111822 - New York & New Jersey Edition

DATELINE USA

Bonta wins race for CA Atty General

FILIPINO American Rob Bonta has won a full term as California State Attorney General.

As of Thursday, November 10, Bonta, a Democrat and the current state attorney general, held a big lead over his Republican challenger Nathan Hochman. Bonta has garnered 3,152,292 votes (56.9%) while Hochman has received 2,385,723 votes (43.1%), per the California Secretary of State’s election results page. Election results will be certified on December 16.

Bonta, who is the first Fil-Am to become Attorney General in the state’s history, was appointed by Gov. Gavin Newsom to

Marcos Jr. on ASEAN trip: Successful, very interesting

by HELEN FLORES Philstar.com

MANILA — President Marcos described his participation in the Association of Southeast Asian Nation (ASEAN) Summit in Phnom Penh, Cambodia last week – his first as Chief Executive – as “successful” and a “very interesting experience.”

The four-day summit, Marcos said, gave him the opportunity to put forward the country’s stance on pressing global issues as well as its plans, including post-pandemic recovery, with

fellow leaders in the region and other heads of state, including U.S. President Joe Biden.

“We also got the opportunity to put forward our position, our plans and to find ways where we can help each other,” the President said in his arrival speech after touching down at the Villamor Air Base in Pasay City early on Tuesday, November 15.

In an interview with the Philippine media delegation in Phnom Penh on Sunday, November 13, Marcos said the ASEAN Summit was a learning experience for him

Kamala Harris to meet with

by BEATRICE PINLAC Inquirer.net

MANILA – The Bureau of Quarantine has warned travelers to the Philippines about illegitimate websites seeking payment for their electronic Arrival (eArrival) card.

BOQ deputy director Dr. Robert Salvador Jr. said this at a Laging Handa public briefing on Thursday, November 10 noting that the eArrival card should be accomplished free of charge.

“Marami pong nabibiktima ng fake websites so tandaan natin ang official po natin na website ay iyong onehealthpass. com.ph. Tandaan din po natin na wala pong

by BEATRIC PINLAC Inquirer.net

MANILA – At least two million visitor arrivals have been recorded in the Philippines since the country eased border restrictions last February, said the Department of Tourism (DOT).

This has translated to

around P100.7 billion worth of revenue in the tourism sector, surpassing its P4.94 billion record from the same period last year, according to DOT Secretary Christina Frasco in a statement on Tuesday, November 15.

Frasco then cited a DOT report as of November 14, which showed a total of

A

Filipino baby girl is ‘symbolic’ 8 billionth person in the world

MANILA — A baby girl born at the Dr. Jose Fabella Memorial Hospital in Manila in the early hours of November 15 has been designated as the “symbolic” eight billionth person born. Representatives from the Commission on Population and 

MANILA – United States Vice President Kamala Harris will meet with Philippine President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. and Vice President Sara Duterte in Manila during her visit to the country from November 20 to 22.

Harris will arrive in Manila on Sunday evening, November 20 after her participation in the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Summit in Bangkok, Thailand.

senior U.S. administration official, in a background briefing on Wednesday, Nov. 16 said Harris will meet with Duterte and later have

FROM THE AJPRESS NEWS TEAM ACROSS AMERICA

Also published in LOS

MOVERS AND SHAKERS. President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. (left) joins fellow leaders at the 19th ASEAN-India Summit in Phnom Penh, Cambodia on Saturday, Nov. 12. President Marcos urged Southeast Asian nations to work closely with India to ensure better access to medicines and vaccines, as the region recovers from the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic.

Marcos, Duterte on US-PH security, economic ties

President Marcos and First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos arrive in Manila early Tuesday, Nov. 15 following a four-day visit to Cambodia to participate in the 40th and 41st Asean Summits and Related Summits. The President described his participation in the Asean summits as ‘successful’ and a ’very interesting experience.’ Philstar.com file photo

This November 15, 2022 handout photo from the Population Commission shows Vinice Mabansag, who represents the 8 billionth person in the world’s population.

Filipinos

by KRISTOFER PURNELL Philstar.com

a “longer bilateral meeting” with Marcos.

“The focus with President Marcos will be twofold: strengthening our security alliance and economic relationship,” the official said.

Harris is expected to reaffirm the U.S. commitment to its alliance with the Philippines on peace and stability in the South China Sea.

“They will discuss upholding international rules and norms. The Vice President will also commit to work more closely with the Philippines to strengthen our economic partnership and investment ties,” the official detailed.

Harris will also be meeting with civil society activists in a bid to demonstrate the U.S.’ “continued support for human rights and democratic resilience.”

She will then engage in a town hall meeting with young Filipino women about empowering them to participate in economic and civic activities.

“This will be the first event of its kind she has done overseas since taking office, and it’ll be a good opportunity for direct engagement with the Filipino people, underscoring the strong people-to-people ties with the Philippines and historic ties,” the official further noted.

To cap off her trip in the Philippines, Harris will visit Puerto Princesa in Palawan to meet with residents, civil society leaders, and representatives of the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG).

“This is another historic visit, as the Vice President is the highest-ranking U.S. official ever to visit Palawan. This visit demonstrates the Biden-Harris administration’s commitment to stand with our Philippine ally in upholding the rules-based international maritime order in the South China Sea, supporting

Reuters/Evelyn Hockstein/Pool

maritime livelihoods, and countering illegal, unregulated, and unreported fishing,” the official said.

Harris will be delivering remarks before the PCG which, the official noted, is seen to spotlight “the importance of international law, unimpeded commerce, and freedom of navigation in the South China Sea.”

The official pointed out that Harris’ stop in Palawan’s capital highlights her aim to directly interact with people who often don’t get the opportunity to meet with high-ranking U.S. officials.

“Leaving the capital city, going to Palawan and visiting communities there will do just that.  And it’s a prime example of the way the Vice President seeks to engage on the world stage,” the official added. g

Marcos Jr. on ASEAN trip: Successful...

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and also significant as it was the first to be held in person since the pandemic struck in 2020.

“What I learned in this – having attended this ASEAN Summit is that each country has many commonalities, which should not really be surprising, considering that we’re all around – we’re all from the same area,” the President said.

“So there are very many similar problems, of course. And we always talk about recovering from the pandemic economy. We talked about preparing for the next pandemic. What do we do about scarcity of let’s say –rather the prices of food, of fertilizer, energy? What are we going to do about it? What can we do about it? How do we get around it? What… can be done to alleviate some of the difficulties that everybody is going through?” he said.

Marcos said he also had the opportunity to present the country’s position on pressing international concerns, including the South China Sea, the Russia-Ukraine war, the crisis in the Taiwan Strait and North Korea’s missile tests.

“And of course, on the geopolitical side, the same concerns also, about number one, North Korea and the missile test. The Taiwan Strait – what is going to happen there –needs to be more stable and the effects of the Russian-Ukraine conflict in Southeast Asia,” the Chief Executive said.

He said like the Philippines, other countries are also hit by rising prices of commodities, such as oil and food.

“So you can tell that our situations are very similar. However, a ray of hope is that everyone seems to agree also that the driver of the coming economy for the next year, maybe two… can still come from here (Southeast Asia),” he said.

“If we do all the things that we’re supposed to do, if we put all the structural elements in place, we can go back to the pre-pandemic situation where the main driver of the global economy was Southeast Asia,” Marcos said.

No bilateral deals

Asked whether the country was able to enter into agreements during his bilateral meetings with some heads of state, Marcos stressed it was not the objective of his discussions with them.

“That’s not the purpose of the bilateral (meetings). In my case, because I’m the new kid in town, right, so it’s to meet people

and say, introduce yourself, you know,” the President said.

Marcos had bilateral meetings with Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen, South Korean President Yoon Sukyeol, Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah of Brunei and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

“In these meetings, we discussed how we can deepen cooperation in key areas and exchanged views on important regional and global issues,” Marcos pointed out.

He said the bilateral meetings served as an opportunity for both sides to bring up any subject that they both feel matters for their countries.

“So, in terms of the bilaterals, you don’t really come away from the bilaterals with an agreement or all that. It’s just getting insights first. What’s really the problem? What do you want? What do I want? What can we do together? What are the things that we cannot do? All of that. That’s really what the bilaterals are for,” Marcos said.

The President likewise had brief conversations with Biden, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and Chinese Premier Li Keqiang at the summit.

Cambodian food

Asked by reporters whether he tried local dishes and what he liked most, the Chief Executive said, “I liked it all. I’m afraid I’m a little bit, I’m an enthusiastic experimental when it comes to food.”

He said First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos even asked her staff to take a photo of the menu during the gala dinner on Saturday, November 12 so as to get some ideas that can be useful when it’s time for the Philippines to host state dinners.

“When the day comes that we have to host something like ASEAN, we have something to look at,” he said.

Marcos, in an interview on the presidential plane on Nov. 9 en route to Phnom Penh, said this was his first time to visit Cambodia and he liked to try their street food.

The President also said he was not able to get enough sleep and eat properly due to long hours of meetings, while he also had to take care of things back home.

“So you don’t really go straight to sleep. You don’t really eat properly. But you know, it has to be done. It’s OK. I mean, you know. Nobody died from honest hard work,” he said when asked whether he was able to rest in Cambodia amid his hectic schedule. g

GOLDEN GIRLS. (Left to right) Maria Yvonne German, Samantha Emmanuelle Veguillas, and Princess Nicole Ramirez present their gold medals during the six-day Women’s Martial Arts Festival at Rizal Memorial Coliseum in Manila on Sunday, Nov. 13. The three won the medals from different categories in karate during the tournament. PNA photo by

U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris arrives for the second leg of her Asia trip, in Hanoi, Vietnam, August, 24, 2021.

