050324 - Northern California Edition

Exposed to Agent Orange at US bases, veterans face cancer without VA compensation

AS a young GI at Fort Ord in Monterey County, California, Dean Osborn spent much of his time in the oceanside woodlands, training on soil and guzzling water from streams and aquifers now known to be contaminated with cancer-causing pollutants.

“They were marching the snot out of us,” he said, recalling his year and a half stationed on the base, from 1979 to 1980. He also remembers, not so fondly, the poison oak pervasive across the 28,000-acre installation that closed in 1994. He went on sick call at least three times because of the overwhelmingly itchy rash.

Mounting evidence shows that as far back as the 1950s, in an effort to kill the ubiquitous poison oak and other weeds at the Army base, the military experimented with and sprayed the powerful herbicide combination known colloquially as Agent Orange.

While the U.S. military used the herbicide to defoliate the dense jungles of Vietnam and adjoining countries, it was contaminating the land and waters of coastal California with the same chemicals, according to documents.

California to harness more than half of its land to ght climate change

SACRAMENTO – California is taking unprecedented action to strategically harness the equivalent of more than half of its land to fight the climate crisis.

As called for by Governor Gavin Newsom’s California Climate Commitment, the state unveiled 81 targets for nature-based solutions this week that will help California achieve its world-leading climate goals, including reaching carbon neutrality by 2045. Nature-based solutions support the ability of lands to absorb more carbon than they release – a critical tool in the state’s climate arsenal. Since 2020, the Newsom Administration has invested approximately $9.6 billion in naturebased solutions that combat the effects of

Poll: Pinoys trust United States the most; China least

JANVIC MATEO Philstar.com

House to summon Duterte admin execs over ‘gentleman’s agreement’ with China

by GABRIEL PABICO LALU Inquirer.net

MANILA — House of Representatives

Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez said committees will invite past administration officials to shed light on the supposed gentleman’s agreement entered by then president Rodrigo Duterte with China, amid contradicting statements.

Romualdez, in a briefing on Monday,

April 29, was asked if the House will find time to hold the hearings on the gentleman’s agreement — supposedly meant to maintain the status quo on the West Philippine Sea (WPS) — before Congress goes on a sinedie adjournment by May 24. Romualdez said the House leadership, including the committees that will tackle the issue, have already discussed this, adding that they will try to “ferret out the

Quiboloy’s arrest in the hands of PNP, NBI

by CECILLE SUERTE FELIPE Philstar.com

MANILA — The arrest of Kingdom of Jesus Christ founder Pastor Apollo Quiboloy is now in the hands of the Philippine National Police (PNP) and National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri said. Zubiri, who signed the warrant of arrest against Quiboloy on the recommendation of Sen. Risa Hontiveros, chair of the Senate committee on women

and children, said that the Office of the Senate Sergeant-at-Arms (OSSA) has properly coordinated with law enforcement agencies for Quiboloy’s arrest.

“We have issued the warrant of arrest, we’ve conducted, I believe, OSSA chief Gen. Roberto Ancan (has) conducted coordinations with the PNP and the NBI,” Zubiri added.

The Senate president signed the warrant of arrest against Quiboloy to force the latter to attend a Senate investigation into

by JEAN MANGALUZ Inquirer.net

also said that he is eyeing the Nationalist People’s Coalition (NPC) and the National Unity Party (NUP).

“We have organized a steering committee, we will then go and make our alliances with the different parties,” said Marcos in his speech.

“Of course, Lakas, NPC, NUP are there … especially in the House. But of course we need to speak to the governors, they have their own local parties,” he added.

Lakas-CMD is currently the ruling party in the House of Representatives. Marcos’ cousin, House Speaker Martin Romualdez, is the president of Lakas-CMD. Marcos said that he has already spoken to the leaders of other parties, who appear to be willing to collaborate for the coming elections. However, he did not specify which parties he has already spoken to. �

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. Malacañang file photo

House leaders: Probe deepfake President Marcos audio

by DELON PORCALLA Philstar.com

MANILA — Congress resumed session on Monday, April 29 with House leaders seeking an investigation into a deepfake video showing President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. allegedly issuing an order to soldiers to act against a foreign country.

Allies of the chief executive want this issue to be included in the chamber’s order of business, where a committee hearing may be conducted.

“This matter involves national security and the malicious dissemination of fabricated information,” Senior Deputy Speaker Aurelio Gonzales Jr. said. “Agencies like the DICT (Department of Information and Communications Technology) and its Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center should promptly conduct an inquiry.”

“We should not allow this to happen again. We should not tolerate criminally minded persons to wreak havoc on our national security and to give our

Kingdom of Jesus Christ church founder Apollo Quiboloy Pastor Apollo Quiboloy Facebook Page

Poll: Pinoys trust United States...

PAGE 1

Following the U.S. were Canada (69 percent), Australia (65 percent), Japan (59 percent), United Kingdom (58 percent), Singapore (55 percent), Taiwan (54 percent) and Hong Kong (52 percent).

Obtaining less than 50 percent were the Netherlands (48 percent), United Arab Emirates (47 percent), Saudi Arabia (40 percent), Qatar (40 percent), Kuwait (39 percent), Israel (39 percent) and Russia (26 percent).

Respondents were asked which country the Philippines should align with amid the conflict in the West Philippine Sea, with 43 percent answering the U.S. and three percent saying China.

Some 40 percent said the Philippines should align neither with the U.S. nor China, while 15 percent said they were not

sure.

“The survey results regarding the preferred alignment of the Philippines in the context of the South China Sea dispute offer a revealing glimpse into public opinion on this significant international issue,” said Oculum chief statistician Joseph Mercado.

“The low level of trust in China and a relatively high level of distrust could be attributed to geopolitical tensions, economic competition, territorial disputes, or concerns over political and human rights issues,” he added. Oculum’s non-commissioned survey had 3,000 respondents and a two percent margin of error.

Philippine-China dialogue

Despite Chinese aggression in the West Philippine Sea, Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri hopes the Marcos administration can hold a

dialogue with China to deescalate tensions.

“Under this administration, maybe we should improve our diplomacy with neighboring country China. In other words, to talk to them bilaterally as well as to come up with a code of conduct. A code of conduct is very important so as not to escalate, to increase the tensions here in our West Philippine Sea,” Zubiri said in a radio interview on Sunday, April 28.

While he acknowledged that China does not seem to be listening, Zubiri maintained the Philippines should “exert all efforts to have a dialogue with them.”

“With the actions they are taking, our fellow Filipinos could die. For example, the Coast Guard, our fisherfolk or the Armed Forces and the Navy,” he added. g

House to summon Duterte admin...

truth” during the incoming hearings.

“Yes, we have already discussed this amongst the House leadership and with the committee chairmen involved, so we’ll try to ferret out the truth with what really happened, because our President (Ferdinand Marcos Jr.) said he was horrified, so are we because it is disappointing that they had a gentleman’s agreement — although some say it’s true, some say it does not exist. So we should know what the truth is because that is what China is invoking,” he said.

“Past officials […] we’ll start with the past officials, because they are responsible for executing agreements […] maybe their Foreign Affairs officials, the executive secretary, to ask if there was an executive order. And those who said that there was a gentleman’s agreement — because there is a former press secretary who said it exists, and another said it does not,” Romualdez added.

Romualdez said it seems officials of the past administration have tricked China and are now playing tricks on each other.

“So ano ba talaga?

Nabubudol-budol na naman — binudol na nga nila ‘yong Tsina,

asked why China has been aggressive when Philippine vessels conduct resupply missions to troops stationed in BRP Sierra Madre, a Navy ship deliberately ran aground Ayungin Shoal. The former spokesperson surmised that China may have been acting this way because the Philippines is no longer maintaining the agreement, although he himself admitted that the deal was non-binding and cannot apply under

President Marcos’ term.

Roque’s claim, however, was eventually countered by another former presidential spokesperson — ex-chief legal counsel Salvador Panelo, who said that Duterte did not enter into such an agreement with China.

nagbubudulan sila

sa loob ng dating gabinete,”

(So what is the truth? It’s another deceitful scheme — they tricked China, and now those inside the former Cabinet are tricking themselves.)

It was Duterte’s former presidential spokesperson, lawyer Harry Roque, who confirmed to reporters last March 27 that Duterte and China had a deal to maintain the status quo in the WPS. Roque mentioned this when

Duterte eventually admitted that there was a status quo gentleman’s agreement with China.

