lA’s fiRes, TRuMP’s fiRes, And ouR nATion’s buRninG divide
OPINION AffoRdAble housinG - essenTiAl TRuThs & PoliTicAl ReAliTies
HAWAII-FILIPINO NEWS uniTed filiPino council of hAwAii celebRATes illusTRious filiPinos in The coMMuniTy
BIBLE REFLECTIONS God, My RefuGe AMid The fiResToRM
Publisher & Executive Editor
We Are at A Tipping Point with Medical Debt and Bankruptcy that Americans Want Major Changes to Our Healthcare System
There are misconceptions about who ends up with medical debt and is often pushed into medical bankruptcy. The quick answer is this group – those facing medical debt and bankruptcy -- is Americans of all ages, shades, and educational backgrounds.
People who are employed and have insurance are often saddled with medical debt. Irresponsible, unprepared people go into medical debt is a stereotype. Studies show most people who have medical debt do not carry any other type of debt except a medical debt.
In fact, a majority of people who’ve experienced medical bankruptcy (60% of all personal bankruptcies) were employed, college-educated homeowners and nearly 80% had insurance at the time they got sick.
What about seniors, they must be safe from medical debt because they have Medicare? Wrong. More than one in five U.S. adults ages 65 and older (22%) reported having some form of debt in 2022 as a result of medical or dental bills for their own or someone else’s care, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF).
No real security with current health system
If people who are employed, insured, on Medicare are all susceptible to incurring nominal to huge amount of medical debt, what’s really happening is we have a false sense of security regarding financial protections and our health under our current health system.
There are endless examples of horror stories with insurance not being the safety net most think it is. For example, a woman who got a heart attack while attending a business conference had to be airlifted to a hospital which was not in her network. She only received partial coverage for hospital care. In addition, she was charged over $50,000 for the airlift. Her insurance agreed to pay only $6,000 of that amount. She had insurance, was employed, thought she was responsible and did all the right things, but ended up eventually filing for medical bankruptcy. This is just one incident among millions in our American health system that all point to the fact that we really do not have security as we expect.
The reality is the risks of catastrophic out-of-pocket costs is only minimized and depends largely on what kind of medical emergency we have, where it happens, when it happens, in sum, by sheer luck. This is the sobering reality we are dealing with. And the experts in healthcare know this, too.
Tipping point
Recently the assassination of a healthcare CEO revealed the anger many Americans have over our health insurance system. Of course, the killing is not condoned and has been condemned by most. However, the incident opened wide public discussion over the cost of healthcare insurance, high rates of denial by insurance companies, and the endless ways in which our current system has failed us.
The Affordable Care Act (ACA) was the last major public policy that attempted to solve some of the nation’s health problems. It has been proven to be grossly inadequate.
Runaway healthcare and insurance costs are pushing millions of Americans into medical debt. It’s been a point of public discussion throughout communities across the U.S., including our own Filipino community, following the killing of a healthcare CEO late last year. The killing was a dastardly act and is to be condemned. But the unaffordability of healthcare is a lingering problem needing greater attention.
For our cover story this issue, we explore just how prevalent medical debt is, how expensive healthcare is, how fast it is rising, and what government and nonprofits are doing to help medical debtors. Associate editor Edwin Quinabo reports on the details of all these and members in our community – medical professionals and others – chime in on this pressing problem. Medical experts also give sound advice that we can take to minimize our risks of getting into medical debt as well as provide some resources to turn to for help.
The big national news of this time is the devastating California wildfires which bring back memories of our community’s own experiences in the Maui wildfires. In this issue we have several articles on the California wildfires including one from HFC columnist Bermie Dizon who is living in Altadena, California, one of the centers of the blazes. Dizon gives a personal harrowing account on Jan. 7. “Trees lay toppled, debris filled the air, and the acrid smell of smoke burned our lungs. The darkness was illuminated by embers that flew in the wind like fireflies—but these carried dangers, not wonder. As we fought against the roaring winds to reach our car, we prayed fervently. The uncertainty of whether our home would survive hung heavy in our hearts.” We’re thankful that Bermie and his wife are unharmed. Please stay safe.
On to another major news, the political fire of President Donald Trump being sworn into office. HFC columnist Emil Guillermo contributes “LA’s Fires, Trump’s Fires, and Our Nation’s Burning Divide.” On the same subject, we have an editorial, “Let’s Pressure Trump to Keep His Promises on Lowering Inflation and Ending the War in Ukraine.”
The Hawaii State Legislature recently commenced. We have two articles on topics lawmakers are bound to address this session. First, HFC columnist Gary Hooser (former State Senator and Majority Leader) writes “Affordable Housing - Essential Truths & Political Realities.” He writes, “there are many paths to increasing affordable housing: direct financial subsidies, tax credits, developer mandates…to name just a few.” Second, HFC columnist and former State Senator Will Espero contributes “Political Will Needed to Battle Illegal Fireworks.”
Lastly, we have a news feature, “Attorney General Lopez Challenges Unconstitutional Order Purporting to End Birthright Citizenship,” challenging Trump’s executive order, which violates the constitutional rights to which all children born in the U.S. are entitled. Be sure to read our other columns and news. Remember to visit thefilipinochronicle.com to get your free e-copy of each issue. Thank you for your support. For your advertising needs, contact us at: filipinochronicle@gmail. com. Until the next issue, Aloha and Mabuhay!
So here we are again post-ACA (almost 15 years later), and at a tipping point, that huge sectors of American society are demanding a better healthcare system, one that’s more affordable to average citizens, more accessible and secure in the way that medical
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Charlie Y. Sonido, M.D.
Publisher & Managing Editor
Chona A. Montesines-Sonido
Associate Editors
Edwin QuinaboDennis Galolo
Contributing
Editor
Belinda Aquino, Ph.D.
Design
Junggoi Peralta
Photography
Tim Llena
Administrative Assistant
Lilia Capalad
Editorial & Production Assistant
Jim Bea Sampaga
Columnists
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.
Contributing Writers
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
Paul Melvin Palalay, M.D.
Renelaine Bontol-Pfister
Seneca Moraleda-Puguan
Jay Valdez, Psy.D.
Amado Yoro
Philippine Correspondent:
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Neighbor Island Correspondents:
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Grace LarsonDitas Udani
Kauai
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Maui
Christine Sabado
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JP Orias
Let’s Pressure Trump to Keep His Promises on Lowering Inflation and Ending the War in Ukraine
Donald Trump made big promises running as a populist candidate. Liberals warned voters that it was fake populism and not to be fooled by such promises. But such failed caveats are now behind us.
Trump and his transition team have already been walking back some of these significant commitments that experts saw as unrealistic.
What Americans must now do is pressure President Trump to make good on those pledges, especially those populist ones that managed to sway enough Democrats and independents to Trump’s corner.
Major promise #1: get inflation down
Let’s remind the President what he said last September during a rally which was a theme repeated over and over. He said, “We will end inflation and make America affordable again, and we’re going to get the
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debt or medical bankruptcy will not do us in at our most vulnerable time like after a heart attack or amid cancer treatment.
Conditions will only worsen
Americans are angry and know the situation will only worsen. According to KFF, for a family of four, the average health insurance premium cost is $25,572 in 2024, combining employer and family contributions. How is this affordable? Furthermore, total health spending is projected to climb from $14,423 per person in 2023 to $21,927 per person in 2032, according to a report from the nonprofit Peter G. Peterson Foundation. In other words, there is a strong likelihood that medical debt and medical bankruptcies will become more common, and that Americans have less security.
Employers are finding paying for their employee’s
prices down, we have to get them down. It’s too much. Groceries, cars, everything. We’re going to get the prices down.”
No, Mr. President, you do not have the option to move the goal post on this one even as most economists know the Office of the Presidency cannot single-handedly lower the costs of consumer goods. Also, the free market doesn’t seem to be anticipating much of any change considering that since Trump got elected, prices on everything not only remains high, but worsened in some areas.
Still, let’s extend in good faith to the President that he, along with his party majority in Congress, could at least pass legislations to create a favorable environment for the prices of as he said, “everything” to come down. Trump said it – without offering details – and many voters believed him, now demand it so be done.
healthcare increasingly difficult and using potential wage increases to instead go towards employee’s health benefits. Many employers are not even offering health insurance in states where that’s allowed.
Medicare-for-All
The ACA was that political bone thrown at Americans demanding Medicare-for-All. The healthcare establishment – insurers, pharmaceutical giants and hospitals – won upon the ACA’s implementation because it was business as usual for them for the most part with added compliance, red tape and concessions. To many healthcare providers the ACA transformed healthcare for the worse. To millions of Americans, the ACA hasn’t been the antidote to healthcare access or security.
