of an executive order signed by President Donald trump. the executive order applies to anyone who is not a lawful permanent resident, explained Aarti Kohli, executive director of the Asian Law Caucus, in an interview with ethnic media services. media focus has largely been on undocumented residents. however, more than 1 million h-1B visa holders are in the green card queue, waiting to port their temporary visas into permanent status. But per-country caps, which state that no country can receive more than 7% of the green cards available that year, means that the wait time for a green card could stretch as long as 8 decades.
Fil-Am attorney general addresses fears among undocumented immigrants
sAN DIeGo – California Attorney General rob Bonta has met with immigrant rights groups and elected officials in san Diego to discuss his office’s efforts to protect California’s immigrant communities. the Jan. 24 meeting was the fifth and final regional meeting throughout the state where Bonta shared resources to let immigrants know their rights under the law.
“We’ve been preparing for this day for months — hearing concerns through these regional convenings and issuing guidance for immigrants, local law enforcement, prosecutors, school officials and public institutions, all in anticipation of the president attempting to see through his destructive immigration agenda,” Bonta said.
“I’m disappointed but not surprised by the president’s executive orders.”
“But I want to be clear that California will not waiver in its commitment to upholding the rights and protections of all of our residents, including the nearly 11 million immigrants who call this state home,” the filipino American attorney general added.
“We hear your concerns, and we will
24 Filipinos in US deported for crimes
by Jane Bautista Inquirer.net
mANILA — U.s. President Donald trump’s mass deportation policy is now taking effect, with 24 filipinos deported for alleged involvement in illegal activities in the United states, according to Philippine Ambassador to the United states Jose manuel romualdez.
romualdez had previously said that the U.s government would prioritize the deportation of individuals with criminal records, along with the 1.3 million immigrants who have already been processed. the Department of foreign Affairs, for its part,
“We have monitored around 24 filipinos who have been deported from the United states due to their involvement in certain criminal activities, although these were not classified as very serious offenses,” romualdez said in an interview with dzBB on sunday, January 26. the ambassador reassured the public regarding the situation of undocumented filipino immigrants, noting that some employers are committed to retaining their filipino workers and are assisting them in securing their legal status.
Flights for US-bound Afghan refugees suspended
WAshINGtoN, D.C. — President Donald trump’s foreign aid pause has forced a suspension of flights for more than 40,000 Afghans approved for special U.s. visas and at risk of taliban retribution, a leading advocate and a United states official said on saturday, January 25. the stoppage was triggered by trump’s order to halt foreign development aid for 90 days pending a review of efficiencies and consistency with his “America first” foreign policy. experts and advocacy groups say the foreign aid pause has led to chaos in U.s. and international aid operations and halted nutrition, health, vaccination and
Want
other programs. the order also triggered a suspension by the Department of state of funds for groups that help Afghans with special immigrant visas (sIVs) find housing, schools and jobs in the United states. trump promised an immigration crackdown during his victorious 2024 reelection campaign.
shawn VanDiver, head of #Afghanevac, the main coalition of veterans and advocacy groups working with the U.s. government to evacuate and resettle those sIV holders, said he does not believe that the flight suspension was intentional.
“We think it was a mistake,” VanDiver u PAGE 4
good luck in 2025? Here are 10 traditions to welcome Chinese New Year
January 29 ushers in the Year of the Wood Snake
by Mary Villegas Inquirer.net
JANUAry 29 marked the beginning of the Chinese New year, ushering in the year of the Wood snake. Also known as Lunar New year, it is celebrated in many Asian countries, including the Philippines.
for many, it’s a time to set intentions for a prosperous year ahead. this New year celebration spans 15 days, lasting until the Lantern festival on feb. 12. Chinese New year traditions, passed down
advised filipino immigrants to “keep a low profile” and actively pursue regularizing their legal status in the United states. foreign Undersecretary eduardo de Vega, speaking at a news forum over the weekend, recalled trump’s comments about working with Democrats on addressing illegal aliens who do not fall under the categories of those targeted for deportation, particularly “criminals and terrorists.” that means they will create legal avenues to encourage productive overstaying aliens to become fully legalized. so, take advantage of u PAGE 2
Fil-Am
community leaders react to Trump’s return as president
by AJPress
UNIteD states President Donald trump on monday, January 20 entered his second presidency with a renewed mission to “make America great again,” prompting a range of reactions from filipino American community leaders and members across the country. taking the oath of office at the Capitol rotunda, trump ushered in his return to power and the “Golden Age of America” by saying, “from this day forward, our country will flourish and be respected again all over the world.” Painting a contrast to the outgoing Biden administration, trump described his ascent back to office as a “mandate” to “give the people back their faith, their wealth, their democracy and indeed their freedom. from this moment on, America’s decline is over.”
In his nearly 40-minute speech, the 78-yearold former businessman laid down his agenda, ranging from mass deportations of “criminal
mANILA — the Quezon City Prosecutor’s office has dismissed the criminal cases filed by the Philippine National Police (PNP) against Vice President sara Duterte and the chief of her security detail over an incident at the Veterans memorial medical Center (VmCC) last year. In a 13-page resolution signed by assistant prosecutor Criscelyn Carayugan-Lugo, the
City Prosecutor’s office cited the failure of the Quezon City Police District (QCPD) and the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) to provide “prima facie evidence” to convict Duterte.
“the complaint for violation of Article 148 (direct assault), Article 151 (disobedience to authority) and Article 286 (grave coercion), all of the revised Penal Code, against respondents Vice President sara Zimmerman Duterte-Carpio and
Fil-Am attorney general addresses fears among...
continue to use the full force of the law and tools of this office to stand up for you.”
the wide-ranging protections include the right to emergency medical care, the right to apply for secure housing without sharing immigration status and the right to an attorney.
Local and state law enforcement cannot ask for individuals’ immigration status, share personal information or assist Immigration and Customs enforcement with immigration enforcement, with very limited exceptions.
Additionally, Bonta’s office backed students’ rights, allowing anyone to receive an education regardless of immigration status. finally, the attorney general warned of several scams targeting immigrants, advising them not to give money or personal information to anyone calling, texting or emailing you, as “no
federal or state agency, including UsCIs, will ever ask for your personal information or payment over the phone, by email or text.”
“If you need help applying for immigration relief, be careful who you hire,” a statement from Bonta’s office read.
“Watch out for immigration scams that can cost you thousands of dollars and/or harm your immigration status.” those who believe their rights have been violated may reach out to the California Department of Justice. those who believe their rights were subject to discrimination, harassment or retaliation may report their case to the California Civil rights Department. (inquirer.net with cNS report)
24 Filipinos in US deported...
that,” De Vega said. he also emphasized that immigrants who are targeted for deportation still have legal options to contest the decision and remain in the United states for at least several months.
“Let’s see how good [their] immigration lawyers [are] because they would argue that you are doing something productive in the United states, so you can stay. And sometimes, success can prevent your
deportation,” he said.
De Vega further noted that the majority of filipinos who entered the country did so with valid documentation, even if their visas have since expired, which differs from individuals who entered without any papers.
“It is almost impossible,” De Vega said, “that the estimated 300,000 filipinos without legal status in the United states will be deported by the end of the trump administration.”
During trump’s first term, De Vega said that the United states deported “only a few hundred or less” undocumented filipinos each month, which was fewer than during the obama administration.
“Let’s see, for example, if in six months, 20,000 or 10,000 get deported, then the number really increased. Let’s not conclude anything until we see the data in six to eight months to determine if the number of deportations rises,” he said. n
Prosecutors junk assault, disobedience...
Col. raymundo Dante Petina Lachica, is recommended to be dismissed for failure to sustain a finding of prima facie evidence with reasonable certainty of conviction,” the ruling read. the resolution was approved by prosecutor Vimar Barcellano. the complainant was Lt. Col. Van Jason Villamor of the QCPD’s district medical and dental unit, whom Lachica shoved during a commotion at the VmmC on Nov. 23, 2024, when Duterte’s chief of staff Zuleika Lopez was about to be transferred to st. Luke’s medical Center. the alleged commission of direct assault, disobedience to authority and grave abuse
is not supported by evidence. Interestingly, not one of the witnesses of PLtCol Villamor corroborated his claims regarding the purported attack, employment of physical force, intimidation, resistance, disobedience, violence and threats,” the resolution added.
According to the QC Prosecutors’ office, the police failed to narrate the encounter between the parties in their respective affidavits.
“they also did not discuss the behavior of PLtCol Villamor after the incident, which could have persuaded us that he was threatened and intimidated, if at all. the video footage submitted by him also negates his own asseverations. Being so, we
are constrained to dismiss the complaint for insufficiency of evidence,” the ruling added. the QC fiscal’s office cited Department of Justice Department Circular 15, series of 2024, increased the quantum of evidence for preliminary investigation cases from probable cause to prima facie evidence with reasonable certainty of conviction.
“here, such quantum of evidence was not reached because the evidence-at-hand, vis-à-vis the defenses raised, are insufficient to establish all the elements of the crimes charged, and to warrant a conviction beyond reasonable doubt,” the resolution added. (With reports from Emmanuel Tupas)
Fil-Am community leaders react to Trump’s...
aliens” by declaring “a national emergency at our southern border” to the ambitious space race.
“We will pursue our manifest destiny into the stars by launching American astronauts to plant the stars and stripes on the planet mars,” trump said.
As one of the fastest-growing immigrant groups in the U.s., filipino Americans hold diverse political views and priorities, which were evident in their responses — ranging from both optimism and apprehension — to trump’s return to the White house.
rudy Asercion, an active member of the san francisco republican Party, declared that “American exceptionalism is back!”
“With a focus on rebuilding our economy, improving foreign policy, achieving energy independence, and securing our southern border, I am confident that trump’s administration will yield meaningful outcomes for the American people, and I eagerly anticipate the promising days ahead,” he told the Asian Journal
Cristina osmeña, a community leader who previously ran as the republican nominee for California’s 14th Congressional District, said she “took a sigh of relief” after Biden left office.
“In the last four years, the world has seen two war fronts open up and an American ally fallen to terrorists. the United states flirted with an experiment in modern monetary theory, creating a surge in inflation no one could ignore. And our culture has become paralyzed by the epidemic of treating falsehoods as truths. that is all over. Common sense is making a comeback,” she wrote in an e-mail.
marc Ang, a southern California-based conservative community organizer and entrepreneur, likewise expressed eagerness and support for trump’s second term, sharing that the president is more equipped with the inner workings of the government to push his agenda and follow the
“smartest solution” on issues like immigration.
“All the fear that’s coming from the left is overblown. Just watch, he’s going to do what’s best for the people,” Ang told the Asian Journal, echoing trump’s premise to “bring back competence and common sense. that’s the feeling that most Americans have, regardless of ideology.”
“I’m willing to put my ideologies aside just to see practical results come in that help more people than hurt more people,” he said, adding that the 2024 election outcome demonstrated that “a lot of minorities were affected by the downturn of the economy.”
