What the ABC Act means for Filipino American family caregivers
More than 48 million people in the US serve as family caregivers, with a significant portion coming from the Fil-Am community
THE Alleviating Barriers for Caregivers (ABC) Act is set to bring much-needed relief to family caregivers by simplifying access to essential federal benefits.
With millions of caregivers – many of them Filipino Americans – struggling with complex applications, long wait times and administrative hurdles, this bipartisan bill seeks to remove unnecessary barriers so they can focus on what matters most: caring for their loved ones.
Introduced by Senators Ed Markey (D-MA) and Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), along with Representatives Kat Cammack (R-FL) and Seth Magaziner (D-RI), the ABC Act will streamline the process for caregivers applying for Medicare, Medicaid, CHIP and Social Security benefits.
It aims to cut redundant paperwork, improve communication between federal agencies, and provide clearer guidance on eligibility requirements.
The bill also mandates that agencies like Medicare, Medicaid,and the Social Security
American victim of Duterte’s crimes against humanity
calls for justice
Brandon Lee became a quadriplegic after he was shot in a suspected extrajudicial assassination attempt by the Duterte administration
SAN FRANCISCO – An American human rights advocate, who became a quadriplegic after he was shot in the Philippines in a suspected extrajudicial assassination attempt by the Duterte administration, has called for justice for all the victims of the former president’s crimes against humanity.
Brandon Lee, a U.S. citizen based in San Francisco, has welcomed Duterte’s recent arrest by the International Criminal Court (ICC), describing it as “one big step
Foreigners to defend Duterte; Roque out, says Vice President
by Kathleen de Villa Inquirer.net
MANILA — Only foreign lawyers with a mastery of international law and familiarity with grave crimes under the jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court (ICC) will comprise
the defense team of former President Rodrigo Duterte, according to his daughter, Vice President Sara Duterte. She also disclosed that former presidential spokesperson Harry Roque, who is registered with the ICC as counsel, would not be nominated anymore to be part of the defense team,
contrary to earlier pronouncements. The younger Duterte on Tuesday, March 18 night said this would be the direction for her father’s defense in his alleged crimes against humanity of murder in connection with the drug war on his watch as
would
Baste to Marcos: My father gave yours hero’s burial
by edith ReGalado Philstar.com
DAVAO CITY — President Ferdinand
Marcos Jr. was being ungrateful for allowing the International Criminal Court to arrest and send former President Rodrigo Duerte to The Hague to face ICC trial for crimes against humanity.
This was according to Duterte’s son, Davao City Mayor Sebastian Duterte, who reminded Marcos that it was the former President who
allowed the elder Ferdinand Marcos to be buried in the heroes’ cemetery. The mayor said his father’s arrest has sparked outrage among the people.
“Marcos, you owe us a debt of gratitude.
Your father was given a hero’s burial by my father but you let my father go to jail,” the younger Duterte said at a gathering of supporters for the 88th Araw ng Dabaw celebration last Sunday, March 16. Sebastian lamented how his father had to
‘Trolling, attacks may lead to additional charges in ICC
by JanViC Mateo Philstar.com
MANILA — Additional charges may be filed before the International Criminal Court (ICC) if online trolling and attacks against victims and other parties involved in the case can be traced back to the camp of former president Rodrigo Duterte, according to one of the lawyers representing the drug war victims. “We can tell the court that there are attacks, etc. One, as a manifestation. Second, as a possible additional… offenses against the administration of justice,” ICC Assistant to Counsel Kristina Conti said in an
interview with The STAR’s online show “Truth on the Line.”
“But I would say that the standards are high… Intimidation of witnesses, attacks on the court. Generally anything that will hinder the administration of justice for the court to do its work, or if you ask the court to not do its work or to do its work improperly and so forth,” she added.
Fake news peddlers intensified their activities last week following Duterte’s arrest and subsequent surrender to the ICC.
Aside from false information about the arrest, disinformation narratives specifically targeted the victims, their lawyers and
Palace sees need to regulate social media vs. fake news
by
MANILA – Malacañang on Wednesday, March 19, said the government is considering regulating social media posts, amid the spread of misinformation and disinformation in the wake of former President Rodrigo Duterte’s arrest and surrender to the International Criminal Court (ICC). In a Palace briefing, Presidential Communications Office (PCO) Undersecretary and Palace Press Officer Claire Castro said discussions are underway for the possible release of new guidelines for the measure.
“Opo, iyan na po talaga ang pinag-uusapan natin ngayon (Yes, that’s what we’re talking about now),” Castro, said, when asked if concerned agencies would come up with new policies to regulate the use of social media. Castro lamented that even the Supreme Court has become a victim of fake news, following the circulation of social media posts about the false claims on the high court’s issuance of a temporary restraining order on Duterte’s arrest and the petition seeking the resignation of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. She acknowledged that the government alone
‘Sara impeachment trial to proceed despite Duterte’s ICC trial’
by CeCille sueRte Felipe Philstar.com
“Those
“There is no law that says
will postpone the
because of the ICC. There is nothing in the law that allows us to postpone the impeachment because of a protest action,” Escudero said in Filipino.
TRIBUTE TO WOMEN. A painting featuring
Ruth abbey Gita-CaRlos Inquirer.net
Vice President Sara Duterte Photo from
‘Trolling, attacks may lead to...
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even the ICC and its judges.
Reports also surfaced of hate speech directed at some relatives of the victims.
Conti, who has also been a target of online trolling, said such harassment reinforces the argument that the ICC should handle the case rather than a local court in the Philippines.
It may also be seen as a reason not to grant any request for interim release of the former president and ultimately his conviction, she added.
“This means that there are those who believe this narrative that addicts have to be killed,” she said in Filipino in a post on Facebook.
During the interview, Conti admitted that proving an offense against the administration of justice is a high bar to clear.
In other cases, she explained, this standard has involved outright physical attacks against witnesses.
“But again, that’s just the maximum (possibility). The
minimum is we manifest to the court these kinds of attacks. Or if not the court, to the prosecutor,” she said.
Monitoring Conti said they have already received offers of assistance in closely monitoring and documenting these attacks.
Aside from taking screenshots, she recommended that those documenting the incidents save the URLs or links to the posts and gather details about the accounts that posted them.
Aside from filing an additional case before the ICC, she said they may also consider pursuing a domestic case or seeking assistance from the Philippine government. However, their priority remains the welfare of the victims and their families.
“These kinds of attacks are difficult on the part of the victims because that’s re-victimization… What we are looking at from a more general or non-legal perspective is how the attacks will encourage or discourage victims to come forward,” she
said. “It’s not as if this will make or break the case, because for all we know, the prosecutor is trial ready. But that is a major disenfranchisement (for the victims)… It is their right to participate,” she added.
Regarding the protests initiated by Duterte’s supporters, Conti maintained that she respects their right to express their views “as long as they do not resort to violence.”
She expressed willingness to engage with them, but appealed to them to “try to uplift the discussion.”
“Don’t drag us to the muck, to the canal by degrading each person’s identity,” she said in Filipino, citing coordinated online attacks against her that focused on her personal appearance.
“Let’s elevate the level of discussion… It’s difficult to have a genuine conversation if there is no meaningful discourse,” she added. (Janvic Mateo/Philstar. com)
Foreigners to defend Duterte...
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“And then, once the team for the ICC is ironed out, Attorney [Salvador] Medialdea will withdraw because there are only limited slots for lawyers,” she told reporters in The Hague, referring to her father’s former executive secretary. “We want all the lawyers on board to have ICC experience.”
Medialdea is recognized as legal counsel for the former president by the Pre-Trial Chamber 1, which is handling the case against Duterte.
On Tuesday, March 18, Medialdea, who accompanied Duterte on the chartered flight last week to The Hague, had to be brought to a hospital just as he was on his way to visit his detained former boss. There were no further details yet as of Wednesday, March 19.
The Pre-Trial Chamber 1 has also officially recognized Kaufman as defense counsel for the rest of the ICC proceedings.
Based on a redacted document released on Thursday, March 20 night (Manila time), the older Duterte, in a handwritten letter, had expressed interest in nominating Kaufman as his lead counsel on Friday when the former president was scheduled to appear for the first time in court.
He also asked that the initial appearance hearing be deferred to a later date “to allow me to confer with my lead defense counsel.”
The ICC Registry, which is tasked with providing judicial support, received the letter that same day but the requests of Duterte were not acted on as the hearing went on as scheduled.
It was only on Monday that the Registry had a meeting with Duterte, who signed the appointment papers for Kaufman.
The vice president, however, did not name the other candidate for her father’s defense, saying only that she was set to “interview” the lawyer, who was on the way to The Hague.
Asked whether the lawyer and Kaufman were the only persons to form the legal team, Sara said: “We have a list already.”
International law experts earlier said that Duterte could pick his defense counsel from a roster of lawyers authorized to practice at the ICC. The list, updated as of February this year, is readily accessible on the court’s website.
Sara Duterte made the confirmation on the new composition of the legal team after stepping out of the ICC detention center at the Scheveningen prison complex.
‘Not established yet’
Regarding Roque, she said “the basis for his stay in the Netherlands has not been established yet. And we don’t want complications. We want lawyers to be really focused on the case.”
Roque is one of five Filipino lawyers recognized by the ICC, the others being Inquirer columnist Joel Butuyan, Gilbert Andres, Nashmyleen Marohomsalic, and Charles Chua.
In a virtual press conference from The Hague, Roque on Monday announced that he would seek political asylum in the Netherlands amid a human trafficking case awaiting him in the country before the Department of Justice and a contempt charge by the House of Representatives. He refused to answer when asked where he stayed before going to the European country.
The former aide of Duterte showed up in The Hague on Friday last week to try to seek accreditation as his counsel in time for the initial appearance hearing on the same day.
On Tuesday, Roque clarified that the vice president would no longer be included in the legal team for Duterte, noting the 1987 Constitution which bars her as an official from practicing her legal profession.
Section 13 of Article 7 of the charter prohibits the president, vice president, members of the Cabinet, and their deputies or assistants from holding other positions or forms of employment, including participation in business or practicing any other profession, during their term.
The visitation rights of Sara Duterte, Roque noted, would have
to be based on being a detainee’s relative, who is required to comply with more protocols, such as filling out application forms that are not required of counsels.
For his part, Kaufman vowed to put up a “strong defense” as he started to take charge of forming the team that would represent Duterte in the ICC proceedings, including the six-month gap leading up to the Sept. 23 confirmation hearing.
He declined, however, to give details of the possible petitions to be raised by the defense in the following weeks.
“It’s not for me to comment on the defense strategy at this moment in time,” he told reporters in The Hague.
Kaufman, whose portfolio includes working on highprofile cases of celebrities and politicians, said he was still awaiting confirmation from the Pre-Trial Chamber on his nomination.
He also did not want to answer questions on the funding or salary arrangement as Duterte’s counsel, saying he was “not at liberty to discuss” such matters.
‘Just come home’ Meanwhile, Malacañang reiterated on Wednesday that Roque should just return to the country and face the human trafficking complaint against him.
Communications Undersecretary and Palace press officer Claire Castro noted that Roque is not included in Duterte’s legal team.
“If he won’t come home because he wants to represent his president, then it might be better if he prioritizes representing himself, defending himself before he defends other people,” she said in a press briefing.
Makabayan lawmakers also dared Roque to come home and face the charges against him.
“Mr. Roque should stop pretending to be a human rights lawyer and face the contempt order issued against him by the congressional quad committee,” House Assistant Minority Leader Arlene Brosas said.
“Wala ka ambag d’yan. Uwi ka na (You contribute nothing there. Just come home),” she also said. n
Baste to Marcos: My father gave yours...
PAGE 1
dodge criticisms and opposition to his decision to bury the elder Marcos at the Libingan ng mga Bayani.
He said the outpouring of support for his father was something the president would never experience.
Reacting to the mayor’s tirades, Malacañang said debt of gratitude must not stop the government from enforcing the law.
At a briefing on Monday, March 17, Palace Press Officer Claire Castro said the president had already expressed his gratitude to the former leader.
“As early as 2016, when President Marcos was still a senator – the president had already thanked the Supreme Court for ruling that his father should be buried at the heroes’ cemetery,” Castro said.
She said the president had already indicated that his “family will forever be thankful for this kind gesture” of the former president.
“But showing gratitude should not derail or betray the law and justice,” she said.
Asked about Mayor Duterte’s expletives at Marcos on Saturday, March 15, Castro said the president is not onion-skinned.
Appeal for calm
The Palace press official also appealed to Duterte supporters to remain calm and be discerning amid the flurry of fake news.
“The people of Davao are also Filipinos. Of course, the Palace and the president are concerned with what is happening in Davao. But our only request is for them to be calm and to know the truth,” Castro said.
