060724- San Diego Edition

COMPTON — To tackle the widespread food crisis in the Southland, Los Angeles County has unveiled a new $9.6 million grant program that will help fund foodbased community organizations dedicated to providing affordable, healthy food to struggling families. The program is funded through the federally mandated American Rescue Plan Act, which has allocated nearly $2 billion for post-pandemic economic struggles across the county. At a press conference held by the county on Thursday, May 30, dozens of organizations across LA County came together at Alma Backyard Farms in Compton to celebrate the launch of the program. LA County launches new grant program to

The $10 million grant program will fund 46 local organizations fighting food inequity

PCGNY announces exciting lineup of events

CONSUL General Senen T. Mangalile hosted a luncheon for members of the Filipino-American Press Club during the quarterly Media Hour, where he announced a series of upcoming events for June and July. The luncheon was attended by key figures including Tourism Attaché Francisco M. Lardizabal, Vice Consul Cathe Ryne Denice S. Aguilar, and Atty. Alejandra Clemente of Rajah Tours Philippines.

To commemorate Philippine Independence Day in June, the Consulate has organized several events. On June 4, Tuesday, a celebration took place in Albany in partnership with New York State Assemblymember Steven Raga.

ConGen Mangalile also announced that on June 12, iconic landmarks in

United States congratulates Philippines for

by Pia Lee-Brago Philstar.com

the sidelines of the 21st International Institute for Strategic Studies Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore on Saturday, June 1 to update each other on the progress made by both countries since the recent SQUAD meeting in Hawaii.

The “SQUAD” is the quadrilateral alliance among the U.S., Japan, Australia and the Philippines, which had a series of meetings in Hawaii with Austin last month. The four countries held marine

MANILA — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that he took a short and sudden trip to the Philippines — despite the war being waged in his homeland — because it was important to inform President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. about the situation in Ukraine.

Zelensky explained in an interview with Radio Television Malacañang (RTVM) on Monday, June 3, shortly after he met with Marcos, that he asked the president to participate in the Global Peace Summit in Switzerland this June 15, where Russia’s invasion of Ukraine will be discussed.

Pogo probe: Guo, 2 other Bamban execs suspended

by DeMPsey reyes Frances Mangosing Inquirer.net

MANILA — Mayor Alice Guo of Bamban, Tarlac, under fire over her alleged ties to an alleged illegal Philippine offshore gaming operator (Pogo) in her town and questions surrounding her citizenship, has been placed under a six-month preventive suspension without pay by the Office of the Ombudsman. Ombudsman Samuel Martires signed a nine-page order dated May 31 suspending Guo as well as business permit and licensing officer Edwin Ocampo and municipal legal officer Adenn Sigua following the administrative complaint filed by the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG).

The complaint, filed by DILG Undersecretary Juan Victor Llamas on May 24, accused Guo and other local officials

LAMENT. Mayor Alice Guo of Bamban, Tarlac, who has been suspended by the Ombudsman, laments that she has already been judged before she is given the opportunity to be heard. Photo by Marianne Bermudez of Bamban of grave misconduct, serious dishonesty, gross neglect of duty and conduct prejudicial to the best interest of the service.

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According to Zelensky, the voices of Southeast Asian countries, including the Philippines, are very important.

“[I went here] directly, to invite him to participate [in] this summit, that there will be three very important issues on 15th of June in Switzerland. The first one will be food security. I think it’s also very important in our bilateral relation between us and the Philippines — nuclear security that’s important for all the world, I think too,” Zelensky said.

“It was very important directly to invite

by sheiLa crisostoMo Philstar.com

MANILA — Former President Rodrigo Duterte authorized the transfer of P47.6 billion to the Procurement Service of the Department of Budget and Management (PS-DBM) for the purchase of COVID-19 protective equipment, former Health Secretary Francisco Duque III said during Monday’s (June 3) hearing of the House committee on appropriations. Duque also told the committee, which is looking into the budgetary performance of the Department of Health (DOH), that the fund transfer was necessary and aboveboard.

“In his (Duterte) public pronouncements,

military drills in April. Austin opened the discussion by congratulating President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. for laying out the Philippines’ position on the SCS. Teodoro responded by expressing his “appreciation to the U.S. for supporting Marcos’ thesis which underscores the rights of small states.”

China Coast Guard seizes PH supplies for Ayungin

by Frances Mangosing Inquirer.net

Inquirer source made the allegations hours after Chinese state media claimed that personnel on the Sierra Madre “pointed guns” at the CCG on the u

DOH, PGH raise warning vs vape, cite 1st PH death

by Dexter caBaLza Inquirer.net

DOCTORS and health advocates are calling on parents and the government to save the youth from the dangers of electronic cigarettes as more and more young people have been found using vaping products.

As the country took part in the observance of World No Tobacco Day on Friday, May 31, the Department of Health (DOH) and medical community warned that vaping not only causes lung injury to a healthy young person but also heart attack.

In a case documented by Dr. Margarita Isabel Fernandez and other doctors of the Philippine General Hospital (PGH) in Manila and published in the Respirology Case Reports journal of the Asian Pacific Society of Respirology in April, a 22-year-old Filipino male with no prior health issues suffered a fatal heart attack, following a severe lung injury possibly attributed to his daily vape use.

According to the researchers, the patient had no history of cigarette smoking and was neither an alcohol drinker nor a user of any illegal drugs. He had also not been infected with COVID-19.

But the 22-year-old admitted he had been a daily vape user for two years.

The patient was admitted to the emergency room of a hospital sometime in 2023 with severe chest pain, difficulty breathing, and experienced a heart attack caused by blockages in his two major arteries.

The patient also developed a severe lung condition known as e-cigarette or vaping-useassociated lung injury (Evali). Further examination by doctors showed severe pneumonia-like symptoms in the lungs, but no infections were detected.

Doctors performed an emergency procedure to open the blocked heart artery, but despite their efforts, the patient’s condition worsened. He eventually developed respiratory failure, requiring mechanical ventilation, and passed away three days after hospital admission.

The case was the first in the country that linked vape use to the development of both acute lung injury and heart attack, the researchers noted. This was also the first documented case of an Evali-related death in the Philippines.

Doctors have documented seven Evali cases in the

China Coast Guard seizes...

same day, May 19. In a social media post on Sunday, June 2 China Central Television said at least two men were seen carrying guns on deck, pointing them in the direction of the CCG.

An accompanying 29-second video appeared to show a masked man momentarily holding up a blurred black object that resembled a rifle.

The Philippine Navy, Philippine Coast Guard and National Security Council, as well as the country’s embassy in Beijing, did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

The Inquirer source said the CCG deployed four rubber boats during the May 19 paradrop operation of a Philippine Navy aircraft to the Sierra Madre.

The Chinese grabbed some of the provisions, mostly food, and scattered them into the water, making sure they couldn’t be consumed. But some of them took supplies for themselves, the source said.

On the same day, two CCG ships and four rubber boats also harassed a medical evacuation operation meant to provide medical assistance to soldiers who got sick, the source said.

One of the CCG ships directly blasted its water cannon at the outboard motor toward one of the Philippine rubber boats, he added.

The engine guard of the Philippine boat was also damaged after a Chinese rubber boat rammed its rear. A nonmilitary

source with knowledge of the operations confirmed the Chinese harassment but his version slightly differed from the first source, saying the Chinese boats had tried to block the “transfer of personnel” between the Philippine Navy boats and a small Philippine Coast Guard watercraft.

Ayungin is a low-tide elevation that lies within the Philippines’ 370-kilometer exclusive economic zone, some 194 km off Palawan province.

The Sierra Madre hosts a small contingent of Filipino troops, requiring regular rotation and resupply missions that have been on the receiving end of Chinese harassment. The last publicly known resupply mission was in March when a Filipino supply vessel was damaged with water cannons fired by the Chinese, causing injuries.

In 2016, an arbitral tribunal in The Hague, the Netherlands, said China’s sweeping claims to most of the South China Sea had no legal basis.

‘A certain country’

During the Shangri-La Dialogue, Asia’s top defense summit, held in Singapore on Friday, May 31, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. made a thinly veiled reference to Beijing, denouncing what he called illegal, coercive and aggressive actions in the South China Sea, which were undermining Southeast Asian countries’ vision for “peace, stability and prosperity” in the sea.

Speaking at the Singapore summit, Chinese Defense

Minister Dong Jun said Beijing was committed to safeguarding its sovereignty and territorial integrity, saying this was “a sacred mission of the Chinese military.”

“The South China Sea has seen overall stability. However, a certain country, emboldened by outside powers, has broken bilateral agreements and its own promises, made provocations and created false scenarios to mislead the public,” Dong said, without naming the Philippines.

“We are very much concerned that such behaviors of pretending to uphold fairness and justice, and blackmailing others under the guise of international law will severely damage international rule of law,” Dong said.

Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr., during his bilateral meeting with New Zealand

Defense Minister Judith Anne Collins on the sidelines of the summit, said: “The Philippines is not the one causing the problem over there.”

In Teodoro’s earlier meeting with his American counterpart, Lloyd Austin III, on Saturday, June 1, the latter said Filipinos had been facing “dangerous” harassment in the West Philippine Sea.

“And we all share an interest in ensuring that the South China Sea remains open and free,” Austin said.

“We are beyond friends and allies, we are family. What affects you affects us,” Austin told Teodoro. —with a report from Nestor Corrales in Singapore n

United States congratulates...

Duterte authorized P47.6

the transfer was done because of a public health emergency,” Duque noted, upon the questioning of ACT Teachers party-list Rep. France Castro.

The former DOH chief cited Executive Orders 385 and 285, a Letter of Instruction, Administrative Order 17 of 2011 and Section 53 of the procurement law as among the basis for the transfer.

Duque said they deemed it best to rely on the expertise of the PS-DBM and its network of suppliers in sourcing the supplies to combat the pandemic.

“Our overriding consideration was to prevent, if not mitigate, the risk of our health care workers waiting for local suppliers whom we knew had no capacity, initially, to supply large volumes of PPEs (personal protective equipment) and other COVID-19 supplies needed,” Duque explained.

He stressed that the DOH could not neglect the lives of health care workers who were at the forefront in the battle against SARS-CoV-2.

Iloilo Rep. Janette Garin, a former DOH secretary herself, expressed dissatisfaction over Duque’s replies.

“Don’t take us for a ride. The question is so simple. Just say yes, or (give) the name of the person or the committee (who decided to make the transfer of funds), or if it was you who authorized (the transfer). Did you unilaterally give an instruction to do this (transfer)?” Garin said.

Duque answered that his decision was based on the recommendation of the Inter-Agency Task Force and the National Task Force against COVID-19.

Garin also raised concerns over the government’s handling of COVID-19 loans, pointing to the burden it created on the taxpayers and the lack of

The presence of the China Coast Guard (CCG) persists despite the effort of the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) to block them and assist the four main vessels of the second civilian resupply mission of the Atin Ito Coalition to the Bajo de Masinloc or Panatag Shoal in the West Philippine Sea on May 16, 2024. Philstar.com

Former President Rodrigo Duterte Malacañang file photo

PCGNY announces exciting lineup of...

