Hawaii Filipino Chronicle - December 2, 2023

DECEMBER 2, 2023  HAWAII FILIPINO CHRONICLE  1

DECEMBER 2, 2023

PERSONAL REFLECTIONS

Shine Bright

CANDID PERSPECTIVES

AS I SEE IT

Pinoy Robotics Guy is California’s Teacher Of The Year

The Filipino Hostage Caught in the Middle in the Middle East; Plus, My Cousin Stephen’s Birthday

THEATRE REVIEW

The Super Executive Aunties of the Malama Caregivers Collective

2 HAWAII FILIPINO CHRONICLE  DECEMBER 2, 2023

EDITORIAL

Merry Christmas, Peace and Goodwill to All!

T

he phrase peace and goodwill to men (humanity) has always been wished upon during the Christmas season. Upon the birth of Christ, in Luke 2:14, the angels sung, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill toward men.”

This was the origin of the phrase that associated Christmas with a message of peace and goodwill.

The angels welcomed to the world the Prince of Peace.

During this time as the region where Jesus was born and lived is beleaguered with war and death, as well as the fact that Jesus was a native Palestinian Jew, millions of people around the world celebrating this Christmas find this message of peace and goodwill acutely relevant and meaningful, more so this year than most.

Our Filipino community is no exception and join the world community in calling for an end to war in that region and in Europe.

It’s also appropriate that during this special time of caring not only for ourselves and our own families but also others in need that we feel empathy for those suffering. It is what Jesus would have wanted.

Remember in Mark 22:39, Jesus mentioned one of the two greatest commandments. He said, “Love your neighbor as yourself.” The other being, “Love your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.”

When we say peace and goodwill to each other (our neighbor) during Christmas it really is an extension of the love we have within us for ourselves.

The message of peace and goodwill expresses our love for our fellow human beings. It’s a message of compassion and kindness that crosses all boundaries of race or religion.

Jesus did not say to love people who are like us, but to love our neighbor, which makes the current war between neighbors in the Middle East even more disheartening.

There are many reasons why Christmas is special. Of course, the obvious one is our gratitude and joy for Jesus coming to man (humanity) to share the message of salvation and the kingdom of heaven.

Another reason why Christmas is special lies in an almost universal embrace of goodness during this time. We have this reservoir of love that overflows and spills onto to everyone around us, our family and friends, to strangers, to the people far away like in Palestine, Israel and Ukraine, even Russia.

It is a special time that we reconnect to goodness, and the source of all goodness, to God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

During Christmas an expression of this love and goodness we have is to decorate our surroundings as a reflection of how we feel inside. We string colorful bright lights on our homes. We put up an illuminating parol. We hang shiny and glittering ornaments on a tree that’s symbolic of life.

We also hang a mistletoe, stand under it, to give or receive a kiss from a loved one. We build gingerbread houses that remind us of our youth and childhood – a time of innocence and purity. All of these are meant to reflect the joy we have during this special time.

During Christmas an expression of this love and goodness we have is to gather with those who are special in our lives, enjoy our favorite food, partake in fun activities, share hugs and good tidings. (continue on page 2)

FROM THE PUBLISHER

T

he Christmas festivities are about to begin. Yuletide gatherings will start with companies, followed by smaller group celebrations perhaps with friends then end with the grand Noche Buena on Christmas Eve with family. The season will be in full-swing as soon as the festive decorations are up, and gift-buying commences. For some, that already happened the day after Thanksgiving. For others, that will happen the week before Christmas.

For our cover story this issue, associate editor Edwin Quinabo reports on the exciting Filipino Christmas traditions some are planning. But also, this year, there is an extra awareness in the current global affairs, specifically what’s happening in the Middle East with the war campaign of Israel on Palestine. Afterall, not only has this been the big news of late the media has been focusing on, but it also is the region where Jesus (reason for the season) was born, lived and gave his many messages of hope and promise that we hold dearly not only during Christmas, but in our lives all year round. For this year’s Christmas cover story, we’ve included how the spirit of peace and goodwill that Christmas brings impacts people’s lives personally as well as globally.

Relatedly, HFC columnist Seneca Moraleda-Puguan contributes “Shine Bright,” an article on Christmas and a wish for war-torn areas to find solutions to their conflicts.

Also relatedly, HFC columnist Will Espero contributes “Can We Find a Peaceful Solution?” to the Israelis and Palestinians situation. In the article he expresses a concern that many Americans have of a possible expansion of the war that could get Americans involved. Espero, a former state senator, also comments, “I’m tired of seeing hundreds of millions of U.S. dollars spent on weapons, wars, and ally’s problems when we have so many domestic problems and calamities which need to be addressed.”

HFC columnist Elpidio Estioko features Filipino American engineering teacher and robotics instructor Joseph Alvarico who was honored with the California Teacher of the Year award. Alvarico is an immigrant from the Philippines who attended both private and public schools in Manila up until high school, then received a full scholarship from De La Salle University (DLSU) also in Manila. He teaches at Ygnacio Valley High School in Concord, California. Congratulations Mr. Alvarico. What an achievement you’ve accomplished!

HFC columnist Rose Cruz Churma contributes “The Super Executive Aunties of the Malama Caregivers Collective,” which is a thought-provoking play at the Actors Group (TAG) playhouse at Iwilei. The play shines a spotlight on the crucial role of family caregivers in our society. We know that many in our Filipino community are in this profession. A group of theater experts led by Catherine Ann Restivo and assisted by Terri Madden, Elizabeth Wichman-Walzack, Jiaxing Dean Mo and Ashley Zednick led the creation of this play based on real stories shared by the caregivers.

We also have an informative Q & A by the National Asian Pacific Center on Aging’s Guide on Medicare Open Enrollment; more columns and news we hope you enjoy.

Lastly, on behalf of the management and staff of the Hawaii Filipino Chronicle, I’d like to wish you all a very Merry Christmas. May God bless you and your family. Until the next issue, Aloha and Mabuhay!

Publisher & Executive Editor Charlie Y. Sonido, M.D.

Publisher & Managing Editor

Chona A. Montesines-Sonido

Associate Editors

Edwin QuinaboDennis 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 Perry Diaz Emil Guillermo 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. 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 Mark Lester Ranchez Jay Valdez, Psy.D. Glenn Wakai Amado Yoro

Philippine Correspondent: Greg Garcia

Neighbor Island Correspondents: Big Island (Hilo and Kona) Grace LarsonDitas Udani Kauai Millicent Wellington Maui Christine Sabado Big Island Distributors Grace LarsonDitas Udani Kauai Distributors Amylou Aguinaldo Nestor Aguinaldo Maui Distributors

Cecille PirosRey Piros

Molokai Distributor Maria Watanabe Oahu Distributors Yoshimasa Kaneko Shalimar / Jonathan Pagulayan

Advertising / Marketing Director Chona A. Montesines-Sonido

Account Executives Carlota Hufana Ader JP Orias

DECEMBER 2, 2023  HAWAII FILIPINO CHRONICLE  3

EDITORIAL

Pentagon Fails Another Audit, Congress Should Investigate If Our Tax Dollars Are Being Spent As Intended

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here’s a lot of rhetoric in Congress, especially

by Republicans, on accountability and spending of U.S. tax dollars. Yet, for a sixth consecutive year in a row, the Pentagon just failed another audit and there’s zero uproar over it by legislators at the Hill.

In fact, since the Pentagon started doing an audit in 2018, it has never successfully completed one.

This should be even more disturbing since the Pentagon (defense spending) accounts for about half the money of Congress approves each year.

Every other federal agency has passed an audit so at least taxpayers know that the money budgeted for that agency is spent as it is meant to be. But with the Pentagon failing yet again, taxpayers just don’t know where the money is going to at the Pentagon.

In the latest audit, the Pentagon was able to account for just half of its $3.8 trillion in assets. That means $1.9 trillion is unaccounted for. That’s an incredibly large sum unaccounted for.

