JULY 5, 2025
AS I SEE IT
sen. Padilla handcuffed in la suPPorTing iMMigranTs, filaM cause
CANDID PERSPECTIVES
FEATURE
Pascual croWned Mrs. haWaii filiPina 2025
TruMP boMbs disTracT froM The boMbs on healTh care; Plus, a noTe of haWaii
JournalisM legend Jerry burris
MEDICAID Q & A
Medical coverage available for PeoPle Who Turn 65
Simply put -- we cannot afford another protracted “forever war” and President Donald Trump acted recklessly by entering the war between Israel and Iran by bombing Iran’s nuclear sites.
Misplaced priorities
It’s unconscionable that Congress is poised to pass the deeply unpopular One Big Beautiful Bill that could leave 11.8 million people uninsured (5% of insured), $1.1 trillion in health cuts, all designed to save the government money – because apparently our treasury can no longer afford these expenses – yet Trump is risking that the U.S. enter a potentially trillion dollars war.
No evidence to support justification of war
Trump’s missiles strikes and escalation arguably could have been justified if solid evidence showed that Iran had been seeking to build nuclear weapons. But U.S. intelligence has not furnished any such evidence, instead relying on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s assessments, which he has been repeating over and over for decades that Iran is at the brink of having nuclear weapons without proof.
The weapons’ scare without solid evidence is reminiscent of so-called Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD) that Iraq allegedly possessed and subsequently led the U.S. to invade Iraq, had thousands of American soldiers killed, and cost us trillions.
Did Iran pose an imminent threat to the U.S.? No. Even if Iran suddenly became nuclear weapons ready, that in and of itself, does not qualify Iran to be an imminent threat and deserving of a preemptive strike under international law. In fact, the two preemptive strikes by both Israel and the U.S. act less as a deterrent in the future and more of an incentive for Iran to elevate its nuclear program beyond energy to weapons grade for security reasons.
Iran can look to two examples: 1) Libya had a nuclear program and gave it up to comply with the west. After giving up their program, Muammar Gaddafi was assassinated and his government overthrown with the help of the U.S. Today, Libya is failed state. 2) On the other hand, North Korea’s Kim Jong Un defied the U.S.’s demands to end their nuclear program. It’s believed they now have succeeded in becoming nuclear-arms ready. It’s doubtful that North Korea would be attacked because of their successful nuclear program and they are advancing in other areas as a nation. Interestingly, there was more fearmongering of North Korea being an imminent threat to the U.S. when it was building up to become nuclear capable than they are today after they’ve accomplished their goal. It’s a seeming paradox, but it makes sense.
There’s greater prosperity in peace than in wars
The American public – largely due to alternative media – is no longer fooled by this need for empire and “forever wars” that the U.S. military industrial complex
IPublisher & Executive Editor
t’s already been chaotic, frightening and divisive times with a looming recession and roughshod immigration enforcement. Now Americans must also contend with the recent U.S. entry into a war with Iran and possible escalation. For our cover story this issue, associate editor Edwin Quinabo reports just as Americans in the greater population, our Filipino community are also wary over continued conflict in the Middle East. Our Hawaii delegation to Congress question President Donald Trump’s unilateral decision to go to war without congressional approval. Filipinos who have responded to our cover story unanimously feel that our government should be prioritizing domestic issues over war. While a ceasefire has been brokered, many Americans feel it’s imperative to continue to pressure Trump at this moment to steer him away from bringing our country into another “forever war.”
On the same subject, our columnist in Switzerland Seneca Moraleda-Puguan gives us an international outside perspective of the Middle East wars. She explained to her children, “We pray for Iran, Palestine, and the Arab nations in the same breath that we pray for Israel.” She offers a heartfelt prayer, “Let unity replace division, love replace hatred, and peace rise out of chaos. We will be still and know that You are God. Therefore, we shall not fear.”
HFC columnist Emil Guillermo sees the Iran bombing in part as a distraction to the highly contentious One Big Beautiful Bill currently being deliberated in Congress. In his article, “Trump Bombs Distract from the Bombs on Health Care; Plus, A Note of Hawaii Journalism Legend Jerry Burris,” Guillermo raises an evocative question: “Are we liberating Iran from itself and not just its nukes to please our Israeli allies?”
Los Angeles is still embroiled with ICE raids. Weeks ago, as protestors clashed with law enforcement in multiple standoffs in the streets, in the confines of a federal building the nation was in shock over the aggressive manhandling of Sen. Alex Padilla during a U.S. Homeland Security press conference. Our California columnist Elpidio R. Estioko contributes an interesting article on how Padilla has been a strong friend and advocate for California’s Filipino community.
In local news, congratulations to West Oahu resident Rosalie Pascual who was named Mrs. Hawaii Filipina 2025. Rosalie owns a private care home business and has three children. HFC columnist Carlota Hufana Ader features the winner, gives a run down on all the other contestants who received special awards that evening, as well as the high school graduates who received a scholarship. The total in scholarships and grants was $28,000. Congratulations to all awardees and the United Filipino Council of Hawaii Foundation on a successful event.
We hope you enjoy these and our other columns and news.
Thank you for supporting the HFC. Visit our website thefilipinochronicle.com to get your free e-copy of each issue. For your advertising needs, contact us at: filipinochronicle@gmail.com. Until the next issue, Aloha and Mabuhay!
Charlie Y. Sonido, M.D.
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J.P. Orias
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JP Orias
It’s high time for President Donald Trump and western leaders to exert forceful pressure onto Israel to stop the bombings and blockade of humanitarian aid to Gaza. The entire population of Gaza is experiencing prolonged shortages of food, and half a million Gazans are in a catastrophic situation of hunger, acute malnutrition, starvation and illness according to the World Health Organization.
Death count of Gazans
There are several reports showing different totals of Gazan deaths. The highest estimate was recently published by the Harvard Dataverse revealing Israel has “disappeared” at least 377,000 Palestinians since the war started in October 2023. Half of this number is believed to be Palestinian children.
Last year, the Lancet medical journal released a study showing that Israel likely undercounted the first nine months of the war by 41%, estimating that Israel’s assault on Gaza could lead to between 149,000 and 598,000 deaths. The most recent official war casualty count by the Gaza Health Ministry is at 50,609.
Pick up where they left off
Prior to the outbreak of the Israel-Iran war, more than a year and a half later, finally western leaders broke their silence and demanded an end to the suffering of Palestinians. This even as millions around
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has been pushing. Americans now know there is greater prosperity without war than to constantly be engaged in it. Take China, for example, who hasn’t been at war since 1979. Since then, they’ve successfully turned their country from a failed state to a superpower today. That was made possible by steering away from wars, among other factors.
Meanwhile, the U.S. has not experienced sustained peace in decades and is approaching a trillion dollars a year to maintain global empire by force and intimidation in every region. It can also be argued that the U.S. conflicts in the Middle East in the early 2000s was a turning point that decelerated American prosperity-building.
the globe have been protesting in the streets many months ago.
Democratic senators like Bernie Sanders and Chris van Hollen, for example, called Israel’s actions in Gaza “ethnic cleansing.” Scores of MPs in the British Parliament came out condemning Israel and calling on British Prime Minister Keir Starmer to immediately recognize a Palestinian state. France’s President Emmanuel Macron called Israel’s complete blockade on aid into Gaza “shameful and unacceptable.” He added, “My job is to do everything I can to make it stop.” Italy’s prime minister, Giorgia Meloni, denounced the blockade, calling it “unjustifiable.” She added, “I have always recalled the urgency of finding a way to end the hostilities and respect international law and international humanitarian law.”
There was an avalanche of momentum building and Prime Minister of Israel Benjamin Netanyahu appeared to be cornered to act on Palestine – but then attention was diverted as Bibi launched a surprise attack on Iran.
Purposeful diversion or not, world leaders must return to where they left off in calling for an end to the carnage in Gaza.
Since March this year, coinciding with the end of the ceasefire, Israel has reinstated an even harsher blockade of food, water, medical supplies on Gaza in what
Multiple polls show a majority of Americans did not favor Trump’s bombing of Iran. They do not support a future military escalation against Iran. They do not support constantly fighting Israel’s wars in the Middle East.
Americans are more politically sophisticated and understand the need for global cooperation rather than U.S. military hegemony, which again, is not sustainable as our nation’s domestic needs go ignored and Americans’ standard of living further declines by the year. This is not the 1990s when the U.S. was the sole and unrivaled hegemon. Diplomacy is more important than ever.
is a violation of international law showcasing a clear intent to wield starvation as a weapon of war.
In a joint statement, 15 UN agencies and more than 200 charities and humanitarian groups denounced Israel’s “aid” plan. Israel cut off all independent humanitarian aid and instead it controls where and how much food and aid is distributed in Gaza. The images of children lined up holding tin pots for soup and reported killings of Gazans by IDF soldiers standing in line to get food show that distribution operations are failing.