New York and Philadelphia will be illuminated to mark Philippine Independence Day.

On June 17, a flag-raising ceremony at Bowling Green, in collaboration with the New York City Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs, will honor the economic contributions of Filipinos in New York City.

An economic diplomacy forum focused on Filipino leadership in artificial intelligence will be held on June 24, and the celebrations will culminate with the inaugural Pistahang Bayan at New Jersey City University on June 30.

In July, the Consulate will host the 25th edition of “Paaralan sa Konsulado,” an annual summer workshop for Filipino and Filipino-American

children, held every Saturday at the Philippine Center. Additionally, the 2024 Very Important Pinoy (VIP) Tour will take place from July 21 to 30, featuring new destinations in Northern Mindanao, including Bukidnon, Cagayan de Oro, and Iligan. Registration for the tour is ongoing. Atty. Alejandra “Dading” Clemente expressed enthusiasm for the new destinations featured in the VIP Tour, said, “We are excited to present these new destinations to our participants and provide them with an unforgettable experience with support from the local governments of the destinations.”

“I have personally visited the sites a few times and we are proud to bring this tour to

Northern Mindanao for the first time,” Clemente added. Tourism Attaché Francisco M. Lardizabal shared positive developments regarding Philippine tourism, including the U.S. State Department’s downgrading of travel advisories in four areas of Mindanao. “We are pleased to announce this significant development, which reflects the improved security situation in these beautiful destinations,” said Lardizabal. “The Department of Tourism (DOT) is committed to dispersing tourism arrivals and focusing on creative tourism development that will offer more experiential and innovative opportunities, especially for the younger generation.” n

DOH, PGH raise warning vs vape, cite...

country since 2019.

“This should not have happened. In just a short period of time, they were able to find lungs similar to that of a heavy smoker who is already 50 or 60 years old and above. We usually see this case with people with severe heart problems and already have comorbidities,” said internist-pulmonologist Dr. Imelda Mateo in an online forum organized by the Philippine College of Physicians this week.

“We can see here the real danger of vape use in just two years. In a span of three days, we have observed irreversible damage to the patient’s heart and lungs,” she said during the forum.

Grim reminder

For the DOH, the case was a grim warning that e-cigarettes and vape products are not a safer alternative to smoking cigarettes and could even lead to more dangerous effects on the body.

“May this tragic case serve as a stark reminder of their serious health risks. We urge everyone, especially the youth, not to believe the false advertisements that vaping is a safer smoking alternative and to make informed decisions to protect their health,” Health Secretary Teodoro Herbosa said in a statement on Wednesday, June 5.

“The DOH remains committed to educating the public about the dangers of vaping and advocating for stricter regulations on these harmful products,” he added.

Health groups are seeing a global trend of decrease in the number of tobacco users. However, Filipinos, especially the youth, are turning to vape products due to their accessibility.

Global survey

According to the latest Global Youth Tobacco Survey in 2019, 14 percent or one in every seven Filipinos aged 13 to 15 years old, is already using e-cigarettes, translating to almost a million young users in the country.

Medical experts are warning the number of young Filipino vape users could have grown in the past years due to the marketing tactics of

tobacco companies, which shifted to developing vaping products that specifically target youth.

“We are now on the fourth generation of vapes, which are being regarded by the young ones as ‘cool’ because they are like colorful flashdrive sticks hanging on their necks. In addition, these vape liquids are now available in thousands of flavors, including innocent-sounding bubble gum and other fruit flavors,” Mateo said.

Influencers, vloggers

Tobacco manufacturers also tapped social media influencers and vloggers, who are being watched religiously by their young followers.

Online sales of vapes are also not adequately regulated, with minors having access to electronic payment systems.

“But what the kids do not know is that whatever they are avoiding in conventional cigarette sticks are also in vapes. The chemicals in vapes cause damage to the airways and lungs at an accelerated pace. Consuming one vape juice pod is equivalent to smoking three packs or 60 sticks of cigarette,” Mateo warned.

A law to blame

“And when you are young and you have started using vape, even if you are a nonsmoker, the probability that you will turn to smoking conventional cigarettes is 100 percent because of the nicotine, which is present in both cigarettes and vape products,” she said.

Health advocates are primarily blaming Republic Act No. 11900, or the Vaporized Nicotine and Non-Nicotine Products Regulation Act, which lapsed into law in July 2022, for the surge in vape use in the country, especially among the youth.

The law made e-cigarettes and heated tobacco products (HTPs) more accessible to youth by lowering the age of access from 21 to 18 years old. It also transferred the regulation of vaping products from the Food and Drugs Administration under the DOH to the Department of Trade of Industry, making vaping “a business and profit issue, instead of a public health concern.”

BREAK. Davao Gulf fisherfolk take advantage of the closed fishing season by mending and repainting their boats on Monday, June 3. The June to August restriction is being implemented by the Department of Agriculture-Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources and the Department of the Interior and Local Government to allow small pelagic fishes to replenish and meet the demands in the region. PNA photo by Robinson Niñal Jr.

The county said that the $9.6 million will be allocated to 46 non-profit organizations that provide affordable food to LA’s most vulnerable communities, most of which are predominantly communities of color and immigrants.

LA County launches new grant program...

“There are many inequities across the food system,” said Ali Frazzini of the LA County Sustainability Office.

“Neighborhoods—where even if you have money to get food— may not have a grocery store or a farmers market nearby where you can access fresh, healthy food.”

Frazzini also mentioned that the county is preparing to establish an office dedicated to food equity to create a stronger food accessibility system.

The soon-to-be-launched Roundtable promises a broad range of solutions including supporting urban agriculture, expanding food access groups, nutrition education programs (like in-home wellness programs designed to help families practice nutritional habits), and increasing enrollment to benefits programs like CalFresh. According to the county,

nearly 400,000 residents are currently eligible to receive CalFresh benefits, but have not enrolled.

“The county has a responsibility to act as a safety net for our most vulnerable communities, who disproportionately suffer from food insecurity. This new round of funding marks and important first step in bringing the Roundtable’s action plan to life and helping those most in need,” said LA County Supervisor Janice Hahn.

The county said that the $9.6 million will be allocated to 46 non-profit organizations that provide affordable food to LA’s most vulnerable communities, most of which are predominantly communities of color and immigrants.

The grant program comes at a time when LA County is seeing widespread food insecurity. A study from USC Dornsife Public

Exchange found that more than one million households across the county are experiencing food scarcity, which is equal to about 1 in 3 residents.

Food insecurity can drastically affect overall healthcare among communities that disproportionately affect communities of color, like diabetes, obesity, and high blood pressure. The USC study also linked food insecurity to a host of other social issues such as job security, academic performance, and crime.

According to Kayla de la Haye, scientist and director at USC’s Institute for Food System Equity, food insecurity in LA County rose significantly in 2022, when social welfare benefits dropped as the COVID-19 pandemic was waning across the country.

Pandemic-era social programs helped struggling families with healthcare and food necessities, but the increased allotments to benefits—such as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)— expired in March 2023. Consequently, on average, household benefits dropped from $470 a month in Dec. 2022 to $299 in July 2023.

“So folks are getting less money for food stamps than they did before. That’s happening at the same time when food prices are really high and cost of living is really high, and people just aren’t able to make their budget stretch to get the food that they need,” de la Haye told LAist 89.3 in late 2023, when the USC study was released. (Klarize Medenilla/AJPress) n

Pogo probe: Guo, 2 other...

Llamas cited in his complaint the March 13

raid by the presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC) of the Pogo compound of Zun Yuan Technology in Bamban.

He said the task force found out that Guo bought eight parcels of land from Baofu Land Development Inc., which owns the property being used by Zun Yuan, and gave clearances to the company for its Pogo-related projects.

According to the DILG complaint, Guo issued a business permit to Zun Yuan despite it lacking some necessary documents, such as a fire safety inspection certificate and a provisional license from the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (Pagcor).

The task force also found that Guo admitted to owning at least 50 percent of the stock of Baofu, but claimed that she “divested such interest through a Deed of Assignment before she assumed office in 2022.”

Human trafficking

The raid was carried out after a Vietnamese national, a Zun Yuan employee, escaped from the Baofu compound and sought assistance from authorities.

Zun Yuan has since been implicated in serious illegal detention and human trafficking.

According to the Ombudsman order, investigators found “sufficient grounds” to suspend Guo, Ocampo and Sigua, saying there was “strong evidence showing their guilt” and that their continued stay in office might prejudice the ongoing probe against them.

“[T]hat there is a need to preserve the documents and evidence pertaining to this case which they may have control and custody,” read the order, a copy of which was provided by the Office of the Ombudsman to reporters on Monday, June 3.

The DILG complaint had included Bamban Vice Mayor Leonardo Anunciacion and his predecessor, William Cura.

Dodging suspension by the Ombudsman, Anunciacion said he was ready to assume his duties as mayor following the suspension of Guo.

Aside from being familiar with executive functions because he served as mayor for three terms since 2001, the 70-year-old Anunciacion said he was healthy except for mild diabetes.

Saddened by accusations

In a statement on her official Facebook page on Monday, Guo said she was saddened by what she

described as “false and hurtful allegations” hurled at her.

“It seems like I was already judged before I had the opportunity to be heard. This is a violation of my rights as an individual and as an elected leader,” she said.

The mayor had denied her alleged links to Pogo activities in her town.

Other than her alleged Pogo links, the mayor has been accused of being a Chinese agent due to questionable details about her personal background.

The PAOCC is also preparing to file tax evasion charges against Guo.

“We found she has committed many violations (of tax laws),” PAOCC spokesperson Winston Casio told reporters on Monday, June 3.

“We may also charge her with violation of the Securities Regulation Code, along with officials of Hong Sheng, Zun Yuan and Baofu,” Casio added. ‘Documented’ Sen. Risa Hontiveros on Monday, June 3 hailed the decision of the Ombudsman to place Guo under preventive suspension for her supposed link to Pogo in her town.

“As it should be,” Hontiveros said in a statement.

“Mayor Guo also undoubtedly has ties with Pogo. No matter how many times she lies or claims to have forgotten some things, her connection with Pogos [is] documented,” she pointed out.

Hontiveros said she had actually called for Guo’s suspension after she and Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian visited the sprawling Pogo complex in Bamban.

“We also received information that she tried to obstruct the ongoing investigation immediately after the Pogo was raided,” she claimed.

“This should have already warranted a suspension. We only hope this is not too late,” Hontiveros added.

Gatchalian, who had exposed Guo’s connection with Pogos, said the Ombudsman’s decision was “a move in the right direction” since it would allow authorities to conduct their investigation “freely without fear of a cover-up while she is in office.” Sen. Joel Villanueva also lauded the Ombudsman’s action as he called on other state agencies to “step up their game.”

