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OCTOBER 27 - NOVEMBER 2, 2023

T h e F i l i p i n o –A m e r i c a n C o m m u n i t y N e w s pa p e r

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Also published in LOS ANGELES • ORANGE COUNTY/INLAND EMPIRE • NORTHERN CALIFORNIA • NEW YORK/NEW JERSEY • LAS VEGAS

USA

DATELINE Fil-Am candidate for state assembly leads in California Democratic Party vote FROM THE AJPRESS NEWS TEAM ACROSS AMERICA

LOS ANGELES – Jessica Caloza, the Filipino-American millennial running for a seat in the California State Assembly, emerged as the leading candidate in Assembly District 52’s California Democratic Party pre-endorsement conference vote over the weekend.

“As a lifelong Democrat, I am honored to have earned the support of a diverse coalition of so many local grassroots Democrats across the district,” said Caloza, a longtime public servant and community organizer, in a statement.

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US, Philippines reaffirm alliance after China’s dangerous maneuvers in WPS MANILA — The Philippines and the United States reaffirmed their commitment to their alliance following China’s dangerous maneuvers during a resupply mission in the West Philippine Sea. According to a White House readout, U.S. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan spoke with Philippine National Security Adviser Eduardo Año after Chinese vessels hit a Philippine resupply boat and a Philippine Coast Guard vessel.

“Mr. Sullivan and Mr. Año reaffirmed the enduring alliance and friendship between our nations and discussed upcoming U.S.-Philippine engagements and ways to further strengthen our close partnership,” the statement read.

“Mr. Sullivan emphasized the ironclad U.S. alliance commitments to the Philippines under the U.S.-Philippines Mutual Defense Treaty, which extends to armed attacks on Philippine public vessels, aircraft, and armed forces—to include

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More Pinoys seeking repatriation from Israel

by Mayen Jaymalin Philstar.com

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Jessica Caloza, who is running for California’s 52nd district, finishes 1st place, with nearly triple the vote of the 2nd leading candidate. If elected, she would make history as the first Filipina in the state legislature.

File photo

those of its Coast Guard—in the Pacific, including in the South China Sea,” it added.

Manila and Beijing have traded blame over Sunday’s (October 22) incidents near Ayungin Shoal, with both sides filing diplomatic protests and releasing videos to support their accusations.

The Presidential Communications Office said Monday, October 23 that the incidents are “being taken seriously at the highest level

‘UNDAS’ PREPS. With barely a week to go before the observance of All Saints’ Day (Undas), families and relatives clean and repaint the tombs of their dear departed at the Manila South Cemetery on Wednesday, October 25. The Manila Cemetery earlier said cleaning, painting, and renovation of tombs would only be allowed until Oct. 25.

PNA photo by Yancy Lim

ASIDE from the three batches of 60 overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) who have arrived from Israel, 120 are still expected to come home, according to Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) officer-incharge Hans Cacdac.

“We still have more or less 120 requests for repatriation,” Cacdac said in a radio interview, noting that the Philippine government is already processing the repatriation. “When I say process, it means calling them three times and making sure that they really want to go home.”

Half of those who requested repatriation assistance, Cacdac said, had already finished their employment contract and were scheduled to return home when hostilities in the Gaza Strip broke out.

Cacdac said the government is ensuring that OFWs will still be on good terms with their employers so they could have the option to return when the situation in

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The new vaccines and AFP fears increased China you: Americans better in West PH Sea armed than ever against harassment But military chief says he’s ready to defend country’s territory the winter blechs J E M

LAST year’s “triple-demic” marked the beginning of what may be a new normal: a confluence of respiratory infections — RSV, influenza, and COVID-19 — will surge as the weather cools each year.

Like blizzards, the specific timing and severity of these outbreaks are hard to forecast.

But their damage can be limited in more ways than ever before. More protective vaccines against influenza are on the horizon. And new vaccines against respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV, were approved this year, as were updated COVID vaccines. Although the first days of rollout for the Moderna and Pfizer vaccines

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magbabangaan. Halos tayo ang umiiwas, we stopped our ships because they keep on conducting these dangerous maneuvers THE Armed Forces of the Philippines crossing the path of a vessel that’s moving (AFP) on Wednesday, October 25 is forward. That’s very dangerous; dapat hindi worried that China may further escalate its ginagawa ‘yun,” said Brawner in a Kapihan aggression and harassment within the West sa Manila Bay forum.

Philippine Sea following its recent collision (Because it’s escalating, the first thing we with Philippine vessels. fear is that ships will deliberately hit each AFP chief of staff Romeo Brawner Jr. other. We are the ones trying to avoid it. made the pronouncement after Chinese We stopped our ships because they kept vessels hit an AFP-contracted resupply boat on conducting these dangerous maneuvers, and a Philippine Coast Guard ship in the crossing the path of a vessel that was West Philippine Sea on Sunday morning. moving forward. That’s very dangerous and “Kasi nga nage-escalate na ito, ang should not be done.) unang kinakatakutan natin ‘yung talagang u PAGE 2 by ohn

ric endoza Inquirer.net

Lawmaker pursues criminal charges vs Marcos vows ex-president Duterte over death threats ‘world-class’ AFP

by Ian Laqui Philstar.com

MANILA — Rep. France Castro (ACTTeachers) filed criminal charges against former President Rodrigo Duterte on Tuesday, October 24 at the Quezon City Prosecutor’s Office.

The Makabayan Bloc lawmaker, along with lawyers Tony La Viña, Rico Domingo, and others from the Movement Against Disinformation, initiated legal action in response to Duterte’s death threats against Castro. The death threats stem from her scrutiny of the confidential funds of vice president and Education Secretary Sara Duterte.

“Kailangan niyang harapin ang accountability sa matinding pagbabanta sa aking buhay (He [Duterte] must be held accountable for the serious threats to my life),” Castro said in a press conference.

The charges filed fall under Article 282 of the Revised Penal Code (RPC), aimed at addressing Duterte’s tirades against Castro, which they said “pose a significant risk to her personal liberty and security.”

The provisions of the RPC cited by Castro and her lawyers pertain to grave threats. If found guilty, the penalty could include imprisonment for a period of one to six months, along with a fine, depending on the court’s discretion.

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THE government will continue implementing programs and policies to make the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) “world-class,” President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said.

“Rest assured that we will remain steadfast in transforming and modernizing the AFP into a world-class force that is respected by its counterparts and is a source of national pride,” the President said during the traditional dinner for the AFP Council of Sergeants Major in Malacañang on Monday, October 23.

“So, let me likewise assure you that we will continue to implement programs and policies that will promote your welfare, and

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Auxiliary Bishop Edmund Whalen blesses the statue of San Lorenzo Ruiz before it was enthroned at the St. Patrick’s Cathedral on Wednesday, Oct. 25.

AJPress Photo by Troi Santos

San Lorenzo Ruiz finds permanent home at St. Patrick’s Cathedral

by Momar G. Visaya AJPress

A SIGNIFICANT event for Filipinos took place on Wednesday, Oct. 25 as a threefoot bronze statue of the first Filipino Saint San Lorenzo Ruiz was permanently enthroned at Saint Patrick’s Cathedral in New York City.

Father Erno Diaz, the Chairman of the ‘San Lorenzo Ruiz Global Ministry’ and founder of the ‘Blessed Lorenzo Ruiz Movement in America’, said this was a significant event for Filipinos in the United States.

“This was a special occasion for all Filipino Catholics in the region,” said Father Diaz. “We

were proud to commemorate the 41st year of celebrating the life and legacy of our beloved saint.”

“It’s very fitting that we are paying tribute today to a layman. He joined a mission going to Japan to be a missionary to bring the faith alive, something that we are doing today,” said Rev. Edmund Whalen, auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of New York. “Despite the loneliness, homesickness and leaving families, you do what you do to reinvigorate and teach faith the way people would understand. Is it all worth it? San Lorenzo Ruiz said yes.”

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OCTOBER 27 - NOVEMBER 2, 2023 • SAN DIEGO ASIAN JOURNAL

http://www.asianjournal.com • (818) 502-0651 • (619) 474-0588

From The Front Page

More Pinoys seeking repatriation...

FEAR NOT. Masks meant to scare abound at the Divisoria commercial center in Manila on Tuesday, October 24 in preparation for the Halloween celebration on Oct. 31. Each mask sells for a minimum PHP35.

PNA photo by Yancy Lim

US, Philippines reaffirm alliance after...

PAGE 1 of government.”

President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. also ordered the PCG to conduct an investigation into the maneuvers of Chinese vessels.

No Filipino crew members were injured, but one of the supply boats was damaged and forced to turn back. A second supply boat reached the BRP Sierra Madre and unloaded its cargo.

The Department of National Defense said Tuesday that it acknowledges the statements issued by the governments of France, South Korea and Japan supporting the Philippines.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. ordered Monday the PCG to conduct an investigation into the maneuvers of Chinese vessels. (Gaea Katreena Cabico/ Philstar.com with reports from Agence France-Presse) n

PAGE 1 Israel improves.

Most of the Filipinos requesting repatriation are caregivers while the rest are hotel workers. The repatriation from Israel remains voluntary.

Cacdac, however, said the number of those seeking repatriation is expected to increase.

The returning OFWs will receive a one-time P50,000 grant as well as other assistance, including livelihood, re-employment facilitation and skills retooling.

At this time, Cacdac said, the Philippine government continues to locate the remaining two Filipino caregivers still unaccounted for.

In Gaza, Cacdac said there are 137 Filipinos who are hoping to return to the Philippines. Cacdac said they are not OFWs, but Filipinos married to Palestinian nationals. He said they would be repatriated as soon as they are able to cross from Gaza to Egypt.

The DMW official said the government is also in the process of repatriating Filipinos from Lebanon, although they still do not have the actual number of OFWs returning home from Lebanon.

The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) reported that there are more than 17,000 Filipinos in Lebanon. But migration consultant Manny Geslani said the figure could be higher since there are many Filipinos who entered Lebanon illegally.

Alacre Center The local government of Cadiz City, Negros Occidental will be naming its newly built evacuation center in honor of slain Negrense caregiver Loreta Alacre, who showed heroism in the face of the attack staged by Hamas militant fighters in Israel, Mayor Salvador Escalante Jr. said on Tuesday, Oct. 24.

The newly built evacuation center within Cadiz

Viejo National High School in Barangay Cadiz Viejo, Cadiz City is to be named Loreta V. Alacre Evacuation Center in honor of the school alumna’s “heroism” for 19 years as an OFW, Escalante said.

This was relayed by Escalante to Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) administrator Arnel Ignacio, who visited Loreta’s wake at the family’s residence in Sitio Camay an, Barangay Cadiz Viejo. Loreta is scheduled to be buried on Nov. 5.

Escalante described Loreta as Cadiz’s “Bagong Bayani” and that the request for renaming the evacuation center was already forwarded to the Sangguniang Panlungsod for deliberations and approval.

After the mass, Ignacio and the DMW turned over P50,000 each financial assistance to the family of slain OFW, aside from the financial assistance of the Department of Social Welfare and Development, as well as livelihood package from the Department of Labor and Employment.

Aside from OWWA’s payment of P104,000 funeral expenses of Loreta, Escalante said it also assured full scholarship grants to the four nephews and nieces of the slain OFW, whose education she had financed while she was still alive.

He added that the Cadiz City government is also willing to include the nephews and nieces of Loreta in the city government’s scholarship program, at P5,000 per semester, for college students.

Escalante said they are also looking at the possibility of employing Nelia Alacre, youngest sister of Loreta, and her brother, in the city government.

Speaker Martin Romualdez has extended P500,000 financial assistance to the family of Alacre, which was received by Loreta’s siblings last week. — Gilbert Bayoran n

This video frame grab from footage taken and released on October 22, 2023 by the Chinese Coast Guard (CCG) through the Chinese embassy in Manila shows a collision between a Chinese Coast Guard ship (R) and a Philippine resupply boat (L) during a resupply mission in Second Thomas Shoal, in the disputed South China Sea. Handout / Chinese Coast Guard / AFP

AFP fears increased China...

PAGE 1 “Bawal na bawal ‘yun sa maritime rules, so that’s why we’re worried na baka mag-escalate pa ito,” he added.

(It’s not allowed in the maritime rules, so that’s why we’re worried that it might escalate.)

But Brawner said that the AFP is ready to defend the country’s territory should China choose to intensify its harassment against Philippine vessels.

