101922 - Southern California Midweek Edition

To maintain California’s COVID-19 laboratory testing and therapeutics treatment capacity, the Newsom Administration will be seeking two statutory changes immediately upon the Legislature’s return: 1) The continued ability of nurses to dispense COVID-19 therapeutics; a nd 2) The continued ability of laboratory workers to solely process COVID-19 tests.

“California’s response to

the COVID-19 pandemic has prepared us for whatever comes next. As we move into this next phase, the infrastructure and processes we’ve invested in and built up will provide us the tools to manage any ups and downs in the future,” said Secretary of the California Health & Human Services Agency, Dr. Mark Ghaly.

“While the threat of this virus is still real, our preparedness and collective work have helped turn this once crisis emergency into a

manageable situation.”

California’s death rate is the lowest amongst large states. If California had Texas’ death rate, 27,000 more people would have died in the state, the release from Newsom’s Office said. If California had Florida’s rate, that figure jumps to approximately 56,000 more deaths, it added.

The federal government extended its COVID-19 public health emergency through Jan. 11, 2023. g

Supreme Court could strike down affirmative...

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0.0055 percent among the top 100 schools.

This is not a big problem, proponents of affirmative action say, especially given the fact that Harvard and UNC argue race in admissions creates campus diversity. The Supreme Court has held that to be a legitimate goal going back to the Bakke case in 1978.

In that case the justices threw out racial admission quotas but opened the door to the modern diversity rationale that was affirmed by the Court in Grutter v Bollinger:“The Equal Protection Clause does not prohibit the Law School’s narrowly tailored use of race in admissions decisions to further a compelling interest in obtaining the educational benefits that flow from a diverse study body.”

Blum argues that raceconscious admissions violate the Equal Protection Clause of the Constitution and Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. He has brought four lawsuits in recent years but has yet to win one. Given the 6-3 conservative majority on the high court, Blum’s ship could finally be about to come in.

“I think it is too early to tell what the Supreme Court will do with respect to the Harvard affirmative action case. Obviously, we are very concerned based on the Court’s makeup, but we also know that for several years now, in repeated attempts by the conservative elements, affirmative action cases have remained on the books and there is strong precedent on the books

for the continued use of race in admissions policy,” said John C Yang, President and CEO, Asian Americans Advancing JusticeAAJC.

Yang spoke during a media briefing on the upcoming SCOTUS cases.

Yang noted that both the district court and the appellate court concluded there was no evidence of discrimination against Asian Americans.

“In the case of Harvard, Asian American enrollment at Harvard has increased significantly. They make up nearly 28% of the most recently admitted class, even though Asian Americans make up only approximately 7% of the American population,” he said.

Yang added that a number of surveys since 2010 found two-thirds of Asian Americans support affirmative action. He said that if Harvard stopped considering race in admissions the number of Black students would decline from 14 percent to six percent. Latino students would drop from 14 percent to nine percent. A Georgetown University study came to the same conclusion.

David Hinojosa is with the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under the Law. He will be arguing the UNC case in front of the Supreme Court on October 31st at 10 am.

“A lot of people are betting against affirmative action. They’re betting against fairness and opportunity. But the history is on our side; the Constitution is on our side; the law is on our side, and so are the facts,”

Hinojosa said.

The stakes couldn’t be higher, Hinojosa noted.

“They don’t want to just get rid of affirmative action. They want to completely whitewash history and reinstate all the privileges of yesteryear to today,” he said.

SFFA didn’t put any students on the stand. Harvard did. Sally Chen was one of them. The daughter of working class immigrants who speak limited English, Chen said she wouldn’t have the benefits of a Harvard education if not for Harvard’s race-conscious admissions policies.

“My dad was a cook in a Chinese restaurant and my mom worked in a bakery in Chinatown. Our family of six grew up in a one-bedroom apartment in San Francisco, and we struggled to make ends meet. I went to public schools all my life, and from a really young age, I often translated and advocated on behalf of my parents,” Chen said.

Applying to Harvard, Chen ignored her high school counselor’s advice and talked about her background. She said that was really crucial to “getting across who I am, why I want to do the work that I do today, and having this context made me a much stronger applicant.”

Today, Chen advocates for policies that open educational opportunities for all, but especially for limited Englishspeaking immigrant families, at Chinese for Affirmative Action in San Francisco.

“Having diverse perspectives

US ambassador sees more high level visits...

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highlighted the alliance between the two countries.

In August, U.S. State Secretary Antony Blinken also made a quick stop in the Philippines after participationg in the U.S.-ASEAN Ministerial Meeting, the East Asia Summit Foreign Ministers’ Meeting, and the ASEAN Regional Forum in Phnom Penh in Cambodia. Blinken expressed U.S.’ support for the country’s clean energy transition and reaffirmed the U.S.’ Mutual Defense Treaty with Manila.

Scrapped Russian chopper deal

Meanwhile, Carlson said the U.S. was “grateful” that the Philippines pulled the plug on its helicopter deal with Russia after it invaded neighboring Ukraine.

A September 29 readout from the U.S. Department of Defense noted that the U.S. State Department has already given a formal notice to Congress of its intention to provide the Philippines an additional $100 million in Foreign Military Financing.

Carlson pointed out that Manila can use the money to purchase the helicopters.

“That would be one example but we would not dictate the modernization efforts within the Department of National Defense,” Carlson said.

She also added that the U.S. is open to doing whatever it can to assist the Philippines in joint maritime activities in the South China Sea, reiterating its commitment to contribute to a free IndoPacific.  (Philstar.com)

Jordan Clarkson stays with Utah Jazz...

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starting units in the preseason.  Clarkson, however, found other ways to help the team by adding 3.0 rebounds and 3.8 assists.

Before the training camp, Clarkson wasn’t sure about his future with the Jazz after the team traded away their franchise cornerstones Mitchell and Rudy Gobert and veteran sharpshooter Bojan Bogdanovic.

“Whatever direction management, owners, and the team are trying to go, I’m ready for it,” Clarkson said.

“I’m just trying to win and take whatever team it is to the next level to hopefully win a championship one day,” Clarkson added. “That’s my outlook on it.”

He was one of Utah’s veteran players who were believed to be on the trade block until the report about Smith’s plans for him came out earlier this month.

While the Jazz were tearing down their roster in the offseason, Clarkson tuned out the noise by suiting up for the Philippines in the 2023 FIBA World Cup Asian Qualifiers.  Clarkson averaged 25.0 points, 5.5 rebounds and 6.5 assists in two games, including his first-ever game in his mother’s homeland.

With a starting role, Clarkson could approximate those gaudy numbers with the Jazz.

“If I’m here in Utah, I want to win,” Clarkson said. “I want to

strive for the playoffs, try to put a team together that could win something.”

Clarkson should be in for a rude awakening, as winning is far from the Jazz’s goals this season. Utah posted a 1-3 record in the preseason, losing by an average of 17.7 points. It’s a portent of things to come.  With three first-round picks, the Jazz have their eyes on next year’s draft headlined by generational talent Victor Wembanyama.  Clarkson and the Jazz open what could be a long, agonizing season for them at home against the Denver Nuggets on Wednesday, October 19. (Alder Almo/Philstar.com)

VEGGIES PRICE HIKE. Customers buy potatoes, sayote, and other vegetables at the Kadiwa market in the City of Dasmarinas, Cavite on Tuesday, Oct. 18. The Department of Agriculture said retail prices of various vegetable products have increased amid the devastation brought by Typhoon Karding. PNA photo by Gil Calinga

Filipino Young Leaders Program announces 2022 immersion cohort

THE Filipino Young Leaders Program (FYLPRO), a joint initiative of the Philippine Embassy, Consulates General in the United States, and the Ayala Foundation, Inc. (AFI), announced the 2022 FYLPRO Delegates.

