Ysabel Jurado, LA’s first Fil-Am councilmember, sworn into office
HOUSING rights attorney Ysabel Jurado
was sworn in as a Los Angeles City councilmember on Saturday, February 1 during a public ceremony at the historic LA Central Public Library.
Jurado, 35, is the first councilmember of Filipino descent. She represents the city’s District 14 (CD 14), a vastly diverse region of the city that includes downtown LA (including Skid Row), Boyle Heights, Lincoln Heights, El Sereno, and much of Northeast LA.
Her parents were immigrants from the Philippines who migrated to Los Angeles with very little money—a core part of Jurado’s family history that colors much of her political ideology.
“Today is a moment to celebrate our collective commitment to usher in a new era centered around community and grounded by our integrity,” Jurado said at the packed Mark Taper Auditorium, which included supporters, other elected officials, and members of CD 14, as well as Jurado’s family, many of whom traveled from the Philippines.
During her speech, Jurado thanked her supporters and volunteers and celebrated the diversity of those who helped her get elected. She said that given the recent tumult of natural disasters and the new presidential administration’s attack on marginalized communities, she promised to stay true to her progressive ideals
“With the backdrop of the fires and also the national political agenda we need unity more than ever,” Jurado said.
Present at the ceremony were prominent local figures and activists, including LA Mayor Karen Bass and legendary labor activist Dolores Huerta.
“It’s moments like this that we need leaders like you who keep her eyes on the prize,” Bass told Jurado during her speech.
In her speech, Huerta—who founded the National Farm Workers Association and helped organize the historic Delano grape strike of 1965—honored not just the Filipino organizers she worked with, like Larry Itliong and Philip Vera Cruz, but also those who fought for the U.S. during World War II.
“That courage from the Filipino legacy
US senators reintroduce bipartisan bill to reunite Filipino WWII veterans with family
A BIPARTISAN group of United States lawmakers are reintroducing a bill that would speed up the
of 2025, reintroduced by Senators Mazie Hirono (D-HI) and Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), along with Representatives Ed Case (D-HI) and Jennifer Kiggans (R-VA), seeks to expedite the visa process for these long-separated families.
“Despite the service and sacrifices of Filipino soldiers who bravely fought on behalf of our country during World War II, many of these veterans still
How the US tariff war can impact Philippines, state economist explains
MANILA
by Jean Mangaluz Philstar.com
— As the world watches
U.S. President Donald Trump implement sweeping policy changes from imposing tariffs to suspending foreign aid programs, the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) remains optimistic about the Philippines’ resilience.
Trump has ignored a trade war with several countries, including a most recent 25% tariff on steel and aluminum imports to the U.S.
China, in response, said it would retaliate.
However, Rosemarie Edillon, undersecretary at NEDA, described the situation as a “wait-and-see game” for the Philippines, particularly when it comes to labor impact.
Edillon said any effects would likely hit the U.S. economy first before rippling across global markets.
For one thing, tariff wars could impact the exchange rate. The U.S. tariff wars could also drive inflation in the U.S., Edillon said.
Marcos slams Duterte, but bets avoid ‘VP trial’ talk
LAOAG CITY, ILOCOS NORTE
— As the 12 administrationbacked senatorial candidates in the May elections kicked off their campaign in President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s hometown turf here, they steered clear of one of the hottest issues of the midterm polls — the impending trial of impeached Vice President Sara Duterte.
However, the chief executive, addressing the Alyansa para sa Bagong Pilipinas proclamation rally at the packed Ilocos Norte Centennial Arena, took up the cudgels for them and wasted
no time in attacking the vice president’s father, former President Rodrigo Duterte, as well as some of the candidates of his predecessor’s faction of the Partido Demokratiko PilipinoLakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban).
He said not one of the administration candidates had blood on their hands for their role in Duterte’s ruthless war on drugs during his term.
“None of them conspired in pocketing public funds by taking advantage of the pandemic crisis while letting our countrymen get sick and die,” the president
haven’t been able to reunite permanently with their loved ones in the U.S.,” said Hirono in a statement.
“The Filipino Veterans Family Reunification Act would help expedite this process so these veterans can finally be
by
RECIPROCAL tariffs that U.S. President Donald Trump said he would announce this week could disrupt Philippine exports, analysts warned on Tuesday, February 11.
The move will be particularly damaging for the country, Moody’s Analytics economist Sarah Tan told The Manila Times, “because duties levied on U.S. imports are higher than the tariffs on Philippine imports imposed by [the] U.S.” If the United States aligns its tariffs accordingly, she added, the cost of Philippine exports to the U.S. will rise, making these less attractive to American buyers.
“More broadly, President Trump’s state commitment to respond to any retaliatory tariffs creates uncertainty in the global economy,” Tan also noted. She said that this would dampen capital investments and slow mergers and acquisitions as businesses adopt a wait-and-see attitude. Trump, who kicked off a trade war this month by
Filipino
advocates condemn ICE detention conditions, call out PH gov’t for inaction
FILIPINO migrant advocates from the Tanggol Migrante Campaign denounced the inhumane conditions in U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention centers and the lack of response from the Philippine government during a virtual press conference held on Wednesday, February 5. The conference came in the wake of recent ICE raids targeting Filipinos, including the detention of multiple caregivers in the Chicago area. Advocates underscored the urgency of addressing these violations and called on the Philippine Consulate to take decisive action in protecting overseas nationals.
“It was very quick. It was truly what President Trump wanted— expedited. There was no warrant given,” Allegretti said, emphasizing that caregivers and other migrant workers remain at the highest risk. “Many of them are only trying to pursue livelihood for themselves and their families, and are already taking up backbreaking work to do so.”
Allegretti also talked about two recently arrested Filipino women who remain unaccounted for as advocates struggle to determine their whereabouts. A health worker affiliated with Tanggol Migrante reported the incident, which happened in Albany Park on February 3, noting that bystanders were too afraid to intervene. Witnesses overheard four agents asking the women if they were U.S. citizens before
Nerissa Allegretti, President of the National Alliance for Filipino Concerns (NAFCON) USA reported that ICE raids have been sweeping through Chicago, which she described as “ground zero” for mass deportations under Trump’s immigration policies. The said ICE raid on January 24 at a suburban care home included eight Filipino caregivers, six of whom were detained and deported without a judicial warrant within a 24-hour turnaround while two of them were able to show proper documentation.
Janine alexis Miguel ManilaTimes.net
by AJPress
by Dempsey Reyes, maRlon Ramos Inquirer.net
by MoMar g. Visaya AJPress
by Klarize Medenilla AJPress
ENDORSEMENT. President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. (center) joins the 12 senatorial candidates of the Alyansa Para sa Bagong Pilipinas during the proclamation rally in Laoag City, Ilocos Norte on Tuesday, Feb. 11, 2025. In his speech, Marcos vouched for the slate’s tried and tested records in government service. PNA photo by Avito Dalan
Filipino advocates condemn ICE...
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taking them away in a “dark van with Homeland Security markings”. Efforts are underway to identify their names and locate their detention center.
PH government’s response under fire
The press conference took place a day after Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs
Undersecretary Eduardo de Vega claimed that no undocumented Filipinos had been arrested under the Trump administration. This assertion was strongly refuted by the advocates and community organizers, who cited numerous cases of detentions and deportations.
“I am painfully frustrated when I saw that article that said there are no Filipino immigrants during Trump’s crackdown. It’s not true, it is happening in Chicago,” Allegretti said.
Kort M. Lee, an attorney with the Mission to End Modern Day Slavery (MEMS) Legal Network, condemned the Philippine government’s inaction. “In instances where Filipinos have sought out support from the Philippine Consulates for Assistance to Nationals (ATN) funds, they’ve been ignored without response or given false promises. I would go as far as to
call it reckless behavior.”
Heightened fear
Filipino communities in the U.S. are experiencing heightened anxiety in the wake of aggressive immigration enforcement.
“At first, many were not so worried, but now we are really seeing people more anxious and afraid because Trump is actually implementing what he said he would do,” said Angela Albay of Anakbayan Inland Empire. “Filipinos are not showing up to work because they are afraid of threats of raids. Youth are also afraid to go to school in case ICE shows up.”
Atty. Lee also highlighted the additional vulnerability of queer and transgender Filipinos. “There are queer and trans Filipinos in the Northeast experiencing similar things— paranoia, not going out in public.
All federal facilities are expected to house people according to assigned sex at birth, leading to transwomen—Filipinas—facing an additional layer of fear due to the mistreatment they would likely face.”
Ligaya Jensen, a Filipina migrant detained by ICE for over six years at the Eloy Detention Center in Arizona, described the persistent climate of fear faced by detainees and revealed through
a phone call with members of the network that there is a climate of anxiety that detainees face under the Trump administration.
Speaking via phone, she stated, “Every single day people are scared that their name will be called. We need to have some kind of empathy for our experiences, and know we are human beings too.”
Albay criticized the Philippine Consulate’s failure to support detained Filipinos.
“We want the consulates to be active in reaching out to Filipinos in detention and respond to Filipino nationals in distress,” she said. “People are being held in torturous conditions. That’s why we demand that Ligaya be released immediately. We demand a full pardon to stop her deportation.”
The recent deportations bring the total number of Filipinos deported under Trump’s administration to over 30 within his first two weeks in office.
Advocates are urging both the U.S. and Philippine governments to take immediate action to protect the rights and dignity of Filipino migrants and as raids continue and deportations rise, community organizers vow to persist in their fight for justice and humane treatment. n
US senators reintroduce...
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the benefits they deserve.”
The legislation aims to amend the Immigration and Nationality Act by exempting the children of naturalized Filipino World War II veterans from existing visa quotas, removing the decadeslong backlog that has kept them apart.
Nevada, home to one of the largest Filipino American communities in the country, stands to benefit significantly from this legislation.
“Filipino veterans served our country admirably during World War II, but outdated laws have prevented them from reuniting with their loved ones in the United States,” said Senator Jacky Rosen (D-NV), who helped introduce the legislation. “I’m proud to join this bipartisan effort to expedite visa processing for the children of these heroes to ensure they can reunite. I’ll always push to honor our veterans for their service to our nation.”
More than 260,000 Filipino soldiers fought under the American flag during World War II, answering the U.S. call to defend the Philippines and the Allied cause. However, despite their bravery and sacrifices, these veterans were denied U.S. citizenship and military benefits due to the Rescission Acts of 1946, which stripped them of the same rights granted to other Allied soldiers.
It was not until 1990 that President George H.W. Bush granted citizenship to
approximately 26,000 Filipino veterans, but the law failed to extend citizenship or residency rights to their children. As a result, many families remained separated, with visa applicants often waiting decades due to immigration caps.
