Duterte, has been detained at the PNP Custodial Center in Camp Crame since 2017, on drug charges that other critics of the previous administration say were fabricated.

Asked about calls to release De Lima, Garafil said, “As I said, we’ll leave it up to the courts to decide if she’s going to be freed based on the evidence or merits of her case.”

De Lima, a former Justice secretary, has repeatedly denied involvement in the illegal drug trade. g

flourishing on Fox News and its viewers see them repeated constantly as the midterm elections approach. She said the Right has created an echo chamber that reinforces and amplifies negative stereotypes about immigrants or repeats the “big lie” that Donald Trump won the 2020 election.

“We see that candidates, Republican candidates, are taking a lot of these themes and are using them in their ads.

America’s Voice has been tracking TV ads for campaigns across the country and we see hundreds and hundreds of ads. We see hundreds and hundreds of emails that come from these campaigns touching on these themes,” Cárdenas said.

Disinformation creates a feedback loop that amplifies false messages to voters and politicians use them to win elections.

“It’s a political tactic. There’s no policy substance. It’s not a factual conversation. It’s not a solution-oriented conversation. It’s all about giving red meat to their base,” she said.

Added to the slew of misinformation are a raft of newly enacted restrictive voting laws. According to the Brennan Center for Justice, after the 2020 election 21 states passed 42 restrictive voting laws.

Mekela Panditharatne with the Brennan Center’s Democracy Program noted these laws “target or disproportionately impact Latino and Black voters. And we found that newly registered voters are most likely to be Latino,” she said.

Many of these new voters are being bombarded with misinformation on Spanishlanguage platforms.     Spanish radio is the news media of choice for Latinos in states like Florida and Texas. Factchequeado, a Spanish factchecking platform, calls out fake news in Spanish language news media by using WhatsApp, a cross-platform instant messaging service popular among Latino/a communities.

Factchequeado started in April with support from the Google News Initiative and is modeled after two similar operations, Maldita.es in Spain

and Chequeado in Argentina. It has 30 large and small media partners who collaborate as fake news watchdogs.

“We are seeing a lot of disinformation similar to the past election,” says Factchequeado Managing Editor Tamoa Calzadilla, former director of fact checking at Univision, the largest Spanish language TV network in the U.S.

Allegations of fraud in the 2020 election are common, along with other false narratives directed at Latino/a communities.

Calzadilla cited one fake story circulating on radio stations in Florida that claimed the Internal Revenue Service bought ammunition to attack people in their homes and steal their money.

Two other false narratives circulating widely in Spanishspeaking communities are “the border crisis” and race replacement theory that says U.S. immigration authorities are letting “illegals” come into the country to replace whites.

Calzadilla said that both parties spin the news but the tidal wave of disinformation about crime and especially immigration, comes from conservatives. When radio announcers call undocumented immigrants “illegals” they are making a political statement and spreading a false narrative, too.

The hard truth is that the country is polarized and hungry for news that both influences their opinions and reinforces what they already believe.

Immigration is a top issue with Latinos right now and ideologues are exploiting it.

Some Latinos see Dreamers and new asylum seekers as immigrants just like themselves.

Others with legal status, or waiting for it, see new arrivals as cheaters trying to jump the queue.

While both parties are responsible for the current dysfunction in our immigration system, Republicans are putting all the blame on President Biden and the Democrats, a strategy that appears to be working as reporting shows GOP gains among Latino/a voters since 2020.

Disinformation is also prevalent within the Chinesespeaking community, says Rong Xiaoqing, a reporter for the Chinese-language Sing Tao Daily in New York who monitors Chinese social networks.

“The most popular one among Chinese is WeChat,” Xiaoqing said, adding a lot of these discussions happen in private groups, making them difficult to trace.

While the Chinese government censors WeChat, its intrusion into messaging around COVID was “relatively clean,” Xiaoqing explained. “It’s in the Chinese government’s interest to vaccinate people and to fight against COVID-19.”

Misinformation related to U.S. politics is another story. “Its running rampant on WeChat because it is in the Chinese government’s interest to portray that the US and its democracy has been collapsing,” she said.

There is also overlap on WeChat with narratives being pedaled in Spanish.

“The Biden administration is issuing a temporary green card to illegal immigrants. That’s their exact words, illegal immigrants,” Xiaoqing noted. “What they are actually referring to is an ID card that Immigration Customs Enforcement (ICE) plans to issue to immigrants coming to the border in order to help them quickly access their file and book immigration related hearings.”

For those Chinese immigrants applying for green cards via the official process, it’s a message that can resonate. “When they see that… someone is getting it before me via a shortcut, they will not be happy.”

Earlier this year the non-profit Chinese for Affirmative Action launched the fact checking website Piyaoba.

“They do index fact checking in Chinese. Not only will they tell you ‘Oh, here’s a piece of misinformation that’s circulating on Chinese language social media platforms’, but they also dig into the arrangement of the message and its evolution through the years,” Xiaoqing said. (Peter White/Ethnic Media Services)

PH appeals court junks Ressa cyber libel appeal...

cybercrime law, while press freedom advocates have said the conviction highlights the problem in criminalizing libel and its continued use as a tool to keep journalists in line.

On republication

Ressa and Santos argued that they merely corrected one letter in the original article published on May 29, 2012, when it was updated on Feb. 19, 2012. This, they claimed, the provisions on cyber libel — enacted into law in September 2012 — and its penalty were applied ex-post facto.

“As settled, the determination of republication is not hinged on whether the corrections made therein were substantial or not, as what matters is that the very exact libelous article was again published on a later date,” the CA said.

On prescription

The CA said that the

argument of Ressa and Santos that cited Wilberto Tolento v. People, a decision that settled that prescriptive period for cyber libel is 15 years “has no doctrinal value and cannot be considered as a binding precedent as it was an unsigned resolution.”

It added that it cannot disregard “the stark distinction between traditional publication and online publication” since printed articles are only published once. In online publication, they said, “the commission of such offense is continuous since the such article remains there in perpetuity unless taken down.”

“Thus, applying to the present case, the defamatory article published against Wilfredo Keng is continuously published in the Rappler website despite the lapse of one year from the time of its republication, and can still be readily consumed by

anyone who has access to the cyberspace,” it said.

The CA also said that the conviction of Ressa and Santos under the Cybercrime law “is not geared towards the curtailment of the freedom of speech, or to produce an unseemingly chilling effect on the users of cyberspace that would possibly hinder free speech.”

“On the contrary, we echo the wisdom of the Supreme Court in the Disini case that the purpose of the law is to safeguard the right of free speech, and to curb, if not totally prevent, the reckless and unlawful use of the computer systems as a means of committing the traditional criminal offenses,” it added.

Disini v. Secretary of Justice is the 2014 Supreme Court resolution that voided parts of the Cybercrime Prevention Act as unconstitutional but retained the heavier penalties for cyber libel. g

Appeals court deems DACA illegal, but...

In short, the Wednesday decision — made by 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 never-passed 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 employerbased 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. g

Jo Koy Day proclaimed in...

Philippine flag colors as he was joined by Mayor Eric Garcetti and Fil-Am community leaders.

In his speech at the council chambers, the comedian — best known for his jokes about Filipino culture — shared how he uses humor to show the relatability of the community in the United States.

“I want to do a thing where I could tell the story about my mom and just let you hear about what my mom does as a mom. And then you will relate to it and realize that a mom is just a mom no matter what her ethnicity is, what her religion is, what her accent is,” he said.

Jo Koy, who has catapulted to success for his stand-up comedy and Netflix specials, noted the lack of community representation on mainstream entertainment, especially in medical shows, given that Filipinos are largely in the medical field.

“I have so many Filipino nurses in my family. I have an aunt that has about seven nursing homes and just a ton of Filipino nurses out there. They work their butts off, they take care of people 14 hours a day. They have been doing it for over 30 years. And then they go home every day after a hard day’s work and they turn on the TV and they watch about any hospitals and they don’t see one nurse being played by Filipinos,” he said.

He lamented that it shouldn’t

Oct. 7, 2022 was proclaimed “Jo Koy Day” by Los Angeles in honor of Filipino American comedian Jo Koy. The proclamation was joined by a Fil-Am History Month celebration by the LA Filipino Association of City Employees. Photos courtesy of LAFACE

be “normalized” and that the lack of representation makes Filipinos feel “like they are invisible.”

Through his comedy, he said, he wants “to give that voice.”

“I will continue to do it. It’s important, representation is important,” Jo Koy added.

In 2020, the city of San Diego

declared Oct. 16 as “Jo Koy Day.” On July 22 of this year, he received the key of Daly City, California and likewise had the day named after him, leading up to the release of “Easter Sunday,” the first major Hollywood studio film about Fil-Ams, which hit theaters in August. (AJPress)

LEGACY WALL UNVEILING. Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri (5th from left) leads senators in the ribbon-cutting ceremony to unveil the 19th Congress Legacy Wall on Monday, Oct. 10. The 19.97 x 3.13-meter mural installed at the 2nd floor of the Senate building in Pasay City features the members of the 19th Congress’ Upper Chamber.

PNA photo by Avito Dalan

Filipino immigrant killed in Los Angeles robbery by AJPress

LOS ANGELES — Relatives and community members are mourning the loss of a Filipino liquor store clerk who was attacked and killed during a robbery last week.

On Thursday night, Oct. 6, Steven Reyes — a 68-year-old Filipino immigrant who worked at Tony’s Market in Highland Park, a neighborhood in northeast Los Angeles — confronted several teenagers who were taking various items from the store.

