The Filipino Press: September 22-28, 2023

Pres. Marcos gives away confiscated smuggled rice to poor families

MANILA -- Fulfilling his vow to go after rice smugglers and hoarders

President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. led on Tuesday the distribution of confiscated smuggled rice to less fortunate families in Tungawan, Zamboanga Sibugay as he led the turnover of other assistance to the residents and the local government units in the province.

In his speech, President Marcos assured the Filipino people that the government and his administration are working tirelessly to put an end to the smuggling activities of some erring individuals, which is hurting the agricultural sector in the Philippines.

“Kailangan sapat ang pagkain para sa ating mga kababayan. Kasama diyan ay pinapatibay natin ang sistema ng agrikultura. Ngunit hindi lamang, yun ang nagiging problema sa agrikultura dito sa Pilipinas, ang isang napakalaking problema ay ang pag-smuggle ng bigas papasok ng Pilipinas,” President Marcos said.

“Hindi lamang pag-ayos ng agricultural sector ang ating kailagang gawin. Kailangan din nating pagtibayin ang ating pagimpose ng mga batas tungkol nga sa pagbigay ng suplay ng bigas sa atin, sa buong Pilipinas. Hindi tama na nagpapasok sila, iniipit nila ang suplay, pinapataas nila ang presyo, naghihirap ang tao para lang kumita sila ng malaki,” he added.

President Marcos said that he has already instructed the Bureau of Customs (BOC) to run after smugglers and ensure that their illegal operations will be busted as he commended the bureau for

their successful seizure of 42,180 bags of imported rice worth P42 million at a warehouse in Barangay San Jose Gusu, Zamboanga City on September 15, 2023.

The President stood firm that

the government is following laws when confiscating smuggled items, giving them a 15-day notice to hear their side of the story.

“Nabigyan na sila ng 15 days, wala silang naisagot kaya’t

By AdA m Lewis Beh A r (ALB), The FiLipino press

What is the mission of OpSam and your philosophy of treatment?

Dr. Archie Bella (AB):

kinuha na ng gobyerno at ginawa naming donation sa DSWD [Department of Social Welfare and Development] … ang sabi ko, ang pinakanangangailangan diyan ang mga beneficiaries ng 4Ps,”

President Marcos said. “Iyon po ay patuloy nating pag-aasikaso para tignan natin na maging maganda ang patakbo ng mercado sa bigas dahil alam naman natin kung gaano kahalaga ang suplay ng bigas sa magandang presyo para sa lahat ng Pilipino,” the chief executive added.

President Marcos assured the Filipino people that the government is ready to assist the affected less fortunate individuals.

DSWD Secretary Rex Gatchalian was present during the distribution of rice along with NFA Administrator Roderico Bioco, BOC Deputy Commissioner Vener Baquiran, Philippine Airforce Brigadier Gen. Dennis Estrella, Philippine Army Major General Antonio Nafarrete, and other officials.

President Marcos also led the turnover of PhP6.72 million worth of DA-Philippine Rural Development Project Investment for Rural Enterprises and Agricultural and Fisheries Productivity (DA-PRDP); PhP11.84 million worth of DAPRDP I-REAP; and PhP1.5 million worth of DA Kadiwa Financial Grant (Hauling Vehicle).

The President also distributed PhP1 million worth of DA Kadiwa Financial Grant (Trading Capital); PhP1.5 million worth of DA Kadiwa Financial Grant (vehicle

WASHINGTON -- Recently,

Administrator Isabella Casillas Guzman, head of the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) and the voice in President Biden’s Cabinet for America’s 33 million small businesses, announced the SBA’s 2023 Growth Accelerator Fund Competition Stage Two winners. Thirty-five award-winning accelerator partnerships will receive $150,000 each to help advance equitable investment in innovative startups and high-growth small businesses across several priorities, including National Security & Global Competitiveness, Domestic Manufacturing and Production, Climate and Renewable Energy, and Underserved Communities.

“Through the SBA’s 2023 Growth Accelerator Fund Competition awards, the Biden-Harris Administration is delivering on its commitment to entrepreneurship, competition, and equity,” said Administrator Guzman. “This network of accelerators will help

ensure high-growth small businesses and innovative startups have access to resources and networks to scale in critical technologies across America.”

In 2023, the SBA introduced a new two-stage format for the Growth Accelerator Fund Competition. In May, Stage One Catalyze winners received $50,000 to build capacity and connections across the U.S. innovation ecosystem, focused on themes of National Security & Global Competitiveness, Domestic Manufacturing and Production, Climate and Renewable Energy, and Underserved Communities.

The SBA awarded 40 Stage One prizes to organizations from 30 states and territories, including D.C. and Puerto Rico, and invited them to apply for Stage Two of the Growth Accelerator Fund Competition. During Stage Two, the SBA will provide $150,000 to ecosystem partnerships led by Stage One winners to promote equitable access to resources and accelerate

support to high-growth STEM and R&D-focused small businesses.

“These new Growth Accelerator partnerships will strengthen collaboration among local and national entrepreneurial organizations committed to enhancing the chance of success for science and technology driven companies to turn their innovations into impact,” said SBA Associate Administrator for Investment and Innovation, Bailey DeVries. “We’re thrilled to bring in new partners who have not previously been engaged in the innovation ecosystem.”

Growth Accelerator Fund

Competition Stage Two Winners

Learn more about each Growth Accelerator Fund Competition partnership in the public directory: https://bit.ly/GAFC23Directory

National Security & Global Competitiveness

· DE: Delaware Technology Park

· KY: - XLerateHealth (dba XLerator Network)

· MS: Mississippi State University

· NH: Hannah Grimes Center

· NM: University of New Mexico (dba

The mission of OpSam Health has always been to provide care to people, particularly those in need. We kind of changed the mission and vision altogether when I stepped in as the executive director last year. The new mission is to provide patient centered and quality medical care to everybody in the community regardless of their ability to pay.

ALB: And how many clients do your clinics see over a year?

AB: Close to 14,000 patients.

ALB: Wow! And what is the geographic breakdown?

AB: Well, we have six clinics, actually, geographically it's northern San Diego -- we have Mira Mesa, Rancho Penasquitos and the Scripps Ranch area. And three clinics here in National City, including a schoolbased clinic at Ranger elementary school. So mostly, Northern San Diego County and here in the South Bay.

ALB: What percentage of your patients are Filipino?

AB: Roughly 50% are Filipinos and 50% would be Hispanics; of course there are a few Middle Eastern and Vietnamese but I would say the majority would be Filipinos and Spanish language speakers.

ALB: And of the Filipinos, what are some of the common medical issues that they seem to have?

AB: Well, Filipinos and Mexicans actually share a lot, even when it comes to comorbidities, the top ones would always be cardiovascular as well as metabolic. So we're talking about diabetes, we're talking about hypertension. We're talking about

CEO (sitting at center) with OPSAM

you know, heart issues. Those are the common, bread and butter issues when it comes to primary care setting. Nowadays, after the pandemic, there's a lot of mental health issues across races and ethnicities. So mental health is one of those top health issues plaguing both Filipinos and Hispanics.

ALB: Is there a stigma against acknowledging mental health issues in the community?

AB: I would say, you know, the older generation Filipinos tend to handle it in a different manner. They don't really go to health care providers. The younger generation tends to be more educated ants there's less of a stigma when it comes to mental health, right? There's so many information nowadays in educational campaigns, that it's becoming less and less but culturally of course, it's still going be there.

ALB: It's been over a year that you've been CEO. What changes have you made and what are you most proud of?

AB: Well, there are key strategic priorities that we set for the next three years 2023 to 2025. And that mostly revolves around operational issues:

supervisors

making sure that the operations are equipped to provide quality care. Operation Samahan’s reputation has suffered in the last several years and that boils down to poor operations, right? Unhappy patients mean poor patient satisfaction, right? And that, of course, is tied to your organizational reputation.

So, making sure that we implement quality improvement processes and identify problems that bring about patient dissatisfaction is key. I think addressing that head-on is one of the achievements. We built a quality improvement team here that is in charge of that initiative. Next is compliance. We want to make sure that the organization is compliant. There are so many regulations as a federally qualified facility for any grant funded nonprofits, there's just so many regulations out there that you have to abide by, both federal and state, and even by private funders themselves. They have their own regulations and rules. So we have to be in compliance with those. Having a compliance team here and a

Dr. Archie Bella, MD,

site

namely: Lauren Salazar, Theresa Viterbo, Ana Lopez, Bryan Moore, Minerva Troung and Lu Infante (courtesy photo)

THE PAMPERED PINAY CUISINE: LIEMPO AND LAING

By FRANCINE m AIgu E

Naturally, one of my favorite parts of my recent trip to the Philippines was the incredible food!

While I couldn't bring the prepared dishes back with me, I went hard at work for you as soon as I returned home to build Pampered Pinay recipes that would help recreate the tastes and experiences of my journey back to our homeland. This week I took on one of my favorite combos, liempo and laing. Come, my friends!

Kain na tayo!

Liempo

1 lbs. pork belly, sliced

1/2 cup soy sauce

1/4 cup lemon juice

1 inch ginger, grated

1 medium brown onion, thinly sliced

1 tsp. minced garlic

Sea salt & ground black pepper to taste

Combine all the ingredients in a large Ziploc bag, massage meat in the marinade, and marinate overnight.

