122422 - Los Angeles Weekend Edition

ONCE called the pandemic of the unvaccinated, COVID-19 is increasingly referred to as the pandemic of older adults because of its disproportionate impact on seniors and people with disabilities.

The COVID mortality figures from the CDC show people over 50 are dying from COVID 25 times more often than young adults 18-29. The risk is 340 times higher if you are 85.

“We want to remember that the biggest predictor, and the most important risk factor, is just age,” said Dr. Tomas Aragon, director of the California Department of Public Health (CDPH).

Aragon led off a panel of health experts who shared strategies on how to protect seniors and those with disabilities at a recent Zoom news briefing hosted by EMS and the California Department of Aging.

California’s greying population is surviving

by ARLIE O. CALALO ManilaTimes.net

THE Department of National Defense (DND) on Thursday, December 22 directed the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) to strengthen the country's presence in the West Philippine Sea (WPS), following increased Chinese activity close to Pag-asa Island.

In a statement released by its spokesman and public

affairs chief Arsenio Andolong, the DND said any encroachment in West Philippine Sea or reclamation work on the features in the area is a threat to the security of Pag-asa Island, which is part of Philippine territory.

"It also endangers the marine environment and undermines the stability of the region," the DND said.

It urged China to uphold the prevailing rules-

based international order and refrain from acts that will exacerbate tensions in WPS and the larger South China Sea.

AFP spokesman Col. Medel Aguilar was reached to ask him about what concrete steps the military leadership will undertake based on the DND directive.

"The Wescom (Western Command) is already  PAGE A2

IF having the family on your employersponsored health plan has been a financial hardship, or outright impossible to afford, help may be on the way.

The federal government recently fixed a controversial Treasury Department rule tied to the Affordable Care Act that denied assistance to many families whose workplace coverage busted their budgets.

Because of the so-called family glitch, if a worker had access to employee-only coverage deemed affordable under federal guidelines, a spouse or dependents could not get help to buy a health plan through Covered California, the state’s ACA insurance marketplace, even if it was not affordable to put them on the employer plan.

This affected an estimated 5.1 million people nationally, more than half of them children, since employers often contribute only to an employee’s premium, leaving workers to pay full fare for other family

NAIA third most stressful airport in Asia – study

by CRISTINA ELOISA BACLIG Inquirer.net

MANILA — For the longest time, the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA), considered as the main gateway to the Philippines, has been named one of the worst airports in the world and has received numerous complaints from passengers across the globe.

Ahead of the holiday season and the expected holiday rush, a new report released by the travel website hawaiianislands. com has once again ranked NAIA as among the worst airports in Asia and the world.

Last month, the travel website released its report titled “The Most Stressful Airports

in America and the World,” which was done through analysis of over 1,500 Google reviews for over 500 airports across the world.

“We analyzed the sentiment of Google reviews and ranked airports around the world and within the United States based on the percentage of reviews that indicate stress,” hawaiianislands.com explained.

Delays, long queues, and crying babies— according to the report—are just among the many reasons that air travel can be stressful for passengers, adding issues such as turbulence, baggage claim, and costly beverage on the flight.

NAIA: 3rd most stressful airport in Asia Although airports in Southeast Asia and

by AJPRESS

MANILA – The Philippines has secured around $23.6 billion in investment pledges after President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. successfully wooed business leaders and investors in his foreign trips this year, Malacañang said on Friday, December 23.

Marcos, dubbed as a "traveling salesman," was able to lure investors from Indonesia, Singapore, the United States, Cambodia and Thailand to do business in the country, Undersecretary Cheloy Garafil, officerin-charge of the Office of the Press Secretary (OPS) said, citing the Department of Trade and Industry's (DTI) accomplishment report.

"According to DTI’s yearend report, President Marcos’ visits to Indonesia, Singapore, the United States, Cambodia, and Thailand brought billions of pesos in investments as the administration gears toward aggressively attracting more foreign businesses to come to the Philippines," Garafil said.

The DTI report does not cover Marcos' recent trip to Belgium where he participated in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations-European Union Summit.

Marcos, in his Dec. 15 speech after his Belgium trip, said the Philippines has acquired PHP9.8 billion worth

by ROSETTE ADEL Philstar.com

MANILA — The Department of Tourism bared its “conservative” targets for the tourism industry for 2023.

This year’s celebration, with principal celebrant Archbishop José H. Gomez, was spearheaded by the San Gabriel Pastoral Region of the Filipino Ministry of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles. This is the 20th annual Simbang Gabi hosted by the Archdiocese to celebrate the nine-day Filipino tradition of attending mass leading up to Christmas Day.

Tourism Secretary Christina Frasco happily reported that as of December 19, the number of visitor arrivals to the Philippines has reached 2.464 million since the country relaxed border restrictions to foreign tourists last Feb. 10, 2022.

Frasco said the initial target was pegged at only 1.7 million international visitors while the

high-scenario was set at 1.4 million.

The United States remains the top tourist market.

The following are the country’s top ten tourist markets as of December 19:

• United States – 461,967

visitors

• South Korea – 387,780

• Australia – 122, 971

• Canada – 112,015

• United Kingdom – 93,440

• Japan – 91,557

• Singapore – 50,964

• India – 49,330

• Malaysia – 44,357

VISIT PH. Tourism Secretary Christina Frasco delivers her speech at the launch of the Bisita Be My Guest (BBMG) program at the Mall of Asia music hall in Pasay City. PNA photo by Joey O. Razon

THOUSANDS of Filipino American Catholics gathered at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels in Downtown Los Angeles on Thursday, December 15 for the annual Simbang Gabi Mass.

Philippine presence in WPS...

PAGE A1

acting on it," said Aguilar without elaborating.

Wescom spokesman Maj. Cherrly Tindog said their regular naval and air patrols have observed the persistent presence of China militia vessels around areas.

She said they were spotted in Pag-asa Cay 1 (Sandy Cay), Julian Felipe Reef (Whitsun Reef) and Panata Island (Lankiam Cay).

All activities and development in those areas are reported to the NTF (National Task Force)WPS for an appropriate response, according to Tindog.

"Wescom shall continue conducting maritime patrols and sustaining our presence in the WPS to protect our nation's territory and sovereign rights," she added.

Chinese coast guard vessels were seen shadowing Philippine ships on a resupply mission for Marines stationed at the beached Philippine Navy ship Sierra Madre in Ayungin Shoal.

Tindog added that the Chinese coast guard's action represents an encroachment in Philippine waters.

She said that while the Chinese vessels did not disrupt the mission, they continuously trailed

the supply boats.

"They were challenging us over the radio; they were shadowing us, but there was no chase," the spokesman was quoted as saying.

The Chinese radio challenges claimed that the sea near the Sierra Madre is "under the jurisdiction of the People's Republic of China," that they are allowing supplies to be delivered, and warned that bringing construction materials will not be allowed.

The supply boats proceeded with their mission despite the challenges, Tindog said.

Chinese incursions into waters near Ayungin Shoal have picked up this year.

Last April, China blocked the entrance to Ayungin Shoal with nets and ropes, deployed Chinese militia vessels and rubber boats, and repeatedly warned against bringing construction materials.

In May, the nets were removed, but the Chinese coast guard and militia vessels and rubber boats remained in the area.

The shadowing of supply ships comes two days after media reported that China has begun reclaiming more land in the contested Spratly Islands, a major archipelago in the South China Sea that hosts military

installations by a number of countries.

Manila refers to the waters immediately west of the Philippines as the West Philippine Sea, while Pag-asa Island, the second biggest in the Spratlys, is also known as Thitu Island.

China claims almost all of the resource-rich South China Sea, through which trillions of dollars in trade passes annually. Rival claimants are the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan.

China has ignored a 2012 ruling from a UN-backed tribunal that its claim is without basis.

In recent years it has built artificial islands on reefs while constructing military facilities and airstrips.

Bloomberg reported Tuesday, citing satellite images from US officials, that new land formations have emerged in the Spratlys, on Eldad Reef, Whitsun Reef, Lankiam Cay and Sandy Cay. China's foreign ministry called the report "completely groundless."

Sandy Cay lies 7 kilometers west of Thitu, where the Philippines runs an airstrip along with military and coast guard detachments. A small civilian  PAGE A5

SELLING LIKE HOTCAKES. Chinese cooked ham and other products are on display at a popular store in Quiapo, Manila on Thursday, Dec. 22. Ham prices range from P1,600 to more than P2,000 per kg., depending on the variety. PNA photo by Avito Dalan

Marcos’ foreign trips reap $23.6 billion...

PAGE A1

of investment pledges from European business executives.

The DTI report contains the recent government export registered and generated investment leads, particularly with the department's Board of Investments (BOI).

Garafil said the DTI report showed that the BOI and the Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA) had a combined approved investment of PHP402 billion, which could generate around 54,217 jobs for Filipinos.

Under the Corporate Recovery and Tax Incentives for Enterprises (CREATE) Act, the BOI’s approved projects as of August 2022 stand at PHP46.7 billion, with the investment

board also assisting 1,994 investors expressing intent to do business in the country.

"The BOI also generated 90 foreign investment leads with an estimated value of PHP204.9 billion which could entail 98,393 local jobs," Garafil said.

"With the administration's active export recovery efforts, the DTI reported USD17.7 billion of exports in services, up by 13.5 percent from the previous record.

The country also posted USD58.3 billion exports in goods, which grew by 4.7 percent. The DTI said it assisted 3,922 exporters," she added.

The country’s investment and exports are expected to rebound in 2023 as a result of the passage of the Public Service Act (PSA) and CREATE Act, Garafil said,

echoing the DTI report.

The DTI's yearend report also includes the approval of the 2022 Strategic Investment Priority Plan (SIPP) and guideline issuance in August through Memorandum Circular No. 2022-07.

The SIPP was approved on May 24, 2022 through Memorandum Order No. 61.

Marcos has repeatedly vowed to make the Philippines an "investment destination," expressing confidence that the country's economic resurgence will give foreign investors a "favorable" business climate.

