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San Diego’s No. 1 Source of News & Information for the Filipino Community • An Award-Winning Newspaper Since 1986 January 5, 2024 - January 11, 2024
www.thefilipinopress.com • (619) 434-1720
PBBM declares Jan. 9 holiday in Manila for Traslacion
MANILA -- President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. has declared January 9 as a special non-working day in the City of Manila given the Feast of the Black Nazarene. Under Proclamation 434 inked by Marcos on Thursday, Jan. 9 is declared a holiday to allow devotees to take part in the activities related to the Feast of the Black Nazarene. “On 09 January 2024, Tuesday, the City of Manila will mark the celebration of the Feast of the Black Nazarene,” the proclamation read. “It is but fitting and proper that the people of the City of Manila be given full opportunity to participate in the occasion and enjoy the celebration,” it added. Organizers of the 2024 Feast of the Black Nazarene Traslacion (transfer) announced last December that the same route used during the 2020 grand procession would be followed. The procession will start from the Quirino Grandstand in Rizal Park and up to the Minor Basilica of the Black Nazarene or Quiapo Church along Quezon Boulevard. It would mark the first time the Traslacion will return to its old format after the celebration was suspended from 2021 to 2023 because of the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic. Last year, a “Walk of Faith” was held at the Quiapo Church without the Traslacion and lured 1.2 million devotees over two days. PBBM wishes Filipinos Happy New Year, vows more infra in 2024
BLESSING OF BLACK NAZARENE REPLICAS. Devotees line up replicas of the Black Nazarene along Carriedo Street in Quiapo, Manila on Wednesday (Jan. 3, 2024) for the blessing of the images. The devotees came from various parts of Manila and neighboring provinces, such as Bulacan, Rizal, Laguna, and Cavite. (MNS photo) President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. and the First Family greeted everyone a prosperous 2024 as he looked forward “to build better and more” this year, looking back at the significant milestones in 2023. “(A)s friends and family gather,
our family joins yours in welcoming a peaceful and prosperous New Year,” President Marcos said in his New Year’s message. “We look back to the past year pleased with what we have done. We look forward to the new year
Fighting Car Scams with the CARS Rule By Selen Ozturk/EMS The risk of getting scammed when buying a car — the highest purchase many consumers make short of a house — can be as stressful as the risk of a pile-up commute. The risk of getting scammed when buying a car — the highest purchase many consumers make short of a house — can be as stressful as the risk of a pile-up commute. At a Friday, December 15 briefing hosted by Ethnic Media Services and the Federal Trade Commission, FTC officials explained how the agency’s Combating Auto Retail Scams (CARS) Rule, requiring transparency from car dealers, will protect buyers from auto scams. What is CARS and who’s affected?
Malini Mithal, associate director of the FTC Division of Financial Practices said the CARS Rule,
announced by the FTC last week, combats two main scams that car buyers experience: bait-and-switch tactics, “where dealers advertise a low price to bring you to the lot, but after you spend hours there you learn that the car is way more expensive than what was advertised,” and junk fees, which are charges hidden by long, complicated auto contracts. CARS — taking effect July 30, 2024 — will save car buyers facing these tactics an estimated $3.4 billion and 72 million hours a year, she explained. “The rule especially helps honest car dealers who will be able to compete on a level playing field; they won’t have to worry about losing business to a competitor pretending to have a lower price to lure consumers onto their lot, but then charging much more once the consumer gets there.” The CARS Rule makes this happen four ways, Mithal continued: first, dealers can’t lie about key information See CAR SCAM on 9
with the pledge to build better and more. We have set high hopes for the days ahead and we know that these can only be achieved with hard work.” President Marcos said the “hard-fought” gains of 2023 have
prepared the Filipino people and the country for whatever difficulties that 2024 brings. The President said the administration has built 33 additional specialty centers, over 2,000 classrooms and seven
additional cold chain facilities. President Marcos also stressed the administration was able to facilitate investments in renewable energy through the award of renewable energy contracts with a total potential capacity of around 121,000 megawatts. He added the administration also completed eight water supply projects with 147 additional water projects being implemented for 2024. The President also reiterated the administration’s commitment to ensure efficient and fast services to the Filipino people. “We will continue to purge government of rules that slow the delivery of public services because when projects get delayed, progress is denied our people. And this commitment to efficiency and service will extend to documents and licenses because service delayed is also service denied,” Marcos said. President Marcos also said the administration will continue providing assistance to all Filipinos through various government programs such as Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged/ Displaced Workers (TUPAD), Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation (AICS), Medical Assistance for Indigent Patients (MAIP) and others that they can use not only as safety nets, but also as permanent solutions. The President said these programs serve as government See PBBM on 12
Three Different Accidents in San Diego: Why Your Personal Injury Attorney Needs to be Able to Litigate SAN DIEGO, CA -- The attorney handling your injury claims can make all the difference as to the overall outcome of your case. Atty. Morris Chichyan is the founder of Chichyan Law APC, a law office dedicated to serving personal injury victims. Atty. Chichyan is licensed to practice law in the states of Nevada and California and has recovered millions of dollars for clients all throughout the state of California. Atty. Chichyan handles claims in pre-litigation (before a lawsuit is filed) and in litigation (after a lawsuit is filed). Litigation is the process that takes place after a lawsuit is filed. Litigation can include written discovery (questions and answers), depositions, examinations by the insurance company’s doctor or doctors, and other significant events in a case leading up to a trial. Most cases resolve before any trial takes place. However, not all claims resolve for proper value before a lawsuit is filed, your attorney needs to be prepared to litigate a case and potentially take a case to trial. Generally, an injury victim can be entitled to past medical bills, the need for future medical care, past lost income, lost earning capacity (the ability to earn income in the future), and pain and suffering. Insurance companies are known to hold out on properly compensating a personal injury victim until they have a reason to do so. Here are three actual examples of cases that had to be litigated, before the insurance company properly compensated the injured party:
Atty. Morris Chichyan with one of his satisfied clients. (courtesy photo) (1) On January 15, 2023, a passenger was being driven home on the Interstate-805, after birthday celebrations, when another driver rear-ended them and forced them into the hilly freeway embankment. Not only was that vehicle totaled, but the passenger also suffered injuries. That passenger sought immediate medical care and needed continuous care to recover from her injuries. In response to a prelitigation demand, the insurance company only offered $12,000.00 and refused to pay a dollar more. This amount barely covered her medical bills and ignored how her life had been impacted as a result of being pushed off the 805 and into an embankment. This case had to be filed. After a lawsuit was formally filed, and litigation was initiated, the responsible insurance company paid $30,000.00, which was the applicable policy limit (the maximum amount available from
the insurance company). This case settled in June of 2023, only six months after the collision. Only after a lawsuit was filed, was the passenger able to walk away with a settlement for the maximum insurance amount available. (2) On September 7, 2022, a driver came to complete stop on Rancho Penasquitos Boulevard in San Diego, California. He was suddenly, and forcefully, rearended by another driver. While the physical damage to his car was minimal, the impact was great. At the moment of impact, the driver suffered whiplash and required chiropractic, orthopedic, and neurological care. In response to a demand for the policy limits, the insurance company for the responsible driver offered $14,939 and argued that the impact was “minor.” The applicable policy See CHICHYAN on
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