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Volume 18 - No. 17 • 2 Sections – 16 Pages

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Also published in LOS ANGELES, ORANGE COUNTY/INLAND EMPIRE, SAN DIEGO, LAS VEGAS, NEW YORK/NEW JERSEY

PH suspends testing, quarantine protocols DATELINE USA Fil-Am student dies for travelers from certain countries during amateur boxing FROM THE AJPRESS NEWS TEAM ACROSS AMERICA

match in Las Vegas

A FILIPINO American college student died from injuries shortly after an amateur charity boxing match in Las Vegas last week.

Nathan Valencia, a 20-year-old student of University of Nevada Las Vegas (UNLV), passed away on Tuesday, November 23, after participating in Kappa Sigma fraternity’s off-campus ‘Kappa Sigma Fight Night’ on Nov. 19.

According to 8 News Now, Valencia collapsed after the fight and was rushed to the hospital. Four days later, he died of brain injuries.

Valencia’s mother told local media that she wanted him to back out of the fight, but he insisted on participating since it was for charity.

Meanwhile, the family’s attorney, Nick Lasso, pointed out that neither medical help nor a professional referee was there in the sponsored charity boxing match.

“The family is deeply saddened over the loss of their loved one. They have asked for privacy during this painful time to grieve. This was an entirely avoidable and unnecessary death that will be fully investigated,” Lasso said in a statement.

by RITCHEL

MENDIOLA AJPress

Secretary Karlo Nograles on Sunday, Nov. 28, announced that the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) approved the temporary suspension until December 15.

“The IATF likewise approved the temporary suspension of testing and quarantine protocols for countries/jurisdictions/territories classified as

THE Philippines has temporarily suspended its lenient testing and quarantine protocols for countries or territories classified as “green” starting on November 29, according to Malacañang.

Acting Presidential Spokesperson and Cabinet

A MAN wanted in the brutal stabbing of an elderly Filipino man outside a trolley station in El Cajon, California has been arrested in Texas following a high speed chase.

Israel Ezekiel Valdivia, 24, allegedly stole a car from a 7-Eleven store in Abilene around 6 a.m. on Tuesday, November 23. After driving to Winters and attempting to hit a pedestrian, a high-speed pursuit started, according to the Runnels County Sheriff Carl Squyres.

“He was definitely running pretty hard from the California authorities. I have no idea how he got here,” Squyres said.

After a long chase, Valdivia lost control, drove across a ditch, and was taken into custody. He is currently being held in the Runnels County Jail, where he faces charges of unauthorized use of a motor vehicle from Abilene and evading arrest.

Texas police said Valdivia will face local charges in the state before being extradited

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by MOMAR

G. VISAYA

AJPress

1ST WEDNESDAY MASS. Catholics observe physical distancing while attending the Novena Mass inside the National Shrine of Our Mother of Perpetual Help commonly known as the Baclaran Church in Parañaque City on Wednesday, December 1. Metro Manila is under Alert Level 2 until Dec. 15, which means religious activities are allowed at 70 percent seating capacity.

PNA photo by Ben Briones

PRESIDENT Joe Biden has nominated two women of color to lead the Office of Management and Budget, which has been called “the nerve center of the government.”

According to the White House, Nani Coloretti, former Deputy Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, will take over as deputy director while Shalanda Young, who has been serving as acting director of OMB, will serve as its director.

If confirmed by the Senate, the Filipino American Coloretti would become one of the highest-ranking Asian Americans in the administration. Young, on the other hand, would be the first Black woman to serve in the top role in the agency.

“Today it’s my honor to nominate two extraordinary, history-making women to lead the Office of Management and Budget,” Biden said in a video announcement released Wednesday, Nov. 24.

“A proud Filipino-American, Nani will be one of the

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DOJ: Possible Apollo Quiboloy ‘I’m done’: Manny Pacquiao says he extradition may have to wait misses boxing, but won’t return to fight while PH reviews pending case

by BONG LOZADA

est decision of his life but it’s the resolution he’s made with himself as he takes a crack at the Philipfense apparently committed dito sa atin MANILA — Some things are pines’ top executive position. eh (What might happen is the extradition best left behind, even if it’s the “Hanging my gloves is the hardmay not proceed until the criminal pros- one thing you love the most. est part of all my life, cause I grew ecution against him here in the PhilipJust ask Manny Pacquiao. up in boxing, so I understand that pines is not finished he apparently has an The legendary boxer-turned- this is sports,” said Pacquiao in an offense committed here),” Justice Secre- politician admitted that stepping AFP interview. tary Menardo Guevarra told ABS-CBN’s away from the sport was the hardu PAGE 5 TeleRadyo.

“May karapatan din ‘yung kung sino man ‘yung biktima na i-prosecute ‘yung kaso dito sa ating mga korte. Kaya madedefer ‘yung extradition process (WhoInquirer.net

by RITCHEL

MENDIOLA AJPress

THE possible extradition of Filipino televangelist Apollo Quiboloy back to the United States may be deferred as local court reviews a pending case against him, according to the Philippine Department of Justice (DOJ).

“Maaring mangyari diyan ay hindi muna itutuloy ang extradition hanggang hindi natatapos ang criminal prosecution dito sa Pilipinas kasi meron kasing of-

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Isko Moreno ‘hopeful’ of getting Duterte’s backing as Bong Go withdraws

by DJ

Manila Mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso

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Pres. Biden nominates Nani Coloretti as deputy budget director

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Suspect in San Diego stabbing of elderly Filipino man arrested

‘Green’ effective immediately until December 15, 2021,” he said in a statement.

This means that fully vaccinated travelers in all ports of entry will be required to undergo a threeday quarantine even with a negative COVID-19 test result.

Meanwhile, travelers who are unvaccinated, as

Inquirer.net photo

YAP, JEROME ANING Inquirer.net

MANILA — Sen. Bong Go announced on Tuesday, November 30 he was pulling out of the presidential race, and another contender, Manila Mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso, said he was “hopeful” of receiving President Rodrigo Duterte’s endorsement.

Go, Duterte’s longtime aide, said he did not want “to make things more difficult” for the president, whose daughter, Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte, is seeking the vice presidency

with Ferdinand Marcos Jr. as running mate.

“My love for him is more than the love for a father. He is old and he has given a lot to the country. So I don’t want to add to his problems. I remain loyal to him and I promised to be with him for life,” Go told reporters in Filipino on the sidelines of the Bonifacio Day ceremony at Pinaglabanan Shrine in San Juan City, which Duterte also attended.

He said that with “dirty” Phil-

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December 3-9, 2021 • NOrcAL ASIAN JOUrNAL

http://www.asianjournal.com • (650) 689-5160

From the Front Page

BONIFACIO DAY. A man dressed as a revolutionary fighter waves the Katipunan flag during the 158th birth anniversary of Andres Bonifacio at the Liwasang Bonifacio in Manila on Tuesday, November 30. Bonifacio led anti-Spanish revolutionary Filipinos in organizing the Kataastaasan, Kagalanggalangang Katipunan ng mga Anak ng Bayan or KKK. PNA photo by Avito Dalan

PH suspends, testing, quarantine...

PAGE 1 well as those with incomplete doses or without a negative COVID-19 test result will be required to undergo quarantine for five days.

However, travelers from “green” countries who arrived prior to Nov. 28 may still follow quarantine protocols assigned to their country of origin upon the date of their arrival.

Nograles also announced that the IATF suspended Resolution No. 150-A (Series of 2021), which allowed the entry of fully vaccinated nationals who don’t need a visa in the Philippines, amid the increasing threat of the Omicron variant of COVID-19.

“With Omicron designated as a Variant of Concern, the IATF likewise approved the recommendations to strengthen local COVID-19 response,” the statement read.

“These include strongly enjoining the local government units to heighten their alert for increasing and clustering of cases and emphasizing the need for active case finding; to

immediately conduct contact tracing and isolation of cases detected from case surveillance among the community, including domestic and international travelers; and to use RT-PCR testing in order to allow for whole-genome sequencing of collected samples,” it added.

Further, the Philippines added more countries to its “red” list.

Effective until Dec. 15, the countries classified as “red” are South Africa, Botswana, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Lesotho, Eswatini, Mozambique, Austria, Czech Republic, Hungary, The Netherlands, Switzerland, Belgium and Italy.

This means international travel of all persons, regardless of vaccination status, coming from or who have been to “red” countries/jurisdictions/ territories within the last 14 days prior to arrival to any port of the Philippines will not be allowed.

“Only Filipinos returning to the country via government-initiated or non-government-initiated repatriation and Bayanihan

Flights may be allowed entry subject to the prevailing entry, testing, and quarantine protocols for Red List countries/jurisdictions/territories,” said Nograles.

Meanwhile, there are currently 41 countries, territories, or foreign jurisdictions classified as “green.” Among them are American Samoa, Bhutan, Chad, China (Mainland), Comoros, Cote d’Ivoire (Ivory Coast), Falkland Islands (Malvinas), Federated States of Micronesia, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Hong Kong (Special Administrative Region of China), India, Indonesia, and Japan.

Also included in the “green” list are Kosovo, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Malawi, Mali, Marshall Islands, Montserrat, Morocco, Niger, Northern Mariana Islands, Oman, Pakistan, Palau, Paraguay, Rwanda, Saint Barthelemy, Saint Pierre and Miquelon, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Sint Eustatius, Sudan, Taiwan, Togo, Uganda, United Arab Emirates, and Zambia. n

Pres. Biden nominates Nani Coloretti as..

PAGE 1

most senior Asian American leaders in government, Biden said. “I urge the Senate to swiftly confirm them again so they can lead OMB at this important time.”

The president also cited the historic nominations as he continues to build what he called “the most diverse presidential cabinet in history” and noted both had previously won Senate confirmation for other posts.

The OMB oversees the $4 trillion federal budget and helps coordinate operations and regulations across the government, giving it significant influence over the President’s agenda.

Coloretti currently serves as senior vice president for financial and business strategy at the Urban Institute, a Washington, DC-based think tank that conducts economic and social policy research.

“This will be a homecoming

for Nani, who started her career as a presidential management fellow at OMB,” Biden said.

Before joining HUD under the Obama administration, Coloretti spent five years at the US Department of Treasury and helped establish the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau where she served as its chief operating officer.

