060124 - Los Angeles Weekend Edition

$68M in financial support to be distributed to qualified landlords

LOS ANGELES – As the June 4 deadline approaches, the Los Angeles County Department of Consumer and Business Affairs (DCBA) urges all qualified landlords to apply for the LA County Rent Relief Program.  Applications must be submitted before the deadline of Tuesday, June 4, 2024, at 4:59 PM PDT.

DCBA is committed to supporting applicants through every step of the application process. Technical assistance is available in multiple languages by calling (877) 849-0770 between 8:00 AM and 6:00 PM PST.

Launched by the LA County Board of Supervisors and administered by The Center by Lendistry, the program will distribute over $68 million in financial support to qualified landlords adversely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Applicants must be located in LA County, excluding the City of Los Angeles.

set to sue China over damage in WPS

that need to be attached," Clavano said during a public briefing on Thursday, May 30. "But we are confident that in a few weeks, we will complete our complaint and the attached evidence."

Clavano earlier said legal experts have provided inputs to Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla.

In September last year, Remulla said that with or without the Philippines' territorial dispute with China, they would still file the case on behalf of the Philippines and "for the sake of mankind since the destruction of the environment is a sin against

THE new KP.2 subvariant shows an amazing ability to evade immunity, and will likely spur on a summer surge of COVID-19 infections.

“This is one of the more aggressive versions of the virus that we have ever seen,” said virologist Dr. Benjamin Neuman, professor of biology at Texas A&M University. “This is at the top of the scale in terms of immune resistance, which means that it will almost certainly be able to infect people, even if they have been recently vaccinated,” he said. A recent vaccination still remains the best way to not die from COVID-19, said Neuman.

As of May 1, hospitals are no longer mandated to report COVID-19 hospitalizations.

KP.2 comes from the FLiRT family of the Omicron variant, and currently accounts for about one-third of COVID infections, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Symptoms are similar to infections from other subvariants: runny nose, sore throat, headache, fevers, cough and body aches. The CDC has dropped its

MANILA — Sen. Loren Legarda on Thursday, May 30 expressed openness to legalize divorce after signing the committee report of the Senate version of the divorce bill.

At a press briefing, the former Senate president pro tempore said she signed the committee report on the proposed “Dissolution of Marriage Act” that hurdled the Senate women, children, family relations and gender equality panel last year.

Sen. Risa Hontiveros was the main proponent of the Senate version of the divorce bill. Backers of the measure include Sens. Robin Padilla, Grace Poe, Imee

Marcos, Pia Cayetano and Raffy Tulfo. Hontiveros, Poe, Cayetano, Marcos, Tulfo and Padilla and JV Ejercito also signed the report. Poe and Cayetano said they signed the report to propose amendments during interpellation at the plenary.

Minority Leader Aquilino Pimentel III also signed the report with the intention to interpellate.

“My signature implies that I want it discussed because it might be the right time for divorce, that it could be a way to help both abused women and men,” Legarda u PAGE A2

pointed out that the Philippine government has been gathering evidence of China's destructive activities in the West Philippine Sea for many years. He said the documentation only gained momentum "in the last few months" of 2023.

The announcement of the filing of an environmental case against China came after the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) confirmed last year the report released by the Armed Forces of the Philippines Western Command about the severe damage inflicted upon u

SINGAPORE – President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Friday, May 31 said the Philippines would not yield and do “whatever it takes to protect our sovereign home” in the face of Beijing’s sweeping claims in the South China Sea, including parts of the West Philippines Sea.

Speaking at the Institute for Strategic Studies’ (IISS) Shangri-La Dialogue, Asia’s premier defense forum, the president said Manila’s claims in the South China Sea “are derived not from imagination, but from international law.”

According to him, the Philippines has defined its territory and maritime zones “in a manner befitting a responsible and law-abiding member of the international community.”

“Unlike others, we have submitted our assertions to rigorous legal scrutiny by the world’s leading jurists,” Mr. Marcos said, apparently referring to Beijing

MANILA — Vice President Sara Duterte asked the Supreme Court (SC) to dismiss the petitions assailing the constitutionality of the P125 million confidential and intelligence funds (CIF) of the Office of the Vice President (OVP) for 2022.

In a 19-page consolidated comment, Duterte said that the petitions do not present an actual case or controversy nor assert a legally enforceable right.

“The petitions are mere apprehension and speculation about contingent funds or confidential funds, which does not constitute a justiciable controversy,” Duterte’s consolidated comment read.

The comment filed by Duterte dated May 9, 2024 was filed through former Solicitor General Estelito Mendoza. The vice president's petition noted that although the SC holds

MANILA — Three brands under Jollibee Group’s portfolio have been ranked among the 30 most valuable brands in the Philippines by a leading global independent brand valuation company.

Jollibee, Mang Inasal and Chowking made it to Brand Finance’s top 30 most valuable brands in the Philippines. Jollibee ranked second with its brand value rising 51 percent to $2.3 billion.

Brand Finance said Jollibee achieved perfect scores in metrics on familiarity and recommendation, underscoring its exceptional brand recognition and consumer loyalty.

Mang Inasal and Chowking ranked 15th and 22nd in the list, respectively.

Mang Inasal’s brand value surged by 201 percent to $374 million, while Chowking’s brand value soared by 56 percent to $252 million.

“These impressive valuations

PH set to sue China over..

monitored to be "swarming" from Aug. 9 to Sept. 11, 2023. During the same period, the PCG said it launched missions to conduct extensive underwater

surveys of the seabed of Rozul Reef. The results of these surveys showed that the marine ecosystem in the area "appeared lifeless, with minimal to no signs of life." g

Vaccinations may not prevent infections from...

recommendation of isolating for five days, advising instead to stay home until the fever has passed Vaccines have not kept pace with the rapid evolution of COVID-19 variants and subvariants, said Neuman, speaking at an Ethnic Media Services news briefing May 24. The Food and Drug Administration was scheduled to last week to discuss KP.2, but has postponed its meeting until July to determine which subvariants on which to base a new vaccine, which will be rolled out in September.

Out of date test kits

The virologist said his preference is for a twice a year vaccine boost. “This would do a lot to prevent infections. However, that does not appear to be the path that they are taking right now. It appears to be a once annual vaccination, in the back to school and winter season.”

“When we know that this is a virus that occurs sporadically, and peaks at different times throughout the year, every year.

It’s essentially unpredictable.

We’re treating COVID as if it were

flu, even though it’s very much not,” stated Neuman.

Home test kits may not be as effective at diagnosing an infection, because they are developed for older subvariants. However, said Neuman, they will still work. “They are likely out of date. And so that means that they may miss some of the time. But the tests work based on detecting parts of the virus that have not been changing very much in the recent evolution. So in theory, they would still work effectively.”

Summer surge

Dr. Peter Chin-Hong, professor of Medicine and director of the immuno-compromised host infectious diseases program at the University of California, San Francisco, said he expects to see a surge of COVID infections this summer.

“As more people get infected with the new variants, it will just be easier to get in a more vulnerable state. And because of the low vaccination rate and low uptake of Paxlovid, I’m worried that we’ll get a swell in hospitalizations,” said Chin-Hong, who joined Neuman at the May

24 EMS news briefing. The U.S. has experienced four consecutive summers of COVID surges: as temperatures get warmer, people tend to gather indoors, largely without masks.

Get vaccinated Chin-Hong predicted that the surge would not cripple hospitals, as it has in previous years. He noted that the surge would come in earlier this year, based on wastewater analysis.

“We need to encourage particularly those who are vulnerable and especially if they didn’t get a vaccine last year to please go ahead and get it. And if you don’t want to get a vaccine, make sure you know how to get access to early therapy if you get Covid,” said Chin-Hong.

He encouraged people to continue wearing masks, noting that masks are useful for any illness that’s respiratory spread.

“Emerging threats will continue our lifetimes. And we have to keep our efforts laser focused on protecting all parts of our society, especially the vulnerable,” said Chin-Hong. (Sunita Sohrabji/ Ethnic Media Services)

Senate report on PH divorce bill gains support...

said “The version of the bill should also be open, acceptable, and accessible to poor families who could not afford a lawyer. Maybe it is time to address the financial and economic cost of divorce,” she added.

Ejercito said he signed the report even though he is still considering his stand. He earlier said he was leaning toward favoring divorce.

Senate President Francis Escudero earlier explained that he opposed the House version of divorce as it lacked a provision allowing the Public Attorney’s Office to take on divorce cases for indigent clients. g

Sara Duterte asks SC to dismiss pleadings...

judicial power, this does not imply it must address every question within its authority to answer.

“The policy of the courts is to avoid ruling on constitutional questions and to presume that the acts of the political departments are valid, absent a clear and unmistakable showing to the contrary. To doubt is to sustain. This presumption is based on the doctrine of separation of powers. This means that the measure had first been carefully studied by the legislative and executive departments and found to be in accord with the Constitution before it was finally enacted and

approvede,” Duterte’s comment read.

“To conclude, it is important to state that courts do not sit to adjudicate mere academic questions to satisfy scholarly interest therein, however intellectually solid the problem may be,” it added.

The controversy began after the Office of the President transferred P125 million to the OVP in 2022, which the Commission on Audit noted was spent in just 11 days.

This has been assailed by two groups in separate petition in November 2023. The first petitioners questioned the constitutionality of the P125

LA County rent relief deadline on...

The Rent Relief Program will provide up to $30,000 per rental unit to qualified landlords for pastdue rent and eligible expenses dating from April 1, 2022, to the present. The Program aims to prevent tenant evictions and ensure the continued provision of housing.

DCBA has implemented a prioritized review process for the LA County Rent Relief Program applications. Applications submitted will be systematically evaluated, with priority given

to those demonstrating the most substantial financial distress, those catering to the most vulnerable tenants, and properties located in areas of highest need, as identified by the LA County Equity Explorer Tool.

Rafael Carbajal, DCBA Director, stated, "As we near the application deadline, we urge landlords to not miss this chance for financial aid. This is your opportunity to secure the support necessary to maintain affordable housing services for tenants

throughout Los Angeles County."

Tunua Thrash-Ntuk, President & CEO of The Center by Lendistry, added, "The Rent Relief Program has played a crucial role in supporting landlords and tenants during these challenging times. We are proud of the impact we've had, ensuring that those most in need can stay housed. As this round concludes, I encourage all eligible landlords to apply and take advantage of the resources available to safeguard their properties and their tenants.”

(AJPress)

Presidential election could decide fate of extra Obamacare subsidies

WHEN Cassie Cox ended up in the emergency room in January, the Bainbridge, Georgia, resident was grateful for the Obamacare insurance policy she had recently selected for coverage in 2024.

Cox, 40, qualified for an Affordable Care Act marketplace plan with no monthly premium due to her relatively low income. And after she cut her hand severely, the 35 stitches she received in the ER led to an outof-pocket expense of about $300, she said.

“I can’t imagine what the ER visit would have cost if I was uninsured,” she said.

Cox is among 1.3 million people enrolled in health coverage this year through the ACA marketplace in Georgia, which has seen a 181% increase in enrollment since 2020.

Many people with low incomes have been drawn to plans offering $0 premiums and low out-ofpocket costs, which have become increasingly common because of the enhanced federal subsidies introduced by President Joe Biden. Southern states have seen the biggest enrollment bump of any region. Ten of the 15 states that more than doubled their marketplace numbers from 2020 to 2024 are in the South, according to a KFF policy brief. And the five states with the largest increases in enrollment — Texas, Mississippi, Georgia, Tennessee, and South Carolina, all in the South — have yet to expand Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act, driving many residents to the premium-free health plans. But with the federal incentives introduced by the Biden administration set to expire at the end of 2025, and the possibility of a second Donald Trump presidency, the South could be on track to see a significant dip in ACA enrollment, policy analysts say.