2,025,421 visitor arrivals in the country – 1,487,343 or 73.43 percent of which were foreign tourists, while 538,078 or 26.57 percent were overseas Filipinos.

“Our latest figures have reached well beyond the 1.7 million tourist projections of the DOT,” she said, noting that this reflects the demand for travel into the country and the prioritization of the government for tourism recovery.

She then added: “We, therefore, must meet this with the continued implementation of enabling mechanisms that will convey not only the country’s openness to welcome more tourists, but also conduciveness to tourism business and livelihood opportunities for our fellow Filipinos.”

Frasco also detailed that the lion’s share of foreign tourist arrivals in the country comes from the United States with 385,121, followed by South Korea and Australia with 285,583 and 96,297, respectively.

Recovering the tourism sector from the slump caused by the years-long COVID-19 pandemic is among the priorities of the administration of President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. as he previously noted that tourism is a “high potential driver for the transformation [of] the economy.”

Marcos had also issued executive orders to make wearing of face masks optional in both indoor and outdoor settings which, the DOT said, could help boost the revival of the tourism industry. g

Bonta wins race...

the position when his predecessor, Xavier Becerra, joined the Biden-Harris administration as Secretary of Health and Human Services. As Bonta was appointed more than midway through Becerra’s term, he is eligible to run for two 4-year terms.

A Yale Law School graduate, Bonta was a Deputy City Attorney in San Francisco from 2003 to 2012.

In 2010, he was elected to the Alameda City Council where he was appointed vice mayor. Two years later, he ran for the State Assembly seat for District 18 and won, becoming the first Fil-Am to be elected to the state legislature. He was overwhelmingly reelected to the post in 2014, 2016, 2018 and 2020, getting at least 87% of the votes cast in the district in those races. In the California State Legislature, Bonta was chair of the Asian & Pacific Islander Legislative Caucus. Attorney General Bonta expressed his thoughts on Twitter on getting elected to a full term, saying, “Humbled by the vote of confidence delivered at the ballot box. The returns reflect our hard work in delivering results for public safety, working families, and the fundamental rights we hold dear. I’m deeply honored to serve as your Attorney General. Thank you, California!”

In local races in San Diego, Judy Patacsil is leading Frank Xu for the Palomar Community College District Governing Board Member Trustee Area No. 1 seat. Per the San Diego County Registrar of Voters election results page as of Thursday, Patacsil currently has 13,735 votes (51.98%) to the 12,688 votes for Xu (48.02%).

In the race for Sweetwater Union High School District Governing Board Member Trustee Area 5 position, Dante Garcia Pamintuan has a slim lead of 58 over Martha “Marti” Emerald. Pamintuan currently has 4,603 votes (50.32%) to Emerald’s 4,545 votes (49.68%).

Ditas Yamane leads Marissa Acierto for the lone seat for District 3 of the city council for National City. Yamane garnered 1,006 votes (60.71%) to Acierto’s 651 votes (39.29%).

As for the Propositions in the ballot, San Diego voters voted Yes for Prop 1 (Reproductive Freedom), Prop 28 (Provides Additional Funding for Arts & Music Education), and Prop 31 (Referendum on 2020 Law on Retail Sale of Flavored Tobacco Products).

Voters said No to Prop 26 (Allows New Types of Gambling), Prop 27 (Allows Online and Mobile Sports Wagering), Prop 29 (Requires On-site Licensed Medical Kidney Dialysis Clinics), and Prop 30 (Funding Program to Reduce Air Pollution/Prevent Wildires). (By Joseph L. Peralta/AJPress)

Several Filipino Americans projected to win in SoCal races

by Klarize Medenilla AJPress

WITH the 2022 midterm election come and gone, local governments across California are closer to being a lot more Pinoy.

This year, significant races from Los Angeles city controller to multiple city council races featured many Filipino American candidates — incumbents seeking to keep their posts and those who have never held office alike.

Even though many races

are too close to call and mail-in ballots delay the results of many races, some winners — including several Filipinos — have been projected, as of Friday, Nov. 11.

Kenneth Mejia, the two-time congressional candidate, won the LA controller seat to become the first elected Filipino in the city of LA, as reported in the Asian Journal.

Mejia ran an effective campaign earmarked by the viral billboards posted all over the city showcasing

what he describes as the city’s historic overinflation of the police budget. As a proponent of the People’s Budget of LA, Mejia has said he’d fight for communities of color and the disenfranchised communities of the city.

Elsewhere, Filipinos are also making moves in legislative roles across the Southland.

First-time elected officials Ollie Cantos of West Covina and Ditas Yamane of National City are the projected winners of their

respective cities’ city councils.

In Artesia, Mayor Melissa Ramoso — who was first elected as a city councilmember in 2018 and appointed to the mayor’s seat in 2021 — is expected to retain her post as mayor. Similarly, Phil Bacera of Santa Ana City Council, Jed Leano of Claremont City Council, and Arleen Rojas of Carson City Council are all expected to keep their respective seats.

Several Filipinos who ran

Travelers warned vs illegitimate websites for...

bayad ang eArrival card. Kapag kayo ay ini-redirect sa ibang site at nanghingi ng bayad, automatic na fake po ito,” he said.

(Many have been victimized by fake websites so remember, our official website is onehealthpass. com.ph. Also, remember that there is no payment for the eArrival card. If you’re redirected and asked for a sum of money, that’s automatically fake.)

Salvador noted that the agency has since sought help from the cybercrime units of the Philippine National Police and the National Bureau of Investigation after receiving reports on these illegitimate eArrival card websites.

“Ang problema po, kahit i-take down nila iyong mga existing na mga fake website, gumagawa sila ng panibago. Sumusubok po maka-scam ulit ng mga kababayan,” he added.

(The problem is that even if we take down the existing fake websites, they just make new ones to scam our fellow citizens again.)

The BOQ official also urged travelers bound for the Philippines to register for an eArrival card 72 hours before departing their country of origin.

“Pero doon naman po sa mga may problema na hindi makapag-register, mayroon naman po tayong dinelegate na mga space at staff na tutulong sa kanila na magaccomplish pagdating dito

sa Pilipinas,” he also noted.

(But for those who encounter problems registering, we’ve delegated spaces and staff to assist them in accomplishing this upon arrival in the Philippines.)

Salvador said fully vaccinated travelers are no longer required to present an antigen or a real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (rRT-PCR) test, but those unvaccinated or partially vaccinated must undergo an antigen test 24 hours before leaving their country of origin.

He pointed out that antigen tests may also be done upon their arrival at the airports.

Salvador then detailed that about 18,000 inbound

travelers to the Philippines are recorded daily, but this figure is seen to increase further.

“Pero ang kagandahan po, napakababa na ng mga umuuwi na partially vaccinated o unvaccinated. Halos wala na po,” he added.

(The good news is the number of partially vaccinated or unvaccinated individuals is low. Almost none.)

The eArrival card was previously called the One Health Pass but it was changed last October as the Department of Health said, it would help streamline required arrival documents for travels..   – with reports from Kristelle Razon, trainee (By Beatrice Pinlac/Inquirer. net)

Filipino baby girl is ‘symbolic’ 8 billionth person in...

Development (POPCOM) were present at the birth of one Vinice Mabansag, born to Maria Margarette Villorente.

“The world welcomes Vinice Mabansag of Delpan, Tondo as the symbolic 8 billionth baby from the Philippines,” said the National Capital Region division of POPCOM in a Facebook post hours after Baby Vinice was born at 1:29 in the morning.

Prior to Baby Vinice’s birth, the United Nations (UN) had projected the birth of the world’s eight billionth person was a milestone “to celebrate diversity and advancements while considering humanity’s shared responsibility for the planet.”

The agency attributed such growth to improvements in public health, nutrition, personal hygiene and medicine, as well as higher fertility rates.

Despite concerns that population growth could affect economic

development, if not overconsumption of resources, Rachel Snow of the UN Population Fund (UNFPA) said the world’s population growth rate has dramatically decelerated.

The UN said annual growth has fallen from 2.1% between 1962 and 1965 to below 1% in 2020 and could even drop to around 0.5% by 2050. It also projects the population to continue growing to about 8.5 billion in 2030, 9.7 billion in 2050, and peak around 10.4 billion in the 2080s.

Dr. Leila Sajii Joudane, UNFPA Country Representative in the Philippines, said in a statement that it is of utmost importance that today’s 110 million Filipinos realize their full potential and human rights.

“We must give everyone the capacity and space to make informed and responsible decisions, provide opportunities to choose and exercise their human rights — including sexual and reproductive health, and enable

access to quality education and equal chance for economic opportunities,” said Joudane.

The UN had previously designated children who were also milestone births from five billionth to seven billionth, and a report by the BBC shows where the individuals are now.

Adnan Mevic, 23, from Sarajevo, Bosnia-Herzegovina was designated the six-billionth baby, which led him to meeting football star Cristiano Ronaldo and is now looking for a job having finished his economics masters.

Following him was Sadia Sultana Oishee from Bangladesh, who was born in 2011 as the world’s sevenbillionth baby; she is currently 11 years old and dreams of becoming a doctor.

Matej Gaspar, born in Zagreb in July 1987 as the five-billionth person, is happily married and a chemical engineer but has opted to keep his life private. g

FEATURES OPINION

We already know that Filipino 10-year-old students have a serious problem with reading comprehension and perform poorly in other education indicators. The country’s 10-notch slide in the 2022 Global Talent Competitiveness Index or GTCI is just the latest validation of the urgent need to improve the quality of Philippine education to a level

Published by the INSEAD Business School, Portulans Institute and Human Capital Leadership Institute, the GTCI assesses how countries and cities enable, grow, attract and retain talent.

