The Filipino Press: May 3-9, 2024

By seLen Ozturk/ems

As nearly 45 million Americans and counting owe over $1.7 trillion in student debt, what’s the future of college affordability?

SAN FRANCISCO--As nearly 45 million Americans and counting owe over $1.7 trillion in student debt, what’s the future of college affordability?

Though the Biden administration has made historic strides in passing student loan forgiveness initiatives, ongoing lawsuits by Republicanmajority states and a possible change of White House leadership this election year threatens their survival.

Meanwhile, the lifting of pandemic-era freezes to federal student loan payment forces borrowers nationwide to choose once again between greater debt or affording basic needs — underscoring the importance of forgiveness programs.

At an Ethnic Media Services briefing, student loan experts and a borrower who got over $100,000 in student loans forgiven explained what forgiveness programs have been launched and expanded under the Biden administration, which have been cut, and what’s next for student loans.

Student debt relief under Biden

The Biden administration has approached debt relief in two ways: through broad relief, by approving “upwards of $153 billion in student loan forgiveness for around 4.3 million borrowers,” and through

By James F. Linzey

SAN DIEGO, CA -- Four thousand volunteer hours is sufficient to receive a Presidential Lifetime Achievement Award. Southern Baptist Chaplain Don Biadog Jr., has amassed more than 13,000 hours since 1990.

Major General Michael J. Borgschulte, Commanding General of Third Marine Aircraft Wing, and Lieutenant Colonel Robert J. Weingart, Executive Officer of Headquarters and Headquarters Squadron at MCAS Miramar in San Diego, presented the honor April 18 on behalf of the President of the United States, Joseph R. Biden. The event was held at the historic Officers’ Club at Miramar, former home of Top Gun.

“On behalf of the American people, I extend my heartfelt appreciation to you for your volunteer leadership and encourage you to continue to answer the call to service,” President Biden stated in a letter to Biadog. “The country is counting on you.”

targeted relief, by reforming existing programs, said student loan lawyer and author Adam Minsky. Efforts to provide relief have met with staunch political opposition, however.

The administration’s first attempt would have forgiven up to $20,000 in federal student loan debt for millions of borrowers per the Heroes Act of 2003, which let the Education Department enact waive federal loan program regulations “in response to economic harm caused by a national

emergency — in this case, the pandemic,” Minsky said.

This was challenged by a coalition of Republican-majority states led by Nebraska and Missouri, and was struck down by the conservativemajority Supreme Court last June on the grounds that mass debt forgiveness was not expressly mentioned in the act.

The administration’s current, second attempt at broad relief involves a separate legal authority — the Higher Education Act,

“which does expressly allow for the waiver or cancellation of student loan debt, although it’s only been used in limited circumstances to date,” explained Minsky. “The program could go live for borrowers as early as the fall, but most people expect this will be challenged in court as well, though it stands a stronger chance of surviving a legal challenge.”

Other, targeted initiatives include the IDR Account Adjustment giving forgiveness credit to borrowers

unable to pay income-driven loan plans in 20 or 25 years; the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program providing forgiveness in as little as 10 years to borrowers who work for nonprofit or government organizations; and the Save Plan, exempting borrowers earning below a certain income for payment and shortening the forgiveness timeline for some earning above it.

Many of these initiatives have also met with opposition. For instance, the Save Plan, in which at

least eight million borrowers have enrolled, “is subject to two new, separate lawsuits brought by 18 Republican states, including some of those that blocked Biden’s first mass debt relief plan,” said Minsky.

“A common criticism is that these programs are unfair to people who have already paid their debt,” he added. “But people saved for retirement on their own all their lives before Social Security came around, and we still implemented it. You could argue it was unfair to them, but we still generally think the measure was positive.”

The landscape for borrowers

“We’re seeing significant government actions to address the student debt crisis, but the effect of this is that borrowers are confused about whether or not they will be receiving forgiveness, what the parameters are, who is eligible, and what the consequences are for nonpayment,” said Michele Shepard Zampini, Senior Director of College Affordability at The Institute for College Access and Success. In a decisive election year, tens of millions of borrowers are also transitioning from the unprecedented pandemic payment clause — which, through March 2020 through fall 2023, exempted federal student loan payment and interest accrual — back into payment.

For many of these borrowers, “monthly payments are too high for them to afford. Basic living expenses like rent, food, child

Manuel “Don” A. Biadog, Jr., is a retired U.S. Naval Chaplain with the rank of Commander, representing the Southern Baptist Convention. He recently became the latest recipient of the President’s Lifetime Achievement Award for his lifelong commitment to building a stronger nation through volunteer service.

“I did not expect it at all,” Biadog told me in a phone call after I heard about the award. “I was never awarded anything like this.”

Febe Luna, U.S. Marine Corps Family Team Building Trainer and Installation Volunteer Coordinator at Miramar, said Chaplain Biadog, “is a

But no one said it quite like Jesus, who said, “Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your Father who is in heaven” (Matt. 5:16, Modern English Version).

shining example of servant leadership, not only giving his time and efforts to our nation, but to military communities and host nations all over the globe.”

What Chaplain Biadog has done to add value to America exceeds exemplary voluntarism. Following are some examples of his passion to serve:

When Superstorm Sandy hit New York during the 2012 Christmas holidays, he took personal leave from the Navy to volunteer with the SBC’s Disaster Relief Team from the State of Washington for more than two weeks in New Jersey and New York. He set an example for the university students who comprised most of the team.

When he was stationed in Okinawa

WASHINGTON D.C. – As we enter into Asian Pacific American Heritage Month, Asian Americans Advancing Justice – AAJC and Right To Be (formerly Hollaback!) have announced a new initiative to equip twelve community-based organizations across the country to bring their “How to Respond to Anti-Asian Harassment and Practice Resilience When Experiencing AntiAsian Harassment” training directly to impacted communities. Trainings will be delivered in-person and in thirteen Asian languages in addition to English, including Cantonese, Dari, Hindi, Hmong, Karen, Khmer, Korean, Lao, Mandarin, Nepali, Pashto, Tagalog, and Vietnamese.

Since launching joint trainings in the spring of 2020 on how to safely respond to anti-Asian hate and harassment, Advancing Justice –AAJC and Right To Be have reached over 100,000 people through free online training sessions on bystander intervention, conflict deescalation, and how to respond when experiencing anti-Asian harassment.

“We felt it was important to move beyond the online format and offer training in-person and in Asian languages,” said Marita Etcubañez, Vice President of Strategic Initiatives at Advancing Justice – AAJC. “By equipping community-based organizations to deliver the training in different Asian languages, we aim

to bring this training to audiences we have not yet reached, including members of our community who may not have found the online format easily accessible. We also hope that offering training in-person will create opportunities for dialogue about the harassment that Asian Americans continue to face and the solutions that the community feels are needed.”

The new initiative was born out of a desire from local organizations to build resilience in their communities in response to the surge in antiAsian hate in recent years. Partner organizations will be adapting the core training to reflect the specific needs of the communities they serve.

“As Asian Americans continue to experience anti-Asian hate and harassment, we wanted to find more ways to directly support the community, especially our elders here in Houston, to learn about how to address harassment, both in the moment and how to begin healing afterwards,” said Jannette Diep, Executive Director of Boat People SOS Houston. “We are so pleased that our staff are now able to provide anti-harassment training and are excited to host in-person trainings in Vietnamese, and in partnership with OCA Houston, in Chinese.”

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Chaplain Don Biadog Jr.

The Pampered Pinay: TEAM FRANCINE

By THeresa maigue Bendorf

Special Deals for You....

DepEd proposes 'aggressive option' for quick school calendar shift

MANILA -- The Department of Education (DepEd) said Tuesday it submitted a "more aggressive option" to President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. following calls for a swift shift to the old academic calendar.

The move came amid mounting calls for the department to bring back the April-May school break as scorching heat takes a toll on learners and teachers, prompting the suspension of in-person classes and the shift to alternative delivery modes (ADMs).