She maintained that the government would not prevent supporters of the former president
from joining gatherings to show him support.
“We will not stop them from expressing their feelings, as long as it will not go too far… and we can say that that is sedition or inciting to sedition,” Castro said.
The Palace official also chided Sen. Ronald dela Rosa for what she implied was a belated show of support for the former president. Castro said Dela Rosa should have accompanied his former boss in Hong Kong despite getting information that they would be arrested there.
“If he (Dela Rosa) really knew that there was no arrest warrant issued by a competent authority, he would have bravely accompanied former president Duterte and as a matter of fact, he should have gone to the Netherlands before Sen. Robin (Padilla),” she said.
Dela Rosa, who served as chief of the Philippine National Police during Duterte’s term, is widely acknowledged as the top enforcer of the former president’s brutal crackdown on illegal drugs known as Oplan Tokhang
There were speculations that Dela Rosa and retired police chief Oscar Albayalde would be the next to receive arrest warrants from the ICC.
‘Bring home Roque’ Castro also chided calls for the return of Duterte instead of his former spokesman Harry Roque.
“But it would be better if we challenged him (Roque) to return to the country instead of bring home former President Duterte. Maybe, it would be better for the people to shout, ‘bring home Roque,’” Castro said.
Roque surfaced at The Hague on March 14, ahead of the initial appearance of Duterte before the ICC. Roque left the Philippines following an arrest order from
Congress for contempt.
Meanwhile, the Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT) said President Marcos may have decided to raise the allowance of military personnel to appease some members who might be against the arrest of Duterte.
In a statement, ACT decried the Marcos administration’s decision to raise soldiers’ allowances while public school teachers’ salary hikes remain on hold despite the ongoing education crisis.
The group said it finds unacceptable the administration decision to raise the allowances of military personnel to “secure their loyalty,” while teachers bear their poor working conditions, financial struggles and insufficient pay amid the rising cost of living.
“While the International Criminal Court’s arrest of Rodrigo Duterte is a step toward justice for his crimes against the Filipino people, the Marcos Jr. administration must not exploit military compensation as a tool to solidify its grip on power,” said ACT chairman Vladimer Quetua.
“Using state funds to appease the armed forces while leaving the majority of government employees and ordinary workers to suffer in worsening economic conditions is unacceptable,” he added.
Marcos earlier signed Executive Order No. 84, s. 2025, which approved a P200 increase in the daily subsistence allowance of Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) personnel, from P150 to P350.
ACT said public school teachers’ daily pay increase of P20 to P50 under Executive Order No. 64, covering 2024 to 2027, paled in comparison to the AFP’s, calling it a “double standard.” (With reports from Helen Flores and Neil Jayson Servallos)
US Congress considers $800 billion
Medicaid cut, putting healthcare in jeopardy for millions of working families
by sunita sohRabJi Ethnic Media Services
11 civil rights organizations
March 13 jointly released a report on the impact of a proposed $800 billion cut to Medicaid, which would put at risk health care coverage for 70 million Americans.
The House passed its budget proposal Feb. 25, calling for an overall $2 trillion in spending cuts. The proposal also allows for $4.5 trillion in spending for tax cuts — which advocates say benefit only the very wealthy — and also raises the debt ceiling by $4.5 trillion. The Senate is expected to put through its proposal in April. After that, both the House and Senate will go through a budget reconciliation process to agree on proposed cuts and spending.
The proposed cuts would disproportionately impact Latino and Black families, noted the report. More than 20 million Latinos, 13 million Black people, and 3.5 million Asian Americans rely on Medicaid. 31 million children are also covered by Medicaid, through the Children’s Health Insurance Program. More than half of Latino kids are covered by the program, and 60% of Black children are also enrolled. 60% of Native American children are enrolled in CHIP, and almost half of Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander children are also enrolled in the program.
In California, Medicaid is known as MediCal, and covers all state residents, including undocumented people. Nationwide, 1 out of 5 people, and 1 out of every 3 children are covered by Medicaid. 62% of adults on Medicaid are working full or part-time jobs, according to data from the California Health Care Foundation.
On average, about 68% of state spending on Medicaid comes from the federal government, reports KFF.
Feed the rich, starve the poor “These are the worst cuts to Medicaid in the history of the program,” said Stan Dorn, director of the Health Policy Project at UnidosUS. “These
huge budget cuts pay for tax breaks that primarily benefit the wealthy. We’re cutting health care services and food for working class people so that billionaires can buy more yachts and jewelry,” he said in an interview with Ethnic Media Services.
“We know that when you take health care away from children, the effects last a lifetime. Health problems are more likely in adulthood. People are less able to support themselves, more likely to need to turn to public assistance,” said Dorn.
“Researchers tell us that every dollar invested in children’s health results in a $4 savings to taxpayers down the line. So even if you care nothing about human beings and care only about gold dollars and cents, you don’t want to make these cuts,” he stated.
Dorn noted that $230 billion in cuts are also being proposed for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program — SNAP — reducing food benefits for almost 42 million people.
‘Kicking elderly out of nursing homes’
“Budgets are a reflection of our values,” said Rep. Grace Meng, chair of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus — CAPAC — at a press conference March 13 morning. “Republicans have said with their budget proposal that they prioritize billionaires over the working class. It is beyond shameful,” said the congresswoman from New York, noting that millions of people will lose healthcare coverage.
Darren Soto, D-Florida and chair of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, noted that millions of older adults will lose financial support to be able to live in nursing homes. Derrick Johnson, president and CEO of the NAACP, echoed Soto’s remarks. “Our vulnerable elderly people should not be kicked out of nursing homes so that billionaires get bigger tax breaks,” he stated.
People who lose their Medicaid coverage will not be able to easily transition to coverage under the Affordable
Care Act, also known as Obamacare, noted Anthony Wright, executive director of Families USA. ACA coverage is expensive — about $10-$12,000 annually for a family. “These are low-income, working families. The idea that they can afford private health coverage is not feasible,” he said.
Community health clinics may shut down Community Health Clinics can provide a short-term safety net to people who lose Medicaid coverage: CHCs accept people without health insurance.
“However, if big Medicaid cuts go through, that is going to devastate community health centers because they rely on Medicaid to furnish a huge part of their revenue,” said Dorn, noting that if revenue goes down, CHCs will be forced to offer fewer services or shut down entirely.
People without health insurance will simply avoid getting treatment, said Dorn.
“If you have high blood pressure, well, you can’t afford to fill your prescription without any insurance. I mean, that’s hundreds of dollars a month. And what happens is people’s blood pressure goes up, with a 40% greater chance of death.”
“We know that women without insurance who have breast cancer developing and they don’t know it are less likely to go to the doctor. They’re not going to be screened. That means their cancer isn’t picked up until it is advanced and harder to treat. And we know that means that people are more likely to die,” said Dorn.
‘Health care is a human right’
Rural hospitals and CHCs are likely to take a big hit from Medicaid cuts, said Maya Wiley, president and CEO of the National Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights. Many will simply close down, which means that the community at large in those areas will have no place to go, she said.
”Health care is a civil and human right. We’re talking about real people and real lives,” said Wiley. n
What the ABC Act means for Filipino American...
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Administration review their procedures with direct input from caregivers, ensuring a more responsive system.
Within a year of its passage, a report to Congress will be required to track progress and evaluate its impact.
According to the National Federation of Filipino American Associations (NaFFAA), across the United States, more than 48 million individuals serve as family
caregivers, with a significant portion coming from the Filipino American community.
Recognizing their invaluable contributions, NaFFAA has expressed firm support for the ABC Act. The organization underscores the staggering $600 billion worth of unpaid labor caregivers provide each year and stresses the importance of improving access to essential benefits and streamlining cumbersome processes.
NaFFAA leaders emphasized that
“Hindi lamang po ang gobyerno ang siyang magsasaayos po nito. Lahat po tayo ay dapat magtulungtulong para po maiwasan po natin, matanggal po natin ang lahat ng
ang tulong ng social media, ng mainstream media para masawata po natin ang mga kumakalat na ganitong klase
spreading),” Castro added. Castro earlier said the PCO is coordinating with the National Bureau of Investigation and the Philippine National Police to investigate fake news peddlers. n
‘Sara impeachment trial to proceed...
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Escudero previously proposed a timeline for the impeachment trial, beginning with the reading of the Articles of Impeachment on June 2, followed by the approval of revised impeachment trial rules.
“As I said before, that is a proposed schedule. We have furnished both the House and the vice president, as well as the members of the Senate. All of this will be final and decided when we resume, depending on whether this is supported by the majority of the Senate members and the impeachment court,” he said. He reiterated that the vice president is not required to attend the impeachment proceedings.
“Especially if Vice President Duterte is busy, for example, as one of her father’s lawyers, she is not required to attend the impeachment trial in the Senate unless the impeachment court specifically requires her to do so, as she needs to be identified. However, I don’t think this will be an issue since everyone already knows her,” Escudero added. n
ESSENTIAL SERVICE. Pedicab drivers wait for passengers at a corner of Katipunan Avenue, Quezon City on Tuesday, March 18. They do not earn much but the service they provide is valuable -- a cheap but reliable mode of transportation, not to mention environment-friendly. PNA photo by Robert Oswald P. Alfiler
American victim of Duterte’s crimes..
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toward justice for thousands of victims” of these crimes.
“Duterte must be held accountable for all the extrajudicial killings and prosecuted to the fullest extent of international law,” Lee said at a virtual press conference on March 13.
“The international community is watching and will continue to support the Filipino people’s demand for justice,”
Lee said he became the first American targeted by the Duterte administration when he was defending the human rights of indigenous Filipinos and working as a community journalist in the Cordillera region.
On August 6, 2019, he was shot four times by the 54th Infantry Battalion in front of his home, leaving him permanently paralyzed as a quadriplegic.
“Duterte’s arrest is deeply personal to me as one of the over 30,000 victims of his bloody regime. What the world knows about the atrocities of this war on drugs, is really a war on the poor.
My experience is that under the Duterte’s regime, there were always a lot of killings in the rural areas, especially in indigenous and impoverished communities, to permanently silence the people defending their land and their livelihood.”
Born and raised in San Francisco, Brandon Lee was a student activist at San Francisco State University before he moved to the Philippines in 2010 to support the indigenous people’s efforts for self-determination and
defense of their ancestral land.
He worked for the Cordillera Human Rights Alliance and was a correspondent for the Northern Dispatch Weekly.
He currently resides with his family in San Francisco and serves as the chairperson of the International Coalition for Human Rights in the Philippines (ICHIRP), which co-hosted the virtual press conference with Malaya Movement USA and BAYAN USA.
The press conference was part of the groups’ series of actions in the U.S., including rallies in front of Philippine consulates, in response to Duterte’s arrest.
Lee said Duterte’s crackdown on his critics was “eerily similar”
to his war on drugs that had devastated so many people’s lives.
“I should know as a survivor of an attempted assassination, which caused severe trauma to me and my family,” he said.
“His war in the countryside of the Philippines terrorized thousands of rural poor peasants. His failed economic policy of ‘build, build, build’ led to ‘kill, kill, kill’ and militarization and bombing of rural indigenous communities.”
Lee called for the arrest of Duterte’s accomplices, including members of the military and the police force who carried out the extrajudicial killings. (Jun Nucum/ Inquirer.net)
Erlinda Ignacio Espiritu: 1st woman to receive law degree from Harvard
by dianne saMpanG Inquirer.net
MANILA — Drawing inspiration from the legends of the Knights of the Round Table to become a lawyer, Erlinda Ignacio Espiritu from Mindoro was the first woman to receive a degree from the Harvard Law School (HLS).
In line with the celebration of International Women’s Month, the tribute was posted by Harvard Law School in its Instagram page, citing an article of Harvard Law Bulletin in 2007.
“The knights were always defending the defenseless, and I thought, how could I do that?” Espiritu said in the article.
Espiritu also acknowledged the limited opportunities women had to deal with, many decades ago. She said that not many women took up law, but she persevered and became one of the few female lawyers of the country in 1947 amid the Japanese occupation.
She studied at Manuel L. Quezon School of Law in Manila before obtaining her Masters of Law degree at HLS in 1951.
“Women were supposed to stay at home, and even if they were studying, they were studying to teach,” she added.
Espiritu bared that her father wanted her to study abroad, but she requested it should be at HLS, despite knowing that it would only accept male students. The Harvard Corporation would later on reverse its policy on denying law school applications from women. She said that she was “at a loss” at Harvard, but she attributed her HLS experience to good professors and “teaching her how to think.”
She worked as a corporate legal counsel for one of the biggest land developers in the country shortly after her husband died.
Handling her first criminal case in 1959, she represented a prisoner sentenced to death for murder of a fellow inmate.
Despite an initial court ruling of upholding the death sentence for her client, she challenged the order before the board of pardons and her client’s sentence was reduced just before his scheduled
execution.