In an attempt to stop them from stealing a case of beer, Reyes was struck on the head with a scooter before the suspects, described as two teenage boys and two teenage girls between the ages of 15 and 18, fled the scene.

Reyes was found unconscious on the sidewalk outside of the liquor store as good Samaritans tried to help him. He later succumbed to his injuries and died at the hospital, according to the LA Police Department.

“I would like for people to just remember him, you know, as just your everyday Filipino uncle, your everyday Filipino dad,” Reyes’ daughter Nelle said during a vigil held outside of the store on Monday, Oct. 10.

His daughter remembered him for always doing the right thing.

The victim’s family started a GoFundMe page and paid tribute to Reyes who was a “son,

a father, a brother, a good friend and a hard worker.”

“Steven had a loving heart and cared for everyone and always made sure that his family was safe,” the page continued.

The fundraiser has raised over $40,000, as of this writing, to cover medical expenses and funeral costs.

“His work ethics were incredible and he worked so hard to be able to care and support his mother,” the page added.

Reyes moved to Los Angeles in the 1980s with limited education and worked different types of jobs, including as a handyman, according to his daughter Kaycie

Reyes. He also made money playing in pool tournaments, she said.

He lived with his elderly mother near the liquor store, where he began working earlier this year.

The suspects in Reyes’ case are still at large, as of press time.

“My family forgives you for what you did. Maybe it was a mistake what you did, but please turn yourself in,” Nelle Reyes said.

She added, “Turn yourselves in because it would really help my family gain some better peace, so that we can move on from this.” g

Marcos: PH can recover from impact of...

PAGE 1 together,” he added.

The video was basically a recap of the major engagements of Marcos and the accomplishments of different agencies.

Marcos started by touting the investment pledges made during his inaugural trips to Indonesia and Singapore.

He said 12 letters of intent and 12 memoranda of understanding in renewable energy, data centers, e-commerce, broadband technology, startups, government housing and agriculture were signed during the two state visits last month.

The pledges may yield $14.36 billion or P804.78 billion worth of investments to the Philippines, he added.

Vice President and Education Secretary Sara Duterte, Finance Secretary Benjamin Diokno,

Interior Secretary Benhur Abalos, Migrant Workers Secretary Susan Ople, and Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista also appeared on the video to talk about the programs and accomplishments of their respective agencies.

An infographic posted on the social media pages of the Office of the Press Secretary (OPS) also highlighted the administration’s gains in the areas of health (kalusugan), peace (kapayapaan), livelihood (kabuhayan) and education (edukasyon).

Under “kalusugan,” the OPS enumerated the giving of P1.04billion special risk allowance to health care workers, the higher number of persons vaccinated against COVID-19, the PinasLakas vaccination campaign and the executive order easing the face mask rule.

The accomplishments listed under “kapayapaan” were the representation of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, Moro National Liberation Front and other sectors in the Bangsamoro Transition Authority and the assistance given to former rebels.

Under “kabuhayan,” the administration cited the 134,285 jobs that may be created by the investment pledges secured during Marcos’ trips to Indonesia, Singapore and the United States.

The resumption of face-to-face classes, free rides and financial aid for students were listed under edukasyon.”

Last week, Marcos said he considers the tapping of the “best and the brightest” to serve in his administration and the putting up of a “functional” government as his key accomplishments in his first 100 days as president. g

Steven Reyes, a 68-year-old Filipino immigrant who worked at a Los Angeles area liquor store, was fatally struck on the head with a scooter during an attempted robbery on Oct. 6. His family started a GoFundMe page to help with medical expenses and funeral costs. Photo courtesy of GoFundMe

Escape… almost… from PNP HQ

REMEMBER Fathur Rohman al-Ghozi? At dawn on July 14, 2003, the Indonesian bomb-maker involved in the deadly nightclub bombings in 2002 in Bali as well as several bomb attacks in the Philippines walked out of his Camp Crame detention cell together with two Abu Sayyaf members who were being held for ransom kidnappings.

One of the Abu Sayyaf bandits, Omar Opik Lasal, even gave a television interview afterwards. He narrated that they simply walked past jail guards to the fire exit, where Al-Ghozi shaved off his beard. They strolled across the camp ground to the main gate, past police rookies in training and the sentries, all of whom ignored the inmates. They boarded a taxi, and in three days, they were back in Mindanao.

Editorial

to escape from the Camp Crame Custodial Center on Sunday morning, October 9. Feliciano Sulayao Jr., Arnel Cabintoy and Idang Susukan stabbed a policeman in their attempt to flee. Another cop shot and killed Cabintoy and Susukan. The fleeing Sulayao saw an open cell door, entered and held the inmate hostage at knifepoint. The inmate, who had opened the door for her morning exercise and prayers, happened to be former senator Leila de Lima. Sulayao was later also shot dead.

Police would subsequently catch and kill the other Abu Sayyaf escapee, Abdulmukim Edris, and months later, Al-Ghozi himself. But this would not minimize the embarrassment created by the socalled great escape from the headquarters of the Philippine National Police, which occurred eight years after Khadaffy Janjalani, brother of Abu Sayyaf founding chieftain Abdurajak Abubakar Janjalani, also bolted the same detention facilities in 1995 by climbing through a ceiling duct. After Abdurajak was killed, Khadaffy became Abu Sayyaf leader until his death in 2006.

Little wonder then that three more detainees believed to be Abu Sayyaf members attempted

The detention facility at PNP headquarters is supposed to be reserved for high-value inmates that require maximum security. Yet terrorists with some knowledge of escaping detention aren’t the only inmates who have bolted the Custodial Center. Even drug trafficking suspects have waltzed out of Camp Crame, apparently after paying off jail custodians.

At least this time the escape attempt was foiled, although with lethal consequences for the inmates.

On Monday, October 10 the PNP leadership announced that the chief of the Custodial Center had been sacked. And at least De Lima survived,

and might be accorded “home furlough” while on trial for drug-related charges. Beyond allowing her house arrest, the courts should speed up adjudication of the cases against her, which were

On rst 100 days, questions raised on FM Jr.’s foreign trip

worry about the most.”

“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.

“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.”

Thus has Ferdinand Marcos Jr. essentially assessed his presidency’s accomplishments, in its first 100 days, to “put together government which is functional and which has a very good idea of what we are targeting in terms of strict economic targets [and means to attain them].”

He admitted, however, being much worried about complacency in the government. Here’s how he put it across:

“The one thing I worry about very much is coasting. It goes like this, ‘This is OK. This will do. You don’t really need to attend to this anymore. It’s going to be alright. You can all go have a holiday.’ That’s what I

On the Move

SEGUNDO ECLAR ROMERO

PERCIVAL Mabasa, known by his broadcast name Percy Lapid, assassinated at age 63, was on a hot streak. His “Percy Lapid Fire” online broadcast program at dwBL 1242 and YouTube quickly became a habit for many Filipinos who wanted sparkling scoops and interpretations of political events in the country. Created only in May 2019, it quickly raised a viewership of 132 million as it took on Rodrigo Duterte and Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and their close associates. Lapid did not fail his audience. Sitting in a studio with the usual oversized broadcast microphone partly covering his face, an audiovisual control panel at his fingertips, and a

Ironically, it’s that attitude he called “coasting” that was raised in numerous criticisms over Marcos Jr.’s second trip to Singapore – to attend the F1 Grand Prix over the past weekend. The trip (which included his wife Liza Araneta, congressman son Sandro and cousin, Speaker Martin Romualdez) wasn’t officially announced prior to their departure.

“Security reason” was the belated explanation given by the new Executive Secretary, retired Chief Justice Lucas Bersamin (more on this later).

How have the marginalized sectors, people’s organizations and advocacy groups that have been tracking the new administration’s performance assessed its first 100 days in power?

The People’s Summit 2022, a conference of these various grassroots organizations and advocacy groups, noted that when sworn in as president, Marcos Jr. “promised a comprehensive and inclusive program to transform the Philippine economy.” After 100 days, it said, “we are nowhere near having this touted program to transform the Philippine economy and address all the systemic problems laid bare by the pandemic.”

“The people are reeling from the economic crisis, with rising inflation that has impacted food prices as their

foremost concern,” they said. “The government is deep in debt, more than P13 trillion and counting. In his three months in office, Marcos Jr. has exhibited a lack of leadership, a lack of urgency on the most pressing problems and a penchant for image-building and lavish living that is grossly offensive in light of the ongoing crisis.”

“When the people call for democratic, ethical and accountable governance,” People’s Summit added, “Marcos responds with an utter lack of prudence in public spending. He has no qualms in availing expensive accommodations and bringing along a large presidential entourage in his trips abroad, while refusing to be transparent and accountable in the way he spends public funds.”

“Meanwhile, his administration is wracked by infighting, resignations and unfilled Cabinet positions,” the group observed.

The President’s recent jaunt to Singapore has been described as “insensitive” because people in Luzon were then suffering from the severity of Super Typhoon Karding. Bersamin was sharply criticized for brushing aside the “insensitivity” issue and dismissing as “irrelevant” queries about how the trip was funded.

Replying to the questions about the money spent, he said: “Wala kaming direct knowledge kung paano ang funding niyan

But I am sure if that was the trip of the President, you do not need to be too particular about where the funds were sourced. Kasi he was still performing his job as President when he was abroad, although that is not an official visit.”

“Now, whether it was a fully[government] paid trip or not is irrelevant,” he added.