There were 700 site visits by 1,600 auditors. Of 29 components (areas), only seven passed inspection with a “clean” audit. This year’s audit nearly mirrored the

results of last year in which only seven areas passed with a clean audit.

What’s even more disturbing is that the Pentagon has been stonewalling the need to even be audited before it was required by law since 2018.

And the Pentagon had seven years ahead of time before 2018 to clean up their books and get ready for annual auditing. Still, again, it has failed to clear a single audit.

The annual audit is conducted by independent public accounting firms and the DOD Office of the Inspector General.

This failure by the Pentagon in accounting should be met with a Congressional investigation. After all, Congress allocates money each year by billions of dollars and each year the Pentagon fails to explain where and why billions of dollars remain unaccounted for. This is absurd and no other agency would be able to get away with it as the Pentagon is.

If billions of dollars are unaccounted for how Americans are to know if money allocated to the Pentagon is spent as intended. There could be corruption. Who knows. No one knows. Half of the Pentagon budget goes to corporate weapons contractors. Do we even know that these contractors are producing the correct number of weapons the Penta-

(EDITORIAL: Merry.....from page 5)

During Christmas an expression of this love and goodness we have is to share gifts with each other.

And when financially possible we share gifts with those we don’t know, to the less fortunate by volunteering our time or donating to charitable organizations.

Merry Christmas to the people of Maui, especially those in Lahaina who’ve lost their homes, businesses and people they loved due to the wildfires. May God bless you

in your journey to rebuild and cope from your losses.

Merry Christmas to our fellow kababayans in the Philippines. We admire the progress the country is making and send love to our families and friends there.

Merry Christmas to the diaspora of Filipino communities around the world, including the mainland and Hawaii. We know your dreams, your struggles and stories of immigration.

Keep moving forward.

THE PENTAGON

gon is paying for. We don’t know because the $1.9 trillion that’s unaccounted for includes military equipment.

Recent funding Last year the Congress authorized $768 billion for the Pentagon and defense programs for 2023, which is a 5% increase in military expenditures. It’s expected that Congress will meet this December to approve another $840 billion for next year which is yet another increase in military spending.

The Senate already approved its version of the annual military defense bill with bipartisan support in July in an 86-11 vote, granting authorization for $886 billion over the next year.

So that will be two years of increased military spending. All the while over a trillion of dollars remain unaccounted for. How do we even know that more in military spending is needed? But we keep increasing the Pentagon’s budget. There are so

many unanswered questions when the Pentagon is failing all its annual audits.

Why shouldn’t we have a funding freeze until the missing money is found. In a situation where another federal agency couldn’t account for money far less than what the Pentagon is missing, you can bet that top managers would be fired, and some members of Congress would be demanding defunding that agency.

Frankly, Americans are tired of the double standard enjoyed by the Pentagon.

Americans are tired of the lack of transparency of the Pentagon. And polls show Americans think too much money is allocated each year to the Pentagon. More than half of Americans think we are spending too much on the war in Ukraine. The U.S. has given billions in military equipment and money for them to buy billions more in weapons from American weapons manufacturers. Do we even know that this kind of circular spending is even done properly and honestly?

A recent poll shows the Pentagon is fifth as a priority in how government should be spending taxpayers’ money, behind healthcare, border security, education and infrastructure.

Congress should stop the kids glove handling of the Pentagon and be demanding more accountability. After all, we are talking billions upon billions unaccounted for.

LETTERS

Support The Development of Cellular-Agriculture

I was excited to read the German government is investing €38 million in 2024 toward the alternative-protein transition. This will include funds for cultivated-meat research.

For those who don’t know, cultivated meat is grown from livestock cells, without slaughter. It has the potential to reduce our greenhouse-gas emissions, pandemic risk, and the suffering we inflict on animals.

So as not to fall behind, the United States government should massively increase federal funding for cellular-agriculture development.

America can lead the world in creating a more sustainable, healthy, and compassionate food system.

Readers should encourage their legislators to support this effort. It’s the right thing to do morally and for the sake of our country’s position on the global stage.

Merry Christmas to the — Jon Hochschartner people in worn-torn regions Editor’s Note: The Hawaii Filipino Chronicle reserves the right to edit for space and clarity of the world. Know that the submissions of letters to the editor. world is watching and praying for your safety and freedom from the shackles of violence. Let there be peace and goodwill in your communities.

Merry Christmas and thank you to all our readers, advertisers and the Hawaii community for all your support these years.

Merry Christmas to all.

Jesus Christ is born.

4 HAWAII FILIPINO CHRONICLE  DECEMBER 2, 2023

COVER STORY

Filipinos Celebrating Christmas and Wishing for Peace and Goodwill Around the World

By Edwin Quinabo

A

s the world falls under the usage in Christmas greetings has lost its specter of two ongoing wars shine for many.

To date, the war in the Gaza and Isin the Middle East and Europe, the illumination of the rael has resulted in more than 17,000 Filipino parol (Christmas deaths in over a month. According to ornamental lantern) is a needed symbol the New York Times, the total number to restore hope over despair, light over of Ukrainian and Russian troops killed or wounded since the war in Ukraine darkness, and peace over conflict.

The phrase “peace on earth and good- began in 2022 is nearing 500,000.

For millions of Catholic Filipinos, will to men” commonly wished upon during Christmas comes from the Bible they are drawing inspiration for peace Luke 2:14, where the angels announce this season in the Christ story.

James Pagdilao, Hilo, quotes John probably always be a part of human exthe birth of Jesus Christ to shepherds in the fields. The angels sing, “Glory to God 3:16, “God so loved the world that he istence, but they still do not diminish our in the highest, and on earth peace, good- gave his only begotten son so that we hope for peace and for it to be a value may not perish but have everlasting we hold deeply. It is true that the world will toward men.” historically has had plenty of wars, but I To Christians this is an important life.”

Pagdilao said, “this is the basis of the don’t believe that the nature of humans declaration that Jesus’ birth signaled a time for peace and goodwill – associating gospel and Christmas marks the birth is one rooted in conflict and war. Historof the only son of God to fill this prom- ically, we’ve had more time of peace and peace with Christmas.

In the poem “Christmas Bells” by ise. My daily life is in Christ, so not only cooperation than of war. But the lingerHenry Wadsworth Longfellow, which does this apply to my daily life, but it is ing danger in modern warfare with nuwas written during the American Civ- also my life and the reason I choose to clear weapons is it takes only one all-out il War, the poem begins with the line “I serve in ministry to spread this message nuclear war to end it all for mankind.

“This is why I believe it’s still very heard the bells on Christmas Day, their to others.”

On peace on Earth, he said “world relevant and important to promote the old, familiar carols play, and wild and sweet the words repeat of peace on earth, peace will always be important to me. hope for peace, even if it is mostly heard And during a time of joy and cheer I am during Christmas time,” said Cadiz. goodwill to men!”

“If you look at the history of protests, The beloved Christmas song “Silent sure that a peaceful resolution to these Night” is a hymn of peace, a testimony of conflicts would make the holidays even the largest ones that people are passionate about to protest in the streets, are the Savior who brings peace and joy into more meaningful.”

Judy Ilar, Waipahu, said, “in my those calling for peace. You can look at the world. The song’s imagery of silence opinion, the world will have its peace what’s going on in the world today; we and stillness reflects quiet peace.

It’s understandable that the phrase only when every single human being de- see massive crowds on all continents callpeace and goodwill to some is welcomed cides to follow Jesus, the Prince of Peace. ing for peace. The truth is wars are the exception to humanity, not the rule which with cynicism because of mankind’s his- Only then will evil be eradicated.”

Marilyn Cadiz, Ewa, said “Wars will really is a state of peace,” said Cadiz. tory fraught with violence and wars. Its Start with peace in our personal lives While finding solutions to global conflicts is political and often complicated, in the spirit of peace and forgiveness during the holiday season, at the very least some Filipinos said we can look at our own lives to see where we can bring harmony and peace in our relationships.