The healthcare giants not only want ACA canceled, but they’ve been working to transform Medicare into a privatized model as
The promise we hope Trump doesn’t keep that would work against lowering inflation is his pledge to implement higher tariffs which economists almost unanimously say would raise the prices of goods.
Major Promise #2: End the war in Ukraine
The peace-loving presidential candidate bragged about his peace-negotiating skills to get Ukraine and Russia to resolve their war. He repeated calls for peace throughout his campaign at town halls, rallies and interviews. He told Fox’s Sean Hannity, “I would fix that within 24 hours, and if I win, before I get into the office, I will have that war settled. 100% sure.”
Unlike his first major promise above widely viewed with skepticism, this pledge by Trump was seriously believable even among military experts.
However, that pledge for instant peace in Europe has
Medicare Advantage Part C is now becoming the standard and Original Medicare losing its original foundational purpose. This is perhaps why increasingly more seniors are also gripped with medical debt.
The big question now is – are Americans ready for round 2 in the continued fight for Medicare-for-All and join the rest of developed nations? Under such a system, as stated by Public Citizen, there would be no bills, no paperwork, no deductibles, no insurance companies to deal with, no ‘patient statements’ from hospitals, and no risk of going bankrupt or incurring medical debt.
Or will Americans continue to do more of the same with the same health care model for another 30, 50, 75 years? If so, healthcare “security” could foreseeably just be for multimillionaires (not hyperbole) and the rest of the population chewing on an already brittle ACA bone.
come into serious doubt as Trump begun to announce his cabinet nominees. Each one, one after another, is known to be a hawkish, prowar neocon.
Then last week during a news conference at Mara-Lago, Trump said it is his “hope” to try to get a deal in six months.
Well, that time of brokering peace before getting into the office had already passed. 100%. But let’s keep the president to his word and assume a “quick” end to that war will come very soon and that it will not just be campaign bluster.
Putting cynicism aside, unlike the inflation situation, ending the war in Ukraine is comparatively easier, doable and within the power of the Office of the Presidency. Just cutting the billions in military aid to Ukraine could end the war.
The complexity and challenge for Trump is how would he sell it to the public without looking like a Putin stooge and betrayer of an ally. He must also deprogram the political left and many in the right who have been fed that Putin is an expansionist threat ready to take over Europe (foolish understanding of geopolitics), and that Putin is a military threat to the world. The only way Putin remains an existential mil-
itary threat to the U.S. is if this proxy war continues.
So, while Trump obviously exaggerated the rapidity of ending the Ukraine-Russian war, he should get it done, ASAP!
Partisanism for partisan sake alone
is just toxic
A majority of Americans voted Trump in, and he is deserving of a fair shake. It doesn’t mean that we abandon our priorities or values, but we can at least be supportive of Trump’s promises we agree with like lowering inflation and a more peaceful world.
What we don’t want to be is a partisan antagonist wanting Trump to fail in all areas – including on those issues that we support – just because we don’t like Trump or don’t want to see him succeed. This is being a partisan at all costs, illogical, counterintuitive and counterproductive.
Isn’t partisan politics tiring and toxic enough that we ought to start to leave it behind? You will always have partisans in politics because these politicians on the Hill – or at the state level -- have a vested interest. Or there are pundits and media out there who make a living and thrive on partisan politics. Their livelihood, if not their identity, is wrapped around it. But as average Americans, let’s try to be fair and break old patterns.
Runaway Healthcare Prices Saddle Millions of Americans with Medical Debt; Why and How to Avoid It
By Edwin Quinabo
Each year medical costs are rising across the board leaving increasingly more Americans strapped in medical debt. The financial toll in extreme cases is pushing debtors to file for bankruptcy or lose their home. More commonly their credit takes a nosedive which often results in them being turned away from doctors, jobs and loans.
Seniors have come out of or delay retirement to pay for medical debt. Some are sued and have their wages garnished. Others report being harassed by collections agencies or spend years saddled with hefty payments.
Medical debt adds to stress in the worst possible time when patients are sickly and should instead be focused on getting better, health experts say.
Dr. Rainier Dennis D. Bautista, President, Philippine Medical Association of Hawaii, said “Medical debt is a massive issue. 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.”
Sobering stats on
medical debt
Medical bankruptcy is the top reason why Americans file for bankruptcy, and it represents 66.5% of all personal bankruptcies, according to the American Journal of Public Health. LendingTree found close to 60% of Americans have had medical debt at some point in their life. Bankrate reports 18% of Americans borrowed money to cover health care expenses. Debt.com says 56% of Americans had their medical debt sent to collections. Among medical debtors, 63% say they have had to cut spending on essentials such as food and clothing, while 48% say they have used up all or most of their savings, according to a KFF survey.
Dr. Bautista shares the story of Maria who faced $10,000 in medical
debt after surgery. “Even though she worked two jobs, she couldn’t pay off the debt quickly. As a result, her credit score took a major hit, making it difficult for her to secure a car loan or find affordable housing. Cases like Maria’s are unfortunately far too common.”
He explains, “For many people who can’t pay their medical bills, it leads to financial ruin. Medical bankruptcy has become far more common than it should be. A single emergency room visit, or hospitalization can result in bills that wipe out savings, especially for those without strong insurance coverage. Hospital services alone account for nearly a third of healthcare spending, and for individuals without adequate insurance or with high-deductible plans, even a brief hospital stay can result in thousands of dollars in out-ofpocket expenses. It’s a cycle that traps people in debt and impacts their ability to move forward financially.”
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.
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.”
To stay out of medical debt, Dr. Go says prevention is key. “I would advise patients to get their annual physical examinations and being proactive in getting age-appropriate cancer screenings done like pap smear, mammogram. co-
lon cancer and prostate cancer screening to name a few.”
Charmaine Gonzalvo, nurse practitioner, Makakilo, 30-years-old, said medical debt is something to be concerned about. “As we age, more health problems can arise, and that [medical debt] is the least thing I would want to worry about.” KFF found that 65% of Americans list unexpected medical expenses as their top financial concern.
Healthy Americans also struggle with healthcare costs
Mark Ruiz, Downtown Honolulu, mentions the recent national public outcry of high medical and insurance costs following the assassination of Brian Thompsom, the CEO of the UnitedHealthcare by suspect Luigi Nicholas Mangione. “The lack of sympathy for the killing of that healthcare CEO is wrong but it shows how angry people are with our healthcare system. Medical debt is a problem. But it’s not just sick people who are being clobbered with healthcare costs. Just paying for health insurance as a healthy person is ridiculously high. And when we hear people are being unfairly denied claims by their insurers that could lead to medical debt, of course, people will be angry. What are we paying all that money in health insurance for if many of us are being denied claims?” Ruiz said.
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, the average
health insurance premium cost in 2024 was $25,572, combining employer and family contributions, according to KFF. Premiums have increased by half since 2014.
Insurer denial rates varied widely, ranging from 2% to 49%.
A 2023 KFF analysis of insurance delivered under the Affordable Care Act found that 17% of in-network insurance claims were denied in 2021. In a 2023 KFF survey, 18% of insured adults reported that their insurer did not pay for care that they thought was covered
Rising cost of healthcare driving up medical debt
Dr. Bautista said one major reason so many Americans are in medical debt is the rising cost of healthcare. “This high cost is driven by factors such as expensive hospital care, rising prescription drug prices, and advanced medical technologies.”
The United States spent $4.87 trillion on health care in 2023, according to an analysis by KFF. That’s $14,570 per person. In 2000, the total health spending was $2.2 trillion or $7,908 per person. That’s about double the amount from 2000 through 2023.
The pace isn’t expected to slow down. The nonprofit Peter G. Peterson Foundation projects by 2032 the total health spending will climb to $21,927 per person, about one-fifth of the American economy.
“Looking ahead, healthcare spending is expected to grow at an annual rate of 5.5%, potentially outpacing wage growth and leaving more Americans vulnerable to medical debt. Innovations such as value-based care and digital health tools could help curb costs, but these changes require widespread adoption and significant investment. For now, the combination of high prices, limited transparency, and the increasing burden on patients to shoulder healthcare costs is a key factor driving the prevalence of medical debt in the U.S.,” Dr. Bautista said.
Aging of America
Health experts cite the aging of more Americans as another reason why health-
in the past year.
KFF found that 62% of people with medical debt say they were insured when starting medical treatment. Some 26% of those who had insurance when their treatment started and later had issues with paying the medical bill say that their claim was rejected. This shows that medical bankruptcies with insurance are still a possibility. Best Credit Cards found 39% of those who have issues with medical bill payments already have employer insurance.
care costs are on the rise. The American population is the oldest it has ever been and getting older. Comparing per-capita health care average spending by age groups, the Peterson Foundation found: $6,669 for adults ages 19-44, $20,503 for seniors ages 65-84, $35,995 for people 85 and over.