“Things like this should not have happened. We have been calling for the banning of Pogos,” Villanueva said in a press briefing. —with reports from Tonette T. Orejas, Maria Adelaida Calayag, Marlon Ramos, and Dona Pazzibugan n

Zelensky on Philippine trip: I need to...

the president, directly to speak with him about the details [of] what’s going on on the battlefield, what Russia brought with this war to our land, of this crisis, what they think about, and of course, for us it’s very important not to give Russia possibility to influence in Asia, very important region, very important voice of Philippines,” he added.

Earlier, Zelensky said in a tweet that Marcos will participate in the Global Peace Summit. This came after the two leaders held a bilateral meeting at Malacañang.

Initially, there was no confirmation from the presidential Communications Office (PCO) regarding Marcos’ participation, but PCO Secretary Cheloy Garafil said the Philippines’ participation is still being finalized.

Zelensky, during the interview with RTVM, reiterated that Marcos vowed to attend the summit.

“Yes. He said that the Philippines will support the summit. I said for us it is important for us [for] him to come. He said he will come and he will participate in the summit. This (is a) great strong signal,” Zelensky said.

Zelensky also said that he informed Marcos about their efforts to bring back Ukrainian children allegedly abducted by Russia when it started its invasion.

“But the important reason is because we are preparing, in such a tough period, in the period of war in Ukraine, we are preparing our steps to peace, to just peace, just peace for Ukraine, Ukrainians, for our family, for our children,

and of course, for us, it’s very important [to] have participation on the level of your leader, participation in this summit, in Switzerland,” he said.

“And the third one, the humanitarian one, where we count on your support at how to get back our Ukrainian stolen children, you know that Russia has stolen 20,000 of our children from occupied territories and we need to get them back, and we need to find the mechanism of getting back the children, different age, it’s a pity but we have to bring them home,” he added.

Earlier, Zelensky thanked Marcos for the Philippines’ support of Ukraine’s sovereign claims. In 2022, the Philippines voted in favor of a 2022 United Nations resolution expressing “explicit condemnation” of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Zelensky went to Manila for a short bilateral meeting with Marcos after failing to meet in Singapore over the weekend. Both Marcos and Zelensky came from Singapore, where the International Institute for Strategic Studies ShangriLa Dialogue, Asia’s premier defense summit, was held. Marcos was the keynote speaker there; Zelensky, on the other hand, was urging countries in the Asean region to support the Swiss-organized summit. (by Gabriel Pabico Lalu/Inquirer.net) n

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. meets Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky during a courtesy call at the Malacañan Palace on Monday, June 3. The two leaders attended the IISS Shangri-la Dialogue Defense Summit in Singapore, but their schedules did not align to meet on the sidelines of the forum held over the weekend. Malacañang photo

According to a USC study, about 1 in 3 residents of LA County grapples with food insecurity, which was exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic and economic fallout. Photo courtesy of Mayra Vasquez, LA County

According to a USC study, about 1 in 3 residents of LA County grapples with food insecurity, which was exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic and economic fallout.

Dateline PhiliPPines

Three more Filipino athletes earn spots in 2024 Paris Olympics

by Hans Carbonilla Inquirer.net

AFTER Samantha Catantan recently made history as the first Filipino fencer to compete in the Olympics since 1992, three more worldclass Filipino athletes have joined the 2024 Paris Olympics contingent.

Filipino American gymnast and UCLA varsity member Emma Malabuyo added to the excitement as she became the fourth gymnast to represent the Philippines at the Olympics, following Carlos Yulo, Aleah Finnegan and Levi Jung-Ruivivar.

She clinched her Olympic berth on May 24 at the Women’s Artistic Gymnastics Asian Championships in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, where she bagged bronze in the individual all-around category.

Taking to Instagram, Malabuyo expressed that she was terrified to go for her Olympic dream one last time, but thought she was “even more terrified of not trying at all.”

“From four world cups: Cairo to Cottbus to Los Angeles to Baku to Doha, and finally in Tashkent at Asian Championships, I did it,” she continued.

“What a dream come true! I have never fought for something so hard in my life. Went out there with passion, fight, resilience and grit. I am so thankful to my family, who never stopped believing in me. To my Bruin family, to all my coaches, to the

Filipino community, this is for you, and I am so honored to represent the Philippines.”

Meanwhile, from the heart-pounding ring battles, Olympic silver medalist Carlo Paalam emerged victorious once again.

With unwavering determination, the Cagayan de Oro boxer clinched victory at the Men’s 57 kg semifinals of the 2nd World Boxing Qualification in Bangkok, Thailand, solidifying his place in the Paris Olympics on June 1. His qualification increases the Philippine boxing contingent to four.

Following his decisive victory against India’s Sachin Siwach, Paalam expressed his gratitude on social media, writing, “Thank you so much, Lord.”

Lastly, Hergie Bacyadan etched her name in Philippine sports history as she punched her way to the Paris Olympics. The former world champion in vovinam displayed her dominance in the women’s 75 kg category at the World Qualification Tournament in Bangkok, Thailand, on June 2.

In a series of Instagram posts, the boxer wrote “PROUD PINOY” and “BOUND TO PARIS.”

With each qualification, Filipino athletes continue to prove their mettle on the global stage, embodying the spirit of excellence and resilience. As the nation rallies behind these athletes, anticipation builds for the moments of triumph they will bring to Paris in July. n

FLiRT variant detected in Philippines, but DOH says COVID-19 risk remains low

MANILA

— The Department of Health (DOH) confirmed on Tuesday, June 4 the detection of flagged Omicron subvariants, including KP.2, in the Philippines, but stressed the increase in cases remains slow and the country faces low COVID-19 risk.

Recent sequencing by the University of the PhilippinesPhilippine Genome Center detected two cases of KP.2, 2 cases of JN.1.18, and 30 cases of JN.1.

“Their detection, along with the slow increase in the number of new cases and the plateau in number of occupied COVID-19 beds, aligns with the international observation that the new variants under monitoring continue to be clinically mild and manageable,” the DOH said.

Currently, there are four COVID-19 variants under

monitoring: JN.1.7, JN.1.18, KP.2, and KP.3. So-called “FLiRT” variants of COVID-19, which include KP.2 and KP.3, appeared to be contributing to a rising wave of COVID-19 cases across the globe. However, there is still no evidence suggesting that KP.2 and KP.3 cause severe or critical COVID-19, either in the Philippines or internationally.

Health spokesperson Albert Domingo said the earliest collection date for KP.2 was May 2024.

“It may be likely that there are earlier KP.2 cases, but because of limited sequencing we have not detected and reported this earlier,” Domingo told reporters.

Low hospital occupancy

The Philippines reported an average of only 319 COVID-19 cases daily for the week of May

21 to 27.

The DOH said the figure was higher than the previous week’s 202 cases, but still less than half of the around 500 per day reported at the start of this year and around 1,750 per day in midMay 2023.

Data from the department showed that hospital occupancy for COVID-19 patients remained low. Only 14% of 1,235 intensive care unit (ICU) beds and 15% of 10,910 non-ICU beds dedicated to COVID-19 patients were occupied.

Only 185 severe and critical cases were admitted, accounting for 10% of the country’s total COVID-19 hospital admissions.

The DOH also recorded 20 deaths due to COVID-19, with five occurring in the recent two weeks.

u PAGE 7

Expect rough sailing on Sogie bill – Escudero

by bernadette e tamayo ManilaTimes.net

SENATE President Francis Escudero expects the proposed Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Expression (Sogie) equality bill to “face rough sailing” in the Senate.

Escudero was asked to comment on the call of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) for Congress to pass the Sogie bill.

The measure calls for the protection of all persons, regardless of their sexual orientation and gender identity and expression.

“Unless the proponents of the Sogie bill accede to some amendments, it will continue to face rough sailing in the Senate,” Escudero said in a text message Monday, June 3.

On the other hand, he sees the anti-discrimination bill as having a better chance of getting approved.

Sen. Risa Hontiveros disagrees with Escudero, saying 19 senators support the proposed Sogie equality law.

Senate Bill 139, or the proposed Sogie Equality Act, filed by Hontiveros in July 2022, passed the committee level in December of that year, but had been pending for second reading.

SB 139 will protect foremost LGBTQ+ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer) persons from discrimination and harassment in schools, workplaces, and public spaces.

DOH, PGH

PAGE 3

“Nineteen of my colleagues signed the committee report on the Sogie Equality Bill. That should speak to its acceptability across the aisle,” Hontiveros said in a statement. She said she has asked Senate Majority Leader Francis Tolentino to look into the committee report, which has remained pending in the Committee on Rules, “and he has promised to do so.”

Hontiveros expressed hope that the new Senate leadership “would stand up for our LGBTQ+ community this Pride Month and to their daily lives as individuals.”

Pride Month is traditionally celebrated in June by the LGBTQ+ community due to its historic link to Stonewall in 1969 in New York City, which signaled LGBTQ+ activism.

“For the United Nations Population Fund, Pride Month

is a call to action. It’s a time to amplify our commitment to ensuring that every individual, regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity, is entitled to their human rights, including access to comprehensive sexual and reproductive health and rights information and services without discrimination,” UNFPA Philippines Country Representative Leila Joudane said in a statement.

In 2023, the Philippines broke the record for the biggest Pride March in Southeast Asia, with more than 110,000 people in attendance, the Philippine AntiDiscrimination Alliance of Youth Leaders (Pantay) said.

“This Pride Month, our legislators should commit to hear the Sogie Equality Bill in the Senate,” Pantay convener Vince Liban said in a statement.n

raise warning vs vape...

“But can we protect our children? Yes, we [can increase] the level of awareness of the dangers of vaping by educating the public, especially the youth and the adults around them.

In March, the Philippine National Police reported that during the operations they conducted from May to December last year, 23 percent, or 1,902 of the 8,299 who were apprehended for using vapes in public places, were minors. Poor enforcement While it had safeguards to prevent the youth from having access to vapes, the law was not enforced properly, Mateo noted.

The parents, the teachers, all of us adults are responsible for protecting the young ones,” Mateo said. Herbosa said he had asked the Department of Education to assist in an intensified information drive among youth on the health risks of using e-cigarettes or vaping products. He also asked the PNP, especially its Anti-Cybercrime Group, to go after vendors and retailers online who are selling vaping products to minors. n

Senate President Francis Escudero Philstar.com photo

Features OpiniOn

More rice importation

With rice prices refusing to go down and even likely to further increase in the coming months, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. will soon issue an executive order reducing the tariff on rice imports from 35 percent to just 15 percent until the end of his term in 2028. This comes on the heels of the final approval by the House of Representatives of a bill that seeks to restore the power of the National Food Authority to import rice during emergency situations.

The further liberalization of rice importation, according to Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Arsenio Balisacan, is meant to bring down rice prices to P29, to be offered to the country’s poor. Rice farmers, however, are among those poor, and they are worried that further rice import liberalization would bury their livelihood. The government cannot brush aside the farmers’ concerns.