“Georgia and the Southern states generally have lower per-capita income and higher uninsured rates,” said Gideon Lukens, a senior fellow and the director of research and data analysis for the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, a nonpartisan, Washington, D.C.based research organization. If

the enhanced subsidies go away, he said, the South, especially states that haven’t expanded Medicaid, will likely feel a bigger effect than other states. “There’s no other safety net” for many people losing coverage in nonexpansion states, Lukens said.

When Cox was enrolling in Obamacare last fall, she qualified for premium tax credits that were added to two major congressional legislative packages: the American Rescue Plan Act in 2021, and the Inflation Reduction Act in 2022. Those incentives — which gave rise to many plans with no premiums and low out-ofpocket costs — have helped power this year’s record Obamacare enrollment of 21 million. The extra subsidies were added to the already existing subsidies for marketplace coverage.

The states that didn’t expand Medicaid and have high uninsured rates “got most of the free plans,” said Cynthia Cox, a KFF vice president who directs the health policy nonprofit’s program on the ACA. Zero-premium plans existed before the new subsidies, she added, but they generally came with high deductibles that potentially would lead to higher costs for consumers.

A Trump presidency could jeopardize those extra subsidies.

Brian Blase, a former Trump administration official who advised him on health care policy, said that eliminating the extra subsidies would bring the marketplace back to the ACA’s original intent.

“It’s not sustainable or wise to have fully taxpayer-subsidized coverage,” said Blase, who is now president of the Paragon Health Institute, a health policy research firm. People would still qualify for discounts, he said, but they wouldn’t be as generous.

Karoline Leavitt, a spokesperson for Trump, did not answer a reporter’s questions on the future of the enhanced subsidies under a new Trump administration.

Despite his comments at the end of last year that he is “seriously looking at alternatives” to Obamacare, Leavitt said Trump is not campaigning to terminate the Affordable Care Act.

“He is running to make health care actually affordable, in addition to bringing down inflation, cutting taxes, and reducing regulations to put more

money back in the pockets of all Americans,” she said. While views on Obamacare may be divided, the wide support for subsidies crosses political lines, according to a KFF Health Tracking Poll released in May.

About 7 in 10 voters support the extension of enhanced federal financial assistance for people who purchase ACA marketplace coverage, the poll found. That support included 90% of Democrats, 73% of independents, and 57% of Republicans surveyed.

The enhanced assistance also allowed many people with incomes higher than 400% of the poverty level, or $58,320 for an individual in 2023, to get tax credits for coverage for the first time.

Besides the financial incentives, other reasons cited for the explosion in ACA enrollment include the end of continuous Medicaid coverage protections related to the covid public health emergency. About a year ago, states started redetermining eligibility, known as the “unwinding.”

Roughly one-quarter of those who lost Medicaid coverage moved to the ACA marketplace, said Edwin Park, a research professor at the Georgetown University Center for Children and Families.

In Georgia, Republican political leaders haven’t talked much about the effect of the Biden administration’s premium incentives on enrollment increases.

Instead, Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp, among others, has touted the performance of Georgia Access, an online portal that links consumers directly to the ACA marketplace’s website or to an agent or broker. That agent link can create a more personal connection, said Bryce Rawson, a spokesperson for the state’s insurance department, which runs the portal. Employees from the agency and from consulting firms helped market the nopremium plans throughout the state, he said.

Yet Georgia Access didn’t become fully operational until last fall, during open enrollment for the marketplace. Republicans also credit a reinsurance waiver that, according to Rawson,

u PAGE A4

Ali Abulaban, dubbed ‘JinnKid’ on TikTok, is expected to be sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole

SAN DIEGO — A social-media personality who fatally shot his Filipino American wife and her friend inside the couple’s East Village apartment was convicted on Wednesday, May 29 of firstdegree murder.

Ali Abulaban, 32 – who was known in online circles as a content creator dubbed “JinnKid” on TikTok and other platforms –was found guilty by a downtown San Diego jury of the Oct. 21, 2021, slayings of Ana Abulaban, 28, and Rayburn Cardenas Barron, 29, both of whom were shot on a couch inside the Abulabans’ 35thfloor unit at the Spire San Diego apartments.

Jurors also found true a special-circumstance allegation of committing multiple murders, meaning Abulaban is expected to be sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.

Sentencing was scheduled for June 28.

With neither side disputing that Abulaban killed the victims, jurors were instead tasked with deciding whether the killings were intentional and premeditated or committed in the heat of passion.

Prosecutors allege Abulaban killed both victims because he was angered that his wife no longer wanted to remain married to him.

Deputy District Attorney Taren Brast, who described Abulaban as “jealous, controlling, and violent” throughout his relationship with his wife, told jurors that Ana Abulaban made it clear she was through with the marriage following multiple incidents of domestic violence and Abulaban’s sexual encounter with another woman.

Abulaban testified that his wife may have hurled empty threats of divorce out of anger and wasn’t clear whether they might reconcile, but Brast argued Ana’s position was obvious.

“He wouldn’t let her go,” Brast said. “She wanted to be single. She didn’t want to be married to him. She told him that over and over, but he refused to accept it.”

Abulaban’s defense attorney, Jodi Green, argued that on the day of the shooting, months of suspicions about his wife’s infidelity were confirmed upon entering his apartment and seeing Ana cuddling on the couch with Barron.

In that moment, Abulaban was “overcome with what he’s seeing,” and “in a fog,” began firing, Green said.

Abulaban, who spent nearly three full days on the stand, testified that he “snapped” and

“couldn’t take the (expletive) betrayal.” He said that the next thing he knew, “I’m shooting and I can’t stop.”

Marcos: PH won’t yield West Philippine Sea...

who has continuously refused to honor the 2016 ruling that invalidated its expansive claims in the South China Sea.

“In our solid legal footing and through our clear moral ascendancy, we find the strength to do whatever it takes to protect our sovereign home to the last square inch, to the last square millimeter,” he said.

The Philippines, he said, would never allow anyone to detach the West Philippine Sea “from the totality of the maritime domain that renders our nation whole.”

“As president, I have sworn to this solemn commitment from the very first day that I took office. I do not intend to yield. Filipinos do not yield,” he said.

He said that the Philippines and like-minded nations are not mere bystanders to unfolding world events, saying that “we are the owners of the narratives of our regional community.”

“Thus, we reject any attempt to deny our strategic agencies, especially by forces that seek to subordinate our interests to theirs,” he said.

The world, he added, “must reject unjust narratives that seek to subsume distinct national interests into so-called ‘major country’ dynamics, which seek to impose hierarchy amongst nations.”

While he did not directly

mention Beijing, the Asian superpower has received global condemnation for its growing aggression and militarization of the South China Sea, including harassing other claimant nations in the strategic waterway.

“Attempts to apply domestic laws and regulations beyond one’s territory and jurisdiction violate international law, exacerbate tensions, and undermine regional peace and security,” he said.  The region, according to him, could not afford any other future for the South China Sea other than the one envisioned by the Association of Southeast Asian Nations—“a sea of peace, stability, and prosperity.”

“Unfortunately, this vision remains for now a distant reality. Illegal, coercive, aggressive, and deceptive actions continue to violate our sovereignty, sovereign rights, and jurisdiction,” he said.

He assured the world that the Philippines is committed to addressing and managing difficult issues, particularly in the South China Sea through dialogue and diplomacy based on the 1982 Unclos and the binding 2016 Arbitral Award, which he said “provide a solid foundation for the peaceful resolution and management of disputes.”

“Our policy in the South China Sea is built upon these two touchstones,” he said.

The president admitted that China’s determining influence over the security situation and the economic evolution of this region “is permanent.“

“At the same time, the stabilizing presence of America is crucial to regional peace. It is never a choice. Both countries are important,” he said.

He pointed out that the strategic competition between the United States and China “is permeating the evolving regional landscape.”

Their rivalry, according to him, is constraining the strategic choices of regional states.

“Their contest is exacerbating flashpoints and has created new security dilemmas,” he said.

“The continued stability of this region requires China and the United States to manage their rivalry in a responsible manner,” he added.

He told the leaders and top officials that any effort to resolve maritime differences in the East China Sea and the South China Sea must be anchored on international law, particularly the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.

“We need to begin by resoundingly rejecting misguided  interpretations that paint our region as a mere theater of geopolitical rivalries,” he said. g

TikTok star found guilty of murdering...

Green argued that though

Ana stated many times that she wanted to leave her husband, her actions said otherwise. Ana would repeatedly take him back, giving him “breadcrumbs of hope,” Green said.

The defense attorney argued this behavior qualified as provocation that rose to the level of justifying a voluntary manslaughter conviction, rather than murder.

The defense’s case included a deep dive into Abulaban’s alleged mental health struggles, childhood trauma and escalating cocaine addiction, all of which the defense argued played a role in his mindset both before and during the shooting.

Green said the collective issues mounting with his marriage and his mental health left him “emotionally manipulated, psychologically impaired, and ill-

adapted for all of this.”

On the morning of the shooting, Abulaban entered the apartment while Ana was taking their daughter to school. He vandalized the unit, threw away some of his wife’s belongings, then activated an app on his iPad to listen in on what was happening inside the apartment.

Prosecutors argued Abulaban was kicked out of the apartment and accessed the unit with a secretly copied keycard, while Abulaban testified that Ana was aware he had a keycard. While staying at a nearby hotel, Abulaban heard Ana in the apartment with another man and sped over to the Spire apartments.

Brast argued Abulaban’s goal was always to kill his wife and whoever she was with. Abulaban testified that he intended to confirm that Ana was cheating on him, then was overcome with emotion upon seeing her with

Barron and fired his gun on the pair with no control over his faculties.

According to the prosecutor, multiple audio recordings of the shooting capture gunshots firing about one second after Abulaban entered the apartment. Both victims were shot in the head.

After the verdict, Brast said the families of both victims were “very relieved at the outcome. They wanted some sort of closure. Obviously, nothing will bring back Ana or Ray, but having the firstdegree murder convictions was huge for them.”

Regarding Abulaban’s testimony, the prosecutor said that when questioned by his attorney he was calm in describing his account of the events, but on crossexamination, “he showed who he really was. Someone who does not respect women and who needs to be controlling and I think that was evident to the jury.” (Inquirer.net)

Jollibee Group brands ranked among

can be attributed to our ability in developing and scaling iconic brands consistently by providing delicious products and menu innovations, effective restaurant and franchise system and compelling consumer propositions brought to life through insightful marketing and relevant promotions,”

said Jollibee Group president Ernesto Tanmantiong.

Brand Finance’s ranking refers to brand valuation, which is the future cash flow potential of the brand. Also called the brand licensor’s value, it is based on the brand’s strength and future revenue forecast in the markets where it operates.

Presidential election could decide fate of...

increased the number of health insurers offering marketplace coverage in the state, leading to more competition.

Reinsurance is likely not a major reason for a state’s increased Obamacare enrollment, said Georgetown’s Park. And a study published in Health Affairs found that Georgia’s reinsurance program had the unintended consequences of increasing the minimum cost of subsidized ACA coverage and reducing enrollment among individuals at a certain income level, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution recently reported.

The state’s insurance department said the study “does not accurately reflect the overall benefits the reinsurance program has brought to Georgia consumers.”

When asked whether the governor would support renewal of the enhanced subsidies, Garrison Douglas, Kemp’s

spokesperson, said the matter is up to Congress to decide.

Another reason for the soaring ACA enrollment is the 2023 fix to the “family glitch” that had prevented dependents of workers who were offered unaffordable family coverage by employers from getting marketplace subsidies.

