5.16.24-5.22.24 by Philippine News Today

PHL NAVY DEPLOYS WARSHIP, UPS PATROLS

Allies muddling Senate’s probe of docu linking Marcos to drug use

By Be�ng Laygo Dolor, Editor

MANILA -- Don’t shoot the messenger, Mr. President.

This was the message of former Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) agent Jonathan Morales after President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. called him a liar as well as a “jukebox” who will ﬁguratively sing any song once a coin is placed on a slot.

Morales is the PDEA agent who has testiﬁed before the Senate on the leaked document incrimi-

nating Marcos as an alleged drug user, along with actress Maricel Soriano.

Morales said that Marcos’s irrational reaction could be proof of his drug use, as the president was not thinking clearly.

Speaking in the vernacular, Morales said he was only doing his job of investigating a claim from what PDEA considered a valid source.

“I was not accusing him. It was an informant who was accus- Page 6

Country boosting defenses, tension in WPS hits new high

By ALFRED GABOT, Editor in Chief

MANILA/PALAWAN/ZAMBALES— The Philippine Navy has deployed a warship to Escoda Shoal or Sabina Shoal, only 75 miles from Palawan and a part of Philippine territory, amid the suspected reclamation activities of China in the area fuelling further tension in the already fully charged dispute between the Philippines and China in West Philippine Sea and South China Sea.

Page 7

CA man sentenced to one year in prison for driving through Stop Asian Hate rally

By Gilda Balan, Correspondent

SAN FRANCISCO - A 58-year-old man from Diamond Bar, CA, was sentenced to a year in prison after he pleaded guilty to driving through a Stop Asian Hate rally in 2021.

Steve Lee Dominguez pleaded guilty to a federal civil rights charge -- one felony count of bias-motivated interference with federally protected activities.

Dominguez’s one-year sentence which was hand-

ed out last week is pursuant to the terms of the plea agreement.

US Attorney Martin Estrada told media last October that Dominguez’s decision to attack “a peaceful rally meant to raise awareness of anti-Asian bias was both unlawful and unAmerican.”

DALY CITY, Calif. –

Top San Francisco Bay Area oﬃcials and this city’s core leadership rose to the occasion hailing a Filipino American couple for their devotion to each other and to their community.

Page 6

Estrada said his oﬃce “will remain steadfast in our commitment to safeguard civil rights for all members of our

Daly City’s favorite “Ninang,” the former Perla Gange and her

husband Emidgio “Mig” Ibarrientos prove love simply sweetens over time and grows when seasoned with trust and respect, support and understanding, and a common passion to serve together. Recently they vowed anew to honor their wedding vows on their 60th  Page 11

LGUs told to brace for La Nina

UPSIDE

by Cherie M. Querol Moreno

Senators Ronald Bato dela Rosa, Robinhood Padilla, and Ramon Bong Revilla Jr at a Senate Commi�ee on Public Order and Dangerous Drugs hearing.

Daly City Mayor Juslyn Manalo relates how the Mig and Perla Ibarrientos’ ﬁrst dance led to a life�me together in service to their community. REY GUARIN photo

Marcos name never appeared in PDEA system on drug use – agency exec

MANILA – An oﬃcial of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) clariﬁed before the Senate Committee on Public Order and Dangerous Drugs that the name of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. was never included in any of their records.

PDEA Legal and Prosecution Service

Acting Director Francis Del Valle said “Bongbong Marcos alias Bonget,” allegedly the subject of a 2012 pre-operation report and authority to operate that circulated on social media, never appeared in their National Drug Information System or the Inter-agency Drug Information database.

“Hence, he has never been included in the drug list or has been subject to any negation operation,” Del Valle said in a presentation during the third hearing on the socalled “PDEA Leaks.”

Former PDEA chiefs attended the third hearing of the so-called “PDEA Leaks” in the Senate to question the credibility of former agent Jonathan Morales.

Former PDEA director general Dionisio Santiago, who led the agency from 2006 to 2010, was presented by Senator Jose Estrada as a “surprise witness” before the Committee on Public Order and Dangerous

Drugs.

Santiago said Morales is now being called “STL” by former colleagues after hearing his testimonies in the Senate.

“Professional storyteller liar (STL). ‘Yun ang sabi sa akin (That’s what they told me),” Santiago said.

Arturo Cacdac, the PDEA chief in 2012, denied Morales’ accusations that the leadership had prejudice on him.

Cacdac recalled that under his helm in December 2012, Cacdac admitted planting evidence during an operation against Filipino-Chinese drug suspects.

“Kaya ako po ay namangha. Ang tagal ko po sa serbisyo, ngayon lang ako nakaranas nang ganun (So I was surprised. I’ve been in the service for a while, that was the ﬁrst time I experienced something like that),” he said.

Cacdac said Morales shamed the PDEA and National Prosecution Service.

“Dumaan po ‘yan sa preliminary investigation. Pinaniwalaan na po sila kaya umabot sa korte, eh pagkatapos sasabihin niya pinlant lang ‘yung ebidensya (It went through the preliminary investigation. They were found credible so the cases reached the court, only for him to say that the evidence was just planted),” Cacdac said. Morales conﬁrmed Cacdac’s testimony.

Senator Ronald Dela Rosa, who chairs the panel, admitted that he did not see any copy of the viral documents during his time as chief of the Philippine National Police.

“Kasi ako kung tanungin mo rin ako, nag-chief PNP ako, wala talaga akong nakita about that information. Ako mismo, honestly speaking, wala akong nakita (Because if you ask me, I was a PNP chief, I never saw that information. I myself, honestly speaking, I never saw any),” dela Rosa said.

Del Valle reiterated the PDEA’s stand that the supposedly “leaked” documents were “purely fabricated,” considering that they have no control numbers and are marred with redactions.

PRESIDENT MARCOS JR.

DIRECTOR FRANCIS DEL VALLE

Nancy Binay mulls running for Makati mayor

MAKATI CITY -- Sen. Maria Lourdes

Nancy Binay is contemplating running for mayor in Makati City, their clan’s home turf, and is ready to sacriﬁce her relationship with the husband of her sister, incumbent Mayor Mar-Len Abigail Abby Binay, for the good of Makati.

portedly declared his own plan to run for mayor of the city.

Binay said she has to exert eﬀort to avoid a conﬂict in the family.

She admitted that there’s a possibility of a showdown for the top post in their turf with her brother-in-law.

“What will be good for Makati yung consideration, kung kailangan na i-sacriﬁce yung in-law relationship para doon sa mga kababayan ko sa Makati, we have to sacriﬁce that,” Binay said.

(If I have to sacriﬁce my relationship with my brother-in-law for the good of Makati, so be it. I will decide based on what’s good for Makati.)

“Away-pamilya pa din yun sakin parang ayoko mawalan ng pag-asa na hindi mangyari na magkakaroon uli ng ganung gulo sa pamilya but tulad nang nabanggit mo, nangyari na nga yung scenario na may gulo ulit talagang malaki yung probability mangyayari yung ganung gulo,” Binay said.

ing again. If at all, what’s okay, if okay is even the appropriate word, is that it won’t be Binay vs Binay because my brother in law has another surname.)

While she has yet to make a ﬁnal announcement, Binay said she’s already preparing, ABS-CBN reported.

The outgoing senator, who chairs the Senate Committee on Accounts which manages the institutional ﬁnances of the chamber, said they are aiming to have their 1st session for 2025 in the new Senate building in Taguig.

She said it’s 80 percent complete. She added that equipment like the elevators have been delivered. She said there was a delay in the procurement of the skylight for the plenary hall. She expects the building to be fully completed by July 2025.

The lady senatorr said there’s a 70% chance that the trajectory of her future plans is for Makati.

She said she remains open to talk with the camp of her brother-in-law, who re-

Mayor Binay is now on her ﬁnal term as mayor, while her husband Luis Campos is currently a congressman and wants to succeed her, ABS-CBN reported.

“Siguro ang di ko alam kung tama yung word na okay, hindi Binay vs Binay na mangyayari di ba kasi di naman Binay yung apelyido ng brother in law ko.”

(That’s still a family feud. I don’t want to lose hope but it already happened in the past so there’s a chance of it happen-

She, however, had doubts if the Senate can host the annual State of the Nation Address at their new building. Binay said that while the plenary hall can accommodate the over 300 congressmen of the House of Representatives, there may not be a holding room for them before the session.

The new Senate plenary hall was built for 54 senators but without desks, it can have lawmakers from the larger chamber. The cost has gone over P10 billion.

Proposed Manila Bay Dev’t Authority opposed

MANILA — Activist ﬁshers’ group Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (PAMALAKAYA) expressed opposition against the proposed Manila Bay Development Authority (MBDA), which is tasked to craft a master plan, including the review of projects and relocation of informal settlers.

“We highly believe that this proposed new agency aims to expedite the privatization and destruction of Manila Bay. Additionally, why the need to create a new agency when there is already an existing interagency that is supposedly tasked to oversee the rehabilitation of the bay?” PAMALAKAYA said, referring to the 13-agency Manila Bay Task Force created in 2019 to execute the Supreme Court’s 2008 mandamus to clean-up and rehabilitate Manila Bay.

“Maging ang kasalukuyang interagency task force na pinamumunuan ng Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) ay bigong gampanan ang mandato nitong protektahan ang Manila Bay mula sa mapanirang mga aktibidad. Katunayan, instrumento pa nga ang DENR sa malalawak na reklamasyon sa pamamagitan ng pagbibigay nito ng environmental compliance certiﬁcates (ECC) sa mga proyekto,” it added.

‘Kaya nababahala kami sa panukalang bagong ahensya para sa Manila Bay dahil sa pangkalahatang mandato nito na tiyakin ang relokasyon ng mga residente at pamilyang mangingisda sa baybayin. Malinaw na ang tunguhin nito ay pribatisasyon ng dagat at mga baybayin para sa mga proyektong reklamasyon,” Pamalakaya said. .

Pasay City backs PBBM’s Bagong Pilipinas, boosts clearing, cleanup ops

PASAY CITY – The Pasay City Government has committed to harmonizing its policies with the “Bagong Pilipinas” campaign of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. by strengthening its clearing operations and cleanup drive around the city.

The commitment was formalized by Pasay City Mayor Emi Calixto-Rubiano and other local oﬃcials during the launching of “Bagong Pilipinas - Kalinisan at Kaayusan sa Lungsod ng Pasay” at the Pasay City Astrodome .

“Una pa lang po ito dahil marami pa po tayong (This is just the ﬁrst step because we will have more) events and activities

in support of this advocacy towards community development and whole-scale nation building,” Calixto-Rubiano said in her speech.

“Sama-sama nating isigaw ang ating pakikiisa sa hangarin ng Bagong Pilipinas (Together, let us shout out our solidarity with the aspiration of Bagong Pilipinas).”

The “Bagong Pilipinas” campaign is the theme of the Marcos administration’s brand of governance and leadership, characterized by a principled, accountable, and dependable government reinforced by uniﬁed institutions of society.

Batangas governor Governor Mandanas, 80, weds lawyer, 32

BATANGAS CITY -- This one is for Ripley’s Believe It or Not!

Batangas Governor Hermilando Mandanas has married lawyer Angelica Chua in a church wedding in Batangas City and their almost fairy tale love story continue to be the talk of the town and the nation. The wedding and reception which was streamed live on social media was also splashed in the media in many countries.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and First Lady Liza Marcos themselves, former President Goria Macapagal Arroyo and other national and local politicians and business leaders like San Miguel Corporation president and COO Ramon S. Ang witnessed the wedding at the Minor Basilica of Immaculate Conception and attended the reception at the provincial capitol grounds.

Mandanas, 80, became a widow in 2022 with the passing of his wife, Regina Reyes-Mandanas, a former congresswoman from Marinduque. His new wife, attorney Chua, is 32, or 48 years his junior.

Mrs. Chua-Mandanas hails from a political family from the town of Ibaan, Batangas. Her father is a doctor, while her mother is the executive judge of Batangas City

while an uncle once served as mayor of Ibaan.

“I came here not only of my own free will, but full of love,” the 80-year old governor said in his wedding vows as ABS-CBN and other media reported.

“We are both ready to raise as good Christians the children who God will give us. That is really the essence of our union, of our marriage: to have children who we will raise in a Christian way,” Mandanas said.

“I am ready whether it is going to be for better or for worse, for richer or for poorer, til death do us part, exclusive,” he added.

During the wedding reception, Mandanas described his new wife as someone who is “never boring.”

“Harinawa ay makatulong kaming dalawa sa pagkakaroon ng tunay na masagana at happy life dito sa atin hindi lang sa lalawigan ng Batangas kung hindi sa buong Pilipinas,” he said.

“In our relationship we should not be boring. Nakita naman ninyo kapag si Angelica ang kasama, we can assure you it will never be boring,” he said.

Chua revealed in her vow that Mandanas asked her out on Valentine’s Day. She repeated their story during a tell-all television interview of the couple.

“I thank you for having the courage to ask me to be your valentine and for choosing to spend the rest of your life with me,” she said.

“When we ﬁrst started dating, you said you need someone stronger than you,” she said.

“Today, in front of God, our families and friends and of all the Batangueños, I promise to be strong for you, to support you, to always be by your side and to take good care of you,” she said.

Chua — who earned her law degree from the

Dagupan City feels the heat at 50°C

DAGUPAN CITY – The province of Pangasinan sizzled Monday with its highest heat index so far this year at 50 degrees Celsius, based on the monitoring of the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration in Dagupan City.

It was also the highest in the country that day, equaling Clark, Pampanga’s heat index on May 6.

Pili, Camarines Sur recorded 48°C while Metro Manila was between 43°C

to 45°C despite rainfall in some areas.

The highest actual temperature was 38.5°C in Muñoz, Nueva Ecija, while Pasay City was at 38.3°C.

Pangasinan is forecast to have heat indices between 47°C and 48°C on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Heat index is the temperature the human body feels when relative humidity combines with air temperature.

Ateneo de Manila University — said in jest that she would try her best to listen to her husband.

“I promise to listen to you and your suggestions, but not necessarily follow you,” she said.

“It’s only part of due process.”

“I believe in the law of attraction. Believe it or not I actually manifested this day… I’ve always wanted and I knew I’d marry a politician because I know I’d marry a great partner,” she said.

“I know that my wedding will be the wedding of the year,” she said.

The new ﬁrst lady of Batangas also thanked the governor’s siblings for welcoming her into their family.

The lawyer teared up as she explained why she agreed to marry the governor, ABS-CBN reported.

“I’ve had my heart broken so many times that I guarded up and raised my standards so high, so high no one was supposed to reach it so I wont get hurt again, until you came,” she said.

“You showed me that I deserved to be loved and respected, that with you, I can put my guard down,” she said.

“And if there is one thing I’d ask of you, it is for you to promise to stay for as long as you can so I can grow old with you.”

“Sa totoo lang, noong una kaming nag meet ng siblings ni Gov, takot na takot talaga ako… but they were very very welcoming. Thank you very much po,” she said.

The governor’s wife said that some of their principal sponsors shouldered the cost of the reception that was held right in front of the provincial capitol. The church ceremony and the reception were both live streamed on the social media pages of the Batangas Public Information Oﬃce.

DND chief sees bigger scenarios in next ‘Balikatan’ drills

CAMP AGUINALDO, Quezon City – Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. said the next edition of the annual USPhilippines “Balikatan” exercises will see heightened action through more realistic scenarios and full battle simulations.

In his speech at the closing rites in Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City, the defense chief also extended President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s well wishes to all participants of the three-week drills.

“He (Marcos) looks forward to next year’s exercise which will be, I believe, a full battle simulation which will put to the test the combined capabilities in the most realistic of scenarios possible with safety in mind,” Teodoro said.

The DND chief also applauded the drills which concluded without untoward incidents.

“That’s not easy, given the El Niño period now. It probably posed a signiﬁcant challenge in operating, particularly to those on the ground,” Teodoro said.

Some 16,000 Filipino and American soldiers took part in the exercises which started on April 22.

Teodoro also echoed the observation made by Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) chief Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr. and US Ambassador to the Philippines MaryKay Carlson that it had been a productive year for bilateral and multilateral cooperation between Manila and Washington, D.C. and their allies, such as Australia, Ja-

Allies...

pan, France, India, Canada, and other “likeminded nations.”

This came following the trilateral summit among the Philippines, US, and Japan, where key defense and security oﬃcials also tackled mutual concerns.

“And we look forward to exercises such as this where at least on the Philippine side, we go out of our normal comfort zone and try to focus on actual soldiering which is what an armed forces need (to be doing) and after this exercise both sides will go back to the drawing board,” he added.

Teodoro said Marcos is waiting for an “extensive debrief” of the “Balikatan” suc-

cesses, aside from the gaps that need to be ﬁlled in terms of interoperability, human resources capabilities and sustainment.

Such things are important for the continuation of bilateral and multilateral cooperation of the Philippines with its allies, he added.

“We have also witnessed on the Philippine side the shift towards, as I said, getting out of their comfort zones and I have told the AFP that we will be increasing the pressure continuously for them to evolve as soon as possible into a multi-threat, multitheater operating armed force consistent with the archipelagic doctrine nature of our

country and the necessity for defending it in a proactive and not a passive manner,” Teodoro said.

During the drills, participating forces engaged in various training scenarios throughout the exercise to enhance interoperability and readiness across critical areas such as external defense operations, cyber defense, counter-terrorism, humanitarian assistance and disaster response, and inter-agency capacity-building.

This year’s exercise highlighted the combined capabilities of the AFP and the US Armed Forces in addressing complex security challenges through the information warﬁghter exercise (IWX) that empowered military planners to set the standard for future local IO training programs.

