FEATURE
CeBu: tHe Queen City of tHe soutH
How fear BeCaMe aMeriCan foreign anD DoMestiC PoliCy FEBRUARY 14, 2026
BOOK REVIEW DrieD fisH to Honey, a MeMoir
CANDID PERSPECTIVES
froM DC to Davos to Minnesota
HAWAII WORKERS CORNER How Detention enDangers tHe HealtH anD lives of Migrants
025 was marked by President Donald Trump’s U.S. immigration policies that scapegoated migrants and tested the constitutionality of Birthright Citizenship and the expansion of Denaturalization. Starting in Los Angeles, Americans quickly found out that Trump’s mass deportation will be challenged as it was the first city where protestors took to the streets in mass and California politicians – from the federal to state and city councils -- rallied behind them.
Los Angelinos triggered a national debate on mass deportation and interjected compelling arguments of fairness and morality. Some Americans perhaps voted for mass deportation, but they were sold on an election promise that those being deported would be criminals, a collective menace to society.
But this hasn’t been the case. Criminal record data shows that most people booked into ICE detention – 75% -- did not have a criminal conviction. To top, those who did, most of them had non-violent convictions. Furthermore, as Americans saw undocumented migrants who’ve been living in southern California for 20-plus years as productive and community-minded citizens get arrested, deported and separated from their families, suddenly Americans began to rethink the fairness of mass deportation in its current iteration.
2025 could be looked at as a year of growing pain, birth pain. The cruelty on immigrants has been exposed and in 2026 while there is still support for mass deportation, a majority of Americans oppose ICE’s tactics, oppose racial profiling, even oppose ICE and believe it has gone too far.
The silver lining of 2025’s cruel immigration tactics is that our immigrant community still has vast support among Americans, particularly Democrats and independents, who’ve been risking arrest and violence protesting ICE. Polls also show that a majority of Americans, over 65% support a pathway to legal status for undocumented immigrants.
The reality is ICE’s heavy-handed, aggressive, highcost and often illegal tactics have turned public opinion against them.
Policy debates around immigration reform will continue to dominate national headlines as we’re seeing in 2026. Lawmakers will need to further explore the boundaries of mass deportation, stop ICE’s often illegal and overly aggressive tactics, provide pathways to citizenship, address real humanitarian needs of asylum seekers and finally work on comprehensive immigration reform. Politicians have kicked the can on comprehensive immigration for far too long which is why we are in the current chaos.
Affordability: Big Beautiful Bill and Trump’s tariffs go against it
As it is every year, affordability is a top concern. In 2025, the passage and adoption into law of the One Big
(continue on page 3)
Publisher & Executive Editor
025 was marked by migrant scapegoating and proposed anti-immigrant initiatives like ending Birthright Citizenship and expanding Denaturalization. The U.S. American immigrant community navigated through uncharted territory like racial profiling of people of color in a grand scale and questionably unconstitutional arrests by ICE via entering homes without a judicial warrant, to name a few. For our cover story this issue, associate editor Edwin Quinabo recaps the Hawaii Filipino Chronicle’s top stories for 2025, a year that Medicaid was cut and new work requirements for SNAP benefits were made into law through the Big Beautiful Bill. Find out what the rankings are and highlighted stories in this year-in-review cover story.
Also in this issue, HFC columnist Dr. Arcelita Imasa contributes “How Detention Endangers the Health and Lives of Migrants.” She writes many of them have medical needs that go ignored. Nanay Rebecca Pinyerd, a Filipina migrant who was detained by ICE is just one example. “I constantly think about Nanay Rebecca because I know in my heart that if she is denied the proper medical care that she needs, her kidneys could worsen to the point that she will soon require dialysis,” Dr. Imasa said.
Immigrants faced fear in 2025 and as HFC columnist Emil Guillermo writes in his piece -- “From DC to Davos to Minnesota— How Fear Became American Foreign and Domestic Policy” – fear hasn’t gone away in 2026. Guillermo makes an interesting comparison between Trump and former Philippine Presidents Ferdinand Marcos and Rodrigo Duterte. Emil writes, “Duterte used death squads. Trump uses federal agencies, prosecutors, and endless process. Different tools. Same effect: silence.” See if you agree with some of the comparisons.
It’s the beginning of a new year and HFC columnist Seneca Moraleda-Puguan gives us a heartfelt and hopeful outlook. “Now, as we step into 2026, we look forward to greater things, uncertain as ever as they may seem, yet anchored in the truth that God is faithful, even when the path feels unclear,” she writes of her situation of uncertainty that many of us also find ourselves in during life’s transitions.
Social media has exposed the world to the beauty of the Philippines. There are so many options and wonderful places to go there. HFC contributor Renelaine Bontol Pfister features Cebu, known as the Queen City of the South.
HFC columnist Rose Cruz Churma contributes a book review “Dried Fish To Honey, A Memoir” by Nilda Laurio Boland, who was a translator for a unit of the New People’s Army. Nilda and her husband, Butch, eventually left the New People’s Army and received the government’s amnesty. “This book reminds us that activism is a revolutionary act born of love,” the book’s forward states. Nilda will have a book launch on February 19, Thursday from 5 to 7pm at the Hawaii State Library (HSL).
In news, the Hawaii Department of Health (DOH) advises the community to get vaccinated against chickenpox if they have not previously had the disease or been vaccinated against it.
We hope you enjoy these stories and our other news and columns. Lastly, I’d like to wish our readers and supporters a very Happy Valentine’s Day. May it be filled with love and lasting memories. Thank you for supporting the HFC. Visit our website thefilipinochronicle.com to get your free e-copy of each issue. Until the next issue, Aloha and Mabuhay!
Charlie Y. Sonido, M.D.
Publisher & Managing Editor
Chona A. Montesines-Sonido
Associate Editors
Edwin QuinaboDennis Galolo
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Belinda Aquino, Ph.D.
Design
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Photography
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Carlota Hufana Ader
Rose Cruz Churma
Elpidio R. Estioko
Willie Espero
Emil Guillermo
Gary Hooser
Arcelita Imasa, M.D.
Seneca Moraleda-Puguan
J.P. Orias
Charlie Sonido, M.D.
Emmanuel S. Tipon, Esq.
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Clement Bautista
Edna Bautista, Ed.D.
Teresita Bernales, Ed.D.
Sheryll Bonilla, Esq.
Dr. Dylan Bothamley
Serafin Colmenares Jr., Ph.D.
Linda Dela Cruz
Carolyn Weygan-Hildebrand
Amelia Jacang, M.D.
Caroline Julian
Max Levin
Raymond Ll. Liongson, Ph.D.
Federico Magdalena, Ph.D.
Matthew Mettias
Maita Millalos
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Renelaine Bontol-Pfister
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Amado Yoro
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With millions of Americans resorting to pay basic necessities like food and utilities with credit cards, a new bipartisan push to cap interest rates at 10% could save consumers as much as a $1,000 a year on interest and be a needed boost for struggling Americans. Vanderbilt Policy Accelerator estimates collective savings could total $100 billion per year.
The goal of lowering high APRs will not only help consumers save but potentially reduce the time needed to pay off debt. The bill, introduced by Sens Bernie Sanders (I) and Josh Hawley, has a fighting chance to pass because it is supported by President Donald Trump. However, the senators want the 10% cap to be at least 5 years while Trump favors a 1-year cap. The senators also want a transition to a permanent cap at possibly 15% but Trump backs only a temporary cap.
Clearly the senators’ version is more substantial than Trump’s temporary 10% for one-year because many credit cards already offer 0% interest for the first year then it goes up to 20% or higher. Still, the decades-long drive to cap credit card interest rate –without success – is long overdue especially at this time while the political winds favor affordability initiatives.
Critics are doubtful if Trump will put his full weight behind it and see his support as a political ploy to boost his record-low approval ratings. They say he’s already made this proposal as a campaign promise but hasn’t acted on it since taking office.
(Migrants ....from page 2)
Beautiful Bill Act (OBBA) and Trump’s tariffs have made affordability more difficult for Americans.
Unless Congress will address some of the provisions in the OBBA immediately this year, millions of Americans will go uninsured or have their health insurance cost skyrocket. Additionally, many who have been relying on SNAP will lose their benefits.
State governments must now pick up the slack where the fede-
Could this time be different. We are hoping.
Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., a longtime advocate of consumer protections for credit cards, told Trump that Congress could pass the proposed cap “if he will actually fight for it.”
Sen. Hawley said, “President Trump is right: working Americans are drowning in record credit card debt while the biggest credit card issuers get richer and richer by hiking their interest rates to the moon.”
APR rates are too high
Americans are drowning in a record $1.2 trillion in credit card debt which high interest APRs many consumers view as predatory lending. According to Federal Reserve data, credit card interest rates have skyrocketed since 2022, hitting an all-time high in the summer of 2024. Average credit card interest rates were at 19.65% as of Jan. 7, according to Bankrate’s tracking of weekly national average rates.
