The Filipino Press: May 13-19, 2022

tells world

the likely winner in the 2022 presidential election, on Wednesday appealed to the world to judge him by his actions and not by his ancestors.

"Judge me not by my ancestors, but by my actions," Marcos told the world, as shared by his spokesperson Atty. Vic Rodriguez in a statement.

Marcos is the son of the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos Sr., whose decades-long rule has been linked to corruption and human rights violations.

According to Rodriguez, the younger Marcos is "[looking] forward to working across the Philippines, and with international partners and organizations, to address critical issues facing the country, and to begin delivering for the Filipino people."

With more than 16 million votes ahead of his staunch contender, Vice President Leni Robredo, based on partial and unofficial count, Marcos is set to be the 17th Philippine president, Rodriguez said.

Rodriguez said at least 98% of the votes already counted, having a lead of more than 16 million votes, the Filipinos have already spoken decisively on who will be the country's next leader.

"In historic numbers, the people have used their democratic vote to unite our nation," Rodriguez said.

“generally peaceful, orderly and organized.”

In a message, OPAPRU Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr. said the democracy was at its “finest” despite having reported some isolated incidents of violence and people grueling hours of queuing.

Galvez congratulated all people who patiently lined up at polling precincts “braving the rain or the bristling heat of the sun” just to cast their votes and for not allowing the reported incidents from preventing them from exercising the right to suffrage and choosing the country’s new leaders.

“If there are three lessons that this election has taught us, they are: First, despite the tension, anxiety, and misunderstanding caused by our political differences, we all share a common vision, and that is, to elect the leaders who can best lead our nation. Second, this political exercise has allowed us to stand up for the principles we are fighting for, and select the leaders who truly embody these same ideals,” Galvez said.

"This is a victory for all Filipinos, and for democracy. To those who voted for Bongbong, and those who did not, it is his promise to be a Presiden to all Filipinos. To seek common ground across political divides, and to work together to unite the nation," he added.

By AdA m Beh A r NATIONAL CITY, CA -- President

Biden has designated May 2022 as Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Heritage Month.

It’s a time for recognizing “the innumerable contributions, vibrant cultures, and rich heritage of Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders,” read the presidential proclamation. “From serving our country in uniform, advocating for civil rights, starting new businesses, and winning Olympic medals, the contributions of the AA and NHPI community touch the lives of Americans every day.”

This is an opportunity for us to celebrate the Fil-Am community’s contribution to the region. Although more than 200,000 Filipinos call San Diego County home, it’s never really had a Filipino flavor or identity. This is changing literally as we speak.

A Reuters report said that Marcos winning the presidential

race would reshape the Southeast Asian country's relations with China and with the United States as the former senator seeks closer ties with Beijing, according to analysts. He is reportedly seeking a new deal with Chinese ruler Xi Jinping over the contested waters of the

South China Sea. Meanwhile, Marcos' relations with the United States are "complicated by a contempt of court order for his refusal to cooperate with the District Court of Hawaii, which in 1995, directed the Marcos family to pay $2 billion of plundered

wealth to victims of Marcos Sr.'s rule.

Peace adviser describes May 9 polls as ’democracy at its finest’ The Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation and Unity (OPAPRU) on Wednesday described the May 9 elections as

“And third, we are strengthening the pillars of our democracy and voted not only according to what is best for ourselves but for our countrymen. This is the essence of democracy. This is the power that the ballot has given us – to steer the course of our nation’s socio-political and socio-economic direction and

Here are just a few of our neighbors who are helping to put National City and San Diego’s Fil-Am community on the local and national map: Market on 8th St

“The local Fil-Am community is thriving like never before,” said Filipino Press Publisher Susan delos Santos. In honor of Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, the Filipino Press will be hosting a celebration at Market on 8th in National City (41 East 8th Street).The event, to be held on Friday, May 27, from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., will feature networking opportunities, music, light refreshment, and a nohost bar,” she said. “Businesses, nonprofits, and entrepreneurs are making an economic and cultural contribution that is being felt throughout San Diego County, especially in the South Bay,” she added.

The brainchild of Market on 8th is developer Joel Tubao. Equipped with a degree in finance, he noticed that food halls were sprouting in North County, Liberty Station, and in Little Italy, but not in South Bay. His real estate development company, Pacific Point Properties, managed to steer the project to completion amid the pandemic, a huge accomplishment in itself.

Here’s what you will find at Market on 8th St./Public Market:

• Novo Brazil Brewing > Brazillian-style craft beer on tap.

• Café Indonesia > FilipinoIndonesian cuisine Weapon Ramen > JapaneseAsian cuisine MNGO Cafe’ > Mango inspired desserts

Last year, National City celebrated the arrival of one of its newest and most promising developments, “Market on 8th,” a multi-ethnic food and retail hall. The first of its kind in the region, it features 11,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor space, including more than ten food, beverage and retail establishments.

• Moe Coffee > Cafe and roaster that brews up a variety of coffee drinks using micro-roasted, organic beans

• Pacific Poke > Hawaiianstyled seafood featuring a variety of delicious sauces and fresh vegetables.

• Serbesa > Filipino Kitchen featuring classic Filipino food

• La Central Mexican Food > Mexican surf ‘n turf taqueria and grill serving steaks and tacos, as well as sides like carne asada fries, nachos, and ceviche.

• Smitty's BBQ > Louisianastyle/Cajun BBQ ribs, chicken wings, and famous Louisiana Dog.

• Kaiju Pizza > Creative pizza Donburi > Rice bowls!

By: StA ff

LOS ANGELES, CA -- As Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) communities across the nation honor and celebrate the diverse contributions made in the United States we are reminded that COVID-19 vaccines and boosters continue to make it possible for us to gather safely in public and private.

As of May 12, CDC reported over 258 million Americans (all eligible ages) have made the choice to be vaccinated. Currently, over 12.8 million Asians (non-Hispanic) and 618,000 Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders aged 5 years and older have received at least one COVID-19 vaccine. Additionally, 95% of older Americans have been vaccinated— that’s 56.5 million adults aged 65 and older—a significant achievement in protecting our community’s elders since last year. “We’ve got over 90% of seniors that are already vaccinated,” said Dr. Cameron Webb, White House Senior Policy Advisor for COVID-19 Equity, at an April 22 summit called Conversations on Encouraging COVID-19 Vaccines. “We’ve got to get those same levels around boosters to really get that protection we need.” Although AANHPIs are generally more likely to have received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine compared to the overall U.S. population, about 39% of eligible Asians and over 52% of eligible

Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islanders are still in need of a booster.

Webb said, “If you have been vaccinated and boosted, you are very well protected against the [COVID-19] variants we are currently seeing. We have the tools to save lives … and we’ve seen [that] boosters are very critical in keeping people safe.”

The nation has come a long way to keep communities safe but data consistently show how communities of color remain disproportionately impacted by COVID, and health disparities for AANHPIs remain a key issue in achieving health equity. In fact, some AANHPI subsegments are

at higher risk because of higher rates of diabetes, hypertension, and obesity.

Experts also shared the importance of getting children vaccinated, encouraging parents to take action for the health and wellbeing of their families. “Almost all children who end up in the ICU are completely unvaccinated,” said Dr. Sean O’Leary, Vice Chair from the American Academy of Pediatrics.

“This is both tragic and encouraging.