“Our take is that the actions of China are really illegal, aggressive, and very dangerous. We saw an escalation of these actions of China. Nababahala kami (we are worried), but as mentioned by

Defense Sec. Gilbert Teodoro Jr., the AFP is willing to defend our territory,” said Brawner in a Kapihan sa Manila Bay forum.

According to Brawner, President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. has already ordered the Philippine Coast Guard to conduct an investigation to be used as a basis for filing a protest before international regulatory bodies.

“The President gave that specific instruction Overseas Filipino Workers (OFW) from Israel arrive at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 3 in Pasay City on October 23, 2023.

STAR / Jesse Bustos to the coast guard to investigate, come up with a report, so that this can be used as a basis for our filing of a protest before international maritime regulatory bodies,” said Brawner. n

Lawmaker pursues criminal charges vs...

PAGE 1 However, according to La Viña, the penalty may be elevated by one degree since it is also covered under the Cybercrime Prevention Act. “Duterte got away from many things because he had immunity,” La Viña said in the press conference.

“For the first time, we are holding him accountable in a Philippine court,” he added.

Under Section 6 of the Cybercrime Prevention Act, felonies punished under the RPC receive a penalty that is one degree higher.

On October 10, during a live television interview with Sonshine Media Network International, owned by his avid supporter Apollo Quiboloy, Duterte claimed that Castro was the “first target” of her daughter’s confidential funds.

The video of the interview has since been deleted.

On October 15, House parties, including the former party of Rodrigo Duterte, urged the former president to stop the death threats and insinuations of harm against any member of the House of Representatives.

“We, leaders of all political parties in the House of Representatives, take utmost

exception to the remarks made by former President Rodrigo R. Duterte,” they said in a statement.

During his presidency, Rodrigo Duterte was known for delivering public speeches that often included strong language, tirades and occasional death threats.

The House Committee on Appropriations scrapped the confidential funds of his daughter’s office and reallocated them to various agencies responsible for West Philippine Sea security.

Immunity lapsed Castro and her lawyers hope that further charges will be brought against the former president, considering his immunity from prosecution.

La Viña, a dean and a law professor from the Ateneo School of Government, said that the former president can now be held accountable for the things he did.

“Pwede na mag-file for crimes committed before his presidency, during his presidency, and after his presidency (We can now file charges for his [Duterte’s] crimes committed before his presidency, during his presidency and after his presidency),” La Viña said.

“We are hoping na magbubukas (ito) ng wave of accountability lawsuits. (We hope that this will pave the way for accountability lawsuits against Duterte),” he added.

The president’s immunity from prosecution is granted by the 1987 Constitution, specifically under Article 7.

At present, the lawyers said that they still have no basis for other possible charges against Duterte aside from grave threats.

“We’re sticking to the rule of law here. Even in the height of big problems, napapagalaw naman namin ang wheels of justice,” La Viña said.

(We’re sticking to the rule of law here. Even in the height of big problems, we make sure that the wheels of justice continue to turn.)

Human rights group KARAPATAN lauded Castro for filing charges against the former president.

“The fact that Duterte and his ilk have the gall to declare open season against their perceived enemies shows that they are able to hide behind the same climate of impunity that shielded them when Duterte was president.

This has to stop,” Karapatan Secretary General Cristina Palabay said in a statement. n

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SAN DIEGO ASIAN JOURNAL • OCTOBER 27 - NOVEMBER 2, 2023

San Lorenzo Ruiz finds permanent...

Fr. Erno Diaz, Chairman of the ‘San Lorenzo Ruiz Global Ministry’ jokingly said that after being an NPA (No Permanent Address) for a while, San Lorenzo Ruiz is now the first Filipino saint to have permanent residence here in the United States. Almost 380 Filipino priests from across the United States and members of various Filipino communities in the northeast attended Wednesday’s enthronement ceremony.

Fr. Erno Diaz with Filipino community leaders led by Atty. Ferdinand Suba, Jose Ramos, Eddie Manongsong and Emma Luistro, among others, pose in front of San Lorenzo Ruiz’s new home at the St. Patrick’s Cathedral.

AJPress Photo by Momar G. Visaya

PAGE 1 Back in 1982, Cardinal Sin had donated a statue of San Lorenzo Ruiz to the Filipino community in New York, a year after the beatification of the first Filipino saint. The community has been using the statue for masses honoring the saint ever since. The statue was given to Cardinal Sin by businessman and philanthropist Antonio Cabangon-Chua, a former Philippine ambassador to Laos.

A big concelebrated mass with about 380 Filipino priests was held at St. Patrick’s in time for the convention of the National Association of Filipino Priests.

The statue’s new home is beside the grotto of St. Rose of Lima, the patron saint of the Philippines.

“We have been venerating the statue here at the cathedral every year and it is fitting for it to be beside St. Rose of Lima,” Fr. Diaz said, and jokingly added, “He is the First Filipino saint to have permanent residence here in the United States.”

The Filipino American community in the tri-state area gathered at St. Patrick’s last Sept.

17 in honor of San Lorenzo Ruiz to mark the 41st anniversary of the first mass that was held for the then-Blessed Lorenzo Ruiz in 1982 at the iconic cathedral.

The feast day of San Lorenzo Ruiz is celebrated on Sept. 28.

Cardinal Orlando Quevedo, Archbishop Emeritus of Cotabato, Philippines, served as the principal celebrant and homilist for the solemn

Eucharistic celebration. The Mass was celebrated with a vibrant display of Philippine culture, with hymns sung in both Filipino and English.

San Lorenzo Ruiz was a Filipino Catholic saint who lived in the 17th century. He was known for his strong faith and courage. Born around 1600 in Binondo, Manila, Lorenzo had a Chinese father and a Filipino mother, and both were Catholics.

Lorenzo worked as a clerk and served as an altar boy at the Binondo Church. His time there deepened his faith. In 1636, he faced false accusations of a crime. To escape persecution, he joined a group of Dominican missionaries on their way to Japan. During that period, Christianity was forbidden, and Lorenzo and his companions endured suffering and torture for their beliefs.

Even in the face of unbearable hardship, San Lorenzo Ruiz refused to renounce his Christian faith. Tragically, he was martyred by hanging in 1637. His unwavering devotion and bravery in the face of death made him a symbol of courage and resilience, not just for Filipinos but for Catholics all over the world.

In 1987, Pope John Paul II canonized him, making San Lorenzo Ruiz a revered figure in the Philippines and a source of inspiration for believers worldwide. His legacy continues to stand as a testament to the enduring power of faith and devotion. n

Marcos vows ‘world-class’ AFP...

PAGE 1 not only those who are in active service but those whose families I consider also to be in active service. So, keep up the good work. Know that this administration and the entire country are behind you as you fulfill your duties to the nation,” he added.

Marcos noted the enlisted personnel’s crucial role as “the backbone of the military force.” Enlisted personnel comprise 90 percent of the troops, and their specialized abilities support the daily operations and institutional activities of the AFP. “You are vital to our sustained success of defending our state, our sovereignty, and our patrimony. It is, therefore, of utmost importance that we help each other and make sure that they all reach their fullest potential so that they become well-rounded soldiers,” the president said.

The president also acknowledged their

efforts to stay attuned to the needs of the Filipino troops across the country and to boost their morale and welfare.

He lauded them for their efforts to ensure the “strong and unbreakable” bonds between the AFP officials and the troops that help steer the direction and performance of the enlisted personnel within their respective units.

“This is where you Sergeants Major come into the picture. As the most senior, most experienced, [and] most seasoned amongst our enlisted personnel, you help in implementing the plans and strategies that we are enforcing on the ground,” Marcos said.

“So, for all of these things that you do, I have nothing but utmost respect and admiration for all of you and for all that you have done for our country, for our people, for our Armed Forces. So, continue to show

them your selfless and dedicated service to the nation that enabled you to reach the positions that you occupy today,” he added.

Marcos likewise commended them for engaging their counterparts from other countries, such as the United States, to discuss important issues, including the proposal to create a mutually agreed-upon Professional Development Program in support of the Philippines-United States Mutual Defense Treaty.

The president also expressed confidence that the sergeants major would continue to learn new skills, acquire more knowledge, and enhance their competence to fully realize the AFP’s objectives.

The annual traditional dinner for the AFP Council of Sergeants Major was attended by around 180 guests from the AFP, the Department of National Defense, and the

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BLESSINGS. Security forces from the Philippine National Police, Armed Forces of the Philippines, Philippine Coast Guard and Philippine Navy, as well as officials of the Commission on Elections and the Department of Education, are sent off with a chaplain’s blessings during the sendoff and turnover ceremony of personnel and resources for the Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections at Camp Crame, Quezon City on Monday, October 23.

The elections will be held Oct. 30.

PNA photo by Robert Oswald P. Alfiler

Fil-Am candidate for state...

PAGE 1 “Democratic activists make up the backbone of our party, and I’m proud to have earned their critical vote. From the bottom of my heart, thank you to all of the local delegates in AD-52 who gave me their support,” she said.

Caloza finished first place, receiving 45 votes (45.5 percent of those voting) while the other three candidates received a range of 0 to 16 votes. Since none of the candidates received over 50 percent of the vote, the party’s official recommendation was “No Consensus.”

Caloza – a first-generation immigrant who was born in Quezon City, Philippines – has gained high-powered endorsements from top elected leaders, including lawmakers Judy Chu and Ted Lieu, California Assembly Majority Leader Isaac Bryan, California Attorney General Rob Bonta and State Senators Lola SmallwoodCuevas and Dave Min. She is also backed by powerful unions—the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) California State Council and the California Federation of Teachers. SEIU represents 2 million workers in health care, property services and the public sector.

Speaking at a recent campaign fundraiser, Caloza thanked her working-class parents who have inspired her to fight for working families.

“My mom was a cashier at different gas stations, at the 99 Cents store, and put herself through vocational school and retired as a nursing assistant,” Caloza told the Fil-Am community and business leaders who attended the event. “My dad was a janitor who worked his way up and retired as a hospital orderly.”

The Oct. 12 fundraiser was hosted by Emmy Award-winning producer Lisa Lew, the daughter of the late lawyer and former Monterey Park Mayor Gonzalo Monty Manibog, the first Fil-Am to become an elected official in Southern California.

If elected, Caloza would be the first Filipino woman in the state legislature.

Caloza was the first in her family to graduate from college. After graduation from UC San Diego, she knew she wanted to be in public service. “I saw how government can change lives,” she said.

She has served in various roles in government, most recently as the deputy chief of staff to California Attorney General Rob Bonta. Previously, Caloza served as a Los Angeles public works commissioner and also worked in President Barack Obama’s administration as an education policy advisor.

Jessica Caloza has also served as a community organizer on President Obama’s campaign and worked for social justice nonprofits that provided critical services to immigrants, working families and youth.

The 52nd Assembly District includes parts of Highland Park, Eagle Rock, Glendale and Silver Lake. The incumbent, Assemblymember Wendy Carrillo, is retiring to run for the L.A. City Council District 14. (Nimfa Rueda/Inquirer.net) n

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OCTOBER 27 - NOVEMBER 2, 2023 • SAN DIEGO ASIAN JOURNAL

Dateline USA

http://www.asianjournal.com • (818) 502-0651 • (619) 474-0588

The new vaccines and you: Americans...

PAGE 1 saw hiccups, with short supplies at some pharmacies and billing confusion with some insurers, the shots now are generally available at no cost.

What’s more, after enduring the worst pandemic in a century, people are more attuned to protecting themselves and those around them. Wearing face masks and staying home when sick can stop the spread of most respiratory infections. The rate of flu vaccinations has climbed over the past five years.

“It seems like the pandemic reminded them of how important vaccination is,” said Brian Poole, a microbiologist at Brigham Young University in Utah. In a study of college students, Poole and other researchers found that flu vaccination rates have nearly tripled since 2007, from 12% to 31% in the respiratory infection season of 2022-23. Only a minority of students expressed “vaccine fatigue.”

There is, however, one dangerous departure from the past. Vaccination has become politicized, with college students and older adults who identify as Republican or conservative being less likely to get COVID vaccines, as well as vaccinations against flu.

Before 2018, studies found that political affiliation had no influence on vaccine uptake. But as measures to limit COVID, such as school and church closures, became controversial, some political leaders downplayed the effects of COVID — even as the pandemic’s U.S. death toll soared above 1 million.

That messaging has led to a disbelief in public health information. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports data showing that COVID hospitalizations nearly tripled in the latest surge, with more than 40,000 hospitalizations in the first two weeks of September compared with about 13,600 in the same period of July. But in a recent KFF poll, half of Republicans did not believe in the surge, compared with just 23% of Democrats.