Moreover, Bersamin pointed out, “The welfare of the First Family is of concern to the state. You may not call that state visit, nonetheless, it’s not any less covered by the law that accords importance and value to the welfare of the First Family.”

“So it’s beyond the issue,” the former chief justice said. “It’s not relevant at all to question, to ask kung sino gumastos. Basta he was doing something for us. If public funds were spent, walang problema diyan because that was also a trip undertaken for the interest of the Philippines.”

Bersamin then went on to scold the questioners: “Do not be too rigid in thinking na hindi mo dapat gastusan ng taxes, kung ginamit. You have the obligation to secure, to ensure that the President travels safely. Whose obligation is that? The government’s.”

Seemingly on second thought, the executive secretary clarified: “I’m not saying na ang ginastos nya puro public funds. No, I’m not. May kakayahan si Presidente na magbiyahe nang ganun sa sarili.”

Further defending Marcos Jr.’s trip, Bersamin bragged that other bigwigs also attended the Formula 1 Grand Prix event.

“What’s so insensitive about it? Alam niyo kung sino ‘yung mga nanuod doon? Mga ministers din tulad niya. He was even higher than all of them. It is something that would attract big people in other countries in Asia. The President was not the only dignitary there.”

Bersamin even speculated that Marcos Jr. “must have been invited [by the Singapore prime minister] because his presence might have added there some suspense and intrigue and some importance to that event.” Alam ninyo, our President

Why journalists matter

laptop to the side, he would dish out the latest political events and give scathing commentaries. He gave the issues a thorough 360-degree perspective, peppering his talk with nicknames he has for his live targets—e.g., “Digongnyo” for Duterte—his favorite target. There is something about broadcasters that gets the goat of onion-skinned, unscrupulous, corrupt, and inept politicians, criminals, businessmen, and other anti-social types. Duterte, perhaps, expresses the feelings of politicians at the receiving end of what they consider “undeserved” blasts from broadcasters. On May 31, 2016, the then newly elected president said in a press conference that journalists are legitimate targets of assassination “if you’re a son of a bitch.” He cited broadcaster Jun Pala, who was assassinated in Davao City

when Duterte was mayor, as someone who “deserved it.”

It must be in the way broadcasters can use the spoken language like a scalpel, digging into the rotten core of an issue. They have a way of using innuendo and colorful codenames and clues for their targets and their shenanigans.

Writers at least will be able to review their text and moderate themselves. The sharper their pens, the more alert are their editors in saving the whole media organization from libel suits. But broadcasters can only be warned or censured at the end of a program, when they have already unloaded their daily supply of lethal verbal daggers and brickbats.

From a nation-building perspective, the assassination of a prominent broadcaster brings the public to a higher level of political awareness.

It is an altogether consuming collective enterprise as people crave answers—“Who was the mastermind?” “Why?” In this age of social media, that gives the broadcaster a new wind, as people voraciously consume his last known broadcasts to get a sense of what was worth being killed for. It is an opportune time for educating the public on things they take for granted. When someone dies a political death, people sense it is also somehow about the people and pay attention.

But why do journalists and broadcasters matter? As Walter Cronkite said in 2005, reflecting on the weak state of political and civic education in the United States, “We are not intelligent enough, we’re not educated well enough to perform the necessary act of selecting our leaders for the future. We’ve got to improve

that situation, and it’s going to be, to a large degree, up to us in television and radio, in broadcasting, to get that job done. If we fail at that, our democracy, our Republic, is, I think, in serious danger.”

Journalists and broadcasters matter because they are instrumental in educating the public about those sensitive and critical issues, kept from public view, on which the wellbeing of the people and the nation depend.

Lapid throws a spotlight on the whole set of Filipino broadcasters who have helped shape the political consciousness of many Filipinos. Now we know that 197 journalists have been killed since 1986 according to the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines. Journalists who die are athletes in a relay. They raise awareness about issues by

naging matinee idol eh,” Bersamin gushed before the reporters. “His presence in an event like that will be well appreciated and he might have attracted more audience. It’s not immodest, it’s not contrary to morals; private time yan.”

This is a former chief justice of our highest tribunal. Now that he’s executive secretary, how effusively he talks about his boss. (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.

* * *

Email: satur.ocampo@gmail.com

risking their lives. It is not their intention that their advocacies and the issues co-terminate with them. They mean for other citizens to take up the issue and run forward with it.

We need more Percy Lapids for as we mark the 100th day in office of the Marcos Jr. administration, we need people to remind them that while we may not be able to show proof of development emerging in the first 100 days, we certainly are able to show indicators of impending catastrophes to our democracy, our development, and our sense of nationhood. (Inquirer.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.

*

filed over five years ago. At the same time, the PNP should put a decisive end to this embarrassment of escapes, whether successful or foiled, from Camp Crame. (Philstar.com)

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

Malacañang photo

Ateneo overtakes UP as top Philippine university in global ranking

by Xave GreGorio Philstar.com

MANILA — Jesuit-run Ateneo de Manila University is the top Philippine university as it surged in the Times Higher Education World University Rankings, overtaking the state-run University of the Philippines.

From being excluded in the rankings last year, Ateneo leapt to the 351-400 bracket while UP, the country’s premiere state university, sank to the 801-1000 bracket from the 601800 bracket last year.

THE gave Ateneo an overall score of 45.0-46.9, which is

based on teaching, research, citations, international outlook and industry income. UP, meanwhile, got an overall score of 29.8-33.9.

Two other Philippine universities made it into the rankings, namely De La Salle University and Mapúa University which placed in the 1201-1500 and 1501+ brackets with scores of 18.4-24.3 and 10.4-18.3, respectively.

Cebu Technological University, Mindanao State University – Iligan Institute of Technology, University of Santo Tomas, University of Science and Technology of Southern Philippines, Tarlac Agricultural

University and Visayas State University submitted data for inclusion in the rankings, but did not make the cut.

Universities excluded from the rankings are those that were unable to publish at least 1,000 papers in reputable publications within a five-year period, those that only teach in a single subject area and those that do not teach undergraduates.

University of Oxford topped the THE rankings globally, while China’s Tsinghua University was the top Asian university and the National University of Singapore was the top Southeast Asian university.

g

Global innovation: PH struggling to keep up with other countries

by Cristina Eloisa BaCligp Inquirer.net

MANILA — The Philippines slid by eight notches in the Global Innovation Index (GII), which measures a country’s tech advancement, among oth ers, from 2021 to 2022, ending up with the rank of 59 out of 132 countries.

Data from the latest iteration of the World Intellectual Prop erty Organization’s (WIPO) GII report, which measures the performance of countries in terms of progress in innova tions (like patents produced and technological advance ments), showed that the Phil ippines “fell back slightly” in the global ranking.

The WIPO noted that the slump underlined the impor tance of sustaining innovation efforts over time.

The countries were ranked based on their overall score and the average of two sub-in dices. These included one that measured how the economy enabled innovative activities (innovation input sub-index) and another that measured the result of these innovative activ ities (innovation output sub-in dex).

The Philippines had an over all score of 30.7 this year— lower than its score of 35.3 recorded in 2021.

Switzerland, which ranked first again this year, scored 64.6. Trailing behind were the United States (61.8), Sweden (61.6), the United Kingdom (59.7), and the Netherlands (58.0).

“As to technological catchup and convergence, the past three decades were an unac knowledged golden age that has led to unconditional and historic convergence,” the re port said.

“This was thanks to in creased globalization and what came with it in terms of knowl edge diffusion and technology and innovation transfer, in cluding managerial and other organizational and process in novations,” it added.

“All those countries that have climbed the GII innova tion rankings over time, for example, China, India, Tur key, the Philippines, and Viet nam, have for various reasons (e.g., industrial policies) been able to develop homegrown technological capabilities; an achievement reflected in mea sured innovation performance and the ability to participate in global value chains,” it said.

Rankings in SEAO

Still, the country maintained its position among countries in Southeast Asia, East Asia, and Oceania (SEAO) that continue to change the innovation land scape.

Same as last year, the Philip pines ranked 11th.

This is the fourth year that the country was included on the list of innovation achiev ers in the region—starting in 2015, then in 2020, 2021, and this year.

The WIPO found that the Philippines was also among the countries in the region— alongside Vietnam, Indonesia, Cambodia, and Lao People’s Democratic Republic—that have made “the greatest ad vances over the past decade, moving up more than 20 ranks.”

The SEAO region also con tinues to close the innovation performance gap with North ern America and Europe. Sev en SEAO economies are world innovation leaders: the Re public of Korea (6th in global rankings), Singapore (7th), China (11th), Japan (13th), Hong Kong, China (14th), New Zealand (24th), and Australia (25th)

Out of the 36 countries in the lower middle-income group, the Philippines ranked fifth, retaining its performance above expectations for the lev el of development.

India (40th in the global rank ings) ranked first among lower middle-income countries, fol lowed by Vietnam (48th), Iran (53rd), and Ukraine (57th).

2nd high-tech exporter worldwide

Despite falling in the global rankings this year, the WIPO highlighted that the Philip pines continues to lead in key innovation indicators. The GII report stated that the coun try holds the second position worldwide in high-tech ex ports.

According to data from the Philippine Statistics Authori ty (PSA), electronic products were among the top Philippine exports, with an 8.2 percent growth rate between January 2021 and January 2022.

This amounted to a free-onboard (FOB) price of around $3.2 billion (58.94 percent of total exports in January 2021) and $3.5 billion (28 percent of total exports in January 2022).