Pagdilao said, “there is somebody I’ve known my whole life who did nothing but support me during my times of need both professionally and personally, and I hurt her significantly with my actions in this past year. This remains one of if not my biggest regrets.

“It would mean the world to me to get started on the

pathway to mending our relationship and obtaining forgiveness. I know this will take time and patience, and she was my partner in crime for the holidays at parties and throughout the year, so my hope is that someday we can get back to how we used to be, and she never forgets how much I love her,” said Pagdilao.

Ilar said, “It’s difficult to mend a relationship when the other party is not willing to take the time to heal a relationship. At that point, I just decide to forgive a person in my heart and wish them well and not allow any ill feelings to take root or harbor in my heart towards them. I strive to live a peaceful life and the way I do that is to live a quiet

life, mind my own business and work hard and be grateful to God what has given me.”

Cadiz said she hasn’t spoken with a close family member in two years due to a fallout over another member of the family. “We no longer live in the same city which makes it easier not to mend our rift because we no longer must see each other at (continue on page 5)

DECEMBER 2, 2023  HAWAII FILIPINO CHRONICLE  5

COVER STORY (Filipinos Celebrating.....from page 4)

family functions. But during Christmas and other significant days, I do think about this person.

“I’ve never stopped loving this person and do not harbor any ill feelings. But I think it’s a waiting situation as to who will waive the proverbial olive branch. In my heart of hearts, because I have no anger or hatred, and I have love for this person, I’m okay with the way it is. Maybe one Christmas when we are in the same city, we will embrace each other and make our peace officially.”

Noche Buena, Misa de Gallo, Aguinaldo Cadiz mentions the Noche Buena (Christmas Eve dinner) is when the entire family would gather. “Growing up our family would celebrate Noche Buena after attending the Misa de Gallo (midnight Mass).

But when we grew up and had families of our own, that tradition became too late for the young kids, so we’d still have the Noche Buena on Christmas Eve but attend Christmas Day Mass on our own with our own families.”

Popular Noche Buena menu items are lechon (roasted suckling pig), ham, Filipino spaghetti, embutido (steamed meatloaf), leche flan (Filipino version of crème caramel), arroz a la valenciana (paella that includes include chorizo, chicken, prawns, squid, and mussels), bibingka/puto bumbong (rice cakes).

Added to any of these, for Filipino families in Hawaii, the Noche Buena pot-

luck usually would include some local favorites like platter sushi, assorted poki, and lumpia. Often turkey would be the main entrée in place of lechon, which is reserved for New Year’s Eve. Cadiz adds of Noche Buena, “It was fun, though, growing up and staying up super late and into the morning. After Misa de Gallo and Noche Buena, we’d open our Aguinaldos (money in envelopes), and Christmas presents.

Today she said the children only want Aguinaldo instead of surprise presents.

It is not as exciting because the children want money in envelopes so they can buy whatever they want. Or they prefer to have a gift card. The element of surprise is lost in the young generation with presents. They ask for what they want for Christmas.”

Pagdilao said, “Our family practices the Filipino Christmas tradition of having turkey or ham as an afterthought. Instead, we have all of the delicious Filipino foods that make life worth living, with the addition of several ‘bussin’ desserts from my other cousins. Our Christmas consists of finding out the last minute where it will be held, then trying to arrange carpooling, arguing about who can and cannot drive at night, and ends up with everybody happy, full bellies, and singing Christmas songs.”

Ilar said, “We keep it simple. No more gifts. We just enjoy each other’s presence, share a meal as a family and enjoy reminiscing and laughing.”

Simbang Gabi One aspect of Christmas in the Philippines and to Filipino families around the globe is that it remains anchored in religion and spirituality versus the commercialism dominant in other cultures.

The Christ story of love and sacrifice – that God gave his son for mankind’s salvation -- is what inspires Filipino Catholics to practice the Simbang Gabi each Christmas season. Starting on December 16 and ending on December 24, Filipinos attend daily Mass in preparation for the birth of Christ on Christmas day.

Today the Simbang Gabi (night mass) in the Philippines is held in the late night or early morning like 3 a.m.

But originally, the Mass would start at the crack of dawn as early as 4 a.m. to accommodate farmers who typically headed to the fields before sunrise to get as much done before the blistering heat kicked in.

For Filipinos who attend each of the 9-consecutive days of Simbang Gabi, they believe God grants them one wish.

Cadiz said she heard how Simbang Gabi is vibrant in Philippine cities.

Many businesses are open all evening and into the morning during Simbang Gabi because church goers want to eat street food and have coffee before or after Mass. Even though it’s dark and normally a time that everyone would be asleep, the cities during Simbang Gabi dazzle with white, green and

“Wars will probably always be a part of human existence, but they still do not diminish our hope for peace and for it to be a value we hold deeply. It is true that the world historically has had plenty of wars, but I don’t believe that the nature of humans is one rooted in conflict and war. Historically, we’ve had more time of peace and cooperation than of war.

But the lingering danger in modern warfare with nuclear weapons is it takes only one allout nuclear war to end it all for mankind. This is why I believe it’s still very relevant and important to promote the hope for peace, even if it is mostly heard during Christmas time. If you look at the history of protests, the largest ones that people are passionate about to protest in the streets, are those calling for peace.

You can look at what’s going on in the world today; we see massive crowds on all continents calling for peace. The truth is wars are the exception to humanity, not the rule which really is a state of peace.”

– Marilyn Cadiz Ewa

red lights strung around trees Christmas message and trim the edges of buildPagdilao’s Christmas ings and churches. message he wants to share, “Tell your loved ones how Time of Joy much you love them. If you There’s no place like the can’t spend the holidays Philippines for Christmas, with your family this year, many Filipinos say. For one please call them to tell them thing, it is celebrated the lon- how much you love them. gest in the world, beginning To everybody who is going in September and through through the holiday Blues, January of the next year with Jesus loves you, and I love the celebration of the three you. You aren’t alone and kings who visited the Christ you are loved infinitely by child in Bethlehem. our Savior.

Cadiz said, “my explanaIlar’s message, “Jesus is tion why in the Philippines truly the real reason for this Christmas is so fully em- Christmas holiday. I pray that braced and taken to the next everyone will draw closer to level is Filipinos are very Jesus and to know him better happy people. It’s a society in the coming New Year. Tothat thrives on having good morrow is not a guarantee. times and gatherings as a top Our relationship with Jesus priority.” is the only relationship that Pagdilao said, “Christ- will count in eternity.” mas is not only the celebraCadiz said, “I am praytion of the birth of Jesus, ing for world peace and that but also the one time of year children be safe. It’s nevwhere there is near universal er naive to hope for world happiness and joy despite peace. Christmas is a time of the increased stress in our miracles, and we can dream. professional and personal After all, Jesus – the reason lives. It is the most important why we celebrate Christmas season to spend time with -- came into the world to your loved ones and spread give us a message of hope the joy to everybody else, so and salvation. it means a lot.”

6 HAWAII FILIPINO CHRONICLE  DECEMBER 2, 2023

CANDID PERSPECTIVES

The Filipino Hostage Caught in the Middle In the Middle East; Plus, My Cousin Stephen’s Birthday

By Emil Guillermo

P

ost-Thanksgiving week’s Black Friday was more like “Asian Friday” with a little something extra to be thankful for if you were following the world news from the Middle East.

One expected to see the 13 Israeli women and children swapped out for 39 Palestinians in the first major exchange of hostages over the weekend.

But the breathless reporting was also forced to be comprehensive, honoring the big surprise. Among the first released last Friday included “10 Thais and one Filipino.”

Who amongst us expected to hear that phrase?

They weren’t Asian American, but Asian Nationals. Still, any AAPI who had been keeping arms distance from the news of the day was instantly drawn into the story like never before. The global crisis had an Asian face with Asians caught in the middle.

Vetoon Phoome, 33, was

in the group released Friday that included nine Thai men and one Thai woman. Like most of them, Phoome had been one of the 30,000 Thai nationals working on Israeli farms.