Remove the pork for cooking, and save the marinade and onions if you'd like to jazz up some fried rice.

(Bonus!)

You may choose to grill or broil your liempo or fry it. (For the sake of time, I fried mine.) In vegetable oil, fry the pork until golden brown and crispy. Drain on a paper towel to absorb extra oil.

Laing

1 lb. diced pork belly

1 inch ginger, grated

1 tsp minced garlic

Sea salt and ground black pepper to taste

1 pack of dried taro leaves, washed and drained

1 can coconut cream

1 can coconut milk

1 Tbs dried red chili flakes

1.5 Tbs bagoong

1 medium brown onion,

thinly sliced

Marinate the pork in ginger, garlic, salt and pepper overnight.

In a pot, lightly fry the pork in vegetable oil, adding first the onions then the bagoong and garlic as it browns.

Add the coconut milk, coconut cream and red chili flakes, and bring to a simmer.

Add the taro leaves, stirring only when most of the leaves have absorbed the liquid. Continue to cook just until all the leaves have absorbed the liquid and flavor.

There you have it, my friends! Two Filipino faves that are as quick and easy prepare as they are enjoyable to eat. All you need is a batch of rice. :)

Got more Filipino dishes for which you'd like to me to share my Pampered Pinay recipes...or care to share your fave recipes with me, too? Just message me on Facebook. Find me on FB as "Francine Maigue." Your requests and recipes may be featured right here!

Check back every week for ways to pamper yourself and those you love. Why? The answer is simple: YOU DESERVE IT, Hardworking Kababayans.... Do you want to send a love note at The Filipino Press ? Email us at filpressads@aol.com We love to hear from you our dear readers!

LAING

LIEMPO

SAN DIEGO, CA — Pag-asa Law Clinic, a non-profit legal group focused on the Filipino-American community in San Diego, is hosting a Naturalization Clinic on October 7, 2023 in Scripps Ranch, San Diego, California from 12:00 p.m. until 4:00 p.m. The free event will be held at Garcia Hong Law, a law firm located at 10680 Treena Street, Suite 160, in San Diego. Pag-asa Law Clinic is a group

of volunteer leaders, community advocates, and attorneys providing free to low-cost legal services to low-income individuals. With over 200,000 Filipinos in San Diego County, Pag-asa Law Clinic is the first Filipino based legal clinic serving Filipinos regardless of legal status and the greater community in Southern California.

and internationally. This clinic is an opportunity to meet with Filipino lawyers who can speak Tagalog and other Filipino dialects to help our community,” said Grace Tenorio, Principal of Tenorio Law. San Diego County has a large Asian American Pacific Island (“AAPI”) community with nearly half a million people. It is the among See PAG ASA on 6

within passion your Empowering

Begin the next step of your healthcare career today!

Register today!

Schedule: (Call and ask about our upcoming classes)

Weekday: Evening: Weekend: 1 2 3

PH 60th out of 64 in latest World Talent Ranking

MANILA -- The Philippines dropped six spots in this year’s World Talent Ranking (WTR) list of the International Institute for Management Development (IMD), to rank 60th out of 64 countries in terms of the global talent competitiveness landscape.

In a statement released Thursday, IMD cited weaknesses such as the total public expenditure on education per student, where the Philippines ranked 63rd, noting that the country spent $367 per student.

The IMD ranked the country 58th in terms of total public expenditure on education, as it noted that the country spent 3.1% of its gross domestic product (GDP) on the sector.

Also cited as a weakness was the pupil-to-teacher ratio, with the country ranking 59th for primary education with 25.19 pupils to a teacher, and 60th for secondary education with 24.64 students to a teacher.

“Adapting education systems to the needs of economic systems remains one of the big challenges of talent competitiveness,” IMD’s World Competitiveness Center (WCC) director Arturo Bris said.

“The ‘winners’ in our rankings are also the countries that emphasize professional training and apprenticeships over general academic subjects. We do not recommend one versus the other, but the economic trade-offs of either choice are relevant,” he added.

Meanwhile, the country’s overall strengths were the cost of living index where the country ranked 25th, collected personal income tax ranked 17th, labor force growth ranked ninth, skilled labor ranked third, and language skills ranked 25th.

This year’s list was topped by Switzerland, followed by Luxembourg, Iceland, Belgium, and Netherlands.

They were followed by Finland, Denmark, Singapore, Austria, Sweden, Norway, Germany, Canada, Ireland, and the United States which completed the top 15.

The 2023 took into consideration 31 criteria from 64 economies, including both hard data and survey responses from executives. The criteria were organized into three factors — investment and development, appeal, and readiness.

PBBM: Asia offers ‘exciting opportunities’ for Europe

It is prudent that Europe considers the “exciting” opportunities Asia has to offer, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. said Wednesday.

Marcos made the remark after the new Swiss Ambassador to the Philippines Nicolas Brühl presented his credentials in a ceremony at Malacañan Palace in Manila.

The President expressed hope that European countries would see the potential of Southeast Asia and the whole of Asia.

He stressed that he, along with his fellow Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) leaders, have come together to strengthen the region’s economic systems and address its weaknesses during the pandemic.

“We’re all trying to learn the lessons that the pandemic brought with it,” Marcos said during his meeting with Brühl, as quoted by the Presidential Communications Office in a news release on Thursday.

“I think it is actually wise in terms of European countries, Switzerland included, to look to ASEAN, to look to Asia. Although there are other geopolitical disturbances, shall we say, but the opportunities are quite exciting,” he added.

Marcos said the post-pandemic

scenario presents a great opportunity for greater collaboration with the Philippines, stressing that the country now understands “how the world works.”

The world does not work the same way that it did in 2019, or before the pandemic happened, Marcos said, adding that it is “faring differently.”

“And so that’s why I always value partnerships and alliances and agreements between countries. And I think… [with] Switzerland that has always gone very smoothly, let’s hope that it continues in that direction,” Marcos told the Swiss ambassador.

Brühl agreed with Marcos, saying that the Asian economy is recovering well compared to other parts of the world.

He noted that the Swiss Foreign Ministry’s Southeast Asia strategy at the start of the year proves that the region is of utmost importance and could be a partner in the future.

The Philippines and Switzerland celebrated 65 years of diplomatic relations in January 2022.

Brühl said last year’s 65th-year celebration of bilateral relations between the two nations is “already a good start”.

As of 2021, Switzerland ranked as the Philippines’ 26th biggest trading partner, 17th largest export market, and 29th biggest import supplier.

The Philippines and Switzerland continue to maximize the benefits of the Philippines–European Free Trade Association Free Trade Agreement (PH-EFTA-FTA).

The EFTA countries Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland signed a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with the Philippines in Bern, Switzerland on April 28, 2016.

The EFTA-Philippines FTA entered into force on June 1, 2018 for the Philippines, Norway, Liechtenstein, and Switzerland and on Jan. 1, 2020 for Iceland.

The FTA covers trade in goods, trade in services, investment, competition, the protection of intellectual property rights, government procurement, and trade and sustainable development.

Bill to lower gov't workers' retirement age reaches Senate plenary

Senate Bill No. (SBN) 2444 seeking to lower the optional retirement age of government workers from 60 years old to 56 years old was sponsored on Wednesday to the Senate plenary by the Committee on Civil Service, Government Reorganization and Professional Regulation, together with Committees on Government Corporations and Public Enterprises and Finance.

The bill, once passed into law, will amend Section 13-A of Republic Act No. 8291 or the Government Service Insurance System Act of 1997.

In his sponsorship speech, Senator Ramon Revilla Jr. said the committees have seen during the public hearings and meetings the desire of government workers to be given the option to retire earlier, as well as lowering the optional retirement age will not be to the detriment of the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS).

"Ang edad na limampu't anim, ay maihahambing nga sa edad ng pagreretiro ng ating mga sundalo at pulis. At tinitiyak po ng inyong Komite, na ang lahat ng ito ay mga konsiderasyon na inaral at tinimbang, upang makalikha ng isang panukalang didinggin ang tinig ng ating mga lingkod-bayan na hindi naman ikapapahamak ng (The age of 56 can be compared to the retirement age of our military and police.

Your Committee assures that these considerations that were studied and balanced to create a bill that will hear the voice of our government workers and will not endanger the) GSIS," Revilla said.

He said no less than the GSIS data shows that even now, most of those who avail of the optional retirement wait for an average of two years after they become eligible.

"We can thus safely assume that still, a very little percentage will avail of this option when we amend it -leading to no other conclusion but that the actuarial life of GSIS will very minimally be affected, if at all," Revilla said.

Citing a Civil Service Commission (CSC) survey, Revilla said the Philippines has one of the oldest retirement ages pegged at 60 years old and 65 years old compared to other ASEAN countries which goes as low as 40 years old.

He also cited a World Bank report saying Filipinos have a life expectancy of 72 years old which is also lower than their ASEAN neighbors like Vietnam, Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand who could still reach 76 to 84 years old.

"With this data on hand, indeed, we have to do something so that those who wish to enjoy their retirement earlier and have a longer time to spend with their family and loved ones, will have that option," he said.

The CSC has repeatedly expressed its support for the bill citing that “there is a need for a better retirement plan for the public sector that is responsive to the current economic situation and would honor the government’s civil servants' selfless service to the nation.”

Marcos hails state workers’ dedication to public service

President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on Tuesday hailed the government's 1.8 million workers for their commitment to providing quality service to all Filipinos.