As a matter of shared humanity there must be an end to the violence and the relentless destruction of life and dignity in Gaza. Already vast desolation haunts Gazans as the landscape practically everywhere is rubble. Gazans have been forced to relocate to socalled safe zones multiple times but have been bombed at these locations. Think about the fact that some two million people are essentially homeless with nowhere safe to go. It’s apocalyptic. The entire health infrastructure collapsed, there’s no formal education, no adequate sources of food, water or electricity.
No one is safe: doctors, medics, journalists, international aid workers, children – all noncombatants. Those who do survive have lost family members, neighbors, body
Instead of allowing Israel to do whatever it pleases in the Middle East as it is now literally engaged in off-and-on again wars with four or five of its neighbors at any given time, the U.S. should stop being subordinate to Israel and demand that they broker long-lasting peace with their neighbors. Netanyahu is hyper hawkish because he knows no matter what he does, the U.S. will continue to protect Israel, provide it weapons, money and diplomatic support.
How is this benefiting average Americans? It doesn’t. Only special interest groups benefit: war profiteers and AIPAC.
parts and are forever traumatized. Their calls for help on social media are heard. A majority of Americans favor that this war or genocide ends, but our politicians are neither listening to Palestinians’ cries for help nor Americans’ demands for the bombings to stop.
Israeli authorities justify the continued bombing and blockade because they say Israel is at war and Israeli hostages haven’t been released. But international legal scholars and human rights organizations have increasingly classified the carnage as a form of collective punishment, which practice, is prohibited under the Geneva Conventions.
Reports from the United Nations Special Rapporteur indicate that the prolonged nature of the blockade, combined with the systematic deprivation of basic necessities, may meet the criteria of genocide under international law (UNHRC, 2024).
The lack of accountability in Israel has emboldened the continuation of such breaches of international law. The U.S. has been providing diplomatic cover for Israel at the UN despite a majority of Americans finding the suffering in Gaza painfully intolerable.
If Trump is as he claims to be, a leader of peace, he must swiftly bring an end to this genocide and work to broker a final peaceful solution so that both Israelis and Palestinians can coexist in peace and freedom.
Critics of Trump say if the war continues, it’s not because of Iran’s nuclear ambitions – something talked about for decades – but rather it’s to bring about regime change in today’s geopolitical struggle between the collective west and Iran, China and Russia. Iran is the weakest link among the three which is why the west sees it as the most vulnerable to install a pro-western friendly new leader. If it is true that preventing Iran from having nuclear weapons was the real goal for the U.S. and Israel, it appears that at least for now that goal has been achieved -- and the 12-days war will go down in history as a 12-days war, and should not extend to another disastrous “forever war” for the U.S.
By Edwin Quinabo
The exchange of missiles has ended for now. But will the ceasefire between Israel and Iran last? Has the U.S. averted another protracted “forever war” in the Middle East? Politicos say that further military action is dependent on Iran’s nuclear capability that’s still unclear after Trump’s attacks on Iran’s nuclear sites.
At a White House news conference on June 27 when reporters asked about the possibility of new bombing of Iranian nuclear sites, President Donald Trump said, “Sure, without a question, absolutely.”
The next step the president said he wants is for inspectors from the International Atomic Energy Agency or another respected source to be able to inspect Iran’s nuclear sites. But Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi indicated that Tehran may reject any request by the head of the agency for visits to Iranian nuclear sites. Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said Iran will not sit down for nuclear talks with the U.S. in the coming days.
Politicos say a stalemate on inspection alone could collapse a precarious ceasefire which has Americans anxious that fighting could resume at any moment.
*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. Israel’s attack comes as a surprise amid ongoing negotiations by multiple parties including the U.S.
*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.
*June 22, 2025. Trump claims the operation was successful. “All planes are now outside of Iran air space. A full payload of BOMBS was dropped on the primary site, Fordow. Congratulations to our great American Warriors. There is not another military in the World that could have done this,” he said.
*June 23, 2025. Iran retaliates the U.S.’ attack, launching ballistic missiles toward the U.S. Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar. The attack is seen as symbolic, a “saving face” measure only to show that Iran has responded, military strategists say. Trump saw the assault as a signal of de-escalation rather than provocation. Tehran had informed both Qatari and U.S. officials in advance of the attack, allowing the base to be evacuated and personnel to shelter in bunkers. Trump then says, “It’s time for peace.”
*June 24, 2025. Trump announces an Israel-Iran ceasefire deal, calling the agreement a show of ‘stamina, courage and intelligence’ that prevented a wider regional war. “CONGRATULATIONS TO EVERYONE! It has been fully agreed by and between Israel and Iran that there will be a Complete and Total CEASEFIRE…the War will be considered, ENDED!” Trump posted on Truth Social. Confusion over the ceasefire spread as both Israel and Iran continued to launch missiles after the time the ceasefire was set to begin. Further, Foreign Minister Araghchi said Iran had not agreed to a cessation of hostilities, but it would halt further actions if Israel ceased.
Polls show majority of Americans do not support bombing Iran
Various polls show Americans disapprove of Trump’s decision to bomb Iran. A CNN poll conducted by SSRRS after the strikes show Americans disapprove of the US strikes, 56% to 46%. And 60% are worried that the strikes will increase the threat to the U.S.
Polls before the attacks: 1) Economist/YouGov, 60% say the U.S. military should not get directly involved, 56% favored negotiations; 2) Washington Post, majority of respondents opposed air strikes; 3) USA Today, overwhelming response saying the U.S. should not get involved in the war.
Teresita Bernales, Kailua, former consultant with the U.S. State Department, said “Ultimately, after the strikes, Trump shifted to pushing for a ceasefire, arguing that the U.S. had achieved its immediate objectives and should avoid deeper military entanglement. In the end, the U.S. refrained from further escalation, and a fragile ceasefire was reached, but the episode underscored the volatility of U.S. policy and the ongoing risk of a larger conflict.”
She explains, “Whether the U.S. should be involved in another extended Middle East conflict remains deeply divisive. Many experts and a (continue on page 5)
significant segment of the public are wary of repeating past mistakes, given the human, financial, and geopolitical costs of such wars. The prevailing sentiment among critics is that military intervention should be a last resort, and that diplomatic solutions, however difficult, are preferable to open-ended warfare,” Bernales said.
As someone who has been involved in diplomatic work, Bernales insists, “We need to employ diplomacy. I know that diplomacy has a far more reaching effect to maintain world peace.”
Twenty-five Israelis were killed and some 2,400 were
Attempts in Congress are being made to require the president get permission from the legislative branch should there be a need for future military conflict. Hawaii’s congressional delegation questioned Trump’s decision to bomb Iran and his unilateral authority to do it.
U.S. Rep Ed Case have cosponsored a Congressional resolution with the senior members of the House Committees on Intelligence, Armed Services and Foreign Affairs that expressly directs the President to cease military hostilities against Iran, except where necessary to prevent imminent attack, unless authorized by Congress.
Case told the Hawaii Filipino Chronicle, “Iran under its current leadership is our enemy and our national defense requires that Iran never gain a nuclear weapon. But that doesn’t mean our President can do whatever he wants whenever and however he wants. Our Constitution is clear that the U.S. Congress has the sole power to declare war. The War Powers Act of 1973 states when and under what circumstances the President
wounded during the 12-day war, according to Israeli estimates; while Iranian casualties reported ranging from 639 to over 900 dead, and thousands more injured, Iran’s Health Ministry said. No Americans were harmed.
“Donald Trump campaigned on a promise to deliver peace within 24 hours and extricate the U.S. from ‘endless wars.’ However, the recent escalation with Iran, as well as the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, has led critics to argue that these promises have not been fulfilled. While Trump did help broker a ceasefire [along with Qatar] between Israel and Iran after the strikes, the fact remains that he authorized major military action, risking a broader war in the region,” Bernales said.
must consult with or gain the authorization of Congress to commence and continue military hostilities. In denying Iran a nuclear weapon and otherwise addressing its malign actions against our country and our friends, we should exhaust diplomatic efforts but cannot rule out military action. But the very serious decision to commence and continue military hostilities against another country cannot and should not be made by this or any other President alone.”
Sen Brian Schatz, who sits on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said in a statement “We’ve all seen what happens when the United States gets dragged into an endless war in the Middle East — lives lost, trillions spent and no lasting peace or security. We cannot continue to repeat the mistakes of the past.” He described the Iran strikes as “an escalation that puts American lives at risk and threatens our national security.”
Sen. Mazie Hirono said a vast majority of Americans oppose another endless conflict in the Middle East. Hirono and U.S. Rep Jill Tokuda challenged the constitutionality
of Trump’s attacks without congressional approval.
Attorney Sergio J. Alcubilla III, Director of Community Engagement, ACLU of Hawai‘i said “While the ACLU does not take a position on whether or not military force should have been used against Iran, for decades the organization has been steadfast in insisting that decisions on whether to use military force require Congress’s specific, advance authorization. Congress has exclusive authority under the Constitution to decide whether the President may use military force.”
ACLU of Hawai‘i Executive Director, Salmah Y. Rizvi stated, “When a U.S. President unilaterally initiates hostilities against a sovereign nation, such as Trump did with Iran, it violates Article 1, Section 8 of the Constitution which vests the power in Congress to declare war. This not only erodes the separation of powers, but it also deprives Americans of a fundamental civil liberty: the right to live in peace, free from wars waged without their consent.”