The ﬁrst-ever multilateral maritime exercise marked a historic milestone in regional cooperation, providing participating countries with invaluable knowledge to propel their naval forces.

In addition, demonstrating proﬁciency in maritime defense tactics and promoting peace, the counter landing live ﬁre exercise and maritime strike exercise showcased the combined capabilities of the AFP and the US Armed Forces in addressing complex security challenges.

AFP chief Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr. said the exercise reaﬃrmed the strong bond between the two armed forces and their commitment to uphold peace, security, and prosperity in the Indo-Paciﬁc Region.

(From page 1)

ing him of being a drug user,” Morales said in an online interview this week.

Much of what that informant claimed has been proven to be factual, he added.

The PDEA document was based on the claims of the unnamed informant, and not his personal views, said Morales. He was simply performing an administrative task when he signed oﬀ on the document, he said in the interview.

However, the president publicly attacked him which showed that Mr. Marcos did not understand that the Senate committee of Senator Ronald ‘Bato’ Dela Rosa was only trying to get to the bottom of the leaked document.

Dela Rosa earlier said that his committee on public order’s hearings could well clear the president. “We do not have a hidden agenda,” he said in the vernacular.

(From page 1)

community.”

While driving through the peaceful demonstrators, Dominguez was heard shouting “Go back to China!” and other racial slurs.

Mehtab Syed, acting assistant director in charge of LA’s FBI ﬁeld oﬃce, said: “Mr. Dominguez attacked innocent civilians who were simply standing up for a righteous cause – to protect Asian members of our society from hateful attacks.”

Syed added that last week’s sentencing “represents the FBI’s commitment to ensuring that Constitutionally-protected rights are not violated and those who

The senator, however, also said that he was convinced that the document that had been leaked to media was valid, and not fake.

PDEA legal division head Francis del Valle had told the committee that he believes the document was “falsiﬁed” as it did not have a control number.

Perhaps it was just part of the personal ﬁles of Morales, according to Del Valle.

It must be noted that the document in question goes back to 2012, before Marcos was elected president.

Mr. Marcos’ latest drug test was done in 2021 at St. Luke’s Medical Center. This was during the presidential campaign, and he received a clean bill of health.

That test, however, was only for cocaine and not other illegal drugs, Senator Chiz Escudero pointed out.

Allies of the president quickly came to his defense, led by Senator Jinggoy Estrada who engaged Morales in a heated exchange over their past cases.

deny them will be held accountable.”

The rally was being held ﬁve days after six Asian American women had been murdered in Atlanta.

Authorities said during the rally , a group of protesters were also at the scene with American ﬂags, voicing anti-Asian slogans.

Dominguez “deliberately drove his car through the intersection’s crosswalk at the red light, made an illegal U-turn into incoming traffic, and cut off the route of several rally participants” who were lawfully demonstrating, said Justice officials in a news release.

The demonstrators were primarily women, although there was one nine-

Estrada questioned the credibility of Morales, who the senator said had a string of cases against him such as dishonesty and grave misconduct.

But Morales stated that he was only accused, but not convicted, of any crime.

In fact, it is Estrada who has been convicted by the Sandiganbayan of one count of bribery relative to the pork barrel scandal. That conviction is under appeal.

At the Senate hearing, Morales showed a video showing a Justice department agent as well as a Napolcom agent seemingly asking him not to testify before Dela Rosa’s panel.

The order allegedly came from First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos, through an intermediary.

Senate President Migz Zubiri also appeared to back the president, saying Senate hearings should not be used for political persecution.

Dela Rosa’s committee has had three hearings so far, and a fourth is scheduled

year-old child with them.

Luckily, no one was hurt as Dominguez only narrowly missed hitting the protesters.

After his arrest, Dominguez had been out on a $30,000 bail bond since May 2022.

In October, last year, he pleaded guilty to a single count of interference in federally protected activities.

The relatively light sentence was due to his admission of guilt and because no one was injured as a result of his raciallymotivated attack.

This resource is supported in whole or in part by funding provided by the State of California, administered by the

for this week.

Morales joined the call for the president to take a hair test to prove that he was not a drug user, but Mr. Marcos has chosen to ignore the growing clamor.

In the US, hair drug testing is resorted to even by the courts as these are considered “forensically sound and legally defensible” according to National Drug Screening, Inc. Results are accepted by the FBI.

It was, in fact, the president’s own former executive secretary Vic Rodriguez who ﬁrst proposed that he take a hair drug test, which former president Rodrigo Duterte seconded.

Duterte even said he was willing to be tested alongside Mr. Marcos, and it should be done in a public place for all to see. He suggested the test be done at the Rizal Park.

Mr. Marcos has ﬂat out rejected the proposal, which would remove once and for all any doubts on his alleged drug use.

California State Library in partnership with the California Department of Social Services and the California Commission on Asian and Paciﬁc Islander American Aﬀairs as part of the Stop the Hate program. To report a hate incident or hate crime and get support, go to https://www.cavshate.org/.

Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr.

US eyes PHL for USGS Landsat ground station

WASHINGTON D.C. – The Philippines is being considered as a possible location for the next United States Geological Survey (USGS) Landsat ground station, the us State Department has announced.

The subject was ﬂoated at the inaugural US-Philippines Space Dialogue in Washington DC on May 2, where the two states discussed ways to advance bilateral exchanges in civil space matters.

In a joint statement released on Tuesday, the State Department said the two sides agreed that Earth observation is a “priority area for bilateral cooperation”.

“They agreed to consider the possible hosting in the Philippines of a US Geological Survey (USGS) Landsat ground station, and the Philippines expressed interest in possible expansion of cooperation, through programs such as the joint USAID-NASA SERVIR program, which expanded last year to include the Philippines,” it states.

The USGS has ground stations in South Dakota and Alaska, as well as Norway, Germany, and Australia.

These locations serve as the primary data capture and Telemetry, Tracking, and Control (TT&C) facilities for the USGS Landsat satellite missions, which document land change due to climate change, urbanization, drought, wildﬁre, biomass changes (carbon assessments), and a host of other natural and human-caused changes.

“We are looking at cooperation in all areas including satellite surveillance systems and yes Landsat ground station. We are full blast in all these potential cooperation between the Philippines and the US,” said a Philippine oﬀﬁcial.

During the dialogue, Manila and Washington DC discussed programs that also use satellites to better forecast weather patterns; support agricultural and infrastructure planning; prepare for and respond to disasters; and provide vital

telecommunications services, among others.

The two states also tackled the potential for “expanded cooperation” on the use of space for maritime domain awareness (MDA), including through the US Department of Transportation-led SeaVision.

SeaVision is a web-based tool that uses satellite imagery, transponders, and infrared to track ships round the clock, providing near real-time and historical information on vessel positions and details, i.e., owner, operator, and port visit history.

“Such programs can help monitor and document vessels in the Philippines’ territorial waters and Exclusive Economic Zone, ensure the safety of mariners at sea, monitor and help protect the environment, and help combat illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) ﬁshing,” according to the joint statement .

The Department of Foreign Aﬀairs

said the US has been providing free access to the system since 2021, which is presently being used by the Philippine Coast Guard, the Philippine Navy, Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources, and the National Coast Watch Center.

On top of these, both countries agreed to explore capacity-building eﬀorts and expand training programs on the use of Earth observation satellite data, development of space applications and technologies, and other space science and skills, including fellowships, scholarships, and internship programs.

The Philippines, in the same dialogue, said it is considering to sign on to the Artemis Accords, which establish guidelines to ensure safety and responsible behavior in outer space as countries explore the Moon and beyond.

The two countries also agreed to stay in close communication on expanding commercial space ties and space situational awareness.

Cerberus, Hyundai tie up to restore PHL shipbuilding glory days in Subic

SUBIC FREEPORT – Subic Bay is looming to be a ship building haven again.

This as US equity ﬁrm Cerberus and South Korea’s HD Hyundai Heavy Industries agreed to revive the mothballed Hyundai shipyArd in the strategically located Subic Bay that will allow the Philippines to regain its footing in the global shipbuilding industry.

It was gathered that the shipyard will build and repair US naval ships and other ships.

President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. said this during the announcement of the partnership in Malacañang.

Marcos welcomed the two global companies to the Philippines and expressed optimism about the project’s potential impact on the country’s economy.

PHL, NAVY...

(From page 1)

This as around 100 boats left Zambales early Wednesday morning (May 15, Manila time) for a civilian mission to Scarborough Shoal or Bajo de Masinloc, another Philippine territory in the West Phippine Sea amid reports that Chinese ships have massed near the area.

As the 2024 Balikatan military drills on air, land and sea participated from some 18,000 American and Filipino soldiers with 14 observer countries drew to a close, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. said the international support for the Philippines in asserting its sovereign rights over the West Philippine Sea (WPS) is vital in ensuring stability in the maritime domain.

President Marcos said he remains thankful for the global support amid China’s aggression in the disuputed waters.

“Kami’y nagpapasalamat sa lahat ng mga iba’t ibang bansa kahit na nanggagaling sa malayo pa ngunit sila ay handang tumulong sa atin (We are grateful to the various countries, even those from afar, for their willingness to support us),” he said.

The civilian boats belonging to the

He said Hyundai’s investment would not only open “new doors for our oﬀshore wind industry but will also bring maritime manufacturing back to Subic and eventually restore the glory days of shipbuilding to our shores.”

“Not only would it generate thousands of jobs, but also enable the transfer of critical skills and improve the Philippines’ position in the global market,” he said.

“The Philippines is also quite excited to see the realization of Cerberus’ plans, including its interest in microelectronics, semiconductors, and critical metals.”

Hyundai already performs ship repairs and maintenance at the Aguila Subic yard, which Cerberus acquired in 2022 after its former owner went bankrupt.

group Atin Ito Coalition said they will carry supplies to ﬁshermen and will install symbolic markers or buoys in Bajo de Masinloc, part of the town of Masinloc, Zambales, within the Philippine exclusive economic zone (EEZ) and some 124 miles from the Zambales coastline.

“The Navy has increased its patrols in Sabina Shoal. For the past good number of days, we have had one warship stationed in the area. This is to ensure that whoever is doing that, whoever is piling up dead corals in Sabina Shoal, we will be able to expose their activities,” said Commodore Roy Vincent Trinidad, Navy spokesperson for the West Philippine.

“So far, none. The approach here, it will take more than a military eﬀort. The approach here is to show the world that we are a responsible player following international law,” he said, noting there have been no reclamation activities monitored in the area in the past few days.

The growing maritime threat from China in Southeast Asia has prompted the Philippines to accelerate plans to beef up its defenses and boost its military, according to military, security and defense

In his message, Marcos noted that since Cerberus’ takeover of the shipyard, it has been “hard at work to revitalize the shipyard” and even attracted other tenants, including Sancom, the world’s leading subsea cable company, and V2X, a global logistics corporation.

Cerberus is a global alternative investment ﬁrm with assets across credit, private equity, and real estate strategies.

“And you have worked closely with our Philippine Navy while establishing a world-class operating base for our Navy,” he said.

Currently, the Philippine Navy has a naval operating base in Subic with nearly 1,000 personnel.

The Chief Executive also acknowl-

edged HG Hyundai, one of the largest producers of ships in the world, saying that its foray into the country would “usher in a new era of shipbuilding” in the Philippines.

In 2022, according to Marcos, the country was the seventh-largest shipbuilder in the world, contributing almost 400,000 gross tons of newly built sea and ocean-going vessels.

“This is a far cry from our capacity in the past, and even far behind the output of shipbuilding behemoths like South Korea and Japan,” he said.

“With this initiative of Cerberus and HG Hyundai, we will have a fresh start and a strong foundation in realizing our vision to be amongst the largest and most consequential shipbuilders in the world.”

experts.

NATIONAL Security Adviser Eduardo Año has ordered an intensiﬁed patrol in the West Philippine Sea following China’s attempt to conduct reclamation activities at a shoal in the area, the National Security Council said (NSC) said Former US Air Force oﬃcial and exDefense Attaché Ray Powell, meanwhile,

said he is tracking the “largest blockade” in Scarborough Shoal. In another development, retired Supreme Court Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio urged the Marcos administration to sue China anew for damages due to the destruction of Escoda Shoal and Rozul Reef, all within the country’s 200-mile exclusive economic zone.

DOJ greenlights legality of US-RP pact on peaceful use of nukes

MANILA – The agreement between the Philippine government and the United States on the peaceful use of nuclear energy is subject to national laws and is not in conﬂict with the constitution, the Department of Justice (DOJ) said in a legal opinion issued to the Department of For-

eign Aﬀairs (DFA).

DOJ Opinion No. 18 s. 2024 for DFA

Oﬃce of American Aﬀairs Assistant Secretary Jose Victor Chan-Gonzaga, states that the “Agreement for Cooperation between the Government of the Republic of the Philippines and the Government

Brace for La Niña, LGUs told

ZAMBOANGA CITY – President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. urged local government units (LGUs) to prepare for the eﬀects of the rainy season as the La Niña phenomenon looms.

In a speech during the distribution of assistance to farmers and ﬁsherfolks affected by El Niño on the Zamboanga Peninsula in Zamboanga City, Marcos said the world is experiencing “extreme weather” brought by climate change, causing extreme heat and later on, extreme rainy season.

“Extreme weather ang nararanasan natin. Matinding init ngayon at sa mga susunod na buwan naman ay asahan natin ang matindi naman na pag-ulan (We are experiencing extreme weather. Now it’s extreme heat, and in the coming months we are anticipating extreme rainy season),” Marcos said.

“Kaya naman po, nananawagan ako sa lokal na pamahalaan ng Zamboanga at sa mga karatig-bayan [nito sa] buong rehiyon: Maging handa po kayo sa lahat ng oras. Alamin natin ang pangangailangan ng ating mga nasasakupan at gumawa tayo ng mga programa na tiyak na makakatulong sa ating mga kababayan (That’s why, I am calling on the local government of Zamboanga and its nearby towns, as well as the entire region: Let’s be prepared at all times. Let

of the USA concerning Peaceful Uses of Nuclear Energy,” otherwise known as the 123 Agreement, does not preclude the application of national laws of the Philippines.

Department of Energy (DOE) Secretary Raphael Lotilla and US Secretary of State Antony Blinken signed the agreement in San Francisco, California in November 2023 on the sidelines of the Asia Paciﬁc Economic Partnership (APEC) Summit.

The DOE said the deal “will allow the transfer of information, nuclear material, equipment, and components directly between the Philippines and the US or through persons authorized by their respective authorities to engage in transfer activities.”

It also provides the legal framework for potential nuclear power projects with US providers.

The DOJ said the implementation of the 123 Agreement can be covered by existing Republic Acts (RAs) including the Atomic Energy Regulatory and Liability

Act of 1968 (RA 5207), Strategic Trade Management Act of 2015 (RA 10697) and Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020 (RA 11479).

“The provisions of the 123 Agreement do not conﬂict with both existing Philippine legislation and related bills pending before Congress,” DOJ Secretary Jesus Remulla said in the opinion.

Remulla added that “it is also signiﬁcant to note that the 123 Agreement is consistent with the state policy against nuclear weapons (under the constitution).”

The agreement itself, the DOJ noted, provides that nuclear material, equipment and components and those produced from it, shall not be used for any nuclear explosive device, for research on or development of any nuclear explosive device, or for any military purpose.

“It is clear that this bilateral accord does not preclude the application of the national laws of the parties, especially of the Philippines, but rather gives way to their enforcement instead,” the DOJ said.

us attend to the needs of our constituents and devise programs to ensure assistance in times of need),” he added.

La Niña is characterized by cooler sea surface temperatures in the central and eastern equatorial Paciﬁc which triggers

above-average rainfall in the country.

Last March, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration raised a La Niña Watch as the country deals with the effects of El Niño or extreme drought.

The El Niño Task Force has assured that mitigation eﬀorts to cushion the impact of La Niña will be put in place, noting that preparing for the rainy season is among its mandates.

According to the President, some 3.6 million Filipinos have been aﬀected so far by the extreme heat. He added that damage to agriculture has already reached PHP5.9 billion.

Marcos said the national government will assist the aﬀected LGUs as he called the people and sectors to coordinate with the aﬀected local governments to avail of government assistance.

DOJ Secretary Jesus Remulla

No report of destab plot among police ranks

GENERAL SANTOS CITY – President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. said he has not received any reports of a destabilization plot involving active police oﬃcials against his administration.

At the distribution of presidential assistance to farmers and ﬁsherfolk in General Santos City, Marcos dismissed the supposed ouster move against him, claiming that Philippine National Police (PNP) personnel are not engaged in politicking.

Marcos, however, did not rule out the possibility that retired oﬃcials could be hatching a destabilization plot.

“I don’t see --- wala kaming report na in the ranks. Iyong mga retired baka mayroon, mayroong mga gumagalaw, sumasama sa mga destab na ginagawa. Pero sa ating mga kapulisan at siyempre lalo na sa

officer corps, wala naman tayong nakikitang ganun na namumulitika ang mga police (We don’t have a report in the ranks. It could be possible that the retired officials could take part in the destabilization efforts. But in the police service, especially the officer corps, we don’t see any politicking),” he said.

Marcos called on the police and military to stay committed to their sworn duty and set aside politics.

“Kahit hindi mo ako binoto okay lang sa akin basta’t maging professional ka. Gawin mo ‘yung trabaho mo nang tama. Iyon lang naman ang hinihiling ko sa lahat ng police, sa lahat ng Armed Forces (Even if you did not vote for me, it’s okay as long as you’re a professional. Just do your job right. That is the only thing I wish from the

police and the armed forces),” he added. President Marcos also expressed continued trust and conﬁdence in the PNP and the Armed Forces of the Philippines, stressing that he does not need to conduct

a loyalty check among their ranks. Former senator Antonio Trillanes IV earlier claimed that high-ranking police oﬃcials were recruiting personnel to join the ouster plot.