This, as Marcos joined the “meaningful and joyous” celebration of the 123rd Philippine Civil Service Anniversary in the country.

“Today, we not only commemorate the anniversary of the Civil Service Commission, but also honor the dedication and commitment of all individuals who serve in the government,” Marcos said in a video message uploaded on the official Facebook page of Radio Television Malacañang.

“We look back to the past 123 years to recount the colossal progress made by those who served the nation before us and we also look ahead to anticipate and prepare for the future of public service,” he added.

Marcos thanked all civil servants for their tireless work, excellence and integrity “to deliver the quality service that all Filipino deserve.”

“Thank you for your dedication despite the numerous challenges that we experience in our respective occupations. Let us strive harder in achieving our united goal of providing a better future for our country,” he said.

Marcos also thanked the Civil Service Commission (CSC) for its steadfast commitment to transforming the human resource and organization of the Philippine bureaucracy.

The President also hoped that the government, with the help of the CSC, would be able to hone “agile and future-ready servant heroes.”

The CSC led the celebration of the 123rd anniversary of the Philippine Civil Service, pursuant to Presidential

See Ranking on 8

Marcos certifies agri economic sabotage bill as urgent

MANILA -- President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. has certified as urgent a bill redefining and imposing stiffer penalties against crimes of agricultural economic sabotage, Malacañang announced Thursday.

In a statement, Communications Secretary Cheloy Garafil confirmed that Marcos on Wednesday certified as urgent the approval of Senate Bill (SB) 2432, a measure that defines the crimes of agricultural economic sabotage.

In a letter addressed to Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri, Marcos stressed the need for the immediate enactment of SB 2432 “to promote the productivity of the agriculture sector, protect farmers and fisherfolk from unscrupulous traders and importers, and ensure reasonable and affordable prices of agricultural and fishery products for consumers.”

This, as Marcos lamented that the country is now beset by rising prices and shortages in agricultural products, “partly due to the nefarious acts of smuggling. hoarding, profiteering, and cartel.”

The proposed measure against agricultural economic sabotage is among the expanded Common Legislative Agenda discussed during the third LegislativeExecutive Development Advisory Council (LEDAC) meeting at Malacañan Palace in Manila on Wednesday.

The bill is now pending in the

MARCOS

Continued from page 1

and working capital); PhP59,043 worth of Assistance Certificate from the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR): PhP76,620 worth of Mackerel Drift Gillnet; and PhP4,000 worth of eight rollsPE Rope No. 10mm.

The chief executive also led the distribution of PhP120 million worth of assistance under the “Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantages/Displaced Workers” of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) and PhP530,000 worth of DOLE livelihood assistance.

PBBM bares imposing fishing ban and other measures to address overfishing and stabilize the country’s aquaculture

President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on Tuesday bared government plans to address overfishing and boost the country’s fish population and aquaculture, one of them is the imposition of fishing ban and other restrictions in certain areas, particularly those intended for fish breeding and propagation.

“Kung minsan kailangan ‘wag uubusin yung isda para sa next season mayroon pa. Kaya yun yung tintingnan natin ngayon,” the President said in explaining the fishing ban.

“At may mga lugar na hindi dapat gawin palaisdaan dahil ito nga ay para sa breeding,” Marcos added saying “(p)ara dumami ang population ng mga isda. Kaya yun ang ating pinaplano,” he said.

The President said these measures are part of the government’s plan of securing the country’s fish stocks along with other initiatives for the

period of interpellations in the Senate, while a Technical Working Group is currently finalizing the version of the House of Representatives.

Garafil said the bill, which would repeal Republic Act (RA) 10845 or the Anti-Agricultural Smuggling Act of 2016, aims to impose severe sanctions on the nefarious acts of smuggling, hoarding, profiteering, and cartel of agricultural and fishery products.

She said the sanctions include a penalty of life imprisonment and a fine thrice the value of the agricultural and fishery products subject of the crime as economic sabotage.

Under the bill, the acts of agricultural smuggling, hoarding, profiteering and cartel as economic sabotage are committed when the value of each agricultural and fishery product subject of the crime is at least PHP1 million, using the Daily Price Index, under Section 19 of the proposed law, computed at the time the crime was committed.

The proposed measure also creates an Anti-Agricultural Economic Sabotage Council headed by the President or his designated permanent representative to ensure the proper and effective implementation of the proposed law.

The proposed council will have the power to direct speedy investigation and prosecution of

agriculture sector to ensure food security.

During a media interview at the National Food Authority (NFA)Region IX warehouse in Zamboanga City after he distributed confiscated smuggled rice to poor families in the province, President Marcos said developing the Philippine agriculture not only means securing the supply of rice and corn but also involves improving the fishery and the livestock sectors.

“Kaya’t kasama sa ating development plan ang mga fisheries dahil nang bumaba ang dalawang bagay: bumababa ang ating nahuhuli, ng ating mga mangingisda dahil nasira na ‘yung mga kung saan pinalalaki ang mga isda,” Marcos told reporters.

The administration is also implementing programs to put up more cold storage facilities to prevent spoilage, the President said, noting up to 30 percent of the fish catch is degraded or damaged.

“Walang cold storage. Kaya nagtatayo tayo ng cold storage. Doon naman sa mga maliliit na bagsakan ay magbibigay tayo ng gawaan ng yelo, para ‘yung yelo na ‘yan, ‘yun ‘yung ilalagay nila sa bangka para pag may nahuli sila, ilalagay lang doon sa yelo at hindi masira ‘yung isda,” Marcos said.

“Tapos ang isusunod natin after that ay ‘yung processing na para doon lang sa isang lugar ang magiging processing. ‘Yun ang ating mga pinaplano para sa fisheries.”

SIM registration now requires live selfies, says NTC

The National Telecommunications Commission has released a memorandum order requiring telco subscribers to submit live selfie photos during SIM registration.

all violators, as well as freeze the violators’ funds, properties, bank deposits, placements, trust accounts, assets and records.

Citing SB 2432, Garafil noted that any government officer or employee found to be an accomplice in the commission of the crime will “suffer the additional penalties of perpetual disqualification from holding public office, exercising the right to vote, from participating in any public election, and forfeiture of employment monetary and financial benefits.”

“When the offender is a juridical person, criminal liability shall be attached to all officers who participated in the decision that led to the commission of the crime, with a penalty of perpetual absolute disqualification to engage in any business involving importation, transportation, storage and warehousing, and domestic trade of agricultural and fishery products,” she said. “Government authorities also have the right to confiscate the agricultural and fishery products which are subject of the prohibited acts and the properties used in the commission of the crime of agricultural economic sabotage such as, but not limited to, vehicles, vessels, aircraft, storage areas, warehouses, boxes, cases, trunks, and other containers of whatever character used as receptacle of agricultural and fishery products,” Garafil added. (MNS)

At a Senate committee hearing, NTC commissioner Ella Blanca Lopez said public telecommunications entities have been given three months to install technologies that will require live selfies.

Lopez said the memo was issued to clean up the registry as there were registrants who used fake IDs and stock images because the telcos had no database to match.

She said the memo included guidelines to weed out fraudulent registrations and find out how many SIMs had been registered only to scam the public.

Lopez said PTEs have been given up to December 18, 2023, to install technologies that ensure that only live selfies and no stock photos will be accepted when registering.

This developed after reports that SIM registrations have been made even with photos of animals and cartoon characters.

Under the SIM Card Registration Act, all PTEs are mandated to establish their respective registration platforms to onboard users who present valid identification cards.

Users were given 180 days or until April 26, 2023, to register their SIMs, or else face the risk of having these deactivated.

There were a total of 118.908 million SIMs registered as of August 31, 2023 — 8.352 million with DITO Telecommunity Corp., 56.258 million with Globe Telecom Inc., and 54.296 with Smart Communications Inc.

The implementing rules and regulations of the SIM Card Registration Act took effect on December 27, after the measure was signed into law by President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. last October. (MNS)

DEVOTION. A large crowd forms outside Quiapo Church in Manila on Sunday (Sept. 17, 2023), a day that Catholics dedicate to hearing Masses. Quiapo church Mass goers are mostly devotees of the Black Nazarene. (MNS photo)

HIKE AGAIN. Motorists queue up at a gas station along Katipunan Avenue in Quezon City on Monday (Sept. 18, 2023) as another round of oil price hike is implemented on Sept. 19. In separate advisories, Caltex, Cleanfuel, Phoenix Petroleum, Seaoil, Shell, and PTT Philippines will increase. (MNS photo)

THE

- PHILIPPINE SENATOR ROBIN PADILLA QUESTIONS U.S. HELP IN WEST PHILIPPINE SEA CONFLICT

“The founders of our independent republic, when they envisioned a nationally-elected Senate, foresaw two dangers inherent to a body elected in this manner: celebrity and money. Both would give undue advantage to the unscrupulous or the unprepared, who would be freed of the moderating influence of a party, which alone could impose otherwise optional standards such as geographic balance and seniority in the selection of candidates.”

Manuel L. Quezon III

SAN DIEGO, CA -- Halfway around the world, there is no doubt about it that Filipinos have experienced the pull of star power. But I say – at the moment – they have little appetite for another exfilm star as president as proven by the election results last year in our beloved old homeland.

“A country isn’t a movie set,” said one columnist while bemoaning the fact that, “many will still choose to believe in the movies.”