Messaging to minimize the toll of COVID also makes vaccines seem unnecessary, with 24% of Republicans leaning toward getting the updated COVID shot versus 70% of Democrats in the KFF poll. A larger share of vaccine-eligible adults said they planned to get, or have gotten, the flu shot and a new RSV vaccine.

“It’s important to recognize that the flu, COVID, and respiratory viruses still kill a lot of people, and that the vaccines against those viruses save lives,” said David Dowdy, an epidemiologist at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore. Flu vaccines prevent up to 87,000 hospitalizations and 10,000 deaths each year in the United States. “I like to highlight that,” Dowdy added, “as opposed to making up terms like ‘triple-demic’ to make people cower in fear.”

Dowdy predicted this fall and winter will be better than the past few, when patients with COVID, influenza, or RSV filled hospitals. Even so, he estimated that more people will die than in the seasons before COVID appeared. About 58,000 people died from the flu last season, and hundreds of thousands more were sickened, staying home from school and work. This year, the flu doesn’t appear to be kicking off unusually early, as it did last year with cases picking up in November, rather than in January. And more people are partially immune to COVID due to vaccines and prior infections.

The effectiveness of flu vaccines varies depending on how well its formula matches the virus circulating.

This year’s vaccine appears more protective than last year’s, which reduced the risk of hospitalization from the flu by about 44% among adults. This year, researchers expect an effectiveness of about 52%,

based on data collected during South America’s earlier flu season. Its benefit was higher for children, reducing hospitalizations by 70%.

The flu’s toll tends to be uneven among demographic groups. Over the past decade, hospitalization rates due to the flu were 1.8 times as high among Black people in the United States as among white individuals. Just 42% of Black adults were vaccinated against the flu during that period, compared with 54% of white or Asian adults.

Other issues, ranging from a lack of paid sick leave and medical care to a prevalence of underlying conditions, probably contribute to this disparity.

People who have asthma, diabetes, or cardiovascular issues or are immunocompromised are at higher risk of a severe case of flu.

Sean O’Leary, an infectious disease pediatrician and the chair of the American Academy of Pediatrics committee on infectious diseases, urges parents to vaccinate their kids against influenza and COVID. Children hospitalized with co-infections of the two viruses last year were put on ventilators — an intense form of life support to allow them to breathe — far more often than those hospitalized for the flu alone. And COVID is surging now, O’Leary said.

Hospitalizations among children under age 18 increased nearly fivefold from June to September.

“Almost all of our kids who have died have been completely unvaccinated” against COVID, he said.

The FDA greenlighted new RSV vaccines from the pharmaceutical companies GSK and Pfizer this year.

On Sept. 22, the CDC recommended that pregnant mothers get vaccinated to protect their newborns from RSV, as well as infants under 8 months old.

The disease is the leading cause of hospitalization for infants in the United States. The agency also advises people age 60 and older to get the vaccine because RSV kills between 6,000 to 10,000 older adults each year.

Rather than vaccination, the CDC advised a new long-acting antibody treatment, nirsevimab, for children between 8 to 19 months old who are at risk of RSV. However, the price could be cost-prohibitive — anticipated at $300 to $500 a dose — and many hospitals lack the staff needed to administer it.

Although insurers cover it, the American Academy of Pediatrics warns that reimbursement often lags for a year. “We don’t have the infrastructure in place to ensure all children can access the product,” said its president, Sandy Chung, in a statement. “And that is alarming.”

If the wrinkles can be ironed out, said Helen Chu, an infectious disease specialist at the University of Washington in Seattle, better tools could arrive as early as next year. Pfizer, Moderna, and other pharmaceutical companies are developing mRNA vaccines against influenza and RSV that may more precisely target each year’s circulating virus.

Today’s flu and RSV vaccines are produced using traditional vaccine platforms, such as within chicken eggs, that are more cumbersome to handle, and therefore the vaccines take longer to develop each year. And President Joe Biden has awarded companies $1 billion to develop COVID vaccines that provide longer protection.

“The future is going to be all three vaccines together,” Chu said, “but that will be a while yet.”

(Amy Maxmen/KFF Health News) KFF Health News is a national newsroom that produces in-depth journalism about health issues and is one of the core operating programs at KFF— an independent source of health policy research, polling, and journalism.

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SAN DIEGO ASIAN JOURNAL • OCTOBER 27 - NOVEMBER 2, 2023

Dateline Philippines

Zubiri: SC decision didn’t diminish Senate’s power

by Cecille Suerte Felipe Philstar.com

MANILA — Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri on Tuesday, October 24 downplayed the impact of the Supreme Court (SC)’s decision denying the Senate’s petition challenging the constitutionality of former president Rodrigo Duterte’s directive to bar executive officials from attending Senate hearings.

“It is my position that the ruling does not in any way diminish or disturb longestablished doctrines on the legislative’s power to conduct inquiries in aid of legislation,” Zubiri said.

The SC denied the petition for certiorari and prohibition filed by the Senate, which challenged the constitutionality of Duterte’s memorandum barring executive officials from attending hearings conducted by the Senate Blue Ribbon committee on the budget utilization of the Department of Health (DOH).

Through a memorandum in October 2021, Duterte, through then executive secretary Salvador Medialdea, prohibited executive officials and employees from attending the Senate hearings on the government’s disbursement of COVID-19 funds.

Zubiri clarified that the Senate “respects the Court’s decision and the body will discuss how to move forward with this.”

He said they would “certainly study the decision and use it to strengthen our internal rules while preserving our constitutional mandate.”

The Senate president explained that the SC dismissed the case on procedural and not on substantive grounds – it considered the filing of the case as premature, saying that the jurisdictional issue raised by the executive branch should have been first resolved by the Senate using its own rules.

“We note that the decision recognizes and upholds the

Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri

inherence and breadth of the power of Congress to conduct inquiries in aid of legislation, provided that the inquiry is material or necessary to legislation,” he said.

For former Senate president Vicente Sotto III, the SC decision only supported the Senate as a co-equal branch of the executive, maintaining that he has yet to read the complete SC decision.

“While the SC denied the Senate’s petition, its decision only buttressed the independence of the Senate as a co-equal branch of the executive by declaring that the Senate rules should be followed in resolving matters within its committee’s jurisdiction,” Sotto said.

“Also, as already pronounced by the SC in the case of Senate vs. Ermita in 2006, the Congress has the right to compel the appearance of officials to hearings in aid of legislation, which the Senate used as a basis in its petition and still the case law on the matter,” he added.

Dissenting opinion Meanwhile, Associate Justice Alfredo Benjamin Caguioa asserted that the SC should not have dismissed the petition challenging the constitutionality of a Duterte’s 2021 memorandum.

Philstar.com file photo

In his dissenting opinion, Caguioa said the high court should not resort to “technicalities to conveniently justify” the dismissal of the petition and “ultimately, evade its obligation to be the final arbiter on questions involving the validity of the legislative or executive’s exercise of its authority.”

In the SC ruling, penned by Associate Justice Amy LazaroJavier, the high court found that there is no actual case or controversy ripe for judicial adjudication, considering that the Senate itself has its own rules in resolving committee jurisdiction challenges and should have resorted to that before bringing the case to the SC. The ruling also found that the memorandum posed no immediate or threatened injury to the powers of the Senate.

Caguioa argued that the SC’s power of judicial review is based on its duty to settle actual controversies and determine whether there has been grave abuse of discretion on the part of any branch or instrumentality of the government.

“More than a power or authority to settle disputes, the court has a duty to fulfill its role in the system of checks

u PAGE 7

5

Rice retail prices rise by P2 per kilo

by Bella Cariaso Philstar.com

MANILA — Retail prices of rice have increased by P2 per kilo amid the rising farmgate price of palay, according to retailers’ group Grains Retailers Confederation of the Philippines (GRECON).

In an interview with The STAR, GRECON national president James Magbanua said that in the Visayas alone, the buying price of fresh palay increased to P19 from P17 per kilo, and between P24 and P25 for dry palay.

“The farmgate price of palay has increased since last week and it follows that once the farmgate price goes up, the retail price of rice will also go up. The P45 per kilo and P40 plus per kilo of rice is still available,” Magbanua said.

He said the buying price of palay is higher in Luzon.

Farmers’ group Samahang Industriya ng Agrikultura (SINAG) chairman Rosendo So earlier said the farmgate price of palay has reached P27 per kilo.

“The P27 per kilo buying price of palay is in Luzon. Here in the Visayas, it has yet to reach that level,” Magbanua said.

He said he does not agree with So’s proposal for President Marcos to impose another price ceiling of P45 per kilo on rice next month amid the increase in

the farmgate price of the staple.

“To me, the price cap is not advisable. It is not healthy for the economy,” Magbanua said.

He said that farmers benefit from the upward trend in the farmgate price of palay.

“For the first time, I did not hear farmers complain about the low buying price of palay,” he said.

Magbanua said the government should subsidize the retail price of rice instead of imposing a price ceiling.

“The government can subsidize, but not the price cap. If it will release funding, it is better to subsidize (the retail price of the grains),” he said, noting that farmers are encouraged to plant more because of the high buying price of palay.

“We need to implement a longterm solution to increase the yield (of the farmers) and lower the production cost. These should include transfer of technology, modernization of the sector and lower the production cost of the farmers. The government should address the high cost of farm inputs,” Magbanua said.

He gave assurance that the supply of rice amid the peak harvest season would be adequate.

Meanwhile, Raul Montemayor, national chairman of the Federation of Free Farmers (FFF), said that traders anticipate high

farmgate prices after the peak harvest season and the possible impact of the El Niño phenomenon in the increase in the buying price of palay.

“There is an uptick in palay prices, which is good for farmers.

But with the large harvest coming in, I don’t think prices will spike up very much. If ever in the short-term only, but the increase in palay prices – when these should be going down during the peak harvest season – indicates that traders anticipate higher prices after the harvest months, probably because of the continued high international prices and possible effects of El Niño,” Montemayor said in a separate message to The STAR. Montemayor said he is validating reports that retail prices of rice have increased.

Like Magbanua, he also opposed a suggestion to reimplement the price ceiling on rice.

“This (increase in the retail price of rice) should not be a reason to impose price caps and end up depressing palay prices and penalizing farmers again for something that is not their fault. The best and most reliable way to offset the increase in international prices and effects of El Niño is to encourage, not discourage, farmers to plant more by giving them a good price for their produce,” he said. n

Screengrab from RTVM Facebook

Marcos vows ‘world-class’...

PAGE 3 Office of the Presidential Adviser on Military and Police Affairs.

The event took place in conjunction with the

celebration of the 27th Non-Commissioned Officers Week and the 54th Founding Anniversary of the Office of the AFP Sergeant Major. (By Catherine S. Valente/ManilaTimes.net) n

6

OCTOBER 27 - NOVEMBER 2, 2023 • SAN DIEGO ASIAN JOURNAL

Opinion

Maritime squatter

http://www.asianjournal.com • (818) 502-0651 • (619) 474-0588

Features

It was described as a collision. But the West Philippine Sea is a vast expanse, and in fine weather, there is no reason for vessels in the area to be bumping into each other accidentally.

China, whose greedy claim over nearly the entire South China Sea has been invalidated by the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague, keeps trying to prevent the Philippines from carrying out resupply missions to soldiers stationed in the transport ship BRP Sierra Madre, which is grounded on Ayungin or Second Thomas Shoal.

The Philippines cannot let its troops, who are guarding the country’s maritime sovereign rights, starve to death or run out of needed supplies on the Sierra Madre.

On Sunday morning, October 22, China coast guard vessels again blocked a Philippine resupply mission to Ayungin. One of its ships and a Philippine vessel collided. Ayungin is within the Philippines’ 200-nautical-mile exclusive economic zone as defined under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. Based on UNCLOS, to which both the Philippines and China are signatories, the arbitration court had declared that the Philippines has sovereign rights over Ayungin as well as Panganiban or Mischief

Reef and Recto Bank. China should be asking the Philippines for permission to be in that area.

The arbitration court, in the same ruling that defined the Philippines’ maritime economic entitlements, also invalidated China’s entire nine-dash-line claim in the South China Sea, and declared that Beijing is violating Philippine rights by keeping out Filipino fishermen from Panatag or Scarborough Shoal.

Beijing has tried to bolster its baseless maritime claims by taking over reefs including Panganiban in the South China Sea and turning these into military-fortified artificial islands, destroying the natural marine environment and posing a threat to freedom of navigation.