“I have seen an evolution in many of my filipino American community partners, as well as my hispanic American community partners, who were formerly voting against [trump] and came around and expanded that coalition for him this time around because it was about bottomline issues.”
Ang, who is also a small business owner, praised trump’s executive order pausing the law banning popular social media platform tiktok for 75 days. Ang asserted that a significant population of the 170 million Americans on tiktok are small business owners, including many filAm-owned ventures ranging from lifestyle brands to food vendors, that use the platform to boost their businesses.
“[trump] understood the impact of that and acted accordingly, while Congress — republicans and Democrats — were willing to let that go dark and including former President Biden so that was one of the exciting things for me,” Ang said.
In his inauguration speech, trump stated that “the entire nation is rapidly unifying behind our agenda with dramatic increases in support from virtually every element of our society,” including Asian Americans. on January 15, a new AAPI Data/AP-NorC survey found that 31% of Asian American,
Native hawaiian and Pacific Islander (AAPI) adults believe the country is heading in the right direction.
Within the AAPI community, AAPI Data noted trump had greater support among certain demographics, including filipinos, Native hawaiians and Pacific Islanders, men, and those aged 60 and older. filipino Americans had the highest levels of trump favorability among Asian Americans, with 47% saying they were “very or somewhat favorable” of trump, versus 45% who said “very/somewhat unfavorable.” some issues that fil-Ams surveyed weighed in on included deportation of undocumented immigrants in the U.s., with 43% of fil-Ams saying they strongly/somewhat favor the action.
hon. melissa ramoso, California Democratic Party state Chair emerita for AAPI and filipino American Caucuses, expressed deep concern about trump’s immediate actions on his first day in office. trump signed executive orders reversing several policies from the Biden administration, including measures addressing climate change, supporting local economies, and advocating for inclusivity.
“It was no surprise that President trump started to carry out executive orders on day one to reverse all the hard work that President Biden’s Administration did to protect families, address climate change, advocate for service workers, assist local economies, advance science and health policies, be inclusive of LGBtQ rights, and so much more,” ramoso told the Asian Journal
she criticized trump’s decision to withdraw from the World health organization (Who) and the Paris Climate Accords, saying these moves as a signal that such global issues are no longer a priority for the U.s ramoso lamented the divisiveness that she believes will continue during trump’s second term.
“It was evident a sense of
California Attorney General Rob Bonta
Photo from Facebook/@RobBonta
What a US exit from the W ho means for global health
by amy maxmen KFF Health Newa
for decades, the United states has held considerable power in determining the direction of global health policies and programs. President Donald trump issued three executive orders on his first day in office that may signal the end of that era, health policy experts said.
trump’s order to withdraw from the World health organization means the U.s will probably not be at the table in february when the Who executive board next convenes.
the Who is shaped by its members: 194 countries that set health priorities and make agreements about how to share critical data, treatments, and vaccines during international emergencies. With the U.s missing, it would cede power to others.
“It’s just stupid,” said Kenneth Bernard, a visiting fellow at the hoover Institution at stanford University who served as a top biodefense official during the George W. Bush administration.
“Withdrawing from the Who leaves a gap in global health leadership that will be filled by China,” he said, “which is clearly not in America’s best interests.” executive orders to withdraw from the Who and to reassess America’s approach to international assistance cite the Who’s “mishandling of the CoVID-19 pandemic” and say that U.s. aid serves “to destabilize world peace.” In action, they echo priorities established in Project 2025’s “mandate for Leadership,” a conservative policy blueprint from the heritage foundation.
the 922-page report says the U.s. “must be prepared” to withdraw from the Who, citing its “manifest failure,” and advises an overhaul to international aid at the state Department.
the Biden Administration has deformed the agency by treating it as a global platform to pursue overseas a divisive political and cultural agenda that promotes abortion, climate extremism, gender radicalism, and interventions against perceived systemic racism,” it says.
As one of the world’s largest funders of global health — through both international and
national agencies, such as the Who and the U.s. Agency for International Development — America’s step back may curtail efforts to provide lifesaving health care and combat deadly outbreaks, especially in lowerincome countries without the means to do so alone. this not only makes Americans less safe, it makes the citizens of other nations less safe,” said tom Bollyky, director of global health at the Council on foreign relations.
“the U.s. cannot wall itself off from transnational health threats,” he added, referring to policies that block travelers from countries with disease outbreaks. most of the evidence around travel bans indicates that they provide a false sense of security and distract nations from taking the actions they need to take domestically to ensure their safety.”
Less than 1% technically, countries cannot withdraw from the Who until a year after official notice. But trump’s executive order cites his termination notice from 2020. If Congress or the public pushes back, the administration can argue that more than a year has elapsed.
trump suspended funds to the Who in 2020, a measure that doesn’t require congressional approval. U.s. contributions to the agency hit a low of $163 million during that first year of covid, falling behind Germany and the Gates foundation.
former President Joe Biden restored U.s. membership and payments. In 2023, the country gave the Who $481 million.
As for 2024, suerie moon, a co-director of the global health center at the Geneva Graduate Institute, said the Biden administration paid biennium dues for 2024-25 early, which will cover some of this year’s payments.
“Unfairly onerous payments” are cited in the executive order as a reason for Who withdrawal. Countries’ dues are a percentage of their gross domestic product, meaning that as the world’s richest nation, the United states has generally paid more than other countries. funds for the Who represent about 4% of America’s budget for global health, which in turn
is less than 0.1% of U.s. federal expenditures each year. At about $3.4 billion, the Who’s entire budget is roughly a third of the budget for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which got $9.3 billion in core funding in 2023. the Who’s funds support programs to prevent and treat polio, tuberculosis, hIV, malaria, measles, and other diseases, especially in countries that struggle to provide health care domestically. the organization also responds to health emergencies in conflict zones, including places where the U.s government doesn’t operate — in parts of Gaza, sudan, and the Democratic republic of the Congo, among others.
In January 2020, the Who alerted the world to the danger of the covid outbreak by sounding its highest alarm: a public health emergency of international concern. over the next two years, it vetted diagnostic tests and potential drugs for covid, regularly updated the public, and advised countries on steps to keep citizens safe.
experts have cited missteps at the agency, but numerous analyses show that internal problems account for the United states’ having one of the world’s highest rates of death due to covid. “All nations received the Who’s alert of a public health emergency of international concern on Jan. 30,” Bollyky said. “south Korea, taiwan, and others responded aggressively to that — the U.s. did not.”
‘It’s a red herring’
Nonetheless, trump’s executive order accuses the Who of “mishandling” the pandemic and failing “to adopt urgently needed reforms.” In fact, the Who has made some changes through bureaucratic processes that involve input from the countries belonging to it. Last year, for example, the organization passed several amendments to its regulations on health emergencies. these include provisions on transparent reporting and coordinated financing.
“If the trump administration tried to push for particular reforms for a year and then they were frustrated, I might find the reform line credible,” moon said. u PAGE 4
Want good luck in 2025? Here are
here are 10 traditions to usher in a prosperous new year.
10 Chinese New Year traditions to attract good fortune
1. Cleaning the house on days leading to the Chinese New year, families thoroughly clean their homes to sweep away the old and welcome the new. taking a bath also symbolizes renewal.
2. Decorating homes in red homes and businesses across the globe are adorned with red lanterns, red paper cuttings and spring couplets to attract good fortune and ward off evil.
After cleaning the house to “sweep away bad luck,” families decorate their homes in vibrant red, the color of prosperity.
3. Family reunion dinner
Bringing families together and fostering connection, this family reunion dinner is one of the celebration highlights on Chinese New year’s eve.
In the Philippines, families often serve traditional Chinese food like dumplings, fish, spring rolls and Tikoy — a sticky rice cake symbolizing prosperity and tight family bonds.
4. Lighting firecrackers or fireworks
Loud noise or explosions are believed to scare away evil spirits. the louder the noise, the more prosperous the year ahead will be, particularly for businesses.
5. Wearing new clothes and wishing others good luck on New year’s Day, wearing
new clothes symbolizes a fresh start. Wearing red is believed to attract luck and prosperity.
Greeting others “gongxi” or best wishes is thought to usher in an auspicious year. the younger generations opt for modern greetings, including virtual messages and WeChat red envelopes.
6. Dragon and lion dances Chinese enclaves worldwide, including Binondo, come alive with dragon and lion dances that are believed to chase away evil spirits and bring blessings of wealth and luck for the new year.
Led by the “Pearl of Wisdom” — the dragon weaves through crowds and the lion’s movements are accompanied by pounding drums and clashing cymbals.
7. Red envelopes
Known as “ang pao” in the Philippines and “hong bao” in China, these red envelopes filled with money are handed to kids
and unmarried family members, symbolizing blessings of health and longevity.
8. Offering gifts to ancestors families honor their ancestors by offering wine, food and incense at gravesites or altars. this custom of showing respect ensures blessings for the new year.
9. Staying up late
Shousui,” which translates to “after the New year’s eve dinner,” is the Chinese New year tradition of staying awake past midnight.
Also known as the New year’s vigil, this tradition is believed to prolong the lives of parents and welcome a bountiful year.
10. Festival of lanterns the Lantern festival marks the end of the Chinese New year celebrations. this tradition aims to promote peace, reconciliation and forgiveness.
People decorate their homes with colorful lanterns and many carry paper lanterns around at night. n
Unsplash.com photo by Wu Yi
NEVER AGAIN. Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte lights candles, with Israel Ambassador to the Philippines Ilan Fluss (left) looking on, during International Holocaust Remembrance Day at the Philippine-Israel Friendship Park inside the Quezon Memorial Circle on Tuesday, January 28. Belmonte said the candles represent unfulfilled dreams, hopes, and potentials, which were painfully extinguished when some six million Jews and other members of minority groups were exterminated by the Nazi Germany between 1933 and 1945. PNA photo by Ben Briones
Flights for US-bound Afghan refugees...
said, adding that he hoped the administration would grant exemptions to the Afghans with sIVs because they worked for the U.s. government during the 20-year war that ended when the last batch of American troops withdrew from Afghanistan in August 2021. they fought alongside us. they bled alongside us,” said VanDiver, who pointed out that tens of thousands of other Afghans were waiting for sIV applications to be processed. the White house and state department did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Uncertain future reports by the United Nations’ mission in Afghanistan say the taliban have detained, tortured and killed former soldiers and officials of the previous U.s.backed government. the taliban issued a general amnesty for former troops and government officials and deny the allegations. the flight suspension has stranded more than 40,000 Afghans, including sIV holders who have been waiting to fly to the United states from visa processing centers in Qatar
and Albania, said VanDiver and the U.s. official, who spoke on condition of anonymity. that number also includes Afghans approved for sIVs who have been waiting in Afghanistan and Pakistan to be put on U.s.funded flights to the Doha and tirana processing centers to receive their visas, they said.
Nearly 200,000 Afghans have been resettled in the United states on sIVs or as refugees since the chaotic 2021 U.s. withdrawal. In a separate executive order that he signed hours after his inauguration on monday, January 20, trump suspended all U.s refugee resettlement programs. that order resulted in hundreds of Afghan refugees losing their seats on flights, including family members of active-duty AfghanAmerican military personnel, former Afghan soldiers and unaccompanied children.
