102122 - San Diego Edition

Jordan Clarkson stays with Utah Jazz for new NBA season

NEW JERSEY – Despite persistent trade rumors, Filipino-American guard Jordan Clarkson remained with the rebuilding Utah Jazz to start the new NBA season.

The 30-year-old guard has a big fan in the Utah organization, and it is no less than the Jazz owner Ryan Smith.

The Los Angeles Lakers tried to get Clarkson back, but the Jazz made it clear that Smith had no intentions of letting him go, according to The Athletic.

The Phoenix Suns also reportedly inquired about Clarkson in a possible swap with former Jazz Jae Crowder, per Yahoo! Sports.

Clarkson is expected to start and fill the shooting guard spot left by Donovan

California’s College Corps program a boon for students and state

A PIONEERING program for college students in California took another step forward last week when Governor Gavin Newsom swore in over 3,200 fellows as the latest cohort in the state’s College Corps Fellowship.

The #CaliforniansForAll program, launched in response to COVID-19, is the first of its kind in the state. Collegiate level students from the Community, State, and UC systems will be given the opportunity to earn up to $10,000 in exchange for a year of service to their communities.

Service opportunities include tutoring and mentoring for low-income students in K-12 schools, food distribution to those facing food insecurity, or tackling climate change.

The program is intended for low-income students to help ease the financial burden of a college education. Eighty percent of the Fellows come from communities of color, 58% are first generation college students, and 68% are Pell Grant eligible. This is also the first state mandated program specifically allocating spaces for AB-540 students, or Dreamers.

A media briefing hosted by Ethnic Media Services and California Black Media featured California Chief Service Officer Josh Fryday, and Debbie Espinosa with Find Food Bank, a part of Feeding America. Two of the student Fellows in the program, Ali Alani of UC

US ambassador sees more high level visits to Philippines soon

MANILA – U.S. Ambassador to the Philippines MaryKay Carlson said more high level visits to Manila by U.S. officials may be expected soon as the two countries continue to develop their longstanding bilateral relationship.

Carlson said the U.S. is also looking to further develop its relations with Manila through areas such as trade and defense.

“The level, and intensity and complexity of our military exercises is a very important demonstration of how we are continuing to amplify and deepen the relationship and to meet the challenges, to ensure that we have a secure environment for our people, for both nations, and for the Indo-Pacific, as we [want to] make sure that we ensure a free, open, prosperous and secure world,” Carlson is quoted as

saying in a report by ABS-CBN News.

U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman visited Manila last June and 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

Marcos ready to ‘defend’ peso

by catherine s valente , Kristina Maralit anD eireene Jairee GoMez ManilaTimes.net

PRESIDENT Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. on Tuesday, October 18 said his government is ready to “defend” the peso as the currency’s slide continues to fuel inflation.

Marcos made the statement following his meeting with his economic managers in Malacañang Tuesday to discuss his administration’s “policy directions for the rest of the year and the first quarter of next year.”

“Number one priority is still inflation. We will continue to use interest rates to mitigate the effects,” Marcos said in a statement posted on his Twitter.

But the President maintained that the country’s overall inflation forecast remains better than that of other countries.

“We may have to defend the peso in the coming months, but the overall forecast is that we are still doing better than other countries in terms of inflation, u PAGE 4

DOF bucks POGO shutdown

by louise Maureen siMeon Philstar.com

MANILA — The Department of Finance (DOF) is not keen on banning Philippine offshore gaming operators (POGOs) as the country stands to lose about P65 billion in economic contributions should the government decide to discontinue POGOs.

During the House of Representatives committee on labor and employment hearing on Wednesday, October 19, the DOF maintained that total collections from POGOs have declined over the past years.

Latest estimates from the agency showed that expected losses from POGO would be about P64.61 billion, according

Confessed gunman in Percy Lapid killing surrenders, tags 3 other suspects

by Beatrice Pinlac Inquirer.net

MANILA — The gunman in the fatal ambush of veteran radio broadcaster Percival Mabasa, more popularly known as Percy Lapid, has surrendered to police authorities.

In a news conference at Camp Crame in Quezon City on Tuesday, October 18, Interior Secretary Benjamin Abalos Jr. confirmed that 39-year-old suspect Joel Estorial turned himself in to the Philippine National Police “out of fear for personal safety.”

He said Estorial is under the custody of the police and has since executed an extrajudicial affidavit with the assistance of

to Finance Undersecretary Cielo Magno.

“Should POGOs discontinue, we estimate to lose around P64.61 billion in direct economic contributions which is about 0.3 percent of our GDP (gross domestic product),” Magno said.

The country’s nominal GDP last year stood at P19.187 trillion.

Broken down, a bulk or almost 40 percent of the P64.61 billion in losses will come from housing space rentals income at P25.17 billion.

Another P16.63 billion from office space rentals will be lost.

Some P6.56 billion will be dropped from personal consumption of POGO employees and another P3.5 billion from revenues of the Philippine Amusement

Supreme Court could strike down affirmative action

by Peter White Ethnic Media Group

ON October 31, the Supreme Court will hear two cases that will determine the future of affirmative action. Students for Fair Admissions (SFFA) is suing Harvard and University of North Carolina (UNC) for considering race in their application process. Further, SFFA says Harvard’s admission policies discriminate against Asian American applicants.

SFFA is a creation of conservative activist Edward Blum. He claims his non-profit has 22,000 members who were wrongly rejected

Paul Soriano named as presidential adviser on creative communications; accepts P1 pay in his career as a filmmaker. And now we have asked him to help us at one peso per year,” Marcos said, as quoted by OPS.

by DaPhne Galvez Inquirer.net

MANILA — President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. has named film director Paul Soriano as his presidential adviser on creative communications.

Soriano took his oath of office before Marcos in Malacañang on Monday, October 17, the Office of the Press Secretary (OPS) said.

Soriano had agreed to take on the new post with an annual salary of only P1, the OPS added.

“One of the greatest assets of the Filipino is our creativity, and we must find many ways to highlight that to the rest of the world. And that is what Paul Soriano has already been doing

Soriano took his oath along with Commission on Elections (Comelec) Chairman George Garcia and Commissioners Nelson Celis and Ernesto Maceda Jr.

His wife, TV host and actress Toni Gonzaga, witnessed the 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

T he F ilipino –A meric

PAROL MAKER. A man assembles a Filipino Christmas lantern (parol) at his stall at Central Market in Manila to keep up with the demand for the traditional decoration on Thursday, Oct. 20. Parol, derived from the Spanish word “farol” which means lantern, is made of thin bamboo sticks and Japanese paper or plastic cellophane.

PNA photo by Alfred Frias

Film director Paul Soriano took his oath of office before President Marcos in Malacañang on Monday, October 17. His wife, TV host and actress Toni Gonzaga, witnessed the ceremony, along with their six-year-old son, Severiano Elliot. Malacañang photo

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

Confessed gunman in Percy...

a lawyer.

Abalos also ascertained that Estorial was not a “fall guy” as he pointed out that the empty slugs recovered from the crime scene matched the suspect’s gun.

A ripped-up jacket was also found with the supposed hitman, he noted. A CCTV footage of the night of the murder that was released by authorities few weeks ago shows a “person of interest” wearing such jacket.