President Marcos last April 13, on the tail end of his official visit to the United States, asked Duterte about what was given up in his deal with China

According to Marcos, Duterte and his past officials should clarify matters because it would explain why friends from China have been irritated with the Philippines’ actions over the WPS. g

It was Duterte’s former presidential spokesperson, lawyer Harry Roque, who confirmed to reporters last March 27 that Duterte and China had a deal to maintain the status quo in the WPS. Inquirer.net file photo

ngayon

d’yan

he noted.

NO TO PUV MODERNIZATION. Jeepney drivers and student activists hold up protest banners and placards along the service road of Roxas Boulevard in Pasay City and Pedro Gil corner Agoncillo Streets in on Manila, April 29, the first day of the transport strike.

President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. earlier said the April 30 deadline for the franchise consolidation under the public utility vehicle modernization program would no longer be extended.

ManilaTimes.net

photo by Mike Alquinto

Exposed to Agent Orange at US...

The Defense Department has publicly acknowledged that during the Vietnam War era it stored Agent Orange at the Naval Construction Battalion Center in Gulfport, Mississippi, and the former Kelly Air Force Base in Texas, and tested it at Florida’s Eglin Air Force Base.

According to the Government Accountability Office, however, the Pentagon’s list of sites where herbicides were tested went more than a decade without being updated and lacked specificity.

GAO analysts described the list in 2018 as “inaccurate and incomplete.”

Fort Ord was not included. It is among about four dozen bases that the government has excluded but where Pat Elder, an environmental activist, said he has documented the use or storage of Agent Orange.

According to a 1956 article in the journal The Military Engineer, the use of Agent Orange herbicides at Fort Ord led to a “drastic reduction in trainee dermatitis casualties.”

“In training areas, such as Fort Ord, where poison oak has been extremely troublesome to military personnel, a well-organized chemical war has been waged against this woody plant pest,” the article noted.

Other documents, including a report by an Army agronomist as well as documents related to hazardous material cleanups, point to the use of Agent Orange at the sprawling base that 1.5 million service members cycled through from 1917 to 1994.

‘The most toxic chemical’ Agent Orange is a 50-50 mixture of two ingredients, known as 2,4-D and 2,4,5-T. Herbicides with the same chemical structure slightly modified were available off the shelf, sold commercially in massive amounts, and used at practically every base in the U.S., said Gerson Smoger, a lawyer who argued before the Supreme Court for Vietnam veterans to have the right to sue Agent Orange manufacturers. The combo was also used by farmers, forest workers, and other civilians across the country.

The chemical 2,4,5T contains the dioxin 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzop-dioxin or TCDD, a known carcinogen linked to several cancers, chronic conditions, and birth defects. A recent Brown University study tied Agent

Orange exposure to brain tissue damage similar to that caused by Alzheimer’s. Acknowledging its harm to human health, the Environmental Protection Agency banned the use of 2,4,5-T in the U.S. in 1979. Still, the other weed killer, 2,4-D is sold off-the-shelf today.

“The bottom line is TCDD is the most toxic chemical that man has ever made,” Smoger said.

For years, the Department of Veteran Affairs has provided vets who served in Vietnam disability compensation for diseases considered to be connected to exposure to Agent Orange for military use from 1962 to 1975.

Decades after Osborn’s military service, the 68-year-old veteran, who never served in Vietnam, has battled one health crisis after another: a spot on his left lung and kidney, hypothyroidism, and prostate cancer, an illness that has been tied to Agent Orange exposure.

He says many of his old buddies from Fort Ord are sick as well.

“Now we have cancers that we didn’t deserve,” Osborn said.

The VA considers prostate cancer a “presumptive condition” for Agent Orange disability compensation, acknowledging that those who served in specific locations were likely exposed and that their illnesses are tied to their military service. The designation expedites affected veterans’ claims.

But when Osborn requested his benefits, he was denied. The letter said the cancer was “more likely due to your age,” not military service.

“This didn’t happen because of my age. This is happening because we were stationed in the places that were being sprayed and contaminated,” he said.

Studies show that diseases caused by environmental factors can take years to emerge. And to make things more perplexing for veterans stationed at Fort Ord, contamination from other harmful chemicals, like the industrial cleaner trichloroethylene, have been well documented on the former base, landing it on the EPA’s Superfund site list in 1990.

“We typically expect to see the effect years down the line,” said Lawrence Liu, a doctor at City of Hope Comprehensive Cancer Center who has studied Agent Orange. “Carcinogens have additive effects.”

In February, the VA proposed a rule that for the first time would

allow compensation to veterans for Agent Orange exposure at 17 U.S. bases in a dozen states where the herbicide was tested, used, or stored.

Fort Ord is not on that list either, because the VA’s list is based on the Defense Department’s 2019 update.

“It’s a very tricky question,” Smoger said, emphasizing how widely the herbicides were used both at military bases and by civilians for similar purposes.

“On one hand, we were service. We were exposed. On the other hand, why are you different from the people across the road that are privately using it?”

The VA says that it based its proposed rule on information provided by the Defense Department.

“DoD’s review found no documentation of herbicide use, testing or storage at Fort Ord. Therefore, VA does not have sufficient evidence to extend a presumption of exposure to herbicides based on service at Fort Ord at this time,” VA press secretary Terrence Hayes said in an email.

The documentation Yet environmental activist Elder, with help from toxic and remediation specialist Denise Trabbic-Pointer and former VA physician Kyle Horton, compiled seven documents showing otherwise. They include a journal article, the agronomist report, and cleanup-related documents as recent as 1995 — all pointing to widespread herbicide use and experimentation as well as lasting contamination at the base.

Though the documents do not call the herbicide by its colorful nickname, they routinely cite the combination of 2,4-D and 2,4,5-T.

A “hazardous waste minimization assessment” dated 1991 reported 80,000 pounds of herbicides used annually at Fort Ord. It separately lists 2,4,5-T as a product for which “substitutions are necessary to minimize the environmental impacts.”

The poison oak “control program” started in 1951, according to a report by Army agronomist Floyd Otter, four years before the U.S. deepened its involvement in Vietnam. Otter detailed the use of these chemicals alone and in combination with diesel oil or other compounds, at rates generally between “one to two gallons of liquid herbicide” per acre.

u PAGE 5

11-year-old Fil-Am chess prodigy bags gold in world championship

by Hans Carbonilla Inquirer.net

BRIMMING with skill and strategy at a very young age, 11-year-old Filipino American chess prodigy has emerged victorious at the World Cadet Rapid and Blitz Championships 2024 in Durres, Albania.

Competing in the Rapid Girls 12 and under category, Megan Althea Obrero Paragua showcased her strategic prowess, culminating in a thrilling 66-move victory in the final showdown.

Employing the Catalan Opening with the black pieces, the fifth-grade pupil at Columbia Grammar Preparatory School in New York City, outmaneuvered her opponent, the 35th seed Vietnamese Hong Ha My Nguyen, in a display of tactical brilliance.

Guided by her mentor Sophia Rhode, she exhibited focus and determination, securing victory in all five rounds leading up to the final clash.

According to PhilBoxing. com, the chess player’s strategic acumen was on full display as she triumphed over formidable opponents, including players from Turkmenistan for the first round, Poland for the second round, Kazakhstan for the third round and Vietnam for both the

fourth and fifth rounds.

After a six-match winning streak, the young prodigy experienced a draw against Thai Hoang An Tong of Vietnam in the sixth round. However, her resilience was evident as she swiftly rebounded from the draw to clinch decisive victories in the subsequent rounds against Nika Venskaya of Russia in the seventh round and Varvara Matskevich of Poland in the eighth round, respectively.

She secured the gold medal with 9.5 points, comprising eight wins and three draws. Last year, Paragua nabbed the Woman Fide Master title (WFM) at the XXXIII Pan-American Youth Chess Festival 2023 Standard competition in Chicago.

As the top player of the Empire Chess Training School of Chess in the USA, the WFM sets her sights on further challenges, primed to compete in the upcoming 2024 U.S. Girls’ Junior Championship in July. g

In the ninth and tenth rounds, Paragua shared points with Daliya Diaskyzy of Kazakhstan and Anastasiya Aleks Barabash of Russia before ultimately triumphing over Nguyen in the final round.