To address this, in 2016, Senator Hirono successfully advocated for the Filipino World War II Veterans Parole (FWVP) program, allowing veterans to temporarily reunite with their adult children and other close relatives. However, FWVP did not provide permanent residency solutions, and the backlog continued.
The Filipino Veterans Family Reunification Act of 2025 provides a long-term fix by ensuring these children can obtain green cards without being subjected to global visa limits.
The bill enjoys bipartisan and bicameral backing, with cosponsors in both the Senate and the House, including Senators Dan Sullivan (R-AK), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Brian Schatz (DHI), and Elizabeth Warren (DMA).
In the House, Representatives Judy Chu (D-CA), Raúl Grijalva (D-AZ), Pramila Jayapal (D-WA), and Jill Tokuda (D-HI) have also signed on in support.
“The Filipino veterans who fought for their homeland and for the Allied cause in World War II are seeing their numbers
dwindling and have been patiently waiting for the time when they can finally reunite with their loved ones,” said Representative Ed Case. “As these veterans near the end of their lives, they deserve the certainty of a non-revocable permanent solution.”
The bill has been supported by Asian Americans Advancing Justice-Atlanta, Asian Americans Advancing Justice-Los Angeles, Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance, AFL-CIO, Church World Service, Filipino Young Leaders Program, Human Rights First, Immigration Hub, Interfaith Welcome CoalitionSan Antonio, Japanese American Citizens League, Lawyers for Good Government (L4GG), National Council of Asian Pacific Americans, National Federation of Filipino American Associations (NaFFAA), National Immigration Forum, Pilipino Workers Center, PWC, Search to Involve Pilipino Americans (SIPA), Southeast Asia Resource Action Center, UndocuBlack Network, Veterans for American Ideals, Wind of the Spirt Immigrant Resource Center. If passed, this legislation would mark a historic step in recognizing the sacrifices of Filipino WWII veterans by ensuring their families are finally given the chance to reunite in the United States. As the number of surviving veterans dwindles, lawmakers and advocates stress that time is running out to grant these families long-overdue justice. n
PH hit seen from reciprocal...
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announcing tariffs on goods from Canada, Mexico and China, on Monday, February 12 fired another salvo by raising tariffs on steel and aluminum imports.
He also reiterated plans to impose reciprocal tariffs on other countries within two days, and said that he was looking at raising duties on cars, pharmaceuticals and semiconductor chips.
The Philippines is the world’s ninth-largest chip exporter according to the Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development, with the semiconductor sector the country’s largest export
industry.
Michael Ricafort, chief economist at Rizal Commercial Banking Corp., said the reciprocal tariffs would hit key exports, including electronic products that account for over half of total merchandise shipments to the U.S. Also likely to be affected are shipments of ignition wiring sets, other manufactured goods, coconut oil, machinery and transport equipment.
“[Reciprocal tariffs] could slow down international trade between the U.S. and the Philippines ... [and] would make Philippine exports to the U.S. more expensive,” Ricafort said.
Beyond bilateral trade, he noted that a broader slowdown in global trade was possible, indirectly affecting Philippine exports, particularly those that serve as inputs in global supply chains linked to U.S. markets. The U.S. was the biggest buyer of Philippine-made goods as of December last year, having purchased $947.77 million or 16.8 percent of total exports. Electronics remained the country’s top export, accounting for $2.80 billion or 49.6 percent of total exports during the month. Manufactured goods and coconut oil followed at $355.36 million and $283.56 million, respectively. n
Fil-Am attorney general vows to protect health care amid Trump’s funding freeze
“AS California goes, so goes the nation,” said state Attorney General Rob Bonta — and in the face of federal funding cuts, that goes for health care too.
As President Donald Trump realizes his campaign promises with a near-daily blitz of executive orders and funding cuts that put Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act (ACA) on the chopping block, California isn’t backing down — and other states are following suit.
“The chaos flooding us is their strategy, and as we see more, protecting the state’s decision to expand its Medicaid program to all low-income residents, regardless of immigration status, is a top priority,” said Bonta at a February 4 panel on health and politics held by Insure the Uninsured Project in Sacramento.
“We will vigorously defend against any new federal policies that interfere with state laws and state-funded Medicaid. Regardless of who’s in the White House, we’re going to keep moving forward,” he added.
Medicaid is the country’s largest health insurance program, covering nearly 80 million Americans.
In 2023, US Medicaid spending was $871.7 billion, with $591.4 billion, or nearly 68 percent of that, from federal funds.
Overall, Medicaid represents nearly $1 out of every $5 spent in the U.S.
Bonta said that California was poised to repeat and, if needed, surpass actions taken during the first Trump administration, including instigating a Supreme Court lawsuit upholding the ACA; defending state sanctuary and vaccine mandate laws; and
obtaining court injunctions that put stops on public charge, “a cruel policy designed to force immigrant families to forego public programs like health care out of fear that it will jeopardize their immigration status.”
An executive order issued by Trump on Jan. 27 — which attempted to disrupt health care spending and other federal programs like food, housing and child health, all totaling nearly $3 trillion — was sued the next day by 22 Democratic state attorneys general, including Bonta.
On Friday, February 7, U.S. district court judge John McConnell Jr. granted a temporary restraining order blocking the Trump administration from freezing those federal loans, grants and aid to 22 states, until McConnell can hear the states’ request for a longer-term block.
A hearing date is not yet set.
These attempted freezes also accompany Trump’s campaign promises to end enhanced ACA subsidies which, passed under Biden and set to expire at the end of 2025, cut premium payments nearly in half for millions of Americans and doubled enrollment, especially in red states.
“Health has become more politically determined than ever. We’re making sure that our patients know that they should vote, because it’s going to impact their health,” said Louise McCarthy, president and CEO of the Community Clinic Association of Los Angeles County (CCALAC), a coalition of 118 clinics serving two million patients annually and one in three Medi-Cal enrollees in LA County.
“Medi-Cal saved my own life,” she continued. “In 1996, I was in the hospital in Fairfield, California with a $22,000 bill. Pre-ACA, I narrowly qualified for emergency Medi-Cal, and it took the bill away. Without that, I wouldn’t be a homeowner, an employer or a taxpayer at my level. Healthcare transforms lives, and so does voting to keep it.”
“Eight years ago, folks stopped coming in for visits. They were afraid to enroll in coverage, even to drop their kids off at school. And now, we’ve lost our sensitive location status, which makes it even more challenging,” she continued. “They gave us the plan in Project 2025, and now they’re executing it. Our challenge now is to support people who are rightfully afraid to leave their homes.”
On Jan. 21, the Trump administration ended a 2011 policy that had protected sensitive locations — including hospitals, schools, churches, funerals, weddings and public demonstrations nationwide — from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations like undocumented immigrant arrests.
“We use the word ‘coup’ about other countries, never about ourselves, because we’re exceptional, it would never happen here. But it’s absolutely happening here,” said Manjusha Kulkarni, executive director of AAPI Equity Alliance, a coalition of 50 communitybased organizations serving 1.6 million AAPI, or 16 percent of LA County.
“Misinformation is free, while reliable information is behind a paywall. If you know your rights, share that knowledge. We share it in our health clinics, we host ICE workshops, and it works,” she continued.
Kulkarni cited as an example ‘border czar’ Tom Homan’s comments on CNN that late January ICE raids in Chicago were not as successful as expected due to immigrant education.
“They’re attempting to weaponize the ways we protect ourselves, even the words we use to describe ourselves,” added McCarthy. “What happens after this depends on who controls the narrative, and that depends on who’s the most unified.” (Selen Ozturk/Inquirer.net)
As ICE sightings flood social media, Immigration advocates push for accuracy
AS reports of alleged U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) sightings flood social media and new interactive mapping platforms, immigrant rights advocates are urging people to verify claims before posting.
Posts documenting suspected immigration enforcement have been spreading online since the inauguration of President Donald Trump, whose administration has reportedly directed ICE to set quotas for arrests. Trump also ended policies that prevented immigration officers from arresting immigrants at sensitive locations like schools and churches.
On Jan. 26, Homeland Security Investigations’ L.A. office posted on X that it was working with local ICE and DEA partners to conduct “enhanced law enforcement operations” in line with Trump administration priorities.
Well-intentioned, unverified and unclear posts documenting immigration activity can lead to “fear and hysteria,” said longtime community activist Carlos Montes,
guides for the public to grasp how to film immigration enforcement activity ethically and to recognize the differences between raids, checkpoints, and arrests.
They urge the public to take photos or video from a safe distance without exposing the identities of those being targeted and to take note of exact date, time, and location. Some guides recommend against livestreaming to avoid creating unnecessary fear if the event is not an immigration operation.
An illustration by Barrio Drive titled, “Spread Power Not Panic,” urges the public to report ICE sightings to local rapid response networks.
The Los Angeles Rapid Response Network has been in place since about 2006, but it has taken on an added sense of urgency after Trump was elected president in November. Led by the Coalition for Human Immigrant Rights (CHIRLA), the network is seeking volunteers to help verify reports of immigration activity.
CHIRLA’s spokesman Jorge-
an attorney or case manager to the scene, Cabrera said. By publicly posting unverified reports, Cabrera said, “We’re then spreading panic and we are assisting in the psychological warfare that the Trump administration is pursuing.”
“We should be spreading information about ‘Know Your Rights,’” Cabrera said. “We want to help the community empower themselves.”
On the Eastside, the Boyle Heights Immigrant Rights Network was recently reactivated and also offers a rapid response team. People can call (323) 8051049 to report a suspected ICE sighting.
A new interactive mapping site called People over Papers displays a map of the United States dotted with pins of anonymous users reporting immigration activity in several states like Alabama, Texas and California. It urges people to use the information “with caution and account for human error,” and to cross-reference with state or local rapid response networks.
DOUBLE-CHECK. Verifiers of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) inspect printed ballots for the May 12 national and local elections, at the Amoranto Sports Complex in Quezon City on Thursday, Feb. 13, 2025. Comelec Chairperson George Garcia said they borrowed a venue from the local government as the National Printing Office’s space is not enough.
PNA photo by Joan Bondoc
As ICE sightings flood social media...
to have gone live last week on the digital platform Padlet. Celeste, a user on TikTok, says the site emerged after she and other TikTok creators began collecting ICE activity on a Google spreadsheet. Celeste requested her last name remain private for security reasons. The Beat has not independently confirmed the ownership of the account.
The mapping tool began without any restrictions, allowing anybody to submit and automatically publish a sighting, said Celeste. Moderators now review submissions before publishing.
Users are asked for the time
and location of their sightings, as well as to detail the number of vehicles they’re documenting and to describe the kind of uniform or clothing officers are wearing. Pictures or videos can be uploaded. Some submit photos of other social media postings from Snapchat, TikTok, or Instagram alleging ICE sightings.
As of Wednesday, Celeste said a team of about 25 volunteers was moderating submissions.