Rice prices are a particularly sensitive issue for the Marcos administration, which rose to power on a campaign “aspiration” of bringing rice prices down to P20 a kilo. As the administration enters its third year, not even the heavily subsidized Kadiwa outlets can offer rice at that retail price. Several agriculture experts have noted that rice at P20 a kilo in regular retail outlets is not possible even by 2028. This year, rice prices have remained high due to the lingering impact of an El Niño

event that has caused prolonged drought in many areas. Rice prices have fueled food inflation. Despite a slight dip in rice prices that tracked trends in the world market, food and transport costs pushed up the headline inflation rate last April for the third straight month. Boosting domestic rice production is the ideal approach to stabilizing rice supply and prices. Being a net exporter of rice need not remain a dream or an aspiration for the country. President Marcos, since the early days of his administration when he was the concurrent agriculture secretary, had enumerated the problems that plague domestic rice production, along with the solutions. Those solutions and interventions have been promised by previous administrations: sufficient irrigation, fertilizer and pesticide subsidies, post-harvest facilities, mechanization support,

assistance in marketing, and for beneficiaries of agrarian reform, support in forming cooperatives to promote economies of scale. These support services were supposed to be boosted with the allocation of billions annually from rice import tariffs that went to the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund. Farmers

say the full promise of RCEF, which will be affected by the looming tariff cut, has yet to be realized. In further liberalizing rice importation, the government must see to it that the support measures to increase domestic rice production do not remain in the realm of aspiration.

(Philstar.com)

What would President Marcos do?

cases were filed in March.

which are manifestly opposed to the aims and interest of the Bangko Sentral.”

EVERYONE’S waiting with bated breath, as if waiting for the next episode of an edge-ofyour-seat Netflix drama – how would President Marcos handle the ghost employee scandal that has rocked the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas?

A source close to the halls of power said Marcos will come up with a decision in the next ten days. Anything can happen but clearly, the fate of the two Monetary Board members (MBM) at the center of the jaw-dropping ghost employee issue is in the hands of Marcos because MBMs are presidential appointees.

BSP Governor Eli Remolona Jr. has already submitted to Malacañang the results of the central bank’s internal investigation.

The BSP charter is clear and all the president needs to do is to look at it.

According to Republic Act 7653, otherwise known as The New Central Bank Act, Section 10 of Article II states that the president may remove any member of the Monetary Board for several reasons, one of which is:

“If the member is guilty of acts or operations which are of fraudulent or illegal character or

There’s the rub, though. Some sources speculate that Marcos, the Mr. Nice Guy that he is, does not want to widen or worsen the rift between his family and the Dutertes. The two MBMs involved in the issue are Duterte appointees.

BSP insiders and former MBMs, however, said that in this case, Marcos may not have a choice given that the law is clear when it comes to dealing with members who are guilty of illegal actions, unless of course the concerned MBMs are able to explain that hiring ghost employees was not illegal or that they weren’t ghost employees to begin with.

In a statement, the BSP already called such acts as irregular.

“The irregularities appear unprecedented in an organization that upholds integrity and professionalism at all levels.”

The BSP also said that in January, an investigating team of the BSP’s Office of the General Counsel submitted its final investigation report. “The Office of the General Counsel signed it.”

From late February to early March, four of the employees and one direct supervisor implicated in the report tendered their resignation.

Administrative disciplinary

Indeed, the BSP has acknowledged the irregularities following its internal investigation. It is now up to President Marcos to act on the matter.

Former BSP executives and ex-MBMs I’ve talked to believe that the law must prevail. They said that it took decades to rebuild and protect the integrity of the country’s monetary institution after its past life, the old central bank, was mired in its own controversies.

They lament that the scandal has tainted the BSP’s integrity and must therefore be rectified.

As for me, I’m also curious how it happened. What could be the justification? Could it be possible that the MBMs involved did not know that there were ghost employees in their offices?

No, this is not possible, former and current MBMs told me. They said the MBM approves every employee in his or her payroll and likewise signs every staff member’s vacation leave and sick leaves.

This issue, according to BSP insiders and ex BSP executives, is now being closely watched by the international community including central bank organizations in Southeast Asia and beyond, as well as international credit ratings agencies.

What happens next is anybody’s guess but for sure,

everyone’s waiting.

I hope that Marcos, who has been busy trying to court international investors to do business in the country, knows the urgency of addressing the issue properly.

Taxing mega corporations I recently had a chat with former BIR Commissioner Kim Henares who was in Brazil last month as a speaker at the G20 International Tax Symposium.

Comm. Kim discussed the problem of base erosion and profit shifting (BEPS), taking off from the OECD’s move to form the Global Forum For Taxation on addressing BEPS. This tax base erosion and profit shifting happens because multinational enterprises exploit gaps between different countries’ tax systems.

The OECD, she said, has estimated that between four percent to 10 percent of global corporate income tax revenues, or around $100 to $240 billion, were lost as of 2013, because of BEPS.

“It’s a scandalous situation where large companies like Apple, Starbucks and Amazon, though reporting large revenues, are paying little or no corporate taxes,” Comm. Kim said in her presentation.

Against this backdrop, she said it’s good that the OECD recognized the problems of base erosion and profit shifting. However, she also said the OECD missed specific problems

affecting developing countries like the Philippines due to a lack of consultation.

For example, she said that OECD attempts a reallocation of residual profits of megacorporations but applies this to only a few firms and allocates only a small portion of profits.

She said the OECD must consider revisiting and potentially overhauling double taxation treaties to better fit developing countries like the Philippines as well as the global and digital world.

THIS is a plea, especially to our nation’s leaders, especially the politicians who wield power in both the political and economic realms. I know I’m far from being the only one who believes that if only most of you loved our country enough to put it ahead of furthering and perpetuating your personal power and wealth, our country and the bulk of our fellow Filipinos would be much better off today.

You would well know how the Philippines had progressively slid from the top to bottom position among its regional peers since the 1960s. We were the most dynamic economy in Southeast Asia and second richest in East Asia (next to Japan) in the 1960s but now rank the worst in most social and economic indicators that matter.

Love our country

A Korean friend once told me how on his first visit to Manila in the 1960s, he was awestruck with envy at our infrastructure and level of development that was well ahead of his own country then. Neighbors from whom we now import rice and other farm products once sent their students to learn agricultural sciences in our country in my hometown of Los Baños, once the region’s knowledge center on the field. South Korea, Thailand, Taiwan, and India sent people to train at the Agricultural Credit and Cooperatives Institute in Los Baños, and have since demonstrated the power of farm cooperatives in uplifting their farms and farmers. Yet our own farm coops more often than not fail and collapse, leading many to believe that cooperativism simply will not work in the Philippines. We may have lost our cherished tradition of “bayanihan,” and have become too individualistic or “kanya-kanya” for sustained collective endeavors to prosper. Our concern for the common good now seems a casualty in the pursuit of selfish interest.

common good aside, in favor of personal gain.

We need you, our leaders, to be always guided by the principle of the greatest good for the greatest number in the decisions you make and the actions you take. We need you to prove by your example that the common good and your personal welfare can actually come together. Many temptations come your way every day that pull you into decisions and actions that would increase your own wealth and power. Vested interests always surround you and strive to push you into actions that will lead to their gain, even if it means harm or loss to many, especially the powerless among us. But please think constantly of our country and how far behind it has fallen because people in power like you had chosen to set the

If you are a local chief executive, please do not be one whose first question to a potential investor is “What’s in it for me?”—then throw hurdles in their way if the answer is not to your liking. And please make it as easy as possible to start, register, and renew a business in your area, and recognize that these create jobs and incomes among your constituents, help uplift their lives, and ultimately strengthen your local economy.

If you are a member of either house of Congress, please take to heart your avowed mission of being a true representative of your constituents, whether they voted for you or not. Please also be mindful that the loudest voices and the strongest lobbies do not necessarily push in the right direction that will lead to the greatest good of the greatest number, which ought to be your yardstick. We implore you to be guided by evidence and

Moving forward, Comm. Kim said that countries like the Philippines must also support the UN Framework Convention on International Tax Cooperation so that their difficulties in taxing cross border transactions can be heard and they can come up with a solution that will fit their economies. (Philstar.com)

sound analysis in the policy directions you take, which may not necessarily be what seems popular. And please focus on your role as lawmakers, as that is your only proper mandate from the Filipino public.

If you are a policymaker in the executive branch, please immerse yourself among the people you serve to be able to feel their problems firsthand and understand their true needs. If you are a member of the judiciary, please remember that you ultimately decide the fate of our people who count on the protection of the rule of law, which applies equally to everyone regardless of their social and economic stature.

And if you are a public servant in whatever government department or office, please take on an enabling mindset rather than a restricting and regulating one to the point of inhibiting worthwhile private initiatives and enterprises.

Lastly, please be mindful that

* * * 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. * * * Follow her on X, formerly Twitter @ eyesgonzales. Column archives at EyesWideOpen (Iris Gonzales) on Facebook.

our country is in crisis on many fronts, the most fundamental of which is the very real threat to our future posed by our failure to care enough for our youngest children who are the very future of our nation. Too many of them are hungry and malnourished due to lack of income and unduly high food prices, and unable to obtain the right education due to numerous failures in our educational system. If we do not reverse these problems now, our very future as a nation is in great peril.

In the end, we pray that you show and practice genuine love for our country that would serve as a worthy example for all Filipinos to emulate. (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.

* * cielito.habito@gmail.com

ManilaTimes.net

Malacanãng photo

CIelIto F. HabIto

Amid war, Israel needs more OFWs – envoy

BACOLOD CITY — Israel is looking for more overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) amid hundreds of repatriations and the war in Gaza.

At a press briefing here on Monday, June 3 Israeli Ambassador Ilan Fluss said 800 of 28,000 OFWs in Israel had been repatriated after most of them fulfilled their contracts.

“We need tens of thousands of workers in Israel. We brought in workers from India, Sri Lanka and Thailand, but we don’t have OFWs coming into Israel as of this time,” he said.

The Philippine government restricted the deployment of OFWs into Israel due to the war that started on Oct. 7, 2023.

“We hope that the Philippine government realizes it is now safe, except at the border in Gaza,” Fluss said.

He maintained that “everything is fine” in Israel and restaurants, schools, hotels and cinemas are open for business.

Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, Haifa and other tourist destinations are open to visitors, he added.

An Israeli airstrike on May 26 reportedly killed at least 35 people and injured dozens at

a tent camp in Rafah, where Israel’s military had designated a humanitarian safe zone for displaced Palestinians.

Two days before the airstrike, the International Court of Justice ordered Israel to end its military operations in Rafah in southern Gaza.

Islamist group Hamas had launched an attack against Israel after years of conflict, settler violence and the displacement of Palestinians.

The Oct. 7 attack resulted in around 1,200 casualties and 250 hostages, according to Israeli figures.

Among the casualties was Loreta Alacre, an OFW from Negros Occidental. Fluss met with Alacre’s family on May 31 in Barangay Cadiz Viejo, Cadiz City.

“I want to make sure that they got all the assistance from the Israeli government,” he said.

Jimmy Pacheco, one of two Filipinos freed by Hamas, is now back in Israel, Fluss noted.