BALLET LEGACY. Eva Estrella Damian, founding president of the Association of Ballet Academies Philippines, and niece Elline show the former’s old photo at Vella C. Damian School of Ballet, Inc. in Lourdes, Quezon City on Monday, April 29. The 85-year-old Vella still teaches

young dancers at the very place where she nurtured her passion since she was 15. PNA photo by Robert Oswald P. Alfiler

Megan Paragua secured the gold medal with 9.5 points, comprising eight wins and three draws.

Photo from Instagram/@chesskidofficial

House leaders: Probe deepfake...

people fake information,” the congressman from Pampanga’s third district said.

He added that the person or persons responsible for the deepfake should be prosecuted.

Gonzalez’s colleague, House Deputy Speaker David Suarez, also shared his view, suggesting that investigating agencies

should give the House a periodic report on the progress of their investigations.

Suarez said the agencies could tap private sector experts in their probe. “It should not be difficult for them to identify the origin of the deepfake and those behind it. I suspect this bogus material originated from somewhere in the south of the country,” the

Quezon congressman said. He urged the recipients of the president’s directive not to listen to impostors and fabricators. “I trust that they will heed instructions issued only through official lines of communication and from the chain of command. I believe in the professionalism and patriotism of our soldiers.” he said. 

Quiboloy’s arrest in the hands of...

allegations of his abuses against his former members.

Quiboloy has denied the accusation. He and his associates have been charged with child abuse and sexual abuse offenses, with cases filed in the Davao City

court. He is also facing a non-bailable human trafficking case before a Pasig City court.

“(Quiboloy’s arrest) is now in the hands of the PNP and the NBI; it is no longer in our hands. The OSSA can’t do it, I explained

it to Sen. Risa Hontiveros. That’s not the OSSA’s job,” Zubiri said. He explained that OSSA’s job is to protect the Senate and the senators, and to serve warrants or subpoenas, “but we don’t have hunter teams, we don’t have that in the Senate.” 

California to harness more than half of its land...

• 2.7 million acres of shrublands and chaparral managed for carbon storage, resilience, and habitat connectivity

• 1.6 million acres of grasslands managed to restore native grasslands and protect biodiversity

• 1.5 million acres of sparsely vegetated lands (deserts, beaches, etc.) to protect fragile ecosystems

Exposed to Agent Orange at US...

• 7.6 million acres conserved with protections

• 3.4 million acres of croplands managed to boost healthy soils, drought resilience, and belowground biodiversity

• 4.2 million trees planted to protect California communities from the climate crisis, remove carbon and increase access to nature where it’s needed most

Why California is setting these targets:

• For the first time, California’s 2022 Scoping Plan analyzed the amount of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions produced and absorbed by California’s lands and found that California’s lands currently emit more than they absorb.

• Modeling suggests that aggressive near-term efforts to increase climate action on California’s lands will put this sector on the path to course correction.

The 2022 Scoping Plan set a numeric goal for California’s lands to contribute as much as possible to achieving carbon neutrality by 2045: no more than 4 percent additional carbon stock losses below 2014 levels from California’s lands by 2045. (Inquirer.net)

• This shift from carbon sink to carbon emitter is largely due to historic land use decisions, including disconnection from beneficial land management practices utilized by California Native American tribes, and the accelerating impacts of climate change.

“In conclusion, we are fairly well satisfied with the methods,” Otter wrote, noting he was interested in “any way in which costs can be lowered or quicker kill obtained.”

An article published in California Agriculture more than a decade later includes before and after photos showing the effectiveness of chemical brush control used in a live-oak woodland at Fort Ord, again citing both chemicals in Agent Orange. The Defense Department did not respond to questions sent April 10 about the contamination or say when the Army stopped using 2,4,5-T at Fort Ord.

“What’s most compelling about Fort Ord is it was actually used for the same purpose it was used for in Vietnam — to kill plants — not just storing it,” said Julie Akey, a former Army linguist who worked at the base in the 1990s and later developed the rare blood cancer multiple myeloma.

Akey, who also worked with Elder, runs a Facebook group and keeps a list of people stationed on the base who later were diagnosed with cancer and other illnesses. So far, she has tallied more than 1,400 former Fort Ord residents who became sick.

Elder’s findings have galvanized the group to speak up during a public comment period for the VA’s proposed rule. Of 546 comments, 67 are from veterans and others urging the inclusion of Fort Ord. Hundreds of others have written in regarding the use of Agent Orange and other

chemicals at their bases.

While the herbicide itself sticks around for only a short time, the contaminant TCDD can linger in sediment for decades, said Kenneth Olson, a professor emeritus of soil science at the University of Illinois UrbanaChampaign.

A 1995 report from the Army’s Sacramento Corps of Engineers, which documented chemicals detected in the soil at Fort Ord, found levels of TCDD at 3.5 parts per trillion, more than double the remediation goal at the time of 1.2 ppt. Olson calls the evidence convincing.

“It clearly supports the fact that 2,4,5-T with unknown amounts of dioxin TCDD was applied on the Fort Ord grounds and border fences,” Olson said. “Some military and civilian personnel would have been exposed.”

The Department of Defense has described the Agent Orange used in Vietnam as a “tactical herbicide,” more concentrated than what was commercially available in the U.S. But Olson said his research suggests that even if the grounds maintenance crew used commercial versions of 2,4,5-T, which was available in the federal supply catalog, the soldiers would have been exposed to the dioxin TCDD.

The half dozen veterans who spoke with KFF Health News said they want the military to take responsibility.

The Pentagon did not respond to questions regarding the upkeep of the list or the process for adding

locations. In the meantime, the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry is studying potential chemical exposure among people who worked and lived on Fort Ord between 1985 and 1994. However, the agency is evaluating drinking water for contaminants such as trichloroethylene and not contamination or pollution from other chemicals such as Agent Orange or those found in firefighting foams.

Other veterans are frustrated by the VA’s long process to recognize their illnesses and believe they were sickened by exposure at Fort Ord.

“Until Fort Ord is recognized by the VA as a presumptive site, it’s probably going to be a long, difficult struggle to get some kind of compensation,” said Mike Duris, a 72-year-old veteran diagnosed with prostate cancer four years ago who ultimately underwent surgery.

Like so many others, he wonders about the connection to his training at Fort Ord in the early ’70s — drinking the contaminated water and marching, crawling, and digging holes in the dirt.

“Often, where there is smoke, there’s fire,” Duris said. (Hannah Norman and Patricia Kime/KFF Health News)

KFF Health News is a national newsroom that produces in-depth journalism about health issues and is one of the core operating programs at KFF—an independent source of health policy research, polling, and journalism.

On Earth Day, Governor Gavin Newsom and his wife Jennifer Siebel Newsom helped dedicate the new state park, Dos Rios, just 8 miles west of Modesto in the Central Valley. The approximately 1,600-acre Dos Rios property is the largest public-private floodplain restoration project in California to restore habitat for threatened and endangered wildlife at the Tuolumne and San Joaquin Rivers. Photo from Instagram/cagovernor

PROTECTED. Children receive their routine vaccine doses during the “Chikiting Ligtas Immunization Campaign 2024” at San Mateo JFD Stadium in Rizal province on Monday, April 29. The nationwide campaign immunizes against measles, rubella and polio for those aged 0 to 59 months. PNA photo by Ben Briones

OPINION FEATURES

Cooperating with the ICC

EVEN before former Senator Antonio Trillanes IV disclosed that about 50 former and incumbent police officers had been contacted by the International Criminal Court, there were already reports circulating that the ICC was proceeding with its probe of the drug killings under the watch of Rodrigo Duterte. Some of the reports emanated even from the Duterte camp.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has yet to announce whether his administration has finished “studying” the possible return of the Philippines to the ICC. In the meantime, he has maintained the stand that the ICC has no reason to conduct its probe in the Philippines, where the judicial system is fully functional.

Editorial

own efforts to ferret out the truth and render justice. The PNP has officially listed over 6,000 people, all of them mere suspects, who were killed in anti-narcotics operations during the Duterte presidency. How many of the killings were justified in the context of law enforcement, and how many can be classified as extrajudicial?

ICC probers are unlikely to be allowed to conduct a full-blown formal investigation in the Philippines. The Department of Justice and the Philippine National Police have warned PNP members in the active service of sanctions if they defy the government’s policy against giving ICC jurisdiction over the complaints arising from Duterte’s bloody campaign against illegal drugs.

The government, however, cannot stop the ICC from conducting an informal probe from outside the country, or from collecting testimonies and evidence or getting in touch through digital media with witnesses and participants in Duterte’s war on drugs, particularly those who are no longer part of the PNP. What the government can do is to intensify its

IT may have been a surprise to some people for The Economist to write a rather positive take about the Philippines and its economy as evidenced by a recent piece titled, “Without fanfare, the Philippines is getting richer,” but not to me.