Unfortunately, our “kababayans” are certainly prone to blurring the line between histrionics and politics these days.

Celebrities running for local and national posts is actually nothing new in the Philippines. Filipinos, as I have hinted earlier above elected a former actor to the highest station in the land in 1998, while several actors and actresses have also won seats in both Congress and Senate, plus countless more have taken local positions.

It is no secret that when celebrities run for office, there are always questions and pre-judgements on why they made such move, especially those whose spotlights’ starting to dim. But this does not stop those hopefuls to enter politics and expectantly bring their star power to the fore.

One such person is none other than Philippine movies action star Robin Padilla. He is a staunch supporter of the Duterte administration and was extremely successful in gunning down for a Senate seat under the “Partido Demokratiko Pilipino –Lakas ng Bayan” (PDP-Laban).

It is too early to pay Robin Padilla any serious attention says an opinion writer in June of last year too. The hype that attended his topping the Philippines’ Senate race, which stunned not a few, should be enough for now, he adds. Back then, the 19th Congress has not even opened up, so there is yet nothing for anyone to prove, much less topnotcher Robin Padilla. The flak he got for thanking Kris Aquino for his victory and not BongBong Marcos is a distraction from what is yet to come.

Many did not give Padilla a Chinaman’s chance at winning. His topping the election was never on anyone’s radar, except perhaps his wife’s, or the most offbeat of thinkers. He had tremendous baggage to lug around. He is an ex-convict. Even if he produced a diploma in Criminology, they still shoved that aside and considered Padilla devoid of qualifications.

And yet, for somebody for whom most people had little or no expectations, they still expected from Padilla some sense of gratitude, which is why they were incensed when he thanked Kris instead of

BongBong. Such expectations overlooked the fact that Robin is now in politics where anticipating eternal gratitude is akin to demanding as much finesse from a carabao.

I have not really heard Robin Padilla talk, whether in person or on TV until recently and on YouTube. Many of those who did much earlier than me would swear he actually makes sense, even more than some we have come to know. So that is something I would look forward to. I just hope it would not be exclusively in Tagalog as he had promised. It would be okay to do so outside the Senate. But inside it, proving love of country by speaking Tagalog is not the way to do t. There’s also something greater I am particularly interested in with regard to paying attention to Robin Padilla and the work he might put in as a senator.

As of now – right this very moment in time – his performance in the Philippine Senate matches the perception most people had of him –which is mostly negative, by the way - if I must say so myself.

Last May 2023, the question was this: Could now Sen. Robin Padilla be coaxed by Sen. JV Ejercito, then presiding over the Senate, to make a motion on the floor? At stake was National Hijab Day, during which, one observer tweeted, Senators Padilla and Joel Villanueva laughed as breast feeding and the customs of Muslims and indigenous people were being discussed. Millions by then saw how Robin Padilla’s “dodo” personality was portrayed to the general public, how it unfolded and how the motion wasn’t even lost but simply failed, because of translation. To be precise, Padilla speaking in Filipino, was left to grope for the right term because Ejercito, presiding in English, was unable to supply or even explain it.

Fast forward to the present, an incredulous Senator Robin Padilla on Tuesday, September 13, could barely believe what he was hearing from officials of the Department of National Defense (DND), and Philippine Coast Guard (PCG): that while the PCG was a uniformed civilian force, its counterpart and rival in the West Philippine Sea, the Chinese Coast Guard (CCG), was not.

“Ibig ‘niyong sabihin, iba ang definition ng coast guard ang China? Wow, ha, talaga lang, ha (So you mean, the China Coast Guard is defined differently? Wow, really, are you sure about that),” said Padilla during joint Senate panel hearing into issues in the West Philippine Sea, or parts of the South China Sea within Philippine territory.

Before the senator’s exasperation, Defense Undersecretary Ignacio Madriaga was explaining that a coast guard’s status – whether it’s civilian or military – differs, depending on the country.

Padilla was asking if it was appropriate for an American Navy plane to be present in the West Philippine Sea, the source of conflict between the Philippines and China, when it was the PCG and the CCG going head-to-head.

What Padilla got wrong – and seemingly refused to believe –was that China’s structure was different. The CCG, since 2018,

Padilla, who had apparently ventured into the West Philippine Sea with a small group of people and the PCG before, insisted that the Philippines should cruise solo in defending our waters. “Hindi puwede na tayo (ay) umasa sa Amerikano (We can’t depend on the Americans),” he declared.

“Kinaya po natin ng anim na taon na walang ‘Kano’ eh,” he added, presumably referring to the years when former President Rodrigo Duterte, a close ally of Padilla’s.

Under Duterte, ties between the U.S. and the Philippines turned cold –Duterte made a fuss over a supposed pivot to China, although the former Davao mayor later recalibrated his

Jesse T. Reyes

Filipino Potpourri

“Hindi tayo aamin na hindi natin kaya ang trabaho. Kaya po ng Philippine Navy, kaya po ng Philippine Coast Guard ‘yan,” affirmed Madriaga. (“We will never say that we cannot do this task on our own. The Philippine Navy and Philippine Coast Guard will do it.”)

Batongbacal also reminded Padilla that it was China, and neither the U.S. nor the Philippines which first escalated tensions in the South China Sea.

The grounded BRP Sierra Madre, a World War II ship that serve as the Philippines’ outpost in the West Philippine Sea, was run aground in 1999 in response to China’s moves to control the area.

The Philippines has been subject and victim of China’s aggressive moves in the West Philippine Sea. Most recently, under “matured” ties with Marcos, China pointed lasers at, blocked and harassed, and used water cannons against the PCG.

For Batongbacal, the escalation of China’s actions and the AFP’s delays in modernization has made it especially important for the Philippines to seek out its allies.

The United States is not the only country that the Philippines has forged better ties with, amid China’s actions in the volatile waterway. The Philippines recently upgraded its relationship with Australia to a “strategic partnership.”

the Philippines in the South China Sea.

Do our “kababayans” really want Robin Padilla in the Senate? What say you?

Known as the Philippine cinema’s “bad boy” for portraying anti-hero gangster roles in the movies, Padilla has refused to recognize that his antics in the Senate did anything wrong.

I reckon he may have become too familiar with having cameras rolling in his presence. But unlike in filmmaking, the live streaming in YouTube of legislative hearings and plenary sessions on social media platforms does not have a director who could shout “cut” or keep him out of the frame when he does something improper.

Former senator Panfilo Lacson, in a tweet had this to say on Padilla’s decorum brouhaha: “Nothing wrong with winning an election using popularity and gimmickry – that’s all part of democracy. The thing is, once you take your oath of office, stop being a showman and start being a statesman. Honor…not humor.”

Amen to that!

has been under China’s Central Military Commission. It used to be under Beijing’s State Oceanic Administrator.

“’Wag natin ibahin ang international law…any coast guard ay civilian in nature, police nga ‘yan eh…sinasabi po ba natin na ang coast guard ng China ay hindi civilian in nature?” Padilla had asked just moments prior.

Maritime expert lawyer Jay Batongbacal would tell Padilla and the rest of the hearing that no such international law to define a coast guard exists. Senator Ronald dela Rosa, despite Batongbacal’s explanation would later insist that it was a “universally accepted concept” that coast guard are civilian forces.

Padilla would eventually reach his main point: that the United States, the Philippines’ sole treatyally, should not be in the West Philippine Sea.

A U.S. Navy Poseidon plane –typically used for maritime patrol and reconnaissance missions – was flying over the West Philippine Sea in the two most recent supply missions of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP)’s commissioned civilian boats escorted by the PCG. The two tasks even still met with CCG harassment, but were successes – in contrast to an August 2023 mission that was blasted with water cannons from the Chinese.

foreign policy towards the end of his term.

Ties have been re-invigorated dramatically under President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. who has kept Washington as even a closer ally.

In Marcos’ first year of office, the Philippines expanded American access to military bases to preposition equipment and provisions. Defense guidelines were also finalized during Marcos’ May 2023 official visit to Washington, D.C.

Despite a January 2023 promise of “maturing” ties between China and the Philippines, the situation in the South China Sea has been turned difficult.

Speaking before Chinese Premier Li Qiang and leaders from Southeast Asian, as well as from the United States, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, South Korea, Russia, and India, Marcos criticized the “dangerous use of coast guard and maritime militia vessels in the South China Sea.”

He didn’t say who the aggressor was but he didn’t need to. It could only have been China.

Defense officials were quick to insist that whether the Americans would provide the extra “muscle” or not, Philippine uniformed services –the AFP and the civilian PCG – were ready to defend the West Philippine Sea.

Manila has also boosted ties with nations not considered its “traditional” allies. India recently signed maritime cooperation deals with the PCG, and ties with the United Kingdom may expand to “security and defense.” Maritime security was also a major point of discussion between Marcos and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyden.

At Jakarta, on the sidelines of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit, Marcos met with Japan Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and American Vice President Kamala Harris. The U.S. vice president spoke about how the three countries could work together against “unilateral attempts to change the status quo” in the South China Sea.

Senator Risa Hontiveros, who has been calling on the expansion of intelligence and confidential funds for agencies like the PCG amid tension in the West Philippine Sea, said complex problems call for a “multi-lateral foreign policy.”

And when push comes to shove, the AFP and PCG are sure to have at least one other “soldier” ready and willing to join: former police chief Senator Ronald dela Rosa.