“I think the broader challenge for me as a Filipino American who is half Filipina is to make sure that my voice can be heard in an effective way. I think it helps that I come from a diverse state of people with different ways of communicating and interacting,” Coloretti said in a 2016 interview with the Asian Journal. “I also think that any challenge can also be an opportunity. So, being someone who is different from others in a table can be helpful, particularly if I am operating with both ears open and with curiosity.” Col-

Nani Coloretti

oretti told the Asian Journal in a 2016 interview.

Prior to joining the Obama administration, Coloretti spent several years as a policy adviser and budget director for then San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom. n

Fil-Am student dies during amateur boxing...

PAGE 1 “While it is early to know all details, it appears there were multiple safety measure failures by both UNLV and Kappa Sigma Fraternity,” he added.

On Friday, Nov. 26, the Valencia’s family attorney released another statement, vowing to leave “no stone unturned” to find out how a 20year-old college student ended up in a boxing match.

“The Valencia family is heartbroken over the loss of Nathan. Our preliminary investigation reveals mistakes were made and safety precautions overlooked. We will be completing a full investigation to determine how UNLV and the Kappa Sigma Fraternity could allow and promote an event like this to take place. College students should not be placed in a situation where they are pitted against each other for combat.

“Kappa Sigma Fight Night” is an event that has been held annually and was well known to both UNLV and the national Kappa Sigma Fraternity,” the statement read.

“We will leave no stone unturned to determine how a 20-year-old ended up in a school-sanctioned amateur fight that cost him his life. The family has asked for privacy during this time to grieve,” it added.

For his part, UNLV President

of grief and emptiness. They are in our thoughts during this very difficult time. The Rebel community shares their loss,” he added.

Likewise, Kappa Sigma Fraternity offered their condolences to Valencia’s family.

“Kappa Sigma Fraternity is greatly saddened by the loss of Nathan Valencia at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.

Our deepest condolences, thoughts and prayers are with the Valencia family and the entire UNLV community,” it said in a statement.

A GoFundMe page has been Nathan Valencia set up to help the family with Photo courtesy of GoFundMe medical and funeral expenses.

Keith Whitfield assured that the As of this writing, it has raised university is “committing all over $50,000 of its $100,000 available resources” to review goal. the incident.

“Nathan was actively a “We are shocked and member of Sigma Alpha Epsilon heartbroken as we mourn the at UNLV. He had so much love loss of one of our own. Coping for his chapter and valued the with the loss of life is always genuine connections he was able difficult, especially under to make,” the page’s description these circumstances. UNLV read. is committing all available “Nathan passed away on resources to review the incident November 23rd at the young and determine how off-campus age of 20. Although Nathan is events like these can be as not here with us physically, his safe as possible,” he said in a spirit will forever live on through statement. everyone that knows him. Nathan “Our deepest sympathies go was taken from us too soon, out to his family, friends, and but I know we have gained the loved ones. I am sure words best guardian angel,” it added. cannot describe their feeling (Ritchel Mendiola/AJPress)

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DOJ: Possible Apollo Quiboloy extradition...

DAY 1. Medical front-liners are busy preparing vaccines and injecting them at The Tent along C5 Extension Road in Las Pinas City on Monday, November 29. The venue is among the thousands serving as jab sites for the three-day nationwide vaccination drive “Bayanihan, Bakunahan” that ended on December 1.

PNA photo by Avito Dalan

Mayor Breed announces plan to reform city’s small sites housing acquisition program SAN FRANCISCO — Mayor London N. Breed and Supervisors Myrna Melgar and Ahsha Safaí on Tuesday, November 30 announced the next steps to strengthen and reform San Francisco’s Small Sites Program, which preserves rentcontrolled buildings and prevents tenant displacement.

First launched in 2014, the city has helped acquire 47 buildings (368 units of affordable housing) through the Small Sites Program.

The Small Sites Program is run by the Mayor’s Office of Housing and Community Development (MOHCD), which works to acquire and preserve at-risk rental housing with three to 25 units. The program was created to establish long-term affordable housing in smaller properties throughout San Francisco that are particularly vulnerable to market pressure that results in property sales, increased evictions, and rising tenant rents. In the face of the increasing pressure, the Small Sites Program helps San Franciscans avoid displacement or eviction by providing loans to non-profit organizations to successfully remove these sites from the market and restrict them as permanently affordable housing.

While the program has been an important tool, challenges have impacted implementation and acquisition. Mayor Breed sat down with non-profit partners who work with the city on administering the program, and agreed to a plan to reform over the coming months to ensure the long-term viability of the Small Sites Program. Those commitments include: • Undergoing a study on how to make the program more efficient and the model more applicable. This study will be conducted by the Housing Accelerator Fund (HAF), which partners with the City on housing preservation and acquisition efforts. HAF’s recommendations are due in January.

• Considering reform recommendations from the City’s housing partners.

• Implementing programmatic reforms by the end of March 2022.

• Supporting capacity in the City’s non-profit partners to make small sites deals and ensure that the buildings are financially sustainable.

• Modernizing and reforming programming rules to ensure broader applicability geographically, including in neighborhoods currently left out of the program because of income limitations.

• Ensuring that vacant units are immediately filled.

“Our Small Sites program is an important part of our overall strategy to make housing affordable to all San Franciscans,” said Mayor Breed.

“Preserving rent-controlled housing helps keep people in their homes, protects against displacement and evictions, and creates more stability in our neighborhoods as we make crucial decisions to build more housing in all neighborhoods.

We are committed to working with our non-profit partners to reform and strengthen this program so we can make impactful investments in our upcoming budget and support the longterm viability of the Small Sites program.”

The city currently has $10 million in funding in the current Fiscal Year for the Small Sites Program, and MOHCD will allocate up to $10 million of additional funds, which will allow the city to be flexible if good acquisitions arise before the end of June 2022. Once the reforms are implemented, the

“We deeply appreciate Mayor Breed’s leadership on this issue and commitment of the Mayor’s Office of Housing and Community Development to work on program refinements,” said Beth Stokes, Executive Director, Episcopal Community Services.

(SF Mayor’s Office Release)

Mayor London N. Breed

city will make program-specific investments in the upcoming budget process, which kicks off in two weeks when the mayor issues Budget Instructions.

“San Francisco’s vitality is dependent on keeping our current residents stably housed.

The Small Sites Acquisition Program has so much untapped potential to save our diminishing rent-controlled housing stock and to keep our communities intact. We need to be bold and shift the way we have been doing things to meet this moment. Our city’s economic recovery is dependent on investing in the residents and businesses that are struggling to stay here,” stated Supervisor Myrna Melgar.

“The Small Sites program preserves existing affordable units for working families here in San Francisco through acquisition,” said Supervisor Ahsha Safaí. “Together with Mayor Breed and Supervisor Melgar’s leadership – we have renewed our support for this vital program and San Francisco’s middle income families.

We are committed to working with our local non-profit partners and I’m proud to help lead this process to increase affordable housing options for San Francisco’s working families.”

“We thank the Mayor for renewing her commitment to the city’s housing acquisition and affordable preservation program,” said Malcolm Yeung, Executive Director, Chinatown Community Development Center. “While this has been a critical tool in preventing displacement of our most vulnerable residents, it has not always worked as planned. Not only do we have to expand accessibility to a broader range of San Franciscans, especially our lowest income, we have to make the program sustainable for the organizations that are doing the work of acquiring, rehabbing, and operating the housing.”

“MEDA is firmly committed to the proven, targeted approach of the City’s Small Sites Program to fight displacement.

Since 2014, our nonprofit has made 33 critical acquisitions, keeping in their longtime homes hundreds of families and dozens of commercial businesses,” said MEDA CEO Luis Granados.

“Our Community Real Estate team has been maintaining and growing the program throughout the pandemic, building our own capacity and that of our nonprofit peers so that we are all best positioned to continue to purchase Small Sites apartment buildings. In partnership with the city, we look forward to acquiring additional critical buildings as we further strengthen the program to ensure all properties are financially stable and that every unit becomes home to those most in need of affordable housing.”

PAGE 1 ever filed a case against him here has a right to see to his prosecution in our courts. So, the extradition process may be deferred),” he added.

In December 2019, a woman filed rape, child abuse, and human trafficking charges against Quiboloy and five other church members, claiming she was raped by the Kingdom of Jesus Christ, The Name Above Every Name (KOJC) founder in 2014 when she was a minor.

The Davao City Prosecutor’s Office dismissed her case in 2020 for lack of sufficient evidence, but the woman appealed to the DOJ, which is now reviewing her case’s dismissal.

Guevara said that the agency has yet to receive a request from the U.S. to extradite Quiboloy.

In a previous statement, the Justice chief assured that Quiboloy will not be accorded any special treatment should the U.S. send an extradition request.

“The DOJ, through the InterAgency Council Against Trafficking, will perform its mandate under the law, regardless of the persons involved,” he said.

He also pointed out that the Philippines has “an existing agreement on mutual legal assistance in criminal matters with that country.”

“Our treaty obligations are as legally binding on us as our own laws,” stressed Guevarra.

However, in the event that the

Apollo Quiboloy

U.S. seeks for Quiboloy’s extradition, the Philippine DOJ and the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) will have to determine first if the case is covered by the existing extradition treaty.

If the charges are covered by the treaty, Guevarra said that the DOJ will file a petition for extradition before a Philippine court.

“If granted, and the judgment (of the Philippine court) became final, the respondent (Quiboloy) may then be physically turned over to the requesting state for further legal proceedings,” he added.

On Nov. 19, U.S. prosecutors charged Quiboloy and two other top church officials for

Inquirer.net file photo

participating in a conspiracy to engage in sex trafficking by force, fraud, and coercion.

In a 74-page indictment, the three church leaders were alleged to have recruited females ranging from approximately 12 to 25 years of age to work as personal assistants or “pastorals” for Quiboloy.

“The victims prepared Quiboloy’s meals, cleaned his residences, gave him massages, and were required to have sex with Quiboloy in what the pastorals called ‘night duty,’” it added.

Five females allegedly fell victim to this, three of whom were minors when the supposed sex trafficking began. n

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DECEMBER 3-9, 2021 • NORCAL ASIAN JOURNAL

http://www.asianjournal.com • (650) 689-5160

SFIO acquires PH-based tech and software development hub LNS+ to establish global, cross-industry innovation ecosystem RECENTLY, OTC:SFIO Starfleet Innotech, Inc. (Smokefree Innotec, Inc.) announced its acquisition of Philippinebased software development company LEENTech Network Solutions (LNS+), marking the asset management company’s new direction towards technology development. With LNS+ and its subsidiaries now on board, SFIO is formalizing the team into their new Technology and Software Development Division.