This year’s class marks the first in person immersion program in more than two years due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The 2022 FYLPRO Delegates (in alphabetic order) are:

Michelle Amor - New York, New York

Grace Arupo Rodriguez - Roseville, California

Joshua De Leon - Long Beach, California

Daniel Galeon - Montvale, New Jersey

Genevieve Jopanda - San Francisco, California

Michele Josue - Glendale, California

Agnes Lopez - Jacksonville, Florida Angelo Mathay - Raleigh, North Carolina

Jamille Nagtalon-Ramos - Sicklerville, New Jersey

Constancio Paranal III - Honolulu, Hawaii Melissa (Michi) Trota - Chicago, Illinois

Danicole Ramos - Waialua, Hawaii

Angelico Razon - Pasadena, California

John Victoria - Arlington, Virginia

Neil Wingkun - Houston, Texas

In the 2022 application cycle, several changes were made that yielded an even more competitive application pool including raising the age limit from 40 to 45 and implementing an application administration fee. The immersion program selection committee also instituted a rigorous first blind cut round and a final virtual interview process where applications went through a series of several reviewers over the course of a multiple week process.

The increased age limit also gave an opportunity to those who would have aged out during the pandemic.

“After a two year hiatus due to the global pandemic, I’m pleased to welcome the next cohort of young leaders to experience the life-changing, transformative experience my 2019 cohort went through,” said 2022 FYLPRO President Leezel Tanglao. “This year’s cohort raises the bar across underrepresented industries and locations. I’m

excited for them to join the FYLPRO family and network.”

The 2022 cohort includes a five-time Hugo Award winner, an administrative judge, emergency room physician and Emmy award winning documentary filmmaker among this year’s delegates. This year’s cohort includes new regions represented with delegates from Raleigh, North Carolina and Jacksonville, Florida.

The delegates will be traveling in a week-long immersion trip to Manila, Philippines in November.

"We welcome the resumption of FYLPRO's inperson and immersive leadership development experience for the newly expanded delegation of 15 Filipino-American young professionals. There is no better way to cap off the 10th year anniversary than to showcase the growth of FYLPRO to the Filipino American community, and to major Philippine partners in the government, non-government, and private sector." said Ambassador Jose Manuel Romualdez. "I look forward to personally meeting and hosting them in Manila, and learning about their vision and aspirations as Filipino-American leaders.”

The delegates will get the opportunity to interact with Philippine Government officials and leaders in the fields of business, arts and culture, and civil society.

“We are honored to provide a platform for our FilAm leaders to engage in meaningful dialogue with movers and shakers both in the Philippines and the United States. We look forward to collaborating with our delegates in creating an impact in the lives of Filipinos all over the world,” said Ayala Foundation Ruel T. Maranan.

FYLPRO was established in 2012 by Former Ambassador of the Republic of the Philippines to the United States of America, Jose L. Cuisia, Jr. and Mrs. Victoria J. Cuisia in cooperation with the Ayala Foundation Inc. (AFI) to annually identify outstanding young professionals in the Filipino communities across the United States and provide the delegates with invaluable community, business, and government insights and access to distinguished network captains of industry and government. g

Marcos ready to ‘defend’...

This brought the year-to-date inflation rate to 5.1 percent, within the government's 4.5 percent to 5.5 percent target range for 2022.

At a Palace press briefing, Socioeconomic Planning Secretary and National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) chief Arsenio Balisacan said that the Marcos government is "on the right track" in combating inflation.

Citing government data, he said sustained increases in inflation in 2022 and 2023 will cause a slowdown in the country's economic growth, translating into a gross domestic product (GDP) level lower by 0.6 percent in 2023 than its expected level had there been no sustained inflation shock.

However, he said the economic team expects the rise in inflation to be "temporary," as it is likely to slow down and return to the medium-term target of 2 percent to 4 percent.

2023 economic directions

Marcos met on Tuesday with his economic managers to formulate the administration's economic policy directions for the rest of the year up until the first quarter of 2023.

The economic team is composed of the secretaries of finance, trade, budget, public works and highways, the NEDA director general and the governor of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP).

Balisacan said that while the Philippines "cannot escape the effects of these global headwinds," the administration is "mindful of these challenges."

He said the economic team has laid down its Medium-Term Fiscal Program and Philippine Development Plan (PDP) framed by the 8-Point Socioeconomic Agenda, where the government has developed critical policy and legislative priorities to address the economy's shortterm and medium-term issues for the duration of the Marcos administration.

"The PDP's targeted completion before the end of the year assures us that we will have a robust roadmap for navigating shortterm challenges and uncertainties. At the same time, we are laying the groundwork for faster, more inclusive growth that generates high-quality employment to reduce poverty rapidly," Balisacan said in a Palace briefing.

"The plan shall include measures to strengthen the

economy's foundation for more and higher-quality job creation by addressing the most binding constraints to business investment and expansion in growth drivers such as manufacturing and agriculture, tourism, IT-BPOs, construction, and the creative industries," he added.

Balisacan further noted that the PDP also outlines strategies to quickly address constraints in the food, energy and transportation systems.

"These actions will mitigate inflationary pressures, protect the poor and most vulnerable in society through targeted assistance, and manage the socioeconomic scarring, especially for students and MSMEs (micro, small and medium enterprises) to hasten our recovery," he stated.

He added that the government has just established policy directions for the rest of the year and the first quarter of next year following the meeting.

Regarding the "short-term issues" of the high inflation, interest, and exchange rates, the NEDA director general assured that the government is "on track" and is not "distracted by these developments" en route to achieving the President's shortterm and medium-term goal for the country's economy.

"Of course, we are looking at the short-term issues, the continuing inflation and ensuring that as we address these short-term issues. We are mindful that we'll not abandon the medium-term goals, and we will make sure that we are on track toward economic recovery," said Balisacan.

"But most importantly, we are also monitoring the developments closely so that we can deploy our monetary tools like the interest rate, for example, and how we can intervene in the financial market to tame these, including the depreciation of the peso. But again, as we do seek solutions to short-term challenges, we are very careful that we do not compromise our medium-term goals. We just have to put the economy on a higher growth trajectory so that we can achieve more jobs, high-quality jobs, and reduce poverty rapidly. That's the overall architecture of the plan," he added.

2023 GDP seen falling by 0.6%

The NEDA also said that the country's gross domestic product (GDP) may further drop by 0.6 percent in 2023, due to sustained increases in inflation the country

is facing.

"Our analysis shows that sustained increases in inflation in 2022 and 2023 will cause a slowdown in our economic growth, translating into a GDP level lower by 0.6 percent in 2023 than its expected level had there been no sustained inflation shock. While we expect our poverty situation to improve as we continue our recovery, inflation and rising interest rates will mute this improvement," Balisacan said.

According to industry players, the Philippines is expected to grow by 6.2 percent in 2023, slightly below the government's target of 6.5 to 8 percent. This is also higher than the average 4.6 percent GDP growth for Asean-6 expected in 2023.

The country's annual inflation quickened to 6.9 percent in September, hitting its fastest pace in four years, mainly due to higher food prices and power rates. The four-year high inflation also firmed up expectations that the central bank will further hike rates before the year ends. g

SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA REGIONAL RAIL AUTHORITY

NO. PO898-23

ROTEM EMERGENCY WINDOW GASKET REPLACEMENT

The Southern California Regional Rail Authority (SCRRA) is seeking Bids for Rotem Emergency Window Gasket Replacement. Bid documents may be downloaded at SCRRA's website at http:// www.metrolinktrains.com/ contracts. Bids are due on 11/28/22. The contract to be awarded will be funded in part by grants under the U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Transportation Administration and is subject to an DBE Participation Goal of 2.03%. For further information contact: Dorothea Cantero, Contract Administrator, at canterod@scrra.net. 10/19/22 CNS-3633715#

ASIAN JOURNAL (L.A.)

Paul Soriano named as presidential adviser on...

ceremony, along with their sixyear-old son, Severiano Elliot.

Under his new role, Soriano will advise Marcos Jr. and assist government departments and agencies “on matters that will enhance their information dissemination programs and initiatives,” the OPS said.

“You know, in this day and age, you need to do it creatively, and you need to communicate so that the mission and the vision and the message of the president is clearly communicated to the Filipino people,” Soriano said

after he was sworn into his new position.

“It’s a passion of mine to just create and communicate. It’s an absolute honor that the President has trusted me with this position,” he added.

Soriano supported Marcos’ 2022 electoral campaign with his wife, actress Toni Gonzaga. He also directed the president’s first State of the Nation Address and consulted in his inauguration.

Marcos and first lady Liza Araneta-Marcos are the Soriano couple’s godparents at their wedding.

The first lady is also Soriano’s aunt.