She was a president of a familyowned rural bank for 32 years and did pro-bono legal work until May 2006.
In October 2007, Espiritu returned to HLS as a guest of honor at a dinner, in which she thanked Harvard for “the opportunity to learn well, not only in the matters of law but in improving the lives of our fellow men.” n
Measles outbreaks rise as vaccination rates drop
THE U.S. is experiencing a dramatic rise in measles outbreaks, primarily in West Texas and New Mexico, along with isolated cases in 12 other states.
Measles were considered eliminated in the U.S. in the year 2000. But 250 measles cases were reported across the country this year, all in children who were unvaccinated. The Texas Department of State Health Services reports that, as of March 11, 223 measles cases have been reported, with 29 hospitalizations and 2 deaths. The majority of cases are in Gaines County, Texas, home to a large number of Mennonites who reportedly do not follow government mandates.
All 50 states require K-12 children to receive the MMR vaccine before attending school, but parents can also claim religious exemptions to get around the requirement.
Cod liver oil is not a cure
In a March 12 interview with Ethnic Media Services, Dr. Peter Chin-Hong, an infectious diseases specialist at the University of California, explained the rise in measles cases, and noted the efficacy of the MMR vaccine. Chin-Hong also debunked several misconceptions about measles and cures promoted by Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Below are excerpts from the interview.
Dr. Chin-Hong, why are we seeing this uptick in measles cases right now?
PCH: So there are 2 reasons for the uptick in measles. The 1st is that there’s a lot of measles around the world, probably because of the lack of access to vaccinations, particularly in the pediatric population, during Covid.
Number 2: there’s a lot of increasing vaccine hesitancy in the United States. So if you look at the average, it doesn’t look terrible. We dipped below 95% at the kindergarten MMR vaccines. But if you look at some communities, like those in Texas where the measles outbreak is really at its full force, and some areas of New Mexico and Oklahoma, some of those vaccine rates are in the 70%
or 80%. And you really need 95% to really protect the community from measles.
So some of it is again pandemic repercussion. But a lot of it is people’s own decisions not to vaccinate their kids and therefore putting the community at risk.
There’s been a dismissal of the severity of measles, with folks thinking it’s just a rash. Could you discuss the severity of the infection?
One per 1,000, or maybe 2 per 1,000 infections result in death.
But it’s not only the deaths. There’s also a long measles version like long COVID, where you can get brain disease even after you recovered from measles. More children are being hospitalized.
The U.S. Agency for International Development provided MMR vaccines to children around the world. Given that the agency has largely been disbanded, do you expect to see a global measles outbreak?
Well, it’s already happening. It’s just going to get worse. And it’s really foolhardy to think that it’s an ‘us vs. them’ problem. Infectious diseases know no borders. In fact, the vast majority of measles in the United States have been acquired from abroad.
So to cut efforts abroad is only going to come back to hurt us and and haunt us later on. That’s true not only for measles, but other diseases like tuberculosis, and even HIV, because it’s really a intersection of all of these factors that allow more infectious diseases to flourish.
Dr. Chin-Hong, could we examine some of HHS Secretary Kennedy’s statements regarding vaccines and measles treatments? First, is there a link to autism?
The scientific community and the medical community is really unanimous in thinking that there is no link between vaccines and autism, particularly the MMR vaccine.
Kennedy has also spoken about the benefits of cod liver oil as an effective treatment for measles. What would you say to that?
I think that’s been conflated
with some of the evidence globally, where vitamin A can help with some of the complications of measles like blindness and a lot of the reasons why some kids may have complications because of poor nutrition. But there’s no evidence that kids in the United States have very similar issues. There’s no treatment for measles. The only way to control measles is prevention. There’s no evidence that Vitamin A, or cod liver oil, treats measles.
Secretary Kennedy had also spoken about about a poor diet, characterizing Texas as a food desert. Is there a correlation between a poor diet and severity of a measles infection?
Yes, there is a correlation between nutrition and multiple infectious diseases, like the deaths we’ve seen in kids in subSaharan Africa. But that’s extreme malnutrition. It’s just not an American diet, even though there may be pockets of food insecurity in the United States.
Could you discuss ‘natural immunity,’ which many people are currently discussing as a way to avoid vaccines?
So what people talk about when they say natural immunity is that ‘I intentionally, or I get measles or chickenpox, for example, and it gives me protection for life.’
Which is true, I mean acquiring infection naturally like smallpox or you know, even Mpox, chickenpox and measles can give you immunity for a very, very long time, if not lifelong.
But the problem is all of the consequences that we talked about. You can’t predict who’s going to die, who’s going to be hospitalized, or who’s going to get blind or brain infection.
We are lucky to have these very effective tools available. So we don’t have to play measles roulette and figure out who’s going to get hospitalized or get a brain infection or die. Because it’s not really predictable.
So if I had a chance between exposing my kids to measles or chickenpox or getting them vaccines, 1 million percent, I’ll say getting the vaccine. (Sunita Sohrabji/Ethnic Media Services)
35 Filipinas in US reacquire Philippine citizenship to mark Women’s Month
They became dual citizens during a special Saturday consular service for women at the Philippine Embassy
WASHINGTON – In celebration of National Women’s Month, 35 women reacquired their Philippine citizenship and became dual citizens during a special Saturday consular service for women at the Philippine Embassy.
The March 15 event was dedicated to providing essential consular services to women outside regular working hours, ensuring greater accessibility and convenience for those with busy schedules., according to the Embassy.
The special consular day featured a range of services, including passport renewal and civil registry. The highlight of the day was the oathtaking ceremony, where 35 women proudly took their oath, marking a significant milestone in their lives.
“The Philippine Embassy is committed to making our services more accessible to women and recognizing their invaluable contributions to society,” said Ambassador Jose Manuel G. Romualdez. “By dedicating this special consular service to women, we hope to support their needs and celebrate their achievements.”
During the event, the team processed 35 dual citizenship petitions, 22 passport applications, 19 notarized documents and two civil registration reports.
The event also featured a briefing on the benefits of Philippine citizenship and information on other services provided by the Embassy.
This initiative is part of the Consular Section’s broader commitment to gender inclusivity and empowerment, in line with the 2025 National Women’s Month theme: “Babae sa Lahat ng Sektor, Aangat ang Bukas sa Bagong Pilipinas.”
In the United States, the recognition of women’s achievements started with International Women’s Day, observed for the first time on March 8, 1911. In 1978, Sonoma County, Calif., held a “Women’s History Week” in alignment with International Women’s Day. In 1980, President Jimmy Carter issued the first presidential proclamation declaring National Women’s History Week. The U.S. Congress designated March as Women’s History Month in 1987.
The Philippines celebrates National Women’s Month, which is deeply rooted in the global commemoration of the International Women’s Day. It has grown into a platform for celebrating women’s achievements while addressing critical women’s issues and promoting women’s empowerment and gender equality. (Inquirer.net)
Brandon Lee calls for justice for all the victims of former Pres. Rodrigo Duterte’s crimes against humanity. Photo from Church & Society, United Methodist Church website
Erlinda Ignacio Espiritu from Mindoro was the first woman who obtained a degree from the Harvard Law School.
Photo from Harvard Law School
Consul General Donna Rodriguez (right) administers the oath of allegiance during the special Saturday consular service for women on March 15, 2025. Contributed photo
SENATORIAL RANKING. Tangere Acquisition App Inc. president Martin Peñaflor presents the latest survey results of the Alyansa Para sa Bagong Pilipinas senatorial candidates during a press conference in Quezon City on Monday, March 17. Erwin Tulfo and Vicente Sotto III occupied the top two positions. PNA photo by Ben Briones
Dateline PhiliPPines
What political persecution? Roque should face cases in Philippines, says Palace
by Jean ManGaluz Philstar.com
MANILA — Malacañang has questioned former presidential spokesperson Harry Roque’s bid for political asylum in the Netherlands, saying that he should face the cases pending against him in the Philippines.
Roque left the country illegally in September 2024 and is currently facing charges of qualified human trafficking related to illegal Philippine offshore gaming operator (POGO) operations in the Lucky South 99 in Porac, Pampanga.
Since leaving, Roque has been spotted in the United Arab Emirates, China, and Japan. After months of refusing to return to the Philippines, Roque surfaced in the Netherlands, where he is attending the trial of former President Rodrigo Duterte at the International Criminal Court (ICC) for crimes against
humanity.
Not only does Roque want to serve as Duterte’s legal counsel, but he is also seeking political asylum in the Netherlands. “Wala po tayong nakikitang political persecution, harapin na lang po niya ang kaso niya po dito, mas maganda po iyan para maipakita niya sa taumbayan na wala po talaga siya kasalanan,” Palace Press Officer Claire Castro said.
(We do not see any political persecution, he should face his cases here so that he could prove to the public that he is innocent.)
Before his petition for political asylum could be granted, Castro reminded Roque that he would need to prove a well-founded fear of political persecution.
However, evidence gathered during the POGO raid in Porac strongly implicated him. Castro said that documents with Roque’s name found in the
raid were discovered with little effort from the government, essentially falling into their hands.
“How could there be a political persecution if all the pieces of evidence are overwhelming?”
Lucky South 99 listed Roque as their “legal counsel,” a claim which the former spokesperson has denied.
However, Roque has admitted to accompanying alleged POGO stakeholder Cassandra Ong to meet with Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) Chair Alejandro Tengco to settle financial matters.
Roque insists that the meeting was not related to Lucky South 99 but was instead for a company called “Whirlwind Corp.”
Tengco, however, contradicted this account, stating that the meeting was indeed about Lucky South 99. n
SC denies receiving Marcos resignation petition
by zaCaRian saRao Inquirer.net
MANILA — The Supreme Court (SC) on Monday, March 17 denied the existence of a petition calling for President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s resignation and vowed to impose sanctions on peddlers of disinformation.
In a statement, the Office of the SC spokesperson Camille Ting disowned a circulating document bearing the title “Supreme Court Receives Petition on 16 Million Signatures Calling for President Marcos’ Resignation,” stating that the office has never issued such a document.
According to the SC, the supposed document was spread by Facebook accounts under the names “Choose Libungan” and “Bernard Flores Maicon.”
“Further, the same Facebook accounts claimed in separate posts that the Supreme Court En Banc will convene today, March 17, 2025, to discuss the alleged petition. This is completely untrue,” the SC said.
“The Supreme Court has not received any such petition, and
no En Banc session is scheduled today for this matter,” it added. With this, the SC said it would investigate these acts of disinformation and take necessary measures, ”including the imposition of proper sanctions on those responsible.”
It urged the public to rely only on official announcements published by the SC on its official website and verified social media. It also called on the public to practice caution in sharing unverified information. n
Enrile posts cryptic remark on ‘pathetic irony, gasping for justice’
by Faith argosino Inquirer.net
MANILA — Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Juan Ponce Enrile on Tuesday, March 18 said he finds it ironic that those who reportedly committed injustices are now “drowning and gasping” for justice.
Enrile did not mention or specifically refer to anyone in his online post but has commented previously on the arrest of former President Rodrigo Duterte and his legal woes before the International Criminal Court.
“What a pathetic irony! Those who allegedly committed acts of injustice are drowning and gasping for justice. In their desperate distress, they called for widespread national prayer rallies to a God they called ‘STUPID!!!’”
Enrile wrote on Facebook on Tuesday evening.
Duterte’s supporters and allies organized a “Bring PRRD Home” event over the weekend, praying for the former leader’s “health and safe return” in the Philippines.
The former president was
served an arrest warrant from the International Criminal Court (ICC) over his alleged crimes against humanity committed during his administration’s drug war.
To recall, Duterte, who is an open critic of the Catholic Church, ranted about God and called him “stupid” for the concept of “original sin” in a speech he delivered on June 22, 2018. Days later he even said that he
would not — in a million years — apologize for calling God stupid.
“They blame nearly everyone else, except themselves, for their miseries, lust, which they themselves created because of their arrogance, hubris, and hunger for power and pelf. They now claw for straws of support to extricate themselves from the tight situation they created for themselves,” Enrile added. n
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. Malacañang file photo
Juan Ponce Enrile
INQUIRER
Barangay Bagong Silang, Caloocan City on Tuesday,
In aid of election
THE current chief legal counsel of former president Rodrigo Duterte has described his turnover to the International Criminal Court as “extrajudicial rendition” and state kidnapping.
Duterte’s camp has also not changed its long-held stand that the ICC lost jurisdiction over killings in the brutal crackdown on drug suspects after he withdrew the Philippines from the Rome Statute, which created the ICC.
Several urgent petitions have been filed with the Supreme Court, urging the high tribunal to invalidate the government’s turnover of Duterte to the ICC through the Interpol, and to compel the government to return him to the Philippines.