States that have run their own marketplaces, though, generally have not seen the same level of enrollment increases. Those 18 states, plus the District of Columbia, have expanded Medicaid. Georgia will join the list of states running their own exchanges this fall, making it the only state to operate one that has not expanded Medicaid.

The federal Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services credits a national marketing campaign and more federal funding for navigators, the insurance counselors who provide education about marketplace

health coverage and free help with enrollment.

That level of financial support for navigators may be in jeopardy if Trump returns to the White House.

The Biden administration injected nearly $100 million in funding for navigators in the enrollment period for coverage this year. The Trump administration, on the other hand, awarded just $10 million a year for navigators from 2018 to 2020. The marketplace is usually “a transitional place” for people coming in and out of coverage, KFF’s Cox said. “That marketing and outreach is pretty essential to help people literally navigate the process.”

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.

PORT VISIT. The French Navy destroyer Bretagne docks at Pier 15 of the Manila South Harbor on Friday, May 31 for a five-day port call. Capt.

Gwenegan Le Bourhis is the commanding officer of the frigate.

PNA photo by Yancy Lim

Dateline PhiliPPines

Free annulment proposed if absolute divorce bill fails

by Delon Porcalla Philstar.com

MANILA — Annulment should be made free of charge if the absolute divorce bill faces rough sailing at the Senate, Rep. Janette Garin said on Thursday, May 30.

“Why don’t they make annulment free of charge? We’re looking at something where both parties will no longer spend money for it,” Garin said.

“Couples who are locked in a toxic relationship would rather suffer in silence, precisely because they have no money,” the House deputy majority leader pointed out.

Seven senators have now expressed opposition to divorce: Senate President Francis Escudero, former Senate president Juan Miguel Zubiri, Senate President Pro Tempore Jinggoy Estrada, Majority Leader Francis Tolentino as well as Cynthia Villar, Joel Villanueva and Ronald dela Rosa.

Sen. Risa Hontiveros was the main proponent of the Senate version of the divorce bill. Backers of the measure include Senators Robin Padilla, Grace Poe, Imee Marcos, Pia Cayetano and Raffy Tulfo.

Other senators who had issued statements against divorce were Minority Leader Aquilino Pimentel III, Senators Nancy Binay and Alan Peter Cayetano.

Senators Sonny Angara, Ramon Revilla Jr. and JV Ejercito said they were still thinking about their positions.

Senators Sherwin Gatchalian, Bong Go, Lito Lapid and Mark Villar have yet to issue their respective statements on the matter.

The House of Representatives on May 22 approved on third and final reading the absolute divorce bill, voting 131-109 with 20 abstentions.

Garin voted yes to House Bill 9349, which would allow absolute divorce as a legal remedy for irreparably broken marriages.

The bill’s transmittal to the Senate for concurrence is on hold pending questions on how votes were counted, as the House leadership had erroneously reported 126 affirmative votes, later correcting it to 131.

The Philippines, a secular state, is the last country in the world aside from the Vatican that has not legalized divorce.

Senate committee report

Sen. Loren Legarda on

Thursday expressed openness to legalize divorce after signing the committee report of the Senate version of the divorce bill.

At a press briefing, the former Senate president pro tempore said she signed the committee report on the proposed “Dissolution of Marriage Act” that hurdled the Senate women, children, family relations and gender equality panel last year.

Hontiveros, Poe, Cayetano, Marcos, Tulfo and Padilla and Ejercito also signed the report.

Poe and Cayetano said they signed the report to propose amendments during interpellation at the plenary.

Pimentel also signed the report with the intention to interpellate.

“My signature implies that I want it discussed because it might be the right time for divorce, that it could be a way to help both abused women and men,” Legarda said

“The version of the bill should also be open, acceptable, and accessible to poor families who could not afford a lawyer. Maybe it is time to address the financial and economic cost of divorce,” she added.

Ejercito said he signed the report even though he is still considering his stand. He earlier said he was leaning toward favoring divorce.

Escudero earlier explained that he opposed the House version of divorce as it lacked a provision allowing the Public Attorney’s Office to take on divorce cases for indigent clients.

Against divorce

Zubiri and Villar on Thursday reiterated their stance against divorce.

“I am a conservative lawmaker. I am the equivalent of an American Republican, who is pro-family and pro-life. I frown upon any bill that will separate our families,” Zubiri said in an ambush interview at the Senate.

“I don’t want that we would end up with Las Vegas weddings where you can get married overnight and then get separated later,” he said.

Villar said that with her happy marriage to tycoon Manny Villar, she sees no reason to legalize divorce.

“I am surprised at the House move to pass divorce,” Villar said in an ambush interview at a Department of Environment and Natural Resources event.

‘Too liberal’ The House version of divorce

US shunning FTA due to domestic politics; nothing to do with PH

MANILA

— The United States’ reluctance to pursue a free trade agreement (FTA) with the Philippines at the moment has nothing to do with the country but with the Western nation’s domestic politics, an American senator explained on Friday, May 31.

In an interview in a Makati hotel, visiting Democrat Senator Christopher Coons said there are “strong opponents in both the Republican and the Democratic Party” to any new FTA.

The Philippines is not an isolated case, he said.

“I have voted for free trade agreements in the past and I personally would favorably consider a free trade agreement between the U.S. and the Philippines as a way to really strengthen our economic partnership,” he said.

“But there are strong opponents in both the Republican Party and the Democratic Party to any new FTA in the world. Our politics generally around trade have become more protectionist. Our past president was probably the most protectionist in a hundred years and it has really changed some of the dynamics around free trade in the United States Congress,” he added.

Coons hopes the outcome of the upcoming U.S. presidential and congressional elections “will show what direction” they would follow.

“This has almost nothing to do with the Philippines. It has to do with domestic politics in the United States,” he said.

“Over 30 years, millions and millions of Americans lost their jobs in manufacturing as manufacturing businesses got packed up and get shipped off to China, and it produced very deep anger in the United States and very deep resentment against free trade and the costs and consequences,” he explained.

Coons said the only trade agreement the U.S. has been able to advance in the last six years was one that had high labor and environmental standards.

With the huge acceleration of manufacturing employment in the U.S., Coons doubts there would be an FTA signed with any country “in the next few years.”

“So, popular sentiment or per-

is “too liberal” and it needs to be “Filipinized,” Pimental said on Thursday over “Storycon” on One News.

Pimentel said he is against a bill that will legalize a “no-cause” divorce, saying grounds such as “irreconcilable differences” and “gravely abusive conduct” are too vague and prone to abuse.

“Let us fix the wording... Let’s Filipinize our remedy to specific Filipino situations. I am okay to look for a remedy (to the proposal),” he added.

“It will be a conscience vote,” he said when asked about Escudero’s position against divorce.

“I do not think that those who supported him will automatically follow (his position on divorce),” he noted.

Ejercito maintained that he would only support divorce if circumstances were extreme.

“I just want to make sure that all the safeguards will be in place to make sure that it will not be that easy,” he said.

“Although we believe in the sacredness of the sacrament of matrimony, I know a lot of people whose marriages are not successful to the extent that one is abused physically and even emotionally. I believe that nobody deserves to be miserable in life,” he added.

Ejercito agreed with Pimentel that they do not want a version of divorce similar to the United States, where petitions are easily granted. g

Quiboloy to ask SC to reconsider transfer of Davao case

by Ian laquI Inquirer.net

MANILA — The camp of fugitive doomsday

preacher Apollo Quiboloy said that they will appeal to the Supreme Court (SC) its decision to transfer the child and sexual abuse cases in Davao City to a Regional Trial Court (RTC) in Quezon City.

Israelito Torreon, one of Quiboloy’s lawyers, said that the case was decided based only on “the unfounded and unsubstantiated claims of bias in Davao City courts” which may be interpreted as “an attack on the judiciary as a whole.”

“Such claims tend to diminish the confidence of the public in our judicial system just because of locational concerns,” Torreon said in a message to the members of the press.

Quiboloy’s lawyer also said that they never heard about the ruling which violatesa due process.

“All such papers shall be submitted to the Office of the Court of Administrator for transmission to the Supreme Court. Such procedure has not been followed in this case as we did not even receive a copy of the petition itself,” Torreon said.

On May 28, the SC has granted the request of the Department of Justice to transfer the preacher’s cases from the Davao City RTC to Quezon City RTC.

The court said that it found compelling reasons to justify the transfer as the cases involve public interest with the accused being influential in the area.

Torreon also said that the transfer would be a financial burden to the accused and the other people involved.

“The financial costs, hassles and inconvenience that will ensue upon the accused, their families, followers, supporters and most especially witnesses as a result of the transfer of venue may not have been brought to the attention of the Honorable Supreme Court,” Torreon said.

“However, if they will stick to their ruling then we will, of course, abide,” he added.

On the part of the SC, its spokesperson Camille Ting said that the Office of the Court Administrator

waived certain requirements for the transfer of cases, including the necessity for comments from involved judges and parties, due to the urgent nature of the request and its relevance to public interest, according to a report of GMA News.

In a separate statement, Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla lauded the approval of Quiboloy’s case transfer.

“This is a major breakthrough in our pursuit for justice as we relentlessly delve into the truth behind all these accusations against the embattled church leader,” Remulla said.

“Witnesses, judges, our prosecutors and their families will no longer have to fear for their safety, the wheels of justice can now freely roll through this journey,” he added.

On April 3, the Davao court issued a warrant of arrest against the preacher and his associates, namely Jackielyn Roy, Cresente Canada, Paulene Canada, Ingrid Canada and Sylvia Cemañes. Aside from this, a non-bailable qualified human trafficking case is lodged before the Pasig City court against them. g

ception needs to catch up to the changes in our economy today,” he said.

Meanwhile, Coons hopes the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (MCA) that modernized Washington, D.C.'s trade pact with the two nations could serve as a model for future trade works with other nations.

The MCA, which was championed by former President Donald Trump and ratified by a strong majority in the U.S. Congress, substituted the North America Free Trade Agreement and incorporated labor rights and environmental rights "at a high level."

"My hope is that that will show the path forward for us to do some trade work with trusted partners like the Philippines who is a treaty ally of the U.S.,” Coons said.

The Department of Trade and Industry already expects that the U.S. would not engage on FTA talks during or close to its presidential election, but said the Philippines would continue aggressively pushing for the trade pact.

“Even the congressional delegations that have been visiting the Philippines, even the individual members of Congress and who have been discussing it, there is strong support for the FTA,” Trade Undersecretary Ceferino Rodolfo said in a recent meeting with Filipino journalists in New York City. “That’s why we are hopeful that as soon as maybe early next year, we will again take this up with the U.S.”

In a separate interview in San Francisco, former U.S. Undersecretary for International Trade Frank Lanvin, who also helped negotiate the Bush administration era FTA between the U.S. and Singapore, said an FTA with Washington would also put Manila up in the priority list of firms looking to expand their businesses overseas.

“I think what it does is it moves the Philippines up our priority list. If people are saying one of the top 10 markets I have to look at for expansion activity, the Philippines might not be on the list, but with the FTA, the Philippines would be up that list,” Lanvin said. (PNA)

Pastor Apollo Quiboloy Inquirer.net file photo

OpiniOn Features

Banning AI, deepfakes

IN the past months, several public figures have found themselves being used without their consent for video materials using artificial intelligence and featuring their deepfake versions. With AI being used to fake a video message featuring even President Marcos, the Commission on Elections is now eyeing a ban on AI and deepfakes during the campaign for the midterm elections next year.

People will welcome the Comelec’s plan. The question is whether it can enforce the ban. In previous elections, disinformation, misinformation, trolling and other malicious content have flooded cyberspace. The Comelec had enlisted the help of cyber security agencies, social media giants and concerned civic groups in monitoring digital platforms and going after the perpetrators. Several social media accounts were taken down for what was described as coordinated inauthentic behavior. Certain persons tagged as paid trolls were also traced and publicly identified.

