052924 - Southern California Midweek Edition

DFA: China’s Coast Guard rules violate international law

by DONA Z. PAZZIBUGAN Inquirer.net

MANILA — The Philippines

warned China that it would be “in

direct violation of international law” if it orders its coast guard to detain for up to 60 days without trial supposed “trespassers” in the West Philippine Sea where the Philippines has jurisdiction.

The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said China’s coast guard regulations, set to take effect on June 15, may not be applied in other states’ territories, maritime zones or jurisdictions and would “violate other sovereign states’ rights and entitlements under international law.” Domestic laws “cannot be

applied nor enforced in the high seas under international law,” added the DFA. “China would be in direct violation of international law should it enforce these new regulations in the waters and maritime features within the illegal, null and void, and expansive 10-dash line, which would effectively cover areas of the West Philippine Sea where the Philippines has sovereignty, sovereign rights and jurisdiction, or in the high seas,” the DFA said in a statement on Sunday, May 26.

The DFA reminded China that its domestic laws should “abide by its commitments and obligations under international law,” particularly the 1982

United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, the binding 2016 Arbitral Award on the South China Sea, as well as the 2002 Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea.

“We reiterate our call for China to comply with international law and desist from any action that would undermine peace and security in the region,” the department said.

Detention

Under the new regulations announced on May 15, the Chinese coast guard was authorized to interrogate and detain for up to 30 days, and up to 60 days in some cases without trial, foreign vessels and persons suspected of crossing China-

A DAY of music and culture awaits as the City of Carson gears up for its 126th Philippine Independence Day Celebration on June 8.

The city will be buzzing with excitement as two Filipino music icons, Apl.de.Ap and Gary Valenciano, take center stage to mark this special occasion.

The Black Eyed Peas founding member will also serve as the parade grand marshal.

Presented in collaboration with the Philippine Independence Day Foundation, the festivities will commence at 7:30 a.m. and run until 6 p.m. at Veterans Park, located at 22400 Moneta Avenue. And here’s the best part — admission to this cultural extravaganza is absolutely free, inviting everyone to join in the fun.

Organizers emphasized the significance of including Apl.de.Ap and “Mr. Pure

MANILA — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has signed the “Eddie Garcia” law, said the Palace on Tuesday, May 28. Republic Act 11996 was named after the multiawarded veteran actor, Eddie Garcia (Eduardo Verchez Garcia), who died on June 20, 2019. The 90-year-old actor suffered a neck injury after he tripped and fell while shooting for an upcoming “teleserye.”

“No agreement or employment contract shall discriminate against a worker who has contracts

Philippines protests shing ban in South China Sea

THE Philippines protested China's imposition of a "unilateral," four-month-long fishing moratorium in the South China Sea as the ban covered the Philippines' maritime zones.

The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), in a statement on Monday, May 27 said China began the fishing ban on May 1, which is expected to last until September 16.

"Through a diplomatic note, the Philippines protested the ban insofar as it includes the Philippines maritime zones over which the

Philippines has sovereignty, sovereign rights, and jurisdiction," the DFA said.

It added that the unilateral imposition of the fishing moratorium "raises tensions in the West Philippine Sea and the South China Sea."

The fishing ban "directly contravened" the understanding between President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and Chinese President Xi Jinping to manage differences through diplomacy and dialogue and to de-escalate the situation at sea, the DFA said.

The Philippines called on China to "cease and desist from the conduct of illegal actions

or projects with other production outfits unless exclusivity is specified in the contract, nor shall any person perform any act involving preference based on race, color, descent, national or ethnic origin, or religion, which has the purpose or effect of nullifying the recognition, enjoyment, or exercise on an equal footing of any human right or fundamental freedom,” said the new law. In addition to this, the new law mandates work hours, wages, other non-wage benefits, and more for movie and television workers.

According to the new law, workers and employers must also have an agreement executed in a language or dialect that is understood by

DISAGGREGATED data could play a major role in resolving the U.S.’s health care inequities, revealing information about diverse populations that have not previously been counted.

Standards for federal data collection have not changed since 1997. But in a monumental move, the Office of Management and Budget March 28 announced new standards for data collection, to be implemented by the Census Bureau and other federal agencies.

Most significantly, changes in reclassification allows Middle Easterners and North Africans to be identified as a racial category, a move the MENA community has fought for for several years. Granular data

The new standards — which will be implemented over 5 years — require federal agencies to use one combined question for

MANILA — Passengers who have just arrived from other countries are the top priority for Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) quarantine officers.

This policy came to force after the issuance of a Bureau of Quarantine (BoQ) of the Department of Health (DoH) memorandum instructing quarantine personnel, as well as other government agencies stationed at airports nationwide to increase alertness for the COVID FLiRT variant.

"We are facing a new COVID-19 strain that has the KP.1 and KP.2 variations, which are part of a newly discovered sub-variants identified as 'FLiRT', a novel virus that is spreading globally," the BoQ memorandum said. It further said that the virus came from the

JN.1 subvariant, which first became known in late 2023, and was responsible for this year's earlier infection increase.

"In light of this, all stations have been directed to conduct thorough screening at Points of Entry for arriving visitors originating from countries where COVID FLiRT incidents have been detected. The general public should take basic health measures such as frequent hand washing, coughing etiquette, avoiding crowded situations and getting in contact with people with flu-like symptoms," the BoQ said.

The BoQ memorandum, which was issued on May 24, 2024 also advised all travelers to fill out the health questionnaire that is accessible on the e-travel application.

For those who develop signs and symptoms of COVID-19, home isolation is advised. For any concerns, reach out to the Department of Health at (02) 8651-7800 or 894-COVID.

MANILA — Senate President Francis Escudero has categorically denied that the investigation on the so-called Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) leaks, linking President Marcos to illegal drug use, triggered the ouster of Sen. Juan Miguel Zubiri as head of the chamber.

Escudero, however, refused to reveal the reason why 15 senators signed a resolution calling for a change in Senate leadership.

He said even Sen. Ronald dela Rosa, chairman of the Senate committee on public order and dangerous drugs, initially thought he was to blame for the change in Senate leadership.

“That’s why Sen. Dela Rosa became emotional, because he said he was the reason why Sen. Zubiri was removed. Well, in that case, then we should have just removed Senator Dela Rosa (from his committee), instead. I told Dela Rosa maybe we should have just removed you, not the Senate president? But that (PDEA leaks probe) was not the reason,” Escudero on Sunday, May 26 told dzBB.

To prove that the PDEA leaks probe was not a factor in Zubiri’s

DFA: China’s Coast Guard rules...

claimed waters.

Beijing issued the order as the Chinese coast guard has lately been aggressively blocking Philippine vessels at Bajo de Masinloc or Panatag (Scarborough) Shoal and at Ayungin (Second Thomas) Shoal, areas that lie within the Philippines’ 370-kilometer (200-nautical mile) exclusive economic zone (EEZ) in the West Philippine Sea. China continues to claim most of the South China Sea, including the West Philippine Sea, despite the July 12, 2016, ruling by the Permanent Court of Arbitration that invalidated China’s sweeping claims and upheld the Philippines’ EEZ.

President Ferdinand Marcos

Jr. has called China’s regulations “unacceptable” while Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. called it a “provocation and violation of the United Nations charter.”

Foreign Secretary Enrique Manalo said the illegal regulations affect not only the Philippines but “every country in the world, theoretically.”

Aside from the Philippines and China, other claimants to the South China Sea features are Brunei, Malaysia, Vietnam and Taiwan.

‘Advisory opinion’

The DFA again urged China to abide by the 2016 Arbitral Award on the South China Sea after the ruling was repeatedly cited by the International Tribunal on the Law of the Sea (Itlos) in its

May 21 “advisory opinion” on the obligation of states to protect the marine environment from the impact of climate change.

“This bolsters and reinforces the legitimacy of the final and binding 2016 arbitration award, and its unassailable status as part of the corpus of international law,” the DFA said on Saturday, May 25.

“The Philippines therefore takes this opportunity to reiterate its continuing call for full compliance with the award,” it added.

The DFA said 26 states or groups of states also cited the arbitral award as a legal authority in their respective statements during the Itlos proceedings.

China, which has refused to recognize the arbitral ruling, participated in the proceedings along with the Philippines and several other nations.

In the first international judicial opinion on state obligations concerning climate change, the Itlos said states are under obligation to take all necessary measures to control maritime pollution from greenhouse gas emissions.

The tribunal also said states are under special obligation to protect and preserve the marine ecosystem from the impact of climate change. g

President Marcos signs ‘Eddie Garcia...

both parties.

Employers violating the law

have a fine of up to P100,000 for the first offense, P200,000 for the second offense, and up to P500,000 for the third and

succeeding offenses.

“If the violation is committed by a corporation, trust or firm, partnership, association or any other entity, the fines shall be imposed upon the entity’s responsible officers, including,

but not limited to, the executive producer, producer, production manager, and business unit manager,” the law said.

The measure passed the final reading in the Senate in February. g

Philippines protests fishing ban in...

that violate the Philippines' sovereignty, sovereign rights, and jurisdiction in its maritime zones."

It said Beijing should comply with its obligations under international law, particularly the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (Unclos) and the "final and binding" 2016 Arbitral Award.

In July 2016, the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague, Netherlands, invalidated China's expansive claim in the South China Sea, which encroached on the Philippines' exclusive economic zone.

The DFA said that paragraph 716 of the Arbitral Award states that China, by promulgating its moratorium on fishing in the South China Sea "without exception for areas of the South China Sea falling within the exclusive economic zone of the Philippines and without limiting the moratorium to Chinese flagged vessels, breached Article 56 of the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea with respect to the Philippines' sovereign rights over the living resources of its exclusive economic zone." g

Gary V, Apl.de.Ap to headline Carson’s PH...

Energy” in the lineup, ensuring an unforgettable experience for attendees celebrating the spirit of freedom and unity that defines the Filipino people.

"The Philippine Independence Day Foundation is extremely proud to once again partner with the City of Carson, California, in planning and presenting one of the largest and longest running annual celebrations of Philippine Independence Day in the state and the entire U.S.,” Philippine Independence Day Foundation (PIDF) President Fred Docdocil told Inquirer.net USA.

Docdocil said they are thrilled to have Gary V and Apl.de.Ap headlining the celebration.

“Their talent and passion for music, along with the rest of the PIDC Carson 2024 performers, embody the essence of our cultural heritage and the resilience of our nation,” he said.

“We’re glad we have someone with Apl’s caliber as grand marshal of the parade.”

Docdocil told a press conference he was proud that the event was taking place in

the city of Carson, where 20 percent of the population are of Filipino descent.

“If you factor in the Filipinos in the rest of the South Bay and in the LA area, that’s huge,” he said.

There are more than half a million Filipino Americans in the Los Angeles metropolitan area, according to the latest census.

“As Apl mentioned, this is Filipinotown. We may not have that historic designation, but we definitely have that representation in this community,” Docdocil added.