PCG seeks more visits from US, Japan counterparts

by Kristina Maralit ManilaTimes.net

MANILA — The Philippine Coast Guard has invited its U.S. and Japan counterparts to make frequent visits to the country and conduct regular maritime exercises in territorial waters to demonstrate their commitment as allies to help keep the West Philippine Sea free, safe and secure.

In a statement, the PCG said the U.S. and the Japan coast guards were among the first to reaffirm their adherence to keeping regional waters secure in the face of China’s growing aggressiveness in staking claims in almost the entire South China Sea.

The PCG, the U.S. Coast Guard and the Japan Coast Guard voiced their commitment at the 21st Shangri-La Dialogue defense summit in Singapore from May 31 to June 2 organized by the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS). The security conference was held against the backdrop of China’s imposing a fishing ban in the South China Sea until Sept. 16.

Beijing had also directed its coast guard to detain for 60 days without trial any foreign “trespassers” in areas that it claims are within its territorial waters.

At the conference, PCG Commandant Admiral Ronnie Gil Gavan urged the USCG and the JCG to develop new ways to address emerging new threat in the high seas, including China’s restrictions on the movement of foreign vessels on its “selfdeclared boundaries.”

PCG spokesman Rear Admiral Armand Balilo explained that it was within such context that they requested the USCG and the JCG to “have more frequent visits to the Philippines and to participate in more maritime exercises with the PCG.”

Balilo admitted the PCG has yet to “work out the details” of its coordination or cooperation with the USCG and the JCG.

“But the good thing about this is that the USCG and the JCG agreed. All three coast guard organizations are moving toward one direction,” Balilo said.

The JCG, meanwhile, has recognized the PCG’s “courageous and law-abiding stance” in the face of constant harassment from China and proposed the conduct of more personnel exchanges to create a robust network of coast guard bodies devoted to strict maritime law enforcement in accordance with the rule of law.

The USCG, for its part, would reportedly deploy its North Pacific assets to support the PCG while emphasizing the need for the conduct of further training, development of dynamic tactics and procedures, and preparing ships for countering evolving

threats in the high seas.

The PCG, JCG and USCG have also agreed to pursue capacity-building initiatives to strengthen their people-to-people relationship and better synchronize Coast Guard doctrines on the ground.

Gavan also hailed the USCG and the JCG for being “reliable partners” and assured them that the PCG “is doing its share in the alliance we nurture.”

Gavan is reportedly conceptualizing a plan to coordinate with other agencies that would enable the PCG “to send ships further out” to provide better security to Filipino fishermen.

“I’d like to propose greater deployment in the high seas. We will do our part, but we also need you to be there to maintain rules-based order the way Coast Guards should play their role,” Gavan said.

“We know our limits, but we know we can do something to give time for our political leaders to do their part to keep the West Philippine Sea as free as it should be,” he added.

Seizure illegal Meanwhile, Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) chief Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr. described as illegal China’s seizure of airdropped supplies meant for Filipino troops stationed on the BRP Sierra Madre in Ayungin Shoal.

He said it is up to the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) to file a complaint against China over the incident, which took place on May 19, but which came to light only recently.

“Definitely this is illegal, this action of getting our, confiscating our supplies is illegal as something like this is not done in the international order,” he told reporters.

“You are not supposed to confiscate the supplies of another country even in war, usually the adversaries would allow food supplies and medicines to pass through for humanitarian reasons, so again that is illegal,” Brawner stressed.

He said the May 19 resupply mission by airdrop was not announced and even the parties involved had no prior information about the operation.

“Instead of bringing our ship to the Second Thomas Shoal or Ayungin Shoal, this time we decided to airdrop our supplies so we did four sorties or four rounds of resupply. We were able to recover three of them. Unfortunately one of the packages was intercepted by the Chinese,” he revealed.

“And as you saw in the video, when the second package resupply package was dropped, they attempted or they went to the area to recover it despite the fact that our boats were already there. So nakipag-agawan pa sila, inunahan pa tayo (they even beat us to it),” he said.

But when the Chinese Coast Guard personnel saw that the supplies contained food, they threw them back into the water, thus wasting food, rice and other items, including medicine intended for troops on the Sierra Madre.

“Maybe they’re looking for construction materials but it was just a small package enough to carry food items and enough for it to float in the water. The Chinese did not have the authority or right to confiscate these supply packages which were meant for the soldiers, our Philippine soldiers onboard the BRP Sierra Madre,” Brawner said.

No pointing of guns

He also denied that the Filipino soldiers on the Sierra Madre pointed their guns at the Chinese.

“But we will not deny the fact that they were armed because the BRP Sierra Madre is a commissioned Philippine Navy ship and therefore, it is authorized to have weapons, we are authorized to put weapons on board, both crew served weapons and individual weapons of our soldiers,” he said.

The AFP issued a separate statement on the incident. “Our personnel are governed by the Rules of Engagement (ROE) and clearly acted with the highest level of professionalism, restraint and discipline in the performance of their mission to safeguard our sovereignty and sovereign rights,” it said in a statement.

“Foreign vessels that venture dangerously close to our military vessel and in violation of safe distance protocols necessitate heightened vigilance and alertness from our personnel. Hence, our troops were seen onguard because of the CCG’s provocative presence near BRP Sierra Madre,” the AFP explained.

AFP spokesperson Col. Francel Margareth Padilla told reporters the airdrop was “largely successful” despite CCG’s “aggressive and unprovoked interference.”

“While some essential supplies were seized and dumped overboard by the CCG, our brave soldiers managed to secure the majority of the items that were delivered,” she said.

“We will continue to carry out our mission with unwavering dedication, ensuring that our troops are well supplied and prepared to defend our nation’s interest,” she said at a briefing.

At the Shangri-La forum in Singapore, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin III called China’s continued harassment of Philippine vessels “coercive” as it puts Filipino lives in danger.

“We stand with the Filipinos, and our commitment to the Mutual Defense Treaty is ironclad,” Austin said on the sidelines of the security forum. n

FLiRT variant detected in Philippines, but DOH...

Israel is a good employer that treats OFWs like citizens, eligible for pension and medical insurance, he added. (Philstar. com) n The department urged the public to continue practicing these preventive measures: proper mask-wearing, frequent handwashing, avoiding crowded spaces and ensuring good ventilation.

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Statement filed with Recorder/County Clerk of San Diego County on 05/16/2024. AJ 1437 06/07, 06/14, 06/21, and 06/28/2024. AJSD 1437

“Similar to the ministries of health of other countries, the DOH still does not see any need for travel restrictions, especially as these may impair the flow of other essential health goods and services,” it said. (Gaea Katreena Cabico/Philstar.com) n

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FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT NO. 2024-9009648

Date Shake located at 441 Casselman St Apt 13, Chula Vista, CA 91910. Registrant: Alla Alagha, 441 Casselman St Apt 13, Chula Vista, CA 91910. This business is conducted by An Individual. REGISTRANT HAS NOT BEGUN TO TRANSACT BUSINESS UNDER THE NAME(S) ABOVE.

Signature: Alla Alagha. Statement filed with Recorder/County Clerk of San Diego County on 05/06/2024. AJ 1408 05/17, 05/24, 05/31, and 06/07/2024. AJSD 1408

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT NO. 2024-9009569

South Bay Surveys located at 8685 Rio San Diego, 4214, San Diego, CA 92108.

Registrant: Wilson Land Surveys, INC , 8685 Rio San Diego Dr, 4214, San Diego, CA 92108. This business is conducted by A Corporation. REGISTRANT FIRST BEGUN TO TRANSACT BUSINESS UNDER THE NAME(S) AS OF 04/27/2024.

Signature: Erich T. Wilson. Statement filed with Recorder/County Clerk of San Diego County on 05/03/2024. AJ 1414 05/17, 05/24, 05/31, and 06/07/2024. AJSD 1414

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT NO. 2024-9010594

JVO Virtual IP Paralegal Services located at 362 Inkopah St, Chula Vista, CA 91911.

Registrant: Jonathan Ong, 362 Inkopah St, Chula Vista, CA 91911. This business is conducted by An Individual. REGISTRANT FIRST BEGUN TO TRANSACT BUSINESS UNDER THE NAME(S) AS OF 02/01/2024.

Signature: Jonathan Ong. Statement filed with Recorder/County Clerk of San Diego County on 05/17/2024.

AJ 1419 05/24, 05/31, 06/07, and 06/14/2024. AJSD 1419

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT NO. 2024-9011214

Leo’s located at 3674 Logan Ave #G, San Diego, CA 92113. Registrant: Leo’s World Apparel LLC, 3674 Logan Ave #G, San Diego, CA 92113. This business is conducted by A Limited Liability Company.

REGISTRANT FIRST BEGUN TO TRANSACT BUSINESS UNDER THE NAME(S) AS OF 05/28/2024. Signature: Mayra Cruz. Statement filed with Recorder/County Clerk of San Diego County on 05/28/2024. AJ 1424 05/31, 06/07, 06/14, and 06/21/2024. AJSD 1424

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT NO. 2024-9010470

Special Blend located at 1171 Adena Way, San Marcos, CA 92069. Registrant: ARS Equity Holdings LLC, 1171 Adena Way, San Marcos, CA 92069. This business is conducted by A Limited Liability Company. REGISTRANT FIRST BEGUN TO TRANSACT BUSINESS UNDER THE NAME(S) AS OF 01/01/2024. Signature: Adam Shomer. Statement filed with Recorder/County Clerk of San Diego County on 05/15/2024. AJ 1430 06/07, 06/14, 06/21, and 06/28/2024. AJSD 1430

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT NO. 2024-9010146

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b. Synergy HomeCare of Poway located at 10085 Carroll Canyon Rd Suite 240, San Diego, CA 92131. Registrant: SD HomeCare Services, 16136 Paseo Del Sur, San Diego, CA 92127. This business is conducted by A Corporation.

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FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT NO. 2024-9011012

Abbott Street Apartments located at 2178 Abbott St, San Diego, CA 92106. Registrant: Sandage Abbott LLC, 244-A Palomar St, Chula Vista, CA 91911. This business is conducted by A Limited Liability Company.

REGISTRANT FIRST BEGUN TO TRANSACT BUSINESS UNDER THE NAME(S) AS OF 05/26/2022. Signature: Brent Sandage. Statement filed with Recorder/County Clerk of San Diego County on 05/22/2024. AJ 1425 05/31, 06/07, 06/14, and 06/21/2024. AJSD 1425

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT NO. 2024-9011703

Lan’s Global Designs located at 1379 Blue Falls Drive, Chula Vista, CA 91910. Registrant: Leilanie Escarrilla Manalo, 1379 Blue Falls Drive, Chula Vista, CA 91910. This business is conducted by An Individual. REGISTRANT HAS NOT BEGUN TO TRANSACT BUSINESS UNDER THE NAME(S) ABOVE. Signature: Leilanie Escarrilla Manalo. Statement filed with Recorder/County Clerk of San Diego County on 06/04/2024. AJ 1431 06/07, 06/14, 06/21, and 06/28/2024. AJSD 1431

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT NO. 2024-9009523

Todo Blanco Candle Company located at 1990 Kent St, Chula Vista, CA 91913.