Red Tape, Administration
“Administrative costs in the U.S. healthcare system— among the highest in the world—further inflate bills, often leading to unexpected charges for patients,” Dr. Bautista said.
The United States spends $1,055 per person on healthcare administration, compared to an average of $194 in peer countries, according to a 2023 analysis by the Peterson Foundation. There are higher administrative costs for both providers and for insurers.
Overpricing
The same Peterson Foundation study states that because the federal government tends to underpay for health care through Medicare and Medicaid, hospitals “lose 10 to 15 cents on the dollar” when the government is paying. Hospitals then must figure out how to make up for those costs somewhere. For example, in the case of an MRI scan of the lower spinal canal, it costs $269 under Medicare, but in the commercial market it’s $1,311.
Corporate Consolidation
Caroline Pearson, executive director of the nonprofit Peterson Center on Health-
care, said a wave of consolidation has concentrated power in both the insurance and health-care provider industries. Consolidation, she said, has pushed up prices on both sides. Like other industries of concentration, the healthcare industry having less competition can mean higher prices.
Government response to and proposals to help alleviate medical debt
Federal and state governments have their own programs to cancel medical debt. As part of the American Rescue Plan, $7 billion has been earmarked for medical debt up until 2026. Consumer advocates say throwing money at a broken system is only a band aid solution.
Health care reform advocates want the government to consider two major changes: 1) Cap out-of-pocket spending for patients, setting an upper limit on how much they are required to spend; and 2) Make health insurance progressive, like America’s tax system. Insurance companies and employers could charge lower premiums to those who earn less.
Reformers say what can have an immediate impact is no longer penalizing credit due to medical debt. Studies show a majority of people with medical debt do not have other forms of debt.
Some states are looking to pass laws that will prohibit health providers and debt collectors from reporting medical debt information to credit agencies. That means unpaid medical bills should no longer show up on people’s credit reports, which consumer advocacy groups
“Medical debt is a massive issue. 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. For many people who can’t pay their medical bills, it leads to financial ruin. Medical bankruptcy has become far more common than it should be. A single emergency room visit, or hospitalization can result in bills that wipe out savings, especially for those without strong insurance coverage. Hospital services alone account for nearly a third of healthcare spending, and for individuals without adequate insurance or with high-deductible plans, even a brief hospital stay can result in thousands of dollars in out-ofpocket expenses. It’s a cycle that traps people in debt and impacts their ability to move forward financially.”
– Rainier Dennis D. Bautista, MD President, Philippine Medical Association of Hawaii
say is a boon for patients with debt.
Politicians who support passing credit protection against medical debt say because people don’t choose to have a medical emergency or illness, this type of debt should not count against them. They also argue that medical debt is more prone to inaccuracies because of billing mistakes by health providers and insurers. Currently under the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) medical debts under $500 do not appear on credit reports.
Dr. Bautista mentions possible solutions for the government, 1) increase government support for medication affordability programs and subsidies for those managing chronic conditions; and 2) placing a cap on hospital and pharmaceutical costs, ensuring that healthcare remains within reach for the average American. He says sharing your experiences of medical debt and financial hardships with lawmakers can help to drive meaningful policy changes.
Gonzalvo said she supports federal and state government programs that erase medical debt for some people.
“I support it because even with only few programs, they offer significant contributions in aiding the load of medical debt for those in need. Anything helps.”
Ruiz described what he believes was an unnecessary procedure that incurred his past medical debt. “I went to see my doctor – who I no longer go to – for a fever and swollen throat. He said I could have malaria and sent me immediately to get an MRI. I thought that was odd especially since I hadn’t traveled to a foreign country or been exposed to anyone who went abroad. I have insurance so I went to get one that same day. And to my surprise, even with insurance, it cost me about $750.
The MRI showed nothing abnormal. My fever went down in a few days, and I felt scammed, to be honest. A few hundred dollars was not extra money I had at the time. So, yes, government assistance for medical debt is something I support, especially for those hit with thousands of dollars they cannot pay for.”
Non-profit local relief effort
Locally, Lima Kokua Inc. partnered with Undue
Runaway
By Will Espero
he illegal fireworks trade in Hawaii is out of control, and the criminals are winning this war.
TThe sad and tragic Salt Lake fireworks incident has become a wake-up call for county, state, and federal government officials to reevaluate their strategies and methods being used to battle the illegal explosives entering our state.
There has been little success, and from the videos on social media and local news, millions of dollars worth of illegal aerials are arriving on our shares.
Hawaii has become a war zone on New Year’s Eve like nowhere else in the world. It wasn’t like this in the past. Those who say this is traditional and cultural are not telling the truth.
It is not normal to explode bombs in neighborhoods and communities. It was never tradition to terrify pets, trigger PTSD patients, explode fireworks throughout the year, and disrupt the quiet and tranquility of our islands.
Those breaking the law are criminals who don’t care about the wishes of the majority, and they need to know the public does not want this criminal intrusion in our neighborhoods.
My prayers and condolences to the victims and families of all fireworks-related deaths and injuries in the state during this New Year’s celebration.
So what more can be done to battle the illegal fireworks trade?
As a state senator, I unsuccessfully advocated for random inspections in Hawaii of shipping containers from the mainland. Explosive sniffing dogs could go through random selected
Political Will Needed to Battle Illegal Fireworks
containers to find the illegal contraband.
This could be completed off-site of the harbor property so ports are not clogged and expensive delays are avoided.
Some shipping containers are randomly inspected for weight because this is where the shipping companies make their money. Containers from the mainland are rarely inspected for content. It would be too time-consuming to inspect the tens of thousands of containers entering our state each year.
Since 9-11, containers from foreign ports have been heavily scrutinized by federal agencies. Domestic containers do not get the same attention.
The governor should support and the state legislature should pass legislation this 2025 session for random inspections of domestic containers from the mainland.
Funding should be made available for modern technology, dogs, and labor costs.
Complementing this idea is the use of fingerprinting at the front end of the shipping process.
I asked Representative Case and Senator Schatz to look into this idea because I do not believe fingerprints are a requirement for shipping items to Hawaii.
Criminals could easily use fake identification and fake documentation when shipping illegal contraband now.
A set of fingerprints connects a real person to a shipment, and this could help law enforcement find those shipping illegal goods.
Civil Beat has written about the inability of government officials to arrest and convict those involved in illegal shipments, and fingerprinting could be a tool to assist law enforcement with their job.
Representative Scot
Matayoshi was recently on the news in support of sting operations to capture distributors and sellers involved in the black market. This is a good idea if it is not currently happening.
Sting operations would be able to catch sellers or distributors and could be set up relatively quickly.
This should happen now since smuggling is a year-round endeavor, and it is likely that illegal shipments are en route or will be soon.
The state legislature should help fund sting operations which would involve county, state, and federal personnel.
The legislature should also provide funding to Crimestoppers and provide a reward to witnesses if a person is convicted of illegal fireworks.
Once caught, dealers and importers should face jail time of up to ten years.
I believe the current sentence is up to five years, and a ten-year sentence will be a strong deterrent and will make some think twice before breaking the law.
In recent articles, Civit Beat noted how arrests and convictions were not occurring in the illegal fireworks trade here in Hawaii.
This needs to change. Prosecutor Steve Alm, the Honolulu Police Department, and other agencies must improve their track record and put some of these criminals behind bars.
In their own press releases, the state Department of Law Enforcement shared that tons of illegal aerial fireworks had been found and confiscated.
The governor mentioned 227,000 pounds of illegal fireworks that were seized.
Unfortunately, I am not aware that anyone was ever arrested and convicted for these seizures, and the bad guys will continue their crime sprees because there are no consequences for them.
The criminals are making millions of dollars each year, and no one is being held accountable.
If more resources are needed by the government, the State Legislature should fund these items such as state-of-the-art laboratories or cargo scanners for harbors and ports. Scanners can now penetrate metal and see the inside of containers.
Confidential informants can help gather intelligence, and the State Legislature should consider funding informants involved with criminal elements.
The more information secured, the better the possibilities for arrests.
The prosecutor’s office, the Honolulu Police Department, and our judicial branch must work together to win more court cases and have fewer cases dismissed.
If changes or methodologies need to be changed or amended, then do it now, please.
I know an individual in West Oahu who was willing to testify against someone using illegal fireworks.
This person told me the prosecutor’s office and HPD never got back to her.
I don’t know all the details, but low-level cases should be pursued to get the public’s attention.