On June 27, after the bombings and declared ceasefire, the U.S. Senate unsuccessfully voted
“Iran under its current leadership is our enemy and our national defense requires that Iran never gain a nuclear weapon. But that doesn’t mean our President can do whatever he wants whenever and however he wants. Our Constitution is clear that the U.S. Congress has the sole power to declare war. The War Powers Act of 1973 states when and under what circumstances the President must consult with or gain the authorization of Congress to commence and continue military hostilities. In denying Iran a nuclear weapon and otherwise addressing its malign actions against our country and our friends, we should exhaust diplomatic efforts but cannot rule out military action. But the very serious decision to commence and continue military hostilities against another country cannot and should not be made by this or any other President alone.”
– U.S. Rep Ed Case
(47-53) against curbing President Trump’s use of military force. The resolution, introduced by Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Virginia), would have required a congressional vote before using the military against Iran again. Two similar war-powers measures are before Congress disputing between who holds the keys to a U.S. attack on another country, the legislative or executive branches.
“I pray the cease-fire continues but I fear we’re going to be back here on this floor,” Kaine said. “War is too big an issue to allow one person to make the decision that sends our sons and daughters into harm’s way.” Kaine told NBC News he’s “nervous” that the United States could make a mistake similar to the one it made with the Iraq War. “In Iraq, we were misled into the war with intelligence about the Iraqi WMD [weapons of mass destruction] program that proved not to
be accurate. And I’m very, very concerned about that here,” Kaine said.
Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Oregon, said wars are easy to start but often hard to end. “Let’s be clear: the threat was not imminent,” Merkley said. “The administration instead acted precipitously, putting American lives at risk.”
Trump allies on the Hill applauded Trump’s Iran attacks claiming they have made the world safer. Vice President JD Vance said on Fox News, “Now Iran is incapable of building a nuclear weapon with the equipment they have because we destroyed it. This could be a new dawn of an economic age of prosperity — for our Gulf allies, for us, for the Israelis, for everybody.”
No wars in the Middle East, yes to prioritizing domestic needs
There’s been a growing movement on both
By Will Espero
Ihave mixed feelings about the bombing of Iran’s nuclear facilities by the Trump administration.
It was good news to see and hear that Trump’s bombing of Iran has led to a ceasefire between Iran and Israel.
This is a historic moment in the Middle East.
The possibility of a prolonged war in the Middle East that involved the USA was a risk many Americans wanted to avoid, however.
The last thing we wanted was to be lured into a new war. Donald Trump took a risk and came out a winner for now.
Israel has convinced the Trump administration to destroy Iran’s nuclear facilities, and Trump happily obliged. With the attack and destruction in Iran, this is a positive win for Donald Trump.
At the NATO meetings in Europe, Trump is being treated with respect and
honor.
He is now in a position to change NATO and get more European funding for NATO.
For years, Trump has stated that the USA is spending too much to protect Europe.
His suggestion of increasing NATO spending for defense to 5% of GDP is seriously being discussed and is expected to be adopted.
NATO, in return, wants to see Trump focus on Russia and Ukraine.
Iran has stated it has no nuclear weapons, and it has no plans to build nuclear weapons. Netanyahu and Trump clearly disagreed and thought otherwise.
For years, many politicians had spoken about bombing Iran to deter its nuclear capabilities, so this is not a new conversation.
Trump took this opportunity to flex his muscles and support Israel’s war machine. It was the right choice for the president.
As of this writing, the effect of the bombing is not clear.
(COVER STORY: Filipinos Favor ....from page 5)
the political right, left and among independents that demands the U.S. stop fighting wars on behalf of Israel. Instead, they pre-
fer longstanding domestic problems to be addressed where taxpayers’ money is better spent.
Myrna Lim, a San
There is a question about the destructive power of the bombs and whether they were able to destroy their targets.
Many feel it is likely Iran had enough time to move some enriched uranium, sensitive materials, equipment, and weapons systems to a location away from the targets.
I don’t expect Iran will tell what it knows.
Time will tell if the Israel/Iran ceasefire will survive. Many wonder about the ability and capability of Iran’s current nuclear program.
The history of the United States and Iran is vast, deep, and questionable. A coup involving the United States placed the Shah of Iran and his son as its lead-
Francisco based attorney and Television Producer for San Francisco Public Access, told the Hawaii Filipino Chronicle, “President Trump should not bomb Iran at the behest of Israel and the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) lobby. Israel and AIPAC have shaped U.S. foreign policies for decades, according to Professor Jeffrey Sachs, advisor to the United Nations and Director of the Center for Sustainable Development at Columbia University.”
Lim is critical of the magnitude of military spending, “The U.S. spends approximately $1.2 trillion per year on the military, CIA, intelligence, Homeland Security, military aid to countries like
ers for many years.
Supported by our country, the Pahlavi family was seen as an American puppet or ally whose controversial reign of fear terrorized and brutalized many Iranians.
After the revolution and ouster of the second Shah, extreme religious figures came into power and have been hostile towards our country ever since.
Israel’s recent attacks on Iran before Trump’s bombings had been very successful, with the destruction of military bases, weapons systems, and nuclear facilities.
Israel also targeted and killed military leaders and nuclear scientists, whom it felt were working on a nuclear weapon. Iran was even so bold as to threaten to kill Iran’s supreme leader.
Iran’s military infrastructure was seriously damaged or destroyed, and Israel had the upper hand with its air superiority and advanced weapons. With no air resistance, Iran was at the mercy of Israel.
With this in mind, I believe the United States did not need to fight Israel’s war by using its bun-
Israel and Ukraine. Instead of alleviating poverty, the government creates the conditions for poor to become poorer and the rich get richer.”
She believes the U.S. is already in a recession and calls for policies to help Americans instead of engaging in war. “Trump should focus on improving the economy and helping better American lives. Millions of Americans are losing their jobs, while the rest of working people live paycheck to paycheck buried in debts like credit cards to make ends meet.”
Alfred Cabuslay, Kapolei, said “It’s not just war that could hurt Americans financially. Some Hawaii families could lose their Medicaid and food stamps. Trump could go hard on a
ker-busting bombs.
Credit must be given to Israel’s Netanyahu for convincing Trump to bomb Iran.
This decision has the potential to be a monumental moment for the Trump presidency if peace is attained.
If the ceasefire can become permanent, Donald Trump could be recommended for a Nobel Peace Prize.
If he can convince Putin to end the war with Ukraine, Trump would be a shoo-in to win the Swedish-Norwegian prize.
It’s possible that Trump’s greatest achievement might be peace in the Middle East. We shall see.
As the Middle East becomes the focus for many, let’s make sure this event is not used to distract the American people from the destructive policies and ideas of the Trump administration in the USA.
Trump’s domestic war against undocumented workers must stop targeting people of color as this is what we’re seeing on the nightly news.
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tariff war. Americans are scared of what’s to come. There’s uncertainty coming at all directions and this attack on Iran only adds to the fear and chaos.” Cabuslay voted for Trump, but asserts, “We voted for peace, stability and for prices to come down which Trump promised. He’s doing the complete opposite. We didn’t vote for all this mess.”
Geopolitical experts say if war is resumed and escalates, the situation could get far worse. They say Iran’s greatest weapon was threatened but not used – which would have been closing the Strait of Hormuz, a choke point of
By Atty. Emmanuel S. Tipon
President Trump hailed the Supreme Court’s decision on June 27, 2025, in Trump v. Casa, No. 24A884, 606 U.S. ___ (2025), which held that universal injunctions likely exceed the equitable authority that Congress has given to federal courts by the Judiciary Act of 1789.
Respondents – individuals, organizations, and States – had filed three separate suits to enjoin the implementation and enforcement of President Trump’s Executive Order No. 14160, Protecting the Meaning and Value of American Citizenship. 90 Fed. Reg. 8449.
They alleged that the Executive Orders violate the 14th Amendment to the United States Constitution, which provides in Section 1 that:
“All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside.”
They also alleged that
a major oil transportation route, that ferry around 20% of the world’s oil and gas flow. Experts say if Iran had blocked the Strait, energy prices would soar and disrupt the world economy, reaccelerating inflation.
“Any closure—whether temporary or prolonged—would likely cause a sharp increase in oil prices, with ripple effects on gas prices, utilities, groceries, and the broader global economy. During the recent crisis, oil prices surged to fivemonth highs after the U.S. strikes on Iran, only to fall back as it became clear
the Executive Order violates Section 201 of the Nationality Act of 1940.
President Trump’s Executive Order identifies two circumstances in which a person born in the United States is not “subject to the jurisdiction thereof” and is thus not recognized as an American citizen, namely, “(1) when [a] person’s mother was unlawfully present in the United States and the person’s father was not a United States citizen or lawful permanent resident at the time of the person’s birth, or (2) when [a] person’s mother’s presence in the United States was lawful but temporary, and the person’s father was not a United States citizen or lawful permanent resident at the time of said person’s birth.”
