041124 - Las Vegas Edition

WASHINGTON, D.C. — President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., United States President Joe Biden and Japan Prime Minister Fumio Kishida forged a stronger trilateral alliance on Thursday afternoon, April 11, as they vowed to protect the Indo-Pacific region to secure a better future for all. In his opening remarks, President Marcos said that the trilateral meeting between the Philippines,

the U.S. and Japan is “bound by a shared vision and pursuit of a peaceful, stable and prosperous Indo-Pacific” region amid challenges to international rules-based order. “Facing the complex challenges of our time requires concerted efforts on everyone’s part, a dedication to a common purpose, and unwavering commitment to the rules-based international order.

This is a meeting that looks ahead,” President Marcos told President Biden and Prime Minister Kishida in their trilateral meeting at the White House. “As we deepen our ties and enhance our coordination, we seek to identify ways of growing our economies and making them more resilient, climate-proofing our cities and our societies, sustaining our development progress, and forging a

peaceful world for the next generation,” he added. President Marcos also emphasized that the meeting is an opportunity for them to define the future they want, and how they intend to achieve it as one. For his part, President Biden said that the “new era of partnership” with the Philippines, the U.S. and Japan is anchored on building an Indo-Pacific

‘Love

THE tradition of caring for one’s aging parents is embedded in Asian culture. But 2nd generation AAPIs face multiple challenges in caring for their immigrant parents, including a lack of support, finances, and just plain time.

In its 2020 report: “Asian Americans 65 and Older,” the Administration for Community Living — an agency within the federal Department of Health and Human Services — notes that the Asian American population age 65 and older was 2,492,874 in 2019 and is projected to grow to 7.9 million by 2060. Older AAPIs largely live in three states: California, Texas, and New York, noted the report. More than 9% of the elderly AAPI population lives in poverty, with an average annual income of $30,788, and just $19,561 for older Asian American women. About 25% of Asian American seniors live with their adult children. ‘We Care’ The National Asian Pacific Center on

First-ever Listas campaign helps women prepare for emergencies

WOMEN are among the leading groups primed for disaster preparation, according to the California Office of Emergency Services (CalOES).

As a result, CalOES is launching Listas, a first-of-its-kind campaign to empower women with emergency resilience knowledge in the face of disasters ranging from extreme heat to winter storms to wildfires.

At a Thursday, April 4 briefing hosted by Ethnic Media Services and California Black Media, a CalOES leader, a state assemblymember and a mother of two who works as a teacher discussed the Listas campaign and how it can empower women as resilience leaders in ethnic communities.

Preparing women for emergencies

The campaign, launched in March during Women’s History Month, builds off of research that identified two key groups of women who would most benefit from disaster preparation resources: “the head of the household and the messenger,” said Diana Crofts-Pelayo, Assistant Director of Crisis Communication & Public Affairs at CalOES.

“These heads are women who bear the weight of responsibility making ends meet while taking care of children or elderly

Another 15 percent said they do not know or refused to answer the question.

The survey was conducted amid the public disagreements between Marcos and his allies and some members of the Duterte family. Earlier this year, former President Rodrigo Duterte  PAGE

UNITED States Senators Bill Hagerty (RTN) and Tim Kaine (D-VA), both members of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, introduced the Philippines Enhanced Resilience Act of 2024 (PERA Act) on Wednesday, April 10. The bipartisan bill aims to bolster and modernize the U.S.-Philippines alliance by significantly increasing U.S. security assistance. This move comes in response to heightened aggression by China in the South China Sea and the broader Indo-Pacific region. The PERA Act, introduced amidst a leaders-level summit among the United States, Japan, and the Philippines in Washington,

D.C., seeks to address growing security challenges faced by the Philippines, a crucial treaty-based ally of the United States. The legislation proposes an annual authorization of $500 million in Foreign Military Financing (FMF) grant assistance to the Philippines for each fiscal year from 2025 to 2029, totaling $2.5 billion over five fiscal years.

Senator Hagerty emphasized the importance of strengthening cooperation between the U.S. and the Philippines in the face of mounting security threats. “As the United States and the Philippines face growing challenges to security and prosperity in the West Philippines Sea  PAGE 2

A PASIG City court issued on Thursday, April 11 an arrest warrant against Kingdom of Jesus Christ founder Apollo Quiboloy and his co-accused for qualified human trafficking. Also ordered arrested were Jackielyn Roy, Cresente Canada,

‘We stand as one’: PH, US, Japan...

that is free, open, prosperous and secure for all through the deepened ties of the three countries.

“When we stand as one, we’re able to forge a better future for all.

And that’s what this new trilateral is all about in my view. Building a better future for people crossing the Pacific, and quite frankly beyond around the world,” President Biden said.

Prime Minister Kishida, on the other hand, said that the Japanese government continues to reaffirm its commitment to further strengthen its ties with the US

Philippines as he vowed full cooperation for peace and stability in the region. “In order to secure peace and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific, I hope to reaffirm our intention to further strengthen trilateral cooperation and to present the specific way forward through today’s meeting,” Kishida told President Marcos and President Biden.

The diplomatic relations between the Philippines and the U.S. span 77 years since its formal establishment on July 4, 1946 while the Philippines and Japan celebrated 67 years of normalized relations since July 23, 1956 and strengthened strategic partnership since 2011. (Presidential Communications Office)

The meeting was attended by their respective Ministers in Foreign Affairs, Defense, Trade and Energy. Aside from giving their commitment to defense and maritime cooperation, the U.S. and Japan also expressed their full adherence to helping the Philippines advance its efforts to address climate change and further boost the economy to create industries and more jobs for Filipinos.

More Pinoys identify with Marcos than Duterte...

publicly criticized his successor over the current administration’s push for Charter change. Duterte even accused Marcos of drug use, although he later denied doing so.

The former president’s son, Davao City Mayor Sebastian Duterte, has called for Marcos’ resignation.

The Department of Justice under the current administration also pursued criminal charges against Apollo Quiboloy, Duterte’s spiritual adviser.

Meanwhile, Vice President Sara Duterte – who maintains that she remains in good terms with the president – was reported to have had a falling out with Speaker Martin Romualdez, a cousin and close ally of Marcos.

The vice president also has publicly opposed Charter change, which is primarily being pushed by Romualdez and his allies in Congress.

Bailiwicks

Across areas, support for the Marcos administration was highest among those in Metro Manila at 43 percent, followed by those in the Visayas at 38 percent, the rest of Luzon at 32 percent and Mindanao at 17 percent.

More than half of the number of respondents from Mindanao – 53 percent – said they support the Duterte family, followed by those in the Visayas at 18 percent, Metro Manila at 14 percent and the rest of Luzon at seven percent.

Support for the “opposition” ranged from three to five percent across areas, while those who were ambivalent were highest among those in the Visayas (35

percent) and the rest of Luzon (33 percent).

In terms of socio-economic class, the Marcos administration obtained its highest support from among those in class D (32 percent), followed by those in class E (30 percent) and class ABC (27 percent).

Support for the Duterte family was highest among class E (30 percent), followed by those in class D (19 percent) and class ABC (14 percent).

Based on the survey, support for the Marcos administration was highest among middle-aged Filipinos (39 percent for the 55-64 age group and 35 percent for the 45-54 age group), as well as who reached high school (37 percent) or took vocational programs (34 percent).

The Duterte family obtained their highest support from among age groups 25-34 (27 percent) and 65-74 (26 percent), as well as those with no formal education or reached elementary (32 percent).

OCTA’s Tugon ng Masa survey had 1,200 respondents and a margin of error of plus/minus three percent for national percentages and plus/minus six percent for each of the geographic areas.

Sara: 2028 still a long way down

In a related development, the vice president on Monday shot down talks of running for president in 2028 following a recent preelectoral survey that showed she was statistically tied with Sen. Raffy Tulfo as the current most popular potential candidate to succeed President Marcos. Duterte told reporters that 2028 “is still a long way down for us

to talk about it. What we need to do is to continue doing our jobs and working together in nationbuilding.”

The survey conducted by Pulse Asia from March 6 to 10 showed Tulfo leading in popularity, with 35 percent of the respondents indicating support for the lawmaker and about 34 percent preferring Duterte. Pulse Asia said the results are from “rider questions” included in its March 2024 Ulat ng Bayan survey.

The survey had 1,200 respondents and a margin of error of plus/minus 2.8 percent at the 95-percent confidence level.

The vice president’s political plans have been the subject of widespread speculation amid the soured ties between her family and Marcos.

Despite refusing to comment on the recent surveys, Duterte thanked her supporters for their trust in the face of controversies surrounding her and her offices.