DFA probes alleged illegal activities by diplomatic execs

MANILA -- The Department of Foreign Aﬀ airs (DFA) would look into reports of illegal and unlawful activities by diplomats.

In a statement, the DFA said while foreign diplomats accredited to the Philippines are accorded the necessary liberties to conduct their duties, they are “expected to conduct their diplomatic activities with the highest standards of integrity and professionalism, in pursuit of common interests and mutually beneﬁ cial outcomes.”

Saying the Philippine government is a “strong advocate” of rules-based governance, the DFA said the country is “ﬁ rm and united in respecting and upholding the rule of law in both the domestic and international environment”.

“It is in this context that the Philippines — as a responsible member of the international community of nations — has consistently called for adherence to international law, including the United Nations Charter, the Vienna Conventions governing inter-state relations,

and in the maritime domain the 1982 UNCLOS [United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea], among others,” it said.

The DFA released the statement after Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro Jr. and National Security Adviser Eduardo Año called on the agency to take “appropriate actions” against individuals from the Chinese Embassy in the country “for potentially violating the Anti-Wire Tapping Act and breaching diplomatic protocols and conventions.”

The Chinese Embassy has released a recording of an alleged phone call with Armed Forces of the PhilippinesWestern Command chief Vice Admiral Alberto Carlos about the “new model arrangement” on the Ayungin Shoal.

Earlier, the Chinese Embassy claimed that it had a consensus with some representatives of the current administration in addition to former President Rodrigo Duterte’s “gentleman’s agreement” with Beijing on the West Philippine Sea.

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A not insignificant official

Some will brush it oﬀ as an insigniﬁcant case involving a possible non-citizen holding a local elective position. After all, the person who became mayor under questionable circumstances was elected by the residents of a small town rather than a big city, and she was supposedly endorsed by the former chief executive of that town prior to his retirement.

She says her name is Alice Guo, but she has no birth, medical, or educational records to prove her case. She claims to be 37 or 38, but could be much older or younger.

She says she was born at home, which may have been true with many Filipinos of seven, eight or even ten decades ago. But less than four decades ago? Unlikely, to say the least.

Guo also says she was home schooled, and never went to college. Yet she was able to put up very large and very proﬁtable businesses all by herself.

Then literally out of thin air, she became mayor of Bamban town in Tarlac. Which would then host a POGO or Philippine Overseas Gaming Operation, an industry which has become controversial for the wrong reasons.

Senator Risa Hontiveros, who uncovered what seems to be the discomﬁting truth about the Bamban mayor and her questionable past, deserves the credit for the brewing scandal.

The question is not whether Guo is a Chinay or Chinese Filipina, but if she is in fact a pure Chinese citizen who is also deeply involved in the operations of a company of dubious repute, one that is also suspected of being a haven for illegal Chinese.

There are also indications that she has very powerful backers who are ready to protect her at all cost.

Already, one of the country’s biggest homegrown religions has indicated its support for her. Also, a very inﬂuential senator has been alluded to as one of Guo’s main supporters.

We suspect that in the coming days and weeks, more will be coming out of the woodwork to stay the mayor should be left alone. Those who seek the truth will then be accused of being racists.

We agree, Guo should be left alone, but only if she can prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that she is a natural-born citizen of the Philippines, no more no less.

Suspicions are already rife that China has planted a large number of their citizens, quite possibly members of their People’s Liberation Army, in the country’s institutions. Too many of them look like soldiers rather than students or ordinary POGO employees that they make themselves out to be.

Note that hundreds of Chinese are enrolled in colleges who neither speak nor write English or Pilipino.

The Marcos regime had better take this case more seriously, before it wakes up one day being a tool or mouthpiece of China.

The intelligence community needs to step up and investigate Chinese involvement in the country’s body politic.

We fear that China has the worst possible designs on our motherland, including a full-scale invasion somewhere down the road.

We may sound alarmist with this warning, but it is inﬁnitely better to be safe than sorry.

The very existence of the Republic of the Philippines is at stake.

Celebrating 60...

(From page 1)

anniversary, before 300 closest relatives, friends and acquaintances led by their allies in politics and public service.

San Mateo County Board of Supervisors District 5 representative David Canepa spelled it out in presenting his proclamation on behalf of the Board: “Mig and Perla model how a healthy relationship looks like,” he described his decades-long observation of the celebrants at Daly City’s Pacelli Event Center, noting how they strengthen each other by embracing each one’s individual aspirations while fulﬁlling their joint responsibilities as spouses and parents.

Canepa then proclaimed March 23 “Mig & Perla Ibarrientos Day” throughout the 25-city county in honor of the couple’s diamond anniversary.

By then Daly City Mayor Juslyn Manalo, for whom Perla is a real-life “ninang” or godmother, having stood as sponsor at her wedding to Eluid Palamo, had already proclaimed the same in her city, where the Ibarrientoses have lived and dedicated themselves while raising their children Glenn, a retired major with the US Air Force and Director of Public Health Nurses of San Mateo County; Joy Ann Daﬀern, executive vice president with John Wells Production – Hollywood, and Gladys Smith, Assistant CEO with San Mateo County Employees Retirement Association..

In fact it was in their children’s Garden Village Elementary School, where Perla ﬁrst poured her energies as a new American by serving with gusto on the PTA.

PUBLIC SERVICE

Volunteering replaced pharmacy as Perla’s passion and her way of watching over her brood. Her lifetime of community service began when she and her children followed Mig to California, where he had immigrated two years earlier in 1971.

In the late 1980s, Perla joined a group of Filipino Americans seeking to empower themselves and their own. Attending the San Mateo Organizing Project inspired them to launch the Daly City Organizing Project, which in turn spawned the Pilipino Bayanihan Resource Center, better known as PBRC. The nonproﬁt organization is now located in a residential area near the Westlake Center here.

Today Perla oversees PBRC as chair of the board of directors, just one of her countless activities. In 1992, she was appointed to the DC Public Libraries Board of Trustees, its ﬁrst FilAm member. For her eﬀorts to engage North County FilAms in civic work, she received the Assembly 19 Woman of the Year award.

In 2019 she completed the brain trust that earned accreditation of her city as an Age-Friendly community. Last month she was commended among Daly City’s Women of Excellence recognizing her constant clamor to advance FilAm sociopolitical issues - from smoking cessation and legal clinics to voter registration and leadership development - and responding vigorously to humanitarian causes across the Paciﬁc such as relief eﬀorts in the wake of natural calamities in their birth country.

The grandmother to ﬁve and great grandmother to two can outlast younger peers on the Daly City Personnel Commission, her current appointed role in city governance advising the City Council on matters related to Human Resources. Her term ends in 2025, and she shows no sign of slowing down.

At 89 she is probably the most powerful Filipino American never elected - yet.

Perla admits that her accomplishments couldn’t be possible without the support and encouragement of her biggest fan and ﬁrst adviser.

Early on Mig, now 91, focused on his engineering (Continue on page 26)

Twenty years ago, a group of geographic explorers led by Dan Buettner, identiﬁed regions in the world where people claimed to live longer than the average age.

They drew blue circles on the world map where such areas were located and called them “blue zones”.

What were these blue zones that they discovered?

These were found in Okinawa, Loma Linda , Sardinia, Icaria in Greece and Singapore..

Buettner’s group wanted to ﬁnd out why and how people in the blue zones got to live to be a hundred and more.

In the ﬁve Blue Zones, Buettner discovered the secrets for longevity, which he hoped Americans could learn.

How was it possible for the people in the ﬁve Blue Zones to live to be a hundred?

Many factors contributed to the longevity, including the right diet , exercise while working, relaxation, minimum stress, purpose in life, faith and community.

Buettner’s ﬁndings showed a number of Blue Zones that are isolated with the exception of Singapore, a modern city state, which is preparing for the growth of the number of centenarians.

Probably there are Blue Zones in other parts of the world that Buettner’s group has not visited.

For now, the results of Buettner’s group should inspire their fellow Americans to improve their lives and live longer.

So you want to live to be a hundred? Check out the Blue Zones!

‘Blue Zones’

CHERIE M. QUEROL MORENO

Annual home maintenance; real estate broker renewal

As you embark on the exciting journey of homeownership, we would like to remind you of the importance of scheduling annual Home Maintenance for your property. Regular maintenance is a proactive measure to ensure the long-term health and safety of your investment. As we enter summertime, here is the timely Annual Home Maintenance Checklist:

1.Inspect your roof, gutters and downspouts.

2.Clean all your exterior drainages ad make sure the drainages are not clogged.

3.Replace your smoke and carbon monoxide detector batteries and test the detectors.

4.Replace the furnace ﬁlter.

5. Vacuum heat registers and air vents.

6.Ensure that indoor/outdoor air vents are not obstructed.

7.Flush hot water from the water heater to eliminate sediment.

8.Clean mineral deposits from faucets and shower heads.

9.Check your home plumbing for leaks.

10.Inspect and seal exterior steps.

11.Clean your doors and windows.

We are here to remind and support YOU in making the most of your homeownership experience. We are happy to help YOU in your real estate needs like SELLING or BUYING real estate. Call us today! We wish YOU many years of happiness and comfort in your homeownership.

For ALL your real estate needs, call or contact us at: (650) 438-3531 or (415) 584-7095 or email:artmadlaing@hotmail.com

REAL ESTATE BROKER LICENSE RENEWAL

As licensed Real Estate Broker (DRE#00635976) in California since 1981, I’m glad that I was able to submit last month my Real Estate Broker license renewal to the California Department of Real Estate without the required Continuing Education because I qualiﬁed for the CE Exemption requirements.

CONTINUING EDUCATION EXEMPTION INFORMATION: Only applies to individuals who have been licensed in good standing for 30 continuous years in California and who are at least 70 years old or older(Section10170.8 B & P Code).

Renewal applicants who desire to qualify for the continuing education exemption under Section10770.8 of the Business and Professions Code must submit this form (RE 203) with their renewal application and fee. All items must be ﬁlled out prior to the licensee’s expiration date for an on-time consideration.

B & P Code S10170.8 – EXEMPTIOJCONDITIONS – “The provisions of this article shall not apply to any real estate licensee who submits proof satisfactory to the commissioner that he or she has been a real estate licensee in good standing for 30 continuous years in this state and is now 70 years of age or older.

A licensee in good standing is the one who holds an active license which has not been suspended, revoked, or restricted as a result of a disciplinary action.:

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Visiting Texas, once the new Philippines

ROUND ROCK, TEXAS

-- Yes, I am in Texas now. I’m here mainly visiting my eldest daughter Marie-Alsie Gabot Penaranda, a part-time UNTV newscaster, and her family who have become Texans after a decade here.

I visited Texas a long time ago on my way to Washington DC and New York, speciﬁcally in Houston and Dallas which impressed me with so many airplanes ﬂying in and out almost every minute of its busy airports. I told myself then, my daughter was not yet here, dadalas dalasan ko sa Dallas, sa Texas.

Now, while here, I want to know more about the Texas cowboys and their vast ranches or go after Beyonce as Cowboy Carter with her Colorful Cowgirls, President George Bush or Governor Greg Abbott who reminds of my old slogan “Basta Gabot, aabot.”

I’m here also to see the Texas roosters, famous to my former university Board of Regents Chairman Dr. Alejandro Roces (Something to Crow About, The King of Roosters, My Brother’s Peculiar Chicken) and Filipino cockﬁghters, if any, since “sabong” is now banned here and considered a felony punishable by up to two years in prison and up to a $10,000 ﬁne.

I’m here in Texas to know more why the state has attracted Filipinos and how they have contributed to society. After California, New York-New Jersey and Hawaii, Texas hosts one of the biggest population of Filipinos in the United STates.

For one, Texas is the home of the Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center of the NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration) where some talented Filipinos contribute their share in the nation’s continuing adventure of human exploration, discovery and achievement in space. Was it not that a Filipino engineer, Eduardo San Juan, who designed the Lunar Rover or the Moon Buggy which was ﬁrst used during the Apollo 12 landing to explore the moon and used again on Apollo 15, 16 and 17?

What could be more mind-boggling than knowing that big part of Texas was once called Nuevas Filipinas and Nuevo Reino de Filipinas or new Philippines at the time of Domingo Ramón’s expedition of 1716, according to the Texas State Historical Association. Jesús “Frank” de la Teja, in an article posted on the TSHA website, stated: “Although less popular than the name Texas, Nuevas Filipinas remained part of the province’s oﬃcial name throughout the colonial period. Antonio Margil de Jesús evidently ﬁrst used the name Nuevas Filipinas in a letter to the viceroy dated July 20, 1716. In it he voiced the hope that with the king’s patronage it might be possible to secure “for the greater glory of God and the name of our catholic Monarch another new Philippines” among the Hasinai.”

The Texas State Historical Association account continues: “Two days later the missionaries sent a representation to the viceroy in which they expressed their “great hopes that this province shall be a New Philippines.” The Franciscan’ intention was to equate their work in Texas under Philip V with that of their brethren in the Philippine Islands under his predecessor, Philip II, thus engendering royal support. The name did not find immediate acceptance. Neither Domingo Ramón, the missionaries, nor officials used Nuevas Filipinas in the period 1716–17. Martín de Alarcón’s title as governor of Texas, issued by the viceroy in December 1716, refers only to the Province of the Texas. Nuevas Filipinas surfaces again in the address of a letter written by Fr. Isidro Félix de Espinosa from East Texas at the end of February 1718. The instructions issued on March 11, 1718, for Alarcón’s expedition to reinforce Texas does, for the first time in an official document, refer to Texas as “Nuevas Filipinas, Nueva Extremadura. “ In his journal of the expedition Alarcón calls himself “Governor and Lieutenant Captain General of the Provinces of Coahuila, New Kingdom of the Philippines Province of the Texas.”

This bits of Texas history reminds me of California which almost became a Philippine territory (one of the subjects of my ﬁrst book soon to be published in United States).

Two places which impressed during my roaming around here with family were the big Capitol in Austin, the capital of Texas, and its vast verdant lawn with grass and tall trees, some of them old, teeming with monuments and mementos of the historical past of the state.

At the Capitol, we met George W. Bush, US President from 2001 to 2009 and Texas Governor from 1995 to 2000. Of course, not him personally but his oﬃcial painting displayed among the governors and leaders of Texas.

Jurado’s city council campaign growing so fast

Ysabel Jurado’s quest to becoming the 1st FilAm in the Los Angeles City council continue to draw support from organizations, individuals and groups to the surprise of many. As a neophyte in LA politics, she is gaining the momentum against a seasoned and incumbent politician. That’s awesome!

In an email sent to me

As I See It

(actually containing a press release, among others), Jurado said she was endorsed lately by the Los Angeles League of Conservation Voters (LALCV).

“Today, the Los Angeles League of Conservation Voters (LALCV) announced its endorsement of Ysabel Jurado in the upcoming November 5 election for Los Angeles City Council District 14 (CD-14). The endorsement comes just days after the campaign announced it had earned the support of progressive powerhouse organizations UAW6, SEIU/CIR and the Working Families Party,” Jurado said.

I learned that LALCV is known for its vocal support for climate justice candidates in Los Angeles County. So, they chose to endorse Jurado because of her strong commitment to environmental protection and advocacy, which is one of the main goals of their organization.

In their endorsement, LALCV President Shona Ganguly said: “Ysabel has made environmental protection an important part of her activist career and is exactly the type of candidate that LALCV seeks to support. As an attorney, Ysabel helped several local community land trusts protect open space and facilitated the transfer of private land to native tribes. As an LA City Councilmember, Ysabel will ﬁght for environmental justice in the district and Citywide. The LALCV Board believes that Ysabel will be a leader on the council when it comes to protecting clean air and clean water, and that she can energize her constituents to join her in those eﬀorts.”

Jurado is committed to environmental concerns and sustainable initiatives, so the organization’s endorsement “underscored her commitment to environmental stewardship and her dedication to advancing sustainable initiatives within Los Angeles.”

They thought she was the right candidate for them… for the organization.

As a response to the organization’s endorsement, Jurado said: “Today, I’m thrilled to earn the endorsement of the Los Angeles League of Conservation Voters. Their environmental advocacy has been enormously impactful across Los Angeles and I am immensely grateful for the trust and support that LALCV has bestowed upon our campaign. Together, we will work to confront the climate crisis head-on, and prioritize initiatives like building electriﬁcation to reduce our carbon footprint and safeguard our planet and our beautiful city of Los Angeles for generations to come. I look forward to partnering with them to deliver a greener and more sustainable CD-14.”

Her gesture was a living testimony to her concern for global warming especially at this time of the year that we are celebrating Earth Day this month, also a very appropriate and timely endorsement from an environmental group such as the LALCV.

Ysabel is a lifelong resident of LA’s district 14, showcasing her life and professional experience to the race. She is very knowledgeable of the issues in the area and very articulate in spelling them out to her constituents.

(Continue on page 27)

To commemorate our 50th Wedding Anniversary and my 77th Birthday on August

Yes, we also saw the legendary David Crockett, and the marble busts of Sam Houston and others

(Continue on page 27)

In fact, as an eviction defense attorney, a single mother, and daughter of immigrants, she went through and lived the challenges faced by many residents in the district.

(Continue on page 27)

“

ART GABOT MADLAING Health & Wealth

ELPIDIO R. ESTIOKO

ALFRED G. GABOT America In My Heart

Inflation hits poor households, areas outside Metro Manila harder in April 2024

MANILA– Poor households and areas outside Metro Manila were hit harder by inﬂation in April, driven mainly by soaring rice prices, El Niño damaging crops, and the peso’s depreciation against the dollar.