More needs to be done on the judicial side, and maybe an increase in civil fines of up to $5000 needs to be given to buyers, courtesy of Act 104, 2022.
Act 248 passed in 2019, allows witness statements from the general public who witness violations and/ or who have photos and video as proof.
This law should be aggressively used, and rewards from Crimestoppers should be given to brave neighbors and people who are fed up with illegal fireworks.
If people start to harass and threaten witnesses, the full weight of the law should come down hard on the perpetrators and increased fines or jail time should be implemented.
The government needs to show that lawlessness will not be tolerated.
These are a few ideas that can have an impact this year if we have the political will to pass legislation and provide funding.
Positive results can become a reality with the right leadership and attitude.
The quality of life for Hawaii residents is at stake. Will the criminals win or will the government be able to stop the flow of illegal fireworks?
Imagine a Hawaii where we don’t hear fireworks or explosions throughout the year. That’s how it was before.
We may not be able to stop illegal fireworks 100% of the time, but we can create a Hawaii where peacefulness, calm, and tranquility are the norm year-round.
The time when illegal aerial fireworks were colorful, beautiful, and accepted must come to an end.
Finally, government, businesses, and corporations should work together to host regional fireworks displays and provide safe wholesome options for residents to celebrate and welcome the new year.
Fireworks-related deaths and injuries should not be the main news on January 1st.
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 Emil Guillermo
The inaugural of Donald J. Trump, a convicted felon, took place on January 20 when he promised not to be a dictator “except for Day One.”
I hope it didn’t mar your MLK Day. A day of hope and dreams.
And the dream that maybe this second term will be over soon.
I will be thinking about Dr. King, of course, but also Rodney Nickerson, the first name reported as deceased last week in the Altadena wildfires in California. The death toll is already nearing 30.
The fires have already tested our descriptive powers. Let’s stop using words like “apocalypse” or “war zone” or say the scene looks “like a bomb hit LA.”
Call it what it is, over and over. It wasn’t a war. Or a bomb. The fires were a disaster borne of climate change. The unimaginable devastation forces us all to confront what can no longer be denied.
Climate change is real, and the catastrophe is personal, claiming the lives of people like the 82-year-old Nickerson, who moved to Altadena when it was the only place Blacks and others could buy a home.
His daughter found him in his bed last week. He died holding a garden hose.
Race and class are part of the climate change tragedy. But here’s the thing about fire and smoke: They don’t discriminate.
The Santa Ana winds, clocking in at times at speeds in excess of 80 mph, have turned all of LA into a powder keg, where one spark can ignite unimaginable chaos.
LA’s Fires, Trump’s Fires, and Our Nation’s Burning Divide
Watching from afar, I’ve been transfixed by the crisis in LA. As a San Francisco native, I’m supposed to have a bit of smug superiority when it comes to Southern California. But not this week.
Instead, I’ve found myself filled with love and empathy for LA. I even found myself thinking: Take our Northern California water, LA. For now. You need it more than we do.
These fires are an unnatural tragedy that’s not supposed to happen in winter. Last year, LA faced mudslides and floods.
This winter, LA has seen a paltry 0.02 inches of rain, compared to an average of 3.46 inches.
Combine that with intense, unrelenting winds and dry conditions, and California now has a yearround fire season fueled by climate change.
Hotter summers, drier winters, and decades of poor decisions around land use and water management have turned the Golden State into a tinderbox.
It’s also a preview of what’s coming for the rest of America as global temperatures rise and devastating extreme weather events become routine.
Trump’s “Burn, Baby, Burn” Approach To Everything
At a time when visionary leadership is desperately needed, President-elect Donald Trump continues to stoke division rather than provide solutions.
Shortly after the fires began, Trump blamed it all on California Governor Gavin Newsom and the state’s water policies.
That’s Trump’s style—setting political fires with a rhetorical blow torch. But he’s the climate
change denier leading the nation into a hotter, more dangerous future.
As he takes office, we can only hope for a change.
For a brief moment in recent weeks, it seemed Trump might show some sense and humility.
At the memorial service for Jimmy Carter, Trump sat quietly alongside Barack Obama and the other living presidents.
Trump acted like a church mouse while Carter was eulogized as a humane, bipartisan leader— everything Trump is not.
Carter was an environmentalist—green before his time; a champion of racial and social justice, and a soft-spoken president who sought to unite, not divide.
Same Old Trump
By week’s end, Trump was back to his old self, appearing at his New York criminal sentencing in the Stormy Daniels hush-money case.
Facing 34 felony convictions, Trump played victim, claimed his innocence, and called it all a “witch hunt.”
Judge Juan Merchan issued an “unconditional discharge,” upholding the jury’s verdict without imposing punishment, a reminder that the rule of law can hold even the most powerful accountable. Still, it left many unsatisfied.
Trump has now
achieved historical shame—the first-ever convicted felon to be elected president.
And a plurality of Americans seem just fine with it.
On Inaugural Day, I could not help but think we now have a felon-inchief.
A Nation on Fire
The parallel between LA’s literal fires and the metaphorical fires that Trump likes to set is clear.
Decades of ignoring climate change have led to California’s infernos, just as decades of ignoring systemic inequalities, racism, and resentment have fueled Trumpism.
Trump didn’t start America’s divisions, but he has certainly thrown gasoline on them. He capitalized on the anger of those who feel left behind by the system, using it to fuel his rise.
Now, with his return to the presidency, his agenda will begin to undo the Biden administration’s progress, particularly on climate change.
Meanwhile, LA continues to burn, and the nation’s faith in our democracy smolders. Half of
America views Trump as a martyr, while the other half wants him in prison. The divide grows wider, leaving the country brittle and vulnerable.
It’s a wake-up moment for a country where wokeness has become a dirty word. Pay attention to all the fires—the ones in LA and the metaphorical ones set by Trump.
And we must not let the felon’s inaugural on MLK Day be self-canceling.
We must continue to stand together for the America of our dreams and be reassured by Dr. King’s belief--that the arc of the moral universe is long but it bends toward justice.
In the meantime, like LA, our country is pockmarked by embers, waiting for the winds to create real danger.
That’s the treacherousness of our new Trump era. What’s next? Where’s the Santa Anas?
The LA wildfires are an apt metaphor for what we are about to go through as a nation.
EMIL GUILLERMO is a journalist and commentator. His talk show is on www.amok. com.
POTUS Donald Trump
OPEN FORUM
Animal Advocates Should Oppose RFK Jr.
By Jon Hochschartner
Anyone who cares about animals should oppose Robert F. Kennedy Jr., President-Elect Donald Trump’s nominee for Secretary of Health and Human Services.
Available evidence suggests he would block the development of cultivated meat.
For those who don’t know, the revolutionary protein is grown from livestock cells, without slaughter. Nothing has the potential to reduce more animal suffering and premature death.
The scale of human violence against our fellow creatures boggles the mind. We kill more than a trillion aquatic and land animals every year for food.
To put that in a little perspective, only about 117 billion humans have ever lived, according to the Population Reference Bureau.
When the nascent field of cellular agriculture is
more fully developed, even low adoption rates of cultivated meat could save billions of creatures annually.
Unfortunately, the nominal opposition to the incoming fascist White House, the Democratic Party, is busy bowing and scraping, as they search for points of compromise with Trump.
We see this lack of fighting spirit throughout the party’s ideological range. Even so-called progressives, like California Representative Ro Khanna, are talking about how they might work with the madeup Department of Government Efficiency.
What this moment calls for is unwavering opposition to Trump and his cronies. We’ve already seen one of the president-elect’s nominees, former Florida Representative Matt Gaetz, who was initially chosen to serve as United States attorney general, forced to withdraw.
They aren’t invulnerable. Kennedy, a bizarre,
anti-vaccination conspiracy theorist, has a host of weaknesses Democrats should exploit to the fullest possible extent.
There are a great number of reasons to oppose his nomination. These include, as I’ve mentioned, the former Democrat’s hostility to cellular agriculture.
In addition to the potential animal welfare benefits of cultivated meat, the new protein could significantly reduce our greenhouse gas emissions and pandemic risk.
After all, livestock farming is a leading contributor to climate change and the spread of zoonotic viruses.
In October of 2021, Kennedy wrote on Facebook: “Lab-grown meat offers private corporations the opportunity to place intellectual property rights on meat development and thus create a financial windfall, at the expense of human health.”
Of course, there is no reason cellular agricul-
NEWS FEATURE
ture needs to be the sole domain of private corporations. For instance, I’d love to see some type of public entity producing cultivated meat.
The health concerns Kennedy raises are bogus like so much else the conspiracy theorist says. The protein has received regulatory approval from the Food and Drug Administration and the Department of Agriculture.