Marcos, in his meetings with foreign business leaders and investors during his foreign trips, has ensured that the Philippines is a "smart" investment choice. (PNA)

California at forefront of protecting older...

COVID a bit better than the

national average. According to the Kaiser Family Foundation, of the 1.1 million COVID deaths in the U.S. about 790,000 were people ages 65 and older. That group accounts for 16% of the total U.S. population but 75% of all COVID deaths to date.

In California, 71.5% of COVID deaths were people 65+, according to CDPH, and that group makes up 15.6% of California’s population. Lifespan and quality of health are determined by a number of factors, including race, socioeconomic status, regular exercise and diet.

California leads the nation when it comes to aging policy. The California Master Plan for Aging, signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom three years ago, has five goals. They are housing for all stages and ages, reimagining health and healthcare delivery, inclusion and equity, support for caregivers, and affording aging.

“We are focusing on the contributions that older adults make to our communities,” said Susan DeMarois, Director of California Department of Aging.

California scores high on exercise and healthy diets because many seniors lead very active lives. There are soccer leagues for over-50 players, and many of the state’s 400 surf spots are considered “home breaks” for wave riders in their 60s and 70s.

Jessica Lehman, Executive Director of Senior and Disability Action, said that when the pandemic began, news headlines reassured people that the majority

of those dying from COVID were older adults, including many who lived in nursing homes, and that younger people need not be worried.

“Older people felt that they were not seen as part of society, that they were ignored and disposable,” Lehman said.

“Even now, there is this idea that if you’re vaccinated, you’re probably fine being around other people, doing things inside, going back to indoor dining, going to big holiday parties, not wearing masks, except for those with high-risk conditions. It’s like we understand that some people can’t do this, but everyone else can go out and have a good time.

It is creating further divisions in our community,” Lehman said.

“There’s also the assumption that if you have disabilities, including age, your life is less valuable,” Lehman added. “If the decision must be made, better to sacrifice you than a young nondisabled person.”

These policies are not only ableist and ageist, they are very clearly racist and classist and buy in to other kinds of oppression, she said.

The pandemic deepened the social isolation of older adults and people with disabilities, according to Ana Acton, Deputy Director of the Department of Rehabilitation (DOR)’s division of Independent Living and Community Access. Those who lacked technology or digital skills were left out of critical services, such as telehealth, food and pharmacy access.

DOR runs 28 Independent Living Centers statewide offering group activities, counseling and community to help bridge this divide.

“Family caregivers are indispensable for helping us manage COVID,” said Dr. Donna

When the pandemic started, family caregivers weren’t recognized as essential workers even though they were taking care of 80% of the senior and disabled population. As many family caregivers return to work and COVID numbers are rising, Benton’s center is making sure they know what resources are available, “because as a caregiver, you’re often the last to think you deserve those resources. You’re so focused on what your loved one or your relative or friend is needing.”

Four free tests per family can be ordered from the post office here: https://www.covid.gov/tests With the flu season underway, California hospitals are packed with people sick from flu, COVID, other respiratory syndromes, and “many other things just from delayed care,” according to Dr. Aragon. The big challenge now is to get older people up to date on their boosters – only 30% of seniors have gotten bivalent boosters and the number is 10-20 percent for younger groups.

If you’ve never had COVID but at some point develop its flu-like symptoms, Aragón says to take a test and isolate for several days if you are positive. If you get sick, you can take antiviral medicine like Paxlovid. If you are on other meds, you can check to see if they are compatible. FAQs are available here: https://covid19. ca.gov/treatment.

Antivirals are now widely available, and Aragón says they are very effective if taken soon after you get sick. He suggests contacting your health provider to plan how to get the medicine quickly if you test positive. (Peter White Ethnic Media Services)

SoCal Fil-Ams celebrate...

PAGE A1

The Mass was preceded by the traditional music band that leads the "Parade of Parols," or lanterns, of more than 120 parishes from the five pastoral regions in the tri-county Archdiocese (Los Angeles, Santa Barbara and Ventura).

The parols, a Philippine Christmas symbol, were blessed at the end of the Mass. In the

Philippines, the parol is used to light up people's homes and is carried by parishioners attending Simbang Gabi Mass, or "Mass before dawn.”

The procession also included parols of religious Filipino American organizations, civic and professional organizations, and government offices, led by the Philippine Consulate General. 

Parishioners of Sacred Heart Church in Altadena join the parade of parols during the Simbang Gabi celebration at the Cathedral of Our Lady of Angels on Dec. 15.

The Philippine Consulate General in Los Angeles, led by Consul General Edgar Badajos, attend the annual Simbang Gabi Mass at the Cathedral of Our Lady of Angels.

Leaders of the Filipino Ministry of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles.  AJPress photos by Andy Tecson

Members of St. Brendan Church in Los Angeles

Benton, Director of the California Family Caregiver Support Center at University of Southern California.

LAST-MINUTE SHOPPING. Shoppers flock to stalls in Baclaran, Parañaque City to buy gifts and other items, three days before Christmas on Thursday, Dec. 22. Vendors expect higher profits for this year's holiday season due to increased economic activity as most pandemic restrictions have been relaxed. PNA photo by Avito Dalan

NAIA third most stressful airport in Asia...

Oceania had an average of just 34.0 percent stress levels based on reviews by passengers—the least of any region included in the report—it was still home to some of the most stressful airports in the world, including NAIA.

NAIA—with 57.81 percent of its passenger reviews indicating stress—ranked the third most stressful airport in the region next to Sydney Kingsford Smith International Airport in Australia (58.98 percent) and Tan Son Nhat International Airport in Vietnam (60.13 percent, the most stressed out reviews of any airport in Southeast Asia).

Based on recent reviews for NAIA in Google Maps, among the common complaints left by passengers were the alleged lack of organization, long lines, overcrowding, lack of seats at the departure gates, and delayed luggage release.

Other passengers also pointed out that most, if not all, food stalls and restaurants or cafes inside the airport only accept cash for payment—which several tourists and passengers found inconvenient.

Three other airports in the country were analyzed by the travel website, although not included on the worst airport list in the region. These were the Mactan-Cebu International Airport (38.9 percent of stressed reviews), Subic Bay International Airport (30.8 percent), and Francisco Bangoy International Airport in Davao City (22.1 percent).

Disputing longstanding worst airport claims

Another travel website, the widely cited Guide to Sleeping in Airports, described NAIA as a “large and often frustrating airport.” It also advised travelers to “expect to wait in numerous long lines as you make your way to your flight.”

Similar to some Google Maps reviews, the website also noted

that some shops and restaurants are mainly cash only, pushing travelers to find ATMs inside the airport.

It also warned passengers of scams and to take “extra care” of their belongings due to numerous reports about bullet-planting scams—or the “tanim-bala” which became widely known in 2015— demand for bribes such as the notorious “pastillas” scheme in 2020, broken CCTVs, and general theft.”

Meanwhile, around May, global luggage storage app Bounce named NAIA as the worst airport in the world—out of 38 airports included in the study—for business class travelers, with a 0.88 out of 10 business class score.

The study looked at the airports’ number of lounges, number of destinations served, percentage of on-time flights annually, and Skytrax rating.

According to Skytrax, NAIA is “certified as a 3-Star Airport for facilities, comfort, cleanliness, shopping, food & beverages, and staff service.”

“Manila Airport is a congested hub. Immigration and security queues can be excessive, while comfort for transfer passengers is low. Terminal spaces have poor air-conditioning, often busy and offering limited facilities and dining choices,” it noted.

However, the Department of Transportation (DOTr) disputed these previous claims against NAIA, saying that such claims are “unsubstantiated.”

“While the ‘study’ shows unfavorable rating and unsubstantiated claims about NAIA, it cannot be denied that significant improvements have been carried out in the country’s main gateway in the past six years under the Duterte administration,” the transportation department said in a statement.

Then Transport Secretary Arthur Tugade also told Filipinos not to believe the Bounce study,

saying it had “no fundamentals nor parameters” to support its claim that NAIA is the worst airport.

“There was some press release saying that NAIA is one of the worst business class airports. Don’t believe that. It is an app based on a study that has no fundamentals and parameters, and you don’t know how the conclusion was made,” Tugade added.

Where travelers get stressed the most

The study by hawaiaanislands. com found that out of the many airports in the world, Manchester Airport in the United Kingdom (UK) was the most stressful, with 82.5 percent of reviews indicating stress.

“Many of the millions of passengers traveling through Manchester may feel stressed from the recent staff shortages and long lines. Some of the most common terms that crop up in reviews include ‘embarrassment,’ ‘shortages,’ ‘queuing,’ ‘farce,’ and ‘jobsworth’,” the study stated.

“In April 2022, Manchester Airport apologized to customers for long security queues, blaming the inconvenience on growing passenger demand in the wake of the pandemic,” it added.

It found that nine out of 10 most stressful airports overall are in Europe, four of which are (UK) airports.

The study also saw that, surprisingly, the busiest airports are “not necessarily the most stressful.”

“While heavy passenger traffic can create long queues and other issues, the busiest airports in the world are not necessarily the most stressful. The 20 busiest airports by passenger traffic, for example, all rank outside the top 25 most stressful airports, according to our analysis,” the study explained.

“The one busy airport that does rank as particularly stressful is Amsterdam Schiphol in the Netherlands.” 

Philippine presence in WPS...

community also lives there.

Lankiam Cay is about 45 kilometers southeast of Thitu, while the two other reefs are farther away.

The Philippines has repeatedly accused Chinese coast guard and maritime militias of harassing and attacking fishing boats and other

vessels in the region.

Manila filed a diplomatic protest last week after a Chinese coast guard vessel in November "forcefully" took control of debris from a Chinese rocket retrieved by a Philippine Navy vessel off Thitu.

China denied using force, with its embassy in Manila saying the

debris was handed over after "friendly consultation."

President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. has insisted he will not let China trample on the country's maritime rights — in contrast to predecessor Rodrigo Duterte who was more reluctant to criticize the superpower. 