"The department has already submitted a letter to the Office of the President presenting other options, including a more aggressive alternative of ending the School Year 2024-2025 in March 2025," DepEd Assistant Secretary Francis Bringas said during a Senate Committee on Basic Education hearing.

Bringas, however, said these options would mean a shorter school year and squeezed breaks, which might affect the rest period for learners and teachers.

In terms of number of days, he said, the DepEd may need to resort to ADMs or Saturday classes.

"Our option could be to count some days as alternative delivery modes, which are not necessarily in-person classes... We have to look for some days to cover ADM," Bringas said. Under this option, the actual inperson classes would only be 165 days, less than the minimum required 180 days for each school year.

Besides this, it would also compromise more days for proportional vacation pay (PVP) for public school teachers.

"We all know that teachers are entitled to proportional vacation pay, that is two months after each school year. And they are paid, the PVP is computed based on the number of school days in a given year," Bringas said.

The DepEd earlier maintained its stance on a "gradual reversion" to the old school calendar, considering the effects of sudden shifts to learners and teachers.

In February, it ordered a series of adjustments, including the scheduled end of School Year (SY) 2023-2024 on May 31, intending to implement the school break from June 1 to July 26; with the succeeding SY set from July 29, 2024 to May 16, 2025, according to Department Order 3, series of 2024. Heat index arbitrariness

Bringas, meanwhile, raised current challenges of schools in terms of arbitrariness when identifying the radius or scope of heat index forecast from the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA).

Local government units and school heads currently implement ADMs based on heat index forecasts and other natural calamities.

"We are hoping that PAGASA could help us with this... In comparison, typhoons, we can see typhoons, but for heat, we can only feel it. It becomes more subjective for something that we just feel than something that we see," he said.

Bringas also requested a comprehensive guide to ensure appropriate actions for teachers and learners.

"While they have heat index also,

it may be possible that the heat index is not within the danger zone. But with the existing conditions within the classroom that may contribute to the amount of heat that you feel at that particular time, like congestion, limited ventilation, and so on, it may also contribute," he said.

"We hope we could be more guided scientifically like what we do in typhoons."

Bringas, meanwhile, lauded school heads and LGUs for implementing flexible learning setups alongside balancing learning recovery.

"We acknowledge in the department that there's still no substitute for inperson classes, but we cannot do otherwise at this point," he said.

To date, he added, some schools avoid peak hot temperatures from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. by moving in-person shifts to 6 a.m. to 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. to 6 p.m.

Based on the DepEd's trend of suspension of face-to-face classes, the peak record happened on April 19, with 9,421 schools implementing ADM affecting about seven million learners nationwide.

From April 8 to 26, the most used ADM was blended learning equivalent to 59.4 percent, followed by modular at 38 percent, and online at 2.6 percent.

DepEd OKs more classroom time, specific ancillary tasks for teachers

Vice President and Education Secretary Sara Duterte has approved a more streamlined and classroombased work, as well as specific ancillary tasks for all public school teachers nationwide.

"Vice President and Secretary of DepEd Sara Duterte signed DepEd Order 05, s. 2024 as a further step to ensure that teachers can devote more to classroom teaching," the DepEd said in a statement on Tuesday.

Duterte allowed the rationalization of public school teachers' workload as a follow-up policy on DepEd Order No. 2, s. 2024, an earlier order providing for the removal of their administrative tasks.

The DO stated it intends to promote teachers' welfare, help teachers enhance learning processes, and improve learning outcomes, among others.

Under DO 5, "teachers shall render eight hours of service per day, of which six hours shall be devoted to actual classroom teaching."

Public school teachers shall also use the remaining two hours for their ancillary tasks, which may be done within or outside school premises.

In terms of specific ancillary tasks, the DO limits its coverage to "curriculum planning, curriculum delivery and pedagogy, assessment of learner’s progress, and homeroom guidance and management."

"Other tasks that do not fall under the specified teaching-related and ancillary tasks of the teachers shall be delegated to the administrative personnel of the schools," the DepEd said.

Overload pay

The DO 5, meanwhile, assured overtime pay for teachers in excess of the prescribed six hours, provided it will not exceed two hours per day.

"The number of minutes accumulated on a weekly basis

shall be converted into hours for the computation of appropriate teaching overload pay," it reads.

Teachers in schools with teacher shortages and those relieving for other teachers, affecting their vacant periods, are eligible for the overload pay.

"Payment of teaching overload shall be made every quarter, subject to the extent of allotment for the purpose," the DepEd said.

If there are insufficient funds, however, the overload pay shall be converted to earned vacation service credits or leave credits. (MNS)

BI, CHED urged to probe alleged influx of Chinese students in Cagayan

Senator Francis Escudero on Thursday asked the Bureau of Immigration (BI) to intensify its scrutiny of foreigners entering the country, following reports of Chinese students in Cagayan allegedly "acting as spies" and engaging in "degree for sale" with local colleges and universities.

Escudero said such accusations should not cause undue alarm without proof.

"Kung ang mga basehan lamang ay dahil may base ang Tsina sa West Philippine Sea, na may isyu tayo ngayon sa kanila kaya malamang espiya ang mga estudyanteng Chinese nationals sa Cagayan kaya dapat ipagbawal ang ang mga iyan, hindi naman siguro dapat ganun (If the only basis is our issue with China who has built bases in the West Philippine Sea, that maybe the Chinese students in Cagayan are spies and they should be banned, that should not be the case),”

Escudero said.

He said the BI should be the first agency summoned in a Senate investigation to provide proof, clarify its role and address any lapses in fulfilling its responsibilities.

“Kung talagang may duda na mga espiya ang mga iyan ay bakit hindi ginawa ng Bureau of Immigration ang kanilang trabaho (If there is doubt that the are spies, why did the Bureau of Immigration not do their job)?" he said.

Apart from a resolution filed by Senate Deputy Minority Leader Risa Hontiveros seeking to investigate the issue, Senator Sherwin Gatchalian is also planning to file another, following allegations that the foreign students paid up to PHP2 million for degrees.

Gatchalian called on the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) to investigate these reports, citing concerns raised by locals and Dr. Chester Cabalza, a professor from the University of the Philippines.

"Bagama’t sinusuportahan natin ang internationalization sa ating mga kolehiyo at pamantasan, pati na rin ang pagpasok ng mga mag-aaral mula sa ibang bansa, mahalagang protektahan natin ang integridad ng ating sistema ng edukasyon (Although we support the internationalization of our colleges and universities, including allowing the entry of foreign students, it is also important that we protect the integrity of our education system)," Gatchalian said.

Earlier, CHED urged Cabalza to formalize his complaint with evidence before it initiates an investigation, ensuring due process to all parties.

(MNS)

SWS: Families who suffer from hunger rises to over 14%; highest rate in NCR

MANILA -- Filipino families who experienced “involuntary hunger” rose to 14.2 percent in March 2024, based on the Social Weather Stations’ (SWS) latest survey results.

According to the SWS, “involuntary hunger” refers to experiencing hunger and not having access to food at least once in the past three months.

“Compared to December 2023, hunger rose by 1.6 points, from 12.6 percent,” the SWS said.

“The March 2024 hunger figure was 3.5 points above the 10.7 percent annual hunger rate of 2023 and the highest since 16.8 percent in May 2021,” it added.

The SWS said the 14.2 percent is the sum of 12.2 percent of Filipino families who experienced “moderate hunger” or those who experienced hunger only once or a few times in the past three months, and 2 percent who experienced “severe hunger” or those who experienced it often or always. The survey showed that the hunger rate was highest in Metro Manila at 19 percent, rising by 6.3 percent from 12.7 percent in December 2023.

Balance Luzon and Visayas followed at 15.3 percent and 15 percent, both with an increase from 9.3 percent and 14.3 percent in December 2023.

On the other hand, only Mindanao recorded a decrease from 12 percent in December 2023 to 8.7 percent.

SWS said the survey was conducted through face-to-face interviews of 1,500 adults — 600 in Balance Luzon, and 300 each in Metro Manila, Visayas and Mindanao.