Upon his release, Phoome, who worked on a potato and pomegranate farm near Gaza, told his sister Rungarun Wichangern on a video call not to worry, and that he had not been tortured, according to a report in the Guardian.

By Sunday, four additional Thai hostages were released leaving 16 still being, according to the Thai government. Officials said since Oct. 7, 39 Thai nationals had been killed, the largest number of foreign people killed or missing because of the war.

The one Filipino And then there was the lone Filipino, Gelienor “Jimmy” Pacheco.

The 33-year-old was not an agricultural worker but lived and worked as a caregiver to 80-year-old Amitai Ben

Jimmy Pacheco

Zvi in the Kibbutz Nir Oz, the original strike point of Hamas on Oct. 7.

On that day, Pacheco called his friends to tell them he was being kidnapped and that Zvi, whom he had cared for the last four years had been killed, according to the Times of Israel.

It was the last time Pacheco was heard from until last weekend, 49 days after his ordeal began.

From pictures with Philippine Embassy officials, you can tell who was held hostage.

Pacheco is the one who looks like he missed a meal or two.

Reports among hostages of not having enough food were common.

HAWAII-FILIPINO NEWS

Attorney General Continues to Push Key Parties to Move the Maui Fire Investigation Toward Conclusion

H

ONOLULU – Attorney General Anne Lopez announced today that her office continues to aggressively push the first phase of the independent investigation into the Maui wildfires forward. Critical facts are still needed from several key stakeholders for Phase 1 to be completed.

The timeline for the release of the Phase 1 findings is dependent on the Fire Safety Research Institute (FSRI) gaining access to all facts before completing Phase 1 and a comprehensive scien-

tific analysis on how the fire incident unfolded. “Until that happens, this critical process cannot move forward,” said Attorney General Lopez.

Subpoenas have been served upon the Maui Emergency Management Agency, the County of Maui Department of Public Works, and the County of Maui Department of Water Supply. Subpoenas will allow the Attorney General to collect information in a timely manner.

“We appreciate the cooperation of the Maui fire and police departments, and while we

continue to work through some issues, their leaders and line responders have been transparent and cooperative,” continued Attorney General Lopez.

After obtaining the complete set of critical facts for FSRI review, the Office of the The Attorney General will announce a revised date for sharing the Phase 1 results with the people of Hawaiʻi.

The Maui wildfires caused significant loss of life, more than $5.5 billion in damage, and continue to take an economic toll. To capture timely (continue on page 7)

“I’m only alive because of the Lord,” Pacheco was quoted by the Philippine Embassy.

“Even on the day they abducted me, I was really thinking about my family. While I was in Gaza, I just wanted to live for my family.”

And isn’t that the case in the Philippine Diaspora, where one is always thinking about the survival of one’s family.

For Pacheco, it’s his wife Clarice Joy, and three children. Because there was no suitable work in the Philippines, one was forced to go thousands of miles away—15 hours by air—to work as a caretaker in Israel.

It is the only way to be your own family’s financial caretaker.

And that’s the price of diaspora.

It’s a grim Filipino reality.

You can support your family in the Philippines, only if you live so far away and hardly see them.

It’s the unnatural natural way of family life in the Philippines and apparently in Thailand too. These were service workers desperately seeking ways to serve in order to provide for their own families.

The released Thai hostages were expected to be united with them in Thailand. But for Pacheco it was unclear.

To Israel, Pacheco is seen as a kind of hero. Cheered when he was released from an Israeli hospital, Pacheco was promised lifetime social security benefits and stipends from the Israeli government, a gesture similar to that given to Israelis who are victims of terrorist attacks.

The Philippine government reportedly said it would provide financial assistance should Pacheco return home.

But Philippine Foreign Undersecretary Eduardo De Vega said it was up to Pacheco whether to stay in Israel or come home.

“He already is based there, he has a job,” De Vega said. “If his wife wants to visit him there, she won’t need a

visa. We can pay for it if she wants to go on a compassionate visit.”

I thought it was an odd answer. Strange, really. After being held hostage somewhere in Gaza, it wasn’t clear, wouldn’t you want to go home to the Philippines immediately to the relative comfort of home?

Could you afford to?

Maybe that’s not an automatic answer when in your native land diaspora is a way of life.

That’s always been the case. My father was in the first group to come en masse to America in the 1920s. He was a colonized American national born in the Philippines.

Once he left, he never went back to the Philippines to live.

For my dad, the balance of life has always tipped America’s way, even with the racism and discrimination he faced.

Indeed, where is home for those in the Filipino diaspora? It is the irony for Asians caught in the middle in Gaza, to be out of place, far from home, in a war that is above all about a fight about home.

Stephen Guillermo The Guillermo family immigration story began when my father came to the U.S. from the Philippines as a colonized American in 1928.

After the immigration law changed in 1965, my father’s nephew arrived and petitioned for his brothers and sisters.

Decades of visa backlogs and snafus later, the next big wave of the Guillermo family finally arrived in the U.S. in the 1990s.

Stephen was one of them.

Born in the Philippines and raised in San Francisco he was a Guillermo 1.5’r. But he died American-style, gunned down in 2014 when he entered the wrong apartment in his building.

November 27th would have been his 36th birthday. EMIL GUILLERMO is a journalist and commentator. His talk show is on www.amok.com.

DECEMBER 2, 2023  HAWAII FILIPINO CHRONICLE  7

LINGERING THOUGHTS

Can We Find A Peaceful Solution?

By Will Espero

T

he October attack against Israel by Hamas was horrific and tragic. We saw many innocent people slaughtered as Hamas kidnapped many civilians for their manipulation and future negotiations.

The surprise attack caught the Israeli government off guard, and its military response was swift, destructive, and brutal.

I do believe the Israelis had the right to defend themselves, although the death and carnage in Gaza was “overkill” in my opinion with thousands of Palestinian children and adult casualties.

Sadly, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict has been ongoing my whole life as other wars and conflicts with U.S. involvement have come and gone–Vietnam, Iraq, and Afghanistan to name a few.

Unfortunately, the current situation with the Israelis and the Palestinians seems to have no end in sight. With Israel being a strong Middle Eastern ally of the United States, the possibility of our country being pulled into a regional conflict is real.

My son is an officer in US Marines and my daughter-in-law is an officer in the US Army so my concerns are personal and immediate.

The last outcome our nation wants is an expanded regional war where our men and women are in harm’s way, and after a long war in Afghanistan, I’m certain the American people do not want more war or an increased presence in the Middle East.

With that said, will there ever be peace between the Palestinians and the Israelis?

Time will tell, but a two-nation solution is needed now with support from all peace-seeking nations.

Our world needs leaders who understand the need for peace, and I know this is easier said than done.

However, I’m tired of seeing hundreds of millions of U.S. dollars spent on weapons, wars, and ally’s problems when we have so many domestic problems and calamities which need to be addressed.

I know how the world works and am not naive or uneducated about the realities of humanity. Sadly, there are many evil and greedy leaders and individuals in this world, and thus, the role of the United States has been to be the beacon for freedom, justice, and democracy.

I do support the global position the United States has taken over the years and

Gaza Strip

decades, but I wish we had the leaders to bring peace to the Middle East. The former president and his son-in-law tried but failed.

President Biden now has a chance to make an impact even though he has been steadfast in his support for Israel.

President Biden has the opportunity to make a difference in the Middle East and effectuate lasting peace.

As a politician who has been around for over 40 years, he should have an understanding of the plight of both the Palestinians and the Israelis.

If by a miracle and hard work, he can bring the proper leaders and people together, Biden can create a legacy of peacemaker in a region of the world that has a significant influence on our nation’s quality of life.

I’m guessing that many leaders don’t expect the president to have much success in any peace-seeking

(HAWAII-FILIPINO NEWS: Attorney....from page 6)

and accurate information while first responders can recall details of the wildfires, the FSRI team has been working within the impacted communities since the end of August. The willingness of Lahaina community members to share their stories is vital and appreciated.