Published last Tuesday, April 23, the article noted that “things are improving. Roads are being paved, bridges built. In February the government picked a private consortium to revamp and double the capacity of Manila’s main airport. Later this year, it is expected to award contracts to modernize several regional airports, too. Manila is scheduled to have its first underground metro line by 2029.”

The Economist also observed how growth has been brisk since 2012 (except during the pandemic) with the economy quietly booming under a variety of regimes, and growth expected at about 6 percent under the administration of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., with the Philippines poised

EARLY this week, a fake video of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. went viral on a popular streaming platform. It showed the president purportedly directing the country’s armed forces to counter China’s aggressive moves in the South China Sea. The short video was taken down just a few days after. Not having personally seen it, I can’t say how real it looked.

So-called deepfakes are actually not so difficult to spot, at least for now—provided one is prepared to take time to scrutinize key features of people’s faces, like the forehead, the lips, the eyes, the eyebrows, cheeks, ears, the nose, etc. Often, the edges of the face may be blurred. Shadows may not be there, as one might expect in a given angle of light. Eyeglasses may not show any glare or reflect too much glare. The lips may

The ICC probe includes drug killings in Davao City when Duterte alternated with his daughter, now Vice President Sara Duterte, as mayor and the Philippines was still a member of the ICC. Does the Marcos administration have the political will to investigate those complaints?

Rodrigo Duterte is being probed by the ICC for possible murder as a crime against humanity in his brutal campaign. The Philippines has a law governing crimes against humanity. But Solicitor General Menardo Guevarra has said a sufficient number of those 6,000-plus drug killings would have to be thoroughly reviewed first before the government can determine if an indictment for crimes against humanity is warranted and can stand in Philippine courts. This process, however,

is crawling

the

Economic prosperity is our ultimate goal

to become an upper middleincome country by 2026, according to the World Bank.

Some people may be skeptical, but from the way we look at it, we are in fact on the right path to economic prosperity as outlined in the Philippine Development Plan, which serves as the country’s roadmap towards genuine socioeconomic transformation to reinvigorate job creation and accelerate poverty reduction by steering the economy back on a high-growth path.

Budget Secretary Amenah Pangandaman accurately pointed out during the Philippine Dialogue that the Philippine Embassy in Washington co-organized with the Department of Finance and the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas on the sidelines of the IMF-World Bank spring meetings, that our economic managers are “going above and beyond in making the country a prime investment destination” – motivated by the president’s determination to see the Philippines become a country of “new and better opportunities.”

The president himself has been tirelessly engaging with leaders and top business

not move in synchronicity with the sound.

But, with their increasing technical sophistication, artificial intelligence (AI)generated images may soon be almost impossible to detect if we merely rely on an examination of facial features and voices. Deepfakes can be as good as the ones we encounter in the real world. This is where it becomes crucial for people to develop a self-conscious awareness of how they perceive and give meaning to the images, signs, and events occurring around them. In everyday life, understanding is something that occurs almost automatically. We don’t have to see everything before we could grasp what is happening. Our minds tend to fill the gaps— and so we read more than what is actually there. It is a mental shortcut that saves precious time, but which magicians and illusionists deftly exploit in order to create an illusion. AI-generated texts and images ride upon this

executives to put the Philippines on the radar as a leading investment hub – the results of which are starting to become apparent from the latest data released by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas showing foreign direct investment inflows reaching $907 million in January, up 89.9 percent in the same period last year.

As the president said, economic security is national security, and we are pleased to see that our friends and allies such as Japan and the United States are very supportive of the president’s economic prosperity aspirations. During the historic tripartite summit between the Philippines, Japan and the United States, President Marcos, President Joe Biden and Prime Minister Fumio Kishida expressed their commitment to promote enduring and inclusive economic growth and resilience.

Japan, the Philippines and the U.S. are also looking at the possibility of a trilateral free trade agreement to further enhance economic cooperation between the three nations. In the joint statement following the trilateral summit, the

three countries said they are pursuing economic projects that advance shared objectives, specifically the promotion of broad-based and sustainable economic growth, and are investing in resilient, reliable and diversified supply chains.

At the recently concluded 11th U.S.-Philippines Bilateral Strategic Dialogue in Washington, D.C. between top Philippine officials and their U.S. counterparts, one of the priorities we discussed was advancing common prosperity by exploring opportunities for further cooperation in many areas. We also exchanged views on addressing economic vulnerabilities and ways to strengthen private sector partnerships, with both countries recognizing the crucial need of mutually increasing economic growth.

During an interview with visiting Filipino reporters who are part of the Friends, Partners, Allies Program for journalists by the U.S. embassy in Manila, we shared that the revival of the U.S. Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) – the oldest and largest trade program of the U.S. that provides nonreciprocal, dutyfree privileges for over 3,500

products from 199 beneficiary countries that enter the U.S. market – will most likely be approved by the U.S. Congress before the end of this year.

Aside from the Philippines, other countries are also lobbying for the revival of the trade program.

The GSP reauthorization is something that we have been working on since the expiration of the Philippines’ eligibility in December 2020, but the renewal has been delayed due to several reasons, among them the COVID-19 pandemic and the speakership issue in the U.S. Congress last year. We have had several meetings with U.S. legislators for the renewal of the GSP which would actually benefit some U.S. companies that are manufacturing from the Philippines. President Marcos himself had noted that the GSP would be mutually beneficial to the U.S. and the Philippines, which could be expanded to include other products.

It is so pathetic to see these rumor warmongers invoking the fear factor, including those who manufactured a deepfake video circulating online that was made to sound like President Marcos ordering the Armed Forces of

When images become reality

perceptual habit to be able to pass off their products as though they were of real human beings, and not images constructed by machines.The blurring of the lines between appearance and reality, particularly in the age of mass media, struck the 19th century Danish philosopher and theologian Søren Kierkegaard with such alarming clarity that he wrote, against the backdrop of Europe’s revolutions: “A revolutionary age is an age of action; ours is the age of advertisement and publicity. Nothing ever happens but there is immediate publicity everywhere.”

This seems to me to be an apt description of our own age. Let us consider a few random examples from our news cycle.

Pastor Apollo Quiboloy has been the object of a police manhunt for over a month now. The House of Representatives, the Senate, and the Department of Justice have all been looking for him, and everyone says he has not left his community in Davao. Yet, despite all the

publicity, he is nowhere to be found. Former congressman Arnolfo Teves Jr., wanted for the murder of Negros Oriental Gov. Roel Degamo, disappeared for more than a year until he was arrested while playing golf in Timor-Leste. A Timorese court is holding him, but the efforts of Filipino authorities to bring him home have yielded nothing.

The International Criminal Court (ICC) has long been conducting its preliminary examination of the killings of thousands of drug suspects during the presidency of Rodrigo Duterte. Duterte terminated the country’s membership in the ICC before the latter could assert its jurisdiction over him and others who played key roles in his war on drugs. It’s almost two years now since Mr. Marcos became the country’s new president. But the Marcos administration’s cooperation with the ICC investigators remains officially in limbo. Mr. Marcos initially said he was studying the matter.

More recently he seemed more emphatic, saying he was not recognizing the ICC’s jurisdiction. Even so, ICC investigators appear to have arrived in the country and effectively established contact with former police officials. It does not take a political analyst to guess that the government’s ambivalent relationship with the ICC has become the single most critical element in the brewing conflict between the Marcoses and the Dutertes. But, except for the principals who have been issuing barbed statements, all this is just another spectacle to watch, to keep us entertained.

There’s a lot of talk here and there, a lot of updates in the media, but nothing seems to happen. What appear to be the key events of our time lack substance and depth. Our days are filled with posturing and representations that stand for reality itself, while containing a measure of vagueness (and thus deniability) as to their ultimate meanings. But, in ironic acceptance of what we

the Philippines to take military action against China. They are totally ignorant of what deterrence is all about and how precisely working with like-minded countries can help stop a potential major conflict. If there is any country in the world that fears a nuclear war, it is Japan. It will never forget what happened in Nagasaki and Hiroshima – wiping out those two cities in one fell swoop. No one wants a major conflict to ever happen. No one – absolutely no one, and hopefully including China – wants war. What we as a nation only seek is economic prosperity – making us strong, secure and stable, capable of standing our ground and protecting our sovereign territory. The president has vowed to continue reaching out and working with likeminded nations in deterring any potential conflict that could essentially wipe out mankind. (Philstar.com)

* * * The opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by the author do not necessarily reflect the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints of the Asian Journal, its management, editorial board and staff.