The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) on Tuesday, May 7, reported that the national-level inﬂation rate in April inched up to 3.8%, which is slightly higher than the 3.7% recorded last March.

It remains within the government’s target band of 2% to 4%, but marks the third straight month of increasing inﬂation.

Year-to-date, average inﬂation stands at 3.4%, Rappler reported.

The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) earlier projected April inﬂation would settle within the 3.5% to 4.3% range. A BusinessWorld poll of 16 economists yielded a median estimate of 4.1%. This means that inﬂation was lower than analysts’ expectations.

Inﬂation was mostly driven by acceleration in the prices of food and non-alco-

holic beverages (from 5.6% in March to 6% in April). Vegetables (-2.5% to 4.3%) and ﬁsh (-0.9% to 0.4%) posted increases.

Rice prices, which comprise bulk of the inflation figure, saw a deceleration from 24.4% in March to 23.9% in April. This, however, is still significantly high.

Aside from food and non-alcoholic beverages, the transport index also inﬂuenced overall inﬂation, rising from 2.1% in March to 2.6% in April. Gasoline (0.8% to 3.3%) and diesel (-0.1% to 4.2%) both went up.

Low-income households

Inﬂation rate for the bottom 30% income households rose to 5.2% in April, higher than the 4.6% in March.

The PSA tweaks how inflation is computed for poor households to better reflect consumption patterns and how price changes affect the most financially vulnerable segment of the population.

Inﬂation of food and non-alcoholic beverages for this income segment reached 8.1%. (Rappler)

PHL debt declines by 1.67% in March

MANILA – The national government’s total outstanding debt decreased by 1.67 percent to P14.93 trillion as of end-March this year due to the net redemption of domestic government securities.

In a statement, the Bureau of the Treasury (BTr) said of the total debt stock, 68.86 percent is domestic debt while 31.14 percent is external debt.

Domestic debt, which amounted to P10.28 trillion, declined by 2.83 percent from the end-February level.

“The decline resulted from the P299.45 billion net redemption of government securities oﬀsetting the P0.24 billion eﬀect

of peso depreciation on foreign currency domestic debt,” the BTr said.

It said the peso depreciated against the US dollar from P56.174 as of end-February 2024 to P56.260 as of end-March 2024.

External debt, meanwhile, reached P4.65 trillion, up by 1 percent from the end-February level.

The BTr said the increase resulted from the net availment of foreign loans amounting to P44.01 billion, as well as local currency depreciation, which added to the valuation of US dollar-denominated debt by P7.05 billion.

Adjustment of status interview

Many clients ask if they will be interviewed by a USCIS oﬃcer. In general, interview is required unless the oﬃce decide to waive it.

The USCIS policy manual states that “all adjustment of status applicants must be interviewed by an oﬃcer unless the interview is waived by USCIS.[1] The decision to waive the interview should be made on a case-by-case basis. The interview enables USCIS to verify important information about the applicant to determine eligibility for adjustment. For family-based applications, USCIS generally requires the Form I-130 petitioner to appear for the interview with the principal adjustment of status applicant. In addition, derivatives are also required to appear regardless of the ﬁling category.

During the interview, the officer verifies that the applicant understood the questions on the application and provides the applicant with an opportunity to revise any answers completed incorrectly or that have changed since filing the application. Any unanswered questions or incomplete answers on the application are resolved at the interview. If information is added or revised, the applicant should re-sign and date the application at the conclusion of the interview.”

What are the general waiver categories?

USCIS oﬃcers may determine, on a case-by case-basis, that it is unnecessary to interview certain adjustment of status applicants. When determining whether to waive an interview, an oﬃcer must consider all relevant evidence in the applicant’s record.

The following list includes, but is not limited to, categories of cases where oﬃcers may decide to waive an interview:

• Applicants who are clearly ineligible;

• Unmarried children (under 21 years of age) of U.S. citizens if they ﬁled a Form I-485 on their own (or ﬁled a Form I-485 together with their family’s adjustment applications and every applicant in that family is eligible for an interview waiver);

• Parents of U.S. citizens; and

• Unmarried children (under 14 years of age) of lawful permanent residents if they ﬁled a Form I-485 on their own (or ﬁled a Form I-485 together with their family’s adjustment applications and every applicant in that family is eligible for an interview waiver).

If USCIS determines, however, that an interview for an applicant in any of the above categories is necessary, an oﬃcer conducts the interview. Likewise, if USCIS determines that an interview of an applicant in any other category not listed above is unnecessary, then USCIS may waive the interview.[5]

Are Military Personnel Petitioners appearance waived?

USCIS may waive the personal appearance of the military spouse petitioner; however, the adjustment applicant must appear for an interview. USCIS makes every eﬀort to reschedule these cases so that both the petitioner and adjustment applicant can attend the interview before deployment. The adjustment applicant may choose to proceed while the petitioner is abroad. May person with Illness or Incapacity presence be waived?

An oﬃcer may encounter instances in which it may be appropriate to waive the personal appearance of an applicant or petitioner due to illness or incapacitation. In all such instances, an oﬃcer must obtain supervisory approval to waive the interview.

The reasons for requiring an interview may include:

• Need to conﬁrm the identity of the applicant;

• Need to validate the applicant’s immigration status;

• The applicant entered the United States without inspection, or there are other unresolved issues regarding the applicant’s manner of entry;

• There are known criminal inadmissibility or national security concerns that cannot be resolved at a service center;

• There are fraud concerns and the service center recommends an interview;

• The applicant’s ﬁngerprints have been rejected twice;

• The applicant has a Class A medical condition that the service center cannot resolve through a Request for Evidence (RFE);

• The applicant answered “Yes” to any eligibility question on the adjustment application, and the service center cannot determine eligibility through an RFE; or

• The service center has not been able to obtain an applicant’s A-File, T-File, or receipt ﬁle (when the applicant has multiple ﬁles).

Based on this USCIS regulations, it is important that the documentation of the application be substantial so that applicants may qualify for interview waiver. Most of the problems applicants encountered during the interview is lack of documents and inconsistencies in their response.

Note: This is not legal advice.

IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT

1. PETITION FOR CAREGIVERS

Our Law Firm entered into agreement with Care Home Facilities in the U.S. to process applicants for Caregivers in the US

You may qualify if you six months experience as Caregivers.

Applicants Inside the United States or in the Philippines or other countries may qualify Bankruptcy Basics

We also process Bankruptcy cases.

1. Bankruptcy will actually improve your credit within one year because your unsecured debts are discharged. Although the bankruptcy will be in your records for 10 years, not ﬁling bankruptcy will make your credit even worse until most of your debts are paid.

If you have immigration problems the Law Oﬃces of Crispin C. Lozano can help you ﬁnd a solution before your problem gets worse, which could lead to deportation and family separation.

Chris Caday Lozano, Esq. is an active member of the State Bar of California, the American Immigration Lawyers Association and San Francisco Trial Lawyers. He has practiced immigration law, bankruptcy, and income tax representation since June 1999. His contact phone is 1-877-456-9266, email: info@CCLlaw.net Website: www.crispinlozanolaw.com/ with oﬃces in Hayward and Cerritos, CA.

Arnel Lumagui was approved for green card. A�y. Chris Caday Lozano represented his case with USCIS

Actor Piolo Pascual won the Film Actor of the Year award for his performance in “Mallari” at the recent Box Oﬃce Entertainment Awards of the Guillermo Mendoza Memorial Scholarship Foundation (GMMSF), Inc.

“Mallari”, an official entry to the 2023 Metro Manila Film Festival, is a chilling cinematic journey into the depths of Fr. Juan Severino Mallari’s psyche, the Philippines’ sole documented serial killer from the 19th century. This meticulously crafted and the first-ever Filipino film to be distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures intertwines historical accuracy with psychological horror. Three major characters were brought to life by Piolo, Malaya reported.

This marks Piolo’s second Best Actor recognition, following his victory at the inaugural Manila International Film Festival in January 2024 in Hollywood, USA. Pascual, accompanied by Mentorque producer John Bryan Diamante, executive producer Rona Banaag, Clever Minds coowner and supervising producer Omar Sortijas, director Derick Cabrido, along with his “Mallari” co-stars Jane Salvador and Ron Angeles, personally accepted the prestigious award.

The ﬁlm’s impact extended far beyond domestic borders, becoming an ofﬁcial part of the inaugural Manila International Film Festival, a visionary project launched by Metropolitan Manila Development Authority/MMFF acting Chair Atty. Romando S. Artes. “Mallari’s” overwhelming success and positive reception have opened doors for numerous collaborations, much to the delight of the budding producer.

of two women adorned in black kimonos.

“A Mentorque Productions and Project 8 Projects collaboration. TWO WORLDS COLLIDE IN FILIPINO FILM SET IN JAPAN, KONO BASHO, STARRING GABBY PADILLA AND ARISA NAKANO! (emojis of the Philippine ﬂag and Japan’s ﬂag). At the helm is visual artist JAIME PACENA in his directorial debut KONO BASHO, an entry to this year’s Cinemalaya Film Festival,” Diamante wrote.

Recent sightings of Bryan with Angkas president George Royeca and directors Dolly Dulu and Ivan Andrew Payawal suggest a potential collaboration with the motorcycle ride-hailing platform in an upcoming project.

Additionally, a post featuring Bryan alongside Paul Soriano of Ten17P, his wife Toni Gonzaga-Soriano, and the couple Mikee Morada and Alex GonzagaMorada, owners of TinCan Productions, hints at further exciting partnerships.

Amid these developments, Diamante is laser-focused on the fantasy-drama “Biringan,” his entry for the 50th Metro Manila Film Festival.

The producer’s excitement is further ampliﬁed by the 14 nominations garnered by “Mallari” at the upcoming FAMAS Awards on May 26 at the Manila Hotel.

Come August, Mentorque Productions, in partnership with Project 8 Projects, owned by directors Dan Villegas and Antoinette Jadaone, is set to make waves at the 2024 Cinemalaya Film Festival.

The recently completed shooting of “Kono Basho” in Japan was proudly announced by Mentorque’s Bryan Diamante on Facebook, featuring an image

The nominations include Best Actor (Piolo Pascual), Best Picture (Mentorque Productions/Clever Minds), Best Director (Derick Cabrido), Best Screenplay (Enrico C. Santos), Best Cinematography (Pao Orendain), Best Child Actor (Kian Co), Best Supporting Actress (Gloria Diaz), Best Supporting Actor (JC Santos), Best Editing (Noah Tonga), Best Sound (Immanuel Verona and Nerikka Salim), Best Production Design (Marielle Hizon), Best Visual Eﬀects (Gaspar Mangarin), Best Theme Song (“Pag-ibig na Sumpa” by JK Labajo), and Best Musical Score (Von De Guzman).

“Mallari” makes its debut on Netﬂix on June 21.

Alden Richards, Kathryn Bernardo named Box Office King and Queen of 2024

Yes, big fans. Kapamilya star Kathryn Bernardo and Kapuso star Alden Richards were named as the Box Oﬃce Queen and King at the 2024 Box Oﬃce Entertainment Awards presented by the Guillermo Mendoza Memorial Scholarship Foundation (GMMSF), Inc.

Kathryn won the award for her ﬁlm “A Very Good Girl” with Dolly de Leon, while Alden won it for his ﬁlm “Five Breakups and A Romance” which he topbilled with Kathryn’s friend Julia Montes.

Kathryn and Alden starred in “Hello Love Goodbye,” once the highest grossing Filipino movie of all time until Marian Rivera and Dingdong Dantes beat the record in their Metro Manila Film Festival movie “Re-

wind.”

At a Box Oﬃce Entertainment awards held in the Henry Lee Irwin Theater at Ateneo De Manila University on Sunday night, Alden and Kathryn received their awards individually.

In 2019, Alden and Kathryn starred in “Hello, Love, Goodbye,” which previously held the record of the highest-grossing Filipino movie of all time. “Rewind,” the comeback movie of Marian Rivera and Dingdong Dantes, overtook HLG’s record earlier this year.

In Alden’s latest magazine cover, his home studio GMA Network reported that he opened up about being paired with Kathryn following their numerous sightings together in recent months.

“Whatever is happening between Kath and I, I really want it to be personal,” Alden said, according to GMA.

Alden previously commented on the real score between him and Kathryn, and said that what you see is what you get.

Recently, Alden said that there are things that one should keep out of the public eye.

In his interview with Preview as the May 2024 cover star, Alden said his friendship with Kathryn did not end after shooting their 2019 blockbuster movie “Hello, Love, Goodbye.”

“The friendship never ended. Naging solid din talaga ‘yung samahan naming lahat,” he said, admitting that he was just “overwhelmed.”

Iloilo City pushes violinist Kabayao as National Artist

ILOILO CITY -- The nomination of Violin Virtuoso Gilopez Lopez Kabayao in the “Order of the National Artist” is now being ﬁrmed up with the Iloilo City government mapping out a resolution of recommendation through the Sangguniang Panlungsod.

“Mr. Kabayao’s unparalleled contributions to the arts, particularly in the realm of violin mastery, resonate deeply within our cultural heritage and inspire countless individuals both locally and internation-

ally,” Mayor Jerry Treñas said in his letter endorsement to the city council.

“As custodians of our nation’s cultural legacy, endorsing his inclusion in the Order of the National Artist is not only a tribute to his exceptional talent but also a celebration of the rich artistic tapestry of the Filipino people.”

The SP during its regular session on Wednesday tasked the Committee on Tourism, Culture and Historical Aﬀairs chaired

by Councilor Rudolph Jeﬀrey Ganzon to look into the recommendation.

The Iloilo Dinagyang Foundation, Inc. (IDFI), a private organization committed to preserving, promoting, and developing Ilonggo identity through public-privatecommunity convergence, initiated the nomination of the artist as early as December last year.

In a resolution, the foundation said that for the past 70 years, Kabayao has “created

a substantial and signiﬁcant body of work and consistently displayed excellence in the practice of their art form, thus enriching artistic expression or style.”

Kabayao was born in 1929 in Negros Occidental, whose roots are from Iloilo.

He is the ﬁrst Filipino to play at the prestigious Carnegie Hall in New York. He earned a Presidential Award of Merit in 1969, and a President Ramon Magsaysay Award in 1972.

Exemplary Maestro: A Journey of Excellence in Special Education Leadership

In a profession that encompasses interactions with individuals from diverse walks of life, of varying shapes and sizes, each bringing unique backgrounds to the table, the question arises: How does a special education teacher navigate the seemingly overwhelming diversity? More importantly, what qualities are essential to assume the responsibility of orchestrating a harmonious classroom for learners with special needs, ensuring that no one is left behind?

Marie Joy Maestro, a distinguished special education teacher and resource specialist at Thomas R. Pollicita Middle School in Daly City, California, USA, has recently been honored with the prestigious Outstanding Middle School Inclusive Educator Award along with Technology Integration in Special Education Award at the 2023 International Who’s Who Awards by the BETMA English in collaboration with Aloysian Publications- Philippines on December 28, 2023 in Pasay City, Manila, Philippines. The award-giving body bestows special recognition to individuals for having reached the “pinnacle of excellence” in their respective fields through their outstanding achievements “setting an extraordinary standard in the field” and “establishing a beacon of inspiration” worth emulating. Moreover, they are widely acclaimed for their commitment to legacy preservation by publishing a special edition of the Educator’s Link, a national and international monthly professional magazinein dedication to the exemplary contributions of their remarkable awardees. Grateful and humbled, she articulates the significance of this accolade, stating, “It validates the hard work and dedication I put into my role as a special education teacher and reinforces my commitment to inclusive education.”

When asked about the attributes that may have contributed to her receiving this esteemed distinction, she highlights her unwavering dedication to inclusion, belief in her students’ potentials, effective collaboration with colleagues and parents, innovative teaching strategies, commitment to professional development, and a student-centered approach to education. Looking back, serving as foundation to her credentials is her educational background consisting of degrees and courses she earned both in the Philippines and the United States. She is a Bachelor of Elementary Education (BEEd) graduate with a major in Special Education, Batch 2013. In 2017, she earned a certificate in Vocational Trade Course in Special Education from the Resources for Educational & Allied Consultancy Habitat (R.E.A.C.H) Inc. Meanwhile, in the United States, she finished the following courses: Language Development 502-503 in 2024 at the University of Phoenix; Language Development in 2022 at the University of Phoenix; Math 215 and English 102 in 2022 at the National University; and U.S. Constitution Preparation and Exam in 2022 at the U.C. San Diego Ext.

Teacher Joy’s early professional years were spent in the Philippines, where she served as a special education teacher, elementary teacher, and high school transition SPED teacher. For six years, she worked in the Philippines prior to her current post in the United States. Right after graduation,

By: Josephine C. Villaverde

her ﬁrst teaching job was at Twin Hearts International School in Lucena City, Quezon Province, as a regular teacher volunteer in SPED therapy in 2013. Afterwards, she served as a transition SPED teacher in Luis Palad Integrated High School, Tayabas City, Quezon Province for 1st to 4th-year students with mild to moderate learning challenges in 2014. The following year, she was designated as a regular Special Education teacher at Froilan E. Lopez Elementary School still under the Division of Tayabas City. She spent a year as an elementary teacher at Gibanga Elementary School before transferring to Tayabas East Central School 1 as Special Education teacher from 2016 to 2019. From 2019 up to present, she has been working as a resource specialist in Thomas R. Pollicita Middle School at Daly City, California, USA.