“We have conducted more than 100 conversations and viewed more than 1,000 personal videos and images shared by many of the residents affected by the wildfires,” said Dr. Steve Kerber, vice president and executive director of FSRI, a research organization dedicated to addressing the world’s unresolved fire safety risks and emerging dangers. “We are committed to investigating all of the facts and that requires accessing real-time in-

formation as the fire situation unfolded.”

The FSRI team has been scheduling time with local emergency services and federal, state, and local organizations that responded to the wildfires and can share their first-hand perspectives.

The purpose of the independent investigation announced in August 2023 is to find the facts and develop new policies and procedures to save lives and property in the future. “I remain personally invested in representing the truth, ensuring a comprehensive, independent investigation and communicating throughout this process,” emphasized Attorney General Lopez. “Our communities expect and deserve a safer Hawaiʻi.”

initiative. But imagine if he did. Imagine if the October 7th attack on Israel led to a real effort to find, implement, and begin a lasting peace.

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah, President Biden, Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu, United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, and other key leaders have a chance to do the impossible.

For the sake of humanity, I hope they can take the terrible and atrocious incidents of the last two months and find the silver lining that has been so elusive.

John Lennon’s lyrics to his hit song, “Imagine,” are

so relevant and appropriate for today’s world: “You may say I’m a dreamer… But I’m not the only one… I hope someday you’ll join us… And the world will live as one.”

The holiday season is upon us, and many celebrations and parties are planned and expected.

Please be smart and use common sense when celebrating with friends and family. Do not drink and drive, use designated drivers, or hire someone from a driver’s app like Uber or Lyft.

Let’s all be safe and do what’s right during the holidays, and don’t forget to remember those more needy than us. It is better to give than to receive. 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

8 HAWAII FILIPINO CHRONICLE  DECEMBER 2, 2023

PERSONAL REFLECTIONS

Shine Bright

By Seneca Moraleda-Puguan

C

hristmas is just around the corner… again.

In the blink of an eye, another year is coming to an end.

As the winter breeze blows and snow falls, the warmth of the Christmas spirit will embrace every heart. As the sun sets early and darkness creeps in, the brightness of twinkling lights will illuminate every home.

Streets will be filled with the sound of children singing beautiful carols.

Tummies will be filled with sumptuous food. Hearts will be filled with joy as gifts will be exchanged and stories will be shared.

The most wonderful time of the year is here!

But not for everyone.

Not everyone’s home will be sparkled by lights

and will burst with food and laughter.

Some homes will be empty. Some homes will be silent. While some are rejoicing and exchanging gifts, others are grieving and longing for comfort and hope.

In war-torn countries, in places where there’s no freedom and hope is just a distant dream, in homes broken by pain and terror, the most wonderful season of all will be just an ordinary day or probably the saddest of all.

In this season, while I rejoice, I will take the time to remember every family torn by senseless conflicts.

In this season, while I enjoy the mouth-watering food in the gatherings I will attend, I will utter a prayer for every empty tummy longing to be satisfied.

While I gladly open the gifts that I receive, I will

think of ways I can bless others who don’t have the same privilege.

At the end of the day, Christmas is not about the gifts that we receive or the food that satisfies our tummies. It’s not about the sparkling lights or the fancy decorations. It’s never about the parties we attend here and there.

In the darkest of places, the Light of the world has come.

In the midst of hopelessness, Hope has arrived.

In the brokenness, a baby has been born to restore.

In the dry and dead plac-

es, the Creator breathes life.

There is one reason for this season. There is one central message that Christmas brings. He has a name.

He is the Christ. His name is Jesus.

Therefore there is hope.

There is restoration and reconciliation. There is healing. There is comfort. There is peace. There is joy. There is love.

The baby that was born in a manger has brought all these and they are ours for the taking. These are the gifts He is showering.

The world is a difficult place to live in. Pain, heartbreaks and conflicts are in-

evitable. Sadness and brokenness are real.

Darkness covers the world. But we can take heart for the Savior of the world has come and He has overcome!

May every home around the world be lit, not with lights that will eventually run out but with the Light that eternally shines bright.

May every thirsty soul be quenched by the River of Life.

May every family be showered, not just with material gifts that will fade, but with the blessings of hope, peace and love that only come from Life and Love Himself.

May the Lord bless and keep your family. May His face shine upon you and give you peace. May His light shine brightly upon your home.

May this Christmas season be our best yet! Happy Holidays everybody!

DECEMBER 2, 2023  HAWAII FILIPINO CHRONICLE  9

10 HAWAII FILIPINO CHRONICLE DECEMBER 2, 2023

AS I SEE IT

Pinoy Robotics Guy is California’s Teacher of the Year

By Elpidio R. Estioko

“E

ducation is a way out of poverty! Education has brought me to the U.S. and as a Filipino immigrant, I am determined to help others just as I helped myself. I teach my students to harness their individual talents to greater heights.”

This is what Filipino American engineering teacher and robotic instructor Joseph Alvarico said when he was honored with the 2024 California Teacher of the Year Award.

As one of the five awardees, Alvarico is a resident of Antioch, California and teaches at Ygnacio Valley High School in Concord, California.

According to Contra Costa County Office of Education Superintendent of Schools Lynn Mackey, she is proud that a teacher from their county was awarded.

“Joseph is a great example of the high-quality teaching and learning going on in Contra Costa County schools every day and it’s a great honor for him to be selected as a California Teacher of the Year,” Mackey said.

“Congratulations to him, his colleagues and Mt. Diablo Unified School District (MDUSD) for the support they have given him throughout this process and the career.”

Alvarico’s strength as a teacher is about involving himself in the community.

“I work with non-profit organizations (like Mount Diablo Education Foun-

dation, Rotary Club, and Bay Area LEEDS); large and mid-size corporations (Chevron, Marathon, PG & E, Bishop Wisecarver); and local businesses to bring industry partners in my classroom for guest speaking, informational interviews, mentorship, and internships,” he shared.

“These community collaborators also help with providing funds for the different programs I run in school.”

Born in his parent’s ancestral home in Guiguinto, Bulacan, Alvarico was raised in Manila where he took his elementary and high school education from private and public schools.

His parents, Oscar and Gloria Alvarico, were both public school teachers in Metro Manila, but Alvarico never dreamed of being a teacher. His path to education and teaching was thanks to a full scholarship he received from De La Salle University (DLSU) in Manila.

“I applied to DLSU to take up medicine, but I was informed by the admissions office that with both parents in

Joseph Alvarico (middle) guiding his students

public school as teachers, it may not sustain a medical course at DLSU. However, when they saw my high school grades in Manila Science High School, they offered me a full scholarship on the condition that I have to take education courses and teach in the university for at least a year after graduation,” he explained.

“I agreed and that’s how by accident, I landed in education. Although after teaching for a year, I learned to love the profession.”

With the scholarship, he earned his degrees in Biology and Secondary Education. He went on to teach biology at Philippine Cultural High School and Chiang Kai Shek College High School.

He even became a programmer for Fujitsu, Technology Integration Specialist for Net Curricula, Inc., and Multimedia Designer for Universal Worker Inc. Alvarico’s combined real work experiences with teaching and the tech industry enabled him to teach beyond the textbooks. As an engineering teacher and robotics instructor, he teaches students how to build robots to join the district and community robotic competitions.

“I am the advisor for the FIRST Robotics team 7137, Femineer - an all-girls engineering club, and Interact - Rotary International’s service club for young people. I am

also the coordinator for the College and Career Access Pathway (CCAP) STEM at Ygnacio Valley High. The CCAP-STEM program is a dual enrollment program in partnership with Diablo Valley College (DVC), where students earn college credits while in high school. I am also an adjunct professor at DVC,” he explained.