According to the OPS, Soriano earned his advertising and marketing communications degree from De Anza College in California in the United STates.

As a filmmaker, Soriano’s notable works include “Siargao” (2017), which won him the Best Director and Best Film awards in the Metro Manila Film Festival, and “A Lullaby to the Sorrowful Mystery” (2016), which won him an Alfred Bauer Award for Best Film at the Berlinale International Film Festival. g

Supreme Court could strike down affirmative...

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at the table really made our education stronger, and it is an asset to the work that I do today where cross-racial coalition building is really key to what I do,” she said.

Chen was one of the couple hundred signatories to the amicus brief filed by the Legal Defense Fund (LDF) in the case. The fund represented 25 Harvard student and alumni organizations.

“All students deserve a fair shot at going to college, regardless of their income, where they grew up, or their racial and ethnic background,” said Michaele Turnage-Young,

LDF Senior Counsel.

She said minority students, often poorer than their white counterparts, have less of an opportunity to amass the credentials that colleges consider in admissions. They are three to six times more likely than white students to attend a high poverty school.

“And many attend majority minority schools, which generally have, like high poverty schools, less experienced teachers, less advanced courses, inadequate facilities, less extracurricular activities, less arts instruction, less recess, and fewer classroom resources.”

College admissions officials

try to balance out those things by looking at which minority students show the best potential even if their test scores aren’t the highest.

The plaintiffs in the case say admissions criteria should be color-blind.

“Our clients, in particular, are concerned that erasing race from the admissions process will make it impossible for applicants of color to present their authentic selves in their college application,” TurnageYoung said. Chen echoed that sentiment. “We wanted to get across how we wouldn’t want to be at an institution that didn’t value us,” she said. g

Health-e-Charity announces partnership with Manny Pacquiao Foundation

LOS ANGELES – Healthe-Charity, a 501c(3) nonprofit founded in 2017, today announced a partnership with Manny Pacquiao Foundation, the charity named and founded on behalf of future Hall of Fame boxer, Manny Pacquiao. The new partnership will launch Phase Two of Bodhi Connect in the Philippines, where a team of volunteer doctors and nurses abroad can reach otherwise remote places with the assistance

of virtual meetings and mobile devices. The initiative equips volunteers on the ground with mobile devices and allows medical professionals from across the world to meet virtually with villagers. In February 2023, Health-e-Charity will be traveling to the Philippines on a medical mission to run a mobile clinic.

"Bodhi can achieve something never done before, which is to allow U.S. physicians to incorporate charitable work

without having to buy a plane ticket or take time off work and leave home,” said Health-eCharity's CEO Carlo Reyes, MD, Esq.

This unique partnership allows for engagement and coordinated medical care with other NGOs throughout the Philippines with Health-eCharity providing charitable medical donations, while allowing Health-e-Charity to expand its care network. g

Confessed gunman in Percy Lapid killing...

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presented by Abalos to the media. He said he submitted himself to authorities after seeing a wanted poster with his photo released and aired on television.

“Natakot po ako at saka nakonsensiya po (I got scared and felt guilty),” he tearfully admitted.

Estorial then confessed that he, along with three other suspects at large – Israel and Edmon Dimaculangan and a certain “Orlando” or “Orly,” was responsible for the killing of the radioman.

Estorial, however, noted that he did not know of the surname of “Orlando,” who was the one driving the motorcycle during the incident.

“Iyong usapan, kung sino po ang matapat kay Percy po, siya po ang babaril. Nagkataon po natapat sa akin. Sabi ko naman po, kung hindi ko binaril, ako po ang papatayin kaya nga, binaril ko na po si Percy,” Estorial narrated, baring what Orly allegedly told him before they committed the crime.

(Our agreement was: Whoever would be stationed closest to Percy would be the one to shoot him and that happened to be me. They told me that if I didn’t shoot Percy then, I would be killed so I shot him.)

Asked who gave them the order to kill Lapid, Estorial said: “Galing po sa loob, sa Bilibid po (Someone from inside the Bilibid Prison.)”

A total of P550,000 was distributed among all the perpetrators behind the broadcaster’s death, he added.

Estorial also sought the forgiveness of Lapid’s bereaved family.

“Sana po mapatawad po niyo ako. Hindi ko naman po kagustuhan iyon. Nadala lang po ako,” he pleaded in tears.

(I hope you can forgive me. I really didn’t want this to happen. I just got involved in this.)

Lapid was gunned down at the gate of a Las Piñas City village on October 3, Monday.

He hosted a radio news program, “Lapid Fire” on DWBL 1242, where he was known for his hard-hitting criticisms of the government.

Lapid is the second journalist killed under the Marcos administration, according to the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines.

The first was radio host Rey Blanco, stabbed to death in Negros Oriental last September. g

Interior Secretary Benjamin Abalos Jr., in a news conference presented a photo of Lapid’s suspected killer, which was extracted from the pool of CCTV footages obtained by authorities. Inquirer.net photo

STONE KINGDOM. Tourists visit the Igorot Stone Kingdom on Long Long Benguet Road in Baguio City on Saturday, Oct. 15. The place showcases the Igorot rock-laying skills, their creativity as well as their indigenous culture, values, way of life, and tradition.

PNA photo by Joey O. Razon

Hand hygiene in the time of COVID

EVEN with all the controversies and problems besetting the nation, the day dedicated to the promotion of hand washing cannot be ignored. This weekend, nations have been urged to “unite for universal hand hygiene” – the theme of the 2022 Global Handwashing Day. In the Philippines, the theme is “sama-samang ikaway, malinis na kamay.”

The special day, marked every Oct. 15, was first celebrated in 2008, when over 120 million children in more than 70 countries washed their hands with soap to stress the importance of clean hands in promoting health. Experts have stressed the importance of hand hygiene, especially after using the toilet or before handling food, in dramatically reducing the risk of serious illness or death due to diseases such as diarrhea and respiratory infections.

Editorial

made hand hygiene even more important, with people encouraged not only to wash their hands with soap and water but also to disinfect hands regularly using at least 70 percent alcohol.

This year, Global Handwashing Day was marked in the Philippines as face-to-face classes gradually resume. The government has said it is on track to proceed with full in-person classes by next month.

Before the COVID-19 pandemic, the United Nations Children’s Fund had reported that acute respiratory infections were the primary cause of death of children under five in the Philippines, and diarrhea the third largest cause. Marking Global Handwashing Day this year, Unicef cited evidence showing that handwashing with soap can reduce diarrhea risk by 30 percent and respiratory infections by up to 20 percent.

Handwashing also helps to prevent, reduce and eliminate stunting, Unicef stressed. The Food and Nutrition Institute estimates that some 30 percent of Filipino children under five are stunted. COVID

Babe’s Eye View

BABE ROMUALDEZ

I ATTENDED the forum held at Georgetown University’s Walsh School of Foreign Service, where White House National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan outlined the Biden administration’s National Security Strategy and its priorities, as the world braces for global challenges such as climate change and “competition between major powers” in areas that include the economic aspect.

A key focus of the strategy is for the U.S. to invest domestically to ensure that it is not dependent on foreign supply chains, and to build alliances abroad to counter the influence of its competitors such as China. Mr. Sullivan said the U.S. is willing to work with any country, including rivals, that would “constructively address shared challenges” while pursuing closer ties with other democracies to prove that they are able to deliver results.

“The world is at an inflection point, and the choices we make today will set the terms on how we are set up to deal with the significant challenges and the significant opportunities faced in the years ahead,” said National Security Adviser Sullivan.

The Philippines clearly has an opportunity to step up to the plate, considering that the U.S. National Security Strategy

Learners and educators alike are encouraged to get vaccinated and boosted, although it is not mandatory. Masking is still required in classrooms and in crowded outdoor spaces. Limited infrastructure has made physical distancing a challenge in many schools, forcing administrators to hold classes in shifts where possible.

Education officials have said they are heeding the calls of health experts to provide sufficient ventilation. Eating in school premises is also tightly regulated to minimize periods when face masks are taken off. Temperature scanners and alcohol dispensers are ubiquitous in most schools.