The ICC now has Duterte in its custody, with his lawyers preparing to challenge the court’s jurisdiction over him and the manner of his arrest.
Obviously, Duterte’s camp deems his arrest and extradition to The Hague illegal. Equally obvious is that the Philippine government believes its actions were legitimate. Both sides are unlikely to change their views. So whatever probe is conducted by the Senate at this point will simply reinforce those positions.
Malacañang and other administration officials have also provided details about the circumstances leading up to the arrest, and
made public the ICC arrest warrant. The officials are unlikely to deviate from their story. There could be some details that may still be squeezed out, which administration officials have yet to make public, such as the owner of the Gulfstream jet that was chartered to fly Duterte from Manila to The Hague. Beyond such details, however, which could be obtained through regular press conferences and media interviews, what else might a Senate probe unearth? Will it take on the role of the Supreme Court in ruling on the legality of the government’s actions?
President Marcos’ sister, Sen. Imee Marcos, is reportedly planning to conduct the probe. She has been openly conflicted since her brother had a falling out with her avowed close friend and his UniTeam running mate in 2022, Vice President Sara Duterte.
Senator Marcos is part of the administration’s 12-member Senate slate, although she said she would be campaigning on her own. But she joined the kickoff rally in Laoag for the Alyansa para sa Bagong Pilipinas , standing beside her brother as he raised the hands of
planned Senate probe, dismissing it as a stunt in aid of reelection. He is not the only one who
this view. (Philstar.com)
Preparing ourselves for the global economy
BaBe Romualdez
WITH the tariff war launched by the United States vs Canada, China, Mexico and the European Union now in full swing, many countries including ASEAN membernations are bracing themselves for any potential fallout from the situation that has been described as a “tit-for-tat” due to the retaliatory tariffs being imposed by the “warring” countries on a widening list of products.
According to analysts, the intensifying competition between the U.S. and China could prove to be challenging for countries in Southeast Asia, with Thailand, Vietnam and Malaysia being particularly “vulnerable” to the impact of increased tariffs. This is why it’s become all the more important to have the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership – said to be the biggest regional trade agreement in the Asia-
Pacific – since one of its aims is to lower (if not eliminate) tariffs on a wide range of goods and services and reduce trade barriers among member-nations that include all 10 members of the ASEAN, analysts said. While some countries in Asia may not be directly affected, “the impact of rising tariffs and trade wars could cause major disruptions to supply chains, slow down trade and investment flows and significantly set back the growth of the global economy,” Singapore Deputy Prime Minister Gan Kim Yong said during a recent global thought leadership event. But “in spite of the risk of greater economic fragmentation, there is good reason to remain optimistic that Asia will remain a beacon of growth, opportunities and prosperity,” Gan asserted, pointing to the Asian economy’s projected expansion to 60 percent of the world’s GDP by 2030, with Southeast Asia also projected to become the fourth largest economy in the world by that time.
Analysts are confident that the Philippines is “wellinsulated” from the impact
of the retaliatory tariffs due to its trade balance since the country imports more than it exports, plus the fact that 75 percent of its economy is driven domestically. Besides, our trade surplus with the U.S. is not that big, unlike countries with significant trade surpluses such as Canada, Mexico, the European Union and China, which have all become the target of President Trump’s retaliatory tariffs. The National Economic and Development Authority believes that the Philippines could even gain from the current trade war between the U.S. and its trade partners if we position our country as an alternative source of exports to the United States. A lot of foreign companies are now looking at the Philippines as an alternative destination since they will not be severely hit by the tariff fallout. It goes without saying that we need to ensure that our economy remains resilient if we are to hurdle the challenges and the uncertainties brought about by the escalating tariff tensions. A lot of businessmen I have spoken with say they are relieved that we have someone like Secretary Frederick
Go, whose role as the President’s special assistant for investment and economic affairs practically puts him on top of the economy.
In fact, some of the biggest business groups in the country have expressed their strong support for Secretary Go’s efforts to push for reforms that would make the Philippines more attractive to investors, among them the landmark CREATE MORE (Corporate Recovery and Tax Incentives for Enterprises) bill that aims to provide tax incentives and stimulate economic recovery.
According to the Board of Investments (BOI), the total approved investment commitments in 2024 hit an all-time high of P1.9 trillion, exceeding the administration’s P1.5-trillion target.
“This unprecedented performance shows growing investor confidence in the Philippines and the success of the administration’s investment and economic policies. We are optimistic that these approved projects will translate into tangible economic benefits in the coming years, including the creation of more and better job opportunities for Filipinos and
paving the way for sustainable, investment-led growth,”
Secretary Go remarked, adding that these approved investments could create over 130,000 jobs.
Trade Undersecretary and BOI head Perry Rodolfo has also been very active in exploring increased collaboration with nontraditional trading partners such as Paraguay, whose Vice Minister for Investments and Exports was in the country last month for an official visit.
USec Rodolfo is also confident that the Philippines will have a better chance of pushing for a bilateral free trade agreement and sectoral agreements with the United States under the administration of President Trump, noting that the US president welcomed the idea of an FTA when he came here for a visit in 2017. During the Biden administration, it was “so difficult to even have a watered-down statement that would say that the U.S. notes the Philippines’ interest in a bilateral trade agreement,” the DTI official said. Here in Washington, our economic team is continuing to work on a potential free trade agreement and reviving
Marcos Jr. in the shadow of Marcos Sr.
to consolidate power, leading to the question: Is Mr. Marcos proving to be as strategically adept as his father, despite earlier perceptions?
THE rapid succession of events — the swift impeachment of Vice President Sara Duterte by the House of Representatives in February and the arrest and transfer of former President Rodrigo Duterte to the International Criminal Court (ICC last week) — has led to a reassessment of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s political acumen and decisiveness. Many had previously viewed Mr. Marcos as conflictaverse, reluctant to confront the Duterte faction directly, and lacking the ruthless strategic precision of his father, Ferdinand Marcos Sr. However, the recent turn of events suggests a more calculated, premeditated move
The House’s rapid impeachment of Sara Duterte signaled that Mr. Marcos had already secured the legislative numbers and political will to move against the Dutertes. Sandro Marcos as the first signer and Martin Romualdez as the last signer of the impeachment charge was a mischievous wink. Duterte’s ICC arrest followed shortly after, strongly suggesting patient entrapment rather than coincidence.
the discussions that we had during the first Trump administration. We are also looking at sectoral agreements as advised by former U.S. Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross since these would provide better opportunities in certain industries like semiconductors and minerals, for instance. We are also continually working on the renewal of the U.S. Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) which was placed on the backburner due to COVID-19 and the Speakership issue in 2023. With Republicans holding the majority in Congress, we are confident the GSP will be renewed.
As I have emphasized on many occasions, we must become economically prosperous to achieve economic security that, in turn, would make us strong and resilient to withstand risks and challenges in the face of a global economy. (Philstar.com)
* * *
The opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by the author do not necessarily reflect the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints of Asian Journal, its management, editorial board and staff.
* * * Email: babeseyeview@gmail.com
These moves show greater political decisiveness than previously assumed, but some distinctions remain between Mr. Marcos and his father.
As to political style, Marcos Sr. used direct authoritarian control and strong-handed rule, backed by the military and police, while Mr. Marcos prefers subtle, indirect, and less overtly authoritarian tactics.
As to the use of institutions, Marcos Sr. weaponized government machinery early in his rule (e.g., martial law) while Mr. Marcos uses existing institutions (Congress, ICC, law enforcement) to weaken enemies without directly appearing oppressive. As for the management of political rivals, Marcos Sr. co-opted,
What we are realizing now is Marcos’ occult strategy of gradually isolating the Dutertes. Instead of engaging in a direct, early confrontation, Mr. Marcos systematically weakened the Duterte faction by withholding outright support for Sara Duterte’s political moves (e.g., withholding the defense portfolio, wresting control of the House speakership). Allowing internal fragmentation within the Duterte coalition and, finally, delivering decisive blows when the moment was right—ensuring Sara Duterte’s impeachment and letting Rodrigo Duterte face international accountability.
crushed, or exiled opponents (e.g., Ninoy Aquino) while Mr. Marcos isolates and undermines opponents while keeping a façade of the democratic process.
Mr. Marcos’ reluctance to move swiftly against the Dutertes earlier might have been due to the fear of losing the Duterte base before the 2025 elections. Many Duterte loyalists remain a powerful force in Philippine politics. By delaying confrontation, Mr. Marcos ensured the Duterte faction was already fragmented before he acted.
Instead of challenging the Dutertes when they were still strong, Mr. Marcos let their influence erode naturally through the quad comm investigation process that saw Sara Duterte flustered and struggling in approval ratings. Meanwhile, the ICC scrutiny goaded Rodrigo Duterte, in his inimitable macho bravado, to make damaging selfincriminating statements.
By framing Duterte’s
arrest as an Interpol matter, Marcos avoided taking full responsibility for Duterte’s downfall. The dual blows against the Duterte faction— Sara’s impeachment and Rodrigo’s arrest—suggest that Mr. Marcos is now in a stronger position than ever before.
The 2025 midterm elections will now be fought under a Marcos-dominated landscape.
The Duterte bloc, once a threat, is now fragmented, discredited, and leaderless.
Mr. Marcos now controls the narrative, having strategically removed a major political rival, maintaining deniability that he has declared outright war against the Dutertes or that he has surrendered Philippine sovereignty.
While Mr. Marcos does not rule with the same iron grip as his father, his ability to strategically weaken the Dutertes without direct confrontation reflects a deep political instinct that many had underestimated. Whether he continues to consolidate power
effectively or faces a backlash will depend on how well he manages the post-Duterte political landscape.
Marcos Sr. got his political opponents arrested on Sept. 23, 1972, a full two days after secretly declaring martial law, the better to surprise his political enemies. In the case of Mr. Marcos, he managed to fool the Dutertes into believing he would not cooperate with the ICC, the better to get Duterte into his political parlor, get him arrested, and whisked straight to detention in The Hague, in just 37 hours. Mr. Marcos is proving to be a cunning and patient strategist—one who plays the long game and wins. The tell-tale similarity is in the checkmate modus operandi. (Inquirer.net)
* * * The opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by the author do not necessarily reflect the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints of Asian Journal, its management, editorial board and staff.
* * * doyromero@gmail.com
Babe’s
the candidates.
Duterte’s former chief presidential legal counsel, Salvador Panelo, scoffed at the
holds
NBI monitoring 20 vloggers for spreading fake news online
MANILA
— About 20 vloggers accused of spreading fake news online are being probed by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI).
Two people are already facing arrest warrants, the NBI said Monday, March 17.
Charges of cyberlibel and inciting to sedition could be filed against the vloggers, NBI director Jaime Santiago noted.
A vlogger based in the United States is under surveillance, he said.
“Some people take this lightly, saying they have freedom of speech and expression, but those freedoms are not absolute,” Santiago maintained.
“When you exceed the boundaries of the law and commit a crime, we have to take action,” he said.
Embarrassment
Meanwhile, House officials said it was “embarrassing and humiliating” that the proliferation of fake news in the country peaked when the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued an arrest warrant for former President Rodrigo Duterte.
“The sheer volume of disinformation is not just disturbing – it’s humiliating. It’s a national embarrassment... a global shame,” La Union Rep. Paolo Ortega V said.
Ortega cited false narratives spread by Duterte’s former executive secretary Salvador Medialdea, who claimed that
Duterte’s
Duterte was missing and the ICC was not providing him medical attention.
Fact checking group Vera Files has reported that pro-Duterte disinformation surrounding his arrest has been spreading across Facebook, TikTok and YouTube.
Lanao del Sur Rep. Zia Alonto
Adiong also condemned fake news claiming the Supreme Court received a petition for President Marcos’ resignation.
“This is a blatant act of deception, meant to sow confusion and disrupt our nation,” he said.
Adiong lauded the high court for debunking the fabricated document and vowed full support for efforts to hold perpetrators accountable.
ICC Presiding Judge Iulia Motoc has also been the target of fake news linking her to the Marcos family, among others.
Campaign vs fake news
A campaign to track fake news purveyors is being discussed by the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) and NBI.
DICT Undersecretary Jeffrey Ian Dy said he met with NBI’s Santiago on Monday to discuss the campaign.
“The DICT has no police powers, but what we have are certain tools to monitor what’s happening on the internet,” he told dzBB.
Officials of the National Telecommunications Commission also attended the meeting.
Dy said the meeting will be expanded to include other state
agencies that can help in tracking down content creators, erring content and social media sites used in spreading fake news.
Social media platforms, he said, should be held accountable for failing to protect people from fake news and content generated by artificial intelligence.
The monetization system of social media platforms, such as YouTube and Meta, is incentivizing content creators to spread fake news, he noted.
No charges
Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) director Maj. Gen. Nicolas Torre will not file charges against people spreading fake news about him and other police officials.