“Hopefully this reduces false reporting, duplicate reporting, inappropriate reporting,” she said. The work has been exhausting, Celeste explained, with hundreds of submissions arriving daily since the tool went live. “I can’t
guarantee that those are all accurate; some of these are just alleged sightings,” she said. With time, Celeste hopes to improve the process of removing spam or false reporting.
The work is personal for Celeste, who comes from an immigrant household.
“Right now, this is a team of people that have come together with this cause in our heart, that we want to help, and provide assistance, and we’re doing that with the labor of love,” she said. “In the future we’re going to be more organized and we’re going to be able to set it up in a way that is sustainable.”
(Ethnic Media Services)
How the US tariff war can impact Philippines...
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She added that if the U.S. Federal Reserve responds to these developments, it could trigger changes in global interest rates, which would also influence Philippine rates.
Despite these uncertainties, Edillon said NEDA does not foresee significant labor disruptions in the Philippines. On the contrary, the country could stand to gain from positioning itself as an alternative source of exports.
“We can gain a lot from our regional free trade agreements,” she said, citing potential opportunities with countries like
Canada and Mexico. “maybe what they will do is to maximize the regional free trade agreements and this is where we can really benefit.”
The Philippines and Canada are currently engaged in free trade negotiations as of January. Impact of USAID freeze
Apart from the tariff war, Trump’s decision to freeze United States Agency for International Development (USAID) projects has placed 39 development initiatives in the Philippines in limbo. These include critical programs ranging from environmental conservation to education in Bangsamoro.
While acknowledging the potential impact, Edillon downplayed its severity, noting that the Philippines has reduced its reliance on U.S. aid over time.
“Before, we depended on USAID for school buildings. Now, it’s more about technical assistance, which we can source from other development partners,” she said in Filipino.
NEDA continues to work on studies initiated with USAID, incorporating input from its staff despite the freeze. The agency is also awaiting further developments from Washington regarding the suspension. n
Marcos slams Duterte...
noted in his pointed speech.
“None of them cheered for China when our Coast Guard is hit with water cannon and when our fishermen are blocked (by Chinese ships),” he added in Filipino.
Without naming detained cult leader and PDP-Laban senatorial candidate Apollo Quiboloy, the president said: “None of them acted as sacristans of a false prophet who is facing charges for assaulting our youth and women.”
Presidential endorsement
The result of the May 12 senatorial race is crucial for the vice president because it will determine the composition of the Senate impeachment court that is expected to hear the complaints endorsed last week by the more than 200 House members against the country’s second highest official.
In a news briefing on Tuesday, February 11, eight of the 12 senatorial candidates of the Alyansa para sa Bagong Pilipinas vowed to pursue their own legislative agenda and advocacies to help realize the president’s campaign promise of a better Philippines.
“The goal of the Alyansa is to make laws that would improve our economy, provide sustainable livelihood programs and make our health programs better,” said incumbent ACT-CIS Rep. Erwin Tulfo, the perennial front-runner in all preelection surveys.
Former Senate President Vicente Sotto III, who is seeking a return to Congress after his failed vice presidential bid in 2022, said Marcos’ commitment to attend at least 21 proclamation rallies nationwide would bolster their chances of making it to the winning circle.
“The president’s endorsement is very critical,” said the 76-year-old Sotto, who is eyeing an elective post for the eighth time since 1988.
Former Sen. Panfilo Lacson, who had exposed various irregularities during his three previous six-year terms as senator, said he would continue his anticorruption advocacy if given another opportunity to serve in the Senate.
Premature issue
But Marcos’ chosen candidates refused to comment on the efforts of the House of Representatives to remove Duterte from office for alleged culpable violation of the Constitution, corruption, and betrayal of public trust.
Outgoing Makati City Mayor Abby Binay, a lawyer, said it would be “premature” for them to address the issue since they might become members of the Senate impeachment court if they win the senatorial race.
As judges, she noted that the senators should be “impartial”
regardless of their political affiliation.
“First of all, we should win first,” said Binay, eliciting chuckles from her fellow candidates.
Sotto disagreed that the vice president’s impeachment should be an election issue, as he pointed out that it would be better to discuss the rules that the Senate impeachment court must adopt.
According to him, there are “two conflicting rules” that the senators should address first before tackling the impeachment complaint filed by 215 House members against Duterte.
During the impeachment trial of then Chief Justice Renato Corona in 2011, the comedianturned-lawmaker noted that the Senate had agreed that the proceedings “shall continue… until a final judgment is rendered.”
“Whether or not the Congress or the Senate adjourns (its session), the impeachment trial must continue. That’s the content of our rules then,” Sotto said.
However, he said the Senate’s existing rules as a legislative body stated that “all matters and proceedings shall terminate upon expiration of Congress.”
“On June 30, the 19th Congress will expire. So that’s conflicting. What happens now? [I’m very sure] somebody will take this to court because this is a justiciable issue,” he warned.
Legislative majority
“Being a justiciable issue, the Supreme Court may take this up (and decide) whether the (next Congress) may continue (Duterte’s impeachment trial) or not. The problem is if the Supreme Court decides that the trial should not continue, then all the efforts of the current Senate would be wasted,” he said.
“I don’t think it’s going to be an election issue,” he maintained.
For political analyst and former presidential adviser Ronald Llamas, the biggest battle in the May elections will be for 12 spots in the 24-seat Senate, a chamber packed with political heavyweights and wielding outsized influence.
For Marcos, the elections are widely seen as a referendum on his leadership as he seeks to secure a legislative majority to push forward his administration’s agenda.
But the stakes are equally high for Duterte, as the election for the upper house will effectively decide half of the jurors in the Senate impeachment trial.
For Duterte to be removed, at least 16 senators, or twothirds of members, must vote to convict her.
A survey by independent pollster Pulse Asia last month showed nine of the president’s
senatorial candidates leading the race, but two Duterte loyalists were in the top 12, keeping the vice president’s camp in contention.
Duterte led opinion polls last year on preferred candidates for the next presidency, so her removal, according to Llamas, could be a boon for Marcos’ chances of deciding his successor.
Varying positions “If you’re able to convict Sara … in a way, you level the playing field,” he said. “There’s no longer any dominant candidate.”
Other analysts also expect the impeachment trial to take center stage and add a little flavor to this year’s elections.
Jean Encinas-Franco, a political science professor at the University of the Philippines (UP) Diliman, on Tuesday, said she expected the president’s candidates to “play safe” in voicing their stance on Duterte’s impeachment.
“This is especially because for the Senate seats, anything that will affect your position in the surveys will matter, so they will definitely be very careful,” she said.
She added that other candidates may have to “tone down” their positions on the impeachment should they campaign in Mindanao, the bailiwick of the Dutertes.
For the opposition candidates under the Makabayan coalition, Franco said it would be best for them to stick with their current positions on Duterte’s impeachment.
“They have been very vocal and the people already know what their positions are, so I’m not sure if they can [tone it down] without looking like insincere candidates,” Franco said.
This is also applicable to the tandem of former Senators Francis Pangilinan and Bam Aquino, she added.
“They came out with their statements [on] their social media pages. So, I think they already know that the people expect them to really be vocal for impeaching and trying Sara Duterte,” she said.
Should the opposition candidates decide to “waver” on their positions about the impeachment, Franco warned that this may even alienate their “sure voters.”
Maria Ela Atienza, also a UP professor of political science, agreed that opposition candidates would definitely be vocal about the conviction of the vice president.
However, she said the midterm elections could also serve as an opportunity for the vice president to test her popularity and even viability as a presidential candidate for 2028. — With a report from Kathleen De Villa
Ysabel Jurado, LA’s first Fil-Am councilmember...
continues down to Los Angeles City Council with Ysabel Jurado, who represents, not just the Filipino community but all communities,” said Huerta, who administered Jurado’s taking of the oath of office.
Recognizing the multicultural makeup of CD 14, Huerta said, “We have all of these colors in [CD 14] that forms a rainbow that will be the light that we need to go through these difficult times that we’re facing, and we need leaders like Ysabel Jurado who understand that.”
As a housing rights attorney, Jurado fought against gentrification and advocated for permanent solutions to the ongoing housing crisis in LA.
LA City Controller Kenneth Mejia, who is also Filipino American, told LA This Week that he is “so excited to share this space with her as one of our elected officials. Ysabel is out here fighting for the people.”
“She’s inspirational, and I’m positive she’ll actually represent the people in City Council,
something that so many [city leaders] failed to do,” Bianca Torre, a Filipina American student at USC who canvassed for Jurado in the fall, told the Asian Journal. In addition to her plans to expedite housing solutions and providing resources for the city’s
LOOSE FIREARMS. The Police Regional Office 11 (Davao Region) in Davao City presented 881 loose firearms on Wednesday, Feb. 12, 2025. Fifty-three of the firearms were confiscated during the Commission on Elections gun ban. PNA photo by Robinson Niñal Jr.
homeless population, one of Jurado’s first projects as city councilmember has been to renovating the Benjamin Franklin Public Library in Boyle Heights. She also introduced a motion to address street lighting issues across CD 14. n
Los Angeles Councilmember Ysabel Jurado of CD14 (center left) is joined by Dolores Huerta (left), LA Mayor Karen Bass (center), former Cerritos Mayor Mark Pulido (center right), LA City Controller Kenneth Mejia (2nd row, center), and members of the City Council and community leaders during Jurado’s swearing-in ceremony on Saturday, February 1.
Los Angeles Councilmember Ysabel Jurado of CD14 takes the oath of office, administered by labor activist Dolores Huerta, on Saturday, February 1 during a community swearing-in ceremony in at the Central Public Library in Downtown LA. Photos
Dateline PhiliPPines
Philippines, US, Canada conduct joint sail in the West Philippine Sea
MANILA — Naval and air
forces from the Philippines, United States, and Canada patrolled together in the West Philippine Sea on Wednesday, February 12, marking the seventh such joint maritime activity since last year to boost regional security cooperation.
The ongoing patrol, conducted in the waters off Northern Luzon, focuses on strengthening the three nations’ ability to work together at sea and in the air, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) said in a statement.
“The activity will be conducted in a manner consistent with international law and with
due regard for the safety of navigation, and the rights and interests of other States,” AFP
Chief Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr. said in a statement prior to the conduct of the patrol. This latest multilateral maritime cooperative activity (MMCA) reinforces the three countries’ shared goal of maintaining open and free access to Indo-Pacific waters, while ensuring respect for international maritime laws under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, said Brawner. Military officials kept operational details private, with AFP Public Affairs Chief Col. Xerxes Trinidad declining
to name the ships and aircraft involved for security reasons.
The three-nation maritime exercise follows a series of similar activities that first began in April. Since then, the three allied forces have conducted joint maritime exercises in June, August, September, and December last year, with the most recent one held on February 5.