It’s not surprising that the four largest banks JPMorgan Chase, Citigroup, Bank of America, and Wells Fargo — all are against the cap. They said they agree that
ral government made these cuts to healthcare and food insecurity. Critics point out that cost-cutting savings to Medicaid and SNAP will do little to slice the national deficit since the OBBA made permanent the 2017 tax cuts to the wealthy. So, critics say, taking away health and food benefits basically is a wealth transfer from those struggling to those already prospering with no real dent to the national deficit.
To make matters worse,
affordability is an issue, but that limiting credit card interest rates isn’t the right approach to solve it. They say a cap could significantly restrict credit availability, force lenders to close millions of accounts, and diminish rewards programs.
Consumer protection groups say these warnings are scare tactics and that the banks would still be making large profits. Sen Sanders gave an example. A 28% interest rate on a credit card balance of $5,000 can cost a consumer as much as $11,000 in interest and take up to 24 years to pay off. With a 10% credit card interest rate cap, that consumer would save more than $7,200 in interest. The bank would still be able to make over $3,700 in profit from that consumer. It just wouldn’t be able to gouge them.
With a lower APR, it’s also a possibility that consumers would be more likely to use their credit card since they’d have an easier time paying down the interest.
Bank of America CEO Brian Moynihan told analysts, “We’re all in for affordability,” while presenting the argument why limiting credit card interest rates would have adverse effects.
It’s hard to believe that Bank CEOs are “all for affordability” when bank profits have consistently been between 15-30%, and in 2024 it surged to a whopping 79.5%. High interest rates have been largely responsible for those huge profit margins. If banks were “all for affordability” they should stop with the insincere rhetoric and lower their interest rates. Clearly, they can
Trump’s tariffs are hurting American consumers. 2025 and early 2026 data suggest that tariffs have resulted in a significant, ongoing financial burden for households. Economists and industry experts link tariffs on goods like coffee, beef, and seafood, along with steel/aluminum tariffs, to elevated grocery bills.
In Hawaii where the cost of living is already unbearable to large segments of the population, Medicaid and SNAP cuts, as well as
afford it.
It is true that banks could act on some of those warnings they’re threatening but that’s where federal bank regulators can make a difference and advocate for consumers.
Banks can borrow money at less than 4% interest from the Federal Reserve yet the average interest rate consumers are forced to pay for credit cards is nearly 24%. Americans should also be reminded that when banks were on the verge of collapse in 2008 that caused millions of Americans to lose their homes, jobs and life savings, the taxpayers came to the rescue. The Federal Reserve gave these huge banks trillions of dollars in emergency loans at virtually zero interest.
Everyday Americans are struggling and it’s time that our politicians on both sides act on this bipartisan bill.
Americans pushed for years to get the powerful pharmaceutical industry to lower prescription drugs. Each year big pharma would come up with excuses after excuses. It was always a pipe dream, but Americans prevailed by exacting relentless public pressure.
We can do the same again with the powerful banking industry that for decades resisted any attempts at interest caps. Call your senators and representatives in Congress and say you support the 10% cap on interest for credit cards.
Trump’s tariffs are worsening affordability, which Trump ran on in the last election.
There’s always a silver lining to be found and perhaps Americans can look to the midterms to elect politicians who will challenge the Trump agenda and prevent him from doing further damage. On improving Americans’ pocketbook and affordability, Trump has proven himself to be fraudulent, a bystander to Americans’ financial struggles.
By Edwin Quinabo
YEAR-IN-REVIEW: The following is a recap of top stories the Hawaii Filipino Chronicle covered in 2025 as cover stories, editorials, news or column contributions.
#1 Filipino community joins national movement pushing back against ICE’s tactics and politicization
Topping the list of news in 2025 and arguably forecasted to repeat in 2026 is the national movement against ICE, their questionable and oftentimes illegal tactics in carrying out President Donald Trump’s mass deportation agenda.
While all eyes are now on the twin cities of Minnesota – Minneapolis and St. Paul – and their resistance against ICE largely intensified by the killings by ICE agents of Renee Good and Alex Pretti, in 2025 ICE’s Operation Metro Surge swept through Los Angeles, Chicago, Portland, Boston, New York City, Seattle, and others, mostly all Democratic-majority cities. Critics say the raids were typically aggressive, excessive in force and frequently violated civil liberties. Significant controversies centered on racial profiling of people of color, entering homes without judicial warrants, creating chaos and confusion by ICE wearing masks and not identifying themselves properly, and targeting sensitive areas near schools, churches, hospitals and courthouses.
Filipinos both on the mainland and Hawaii spoke against the ICE raids. LA councilmember Ysabel Jurado, the first Filipino American elected to the Los Angeles City Council has been an advocate for immigrant rights for years. She said of ICE’s raids, “The footage speaks for itself. This is cruelty disguised as policy.”
Todd Gloria, San Diego’s first Filipino American mayor, said the raids at popular South Park, San Diego eateries create fear instead of security. Fil-Am Kenneth Mejia, LA City Controller called the raids “cruel” and expressed concern over the strain on city resources and the importance of accountability under sanctuary-city ordinances.
Attorney General Rob Bonta who along with Gov. Gavin Newsom has sued Trump for federalizing the National Guard without the governor’s consent. AG Bonta, the highest-ranking public official of Filipino ancestry in California, has spoken out against the ICE raids, calling them “unlawful” and “disrespectful.”
Community leader and Honolulu attorney Sergio Alcubilla stated that Trump’s deployment of federalized National Guard troops in response to protests was unnecessary and inflammatory. “It undermines our core democratic principles that our military will not be politicized.”
The Trump administration aims to detain 3,000 migrants a day, over one million a year. The Department of Homeland Security records show there are 350,000 unauthorized Filipino migrants residing in the U.S. as of 2022. The U.S. Census Bureau in the same year registers 4.1 million Filipino Americans in the U.S. Combine the two figures: about 8.5% of Filipinos in the U.S. are undocumented.
Alcubilla told the Hawaii Filipino Chronicle there is no question that the U.S. national immigration policy needs reimagination. “As previous administrations have shown, improvements that respect and maintain human dignity can be done while still following the rule of law and due process,” he said.
Tanggol Migrante Network is a Filipino immigrant rights group. Kami Yamamoto, the Interim Executive Director of Hawaiʻi Workers Center, a part of Tanggol Migrante Network, said “We encourage the Filipino community to reach out to the Tanggol Migrante network if they know of any Filipinos in distress.”
The anti-immigrant theme in 2025 had two other questionable Trump policies that emoted ire in immigrant communities, including the Filipino community.
DENATURALIZATION. First, a DOJ memo marks a radical expansion of the president’s immigration agenda, a new shift in his plans to “maximally pursue” denaturalization of American citizens. The June 11 memo states, “The Civil Division shall prioritize and maximally pursue denaturalization proceedings in all cases permitted by law and supported by the evidence,” the memo said, adding that it should be among the division’s top five priorities.
Legal scholars believe the recent DOJ memo is cause for concern because of its vague language could be weaponized to include whoever the Trump administration want to cast as not belonging here. Traditionally, denaturalization had been used in extreme cases on alleged enemies of the state, spies, war criminals or later to include those who committed fraud while applying to become a U.S. citizen.
Naureen Shah, director of government affairs for the ACLU’s Equality Division, said “anyone could be prioritized for denaturalization. It’s really chilling.”
Amanda Frost, a law professor at the University of Virginia and director of the university’s immigration, migration and human rights program, said “in theory, almost every naturalized citizen could be at risk. That’s because errors in the naturalization process could be construed broadly, and the labyrinthine road to naturalization is ripe for missteps. But it’s unclear if the government would actually bring a case based on minor omissions or mistakes.”
Raymund Llanes Liongson, Ph.D., retired college educator, a naturalized U.S. citizen, told the Hawaii Filipino Chronicle, “The Trump administration’s plan to revoke U.S. citizenship from naturalized American citizens is very concerning and disturbing. This raises several issues like the overreach of Executive Power, due process violation, erosion of democratic protection, separation of families, creation of fear and uncertainty among naturalized citizens.
(Immigrant ....from page 4)
And with the vague standards and language, are citizens holding dual citizenship at risk as well?”
ENDING BIRTHRIGHT CITIZENSHIP. Second, as a matter of one of his first orders of business in his second term, Trump signed an executive order to end birthright citizenship in the U.S. for children of illegal immigrants as well as immigrants legally but temporarily present in the U.S. The executive order aims to challenge the prevailing interpretation of the Citizenship Clause of the 14th Amendment.