Tragic because at this point in the pandemic, those hospitalizations were almost completely preventable, and

MANILA -- President elect Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr.,

Landslide Election results for Ferdinand Marcos Jr. for president and Sara Duterte, for vice-president of the Philippines. (MNS photos)

By Francine Maigue &Theresa Bendor F

Kumusta, mga kababayan! Ako ho

si Theresa, kapatid ng ating Pampered Pinay na si Francine. I’m very happy to collaborate and share some things that I love with all of you! Previously, I shared some plant tips, this week—a yummy cake recipe that I excitedly to brought to our family’s table this past Mother’s Day Weekend!

My family and I send all our love to every single powerful, brilliant, beautiful, loving, hard working mama!

We love, thank and celebrate you today and every day! You inspire us, bring out the very best in us, and make us who we are. We’re all so blessed and grateful for you!!

Growing up, our mom made the most incredible Pineapple Upside Down Cake! It’s one of my favorite childhood memories. Our mom is a Gardening Goddess and Kitchen

Queen! I cherish everything she’s taught us, especially recipes like this!

The finished product perfumes the house like a tropical paradise and is as beautiful as a ray of sunshine, especially with its signature pineapple slices. I’ve since adapted Mama’s recipe to fit our family’s dietary needs (Gluten-free, please). It’s also quick, which is an absolute must for busy moms, like me. (I love being Mama Bear to my four kiddos!)

Please find the complete cake recipe below. But, if you’d like to watch a short “How to” video (It’s fun!), the video is posted on my Instagram Reels. Let’s be IG friends! My handle is @ SDProMom.

Pineapple Upside Down Cake -Boxed Yellow Cake Mix

*I used the Gluten Free Pillsbury Yellow Cake Mix

-1 Can Sliced Pineapple in Heavy Syrup

*Use 1 Cup Pineapple Syrup to replace 1 cup of water as stated by boxed cake mix

-3 Eggs

-1 Tbsp Butter

-2 Tbsp Brown Sugar

-1 Tbsp Cooking oil

*Use oil to coat cake pans

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Make cake batter as directed on box, substituting pineapple syrup for the water.

In the microwave, melt butter and 1 Tbsp brown sugar for 20 seconds.

*You’ll use the other 1 Tbsp brown sugar to sprinkle on the pineapple.

Coat your pan with the oil to avoid the pineapple and cake from sticking to the bottom of the pan, which will end up being the top of your cake. :)

Arrange the pineapple slices at the bottom of the pan. Be creative!

Drip the butter/brown sugar mix and sprinkle the remaining brown sugar on the pineapple slices.

Pour the cake batter over the pineapple.

Bake 42 to 48 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Immediately run a knife around side of pan to loosen your cake.

Place a heatproof serving plate upside down onto the pan, then (holding tightly) quickly and carefully turn the plate and pan over, releasing the cake from the pan and onto the serving plate.

Allow to cool for 30 minutes... or serve warm if folks just can’t wait. (Who could blame them?!)

Store covered in refrigerator (if there are any leftovers).

Hope you and your family enjoy this special & scrumptious cake! Send me pics of your masterpieces!! I’d really enjoy seeing and hearing your thoughts about my recipes and plant tips.

‘Til next week! #kayanatinto

XO, Theresa Maigue Bendorf,@ SDProMom*Find me and more tips on Facebook, Instagram and TikTok!

Filipino-American Rapper HEADBAND ANDY Goes From Opening Act To Headliner at Music Box in San Diego

as one of

the opening acts. The reactions from everyone including himself, were beyond what anyone expected. He brought down the house and never looked back. A few days later, the venue asked him to come back - this time as the headliner!

Since his set in February, the talented and charismatic rapper has been busy meeting and collaborating with industry professionals including producers, labels and fellow artists. Last week, he was invited to a sitdown at Power-106 FM and met with the radio station’s Director

San Diego, CA - In February, armed with over four million listeners across all platforms, Headband Andy took the Music Box stage

“Starting production on Easter Sunday is the culmination of a lifetime of dreaming and decades of hard work. It’s especially meaningful that we’ve been able to assemble such an incredible group of diverse and talented filmmakers and comedians to bring this slice of Filipino culture to the world.”

- Jo Koy SAN DIEGO,

CA -- Okay, so normally I try to start things off professionally and introduce the film and stuff but this one is personal. I will likely watch Easter Sunday more times a year than I visit of my beloved historical hometown of Sta. Ana district in old Manila.

I know that Easter already passed for the year, but stand-up comedy star Jo Koy’s bringing the chaos of family drama to the summer with Easter Sunday, set to premiere on August 5.

Filipino-Americans are getting a fully backed and distributed major motion picture! Stand-up comedy sensation, Jo Koy leads an all-star comedic cast in the world’s first major Hollywood film about Filipino-Americans.

Watch the official trailer by clicking on https://youtu.be/ YIixb42aJPg and get a glimpse into the Filipino family dynamic.

I’m Filipino and when I saw that this movie was happening, I was so excited. Coming to America via enlistment to the U.S. Navy in the turbulent 60s, we didn’t have anything like this to get inspired by. You had to wait for the credits to find out if anyone was Filipino. And now we have that opportunity to provide this creativity and this opening.

Over the course of a nearly 30year career in stand-up comedy, Jo Koy has made a name for him by telling wild-yet-relatable stories about his eccentric Filipino family. It only makes sense, then, that when it came time for Koy to make the leap to the big screen, he brought his family along with him – at least, in spirit.

In his leading man debut, Koy stars in and produces Easter Sunday, a personal, outlandish love letter to Koy’s Filipino-American community that brings the sweetnatured irreverence of his standup specials to a wider audience. Surely, if you’ve seen Koy’s comedy before, you know how the veteran comic can spin his deep-seated love and complete bewilderment for his home life into hilarious, outlandish anecdotes. Hopefully, that tradition will continue with this brand-new studio comedy, which presented its official trailer just recently

• Ping Yang > Thai comfort street food – a new Thai cuisine concept you won’t find anywhere else.

• The Fresh Yard > Retail boutique featuring contemporary streetwear

• Wordsmith > Culinary cookbooks, home goods, and chef supplies. Most of the vendors have roots

I have also enclosed here a photograph to supplement my article.

Indeed, Jo Koy’s comedy film “Easter Sunday” gives a first peek into the antics of a loving, chaotic Filipino American family and the large ensemble cast who plays them.

As the movie’s first promo showcases, Easter Sunday centers on a fictionalized version of Koy, who returns home to his supportive yet demanding family to celebrate Easter festivities. What ensues is a lot of bickering, yelling, eating, drinking, laughing and loving; along with some other, potentially dangerous activities to boot.

Though the trailer doesn’t shy away from some of the more riotous plot developments that will follow, Easter Sunday’s preview mainly highlights the pinpointed hilarity of Koy’s familiar stand-up act, which should make it an easy sell for fans that’ve followed the comic’s career throughout the years.

Jo Valencia (Joy Koy) is in for a weekend of good old-fashioned family fun when he and his son (Brandon Wardell) head home for Easter Sunday – “like the Filipino Super Bowl.” A single father and comedian, Jo is famous for his well-known beer commercial tagline (“Let’s get the party started babaaaay!”). His career is a source of confusion and hilarity in his family, when he tells his mother (Lydia Gaston) he’s going to film a pilot; she thinks he’s going to play “a pilot on a TV show.” Back home, he runs into an old flame (played by Tiffany Haddish), tells jokes at church and spends time mediating feuds at various family functions, including one between his mother and sister, Tita Theresa (Tia Carrere).

in the South Bay region. Market on 8th was built on a lot that previously was home to a run-down furniture warehouse. Just a block away there’s Parco, a mixed-use affordable housing development, and the recently renovated Ramada. It’s all part of an effort to revitalize National City and make it more accessible, a place where residents can live, work, eat, and play.