Meanwhile, sought for comment on the continued Chinese aggression in the West Philippine Sea, the vice president still refused to give remarks and deferred to the statement of her brother Davao 1st District Rep. Paolo Duterte, where he said questions relating to China should be addressed by concerned government agencies.

“No comment. I think Congressman Paolo’s statement is already comprehensive. That should be answered by the Department of Foreign Affairs and the secretary of national defense,” the vice president said.  (With reports from Neil Jayson Servallos)

PERA Act: US senators propose

$2.5... PAGE 1 supporting the Philippines in the wake of China's aggression.

and the wider Indo-Pacific, it’s critical for our two nations to deepen cooperation and raise our decades-long Alliance to even greater heights,” said Senator Hagerty. “This legislation is all the more timely given not only Communist China’s growing aggression in the West Philippines Sea and South China Sea, but also the leaders-level summit among the United States, Japan, and the Philippines this week.”

He highlighted the need to elevate the decades-long alliance to new heights and expressed confidence in the bipartisan bill's ability to enhance defense and deterrence capabilities.

Echoing Senator Hagerty's sentiments, Senator Kaine underscored the significance of

“China’s aggression towards the Philippines – a key U.S. ally –threatens the security and stability of the entire region,” said Senator Kaine. “It is pivotal that the people of the Philippines have the resources and support they need in the face of those threats. As a member of the Foreign Relations and Armed Services Committees, I will continue to work to link arms with our allies and build a safe and stable future.”

Among the other key provisions of the Philippines Enhanced Resilience Act of 2024 include:

- Requiring the Secretary of State, in consultation with relevant department/agency heads, to submit an annual report to Congress detailing steps taken to enhance the defense relationship between the United States and the Philippines. This includes identifying crucial defense capabilities needed to modernize the Philippines' defense capabilities and any additional appropriations or authorization laws required to support and cooperate on these capabilities.

The introduction of the PERA Act reflects ongoing efforts to strengthen bilateral ties and reinforce the U.S.'s commitment to the security and prosperity of the Indo-Pacific region. g

- Mandating the submission of an annual spending plan to Congress by the Secretary of State, in coordination with the Secretary of Defense, outlining how FMF assistance will be allocated for security purposes in the Philippines.

VP Sara still mum on future political plans...

percent. Earlier this year, Duterte sparked questions about her political plans after declaring that she will run for office “in

the next elections” in a speech in Davao. But Duterte later claimed that there was merely a “confusion” in her speech and that the public interpreted her

statement in a way they wished to comprehend it. To date, Duterte has yet to explicitly state her political plans after her term as vice president. g

First-ever Listas campaign helps women prepare...

PAGE 1 family, friends and children,” she continued. “Emergencies are not fun; it’s not if but when the next one happens. The more that a family can talk about it, the more you demystify responding to it.”

parents, while the messengers are first- or second-generation women helping support their families within the unit,” she explained. “We saw that women over the age of 18, mostly in Latino, AAPI and black communities, are the ones that would listen to our message, pass it on and actually use it during an emergency.” CalOES is providing Californians with videos and actionable disaster safety tips, as well as local county emergency alert signups, through over 73 community organization outreach grantees.

These organizations have worked alongside a larger statewide partnership network to make over 400,000 calls to California women since March asking them to sign up for alerts and sharing preparedness information.

Local phone, text and email alerts in multiple languages for disasters like flooding, earthquakes and wildfires are available for Californians in each county through listoscalifornia. org/alerts.

Women across communities

“My grandma never learned English. My mom was born in Mexico, and she was always seen as the leader within our family here and back in Mexico,” said Crofts-Pelayo. “Women are the ones that push their families to do things. It’s not necessarily the man of the household anymore. At the end of the day, they’re the ones that are most likely to be looking after elderly parents, or engaging with their community through schools and local associations.”

“What we want is for women to have that knowledge and talk about it with their partners,

“The most important thing we saw in our research is that people need to see an emergency to truly believe it,” Crofts-Pelayo added. “We got anecdotes from people that said ‘I might not evacuate my home until I see the water rising on my street corner,’ or ‘unless I see the flames down the street.’ There are still many communities that have never experienced a natural disaster, and our aim is showing people that this is real, this happens every day … All disasters are local, which is why community-based preparedness is so important.”

“It’s the women who are taking care of parents, grandparents, children, doing the shopping, taking care of the house, preparing for tomorrow,” said District 10 Assemblymember Stephanie Nguyen. “For emergency situations, it’s key that women not only hear these messages but deliver them.”

“When disaster comes, it affects everybody across communities, and seeing different women talk from their cultures about having go-bags ready, batteries charged, water for washing and drinking — women across communities can think, ‘If she’s doing this, I should be doing this in my home as well,’” she added.

A teacher’s perspective

“Thinking about the safety and wellbeing of my family and students, knowing that I have the knowledge and the tools to protect them, is always a top priority for me, and thinking about emergency

preparedness goes hand in hand with that,” said Shayla Happi Amenra-Warmsley, a Sacramentobased mother of two and second grade teacher.

“I’ve started implementing these tools both in my personal family and within my classroom — from creating emergency kits, to developing family communication plans and emergency contact systems, this campaign definitely helped bring many ‘what-ifs’ into the practical reality of what I would do in the case of an earthquake, fire, flood, or a power outage, which did happen to my home a month ago,” she continued, adding that Listas enabled her to respond to it.

“In times of crisis, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed and helpless, especially for young people,” Amenra-Warmsley said. “Having a plan just as important as practicing it, so a lot of what I do at home and with my students alongside teaching the tools we need to be prepared — like shelter-in-place plans, memorizing emergency phone contacts, planning evacuation routes and having snack bags — is teaching the tools we need for mental resilience, whether that’s morning yoga or emotional regulation exercises.”

“There are changing elements to what it means to be prepared, it means being both flexible and adaptable in the face of adversity,” she added. “As a teacher, I not only educate my students academically but also teach them lifelong skills of resiliency, emerging from any storm as a stronger version of themselves. Learning how to prepare for emergencies is at the heart of that.” (Selen

Ozturk/Ethnic Media Services)

“Araw ng Kagitingan” (Day of Valor) used to be called “Fall of Bataan,” to commemorate the thousands who fought in one of the last stands of American and Filipinos soldiers before they fell to Japanese forces. In the infamous Bataan Death March, more than 10,000 died during the 60-mile march to prison camps.

Led by the Filipino Veterans Recognition and Education Project (FilVetREP), this year’s commemoration was preceded the day before by a celestial event – a solar eclipse that brought together people all over the world. The following morning, blessed by warm weather and sunny skies, April 9ths “Day of Valor” was witnessed by hundreds of tourists from across the country, many of whom heard for the first time the heroic and patriotic service of Filipino and American soldiers and sailors in the Philippines during World War II.

FilVetREP Chairman Maj. Gen. Antonio Taguba (Ret) describes Bataan and Corregidor as “not just battlefields. They are hallowed grounds where thousands of Filipinos and Americans, men and women, fought to defend their homeland in the Philippines, and for a country far away – the United States of America. The huge losses of lives in battle, in captivity, from hunger and disease, many still missing in action, and those wounded for life, were interminable.”

In his remarks, Philippine Ambassador Jose Manuel G. Romualdez paid tribute to Filipino and American soldiers who “valiantly battled Japanese forces to defend our land, our people and our future. We should continue to ensure that younger and future generations remember their service and embrace their virtues of resilience, patriotism and sacrifice.”

Unbowed and undeterred When the Memorial opened 20 years ago, there were more than two dozen Filipino veterans living in the DC area. Today, only two remain: 96-year-old Rey Cabacar and 96-year-old Rudy Panaglima. Along with their comrades, they had organized themselves as the American Coalition of Filipino Veterans (ACFV), under the leadership of Captain Pat Ganio and Eric Lachica. They felt humiliated that Congress had passed the Rescission Act in 1946, barely a year after the U.S. had declared victory. But this victory was not meant for the 260,000 Filipinos who served and died under the American flag. Unbowed and undeterred, these aging and ailing soldiers staged protest actions in front of the White House. They walked the halls of Congress to demand what was promised them.

In 2009, about 18,000 veterans received a one-time payment of $15,000 through the Filipino Veterans Equity Compensation (FVEC) Fund. Filipino veterans residing in the Philippines received $9,000. The late Sen. Daniel K. Inouye, who championed the cause of Filipino World War II veterans in Congress, made this benefit possible. In 2016, largely through Sen. Mazie Hirono’s effort, FilVetREP successfully secured legislation that awarded the Filipino Veterans of World War II Congressional Gold Medal. It was signed into law by President Barack Obama in December that year.

Mr. Cabacar and his family attended Tuesday’s ceremony, along with officers and members of the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post

5471, of which he was a former commander. Also in attendance were a dozen midshipmen from the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, MD., Philippine Embassy officials and military attaches and Filipino American community leaders.