Estorial, who supposedly surrendered to the police on Monday, October 17, was 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 hardhitting 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. n

US ambassador sees more high level...

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 Indo-Pacific. (Philstar.com) n

DOF bucks POGO shutdown...

and Gaming Corp. (PAGCOR).

The government is also expected to lose P3.43 billion from the value-added taxes (VAT) of housing space rentals and P3.09 billion from transportation.

Other losses will stem from personal income taxes from POGO employees (P2.74 billion), VAT from office space rentals (P2.27 billion), other taxes (P830 million), corporate income tax (P340 million) and insurance (P50 million).

Magno emphasized concerns over POGO-related crimes, which can have direct effects on the country’s foreign direct investments (FDI).

“One crime incidence in every 100,000 population can result in a GDP decline of one percent,” Magno said.

“We estimate that potential losses with respect to FDIs for the Philippines will range from P16.7 billion to P26.2 billion,” she added.

The DOF official also argued about the additional cost that the government will incur for enforcers to ensure security and eliminate crimes.

POGO licensees have been slashed to 34 this year from its pre-COVID-19 level of 64 largely due to the winding down of operations due to the pandemic.

Meanwhile, the Association of Service Providers and POGOs said it would review the financial submissions of its POGO members with the PAGCOR and the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) to determine compliance with their license fees and tax

obligations.

This came after Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian claimed that even legitimate POGOs are remiss in paying correct taxes.

Gatchalian estimated a tax leakage of P1.9 billion due to the discrepancy of gross gaming revenue as reported by the BIR and PAGCOR from POGOs from January to August this year.

Chinese deported

In a related development, the Bureau of Immigration (BI) started deporting six Chinese nationals working in illegal POGOs in the country.

The BI identified the deportees as Yu Min, 36; Nie Zhengbiao, 31; Gan Xueliang, 29; Xu Yuanggang, 25; Qian Jie, 33, and Yang Bin, 23.

They were escorted by authorities from their detention facility to their designated airport terminal.

Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla, along with Immigration Commissioner Norman Tansingco, witnessed the deportation at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 2 Wednesday morning on board Philippine Airlines flight PR 316 bound for Wuhan, China.

Remulla said some “400 more” Chinese POGO workers in custody would also be deported.

“The Bureau of Immigration has canceled the visas of many working at the illegal POGO outlets. The work is ongoing right now,” he added.

The Department of Justice (DOJ) earlier reported that the BI had canceled the visas of 1,424 Chinese nationals

working in illegal POGO outlets – a fraction of the estimated total of 48,782 employees who have to be sent back to China.

“It was determined by the BI, through Commissioner Norman Tansingco, that a more cost-efficient and humanitarian approach would be to cancel the visas of the said Chinese nationals,” Remulla said.

“The cancellation of alien visas would simply allow the Chinese nationals to voluntarily exit the country within a nonextendible period of 59 days,” he added.

Those who refuse to voluntarily leave the country after 59 days will be “summarily deported,” according to the DOJ chief.

Remulla also disclosed that “someone from the BI” has recommended giving amnesty to Chinese nationals working in illegal POGO outlets, but he said the process has to be studied first.

He said there is a need to consult with other government agencies on the issue of amnesty to illegal aliens.

“We have to look at this from the practical standpoint, the national standpoint and even the national security standpoint,” he added.

BI spokesperson Dana Sandoval recently said that there is an ongoing verification of 48,782 illegal Chinese workers who were affected by the closure of POGOs before they will be sent back to their country of origin for overstaying here in the Philippines. – Rudy Santos, Robertzon Ramirez, Paolo Romero, Delon Porcalla n

California’s College Corps program...

San Diego, and Wendi Lizola of Sacramento State University also joined the panel.

“They will be doing extraordinary work for our communities,” said Fryday, emphasizing the importance of the program, which he described as a win for society and the state, creating a generation of service-oriented professionals at a moment when California — and the nation — confronts a host of critical challenges.

Some 10,000 applications have already been submitted for the program, three times more than there are slots available.

Participating students were selected by their respective campuses through a competitive application program. Students that were not selected this year can re-apply in subsequent years. The program is scheduled to continue until 2026.

“We have to be able to ensure through a multifaceted approach that people have the means to break poverty cycles,” said Espinosa, who works with the Deserts Regional Foodbank based in Palm Springs and distributes over 20 million pounds of food to 150,000 individuals per month.

Fellows with College Corps will help provide food to students and families in a variety of settings whether it be packaging in the warehouse, distributing food on campus, or on sites in the community.

Espinosa says learning loss among students in California during Covid was exacerbated

by growing food insecurity, noting 98% of the clients they serve are working families and the elderly. Less than 2% are unhoused individuals.

She adds the program will provide students with a variety of transferable skills while creating tangible change for their peers and community.

“My goal with College Corps is to help students,” said Alani, who was born in Syria and educated in Saudi Arabia. He and his family immigrated to San Diego when he was 16.

Alani is now a second year Computer Software Engineering Major at UC San Diego, where he discovered the College Corps through an email from his university.

“It helped me focus on my education while helping me pay

for my college,” he said.

Alani will be working with K-12 students in San Diego, saying he hopes to have the kind of impact on students that his own teachers have had on his life. “I really hope to do the same,” he said.

Wendi Lizola is a firstgeneration undocumented student who came to California with her parents and two older sisters when she was a child. During the briefing she recalled how her family worked seven days a week from four in the morning until eleven at night washing cars at auto dealerships.

Lizola struggled in school at first because she could not understand English. “I remember I got frustrated with myself,” she said.

It’s an experience that drew her to joining the College Corps, which has given her the opportunity to connect with students who are also facing barriers to education due to language. She said the experience makes it feel very personal. “It’s very rare when an opportunity like this is available to our AB-540 students,” she noted, in reference to Dreamers.

Lizola is studying to be a Pediatric Nurse at Sacramento State University. It was there at a workshop where she applied for the program. She was shocked by the amount of student interest and seeing the response across the state makes her feel very lucky to be a part of the program.

“It felt like a miracle, it was just able to cover everything that I needed,” she said. She does not have to pay anything out of pocket. Alani also stated that he was able to pay all of his tuition due to this financial aid.

“I would definitely encourage students to apply for this program,” Lizola said.

Applications for the 20222023 school year have closed. But students interested in applying can fill out this form to receive notification when applications re-open for the 2023-2024 school year.

Students interested in getting started in volunteer opportunities sooner can register with the #CaliforniansForAllmailinglist which provides regular updates on service opportunities in your community. (by Abigail LeForge/ Ethnic Media Services) n

Marcos ready to...

though economic developments are still anticipated,” he said.

In its Asian Development Outlook 2022 update, the Asian Development Bank (ADB) forecasts inflation in the country at 5.3 percent in 2022 and 4.3 percent in 2023.

In Southeast Asia, the ADB predicts 17 percent inflation in Lao People’s Democratic Republic in 2022, 16 percent in Myanmar, and 7.4 percent in Timor-Leste.

Meanwhile, a recent Pulse Asia survey released in October showed that 42 percent of Filipinos disapproved of the Marcos administration’s performance in controlling inflation, which has emerged as the top urgent national concern of Filipinos.

In September, inflation accelerated to 6.9 percent, its highest level in four years, due to continued increases in food and utility costs.