If Trump’s executive order is successful in the courts, it would not be retroactive but only apply to individuals born 30 days after the order was issued on February 19, 2025. On June 27, 2025, the Supreme Court decided on birthright citizenship limiting the ability of lower-court judges to issue universal injunctions to block such executive order nationwide. SCOTUS did not rule on the interpretation of the Citizenship Clause of the 14th Amendment. But on July 10, 2025, a New Hampshire federal district judge issued a preliminary injunction to prevent federal officials from enforcing the order nationally.
Liongson opined “These policies are not to make America great again. That motto is deceptive and false. In reality, these policies are designed to make America White again. The Trump immigration policies are consistent with the growing assertion of White supremacy across the country, and it is urgently imperative that the nation recognizes this. Such an assertion is racist, immoral, illegal, and un-American. I am concerned that under an authoritarian and racist regime, unless you are White, you are not safe.”
The One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBA) was signed into law by Trump on July 4, 2025. It made a significant 12% cut to Medicaid spending and expanded work requirements for SNAP benefits recipients and made state governments responsible for some costs relating to the food assistance program. The law increases the funding for ICE from $10 billion to more than $100 billion by 2029, making it the single most funded federal law enforcement agency.
While Congress currently is wrangling with provisions of the OBBA like Medicaid cuts and ICE funding, the OBBA remains the law of the land and as is could see: 1) at least 17 million Americans losing their health insurance because of changes to Medicaid; 2) hospitals and clinics, especially those in rural communities, experience high financial stress or close; 3) increase premiums, deductibles, and out-of-pocket expenses for most health insurance; 4) cause over 500,000 healthcare job losses; and 5) an estimated 3.2 to 22.3 million families nationwide – could lose some or all their SNAP (food stamp) benefits.
#4 States like Hawaii must scramble to close the gap of Medicaid cuts
The fourth top news covered by HFC is an expansion of the third and due to its gravitas, the Medicaid cuts in particular needed further exploration from a local angle. Medicaid is a joint federal and state health insurance program that provides health insurance to more than 71 million low-income and disabled Americans. MedQUEST is Hawaii’s Medicaid program. Some 403,670 adults and children in Hawaii are enrolled in Med-QUEST.
U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (HI) told the Hawaii Filipino Chronicle, “More than 400,000 people in Hawaii, which include nearly half of the children in our state, rely on Med-QUEST. It’s a safety net program that’s supposed to protect the most vulnerable in our community. These proposed cuts from Republicans will take health care from people who need it most. It’s cruel, it’s un-American, and we are going to do everything we can in the Senate to stop this from happening.”
Dr. Rainier Dennis Bautista, President of the Philippine Medical Association of Hawaii (PMAH), said about 60,987 or 14.8% of Med-QUEST members are Filipinos. He told the Hawaii Filipi-
no Chronicle, “Cuts to Medicaid would disproportionately impact our Filipino community, which has long relied on Med-QUEST for access to essential healthcare services. Many Filipino families include multigenerational caregivers, essential workers, and older adults managing chronic conditions. Losing coverage could mean losing access to medications, primary care, dialysis, and home-based services, thus putting thousands at risk.”
Dr. Bautista lays bare the human cost to Medicaid cuts — “the growing number of patients who will delay care, ration medications, or avoid the doctor altogether until their condition worsens, they will end up in the emergency room,” he said.
In Hawaii, federal funds cover 73% of the $3 billion spent annually on Medicaid. It provides health care for 1 in 3 keiki and covers 1 in 3 births in the state. Around 60% of adults on Med-QUEST are employed, often with multiple jobs. KFF said any reduction in federal Medicaid would leave states with tough choices on how to offset reductions. Based on analysis by the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, Hawaii would have to raise taxes or cut other parts of its budget by an estimated $3 billion over 10 years to maintain Med-QUEST, including the Medicaid expansion to low-income adults. Hilton Raethel, president and CEO of the Healthcare Association of Hawaii, said all of Hawaii’s hospitals would be affected by Medicaid cuts, as all care for Medicaid patients.
Trump’s tariffs on Canada, China, and other countries started in the first quarter of 2025. The Economic Policy Institute says American households will bear most of the burden of tariffs in the form of higher prices on imported goods and for domestic goods that compete with imports.
Hawaii Governor Josh Green told the Hawaii Filipino Chronicle, “Tariffs are likely to increase costs for our people, so his [Trump’s] approach could really hurt Hawaii residents. Tariffs on our allies like Canada, many of whom come to Hawaii, seem poorly thought out. I also have serious concern that this approach will increase the cost of housing, because the cost of materials will soar. That’s the last thing we need.”
U.S. Rep Ed Case told the Hawaii Filipino Chronicle, “Under our trade laws, a President does not have full authority over whether and how to impose tariffs. Under our Constitution, Congress has the power to regulate commerce, and under our trade laws Congress has a specific role on tariffs as well. So, Congress always has the right under our Constitution to oversee the administration, partner with it on specific trade policies, and ultimately direct the administration through our lawmaking authorities.”
The Tax Foundation estimates that the tariffs will generate around $100 billion per year in extra federal tax revenue. But it also said not only could tariffs drive up consumer prices but eliminate hundreds of thousands of jobs and hurt businesses.
As it does every year, the Hawaii Filipino Chronicle covered Filipino community events from the annual Filipino Fiesta and Parade to club and professional association events.
In 2025, back to breathe life onto stage for charity was the 10th production of Doctors-on-Stage (DOS), produced by Dr. Charlie Sonido, who is also the concept originator of this year’s theme: “Love: Found & Lost, ‘It’s Better to Have Loved and Lost than Never to Have Loved at All.’” The event took place on April 26, 2025, at the Salvation Army Kroc Center Hawaii.
“This present production of a love that’s lost is a sadder side of love. The storyline reflects reality, that people fall in love and at some point, there is separation by death or divorce, followed by grief and the challenge to climb out of it, a journey toward redemption. This is real life,” Dr. Sonido said.
By Will Espero
Anyone who believes the killing and murder of Alex Jeffrey Pretti was justified is a MAGA member, a Trump loyalist, and/or a Republican extremist.
Based on all the videos and angles of the shooting I have seen, there was no way that Alex, an ICU nurse with the Veterans Administration, was a threat to the cowardly, angry ICE agents.
Many others who have seen the videos and have come to the same conclusion.
Alex did have a legally permitted gun on his person, but it was never brandished as the Trump administration has stated. He was not at the location to massacre ICE agents as was reported, and the lies of the Trump administration are offensive and disgusting.
Those who believe the lies are close-minded, not very bright, and are a sad representation of our society.
I acknowledge there was a previous video of Alex Pretti yelling at ICE agents,
kicking an ICE vehicle, and breaking a tail light. This incident happened about a week before Pretti’s murder, and this incident in no way should be used to justify the shooting of Pretti.
The day Pretti was shot, he was actually going to the assistance of a woman who had been aggressively pushed to the ground by an ICE agent. He even had his cell phone in his hand.
Alex Pretti and Renee Good, another murder victim from Minneapolis of the Trump administration, must have justice.
If these killings are swept under the rug, the Trump administration will be equal to the dictatorships of Juan Peron of Argentina, Adolf Hitler of Germany, and Joseph Stalin of Russia.
Some may think I’m exaggerating, spewing rhetoric, and being overly zealous in my thoughts, but this is the United States of America 2026, and these gestapo-like tactics, intimidation, and savagery are unthinkable and unbelievable.
Donald Trump has turned the USA into a nation where other countries are now warning their citizens about the USA’s
(COVER STORY: Immigrant ....from page 5)
alarming actions and anti-immigrant policies and sentiment.
Many of our allies overseas have condemned the Minneapolis shootings, and at this point in time, I do not think Trump will overcome his mistakes and errors.
I believe these shootings have turned the tide against the administration, and even Republicans are now abandoning the sinking ship Trump is steering.
Time will tell if the truth is revealed, and with the midterm elections this year, Trump and the Republican Party are looking at a devastating defeat at the polls because of the chaos being created by ICE and the economic failure of Trump’s policies.
The release of the Epstein files is another firestorm that is burning out of control for the Trump presidency as the release
All Doctors-on-Stage productions are the main fundraisers for the Bayanihan Clinic Without Walls (BCWW), a clinic that offers free medical and dental services to newly arrived legal immigrants who cannot afford health insurance. “The proceeds from DOS helps to defray medical expenses of legal immigrants seeking healthcare,” said Dr. Sonido, a cofounder of BCWW, which is a non-profit community-based healthcare organization that was established by the Philippine Medical Association of Hawaii (PMAH) on April 17, 1997.
The HFC wanted to explore the Gen Z generation -- individuals born between 1997 and 2012 (13 to 28 year old) – and found interesting results of Gen Z from their predecessors. Thrivingcenterofpsych.com found 85% of Gen Z do not feel marriage is necessary to have a fulfilled and committed relationship. More than 1 in 6 (17%) are not planning to get married. Gen Z tends to be politically progressive and unafraid to fight for systemic institutional changes. At the same time, they are also more open than Millennials and Gen X to religion. Rina Bird, a volunteer at the Young
of the Epstein files will be very damaging for Donald and Melania Trump.