Within Southeast Asia, the Philippines ranked 80th among 133 countries –behind not only consistent overachiever Singapore, which placed second overall after Switzerland, and oil-rich Brunei (41st place), but also Malaysia (45th), Vietnam (74th) and Thailand (75th). At least the Philippines was ahead of Indonesia (82nd), Laos (99th) and Cambodia (103rd).

For a country whose consumption-driven economy is heavily dependent on the remittances of its 10-million-strong army of overseas workers, the Philippines’ place in the GTCI, and its 10-spot fall in the current rankings, should be a serious cause for concern.

The GTCI report notes that the level of

economic prosperity and the capacity to invest in education clearly affect the quality of education. The top 10 countries in the GTCI are all upper-income economies.

Following Switzerland and Singapore are Denmark, the United States, the Netherlands, Norway, Finland, Australia and the United Kingdom.

Among cities, Manila – or Metro Manila –also slipped in ranking, from 128th last year to 129th place. The top cities in the GTCI are San Francisco, Boston, Zurich, Seattle, Lausanne, Singapore, Geneva, Helsinki, Munich and Dublin.

The Philippines may have limited resources, but political will and government spending priorities also play a part in delivering quality education. Vietnam, a lower middle-income economy like the Philippines, is ahead in the GTCI.

President Marcos has correctly emphasized the need to refocus on teaching

STEM or science, technology, engineering and mathematics. He has also expressed his objective of restoring English proficiency among all Filipinos.

So far, however, his education secretary seems preoccupied with inculcating military-type discipline among the youth, and eradicating “subversive” ideas from the public school environment. This can prove to be a slippery slope: anything that contradicts the narrative about the true, the good and the beautiful about the current dispensation

Low talent competitiveness ASEAN region: Center of attention

and the forebears of its top officials may be deemed subversive.

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization had warned about the adverse impact of prolonged lockdowns on education. UNESCO also noted that students in developing countries like the Philippines are bearing the brunt of the adverse impact of two years of remote learning. The government will need to work double-time on education to catch up with the world. (Philstar.com)

role that ASEAN plays in the global stage.

THE flurry of activities in the Southeast Asian region with a series of high-level summits and meetings this whole week only brings into focus the importance of the

After almost three years of no human contact, the ASEAN summit is being held in-person, with high expectations that the discussions will be substantial on a number of issues that include sustainable and inclusive

recovery from COVID-19, food security, trade and investment, climate change and other burning issues such as the situation in Myanmar, the war in Ukraine, the threat of missile tests conducted by North Korea as well as the territorial disputes in the South China Sea.

The ASEAN summits and related summits was an opportunity for the leaders from ASEAN membernations (with the exception of Myanmar which is barred due to the takeover of a military junta) and their dialog partners that include Australia, Canada, China, Japan, India, South Korea,

the United States plus the United Nations to “review existing and new areas of cooperation and exchange views on regional and international issues,” as President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. described it.

Then there is the G-20 summit in Bali, Indonesia where U.S. President Joe

Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping are expected to attend, with a bilateral meeting on the sidelines. It will be the first time that the two leaders will have a face-to-face meeting for an “in-depth and substantive conversation… aimed at better understanding one

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ROGER LAGMAY ORIEL

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Babe’s

BABE ROMUALDEZ

Dateline PhiliPPines

ASEAN, US affirm strategic ties as Biden vows to address ‘biggest issues of our time’

MANILA — Southeast Asian leaders and the United States committed to promoting maritime cooperation based on the universally recognized principles enshrined in international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea or the UNCLOS.

This was among the declarations made by heads of nations at the 10th ASEAN-United States (U.S.) Summit and the commemoration of the 45th anniversary of ASEAN-U.S. Dialogue Relations in Phnom Penh, Kingdom of Cambodia, on November 12.

ASEAN leaders and U.S. President Joe Biden vowed they will “[uphold] freedom of navigation and overflight, peaceful resolution of dispute... through heightened cooperation and coordination among maritime law enforcement agencies.”

“The Plan of Action to Implement the ASEAN-U.S. Strategic Partnership outlines our shared commitments under ASEAN’s political-security, economic, and sociocultural pillars, and its priorities for cooperation,” the leaders said in a joint statement issued through the White House.

Among the commitments they signed is advancing efforts to achieve the UN

Sustainable Development Goals “by promoting complementarities between the ASEAN Community Vision 2025 and the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.”

They stressed a focus on “eradicating poverty, promoting the conservation of natural resources and the environment, and promoting peace and prosperity through equitable development and sustainable economic growth, including in the fields of energy resilience [and] enhance partnerships in economic and technological cooperation, catalyze investments in highstandard, transparent, and climate-resilient infrastructure.”

The heads of government also vowed “practical cooperation” in the areas of humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, maritime security, counter-terrorism, peacekeeping operations, military medicine, humanitarian mine action, and cyber security through the ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting Plus framework.

They also committed to building “peopleto-people connectivity within the region and beyond” by enhancing economic and socio-cultural cooperation, focusing on

APEC presents the Philippines with more opportunities for trade, investments

MANILA – The participation of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. in the upcoming Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Leaders Meeting in Thailand presents even more opportunities for the country’s continued economic growth, Speaker Martin G. Romualdez said on Tuesday, November 15.

“The APEC Summit is a step up because there are more developed countries involved,” Romualdez told House reporters, as he stressed the importance of personal engagements and developing close relations with leaders of other countries or economies.

Romualdez said the Philippines is fortunate to have “a very able statesman”

in President Marcos who is very popular in the international community.

He said among the factors that Marcos can utilize to promote the country as an attractive investment or tourism destination, as well as a good trading partner are the country’s higherthan-expected 7.6 percent third quarter economic growth; the reduction in the unemployment rate; a young population; and the dollar remittances of overseas Filipino workers(OFWs), among others.

“So, I think now is the time to herald that the Philippines is doing well. Its economy is doing well, and now is the time to invest in the Philippines so that we get more foreign direct

investments for the capital that we need to generate more jobs and livelihood for Filipinos, and to bring about a stronger and more vibrant economy, so that all Filipinos have a safe and comfortable life,” Romualdez said.

The Speaker, who had accompanied Marcos at the recent Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) summits in Cambodia, will also be a part of the official Philippine delegation to APEC.

Citing his experience in the ASEAN summits, Romualdez said the APEC Summit also presents opportunities for him to engage with his counterparts in the legislative bodies of the member countries.

Bantag: No arrest warrant, no surrender

by

SUSPENDED Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) Director General Gerald Bantag, who is implicated in the killing of broadcaster Percival “Percy Lapid” Mabasa and a prison inmate, said on Monday, November 14 he will not surrender until an arrest warrant is issued against him.

Bantag said in an interview that Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla is in a hurry to get him jailed by asking him to surrender despite the fact that the preliminary investigation in the Mabasa case has not even started.

“I don’t have an arrest warrant yet, but he is asking me to surrender. There is no subpoena yet. There is no preliminary investigation. Nothing yet. Why are they in a hurry. It’s like they want to put me in jail already,” said Bantag.

“Kung ako ay ibon, inilagay na nila ako sa hawla, ganoon ang gusto nilang mangyari (If I were a bird, they would have put me in a cage. That is what they want to happen) ,” he added.

Bantag admitted he had a good working relationship with Remulla before he was implicated as the mastermind in the Mabasa murder.

Remulla “behaved really well towards me, he was saying that we have the same boss [former president Rodrigo Duterte]. That’s why I feel bad because Boying Remulla just took me for a ride,” he said.

He said Remulla even directed him to coordinate with the Department of Public Works and Highways in finalizing the details of the construction of a maximum security prison for 2,000 heinous crime convicts in Sablayan, Mindoro

Occidental early next year.

“He manipulated me. He is so good; he is a really good politician,” Bantag said, referring to Remulla.

He said that as early as last August, he already knew that former military chief Gregorio Catapang Jr. will be taking over his post at the BuCor.

“That is the reason why I already tendered my courtesy resignation that time so that when the new administration comes we will give it to the new one who will be appointed, because we are used to procedures in the government. Remulla, however, turned down my resignation. He said, ‘Never mind, you are already there,’” Bantag said.

He refuted the Justice secretary’s claim that he was enraged last September 9 after Mabasa showed the video of his house in Laguna on his program, “Lapid Fire.”

Remulla said Mabasa described the house as belonging to the “Cinderella Man,” a government official who enriched himself while in office.

He added that the expose drove Bantag to have the broadcaster killed.

“But what really happened was that I sent Remulla a link of the said video that day and asked him for advice on what I should do, since he is the Justice chief and he is a lawyer. But he did not reply; he did not even react,” he said.

Bantag said he then sounded out his former classmates at the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) if he should sue Mabasa.

He said he sent his message through their Viber chat group that also included not only members of PMA class of 1996 but also several

government officials who were “adopted” by their batch.

When he viewed the entire video, he found nothing incriminating in it, so he just brushed it aside.

“So how can they say that this was what pushed me to order the killing of Mabasa? Why does [Remulla] have to make up stories?” Bantag said.

Remulla also said Bantag did not attend the graduation ceremony of the University of Perpetual Help in New Bilibid Prison on September 9 after learning that Mabasa had taken pictures of his Laguna residence.

Remulla said Bantag’s absence was significant because all of the school’s board of trustees were present at the event.

Bantag and BuCor Deputy Security Officer Ricardo Zulueta were charged as “principals by inducement” in the killings of Mabasa and inmate Cristito Villamor, the alleged middleman who contracted the team of assassins.