It had sampling error margins of ±2.5 percent for national percentages, ±4.0 percent for Balance Luzon, and ±5.7% each for Metro Manila, Visayas and Mindanao.

53.6% of Filipino families rate themselves as non-poor -- SWS A Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey showed that 53.6 percent of Filipino families rated themselves as "non-poor" for the first quarter of 2024.

According to the survey, conducted from March 21 to 25 and released on Thursday, self-rated non-poor families consist of 30 percent borderline and 23 percent not poor.

Compared to the December 2023 survey, the recent self-rated nonpoor figures show that borderline families declined by 3 points from 33 percent, while not-poor families increased by 3 points from 20 percent.

Meanwhile, the March 2024 survey showed that 46 percent of families considered themselves poor, which hardly changed from the 47 percent recorded in the previous survey.

The estimated numbers of selfrated non-poor and poor families were 14.9 million and 12.9 million respectively.

The pollster noted that the 1-point decline in the nationwide self-rated poor figure between December 2023 and March 2024 was due to slight decreases in Mindanao and Metro Manila, combined with an increase in the Visayas and a steady score in Balance Luzon.

"As of March 2024, the percentage of Self-Rated Poor families was highest in the Visayas at 64 percent, followed by Mindanao at 56 percent, Balance Luzon at 38 percent, and Metro Manila at 33 percent," the SWS said.

The survey asked those who were self-rated non-poor if they had ever experienced being poor in the past.

According to the SWS study, the total percentage of non-poor families consisted of 15.6 percent who were poor one year to four years ago or labeled as the "newly non-poor", 10.1 percent who were poor five or more years ago or “usually nonpoor”, and 27.8 percent who never experienced being poor or "always non-poor.”

Of the estimated 14.9 million self-rated non-poor families in March this year, 4.3 million were newly non-poor, 2.8 million were usually non-poor, and 7.7 million were always non-poor.

Among the 46 percent who identified as poor, 6 percent, or about 1.7 million families, were considered “newly poor” or those who were non-poor one year to four years ago, while 5.3 percent, or about 1.5 million families, were usually poor, or classified themselves nonpoor five or more years ago.

A total of 34.9 percent, or 9.7 million families, considered themselves "always poor" or never experienced being non-poor.

The SWS said the national median Self-Rated Poverty Threshold (SRP Threshold), or the minimum monthly budget self-rated poor families said they need not be considered as poor, remained at PHP15,000 in the past nine quarters.

Meanwhile, the national median Self-Rated Poverty Gap (SRP Gap) fell from PHP7,000 in December 2023 to PHP5,000 in March 2024.

This refers to how much selfrated poor respondents say they lack in home expenses relative to their stated SRP threshold.

In terms of self-rated food poverty, the March 2024 survey found 33 percent of families rating themselves as food-poor, 36 percent rating themselves as food borderline, and 31 percent rating themselves as not food-poor.

Compared to December 2023, the percentage of food-poor families hardly changed from 32 percent, while food borderline families fell slightly from 41 percent, and not food-poor families rose slightly from 26 percent.

The estimated number of selfrated food-poor families was 9.3 million in March 2024.

The survey was conducted using face-to-face interviews with 1,500 respondents nationwide.

It has sampling error margins of ±2.5 percent for national percentages, ±4 percent for Balance Luzon, and ±5.7 percent each for Metro Manila, the Visayas, and Mindanao. (MNS)

BI, CHED urged to probe alleged influx of Chinese students in Cagayan

Senator Francis Escudero on Thursday asked the Bureau of Immigration (BI) to intensify its scrutiny of foreigners entering the country, following reports of Chinese students in Cagayan allegedly "acting as spies" and

engaging in "degree for sale" with local colleges and universities. Escudero said such accusations should not cause undue alarm without proof.

"Kung ang mga basehan lamang ay dahil may base ang Tsina sa West Philippine Sea, na may isyu tayo ngayon sa kanila kaya malamang espiya ang mga estudyanteng Chinese nationals sa Cagayan kaya dapat ipagbawal ang ang mga iyan, hindi naman siguro dapat ganun (If the only basis is our issue with China who has built bases in the West Philippine Sea, that maybe the Chinese students in Cagayan are spies and they should be banned, that should not be the case),” Escudero said.

He said the BI should be the first agency summoned in a Senate investigation to provide proof, clarify its role and address any lapses in fulfilling its responsibilities.

“Kung talagang may duda na mga espiya ang mga iyan ay bakit hindi ginawa ng Bureau of Immigration ang kanilang trabaho (If there is doubt that the are spies, why did the Bureau of Immigration not do their job)?" he said.

Apart from a resolution filed by Senate Deputy Minority Leader Risa Hontiveros seeking to investigate the issue, Senator Sherwin Gatchalian is also planning to file another, following allegations that the foreign students paid up to PHP2 million for degrees.

Gatchalian called on the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) to investigate these reports, citing concerns raised by locals and Dr. Chester Cabalza, a professor from the University of the Philippines.

"Bagama’t sinusuportahan natin ang internationalization sa ating mga kolehiyo at pamantasan, pati na rin ang pagpasok ng mga mag-aaral mula sa ibang bansa, mahalagang protektahan natin ang integridad ng ating sistema ng edukasyon (Although we support the internationalization of our colleges and universities, including allowing the entry of foreign students, it is also important that we protect the integrity of our education system)," Gatchalian said.

Earlier, CHED urged Cabalza to formalize his complaint with evidence before it initiates an investigation, ensuring due process to all parties.

DENR leads plastic waste mgmt in mining, eyes incentive program

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources-Mines and Geosciences Bureau (DENR-MGB) has launched its PLASTIKalikasan Program to address plastic waste in mining sites, including its neighboring communities.

In a news release on Tuesday, the DENR said PLASTIKalikasan is a nationwide long-term program on plastic waste management in mining areas.

“At the DENR, our thrust on climate change adaptation and mitigation is at the forefront of our efforts. PLASTIKalikasan is not just a one-day clean-up project, it is a cornerstone of our strategy to build resilience against the impacts of

SCENIC. The Manila Bay sunset, as seen from Roxas Boulevard on Saturday (April 27, 2024), remains a favorite attraction. It also means lower temperature as the National Capital Region struggles with an average heat index of 43 degrees Celsius the past five days. (MNS photo)

SAN DIEGO, CA -- Mabuhay!

Has it been a while since you dosi-do’d your partner? Or perhaps you have never even done a square (or a line, for that matter) dance. There’s a group of folks determined to change all of that last weekend…and they did so successfully as a matter of fact…Haha-ha-ha!

Last Saturday, April 27th

“Cursillistas” from different parts of San Diego including the St. Charles Filipino Cursillo Group gathered for a hoe-down social at the Ortmann Center of St. Mary Catholic Church in National City to celebrate the 46th “Cursillo” anniversary.

Widely recognized and Y-e-s! largely associated with cowboy stuff – the sort-of-hoe-down celebration the San Diego cursillistas did was truly fun, indeed!

No doubts about it, there was plenty of enthusiasm, exuberance and playfulness at the festive gathering.

The fiddle certainly dances the hoe-down in this lively social gathering at which energetic folk dancing took place. My Navy shipmate and good friend Gerry Silva bore testimony of square dancing, circle dancing, the mandatory line dancing, of course and the list goes on. Or maybe I’ll just quote Ed Gilmore’s 1949 Square Dance Caller’s Handbook, “No other form of recreation represents an opportunity for participation to so large a number of people as square dancing. (Or for our “kababayans”, of course - that equate to line dancing which Filipinos absolutely love to do!) There is no spirit of competition or exhibitionism in square dancing (or line dancing, for that matter, too!). Eight people or more get together and each one is striving for perfect cooperation with the other seven (or more) to complete a pattern in time with the introduced rhythm of the music. No one is out for anything or out do the other fellows.”

Simply put, it was just pure, wholesome fun for all the folks who

attended…Period!

“Why don’t we do this more often?” was the sentiment of the whole crowd.