Congressional Gold Medal Following the “Day of Valor” event was a Congressional Gold Medal ceremony held at the Philippine Embassy. Honored were World War II veterans who had passed away: Sergeant Alfonso O. Torre, Captain Dominador Gregorio, Second Lieutenant Tiburcio Manguiran and Victor Villadolid. Accepting the medals on their behalf are grandsons and granddaughters, including a widow, Fe Rael Villadolid.

“This award ceremony is a once in a lifetime event for many here today, especially the families of our veterans,” Taguba said. “This is the 109th award ceremony we have conducted.”

Brown faces in white sands

Last month, FilVetREP leaders and supporters joined more than 5,000 participants in the annual Bataan Memorial Death March (BMDM) in White Sands, New Mexico. The march along rugged terrain of ankle-deep sand, gravel and rolling hills is known as the most grueling in the U.S. FilVetREP’s presence in the last eight years has raised greater awareness about the plight of Filipino soldiers who were deprived of their rightful benefits by the 1946 Rescission Acts. Although the memorial march has been going on for 35 years, it’s only been known recently that Bataan is in the Philippines.

u PAGE 4

Dateline PhiliPPines

Comelec sees 70%-80% overseas voter turnout in 2025 election

with the pilot implementation of internet voting.

"If we can reach 70 to 80 percent, that is already an achievement for us," Comelec spokesperson John Rex Laudiangco told reporters on the sidelines of the demonstration of the Online Voting and Counting System (OVCS) at the Comelec office in Manila.

This is a big jump from the 38 percent overseas voter turnout in the 2022 polls, with only around 600,000 of some 1.6 million registered overseas voters casting their votes.

"That was the highest in overseas voting history. But that remains low when compared to local voter turnout. This is why we want to increase this through internet voting," Laudiangco said.

"We hope to have a similar turnout as the local elections, where we had 84 percent turnout in the last elections," he added.

He said the OVCS will no longer

require Filipinos abroad to physically go to Philippine posts or mail their ballots.

"They can cast their votes at the convenience of their home, workplace, sailors at sea, as long as they have internet connection and enrolled devices," Laudiangco said.

The Comelec-Special Bids and Awards Committee (SBAC) has declared the joint venture (JV) of SMS Global Technologies, Inc. & Sequent Tech Inc. as having the lowest calculated bid (LCB) for the OVCS at PHP112 million.

The project has an approved budget of PHP465.8 million. Meanwhile, the SMS-Sequent JV demonstrated on Thursday, April 11 its internet voting system before the SBAC during the post-qualification evaluation.

Laudiangco said the SBAC is looking to complete the post-qualification evaluation this month.

Transmission system deal

awarded

Also on Thursday, the Comelec en banc the Notice of Award to the joint venture of iOne Resources, Inc. and Ardent Networks, Inc.

(iOne-Ardent) for the Secure Electronic Transmission Services (SETS) project.

“Pursuant to Comelec En Banc

Minute Resolution No. 24-0196 (April 5, 2024), the Notice of Award thereon was issued to and received by the Winning Bidder (Bidder with the Lowest Calculated and Responsive Bid) Joint Venture of iOne Resources, Inc. and Ardent Networks, Inc. today, April 11, 2024,” Laudiangco said in a statement.

Early this week, the SBAC reported to the seven-man panel of the Commission that iOne-Ardent has passed all legal, financial, and technical requirements of the PHP1.638 billion project.

The company has been declared as having the "lowest calculated bid" after tending a bid of PHP1.426 billion in February.

The SETS will be used to transmit election results using telecommunication networks.

It also includes the provision of data centers and connectivity requirements for the Automated Election System (AES) servers. (PNA)

‘Metro traffic woes worsened’ – Abalos

by Franco Jose c. Baroña ManilaTimes.net

INTERIOR and Local Government Secretary Benjamin Abalos Jr. said traffic congestion in Metro Manila has increased by 17.68 percent from 2019 to 2023 due to a larger volume of vehicles, accidents, and a lack of discipline among motorists. Abalos added that road configurations and conditions, as well as policies and penalty systems, exacerbated the problem even more. He said local government units (LGUs) up to the barangay (village) level should be involved in solving the problem.

"One of the solutions we are emphasizing is what we call road-clearing operations on all

public roads, alleys and streets. Our barangay, our LGUs play a very big role here," Abalos said, noting the scheme was proven effective in Barangay Holy Spirit, where operations resulted in the clearing of 92 roads and the dismantling of illegal structures. The initiative, he said, led to the creation of an alternative route for motorists in the Commonwealth area.

"To our mayors and village heads, let's talk to the residents. Let's go down. Let us understand that every goal and initiative that we and our President (Ferdinand Marcos Jr.) will do is to have safer streets," Abalos said. Marcos emphasized the crucial

roles of LGUs in solving the traffic problems in the National Capital Region during the Bagong Pilipinas Town Hall Meeting on Traffic Concerns in San Juan City on Wednesday, April 10.

"The local governments are the most important, I have to say," the President said, noting the national government can plan solutions, but they would be futile without the support of LGUs.

"We need to have the cooperation of the local governments to understand what the problems are in your place, what the possible solutions are, and how we bring it all together into one complete system, which we can monitor and regulate," he said. g

Jinggoy upbeat on Eddie Garcia bill’s passage

by Javier Joe ismael ManilaTimes.net

SENATOR Jinggoy Estrada is optimistic the landmark legislation that will protect the workers in the movie and television industry will be enacted before Congress adjourns.

The proposed Eddie Garcia Law will not go through bicameral conference deliberations after the House of Representatives adopted the bill's Senate version. Estrada, who is the proponent of the measure in the Senate, said the enrolled bill can now be transmitted to Malacañang for the President's signature.

"For the hardworking, creative, passionate, and dedicated individuals working tireless -

ly to entertain us, whether on the big screen and TV, this is a long-awaited and much-deserved remuneration," said Estrada, chairman of the Committee on Labor, Employment and Human Resources Development.

The bill was named after the late veteran actor Eddie Garcia, who died following an accident while he was on set in 2019.

It imposes the strict implementation of an eight-hour work shift, to a maximum of 14 hours or a total of 60 hours a week.

It provides insurance coverage for workers in case of accident or death during a movie or TV production, the right to unionize, and protection from violence, harassment or any act that degrades the workers.

Employers must provide contracts, transportation expenses, social security, and welfare benefits to ensure better working conditions and standards.

A Movie and Television Industry Tripartite Council comprised of representatives from the government, employers, and industry workers will be created to provide advice and consultation on policies and programs according to the country's Labor Code.

"We hope this will be signed and become law soon. This fulfills the long-awaited protection for the welfare and rights of TV and movie industry workers. This is our tribute to 'Manoy' Eddie Garcia and the industry's dedicated workers. His death will not be in vain," Estrada said in Filipino. g

Senate to prioritize ROTC bill upon resumption of session

MANILA — The Senate will prioritize Senate Bill (SB) No. 2034, or the proposed Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC) Act, as soon as session resumes by the end of the month.

Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri made the assurance in a press briefing on Monday, April 8 after being donned with the rank of Lieutenant Colonel of the Philippine Army Reserve Force at Camp Aguinaldo in Quezon City. Zubiri said he has already talked to Senate Majority Leader Joel Villanueva, and to the bill’s sponsor, Senator Ronald dela Rosa, that the ROTC bill will be discussed in May.

"Sabi ko nga kung meron akong mga kasamahan na hindi sangayon sa ROTC, magboto na lang po sila. Ibigay na lang po nila ang boto nila kasi sa tingin ko mas marami po ang gusto ng ROTC dun sa Senado (As I’ve said, if we have colleagues who do not agree with ROTC, they can just vote, because I think more senators want ROTC). So, let’s give the bill a chance. We'll vote on it. Whether it passes or not but we will prioritize it this coming May

before the sine die break," he said. Congress resumes session on April 29, and will have 12 plenary session days before adjourning sine die on May 24.

Zubiri said a Pulse Asia survey he commissioned last December showed that 77 percent of the respondents saying yes to the revival of the ROTC, while less than 10 percent said no.

Zubiri, who was a ROTC cadet during his college days in the University of the Philippines, said there are existing laws to safeguard students from hazing. He also clarified that the ROTC this time, if revived, will not only focus on marching and training how to use firearms, but also to tap the students' inherent skills.

"The AFP has decided to come up with other divisions in the ROTC program. If you are computer experts, so you are in the anti-cyberhacking division of the reservist force. Engineering students will be tapped to assist in engineering programs of the AFP, and nursing students in the medical corps," Zubiri said.

"So, it will enhance your skills.