PH hosted Afghans the Philippines also hosted around 200 Afghans, around 60 percent of them minors, who arrived in manila earlier this month while waiting for their sIV applications to be processed. they left the country between Jan. 15 and Jan. 17 on commercial
flights, days ahead of trump’s inauguration on Jan. 21 (manila time).
Under an agreement between Washington and manila signed in 2024, the U.s. government provided all necessary services for the sIV applicants during their temporary stay in the Philippines—including food, housing, medical care, security and transportation—until their visas were processed.
the Afghans stayed in a secure, undisclosed billet facility and were allowed to leave only once to attend their consular interview at the U.s embassy in manila.
the embassy had announced earlier that up to 300 Afghans were expected to participate in the visa processing program, but U.s embassy spokesperson Kanishka Gangopadhyay said some dropped out due to medical issues or other considerations.
the government of the United states extends deep appreciation to the government of the Philippines for their cooperation and support for U.s efforts to assist Afghan special immigrants,” Gangopadhyay said earlier. (inquirer.net)
What a US exit from the WH o means...
“But to me, it’s a red herring.”
“I don’t buy the explanations,” Bernard said. “this is not an issue of money,” he added. “there is no rationale to withdraw from the Who that makes sense, including our problems with China.” trump has accused the Who of being complicit in China’s failure to openly investigate covid’s origin, which he alludes to in the executive order as “inappropriate political influence.”
the World health organization disgracefully covered the tracks of the Chinese Communist Party every single step of the way,” trump said in a video posted to social media in 2023. on multiple occasions, the Who has called for transparency from China. the agency doesn’t have the legal authority to force China, or any other country, to do what it says. this fact also repudiates trump’s warnings that a pandemic treaty under negotiation at the Who impinges on American sovereignty. rather, the accord aims to lay out how
countries can better cooperate in the next pandemic.
trump’s executive order calls for the U.s. to “cease negotiations” on the pandemic agreement. this means the pharmaceutical industry may lose one of its staunchest defenders as discussions move forward.
In the negotiations so far, the U.s. and the european Union have sided with lobbying from the pharmaceutical industry to uphold strict patent rights on drugs and vaccines. they have opposed efforts from middleincome countries in Asia, Africa, and Latin America to include licensing agreements that would allow more companies to produce drugs and vaccines when supplies are short in a crisis. A study published in Nature medicine estimated that more than a million lives would have been saved had CoVID vaccines been available around the world in 2021. once the U.s. is absent — for better and for worse — there will be less pressure on certain positions,” moon said. “In the pandemic agreement negotia-
tions, we may see weakening opposition towards more public-health-oriented approaches to intellectual property.”
this is a moment of geopolitical shift because the U.s is making itself less relevant,” said Ayoade Alakija, chair of the Africa Union’s Vaccine Delivery Alliance. Alakija said countries in Asia and Africa with emerging economies might now put more money into the Who, change policies, and set agendas that were previously opposed by the U.s. and european countries that are grappling with the war in Ukraine. “Power is shifting hands,” Alakija said. “maybe that will give us a more equitable and fairer world in the long term.”
Echoes of Project 2025
In the near term, however, the Who is unlikely to recoup its losses entirely, moon said. funds from the U.s. typically account for about 15% of its budget. together with trump’s executive order that pauses international aid for 90 days, a lack of money may keep many people from getting lifesaving treatments for hIV, malaria, and other diseases.
u PAGE 7
H-1B workers’ babies will not get birthright...
more than 70% of h-1B visa holders are highly-skilled workers from India.
Stateless Children born in the U.s to parents holding h-1B or h-4 visas would essentially be stateless, said Kohli. they would be unable to access public health and nutrition support programs. And while they are eligible to attend elementary school, they may be ineligible to attend college or university, depending on the state they live in, she said. the executive order will be devastating because it will undermine one of the key principles in America. No matter where you come from, you can come here, and within a generation you belong. you are part of this society,” stated Kohli. there are very few countries in the world which have that level of quick integration,” she said.
Immigrant underclass
“In so many ways it benefits our country, both culturally, socially, economically, to not have created an underclass of immigrants.”
the executive order would create administrative burdens for all parents, said Kohli, noting that everyone would have to prove citizenship or legal permanent
residency when applying for benefits for their children, or getting their kids’ social security cards.
It is unclear whether hospitals would be banned from issuing birth certificates to children of parents who are not lawful permanent residents, said Kohli. she noted that getting a birth certificate or citizenship from the parents’ home country could also be problematic. Lawsuits “for some people, they
have no country to go back to. they’re stateless,” said Kohli. several civil rights organizations and 22 states immediately filed lawsuits after trump signed the order. on January 23, federal District Court Judge John Coughenour issued an injunction, blocking implementation of the executive order for at least 14 days. the judge stated the executive order was unconstitutional.
(Sunita Sohrabji/Ethnic Media Services)
Fil-Am community leaders react to Trump’s...
trust was lost after the election, and we have to do everything in our power to gain that trust back from Americans,” she concluded, emphasizing the need for Democrats to reassess and reengage with the American people.
In Las Vegas, civic leader Gloria Caoile focused on the importance of resilience and optimism.
“We need to continue to live and character our principles. Good governance requires positive energy and pragmatism, and so we look forward to the next four years with hope and optimism,” Caoile said.
Neil ferrer, the Philippine Consul General in san francisco, struck a more diplomatic tone, focusing on the peaceful transfer of power as a hallmark of American democracy. While acknowledging potential impacts on filipino nationals, he reaffirmed the Consulate’s commitment to supporting the community.
“In his inaugural address, President trump outlined his priorities that may impact filipino citizens in the United states. on changes in U.s immigration policy, the Philippine Consulate General in san francisco is committed to extending appropriate assistance to filipino nationals across its jurisdiction regardless of immigration status, while respecting U.s. laws as well as individual privacy,” ferrer stated. he also expressed hope for strengthened ties between the Philippines and the United states, noting the importance of recent diplomatic engagements, including Philippine Ambassador Jose manuel romualdez’s meeting with President trump and a call between Philippine secretary for foreign Affairs enrique manalo and U.s secretary of state marco rubio.
meanwhile, the Philippine
embassy in Washington issued an advisory that “filipinos in the United states have rights, regardless of their immigration status,” including the right to speak to an attorney before answering any questions from immigration or law enforcement. the embassy and Consulates General throughout the country have made their 24/7 hotlines available to ensure that “filipinos are informed, safe and supported” in the event they need help. there are currently over 300,000 undocumented filipinos living in the United states. the Philippine Department of migrant Workers (DmW) said it would be ready to assist should they be deported back to their home country.
During trump’s first term in the White house, over 3,500 filipinos were deported between 2017 to 2020, according to the DmW, with the highest being recorded in 2018 with 503. n
Trump’s executive order banning birthright citizenship broadly applies to many residents without lawful permanent status. Unsplash.com photo by DICSON
DAteline PhiliPPines
PH sees no hard impact of US global aid freeze
by Julie m aurelio, Krixia suBingsuBing Inquirer.net
mANILA — A senior foreign affairs official on saturday, January 25 said the suspension of U.s. foreign aid globally was unlikely to severely affect the Philippines even as malacañang tried to grasp the implications of the move ordered by U.s President Donald trump. At a press forum on saturday, foreign Undersecretary eduardo Jose de Vega noted that the Philippines had many economic partners like the United states.
“And while the U.s involvement in our economy as a trading partner is still very high, I think even with the freeze, it’s not like it’s going to severely affect us because the aid packages from the Us are small right now,” he said.
De Vega stressed, however, the importance of “people-topeople ties and certainly the mutual Defense treaty” between the two countries.
the Philippines is a longtime ally of the United states in the Indo-Pacific, where China’s aggressive actions in the south China sea are seen as a threat to peace and security in the region.
DFA monitoring
Presidential Communications office secretary Cesar Chavez told the inquirer that the Department of foreign Affairs (DfA) was closely monitoring reports on the freeze order as it continued to work with “partners in the U.s. Department of state and the U.s. government to determine how this will affect the Philippines.”
De Vega told the news forum that manila “will use diplomatic channels and back-channeling” with Washington and that the Philippine Ambassador to the United states, Jose manuel romualdez, was “very active” in this.
Rubio memo the U.s. aid freeze order was sent out in an internal memo on friday, January 24 by secretary of state marco rubio days after trump took office vowing an “America first” policy of tightly restricting assistance overseas. It paused virtually all foreign aid, except for emergency food programs and military aid to
Israel and egypt. “No new funds shall be obligated for new awards or extensions of existing awards until each proposed new award or extension has been reviewed and approved,” said the memo seen by news organizations in Washington. the sweeping order appears to affect everything from development assistance to military aid—including to Ukraine, which received billions of dollars in weapons under trump’s predecessor Joe Biden as it tries to repel a russian invasion.
other states identified for military financing in 2025 include Ukraine, Georgia, estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, taiwan, Indonesia, the Philippines, thailand, Vietnam, Djibouti, Colombia, Panama, ecuador and Jordan, according to a request to Congress from the Biden administration.
2023 figures the directive was delivered in a cable sent to U.s. embassies around the world and will affect U.s-funded programs in support of health, education, development, job training, anticorruption, security assistance and other aid efforts.
In 2023, the United states Agency for International Development (UsAID) provided $198.2 million in disbursed aid to the Philippines, according to foreignAssistance.gov, a U.s government website. the funds supported various development initiatives, with the largest share going to general environmental protection ($32.59 million), followed by basic health ($25.52 million), governance and civil society ($24.98 million); and operating expenses ($22.1 million). the other sectors that received assistance were maternal and child health, family planning ($19.27 million), emergency response ($12.59), basic education ($18.23 million), and energy ($7.44 million).
Turn to other partners
UsAID’s assistance to the Philippines was at least $144 million in 2024, according to an initial report.
While Japan remains the largest oDA provider, the report mentioned that UsAID was also a significant contributor with
grants totaling $623.75 million. manila rep. Joel Chua, chair of the committee on good government and accountability, said that “in our own national interests, we should look more to the european Union, the middle east, Japan, south Korea and Australia for foreign aid.” the America first policy the U.s. now has more likely means the U.s. will retreat from the rest of the world,” Chua said, while also cautioning against leaning toward russian aid “unless russia ends its war with Ukraine.”
Albay rep. Joey salceda, an economist, warned that if the United states neglected its relationship with the Philippines, the country might have no other choice but to “balance that out with China.”
“We have sentimental ties with the U.s. We want them to succeed as they look after America first,” he said. “We have territorial issues with China, but between the U.s. and China, only the U.s. actually invaded our main islands.”
“so, we are not blind to the fact that they will look after their interest first. We just want them to be fair, and I think they will be. Because the farther the U.s goes from us, the closer they force us to their adversaries,”
salceda said.