According to SFIO CEO and Chairman Jeths Lacson, this new expansion kicks off a fiveyear innovation roadmap of transformative collaborations across each of the company’s five divisions: Franchising, Food Manufacturing and Distribution, Coffee, Property Development, and the recently-formed Technology and Software Development.

With 11 years of operation, LNS+ has established itself as a leading hub for technological excellence in the Philippines. Today, the company and its subsidiaries command a growing roster of over forty engineers, designers, systems architects, UX specialists, blockchain developers, and project managers. In addition, they’ve partnered with over 17 universities to build a sustainable and thriving talent pool.

Altogether, LNS+ represents a fully fleshed-out ecosystem of tech builders. With this lat-

est acquisition, SFIO now fully owns and operates six ecosystem players: • LEENTech Network Solutions – Software & Platform Development • Webworx Design Studio – Web Development, UI and UX Design, and Graphic Design • Qalidad Solutions – Software Testing and Quality Assurance (Department Unit) • Voltz Security – Vulnerability Assessment and Security (Department Unit) • Livewire365 – Server Architecture and Maintenance • DHQ Digital Marketing – Digital Marketing Services.

“With the LNS+ teams formalized into our new tech division, all our existing businesses and future businesses immediately benefit from having a full suite of digital transformation partners,” Lacson said. Now, Lacson plans to scale their digital transformation efforts globally with the establishment of tech innovation hubs across key strategic regions.

LNS+ Founder Richard F. Prodigalidad, who now serves as the CEO of SFIO’s Technology and Software Development Division, sees this as both a fulfillment of his ambitions for LNS+, as well as an evolution of its mission.

“When I founded LNS+ back in 2010, my original mission was to develop technologies that would be used throughout the world,” said Prodigalidad.

“With SFIO’s expansion plans to establish tech hubs in New Zealand, Australia, Dubai, and the United States, that original mission is really becoming a reality in a very concrete way.”

“I built LEENTech to be a startup enabler, launching dozens of tech projects and spinning them off into their own businesses,” Prodigalidad said.

“It’s easy to build an app or a website, but to launch a company – that takes more than code. Our mission at LNS+ was to invest in talent, nurture engineers and designers into entrepreneurs and leaders. As an asset management company, SFIO has the same mission – to build leaders. By investing in talent, what we’re really doing is giving them the best possible shot at long-term success.”

With the establishment of their global hubs, that goal has now expanded. SFIO’s international reach presents a lucrative opportunity to not only build solutions across borders, but to also showcase the massive potential of tech talents in emerging markets like the Philippines. Pulling from Richard’s mission as a startup enabler, SFIO intends to be a catalyst for change in both the industries

they operate in and the communities they serve.

Now serving on SFIO’s toplevel management team, Prodigalidad’s current mandate is to survey the asset management company’s portfolio for opportunities to both streamline existing operations with technology, and build entirely new systems to disrupt the industries they operate across. As SFIO begins to establish its global presence through strategic acquisitions, joint ventures, and the establishment of its tech hubs, a number of promising projects have already cropped up at their new tech division.

For SFIO’s recently announced joint venture with real estate company Omnicor, Prodigalidad’s tech division will be developing community wellness monitoring tools and health data systems to be incorporated into a state-of-the-art “tech village” in Montemaria, Batangas in the Philippines.

Looking across the group’s franchising, coffee, and food manufacturing and distribution divisions, Prodigalidad’s team will also be working on a unified, streamlined logistics platform. This platform will leverage machine learning

and similar AI applications to achieve real time data analytics for a truly scalable solution.

With this project, SFIO aims to not only standardize the operations of their different businesses across the supply chain, but to also bring value to their franchisees and ultimately, their customers, who will now benefit from a truly seamless, tech-powered system.

Utilizing their in-house expertise in blockchain technology, the group also intends to revolutionize how asset management companies manage their portfolios. Investors can expect instant insights and the ability to participate in SFIO’s growth in real time, using digital tokens powered by the blockchain. It’s a novel application of decentralized technologies that the group hopes will set a new golden standard for trust and transparency.

“The reason we’re able to take on all these projects is we’re being strategic about not reinventing the wheel,” said Prodigalidad. “Over the years, we’ve built a series of modular technologies that we can easily deploy in order to rapidly build e-commerce platforms, e-learning tools, food delivery services,

decentralized apps – whatever our clients need. Now we’re taking all those tech engines, as I call them, and running them full throttle across SFIO’s different ventures.”

The end goal of these ventures, says SFIO CEO and Chairman Lacson, is to leverage technology in order to collaborate towards greater efficiency and shared profitability. Similarly, the breadth of proprietary platforms the tech division will be developing, as well as the related trademarks and intellectual property, promises to bring new value to the asset management company in the mid- to long-term.

“I come from the startup world so my job now is to bring that disruptive mindset and marry it with the broad resources of SFIO,” Prodigalidad said. “It’s been a really thrilling experience for me and my team so far, and we’re all very excited to be joining the SFIO community.”

SFIO, which has just filed its Q3 financial reports in line with their broader plans to uplist onto the Nasdaq, will be publishing more news about their upcoming projects in the weeks to come.

(Advertising Supplement)

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NORCAL ASIAN JOURNAL • DeCembeR 3-9, 2021

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PH Consulate in SF, ALLICE team up for webinar on intimate partner violence

SAN FRANCISCO – As part of its mandate to advance the welfare and well-being of overseas Filipinos in the United States, the Philippine Consulate General in San Francisco partnered with the Alliance for Community Empowerment (ALLICE) for an online training on intimate partner violence (IPV) on November 19.

More than 40 participants from the Consulate and other Philippine foreign service posts in the U.S. joined the online training on Zoom, which also coincided with the yearly observance of the 18-Day Campaign To End Violence Against Women.

In his remarks, Philippine Consul General Neil Frank Ferrer said that the online training aims to ANTI-VIRUS. Manila residents queue up for CoVId-19 vaccines at the Justice Jose Abad Santos General Hospital in Tondo on Tuesday, November 30. The venue is among the jab sites of the capital city that has signified full support for the three-day nationwide vaccination raise the competency of Philippine foreign serdrive “Bayanihan, Bakunahan” until december 1.

PNA photo by Jess M. Escaros Jr. vice personnel in the U.S., in dealing with domestic violence cases, which disproportionately impacts on overseas Filipino women.

“It is an unfortunate reality that many of those who experience physical, verbal, sexual or psyPAGE 1 World titles across seven and the WBA Welterweight Super title chological abuse from their partners would rather keep silent about their ordeal or stay in an “I miss boxing, but I don’t think eight weight classes. in August 2021. boxing still likes me. Well, I’m alPacquiao, who was already a abusive relationship, for fear of further retribuStarting as scrawny light flyready turning 43 years old so it’s weight, Pacquiao would win his senator when he fought Ugas, tion from their partners or judgment from others. enough for me. I mean, I’m done,” first World title at flyweight be- then turned his focus to the They often hold the mistaken belief that staying said Pacquiao. fore winning his heaviest one at presidential race as the standard in such a toxic and unhealthy relationship would Pacquiao, often regarded as super welterweight. bearer of the Probinsya Muna keep their families together,” the Consul General one of the greatest boxers of all He has since retired after he Development Initiative (PROMDI) lamented.

In line with the theme of this year’s 18-Day time, is the only fighter to win lost to Yordenis Ugas in a bout for party. n Campaign To End Violence Against Women that highlights the Philippine Safe Spaces Act of 2019, ConGen Ferrer said that the online training seeks to turn the Philippine embassy and consulPAGE 1 getting off the trolley and stabbed leased from the hospital, ex- ates in the U.S. into “safe spaces for those who back to California where he will him repeatedly, slashing his head, pressed hope that the arrest will have found the courage to end their silence and unshackle themselves from intimate partner viobring him justice. face his attempted murder charge hand, and stomach.

“I felt relieved. Hopefully, he lence.”

In a Nov. 11 news release, the for attacking and stabbing 71The Philippine Consul General also thanked ALEl Cajon Police Department noted gets what’s coming to him,” he year-old Jose Serra.

LICE for collaborating with the Consulate for the Serra, 71, was walking to a Serra “had numerous life-threat- said.

A GoFundMe page has been set webinar, the first-ever training held for the Philnearby manufacturing facility at ening stab wounds and had been the Arnele Avenue trolley stop severely slashed across his face.” up to help Serra with the medical ippine embassy and consulates in the U.S. “Following the mantra of the late Alice Peña “The victim’s ear was nearly expenses as he recovers from his around 5 a.m. on Nov. 3 when he Bulos, who said: ‘To achieve empowerment, we was attacked by Valdivia using a severed off and he had lost a injuries. (AJPress) 12” knife, as previously reported significant amount of blood,” it added. by the Asian Journal.

Serra, who was recently reValdivia followed Serra after

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PAGE 1 ippine politics, he did not want Duterte suffering the strain of campaigning for him.

Go had earlier telegraphed his decision to pull out. He has to make a personal appearance at the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to make the withdrawal of his candidacy official.

Internal conflict “The law department currently has no authority to accept any filings considering that today (Nov. 30) is a holiday,” Comelec spokesperson James Jimenez told reporters when asked if the poll body’s office would open for the senator.

Go can no longer be substituted because the period for substitution of an aspirant who voluntarily withdraws his certificate of candidacy (COC) ended on Nov. 15.

According to Jimenez, the Comelec is targeting Dec. 15 for the release of the final list of candidates, and the printing of ballots will begin on Jan. 15. Go said he spoke the other night with the President, who, he said, understood his situation.

He said another reason for his pullout was internal conflict: “In the past few days I realized that my heart and my mind are contradicting my actions. My body, heart and mind are really resisting. I’m just a human being who can get hurt and get tired also.”

Go also said his family had objected to his candidacy.

‘Supreme sacrifice’ Malacañang had little comment on the matter, with Cabinet Secretary and acting presidential spokesperson Karlo Nograles saying in a TV interview that it was a “new development.”

Nograles said the Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban), the party of President Duterte and Go, would hold “a series of meetings” to discuss Go’s move.

Go was originally nominated by a party faction for president, but he declined it and instead ran for the No. 2 post. At the last minute, he declared his candidacy for president under the littleknown Pederalismo ng Dugong Dakilang Samahan.