Alvarico moved to the U.S. in 2004 after seeing an ad while working as a Multimedia Designer at Universal Workers, Inc. “It is here where I saw the ad from Mt. Diablo looking for teachers. As a media tech submitting materials to the various daily newspapers for publication, I buy the copies and submit the ad materials for publication myself. I responded to the ad and then the Mt. Diablo recruiter came to the Philippines to interview me. Then the rest is history,” Alvarico said.

He is married with one child who are both in the Philippines, but they will be joining him soon in California. Alvarico is now a permanent resident waiting to become a U.S. Citizen.

Congratulations to Joseph Alvarico! You deserve the Teacher of the Year Award. Your students are very lucky to have you, a distinguished and determined instructor of engineering and robotics! 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

DECEMBER 2, 2023  HAWAII FILIPINO CHRONICLE  11

OPEN FORUM

Why Hawaii Costs So Much — And What We Can Do About It

By Keli‘i Akina

I

t is common knowledge Hawaii has a high cost of living.

Whether we’re talking about buying groceries, paying utilities or just keeping roofs over your heads, Hawaii is always at or near the top of the national rankings for cost.

When you visit the mainland, it’s always hard to believe how much cheaper a gallon of milk or gasoline costs.

Even our turkeys are much pricier. The centerpiece of our holiday dinners costs an average of $52.85 in Hawaii, but only $27.30 in Louisiana.

None of this is surprising.

But instead of chalking it up to the “price of paradise,” we should be asking ourselves why it is so. There is nothing intrinsic about beautiful surroundings and lovely weather

that causes high costs.

So why is that the “price of paradise” in Hawaii is so high?

To some extent, it is our remote location in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, because nearly everything we buy has to be shipped in. Making that even worse is a 1920 federal law known as the Jones Act, which requires all goods imported from the U.S. mainland to be on ships that are U.S.-built and flagged, and mostly owned and crewed by Americans.

According to a 2020 study commissioned by the Grassroot Institute of Hawaii, this archaic law costs the average Hawaii family nearly $1,800 per year. So everyone pays a bit more to live in Hawaii solely because of the Jones Act. But there are other policies that add to our cost of living.

For example, Hawaii’s tax burden is among the highest in the nation. Yes, our property tax rates are low — but that is canceled out by the state’s high property values, leading to Hawaii property owners paying close to the national average in property taxes.

Hawaii’s property values are high because of the state’s shortage of housing. Fewer homes in the face of strong demand means Hawaii has the nation’s highest median home prices — and also some of the highest rental rates for renters.

Why does Hawaii have a housing shortage? Because of its plethora of regulations related to land use and homebuilding — the most in the country, in fact.

In addition, Hawaii ranks highest or nearly highest in terms of personal income tax rates; it has a regressive general excise tax — similar to a

sales tax but levied at every transaction level; plus it has many other state and county taxes that seem to grow more numerous every year the Legislature or county councils are in session.

Not surprisingly, the National Tax Foundation recently ranked Hawaii’s “business tax climate” at 42 — with 1 being the best. To every extent possible, short of going out of business, local merchants pass on their high taxes to consumers, which means a higher cost of living for those of us who buy from local businesses.

Meanwhile, Hawaii lawmakers at all levels of government are constantly piling on new regulations that add to the cost of doing business — minimum-wage laws, unemployment insurance tax laws, operating standards, required signage, more fees… it all adds up in the end.

The irony is that many policymakers believe that more taxes are the only way they can keep up with the bigger budgets that they themselves have authorized. It is a tax-

spend-tax spiral in which their budgets keep going up — and so do our taxes.

The sad result has been an exodus to the mainland of residents searching for greater opportunities and a lower cost of living elsewhere, while those of us who remain become a smaller and smaller pool of taxpayers who have to cover the state’s ever-growing level of spending.

Fortunately, Hawaii can still pull back from the brink.

All our lawmakers have to do is spend less, lower taxes, reduce regulations and address other factors that contribute to the cost of living, such as all the red tape that holds back homebuilding.

Hawaii may never be as inexpensive to live as most mainland states, but we do have the ability to lower the cost of living. In short, the solutions are there, if only our politicians will have the courage to embrace them.

KELI‘I AKINA is president and CEO of the Grassroot Institute of Hawaii.

12 HAWAII FILIPINO CHRONICLE DECEMBER 2, 2023

THEATRE REVIEW

The Super Executive Aunties of the Malama Caregivers Collective

By Rose Cruz Churma

O

n the eve of Thanksgiving, I attended a thought-provoking play at The Actors Group (TAG) playhouse at Iwilei.

It was fitting to spend that evening watching this play since November is National Family Caregivers Month, an observance dedicated to recognizing and honoring the selfless individuals who provide essential care and support to their loved ones who are ill, disabled, or elderly.

It shines a spotlight on the crucial role of family caregivers in our society. It acknowledges the physical, emotional, and financial sacrifices made by caregivers who provide care to family members or close friends with chronic illnesses, disabilities, or age-related conditions.

This theatrical experience is timely since it seeks to raise awareness about the challenges faced by family caregivers.

It spotlights their dedication, and the play’s hand-outs and parts of the script provide resources and support to help them in their caregiving roles.

This play encourages com-

munities and organizations to get involved and assist caregivers in various ways.

As Terri Madden, founder and executive director of Playbuilders Hawai’i Theater Company, notes in the program “This type of theater is called ‘community-based theater. And is truly a team effort.”

And she further adds that “it is comprised of true stories told by the community for community for the betterment of the community.

Come as you are.”

Also called a “devised theater” the play was written by a collective of artists, most of whom have experienced being a family caregiver.

Throughout the process, the ensemble members are asked to contribute to all the aspects of making a play. A cast member could be a writer, director, performer, and designer on various parts of the play.

PlayBuilders of Hawaii Theater Company which Madden founded in 2011, is a community-based theater company located in Honolulu. It has been producing plays with, for, and about the multi-culturally rich communities of Hawai’i.

Its mission is to gather and

share real stories that resonate with, empower, and connect the diverse communities of Hawaii. It uses theatrical exploration of topics that spark thought-provoking conversations that benefit the community.

This play was the result of the Malama Caregivers Project which was organized in 2022. Local family caregivers shared their stories in a series of interviews, story circles and workshops from September 2022 to April 2023.

A group of theater experts led by Catherine Ann Restivo and assisted by Terri Madden, Elizabeth Wichman-Walzack, Jiaxing Dean Mo and Ashley Zednick led the creation of this play based on real stories shared by the caregivers.

The setting of the play is the fictional Georgette Beauty Emporium in Nanakuli operated by a mother-daughter team (Georgette Stevens as Georgette and Kealailiahi Ford

as Ke’ala) who also sang the opening songs and served as hosts to the diverse group of caregivers who shared their stories with the audience.

Georgette Stevens makes her inaugural debut in this play.

She has been part of PlayBuilders Hawai’i for the past two years—taking acting classes and participating in the caregiver story-gathering workshops.

Her love and talent for singing is evident in the play.

Kealailliahi Ford who played the role of Georgette’s daughter Ke’ala has also been with this theater group for the last two years and currently serves on its board as a youth representative.

Aside from the two, the ensemble cast consists of actual caregivers with minimal acting experience.

Liz Dixon (Aunty Liz) has no acting experience but heard of this project from friends and agreed to participate. Sharon Garcia-Doyle (Aunty Emilia) on the other hand is a seasoned theater artist who’s participated both onstage and offstage in many capacities.

Deanna Espinas (Aunty Deanna) a retired librarian with Hawaii’s correctional system has been active in community theater even before her retirement. She has been involved “with community activities celebrating the stories of those who struggled to make a new home for themselves here in Hawai’i.”

She shared her experiences with her grandmother who had immigrated from the Philippines.

Allan Okubo, who played multiple roles as Ken, George and Allan, was an original board member of PlayBuilders.

He started acting in the ‘70s with Hawaii 5-0 and Magnum PI, and his stage career in 1991 and lately with TAG in 2023.