Joining the star-studded lineup are numerous Filipino artists, including Junior New System, Annie Nepomuceno, Jules Graeser, Irene Cruz, Alexis and Jojo Riguerra, Jason Lustina, Jaime Barcelon, Jo Awayan, Kayamanan ng Lahi, Lea Auditor, Hoku Mae’Ole Polynesian Dancers, Chris Chatman, Janice Javier, Kindreds and 4th Impact.

Carson Mayor Lula DavisHolmes extended her appreciation to the Philippine Independence Day Foundation for their tireless efforts in

highlighting the diversity and richness of Filipino culture in Carson.

“Thank you for giving the community the opportunity to see and experience the richness of Philippine history and culture, and for making a wonderful contribution to the ethnic diversity that makes Carson great,” the mayor added.

Docdocil encouraged Fil-Ams to attend the event, saying,

“this is the only way our story gets told – if we show up and represent ourselves.”

In other news, The Voice of the Philippines former coach Apl.de.Ap recently visited schools in Cavite to underscore the significance of education in the realm of electrification and electric vehicles, showcasing how it could benefit the country. Additionally, he collaborated with K-pop icon and Filipina actress Sandara Park.

Addressing retirement rumors, Valenciano clarified that he has no plans to step away from the industry, as evidenced by his concert titled “Pure Energy, One Last Time.” (Hans Carbonilla/Inquirer.net)

NEW PATROL BOAT. The Coast Guard District Southeastern Mindanao presents its new high-speed response boat during a ceremony held at

the Discovery Samal Shore, Barangay Limao, Island Garden City of Samal on Tuesday, May 28. The patrol boat will augment maritime security, safety, and operational capabilities in the Davao Gulf, particularly in the island and Davao City.

PNA

photo by Robinson Niñal Jr.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., Foreign Sec. Enrique Manalo, and Defense Sec. Gilberto Teodoro Jr. Inquirer.net photos

by Amy mAxmen And Céline Gounder KFF Health

MEASLES

was

during the

in each of the four years before, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Half of the people infected — mainly children — have been hospitalized.

It’s going to get worse, largely because a growing number of parents are deciding not to get their children vaccinated against measles as well as diseases like polio and pertussis.

Unvaccinated people, or those whose immunization status is unknown, account for 80% of the measles cases this year. Many parents have been influenced by a flood of misinformation spouted by politicians, podcast hosts, and influential figures on television and social media. These personalities repeat decades-old notions that erode confidence in the established science backing routine childhood vaccines.

KFF Health News examined the rhetoric and explains why it’s misguided:

The no-big-deal trope

A common distortion is that vaccines aren’t necessary because the diseases they prevent are not very dangerous, or too rare to be of concern. Cynics accuse public health officials and the media of fear-mongering about measles even as 19 states report cases.

For example, an article posted on the website of the National Vaccine Information Center — a regular source of vaccine misinformation — argued that a resurgence in concern about the disease “is ‘sky is falling’ hype.” It went on to call measles, mumps, chicken pox, and influenza

“politically incorrect to get.”

Measles kills roughly 2 of every 1,000 children infected, according to the CDC. If that seems like a bearable risk, it’s worth pointing out that a far larger portion of children with measles will require hospitalization for pneumonia and other serious complications.

For every 10 measles cases, one child with the disease develops an ear infection that can lead to permanent hearing loss. Another strange effect is that the measles

virus can destroy a person’s existing immunity, meaning they’ll have a harder time recovering from influenza and other common ailments.

Measles vaccines have averted the deaths of about 94 million people, mainly children, over the past 50 years, according to an April analysis led by the World Health Organization. Together with immunizations against polio and other diseases, vaccines have saved an estimated 154 million lives globally.

Some skeptics argue that vaccine-preventable diseases are no longer a threat because they’ve become relatively rare in the U.S. (True — due to vaccination.) This reasoning led Florida’s surgeon general, Joseph Ladapo, to tell parents that they could send their unvaccinated children to school amid a measles outbreak in February. “You look at the headlines and you’d think the sky was falling,” Ladapo said on a News Nation newscast. “There’s a lot of immunity.”

As this lax attitude persuades parents to decline vaccination, the protective group immunity will drop, and outbreaks will grow larger and faster. A rapid measles outbreak hit an undervaccinated population in Samoa in 2019, killing 83 people within four months. A chronic lack of measles vaccination in the Democratic Republic of the Congo led to more than 5,600 people dying from the disease in massive outbreaks last year.

The ‘you never know’ trope

Since the earliest days of vaccines, a contingent of the public has considered them bad because they’re unnatural, as compared with nature’s bounty of infections and plagues. “Bad” has been redefined over the decades.

In the 1800s, vaccine skeptics claimed that smallpox vaccines caused people to sprout horns and behave like beasts. More recently, they blame vaccines for ailments ranging from attention-deficit/ hyperactivity disorder to autism to immune system disruption. Studies don’t back the assertions. However, skeptics argue that their claims remain valid because vaccines haven’t been adequately tested.

In fact, vaccines are among the most studied medical interventions. Over the past century, massive studies and

clinical trials have tested vaccines during their development and after their widespread use. More than 12,000 people took part in clinical trials of the most recent vaccine approved to prevent measles, mumps, and rubella. Such large numbers allow researchers to detect rare risks, which are a major concern because vaccines are given to millions of healthy people.

To assess long-term risks, researchers sift through reams of data for signals of harm. For example, a Danish group analyzed a database of more than 657,000 children and found that those who had been vaccinated against measles as babies were no more likely to later be diagnosed with autism than those who were not vaccinated. In another study, researchers analyzed records from 805,000 children born from 1990 through 2001 and found no evidence to back a concern that multiple vaccinations might impair children’s immune systems. Nonetheless, people who push vaccine misinformation, like candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr., dismiss massive, scientifically vetted studies. For example, Kennedy argues that clinical trials of new vaccines are unreliable because vaccinated kids aren’t compared with a placebo group that gets saline solution or another substance with no effect. Instead, many modern trials compare updated vaccines with older ones. That’s because it’s unethical to endanger children by giving them a sham vaccine when the protective effect of immunization is known. In a 1950s clinical trial of polio vaccines, 16 children in the placebo group died of polio and 34 were paralyzed, said Paul Offit, director of the Vaccine Education Center at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and author of a book on the first polio vaccine. The too-much-too-soon trope Several bestselling vaccine books on Amazon promote the risky idea that parents should skip or delay their children’s vaccines. “All vaccines on the CDC’s schedule may not be right for all children at all times,” writes Paul Thomas in his bestselling book “The Vaccine-Friendly Plan.” He backs up this conviction by saying that children who have followed “my protocol are among the healthiest in the world.” PAGE 4

LAST month at the FIG World Cup Doha leg, a Paris Olympics berth was within reach for Filipino American gymnast Emma Malabuyo.

Entering the final installment of the four-leg World Cup series, Malabuyo was running second at the floor exercise event with 69 points accumulated through the first three legs in Cairo, Cottbus and Baku.

Per apparatus, the top two gymnasts who accumulate the highest three-meet point total will advance to the Olympics.

The 21-year-old just needed to keep her second-place position to make her Olympics dream come true.

But disaster struck as Malabuyo placed 10th in Doha leg's floor exercise event, enabling another gymnast to rise in points and take second place and that coveted Olympic spot instead.

Pressure was thus at its peak for Malabuyo to deliver in the Women's Asian Artistic Gymnastics in Tashkent, Uzbekistan — the last qualifying tournament for the Paris Games.

Malabuyo needed to top the all-around event or emerge as the highest eligible ranked athlete in the competition.

That's what the UCLA standout did on Friday, May 24.

Malabuyo placed third in the

tiff with 50.398 points for the bronze medal but, having scored the highest among Olympic hopefuls, managed to secure the last ticket to Paris for the Philippines. China's Hu Jiafei (50.699) and Qin Xinyi (50.566) bagged the gold and silver medals, respectively, but they were no longer eligible to claim Olympic spots since they had competed in the team event of the World Championships last year.

Proving that delays are not denials, Malabuyo tallied 13.333

points

TRADITION. Members of the Matigsalug tribe perform a ritual to welcome delegates of the Department of Tourism’s Philippine

Experience Program: Northern Mindanao in Barangay Sinuda, Kitaotao, Bukidnon on Saturday, May 25. The Matigsalug (meaning from Salug River) is one of the province’s seven tribes, the others being Talaandig, Higa-onon, Bukidnon, Umayamnon, Manobo and Tigwahanon. PNA photo by Robert Oswald Alfiler

in floor exercise, 13.033 in vault, 12.566 in balance beam and 11.466 in uneven bars. Malabuyo became the fourth Filipino gymnast to make the Paris Games after Carlos Yulo, Aleah Finnegan and Levi Ruivivar. Overall, Malabuyo is the 13th Filipino qualifier, with the other Paris-bound athletes being pole vaulter EJ Obiena; boxers Eumir Marcial, Nesthy Petecio and Aira Villegas; weightlifters Vanessa Sarno, John Ceniza and Elreen Ando; rower Joanie Delgaco; and fencer Samantha Catantan.

Filipino American gymnast Emma Malabuyo Photo from Instagram/@emma_malabuyo

leaks’ probe not behind Zubiri...

unseating, Escudero said Dela Rosa is free to continue the investigation of his committee.

At present, Dela Rosa has presided over four hearings in the Senate, all motu proprio.

The Senate president said he has advised Dela Rosa to file a resolution to formally call for an investigation to address questions of some quarters.

“It is an option during the recess to file a resolution, which will be referred to his committee so that his hearing will not be questioned and there will be clarity on the sides,” Escudero noted.

Initially, some quarters suspected that the ouster of Zubiri from the Senate helm was due to the Senate’s failure to support the House of Representativesinitiated people’s initiative, and Dela Rosa’s refusal to conclude the PDEA leaks’ probe which dragged the name of the Chief Executive to illegal drug use.

A few days ago, another factor seen in the removal of Zubiri from the Senate presidency was his refusal to allow Sen. Ramon Revilla Jr. to attend the plenary session virtually as his Achilles tendon surgery wound had reopened.

Revilla said Zubiri initially decided not to allow him to participate in the Senate deliberations virtually. However, the Senate itself eventually decided to allow him to join the sessions remotely.

‘Solid 7’ seen to back LEDAC priorities

Escudero said he does not believe that the so-called Solid 7 – Zubiri, Senators Loren Legarda, Joel Villanueva, Sonny Angara, Nancy Binay, JV Ejercito and Sherwin Gatchalian – would serve as a stumbling block to the Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council (LEDAC) since they were the same senators who supported such measures from the very beginning.

“They were the ones promoting it then and I don’t see any reason why (they would do otherwise) because the leadership in the Senate just changed. If we have something to debate, it is the new proposals,” Escudero added.

Meanwhile, Escudero is set to meet with Speaker Martin Romualdez while the 19th Congress is on sine die adjournment to discuss priority

bills of the legislative branch. “I would like to meet with him (Romualdez) during recess to discuss the priority of the chamber as an institution and the priority of each member, may they be national or local. Maybe we can help,” Escudero said on dzBB.