The senator told reporters he had “no ambition” and described his pullout as a “supreme sacrifice” for the country and Duterte, and for the sake of the unity of their supporters.

He sought “forgiveness” from his own supporters, saying: “I was not ready for this … Perhaps it’s not yet my time to be president.”

Asked if Duterte would eventually endorse his daughter’s candidacy, Go was noncommittal.

He said he and Duterte would support candidates who could continue the administration’s “good programs.”

‘Thank you’ Domagoso said he would await Malacañang’s endorsement.

“If they endorse me, thank you. Thank you in advance, but I will not preempt them until they say so. For the meantime, I am always hopeful,” the Aksyon Demokratiko standard-bearer told reporters in Manila.

In a chance interview, Domagoso said he would not refuse help

from the president or anybody else at this stage of the election season, adding that he needed it badly.

Addressing reporters, he said: “With all honesty, I am expecting that you, too, will help me … I mean literally, like you, you, you.

“I expect all the help, because from the beginning, I needed all the help I could get, because as you know, I’m only one person in public service. I need help from allies, loyalists, believers, followers and volunteers.”

Domagoso said, however, that he would not plead for Malacañang’s anointment.

“I will wait for them to choose me. For the meantime, while I am expecting help, I will keep reaching out. While reaching out, I am learning a lot,” he said.

In October, the mayor described as “fake news” speculations in a Politiko report that he was the administration’s real candidate and Go a mere decoy.

“I thought drugs were illegal — what were they smoking?” he was quoted as saying in an ABS-CBN report, in response to Politiko.

Leverage Makabayan senatorial candidate Neri Colmenares, who is the chair of Bayan Muna, said Go’s withdrawal of his presidential candidacy was “a desperate Machiavellian attempt to salvage the crumbling Duterte-Marcos alliance.”

Colmenares said it was obvious from the start that Go, Mr. Duterte’s “chief political operator,” had a slim chance of winning, and that the President was “just using him as leverage to get as many concessions as possible” from Marcos Jr. He said it was the fate of politicians who “join the Dutertes for their own agenda.”

“May this serve as a warning to all politicians who will seek anointment from the president and his family in 2022,” he said.

House Deputy Minority Leader Rep. Carlos Isagani Zarate of Bayan Muna commented along the same line.

Zarate said Go’s move was “not totally unexpected” in the president’s “political playbook,” and that he was “just a pawn used as leverage to gain concessions” from Marcos Jr.’s camp.

The concessions include “protection when Mr Duterte’s term ends … especially now that he is already considered a lame-duck president,” Zarate said.

He added: “The withdrawal will possibly benefit and consolidate further the Marcos and Duterte alliance.

Asked to comment on Go’s pullout from the presidential race, the “UniTeam” of Marcos Jr. and Mayor Duterte said it would reserve its reaction until after “the actual withdrawal of presidential aspirant Bong Go’s COC and his further announcement.”

Diwa Rep. Michael Aglipay, the chair of the House committee on good government and public accountability, expressed respect for Go’s decision.

“We will always be thankful for the access he has given us congressmen these last five years, and we wish him well in helping our country,” Aglipay added. n

must reach out and empower the community,’ the Consulate will continue to support ALLICE’s noble mission of keeping Filipino and Filipino American homes free from domestic abuse and violence,” ConGen Ferrer said.

Dr. Jei Africa, ALLICE Clinical Director and Marin County’s Behavioral Health and Recovery Services (BHRS) Director, served as the resource speaker during the online training, where he discussed the many forms and nuances of IPV in the Filipino American setting. He also outlined ways to detect signs that a person is experiencing domestic violence, and the community resources that can help IPV survivors.

Apart from the participation of the entire personnel of the Consulate in San Francisco, representatives from the Philippine Embassy in Washington, D.C., and the Philippine Consulates General in Chicago, Los Angeles and New York also took part in the online training.

ALLICE is a non-profit all-volunteer organization dedicated to promoting healthier relationships, homes, and communities through education. ALLICE has long been a partner of the Consulate in community and women empowerment in the Bay Area through activities such as the annual “Free from Violence” Seminar and Resource Fair, and public forums on IPV. Those who are experiencing abuse or violence from their partners may avail themselves of the following resources: • U.S. National Domestic Violence Hotlines: 1-800-799-7233; 1-800-787-3224; 206-518-9361 (for the hearing impaired) • Community Overcoming Relationship Abuse (CORA): 1-800-200-1080 • San Mateo District Attorney’s Office Victims’ Center: 650-599-7479 • Philippine Consulate General in San Francisco’s Assistance-to-Nationals (ATN) Section: atn@ pcgsanfrancisco.org • Alliance for Community Empowerment (ALLICE): http://allicekumares.com.

(PCGSF Release)

6

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7

DOF: PH borrowed P1.15-T Marcos seeks dismissal of disqualification petitions to fight COVID-19 pandemic

by EvElyn

Macairan Philstar.com

The Philippines’ borrowings to finance the prolonged fight against COVID-19 already hit P1.15 trillion, adding to the pandemic-induced fiscal scarring which could be aggravated by foregone revenues from stimulus measures and the bigger budgets to be enjoyed by local governments, the Department of Finance (DOF) said on Tuesday, Nov. 30.

While the COVID-19-related loans totaled $22.58 billion, the DOF said in a statement that the total financial cost — including interest payments — amounted to a bigger $28.91 billion or P1.47 trillion.

“The projected amount of interest payments until maturity is $6.32 billion or P320.85 billion.

These loans will mature between 2024 and 2060,” the DOF said.

These higher financing costs borne by the government were among the challenges the DOF wanted to be addressed by the fiscal consolidation plan it was crafting, to be pitched to the next administration to narrow the budget deficit and repay ballooning debt.

Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III also flagged the possible “long-term economic scarring” if the national government’s revenues cannot keep up with expenditures on public goods and services, which will be reduced starting next year by implementing the Supreme Court’s Mandanas-Garcia ruling.

“Tax revenue losses from the pandemic-induced economic slump, the rise in debt to fund our COVID-19 response, the looming revenue impact of our economic recovery measures, and lower spending efficiency as a result of the Supreme Court decision to expand the share of LGUs [local government units] from the NTA [national tax allotment] must be adequately addressed by the next administration’s economic team,” Dominguez said.

Next year, LGUs will receive over P959 billion in NTA, formerly called internal revenue allotment (IRA).

To recall, the Supreme Court granted in 2018 and reaffirmed a year later the petitions of Batangas Gov. hermilando Mandanas

Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III

and former Bataan Gov. enrique Garcia Jr., which stated that the LGUs’ IRA should come from 40 percent of the collection of all national taxes — the Bureau of Internal Revenue’s (BIR) tax take, as well as the Bureau of Customs’ (BOC) collections of import duties and other taxes.

“Based on our estimates, the implementation of the Supreme Court’s 2018 ruling will yield lower economic growth because local governments spend less efficiently,” Dominguez said.

“The DOF’s estimates found that implementing the high Tribunal’s 2018 decision will yield 3-percent lower economic growth, because the higher LGU allocation will be subject to a lower spending efficiency,” Dominguez said, referring to the share to total disbursements of productive expenditures which goes back to the economy, generates multiplier effects, creates jobs, stimulates demand and improves the quality of life.

Dominguez said the national government spends more than twice as efficiently as LGUs. The World Bank had estimated that LGUs might fail to spend as much as P155 billion from their NTA next year.

Up to this year, LGUs’ IRA represented two-fifths of national internal revenue taxes collected by the BIR. The NTA, meanwhile, was based on LGUs’ 40-percent share from all tax revenues collected three years prior, hence next year’s allotment had 2019 as the base year.

LGUs’ 2022 NTA jumped from an estimated IRA of only P846.31 billion for next year without the so-called Mandanas ruling. This year, LGUs’ IRA amounted to P695.49 billion.

Next year’s implementation of the Supreme Court’s 2018 decision on the Mandanas-Garcia petitions reduced the government’s fiscal space, such that President Duterte issued executive Order (eO) No. 138 in June to transfer to LGUs the responsibility to spend on local infrastructure, agriculture, social welfare, health care, and livelihood, among other sectors included in the Local Government Code.

While the Supreme Court’s Mandanas ruling will provide LGUs with more money, they were expected to struggle spending their larger budgets to implement big-ticket programs and projects devolved by the national government through eO 138.

Dominguez also pointed to foregone revenues to be inflicted by the Corporate Recovery and Tax Incentives for enterprises (CReATe) as well as Financial Institutions Strategic Transfer (FIST) Laws.

While both were “crucial to a quick economic recovery,” Dominguez said that for 2021 to 2024, these two laws would result in revenue losses reaching P1 trillion on average each year.

For instance, the CReATe Law cut the income tax rate slapped on large corporations to 25 percent while slashing the levy on micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMes) to 20 percent, retroactive to the middle of last year, from 30 percent previously, which had been the highest in Asean.

The government was hopeful that firms’ tax savings from CReATe would be reinvested amid economic recovery from the pandemic-induced slump.

The Development Budget Coordination Committee (DBCC) had estimated the CReATe Law will shed P118.8 billion from tax collections next year; P115 billion in 2023; and P106.5 billion in 2024.

This year’s revenue loss from CReATe was estimated to reach P138.2 billion. (Inquirer.net)

MANILA — Presidential aspirant former senator Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said the Commission on elections (Comelec) should dismiss outright the petition that sought the cancellation of his certificate of candidacy (COC) because he is qualified to run for president.

In a statement, Marcos, through his legal counsel estelito Mendoza, said that this was their position in a fivepage answer they submitted to the Comelec. Aside from their request for outright dismissal of the petition against Marcos, they also asked for the petition to be discussed in face-to-face argument and not through virtual or video conferencing.

The case stemmed from the petition filed by a group led

by Fr. Christian Buenafe who claimed that Marcos could not

run for public office because he was convicted by a Quezon City court for his multiple failure to file income tax returns from 1982 to 1985.

They argued that his conviction perpetually disqualified him from seeking any public office as the same involves moral turpitude.

But Marcos’ camp countered that the petition is “bereft of any specific allegation of a material representation required under Section 74 of the Omnibus election Code.”

“It is relevant and the commission can take judicial notice, that respondent had previously been elected to several elective positions in government, specifically inter alia provincial governor of Ilocos Norte, member of the house of Representatives and member of the Philippine Senate,” Mendoza said.