Data from the PSA also showed that the top exported electronic products in January this year included:

• Components/Devices (Semiconductors): $2.6 billion

• Electronic Data Process ing: $507 million

• Office Equipment: $61 mil lion

• Consumer Electronics: $89 million

• Telecommunication: $85 million

• Communication/Radar: $44 million

• Control and Instrumenta tion: $64 million

• Medical/Industrial Instru mentation: $18 million

• Automotive Electronics: $15 million

According to the Semicon ductor and Electronics Indus tries in the Philippines Founda tion Inc. (Seipi), the electronics sector—the country’s largest exporter—shipped out $45.92 billion worth of goods in 2021.

PH slide: ‘Most alarming’

In a statement last October 3, the Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines (IPO PHL), however, described the country’s current GII ranking as “most alarming.”

“We regret to see the decline of the Philippines in the 2022 Global Innovation Index (GII),” said IPOPHL Director General Rowel Barba.

“Our slide of eight rungs is most alarming. This calls for the urgent task of accelerating work at the National Innova tion Council (NIC) to sustain innovation over time,” he add ed.

Barba said the decline might be attributed to double-digit declines in education and ter tiary education (human capital and research), knowledge cre ation (knowledge and technol ogy output) and creative goods and services (creative output).

Under the innovation sub-in dex of GII, five pillars had been listed—institutions, human capital and research, infra structure, market sophistica tion and business sophistica tion.

These enabler pillars, ac cording to WIPO, define as pects of the environment con ducive to innovation within an economy.

“In promoting the export of our cultural and creative ser vices, IPOPHL commits to en gage more proactively with our creative economy and ensure yielding positive outcomes from the creatives-based part nerships we have been forging over the years,” Barba said.

“We also see the recently

legislated Creative Industries Development Act as providing a boost to bring our creative genius to the global stage,” he added.

He also said that the IPOPHL will intensify its work in “creat ing an environment that stim ulates creative and innovative activities through promoting IP protection and creating a ro bust enforcement regime.” g

Marcos: Clear policy agenda over 6 years

by CathErinE s. ValEntE rEd MEndoza arliE o. Calalo, MoisEs Cruz and BElla Cariaso ManilaTimes.net

IN his first 100 days as president, Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. believes that he has successfully laid out a clear policy agenda for his sixyear term in office that focuses on health, fiscal management and turning the long-neglected agricultural sector into an engine

of growth.

The Philippines is currently beset with numerous challenges, from rising inflation to worrying levels of public debt and a bruised peso, but Marcos, who won the presidency by a landslide, said he was able to manage it with the help of the “best and

the brightest” members of his Cabinet.

In his latest vlog uploaded on his social media on Saturday, October 8, the President promised that he would be more persistent in fulfilling his mandate to help realize his u PAGE 8

LUNCH BREAK. Workers partake of pares (pair) meals at a makeshift eatery on a vacant lot along Congressional Road in Barangay Salitran 3, Dasmariñas City, Cavite on Tuesday, Oct. 11. The famous beef brisket dish is commonly paired with rice or noodles and soup.

PNA photo by Gil Calinga

Tulfo proposes full scholarship for nursing students

by Daniza FernanDez Inquirer.net

MANILA — Senator Raffy

Tulfo proposed on Tuesday, October 11 the provision of a full scholarship for nursing students, subject to a condition.

Nursing students will receive full scholarships, provided they will serve the country for four to five years after graduation.

“How about mag-offer po kayo ng full scholarship programs sa mga nurses sa mga iba’t ibang eskwelahan, mga probinsya?

(How about offering full scholarship programs for nurses in different schools and provinces?)

“Full scholarship po and then and’un ‘yung kondisyunes na kapag ikaw ay nakapaggraduate, you must serve at least four to five years bilang nurse dito sa ating bansa,”

Tulfo asked Philippine Heart Center Executive Director Dr. Joel Abanilla during the Senate

committee on health and demography hearing.

(Full scholarship, and there is a condition that after you graduate, you must serve at least four to five years as a nurse in our country.)

Abanilla replied that legislation would be needed for the senator’s suggestion.

Tulfo and Senator Christopher Go, chairperson of the panel, expressed support for such legislation.

Senators learned that nurses in government hospitals earn around P34,000 to P36,000 per month, lower than foreign nations could offer.

Tulfo lamented that nurses are overworked, serving more patients than the ideal 4:1 ratio or four patients to one nurse.

Earlier, the Department of Health said the country has a “shortage” of around 106,000 nurses. g

4,000 daily COVID-19 cases in PH seen by end-October if decreased compliance continues

by Gaea Katreena CabiCo Philstar.com

MANILA — COVID-19 infections may reach 4,000 to over 8,000 by the end of October if compliance with public health safeguards like wearing face masks and maintaining physical distancing continues to decline, the Department of Health said Monday.

DOH Epidemiology Bureau Director Alethea De Guzman said in a briefing that data as of mid-September showed that cases were expected to “follow a continuous slow downward trend.” FASSSTER, a web application for creating disease models for diseases and for visualizing syndromic surveillance, projected 1,204 cases a day by the end of the month under this scenario.

However, if compliance with minimum public health standards continues to decrease, infections may range from 4,055 to as high as 8,670

by the end of October.

The Department of Health has yet to issue new minimum public health standards since the Philippines relaxed rules on wearing face masks, but, in general, the department has emphasized vaccination, wearing masks in indoor and crowded areas, frequent hand washing, better ventilation, and separate entry and exit points in high traffic areas to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

The health agency reported 16,017 cases from September 26 to October 2. The figure was 10% lower than the number of cases reported from a week before.

The country remained at low risk for COVID-19 spread. Metro Manila, meanwhile, kept its moderate risk classification for virus transmission.

De Guzman added the projections of the Australian Modeling Network (AuTuMN) showed that “even with case increases, severe and critical

cases are not seen to exceed those previously observed during Delta and Omicron spikes.”

“However, with the emergence of a new variant, this may lead to sharp increase of hospitalization at the beginning of 2023 in the National Capital Region,” De Guzman added.

The official stressed the effects of a possibly more transmissible new variant may be minimized by COVID-19 vaccination.

Vaccination uptake has slowed down after the country immunized 80% of its target population in February 2022. Only 26% of the target individuals have gotten booster doses.

“As we continually lift restrictions and as mobility further increases, occurrence of cases and periodic spikes are inevitable. But vaccination will be central i n ensuring minimal hospitalization with severe disease and as well as deaths,” De Guzman said. g

PNP urges journalists: Reach out if you feel unsafe

MANILA — In the wake of the killing of radioman Percival Mabasa, the Philippine National Police vowed Monday, October 10 to protect journalists who come forward for fear of threats on their life related to their work.  Mabasa, better known as Percy Lapid, was shot dead on Monday, October 3 at the gate of BF Resort Village in Talon Dos, Las Piñas. Police reported that he was driving along Aria St. on board his black Toyota Innova at around 8:30 p.m. when he was shot by two male suspects on board a motorcycle without a plate number.

At a press briefing Monday morning, Police Gen. Rodolfo Azurin, PNP chief, called on journalists to work closely with local police.

"We're asking media personnel that hopefully if you feel there are threats on your life, let's not wait for it to get to what happened to Percy. It would be better for you to inform us so we can provide you security if you have any suspects in mind so we can start investigating," he said in Filipino and English.

"If you feel that you need security, we will provide one for you."

This comes after Azurin directed the National Capital

Region Police Office to hold dialogues with media personalities in its areas of responsibility to get a sense of the danger that reporters go through in the course of their work.

Despite the PNP chief's assurance of protection, the government has not always been receptive to reports of threats to journalists. In March, the Presidential Task Force on Media Security claimed that Baguio City journalist Aldwin Quitasol had mistaken a motorcycle exchaust backfire as gunshots. Although the police investigation into the incident was still ongoing, the task force advised the public: "HUWAG BASTA MANIWALA SA MGA MARITES! (Don't believe rumormongers)

In June, Police Lt. Gen. Vicente Danao Jr. — then OIC of the PNP — insinuated that media arrested at a land cultivation, or bungkalan, activity in Concepcion, Tarlac were there to cause trouble.

"Imagine, maybe even the media was just meddling there. In the first place, if you went there, you're already with those people," he said then.

Percy Lapid case

The NCRPO on Monday said in an advisory posted on its official

channels that the reward in exchange for information about the person of interest in the killing of broadcaster Percy Lapid was increased to P6.5 million.

It also released the latest photo of a person of interest behind the killing.

Azurin said that the PNP is still in the process of gathering information and reviewing the available CCTV footage related to the case.

Mabasa's killing has drawn widespread outrage among government officials and has since yielded a House resolution urging Congress to condemn the killing.

Lapid hosted the radio show Lapid Fire in DWBL 1242 where he aired criticism on controversial policies of the government, including the bloody drug war under former president Rodrigo Duterte, alleged corruption, and historical distortion involving Martial Law under the late ousted dictator Ferdinand Marcos, Sr.

According to the Committee to Protect Journalists' 2021 World Impunity Index, the Philippines is the seventh in the list of countries worldwide where journalists are murdered and the perpetrators go free.  (Philstar. com)

Marcos: Clear policy agenda over 6 years

PAGE 7

administration’s bid to give the Filipino people a better life.

“Ang maituturing kong malaking tagumpay ng ating panunungkulan sa ating unang 100 araw ay ang pagbibigay ng malinaw na direksyon at layunin sa lahat ng ating mga ahensiya ng pamahalaan at sambayanang Pilipino (What I consider a major success of my administration during our first 100 days is that we were able to provide a clear policy direction and agenda to all our government agencies and the Filipino people),” Marcos said.