Handwashing facilities, however, still need

ramping up. For this year’s Global Handwashing Day, the joint monitoring panel for water, sanitation and hygiene 2021 of Unicef and the World Health Organization showed that only 64 percent of schools in the country have access to

Cautiously optimistic on economic recovery

also puts high importance on economic prosperity and is looking at opportunities to work with “allies and partners, especially in the Indo-Pacific,” who “stand on the frontlines of the PRC’s coercion and are rightly determined to seek to ensure their own autonomy, security and prosperity. We will support their ability to make sovereign decisions in line with their interests and values, free from external pressure, and work to provide highstandard and scaled investment, development assistance and markets.”

The timing for the recently concluded IMF-World Bank Annual Meetings here in Washington, D.C. was opportune, with our economic managers in full force to attend the in-person activities after two years of virtual and hybrid meetings due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

During the meeting between Finance Secretary Ben Diokno and World Bank Group president David Malpass, the discussion centered on the Philippines’ economic growth as well as our vulnerabilities, with Mr. Malpass noting the importance of tax reform initiatives and the efforts to broaden the country’s tax base. It was encouraging to hear the World Bank’s readiness to enhance its support for the Philippines, particularly in the areas of agriculture, tourism, energy and education, among several other key sectors.

There is no question that countries are struggling to recover from the global shocks that have been coming one after the other – the COVID-19 pandemic, the war in Ukraine and the climate disasters that have been happening across continents that are bringing about a “fundamental shift in the global economy,” as noted by IMF managing director Kristalina Georgieva, who also warned that these shocks can throw countries offcourse “more easily and more often.”

This is also why we have been relentless in our efforts to host and co-organize economic briefings, dialogues and forums, like the panel discussion we hosted last Friday on the sidelines of the IMF-WB Annual Meetings between key economic officials and U.S.-based companies, as well as business groups and financial communities. The dialogue, which had close to 70 participants, was a followup to the Philippine economic briefings held earlier in Singapore and more recently in New York during the visit of President Bongbong Marcos.

Finance Secretary Ben Diokno and BSP Governor Felipe Medalla are cautiously optimistic about the outlook for the Philippines, confident that we will still be in good shape.

As noted by Secretary Diokno, the high economic activity in the country as well as rising investor confidence point to

a rapid recovery and robust growth. Notwithstanding the key challenges that we face ahead – such as an elevated inflation rate along with the rest of the world, the lingering effects of the pandemic and the unpredictability of the global political economy – the Philippines is fully prepared to address geopolitical risks and the shifting economic landscape.

Clearly, we have to double our efforts to bring in more foreign direct investments. To compete with our neighboring countries, we definitely need to decisively make the country more attractive and easier to do business in.

Fortunately, the team of Speaker Martin Romualdez were on hand in Washington to listen to what is needed for the swift passage of bills and make the Philippines “the smart investment choice.”

*   *   * ES Lucas Bersamin: The right man for the right job

The recent changes in Malacañang with the appointment of former Chief Justice Lucas Bersamin as the new Executive Secretary has been widely welcomed because of his experience as well as his impressive track record in the Judiciary. During the Judicial Excellence Awards in 2000, he received both the Best Decision in Civil Law and Best Decision in Criminal Law awards –described as unprecedented –and received the Chief Justice Jose Abad Santos Award in 2002.

Having known ES Bersamin for some time, he would definitely bring his professional management style and put it to good use. When I had a fairly long conversation with him in 2018 during a luncheon I hosted for Philippine delegates to the U.S. Legal Clinic in Washington, D.C., I was impressed with his credentials.

It’s normal for any administration to make changes in their Cabinet appointments, and even in the White House, changes usually occur during the first 100 days of a new

president – which are all part and parcel of finding out who would be the best fit for a particular position.

In the case of Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin, there is no doubt that he is, indeed, “the right man for the right job.” (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: babeseyeview@gmail.com

Time for economic revolution under Marcos Jr.

RICHARD HEYDARIAN

LAST WEEK, presidential son, Ferdinand Alexander “Sandro” Marcos III, stirred a tempest in a teapot after an interview on the unprecedented state of Philippine peso. “The peso is not weak, because the peso is weak. The peso is weak because the dollar is strong,” said the neophyte congressman. What was likely concocted as a clever turn of phrase inadvertently unleashed a torrent of memes and mockery online. But in fairness to the presidential son, no less than Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas governor Felipe Medalla said almost exactly the same thing earlier this year: “This is a strong dollar problem, not a

weak peso problem.” Unlike the presidential son, however, the country’s monetary chief rightly emphasized the chief factor behind the decades-high increase in U.S. dollar’s global standing: “The reason the dollar is so strong is their inflation rate is so high and, as a result, they will jump up their interest rates much more than we will…”

It didn’t take long for the country’s leading businessman, former senator Manny Villar, to also chip in, rightly arguing in a column, “the recent depreciation of the peso against the U.S. dollar … was triggered by the interest rate hikes by the U.S. Federal Reserve.” With September inflation numbers in the U.S. (as in the Philippines) defying even the worst expectations of median experts, the U.S. Federal Reserve is expected to gun for another earth-shaking rate hike in the coming weeks.

The next Federal Open Market Committee meeting will be on Oct. 31 to Nov. 1. Another jumbo rate hike of 75 basis point, if not more, which still leave room for another hike by early next year, could push down the Philippine peso into new territories.

Perhaps, Rep. Joey Salceda’s P65-P68 to dollar exchange projection isn’t too farfetched; I suspect, though, the actual number would end up significantly lower, since markets were already warned about Federal Reserve’s leaning toward a 4.4 percent rate (from 3-3.25 percent currently) by the end of this year. The implications for the Philippine economy would be enormous: The world will be confronting an even stronger dollar and/or a steep recession. A stagflation— high inflation, low growth— crisis in the West combined with an uber-strong dollar

would mean declining exports, more expensive imports, and escalating dollar-denominated debt stress among emerging markets.

Parallel to the hullabaloo over Sandro’s hot take, however, was a more intellectually subtle yet spirited debate between two young thinkers, the historian Lisandro Claudio (University of California, Berkley) and economist Jan Carlo Punongbayan (University of the Philippines, Diliman), on central banking and monetary policy. It goes without saying that the debate had its more unfortunate turns, especially when I foolishly took on the matter over Twitter, where a cabal of economist friends (and their proxies) was seemingly adamant on shutting down any debate on monetary policy (by noneconomists).

And in the trigger-happy universe of social media, where

echo-chamber posturing often trumps substantive parsimony, some regrettable kerfuffle inadvertently ensued. But since this was a fundamentally “policy” issue, I, similar to Claudio, have insisted that it’s not something to be left to economists alone. Let’s be crystal clear: economics is not a natural science, but instead an admirable social scientific field that deals with complex human societies, where moral agency is inevitably part of the equation.

Thus, I commend both Claudio and Punongbayan, who also happen to be my friends, for their passionate interventions on behalf of substantive public policy discussions. And, dear reader, this brings us to the real economic challenge under President Marcos Jr.: The need for a fundamental reassessment of not only our monetary policy, which has its inherent limitations, but also our trade

and industrial policy, which have a direct bearing on our export capacity and overall economic productivity.

As former National Economic and Development Authority chief Solita Monsod has correctly pointed out, “The peso is weaker because … we have been having trade deficits … our imports have grown so fast and our exports are not growing at all.” If Mr. Marcos really wants to leave behind a transformational legacy, and make the Philippines a true “tiger economy,” he will have to overhaul our national economic strategy. It’s a revolution whose time has arrived.

* * *

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.

* * *

rheydarian@inquirer.com.ph

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handwashing facilities. Several schools lack even running water – a problem that has been around for years. While improvements have been made in hand hygiene facilities, much more work lies ahead. (Philstar.com)

Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. Philstar.com file photo

PhiliPPines

Marcos pledges to reboot tourism

by Kristina Maralit ManilaTimes.net

PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Monday vowed to step up efforts to reboot the country's tourism sector.

Speaking at the Philippine Tourism Industry Convergence Reception held at the SMX Convention Center in Pasay City, Marcos described tourism, which took a heavy blow from the coronavirus pandemic, as the "driving force of the economy," and committed his administration's full backing to the Department of Tourism's (DoT) agenda.

"to bring jobs to people, good jobs to people, to bring visitors to our country."