For my two cents, I say – for cursillistas, it’s definitely the perfect venue to get to know each other, to hold hands without embarrassment, swing round and round, to dance wholeheartedly without worrying about looking silly. Western dancing absolutely takes all the fear of asking a partner because the caller puts everyone in a big circle (or in a line one after another) and help them join the fun. And if you’re not excited about the person you’re dancing with right now …Ha-ha-ha-ha! –just wait about 20 seconds when the circle (or line) rotates. Ha-ha-ha-ha!

As Gilmore says, “Square dancing has a tendency to promote real fellowship and teaching patience, consideration, kindness, cooperation, tolerance, unselfishness, all of the qualities so important to an ideal personality.”

Or for a genuinely great “cursillista”?

Ha-ha-ha-ha!

But first, let me digress a bit…so, what is Cursillo?

A Cursillo (pronounced kursee-you; the full name is “Cursillo de Christianidad”) is an encounter with Christ. Cursillo is a Spanish word meaning “little” or “short course” so a cursillo is a limited course in Christianity. It begins on a Thursday evening and ends the following Sunday evening (the so called “Three Days”).

Cursillo is a lay movement within the Catholic Church committed to inviting Christian leaders to encounter Christ in a deeper way through a loving community, a beautiful method of spirituality and a stronger understanding of oneself.

“The Cursillo Movement is a movement of the Church which by means of its own method makes it possible for people to live what is fundamental for being a Christian, and to live it together; it helps people discover and fulfill their personal vocations, and to promote the creation of core groups of Christians

who leaven their encounters with the Gospel.”

Certainly, Cursillo is a recognized worldwide movement of the Roman Catholic Church based on the charism given by the Holy Spirit to Eduardo Bonnin in the early 1940s in Mallorca, Spain. As I’ve stated earlier above, the full name of the movement is “Cursillo de Christianidad” or “Short Course in Christianity” although it is really much more than that!

To repeat again, the Cursillo begins with a three-day weekend

DSWD braces for La Niña; Buong Bansa Handa project in place

MANILA The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) is preparing for the expected onset of the La Niña phenomenon next month by ensuring that its disaster preparedness and response strategies are in place to mitigate the possible effects of the wet season, an agency official said on Thursday.

“Na-approve na rin yung ating Buong Bansa Handa project… yung ating framework agreement. Ongoing din yung procurement for that dahil nga ang gusto nating mangyari ay mabilis yung pagpapahatid ng tulong kapag dumating na yung tag-ulan,” (The Buong Bansa Handa Project has been approved... the framework agreement. The procurement process is also ongoing because what we want to happen is for the assistance to be immediately delivered when the rainy season arrives),” DSWD spokesperson Irene Dumlao said in a media forum in Quezon City.

Dumlao, assistant secretary for Disaster Response Management Group, noted that the Buong Bansa Handa (the whole country is ready) project would establish two parallel supply chain mechanisms for disaster preparedness and response, which would enhance the department’s capacity to meet the needs of families in various disaster-stricken areas.

The first mechanism features a national and local governmentdriven supply chain that will improve the production capacities and processes of the DSWD’s National Resource Operations Center in Pasay City, the Visayas Disaster Resource Center in Cebu, and warehouse and storage facilities across the 16 DSWD field offices. For the second mechanism, the DSWD will forge partnerships with established large and small groceries, supermarkets, manufacturers, and distributors to leverage their technical expertise

and resources to create a private sector-driven supply chain.

Enough relief supplies in warehouses

Dumlao said they are monitoring the relief supplies and ensuring that there are enough family food packs (FFPs) and non-food items (NFIs) prepositioned in the various warehouses across the country.

As of April 29, a total of 387,124 FFPs have been prepositioned in the 10 DSWD hubs while 602,113 boxes of food packs were sent to the 66 spokes and 545,526 FFPs in the 849 last-mile delivery facilities across the country.

“Doon sa ating mga last mile, binabantayan natin ang delivery, gayundin ang mga withdrawal ng ating FFPs and NFIs para hindi po tayo nauubusan and, of course, pag dumating ang tag-ulan ay sapat ang ating mga supply and are ready to be sent to LGUs that are affected (In our last-mile delivery facilities, we monitor the delivery, as well as the withdrawal of our FFPs and NFIs, so that we don't run out, and of course, when the rainy season comes, our supplies are sufficient and ready to be sent to affected LGUs),” she said.

Safe evacuation centers

Dumlao pointed out that the DSWD is also monitoring the evacuation centers to ensure that evacuees would be provided with necessary interventions.

She said evacuation centers, in coordination with the local government units and the Department of Education, have been inspected to ensure the safety of the would-be evacuees.

One of the concerns of the DSWD is also to ensure that women and children affected by various disasters are safe, she said. To date, 18,069 evacuation centers around the country can be used to temporarily shelter internally displaced individuals.

DOE: More yellow, red alerts possible in coming weeks

More yellow and red alerts are expected in the coming weeks as the country has already exceeded its forecasted demand given the prevailing heat levels amid the El Niño, the Department of Energy (DOE) said Thursday.

According to DOE Undersecretary Rowena Cristina Guevarra, the alerts will depend on the status of plants, and could reach a red alert status should plants go on unscheduled outages as seen earlier this month.

“What we expect is that in the next few weeks until middle of May, we are going to have yellow alerts and possibly red alerts in some areas,” Guevarra said in a virtual press conference.

“If none of our plants are going to go offline, then perhaps it’s just yellow alert but as you’ve noticed in the past week, several plants went offline and that resulted in having red alerts so that one we cannot predict,” she added.

The country’s major grids were placed on yellow alert earlier on Thursday, indicating that the operating margins are insufficient to meet the transmission grids’ contingency requirements.

The Luzon grid from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. and from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m., and the Visayas grid from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m., from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m., and from 8 p.m. to 9 p.m.

“We can only predict the demand increase based on the heat index and we can see that there will be yellow alert based on the head index alert,” Guevarra said.

It may be recalled that the DOE last year said there are no red or yellow alerts expected this year despite the El Niño, as it said several solar power plants were expected to come in and provide additional power supply.

“What we have for Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao is that we do not have alerts, but that was not with the assumption of the increase in demand due to the heat index,”

(separate men’s and women’s weekends) during which the participants experience three encounters: an encounter with one’s self, an encounter with Christ and an encounter with others. The three-day weekend is an intense experience of learning and spiritual growth in the Catholic faith but also an opportunity to make new friends within the diocese and have some time to get away from the stresses of the world, have some fun, laugh and relax.

Unlike other retreats, Cursillo

Guevarra explained Thursday.

In the same press conference, Energy Secretary Raphael Lotilla said the currency conditions remain a challenge as the El Niño phenomenon has hit multiple sectors with local government units already declaring a state of calamity.

“It remains a challenge and if we look at the impact of the El Niño and the El Niño phenomenon has created problems not only in the energy sector but in the agriculture sector, in water, in health, education, and so on,” he said.

“These are indications of a natural calamity and therefore the local government units have already in many areas in the country, have already declared such, so we are recognizing that as a fact… It’s a calamity and we are responding to it as needed,” he added.

For the coming year, Lotilla said the red and yellow alerts are not expected as the country is expected to be hit by La Niña which would reduce power demand.

“As far as next year, because precisely of the new power plants, the new capacities that are coming in, then we’ll have adequate supply for the next year,” he said.

“Next year it’s La Niña that we are facing, not really El Niño, and therefore hydropower plants are likely to be performing optimally and therefore the need will be reduced,” he added.

GSIS insurance premiums up by 12% in Q1

The Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) reported a 12-percent increase in insurance premiums written in the first quarter of 2024, amounting to PHP2.98 billion compared to PHP2.65 billion in the same period last year.

GSIS President and General Manager Wick Veloso attributed the milestone to the state pension fund's aggressive campaign for the protection of all government insurable assets and interests.