Managing COVID-19

The President first cited his government’s accomplishment in managing the COVID-19 situation in the country.

Through the Department of Health (DOH), the “PinasLakas” vaccine campaign was launched to raise the number of Filipinos receiving the booster shot against the coronavirus.

To show the importance of receiving an additional dose of the vaccine, Marcos received a booster shot when he visited a vaccination site at a mall in Manila on August 17.

The DOH had set a goal of vaccinating 50 percent of the eligible population with the first booster shot of COVID-19 vaccines by October 8 or the first 100 days of the Marcos administration.

However, on September 22, the DOH adjusted its target to 30 percent due to the slow uptake on booster shots.

Meanwhile, as of October 6, a total of 73.3 million Filipinos are now fully-vaccinated against COVID-19 or those who have received their two-dose primary vaccination series.

This figure is equivalent to 93.81 percent of those who are eligible to get the first two doses of COVID-19 vaccines.

Marcos’ first 100 days impressive Around 19,211,908 of this figure received a booster shot, according to the figures released by the DOH.

Food sufficiency, economic growth

The President also reiterated that his administration’s priority goals are to secure food sufficiency and spur socioeconomic growth.

PH asked: Open economy ‘as much as possible’

During his recent state visits to Indonesia and Singapore, the Marcos administration promoted agricultural cooperation and encouraged trade investment in key sectors.

The President said his inaugural visits bore fruit, securing around P804.78 billion ($14.36 billion) worth of investment pledges.

Marcos also visited the United States where he secured business deals and commitments with an estimated investment value of $3.9 billion.

“Ang pagbangon ng ating ekonomiya ay ang pagbangon ng pamilyang Pilipino kaya naman puspusan ang ating ginagawang hakbang para dumami ang hanapbuhay at oportunidad dito sa bansa (The recovery of our economy is the recovery of the Filipino family, which is why we are taking steps to increase the number of jobs and opportunities in the country),” he said.

To recall, Marcos also listed in his State of the Nation Address last July 25 several economic objectives.

For this year, Marcos wants to achieve a gross domestic product of 6.5 to 7.5 percent, lower than the 7 to 8 percent set by his predecessor, former president Rodrigo Duterte, before leaving office.

But from 2023 until the end of Marcos’ term in 2028, the government hopes that annual GDP growth would hit between

6.5 to 8 percent, higher than

Duterte’s goal of 6 to 7 percent growth.

But from rising inflation to worrying levels of public debt and a bruised peso, the Philippine economy has yet to find an impasse.

State statisticians expect the cost of consumer goods and services to grow even faster as expensive food prices could stick by year-end.

Marcos, who appointed himself as secretary of agriculture, is already aware that the uptick in the country’s inflation could be a “potential problem,” Malacañang had said.

Hence, the President, during his first meeting with his Cabinet in July, discussed several initiatives to tame the rise in consumer prices.

Marcos had said he has directed all government offices to follow the “central policy” that will be crafted by his economic team.

International events such as the ongoing war between Ukraine and Russia as well as rising prices for farm inputs, particularly fertilizers, have led to higher food prices in the international market.

Under Marcos’ leadership and through the prompt approval of his administration’s fiscal framework, the Palace said the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) has taken steps to “reduce socioeconomic vulnerability” and “ensure sound macroeconomic fundamentals.”

“These initiatives include the Budget Modernization Bill, realignment of expenditure priorities, and the ongoing digitization of government processes,” Malacañang said.

“The DBM also oversees the full devolution process, ensuring that funds are fairly distributed, and disadvantaged areas are prioritized,” it added.

The DBM submitted the proposed P5.268-trillion national budget for 2023 to the House of Representatives which passed it on third and final reading on September 28.

Once they craft their own version of the 2023 General Appropriations Bill, the Senate will meet their House counterparts in a bicameral conference committee to reconcile differing provisions in their respective budget bills.

Their harmonized measures would be placed on the President’s signature by December if not earlier.

One Bangsamoro

Another major feat of his administration, Marcos said, is the unification of the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) under one Bangsamoro autonomous government.

Making Bangsamoro peace process one of his top priorities, Marcos on August 12 led the mass oath-taking in Malacañang of the new members of the Bangsamoro Transition Authority (BTA), which serves as the interim government in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao pending the conduct of first regular parliamentary and regional elections in May 2025.

The third phase of the decommissioning of combatants and weapons of the MILF also resumed on September 27, or just nearly two weeks since the BTA Parliament began its session.

“Ang kapayapaan at pagkakaisa na bunga ng mga programang ito ay nag-maximize ng ating economic potential ng mga nasabing lugar (The peace and unity resulting from these programs maximized our economic potential of said areas),” Marcos said.

DepEd’s ‘significant

achievement’

Albay Second District Rep. Jose Ma. Clemente “Joey” Salceda said on Saturday that the resumption of face-to-face classes is Vice President Sara Duterte’s most significant achievement during her first 100 days in office, which is crucial for addressing the learning crisis and bringing the economy back to normal.

Salceda also said the actions taken to address the issue of teacher debt are a significant breakthrough. Teachers will have stronger representation in the Government Service Insurance System, which will provide additional refinancing options and more environmentally friendly lending methods.

According to Salceda, the Philippines spends around 3.2 percent of gross domestic product on education. Having funds doesn’t ensure strong academic results, but having the proper amount and the correct priorities can, as he suggested to Duterte, concurrent Education secretary.

OVP’s medical, burial benefits

The Office of the Vice President (OVP) said it had processed more than P134 million in medical and burial benefits and has served nearly 100,000 passengers in its free ride program under Duterte.

In a statement, the OVP said that nearly P125 million in medical aid and around P9.8 million in burial assistance were given to 13,315 beneficiaries in all seven offices of the OVP, including in its main office as of October 5.

The OVP said it has partnered with the DOH through the Medical Assistance to Indigent Patients Program, as well as the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) through its Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situations (AICS) program.

Meanwhile, the OVP’s Peak Hours Augmentation Bus Service or PHABS has served a total of 98,293 people in 1,470 trips in Metro Manila, Cebu, Lapu-Lapu, Mandaue, Bacolod and Davao City since August 3.

The OVP has also distributed a total of 3,220 “PagbaBAGo” bags that contain school supplies and hygiene kits in Limasawa Island, Southern Leyte, Jordan, Guimaras, Caramoan, Camarines Sur, Kidapawan, North Cotabato, Siquijor, Dasmarinas, Cavite and Bangued, Abra.

The program, which began when Duterte was still mayor of Davao City, aims to instill the importance of basic education and nurture the right attitude among young Filipinos to succeed in life.

Aside from the distribution of the bags, Duterte also met with the children’s parents and convinced them to practice responsible parenthood and family planning.

Armed Forces highlights Armed Forces chief Lt. Gen. Bartolome Vicente Bacarro highlighted the military’s accomplishments in its first 100 days: gains in internal peace and security operations, external defense, modernization and capability development, and international bilateral and multilateral engagements.

For internal security and stability, Bacarro said the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) has dismantled five guerilla fronts, neutralized 310 members of the communist terrorist group (CTG) and recovered 300 firearms.

Some 58 members of the local terrorist group (LTG) have also been neutralized while 54 loose firearms were recovered, the AFP said.

On the peace process, the AFP participated in the successful oath-taking of new members of the BTA. g

Senator Raffy Tulfo Philstar.com file photo

First in-person ‘Kasayahan sa Daly City’ in two years held for Fil-Am History Month

DALY CITY – Philippine Consul General in San Francisco Neil Ferrer and Mrs. Miriam Ferrer joined the fun at the first in-person “Kasayahan sa Daly City” community fair in two years, held at Marchbank Park in Daly City, California on October 8, 2022.

Kasayahan sa Daly City” serves as the official celebration of Filipino American History Month in Daly City, the “Pinoy Capital” of the Bay Area because of the high concentration of Filipinos and Filipino Americans in the city.

In his remarks, Consul General Ferrer thanked Daly City’s Filipino American Mayor Rod Daus-Magbual and the Daly City Government for their continued recognition of the contributions of the city’s vibrant Filipino American Community, which was recently portrayed in the Hollywood film “Easter Sunday” starring Filipino American comedian Jo Koy, and the movie “Lumpia With A Vengeance.”

Consul General Ferrer also

Philippine Consul General in San Francisco Neil Ferrer delivers his message during the 2022 Kasayahan sa Daly City at Marchbank Park, Daly City, California October 8. Photo courtesy of the San Francisco PCG said that he looked forward to the signing of the proposed sister city agreement between Davao City and Daly City, as well as the strengthening of the latter’s existing sister city ties with Quezon City.

During the event, the Philippine Consul General

recognized the Filipino and Filipino American doctors, nurses, first responders and economic front liners during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, whom he regarded as “the living personification of the enduring Filipino

Atty. Gur nkel answers immigration questions from Kapamilya in part 2 of the San Diego leg of Citizen Pinoy’s ‘Your Tanong, My Sagot’

LEADING U.S. Immigration

Atty. Michael J. Gurfinkel visited San Diego, where he answered questions of Kapamilya based locally, and even from some coming from out-of-town.

In Part 2 of “Your Tanong, My

Sagot,” viewers will hear answers to the following immigration concerns:

• Salvie, of National City, wants to know if there is a way to speed up the petition process so that his only son’s family can join them in

the U.S.