For this issue, we would like to spotlight two of our top FilipinoAmerican chefs who have roots in National City and who has businesses based in National City. They have achieved excellence in the culinary industry ands have made contributions that put our community in spotlight in international and mainstream space.

Jeff Roberto

National City native Jeff Roberto is a master sushi chef and the owner of Sushi On a Roll and Kyoto Japanese Market on Sweetwater Road in National City. He discovered sushi and became a sushi chef over 30 years ago, long before most anyone else in San Diego. Roberto has created exquisite culinary experiences

“Filipino families fight a lot,” one character admits. “But we love a lot, too.”

Things kick up a notch when a group of men come to Jo to collect money owed by one of his cousins. Punches are thrown, cars chased and karaoke songs belted. Will Jo be able to keep his family from falling apart?

“Easter Sunday” boasts an allstar cast of comedians, including Jimmy O. Yang (“Silicon Valley”), Tia Carrere (“True Lies,” “Wayne’s World”), Brandon Wardell (“Curb Your Enthusiasm”), Tony nominee Eva Noblezada (Broadway’s “Hadestown”), Lydia Gaston (Broadway’s “The King and I”), Asif Ali (“WandaVision”), Rodney To (“Parks and Recreation”), Eugene Cordero (“The Good Place”), Jay Chandrasekhar (“I Love You, Man”), Tiffany Haddish (“Girls Trip”) and Lou Diamond Phillips (“Courage Under Fire”).

Easter Sunday does boast quite a big ensemble, but it mainly signifies a major step forward for Koy.

Though the comic has produced several hour-long specials and has performed several stand-up tours throughout the decades, Koy has stayed on the stage throughout his career. He only has a select few acting credits to his name, including a recent guest appearance on Netflix’s sitcom, Mr. Iglesias. You could count Koy’s previous movie roles on one hand, surprisingly. Given his upcoming role in Netflix’s The Monkey King, though, along with his new comedy, that could be subject to change soon, of course. Certainly Koy has the benefit of knowing that he has one major

for numerous corporations and individuals, including Bill Gates. In addition, he has trained the next generation of sushi chefs in his trademark style. Roberto is a former Chefs de Cuisine Chef of the Year and was awarded the 2019 Education Foundation President’s Award for Excellence.

Phillip Esteban

The tattooed, youthful looking chef, who’s appeared on the Food Network’s Chopped, is on a mission to make National City a destination for great food, especially great Filipino food. Market on 8th, it should be pointed out, features two of Esteban’s creations: Weapon Ramen and Wordsmith. In 2016, Esteban was named Chef of the Year for San Diego. He wants National City to be recognized for its Filipino identity, the same way Little Italy is for Italians-Americans.

The History

In 1978, President Jimmy Carter signed a proclamation, kicking off the first Asian/Pacific American Heritage Week. A little more than a decade later, in 1990, President George Herbert Walker Bush expanded the celebration of Asian/Pacific American Heritage from one week to a month, as it’s celebrated now.

CBS News 8 anchor Marcella Lee, it turns out, has a personal connection to the celebration. In a recent post, she noted that she was “invited to attend the ceremony in the White House Rose Garden, as the Youth Ambassador for the Organization of Chinese Americans.” She recalls “how special it felt as a teenager, to have an entire month dedicated to honoring Asian/Pacific American heritage.”

She added: “San Diego County

Jesse T. Reyes Filipino Potpourri

filmmaker willing to go to bat for him: Steven Spielberg!

During his recent appearance at CinemaCon to promote Easter Sunday, Koy noted that Spielberg was the person responsible for getting this movie up and running. The prolific filmmaker watched Koy’s 2019 stand-up special, Jo Koy: Comin’ in Hot and wanted to learn more about Koy’s family vitality.

In an Entertainment Weekly interview, here’s what Koy postulated on how the movie came about and how it got made: “It’s kind of like a dream thing that happened to me. It really is. I had to actually shoot my Live from Seattle special myself. Because Netflix passed on me. And then after I shot it myself, I brought it to them, and they loved it. They took it. If I didn’t do that, they would never have given me the second one, Comin’ in Hot. And that’s the one Steven Spielberg watched. Like, what? Steven Spielberg watched my hour? You’re kidding me right now.”

“They brought me in for a meeting over at Amblin and I got to meet Holly Bario and Jeb Brody, the two execs over there, and they went, ‘Steven loves you, and he wants to know if you have an idea for a movie.’ And I literally pitched this movie idea to another producer named Dan Lin with RideBack Film. And they were (all) like, ‘Yeah, we’ll take it.’ Eight months later, we’re in Vancouver, shooting the movie.”

Asked about what was it in his special that he thinks Spielberg responded to: “He just loved the stories about my mom and our

has a large AAPI community with more than 425,000 people; the 7th largest in the country. While we are united under the AAPI umbrella, we represent many ethnicities from around the world. Each one is woven into the cultural fabric of San Diego,” she added.

Nearly 20 years after that, in 2009, President Barack Obama updated the name to Asian American and Pacific Islander Month, which remained until President Biden’s proclamation earlier this month.

See You There

Remember, the May 27th celebration at Market on 8th starts at 5:30 p.m. It’s presented by the Filipino Press with prospective attendees from members of the Filipino American Chamber of Commerce of North County, Filipino Business Network, National City Chamber of Commerce, Asian Business Association, various business and community leaders and more. Admission is $15 /person. The event will be held at Market on 8th St, Outdoor Patio setting. The Filipino Press will observe COVID-19 protocols, as we navigate events during the pandemic. Since it is in outdoor space, current laws allow us to host the event without proof of vacination or mask mandates. We will update you should anything require us to update you on this policy.

If you feel more comfortable and for safety reasons, we encourage you to wear your masks. This event was made possible through the support of Union Bank, Market on 8th St. and more. For more info/ details of the event please email us at susands4@yahoo.com or call/text (619)755-0755.

relationship…He just enjoyed that dynamic, and he enjoyed the storytelling, and he was like, ‘I want to make this story a reality.’ And it’s not about making fun of Filipinos. It’s about a family first that just happens to be Filipino. And you’re going to relate to it. No matter what ethnicity you are, a mom is a mom. They all do the same mom stuff. It’s about a family that lives in America just like everybody else. And you’re going to relate to this family because you know them. And oh, by the way, you’re going to learn some stuff about Filipinos on the way too. So that’s kind of cool, too.”

One of the Easter Sunday photos features Koy and his character’s mother in front of a table full of food. Here’s what he tells about what’s going on in that picture: “The one thing I said the most when we were writing is ‘I’m not making fun of my family, and we’re not going to make fun of our food and our culture.’ That’s not what we’re doing here. We’re going to represent my family, and we’re going to represent my culture. Of course, we had the big ‘lechon’. We had to. So yes, there’s a big pig on the table, but that’s what’s there every birthday and every Easter. If I didn’t put that there, Filipinos would’ve been mad. But on the other side, I wanted to show ‘adobo’. I wanted to show ‘pancit.’ I wanted to show our egg rolls. I wanted to show what a spread looks like on our table and how delicious our food is.”

Did Koy introduce Spielberg to any Filipino food? Again, here’s what he had to say: “Not yet, but I will. I didn’t realize this until I really started thinking about it, but this man loved Filipinos because he put Dante Basco in ‘Hook.’ And that was in 1991. He let Dante run with it and no accent, no nothing. He just hired him because of his acting skill and he crushed that movie. It was Dante up against Dustin Hoffman, Robin Williams, and Julia Roberts. That’s pretty bad ass. I don’t know if he meant to, but he put Filipinos on the map.”