‘Low single digits’
Nevertheless, from an economic perspective, he said trump’s order should not be an issue as the United states has not been a major source of aid for the Philippines for a while now, citing data from the National economic and Development Authority (NeDA) showing U.s aid in the “low single digits” in terms of percent share.
“their aid is their decision to make. Nothing needs to be done on our end,” salceda said. our most important foreign relationships are, in this order, our relationship with Japan, our Asean community, and our strategic multilateralism.” Asean is the 10-member Association of southeast Asian Nations.
According to the latest available data from Neda, the official development assistance (oDA) received by the Philippines from foreign governments and u PAGE 7
Escudero says no need to fear petition on 2025 budget report
by Charie aBarCa Inquirer.net
mANILA — “hindi ito dapat katakutan, hindi ito dapat ikabahala.”
(it should not be feared, it should not be a cause for concern.)
these were the words used by senate President Chiz escudero when he was asked on tuesday, January 28 to comment on the petition that questions the alleged blank items in the bicameral conference committee report of the 2025 national spending plan.
the petition was filed by Davao representative Isidro Ungab and former executive secretary Vic rodriguez before the supreme supreme Court.
“We welcome any petitions to question any law that Congress passes. Para sa akin oportunidad yan para makilahok din sa proseso ng budget ang Korte Suprema — ang third branch, ika nga, ng pamahalaan. Nakita natin ang papel na ginampanan ng executive Branch, ng Legislative Branch, at ngayon makikita naman natin ang papel
na gagampanan ng Judicial Branch,” said escudero. Para sa akin, hindi ito dapat katakutan. Hindi ito dapat ikabahala. ito ay bahagi ng ating demokrasya at patunay ito na malakas at matatag ang demokrasya sa ating bansa patungkol sa anumang batas, kabilang na ang national budget,” he added.
Prior to this, marikina 2nd District rep. stella Quimbo confirmed that there were blank items in the bicameral conference committee report on the 2025 national budget, but she clarified these were only for the final computation of the amendments made. for his part, escudero said if there were, indeed, blank items, then the last provision of the report would be helpful. According to the senate chief, this states that the committee on finance and appropriations is “authorized to fill out any lapses and missing items” in the proposed budget. At kung merong conflict [o] pagkakaiba, ang bicameral conference committee report at ang enrolled bill ng budget,
ang mananaig [pa rin] ay ang enrolled bill ng budget o ang GAA kung saan wala pong blangko at kulang doon,” said escudero. the senate chief then emphasized that it was not the first time that this phrase was used as it was already included in the bicameral conference committee reports signed by previous Congress. But is it the first time that there have been blank items in the budget? escudero believes it’s not.
“Hindi mo masasabing walang ganyan noon. Marahil ang pagkakaiba, dahil sa tindi ng bangayan at away at hidwaan sa pagitan ng mga kulay ng pulitika sa ngayon kaya bawat isang bagay ay pinapadaan nila, ika nga, sa microscope,” said escudero.
“Pero hindi nangangahulugan na hindi rin yan nangyari noon. Uulitin ko, hindi ko ito kinatatakutan, ito ay dapat yakapin natin bilang pagkakataon na makita ang tatlong ahensya ng pamahalaan na nagfa-function kaugnay sa napakahalagang panukalang batas,” he added. n
OPiniOn FeAtures
‘A deepening crisis’
The official campaign period is set to start soon, first for Senate aspirants and then for candidates in the House of Representatives and local governments. Lawmakers will become busy with their campaigns and congressional probes will have to be wrapped up.
In the past months, various committees in both chambers of Congress have unearthed testimonies and information about wrongdoing including alleged misuse of public funds in certain agencies. the amounts involved could warrant indictments for plunder or at least multiple counts of graft and corruption.
As the congressional inquiries are wrapped up, government prosecutors must step in and pursue the probes. this is the call of over 500 education stakeholders, who have signed a statement sounding the alarm on the “deepening crisis” in the sector that they say has been aggravated by “widespread corruption and lessened prioritization” of the budget for the Department of education. Deped secretary sonny Angara’s lament about the nearly P12 billion slashed from the 2025 budget of the department, which was meant for public schools’ computerization programs, triggered a closer scrutiny of this year’s General Appropriations Act. the resulting public uproar over what was uncovered has refused to die down. this year’s national outlay has been condemned as a GAA in aid of lawmakers’ election campaign. the signatories to the statement that has been released include administrators and faculty of top state-run and private universities, members of education workers’ unions and several education advocacy groups. years before the pandemic, concerns were already
UPoN direct instructions
of the president, we arranged for Defense secretary Gilbert teodoro, who flew into Washington D.C., to meet with newly appointed National security Advisor michael Waltz at the White house. After our short meeting with the National security Advisor, we proceeded to have an expanded meeting with Principal Deputy National security Advisor Alex Wong as well as Deputy Assistant secretary of Defense Andrew Byers and National security Council senior Director for Asia Ivan Kanapathy at the West Wing of the White house.
Both meetings were extremely productive, where we focused on serious security issues and the reaffirmation of the enduring alliance between the Philippines and the United states.
secretary teodoro emphasized both nations’ shared commitment to peace, stability and mutual security interests in the Indo-Pacific region, and the paramount
they say that I was a terrible president of Cuba. that may be true. But I was the best president Cuba ever had,” remarked the exiled Cuban leader Carlos manuel Prío socarrás. In many ways, a similar narrative has undergirded the so-called “Duterte magic.” time and again, former President rodrigo Duterte has admitted to shortcomings, but just to claim that, at the very least, he did something about national crises no matter how incompetent or catastrophic. Whenever confronted with evidence of misdeed or misgovernance, Duterte supporters are quick to lean back their usual retort: “At least, he did something about drugs and criminality!” this ”cult of action,” the Italian philosopher
being raised over the decline in the quality of Philippine education. the concerns were validated when the government decided to participate for the first time in the Program for International student Assessment in 2018. the results were dismal, with the country’s 15-year-old students ranking at the bottom in mathematics, science and reading competencies. In 2022, the country again participated in the PIsA, which is administered by the organization for economic Cooperation and Development. the disappointing results were the same, although this was not surprising, considering that the assessment was undertaken as the country was emerging from two years of CoVID-related school lockdowns.
signatories to the statement lament that corruption in the education sector – as unearthed in the congressional hearings – and now aggravated by the funding priorities of lawmakers have deepened the crisis in a sector that is critical to national competitiveness and development. the rot in the system must be excised. this requires not only improvements in the quality of education but also ensuring that funds for the sector are properly allocated and not misused.
Prosecutors must not waste the findings of the congressional inquiries. Public officials must be held accountable before impunity becomes entrenched and the education crisis deepens further. (Philstar.com)
Editorial on the move with the
importance of strengthening the bilateral defense ties between the Philippines and the United states to address emerging geopolitical challenges. these meetings took place two days after the inauguration of President Donald trump, making the Philippines one of the first countries to engage with the new administration – a very significant step in further advancing our longtime alliance, with both sides expressing optimism in deepening defense and security cooperation in the years to come. Additionally, there was also a telephone conversation between foreign Affairs secretary ricky manalo and state secretary marco rubio in the morning (Washington D.C. time) on issues of mutual concern, among them the dangerous actions of China in the south China sea that undermine regional peace and stability. they also exchanged views on advancing security cooperation and expanding economic ties for shared prosperity. secretary rubio, who underscored the “ironclad” commitment of the U.s. to the Philippines under the 1951 mutual Defense treaty, certainly
recognizes the importance of strengthening economic – not just defense or military – ties, for the bilateral relationship to be enduring.
“When your engagement with a country leads to economic development, whether it’s outbound U.s. investment in the Philippines or what have you, then that becomes enduring. then it makes it difficult, no matter who’s in charge, to walk away from the alliance, because the alliance is more than just military and a military presence. It also involves jobs and businesses and investment and economic opportunity, and we need to look for ways to emphasize that. I think it would be a mistake to simply view it as a military or defense alliance,” secretary rubio stated during his confirmation hearing.
We are looking forward to working closely with secretary rubio’s team at the state Department in advancing shared priorities and strengthening U.s.Philippines ties even further.
As I have emphasized on several occasions, we have strong support from both republicans and Democrats, and we will continue to work with them on issues that are
new Trump presidency
mutually beneficial – because this relationship is a two-way street. I also know that the U.s. sees the Philippines as an important ally, especially at this time. this bipartisan support from members of the U.s Congress was evident during my meeting last thursday (January 23) at the U.s. Capitol with Democratic senator Brian schatz of hawaii, who is a member of the senate foreign relations committee.
“Ambassador romualdez and I had a constructive discussion about opportunities and challenges in the Indo-Pacific. We discussed how we can better coordinate and strengthen U.s military and economic support to the Philippines and further elevate our alliance,” he shared in his website, adding, “We have a long, close relationship with the Philippines and the filipino people, and our commitment to the U.s.-Philippine alliance remains ironclad.”
During the inauguration of President trump and the social events that followed shortly thereafter, I also had the opportunity to engage with “old and new faces” who will be taking on important roles in the trump administration
for the next four years to bring our relationship to even greater heights. We also hosted a reception at the Philippine embassy, bringing together representatives from the new government, the U.s. Congress and members of the media, among several other sectors.
In my interview with Karen Davila of ANC, I amply described how our relationship with the United states will be like under the new trump administration. Naturally, an issue of great concern is the new immigration policy and its impact on the estimated 350,000 undocumented filipinos in the United states.
Clear instructions have already been given to all consulates general in the United states on what we can do to help our kababayans regardless of their immigration status.
early this month, we met with members of a group called filipino American Legal Defense and education fund (fALDef) to discuss the challenges faced by undocumented filipinos and shared insights on how those affected can have access to legal counsel and how they can have a legal path to stay in the U.s fALDef representatives led by
their president Jose teodoro mallonga are also offering pro bono legal services and partnering with other filipino community organizations to strengthen the support network for vulnerable groups. the embassy and our consulates general all over the U.s. are likewise continuing efforts to disseminate information about the rights of all filipinos in the U.s regardless of their immigration status, through our websites and social media platforms, providing information from the U.s. Department of Labor, migration offices of states, immigration centers and various sources. As always, the Philippine embassy will do what we can in assisting all filipinos regardless of status. But as I told Karen, the bottom line advice to our fellow filipinos is to follow a legal path – if one wants to have peace of mind. (Philstar.com)
*
* * The opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by the author do not necessarily reflect the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints of Asian Journal, its management, editorial board and staff. * * * Email: babeseyeview@gmail.com
have the Dutertes turned the tide?
Umberto eco once argued, is central to both the ideology and appeal of authoritarian populist leaders.
Drenched in the awesome power of the state, and crowned with a decisive electoral mandate and sky-high approval ratings, Duterte seamlessly inspired admiration and fear among the majority of filipinos throughout his six years in malacañang. But the past two years have seen a steady diminution of the notorious dynasty’s political capital, even as the Dutertes held onto the country’s largest urban center in terms of land area as well as the second most powerful office in the land. the reason was simple: they overreached by directly attacking their chief ally, the marcoses, who have shown little interest in squandering their second shot at malacañang.