Editorial

But despite the accounts taken down and trolls neutralized, the volume of disinformation, misinformation and malicious information remained overwhelming throughout the election campaigns. Since the 2022 general elections, AI technology has become even more advanced, raising concerns about its misuse and malevolent impact on the 2025 election campaign and subsequent electoral exercises.

Law enforcement agencies have cybersecurity units, but these are understaffed and need more funding and resources. Similar problems are faced by the cybersecurity team of the Department of Information and Communications Technology. The government has sought assistance from the U.S. government in enhancing cybersecurity involving critical infrastructure and services such as public utilities and the banking and financial system. The Comelec has found it difficult even to effectively monitor and regulate campaign expenditures using social media. For many voters, the disinformation and malicious information during electoral campaigns have aggravated the difficulty of making informed choices. This has undermined the democratic process. AI can further erode the free exercise of the people’s will. If the Comelec proceeds with its plan to ban the use of AI and deepfakes in the 2025 campaign, it should see to it that it has minimum credible capability to enforce the ban. (Philstar.com)

Settling issues of leadership

WHEN I read about the president distancing himself from the recent change of leadership in the Senate and admitting that he knew that something was brewing, I recalled the experience of Ferdinand E. Marcos regarding leadership in the House of Representatives in January 1970.

On Jan. 8, 1970, the president listed down the pressing matters on his plate: economic development, social reforms, counter-insurgency, limiting flights of foreign carriers, doing away with transit visas, security for tourists visiting the Philippines, including certification of taxicab companies, hydrofoil service to Corregidor, loans for mining and new export industries, etc.

Then he noted, in his diary, that both Speaker Jose B. Laurel and Senate President Gil Puyat asked

for his support accepting the fact that “There is only one elector we have to campaign for and win — and he is in Malacañang.” He met with former Speaker Cornelio Villareal in Malacañang on Jan. 9 and agreed on a Nacionalista House Members caucus on Jan. 13 when the president planned “to interview the different blocs and see who is supported by the majority … we must not allow the Nacionalista Party to split up on these rivalries. We must keep our old cohesion. So I also intend to call Senate President Pro Tempore Jose Roy, rival of [Gil] Puyat for presidency of the Senate.”

Three days before the caucus, on Jan. 10, Marcos wrote: “This is the day of many decisions. Laurel is beginning to buy votes for the Speakership. He has called a caucus on Sunday for this purpose … The groups supporting ex-Speaker Villareal for speakership have asked me to remain neutral in the speakership fight and will take this stand in the caucus next Tuesday.

“The reasons they ([Nicanor] Yñiguez who has withdrawn at my prompting, [Emilio R.] Niling Espinosa, [Jose] Joe Alberto, [Floro] Floring Crisologo) give for opposing Laurel is that Banjo Laurel, mayor of Tanauan and son of the Speaker, has been withdrawing funds from the House, signed by [Salvador] Encinas, chairman of the Committee on accounts and monopolizes all contracts of the House.”

On Monday, Jan. 12, the day after the caucus called by Laurel, Marcos noted that the Villareal bloc had obtained 67 signatures, “If I do not help Pepito Laurel, he will lose the speakership fight.”

The Malacañang caucus set for the next day was postponed in deference to the funeral of Mayor Jaime “Banjo” Laurel who perished in a helicopter crash the weekend before. The matter of House leadership was just one of his worries at this time. There were intelligence reports on a plot to assassinate him and both he and his wife had pressing health problems.

What’s Guo-ing on

MUCH heat but very little light is what observers have described the Senate hearings on Bamban Mayor Alice Leal Guo. Much has been made of the president being puzzled that the Old Boy’s Club doesn’t know her (“I know all the politicians from Tarlac, and no one knows her. We’re wondering where she came from? How did this happen? We don’t know. This should really be investigated.”); but then he is simply the latest chief executive to be presiding over a decaying political system where money is in short supply just when voters are being more mercenary than ever. She has been unable—or unwilling—to answer questions perhaps on the simple principle that investigators ought to do their homework rather than summon people to face the cameras in order to incriminate themselves. Veteran journalist John Berthelsen of Asia Sentinel connected the dots, in this case, Guo’s Senate testimony and a May 22 story in his online paper on Singapore’s biggest money laundering case: According to Berthelsen, “[T]he reason for the

mystery [of how Guo could not know so much] may lie in a raid by authorities on property that she was linked to—Hongsheng Gaming Technology Incorporated and Zun Yuan Technology Incorporated. Hongsheng was raided in February 2023 and was replaced by Zun Yuan in the same location. It was then again raided in March 2024 for charges of alleged human trafficking and serious illegal detention. In them, police found a vast online casino, called a Philippine Offshore Gambling Operator or Pogo, which catered to online gamblers in China, and rescued nearly 700 workers, including 202 Chinese nationals and 73 other foreigners who were forced to pose as online lovers …

“Two of the incorporators of Guo’s company Baofu Land Development, the compound where the Pogo firms were located, are Chinese national Zhang Ruijin, who was convicted in April for money laundering in Singapore, and Lin Baoying, who carries a Dominican passport and is also facing charges in Singapore. Guo is also listed as an incorporator in the company, along with Filipino national Rachel Joan Malonzo Carreon and Cypriot national Zhiyang Huang.

“Zhang and Lin were implicated in a moneylaundering ring broken up last August by Singapore authorities, who said it was the biggest such case in their history, seizing seized assets totaling more than S$2.8 billion (US$2 billion) including 152 properties and 62 vehicles in Singapore with a total value of more than S$1.24 billion and bank accounts containing more than S$1.45 billion. On Aug. 15, police arrested nine men and one woman, all originating from Fujian province in China, in a case that left Singapore authorities scrambling to determine how to turn off the ability of foreign nationals to push billions through the financial system without detection.”

Adds Berthelsen, “Guo denied knowing about her partners’ background, telling lawmakers [on May 22] that she had only learned about their criminal records through social media posts by a lawmaker the day before by checking them out on the internet …”

Furthermore, “Although Guo was found to have owned half of the land under the Pogo, housed in long rows of buildings just behind her office, she told lawmakers she sold the property, which according to videos on local TV contained a

At the Malacañang caucus, on Jan. 14, 1970, Marcos whipped the party members in line:

“Have told the congressmen we should keep [Jose B.] Laurel as speaker in the whole morning and afternoon caucus. All the workers for the junta were for Laurel after I told them I was.

“But the junta and I, first, had to announce for the consumption of the public that we could not intervene in purely internal matters of the House, unless the House members themselves asked us to personally intervene.

“After this, I called a conference of Cong. Ramon Durano, Nicanor Yniguez, [Mohammad] Ali Dimaporo, [Constantino] Uging Navarro, [Jose] Joe Alberto, [Emilio R.] Miling Espinosa, and [Floro] Floring Crisologo to tell them that inasmuch as they are the leaders of Ex-Speaker [Cornelio] Villareal, it was their duty to inform him of my decision and that the most ideal situation would be for Villareal to withdraw. Then I asked Villareal and Laurel to come into the conference room and notified

each in turn of my efforts to prevent an open fight.

“A committee of six, three from Laurel’s side (Majority Floor Leader [Marcelino] Veloso, Asst. Floor Leader [Rogaciano] Mercado and [James] Chiongbian) then three on Villareal’s side ([Nicanor] Yniguez, [Jose] Alberto and Ali Dimaporo) was organized to prepare amendments to the rules of the House.”

A week later after another meeting in Malacañang, Villareal and Laurel reached an understanding that allowed Laurel to remain speaker. At 11:55 p.m. of Jan. 20, 1970, Marcos wrote: “Settled the speakership problem this morning by calling Ex-Speaker [Cornelio] Villareal, then Speaker [Jose B.] Laurel to Maharlika [Hall]. Villareal graciously withdrew but his supporters swear that if Laurel does not remain loyal to me, they will topple him. Met the congressmen who all wanted releases and appointments.”

Marcos also settled leadership of the Senate following a four-

hour caucus of Nacionalista senators at Bahay Pangarap on Jan. 22, 1970: “I have been able to settle the Senate presidency at 3:30 p.m. [Gil] Puyat remains and [Jose] Roy becomes executive vice president of the Nacionalista Party as well as president pro tempore. [Arturo] Tolentino remains as majority floor leader.”

In principle, the executive and the legislative branches of government are separate and coequal, but in reality party politics and personal relations lie under the radar. Ferdinand Marcos’ daily jottings were an account of his days and nights, what was the present for him has become history for us, something to draw and learn from. (Inquirer. net)

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

* * * Comments are welcome at aocampo@ ateneo.edu

grocery, warehouse, swimming pool, and even a wine cellar. As with the property, Guo says she sold her helicopter and Ford Expedition registered under her name long ago. She told lawmakers that she was ‘not a coddler, not a protector of Pogos.’”

For years now I’ve been suggesting that the political interests and thus, activities, of the People’s Republic of China should not be confused with the political and social clout of Pogos who exist in defiance of the Chinese

* * * 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: mlquezon3@gmail.com; Twitter: @mlq3

government. The Pogos are, arguably, stronger: Beijing’s requests verging on orders, to Manila, for a crackdown on Pogos never resulted in anything more than cosmetic “busy-busihan” as money talks and Pogos have lavished funds on our upper, middle, and political classes; and since all politics is local, the easygoing spending of Pogos makes them more valuable than presidential patronage or foreign affairs. Investigations so far have been racist in their lazy assumptions and breezy unwillingness to take into account the messy state of the documentation of many Filipinos, the different subgroups among Chinese Filipinos, and differences between Pogos’ and Beijing’s efforts to influence officialdom. (Inquirer.net)

Manuel l. Quezon III The Long View

ManilaTimes.net

Looking Back

Bamban Mayor Alice Guo

Inquirer.net photo

PH reaffirms peacekeeping role ahead of UNSC polls

MANILA — The Philippines has reaffirmed its interest to boost its role in the United Nations peacekeeping efforts, ramping up its campaign for a non-permanent member seat at the UN Security Council (UNSC).

During the Commemoration of the 76th International Day of UN Peacekeepers in Mandaluyong City on Wednesday, May 29, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said Manila’s participation in the UN peacekeeping operations has been a “hallmark of the country’s contribution to the maintenance of global peace and defense of the international rules-based order.”

Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo, in a speech read by DFA Undersecretary Charles Jose, said the Philippines is crafting and is close to finalizing a five-year roadmap on enhancing this role.

“This roadmap will streamline and enhance Philippine efforts in UN peacekeeping to better convey our country’s role as a partner, pathfinder, and peacebuilder, especially as we bid to become a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council for the term 20272028,” he said. Elections for the UNSC 2027-

2028 term will take place in June 2026 in New York.

The Philippines was previously elected as a nonpermanent member of the UNSC in 1957, 1963, 1980-1981, and 2004-2005.

It has been 61 years since the Philippines joined the UN peacekeeping operations and has so far deployed over 14,000 Filipino Blue Helmets.

Police Maj. Sancho Celedio of the Philippine National Police UN Peacekeeping Operations Center said a total of 23 peacekeepers are now in South Sudan.

“And we hope to be increasing deployment within this year,” he said in an interview. “We are expecting Haiti to be requesting deployment anytime soon.”

“We have a long storied history in peacekeeping. We have fallen heroes who perished in mission areas so we’re quite known to be really there when we’re needed most. And there’s a clamor for us to come back. What we want right now is to let them know we are here, we’re ready, we want to help,” he said.

Women in peacekeeping

The DFA, meanwhile, highlighted its commitment to promoting women inclusivity in peace and security

agenda, noting how women peacekeepers can impact the resolution of conflicts.