The Trump presidency and legacy are at stake, and other high-profile individuals will also be outed and exposed in various degrees.
Many of us believe Trump is protecting pedophiles, and doing everything in his power to avoid the inevitable.
It’s possible that the truth may place JD Vance in the presidency as he takes over prior to the 2028 presidential election because Trump may either resign or be forced out due to public outrage and condemnation. Who knows? We’ll see.
Some have asked why Biden or Obama didn’t release the files, and there are simple answers to this question.
First, the Epstein files were a part of many court proceedings and appeals and could not be publicly shared.
Secondly, Congress just recently passed the Epstein Files Transparency Act in November of 2025 so with Congressional approval, the time to release is now.
Many believe what Trump is doing on a daily and weekly basis is to detract from the Epstein files.
Trump is certainly afraid of information becoming public, and he has
already stated allegations and comments about him are not true. He calls the Epstein files a Democratic hoax. (Remember, Jeffrey Epstein was found guilty of his crimes).
Whatever one believes, the chaos and turmoil currently happening in our country has created an environment where our federal government is no longer trusted by many.
Congress must gain more control over the intimidation and thuggery of Trump’s ICE agents, and their current tactics must stop. The courts have been helpful in a few cases, but more must be done.
If Trump and the Republican-controlled Congress drag their feet, more innocent citizens will be killed needlessly in American cities, and the Trump presidency will continue its downward spiral.
The state of our country is in Donald Trump’s hands, and the ensuing crash and destruction will certainly get worse before it gets better.
WILL ESPERO retired from the Hawaii legislature after serving 19 years in the state House of Representatives and State Senate. He is currently a novelist, poet, and supporter of the arts. Lingering Thoughts provides a glimpse of his perspective on current events and issues
Catholic Adult Network, has seen this openness firsthand. “We are highly visible on social media, and so we are getting many new converts,” she says. “Particularly among young men in the 25 to 30-yearold age range.” A recent survey from YouGov and The Bible Society found that church attendance has increased by 50% in six years. And young people are leading this resurgence. Those aged 18-24 (within the Gen Z age bracket) are now the second largest demographic to attend church, with 16% saying they attend church once a month last year (second only to the 19% of those aged 65+).
Gen Zs concerns are affordability, the AI revolution and job insecurity. Gen Zer Ann Danelle Lucero, 27, Tustin, California, told the Filipino Chronicle, “I believe the future of the Filipino is bright and full of potential but will come with many changes as well. The younger generations are bridging old traditions with technology and new cultural advancements, blending cultural pride with creative expression through platforms like social media, podcasts, and online businesses. I can see a future of redefining the true meaning of being a Filipino in today’s world -- proud, progressive, and not afraid to challenge the status quo while maintaining our deep-seated cultural values. Whether through healthcare, cultural work, or community
(continue on page 11)
By Atty. Emmanuel S. Tipon
n February 4, 2026, the Philippines’ House of Representatives Justice Committee found by a vote of 39-7 that the two impeachment complaints against President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. were insufficient in substance.
The Committee Chair Gerville Luistro said that an impeachment complaint is sufficient in substance when it alleges ultimate facts, not mere conclusions. She pointed out that the Constitution strictly enumerates betrayal of public trust, culpable violation of the Constitution, treason, bribery, graft and corruption, and other high crimes as impeachable offenses.
The Committee chair said that a committee report would still be submitted to the plenary and that the decision could still be overturned.
According to observers, it is very unlikely that the plenary will overturn the Justice Committee Report, considering that most members are pro-Marcos.
The dismissal provides a one-year reprieve for Mr. Marcos. No new impeachment proceedings can be initiated against him for another year.
There are 2 impeachment complaints against President Marcos. The first one filed by Atty. Andre de Jesus and endorsed by Rep. Jett Nisay (Pusong Pinoy Party-List) alleges that (1) Marcos violated the Constitution and betrayed public trust
by “surrendering” former President Rodrigo Duterte to the International Criminal Court. (2) Marcos is unfit to serve as president due to drug addiction. (3) Marcos committed betrayal of public trust when he “failed to veto” the unprogrammed appropriations and other unconstitutional provisions in the General Appropriations Bill. (4) Marcos engaged in graft and corruption through kickbacks and ghost projects. (5) Marcos created the independent Commission for Infrastructure to “shield corrupt allies”.
The second complaint filed by members of the progressive Makabayan coalition accused President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. of graft and corruption, betrayal of public trust, and violation of the Constitution.
Specifically, it (1) alleged that Marcos was involved in budget insertions for “ghost” or anomaly-ridden flood control projects, (2) alleged that Marcos allowed the arrest of former President Rodrigo Duterte by the International Criminal Court, and (3) alleged Marcos’ drug addiction, which impaired his leadership.
Impeachment Provisions of the Constitution Article XI of the 1987 Constitution of the Phil-
ippines provides:
Section 2. The President, the Vice President, the Members of the Supreme Court, the Members of the Constitutional Commissions, and the Ombudsman may be removed from office, on impeachment for, and conviction of, culpable violation of the Constitution, treason, bribery, graft and corruption, other high crimes, or betrayal of public trust. All other public officers and employees may be removed from office as provided by law, but not by impeachment.
Section 3. (1) The House of Representatives shall have the exclusive power to initiate all cases of impeachment.
(2) A verified complaint for impeachment may be filed by a Member of the House of Representatives or by any citizen upon a resolution or endorsement by any Member thereof, which shall be included in the Order of Business within ten session days, and referred to the proper Committee within three session days thereafter. The Committee, after hearing, and by a majority vote of all its Members, shall submit its report to the House within sixty session days from such referral, together with the corresponding resolution. The resolu-
The survey has a margin of error of +-3.
With the dismissal of the impeachment complaints against him, President Marcos’ SWS rating is expected to significantly improve.
EM MANUEL
tion shall be calendared for consideration by the House within ten session days from receipt thereof.
(3) A vote of at least one-third of all the Members of the House shall be necessary either to affirm a favorable resolution with the Articles of Impeachment of the Committee, or override its contrary resolution. The vote of each member shall be recorded.
(4) In case the verified complaint or resolution of impeachment is filed by at least one third of all the Members of the House, the same shall constitute the Articles of Impeachment, and trial by the Senate shall forthwith proceed.
(5) No impeachment proceedings shall be initiated against the same official more than once within a period of one year.
About 40 percent of Filipinos were satisfied with the way President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. performed his duties as president, according to a Social Weather Survey (SWS) conducted at the end of 2025 but released February 3, 2025.
The report further stated that 43 percent were dissatisfied with Marcos’ performance, while 17 percent were undecided.
SAMONTE TIPON was a Fulbright and Smith-Mundt scholar to Yale Law School where he obtained a Master of Laws degree specializing in Constitutional Law. He graduated with a Bachelor of Laws degree from the University of the Philippines. He placed third in the 1955 bar examinations. He is admitted to practice before the U.S. Supreme Court, New York, and the Philippines. He practices federal law, with emphasis on immigration law and appellate federal criminal defense. He was the Dean and a Professor of Law of the College of Law, Northwestern University, Philippines. He has written law books and legal articles for the world’s most prestigious legal publisher and writes columns for newspapers. He wrote the annotations and case notes to the Immigration and Nationality Act published by The Lawyers Co-operative Publishing Co. and Bancroft Whitney Co. He wrote the best-seller “Winning by Knowing Your Election Laws.” Listen to The Tipon Report which he co-hosts with his son Attorney Emmanuel “Noel” Tipon. They talk about immigration law, criminal law, court-martial defense, politics, and current events. It is considered the most witty, interesting, and useful radio show in Hawaii. KNDI 1270 AM band every Thursday at 8:00 a.m. Atty. Tipon was born in Laoag City, Philippines. Cell Phone (808) 225-2645. E-Mail: filamlaw@yahoo.com. Website: https://www.tiponimmigrationguide.com.
By Gary Hooser
Too many issues. Too many challenges. Too many bad and sad things happening in our islands, on the continent, and across the world.
Federal agents are murdering innocent civilians on the streets of Minnesota.
The U.S. military is being used to steal the oil reserves of Venezuela under the false premise of drug interdiction.
The killing of children in Gaza continues, while the bombing of Ukraine and so many other places is now seen as routine, barely even making the daily news.
We must somehow figure a way out of the madness now gripping the U.S.. It is shameful.
Increasingly, America is seen, by our former friends around the globe, as a pariah — an arrogant bully seeking to colonize the world. The “ugly Amer-
ican” is once again the prevailing topic of conversation at cafes, taverns, shebeens, and gathering places on every continent.
Thousands of people in the islands live on the streets, under bridges, in our parks, and along our coastlines. Tens of thousands more are just one paycheck away from joining them.