Taking into account the qualifications of the various

elective positions he has been elected to and occupied as enumerated, he said “it is of judicial notice that the respondent has all the qualifications of a president under Section 2, Article VII of the Constitution and consequently there can be no violation of Section 78 in relation of Section 74 of the Omnibus election Code upon which a petition such as the one now before the commission.”

Mendoza said the former senator did not commit a crime involving moral turpitude. “(What) is clear and certainly beyond dispute is that the CA (Court of Appeals) decision does not, and no inference can be made from its decision that (Marcos), BBM (Bongbong Marcos) in this case, has been found by the CA of committing a crime involving moral turpitude,” he added. n

PAMPUBLIKONG PAGDINIG NG LUNGSOD NG ALAMEDA TUNGKOL SA MGA PANGANGAILANGAN SA PABAHAY AT PAGPAPAUNLAD NG KOMUNIDAD Magsasagawa ng Pampublikong Pagdinig ang Konseho ng Lungsod ng Alameda sa Enero 4, 2022.

Iniimbitahan at hinihikayat ang publiko na magbigay ng mga komento sa mga pangangailangan sa pabahay at pagpapaunlad ng komunidad ng Lungsod para sa Bultuhang Pagbibigay para sa Pagpapaunlad ng Komunidad sa Taong Pananalapi 2022-23 (CDBG) Taunang Plano sa Pagkilos sa Taong Pananalapi 2022-23. Batay sa nakaraang pagpopondo, inaasahang makakatanggap ang Lungsod ng nasa tinatayang $1,150,000 sa CDBG Mga pondo para sa entitlement at $80,000 sa Kita ng Programa para sa TP 202223. Hindi bababa sa 70% ng mga pondo ng CDBG ang dapat makuhang benepisyo ng mga residente o kapitbahayan na may mababa at hindi gaanong malaking kita; may limitadong halaga ng mga pondo ang maaaring maipamahagi upang maiwasan ang kahirapan sa mga piling lugar.

Iniatas ng Departmento ng Pabahay at Pagpapaunlad ng Lungsod ang pagbuo ng taunang Plano sa Pagkilos (HUD), at isusumite ito sa Alameda County HOME Consortium. Tutukuyin ng taunang Plano sa Pagkilos ang mga pangunahing pangangailangan ng komunidad sa pabahay at pagpapaunlad ng komunidad. Kabilang sa mga pangangailangang tinukoy ng nagdaang Mga Binuong Plano ang: pagpapanatili at pagpaparami ng aboy-kayang pabahay at suporta; pag-iwas sa pagpili ng bibigyan ng pabahay; pagpigil sa kawalan ng tirahan at pagtugon sa mga pangangailangan sa pagpapaunlad ng komunidad na walang kaugnayan sa pabahay gaya ng pagpapahusay ng kapitbahayan, mga serbisyo sa publiko, mga pagpapahusay sa accessibility at pagpapaunlad ng ekonomiya. Ang Kabuuang Plano sa Limang Taon na sumasaklaw sa TP 2020-2025 ay makikita bilang sanggunian sa website ng Lungsod ng Alameda sa https://www.alamedaca.gov/Departments/Community-Development/Community-HousingResources.

Ang Lupon ng Serbisyong Panlipunan para sa Ugnayan sa Publiko ng Lungsod (SSHRB) ay magsasagawa ng pampublikong pagpupulong sa Disyembre 9, 2021.

HINIHIKAYAT AT INIIMBITAHAN ANG PAGBIBIGAY NG KOMENTO NG PUBLIKO 1/4/22

Pagpupulong ng Konseho ng Lungsod, 7:00 p.m. Pampublikong pagdinig tungkol sa iminumungkahing sa Plano ng Pagkilos ng CDBG para sa FY 2022-23. Para mapanood ang pampublikong pagdinig, bisitahin ang website ng Lungsod ng Alameda sa: https://alameda.legistar.com/Calendar.aspx

Puwedeng isumite ang mga komento tungkol sa iminumungkahing sa Plano ng Pagkilos kay Lisa Fitts sa (510) 747-6884, (510) 522-7538 (TYY), o clerk@alamedaca.gov (email). Pakibigay ang mga komento bago ang 7:00 p.m. sa Enero 4, 2022. Pakikinggan ng Konseho ng Lungsod ang mga komento at isasaalang-alang nito ang pagpapatibay sa sa Plano ng Pagkilos sa regular na pagpupulong nito nang 7:00 p.m. sa Enero 4, 2022. Hinihikayat ang publiko na dumalo at makilahok.

MGA TULONG PARA SA MGA TAONG MAY KAPANSANAN Kung ang sinumang taong interesado sa paglahok sa nabanggit na pederal na programa ay isang taong may kapansanan tulad ng tinutukoy sa Seksyon 504 ng Rehabilitation Act of 1974, at nangangailangan siya ng tulong para makalahok o makialam, puwedeng humiling para sa tulong kay Lisa Fitts sa (510) 747-6884, (510) 522-7538 (TYY), o sa pamamagitan ng email sa lfitts@alamedaca.gov. Kasama dapat sa nasabing kahilingan ang paglalarawan ng hinihinging tulong, kasama ang paghahayag ng kapansanang dahilan ng pangangailangan ng tulong. Susuriin ang anumang kahilingan para sa tulong at may sagot na ibibigay sa loob ng limang araw ng negosyo mula sa pagtanggap ng nasabing kahilingan. Agad na ibibigay sa humiling ang abiso ng anumang ibibigay na tulong.

VACCINATE

KIDS 5+ TO PROTECT

THEM FROM

COVID-19

MGA TULONG PARA SA MGA RESIDENTENG HINDI NAGSASALITA NG ENGLISH Ang Lungsod ng Alameda ay may network ng mga empleyadong nagsasalita ng 45 wika na puwedeng magsilbing tagapagsalin para sa mga residenteng nanghihingi ng impormasyon tungkol sa mga programa ng CDBG/HOME. Kung maaabisuhan nang maaga nang dalawang araw ng negosyo, maghahanda ang Lungsod ng tagapagsalin. Makipag-ugnayan kay Lisa Fitts sa (510) 747-6884, (510) 522-7538 (TYY), o sa pamamagitan ng email sa lfitts@alamedaca.gov.

PATAKARAN SA HINDI PANGDIDISKRIMINA Hindi nandidiskrimina ang Lungsod ng Alameda ng sinumang tao batay sa lahi, kulay, relihiyon, pinagmulang bansa, ancestry, biyolohikal na kasarian, kinikilalang kasarian, katauhang pangkasarian (gender identity), ikinikilos na kasarian (gender expression), sekswal na oryentasyon (sexual orientation), marital status, familial status, pinagmumulan ng kita, genetic na impormasyon, medikal na kundisyon, kapansanan sa pangangatawan o pag-iisip, o anupamang kategoryang pinoprotektahan ng batas.

Talk to a doctor or learn more by visiting MyTurn.ca.gov or calling 833-422-4255

8

DECEMBER 3-9, 2021 • NORCAL ASIAN JOURNAL

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FeatURes

OPiniOn

Moderate corruption risk

COUP attempts were staged in the past partly due to accusations of graft in the Armed Forces of the Philippines. A former AFP and defense chief fatally shot himself by his mother’s grave amid allegations of corruption.

Since then, measures have been instituted to put an end to corrupt practices in the AFP and Department of National Defense, starting with the simplification of rules and procedures in supply procurement to plug opportunities for red tape and graft.

It is unclear if the tradition of pabaon – millions given away to top military officers prior to their retirement – remains in place. Two former military comptrollers were indicted in connection with procurement anomalies in the AFP. earlier this month the Sandiganbayan affirmed its order on the forfeiture of P102 million worth of property illegally amassed by retired comptroller Lt. Gen. Jacinto Ligot. But victories in the antigraft campaign in the military and defense establishments have been spotty.

Last June, the Supreme Court affirmed a plea bargain approved by the Sandiganbayan, under which former AFP comptroller Maj. Gen. Carlos Garcia pleaded guilty to the lesser offense of direct bribery instead of plunder, which reduced his sentence. After spending six years behind bars, Garcia walked free in

December last year.

Such developments have surely contributed to the country’s middling score in the latest Integrity Index in government defense and security, as drawn up by London-based Transparency International. TI gave the country a score of 55 out of 100 – “moderate risk” in the index, which rates the quality of institutional controls to manage corruption risks in defense and security institutions in 84 countries.

TI reported that the Philippines was “particularly weak” in oversight of policymaking and procurement, with the risk “critical” in whistle-blowing and corruption monitoring. Transparency also “remains limited” throughout the sector including financial management, according to TI. Defense and AFP officials have said reforms continue to be implemented to plug opportunities for corruption. TI did note that corruption risk mitigation “is relatively robust” in Philippine military operations. Such effort must be sustained, alongside continuing housecleaning in the military and defense establishments.

(Philstar.com)

Editorial

Philstar.com photo

Economic challenges for next president Demand and Supply BOO CHANCO FINANCe Secretary Sonny Dominguez summed up the economic challenges for the next president and they are daunting. Almost makes me wonder why anyone wants to be president, assuming they have a clean heart and the best intentions.

Sec. Sonny identified the four big challenges as ballooning domestic debt, high global inflation, worsening inequality, as well as climate change. I want to add two more, food security and the continuing COVID pandemic.

This is why voters must be very careful in selecting the next president. Popularity alone or even the goodness of heart alone are not enough. We need a new president who is not part of the political oligarchy that has ruined our economy and has the training to nurse the economy back into the pink of health.

Some are quick to blame Sec. Sonny, as Duterte’s economic manager, for the economic problems he mentioned. But let

us not forget that Sec. Sonny has had to deal with the challenge of financing our pandemic response.

We have seen how prudent Sec. Sonny has been even in borrowing from abroad. There were those who were urging him to borrow more and take advantage of our good credit rating.

But Sec. Sonny knows our bureaucracy has a serious execution problem and a bad record in quickly and efficiently utilizing allocations for direct assistance to those who need it most. having more money than the bureaucracy can properly and honestly absorb only leads to temptations like Pharmally.

Now that we have gone into election mode, I guess Sec. Sonny wants to remind everyone, candidates and voters, to think about the serious problems we are facing. Our lives depend on it.

That’s why I earlier suggested that candidates for president be required to name their shadow Cabinet members for the most critical positions. We need to know if their Finance Secretary nominees, for instance, are competent and trustworthy.