• Fulvio, of Paradise Valley, is asking if his brother-in-law, who was petitioned by his wife in 2011, can have his interview in the U.S. since he is currently in San Diego

National Artist Ricky Lee feeling more like a ‘title’ than a ‘person’

WHILE he’s thankful for being named National Artist for Film, screenwriter Ricardo “Ricky” Lee admitted that he’s still getting used to the attention that comes with it.

These days, he feels more like a “title” than a “person.”

“I have been receiving lots of invitations to be a juror, a commencement speaker, this and that. And whenever I go out, I get shy about all the attention,” he said at a recent press conference for the Viva Films romantic drama “May-December-January,” which opened in cinemas on Oct. 12.

“I used to be happy being recognized by only a few people. Eto, nakilala ako. Eto, ‘di ako nakilala. I liked that mystery. But now that’s going away. Marami na ang lumalapit… Parang nawala ang sarili ko, napalitan ng title,” he added.

Crafting stories But that doesn’t take away the happiness he feels about being bestowed such an honor. Because it’s not only his; he dedicates it to all his fellow writers in the industry who remain largely invisible. “I’m very happy because it (award) also focused the attention on the writers—not just me,” he pointed out.

“So while I feel uncomfortable about the attention. I keep reminding myself that it’s not just about me but writers in general. And I should be happy for them, for all of us,” said the acclaimed director, who collaborated with director Mac Alejandre and lead actress Andrea del Rosario for the aforementioned movie.

Asked if the National Artist award has, in any way, impacted the way he crafts stories and screenplays, Lee said that his

core as an artist is unchanged.

“The things happening around me won’t change what’s inside me. In whatever I write, it’s me who comes out,” he said.

“Sometimes, people tease me when my name flashes on a trailer and it says National Artist. But I don’t think it will change how I make films. I will just keep growing as a filmmaker,” Lee added. (Inquirer.net)

YOUR TANONG, MY SAGOT PART 2 IN SAN DIEGO. Leading U.S. Immigration Atty. Michael J. Gurfinkel answers immigration questions from Kapamilya in San Diego, in Part 2 of Citizen Pinoy’s “Your Tanong, My Sagot.” Some of the questions Atty. Gurfinkel answers are – From Thelma of Chesapeake: I petitioned my daughter who will soon be coming to the U.S. with her husband. My grandson was supposed to be included in the petition, but he aged out. How can my 35-year-old grandson join his parents in the U.S.?; From John of Van Nuys: My mother used a fake birth certificate for me because she was worried that I might age out. While I did not age out, the fake birth certificate was used in all my documents. I now want to petition my wife and baby but would like to naturalize first. How can I correct my documents for my naturalization?; From Salvie of National City: I petitioned my only son in 2011.

Valley:

wife

Ricky Lee Inquirer.net photo

Meet the Fil-Ams working in the Biden-Harris administration

by AJPress

UPON taking office, President Joe Biden promised to have an administration that reflected the United States’ diversi ty. In addition to having Kamala Harris as the first Black, South Asian and woman vice president, the administration has had a lot of ‘firsts’ in the Cabinet and key agency appointees. In honor of October as Filipino American History Month, the Asian Journal spoke to several Fil-Ams working across the administration — from the Executive Branch to various agencies that keep the coun try running.

Nani Coloretti

Deputy Director

Office of Management and Budget

Hometown: Honolulu, Hawaii

Prior to the Biden-Harris ad ministration, Coloretti worked at the Urban Institute and served the Obama administration as the Deputy Secretary of the De partment of Housing and Urban Development and as an Assistant Secretary at the Department of Treasury.

How has being Filipino American shaped your identity and career path?

My grandparents emigrated from the Philippines in 1927 to support the many Filipinos mov ing to Hawaii to work in the sug ar cane fields. My grandfather was a minister and a union orga nizer; my grandmother was one of the first Filipina nurses in this country; and my mom worked as a nurse and, later, as a child-care teacher. Although I did not get a chance to meet my grandfather, who passed away before I was born, my grandmother lived with us and she — along with my Aunts and Uncles — had a strong influence on me and my sisters as we grew up in Hawaii. From my family, I learned to value hard work, to focus on education, and the importance of empathy and taking care of others when you can. All of this has helped shape my career path in public service.

Why did you join the Biden-Harris administration, and what does it mean as a Filipino American?

Throughout my career, I have looked for ways to increase oppor tunity for everyone and make more real the American promise that if you work hard, you can move your life and the lives of others in a positive direction. The Biden-Harris Administration has focused on equity and inclusion from Day One, and continues to deliver on its promise to support an economy that works for everyone. I am thrilled to be a part of this effort, and as a Filipina, I believe that diverse rep resentation contributes to creating the best solutions to solve com plex problems.

What does Filipino American History Month mean to you?

In my lifetime, the Filipino American population has grown elev en-fold, from under 400,000 to over 4.2 million, making it one of the fastest growing populations in the United States. I think it is import ant to have an annual reflection on the many contributions Filipinos have made and continue to make to this country. It is also a gift to share more about the history of and individual stories about Filipino Americans, some of the most interesting and fascinating people I know.

Gina Ortiz Jones

Under Secretary of the Air Force

U.S. Department of Defense

Hometown: San Antonio, TX

An Iraq War veteran, Ortiz Jones is the second-highest rank ing civilian in the Department of the Air Force and the second highest-ranking Fil-Am serving in the current administration. She made history as the first woman of color and the first out lesbian to serve as an under secretary of any military department.

How has being Filipino American shaped your identity and career path?

I’m a proud first-generation Fil ipina American, and growing up my mother always reminded my sister and me that we were lucky, not smart, but lucky to have been born in the United States. My un cle joined the U.S. Navy as part of the Steward program, and my mother came to this country as a domestic helper, despite having graduated from the top universi ty in the Philippines, UP-Diliman. It’s a truly special country where my family’s story is possible, and I’ve always been motivated to serve to ensure those same opportunities are there for those who follow.

Why did you join the Biden-Harris administration, and what does it mean as a Filipino American?

I joined to serve an administration that I knew would reflect my values. As a Filipina American, I’m appreciative of the administra tion’s focus on ensuring those serving reflect the diversity of the lived experiences of those being served—to include the 4 million Filipinos and Filipino Americans living in the United States.

What does Filipino American History Month mean to you?

Filipino American History Month is a time to celebrate our contri butions to American history, as well as an opportunity to think about the strategic importance of the U.S.-Philippines relationship. As the Under Secretary of the Air Force, I see every day just how important our alliance is to the continued peace and security in the Indo-Pacif ic. Our countries have always had a special relationship, and I think it’s important to keep that in mind as we face our mutual challenges and opportunities.

Ditas Macrine Katague

An expert in multi-ethnic out reach and civic engagement, Katague is responsible for leading internal and external communica tions activities of the nation’s larg est statistical agency, the Census Bureau. Prior to joining the Cen sus Bureau, Katague was director of the California Complete Count –Census 2020 Office, the outreach and communications campaign that worked to ensure a complete population count of historically undercounted Californians.

How has being Filipino Amer ican shaped your identity and career path?

As a Filipino American, I am drawn to work that allows me to reach underserved populations to ensure they have a voice in decision and policy making. During my University years, I witnessed the People Power revolution and was in spired by the power that people working together can have to impact their future. My parents both instilled a sense of service to community and encouraged me to pursue a career in public service.

Why did you join the Biden-Harris administration, and what does it mean as a Filipino American?

Having the opportunity to serve the Biden-Harris Administration at the Census Bureau allows me to take the 25 years of experience leading California’s Census outreach and communications to the na tional level. My expertise reaching underserved populations will help connect the Administration’s policy efforts to the communities who need their voices heard – including the Filipino community. Here at the Census Bureau, I hope to be a continuous voice regarding the dis aggregation of data for our communities.

What does Filipino American History Month mean to you?

I am proud to have a Filipino American History Month in addition to Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Heritage Month in May. Filipino American History Month allows me to take the time to recognize and appreciate my father who immigrated to the U.S. for better education and a brighter future for his family. This month also helps highlight the path many Filipino Americans have taken and the impact they have had on the U.S.

Camille Calimlim Touton

Commissioner

U.S. Bureau of Reclamation

Hometown: Las Vegas, Nevada

Touton is only the second U.S. Sen ate-confirmed female commissioner in Reclamation’s 119-year history and the first Fil-Am confirmed by the Senate to lead a bureau in the Department of the In terior.

How has being Filipino American shaped your identity and career path?

My grandparents instilled in me the importance of family and service to our community, and country. It is on that foun dation and in their sacrifices that a grand daughter of the Philippines is living the

American dream.  Why did you join the Biden-Harris ad ministration, and what does it mean as a Filipino American?

I joined the administration to be in ser vice to the American people in carrying out the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation’s mis sion of delivering water and producing hy dropower for the American West.

What does Filipino American History Month mean to you?

May we celebrate what makes us unique and recognize our shared values.

Bea Alonzo talks about goals – starting a business next in line

celebrityworld

By Ferdie Villar

lot, both as an actress and as a person.

When asked about her next big goal, the beautiful actress said, “There’s a lot more (goals). I want to put up my own brand and my own company. I got inspired by Dani,” she shared in an interview with the The STAR referring to role she plays in the primetime series.

As for the type of business she wants to go into, she is still looking at the possibilities and studying things.

“We’re still trying to figure it out. Actually, that’s part of the reason why I am going on leave. We will be attending to this,” Bea explained.