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 short-term 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 shortterm 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. n

Paul Soriano named as...

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. n

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. Malacañang photo

Students from the Community, State, and UC systems will have the opportunity to earn up to $10,000 in exchange for a year of service to their communities.

UCSD photo

Dateline PhiliPPines

Marcos pledges to reboot tourism

by Kristina Maralit ManilaTimes.net

PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Monday, October 17 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.

“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 GarciaFrasco’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 “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 re-energize 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 will succeed for the benefit of our people and country,” he added. n

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.) n

Jordan Clarkson stays with Utah Jazz...

Mitchell, who was traded to the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Clarkson played that role in the preseason to mixed results. He averaged 12.3 points in 23.2 minutes but only shot 37 percent from the field. Last season, he shot 42% from the field in 79 games as Utah’s sixth man. His efficiency took a hit against opposing 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 opened what could be a long, agonizing season for them at home against the Denver Nuggets on Wednesday, October 19. (Alder Almo/Philstar.com) n

President Marcos speaks at the Philippine Tourism Industry Convergence Reception held at the SMX Convention Center in Pasay City. Malacañang photo

CLEANING GRAVES. Parks Development Office workers start to clean some areas at the Manila North Cemetery in Manila on Tuesday, Oct.

18. The activity was in preparation for the November 1 All Saints’ Day and November 2 All Souls’ Day observance.

PNA photo by Alfred Frias

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. Last weekend, nations were urged to “unite for universal hand hygiene” – the theme of the 2022 Global Handwashing Day. In the Philippines, the theme was “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

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

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. 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

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)

Cautiously optimistic on economic recovery

U.S. National Security Strategy 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 on Friday, October 14 on the sidelines of the IMFWB 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 –

Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. Philstar.com file photo 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 decadeshigh 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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Supreme Court could strike...

by universities that use race conscious criteria to evaluate prospective students. None of Blum’s 22,000 alleged victims have testified. However, one was described but not named in the Harvard case as a Chinese student with first generation immigrant parents, perfect test scores and the best GPA in his class of 460.

In 2022, UNC received 43,500 applications for a freshman class of 4,325. UNC rejected 40,000 applicants. At that rate, if the top two dozen schools are considered, Blum’s 22,000 students account for just 2% of total rejections. That number falls to a negligible 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 race-conscious 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 Justice-AAJC.

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 English-speaking immigrant families, at Chinese for Affirmative Action in San Francisco.

“Having diverse perspectives 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,” Turnage-Young 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. n

4 TIPS TO FEEL SUPPORTED IN YOUR MENTAL HEALTH

UPD-CS faculty work to address PH’s ‘most disaster-prone country’ status

THE Philippines is one of the world’s most disaster-prone countries, according to a recent international study. But a handful of scientists from the University of the Philippines - Diliman College of Science (UPD-CS) hope to change that.

The 2022 World Risk Report warned that, out of 193 countries, the Philippines has the greatest risk, exposure, vulnerability, and susceptibility to disasters, further aggravated by a deep lack of coping and adaptive capacities.

However, timely to the release of the Report, the University of the Philippines recently conferred the UP Centennial Professorial Chair and Faculty Grant on 98 UPD-CS faculty members from the Institute of Environmental Science and Meteorology and the National Institute of Geological Sciences, as well as from the National Institute of Physics, Institute of Biology, Institute of Chemistry, Marine Science Institute, Institute of Mathematics, and National Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology.

The conferment also came just days ahead of the UN-declared International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction last October 13.

“The Centennial Grant is a welcome acknowledgement of, and support for, the hard work that UP’s scientists and researchers put into their respective fields. It helps us to

focus on the tasks at hand so that we can bring the science to where it is most needed,” said UPD-CS Dean Giovanni Tapang.

“There are a lot of research studies to understand the physical, social, and economic components of risk. Our main role as scientists is to communicate and disseminate information on hazards and their impacts, hoping these will guide efforts in disaster response,” added Centennial Grant awardee Dr. Noelynna Ramos, a professor of Geomorphology and Geohazards at the National Institute of Geological Sciences and the head researcher of the Geomorphology and Active Tectonics Research Laboratory.

“Much of the research we undertake is very meticulous and painstaking. For outside observers, they may not seem immediately important or even necessary. But patient persistence pays off, because we are eventually able to find underlying patterns that enable us to come up with practical, real-world solutions,” explained Centennial Grantee and atmospheric physics expert Dr. Gerry Bagtasa. “There is much that can and should be done in terms of disaster response in the country, and I’m thankful that UP and the College of Science understand this and enable us to help address these.”

The Centennial Grants are

awarded annually to UP faculty members in recognition of their outstanding performance in the areas of teaching; research or creative work; and public service. In their various capacities, the Grantees’ research is helping improve our understanding of the natural world and, more specifically, the nature of natural disasters and how best to respond to them. n

NOTICE TO BIDDERS

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the City of San Diego (City) is seeking to receive Electronic Bids for the below named Public Works project. The solicitation, including plans and specifications, may be obtained from the City’s website at: https://www. sandiego.gov/cip/bidopps Contractors intending to submit a Bid must be prequalified. Please refer to the solicitation for instructions.

Project Name: Maple Canyon Restoration- Phases 1 & 2 Project Number: K-23-2030DBB-3 Estimated Value: $9,524,000.00

Mandatory Pre-Bid Meeting: 11/02/22 at 10:00 A.M Bid Open Date: 12/06/2022, at 2:00 P.M.

License Requirement: A It is the policy of the City of San Diego to encourage equal opportunity in its Construction and Consultant contracts. Bids or proposals from local firms, small, minority-owned, disabled, veteran-owned, and women-owned businesses are strongly encouraged. Contractors are encouraged to subcontract with and/or participate in joint ventures with these firms. The City is committed to equal opportunity and will not discriminate with regard to race, religion, color, ancestry, age, gender, disability, medical condition or place of birth; and will not do business with any firm that discriminates on any basis.

Bids shall be received no later than the date and time noted above at:

City of San Diego’s Electronic Biding Site PlanetBids at: https://www.planetbids. com/portal/portal. cfm?CompanyID=17950 Claudia C. Abarca, Director Purchasing & Contracting Department October 20, 2022 10/21/22 CNS-3635469# ASIAN JOURNAL

Pause & recognize stress. Take a moment to check in with yourself both physically & emotionally. Where might you be feeling the burden of this virus –tightness of shoulders, headaches, stomach pain, fatigue?

Know the warning signs. Common signs that you may be su ering from increased emotional stress are intense worries or fears, changes in school performance, not eating, significant weight loss or gain, severe risk-taking behavior, temper tantrums, or extreme di culty concentrating or staying still.

Adopt healthy practices.

Access online playbooks in several languages to help ease stress. These include mindfulness practices, healthy nutrition, quality sleep, physical activity, mental health care, & supportive relationships. Get them at osg.ca.gov/resources

Reach out to a specialist online, by phone or in person.

CalHOPE Connect o ers online chat support and a “warmline” for connection & support that is open 24/7 at 855-845-7415. Visit calhopeconnect.org

The California Department of Aging provides an extensive list of mental health resources for older adults on its website.

Taking safety precautions against COVID-19 infection like vaccination, boosting and masking in crowded spaces can keep you healthy and connected to friends and loved ones.