The play had a huge cast and included Kathy Byrne, Patrick Chee, James LaBrie, Jamie McOuat, Francine Less, Shannon Patalano, Shawn Comilang-Quapaw, Steve Royal, Peggy Anne Siegmund and Justin Kawamura.

The other crew members behind the scenes are Jeffery Terry Sousa, Charles Wade, Evern Williams, Marty Wong and Fletcher Young.

The play was funded by grants from The Hawai‘i Council for the Humanities through support from the National Endowment for the Humanities and the Atherton Family Foundation. It has also received in-kind donations from various community groups and individuals. 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.

MAINLAND NEWS

Hirono Condemns Republicans’ AntiImmigrant Proposal, Calls for Bipartisan Comprehensive Immigration Reform

W

A S H I N G TO N , DC – Today, U.S. Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI), a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, delivered remarks on the Senate floor emphasizing the need for bipartisan comprehensive immigration reform and condemning

Congressional Republicans’ demand for permanent anti-immigrant policy changes in exchange for continued aid for Ukraine.

“As the only immigrant serving currently in the Senate, I know that the challenges confronting immigrants are not hypothetical,” said

Senator Hirono during her remarks. “This isn’t about statistics, it’s about people—people desperate for opportunity and the hope of building a better life in our country.”

In exchange for onetime funding for Ukraine, (continue on page 13)

DECEMBER 2, 2023  HAWAII FILIPINO CHRONICLE  13

LEGAL NOTES

Funding the Trust: Retirement Accounts and Real Estate

By Sheryll Bonilla, Esq.

F

or a trust to work as a way to avoid probate, the trust has to be funded. This means that assets (but not all) are placed into the trust.

For purposes of this discussion, the trust agreement is that long document that creates the trust. The short form trust/certificate of trust/ declaration of trust (SFT/CT/ DT) (different terms for the same document) is the shorter document that confirms the trust exists and identifies the trustees, successor trustees, and trustee powers.

Consult with your tax advisor or the account administrator Not all assets should be put into the trust for tax reasons. There are severe penalties involved with “anything relating to retirement” – retirement accounts, annuities, etc. – naming the trust as a beneficiary.

Talk with your account administrator and/or tax advisor, who can inform you of the pros and cons. She or he may advise you to keep these outside of the trust. You can designate beneficiaries on those accounts to pass these assets to your beneficiaries.

Real estate Make sure you put your real estate into your trust, including all that you own now

and all that you acquire in the future. The biggest probate avoidance deals with real estate.

Instruct the escrow officer on how you will take the title. Give her a copy of your SFT/CT/DT so that the conveyance document can be prepared to convey the real estate in the correct legal name.

If the name on the deed does not match the name of the trust, there could be complications later. For example, “the 1986 John Doe Trust” is NOT the same as the “the John Doe Trust dated 1986”.

These are two different trust names, even though they are similar.

Putting your real estate in a name that is not an exact match may require fixing in the future before you or a successor trustee can manage, convey, or sell or deal with the property.

Real estate includes leases on property you don’t own. Place leased property in the trust, too.

For example, if you lease farmland, warehouse, office space, and so forth, on a long-term basis, placing this in the trust permits your successor trust to take over the property after you pass.

Leaving it out of the trust and dying with the lease in your name as an individual can result in your heirs or successor trustee going to probate court to be appoint-

ed as personal representatives for authority to deal with the lease.

If you refinance your home loan, some lenders require that you take your property out of the trust before they put their mortgage on it. If this happens, be sure that right after the mortgage is recorded, you convey the house back into the trust.

The best way to do this is to ask the attorney who prepares the conveyance document that takes the property out of the trust to prepare at the same time, a second conveyance document that puts the property back into the trust.

You will sign and record this second document after the mortgage is put in place.

Immediately after the mortgage is completed, record the second conveyance document to put the house in the trust.

expense of probate in anoth- erty into your trust requires er state, after you create your a conveyance document – a trust, hire an attorney in that deed, assignment of lease, other state to prepare a deed etc. Simply writing on a conveying your property schedule “my house at (adinto your trust. dress)” does not put the You must record the house into the trust. deed in the proper recording This conveyance docuoffice for the real estate to ment must be recorded/filed be put into your trust. This in the Bureau of Conveyancis much cheaper and faster es. Hawaii does not charge for your heirs and will save a conveyance tax for transyour heirs a lot of money and ferring your property into stress. your trust. The deed must be Your Hawaii lawyer can- accompanied by the P64B not prepare these deeds for (green) form that informs you; all lawyers’ permission the county tax office of the to practice stops at the state transfer. borders (unless they also have If you are buying a house, a license in that other state). give a copy of the short form You have to find a law- trust/certificate of trust/decyer in the state where your laration of trust (whatever property is. You might have yours is called) to the realtor to find a lawyer in that par- or escrow officer. ticular county since on the They will pass it on to mainland, recordings are the lawyer writing the condone by counties, unlike Ha- veyance document so that waii which has a single Bu- the house you buy is transreau of Conveyance for the ferred into your trust. whole state. This includes If you are refinancing, the Out-of-state real estate timeshares, leases, mineral lender will want to see your A crucial category of rights, and other real proper- trust agreement to make sure assets that you should im- ty interests. that they can foreclose on the mediately transfer into your home if you don’t make your trust is real estate that you Hawaii real estate payments. own in other states. If these Putting your real propare not placed into the trust, your heirs will have to open The information provided in this article is not legal advice. Publication probate in each state where of this information is not intended to create, and receipt by you does not the real property is located. constitute, an attorney-client relationship.)

They have to find a lawyer who practices in the jurisdiction and also in the proper court for probate where your property is. This ancillary probate requires hiring attorneys in those other states and will take time and cost money.

To avoid the delay and

(MAINLAND NEWS: Hirono....from page 12)

Republicans are demanding drastic anti-immigrant policy changes that would effectively weaken the United States’ immigration system by complicating the country’s asylum system and sowing further chaos at the southern border.

“Pitting vulnerable groups against each other—Ukrainians fighting an unjust invasion

and asylum seekers fleeing persecution—is a recipe for bad policymaking,” continued Senator Hirono. “I stand ready to work in good faith with anyone looking to meaningfully improve our nation’s badly outdated and broken immigration system. However, that is not what the current Republican proposal does.”

“The American people

are tired of rhetoric—they are looking to us to act,” concluded Senator Hirono.

“I believe this body has the ability to come together and enact comprehensive immigration reform, and I hope we—Democrats and Republicans, we both acknowledge that the immigration system is broken—can find the will to do so.”

14 HAWAII FILIPINO CHRONICLE DECEMBER 2, 2023

HAWAII WORKERS CORNER

Can We Talk About the Different Wages?

By Arcelita Imasa, M.D.

I

have heard people talk about minimum wage, a living wage, something called ALICE, and more recently a “thriving wage.” What are all of these and does the Hawai’i Workers Center have a position on these?

– Reader Dear Reader, You asked a great question!

The Hawai’i Workers Center (HWC) has successfully campaigned to increase

the minimum wage. But we recognize that the minimum wage is just what its name says–minimum.

It simply means the lowest wage that can be paid to most workers. However, it is not a wage that most workers could live on without other income.

On October 1, 2022, Hawai’i’s minimum wage increased from $10.10 per hour (the rate it had been stuck at for 4 years) to $12 per hour.

It was estimated that 80,000 workers were making under $12 per hour and would see their income rise.

Hawai’i’s minimum wage will increase to $14 per hour effective January 1, 2024. On January 1, 2026, it will increase to $16 dollars and $18 per hour effective January 1, 2028.

While some employers have opposed these minimum wage increases, our position is that if the only way a business can be viable is to pay its workers poverty-level wages then it’s not viable business to begin with.

ALICE stands for Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed. The ALICE Income Assessment is a tool that measures the gap between how much income households in each State need to earn to be above the Federal Poverty Level and be able to afford basic necessities– called the ALICE Threshold.

Incomes above the ALICE Threshold are often considered “living wages.” In 2021 Hawai’i ranks 29th of the 50 states in terms of the number of persons living below the ALICE threshold.