Also charged were NBP inmates Denver Batungbakal Mayores, Alvin Cornista Labra, Aldrin Micosa Galicia and Alfie Peñaredonda.

Charged with Bantag and Zulueta in the Villamor case were inmates Christian Dizon Ramac, Ricky Lamigo Salgado, Ronnie Pabustan de la Cruz and Joel Alog Reyes.

The two murder complaints will be consolidated with the case filed by the Philippine National Police (PNP) on October 18 against Joel Escorial and his four alleged accomplices — brothers Edmon and Israel Dimaculangan, a person identified only as “Orly” or “Orlando,” and Christopher Bacoto, a Bureau of Jail

APEC presents the...

PAGE 6

For instance, Romualdez noted that it was during the bilateral meeting between the Philippines and Vietnam when the visit to the Philippines of the leader of Vietnam’s National Assembly, reportedly among the top contenders to be the next Prime Minister of his country, was announced.

“So, these types of engagements mean a lot. Because when you have a personal engagement with these leaders, it is easier to communicate, coordinate, and to support each other on various sectors -- whether it is economic, trade, or interparliamentary relations -- that promotes better harmony,” Romualdez said.

Since the economy has become global, he said it would be to the advantage of the Philippines to promote better trade with other

countries, which can be achieved by forging good trade agreements with partner economies.

“And that is usually shaped by policies mandated by the heads of state, but usually forged by legislation. So, these types of engagements and visits are very beneficial,” Romualdez said.

APEC is an intergovernmental forum for 21-member economies in the Pacific Rim that promotes free trade throughout the Asia-Pacific region.

The 21-member economies of APEC are Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan, South Korea, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Peru, the Philippines, Russia, Singapore, Chinese Taipei, Thailand, the United States and Vietnam. (PNA)

ASEAN, US affirm...

PAGE 6

good governance and the rule of law, investing in human capital development, empowering youth and vulnerable or marginalized groups, advancing the rights of persons with disabilities, investing in education, promoting and protecting cultural heritage, and empowering women and girls and promoting gender equity and equality.

South China Sea among ‘biggest issues of our time’ U.S. President Biden has earlier said he will discuss “the biggest issues of our time” in his first visit to Southeast Asia as president, saying the region was “at the heart of our IndoPacific strategy .”

DOH might seek extension of state of calamity to keep COVID response going

by Gaea Katreena CabiCo Philstar.com

MANILA — The Department of Health said on Tuesday, November 15 it will recommend the extension of the COVID-19 state of calamity if a bill allowing government to implement pandemic protocols is not signed into law by next month.

The Philippines remains a nationwide state of calamity due to the COVID-19 pandemic after President

Ferdinand Marcos Jr. extended the declaration until December 31. The extension allowed the government to continue implementing measures against COVID-19 and access pandemic response funds.

Health officer-in-charge Maria Rosario Vergeire said it will ask the Office of the President to extend the declaration of the state of calamity or to allow local governments to proclaim state of calamity in their localities should Congress

not act on the Public Health Emergency for Emerging and Reemerging Disease Bill.  Vergeire, however, stressed that giving local governments authority to make their own state of calamity declarations is not going to address the issue.

“Under the bill, even though there is no state of calamity declaration or public health emergency declaration, we can still continue to implement our vaccination program. We can still do expedited

10

“Together, we will tackle the biggest issues of our time, from climate change to health security; defend against the significant threats of rules-based order — to rules-based order and to the — threats to the rule of law; and to build an IndoPacific that is free and open, stable and prosperous, resilient and secure,” Biden said in his remarks at the Summit.

procurement, we can still do the other things we are doing right now for this pandemic,” she said.

The health official added there is a recommendation to merge the bill on public health emergency with the proposed measure to create a Philippine Center for Disease Prevention and Control (CDC).

The Philippines has over 4 million COVID-19 cases, with more than 64,000 deaths, since the start of the pandemic. g

Several Filipino Americans projected...

this election cycle, however, are trailing behind. Planning commissioner Arnel Dino is behind the projected winner in the race for an open seat in Fullerton

City Council. In Culver City, community advocate Stephanie Loredo is currently in third place for a seat on the board of Culver City Unified School District. For the ABC Unified School District —

which covers Artesia, Bellflower and Cerritos — Brian Ferrer is in second place with 42% of the vote.

The final tallies should be announced in the coming days. g

“We’re putting real resources behind our approach, not just rhetoric. Over the last year, my administration has announced more than $250 million in new initiatives with ASEAN,” the U.S. president added.

For next year, Biden said he already requested $825 million in assistance for Southeast Asia. “We’re continuing to build on that progress, following through on our commitments and launching concrete new initiatives that further strengthen ASEAN and increase — increase connectivity across Southeast Asia,” he continued.

In a statement, the White House said that both the ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific and the Indo-Pacific Strategy of the United States share relevant fundamental principles in promoting an open, inclusive, and rules-based regional architecture, in which ASEAN is central, alongside partners who share in these goals.

According to Biden, Washington is pushing for a U.S.ASEAN Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Initiative and a U.S.ASEAN Platform for Infrastructure and Connectivity to develop an electric vehicle ecosystem in Southeast Asia and bring the benefits of the Partnership for Global Infrastructure and Investment to the ASEAN countries.

“Through this platform, we’ll develop projects together, based on the needs you identify, to create sustainable, high-standard infrastructure that supports the people of the region. We will build a better future — the better future we all say we want to see and we’re going to see for all but — all one billion people in our countries,” he said.  (Franco Luna and Kristine Joy Patag/Philstar.com)

FranCo Jose C. baroña , FranCis earl Cueto and William b. depasupil ManilaTimes.net

Pahrump seeing increased interest from commercial developers

By REALTOR FELY QUITEVIS-BATEMAN

PAHRUMP, a town located 62 miles west of Las Vegas, is seeing increased interest from commercial developers.

According to an article earlier this year in the Pahrump Valley Times, Nye County Planning Director Brett Waggoner told the county’s commissioners that the planning department has received

a lot of applications that are in the review or site development process for commercial development.

Some, he said, are getting to the approval stage, and are actually starting to break ground.

Among the projects Waggoner mentioned that are in the pipeline for the town included a medical facility, a car wash,

restaurants, gas stations and overnight accommodations.

Two much-anticipated chains coming to Pahrump, the Arby’s and Dutch Bros. Coffee locations, as well as a car wash, will be located on Highway 160, near the area of Nye County Veterinary Clinic and Tire Works, the article mentioned.

A new medical facility, the Pahrump Community Health Center, had a recent groundbreaking ceremony

to celebrate the start of construction. The facility will, when it opens, provide surgical services and specialist care in the area which is not yet available.

The gas stations in the pipeline include a Circle K on Homestead and Gamebird Roads, and a new Coyote Corner on Manse Road near the Mountain Falls Subdivision. The latter project, according to Waggoner, will have space for restaurants as well.

The proposed hotel, meanwhile, is located on Highway 160 just behind the Maverick gas station and directly across The Source, which is a marijuana dispensary that opened recently.

The chief planner of Nye County also talked about the developments going on at Spring Mountain Motor Resort, where the track portion of its expansion onto the property purchased from the Bureau of Land Management has been completed. He said added that the resort is now in

the process of building accessory buildings to accommodate the track.

Waggoner disclosed in the article that his department maintains a close-lipped policy when it comes to potential projects in the valley, opting only to discuss potential projects when development officially begins. His office is always in discussions with prospective developers.

Certainly, the town of

Pahrump has undergone major changes since it was established and slowly inhabited by settlers in the late 19th century.

Nowadays, there are a lot more things to do and explore around the town, including trips to local casinos, recreational activities, do some shopping at local stores and even visit the Pahrump Valley Museum to check out the

The Coyote Corner gas station near the entrance to Mountain Falls Subdivision, where the late President Fidel V. Ramos played golf during his stay with Realtor Fely Quitevis-Bateman in 2007.

Realtor Fely Quitevis-Bateman (right) with CEO Mark Maiyoka who just bought a $2.6M medical building in Pahrump.

The Source, a newly-opened cannabis dispensary in Pahrump.

Realtor Fely Quitevis-Bateman (extreme left) with (from left) Nye County Chief Planner Brett Waggoner and newly-elected Commissioner Ronald Boskovich.

Senator seeks more benefits for nurses Fewer killings in new drug crackdown – PNP chief

MANILA — Increasing the ranks of well-trained and better compensated nurses will play a vital role in achieving a more efficient access to universal healthcare for every Filipino, Sen. Francis Tolentino said in filing a measure proposing a comprehensive nursing law.

Tolentino has filed Senate Bill 1447 or the proposed Philippine Nursing Practice Act of 2022. It introduces a new provision on the Advanced Practice Nurse (APN), which he said would be the “prime mover” of the nursing profession in relation to the Universal HealthCare Law.

“This will give qualified nurses expanded and collaborative roles that will aid in the delivery of a comprehensive healthcare service to Filipinos,” the bill’s explanatory note read.

Under the bill, an APN refers to a nurse “who has acquired substantial level of theoretical knowledge and decision-making skill in a specialty area of nursing practice and demonstrated proficiency in clinical utilization of such knowledge in providing expanded and collaborative expert care” from a recognized higher educational institution, aside from being a board passer.

The measure authorizes the practice of the “Agreed Upon Based Care,” a mutually agreed upon patient care made by an APN and approved by the primary physician in charge, through teleconsult or other means of communication, after evaluation of the case referred, but limited only to circumstances “during an emergency” such as the absence of a physician in the area to physically assess the patient, or lack of an available doctor due to inaccessibility of the area.