Blinded by hubris, the Dutertes thought that they could just bludgeon President marcos into submission and, accordingly,
become the ”power behind the throne.” that foolhardy plan, however, has catastrophically backfired. the upshot was the concatenation of multiple forces, which threatened the very political survival of the Dutertes: A dramatic series of exposes of the Dutertes’ multifarious wrongdoings went hand in hand with the real and present threat of impeachment against the vice president.
By the end of 2024, the once mighty dynasty was a cornered beast. And then, all of a sudden, the tide shifted in favor of the Dutertes. on one hand, it always helps to have a well-organized religious group behind you to muster a million-strong ”peace rally” to intimidate your opponents. more importantly, however, the marcos administration seemingly failed to appreciate the perils of not reining in the greed of their legislative allies ahead of the midterm elections.
And here enters the significance of the split within the genuine opposition.
In theory, the disintegration of the “Uniteam” should have provided an unprecedented opening for a progressive ”third force.” But lacking a core leadership and characteristically fractious and ideologically incoherent, genuine opposition forces failed to congeal into an autonomous force. If anything, the administration chose to piggy-ride on the “Never Duterte” camp, which took up the cudgels to expose the notorious dynasty, while the Dutertes wasted no time to piggy-ride on the “Never marcos” camp, which assiduously exposed alleged anomalies in the 2025 national budget. the result is the fracturing of the national political discourse and, accordingly, a decisive halt to the anti-Duterte momentum steadily building up over the past year. And since the commander
in chief happens to be a conflictavoidant individual, there is effectively no center of gravity in Philippine politics. thus, it’s impossible to predict the outcome of the inter-dynastic conflict, which is steadily tearing the country asunder.
In this sense, the Philippines more exhibits Niccolo machiavelli’s ”cyclical” conception of history in medieval societies than the characteristics of a modern democratic republic. When institutions are weak, and the rule of law is purely aspirational, political development gives way to indeterminate cycles of intraoligarchic struggles, institutional decay, and, worse, a political vacuum. While undoubtedly entertaining, our Netflix-like politics is actually extremely dangerous, since it could ultimately produce a total crisis of legitimacy with dire consequences. on one hand,
more filipinos could end up cynical and, accordingly, opt out of political mobilization altogether, thus dramatically diminishing chances of positive transformation for the foreseeable future. Worse, the emerging interregnum could strengthen the hands of more extreme forces, including proto-fascist advocates of a ”revolutionary government.” Unless the genuine opposition crystalizes into a coherent force, one that is capable of providing an alternative bastion of hope and leadership, the Philippines’ political fate will remain hostage to mr. marcos’ whims and the political death drive of the Dutertes. (inquirer.net)
* * * The opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by the author do not necessarily reflect the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints of Asian Journal, its management, editorial board and staff.
* * * rheydarian@inquirer.com.ph
Babe’s Eye View
BaBe Romualdez
ManilaTimes.net photo
Philippine Senators defend granting citizenship to Chinese with POGO links
by marC
mANILA — senators on Wednesday, January 29 defended their decision to grant Philippine citizenship to a Chinese national who is linked to offshore gaming “big boss” Duanren Wu.
Nineteen senators last monday, January 27 voted to approve the naturalization of Li Duan Wang, who was identified by sen. risa hontiveros as a major “operator of 9 Dynasty junket group.”
hontiveros said 9 Dynasty Group shared a corporate structure with rivendell Gaming Corp., which owned a Philippine offshore gaming operator (PoGo) scam hub in Pasay City that was raided last August 2023.
According to hontiveros, Li’s Avia International Club also shared the same building in Newport, Pasay City with yatai spa, which has the same name as yatai International holding Group, owned by selfconfessed Chinese spy she Zhijiang. yatai means “Asia Pacific.” she, a wanted gambling tycoon now detained in thailand, has linked dismissed Bamban, tarlac mayor Alice Guo to Chinese espionage activities.
institutions stood at $37.29 billion as of 2023, up by 15 percent from the previous year. that amount consisted of concessional loans worth $35.07 billion and $2.22 billion in grants.
Biggest share In 2023, Japan held the largest share of oDA in the country at 32 percent, followed by Asian Development Bank and World Bank. By sector, 54.59 percent of the oDA went to infrastructure. Governance and institution development received the second largest share (18.4 percent), followed by social reform and community development (15 percent) and agriculture, agrarian reform and natural resources (11.6 percent).
hontiveros said Li is also a business associate of Duanren Wu, the so-called “big boss” of PoGos and a board member of Whirlwind Corp., the firm that leased its land to Lucky south 99, the raided PoGo hub in Porac, Pampanga. she cited Li’s affiliation with the Philippine Jinjiang yuxi Association, which she said is part of the “United front” work of the Communist Party of China.
“In his application for naturalization, Li did not even disclose that he is the operator of 9 Dynasty junket group that has shared officers with rivendell, an illegal PoGo scam hub in Pasay. It raises eyebrows. there are red flags in Li’s application for naturalization,” said hontiveros, the lone senator who voted against Li’s Philippine citizenship. those who voted in favor are senate President francis escudero, senate President Pro tempore Jinggoy estrada, majority leader francis tolentino, minority leader Koko Pimentel, senators sherwin Gatchalian, JV ejercito, Nancy Binay, Pia Cayetano, ronald dela rosa, Bong Go, Loren Legarda, Imee marcos, robin Padilla, ramon revilla Jr., raffy tulfo, Joel Villanueva, mark Villar, Cynthia Villar, and
the remaining 0.79 percent went to industry, trade and tourism. the U.s. provides more foreign aid globally than any other country, budgeting about $60 billion in 2023, or about 1 percent of the U.s. budget. rubio’s memo called for an internal review of all foreign assistance within 85 days. In justifying the freeze, rubio— who as a senator was a supporter of development assistance— wrote that it was impossible for the new administration to assess whether existing foreign aid commitments “are not duplicated, are effective and are consistent with President trump’s foreign policy.” Abandonment, ‘lunacy’ Antipoverty group oxfam said that trump was abandoning a long-standing consensus in
Juan miguel Zubiri.
“We respect her vote. But the majority decides on the passage of a bill. that is democracy,” escudero said at a press briefing on tuesday, January 28.
Gatchalian said he personally went through Li’s application documents and found no evidence linking him to illegal PoGo activities. Gatchalian and hontiveros were active in the senate investigation on PoGo-related crimes.
the senate justice committee that handled Li’s application asked the National security Council and National Intelligence Coordinating Agency about Wang and found no criminal record to his name, Gatchalian added.
“I went through his documents twice. I did not see anything non-compliant with his requirements for citizenship. the senate committee did not find any direct links of Li to PoGo,” Gatchalian said at a virtual press briefing.
ejercito said he talked to Presidential Anti-organized Crime Commission executive director Gilbert Cruz about Li and learned that the filipinoChinese businessman has been living in the Philippines for some time and has a filipino name, mark ong. n
the United states for foreign assistance.
humanitarian and development assistance accounts for only around 1 percent of the federal budget; it saves lives, fights diseases, educates millions of children and reduces poverty,” oxfam America president Abby maxman said in a statement.
“suspending and ultimately cutting many of these programs could have life or death consequences for countless children and families who are living through crisis,” she said. “this is lunacy,” said Jeremy Konyndyk, a former UsAID official who is now president of refugees International. this will kill people. I mean, if implemented as written in that cable … a lot of people will die.” n
Supreme Court urged to declare 2025 budget unconstitutional
by ian laqui Philstar.com
mANILA — former executive secretary Vic rodriguez filed a petition before the supreme Court on monday, January 27, challenging the 2025 General Appropriations Act (GAA).
In his petition, he called the budget "illegal and criminal," asking the high court to declare the GAA unconstitutional.
“Inscribed in the 1987 Constitution of the Philippines are the following constitutional directives which shall serve as a guidepost in this instant Petition for Certiorari, and were blatantly violated by the passage of republic Act No. 12116 which must be struck down as unconstitutional through this honorable supreme Court's power of judicial review,” rodriguez’s petition read.
"the 2025 GAA violated Article VI, section 27 of the 1987 Constitution of the Philippines when the members of the Bicameral Conference Committee signed and submitted a report on the 2025 General Appropriations Bill with blanks," it added.
In the petition, rodriguez cited his former boss, ferdinand marcos Jr., as a respondent, along with both chambers of Congress. rodriguez pointed out the blanks in the budget, which he
said constitute a blatant violation of the Constitution.
“Clearly, the Bicameral Conference Committee committed grave abuse of discretion amounting to lack or excess of jurisdiction when it signed the committee report on 2025 National Budget filled with blanks,” the petition read. on January 27, house appropriations panel chairperson rep. stella Quimbo (marikina, 2nd District) said the blanks in the budget were "typographical errors," which had been corrected by authorized technical staff from both chambers of Congress. executive secretary Lucas Bersamin said they have yet to read the petition of the former executive secretary, but a comment will be released through
the office of the solicitor General. In a message to reporters, solicitor General menardo Guevarra said: “We shall comment on the petition if directed by the supreme Court to do so. In the meantime, the validity, regularity, and constitutionality of the 2025 GAA are legally presumed.” the senate and house of representatives approved the budget bill on Dec. 11, 2024, shortly after the bicameral conference committee resolved their disagreements on the budget.
President marcos signed the 2025 General Appropriations Act into law on Dec. 30, 2024 but vetoed P194 billion worth of budget items he deemed inconsistent with his administration's priorities. n
What a US exit from the WH o means...
and steering resources toward
IPINAPAUNAWA NA ang mga sumusunod ay hinirang para sa mga posisyong kailangang punan sa Espesyal na Paunang Halalang Munisipal na gaganapin sa Lungsod ng San José sa Martes, Abril 8, 2025.
Para sa Miyembro ng Konseho ng Lungsod, Distrito ikatlo Bumoto ng Isa
Adam Duran
Philip Dolan Irene Smith Gabby Chavez-Lopez
Anthony Tordillos Tyrone Wade
Matthew Quevedo
IPINAPAUNAWA RIN NA ang lahat ng aktibong rehistradong botante ay awtomatikong padadalhan ng Vote-by-Mail na balota sa koreo simula Marso 10, 2025. Ang mga Lugar ng Pagboto para sa nasabing halalan ay magbubukas simula Marso 29, 2025, hanggang Abril 8, 2025, para sa iba't ibang oras ng operasyon. Mangyaring tingnan ang Listahan ng Oras ng Operasyon ng Lugar ng Pagboto na naka-post sa aming website sa https://www.sccvote.org/. Ang mga Lugar ng Pagboto ay bukas sa Araw ng Halalan, sa Abril 8, 2025, mula 7:00 a.m. hanggang 8:00 p.m. Ang lahat ng balotang ipinadala at ibinoto sa nasabing Halalan ay bibilangin sa opisina ng Rehistrador ng Botante ng Santa Clara County, 1555 Berger Drive, Building #2, San José, California, 95112.