One thing that she is happy about is the public’s reception of the teleserye and the audience’s support for her. Bea hasn’t topbilled a series since 2017.

“So, I’m happy because the audiences missed me and they have welcomed me back. This time, (it’s) a different channel. I feel like I’m also tapping a different audience who has not seen me before. And I’m happy that they have welcomed me with warmth and open arms,” she said.

And Bea feels attuned to the personality of her character, Dani, who’s a goal-setter.

“I’ve been in the business for 21 yeas and until now, I still feel the need to deliver. I don’t relax, and people who are around me know that about me,” she said.

“Maybe that’s my nature, that’s my quality. I never sleep on set… even during breaks, I never sleep on set because I keep thinking about my next scenes and what I can do to improve myself. That’s how I’m able to resonate with Dani,” she added.

After having been in show business for more than 20 years, Bea says that she has changed a

“It’s not just in acting but in all things, even at certain events, concerts abroad, interviews and cover shoots. Before, prepandemic or maybe when I was younger, it always seemed like I wanted to prove something and I was more concerned with what people would say about me,” she related.

“Now, after the pandemic, I’m starting a new chapter in my career. Now that I have newfound opportunities, I feel like I also have this newfound confidence. Truth be told, I’ve also had many opportunities in the past that people have celebrated about like box-office movies, TV shows, and I really enjoyed those things,” she continued.

“But the difference now is that… before, I would think to myself, ‘I’m not good enough’ because you’re young and you’re always thinking that this will all disappear eventually. So, you’re always in a rush,” she further said.

The pandemic has given Bea many realizations, including how time is fleeting.

“We lost a lot of loved ones during the pandemic… I know that (life) is fleeting and we don’t even know if there’s still a third wind. So right now, I just try to enjoy the moment and try to live the moment as much as possible,” she disclosed.

Meanwhile, Bea, who is turning 35 on October 17, revealed that she has no grand plans for her coming birthday. She did reveal, however, that she asked her home network for a month-long leave to enjoy a wellness break, and to bring her mom and family to her newlypurchased apartment in Spain.

The property she bought is a unit in a building designed by famous architect Tristan Domecq, and is located in Chamberi, a district which is described as “traditional” but with “aristocractic architectural flair.”

Piolo Pascual and Lovi Poe were full of praises for each other after they finished taping for their ABS-CBN series, “Flower of Evil,” an adaptation of the South Korean drama which tells the story of a female police officer and her husband who is accused as a serial killer.

“I pray that I get to work with Piolo again because it was not enough. I feel like there’s so much more that we can do. We spent like how many months together and I feel like there’s so much more that we could give,” Poe said in an article written in The STAR.

“I would love to do a movie with him. We’ve talked about this before. Even if we do MMK (on TV). We’ve been doing drama for a while and you guys don’t know or realize how funny he is behind the cameras. So, that’s something that I want people to see more of him,” she added.

Lovi credited Piolo for being a leader on the set.

“When you’re there on set, you share the same energy, and with Piolo he’s kind of the… of course, our directors are the captain of the ship but Piolo is the one holding the group together, she said. “His energy is very contagious so when the leader gives his best, doesn’t even complain, you have no choice but to actually be the same. You have to emulate such

Nani Coloretti, Deputy Director, Office of Management and Budget

Camille Calimlim Touton, Commissioner, U.S. Bureau of Reclamation

Ditas Macrine Katague, Associate Director for Communications, U.S. Census Bureau

Gina Ortiz Jones, Under Secretary of the Air Force, U.S. Department of Defense

KAPUSO star Bea Alonzo has gotten inspired by the character she plays in the new GMA series, “Start Up, which looks at the world of start-up companies. Bea stars with Alden Richards, Yasmien Kurdi and Jeric Gonzales, among other stars, in the series.

Kapuso star Bea Alonzo will take some welldeserved time off to bring family to Spain and show them her new apartment in Chamberi, and to take a wellness break.

Photo from Instagram/@beaalonzo

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

by RealtoR Fely Quitevis-Bateman

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 before that it would 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, 805-5592476 and 702-538-4948 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

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.

Meet the Fil-Ams working in the Biden...

Lourdes Tiglao

Executive Director for Center for Women Veterans

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs

Hometown: Fort Wayne, IN

Atty. Gurfinkel answers immigration questions...

PAGE 9

for vacation.

• John, of Van Nuys, would like to know how he can correct his documents that all contain a fake date of birth.

• Thelma, from Chesapeake, wants to know what options are

available for her 35-year-old grandson to join his parents in the U.S.

Atty. Gurfinkel answers these questions in the second installment of “Your Tanong, My Sagot,” with Kapamilya from San Diego and adjacent areas. Watch this encore

episode of “Citizen Pinoy” on Sunday, October 16 at 6:30 PM PT (9:30 PM ET thru select Cable/ Satellite providers), right after TV Patrol Linggo. Citizen Pinoy is also available on iWantTFC. Viewers may download the free app. (Advertising Supplement)

Bea Alonzo talks about goals – starting a business...

PAGE 10

character. Now, I understand why Piolo has always been on top. He’s always been Piolo Pascual for a reason not just because he’s an amazing actor, but also because of his character — as a person.”

As for Piolo, what struck him most was how much of a chameleon his co-star was.

“One thing I really, really enjoyed about her is her being a chameleon. Coming into the show, she was the new one, but what she gave to the role — I mean, she was always scared, she was always fearful because the scope of her character was really big. But perhaps, one thing that made it easy, chemistrywise, she was really there,” Piolo said.

“Her innate talent, her skills, I was floored. We really just drew on each other’s emotions and it was easy for both of us because we both just wanted to make it work and make it more beautiful.

We were on the same page the whole time,” he continued.

“She was supporting me and I was supporting her through and through and until the end. That’s why it felt like it wasn’t

enough because we could have done much more,” he further stated, adding that Lovi had no qualms on set, not even minding if accidents happen during the action scenes.

First in-person ‘Kasayahan sa Daly City’ in...

PAGE 9

value of  kapwa-tao.” He also expressed his appreciation to the vendors, artists and performers who took part in the celebration, whom he called “citizen ambassadors of Filipino culture in the Bay Area and beyond.”

Deputy Consul General Raquel Solano, Consul Rowena Pangilinan-Daquipil, Vice Consul Adrian Baccay, Cultural Officer Kristine Quiboloy, and Department of Tourism Office in San Francisco Officer-inCharge Azucena Pallugna joined Consul General Ferrer in the celebration.

It has been 435 years since Filipino sailors landed in Morro Bay, California onboard the Spanish galleon ship “Nuestra Señora de Esperanza.” Their arrival is considered the first recorded presence of Filipinos in the continental U.S., a pivotal historical moment that is commemorated every year through the Filipino American History Month. (PCGSF Release)

Lourdes Tiglao, Executive Director for Center for Women Veterans, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs

With a background across vari ous sectors, including the military, business and health care, Tiglao’s current role focuses on policies, programs and legislation that af fect women veterans. She served in the U.S. Air Force as part of the Critical Care Air Transport Team with deployments to Afghanistan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Saudi Arabia, the Philippines, and more.

How has being Filipino Amer ican shaped your identity and career path?

As a Filipino American immi grant growing up in Indiana, I didn’t see many people like me — even when I joined the military, assimilating myself to my different environments rather than cele brating who I am. It wasn’t until I found that my fluency in my lan guage being a critical asset to one

of my deployments that changed how I saw the importance of cel ebrating my identity and all the unique assets that I bring — where I don’t shy away at bringing my full self. Filipino Americans aren’t always well-represented in many spaces, yet we occupy a rather unique nexus of intersectional identities, and I appreciate being able to bring that intersectional lens of being a Filipino American immigrant, a woman Veteran, and a voice for those women Veterans who find themselves voiceless be cause I’ve walked the same path.  Why did you join the Biden-Harris administration, and what does it mean as a Fil ipino American?

Even before I joined the mili tary, I’ve felt a calling to service, so I have spent my life in various forms of service through vol unteering, military service, and through veteran advocacy — whether it’s with Team Rubicon or another veteran service orga nization. I joined the Biden-Harris administration because I believe in the vision that the administra tion has set in bringing people together under a larger umbrella and giving space to the different

Jason Tengco

White House Liaison

U.S. Office of Personnel Management

Hometown: Foster City, CA

With over a decade of ex perience in public service and community organizing, Tengco serves as the primary advisor to the White House and OPM senior leadership on hiring the agency’s political appointees, manages pri ority projects with the Presidential Personnel Office, and supervis es the processing of non-career appointments across the federal government. His resume includes the Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Outreach Lead for the Biden-Harris transition team, executive director of the National Federation of Filipino American Associations, and Deputy Direc tor of the White House Initiative on AAPIs under the Obama-Biden administration.

How has being Filipino Amer ican shaped your identity and career path?

My identity as a second-gen eration Filipino American was fostered while I was a college stu

dent at UCLA. I remember asking my parents to tell me about my family’s history, and they shared stories of how my relatives served in local government, my paternal grandfather was a lawyer, and my maternal grandfather fought in World War II. I’ve come to realize that public service quite literally runs in my blood and that my an cestors paved the way for me to enter a career in government and community organizing.

Why did you join the Biden-Harris Administration, and what does it mean as a Fili pino American?