DOT sets ‘conservative’ target of 4.8M...

• Vietnam – 37,028

It should be noted that the People’s Republic of China, a major tourism source market of the Philippines, was knocked off the list after the country implemented restrictions on leisure travel amid the COVID-19 pandemic and the continuous presence of Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators.

As of October, China only registered 23,482 visitors to the country.

Meanwhile, as of Nov. 20, 2022, the country’s estimated tourism revenue (tourism receipts) is at P149 billion or $139.3 million US dollars.

In view of these developments, the DOT exceeded its targets this year.

Frasco is optimistic that the country will further surpass its expanded target of 2.4 million international visitors and reach 2.5 million guests by the end of the year.

“If this happens, then we would have about 30% of our pre-pandemic arrivals. A far cry from the 164,000 international visitors that we received in 2021,” she said during the year-end media briefing.

‘Optimistic but cautious’

For 2023, the DOT chief disclosed that the agency is targeting 4.8 million international visitors as its baseline.

Before assuming office, Frasco said she saw an alarming projection that the country would only reach its pre-pandemic tourism numbers by 2025.

The country recorded 8.26 million visitors in 2019.

In view of this, she took an inward look at what

the DOT can do to strengthen the tourism industry and set in goals with conservative numbers.

“We look at it with optimism in a sense that our goal is to exceed our conservative projections in the same way that we have been able to exceed it this year,” Frasco said.

Director Warner Andrada of DOT-Tourism Development Planning likewise said the tourism department is “optimistic but cautious” given the various factors that are beyond the control of the DOT including the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war and volatile fuel prices as well as the continued lockdowns in China.

“We’re optimistic but cautious, that’s the word, because of the Ukraine-Russia war which the economic fundamentals may affect travel, especially on the oil or gasoline fuel prices,” Andrada said, saying this changing fuel price affects the movement in the country.

Despite these unpredictable events, Frasco is bullish that the Philippines will reach the prepandemic numbers way earlier than the past projection.

“And we feel that we would be able to exceed our pre-pandemic numbers way earlier than the 2025 year that was told to us when we assumed office with the improved policies under the Marcos administration,” she added.

To achieve this, Frasco is looking into tapping Southeast Asian neighbors in promoting Philippine tourism. She said that the visitors from SEA countries “are not that high as how we want it to be” citing that the countries are being visited more due to their landlock advantage. 

Celebrating with a bang

THERE is revenge travel and revenge gatherings as people come out of over two years of pandemic restrictions. Will there also be revenge celebratory fireworks displays?

There are people who will still want to greet the New Year with bright pyrotechnics displays. President Marcos, acknowledging this Filipino penchant for ringing in the New Year with a bang, has urged local government units to set up common fireworks display areas for their constituents who want to sustain the tradition.

Rodrigo Duterte, during his presidency, had also issued a directive to encourage the organization of common fireworks display areas. Duterte reportedly preferred a ban like the one in his home city of Davao, but the fireworks industry centered in Bulacan stressed the massive job and livelihood displacements that would result.

Industry players have instead sought support for upgrading their products to be able to compete with imported items that have gained popularity in recent years. Some players have also cited the export potential of the industry, although tight safety regulation and quality control are needed.

The provision of common fireworks display areas is a compromise in sustaining the industry and keeping the public safe during revelry. But

local governments must set up more sites if they want to discourage household or personal use of pyrotechnic devices. Many people don’t want to leave their homes at the changing of the year, not just because of beliefs about welcoming luck into the house and sweeping out bad spirits, but also because of concern that burglars are on the prowl during the New Year’s Eve revelry. If the common display areas are too few and too far from communities, people will continue to prefer setting off their own fireworks at home.

At the same time, the government should decide if it wants to simply tolerate the existence of the fireworks industry, or if it wants to give it sufficient support to become a significant revenue earner. The world continues to greet special occasions with bright lights and a bang. In Manila, foreign governments compete annually in a fireworks show staged in Manila Bay. Instead of allowing one of the country’s oldest industries to wither away, the government must decide if it wants to revive it, with tighter regulations and quality standards fully enforced. (Philstar.com)

of lockdowns. As soon as the credit card headroom they enjoy is depleted, however, he expects consumer spending to dramatically decline.

ACROSS the globe, growth forecasts have been revised downwards. Some of the major economies are expected to slide into recession. All of that, to use market parlance, has been “priced in.”

The general slowdown expected for the next year is the outcome of many factors. Global trade is still hobbled by broken supply chains due to the pandemic. The general decrease in economic activity strains many financial systems.

Higher energy costs, due in large part to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, diverted purchasing power from other consumer goods.

The US economy might look robust at the moment, with retail sales high and unemployment low. One American analyst explained on television the other day that much of the retail activity is due to “revenge spending” by consumers using the savings from the period

Several multilateral agencies have drastically cut growth forecasts for China, the second largest economy. Over the last three years, Chinese authorities have relied on brutal lockdowns to control the spread of Covid-19. Because of vaccine nationalism, they relied on inferior locally produced vaccines. Over the past three years, China failed to inoculate enough people and build up their hospital capacity.

The brutal lockdown of entire cities provoked a strong backlash from her citizens.

Unprecedented protests were held in nearly all of China’s major cities. In response, Beijing dramatically reversed its Zero-Covid policy. But because vaccination is low and health facilities are weak, a surge in infections have broken out. It is expected that over a million Chinese citizens could die over the next few months.

The surge in infections we are now seeing in China could

further slow economic activity and multiply breakages in the supply chains. From having one of the lowest infection rates, China could become the epicenter of the pandemic. This is because Beijing for too long relied on police power rather medical science to control the virus.

According to the latest report, the US has offered to supply China with vaccines. Pride and misplaced nationalism, however, could get in the way. Beijing will insist, until it is too late, to use its unreliable local vaccine supply. Vaccine hesitance is also very high in China.

In Europe, the dynamic leading to recession is quite different. Incredibly high energy costs are forcing consumers to cut down on every other spending item.

The high energy price regime, magnified by the situation in Ukraine, skews spending patterns across Europe. Recession will likely be most severe in the UK where political confusion and the consequences of withdrawing from the EU combine to undermine the

Recession

country’s economic prospects. Domestic prospects

Our economic managers assure us that the Philippine economy will manage to avert recession next year. Nevertheless, strong global headwinds will prevent us from growing our economy as fast as we may want to.

This year, our GDP growth will likely hit above target. Our forecast is for growth of 6.5 to 7.5 percent. The indications are that our economy will post a growth rate of 7.7 percent by yearend.

This achievement, however, is offset by an elevated inflation rate hurting our consumers. The BSP Governor anticipated that the inflationary episode could peak this month and begin declining the months after. Indeed, fuel prices began to soften in the international market mainly due to flagging demand in China. Nevertheless, the war in Ukraine creates uncertainty for global energy and food costs.

Growth in the Philippine economy is forecast to be significantly lower next year, although it is generally

expected to continue growing.

This year’s 7.7 percent growth rate will not be replicated next year – and not only because of base effects.

The elevated inflation regime we are dealing with is due as much to domestic inefficiencies as it is due to “imported” inflation via expensive fossil fuels and costlier imports. Even as we expect to benefit from softer fuel prices, energy costs due to inefficiencies in our power sector will keep inflation up.

Our balance of payments deficit is due to our chronic inability to export anything beyond bananas. The slowdown expected for most of the economies we export to will not help improve our balance of trade. At any rate, our economy could hardly be described as trade-driven.

In a way, the fact that we are not trade-driven insulates us from the global slowdown. But we rely on remittances from our migrant workers. With recession hitting economies to which we export labor, remittances are not expected to significantly increase next year.

Much of whatever growth

It’s the time of the year

most forgiving mood as well.

IT’S the time of the year again when we get swept in a tidal wave of festivities because of the intermingled celebrations of the Christmas season, the end of the year, and the arrival of a new year.

Regardless of the level of our Christian faith, or even lack of it, there’s no escape from the frenzy of revelries that take place in the year-ending month of December. Our streets, business areas, workplaces, and neighbors’ houses get garbed in flamboyant ornamentations. The merchandises sold in our markets level up to the merriments with their diversity of colors, increased variety, and bloated volume. There are multiple parties that we are obliged to attend, hosted by our families, friends, community, organizations, and offices. We get serenaded with music jingles that seasonally roost in our airwaves like migratory birds. And we become recipients of gifts from benefactors who demonstrate generosity without expectations of reciprocation.

The festivities that take place on both days of Christmas and New Year are actually serene

and tranquil get-togethers, compared to the revelries that happen during the run-up days and weeks. Perhaps because the parties are smaller as we retreat in the intimate company of our family, in contrast to the many big and boisterous gatherings that we have in the days before the two celebrated events. The frenzy of buying sprees, the attendance in early masses, the influx of carolers, the arrival of gifts, and the increased chit-chat with kin and brethren, all these add to the more festive atmosphere of the pre-day celebrations.

It’s the time of the year when we are most nostalgic about the past, because it’s a season when we reminisce a lot of bygone days, especially remembering days with our departed loved ones. It may have to do with the season’s songs, which trigger memories of people and events in our past lives. Christmas songs are like wormholes that bring the past and the present to coexist in our minds.

It’s the time of the year when we have salutations of thankfulness for the present, and momentary forgetfulness of the tribulations in our lives. We temporarily set aside misfortunes that bug us, and obtain furlough from the captive embrace of our anxieties. It’s the season when we are in the

It’s the time of the year when we have expectations of better times for the future as we suffuse the years ahead with hopefulness. Because the holiday season includes both an end of an old year and the beginning of a new year, the optimism is probably our way of resetting the time clock in our minds as we embark on another travel around the sun, in our lifetime quest for meaning and contentment.

It’s the time of the year when we throw caution to the wind, finance-wise, as we try to ensure that our dinner table gets laden with the family’s most desired cuisines, our dear ones receive presents intended to engender maximum cheer, and our home is bedecked with the most vibrant ornaments.