For too many of us, blaming the poor and disadvantaged for being poor and disadvantaged is easier than blaming the trillionaires, the oligarchs, and the corporatists.
Those who reap unconscionable profits from the systems they’ve built and control are literally getting away with murder, as they embrace — both actively and passively — the Trump/Miller agenda of authoritarian dominance.
In addition to the poor and disadvantaged, immigrants, foreigners, the
LGBTQ+ community, and “woke” socialists and progressives in general, represent easy and attractive targets for the MAGA acolytes.
In their insatiable quests to consolidate power and inflame the base, these groups have been used by authoritarian regimes throughout history as scapegoats, distractions and punching bags.
For authoritarians, the cruelty is the point – displaying to all the power they hold with the underlying message of “Get into line and keep your mouth shut, or it will happen to you”.
What can we do about it? What can you and I actually DO to stem the tide of hate, anger, and violence that is growing across the land?
These are the questions I ask myself daily.
Below are some strategies that keep me sane and on track. Maybe they’ll help you, too.
Give somebody a
hand up, every single day. Whether it’s a youngster from a dysfunctional family down the street, a homeless man in a doorway, or a friend or family member going through hard times, do something to help them in a meaningful way.
Reach out via phone, email, or another method to at least one elected leader, every single day. Send a short email to a local, state, or federal representative and share, in a sentence or two, your thoughts, expectations, disappointment, and hope. Trust me: collective messaging from all of us can make a difference. Think globally and act locally. Advocate for public policy changes at the state and local level that set an example for communities everywhere. Push back locally against the proposed increased military presence in our islands. Insist the U.S. military comply with environmental protection
law HRS343, BEFORE any new leases are negotiated.
Seek out, encourage and support new community-based candidates. The primary election in Hawai’i is August 8th, just six months away. We need to find and support new candidates/leaders with roots in the community and a proven track record at the grassroots level — in education, youth programs, law, issue advocacy, health, and/or social services.
Show up. On the streets, in the halls and meeting rooms of government, online and in person. Show up, push back, and set an example with your presence and actions, in big ways and in small ways. Help lead us all toward a better future.
That’s all I’ve got for today.
Please, let’s DO this. We’re all in this together. And together, we can make good change happen in this world.
GARY HOOSER is a former Hawaiʻi State Senator and Majority Leader.
By Renelaine Bontol Pfister
Ivisited my hometown of Cebu in November, which unfortunately has suffered from one natural disaster after another recently, starting with a 6.9 magnitude earthquake on September 30, 2025, followed by Typhoon Tino (internationally known as Typhoon Kalmaegi) in early November. The death toll resulted mainly from flooding and inadequate infrastructure.
The Filipino people’s frustration, weariness and anger is palpable. But amidst these adversities I wanted to focus on some positives instead: particularly the sights in Cebu worth visiting, both for locals and tourists.
My brother had told me the Rizal Memorial Library’s hours were recently changed to being open 24/7, providing students a free, air-conditioned, comfortable place to study at any time.
It was full of students when I visited on a Friday, and free classes/activities for kids on Fridays in their own room. The museum above the library was unfortunately closed on the day of my visit.
Museo Sugbo is another attraction worth seeing.
Formerly Carcel de Cebu (“carcel” is Spanish for jail), designed in 1869 by architect Domingo de Escondrillas, it was called Cebu Provincial Detention and Rehabilitation Center before it was converted into a provincial museum in 2004.
When you first enter the museum, you’ll see a fountain in between the first two galleries, opening up to a large courtyard, and more galleries in the back. It houses
artifacts including those from the Neolithic Period (10,000-500 B.C.) excavated in Cebu, Thai and Vietnamese ceramics in burials dating around 1,400 A.D., jewelry worn by the urban elite of the Spanish period, and Spanish officers’ sabers from the late 19th century. Philippine History, focusing on Cebu, is printed in the Visayan dialect, with an English translation below it.
What is most interesting too is the exhibit on pre-colonial times, including a 709,000-yearold bones of a Rhinoceros philippinensis. I also learned about the alphasyllabary ancient writing system, or writing in symbols, called “Badlit” in the Visayas.
The Spanish colonizers called Cebuanos and Waray “Pintados” for the tattoos on their bodies, which signified one’s success in battle.
I was surprised to find a head bust of Russian author Leo Tolstoy in the middle of the grounds, which was a gift from the International Academy of Kindness from Russia to Cebu.
Finally, the National Museum of the Philip-
pines-Cebu, located in the port and heritage district near Fort San Pedro and Plaza Independencia, is formerly the Cebu Customs House.
In 2004, President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo converted the building into Malacañan sa Sugbo but was closed in 2013 after a 7.2-magnitude earthquake. In 2023, it opened as the National Museum of the Philippines-Cebu.
Locals like my brother and his family hadn’t visited the museum yet, so we were all excited to be there. Admission is free! There are three galleries on the ground floor and two galleries on the second. It focuses on the culture and history of the Visayas.
The museum features a painting by National Artist Fernando Amorsolo, “The Death of Magallanes” which depicts the defeat of Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan in the hands of Lapu-Lapu and his men in Mactan island, Cebu.
Exhibits feature the geology and history of Cebu province, its natural resources including copper and plants and animals in Cebu and across the country.
In the first gallery, one is greeted by representations of the extinct Cebu Tamaraw—they look like carabaos, but are surprisingly small. They also showcase the Philippine pygmy fruit bat, the Cebu hawk owl or Cebu boobook, the whale shark or “butanding” (a popular attraction in Oslob, south of Cebu, where you can swim with the magnificent creatures).
The Ancient Cebu exhibit features burial practices, maritime trade, and social classes from 2,500 years up to the 18th century. Our ancestors buried their loved ones with
gold “death masks” and other precious objects to send them off to the afterlife.
The work of artist Martino Abellana, or Maestro “Tinong”, from Carcar, Cebu, is featured on the second floor. He studied at the University of the Philippines under Fabian de la Rosa and Fernando Amorsolo.
Tinong is known for his generosity and humility and four decades of teaching and encouraging Cebuanos in the arts.
Cebu has suffered much lately but it’s heartening to see the positives in this beautiful city.
By Elpidio R. Estioko
n California, the issue of loopholes in our criminal system surfaced when over the last several years something has been happening with the kids that is really troubling the community and the city government of San Jose.
Let’s figure this out because according to San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan, in his latest Dear Neighbor letter, some as young as 12 and 13 years old are being “pulled into violent crimes by adults who know exactly how to exploit our system. 1/3rd of all gang-related crimes is committed by youth here in San Jose.”
If this is true, it’s very alarming because our current juvenile laws make it easier for gangs to use children as weapons.
In his Dear Neighbor letter, Mayor Mahan mentioned that “right now in California, a juvenile under 18 cannot even waive their Miranda rights or speak with law enforcement unless an attorney signs off first. And
predictably, attorneys always advise them to stay silent.”
This is very concerning and many parents and local leaders are worried about its impact on the community. It has to be addressed because if this is the case, it may also apply to kids in the state of Hawaii and other localities.
Because, when a 15or 16-year-old is being manipulated by an older gang member, we can’t ask them to identify the adult. We can’t stop the recruitment, and we can’t stop the cycle. It’s a loophole that gangs understand better than most lawmakers.
At the same time, Mayor Mahan noted that our sentencing structure for juveniles is vague, inconsistent, and capped in ways that don’t match the seriousness of the crimes we’re seeing. It’s a mismatch, actually.
Furthermore, he stated that: “Because today, even the most serious offenders often stay in the county juvenile hall – and here is the kicker: they must be released by 25. So, for example, if a person commits a horrific
murder the day before his 18th birthday, and they’re tried in juvenile court, the longest they could be sentenced is seven years. No matter if they show remorse, no matter the nature of the crime, and no matter how much rehabilitation they demonstrate, their punishment is capped.”
And here’s the thing, transfer to adult court requires proving a young person is beyond rehabilitation which is an almost impossible standard to meet – even in homicide cases.
If they’re 13, and committed a serious crime, they may not enter a secure facility at all.
All these points to the fact that adult gang members exploit kids because the system treats those kids as low-risk, low-consequence tools. But it doesn’t have to be this way. In fact, it should not be. Something must be done!
Mayor Mahan thought that we could protect our kids by pursuing targeted common-sense reforms.
The reforms he is contemplating are three-fold: one, increase penalties for adults who recruit minors to commit crimes; second, allow officer to Mirandize juveniles – with an adult guardian present – so we can actually identify who is manipulating them; and thirdly, mod-
ernize juvenile sentencing so the most serious, violent offenders can be held longer and get real rehabilitation – not a revolving door.
With these proposed reforms, Mayor Mahan said these will address the loopholes in our criminal system. In addition, we are protecting our kids by making sure they have role models, after-school programming, and something productive to do on weekends and summers.
But Mayor Mahan said that he and the city council can’t do it alone. They need alliances and partners to do it plus of course with the help of the community.