Police Col. Pamela Helaga, one of the women peacekeepers the PNP deployed to Sudan in 2009, emphasized the need for women participation in peacekeeping missions.

“The mission of the UN is to show the community that there is no need for war. Doon ko nakita 'yong character ng babae, which is soft, para siyang nagiging model or mukha ng peace kapag pumagitna na (That's where I saw the character of a woman, which is soft, so they serve as a model or face of peace)," she said.

Helaga served as liaison officer at the UN mission in Sudan together with her husband, who was also deployed at that time.

As a mother, she said it was a tough decision to leave her fouryear-old son and one-year-old daughter back then, but it was nevertheless a call she had to make not only for her duty but for the future of her children.

“Dinala natin sa mundo sila, so let us protect ‘yong mundo nilang haharapin kapag lumaki sila (We brought them into this world, so let's protect their world where they will grow up in),” she said. (PNA)

House prods senators on economic cha-cha

by Reina Leanne ToLenTino ManilaTimes.net

TOP leaders at the House of Representatives said a recent survey could convince the Senate's leadership to approve the proposed amendments to economic provisions of the Constitution.

In a May 21 to 25 Tangere survey, 57 percent of the respondents backed the proposed amendments. The figure was two percentage points higher than the previous month's poll.

House Senior Deputy Speaker Aurelio "Dong" Gonzales Jr., Deputy Speaker David "Jayjay" Suarez, and Majority Leader Manuel Jose "Mannix" Dalipe said the survey's results "should prompt the new Senate leadership to pass the amendment proposals ASAP."

"I think the Senate should listen to the people's voice," Gonzales said.

The House has approved on third and final reading Resolution of Both Houses (RBH) 7, a resolution for economic charter change (cha-cha).

A similar resolution, RBH 6, is pending at the Senate.

RBH 6 was filed in January by then-Senate president Juan Miguel Zubiri, and Senators Juan Edgardo Angara and Loren Legarda.

Gonzales said RBH 6 "is now in limbo in the wake of the recent Senate shakeup."

"We don't know what will happen to RBH No. 6, since that resolution is authored by Senators Zubiri, Angara and Legarda, who has also resigned her Senate post," he said.

After Zubiri's ouster as Senate president, Angara quit as chairman of the Senate subcommittee on RBH 6, and Legarda as Senate president pro tempore.

Dalipe said the Senate could pass RBH 6 shortly after the third, and last, regular session of the 19th Congress convenes in July.

"But senators have to realize that the window of opportunity for them to approve economic charter reforms is fast closing," he said.

Dalipe said that lawmakers and the public would be on election mode once certificates of candidacy for the 2025 elections are filed in October.

"We won't be able to

accomplish much after that. That's the reality of this situation," he said. Both resolutions cover Article XII (Section 11), Article XIV (paragraph 2 of Section 4), and Article XVI (paragraph 2 of Section 11) of the Constitution.

LOS ANGELES COUNTY METROPOLITAN TRANSPORTATION

AUTHORITY (LACMTA) REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL

LACMTA will receive Proposals for AE52227Construction Management, Inspection, and Support Services for the I-710 ICMat the 9th Floor Receptionist Desk, Vendor/Contract Management Department, One Gateway Plaza, Los Angeles, CA 90012. All Proposals must be submitted to LACMTA and be filed at the reception desk, 9th floor, V/CM Department, on or before 10:00 a.m. Pacific Time on Tuesday, June 25, 2024. Proposals received after the above date and time may be rejected and returned unopened. Each proposal must be sealed and marked Proposal No. AE52227. For a copy of the Proposal/Bid specification visit our Solicitation Page on our Vendor Portal at https://business.metro.net or for further information email Shannon Thoene at thoenes@ metro.net.

6/1/24

CNS-3818482# ASIAN JOURNAL (L.A.)

They seek to add the words "unless otherwise provided by law" to these provisions. Both also seek to add the word "basic" before the words "educational institutions" in the first sentence of paragraph 2, Section 4 of Article XIV. g

LOS ANGELES COUNTY METROPOLITAN TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY (LACMTA) REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS

LACMTA will receive Proposals for RFP No. OP122774 - Division 18 50kW Mobile DC Chargersat the 9th Floor Receptionist Desk, Vendor/Contract Management Department, One Gateway Plaza, Los Angeles, CA 90012. All Proposals must be submitted to LACMTA, and be filed at the reception desk, 9th floor, V/CM Department, on or before June 25, 2024 at 10:00am (PST). Proposals received after the above date and time may be rejected and returned unopened. Each Proposal must be sealed and marked RFP No. OP122774. For a copy of the Proposal specification visit our Solicitation Page on our Vendor Portal at https:// business.metro.net or for further information email Antonio Monreal at monrealan@metro.net.

6/1/24 CNS-3818775# ASIAN JOURNAL (L.A.)

Former Senate President Miguel Zubiri ManilaTimes.net file photo

HONORING PEACEKEEPERS. United Nations peacekeepers from the Philippine National Police, Philippine Army and Philippine Air Force suit up during the commemoration of the 76th International Day of United Nations Peacekeepers at SM Megamall in Mandaluyong City on Wednesday, May 29. ManilaTimes.net photo by Ismael De Juan

Asian Journal WKND

Atty. Gurfinkel answers more immigration questions on an encore episode of Citizen Pinoy

LEADING U.S. Immigration Attorney

Michael J. Gurfinkel had already featured these individuals as “success stories” in earlier episodes of Citizen Pinoy. However, they all had their own immigration questions that they wanted to ask Atty. Gurfinkel.

So, for a special Your Tanong, My Sagot – we are bringing these Success Story subjects back one more time with their own immigration

concerns. Ayie is a U.S. citizen. She is also a computer engineer and an entrepreneur. She wants to know if she can bring her sister to the U.S. through an employment-based petition, to work for her business. She is also asking if she can bring her mother over as a tourist, and then process her mother’s papers in the U.S.

Anne Curtis, Maxene Magalona say yes to divorce law

By Jessica ann evangelista Inquirer.net

ACTRESSES Anne Curtis and Maxene Magalona have both made known their position on the proposal to legalize divorce in the Philippines, following

the House of Representative’s recent approval of the bill on final reading, and the current discussion of the matter in the Senate. Curtis, who is married to Filipino-French restauranteur Erwan Heussaff, candidly shared

her view on social media that it’s high time for the Philippines to pass the divorce law. On X, she shared an INQUIRER.net post reporting on the informal survey among senators on their vote on the proposed legislation, as taken by Senate Pro Tempore Jinggoy Estrada. Among those who voted “no” were, Estrada, Senate President Francis Escudero, and Sens. Francis Tolentino, Joel Villanueva, and Ronald dela Rosa. Meanwhile, Sens. Grace Poe, Risa Hontiveros, Imee Marcos, and Pia Cayetano voted “yes” to the legalization of divorce in the country. Robin Padilla was the lone male senator who voted in favor of the bill, based on Estrada’s count. Puro lalake ung nag no [laughing emoji],” Curtis said. Last May 23, Curtis made a

‘StarStruck’ batch 1 members reunite

by Jessica ann evangelista Inquirer.net

STARSTRUCK” batch 1 members had a mini reunion that brought nostalgia to their fans, as they are set to play in the game show “Family Feud.” On Instagram, Mark Herras posted some snaps from the

episode taping. With him were alumni Alvin Aragon, Rainier Castillo, Anton Dela Paz, Jade Lopez, Cristine Reyes, Katrina Halili and Nadine Samonte. Herras wrote in his caption, “Batch 1 gaming!” Based on the photos, the boys and girls will compete against each other. In the comments section, fans

expressed their sentimental remarks about seeing the members of the first season of the reality talent competition.

“Wow, the original dreamers, believers, and survivors,” wrote one netizen. Nasa crib palang

pinapanood

Anne Curtis and Maxene Magalona Photos from Instagram/@annecurtissmith, @maxenemagalona

Debbie Torres mesmerizes at Vibrato Grill Jazz with All-Star Band

WORLD renowned jazz

pianist Debbie Torres delivered an unforgettable performance at Vibrato Grill Jazz, captivating the audience with her extraordinary talent and vibrant energy.

Joined by the All-Star Band, the evening was a celebration of musical brilliance and artistic synergy.

The ensemble featured Sekou Bunch on bass and musical director, whose rhythmic prowess laid a solid foundation throughout the evening. Legendary percussionist Luis Conte added his signature touch of intricate rhythms and textures, seamlessly blending with Torres’ piano melodies.

Keith McKelley on saxophone brought soulful and evocative solos that resonated deeply with the audience. Ash Jangda on guitar showcased virtuosic skill, while Laval Belle on drums provided dynamic and driving beats that kept the energy high.

Vocalists Lina Loi and Cristi Black delivered stunning performances, their voices harmonizing beautifully and adding an extra layer of richness to the night’s music. Each musician brought their unique flair, contributing to a powerful collective experience.

Highlights of the evening included Torres’ original composition “Lovely Aurora,” dedicated to her mother who inspired her to become a musician. Torres’ passion in performance showcased her exceptional skill and deep understanding of jazz traditions. The band also delighted the crowd with innovative arrangements of jazz standards, blending familiarity with fresh, creative interpretations.

The sold-out event at Vibrato Grill Jazz proved to be a night to remember, filled with exhilarating performances and spontaneous moments of musical magic. Attendees were treated to a showcase of

some of the finest talents in the jazz world, each artist shining in their own right while also contributing to a cohesive and harmonious ensemble.

Chie Filomeno keeps things ‘low-key’ with Jake Cuenca

By Kathleen a llemit Philstar.com

IT was last year that Chie Filomeno confirmed that she is dating fellow actor Jake Cuenca, and so far, she said they are happy.

“We’re really happy. We’re really happy and, ano, keeping things low-key,” she said.

The actress shared what she feels about her relatively new relationship with the actor and how she appreciates him for respecting her wishes and her goals as an actress herself.

“ Siyempre , we know naman na he’s already Jake Cuenca, but to think na parang nire-respeto niya ‘yung gusto kong mangyari, ‘yung time.

Siyempre, I just don’t want to be Jake Cuenca’s someone or significant other so... He’s very respectful sa aspect na ‘yun so I’m very happy,” she added.

She said it was a decision to keep their relationship private, away from the limelight that they are living in as public figures in a time when most are very open about their relationships on social media.

“It’s not a secret e . I’m just keeping it private.

Para hindi na maraming tao ang magme-meddle din ,” the actress said. g

Anne Curtis, Maxene Magalona...

separate post on X agreeing with the statement of a lawmaker, Albay Rep. Edcel Lagman, that the divorce law would not destroy marriages.

The Philippines is the only country in the world, aside from the city-state of the Vatican, to still not have divorce, owing to its strong Catholic roots, which prohibits divorce, despite efforts from progressive groups that are pushing for such legislation.

Toxic marriages But Magalona insisted that the country “deserve(s) divorce,” as she shared a quote card on toxic love, saying she is sharing her sentiments as a way to show her support to fellow Filipinos, especially those trapped in abusive relationships because of the lack of divorce in the country.

The 37-year-old actress, who confirmed her separation from her husband, Rob Mananquil, in 2022 after four years of marriage, claimed that marriages don’t always guarantee a successful outcome as people change over the course of the relationship.

“When people get married, they do it by taking a risk. We don’t get married with a guarantee that the relationship will truly work. We just pray that it will. Almost everyone shows their best selves before marriage, and after they get married, their true colors start to show,” she explained.

Magalona asserted that while it is true that “marriage is a sacred union,” it does not always mean that it would not turn into a “toxic and traumatic relationship.”