He said he also intends to discuss with the speaker “How to fix the relationship between the House of Representatives and the Senate.”

The relationship between the Senate and the House of Representatives was seen affected by the effort to push for a people’s initiative, a move to amend the 1987 Constitution.

The proposal was pushing for Congress to vote as one, diminishing the power of 24 senators over 350 members of the House.

Escudero said he and Romualdez had already talked over the phone and the Speaker congratulated him.

“We talked on the phone last Thursday. He (Romualdez) greeted me through Secretary Francisco P. Tiu Laurel, who called me and coincidentally they were together,” he noted. Zubiri touts ratification of key measures

Three important priority measures that were ratified by the 19th Congress would stem corruption, prevent smuggling of agricultural goods and protect the rights of Filipino seafarers, Zubiri said on Sunday.

He lauded the ratification, saying he is “confident that these soon-to-be enacted measures will address some of the most pressing concerns of our people.

It is important that we listen to the voice of the people and identify the things that should be changed in running our government.

“The ratification of these measures is living proof that the Senate is doing its mandate in serving the Filipino people. The laws we endeavor to pass are consistent with the government’s efforts to improve the lives of Filipino families and help our economy grow,” Zubiri said.

“I’m proud that we were able to shepherd these bills into fruition despite the outside partisan political noises that only serve the interests of a few,” he said.

Before the Senate and the House of Representatives adjourned last week, they were

able to ratify the following measures: Senate Bill 2593 or the New Government Procurement Act (NGPA), SB 2221 or the Magna Carta of Filipino Seafarers, and SB 2432 or the Agricultural Economic Sabotage Act.

“Allow me to thank my fellow senators who made sure that these measures are closely scrutinized so that they will serve their intended purpose,” Zubiri said.

The NGPA, Zubiri said, will replace Republic Act 9184, or the Government Procurement Reform Act once President Marcos signs the measure into law.

He said the NGPA, principally authored and sponsored by Sen. Juan Edgardo Angara, will introduce major reforms in the government procurement process, specifically in ensuring transparency and efficiency in the bidding process and awarding of government contracts.

The former Senate chief said the measure was one of the priority bills of the President identified in the LEDAC.

“We started defending this measure several months ago. I have committed to the President that we will prioritize this, and we were able to deliver on that promise,” Zubiri said.

Also ratified was the Magna Carta of Filipino Seafarers, which is envisioned to safeguard the welfare of local and international Filipino seafarers and improve their working conditions.

Zubiri said the measure will likewise ensure that the training and education of Filipino seafarers are compliant with the Maritime Labor Convention of 2006 and the International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers.

The Agricultural Economic Sabotage Act, meanwhile, repeals Republic Act 10845, or the Anti-Agricultural Smuggling Act.

Zubiri said the measure, principally authored by Ejercito, will impose harsher penalties on individuals behind the smuggling, hoarding and cartels manipulating the supplies and prices of agricultural products.

“I’m optimistic that this measure will not only protect our local farmers from greedy opportunists but will also help us attain food security in the years to come,” he said. g

Disaggregated data is America’s super power...

race and ethnicity. Respondents can select multiple options on how they identify. Advocates say the granular data will also help determine the allocation of federal funds, and could impact redistricting.

Federal agencies can opt out if they are able to justify that the new process for data collection is too difficult. Hardware and software is largely outdated at many agencies, and may lead to delays in implementing the new standards. Federal agencies will initially have 18 months to develop their structures for collecting data.

“When it comes to the health and viability of our democracy, we simply must have systems in place that count for the lived experiences of our diverse population. And that’s why this moment in time, is in many ways, a racial reckoning in this country,” said Dr. Gail Christopher, executive director of the National Collaborative for Health Equity and director of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation’s National Commission to Transform Public Health Data Systems.

Structural racism

Changes in data collection will attempt to address the structural racism embedded within so many systems in the US including health care, said Christopher. “This is the first step in terms of what has to be done to transform our data systems and to disaggregate our data so that it is a more accurate representation of our superpower, our diverse communities.”

“We all benefit when our resources are allocated in ways that will give everyone an opportunity to truly thrive,” she said.

Christopher spoke at a May 17 Ethnic Media Services news briefing, organized in collaboration with the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, a philanthropic organization dedicated to promoting health equity. Other speakers at the briefing advocated for the importance of accurate data collection, in part, by sharing their own rich narratives.

Model minority myth

Tina Kauh, senior program officer within the ResearchEvaluation-Learning Unit of RWJF, spoke of her Korean American parents, who immigrated to the U.S. in the 1970s, and owned

4

a corner shop in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. “They worked 14 or 15 hour days, seven days a week.

The well-known model minority myth would claim people like my parents were thriving because they were such ‘hard workers.’ But I saw firsthand how the challenges that they faced impacted their social, emotional, and physical health and well-being.”

Her parents’ experience was shared by many other AAPI families, but there were few narratives about their struggles, said Kauh. As a researcher, she said, it was nearly impossible to find funding to study the health and well-being of Asian Americans, because data did not exist.

‘So little data’

Though Asian Americans currently constitute 6% of the population, less than 1% of National Institutes of Health funding is directed towards studying Asian health. Kauh said that, as a funder now, she often finds it difficult to justify funding for Asian American research. “There is so little data to demonstrate why it is necessary.”

“With the changes recently made by the OMB, we now have an exciting opportunity to improve how race and ethnicity data are collected, analyzed, reported, and disseminated to advance health equity. This is a key step that will better reflect the nation’s diversity and lead to more equitable distribution of resources,” said Kauh. She hoped that the new standards would be adopted by public and private agencies outside of the federal government. Invisible in the data

Born of a Haitian mother and an Indian father, Meeta Anand, senior program director of Census and Data Equity at The Leadership Conference Education Fund, had no box to check on forms as she was growing up. “There was no such thing as multi-select. There was no opportunity to truly reflect who I was. And so I hung out in that famous ‘other’ box.”

She noted that organizations have some concerns about a single combined question. “But what’s great about this is that you can check Asian and Black. You can check Asian and Hispanic. You can check two different ethnicities within Hispanic.”

“As we start seeing more Meetas come into the U.S., and more people from different backgrounds meeting in our country and having their own children, we continue to see diversification. We need to allow people to see themselves in the form,” said Anand. The Leadership Conference will be scrutinizing federal agencies who opt out, said Anand. “’It’s too hard to change our systems’ should not be an acceptable answer.”

Mixed race Latinos

In the 2020 Census, 35% of Latinos in 2020 marked that they were of some other race, and 8% of all respondents left that question actually blank, said Juan Rosa, national director of Civic Engagement at the NALEO Educational Fund. “27 million out of 63 million that were counted in the census did not see themselves reflected in those race categories. So for us, it’s very important for the community to allow itself to self-respond in the way that their houses are actually composed.” Rosa was born in the Dominican Republic, but identifies as Black, as do many in his community. A pivotal moment in recognizing his identity came in the fall of 2020, when he had a lung infection not related to COVID.

“I went into my neighborhood doctor just to check. And it’s an African-American doctor with African-American nurses. I’m having a lot of trouble walking at this point, let alone filling out a questionnaire. A nurse walked me through it and was filling it out herself.”

Implementation

“When it came to ask about race, the nurse automatically filled out Black for me. And out of all the things that I remember from that time, aside from being in the hospital for 10 days afterward, was that nurse and the vindication and the acknowledgement and the visibility that I got at one of the lowest points of my life,” said Rosa. “So I have a very personal relationship to the work that we do.”

Over the next few years, NALEO will also be monitoring how the Census Bureau implements the new OMB standards, with a focus on how Afro-Latinos like himself will be represented by the new forms, said Rosa. (Sunita Sohrabji/ Ethnic Media Services)

ways vaccine skeptics mislead you on...

Since the book was published, Thomas’ medical license was temporarily suspended in Oregon and Washington. The Oregon Medical Board documented how Thomas persuaded parents to skip vaccines recommended by the CDC, and reported that he “reduced to tears” a mother who disagreed. Several children in his care came down with pertussis and rotavirus, diseases easily prevented by vaccines, wrote the board. Thomas recommended fish oil supplements and homeopathy to an unvaccinated child with a deep scalp laceration, rather than an emergency tetanus vaccine. The boy developed severe tetanus, landing in the hospital for nearly two months, where he required intubation, a tracheotomy, and a feeding tube to survive.

The vaccination schedule recommended by the CDC has been tailored to protect children at their most vulnerable points in life and minimize side effects. The combination measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine isn’t given for the first year of a baby’s life because antibodies temporarily passed on from their mother can interfere with the immune response. And because some babies don’t generate a strong response to that first dose, the CDC recommends a second one around the time a child enters kindergarten because measles and other viruses spread rapidly in group settings.

Delaying MMR doses much longer may be unwise because data suggests that children vaccinated at 10 or older have

a higher chance of adverse reactions, such as a seizure or fatigue.

Around a dozen other vaccines have discrete timelines, with overlapping windows for the best response. Studies have shown that MMR vaccines may be given safely and effectively in combination with other vaccines.

’They don’t want you to know’ trope

Kennedy compares the Florida surgeon general to Galileo in the introduction to Ladapo’s new book on transcending fear in public health. Just as the Roman Catholic inquisition punished the renowned astronomer for promoting theories about the universe, Kennedy suggests that scientific institutions oppress dissenting voices on vaccines for nefarious reasons.

“The persecution of scientists and doctors who dare to challenge contemporary orthodoxies is not a new phenomenon,” Kennedy writes. His running mate, lawyer Nicole Shanahan, has campaigned on the idea that conversations about vaccine harms are censored and the CDC and other federal agencies hide data due to corporate influence. Claims like “they don’t want you to know” aren’t new among the anti-vaccine set, even though the movement has long had an outsize voice. The most listenedto podcast in the U.S., “The Joe Rogan Experience,” regularly features guests who cast doubt on scientific consensus. Last year on the show, Kennedy repeated the debunked claim that vaccines

cause autism.

Far from ignoring that concern, epidemiologists have taken it seriously. They have conducted more than a dozen studies searching for a link between vaccines and autism, and repeatedly found none. “We have conclusively disproven the theory that vaccines are connected to autism,” said Gideon MeyerowitzKatz, an epidemiologist at the University of Wollongong in Australia. “So, the public health establishment tends to shut those conversations down quickly.” Federal agencies are transparent about seizures, arm pain, and other reactions that vaccines can cause. And the government has a program to compensate individuals whose injuries are scientifically determined to result from them. Around 1 to 3.5 out of every million doses of the measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine can cause a life-threatening allergic reaction; a person’s lifetime risk of death by lightning is estimated to be as much as four times as high.

“The most convincing thing I can say is that my daughter has all her vaccines and that every pediatrician and public health person I know has vaccinated their kids,” Meyerowitz-Katz said.