“It’s part of the job. No worries. We can handle it,” he said.
Torre on March 12 led the contingent of the Philippine National Police in enforcing the ICC arrest warrant against Duterte for alleged crimes against humanity stemming from his bloody war on drugs.
Deputized anti-crime investigators are being retrained to study the financial transactions of troll farms, Torre said.
“We are closely examining troll farms as a key aspect of our investigations, not just in elections but also in broader governance issues, especially in the current landscape. Their influence has become increasingly evident, particularly in the aftermath of recent controversial operations,” Torre said. (With reports from Delon Porcalla, Cecille Suerte Felipe, Rainier Allan Ronda)
counsel Medialdea rushed to hospital
by John eRiC Mendoza Inquirer.net
MANILA — Former President Rodrigo Duterte’s lead counsel and former executive secretary Salvador Medialdea was rushed to hospital in The Hague on Tuesday, March 18. Senator Robin Padilla, who made the update in his Facebook page, shared a photo of Medialdea in a wheelchair.
Medialdea’s condition is not yet clear but Padilla is asking prayers for his recovery.
As’alu Allah al ‘azim rabbil ‘arshil azim an yashifika. I ask Allah, the Mighty, the Lord of the Mighty Throne, to cure
you,” Padilla said in a Facebook page. Padilla is in the Netherlands where the International Criminal Court’s (ICC) headquarters is located. Duterte is being held in the ICC for alleged crimes against humanity over the war on drugs during his term.
Duterte appointed Medialdea as one his counsels in the ICC proceedings.
ICC spokesperson Fadi El Abdallah said he has no information on the development. “I have no information but in general we do not comment on private life matters,” he told reporters on Tuesday. On March 11, Duterte was
arrested at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport and was held at the Villamor Air Base before being flown to the Hague along with Medialdea.
Duterte had his pre-trial hearing on March 14, while his confirmation of charges will be held on September 23, before which he could appeal for an interim release. At least 6,000 were killed during the war on drugs during Duterte’s term, according to official government data. But human rights watchdogs and the ICC prosecutor estimated the death toll to be between 12,000 and 30,000 from 2016 to 2019.n
MANILA — Vice President Sara Duterte will not seek recognition after all from the International Criminal Court (ICC) to be her father’s lawyer, former presidential spokesman Harry Roque said on Tuesday, March 18.
Roque made the clarification hours after announcing that the vice president was aiming to be allowed to be part of her father’s legal defense so she could be entitled to a “counsel’s access to an accused.”
“Let me just make clear the reports that came out. VP Sara can’t be a lawyer for the president (Duterte) because the Constitution prohibits the practice of profession,” he said. “It’s her right to visit (Duterte) as his daughter.”
He also confirmed that former executive secretary Salvador Medialdea was able to visit the former president in his detention facility in The Hague.
Earlier reports said the vice president wanted to be part of her father’s legal team so she could have unimpeded access to him, with their conversations
not
Lawyers familiar with ICC rules, however, said such reasons would not qualify Duterte to be part of the legal team. The lawyer said accreditation for this role requires some experience in handling cases involving international law.
British-Israeli lawyer Nicholas Kaufman has reportedly been hired to lead Duterte’s legal team. The STAR, meanwhile,
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(With
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT NO. 2025-9004866
Hiraya Flowers located at 425 S Meadowbrook Dr. Unit 150, San Diego, CA 92114. Registrant: Hiraya Flowers LLC, 425 S Meadowbrook Dr. Unit 150, San Diego, CA 92114. This business is conducted by A Limited Liability Company.
REGISTRANT FIRST BEGUN TO TRANSACT BUSINESS UNDER THE NAME(S) AS OF 02/01/2025. Signature: Shaena Denize C. Dilayre. Statement filed with Recorder/County Clerk of San Diego County on 03/10/2025.
AJ 1655 03/21, 03/28, 04/04, and 04/11/2025. AJSD 1655
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT NO. 2025-9005115
Ingelow Apartments located at 2934 Ingelow St., San Diego, CA 92106. Registrant: PL Investments LP, 244-A Palomar St., Chula Vista, CA 91911. This business is conducted by A Limited Partnership.
REGISTRANT
by MaRK eRnest Villeza Philstar.com
by JanViC Mateo Philstar.com
recorded.
learned that three lawyers led by former justice secretary Silvestre Bello III are set to fly to the Netherlands today to assist in the legal defense of Duterte.
former president, who is running for mayor of Davao City in the May 12 midterm polls, is turning 80 on March 28.
next appearance before the tribunal is on Sept. 23.
reports from Edith Regalado)
STAPLE FOOD. A store owner sorts out his rice products at Kamuning Public Market in Quezon City on Tuesday, March
PHP24
kg. PNA photo by Joan Bondoc
Former presidential spokesperson Harry Roque and Vice President Sara Duterte by the entrance of the International Criminal Court in The Hague, Netherlands on Friday, Mar. 14, 2025. Photo from One News via Gretchen Ho / Philstar.com’s screenshot
LEGAL SERVICES LEGAL SERVICES LEGAL SERVICES
PERSONS:
Huang Hsien Elbaz filed a petition with this court for a decree changing names as follows: a. Huang Hsien Elbaz to Linda Lee Elbaz. THE COURT ORDERS that all persons interested in this matter appear before this court at the hearing indicated below to show cause, if any, why the petition for change of name should not be granted. Any person objecting to the name changes described above must file a written objection that includes the reasons for the objection at least two court days before the matter is scheduled to be heard and must appear at the hearing to show cause why the petition should not be granted. If no written objection is timely filed, the court may grant the petition without a hearing. NOTICE OF HEARING Date: 04/17/2025 Time: 8:30 AM Dept. 61 Superior Court of California, County of San Diego 330 WEST BROADWAY DEPT. 61 San Diego, CA 92101 A copy of this Order to Show Cause shall be published at least once each week for four successive weeks prior to the date set for hearing on the petition in the following newspaper of general circulation printed in this county. Asian Journal: FEB 26, 2025 NO HEARING WILL OCCUR ON ABOVE DATE: SEE ATTACHMENT Maureen F. Hallahan Judge of the Superior Court AJ 1635 02/28, 03/07, 03/14, and 03/21/2025 ATTACHMENT TO ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME (JC Form #NC-120) NO HEARING WILL OCCUR ON THE DATE SPECIFIED IN THE ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE. The Court will review the documents filed as of the date specified on the Order to Show Cause for Change of Name (JC Form #NC-120). If all requirements for a name change have been met as of the date specified, and no timely written objection has been received (required at least two court days before the date specified), the Petition for Change of Name (JC Form #NC-100) will be granted without a hearing. One certified copy of the Order Granting Petition will be mailed to the petitioner. To change a name on a legal document, including a birth certificate, social security card, drivers license, passport, and other identification, a certificate copy of Decree Changing Name (JC Form #NC-130) or Decree Changing Name and Order Recognizing Change of Gender and for Issuance of New Birth Certificate (JC Form #NC-230) may be required. Contact the agency(ies) who issues the legal document that need to be changed to determine if a certificate copy is required. A certified copy of Decree Changing Name (JC Form #NC-130) or Decree Changing Name and Order Recognizing Change of Gender and for Issuance of New Birth Certificate (JC Form #NC-230) may be obtained form the Civil Business Office for a fee. Petitioners who are seeking a change of name under the Safe at Home program may contact the assigned department for information on obtaining certified copies. If all the requirements have not been met as of the date specified, the Court will mail the petitioner a written order with further directions. If timely objection is filed, the Court will set a hearing date and contact the parties by mail with further directions.
A RESPONDENT OBJECTING TO THE NAME CHANGE, MUST FILE A WRITTEN OBJECTION AT LEAST TWO COURT DAYS (excluding weekends and holidays) BEFORE THE DATE SPECIFIED. Do not come to court on the specified date. The court will notify the parties by mail of a future hearing date. Any Petition for the name change of a minor, that is signed by only one parent, must have this Attachment served along with the Petition and Order to Show Cause, on the other, non-signing parent, and proof of service must be filed with the Court. AJSD 1635
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT NO. 2025-9003304
JN Construction located at 4214 Lois Street, La Mesa, CA 91941.
Registrant: Matchless Corporation, 4214 Lois Street, La Mesa, CA 91941. This business is conducted by A Corporation. REGISTRANT HAS NOT BEGUN TO TRANSACT BUSINESS UNDER THE NAME(S) ABOVE.
Signature: Noemi-Maria P.
Quirino. Statement filed with Recorder/County Clerk of San Diego County on 02/18/2025.
AJ 1640 03/07, 03/14, 03/21, and 03/28/2025. AJSD 1640
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT NO. 2025-9004686
The Beauty Lounge Bonita located at 3030 Plaza Bonita Rd, National City, CA 91950.
Registrant: Edna Karelia Meza Meza, 2792 Morningside St, San Diego, CA 92139. This business is conducted by An Individual. REGISTRANT HAS NOT BEGUN TO TRANSACT BUSINESS UNDER THE NAME(S) ABOVE.
Signature: Edna Karelia Meza Meza. Statement filed with Recorder/County Clerk of San Diego County on 03/06/2025. AJ 1647 03/14, 03/21, 03/28, 04/04/2025. AJSD 1647
NOTICE OF INITIAL PETITION FOR PROBATE ESTATE OF Bette L. Robbins CASE NO: 24PE002401C
To all heirs, beneficiaries, creditors, contingent creditors, and persons who may otherwise be interested in the will or estate, or both, of: Bette L. Robbins A Petition for Probate has been filed by Mark Robbins in the Superior Court of California, County of SAN DIEGO
The Petition for Probate requests that Mark Robbins be appointed as personal representative to administer with will annexed the estate of the decedent.
The petition requests the decedent’s will and codicils, if any, be admitted to probate. The will and any codicils are available for examination in the file kept by the court.
The petition requests authority to administer the estate under the Independent Administration of Estates Act. (This authority will allow the personal representative to take many actions without obtaining court approval. Before taking certain very important actions, however, the personal representative will be required to give notice to interested persons unless they have waived notice or consented to the proposed action.)
The independent administration authority will be granted unless an interested person files an objection to the petition and shows good cause why the court should not grant the authority.
A hearing on the petition will be held in this court as follows:
Date: 05/01/2025
Time: 01:45 P.M. Dept.: 503 Address of court: 1100 Union Street, San Diego, CA 92101
Branch Name: Central, Probate
If you object to the granting of the petition, you should appear at the hearing and state your objections or file written objections with the court before the hearing. Your appearance may be in person or by your attorney. If you are a creditor or a contingent creditor of the decedent, you must file your claim with the court and mail a copy to the personal representative appointed by the court and mail a copy to the personal representative appointed by the court within the later of either (1) four months from the date of first issuance of letters to a general personal representative, as defined in section 58(b) of the California Probate Code, or (2) 60 days from the date of mailing or personal delivery to you of a notice under section 9052 of the California Probate Code. Other California statutes and legal authority may affect your rights as a creditor. You may want to consult with an attorney knowledgeable in California law.
You may examine the file kept by the court. If you are a person interested in the estate, you may file with the court a Request for Special Notice (form DE-154) of the filing of an inventory and appraisal of estate assets or of any petition or account as provided in Probate Code section 1250. A Request for Special Notice form is available from the court clerk. Evane K. Abbassi, Esq. (SBN 335491) Abbassi Law Firm c/o Estate of Bette L. Robbins 6320 Canoga Ave, Suite 1610 Woodland Hills, CA 91367 818-585-3872
Attorney For Mark Robbins Publication Dates: 03/14, 03/21, and 03/28/2025 AJ 1644 AJSD 1644
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT NO. 2025-9004527
Mel’s Makerspace located at 2326 Dragonfly St, Chula Vista, CA 91915. Registrant: Melanie Tulagan, 2326 Dragonfly St, Chula Vista, CA 91915. This business is conducted by An Individual. REGISTRANT FIRST BEGUN TO TRANSACT BUSINESS UNDER THE NAME(S) AS OF 02/23/2025.
Signature: Melanie Tulagan. Statement filed with Recorder/County Clerk of San Diego County on 03/05/2025.
AJ 1641 03/07, 03/14, 03/21, and 03/28/2025. AJSD 1641
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT NO. 2025-9004861
MACOOLITZ SPEED SHOP located at 13662 Paseo Del Mar, Bostonia, CA 92021. Registrant: Mimi Pau Unlimited, 13662 Paseo Del Mar, Bostonia, CA 92021. This business is conducted by A Limited Liability Company. REGISTRANT FIRST BEGUN TO TRANSACT BUSINESS UNDER THE NAME(S) AS OF 03/10/2025
Signature: Charles Nguyen. Statement filed with Recorder/County Clerk of San Diego County on 03/10/2025. AJ 1648 03/14, 03/21, 03/28, 04/04/2025. AJSD 1648
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT NO. 2025-9003354
Cruz Consulting located at 895 39th St, San Diego, CA 92102.