I say it definitely helps to have fans in high places, and if this movie goes over well, it could signal an

I would’ve been like, yeah, right.”

Bordeaux is the Grammy-nominated and multi-platinum producer who is responsible for “Calling My Phone” by Lil Tjay and “City of Gods” featuring Alicia Keys. HBA’s collaboration with Billboard Charting Music Producer and Sound Designer Polo Boy Shawty produced the hit “Yetru” earlier this year. His singles “Vito/Bad Boy” and “I Must Apologize” have garnered over 3 million plays on Spotify. He has over 6 million streams across all platforms.

exciting, thriving new stage in Koy’s constantly-developing career.

Don’t you – my dear folks – think so?

And what do audiences hope to take away from the movie?

Koy responded with this: “One thing I try and express a lot is when we turn off the light, we’re all the same color. We’re all laughing at the same thing. My story is relatable to you no matter what color you are. For some reason when we turn the lights on, we like to separate ourselves and not get it. And I just don’t understand what that is. You’re going to see a lot of different ethnicities in this movie. We got an Indian guy, we got a Black woman, and we got Filipino people. We got an Indian director for God’s sake.

And you know what? No one cares. It’s just a movie about a family. And once Hollywood sees that this is the norm, this can be done without always having to be specific. A mom is a mom, a son is a son, and grandson is a grandson. And we can all relate to it. I want this movie to open other doors for other people, other ethnicities to celebrate their culture.”

Amen to that!

“Easter Sunday,” from DreamWorks Pictures, as I have indicated earlier is directed by Jay Chandrasekhar (Super Troopers, The Dukes of Hazzard, I Love You, Man), from a script by Ken Cheng (Sin City Saints series) and Kate Angelo (Sex Tape) based on a story by Ken Cheng.

Set to premiere in August 2022, the film is produced by RideBack’s Dan Lin and Jonathan Eirich, and is executive produced by Nick Reynolds, Joe Meloche, Jo Koy, Jessica Gao, Jimmy O. Yang, Ken Cheng and Seth William Meier. The film will be distributed by Universal Pictures domestically. Amblin Partners and Universal will share international distribution rights.

I am so excited to finally see the spotlight on Filipino family living in America; can’t wait to watch Easter Sunday to introduce our tribe to the world. Let’s gooooo! Mabuhay!!

In April, his manager Ryan produced an intimate concert at Inflamed Studios in Los Angeles, where some of rap’s biggest names including Yeat, Autumn, Lucki, D Savage and Matt Ox have performed. San Diego is home to Headband Andy and he can’t wait to be back on Music Box’s stage on May 24th. His guests will be local artists Foxtide and Ville, and Buppy, popular pop-rapper from Utah. Doors open at 7PM. Tickets available on Music Box website, TicketWeb or dm @ ryannfelix. Headband Andy is a graduate of the University of San Diego and is repped by RFM Int’l.

Hello Dear Readers,

Do you have stories, pictures, achievements, events or business leads to share? Feel free to email us at filpressads@aol.com We love to hear from you! Let our Fil-Am voices be heard, our achievements inspire our community, our pride & joy spread everywhere.

Visit us at www.thefilipinopress.com

The Jo Koy Universal comedy ‘Easter Sunday’ is a love letter to the amazing Filipino-American family”) is my article for the column “Filipino Potpourri” for this weekend’s edition of “The Filipino Press.”

Professional Business Directory

STAY SAFE EVERYONE

Next admin should focus on investor confidence in PH -- solon

MANILA -- The chairman of the House Committee on Ways and Means on Thursday said the next administration should focus on working on investor confidence in the Philippines given the PHP12-trillion debt overhang.

Albay Rep. Joey Salceda said the government has no choice but to fund capital formation with private investments given the fiscal constraints of the government.

"A commitment to the Duterte administration’s fiscal and economic liberalization reforms, prudent fiscal management strategies, and a competent and widely-respected economic team will be essential to providing the incoming administration with the kind of adrenaline rush needed

to offset this deficit of foreign investor confidence," he told reporters in a message. Salceda said another strategic way is to focus on agriculture and food supply to "aggressively" fight inflation through yield promotion, biosafety especially against African swine fever (ASF) and avian flu, and climate resilience.

"The agriculture sector continues to lag other sectors, shrinking by 0.7 percent quarter-on-quarter. This continued underperformance will bear down on the price and availability of food, with implications on general prices and living conditions," he said. He said the government should also strengthen safety nets to ensure that the "most vulnerable among our

population remain protected from shocks and are capacitated to remain productive4".

The first quarter 2022 Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth rate, he said, is "very strong" at 8.3 percent, despite intermittent lockdowns on the demand-side, and supply chain issues, higher input costs, and other supplyside challenges.

"Together with FDI (foreign direct investment) data in February, which shows a surge of 46.3 percent year-onyear from last year, this development is an indication that there are tailwinds in our economic fundamentals that the next President can maximize," he said.

"I reiterate my call for the lifting of bans and restrictions on provincial buses in Edsa. Provincial buses transport not only people but also some volume of goods to and from Metro Manila. In the provinces, we call this the “factora” system. Some of these goods are used or sold by small businesses – which were and continue to be saviors of the economy," he said.

Gross national income also increased by 10.7 percent, which Salceda said, indicates that overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) and exports are beginning to recover. "This should be maximized: we should continue to encourage OFWs

Among the major contributors to growth, the fastest grower was transportation and storage, which grew by 26 percent. Salceda noted that the further lifting of existing restrictions on public transportation will boost this momentum and yield positive results for the overall economy.

Help Wanted / For Rent / For Sale

BONGBONG

Continued from page 1

transformation,” he added.

Galvez urged the people to tear down the “walls of divisiveness, bitterness, and animosity of partisan politics.”

“And whoever may be elected into the country’s highest office, let us respect the decision of the majority and support the new administration as it takes over the reins of nationbuilding,” he said.

Galvez wished the next President and newly elected officials “be a beacon of hope, mutual understanding, peace, reconciliation, and unity.”

“Let us all heal and move forward -- as one people and one nation. God bless our country,” he said.

Galvez earlier said he hopes the next administration will sustain the gains of the peace process under the Duterte government.

High voter turnout shows growing political interest of Filipinos

Malacañang on Wednesday welcomed what is expected to be the Philippines’ highest voter

VACCINES

Continued from page 1

encouraging because we have such a powerful tool [vaccines] going forward to prevent children from suffering.”

With more relaxed public mandates on COVID safety protocols and increased travel, COVID cases and hospitalizations are on the rise again.

What is encouraging is that the death rate from COVID continues to decrease, thanks to widespread vaccinations.

Boosters have provided more people an extra measure of protection from the COVID virus and variants.

As AANHPIs, let’s honor our community’s history by helping protect its future.

Talk

a

turnout despite restrictions posed by the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19).

Acting presidential spokesperson and Communications Secretary Martin Andanar made this remark after the Commission on Elections (Comelec) revealed that partial voter turnout is at 80.38 percent as of Monday night.

The highest recorded voter turnout was during the 2016 elections when 81 percent of registered voters exercised their right to vote.

For local absentee voting, turnout was at 88 percent to date, the "highest" since 2010.

On the other hand, Comelec recorded at least 34 percent of overseas absentee voting.

“The high voter turnout is evidence of the growing political interest and maturity of our people,” Andanar said in a press statement.

Aside from the high voter turnout, the 2022 polls are also the fastest in

transmitting election returns.

Andanar described this year’s polls as “a showcase of the strength of our democratic system and institutions.”