It deploys hundreds of militia vessels and coast guard ships, which are under its military command, to operate in swarms and try to keep ManilaTimes.net photo Philippine fishing and patrol vessels out of the Philippine Sea. The government should do to mustering greater international support for West Philippine Sea. Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro has more to put an end to Chinese bullying. The a rules-based order in the South China Sea. described China as a “squatter” in the West collision on Sunday, Oct. 22 should give urgency (Philstar.com)

Editorial

APEC San Francisco summit preparations in full swing

Babe’s Eye View Babe Romualdez THE city of San Francisco in California is pulling out all the stops for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Economic Leaders’ Conference in November, with an estimated 30,000 delegates composed of CEOs, entrepreneurs, thought leaders, media representatives and other key stakeholders together with world leaders from the Asia-Pacific region.

Several of my business friends joining the president privately messaged me wondering why San Francisco was chosen as the venue for APEC 2023. There has been a lot of news coming out depicting San Francisco as a deteriorating city due to the crime surge especially in the downtown area, but local officials, particularly the police, are putting things in order and tightening up security measures for such a high-level event as APEC, which has been described as the “Super Bowl of World Economies.”

The San Francisco police, the Sheriff’s office and the California

Highway Patrol are all working together with various federal agencies to secure the areas where the leaders’ summit and other conferences will be happening. Road closures and parking restrictions will be implemented, delivery vehicles entering the secure zones will be strictly scrutinized and screened, while flight and maritime restrictions on the bay will also be imposed.

The U.S. Secret Service of course is also involved in the preparations to help ensure the safety not only of the participants and the general public during the weeklong event but most especially the state leaders who will be taking part in the APEC Leaders’ Summit from Nov. 15 to 18, which has been designated by the Department of Homeland Security as a “national special security event.”

Recognizing that such a mammoth event will undoubtedly impact the residents of San Francisco, the Secret Service through Assistant Special Agent in Charge Jeremy Brown had assured that the goal of their law enforcement and public safety partners is to “provide a secure environment

while minimizing impact and inconveniences to residents and businesses.”

While acknowledging the great opportunity to showcase San Francisco on a global scale, police chief Bill Scott also issued a warning that “any act of violence against any members of the public or against law enforcement will not be tolerated” and that all available resources will be used to protect the city.

The APEC is the biggest forum of international stature that the city will be hosting in almost 80 years, and local organizers are understandably excited at the economic boon that the event will bring to hotels, restaurants and other business establishments, with many expressing optimism that this would press the “restart button” for their tourism industry.

APEC economies – composed of the U.S., Japan, Australia, Canada, South Korea, Singapore, China, Brunei, Chile, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Russia, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam and the Philippines – account for close

to 40 percent of the world’s population or about 3 billion people, representing 62 percent of world GDP and 48 percent of world trade in 2021, with real GDP increasing from $19 trillion in 1989 to $58.2 trillion in 2021, according to APEC data.

Established in November 1989, APEC has since become a dynamic engine of economic growth and has emerged as one of the most important regional forums in the Asia-Pacific region. The idea of a regional economic and trade forum was first brought forth by the late Australian Prime Minister Robert James “Bob” Hawke in January 1989, when he gave a speech before a Korean business community in Seoul.

The idea was simple – economies in the region should help each other as they pursue more trade, partnerships and prosperity. Hawke saw the potential of the region in helping resolve global issues, and appointed then Secretary of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade Richard Woolcott as his special envoy to hold consultations with leaders across the Asia-Pacific region on the possibility of holding a ministerial level forum. In

November 1989, the first APEC leaders’ meeting was held in Canberra, with the Philippines as one of the 12 founding members.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. confirmed his attendance at the Leaders’ Summit as early as August during a courtesy call in Malacañang by the members of the U.S.-ASEAN Business Council (U.S.-ABC) led by its president and CEO, Ambassador Ted Osius, who brought 30 members with him, the largest contingent ever to visit the Philippines. The U.S.-ABC expressed interest in pursuing investments in a number of industries such as infrastructure, agriculture, clean energy, green metals and semiconductors.

We have been coordinating with the State Department for protocol, security and other details, with our San Francisco consulate taking the lead more or less in the arrangements for the president’s participation.

Consul General Neil Ferrer has been attending meetings and other activities relative to the preparations for the summit under the theme of “Creating a Resilient and Sustainable Future for All,” with

emphasis on building a more interconnected, innovative and inclusive APEC region to bring about economic recovery and long-term prosperity.

President Marcos, who is one of the speakers during the highlevel dialogue on “Intentional Equity in Sustainability,” has a very good opportunity to engage with the top CEOs and highlight the economic reforms that the country has been pursuing and implementing to attract more foreign investment and expand commerce, not only domestically but also globally.

The president will also bring into focus energy security which, as he has explained on several occasions, is high on his economic agenda, particularly in sustainable land, water and ocean solutions that align with the Philippines’ climate goals and will support plans to transform the Philippines into an upper middle-income country by 2025. (Philstar.com) *** The opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by the author do not necessarily reflect the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints of the Asian Journal, its management, editorial board and staff.

*** babeseyeview@gmail.com

South China Sea: Three ticking time bombs

Horizons

Richard Heydarian “AMERICAN leadership is what holds the world together,” declared United States President Joseph Biden amid an era of unprecedented strategic challenges, stretching across the Eurasian landmass and the IndoPacific. Accordingly, he called on the U.S. Congress to support the expansion of defense aid to besieged allies in Eastern Europe and the Middle East.

Billing himself as a “wartime president,” Biden asked for additional defense aid of $61.4 billion for Kyiv and $14.3 billion for Tel Aviv. Meanwhile, the entire Indo-Pacific theater, home to the world’s largest and most dynamic nations, would be entitled to $2 billion in additional funding. In many ways, the U.S. President’s speech was both understandable and baffling.

On one hand, Biden sought to present the U.S. as an anchor of international stability as well as a reliable strategic patron to allies in multiple theaters of conflict.

Yet, the gap between the U.S. defense spending priorities, on the one hand, and the American people’s threat perceptions, on the other hand, is quite telling.

According to the latest Pew Research Center survey, American people overwhelmingly see China (50 percent) as the greatest source of external threat, far ahead of Russia (17 percent) and North Korea (2 percent).

Interestingly, Biden himself and the U.S. defense establishment themselves have repeatedly identified China as the greatest challenge to American primacy throughout the years.

Moreover, the U.S. has been extremely generous to allies in both Eastern Europe and the Middle East. Last year, Ukraine received more than $46 billion in aid from Washington alone.

As for Israel, it received more than $300 billion in military aid between 1946 and 2022.

With both allies facing security challenges, the U.S. is signaling massive military aid for the foreseeable future.

And this, dear reader, brings us to the Philippines and, accordingly, existential threats in the West Philippine Sea. To put things into perspective: America’s total defense aid to the Philippines in the past decade has been barely above $1 billion, even as we have been confronting the world’s largest naval force in the South China Sea. In fact, the Philippines is

confronting three ticking time bombs in the South China Sea. First is, of course, the Scarborough Shoal, which was coercively overtaken by China in 2012 after Washington refused to decisively intervene on behalf of its ally. And as the latest developments suggest, a potential armed confrontation between China and the Philippines over the contested shoal is far from unthinkable.

Just as worrying is the simultaneous crisis in the Second Thomas Shoal. Our de facto base in the area, the dilapidated BRP Sierra Madre, is about to succumb to the elements, but China has made it crystal clear that they would intervene should we seek to refurbish our position in the area. So the Philippines is facing an impossible situation, whereby it risks either (i) confrontation with an Asian juggernaut or (ii) losing more sovereign rights in the West Philippine Sea. As if that weren’t bad enough, the Philippines is also running out of time to secure its energy security.

The Malampaya plant is set to run out in the coming years, but we are yet to develop our energy resources in the Reed Bank area amid China’s constant harassment.

Years-long negotiations

China Coast Guard ship with bow No. 4302 shadows one of two Philippine Navy boats on a resupply mission to the BRP Sierra Madre at Ayungin Shoal in the West Philippine Sea. Inquirer.net file photo

over a joint exploration deal, under a “service contract” modality, collapsed, thanks to Beijing’s refusal to respect both international law and the Philippines’ constitution.

Next to Taiwan, which faces the real prospect of a full-scale Chinese invasion, the Philippines is arguably the most besieged American ally in the IndoPacific. And unlike America’s allies in other major theaters, we are yet to develop a minimum credible defense posture against a superpower.

Against this backdrop, we should welcome Vice President Sara Duterte’s (surprisingly) statesmanlike intervention last week, namely her call for a (humanitarian) ceasefire and “long-term peace” in the Middle East. We should also hope that Ukraine will soon be in a position to negotiate for peace from a position of strength in order to best protect its sovereignty against an aggressive Russia.

The reality is that the Philippines can’t deal with the China challenge without robust U.S.

assistance. Yet, the U.S. is no longer a “hyperpower,” namely the colossus that could intervene in multiple theaters effectively.

And China, like no other revisionist actor, is in a position to threaten multiple U.S. allies in the Indo-Pacific. (Inquirer.net) *** The opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by the author do not necessarily reflect the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints of the Asian Journal, its management, editorial board and staff.

*** rheydarian@inquirer.com.ph

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7

‘No Filipino should be left behind in Israel-Hamas conflict’ DFA exec says 20 Filipinos in West Bank want to go back to PH

by Delon Porcalla Philstar.com

by Charie Abarca Inquirer.net

MANILA — Almost 20 Filipinos in the West Bank have signified their desire to return to the Philippines as fighting between Israel and the Palestinian militant group Hamas intensifies.

“There are a few. Almost 20 [Filipinos who have signified their intentions]. But [their repatriation] would be easier,” Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Eduardo de Vega said in a mix of English and Filipino during an interview with Radyo 630.

The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) official also said at least 122 Filipinos are in the West Bank, one of two designated Palestinian-occupied territories, the other being the Gaza Strip.

“Out of that, mga 20 ang gustong umuwi. Well, hindi magkaka giyera doon. Pero

‘yung peace and order [ang concern at] maraming protest ngayon. Mas madali ‘yun kasi tatawid lang [sila] ng Jordan,” he added.

(Out of that, about 20 want to go home. Well, there will be no war there. But peace and order [is the concern, and] there are many protests now. That’s easier because [they] will just cross Jordan.)

De Vega did not provide more details, including the repatriation schedule, but noted that the Philippine government will bring them home as “soon as possible.”

The DFA has raised crisis alert level 2 over West Bank. The Philippine Embassy in Jordan said this alert level is issued when there are “real threats to the life, security, and property of Filipinos” arising from internal and external threats to the host country. n

Zubiri: SC decision...

PAGE 5 and balances,” he said.

He added that it is “completely illogical” to claim that there was no immediate or threatened injury to the powers of the Senate with the issuance of the memorandum, since executive branch officials attended the previous hearings prior to the order.

“I therefore disagree with the pretextual dismissal of the petition because of the supposed absence of an actual case or controversy before the court. That is simply not the case,” Caguioa said.

“By dismissing the petition on the ground of prematurity, the court deliberately closed its eyes to the public statements of the president prior to and contemporaneous with the issuance of the subject memorandum,” he added.

The associate justice also argued that it is a “trivial and vain exercise” to require the Senate to rule on its own on the jurisdictional challenge before filing a petition before the SC, saying the Senate’s

petition mainly questioned the constitutionality of the memorandum.

“This bone of contention presented by the Senate is already beyond and above a mere assertion of its jurisdiction to conduct inquiries and to compel the executive officials to again attend its hearings. This time, the Senate is already questioning the constitutionality of the action of a co-equal branch,” he said.

“When there is a perceived encroachment by one branch of the government on the mandate and functions of the other, there is no other arbiter than the court itself,” he added.

Chief Justice Alexander Gesmundo and 12 other SC justices concurred with the ruling penned

by Javier, all of whom are Duterte’s appointees.

Caguioa and Senior Associate Justice Marvic Leonen, who were appointed

by Duterte’s predecessor, the late former president Benigno Aquino III, issued dissenting opinions. n

MANILA — A senior administration legislator is calling on the Marcos administration to do all it can in ensuring that no Filipino is trapped in the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas.

“Let us stand united, ensuring that no Filipino is left behind, and reaffirm our commitment to their welfare during this critical period,” Rep. Ron Salo, chairman of the House committee on overseas workers affairs, said following the recent opening of the Egypt-Gaza border.

“It is crucial to seize this opportunity for the safe exit of Filipinos. We urge the Department of Foreign Affairs to coordinate closely with Egyptian officials and international organizations,” he said.