Alongside her steadfast commitment to being an inclusive education advocate, she has honed essential skills and knowledge for special education teachers. These include proﬁciency in developing and implementing Individualized Education Programs (IEPs), employing creative and innovative teaching methodologies for optimal student growth, fostering a ﬂexible learning environment, and enhancing the overall learning experience. Additionally, she promotes a team-oriented approach to education by cultivating collaborations with parents, colleagues, and other stakeholders, all while maintaining a dedication to continuous professional development. In fact, her long list of trainings, workshops, and seminars includes the following: “16th Annual Autism Spectrum Disorder Update: Autism Through the Life Span”, “Professional Development Day”, “California Integrated Pest Management”, “Child Abuse Mandated Reporter Training for California (EDU)”, and “Anti-Harassment Training for All Employees - California”; all of which she undertook in the previous year alone.

A licensed professional teacher in the Philippines, Teacher Joy passed her board exams in 2013, the same year she obtained her undergraduate degree. In the United States, she is a California Basic Education Skill Test eligible and has earned her Education Specialist Credential in California from 2019 to the present. Moreover, armed with advanced skills and fueled by her passionate acts of service, she effectively champions the challenges of teaching SPED learners, with the individualized nature of students’ needs at the forefront. Recognizing the unique learning styles, abilities, and challenges of each learner necessitates constant adaptability and personalized approaches. In an optimistic tone, she affirms, “Balancing the diverse needs of the students while ensuring they receive the necessary support can be demanding but equally fulfilling.”

With this mindset, her teaching journey has earned her a number of achievements and recognitions along the way, thus acknowledging her competence as an educator fulfilling a multi-faceted role. Along with attaining certification in Sign Language Proficiency, she also obtained trainings in coaching and officiating for students with disabilities. Her milestones include successfully integrating hearing impaired learners into mainstream

classrooms when she served as a special education teacher in the primary level during her three years of service from 2016-2019 in Tayabas East Central School 1. Moreover, having also served in the secondary level for a year, speciﬁcally in the Division of Tayabas City Luis Palad Integrated High School in 2013, she was able to mark that chapter with further validation of her commendable performance by facilitating smooth academic and social transition of learners from middle to high school.

Furthermore, believing in lifelong learning, she is in fact a national certiﬁcate holder on Bread and Pastry (NCII). Meanwhile, her years in elementary school included roles requiring her leadership and organizational skills, such as being designated the School Coordinator in MAPEH (Music, Arts, Physical Education), ICT (Information and Communication Technology), and School Health and Nutrition as well as the Grade Chairperson of Tayabas East Central School 1 which entailed administrative duties. Added to her list of achievements was being a recipient of the 2018 Gawad Tulay Malasakit award given by the Schools Division of Tayabas City for being a contributor to the Department of Education’s regional newsletter and website. As a mother, she was recognized as an Active Parent awardee during Brigada Eskwela, a school activity prior to opening of classes, for having made notable contributions in preparing the school for the incoming academic year.

Her mentoring capacity goes beyond handling learners as demonstrated on her technical working group assignments and speaking engagements in the local, division, regional, and national level trainings and seminars attended by fellow teachers in which she was once just a participant, but had been entrusted eventually with key roles instead during these professional events due to her expertise and advanced skills. In the Philippines, she assumed the role of a facilitator multiple times during division in-service trainings and regional workshops for SPED teachers catered by the Department of Education, namely “National Training on Coaching and Officiating for Students with Disability”, “National Training of Trainers on Special Education”, “Regional Training Workshop for Receiving Teachers for Children with Difficulties”, “Regional Mass Training of Receiving Teachers on SPED”, “Division In-Service Training for Teachers”, and “Division Training of Teachers on RPMS-PPST for 2019-2020”. At the “Regional Mass Training of Receiving Teachers on SPED”, she was tapped as a resource speaker, giving her a platform to share her expertise on inclusive practices in the special education field. Likewise, while in the U.S., she gave a talk via a video on “Technological Tools and Resources for Remote Instruction in Special Education” during the Brigada Eskwela 2021. Serving as another proof of her craft being worthy of being benchmarked was a demonstration teaching feat on a convention entitled “Conduct of Pedagogical Retooling of Teachers to Hail Quality Standards” during the school year 2019-2020.

With all these, she has proven her versatility as she manages to accomplish responsibilities given to her, even if it meant going beyond her specialization

at times. Ultimately being recognized for exceeding expectations in every role and task she is given, her noteworthy accomplishments truly speak of her unwavering commitment to excellence.

Looking at the broader landscape, Teacher Joy identifies the need for adequate resources and support as a significant concern in the field of special education. Considering budget constraints, limited personnel, and insufficient access to specialized services faced by special education programs, she emphasizes, “It is crucial to advocate for increased funding, training opportunities for educators, and collaborative partnerships across stakeholders to ensure that all students with special needs receive the support they deserve.”

To add, her aﬃliations with professional U.S.based organizations contribute to her in-depth understanding of both the challenging and rewarding aspects of working in the special education ﬁeld. She is a member of the National Association of Special Education Teachers from 2023 to present and the American Federation of Teachers from 2019 to present.

Meanwhile, the most rewarding part of teaching SPED for Teacher Joy is witnessing the growth and progress of her students and knowing that she has played a pivotal role in their journey towards success. Specifically, she finds immense joy and fulfillment in seeing them overcome obstacles, achieve their goals, and exhibit independence.

A decade in the ﬁeld of special education has led Teacher Joy to a profound realization of her greatest responsibility in the classroom: “to create an environment that nurtures the learners’ abilities and supports their challenges, promoting their overall development and preparing them for success in life.” Firmly believing that inclusive education extends beyond academics to fostering socialemotional skills, self-advocacy, and independence, she ultimately aspires to inspire success, resilience, and a love for learning in every student she serves.

True to her last name, an Italian word for “expert” or “teacher,” Ma’am Marie Joy is a “maestro” in a classroom of learners possessing individual strengths and abilities comparable to a conductor leading musicians who play various instruments. Her expertise in guiding her learners to grow and fulﬁll their potentials creates harmony out of diversity, a melody symbolic of the positive impact she imparts on the lives of her students and the special education community.

(Josephine Cabulong Villaverde, a licensed professional teacher, is a public Secondary School Teacher III in DepEd Tayabas City Division, Quezon Province, Philippines. Finishing her degree in the Philippine Normal University, she is a graduate of Master of Arts in Education, major in English Language Teaching. She is also a student publication adviser, Special Program in Journalism writing coach, Creative Writing teacher, and the school Learning Resource Management and Development System (LRMDS) coordinator. She is commonly tapped as a newsletter and learning resource writer, documenter, scriptwriter, language reviewer, and learning material evaluator at the school, division, and regional level.)

RONALDO “ RONNIE “ MENDOZA of San Jose and Milpitas California is not new to the community of San Jose and Milpitas. In 1988 in his younger days he managed LBC San Jose and later on in 1992 to 1995 became the President of LBC USA , CANADA and managed SAIPAN.

In 1996 he started PILIPINAS TRAVEL and Other Services in Milpitas and up to now s�ll ac�ve in Milpitas .

RONNIE is a REAL ESTATE BROKER since 2003 and a licensed Loan Agent since 2016. A business administra�on graduate - major in Marke�ng and minor in Accoun�ng . Years of experience with Mercury Drug Corpora�on and Johnson and Johnson Phils. - made him comfortable with the work that he’d done with the Filipino communi�es.

Now that PILIPINAS TRAVEL has already made a mark with the FILIPINOS , RONNIE now concentrate to his REAL ESTATE and LOAN ac�vi�es by joining a reputable and well known company - GOOGAIN INC.: speciﬁcally for LOANS : PURCHASE / REFINANCING and MAXREAL for buying and selling real estate.

RONNIE always says: “ MATUTULUNGAN KO KAYO “.

California Medi-Cal coverage expanded despite redetermination

In its continuing goal to keep as many people enrolled as possible at a time when many other states were using “the great unwinding” to purge their Medicaid lists, California’s Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) launched last year a federally mandated annual initiative to redetermine Medicaid eligibility (called Medi-Cal in California) as one out of three residents in the Golden State is on Medi-Cal.

At the April 16 titled Medi-Cal’s Impact After Redetermination - How Californians Can Renew Coverage, the California Ethnic Media News Brieﬁng jointly presented by Ethnic Media Services and California Black Media, a DHCS expert shared the data on how redetermination has impacted Medi-Cal enrollment numbers, and plans for Medi-Cal moving forward while a director of one health clinic in LA County that has the most Medi-Cal enrollees in California, discussed its ongoing eﬀorts to assist eligible recipients to stay on Medi-Cal and re-enroll if they were dropped.

Three storytellers discussed the importance of Medi-Cal to their families and share their experience getting or keeping it.

The same brieﬁng was attended by Assistant Deputy Director, Health Care Beneﬁts and Eligibility (HCBE), California Department of Health Care Services Yingjia Huang, Director, Managed Care and Enrollment, Northeast Valley Health Corporation (NEVHC) Vilma Champion, Medi-Cal enrollee Griselda, Medi-Cal enrollee at African American Network of Kern County Fitzgerald Graves and daughter of newly enrolled undocumented mother Dara Montejo.

The start of California’s redetermination with the end of the federal COVID-19 emergency a year ago, came at a time when many states used the process to drop Medicaid members from the rolls in large number with Texas removing over two million members since the pandemic-era protections were lifted, while Florida removed nearly one million. California, on the other hand, is on the front line of eﬀorts not only to retain but expand health coverage.

Huang referred to the nationwide redetermination of Medicaid as “the great unwinding, one of the biggest healthcare events after the Aﬀordable Care Act.”

“It ends next month, in May 2024. California was able to renew and is continuing to renew nearly 15 million Medi-Cal members — and we’ve learned quite a bit,” Huang revealed. “In November 2023, with 1 million Californians up for renewal that month, the state had a 21 percent disenrollment rate, whether due to ineligibility or errors with returning paperwork. In December, however, DHCS automated much of the online enrollment process, reducing that 21 percent disenrollment to about 9 percent.”

Huang continued that their January and February 2024 data shows that it continues to decrease, and those who are disenrolled for procedural reasons have 90 days to re-enroll with no gap in coverage.

“One of the major obstacles was ﬁlling out that hefty redetermination packet. Many of our members came onto the program during the pandemic, and never did redetermination before, as the annual process was paused,” Huang explained. “Alongside automating the process to help members, we’ve created how-to videos and outreach to enroll over the phone or online, translated into 19 languages.”

Huang also reported that in January 2024, DHCS also expanded Medi-Cal to eligible undocumented individuals of all ages adding about 700,000 people to full-scope beneﬁts and did it through the unwinding, and they are very proud of where they are.

Managed Care and Enrollment at Northeast Valley Health Corporation (NEVHC) in the San Fernando and Santa Clarita Valleys Director Champion conﬁrmed that Medi-Cal has expanded to everyone regardless of citizenship and immigration status and it’s ever-more vital for the health of the communities they serve and gets them closer to health care for all.

With the expansion, NEVHC expects to provide primary and preventive services to over 6,000 newly eligible patients. With the unwinding, its clinics have helped over 5,000 patients re-enroll, the bulk of whom were monolingual Spanish speakers from im-

By Jun Nucum

migrant backgrounds.

Champion suggested “to meet our patients where they are with access to care before they need it when they’re sick.”

DHCS have culturally-tailored outreach for those with public charge or immigration status concerns, and reintroduce Saturday hours to increase accessibility and reduce wait times for those with conﬂicting work schedules.

Griselda, a Spanish-speaking NEVHC patient, through a translator, is happy as a mother of three children is very thankful that the workers at her clinic in Sun Valley made re-enrollment so smooth.

“Good health ensures the future for our children. I hope MediCal is always there for them. I am especially grateful to be able to take her children to yearly physicals, and have them access normally expensive dental care. My 15-year-old-daughter had a problem where she couldn’t close her teeth, and she was aware that kids who have this get bullied in school. She was very happy to get braces and prevent that from happening,” Griselda narrated.

Montejo, a daughter of a new enrollee, recounted the time last August when her undocumented mother from Yucatan had her ﬁrst seizure and was thought to be dying. Montejo called the ambulance just the same being the last option she had but was continuously bothered by how much they will be billed on top of what her mother’s condition would be like.

“That was last August,” Montejo continued. “As of January, Medi-Cal has now opened its arms to her and I’m not scared of

telling her to go to the emergency room whenever she feels bad, because I know we won’t get a bill of thousands of dollars, or over $100 for each bottle of her monthly prescriptions. It’s really nice not having to worry about that anymore.”

Although Medi-Cal is expanding and improving, some still fear accessibility gaps and stigma.

“When my daughter got pregnant, she didn’t know how to navigate Medi-Cal. I helped get her enrolled, but we kept having to go to diﬀerent clinics and doctors,” recounted Fitzgerald Graves, an enrollee with the African American Network of Kern County. “There was no rapport or consistent diagnosis … it turned out the baby had encephalitis, but the doctor told us the heartbeat was ﬁne, and actually cursed us.”

“At a second hospital, they told us there was no heartbeat. The baby had passed in the womb,” Kern sadly continued.

“I’m happy to say that all of our family is now on Medi-Cal,” Graves is relieved. “My daughter and her fiancee are now expecting a little girl and I’ve tried to get her to use this new enrollment as a tool to get therapy and advocate for herself in finding physicians … I’m now scheduled for knee surgery due to a car accident. I’m confident in my surgeon and relieved to have the coverage.”

“What the state’s doing to keep people on Medi-Cal is the right way to go, and it’s only getting better,” Kern added. “My hope for the future of health care in California is that people have support in navigating the beneﬁts they now have access to.”

Yingjia Huang Vilma Champion Griselda

Fitzgerald Graves Dara Montejo

PHL residential real estate prices up in Q4 2023

MANILA – Residential real estate prices went up year-on-year in the fourth quarter of 2023 but registered a contraction quarter-on-quarter.

Residential Real Estate Price Indices (RREPI) data released by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) showed a 6.5 percent year-on-year increase in residential real estate prices nationwide.

The BSP however said that quarter-on-quarter, the index recorded a contraction of 3.6 percent.

The RREPI is a measure of the average change in the prices of various types of housing units, such as single-detached or attached houses, duplex housing units, townhouses, and condominium units, based on banks’ data on actual mortgage loans granted to acquire new housing units.

Growth in residential property prices in the National

Capital Region rose by 4.3 percent as the growth in the prices of single-detached or attached houses and townhouses outweighed the decline in the prices of condominium units.

Residential property prices in the Areas Outside the NCR (AONCR), on the other hand, went up by 7.8 percent.

The central bank said growth was “driven by annual increases in the prices of all types of housing units, except for duplex housing units where growth contracted.”

On a quarter-on-quarter basis, residential property prices declined by 9.4 percent and 1.2 percent in the NCR and AONCR, respectively.

By housing type, prices of single-detached or attached houses registered the highest year-on-year growth rate in the fourth quarter of 2023 at 9.5 percent, followed by townhouses (4.9 percent), and condominium units (4.1 percent).

Prices of duplex housing units however decreased by 33.5 percent.

The central bank said nationwide loan availments for new housing units recorded double-digit growth both year-on-year and quarter-on-quarter.

The appraised value of new housing units in the country, meanwhile, stood at P89,042 per square meter (sqm), up by 19.1 percent from the fourth quarter of 2022.

The average appraised value per sqm in the NCR was at P134,178, higher by 5.5 percent year-on-year while the appraised value per sqm in AONCR likewise went up 31.8 percent to P65,186.

Do I make Payments on a Reverse Mortgage?

Areverse mortgage is a ﬁnancial product designed for homeowners aged 62 and older to access their home equity without having to sell their property. Unlike traditional mortgages where borrowers make monthly payments to the lender, with a reverse mortgage, the lender makes payments to the homeowner. The homeowner can choose to receive these payments as a lump sum, ﬁxed monthly payments, a line of credit, or a combination of these options. The loan balance, along with accrued interest and fees, becomes due when the homeowner dies, moves out permanently, or sells the home.

Reverse mortgages can be advantageous for seniors with limited incomes and substantial home equity, providing them with much-needed cash without requiring monthly mortgage payments. However, they can also be complex and costly, making them more suitable for some homeowners than others. It’s essential to thoroughly understand how reverse mortgages work and their implications before deciding to pursue one.

There are three main types of reverse mortgages, with the Home Equity Conversion Mortgage (HECM) being the most common. HECMs are insured by the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) and are available through FHA-approved lenders. For homeowners with higher-valued properties, jumbo reverse mortgages are an option. Borrowers can choose from various payment plans, including lump-sum payments, equal monthly payments, term payments, lines of credit, or combinations thereof.

To qualify for a reverse mortgage, homeowners must be at least 62 years old and have substantial equity in their homes. They must also complete a HUD-approved counseling session to understand the pros and cons of the loan and its potential impact on their ﬁnances. Additionally, borrowers are responsible for staying current on property taxes, homeowners insurance, and home maintenance to avoid foreclosure.

Reverse mortgages come with fees and costs, including origination fees, closing costs, mortgage insurance premiums, and interest. The loan proceeds are based on factors such as the borrower’s age, the property’s appraised value, and current interest rates. While borrowers are not required to make monthly payments, the loan balance grows over time, potentially exceeding the home’s value.

Despite the beneﬁts of accessing home equity without selling the property, reverse mortgages also come with risks. These include the potential for foreclosure if the borrower fails to meet loan requirements, as well as the risk of scams targeting vulnerable seniors. It’s crucial for borrowers to be aware of these risks and take steps to protect themselves from fraudulent schemes.