The bill also seeks to provide improvements in the practice of the nursing profession by instituting measures to promote comprehensive and relevant nursing practice standards, ensure decent working conditions and support the professional growth of nurses. (by Paolo Romero/Philstar.com)

AUTHORITIES have killed 46 drug suspects and arrested more than 22,000 others under President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s campaign, the national police chief said on Monday, November 14, and added the lower death toll underscores efforts to avoid lethal force.

Marcos Jr., who took office in June, has vowed to press on with his predecessor’s crackdown on illegal drugs, which left thousands of mostly petty suspects dead, but said it would be done differently and focus more on rehabilitating drug dependents.

The widespread drug killings under Duterte were condemned by Western governments and human rights groups and sparked an investigation by the International Criminal Court as a possible crime against humanity.

“You can see here the Philippine National Police now wanted to minimize as much as possible the killings of people engaged in drug activities,” the country’s police chief, Rodolfo Azurin Jr., told Manila-based foreign correspondents in an online news conference.

“I emphasize to every policeman, if it will not endanger their lives, we minimize the use of force in arresting suspects in criminal activities,” Azurin said.

Thousands were killed in the first year of the brutal crackdown Duterte launched after taking office in 2016. He had denied condoning extrajudicial

killings in his so-called war on drugs but had openly threatened to kill suspects until his final year in power.

Marcos Jr.’s landslide victory in the May 9 elections has been partly credited to his alliance with his popular predecessor’s daughter and now vice president, Sara Duterte. But Marcos has tried to stay away from Duterte’s widely condemned campaign.

In an interview with The Associated Press in New York in September, Marcos was asked if Duterte went too far with his lethal drug crackdown. Marcos redirected the criticism toward those who carried out the plan.

“His people went too far sometimes,” Marcos told the AP. “We have seen many cases where policemen, other operatives, some were just shady

characters that we didn’t quite know where they came from and who they were working for. But now we’ve gone after them.” Still, Marcos has come under fire from human rights groups himself for continuing Duterte’s crackdown that has led to new killings.

Azurin, who was appointed under Marcos, refused to comment on the scale of drug deaths under Duterte but said some law enforcers then may have not properly assessed that some suspects were “not really harmful.” The 46 suspects killed were slain in 32 of more than 18,000 operations, which led to about 22,000 arrests and the seizure of P9.7 billion ($167 million) worth of illegal drugs, Azurin said.

Anti-drug policies were being reviewed and the focus was being shifted to rehabilitating drug dependents, providing them with livelihood skills to wean them from addiction and educating communities to harness residents in the fight against drugs, he said.

“It is more of doing a more responsive approach than what it used to be,” Azurin said.

More than 6,200 suspects, mostly poor peddlers and dealers, were killed under Duterte based on police statistics. But human rights groups have cited higher death tolls and accused some police officers of fabricating evidence to make it appear the victims resisted violently. (ManilaTimes.net with reports from Associated Press)

Philippine National Police (PNP) chief, Gen. Rodolfo Azurin Jr. Photo from PHILIPPINE National

ASEAN region: Center of...

another’s priorities and intentions,” according to a senior official of the Biden administration.

Similar to the ASEAN summit (where Ukraine and the regional group signed the “Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia”), Russian President Vladimir Putin will not attend the G-20 summit, although there is the possibility that he will join virtually. Analysts say the non-attendance of Putin at the ASEAN summit did not come as a surprise, especially since Cambodia’s Prime Minister Hun Sen has openly expressed “concern” over Russia’s attack on Ukraine – the lives lost, the damage to civilian infrastructure and other consequences of the ongoing war which began in February.

Following the G-20 summit is the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum in Bangkok, Thailand with U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris in attendance. State Secretary Antony Blinken is also joining to advance “economic policies in the Asia-Pacific region to promote free, fair and open trade and investment.”

Secretary Blinken will also be providing support to VP Harris in underscoring the economic leadership of the United States and outlining their goals for the 2023 APEC which the U.S. will be hosting for the first time since 2011.

All of these high-level meetings happening in the region revolve around significant issues that have wide-reaching global impact, while also underscoring ASEAN centrality and its role in promoting multinational relations.

More significantly, the series of summits also provides an opportunity for the regional bloc to showcase its ability to convene global leaders to “meet and dialogue” and bring about a “defusion of tensions,” according to Sharon Seah, a senior fellow at the Singapore-based think-tank ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute.

And as we in the ASEAN diplomatic community have been telling our friends in Washington, the Southeast Asian region is the right place now where all of these big powers can start a dialogue or, at the very least, have personal interaction.

ASEAN diplomats are pleased that these meetings are taking place because it doesn’t happen all the time that you can have these leaders in one place where there is an opportunity for serious discussions.

For the past two years, meetings between President Joe Biden and President Xi Jinping have been conducted virtually, and all are hoping there would be some constructive results through the in-person meetings, bringing about a better understanding or appreciation of each other’s perspectives or positions on complicated issues involving both super powers.

All of us in ASEAN feel that there is only one way out – and that is through continuing dialogue which has always been the stand of the Philippines. “While we may continue to argue or even disagree on many issues, we will try to convince and persuade until we find a peaceful resolution,” President Marcos has always said.

It goes without saying that Taiwan remains to be a hot-

button issue, and President Biden had said that when he speaks with President Xi, he wants to “lay out what each of our red lines are and understand what he believed to be in the critical national interests of China, what I know to be the critical interests of the United States.”

During the “Asia Future Summit” organized by The Straits Times, all the panelists agreed that any war between the two super powers should definitely be avoided at all costs as the consequences would be disastrous for all. As Harvard professor Graham Allison clearly pointed out, China and the U.S. will have to co-exist because the alternative would be codestruction.

We all know what a conflict can do, which is what is happening in Ukraine now where we only see so much death and destruction. This is no longer about politics, but the destruction and annihilation of mankind. “What God created, man destroys,” is what it all boils down to.

All the citizens of the world – Russians, Chinese, Americans and definitely Filipinos – we all do not want a nuclear war, knowing fully well that there will absolutely be no winners – only losers. In the end, the world will only see darkness and never see the light of day ever again. (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

Bantag: No arrest warrant...

Management and Penology inmate, who is alleged to be the second middlemen in the Mabasa killing.

On Monday, the prosecuting team from the Department of Justice (DoJ) issued subpoenas to Bantag and his corespondents in the two murder cases.

Prosecutor General Benedicto Malcontento said the team set the hearings for November 23 and December 5.

Rocky Thomas Balisong,

counsel for Bantag, has said he will submit Bantag’s counter-affidavit after they get a copy of the subpoena.

Also on Monday, the PNP said it will look into Bantag’s claim that the real brains in the killing of Mabasa is a convict named German Agojo.

PNP spokesman Col. Jean Fajardo said in a television interview that the PNP, the DoJ and the Department of the Interior and Local Government want to probe every angle in the Mabasa

and Villamor cases.

Bantag has said Agojo is the one that has close connections with Villamor and Escorial.

He said Agojo, Villamor and Escorial were involved in the killing of a judge in Tagaytay City, with Agojo acting as the group’s ringleader.

The DoJ earlier said that Bantag’s allegations were motivated by a “misguided sense of betrayal” when he was implicated as the mastermind in the Mabasa and Villamor killings. g

Pahrump seeing increased interest...

PAGE 9

town’s fascinating history.

If nature-tripping is your favorite activity, bird-watching is an option at Discovery Park, which is an abandoned golf course converted by locals and the Red Rock Audobon into a park. Over 176 bird species are said to graze in the park. Hiking in the area’s famous trails, whether on foot or via ATV, mountain bikes or off-road vehicles is another option for those seeking to commune and/or experience nature.

It won’t be Nevada unless you visit the town’s gambling dens, which includes Lakeside Casino & RV Park, Gold Town Casino (formerly Terrible’s Town Casino), Pahrump Nugget and Saddle West Hotel. Each of these places have their own amenities and charms, and provides accommodations and entertainment for the weary traveler or excited tourist.

You can also ride a horse at the Happy Hoof Beats Equestrian, play golf at Mountain Falls Golf Club, drive a race car at Spring Mountain Motor Resort and Country Club, ride a hot air balloon over the valley, or enjoy a bottle of fine wine at Pahrump Valley Winery.

By the way, at Spring Mountain Motor Resort and Country Club, crossing off race car driving in your to-do list is not the only thing it offers. The place also is where one can indulge in a variety of watersports (swimming, wakeboarding, kayaking, paddle boarding, water jetpack), practical shooting and racquetball, in addition to its top-notch food and clubhouse facilities/amenities.

Residents themselves have even organized sports and recreational groups to bond together and enjoy the town’s vast natural beauty. These include walking/hiking groups and biking clubs, as well as bowling clubs/leagues, billiards groups and indoor swimming clubs, to name a few.

There is a lot more than meets the eye in Pahrump. Both visitors and residents have a lot of activities to indulge in. And with Las Vegas only about an hour or less away, the possibilities for fun and excitement increase exponentially.

As of now, Pahrump is one of those towns where land and property are more affordable than other parts of the country, or even Nevada. Nye County, which Pahrump is situated in, keeps experiencing an increase in population, which indicates that many

people are looking into the area as major cities get overpopulated and real estate prices get too high.

I have been a Realtor for many decades now and have seen the growth of Pahrump. I consider it one of the best towns to live in. With many residential and commercial developments coming into the area, and many planned projects that will add to the diversity of the town’s entertainment offerings, it truly is a good place to look for a home, an investment property or a piece of land that you may want to construct your dream home in or sell for a profit later.