“It is imperative that we ensure Filipinos won’t be left behind when other nationalities are allowed to exit. Every effort must be made to bring our countrymen home swiftly and securely. In the midst of this operation, maintaining clear and constant communication with Filipinos is paramount,” he said.

Eighteen Filipino repatriates arrived on Sunday, October 22 at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport from Israel.

They were the second batch of repatriates who arrived in the country over the weekend since Oct. 20.

As of October 21, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) has assisted a total of 34 overseas Filipino workers through the provision of Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation program.

Each repatriated OFW received P10,000 cash aid and food assistance worth P10,000.

“We will also endorse them to their respective DSWD Field Offices for possible provision of additional services,” Assistant Secretary for strategic communications

Romel Lopez said.

Repatriation from Lebanon The Philippine embassy in Beirut urged Filipinos in Lebanon to be voluntarily repatriated as tensions increase between Israel and Hezbollah.

“Due to the heightened tension in the southern border of Lebanon, the Philippine embassy calls for the voluntary repatriation of Filipino nationals,” the embassy said in its advisory.

Alert Level 3 was raised over Lebanon due to the worsening fighting related to the Israeli conflict.

Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Eduardo de Vega said in a radio interview on Sunday that “Filipinos are being informed that there is a program for repatriation and advised to go home.”

There are around 17,500 Filipinos in Lebanon.

On Tuesday, the embassy urged Filipinos close to Lebanon’s southern border to evacuate preemptively amid persistent tension in the border.

The embassy reminded Filipinos to “take caution and avoid public places, social gatherings, and unnecessary travels around Lebanon, especially to the South” due to the ongoing mass protests across Lebanon and persistent tension in the southern border, “posing a significant threat to the safety and security of civilians.”

Since violence escalated between Israel and the occupied Palestinian territory on Oct. 7, there have also been clashes on the border between Israel and south Lebanon, resulting in casualties among civilians.

Energy supply effects Meanwhile, the Department of Energy (DOE) is hoping the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas will be contained as the agency continues to keep a close watch on developments abroad.

Asked if the country should now be

worried about the conflict’s potential repercussions to the local energy sector, Energy Secretary Raphael Lotilla said “we continue to monitor.”

The DOE earlier said it does not expect the attacks on Israel to have long-term effects on oil and gas prices, unless the conflict escalates.

Last week, however, concerns escalated as Israel’s expected ground offensive against Hamas in Gaza was feared to set up a regional war involving Iran.

“If dragged directly into the conflict amid the proxy war, Iran could potentially use as a threat the blockage of the Strait of Hormuz, an important passage for international oil tankers, in retaliation to any action against it,” Rizal Commercial Banking Corp. chief economist treasury group Michael Ricafort said.

Latest data from the DOE showed that all crude oil imported by the country for the first half was sourced from the Middle East.

Bulk or 50.2 percent of it came from Saudi Arabia at 1,744 million liters, making it the country’s major supplier of crude oil.

This was followed by United Arab Emirates, which provided 26.9 percent equivalent to 936 million liters, while the remaining 22.9 percent, equivalent to 796 million liters, were imported from Iraq.

“To ensure a continuous, adequate and stable supply of oil in the country, the DOE still enforces the minimum inventory requirement (MIR),” the agency said.

“Current MIR for refiners stands at incountry stocks equivalent to 30 days of crude and finished products, while an equivalent of 15 days stock of finished products is required for the bulk marketers/importers and seven days for LPG importers,” it said.

The country’s imports volume of crude oil totaled to 3,476 million liters in the first semester, up by 23.7 percent from June 2022’s volume of 2,811 million liters. n

Comelec will not proclaim 241 bets

by William B. Depasupil ManilaTimes.net

THE Commission on Elections (Comelec) has issued an order suspending the proclamation of at least 241 candidates if they win in the Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE) on Monday, October 30.

Chairman George Erwin Garcia said on Wednesday, October 25 that the decision was arrived at during the regular Comelec en banc session because of pending disqualification cases against the said candidates.

The list includes candidates for barangay and SK chairman, and barangay and SK councils.

SD#0274

Advertisement for Bids Notice is hereby given that the San Diego Unified School District, acting by and through its governing board, will electronically receive bids for the furnishing of all labor, materials, transportation, equipment, and services for: EXTERIOR PAINTING AT POINT LOMA HIGH SCHOOL A mandatory site visit is scheduled for 9:00 a.m. on THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2023, outside the main office of Point Loma High School, 2335 Chatsworth Boulevard, San Diego, CA 92106. Contractors and subcontractors must preregister with the District prior to attending the site walk at sandiegounified.org/sitewalks. The Bid and Contract Documents may be downloaded free of charge at the District’s online Planroom at sandiegousdplans.com. All bids must be received electronically at or before 1:00 p.m. on NOVEMBER 17, 2023. Firms interested in submitting a bid package must go to tinyurl. com/SDUSD-PlanetBids then search under “Bid Opportunities” for “Invitation number” CP24-0583-50-00-00 Exterior Painting at Point Loma High School. For new vendors, please register under “New Vendor Registration.” The project estimate is between $875,000 and $975,000. This is not a PSA project, however this project does require prequalification of all C-33 painting prime contractors, and painting subcontractors. The District requires that Bidders possess any of the following classification(s) of California State Contractors License(s), valid and in good standing, at the time of bid opening and contract award: C-33. SAN DIEGO UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT, George A. Harris III, Director, Fiscal Controls and Information Systems, Facilities Planning and Construction CP24-0583-50-00-00.

SD#0275

Advertisement for Bids Notice is hereby given that the San Diego Unified School District, acting by and through its governing board, will electronically receive bids for the furnishing of all labor, materials, transportation, equipment, and services to: DESCALE AND EPOXY LINE SEWER MAIN AT HARDY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL A mandatory site visit is scheduled for 11:00 a.m. on THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2023, in front of the main office of Hardy Elementary School, 5420 Montezuma Road, San Diego, CA 92115. Contractors and subcontractors must preregister with the District prior to attending the site walk at sandiegounified.org/sitewalks. The Bid and Contract Documents may be downloaded free of charge at the District’s online Planroom at sandiegousdplans. com. All bids must be received electronically at or before 1:00 p.m. on NOVEMBER 16, 2023. Firms interested in submitting a bid package must go to tinyurl.com/SDUSDPlanetBids then search under “Bid Opportunities” for “Invitation number” CP24-063752-00-00 Descale and Epoxy Line Sewer Main at Hardy Elementary School. For new vendors, please register under “New Vendor Registration.” The project estimate is between $25,000 and $32,000. This is not a PSA project and does not require prequalification. The District requires that Bidders possess any of the following classification(s) of California State Contractors License(s), valid and in good standing, at the time of bid opening and contract award: A, C-36, or other appropriate license, subject to District approval. SAN DIEGO UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT, George A. Harris III, Director, Fiscal Controls and Information Systems, Facilities Planning and Construction CP24-0637-52-00-00

Garcia said that the cases against the 241 candidates range from premature campaigning, vote buying, illegal campaigning, and violations of the anti-political dynasty prohibition.

Some filed their certificates of candidacy despite the perpetual disqualification from holding public office orders issued by the Office of the Ombudsman.

“We already informed our canvassers in different barangay across the country that said personalities will not be proclaimed even if they win the elections,” the Comelec chief said.

Garcia added that the Commission will come out with

the complete list of decided disqualification cases, which are now being finalized by the Comelec First and Second Division.

“We expect the decisions one week or two weeks after the elections. We will resolve all disqualification cases so that those who win can immediately assume office,” he said.

“But till there is no decision or order to lift suspension, the candidates, if they win, will remain suspended as ordered by the Commission,” Garcia said.

At the same time, Garcia clarified that the commission excluded campaign materials posted inside private properties from its “Operation Baklas.”

“We are not removing campaign materials in private properties,” he said, following the ruling of the Supreme Court that removing campaign materials inside private properties is unconstitutional.

Garcia, however, said that even posters inside private properties should comply with the 2x3-foot ruling; otherwise, the poll body will write the candidate a letter to take down his or her oversize posters.

“We will not run after the private property owner, but we will write the candidate to take any oversize campaign materials inside private properties. It’s up to the candidate to talk it out with the property owner,” he added. n SD#0276

ADVERTISEMENT REQUEST TO PREQUALIFY AND FOR STATEMENT OF QUALIFICATIONS FOR PRECONSTRUCTION AND CONSTRUCTION SERVICES FOR CERTAIN DISTRICT PROJECTS LEASE-LEASEBACK (LLB) GROUPS H & J – LB24-0496-42-00-00 The San Diego Unified School District (“District”) is requesting submission of a two-step process: First, a prequalification application with the supplemental prequalification for LLB projects (“Prequalification Application(s)”). Second, once prequalified, Contractors will be invited to submit a statement of qualifications (“SOQ(s)”) (together, “Response(s)”), from qualified firms, partnerships, corporations, associations, persons, or professional organizations (“Contractor(s)” or “Firm(s)” or “Proposer(s)”) to perform preconstruction services and construction services for projects pursuant to a LLB structure*.

This request is not a formal request for bids or an offer by the District to contract with any Contractor responding to this Request to Prequalify and for Statement of Qualifications (“RFPQ”). The District intends to create two pools, Group H and Group J, of qualified Contractors that the District intends to maintain for two (2) years with two options to extend for an additional year each (at the District’s discretion) for a qualification term of three (3) or four (4) years in total. The District intends to then solicit from these pools, proposals for certain projects through subsequent Request(s) for Proposal (“RFP(s)”). Group H Pool is for projects at or below $26,000,000 in estimated value. Group J Pool is for projects at or above $26,000,001 in estimated value. A mandatory pre-SOQ conference will be held November 3, 2023 at 10:00 AM via Zoom online conferencing. All participants are required to pre-register. The pre-registration information will be given to interested Contractors who email Ashley Mains at amains@sandi.net when requesting the RFPQ package. The conference is expected to take approximately one (1) hour. Failure to attend or extreme tardiness and to sign in will render a Contractor’s Proposal ineligible. Completed prequalification package must be submitted at or before 2:00 PM on November 9, 2023 via email to Ashley Mains at amains@sandi.net. Contractors who have been prequalified will be invited to submit a SOQ on or before 2:00 PM on December 13, 2023. Go to Planet Bids for the complete details: https:// www.planetbids.com/portal/portal.cfm?CompanyID=43764. Search for “Invitation number” LB24-049642-00-00 Request to PQ & SOQ for Preconstruction & Construction Services for LLB Groups H & J. For new vendors, please register under “New Vendor Registration”. *Note: Authorized under Education Code section §17406, LLB is a common delivery method used by approximately 89 school districts in California, including 15 school districts within San Diego County. Effective January 1, 2017, LLB is to be used via a competitive selection process for best value award (in contrast to the regular design-bid-build which requires award to the lowest bidder). The Board of Education for the San Diego Unified School District reserves the right to reject any and all submissions and to waive any irregularities. SAN DIEGO UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT, George A. Harris III, Director, Fiscal Controls and Information Systems, Facilities Planning and Construction.

8

OCTOBER 27 - NOVEMBER 2, 2023 • SAN DIEGO ASIAN JOURNAL

http://www.asianjournal.com • (818) 502-0651 • (619) 474-0588

Raps filed vs cop, 11 others over attack on village bets in Cotabato

by William B. Depasupil ManilaTimes.net

MULTIPLE murder and double frustrated murder complaints have been filed against a police officer, a candidate for village chief, and 10 others for Monday night’s (October 23) killing of three people posting campaign materials for the October 30 elections.

Cotabato City Police Station 1 Chief Capt. Jemu Ramolete said people named on the complaint sheet were Juhalidin Ladesla Abdul, alias “Boyong,” candidate for chairperson of Barangay Rosary Heights 12; Police M/Sgt. Pauti Dianal Mamalapat of Maguindanao del Sur police; and their 10 relatives, many from Guindulungan, Maguindanao del Sur, for

involvement in the attack that killed Nur Muktadin Butucan, Alffar Ayunan Pasawilan, and Faizal Abas.

The complaints against them were filed before the city prosecutor’s office here on Wednesday, October 25.

Butucan and Pasawilan were candidates for village council seats, the former in Rosary Heights 12 while the latter in Kalanganan 2. Abas was a supporter of Pasawilan.

Saipol Sapalon and Fayed Daud, both from Kalanganan 2, were injured during the incident.

All victims were displaying campaign posters when they were shot at around 9:30 p.m. on Monday.