* * * babeseyeview@gmail.com

can’t change, no one seems to mind.

Social media has lent itself well to this proliferation of appearances—of images that do not require validation by comparing it to an original. In a world inundated by such appearances, the question of what is real and what is fake has become increasingly irrelevant. That is why in lieu of experts, we turn to “influencers” for guidance. In our quest for leaders, we have turned to actors who perform heroic roles in the movies, rather than to those with a proven record of professional experience and competence in societal affairs. Truth has ceded its ground to what is popular. When all is said and done, what matters is the number of likes and views a post gathers. (Inquirer.net)

* * * The opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by the author do not necessarily reflect the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints of the Asian Journal, its management, editorial board and staff.

* * * public.lives@gmail.com

along, and risks being overtaken by

ICC probe. Perhaps the latest developments can spur faster action in the government’s own probe. (Philstar.com)

PH targets big-spender tourists from US

THE Philippines aims to attract about 15 percent more visitors from the United States, seeing the highly valuable market as a big contributor to the full recovery of the tourism sector.

In 2023, more than 1.4 million visitors from the U.S. arrived in the Philippines, generating P35 billion in revenues — the highest among the country's top tourist markets.

"This is 215 percent higher than the tourism receipts from South Korea, so this is how important the American market [is]. While the arrivals are fewer, the contribution is bigger," Philippine Tourism Director-Attache in New York Francisco Hilario Lardizabal said over the weekend.

Data from the Department of Tourism (DoT) showed that visitor receipts in 2023 reached P482.54 billion, with the U.S. as

the top spending market, followed by Australia with P17.74 billion, South Korea with P16.41 billion, Canada with P15.85 billion, China with P12.24 billion, and Japan with P10.02 billion.

In a briefing with visiting Filipino journalists on April 26, the official said the Americans tend to spend more and stay longer in a destination.

In the Philippines, Lardizabal said the majority, or 55 percent, of inbound travelers from the U.S. are former Filipinos whose main travel motivation is to visit friends and relatives.

"Filipinos from the U.S. do go around the Philippines and stay longer in the Philippines, and mind you, they also spend a lot. Apart from the money they spend on travel, they sometimes also give out money to their relatives," he shared.

Presenting the country's planned promotion efforts for the entire year, Lardizabal is confident the Philippines will achieve 15 percent more of the 2023 arrival figure.

He said the DoT is taking a multi-pronged approach to entice the market by forging partnerships, conducting more training for travel agents, joining B2B (business-to-business) travel trade events, and organizing curated familiarization tours.

Before the pandemic, most U.S. travelers to the Philippines were baby boomers, or those in the age bracket of 60 to 78, and Generation X, or those ages 44 to 59.

Citing a 2022 study, Lardizabal said majority of U.S. travelers "showing interest in the Philippines" now are millennials or those born between 1981 and 1996. (PNA)

Ex-President Duterte, Sotto, Tulfo top senatorial poll

by Red Mendoza ManilaTimes.net

MANILA — Former President Rodrigo Duterte, former Senate President Vicente Sotto III, and ACT-CIS Rep. Erwin Tulfo were among the top three choices in the first quarter Senatorial survey conducted by Oculum Research and Analytics.

According to the poll conducted from Feb. 21-29, 2024, Duterte and Sotto got 53 percent preference among respondents while Tulfo got 52 percent. Following the three were former Manila Mayor Isko

Moreno at 45 percent, former Senator Manny Pacquiao at 43 percent, and currently-sitting Senators Ronald dela Rosa, at 41 percent, and Bong Go at 40 percent.

Tied from eighth to 11th place at 35 percent were physician Willie Ong, re-electionist Sen. Imee Marcos, Pasig City Mayor Vico Sotto, and re-electionist Sen. Pia Cayetano. In the 12th to 14th spot were Sen. Ramon Revilla Jr., former Sen. Panfilo Lacson, and Sen. Lito Lapid.

According to Oculum Chief Statistician, Dr. Joseph Mercado, candidates such as Duterte Sotto,

Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri Philstar.com file photo

Cha-cha not among Senate priority measures – Zubiri

by CeCille Suerte Felipe Philstar.com

MANILA — The controversial Resolution of Both Houses 6 that proposes to amend the 1987 Constitution was not included in the Senate’s priority measures on the last stretch of the second regular session of the present Congress.

Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri on Monday, April 29 said the Senate subcommittee headed by Sen. Sonny Angara will still have to conduct three more hearings for RBH6 pushing for the amendment of provisions on public service, education sector and the advertising industry.

Asked whether RHB6 was included in at least 20 priority bills listed under the Common Legislative Agenda of the Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council (CLA-LEDAC), Zubiri said no.

“These are all legislations. We still have three more hearing in Baguio City, Cebu and Cagayan de Oro.”

Angara’s committee has so far conducted four public hearings on Feb 5, 12, 20 and March 5, which tackled the general provisions of the proposal to amend specific economic clauses of the Constitution. The first four public hearings were attended by legal luminaries, business executives and representatives from the education sector.

Zubiri said he was about to meet the 23 senators in a caucus to discuss the strategies of the Senate in effective and efficient tackling of the priority measures.

When asked whether the Senate would calendar and put Cha-cha to a vote to let the public know the respective positions of each senator, Zubiri said they would still discuss the matter in a caucus that was to be set on Tuesday, April 30 at the resumption of session.

Zubiri expressed confidence that the Senate will see the passage of priority bills listed under the CLA-LEDAC before the end of May when second regular session of the 19th Congress wraps up.

He added that the Senate has tabled for discussion the proposal to revive the Reserve Officers Training Corps with specialization. He said the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP)

has designed the proposed ROTC based on expertise.

“In the ROTC program, for example, those experts in computers, you will be in the anti-cyber hacking division of the reservist force. If you are engineers, they will assist the AFP engineering programs, while nursing students will be (deployed) to the medical corps,” he said.

“I’ve made a personal commitment to Sen. Ronald ‘Bato’ dela Rosa to find out what vote.

That has been pending with us for almost a year. Senator Bato is also really struggling with that,” Zubiri added, referring to the former police chief turned senator and advocate of ROTC revival.

Zubiri said “personally, I’m in favor of it as people who are against ROTC are afraid that hazing might be brought back (but) there is a very strong antihazing law, whether you are a fraternity or organization, if you hurt a child you will go to jail.”

The military and other uniformed personnel (MUP) pension scheme was also included in the priority measures.

Sen. Jinggoy Estrada, chairman of the Senate committee on national defense, spearheaded an investigation into the MUP pension system.

The inquiry aimed to address the need for reform, as former finance secretary Benjamin Diokno had warned of an impending “fiscal collapse” due to the escalating annual payouts to MUP. The current year’s pension payout stands at approximately P213 billion and is projected to reach the P1-trillion mark by 2035.

The MUP pension system encompasses members of various agencies, including the police, AFP, Bureau of Jail Management and Penology, Bureau of Fire Protection, Philippine Public Safety College, Philippine Coast Guard, Bureau of Corrections and National Mapping and Resource Information Authority.

Estrada emphasized that the proposed reform seeks to strike a balance between the concerns of economic managers regarding tight fiscal limitations and the constitutional mandate of the military. The reform recognizes the unique nature of the work undertaken by uniformed personnel, who constantly face significant risks to their lives. g

131 LGUs in state of calamity due to El Niño

MANILA — Over a hundred local government units have declared a state of calamity over El Niño-induced droughts and extreme heat.

Tulfo, Moreno, and Pacquiao exhibit both high awareness scores and a strong voter preference.

"This correlation suggests that their public visibility positively influences their electoral appeal," Mercado added.

The survey had more than 3,000 respondents from 18 years old and above with a margin of error of plus or minus two percentage points. g

Among the LGUs that are under a state of calamity are Occidental Mindoro, Antique, Sultan Kudarat, Basilan, Maguindanao del Sur, Maguindanao Del Norte and South Cotabato, said Task Force El Niño spokesperson and Presidential Communications Office Assistant Secretary Joey Villarama on Tuesday, April 30. Republic Act 10121 or the Philippine Disaster Reduction and Management Act defines a state of

calamity as a "condition involving mass casualty and/or major damages to property, disruption of means of livelihoods, roads and normal way of life of people in the affected areas as a result of the occurrence of natural or humaninduced hazard."