He also enjoined the nation to work together as they wait for the official and final results from vote counts.

“The Filipino people have spoken and now is the time to heal and unite as one nation and one people,” he added.

Meanwhile, Andanar congratulated everyone involved in ensuring that the conduct of polls is generally peaceful and orderly.

He also gave “advance” congratulations to winners as they embarked on new responsibilities and challenges in their respective offices.

Comelec earlier said more than 65.7 million Filipinos have registered to vote in the May 2022 national and local elections, aside from the 1.697

million Filipinos overseas. Over 18,000 elective positions will be contested in this year’s polls, the poll body said. (MNS)

Palace forms transition committee for next admin

MANILA -- The Palace has released details about the Presidential Transition Committee (PTC) that will pave the way for a "peaceful and orderly" transfer of power to the next administration.

Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea said Administrative Order 47 also directed all departments, bureaus, and other government instrumentalities create their own transition committees and assist the PTC.

"[This will] support the PTC and oversee the proper turnover of projects and continuous operations of offices during their transition period," the Executive Secretary told President Rodrigo Duterte during his taped address aired Thursday.

The members of the transition committee, which Medialdea will head, are:

Foreign Affairs Secretary

Teodoro Locsin, Jr.

Finance Secretary

Carlos Dominguez

Budget Undersecretary

Tina Rose Marie Canda

Socioeconomic Planning

Secretary Karl Chua

Until the winning candidates get proclaimed though, official discussions will be put on hold for now, he said, but their work on the committee will continue.

"Preparation on our end need to begin. We after all, have work to do," he added.

"We assure the public that within the coming weeks, the entire executive branch will continue to perform and dispense duties but ready to turn over the reins to the next president."

Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos, Jr. leads the presidential race with at least 31.1 million votes, more than double the 14.8 million tally of his closest rival Leni Robredo, based on partial, unofficial tallies aggregated from Comelec data as of 9:17 a.m.

PRRD convinced no cheating in 2022 polls

Despite some groups’ allegations of electoral fraud in the May 9 elections, President Rodrigo Roa Duterte said he is convinced that there was no cheating or other voting irregularities in the recent polls.

“Wala ako nakita, sa totoo lang, at hindi rin talaga ako papayag ng dayaan (To be honest, I did not see any cheating and I will not allow cheating),” Duterte said in a prerecorded Talk to the People aired on Thursday.

To dispel doubts, Duterte urged the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to investigate cheating allegations including the 2,000 vote counting machines (VCMs) that malfunctioned.

“Ito namang ano…may glitches o sabi nila na mga sira na hindi magbasa ng vote (On glitches or those saying there are malfunctioning machines that do not read votes), I hope that Comelec would also find time to investigate just to…well, disabuse the minds of those na may dayaan (who said that there was cheating),” he added.

The Comelec decided to discard the malfunctioned VCMs in future polls.

The VCMs, which were acquired from automated elections supplier Smartmatic Corp., have been used since the 2013 midterm polls.

On Tuesday, Comelec Commissioner Marlon Casquejo said cheating allegations will be "hard to prove" with claims of a supposedly consistent 47 percent ratio between votes for the top two presidential bets. He, however, said the Comelec

could still check the election results in each province.

Winners, losers Duterte urged winners of the national and local positions to prioritize the nation and people.

“Sana yung manalo (Whoever wins), whoever would come out, you have my congratulations well in advance. I am hopeful that you will serve the Filipino people with all your heart and ability and prioritize the welfare of the general public above everything,” he said.

He also enjoined losing candidates to continue serving the people in their own capacities.

“To the candidates who have failed to secure seats, I thank you as well for your participation in this electoral process. You may not have won this time but I hope you will continue to serve our people in your capacity as leaders in your respective sectors and communities,” he added.

Duterte reiterated that it would be an honor to turn over the reins of power to his successor knowing that he did his best to serve the country and people.

“Once the will of the people has finally been made known and all the winners have been officially proclaimed, we will begin the important process of transition of power to our new set of leaders…I would feel patriotic if in the coming days, when I shall have to transfer the reins of government to the newly elected president,” he said.

He also invited the public to join him in rallying behind the newly elected leaders to continue the task of building a stronger and more progressive nation.

Duterte will step down as president on June 30. PPCRV debunks ‘68:32 magic’ claim in presidential race

A study by experts did not find any irregularities with the transmitted partial, unofficial results of the May 9 elections, according to a poll watchdog.

The study was conducted by mathematicians from Ateneo de Manila University following claims circulating on social media that a 68:32 vote ratio between presumptive President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. and Vice President Leni Robredo was constant as election returns were tallied.

"We agree with their conclusion," the Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting said in statement released Wednesday night.

"Our take is that the statistical analysis of the data does not indicate any irregularities.

"The relatively consistent distribution of votes may be expected to closely mirror the national vote given the random pattern of receipt of the transmitted results."

Dr. William Yu, IT lead of PPCRV, said the experts used the general principle called law of the large numbers.

"The closer you are to the final answer in terms of population, the more it reflects the final number," he said.

He added the experts also looked at the regional distribution for reach transmitted results.

"In summary, the computed ratio being similar to each other across different transmission arrivals is not unexpected," the report read.

"In fact, given that the transmission arrivals can be considered as random samples of the total vote, the computed ratios for each transmission arrival being similar is quite expected."

PPCRV national chairperson

Myla Villanueva cautioned the public from sharing unverified information.

"Sa madaling salita, pagkatapos nilang sinuri, wala naman silang nakitang irregularity sa mga pattern na ating nakikita na 68:32," she told reporters.

"Hinay-hinay lang. Kasi importante din na walang magduda sa ating demokrasya. So please be careful. There's so much fake news going around."

The son and namesake of former dictator Ferdinand Marcos takes a commanding lead in the presidential election vote count, according to the poll monitor.

Based on 98.32 percent of voting precincts' numbers transmitted, Marcos had over 31 million votes, data from the PPCRV's tally showed as of 7:17 p.m. Wednesday.

He is followed by Vice President Leni Robredo who got more than 14.8 million votes.

Duterte to leave presidency with 'good' PH economy -- Palace President Rodrigo Roa Duterte's successor need not worry about the current state of the Philippine economy, Malacañang said Thursday.

In an online Palace press briefing, acting presidential spokesperson and Communications Secretary Martin Andanar said the country’s economy is in "good" standing before Duterte steps down from office on June 30.

As Andanar noted, the country's gross domestic product (GDP) grew by 8.3 percent in the first quarter of 2022.

Andanar also said the foreign direct investments in February 2022 rose by 46.3 percent year-on-year to USD893 million net inflows from USD611 million in the same month in 2021.

He likewise cited the preliminary data from the Philippine Statistics Authority which showed that manufacturing grew by 336.3 percent in March 2022.

"Isang magandang ekonomiya. Makikita sa tatlong good news na ito na maayos na ekonomiya at isang napakagandang Duterte legacy na ipapamana ng Pangulong Duterte sa susunod na administrasyon (A good economy. It can be seen through these three good news that a good economy is the best Duterte legacy that the next administration would inherit)," Andanar said.

With more than a month left in his administration, Duterte’s economic team would ensure that the country's economic rebound would be sustained until his last days in office, Andanar said.

"Itutuloy lang ng ating finance or economic cluster team kung ano ang ginagawa nito (Our finance and economic cluster team will continue what it is doing)," he said.

Thus, it would be easier for the next administration to further boost the Philippine economy, Andanar said. "Ibig sabihin, tama ang ating ginagawa. Magandang transition ito pagdating sa economy dahil ang bagong administrasyon na papasok ay hindi sila magkandarapa na iangat o pataasin ang GDP dahil mataas na (Meaning, we are doing the right thing. It's a good transition when it comes to economy because the next administration won't struggle because our GDP already grew)," he said.