HUD adjusted insurance premiums for reverse mortgages in 2017, increasing the up-front premium while decreasing annual premiums. This change was intended to help oﬀset potential losses for lenders and protect borrowers’ equity over time. Interest rates on reverse mortgages can be ﬁxed or adjustable, depending on the payment plan chosen by the borrower.

The amount that borrowers can borrow with a reverse mortgage depends on factors such as the borrower’s age, the property’s value, and current interest rates. The initial principal limit, which determines the maximum loan amount, was lowered in 2017 to preserve more of borrowers’ equity and address concerns about the mortgage insurance fund’s deﬁcit.

While reverse mortgages can be refinanced, borrowers should carefully consider whether it’s the right decision for their financial situation. Refinancing may be suitable for adding a spouse to the loan, accessing additional equity, or lowering interest rates, but it also involves fees and costs that should be weighed against potential benefits.

In conclusion, reverse mortgages can be a valuable ﬁnancial tool for eligible seniors to access their home equity without selling their homes. However, they come with risks and costs that borrowers should thoroughly understand before proceeding. By educating themselves about reverse mortgages and carefully evaluating their options, homeowners can make informed decisions that best suit their ﬁnancial needs and goals.

Please call Ken Go of 1st innovative Finance to discuss your Reverse Mortgage options. It will be -worth your while. Ken at 562-508-7048 or write to kennethgo@verizon.net CABRE 01021223 NMLS 238636

Gymnast Yulo leads monthly achievers cited by PSA

MANILA – Gymnast Carlos Yulo and fellow athletes who qualiﬁed for the Paris Olympics were named the Philippine Sportswriters Association’s top achievers for April.

Yulo won two medals at the FIG Artistic Gymnastics World Cup Series in Qatar, a gold in parallel bars (15.200 points) and a silver in vault (15.066).

Fil-Am Levi Jung Ruivivar pocketed the silver medal in the uneven bars (13.633), getting enough points to secure a berth in the Olympics scheduled from July 26 to Aug. 11.

Weightlifters Elreen Ando, Vanessa Sarno and John Febuar Ceniza, fencer Samantha Catantan, and rower Joanie Delgaco also earned slots in the Paris-bound national contingent.

Ando posted a total lift of 228 kgs. at the IWF World Cup in Phuket, Thailand to beat 2020 Tokyo Olympics champion Hidilyn Diaz in the women’s -59kg category.

Diaz, who delivered the country’s ﬁrst gold medal after winning the -55kg event, only managed 224kgs.

Sarno registered a new Philippine record of 110kg in the women’s 71kg class while

event.

performance in the women’s foil event at the Asia Oceania Zone Olympic Qualiﬁers in Fujairah, United Arab Emirates.

Delgaco’s fourth-place finish in the women’s single sculls final round at the World Rowing Asia and Oceania Olympic Qualifiers in Chungju, South Korea made her the first Filipina rower to gain an Olympic slot.

Other achievers were Yulo’s younger brother, Karl Eldrew, who ruled the junior ﬂoor and vault events in the Paciﬁc Rim Championship in Cali, Colombia, and cousin John Ivan Cruz, the men’s vault gold medalist.

Sebastian Mañalac, Joan Lumbao, Sakura Alforte, Arianne Brito, Alwyn Batican, and Kirk Zamayla produced gold medals at the 11th Southeast Asian Karate Federation Championship in Bangkok.

Long jump stalwart Janry Ubas won at the Singapore Open while Anton Dungog, Arcenio Cadlos and the troika of Dorothy Asuncion, James Yray and Enrico Ostia also captured gold medals at the 3rd SISB Aerobic Gymnastics Open in Thailand. (Jean Malanum/PNA)

Filipino Americans Kristina Knott, Yacine Guermali, Morrison shine in athletics championships meet

PASIG CITY – Sarah Dequinan displayed her awesome form in the women’s long jump last week to secure her second gold medal in the International Container Terminal Services, Inc. (ICTSI) Philippine Athletics Championships 2024 at PhilSports in Pasig City.

After winning the heptathlon with a score of 5,083 points on Thursday, the 31-year-old member of Team Malaybalay City, Bukidnon registered 5.93 meters in long jump to beat Far Eastern University’s (FEU) Angeline Ortiz (5.86m) and Bohol’s Diana Rysiamie Huraño (5.75m).

Filipino-American Yacine Guermali earlier ruled the men’s 5,000m event to claim the ﬁrst gold medal in the meet at the Philsports track and ﬁeld stadium in Pasig City.

He registered a best time of 14:18:83 among 58 runners, with national team main-

stay Sonny Wagdos (14:54:95), and Spectrum Runners Philippines Team’s Noli Torre (15:05:00) ﬁnishing second and third, respectively.

“It feels good, good run today, so beautiful,” said the 24-year-old Guermali, who studied business administration at the Gonzaga University, where he also earned a Master’s degree.

He was born in Albuquerque, New Mexico to a Filipino mother from Solano town in Nueva Vizcaya province. His father is a former professional runner from Morocco who migrated to the US.

“I am so happy to be here, competing for the ﬁrst time. It is a tough event no matter what the climate is,” added Guermali, who holds the Philippine record of 13:50:74 he set at the Oregon State University High Perfor-

mance meet on April 30, 2021.

Fil-American William Morrison III triumphed in the men’s shot put (18.77m) on Thursday night to also collect his second gold medal after claiming victory in the discus throw (51.63m) on Wednesday.

“I feel pretty good especially since I just landed two days ago. It’s not bad, 18.77. I really want to hit over 19. It’s just a little hot here,” the 27-year-old, who ruled both events two years ago, said.

Morrison, born to a Filipino mother from Caloocan, debuted in the 2019 Manila Southeast Asian Games where he won the shot put and ﬁnished second in discus throw.

He defended the shot put title and took the bronze medal in discus throw at the 2021 Vietnam Games.

Meanwhile, University of Santo Tomas bet Lanie Carpentero captured the gold in the women’s javelin throw in 46.49m, prevailing

over Ng Jing Xuan of Sarawak Sukma Malaysia (45.57m), and national team mainstay Evalyn Palabrica (45.29m).

In the 3,000m steeplechase, Pasig City’s Jonel Gabotia clocked 9:20.06 to pocket the gold medal in the men’s division. Mapua Unversity’s Ritchie Estampador (9:22.23) settled for the silver while ISAT University’s Stephine Dellariate (9:35.42) took the bronze. Spectrum Runners Team A’s Jessa Mae Roda (11:21.02), Bohol’s April Joy Alampayan (11:49.05) and FEU’s Maria Jonna Lina Abutas (12:13.60) were the top three ﬁnishers in the women’s event.

Other gold medalists on Thursday were Fil-Am Kristina Knott (women’s 200m), Singaporean Marc Brian Louis (men’s 200m) and Pasig City’s Juliana Talaro (10,000m walk), and the 4x400m mixed relay team of Sergio Paulo Tabornal, Rackeal Batoy, Samuel Pedral Jr and Natalie Agaton. (PNA)

GOLD MEDALIST. Filipino-American Yacine Guermali

Ceniza performed well in the men’s 61kg

Catantan became the ﬁrst Filipina fencer to qualify for the Olympics after a golden

DOUBLE GOLD. Sarah Dequinan of Bukidnon (center) poses with Far Eastern University’s Angelyn Or�z (le�) and Bohol’s Diana Rysiamie Huraño during the awarding ceremony of the long jump event of the ICTSI Philippine Athle�cs Championships at PhilSports in Pasig City. Dequinan also ruled the women’s heptathlon.

arrest survival CPR campaign launches to improve cardiac arrest survival rates, CPR skills in Asian American communities

The

American Heart Associa�on boosts CPR awareness, skills among Asian

OAKLAND, CA May 9, 2024 — Despite strides in cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) training, consumer research from the American Heart Association reveals only 1 in 4 Asian American individuals are confident they could correctly perform HandsOnly CPR, compared with a comparable confidence rate of more 1/3 of the general population. The same survey showed nearly 70% of Asian American adults are hesitant to perform Hands-Only CPR because they are worried they will hurt the person who has suffered a cardiac arrest. Among the general population, 57% still express this fear. To build CPR skills, knowledge and confidence and to close these gaps, the American Heart Association is launching the “Today You Were Ready” nationwide awareness campaign aimed at empowering Asian American communities to learn Hands-Only CPR and be ready to save a life.

The campaign launch in the greater San Francisco Bay Area coincides with Asian American Native Hawaiian Paciﬁc Islander Heritage Month

(AANHPI) and includes community outreach to emphasize the importance of being prepared to respond to a cardiac emergency. The eﬀort is part of the overarching American Heart Association’s Nation of LifesaversTM movement, which is focused on turning bystanders into lifesavers and doubling survival rates from sudden cardiac arrest by 2030.

“Unless we share these critical public health messages, Asian American Paciﬁc Islander communities and other historically excluded groups will remain more likely to die of sudden cardiac arrest than other groups,” said Justin Lee, M.D., Member of the Board of Directors for the American Heart Association, San Francisco Bay Area. “The ’Today You Were Ready’ campaign will address those barriers and provide these communities with the tools and resources they need to learn and perform Hands-Only CPR.”

Cardiac arrest can happen to anyone at any time, and without quick bystander CPR, it is typically fatal. According to research in the Journal of the American Heart Association, about 72% of cardiac arrests that occur outside of a hospital happen at home. That means that if you are called on to perform CPR, it will likely be to save the life of someone you love.

Jenylyn Carpio’s cardiac arrest at age 22 awakened her to the importance of learning CPR.

After giving birth to her daughter, the young California wife, mother and student felt stressed and fatigued. One day, Carpio’s mom oﬀered to watch the baby while she took a nap. The next thing she remembers is her mom performing CPR on her and a police

American communi�es

to enhance cardiac

officer flashing a light into her eyes. Her mom told her she had suffered cardiac arrest.

“My mom saved my life with CPR,” said Carpio, who was later diagnosed with a genetic heart condition that aﬀects her heart rhythm and increases her risk of cardiac arrest. “Everyone can learn to save a life and you can be a lifesaver, too,” she said.

Cardiopulmonary resuscitation is an emergency response that can help save a person’s life if their breathing or heart stops. At the forefront of resuscitation science, education, and training, the American Heart Association is the worldwide leader and publisher of the oﬃcial scientiﬁc guidelines for CPR.

By showcasing the two easy steps to help save a life, the Association aims to change and break through the hesitancy barrier. Hands-Only CPR is CPR without breaths. It is for teens and adults only and is performed in two steps: 1) Call 911 and 2) push hard and fast in the center of the chest to a beat of 100- 120 beats per minute.

Studies show that women who have a cardiac arrest outside a hospital setting are less likely than men to receive lifesaving CPR. This gap is even larger for Asian American and Paciﬁc Islander women. According to data from the American Heart Association, these women are less likely to receive bystander CPR compared to other populations, contributing to lower survival rates. Cultural factors, language barriers and limited access to CPR education may further exacerbate these disparities. The fear of accusations of inappropriate touching or injuring the person and lack of knowledge about their state’s Good Samaritan Laws contribute to some people’s hesitance to perform CPR. Improving CPR awareness and accessibility within the Asian American Paciﬁc Islander community is crucial to increasing survival rates for women experiencing cardiac emergencies.

“By inspiring the Asian American Paciﬁc Islander community to learn Hands-Only CPR, we can improve health outcomes for Asian American women and their loved ones, especially those suﬀering cardiac arrest,” said Lee.

In the United States, the Asian American Paciﬁc Islander communities and other people of underrepresented populations are at a higher risk of poor outcomes from out-of-hospital cardiac arrest than the general population, in part due to longstanding structural racism and social policies that

have limited access to quality education and health care.

Survey findings from the Association show that historically excluded populations are more likely to incorrectly believe that special training and certification are required to perform Hands-Only CPR on an adult or teen and more likely to be hesitant to perform the skill for fear of causing injury. These misperceptions contribute to poor survival rates (less than 10%) from out-of-hospital cardiac arrest, which affects more than 350,000 Americans annually.

To learn more about the campaign or to get involved, visit heart.org/nation.

Additional Resources:

• Understanding the Importance of the Lay Responder Experience in Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest: A Scientiﬁc Statement From the American Heart Association Diﬀerence in Cardiac Arrest vs. Heart Attack

• Learn Hands-Only CPR/use an AED (Video) (English, Spanish, Mandarin)

• AHA health information: Bystander CPR

• AHA health information: Bystander CPR Infographic

• AHA health information: Hands-Only CPR Resources

• Follow AHA/ASA news on X (formerly known as Twitter) @HeartNews

About the American Heart Association

The American Heart Association is a relentless force for a world of longer, healthier lives. We are dedicated to ensuring equitable health in all communities. Through collaboration with numerous organizations, and powered by millions of volunteers, we fund innovative research, advocate for the public’s health and share lifesaving resources. The Dallas-based organization has been a leading source of health information for a century. During 2024 - our Centennial year - we celebrate our rich 100-year history and accomplishments. As we forge into our second century of bold discovery and impact our vision is to advance health and hope for everyone, everywhere. Connect with us on heart.org, Facebook, X or by calling 1-800-AHA-USA1.

For Media Inquiries: Nerissa Pacio Itchon, nerissa. itchon@heart.org

For Public Inquiries: 800-AHA-USA1 (242-8721), heart.org and stroke.org

CHOW FUN 2024 Celebrates AANHPI Heritage Month with Culinary Extravaganza in San Francisco

Experience CHOW FUN 2024: May 25-June 1, Along Mission St., Ocean Ave., and Geneva Ave. Business Corridors in the Excelsior and OMI Neighborhoods

SAN FRANCISCO, CA – May 14, 2024 – Get ready to embark on a ﬂ avorful journey through the Excelsior and OMI neighborhoods as CHOW FUN 2024, presented by the Filipino American Arts Exposition, returns to celebrate Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Paciﬁ c Islander (AANHPI) Heritage Month. This year marks the second annual CHOW FUN event, and from Saturday, May 25 to Saturday, June 1, locals and visitors alike are invited to immerse themselves in the vibrant culinary scene of San Francisco’s diverse communities.

CHOW FUN 2024 is more than just a food festival; it’s an opportunity to support local businesses and savor the rich cultural tapestry of the AANHPI community. With over 40 participating restaurants, bakeries, cafes, and bars along the Mission St, Ocean Ave, and Geneva Ave corridors, attendees can

explore diverse ﬂ avors from Hawaii, China, Japan, Korea, the Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam.

The CHOW FUN Passport is your ticket to culinary adventure. Diners who purchase at participating merchants will receive a stamp on their passport. Collect ﬁ ve (5) or more stamps, and you’ll be eligible to enter the lucky draw for fabulous prizes. The CHOW FUN Passport program encourages exploration of the vibrant culinary scene and fosters a sense of community engagement and support for local businesses.

To kick oﬀ the festivities, the Opening Community Kickoﬀ will take place on Saturday, May 25, at 11 a.m., hosted by the Excelsior Branch Library, located at 4400 Mission Street. This family-friendly event will feature cultural performances, welcoming remarks by community leaders, family-friendly activities, and the distribution of CHOW

FUN Passports.

As the week unfolds, attendees can look forward to many culinary delights, including special menus, tastings, and exclusive oﬀ ers from participating merchants. Whether you’re craving traditional Filipino delicacies, Japanese sushi, Korean BBQ, or Thai curries, CHOW FUN 2024 has something for every palate.

As the week come to an ends, make sure to attend the Closing Culinary Event on Saturday, June 1, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., hosted by Mission Housing at the Kapuso at the Upper Yard, located at 2430 San Jose Ave. This culminating celebration will feature cultural performances, cooking demonstrations, Taste of Asia food sampling, outreach tables by partners and sponsors, DJs, a photo booth, and community networking opportunities. Attendees can also participate in the CHOW FUN Passport raﬄ e drawing to win fabulous prizes.

“Chow Fun truly captures the vibrant heart of our diverse neighborhoods here in San Francisco,” said Supervisor Ahsha Safaí. “This festival is a fantastic showcase of the amazing culinary talents from our Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacifi c Islander communities. It’s more than a celebration of diverse foods; it’s about supporting our local entrepreneurs and strengthening our economy. I invite everyone to join us, taste the incredible fl avors that will be off ered, and connect more deeply with the rich cultural fabric of our city.

“The annual celebration of AAPI Heritage Month is about connecting, uplifting and giving voice to diverse communities, said Claudine Cheng, President of the APA Heritage Foundation. The concept of CHOW FUN is uniquely crafted to activate and showcase diverse AAPI communities and businesses. We encourage everyone to check it out and experience what the Excelsior and OMI neighborhoods have to oﬀ er.”

“CHOW FUN is more than just a food festival; it’s a celebration of community, culture, and cuisine,” remarked Al Perez, President of the Filipino American Arts Exposition. “It’s a gathering that transcends mere culinary enjoyment; it’s about coming together as a community to honor our heritage, share our stories, and celebrate the diverse fl avors that unite us. We are grateful for the strong support of our sponsors, including the SF Offi ce of Economic and Workforce Development (OEWD), Excelsior Action Group (EAG), Cormorant Energy Storage, APA Heritage Foundation, BART and NBC Bay Area. We invite everyone to join us in supporting local businesses, celebrating diversity, and experiencing the fl avors of the Pacifi c Rim. Together, let’s create lasting memories and foster a sense of belonging in our vibrant city.”

To view the participating merchants and for more information, visit chowfunsf.com.

The organizers and admins of Fil-Am Barangay Nextdoor Neighbors and Fil-Am American Canyon, met Consul General Neil R. Ferrer of Philippine Consulate General in San Francisco. Together with Consul Rowena Pangilinan-Daquipil and Vice Consul Adrian Baccay. They personally invited and delivered a formal le�er to ConGen Neil to be their guest speaker, on their 1st Philippine Independence Day in American Canyon. In the picture L-R: Consul Rowena Pangilinan-Daquipil, Brando Marion Cruz, Cris Enriquez, ConGen Neil, Jodl Cruz, Elmer Manaid and Vice Consul Adrian Baccay.