"We protect the Government’s Budget and individual programs against unexpected insurable losses such as fire, earthquakes and typhoons. And more importantly, we are able to pool long-term funds

does not end after three days. The participants continue to live out what they have learned in their “fourth day” – their regular daily lives. Groups of Catholic friends meet weekly to discuss their faith’s journey in a structured and comfortable format. Once a month, the various local groups get together to rekindle their weekend experience. Their lives become a continually shared occurrence of the Catholic faith, strong friendships are formed and others in the communities are influenced by them.

Absolutely, the worldwide Cursillo movement, with “Cursillistas” numbering in the millions, is transforming the world for Christ – one country, one diocese, one group of friends, one person at a time.

The Cursillo is supported by the Roman Catholic Church. It is joined to the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops and the San Diego diocese. Yes, it has a healthy and growing community right here in our neighborhood of South Bay who meet each week to grow in faith and service to our Lord and our Church.

Incidentally, the St. Charles

and put them in investments to help grow the overall economy,” Veloso said.

“The sustained momentum of the performance of the GSIS has proven to be a catalyst of the economic development of the Philippines through supporting both the public and the private sectors,” he added.

The GSIS General Insurance issued 52,644 policies with a total sum insured of PHP798.4 billion.

With this, the net income of GSIS for the first quarter reached PHP3.3 billion, marking a 35-percent increase from PHP2.4 billion in the first quarter of 2023.

The net worth of the GSIS General Insurance Fund grew by 7 percent or PHP54.63 billion from PHP51.26 billion at the end of 2023.

GSIS Senior Vice President for Insurance Valerie Marquez said they will soon be issuing Parametric Insurance for Local Government Units which will pay out benefits based on the occurrence of a predefined event, such as earthquakes of a certain magnitude or typhoon winds breaching a specific speed.

"We believe this type of insurance will help many [local government units] as this does not require the traditional process of claims adjustment after a loss event. GSIS will pay out automatically when the triggering condition is met,” Marquez said.

The state pension fund is enhancing its marketing efforts to cover insurable risks for government workers, including automobile and fire insurance.

(MNS)

'Bato' insists PDEA leaked documents authentic, says paper not AI-generated

The allegedly leaked documents from the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency are authentic, Senator Ronald "Bato" dela Rosa on Wednesday said, amid suggestions that the documents were AI-generated.

Filipino Cursillo Group with its iconic “Make a friend, be a friend, and bring a friend to Christ” phraseology aims to practice the Cursillo method of perseverance and commitment to piety, study and action. This group hopes to anchor its members by helping each other discover their ability to part, willingness to portion and something to share in terms of their Christian life.

This group meets every 2nd, 3rd and 4th Fridays of each month at Room 13 from 7:00 PM to 8:00 PM. For more information, please contact Gerry Silva.

(FYI: In all that they do for the weekend, my good friend Gerry of St. Charles Catholic Church ask the community to go out and “Make a Friend, be a Friend and Bring that Friend to Christ and the Cursillo”.)

For more information on how to become a member, you can visit the following websites: English Cursillo https://www. cursillosd.org/ Filipino Cursillo https://www. cursillo.org/sandiegofilgroup/ Spanish Cursillo See St. Rose of Lima’s group https://www.strosecv. com/mgo/cursillo.html#1

In an interview with Teleradyo Serbisyo, Dela Rosa said he would bet his life on the authenticity of the documents, which linked President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to illegal drugs.

PDEA earlier released a statement dismissing the documents as fake and warning the public against believing such claims "in an age where Artificial Intelligence can generate realistic fake videos, spurious documents."

"Kung sinabi ng PDEA na ito ay AI-generated, na ito ay gawa-gawa lang sa computer, ay hindi po ako makapaniwala," Dela Rosa said.

Dela Rosa also clarified his earlier statement saying that he believed PDEA's statement that the allegedly leaked documents were not in their records.

He said that PDEA may be right in claiming that the documents were not part of their records, but this does not mean that the documents were not real.

The former chief of the Philippine National Police said there were markings on the documents that pointed to their authenticity, including punch-hole marks on the photocopy.

"Kung sinabi nila na nonexistent talaga yang papel na yan,' di ako naniniwala," Dela Rosa said.

The contents of the alleged leak also showed that the vehicles that were going to be used for the PDEA surveillance operation were "organic" vehicles of the agency, Dela Rosa said.

"I bet my life dun sa authenticity ng papel na yun. Masasabi ko talaga na totoo (I can really say that they are real)."

Dela Rosa meanwhile insisted that the Senate investigation on the alleged leak was "in aid of legislation, not in aid of persecution."

He also said that he was convinced that it was not former PDEA agent Jonathan Morales was not the person who leaked the document.

During former President Rodrigo Duterte's tirades against Marcos, Dela Rosa was quoted in an interview by another news outlet that Marcos was never in the PNP's narco-list.

PDEA also dismissed Duterte's claim that Marcos was on PDEA's

Spiritual Life

The timeless prayer of a mother on Mothers' Day

There was a time when I wrote my prayers in a Prayer Journal. Somehow, I neglected the practice because of so many distractions that came my way. I was sorting my books when I found my "Prayer Journal - The Power of a Praying Woman" which was filled with my hand-written prayers during the years 2003-2005. I turned to a page where I wrote my prayer on Mothers' Day, May 9, 2004 and I realized that my prayer as a mother is timeless and my sentiments then and now has not changed. Here was what I wrote 12 years ago.

"As I ponder on my role as mother to my seven children, my heart is filled with gratitude, Dear God, for making me a partner in your creation. I thank You for giving me a good husband, who despite my own inadequacies supported me and provided the friendship and companionship through all our life together. I thank You for the education that I acquired and the career that I pursued which enabled me to help send our children to school and to meet their daily needs. I thank You for my own mother who has been at my bedside during the delivery of my children, and who patiently and generously cared for them when they were growing up. I thank You for all the help I got from others,

S. Cudal-Rivera

My Personal Testimony

thus enabling me to be both a mother and career woman.

As a mother, I've not been as nurturing to my children for I was too busy earning a living in order to meet their daily needs. Forgive me O Lord for my failings and shortcomings.

As a mother, I often put ambition over my role as parent, leaving to others what I ought to have done myself. I deeply regret that I concentrated more on my career than in motherhood. forgive me Dear God.

As a mother, I sacrificed some of my needs for the sake of my children. They may not appreciate this, but I still lift them all up to Your love and care.

Bless each and every one of my children, their spouses, and their children. Be with them Lord,

every step of the way. They have ambitions to fulfill, needs to be met, and problems to solve. I pray, Dear God, that You will give them the discernment to do Your will in their lives.

I pray, Dear God, for my daughters who have become mothers themselves. Fill them with your love and abundant grace so that they will be able to share their gifts to their children and spouses. Make them and mold them to be the kind of mothers you want them to be - loving, kind, and supportive of their children's aspirations. give them the wisdom and the courage to discipline their children, and to redirect their path when we know that what they are doing will destroy their future. I pray for all the mothers today. Keep them in good

A life to the fullest

Lord, who may dwell in Your sanctuary? Who may live on Your holy hill? He whose walk is blameless and who does what is righteous, who speaks the truth from his heart. (Psalm 15:1-2)

"I cannot believe they are not going to honor my bonus agreement," said the executive who was about to take another position in a new city. Her understanding of her present work agreement called for a bonus at the end of the year.

Management saw the situation differently. "It's not right. I am entitled to that bonus," she complained.

It was time to leave. The company had given her a laptop to use. However, when she left, she decided that because the company was not going to pay her the bonus she was entitled to, she would simply keep the laptop as compensation due her. "And they would never miss it," she reasoned. She was now in the employment of the new company. As each day passed, she grew uneasier about her decision. She could not get it off her mind. Finally, she concluded that the Holy Spirit was telling her this decision was wrong and that she needed to call her former boss to confess her action. She called him and confessed what she had done and why she had done it. Her boss

Danny Hernaez From Whom

All Blessings Flow

accepted her confession and forgave her. Strangely enough, he allowed her to keep the laptop computer. Truth never changes. It is absolute. When we make decisions based on other actions that are taken, we move into making decisions based on the situation, not truth and righteousness. The executive may indeed have been wronged, but she had to address the wrong in the appropriate way.