Unfortunately, if confirmed, Kennedy would oversee the former, which is why those who care about animal welfare and the development of this technology should be concerned about his nomination.
In a recent article for Heatmap News, a climate publication launched by former executives of The Week, Michael Grunwald reported a source close to Kennedy said it was unlikely the protein would be banned outright.
Rather the potential cabinet secretary would
leave industry players in permanent regularity limbo. Cultivated meat companies have put on a brave face about the incoming administration, but it’s not very convincing.
Democratic leaders need to stop wallowing in their sense of fear and helplessness. It’s true; Trump will do tremendous damage to the country, which they won’t be able to prevent.
However, there will be some very bad outcomes Democrats can stop, if they can get their act together.
My hope is Kennedy’s nomination, which is controversial even amongst Republicans, will fall into this category, for the sake of animals and so much else.
JON HOCHSCHARTNER lives in Connecticut. He is the author of several books, including The Animals’ Freedom Fighter: A Biography of Ronnie Lee, Founder of the Animal Liberation Front. Visit his blog at SlaughterFreeAmerica.Substack.com.
Attorney General Lopez Challenges Unconstitutional Order Purporting to End Birthright Citizenship
Attorney General Anne Lopez today announced that she and 18 other attorneys general are challenging President Donald Trump’s executive order purporting to end birthright citizenship, which violates the constitutional rights to which all children born in the United States of America are entitled.
“The Fourteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution states in its first words that all persons born in the United States are citizens of this nation. These words could not be clearer,” said Attorney General Lopez. “Under our governmental system, the words of the U.S. Constitution are inviolable, and as the Attorney General of Hawaiʻi, I
will defend the rule of law.”
President Trump yesterday issued an executive order fulfilling his repeated promise to end birthright citizenship, in violation of the Fourteenth Amendment of the United States Constitution and Section 1401 of the Immigration and Nationality Act.
To stop the President’s unlawful action, which violates the Constitution and will harm hundreds of thousands of American children, Attorney General Lopez is filing suit in the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts, seeking to invalidate the executive order and to enjoin any actions taken to implement it.
The attorneys general requested immediate relief to prevent the President’s
Order from taking effect through both a Temporary Restraining Order and a Preliminary Injunction.
As the Attorney General’s filing explains, birthright citizenship dates back centuries—including to pre-Civil War America. As the Attorney General’s filing also explains, the U.S. Supreme Court has upheld birthright citizenship, regardless of the immigration status of the baby’s parents.
If allowed to stand, this Executive Order—for the first time since the Fourteenth Amendment was adopted in 1868—would mean that babies born in Hawaiʻi who would have been citizens would no longer enjoy the privileges and benefits of citizenship.
The individuals who
stand to be stripped of their United States citizenship would lose their most basic rights and will be forced to live under the threat of deportation. Despite the Constitution’s guarantee of citizenship, thousands of children would—for the first time—lose their ability to fully and fairly be a part of American society as citizens with all its duties, benefits, and privileges.
In addition to harming hundreds of thousands of residents, the states’ filing explains that President Trump’s order significantly harms the states themselves too. Among other things, this Order will cause the states to lose federal funding for programs that they administer, such as Medicaid, the Children’s Health
Insurance Program, and foster care and adoption assistance programs, which all turn at least in part on the immigration status of the resident being served.
The Attorney Generals’ filing explains that they should not have to bear these dramatic costs while their case proceeds because the Order is directly inconsistent with the Constitution, the Immigration and Nationality Act, and U.S. Supreme Court decisions.
States joining Hawaiʻi in today’s filing include California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Wisconsin, along with the District of Columbia and the City & County of San Francisco.
Birthdays and Anniversaries: Community Celebrates Milestones!
By Carlota Ader
n recent weeks, members of the Filipino community in Hawaii have celebrated milestones such as their birthdays and anniversaries. Check out the photos!
Recent birthday parties of Linda Concepcion and Linda Gonzalez held in Kapolei.
Carlota Ader celebrates her 77th birthday. Pictured with Melania Basuel from Waipahu Community Christian Church.
Isagani Jocson’s 67th birthday pictured with wife Linda. The couple resides in Waikele, Hawaii.
Henry and Lina Calderon held their 53rd Wedding Anniversary party at the FilCom ballroom in Waipahu.
Birthday boy Paul Alimbuyao pictured with friends at Max’s of Manila Restaurant in Dillingham, Honolulu.
Mr. Masa celebrates his birthday with friends.
Dr. Amelia Jacang, Lucas, Mary Tom, and Yanna at the performance of Professional Ritmo Dance of Honolulu.
Mila Arlet Wong pictured with friends in Honlulu on her 75th birthday.
By Elpidio R. Estioko
How can we encourage and captivate young children to have interactive spaces in the community?
Well, I learned from the release sent by Santa Clara County Library District’s (SCCLD) Associate Communications Officer Mariana Walker that the district has recently launched an innovative program to support this.
The support program known as Storybook SCCLD play spaces are designed to captivate young children and their caregivers, while promoting the five early learning principles of Every Child Ready to Read – talking, singing, reading, writing, and playing, all in one place. It will be played in all of its community libraries.
According to the American Academy of Pediatricians, research shows that playing is crucial to a child’s development.
Developmentally appropriate play can promote social-emotional, cognitive, language, and self-regulation skills that build executive func-
Santa Clara County Library District Launches Storybooks SCCLD in Support of the 5 Early Learning Principles
tion which contributes to school readiness, setting up little learners for future success.
The release indicated that each library’s play space is a magical environment that will reflect something special about each community, at the intersection of tech and nature.
These play spaces will incorporate interactives for little hands to practice motor skills, themed reading nooks for quiet play, playhouses for imaginative play, toddler slides for active play, a sensory learning area for babies and pre-walking children, a balance element for all abilities, plus seating for children and their families.
These spaces foster a passion for books and reading while providing valuable early literacy experiences that support grade-level reading proficiency.
This project is being designed and developed with experts in museum-quality interactive spaces, Luci Creative, Ravenswood Studio, and
Group 4 Architecture.
County Librarian Jennifer Weeks said: “Storybook SCCLD creates inclusive and joyful environments where children are motivated and enthusiastic about learning through play.
“We are incorporating different types of play that support early literacy skill building, featuring the alphabet, numbers, colors, plus sight and rhyming words in an enchanting space, meeting children in their imaginative worlds.”
I think this will be interesting because children love to play and they can listen, follow, and learn at the same time while the moderator is giving them instructions and other details for them to be able to carry out the play.
As part of SCCLD’s 5-year Strategic Plan, one of the district’s four priorities is to Inspire, “building the foundations of literacy within our community.
No other library in the state, and very few in the nation, offers this immersive early literacy experience,” Weeks said.
Inspiring and motivating the children by playing is one magic formula to engage young children to be more interactive and sociable. To me, this is a great project!
From January through Summer 2025, SCCLD will be working location-by-location to prepare, install, and launch the play spaces.
To keep patrons safe during construction, all or most of the children’s rooms will be closed to the public during its library’s installation.
Children’s materials will be made available in other parts of the library, or
patrons are invited to visit one of our other libraries not under construction.
The first play space will be installed at Saratoga Library, starting on January 20, 2025.
Please visit the Storybook SCCLD webpage to see the play space installation schedule for your library.
This page will also introduce you to the team of friendly robots who are your guides through Storybook SCCLD.
The webpage will be updated each month with brand new information, so please bookmark it for future use.
The Santa Clara County Library District (SCCLD) promotes knowledge, ideas, and cultural enrichment.
Founded in 1914, its collection includes more than 2.3 million books, videos, CDs, DVDs/Blurays, audiobooks, eBooks and extensive online resources accessible from anywhere with an internet connection.
The Library Journal has repeatedly recognized SCCLD as one of America’s Star Libraries, rated it as a 5-Star library in their 2022 Index of Public Library Service, one of only five library systems in the United States with expenditures over $30 million given this honor.
In 2014 and 2019, SCCLD won the Innovator Awards from the Urban Libraries Council.
SCCLD also received a Challenge Award in 2019 from the California State Association of Counties and an Innovative Project of the Year Award (Large District) from the California Special Districts Association in 2020.
SCCLD includes two bookmobiles, an online library, seven community libraries and one branch library, serving the cities of Campbell, Cupertino, Gilroy, Los Altos, Los Altos Hills, Milpitas, Monte Sereno, Morgan Hill, Saratoga, and the unincorporated areas of Santa Clara County.
In 2023, SCCLD had over 373,000 library accounts, more than 1.2 million unique website visits, and a circulation of nearly 11.3 million items. Program attendance was over 183,000.