We also need to hear the candidates themselves speak of how they view the problems brought up by Sec. Sonny. So far, I have heard nothing but platitudes and populist solu-

tions like suspending oil product taxes.

So, can we hear the presidential hopefuls tell us how they plan to manage the debt we have accumulated and grow our GDP? Our borrowings ballooned because of weaker revenue collections due to the pandemic-induced economic slump.

Government also had to spend more to assist distressed families during lockdowns and to finance the increased requirements of our shaky health system.

The increased borrowings brought up the Philippines’ debt-to-GDP ratio, which is used to measure an economy’s ability to repay its obligations, to 54.6 percent in 2020 from a record-low 39.6 percent in 2019.

By end-September, our debtto-GDP further climbed to a 16year high of 63.1 percent, above the 60-percent level deemed by credit rating agencies as manageable among emerging markets. No wonder some ratings agencies have warned us of a potential credit rating downgrade.

Our government’s outstanding debt will further climb to a record P13.42 trillion by end2022 from the P11.73 trillion programmed by this year’s end.

According to NeDA chief Karl

Kendrick Chua, “consumption and investment will be lower in the next 10 years due to lower demand in sectors that require social distancing (e.g., amusement, tourism, restaurants, public transportation). Consequently, tax revenues will be lower.”

So, do the candidates have strategies for fiscal consolidation? Will they be honest about their taxation plans? The next administration may have no choice, despite the election promises, to implement new or higher taxes. Cutting public spending will slow down GDP growth.

Then there is inflation. Our headline inflation rose beyond the government’s two to four percent target range of a manageable rate of increase in prices of basic commodities this year. Basically to blame is the high cost of food, especially pork due to supply shortage.

Managing the inequalities exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic is the next big challenge. The most vulnerable sectors like the poor, women, and school children will take longer to recover from the pandemicinduced slump.

Sec. Chua pointed out that for example, no face-to-face classes means less learning and lower future income, productivity, and competitiveness.

ADB estimates that each year

of lost schooling translates to around 10 percent permanent lower wages in the future.

Then there is climate change.

Our farmers and fishermen need support to help them cope with the negative effects of climate change on their livelihoods. Our food security depends on this.

Not to forget… the pandemic is still around. Just when we thought we could relax our restrictions to help our travel industry, this new variant, Omicron, comes around. By now, we must have a better playbook than lockdowns.

We need to invest on our health infrastructure, not just hospitals and health centers, but also on properly compensating our health workers to make it worth their while to serve at home rather than go abroad. Philhealth must be reformed.

Growing our economy requires investments. Since the government will need all the cash they can muster just to run its operations, the Public Private Partnership concept is the only option.

The big problem is attracting PPP investors after the Duterte administration broke a lot of covenants with past PPP investors like Manila and Maynilad Water. Then there is this nuisance suit against Megawide for supposedly violating the

anti-dummy law.

That Mactan Cebu airport contract won by Megawide went through several legal reviews, including a suit filed in the Supreme Court. After delivering on the commitment and winning awards as a model PPP project, Megawide officials are facing this criminal case. That’s how to kill the PPP concept for the future.

A retired investment banker noted that potential foreign investors will stay away after the government refused to accept international arbitral rulings, parametric formula for tariffs, long pending toll adjustments, refusal to accept liability for MAGA (Material Adverse Government Action), which are standard international provisions for PPP. These are probably not issues raised in presidential campaigns, but are vitally important. The new president will have to address these issues to attract investors, foreign and local, on Day One. (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.

*** Boo Chanco’s email address is bchanco@ gmail.com. Follow him on Twitter @ boochanco

Bloody, bizarre twists in election ‘teleserye’ Commentary

SEGUNDO ECLAR ROMERO PhILIPPINe elections have been known to be quite colorful, with red as their most dominant color, as seen in the amount of bloodshed they generate — before, during, and even after every election. Many candidates, their families and supporters have become casualties in this political exercise considered as the ultimate indicator of a thriving democracy. But more often than not, this democratic indicator happens almost always “at gunpoint,” to partially quote the title of a book published by Vera Files in collaboration with The Asia Foundation in 2011.

edited by Yvonne T. Chua and Luz D. Rimban, “Democracy at Gunpoint: election-related violence in the Philippines” includes nine reports describing and providing backstories of bloody incidents associated with elections in different provinces in the country, five of which are in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, now the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao. These provinces are Maguindanao, Lanao del Sur, Basilan, Sulu, and Tawi-Tawi.

I am reminded of this book again as families of the victims of the tragic Maguindanao massacre commemorated last Nov. 23 the 12th anniversary of that gory and most horrendous of all election-related bloodbaths in Philippine history. That single incident in 2009 killed 58 people, including 32 Central Mindanao-based journalists.

Also among the victims

were Genalin, the wife of Toto Mangudadatu, then pregnant; some relatives and friends, and their lawyers.

Twelve years after this tragedy, families of the victims are still demanding for justice as well as monetary reparations from the Ampatuan family.

“Understanding election Violence in the Philippines: Beware the Unknown Assassins of May,” a recent peer-reviewed article based on academic research, echoes the findings and analysis in the 2011 Vera Files book.

The article was published in Pacific Affairs (Vol. 94, No. 3, September 2021) and written

by Tom Smith of the University of Portsmouth, United Kingdom, and Joseph Anthony L. Reyes of the Lund University of Lund, Sweden. It notes that the Duterte administration has exacerbated this violence through the promotion of

vigilante type of killings that mainly characterizes President Duterte’s war on drugs. The authors believe that this deadly war can fuel another violent election period.

The research on which the article was based covers 13 years, from 2004 to 2017. The authors tallied all electoral violent incidents during those years, and noted the following: (1) Unidentified assassins are largely responsible for the killings of candidates, their campaigners and supporters, and “fruitful investigations” to these killings are rare; (2) Media reporting on election and related violence has become increasingly dangerous, and cited the killings of some journalists and radio broadcasters; (3) election violence is difficult to monitor and currently falls between the cracks of various international election monitoring initiatives.

The authors’ findings are quite worrisome. We will continue to face this sad reality, given the bizarre twists and turns of the electoral “teleserye” we watch everyday on our small screens.

We watched, highly perturbed, how the President, his daughter, and his unofficial valet/caregiver changed or withdrew their original certificates of candidacy to “adjust” to new political alignments.

Sara Duterte resigned from a party she herself founded, hugpong ng Pagbabago, to become a vice presidential candidate under Gloria Macapagal Arroyo’s Lakas-CMD party. Sen. Bong Go flip-flopped from being a vice presidential hopeful to a presidential wannabe in a matter of weeks. This added a rather dark, insidious plot to the teleserye. Mr. Duterte downgraded his original plan

from being president to being senator. Was this an anticipated losing of face just in case his daughter garners higher votes than him?

The plot thickened when Sara Duterte recently announced her “return” to the hugpong party, with her partymates welcoming her with open arms.

But the most bizarre twist was how she was able to wangle not only the leadership of the party she resigned from and returned to, but also that of the new party she joined, LakasCMD. Whew!

Where will all these lead us to next? Abangan. (Inquirer. net) *** The opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by the author do not necessarily reflect the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints of the Asian Journal, its management, editorial board and staff.

*** Comments to rcguiam@gmail.com

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NORCAL ASIAN JOURNAL • DECEMBER 3-9, 2021

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THE ASIAN JOURNAL

MAGAZINE

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N O R T H E R N

C A L I F O R N I A

Friday, December 3, 2021

INSIDE >>> L I F E S T Y L E • C O N S U M E R G U I D E • C O M M U N I T Y • M A R K E T P L A C E Immigration Corner ATTY. MICHAEL GURFINKEL, ESQ MOST people, with family members or employees stranded overseas waiting for their immigrant visa interviews, will find some ray of hope with the news and updates coming from the Department of State’s (DOS) Visa Office. Charlie Oppenheim, the Visa Office Numerical Control Division Chief, and the person in charge of setting the priority dates on the monthly Visa Bulletin, offered advice and predictions for the coming months in terms of scheduling interviews and processing of cases.

First, it is important that once the priority date on a person’s petition becomes available or current, they must ensure that their visa application is completed promptly, including the submission of all required documents and payment of all applicable fees. This is called being “documentarily qualified.” Typically, if a person does not pursue his or her visa within one year of availability, does not submit requested documents within one year, etc., the case can be terminated and canceled. Therefore, it is very important you monitor your priority date for visa availability and make sure NVC has your current address.

Even if a person’s priority date is current, they will NOT be scheduled for an interview unless and until the case is “documentarily qualified.” This means all required documents, forms, and fees have been submitted.

Sometimes NVC asks a person to submit additional documentation.

Even if their priority date is cur-

Update on embassy interviews rent, unless and until the person completes the required documentation or information, their case will not be queued up for interview. It remains collecting dust waiting for them to act.

USCIS processed cases at the rate of 7,000 to 8,000 per week in August and September 2021.

Even if USCIS processes 5,000 cases per week, when combined with immigrant visa processing abroad, it could result in using up all the estimated 280,000 employment-based visas before the end of the fiscal year. Right now, employment-based visas for most countries are “current.” However, if all the visas are used up, priority dates may have to retrogress or move backwards.

Many consulates are increasing their processing rates of immigrant visas, which would also affect how quickly the number of visas are used up for the coming year. In addition, refusal rates of visas have decreased because people appear for their interviews better prepared; fewer people are missing their interviews; and people immediately submit requested documents right after the interview, to enable the case to continue to be processed and visa issued.

Overseas, there is tremendous backlog for employment-based visas, and once embassies start clearing the backlog, it could be possible the annual supply of employment-based visas will be used up.

Mr. Oppenheim predicts there will be a substantial increase in processing EB3 employment cases at the U.S. Embassy in Manila to address their backlogs, including the sizable backlog of those following to join family members.

This is great news because under the DOS previous prioritization

for immigrant visa interviews, employment-based cases were to be processed last. Now, it seems they will be finally taken off the shelf and slotted for interviews.

While the F2A (spouse or minor children of immigrant) priority date remains current, it could be possible to impose a final action date in the next nine months, meaning the F2A category will no longer be current for filing.