It’s the time of the year when we are the most generous version of ourselves. It’s probably the one sure time, during our annual journey around our life-giving star, that we concern ourselves with how much sunshine our less fortunate connections receive. The general mood of kindheartedness is bared by the increased number of indigents who roam our roads and knock on our doors for alms, because they sense that altruism is thick in the air.

It’s the time of the year when we are most predisposed to reconnect with our old ones and young ones, and even travel back to the place where we sprang up in this world. Perhaps this is a subliminal manifestation of our gratefulness for the past and hopefulness for the future.

It is the time of the year when we exhibit the better versions of ourselves—optimistic, forgiving, cheerful, carefree, and generous. May we carry on continuously making better iterations of ourselves toward family, friends, country, and our planet.

Merry Christmas! (Inquirer.

we expect next year will come from domestic demand – even as this is fueled mainly by remittances. With the global economy slowing down, we will have to rely more on domestic economic activity for growth. Some serious effort will have to be put to spur domestic production in order to sustain a modicum of growth.

In the face of inflationary spikes, central banks everywhere have relied on increasing interest rates to curb price rises. We have certainly moved far away from the regime of cheap money that began after the 2008 financial crises. We are deep into an episode of high interest rates that serve as a barrier to investments.

For policymakers everywhere, managing inflation has become more important than inducing growth. The high interest rate regime is one of the reasons why recession becomes likely. (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.

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 fleamarketofideas@gmail. com

JOEL RUIZ BUTUYAN

ANDY

ManilaTimes.net photo

HOUSE OF HOPE. A clown gives stuffed toys to children with cancer at the House of Hope inside the Southern Philippines Medical Center in Davao City on Tuesday, Dec. 20. The kids were also entertained by a clown show. PNA photo by Robinson Niñal Jr.

Many families with unaffordable employer...

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members.

Under a new rule that took effect Dec. 12, if the cost of having you and your family on a workplace plan exceeds an affordability threshold — set at 9.12% of household income for 2023 — your spouse and dependents could qualify for financial aid to purchase insurance through Covered California. Affordability will be determined by how much you would have to pay to have them — and you — on your employer’s cheapest health plan.

ACA insurance subsidies come in the form of federal tax credits that can be taken upfront or settled with the IRS when you file your taxes the following year.

Estimates from the UCLA Center for Health Policy Research and the UC Berkeley Labor Center show that 391,000 Californians previously excluded from subsidies in Covered California would be eligible for them under the new rule. Of those, an estimated 149,000 would likely enroll in a Covered California plan. Those switching from an employersponsored plan would save an average of $1,478 per person in 2023, according to the two centers.

“Fixing the family glitch is a critical step in really delivering on the promise of the ACA,” says Jessica Altman, executive director of Covered California. “If you don’t have affordable coverage from another source, the marketplace is where you should be able to come for affordable coverage.”

So, if you are paying too much to cover your family members on your employer’s health plan, it is definitely worth finding out whether you can get a tax credit to help pay their premiums on a Covered California plan. But finding the answer is complicated and will take considerable legwork.

If you have steady employment, this year’s income will probably be a good proxy for 2023, adding any pay raise you expect for the coming year. You’ll also need to calculate how much you would pay for your employer’s lowest-cost health plan — both for employee-only coverage and for family coverage. If the cost for you alone is under

the 9.12% threshold, you will not qualify for a subsidized Covered California plan, even if your spouse and dependents do. That means a family could be split between two policies, with separate deductibles and different provider networks.

You also need to determine whether the lowest-cost plan offered by your employer meets the minimum coverage standard under the ACA. That means it must cover at least 60% of your total allowed medical expenses during the year and provide sufficient coverage for hospital and physician services. If it does not meet those requirements, you and your family might be able to get a subsidized plan through Covered California, depending on your income.

If two spouses have access to employer coverage, you’ll need to perform this exercise for both options.

Is your head spinning yet? You’re not alone.

“This stuff is just really complicated,” says Kevin Knauss, an insurance agent in Granite Bay. “And how can we possibly expect families that are doing all kinds of different things — kids, Christmas — to really focus on this stuff?”

But don’t ignore the new rule, because you could be leaving money on the table.

Covered California has a worksheet to help calculate your eligibility for subsidies. Your human resources department might be willing to help you fill it out. Or you could seek professional help, whether an insurance agent or other certified enroller. You wouldn’t need to pay a penny for either.

To find an insurance agent or certified enroller, log on to Covered California’s website (www.coveredca.com) and click on the “Support” tab. Or call 800-300-1506. Covered California has a very useful FAQ all about the fix to the family glitch.

The enrollment period for 2023 coverage started on Nov. 1 and runs through Jan. 31. You have until Dec. 31 to buy coverage that starts Jan. 1. If you buy coverage in January, it starts Feb. 1.

The family glitch fix isn’t the only new thing with Covered California. Starting in 2023, you can put a dependent

parent or stepparent on your health plan, as long as they are not eligible for or enrolled in Medicare.

And, in case you missed it, Congress extended through 2025 the supplemental tax credits that increase aid to people who were already getting some before and are available to many middleclass households that did not previously qualify for financial assistance.

The idea behind the expanded financial help is to limit the amount people spend on health care premiums to no more than 8.5% of household income, no matter how much money they make.

Knauss said he talked to a man in Marin County who was seeking a Covered California health plan for his family of four and qualified for a monthly subsidy of $1,400, even though he makes $200,000 a year.

Being over 60 and living in Northern California, an expensive region, pushed his family’s premium to a level that opened the door for significant financial assistance, Knauss said.

If you are already enrolled in Covered California, don’t simply renew coverage for 2023. Prices and provider networks can change from year to year, and there might be a new, cheaper option in your region. So shop around.

And whether you are new or returning to Covered California, know what your medical needs are likely to be.

If you have a condition that requires intensive services, you might consider paying a higher premium in exchange for lower deductibles and coinsurance when you seek care.

Happy hunting. (Bernard J. Wolfson/California Healthline)

Jessica Altman is the daughter of Drew Altman, who is president and CEO of KFF. KHN is an editorially independent program of KFF.

KHN (Kaiser Health News) is a national newsroom that produces in-depth journalism about health issues. Together with Policy Analysis and Polling, KHN is one of the three major operating programs at KFF (Kaiser Family Foundation). KFF is an endowed nonprofit organization providing information on health issues to the nation.

Dateline PhiliPPines

BI vows speedy processing of travelers’ documents

by ROBERTZON RAMIREZ Philstar.com

MANILA — Immigration

Commissioner Norman Tansingco has vowed to expeditiously process travelers’ documents as the bureau expects an influx of tourists a few days before Christmas.

“All counters are manned, and passengers are processed within the 45-second international standard,” Tansingco said in a statement, noting that all employees of the Bureau of Immigration are barred from going on leave during the holidays.

He added that the e-gates, which will decrease the processing time to as low as eight seconds for Filipino travelers, are also operational.

According to Tansingco, the BI’s Port Operations Division

processes around 35,000 daily arrivals and around 29,000 departures for all international airports.

At the local seaports, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) monitored 907,429 outbound passengers and 797,404 incoming passengers from Dec. 15 to 21 through its “Oplan Byaheng Ayos: Pasko 2022.”

The PCG said it deployed 2,084 frontline personnel in 15 district offices and inspected 499 vessels and 563 motorized bancas.

It also urged passengers to coordinate with them through its official Facebook page or through the Coast Guard Public Affairs hotline 0927560-7729 as it advised them to visit the port areas earlier than their scheduled trips and avoid bringing prohibited items for a smooth trip.

The Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) is also on alert and ready for the surge in passengers in all ports around the country for the Christmas holiday weekend.

The Manila North Harbor Port Inc. (NorthPort) also prepared for the expected rise in passenger volume in North Harbor.

Melchor Espiritu, NorthPort passenger terminal officer, said they service 500 to 800 passengers a day for trips from the Manila terminal to Bacolod, Palawan and Cebu ports as well as 800 to 1,000 passengers for ships on routes to Dumaguete, Dipolog and Zamboanga cities.

Genaro Mancio, PPA police superintendent, said they have armed their 355 port policemen with body-worn cameras to intensify anti-criminality and peace and order enforcement in all ports around the country. 

Senate bill wants 2-year required military, police training for college, techvoc students

by MAILA AGER Inquirer.net

MANILA — A two-year mandatory basic military and police training program for all college and technical vocational students is being proposed in the Senate.

Students who fail to undergo the training program would not be qualified for graduation, according to Senate Bill No. 1565 filed by Senator  Francis Tolentino.

Tolentino explained that his proposed measure aims to increase the awareness of students on the country’s need for human resources in times of war, calamities and disasters, and national or local emergencies.

This, he added, is also in support of the government’s law enforcement strategy against crimes and other civic obligations.

“The proposed bill provides safeguards for the protection of all higher and technical vocational students against abuses such as bribery, corruption, graft, hazing,

sexual harassment, and others which had become the concern of the public in the past,”  the senator said.

“With this proposed measure, the youth – the hope of our motherland – will rekindle in their hearts their love of country and fellow citizens, nationalism and patriotism, and will once again make their mark in the annals of history,” Tolentino  added.

Students  may be exempted from undergoing mandatory training if they are physically or psychologically unfit; chosen by their school to serve as varsity players in sports competitions; and for other valid reasons as approved by concerned government agencies, upon recommendation by any educational institution.

The bill, at the same  time, provides several incentives for students undergoing the military and  police  training program.

They could be eligible, for instance, for enlistment in the Armed Forces of the Philippines, the Philippine National Police, Philippine

Coast Guard, Bureau of Jail Management and Penology, and Bureau of Fire Protection “unless a waiver is issued by the Department Secretaries of the aforementioned military and civilian organizations.”

For those undergoing the training and accepted in the Advance Military Training Course, the measure proposed free hospitalization in any government hospital in case of accident or injury during the training.