TAGALOG TAGALOG FFEST EST

Social Security Update

HOW YOU CAN PROTECT YOURSELF FROM IDENTITY THIEVES

By G. Samson

Social Security Public Aﬀairs Specialist in the Bay Area

Identity theft is when someone uses your personal information to impersonate you or steal from you. These crimes can impact your physical, mental, and emotional health and lead to lost opportunities that are often hard to measure. Learning more about identity theft can help you keep your personal information safe.

Types of Identity Theft

There are 2 types of identity theft you should be aware of:

• Thieves stealing your data, physically or digitally, without contacting you directly.

• Thieves contacting you directly and convincing you to provide sensitive information.

In these instances, you may never know how the thief got your information.

How Identity Thieves Use Your Information

or other documents.

• Review your credit card and bank statements for unauthorized transactions.

• Obtain and review your credit reports regularly to make sure they do not include accounts you have not opened. Ways to Prevent Identity Theft

While no plan is perfect, taking the precautions below can help you better protect your personal information:

• Protect documents that have personal information.

• Ask questions before giving out your SSN.

• Protect your personal information online and on your phone by using a strong password and adding multi-factor authentication when oﬀered.

Identity thieves steal personal information like your name, address, credit card or bank account numbers, Social Security number (SSN), and medical insurance account numbers. They use this information to:

• Buy items with your credit cards or bank accounts.

• Obtain new credit cards or accounts in your name.

• Use your SSN to get a job.

• Open phone or utility accounts in your name.

• Steal your tax refund.

• Use your health insurance to obtain medical care.

• Pretend to be you if they are arrested.

How to Spot Identity Theft

To spot identity theft:

• Keep track of your mail for missing bills

• Safeguard your information on social networks.

What to Do if You Believe Someone Has Stolen Your Identity

• Report fraud to the company where it occurred.

• Contact a credit bureau to place a fraud alert on your credit report.

• File a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission at www.identitytheft.gov.

• File a police report.

For more information about how to protect your SSN from identity thieves, read our publication, Identity Theft and Your Social Security Number at www.ssa.gov/pubs/EN-05-10064.pdf. Please report suspected Social Security imposter scams — and other Social Security fraud — on the Oﬃce of Inspector General’s website at www.oig.ssa.gov/report.

PARTNERS

“Back to Basics 2.0 Summit”: Importing The Right Way

Long Beach, CA, May 2024 – In response to the rapidly evolving landscape of the importing industry, EC Ferrer Customs House Brokers (CHB) Inc. in partnership with the Filipino American Chamber of Cerritos and Gateway Cities and the Pangasinan Brotherhood USA Inc., is proud to announce “Back to Basics 2.0,” an informative summit designed to equip importers with essential knowledge and strategies for success in today’s dynamic marketplace.

This “Back to Basics 2.0” information summit will be held on June 7, 2024 (Friday) from 8 am to 12:30 at the Long Beach Airport Marriott Hotel on Spring Street and Airport Plaza Drive. This is a follow through of a similar forum held in 2013 at the same venue.

With a focus on providing attendees with a comprehensive understanding of importing fundamentals while highlighting the latest industry advancements, “Back to Basics 2.0” promises to be an invaluable resource for importers seeking to navigate the complexities of global trade.

“At EC Ferrer, we recognize the importance of staying informed and adapting to the rapid changes in the importing industry,” said Eddie Ferrer, President of EC Ferrer. “Through ‘Back to Basics 2.0,’ our goal is to empower importers with the knowledge and tools they need to thrive in an ever-changing business environment.”

The summit will kick-oﬀ with keynote speaker, Eric Elnar, Trade Commissioner of the Philippine Department of Trade and Industry and feature a series of informative sessions by indus-

try leaders covering a wide range of topics essential to importing success, including:

• Make It Easy to Import the Right Way: Strategies for streamlining the importing process and ensuring compliance with regulations.

• Broker Expectations with Clients and Customs: Best practices for communication and collaboration between brokers, clients, and customs authorities.

• Reasonable Care and Responsible Supervision: Understanding the importance of due diligence and oversight in the importing process.

• Food & Drug Administration (FDA) Guidelines: Navigating FDA regulations and requirements for imported food and drug products.

• Artiﬁcial Intelligence (AI): Exploring the role of AI technologies in optimizing importing operations and decisionmaking processes.

• Insurance – Marine & Surety Bond: Insights into the importance of insurance coverage for various aspects of the importing process, including ocean, air, land, and warehouse shipments.

• Trucking - Border Crossing: Strategies for eﬃcient and compliant trucking operations across international borders and

• Security Partnerships – CTPAT: Understanding the beneﬁts and requirements of participating in Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism (CTPAT) for enhancing supply chain security.

“Back to Basics 2.0” will provide attendees with actionable insights, practical tips, and expert guidance to help them navigate the complexities of importing with conﬁdence and success. Due to limited seats for the summit, interested parties may RSVP or register with EC Ferrer CHB via email at christine@ ecferrer.com or at phone number 562-422-6492.

About EC FERRER: EC Ferrer CHB Inc. is a licensed Custom House Broker, Freight Forwarder (Ocean Transport Intermediary), and Property Broker for Interstate or foreign commerce in the transportation of freight by motor vehicle. EC Ferrer CHB is a leading authority in the importing industry, committed to excellence and dedicated to providing innovative solutions and expert guidance to importers worldwide.

New Affordable Homes for Sale in Mission Bay

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First “home-grown” Filipino priest in Orange County to be ordained June 8, 2024

The Filipino Catholic community in Orange County is a-buzz with the forthcoming ordination of Deacon Cole Buzon. He is on record the ﬁrst full-blooded Filipino born and raised in Orange County to be ordained a priest. This is signiﬁcant considering the dearth of Filipino vocations to the priesthood, which has

been an interesting topic of conversation: why, compared to other Asian nationalities, Filipinos produce the least number of vocations in Orange County. Finally, one priestly vocation has come to full fruition, with hopes of more to follow in the coming years. Bishop Kevin Vann is delighted with this signiﬁcant milestone

(From

The Ibarrientos children Glenn, Gladys Joy Ann and their families compose the wedding renewal entourage. REY GUARIN photo

career as a project manager in design and construction with Paciﬁc Bell. Though he retired in 1991, he consulted for a few years in the City of Los Angeles and later established his private

consulting. – Adapted from original reprinted with permission from INQUIRER.NET.USA

To be concluded

of ordaining a Filipino priest for the ﬁrst time in the Diocese of Orange, but quips, “I want more!”

June is a special month for Cole Christian Buzon. He was born on June 5, 1995, baptized on June 11, 1995, ordained a transitional deacon on June 24, 2023, and will be ordained a priest on June 8, 2024. He was born in Whittier, raised in La Habra, and moved to Brea where he went to Brea Junior High School and Brea Olinda High School. For his college education he enrolled at West Coast University where he ﬁnished a bachelor’s degree in Dental Hygiene and a Master’s Degree in Health Administration. Cole’s grandfather and mother are both dentists. Cole worked for 1 1/2 years as a dental hygienist and was involved in youth ministry work in his parish before he entered St. John’s Seminary in Camarillo at the age of 22. After seven years of theological studies, which includes an internship at St. Polycarp in Stanton, he will be ordained a priest in the Diocese of Orange. Currently, his home parish is St. Angela Merici Church in Brea. Additional information on Deacon Cole can be found via google.com; search for Cole Buzon. In addition, videos on reﬂections that he has given the past two years are available on the RCBO website.

The ordination Mass and ceremonies to be held at the Christ Cathedral on Saturday, June 8, 2024 at 10 a.m. is open to all who want to attend. Please join the

Filipino community in the Diocese of Orange on this momentous occasion that the Diocese of Orange San Jose Filipino Ministry (DOSJFM) is proud to support. If you have any questions or need further information please call Tess Pabalan at 714-213-4715.

By Becky Tamondong

DOSJFM

Page 11)

Highway 1 reopens ahead of schedule

BIG SUR – Governor Gavin Newsom announced that Caltrans will open the portion of Highway 1 closed by the Rocky Creek slip-out to traﬃc, starting at 6:30 a.m. this Friday, May 17 – eight days sooner than previously expected.

:“Crews have been working day and night to quickly repair the damage to Highway 1 caused by recent storms, which has disrupted the lives of individuals living in and around Big Sur – limiting access to the area and hampering tourism. Thanks to the diligent eﬀorts, traﬃc will resume eight days ahead of schedule – bringing relief and a sense of normalcy back to one of California’s most iconic coastal communities,” Newsom said.

This portion of Highway 1 will reopen with the use of a 24/7 signalized traﬃc control. This temporary signal will provide unrestricted public access with one-way alternating traﬃc in both the north and southbound directions.

“Highway 1 is the jewel of the California highway system and our crews have been working non-stop for the last month and a half so Californians can have unrestricted access to this iconic area of our state,” said Caltrans Director Tony Tavares. “I thank Governor Newsom, Senator John Laird and our elected ofﬁcials for their unwavering support, the residents and businesses for their patience and the crews for reopening the roadway as quickly and as safely as possible.”

Health & Wealth

“We are deeply grateful to have Highway 1 open and functional an entire week ahead of schedule. I want to sincerely thank Caltrans and the people of Big Sur for their work, effort, and patience through this process,” said State Senator John Laird (D-Santa Cruz). “This was a true team effort, including Governor Newsom and his staff, Caltrans executives and contractors, Assemblymem-

As I See It

18, 2024, I am oﬀering FREE autographed copy of the updated REAL ESTATE & YOU” (391 pages), subtitled “Your Basic Guide & Information for Successful Investing in Home, Land and Income Property,” together with the autographed copy of the original “HISTORICITY OF JESUS” subtitled “Facts and Evidences for Agnostics, Atheists and Believers.”

I am oﬀering the FREE autographed paperback copies as appreciation to loyal readers of my weekly column. Just pay for the cost of shipping and handling. For your FREE paperback autographed copies of the two books, just send $15 (in check or money order) to: ART G. MADLAING, 730 Madrid Street, San Francisco, CA 94112. Tel. (650) 438-3531 or (415) 5847095 or email:artmadlainjg@hotmail.com This Special FREE oﬀer is good only in the United States until August 18, 2024, my 77th Birthday.

ber Dawn Addis, Sheriﬀ Tina Nieto, the California Highway Patrol, Big Sur Fire, and leaders in and the community of Big Sur. Highway 1 is a vital lifeline for communities on the Central Coast, and so our ongoing task will be to ensure this route remains resilient and open.”

On March 30, a rockslide below Highway 1 south of the Rocky Creek Bridge left the southbound lane partially under-

With all the challenges and trials, she went through, her platform centers on advocating for aﬀordable housing, climate justice, workers’ rights, and creating a solidarity economy throughout Los Angeles. In fact, these are the issues her district is experiencing at present. That’s the reason why she wants to zero in to these issues to be able to serve her constituents to the fullest.

mined and impassable. Approximately 6 feet of the pavement and a portion of an unreinforced masonry retaining wall that supported the highway fell to the ocean about 170 feet below the road.

Governor Newsom surveys damage near the Rocky Creek Bridge earlier this month.

In order to stabilize the remaining southbound lane and preserve the northbound lane, crews drilled, installed and grouted 40 vertical and 75 sub-horizontal steel elements into the slope. The steel elements, or rock dowels, are covered by an application of shotcrete to protect the exposed rock slope. This work required Caltrans to close the roadway in both directions at Rocky Creek, aside from twice-daily convoys through the slip-out area.

Now that Caltrans has stabilized the southbound lane and preserved the northbound lane, the site will continue to be monitored and visually inspected. A project to construct a permanent repair to the highway at this location is currently in the design phase, with an estimated completion date of spring 2025.

Earlier this month, the Governor surveyed the work being done at the Highway 1 slip-out and announced state action by signing an emergency proclamation. This action will help secure an estimated $100 million in federal funding for repairs to multiple areas of the state impacted by the recent storms.

America

at the groundﬂoor entrance rotunda of the Capitol.

By itself, the Texas State Capitol is an impressive and historic ediﬁce cum museum with treasured paintings, photographs and sculpture, among others, in the city of Austin which is the seat of the American state of Texas. The stately four-storey capitol with a taller dome houses the oﬃces and chambers of Texas State Senate and State House of Representatives and that of the governor of Texas. According to records, the State Capitol is the sixth tallest State Capitol in the United States and is taller than the US Capitol in Washington D.C. Unlike the DC Capitol which is white, the Texas Capitol is pink.

Attracting hundreds of tourists everyday, the Texas State Capitol building is surrounded by 22 acres (8.9 hectares) of well manicured grounds with verdant grass and tall trees and important statues and monuments scattered all over like the Heroes of Alamo and a smaller version of the collosal Statue of Liberty, a symbol of hope and spirit in New York.

(ART GABOT MADLAING is accredited and commissioned Notary Public and licensed Real Estate Broker (DRE #00635976) in California since 1981. He is the founder of MOBILE SIGNING SERVICES, FITNESS FOR HUMANITY (aka FITNESS FOR CHRIST) and ACAPINOY. Art is active Evangelist with the GOLDEN GATE CHURCH OF CHRIST in San Francisco, California USA.)

Jurado’s campaign earned ﬁrst place in the primary election in a crowded ﬁeld of eight candidates, and continue to gather support from individuals and organizations dedicated to progressive change in Los Angeles. These includes Los Angeles District 1 Councilmember Eunisses Hernandez; Los Angeles City Controller Kenneth Mejia; 2022 mayoral candidate Gina Viola; LAUSD School Board member Rocio Rivas; LAUSD Board President Jackie Goldberg; the Working Families Party; UAW6; SEIU/CIR; East Area Progressive Democrats; Culver City Mayor Emeritus Dr. Daniel Wayne Lee; Stonewall Democrats; LPAC; Alliance of Californians for Community Empowerment (ACCE); Democratic Socialists of America – LA; and Ground Game LA.

The latter two grassroots organizations helped elect some of the city’s most progressive champions, including Councilmembers Eunisses Hernandez and Hugo Soto-Martinez.

Ysabel is working hard to attain her goal of being the ﬁrst FilAm in the LA City Council. Her daily schedules are very hectic and in fact, when I ﬁrst interviewed her, she was talking over her cell phone while driving her car on her way to her next scheduled assignment. That’s how busy she is!

For more information about Ysabel Jurado’s campaign and to get involved, please visit: ysabeljurado.la Go for it, Ysabel! Our kababayans are excited to see you win the council seat!

People sometimes play and picnic in the grounds apart from walking and running. Coming from a long drive in Fredericksburg, we laid blankets for a much needed respite and had our sumptuous snacks there as birds perch in branches in the green canopy and sing.

Austin, when will I see you again?

Then we visited the River Walk, an oasis in San Antonio and touted as one of the top tourist attractions in Texas. If you plan to revive the Pasig River, to give you and our authorities ideas and lessons on how to do it and succeed, visit the the San Antonio River Walk.. It is not just a river but an iconic landmark with “vibrant culture, captivating history and endless charm, where unforgettable experiences await around every bend.”

There is no need to belabor on why to those interested as information about the River Walk is available in the Internet as it has its own website apart from that of the city and the San Antonio River Authority.

Moreover, thousands of people going there and enjoying every day, my daughter and family and myself included, speak of the popularity and importance of the River Walk.

Wow Texas! Dadalas dalasan ko pa sa Dallas o sa Texas and its capital Austin!

(From Page 13)

In My Heart

(From Page 13)

WHO reports widespread overuse of antibiotics in patients hospitalized with COVID-19

GENEVA - New evidence from the World Health Organization (WHO) shows the extensive overuse of antibiotics during the COVID-19 pandemic worldwide, which may have exacerbated “silent” spread of antimicrobial resistance (AMR).

While only 8% of hospitalized patients with COVID-19 had bacterial co-infections requiring antibiotics, three out of four or some 75% of patients have been treated with antibiotics ‘just in case’ they help. Antibiotic use ranged from 33% for patients in the Western Pacific Region, to 83% in the Eastern Mediterranean and the African Regions. Between 2020 and 2022, prescriptions decreased over time in Europe and the Americas, while they increased in Africa.

Highest rate of antibiotic use was seen among patients with severe or critical COVID-19, with a global average of 81%. In mild or moderate cases, there was a considerable variation across regions, with the highest use in the African Region (79%).

WHO classifies antibiotics as per AWaRe (Access, Watch, Reserve) classification, according to the risk of AMR. Concerningly, the study found that ‘Watch’ antibiotics with higher resistance potential

were most frequently prescribed globally.

“When a patient requires antibiotics, the benefits often outweigh the risks associated with side effects or antibiotic resistance. However, when they are unnecessary, they offer no benefit while posing risks, and their use contributes to the emergence and spread of antimicrobial resistance,” said Dr Silvia Bertagnolio, WHO Unit Head for Surveillance, Evidence and Laboratory Strengthening, Division for AMR.

“These data call for improvements in the rational use of antibiotics to minimize unnecessary negative consequences for patients and populations.”

Overall, antibiotic use did not improve clinical outcomes for patients with COVID-19. But rather, it might create harm for people without bacterial infection, compared to those not receiving antibiotics. This underscores the urgent need to improve the rational use of antibiotics to minimize unnecessary negative consequences for both patients and populations.

A systematic evidence synthesis and appraisal will complement this work to inform upcoming WHO recommendations on antibiotic use in patients with COVID-19, as part of the guidelines for the clinical management of COVID-19.