Registrant: Liliana V. Bello Recio, PO BOX 210852, Chula Vista, CA 91921. This business is conducted by An Individual.

REGISTRANT HAS NOT BEGUN TO TRANSACT BUSINESS UNDER THE NAME(S) ABOVE.

Signature: Liliana V. Bello Recio. Statement filed with Recorder/County Clerk of San Diego County on 05/02/2024.

AJ 1410 05/17, 05/24, 05/31, and 06/07/2024. AJSD 1410

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS

NAME STATEMENT NO. 2024-9009004

D’Hair Lash Studio located at 940 Eastlake Parkway #33, Chula Vista, CA 91914. Registrant: Dalila Sandoval, 940 Eastlake Parkway #33, Chula Vista, CA 91914. This business is conducted by An Individual. REGISTRANT FIRST BEGUN TO TRANSACT BUSINESS UNDER THE NAME(S) AS OF 04/25/2024.

Signature: Dalila Sandoval. Statement filed with Recorder/County Clerk of San Diego County on 04/25/2024. AJ 1416 05/17, 05/24, 05/31, and 06/07/2024. AJSD 1416

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS

NAME STATEMENT NO. 2024-9007675

Peter Ahn Sales located at 8489 Lower Scarborough, San Diego, CA 92127. Registrant: Sales Coach 101, 8489 Lower Scarborough, San Diego, CA 92127. This business is conducted by A Corporation. REGISTRANT FIRST BEGUN TO TRANSACT BUSINESS UNDER THE NAME(S) AS OF 11/01/2023. Signature: Peter Jongki Ahn. Statement filed with Recorder/County Clerk of San Diego County on 04/09/2024. AJ 1421 05/24, 05/31, 06/07, and 06/14/2024. AJSD 1421

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS

NAME STATEMENT NO. 2024-9011013

Banning Street Apartments located at 4354 Banning St, San Diego, CA 92107.

Registrant: Sandage Banning LLC, 244-A Palomar St, Chula Vista, CA 91911. This business is conducted by A Limited Liability Company.

REGISTRANT FIRST BEGUN TO TRANSACT BUSINESS UNDER THE NAME(S) AS OF 02/12/2024.

Signature: Brent Sandage. Statement filed with Recorder/County Clerk of San Diego County on 05/22/2024. AJ 1426 05/31, 06/07, 06/14, and 06/21/2024. AJSD 1426

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT NO. 2024-9011748

Vegito Blue Cuts located at 930 W Washington St, San Diego, CA 92103. Registrant: Martin Odeesho Rahhanoo, 8562 Lake Murray Blvd, San Diego, CA 92119. This business is conducted by An Individual. REGISTRANT FIRST BEGUN TO TRANSACT BUSINESS UNDER THE NAME(S) AS OF 06/04/2024. Signature: Martin Rahhanoo. Statement filed with Recorder/County Clerk of San Diego County on 06/04/2024. AJ 1432 06/07, 06/14, 06/21, and 06/28/2024. AJSD 1432

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT NO. 2024-9010333

FST Motorsports located at 842 Broadway, Chula Vista, CA 91911.

Registrant: Broadway Suspension And Tires, LLC, 842 Broadway, Chula Vista, CA 91911. This business is conducted by A Limited Liability Company.

REGISTRANT FIRST BEGUN TO TRANSACT BUSINESS UNDER THE NAME(S) AS OF 04/30/2024. Signature: Luis E Lopez. Statement filed with Recorder/County Clerk of San Diego County on 05/14/2024. AJ 1412 05/17, 05/24, 05/31, and 06/07/2024. AJSD 1412

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT NO. 2024-9010484

Thai Taste II located at 4252 Bonita Rd, Bonita, CA 91902. Registrant: a. Mike Xayavong, 4252 Bonita Rd, Bonita, CA 91902. b. Chindaphorn Xayavong, 4252 Bonita Rd, Bonita, CA 91902. This business is conducted by A Married Couple. REGISTRANT FIRST BEGUN TO TRANSACT BUSINESS UNDER THE NAME(S) AS OF 05/05/2024. Signature: Mike Xayavong. Statement filed with Recorder/County Clerk of San Diego County on 05/15/2024. AJ 1417 05/17, 05/24, 05/31, and 06/07/2024. AJSD 1417

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS

NAME STATEMENT NO. 2024-9010557

I&L Ventures located at 5092 Elkhart St, San Diego, CA 92105. Registrant: Hong Tran Thu Le, 5092 Elkhart St, San Diego, CA 92105. This business is conducted by An Individual. REGISTRANT FIRST BEGUN TO TRANSACT BUSINESS UNDER THE NAME(S) AS OF 08/08/2023. Signature: Hong Tran Thu Le. Statement filed with Recorder/County Clerk of San Diego County on 05/16/2024. AJ 1422 05/24, 05/31, 06/07, and 06/14/2024. AJSD 1422

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS

NAME STATEMENT NO. 2024-9011045

Keats Street Apartments located at 2830 Keats St, San Diego, CA 92106. Registrant: Sandage Keats LLC, 244-A Palomar St, Chula Vista, CA 91911. This business is conducted by A Limited Liability Company.

REGISTRANT FIRST BEGUN TO TRANSACT BUSINESS UNDER THE NAME(S) AS OF 02/12/2024.

Signature: Brent Sandage. Statement filed with Recorder/County Clerk of San Diego County on 05/23/2024. AJ 1427 05/31, 06/07, 06/14, and 06/21/2024. AJSD 1427

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS

NAME STATEMENT NO. 2024-9011518

Jax Chibugan located at 3142 E Plaza Blvd, National City, CA 91950. Registrant: a. Jacquiline Macaspac, 1704 La Posada St, National City, CA 91950. b. Jonathan Macaspac, 1704 La Posada St, National City, CA 91950. This business is conducted by A Married Couple.

REGISTRANT FIRST BEGUN TO TRANSACT BUSINESS UNDER THE NAME(S) AS OF 05/31/2024. Signature: Jonathan Macaspac. Statement filed with Recorder/County Clerk of San Diego County on 05/31/2024. AJ 1433 06/07, 06/14, 06/21, and 06/28/2024. AJSD 1433

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT NO. 2024-9010423

Otay Warehouse located at 2380 Marconi Ct, San Diego, CA 92154. Registrant: Cores Depot Inc, 2380 Marconi Ct, San Diego, CA 92154. This business is conducted by A Corporation. REGISTRANT FIRST BEGUN TO TRANSACT BUSINESS UNDER THE NAME(S) AS OF 01/28/2004. Signature: Pedro M Coronel. Statement filed with Recorder/County Clerk of San Diego County on 05/15/2024. AJ 1413 05/17, 05/24, 05/31, and 06/07/2024. AJSD 1413

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT NO. 2024-9010615

Star Brows & Lashes located at 2667 Camino Del Rio South Suite#110-2, San Diego, CA 92108. Registrant: Sharon B Saucedo Flores, 2667 Camino Del Rio South Suite #110-2, San Diego, CA 92108. This business is conducted by An Individual. REGISTRANT FIRST BEGUN TO TRANSACT BUSINESS UNDER THE NAME(S) AS OF 05/01/2024.

Signature: Sharon B Saucedo Flores. Statement filed with Recorder/County Clerk of San Diego County on 05/17/2024. AJ 1418 05/24, 05/31, 06/07, and 06/14/2024. AJSD 1418

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS

NAME STATEMENT NO. 2024-9010617

a. Aura’s Beauty XOXO located at 1460 Keck Rd, Chula Vista, CA 91913. b. Aura’s Beauty located at 1460 Keck Rd, Chula Vista, CA 91913. Registrant: Madelyn Kaelani Tirona, 1460 Keck Rd, Chula Vista, CA 91913. This business is conducted by An Individual.

REGISTRANT FIRST BEGUN TO TRANSACT BUSINESS UNDER THE NAME(S) AS OF 01/24/2024. Signature: Madelyn Kaelani Tirona. Statement filed with Recorder/County Clerk of San Diego County on 05/17/2024. AJ 1423 05/31, 06/07, 06/14, and 06/21/2024. AJSD 1423

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS

NAME STATEMENT NO. 2024-9011556

T&T Tacos & Tequila Grill & Cantina located at 12205 Scripps Poway Pkwy, Poway, CA 92064. Registrant: J.C.E T&T Group INC , 2336 Grove View Rd, San Diego, CA 92139. This business is conducted by A Corporaation.

REGISTRANT HAS NOT BEGUN TO TRANSACT BUSINESS UNDER THE NAME(S) ABOVE.

Signature: Jaime G Diaz. Statement filed with Recorder/County Clerk of San Diego County on 05/31/2024. AJ 1428 06/07, 06/14, 06/21, and 06/28/2024. AJSD 1428

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS

NAME STATEMENT NO. 2024-9011800

Pacific Roots Realty located at 248 Blackbird Way, Oceanside, CA 92057. Registrant: Pacific Roots Realty LLC, 248 Blackbird Way, Oceanside, CA 92057. This business is conducted by A Limited Liability Company.

REGISTRANT HAS NOT BEGUN TO TRANSACT BUSINESS UNDER THE NAME(S) ABOVE. Signature: Jomary Tumaquip. Statement filed with Recorder/County Clerk of San Diego County on 06/05/2024. AJ 1434 06/07, 06/14, 06/21, and 06/28/2024. AJSD 1434

NAME STATEMENT NO. 2024-9011410

Serena Sachi located at 7805 Tommy Dr #68, San Diego, CA 92119. Registrant: Tiffani Anderson, 7805 Tommy Dr #68, San Diego, CA 92119. This business is conducted by An Individual. REGISTRANT FIRST BEGUN TO TRANSACT BUSINESS UNDER THE NAME(S) AS OF 05/30/2024.

Signature: Tiffani Anderson. Statement filed with Recorder/County Clerk of San Diego County on 05/30/2024. AJ 1429 06/07, 06/14, 06/21, and 06/28/2024. AJSD 1429

SAN DIEGO

Nash Aguas, Mika dela Cruz reveal breakup two years before wedding

by Jessica ann evangelista Inquirer

NEWLYWEDS Nash Aguas

and Mika dela Cruz

revealed that they broke up for six months during the pandemic before they got engaged and tied the knot this year.

In an interview with Bernadette Sembrano, the young couple said that in the course of their six-year relationship, they also had their share of challenges that led them to briefly separate.

Dela Cruz admitted she initiated the breakup because she was dealing with so much—her father’s death, her autoimmune disease, and her hiatus from showbiz.

During those times, Aguas felt that her girlfriend wasn’t genuinely happy, and he began to think that their relationship was just adding to her baggage.

The two asserted that their brief separation brought them both closer to God and then to each other.

Masakit siya . Obviously, ‘ yung desires ng heart ko against talaga siya, pero alam kong will ni Lord, may peace,” said Aguas.