He cited that the San Jose Youth Empowerment Alliance focuses on community-based programming and City-based intervention and neighborhood services.
This year, Mayor Mahan said, the city also partnered with the SJ Quakes to put on a pilot program called Saturday Nights Lights (SNL), which provides soccer coaching to kids at two East Side schools.
Mayor Mahan said this program saw actual results – 100% of 8th grade Futsal participants were promoted to high school, including 4 students who were at-risk of being held back, and school attendance went
up 30% for program participants.
Mayor Mahan thanked Councilmember Candelas for helping the City to get this program funded this time around.
“I’m going to do my best to make sure that SNL is expanded in the coming year along with another after school program we currently support, the Bay Area Women’s Sports Initiative (BAWS), which harnesses the power of sports to reach young women and students with disabilities, and empower them to develop their leadership and life skills,” he said.
San Jose Sharks also make major investments in the community they call home. They put on numerous programs including Reading is Cool, Stick to Fitness, and a multitude of after school hockey clinics and training sessions.
Mayor Mahan said they need more partners like the Sharks and Earthquakes to join them in expanding programming for young people so there are always safe alternatives to the streets where kids can belong and thrive.
Mayor Mahan said young people deserve better alternatives and programs instead of throwing them into a judicial system that isn’t built to protect them… for the future of our city, our state and country.
Will Hawaii be receptive to this development? They should. We have everything to gain, nothing to lose, right?
ELPIDIO R. ESTIOKO was a veteran journalist in the Philippines and a multi-awarded journalist here in the US. For feedbacks, comments… please email the author at estiokoelpidio@gmail.com
By Emil Guillermo
The world feels upside down.
Donald Trump recently bragged that he did not take Greenland by force. That’s the bar now—an American president taking pride in what he didn’t do while everything around him fractures.
But while Trump reassured the world he wouldn’t invade Greenland, something far more disturbing was happening at home.
In Minneapolis, federal immigration enforcement ignited protests that now define the domestic conflict of this moment. Two people—Renee Good and Alexander Pretti—have been killed during aggressive ICE actions.
A federal judge rejected efforts to pause the Trump administration’s “Operation Metro Surge,” inflaming tensions even further.
The violence isn’t the only flashpoint. Federal agents also arrested journalists.
Independent reporter Georgia Fort—who livestreamed a January church protest against ICE—and Don Lemon, now working independently after years in cable news, were taken into custody on federal civil rights charges tied to coverage of that protest.
Lemon says he was reporting, not organizing. Fort livestreamed her arrest from her own front door.
Press freedom advocates from the Knight First Amendment Institute to the National Association of Black Journalists condemned the arrests as unprecedented attacks on the First Amendment. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries called them unconstitutional. This is not incidental. It fits a pattern.
Across borders and inside them, fear has become policy. This is Trump’s new “world order.”
He has taken America First and twisted the Golden Rule into something darker and instantly recognizable to those who have lived under strongmen:
Do unto others first—before they get you
Filipinos recognize this instinct immediately. We’ve lived this playbook.
Ferdinand Marcos declared martial law in 1972 in the name of order. He shut down Congress. Silenced the press. Arrested critics. He claimed the nation was under threat and that extraordinary force was necessary. What followed wasn’t stability—it was theft, torture, disappearances, and decades of trauma.
Rodrigo Duterte updated the model. He didn’t bother with full martial law. Just Mindanao. Partial Martial. For the rest of the country , he ruled by spectacle and fear. He told police to kill suspected drug users. No warrants. No trials. Thousands dead. Each killing justified as necessary, patriotic, inevitable.
Trump’s version wears a suit and waves a flag. But the governing instinct is the same.
Rule by intimidation. Reward loyalty. Punish witnesses. Undermine institutions. Call criticism treason.
Marcos shut down newspapers. Duterte intimidated journalists. Trump doesn’t need to ban the press outright—he criminalizes it selectively. Sics Pam Bondi to apply an obscure law.
Arrest the reporter. Charge the witness. Drag the process out. Let fear do the rest.
That’s more efficient.
(COVER STORY: Immigrant ....from page 6)
Filipinos learned you don’t need tanks in the streets when you can make filming the streets feel dangerous.
Duterte used death squads. Trump uses federal agencies, prosecutors, and endless process. Different tools. Same effect: silence.
And just like Marcos and Duterte, Trump wraps repression in nationalism. Marcos talked about saving the republic. Duterte talked about cleansing society. Trump talks about law and order, border security, and “America First.”
It’s always framed as protection. It’s always framed as emergency. And it’s always used to justify cruelty.
That logic extends abroad.
At Davos, Trump treated allies as adversaries and strongmen as peers. He scolded Europe. Dismissed NATO. Praised authoritarians. Left behind leaders openly questioning whether the U.S. can still be trusted.
This isn’t diplomacy. It’s ego masquerading as strategy.
Trump says he can end wars in 24 hours. That’s not a plan. That’s a return policy.
He imagines a “Board of Peace” with no rules, no institutions, no accountability—just strongmen posing for photos. Filipinos have seen this too: peace without process, order without justice, deals made at the top while bodies accumulate below.
This is not peace. It’s a selfie with oblivion. Back home, the same logic governs Minneapolis.
When federal agents arrest the journalists documenting their actions, they aren’t just detaining in-
engagement, I’m passionate about bridging the gap between generations and uplifting the next wave of Filipino voices.”
#8 Runaway healthcare prices saddle millions of Americans with medical debt and bankruptcy
According to a report by the Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF), over 100 million Americans—about 41% of adults—are dealing with medical debt. That’s nearly half the population, highlighting just how common and devastating this problem has become. Medical bankruptcy is the top reason why Americans
dividuals. They’re sending a message: observe, but don’t expose.
Filipinos know that message well.
Marcos shut down the press. Duterte terrorized it. Trump simply makes journalism dangerous. He turns scrutiny into liability.
That domestic assault dovetails with Trump’s other legal controversies, including the release of the Epstein files—millions of pages revealing how power delays accountability, shields itself, and punishes those who pry too closely.
If the Epstein files show how the powerful evade scrutiny, the arrests of journalists show how scrutiny itself is now being punished.
Fear becomes both tactic and shield.
Trump could pivot. He could de-escalate. He could reaffirm that journalists—especially independent ones—are protected under the Constitution.
But he hasn’t. Because fear works.
Fear rallies supporters. Fear justifies escalation. Fear fills the vacuum where trust used to live.
Filipinos learned the hard way that strongmen don’t restore order. They erase accountability until there’s nothing left to restore.
So watch this moment closely—not just for Minneapolis, not just for journalists, not just for foreign policy, but for what we’re willing to tolerate before we name it.
When the state treats phones like weapons and journalists like conspirators, the First Amendment isn’t just threatened.
It’s on trial.
EMIL GUILLERMO is a journalist and commentator. His talk show is on www.amok.com.
file for bankruptcy, and it represents 66.5% of all personal bankruptcies, according to the American Journal of Public Health. The American Journal of Medicine found that 48% of those who filed for medical bankruptcy say their largest expense was the hospital bill. KFF found short-term hospital stays are what causes issues with medical bills in 66% of cases.
A report from the nonprofit Health Care Cost Institute found that the average person with employer-sponsored insurance spent $6,710 on health care in 2022. For a family of four, the average health insurance premium cost in 2024 was $25,572, combining employer and family contributions, according to KFF. (continue on page 12)
By Rose Cruz Churma
“Dried Fish To Honey, A Memoir” by Nilda Laurio Boland is “...by far, one of the best memoirs of a former rebel and community leader amongst Hawaiian Filipinos,” according to Jojo Abinales, a retired professor at the Department of Asian Studies, University of Hawai’i-Manoa and author of multiple books on the Communist party of the Philippines.
Nilda Boland joined the revolution when she was still a teenager and became a translator for a unit of the New People’s Army, translating Mao’s Red Book into Bicolano and Tagalog. She married her political officer, had a child with him, and then was arrested and incarcerated in different detention centers set-up by the Marcos Regime.
Life as a political detainee did not stop her from being productive and continued the struggle for justice and fairness while inside prison. Nilda and her husband, Butch, eventually left the New People’s Army and received the government’s amnesty and settled into domestic bliss.
However, her hus band’s ex-comrades were unforgiving—they had him murdered.
As a young widow with three young sons, she rode through the pain and shock, got back on her feet and supported her family in a variety of jobs. Even tually she worked with women in her communities through a non-profit organization called Kalingap which gave her a sense of community and purpose.
She met her second husband, Patrick Boland, online and eventually moved to Hawai’i in 2003.
In the book’s “Afterword,” Patrick writes that when he eventually visited Nilda in Sorsogon, they retraced the journey she took through the mountains of Sorsogon and found the spot that was arranged for Nilda and her first husband, Butch, to meet, when Butch was still in custody.