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

Realtor Fely Quitevis-Bateman helps those who need business financing, including loans for small businesses. For more information, call (702) 538-4948, or send email to fely@precious-properties.com or fely. precious@gmail.com.

Construction is ongoing at the second Circle K gas station outlet in the town.

COMMUNITY JOURNAL

Battered wife gets green card through self-petition on a brand-new success story in Citizen Pinoy this Sunday

LANCE came to the U.S. in 2017, and then married his U.S. citizen girlfriend in a same-sex marriage. His wife petitioned Lance for his green card, but their marriage turned sour, and the wife kept postponing their immigration interviews.

The American wife also started abusing Lance physically and verbally, stole money from him, and even threatened him with deportation. Lance also found out that his wife had a boyfriend.

When the wife left Lance for her boyfriend, someone suggested that Lance consult with leading U.S. Immigration Attorney Michael J. Gurfinkel.

After it became apparent that the American wife would no longer help Lance with his green card application, Atty. Gurfinkel advised USCIS that they will convert the case from a spousal petition to a self-petition under the VAWA (Violence Against Women Act) so that

“BATTERED-SPOUSE” GREEN CARD THROUGH A SELFPETITION, ON A BRAND-NEW SUCCESS STORY OF CITIZEN PINOY THIS SUNDAY! Lance arrived in the U.S. in 2017 and married his U.S. citizen wife. The wife petitioned Lance for his green card, but the marriage turned rocky. Soon, the American wife started abusing Lance physically and verbally, and even threatened to have him deported. Upon a friend’s recommendation, Lance consulted with Atty. Gurfinkel. Atty. Gurfinkel converted Lance’s case from a spousal petition to a VAWA (Violence Against Women Act) self-petition, which was approved in September 2022. Lance was able to get a “battered-spouse” green card. Watch this success story on a brand-new episode of “Citizen Pinoy” on Sunday, November 18 at 6:30 PM PT (9:30 PM ET) through select Cable/Satellite providers, right after TV Patrol Linggo. (Advertising Supplement)

PhiliP S. Chua, MD, FaCS, FPCS

FOLLOWING our column on the tripledemic, the trifecta of viral infections this 2022 fall and winter, we received dozens of queries from our readers. Here are some of them with my replies: Is COVID-19 still a worry?

Yes, although the current Omicron sub-strains appear to be milder. As we stated before, milder did not (and does not) mean mild, because there were (and are) still significant hospitalizations and deaths reported. As of Monday, November 14, the daily average case (per day!) was 39,489, with 317 deaths, and 27,943 hospitalizations. COVID-19 cases in the U.S., are on the rise again, with BQ.1 and BQ.1.1 (following BA.4 and BA.5) as the dominant sub-strains. So we still have to be vigilant and cautious, especially for babies, seniors, those who have health issues, and those immunocompromised. Newer sub-strains are with us. COVID-19 will be with us for the unforeseeable future!

Are masks effective?

Contrary to fake news in the social and other media, masks are very effective in reducing the number of viral particles we inhale and the viral spread from those who are infected to people around them. Several clinical studies have proven that. Those wearing the mask are not only protecting themselves but protecting people around them even more. These are the scientific facts. While masks are not 100 percent beneficial, they are very effective, much like bullet-proof vests which are not 100 percent protective, yet worn by all the military, federal agents, police, and

sportsmen. Those spreaders of rumors that masks are useless are doing a great disservice even to their own family, friends, and people around them, and to humanity as a whole.

If masks work, why do people still get infected?

There are many reasons for this. Firstly, are they worn properly, without the nose sticking out? Is the mask the recommended KN95 NIOSHapproved mask? Cloth masks or those regular surgical masks are not effective, but better than no face cover. Is the wearer’s immune system healthy? Is the individual fully vaccinated? Is the individual doing social distancing? Does the individual do frequent handwashing and not touching their face with bare hands? Does the person have the discipline needed for masks to work?

What does fullyvaccinated mean?

At this stage of the pandemic and vaccination for COVID-19, fullyvaccinated means the person has received 5 shots (including 3rd booster, a bivalent vaccine targeting Omicron sub-variants). This bivalent booster has been proven to be very effective compared to the old monovalent shots. More than 12 billion vaccine doses have been administered around the globe and proven to be safe and effective. With the predicted fall-winter wave of COVID-19, it is best for everyone to get this bivalent booster.

I got the 2nd booster, why did I still get infected?

People are thinking of COVID-19 as one infection. It is not, since the virus replicated and mutated to new strains and substrains, each of those (like the original ancestral one, the Delta, the Omicron and

the Omicron sub-strains, BA.4, BA.5, and now BQ.1, BQ.1.1 and BF.2.75) should be considered a culprit, each causing a distinct illness. If one is infected by, say, BA.4, he/she could still be infected by BQ.1, and so on. Each of them should be considered as causing its own illness. So, masking and even vaccination cannot protect us from new variants or subvariants, in the same manner not all bullet-proof vests can protect one from all different types of bullets. Although vaccines (polio, DPT-MMR for children, smallpox, seasonal flu, COVID-19, etc.) are not 100 percent effective, they are beneficial enough to save billions of lives around the world. Just like bulletproof vests!.

* * *

The main objective of this column is to educate and inspire people live a healthier lifestyle to prevent illnesses and disabilities and achieve a happier and more productive life. Any diagnosis, recommendation or treatment in our article are general medical information and not intended to be applicable or appropriate for anyone. This column is not a substitute for your physician, who knows your condition well and who is your best ally when it comes to your health.

Philip S. Chua, MD, FACS, FPCS, a Cardiac Surgeon Emeritus based in Northwest Indiana and Las Vegas, Nevada, is an international medical lecturer/author, a Health Advocate, Chairman of the Filipino United Network-USA, a 501(c)3 humanitarian foundation in the United States. He is a recipient of the Indiana Sagamore of the Wabash Award in 1996, whose other awardees include President Harry Truman, President George HW Bush, Astronaut Gus Grissom, Mohammad Ali, and David Letterman. Websites: FUN8888. com and philipSchua.com; Email: scalpelpen@gmail.com.

Kylie hails improving mental health landscape in the Philippines

By armin p. adina Inquirer.net

WHEN 2016 Miss International Kylie Verzosa joined the Binibining Pilipinas pageant, she highlighted an advocacy that very few people were familiar with at that time, which is mental health awareness. Now, many aspirants have

adopted the same cause.

“Over the past few years, I believe it has been improving, especially with the youth today. They accept depression and it’s widely spoken about. Anxiety is widely spoken about by the youth,” Verzosa said at the sidelines of her launch program as calendar girl for 2023 of a liquor brand, held

at the Cities Events Place in Quezon City on Nov. 10.

She shared that when the pageant’s screening committee members quizzed her about her advocacy, she said, “My daddy told me, ‘I think it’s mental health, what you want to talk about. You want to talk about depression and anxiety.’ I also opened

Richard returns to action

By Christina alpad ManilaTimes.net

BEFORE becoming a heartthrob in his teens, and eventually a leading man for TV shows and movies, Richard Gutierrez was a regular kid who had passion for martial arts.

Raised in California, Gutierrez would attend martial arts classes after school. At one point, he became a state champion in karate.

Today, the 38-year-old is a karate black belter who also practices mixed martial arts.

With this background, it comes as no surprise that some of his most memorable roles on television are in the action genre.

It has been a while, however, since Gutierrez took on a lead role for an action series. He last played a villain in “FPJ’s Ang Probinsyano” but the martial artist was left wanting to do more.

Enter “The Iron Heart,” an action series that will premiere on November 14.

The show — which also stars Jake Cuenca, Sue Ramirez, Sofia Andres, Pepe Hererra, Baron Geisler, Althea Ruedas and Dimples Romana, among others — will see Gutierrez playing the role of Apollo.

A seemingly ordinary individual with a powerful punch, Apollo will use his special skill to avenge the death of his family.

“Matagal na akong hindi napapanood na gumawa ng action like this and we wanted to showcase that again to our audience,” Gutierrez said at his show’s grand media conference.

While he was seen doing

what would qualify as action in “FPJ’s Ang Probinsyano,” the actor said his new role will show more of his martial arts skills.

“Yung ‘Probinsyano,’ very classic yung approach nya sa action, and most of the action scenes are gun fights. Hindi ko rin masyado napakita yung capabilities ko sa action. So we wanted to showcase everything here sa ‘Iron Heart.’

“We wanted more handto-hand combat, a more modern approach in terms of cinematography,” Gutierrez detailed.

Director Lester Pimentel Ong agreed, adding that the show will also use modern gun fighting style pegged from Hollywood films.

Ong also shared how important it was to have Gutierrez play the real role for the show that was five years in the making.

“One of the few, real martial artists in showbiz is

Richard. Kung gumagalaw siya, it’s really genuine, it’s not something he just learned for the show, it’s something he has been doing since he was a kid so we’re very fortunate to have him.”

Larger than life

While the extra strength of Gutierrez’s character could easily make the impression that “The Iron Heart” is another fantasy series, its creative manager Jay Fernando clarified that the show’s story is actually “larger than life.”

“Hindi siya fantasy pero meron lang siyang elements that could be larger than life, just to keep the show entertaining and to give the audience a different experience,” Fernando said.

His iron-strength punch may be a heightened reality but Fernando assures that it has a scientific basis.

“We had a scientific research to back it up, to make it realistic and believable even if it seems unreal or fantastical.”

Maja’s special participation

Another exciting aspect of the show is Maja Salvador’s special participation.

The actress’ last project in ABS-CBN was the 2020 prime time show, “The Killer Bride.” She is currently appearing on TV5 and GMA so her “return” to Kapamilya excited her fans.