It will be in tune with the times and I think we should be ready for any eventualities, especially with the tensions that we are feeling around the external areas of the Philippines. We must be ready at all times to defend our motherland, our beloved country, the Philippines," he added.

The bill, which already reached the Senate plenary last month, shall only include students from higher educational and technicalvocational institutions who will be required to undergo basic military and police training to motivate, train, organize, and use them for national defense preparedness or civil-military operations, and law enforcement.

The ROTC bill is among the priority measures of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.

During the Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council (LEDAC) meeting last March 19, Zubiri and House Speaker Martin Romualdez committed to pass all the administration’s priority measures, including the ROTC bill, by June this year. (PNA)

issued, Quiboloy had repeatedly said he would face the allegations in court. However, he has gone into hiding.

In a statement, Remulla welcomed the arrest warrants issued by the Pasig City RTC. "These arrest warrants herald the efficiency of our criminal justice system, echoing the strong resolve of the state and our society to hold accountable individuals who transgress the rule of law, regardless of their social status or wealth," Remulla said. He urged the beleaguered religious leader to face trial if he believes he is innocent. "No one is above the law, even if one occupies an important position in his religious organization," Remulla said.

Memorial Death March and the April 9 Day of Valor are active history lessons. “They remind us of a proud legacy of service and sacrifice,” said Taguba. “They inspire us to continue telling their stories and keep them alive for posterity. For their staunch defense of freedom and democracy, we must make sure they did not die in vain.”

'Happy days over for Quiboloy'

Remulla said the charges against Quiboloy are not "simple" since they involve "serious and morally abhorrent offenses."

"Argue your charges before the Court where you remain the accused, tell the naked truth, that way you can redeem yourself," he dared Quiboloy. g

"Quiboloy cannot impose any conditions. He must surrender not according to his terms but according to the terms of the law. The law applies to all, without exception," he added.

To preserve their legacy, FilVetREP embarked on developing an education program in 2017, titled “Duty to Country.” It is currently used in seven states –California, Georgia, Hawaii, Maryland, New Jersey, Virginia and Washington State. The curriculum is being taught by 22 teachers in elementary, middle schools, high schools and colleges. As a result, more than 2,400 students are learning the history of US-

Philippine relationship dating back to 1898.

An award winning education program, www.dutytocountry.org was approved and fully funded by the U.S. Department of Education. It is dedicated to those who gave their lives and sacrifice, to include their families, past and present, on the incalculable price to serve under one flag – the United States of America. g

Aging is one of five organizations involved with Asian Americans Advancing Justice-AAJC’s Narrative Change and Caregiving Project. The initiative is funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. For the project, NAPCA created four videos of  families discussing the myriad of challenges involved in care-giving. The filmmakers brought together a deeplymoving range of narratives. One film tells the story of two Indian American daughters caring for their mother, formerly a physician, who can now only communicate by blinking as her disease progresses. Another film focuses on a Filipino American man trying to balance the twin challenges of a full time job and being the sole care giver for his 91 year old mother. In a sweet moment, the two chat about old times as they make egg rolls together.

A young Hawaiian Chinese woman lives with her elderly mother, who suffers from multiple illnesses. They are forced to talk about end of life expectations as a close family member is moved to hospice care. And in another film, a Thai American woman, whose elderly parents still work at their restaurant despite health challenges, says: “I feel like I’m the parent of two really stubborn children.”

The series is titled: “We Care.”

Patience and love “Every story is different, the expectations are different,” Benny Lai, a spokesman for NAPCA,

Denyse Woo Ockerman, who lives with her mother Irma in Hemet, California, characterizes her mom as “my best friend.” Ohana “We were meant to be together,” she says in her film. “Caregiving is imprinted in our culture. It is ohana,” says Woo Ockerman, using her culture’s word for a deeply-tied family.

“Love is With Me,” are the words that echoed through Manisha and Nayana Shahane’s mother’s journal, which she began to write shortly after being diagnosed with Multiple Symptom Atrophy. The family’s long term care insurance ran out: Manisha and Nayana had to step up round-the-clock care, often at expense to their own well-being.

The loss of time for self care was a theme that echoed through all four videos. But each caregiver also spoke about the deep satisfaction they had gained from caring for a vulnerable human being.

has not yet reached the critical level, as per the monitoring of state weather bureau PAGASA on Tuesday morning, April 9. PNA photo by Joan Bondoc

MANILA – The Commission on Elections (Comelec) hopes to achieve a 70 to 80 percent overseas voter turnout for the 2025 midterm polls,

‘Asia’s

Philippines is once again among the nominees as “Asia’s

at the World

(WTA)

This year, it is competing for at least seven accolades for the WTA, the London-based awarding body that recognizes excellence in the travel and tourism industry. The Philippines’ nomination includes the following:

• Asia’s Leading Beach Destination

• Asia’s Leading Dive Destination

• Asia’s Leading Island

Destination

• Intramuros - Asia’s Leading Tourist Attraction

• Boracay - Asia’s Leading Luxury Island Destination

• Cebu - Asia’s Leading Wedding Destination

• Department of TourismAsia’s Leading Tourist Board.

The awarding body hails tourism’s best in three tiers: country, regional and world awards across different categories. Established in 1993, it is touted as the “Oscars” of the travel industry.

For Tourism Secretary Christina Frasco, the accolades of the Philippines highlights the efforts of her agency under the current administration.

She is thankful for the WTA body for providing the Philippines a platform “to continuously

Destination for the fifth year since 2019 while Philippine capital, Manila, was named the World’s Leading City Destination.

“…Most importantly, we express our thanks to our tourism stakeholders who continue to safeguard the myriad of tourism gems in the Philippines for all the world to love and enjoy,” Frasco said in a statement.

“While winning these accolades adds prestige to our endeavors, they also translate into livelihood opportunities for millions of Filipinos whose well-being depends on tourism. We aim to maintain and surpass the strides we’ve made since taking office, ensuring sustained growth in the country’s tourism sector,” she added. Frasco also cited that 2023 was a banner year for the Philippines after it bagged several recognitions from WTA. It won the World’s Leading Dive

The Philippines also took home the Global Tourism Resilience award, an inaugural award from the WTA about the “global leadership, pioneering vision, and innovation to overcome critical challenges and adversity.” Four other countries received this award, serving as benchmarks for best practices in tourism resilience.

Likewise, the Philippines was hailed the Destination of the Year by online travel platform TripZilla at the 2023 TripZilla Excellence Awards as well as Asia’s Best Cruise Destination by the WTA.

The public can vote for the Philippines until July 28, 2024, through https://www. worldtravelawards.com/vote. g

Filipinos urged to appreciate Muslims’ contribution to society

by GAbRiel PAbico lAlu Inquirer.net

HOUSE Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez has urged Filipinos to celebrate and appreciate the contribution of Muslim brothers and sisters to nation-building, as the Islamic world celebrates the end of Ramadan. Romualdez in his statement for Eid’l Fitr on Tuesday, April 9, the Philippines has benefitted from the contributions of the Muslim community which has enriched the country’s culture.

31 provinces now affected by drought

MANILA — The number of provinces affected by drought has risen to 31, according to the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA).

Nineteen of the drought-hit provinces are in Luzon. These are Abra, Apayao, Benguet, Cagayan, Cavite, Ifugao, Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, Isabela, Kalinga, La Union, Mountain Province, Nueva Ecija, Nueva Vizcaya, Occidental Mindoro, Oriental Mindoro, Palawan and Rizal. Metro Manila was included in the list.

– nine in Luzon, two in the Visayas and four in Mindanao –experienced dry conditions.

financial assistance, according to Rose Mary Aquino, acting DA regional executive director.

At the same time, the speaker also urged Filipino Muslims to remember the deeper meaning behind the sacrifices for Ramadan—which is to embody patience, empathy, and selfdiscipline.

“On the occasion of Eid’l Fitr, let us come together to celebrate the culmination of Ramadan, a month of fasting, prayer and reflection for our Muslim brothers and sisters.

“As we join in the celebrations of Eid’l Fitr, let us also recognize the diversity that enriches our nation. The Philippines is home to a vibrant Muslim community whose contributions have greatly enriched our great nation,” Romualdez said. “Let us embrace the spirit of inclusivity and understanding, fostering unity and respect for all faiths and beliefs,” he added.

“Ramadan teaches us the values of patience, empathy and self-discipline. It is a time for introspection, where individuals strive for personal growth and spiritual enlightenment,” he added. “Through fasting and acts of charity, Muslims demonstrate their commitment to compassion and generosity, reaching out to those in need and fostering solidarity within their communities.”

“May this Eid bring not only joy but also renewed hope and optimism for our shared future. Let us carry forward the values of compassion, generosity and unity that define this occasion, extending kindness and goodwill to all,” Romualdez said. g

As we gather with loved ones to share in the festivities, let us not only rejoice in the abundance of food and blessings but also in the deeper spiritual meaning behind this sacred time,” Romualdez said.