“No one would do that if they thought there were serious risks.” 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.

ALMOST THERE. The Metro Rail Transit-7 Batasan Station along Commonwealth Avenue in Quezon

taken on Tuesday, May 28. The

Postpone travel to Israel, Filipinos urged

by Bernadette e tamayo ManilaTimes.net

THE Philippine Embassy in Tel Aviv advised Filipinos to "postpone all nonessential travel" to Israel until the security situation in the Jewish State has stabilized.

In an advisory on May 24, the embassy said nonessential travels "include pilgrimages and other tours to Israel."

The embassy said that traveling to Israel to render "volunteer work is also highly discouraged because of the continuing risks."

The embassy, on Facebook, said it "will not be responsible for the safety of those who travel as 'tourists' or 'volunteers' at this

MANILA – Vice President Sara Z. Duterte-Carpio has formally asked the Supreme Court to dismiss three petitions questioning the propriety of PHP125 million in confidential funds in the Office of the Vice President (OVP) under the 2022 budget.

In a 16-page consolidated comment filed before the tribunal last May 10, Duterte, through her counsel, former Solicitor General

time."

"The public is advised to exercise caution and not to fall for any schemes by individuals, organizations, companies, or tour companies organizing tours or pilgrimages to Israel at this time, or encouraging volunteers to work in farms or hospitals," it added.

The Bureau of Immigration has been alerted about these schemes, the embassy said. "Persons who attempt to travel to Israel under these arrangements run the risk of getting offloaded from their flights," it said.

The embassy urged Filipinos "to prioritize their safety and security." Philippine Ambassador to Tel Aviv Pedro Laylo Jr. joined

Estelito Mendoza, sought the dismissal of the petitions separately filed by Christian Monsod, Howard Calleja and the ACT Teachers Party-list. Mendoza, in his comment, said "none of the petitions present an actual case or controversy and none of the petitioners alleged a legal demandable and enforceable right which calls for the exercise of judicial power."

The mandate of the High

fellow diplomats at an event at the Menachem Begin Heritage Center to mark the 76th anniversary of Israel's independence.

Laylo talked about the historical links Filipinos and Israelis share, particularly President Manuel Quezon's rescue of 1,300 Jews during the Holocaust, the embassy said. "Thanks to President Quezon's Open Door Policy, these Jewish refugees, who were later called Manilaners, escaped the pogroms and found safe haven in the Philippines," the embassy said.

Laylo also discussed strong Philippines-Israel cooperation in the trade, agriculture, science and innovation, labor, and defense sectors. g

MANILA – President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on Tuesday, May 28 urged overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) to try investing in the Philippines by putting up their own businesses at home, citing the country’s improved business environment and economic stability.

Speaking before the Filipino community in Brunei Darussalam, Marcos thanked migrant workers for their sacrifices and dedication that cultivate the reputation of the “special brand of Filipino service” abroad.

Court, he said, "does not include the duty to answer all of life's questions," adding that “the petitions are mere apprehension and speculation about contingent funds or confidential funds, which does not constitute a justiciable controversy."

Mendoza argued that the Court's power "is not unbridled authority to review just any claim of constitutional violation or grave abuse of discretion." (PNA)

Sara Duterte asks dismissal of confidential funds cases 1 dead, over 36,000 affected due to ‘Aghon’ — NDRRMC

MANILA — The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) on Tuesday, May 28 reported that Typhoon Aghon (Ewiniar) has left one person dead and more than 36,000 affected.

The NDRRMC said in its latest report that a 14-year-old female from Misamis Oriental was killed after a tree was toppled by Aghon's strong winds. Meanwhile, eight people were injured.

Aghon impacted 36,143 people in CALABARZON, MIMAROPA, Bicol region, Central Visayas, Eastern Visayas, and Metro Manila.

Around 22,000 individuals were displaced after the country's first cyclone this year brought heavy rain and triggered floods. Of those, 16,426 people sought temporary shelter in evacuation centers, while 5,614 stayed with relatives or friends.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said on Tuesday that he has directed the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), Department of Agriculture (DA) and Department of Health to provide aid to affected residents. According to the NDRRMC, the government has provided P3.66 million in assistance.

Aghon was last located 315 kilometers east of Tuguegarao City in Cagayan. State weather bureau PAGASA said impacts from Aghon's winds are now

unlikely following the lifting of all wind signals. The typhoon is also not forecast to "directly bring significant amounts of rainfall within the next three days." (Gaea Katreena Cabico/Philstar.com)

“Over the years, every time I go abroad, I talk to my foreign counterparts, I get compliments for the strong work ethic of Filipinos. I'm always told that Filipinos have unparalleled skills [and are] efficient and are trustworthy. And I know that is the same here in Brunei,” Marcos said.

“You may all have different professions, [but] what we bring to all that we do, not only in the Philippines, but even abroad, as is proven by the record that Filipinos have made and the reputation that you have gained that what we bring is a special brand of Filipino service everywhere we go,” he added.

The president also said he remains committed to fulfilling his promise of making more opportunities in the Philippines for Filipinos.

This, according to Marcos, resulted in increased investor confidence as seen in the approximately PHP1.26 trillion worth of investments the country sealed last year.

“Ang unang namin target ay sabi namin 1.151 trillion pesos.

Ngunit, ito'y umabot na sa mas mataas na numero (Our initial target is PHP1.151 trillion. But we managed to surpass this figure),” Marcos said.

Marcos said the projects are expected to produce 49,030 jobs for Filipinos.

With a conducive business environment in the backdrop, the President then encouraged OFWs to try investing in the country to help the economy flourish further.

“Alam po natin na kapag masigla ang ekonomiya, maayos ang kabuhayan (We all know

that when the economy is robust, businesses are vibrant). Things are looking up for the economy,” the chief executive said.

“Bukod sa mga remittance na nanggaling sa inyo, sa ating mga OFW (Aside from the remittances that we received from you all, our OFWs), I also encourage all of you to someday to return, and invest, and set up your own business at home and in the Philippines,” he added.

Marcos is in Brunei for a twoday visit upon the invitation of His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzaddin Waddaulah.

Improved airport

In the same speech, Marcos said that among his priorities is to improve infrastructures through the “Build Better More” program.

Among the projects in the multi-billion program is the rehabilitation of the four-terminal Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA).

Although the entire rehabilitation program will take 15 years to finish, he said its effects may be felt as early as next year.

“Mayroon tayo pong PHP170.6 billion na dadalhin para pagandahin ang ating mga passenger terminal, ang ating mga airside facilities, at saka mas madali ang paglipat mula sa isang terminal hanggang sa kabilang terminal, mula sa airport hanggang sa terminal ng bus para maka-uwi sa probinsya (We set aside PHP170.6 billion to improve our passenger terminals, our airside facilities, and also to make it easier to move from one terminal to another, from the airport to the

bus terminal to go home to the province),” Marcos said.

“Lahat po iyan ay bubuuin po natin para hindi na po nahihirapan ang ating mga bisita at ang ating mga balikbayan (We will develop all of that so that our guests and our returning countrymen will not have any difficulties).” Earlier this year, the SMC-SAP & Co. Consortium, led by San Miguel Corporation, won the bid to operate and rehabilitate NAIA.

consortium bagged the PHP170.6 billion public-private partnership project by offering the biggest revenue share of 82.16 percent to the government. (PNA)

President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. Malacañang photo

In this handout photo taken on Sunday,, May 26 by the Philippine Coast Guard, children are evacuated from a flooded area by coast guard personnel in Lucena, Quezon Province, amid heavy rain brought by tropical storm Ewiniar. PCG photo

OPINION FEATURES

Avoiding FLiRT

TRAVEL restrictions aren’t being imposed and mandatory masking is not being restored. But health experts are urging the public to take precautions as the so-called FLiRT variants of COVID-19 spread in certain countries including neighboring Singapore.

On Monday, May 27, the Department of Health confirmed that it had ordered the Bureau of Quarantine, which is under the DOH, to conduct “thorough screening” of arriving passengers at all points of entry nationwide as a precaution against the spread of FLiRT. The BOQ issued a memorandum dated May 24, placing all its stations and other concerned agencies under “heightened alert” for the COVID variants.

FLiRT is an acronym for the sites of the mutations that the variants share on the spike protein of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID. The World Health Organization says the FLiRT variants have become the dominant SARS-CoV-2 strain circulating globally this year. Unlike previous variants, experts warn that FLiRT may evade antibodies. This month the WHO labeled the FLiRT variant KP.2 as a “variant under monitoring” amid a surge in COVID cases in Singapore, with patients filling up hospitals.

Most Filipinos acquired vaccine and natural immunity to SARS-CoV-2, although this has

THE ongoing saga of Bamban, Tarlac Mayor Alice Guo continues to keep Filipinos not only riveted but extremely concerned, with the burning question in the minds of everyone who has been keeping track of the Senate hearings: is she Filipino, or not?

It all began with the raid last March on a Philippine offshore gaming operator (POGO) located in Bamban, Tarlac due to reports that the Chinese company was engaged in human trafficking as well as a front for scams and other illegal activities. There were also suspicions that the facility was a hub for espionage, hacking and cyberattacks against government agencies.

During the raid, hundreds of workers of various nationalities –mostly Chinese – were found to have no valid working permits.

Inside the compound located just behind the Bamban municipal hall, the raiding team also discovered “torture chambers,” vaults containing several millions of pesos, passports of workers and documents showing a possible link between the POGO and Mayor Guo, who owned half of Baofu Land Development Inc., the company that leased the

THESE are the three gravest problems of the Philippines.

These problems are aggravated by two equally ponderous problems – graft and red tape.

The food shortage is 25 percent of demand. Since food is 50 percent of the consumer basket or price index, a food shortage means high inflation. High inflation means high interest rates. High interest rates mean business and economic slowdown.

Economic slowdown means fewer basic goods and services available for the masses. And job shortages. Combine high inflation and high unemployment and you have what is called misery.

The job shortage is 1.5 million jobs yearly. The job shortage is so severe the Philippines has exported 12 million humans to over 100 countries in search of jobs and economic security. These 12 million expats are among the best of brain and brawn of the Philippines, nearly

waned, and the previous vaccines were not designed for FLiRT. Still, while epidemiologists say FLiRT poses “low public health risk” at this point, they also warn that vulnerable sectors such as the elderly and persons with comorbidities must be protected from infection. New COVID cases are generally mild, but hospitalization is still required when patients find difficulty breathing or waking up, feel persistent chest pain or pressure, experience confusion or see their lips or face turning bluish.

Filipinos are familiar with COVID symptoms as well as the basic health safety protocols: hand hygiene, cough and cold etiquette, masking and avoidance of crowded places. Those with symptoms must be responsible enough to isolate themselves until they become well.

Health experts keep reminding the public that COVID continues to kill and impair both physical and mental health. Hospitalization is expensive. There are also increasing reports of long COVID, which causes a wide range of long-term debilitation. The problem is still the subject of monitoring and

Bamban Mayor Alice Guo: Is she Filipino, or not?

property to the POGO.