“When the time comes, ‘tawagin ‘niyo kami’,” said the Senator who also volunteered his colleagues –Padilla, Hontiveros, Senator Francis Tolentino and Senator Jinggoy Estrada – as those who’d fight for

Last but not the least, there is no doubt about it that personal patronage trumps development policies in our beloved old country. The deeplyrooted patronage system bolsters money politics, especially during national elections. Some candidates engage in vote buying rather than promoting their platforms, others misuse public service delivery for electoral purposes instead of broader development objectives.

The above tradition is partly enabled because many poor Filipinos are motivated to obtain material benefits in exchange for their votes. One recent study found “about 40 percent of the poor said they saw vote buying takes place in their community while only 20 percent admitted to selling their votes.” Though rational from the voter’s perspective, accepting “payment” for the ballots reinforces a condition of dependence and can weaken the capacity to demand accountability from their leaders. This patron-client relationship essentially prioritizes short-term personal gains from both leaders and their constituencies, rather than the long-term development goals of the nation.

It is generally acknowledged that our “kababayan” voters go to the polls to choose who will govern them but not necessarily how they will be governed.

Hopefully, the current administration will work to address this adverse feature of Philippine politics and push for institutional reforms that will make democracy work much better for our longsuffering “kababayans.” Mabuhay!

our mission.

compliance officer who knows what he's doing is another achievement.

Third, would be workforce development. I would say, you know, workforce issue will always be an issue in healthcare, especially after the pandemic and for some reason, here in San Diego, particularly in North San Diego…the Mira Mesa area especially…hiring and retaining frontline staff can be daunting; and quite frankly, it's hard to find these people nowadays or there's just so much turn over. I would say overall, organizational employee turn-over has been greatly reduced. Compensation for employees is definitely much more competitive, especially when compared to other FQHCs or even some private institutions out there. Obviously, we cannot compete with hospitals but at least among other healthcare institutions that provide the same care as we do, we're definitely right up there.

Next would be infrastructure. There's a lot of infrastructure. Here in National City, we own our properties and if you drive by the Highland Highland Avenue, you would see those properties and they don't look pleasing. We have that one condemned building there across Sweetwater. High School and after several years finally it's getting demolished. National City Medical have been renovated and we're moving one property at a time.

ALB: Seems like you're on firmer ground.

AB: Definitely. Financially more stable.

ALB: What else?

AB: The last one is the rebranding. When I stepped in one of my priorities was to rebrand Operation Samahan. We used to be called Samahan Health Centers. We really want to do away from that. We're now called Opsam Health. And we want to make sure that people are aware and people call us Opsam Health. And there's a reason for that that. Samahan is a very good Filipino

word, but it became double-edged because it did not promote diversity among our clientele, as well as among employees because it tends to attract only Filipinos when what we want to foster is a culture of diversity across the organization, so we changed Samahan Health Centers. I tell you, when we did market analysis and you interview some people, we asked, why don't you go to Samahan Health, and we're talking about non-Filipinos and they said, “Well, I thought that's just for Filipinos.” Even among partners and donors. There is a misconception that Samahan Health Center is really just for Filipinos and that's wrong on so many levels, because we are here to provide care to everybody who walks through our door. It was started by Filipinos, yes. But, you know, we grew to a federally qualified facility whose very mission is to provide care to everybody, everybody, not only Filipinos, so that's where the rebranding came in. So it's called Opsam Health, remaining true to its legal entity name Operation Samahan.

ALB: You have what a 50th anniversary that the organization is celebrating. So tell me when the anniversary is and some of the plans that you have in store?

AB: So the it's the 50th anniversary – it’s going to be held December 2. 1973 was when it was founded by a group of Filipino doctors and nurses. There were a lot of Filipino immigrants at that point in time who didn’t have any healthcare and it grew to this sixlocation FQHC.

Hydrofacial Available Chloe Han (858)262-1295

So, December 2 is the 50th anniversary and that's going to be the first fundraising gala for the organization. As with any other nonprofits, you know, finding additional source of revenues is part of revenue source diversification, right? Strengthening the fundraising arm is important. Finding donors who are enthusiastic and will be helpful in promoting and furthering

So the gala is for that very purpose: to reintroduce Samahan first and foremost to introduce our new branding, Opsam Health, to get the word out there, that we're still here, we're still providing care, we have challenges and that we need people's help.

ALB: Is that for the general

DODO: “HINDI BA NATIN KAYA?” (WE CAN’T HANDLE THIS BY OURSELVES?”)

Philippine Senator Robin Padilla questions U.S. presence in West Philippine Sea during a Senate hearing 12 September 2023.

DermaLux Skincare and Microblading Eyebrow, Eyeliner, Lip Blush, Receding Hairline Premium Facials with specializing Lifting, Firming and Acne Treatments.

A U.S. Navy plane flies over the Ayungin Shoal during a Philippine resupply mission to the post BRP Sierra Madre 22 August 2023.

Filipino voters go to the polls to choose who will govern them but not necessarily how they will be governed.

Professional Business Directory

the top 10 largest AAPI communities in the country. The AAPI community makes up more than 14% of San Diego County, according to the most recent census data by the U.S. Census Bureau.

Pag-asa Law Clinic provides legal services for those seeking support in areas pertaining to immigration, domestic violence, and unlawful detainers/housing issues. During the October 7, 2023 naturalization clinic, the volunteer lawyers will be offering pro bono services for status and citizenship matters.

“We will be rolling up our sleeves on Saturday morning to work through applications with members of our community,” said Ian Seruelo, Principal of Law Offices of Ian M. Seruelo.

If you are interested in attending, you must send an email to President Diana Laranang at diana.pagasa@ gmail.com no later than September 27, 2023. We cannot accept late registrations because of the work up on each matter. You must bring the following documents: (1) copy of green card (front and back); (2) copy of driver’s license or California ID (front and back); (3) marriage certificate, if the application is based on marriage to a U.S. citizen; (4) Proof of spouse's US citizenship, if application is based on marriage to a U.S. citizen; (5) a copy of your last year’s tax returns to determine whether there is a fee waiver; (6) Benefit award letter from the County, if you are receiving means-tested benefits (like Medi-Cal or food stamps); (7) List of travels abroad;

Help Wanted / For Rent / For Sale

population, anybody who wants to attend?

AB: No, it's by it's by invitation only.

ALB: Since we're talking about the 50th anniversary, it's also an opportunity to reflect and look back on the history. What were the some of the pivotal moments along the way?

AB: Well, first of all the founding like I said, we always go back to the founding. You know, it started in the barber shop here in National City across Sweetwater High School, and that barber shop is still in existence. And that's one of those capital infrastructure projects that we're wanting to partake in a year or two. Because right now, it's just, you know, an empty building and we want to be able to renovate it, keeping the heritage of that barber shop at the same time, but making it functional for the organization.

Whie Samahan was founded in 1973, it was only in 2013 that it was actually designated as a federally qualified health care facility. For several years, it just ran as this mall community health center that subsisted on its own. But it was only in 2013 that the organization actually got designated as an FQHC which allowed it to partake in grant funding opportunities and any other programs that FQHCs are eligible for.

ALB: So that was a big moment in its growth. When you look at your strategic plan and everything else, what do you have coming down the pike in the future?

AB: When it comes to long term goals, you could always talk about growth, right, and we're talking about two key growth areas here. We're talking about growth in terms of service delivery, being able to

cater to more primary care patients, increasing the volume of patients that we're actually caring for, as well as increase the spectrum of services that we are able to provide.

In fact, in the last year, we have added two specialties and that's cardiology and endocrinology (specialists in diabetes and thyroid diseases).

And by next year, we will have a third specialty which is gastroenterology. So we're looking to add services that provide value, services that most Medicaid people and uninsured are not able to avail themselves of. As you know, there's a lot of specialists out there and then you go to their clinic or set up an appointment, and the first thing they ask is about health insurance, right? You're uninsured, good luck, they're not going to see you or if you're on Medicaid, tough luck. A lot of these practitioners don't see you. So we are adding specialties to make sure that the very people we cater to are able to access the care they need.

ALB: All under one roof, so you don’t have to send them somewhere else.

AB: Right. And the other one is growth in terms of adding more locations, right. Right now we're doing several market analyses, looking at where we can expand even outside San Diego, like the Riverside area and perhaps Temecula and Murrietta.

ALB: Very exciting! So the staff continue to grow and the number of patients served. What's happening with COVID these days?

AB: Well, first of all, COVID is here to stay right. Nowadays, compared to when it started, mortality is definitely much less, but that's also because of efforts such as vaccination, education and things like that.

There are several strains of COVID popping up. But that's expected: viruses rapidly mutate

and this is not unique to COVID. So what it boils down to really is still the importance of ensuring that people are vaccinated, ensuring that people continue to be vigilant and do their part, especially during respiratory seasons. So that means masking if they need to, social distancing, and hand-washing.

And this is important – the federal government has officially ended the public health emergency. So what that entails is that testing and vaccinations may not be free for the general public. It used to be, when you went to your doctor's office and asked for testing, or for the COVID vaccination they just provided it at no cost. Now, that may not necessarily happen. There might be some out-of-pocket costs. But at OpSam, there are programs that we can avail of. We can continue to provide free services to eligible individuals.

ALB: Anything else you'd like to touch?