NATURAL DISASTERS: SCIENCE AND ITS IMPLICATIONS. UP Officials and scientists composed of (From L-R) Dr. Mario Aurelio, Dr. Gerry Bagtasa, Ms. Jamaica Pangasinan, former UPD Chancellor Michael Tan, current UPD Chancellor Fidel Nemenzo, Dr. Giovanni Tapang, and Dr. Lemnuel Aragones, conduct a press briefing on the Taal Volcano Eruption in January 2020.

Photo by Andro Sampang, UPD College of Science

City of San Diego wants more input on neighborhood development projects

Proposed Council policy updates expand outreach process, build on other initiatives to deliver projects equitably

SAN DIEGO – To ensure more San Diegans are able to provide feedback about infrastructure projects they would like to see prioritized in their neighborhoods, the City of San Diego is updating its policies on how it gathers input. The City is also updating its policies on how to prioritize these investments to be funded more equitably and efficiently.

With the proposed updates to Council Policy 000-32, the City will conduct a citywide public outreach effort at least once every two years to help determine the Capital Improvements Program (CIP) budget. This could include gathering input from community-based organizations, community planning groups and other interested stakeholders and individuals. Focused engagement would occur within the City’s Communities of Concern and historically underserved or structurally excluded communities.

Communities of Concern are identified in the City’s Climate Equity Index as census tracts with very low to low access to opportunity, focusing on communities that face greater barriers to improving their quality of life.

“Public input is critical to the city’s decisionmaking process to help determine which

projects will benefit residents most. To make sure the input is representative and accurate, it’s necessary to include a diversity of organizations and individuals that most closely mirror the city’s demographics,” said the City’s Planning Director Heidi Vonblum. “We look forward to continuing to work with community members to identify projects that will most improve the lives of all San Diegans.”

City staff is also proposing to update Council Policy 800-14, which sets the guidelines for how CIP projects are prioritized and funded. The updates include amendments to the factors that must be considered when adding needs to the Five-Year Capital Infrastructure Planning Outlook. These amendments ensure that the guiding principles of the City’s recently adopted initiatives, like the Parks Master Plan, Climate Action Plan and Build Better SD, are incorporated into future neighborhood developments and infrastructure investments.

Each of the recently adopted initiatives set forth clear policies to prioritize infrastructure investments in the areas with the greatest needs and areas that serve the most people.

“The proposed changes to Council policies 000-32 and 800-14 are a step in the right

LEGAL SERVICES

CASE NUMBER: 37-2022-00040273-CU-PT-CTL

TO ALL INTERESTED

PERSONS: Petitioner Peter D. Chu, Esq. State Bar# 98935 Attorney For: Samar Samir Hireish filed a petition with this court for a decree changing names as follows: a. Samar Samir Hireish to Samar Isam Hireish.

THE COURT ORDERS that all persons interested in this matter appear before this court at the hearing indicated below to show cause, if any, why the petition for change of name should not be granted. Any person objecting to the name changes described above must file a written objection that includes the reasons for the objection at least two court days before the matter is scheduled to be heard and must appear at the hearing to show cause why the petition should not be granted. If no written objection is timely filed, the court may grant the petition without a hearing.

NOTICE OF HEARING Date: 11/21/2022 Time: 8:30 AM Dept. C-61

Superior Court of California, County of San Diego 330 WEST BROADWAY DEPT. 61 San Diego, CA 92101

A copy of this Order to Show Cause shall be published at least once each week for four successive weeks prior to the date set for hearing on the petition in the following newspaper of general circulation printed in this county.

Asian Journal: OCT. 07, 2022

NO HEARING WILL OCCUR ON ABOVE DATE: SEE ATTACHMENT Michael T. Smyth Judge of the Superior Court AJ 1054 10/14, 10/21, 10/28, 11/04/2022.

ATTACHMENT TO ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME (JC Form #NC-120) NO HEARING WILL OCCUR ON THE DATE SPECIFIED IN THE ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE.

The Court will review the documents filed as of the date specified on the Order to Show Cause for Change of Name (JC Form #NC-120).

If all requirements for a name change have been met as of the date specified, and no timely written objection has been received (required at least two court days before the date specified), the Petition for Change of Name (JC Form #NC-100) will be granted without a hearing. One certified copy of the Order Granting Petition will be mailed to the petitioner.

If all the requirements have not been met as of the date specified, the Court will mail the petitioner a written order with further directions.

If timely objection is filed, the Court will set a hearing date and contact the parties by mail with further directions.

A RESPONDENT OBJECTING TO THE NAME CHANGE, MUST FILE A WRITTEN OBJECTION AT LEAST TWO COURT DAYS (excluding weekends and holidays) BEFORE THE DATE SPECIFIED. Do not come to court on the specified date. The court will notify the parties by mail of a future hearing date.

Any Petition for the name change of a minor, that is signed by only one parent, must have this Attachment served along with the Petition and Order to Show Cause, on the other, non-signing parent, and proof of service must be filed with the Court.

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT NO. 2022-9020585

PW LP located at 244 Palomar St., Ste A/Office, Chula Vista, CA 91911.

Registrant: PW INC, 244 Palomar St., Ste A/Office, Chula Vista, CA 91911.

This business is conducted by Limited Partnership.

REGISTRANT FIRST BEGUN TO TRANSACT BUSINESS UNDER THE NAME(S) AS OF 08/04/2004.

Signature: Robert Pennell. Statement filed with Recorder/County Clerk of San Diego County on 09/14/2022.

AJ 1043 09/30, 10/07, 10/14 and 10/21/2022. AJSD#1043

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT NO. 2022-9021403

Three Men Crew Fume located at 1630 Coolidge Ave., National. City, CA 91950.

Registrant: Fernando Zuniga Barragan, 1555 Satellite Blvd., San Diego, CA 92154.

This business is conducted by Individual.

REGISTRANT HAS NOT BEGUN TO TRANSACT BUSINESS UNDER THE NAME(S) ABOVE.

Signature: Fernando Zuniga.

Statement filed with Recorder/County Clerk of San Diego County on 09/27/2022.

AJ 1048 09/30, 10/07, 10/14, 10/21/2022.

AJSD#1048

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT NO. 2022-9022480

J X Cleaning And Refinishing Services located at 6377 Rancho Mission Rd #3, San Diego, CA 92108.

Registrant: Francisco Javier Reyes Vargas,6377 Rancho Mission Rd #3, San Diego, CA 92108. This business is conducted by Individual.

REGISTRANT FIRST BEGUN TO TRANSACT BUSINESS UNDER THE NAME(S) AS OF 10/10/2022.

Signature: Francisco Javier Reyes Vargas.

Statement filed with Recorder/County Clerk of San Diego County on 10/10/2022.

AJ 1053 10/14, 10/21, 10/28, and 11/04/2022. AJSD#1053

direction to make sure all San Diegans see the benefits of our critical infrastructure projects,” said City Engineer Rania Amen, who is also the City’s Engineering & Capital Projects Director. “We are grateful to everyone who has contributed as we continue improving these critical policies and processes. The desired outcome is to ensure that equity, public safety and quality of life are the top considerations with each project identified for the City’s infrastructure investments.”