I joined the Biden-Harris ad ministration because I believe in the President and Vice President’s vision and wanted to a play a part in building a better America for generations to come. As OPM’s White House Liaison, I’m passion ate about helping build an Admin istration that “looks like America” and implementing OPM’s mission

threads of people that make up the fabric of this nation. As a Filipino American immigrant, I appreciate having the opportunity to bring strength to that fabric by bringing not only the lens of my experi ences, but also to support and in spire other Filipino Americans to feel empowered — to bring their whole selves in support of our nation. It is through our diversity of thought and experiences that we can enlighten, empower, and strengthen our nation.

What does Filipino American History Month mean to you?

Filipino American History Month allows me to not only have an opportunity to recon nect with my roots, my commu nity, and my diaspora, but it also allows me to share these very personal and inextricable parts of me that makes me who I am. This month is as much a celebra tion of my heritage, of the values it has instilled in me growing up in the Philippines, as it is a cele bration of how far our nation has come in welcoming the diversity of the people that comprise our nation, celebrating the richness and fullness of our culture and humanity. g

Before joining ICE, Young berg’s experience includes inter governmental relations, nonprofit management and grassroots or ganizing. She served as Deputy Assistant Secretary for Intergov ernmental Affairs and Public En gagement at the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Develop ment (HUD) for seven years.

How has being Filipino Amer ican shaped your identity and career path?

Being a woman, a minority

of being a champion of talent for the federal government. And as Filipino American appointee, I’m committed to strengthening the pipeline for diverse communities to enter public service.

What does Filipino American History Month mean to you?

“No history, no self. Know his tory, know self.” That has always been a favorite quote of mine since college.  It reminds me how Filipino American History Month is an important time to reflect on our history, uplift our stories and voices, and celebrate our heritage and culture.

Francey Lim Youngberg

Assistant Director for the Office of Partnership and Engagement, U.S. Department of Homeland Security Immigration and Customs Enforcement Hometown: Sara, Iloilo

and an immigrant from the Phil ippines significantly impacted my life and career choices. Hav ing grown up under martial law in the Philippines instilled in me how important it is to safeguard democratic ideals and values and to mentor the next generation of leaders to do the same. So, I be came a lawyer, an advocate and a public servant.  Why did you join the Biden-Harris administration, and what does it mean as a Fili pino American?

Representation at the highest levels of government is critical to the advancement of under served and underrepresented groups like Filipino Americans. My earlier career was devoted to advocating for the advance ment of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders in the legal profession, at the Smithsonian, in accessing basic government

Veronica M. Valdez

Special Assistant to the Secretary of Defense, White House Liaison

U.S. Department of Defense

Hometown: Sydney, Australia

Prior to joining the U.S. Depart ment of Defense, Valdez’s posi tions include the Special Assis tant to the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Indo-Pacific Security Affairs and the Commission Spe cialist to the Commission Presi dent at the Port of Seattle. She was the former Deputy Chief of Staff to the U.S. Secretary of the Air Force and served as the Secretary’s pol icy advisor during official visits to Asia-Pacific, South America, and Europe.

How has being Filipino Ameri can shaped your identity and ca reer path?

Being Filipino has always been central to my identity – speaking Tagalog, cooking and eating Filipi no food, enjoying Filipino shows, and many of my close friends are Filipinos. I recall growing up go ing to Filipino Mass on Sundays with my family and going to Filipi no Saturday school to learn about heritage and culture. We also fre quently performed Filipino cultur

al dances during festivals and my father was the Vice President of the Filipino Cultural Association.

Being Filipino American has been one of the main reasons that I’ve been interested in learning about Asia Pacific issues. I have a Master’s degree focused on Pacif ic International Affairs and my pol icy background has been focused on Indo-Pacific relations and U.S. relationships with the Indo-Pacif ic.

Why did you join the Biden-Har ris administration, and what does it mean as a Filipino American?

I joined the Biden-Harris Ad ministration because I believe in this democracy and the values this Administration upholds. I serve the Biden-Harris Administration because I want to be on the right side of history and be part of the positive change that this Admin istration is doing on behalf of all Americans including the Filipino American community I represent.

As a Filipino American in national

services, and fighting for a seat at the table where decisions are made. Having served in the Obama Administration and now the Biden-Harris Administration, I am influenced by my life experi ences as I strive to ensure inclu sion, transparency and account ability in government.

What does Filipino American History Month mean to you?

Filipino American History month should be every day – all of us who are in leadership positions should educate the American public of the Filipino American stories that are part of the Amer ican historical narrative. When I was working at the Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Cen ter, we put together the Filipino American Centennial Commem oration with exhibits, public programming and educational outreach in 2006 and the exhibit traveled from 2008-2012.

security, it is important to me to help build the diverse bench in the national security space and I am now in a position to do so.

What does Filipino American History Month mean to you?

To me, being Filipino has al ways been synonymous with com munity so Filipino American His tory Month means celebrating the Filipino American community. It also means honoring our heritage and history and the many contri butions our community has made to this country.

Next week’s MDWK Magazine will feature Part II of more Fil-Am officials in the Biden-Harris admin istration.

Jason Tengco, White House Liaison, U.S. Office of Personnel Management

Veronica M. Valdez, Special Assistant to the Secretary of Defense (White House Liaison), U.S. Department of Defense

Francey Lim Youngberg Assistant Director for the Office of Partnership and Engagement, U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement

The Mabuhay Folkloric Society, under the choreography of Johnny Veloso, performs their repertoire of Filipino folk dances at the 2022 Kasayahan sa Daly City.

Photos courtesy of the San Francisco PCG

Salvie (left) and Fulvio (right) ask their questions during the Citizen Pinoy “Your Tanong, My Sagot” in San Diego.

John (right) and Thelma (left) get answers to their immigration questions from Atty. Michael J. Gurfinkel.

Actress Lovi Poe enjoyed shooting “Flower of Evil” with co-star Piolo Pascual whom she described as a leader on the set. Photo from Instagram/@lovipoe

Actor Piolo Pascual was struck at how co-star Lovi Poe was such a chameleon on set. Photo from Instagram/@piolo_pascual

Highly anticipated Sky River Casino now open for business

SKY River Casino, the $500-million complex built in partnership between the Wilton Rancheria and Boyd Gaming, opened its doors to the public on Monday, August 15, 2022, at 11:30 p.m., ahead of schedule to great fanfare and excitement across the greater Sacramento

area. Sky River Casino is the first and only casino to open in Sacramento County and offers the newest gaming systems and modern technology.

The official Grand Opening Weekend began Friday, September 16 with a Ribbon Cutting Ceremony featuring speeches from both Wilton Rancheria leadership and Boyd Gaming. Festivities continued on Saturday, September 17 with a Traditional Awakening Ceremony featuring lion dancers,

and a Mystery Prize Giveaway where Sky River Rewards members could receive a prize.

“The past month has truly exceeded our expectations and we are grateful to our guests who have come from near and far to visit, and our team members that have worked to make Sky River Casino the success that it has become,” said Chris Gibase, President and Chief Operating Officer. “Now that we are open, we look forward to our continued partnership and support for

the City of Elk Grove and the surrounding communities.”

Sky River Casino offers multiple dining options including SR Prime Steakhouse, 32 Brews Street, Dragon Beaux (opening Winter) and The Market at Sky River. The Market is a one-ofa-kind marketplace featuring a variety of cuisines and flavors by popular local chefs. Restaurants include Aurelia’s Taqueria, Butcher’s Burgers, CA99 Hot Chicken, Fukuro by Kru, Chickie’s Pizzeria, Global Eats, Desserts, Koi Palace Express, Ocean, Roli Roti, and Sky River Java.

Sky River boasts 80 table games including Baccarat, Pai Gow, and more, as well as over 2,000 slot machines. The Sky River Casino High Limit Room is also available to enhance the guest experience.

Join Sky River Rewards Sky River Rewards, is one of the most hi-tech rewards

programs among casinos in Northern California, allowing guests cardless play, cashless wallet, and more. The Sky River Rewards card is your key to receiving points for all your activities and those points can be redeemed for Free Play or dining credits. Become a Sky River Rewards member now to receive $20 Free Play. To activate your Free Play, visit any slot machine and place a bet. Sky River Rewards enrollment can be done online using a computer, tablet, or phone with a camera.

Sky River Casino was built by the Wilton Rancheria in partnership with Boyd Gaming Corporation, which is building and managing the property for the tribe. The casino opened in August 2022 and includes 100,000 sq ft of gaming, 2,000 slot machines, 80+ table games, and 17 bars and restaurants. To learn more, visit www.SkyRiver. com. (Advertising Supplement)

Sky River Casino, Northern California’s newest gaming destination, is located just off Hwy 99 in Elk Grove, CA. Sky River offers 100,000 square feet of gaming, including 2,000 slot machines and more than 80 table games, plus 17 bars and restaurants.

Lion dancers (on top of wooden benches) perform for guests at the grand opening ceremonies. Photos courtesy of iGraphix

Sky River President/CEO Chris Gibase delivers his remarks at the grand opening ceremonies.

Wilton Rancheria Tribe Chairman Jesus Tarango during his short speech at the grand opening festivities.

Boyd Gaming President/CEO Keith Smith says a few words at the grand opening ceremonies.

Wilton Rancheria Tribe members pose for a photo at the grand opening festivities at Sky River Casino.

Officials from Boyd Gaming, the Wilton Rancheria Tribe and Sky River Casino cut the ribbon at the grand opening ceremonies. Photo above shows (from left) Boyd Gaming President & CEO Keith Smith, Wilton Rancheria Tribe Chairman Jesus Tarango and Sky River Casino President & CEO Chris Gibase.

Lion dancers perform the traditional Awakening Ceremony during the grand opening festivities at Sky River Casino.