Patrick wrote: “The meeting took place where we were. We were sitting on the rock where they once sat...This was the spot where she was briefly reunited with her great love – a radical communist revolutionary, now tragically
on the same rock with a person her Maoist ideology had conditioned her to despise with burning fervor –an ‘American imperialist’.”
In Michelle Cruz’s Skinner’s foreword she writes:
“Through Boland’s activism, the reader learns that revolution can also be the daily grind of incrementally making one’s, and other’s lives better. Revolution is destructive but also creative. The work towards building new systems–creating community electrical cooperatives in rural villages, educating preschoolers, breaking ground for community gardens–is long, arduous, and sometimes heartbreaking. This book reminds us that activism is
Dr. Jon Avery Go, Primary Care Clinic of Hawaii, says there are several reasons why some fall into medical debt, “factors that may include high insurance deductible that patients may end up postponing essential medical treatment and the severity of illness becomes more complex which later might require a higher level of care like hospitalization. In the end it will cost more to treat. Another cause of medical debt is lack of adequate medical insurance coverage that the patient ends up paying out of pocket.”
The Hawaii Filipino Chronicle explored the AI ecosystem; the future of work and jobs being shed in the new tech environment. According to Pew Research Center, 32% of U.S. workers fear their job will be replaced by AI or similar technology by 2025. Statistics show jobs have already been lost to AI. In May 2023, 3,900 U.S. job losses were directly linked to AI, making it the seventh-largest eliminator of jobs that month. Nearly 14% of U.S. workers report having lost their job to a robot or AI-driven automation. Since 2000, automation has resulted in 1.7 million U.S. manufacturing jobs lost.
a revolutionary act born of love.”
This memoir shows that activism is something you can’t just shake off—it follows you, but it takes different forms.
For Nilda, she translated activism in her adopted home in various ways, which she describes in the latter parts of her memoir. She and husband Patrick continue to offer scholarships to determined young people who want to better their lives. They’ve opened and supported day care centers in rural areas of Sorsogon, and encouraged their friends to build an orphanage that is now managed by Catholic nuns. Her friends in the non-profit organizations she’s joined are the sources of used clothing, books, children’s toys and household equipment that Nilda regularly sends via balikbayan boxes to the Philippines. She even convinced the Filipino Chamber of Commerce of Hawai’i to bring their annual trade mission to Sorsogon to create markets for the province’s products.
Finally, she lovingly wrote this book “...to my
sons, who will know for the first time their parents’ story.”
“Dried Fish To Honey, A Memoir” will have its first book launch on February 19, Thursday from 5 to 7pm at the Hawaii State Library (HSL) in conjunction with the exhibition and forum entitled “Memory in Art” sponsored by the Hawaii Filipinos for Justice, Truth and Democracy (HFTJD), the Filipino American Historical Society of Hawaii (FAHSOH) and the Filipino Association of University Women (FAUW).
The ribbon cutting and exhibit opening will commence at 3 pm at the HSL lobby in honor of Dr. Belinda Aquino who will lead the ribbon-cutting. The exhibit may be viewed until February 28 at the HSL lobby during library hours. The event is free and open to the public.
ROSE CRUZ CHURMA established Kalamansi Books & Things three decades ago. It has evolved from a mail-order bookstore into an online advocacy with the intent of helping global Pinoys discover their heritage by promoting books of value from the Philippines and those written by Filipinos in the Diaspora. We can be reached at kalamansibooks@gmail.com.
price and increasingly more Americans favor that government spend more on domestic needs than foreign adventurism. June 13, 2025, war breaks out between Israel and Iran. Israel attacks nuclear sites in Iran saying that it had no choice but to bomb because Iran was close to building nuclear weapons. Iran, which has claimed that it has been operating an entirely peaceful nuclear program only for civilian purposes – launches a counter strike sending missiles into Israel. June 21, 2025, previously only supplying weapons to Israel, the U.S. enters the conflict directly. Called Operation Midnight Hammer, U.S. military forces hit Iranian nuclear facilities at Natanz, Fordow and Isfahan using long-range bombers and Tomahawk cruise missiles.
Myrna Lim, a San Francisco based attorney and Television Producer for San Francisco Public Access, told the Hawaii Filipino Chronicle, “The U.S. spends approximately $1.2 trillion per year on the military, CIA, intelligence, Homeland Security, military aid to countries like Israel and Ukraine. Instead of alleviating poverty, the government creates the conditions for poor to become poorer and the rich get richer.”
#10 No more forever wars; Americans prefer addressing domestic issues
Editor’s Note: Original articles of these top stories can be accessed in HFC’s archives of articles at www.thefilipinochronicle.com. (COVER STORY: Immigrant ....from page 11)
The cost of U.S. empire and forever wars has come at a heavy
By Seneca Moraleda-Puguan
Where has time gone?
This time last year, we were in Switzerland, believing God for an open door to stay in a land we had grown to love. We were hopeful, settled, and quietly dreaming of a future that finally seemed to make sense.
Fast forward a year later, and we are back in the land where we came from- uncertain of what lies ahead, still believing in open doors elsewhere, and still learning how to hold hope with open hands.
2025 may have been a year of broken dreams, but it was also a year of new beginnings and new experiences for our family.
It was a year that reminded us that God’s answers do not always look the way we imagine them to.
Now, as we step into 2026, we look forward to
greater things, uncertain as ever as they may seem, yet anchored in the truth that God is faithful, even when the path feels unclear.
It has been half a year since we’ve been back in the Philippines. Though almost half of that time was spent in Australia (except for my husband, who was only able to stay for three weeks because of his Balik-Scientist stint at the University of the Philippines), we are still trying to find our footing.
We are still learning how to adjust, even though we spent half of our lives growing up in this country. Returning home, it turns out, is not always simple. Familiar places can feel foreign, and home can feel like something you have to relearn.
There are still moments when my heart aches because we were uprooted from a country that seemed to have everything we wanted: order, stability, op-
portunity, ease.
There are still times when I question why we had to leave when things were already good where we were. I don’t always get answers to these questions.
Instead, I am reminded again and again that God is sovereign, that His ways are higher than mine, and that He is at work even when I do not understand what He is doing.
As 2026 began, I poured out my heartbreak to the Lord. I did not ask for immediate solutions or clear timelines. I asked Him to work on my heart.
I pray that this year, while we wait, we will learn to love this nation again- despite the discomforts and inconveniences it brings.
I pray that God would soften the parts of my heart that have grown weary or critical, and that He would teach me how to see with gratitude instead of comparison.
I pray that He would open my eyes to the beauty of this country as we visit family and friends across different cities and provinces: the mountains and seas, the long roads, the familiar chaos that somehow carries its own rhythm.
I pray that my heart would be opened once more to the wonder of its people: in conversations with drivers, doctors, vendors, neighbors, and strangers I encounter every day.
People who, despite the struggles they carry, continue to show resilience, warmth, humor, and generosity. People who reflect God’s image in ways that are quiet, ordinary, and profound.
Loving one’s country is not always easy.
Sometimes it means choosing faith over frustration, patience over disappointment, and hope over cynicism.
Sometimes it means staying present where God has placed us, even when our hearts are tempted to look elsewhere.
This year, my prayer is simple: may my love for my country be restored, a love that trusts that He has placed us here for a reason, for a season, and for a purpose greater than we can see.
As I step into this new year, I hold on to the promise found in Ezekiel 36:26: “I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you.”
Perhaps this season is not about finding the right place, but about allowing God to reshape my heart where I am. And if He can give me a new heart, then He can also teach me how to love this nation again by faith, in humility, and with hope.
New year, new heart.
By Dr. Arcelita Imasa
In the piece I wrote last August about migrant healthcare amid intensified immigration enforcement, I briefly touched on the harsh experiences of migrants who are detained.
I must again emphasize this reality because it deserves continued attention.
Across the United States, overcrowded immigration detention centers routinely fail basic health and hygiene standards.
Meals are inadequate and nutritionally deficient, while medical care is often delayed or denied. Detained migrants endure trauma, depression, and family separation, leaving many children and women in need of therapy.
Tragically, people continue to die in custody, often from preventable causes; 2025 is the deadliest year on record, and with President Trump’s pledge of “the largest domestic deportation operation in American history,” targeting “millions” or even “tens of millions” of migrants, more deaths are
likely ahead.
This is what happens when health is neglected and is treated as secondary to enforcement.
What we are witnessing is not a series of isolated incidents but a pattern of medical neglect built into the design and operation of the detention system.
This neglect is defined by the failure of agencies and contracted providers to deliver timely, appropriate, and standard-of-care health services to people under their custody.
The consequences are serious and sometimes fatal.
The most common elements of medical neglect experienced by migrants include:
Delayed or denied care: Symptoms ignored or treatment postponed—such as chest pain left untreated for days or months-long waits for diagnostic procedures.