The Engineering & Capital Projects Department and the Office of Race and Equity, along with City councilmembers, hosted meetings earlier this year to gather feedback from residents and stakeholders. These policy amendments are anticipated to be considered by the City Council’s Active Transportation and Infrastructure Committee in November, followed by a City Council hearing in December. Residents can read the draft proposals and provide their input on the Infrastructure Project PrioritizationProposed Council Policy Updates webpage at https://www.sandiego.gov/infrastructureproject-prioritization. (City of San Diego Release) n

LEGAL SERVICES

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT NO. 2022-9020582

PW Holdings LP located at 244 Palomar St., Ste A/ Office, Chula Vista, CA 91911.

Registrant: PW INC, 244 Palomar St., Ste A/Office, Chula Vista, CA 91911.

This business is conducted by Limited Partnership.

REGISTRANT FIRST BEGUN TO TRANSACT BUSINESS UNDER THE NAME(S) AS OF 01/01/2012.

Signature: Robert Pennell. Statement filed with Recorder/County Clerk of San Diego County on 09/14/2022.

AJ 1044 09/30, 10/07, 10/14 and 10/21/2022. AJSD#1044

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT NO. 2022-9021556

Go-Out-Terra-Carpet Cleaning Company located at 440 Blackshaw Ln, San Ysidro, CA 92173.Registrant: Juan Manuel Cervantes, 440 Blackshaw Ln, San Ysidro, CA 92173.

This business is conducted by Individual.

REGISTRANT FIRST BEGUN TO TRANSACT BUSINESS UNDER THE NAME(S) AS OF 09/28/2022.

Signature: Juan Manuel Cervantes.

Statement filed with Recorder/County Clerk of San Diego County on 09/28/2022.

AJ 1049 09/30, 10/07, 10/14, and 10/21/2022

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT NO. 2022-9022537

a. ISOLA LA JOLLA located at 7734 GIRARD AVE, LA JOLLA, CA 92037.

b. ISOLA PIZZA BAR LA JOLLA located at 7734 GIRARD AVE, LA JOLLA, CA 92037.

Registrant:

a. FAI Restaurant Group LP, 3736 E. Lizard Rock Pl, Tucson, AZ 85718.

b. Punto A Capo Concepts LP , 1526 E. INDIA ST., SAN DIEGO, CA 92101.

This business is conducted by Limited Partnership.

REGISTRANT FIRST BEGUN TO TRANSACT BUSINESS UNDER THE NAME(S) AS OF 10/03/2022.

Signature: Massimo Tenino.

Statement filed with Recorder/ County Clerk of San Diego County on 10/11/2022.

AJ 1055 10/21, 10/28, 11/04, and 11/11/2022 AJSD 1055

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT NO. 2022-9020549

Pacific West Coast Properties located at 244 Palomar St., Ste A/Office, Chula Vista, CA 91911.

Registrant: PW INC, 244 Palomar St., Ste A/Office, Chula Vista, CA 91911.

This business is conducted by Corporation.

REGISTRANT FIRST BEGUN TO TRANSACT BUSINESS UNDER THE NAME(S) AS OF 08/04/2004.

Signature: Robert Pennell.

Statement filed with Recorder/County Clerk of San Diego County on 09/14/2022.

AJ 1045 09/30, 10/07, 10/14 and 10/21/2022. AJSD#1045

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT NO. 2022-9021419

Harris Luxury Suites LLC located at 4300 Newton Ave., Unit 43, San Diego, CA 92113.

Registrant: Harris Luxury Suites LLC, 4300 Newton Ave., Unit 43, San Diego, CA 92113.

This business is conducted by Limited Liability Company.

REGISTRANT FIRST BEGUN TO TRANSACT BUSINESS UNDER THE NAME(S) AS OF 06/30/2022.

Signature: Jamal Harris. Statement filed with Recorder/County Clerk of San Diego County on 09/27/2022.

AJ 1050 10/07, 10/14, 10/21, and 10/28/2022.

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT NO. 2022-9022536

a. ISOLA PIZZA BAR located at 1526 E. INDIA ST., SAN DIEGO, CA 92101.

b. ISOLA PIZZA BAR LITTLE ITALY located at 1526 E. INDIA ST., SAN DIEGO, CA 92101.

c. ISOLA located at 1526 E. INDIA ST., SAN DIEGO, CA 92101.

Registrant: a. Punto A Capo Concepts LP , 1526 E. INDIA ST., SAN DIEGO, CA 92101.

b. FAI Restaurant Group LP, 3736 E. Lizard Rock Pl, Tucson, AZ 85718.

This business is conducted by Limited Partnership.

REGISTRANT FIRST BEGUN TO TRANSACT BUSINESS UNDER THE NAME(S) AS OF 03/01/2012.

Signature: Massimo Tenino.

Statement filed with Recorder/ County Clerk of San Diego County on 10/11/2022.

AJ 1056 10/21, 10/28, 11/04, and 11/11/2022. AJSD 1056

LEGAL SERVICES

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT NO. 2022-9020786

HOSALKAR INJURY INSTITUTE OF SAN DIEGO located at 2323 E 8TH STREET SUITE 101, NATIONAL CITY, CA 91950.

Registrant: ALLIANCE MEDICAL GROUP, INC., 2323 E 8TH STREET SUITE 101, NATIONAL CITY, CA 91950.

This business is conducted by Corporation.

REGISTRANT FIRST BEGUN TO TRANSACT BUSINESS UNDER THE NAME(S) AS OF 03/01/2016.

Signature: HARISH HOSALKAR. Statement filed with Recorder/County Clerk of San Diego County on 09/14/2022.

AJ 1046 09/30, 10/07, 10/14, and 10/21/2022. AJSD#1046

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT NO. 2022-9022200

JS and CO located at 2630 Lightning Trail Lane, Chula Vista, CA 91915.

Registrant: Jessica Salvador, 2630 Lightning Trail Lane, Chula Vista, CA 91915.

This business is conducted by Individual.

REGISTRANT FIRST BEGUN TO TRANSACT BUSINESS UNDER THE NAME(S) AS OF 10/06/2022.

Signature: Jessica Salvador. Statement filed with Recorder/County Clerk of San Diego County on 10/06/2022.

AJ 1051 10/14, 10/21, 10/28, and 11/04/2022. AJSD#1051

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT NO. 2022-9022901

SAGETREE located at 1775 Sage Tree Court, Chula Vista, CA 91913.

Registrant: SDTECHNIX LLC, 1775 Sage Tree Court, Chula Vista, CA 91913.

This business is conducted by Limited Liability Company.

REGISTRANT FIRST BEGUN TO TRANSACT BUSINESS UNDER THE NAME(S) AS OF 08/26/2017.

Signature: Richard M. Yumul. Statement filed with Recorder/County Clerk of San Diego County on 10/14/2022.

AJ 1057 10/21, 10/28, 11/04, and 11/11/2022.

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT NO. 2022-9020592

D ’sminipancakes_SD located at 1417 13th St., Imperial Beach, CA 91932.

Registrant: Diana Moreno, 1417 13th St., Imperial Beach, CA 91932.

This business is conducted by Individual.

REGISTRANT HAS NOT BEGUN TO TRANSACT BUSINESS UNDER THE NAME(S) ABOVE.

Signature: Diana Moreno.

Statement filed with Recorder/County Clerk of San Diego County on 09/14/2022.