Hosted by the DoT, the Philippine Tourism Industry Convergence Reception serves as the springboard in rolling out the administration's plans to reenergize tourism which suffered huge losses after the pandemic practically grounded international travel during its height.

"I wish that initiatives for greater tourism connectivity and convenience will be pursued after this event," Marcos said.

"I am certain that if we continue that trajectory we have started in the last 100 plus days that we

DepEd to junk ‘mother tongue’ subject, but not as medium of instruction

MANILA — Public schools may soon do away with the 50 minutes of students' native language as a subject in classes subject to finalization of the plans, the Department of Education told senators on Monday, October 17.

Education Undersecretary Epimaco Densing III bared this plan before the Senate Committee on Basic Education's hearing on Monday morning, saying the plans came after the department's review of the K to 10 program in the country's schools.

"We intend to abandon the mother tongue as a subject, which is a separate learning area in the curriculum. And we will simply use the mother tongue, which is already the vernacular of the community, neighbors, and family, as part of the medium of instruction. No longer as a subject to be offered from Grade 1 to Grade 3,” he said.

Densing was careful to point out that mother tongues would still be the medium of instruction; they just won't be taught as a separate subject anymore.

"This will be reallocated for our national reading program and national math program," he said.

"There is no need to teach it to the children because this is already their everyday language in the school and community and family. So the assumption there is they

understand it already before it's taught to them."

But even teaching in native languages presents problems of its own.  Students since have been taught in their mother tongue for all subjects, except Filipino and English, from Kindergarten to Grade 3 since 2013 as part of the Mother Tongue-BasedMultilingual Education (MTBMLE) in K to 12. English is used as the primary medium of instruction after this period.

Leila Areola, Director IV of the Curriculum and Instruction at the DepEd Bureau of Learning Delivery said that only 78,872 of its targeted 305,099 educators have been trained for the use of the mother tongue as a medium of instruction.

Dr. Marie Therese Angeline Bustos, director of the Assessment Curriculum and Technology Research Center said that the national government should "ensure that as far as possible students are allocated to classes that use their mother tongue as medium of instruction."

Citing DepEd data, Bustos also presented the results of its Early Language, Literacy and Numeracy Program in 2018 in arguing the mother tongue's links to learning in other subjects, which found that:

• Almost half of all pupils were rated as being proficient and highly proficient in Filipino while only close to a quarter have reached proficiency and high proficiency in English

• About one-third of the non-Tagalog test takers were considered proficient and highly proficient in their respective [tests] and about 16% of the same group were proficient and highly proficient in Numeracy. Also, about 10% of pupils who took the Numeracy subtest in Tagalog are at a proficient and highly proficient level

The Philippine Institute of Development Studies found in a study that less than 10% of the over 16,000 schools that it included in its study had fully complied with the four main conditions of DepEd in rolling out mother tongue-based multilingual education, namely orthography, grammar, learning resources, and dictionary.

"The primary model of implementation assumes that a child is exposed to only one mother tongue as suggested by the linguistic mapping of the DepEd. The reality is further hampered by procurement and budget issues at the school level," the 2019 study which was read at the Senate hearing says. (Philstar. com)

Padilla wants tariffs on foreign shows to boost Filipino showbiz industry

by Daphne Galvez Inquirer.net

MANILA — Senator Robinhood Padilla on Tuesday, October 18 said he wants to impose tariffs on foreign movies and TV series being shown here to encourage the local industry to generate more of the same content.

During the hearing of the 2023 budget for the Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP) at the Senate, Padilla said funds from the tariffs on foreign shows could assist Filipinos working in the film industry.

“Maaari po bang gawan natin ng paraan na taasan ang tax nitong mga foreign series na pumapasok sa atin? Kahit paano po ang subsidy na makukuha, bigay natin sa workers sa industry natin sa local,” the senator said.

(Can we raise the taxes on these foreign series that are being shown here? So that the funds

can be used for subsidies for our workers in the local industry.)

“Sampahan natin itong mga pagpasok ng foreign dahil maraming nawawalan ng trabaho dito,” he added.

(Let’s impose a tax on foreign shows because many people in the local industry are losing jobs here.)

Padilla also expressed support for providing additional funds to the FDCP to restore old Philippine films and the FDCP’s bid to have its building with its vault to preserve old Filipino movies.

According to FDCP Chairman Tirso Cruz III, the building will last for at least 40 to 50 years, and the P500,000 monthly rent can be realigned to helping film industry workers, especially young directors and scriptwriters.

The senator also supported making tourism sites out of areas where Filipino films were made.

“Ang pelikula ‘pag tiningnan natin, investment na ito habang buhay. Kung preserved or restored, walang pagtanda dito. Kasaysayan ito, kultura. Ito masasabi na treasure natin,” Padilla said.

(Films are investments for life. If preserved or restored, they are timeless. They are also a part of our history and culture, so they can be considered our treasure.)

“Dito sa Southeast Asia, tayo unang gumawa ng pelikula at tayo po palagi ang nananalong best actor, best picture sa Asia… Lahat po ay nagmamalasakit sa pelikulang Pilipino. Siguro ito ang umpisa na makaabante tayo,” he added.

(Here in Southeast Asia, we were the first to make movies and always won awards for best film and actor… Now, so many are trying to help the film industry. So perhaps this is a good point for us to start.) g

"Under this administration, the government will remain committed to ensure that the inputs you have acquired from your listening tours will be optimized for the benefit of the sector," he said.

"I look forward to the roles that we will play together in ensuring the progress and recovery of our tourism industry. It is my hope that this reception will foster a meaningful discourse and concrete plans that we can put into action," he added.

Marcos, pleased with Tourism Secretary Cristina Garcia-Frasco's report that around 1.6 million international travelers have visited the country since it reopened its borders last February, directed various government agencies to closely work with the DoT in building new infrastructure, rehabilitating and improving existing tourist destinations and discovering new ones, upgrading sea and airports as well as public transportation, and securing tourists.

He said "now is the best opportunity" for the country to be a tourism hub with its vast, rich natural resources and best asset — the Filipino workforce.

"We in the Philippines have been so fortunate to have been born to this very beautiful country. And even more so, we have been so lucky to be born to such beautiful people," he said.

"This is something that we can show the world, and immediately, this will come to help on the preoccupation. At the very beginning, we always talk about jobs, we always talk about employment."

The President vowed to ensure that the Philippines' assets be used

LOS ANGELES COUNTY METROPOLITAN TRANSPORTATION

AUTHORITY (LACMTA) REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL

LACMTA will receive Proposals for AE89754Engineering Support Services for Vertical Transportation System And Related SVCS at the 9th Floor Receptionist Desk, Vendor/Contract Management Department, One Gateway Plaza, Los Angeles, CA 90012.

All Proposals must be submitted to LACMTA, and be filed at the reception desk, 9th floor, V/CM Department, on or before 2:00 p.m. Pacific Time on Monday, November 14, 2022. Proposals received after the above date and time may be rejected and returned unopened. Each proposal must be sealed and marked Proposal No. AE89754.

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

10/19/22 CNS-3634777#

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LOS ANGELES COUNTY METROPOLITAN TRANSPORTATION

AUTHORITY (LACMTA)

INVITATION FOR BID

LACMTA will receive Bids/Proposals for C1216Construction-Los Angeles Union Station Forecourt and Esplanade Improvementsat the 9th Floor Receptionist Desk, Vendor/Contract Management Department, One Gateway Plaza, Los Angeles, CA 90012.

A Pre-Bid conference will be held on Wednesday, October 26, 2022, 9:00 a.m., Virtual Meeting: Online. All Bids must be submitted to LACMTA, and be filed at the reception desk, 9th floor, V/CM Department, on or before 2:00 p.m. Pacific Time on Tuesday, December 13, 2022, at which time bids will be opened and publicly read. Bids received after the above date and time may be rejected and returned unopened. Each Bid must be sealed and marked Bid No. C1216.

For a copy of the Proposal/ Bid specification visit our Solicitation Page on our Vendor Portal at https://business.metro. net or for further information email Laura Barrera at barreral@metro.net. 10/19/22

CNS-3633966#

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MANILA — The United States said it is investing P228 million or $3.8 million in YouthWorks PH to train unemployed and out-ofschool youth.

YouthWorksPH is an initiative between the United States Agency for International Development and the Philippine Business for Education.