In the Visayas, Antique, Biliran, Bohol, Cebu, Eastern Samar, Guimaras, Iloilo, Leyte, Negros Occidental, Negros Oriental and Samar were affected by drought. Lanao del Norte is the only province in Mindanao experiencing drought.

Drought conditions are characterized by below normal rainfall or a 21 to 60 percent reduction from the average for five consecutive months, or way below normal rainfall for three consecutive months.

PAGASA said Batangas, Laguna and Masbate were affected by the dry spell.

Capiz, Siquijor and Southern Leyte in the Visayas and Camiguin, Misamis Occidental, Misamis Oriental, Tawi-Tawi, Zamboanga del Norte, Zamboanga del Sur and Zamboanga Sibugay in Mindanao also experienced dry spell.

Fifteen provinces nationwide

Dry spell means below normal rainfall for three consecutive months, while dry conditions are characterized by below normal rainfall for two months.

PAGASA said El Nino may persist unti May.

In Cagayan Valley, damage to agriculture due to El Niño has reached more than P560 million, Monico Castro Jr., Department of Agriculture (DA) field operations division chief, reported during a management committee meeting last week.

Cornfields incurred the biggest damage with losses of 32,166.95 metric tons followed by rice, 3,657.95 MT, and highvalue crops, 80.33 MT. The DA has coordinated with affected local government units and endorsed the list of farmers to concerned agencies for

Cagayan Valley is the top corn producer in the country. State of calamity in Negros Occidental town Meanwhile, in Negros Occidental, the Sangguniang Bayan of San Enrique approved during a special session on Monday the recommendation of the Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council to declare a state of calamity in the town due to the damage caused by El Niño. Mayor Jilson Tubillara said damage to crops and fisheries was estimated at P9.9 million, with 600 farmers and 6,000 households affected.

San Enrique is among the rice producing towns in Negros Occidental.  — Gilbert Bayoran, Victor Martin (Romina Cabrera/ Philstar.com)

This undated photo shows Tubbataha Reef in Puerto Princesa. DOT photo showcase our diverse tourism offerings not only within Asia but on the global stage.”

PRE-SHOW. To ensure seamless entertainment, a cleaner makes a last-minute inspection of

A farmer checks a portion of a dried rice field along Pulilan-Baliuag Bypass Road in Bulacan on February 26. Philstar.com photo by Michael Varcas

Valor in the WPS

THE Philippines marked Araw ng Kagitingan or Day of Valor on Tuesday, April 9 in the shadow of continuing Chinese aggression in the West Philippine Sea. The special day is meant to honor all those who fought foreign colonizers and invaders, particularly those who repelled Japanese forces in Bataan for four months until April 9, 1942. Following the fall of Bataan, the Filipino and American soldiers who survived the siege were made to walk to Tarlac in the infamous Death March.

Both during World War II and in the revolution against Spanish colonial rule, Filipinos have shown courage in their readiness to fight a superior military force and die for their country. Today, that valor is again being tested as the country faces a challenge to its sovereignty and maritime economic entitlements, which have been officially recognized by an international arbitration court based on the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.

Editorial

In the past months, Filipino Navy and Coast Guard personnel along with fishermen and civilian boat crew have been injured by water cannon blasts from China Coast Guard ships preventing Philippine vessels from undertaking resupply missions to the BRP Sierra Madre, a rusty ship serving as a naval outpost on Ayungin Shoal. The Chinese also shoo away Filipino fishers from Panatag Shoal. President Marcos has said his administration continues to talk with China to ease tension in the West Philippine Sea. Instead of easing,

WHEN presented by opinion polls with the top choices for senators at next year’s midterm elections, middle-class educated Filipinos typically react with a mixture of disbelief and despair. They rue the fact that from the same list are names of politicians who may someday be perceived as “presidentiable.”

In the current election cycle, the ones that consistently stand out in the top 12 are individuals who appear to have mainly made a mark in the mass media for the roles they have played as heroes, protectors of the poor, and dispensers of quick justice. It is easy to scoff at these choices as nothing more than vessels of illusory empowerment, the outcome of voter immaturity and ignorance. But if they are, then nothing much has changed in our

NOWADAYS, it’s a fad to brandish patriotic credentials via strong posturing on the West Philippine Sea disputes. Countless government officials compete to criticize China’s latest bullying acts in our waters. This is in stark contrast to the six years of the Rodrigo Duterte presidency when we had to endure either defeatist rhetoric by no less than the commander in chief and/ or sift through the myriad of contradictory statements by top Cabinet members.

But now, even senior allies of the former president have joined the patriotic chorus.

Think of Sen. Ronald dela Rosa, who couldn’t resist trolling the Chinese national team with his couture West Philippine Sea shirt during last year’s Fiba World Cup tournament. Just weeks earlier, his colleague and fellow Duterte loyalist, Sen. Christopher Go, expressed his “deepest resentment and condemnation” of China’s bullying of Philippine coast guard vessels in the West Philippine Sea.

Even more interesting is the case of Duterte’s former political

however, the tension appears to be escalating, as Beijing insists that Manila had promised to remove the Sierra Madre from Ayungin.

Beijing has shown no proof of this promise or identified the Filipino who supposedly made the commitment.

There are conflicting versions of whether Rodrigo Duterte during his presidency had a “gentleman’s agreement” with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping for a status quo in the WPS that would effectively make the Sierra Madre disintegrate from disrepair into the sea.

In the absence of a valid confirmation of this supposed agreement, Philippine Navy and Coast Guard personnel backed by civilians continue to brave Chinese harassment within the Philippines’ maritime exclusive economic zone to regularly bring supplies to Filipinos stationed on the Sierra Madre. The observance of Araw ng Kagitingan is a tribute to their valor, along with those of earlier generations who were not deterred by a superior force in defending their country. (Philstar.com)

political life. From the very moment of our founding as a nation, Filipinos have searched for political figures who embody a form of redemptive hope, a break from the systemic oppression and inequality in which the country has historically been mired. Many such leaders have failed to deliver on their promises or satisfy their people’s expectations. Yet, Filipinos do not tire of voting for the same type of politicians, never giving up hope, preferring to invest their trust in elections rather than in revolutions. Nation-building, however, demands more than personal charisma. It requires a vision that includes the painstaking creation of a professional civil service, the formation of an educated citizenry, the development of a productive economy, and the establishment of a capable government under a functioning rule of law. These are collective undertakings

that, by their long-term nature, have to be sustained beyond the tenure of any charismatic leader. As essential as they are to nation-building, there is usually nothing romantic about them. The civil servants who quietly work on these tasks are rarely seen as heroes. But more than that, because they are unelected, these unsung civil servants are expected to defer to those who wield political power by virtue of their election to public office. This is probably the hardest part of nationbuilding—how to establish a professional bureaucracy that can competently administer the day-to-day affairs of government, especially during the most difficult political transitions. A well-trained nonpartisan career administrative service that is immune to the vagaries of political contestation is the prime achievement of all mature democracies. Such political systems can tolerate the most eccentric and disruptive of all

Overcoming political despair JAPHUS: A Japan-Philippine-US Alliance?

adviser and reelectionist Sen. Francis Tolentino, who has gone so far as to take credit for the gradual crystallization of quadrilateral cooperation among the Philippines, Australia, the U.S. , and China. “Last year February 2023, modesty aside, I suggested the ‘quad’ with USA, Australia, and Japan—finally the joint maritime patrol will happen today, April 7, 2024!” Tolentino claimed in a recent social media post.

The problem, however, is that well before he began speaking tough on the West Philippine Sea issue, countless experts have been raising this issue in major capitals and influential policy circles for the past decade. The main reason the “Quad” didn’t come to fruition earlier is Tolentino’s former boss, Duterte, who actively sabotaged our traditional alliances to please his patrons in Zhongnanhai.

Thanks to President Marcos’ sound approach to the West Philippine Sea disputes, all sorts of long-delayed initiatives are taking off with vengeance. The recently concluded quadrilateral patrols with our three key allies are likely just the beginning of a new era of Philippine foreign policy. This week, Mr. Marcos will return to the White House for a historic trilateral summit with

US President Joseph Biden and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida. The aim is to create a new security grouping in the mold of the Australia-UK-U.S. (AUKUS) and U.S.-Japan-South Korea trilateral groupings.

With multilateral organizations, namely the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, refusing to call out China’s hegemonic ambitions, the U.S. is leveraging its large network of partners through “minilateralism”—ad-hoc, flexible, and issue-specific cooperation with like-minded powers.