AJ 1047 09/30, 10/07, 10/14, 10/21/2022.

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT NO. 2022-9022359

Deathwish Bobbers located at 3028 31st St., San Diego, CA 92104.

Registrant: Xavier Cordova, 6126 Calle Mariselda Unit #102, San Diego, CA 92124. This business is conducted by Individual.

REGISTRANT FIRST BEGUN TO TRANSACT BUSINESS UNDER THE NAME(S) AS OF 10/07/2022.

Signature: Xavier Cordova. Statement filed with Recorder/County Clerk of San Diego County on 10/07/2022.

AJ 1052 10/14, 10/21, 10/28, and 11/04/2022.

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT NO. 2022-9021847

Manna Health, LLC located at 8320 Camino Santa Fe, San Diego, CA 92121.

Registrant: Manna Health, LLC, 8320 Camino Santa Fe, San Diego, CA 92121. This business is conducted by Limited Liability Company.

REGISTRANT FIRST BEGUN TO TRANSACT BUSINESS UNDER THE NAME(S) AS OF01/01/2021.

Signature: Jeff Hill. Statement filed with Recorder/County Clerk of San Diego County on 10/03/2022.

AJ 1058 10/21, 10/28, 11/04, and 11/11/2022.

SWEATING IT OUT. Boxing enthusiasts make full use of the open spaces at Quirino Grandstand in Manila on Tuesday, Oct. 18. The government has allowed outdoor physical activities subject to health protocols amid the COVID-19 pandemic. PNA photo by Alfred Frias

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

by AJPress

(Part

I N 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 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 BidenHarris 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

Geri Sanchez Aglipay

Regional Administrator

U.S. Small Business Administration Great Lakes Region (Region V)

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 BidenHarris 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 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 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

Loni Cortez Russell

Deputy Associate Administrator

Office of the Administrator, Office of Public Engagement and Environmental Education, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

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 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 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 under-recognized in American culture. There are so many incredible contributions

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

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 BidenHarris 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

Christian Bato

Southwest Intergovernmental Specialist

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

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?

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.

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.

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.

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

Why did you join the BidenHarris 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 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

Russellie Boñgolan

Deputy White House Liaison

U.S. Department of Agriculture

Hometown: Hacienda Heights, CA

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 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?

following her around as a little girl as she volunteered at the polls for 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.

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

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.

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.

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

Trisha Ann Castaneda

Hometown: Irvine, CA

Castaneda entered the political world during her senior year of college as an intern for Rep. Doris Matsui and subsequently served as a junior staffer in the House Appropriations Committee, Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies. She joined the Office of Management and Budget in June 2022.

How has being Filipino American shaped your identity

and career path?

The Philippines and Filipinos are always associated with being hospitable. I have always strived to make sure everyone I meet in my life and in my career is met with kindness and care, no matter the circumstances.

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

I joined the Biden-Harris administration because I believe

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

that everyone deserves a seat at the table. As a Filipino American I am proud to represent my community, whose history is so deeply intertwined with the United States.

What does Filipino American History Month mean to you?

Filipino American History Month is an opportunity to showcase my country and my culture to a wider audience.

Not everyone has the ability to interact with and experience Filipino culture – the food, the music, the art, the people –and I believe that once they do experience it, they’ll develop an appreciation and, as a result, an understanding.

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.

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

Deputy Press Secretary U.S. Department of Commerce Hometown: Woodside, Queens, New York

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

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

Loni Cortez Russell, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

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

Trisha Ann Castaneda, Confidential Assistant to the Director, Office of Management and Budget

Confidential Assistant to the Director Office of Management and Budget

Christian Bato, U.S. Department of Energy

Mayor Gloria, local leaders break ground on Torrey Pines fire station

Fire Station 52 will be the 11th new or rebuilt fire station since 2015

SAN DIEGO – On Monday, Oct. 17, Mayor Todd Gloria, UC San Diego Chancellor Pradeep K. Khosla, Councilmember Joe LaCava and Fire-Rescue Chief Colin Stowell broke ground on the newest City of San Diego fire station. Construction is set to begin this month on Torrey Pines Fire Station 52, which will be built directly adjacent to the campus of UC San Diego.

This new station will serve University City and surrounding communities for generations. The project is expected to be complete in the winter of 2024, making this the 11th new or rebuilt San Diego Fire-Rescue Department (SDFD) fire station since 2015.

“This community has waited patiently for more than five years for a new Fire-Rescue station, and I’m happy to say we’re finally getting it done,” said Mayor Gloria. “I’m grateful for the partnership with UC San Diego that is bringing additional first responder coverage to the Torrey Pines area. The land and funding the university provided were critical to getting this fire station built and helping the City deliver this important infrastructure investment.”

Fire Station 52 will be located east of North Torrey Pines Road on the northwest corner of the campus. Discussions about this project between the City of San Diego and UC San Diego began in 2010. The university gave the City $20.5 million and the land upon which the station will be built. The total cost of the facility with surrounding infrastructure improvements is projected to be $22,256,000.

“Fire Station 52 will protect our community and our climate,” said Councilmember Joe LaCava. “Electrification of our fleet and our facilities will propel us toward our Climate Action Plan goals.”

This project fulfills Mayor Gloria’s recent Strategic Plan commitments to protect and enrich every San Diego neighborhood and champion sustainability. Fire Station 52 will be the first station in San Diego to house an all-electric fire apparatus and rapid electric vehicle charging station.

“We are grateful to UC San Diego for their investment in this facility,” said Fire Chief Colin Stowell. “The recent increase

in population and density on campus, as well as surrounding communities, means calls for service increase. Once operational, Fire Station 52 will fill a great need in this area.”

The facility will be two stories with more than 14,000 square feet of space and located within SDFD’s Battalion 5. Fire Station 52 will have three apparatus bays, sleeping quarters for nine personnel, an office for firefighters and the battalion chief’s office, an exercise room, a kitchen, a ready room and on-site parking. It will consist of three firefighter safety zones – the living areas, areas to perform equipment cleaning and a decontamination area. These zones follow SDFD’s Cancer Awareness Prevention Program guidelines for the health and safety of fire crews.

“This new fire station greatly enhances safety not just for UC San Diego, but also for everyone living and working near campus,” said UC San Diego Chancellor Pradeep K. Khosla. “This project is a direct result of our strong relationships with the City of San Diego and our neighbors, and it demonstrates our ongoing commitment to improving our neighborhood, our city and our region.”

Fire Station 52 was designed and will be built by Level 10 Construction and the architect is The Miller Hull Partnership LLP.

Since 2014, the city has opened new fire stations in five neighborhoods – City Heights, Little Italy, Mission Valley, Point Loma and Hillcrest – and renovated four others that serve the communities of La Jolla, Mira Mesa, North Park and Southcrest. (City of San Diego Release) n

County public health officials renew call for vaccinations against COVID-19

COUNTY public health officials are renewing their call for San Diegans to get vaccinated and boosted against COVID-19 as the colder months are upon us.

Respiratory illnesses historically increase during fall and winter as many people move activities and gatherings indoors.

Recent local data shows the value of the COVID-19 vaccines, highlighting that those who are vaccinated and boosted are substantially less likely to die of complications from COVID-19.