"Together with PBEd, we are providing training opportunities that will lead them to employment so they can provide for themselves and contribute positively to society," US Deputy Chief of Mission Heather Variava said.

The P228-million investment was announced during YouthWorks PH's Skills Partnerships Summit held earlier this month. Philippine business leaders, together with national and local government officials, discussed partnership opportunities for young Filipinos.

PBEd Chairman Ramon R. del Rosario Jr. underscored the importance of providing skills training for the Filipino youth as a form of nation-building.

Meanwhile, USAID and PBEd also named YouthWork

PH's new partners, including McDonald's Philippines, Amazon Web Services, Banco de Oro, Unibank Inc., Proudcloud, and Launchgarage. The partnership will use at least P54 million ($915,000) worth of training materials to support at least 5,600 out-of-school youth in the country.

USAID and PBEd have provided over 13,000 work-based training

programs with its industry partners and helped nearly 4,000 individuals with training for employment in Cagayan de Oro, Cebu, General Santos, Greater Manila Area, and Zamboanga. Their joint program was also expanded to five other sites, namely the Agusan del Sur, Bohol, Northern Cebu, Sarangani, and South Cotabato. (Kaycee Valmonte/Philstar.com)

President Marcos speaks at the Philippine Tourism Industry Convergence Reception held at the SMX Convention Center in Pasay City. Malacañang photo will succeed for the benefit of our people and country," he added. g

McDonald’s Philippines President and CEO Kenneth Yang, U.S. Embassy Deputy Chief of Mission

Heather Variava, PBEd Executive Director Love Basillote, McDonald’s Vice President for the Human Capital Group, Franchising, and Restaurant Support Group Rebecca Roselada, and USAID Mission Director Ryan Washburn attend the YouthWorks PH Skills Partnerships Summit in Taguig.

Photo courtesy of the U.S. Embassy in Manila

MOTHER TONGUE IN SCHOOLS. Senators Win Gatchalian (right) and Robin Padilla preside over the Committee on Basic Education's inquiry on the implementation of the Mother Tongue-Based Multilingual Education (MTB-MLE) under the K to 12 Law at the Senate in Pasay City on

inquiry, Gatchalian sought to look into the effectiveness of the MTB-MLE, as well as challenges faced by

Philippine laws on the use of mother tongue as a medium of teaching to improve the quality

Filipino learners. PNA photo by Avito Dalan

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

by AJPress

(Part II of II)

IN honor of Filipino American History Month, get to know seven more Filipino Americans who are serving across the Biden-Harris Administration, from the office of the Vice President to government agencies.

Michael C. George

Senior Advisor for Policy to the Vice President

Hometown: Los Baños, Laguna

The son of immigrants from the Philippines and India, George is a senior policy advisor for Vice President Kamala Harris. He comes into the role with non-profit experience, serving in roles like program officer at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, where he led a $30 million investment portfolio to support low-wage workers.

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

My mother is originally from La Union in the Philippines and met my father while studying at the University of Hawaii. After I was born in Honolulu, we lived in Los Baños, Laguna until I was

Geri Sanchez Aglipay

Regional Administrator

Business Administration Great Lakes Region (Region

14 years old, so almost all of my childhood memories are of the Philippines. Growing up abroad always made me reflect on how lucky I am to be American, and how one of the things that makes the United States a great country is its diversity.

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

The President and Vice President took office at a critical moment – in the middle of an economic downturn and the height of the COVID-19 pandemic – and I wanted to help support our country. Being able to work for a historymaking Vice President – the first woman, African American, and Asian American to serve in the role – is a huge honor. The President and Vice President are truly committed to building

an administration that “looks like America,” from the most junior staff to the most senior, because they want to lead a government that stands up for all Americans of all backgrounds. And you can see that in everything they do like when they spoke out against the rise in Anti-Asian violence during the pandemic and when the President signed the COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act into law.

What does Filipino American History Month mean to you?

Filipino American History Month is an opportunity to reflect on the deep ties between the Philippines and the United States, reflected in the ties between so many families like mine and the traditions and cultures we share.

Angela Dela Cruz Perez

Deputy Press Secretary

Perez joined the U.S. Department of Commerce after working as a press assistant at the White House Press Office. She was on the BidenHarris transition team and worked for the campaign as a communications assistant.

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

I’m lucky to be born and raised in Woodside, Queens, a very diverse neighborhood in New York City with a strong Filipino immigrant population.

My mother, who was quite new to this country, empowered me to pursue an education and a career in something I was truly interested in, while also making sure I didn’t forget where I came from.

Why did you join the Biden-Harris administration, and what does it mean as a Filipino American?   President Biden made a promise to build an administration that looked like America — and he kept that promise. As one of many Filipino Americans within the administration, I’m proud to be part an administration so aligned with my values.

What does Filipino American History Month mean

to you?

To me, Filipino American History Month is a celebration of Filipino Americans past and present. Whether it’s celebrating the activism that helped create the Asian American movement in the 1970s, noting the Filipino American community’s countless cultural contributions to American film, art and music, or honoring the tireless Filipino American healthcare workers, Filipino American history is being made every day.

U.S.

Hometown: Skokie, Illinois

A second-generation American and daughter of a veteran, Aglipay became the first Filipino SBA Regional Administrator and the first Pinay appointed by any president in a cabinet agency senior regional role. With over 20 years of experience in policy development, program administration, and workforce development, she was appointed by the White House to oversee SBA programs and financial operations across offices in six Great Lakes states.

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

I’m a Filipino American woman who has grown up as the child of immigrants. I’m grateful to have experienced many opportunities and

privileges in America, but I have also experienced classism, sexism, racial bias and stereotypes. I understand the concerns faced by communities of color, women of color, and those who are low income, working and middle-income households who work hard to make a better life and obtain financial, home, and health security. These factors have influenced my career path, including how I navigate social norms and intercultural communication.

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

I joined the Biden-Harris administration to lend my expertise and experience for inclusive recovery from the

Loni Cortez Russell

Deputy Associate Administrator

Hometown: Los Angeles, CA

Prior to joining the BidenHarris Administration, Russell spent over a decade leading local, state and federal advocacy campaigns to fight for climate action and public health for major environmental organizations across the country including as the head of public engagement for the Climate Action Campaign, a coalition of national climate organizations working to advance federal climate policy. She was born and raised in Los Angeles and credits her Filipino American heritage to her commitment to public health and the environment.

How has being Filipino American shaped your identity and career path?   I grew up in a Fil-Am

Russellie Boñgolan

Deputy White House Liaison U.S. Department

Agriculture

Hometown: Hacienda

Russellie Boñgolan was recently named Deputy White House Liaison to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). She was first appointed by the current administration the USDA’s Research Education and Economics Mission Area, where she worked to promote key priorities such as equity, modernization and climate smart agriculture. Prior to her appointment, she served as Political Director for Senator Raphael

COVID-19 pandemic and help support the Administration’s and SBA Administrator

Isabella Guzman’s goal for a new economy that works for everyone, especially from the bottom up to the middle out. The pandemic highlighted a multitude of disparities that many socioeconomically

household in Southern California surrounded by strong women who centered their family and heritage in all parts of our lives. My Ama, or grandfather, was the former governor of our province, and my mother was involved in local politics in the Philippines. Filipino values, such as family, community, respect, hard work (and having a good time!), have always been core to my personal and professional identity.

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

Since day one, the BidenHarris administration has centered the actions of the federal government around the need to prioritize the most vulnerable and fight for social equity, especially in responding to the multiple crises of a pandemic, economic uncertainty and racial injustice.I was attracted to and am proud of my work at EPA leading and

vulnerable and at-risk communities faced prepandemic, including Filipinos. So, it’s meaningful to me to be in this role to representing my community to support recovery.

What does Filipino American History Month me to you?

To me, Filipino American History Month, which was established by [the Filipino American National Historical Society], is about the struggles, achievements and history of Filipinos in the United States as impacted by forces not only in the Philippines, but especially on American shores. It’s a month to share writings by Carlos Bulosan and Dr. Dawn Bohulano Mabalon; learn about Larry Itliong, and the pensionados; and continue a legacy of economic impact like the first Filipino credit union in Illinois. Knowing history impacts how we navigate our community, which is important for times where critical thinking and historical context impacts our future.

embedding this commitment to justice and equity in how the agency works with all its stakeholders like frontline communities, businesses, NGOs among others. As a Fil-Am, our culture is diverse, complex and rich with strong traditions of taking care of the most vulnerable and it is honor to work for an administration that shares those traditions and emphasizes diversity as core to public service.