For Tokyo, the emerging Japan-Philippine-U.S. (JAPHUS) trilateral grouping is also a major step in solidifying its emergence as a key security provider in the Indo-Pacific region. Shortly after the JAPHUS trilateral meeting this week, Mr. Marcos and Kishida are expected to sign a Visiting Forces Agreement-style pact that could transform regional affairs for the foreseeable future.

There are, however, reasons to curb our geopolitical enthusiasm. Mr. Marcos must make sure that the new trilateral grouping will not mean just more American (and, potentially, even Japanese) boots and bases in the Philippines. In particular, the JAPHUS alliance should

politicians because of their strong institutions.

But there is often a downside to these modern public institutions—and this is best summed up by the term “bureaucratic” in all its negative connotations. This happens when officials become so fixated on the rules and procedures that they lose sight of the larger mandate of their agencies. Instead of dispensing public service, they become empires of petty authority. Such organizations become so calcified that they turn into fetters impeding change and reinvention.

The German sociologist Max Weber saw this as the unexpected outcome of rationalization, a disease in modernity that can only be cured by the restoration of value rationality through politics. This necessary interruption is the role he assigns to charismatic leaders who have a vocation for politics. He did not mean the

serve as a springboard for comprehensive strategic cooperation, including the expansion of quality investments as well as high-end defense aid to the Philippines. It’s quite astonishing that communist Vietnam, a former U.S. enemy, has a trade surplus with the U.S. that is 10 times our total exports to our sole treaty ally. The current levels of American economic footprint in the Philippines are, frankly, pathetic compared to their investments in neighboring countries, most of which are increasingly more aligned to and/or dependent on China. And will the U.S. offer a bilateral free trade deal to the Philippines, as the Japanese did almost 20 years ago? Not to mention, when will the Philippines finally receive modern fighter jets and warships from either the U.S. or Japan?

Moreover, tighter security cooperation with our traditional allies should not limit our room for maneuver. We should avoid getting locked into a permanent anti-China alliance, but instead leverage our security partnerships for our national interest. In particular, we should make sure that we won’t get involved in any U.S.-led contingency plan over Taiwan absent proper assessment of the big picture of what is best

narcissists and demagogues who habitually promise to rescue the masses from the dysfunctions of a corrupt and uncaring bureaucracy. He was referring, rather, to redemptive figures who exemplify a practicable vision of political renewal.

The political philosopher Wendy Brown, in her recent book, “Nihilistic Times: Thinking with Max Weber,” writes: “Charisma, with its capacity to incite and excite, inspire and mobilize, and above all lead beyond business as usual, is an indisputably potent element of political life.” It is a tragedy that the ones who have been adept at appropriating it are the political egotists who—beyond their antics on stage—are incapable of offering a new vision of “who we are” and “what we should do.”

On the other hand, we have a lot of young progressive political leaders who have a clear notion of what lies ahead for the

country and what needs to be done but, lacking the passionate and visceral language in which to articulate this, fail to capture the imagination of the masses. Brown describes their accustomed political style as “free of rhetorical power, prevailing only on the basis of their evidentiary and logical soundness.” In short, bland. What is needed is the reenchantment of political life—which, in recent years, has been the monopoly of rude, intimidating, and angry demagogues—by charismatic leaders who can mesmerize crowds with visions and actions that remind them of their power to change the world. (Inquirer. net) *

for the Philippines’ long-term security. We should guard against overcorrecting Duterte’s follies, too. (Inquirer.net)

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and U.S. President Joseph Biden Malacañang file photos

last week and was interviewed by entertainment reporter MJ Felipe. Parang nahihiya ako, parang there are artists who are more qualified," Regine admitted. "I don't think I'm qualified yet." Some of the artists she wanted to see given the recognition instead were Pilita Corrales and Jose Mari Chan, reiterating that

it is not her time yet. While she personally believes she has a long way to go, Regine is still grateful for those pushing her for the recognition. Pero huwag muna kasi maraming mas iniisip ko na sila dapat. Those are the people who should be there and sana malagay sila habang buhay pa sila," Regine ended, noting how it took years before Nora Aunor was finally named a National Artist in 2022. Fourteen of the 81 Filipinos

that have been named National Artists were recognized for their contributions to music including Ryan Cayabyab, Levi Celerio, Ramon Santos, Jovita Fuentes, Felipe de Leon, Antonio Molina and most recently Fides CuyuganAsensio.

The most recent batch of National Artists included Nora, Fides, Ricky Lee, Marilou DiazAbaya, Salvacion Lim-Higgins, Gemino Abad, Tony Mabesa and Agnes Locsin.

Paulo, Kylie and the highs and lows of love and life

PAULO Avelino and Kylie Verzosa may have starred in the 2018 movie "Kasal," but working together on the upcoming film "Elevator" felt like a first-time experience for them all over again.

"During 'Kasal,' Paulo was like my acting coach because I was a newcomer then. So this time — [when I'm armed with more experience] — felt like the first because I got to really 'act' alongside him," explained the beauty queen-turned-actress at the movie's media conference.

"I've waited so long for a reunion project, and I'm glad we get to do it with great material in 'Elevator," Verzosa added. Avelino agreed, "It felt like the first time because in 'Kasal,' she would always share scenes with Derek [Ramsay], but here in 'Elevator,' we did almost all the scenes together." Since their 2018 starrer, Verzosa and Avelino have carved deeper names in the industry and even reaped prominent acting awards along the way. Avelino earned Best Actor accolades from prestigious organizations, including the 35th Gawad Urian Awards ("Ang Sayaw ng Dalawang Kaliwang Paa") and the 46th Metro Manila Film Festival ("Fan Girl"). Verzosa, on the other hand, was hailed Best Actress at the

2022 Distinctive International Arab Festivals Awards ("The Housemaid").

Despite the five-year gap between their two projects, Avelino and Verzosa said it didn't take much time for them to get back in the zone, embody their characters and develop the chemistry the 'Elevator' demanded.

"It didn't feel awkward [to be back on the set with Kylie] because before shooting the film, we had several script readings and workshops," Avelino volunteered.

"I'd like to add that we felt comfortable because we became friends [after we did 'Kasal,' which] makes our job easier," Verzosa echoed.

Written and directed by Rein Entertainment's Philip King ["Nanahimik Ang Gabi," "Bagman"], "Elevator" follows the story of Jared [Avelino], an elevator attendant at a hotelcasino complex in Singapore.

Ambitious and hardworking, Jared develops an innovative app for Filipino migrant workers. He pitches his concept to affluent businessmen he encounters in the elevator, hoping to entice them into investment.

Despite his relentless efforts, he is always rejected until he meets Byron (veteran Singaporean actor Adrian Pang), a successful businessman who takes an interest in his app.

But before sealing the deal,

Byron instructs Jared to ask his secretary, Bettina (Verzosa), who is also Filipino, to help him refine his business proposal.

Bettina is initially ill-tempered and dismissive towards Jared, but after spending much time working together, the fellow OFWs grow closer. As they share their hopes and dreams with one another, Jared finds himself smitten by Bettina, who warned from the start never to fall in love with her.

Eventually, the two characters must choose whether to be together or keep working toward the better future they seek in Singapore.

Asked why the film is titled "Elevator," King explained, "We use it as a metaphor. If you want to punch 'up' in your life [as you would in an elevator], it means you're not satisfied or in an abyss. For me an elevator is like that — it's not part of a building's floor, you go up and you go down. But as long as you punch that floor number it means you are fighting, it means you want to be somewhere and Paulo's character is like that."

In support, Avelino said that while their film is marketed as a romantic-comedy with all the elements of both genres, he finds it more inspirational.

DONITA Rose has received a beautiful assurance of God’s love. This, she revealed when she began talking about her fervent prayer, among others, that her next life partner would be a virgin. The actress-turned-chef narrated that she had a long list of the characteristics she was looking for in a guy, and she was amazed at how God answered her prayer.

“I have a prayer list, (it’s) very specific. I said (the guy) should be a pastor, a worship leader, a Pinoy, or at least half. (He) must be handsome, he should be taller than me, he should be a breadwinner because I’ve been through a lot. He should be funny,” said Donita of her “requirements” in a guy.

“I even joked with the Lord which I didn’t expect (to be granted). I said, ‘Lord, I wish my husband would be a virgin.’ It came true,” gushed Donita who exchanged “I do’s” with U.S.based Filipino singer Felson Palad in September 2022 in California.

She learned that her prayers were granted when Felson confessed to her that he was a virgin during one of their dates. “When I met him and we started talking as friends, eventually we started dating. He said, ‘I have a confession to make. I am still a virgin.’ “I didn’t answer him. He said, ‘Why, did it turn you off?’ I said, ‘That’s my prayer to the Lord which I don’t think He would fulfill; that He can answer even the small things,’” she continued.