In each case, the District Court had issued a “universal injunction” barring executive officials from applying the Executive Order to anyone, not just the plaintiffs.
In each case, the Court of Appeals denied the gov-
that Iran would not immediately retaliate by closing the Strait,” Bernales said.
Alcubilla said the attack on Iran is even more puzzling as the economic impact would be felt across the United States at a time when so many are already struggling economically, even more so here in Hawaii. “If we continue down this path of escalation, the military industrial complex along with big oil, will reap the rewards while another generation of our youth pay the price of another forever war. With our over-dependence on tourism and the military, Hawaii’s economy is al-
ernment’s request to stay the sweeping relief. The Government argues that the District Courts lacked equitable authority to impose “universal” relief and had filed three nearly identical emergency applications seeking partial stays to limit the preliminary injunctions to the plaintiffs in each case.
The applications do not raise – and thus the Court did not address – whether the Executive Order violates the Citizenship Clause or the Nationality Act.
The issue is whether, under the Judiciary Act of 1789, federal courts have equitable authority to issue universal injunctions to enjoin the enforcement of an executive order.
ways at risk when factors past its shores threaten to raise our already high cost of living,” he said.
The threat of closing this water passageway alarmed Trump that he asked China to intervene and convince Iran to not restrict passage at the Strait. Geopolitical experts say Iran could resort to choking off only oil tankers from specific countries and reduce harming its own oil interests and their allies while punishing the U.S. and western countries who worked against it.
Was Trump’s military operation a success?
The Supreme Court, speaking through Justice Barrett, held that the Government is likely to succeed on the merits of its claim that the District Courts lacked authority to issue universal injunctions.
The issuance of a universal injunction can be justified only as an exercise of equitable authority, yet Congress has granted federal courts no such power.
The court traced the history of injunctions and determined that in England there was no remedy “remotely like a national injunction”.
The Supreme Court has “consistently rebuffed requests that extend beyond the parties.”
The Supreme Court said that “Because the universal injunction lacks a historical pedigree, it falls outside the bounds of a federal court’s equitable authority under the Judiciary Act.”
SAMONTE TIPON was a Fulbright and Smith-Mundt scholar to Yale Law School where he obtained a Master
Critics say Trump’s claim that Iran’s key nuclear enrichment facilities have been “completely and totally obliterated” is questionable and that his victory declaration could be premature and reminiscent of former President George W. Bush’s “Mission Accomplished” speech. That controversial speech was made on May 1, 2003, signaling an end to conflict but the Iraq war extended until 2011.
Trump’s own chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan Caine said it was “way too early” to know the full damage of the strikes but affirmed
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.
that all three sites bombed sustained “severe damage and destruction.”
The head of the U.N. nuclear watchdog, International Atomic Energy Agency Director Rafael Grossi, told French broadcaster RFI, “strikes at Iranian nuclear facilities is very, very, very considerable” and that he can only assume the centrifuges are not operational. But he adds, “I think annihilated is too much, but it suffered enormous damage.”
Iranian officials said they “didn’t suffer a major blow because the materials had already been taken out.”
By Amado Yoro ILOKO
Dumanonka, kabsat, wen, sumrekka
Sapay ta masarakam ti Pussuak iti karayan a rangtayan
Ti binerras ti masangal
Ti obra-maestra
Bileg ti pluma kenka
A mangtiliw ipus ti ayat
Ti pannakaduktal ti nagtawataw
A mutia ti amianan
Saanak a nanglipat –[kas panangipapanmo]
Ti ramutko intukit ti dakilang ugat
Ti Tapao – ti Sta Romana ti arapaap
No ti kappiam ket wen Kappiak met ta agpadata
Laeng a nakaawit iti sangasakruy
A balikas ti kasaba – ti kasabak met
A magna iti lansangan
Uray iti nagsasapalan ken ummong
Dagiti naruay a Tomas, Nicomedes
Ken Pedro [a manangitallikud]
Ti duadua uray da umsi
Sagpaminsan a sumilud iti baet
No adda patiem a sarusar
wenno
Agamang isu ti pempenko ti tagipagay [awan ti ibona] ngem ayatda a namsek
iti sileng ken sudi ti nakayanakak a mangpaspasantak iti sinilong iti Ilocos a bin-i ti panagagawa a makiani no ibilangmo a ti panagmula ken panangyuna ti maysa a banag
ken mangitugkel ti bin-i iti kinelleng nadam-eg a daga, isu: teddek –isu munmon isu pondador – ti mangyusat iti desdes dagiti ganggannaet ken immay makipagindeg
nagaon kenka dagita, ngem, ti kunak bay-am a ti panawen ti saksita a saan a sika wenno siak ti ukom, wenno ti nakaabungot a babai ti aramid a daliasaten isuda ti panangikasaba ti sao ti samtoy – ni Ilokano ti kayumanggi a gurong
ammom: dapandapan latta ni Juan XIII nabatad ti kattukong; labig nga annangana agtartarikitik ti tudo ti agsapa, uray iti agmatuon, dagiti agligsay nga agapura ti panagmula umayka, pagayam ipakaunak: pumpunnuam ti kinamintalon ta agraraep latta padak a mannalon iti kinelleng aggipinto latta ti tukit ti amin a panawen
agtubonto ti warsi ti binukel dayta saluyot sab-ok ti nalabaga a daga
dapaganta pay ti dulang daytoy ti libadura ti panagdenna [manen] kalpasan ti adu a kalgaw daytoy ti sangasudo a basi ti ayat
iti sagumbi ti panangrabii ammok, ammom, sidap ti pluma a mayasideg iti adu a kayaw ti nakaparsuaan riniwriwto a balikas ti ipussuak ti barukong tapno
mayurit ti sudi ken ladawan ti paraiso
dagiti nagtawataw ken nagtagisaing
ditoy met la a karayan ti nagdiram-osan da Laconsay, Reyes, Padua
Bragado, Bulong
La Julian, Raras, Agcaoili, Basuel,
Lazaro, Cortes, Raquel, Tabin, Tugade iti man Nakem, ti Gumil
Ta inawitda met ti nagan ti kappia
Para kadagiti agmulmula ti saluyot
Iti kainaran ti Ewa, Waipahu, Bassit usit ti umokko
Dayta pilaw iti paraangan
Siboganna ti sampaga ti orkidia
Euphorbia ken masetas a tinagtagibi
Dagiti naallumamay a ramay ni kasimpungalan
Muyong met a bassit
Adda pul-oy-pal-id ti puyupoy
Nagsulian a yepyepenna ti ridep
Ni CJ, ti umuna nga apokok a lalaki
Saringit dagiti saringit-Cruzado, ubbak iti agsapa, aldaw
Agmatuon kem malem
Iti kanta nga awanan rima
Ti kansionko nga awanan sonata
Ket danggayan ti panagsala
Nga awanan iti tokar ken musika
Ngamin, ti kantak: duayya
Ken lullaby ti agaw-awir iti saringit
Ti biag ken silpo dagiti panagbaniaga
Ken panagtawataw iti sirok
Ti langit
Nalpasen ti sentenario
Dagiti nagtagipalang ken nagkalupi
Linaga a way ken bungsot ti magi a naggapu idiay Candon, 15 a bin-ig a lallaki aggaama ti dadduma, isuda agtawen iti 14-56 a siimangpet umuna a panagbaniaga Dis 20, 1906 babaen iti SS Doric a simmanglad iti pantalan Honolulu.
Umayen ti sabali a panagsangal iti sangariwriw
A balabala dagiti nagtagipluma, dagiti de kampanilia
A sirib ti puli ni malalaki iti Ilocos; uray idiay Kandong Kasta met dagiti nagpakada iti Puerto Salomague Sinakruyda ti nga iliw, dagiti segga
Ken pannakigasanggasat nga inyadayo da SS Maunawili ken SS Falcon dagiti kalamiis ti baniaga ti Enero-Hunio 1946.
Itan
nayanaken ti Baro a henerasion ti kired ken duri ti sabali a siglo ken ti umay a sentenario bunga dagiti nagbunga ken bin-i dagiti sabali a bin-i dagiti kapanagan iti biag
kablaawanka, pagayam, no ti giwang ti napalabas sika ti “sabali a Moses” wenno “baro a Bucaneg” a mangtignay kuerdas ti naisaluket a kutibeng ken makanta manen dagiti kundiman ni ayat ket dayta narung-o a pluma, luaanna iti nalaus a ragsak dagiti nawingiwingan a manuskrito sagrapemto man ti ridep ket iti nabiag a tagainep mariingam ti maysa a kinapudno ditoy saanka a ganggannaet ta Ilocos met ditoyen iti isu met la nga init iti sabali a disso ken panawen saankanto a maila, ammok: obra maestra ti yawidmo iti nabileg a pakasaritaan.
By Emil Guillermo
July is the month of open questions. It should be for the celebration of American freedom.
Instead, it may be for the very negative freeing of health care benefits from the poorest in our country.
At least 8 million people could suffer from the passage of Trump’s BUB (Big Ugly Bill) this month.
All because Trump wants to pay for his raising the national debt by giving tax breaks to the wealthy.