What does Filipino American History Month mean to you?

It’s an honor to recognize the deep history and diversity of the Filipino American experience. Fil-Ams have been an important yet underrecognized in American culture. There are so many incredible contributions that Fil-Ams have shaped and influenced in this country.

Fil-Am History Month is an opportunity to highlight and celebrate our stories and people.

many years. While she would set up the polling stations and help direct voters, she’d tell me about her own immigration story, and tell me how lucky we were to be both Filipino and American.

CA

Warnock (D-GA) and as Georgia Deputy Director of Coalitions for the Biden-Harris campaign.

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

My grandmother was the first to teach me about civic engagement and public service, which ultimately set me on this career path. I have vivid childhood memories of following her around as a little girl as she volunteered at the polls for

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

After working on the campaign in Georgia, I saw firsthand that the Biden-Harris administration is committed to serving all Americans. As a Filipino American, I think about my own grandfather, who’s first job as a new immigrant was to harvest asparagus in the fields of Central California. The fact

Christian Bato

Southwest Intergovernmental Specialist

Hometown: Rancho Cucamonga, CA/Las Vegas, NV

The son of Filipino immigrants, Bato joined the U.S. Department of Energy after working for U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto of Nevada and serving as the Nevada Coalitions Director for the Biden-Harris campaign. He began his career working for SEIU’s iAmerica, which advocated for immigrant justice in the AAPI and Latino communities.

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

My identity as a Filipino American has been THE driving force for my career in public service. I began my career advocating for immigrant justice in the AAPI and Latino communities and I did my best to help people navigate the complex immigration system in our country during that time.

I continued along that path by helping all Nevadans work with the federal government as Senator Cortez Masto’s AAPI outreach representative in her Las Vegas Office. I find myself doing that today as I help key stakeholders and communities across the Southwest United States access important federal dollars and resources at the Department of Energy, especially after the historic steps taken by the administration in form of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and the Inflation Reduction Act.

Serving and helping others is an inherently Filipino trait and it’s something I try to do every day in my role with the Biden-Harris Administration.

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

I joined the Biden-Harris administration because it was a great chance to help President Biden make good on

that, just two generations later, I am a White House appointee to the USDA is truly a testament to America’s promise.

What does Filipino American History Month mean to you?   Filipino American History Month is a time to celebrate our history, our contributions and the fact that we are writing the next chapter. It is not lost on me that I stand on the shoulders of so many history making Filipino Americans who came before me like the Delano manongs who advocated for themselves alongside Larry Itliong and in coalition with Cesar Chavez.

the promises he made on the campaign trail. We were, and still are, at an inflection point in our country and I wanted to make sure I did my part to help push the nation in the right direction, particularly when it comes to combatting the climate crisis. I felt that I was my duty as an American, but also as the son of Filipino immigrants, to use my talents to help make a difference for the collective good. My parents sacrificed a lot to move to this country and my service in this administration, at the highest level of government, is something that I feel justifies their decision.

What does Filipino American History Month mean to you?   Filipino American History Month provides a great opportunity to uplift and highlight the often-overlooked voices of our ancestors who impacted the rich history of our country. It’s also a time to authentically embrace our heritage and display it proudly. Most of all, it’s a time to build our power as a community through organizing and educating. We are an integral part of the fabric of the United States of America, and it is important that we take this month to celebrate that.

Michael C. George, Senior Advisor for Policy to the Vice President

Loni Cortez Russell, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

Russellie Boñgolan, Deputy White House Liaison, U.S. Department of Agriculture png

Geri Sanchez Aglipay, Regional Administrator, U.S. Small Business Administration Great Lakes Region (Region V)

Angela Dela Cruz Perez, Deputy Press Secretary, U.S. Department of Commerce

Christian Bato, U.S. Department of Energy

U.S. Department of Commerce

Hometown: Woodside, Queens, New York

Office of Congressional and Intergovernmental Affairs, U.S. Department of Energy

James ‘Always Been You’ song about ex-girlfriend Nadine

By Jan Milo Severo Philstar.com

that his song “Always Been You” is about his ex-girlfriend Nadine Lustre.

In a listening party on social media recently, James dropped his “lovescene” album.

“This next one is called ‘Always Been You.’ Oh, man, am I really gonna explain all these songs? This one, I wrote about Nadine,” James said, talking about one of the songs in the album.

Some of the lyrics in the song goes, “Oh babe, missing what I never had. It’s always been you. When everybody gets in the mood, I always end up dancing with you.”

“Dancing with you. Oh babe, wasted time I want it back. I’d spend it with you. Can’t hide it when I know that it’s true cuz I know it’s always been you.”

James and Nadine broke up in 2020.

Nadine is currently in a relationship with businessman Christophe Bariou while James said that he’s still single.

Can you be fined or imprisoned for not...

From

into putting this in the back burner. Also, to my surprise not a lot of employers are aware of the gravity of what it could mean to them if they are found to not have it.

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What’s life going to be like after filing bankruptcy?

Minding Your Finances

Atty rAymond BUlAon

A LOT of people who are forced to file bankruptcy often wonder whether filing bankruptcy just creates another pain in their lives if they have to deal with ‘negative’ consequences after. Can they get credit again? Can they buy a house later and how long will it take for their credit to recover? These are the common concerns.

First, one thing that you need to understand is that your credit report is simply a snapshot, so to speak, of what is going on in your financial life at the time that the report is pulled. What this means is that it only represents your creditworthiness, in the eyes of the creditor, at that specific time. Your credit score keeps changing from day to day. Damaged credit improves over time and with Chapter 7 bankruptcy, even though the bankruptcy is reported for 10 years, it only takes an average of 2-3 years before your credit can be rebuilt. How do I know this? Because I’ve been a bankruptcy lawyer for 24 years now. I’ve seen clients file bankruptcy and then purchase a home just a few short years later.

Everyone dreams of being debt-free when they are experiencing financial stress and

can’t pay their bills. If you’re spending your days avoiding collection calls and lawsuits and don’t know what to do, the idea of filing bankruptcy can be appealing and, in most cases, it may be the only option if you’ve tried everything else to no avail.

For example, if you are filing Chapter 7 to eliminate your debts, this is often a short process that only lasts about 5 months from start to finish. Believe it or not, 99% of people who file Chapter 7 lose nothing and keep everythingtheir home, car, business, and other assets. Upon filing the case, the creditors stop calling and sending collection letters. If there’s a lawsuit, judgment, foreclosure, or wage garnishment pending, all of these will stop as well. And so, life goes back to normal almost immediately. For the first time in a long time, you get that much needed break from mental stress, and you can feel empowered again as you regain control of your finances. If you’ve been unable to save money in the past because you were always broke every pay day, now you can start planning for your future again. Hope is always a good thing and that’s exactly what bankruptcy provides you.

A lot of clients tell me that bankruptcy is not bad as they first thought. I tell them that you can liken it to a much-needed surgery. It may hurt at first but once healing begins, you will probably ask yourself why it took so long for you to decide.

Don’t get me wrong. Bankruptcy is certainly not a one-size-fits-all solution. In some cases, it’s not even advisable. But when it’s right for your situation, the relief you get can be life changing.

Once you take that path to financial recovery through bankruptcy, life after filing can be what you make it. You will find out that by being free from the burden of debt, you will have more options in terms of living your life the way you’ve always wanted. For example, a lot of people are stuck forever in jobs that they hate because they have to keep working no matter what even if they hate their jobs. They have no savings, no emergency fund to use while looking for another job and they can’t miss even one paycheck. And this is just one example of how freedom from debt gives you more choices in life in the long run. Can you think of the other things in your life that could be different if you weren’t in so much debt?

Call my office at 1-866-4777772 if you need me to review your financial situation and see if bankruptcy might be a good solution for you. If it’s not and other options are available, I will point those out to you as well if you’re not aware of them.