If your case has been stagnating at the embassy, or if your priority date is current, and you have not received any notice or notification from NVC, you may want to consult with an attorney, who can evaluate your situation, and determine if the case is properly on track and documentarily qualified, in order for the interview to be scheduled as soon as possible. *** Michael J. Gurfinkel has been an attorney for over 40 years and is licensed, and an active member of the State Bars of California and New York. All immigration services are provided by, or under the supervision of, an active member of the State Bar of California. Each case is different, and results may depend on the facts of the particular case. The information and opinions contained herein (including testimonials, “Success Stories,” endorsements and reenactments) are of a general nature, and are not intended to apply to any particular case, and do not constitute a prediction, warranty, guarantee or legal advice regarding the outcome of your legal matter. No attorney-client relationship is, or shall be, established with any reader.

WEBSITE: www.gurfinkel.com Follow us on Facebook.com/GurfinkelLaw, YouTube: US Immigration TV and Instagram. com/gurfinkellaw Call Toll free to schedule a consultation for anywhere in the US: 1-866-487-3465 (866) – GURFINKEL Four offices to serve you: LOS ANGELES · SAN FRANCISCO · NEW YORK · PHILIPPINES (Advertising Supplement)

JUMPSHIP SON HELPS LEGALIZE HIS MOTHER THIS SUNDAY ON CITIZEN PINOY. Did you know that family members can “spread the love” by helping each other legalize their status? Mommy Emi (left) came to the U.S. on a visitor’s visa and overstayed. Upon consulting leading U.S. Immigration Attorney Michael J. Gurfinkel (right), she was advised to wait for her son to legalize his status in the U.S. first. But Emi’s son, Jerome, was a crewman who jumped ship and was not eligible to adjust status in the U.S. When the provisional regulations came out in 2013, Atty. Gurfinkel filed a provisional waiver so Jerome could get his green card in Manila, and eventually become a U.S. citizen, so he could petition his mother. Watch this success story on an encore episode of “Citizen Pinoy” this Sunday, December 5 at 6:30 PM PT (9:30 PM ET) through select Cable/Satellite providers, right after TV Patrol Linggo.

(Advertising Supplement)

SB19 marks 3rd anniversary with ‘Our Zone’ by iZa iGlESiaS Manilatimes.net

SB19 composed of (from left) Stell, Josh, Pablo, Ken and Justin are set to culminate their month-long anniversary celebration with a concert in Araneta Coliseum.

Photo from Instagram/@officialsb19

AFTER the highly successful “Back in the Zone” concert in August, the day’s hottest boy band will grace the virtual stage anew with “SB19 2021: Our Third Anniversary Concert.”

Josh, Pablo, Stell, Ken and Justin — who will always remember 2021 for their nomination to the Billboard Music Awards Top Social Artist/s Award — are making sure to give their fans the entertainPAGE 12

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December 3-9, 2021 • NOrcAL ASIAN JOUrNAL

http://www.asianjournal.com • (650) 689-5160

Filipino American actor/director Angelo Reyes: A rising star of the indie film scene

By Nicole

The “Man@ng is Deity” run at ODC Theater in San Francisco is a multimedia event with dance film screening and performance inspired by the lives of the manong generation.

Photo by Hana Sun Lee

‘Man@ng is Deity’ presented at SF’s ODC Theater, Dec. 3-5

KULARTS, the premier presenter of contemporary and tribal Pilipinx arts in the United States, is proud to present the film premiere of SF Legacy Artist Awardee, Alleluia Panis’s “Man@ng is Deity,” a multimedia event with dance film screening and performance inspired by the lives of the ‘manong’ generation — the first wave of cheap imported Pilipinx laborers who powered the everexpanding needs of the developing United States empire.

Funded by the Gerbode Foundation’s Special Awards in the Arts, “Man@ng Is Deity’s” original music is by composer Joshua Icban and the cinematography by Wilfred Galila. Presented on December 3-5, 2021 at ODC Theater in San Francisco, it is inspired by real-life accounts of Pilipinx Americans between the 19101940s, this performance draws from public and personal narratives of their 8,000-mile immigration journey to America.

The performances and film explore vivid moments of early 20th century American life for Pilipinxs, bonded together to ease their struggles of living in a society that valued them for their cheap labor but loathed them and denied their humanity. They relive the bitter hardships, the fleeting joys, and their determined spirit of survival and camaraderie that defined this generation.

Many Pilipinx immigrants of this generation worked in farms, factories and in first-class hotels in the big cities. In spite of the racism and anti-miscegenation they faced, their resilience is what marked their generation as they formed labor unions, self-help organizations and institutions that

A scene from Alleluia Panis’ “Man@ng is Deity.”

are evident to this day. A respite from the harsh realities of their everyday lives, taxi dance halls were a place for Manongs to socialize and let loose but also dangerous places where many were confronted by violence.

KULARTS, as an elder arts organization within SOMA Pilipinas Filipino Cultural Heritage District, shepherds the arts & cultural work within the community, making visible the continuing presence and complexity of the Pilipinx community in SoMa through community art programs like the annual Parol Festival and Isugid Pinoy. “Man@ng is Deity” received the prestigious Gerbode Foundation Special Awards in the Arts in 2019; the workshop production last spring had sold out shows.

“With our new insight from the sold-out workshop production in March 2019, our artistic team took the year to further develop the work – building, enriching, and fine-tuning the characters and their stories with new video and choreography grounded in both personal and universal historical narratives. Sadly, two weeks before the March 2020 opening, co-

Photo by Wilfred Galila

vid-19 pandemic shut down our world premiere. It took months for me to resign to the catastrophic impact of the pandemic on live theater. I was forced to find another solution. The decision to make the dance film offered surprising opportunities to expand my vision and deepen my work,” shares Alleluia Panis, Artistic Director of KULARTS. Pilipino American influence in the arts and community organizing has a long-standing relationship to San Francisco and the Bay Area. Alleluia Panis’ “Incarcerated 6x9” presented by KULARTS was nominated in 2019 for two Isadora Duncan Awards in ‘Outstanding Achievement in Performance,’ and ‘Outstanding Achievement in Visual Design’ June Arellano (Costume), and Wilfred Galila (Media Art). Panis is also the recipient of the SF Arts Commission Artistic Legacy Hewlett 50 Artsa Dance USA Artist.

“Man@ng Is Deity” performances will be followed by panel discussions with artists, dancers, and the production team.

More information and details can be found at www.KULARTSsf.org.

Muj

THE industry is taking notice of Filipino-Italian American actor/director Angelo Reyes, who is currently taking his short “21st & Colonial” out on the festival circuit. The film, which he wrote, directed and stars in, was screened recently at the San Diego Filipino International Film Festival and named an official selection of the Asian World Film Festival in Los Angeles. He also recently took part in the fourth annual Production Without Borders Showcase during the American Film Market, alongside some of the top names in the entertainment industry.

Following is an exclusive interview with this rising star of the indie film scene: Nicole Muj (NM): You are quite an accomplished actor.

Why made you decide to pursue directing as well?

Angelo Reyes (AR): Directing was a role that I knew eventually I was going to get to do. I wanted to train as an actor first and fulfill my goals. When I felt comfortable and had the opportunity to direct, I decided to take the challenge. I thought that having experience directing and running a production would make me a better actor as well, and vice versa. Then I wrote “21st & Colonial.” I had a vision for the story and it had to be a certain way. Since we were going to make a short film concept prior to the feature film, I thought that this was a perfect time for me.

NM: What inspired you to make “21st & Colonial”?

AR: I began a journey and mission when I started writing screenplays. I wanted to produce true human impact stories that ignite the heart. Give a voice to stories of people that sometimes we don’t hear of or maybe we forget about. My last production “Groomed” was based on a true story about domestic human trafficking in Virginia. It went behind the scenes of what human traffickers do and what it looked like and followed the character throughout the process.

“21st & Colonial” was no different. I was inspired to write this story back when I was watching the news, where an African American male named Omar was shot 14 times by police while sitting in his car, unarmed

at a bank drive-through. He cashed a fraudulent check, which would have been a misdemeanor if convicted.

I was introduced to the family by a close friend. I spent the day with the family, and I was deeply moved. As I researched Omar’s death further and the details surrounding this fatal encounter, it grew to be more complex.

The story plays out a 24-hour period in the characters of Omar and Carlos, both the victim and the police officer. I wanted to write an unbiased story. You will see this in a parallel narrative as it builds up to where they have a fatal encounter. No money will ever bring back their son or heal the wound of this tragedy. Telling Omar’s story is one way we can honor him.

NM: What has been the response to the film so far?

AR: It has been interesting.

After screenings, the audience were quiet, which was worrisome at the time. But when the theatre lights came on and it was time for the Q&A sessions, I had a tremendous number of compliments. I had touched on subjects in the short concept that I didn’t even mean to, such as trauma, PTSD, etc. I then realized this film became much bigger and tells a much larger story. This was good to know as I get ready to turn this concept into a feature film.

NM: You star in “21st & Colonial” as well as directed (and wrote) the film. What were the challenges you faced having to wear so many hats?

AR: This was a big task but with the right team it made my job a lot easier. I was more prepared with “21st & Colonial” because

my last film, “Groomed,” as I had the same roles to fill. I believe that was my trial run. I learned a lot from that production. Even though “21st & Colonial” was a short film concept, my team and I spent six months prepping every scene. I worked closely with my Director of Photography, Leah Anova. I learned that the DP is my best friend. If I was going to pull this off being in front and behind the camera, we both needed to have the same vision and chemistry. In the end it worked out. It prepared me for the feature film.

NM: How have your international roots helped you in your career in the entertainment industry?

AR: Absolutely! Being able to speak other languages fluently gave me an upper hand. I can immerse myself in many characters and backgrounds.

It’s very challenging but that’s what acting is all about. I love learning about different cultures, languages, and people’s stories.

This has helped me a lot throughout my career.

NM: Specifically, what are you doing to promote diversity within the Asian-American entertainment community?

AR: The best way for me to help my Filipino and Asian community is to include them in every aspect of my productions.

This includes cast and crew. I do my best to search for writers, producers, actors, etc. in the Asian community to create a good balance and give opportunities or a start to their careers. It’s a small step but a step that is necessary.

What is also important is to create human impact stories that ignite the heart. I do this by creating a broad story that every audience can relate to and write around Filipino characters. And last but not least, provide guidance and mentorship.

NM: Who was been the greatest mentor to you (in the industry)?