It would all be in keeping with what we’ve seen of the Trump administration’s treatment of the world.
By cutting USAID, millions of people in Africa, specifically, aren’t getting the food and relief America has provided in the past. And there’s the pullback on funds that had the potential to end HIV.
Trump is mean and about the suffering. America First, right?
But not all the time. The bombing of nuclear sites in Iran on June 22 is clearly not an America First move.
But they did serve as a distraction as MAGA Republicans are desperately trying to shove Trump’s BUB through the congressional doors.
Which bombs do you care more about? Trump’s bombs in Iran, or the bombs he’s setting off in America’s social and health care infrastructure.
Trump didn’t ask us. But maybe he should have.
Oakland, California Mayor Barbara Lee knows that “No means No” when it comes to the authorization of military force by
the U.S.
We already know Donald Trump has no idea about any of that. He just does what he wants.
Trump could take a lesson from Lee.
In 2001, just days after 9/11, then Congresswoman Lee made world headlines as the only member of Congress to stand up to the Bush administration’s use of force against Afghanistan and/or any country harboring terrorists.
Lee wasn’t called the voice of reason. She was called a traitor.
Now, more than 20 years later, after a war that claimed countless lives and cost the U.S. more than a trillion dollars, we should remember Lee’s bravery as remarkable.
In June, no one was brave enough to speak out against the bombings by Donald Trump.
They didn’t get a chance. Some members of Congress were warned about the actions, but not all.
Certainly not all Democrats. There was no vote in Congress to authorize the attacks, which means, we the people, were shut out.
Who decided to drop bombs on Iran?
The non-king king. According to reports, it was Trump who decided on his own when and where the bombs would target Iran.
And what happened?
Trump sucker-punched us all.
Targets were struck in Iran, but did it end what Israel convinced Trump was an existential threat to the Jewish nation and the world?
As I write, we still don’t know. Did it set it back just months? Or years? We just
know there’s no end to forever hate. And that is still intact.
It was Trump’s gamble. If the goal was to eliminate Iran’s nuclear capability, we don’t exactly have evidence of Trump’s favorite word to date, total “obliteration.”
All we know is that Donald Trump doesn’t necessarily want a lasting, perhaps impossible peace between Israel and Iran so much as he wants a Nobel Peace Prize—for the suckerpunching of Iran.
Trump’s F Bomb
Donald Trump wants the Nobel Peace Prize so badly that he dropped the F bomb.
That’s what made headlines. Some networks didn’t bleep him. He was so mad he was cussified.
That’s how frustrated Trump was after his “plan” failed. That plan was to bomb Iran, essentially bullying them to come to the table and accept the U.S. and Israel’s demands.
Iran, of course, rejected that and sent bombs into Israel and Qatar. Despite that, Trump announced a ceasefire at the start of the next week.
But no one listens to he who has a military but no credibility. So the bombings continued, with Israel
unloading on Iran, and Iran striking back.
Donald Trump did all he could do and went blunt and cussy, saying “We basically have two countries that have been fighting for so long and so hard that they don’t know what the (eff) they’re doing.”
Swearing doesn’t make the president human or tough. But it does expose the frustration of his naivete-thinking he could do anything significant in just a few days to change the dangerous situation in the Middle East that has lasted for centuries.
By being the first to strike three nuclear facilities in Iran recently, Trump showed the impatience of a loser, not a peacemaker.
He had said he’d give it two weeks before acting, then he authorized an attack in two days. Smart?
Not if he really wanted to give peace a chance.
Trump essentially started a war. But where was Congress? National intelligence head Tulsi Gabbard had testified Iran wasn’t making a bomb.
But Trump chose to believe Israel and its intelligence.
Instead of calmly pursuing peace, Trump went for the Nobel and suckerpunched Iran, only to be disappointed like a frus-
trated parent separating warring siblings.
Midweek, Trump headed to NATO with a tattered cease-fire that might last. But like everything else he does, Trump got us here in a clumsy, incompetent way.
And let’s not forget why we’re in this situation. In 2018, with a negotiated Iran nuclear agreement in place, Trump pulled out. It was Obama’s plan, and he didn’t like it.
Now he’d be happy to have that deal back. Only with a Trump brand.
But that won’t get him the Nobel for fixing a screwup of his own making.
Trump says the country’s not at war. But VP JD Vance and Trump contradict each other. Trump says the attacks are a oneoff. Vance said immediately after the bombing, we aren’t in war with Iran, we’re at war with its nuclear policy.
So we are fighting sheets of paper, and not people?
They say it’s not about regime change because that would be unseemly for a democracy to impinge on Iran, a sovereign nation.
That’s something worthy of Russia, the invader of a sovereign Ukraine.
Or are we liberating Iran from itself and not just its nukes to please our Israeli allies?
Trump never thinks these things through, and now Iran’s Ayatollah is in a bunker, just playing out the clock.
And Trump is at war, without the backing of Congress, and based on new polling, the people. Being president doesn’t have to be this hard.
(continue on page 15)
By Elpidio R. Estioko
California Sen. Alex Padilla was handcuffed and thrown to the ground after interrupting Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem while addressing the ongoing Anti-Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) riots that have terrified Los Angeles city.
The Democratic senator was hauled out of Noem’s briefing as she called California and LA leaders “socialists” who are working against the Trump administration.
Padilla said from the crowd, trying to cut Noem off mid-sentence: “Secretary, I want to know why you insist on exaggerating and embellishing. I’m Sen. Alex Padilla, I have questions for the secretary.”
“Padilla was forced to his knees outside of the room, and then pushed face-forward into the ground as officers held his hands behind his back and cuffed him, footage from the incident showed,” the NY Post reported.
Padilla reacted by saying:
“If this is how the DHS
responds to a senator with a question, you can only imagine what they are doing to farmworkers, cooks, day laborers out in the Los Angeles community and throughout California and throughout the country.”
But Noem told a much different version of events — insisting Padilla was apprehended because her Secret Service detachment was trying to protect her.
She told Fox News. “This man burst into the room, started lunging toward the podium, interrupting me and elevating his voice, and was stopped — did not identify himself — and was removed from the room.”
She added: “The way that he acted was completely inappropriate. It wasn’t becoming a US senator or a public official. Perhaps he wanted the scene, and that’s what he wanted. But I think the American people are sick of this kind of action. I think the American people are tired of this, they just want the truth.”
For about 15 minutes, Padilla and Noem met one-on-one once the press conference ended, and he was released and agreed to discuss the situation in LA further.
Noem said: “We probably disagree on 90% of the topics, but we agreed to exchange phone numbers, we’ll continue to talk and share information, and I think that’s the way it should be in this country. I wish he would have acted that way in the beginning instead of creating a scene like this.”
Reactions from the Democratic leaders popped up. California Gov. Gavin Newsom tweeted: “If they can handcuff a U.S. Senator for asking a question, imagine what they will do to you.”
In the case of Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, Reuters reported from the Senate floor: “I just saw something that sickened my stomach — the manhandling of a United States senator.”
More Democrats, including LA Mayor Karen Bass, called Padilla’s detainment “absolutely abhorrent and outrageous. He is a sitting United States Senator. This administration’s violent attacks on our city must end,” she wrote on X.
Senator Padilla is the first Latino to chair the Senate Judiciary Committee’s Subcommittee on Immigration, Citizenship, and Border Safety.
He has advocated for a pathway to citizenship for essential workers and those who have lived in the US long-term without legal status.
This includes undocumented immigrants who have served as essential workers during the COVID-19 pandemic and “Documented Dreamers”children of long-term visa holders. Filipino Americans, many of whom are immigrants and essential workers, would likely benefit from these policies.
Padilla has shown support for Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) communities, including Filipino Americans. He advocated and worked to pass the COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act, which aimed to combat anti-AAPI hate crimes and violence.
He also invited a Filipina frontline nurse as a “virtual guest” to a presidential address, demonstrating his recognition and appreciation for the contributions of Filipino Americans, particularly in the healthcare field.
Further, among Padilla’s support for Immigration and Filipino Communities are the following: Registry Statute - Padilla supports updating the existing Registry statute, which would allow immigrants to qualify for lawful permanent resident status if they meet certain conditions. This could benefit over 8 million people, including children of longterm visa holders; Filipino Veterans - He has sponsored the Filipino Veterans Family Reunification Act of 2023 (S.1263), which aims to exempt children of certain Filipino World War II veterans from numerical limitations on immigrant visas; Access to Legal Counsel - Padilla introduced the Access to Counsel Act to ensure U.S. citizens, green card holders, and other individuals with legal status have access to an attorney or relative if detained at ports of entry.
Pathway to Citizenship - His first bill, the Citizenship for Essential Workers Act, aimed to create a pathway to citizenship for immigrant essential workers who served on the frontlines during the COVID-19 pandemic; Veteran Deportation Prevention: He introduced the Veteran Deportation Prevention and Reform Act to prevent the deportation of non-citizen veterans and their families. Other Support for Immigrant Communities included Support for Dreamers. Padilla advocates for comprehensive immigration reform, including a pathway to citizenship for Dreamers, and has urged the expansion of DACA eligibility.