These findings are based on data from the WHO Global Clinical Platform for COVID-19, a repository of standardized individual-level, anonymized clinical data from patients hospitalized with COVID-19. Data was collected from some 450 000 patients admitted to hospitals for COVID-19 in 65 countries over a 3-year period between January 2020 and March 2023. The findings are being presented in a WHO scientific poster shared at the ESCMID Global Congress, taking place in Barcelona, Spain on 27-30 April.

“These findings underscore the important need to adequately resource the efforts to improve antibiotic prescribing globally, and are particularly relevant to discuss ahead of the upcoming UN General Assembly High-Level Meeting on AMR to take place this September,” said Dr Yukiko Nakatani, WHO Assistant Director-General for AMR.

The UN High-Level meeting on AMR will bring together global leaders to commit to mitigating AMR across human health, animal health, agri-food sectors and the environment, and to promote political leadership, financing and actions to slow the emergence and spread of AMR.

PHILIP S. CHUA

Heart

of Hope

The famous search for the elusive fountain of youth which Spanish explorer conquistador Juan Ponce de Leon in 1513 started during the ﬁrst European expedition (and others before him), man has always been fascinated with the idea of slowing down aging, or, at least, looking (and feeling) younger than his natural age.

With the advent of the informational age, where vast data could be at our ﬁngertips in seconds (versus our manual use of the volumes of the archaic encyclopedia from our bookshelves in the yesteryears), everyone now has convenient and rapid access to more scientiﬁc resources and valuable tools for our quest for a healthier lifestyle, disease prevention, and maximal longevity.

Most of the data related to man’s obsession with the elixir of youth are from studies and discoveries about diet and physical activities that date back to biblical times and earlier periods.

Jesus and MedDi

Jesus Christ, for instance, is claimed to have been on the Mediterranean Diet (MedDi), or a version very similar to it, popular in the culture and tradition from 12th century BCE and before. The modes of transportation then were walking, or donkey-riding, and manual labor dominated the activities of man. So, people had a lot of physical exercises and signiﬁcantly less stress, on top of MedDi, providing people with an overall healthy lifestyle. This translated to having more protection against cardiovascular and metabolic diseases and cancer, which “medical records” and autopsies on mummies revealed.

The elixir of youth

The basic foundation of the Mediterranean Diet is its being a plant-based diet, one almost devoid of red meat (except for once a week or so), and protein derived mainly from ﬁsh, seafoods, legumes, and nuts. Red meat, according to various multi-national studies, is associated with a high risk for cancer and cardiovascular illnesses.

The modern concept of the plant-based MedDi as we know it today was ﬁrst publicized in 1975 by biologist Ancel Keys and his chemist-wife, Margaret Keys, in their book “How to Eat Well and Stay Well.” It somehow failed to gain recognition until the 1990s.

The age of information and lightning speed communication (internet was born January 1, 1983) and social media, (which started in 1997), may have educated and inspired people to be more health (and diet) conscious, which helped ﬁnally propel the MedDi to popularity.

However, as medical science advances, we now know that some of the items in the MedDi are actually not healthy. These are the foods in MedDi that contain gluten and lectins, two proteins that are harmful anti-nutrients, and inﬂammation-inducers, especially in their raw state (some fruits, nuts, and vegetables), which could wreak havoc on our guts, our digestive system. Dr. Steven Gundry, professor and chairman, cardiac surgery at Loma Linda University, is a strong anti-gluten, anti-lectin proponent.

Harmful lectin and gluten

Lectins also interfere with the absorption of iron, phosphorus, zinc, and calcium, among other minerals and vitamins. Gluten, which is found in all whole-grain wheat (except for lectin-free, low-gluten white sourdough, practically all bread has gluten and lectin, which are signiﬁcantly

reduced by baking), rye, and barley, is foreign to the human gut, difficult to digest, irritant and destructive to the lining of the gut, causing inflammation, making it leak, may impair the immune system, and could trigger a full-flown allergic reaction.

Cruciferous veggies, peanuts, soy, and strawberries could mess up the absorption of iodine to cause potential goiter problems. Both gluten and lectin negatively impact the microbiome, the community of 100 trillion microorganisms (bacteria, fungi, viruses, and their genes that naturally live in our bodies, 85 percent of them beneﬁcial to our health) that are so essential in big ways to human health and wellness.

Some of the items which contain gluten and lectins are bread, pasta, kidney beans, legumes in general, nightshade vegetables (potato, tomato, eggplant, pepper, paprika – aggravators of arthritis), ripe bananas, watermelon, zucchini, carrots, walnuts, almonds, sunﬂower seeds, lemons, plum, sweet oranges, tangerines, pomegranates, dates, beets, blueberries, black berries, and dairy products from cows and chicken raised on corn and soybeans.

Minus the ingredients loaded with gluten and lectins, the MedDi would be the healthiest diet on earth, especially with the liberal use of virgin and extra virgin olive oil in this diet.

Lectin-free

foods

Some of the lectin-free items include fish, seafood, pasture-raised poultry, grassfed beef, buffalo, goat, sheep dairy products, avocado, blueberries, sweet potatoes, some cruciferous veggies (arugula, Bok choy, chard, kale, rutabaga, turnip, watercress), pistachios, pecan, hemp seeds, pine nuts, Brazil nuts, sesame seeds, flax seeds. Apple, strawberry, broccoli, celery, cabbage, have low lectin levels.

Minimizing Lectins and Glutens Besides avoiding them, foods containing gluten and lectin could be soaked overnight, fully cooked, baked, or fermented to severely reduce the gluten and lectin in them. This is our saving grace. This is how the level of gluten and lectin in food items is severely reduced, allowing most people to enjoy them. For tomatoes, peeling the skin and removing the seeds where the pectin is, will remove the lectin.

This strategy of minimizing gluten and lectin in our diet has prevented disruption of our microbiome, destruction of our gut lining, and impairment of our immune system allowing us, in various countries, to enjoy our various traditional food staples, with minimal or no side-eﬀects.

Knowing well what we eat and drink and exercising moderation in the quality and quantity of what we ingest is fundamental, not only for weight management but for overall health and longevity, not necessarily an elixir for good looks, but for wholesome living and well-being.

Philip S. Chua, MD, FACS, FPCS, a Cardiac Surgeon Emeritus based in Northwest Indiana and Las Vegas, Nevada, is an international medical lecturer/author, Health Advocate, newspaper columnist, and Chairman of the Filipino United Network-USA, a 501(c)3 humanitarian foundation in the United States. He was a decorated recipient of the Indiana Sagamore of the Wabash Award in 1995, presented by then Indiana Governor, US senator, and later a presidential candidate, Evan Bayh. Other Sagamore past awardees include President Harry Truman, President George HW Bush, Muhammad Ali, David Letterman, Astronaut Gus Grissom, etc. (Wikipedia). Websites: FUN8888.com, Today.SPSAtoday.com, and philipSchua.com

Email: scalpelpen@gmail.com

GROUNDBREAKING FILIPINO TATTOO EXHIBIT OPENS AT PH CONSULATE FOR AAPI HERITAGE MONTH

SAN FRANCISCO, USA – The Philippine Consulate General in San Francisco is celebrating Asian American and Paciﬁ c Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month in the United States with a one-of-a-kind exhibit that turns a spotlight on the Philippine heritage customs of baybayin writing and body tattooing.

The Consulate, through Sentro Rizal San Francisco, opened the “Bagong Liwanag 2: Baybayin Tattoos” solo exhibit of San Jose-based Filipino tattoo artist Jeﬀ Maronilla-Seva Quintano at the Kalayaan Hall of the Philippine Center in San Francisco on 9 May 2024.

The “Bagong Liwanag” (“New Light”) exhibit, which was ﬁ rst mounted at San Francisco’s Sentro Filipino in January 2024, shines a positive light on the ancient Filipino practice of tattooing and its pivotal role in the modern revival of baybayin, an indigenous form of writing in the Philippines. The exhibit also highlights a community’s eﬀ ort to connect to their

Filipino roots and represent their culture in America.

In his remarks, Consul General Neil Ferrer noted that in the Philippines, May is also celebrated as National Heritage Month.

“This year, the Philippine government has adopted the theme ‘Championing Heritage: Capacity Building to Transform Communities,’ in recognition of our cultural workers and advocates who have made it their mission to connect with Philippine indigenous communities in highlighting local ingenuity and creativity, and in creating opportunities for local artisans and culture bearers to thrive in mainstream society,” Consul General Ferrer said.

Consul General Ferrer cited the exhibit’s unique theme of tattooing, which was a widely respected art form among the Philippines’ various ethnic groups before the arrival of Western inﬂ uence in the Philippines in the 1500s.

Consul General Ferrer said: “In hosting Jeﬀ ’s solo exhibit here at the Consulate, we are also helping break the social taboo that has long surrounded the art of tattooing in mainstream society... Common for both women and men, body tattoos are a form of indigenous language that convey the wearer’s kinship, tribal identity, social status, personal history, and spiritual beliefs.”

“Thus, the baybayin tattoos that we see in the exhibit are certainly not just skin-deep expressions of Filipino pride. In more ways than one, these tattoos are representations of a long-lost tradition that connect its wearers to their ancestral roots, and give them a richer understanding of their identity as Filipinos,” Consul General Ferrer further said.

The Philippine Consul General took the opportunity to recognize Quintano and other cultural advocates such as Taipan Lucero and the Bay Area’s Kristian Kabuay, “for their contributions in highlighting the baybayin and the indigenous tattoo art as distinctive symbols of our heritage that Filipinos the world over can be proud of.”

“Understanding and embracing our identity can uplift a person’s spirit which will make them more resilient in a world where minorities are subject to unequal treatment. It is encouraging to see our script on street signs, logos, tattoos, and more—it signals acceptance, youth interest, and government support,” Quintano said in his message.

The exhibit will run at the Philippine Center’s Kalayaan Hall until 31 May 2024—with a closing event that will feature the world premiere of Quintano’s “Bagong Liwanag” documentary, and a screening of the ﬁ lm “Ang Babae sa Likod ng Mambabatok” (“The Woman Behind the Tattooist”) featuring world renowned Kalinga tattoo artist Whang-od, in partnership with the Film Development Council of the Philippines.

Consul General Neil Ferrer delivers a speech during the opening of “Bagong Liwanag 2: Baybayin Ta�oos” exhibit at the Kalayaan Hall of the Philippine Center in San Francisco on 9 May 2024. (Lou Angeles photo)

Bay Area-based Filipino ta�oo ar�st Jeﬀ Maronilla-Seva Quintano with baybayin ta�oo wearers, during the opening of “Bagong Liwanag 2: Baybayin Ta�oos” exhibit at the Kalayaan Hall of the Philippine Center in San Francisco on 9 May 2024. (Lou Angeles photo)

Consul General Neil Ferrer and Filipino ta�oo ar�st Jeﬀ Maronilla-Seva Quintano with, from le� to right: Vice Consul Adrian Baccay; Consul Vanessa Bago-Llona; Consul Jed Llona; and Consul Rowena Pangilinan-Daquipil. (Lou Angeles photo)

Consul General Neil Ferrer and Filipino ta�oo ar�st Jeﬀ Maronilla-Seva Quintano lead the ribbon-cu�ng ceremony to open the “Bagong Liwanag 2: Baybayin Ta�oos” exhibit at the Kalayaan Hall of the Philippine Center in San Francisco on 9 May 2024. Also in the photo is Ms. Cha Cedillo. (Lou Angeles photo)

Chicken Asado, Recipe of the Week

Ingredients:

1 k. chicken, cut into serving pieces with the bones intact

1/4 cup kalamansi juice

1/4 cup soy sauce

1 cup tomato sauce

2 medium size onion, chopped

1/2 head garlic, minced

4 potatoes, quartered

3 pc. bay leaf

salt and pepper

cooking oil

Cooking procedure:

In a bowl marinate chicken with kalamansi, soy sauce, salt and pepper for 10 to 20 minutes before cooking. In a sauce pan fry chicken for 3 to 5 minutes or until colour turn to golden brown in batches. Remove from pan, set aside. In same sauce pan sauté garlic and onion, add in chicken, stir fry for 2 to 3 minutes, Add tomato sauce and bay leaf, stir cook for 1 to 2 minutes. Pour in 2 to 3 cups of water and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes. Add in potato and simmer for another 5 to 10 minutes or until chicken and potato are cooked and tender and until most of the liquid has evaporated. Correct saltines if required. Serve hot.

The Glory of Italy and Greece’s Ancient History From My Point of View:

By Dan E. Niño

Travelling to other countries like Italy and Greece is culturally and intellectually very enriching and stimulating. It rekindled my interest and passion in history especially ancient history and antiquities of both countries. The ﬁrst time I was in Italy was in 2009 but only visited Rome, San Marcello in the province of Ancona.

Our recent trip to these two great countries of Europe had broadened my knowledge of classical history. What we learned in school were limited or scant. Learning is more eﬀective when tour guides explained in more details our featured destination’s history replete with videos, real artifacts, statues and reinforced with Q&A.

My family journeyed to Italy with Florence as our base to primarily fulfill an obligation. Wifey Myrna was one of the ninangs or godmothers of the bride and groom while my only adult child Denver was one of the groomsmen for this wedding destination. Tim Mamoyac, the groom and a relative, is an IT guy while his lovely bride, Cydney Purificacion is a physician. I considered this as luxurious wedding infused with a 30-minute fireworks after a lavish and overflow of cocktails with enormous cold cuts and other appetizers – amid a trio of Italian musicians with their acoustic guitars providing non-stop entertainment.

With the hors d’oeuvre alone, I felt I was already having gluttony -- a full meal. Thereafter, a formal dining reception followed. The whole wedding entourage and guests who mostly came from the U.S. were having fellowship awaiting for the wedding cake to be served when all of a sudden, ﬁreworks erupted outside of the hall’s lush gardens. It was like the 4th of July on March 13 which coincidentally was also my birthday. I almost stole the thunder when a portion of the guests began singing the “happy birthday” song. I had to scuttle it for obvious reason.

After a quick layover in Zurich where its mountain ranges were still packed with snow, we arrived in Florence after an-hour ﬂight at 6 p.m. on March 9. My ﬁrst impression on our way to our hotel on Via Aprile were most of the streets are narrow and one-way. Our driver, reminded us that walking around downtown Florence is faster than taking a cab or uber.

The following day, we ventured out to downtown Firenzia, the Italian name of Florence, speciﬁcally to Piazza San Giovanni (St. John Square), and Piazza Signoria and Piazza Duomo (Cathedrale Square). This urban nucleus is the civic, political and religious center of this historic Italian city.

My primary interest were the historic sights and icons and museums of Florence, considered the bastion of the Renaissance Period in Italy. This preeminent city whose history began in 59 B.C. under Caesar Augustus of the Roman Empire produced world renowned artists and personalities like Donatello (the father of Renaissance, bronze David, St. John the Baptist, etc.), Michelangelo (The marble statue of King David found at Galleria dell’ Accademia, frescoed painting at Sistine Chapel ceiling at the Vatican, etc.), merchant and explorernavigator Amerigo Vespucci whose name the term America was derived from, master painter Raphael and architect (Madonna painting, frescoed Vatican Palace), the powerful and fabulously wealthy Medici family that produced two popes: Giovanni de Medici who became Pope Leo X and cousin Giulio de Medici who chose the name Clement VII. When Rome was sacked in 1527, the Medici family lost power.

We also explored the original Gucci

Store show window in Florence. When my son inquired how much does one shoulder party bag cost, the well-dressed sales lady revealed, 49,000 euro. I stormed out and just bought three ﬁne leather goods amounting to 150 euro (about USD 200) at the open pavilion or ﬂea stores which is still expensive by American standard. I found out later that my son Denver bought two Gucci party bags totaling 2,800 euro for his mom and cousin.

The one-lane in U.S. streets is equivalent to two lanes in Italy. I ﬁgured out, Italy during those ancient years, transportation were by carriage or wagons pulled by horses. The narrow streets and alleys were safe despite the invisible cops. In downtown Florence across Palazzo Vecchio, I even met here 29-year-old newcomer Philippine actor and model, Gabriel Paolo whose last name in real life is Lagman who mentioned that he starred in the TV series “Halik”. It took him two hours on board a train from Rome to Florence.

Florence derived its name from the Latin word “florentia”, which means flora and flower that began when Caesar Augustus founded this colony. During the first century A.D., Florence encountered all problems related to the propagation of Christianity replacing its pagan or mythological god, Mars to St. John the Baptist in the second half of the third century. Its first Christian martyr was Saint Miniano.

Located in the Tuscany region known as Italic settlement, it became a Roman town then became Florentia, a city-state during the Roman empire and under the Barbarian rule. Slowly, the growth of Florence in the 10th or 11th centuries dubbed as “general awakening” by the Italian people became autonomous around 1115.

Then the Renaissance period of cultural, political, economic and artistic rebirth of Europe emerged from 14th century to the 17th centuries. The renaissance began in Italy with the powerful Medici family very supportive of the Renaissance artists.

There were conﬂicts between papacy and the imperial troops, the aristocratic faction versus popular faction. Florence was also governed by internecine ﬁghting among the feudal lords, nobles and the richest merchants and between Cardinal Albornoz against Pope Gregory XI known as Eight Saints War (1375-1378).

Italy was ruled by Byzantines, the French the Hapsburg-Lorraine family of Austria up to 1860; the Byzantines, the Lombards, a Germanic Tribe and the Savoy Royal Family Dynasty from 1861 to 1946.

Next stop, we’ll explore other great destinations of Pisa, Venice and Athens. – denino1951@gmail.com