Weeks said that one can find the Santa Clara County Library District online: www.sccld.org; to like them on Facebook; follow them on X (formerly Twitter); to look for them on Instagram; and the district is now are on Threads. @SCCLD.
One can also find the district on YouTube: scclchannel or @SCCLD.
Associate Communications Officer Mariana Walker also said one can subscribe to t heir newsletter: https://sccld.org/news and could get in touch with Jennifer Weeks/Diane Roche/Mariana Walker, Santa Clara County Library District, droche@sccl.org; mwalker@sccl.org.
Maybe this program can be duplicated/replicated or a similar program be instituted in the island of Hawaii, so young children can create their own interactive spaces and be more sociable when using the community library.
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
Christine Sabado’s The Essence of Time
By Renelaine Bontol Pfister
Author Christine Sabado writes that Molokai is known in legendary times as Pule O’o, the Island of Powerful Prayer when the elders (kahuna) would offer prayers for the island’s protection in the battle between Maui and Molokai.
Christine is the firsttime author of ‘The Essence of Time, Pule O’o’, which she dedicates to her mother-in-law, Severina Georgia Blen Sabado, who passed away many years ago.
Christine says, “I do believe this work was “spirit driven” as sentences formed as I attempted to sleep. I do believe in some very special way, Mama chose to speak
through me.”
She was also encouraged to write by her own mother, who collected Christine’s letters over the years about her life in Molokai and beyond.
“So shall we say that both Mothers guided me,”
she says.
This was a project that couldn’t be suppressed. She said:
“When I tried to put it away, it would not stay on the shelf, and at one point, it fell on my head. Somehow I felt a “push” from
behind me to complete this. In the middle of the night, my heart spoke: “Let’s go, let’s write,” and that was at 3 a.m., I would write till 5 a.m. In Hawaiian, there is a special word: Mahealani, which means “Time to harvest.” This is done only at night in the light of the moon.”
Christine’s book titled The Essence of Time begins with a beautiful artwork her husband, Philip Sabado, whose paintings are featured in Disney Aulani suites, as well as in seven Kaiser hospitals. The couple has three art studios in Maui.
Christine, a blondehaired and blue-eyed woman from California, meets Phil, a Filipino man from Molokai, at the Honolulu Academy of Arts, and they fall in love.
In 1969, they got married in Molokai, where
HAWAII-FILIPINO NEWS
Phil’s family lived in a pineapple village. She was 19 years old.
She grew up in Glendale, California, in the 1950s. She worked and saved money and moved to Hawaii when she was 17 years old, even living in the housing projects in Kalihi called Kuhio Park Terrace, where mostly Samoans, Tongans and Hawaiians lived.
It was a stark contrast to her life in an Irish household in suburban California. After she and Phil got married, she became immersed in the Filipino and Hawaiian culture on Molokai.
She learned the concept of “Das How” (“this is the way things are done”) and many superstitions and traditions of a Filipino household.
Chapter 3 of the book is about Mama, Phil’s mother, (continue on page 15)
United Filipino Council of Hawaii Celebrates Illustrious Filipinos In The Community
By Carlota Ader
The 34th United Filipino Council of Hawaii (UFCH) Foundation recognized several illustrious Filipinos for their dedication to community service at its annual Progress Awards Gala and Re-Affirmation of Commitment Ceremony held November 16, 2024 at the FilCom Center.
Benymar Sadumiano, newly-elected president of the UFCH Foundation, described the honorees as Filipino men and women who are “steeled and fortified with patience, fortitude, ambition and the burning desire for achievement and service to the Filipino community.”
Named in honor of the pioneer sakadas, the Progress Awards is geared towards raising funds for young scholars.
“The Foundation aims to perpetuate their memory by touching the lives of
our youth with these scholarships and to also challenge them to emulate and transcend,” Sadumiano said. “It’s our way of passing the torch to this generation and to prepare them for the time when they will assume leadership.”
Sadumiano is looking forward to working with the Foundation’s newly-elected officers to fulfill their duties to Filipino communities from all six island councils.
He said that upholding the principles on which the organization is founded upon will require the utmost dedication and collective will.
“My vision is for all of the officers and Island Councils to work as one to prioritize the financial stability of the Foundation, to provide more scholarships, and to magnify the voice of the Filipino communities in the State,” he said.
The 2024-2026 UFCH Foundation leadership slate is as follows:
President – Benymar Sadumiano
Vice President – Gladys Mae Menor
Secretary – Zhoydell Magaoay
Treasurer – Adela Salacup
Auditor – Hermie Pagaduan
Executive Secretary – Ardel Salacup
Asst. Secretary – Eva Valenzuela
Asst. Treasurer – Chulet Paco
Esq. Legal Counsel – Norma Doctor Sparks
ISLAND COUNCIL PRESIDENTS
BIFCC – Gerico Caban
KFCC – Nancy Apalla
LFCC – Noemi Barbadillo
MFCC – Madelyne Pascua
MIFCC – Robert Stephenson
OFCC – Calvin Bagaoisan
BOARD OF GOVERNORS
Big Island – Edita Castro
Kauai – Roy Mendaro &Tito Villanueva
Maui – Lawrence Pascua & Emerita Cortez
Oahu – Rey Aguda, Froebel Garcia & Trini Sanga
Mrs. Hawaii Filipina 2024-2025 – Glorey McCaleb
Miss Hawaii Filipina 2024-2025 – Jaslen Valdez
Little Miss HI Filipina 2023 – Cialina Dawn Agpoon
Christine Sabado and her artist husband Philip Sabado
Left to right: former Mrs. Hawaii Filipina Sarah Hosaka, Vice President Gladys Mae Menor, Treasurer Adela Salacup, and New President Benymar Sadumyano
BOOK REVIEW
By Rose Cruz Churma
The Search For Adarna I
f you had gone to school in the Philippines, you will be familiar with the 19th century’s Filipino epic Ibong Adarna, which is written in corrido style, a type of narrative poetry.
It is now included in the curriculum for junior high school students in the Philippines. Its storyline has been used for several Filipino movies the earliest was in 1941 and the most recent was in 2014 titled Ibong Adarna: The Pinoy Adventure.
Ibong Adarna is also a popular Filipino children’s book, a hardcover bilingual edition (English and Tagalog) was published by Adarna House, a publisher of children’s literature based in the Philippines.
The original storyline is about the lives of King Fernando, Queen Valeriana, and their three sons: Don Pedro, Diego, and Juan.
The three princes embark on a quest to find the legendary Adarna bird to
cure their dying father’s illness.
Its healing powers are the only thing that can save their father who declares that whoever successfully brings back the magical bird will inherit the throne.
The story is commonly attributed to the poet Jose de la Cruz of Tondo, Manila, who writes in Tagalog. Also called Huseng Sisiw, he was also known as the mentor of Francisco Baltazar, another famous Filipino poet who popularized the balagtasan.
However, the actual authorship still needs documentation. Whoever the author is, experts describe that the tale of this fantastic bird represents indigenous Filipino literature even if it bears some medieval European romantic chivalry. Interestingly, in the first quarter of the 21st century, another version has emerged. It is a retelling of the same storyline but geared towards modern sensibilities and structured
Probating a Will
By Sheryll Bonilla, Esq.
Is there a deadline to probate a will? Yes. Hawaii Revised Statutes Section 560:3-108(a) sets out a five-year limit.
If the will has not been probated within the five-year deadline, then the probate proceeding is one to determine the heirs who will inherit the decedent’s assets.
Two Exceptions to the Five Years Limit
There are two exceptions. One is for ancillary probate proceedings, which are for persons who lived on the main-
for young adults.
The book’s promotional blurbs describe the modern storyline this way:
“Anna Waldorf-Ocampo wants to get away from the ever-present scrutiny that comes with her famous name. She will do anything to avoid dealing with her ruthless older half-sister, Elizabeth, although she gets along with her belittled other half-sister, Olivia. Tragedy strikes when their father is felled by a mysterious illness that has no cure. The family’s only hope lies in
LEGAL NOTES
property can be given out according to the terms of the trust.
land when they died and who own property in Hawaii. H.R.S. § 560:3108(a).
Since Hawaii has jurisdiction over the land in its state boundaries, if the property is not held by a trust, the decedent’s family has to open an ancillary probate here in Hawaii to obtain a court order authorizing them to distribute the land.
The other exception is if the decedent had a revocable living trust and the will is what is called a “pour-over will.”