Another loss is the scientific collaboration that occurs via the Who and at about 70 centers it hosts at U.s. institutions such as Columbia University and Johns hopkins University. through these networks, scientists share findings despite political feuds between countries.
A third executive order commands the secretary of state to ensure the department’s programs are “in line with an America first foreign policy.”
It follows on the order to pause international aid while reviewing it for “consistency with United states foreign policy.” that order says that U.s. aid has served “to destabilize world peace by promoting ideas in foreign countries that are directly inverse to harmonious and stable relations.” these and executive orders on climate policies track with
policy agendas expressed by Project 2025. Although trump and his new administration have distanced themselves from the heritage foundation playbook, CBs News reviewed the work histories of the 38 named primary authors of Project 2025 and found that at least 28 of them worked in trump’s first administration. one of Project 2025’s chief architects was russell Vought, who served as director of the office of management and Budget during trump’s first term and has been nominated for it again. multiple contributors to Project 2025 are from the America first Legal foundation, a group headed by trump adviser stephen miller that’s filed complaints against “woke corporations.”
Project 2025 recommends cutting international aid for programs and organizations focused on climate change and reproductive health care,
“strengthening the fundamentals of free markets,” lowering taxes, and deregulating businesses as a path to economic stability. several experts said the executive orders appear to be about ideological rather than strategic positioning. the White house did not respond to questions about its executive orders on global health. regarding the executive order saying U.s. aid serves “to destabilize world peace,” a spokesperson at UsAID wrote in an email: “We refer you to the White house.” (Amy Maxmen/ KFF Health News) KFF Health News is a national newsroom that produces indepth journalism about health issues and is one of the core operating programs at KFF—an independent source of health policy research, polling, and journalism.
IPINAPAUNAWA PA RIN NA alinsunod sa Seksiyon 15101(b) ng Code ng Halalan, na binago ng AB 860, ang mga balota para sa Pagboto sa Pamamagitan ng Koreo ay maaaring buksan at iproseso para sa pagbibilang simula Marso 10, 2025, sa opisina ng Rehistrador ng Botante ng County ng Santa Clara, 1555 Berger Drive, Building #2, San José, California, 95112.
Toni J. Taber, MMC Kleriko ng Lungsod Petsa: Enero 24, 2025
The main building of the Philippine Supreme Court in Manila. Philstar.com file photo
A “WooD cycle in the lunar calendar started in 2024 with the “year of the Dragon,” that brought with it some interesting twists and turns in showbizlandia. But what may our celebrities expect in the “year of the Wood snake” that started on January 29?
renowned geomancer marites Allen, dubbed by many as “Queen of feng shui,” gave a peek into what the new year may bring for the 12 animal signs in an intimate media gathering recently.
“Along with the horse sign, the monkey, ox, and rooster are the ‘superstars’ of 2025 who will enjoy exceptional fortune and opportunities,” Allen said.
But while those born in the year of the ox are in for a favorable year, financial and relationship challenges may still be in the horizon, Allen warns.
Judy Ann santos, who was born in the year of the horse, had an early stroke of luck by rubbing elbows with famed international chef and restaurateur Gordon ramsay, who also praised her cooking. other horse-born stars are Kim Chiu, and the now expectant mother megan young. heart evangelista, maris racal, and Julia Barretto may be have been courting controversies in the past years, but as ox-born ladies, they could look forward to an auspicious year ahead.
Kapuso leading man Alden richards may also expect a streak in his luck after last year’s hello Love, Again” box-office success for he is born in the year of the monkey. his fellow Kapuso star Dennis trillo, Kapamilya primetime king Coco martin, and Nadine
Lustre, all born in the year of the rooster, are also forecast to enjoy exceptional fortune. Allen added that those born in the years of the rat and Dragon are also “stars” this the year of the Wood snake. Among those born in the year of the rat are boxoffice queen Kathryn Bernardo, and the now-award-winning actress marian rivera, while Vice Ganda, Gary Valenciano, and the controversial Anthony Jennings are Dragon-born. those who may face challenges this year are people born in the years of the rabbit,
tiger, sheep, Dog, and Boar, with troubles manifesting in their “health, wealth, career, and relationships,” Allen cautioned. miss Universe 2018 Catriona Gray was born in the year of the Dog, while “Queen of All media” Kris Aquino, who has been battling a rare medical condition, was born in the year of the Boar. young star Donny Pangilinan, Kapamilya star Angelica Panganiban, and Kapuso actress Carla Abellana were born in the year of the tiger, while “Kapuso Ultimate star” Jennylyn mercado, Ian Veneracion, and tom rodriguez were born in the year of the rabbit.
But what about those born in the year of the ruling animal sign for 2025? Allen forecasts great luck for them in different aspects of their lives, such as partnerships and career. snakeborn stars are miss Universe 2015 and global fashion influencer Pia Wurtzbach, Kapamilya leading man Piolo Pascual, and “Diamond star” maricel soriano.
But generally speaking, Allen said the new year will not be as “bold” as the previous one. “the year of the snake ushers in a more introspective and methodical energy, governed by the yin Wood element,” shared Alen, who offers more detailed forecasts into each animal sign on her social media pages.
Bela Padilla bids goodbye to UK as she returns to acting career in Ph
by hannah MallorCa Inquirer.net
After a four-year stay in London, Bela Padilla said she would be returning to the Philippines to focus on her full-time entertainment career.
Padilla took to her Instagram page on sunday, January 26, to bid farewell to her life in London, while sharing glimpses of how her life went since moving to the european city in 2021.
“I am temporarily closing this chapter as I prepare to work full-time again. And yes, I should have taken more pictures. I should have kissed and hugged my loved ones as much as I needed,” she said. the actress said that while living in London “made [her] question everything she knew, forced [her] to square [her] shoulders, walk faster, and be more vigilant,” it was nonetheless a place that allowed her to “smell flowers.” on days when I forgot what I sounded like because I wasn’t talking to anybody, I had the flowers to remind me that God wanted me happy by giving me the most beautiful flowers just around my neighborhood,” she said.
“London made me embrace the sad colors of autumn so hard that it would crush my soul every time I swept my garden before winter. Always weeping for the big tree I have, dying temporarily… as did I, with every sad day, quiet room entered and moment of complete confusion,” Padilla continued. Padilla said she’s thankful for her life in London as it made her instincts “sharper,” and it motivated her to stay healthier. “Because of London, my instincts are now sharper. I stayed as healthy as I could while navigating my autoimmune disorder.”
“I very quickly learned to walk, ride my bike, and eventually drive cars on the left side. the education I got from in and out of the classrooms, [is] imbedded in me now,” she continued. “London
Photo from Instagram/@bela
also gave me the best friends that one could develop in adulthood, abroad.” In her post, Padilla admitted that she was sad upon leaving London, although she is hopeful that she will “call it home again.” “London is polite but shouts when you’re wrong. Beautiful but rough around the edges. Kind but has a darkness that could scare the tough… my friend, London,” she said. Before returning to the Philippines, Padilla was in the country for the launch of her makeup line and a hosting gig on “It’s showtime,” among other activities. she is set to star in the upcoming drama “What Lies Beneath” and the film “100 Awit Para Kay stella.”
the second manila International film festival (mIff), originally scheduled to be held from January 30 to february 2 and postponed amid the southern California wildfires, will now be held from march 4 to 7. however, with respect to the people impacted by the devastating wildfires, mIff scaled back its plans. A portion of the proceeds from the mIff events, including its screenings, will be donated to the Los Angeles fire relief efforts. All these events will have a fundraising aspect. mIff will still show entries plus special screening films at the tCL Chinese theatre in hollywood and hold a simple closing night event, “A tribute to our first responders,” at the International Ballroom of the Beverly hilton in Beverly hills. mIff will offer free admission to the first responders and their immediate families at all the screenings. “A tribute Dinner to our first responders,” the closing night ceremonies, will honor the men and women who heroically battled the wildfires. the entries are Jun robles Lana’s “And the Breadwinner Is….” Chito s roño’s “Espantaho,” Zig Dulay’s “Green Bones,” Jason Paul Laxamana’s “hold me Close,” Crisanto B. Aquino’s “my future
you,” Kerwin Go’s “strange frequencies: taiwan hospital Killer,” michael tuviera’s “the Kingdom,” richard somes’ Topakk” and Dan Villegas’ “Uninvited.” making its world premiere is song of the fireflies,” a film from the team behind “Ang Larawan,” the acclaimed film adaptation of the stage musical based on “Portrait of the Artist as filipino” by Nick Joaquin, the Philippines’ National Artist for Literature. mIff’s other special screenings include Gene Cajayon’s “the Debut,” a landmark filipino American film
celebrating its 25th anniversary; filAm Jonathan eusebio’s feature directing debut, “Love hurts”; regina Aquino’s “faith healers”; michele Josue’s “Nurse Unseen”; James Love’s “A filipino in America”; and the return of Cathy Garciasampana’s box office recordbreaking “hello, Love, Again.” tickets to “A tribute Dinner to our first responders” and screenings are now available. the revised screening schedule, closing night dinner and ticket information are available on the mIff’s website: https:// manilainternationalfilmfest. com/.
sINGer-actress and model maymay entrata wowed fans with her first magazine feature in the U.s on her Instagram account @maymay, the 27-year-old shared photos from her high-fashion shoot with "A Book of."
this has honestly been the most fun and fulfilling shoot I've had in such a long time! I'm incredibly grateful for the opportunity to be a part of this magazine. It's truly an honor to work with a talented and creative production team. this is my very first m agazine feature in the UsA, so I will never forget how special this experience has been. to everyone who made it possible, thank you so much!" entrata wrote. on its website, A Book of is described as an arts and culture publication covering pop culture, fashion, art, film, tV and music. Among its hollywood featured artists in the past were oliver stark ("9-1-1"), Dallas Liu ("Avatar: the Last Airbender"), Chace Crawford ("the Boys" and "Gossip Girl"), and Gillian Jacobs ("Community"). entrata's feature appeared on the "music Library" section of the website, which highlights emerging and established music artists. titled "maymay is a Dream in motion," the article, written by Jesse Zapatero, states, "As she prepares to release new singles, maymay remains steadfast in her purpose: sharing kindness, positivity, and faith through her artistry."
entrata — who has expanded her career into acting, singing and modeling following her victory on "Pinoy Big Brother" — has also graced the cover of Dubai-based magazine "Xpedition" and walked the runway at Paris fashion Week.
GmA Network and ABs-CBN inked the deal for “Pinoy Big Brother’s” 20th anniversary special – “Pinoy Big Brother Celebrity Collab edition” inside the PBB house.
Present during the event were GmA Network’s President and Chief executive officer Gilberto r. Duavit, Jr., executive Committee Chairman Joel G. Jimenez, senior Vice President for Programming, talent management, Worldwide, and support Group, and President and Ceo of GmA films Atty. Annette Gozon-Valdes, first Vice President for sparkle GmA Artist Center and talent Development and management Joy C. marcelo, Vice President for Corporate Affairs and Communications Angel Javier-Cruz, officer-inCharge for Program management Department mitzi Garcia, and senior Assistant Vice President for Program management Department Concie Agnes.