In the first seven months of this year, from Jan. 1 to July 31, 912 San Diegans died of COVID-19. Of those 912, 498 individuals did not complete the primary series of any of the available COVID-19 vaccines. A total of 42 people had received only a single dose of either the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine and the other 456 individuals had received no vaccine doses of any kind. Individuals considered not vaccinated represented 54 percent of total deaths.

Of the remaining deaths, 281 completed the primary series and 133 also had an additional booster dose. 80 percent of the 3.3 million San Diegans six months of age or older have completed the primary series.

Two shots of these vaccines are needed to complete the primary series and be considered fully vaccinated.

For the period between Aug. 14 and Sept. 10 of this year, the most recent period for which complete statistics are available, the death rate for San Diegans who did not complete the primary vaccine

series was 0.94 per one million residents. This death rate is five times higher than those who completed the primary series and received a booster (0.18 per one million county residents).

“Vaccination remains the best way to prevent severe outcomes and death from COVID-19,” said Dr. Cameron Kaiser, County deputy public health officer. “We are especially encouraging those eligible to get the new bivalent booster, as it is specifically designed to protect individuals from the virus variants currently circulating in our community. These variants and their relatives are expected to be with us into the holidays.”

In addition to vaccination, there are a number of precautions San Diegans can take to protect themselves against COVID-19, as well as seasonal illnesses like the flu. These measures include:

• Cleaning hands thoroughly and often;

• Staying away from sick people;

• Staying home and avoiding contact with others when sick;

• Wearing a well-fitting face covering when around others, especially in crowded indoor settings; and

• Regularly cleaning commonly touched surfaces.

Bivalent boosters coming for children 5 and older

The California Department of Public Health has updated its emergency use authorization of the updated COVID-19 boosters in California to include younger children. Eligibility for the Moderna bivalent booster now extends to individuals 6 years of age and older and eligibility for the Pfizer-BioNTech bivalent booster now extends to individuals 5 years of age and

older.

Boosters will be available through healthcare providers and at participating pharmacies. Parents should visit the state’s My Turn website (https:// myturn.ca.gov) to schedule an appointment.

County of San Diego Public Health Services expects to receive the boosters for children in the coming days and anticipates being able to start administering them as soon as Saturday at select locations. Booster dose availability will be listed on the County’s COVID-19 website.

The updated boosters were designed to protect individuals from the worst outcomes of COVID-19, including hospitalization and death. Everyone 5 years of age and older who has had their primary series vaccinations is eligible to get the updated booster two months following any COVID vaccine or booster dose.

Vaccination progress • Close to 2.69 million or 80.4% of San Diegans received the primary series of one of the approved COVID-19 vaccines.

• Boosters administered: 1,473,096 or 59.8% of 2,465,357 eligible San Diegans.

• More vaccination information can be found at coronavirus-sd. com/vaccine.

Data updates to the County’s coronavirus-sd.com website will be published Thursdays around 5 p.m., with the exception of holidays.

(Katie Cadiao/County of San Diego Communications Office) n

Voting by mail is simple, convenient, secure

AS ballots start showing up in mailboxes around San Diego County, the Registrar of Voters office is encouraging voters to vote early.

More than 1.9 million ballots for the Nov. 8 Statewide General Election were sent out to registered voters last week. If you haven’t received yours by Oct. 17, contact the Registrar’s office.

“San Diego County voters have more days and more ways to vote,” said Registrar of Voters Cynthia Paes. “You don’t need to wait until Election Day to vote. The sooner we get your ballot back, the sooner we can start processing it. Your ballot can be in the first release of election night results.”

Voting by mail is:

• SIMPLE: A ballot, instructions and an “I Voted” sticker are included in your official ballot packet.

• CONVENIENT: Make voting decisions and mark your ballot comfortably at home.

• SECURE: Sign and date your envelope, seal your completed ballot inside and return it postage free to a trusted source:

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

ACTOR and singer James Reid brought “kilig” frenzy to JaDine fans after revealing 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. (by Jan Milo Severo/Philstar.com) n

File photo/www.countynewscenter.com

A) Return your ballot through the mail, postage free. For a location near you, visit the U.S. Postal Service office or collection box website. Voters who return their mail ballot through U.S. Postal Service can track their ballot by signing up for “Where’s My Ballot?”.

B) Return it to one of the Registrar’s 141 official ballot drop boxes around the county. The new stand-alone boxes feature the Registrar’s logo along with the County

seal and are labeled “Official Ballot Drop Box.” Find one close to you through the Registrar’s online locator tool or inside your information pamphlet. Check each location’s hours of operation before heading out at sdvote.com.

C) Return it to the Registrar’s office where early voting is already underway. Hours run from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.

You can also vote in person at any vote center. Starting, Saturday, Oct. 29, 39 vote centers will be open daily from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. On Saturday, Nov. 5, over 200 vote centers will be open daily from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

All vote center locations and the Registrar’s office will be open on Election Day, Nov. 8, when voting hours change to 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Learn more about voting in the Nov. General Statewide Election at sdvote.com, call (858) 565-5800 or toll free at (800) 6960136.

(Tracy DeFore/County of San Diego Communications Office) n

San Diego to solicit community input in development of child and youth master plan

SAN DIEGO – The City of San Diego’s Office of Child and Youth Success is planning a series of community-based meetings to collect public input that will help inform the city’s first Child and Youth Master Plan. In order to ensure feedback is collected equitably and accurately, the city is seeking bids from qualified organizations to assist in data management and collection.

Focus groups and town hall meetings will be held both virtually and in-person and will encourage participants to discuss their ideas, objectives and goals regarding existing child and youth services and programs in San Diego. This data will then be used to develop a master plan to support the city’s youngest residents.

“A Child and Youth Master Plan is the intentional roadmap that will create a shared vision of services, programs and resources,” said Andrea O’Hara, Executive Director of the City’s Office of Child and Youth Services. “The plan will support equitable cross-generational solutions for sustainable goals by lifting up the voices of children, youth and families in San Diego. The city has done great work in studying equity in our communities, and the Child and Youth Master plan will compliment these efforts.”

The city issued a request for proposals (RFP) on Oct. 5 for qualified organizations to bid on facilitating focus groups. Proposals

must include plans to create a space of trust and encourage open dialogue to promote meaningful engagement. Applicants must also include how they will ensure the outreach and registration efforts are diverse and equitable. Eligible organizations must have experience in researching, organizing and reporting on diverse and complicated child, youth and community needs, preferably within the City of San Diego.

A non-mandatory pre-bid meeting was held via Zoom on Wednesday, Oct. 19, which was attended by potential bidders.

Once an organization is selected, focus groups will begin approximately 30 days after a signed contract has been executed.

Applications must be submitted by Friday, Nov. 11, at 2 p.m. through the city’s Planetbids (https://pbsystem.planetbids.com/ portal/17950/bo/bo-detail/98560) system.

As part of the City’s fiscal year 2022 budget adoption process, Mayor Todd Gloria and the City Council approved funding to establish the Office of Child and Youth Success. In April 2022, Executive Director Andrea O’Hara was hired to lead this new office. The office is dedicated to prioritizing San Diego’s children and youth by safeguarding current and future policies. (City of San Diego Release) n

Scammers are posing as your TV and internet company

DID Spectrum or another provider call with an offer to lower your monthly TV, cable, or internet bill in exchange for a prepayment or fee? It wasn’t them. It was a scammer, and you’re not alone. This year, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has gotten thousands of reports — including many from older adults — about scammers pretending to be Spectrum to try to trick people out of their money or personal information.