The sixth MMCA on February 5 involved the Philippines, the US, Japan and Australia. China warships were seen observing the activity at a distance but did not interfere. (Philstar.com)
NBI files criminal cases vs Sara Duterte for threatening Marcos
by TeTch ToRRes-Tupas Inquirer.net
MANILA — The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) has filed before the Department of Justice (DOJ) criminal cases against Vice President Sara Duterte for saying during a live stream press conference that, in case she would be killed, she had already hired someone to kill
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos, and House Speaker Martin Romualdez.
NBI Director Jaime Santiago said cases for inciting to sedition and grave threats were filed on Wednesday, February 12.
“We filed inciting to sedition and grave threats. The DOJ will weigh on these complaints — whether both cases will be filed [in court], or just one case, or they will be dismissed,” Santiago said in Filipino in a press conference. Santiago did not give other details as to the pieces of evidence that led them to make such a recommendation.
However, he admitted that
they were not able to identify the gunman that Duterte was referring to who agreed to kill the three if she would herself be killed.
Meanwhile, Chief State Prosecutor Richard Anthony Fadullon said the National Prosecution Service would be evaluating the complaint.
“It will again be evaluated to determine if the evidence is complete. If it is, then that is the only time it can be referred for preliminary investigation.
Pending the results of the evaluation, we cannot say anything more for now in order not to preempt the results and prejudice the rights of any party,” Fadullon said.
Duterte failed to appear before the NBI last year to give a statement about her Zoom press conference that was aired on various social media platforms.
Instead, her lawyer delivered a letter to NBI Director Jaime Santiago stating her denial.
“Since your office acknowledges that it has access to publicly available material on the internet, we are confident that the content and context of the entire press conference subject matter of your investigation will bear this out,” read the letter. n
MANILA — Smuggled goods worth P85.1 billion were confiscated by the Bureau of Customs in operations in 2024, the agency said on Wednesday, February 12.
In a statement, the bureau said it conducted over 2,100 anti-smuggling operations last year to target counterfeit products, illegal drugs, tobacco products, vape items and agricultural commodities. Customs also reported that it saw almost 20 billion liters of fuel in its fuel marking program, a measure to combat the smuggling of petroleum products. The bureau said the amount of fuel marked in 2024 generated P242 billion in tax revenue and saw a 5-percent increase from the fuel marked in 2023.
Furthermore, Customs said it revoked the licenses of 56 importers and brokers found to have violated regulations; and filed 45 criminal cases for smuggling incidents.
“By leveraging intelligence, enforcement and interagency collaboration, the BOC remains steadfast in its mission to secure our borders and uphold economic stability,” Commissioner Bienvenido Rubio said in a statement. n
by Jason sigales Inquirer.net
Vice President Sara Duterte File
HOPE springs eternal
THE official campaign period for the midterm elections started on Tuesday, February 11 for the national races. As in previous electoral exercises, stakeholders are again working for HOPE – honest, orderly and peaceful elections. Unfortunately, there has always been a yawning gap between the aspiration and reality.
The start of the campaign period means the Commission on Elections finally has authority to regulate the conduct of the campaigns of candidates for the Senate and the party-list system.
There’s a lot to regulate. Electoral anarchy has descended on the land, thanks to self-serving legislation and the interpretation of laws by the Supreme Court. Across the country, campaign materials of “unli” sizes have been inflicted on the public. Billboards and streamers are displayed everywhere, on vacant lots, walls and fences of public and private structures alike. Campaign materials dangle from electric posts, trees and utility wires, assaulting environmental laws and aesthetics.
Local government officials, who should be regulating the display of such materials using laws against littering and the display of outdoor advertising materials, are often the ones leading the space polluters. The Department of Environment and Natural Resources, which could invoke environmental laws in going after the
OVER the past two and a half weeks since President Donald Trump took his oath of office as the 47th President of the United States, we’re very pleased to note that our relationship with the U.S. is very positive and continues in its upward trajectory. While there are some issues surrounding the relationship – with one of them obviously involving the new U.S. government’s immigration policy which may affect many Filipinos in the United States – we are confident that our longstanding alliance and special relations will enable us to resolve these concerns in a positive and mutually satisfactory manner.
At the onset, the general tenor has been very cordial and pleasant, beginning with that congratulatory phone call to then president-elect Donald Trump by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., who expressed his “continuing desire to strengthen” the relationship between the two
Long View
THE story goes something like this. When Roberto Romulo, who was a former IBM executive was secretary of Foreign Affairs, excited staffers presented an ambitious computerization plan during a departmental budget review. The famously peppery Romulo took one look at their presentation and asked, “But what about the typewriters? What do you do when there’s a brownout? This is the Philippines, you fools!”
True or not, I was reminded of that story as the world’s been both astounded and horrified by the dismantling of the United States government going on under the auspices of Elon Musk, who cleverly transformed an obscure office, the U.S. Digital Service, into the United States Department of Government
polluters, has washed its hands of the issue. The Comelec has a lot on its plate, apart from dealing with campaign litter. It must monitor campaign spending and battle disinformation and other malicious campaign-related content online, now facilitated by artificial intelligence. It must confront vote-buying in the time of e-wallets. It is again working with the uniformed services to prevent election violence, which has undermined every electoral exercise in this country. In working for HOPE, the Comelec will need all the help it can get. Rival candidates can watch each other’s camps for possible electoral violations. The Comelec is encouraging the public to alert the poll body about violations on the display of campaign materials in public spaces as well as possible vote buying and the abuse of state resources for personal or partisan purposes. Honest, peaceful elections have been elusive in a country where thievery by public officials has become institutionalized, but people cannot
Continued upward trajectory: US-PH relations under Trump
countries which is “as deep as can possibly be” because it has been in existence for a very long time.
Subsequently, the call of U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio to our Foreign Affairs Secretary Ricky Manalo – actually one of the first phone calls made by the former senator as Secretary of State – was also very encouraging, with the U.S. Cabinet Secretary reiterating the ironclad commitment of the U.S. to the Philippines under the 1951 Mutual Defense Treaty, along with an exchange of views on how security cooperation and economic ties can be expanded for shared prosperity.
This was followed by our in-person meeting with Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro and National Security Advisor Michael Waltz, as well as Principal Deputy National Security Advisor Alex Wong and National Security Council Senior Director for Asia Ivan Kanapathy at the West Wing of the White House.
Just last Thursday, February 6, U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth had an introductory phone call with Secretary Teodoro to discuss the alliance
and the importance of reestablishing deterrence in the South China Sea by working with allies and partners.
Like State Secretary Rubio, Defense Secretary Hegseth also reaffirmed the “ironclad commitment” of the United States to the 1951 MDT and its importance in maintaining “a secure and prosperous IndoPacific.”
What was also significant was the discussion about enhancing the capability of the Armed Forces of the Philippines –which is another positive sign that the support for our AFP modernization program will continue, among them the $500-million long-term military financing for the Philippines, which is an initial tranche as we will continue to work with our friends from both sides in the U.S. Congress who all support this initiative.
On the economic front, the balance of trade between the U.S. and the Philippines has generally been in our favor, considering that the U.S. continues to be our largest export market, and the trade imbalance has not been very big, unlike other countries such as China, for example.
Before proceeding to Manila,
I joined a luncheon forum where former Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross was one of the guests, together with former National Security Advisor Ambassador Robert O’Brien. Both men, who served under the first Trump administration, told us that nations that have a good relationship with the U.S. on the aspect of defense and trade will always be favorably looked upon by President Trump – unlike some nations that they feel are “taking them for a ride,” so to speak, charging high tariffs for American goods entering their countries.
We have been doing the rounds not only in Washington, D.C. but in other states as well, interacting with business leaders and university students taking up foreign relations and diplomacy to strengthen not only our people-to-people ties but our economic relations to elevate the profile of the Philippines.
During an event arranged by the East-West Center in Washington on the growing trilateral partnership between the United States, Japan and the Philippines and how consequential this is for the Indo-Pacific, I spoke about the Reciprocal Access Agreement
signed last July between the Philippines and Japan, mirroring the Philippines-U.S. Visiting Forces Agreement that facilitates joint military training and exercises.
I underscored that the U.S. and Japan have committed to bolstering the Philippines economically through initiatives that include coordinated infrastructure development along the Luzon Economic Corridor together with other like-minded partners, supporting the efforts of the Philippines to become economically resilient to withstand economic coercion.
There are so many things in the pipeline that we have been working on not only with regard to defense and security cooperation but on the economic aspect as well.
As a matter of fact, we had a visit from a private American businessman who paid a courtesy call on the President – which is another encouraging indication that the Philippines is still very much in the radar of potential investors.
We will also be hosting a reception for the U.S.Philippines Society (USPS) co-chaired by the highly respected diplomat and
former U.S. Ambassador to the Philippines John Negroponte, and Ayala head Jaime Augusto Zobel de Ayala. Since its founding, the USPS has been a bridge connecting both nations to ensure continuity in the relationship from one administration to another –building on whatever has been achieved to make it grow and flourish even more.
A private, non-profit organization composed of American and Filipino businessmen, the U.S.Philippines Society has made it a mission to build on our longstanding ties and boost economic, trade and investment prospects between the United States and the Philippines. As I have continuously underscored on many occasions, the Philippines must be economically strong and resilient in order to become a strong as well as a reliable partner and ally of the United States. (Philstar.com)
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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
Not friends, not partners, not even allies
Efficiency (DOGE) Service, and subsequently sent agents to barge into government offices to seize control of their computer systems, putting payroll and human resources into the hands of an agency meant to do to bureaucrats what Musk has done to the private sector: slash and burn at warp speed. Beds were moved into the DOGE office so Musk’s team of young programmers can work 24/7, a frenetic, private sector pace bureaucracy, which clocks out at regular hours and doesn’t work weekends, can’t match. It sure couldn’t happen here! But it’s happening in Washington.
The Guardian reports that the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) is the world’s biggest donor and provides 42 percent of the world’s humanitarian assistance (a staggering percentage). If you still suffer from the delusion that things on the internet last forever, the disappearance of data on the Philippines, such as Mindanao
programs, should finally disabuse you of that notion. All that’s left of what USAID once upon a time used to do (to the tune of at least $100 million a year: Rappler reports us being “the second-largest recipient of USAID funding in the East Asia and Oceania region”), is the ghostly presence of cheerful press releases on the U.S. Embassy website. (But for how long?) For once, our usually infinitely resourceful man in Washington, Babes Romualdez, seems at a loss. He’d been able to nimbly position the Philippines positively in terms of defense and the economy, but like everyone else, he seems blindsided by the sudden U.S. decision to suspend foreign aid pending a review, which has now become a kind of deathwatch as people place bets on how much longer USAID has left to live.