Registrant: Juan Samuel Cruz, 895 39th St, San Diego, CA 92102. This business is conducted by An Individual. REGISTRANT FIRST BEGUN TO TRANSACT BUSINESS UNDER THE NAME(S) AS OF 02/12/2025.
Signature: Juan Samuel Cruz. Statement filed with Recorder/County Clerk of San Diego County on 02/18/2025.
AJ 1629 02/28, 03/07, 03/14, and 03/21/2025. AJSD 1629
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT NO. 2025-9003776
CERTIFIES located at 12004 Calle Naranja, El Cajon, CA 92019.
Registrant: Alexander Mcclung, 12004 Calle Naranja, El Cajon, CA 92019. This business is conducted by An Individual.
REGISTRANT FIRST BEGUN TO TRANSACT BUSINESS UNDER THE NAME(S) AS OF 11/01/2024.
Signature: Alexander Mcclung. Statement filed with Recorder/County Clerk of San Diego County on 02/24/2025. AJ 1632 02/28, 03/07, 03/14, and 03/21/2025.
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS
NAME STATEMENT NO. 2025-9002560
San Diego E-Bikes located at 1189 E Main Street, El Cajon, CA 92021. Registrant: Wissam Gibo, 1189 E Main Street, El Cajon, CA 92021. This business is conducted by An Individual.
REGISTRANT FIRST BEGUN TO TRANSACT BUSINESS UNDER THE NAME(S) AS OF 02/05/2025. Signature: Wissam Gibo. Statement filed with Recorder/County Clerk of San Diego County on 02/05/2025.
AJ 1637 03/07, 03/14, 03/21, and 03/28/2025. AJSD 1637
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS
NAME STATEMENT NO. 2025-9004298
RevMac located at 2216 Caminito Livorno #2, Chula Vista, CA 91915. Registrant: Joshua Gregory McQueen, 2216 Caminito Livorno #2, Chula Vista, CA 91915. This business is conducted by An Individual. REGISTRANT FIRST BEGUN TO TRANSACT BUSINESS UNDER THE NAME(S) AS OF 01/01/2025.
Signature: Joshua G. McQueen. Statement filed with Recorder/County Clerk of San Diego County on 02/28/2025. AJ 1642 03/07, 03/14, 03/21, and 03/28/2025. AJSD 1642
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT NO. 2025-9004139 a. INI HOLDINGS located at 2701 Midway Dr #81992, San Diego, CA 92138. b. MARU HOLDINGS located at 2701 Midway Dr #81992, San Diego, CA 92138. Registrant: MARU HOLDINGS LLC, 2701 Midway Dr #81992, San Diego, CA 92138. 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: Gary Martin. Statement filed with Recorder/County Clerk of San Diego County on 02/27/2025. AJ 1649 03/14, 03/21, 03/28, 04/04/2025. AJSD 1649
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT NO. 2025-9002254
EVK Empire located at 3 Palomar St, Chula Vista, CA 91911. Registrant: Rebekah Lombrozo, 3 Palomar St, Chula Vista, CA 91911. This business is conducted by An Individual. REGISTRANT FIRST BEGUN TO TRANSACT BUSINESS UNDER THE NAME(S) AS OF 01/29/2025.
Signature: Rebekah Lombrozo. Statement filed with Recorder/County Clerk of San Diego County on 01/31/2025. AJ 1630 02/28, 03/07, 03/14, and 03/21/2025. AJSD 1630
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT NO. 2025-9003410
K G Designs located at 1939 Corte Verbena, Chula Vista, CA 91914.
Registrant: K Shoes Corp., 524 E San Ysidro Blvd #A, San Diego, CA 92173. This business is conducted by A Corporation.
REGISTRANT FIRST BEGUN TO TRANSACT BUSINESS UNDER THE NAME(S) AS OF 06/22/2023.
Signature: Carol Kang. Statement filed with Recorder/County Clerk of San Diego County on 02/19/2025. AJ 1634 02/28, 03/07, 03/14, and 03/21/2025.
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS
NAME STATEMENT NO. 2025-9004301
247 Royal Movers located at 720 Edgewater Dr #F, Chula Vista, CA 91913. Registrant: 10X Estate Movers, LLC, 720 Edgewater Dr #F, Chula Vista, CA 91913. This business is conducted by A Limited Liability Company. REGISTRANT FIRST BEGUN TO TRANSACT BUSINESS UNDER THE NAME(S) AS OF 10/01/2024. Signature: Anthony Octavio Jimenez JR. Statement filed with Recorder/County Clerk of San Diego County on 02/28/2025. AJ 1638 03/07, 03/14, 03/21, and 03/28/2025. AJSD 1638
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS
NAME STATEMENT NO. 2025-9002951
Busy Ladybug Daycare located at 840 Pamela LN, El Cajon, CA 92020. Registrant: Methak Alzerkany Family Child Care LLC, 840 Pamela LN, El Cajon, CA 92020. This business is conducted by A Limited Liability Company. REGISTRANT FIRST BEGUN TO TRANSACT BUSINESS UNDER THE NAME(S) AS OF 02/01/2025. Signature: MethakAlzarkany. Statement filed with Recorder/County Clerk of San Diego County on 02/11/2025.
AJ 1643 03/07, 03/14, 03/21, and 03/28/2025. AJSD 1643
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS
NAME STATEMENT NO. 2025-9004768
Alumicraft located at 10815 Wheatlands Ave, Santee, CA 92071. Registrant: Alumicraft Race Inc., 31805 Temecula Parkway #211, Temecula, CA 92592. This business is conducted by A Corporation. REGISTRANT FIRST BEGUN TO TRANSACT BUSINESS UNDER THE NAME(S) AS OF 03/07/2025.
Signature: Matt Fleming. Statement filed with Recorder/County Clerk of San Diego County on 03/07/2025. AJ 1650 03/21, 03/28, 04/04, and 04/11/2025. AJSD 1650
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT NO. 2025-9003319
Proper HVAC Inc. located at 839 First Ave, Chula Vista, CA 91911. Registrant: Proper HVAC Inc., 1111 6th Ave Suite 550, San Diego, CA 92101. This business is conducted by An Individual. REGISTRANT FIRST BEGUN TO TRANSACT BUSINESS UNDER THE NAME(S) AS OF 01/16/2025. Signature: Luis B Rasmuzzen. Statement filed with Recorder/County Clerk of San Diego County on 02/18/2025. AJ 1631 02/28, 03/07, 03/14, and 03/21/2025. AJSD 1631
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT NO. 2025-9003459
Sunset Breeze Apartments LLC located at 3721-3727 Sunset Lane, San Ysidro, CA 92173.
Registrant: W And M Properties LLC, 244-A Palomar St, Chula Vista, CA 91911. This business is conducted by A Limited Liability Company.
REGISTRANT FIRST BEGUN TO TRANSACT BUSINESS UNDER THE NAME(S) AS OF 04/13/2004.
Signature: Dennis H Pennell II.
Statement filed with Recorder/County Clerk of San Diego County on 02/19/2025. AJ 1636 02/28, 03/07, 03/14, and 03/21/2025. AJSD 1636
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS
NAME STATEMENT NO. 2025-9004138
a. Martin Movers LLC. located at 2701 Midway Dr. Unit 81992, San Diego, CA 92138. b. Martin Movers located at 2701 Midway Dr. Unit 81992, San Diego, CA 92138. Registrant: Martin Movers LLC., 2701 Midway Dr. Unit 81992, San Diego, CA 92138. This business is conducted by A Limited Liability Company.
REGISTRANT FIRST BEGUN TO TRANSACT BUSINESS UNDER THE NAME(S) AS OF 08/16/2013. Signature: Gary Martin. Statement filed with Recorder/County Clerk of San Diego County on 02/27/2025. AJ 1639 03/07, 03/14, 03/21, and 03/28/2025. AJSD 1639
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS
NAME STATEMENT NO. 2025-9003856
WOLMAN
CONSTRUCTION located at 16950 Via De Santa Fe, Suite 5060-173, Rancho Santa Fe, CA 92067. Registrant: Wallman Corporation, 16950 Via De Santa Fe, Suite 5060173, Rancho Santa Fe, CA 92067. This business is conducted by A Corporation.
REGISTRANT FIRST BEGUN TO TRANSACT BUSINESS UNDER THE NAME(S) AS OF 02/25/2025. Signature: Gilad Barzilai. Statement filed with Recorder/County Clerk of San Diego County on 02/252025. AJ 1645 03/14, 03/21, 03/28, 04/04/2025. AJSD 1645
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS
NAME STATEMENT NO. 2025-9003023
Manila Munchies located at 3102 6th St, San Diego, CA 92102. Registrant: Esperanza Rodriguez, 3102 6th St, San Diego, CA 92102. This business is conducted by An Individual. REGISTRANT FIRST BEGUN TO TRANSACT BUSINESS UNDER THE NAME(S) AS OF 02/13/2025. Signature: Esperanza Rodriguez. Statement filed with Recorder/County Clerk of San Diego County on 02/13/2025. AJ 1651 03/21, 03/28, 04/04, and 04/11/2025. AJSD 1651
NAME STATEMENT NO. 2025-9004807
Casi’s House Cleaning located at 12970 Hwy 8 Business, El Cajon, CA 92021.
Registrant: Casimira Arias Valle, 12970 Hwy 8 Business, El Cajon, CA 92021. This business is conducted by An Individual. REGISTRANT FIRST BEGUN TO TRANSACT BUSINESS UNDER THE NAME(S) AS OF 04/28/2014. Signature: Casimira Arias Valle. Statement filed with Recorder/County Clerk of San Diego County on 03/10/2025. AJ 1646 03/14, 03/21, 03/28, 04/04/2025. AJSD 1646
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS
NAME STATEMENT NO. 2025-9004986
Cactus Towing located at 4324 Lynwood Dr, Chula Vista, CA 91910. Registrant: Patricia Munoz Sahagun, 4324 Lynwood Dr, Chula Vista, CA 91910. This business is conducted by An Individual. REGISTRANT FIRST BEGUN TO TRANSACT BUSINESS UNDER THE NAME(S) AS OF 03/11/2025. Signature: Patricia Munoz Sahagun. Statement filed with Recorder/County Clerk of San Diego County on 03/11/2025. AJ 1652 03/21, 03/28, 04/04, and 04/11/2025. AJSD 1652
SAN DIEGO
Empowered women: Marian Rivera, Heart Evangelista, Bea Alonzo
by Leony Garcia Inquirer.net
IT is good to note that the entertainment industry is peopled with empowered women — individuals who possess an unwavering belief in their own capabilities and worth and use their confidence to navigate challenges and advocate for themselves and others.
Top of mind among showbiz personalities are Marian Rivera, Heart Evangelista, and Bea Alonzo who are not afraid to speak their minds, challenge the status quo, and pursue their ambitions with passion and resilience, and thereby inspire those around them to do the same.
For one, Rivera, whose phenomenal rise to stardom is one for the books, is now known beyond her acting career. Her philanthropic endeavors — notably as Ambassador for Women and Children with Disabilities, along with her role as a devoted wife to fellow actor Dingdong Dantes and mother to Zia and Ziggy — make her a well-respected figure in and out of the Philippine show business.
Over the years, she has also successfully diversified her career and established herself as a savvy businesswoman through endorsements, product collaborations, and launching her own brands. This demonstrates her keen understanding of the market and her audience. Her business ventures, for sure, contribute to her overall success and showcase her ability to excel in multiple fields. And this further solidifies her status as a significant influencer in the Philippines.
Today, she chooses her projects well, with her highly acclaimed Cinemalaya movie, “Balota,” earning multiple nominations from different awarding ceremonies slated this year.
Evangelista, on the other hand, has secured a spot for fashion and modeling in the international scene not only for herself but for the Filipinos. With her svelte figure and small stature, who would ever think that she could invade Paris, New York, and Milan fashion events?
Over the years, the celebrated endorser has cemented her position as Queen of Collaborations for both local and foreign brands.
A certified social media influencer and philanthropist, she is highly popular as a spokesperson for the Philippine Animal Welfare Society and her own campaign for Adopt, Don’t Shop (for fur pets). Given her busy schedule, Evangelista, wife to Sen. Chiz Escudero, finds time to pursue civic work alongside the legislative work of senators as the head of the Senate Spouses Foundation. Meanwhile, Bea Alonzo is enjoying her life as a single woman — for now. After her failed relationships, including
a broken engagement, Alonzo said it is the first time that she’s enjoying solo and discovering things she can do alone. Of course, her family, especially her mom, has always been on hand to assist her.