“I think with the process po to deal with the pain, kay Lord lang po talaga (ako nagsabi) even sa sister (Angelika dela Cruz) ko hindi po ako nagpakita na umiiyak sa kanya , and I’ve always said I’m going to be okay,” expressed Dela Cruz.

The “Kara Mia” actress

said that she got so inspired by Aguas’ relationship with God that she also decided to develop her relationship with Him, amid her life challenges.

“ Naalala ko po sabi niya sa akin (Nash), ‘wag mo akong intindihin. ‘Wag mong intindihan ‘yung nararamdaman mong pain, i- seek mo lang si Lord, please. Ayusin mo muna ‘yung relationship mo with Him,” she recalled.

The now-married couple then shared that they asked God for signs if they were meant to be and if they were “the one” for each other, which they believed they received, as they shared the Bible verses they saw during the times they were asking for signs.

After months of not seeing each other, the two met at one of the gatherings they attended and decided to rekindle their relationship.

When asked why they did not tell anyone about the breakup, Aguas responded, “ Hindi

naman po kasi kami sa kanila (ibang tao) nakipag- break, kaming dalawa lang kaya , why do we include other people?”

On May 18, the two exchanged their vows as husband and wife. When asked why they chose to have an intimate wedding, the couple said that it’s not about the guests but about the two of them, with God as the centerpiece.

“Gusto namin ma- feel ‘ yung presence ni Lord, ‘ yung love. We’re not naman against big weddings, but I guess it’s just our personalities,” explained Nash.

Mika seconded, saying, “We wanted to be present; instead of being preoccupied with the guests, we wanted to be present with God. Kasi kaming tatlo po ‘yun nando’n sa wedding.”

The newlyweds shared that they are planning to live a life in Nueva Ecija, where they are currently building their house and their farm.

‘Playtime’ stars on how women can protect themselves against predators

by nathalie tomada Philstar

GMA Pictures and Viva Films have collaborated on a suspensethriller about a predator who lures women into his “twisted game of hunter and prey.” Opening on June 12 in cinemas, the film stars Xian Lim, Sanya Lopez, Coleen Garcia and Faye Lorenzo.

Director Mark Reyes was quoted as stressing that the film is not a walk in the park and not a rom-com drama. The story revolves around three women from three different worlds who find themselves in the scary situation involving a man they all wrongly trust.

GMA Pictures and Viva Films have collaborated on a suspensethriller about a predator who lures women into his “twisted game of hunter and prey.” Opening on June 12 in cinemas, the film stars Xian Lim, Sanya Lopez, Coleen Garcia and Faye Lorenzo.

Director Mark Reyes was quoted as stressing that the film is not a walk in the park and not a rom-com drama. The story revolves around three women from three different worlds who find themselves in the scary situation involving a man they all wrongly trust.

The “sexy” element of the film took the director, who’s best known for megging GMA’s big-budget dramas such as “Encantadia” and “Voltes V: Legacy,” out of his comfort zone.

“There are scenes here that really put them (the actors) to the test,” he said.

Asked if the seduction scenes are a major plot device, he said, “The women come into the situation because they are sexually attracted to the character of Xian, but what I want to share is that it’s just a come-on of the film, it’s actually a study of personalities, these girls are all in trouble but should they automatically trust each other?

What if someone has an ulterior motive?”

The theme is not just interesting but also relevant in this age of MeToo.

The STAR had to ask the cast, especially the women, if they ever experienced close encounters with sexual predators and how they dealt with them. In their line of work and even in their everyday lives, they can be a magnet or easy target. What advice can they share with fellow women on how to protect themselves from such incidents and encounters?

“You know, hindi ko kasi naabutan yung single ako and

there’s Tinder,” said Coleen, expressing there can be fear and risk when dating strangers you’ve met online.

“But I guess it’s a case to case basis. It’s different for everybody what you can do to protect yourself… But it’s important really especially that we’re all aware that it does happen.

“And most of the time, actually it happens din sa hindi strangers. Di ba sometimes, it happens in your workplace, sometimes it happens in the family, so it’s important to get help.

Unang-una, it’s important to get help if you feel you’re in danger, if you feel like somebody has crossed those boundaries. You really need to tell people who can help you.”

The actress who’s married to Billy Crawford also said, “When it comes to going out, not just dating, even among friends, ako personally, ‘di ko pa na-iexperience pero I know people who have experienced it and it’s really scary not just now but even before. So it’s important to watch yourself.

“For example, if you go out, make sure you’re with people whom you feel safe with. Kasi yung gawain ko before, when I was still dating, hindi ako actually, nakikipag-date agad with one person, yung kaming dalawa lang

“Normally, I’d invite him to meet my friends, things like that. So maganda mag-start ng ganun and you slowly build the trust. It’s hard to be alone with somebody na wala kang tiwala. You don’t put yourself in a compromising situation, whether that’s drinking or even riding in a car alone with somebody. Try your best not to put yourself in a compromising situation,” she stressed.

For Sanya, there are really moments where you meet people with questionable intentions. When she was younger, she admitted that there were times when she felt she was “in danger.” “Parang ‘di ka paniniwalaan agad kasi bata ka eh kumbaga

Claudine Barretto on divorce:

‘Gives you second chance to right your wrongs’

by anne PasaJol Inquirer.net

CLAUDINE Barretto gave her two cents on the much talked about topic of divorce, saying she believes it gives an individual the chance to “right [their] wrongs.”

The actress, whose annulment process with estranged husband Raymart Santiago is still ongoing, shared photo quotes on the matter through her Instagram page on Sunday, June 2.

At present, the Philippines and the city-state of Vatican are the only governments that have not legalized divorce.

The divorce bill was approved by the House of Representatives on third and final reading last May 22. The legislation, however, will still have to muster enough votes in the Senate for it to become a law, provided that it will not be vetoed by the President.

The Senate then had an informal survey conducted by Senate President Pro Tempore Jinggoy Estrada, which showed

that six senators were in favor of divorce—namely Robin Padilla, Grace Poe, Risa Hontiveros, Imee Marcos, Pia Cayetano and Raffy Tulfo.

Those who opposed were Estrada himself, Senate President Francis “Chiz” Escudero, Francis Tolentino, Joel Villanueva and

wala ka pang boses may kapitbahay ka lang na lasing na lumapit sa akin, yung parang feeling mo may gagawin silang masama… Hindi naman din talaga, pero may mga ganun lang akong takot,” she shared. Fortunately, she had people who always made her feel safe growing up — her brother, actor Jak Roberto, and her mom. “Kuya ko isa sa mga sinasabihan ko that time and yung mommy ko (if ever I felt uncomfortable). Bilang wala akong Daddy, wala talagang taga-protect sa akin. (Early on) nag-iingat ako until now. Yun ang tumatak sa akin nung bata ako na importante ‘di ako mag-isa. Dapat meron akong kasama na mas matanda talaga sa akin.”

Nowadays, whenever she goes out, she’s alert and vigilant when it comes to people who either become too touchy or too close for comfort.

Sanya also advises fellow women to tell someone you trust your whereabouts.

“There has to be one person that you can tell, ‘I’m here.’ In case of emergency, ito yung tao malalapitan mo at alam niya kung nasaan ka. There are things that we want to do on our own but we have to prioritize our safety,” Sanya stressed. This is one of the main takeaways from “Playtime,” said Xian.

“I think if there’s one lesson to learn from this film — I know it’s bloody, it’s sexy, it’s entertaining — it would be to not put yourself in a compromising situation,” he said.

“I grew up with my grandmother and grandfather, that’s why my sensibilities are very ‘80s pa, lumang tao (old school)... You just have to be extra careful nowadays because ang dami daming nangyayari kung saan man

“If it’s a place that invites trouble, think twice and have people with you and be extra safe. And don’t easily believe in online things because it’s so easy to make up different things online.”

Prior

their

to

and

Arjo Atayde calls for proper implementation of ‘Eddie Garcia’ law

NOW that the Eddie Garcia Law has been signed, actor and Quezon City 1st District Representative Juan Carlos “Arjo” Atayde said the law should be strictly implemented to ensure the safe working conditions for those in the movie and TV industry.

According to Atayde, if implemented properly, the Republic Act 11996 should result in overall better movies and shows as workers will be more motivated knowing their safety and security will be prioritized.

Atayde, one of the principal authors, emphasized that the law, which President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. recently signed, should ensure that local movie and TV sets are “safe spaces” for everyone involved in the production. Their work will also become more efficient under a safer condition.

The law has been named after veteran actor Eddie Garcia, who died in 2019 when he tripped on loose cables while shooting a TV series, suffering fractures in the process. The law has been named after veteran actor Eddie Garcia, who died in 2019 when he tripped on loose cables while shooting a TV series, suffering fractures in the process.

“It’s very appropriate that the Eddie Garcia Law was signed into law by the president in the birth month of Eddie Garcia, who would have turned 95 this May if not for an accident that could have been avoided — the kind of accident that the Eddie Garcia Law now seeks to prevent,” Atayde said in a statement.

Nash Aguas and Mika dela Cruz

Photos from Instagram/@mikadlacruz

GMA Pictures and Viva Films’ ‘Playtime’ revolves around three women from three different worlds who find themselves in the scary situation involving a man they all wrongly trust. GMA photo

Claudine Barretto

Photo from Instagram/@claubarretto

Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa. Juan Miguel Zubiri and Cynthia Villar, in separate interviews, also said they disapprove of divorce.

to Barretto, other celebrities who also expressed

support for the proposal

legalize divorce were Anne Curtis

Maxene Magalona.

Arjo Atayde calls for...

Actor and Quezon City 1st District Representative Juan Carlos ‘Arjo’ Atayde Photo from Instagram/@arjoatayde

“This law is a fitting tribute to an artist who was loved, admired and respected by his peers in the entertainment industry. If properly implemented, the Eddie Garcia Law will protect personnel in the creative industry and will ensure that local movie and TV sets are literally and figuratively ‘safe spaces’ where artists and crew members can work knowing their welfare is a priority.”

Atayde, an award-winning artist who now is currently the Vice Chairperson of the House Special Committee on Creative Industry and Performing Arts, pointed out that “for the Eddie Garcia Law to achieve its intended purpose, it is critical that the agencies involved in its implementation strictly monitor entertainment productions to ensure compliance with the law’s provisions.”

Aside from the vigilance of government agencies, Atayde urged those in the entertainment industry “to cooperate with efforts to implement this law.”

“This should be a team effort. Those in the creative industry should familiarize themselves with the law’s provisions... compliance should come naturally because this is for the benefit of everyone.

RA 11996 mandates employers in the movie and television industry to “promote safety and provide safe working conditions.”

Section 19(f) states that employers are required to “ensure that all sets and locations have been properly assessed for any potential safety and health issues and that proper remedies and safeguards are implemented to deal with these issues.”

Meanwhile, under Section 13(g), the law requires employers to designate safety officers and dedicated vehicles for emergency purposes, regardless of whether the productions are done in Metro Manila or out of town.

Contest gets middle school students thinking about fire safety

STUDENTS at a local middle school are helping their families prepare for an emergency by creating home fire safety escape plans.