Trying to compensate for the wrong by doing something that violates another scriptural principle is called situational ethics. If the employer had never wronged the executive, do you think she would have felt justified in taking the computer? Probably not. When you isolate the two situations, you see that one action was taken in response to the other action. Have you had any experiences in which you have used situational ethics? The Lord desires His people to have a higher standard, even at the cost of being

wronged. Ask the Lord to reveal any business practices that may indicate situational ethics. You might be surprised what will happen when you do the right thing. 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 5:2932). 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. <(((><

This Sunday, we hear in the Gospel (Jn. 15:1-8) of another image of Jesus, this time as “the vine.”

Though appearing quite simple, it fills us with a sense of mystery, beauty and awe, for it integrates us into his very Life - and he into our life - in an intimate unity and oneness. Grafted into “the vine” (Jesus’ own Life), we are transformed and empowered with a new life in his Spirit, without which we can do nothing.

Jesus begins with this statement: “I am the true vine.” It brings to light his unique identity as both human and divine. “I am” is God’s most holy Name and the “vine” is Israel has become fruitless, he is now taking up Israel’s true calling –bearing fruit for God – and fulfilling it. In this vine, the “vine-grower” is pleased to see the new branches, the disciples whom he prunes in order to make fruitful, as the dead branches have already been removed. The first pruning has already taken place with their “yes” to Him in which they left everything “because of the word (he) spoke to (them).” The pruning continues in the struggles that they undergo in their own lives, especially in carrying their crosses daily to follow Jesus and carry out his work by his power.

Certainly, their communion for three years would continue, but now it is no longer a matter of just “being with” him. They are bluntly told that they can actually “do nothing” by just being with Him but that they must be “in” him; meaning, they need to be grafted into his Life, like branches to the vine. Only by being transformed interiorly will they be able to follow him and carry out his work. An example of this is St. Paul in the Second Reading (Acts 9:26-

31). Once a fruitless branch in Israel, his mystical encounter with Jesus put new life into him – Jesus’ own Life – and he was radically changed. The late Pope Benedict XVI explains this “sacramental union” (not any particular sacrament, but rather the entire mystery of Jesus’ life, death and resurrection), in which, Jesus “enters into us through his Spirit and transforms us. Precisely because this sacramental union cleanses and renews us from within, it also unleashes a dynamic of new life. Thus, the command to do as Jesus did is no mere moral appendix to the mystery, but rather follows from the inner dynamic of gift with which the Lord renews us and draws us into what is his”

This is what St. John meant in the Second Reading (1 Jn. 3:18-24). We keep the commandments of Jesus and remain in him, not by our own strength, but “from the Spirit he gave us.” What gives us “confidence in God” is our “sacramental union” with Jesus, even if “our hearts” make us feel uncertain before him, “for God is greater than our hearts and knows everything.” This “union” differs from the union among people in the world: It is a rooting and growing in Jesus, which begins in baptism and

is constantly strengthened through the other sacraments in diverse ways. With this, a community is formed among the baptized, making up the Mystical Body of Christ, the Church, the visible expression of Jesus, “the true vine.” It is a living body, in which the life-giving Spirit that Jesus radiates flows to all the branches (Eph. 5:23, 30). Here is the fruitfulness of the vine and branches: When we engage in the work that Jesus left us to do, living Life in Him - seeing things with his eyes, loving with his Heart, thinking as he does, wanting what he wants - our prayers will always be answered, and our work for the Kingdom will prosper and will show forth God’s glory. This is the unshakeable confidence we should have when we let what Jesus says sink in: “Whoever remains in me and I in him will bear much.” This is the heart of the Eucharistic mystery, as the Catechism of the Church teaches us: “For all their works, prayers and undertakings (e.g., family and married life, daily work, relaxation), if they are accomplished in the Spirit (even the hardships of life if patiently born), all these become spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. In the celebration of the Eucharist, these may most fittingly be offered to the Father along with the body of the Lord. And so, worshipping everywhere by their holy actions, the laity consecrate the world itself to God, everywhere offering worship by the holiness of their lives” (CCC 901). This makes us the fruitful vineyard, whose harvest glorifies God and blesses and sanctifies the whole of creation. What a beautiful harvest.

Sino ba ang hindi nagnanais makamtan ang tagumpay?

At sino ba naman ang masisiyahan kapag kabiguan ang taglay?

Sa bawat papel na ating gagampanan sa pansamantala nating buhay Bilang magulang, sa ating propesyon, sa anumang gawain na ating haharapin, makamit ang tagumpay ang ating layunin.

Sakop ng lahat ng ating ginagawa ang isang tanong, Kailan masasabi na ang tagumpay sa buhay ay nakamtan?

Sino nga ba ang matagumpay sa buhay?

Isa bang taong mayaman?

Isang taong makapangyarihan? Isang taong kilala ng lahat at kinagigiliwan?

Sa buhay ng tao ay may ibat-ibang mga layunin Ngunit sa katunayan ay iisa ang hangarin

Continued from page 1

care, health care, or transportation are competing with loan bills,” Zampini explained. While 92% to 93% of outstanding student debt is federal, many of those with nonfederal, private or state loans “are not eligible for these relief initiatives at all.”

“If Biden is reelected, I think the administration will continue to try and expand these initiatives,” she continued. “If it changes, we’ve heard the platform from the other side: not to invest in these student aid programs, or even overturn them. Many of these programs are not ensured by law. They’re dependent on who is in the White House — so the stakes are very high for future students, and for those who have debt now.”

The impact of student debt and

Lahat tayo ay naghahangad na ang kaligayahan ay mapasaatin, Mga taong mayayaman, mga taong tanyag at kilala, mga taong titulado, kapag walang kaligayahan sa buhay ay nakukulangan.

Kaya sa tanong na “Sino ang matagumpay sa buhay?” Ang sagot dito ay simple lamang Ang taong matagumpay sa buhay ay ang taong masaya at may kaligayahan. Kapag tagumpay sa buhay ang pinaguusapan, kaligayahan ang siyang magiging batayan.

Upang maging masaya at makaranas ng kaligayahan sa buhay Kailangang magdulot ng kasiyahan at kaligayahan sa buhay ng iba Gayun din naman kapag lungkot at pagdurusa ang ating dulot

relief

For borrowers with snowballing interest, debt relief can be the difference between retiring at all and working for life.

“In 1990 I moved to Florida from Venezuela, where I was a physician with a master’s degree in ear, nose and throat surgery,” said Virginia Brown, a 72 year old recently retired mental health social worker. “I spoke English, I was a citizen, and I couldn’t find a good job. Finally, I went to school for professional mental health counseling — I always loved helping people.”

“Already having a master’s, I couldn’t go back to a bachelor’s or find an affordable alternative, so I took out a loan to go to Orlando Rollins, a private college,” she continued. “People said ‘You’re going to get into all this debt,’ but it was the only choice.”

“Afterward I had two, three jobs at a time working in nonprofit social

Tiyak na pagdurusa at lungkot din ang ating abot.

Kaya’t ugaliin nating magdulot ng kaligayahan sa mundong ito Mga gawaing magiging bahagi ng magagandang ala-alang isinasapuso Muli, kung ang tanong ay “Sino ang matagumpay sa buhay?” Muli, ang matagumpay sa buhay ay ang taong maligaya at masaya.

service, but interest grew the debt beyond $100,000 even as I was paying. Day-to-day, I had to choose between paying up to $900 a month on a loan or the power bill, and I couldn’t afford moving closer to my family in Jersey City, where I am now,” she said.

“I found out I was able to get my debt forgiven in 10 years through the PSLF program, by transferring my loan from private to federal and continuing to work in nonprofits,” Brown explained. “In mid-2021 I got an email saying it was forgiven, and I couldn’t believe it. I sent it to my son wondering if I was dreaming.”