During the Senate hearings, Mayor Guo’s evasive and dubious answers to basic questions such as her educational background, her childhood, her family ties including the fact that her birth was only registered when she was 17 years old made it look like she “came out of nowhere,” as Senator Risa Hontiveros put it. According to the senator, all these raised the possibility of Mayor Guo being a Chinese “asset” whose supposed Filipino identity is being used to “gain a foothold” in the country’s political system and possibly “even our national security sector.”

While it is true that the burden of proof lies with the ones levelling accusations against the Bamban mayor’s citizenship, it is simply unbelievable that she could not recall the names of teachers who homeschooled her from elementary to high school and does not remember the people who took care of her, since the mayor claims her mother abandoned her.

Residents in her village do not seem to know much about Guo – which is surprising considering that people in the provinces usually know everything about their neighbors. Even if she was raised in a farm, those who worked for her father would have been aware of and, at some point, interacted with this cloistered

Food,

all gone for good. It is manpower the Philippines needs badly to make every Filipino a middle income earner.

In 2021, the Philippine Institute of Development Studies (PIDS) estimated the jobs shortages by 2025, for the skills that count today: 13,964 in the life sciences, 569,903 in engineering, 9,698 in the physical sciences and 13,285 in math and statistics.

The World Bank’s solution to the Philippines’ severe jobs problem? Let more Filipinos migrate, but in an orderly manner. (See WB February 2023 paper, “Philippine Jobs Report, Shaping a Better Future for the Filipino Workforce.”)

The Philippines receives the smallest foreign direct investments (FDI) among the six major ASEAN countries, only $9.2 billion in 2022, down from $12 billion in 2021. Singapore got $141.2-billion FDI, Indonesia $22 billion, Vietnam $17.9 billion, Malaysia $17.1 billion and Thailand $9.9 billion.

To grow at the level of Vietnam, the Philippines needs annually $18 billion in FDI; we get only half that. Over the next ten years,

child who would have been the subject of village gossip.

Mayor Guo owns a helicopter as well as over a dozen vehicles, purchased a huge tract of land and financed her 2022 campaign for mayor from her hog raising business that she said suffered during the pandemic. The subsequent hearings with Senator Risa Hontiveros doing the questioning revealed that the mayor’s parents also seem to have dubious origins, since they have no existing records of birth in the files of the Philippine Statistics Authority. Her father is listed as a Chinese citizen in business records but in the birth certificate of Guo and her newly disclosed siblings, he is identified as a Filipino.

Let me very clear however: this column is not about creating an atmosphere of Sinophobia, most especially since many of us have Chinese blood running in our veins. I for one have a Chinese ancestor named Pei Ling Po, possibly from Fujian, who put up a shop in Binondo and later converted to Christianity to marry a Filipina who happens to be the sister of a bishop. Pei Ling Po then took on the name “Luis Romualdez,” adopting the surname of “Father Romualdo,” the priest who baptized him. I also happen to have many Filipino-Chinese friends who are successful businessmen,

doctors, teachers and other professions. In fact, one of my closest friends at the Ateneo grade school was Eddie Chan, the son of prominent lawyer Manuel Chan Sr.

The revelations about the mayor of Bamban, plus the fact that she was able to obtain a passport and even run in the 2022 elections despite her questionable background, are making people concerned about how easy it is for foreigners – not just Chinese but other nationalities – to obtain fake birth certificates, fake passports, driver’s licenses and other government-issued IDs and documents possibly with the help of a syndicate.

What people also find worrisome is the purchase of vast tracts of land in EDCA sites and near major air and seaports by Chinese nationals in connivance with “Filipino enablers,” according to Congressman Ace Barbers, who disclosed that warehouses are “sprouting like mushrooms” in Central Luzon.

The AFP is also looking into the possible security implications of the influx of Chinese nationals of military age that are enrolled in schools near an EDCA site in Cagayan.

Senator Nancy Binay also expressed alarm at the issuance of special resident retiree visas to Chinese nationals as young

jobs, investments

the Philippines easily needs P107 trillion ($1.8 trillion) in domestic and foreign investments for its GDP to grow at 10 percent per year (the minimum growth required for the country to catch up with its more prosperous neighbors).

At the same time, gross fixed capital formation (GFCF), as a percentage of GDP, has fallen, from 27 percent of GDP in 2018 to 23 percent in 2023. Fixed capital formation is investments in factories, machinery, equipment, infra – things you need to spend on, to create jobs and modernize. Normally, GFCF should grow, not decline. A 5 percentage fall, assuming a P25-trillion GDP, is P1.25 trillion. To create one job costs P2 million; a P1.25-trillion loss means 625,000 jobs not created at all.

Our problem is not China (territorial disputes take thousands of years or an outright invasion to resolve). It is not that lying ex-PDEA agent trying to link Bongbong Marcos to drugs (in 2012 who remembers things?).

Nor is our problem that AIdesigned Bamban mayor of

dubious provenance (first time I heard of a girl, without formal schooling and without capital, build multi-billion enterprises, legal and illegal, from scratch to become one of the richest local billionaires below 40).

Mayor Alice Guo certainly beats the exploits of Alexander the Great, the most famous and greatest home-schooled kid in history (he was taught by Aristotle, about medicine, philosophy, morals, religion, logic and art). In Ms. Guo’s case, her dad taught her Chinese (probably, including magic).

About 25 percent of Filipinos’ food needs cannot be met, by local production nor even by imports. The 25 percent shortage includes nearly all kinds of food – rice, corn, fish, chicken, meat and vegetables.

That is why EVERY day, 95 Filipino kids die from malnutrition. That’s 34,675 kids dying needlessly EVERY year. That’s genocide. That’s more victims than the number of people supposed to have been killed in SIX years during the illegal drugs war of President Digong Duterte.

as 35 through the Philippine Retirement Authority, whose records indicate the presence of 78,000 foreign retirees in the Philippines, “of whom 38,000 are Chinese.” We need to seriously vet foreign nationals coming into the Philippines since we are now receiving disturbing reports about members of drug syndicates and criminal gangs or worse, operatives engaged in spying activities. The Bureau of Immigration, the Department of Justice, the National Bureau of Investigation, the National Intelligence Coordinating Agency, the Philippine National Police, the Armed Forces of the

The International Criminal Court (ICC) is running after Duterte for having killed from 6,000 to 30,000 in six years, but not certain officials, for neglect, resulting in the killing of 34,000 kids yearly from malnutrition. Malnutrition is not just deadly. It also causes mass stupidity.

Filipinos eat on average 136 kilos of rice a year. There are 118 million Filipinos, so you need 16 billion kilos or 16 million tons of rice yearly to feed them.

We don’t have those 16 million tons, government claims to the contrary notwithstanding (rice output was said to be 20 million tons in 2023).

Since brain power, assuming one is born with it, is eating the right food in the right volume, malnutrition breeds mass stupidity.

In 2022, in tests given to 15-year-olds of the world, Filipinos came out third from last in Science (after Cambodia and Uzbekistan), sixth from last in Reading (after Cambodia, Uzbekistan, Morocco, Jordan and Kosovo) and sixth from last in Math (after Cambodia, Paraguay, Dominican Republic, El Salvador and Guatemala). If you gather the Ten Most Stupid Teeners on Earth, Filipinos will be among them.

Philippines and other concerned agencies should coordinate and assess the implication on our national security.

Time and again, I have written in this space of how serious and formidable the challenges our country faces today. No one in this country wants to be overrun by unwanted foreigners –except perhaps a few corrupted individuals. (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

Since one of every five Filipino voters is below 24, naturally Filipinos make bad choices during elections. The most incompetent, the most corrupt and the most rapacious get choice positions. And of course, people the likes of Mayor Guo. These elected people then devise the most labyrinthine rules Filipinos must undergo to get the right documentation and to start a business.

The last time the World Bank ranked 190 countries in Ease of Doing Business, in 2019, the Philippines ranked No. 95. Manila ranked 115th out of 180 countries with a score of 34 in the 2023 Corruption Perception Index (CPI), up one spot from 116th in 2022 and up two spots from its worst-ever showing, 117th place in 2021

Among 100 countries with a population of eight million or more (Switzerland is 100th largest in population, with 8.4 million), the Philippines is rated the most corrupt. (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.

* * * Email: biznewsasia@gmail.com

Bamban, Tarlac Mayor Alice Guo

Philstar.com photo

ManilaTimes.net photo

research, and treatment remains hit-and-miss.

When it comes to this continually mutating deadly virus, it’s better to be safe and healthy than sorry. (Philstar.com)

The Asian Journal MDWK MAGAZINE

Wednesday MAY 29, 2024

Get to know the Filipino actors in ‘Bridgerton’

For Season 3 of the hit Netflix series, viewers are introduced to Filipino nobility in characters Lord Barnell and Lord Basilio

By LaLa Singian Preen.ph

MAYFAIR’S posh society is refreshing its roster with Filipino representation this season. In the first two episodes of Season 3, viewers are introduced to Filipino actors James Bradwell as Lord Basilio and Martin Sarreal as Lord Barnell, marking the debut of Filipino nobility in the hit Netflix series “Bridgerton.”

Bradwell was originally slated to play a character of East Asian heritage. However, the actor seized the opportunity to propose incorporating his own Filipino roots into the role. In a social media post, Bradwell shared, “I was met with an enthusiastic response welcoming and encouraging my input. I suggested a number of Filipino surnames and Basilio was born! (Maybe Basilio of Bicol? The Viscount of Visayas? The Lord of Longganisa?)”

In a hilarious scene rife with awkward tension, Penelope Featherington (Nicola Coughlan) approaches Lord Basilio to demonstrate her social prowess and ability to converse casually with potential suitors—all in an attempt to impress Colin Bridgerton.

However, the exchange takes an unexpected turn when the aristocratic Lord, standing at the refectory table, abruptly breaks down in tears, lamenting the loss of his beloved horse. Bradwell’s portrayal of the emotionally distraught

Lord contrasts with Penelope’s flustered discomfort, creating a delightfully cringeworthy moment that will leave viewers in stitches.

Meanwhile, Sarreal writes on Instagram, “Had loads of fun stepping into Lord Barnell’s shoes (and sticking on those sideburns) on a wonderful job jam packed with fantastic people… There are now officially TWO Pinoys in the ‘Bridgerton’ universe. What more can you truly ask for?” he adds, tagging Bradwell in his post.  Sarreal debuts as Lord Barnell, witnessing Penelope Featherington’s attempts to shed her wallflower persona at a ball. Donning daring fashions, the hapless Penelope stumbles through more cringeworthy social blunders and stilted banter at the ball. Lord Barnell observes with expressions moving between confusion and second-hand embarrassment, amplifying the humiliation and the ton’s unforgiving scrutiny.

On requesting more Filipino representation on the show, Bradwell wrote, “This exchange was that I was made to feel like a collaborator on my role, not a beggar at the door as these conversations can sometimes feel in this industry. Thank you @shondaland and @bridgertonnetflix for dignifying me in that way.”