Considering Americans are a giving culture, what accounts for this sudden revocation of the post-World War II donor policy of the U.S.? In trying
to describe Trump’s might makes right, go it alone unless there’s a transaction mindset, most analysts have described it as his being an isolationist. It’s not that, per se, writes Jennifer Mittelstadt who calls it Trump’s being a “sovereigntist,” instead. At the heart of such thinking, which dates back to opposition to Woodrow Wilson’s proposing American membership in the post-World War I League of Nations (itself the failed precursor of today’s United Nations), is a rejection of international organizations because they diminish national sovereignty (consider Brexit).
When Malaysia cut the umbilical cord of Moro rebels because continued conflict risked spreading to Sabah, USAID was instrumental in helping to build up civil society not just in Moro areas but in warlord-dominated Mindanao in general. Indeed, as civil society in general has withdrawn from active political involvement, it’s been the American umbilical
cord that has kept NGOs viable. It helped ensure a steady investment in boring democracy- and economiccompetency-building activities as our political class spent more and more of its time and energy in a kind of arms race with voters, who have become increasingly mercenary even as leaders have run out of ideas (but not appetite).
What now? Like the media, NGOs are going to discover that even if they die, no one, relatively speaking will miss them. There will be many celebrating their demise along with the evaporation of American soft power.
As former President Rodrigo Duterte used to say, with contempt, the American idea of official hospitality was coffee and a donut while—and here, his expression would become dreamy—the Chinese laid out lauriats for officials.
Two decades ago, a Chinese Filipino civil society leader from Mindanao told me that when the U.S. ambassador went to their part of Mindanao,
views expressed by our Op-Ed contributors are solely their own and do not necessarily reflect the predilection
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it was like “a visit of a governor-general,” practically “an armed invasion,” while the Chinese ambassador, by way of (a very pleasing) contrast, would make a point of visiting Chinese business associations and give them gifts of motorcycles—without preaching.
In 1997, ironically during a journalist’s trip to Seoul, Washington, and Pearl Harbor cosponsored by the State and Defense departments, a senior Korean editor took me aside and advised me in a low voice, “Never trust the Americans.” It’s a fundamental lesson that non-Americans who like to believe they are “friends, partners, allies,” can once again be told by America’s enemies to take to heart.
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* * 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.
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Email: mlquezon3@gmail.com; Twitter: @mlq3
Manuel l. Quezon III
ManilaTimes.net photo
Acts of service is Filipinos’ top love language — survey
by ian laqui Philstar.com
MANILA — Sixty-seven
percent of adult Filipinos express their love through acts of service, making it the most prevalent of the five love languages, according to a recent Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey.
The survey, conducted from Dec. 12 to 18, 2024, reveals that actions like cooking a meal, running errands, or helping with chores resonate most strongly as expressions of love.
Following acts of service are words of affirmation and quality time, both chosen by 51% of
respondents. Giving gifts was cited by 33%, while physical touch was preferred by 29%. This preference for acts of service is reflected in Filipinos’ Valentine’s Day wishes. “Love and companionship” topped the list at 19%, surpassing money (10%), which was the most desired gift last year. For Valentine’s Day, both men and women most commonly desired love and companionship, with 20% of men and 17% of women choosing it. Men’s other top choices were heartfelt gifts (9%) and flowers (8%), while women also preferred money (15%) and flowers (12%).
Despite these findings, the survey also revealed a record low of 46% of Filipinos who are “very happy” with their love life—a 12-point drop from 58% in December 2023 and the lowest percentage in 20 years.
Thirty-six percent said they “could be happier,” while 18% reported having “no love life.”
The decline in relationship happiness was observed among both men and women across all civil statuses, with the most significant drop seen among men in live-in relationships, according to the SWS.
The survey was conducted through face-to-face interviews with 2,160 adults nationwide. n
Feeding supporters during campaign rallies not allowed – Comelec
by dianne saMpang Inquirer.net
MANILA — Providing food or drinks to supporters during campaign sorties is prohibited, Commission on Elections (Comelec) Chairman George Erwin Garcia said on Tuesday, February 11, the start of the campaign period for Senate and party-list group seat aspirants
“Bawal po ang pagpapakain, yan po ay nakalagay mismo sa batas. Bagamat po naaawa kami sa mga umaattend pero yan po ang nakalagay sa batas, dapat sundin ng mga kandidato at partidong politikal,” Garcia said iohe sidelines of the kick-off of “Oplan Baklas” ( Operation Dismantle .) ( Feeding [of supporters] is not allowed because the law says so. While we pity those who attend, that is what the law states, and the candidates and party-lists must abide by it .) Garcia said this is a mandate under the 1985 Election Code or the Omnibus Election Code (OEC).
“Yun ang sinasabi natin, 1985 Election Code po yan at wala po tayong magawa sapagkat kahit matagal na batas na, hindi pa po nababago ang batas,” Garcia added. ( That’s what we are saying, the 1985 Election Code and
In talks with Marcos, Cambodia PM urges regional unity amid conflict
by cRisTina chi Philstar.com
MANILA — In his first visit to Manila as Cambodia’s leader, Prime Minister Hun Manet called for Southeast Asian nations to uphold the region’s centrality “especially at times of conflict” while avoiding explicit mention of tensions in the South China Sea.
At a joint press conference in Malacañang after a bilateral meeting with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., Hun Manet also pledged Cambodia’s “full support” as the Philippines prepares to take on the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) chairmanship in 2026 while stressing the importance of regional unity.
Hun Manet is on a two-day official visit to Manila that began Sunday, February 9, his first to the Philippines since taking over Cambodia’s premiership from his father Hun Sen.
The Cambodian leader’s trip is aimed at elevating relations and advancing cooperation between the Philippines and Cambodia, according to a prior release by the Presidential Communications Office.
His visit comes as Manila grapples with flaring tensions with Beijing in the South China Sea. Cambodia maintains close economic ties with China, which has poured billions in investments into the Southeast Asian nation.
I assured President Marcos of Cambodia’s full support,” Hun Manet added.
Marcos also said they “exchanged views on ASEAN matters and other regional issues” during their bilateral meeting.
The two leaders agreed to boost military and security cooperation, with Marcos expressing satisfaction over “the growing partnership between our militaries and uniformed services.”
“I anticipate the continued exchange of best practices and knowledge to support our mutual aspiration for regional peace and security and our collaborative efforts in enhancing our resiliency,” Marcos said.
During their talks, both leaders witnessed the signing of eight bilateral agreements spanning various sectors including taxation, digital transformation, agriculture, and tourism.
The two leaders also tackled sensitive issues, with Marcos expressing gratitude for Cambodia’s royal pardon of 13 Filipino surrogate mothers who were convicted by a Cambodian court for their participation in an alleged baby trafficking ring.
The 13 women returned to the Philippines last December.
Marcos said he and the
Cambodian leader “agreed to continue working together in a manner befitting our nations’ friendship and reflective of our vision for the improved peace, prosperity, and well-being of all our peoples in the region.”
The Philippines and Cambodia established diplomatic relations in 1957.
Cambodia’s position In 2016, Cambodia blocked ASEAN from issuing a joint communique by objecting to any mention of the Philippines’ legal victory against China at the Hague-based Permanent Court of Arbitration. Cambodia is not a claimant state in the South China Sea dispute.
During a visit by China’s top diplomat to Cambodia last year, officials of both countries expressed their commitment to advancing negotiations on the ASEAN-China Code of Conduct in the South China Sea. The principle of ASEAN centrality has been tested in the regional bloc’s negotiations with China for a code of conduct in the South China Sea, which has dragged on for more than two decades. While both sides agreed on a preliminary negotiating text in 2018, Beijing has been accused of delaying action on the agreement while continuing to build and militarize artificial islands in the disputed waters. n
At the kick-off of “ Oplan Baklas ,” Garcia also said that poll bets who will not dismantle illegal campaign materials within three days will face election offense or disqualification. Garcia noted that campaign materials are considered illegal if they do not follow appropriate sizes, are not made of the right materials, and are posted in electric posts or trees.
According to Comelec Resolution No. 11111, election propaganda must be made of cloth, paper, cardboard, or any recyclable materials. n
we can’t do anything about it because it has been a law for a long time already and it has not been amended. ) Article X, Section 89 of the OEC states that “[i]t shall be unlawful for any candidate, political party, organization, or any person to give or accept, free of charge, directly or indirectly, transportation, food or drinks or things of value during the five hours before and after a public meeting, on the day preceding the election, and on the day of the election; or to give or contribute, directly or indirectly, money or things of value for such purpose.” Meanwhile, receiving campaign souvenirs such as ballers, caps, and t-shirts are allowed as long as the candidates sought permission from the Comelec to distribute them.
Both Marcos and Hun Manet did not mention maritime tensions in their respective statements delivered before the press.
“Under multilateral cooperations, Cambodia underlies the importance of upholding ASEAN unity and centrality, especially at times of conflict and geopolitical dynamics,” the Cambodian leader said during the press conference on Tuesday, February 11 after his meeting with Marcos.
The principle of ASEAN centrality puts the regional bloc at the center of decisions affecting Southeast Asia, especially in dealing with major powers like the United States and China.
“As the Philippines assumes ASEAN chairmanship in 2026,
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Registrant: Christian Fabular, 1746 Reichert Way, Chula Vista, CA 91913. This business is conducted by An Individual.
REGISTRANT FIRST
BEGUN TO TRANSACT BUSINESS UNDER THE NAME(S) AS OF 01/13/2025.
Signature: Christian Fabular. Statement filed with Recorder/County Clerk of San Diego County on 01/14/2025.
AJ 1605 01/24, 01/31, 02/07, and 02/14/2025. AJSD 1605
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a. Gaslamp Medical Center located at 250 Market St, San Diego, CA 92101.
b. Alfredo Quinonez MD located at 250 Market St, San Diego, CA 92101.
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Registrant: MabuHi Enterprises LLC, 2034 Campo Verde Ct, Escondido, CA 92026.
This business is conducted by A Limited Liability Company.
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Signature: Xochit Lopez. Statement filed with Recorder/County Clerk of San Diego County on 02/03/2025. AJ 1613 02/07, 02/14, 02/21, and 02/28/2025. AJSD 1613
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT NO. 2025-9002766
CACIO SAN DIEGO located at 41 E 8th St #105, National City, CA 91950. Registrant: Natalia Angelica Corradino, 41 E 8th St #105, National City, CA 91950. This business is conducted by An Individual. REGISTRANT HAS NOT BEGUN TO TRANSACT BUSINESS UNDER THE NAME(S) ABOVE. Signature: Natalia Angelica Corradino. Statement filed with Recorder/County Clerk of San Diego County on 02/07/2025. AJ 1617 02/14, 02/21, 02/28, and 03/07/2025.