Public and private higher education and technical vocational schools are likewise mandated under the bill to provide insurance to students undergoing the military and police training.

Those who could complete the training and a four-year baccalaureate degree would be considered as First Level Civil Service Eligible while graduates of Advance Military Training Program with a fouryear baccalaureate degree would be considered a Second Level Civil Service Eligible in the Civil Service, according to the proposed law. 

Climate change lags in urgent concerns of Pinoys – study

by JANVIC MATEO Philstar.com

MANILA — Despite living in one of the most vulnerable countries in the world, most Filipinos still do not identify climate change as the most urgent concern that governments, companies and people around the world should focus on.

The 2022 Climate Reality Barometer, conducted by Japanese multinational electronics company Epson, found that only 10.7 percent of the 1,005 Filipino respondents identified climate change as the most urgent issue.

Most Filipino respondents identified fixing the economy with 27.7 percent, followed by rising prices with 24.4 percent, tackling poverty (15.5 percent) and safeguarding against a future pandemic (12.7 percent) as among the most urgent issues.

Following climate change were improving equality of life with 4.3 percent, and the war in Europe, 2.6 percent.

The results of the study are somewhat similar to local surveys that showed inflation and unemployment as the most urgent concern of most Filipinos.

Epson noted that more respondents from other countries – such as France with 38 percent and Mexico with 34.1 percent –see climate change as the most

pressing issue that needs to be addressed worldwide.

Despite this, the study found that Filipinos are among the most optimistic that a “climate disaster” would be averted in their lifetime.

Some 71.9 percent said they were optimistic (35.2 percent very optimistic, 36.7 percent somewhat optimistic) while 13.6 percent were pessimistic (10.8 percent somewhat pessimistic and 2.8 percent very pessimistic).

Meanwhile, 12.7 percent of Filipino respondents said they were neither optimistic nor pessimistic, while 1.7 percent said they do not believe that there is any risk of a climate disaster.

Epson said respondents in other countries were more pessimistic, particularly in Canada and Italy with 36.6 percent and 25.2 percent, respectively.

“The 2022 Epson Climate Reality Barometer shows progress, but also how short-term economic demands are in danger of distracting governments, businesses and individuals from imperative environmental action,” said Masako Kusama, president and director of Epson Philippines.

“As a global technology leader, our duty is to refocus our efforts on developing solutions which will help reduce the environmental impact of our products. By working together, we at Epson believe that we can all inspire action and build a better future,”

she added.

Addressing climate change

The online survey, conducted from July 29 to Aug. 8, also asked Filipino respondents about various actions that they do or plan on doing to tackle climate change.

Some 76.5 percent of the respondents said they already reduce plastic use followed by improving recycling habits  with 70.1 percent, using more reusable goods (69.2 percent), walking or cycling more often (67.1 percent), travel to the office less (47.3 percent), switch to more sustainable products (45.9 percent) and less international travel for business and leisure (37.6 percent).

Fewer Filipinos said they adopted a plant-based diet with 39.1 percent, encouraged workplace to commit or further its net zero strategy (27.3 percent), switched to renewable energy (25.1 percent), installed solar panels (22.3 percent), boycotted an unsustainable brand (20.5 percent) and switched to an electric vehicle (17 percent).

More than half of respondents said they plan to do the following in the future: install solar panels with 67.4 percent, switch to renewable energy (58.8 percent), switch to an electric vehicle (55.6 percent) and encourage workplace to commit or further its net zero strategy (50.9 percent). 

BEST-SELLERS. Coconut vendors at the Elliptical Road in Quezon City and maybe even elsewhere make a killing on Friday, Dec. 23. Filipino Christmas celebrations will not be complete without the ubiquitous fruit salad, with shredded coconut meat as one of the main ingredients. PNA photo by Jess M. Escaros Jr.

Pahrump housing market remains somewhat competitive

by RealtoR Fely Quitevis-Bateman

WITH mortgage costs impacted due to the Federal Reserve increasing interest rates as it tries to curb signs of inflation for the United States economy, the once very hot real estate market has cooled considerably.

Homes and real estate in competitive real estate markets around the U.S. that were being lapped up by buyers in the past couple of years in a matter of days or weeks, with some diving head-on into waitlists in order to be considered, are now staying in the market for a month or two, or even longer.

This has created a wonderful opportunity for serious home buyers who are looking for affordable homes/real estate, including in the developing town of Pahrump.

Originally inhabited by the Southern Pauite tribe, this

unincorporated town that lies adjacent to the California-Nevada border has seen its population rise through the decades. It now has an estimated population of 44,738 per the 2020 U.S. Census.

While known for its casino resorts, legal brothels and its wineries, it is a destination for outdoor enthusiasts, with its proximity to Death Valley National Park and different mountain ranges. It is home to the 332-acre Spring Mountain Mountain Motor Resort and Country Club, which houses the longest road course in North America. Spring Mountain is a state-of-the-art racing facility and motorsports club, which is a destination for many racecar enthusiasts who want to attend the many driving schools located in Spring Mountain, and who want to drive in its challenging racetrack, which can be sized into

different variations.

Pahrump is also home to Mountain Falls Golf Club, which is a course designed by famed architecture firms Nicklaus Design Group and Cal Olson Design. It is a favorite among golf enthusiasts as its course, while challenging, is a visual feast for the eyes.

Describing Pahrump and what you can do in town, Redfin says, “There are many cool ways to spend your time in Pahrump, NV from enjoying local art, dining at some of the best restaurants in town, or spending time at a park. While living in Pahrump, make sure to stop by some of the museums like Pahrump Valley Museum and Yucca Mountain Science Center. The city is also known for its parks and green spaces like Discovery Park, Ian Deutch Memorial Park, Devil's Hole National Park, just to name a few. There are a variety of diverse eateries and restaurants that appeal to every palette in the city…”

According to Redfin, the median price for homes in the town is about $365,000 as of November 2022, while townhouses have a median sale price of $165,000. For those who cannot afford to buy a home as of yet, apartments for rent in the area are available, with 2-bedroom, 2-bath units costing as low as $1,050 a month, and 3-bedroom 2-bath units priced at $1,525 per month.

The median sales price of $365,000 for homes in Pahrump is about 6% higher when compared to the previous year. Depending on the type of home and the area where it is located, a house in the market can be sold in as little as 25 days (for “hot” homes). The median days for homes in the market is around 74 days.

Consider this: The median home price in the State of Nevada was $20,700 in 1940. That median price became $136,000 in 1980 and increased to $142,000 in 2000. In 2021 the median price for homes in the Silver State exploded to $420,000, with previously owned single-family homes priced in the $350,000 range in 2020.

Pahrump continues to be one of those real estate markets searched by individuals and families nationally. Per net flow search (those searching to move into Pahrump minus the number of people searching to move

out) statistics offered by Redfin, Los Angeles (5,502), Salt Lake City (2,216) and San Francisco (2,187) are the top three cities whose people have searched for possibilities to move into town. Other areas in the top eight whose residents have searched moving into town include Seattle, Washington (DC), San Diego, Chicago and Honolulu.

The town, which is located in the southernmost tip of Nye County, still exudes a small-town feel, as opposed to its big sister Las Vegas, which is about 62 miles away. You can say that those living in Pahrump can have the best of both worlds as they get to experience living in a quiet, peaceful town, but are able to dive into the big city lights and entertainment of Las Vegas when they want to as Sin City is an easy drive from Pahrump.

Many national brands and emerging companies are finding a

home in Pahrump. Big companies and franchises like The Home Depot, Burger King, Chevron, Coyote Corner, CVS Pharmacy, Domino’s, Davita, Enterprise, Family Dollar, US Bank, Bank of America, Taco Bell and Supercuts have established operations, along with hundreds of businesses that cater to the needs of the diversified, growing population of the town.

With affordability and location as the biggest drivers in any real estate purchase, Pahrump presents a good opportunity for those looking at the market, especially for those who can afford to buy right now.n

Traditionally, real estate has always been a solid investment for those looking to grow their portfolios – while there are highs and lows, those who invest early tend to come out winning in the end, as real estate prices continue moving upward.

I have helped many clients look for their piece of real estate heaven in Pahrump (and in Las Vegas as well). I have decades of experience in assisting my clients find their American Dream, property-wise – one that fits their budgets and needs. Many of my clients have even become repeat buyers and investors, with some now reaping the benefits of their real estate investments via rentals or through Airbnb.

My company, Precious Properties, is a full-service company that has served its clientele since 1992. You can reach me at 775-513-8447, 805559-2476 and 702-538-4948 for more information, or send me an email at fely@preciousproperties.com or fely.precious@ gmail.com. We have investors who buy houses in California and Nevada for cash and quick escrow in as short as 7 days.

Supplement)

(Advertising

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

A more than 8-acre parcel of land, which is part of a 29-acre piece of land, near Blagg Road and Basin Avenue has been proposed to be zoned from commercial to village residential recently. The project under the Home Means Nevada Initiative would bring about 140 units of affordable housing to Pahrump, with unit prices ranging from $435 to $1300 per a news report recently on KPVM. Photo above shows part of the plans submitted to the Nye County Commission. Screen capture from web

Realtor Fely Quitevis-Bateman’s (extreme left) clients from Palm Springs, CA, Clark and Angelica Games, bought another lot in Pahrump.

Realtor Fely Quitevis-Bateman is in photo with Alliance Concierge Banker Keith Saunders, who is visiting Pahrump on the possibility of funding the glove factory in the town.

Atty. Gurfinkel answers more immigration questions from Kapamilya on Citizen Pinoy’s Christmas episode

THE second part of Citizen Pinoy’s “Your Tanong, My Sagot” brings more immigration questions from Kapamilya shoppers at the family-owned Arko Foods International in Glendale, California.

In this episode, leading U.S. Immigration Atty. Michael J. Gurfinkel provides answers and helpful information to the following inquiries:

• Marites’ friend secretly married her

boyfriend who was petitioned as single. She now wants to know if her friend can come to the U.S. as a tourist so they can get married again in the U.S.