Salvador and Gutierrez revealed that their management had been planning to put them together in one project several times before, but nothing would push through.

“Nung sinabi na may show with Richard, sabi ko sige

Battered wife gets green...

PAGE 11

Lance can pursue his green card without the help of his spouse.

In September 2022, Lance’s VAWA petition was approved, and Lance was able to get a “batteredspouse” green card.

Watch this success story on a brand-new episode of “Citizen Pinoy” on Sunday, November 20 at 6:30 PM PT (9:30 PM ET) through select Cable/Satellite providers, right after TV Patrol Linggo. Citizen Pinoy is also available on iWantTFC. Viewers may download the free app. (Advertising Supplement)

“battered-wife”

Leading U.S. Immigration Attorney Michael J. Gurfinkel (right) was able to get a

green card for his client, Lance (left), on a brand-new episode of Citizen Pinoy.

In his first lead role since transferring to ABS-CBN, Richard Gutierrez plays the gifted Apollo in ‘The Iron Heart.’ Photo from Instagram/@richardgutz

Angeline wishes to wed at Quiapo Church

by Alex BrosAs Inquirer.net

SINGER Angeline Quinto said that she wanted to be wed at the Quiapo Church, being a devotee of the Black Nazarene.

Quinto revealed this after her “10Q” concert at the Resorts World on Saturday, November 12. The singer is engaged to her non-showbiz boyfriend, Nonrev Daquina, with whom she has already a child named Sylvio.

“Sa Quiapo church po kasi marami po akong kaibigang pari doon. Saka deboto din si Nonrev ng Nazareno,” she said. (At Quiapo church because I have may priest friend there. Also Nonrev is also a devotee of the black Nazarene.)

She also said she wants her mentor Regine Velasquez and Sarah Geronimo to sing at her wedding.

While in the US for the “10Q” concert with Bugoy Drilon, Michael Pangilinan and Daryl Ong, Quinto revealed that she met the family of her boyfriend.

“’Yung mommy niya nandoon. Galing silang Virginia. Hindi natuloy ‘yung show namin sa Virginia. Tinatanong nila kung kailan ang kasal. Siyempre hindi ko rin po alam kasi marami rin po akong trabaho. Nagtatanong na rin sila kung kailan ang kasal after ng binyag ni Sylvio,” Quinto related. (His mom was there. They came from Virginia. Our show in Virginia did not push through. They were asking when the wedding is happening. Of course, I don’t know because I have a lot of work. They were asking when the wedding is happening after the christening of baby Sylvio).

Busy as she is being the mentor of “Dream

Maker”, a reality-based show featuring 62 aspirants, Quinto also wished to bring her non-showbiz partner and their baby Sylvio with her in her concerts abroad.

Motherhood has made Quinto realized the things she can do for her baby.

“Napakarami ko palang kayang gawin. Ngayon, ako ang gumagawa ng gawaing bahay. Mas gusto ko na hands-on ako kay Sylvio. Bago ako mag-concert ay pagod na pagod ako. Ako ang nagpakain kay Sylvio kasi ito ‘yung first time na puwede na siya sa solid food. Ayokong ma-miss ang ganoong milestone ng anak ko,” she said. (I discovered I can do many things. Now, I am the one doing household chores. I want to be hands-on to Sylvio. Before I did this concert, I was so tired. I fed Sylvio because this is the first time that he can eat solid food. I don’t want to miss that milestone in my son.) g

Billy Crawford wins French ‘Dancing With The Stars’

By KAthleen A. llemit Philstar.com

HOST Billy Crawford still cannot believe that he and his dance partner Fauve Hautot won the latest edition of “Danse avec les stars,” the French version of the popular reality TV dance competition “Dancing With The Stars.”

His wife, actress Coleen Garcia, broke the news on Saturday, November 12 on Instagram.

“Words cannot express how PROUD I am of you, my love! Not just for WINNING this difficult competition, but for growing into the person you have become: a kind, humble man

Richard returns to action...

pakinggan ko, baka ito na yung tamang panahon para magsama kami ni Richard,” Salvador recalled.

“After nun, may konting revisions lang and yun

lumipad na ako agad sa Cebu at pagdating ko, parang nakabenteng thank you si Richard,” the actress teased.

Turning more serious this time, she added,

“Nakakatuwa na kasali ako dito sa ‘Iron Heart.’ Madali lang ako napapayag because of course, it’s under Star Creatives. Ang dami ko nagawang magagandang shows with them.” g

Celebrity dads Gary Valenciano and Chito Miranda talk about investing in love

TRUE love takes time and effort to grow. Celebrity dads Gary Valenciano and Chito Miranda say their definitions of love and commitment have changed through the years. For them, love also means keeping your loved ones protected from any eventuality. This is why they were chosen by AIA Philippines and BPI AIA to encourage more Filipinos to express their love both in words and in actions. Filipino fans can find videos of their music idols talking about love.

“Love always changes just as situations and circumstances change. Outlooks and perspectives change too. Even in marriage, change and vows are tested through years of being together. It’s only here where you see what unconditional love is all about. The challenges and tests are meant to deepen and broaden what love means to any individual,” says Gary.

Chito shares, “Love, for me, changed, not only in definition, but also how it felt, when I became a husband and a dad. Before, it simply meant being attached to someone emotionally. Now, it means, prioritizing someone else’s happiness, and overall wellbeing above one’s self, and being happy with it.”

Safe and sound

The pandemic gave rise to many life realizations. For Gary, it was the importance of treasuring the moments you have with your loved ones. “It was a time none of us had ever experienced before. We hardly saw each other in 2020! It wasn’t easy how life became for my children. I knew they were struggling, but during the pandemic there was only so much that any parent like myself could do.”

He says he also now values his audiences more. “The pandemic has been the link that sort of bonds us as it was that one event that hit us all in ways we would never have expected. Cherishing time together is so important.” It also made him feel the grace and goodness of God, who kept him and his family safe and provided for.

Chito says his priorities were reshuffled during the pandemic. “I gained a much deeper understanding of what really matters in life, and what my priorities should be. My family’s health and safety have always been my priority, but the pandemic showed me how I should properly prepare to secure their health and safety, and how important it is to spend time with family, and to focus on things that we often took for granted.”

(Inquirer.net)

Ciara is one proud mom

By Anne PAsAjol Inquirer.net

CIARA Sotto could not help but feel proud as her son Crixus and his team won in the recently-held Youth Football League. The actress showed moments from when Crixus and his teammates from Arayat Football Club accepted the trophy and medals, through her Instagram page on Sunday, Nov. 13. In a separate post, Sotto congratulated her fellow parents for their children’s achievement.

“My Champ!

Congratulations Crixus! I’m so proud of you!” she wrote in her post.

Earlier this month, Sotto also expressed gratitude after her son and his team represented the country in the Singacup, the kid’s first international football tournament which was held in Singapore.

“We praise You, God, for this experience!” Sotto stated. “This is the first international tournament of Crixus and I am so proud that he and his teammates

Love changes, according to Gary Valenciano. Chito Miranda shares his thoughts on love and commitment.

Ciara Sotto and her son Crixus

Photo from Instagram/@pinaypole

Angeline Quinto Photo from Instagram/@loveangelinequinto

Host Billy Crawford with his dance partner Fauve Hautot win the 12th season of “Danse avec le stars,” the French version of the popular reality dance competition “Dancing With The Stars.” Photo from Instagram/@

Sumalee Montano on creating her ‘dream project’ The Deal

by MOMAR G. VISAYA / AJPress

THE Deal (currently streaming on The Roku Channel) is a dystopian film that deals with the universal theme of a mother-and-daughter relationship. Sumalee Montano, who created and co-produced the movie - considered it her dream project. Since she started acting, her dream has always been to keep working with ubertalented people for as long as possible.

For this film, she was able to do that, and more.

“I got to make a film that I conceived, produced, and acted in. We had fantastic locations, an incredible crew, and we ended up with a beautiful movie that I’m so proud of,” Montano told the Asian Journal. “In Hollywood, that’s already like winning a billion-dollar lottery jackpot!”

The Deal is, in a way, a love letter to Sumalee’s biggest inspiration - her mom, Linda Montano.

“I wanted to tell a story that honored how much she loved me. She made so many sacrifices to give me the life I have, some of which I didn’t know about until after she died,” she revealed. “So I wanted to dedicate this film to her, and people like her, who would do anything for the people they love. At its core, this is a story of a mother’s love for her daughter and their mutual desperation to protect one another, no matter what it takes.”

Let’s get to know this multi-hyphenate Hollywood personality more.

Sumalee’s first name is Thai, but it has a meaning in Filipino too. In Thai, Sumalee means fragrant flower; in Tagalog, “Sumali” means to join.

Born to a Thai father and a Filipino mother, Montano had a Thai last name growing up, and it was quite a long name, intimidating for non-Thai people. When she decided to pursue a career as an actor, she changed her last name to her maternal grandmother’s maiden name, Montano.

“My grandmother, Jesusa Montano, was an actress and teacher in the Philippines. Her brother, my grand uncle, is playwright and national artist Severino Montano,” she proudly shared. “I like having a name that reflects my dual heritage, Thai and Filipino, and that my last name,

Montano, represents the creativity and love of the arts I got from my Filipino side.”

Before acting, Montano worked as an investment bank analyst. She transitioned to acting because she realized that it was where her true passion lay.

“It was a tough choice to make. I had a high-paying job at a global financial services company and I worked my way from New York into a coveted position in Hong Kong,” she recalled. “Then I walked away from that stability and wealth to embrace the utter uncertainty of acting. My family freaked out.”

Eventually, her parents understood the decision.