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT NO. 2025-9001721
Linda View Services located at 6456 Tooley St, San Diego, CA 92114. Registrant: Gerardo Lopez Burgoa, 6456 Tooley St, San Diego, CA 92114. This business is conducted by An Individual.
REGISTRANT HAS NOT BEGUN TO TRANSACT BUSINESS UNDER THE NAME(S) ABOVE.
Signature: Gerardo Lopez Burgoa.
Statement filed with Recorder/County Clerk of San Diego County on 01/24/2025.
AJ 1621 02/14, 02/21, 02/28, and 03/07/2025. AJSD 1621
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT NO. 2025-9000969
LVL UP DEVELOPMENT, LLC located at 8536 Blossom Ln, Lemon Grove, CA 91945.
Registrant: LVL UP DEVELOPMENT, LLC, 8536 Blossom Ln, Lemon Grove, CA 91945. This business is conducted by A Limited Liability Company.
REGISTRANT FIRST BEGUN TO TRANSACT BUSINESS UNDER THE NAME(S) AS OF 01/01/2025.
Signature: Terrence M. Young. Statement filed with Recorder/County Clerk of San Diego County on 01/15/2025.
AJ 1608 01/24, 01/31, 02/07, and 02/14/2025. AJSD 1608
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT NO. 2025-9001862
THE CUT located at 1315 Third Ave, Chula Vista, CA 91911.
Registrant: AES Branding LLC, 171 Palomar St Apt 202, Chula Vista, CA 91911. This business is conducted by A Limited Liability Company.
REGISTRANT HAS NOT BEGUN TO TRANSACT BUSINESS UNDER THE NAME(S) ABOVE.
Signature: Joseph A Shipley. Statement filed with Recorder/County Clerk of San Diego County on 01/28/2025. AJ 1614 02/07, 02/14, 02/21, and 02/28/2025. AJSD 1614
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS
NAME STATEMENT NO. 2025-9001866
College Grove Apartments located at 244-A Palomar St, Chula Vista, CA 91911.
Registrant: PW INC General Partner Of PW Holdings LP, 244-A Palomar St, Chula Vista, CA 91911. This business is conducted by A Limited Partnership.
REGISTRANT FIRST BEGUN TO TRANSACT BUSINESS UNDER THE NAME(S) AS OF 01/01/2012. Signature: Robert E Pennell.
Statement filed with Recorder/County Clerk of San Diego County on 01/28/2025. AJ 1618 02/14, 02/21, 02/28, and 03/07/2025. AJSD 1618
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT NO. 2025-9001653
happy paper place located at 10031 Tamil Road, Lakeside , CA 92040. Registrant: Marie Frances Nowinski, 10031 Tamil Road, Lakeside , CA 92040. This business is conducted by An Individual.
REGISTRANT FIRST BEGUN TO TRANSACT BUSINESS UNDER THE NAME(S) AS OF 01/17/2025. Signature: Marie Nowinski. Statement filed with Recorder/County Clerk of San Diego County on 01/24/2025. AJ 1609 01/31, 02/07, 02/14, and 02/21/2025. AJSD 1609
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS
NAME STATEMENT NO. 2025-9001947
Cafe La Maze located at 1441 Highland Ave, National City, CA 91950.
Registrant: Cafe La Maze INC, 1573 Stargaze Dr, Chula Vista, CA 91915. This business is conducted by A Corporation.
REGISTRANT FIRST BEGUN TO TRANSACT BUSINESS UNDER THE NAME(S) AS OF 01/28/2025. Signature: Walid Alraheb. Statement filed with Recorder/County Clerk of San Diego County on 01/28/2025. AJ 1610 01/31, 02/07, 02/14, and 02/21/2025. AJSD 1610
DIEGO
Jonathan Eusebio steps into the director’s chair with Love Hurts
Acclaimed stunt coordinator brings decades of action expertise to his first feature film, featuring Oscar winners Ke Huy Quan and Ariana DeBose
FOR nearly three decades, Jonathan Eusebio has been a powerhouse in the action and
world as an acclaimed veteran stunt coordinator and fight coordinator, choreographing some of Hollywood’s most thrilling sequences in mega hits such as Black Panther, The Avengers, the John Wick films, The Matrix Resurrections, Violent Night, The Fall Guy and Deadpool 2. He also served as the secondunit director on Deadpool 2, Violent Night and Birds of Prey.
But with the new film Love Hurts, Eusebio makes a significant leap—his debut as a full-fledged feature film director. Transitioning from stunt coordinator and second unit director to the main unit director’s chair is no small feat, and for him, the journey was both challenging and eye-opening.
“I’ve been in the business a long time, so I’ve been a part of every aspect of production but I had never sat through the whole thing as the head,” he told the Asian Journal. “When you are a second unit director or action director, you’re operating under a set of rules given to you. But when you are the main unit
by MOMar G. Visaya / AJPress
director, you’re the one creating those rules. Everything starts and ends with you.”
Eusebio’s extensive background in stunt coordination and second unit directing greatly influenced his approach to Love Hurts. Having worked with some of the industry’s top talent, he understood the importance of collaboration. “I was already very used to working with other creative and intelligent people. Filmmaking is a very collaborative medium, and the best stuff comes from that collaboration.”
To prepare for his new role, Eusebio took classes with a dramaturg to deepen his understanding of working with actors. “Coming from a stunt background, you’re dealing with a different type of process. Emotional scenes require a unique kind of storytelling. I wanted to familiarize myself with different acting techniques so I could guide my actors more effectively.”
Eusebio’s journey into the world of action filmmaking is deeply rooted in his upbringing and family’s immigrant story. Born in Canada to Filipino parents—both nurses who
migrated from the Philippines— he grew up navigating different cultural landscapes. His family moved from Toronto to Maine before ultimately settling in Southern California, where his passion for martial arts and action choreography took shape.
Despite his Filipino heritage, Eusebio’s first and only trip to the Philippines was in 2011, when he served as the fight coordinator for The Bourne Legacy, which filmed key sequences in Manila. That experience was not only a professional milestone but also a rare, personal connection to his parents’ homeland.
Eusebio has long been a champion of Filipino martial arts (FMA), incorporating it into his stunt work whenever possible. “At the time, I knew I wasn’t going to open a gym to pass on what I had learned, so the only way to do it was to incorporate FMA into my films. A lot of people think Filipino martial arts are just sticks, but it’s a complete system—there’s weapons, empty-hand combat, grappling. I’ve always tried to weave that into the movies I’ve worked on.”
A key figure in Eusebio’s career has been director and
stunt coordinator David Leitch, with whom he shares a nearly 30year creative partnership. Their journey began at Dan Inosanto’s Academy of Martial Arts, where they trained under some of the best in the field. “David and the others were like my older brothers. I watched them evolve from stuntmen to coordinators to second unit directors, and then to full-fledged directors. They created a pathway for me, and I just followed.”
Leitch, who serves as a producer on Love Hurts, played a critical role in supporting Eusebio’s directorial debut. “I’m very fortunate to have him as my mentor. I could just text him and ask questions. He gave me my shot with this movie, and he really protected me throughout the process.”
Bringing Love Hurts to life
For Love Hurts, Eusebio found himself directing not just any actors, but two Oscar winners— Ke Huy Quan and Ariana DeBose. The decision to cast them was a deliberate one. “During the awards circuit, we were trying to figure out who would be the best person to play Marvin. We wanted someone unassuming, someone the audience would like—well-mannered but capable of flipping a switch. Watching Ke’s Oscar push after Everything Everywhere All At Once, I knew he was the guy.”
Casting DeBose came naturally
after that. “Ke pointed out how she presented him his Oscar and how much love they had for each other. I met her, and I knew right away she was meant to be Rose.”
The film pays homage to classic Hong Kong action films, a genre that heavily influenced Eusebio.
“This movie is a love letter to those ‘80s Hong Kong movies. My love for those films is embedded in Love Hurts. You can see that influence in every frame.”
Many audiences know Quan from The Goonies and Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, but not everyone is aware of his stunt background. Eusebio leveraged that knowledge to create intricate, high-energy fight sequences.
“I knew he could handle it, which allowed me to design the kind of action I wanted. He already understood the rhythm and timing of fight choreography, so we could focus on making the scenes exciting and dynamic,” he said.
stakes With two Oscar winners headlining his first feature, Eusebio felt the weight of expectation.
“The pressure was immense. I’ve worked on many big projects with the best crews, but this was the hardest. I didn’t want to be the one to mess up Ke’s comeback,” he shared. “I wanted to make sure I told a complete story. The responsibility of leading two recent Oscar winners was daunting, but I couldn’t have asked for a more collaborative and supportive cast.”
While Love Hurts marks a significant milestone, Eusebio isn’t rushing to pick his next project. “I’m just enjoying this moment. I grew up reading comic books, watching anime, and loving martial arts movies. I’ve been fortunate to work on many of those types of films throughout my career. If something stands out to me, I’ll know it’s the right project.” n
by Armin P. AdinA Inquirer.net
DIA Mate from the Philippines was crowned Reina Hispanoamericana 2025 in ceremonies held in Santa Cruz, Bolivia, on Feb. 9 (Feb. 10 in Manila). Mate, who hails from the political clan of the Remullas of Cavite, bested 24 other aspirants in the Latin-dominated international competition to inherit the title from 2023/2024 winner Maricielo Gamarra from Peru. Her victory is the second time that the country was able to bag the crown after Filipino actress Teresita Ssen “Winwyn” Marquez in 2017.
The contest, as in the past, also proclaimed a “Virreina” or vice-queen, Sofia Fernandez of Venezuela, who will take over in the event the winner fails to perform her duties.
Proclaimed as runners-up were:
Primera Finalista – Miss Colombia
Segunda Finalista – Miss España
Tercera Finalista – Miss Perú
Cuarta Finalista – Miss Brasil
Quinta Finalista – Miss Polonia Force to contend with
In her sheer Rian Fernandez gold column gown, Mate delivered her winning answer to the question: What value do you think is the most important to our society, and why do you think this is important?
“I think the one most important value that we should have is kindness. And my experience here in Bolivia is that you have showed me so much kindness and so much love even though racially I am not Latina. And the most beautiful thing I’ve noticed is that even though we don’t speak
the same language, we share the same culture, same heart, and same faith in God,” she said.
“And I hope this shows to everybody that if we use kindness, that we are all the same, then we can create a better world and a better society for us all,” she added.
Prior to the coronation, Mate showed that she is a force to contend with, having won the Best in National Costume or the “traje tipico” contest, after showcasing three major Philippine religious and cultural festivals in one ensemble, which featured an intricate gold salakot (native hat) and a heavily-beaded banig (traditionally handwoven mat) gown. At the coronation proper, Mate was among the beauties chosen to showcase their singing abilities in a brief solo performance at their opening number. She was off to a strong start when she was called to be part of the Top 12 to advance to the next round.