“I had jobs that I liked, providing an important social service to the community, but due to student loans I was stuck geographically and professionally,” she added. “Without that relief, I wouldn’t have been able to retire or live close to my family. Debt forgiveness is lifechanging.”

Aurora

Fr. Agustin T. Opalalic

Ni Salvador S. Idos

Salvador S. Idos

drug watchlist. (MNS)

Over P541-M worth of aid given to 10 El Niño-affected regions Ten El Niño-affected regions received about PHP541 million worth of aid, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) said Thursday.

The El Niño phenomenon remains active and expected to persist until May 2024, according to the weather bureau. At least 131 cities and municipalities across the country have declared a state of calamity

In its latest update, the NDRRMC Regions 2 (Cagayan Valley), 4-B (Mimaropa), 5 (Bicol), 6 (Western Visayas), 7 (Central Visayas), 8 (Eastern Visayas), 9 (Zamboanga Peninsula), 12 (Soccsksargen), Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao and the Cordillera Administrative Region received aid consisting of family food packs, rice, fuel, roofing sheets, generators and hygiene kits.

due to the effects of the El Niño phenomenon, as most of the areas are experiencing drought.

Earlier, the El Niño Task Force, chaired by Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr., directed the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) to ensure the fire safety of public hospitals and public health facilities.

He added that the BFP "must ensure a safe environment" especially for those seeking healthcare services and for medicalrelated professionals and workers. (MNS)

“AJSOCAL is thrilled to bring this updated How to Respond curriculum in-person to Asian and Asian American communities in southern California,” said Christina Yang, General Counsel and Pro Bono Director for Asian Americans Advancing Justice Southern California. “We have been providing the bystander intervention training since 2021, but that training focuses more on allies of the community, so it’s exciting to now also offer the How to Respond training, which more directly addresses how folks of Asian descent can take care of themselves if they experience harassment.”

Under this new initiative, partner organizations anticipate hosting a combined one hundred training sessions in 2024.

"I am both grateful and inspired by our collaboration with

Advancing Justice – AAJC to make our anti-harassment training more accessible and relevant to Asian communities across the nation,” said Jorge Arteaga, Vice President of Movement Building at Right To Be. “By delivering these crucial trainings in-person and in thirteen different Asian languages, we are not just educating people on how to respond to anti-Asian harassment; we are empowering them to reclaim their right to be respected and safe in their communities. Our hope for this next phase of our work is to deepen our impact and reach even more folks who can benefit from these resources, fostering resilience and action against hate and harassment in every form."

Our partner organizations include:

California

Asian Americans Advancing Justice Southern California, in partnership with Asian Youth Center Council on American-Islamic

sea, and air on his own time during holidays. Many of the recipients were destitute children.

Relations - Sacramento Valley and Central California, The Fresno Center

Colorado

Colorado Asian Culture and Education Network

Minnesota

CAPI USA, in partnership with Asian American Organizing Project

New Jersey

Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders of New Jersey

Oregon Immigrant and Refugee

Community Organization

Rhode Island Center for Southeast Asians

Texas

Boat People SOS Houston, in partnership with OCA Greater

Houston

While Advancing Justice –AAJC and Right To Be will continue to offer online training sessions, please contact our partner organizations directly to learn more about how to access their in-person training offerings.

during three tours of duty from 1997-2000 and 2003-2007, Biadog led Marines and Sailors in multiple Community Relations (COMREL) Projects on weekends on Okinawa, and on the mainland of Japan and in South Korea. He led them in collecting and sharing humanitarian supplies with schools, orphanages, homes of the elderly and infirmed, and campsites.

He risked his life during Operation Iraqi Freedom 2 when he took humanitarian supplies and toys to hundreds of Iraqi children near the Baghdad International Airport during the Christmas holidays. Biadog also led a team of Marines, Sailors, parents, and students in taking humanitarian supplies to impoverished survivors of natural and man-made disasters in the Philippines and other Asian countries. He orchestrated the shipment of tons of supplies by land,

Sources of recognition for his service span decades. They include the U.S. National Navy League, which awarded him the Project Handclasp Humanitarian Service Award, the VFW’s Chaplain of the Year award in 2023, and a Letter of Appreciation, dated November 28, 2015, from His Excellency Luis Antonio G. Cardinal Tagle, D.D., Archbishop of Manila and Chairman of the Pontificio Collegio Filipino of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines.

“Your compassionate leadership and the sea service volunteer efforts impacted the residents and staff of the Collegio,” Tagle noted in his letter. “Your hard work resulted in the historic visits of the Philippines ' Ambassador to the Vatican, Swiss guards, priests and Religious Sisters from Collegio, and myself on board Naval Support Activity Naples since September 2013.

“The priests’ and Religious

Sisters’ ship's visit was irreplaceable,” Tagle’s letter continued. “The Navy 's friendship with the Collegio has exposed our residents to new realities in life, welcoming them into your world, exchanging views and experiences with the Sailors and civilian staff.”

Please join with me as we say to Commander Biadog, “Thank you for helping America in her time of need. And when you help the least of the people of the world, you do it as unto Christ. You have made America stronger for it as well as for the reach of the gospel.”

James F. Linzey is a retired Army chaplain with the rank of Major. He was the first fulltime chaplain for the Leader’s Training Course under the U.S. Army Cadet Command and wrote one of the four official U.S. Armed Forces prayers in all of American history. He is the founding president of Military Bible Association, the chief editor of the Modern English Version Bible translation, and he represents the Southern Baptist Convention.

LOS ANGELES, CA -- In this month’s column, we selected general questions about Medicare and other social benefits from the calls and letters we received and would like to share the information. If you have additional questions about Medicare, Medicaid, Affordable Care Act Health Insurance Marketplace, Social Security Retirement Benefit, Supplemental Security Income, Social Benefits for Seniors, or COVID/Flu vaccination, there are 3 ways you can reach us today: Call our Senior Assistance Center at: (English) 1-800-336-2722, Email: askNAPCA@napca.org, Mail: 1511 3rd Avenue, Suite 914, Seattle, WA 98101

<Q1> I just turned 65. Can I sign up for Medicare?

Yes. Medicare is a health insurance program for people 65 or older.

Medigap (also called Medicare Supplement Insurance).

Lastly, there is Medicare Part D, prescription drug coverage. Part D covers prescription drugs. If you have Original Medicare and want prescription drug coverage, you should purchase a stand-alone drug plan; however, many Medicare Advantage plans include prescription drug coverage.

<Q2> What are Medicare Advantage Plans and Medigap?

benefits such as dental or vision. If you want additional coverage, you’ll need to purchase the plan you want to add separately. You will need to pay monthly premiums for Part B and Medigap plan (and if applicable, additional coverage plans), totaling about $400 or more per month. Original Medicare supported by Medigap (with/without a prescription drug plan) would be a good choice for those who need recurring care for a chronic condition, travel a lot, or live in rural areas.

climate change,” DENR Secretary Maria Antonia Yulo Loyzaga said. She said PLASTIKalikasan, which is done with the help of stakeholders, will serve as a platform for mining and mineral processing companies to collect, recycle, reuse, and dispose of plastic waste. The program will be integrated into a company’s annual implementation of the Environmental Protection and Enhancement Program (EPEP) and ISO 14001:2015, allocated with appropriate and sufficient budget.

“The annual EPEP outlines the methods and procedures a company will employ to achieve its environmental protection and management goals throughout the lifespan of the mine. Under the Philippine Mining Act of 1995 and its revised implementing rules and regulations, the EPEP should be prepared and approved before the commencement of mining,” the release read.

The PLASTIKalikasan program launch coincided with the Earth Day 2024 celebration, wherein 15 MGB Regional Offices spearheaded community clean-up drives, with over 7,000 participants from mining contractors and permit holders, as well as volunteers from communities, local government, and non-government organizations.

An initial report of the cleanup drive showed around 47,000 kilograms of plastic and other solid waste were collected across several mining sites and its host and neighboring communities.

Meanwhile, Loyzaga expressed delight with its partners' active participation from the mineral industry, local communities and other stakeholders to restore, protect, and sustain the environment.