In a hot pursuit operation, the police, backed by Marines soldiers, held for questioning

LEGAL SERVICES NOTICE OF PETITION TO ADMINISTER ESTATE OF Ester Austria Delacruz.

CASE NO: 37-2023-00041853-PR-PW-CTL

To all heirs, beneficiaries, creditors, contingent creditors, and persons who may otherwise be interested in the will or estate, or both, of: Ester Austria Delacruz aka Ester A Delacruz A Petition for Probate has been filed by Mary Jennifer Delacruz in the Superior Court of California, County of SAN DIEGO. The Petition for Probate requests that Mary Jennifer Delacruz be appointed as personal representative to administer with will annexed the estate of the decedent.

The petition requests the decedent’s will and codicils, if any, be admitted to probate. The will and any codicils are available for examination in the file kept by the court.

The petition requests authority to administer the estate under the Independent Administration of Estates Act. (This authority will allow the personal representative to take many actions without obtaining court approval. Before taking certain very important actions, however, the personal representative will be required to give notice to interested persons unless they have waived notice or consented to the proposed action.)

The independent administration authority will be granted unless an interested person files an objection to the petition and shows good cause why the court should not grant the authority.

A hearing on the petition will be held in this court as follows: Date: 12/20/2023 Time: 1:30 P.M. Dept.: 502 Address of court: 1100 Union Street, San Diego, CA 92101 Branch Name: Central, Probate If you object to the granting of the petition, you should appear at the hearing and state your objections or file written objections with the court before the hearing.

Your appearance may be in person or by your attorney.

If you are a creditor or a contingent creditor of the decedent, you must file your claim with the court and mail a copy to the personal representative appointed by the court and mail a copy to the personal representative appointed by the court within the later of either (1) four months from the date of first issuance of letters to a general personal representative, as defined in section 58(b) of the California Probate Code, or (2) 60 days from the date of mailing or personal delivery to you of a notice under section 9052 of the California Probate Code. Other California statutes and legal authority may affect your rights as a creditor.

You may want to consult with an attorney knowledgeable in California law.

You may examine the file kept by the court. If you are a person interested in the estate, you may file with the court a Request for Special Notice (form DE-154) of the filing of an inventory and appraisal of estate assets or of any petition or account as provided in Probate Code section 1250. A Request for Special Notice form is available from the court clerk.

ATTORNEY FOR PETITIONER: RICk LEbhERz STATE bAR NO.: 316037 FIRM NAME: kAMINSkI LAW GROUP APC ADDRESS: 140 DIAMOND CREEk PLACE, SUITE 165, ROSEvILLE, CA 95747 TELEPhONE: 916-540-7619 ATTORNEY FOR PETITIONER: MARY JENNIFER DELACRUz 10/13, 10/20, 10/27/2023 AJ 1271 AJSD 1271

CASE NUMBER: 37-2023-00038123-CU-PT-CTL

TO ALL INTERESTED PERSONS: Petitioner Danielle DeVaughn per Ahmir Alexander Garcia filed a petition with this court for a decree changing names as follows: a. Ahmir Alexander Garcia to Ahmir Zion DeVaughn.

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: 11/27/2023 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. 11, 2023 NO HEARING WILL OCCUR ON ABOVE DATE: SEE ATTACHMENT Michael T. Smyth Judge of the Superior Court AJ 1278 10/20, 10/27, 11/03, and 11/10/2023 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.

To change a name on a legal document, including a birth certificate, social security card, drivers license, passport, and other identification, a certificate copy of Decree Changing Name (JC Form #NC-130) or Decree Changing Name and Order Recognizing Change of Gender and for Issuance of New Birth Certificate (JC Form #NC-230) may be required. Contact the agency(ies) who issues the legal document that need to be changed to determine if a certificate copy is required.

A certified copy of Decree Changing Name (JC Form #NC-130) or Decree Changing Name and Order Recognizing Change of Gender and for Issuance of New Birth Certificate (JC Form #NC-230) may be obtained form the Civil Business Office for a fee. Petitioners who are seeking a change of name under the Safe at Home program may contact the assigned department for information on obtaining certified copies.

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, nonsigning parent, and proof of service must be filed with the Court.

AJSD 1278

Abdul, Mamalapat, and 10 others, and were later established to be suspects in the crime after authorities seized an M-16 rifle, two hand guns, and ammunition from them.

Others who were arrested were Jayson Manguda Bansuan, Surin Alon Kamad, Daniel Gumat Paguital, Nordin Gueamel Alay, Mishal Malang Mamalapat, Abedin Saban Guinat, Buts Saban Tepay, Dixie Mahinay Garcia, Arman Mamalangkal, and Ronda Midtimbang Bansuan.

Cotbato City Police Director Col. Querubin Manalang Rosary Heights 12 is now considered a hotspot because of the incident, which was the 12th electionrelated violence recorded by the police in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim

Mindanao (BARMM).

BARMM Police Director Brig.

Gen. Allan Nobleza said they would ensure that voters in the village would be able to cast their votes freely.

Of the BARMM’s 2,592 villages, 976 are listed as areas of concern with 284 categorized as having “grave” security issues.

A teacher tasked to perform election duties for the October 30 voting in Barangay Rosary Heights 12 said he may back out because of the violence, and many of his colleagues have the same plan. The teacher requested anonymity for security reasons.

Cotabato City Mayor Bruce Matabalao said the local government is deeply saddened by the election-related tension

Cotabato City

that escalated to a violent firefight in Rosary Heights 12.

“The loss of three lives in this incident is not only tragic

but also a direct affront to the peaceful democratic process we hold dear in our city,” Matabalao added. n

LEGAL SERVICES

LEGAL SERVICES

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT NO. 2023-9018878

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT NO. 2023-9020237

Paradise View Home III located at 7373 Westbrook Ave, San Diego CA 92139.

Registrant: Bessie P. Pascual, 2015 Stillman Place, San Diego, CA 92139.

This business is conducted by Individual.

REGISTRANT FIRST BEGUN TO TRANSACT BUSINESS UNDER THE NAME(S) AS OF 03/18/2023.

Signature: Bessie P. Pascual.

Statement filed with Recorder/County Clerk of San Diego County on 09/13/2023.

AJ 1264 10/06, 10/13, 10/20, and 10/27/2023.

AJSD 1264

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT NO. 2023-9020176

Pricom Aviation Parts located at 10003 Kibler Drive, San Diego, CA 92126.

Registrant: Arnold Demetria, 10003 Kibler Drive, San Diego, CA 92126.

This business is conducted

by Individual.

REGISTRANT FIRST BEGUN TO TRANSACT BUSINESS UNDER THE NAME(S) AS OF 10/02/2023.

Signature: Arnold Demetria.

Statement filed with Recorder/County Clerk of San Diego County on 10/02/2023.

AJ 1268 10/06, 10/13, 10/20, and 10/27/2023.

AJSD 1268

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT NO. 2023-9020999

TNT Electric located at 635 Charles Dr, Oceanside, CA 92057.

Registrant: Tien Tran, 635 Charles Dr, Oceanside, CA 92057.

This business is conducted by Individual.

REGISTRANT FIRST BEGUN TO TRANSACT BUSINESS UNDER THE NAME(S) AS OF 10/11/2023.

Signature: Tien Tran.

Statement filed with Recorder/County Clerk of San Diego County on 10/13/2023.

AJ 1273 10/20, 10/27, 11/03, and 11/10/2023.

AJSD 1273

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT NO. 2023-9020916

4 A’s Alvarado Tortilla Distribution located at 736 S 37th St, San Diego, CA 92113.

Registrant: Romel Alvarado Salazar, 736 S 37th St, San Diego, CA 92113.

This business is conducted by Individual.

REGISTRANT FIRST BEGUN TO TRANSACT BUSINESS UNDER THE NAME(S) AS OF 07/01/2023.

Signature: Romel Alvarado Salazar.

Statement filed with Recorder/County Clerk of San Diego County on 10/12/2023.

AJ 1277 10/20, 10/27, 11/03, and 11/10/2023.

AJSD 1277

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT NO. 2023-9018906

Unified Realty located at 619 E. 8th St,, National City, CA 91950.

Registrant: Reynaldo Guay Tinsay, 619 E. 8th St,, National City, CA 91950.

This business is conducted by Individual.

REGISTRANT FIRST BEGUN TO TRANSACT BUSINESS UNDER THE NAME(S) AS OF 11/01/1989.

Signature: Reynaldo Guay Tinsay.

Statement filed with Recorder/County Clerk of San Diego County on 09/13/2023.

AJ 1265 10/06, 10/13, 10/20, and 10/27/2023.

AJSD 1265

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT NO. 2023-9020322

South Bay Motors located at 110 West 11th St, National City, CA 91950.

Registrant: San Diego Auto Detail Inc, 110 West 11th St, National City, CA 91950.

This business is conducted

by Corporation.

REGISTRANT FIRST BEGUN TO TRANSACT BUSINESS UNDER THE NAME(S) AS OF 01/01/2023.

Signature: Santos Topete.

Statement filed with Recorder/County Clerk of San Diego County on 10/03/2023.

AJ 1266 10/06, 10/13, 10/20, and 10/27/2023.

AJSD 1266

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT NO. 2023-9020026

Inquirer file photo

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT NO. 2023-9019308

Lemus Packing & Moving LLC located at 3955 Cottonwood St Apt B, San Diego, CA 92113.

Registrant: Lemus Packing & Moving LLC, 3955 Cottonwood St Apt B, San Diego, CA 92113.

This business is conducted

by Limited Liability Company.

REGISTRANT FIRST BEGUN TO TRANSACT BUSINESS UNDER THE NAME(S) AS OF 09/20/2023.

Signature: Brithany Y. Lemus.

Statement filed with Recorder/County Clerk of San Diego County on 09/20/2023.

AJ 1267 10/06, 10/13, 10/20, and 10/27/2023.

AJSD 1267

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT NO. 2023-9020641

a. Restate Clothing located at 11251 Rancho Carmel Dr #502261, San Diego, CA 92150. b. AV Group located at 11251 Rancho Carmel Dr #502261, San Diego, CA 92150. c. Awarded located at 11251 Rancho Carmel Dr #502261, San Diego, CA 92150.

Registrant: EZ Collective LLC, 11251 Rancho Carmel Dr #502261, San Diego, CA 92150.

This business is conducted by Limited Liability Company.

REGISTRANT FIRST BEGUN TO TRANSACT BUSINESS UNDER THE NAME(S) AS OF 10/01/2023.

Signature: Pinky Minerva.

Statement filed with Recorder/ County Clerk of San Diego County on 10/03/2023.

AJ 1269 10/13, 10/20, 10/27, and 11/03/2023.

AJSD 1269

a. NV Maximus Health And Beauty located at 1689 Barbour Ave, Chula Vista, CA 91913. b. NV Production located at 1689 Barbour Ave, Chula Vista, CA 91913. c. Noralyn Health Beauty Store located at 1689 Barbour Ave, Chula Vista, CA 91913. d. Ortega Enterprises located at 1689 Barbour Ave, Chula Vista, CA 91913. e. Ortega Wealth And Legacy located at 1689 Barbour Ave, Chula Vista, CA 91913. f. Ortega Financial Group located at 1689 Barbour Ave, Chula Vista, CA 91913. g. Ongteco Legacy located at 1689 Barbour Ave, Chula Vista, CA 91913. h. Ferrer Legacy located at 1689 Barbour Ave, Chula Vista, CA 91913. i. Ongteco Ortega Legacy located at 1689 Barbour Ave, Chula Vista, CA 91913.

Registrant: Noralyn O. Ortega, 1689 Barbour Ave, Chula Vista, CA 91913.

This business is conducted by Individual.

REGISTRANT FIRST BEGUN TO TRANSACT BUSINESS UNDER THE NAME(S) AS OF 05/24/2021.

Signature: Noralyn O. Ortega.

Statement filed with Recorder/ County Clerk of San Diego County on 09/28/2023.

AJ 1270 10/13, 10/20, 10/27, and 11/03/2023.

AJSD 1270

Shop For A Car located at 875 W. San Ysidro Boulevard Unit 14, San Diego, CA 92173.

Registrant: Shamiran Dawood Oshana, 875 W. San Ysidro Boulevard Unit 14, San Diego, CA 92173.

This business is conducted by Individual.

REGISTRANT HAS NOT BEGUN TO TRANSACT BUSINESS UNDER THE ABOVED NAME. Signature Shamiran Dawood Oshana.