• Janet would like to know if she can petition her nephew in the Philippines as a caregiver, to take care of her parents who are now in their 90s.

Janine featured in New York Times Square billboard

By Jan Milo Severo Philstar.com

KAPAMILYA singer Janine Berdin is the latest Filipino artist to be featured on a massive billboard of the iconic Times Square in New York City.

In Star Music PH Twitter account, the record label posted the photo of Times Square with Janine on the Spotify billboard.

“It’s been a great year for @janineOTOT and she closes it as the @Spotify_PH EQUAL Cover with a billboard feature in Times Square, New York!” the record label wrote.

Janine posted the same photo in her Instagram account.

“WHAT... DAKO KAAYO AKOKG NAWNG IN NEW YORK TIMES SQUARE THANK YOU @SPOTIFYPH THANK YOU GGGGGOOOODD AND MAMA SALEM AND PAPA JOSIE,” she wrote in the caption.

The singer was featured as part of Spotify’s Equal program which highlights women artists around the globe.

Janine rose to fame when she won Tawag ng Tanghalan” in 2018. n

Jodi: A real class act

By TeSSa Mauricio-arriola ManilaTimes.net

AMONG the day’s soughtafter actresses, Jodi Sta. Maria most deserves the compliment of being a class act. Talent-wise, her

Asian Academy Creative Awards Best Actress trophy, which she just won in Singapore for her stunning performance as Dr. Jill Ilustre in ABS-CBN’s “The Broken Marriage Vow,” says it all. As do her International Emmy Awards

nomination for “Pangako Sa’Yo” in 2016 and those from every TV and movie award-giving body in the country, not to mention her big wins at the Gawad Urian, Cinemalaya, Cinema One and

YOUR TANONG, MY SAGOT PART 2 IN GLENDALE. This Christmas, Atty. Michael J. Gurfinkel answers more immigration questions from Kapamilya at Arko Foods in Glendale, CA in “Your Tanong, My Sagot” Part 2. Among the questions Atty. Gurfinkel answers are – From Janet (top photo): Can I petition my nephew in the Philippines to be a caregiver for my parents who are already in their 90s?; From Meriel (bottom right): My friend’s brother had a green card when he was young, but he went back to the Philippines before turning 18 to become an actor. What steps can he take if he wants to return to the U.S. now that he is 55 years old?; From Marites (bottom left): My friend secretly married her boyfriend who was petitioned as single. Can she come to the U.S. as a tourist to marry him again? Watch Part 2 of “Your Tanong, My Sagot” at Arko Foods in Glendale, California on a brand-new episode of “Citizen Pinoy” on Sunday, December 25 at 6:30 PM PT (9:30 PM ET) through select Cable/Satellite providers, right after TV Patrol Linggo. (Advertising Supplement)

In Star Music PH Twitter account, the record label posted the photo of Times Square with Janine on the Spotify billboard. Photo from Instagram/@janineberdin

• Meriel asks about her friend’s brother who had a green card when he was 14 years old but moved back to the Philippines before he turned 18 to become an actor. The brother is now 55 years old and would like to return to the U.S. Meriel wants to know what the brother can do?

In keeping with the season of giving, Atty. Gurfinkel also asks trivia questions to the shoppers and gives away food from Arko as prizes to the delight of Kapamilya Watch “Citizen Pinoy’s” Christmas offering in Part 2 of “Your Tanong, My Sagot,” with Kapamilya from Arko Foods International in Glendale, California. Watch this brand-new episode on Sunday, December 25 at 6:30 PM PT (9:30 PM ET through select Cable/Satellite providers), right after TV Patrol Linggo. Citizen Pinoy is also available on iWantTFC. Viewers may download the free app. (Advertising Supplement)

The passionate Nanette Medved-Po

By Joanne Rae M. RaMiRez Philstarcom

NANETTE Medved-Po, who was recently honored in New York as one of Asia Society’s Game Changer awardees, remembers the moment she realized as clearly as she saw the bright Manila sky that life expected much of her.

The former actress, who once portrayed the Filipino super heroine “Darna,” was high up on a float during a parade of the Metro Manila Film Festival that was inching its way amid a throng of fans along Roxas Boulevard.

“I was in one of the floats, and people of all age groups were there, really looking up to us. It was not just me, personally, that they were looking up to, but I think Filipinos really look up to people in the public eye with a certain sense of awe. And with that comes incredible power, right? The public is almost surrendering a power to certain people to influence them.” Yes, even before social media gave them a name, “influencers” were already in our midst.

“I thought that if I had a little bit of power to influence, I would really hate to waste that

by influencing people on the wrong things. So I kept telling myself, what should I do to be a positive influence to people who are looking up to me? I felt like it would be a real travesty if I was blessed with something and I squandered it on something trivial,” says this wife and mother of two teenagers.

Ironically, it was after her stint in show business, where her time was “completely consumed by my work,” that Nanette married both passion and purpose.

“I think that just to be fair, everyone at some level wants to be helpful, right? I don’t think that

is something that’s unique to me. I probably have the same level of desire to be helpful as anyone else. But I think the difference is, I was blessed enough to have a little bit of a soap box or a megaphone because of who I was in the industry. I had the opportunity to take that desire and be helpful. And to turn it into something bigger than maybe others (could), because I had an avenue to do so.”

After being abroad and away from the public eye, she returned to the Philippines with both passion and purpose still simmering inside her. Passion and purpose found a pulpit and a podium, indeed, in Nanette. And she used that to spread “Hope.”

Her passion was to help uplift the state of education in the country. How to accomplish that beyond dole-outs?

Nanette, who graduated summa cum laude with a degree in Finance and Entrepreneurship from Babson College in Massachusetts, believed starting a social enterprise was the most sustainable way to help. The liquid of life brought her idea to life.

“What is the simplest product

Fil-Am personalities spread Christmas joy during HiFi Holiday Festival

By aJPRess

CHRISTMAS came early this year during the 2nd annual HiFi Holiday Festival attended by FilAm celebrities and community members.

Organized by Filipinos Advancing Creative Education (F.A.C.E.), the HiFi Holiday Festival held at Rideback Ranch in Los Angeles’ Historic Filipinotown spread Christmas joy through live entertainment, free meals, family-friendly activities and a toy distribution for children in the community.

“This is one our favorite annual community engagement programs we offer to serve those less fortunate during the holiday season. It’s an opportunity for some the many talented Filipinos in entertainment to donate their time and talent to connect, inspire, and this is their reason to celebrate the season,” said F.A.C.E. Executive Director and founder Lyle Del Mundo.

The program, emceed by radio personality PJ Butta and NBC4 meteorologist Shanna Mendiola, featured live performances from talents like Jon Jon Briones and son Teo and singer Jules Aurora.

“My son, Teo, and I sang Pasko na Sinta Ko. It’s a Filipino Christmas song. We chose it because I thought it would be nice to represent our Filipino heritage at the event. Also, it was the first time we sang together and also Teo’s first time to sing a Tagalog song,” Jon Jon Briones said. “The best part of the event is seeing all the kids having fun and receiving some awesome gifts. The season is for young ones and young once.”

Children received toys from Santa’s famous helpers, including beauty personality and entrepreneur Patrick Starrr and actors Simu Liu (“ShangChi”), Vincent Rodriguez III (“Crazy Ex-Girlfriend”), Joshua Dela Cruz (“Blues Clues & You!”) and Paris Berelc (“Alexa & Katie”), and YouTuber Alex Wassabi.

“The best part about being one of Santa’s helpers was getting to interact with the kids and take pictures with their families…seeing their smiles of joy & gratitude fills my heart, it gives me hope and reminds me why I love this magical time of year,” said Rodriguez.

Meals were prepared and distributed by guests like actor and singer Roshon Fegan and celebrity chef Vallerie Castillo, while gifts for children in the Philippines were donated and packed in balikbayan boxes.

“I

little Christmas joy. There’s no better way to say thank you than to support your community,” said Dela Cruz.

He added, “Organizations like FACE are indispensable because they not only provide educational programming, but give kids the chance to be kids and creative professionals the chance to cheer them on. Events like the HiFi Holiday Festival celebrate kids and act as kindling to keep fire of possibility burning.”

F.A.C.E. is a non-profit organization uplifting the next generation of Fil-Am creatives through music, film, fashion and creative arts.

Its year-round programming includes mentorship matching, internship placement, songwriting workshops, and more for emerging creative talent. n

YouTuber Alex Wasabi, Vincent Rodriguez III (“Crazy Ex-Girlfriend”), and Simu Liu (“ShangChi”) pose with Santa Claus after distributing toys at the 2nd annual HiFi Holiday Festival.

Derek Basco (“Obi-Wan Kenobi”), Jason Rogel (“Raven’s Home”), Ella Jay Basco (“Birds of Prey”), Rodney To (“Easter Sunday”), and Eugene Cordero (“Easter Sunday,” “Loki”) at the HiFi Holiday Festival on Saturday, Dec. 17.

Lyle Del Mundo, executive director of Filipinos Advancing Creative Education, addresses the crowd. He is joined by emcees radio personality PJ Butta and NBC4 meteorologist Shanna Mendiola.

Simu Liu with beauty influencer Patrick Starrr and Peter Simondac

Actor Jon Jon Briones (“Ratched”) performs with his son Teo Briones (“Chucky”) during the HiFi Holiday Festival. Community leader Jessica Caloza

Photos by Sthanlee Mirador

Members of F.A.C.E. and organizers of the annual HiFi Holiday Festival pose for a photo with celebrity guests, including Josh Dela Cruz (“Blues Clues & You!”), Vincent Rodriguez III, Simu Liu, Roshon Fegan, Patrick Starr and Paris Berelc.

Philanthropist and social entrepreneur Nanette Medved-Po Philstar.com photo

Families also enjoyed a Christmas bazaar with booths by community organizations and activities like face painting and ornament making.

wanted to connect with the kids and families that watch our show and give back by bring a

Marites (right) asks Atty. Gurfinkel an immigration question regarding her friend.