A locality that declares a state of calamity allows its officials access to 5% of their Quick Response Fund.

On Monday, April 29, at least 36 areas were tagged as areas with a "dangerous" heat index classification, with indices ranging from 42°C to 47°C. Over the weekend, the heat

index in Iba,

State

Zambales reached 53°C under the “extreme danger” classification, the first time the said classification was recorded this year.

weather agency PAGASA said this week that El Niño could be on its way out, with the transition period starting by the end of May until July.

DRY SEASON. President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. inspected a rice field in San Jose, Occidental Mindoro to assess the damage caused by the drought which is currently under a state of calamity due to El Niño. Malacañang photos

NEW YORK — The disco pop musical about Imelda Marcos, “Here Lies Love,” has earned four Tony Award nominations. According to the producers of the show, “We are deeply proud and honored to have brought this pioneering theatrical event to Broadway. The first allFilipino acting company on Broadway received universal critical acclaim, celebrated by thousands of people from diverse backgrounds, including record numbers who experienced going to a Broadway show for the first time.”

David Byrne and Fatboy Slim received a nomination for Best Original Score (Music and/or Lyrics).

David Korins was nominated for Best Scenic Design of a Musical. Korns’s unique set design required removing seats from the venue’s existing space in order to transform it into a dance club environment. In what would have been traditionally the orchestra seating area, audiences stood instead on a “dance floor” and moved around with the actors who stood on a variety of moving platforms.

DAN E. NIÑO

LOS ANGELES – In a bid to bolster tourism in the Philippines with emphasis in the untapped countrysides – the Department of Foreign Affairs, Department of Tourism, Tourism Promotions Board and its implementing partner Rajah Tours – are intensifying their campaign to attract Fil-Ams and other diverse groups in North America to visit the Philippines from July 21 to 30 this year.

Originally christened as Ambassadors, Consul Generals and Tourism Directors (ACGTD) Tour to visit the Motherland, this flagship project was launched in 2005 by the late Secretary of Foreign Affairs Albert Del Rosario with the support of all foreign posts in the U.S. and Canada. There was an initial 350 participants. It gained traction with 500 adherents the following year.

In 2008, the program registered 605 visitors and fluctuated to 184 in 2017 due to the declaration of martial law in Marawi and Davao in these two featured destinations. It was scrapped in 2010 and 2016 due to national elections and 2020, 2021 and 2022 at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Lately, the group tour is billed as, “Very Important Pinoy Tour.” Rajah Tours Chairman and CEO Alejandra Cruz Clemente who flew from the Philippines via New York to Los Angeles met with the media, community leaders, Philippine Airlines executives and three stalwarts from the Los Angeles Philippine Consulate at Chinatown to pitch for the joint government and private sector’s tourism project. Ms. Clemente lamented the lack of push, publicity or media coverage for this effort. She emphasized, “While we are recovering, we need help. Our tourism will get a boost 10-fold when the Bulacan International Airport will become operational.”

She added, “It takes time but we’re getting there.”

The Philippine Consulate General of Los Angeles were represented by Deputy Consul General Maria Alnee A. Gamble, Consul for Cultural Diplomacy Marie Cris P. Chieng and Cultural Officer Edelmira Valencia.

Ms. Clemente, a native of Mangatarem, Pangasinan said, “We are developing new infrastructures and tourist destinations like Northern Mindanao particularly Cagayan de Oro, Iligan, Bukidnon and Bacolod in the Western Visayas Region.”

Korins previously designed “Hamilton,” “Dear Evan Hansen” and “Beetlejuice.”

The show also received nominations for Best Sound Design of a Musical for M. L. Dogg and Cody Spencer and Best Choreography for Annie-B Parson.

The 77th Tony Awards will be held in June to recognize achievement in Broadway productions during the 2023-24 season.

Tony winners Even before earning this year’s nominations, the show already had two Filipino American Tony Award winners involved in the show, Lea Salonga was part of the cast (playing the mother of Ninoy Aquino) and Clint Ramos was the costume designer. Both were part of the producing team.

Salonga won the Tony for best actress for playing Kim in the Broadway premiere of “Miss Saigon” in 1991. Ramos won in 2016 for his costume design for “Eclipsed” (for which he also designed the set), a play that starred Lupita N’yongo.

(The last Broadway show where Salonga and Ramos worked together was the 2017 revival of “Once on This Island” where Salonga played Erzulie,

the deity of love and Ramos handled costume design.)

Bigwigs

“Here Lies Love” ran from June to November last year at the Broadway Theatre and had notable Filipino American personalities among its producing team, including Pulitzer Prize winner Jose Antonio Vargas, cultural impresario Giselle Tongi, recording artist H.E.R. (Gabriella Wilson), Black Eyed Peas’ Apl. de.Ap. and stand up comic Jo Koy.

It took a decade for the show to reach Broadway. The show first opened off-Broadway in 2013 and won the Village Voice Obie Award for Music (Byrne and Fatboy Slim) and Lyrics (Byrne).

It then had critically acclaimed runs at the National Theater (London’s West End) in 2014 and Seattle Rep (Washington) in 2017.

Ramos won the 2014 Lucille Lortel award for his costume design for the show’s original 2013 run.

Reactions In response to the show’s 2024 Tony nominations, Ramos posted on Instagram, “Could not be prouder!”

Also on Instagram, Vargas wrote, “Theatre is that rarest

thing: at once ephemeral and everlasting.

“And award nominations are one measure of success. Grateful for the muchdeserved recognition of these

extraordinary artists. And equally grateful for the unforgettable experience that is ‘Here Lies Love.’

“You cannot erase the history that was made with ‘Here Lies

Love’ and I’m thankful to everyone, all the wonderful artists involved, all the performers who poured their hearts, all the producers who believed in the show, for this singular journey.”

“Our country has very rich culture. We want our compatriots living in North America to witness cultural immersion themselves and meet the indigenous tribes featuring the indigenous customs of Iligan and Maranao natives: weaving, culinary arts, cultural dances, and Maskara Festival of Negros Province. We are arranging cultural presentations during the tour. It would be full of adventure if the participants would like to go water rafting, zipline adventures agricultural tour, explore the Silay ruins and the powdery white sand beaches.”

The main objectives of this tour is to entice Filipino American to deepen their appreciation of their Motherland, its rich history, heritage and culture and experience the warm hospitality of the Filipino

people; to attract Fil-Americans and foreign tourists to invest in the Philippines, promote the Philippines as a retirement haven for Fil-Ams and foreigners and contribute to the socio-economic development of the country in terms of foreign exchange earnings. While dissecting the apparent lack of push, a reporter suggested to Tourism Secretary Christina G. Frasco to conduct a roadshow like what former Tourism Secretary Richard Gordon did when he journeyed to Los Angeles many years ago with entertainers –generating nostalgia.

Other issues cropped up regarding sanitation, cleanliness, rest rooms, cigarette butts strewn all over, among others. Clemente also decried not implementing some seven to 10 congressional bills which she

helped design that became law but marketing and promotion still lack funding. There was also a comment that the branding shift from Ambassador’s Tour to Very Important Pinoy Tour might have confused potential parties. To assure the safety and security of the participants, all government apparatus including local and provincial authorities and the Philippine National Police will be tapped. An audience with the President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. is yet to be confirmed. Philippine flag carrier, Philippine Airlines will fly the participants from North America and on domestic flights across the Philippines. Interested parties may call Innovative Tours and Travels CEO Megs Ilagan for bookings in the U.S. at 714-5959891.

WHILE still mum about the status of his love life, Atom Araullo revealed that his “dream girl” is someone who is passionate about her own thing, genuinely kind, and curious about the world.

The award-winning journalist opened up about this after he was asked by fellow journalist Pia Arcangel to describe his ideal partner, on the latter’s podcast last Wednesday, April 24.

“I think what I find attractive especially at this stage of my life, ‘yung mga tao na very passionate about something and it’s infectious; ‘yung kilala na nila ‘yung sarili nila; and people who are really kind,” he said.

“You’d get an understanding kung ano ‘yung genuine kindness e, lalo na kapag may mas edad ka na; hindi na ‘yung [mga] pakitang tao. You’d get an understanding for sino ‘yung mga may true empathy; ‘yung kahit parang masungit sa labas, nakatago ‘yung pagiging pusong mamon,” he continued.