“They helped me a lot by paying for my college education,” she said. “So I was able to use the money I made from investment banking to start my acting career. That was a big factor in making

my career transition successful.”

“But at the end of the day, we know that life is short,” she added. “I would have regretted not pursuing my acting dreams.”

Montano can be currently seen in “Dan Brown’s The Lost Symbol” on Peacock, where she is in the main cast as CIA officer “Inoue Sato.” She also has a recurring role, opposite Daveed Diggs, on Season 4 of “Snowpiercer,” based on Bong Joon-Ho’s film. She will also be guest-starring on upcoming episodes of the new “CSI:Vegas” and “Quantum Leap.”

On the voice-over acting side, she is working on multiple video games and animated series on Nickelodeon, Disney, and Netflix. A new series that was just announced is “Dragon Age: Absolution,” which premieres in December on Netflix.

“As a producer, my partner Grace Lay and I have several films out this year, in addition to “The Deal” on Roku Channel. We have “Nanny,” being released by BlumHouse/Amazon. Nanny is the first horror film ever to win the U.S. Grand Jury Prize at Sundance Film Festival. We also have a couple documentaries: “Riotsville, USA,” acquired by Magnolia Pictures and “Aftershock” by Disney/ ABC News,” she shared. “I’m also focused on developing more of my own ideas for future live-action and animated television series.”

In a Q-and-A with the Asian Journal, Montano shared her journey into acting and creating stories, the challenges she faced along the way, and the importance of telling her own story.

You wore a few hats for this film - what are among your biggest takeaways?

“The Deal” is set in a dystopian sci-fi world, which is a beloved but

Sumalee Montano as Tala Bayani with Emma Fischer as Analyn Bayani Photos courtesy of Aleksandar Letic

Emma Fischer as Analyn walking with Sumalee Montano as Tala

Alastair Mackenzie as Michael hiding with Sumalee Montano as Tala and Emma Fischer as Analyn

Sumalee Montano on creating her...

also historically exclusivegenre. It was important to us that we center characters and perspectives that we normally don’t see in these genres, like women of color of different ages.

The most marginalized people in society deserve to be at the center and not as a form of displaying trauma for entertainment, but rather for honoring a unique perspective that can and should be different.

By creating stories that audiences can empathize with, we give people the opportunity and permission to also advocate for these communities.

A takeaway I hope audiences get from our film is that we live in a world where people’s backs are often forced against walls and they’re shamed or criminalized for how they act in those moments. In “The Deal,” we see this up close and personal as Tala’s processing date (i.e., death date) approaches and she finds no empathy from The Bureau or others in power.

Whether people are living through war or navigating poverty and homelessness, there are countless issues limiting the quality of life that people are allowed to access. Through a fictional world, The Deal allows us to see the insanity in moving through an unjust world as though nothing out of the ordinary is happening.

How do you feel about the good reviews that the film has received?

It’s wonderful. A beautiful thing about “The Deal” is that despite the dystopian genre, the story is truly universal and one that everyone can relate to in their own way. If you’ve ever loved someone deeply or been loved deeply, you’ll connect with our story.

A lot of people say they connect with our film in ways they didn’t expect. It’s a real adventure.

There’s also a twist at the end that surprises people. And as a storyteller, it makes me happy that people are enjoying the emotional ride they go on while watching our film.

Your character’s name is Tala Bayani. It’s pretty rare to see lead actors sporting Filipino names and looks. How important was this for you?

Diversity and representation are very important to me. With “The Deal,” we tell a story that’s based on my own Filipina mother, in a genre where Filipinos are rarely present at all, let alone in dynamic ways. So my mom’s character having a Filipino name, Tala Bayani, just made sense. It would’ve felt inauthentic otherwise.

What did it take for this film to happen?

A LOT. It really takes a village, a few minor miracles and then some!

I would start by crediting our talented screenplay writer, Sean Presant. Working with Sean was such a gratifying, collaborative experience. As an actor I usually receive more polished scripts.

But as a producer on this film, I got to help mold and develop the story from the very start, along with Sean.

The film also wouldn’t have happened without producers Lisa Brenner and Dean Devlin, who is also Filipino. Their expertise and care are reflected everywhere in our film – from the production value you see in our worldbuilding to how our two lead characters aren’t portrayed as superheroes but rather as “every women” who fight back using their hearts and minds.

We had a great group of women working on this film. Our director, Orsi Nagypal, is brilliant. She grew up behind the Iron Curtain in Hungary, so her lived experiences really informed her vision and storytelling. And my producing partner, Grace Lay, who is also AsianAmerican, is a great advocate for telling intergenerational, multicultural stories like “The Deal.”

How was it working with Dean Devlin?

I love how Dean wanted to attack our toughest scenes right out of the gate. On day one of filming, we had big scenes to cover, a hundred extras on set, huge crane shots, VFX elements to accommodate, and record-breaking heat that day, to top it all off.

Some producers would rather ease into filming and start off with less demanding days. But for us, Dean preferred to take huge swings at bat right from the get-go. It was exhilarating!

Everyone was buzzing with excitement. Everyone wants the days to go well. It was such a fun rush. That’s what characterizes working with Dean for me.

It is a personal mother-anddaughter story inspired by your own. What were the most important lessons your mother taught you?

Maybe the most pertinent lessons are: 1) how important family is and 2) no matter what life throws at you, you do everything you can to protect those you love. In retrospect, her quietest sacrifices were her deepest expressions of love.

Like Tala in “The Deal,” my mom would always instruct me to find hidden opportunities, especially around how to stretch a dollar. As a single mom, she learned to be a jack-of-all-trades to make sure she could make ends meet. Several times before she died, she would tell me where to find the

valuables she had squirreled away for me in the event of her death. I love how much of my relationship with my mom made it onto the screen.

What was the biggest challenge you faced in coming up with the movie?

One of the biggest challenges was getting a story that existed in my mind onto the page as a screenplay. Sean, our writer, was excellent. He helped me tell the story I wanted to tell while making it even better than what I imagined!

During the development process, Sean was great about always making sure my mom was our guide, our North Star.

How would you describe the mood on the set?

And as to working with my co-stars, it was lovely. Everyone is so talented. It was such a joy to play with Alastair Mackenzie, Pearl Mackie, and Taz Skylar. And of course, Emma Fischer, who plays Analyn, gave such a great performance. I’m so grateful to have gotten to work with all of them.

I heard about your Fulbright scholarship to the Philippines - what was that like? What do you remember most about your mom’s old country?

My year of living and studying in the Philippines was one the best experiences of my life. It helped me connect with my roots. And some of my best friendships were formed then.

I got to make memories of a lifetime –everything from befriending families in the squatters.

A community where I did my research, scuba diving in some of the world’s most pristine waters, watching Filipino movies at the mall, and hanging out drinking beers with my mountaineering friends.

I think back on that year and feel so grateful for everything. But what I remember most is the laughter.

Growing up in the States, I would often hear my mom and her friends burst into peals of huge, raucous laughter. I thought that was just how my mom and her friends were.

But then I developed my friend groups in the Philippines, and we would laugh the same way! I realized our laughter, the way we Filipinos laugh, is cultural. It’s one of the many things I love about Pinoy culture. g

up about my mental health bout, about depression and anxiety awareness.”

Verzosa also said it elates her to see that so many women and beauty queens are speaking up about mental health now. “I’m glad that the youth has the courage to talk about mental health, and more parents are opening up and are more aware of the things that can happen to their sons or daughters, so there is now a deeper understanding of mental health,” she continued.

She also revealed that it was the reason she partly dedicated her recent award to “mental health warriors,” and her advocacy Mental Health Matters, in the speech she delivered when she accepted the “Philippine Actress of the Year” award at the Distinctive International

Arab Festival Awards (DIAFA) in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, last week for her movie “The Housemaid.”

The final stretch of 2022 has been explosive for the sultry siren, as two of her big dreams have been fulfilled–getting recognized as an actress and being a calendar girl.

“I’m really grateful for all the blessings coming my way,” Verzosa said. “I’m really thankful for (brand) and my team for making this all happen. Oh my goodness, it feels so good, it feels so great. Seeing the photos, you know, for the first time, is it really me?”

Verzosa is also looking forward to 2023. “They say you reap the fruits of your labor, so I’m hoping for an even better year next year. But for this year, I am so, so grateful,” she said. g

who works hard, dreams big for his family, shoots for the stars and makes sure to lift as many people up with him along the way,” wrote Coleen.

She said that he amazes her every time and that her son is lucky to have Billy as his father.

“You amaze me every time. I love you, and I’m SO HAPPY for you! You deserve all of this and more,” Coleen ended her post.

Billy replied by expressing

his disbelief and declaring his love for Coleen.

“I can’t believe it! I LOVE YOU SO MUCH and thank you soooooooooooo much for just EVERYTHING,” the host wrote.

Billy and Fauve joined the 12th season of the reality TV dance competition that originated from the British show “Strictly Come Dancing.” The show’s format is exported in other countries and licensed under the name “Dancing With The Stars.” g

Kylie hails improving... Ciara is one proud...

gave their all and did their best, even if they were the youngest team on the pitch.”

Ciara’s family including her siblings and dad Tito Sotto were also present to watch Crixus’ games in

Singapore, as seen on her Instagram post on Nov. 9.

Crixus is Ciara’s son with ex-husband, film executive Jojo Oconer. The former couple separated in 2016, and their marriage was annulled in 2019. g

(L-R) Emma Fischer as Analyn walking with Alastair Mackenzie as Michael and Sumalee Montano as Tala Photo courtesy of Aleksandar Letic

Kylie Verzosa

Inquirer.net photo