The inclusive move adds to the people of color in the already-diversified historical drama while also opening doors for more Filipino talents in the British film industry, and “Bridgerton’s” fictional, multicultural high society.

How Marian Rivera creates happy childhood for her kids

FOLLOWERS of Marian

Rivera

— who have seen her children Zia and Sixto grow before their eyes — know that of all the roles she has played throughout her life, she takes utmost pride in being a mother.

Her social media pages are filled with precious moments with her children, including how she keeps them busy with various activities to enhance their physical and social abilities for overall development.

Despite her busy schedule as a celebrity, she makes sure to be present at every milestone of her kids’ lives. She, together with husband Dingdong Dantes, takes them on adventures through quick museum trips, travels abroad, engages them in arts and crafts, and lets them enjoy outdoor activities.

Rivera also boasts of being a supportive and hands-on mom when it comes to her kids’ achievements and pursuits such

as recitals, sports tournaments, dance performances, and schooling.

“My family, especially my kids, would always be my number one priority. I am never too busy for them.

Zia and Sixto Photos from Instagram/@marianrivera

They are only young once and I promised to be the kind of mom who shows up and supports them in all that they want to do and achieve,” the 39-year-old shared.

“To working moms like me, I know it’s challenging to manage your time for work and for your family but we can still find ways to do so. It will all be worth it, I guarantee.”

But Rivera said she is fully aware that these experiences, while fun, may take a toll on her children’s health. To keep her kids healthy, happy and protected from sickness every day as they enjoy a memorable childhood, she turns to vitamin supplements.

“When I was young, I really love to play outside — whether it’s playing until sundown or showing in the rain. I want my kids to also experience those things outside so it’s all the more important for me to build their immunity.” (ManilaTimes. net)

First Filipina Black American Miss Universe Philippines Chelsea Manalo shares first night as 2024 winner

By Jan MiLo Severo Philstar.com

MANILA —  Bulacan’s Chelsea Manalo shared how her first night went as the newly crowned Miss Universe Philippines 2024.

In an interview with the media following her coronation, Chelsea recalled what’s on her mind upon hearing her name winning the prestigious pageant.

“Oh my gosh. I’m Miss Universe Philippines 2024. That’s what kept running in my head because it really couldn’t sink it in,” she said.   She then shared that her parents were happy and loud when she arrived in their room.

“When I went back to my parent’s hotel room with the sash and the crown, they were screaming,” she said.

“I said, ‘Please huwag kayong maingay may natutulog na.’ That’s what I told them,” she added.

Christian Bables signs with Hollywood agent, vows not to leave PH

By HannaH MaLLorca Inquirer.net

CHRISTIAN Bables is entering a new chapter in his career after signing a contract with a Los Angeles, Californiabased talent agency and entertainment company.

Bables took to his Instagram page on Sunday, May 26 to announce his career advancement, where he signed with talent agency ASAP Talent Agency and entertainment company Legacy Entertainment.

“Finally embracing the things awaiting on this other side of the world. Thrilled for what’s ahead and excited to reach heights with you, Legacy Entertainment, Breaking Hits, and ASAP,” he wrote. Breaking Hits is a U.S.-based music rating platform, although it’s unknown what would be Bables’ role in the company.

Bables is joined by George Lee Baker and Maria Damian, who are the representatives of ASAP and Legacy, respectively.

Despite his new career step, the actor clarified that he will “forever be an actor in the Philippines” in his post.

“I’ve been receiving a lot

of DMs, asking if I’ll be moving here for good. I still am, and forever will be, an actor of the Philippines for as long as I am needed. Will continue to share my love and passion for the craft under @kreativden,” said Bables while referring to Quezon City-based agency KreativDen.

Entertainment

photographer Sthanlee Mirador shared more glimpses of Bables’ contract signing on Instagram.

‘Panday’

Broadcast journalist Bernadette Sembrano and fellow celebrities Jugs Jugueta, Jean Garcia, Amy Austria, and Bianca Lapus congratulated Bables in the comments.

Bables is an award-winning actor who reaped accolades for his performances in the films “Signal Rock,” “Die Beautiful,” and “Big Night.” The actor is also known for his appearances in the TV dramas “Halik,” “Dirty Linen,” and “Mars Ravelo’s Darna.”

creator, director Carlo J. Caparas dies

By KatHLeen a. LLeMit Philstar.com

COMIC strip writer and director Carlo J. Caparas has passed away. He was 80.

His daughter Peach Caparas confirmed her father’s demise and wrote an ode to the director on Facebook. The director’s cause of death was not revealed.

Titled “Sa Bawat Tipa ng Makinilya”, Caparas’ daughter looked back on her father’s achievements as a writer who had created some of the most memorable characters on comic strips and films.

Sa kanyang taglay na brilyo mga obra maestrang nobela kanyang nabuo. ‘Panday’, ‘Pieta’, ‘Elias Paniki’, ‘Bakekang’, ‘Totoy Bato’ ang ilan lamang sa mga ito,” the younger Caparas wrote.

“’Pack up na Direk.’ Oras na ng uwian. Hayaang kasaysayan ang humusga sa iyong mga obra. Salamat Direk Carlo J. sa mga dibuho at istorya. Mga istoryang nabuo sa bawat tipa ng iyong makinilya…” ended her ode. She added a note for her late father: “Dad, you will forever be loved, cherished, and honored…by all of us.”

In the comments section of her Facebook post, Peach said that her father’s wake will start on Monday, May 27, from 12 p.m. to 12 midnight at the Golden Haven Memorial Chapels and Crematorium in Las Piñas City.

As mentioned by his daughter, Caparas created some of the enduring popular fictional characters, including Panday (with artist Steve Gan), Bakekang, Joaquin Bordado and Totoy Bato. Many of his characters were made into TV shows and films.

“I patterned Panday after FPJ (the late

Filipino actors (from left) Martin Sarreal and Jimbo Bradwell in “Bridgerton” season 3

Miss Universe Philippines 2024 Chelsea Manalo of Bulacan at the coronation night on May 23, 2024 in Mall of Asia Arena. Miss Universe Philippines via Instagram

Writer, director and producer Carlo J. Caparas

Photo courtesy of Peach Caparas

Marian Rivera

JM de Guzman, Donnalyn Bartolome con rm they’re ‘exclusively dating’

By HANNAH MALLORCA Inquirer.net

JM de Guzman and Donnalyn Bartolome are now “exclusively dating,” a month after the actor admitted he had been courting the content creator “for almost a year.”

Bartolome confirmed their relationship status in a vlog on Sunday, May 26, where she serenaded de Guzman with her rendition of Britney Spears’ hit song “Sometimes.”

The video showed de Guzman being taken to a palace-like date spot where he watched Bartolome sing for him before unveiling a banner with the message, “JM, mahalaga ka sa akin (JM, you’re important to me).” Alam kong matagal ka nang naghihintay ng sagot ko, kaya ngayon… JM mahalaga ka sa akin,” Bartolome said. The banner was folded to show the phrase, “JM, Mahal K…” before

it was revealed to be the actual message for the actor. De Guzman laughed in response to the banner, saying, “Akala ko mahal kita eh (I thought you were going to say I love you).”

After her performance, Bartolome admitted that she was not yet ready to be in a committed relationship with de Guzman.

“Wala pa, ‘di pa ako ready diyan. Masyadong mabilis (Not yet. I’m not yet ready. It’s too fast),” she said. De Guzman and Bartolome sparked relationship rumors in late 2022, with the actor confirming he’s courting the content creator a year later.

In February 2024, the actor took to Instagram to admit that he hopes to “marry” Bartolome at the right time. Two months later, he said at a press conference that he had been courting her for almost a year and is willing to wait for her.

Kathryn, Piolo, Alfred lead winners at FAMAS 2024

By CHARMIE JOY PAGULONG Philstar.com

FOR her riveting performance in “A Very Good Girl,” Kathryn Bernardo was named Best Actress at the justconcluded Filipino Academy of Movie Arts and Sciences (FAMAS) Awards held Sunday night at the Manila Hotel. Piolo Pascual and Alfred Vargas, on the other hand, bagged the

Best Actor awards for “Mallari” and “Pieta,” respectively. The horror film “Mallari” won Best Picture while Louie Ignacio took home the Best Director trophy for “Papa Mascot.”

“Mallari” also earned Gloria Diaz the Best Supporting Actress award while L.A. Santos accepted the Best Supporting Actor for his role in the movie

Continued on Page 10

Filipino American Symphony Orchestra showcases dance through the eras

Penthouse 7 dancers Mike Monserrat and Pipo Liboro perform as special guests

FROM a graceful interpretation of the Filipino ballad “Gaano Ko Ikaw Kamahal” to a rousing rendition of Earth, Wind and Fire’s “September,” the Filipino American Symphony Orchestra (FASO) took a musical journey through time at “Ballroom Blitz” earlier this month. Held at the Doubletree by Hilton in Norwalk, the spring dinner and dance drew about 250 attendees.

One of the most important philanthropic orchestras in Southern California, FASO presents the dance and dinner as well as concerts every year to raise funds for its youth and outreach music programs and to support its distinctive performances throughout the year.

“One thing unique with FASO is our versatility to configure the orchestra into a big band to perform some of the favorite big band music of the ‘30s and ‘40s,” said Robert Schroder, FASO musical director. “But we did not limit ourselves to the music of that period. We also had new arrangements of dance music from the ‘70s and ‘80s. It was very exciting to perform a wide variety of musical eras and a privilege to deliver music genres to the community that

they rarely hear and see live.”

The event featured California-based special guests Mike Monserrat and Pipo Liboro, mainstays of the Philippine dance TV show

“Penthouse 7,” which was popular in the 1960s and 1970s.

“The Penthouse 7 dancers and FASO share the same goal and mission,” Schroder said.

“They support mental health specifically among older people and continue to deliver dance education to a wide variety of

audiences live and online. They were a perfect fit to join us at this event.”

The collaboration of FASO with Monserrat and Liboro was undoubtedly the highlight of the night. Monserrat and Liboro drew loud cheers and applause for their energetic yet smooth cha-cha performance to the orchestra’s rendition of “ Oye Cómo Va,” a song originated by Tito Puente. It was a delightful nostalgic nod to their TV performances with the

rest of the Penthouse 7 gang, as their dance group was once dubbed.

A live auction of a choreographed dance performance with Monserrat and Liboro drew an animated bidding war and a lot of laughter. Bidding started at around $200, increasing to $400 before Pusong UPSE, a University of the Philippines School of Economics alumni group, won the auction with a final bid of $1,000. The Penthouse 7 pair performed with nine members of the winning group in a cha-cha and Manila Swing number specially choreographed to the orchestra’s faithful interpretation of “On the Radio,” a disco-era hit originally popularized by Donna Summer and sung during the event by Mikaela Bautista.