Opposing Deportation - He has actively worked to prevent the deportation of veterans and expressed concerns about the Trump administration’s actions targeting immigrants.
Border Security and Immigration Courts - He introduced a bill to create an oversight commission for Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and supports fair treatment within the immigration court system
Padilla is a strong proponent of comprehensive and compassionate immigration reform, emphasizing fairness, respect for immigrant families, and recognition of immigrants’ contributions to the economy.
He has actively pushed back against restrictive immigration policies and has been recognized as a leader in advocating for immigrant rights.
Filipino-Americans are beneficiaries of Padilla’s efforts in immigration reforms!
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 Seneca Moraleda-Puguan
he skies are clear. The children can play freely. The only sounds we hear are birds chirping, children laughing, and the everyday rhythms of life and work.
TThis is the peaceful life we enjoy here in Switzerland.
But not everyone gets to live like this.
Right now, many families – especially children – are hiding in bunkers, unable to run or laugh in open fields, their lives overshadowed by the deafening sound of bombs and sirens.
My own family is going through a difficult and uncertain season, yet our challenges pale in comparison to the suffering endured by those in war-torn regions.
And instead of grumbling, I find myself overwhelmed with gratitude for the peace, protection, and provision we experience each day.
Every waking hour, at mealtimes, and before we go to bed, our family – especially our children – remembers to lift in prayer those who are afraid and alone, grieving and mourning, displaced and heartbroken.
One afternoon, after picking up my children from school, we were waiting for my son to return from his swimming class when I noticed my daughter, Callie, speaking with a woman wearing a hijab and abaya.
She turned out to be the mother of my son’s classmate. We greeted each other warmly.
Later at home, Callie told me that the woman had shared, in French, that Israel was killing Muslims, and that she hated Israel and the United States because they were “killers.”
I asked Callie how she responded. She said she just listened.
Then I asked her how
she felt hearing those words.
She quietly replied, “It made me ask myself: Who am I for?”
I never imagined I would be having this kind of conversation with my child.
But it was a powerful and sobering moment, a reminder that we live in a world marked by pain, division, and misunderstanding.
I told my children that our family doesn’t take sides. We love the Muslims as much as we love the Jewish people and fellow Christians.
We pray for Iran, Palestine, and the Arab nations in the same breath that we
pray for Israel.
I wish there were more we could do beyond teaching and raising awareness, to ease the pain of innocent people caught in the crossfire.
But I truly believe that intercession, rooted in compassion, is one of the most powerful things we can offer right now.
Prayer is what the world desperately needs.
Here is our family’s prayer for the nations in these perilous times:
Father, we acknowledge that You are sovereign above all. You are in control. Nothing surprises You, and nothing can shake You.
Not only do You reign, but You are seated firmly on Your throne.
Let Your glory be revealed across the earth. Amid the turmoil and conflict among nations, may Your peace reign.
Grant wisdom to world leaders. May their decisions
be guided not by anger or vengeance, but by discernment and understanding.
We pray for the de-escalation of conflict and for the healing of wounds, seen and unseen.
We lift up our Jewish and Muslim, Ukrainian and Russian brothers and sisters. Show Yourself to be merciful, gracious, and compassionate toward them.
Heal the brokenhearted. Bring peace to the weary and fearful. You hear the cries of Your people. You are near to the brokenhearted and save those who are crushed in spirit.
Let unity replace division, love replace hatred, and peace rise out of chaos. We will be still and know that You are God. Therefore, we shall not fear.
“God is our refuge and strength, always ready to help in times of trouble. So we will not fear when earthquakes come and the mountains crumble into the sea.” – Psalm 46:1–2 (NLT)
At his June 20 court hearing, Maximo “Kuya Max” Londonio was granted a continuance and affirmed his fight against his threat of deportation.
This was despite escalated hostility from ICE and receiving legal representation only days before the hearing.
Tanggol Migrante Network and community allies rallied 90 people outside the Northwest Detention Center (NWDC) to demand Kuya Max’s immediate release. Recently, GEO Group guards unjustly profiled Kuya Max and reprocessed him into a higher level of se-
curity. There, he was placed in a segregated room, essentially isolated from others and the community he had built in his previous unit. He is unable to leave his room and is only given a plastic sheet to sleep on.
“We sent a message to the ATN number and Bernice [Santanaya, an ATN officer] to tell them that he was being profiled. So they have documentation on their end,” Crystal Londonio, Max’s wife of 20 years, said.
“It surprises me that they aren’t putting 2 + 2 together. Their job is to be able to weed out the injustice that
is happening. Don’t be afraid to stand up for what is right. It’s a matter of common sense.”
Jhem of BAYAN Washington said that the Philippine Consulate must do its job.
Meanwhile, the efforts of Tanggol Migrante and the Londonio family have proven effective. Within two days of Max’s wrongful transfer, they gathered over 900 signatures demanding his release and secured a lawyer to help fight his case.
The petition was sent to Washington State Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal and the Philippine Consul-
ate. Within hours of receipt, the Northwest Immigration Rights Project assigned Max an attorney.
In contrast, the Philippine Consulate stated they could only release $300 in Assistance to Nationals (ATN) funds to Kuya Max’s commissary, offering it only after the mounting community pressure.
This transfer into segregation occurred after Kuya Max met with Congresswoman Jayapal and two other representatives.
He urgently called to light the NWDC’s inhumane conditions, including spoiled food and family separation. He has stood up for other
migrants as well, showing his character of being a man of the people, fighting for his community and not just himself.
Tanggol Migrante and the Londonios claim that the transfer is clearly an act of retaliation for exposing the NWDC and fighting for the other 1,600 detainees.
Rodante “Kuya Dante” Rivera was detained in the general population and was in Max’s unit. Because of Max’s initiative to connect him to Tanggol Migrante, Kuya Dante was released from the NWDC last week.
Upon hearing about the retaliation, Dante wrote a letter of support:
By Rose Cruz Churma
The Essence Of Time: Puleo’o by Christine Sabado is the first of several books of this series—a tribute to her mother-inlaw, Severina Georgia Blen Sabado, who came to Hawai’i from Abra province in the Philippines as a fourteen-year-old.
The two women came from different backgrounds, but are made of the same cloth: durable but sponge-like, absorbing and adapting to what life brought them.
In her dedication, the author notes, “As I stood by your deathbed, you told me stories for the future. After your passing, you came every night in my dreams, reminding me which stories to tell…”
In this memoir, Christine Sabado shares her love story with the Island of Molokai, the pineapple plantation camp of Maunaloa located on the westernmost part of the island, and the Sabado family.
In marrying Philip Sabado, the youngest in an Ilokano family of 12 siblings, she became an intrinsic part of this large family and adjusted to the rhythms of life in a plantation camp, which is in stark contrast to her previous life.
She was a blonde and blue-eyed California teenager from an upper-middle-class family when she first set foot in Molokai.
In the second chapter of the book, she describes how she met Phil and fell in love, and the apprehensions she felt as they prepared to meet Phil’s family in Molokai.
Mama, as she calls her mother-in-law, the matriarch of the Sabado clan, is described in greater detail in Chapter 3. A painting of Mama in her native attire is featured on the first page of the chapter, one of Phil Sabado’s artworks.
Mama was from Abra, one of the landlocked prov-
inces of the Cordillera re gion. She was from the Ifu gao tribe, but her father was a musician from Shanghai, China, as shared by rela tives, which accounted for her fair skin and penetrat ing eyes.
On Mama’s voyage to Hawai’i in the early 1920s, only married women were allowed, since there were so many single men on board. A sin gle woman traveling alone would be too vulnerable. An uncle became her pretend husband, which allowed her entry on the ship that would bring her to Hawai’i.
Christine describes how she met her friend, Gloria, a Filipina she met at the Honolulu airport when United Airlines happened to have a workers’ strike.
In the next chapters, the author describes her introduction to Molokai and the sights and sounds of plantation life, and the acknowledgment that she had to learn a lot in a short time, not only the Sabado family’s native tongue but also the cultural nuances of the place.
In this case, it was not only the transplanted Filipino culture, but also the Hawaiian host culture.
In the process of telling her story, the author also provides the historical, geographical, and cultural context so any reader unfamiliar with Hawai‘i’s history will appreciate and understand.
This storytelling style is seamlessly used when the narratives take place in other places, like Glendale.
In a chapter devoted to her Glendale background, she was able to describe that era when racism was the rule rather than the exception.
So it was quite surprising when she noted that her parents accepted Phil immediately.
“This man has no meanness in him, he is a fine person. If this marriage fails, I will hold you responsible,” her father declared, while her mother was clearly spellbound.
In the same chapter,
telling was able to capture the essence of those times. She recalls Gloria’s mom, Pauline, worked at the Manila Bar and did her best to make a happy home, and called her a hanai daughter.
“To adapt to my new home, I listened carefully and memorized the rhythm and cadence of pidgin English, like a ‘shortcut English’ spoken by everyone in my new family.”
the walls with the central area vacant. The women sat together on one side of the room, and the men sat on the opposite side.