This type of will directs that assets not held by the trust be “poured over” into the trust so the
a bird called the Adarna, a mythical creature that can only be found in the Philippine jungle. The three sisters are each tasked to search for the elusive creature. Whoever retrieves it first will inherit their father’s billion-dollar empire, but they must hurry, or they will lose their father forev-
The writing is brisk and the tone is more Western than Filipino. Although the plot follows the storyline of a Filipino epic poem, it does not try to insert Filipino terms or other literary devices that inform the readers that it has Filipino underpinnings. Nor does it have any Taglish dialogue, which is a relief.
Unlike the original storyline, where there can only be one king to inherit the throne, all three sisters inherit a piece of their father’s billion-dollar empire. Thankfully, there is enough wealth to go around after our heroines endure
amazing adventures that expose them to supernatural and fantastic interactions to find this legendary bird.
The author, Kristyn Maslow-Levis is based in Sydney, Australia, where she works as a marketing specialist and writer.
She worked as a TV reporter for ABS-CBN before receiving her master’s degree in communications under an ASEAN scholarship in Singapore. Her other writings have been published in the New York Times and Al Jazeera.
Aside from her other two YA novels, The Girl Between Two Worlds and The Girl Between Light and Dark which were recently published, her two children’s picture books had been released by Amazon.
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.
A pour-over will can be probated more than five years after the decedent’s death if its terms direct distribution to the decedent’s revocable living trust. H.R.S. § 560:3108(4)(B).
So if the Will is Not Probate Within the Five Years Deadline, then What?
In this situation, the family would open a case in probate court to determine who are the heirs who will inherit the property owned by the decedent.
You’ll have to draw the family tree: parents, spouse, children, and grandchildren (who inherit their dead parent’s share).
Without a will, HRS
§ 560:2-102 tells how much the decedent’s surviving spouse or reciprocal beneficiary (SS/RB) inherits.
If either the decedent has no surviving child or parent, or all the surviving children are also the SS/RB’s children and the SS/RB has no other living child, then the SS/RB receives all the assets. If the decedent has no descendant but his or her parent is still alive, then the surviving spouse receives the first $400,000 plus 3/4 of any balance of the intestate estate.
If the SS/RB has a child who is not a child of the decedent, then the SS/RB inherits the first $330,000 plus 1/2 of the balance of the intestate estate.
If the decedent has descendants who are not descendants of the SS/ RB, then the SS/RB receives the first $220,000 plus ½ of any balance of the intestate estate.
The remainder of the assets are passed to the decedent’s surviving children. If the decedent does not have children but has a living parent, the remainder goes to the living parent and the children of any deceased parent. HRS § 560:2-103.
What about if a mom is pregnant with a baby at the time the decedent died?
As long as the baby lives at least 120 hours (five days) after birth, the baby is considered an heir. HRS § 560:2104.
Hope in the Ashes
By Seneca Moraleda-Puguan
When I was young, my family would spend summers at my grandparents’ home in Sorsogon, Bicol, south of Luzon, Philippines.
One summer, a house in the neighborhood caught fire. The wind was strong, panic spread quickly, and the community was on edge.
Most of the houses were made of “anahaw,” making them highly flammable. I remember evacuating my grandparents’ home as embers floated dangerously close.
By God’s grace, our summer house was spared, and the fire was swiftly contained.
Though nearly three decades have passed, the memory remains vivid.
I can still feel the fear and worry as my family prayed fervently for safety, both for ourselves and our neighbors.
If the experience left such a deep mark on me, I can only imagine the lasting pain of those whose homes
were consumed by the fire.
Now, as I watch reports of the devastating wildfires ravaging Los Angeles, my heart aches.
The loss of homes, treasured possessions, and, most tragically, loved ones is unimaginable. Each interview with an affected individual brings tears to my eyes.
Yet, amidst the heartbreak, I find solace in the resilience of the human spirit.
Communities are rallying together, offering generosity, support, and hope to those who have lost everything.
In a world marred by countless tragedies—the Jeju Air and Azerbaijan plane crashes, displacement of families, unnecessary loss of lives in war-torn nations, and raging wildfires—it’s easy to feel overwhelmed.
My heart is heavy for those who suffer, and my prayers are with them daily.
These events also remind me of the fleeting nature of life
and the futility of material possessions.
The Bible verse from Matthew 6:19-21 resonates deeply:
“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”
Life on earth is temporary. Material possessions, careers, and wealth can vanish in an instant.
As I reflect on the ashes of Pacific Palisades and Altadena, I am reminded to place my hope not in earthly things but in my relationship with Jesus—the one constant that cannot be taken away.
To those who have been affected by fires—who have lost homes, workplaces, schools, churches, precious loved ones, or everything— there are no words sufficient to ease the pain.
I pray for your strength to endure, peace to carry on, and grace to rebuild.
May provision meet your every need, and may ho tope rise again in your hearts. For those standing amidst the ruins, unsure of how to move forward, know this: hope is not lost.
I also lift up prayers for the first responders. Their courage and tireless efforts in the face of unimaginable challenges deserve recognition.
May they be strengthened and protected as they continue their critical work.
The fires may have consumed possessions, but they cannot extinguish the spirit of
resilience, compassion, and hope that burns brightly in the hearts of Californians. These flames cannot take away the most precious gift: the hope that propels us to rise again. Los Angeles, you will rebuild. The world stands with you, offering prayers and solidarity.
To anyone enduring hardship—whether in a wartorn nation, facing illness, grief, depression, anxiety and uncertainty—lift your eyes to the Lord.
Psalm 121:1 encourages us, “I lift my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come from? Our help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth.
Psalm 34:18-20 reminds us that He is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit.
We may not understand why tragedies occur, but we know who holds all things in His hands.
Trust that God is working everything for good. Look up, and let Him restore and renew what has been lost. Hope remains, even in the ashes.
OPINION
Affordable Housing - Essential Truths & Political Realities
By Gary Hooser
Affordable housing must remain a top priority in the 2025 Hawai’i legislative session.
There are many paths to get there. Unfortunately, the large landowners, real estate developers, contractors, and all the big money guys, will once again be focusing their demands on “streamlining” land-use regulations and “fast-tracking” rezoning and permitting processes.
We each see the world through our unique lens. Many of us believe these laws are essential tools needed to protect people and the planet from the pillage and plunder of unchecked capitalism.
Others who profit from that capitalism, see them as unnecessary, cumbersome, and expensive impediments to development (and related profits).
Development-friendly legislators will support bills reducing land use regulation but rarely introduce measures to increase staffing of the agencies respon-
sible for doing the work.
The land development industry is a formidable political force united in pushing to reduce environmental protections, limit public input, and expand upward the definition of “affordability.”
These are attractive political options because they have no immediate financial cost or “budget impact.” They cost nothing to implement but the long-term negative impacts on people and our natural environment can be significant and irreversible.
Hawai’i is one of the most beautiful and desirable places to live on the planet. The demand for real estate here is thus insatiable.
The median income for a family of 4 living in Hawai’i is $133,656 (100% AMI). This means half earn more, and half less.
It’s this bottom half of income earners who need the most help but the push by developers is for “workforce” housing, serving households earning up to 140% of AMI.
While it’s hard to be-
(COVER STORY: Runaway ....from page 5) Medical Debt (formerly called RIP Medical Debt) to relieve medical debt for over 5,000 Hawaii residents.
Reports said that a total of $3,508,180 has been relieved so far for Hawaii fam-
lieve, new homes in Hawai’i can be priced at $700,000 and still qualify as affordable “workforce” housing.
The overall median price of a home in Hawai’i as of December 2024 was $975,000 and the average price was $1,246,145.
Developers and their friends at the legislature will tell you any new housing is good housing, and that there’s a “trickle-down” effect.
But the so-called trickle-down theory does not work here. Real estate prices are always drawn upward - pulled always by the insatiable demand.
A resident moves into a new “workforce” housing unit, and their previous home is then rented to a new occupant at a higher rate - always seeking the
ilies who may not qualify for relief programs or whose incomes do not allow them to purchase medical insurance.
“I was shocked to learn that medical debt was the number one cause of personal bankruptcy. This, along with the desire to help our neighbors across Hawaii, convinced our group that eliminating the medical debt hanging over many of them, was the best way we could help minimize the stress of recent events there,” said Lima Kokua’s President Sara Ward.
The national nonprofit Undue Medical Debt has so far relieved nearly $7 billion in medical debt. “The emotional and mental burden that people have from owing medical debt is substantial,”
Undue Medical Debt Director of Development Scott Patton said. “What is uniform to all
of the folks who reach out to us is how happy they are that something like this is happening in the world. They might have shoeboxes full of medical bills and knowing that one is gone lifts a tremendous load off for these folks.”