AB: Well, we lost a bunch of Filipinos because perhaps they got frustrated with the operations before but if there's one thing, Filipinos can be forgiving right? If they see that there's positive change – and that’s what we’re trying to strive for – then they come back and that's what we're trying to strive for, right?

After all, health care delivery is word of mouth, right? Somebody's experiencing something positive, they tell their friends, tell their relatives and they will come and join you and hopefully those Filipinos who left us because they had such bad experience in the past, will give us another chance and continue to support us. And the same with our community partners, right? I know there are bigger organizations out there but we've come a long ways in terms of ensuring that at Opsam Health we provide a level

care that is on

Spiritual Life

Be gentle with yourself while grieving

Grief will be less painful if we see the beauty of the sunset or we listen to a melody of a song. The sunset leaves an after- glow and the melody of a song lingers in sweet refrain. That is how it is, as we leave the world of the living and as we enter to the heavens with joy and contentment. The passing of a loved one challenges our faith. We try to question God's will in our lives. But sooner or later, we accept the belief that death is a continuum of life, it is a transition from our earthly life to life everlasting.

I would like to comfort my friends with these words uttered by our Lord Jesus Christ to his disciples: "Let not your heart be troubled: you believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father's house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself, that where I am there you may be also."

A CareNotes article written by Rev. Mary Kendrick Moore entitled "Be Gentle With Yourself

While Grieving" offers several tips on how to develop a language of gentle kindness for those who go through a season of grief. She says, look for the small things that

Aurora S. Cudal-Rivera My Personal Testimony

feel good to you; think of ways to pamper yourself; remember to care for your body and care for your soul. In caring for our soul, seek the teachings from your faith that are gentle with grief. Find comfort in the Book of Psalms. where the psalmist poured out his deepest emotions and also found encouragement that God will hear them. Every faith includes teachings about bringing your cares before God. "Come to me all you that weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest."

Saint Augustine expressed these profound thoughts: "Let my soul take refuge from the crowding turmoil of worldly thoughts beneath the shadow of Your wings; let my heart, this sea of restless

Don't give up!

This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God... You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world. (1 John 4:2, 4)

There was an oppressive heaviness in the air. I had an overwhelming feeling of being alone. I felt like no one cared - like I was a failure. These thoughts and feelings were incredibly real. They consumed me and to some extent, even paralyzed me. Relationships became stressed, problems became overwhelming and a general veil of darkness came over me. As I prayed and sought God, I began to feel as if He wasn't even hearing me. It became obvious that I was facing some intense spiritual warfare. I knew that the only way to combat it was through focused and intense prayer. Request a prayer mentor.

The first step is to realize the truth of where the battle comes from. Remember the words of Paul:

Greetings in the Lord!

waves, find peace in You, O God."

For my bereaved friends, may I share this gentle prayer of healing by Rev. Moore. "God accompany me through these difficult days like a friend on a long walk, quietly alongside me, allowing me to feel all that I feel. Wrap your love around me like the warm embrace of a hug. Teach me to be gentle with myself - to let the tears flow when my eyes become full, to rest when my body is tired, to seek gentle listening ears when my spirit is lonely, and to look to you when my soul is empty. Help me embrace and not fear the grief that fills my life at this time. May I take care of myself as I would nurture a child in my arms with the food of gentle nourishment and a drink of patience. Grant me the gentle way through healing. Amen.

Hernaez

"For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms." (Ephesians 6:12)

Acknowledge that the enemy is trying to trip you up. Audibly command the enemy to leave you alone. Recruit focused prayer support to join you in the battle against the enemy. Remember, "the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world."

As you face the enemy, God will give you the strength and hope you need for each moment. Cling to Him, release your burdens and battles to Him. He will guide your steps. Know that the promises He gave you in the light hold true through the darkness. Then, one day, you will realize that the incredible battle you were in has been won and

In the past two Sundays our gospel readings reminded us about the importance of reconciliation in our human relationship as followers of Jesus. Two Sundays ago we heard about the need for fraternal correction and God’s presence when his disciples gather together in “his name.” Last Sunday the readings focused on forgiveness that is derived from the very nature of God who is “kind, slow to anger, rich in kindness of full of compassion for his people. Indeed the mission of the second person of the Blessed Trinity, Jesus Christ himself, was to reconcile humanity with God through forgiveness of sins, an act that God himself expects each one of us is expected to do, “so will my heavenly Father di to you unless each of you forgives your brother from your heart.” (Matthew 18: 35) Our readings in today’s Eucharistic celebration speak about two other important aspects of our faith. The first aspect is essential to the faith, namely, the universality of salvation. The second is an essential aspect of the nature of God. The parable of the landowner asking workers to his vineyard at different times of the day show how gracious God is and how unique are his ways “as high as the heavens are about the earth, so high

are my ways above your ways and my thoughts above your thought. (Is. 55: 9) He would like to invite each one who would be willing to work in his vineyard anytime, and all the time, without exceptions. What is necessary only is not “to be idle in the marketplace…” (Matthew 20:3) as he would give us “what is just.” (Matthew. 20:3) This aspect is considered by biblical scholars as indicative of God’s invitation for all to respond to his universal call to salvation, through sanctification of our lives and labor itself.

Notice how he ended the day with the compensation that the landowner gave to the laborers, there was equal pay to each laborer no matter how the difference, whether brief or short, they did work in his vineyard. The answer of the

landowner to the those who worked earlier than the rest, complaining about his ways of treating all the laborers, “or am I not free to do as I wish with my own money? Are you envious because I am generous.”

(Matthew 20: 16). Truly one of the essential characteristic that God has is generosity. He loves humanity so much that he has given his only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, out of his generous love that is unconditional and unlimited to each one of us. This generosity is an expression of his nature that is truly loving and merciful.

Today’s readings invite us to consider what the second reading encourages us to do, when St. Paul mentioned to the Philippians “Only conduct yourselves in a way worthy of the gospel of Christ. (Phil. 1, 20a) The alleluia verse further allows us to seek God’s ears saying “Open our hearts, O Lord, to listen to the word of your Son.” Indeed, we can comprehend the mysterious designs of God’s will by opening ourselves to listen to Jesus. God’s ways are mysterious but His desire is for all of us to respond to his invitation to work in his vineyard, that is open for all who accept his gracious invitation because, in the end, we will enjoy the fruits of his generous love.

May mga taong hinahangahan at tinitingala Sapagkat sila ay tinuturing na dakila Gayundin naman may mga bansang nagnanais makamtan ang kadakilaan Liwanagin natin kung ano ang batayan.

Hindi dakila ang bansang America sapagkat siya ay mayaman Dakila ang America sapagkat ito ay bansang mapagbigay. Ginagamit ang kanyang kayamanan, oras at kakayahan Upang umangat ang buhay ng mga taong nasa laylayan ng Lipunan

Ang tao rin naman ay dakila kung ang kanyang buhay ay alay ang isang sagrado at dakilang hangarin Isang layunin na mas mahalaga pa kaysa buhay natin

Alay ang buhay para sa kapakanan ng ng kapwa Di naghahangad ng papuri sa kanyang mga ginagawa.

Buhay ng isang taong dakila ay isang biyaya Nadudulot ng aliw at saya sa buhay ng iba Siya ay maaasahan sa mga gawaing makahulugan Buhay niya ay isang inspirasyon na dapat tularan.

Ang landas patungo sa kadakilaan ay may kahirapan Matayog na hangarin ay pinagsisikapan na kamtan Lahat ay binibigyan ng pagkakataon upang maging dakila Ang landas patungo sa kadakilaan ay siya ring landas patungo Sa buhay na walang hanggan.

God is the victor. Don't give up! 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.

<(((><

Hindi dakila ang bansang Amercia sapagkat malakas ang kanyang militar Dakila ang America dahil sa paniniwala niyang lahat ng tao ay pantay pantay At handang ialay ang buhay ng kanyang mga anak Upang ipagtanggol ang Demokrasya at Kalayaan.

RANKING

Continued from page 4

Proclamation 1050 issued in 1997 which declares the month of September as Civil Service Month.

In 2021, the CSC introduced a 10-year overarching theme, “Transforming Public Service in the Next Decade: Honing Agile and Future-Ready Servant-Heroes,” reflecting the collective experience of the government workforce in the new normal, and in pushing for digital transformation and innovations to uphold public service excellence and continuity.

This year’s celebration of the Philippine Civil Service celebration Anniversary focuses on the importance of cultivating dynamism among government workers to foster sustainable management and strengthened organizational resilience.

PBBM admin reaffirms commitment to infra development, socioeconomic transformation

The National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) Board, chaired by President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr., convened and approved several high-impact initiatives during its 9th meeting in Malacañang, Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Arsenio Balisacan said on Thursday.

Among these initiatives include the NEDA Board’s confirmation of the proposed Executive Order (EO) that will expedite the processing of licenses, clearances, permits, certifications, and authorizations for the Marcos administration’s Infrastructure Flagship Projects (IFPs). Balisacan said that the primary goal of the proposed EO is to minimize, if not eliminate, delays in the implementation of IFPs, by requiring all government offices, agencies, and

Ang taong dakila ay mapagpakumbaba at makatarungan

Katotohanan ng Panginoon ang kanyang Sandigan May prinsipyo sa buhay at may paninindigan Handang ipaglaban, kung kinakailangan.

instrumentalities, including LGUs, to streamline the standard procedure and requirements for the IFPs.