Later in the evening, Monserrat and Liboro led numerous dance enthusiasts to the recorded version of “Boogie Shoes” by KC & the Sunshine Band and took part in many partner dances with attendees.

With its spring performance in the books, FASO is getting ready for its next concert, “A Soulful Summer Night,” on Saturday, Aug. 17. For more information, visit fasomusic.org.

Mikaela Bautista and Robert Schroder

Photos by Marc M. Pijuan

(Front row) Pipo Liboro, Mike Monserrat, and the Pusong UPSE alumni group

Mike Monserrat amd Pipo Liboro

Pipo Liboro, Mike Monserrat, and Robert Schroder

Donnalyn Bartolome and JM de Guzman Photo from screengrabed from YouTube/Donnalyn

community

Navigating the child custody move away process in California

Barrister’s Corner

Atty.

Kenneth UrsUA reyes

THE high cost of living in California and over regulation has made a lot of parents evaluate whether to move out of state. The most common states that people move to are Texas, Arizona, Nevada, or Florida where the cost of living is lower and taxes are less or non-existent. However, if a parent with shared custody wants to move away with the children, they must follow a specific legal process to ensure the move is in the child’s best interests. The move has to be allowed by the court through a court order because it will affect the non-moving parent’s custody/visitation rights. A parent cannot simply decide to move with the children without a court order. With the distance between the parents, the existing custody and visitation orders will no longer work out.

If a child custody order is in effect, the moving parent must notify the other parent that they intend to move, and oftentimes, they must often bring a request to modify the child custody and visitation order to court. The parent planning to move must provide written notice to the other parent at least 45 days before the intended move date. The notice should include the new address and contact information, the reason for the move, the proposed new custody and visitation arrangements.

The parents can try to reach an agreement on the move and the new custody/ visitation schedule can be tuned into a court order by signing a stipulation and order for the move away containing the new custody/visitation orders. This would be the best case scenario where the parents are working together on deciding whether the child gets to move with the other parent and what the new custody schedule is going to be.

If the parents cannot agree, the moving parent must file a Request for Order (RFO) to relocate with the court. The RFO should explain the reasons for the move and how it is in the child’s best interests. The Court will set a hearing on the

move away request. Often, the Family Court in Los Angeles would order a Parenting Plan Assessment (PPA2) in which a custody evaluator will evaluate the facts of your case and make a recommendation to the Court whether to allow the move away and what the new custody/visitation order is going to be. The parties will have a chance to examine the evaluator in court and present their own witnesses.

The legal analysis in a moveaway situation depend on the current custody arrangement. A parent with sole physical custody of a child has the presumptive right to change the child’s residence, subject to the court’s ability to prevent a relocation that would “prejudice the rights or welfare” of the child, pursuant to Family Code 7501, which states: (a) A parent entitled to the custody of a child has a right to change the residence of the child, subject to the power of the court to restrain a removal that would prejudice the rights or welfare of the child. (b) It is the intent of the Legislature to affirm the decision in In re Marriage of Burgess (1996) 13 Cal.4th 25, and to declare that ruling to be the public policy and law of this state. Moreover, under California child custody law the custodial parent does not have to show that the move is “necessary,” assuming the parent is moving in good faith. (See Marriage of Burgess (1996) 13 Cal.4th 25).

The non-custodial parent can then challenge the relocation by requesting a custody modification based on a showing of changed circumstances and detriment to the child. As discussed in Burgess, the non-custodial parent must show a substantial change in circumstances rendering it “essential or expedient for the welfare of the children” that there be a custody change. Family courts are given the widest discretion to fashion orders and make determinations under these circumstances because each case is unique and these orders determine where, and with whom, minor children will live based on the La Musga factors. The LaMusga Court provided California family judges with a roadmap for deciding whether to modify a custody order in light of a parent’s proposal to change

the residence of the child. The following is a checklist of the LaMusga factors family courts will consider:

• The child’s interest in stability and continuity in the custodial arrangement.

• A significant change in circumstances.

• The distance of the move.

• The age of the child.

• The social impact of the move on the child.

• The impact on the child’s education.

• The child’s relationship with both parents.

• The relationship between parents.

• The wishes of the child.

• The reason for the move.

• The extent to which the parents are currently sharing custody.

Move-aways are generally “all or nothing” matters, since there is very little middle ground when one parent proposes to move the child to another state and the other parent is requesting the opposite. The distance becomes a real limitation in crafting a custody arrangement that would be in the best interest of the child. This process can be complicated thus parties are best served having experienced and highly skilled legal representation.

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* Please note that this article is not legal advice and is not intended as legal advice.  The article is intended to provide only general, non-specific legal information.  This article is not intended to cover all the issues related to the topic discussed.  The specific facts that apply to your matter may make the outcome different than would be anticipated by you. This article does create any attorney client relationship between you and the Law Offices of Kenneth U. Reyes, APC.  This article is not a solicitation.

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Attorney Kenneth Ursua Reyes is a Certified Family Law Specialist. He was President of the Philippine American Bar Association. He is a member of both the Family law section and Immigration law section of the Los Angeles County Bar Association. He is a graduate of Southwestern University Law School in Los Angeles and California State University, San Bernardino School of Business Administration. He has extensive CPA experience prior to law practice. He is founder and Managing Partner of LAW OFFICES OF KENNETH REYES, APC located at 3699 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 747, Los Angeles, CA, 90010. Tel. (213) 388-1611 or e-mail kenneth@ kenreyeslaw.com or visit our website at Kenreyeslaw.com. (Advertising Supplement)

Meet Jungee Marcelo, the hitmaker of timeless Philippine songs

By Kane errol Choa Philstar.com

VETERAN songwriter

Jungee Marcelo is reinventing his classic hits with a new twist in his new album Anniverseries, which celebrates his career in the music industry. The album, produced by ABS-CBN’s Star Music, is a play on the word anniversaries, marking significant milestones of Marcelo’s popular songs, such as Gary Valenciano’s Hataw Na and Daniel Padilla’s Nasa Iyo Na Ang Lahat. Nag-usap kami nina Roxy Liquigan at Jonathan Manalo to come up with an album of my original songs, the hits and then reimagined them. I was thinking there are so many anniversaries of the songs like Hataw Na

and Sa Yaweh ang Sayaw which I wrote for Gary V now celebrating its 30th year, Nasa Iyo Na Ang Lahat is celebrating almost 15 years. With so many anniversaries happening, how do I put it into words? Naisip ko a series of anniversaries then put them together in ‘Anniverseries,’” he said.

The first single, released on May 10, features Sponge Cola’s pop-rock rendition of Kung Saan Ka Masaya, previously recorded by Yeng Constantino and Daniel Padilla. The song talks about having faith in God’s plan for one’s life.

“It’s about giving God the full control doon sa gusto mong mangyari sa buhay mo. Naisip ko this would be perfect for Sponge Cola kasi babagay yung kanta sa pop rock sound

‘Love takes time’ and other romance lessons from KimPau

By nathalie tomada Philstar.com

KIM Chiu and Paulo Avelino’s romantic moments in the Philippine adaptation of the hit South Korean series “What’s Wrong with Secretary Kim” have consistently trended online. But their next big kissing scene could break the internet.

The original version of this legendary kiss scene, where the characters of Park Min Young and Park Seo Joon take their romance to the next level, has garnered nearly 350 million views on YouTube alone. It wouldn’t be hard to imagine the anticipation of the fans of KimPau, as their tandem is called, over their upcoming take on what has been described as one of the steamiest scenes in K-drama history.

The STAR learned from KimPau that taking on the kiss scenes in the K-drama spelled challenging. In “What’s Wrong With Secretary Kim,” Kim portrays Kimberly Liwanag, the secretary of Vice Chairman Brandon Manansala played by Paulo.

“Actually, there’s huge pressure because everyone was really rooting for the scenes maybe because when they’ve watched the original and (those scenes) made a mark on them so our the production was very aware of it and also our director,” said Paulo in response to The STAR’s question.

“So, it took a considerable amount of time to shoot those scenes dahil ayaw namin mapahiya as someone who is adapting an original work for the Philippines.”

Kim cited as an example the recently-aired cabinet kiss, which was meticulously executed to the extent that three different kinds of cabinets had to be made for the scene.

As for their first kiss, Kim added, it took them “two days” to film it.

“Even our first kiss, if people have seen it, we had to go back (to it for) another day,” shared Paulo. “Just to make sure we were able to do what direk (Chad) wanted to happen in that scene.”

One thing is sure, Kim and Paulo have been getting their assignment right and further fueling support for the teamup since their first series together, “Linlang.”

Asked by this paper how they are dealing with the pressure of fans wanting them to be together in real life, Paulo said, “I get where they’re coming from, like, when you see people on screen that you want to work, I would ship them as well but ahm, hinay hinay lang (let’s take it slow).

“Kim just came from, hindi naman sa nangingialam (not that I’m meddling), but Kim just came from a relationship so hayaan muna natin mag-enjoy yung mga tao (let’s allow people to enjoy) and give them time to explore a bit more,” he said.

Kim agreed, saying: “Tama naman, i-enjoy na muna natin yung ngayon, ito. (That’s right, let’s just enjoy the present moment for now.)

“And then, kung napapasaya namin sila, very thankful din kami sa suporta na binibigay nila samin, pagpapa-trend every episode so masaya kami na napapasaya namin sila. (We’re also very grateful for the support they’re giving us, making each episode trend, so we’re happy that we’re able to make them happy.)

KimPau first knew that they had chemistry during the airing of the dark drama “Linlang,” where they played an estranged couple whose marriage broke down due to infidelity.

“Actually with ‘Linlang,’ I couldn’t imagine people shipping us because it was really dark,” recalled Paulo.

“We were always fighting and screaming at each other,” added Kim.

Continued Paulo, “There was a bit of a flashback for the sweet scenes but the whole time, we had a cat-and-dog relationship, always fighting. So I never really expected it but since ‘Linlang,’ people were shipping the teamup. And okay naman, it worked, people liked it.”

“The reason why we’re trending (is I think because of that) so I appreciate the time given (to the show). It’s not easy to like keep tweeting or like talk about someone you admire all the time on social media. So, I appreciate that time and effort that they’ve given us,” Paulo said.

In the first place, they didn’t expect their tandem will continue to click in another streaming platform — Viu.

“Actually, it’s scary when you’re doing a show for a streaming platform because it’s hard to gather people to go to the platform or maybe if it’s a paid platform, to subscribe,” said Paulo.

“And that was what I was most nervous about — it’s how to bring more people in because of the show that we’re doing. I just wanna say that it’s really hard and nervewracking because there’s no certainty that people will patronize it.”

That’s why, Kim said they’re “very thankful because consistently, it’s No. 1 on the Viu app” since its debut. “I hope until the show ends, it’s still on the same position.”

But don’t call KimPau a loveteam.

“Loveteam is very pre-pandemic,” laughed Kim.

“As our producer says, production teams in other countries don’t understand what a love team is; they always ask (what it is). I’d prefer that we’re called a tandem or onscreen partners because I don’t want the stigma attached in the Philippines when it comes to love teams.”