In attendance from ABs-CBN were Chairman mark Lopez, President and Chief executive officer Carlo L. Katigbak, Chief operating officer Cory V. Vidanes, Group Chief financial officer ricardo B. tan, Jr.,
head of tV Production and star magic Laurenti Dyogi, and Vice President of Corporate Communications Kane errol C. Choa.
“We are pleased to collaborate with ABs-CBN once again – this time to jointly bring a special edition of 'Pinoy Big Brother' to our Kapuso and Kapamilya audiences. Sabay-sabay nating tangkilikin ang naiibang PBB na ito,” Duavit said, welcoming the new partnership with ABs-CBN.
“We are very excited to collaborate with ABs-CBN to bring to the filipino audiences, the country’s longest running reality show, Pinoy Big Brother. Abangan ninyo ang pagsasama ng mga Kapuso at Kapamilya housemate sa teleserye ng
totoong buhay, malapit na malapit na sa GmA,” added Gozon-Valdes. Vidanes likewise underscored ABs-CBN’s latest partnership with GmA Network: “We are very, very happy to announce that on the 20th year of PBB, we are doing this special collaboration with GmA. this is a moment that will go down in history.” set to air on GmA, the “Pinoy Big Brother Celebrity Collab edition” will feature artists from sparkle GmA Artist Center and ABs-CBN’s star magic, creating unforgettable moments inside the PBB house. this partnership follows the success of “Unbreak my heart,” “It’s showtime,” and “hello, Love, Again.”
Marites Allen tells what the Chinese New Year has in store for Heart Evangelista, Alden Richards, and Marian Rivera.
Kathryn Bernardo, Dennis Trillo and Vice Ganda File photos
of Feng Shui’ Marites Allen Inquirer.net photo
Bela Padilla
Mayor Laurie announces inaugural SF Music Week, continues drive to revitalize SF economy
sAN frANCIsCo – mayor Daniel Lurie on Wednesday, January 31 announced the inaugural sf music Week, in collaboration with sf Live,Noise Pop, and the san francisco office of economic and Workforce Development (oeWD). this citywide celebration will spotlight the past, present, and future of san francisco’s renowned music scene with a dynamic program featuring panels, workshops, studio and venue tours, live performances, and more from february 24 through march 2, including an industry summit on february 28 at the swedish American hall.
sf music Week aims to fortify san francisco's position as a vibrant music hub by:
• Elevating the city's music scene: Showcasing the local music community and reinforcing san francisco's reputation as a city that champions the arts.
• Fostering industry growth: Convening artists, industry leaders, and innovators to collaboratively explore strategies for a more sustainable and vibrant music ecosystem.
• Empowering music professionals: Connecting industry members with resources and opportunities to advance their careers. the music industry is driving various economic investments throughout the city, highlighting how the arts are key to our comeback,” said mayor Lurie. “sf music Week will strengthen san francisco’s position as a global hub of arts and culture, allowing us to foster innovation, attract talent, and support local businesses.”
the sf music Week Industry summit on friday, february 28, is free to attend and will feature conversations with industry thought leaders. Ghazi, Ceo and founder of san francisco’s emPIre, the U.s.’s largest privately held independent record label, distributor, and publisher, will participate in a keynote conversation to kick off the summit. Grammynominated producer David Katznelson, awardwinning journalists emma silvers, and others will other moderate panels exploring the past, present, and future of san francisco’s music scene, as well as a special discussion on the intersection of music and technology. the summit will feature a diverse range of participants, including:
• Renowned local musicians: La Doña, Penelope houston, Austin Waz, and more
• Influential DJs and promoters: DJ Dials, Aaron Axelsen, and others
• Entertainment attorney: Michael Aczon
industry trends and live performances presented by Gazetteer sf historic venue and studio tours, film screenings, musician master classes, pop-up performances and more.
Additional official sf music Week partners hosting events include emPIre, Bandcamp, san francisco Conservatory of music, the fillmore, yerba Buena Center for the Arts, the roxie theater, KeXP, Blue Bear school of music, harlan records, market street Arts, Alamo Drafthouse, Counsel LLP, Psyched radio, and san franpsycho. the full calendar of partner events will be regularly updated at www.sflivefest.com. music has always been at the heart of san francisco’s vibrant arts scene, and it’s about time we gave it the recognition it deserves! We are so excited to partner with industry leaders to launch the first-ever sf music Week,” said sarah Dennis Phillips, executive director of the office of economic & Workforce Development. “this week is more than just an event; it’s a platform to spark meaningful partnerships and conversations that will help unlock opportunities for local music’s future growth. san francisco’s creative industries are a critical part of our local economy, and this initiative reaffirms our status as a top-tier music city.”
sf music Week’s offerings run concurrently with the 2025 Noise Pop festival. In 32 years of championing independent arts and culture, Noise Pop festival has blossomed into a 10-day, 160+ band, 80+ event, 25+ venue music and arts festival that remains a staple in the san francisco Bay Area. Noise Pop festival is a true celebration of independent music and arts. taking place across multiple venues throughout the city of san francisco, Noise Pop festival is a way to explore new artists, venues and nightlife. festival badges can be purchased at NoisePop.com for entrance to all shows, activities, and parties throughout the week.
“sf music Week represents a pivotal moment for our city's rich musical heritage and its promising future,” said stacy horne, event producer for Noise Pop Industries. “By partnering with sf Live and the office of economic and Workforce Development, we’re not just celebrating our vibrant music scene, but also actively shaping a more sustainable ecosystem for artists, venues, and music lovers alike.”
• Local industry executives: Allen Scott of Another Planet entertainment, michelle swing of Noise Pop, Danny Bell of Goldenvoice, Dan strachota of rickshaw stop and more to come. throughout sf music Week, official partner organizations will host a variety of unique events to showcase different elements of the local music ecosystem. Confirmed partner events include:
• An afternoon of workshops and office hours with music business executives at music City san francisco to help emerging and established musicians grow their professional careers
• Roundtable discussions with leading local music producers and engineers hosted by hyde street studios
sf music Week was inspired by the success of sf Live, a six-month series of free music concerts launched in may 2024 by esteemed san francisco arts and music producers Illuminate, san francisco Parks Alliance, Noise Pop, and Union square Alliance. supported by mayor Daniel Lurie and the san francisco office of economic and Workforce Development, sf Live is one of several initiatives to support the local nightlife and entertainment sector. sf Live has been supported through a $2.5 million investment from the California state Legislature that was led by City Attorney David Chiu when he was a state Assemblymember. for more information on partner events, panels, and details of the summit visit www. sflivefest.com.
• An evening of conversations on music
(SF Mayor’s office release)
Sky River announces spectacular February promotions
eLK GroVe – sky river Casino invites you to celebrate the Lunar New year and welcome the year of the snake with thrilling events and big prizes. We wish everyone a prosperous and fortunate Lunar New year! throughout february, sky river rewards members can participate in the “$800,000 Lucky red envelope Drawing” every saturday from 7 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. members can earn entries daily by playing their favorite slots and table games, with weekly prizes of up to $25,000 in cash available to
lucky winners. table game enthusiasts have an extra reason to celebrate with the exclusive “Lap of Luxury” promotion, continuing through february 28. running nightly from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m., this special event features weekly thursday winners and culminates in an extraordinary finale on february 28, where one fortunate player will be guaranteed to win a prestigious Porsche macan. the highlight of this year’s festivities is the return of Leung’s White Crane Dragon and Lion Dance Association with a special
lion dance performance on february 1, 2025, at 3 p.m. this stunning show is believed to bring good fortune to those who witness it.
sky river Casino continues to provide a premier gaming destination featuring an extensive selection of slots and table games. Guests must be sky river rewards members and 21 years of age or older to participate in these promotions.
Located conveniently on highway 99 in elk Grove, sky river Casino invites guests to visit the sky river rewards Club for complete promotional details. for complete details about these promotions and other casino offerings, including the rewards program, drinks and dining, entertainment options, and more, please visit www.skyriver. com.
Join Sky River Rewards sky river rewards, is one of the most hi-tech rewards programs among casinos in Northern California, allowing guests cardless play, cashless wallet, and more. the sky river rewards card is your key to receiving points for all your activities and those points can be redeemed for free Play or dining credits.
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Credits for a chance to receive up to $2,500 in free slot Play.
sky river Casino was built by the Wilton rancheria in partnership with Boyd Gaming Corporation, which is building and managing the property for the tribe. the casino opened in August 2022 and includes 100,000 sq ft of gaming, 2,100 slot machines, 80+ table games, and 18 bars and restaurants. to learn more, visit www.skyriver. com. (Advertising Supplement)
Ph delegation meeds NVIDIA officials, tours AI Experience Center
CoNsUL General Neil ferrer joined the 14-member Philippine delegation, led by Philippine economic Zone Authority (PeZA) Director General tereso Panga, during their visit to the headquarters of NVIDIA, considered as the world leader in Artificial Intelligence (AI) computing, in santa Clara, California on January 13, 2025.
During the visit, the group learned about AI Nations, which is NVIDIA’s program that helps the public sector harness AI to develop national priorities. the delegation also toured NVIDIA’s AI experience Center where they learned about some of NVIDIA hardware and software products and the numerous applications of their technology that have remarkable impact across sectors including in healthcare, manufacturing, and transportation.
Consul General ferrer was joined by Consul rowena Pangilinan-Daquipil, Philippine trade and Investment Center –silicon Valley (PtIC-sV) trade Commissioner Anne marie Kristine Umali, and PtIC-sV Assistant rosalie say. (PcGSF release)
Consul General in san francisco Neil ferrer attended a networking luncheon jointly organized by suba technology, Inc. and Ionics ems, Inc. on January 14, 2025 at fremont, California. he likewise undertook a tour of suba technology, Inc.’s facility. suba technology, Inc. is a manufacturing service company that is able to produce finished products and sub-assemblies for computer, industrial, medical, communication, and consumer electronics using the latest technology.
Ionics ems, Inc., a pioneer in the semiconductor manufacturing business, headquartered in Laguna, Philippines, is a partner of suba technology, Inc. the Philippine delegation to Ces 2025, led by Philippine economic Zone Authority
BostoN — on January 14, the U.s. Postal service unveiled the Lunar New year: year of the snake stamp in the historic Boch Center Wang theatre in Boston. the Postal service printed 21 million stamps that are now on sale at Post offices and usps.com.