“The simplified requirements will be applicable to both pending and new applications within the NEDA Board approved list of IFPs, as well as any additions to the updated IFP list,” Balisacan said.

The EO, which encourages a whole-of-government approach, facilitates electronic application submissions to the concerned agencies and local government units (LGUs), including the payments and issuance of receipts.

By directing national government agencies to automate and computerize their databases, data sharing among government agencies will be promoted to eliminate the unnecessary duplication of document submission.

LGUs are also mandated to establish business one-stop shops and are highly encouraged to coordinate with the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) to adopt interoperable ICT platforms.

In line with this, the Anti-Red Tape Authority (ARTA), in coordination with NEDA, shall establish a reporting framework to track agencies’ compliance.

The Board also approved the reconstitution of the NEDA Board Committee on Infrastructure (INFRACOM) to include the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) and the DICT as integral members of the committee.

The DENR’s inclusion in the INFRACOM underscores the government’s commitment to ensuring that infrastructure development takes into account critical elements such as ecosystem protection, rehabilitation

and management, sustainability, and resilience.

This will also ensure representation of the water sector with the recent establishment of the Water Resource Management Office within the DENR.

“Furthermore, as we recognize the continued significance of ICT in overall infrastructure development, DICT will play a vital role in appropriately integrating ICT-related considerations in the committee’s deliberations and decisions,” Balisacan said.

The NEDA Board also confirmed the overall principles and general recommendations for the proposed National Government-Local Government Unit Cost-Sharing schemes for financing infrastructure projects aimed at delineating the roles of the national government and the LGUs, particularly in resource-poor areas.

Balisacan also reported the NEDA Board’s endorsement of the proposed tariff reduction on gypsum and anhydrite from 3.0 to 0 percent, noting these minerals are not produced locally.

These raw materials are used in the production of plasterboard and cement commonly used in the construction sector. Balisacan said that, with the reduction in tariffs, the government anticipates a decrease in production costs and an improvement in the industry’s competitiveness as it ramps up its infrastructure drive.

“With these policy updates, the Marcos administration reaffirms its commitment to aggressively advance infrastructure development in order to enable social and economic transformation and support the attainment of our development goals in the medium term,” Balisacan said of Thursday’s NEDA Board’s approvals and affirmations. (MNS)

Fr. Agustin T. Opalalic

KADAKILAAN

Ni Salvador S. Idos

QUEEN FOR A DAY: Evil villains Cadwell von Fowl and Lickpenny strip the title of Miss Sweetwater Valley from the rightful winner in a plot to market a bogus cosmetics product in the 46th Annual Bonitafest Melodrama "Ms. Sweetwater Valley." The musical comedy, based on the true story of the controversial 1991 Miss Bonita Pageant, runs Sept. 27-30 at the Sweetwater Community Church Theater, 5305 Sweetwater Road. Curtain at 7:30 p.m.

Pictured (l-r) Tim Evans, Kieler Avery, Alexis Luna, Ella Aldridge and Syara Platero. (photo by Misael Virgen)

Salvador S. Idos

(dba RevHubOC)

· FL: Seaworthy Foundation,Inc.

(dba Seaworthy Collective)

Chamber of Commerce · PR: Puerto Rico Science, Technology and Research Trust

Domestic Manufacturing and Production

· CA: AgTech Innovation Alliance (AgStart)

· HI: Hawaii Island Business Plan Competition

· IL: mHUB

· IN: Indiana Economic Development Corporation

· KS: Wichita State University

· MA:Massachusetts Biomedical Initiatives (MBI)

· MI: Centrepolis Accelerator at Lawrence Technological University

· OH: Youngstown Edison Incubator Corp. (dba Youngstown Business Incubator or YBI)

· SD: South Dakota Biotechnology Council (dba BioRise)

· WI: - StartingBlock Madison,Inc

Climate and Renewable Energy

· CA: The Orange County Center for Innovation & Social Enterprise SPC

· VA: Hanover County Clean Technology Innovation Center (dba Dominion Energy Innovation Center)

Underserved Communities

· AR: University of Arkansas, Fayetteville

· FL: The University of Central Florida Board of Trustees

(dba Florida High Tech Corridor)

· GA: Black Innovation Alliance (BIA)

· ID: Actuate Boise, Inc. (dba Trailhead)

· IA: The New Bohemian Innovation Collaborative, Inc (dba NewBoCo)

· ME: Central Maine Growth Council Dirigo Labs

Business Accelerator

· MD: UpSurge

Baltimore Community Inc

· MA: NATIONAL COLLEGIATE INVENTORS & INNOVATORS ALLIANCE, INC. (dba VentureWell)

· MI: BBC Entrepreneurial Training & Consulting LLC

· NC: NC Hispanic American

· TN: FoundersForge

· TX: VILCAP Inc (dba Village Capital)

2023 Competition Goals:

· Increase the pipeline and success of STEM/R&D-focused entrepreneurs and small businesses;

· Increase the success of STEM/R&D focused entrepreneurs in accessing capital and resources to advance their businesses;

· Incentivize innovation ecosystem stakeholders to provide equitable access to resources for underserved communities and industries;

· Catalyze partnerships and relationships between stakeholder groups to strengthen the national innovation ecosystem; and

BUSINESS OWNERS: This space is available for SALE for next issue READERS: Please refer to us your favorite restaurant/s, professional service providers, craftsman who are looking to reach the Filipino community. Email: filpressads@aol.com

“There is a mistaken notion among some that to own a paper is to have a license to clobber one’s enemies and attack people we don’t like. A newspaper is an information tool to reach a large number of people at a given time. A newspaper should inform, educate, entertain and provide viewpoints that could give us the means to make intelligent decisions for ourselves and others.” — Ernie Flores Jr., founding editor and publisher

SBA Mailing Address: 600 E. 8th St. Ste. 3, NationaI City, CA 91950 • E-mail: filpress@aol.com Office: 600 E. 8th St. Ste. 3, National City, CA 91950 • Telephone: (619) 434-1720 • Fax: (619) 399-5311 Website: www.thefilipinopress.com • E-mail: filpressads@aol.com for ads • E-mail: filpress@aol.com for editorial Founding Editor and Publisher ERNIE FLORES JR. Editor-In-Chief SUSAN DELOS SANTOS Marketing and Sales info@thefilipinopress.com Graphics and Design A2 STUDIO G RA ph ICS F ILI p INO GRA ph ICS

Contributing writers JOE GAR bAN zOS A DA m bE h AR ALICIA De LEON -TORRES F R . AGUSTIN T. OpALALIC Cartoonist JESSE T REy ES Community Outreach ROSE SAN pEDRO LORNA D ELOS SANTOS Ch RISTINA RUTTER

Columnists AURORA S. CUDAL DANN y h ERNAE z FRANCINE m AIGUE GREG b m ACA b ENTA JESSE T. REy ES AL v ILLA m ORA Photographer zEN y p Ly Circulation RUDy Av ENIDO

Physical Therapists Help People of All Ages.

NATIONAL CITY, CA -- Physical

therapists are experts in human movement who are trained to evaluate and treat all kinds of musculoskeletal issues. They are highly trained in prescribing and progressing exercise to help people move and feel better. Because everyone moves and everyone can benefit from exercise, physical therapists can help people through their entire lives.

Some people see a physical therapist shortly after birth. The most common reasons a baby would need to see a PT would be something like torticollis or cerebral palsy. Torticollis is a postural issue that causes babies to hold their heads tipped to one side. Cerebral palsy is a neurological disorder that causes difficulty with movement and coordination.

As children continue to grow, some have trouble hitting their motor milestones - like rolling, crawling, or walking. Physical therapists can use their expertise to help encourage development of motor skills and coordination to get these children back on track.

Sports injuries become more common in adolescents. Whether it's an ankle sprain, or an ACL surgery, a PT can help. Some adolescents have issues from the rapid growth their bodies go through. Things like growth plate fractures, growing pains, Osgood-Schlatter's disease, and Sever's disease are all common in adolescence.

As adults, a lot of us will have

back pain - studies say up to 80% of us. Physical therapy is one of the first treatments recommended for back pain. Physical therapists also see injured adults. It could be from weekend warrior type sports injuries, overuse, or from an accident at work. Some adults also start to show symptoms of diseases like multiple sclerosis, or myositis which also benefit from physical therapy. Later in life, people tend to accumulate more health issues that impact their ability to move. Issues like arthritis, joint replacements, strokes, and heart attacks are all things a PT can help with. Physical therapists also help people age better - keeping them moving with exercise programs that help reduce falls, or helping them make adaptations and modifications to keep them in their homes safely. Movement is a constant in life. As

movement experts, PTs can help people of any age. Some specialize in treating pediatric patients, and some specialize in treating geriatric patients, but all PTs have the expertise to help people move better.

About

The Private Practice Section of the American Physical Therapy Association

Founded in 1956, the Private Practice Section of the American Physical Therapy Association champions the success of physical therapist-owned businesses. Our members are leaders and innovators in the healthcare system. The American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) represents more than 85,000 physical therapists, physical therapist assistants and students of physical therapy nationwide. For more information, please visit www.ppsapta.org.

Liza Soberano travels to Korea for YouTube travel show

MANILA -- Actress Liza Soberano will showcase Korea’s captivating culture, food, entertainment, and business scene via the YouTube show “Liza in Korea.”