But the centerpiece of the gatherings was the food.
She recalled that when she sat down to eat, everyone would pass by to look at her plate to see if she was brave enough to try the food the other guests made.
She was accepted when she ate their food— “No more da haole eat dis kine, you are Filipina now,” would be a common comment.
The Red Cross put up cots for the long wait, and this local girl, who slept next to her on the floor, not only became her instant friend but eventually became her pen pal.
Gloria wanted to live in California, while Christine was in love with Hawai’i. Gloria offered to have Christine stay at her family’s home when she finally moved to Hawai’i, which Christine did.
Fresh from high school, Christine moved to Hawai’i to attend art school at the Honolulu Academy of Arts, and stayed with Gloria’s family at their apartment at Kuhio Park Terrace in Kalihi, quite a contrast to her Glendale home.
The author’s story-
Throughout the book, the author showed how she not only listened carefully but also observed island life in great detail and absorbed it like a sponge. We are lucky that she is able to share her reflections of those days in a lyrical and thoughtful way, or describe cultural practices in great detail.
This is most evident in the chapter titled “Wedding Preparations.”
She notes that “we had three pigs (over 900 pounds of pork), 295 chickens, and two cows. The guest list would top over 1500 people, a significant portion of Molokai’s population.”
Since it was a Filipino custom for the groom’s family to pay for the wedding, most of the food items were gifts from the groom’s relatives.
She also noticed how, in a home gathering, chairs would be lined up against
(LINGERING THOUGHTS: Bombing ....from page 6)
Some of the videos on social media about undocumented migrants and deportations are disturbing, as immigrants are being rounded up and detained.
Family members are being separated. Many immigrants are living in fear. Migrants are threatened.
It is imperative that immigrants and undocumented migrants be given their due process and rights established by the Constitution if targeted by ICE and the Department of Homeland Security.
Immigrants play an im-
portant role in our economy (agriculture, tourism, construction, daycare, food service, landscaping, manufacturing, etc.), and efforts to return them to their mother countries must occur in our judicial courts with openness and transparency.
To do otherwise is unacceptable and indicative of an authoritarian regime acting like a lawless dictatorship.
The history of the United States is about immigration. Immigrants built this great nation and have participated in the opportunities available to all.
Eating and appreciating the food was an important step in being accepted.
This book is not only a love story and a memoir but also a social commentary.
As one reviewer noted, “it is an amazing tale of the customs, cultures, and beliefs of the Hawaiian and Filipino people of Hawai’i, which few outsiders ever see.”
What Phil Sabado can capture in his beautiful artwork, his wife Christine was able to translate into insightful prose.
This book is highly recommended.
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.
The freedoms we have must not be taken for granted nor pushed aside due to political control and power issues. Right must defeat wrong, and good must conquer evil.
It is imperative that we must stay alert and be attentive to the gross injustices happening in our nation.
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
By Carlota Hufana Ader
West Oahu resident Rosalie Pascual was named Mrs. Hawaii Filipina 2025 on June 7 at the Hilton Hawaiian Village, Coral Ballroom. Last year’s pageant queen Glorey McCaleb was on hand to crown the winner.
Pascual is originally from Laoag City, Ilocos Norte, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in Nursing from Divine Word College. She owns a private care home business and has three children.
Pascual emerged victorious from a field of four other hopefuls, which included First Princess Glory Den Sanchez (Mrs. Leeward Filipina); Second Princess Geraldine Golobic (Mrs. Ewa Beach Filipina); Third Prin-
cess Jasmine Therese Esquerra (Mrs. Maui Filipina); and Fourth Princess Eriberta Calatrava (Mrs. Honolulu Filipina).
Sponsored by the United Filipino Council of Hawaii (UFCH) Foundation, the Mrs. Hawaii Filipina Scholarship Pageant celebrates the role and success of the Filipina in Hawaii.
“The Pageant is the celebration of the Filipina in Hawaii who has worked hard for her family and community,” says UFCH president Benymar Sadumiano.
“Each of our contestants symbolizes the modern Filipina -– hard working, independent and determined.”
The contestants competed for special recognition in
the following categories:
Congeniality:
Eriberta Calatrava
Photogenic:
Glory Den Sanchez Spirit Award:
Glory Den Sanchez
Most Tickets Sold:
Rosalie Pascual
Best Runway:
Geraldine Golobic
Social Media Favorite:
Glory Den Sanchez
Terno Design:
Rosalie Pascual
Talent: Geraldine Golobic
Terno Speech:
Rosalie Pascual
Popularity: Rosalie Pascual
While the 400-plus attendees had their own personal favorites, Sadumiano said that from a broader perspective, they were all cheering for the Filipino community.
“In actuality, we were there to cheer and support the entire Filipino community, and that is how we preserve our culture, relish our values and celebrate our heritage,” he says.
“These lovely ladies are all winners. I have witnessed how they have developed
bonds of sisterhood to last a lifetime and how each has been able to gather and lead people. I hope that they will continue to do so in the years to come.”
Sadumiano also honored long-time community advocate and Pageant chair emeritus Maggie Domingo, who has long supported the event over the past 38 years.
She, in fact, started the very first Mrs. Hawaii Filipina Scholarship and Charity Pageant held on Mother’s Day in 1988 at Farrington High School’s auditorium.
(continue on page 14)
By NAPCA Staff
When people turn 65, many face a shift in their health insurance coverage. Some may feel unsettled or frustrated to find out that their Medicaid coverage ends. In this month’s column, we will explain why this happens and what options may still be available.
If you have additional questions about Medicare, Medicaid, Affordable Care Act Health Insurance Marketplace, Social Security Retirement Benefit, Supplemental Security Income, or COVID/Flu vaccination, there are 3 ways you can reach us today:
Call: 1-800-336-2722
Email: askNAPCA@ napca.org
Mail: NAPCA Senior Assistance Center, 1511 3rd Avenue, Suite 914, Seattle, WA 98101
Question: Why did I lose Medicaid after enroll-
ing in Medicare at 65, even though my income hasn’t changed?
Answer: When you turn 65 and enroll in Medicare, your eligibility for Medicaid may change—even if your income stays the same. This is due to how Medicaid rules differ for people under and over the age of 65.
If you were previously covered under Expanded Medicaid—available in states that cover low-income adults under 65 earning up to 138% of the federal poverty level (FPL)—you may lose eligibility once you turn 65. In 2025, that limit is a monthly income of $1,800 for an individual or $2,432.25 for a couple.
Once you turn 65, you are evaluated under Medicaid for seniors, which uses stricter criteria. In addition to income, this program considers your assets (e.g., savings accounts, retirement funds). So even if your income hasn’t changed, having too much in assets can disqualify you from Medicaid.
(FEATURE: Pascual Crowned ....from page 13)
Out of the eight original contestants, Kalihi resident Acela Garcia took home the coveted crown. She unfortunately passed away last year at age 79.
A total of 21 scholarships were awarded this year–the most in UFCH’s illustrious 38 years of pageant history–to graduating high school students to encourage them to pursue a college education instead of directly entering the workforce.
In total, the amount of scholarships and grants was $28,000.
Applicants were required to submit essays on the importance of leadership, a highly after skill that Sadumiano needs among more Filipino youth.
“We need more Sakada scholars who will pursue higher education and become future leaders in the community,” he says.
It’s also important to note that Medicaid eligibility rules and limits for seniors vary by state and are updated annually.
Q: Can I keep my Medicaid after enrolling in Medicare at age 65?
A: Yes—if you meet your state’s income and asset limits for seniors, you can still receive Medicaid alongside Medicare, making you a “dual eligible.”
If you receive Supplemental Security Income (SSI), you generally qualify for full Medicaid benefits. In 2025, the federal SSI limit is:
Individual: Monthly income under $967 and assets under $2,000
Couple: Monthly income under $1,450 and assets under $3,000
Some states offer State Supplementary Payments (SSP) or have higher income limits. For example:
California: A couple may qualify with income up to $2,432.25/month, and California does not count assets.
“It is important that we share more of our resources, time and effort to support our youth to become more involved and to look out for the interests of the Filipino community in Hawaii.”
The scholarship awardees:
• Luke Nadatani Gandeza, Kauai High School
• Jazlyn Corpuz, Kauai High School
• Princess Hannah Rose Tabon, Waipahu High School
• Adrian Sean Barsatan, Waipahu High School
• Breanne Battulayan, Kauai High School
• Meldge Julzea Ponce, St. Anthony School
• Brooke Peiler, Kamehameha Kapalama
• Eunica Glydene Espiritu, Lana’i High & Elementary School
• Zhymmore Rheign Paguirigan, College Scholar
Washington State: Limits match federal SSI— $1,450/month income and less than $3,000 in assets for a couple.
If you qualify, Medicaid can help pay for:
- Medicare Part A and B premiums
- Deductibles and copays
- Additional services not covered by Medicare, such as dental, vision, and long-term care
You may also qualify for Extra Help, a program that lowers prescription drug costs under Medicare Part D. In many states, enrollment in Extra Help is automatic if you have Medicaid for seniors, but some states require a separate application.