Araullo—who confessed he never had a girlfriend during his high school and college days because of being “torpe”— added that he finds those “who’s really curious about the world” interesting.”

“Feeling ko kasi kapag gano’n, ang dami niyong pwedeng pagusapan tapos ang dami niyong pwedeng gawin together,” he explained.

Reacting to his response, Arcangel seemingly teased

Araullo: “Alam mo, Atom, I really believe that the kindest, most passionate, most curious people are journalists.”

Araullo then nodded in agreement, “Yes! Alam na…” The two of them burst into laughter, opting not to delve more into Araullo’s status in the romance department. It can be noted, however, that Araullo has been rumored to be dating fellow journalist Zen Hernandez.

Speculations of romance between Araullo and Hernandez arose as early as June 2021 after broadcaster Pinky Webb shared a photo of them three together in Balesin.

The pair, who have yet to confirm or deny the dating speculations, have since been seen together in several instances, including Hernandez’s birthday celebration in Hong Kong last year.

DOES a woman who's fond of kids — yet doesn't want to be a mother herself — exist in our midst? The answer is yes, it's Eugene Domingo. Already married to Italian divorcee Danilo Bottoni, the ace comedienne doesn't see herself conceiving a baby. In Ogie Diaz's vlog interview, Uge as she's fondly called admits, "Do you think I'd still want to get pregnant at my age now? I'm like a dry well!"

Uge is quick to say that even way before marriage, raising kids has never crossed her mind.

"I'm fond of kids, like my siblings' kids as in I play with them, I spoil them...but to have one of my own, I don't think I can raise my child well. I'd just like to get it straight, I just can't imagine

taking care of a child when I cannot even take care of myself!" Eugene clarifies. Having no one to raise is no problem with her partner, "I'm just waiting for his grandkids." This mindset though, as she PAGE 9

LANI, a dedicated nurse residing in Houston, found herself juggling multiple responsibilities between work and home. With a husband,

a seven-year-old son, and a mother-in-law under her care, Lani’s days off often felt busier than workdays as she managed household chores, childcare, and

caregiving duties. In a stroke of serendipity, while watching TFC, Lani stumbled upon an announcement from PAGE 10

SAN FRANCISCO – Against the backdrop of the Golden Gate Bridge and amid a damp spring morning, the U.S. veteran and Filipino American communities marked the 82nd anniversary of the Fall of Bataan and the Bataan Death March in a solemn ceremony organized by the Bataan Legacy Historical Society at the San Francisco National Cemetery on April 13, 2024. Philippine Consul General in San Francisco Neil Ferrer took part in the commemorative event, where he recognized the 18 Filipino war veterans who were interred at the San Francisco National Cemetery,

namely, Major Anastacio Q. Ver; Technician 5th Grade Andy Ramos Andra; 1st Lieutenant Elias Guzman Basa; Steward Petty Officer 1st Class Bernardo Ababao Bitoon; Seaman Sutro Cabanilli; 2nd Lieutenant Pedro Flores Cabiluna; Senior Master Sergeant Leoncio Joseph Javier Cruz; Master Sergeant Isabelo Manois de Vera; Sergeant Vicente Cortez Diala; Operations Specialist 1st Class Andres Duque Escobar; Sergeant Benito Cabutotan Isla; Sergeant Morris D. Junio; Corporal Pedro Maguddato; Colonel Narciso Manzano; 1st Lieutenant Andro Salvador Marana; Shipfitter 1st Class Elias Mina Riveral; Sergeant Vicente Robillos; and 1st Lieutenant Sid Ortiz Valledor. In his remarks, Consul General Ferrer said: “What transpired in Bataan led to our most important triumph: Filipinos never lost hope, and showed bravery and resilience under the most dire

circumstances. The enemy failed to break the indomitable spirit of the fighting Filipino. It is for this reason that the Fall of Bataan anniversary on April 9 is officially celebrated in the Philippines as the Araw ng Kagitingan, the Day of Valor.”

Consul General Ferrer further said that the Philippines-U.S. relations, a legacy left behind by Filipino and American World PAGE 10

No kids for Eugene...

justifies, is her choice. And she's happy with the choice she made. She believes that it's the freedom which she enjoys now — as in not having to worry about kids — is her ultimate goal, after all.

"Imagine if I had a child, then how much time am I going to spend considering I have Danilo and myself to think about?"

Despite her I-don't-want-to-bea-mother outlook, Uge welcomes close friends — who are mommies themselves — who run to her for advice.

One such long-time buddy is Pokwang, mother of two. It's public knowledge that Pokwang's second child Malia is sired by her erstwhile live-in partner Lee O'Brian. Credit should be given to Uge

whose pieces of sound advice to Pokwang had helped the latter's heart to soften on Lee.

As Malia's proudly states, Uge has a different approach to troubleshooting domestic kinks between couples. It's Pokwang's turn this time to butter up Uge: "In her case, she's not a judgmental friend. Uge simply listens, and when I'm done with my confession only then would she take the floor."

Seated together, Uge can only nod in approval: "The repeated phrase 'Move on, move on!' is getting worn out. It's easier said than done. If I may ask those who keep saying that, do we really know what Pokwang went through to be hostile toward Lee? We don't know anything! So let Pokwang speak while we listen, it's that

simple!"

It was Uge who advised Pokwang not to be hard on Lee in case he wanted to see Malia: "I told her her child, when she grows up and becomes aware, will read on social media about how she and Lee always fought. Has she imagined the effect it would have on the innocent child? Well, it's good that she woke up!'" This is where the mother's love for her child side of the story is best explained by Uge.

Heeding Uge's advice, Pokwang has now been either a text or call away from Lee should he want to spend bonding moments with Malia.

If only for this, the eternal nonmother who is Eugene feels she has achieved something: "Didn't I earlier say I was fond of kids?"

Sanchez lead the wreath-laying ceremony in honor of Filipino and American World War II veterans, during the 82nd anniversary commemoration of the Fall of Bataan and Bataan Death March at the San Francisco National Cemetery on April 13, 2024. San Francisco PCG photos

Scenes from the 82nd anniversary commemoration of the Fall of Bataan and Bataan Death March, organized by the Bataan Legacy Historical Society at the San Francisco National Cemetery.

Waiving of city fees for night markets, block parties, farmer’s markets and other outdoor community events proposed in SF

SAN FRANCISCO – Mayor London Breed has introduced legislation to encourage and expand outdoor community events. The first will waive city fees for certain events, making them less costly to produce. The second will simplify the health permitting for special event food vendors through the creation of an annual permit. Both pieces of legislation are part of the mayor’s broader initiative to bring vibrancy and entertainment to San Francisco’s public right of ways and spaces.

Outdoor community events are integral to the San Francisco’s vibrant culture and sense of community. These events include night markets, neighborhood block parties and farmers markets, and bolster the city’s economy by supporting local businesses and attracting tourists eager to experience San Francisco's unique charm and food scene. They offer residents, workers and visitors, opportunities to engage with local artists, musicians, and food vendors while enjoying the San Francisco’s stunning outdoor spaces and commercial corridors. The legislation will allow for more and new community gatherings and for local food vendors to benefit from the city’s revitalization.

“San Francisco is alive when our streets are filled with festivals, markets, and community events,” said Mayor Breed. “This brings residents together and it brings more people into our downtown and our neighborhoods. It celebrates arts, food, music and the spirit of San Francisco. As a city we can cut fees and streamline rules so our communities can bring joy and excitement into our streets and help revitalize San Francisco.”

Fee waiver legislation

The events that can take advantage of the new fee waivers are those that are free and open to the public, occupy three or fewer city blocks, take place between 8 a.m. and 10 p.m., and have the appropriate permitting from the ISCOTT and the Entertainment Commission.

The applicant must be a San Francisco based nonprofit, small business, Community Benefit District, Business Improvement District, or a neighborhood or merchant association. Fees eligible for waiver include any application, permit, and inspection/staffing fees from San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency, Department of Public Health, Fire Department, Entertainment Commission, and Police Department. Currently, it can cost roughly anywhere between $500 to $10,000 to obtain permits for organized events or fairs, pending its size and scope. Organizations and businesses are limited to a maximum of 12 events in one calendar year for which they can receive these fee waivers.

“Streets are for joy, streets are for people,” said Jeffrey Tumlin, SFMTA Director of Transportation. “By waiving fees for small neighborhood block parties and celebrations, we’re encouraging everyday San Franciscans to come together and foster stronger community connections.”