Atty. Gurfinkel (right) gives away mangoes as a prize to Benjie, an Arko shopper, after he answered a trivia question on what is the name of Atty Gurfinkel’s YouTube channel.

Jodi: A real class act...

PAGE B2

Metro Manila Film Festival throughout her career.

The strife for excellence, after all, has always been this versatile and diligent actress’ compass in life, and it has certainly done her well to give her best in every undertaking.

In fact, Jodi remains a class act even in between these winning roles. While she may have started young in the industry — a Star Magic discovery in her teens — she managed to develop a quiet dignity about her, which doesn’t happen very often in this environment. Be it in the way she dresses, the way she speaks, her social media posts and how she generally conducts herself at work or in public, Jodi does it all with decency.

Picture this: On the day of this small and select huddle with entertainment editors, the first Filipino to win Best Actress at the Asian Academy breezed into the room sans entourage nor fanfare. She looked so elegant despite her modest ensemble. Jodi glowed in a black peasant dress with the same-colored tights, Mary Jane shoes, and only a pair of pearl earrings to accessorize. Actually, it was the 40-year-old celebrity’s genuine smile and gracious ways that made her shine.

Here’s one: So grateful that her handpicked guests braved the Christmas rush for her, Jodi gave every question the importance it deserved. She will pause at length if need be to make sure she returns a well-thought-out answer. Now that’s class. Especially in an industry where big egos think their presence is all that matters so that blurting out the first thing that comes to mind is enough.

Outside showbiz, Jodi stands out even more for

keeping her private life on the low and choosing to stay mum on controversies that still come up from time to time.

She is also in a different league for being successful in her career yet tirelessly pursuing a longtime dream. As many know, Jodi has been working on becoming a doctor alongside her showbiz commitments.

So amid the buzz and high over the international win, The T-Zone had to ask Jodi if she was still holding on to her ultimate dream. Especially when there’s talk that regional partnerships and even Hollywood deals have been landing on her table.

“It’s still there. I believe naman when God puts a dream in your heart, there’s always that intent to fulfill it. It happened to me last year when I graduated college [BS Psychology] tapos ito...” she waved her arms wide, referring to her award, still overwhelmed by the turn of events.

“Before all this happened, I was thinking, after The Broken Marriage Vow, okay na ako. Bumalik man ako o hindi sa school I would still be 45 anyway. Hindi naman titigil ang life. Might as well gawin ko ‘yung sa palagay ko na tama for my life.

Si God kasi talaga mahilig mag-surprise, eh. Ang hilig niya mag-plot twist. ‘Yung sinet kong plan para sa life ko, parang biglang na-detour.

“We can make plans for our lives, but at the end of the day, si Lord pa rin talaga ‘yung mag-di-direct ng steps natin kung saan tayo pupunta. ‘Pag siya na ‘yung kumilos, iyon talaga, kahit ano’ng gawin mo, hindi ka makakatakas. Dadalhin at dadalhin ka niya kung saan ka dapat, doon sa pinurpose niya para sa ‘yo,” she relayed.

Perhaps med school isn’t in heaven’s plans for Jodi right, but given the shot in the arm to keep acting by the Asian Creative award, she is as determined as ever to put her Psychology degree to good use.

“I’m looking into a master now, and classes just run from 8 to 5 every Saturday. So kakayanin naman po,” she humbly but steadfastly said.

Unable to give details on the slate of exciting projects waiting for her in 2023, Jodi is happy to end what she describes as her “most blissful” year as part of Coco Martin’s official entry to the 48th Metro Manila Festival.

Unsurprisingly, she portrays the well-bred interest of Coco in “Labyu with an Accent.”

“It’s a welcome breather to be doing a comedy for a change, but I’m really looking forward to more challenging projects in the coming year. I feel so blessed and I promise to do my best.” n

Employers must provide timely, uninterrupted and duty-free meal and rest breaks

Protecting Employee & Consumer Rights

Atty. C. Joe SAyAS, Jr

Q: MY co-workers and I are having problems not getting our meal breaks at work. We work 12-hour shifts, and the handbook says we’re supposed to get 2 meal breaks. The employer had each of us sign a waiver giving up one of our meal breaks when we were hired. But it’s hard to even get the one meal break we’re supposed to have. It’s so busy that we regularly work 8 hours straight before you get so hungry that you just have to stop to eat. When that happens, we sometimes can do the full 30 minutes, but if it’s really hectic, we just take 10 minutes to eat something really quick at our workstations. When our manager sees on our time record that we didn’t get a 30-minute break, she makes us sign another waiver to show we consented to not getting it. It doesn’t seem right. Is this allowed?

A: No, that is not allowed. Under California law, if you work a shift of more than 10 hours, you are entitled to two 30-minute meal periods. You may choose to waive one of those meal breaks by mutual consent with your employer, but California law does not allow for waiver of both of the two meal

breaks; you’re guaranteed at least one. For each day that you did not receive at least one, uninterrupted and dutyfree meal period of at least 30 minutes, your employer owed you an extra hour of wages, calculated at your regular hourly rate of pay.

The fact that your work duties did not allow you to take a meal break until 8 hours into your shift was also a violation.

Under California law, your meal period must start before the end of the 5th hour of your shift. For example, if your shift starts at 8:00 a.m., then your meal break must start before 1:00 p.m. to be considered timely. For each day that you got an untimely, or late, meal period, your employer owed you an extra hour of wages, calculated at your regular hourly rate of pay.

You didn’t mention rest breaks, but your description of the busy nature of your workplace makes it likely that there were also rest-break violations committed by your employer. Under California law, employees must be allowed to take a 10-minute rest break for each 4 hours of work, or major fraction thereof. With a 12-hour shift, you’re entitled to three 10-minute rest periods. If your work demands prevented you the opportunity to take any of those rest periods, then your employer owed you an extra hour of wages, calculated at your regular hourly rate of pay, for each day you were denied

The passionate Nanette Medved-Po....

I can find? Something not subject to trends? So I thought, water! Water is a basic necessity, it’s not subject to any trends or flavor profiles and it doesn’t spoil,” says Nanette, who was also one of Forbes’ “Heroes of Philanthropy” in 2017.

Nanette launched Hope in 2012 to demonstrate that businesses that invest in social good would be rewarded by the market.

Now, where to channel the profits

from the business? She decided on building classrooms. “During the time of President Noynoy Aquino, building classrooms was really a priority project of the President, because the classroom gap at the time was about 68,000 classrooms. He really made it a priority to try and close that gap during his administration. I said, ‘Oh, that’s an easy to understand investment, because a classroom is tangible, you can touch it,” explains Nanette, who points out that project “Hope” is “administration

agnostic.”

“I said let’s get a simple product, and match it with a simple idea that you can trust — water equals classrooms. It’s very simple. So when you go to a convenience store, whether you are the driver of a tycoon or a tycoon, you can give equally to the building of our education infrastructure. You’re democratizing the investments in social good. In the past, in order for you to participate in philanthropy or these kinds of things, you had to have means. In this

case, you don’t need to be rich, we can all give equally to the development of our country.” One bottle of water at a time.

“So, 10 years ago, we started the journey, and it’s been very difficult.

I cannot say that it wasn’t without challenges. But I think that if you are driven by purpose, you can weather challenges. We didn’t look too far ahead, because if you look too far ahead, medyo nakakatakot di ba? So I just focused on just putting one foot in front of the other. Just think about today, what’s going to

such opportunity. California laws and policies make clear that meal and rest breaks are crucial to protect employee health and productivity. The premium wages required under California law for missed meal and rest breaks are wages that you have earned and are owed to you. You can pursue an action to recover those unpaid wages, including a potential class action that would allow you and your similarly-treated co-workers to recover the monies owed to you, plus interest, as well as money penalties for the employer’s violations.

* * * 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.

* * *

The Law Offices of C. Joe Sayas, Jr. welcomes inquiries about this topic. All inquiries are confidential and at no-cost. You can contact the office at (818) 291-0088 or visit www.joesayaslaw.com. [For more than 25 years, C. Joe Sayas, Jr., Esq. successfully recovered wages and other monetary damages for thousands of employees and consumers. He was named Top Labor & Employment Attorney in California by the Daily Journal, selected as Super Lawyer by the Los Angeles Magazine for 11 years, and is a past Presidential Awardee for Outstanding Filipino Overseas.]

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happen today. And at some point, if you do that consistently enough, it actually adds up to something meaningful.”

Hope in a Bottle commits 100 percent of profits to building public school classrooms in partnership with the Department of Education. In the past 10 years, it has built over 120 classrooms all around the Philippines, especially in Mindanao. Isn’t Nanette a super heroine in real life, as well? ***

Jodi first Filipina to ever win the Best Actress plum at the region’s prestigious Asian Academy Creative Awards.

Photo from Instagram/@jodistamaria

Regine to Ogie on anniversary: ‘After 12 years, mas mahal pa kita kaysa noon’

By Anne PAsAjol Inquirer.net

Dec. 22.

“After 12 years, kinikilig pa rin ako. After 12 years, ikaw pa rin [ang pinakapogi]. After 12 years, tawang-tawa pa rin ako sa ‘yo. After 12 years, umiiyak pa rin ako ‘pag umaalis ka. After 12 years, mas mahal pa kita [kaysa] noon,” she told Alcasid, along with the hashtag “I’m forever Ogie’s.”

(After 12 years, I still feel thrilled. After 12 years, you are still the most handsome [in my eyes]. After 12 years, I still find you very funny. After 12 years, I still cry when you leave. After 12 years, I love you so much more than before.)

Alcasid, for his part, declared falling in love with Velasquez “all over again,” via his Instagram page. The singer-songwriter also gave a glimpse of the staycation they had with their son Nate at a hotel in Parañaque, which was fellow singer Martin Nievera’s anniversary and Christmas gift to the couple.

“Happy 12th anniversary to the love of my life,” he wrote. “Singing with you on our special day made me feel so in love with you all over again. What a blessing. Mahal na mahal kita (I love you so much).”