“The Korean group wanted to introduce the Korean culture through the lens of Korean locals but told by a Filipina celebrity. They kinda wanted to bridge the gap between cultures,” she said.

Produced by JJ Global Group in Korea, the 15-part series will offer viewers a unique 10-minute immersive experience into the facets of Korean culture and will debut September 13, Wednesday, 8 p.m., at PHH-TV’s YouTube channel.

“This started back in April ‘yung filming and I was in Korea for 18 days. Before filming, tinanong nila ako (Korean producers) kung ano ‘yung gusto kong ma-experience sa Korea and I just gave them a list of the things I wanted to do or people that I wanted to meet and they based the whole series around that,” Soberano said. When asked what makes this series special, she answered, “Ang maganda sa series na ito is I was taken to places that are popular amongst the locals and not really the tourist-y spots. I didn’t go to usual spots where a lot of us think of going kapag gusto nating i-visit ‘yung Korea. “You guys are going to see a lot of new traditional Korean dishes, some Korean fusion dishes that are more modern. You’ll also get a better understanding of the culture. I got to meet a lot of people so you get to see the different side of the entertainment industry.”

Soberano also told the media about her first trip to Korea. “My first time in Korea was probably one of my most favorites because I went to Korea to film a movie that I did “My Ex and Whys” and it was just a great experience being able to work with Star Cinema and a Korean production company,” she said.

Showing her fun and bubbly side, the 25-year old actress said this project allowed her to show her authentic self — without acting.

“This YouTube series, 'Liza in Korea,' was created for my fans so that

they can see the fun side of me and just have something to look forward to in the mean time habang hindi pa lumalabas ‘yung movies and TV shows ko.”

Liza loves Korean entertainment

The star admitted she loves K-pop — from Girls Generation, Super Junior to 2NE1.

In an interview via Zoom with the actress, she shared, “The first time I was introduced to Korean culture and entertainment was when I was 10 or 11. That was my first time trying to explore different types of entertainment from different countries. Korean entertainment was the one that sparked my interest through K-pop. I became a huge fan of Girls Generation, Super Junior, and 2NE1.” She continued: “I got into watching Korean dramas like 'Boys Over Flowers.' I remember watching 'My

Maureen Wroblewitz opens up on past struggles with mental health

MANILA -- Alden Richards and Julia Montes were pleasantly surprised by the deep friendship that blossomed between them following their collaboration on their debut project, the upcoming film "Five Break-Ups and a Romance."

In an Instagram Live broadcast over the weekend, they expressed their admiration for one another and emphasized how fortunate they feel to have had the opportunity to forge a deeper personal connection.

“Sa dami ko pong nakatrabaho and sa dami ko na pong naging projects, itong si Julia Montes ay talaga namang remarkable dahil hindi lang siya napakahusay na aktres. Mas lamang sa akin 'yung pagkatao niya. Kaya 'yung opportunity na makilala – not even nga makatrabaho, kasi 'yung trabaho, bonus na sa akin –'yung mga sikreto naming dalawa at 'yung mga napag-usapan namin sa journey na ito, sobrang fulfilling siya in all aspects sa trabaho at sa buhay,” Richards said.

Concurring with her leading man, Montes mentioned that their friendship stands out as the most valuable aspect of their collaboration.

ka namang hawak na ebidensya pero kilala mo kasi yung partner mo so at the end of the day, alam mong may something,” Montes gushed.

permission of their movie director Irene Villamor.

Girlfriend Is A Gumiho' on ABS-CBN and dina-dub nila in Tagalog. I would watch a lot of that.

“I am always fascinated how these Korean companies build and market these groups.”

Liza's travel tips

Meanwhile, Soberano also shared some of her travel tips.

“Do go to a place having researched it very well. You wanna know a little bit about the country that you’re going to and the places that you wanna go to,” she said.

“Don’t be ignorant about the culture and the way people are. Each country has different cultures. You have to be able to adapt if you like traveling. You have to be able to play by their rules too.”

“Liza in Korea” will also feature businesses owned by some celebrities.

(MNS)

“Ito 'yung first project na sobra kong na-enjoy and ang daming learnings. 'Yung bitbit after work, alam mong mayroon kang mga kaibigan at isa ka na doon. Sa mga umiidolo kay Alden, alam ko na po kung bakit niyo idolo si Alden. Talaga namang deserving,” she said.

They also discussed the movie excerpt that they had recently shared with their social media followers, revealing that the confrontational sequence was filmed on the very first day of their shoot.

“Nung napanood ko, kinilabutan ako. Hindi dahil tayong dalawa 'yun but 'yung thought kasi na I can’t imagine if you’re the person mismo na nandoon sa sitwasyon, na you know your partner but you don’t want to blame also kasi parang wala

Richards mentioned that shooting that scene on the first day actually turned out to be beneficial because their initial discomfort with each other played in their favor.

Julia Montes, Alden Richards unveil poster of upcoming movie “Parang as sensitive actors as we are, 'yung moment na 'yun, we used it to our advantage para mapaganda 'yung eksenang ginawa natin.. Kasi si Jules parang hindi ko pa masyadong kilala at that time. So I was easily offended by the words you were throwing at me. Kasi kung ginawa natin 'yun na sobrang lalim na [nang pagkakakilala natin sa isa’t isa], parang ang hirap masaktan kapag sa 'yo galing,” he said.

They also shared what they thought about the kissing scene that was leaked online by director Antoinette Jadaone, with the

“I had no idea na lalabas siya. Nakaka-tense din,” Richards said. “Slowly, parang mas nadagdagan 'yung excitement ko after that leaked video and the scene drop as we see the feedback of our audience. In reality po, patikim lang po talaga ito.”

As their conversation drew to a close, Montes emphasized her happiness and the honor she feels for having had the opportunity to witness Richards' exceptional acting skills first-hand.

“Ang sarap lang sa pakiramdam na kapag may kaeksena ka, hindi ka na napre-pressure kung paano pipigain ang sarili mo to bring out kung anong hinihingi ng scene. Sa atin, parang every scene, titigan lang, nagco-connect na tayo,” she said. “Kung mapapanood niyo po 'yung film, excited po talaga kami kasi ang dami doon na wala sa script pero dahil na (MNS)

Dennis Trillo says he was 'starstruck' with Bea Alonzo

MANILA -- Not even Dennis Trillo is immune to being starstruck — especially when in the presence of Bea Alonzo!

During a presscon, the Kapuso actor said he was nervous when he first started taping with his "Love Before Sunrise" leading lady.

"Noong first day sobrang ninenerbyos talaga ako," he said. "Na-sa-starstruck ako every time may eksena kami."

"'Pag nasa taping ako, chinecheck ko ‘yung breakdown, kung gano karami ‘yung eksena namin ni Bea," he added. "Kasi ibig sabihin kailangan ko galingan sa eksena na 'yun."

Dennis called Bea the "Box Office Queen," and said he felt pressured.

"Napakagaling [ni Bea], ilang pelikula rin niya ang napanood ko," he said. "Nakakakaba na experience."

However, things smoothened in

time.

"Once nakuha namin ang aming rhythm, and camaraderie sa set, talagang naging maganda ang flow at naging komportable," he said.

In "Love Before Sunrise," Dennis and Bea are soulmates whose right love happens at the

wrong time. It's a collaboration project between GMA Network and Viu Philippines.

Joining them in the cast are Andrea Torres, Sid Lucero, Nadia Montenegro, Sef Cadayona, Cheska Fausto, and Vince Maristela. (MNS)

SAN DIEGO, CA -- Recent runups in property values have many San Diegans thinking about selling their current property (or properties) and either relocating to another market or trading up or downsizing here in San Diego. However, no matter your reason or situation, all sellers face a similar issue: Paying commission on the sale of a property.

Local first responders, medical staff and others in the healthcare field may not be aware of a free program that seeks to rebate a portion of the commission on the sale of their property. Thank You Heroes Home Rebate Program (TYH) is an innovative, no-cost program based in San Diego that combines unique rebates, services, discounts and guarantees to community heroes.

"Thank You Heroes was designed to truly protect our community heroes, actively working with our members to ensure delivery of legitimate rebates, discounts

and benefits under one umbrella program," said Program Director Colleen Moore. When selling (or buying) a home, the program offers up to a 30% cash rebate on the agent commission and can also cover up to 100% of the closing costs.

"Our community heroes are such a huge part of San Diego and we are thrilled to be able to offer support in a meaningful, impactful way," Moore stated. "With the dramatic increase in prices, sellers are now paying more in commissions than ever before; being able to rebate a portion of that large commission to seller can make a dramatic difference in a family's overall finances and options," she added.

While many homeowners may decide to postpone a sale or move due to any number of outside factors (kids' schooling, retirement, etc.) -- Some first responders or other medical professionals may not have that option where a sale may be

forced due to an assignment shift or closing of a facility. Giving these community heroes the option to save dramatically on their commission can be of great assistance for those without a choice to sell.

Founded in 2016, the Thank You Heroes team is comprised of real estate agents, lenders, property managers, credit help programs, flooring and general contractors, roofers, handymen, home warranty, insurance and other housing related services.

Beyond first responders and medical staff, other community heroes such as law enforcement, firefighters, active duty and retired military, teachers and clergy are eligible to participate in the Thank You Heroes Home Rebate Program. There is no fee for participation in the program and interested potential members can log on to www.thankyouheroes.com to learn more.