The concert received rave reviews from attendees and critics alike, cementing Debbie Torres and the All-Star Band’s reputation as some of the leading lights in contemporary jazz.

For more information about Debbie Torres and upcoming performances, please contact amintuhpro@yahoo.com. g

“Performing with such an incredible group of musicians at a venue like Vibrato Grill Jazz was truly an honor,” said Debbie Torres after the show. “The energy from the audience and the chemistry on stage made this a night I will never forget.”

Elisse Joson shares why it is important to take a day off

By Kathleen a llemit Philstar.com

ACTRESS Elisse Joson has found a way to take care of not just her outer beauty, but more importantly, her inner beauty and well-being.

For the actress, it is important that she gets to process whatever she goes through and its corresponding feelings.

“ Hindi niyo lang siguro napapansin outside pero siyempre... Hindi niyo nakikita ‘yung walang-wala talaga, ‘yung lows. Nakikita lang natin ‘yung celebratory highs of life,” the actress said to reporters last week in the event that launched her as the new face of New Moon, a new brand of glutathione.

“ Mas mahirap mag- maintain ng inner wellness kesa ‘yung beauty,” she added.

The actress was asked if it was difficult to maintain beauty, being a personality whose job involves looking presentable and pretty on camera.

Elisse said that apart from the physical beauty, it is important to take care of one’s wellbeing, especially when faced with challenges.

Actress Elisse Joson Photo from Instagram/@elissejosonn

“I just make sure I take a day off. Hindi ko ipipilit ‘yung sarili ko na may gawin isang araw. ‘Pag may problema, binibigyan ko ang sarili ko ng time to process it and embrace it. Kung

anuman man ‘yun kahit hindi maganda. ‘Yung feeling lang na ‘yun. The next day, I’ll feel a little better and parang mas may drive ako to go through the day,” she said. Elisse agreed when a reporter noted how a person’s wellbeing can affect the people around them.

“Actually, totoo ‘yan. Kaya sinasabi ko to take a day off or little time off kasi lahat naaapektuhan . It’s like a domino effect. If you’re going through something internally, lalabas at lalabas ‘yan at maaapektuhan ang daily activities mo. That’s why I say its important to take a few moments na ramdamin and mag-isip ng solusyon ,” she said.

The former “Pinoy Big Brother” housemate also revealed that she has mellowed down over the years, especially since she has become a mother herself. She is mother to her and McCoy de Leon’s threeyear-old daughter Felize.

“ Siguro after kong maging nanay, nabawasan ‘yung walang kwentang toyo... ‘Yung mga sinasabing gano’n, there’s actually a reason for it. Pero the way I manage it, hindi na kagaya dati ,” she ended. g

“I am writing this to show my support and empathy for all of the Filipinos who feel trapped in toxic marriages and can’t find a way out— especially the ones who are experiencing abuse on a daily basis. Being forced to stay in a relationship that diminishes your self-worth will make you think less and less of yourself until you don’t know yourself anymore,” she said.

“I can’t believe we are the only nation in the entire world that forbids divorce. In my humble opinion, divorce helps protect the sanctity of marriage by allowing toxic marriages to dissolve and keeping the sacred ones intact. I sincerely pray for peace and progress for our nation. We deserve divorce,” the actress concluded.

“Because most humans have not done their individual work of healing their pain from their childhood, they get married with unprocessed wounds and end up projecting those wounds onto each other. The marriage that is supposed to be a sacred union turns into a toxic and traumatic bond,” remarked the actress. The Kapamilya actress is now rumored to be dating director and DJ Geoff Gonzalez.

On May 22, the House approved the final reading of the Absolute Divorce Act, or House Bill 9349, after it received 131 affirmative votes, 109 negative votes, and 20 abstentions.

As of May 29, the divorce bill is facing “delayed transmittal to the Senate,” despite getting approved on the third and final reading. g

idol,” said one fan. “Halaaa! I feel old, hahah [crying emoji],” expressed another fan.

In a previous interview, Herras said that “he’s proud and happy” with the careers that his batchmates had built since they finished their stint in “StarStruck,” despite him being “unhappy” with how his own career turned out.

The actor-dancer also expressed his gratitude to “StarStruck” for opening the doors for him in show biz.

“Dun po talaga nagsimula lahat ng kung ano ‘yung meron ako ngayon, kung ano ‘yung status ng karera ko ngayon,” he said at the time. Talagang sila po ‘yung naging opportunity ko, sila ‘yung naging daan para mabuksan ‘yung [opportunities] sa show biz, so

malaki ang

ko,” added the actor.

Aside from the aforementioned, other members of batch 1 include Yasmien Kurdi,

“StarStruck”

g

Atty. Gurfinkel answers

recruiting nurses. She wants to know if Atty. Gurfinkel can help her with that.

Dr. Feb is a green card holder (through her U.S. citizen spouse) and wants to know if she can now petition her mother.

Jonas, head cook at Gerry’s Grill Houston, recently obtained his green card. He wants to know how he can bring all his children to the U.S. and if he can also bring his live-in partner, who is the mother of his children.

Atty. Gurfinkel answers these questions in this special edition of “Your Tanong, My Sagot” – One More Time in Houston, Texas. Watch this encore episode of Citizen Pinoy on Sunday, June 2 at 6:30 PM PT (9:30 PM ET through select Cable/Satellite providers), right after TV Patrol Linggo. Citizen Pinoy is also available on iWantTFC. Viewers may download the free app. (Advertising Supplement)

Ayie (left) and Lani (right)

Dr. Feb (left) and Jonas (right)

talagang

pasasalamat

Dion Ignacio, Sheena Halili, Tyron Perez and Christian Esteban.

season 1 ended with 71 episodes on Feb. 1, 2004, with Herras and Jennylyn Mercado named as the big winners, aka the Ultimate Survivors.

‘StarStruck’ batch 1 members (from left) Mark Herras, Alvin Aragon, Rainier Castillo, Anton Dela Paz, Jade Lopez, Cristine Reyes, Katrina Halili and Nadine Samonte Photo from Instagram/@herrasmarkangeloofficial

Chie Filomeno

Photo from Instagram/@chiefilomeno

In a Milestone US tour:  Erik Santos live on June 23 only at Pechanga Resort Casino

Show features special guest Stell Ajero

RISING to stardom after winning the reality talent competition ‘Star in a Million’ in 2003, Erik Santos, a true-to-life singing sensation, will perform live at the Pechanga Theater on June 23 at 7:30 p.m. Along with Santos, special guest performer Stell Ajero renders his musical prowess in the same venue. Pechanga Resort Casino, conveniently located off Highway I-15 in Temecula Valley, identified as Southern California wine county, is well-known for hosting only the best and the brightest Filipino entertainers and performers aimed to provide the ultimate experience especially to its Filipino-American patrons. Santos, a gold and multiplatinum record-selling artist, has been commonly tagged as the “King of Pinoy Teleserye Theme Songs.” His debut album, “This is the Moment,” released in 2004 went 3x platinum. Erik’s other platinum albums include “I’ll Never Go,” “Loving You Now,” “Your Love” and “The Jim Brickman Songbook.”

His best-selling albums, soldout concerts and demand for performances in corporate shows, as well as accolades from Awit Awards, Star Awards, numerous endorsements and even movie appearances, has earned him great popularity with Philippine and international audiences.

Bagging prestigious awards and other recognition has allowed Erik Santos into successfully bagging local and international performances and invitations.

Stell Ajero, Santos’ special guest performer, meanwhile, is a singer, model/ actor — he earned the ‘most liked video’ in TikTok, and for good reason, he even owns a Japanese blog that is famous in YouTube with his videos having millions of followers.

Ajero is known for his wide vocal range, and is known as the vocalist, dancer and choreographer of the boy band SB19. “The Voice” dubbed Ajero as among the most promising Filipino artists of his generation. He was also a judge in the show “The Voice Generations” in

2023, along with artists Julie San Jose, Billy Crawford and Chito Miranda. Don’t miss this live entertaining concert! Get your tickets

Kiko Estrada pays homage to late grandfather Paquito Diaz

By Nathalie tomada Philstar.com

AS Kiko Estrada plays his biggest role yet in the ongoing TV5-Viva drama “Lumuhod Ka

Sa Lupa,” he couldn’t help but acknowledge the influence of his late grandfather, the famous kontrabida Paquito Diaz, on his acting journey.

Paquito died in 2011 at the age of 73 but a decade before that, he suffered a stroke. He passed on before Kiko started acting but somehow, the veteran movie star, once hailed as the Philippine movie industry’s

“King of Kontrabidas,” helped shape the acting path of his grandson.

“(His death) was a long time ago but it was really tough for us. I wasn’t in showbiz then. Before he died, he told me, ‘Ikaw papalit sa akin.’ But I was like, who’s gonna replace a legend, right?” Kiko told The STAR in an exclusive chat.

“I don’t know if he saw that potential in me. Maybe? Maybe it was God telling him to say this to me? Because it was after his stroke, he was half of himself already when he was talking to me. It stuck in my mind.

“I can still remember his face, before and after the stroke, it’s two different people. There was one guy I grew up with and there was this guy that I don’t want to know, too, because I don’t want to see that (to see him like that). When I close my eyes, I want to remember Paquito Diaz.

“Everybody is saying he was a villain, yeah he was a villain (onscreen) but in my life, he’s

the lead, he’s the bida (hero) of my life.”

Nevertheless, those words stuck with him until he decided to enter showbiz.

“So maybe he just told me to try this out, try this act out and I fell in love with acting.”

He further shared his favorite memories of his Lolo Paquito.

“The only thing I can remember with Lolo Paquito was, he was so different from what you see onscreen. He was tender. Yeah he was macho, he was tough, he was like, you know, this hard (character) but he was actually soft, sweet. He was a sweet guy.

He continued, “He hated it if you’d do any activity and you were wearing slippers. So he’d make you wear shoes.

“When he woke up, naglilinis

Kiko Estrada recalls his favorite memories with late grandfather Paquito Diaz. Photo above shows the actor as a baby with his lolo. Photo from Instagram/@kikoestradaofficial

siya ng mga gamit sa bahay.

(He was) very organized as a person. He would clean his car, pagkatapos sa labas ng side ng street namin, siya ay nagwawalis para malinis on the street. He loved working out, he was a love boat.”

Some two to three years ago, Kiko got himself a tattoo dedicated to the memory of his grandfather.

“I have a tattoo on me, it’s a butterfly and it’s him… ‘Cause I recently found out and ‘cause I thought that we were well-off ever since we were kids, I didn’t know… I found out Lolo Paquito, you know, he had to grow up under the bridge in Mexico, Pampanga, not well-off and he had to fight. But I never knew.

“He had to fight his way to become (who he was) and that’s why I thought of a butterfly. From a caterpillar turning to a butterfly.”

Asked if there was any memorable character or movie of his Lolo Paquito, he cited, “‘Asiong Salonga’ where he played the villain, he played ‘Nardong Toothpick. But if I’m gonna make it, I think I will be Asiong hahaha!”

Kiko also shared what he learned about acting from his grandfather. “Lolo Paquito had this one thing that he told my mother and then she told me: Acting is about bringing the audience along for the ride. You have to reach a climactic point in a scene. So it’s not a monotone thing. Before you scream or get mad in tone, you have to be light … then it goes up and up and up.

“Of course, there are scenes that the director wants (things to be steady). But yeah, that’s the acting thing that I learned — bringing the audiences to the journey and making them feel something. If I cry right now and there’s tears already, I’m not gonna bring you there. But if I don’t and then eventually my eyes bawl, (they can say) I felt that. So, it’s about being in the moment. Not really memorizing your lines but being open.”

Just because of his acting pedigree, it doesn’t mean Kiko had it “easier” pursuing a showbiz career.