Mate, a singer and model, is the girlfriend of musician JK
Labajo. She first joined the 2024 Miss Universe pageant where she received a special title from a sponsor, but missed the first cut.
She then joined the 2025 Miss World Philippines pageant months later, where she inherited the Reina Hispanoamericana Filipinas title from Michelle Arceo, who was second runner-up in the global tilt. Marquez, niece of 1979 Miss International Melanie Marquez, was the first Asian woman to be crowned Reina Hispanoamericana. She won the title in 2017 as the first-ever candidate to come from the continent, earning her the moniker, “Latina slayer.”
The Reina Hispanoamericana pageant was established in 1991 as Reina Sudamerica, to promote Bolivia as a tourist destination, and covered South American countries only.
But it has expanded globally and was rebranded as Reina Hispanoamericana to serve as a platform to promote Hispanic culture and welcomed countries outside South America with Spanish influences. n
High
My P.E.P. (People, Events,Places)
RogelIo ConstantIno MedIna
DEMI Moore has been one of my favorite actresses since I saw her in the romance-thriller 1990 film “Ghost,” also starring Whoopi Goldberg and Patrick Swayze.
In the film “The Substance,” she won at the Golden Globes this year as best actress.
I am hoping and praying Demi will capture the Oscar’s best actress accolade this year.
* * *
Foremost Filipino glass sculptor Ramon Gahol Orlina celebrated his 81st birthday recently at Two Roxas Triangle in Makati City.
* * * February is the month of love. I will feature different stories of love. I asked each respondent: (1) How do you define love? (2) Are you in love with whom and why? Their replies (the second batch) are as follows:
Noted actress Evelyn VargasKnaebel, who is Switzerlandbased: (1) “To answer your question on love, let me share the message of my husband when he was courting me overseas. According to Kahlil Gibran, love gives naught but itself and takes naught from itself, love possesses and not it would be possessed for love is sufficient unto love. When you love you should not say, ‘God is in my heart,’ but rather, ‘I am in the heart of God.’ And think not you can direct the course of love, for love, if it finds you worthy, directs your course. Love has no other desire but to fulfill itself. But if you love and must need to have desires, let these be your desires: to melt and be like a running brook that sings its melody to the night; to know the pain of too much tenderness; to be wounds by your own understanding of love and to bleed willingly and joyfully; to wake at dawn with a winged heart and give thanks for another day of loving; to rest at the noon hour and meditate love’s ecstacy; to return home at eventide with gratitude; and then to sleep with a prayer for the beloved in your heart and a song of praise upon your lips.”; (2) “He courted me
by PAtriciA delA rocA Philstar.com
MANILA — GMA Network
has officially announced that Gabbi Garcia will be the firstever Kapuso host of the highlyanticipated “Pinoy Big Brother (PBB)” Celebrity Collab Edition. The announcement was made on Sunday February 9, during GMA’s weekend variety show “All-Out Sundays.”
Gabbi expressed her excitement and gratitude for the opportunity to be part of the iconic reality show, calling it a dream come true.
“I’m super excited, biruin ninyo magkakaroon ng collab ang ‘PBB!’ This is history and I am happy to be part of history. And you know, I also auditioned for ‘PBB’ way back in 2012,” she revealed.
She added, “Maybe I wasn’t meant to be a housemate at that time, I was meant to host it! Fast forward to 2025, eto na nga. This is a huge milestone, and I can’t wait to share this experience with all of you!”
Gabbi also took to Instagram to share the good news with her followers, along with photos of her past audition to become a housemate of the fourth season of “PBB” Teen Edition.
“Fun fact: Back in 2012, I
Demi Moore predicted to be Oscar’s best actress
for two years. But it was not easy for me since it was the height of my career as a theater and film artist. Finally, he proposed and sent me another quote of Kahlil Gibran on marriage. He was former festival artistic director of Fribourg International Film Festival for 15 years. We met in the Hawaii International Film Festival and I never wanted to uproot myself but we both found love and respect that we decided to be wed. In 1997 after the Cannes Film Festival, we were married. There were many adjustments but we are happy to face any challenges that come our way. Thanks and praise God for His guidance, love and compassion!”
2nd Southeast Asian Premier Business and Remarkable Achiever awardee and Better Boneless Chicken and Beyond entrepreneur Cheska Bansil Costes, who is married to Mac Costes, and they have two kids Clay and Caly: (1) “For me, love is about passion, dedication, and unconditional support. It’s the driving force that motivates me to work hard, overcome challenges, and make sacrifices for the people and things that matter most.”; (2) “I am in love with my family and my passion (my business). My family is my rock, my safe haven. They provide me with unwavering support, encouragement, and love. My family inspires me to be a better person and to work hard for them. My business is my passion. I am deeply invested in its success and dedicated to making it grow. I love the thrill of entrepreneurship, the challenge of solving problems, and the satisfaction of creating something from scratch. My business allows me to pursue my dreams, and make a positive impact. So, my love is rooted in a deep sense of commitment, responsibility, and care. I strive to nurture and grow these loves every day.”
Engineer Boyet Jose, who has been happily married to Merle Jose for 47 years, and together they have three children: (1) “For me, the example of true love is the selfless love of our Lord Jesus, who offered and sacrificed His self to save us. Love must be felt through action with a heart not by mouth, with
humility. He or she can forgive and forget without resentment, helping others with no return.”; (2) “Yes, I’m always in love first to God, to my family, to my wife and children and to everybody. Life is short and I must do the right thing to save my soul and everyone’s soul.”
John Michael Gahol, married to Mercedes R. Gahol, through the test of time: (1) “It’s an unconditional love. It’s not necessarily without expectations. It’s love that survives and thrives. A comforting love that understands.”; (2) “I have still fallen in love with my wife despite us having already seven children. She is so very understanding in many ways.”
*
*
*
It has caught my attention and interest on women power in U.S. President Donald Trump’s Cabinet: Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem. Next month is Women’s Day, March 8. Ms. Leavitt, 27, a Catholic, is the youngest White House press secretary. She previously served as the national press secretary for Donald Trump’s 2024 presidential campaign. She was an assistant press secretary and presidential writer during the first Donald Trump administration as well as a spokesperson for MAGA Inc., a pro-Trump Super PAC.
She is married to Nicholas Riccio, a real estate developer, and she gave birth to their son on July 10, 2024. She had planned to go on maternity leave, but changed her mind after seeing the attempted assassination of Donald Trump on July 13, 2024, and resumed her professional duties. She advocates for private education and credits her Catholic schooling (at Saint Anselm College in New Hampshire) for instilling pro-life values, discipline, and the importance of public service.
On the other hand, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem served as U.S. representative for South Dakota and became the first female governor of South Dakota in 2018. Noem, a Protestant, is also a farmer and a rancher. She published her first autobiography, “Not My First Rodeo: Lessons from the Heartland,” in 2022. She married Bryon Noem
forward to
auditioned for ‘PBB’ Teen Edition Season 4! Fast forward to 2025 — looks like I was meant to host it instead! Or who knows? Maybe there’s still more in store,” the actress and host shared.
The latest collaboration between the media giants will feature ABS-CBN’s Star Magic
artists as well as GMA’s Sparkle talents. The new season marks the show’s 20th anniversary celebration.
This partnership marks a historic first for “PBB” to air on the Kapuso network. It previously aired on ABS-CBN, cable TV and online platforms.
in 1992 in Watertown, South Dakota. They have three children. In 2011, when Noem moved to Washington D.C. to take her congressional office, her family
Governor Newsom signs executive order to further prepare for future urban firestorms, stepping up already nation-leading
SACRAMENTO – Adding to California’s nation-leading fire safety standards, Governor Gavin Newsom today signed an executive order to further improve community hardening and wildfire mitigation strategies to neighborhood resilience statewide. A copy of the executive order can be viewed by visiting https://www.gov.ca.gov/ wp-content/uploads/2025/02/EO-_ Urban-Conflagration-N-18-25Final.pdf.
“We are living in a new reality of extremes. Believe the science –and your own damn eyes: Mother Nature is changing the way we live and we must continue adapting to those changes. California’s resilience means we will keep updating our standards in the most fire-prone areas,” said Gov. Newsom in a release provided by his office.
The executive order issued by Governor Newsom does the following:
• Directs the State Board of Forestry to accelerate its work to adopt regulations known as “Zone 0,” which will require an emberresistant zone within 5 feet of structures located in the highest fire severity zones in the state.
• Tasks the Office of the State Fire Marshal with releasing updated Fire Hazard Severity Zone maps for areas under local government responsibility, adding 1.4 million new acres of land into the two higher tiers of fire severity, which will update building and local planning requirements for these communities statewide.
financial assistance and relief for homeowners, proposed in the Governor’s January Budget, and to be augmented by the California Conservation Corps supporting work in vulnerable communities and in coordination with local Fire Safe Councils. While it is anticipated that the regulations would apply to new construction upon taking effect, requirements for existing homes would likely be phased in over three years to allow homeowners to prepare and prioritize mitigations and secure financial assistance.
Research suggests that the cost of building a home with Zone 0 mitigations already incorporated adds little to no cost to building a comparable home without those features.
Updating fire hazard severity areas
To ensure future resiliency against urban firestorms, local government planners and developers will have to factor in wildfire-hardening requirements in building planning, design, and construction within nearly 2.3 million acres of land in areas where local governments are responsible for wildfire prevention and response, known as local responsibility areas.
strategies
in the State Responsibility Area, and follow months of planning discussions, including consultation with insurance providers who have developed their own models to determine risk, premiums and coverage that are independent of the state’s Fire Hazard Severity Zone maps.
Investing in wildfire prevention Overall, the state has more than doubled investments in wildfire prevention and landscape resilience efforts, providing more than $2.5 billion in wildfire resilience since 2020, with an additional $1.5 billion from the 2024 Climate Bond to be committed beginning this year for proactive projects that protect communities from wildfire and promote healthy natural landscapes. Of note, since 2021, the state has made strategic investments in at least 61 fuels reduction projects near the Palisades and Eaton fire perimeters through projects treated over 14,500 acres. The Newsom Administration has invested $2 billion to support CAL FIRE operations, a 47% increase
by JAn milo Severo Philstar.com
CHAMPION surfer Philmar Alipayo revealed that all is well between him and his fiancée, Andi Eigenmann, after a series of social media posts sparked separation rumors.
On his Facebook account, Philmar shared a video with Andi and their daughter.
“It all went way (too) far and should have been handled in private,” Philmar captioned the post.
“Ok na kami sanan ok ra kami,” he added.
Philmar and Andi sparked breakup rumors after they unfollowed each other on Instagram.
Andi then denied cheating allegations involving her fiancé. She also clarified her earlier posts, which some online users thought were alluding to infidelity.