When not busy with projects in Manila, Alonzo is handson in tending to her farm in Zambales, learning the beauty of going organics and environment-friendly farming. And while waiting for the cameras to roll for new movies — one to be filmed in Europe and one intended for Metro Manila Film Festival 2025 — she lends her star power to some endorsements and her own bag business.
Currently, Alonzo is the brand ambassador for a highend jewelry brand which she said has a “deep commitment to ethical sourcing and genuine craftsmanship.”
It is easy to see that these women leverage their talents while continuously strive for growth. Overall, they define their own success, prioritize their well-being, and contribute to a world where all individuals have the opportunity to thrive. For all women out there, let’s be empowered like Marian, Heart, and Bea. Happy Women’s Month, everyone!
‘Game
of Thrones’ star Iain Glen to join Jericho Rosales in ‘Quezon’
The Scottish actor plays the role of Leonard Wood, erstwhile governor-general of PH
by HannaH MaLLorca Inquirer.net
IAIN Glen, a Scottish actor best known for his appearances in “Game of Thrones” and the “Resident Evil” film series, has been cast as Leonard Wood in the upcoming film “Quezon.”
Glen’s casting was announced by production company TBA Studios in a press statement on Monday, March 17, where it also shared photos of the thespian engaging in a table reading with his co-stars Jericho Rosales and Benjamin Alves.
“We are very honored to have Iain Glen in ‘Quezon,’” TBA Studios president and COO Daphne Tiu said of Glen. “This film is shaping up to be one of the biggest productions in Philippine cinema, with one of the largest casts ever assembled.”
“We are excited to share with Iain — and the rest of the world — the production scale and level of artistry that Filipino filmmakers are capable of,” she further added.
Leonard Wood was an American Army general who served as the governor-general of the Philippines from 1921 to 1927 and found himself involved in the economic policies and other political matters leading up to the Philippines’ independence. Such was his influence that at least two major roads, in Baguio City and in Zamboanga City, and a public school in Mandaue City were named after him.
Glen, meanwhile, played the role of Ser Jorah Mormont in the hit series “Game of Thrones” alongside Sean Bean, Kit Harrington, Emilia Clarke, Lena Headey, and Peter Dinklage, among others. He was spotted upon arrival in
Manila sometime in January, but it was not disclosed what project he was working on in the country at the time.
“[Iain Glen] has gravitas. But at the same time, he can let loose, which is important for the role of Leonard Wood,” the film’s director Jerrold Tarog said, noting how his portrayal made Wood “come alive.”
The script reading for “Quezon’s” cast and crew took place earlier this year at the Manila Hotel, with Glen, Rosales, Benjamin Alves, and Mon Confiado in attendance.
Production will begin in March.
“Quezon,” which will be supported by the National Commission for Culture and the
Arts (NCCA), Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP), Department of Tourism, and QCinema Film Foundation, will air sometime in 2025. It was also stated that FDCP will be funding the film. Rosales was earlier announced as the lead star of “Quezon,” where he will portray the titular Manuel L. Quezon. Alves will star as the younger version of the character. Glen took on a number of notable characters through the years, and is best known for starring as Jorah Mormont in “Game of Thrones,” Dr. Alexander Isaacs or Tyrant in the “Resident Evil” film series, and Sir Richard Carlisle in “Downton Abbey,” to name a few.
Heart Evangelista, Marian Rivera, and Bea Alonzo
File photos
Iain Glen (center) during the table reading for “Quezon.” Photos courtesy of TBA Studios
The cast of “Quezon”
My P.E.P. (People, Events,Places)
rogelio conStantino medina
THE first time I saw Leni Robredo was during the wake for her husband Jessie Robredo at Malacanang’s Kalayaan Hall (I used to work there as Presidential Message Writer under the late Press Secretary Teddy Benigno). She showed courage in the midst of the tragic death of the man believed to be a country’s future leader.
I vividly remember she inquired who was the owner of the attache case beside her, and I answered politely that it was mine for it contained some paperworks to be edited; I was then connected with the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office as a writer consultant.
She smiled, and I extended my sincerest condolences to her. As I shook her hand, I could see a vision that she would enter public service to continue her husband’s legacy of serving the people.
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Gemeline Braga-Calingo, widow of my late boss, Dr. Luis Calingo, who was the president of Holy Angel University in Angeles City, Pampanga, was recently with her daughter, my friend beauty queenwriter-educator-artist Arienne Calingo in Paris, France.
I remember Gemeline’s intelligence, kindness, humility and courage that will inspire other women to go on with life amidst the trials one has to confront in this world. Confidence, determination and faith in the Divine Providence will guide us to a right direction. *
Omen Ortiz, a pet lover, is the chairman and founder of the Manila International Film Festival in Los Angeles, California. On its 2nd year, the said film festival was a huge success.
Leni Robredo, an epitome of a courageous woman
Thanks too to Janet Nepales and other members of the MIFF for their untiring efforts.
* * * Beyond acting, 2024 FAMAS best child actress Elia Ilano is making waves as a TV host. She is nominated for Best Children’s Show Host at the 38th PMPC Star Awards for TV for her work in Artsy Craftsy, which is now on its 4th season. Her impact in the industry has also earned her a nomination at the 2nd Philippine Young Faces of Success, recognizing her contributions to film, TV, and theater.
As she approaches her 15th birthday on March 24, many are wondering: will Elia be the next young star to be part of a popular loveteam? With her undeniable talent and growing fanbase, the fans of Elia can only wait and see what’s next for this rising star.
* * * Victoria Isip, who will celebrate her birthday on March 24, is an accountant for the Contra Costa County’s Department of Conservation and Development. She has been working there for 27 years. She has been happily married for 44 years to Vincent Isip who works for Contra Costa County’s Department of Child Support for 34 years. They have four children and three grandchildren. Their eldest daughter Ann is a senior fashion designer for Stateside; Kristine, a talent acquisition lead for Global Hiring Programs and Initiatives at The Depository Trust and Clearing Corporation; Michael owns Lapu Films, a videography and photography business in Honolulu, Hawaii; and Aiko, a program assistant at the Hawaii Pacific University’s College of Liberal Arts and also a part time photographer.
* *
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Jerry A. Aguilar, LPT, Ed.D., Ph.D., had learned the value of perseverance and hard work
even at early age. At age 8, he began joining singing contests — sometimes winning, sometimes losing. These experiences instilled grit, resilience, and a growth mindset, teaching him that life must go on despite challenges. Beyond competition, music also provided him with significant exposure and opportunities to connect with diverse people, enhancing his communication and interpersonal skills. To support his education, he engaged in retail merchandising at a local public market, sharpening his entrepreneurial abilities and financial independence. These experiences laid the foundation for his business acumen and adaptability.
After obtaining his degrees, he built a dynamic career spanning multiple industries, gaining valuable experience with foreign employers and diverse work cultures. In 2017, he was honored as an Outstanding Educator Award by the Consortium of the South. It highlighted his commitment to academic excellence, student mentorship, and innovative teaching methods.
As a business development consultant, he has successfully leveraged his networking skills to create new business opportunities, build strategic partnerships, and drive growth.
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LA-based accountant JR Arugay II, CPA, who finished his B.S Accounting degree in Isabela State University and Master’s in Business Administration with a major in Financial Management in Polytechnic University of the Philippines under ETEEAP (Expanded Tertiary Education Equivalency and Accreditation Program), has been fascinated with numbers that have been a part and parcel of his life. A pet lover (his terrier dog’s name is Millton), he will be celebrating his birthday on March 25.
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This year’s Oscars is filled with surprises. I do agree with the 2025 winners.
Some of the winners of 2025 Oscars are Best Actor Adrien Brody of “The Brutalist,” Best Actress Mikey Madison of “Anora,” Best Supporting Actor Kieran Culkin of “A Real Pain,” and Best Supporting Actress Zoe Saldana of “Emilia Perez.”
* * * The late Remedios S. Isip, born on November 6,1928 to parents Valentin and Antonia Santiago, was married to Tax Commissioner
WEGive NorCal launches ‘Empower the Future’ benefit to transform foster teens into entrepreneurs
YUBA CITY – Every year, thousands of foster teens age out of the system with little to no support, leaving them vulnerable to homelessness, unemployment, and financial instability. WEGive NorCal is stepping in to change that narrative with the “Empower the Future Benefit for Foster Teen Entrepreneurs” — a groundbreaking event designed to provide real-world business skills, mentorship, and careerbuilding opportunities to foster youth.
The event, set for April 11, 2025, will be a night of inspiration, empowerment, and impact, featuring an unforgettable live performance by a teen rock band, heartfelt stories of transformation from foster youth who have overcome adversity, and a special performance by Carnegie Hall opera singer Sherri Seiden.
“Foster teens are asking the same question — ‘How do I start my own business?’” says Gina Alexander, co-founder of WEgive NorCal. “Traditional programs aren’t teaching these skills, and we’re here to fill that gap. We’re not just giving them hope — we’re giving them the tools to succeed.”
WEGive NorCal is a 501(c)(3) 85-074-3561 nonprofit dedicated to empowering foster youth with entrepreneurial skills, mentorship, and employment opportunities. Founded in 2020, WEgive NorCal works alongside DCFS, social workers, and local businesses to fill the gap in foster youth services by providing real-world business education and financial empowerment programs.
More than a fundraiser – A movement to break the cycle WEGive NorCal’s entrepreneurship programs go beyond mentorship — they put teens to work. Through food booths at major concerts and festivals, foster youth gain hands-on experience in running a business, learning everything from financial literacy and customer service to marketing and leadership. Funds raised from the Empower the Future Benefit will go directly toward: • Training & employing
Elpidio O. Isip and was blessed with 10 children. She was a genuine, positive, generous and jolly person. In 1978, she was introduced to Jesus Christ as her personal Savior and Lord. The succeeding year, she opened her home to Friday Nights Bible Study. In December 1987, she became a U.S. immigrant. She drew life lessons from the lives of Bible men and women, and she used those gifts to support her local church. She assisted as a greeter and usher, attended prayer meetings and did in-home visitations with other ministry helpers. She enjoyed traveling that enhanced her twilight years. She cherished her trips twice in Japan and her travels around other states to visit her growing family. She
heal emotionally while giving them the financial tools they need to break the cycle.” Join the movement – Get involved today! The Empower the Future Benefit will feature a silent auction, live entertainment, and a delicious Mexican dinner catered by Betty’s Restaurant, a Yuba City/Live Oak institution for over 53 years. Community members and businesses are invited to sponsor a foster teen, donate auction items, or attend the event in support of this lifechanging cause. • Event Date: April 11, 2025. doors open 5 p.m.; dinner 630 p.m. • Location: Adventure Yuba City, CA • Tickets & Sponsorships: Contact (323) 804-9352 or send an email to wegivela@gmail.com. (WEGive LA Release)
helped them improved their lives in the best of her abilities.
She epitomized Psalms 1:2-3 which states that: “... but her delight is in the law of the Lord, and she meditates day and night. She is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither;
Alfredo Marzan Serrano, 93
ALFREDO Marzan Serrano
passed away on February 13, 2025, at the age of 93. He was born on January 31, 1932, in Naguilian, La Union, Philippines, to Rufino and Sofia Serrano.
As a child, Alfredo lived through the hardships of World War II, witnessing the turmoil of the Battle of Manila firsthand — an experience that shaped his resilience and strength.
He pursued his studies in forestry at the University of the Philippines at Los Baños, aspiring to become a ranger. However, life had other plans. After working in the Philippines for several years, he eventually moved to the United States, where he built a new life. In 1981, he married the love of his life, Remedios Oriel, and together they settled in Silicon Valley. Alfredo worked as a semiconductor machine operator for Raytheon, dedicating himself to his career until his retirement in 1997. In time, he and Remedios welcomed their beloved son, Mark, into their lives.
Alfredo was a man of deep generosity and unwavering
selflessness. Hardworking and resourceful, he always sought ways to earn extra money — not for himself, but to help others.
His greatest joy came from giving, constantly thinking of ways to enrich the lives of those around him. Beyond his work and family, Alfredo had a passion for plants.
A gifted gardener, he cultivated a variety of flowers, fruits, and vegetables, often sharing his harvest as thoughtful gifts to those he cared about. He had a special love for orchids, tending to them with patience and devotion. Alfredo is survived by his loving wife, his son, his cherished grandchildren and his dear sister. His kindness, generosity, and unwavering love for his family will always be remembered.
FOR the first time since announcing she is single anew, Kris Aquino opened up about her romance with a doctor.
In an Instagram post Sunday, March 16, Kris shared a few details about her last heartbreak along with her health update. Kris revealed the reasons for her short-lived romance with the doctor, whom she had described in the past as someone who worked in Makati.
“During
had multiplying autoimmune diseases w/ so few treatment options," Kris wrote.