She also reminded them of their equal responsibility in ensuring that their mining operations adhere to the highest standard of environmental protection and conservation.

Loyzaga said the MGB will officially incorporate PLASTIKalikasan in the EPEP for operationalization by 2025.

Loyzaga said an incentive program mechanism will be implemented under PLASTIKalikasan to motivate communities to actively participate in the reduction, recycling, or upcycling of plastic waste.

Details of the mechanism, including the types of incentives and the criteria for eligibility, will be developed by MGB.

The DENR-MGB said it will also help facilitate the forging of partnerships between mining companies and non-government and recycling organizations under the program.

MGB data shows that currently, there are 59 operating metallic mines, 61 operating non-metallic

mines, and eight mineral processing plants in the country. (MNS)

131 LGUs under state of calamity due to El Niño

Some 131 local government units (LGU) have declared a state of calamity as the country continues to grapple with the effects of the El Niño phenomenon.

Task Force El Niño spokesperson and Presidential Communications Office Assistant Secretary Joey Villarama said the LGUs currently under a state of calamity include Occidental Mindoro, Antique, Sultan Kudarat, Basilan, Maguindanao del Sur, Maguindanao Del Norte, and South Cotabato.

“Kalat kalat po iyan sa buong Pilipinas (These LGUs are all over the country),” he told reporters in an interview at Malacañang Palace.

Citing data from the Department of Agriculture, Villarama said El Niño has so far caused PHP4.39 billion worth of damage to 77,731 hectares of agricultural lands.

But he said the effects of El Niño this year, in terms of agricultural damage, is still lower compared to the worst El Niño year in history in 1997, wherein 667,000 hectares of land were damaged.

“So if you compare it 77,000, maliit pa po dahil po sa measures na ipinatupad po ng gobyerno before the onset of El Niño (it is still lower because of the mitigation measures of the government before the onset of El Niño),” Villarama said. (MNS)

If you have been receiving Social Security benefits for at least 4 months prior to turning 65, you’ll get Medicare automatically. If not, you must actively sign up. When you first sign up for Medicare during your 7 month-IEP (Initial Enrollment Period), you will have Medicare Part A (hospital/inpatient coverage) and Part B (medical/outpatient coverage), which is known as Original Medicare or Traditional Medicare.

You must pay a monthly premium for Part B and/or Part A (almost all beneficiaries don’t have to pay a Part A monthly premium if they or their spouse have at least 40 Social Security work credits). You still have to pay 20% coinsurance and deductible. If you want to fill this expense gap, you can choose to purchase either Medicare Part C (Medicare Advantage plan) or

If you have Part A and Part B, you can join a Medicare Advantage Plan, sometimes called “Part C” or an “MA plan.” MA plans must offer, at minimum, the same benefits as Original Medicare. Unlike Original Medicare, MA plans can offer additional benefits such as dental or vision coverage and have annual outof-pocket maximum limits. Many MA plans provide Part D coverage as part of their benefits package. You have to pay a monthly premium for MA, but some MA plans have $0 monthly premiums. So, you can save significantly on your health care costs. However, MA plans typically have network restrictions, meaning that you will likely be more limited in your choice of doctors, hospitals, and service areas. Plans may require a referral for specialist visits or prior authorization from your plan. If cost is your prior concern or you live in an urban area, MA plan may be a good option.

Medigap (also called Medicare Supplement Insurance) is a private health insurance policy to fill cost-sharing gaps such as 20% coinsurance in Medicare Parts A & B and only those enrolled in Original Medicare can purchase a Medigap plan. Medigap offers neither prescription drugs nor additional

<Q3> Do you know that you may also be eligible for energy cost assistance?

LIHEAP (Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program) is a federally funded program that helps low-income households to meet their immediate home energy needs. This program provides your household with an annual cash grant to help you pay for your home heating and cooling costs. The grants are paid either directly to you or to your energy company. To be eligible a household must have an income that does not exceed the greater of 150% of the federal poverty guideline(e.g., $2,555 for a two-person household) or 60% of the state median income level. Enrollment periods may not be year-round, and the open period depends on the state. The application processes and agencies vary depending on the area where you live. Please call us to see if you are eligible.

National Asian Pacific Center on Aging (NAPCA) is a non-profit organization dedicated to improving the quality of life of AANHPI older adults and their families. We operate a NAPCA Senior Assistance Center for Older Adults and Caregivers and is available in 5 different languages.

Maris Racal recalls PBB roots

MANILA -- Actress Maris Racal has recalled her showbiz roots as a housemate on "Pinoy Big Brother," which is set to open its doors anew later this year.

In her broadcast channel on Instagram, Racal shared a photo of a cake and a bouquet of flowers from her fans, who celebrated her 10th year in the industry.

"Malayo pa pero malayo na ... Happy 10 years, our Singing Sunshine! We're all so proud of you & we'll be here supporting you all the way. More blessing and 'epektus' to come, Maris. Mahal ka namin palagi! From: Mariestellers," the note read. Racal said she remains overwhelmed by the number of fans that she has gained over the years.

"Ten years ago, pumasok ako sa 'PBB.' Akala ko una, ako mae-evict kasi feeling ko wala naman akong fans na boboto sakin. (Hahaha) but I was wrong. ang dami niyo pala! Sobra niyo akong pinapasaya everyday," she said. She promised to work harder to prove that she is worthy of her fans' support.

"Pinagbubutihan ko sa trabaho kasi gusto ko kayong maging proud. And wow 10 years na. ang galing. ang layo na ng narating natin and ang dami nang naabot na mga pangarap," she said.

"Pagbubutihan ko pa lalo sa mga bago dito, Mariestellers po talaga tawag sa mga supporters ko. Pwede bang part na rin kayo dun? 'Wag ka na sumagot kasi wala ka namang choice. Sakin ka na forever." Racal was runner-up to Daniel Matsunaga during the "Pinoy Big Brother: All In" edition in 2014. Currently, she plays the role of Irene Tiu on "Can't Buy Me Love" and is set to star in the film "Sunshine." (MNS)

Bea Alonzo files cyber libel raps against showbiz columnists, co-hosts

MANILA -- Actress Bea Alonzo

went to the Office of the City Prosecutor of Quezon City on Thursday to file a cyber libel complaint against veteran showbiz columnists, along with other co-hosts of their online shows.

Among the respondents is a social media user who allegedly posted defamatory remarks against the awardwinning actress.

"These are 3 separate criminal cases and yes, 3 respondents per case, and the 3rd case is totally different. It was filed against a certain individual who made defamatory comments on one of Bea’s social media platforms," said Alonzo’s lawyer Atty. Joey V. Garcia. According to Garcia, her client finally decided to file complaints against the showbiz columnists

and hosts because of the damaging statements they made against her.

"This is the very first time that Bea has pursued this legal action despite her more than 2 decades in the entertainment industry," Garcia said. “She has endured all the defamatory

and malicious statements against her character by these individuals in the past months or even years with silence, dignity and grace. But there is always a limit and now is the time for definitive legal action,” Garcia said in a separate statement.

Alonzo's camp hopes the complaints will be resolved quickly and that the respondents will be summoned by the Office of the City Prosecutor.

"The allegations in her complaints are supported with proper evidence. We expect that the Office of the City Prosecutor of Quezon City will issue subpoenas to the individuals concerned, who will be given the opportunity to submit their counteraffidavits. We will be ready to respond

when the time comes," Garcia also said in a statement.

Garcia, however, did not reveal names of the respondents.

He also reminded social media personalities to exercise caution.

“We would like to remind all the social media users, especially vloggers to understand the legal implications of engaging in such behavior. To exercise caution and responsibility in all their online interactions,” Garcia said.

“Kasi po yung defamatory statements and personal attacks, they are legally actionable. I would like to emphasize that Ms. Bea has been very patient all these years, she has endured all these malicious statements against her character in the past months, in the past years actually with silence, dignity and grace, so there is always a limit,” he added.

The respondents in the case have not yet released any statements. (MNS)