AR: The one person that really helped me and especially getting “21st & Colonial” off the ground is Mr. Michael Goi. He gave me advice with my acting career choices and introduced me to people. He introduced me to who is now my ‘Ate’ (means older sister in Tagalog), Leah Anova, a talented and amazing PAGE 11

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NORCAL ASIAN JOURNAL • DeCembeR 3-9, 2021

Edu confirms relationship with Cherry Pie

11

celebrityworld

By Ferdie Villar ACTOR, TV host and politician Edu Manzano confirmed that he is in a relationship with actress Cherry Pie PIcache. Prior to the admission, there was a lot of speculation from netizens and showbiz insiders when photos surfaced of the two while on a recent trip to the U.S. In an article in Inquirer.net, Edu confirmed to broadcaster Cheryl Cosim that he is romantically linked with the award-winning actress in a text conversation.

“How true?” was the question Cosim posed in a text message to Manzano with a newcast script romantically linking them.

“You’re the funniest! Yes, my dear,” was the actor’s answer, seemingly confirming the news.

According to the article, Edu was asked twice by Cheryl to confirm the relationship and the former answered affirmatively both times.

In a separate story, Edu’s son, TV host and actor Luis Manzano, also confirmed that his dad is, indeed, dating Cherry Pie. It took him by surprise, Luis admitted, while on a podcast alongside wife Jessy Mendiola with screenwriter G3 San Diego.

“We were really caught off guard. No one saw it coming.

I don’t even think Dad and Tita Pie saw it coming,” Luis was quoted as saying, to which wife

Jessy added that she was “really shocked” over her father-in-law confirming the news.

Luis added in the podcast that his dad looks very happy with how things are going with his new relationship as he talked about relationship advice he has received from his father.

“It would boil down to the same thing, how he respects his partner. That’s one thing I see in Daddy. I can see how happy he is with Tita Pie,” Luis said.

Edu and Cherry Pie are currently working on a TV series for ABS-CBN (“Marry Me, Marry You”) where they play an estranged couple. The series is topbilled by Paulo Avelino and Janine Gutierrez.

Manzano was formerly married to Star for All Seasons Vilma Santos and Diamond Star Maricel Soriano, while Picache separated from her former parner Gary Tria in 2006. *** Singer-songwriter Ogie Alcasid has composed a song inspired by and for front-liners called “Bayaning Tunay.”

The song has been recorded by a host of Original Pilipino Music (OPM) artists, including Bamboo, Rico Blanco, Ely Buendia, Lani Misalucha, Christian Bautista as well as other ASAP and Kapuso artists, according to an article in

Showbiz personalities Edu Manzano and Cherry Pie Picache are in a confirmed relationship.

The couple was in the U.S. recently visiting family and friends.

Photo from Instagram/@yescppicacche

Metro Box Cargo’s headquarters is located at 29450 Union City Blvd. in Union City. Photo above shows the company’s owners and staff at their Union City office.

Ogie Alcasid has written a song called “Bayaning Tunay” inspired by a nurse that has been recorded by a slew of OPM artists.

Photo from Instagram/@ogiealcasid

Luis Manzano (left) says he definitely sees how happy his dad Edu (right) is with his current relationship.

Photo from Instagram/@realedumanzano

PEP.ph.

“The reason why I wrote this song, ‘Bayaning Tunay,’ is because there was a time na yung ating front-liners talagang… napabayaan, ‘no? I felt… I felt that since the pandemic is… I can’t say it’s coming to an end, but it feels like, ahhh, things are getting better, I think,” Alcasid was quoted as saying.

“Parang huwag natin silang kalimutan na pasalamatan sa mga nagawa nila,” he added.

Alcasid revealed that he will not forget the dedication and hard work of front-liners, especially since he saw it when his father got sick and eventually passed away.

He recounted how hard it was for him to find anyone who could help him when his dad was in the hospital and he was trying to communicate with his dad, who had a hard time taking control of his phone.

PAGE 12

Metro Box Cargo celebrates eight years, holds Thanksgiving party

METRO Box Cargo recently held a Thanksgiving celebration at its headquarters in Union City as it also celebrated its eighth year in the freight forwarding business.

Established in 2013, Metro Box Cargo has quickly become one of the most reliable companies that the Filipino American community goes to when it comes to shipping their padalas to their loved ones in the Philippines.

According to the firm’s owners and partners, Egay, Mabelle and Edward, the Thanksgiving celebration was a way to honor the relationships that have been put in place since Metro Box Cargo’s inception.

“We want to give thanks to our staff and valued customers who have been with us from the very start. We value their support, and we hope to be able to service more customers in the Bay Area,” they said.

Built on the slogan of “Serbisyong Totoo, Padala Niyo Sigurado,” Metro Box Cargo’s owners and partners assures their customers that they will offer

Metro Box Cargo’s owners/partners, staff and guests enjoy great food and camaraderie at their recent Thanksgiving celebration held at the Union City office.

personalized service to their valued clients, and will ensure that their customers’ balikbayan box shipments get to their loved ones safely.

Aside from balikbayan box shipments, Metro Box Cargo offers shared and full container shipment, loose cargo shipment and car/motorcycle shipment.

The company’s headquarters

are located at 29450 Union City Blvd., Union City, CA 94587.

Customers can call (510) 2930167 or their toll-free number 1855-355-6387, or visit the website at www.metroboxcargo.com or Facebook (Metro Box Cargo) for more details and information on the services offered by Metro Box Cargo.

(Advertising Supplement)

Filipino American actor/director Angelo...

PAGE 8 cinematographer. He told me to just do the work and get this film under my belt, and everything else will fall in place. He has been a great mentor to me and I’m grateful for him. The little things he has done for me has made me a better artist and

human being. Passing down his knowledge and expertise has made me realize I have a bigger purpose now. I want to be able to return the favor and help other artists, especially in the Asian and Filipino communities. So, thank you Michael!

NM: What’s next on the horizon for you?

AR: Next up is the “21st & Colonial” feature film. I am hoping to have everything ready to film in 2022. I’m still working as an actor and training constantly.

I have written four scripts, so once “21st & Colonial” is done, I have others ready right behind it. I can’t wait to show you what I have in store.

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December 3-9, 2021 • NOrcAL ASIAN JOUrNAL

EMPLOYMENT

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Gigi feels the pressure on her first TV series

by Alex

BrosAs Inquirer.net

SINGER Gigi De Lana was plucked from the world of music to play leading lady opposite Gerald Anderson in “Hello, Heart.” This brought upon her tremendous pressure, since she is relatively new to the world of acting.

“May halong pressure, siyempre, kasi ang kinalakihan ko ay ang pagkanta. Iyon ‘yung passion ko. Pero nu’ng nakikilala ako bilang artista, it’s a big accomplishment for me,” De Lana said during the online press conference for the new series under a partnership between IQIYI and ABS-CBN, last Nov. 23. It is streaming starting Dec. 15, free on the iQiyi app and www.iQ.com.

(There’s pressure, of course, because I grew up singing. That is my passion. But when I become known as an actress, it’s a big accomplishment for me.)

De Lana is proud of herself because she is able to work on both worlds, as a singer and as an actress. She also saw complex acting can be, likening it to “singing” with other performers, and opening her up to be vulnerable.

Playing Heart, a bubbly girl who meets the Saul character of Gerald Anderson, De Lana thinks there is not much of a difference between herself and her TV series character.

“Si Heart kasi very outgoing siya. Parang lahat ay gagawin niya sa family niya. Parang wala yata kaming pagkakaiba kasi ganoon din ako,” she said. (Heart is very outgoing. It’s like she will do everything for her family. It’s like we don’t have much differences because I am also like her.)

The only difference, she noticed, is that while Heart is very idealistic, she in real life fights only up to a cerGigi de Lana tain point, when she knows she has given her all.

Photo from Instagram/@gigidelanaofficial

Edu confirms relationship with...

PAGE 11

“So I had to look for a nurse.

And during that time, ang taastaas ng kaso ng COVID. Walang umooo sa akin. And there was this guy… parang sabi niya, ‘Sige, Sir, gagawin ko po ‘yan.

His name is William Gonzaga, hindi makakalimutan yung pangalan niya,” Ogie related.

Ogie said that Gonzaga served as his dad’s angel by taking care of his dad, bathing him and taking videos, and serving as the go-between for him and his dad.

Gonzaga was there to the very end, up to the time when his dad was cremated, Alcasid said.

“Sabi ko, ‘Grabe ‘tong taong ‘to! Grabe yung dedication niya, kaya hindi ko siya makakalimutan.

That’s why itong mga panahong ito na feeling ko, hindi natin puwedeng kalimutan ang mga front-liners. That’s why I wrote that song,” Ogie stated.

Alcasid, who says the song will be out soon, is thankful that it was easy to call on other OPM artists to record the song.

“Ako kasi, I did personally call them. Like, iisipin mo – Bamboo, Rico Blanco, Ely – parang ang hirap pagsamahin ang mga yun, ‘di ba? But magugulat ka.

Bamboo, I think is in the middle of a tour in the States. Si Ely is in the middle of so many… doing so many things also,” the awardwinning singer said.

“Pero wala, nag-submit sila. Hihintayin mo nga lang, hihintayin mo kung kalian sila puwede. But I’m really, really thankful,” he added.

SB19 marks 3rd anniversary with...

PAGE 9 ment they deserve at the twoday concert which also serves as the culmination of their anniversary celebration.

“Sobrang overwhelming and happy po kami na finally, it’s happening.

Makakapag-perform na kami at matutuloy na kami sa Araneta Coliseum. Before, nangangarap lang kami na sana maka-perform sa stage ng Big Dome kasi marami na din

EMPLOYMENT

kaming napanood na concert doon,” shared Josh in virtual media conference.

“We aim na kahit ngayon hindi pa tayo pwede sa live audience, at least nandoon pa rin kami sa stage na iyon at virtually, mapapanood nila kami.

Sisiguraduhin namin na worthwhile yung gagawin namin na performances at mageenjoy sila na parang kasama pa rin namin sila. Of course, hopefully in the

SERVICES

future, gusto naming ulitin ito with live audience,” he added.

SB19 is set to perform three new unreleased tracks at the concert through a special “Live Comeback.” On November 17, the title of the first track was officially released called “Nyebe.” A new teaser was also released on November 20, connoting a disco theme and genre. More teasers for their upcoming songs will be released soon.

(650) 689-5160 • http://www.asianjournal.com

NORCAL ASIAN JOURNAL • DeCembeR 3-9, 2021

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December 3-9, 2021 • NOrcAL ASIAN JOUrNAL

http://www.asianjournal.com • (650) 689-5160