“How do you say that when the pressure is immense, hahaha!

(There’s constant pressure to be like) hey, better be good! Before I acted, I did a year of workshops. I did the basic, advanced and masterclass of Star Magic workshops. I worked hard,” Kiko told this paper.

“People think na just because… that’s why I was saying I hate entitled people and I might be accused of that when I was a kid. But I believe I worked for what I have right now. It was not easy, it was not given.” g

Vanessa Hudgens takes the crown in ‘The Masked Singer’ season finale

The Fil-Am

star performs Elton John’s classic hit

‘Don’t Let the Sun Go Down on Me’

By haNs CarboNilla Inquirer.net

FILIPINO American singer and actress Vanessa Hudgens has claimed victory in the 11th season of “The Masked Singer,” exuberantly stating, “What a time it was.”

The season finale aired on May 22 and showcased the “High School Musical” star’s rendition of Elton John’s classic hit “Don’t Let the Sun Go Down on Me,” revealing that she was the “Goldfish” all along.

On the final night, Goldfish won over the runner-up, Gumball, who was later revealed to be actor Scott Porter, best known for his role as Jason Street in the NBC television drama “Friday Night Lights.”

The finale featured Porter singing “Latch” by Disclosure ft. Sam Smith and “Renegade” by Styx, while Hudgens performed “Heart of Glass” by Blondie before her winning performance of the Elton John hit.

For the uninitiated, “The Masked Singer” is a reality singing competition where celebrities perform in costumes and masks that conceal their identities. Each episode features performances accompanied by cryptic clue packages about the

singers’ identities. A panel of celebrity judges and the studio audience vote on their favorite performances, with the least popular performer being eliminated and unmasked at the end of the episode. This process continues until the final episode, where the last remaining masked singer is crowned the winner.

The judges, Rita Ora, Ken Jeong, Jenny McCarthyWahlberg and Robin Thicke, were often left guessing. However, Ora and McCarthyWahlberg correctly identified Hudgens as Goldfish.

The show’s Instagram page celebrated with a playful nod to Hudgens’ “High School

Musical” days, posting: “T as in Troy? No, T as in THE winner of #TheMaskedSinger!” Speaking with Entertainment Tonight exclusively after her victory, Hudgens expressed her gratitude and excitement for what’s ahead, including the arrival of her first child later this year. Recently, she graced Instagram with a series of photos showcasing her pregnancy glow during Mother’s Day. The Fil-Am star and her husband, professional baseball player Cole Tucker, are eagerly awaiting the arrival of their first child, having tied the knot in December of last year. g

Dominic Roque files cyber libel case vs Cristy Fermin

By KathleeN a llemit Philstar.com

MANILA — Actor Dominic Roque is suing showbiz columnist and host Cristy Fermin with cyber libel for the “malicious statements and innuendos” the latter said on her online show.

GMA News reporter Nelson Canlas posted photos of the actor filing the case against Fermin on his Instagram on Friday, May 31.  “Nagsampa ng cyber libel case ang

Dominic Roque laban kay Cristy Fermin sa Office of the City Prosecutor ng Pasig City. Ang ilang malicious statements and innuendos na sinabi ni Fermin sa kanyang YouTube channel na ‘Showbiz Now Na’ ang naging basehan ng aktor para magsampa ng kaso,” wrote Canlas on Instagram.

Earlier this month, Dominic’s ex-fiancee, actress Bea Alonzo, also filed cyber libel cases against Fermin, and another showbiz columnist and host Ogie Diaz.

Did Kobe Paras just confirm his romance with Kyline Alcantara?

By aNNe Pasajol Inquirer.net

KOBE Paras shared on his Instagram page a photo of Kyline Alcantara along with a white heart emoji, seemingly confirming the dating rumors hounding them. Paras, through his Instagram Stories on Thursday, May 30, reshared Alcantara’s Instagram post in which she can be seen covering almost half of her face with her hand while laughing. In the actress’ same post, the basketball player left a hearteyes emoji via the comments section, which left fans surprised and gushing. Alcantara, however, did not immediately respond to what appears to be Paras’ expression of admiration. Both of them have yet to confirm outright their rumored dating status as well, as of this writing.

Such romance speculations recently arose after eagle-eyed netizens noticed that the pair respectively shared photos taken at a Makati restaurant on the same day.

Alcantara was previously linked to actor-TV host Mavy Legaspi, whom she unfollowed

on Instagram around the same time she shared similar photos with Paras. Meanwhile, Paras, the son of actor-comedian Benjie Paras and actress Jacki Forster, was previously in a relationship with Erika, the eldest daughter of actress Ina Raymundo. g

Kobe Paras and Kyline Alcantara Photos from Instagram/@_kokoparas, @itskylinealcantara

Kiko Estrada

‘He’s the hero of my life’: ‘Lumuhod Ka Sa Lupa’ star

Photo from vanessahudgens/Instagram

Last May 10, celebrity couple Sharon Cuneta and former Sen. Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan also filed a cyber libel case against Fermin.  g

Actor Dominique Roque files cyber libel case against showbiz columnist and host Cristy Fermin in the Office of the City Prosecutor of Pasig City as seen on the Instagram post of GMA News reporter Nelson Canlas on May 31, 2024. Photo from Instagram/@nelsoncanlas

Five benefits of establishing a revocable living trust

Barrister’s Corner

Atty.

THERE is never the perfect time to think about who you would like to inherit from your estate in case you pass away or at least who among your closest friends (BFFs) and family members are even deserving of inheriting from your estate. In doing so, you should also think about which vehicle you plan to use in implementing your estate plan. One of the best vehicle in implementing your estate plan is a revocable living trust. Five major benefits of establishing a revocable living trust are:

1. Your estate can avoid the time, cost, and hassle of going through the probate court process.

If you pass away without a will (intestate) in California, one of your close family would have to file a petition in probate court to probate your estate. Your estate will be divided and distributed according to the California probate code rules of intestate succession. Even if you have a will when you pass away, your family would still need to file a petition in probate court if your estate is worth over $184,500 and go through the probate process. This can become a circus if certain beneficiaries contest the validity of the Will or the distribution of the estate. Your estate will pay for attorney’s fees, probate referee fees, appraisers and other experts, CPA fees, etc. If people contest the case, your estate would end up paying legal fees to defend the estate in litigation. The entire process can take anywhere from 9 months to years depending on the contentiousness of the probate case.

With a revocable living trust, your trustee or successor trustee if you were the initial trustee, would administer the trust and distribute the estate according to the trust document without having to open a probate court case. If the trust is funded with

all your assets, it is possible to administer and distribute the trust assets without any Court involvement at all. This process is a lot faster than going through probate.

2. Your estate is not public record

When you file a probate case, the public has access to your probate case file. The public will know the assets of the estate including the values of those assets. If the Will is admitted into probate, the terms of the Will is open to public scrutiny.

Establishing a revocable living trust makes your estate affairs private. Strangers do not have access to the terms of your living trust. Only certain beneficiaries and possible heirs can request a copy of the revocable living trust after you pass away.

3. You can dictate who will inherit from your estate.

If you pass away without a Will, your estate will be divided and distributed in Probate Court following the rules of intestate succession in the California probate code. Certain relatives will be entitled to a share of your estate even if you feel they are not deserving. By establishing a revocable living trust, you can designate who you want to inherit from your estate. You can designate what and how much each one will received from your estate after you pass away. The assets distributed to each beneficiaries does not have to be equal. The people you designate as beneficiaries of your living trust does not even have to be close family members. You can designate anyone as a beneficiary, with certain exceptions, of your estate.

4. You can structure your estate to minimize estate taxes

If your estate is valued above the estate tax exemption, establishing a trust can allow you to divide up your estate into smaller sub trusts to minimize the overall estate tax effect on your estate. It allows you to set up a vehicle for certain charitable giving which carries tax advantage and asset protection.

5. You can choose who will

administer your estate after your death

When you establish a revocable trust, you can appoint someone else as trustee or you can appoint a successor trustee if you are the initial trustee. The trustee will be administering (managing) the trust after you pass away without a need to open a probate court case. This allows for continuity in operating the trust and the efficient and cost effective distribution of estate assets. If you are concerned about whether you can trust any family members as your trustee, you can appoint an institution as a professional trustee to carry out the terms of the declaration of trust. These type of trustee services are often offered by banks, financial institutions, wealth management firms, and business management firms for a reasonable fee. This minimizes conflicts within the family and prevents negligence and wrong doing by inexperienced family members.

* * *

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. * * *

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)

On the solemnity of the body and blood of Christ

Pastor’s Notes

reverend rodel G. BAlAGtAs

AS we come together this Sunday, June 2 to commemorate the Solemnity of the Body and Blood of Christ, we affirm our unwavering belief in the true presence of Christ in the Eucharist, distinguishing us from other Christian faith traditions and religions. The bread and wine, once part of the Eucharistic celebration, undergo a profound transformation known as “transubstantiation,” changing their very essence from ordinary elements to the sacred body and blood of Christ. This sacramental reality stands as a testament to Christ’s deep love for the Church, assuring us of His constant

presence with us, most notably during the Eucharistic liturgy and in the Tabernacle. In response, we are called not only to receive Holy Communion with reverence but also to dedicate moments of quiet adoration before the Blessed Sacrament, practices that strengthen, heal, and spiritually transform us. Through such devotion, we demonstrate our commitment to the First Commandment and our ultimate purpose on Earth: to love God with all our being. Furthermore, in alignment with our vision as the Body of Christ, embracing the Eucharist involves more than just partaking in the sacrament – it entails embodying and exemplifying Christ’s love, mercy, and compassion to all, reflecting the truth that we become what we receive. Through the reception of Jesus in the Eucharist, our actions of kindness and goodness towards others become a tangible expression of loyalty and

devotion to Him. As we reflect on the Eucharistic Revival, it beckons us to move beyond a superficial understanding of the Eucharist toward recognizing its transformative power in fostering harmonious human relations and creating a world founded on principles of justice and peace. Hence, as we engage in the Holy Eucharist celebration and Eucharistic procession this Sunday, let us remain mindful of our shared vision: Joyful, welcoming, and deeply rooted in faith, as the Body of Christ, we journey towards eternal life with God. Amen.

The opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by the author do not necessarily reflect the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints of the Asian

its management, editorial board and staff.

By Kristofer Purnell Philstar.com

P-POP group SB19 and Filipino-American rapper Apl. de.ap joined forces to release the new club anthem “Ready.” The release comes on the

heels of SB19’s latest single, “Moonlight,” with Ian Asher and Terry Zhong, while Apl just recently collaborated with Sandara Park on “2 Proud.” Apl penned “Ready” with Jean-Baptiste, Vince Nantes and Denzel, while long-time Black

and

ready for the night, I’m ready. I’ve been waiting for this

Journal,

Fr. Rodel “Odey” Balagtas is the pastor of

Eyed Peas collaborator Keith Harris produced the song by blending pop music influences with electronic music elements, dance music

Afrobeats. “Get

Composite image of SB19 and Apl.de.Ap

Philstar.com photos

Richard Gutierrez, Barbie Imperial ‘exclusively dating’ — Ogie Diaz source

By Kristofer Purnell Philstar.com

ACTORS Richard Gutierrez and Barbie Imperial are exclusively dating, according to the source of talent manager and showbiz reporter Ogie Diaz.

Relationship rumors between the two were recently fueled after photos, perceived to be them, surfaced while in South Korea.

In a recent video on his Ogie Diaz Showbiz Update YouTube channel, Ogie confirmed via a “very reliable source” that Richard and Barbie are indeed exclusively dating.

The source also said that there was no overlap in Richard’s relationship as he had already separated from his ex Sarah Lahbati before seeing Barbie.