Statement filed with Recorder/County Clerk of San Diego County on 10/06/2023.

AJ 1272 10/20, 10/27, 11/03, and 11/10/2023.

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT NO. 2023-9020319

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT NO. 2023-9020688

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT NO. 2023-9020696

Yamariki Sushi located at 7610 Via Campanile #148, Carlsbad, CA 92009.

Registrant: Sarangfour LLC, 12831 Western Ave Suite D, Garden Grove, CA 92841.

This business is conducted by Limited Liability Company.

REGISTRANT HAS NOT BEGUN TO TRANSACT BUSINESS UNDER THE ABOVED NAME. Signature: Namjoon Lee. Statement filed with Recorder/County Clerk of San Diego County on 10/03/2023.

AJ 1274 10/20, 10/27, 11/03, and 11/10/2023

AJSD 1274

Pennell Investment Properties INC. located at 244-A Palomar St, Chula Vista, CA 91911.

Registrant: Pennell Investment Properties INC., 244-A Palomar St, Chula Vista, CA 91911.

This business is conducted by Corporation.

REGISTRANT FIRST BEGUN TO TRANSACT BUSINESS UNDER THE NAME(S) AS OF 05/30/2005.

Signature: Robert Pennell.

Statement filed with Recorder/County Clerk of San Diego County on 10/09/2023.

AJ 1275 10/20, 10/27, 11/03, and 11/10/2023.

AJSD 1275

AJSD 1272

Pennell Property Management INC. located at 244-A Palomar St, Chula Vista, CA 91911.

Registrant: Pennell Property Management INC., 244-A Palomar St, Chula Vista, CA 91911.

This business is conducted by Corporation.

REGISTRANT FIRST BEGUN TO TRANSACT BUSINESS UNDER THE NAME(S) AS OF 01/06/2004.

Signature: Robert Pennell.

Statement filed with Recorder/County Clerk of San Diego County on 10/09/2023.

AJ 1276 10/20, 10/27, 11/03, and 11/10/2023.

AJSD 1276

SAN DIEGO

(818) 502-0651 • (619) 474-0588 • http://www.asianjournal.com

SAN DIEGO ASIAN JOURNAL • OCTOBER 27 - NOVEMBER 2, 2023

JOURNAL

9

9

O C TO B E R 27, 2 0 23

MORRIS JAMLANG AT THE NEW YORK COMIC CON

Crafting modular bags, celebrating Baybayin

by Momar G. Visaya / AJPress

AYBAYIN, the ancient writing system of the Philippines, is experiencing a resurgence driven B by government organizations, cultural groups, and dedicated artists across the Filipino diaspora.

Payload (Messenger), and Skyn. In essence, Derived from the Tagalog root word “baybay,” it’s like having a set of Legos for bags. This meaning “to spell,” Baybayin is experiencing a groundbreaking system allows each item to renaissance as it is now taught in schools, be sold independently, granting users the workshops, and lectures. Words in freedom to mix and match according to Baybayin script are printed on clothing, their needs. posters, accessories, and even on The bags that he created found its the current batch of the Philippine niche and every year, he continues to peso bills. It is also used in various find fans and new converts in comic forms of art, such as calligraphy, conventions and anime events. tattoos, and digital fonts. This Prospective buyers get to become cultural reawakening holds great creative and choose one or more significance for Filipinos, as it face plates that showcase their allows them to reconnect with a vital personalities and perspectives. part of their heritage that was nearly “Being a nerd myself, I enjoy lost to history. being in these comic cons. I was For Morris Jamlang, a a graphic designer myself in my Chicago-based Filipino-American previous life and I studied graphic entrepreneur, this cultural design and computers. I love creating reawakening struck a deeply personal things,” Morris told the Asian Journal, chord. Having spent his formative years in reflecting on his diverse background and the Philippines before relocating to the U.S. the various influences that have shaped his at 14, Morris has always cherished his roots. entrepreneurial journey.

In 2005, Morris embarked on a However, his endeavors extend business venture that would redefine beyond artistic collaboration. gear and accessories. His brainchild, Morris Jamlang, a Chicago-based Filipino-American entrepreneur, has enthusiastically embraced the resurgence of Baybayin. During With his company, Morris takes Equilibrium, was born out of a personal the pandemic, he delved into the intricate world of this ancient pride in supporting Filipino artisans quest for the perfect bag. The journey Filipino script and developed a deep affection for it. and creators. The bags, meticulously started with a simple idea: if he couldn’t crafted in the Philippines, incorporate find the bag he wanted, he’d create it his patterns, fabrics, and printing himself. It was a bold move that marked techniques. This not only provides employment and livelihood the genesis of a modular gear and accessories company.

Diving into the intricate process of research and design, Morris opportunities but also serves as a powerful testament to the dedicated two years to crafting his vision. But he didn’t stop immense talent present in the Filipino design community.

“I want to show that there’s more than just boxers, nurses, and there. For an additional year, he rigorously tested prototypes among friends and family. It wasn’t until the bags met his exacting singers coming from the Philippines. I want people to see that we standards that they made their debut in Chicago’s Wrigleyville area can also compete with good design and high-quality products,” – a vibrant neighborhood and the beloved home of the Chicago Morris emphasized, underscoring his dedication to highlighting the rich diversity of Filipino talent.

Cubs.

During the pandemic, he delved into the intricate world of What sets Equilibrium apart is its ingenious modularity. Morris envisioned a platform that would empower consumers to be Baybayin and developed a deep affection for the script. This designers in their own right. Much like assembling Lego bricks, newfound appreciation led him to create customizable face plates each piece serves as a building block, coming together to form a for his innovative bag designs. These intricate pieces, featuring personalized masterpiece. This innovative approach ensures that designs like gabi, ilaw, metro, and ulan, represent a fusion of every component is not only versatile on its own but seamlessly contemporary functionality and ancient cultural significance that he showcased at the recently concluded New York Comic Con. complements the whole.

“I don’t mind explaining it to people, it’s my culture. I love The result? A Portable All-Purpose Containment (P.A.C.) System, featuring the essential elements: Base (Harness), u PAGE 10

Jamlang’s newfound appreciation led him to create customizable face plates for his innovative bag designs. These pieces, featuring designs like gabi, ilaw, metro, and ulan, represent a fusion of contemporary functionality and ancient cultural significance. With a background in engineering and a stint in the military, Jamlang’s unique journey has converged into a flourishing entrepreneurial endeavor. His innovative approach to bag design, coupled with a deep appreciation for his cultural heritage, serves as an inspiring testament to the creative potential within the Filipino diaspora.

One of Equilibrium’s notable features is its dedication to supporting Filipino artisans and creators. The bags, proudly made in the Philippines, incorporate Morris’s own patterns, fabrics, and printing techniques. This not only provides employment and livelihood opportunities but also showcases the immense talent present in the Filipino design community.

AJPress photos by Momar G. Visaya

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OCTOBER 27 - NOVEMBER 2, 2023 • SAN DIEGO ASIAN JOURNAL

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City of San Diego, Cal Coast Los Angeles City Hall gets bathed Credit Union award $70,500 in in the colors of the Philippine flag grants to nonprofits Commentary Grantees work to improve quality of life within federally designated Promise Zone

SAN DIEGO – With a goal of increasing access to economic growth and opportunity, the City of San Diego and California Coast Credit Union, the City’s official financial partner, have selected eight community-based organizations to receive $70,500 in grants. More than 30 organizations applied for financial assistance, which ranged from a minimum of $5,000 to a maximum of $10,000.

These grants are part of the San Diego Promise Zone Partner Financial Assistance program, a multi-year partnership with Cal Coast to support capacity building, community outreach and workforce development in the San Diego Promise Zone. Representing a significant investment in the future of the Promise Zone, the funding will also support the ongoing work of Promise Zone partners to assist individuals experiencing barriers to post-secondary education and employment.

“The city has a vision to create opportunity in every neighborhood while recognizing the strength, worth and promise of each person in San Diego,” said Christina Bibler, Director of the City’s Economic Development Department. “These eight organizations represent a small sample of the hard work done each day to generate positive change and momentum in the Promise Zone.”

The San Diego Promise Zone covers a 6.4-squaremile targeted area that spans East Village and Barrio Logan east to Encanto, and is home to the city’s most culturally rich and ethnically diverse neighborhoods and some of the city’s most under-

resourced communities. The Promise Zone’s Strategic Plan calls for a pathway from promise to prosperity.

Promise Zone Partner Financial Assistance program grant recipients for 2023 include eight nonprofits and projects that were chosen for their experience in serving Promise Zone residents, the critical need that the proposed projects will address and overall project alignment with working group priorities. The selected groups are: • Access Youth Academy – Digital Connectivity: $7,500.

• Alma Community Care – Parenting Seminar: $5,000.

• Barrio Logan College Institute – College and Career Readiness Program: $10,000.

• Circulate San Diego – Improving Mobility Choice in the San Diego Promise Zone: $10,000.

• DREAMS+DUCATS – Creating Resilience, Empowerment, and Abundance in Money (CREAM): $9,000.

• Sherman Heights Community Center – Food Access Program/Sherman Cocina: $10,000.

• The Blue Heart Foundation – The Blue Heart Academy: $10,000.

• The Urban Collaborative Project CDC – Capacity Building for Community Outreach and Engagement: $9,000.

“Cal Coast Credit Union is proud of our partnership with the City of San Diego and its

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Crafting modular bags...

PAGE 9 Japanese anime and all those stuff and learning that there was an actual language and written script that I could call my own as a Filipino,” Morris passionately shared, encapsulating his pride in discovering and preserving this integral aspect of his heritage.

Today, Morris is happy to learn that Baybayin is also being taught in schools, presented in workshops and lectures, and prominently featured on clothing, calligraphy, tattoos, and even the latest batch of Philippine Peso bills. Through his designs for the face plates or skins for his bags, he can share his love for this ancient script.

“It is super interesting that there is so much more culture that was present in the Philippines that was essentially erased because Spain and America colonized the country,” he said. “We got to sift through the rubble, so to speak, to find out.”

He delved into online communities dedicated to practicing Baybayin regularly, honing his skills in writing and conjugating words. He also found fruitful collaborations with artists from various ventures such as Kuwento Comics, the Lumpia movie, and Cyberpunk. This platform provided

him the opportunity to unite with fellow Filipinos in collaborative projects, fostering a sense of community and shared creativity.

They have a lot of Filipino-inspired designs for the bag’s interchangeable and customizable face plate (which they call “Skyn”), a nod to his heritage, from the colors of the Philippine flag to characters from Haliya comics (bakunawa and bruha) to the recent baybayin designs.

Transitioning to a new chapter in his life, Morris once served as an engineer in the U.S. Army, an experience that would later fuse with his love for Legos and his graphic design background. This amalgamation of skills and passions marked the inception of his company, where his entrepreneurial spirit truly flourished.

Morris’s way of designing bags, mixed with his deep pride in his Filipino heritage, is an example of how much creativity lies within the Filipino community around the world. His work, whether it’s rethinking how bags function or reviving the baybayin script, inspires a new generation of entrepreneurs and artists. His story encourages others to be proud of where they come from and pursue their dreams with passion and determination. n

Edgar B. Badajos AS part of the month-long celebration of Filipino-American History Month this October, the iconic Los Angeles City Hall building was bathed in the colors of the Philippine flag in the early evening of October 20, 2023. City officials, Philippine Consulate representatives, and Fil-Ams representing local government, businesses and community organizations gathered at the city hall grounds to witness the momentous occasion.

Although October was first officially declared as Philippine American History Month in 2009 by virtue of a resolution introduced in the California State Assembly by former State Senator Leland Yee, it was only in 2019 when lighting of the city hall in Philippine colors began with then Eric Garcetti as mayor.

Every year since then, the city hall lighting ceremony has become a much-awaited occasion by the Filipino diaspora in Southern California and beyond.

Completed in 1928, Los Angeles’s City Hall has a total of 32 floors. At 454 feet (138 m) high, it is the tallest baseisolated structure in the world.

It has a neoclassical base with an Art Deco tower. In 1976, it was designated a Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monument.

Just as the structure is a historic landmark in Los Angeles, lighting it in the colors of the Philippine flag is also of historic proportions. I say this because to me, this act rightfully shines light on the hard-fought and well-deserved recognition of the Filipino immigrant community as a full-pledged member of the city’s social, familial, political, and economic landscape.