U.s. in light of President Donald trump’s inauguration, executive orders and threats of mass deportations. this special episode marks the first-ever press conference in “Citizen Pinoy’s” 20-year history, held a day after the president announced plans for mass deportation of undocumented immigrants. In Part 1 of this twopart series, Atty. Gurfinkel delves into the president's proposed immigration strategies, highlighting their potential impact on millions of undocumented individuals, including filipinos. he also offers valuable guidance on available legal remedies and actionable steps for the undocumented to prepare for what could be the largest mass deportation in U.s history. Consul General mangalile sheds light on the
(9:30 Pm et) through select Cable/ satellite providers, right after tV Patrol Linggo. Citizen Pinoy is also available on iWanttfC. Viewers may download the free app. (Advertising Supplement)
our Lunar New year stamp series is extremely popular and we are very proud of how it highlights and celebrates America’s great diversity, said Luke Grossmann, chief financial officer and executive vice president, U.s. Postal service, who dedicated the stamp. “As you use these vibrant stamps to mail your letters and packages, it is our wish that the ‘year of the snake’ brings each of you good health, great joy and much prosperity.” other participants at the ceremony were tiffany Chu, chief of staff, office of Boston mayor Wu; terri mock, Board of Directors, BCNC; Isabel Kim, chief financial officer, the Asian American foundation (tAAf); singer Juliet Brownell-Lee; and the Wah Lum Kung fu and tai Chi Academy Performance troupe.
Lunar New Year stamp background the Lunar New year holiday is a celebration of new beginnings that falls on the second new moon of the Chinese lunar calendar following the winter solstice. on Jan. 29, millions around the world held parades and host parties, decorate with red and gold lanterns, set off firecrackers to ward off evil spirits, and invite family and friends to share traditional foods to welcome the new year. this date also marks the beginning of the year of the snake, the sixth animal on the Chinese zodiac. the year of the snake ends feb. 16, 2026. the holiday — and the weeks of celebration that surround it — mark the beginning of the traditional planting season in southeast Asia, but modern
Lunar New year festivities take place all over the world for people of Chinese, Korean, Vietnamese, Indonesian, mongolian, malaysian and singaporean heritage, among others. Known as tet in Vietnam, seollal in Korea, and the spring festival in China and elsewhere, Lunar New year historically marks the arrival of spring. representing hope and promise, the colors red and gold appear everywhere during this auspicious time of year. each year in the Chinese lunar calendar is associated with one of 12 animals in the Chinese Zodiac, each with its own characteristic traits. those born in the year of the snake are said to be quiet, wise and deep-thinking, making them proficient musicians, philosophers, writers and teachers. The stamp design Antonio Alcalá, an art director for UsPs, worked on the Lunar New year series of stamps with artist Camille Chew to create imagery that is fresh, fun and celebratory. Calling to mind the elaborately decorated masks used in the dragon or lion dances often performed during Lunar New year parades, Chew’s three-dimensional pieces are a contemporary
take on the long tradition of paper-cut folk-art crafts created during this auspicious time of year. Using greens and blues as the predominant colors, the snake mask incorporates elements of symbolic meaning. Blue accents represent the wood element in Chinese culture, a choice befitting the year of the snake. Paper flowers for spring are adorned with gold leaves and orange blooms. Decorative purple baubles on blue strings hang from the mask. Chew constructed the threedimensional snake mask out of hand-printed paper, then cut, scored and folded it into shape. she then embellished the mask with acrylic paint and other paper elements, such as flowers and tassels, and covered the back of the mask in a layer of papier-mâché. sally AndersenBruce then photographed the mask on a white background for this series.
Illustrations of the 12 zodiac animals, done in the artist’s unique style and finished in gold and orange foil, form vertical lines on the left and right sides of the pane of 20 stamps. In capital letters along the top, “LUNAr NeW yeAr” is printed in blue, followed by “yeAr of the sNAKe” in orange. the Lunar New year stamps are issued in panes of 20. As forever stamps, they will always be equal in value to the current first-Class mail 1-ounce price. Customers may purchase stamps and other philatelic products through the Postal store at usps.com/shopstamps, by calling 844-737-7826, by mail through UsA Philatelic or at Post office locations nationwide. for officially licensed stamp products, shop the UsPs officially Licensed Collection on Amazon. Additional information on stamps, dedication ceremonies and stamp-inspired products can be found at stampsforever. com. (USPS release)
From left: Lambert Parong, Lindy Rosales, Don Tagala, Momar Visaya, Attorney Michael J. Gurfinkel, Philippine Consul General to New York Senen Mangalile, Marilyn Abalos, Marivir Montebon, and Cesar Loverita.
FOREVER YOUNG CLUB PRESIDENT VISITS WITH MEDIA FRIENDS. Tess Gregorio,
journalist Henni Espinosa, Shirley
FYC’s Tess Gregorio, Vivian Virata and Peoples Lider publisher and journalist/columnist
Virata, who is known as the Dragon Lady in Philippine media circles. Photo courtesy of Henni Espinosa
Consul General Ferrer, PEZA DG Tereso Panga, and members of the PH delegation to CES 2025 pose with Shilpa Kolhatar, Global Head of AI Nations, NVIDIA and Jovi Gayac, Director, Executive Briefing Center, NVIDIA. San Francisco PCG photos
PEZA DG Tereso Panga (3rd from left) hands a token to Shilpa Kolhatar (4th from left), Global Head of AI Nations, NVIDIA.
From left: Consul Rowena Pangilinan-Daquipil, PTIC-SV Trade Commissioner Anne Kristine Umali, Consul General Neil Ferrer, NVIDIA Executive Briefing Center Director Jovi Gayac, Jay Chavez, EVP/ COO of Ionics-EMS, Inc., and Earl Lawrence Qua, Vice President for Business Development of Ionics-EMS, Inc.
PhILIPPINe
(PeZA) Director General tereso Panga, also attended the event. officials of Ionics-ems, Inc. earl Lawrence Qua and Jay Chavez, are part of the Philippine delegation. suba technology, Inc. was founded in 2022 by its Ceo rick suba, who is a filipino American. (PcGSF release)
thANKs to the nice and courteous service from Japan Airlines, I was well taken care of during my flight from manila to Narita, Japan to san francisco, California. I met kind couple Viniel and ren Diaz of Boston, massachusetts as well as writer hollis Cambodia and retired American military service officer Ambrosio siaotong, both from California. While on the plane I memorized by heart the 47 presidents of the United states from George Washington, John Adams, thomas Jefferson, James madison, James monroe, John Quincy Adams, Andrew Jackson, martin Van Buren, William henry harrison, John tyler, James Knox Polk, Zachary taylor, millard fillmore, franklin Pierce, James Buchanan Jr., Abraham Lincoln, Andrew Johnson, Ulysses s. Grant, rutherford B. hayes, James A. Garfield, Chester Alan Arthur, stephen Grover Cleveland, Benjamin harrison, stephen Grover Cleveland, William mcKinley, theodore roosevelt, William howard taft, thomas Woodrow Wilson, Warren G. harding, John Calvin Coolidge Jr., herbert hoover, franklin Delano roosevelt, harry s truman, Dwight D. eisenhower, John fitzgerald Kennedy, Lyndon B. Johnson, richard m Nixon, Gerald r ford, James earl Carter, ronald reagan, George herbert Walter Bush, William J. Clinton, George W. Bush, Barack obama, Donald trump, Joseph r. Biden Jr. to Donald trump.
* * * I was grateful to Justin Wilson, director of U.s senate Periodical Press Gallery, who assists bona fide correspondents working for a magazine, newsletter, non-daily newspaper or online publication and serves members of Congress and Congressional staff with any periodical press related questions or issues, as well as from the executive Committee of Periodical Correspondents (that decides which publications qualify for press credentials) and the Congressional Periodical Press Galleries (in
US Vice President JD Vance’s memoir ‘hillbilly
charge of administering credentials). I was supposed to be assigned in the West front seat of the Capitol for U.s. President Donald trump’s inauguration, but due to extreme weather conditions the venue was changed. the oath-takings of President trump and U.s. Vice President JD Vance were held inside the Capital rotunda. speaking of VP Vance, I was mesmerized by how caring he is toward his children. I could sense he might be the next president after trump in the near future.
VP Vance’s memoir “hillbilly elegy” (a 2016 memoir about the Appalachian values of his family from Kentucky and the socioeconomic problems of his hometown of middletown, ohio where his mother’s parents moved when they were young) was adapted into the 2020 film directed by ron howard and starring Glenn Close and Amy Adams. It is a story of rural sociology, poverty and family drama.
James David Vance (born James Donald Bowman, August 2, 1984) is an American author, attorney and marine Corps veteran. A member of the republican Party, he represented ohio in the U.s senate.
* * * former U.s. Pres. Joe Biden spoke recently with his holiness Pope francis and named him as a recipient of the Presidential medal of freedom with Distinction. for decades, Pope francis served the voiceless and vulnerable across Argentina. As a loving pastor, he joyfully answers children’s questions about God. And as a welcoming leader, he reaches out to “different faiths and commands us all to fight for peace and protect the planet.” this is the only time that former President Biden has awarded the Presidential medal of freedom with Distinction.
* * * on January 29, 2025, it will be Chinese New year! I randomly asked three couples (the last batch) to answer two questions: (1) What are your plans/ projects this year? (2) Any insights/learnings on the past year?
here are their honest replies: Dr. mark and Leane Bunag, a medical doctor and a nurse, respectively: (1) “Build our sav-
ings, have more travel, invest in properties, and have more quality time with the family.”; (2) “We prioritized our time and our health.”
Patrick and maricar saburit of Kylledmed Philippines: (1) “In 2025, our focus is on growth and meaningful connections. We’re looking forward to pursuing projects that align with our passions and exploring ways to contribute to the community. this year, we’re also excited to create more memorable experiences with our children as we travel and work on new ventures together. Balance and progress are our key priorities for the year ahead.”; (2) “2024 was a year of lessons. It taught us the importance of patience and adaptability when navigating life’s challenges. We’ve also come to value the power of being present — celebrating small victories, cherishing time with loved ones, and embracing every moment as a chance to grow and connect. these insights are shaping our perspective as we step into 2025.”
Chris and Adelle Lim, Philstagers foundation thespians: (1) “for 2025, we will still continue to perform in Psf as actors and marketing officers. We’ll save, invest and travel. We are planning to buy a retirement property outside manila and we will be focusing in improving our fitness and health, to be young looking this year.”; (2) “the opportunities and experiences given were eye-opening. It taught us how contentment can bring a whole new scale of happiness. It taught us how invaluable people are – our conversations, their insight, their experiences, and so much more. Looking forward to the new things I am about to encounter and the new version of ourselves who we ought to become – a healthier, braver, tougher and wiser version of ourselves!”
* * * the movie mark Wahlberg’s “flight risk” is now showing in cinemas worldwide, including the Philippines.
* * * The opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by the author do not necessarily reflect the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints of Asian Journal, its management, editorial board and staff.
* * * rogeliocmedina@yahoo.com
HOUSING HOUSING
Dr. Mark and Leane Bunag with their kids
Wahlberg’s
Medal of Freedom awarded recently to Pope Francis.
AJ columnist Rogelio Medina on the way to Narita, Japan onboard Japan Airlines.
and Maricar Saburit with their kids Chris and Adelle Lim
Rogelio C. Medina
From left: Rogelio Medina, and couple Ren and Viniel of Boston, Massachusetts