Former senator Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. is poised to win the presidential race, as he retained a wide lead over his closest rival, Vice President Maria Leonor "Leni" Robredo, according to a partial and unofficial count of votes. (MNS)

Sara

Duterte accepts DepEd post, scores talk of rift with Marcos

MANILA -- Davao City Mayor

Sara Duterte Carpio on Thursday

quashed talk of a possible rift with her running-mate, presidential forerunner Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr, after she was offered the education department portfolio instead of the Department of National Defense.

In a statement, Duterte-Carpio thanked Marcos "for the confidence in me to lead the Department of Education."

The vice-presidential frontrunner said she and Marcos talked about the defense department portfolio "but seeing the way things are at the moment, I expect that people who want to see the new administration to fail will fabricate intrigues about my loyalty and the DND position to break the UniTeam."

"Yesterday, the presumptive President and I once again talked about how I could help the country. It was decided that I would work on producing skilled learners with the mindset to realize their full potential as individuals," she said.

"Our country needs a future generation of patriotic Filipinos that advocate peace and discipline in their respective communities."

Duterte-Carpio has secured 31,560,847 votes from from 98.35% of Election Returns Thursday morning, based on partial and unofficial results.

Liloan town mayor Christina Frasco earlier said that DuterteCarpio wanted to be appointed defense secretary. Hours later, Marcos announced that Duterte-Carpio had already agreed take on the role of education secretary.

Nag-agree naman siya (She agreed to it)," Marcos said.

"Palagay ko, kasama na diyan, dahil (I think this is also because) she is a mother and she wants to make sure that her children are well-trained and well-educated. That's the best motivation that we can hope for," he added.

Duterte-Carpio will be overseeing the agency responsible for the K-12 curriculum taught to over 27 million students. This includes how it discusses the history of her running mate's father as well as her own father's administration.

The DepEd is also trying to improve education quality following the Philippines' poor standing in international learning assessments, and is in the process of gradually reopening schools for in-person classes, which were banned in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

In her statement, Duterte-Carpio thanked Education Secretary Leonor Briones and the entire DepEd organization "for their readiness to work with our team for the transition of leadership after the proclamation."

Teachers' Dignity Coalition (TDC) chairperson Benjo Basas said his group would have preferred if the next education secretary had a public school background.

But the TDC is open to working with Duterte-Carpio, whom Basas hoped would be willing to listen to teachers.

"We are willing to sit and we are willing to discuss our advocacies, our plans and we are also willing to hear her plans," Basas said.

Asked about a possible historical revisionism under Duterte-Carpio, Basas acknowledged that there could

be a conflict but said, "Naniniwala kami na ang history natin ay recorded na, ang history natin ay established na, may facts na ito, hindi na ito puwedeng baguhin."

83 out of 173 COCs canvassed -NBOC

The Commission on Elections (Comelec) en banc, sitting as the National Board of Canvassers (NBOC), has canvassed 82 Certificates of Canvass (COCs) for senators and party-lists representing over 33 million registered voters in the country and abroad.

Comelec spokesman John Rex Laudiangco said the number is 50.36 percent of the total 173 COCs that they will canvass.

“We're now on our 3rd day of canvassing for senators and partylists. Canvass Report No. 2 presents the data from the 82 COCs already canvassed by the NBOC,” he said in a press conference Thursday afternoon.

“For the 82 COCs, it covers 33,965,926 registered voters. Voter turnout is 84.81 percent. That's how high our turnout in areas that have been canvassed,” he added.

He reported that their approximate turnout is around 80.5 to 81 percent.

“We expect more or less 54 million out of 67 million registered voters...Our estimate is around 80.5 percent to 81 percent voter turnout...” Laudiangco said.

Meanwhile, actor Robin Padilla has maintained the top spot position for the senatorial race while former senator Loren Legarda is now in second place overtaking broadcaster Raffy Tulfo.

Based on the partial and official National Tally Sheet Report No. 2 of the NBOC at the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC) Forum Tent in Pasay City, Padilla has a total of 13,231,228 votes, followed by Legarda with 12,290,805 and Tulfo with 12,223,867 votes.

Re-electionist Senator Sherwin Gatchalian (10,427,847) placed fourth, followed by former Sorsogon Governor Francis Escudero (10,403,405); and former House Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano (9,852,390).

Former Department of Public Works and Highways Secretary Mark Villar (7th) with 9,799,932 votes, also landed in the top 12, together with re-electionist Senator Migz Zubiri with 9,610,489 votes (8th); and Senator Joel Villanueva with 9,488,272 votes (9th).

Completing the roster were former senator JV Ejercito, 8,005,848 votes; re-electionist Senator Risa Hontiveros, 7,826,216 votes; and former senator Jinggoy Estrada, 7,678,819 votes.

In the party-list race, the ACTCIS party-list got the top spot with 1,112,991 votes. It was followed by Ako Bicol, 513,403; 1-Rider Party-list, 453,712; 4Ps, 427,779; Ang Probinsyano, 421,253; Sagip, 411,440; Cibac, 394,750; Ako Bisaya, 391,242; Probinsyano Ako, 380,119; and Tingog, 364,699.

As of 7 p.m., May 12, the NBOC has canvassed a total of 121 COCs out of 173. The votes canvassed have yet to be released as of press time. (MNS)

At least 9 party-list groups secure House seats after 2022 polls

The following party-list groups have received at least 2% of the votes required for proclamation, according to the NBOC's National Tally Sheet Report Number 2: ACT-CIS – 1,112,991 (6.0586%)

Ako Bicol – 513,403 (2.7947%)

1-Rider party-list – 453,712 (2.4698%)

4PS – 427,779 (2.3286%)

Ang Probinsyano – 421,253 (2.2931%)

Sagip – 411,440 (2.2397%)

Cibac – 394,750 (2.1488%)

Ako Bisaya – 391,242 (2.1297%)

Probinsyano Ako – 380,119 (2.0692%)

The law provides that a party-list group that gets at least 2% of the total number of votes cast in the party-list race will be entitled to at least one seat in the House of Representatives.

Those who exceed the 2% threshold will be entitled to additional seats proportionate to the number of votes cast, but the total number of seats for each winning party-list group cannot exceed three.

Those who do not meet the 2% requirement may still be able to secure a seat in the House because the party-list law also requires that 20% of House members come from the party-list ranks.

As of 8:28 a.m. Thursday, the NBOC had canvassed the votes for party-list groups from areas in the National Capital Region (NCR) and Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR), as well as Regions 1, 2, 3, 4A, and 4B.

The NBOC had already processed 82 COCs from several provinces, cities, and overseas voting as of Wednesday night.

The Comelec said that it plans to proclaim the winning senators in the May 9 polls early next week to be followed by the party-list groups. Comelec thanks int'l observers for citing PH elections

The Commission on Elections (Comelec) on Wednesday thanked the international observers for acknowledging the recently concluded national and local elections.

“We really are very thankful for that. And that is the reason why we engaged in the law required an international certification entity,” Comelec spokesperson John Rex Laudiangco said in a press conference in Pasay City.

US State Department spokesman

Ned Price described the casting and counting of votes in the Philippines "to have been conducted in line with international standards and without significant incident.”

Laudiangco said the Comelec ensured that the entire electoral process, including the checking of transmission routers on top of the source code review, were all tested and certified, to bring clean and orderly election for the Filipinos.