“I am fully aware that my husband never cheated on me with this girl… I am always around when they are together,” Andi said, without revealing the woman’s name.
“I posted because this person betrayed me, encourages my husband to break up with me during every fight even when I also tell my side of the story to her,” she added. She also commented on the “spontaneous love
• Requires the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE) and the Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES) to work with local, federal and tribal partners on improvements to the Federal resource ordering system for wildfire response.
Protecting homes Science has shown that combustible material within the immediate five feet of a structure contributes the greatest risk of embers directly or indirectly igniting the home. “Zone 0” regulations under development for new and existing construction would require an ember-resistant zone within the immediate 5-feet of structures in local area Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zones in Local Responsibility Areas, and Fire Hazard Severity Zones in State Responsibility Areas. Zone 0 regulations would move forward this year in tandem with
The release of updated Fire Hazard Severity Zones for Local Responsibility Area maps would identify new areas where new development is required to adhere to the highest standards of wildfire resilient building codes and landuse planning. These new zones and maps would add approximately 1.4 million new acres of land into the two higher tiers of fire hazard severity. Specifically, they would expand current wildfire building resiliency requirements in the High Fire Hazard Severity Zone to approximately 1.16 million new acres, and they would expand both current wildfire building and local planning resiliency requirements in the Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone to approximately 247,000 new acres.
The release of these updated zones and maps, which are expected to be released one region at a time beginning in Northern California, would begin a 120day clock for local government jurisdictions to adopt local ordinances incorporating the State Fire Marshal’s recommendations.
The release of these Local Responsibility Area maps would follow last year’s release of equivalent updated zones and maps
Augmenting
The
Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt during a press briefing at the White House.
Home Security Secretary Kristi Noem (extreme right) with her family.
John Michael Gahol with his wife Mercedes R. Gahol
Cheska and Mac Costes with their kids Caly and Clay.
Demi Moore with her famous pet Pilaf, a micro Chihuahua. Photos courtesy of Rogelio Medina
Filipino glass sculptor Ramon Gahol Orlina with his Malaysian wife lawyer Lay-Ann Lee Orlina.
Merle Jose with hubby Engineer Boyet Jose
Renowned theater and film artist Evelyn Vargas-Knaebel with her husband Martial Knaebel, former festival director of Fribourg International Film Festival Switzerland.
Andi Eigenmann
Photo from Instagram/@andieigengirl
couple tattoo” between Philmar and the woman, whose identity was revealed by netizens along with photos of their matching tattoos.
937-9981
Give yourself the gift of furr ever love
LOOKING for love that lasts a lifetime? This Valentine’s season, open your heart and home to a shelter pet in need.
County Animal Services is offering up some “Sweet Deals” on all its super loveable pets. From now until Feb. 16, all adoptions, excluding puppies under a year old, are just $14 at the County’s shelters in Bonita and Carlsbad.
Come meet some of the available pets on the Animal Services website like Shia an Akita or Mowgli a Kelpie mix, both at the Carlsbad shelter. Or Desie, a Siberian Husky and Cindy, a Doberman Pinscher, both at the Bonita shelter. You can even take dogs out for a fun outing to get to know their personality better. You can learn more about Dogs Day Out at https://www.sddac.com/ content/sdc/das/adopt/Foster.html, just scroll down.
Walk-in hours are from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday at the South Shelter, 5821 Sweetwater Road in Bonita and the North Shelter, 2481 Palomar Airport Road in Carlsbad.
All adoption fees include spaying or neutering, a microchip, updated vaccinations and a one-year dog license for those in the service area. To adopt, you just need a photo identification card. Adoptions are on a first-come, first-served basis.
Senate Republicans announce critical wildfire resilience and recovery legislation
SACRAMENTO – Recently,
Senate Republicans announced a critical legislative package aimed to increase California’s readiness for future wildfire events and to spur recovery in areas affected by the Los Angeles fire catastrophe.
Pets
8
and
Adopters 60 years and older. If you’re unsure, considering fostering a pet to see if it is a good fit, or just to give him or her a break from the shelter environment. Pets benefit tremendously from being in a home environment
and learning how to be part of a family. All basic care supplies such as food, leash, and bedding, are included as part of the program. For more information on fostering animals, making pet food donations, or volunteering for the shelter, call (619) 767-2675 or visit the Animal Services main website at https://www.sddac.com.
(Yvette Urrea Moe/County of San Diego Communications Office)
County encourages flu vaccines for children and teens
COUNTY public health
officials are reminding everyone, particularly families with children and teenagers, that it is not too late to get the flu vaccine. This flu season, which is between fall and winter, three teenagers have died from the flu. None were vaccinated.
“These recent flu deaths among our youth are tragic and concerning as we head into what historically is the peak of flu season,” said Dr. Ankita Kadakia, interim Public Health officer. “The flu vaccine is the best protection against getting seriously sick and preventing death. This has been a particularly long and difficult flu season compared to recent years and it’s not over yet. I highly encourage the flu vaccine, it’s not too late.”
In San Diego County, nearly 80 percent of 5- to 17-year-olds have not received this flu season’s vaccine.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that everyone 6 months and older get a flu shot yearly since the components of the vaccine change year to year to match the circulating strains.
The influenza vaccine is available at doctors’ offices and retail pharmacies and is covered by medical insurance. People with no health care coverage can get vaccinated at one of the county’s six public health centers or a local
community clinic. To find the nearest location, visit the county’s Flu Vaccine Locations page (https://www.sandiegocounty.gov/ content/sdc/hhsa/programs/phs/ immunization_branch/Getting_ Your_Vaccines.html), myturn. ca.gov, or call 2-1-1 San Diego.
In addition to getting vaccinated, people should also do the following to avoid getting sick:
• Wash hands thoroughly and often
• Use hand sanitizers, if unable to wash hands
• Stay away from sick people
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth
• Clean commonly touched surfaces
• If you are sick, stay home and avoid contact with others.
County Health and Human Services Agency publishes the Respiratory Viruses Surveillance report, which tracks key flu, COVID-19, and RSV indicators and summarizes respiratory virus surveillance in the region.
In total, there have been 73 people who have died from the flu this flu season. Most were people 50 years and older.
(Fernanda Lopez Halvorson/ County of San Diego Communications Office)
Iya Villania, Drew Arellano announce birth of baby No. 5, Anya Love
by Anne PASAJol Inquirer.net
IYA Villania and Drew Arellano announced the arrival of their fifth child, a baby girl whom they named Anya Love. Sharing a photo of the newborn via their respective Instagram pages on Tuesday, Feb. 11, the couple gushed over their child, disclosing her name and birth details.
“Anya Love Villania-Arellano. February 11, 2025. 10:52am,” the caption reads.
In a separate post on her Instagram Stories, the 38-yearold actress-TV host showed moments from the hospital after her childbirth.
“She’s here! And wow, what a delivery!” Villania said. “Got to the hospital at 10 a.m. 10:52 a.m. baby out!”
“The relief of being done with delivery is indescribable. Thank you Lord,” she exclaimed. Villania and Arellano tied the knot in 2014. They celebrated their 11th wedding anniversary last month.
The pair welcomed their firstborn Primo in 2016, their second son Leon in 2018, their daughter Alana in 2020, and their fourth child Astro in 2022.
Villania and Arellano revealed Villania’s fifth pregnancy in September, with the celebrity mom declaring that this would already be her last one. They announced that they were expecting a baby girl in November last year.
Villania started her maternity break last Jan. 31, admitting she felt “nervous” prior to giving birth.
Governor Newsom signs executive order...
“I’m proud of the Senate’s bipartisan approach to addressing issues within our state’s wildfire management, response and recovery apparatus,” said Senate Minority Leader Brian W. Jones (R-San Diego) who, along with Senate Pro Tempore Mike McGuire (D-Healdsburg), held a press conference Tuesday, February 4 announcing the introduction of a bill to increase the number of firefighters employed in the state. “There is neither room nor time to play politics with this emergent situation. While this bill represents a good start, Republicans remain committed to tackling this issue from every angle.”
Senate Republicans have introduced a list of bills to address water storage and transport, community hardening, rebuilding efforts under the California Environmental Quality Act, environmental restrictions in the wake of fire events, and fire-related crime.
“It’s our responsibility as lawmakers to ensure that our first responders have the necessary resources to respond to even the most challenging incidents,” said Sen. Kelly Seyarto (R-Murrieta).
“As a former firefighter, I know first-hand what our firefighters are faced with battling these wildfires. We must be much more proactive in strengthening our response, improving our prevention efforts, and helping people recover from these catastrophic incidents.”
While Senate Republicans are encouraged by the initial bipartisan nature of the Senate’s response to the Los Angeles wildfires thus far, they remain wary of potential partisan pitfalls for this critical legislation as the plethora of past efforts have largely been blocked by legislative Democrats and the governor in years past. Last month, Senate Republicans recently released a list of legislative fixes that could have helped in the current situation but were unable to gain approval
of the majority party. “We need firefighters ready to respond, adequate water to fight the flames, a streamlined process for rebuilding, and we must keep impacted communities safe from criminals who would prey on them in their time of need,” said Sen. Suzette Martinez Valladares (R-Santa Clarita), whose 23rd Senate District saw the evacuation of 50,000 people during the recent Los Angeles fire emergency. “Sadly, the current system has failed to deliver on these basic needs, and it’s clear we must make immediate changes to better protect all Californians.”
Wildfire bills introduced by Senate Republicans thus far in 2025 include:
• Senate Bill 223 (AlvaradoGil): Requires the state to build and maintain a statewide integrated wildfire smoke and health data platform that would integrate wildfire smoke and health data from multiple databases.
• Senate Bill 268 (Choi): Excludes from taxable income, settlement payments made in connection with any declared state of emergency made by the governor.
• Senate Bill 269 (Choi): Provides a tax credit to homeowners who perform qualified home hardening and/ or vegetation management on their properties.
• Senate Bill 87 (Seyarto): Extends the sales tax exemption on fundraising activities for allvolunteer fire departments.
• Senate Bill 90 (Seyarto): Allows the use of Prop 4 funding to support prepositioned mobile rigid water storage and mobile rigid dip tanks as eligible activities for improving public safety. By strategically positioning these tanks in highrisk wildfire areas, California firefighters can reduce helicopter response times and enhance the effectiveness of fire engines and helicopters while making critical improvements to public evacuation routes on specified lands.
• Senate Bill 264 (Valladares): Allows prosecutors to charge those who impersonate a police officer or firefighter during a state of emergency, with a felony.
• Senate Bill 265 (Valladares): Classifies burglary committed during a state of emergency –such as during or after a wildfire – as a felony offense.
• Senate Bill 252 (Valladares): Exempts power line infrastructure from the CEQA requirements for undergrounding lines, allowing for expedited completion on projects to move power lines underground.