Ogie said that Richard and Sarah broke up last year and they are co-parenting their two sons, Kai and Zion.

The talent manger’s source added that they feel bad for Barbie because people are claiming she is a homewrecker and the reason for Richard and Sarah’s split.

“Barbie had nothing to do with the hiwalayan issue,” Ogie quoted his source, also mentioning Richard is still friends with all his exes, including Anne Curtis and Georgina Wilson (both of whom are already married).

The latter point was to prove that Richard does not hit women, a rumor being thrown around since news of his breakup with Sarah went public.

Si Richard, ‘pag may mahal, hindi na nagmamahal ng iba. Alam ‘yan ng mga ex-girlfriend niya,” Ogie’s source told him. “Kaya nu’ng time nila ni Sarah, may nabalitaan ka bang may No. 2 si Richard? Wala! Hindi porket ‘di nagsasalita si Richard ay siya ang may kasalanan sa hiwalayan.”

The source added Richard was not speaking out against Sarah because it is not in his nature to fight with women, especially the mother of his children.

Ogie then asked his source if Richard and Barbie would go public about their relationship, and the source said “in due time.”

Earlier this year, the two actors were seen having some drinks in an Alabang bar, and it sparked the romance rumors.

At that time, Ogie reported there was nothing romantic between Richard and Barbie, an information he also obtained from a reliable source. Meanwhile, in an event last month, Sarah did not seem to care if the rumors between Richard and Barbie were true. g

Former Mayonnaise lead guitar player Philip Manikan takes his multi-layered experiences to new heights in the US

MULTI-talented musician and sound engineer Philip Manikan elevates his craft as musician and sound engineer to another level through his countless experiences. According to Philip, “There are a lot of opportunities available in the U.S. especially when it comes to multimedia production. There is a great demand for multimedia and postproduction expertise, mostly for individuals or companies that utilize social media platforms to promote their products and services. With the technology that the U.S. has for various equipment and gear, creating is endless and keeps me inspired to improve my craft.”

Currently part of rock band Therewolf where he plays lead guitar, Philip sets his sights on delving deeper into music productions and sound engineering. In five years, he sees himself establishing a studio dedicated to recording and production for all audiorelated projects including podcasts, films and music production in five years. He adds, “This studio will also offer music lessons and band rehearsal spaces. In 10 years, I envision having a team that specializes in multimedia arts production and live sound reinforcement services. In 20 years, I hope to manage a larger team while still performing on the side. In 30 years, I plan to mentor the next generation and pass on the knowledge and experience I’ve gained.”

Having worked on podcasts since 2008, Philip sees a need to support content creators in delivering high-quality products for their ideas. He aspires to help create a series of shows for those interested in starting their own. Additionally, he is keen on working on various audio projects, from music production to sound design. Adding to the multitude

of expertise that Philip has, he has been teaching music production and guitar lessons to kids and teens, and has also been working as a freelance audio engineer for podcasts and documentaries. His recent projects include podcasts from Brokerage UP and PerchPeek where he edits their audio to ensure excellent quality for listeners. He also has clients such as Xpertise Medical Staffing that uses his services to edit audio for their various social media marketing materials. Furthermore, he just finished working as a sound designer and as a sound engineer for a documentary film under Papaya Film Productions called “Life of a Fighter,” which will be shown on Al Jazeera Network.

On what Philip still wants to achieve as a music engineer, Philip attests that music evolves daily, and that he strives to stay

ahead of the market by utilizing available technologies that inspire the next generation. He aims to create music that blends the rawness of sound from the past with modern technological advancements.

One of the things Philip loves most about music is how it makes him feel. He affirms, “Music needs to evoke a strong emotional response, like an unforgettable moment in life. The emotional impact of music is what makes it memorable and significant. I would like to keep making music that even after listening to it decades from now, it’ll make me proud and stay grounded because it’s music that spoke to my soul.”

Philip’s journey as a performing artist and as a music engineer have led him to be attentive to details. He admits, “I have become meticulous when it comes to producing

audio files. I have also learned to be resourceful — one may not always possess the newest technology or gear, but he may still use his creativity and authenticity to produce something extraordinary.”

“I also learned perseverance and adaptability. These skills have been crucial in performing and achieving good outcomes even with limited resources. They have helped me create with what I have and use creativity to make something out of it, which has been essential in adjusting to various situations in the U.S., and performing at the highest level.”

Looking back at his journey and stepping foot on U.S. soil for the first time, Philip recalls, “Back in 2016, I just wanted to explore opportunities that could be available for me in the U.S. I wanted to know more about American culture, how things work here and understand people’s mindsets. I learned that life here is a far cry from the life I was used to in Manila, but there was so much I’d like to learn here.”

After a few years, Philip went back to Manila only to find himself immersed in the thought that there was so much more waiting for him in the U.S. “I came back knowing that I have to learn to adapt to many things. The opportunities here are abundant, but competition is tight, especially for someone like me who’s starting from the bottom with no connections to get my foot in the door. However, I believe in my capacity as an artist and I like challenges. I knew it was going to be difficult, but I kept going; I can make something out of myself here.”

Philip considers the role of a father similar to being a musician. “Both roles require a certain level of creativity. I have to constantly think of ways to entertain my daughter, and come up with different ways to educate her. Just like mastering an instrument or certain software for audio engineering, being a dad requires patience and perseverance. Most importantly, I use music to make connections with listeners the same way I use it to connect

Photos courtesy of Mic Diaz

Richard Gutierrez and Barbie Imperial Philstar.com photos

Moira Dela Torre is 1st Filipino soloist to hit 2 billion Spotify streams

SINGER Moira Dela Torre reached a new milestone after becoming the first solo artist and Filipina singer to reach two billion streams on Spotify. The achievement further cements Moira’s as the moststreamed soloist on Spotify, and is only behind folk-pop band Ben&Ben for Filipino artists overall.

Moira shared the data on her social media accounts as she thanked all her fans, “Thank you.

TWO BILLION TIMES THANK YOU.”

Among those who congratulated her were Ogie Alcasid, KC Concepcion, Marjorie Barretto, Jhong Hilario, Kiana Valenciano, Maricel LaxaPangilinan, and Ben&Ben’s Andrew de Pano.

The artist is currently in the middle of the United States leg of her 2024 world tour and will soon hit cities in Canada.

For the past six years, Moira

was the most streamed female artist locally on Spotify — averaging 3.5 million monthly listeners — and was even nominated at the 2023 MTV Europe Music Awards. She is best known for her songs “Tagpuan,” “Malaya,” “Patawad,” “Hanggang sa Huli,” “Paubaya,” “Patawad, Paalam” with I BelongTo The Zoo, Paalam” and “Pasalubong” with Ben&Ben, and “Ikaw at Sila.” (by Kristofer Purnell/Philstar.com)

Cita Astals reunites with ‘Home Along Da Riles’ co-stars

By Jan Milo Severo Philstar.com

VETERAN actress Cita Astals

had an emotional reunion with her co-stars on the ‘90s sitcom

“Home Along Da Riles.” Cast member Claudine Barretto shared a reel on her Instagram account showing their emotional reunion.

“Welcome back, Cita Astals!” Claudine captioned the post.

“The family was lost for a while, but now it’s back,” she added.

In the video, Maybelyn dela Cruz said everyone was looking for Cita.

Lahat sila nagtatanong where’s Tita Cita. Finally noong nakita ko ‘yung reaction nu’ng mga kapatid ko sa ‘Home,’ sila

Tita Nova, nandon pa rin ‘yung closeness, nandoon pa rin ‘yung warmth ng bawat isa,” she said.

“Noong niyakap namin siya, parang kahit na walang salita na lumalabas, naiintindihan namin. Naiintindihan namin siya,” Smokey Manaloto said. Ito na o, paunti-unti, pa kumpleto na kami,” Claudine added.

“The family was lost for a while, but now it’s back,” Gio Alvarez shared.

Cita played Hillary Lagdameo, the boss of Kevin Cosme, played by the late Dolphy. Claudine, Gio and Smokey played the Cosme children, while Maybelyn and Nova played the mother and daughter duo of Maybe and Azon Madamba, respectively. They lived next door to the Cosmes.

“Home Along Da Riles” aired from 1992 to 2003 in ABSCBN.g

SB19, Apl.de.ap...

night for so long,” goes the song’s chorus.

SB19’s Pablo contributed to the production with fellow Radkids member Josue by adding final touches and subtle sonic elements.

“We never got the chance to record together in a single booth, but Apl.de.ap was such a great guy to work with,” said another SB19 member Justin. “It’s an honor to collaborate with a global superstar of his caliber. We’ve learned so much from his generosity and creative feedback.”

Stell added how different it was working on the track for SB19, appreciating the opportunity to work with the fellow talented Filipino artist.

“With Apl.de.ap at the helm of the creative process, we’re just blessed to take on this assignment. It’s not every day that you get to work with an artist you look up to,” Stell said. SB19 and Apl.de.ap teased their collaboration at the former’s Pagtatag” finale concert held last May 18 in the Araneta Coliseum. g

Former Mayonnaise lead...

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with my daughter. I play music a lot at home and it’s been one of the many ways I connect with her emotions and uplift her mood.”

Philip reflects on his desires for a life for himself and his family in the U.S.: “The U.S. offers abundant opportunities and a chance to learn something new every day from the people you meet. I enjoy working and staying busy and hope to continue working into my 90s. I want my family and I to have a comfortable life with the time to pursue our passions. While

I am not materialistic, I value collecting experiences with the important people in my life.”

The performing musician in Philip, along with his band Therewolf, has been slowly getting back in the music scene with performances all over SoCal and a mini tour coming up soon.

* * *

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

* * * micdiazpresents@gmail.com

Nation’s girl group BINI teases North American tour

was recently featured in ‘Teen Vogue’

By HanS Carbonilla Inquirer.net

THE nation’s girl group, BINI, had already visited the United States for a series of shows in the past and virtual media interviews in 2021. This year, the octet is set to stage their own North American tour. On May 30, at exactly 12 p.m. (PST), their music label, Star Music, dropped a video teaser with the text, “North America, the nation’s girl group beckons! It’s Bloom season,” alongside the logo of the said tour in the U.S. and Canada. More information about the series of events is yet to be announced. Star Music further wrote in the caption, “The Nation’s Girl group is ready to take flight! First stop: NORTH AMERICA! Stay tuned.” Their fanbase, Blooms, is quick to spread the exciting news. As of writing, the teaser on X (formerly Twitter) has 30k views and is reaching thousands of retweets and likes, with other users declaring, “BINI world domination!” and “BINI Sikat !”

Recently, Aiah, Colet, Maloi, Gwen, Stacey, Mikha, Jhoanna and Sheena were featured in the U.S.-based lifestyle publication “Teen Vogue” and were named one of the “12 Girl Groups to Watch in 2024.” The publication further describes the group from ABS-CBN as the girl group “poised to have a killer 2024” and will “completely take over your playlists.”

The Rolling Stone-featured P-Pop group is currently setting their pace with the highest monthly Spotify listenership of 5.9 million. They are also the first P-Pop girl group to surpass the one-million mark on Spotify.

Their ascent comes hot on the heels of the release of their extended play (EP) titled “ Talaarawan ,” with their key track “ Salamin, Salamin ” (44.3 million streams) and the summer anthem “Pantropiko” (62 million streams), which had the Philippines in a choke-hold. They also made an appearance on EXO Lay Zhang’s Chinese idol reality show, “Show It All.” On June 28, 29 and 30, BINI will be having their first-ever sold-out concerts at the New Frontier Theater. g

Moira Dela Torre

Photo from Instagram/@moiradelatorre

Cita Astals

Philstar.com photo

Photo from biniph/X

BINI