Substandard or incorrect treatment: Inadequate assessments, medication errors, missed referrals, and poor management of chronic conditions like diabetes, heart disease, or asthma.
Structural barriers: Lost or unshared medical records between facilities,
lengthy waits for prescriptions, limited access to specialists, and use of isolation instead of proper mental health care.
Numerous investigations by journalists, watchdog groups, and medical experts have documented credible cases of serious neglect and preventable deaths in U.S. immigration detention centers.
These reports describe consistent patterns of delayed care, poor oversight, and unsafe conditions.
Under international law and medical ethics, states have a duty of care for those they detain. When that duty is ignored, it becomes not only a policy failure but a human one.
One example that hits close to home is the experience of Nanay Rebecca Pinyerd, a Filipina migrant who was detained by ICE.
Her son, Patrick Lowe, has spoken out about her experience and what it reveals about the cost of neglect. His reflections can be found here: https:// www.instagram.com/reel/ DS3UO5ngIxy/
As a provider, I had a personal opportunity to write a medical testimony for Nanay Rebecca, highlighting her need for medical care instead of deportation. I wrote:
“Therefore, it is absolutely critical that the community that supports Rebecca continue to call for her essential medical care and support. These include regular consultations with a nephrologist, a primary care physician and an effective medical care team, ongoing laboratory monitoring, daily maintenance medications, nutritional support, and a safe and stable living environment. When I say safe, stable living environment, I mean OUTSIDE OF THE DETENTION CENTER. And, she should receive these care services NOW.”
Nanay Rebecca was deported last January after nine months of detention, without ICE informing her family
and her advocates and the community that loves her.
I constantly think about Nanay Rebecca because I know in my heart that if she is denied the proper medical care that she needs, her kidneys could worsen to the point that she will soon require dialysis.
Dialysis in the Philippines cost P5,000-6,000 per session. Nanay Rebecca does not have support systems in the Philippines.
Here in Hawai‘i, Filipino and other migrant communities contribute so much to our healthcare system, agriculture, and service industries. Many of us health workers have cared for patients with uncertain immigration status, or have family who once stood in similar lines.
We can support the migrants in detention by insisting on transparency, supporting humane standards of care, and reminding the public that health and dignity know no borders.
Dr. ARCELITA IMASA is a practicing family physician and the secretary of the Hawaii Workers Center’s Executive Committee of the Board. She grew up in the Philippines before migrating to Hawaii with her family more than a decade ago.
The Hawaii Department of Health (DOH) is investigating an outbreak of chickenpox at Kilauea Elementary School in Kauai. Five cases have been reported as of now, including four students at the school and one household member. All five cases were not vaccinated against chickenpox.
The DOH advises the community to get vaccinated against chickenpox if they have not previous-
ly had the disease or been vaccinated against it.
Chickenpox is a highly contagious disease. The classic symptom of chickenpox is a rash that turns into itchy, fluid-filled blisters that eventually turn into scabs. The rash may first show up on the chest, back and face, before it spreads to the rest of the body.
A person with chickenpox may have as many as 500 blisters. It usually takes about one week for
all of the blisters to become scabs. Shingles, a painful/itchy rash, is a late complication of chickenpox that can occur many years after infection.
While chickenpox usually will resolve on its own with supportive care, some cases have more severe symptoms and may be at risk for complications.
Chickenpox can also be serious, or even life-threatening, especially during pregnancy, in
baby, adolescents, adults and people with weakened immune systems.
The chickenpox vaccine is the best protection against getting chickenpox and having severe outcomes of the disease.
Everyone, including children, adolescents and adults, should get two doses of chickenpox vaccine if they have never had chickenpox or were never vaccinated.
Most people who get the vaccine will not get
chickenpox. Those few who do get chickenpox despite vaccination generally have milder symptoms than if they were unvaccinated.
If exposed to someone with chickenpox, immediately contact your healthcare provider. For more information, visit the DOH chickenpox information page at https:// health.hawaii.gov/docd/ disease_listing/chickenpox-varicella-zoster/
“DRIED FISH TO HONEY, A MEMOIR” BOOK LAUNCH | Hawaii State Library | 478 S King St, Honolulu | February 19, 5-7pm | Nilda Laurio Boland’s memoir shows how activism doesn’t just shake off, it follows you and takes new form. Hear more about Nilda’s memoir at its first book launch at Hawaii State Library.
“MEMORY IN ART” EXHIBIT | Hawaii Filipinos for Justice, Truth and Democracy, Filipino American Historical Society of Hawaii, Filipino Association of University Women | Hawaii State Library Lobby, 478 S King St, Honolulu | Until February 28, during library hours | The exhibit explores the importance of remembering as a way to resist disinformation and support for our collective action. The exhibit will be available in February and can be visited at the Hawaii State Library.
FLORES DE MAYO & FILIPINO FIESTA | FilCom Center, Filipino Jaycees of Honolulu | The Filipino Community Center, 94-428 Mokuola Street, Waipahu | May 6, 2026 | The FilCom Center and Filipino Jaycees of Honolulu are teaming up to celebrate this year’s Flores de Mayo and Filipino Fiesta. The event is open for sponsorships. Vendors are encouraged to apply early to secure their spot. Head to filcom.org/ filipino-fiesta for more information.
By Bermie Dizon
Sometimes the hardest part of faith is realizing that following Jesus may slowly change us in ways we didn’t expect. Let me explain.
For many years, my life was shaped by the church environment. I preached from pulpits, studied Scripture seriously, led congregations, buried the dead, officiated weddings, and sat with families in moments of deep grief. My faith was not formed in theory alone, but in prayer, service, and walking with people through real life. My point is this: I am not what I am today quickly or carelessly.
Over time, I learned to read Scripture not to prove a point, but to know Jesus more deeply. I listened. I studied. I tried to take Jesus at his word, not selectively, not only when it was comfortable, and not only when it supported what I already believed.
Here is what I discovered. The more seriously I took Jesus, the more his life and teachings shaped me. My faith began to shift from defending ideas to embodying love, from certainty to humility, from protecting traditional systems to caring for people.
What challenged me most was watching Scripture used in ways that wounded others, especially those Jesus consistently drew near to. That tension led me to pause and ask a simple but searching question: Am I following tradition, or am I following Christ?
Jesus was clear about the heart of his kingdom.
“Blessed are the poor.
Blessed are the meek.
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness.
Blessed are the peacemakers.”
Again and again, Jesus moved toward the vulnerable, the forgotten, and the hurting.
In Matthew 25, he teaches that how we treat the hungry, the homeless, the sick, the imprisoned, and the stranger is how we treat him. That truth continues to guide my conscience and my faith. I no longer live, but Christ lives in me, and the life I now live, I live by faith in him (Galatians 2:20). Jesus is the one we exalt.
Micah 6:8 echoes the same heartbeat: to act justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with God.
And when Jesus was asked about the greatest commandment, his answer was simple and unwavering: love God and love your neighbor.
At the same time, I have not come to believe that following Jesus means walking alone. Being part of a congregation still matters deeply. Jesus did not call isolated individuals, he formed a community. He gathered disciples, ate with them, taught them together, corrected them together, and sent them out together. The Church was never meant to be a performance to attend, but a body to belong to.
Attending church mat-
ters because it is where we learn to love imperfect people in real time. It is where we practice forgiveness, humility, patience, and shared hope. It is where we carry one another’s burdens, worship together, receive teaching, and are reminded that faith is not just personal, but communal. Christ desires a gathered people who reflect his love to the world, not spectators, but participants in his life and mission.
So if my faith looks different today, it is not because I walked away from Jesus.
Nope.
It is because I am still listening to him, still walking with his people, and still allowing his words, his compassion, and his way of life to shape me.
Following Jesus is not about standing still in certainty. It is about walking with him, and with one another, letting his love gently reshape our hearts, our priorities, and the way we see others. It is about growing in grace, in knowledge, and in community.
Prayer
Lord Jesus, Teach us to listen closely to your voice. Free us from fear and pride, and form in us hearts of compassion, humility, and love.
Help us follow you faithfully, not just in belief, but in the way we live, love, and belong to one another each day. Amen.
Where might Jesus be inviting me to listen more deeply to his words today?
Are there places where I am clinging more tightly to tradition than to Christ?
How can I reflect Jesus’ compassion more clearly within my church and my daily relationships?
God’s Word For Your Day (NIV)
Matthew 22:37–40
“Jesus replied: ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”
Micah 6:8
“He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.”
Matthew 25:40
“The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.”
BERMIE DIZON is a retired pastor of Grace Communion International (GCI), Glendora, CA and a former writer for USA Tribune for nine years. He is the author of the book “God In Every Step” and has now published his second book, “God In Every Heartbeat” which contains 52 heartfelt devotionals drawn from personal stories, Scripture, and the lives of others. You will be reminded that God is with you in every breath, every joy, and every struggle. The book is now available at Amazon.