“That’s why the international observers are really satisfied with the elections that we have been conducting,” he added.

The Comelec is also serving as the National Board of Canvassers for the canvassing of

'KALESA'. A coachman waits for passengers along a street in Intramuros, Manila on Wednesday (May 11, 2022).

A “kalesa” ride is one of the tourist attractions in the area. (MNS photo)

Vaccinating Kids 5-11: Parents Share Their Whys

Across the Golden State, parents are speaking with their pediatricians about getting young children vaccinated against COVID-19. In my examination rooms, parents often have questions about vaccine safety and I’m happy to share how the COVID-19 vaccines were developed and tested, so they can understand the benefits. Thankfully, many parents of my patients are choosing to give their 5- to 11-year-old children this protection against serious illness, hospitalization and even death. If you are still deciding whether to vaccinate your child against COVID-19, I want to share some of the reasons my patients’ parents cite. I think these “whys” for choosing vaccination can often be more powerful than any commercial or public health announcement, because they come from other parents who, like you, only want the best for their kids.

Recently, I reached out to several of my pediatrician colleagues across the state who shared some of the comments they have received from the parents they see in their examination rooms. While we’ve kept comments anonymous to protect patient identity, it is easy to see that the reasons parents give fall into several categories:

Protection from the worst of COVID-19: Many parents choose to vaccinate their children aged 5-11 to protect them against the worst outcomes from COVID-19, including serious illness, hospitalization and even death. “Even if my kids do get COVID-19, I want to give them the best chance to avoid hospitalization,” a mother said. But other parents also mention the desire to protect kids from long COVID, where symptoms can last for months or even years.

Protection for school and activities: Parents tell us they want their kids to have protection at school and when taking part in

extracurriculars, like sports and scouting. “I feel better knowing my kids are vaccinated when they return to basketball,” one mom told me.

Protection for family: Some parents live in multi-generational households, and they chose to get their eligible children vaccinated to help protect elderly grandparents or newborns and infants, as well as to honor family members who work as doctors and nurses on the front lines of pandemic response. Some parents work on the front lines themselves and worry about bringing COVID-19 home to their kids. Household exposures remain one of the most common places for transmission, and vaccinating everyone eligible in the home is the biggest way to avert this.

“I worry about bringing COVID-19 home from my job and I want to keep my kids safe,” one dad said.

Protection when socializing: Parents know kids gave up so much in the early months of the pandemic, and they want their kids to get back to the activities they love–from sleepovers to parties. “My kids really missed their friends during lockdown and with vaccines they can play again and have protection,” one dad told me.

Protecting the larger community: There are also parents who recognize the power of vaccines to help us avoid future variants. The more

active the virus remains, the more likely it will spread and try to form even more variants. The more people become vaccinated against it, the less chance it has to mutate and spread. "Stopping new variants from forming will only happen if more of us get vaccinated, including our kids," a mom said.

It makes me feel good as a pediatrician when the parents of my patients share their “whys” when it comes to vaccinating their kids. When I hear these reasons, it is easy to see that we all share the same concerns about our children’s safety, and that parents only want the best protection for their kids.

When you are ready to ask questions about vaccination, or get your child vaccinated, please talk to your child’s pediatrician, or visit MyTurn.CA.gov to find a vaccine near you.

Elliot T. Sumi, MD, is a pediatrician in Torrance, California and is affiliated with multiple hospitals in the area, including Torrance Memorial Medical Center and Providence Little Company of Mary Medical Center Torrance. Dr. Sumi completed his pediatric training at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles. He received his medical degree from Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine and has been in practice for more than 20 years.

to invest in safe, secure, and productive private-sector investments. This will be crucial given the fiscal constraints of the government," he said.

In a press briefing Thursday, Socioeconomic Planning Secretary

Karl Kendrick Chua attributed the robust three-month economic growth mainly to the full reopening of the economy, with about 70 percent being placed in Alert Level 1 by the end of March.

“Our strong economic performance moves us closer to achieving our growth target of 7 to 9 percent this year, but we will not rest on our laurels. We will continuously work hard to strengthen our domestic economy against heightened external risks such as the Russia- Ukraine conflict, China’s slowdown, and monetary normalization in the United States,” Chua said.

Chua said the government has taken steps to address the inflationary pressures brought about by the RussiaUkraine conflict, while oil and food prices are rising.

He said a “significant piece missing” in the recovery is the resumption of face-to-face schooling, citing the learning loss and impact on the future productivity of the children of restricted learning.

He said it continues to implement

various targeted subsidy programs for the public transport and agriculture sectors to cushion the impact of rising oil prices.

Chua, chief of the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA), said the Department of Energy also continues its efforts to secure PHP1 to PHP4 per liter discounts from private oil companies for the public transport sector, while the Department of Agriculture is undertaking a fuel subsidy program for 159,000 farmers and fisherfolk. He believed that the next administration had to “seriously think about the next set of tax reforms” to fund the infrastructure program. (MNS)

Spiritual Life

The Super-agers in our midst

“Super-ager” is a term coined by a neurologist, Marsel Mesulam, for those whose memory and attention isn’t merely above average for their age, but is virtually at par with healthy active 25 years old. I am 87 years old and my (second) husband is 91 years old, and from our daily conversations, I have the confidence to say that we are “Super-agers.” Super-aging is not a bed of roses. In fact, there are so many thorns that prick superagers, physically, mentally, and emotionally. Degenerative diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, and cancer often rear their ugly head when you least expect them. Dementia sets in robbing you of precious memories.

Depression changes your personality and life is no longer as beautiful as you have experienced it to be.Aches and pains in your muscles or joints are constantly present in your body. We are fortunate to have our own primary care physician who monitors our health and who refers us to other medical specialists when needed.

Praise God, I could still think straight, make decisions, and continue doing the things I love to do. I would like to thank The Filipino Press for giving me the opportunity to write this column, which I have been doing for the past 25 years. Writing this column inspires me to bloom like a spring flower in winter. Winter symbolizes the late phase of a human being’s life. It is cold like an attic full of memorabilia, wrapped in tattered sweater, often taken for granted if not ignored by those who are in the springtime of their lives.

In the winter of our lives, even

Aurora S. Cudal-Rivera My Personal Testimony

our children, no matter how they profess their love for us, are too busy building their own lives, caring for their families, and accumulating memories of their own. Their parents who are perceived to have lived their own lives are left to themselves, often the beneficiary of whatever entitlements they derived from government. Those who are living in the winter of their lives, like ourselves, feel that we have still keen minds filled with wisdom gained from the school of life. Unfortunately, the meteoric rise of technology has left many of us behind. What will you do with seniors, especially those blessed with longevity, whose minds are still active and who are still eager to live life to the fullest, still hopeful that the best is yet to come? What will you do with a parent who has surpassed the normally accepted life span of 75 years? Will you place them in a nursing home where they will be taken care of by others until they are “summoned to join the innumerable caravan” that goes to the Great Beyond? These are some of the questions that our children or grandchildren have to deal with.

We are glad that there are government and non-government agencies that could help those who are caring for “Super-agers”. Most of them are just a phone call away. But for the Filipino family, respect for elders and love for family are deeply ingrained values, hence, they try their best to re-arranged their lives to take care of the super-ager in their family.

My prayer. Thank you dear God for the blessings of life and longevity that you have given us. Grant us the strength to do Your will in our lives. Make use of us in whatever way we can to be of service to others. Bless our loved ones and make them instruments of your love and caring. Give them the patience to care for the weak and infirm, the generosity to share their time and treasure to those in need, and the compassion to help those who need help and attention in their daily lives, especially during this time of uncertainty. Please stop Dear God the spread of the corona virus and hasten the discovery of a vaccine that will protect us from the disease. Be with our leaders and guide them in doing what is right, what is good, and what is beautiful in Your sight. In Jesus name, we pray. Amen.