How to avoid medical debt
Dr. Bautista said staying out of medical debt requires proactive planning and knowing where to seek help. He recommends eight key steps: 1) Understand Your Insurance Plan (review deductibles, copays, out-ofpocket maximums, in-network vs out-of-network); 2) Ask for Cost Estimates (before any treatment or procedure) and compare prices for the services in your area; 3) Negotiate Medical Bills with hospitals and insurers (look
buy-back provisions, prohibitions against vacation rental, and/or other “anti-speculation” clauses.
market price.
Meanwhile, no one’s building anything for those folks working full time, often at multiple jobs - yet living in the garage of friends and family, or in their car down at the beach park.
We must support the development of new workforce housing, but the most critical need is for those earning below 100% of median income.
No developer or land owner will develop truly affordable “below market” housing unless required to do so by the government or offered generous government incentives.
Selling homes “below market” translates to a potential windfall profit for buyers. Consequently, homes sold benefiting from government/developer subsidies must include
into financial assistance programs, double-check your bills for errors); 4) Set Up An Emergency Fund; 5) Leverage Preventive Care (get regular check-ups and screenings); 6) Understand Your Rights (in the No Surprises Act and laws on medical debt collection practices); 7) Reach Out to Organizations for Help; and 8) Consider Alternative Payment Options (some medical-specific credit options may offer lower interest rates than traditional credit cards).
Some organizations that could help with keeping medical costs down or assist in medical debt issues include: 1) Legal Aid Society of Hawaii (www.legalaidhawaii. org) can provide free or lowcost legal assistance for medical debt issues. They can help you understand your rights or
Yes, there are many paths to increasing affordable housing: Direct financial subsidies, tax credits, developer mandates, low-interest loans for ADU rental construction, government-backed first-time home-buyer mortgages, expanded sewer systems, urban redevelopment, and “Singapore style” transit-oriented development –to name just a few.
We can do this. We can do it without compromising environmental protections, and we can do it in a manner that supports those with the greatest needs first. There’s no shortage of wealth in the islands to help pay for it. Foreign investors, uber-wealthy second-home owners, corporations “banking” lands in existing urban areas, hotels, tourists, and more - all have the capacity to help fund affordable housing, and none are leaving because their taxes are too high.
GARY HOOSER is a former Hawaiʻi State Senator and Majority Leader.
challenge unfair practices. 2) Hawaii SHIP (State Health Insurance Assistance Program) offers free counseling for Medicare beneficiaries. (www.hawaiiship.org). 3) Med-QUEST (www.medquest.hawaii.gov): check your eligibility and apply online through the Med-QUEST Division website. This can help reduce out-of-pocket costs for doctor visits, prescriptions, and hospital care.
“By focusing on personal health through regular doctor visits, managing chronic conditions, and staying active, individuals can reduce their healthcare costs significantly. At the same time, engaging with political leaders and advocating for systemic reforms can help create a more affordable healthcare system for everyone,” Dr. Bautista said.
SPRING 2025 CULTURAL PROGRAM | Filipino Community Center | Various schedule until April 30, 2025 | FilCom Center, Consuelo Courtyard, 94-428 Mokuola Street, Waipahu | Join this comprehensive program this spring for an enriching journey through Filipino culture. The
COMMUNITY CALENDAR
program fee is $25. To register, visit https://filcom. org/communityprograms.
HAWAII TRIENNIAL 2025 | ALOHA NO | Hawaii Contemporary | February 15 to May 4, 2025 | Various locations across the state | Hawaii Triennial 2025 is the state’s largest, thematic
BIBLE REFLECTIONS
exhibition of contemporary art from Hawaii, the Pacific, and beyond. For over 78 days, HT25 features 49 artists and art collectives with site exhibitions on Oahu, Maui, and Hawaii Island. For more information, visit hawaiicontemporary.org.
God, My Refuge Amid The Firestorm
By Bermie Dizon
January 7, 2025, is a day I will never forget—the day a firestorm tore through our city, Altadena, California.
It was a night of terror, chaos, and uncertainty. Yet, amid it all, I was reminded of a greater truth: God’s promises remain unshaken even when the world around us burns.
A firestorm is an extreme type of wildfire, fueled by high temperatures, dry conditions, and fierce winds. It creates its own wind system, feeding the flames and intensifying their power.
Winds can reach hurricane speeds, spreading embers that ignite new fires far ahead of the main blaze. Firestorms are as unpredictable as they are devastating, consuming everything in their path and leaving behind a trail of destruction.
In the Philippines, my wife and I have experienced an earthquake that brought down buildings, a volca-
whom Phil painted in her native Ifugao attire and rice terraces in the background.
Mama was from Abra and came to Hawaii in the early 1920s. As the matriarch of the family, everyone respected and looked to her for decisions and advice.
She was even their healer. They did not go to doctors; instead, there was Mama and her garden of remedies.
As a woman from the Visayas unfamiliar with Ifugao culture from a hundred years ago, I had fun learning about Mama’s life in mountainous Abra, the site of world-famous Banaue Rice
no that buried our family house, burglaries, a revolution in our native country, and now a firestorm that somehow felt more scary.
I remember fleeing that night with my wife and those who stayed in our house - as the winds howled through Eaton Canyon at over 90 miles per hour. So strong was the wind and it brought with it deadly fire.
Trees lay toppled, debris filled the air, and the acrid smell of smoke burned our lungs. The darkness was illuminated by embers that flew in the wind like fireflies—but these carried dangers, not wonder.
As we fought against the roaring winds to reach our car, we prayed fervently. The uncertainty of whether our home would survive hung heavy in our hearts for the days we were evacuated at - David and Holli’s house in Burbank.
By God’s grace, we escaped unharmed, and our home was spared. Yet the devastation around us was heartbreaking. Friends lost their homes, cherished be-
Terraces, and concepts like hudhud, an “epic sung in a poetic manner.”
For us who were born and raised in the Philippines, we can relate to superstitions about everything from marriage to death, and pregnancy.
It’s not strange for us to read about Christine’s family placing garlic on windows to ward off bad spirits or food at parties left untouched as an offering for departed spirits.
Christine learned about making offerings to spirits to appease them and to be respectful and silent in sacred places where spirits live. When Phil went
longings, and memories. The town we loved lay in ruins.
In the chaos of that moment, I found myself asking a question I had asked many times before: “Where are You, Jesus?”
The truth is, He was there. Jesus was present in the strength that carried us forward, in the wisdom that guided our steps, in the love of those who gave us refuge, and in the peace that eventually settled over us.
The firestorm was a vivid reminder of life’s fragility. It showed me once again that our earthly possessions, as valuable as they may seem, are temporary. What endures is our faith
fishing, Christine learned it was bad luck to bring bananas to the beach.
The author not only writes about Filipino traditions and beliefs; she includes Hawaiian, too. And as a transplant to Molokai, she writes with reverence about Kalaupapa (where people with Hansen’s disease, or leprosy, were relocated and isolated; the first group was brought there in 1866).
For people like me who moved to Hawaii and fell in love with the islands, much like our island home, we can appreciate and enjoy learning or relearning Hawaiian words, history,
and the unshakable promise of God’s presence.
Isaiah 43:2 assures us that even when we walk through the rough fire, we will not be burned. This does not mean life will be free from hardship.
The flames may rise, and the winds may roar, but God’s promise is clear: “I will be with you.” He doesn’t promise to eliminate every storm, but He does promise to carry us through them.
That night, as Altadena burned, I learned to trust God in a deeper way. I learned that even when the outcome is uncertain, God’s presence is certain. And His presence is enough.
I also saw the strength and resilience of my wife as we passed through this turmoil.
Life will bring storms— both literal and metaphorical—that threaten to overwhelm us. Yet as believers, we know we are never alone. Jesus walks with us through the fire, shielding our souls and refining our faith.
and traditions.
This book, which includes genres (memoir, historical), touches on love, marriage, family, and community. It is a record and tribute to an adapted culture, respecting and embracing it.
The author received a call from New York that
His love is a fortress, unshaken by the fiercest winds or the hottest flames. This fact was so evident with hundreds of friends and people I don’t even know sending encouragement and offering up prayers. We read each message. Each was very comforting and uplifting and I thank God for them all.
Prayer Prompt: Heavenly Father, thank You for being our refuge in the storms of life. When we feel overwhelmed by fear and uncertainty, remind us of Your faithful presence. Teach us to trust You more deeply and to rest in Your promises. Help us to see life’s challenges as opportunities to grow in faith and to glorify You. Amen.
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 also the author of the book “God, In Every Step” which is now available at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and other outlets.
her book has been nominated for the Ben Franklin Award, for First Time Writer as well as for the book cover.
The Essence of Time is available for purchase on Amazon, Audible on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and at the Sabado’s art stores on Maui.