“I felt like I was dreaming. I couldn’t believe that I’ve got a husband again because I went through a lot before I reached this moment. I went through depression. But now, I have no regrets about what I’ve been through.”

Donita declared feeling “complete” as a person. “Parang ngayon ako naging buo. Now I know who I am. My identity is not in another person because there was a time when my husband (her first, Eric Villarama) and I separated I was like, ‘Who am I now?’ Iniwan ako, and people judged me na parang, ‘Tumaba kasi, hindi na siya maganda.’ “There were a lot of internal struggles. But I came back to my first love, Jesus Christ. I was reminded of my identity in Christ.”

She also made clear that she was already complete before Felson came into her life. “But the fact that I met a guy who loves God as much as I do, that’s where the dream is. I can’t believe it. This is not a dream because we’re serving God together and we’re loving God together. There’s nothing better.”

To recall, Donita and Felson got engaged in May 2022 and the two got married four months later. Her divorce with ex-husband Eric was finalized in 2016. She and Eric have a son named Joshua Paul.

Meanwhile, Donita has not completely turned her back to acting as she topbills “Malice in Manila,” streaming on Amazon Prime. Viewers can also expect to see her husband Felson taking on a role in the said independent film.

“I play the role of a mail-order bride. Felson portrays my exhusband so siya ang contravida ng film. What happened was when I was being interviewed for the film, I was with Felson because he drove me there. Then when the director found out that they’re both from Cavite, he said, ‘Bakit hindi na lang ikaw?’ I couldn’t stop laughing for like a week because I couldn’t believe na ang kalaban ko sa pelikula is my husband in real life,” Donita amusingly said.

She, too, would love to do a TV series or movie in the Philippines if and when there is an offer but what she is not sure though is to leave her husband in the U.S. for a long time for acting stints in the country. Hindi kasi importante sa akin maging sikat or successful sa mata ng buong mundo. I’m happy even if I don’t work (as an actress). My husband said that there is no need for me to work anymore because he will be the one in-charge.

“So, I don’t have to worry about finances anymore but I’m not expecting a lot. Hindi naman mayaman ang asawa ko pero mayaman kami sa mga experiences in life. We’re just enjoying and savoring every moment. He works hard. He’s a singer in Orange County retirement homes.”

What does she pray for every day?

“That my son would love the Lord with all his heart, mind, soul, and strength.”

What’s the best thing about her husband Felson?

Lahat. (And) now I know, for sure, that marriage is pure bliss,” Donita concluded.

"It's more of a feel-good movie and it gives a better glimpse of the lives of our kababayans working abroad. I think at its core, the movie is about hope, not just for migrant workers, not just OFWs, but for everyone.

"We all get confused in our lives — what to choose, what to prioritize — and I hope this film will help viewers decide on what they want not just for the betterment of their careers but for their lives as well," Avelino concluded.

"Elevator" is a landmark project of Viva Films, Studio Viva, Rein Entertainment, and Cineko Productions. The cast and crew filmed for 10 days in Singapore, where 90 percent of the scenes took place. Its producers, Lino Cayetano and Shugo Praico — who, together with King co-founded Rein Entertainment — shared they also partnered with Singaporean production outfit Dogma Films for the movie. Given this multi-way production, the group told The Manila Times Entertainment in a previous interview that "Elevator" is another realization of the industry's goal to go international.

IN an early December interview, Alden Richards gave the entertainment press a staggering impression that he found his career at a snail's pace at one point last year.

It is for this reason that depression consumed him, and he even questioned his selfworth.

Speaking in the vernacular, Alden expressed: "Pakiramdam ko, wala akong silbi (I felt useless)!"

He was then able to trace the root cause of it all: it was his woebegone life.

It was a crisis that involved every aspect of his being: three months of no job offers, a string of business undertakings not doing well, plus "personal demons" he had to deal with.

If our timeline proves accurate, this period was shortly after he wrapped up work in GMA Network's Filipino adaptation of "Start-Up," which paired him with Bea Alonzo. It took GMA, however, to make him realize he was wrong — short of saying it was all in the mind.

"Maybe, I was just being ungrateful," he sighed. Alden's case of depression — he admitted — nearly spiraled out of control, "But not to the point that I thought of doing drugs!"

All that he needed to invalidate his feeling of worthlessness was simply a job, one after another. It was when he began shooting for the film, "Five Romances and A Breakup" with Julia Montes did Alden acknowledge something was amiss with his life perspective.

It literally didn't take five romances and a breakup before his next project came along — that with Sharon Cuneta for last year's Metro Manila Film Festival. Instantly, Alden was able to break free from the shackles of depression.

In the words of a reliable Vignettes tipster: "Nasasayangan sila sa talent ni Alden (the media outlet felt Alden's talent was being wasted), considering he's a homegrown artist at that. Spanning his 13 years with GMA, there's much to be desired." Did such words, supposedly coming from the unknown mercenary, contribute to what Alden had aptly termed as depression?

Did the actor in any way bargain with the media rep — that if he still gets thrown into a tailspin — career-wise — this 2024, then out he goes?

It is also intriguing to note that Alden's episodes of depression coincided with talks some media outlet out there was poised to pursue the actor no matter what. Reportedly, it was to the observation of a representative from the anonymous media entity (or, to be blunt about it, a TV network) that Alden was "being shortchanged" in terms of projects.

RED meat, believe it or not, is a known carcinogen, a food item associated a lot with cancer. Studies have repeatedly shown, confirmed by new findings, that eating red meat, especially processed red meat more than once a week, raises the risk for colorectal cancer, and even higher among those with genetic predisposition.

A recent report (pooled 27 studies, 29,842 cases) identified “two biomarkers associated with a higher risk for colorectal cancer from red meat consumption.

Participants with these biomarkers had a higher risk for colorectal cancer when they consumed higher amounts of red meat… Colorectal cancer is one of the more serious cancer subtypes.”

Each year, almost 150,000 new cases of colorectal cancers (second leading cause of death, next to heart attack) are found in the United States, and 50,000 die each year from this disease. Eating red meat also increases the risk for cardiovascular diseases, besides other forms of cancer. Red meat is not essential in our diet; we can live without eating red meat. Fish, chicken, and vegetables, some fruits and nuts, olive oil, and avocado oil are popular items in Mediterranean Diet, the popular healthy diet today.

Fasting is healthy

New studies revealed that intermittent fasting may offer other health benefits besides weight loss, such as protection against cardiovascular diseases, type 2 diabetes, and even cancer. It might also help in protecting the health of our gastrointestinal system, especially the small intestines (jejunum, which helps digestion, absorbs nutrients and water), and it is also associated with better glucose control and decreased inflammation.

According to the studies, “some of the more popular patterns of intermittent fasting include timerestrictive eating, where the fast lasts 12, 14, or 16 hours, and the eating period stretches over the remaining hours of the day, or the 5:2 method, where a person consumes only 500 calories for 2 days of the week and then eats normally for the remaining 5 days.”

Currently the most popular

On red meat and cancer

precluding

diet, intermittent fasting, done properly, is deemed safe and is a healthy practice among 12 percent of Americans. It also benefits those with Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) and Ulcerative Colitis (UC). This also improves cholesterol level, better blood sugar control, and body composition.

If interested, especially among diabetics, consult with your physician about his recommendation on strategies:

(1) Eating early dinner, and not eating from 6 p.m. till 8 a.m. the following day; (2) Eating on alternative days; (3) 5:2 diet, fasting for 2 days consecutively and eating normally for 5 days;

(4) Time-restricted – “eating window” to 4-12 hours (normal calories), a fasting period of 1220 hours, a very popular strategy. Of this, the 16:8 pattern, eating during an 8-hour window and fasting for 16 hours each day is the most recommended eating pattern.

Eating by following the Mediterranean diet for 5 years has been shown to reduce the rate of heart attack and stroke by 30 percent, without fasting. Obviously combining the two strategies confer all those benefits from both.

Bird Flu

The Bird Flu detected this week in some herds of dairy cows across six states is the first time the virus has infected cattle. The Texas health officials also “confirmed that a farm worker contracted the virus, only the second known case of H5N1 in the United States.” With this outbreak, although human-to-human transmission of the bird flu is rare, experts are warning “against eating runny eggs for the time being.” Those who are working in close contact with animals are, obviously, more prone to get infected. The symptoms could be like those of common flu, sometimes only with pink eyes (conjunctivitis). The virus is also seen in wild birds. Caution is very important. For any concerns, consult your physician.

Pancreatic cancer

A great preliminary report: A new blood test “appears capable of detecting early-stage pancreatic cancer with up to 97 percent accuracy.” This very deadly cancer of the pancreas is usually diagnosed very late because of its posterior location in the abdomen. By the time it is discovered, spread to other parts of the body has already occurred,

3 percent.

trial among

and Japan shows 98 percent detection rate, when

blood test was

already-established biomarker CA 19-9. This blood test will obviously result in a greater survival rate from this treacherous fatal malignancy.