“This fee waiver legislation will be a game changer for all of the folks out there who want to activate the streets to bring the city back but can’t afford the myriad fees and tons of staffing costs that come with it,” said Manny Yekutiel, owner of Manny’s. “This is exactly the moment where the city needs to clear the path for San Franciscans to do the things we do best: gather outside and spread joy.”

"As we've seen with the highly successful night markets in Chinatown and the Sunset, open street events unite the whole city to have fun,” said Lily Ho, president of Delta Chinatown Initiative. “I’m excited to see communities design their own events and activities.”

Food vendor streamlining legislation

The second piece of legislation introduced will help special event food vendors easily participate in multiple events throughout the year with a new, cost-effective annual food permit. Food vendors who participate in multiple events at multiple locations throughout the year will no longer need to obtain a separate permit for each event. Instead, special event food vendors will be able to apply and pay for a single annual permit all at once.

“Many successful food businesses either begin as pop-up vendors or participate in special events to grow their business,” says Katy Tang, Director of the Office of Small Business. “Giving them the option for an annual special event food permit saves them time and money.”

Currently, food vendors are required to get a Temporary Food Facility (TFF) permit from the Department of Public Health (DPH) in order to participate in a special event, among permits from other departments. Currently, each special event requires a new permit from DPH ranging from $124 to $244, depending on the type of food being prepared and sold. Last year, DPH issued over 1,500 individual TFF permits. With the new annual permit, food vendors selling at more than four to six events each year will benefit from hundreds of dollars in savings and time saved from fewer bureaucratic processes.

“This legislation is a step in the right direction to make it easier for food vendors like me to participate in citywide events,” said Dontaye Ball, owner of Gumbo Social. “It saves on time, money and makes it more effective. It also creates a level of equity.”

“As a small family business, Sunset Roasters has four priorities: fulfill the needs of our treasured customer base, maintain our government paperwork, develop jobs for the community, and ensure that our business provides for our family, said Sara and Phillip Roliz, owners of Sunset Roasters. “We know thousands of other businesses in SF share these goals. This legislation makes it easier and more cost effective for small food businesses to participate in events and flourish. When San Francisco's small businesses succeed, everybody wins.” (SF Mayor’s Office Release)

Filipino, American veterans honored in...

War II veterans, are “at an alltime high.”

“This was made evident this week in Washington D.C. in the first-ever United StatesPhilippines-Japan Trilateral Summit, led by President Joe Biden, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., and Prime Minister Fumio Kishida. The strategic partnership among these three erstwhile rivals is a testament that peace is achievable when like-minded states work handin-hand in securing regional stability and economic prosperity for their peoples,” Consul General Ferrer said.

Vice Admiral Andrew J. Tiongson, the Filipino American Commander for the Pacific Area and Defense Force West of the U.S. Coast Guard, delivered the keynote speech, where he highlighted the strategic ties between the Philippine and U.S. Coast Guards.

A U.S. Congressional Gold Medal awarding ceremony for eight Filipino World War II veterans, represented by their descendants, also took place during the commemorative event.

It marked the 105th awarding ceremony held in the U.S., since America’s highest civilian award was conferred on Filipino veterans in a public law signed by then-U.S. President Barack Obama in 2016.

Filipino American community leader Cynthia Bonta, mother of Fil-Am California Attorney General Rob Bonta, took part in

the “tolling of the bells,” which paid tribute to all those who perished during the Second World War. Mrs. Bonta survived the massacre of Los Baños, Laguna in February 1945.

Following the “tolling of the bells,” Consul General Ferrer and Acting Mexican Consul General Vicente Sanchez Ventura led a wreath-laying ceremony in honor of Filipino and American World War II veterans. An aerial flyover by the Memorial Squadron, flying past the San Francisco Bay, capped the event.

The Philippine Consulate General in San Francisco has been a partner of the Bataan Legacy Historical Society in activities such as the “Remember Bataan” exhibit at the Philippine Center in San Francisco in April 2022, and the 6th Conference on

World War II in the Philippines at the University of San Francisco in September 2023.

On 9 April 1942, officials in command of Philippine and American forces in Bataan Peninsula surrendered to the Japanese Imperial Army after three months of valiant resistance to the foreign invaders.

Close to 80,000 Filipino and American fighters then walked mostly on foot along a 70-mile route, from Mariveles, Bataan to Camp O’Donnell, Tarlac, in what is now known as the Bataan Death March. Almost 20,000 perished due to starvation, disease, abuse, and summary killings. Many consider the Bataan Death March as one of the worst atrocities committed on the Pacific front of the Second World War. (PCGSF Release)

PH Consulate in SF brings consular outreach program to Milpitas

MILPITAS – A 16-member team from the Philippine Consulate General in San Francisco conducted a consular outreach at the Milpitas Community Center in Milpitas, California on April 13, 2024.

This was the Consulate’s second outreach this year following the one held in Tacoma, Washington in March.

The consular outreach was organized in cooperation with the city government of Milpitas, which offered the free use of its facilities.

Consul Vanessa Bago-Llona and Consul Rowena PangilinanDaquipil led the provision of passport, dual citizenship, overseas voting registration, and emergency notarial services to Filipinos in the South Bay. In total, 282 services were rendered during the day-long outreach.

Trade Commissioner Celynne Layug and Tourism Attaché Soleil Tropicales spoke about the work of the Philippine Trade and Investment Center in Silicon Valley and the Philippine Department of Tourism Office in San Francisco. Consular applicants were also briefed about the 2024 Very Important Pinoy (VIP) Tour, which will bring participants to Metro Manila, Bacolod, Cagayan de Oro, Bukidnon, and lligan from July 2130, 2024.

On the sidelines of the consular outreach, the Consulate held a briefing on workers’ rights in partnership with the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division (DOL-WHD) in San Jose, which talked about the U.S. Fair Labor Standards Act as well as the programs and services of the DOL-WHD. Meanwhile, free legal consultations were given courtesy of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines California Chapter.

State Assemblymember Alex Lee of California’s 24th District, which covers Milpitas, and FilAm Berryessa Union School District Trustee Jaria Jaug as well as community partners ABSCBN Foundation International and Ayala Land, also graced the consular outreach. (PCGSF Release)

leading U.S. Immigration Attorney Michael J. Gurfinkel that intrigued her. It highlighted the possibility of petitioning family members as household help or caregivers, offering a potentially expedited process compared to traditional family petitions. This gave Lani the idea to bring her brother, Marvin, and sister-in-law, Genalyn, from the Philippines to assist with household responsibilities. Her brother Marvin and sister-in-law Genalyn seemed like ideal candidates for this opportunity. Aside from alleviating her own workload, Lani recognized the immense opportunity this presented for her nieces, Karen and Kyla, to pursue their education and have a better life in the United States. It is perfectly legal for family to petition other family members for an employment based green card, which is much faster than a regular family petition, and allowed Lani to live an easier life.

For individuals like Lani, this pathway offers a practical solution to balancing work and family responsibilities while providing valuable opportunities (green card) for loved ones to thrive in the U.S.

Watch this success story on an encore episode of Citizen Pinoy on Sunday, May 5 at 6:30 PM PT (9:30 PM ET) through

Lani (left) with Atty. Michael Gurfinkel

At the consular outreach: (from left) Consul Rowena Pangilinan-Daquipil, Consul Vanessa BagoLlona, California State Assemblymember Alex Lee, Jaria Jaug, Berryessa Union School District Trustee Jaria Jaug, Tourism Attache Soleil Tropicales, and Ana Hurtado of the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division in San Jose. San Francisco PCG photos

Consul Rowena Pangilinan-Daquipil administers the oath of allegiance to the Philippines of successful dual citizenship applicants.

Trade Commissioner Celynne Layug of the Philippine Trade and Investment Center in Silicon Valley, and Tourism Attache Soleil Tropicales of the Philippine Department of Tourism Office in San Francisco talk about the programs of their respective agencies.

Philippine Consul General Neil Ferrer (front row, 5th from left) with Vice Admiral Andrew Tiongson (front row, 6th from left), the Filipino American Commander for the Pacific Area and Defense Force West of the U.S. Coast Guard, and keynote speaker at the 82nd Fall of Bataan anniversary event at the San Francisco National Cemetery pose with consular officials, veterans and Navy officials. San Francisco PCG photos

From left: Lani’s brother Marvin, nieces Karen and Kyla and sister-in-law Genalyn