Q: If I no longer qualify for full Medicaid coverage with Medicare, what other programs or assistance might be available to me?
A: If you’re not eligible for full Medicaid, you may still qualify for the Medicare Savings Program (MSP). This program helps pay for:
- Medicare Part B premiums
• Maming Bacxa, Kealakehe High School
• Jbmhar Trinidad, Kauai High School
• Angelica Arabiana, Pahoa High and Intermediate School
• Atyanna Z. Dagulo, Campbell High School
• Jericho C. Galzote, Waiakea High School
• Heart S. Mendoza, Keaau High School
• Austin I. Green, Kapaa High School
• Jan Faith Caragon, Lahainaluna High School
• Aaron-James Santa Cruz, Waipahu High School
• Maren Rose Salomon, Waipahu High School
• Jose Tomas Gianno Velasco, Waipahu High School
• L athan Guzman, Waipahu High School
According to Pageant chair Adela Salacup, funds
- Part A premiums (if applicable)
- Sometimes other outof-pocket costs
Enrollment in MSPs also makes you automatically eligible for Extra Help with Part D costs.
There are three types of MSPs, based on income level, and eligibility varies by state. Even if you don’t qualify for an MSP, you may still be eligible for Extra Help on its own.
In 2025, you may qualify for Extra Help if:
Individual: Monthly income up to $1,956 and assets under $17,600
Couple: Monthly income up to $2,643 and assets under $35,130
To find out what programs you’re eligible for, contact your state Medicaid office or call our Helpline for assistance.
National Asian Pacific Center on Aging (NAPCA) is a non-profit organization dedicated to improving the quality of life of AANHPI older adults and their families. We operate a NAPCA Senior Assistance Center for Older Adults and Caregivers, which is available in 5 different languages.
raised by the evening’s event go towards the Foundation’s scholarship programs.
“The crown represents not just personal achievement but a platform to champion the cause of education,” she says.
“So tonight is a powerful demonstration of our commitment to education. The UFCH Foundation’s mission is simple yet profound–to provide opportunities for deserving young Filipinos in Hawaii to achieve their dreams through education.”
In addition, the UFCH Foundation gave a $5,000 grant to the Filipino Curriculum Project, which promotes Filipino history and culture at local high schools.
The initiative was made possible by House Concurrent Resolution (HCR) 56, approved by the 2022 Legislature, which requested the Hawaii Department of Education to “implement a Filipino history, culture, and
identity social studies course for high school students.”
Starting in the 20242025 school year, CHR 2300 Filipino History and Culture was offered at Farrington, Waipahu, and Maryknoll high schools.
Lastly, the Foundation provided a grant for a young person from Hawaii to join the Filipino Young Global Leadership Program, which provides the opportunity to explore one’s Filipino identity and heritage, engage with other young leaders, and participate in an immersive experience in the Philippines.
Entertainment for the evening was provided by the Samiweng Singers, a youth choir from Ilocos Norte National High School, which has performed and competed in a number of international festivals, including the 2023 World Choir Games held in South Korea, where they won gold medals.
LET’S ZUMBA | FilCom Center | Consuelo Courtyart, FilCom Center, 94428 Mokuola St, Waipahu | Every Monday at 6:15pm | Need to unwind in movement and dance after a long workday? Join the community as we Zumba through the evening. For more information, visit https://filcom.org/ communityprograms.
BALLROOM DANCE LESSONS | FilCom Center | Consuelo Courtyart, FilCom Center, 94-428 Mokuola St, Waipahu | Every Tuesday at 6:30pm | Calling all beginners to advanced ballroom dancers. No experience necessary. For more information, visit https://filcom.org/ communityprograms.
MADE IN HA WAII FESTIV AL | Hawaiian Airlines, Made in
Hawaii Festival, Hawaii Food Industry Association | August 15-17, from 10am to 5pm | Hawaii Convention Center, 1801 Kalakaua Avenue, Honolulu | Buy Hawaii, for Hawaii. Shop and browse hundreds of vendor booths from the state’s most talented local artisans. Enjoy live awardwinning music and performances, watch cooking demonstrations and meet with some of the island’s most talented fashion designers. Visit instagram. com/madeinhi/ for more information.
By Sheila Tapan Diola
Iam a second-generation Christian. All my life, I believed I knew God and was living righteously for Him.
Raised with head knowledge of God and taught proper conduct, I built a reputation for being upright.
Yet deep inside, I had no real relationship with Him. I didn’t realize that the true Christian life doesn’t begin on the outside, but with a transformed heart.
The turning point came during a wilderness season marked by deep afflictions and trials, not just for me, but also for my husband and our only daughter.
I was overwhelmed and devastated, especially when sickness struck my daughter.
She was born healthy, with a 9.8 Apgar score, and was dedicated to the Lord at five months old. We named her Amanda Shane, which means “worthy of love” and “a gift from God.”
Despite working full time, I breastfed her until she was 4½ years old, gave her nutritious food, and ensured she received all her vaccinations. By age two, she could already read billboards along EDSA.
She had a beautiful voice, often sang with her Lola on the Magic Sing, and even composed songs spontaneously. She also excelled academically, earning the highest honors in second grade.
But then, her health suddenly began to decline, starting with her vision. She was diagnosed with
macular dystrophy, a condition involving the thinning of the macula, which affects central vision.
The doctor said there was no cure, only management. Soon after, her balance and coordination worsened, and she was later diagnosed with mild cerebellar atrophy. Again, no cure, only symptom management.
I poured myself into research, desperate to find a way to reverse the disease.
Eventually, my husband and I decided I would care for her full-time. But nothing worked.
Last year, she was hospitalized due to pneumonia complications. Although she did not undergo genetic testing, we chose to use the funds instead for her continued care at home.
Her initial diagnosis, based on her symptoms, is spinocerebellar ataxia: a rare, progressive, degenerative genetic disorder with multiple types, each considered a neurological condition in its own right.
Since then, she has been bedridden and dependent on a nasogastric tube for nutrition. She is now 19 years old.
Then, as if that weren’t enough, my husband was diagnosed with the same eye condition in 2015, and his balance also began to fail. That became the rock bottom of my life—watching both of my beloved ones suffer.
I was broken, yet deep inside, a part of me knew: there had to be more than this.
I began to seek the Lord wholeheartedly. I didn’t re-
alize it at the time, but it was God Himself who was drawing me to repentance.
Through the leading of the Holy Spirit, I began to see the holiness of God, the wretchedness of my own heart, and how deeply I needed Jesus, not just for salvation, but for every moment of my life.
The road I’ve traveled over these 46 years has been bumpy, but it was in those very bumps that I met the true Jesus of the Bible—the author of my story.
I’ve endured multiple health issues and major surgeries: dengue, urticaria, lumbago, appendicitis, and a total hysterectomy with salpingo-oophorectomy. But by God’s grace, all of these have come to pass.
Later, I learned that the same illnesses affecting my daughter and husband ran through my husband’s father’s bloodline.
The Lord opened my eyes to the truth that if generational blessings exist, then generational curses do, too—and these sicknesses were part of that spiritual bondage.
But God is my Deliverer! Psalm 18:2 says:
“The Lord is my rock, my fortress, and my deliverer; My God, my strength,
in whom I will trust; My shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.”
Since then, my journey with Him has been a process: dying to self, surrendering daily, renewing my mind, yielding to the Holy Spirit, living by His Word, and walking with Him.
Yes, salvation is free, but following Jesus costs everything. Yet the eternal reward is beyond measure!
If given the chance to choose the journey of my
life, I would still choose the same path the Lord has taken me on—this journey through the narrow road that leads to union with the resurrected Christ through the Holy Spirit.
This union is the ultimate purpose of God’s love for His children.
All by grace, for the glory, honor, and praise of my Lord and King, Jesus Christ.
Hallelujah! Amen.
SHEILA TAPAN DIOLA and her husband, Fred, are both certified public accountants (CPAs) in the Philippines. Sheila became a full-time homemaker and caregiver to their daughter Mandi, and now shares about Jesus through her Facebook account. Fred works from home due to a medical condition that makes commuting difficult. Together, they live each day fully dependent on God’s grace and provision.
(CANDID PERSPECTIVES: Trump Bombs ....from page 9)
But it is when Trump’s ego is more important than the country.
Before he became Trump the mad bomber, Trump should have remembered the wisdom of Barbara Lee.
I write this column with a former editor and colleague in mind, the newsman and columnist Jerry Burris of the Honolulu Advertiser.
When I worked there 20 years ago on the editorial board of the ‘Tiser, Burris was just 61 and at the height of his powers.
Burris knew about everything and everybody in Hawaii. That meant for a
newbie Honolulu resident like me, Jerry was an invaluable first source who would help me get to the truth.
We shared a common birthplace, San Francisco, but Jerry was all-Hawaii. In the office, he wore blue Oxford button-down shirts, and I wore used Reyn Spooners from the thrift store. But I was the pretender.
I valued all the help he offered me, and the friendship we shared working at that big building on Kapiolani.
EMIL GUILLERMO is a journalist and commentator. His talk show is on www.amok. com.