Sleep Apnea and diet

Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA), breath holding for a prolonged period dozens of times while asleep, increases the risk for heart attack, stroke, hypertension, diabetes T2, Alzheimer’s and even cancer. Breath-holding severely reduces the oxygen in the body which is detrimental to all vital organs. New studies found that eating plant-based diet significantly reduces the risk for the development of OSA, but the unhealthy plant-based ones (refined grains, sugar, salt, and animal-based food items), increases the risk, especially processed foods, which also elevate the risk for cancer.

Latest data also show that “consuming a diet high in ultraprocessed foods may increase the risk of obstructive sleep apnea due to factors such as obesity, inflammation, insulin resistance, poor sleep quality, and exacerbation of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).”

The main objective of this column is to educate and inspire people live a healthier lifestyle to prevent illnesses and disabilities and achieve a happier and more productive life. Any diagnosis, recommendation or treatment in our article is general medical information and not intended to be applicable to or appropriate for anyone. This column is not a substitute for your physician, who knows your condition well and who is your best ally when it comes to your health.

* * *

The main objective of this column is to educate and inspire people live a healthier lifestyle to prevent illnesses and disabilities and achieve a happier and more productive life. Any diagnosis, recommendation or treatment in our article are general medical information and not intended to be applicable or appropriate for anyone. This column is not a substitute for your physician, who knows your condition well and who is your best ally when it comes to your health.

* * *

Las Vegas celebrates Earth Day & Arbor

Day on April 26 at Centennial Hills Park

Kiko Estrada ‘destined’ to be an action star, says director

By nathalie toMada Philstar.com

“L UMUHOD Ka Sa Lupa” director Albert Langitan had always believed Kiko Estrada was destined to be an action star. The actor scores his first lead action role as he topbills the TV5 remake of the Rudy Fernandez 1986 starrer “Lumuhod Ka Sa Lupa.” Premiering today, the series airs weekdays after “E.A.T. Bulaga.” Direk Albert was Kiko’s director for a GMA program some 10 years ago and he recalled telling the actor that he should be doing action. “Kami ni Kiko, meron kaming personal na usapan, 10 years ago. It was the first time we worked together and we clicked right away. I said, ‘Kiko, what are you doing? Dapat action star ka (You should be an action star),’” the director, who megs the show with Roderick Lindayag, said in a presscon. “Tapos nung sinabi na si Kiko yung magiging lead star of (‘Lumuhod Ka Sa Lupa’), destiny ata yun (maybe it’s destiny). Baka na-claim namin pareho ni Kiko kaya nangyari siya kasi ang tagal naming hindi nagkasama. Dito kami pinagtagpo. So, for me, it’s a mission na, ‘Kiko, dapat maging maayos ka.’

As for Kiko, he would say he manifested the “Lumuhod Ka Sa Lupa” project.

“I wanted to work on a good project that’s action-packed and I manifested it,” he told The STAR in a separate one-on-one interview.

“I believe in manifestation and if it’s your destiny it will be. Manifesting is a good way to tell the universe that you want something and it will come to you if you have the good energy to attract it, you know, the law of attraction.

“So I just said it, I declared it… I just say it everytime I pray: I wanna have a good project, I wanna have a good role, I wanna lead one.

“Because I was always the support… supporting, yes, to a love triangle, but I loved that, too. I go through roles.

“And somehow, this good work was offered to me… So, not necessarily manifesting ‘Lumuhod Ka Sa Lupa’ but manifesting that I want a good role that can show my capabilities as an actor or as a person.”

When it comes to drawing inspiration for his acting, he only has to look at both sides of his parents. Nevertheless, he pointed out that his portrayal is a combination of influences from the source material of direk Carlo J. Caparas, the original lead star, the late Rudy Fernandez, from his uncle Joko Diaz, as well as his father Gary Estrada and his late lolo Paquito Diaz. In terms of preparing for the hardcore action scenes, Kiko studied some martial arts like muay thai as well as grappling. He gamely executed a lot of the stunts himself.

“I rolled my ankle the second day and we still had to do stunts, like there was a big scene, an explosion and we hadn’t done that yet. I rolled my ankle before that but (I told the production) we’re not gonna do this shot with the (body) double. Just make me the rest, I’m gonna take alaxan, wait for two hours and I’m going to do it,” he said of the show’s action sequences.

“By the grace of God, I prayed and we did it. It seemed like nothing happened. But the day after, I tell you, my ankle was swollen and all,” he laughingly shared. “I would want to do everything but they controlled me to choose, especially after that (incident)... I also hyperextended my elbow in another action scene. But that’s a part of the job and I love my job and those are the sacrifices that you have to make to make a good show.

“It’s nothing to me right now.

That’s why I got emotional during the (advance) screening on Sunday, April 7. People don’t understand the journey that I have to go through to finish the episodes.”

Kiko couldn’t be any happier with the timing of this project in his life. He’s grateful to the bosses of Viva who handpicked him for the lead role. The show is co-produced by TV5, Studio Viva

and Sari Sari.

“It’s the most important thing in my life right now,” said Kiko. “I’m very focused. Like I said in past interviews, this project took a lot out of me in preparing for it... conditioning my everything to become this character who lost everything. Yes, I did and I can relate but not to the extremes that Norman dela Cruz had to go through.”

Speaking more about his character Norman dela Cruz and how it resonated with him, he said, “Norman is a boy who lost everything and is forced to become a man really quick in dealing with the morality of seeking revenge in the wrong way and finally learning what real revenge is. And accepting that fact is really hard for him but it’s part of growing up.”

Saying he had to find similarities between himself and Norman as part of his portrayal, he particularly loved how his character “never gave up.”

“I wanted to give up not just in showbiz, but in the totality of life.

I’m sure people have reached the rock bottom... But I always love a good redemption story. I think that’s the essence of being a human being, someone who’s in the ashes and rises like a Phoenix... and blooms. For me, that’s the story of Norman and the story of this show.”

Kiko readily admitted that he’s feeling the pressure of having to lead the show.

“I’m just keeping my head down listening to every good advice,” he said on how he’s coping with the mounting pressure and expectations. “I’m just lucky that I have good producers, good directors that are guiding me throughout the process and of course, a lovely cast to support me. Yeah, that’s how I deal with it and of course, a loving family to go back to.”

Kiko also shared the short and simple piece of advice that his mom Cheska Diaz gave him. “She just said, ‘Don’t mess this up.’” “Lumuhod Ka Sa Lupa” also stars Sid Lucero, Joko Diaz, Mark Anthony Fernandez, Sarah Lahbati, among others.

Maymay Entrata renews faith as Christian after personal struggle

By Jan Milo Severo Philstar.com

KAPAMILYA actress Maymay Entrata revealed that she renewed her faith as a Christian after she underwent personal struggles. In a report by ABS-CBN News, Maymay said that she surrendered herself to God. “[Ang] dami pong pagsubok talaga bago ako nagbalik loob sa Panginoon. ‘Yun ‘yung deklarasyon ko kumbaga, na magko-commit ako fully sa Panginoon kasi nasanay po ako na kontrolado ko ‘yung buhay ko, ‘yung plano ko,” Maymay said. “Pero at the end of the day, napapatanong ako, bakit ako napapagod? Kasi ‘yun pala God is in control,” she added. Maymay’s statement came after she posted a “wrong path” she took on 2021. She, however, clarified that it was not about her ex-boyfriend Aaron Haskell. “Hello po sa lahat, gusto ko lang po mag explain ng konti about dun sa last post ko sa IG. ‘I took a wrong path again nung 2021’ it was my past trauma po,” she said. Maymay asked the public to be kind and not to drag Aaron anymore in her posts.

“I was hurt and so I hurt other people even the people I love. I’m asking lang po sana to be kind especially po from my past

relationship

not take

News, Darren said that he and Cassy are just best friends. “Makulit sila! Sabi ko best friends lang kami eh,” Darren said. “Best friends talaga. It’s something a lot of people won’t get. Hindi

actress and singer Charo performed at a sold out crowd in Southpoint Hotel & Casino Las Vegas last Friday, April 5. She was energetic on stage and sung classic songs of Abba and others.She danced and joked with the audience with her famous “cuchi-cuchi” signature phrase. Growing up, Charo studied to play the classical guitar with Andres Segovia and speaks three other languages. Photos by Raoul Gatchalian

Actress-singer Maymay Entrata Photo from Instagram/@maymay

(Aaron),” she said. “Do

this against him. From the bottom of my heart maraming salamat po,” she added.