Aquino
“Enough time has passed: he did not love me. In my defense, he did receive the correct professional fees - even when we were a couple. End of that Kris Aquino opens up on failed romance with doctor by KatHLeen a. LLeMit Philstar.com chapter ( never akong natakot umamin ng katotohanan ),” she revealed. She also shared his exact words, as published on her Instagram: “The TRUTH, in his words ‘ INIWAN KITA DAHIL MAHIRAP KANG MAHALIN, sobrang sikip ng paligid .” Kris said that she is praying that her ex-flame will stop trash talking and “cursing” the doctors and her best friend
JR Arugay II, a corporate accountant in a construction firm in Los Angeles.
(From left) Kristine, Aiko, Victoria and Ann at San Francisco’s Golden Gate Bridge.
Clockwise, from bottom left: 2025 Oscar winners Kieran Culkin, Mikey Madison, Zoe Saldana and Adrien Brody.
Omen Ortiz with his favorite pet.
Gemeline Braga-Calingo at Jardin du Palais Royal in Paris, France.
Jerry A. Aguilar, LPT, Ed.D., Ph.D.
Young actress Elia Ilano will be turning 15 years old on March 24.
Remedios Santiago Isip, a dedicated Christian.
Former Philippine Vice President Leni Robredo and Rogelio Constantino Medina Photos collated by Rogelio C. Medina
File photo/www.sandiego.gov
Mayor Gloria honors Katy McDonald and other influential ‘Women of Distinction’
Forever Balboa Park leader and 9 other San Diegans recognized for making our city a better place for all of us
SAN DIEGO – In celebration of Women’s History Month, Mayor Todd Gloria named Katy McDonald, executive director of Forever Balboa Park, as this year’s citywide “Woman of Distinction.” McDonald and nine other women, nominated by their City Councilmembers, were honored during Tuesday’s (March 18) City Council meeting for their leadership, accomplishments and service to San Diego.
With more than 30 years of experience in nonprofit leadership, McDonald has made significant contributions to the arts, urban development, and community engagement.
“As president and CEO of Forever Balboa Park, Katy is committed to preserving and enhancing San Diego’s crown jewel’s beauty and cultural vitality. Her instrumental role in the creation of The Rady Shell at Jacobs Park, along with her leadership positions at the San Diego Symphony Orchestra and Museum of Modern Art, showcase her tireless efforts to enrich San Diego’s cultural institutions,” Mayor Gloria said. “Katy’s deep roots in the community, combined with her expertise and passion, make her a remarkably effective advocate for the city’s growth and cultural heritage, earning her this well-deserved recognition. I congratulate and thank Katy and all the honorees.”
The “Women of Distinction” ceremony was initiated by Mayor Gloria four years ago to recognize exceptional women in San Diego and to thank them for what they do to make the city a better place for all of us.
The 2025 Women of Distinction
• Katy McDonald (Citywide Honoree): Katy McDonald brings more than 30 years of nonprofit leadership to her role as president and CEO of Forever Balboa Park. With a rich background in the arts, urban development, and community engagement, Katy previously served as chief of staff at the San Diego Symphony Orchestra, where she played a key role in the creation of The Rady Shell at Jacobs Park. She also served as deputy director of external affairs at the San Diego Museum of Art and held leadership positions at the Museum of Modern Art in New York. A Colorado College graduate with an MBA from the University of San Diego, Katy is deeply dedicated to preserving and enhancing the cultural vitality of Balboa Park and the broader San Diego community.
• Cori Austin (Honoree of Council President Joe LaCava,
District 1): Cori Austin, CEO of the Center for Community Solutions (CCS), has dedicated more than 20 years to ending relationship and sexual violence. Under her leadership, CCS provides vital services, including a 24/7 crisis hotline, emergency shelter, counseling, and violence-prevention programs.
Cori is an active advocate for trauma-informed practices and social justice, having served on multiple boards and committees focused on family homelessness, child abuse prevention, and domestic violence.
• Shelly Parks (Honoree of Councilmember Jennifer Campbell, District 2): Shelly Parks, president of the Ocean Beach Community Foundation, is deeply committed to community work. A licensed clinical social worker with more than two decades of experience in the nonprofit sector, Shelly’s professional background includes leadership roles in Jewish Family Service of San Diego and the San Diego Food Bank. She also currently works as the basic-needs coordinator at Miramar College, expanding essential programs for students and the community.
• Sharon Gehl (Honoree of Councilmember Stephen Whitburn, District 3): Sharon Gehl has spent more than 25 years advocating for housing and community development in San Diego. She holds a master’s degree in public administration and architecture and has served on numerous local boards, including the Mission Hills Town Council and Hillcrest Community Development Corporation. Sharon’s research on housing in San Diego and work on advocacy groups like Rise Uptown continue to drive her passion for creating more affordable housing and improving local neighborhoods.
• Emilia Castillo (Honoree of Councilmember Henry Foster, District 4): Emilia Castillo is a passionate community organizer in southeastern San Diego. A mother and activist, Emilia has been dedicated to supporting education and organizing local events, such as the “Platicando con Mi Gente” National Night Out. Through her work as a parent organizer, she has advocated for parent engagement in schools and led workshops to empower families in her community.
• Khara Mangiduyos (Honoree of Councilmember Marni Von Wilpert, District 5): Khara Mangiduyos is the owner of Kalei’s Kitchenette, a Hawaiian fusion restaurant in Rancho Peñasquitos. Since opening the restaurant in 2023, Khara
has made an impact by hosting community fundraisers and cultural events and partnering with local organizations like the San Diego Police Department and Toys for Tots. She is dedicated to using her business to bring people together and support local causes while fostering the spirit of aloha in San Diego.
• Sgt. Maj. Rosalia Scifo USMC, Retired (Honoree of Council President pro Tem Kent Lee, District 6): Sgt. Maj. Rosalia Scifo served in the United States Marine Corps for more than 30 years. Throughout her military career, she held a variety of leadership positions, including drill instructor and company first sergeant. She earned numerous awards, including the Legion of Merit and the Meritorious Service Medal. Rosalia’s leadership and service continue to inspire others as she advocates for military veterans and their families.
• Haydee Jezabel Ramirez (Honoree of Councilmember Raul Campillo, District 7) Haydee Ramirez has more than 15 years of experience in nonprofit work, particularly serving military families. As director of programs at Armed Services YMCA San Diego, she has led initiatives to expand childcare and youth services for military families. Haydee is deeply committed to enhancing the quality of life for military personnel and their families through programs that foster community and resilience.
• Claudia Zavalza Hough-Snee (Honoree of Councilmember Vivian Moreno, District 8): Claudia Zavalza Hough-Snee is a passionate advocate for underserved populations in South San Diego. As a longtime volunteer and grassroots organizer, Claudia supports immigrant and unhoused communities and is actively involved in legal advocacy and humanitarian efforts. She is a devoted mother and community leader, committed to resource redistribution and public education.
• Monica Hill (Honoree of Councilmember Sean EloRivera, District 9): Monica Hill has been a strong advocate for the residents of the Village Green Apartments, particularly following the devastating floods in January 2022, when she played a crucial role in organizing donations and supporting recovery efforts. Monica continues to work for the well-being of her community, advocating for clean and safe living conditions for her neighbors.
(City of San Diego Release)
29 official ballot drop boxes open for District One Special Primary Election
STARTING Tuesday, March 11, registered voters in the County of San Diego’s First Supervisorial District have the additional option of returning their mail ballot for the April 8 special primary election to any one of 29 official ballot drop boxes located around the district.
Mail ballots for the district’s 370,000 registered voters were expected to arrive this week. Some voters may have received theirs over the past weekend.
The person elected will fill the district’s vacant seat for the remainder of the current term that ends in January 2029. If no candidate receives a majority vote at the April 8 election, the top two votegetters will move on to the special general election on July 1. Only those who live in the district can vote in the election.
District 1 runs from the Pacific Ocean to the Otay and San Miguel mountains in the east, and from Barrio Logan in the north to the U.S./Mexico international border on the south. The district includes the cities of Chula Vista, Imperial Beach, National City, and some communities within the City of San Diego, including Barrio Logan, East Village, Golden Hill and more. It also includes the unincorporated areas of Bonita, East Otay Mesa, Lincoln Acres, Sunnyside and La Presa.
If you’re not sure if you reside in the county’s Supervisorial District 1, you can look it up at sdvote.com.
What do the Registrar’s official ballot drop boxes look like?
The Registrar’s official ballot drop boxes are red, white and blue and feature the Registrar’s logo along with the County seal. All boxes are labeled “Official Ballot Drop
Box” and made from high grade, heavy gauge stainless steel.
Each official ballot drop box is designed to prevent physical damage and unauthorized access to mail ballots. The boxes feature double-locking access doors, anti-pry door jambs and other anti-theft construction measures. The Registrar’s ballot retrieval team is responsible for collecting ballots inside the box.
How do I return my ballot to an official ballot drop box?
Mark your ballot, seal your completed ballot inside your return envelope, date and sign your name on the return envelope, and return it in the mail or to one of the Registrar’s official ballot drop boxes around the district.
Remember, your signature is required for your vote to count.
The Registrar’s 29 official ballot drop boxes are open 24 hours a day up until 8 p.m. on the final day of voting, April 8. Visit sdvote.com to check the
election at sdvote.com, or
(858) 565-5800 or toll free
(800) 696-0136. (Tracy DeFore/County of
Iconic OPM artists to perform live at Pechanga Resort Casino
TEMECULA – Pechanga Resort Casino is proud to present an extraordinary evening of classic Original Pilipino Music (OPM) featuring some of the most iconic artists in the genre’s history. On April 11, at 8 p.m., the Pechanga Theater will host the Hit Society US Tour: a once-in-a-lifetime concert event starring Nonoy Zuñiga, Hajji Alejandro, Marco Sison, Rey Valera, and APO Hiking Society’s Boboy Garrovillo and Jim Paredes.
California
of PG&E, San Diego Gas & Electric, Southern California Gas Company, and Southwest Gas. Californians can check how much their credit will be by visiting https://www.cpuc. ca.gov/climatecredit. Californians do not need to do anything to get the credit. The California Climate Credit comes from the State’s Capand-Trade Program managed by the California Air Resources Board. The credit on utility bills represents the consumer’s share of the payments from the state’s program.
In addition to utility bill credits, California’s Cap-andTrade program has funded $28 billion in climate investments delivering more than half a million projects across the state, supporting 30,000 jobs and cutting millions of tons of carbon emissions. The investments include a wide range of solutions such as putting affordable housing near job centers, building the nation’s first high-speed rail, and adding zero-emission transportation options in underserved communities.
(CA Governor’s Office Release)
These legendary performers have helped define OPM since the 1970s and 80s, creating timeless hits that remain beloved by Filipinos worldwide. Their unforgettable songs serve as cherished soundtracks for generations, making this a truly special opportunity for fans to see them together on one stage. With his smooth vocals and romantic lyrics, balladeer Nonoy Zuniga captivated audiences and cemented his status as an OPM icon. His songs, including “ Kumusta Ka ,” “ Magandang Gabi ,” and “Never Ever Say Goodbye,” continue to resonate with fans. Hajji Alejandro, affectionately known as the “Kilabot ng mga Kolehiyala” ( College Girls’ Heartthrob ), gained popularity for his catchy songs and undeniable charm. Hits like “ Kay Ganda ng Ating Musika ,” “ Nakapagtataka ,” and “ Panakip Butas ” have become karaoke staples.
Dubbed the “Romantic Balladeer” for his powerful voice and emotive performances, Marco Sison serenaded fans with classics such as “My Love Will See You Through,” “ Si Aida, Si Lorna, O Si Fe,” and “Make Believe.” As a prolific singersongwriter, Rey Valera is renowned for his soulful, folk-influenced love songs. His enduring contributions to OPM include “ Maging Sino Ka Man ,” “ Malayo Pa Ang Umaga ,” and “ Kung Kailangan Mo Ako .”
Bringing their signature humor, socially relevant lyrics, and memorable hits to the Pechanga stage are Boboy Garrovillo and Jim Paredes, two members of the acclaimed APO Hiking Society. Their songs, such as “ Pumapatak ang Ulan ,” “ Batang-Bata Ka Pa ,” and “ Panalangin ,” have become OPM classics.
Tickets for this exceptional show start at $85 and are currently on sale. For complete details on this event at Pechanga Resort Casino and
to plan your visit, please go to www.pechanga.com or call 1-888-PECHANGA.
Pechanga Resort Casino offers one of the largest and most expansive resort/ casino experiences anywhere in the United States. Voted best casino/resort in the United States by readers of Condé Nast Traveler, the best casino outside of Las Vegas by Newsweek and rated a Four Diamond property by AAA since 2002, Pechanga Resort Casino provides an unparalleled getaway, whether for the day or for an extended