Honolulu County, with the largest number of households, had 39% living below the ALICE threshold followed

by Hawai’i County with almost half or 47% below the threshold.

Maui County with 56,319 households had 49% below the threshold. And that was before the devastation of the Lahaina wildfires!

The HWC believes that workers should only need one job. That job should enable workers and their families to thrive and not just survive.

A thriving wage is a relatively new concept for those who research and measure income and prosperity. But it is not new to workers.

Ask any worker what they really need to thrive and how they would define “thriving.”

We did just that recently.

This is what they told us: A thriving wage would be one

in which 40% or less is spent to secure adequate housing and health care.

It allows a family to take a vacation, have disposable income for recreation, or go out to eat once in a while.

It’s a wage that allows them to save at least 10% of their income for the future.

How would you define a thriving wage?

We would all be happier, and safer and our island economy would prosper if all of us were thriving instead of some of us just surviving.

Sincerely, Hawaii Workers Center Dr. ARCELITA IMASA is a practicing family physician and the secretary of the Hawaii Workers Center’s Executive Committee of the Board. She grew up in the Philippines before migrating to Hawaii with her family more than a decade ago.

MAINLAND NEWS

Department of Labor Introduces New Retirement Security Proposal

W

hen saving for retirement, sound advice is needed to grow your savings fund. However, retirement savers lose billions of dollars due to wrong financial advices, according to the U.S. Department of Labor.

In order to protect retirement savers and investors, the Labor department released a new retirement security proposal to ensure that individuals hire a financial adviser that will champion their best financial interests, rather than giving conflicted advice that will only benefit the adviser.

Based on the White House Fact Sheet, the proposal will enforce the following: • Close loopholes so that financial recommendations to buy any investment vehicles are in the savers’ best interest.

• Cover advice to roll assets out of an employer-sponsored plan like a 401(k).

• Cover advice to plan sponsors about which investments to make available as options in 401(k) and other employer-sponsored plans.

“This rule will level the playing field and make sure that all advisers are competing under a common best interest standard when they make recommendations about retirement investments. And it’s about time,” wrote Lisa M. Gomez, the assistant secretary for employee benefits security in the U.S. Department of Labor.

“This proposal achieves those goals and will make it much easier for people to invest their hard-earned retirement savings confidently so that they can eventually enjoy the carefree retirement that they deserve.” 

DECEMBER 2, 2023  HAWAII FILIPINO CHRONICLE  15

COMMUNITY CALENDAR LET’S ZUMBA | Filipino Community Center | Every Monday starting January 9, 2023 at 6:15pm | FilCom Center, Consuelo Courtyard, 94-428 Mokuola Street, Waipahu | Need to unwind in movement and dance after a long workday? Join the community as we Zumba through the evening.

Only $5 per class. Proceeds go to support these program-types for FilCom Center.

celebrate Christmas at the FilCom Center. This year’s theme is Peaceful and Joyful Spirit of Christmas!

There will be food booths and games such as Christmas Caroling Contest, Parol Contest, Tabletop Christmas Tree Contest, Krismas Karaoke Contest and Paskorama Contest. The event is free and open to the public. To join the contest, please sign up at tinyurl.com/paskosafilcom23.

17TH ANNUAL PASKO SA FILCOM | Filipino Community Center | December 3 at 3-7pm | FilCom Center, 94-428 Mokuola Street, Waipahu | HJoin the Filipino community and

SAKADA DAY FILM VIEWING | FilipinoAmerican Historical Society of Hawaii, Filipino Community Center | December 16 at 10am-1pm | Casamina Flores Ballroom, FilCom Center, 94-

428 Mokuola Street, Waipahu | Annually observed on December 20, the Sakada Day is a celebration that commemorates the contributions and sacrifices of Filipino migrant workers who helped build Hawaii’s sugar industry. Join us for a free film viewing. Refreshments will be provided.

PHILIPPINE MEDICAL ASSOCIATION OF HAWAII’S 44TH INAUGURATION AND INSTALLATION OF OFFICERS | Saturday, January 27, 2024 | Royal Hawaiian Hotel-Monarch Ballroom | Formal Attire or Filipiniana. Email pmah-hawaii.org/ pmahinfo@gmail.com for details.

Q&A

The National Asian Pacific Center on Aging’s Information Guide on Medicare Open Enrollment

By NAPCA Staff

M

edicare Open Enrollment Period is ongoing.

We chose several questions about this subject and want to share the information in this month’s column. We added one question to address the areas where many people are confused about the COVID-19 vaccine more clearly.

If you have additional questions on 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 do I need to check my Medicare plan every year during the Open Enrollment Period and how do I check my plan?

Answer: If you don’t take any action, your existing plan will be renewed for 2024. But that could come with cost and benefit changes. Your plans’ coverage may change, and your health care needs may have changed, too. This is why it’s import-

benefits such as drug coverage, dental, or vision you may have with your Medicare Advantage plan.

If you make this switch and you want drug coverage, be sure to sign up for a Medicare stand-alone prescription drug plan (PDP).

If you do not, and you decide to sign up for Part D coverage later, you may need to wait for another year until the next Open Enrollment Period and face a penalty for late enrollment.

You may also want to consider purchasing a Medicare supplemental insurance policy, known as Medigap, that helps to pay your cost-sharing requirements under Original Medicare.

You also can switch from Medicare Advantage to Original Medicare during the Q: I signed up for a Medi- Medicare Advantage Open care Advantage plan during Enrollment Period (January my Initial Enrollment Pe- 1 to March 31). riod (IEP) this year, but I Q: If I make a mistake would like to change it to Original Medicare because when I change my coverage I plan to travel to different during the Medicare Open states throughout the next Enrollment Period, what year. How can I switch from can I do to fix it?

A: If the Medicare OEP Medicare Advantage to is ongoing: you can simply Original Medicare?

A: You should contact pick a different plan instead your current plan to cancel (by the December 7 deadyour enrollment and call line) and the new choice will MEDICARE (1-800-633- take effect on January 1.

If the Medicare OEP 4227) during the Medicare Open Enrollment period. has ended: you can use the The change will take effect Medicare Advantage Open on January 1 of the follow- Enrollment Period (MAOEP, Jan 1~Mar 31) to pick a ing year.

Original Medicare does different Advantage plan or not provide any additional switch to Original Medicare ant to check-up on your current plan during the period even if you’re happy with your current plan.

Your plan will send you a “Plan Annual Notice of Change” (ANOC) each fall.

If you don’t get this important document, contact your plan. The ANOC includes any changes in coverage, costs, and more that will be effective in January.

Review any coverage changes including drug formulary. Think about any changes to your healthcare and/or prescription drug needs, and healthcare expenses to decide whether the plan will continue to meet your needs in the next year.

Just remember to do so before Medicare Open Enrollment ends on December 7.

and a Part D plan.

If you’ve enrolled in a stand-alone Part D plan that doesn’t fit your needs, your options are more limited. Changes to these plans can generally only be made during the fall Medicare OEP.

alent COVID-19 variant and is available for administration starting from late September 2023. If your last vaccine was before September 2023, please get this new vaccine.

You can get a COVID-19 vaccine and other vaccines, including a Flu vaccine, at Q: I have already received the same visit. Possible side COVID-19 vaccines and effects after getting vaccithe last vaccination was nated are generally the same in January 2023. Do I when given alone or with still need to get another other vaccines. COVID-19 vaccine?

A: Like Flu virus, the vi- National Asian Pacific Cenrus that causes COVID-19 ter on Aging (NAPCA) is a has changed over time. A non-profit organization dedinew vaccine has been de- cated to improving the quality veloped and was approved of life of AANHPI older adults by the FDA on September and their families. We operate a NAPCA Senior Assistance 11, 2023.

The new vaccine pro- Center for Older Adults and vides better protection Caregivers and is available in against the currently prev- 5 different languages.

H E L P

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DECEMBER 2, 2023