Indeed, from the first documented landing of a handful of Filipinos in what is now Morro Bay in San Luis Obispo, California in 1587 as crew members of a Spanish galleon en route from Manila to Mexico, to the sprinkling of Filipino immigrants in the early 1900s, Filipinos today comprise one of the largest Asian groups in the entire state of California and third largest in Los Angeles behind the Chinese and Indians.

And Filipinos have made their presence felt not only through the sheer size of their community, but also by being generally successful at integrating themselves in all aspects of American life.

Whether it be in the arts, media, and entertainment industry, trade or business, or in the

Los Angeles City Hall was bathed in the colors of the Philippine flag on October 20, 2023.

political arena, the Filipino community has made inroads and made a difference well beyond the ordinary.

California’s incumbent Attorney General is Rob Bonta is the first Filipino American to hold that position. The city’s “chief accountant and paymaster” is Kenneth Mejia.

He is the first Filipino elected official of the City of LA, and the first Asian American to be elected to the position of City Controller. The Commissioner of the Board of Public Works of Los Angeles, Susana de Los Reyes, and the executive director and General Manager of the City of Los Angeles Bureau of Street Lighting, Miguel Sangalang, are both of Filipino descent. Apl. de.ap, Olivia Rodrigo, Bruno Mars, Jokoy, and Cher Calvin of KTLA 5 News have become household names in America’s music, entertainment, and media industry.

In business, several Fil-Ams have made it to the big leagues, including the stylish Priscilla Dulay Hunt, president and CEO of a multi-million dollar residential and commercial real estate leasing company; business-savvy Rupert and Grace Mercado-Ouano, owners and proprietors of three (3) skilled nursing and rehabilitation centers in Northern and Southern California; socialite couple Dr. Edwin and Lani Raquel whose other claim to fame is as owners of a magnificent estate in a gated community in Los Angeles that was once the home of the late “America’s Sweetheart,” Mary

Photos from Jose Lozano

Pickford; and Fil-Am power couple Roger and Cora Oriel, owners and publishers of Asian Journal, the largest FilipinoAmerican printed newspaper in Southern California with branches in San Francisco, San Diego, New York, and Las Vegas. Recently, the Oriels ventured into the wine industry.

If they are not attending to their newspaper business, they are busy developing Philippine distribution networks for their Napa Valley-produced Montemaria wines.

But the journey of the Filipino immigrant has not always been easy. It is well-documented that there were many road bumps along the way, including specifically, racial prejudice.

Many a time, these road bumps challenged the world-renowned patience and tenacity of the Filipino immigrant in the face of adversity. On many occasions, the road bumps forced the Filipino immigrant to wonder whether America is truly a land of opportunity where the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness is guaranteed to everyone regardless of race, sex, creed, or political belief, or just an imagined reality where nativism and xenophobia are the rule, making some groups feel like second-class citizens.

This month’s celebration of Filipino American history, therefore, is a poignant reminder of not just the Filipino immigrant community’s triumphs and successes through the years, but also of the many trials it faced and hurdled along the way. For it is not so much the triumphs that built and defined, and will continue to shape, the character of the Filipino immigrant community as did the trials.

As for the lighting ceremony, it is a dramatic reminder to Angelenos, if not all the peoples of the United States, that the Filipino immigrant community is now as much an integral part of mainstream America as any other American or immigrant community on the street. No amount of racial prejudice, in any form or style, can change or erase that.

Mabuhay ang Filipino sa Amerika! *** Mr. Edgar Badajos is a career Philippine Foreign Officer. He is presently serving as Consul General at the Philippine Consulate General in Los Angeles.

Groundbreaking study reveals $1.1B impact of City of San Diego’s nonprofit arts and culture sector Economic activity supported 16,900 jobs and generated $276 million in tax revenue

SAN DIEGO – A new study by the Americans for the Arts shows that San Diego’s nonprofit arts and culture industry generated more than $1.1 billion in local economic activity last year. The study, which looked at regions in all 50 states and Puerto Rico, measured the economic and social impact of nonprofit arts and culture organizations and their audiences.

According to the Arts and Economic Prosperity 6 (AEP6) study, which is conducted every five years, in 2022 San Diego saw nearly $658 million in spending by local nonprofit arts and culture organizations.

The study also measured $528 million in event-related spending by audiences – things like restaurant dining, paying for

parking or transportation, and even childcare.

Overall, the impact of this economic activity in the city supported 16,900 jobs and generated about $276 million in tax revenue.

“Arts and culture is a critical industry that supports jobs, generates tax revenue, strengthens the tourism economy and makes San Diego more enjoyable for all of us,” said Mayor Todd Gloria. “This study demonstrates that arts and culture enhance our quality of life and boosts our city’s economy.”

In support of this AEP6 study, the City of San Diego hired the San Diego Regional Arts and Culture Coalition to collect 1,548 surveys across the city at various arts and culture events.

The results, which helped inform the study, revealed that investing in arts and culture strengthens our economy and contributes to developing more vibrant communities. Spending by local arts and culture audiences significantly boosts local businesses, a unique value proposition that few industries can match.

Regionally, the AEP6 study identifies San Diego County’s nonprofit arts and culture sector as a thriving $1.3 billion industry, supporting 19,771 jobs and generating nearly $321 million in tax revenue for local, state and federal governments. The participants, listed by population, include the City of San Diego and Balboa

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11

Agriculture flourishes in new crop report, nears $1.8B

Ohio Street Probation Community Support Office won a 2nd place People’s Choice Orchid Award on October 5.

File photo/www.countynewscenter.com

Award-winning county buildings – Functional and beautiful by design

OCTOBER is a big month for architects. World Architecture Day was Oct. 2, and some cities celebrate good design all month with Archtober.

The San Diego Architectural Foundation honors buildings, parks or plazas in the region with Orchids this time of year. It also gives those that are not so beautiful Onion awards.

But good architecture is top of mind at the county every day.

New facilities open every year and General Services makes sure the structures are not only technologically up-to-date, customerfriendly, energy-efficient and beautiful, but reflect and respect the communities where they are built.

“We want our facilities to be inviting, to make visitors feel respected as they approach the facility and when they come through the door. We want staff to be proud to work in our facilities,” said County General Services Deputy Director Steve Schmidt. “And we want the community in general, and all passersby, to feel respected by what we have built in their community.”

These efforts show, both in People’s Choice and other architectural awards.

The County won a second place People’s Choice Orchid Award Oct. 5 for its Ohio Street Probation Community Support Office.

Earlier this year, the office won a Gold Nugget for Best Special Use Project at the Pacific Coast Builders Conference.

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

Groundbreaking study...

PAGE 10 Park Cultural District, Oceanside and Oceanside Cultural District, Escondido, Carlsbad, Encinitas, National City and Coronado.

“The findings of AEP6 hold great significance for our region for various reasons,” said Jonathon Glus, Executive Director for Arts and Culture. “The pandemic severely impacted the nonprofit arts and culture sector, especially the performing arts, leading to reduced audience and revenue challenges.

However, the data highlights that the nonprofit arts sector is indispensable to the economy, generating nearly $276 million in tax revenue. The findings also emphasized our commitment to equity by including data specific to organizations representing BIPOC and ALAANA communities.”

Nationally, the AEP6 study reveals that America’s nonprofit arts and culture sector is a $151.7 billion industry that supports 2.6 million jobs and generates $29.1 billion in government revenue.

AEP6 represents a reset from its previous versions, establishing a new benchmark in the AEP study series. For the first time, AEP6 expands beyond the economic

and financial data to include social impact measurements of arts and culture’s effect on the well-being of communities and residents.

AEP6 broke new ground by prioritizing equity, community engagement, and inclusivity, transforming its approach, and expanding the inclusion and participation of organizations serving or representing BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color) and ALAANA (African, Latin, Asian, Arab, Native American) identifying communities.

The full report and a map of the 373 study regions around the nation can be found on the AEP6 study website (https://aep6. americansforthearts.org), along with a two-page economic and social impact summary for San Diego.

The City of San Diego advances and drives an equitable and inclusive creative economy and cultural ecosystem by investing in the work of artists and creatives and the institutions and systems that amplify creative work and experiences. To learn more, visit sandiego.gov/artsculture.

(City of San Diego Release) n

City of San Diego...

PAGE 10 efforts to improve the lives of residents and the success of businesses in the Promise Zone,” said Cal Coast president and CEO Todd Lane.

“These grants will help the selected local nonprofit organizations continue their work supporting families and businesses in this historically under-resourced region. Beyond these grants, Cal Coast will continue our investment within the Promise Zone for years.”

“With the support of the San Diego Promise Zone’s Partner Financial Assistance grant, we are strengthening our commitment to fostering a healthier, flourishing community within the Promise Zone,” said Daniela Kelly, the Sherman Heights Community Center Executive Director. “This funding helps us enhance our current food program, which supports food access and healthy eating with programs and services focused on sustainable jobs, promoting economic growth, and offering pathways for career exploration and education.”

The City of San Diego’s commitment is to co-create an ecosystem of opportunity and investment through collaboration that addresses systemic racism and inequities to improve the quality of life of Promise Zone residents. The San Diego Promise Zone fosters partnerships with community-serving organizations, government agencies, and philanthropic, corporate and educational institutions with shared goals.

(City of San Diego Release) n

SAN Diego’s new Crop Report covering the County’s 2022 growing season shows production was higher than last year at $1.78 billion in value, making it the seventh year in the past 10 years in which the region has seen an increase.

The report showed total crop and commodity values increased by about $24 million or 1.4% from last year, which is beginning to show recovery from decreases attributed to the COVID-19 pandemic.

San Diego County ranks No. 1 in Nursery & Cut Flower products in California and No. 1 in the number of organic producers in the state.

This was a good year for “Fruit & Nut” crops which increased by 29% from roughly $237 million in 2021 to $306 million.

Avocados, San Diego County’s most well-known crop, earned the biggest spike in value of any crop from 2021 to 2022, with a 48% increase from roughly $82.8 million to $123 million. This was driven by better weather, according to the report.

However, “Bedding Plants, Color & Perennials, Cacti & Succulents” reign supreme again this year as the top crop in the county, bringing in a total of $445,359,543, which is 25% of the total value of agriculture production in the county.

Ornamental Trees & Shrubs decreased from $382 million in 2021 to $375 million, but still ranked No. 2 on the annual Top 10 crops grown in San Diego.

Nursery & Cut Flower Products, Apiary Products and

A look at the top 10 crops in San Diego, according to the 2022 Crop Report.

File photo/www.countynewscenter.com

Field Crops dropped in value partially due to less acreage and demand for the products. Despite this decrease, San Diego retains its No. 1 ranking in Nursery & Cut Flower products in California.

The overall acreage devoted to commercial agriculture went from 219,874 acres in 2021 to 214,438 acres in 2022; a decrease of about 5,000 acres or 2.5%.

The report provides a yearly snapshot of agriculture’s contribution to the region’s economy, despite new challenges like the COVID pandemic and longstanding ones like the region’s inclement weather, rising water costs, wildfires,

freezes and pests.

The county conducts about 1,500 inspections annually where pesticides used, whether it’s a farm, business park or a residential location. As a result, the county has seen a compliance rate of about 90% for pesticide inspections conducted in 2022.

Supervisor Jim Desmond serves as the representative for the Fifth Supervisorial District in the county, a region abundant with the agricultural resources.

Supervisor Desmond emphasized the county’s strong commitment to safeguarding pesticide usage across all communities by allocating

approximately $5 million from the County’s Department of Agriculture, Weights and Measures’ (AWM) annual budget for this vital endeavor.

“It is truly an honor to hold the position of District Five Supervisor and it is immensely gratifying to witness the thriving agricultural landscape within our district,” Desmond remarked.

Other notable information from the report includes: • “Honey & Beeswax” saw the greatest percentage increase in value from 2021 to 2022, rising 724%, from $79,023 to $651,295, as the apiary industry recovered from the impacts of drought.

Honey production increased likely due to favorable weather conditions and increased forage.

• “Livestock & Poultry” products saw the second largest value increase in 2022 of $39 million.

• “Indoor Flowering & Foliage plants” remained third in the Top 10, however, value decreased by 13%, from roughly $356 million in 2021 to $311 million.

• The overall value of Citrus increased by 20% compared to last year, despite a 5% decrease in acreage, due to a spike in price and better weather.

AWM compiles the Crop Report each year and publishes it online.

This is the first year that the county’s Crop Report will feature an interactive version for the public to engage with the report in new ways, including an integrated Google Translate feature to read the report in multiple languages. n

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OCTOBER 27 - NOVEMBER 2, 2023 • SAN DIEGO ASIAN JOURNAL

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