Here’s how the scam often works: You get a phone call, recorded message, or text with an offer to lower your monthly payments. The caller — or the person who picks up when you call the number they give you — says you need to “prepay” part of your bill to qualify. They tell you to pay using gift cards because they’re partnering with a company for a promotion, and to call them back with the gift card number. Once you do, they collect that and other personal information over the phone.

If you get a call like this, here are a few things to know:

• Never give out your personal, account, or payment information to someone who contacts you out of the blue and demands it. Hang up. It’s a scam.

• Don’t trust caller ID. Scammers can fake caller ID so it shows a company’s name or phone number. And never call back a

number from a recorded

or listed in an unexpected email or text. • Don’t pay for anything with a gift card. Gift cards are for gifts. If anyone tells you to pay with a gift card, or to buy gift cards for anything other than a gift, it’s a scam. You’ll lose your money, and you won’t be able to get it back.

For more information on these types of scams, visit ftc.gov/imposters. And if you spot this, or any scam, report it to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.

City seeking applications from qualified organizations to host town hall meetings on diverse community needs

File photo/www.countynewscenter.com

San Diego City Mayor Todd Gloria File photo/www.sandiego.gov

File photo/www.ftc.gov

Thanks to the Center for Elder Law and Justice for sharing reports about this scam through the FTC’s Community Advocate Center (CAC). This program helps groups that provide free or low-cost legal services with reporting fraud and other bad practices on behalf of their clients. For more information about the Community Advocate Center, visit ReportFraud.ftc.gov/ community.

(Kira Krown/Consumer Education Specialist, FTC)

Actor and singer James Reid

Photo from Instagram/@james

Plans revealed for huge resort-casino in competitive LV strip

By RealtoR Fely Quitevis-Bateman

THE ever-changing Las Vegas cityscape continues to attract huge developers who want to establish their niche in the gaming and hospitality industries.

The latest to reveal plans for a huge resort-casino is billionaire Tilman Fertitta, who owns the Houston Rockets as well as the Golden Nugget casino in downtown Las Vegas and Landry’s Dining, which has a varied number of brands under its portfolio.

Fertitta, who bought a piece of land along the Las Vegas Strip early this year, has long been rumored to covet a place in the competitive avenue. A recent report by the Las Vegas Review Journal said that the billionaire’s company has filed

plans to build a 43-story hotelcasino on the property located on Las Vegas Boulevard and Harmon Avenue.

Along with 2,420 rooms, the new development will feature restaurants, a spa, wedding chapel, convention space, theater with about 2,500 seats and an auto showroom, as well as VIP salons, suites and villas, and a bar/lounge for high-limit gamblers, the report added.

Currently, that piece of property has a shuttered motel and some closed retail stores, which need to be torn down before a massive build could take place.

While the cost may be massive for the project on the piece of land that Fertitta owns, which is estimated to go over $1

billion, it may not reach the level of the Resorts World Las Vegas that cost around $4.3 billion to build. Still, that is another huge investment for Las Vegas.

With this project, Fertitta stakes his claim on the large pie of tourists/visitors who have started coming back to Las Vegas since the pandemic began. The last few months have seen about 3.7 million to 3.8 million people pass through McCarran International Airport, which is near pre-pandemic levels. The kind of project that he is reportedly building on the property is a high-end one, which will compete with Caesars, MGM, Wynn and other high-end casino-resort developers.

Currently, many of the major players in the competitive boulevard have shored up their portfolios, with MGM selling the Mirage and buying Cosmopolitan, and Caesars replacing Bally’s with its Horseshoe brand.

Resorts World Las Vegas, from the Genting Group, which opened in 2021 was the site of the Stardust Resort and Casino until 2007. It houses three Hilton hotels and is said to be the most expensive resort property ever developed in Las Vegas. It also currently has a station underground which can take patrons to the Las Vegas Convention Center and back via Tesla vehicles for a fee, courtesy of the Elon Musk founded The Boring Company. The station is part of the planned Las Vegas Loop, whose goal is to reduce travel time for visitors and locals in the gambling and entertainment haven, and ease the traffic in the city’s busy corridors.

In late 2023, the Fontainbleau is scheduled to open, which will feature a two-floor retail area for high-end brands, lots of meeting spaces, a theater, nightclub, and more than 3,700 rooms, aside, of course, from a casino area. With its location near LV Convention Center, the resort will have a focus on conferences.

There are many other projects on the way in Las Vegas, including a planned guitar hotel by Hard Rock International (to replace the Mirage Hotel), a boutique resort casino being built

near the airport, the Oak View Group’s $3 billion entertainment development near the I-15 and I-215 freeways, and Red Rock Resorts plans to develop a new casino in the southwest valley of Las Vegas.

This means an ongoing stream of construction jobs in Las Vegas. It also means many employment opportunities once these projects become completed and begin their operations.

Clearly, real estate in Las Vegas, particularly near the Strip area, is valuable. In fact, some industry analysts have said that real estate values have appreciated by more than 200% over the last decade, more so if you had bought properties decades ago. Still, if you are looking to a change in scenery and searching for affordable real estate, Las Vegas and its neighboring towns/cities may be an option for you.

Nevada has not been immune to the real estate slowdown, which is being experienced in many parts of the United States. But in terms of affordability, land and real estate prices in Nevada are very competitive. In fact, the affordability factor may be one of the reasons why people and families from other parts of the U.S. are moving to Nevada. Plus, of course, the cost of living is lower, especially when you compare living in a major city like Las Vegas to, say, San Francisco, New York, Los Angeles, Washington DC, Miami and Hawaii. An industry expert has put the cost of living in Las Vegas as 1.9% lower than that of the national average.

Now may be one of the best times to take a look at what’s

out there in the market, and negotiate your way to a great deal!

The growth in Nevada, especially in Las Vegas and neighboring cities and towns, have been tremendous. I can tell you that from experience – I have many decades under my belt, assisting clients who are looking for their first home, second/vacation homes, investment properties or land (for future use/development).

I can assist you in looking for these opportunities, given your budget and things you are looking for. Many of my clients have begun to reap the benefits of their investments, including

turning their properties to rentals or Airbnb, or getting a good return on investment for the properties they bought in previous years.

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 702-5384948 for more information, or send me an email at fely@ precious-properties.com or fely. precious@gmail.com. We have investors who buy houses in California and Nevada for cash and quick escrow in as short as 7 days. (Advertising Supplement)

Realtor Fely Quitevis-Bateman is bringing in American investors who will provide reasonable and affordable energy to Filipino households, which is in line with one of the main goals of current Philippine President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.

Realtor Fely Quitevis-Bateman is shown in photo above attending another convention in Manila.

Realtor Fely Quitevis-Bateman and Russ Bateman at their residence in Vermont Royale in Antipolo City.

Realtor Fely Quitevis-Bateman attended the Philippine Business Expo in Manila Hotel to help promote Pahrump, Nevada. She is part of the Philippine Trade Mission from the Silver State promoting Pahrump and Las Vegas in the Philippines.