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None of the information herein is intended to give legal advice for any specific situation. Atty. Ray J. Bulaon has successfully helped over 6,000 clients in getting out of debt. For a free attorney evaluation of your situation, please call RJB Law Offices at TOLL FREE 1-866-477-7772.

(Advertising Supplement)

How important is it to have a living trust?

Barrister’s Corner

Atty. Kenneth UrsUA reyes

THINKING about one’s demise is not something people want to spend time thinking about. However reality is that we all have to face this one day. It is just a matter of whether you depart this world prepared or unprepared.

If you pass away with at least $184,500 in gross assets and you do not have a living trust (even if you have a will), your beneficiaries would have to open up a probate case before title to the assets can pass to them. When I say gross assets, I mean regardless of how much debt you owe on them. For example if you own a house valued at $350,000 at the time of your death, it does not matter that your mortgage balance is $300,000, a probate case has to be opened in order to pass title to that property. The same is true with other types of assets such as owning a business, a professional practice, bonds, equities, etc. This is a very low threshold to exceed specially in California where real estate prices, even after the economic crisis, remains in the upper end of the curve among the 50 states.

Commencing a probate case is expensive and a very slow process. Someone qualified will have to file a Petition with the probate court to have someone appointed as executor or administrator. The Petitioner’s attorney gets paid

a statutory rate for attorney’s fees commencing with 4% of the gross estate. The probate referee will have to be paid for appraising the assets of the estate. If it is necessary to post bond, the premium on the bond would have to be paid as well. There is also the cost of administering the estate such as selling some of the assets to satisfy the estate’s obligations and to divide the estate according to the will or the intestate line of succession if there is no will. The entire process could take up years specially if certain beneficiaries and creditors file certain claims. The probate court file would be public record.

On the other hand if you have a living trust, your estate can avoid the entire court system and court supervision. In certain situations, the process may also save you estate taxes which may be substantial if your assets exceed a certain threshold. Basically, you and/ or your spouse can be named as the initial trustee of the trust while you are alive. The trustee is the person who manages the trust. This means you retain control of all your assets the same way as if you never had a trust. For revocable trusts, you can later on, at any time during your lifetime, revoke the entire trust if you change your mind.

The assets held in your living trust will be managed by the trustee and distributed according to your directions without court supervision and involvement when you pass away. This can save your heirs time and money. Since the trust would not be under the direct management of the probate court, your assets and their value and your beneficiaries’

identities would not become a public record. Your heirs and beneficiaries would still have to be notified about the living trust and advised, among other things, of their right to obtain a copy of the trust.

If you are contemplating setting up a trust or have an existing trust that needs to be updated because your family circumstances have changed over the years, you should set an appointment with an experienced attorney that understands and can competently advise you in the law.

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

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

ACTOR and singer James Reid brought kilig ” frenzy to JaDine fans after revealing

Actor and singer James Reid Photo from Instagram/@james

community

There are many things to do in Pahrump Racing, biking, shooting among recreational activities for residents, visitors

By RealtoR Fely Quitevis-Bateman

THERE are times when the question of “What activities can we do in that place?” becomes one of the main questions when a person is considering a location to invest property in, buy a first or second home, or retire to.

This makes sense, obviously, because you would not want to move to an area where there is absolutely nothing for you to do.

Of course, aside from this, there is the question of availability, affordability and getting a good return on your investment. In this week’s article, I will focus on some of the things that you can do recreationally in Pahrump, which is located about 62 miles west of Las Vegas.

If racing or motorsports is your passion, look no further

than Spring Mountain Motor Resort and Country Club, which is currently owned by John Morris. The place hosts various driving schools, track rentals and is the home of a private motorsports country club.

It has North America’s longest racetrack at 6.1 miles, and there are plans to expand the racetrack to over 9 miles when construction is completed.

There are 18 different configurations for the racetrack available to racecar enthusiasts, from the South Course which is just 1 mile, to the Long Course which covers all 6.1 miles.

The company’s expansion plans which made the news in February of this year has generated excitement in the community as job openings have resulted with these

expansion plans, with some reports saying that “Spring Mountain will be one of the most exciting places to work and build a long-lasting career.”

Incidentally, right next to the racetrack is Spring Mountain Estates, luxury trackside homesites where homeowners will have access to all the amenities that Spring Mountain has to offer, which includes the Clubhouse Lounge, workout facility, and other services (e.g. massage therapist). What’s more, owning a home at the Spring Mountain Estates puts you minutes away from the cool, clear waters of Lake Spring Mountain where you can enjoy activities like paddle boarding, kayaking, flying on jetpack and more. There are 80 homesite lots (for home and mixed-use), 50 of which have been sold. As of now, there are 17 homes built or are under construction.

If cycling is your passion, a new bicycling group in Pahrump called Pahrump Valley Cyclists, is inviting the community to ride with them, according to the Pahrump Valley Times. This social club gathers biking enthusiasts for fitness and for fun, and welcomes riders of all age levels and gender.

The club’s goal is to connect cyclists and allow them the opportunity to get together and enjoy group rides in Pahrump and neighboring communities. The group’s rides can be shifted to accommodate cyclists of all levels, from beginners to the more experienced.

If walking or hiking is what drives you, there are many trails and parks in the area that are of interest. Among them are Discovery Park, Ian Deutch Memorial Park, Calvada Eye, Simkins Park and Petrack Park. These areas offer trails, opportunities for bird watching and nature-tripping, and wonderful walkways to share with the four-legged members of your family. What’s more, there are friendly residents to chat with or share a moment with as you enjoy your walk or hike.

Golf, one of the popular sports in the country, has a presence in Pahrump with the Mountain Falls Golf Club, which is co-designed by famed

architecture firms Nicklaus Design Group and Cal Olson Design. It is an 18-hole golf course and country club that is capable of hosting events of all types, be it weddings, holiday parties, corporate weddings and more. It has visually striking, breathtaking views, and is a must-visit visitors to the area.

I had the pleasure of hosting the late former Philippine President Fidel V. Ramos at Mountain Falls Golf Club many, many years ago. He was impressed with it, and enjoyed playing golf at the club.

Aside from these, there are many other activities to do in the area. Sports activities include leagues for soccer, basketball, baseball and softball. Residents can indulge in tennis, bowling, martial arts (karate, jiu jitsu, muay Thai) and even horseback riding.

There are gambling establishments in Pahrump, which include the Pahrump Nugget Casino, Terrible’s Lakeside Casino, Saddle West Hotel, Casino & RV Resort, Irene’s Casino and Terrible’s Road House Casino.

When you have partaken of all the things that you want to do in Pahrump, there is Las Vegas, which is less than an hour’s drive from Pahrump. Concerts, theater shows, more gambling, shopping and dining is at your fingertips in Las Vegas.

Whether you want to consider Pahrump as your retirement place, your next

Tony and Neneth Suarez are extremely happy with their Airbnb in Pahrump, which is always fully booked. All their kids own properties in Pahrump as well. With them is Realtor Fely QuitevisBateman (middle, standing).

residence or an investment, it has many factors going for it. Real estate prices continue to thrive in Pahrump and it is one of the many places that housing builders are looking at, especially with the skyrocketing land prices in Las Vegas.

Pahrump’s proximity to Las Vegas and it’s having less crime and big city problems make it ideal for those looking to settle down with their family in another area, or a prospect for those wanting to invest in their future.

Now is the time to take a look at Pahrump. I can help you look for the best real estate opportunities in the area. I have

had decades of experience in helping clients find the piece (or pieces) of real estate to add to their portfolio, or that piece of land where they want to build their house or rental property.

My company, Precious Properties, is a full-service company that has served its clientele since 1992. You can reach me at 775-513-8447, 805-559-2476 and 702-538-4948 for more information, or send me an email at fely@preciousproperties.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)

Gloria Estillore of Silicon Valley (right) is looking for a large commercial parcel to build at least a minimum 100-bed assisted living facility. She is in photo above with Realtor Fely Quitevis-Bateman.

Realtor Fely Quitevis-Bateman (right) with Dr. Philip Paleracio (left) who is planning to expand his dental clinic to Pahrump. Dr. Paleracio has one of the most advanced dental facilities in Las Vegas.

In photo above are some of my big repeat investors – Dr. Pete Racoma, and Wilmer & Gerlie Comahig – who got approved for a 100-bed senior living resort on Homestead Road.