Summer is the perfect time to look upward

The Lord gives strength to those who are weary. Even young people get tired, then stumble and fall. But those who trust the Lord will find new strength. They will be strong like eagles soaring upward on wings; they will walk and run without getting tired. (Isaiah 40:31)

Summer has arrived. BBQ smoke is waffling from yard to yard and open windows are letting in the sound of birds singing and neighbors chatting. This is usually the time of year for some much needed R&R. But due to circumstances, this may not fit into your schedule. As co-workers stand around the water cooler and talk about their getaways, you may be burdened with financial obligations and a work schedule that make it impossible to pack your suitcase.

Isaiah understood how weariness drains our soul and physical being. The Israelites were weary and worn out. Ten of the tribes had been captured by the Assyrian Empire. It was not vacation time. Isaiah helped them to re-focus and take pause. I can imagine standing beside

Danny Hernaez From Whom All Blessings Flow

Isaiah encouraging me to tilt my head and look upward, "Do you see that eagle? Who gave it wings? Who's wind is it riding? You need not strive. Rest in the grace and power of your Creator."

Summer is the perfect time to look upward. When we get weary and tired, a getaway may not be feasible, but we can look up to refresh our spirit. As we gaze trustingly at God, He will renew our strength like the eagles.

Spending time in God's word, admiring His amazing creation, and taking moments to listen to His voice always brings me back to a place of renewed strength.

Whatever your summer holds, take time to look upward and ask God to renew your soul.

Jesus didn't come as a king, but as a helpless infant (Luke

2). Although he was perfectly God and perfectly human at the same time (John 1:14), he lived his life as a humble laborer.

After he began his ministry, he demonstrated humble service to others in the miracles he performed, as well as in his instruction to his disciples. When the time came for him to die, he submitted to his Father's divine will (Mark 14:36). And now, seated in power at the right hand of God, he intercedes on our behalf (Acts 5:29-32). As the perfect model for godly leadership, Jesus set the perfect example of humility. Ask God to help you follow Jesus' example as you seek to demonstrate the kind of humility that will cause others to see Jesus in you. <(((><

NAFFAA Mourns the Loss of Secretary Norman Mineta – one of the Country’s Highest-Profile Asian American Political Leaders

Today is the fifth Sunday of Easter. Two Sundays from now we will be celebrating the Feast of the Ascension of Our Lord and the next Sunday after will be the celebration of the Pentecost, the Descent of the Holy Spirit upon the Apostles, some of his early disciples and the Blessed Virgin Mary. In the past Sundays’ gospel readings we have heard the apparitions of Jesus after his Resurrection from the dead. In those occasions, the constant message given by the Risen Lord was “Peace” and “forgiveness” which is the foundation of true peace. In the same occasions, he also demanded that his disciples would have true and sincere faith in Him who is the Good Shepherd who knows his sheep and whose voice his sheep recognize and follow.

Today’s Gospel reading brings us back to the last days spent by Jesus with his disciples. This particular episode reminds us of the last significant words and commandments that Jesus as Master left for his disciples to continually remember even during his eventual physical absence that would keep his spiritual presence ever felt and even influencing their way of lives as his followers. He said “my children, I will be with you only a little longer.

I give you a new commandment: love one another. As I have loved you, so you also should love one another. This is how all will know

that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” With these words he left his disciples with a lasting rule in life whose faithful observance would forever mark their identity has his followers. What is this rule in life: “love one another as I have loved you.” This is a very important rule: “love one another as I loved you.”

In the earlier ministry of Jesus, he was asked what the greatest commandment was. He mentioned that the greatest is “to love God above all things.” He added that the second greatest is “to love one’s neighbor as one one loves oneself.”

In this new commandment that Jesus has left his disciples he made a radical change in the norm of how his disciples should love one another, namely, as “he loved them.”

Washington D.C.- The National Federation of Filipino American Associations (NaFFAA) mourns the passing of Secretary Norman Y. Mineta. He was the first AsianAmerican mayor of a major city and cabinet official in the United States.

In 1971, Norman Mineta broke racial barriers by becoming the mayor in his hometown of San Jose during the time of the city's major population boom. He then later served as a 10-term congressman and a cabinet secretary. He was well-known for his expertise in the byzantine policies governing the country's highways, railroads, and airports. He will also be

remembered as a pioneer, advocate, and mentor to Asian-American organizations.

NaFFAA Founding Co-Chair, Gloria T. Caoile, remembers Secretary Mineta in her statement saying, “Our hearts are broken with the passing of our mentor, Secretary Norman Y. Mineta. He inspired generations of Asian and Pacific Islanders to make a difference. A giant among us, he leaves footprints that future generations can follow. It was Secretary Mineta who was the catalyst for the AAPI's presidential inaugural celebration. He valued inclusion, championed democracy, and promoted civic participation. He wanted our communities to celebrate our political victories. He instructed a group of us to organize an AAPI inaugural gala and told us the President of the United States would be there to recognize our contributions. Wisely, he combined our cultural appreciation for gatherings with political participation. We will always love him, cherish his memory, and honor his legacy.”

NaFFAA National President and Chair, Brendan Flores, also stated, "Today our country has lost one of its most accomplished citizens, former Secretary Norman

How did Jesus love his disciples, and all of us who have chosen to follow him, have been baptized into his Church and have become his brothers and sisters? He gave his life for all of us, dying on the cross in obedience to his Father’s mission in order to redeem us. This is a love that cannot be measured and does not expect anything in return. It is what we call “selfless love.” Jesus expects us, his disciples to love each other in this way. In fact he further mentioned that “this is how all will know that you are my disciples.”

In the early years of Christianity, the followers of Jesus seriously followed this rule. They shared each with each other their resources, helped each other in their needs, and even gave their lives because of their love of their brethren. In fact, it is often mentioned that pagans were so amazed as this kind of conducting their lives so that they would exclaim in disbelief whenever they would speak of Christians by describing their way of life as “see how they love each other.” This is still true in many Christian communities today and is indeed expected in every community that would like to be known as Christian. I believe that this rule of life should be the norm especially in our families: loving each other selflessly and without expecting anyting in return. I pray that Christian spouses would truly love each other as Jesus loved them. Let us pray that every member of our Christian families would truly give each other in love according to how Jesus loved his disciples.

Y. Mineta. As a Japanese American who experienced great racial discrimination throughout his life, Secretary Mineta made his passion for advocacy for justice and equality in the AAPI community a top priority. His long list of accomplishments and bipartisan leadership has and will continue to inspire generations of AAPI leaders. The National Federation of Filipino American Associations thanks Secretary Mineta for paving the way for members of our community to achieve great heights."

We look forward to continuing to honor Secretary Mineta's legacy throughout the month for Asian Pacific American Heritage Month.

Fr. Agustin T. Opalalic

Secretary Mineta flanked by his Filipino and Asian leaders supporters. (courtesy photo)

Give your input on the County’s recommended $7.15 billion budget.

If you live within San Diego County lines, the budget will affect you.

HELP BUILD THE FUTURE You’re Invited!

Comment and/or participate at forthcoming events:

• May 19-20: Budget presentations

• May 23-June 8: Virtual community budget meetings

• June 13, June 16: Public hearings

• June 24: Revised budget released to the public

• June 28: Deliberations and adoption

More info: Open Budget (sandiegocounty.gov)