Kim, on the other hand, suggested that the term is no longer applicable for them who have more years, experiences and control over their careers.

Siguro parang nalipasan na siya na salita. Because we are the right age to decide on what we want to do, on what path we want to take in showbiz,” she said.

“If the project is good, if the roles are okay for us, to give us growth or to give our audience a different taste, why would we not do it? Siguro maganda lang ang kwento.

Speaking of the story, what have they learned about love — so far — from the series?

Paulo said, “Maybe one thing that they could take away with our adaptation of ‘What’s Wrong with Secretary Kim’ is it’s really a give and take. Ang hirap kasi ng may relationship sa work but it’s always give and take. Just know the boundaries of when to stop and I mean when to be romantic with each other and when not to.” Kim said, “As for me, based on the story, love takes time. You don’t look for it, you also don’t ask for it, if it comes, it comes. Hindi mo siya hahanapin. Darating lang talaga siya sa tamang panahon (It will come at the right time).”

at sakto kaibigan ko si Yael kaya nung tinawagan ko siya aba hindi pa ko tapos magsalita umoo na siya agad,” he shared.

Aside from Sponge Cola, he also teased several OPM artists such as Ben&Ben and Sunkissed Lola, who are lending their voices for Anniverseries.

“When I chose the songs that will be a part of the album, it was a combination of my preference and the artist’s preference. I want to let the artists have the freedom on how they will reimagine my songs because I know they’re brilliant and I also have a lot to learn from them,” said Jungee.

Looking back on his journey in music, he recalled the songs he wrote which completely changed his life. These are Kyla’s winning song in PhilPop 2014 Salbabida and Gary Valenciano’s timeless hit Sa Yaweh ang Sayaw.

Salbabida would be it and it even won the grand prize in PhilPop mainly because it’s a lifesaver. It reminds us that you don’t have to be something extraordinary kasi yung salbabida goma lang iyon pero naliligtas niya tayo,” the awardwinning songwriter disclosed.

“The other song is Sa Yaweh ang Sayaw because it is my life story and it represents the three things I love, music, dance, and God,” he added.

Crafting hit songs is like mining for gold — you have to keep digging until you find the golden prize. It is pretty much the same for Jungee, who continues to produce songs that can inspire listeners to rise above the hurdles of life.

“Ang greatest joy ko is a life song becoming a big hit. Becoming a big hit means more people hearing the song. Yung kasikatan, yes, it’s nice, but more people hearing the song and being inspired, iyon ang waging wagi sa akin.”

Kim couldn’t be any happier with the reception to their tandem. “Oo naman. Sino ba namang hindi kasi sa dami ng ginawa namin sana naman suportahan kami? Sobra din kaming happy,” she said.

Meanwhile, this early, there are talks of another project for KimPau. Paulo teased, “I’m not 100 percent sure because it might not push through but I know something is being cooked up. But it’s not for me to divulge it. It’s a surprise.”

Kathryn,

From Page 9

“In His Mother’s Eyes.” The Best Child Actor trophy went to Euwenn Mikaell for “Firefly,” Best Child Actress to Elia Ilano for “Ghost Tales,” Best Documentary to She Andes for “Maria,” and Best Screenplay to Enrico Santos for “Mallari.”

On the other hand, Carlo Mendoza received the Best Cinematography award for “GomBurZa,” Best Production Design for Marielle Hizon (“Mallari”), Best Editing for Benjamin Gonzales Tolentino (“Iti Mapukpukaw”), Best Musical Score for Teresa Barrozo (“GomBurZa”), and Best Sound for Immanuel Verona and Nerrika Salim (“Mallari”).

Gaspar Mangarin got the Best Visual Effects trophy for “Mallari,” Best Short Film was awarded to “Huling Sayaw ni Erlinda” by Gabby Ramos, and Best Original Song was Finggah Lickin for “Becky & Badette.”

Celebrity couple Marian Rivera and Dingdong

Dantes received the FAMAS Bida sa Takilya recognition for “Rewind.”

To honor the legendary names in the Philippine industry, FAMAS also bestowed special awards and citations.

These were the Lifetime Achievement Award for Tina Loy, Romeo Rivera, and Perla Bautista;

Fernando Poe Jr. Memorial Award for Efren Reyes Jr.; FAMAS Circle of Excellence Award for Nora Aunor; FAMAS Special Citation Award for Gloria Romero, Greg Martin, and Pilar Padilla; and FAMAS Presidential Award for Pempe Rodrigo and Gina De Venecia. Coco Martin, Sen. Lito Lapid, Sen. Bong Revilla Jr., Sen. Robin Padilla, Dante Rivero, Eddie Gutierrez, Pepito Rodriguez, and Roger Calvin were conferred with Iconic Movie Actors of Philippine Cinema recognition. Sharon Cuneta, Nova Villa, Snooky Serna, Barbara Perez, Marissa Delgado, Pilar Pilapil, and Divina Valencia, meanwhile, were honored as Iconic Movie Actresses of Philippine Cinema. Christopher de Leon and Vilma Santos-Recto were presented with the Circle of Excellence Award for their film “When I Met You In Tokyo.” Helen Gamboa was given with the Susan Roces Celebrity Award; Joaquin Domagoso with German Moreno Youth Achievement Award; Elwood Perez with Dr. Jose Perez Memorial Award; and Baby K. Jimenez with Angelo “Eloy” Padua Memorial Award for Journalism.

Piolo Pascual, Alden Richards, Kathryn Bernardo, Marian Rivera, Dingdong Dantes, and Coco Martin pose for a photo at the 72nd FAMAS Awards on Sunday, May 26. Philstar.com photo

Veteran songwriter Jungee Marcelo collaborates with fellow Original Pilipino Music (OPM) artists to reimagine his hits and give them a new twist in the new album Anniverseries, which celebrates his career in the music industry. Produced by ABS-CBN’s Star Music, the album is a play on the word anniversaries,

Kim Chiu and Paulo Avelino topbill the Philippine adaptation of the South Korean megahit ‘What’s Wrong With Secretary Kim.’ ABS-CBN photo

The sounds of summer 2024

By BaBy a. Gil Philstar.com

MANILA —For a few weeks last April, it really felt like a real summer season was upon us. It was hot, hot, hot. Unfortunately, though, the kids were still in school and sweltering under some of the hottest days ever recorded in Philippine history. So it did not really feel like it was “summer” for them.

We are now a few weeks into the month of May and along with it came the very welcome arrival of rain, alternately soft and misty or pouring in torrents. The kids have now started their “summer” vacation. It is not really summer with all the rain but since we Pinoys like to imagine that we live in temperate climes and since the school term is over, we think of wet, wet, May as “summer.”

Anyway, being on vacation, summer or not, means having fun and having fun is more fun when done with a soundtrack of today’s most popular tunes. These are mostly by Hev Abi, the young rapper from Morato St. in Quezon City with his lovelorn musings. It seems like this guy can do no wrong as far as creating hit songs is concerned. He scores a hit with almost every single he drops. Now giving Hev very stiff competition is the girl group BINI. They had been around for some years now, recorded and did gigs consistently but it is only now that they were able to top the charts. Brilliant idea, these girls’ new sound which conjures up warm “summer” nights dancing on the beach.

Here now is a list of the most played tunes

these past two months. These are the songs that will forever be remembered hereabouts as the sounds of summer, 2024.

Walang Alam by Hev Abi; Babaero by gins&melodies and Hev Abi; Salamin, Salamin by BINI; Pantropiko by BINI; Espresso by Sabrina Carpenter; Alam Mo Ba Girl by Hev Abi; we can’t be friends (wait for your love) by Ariana Grande; Makasarili, Malambing by Kristina Dawn and Hev Abi; Take All the Love by Arthur Neri; Saturn by SZA. Tadhana by UDD; Faded by Illest Morena; Lil Kasalanan Shortie by Hev Abi; Tingin by

Cup of Joe and Janine Tenoso; Marikit by Juan Caoile; Heaven Knows (That Bird Has Flown) by Orange and Lemons; Rom Com by Rob Deniel; Fortnight by Taylor Swift and Post Malone; Isa Lang by Arthur Nery; and Cruel Summer by Taylor Swift. Meanwhile kids in the U.S. of A. are now looking forward to their own summer experiences. Thoughtfully Billboard Magazine has lined up a list of tunes with which this summer would be more fun and with which it will always be remembered.

As expected the tracks deemed to be in competition to become the Song of Summer 2024 are mostly by female artists and the prolific hip-hop stars. They are the ones who are now consistently generating the big hits. Although some already are, most of these tunes still have to become big hits. They have the next two months to accomplish that and then one of them will be named, the Song of Summer 2024.

As listed these are: Training Season by Dua Lipa; Illusion, also by Dua Lipa; Fortnight by Taylor Swift and Post Malone; Lunch by Billie Eilish; we can’t be friends (wait for your love) by Ariana Grande; TEXAS HOLD ‘EM by Beyoncé; A Bar Song (Tipsy) by Shaboozey; I Had Some Help by Post Malone and Morgan Waller; Espresso by Sabrina Carpenter; Good Luck, Babe! by Chappell Roan.

Like That by Future, Metro Boomin and Kendrick Lamar; Not Like Us by Kendrick Lamar; Euphoria, also by Lamar; Meet the Grahams, again by Lamar; Push Ups by Drake; Family Matters also by Drake; Saturn by SZA; Jump by Tyla, Gunna and Skillibang; Too Sweet by Hozier; and Lose Control by Teddy Swims.

Richard Gutierrez, Barbie Imperial’s South Korea vacation goes viral

KAPAMILYA stars Richard Gutierrez and Barbie Imperial were seen together in South Korea, fueling romance rumors between the two.

Photos of Richard and Barbie were trending on social media after a certain Grace Yan posted the snaps on Facebook on Sunday, May 26. Kayo na maglagay ng captions,” Grace captioned her post. The post, however, has now been deleted.

Earlier this year, Richard and Barbie were seen having some drinks in a bar in Alabang.

Last month, Richar’s ex-wife Sarah Lahbati did not seem to care if the romance rumor between her ex-husband and

BINI had been around for some years now, recorded and did gigs consistently but it is only now that they were able to top the charts. Brilliant idea, these girls’ new sound which conjures up warm ‘summer’ nights dancing on the beach.

Photos of Richard and Barbie were trending on social media after one Grace Yan posted the snaps on Facebook on Sunday, May 26. Photos from Facebook/Grace Yan

Barbie were true. In an interview with the media after the press conference of her upcoming TV5 series “Lumuhod Ka Sa Lupa,” Sarah was asked for her reaction to photos of Richard and Barbie surfacing on the Internet. “No reaction at all,” Sarah answered. (Jan Milo Severo/ Philstar.com)

These are mostly by Hev Abi, the young rapper from Morato St. in Quezon City with his lovelorn musings. It seems like this guy can do no wrong as far as creating hit songs is concerned. Philstar.com photos