Alcasid and Velasquez tied the knot in Batangas in December of 2010, and welcomed Nate a year after their marriage. The three of them went to Disneyland California in November to celebrate Nate’s 11th birthday. n

Unusual Christmas for all this week

Debt Relief

Atty. LAwrence yAng

SUNDAY is Christmas Day. The whole Christian world celebrates the birth of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, 2020 years ago. Christians also celebrate the fact that God the Father, Yahweh, “I am who am,” who preceded all creation and who created everything chose a mere human, the Blessed Mother Mary, to be the mother of Jesus. We cannot really understand completely why this is so. I don’t care how many PHD’s you have in theology.

I understand the explanation that God is love, and He so loved man, his creation, that He sent His only and beloved Son, to die for our sins, to redeem us from the consequences of sin, so that we can enter heaven and spend the rest of eternity with Him in paradise. This is our basic Christian faith. And we celebrate the birth of Jesus, the one and only beloved Son of the one and only true Almighty God, Creator of the Universe and everything in it, visible and invisible.

We thank Jesus for agreeing to be born a human for us; after all He is God too. Jesus did not have to die for us but again, He agreed with God the Father, that it was only through this way, that He be born as a human, then sacrifice his life as a human in suffering and death at the age of 33, thus completing the required act of God ‘s redemption of the human race from the consequences of sin. But since Jesus was 100% divine, and 100% human, He resurrected on the third day after his death on the cross in Golgotha.

I try to apply the principles of contract law to the foregoing. But since contract law is man made, it’s just not possible. If we were to provide an analogy, it would be like this. You are the judge. The defendant and accused before you killed another man and is charged with murder. All the evidence proves beyond a reasonable doubt that the accused killed the victim with

malice aforethought in cold blood because he stole his wife from him. He caught his wife with the accused in the act, went to get his shotgun in the garage. When he came back to the bedroom, the lover had escaped into the night. After a week, accused finds out the identity and address of the victim. He plots for a month to run him over with his hummer SUV while he jogs. At last after two months, accused spots him crossing the pedestrian lane, revs up his hummer and runs the victim over at 60 m/hr. Victim dies after 3 days in the ICU. The jury has no problem convicting him of premeditated murder.

Then you as the Judge, you feel so bad for the accused that you ask your only beloved son, 33 years old, a Nobel-prize winner in medicine for discovering the cure for all kinds of cancer, to exchange his life for the life of the accused. Your son will take the place of the accused on the electric chair. Then your son, your one and only beloved son, he completely agrees with you and submits willingly to your request for him to die for the accused. I mean, can you even begin comprehend something like this? I don’t think so. I can’t understand it. I have a son. I would never do this or ask this of him. I may die for him, yes, that’s quite easy to do. I can die for my wife, that’s quite easy to do too. But ask him to die for another; that is just incomprehensible.

And the complication is Jesus is also 100% God, and as such cannot be killed or die. So the only way to make this work is Jesus has to agree to become 100% man so he can suffer physically and die. Pain and suffering and death are human experience because our ancestors, Adam and Eve, blew it. There was no sickness or death in paradise before they ate of the forbidden fruit. Their bodies were not subject to illness or disease. Covid, who cares, can’t touch me, Adam and Eve would say before they fell from grace. Now we’ve got these human bodies that can so easily get sick and die. Only two humans did not die, after Adam and Eve’s fall. Enoch and Elijah did not physically die. God took them to heaven, straight to heaven while they were still alive at different times. Enoch

was the first prophet, the seventh generation from Adam, who first proclaimed that God, Yahweh, is the only one true God. Yes, Adam & Eve’s descendants started creating their own Gods. They worshipped all sorts of stuff. Let’s not even talk about what they worshipped.

I know this Christmas is subdued for all of us. But still, we can still celebrate in our hearts that God, Yahweh, so loved us, that He sent His only beloved Son, Jesus to become human & who wholeheartedly agreed, to live in the human world, to redeem us from sin, and made possible through the acceptance of the Blessed Mother Mary to be the Mother of Jesus in this world. We have a chance to enter heaven for eternity, this one chance after being redeemed by Jesus Christ who was born 2020 years ago on Christmas day. This we celebrate with all our hearts! To all those who are depressed with all this doom and gloom, rejoice in your hearts that God, Jesus, and the Blessed Mother Mary, they all love you! To all those married couples who think they can’t survive as a couple because this pandemic was the last straw, just cool it, ok? If you love each other, just cool it and set your egos aside. Just get vaccinated and cool it. To all of you who can’t survive without using your credit cards, just max them out to survive this pandemic. Come see me after, we’ll just wipe them out and give you a fresh start.

Warm wishes of goodwill to all as we celebrate the birth of Jesus! If you have too much debt and need relief, please set an appointment to see me. I will analyze your case personally.

* * * Disclaimer: None of the foregoing is considered legal advice for anyone. Each case is different. There is no absolutely no attorney client relationship established by reading this article.

* * * Lawrence Bautista Yang specializes in Bankruptcy, Business, Real Estate and Civil Litigation and has successfully represented more than five thousand clients in California. Please call Angie, Barbara or Jess at (626) 284-1142 for an appointment at 20274 Carrey Road, Walnut, CA 91789 or 1000 S. Fremont Ave., Mailstop 58, Building A-10 South, Suite 10042, Alhambra, CA 91803.

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Can I file a divorce in California if my spouse resides outside of state?

Corner

THIS is a common question among people contemplating divorce in California when the other spouse does not live in the state. California Courts have the power to grant a divorce, annulment, or legal separation if either party is domiciled in the state. Domicile is where a person lives and intends to remain. However, there is an additional requirement if you are seeking a divorce rather than annulment or legal separation. To obtain a divorce in California, one of the parties must have been a resident of California for six months immediately before the filing of the divorce petition. Responding spouses can use this requirement as a defense if the Petitioning spouse does not meet such requirement when the petitioner filed for divorce. In addition, divorce petitions may be filed in the county where at least one spouse resided for 3 months immediately prior to filing the petition.

Now apart from getting a divorce, legal separation, or annulled status, there may be issues relating to distributing community and separate

properties between the spouses and awarding support payments.

In order for the California Courts to have the power to make orders, the California Courts must have personal jurisdiction over the respondent. Personal jurisdiction means the respondent has minimum contacts with California even if not physically here. Some of the factors looked at is respondents presence in the state, domicile, residence, citizenship, consent, appearance in the action, doing business in the state, doing an act that causes an effect in the state, ownership in the state, other relationship to the state. If the respondent does not have minimum contact with California, respondent may challenge any orders relating to distribution of property and support based on the court’s lack of jurisdiction.

With regards to initial child custody issues, these issues are resolved under the Uniform Child Custody Jurisdiction and Enforcement Act. California Courts have the power to make initial custody orders if it is the child’s home state at the time the action was filed. California may also assume power to make custody orders if California has been the child’s home state within six months before the action was filed, the child is absent form California, and a parent continues to live in California. California may also exercise jurisdiction when

no other state is the child’s home state or when all court’s having jurisdiction over the child has declined to act and deferred to California as the more appropriate place to make custody orders. California may also exercise jurisdiction if no other state would have jurisdiction over the child.

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

* * *

Attorney Kenneth Ursua Reyes

Association.

Philippine

is a

of both the Family law section

Los

section

Immigration

County Bar Association. He is a graduate of Southwestern University Law School in Los Angeles and California State University, San Bernardino School of Business Administration. He has extensive CPA experience prior to law practice. LAW OFFICES OF KENNETH REYES, P.C. is located at 3699 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 700, Los Angeles, CA, 90010. Tel. (213) 388-1611 or e-mail kenneth@ kenreyeslaw.com or visit our website at Kenreyeslaw.com.

The passionate Nanette Medved-Po...

Asia Society, which honored Nanette with the Game Charger award, recognizes individuals, organizations, and movements that have “inspired, enlightened, and shown true leadership in areas that reflect Asia Society’s core pillars of policy and business, arts and culture, and education.”

The other high-profile personalities honored by the group in this year’s program included former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg.

“It is an incredible honor to be one of the recipients of this year’s Asia Society Game Changer Awards,” said Nanette after she received the award. “I hope that any work we have done might inspire others to be unafraid to try and be the change they want to see in the world.”

In 2014, Nanette’s social enterprise expanded into agriculture interventions to improve the livelihood of smallholder farmers. This led to the “Million Tree” program, which not only provides free high quality coconut seedlings and market access to farmers, but also builds 100 percent additional carbon sequestration capacity in the

Philippines. In 2018 another environmental program was introduced through “Aling Tindera.”

It takes a village for any endeavor to succeed. But it also takes a supportive spouse.

“There’s no way that I can do what I do if I didn’t have my husband’s (Chris Po’s) support. So much of what I do really relies on his ability to be forgiving of the things I’m passionate about. So he’s a wonderful, wonderful support. Actually, when I had to fly to New York for Game Changers, he said he wanted to go and really be there to support the work and I couldn’t have asked for a better husband.”

We ended our interview in tears. Because I asked Nanette her Christmas wish.

“Now, you’re going to make me cry. I think in the world, unfortunately, we find ourselves very broken. And so I feel people have to stop focusing on the noise. So much in life is noise. If you can just focus on what’s really important in life — your family, doing right by one another — I think the world would be a much better place. And God knows the world needs it now. That’s my wish.” n

is a Board Certified Family Law Specialist. He was President of the

American Bar

He

member

and

law

of the

Angeles

Atty. Kenneth UrsUA reyes

Barrister’s

REGINE Velasquez looked back on the highlights of her love story with fellow singer Ogie Alcasid as the celebrity couple marked the 12th year of

their marriage. The Asia’s Songbird greeted Alcasid with a video compilation of photos from their wedding, their trips around the world and even their mundane daily activities, through her Instagram page on Thursday,

Ogie Alcasid and Regine Velasquez Photo from Instagram/@ogiealcasid