Borrego Springs Middle School students created the plans as part of a contest and shared them at a recent safety resource fair. It’s for a pilot program created by San Diego County Fire using state emergency preparedness grant funding.

The contest coincided with Wildfire Awareness Month as well as National Electrical Safety Month, both in May, but the timing is even more important as school summer break approaches, when kids may be at home more, sometimes on their own.

“Learning fire safety and drawing escape plans could save a life. These students better understand the importance of preparing for disaster and were empowered to take responsibility for themselves and their families,” said Teresa Greenhalgh, Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) Coordinator for County Fire.

County Fire staff went to the school in early May to kick off the program, talk about careers in fire service, home fire safety tips and of course, the contest rules. Plans were required to include a detailed home floor plan showing the locations of smoke alarms, two escape routes from every room, and a destination located a safe distance outside the home for the family to meet after evacuating. A panel of community partners and County Fire selected the winners. County Fire and partners

Joaquin’s ‘Wicked’

by Rito P. Asilo Inquirer

IF his current projects don’t convince you just how prolific theater star Joaquin Pedro Valdes is, we don’t know what will.

The latest adaptation of Stephen Sondheim’s “Pacific Overtures,” which was headlined by the homegrown Filipino actor, had yet to officially open late last year when we asked what was up next for him. Answering with unconcerned nonchalance, Joaquin said, “Oh, nothing yet.”

Fast-forward six months later, Joaquin isn’t just about to tick off yet another coveted item on his bucket list, he’s also staking his claim as one of the London theater scene’s most sought-after heartthrobs.

In fact, Joaquin plays the Lover in both “A Song of Songs”—running until June 15 at Park Theatre in north London—and “The Baker’s Wife,” the eagerly anticipated Stephen Schwartz musical that is scheduled to run from July 6 to Sept. 14 at Menier Chocolate Factory.

For the uninitiated, Schwartz is the 76-year-old composer-lyricist behind such musical behemoths as “Pippin,” “Godspell,” “Pocahontas,” “The Hunchback of Notre Dame,” “Enchanted” and that precious little musical called “Wicked.”

Joaquin doesn’t even get to do much in “A Song of Songs,” but theater website WhatsOnStage still singles him out and describes his performance and presence as “commanding,” calling his solo song “Dance for Me” as “the evening’s take-home number.” The production follows the story of a young wife in a loveless marriage as she mulls over meeting her unseen admirer, simply referred to as the Lover (Joaquin).

Diverse music

“It’s very exciting because the music aspect of it is really gorgeous,” Joaquin told Inquirer Entertainment over Zoom. “It attempts to bring in the different kinds of music from the Middle East to Jewish klezmer music to the gypsy, flamenco and Andalusian sounds. It’s a play with a lot of music which helps create that

atmosphere.

“I absolutely love it. I function more like a flamenco singer. The band, with our clarinetist, violinist and guitarist, is incredible. Our clarinetist specializes in Azerbaijani, Middle Eastern, Oriental sounds. Our percussionist is Spanish, so you’ll hear all these different flavors … flamenco, rhumba, tango, etc.

“The music is atmospheric and really embraces you. I found it challenging because I function more as a musician than an actor in this show. And there are lots of moments where the band improvises, so I improvise with them vocally, as well. When I started learning it and immersing myself in the Azerbaijani and Middle Eastern vocals, I found that I loved singing it so much!

“There’s a lot of dancing from the women in the cast, because there are loads of flamenco elements to it. But my character, the Lover, sings tunes that don’t necessarily push the plot forward, so they’re more ‘state of mind’ songs that set up the scenes and emotions. And so far, people have been responding well to them. The songs are ethereal, mystical …”

Cult following As for “The Baker’s Wife,” theater lovers instantly remember the production for its gorgeous show tune, “Meadowlark.” While the musical has grown a cult following since it premiered in the West End in 1989 (yes, the same year as “Miss Saigon”), it has yet to be produced on Broadway.

“Over the years, there have been attempts to revive ‘The Baker’s Wife,’” Joaquin disclosed.

“Gordon Greenberg, our director, who recently directed the Tony-nominated play, ‘The Heart of Rock and Roll’ on Broadway, has been with this title for a decade or so.

“He directed a revival of it at the Papermill Playhouse in the United States, with Alice Ripley and Max von Essen. So, it really means a lot to him and Stephen for the Menier to stage it on Schwartz’s 76th birth anniversary. It’s a big deal.

“It’s based on a 1938 French film [by Marcel Pagnol and Jean Giono] about a scandal that rocks a small community. It wasn’t received well initially, but Gordon has been developing it for years. I met Gordon when he came to watch ‘Pacific Overtures,’ before I was even considered to audition for it. And the Menier, being so intimate [as a 200-seater venue], is perfect for this type of material. So even the performances are informed by the space.

“This version of ‘The Baker’s Wife’ is incredible—like, it features some of the biggest names in London, and I am so humbled to be part of it! They’re stacking it with a lot of not just good musical theater performers, but also fine actors [from straight plays] to breathe life into the text and the space. So, the [staging] is going to be ‘semi-immersive.’ It’s really exciting.”

Catalyst for change

Asked to talk about the story and his character, who is the baker’s wife’s lover, Joaquin said, “I play Dominique. The general plot revolves around a small, idyllic and quite province in the middle of France, whose residents

USPS hosting job fairs near you

SONORA — The U.S. Postal Service is hosting several free hiring events to help future employees create their online profile and immediately start applying for jobs.

As part our innovative 10-year-plan, Delivering for America, the Postal Service is focused on building a more stable and empowered workforce. Our employees are our greatest asset, and we are investing in our new employees by providing robust training and on-the-job support.

If you enjoy taking walks, breathing in fresh air, and serving your community, the Postal Service is a great place to work, with job security, career advancement opportunities and benefits. The Postal Service has an immediate need for the following positions to be filled:

• Mail Processing: Clerks and Mail Handlers

• Delivery: City and Rural Carriers

• Transportation: Tractor Trailer Operators

• Maintenance: Mechanics, Laborer Custodian and Automotive Technician.

A complete list of job fair locations can be found at https:// about.usps.com/newsroom/local-releases/ca/2024/0604-uspshosting-job-fairs-near-you.htm, and clicking on the link provided. Applicants must be 18 years or older. All applicants must be able to pass drug screening and a criminal background investigation. Some positions require an exam. Any position

are shaken when an older baker (Clive Rowe) and his beautiful young wife (Lucie Jones) move into town.

“This baker makes the best bread that everybody loves. Meanwhile, Dominique, my character, is the town playboy—a virile and goodlooking young man who falls in love with Genevieve, the baker’s wife. He sweeps her off her feet, and they have an affair—and the whole town is just changed by it! So, this affair is the catalyst for everything that transpires thereafter.

“The central song, which I think conveys the quintessential sound and tone of the show, is this beautiful song called ‘Meadowlark’—one of Stephen Schwartz’s best songs ever. As Genevieve decides whether she should stay with her husband or run away with Dominique, she sings this fairy tale about a meadowlark who’s torn between the king who adores her and the Sun God. It’s a beautiful parable for what she’s going through.

“This unexpected turn of events causes a stir, and everybody is invested in this scandal. When you hear Dominique’s song, called ‘Proud Lady’—often every musicaltheater tenor’s audition piece—it feels like it was initially written for someone like Gaston from ‘Beauty and the Beast’ … very bombastic, proud and almost two-dimensional. True love

“But I had a conversation with the director during my audition to explore Dominique’s authenticity and truth even more—how, on the surface, he looks attractive and is always in control, but he’s really just a simple guy from the province.

“All of a sudden, he falls in love and now you can explain why he does what he does. It’s the first time he’s feeling true love. He’s probably had a lot of relationships, but this is the first time he’s genuinely feeling it.

“Before this, Dominique was always vilified as the younger, hotter man, but now would be a great opportunity to show why the decision was hard for him to make. It isn’t just for carnal, animalistic pleasure. There’s genuine connection that Genevieve finds in Dominique that she probably couldn’t find with her husband.

including the San Diego Sheriff’s Department, the County Office of Emergency Services, the County Library, LiveWell San Diego, SDG&E, the American Red Cross, and CAL FIRE visited the school on May 28 to present the awards and put on an interactive safety fair.

Among the skills stations were hands only CPR, fire extinguisher safety using a fire simulator, electrical and kitchen hazards safety, and SDG&E’s electrical safety demonstration Students who completed all the training earned a fire blanket.

Nearly 80 students participated in the contest. Each received a starter go-bag with supplies to use if they had to evacuate in a fire or other emergency, including a Listos Disaster Ready Guide, flashlight, first aid kit, and an emergency blanket. Contest winners got a family-sized gobag for four people including those items and an emergency AM/FM radio/flashlight, camping lanterns, extra batteries, personal hygiene items, and plates, and utensils. Those honored for their outstanding plans were seventh grader, Mateo Garcia, and sixth grader, Gael Fuentes.

The program and prizes were funded by the Listos California CERT Support Grant out of the governor’s Office of Emergency Services to help prepare residents for an emergency or disaster.

For more local resources, visit San Diego County Fire (https://www.sandiegocounty. gov/sdcfa/) and Alert San Diego (https://www.alertsandiego.org/ en-us/preparedness.html).

(Yvette Urrea Moe/County of San Diego Communications Office)

DO you like to read? Do you like to learn? How about, do you like to earn prizes?

Well, this summer you can do all three. The County Library Summer Learning Challenge is back! This summer’s “Read, Learn, Create” reading challenge started Saturday, June 1 and runs through Aug 31. Anyone and everyone can take part.

Register online or at any of the 33 County libraries, read some books, have some fun, engage in some new activities and you could just earn a prize — from achievement badges to a new book of your choice or Library tote bag.

The summer challenge is open to people of all ages. But its main goal is to encourage kids and teens to read during their summer vacations. That can help prevent what some educators call the “summer slide,” a time where students can lose some of what they achieved during the school year. Taking part is easy! Come into your local County library to register or do it online. First, pick up a printed “learning log,” in any of eight languages at a county library branch, or print one out at home, to track your progress. Then, over the course of the three-month challenge, track what you read, and mark the activities you complete in the File photo/www.countynewscenter.com

Photo courtesy of USPS

Joaquin Pedro Valdes Photo from Instagram/@joaquin.pedro.valdes

A county first – affordable housing opens on excess land

THE county reached a milestone in efforts to

address the region’s housing crisis.

Officials celebrated the grand opening of the Levant Senior Cottages in Linda Vista on Thursday, May 30. The development is the first of 11 affordable housing projects to complete construction on county excess land.

The Levant Street site was once home to an old child welfare center. The property now boasts 127 affordable units for low-income seniors.

The 4.5-acre site includes a combination of bungalows and studio apartments, a community building with a kitchen and computer lab, a small pet park and courtyard gardens.

“We know that we must do more to alleviate the housing burdens for all the people in our region,” said County Supervisor Monica Montgomery Steppe. “Affordable housing for seniors is a moral obligation, and these Levant Senior Cottages provide a safe, stable environment without the constant fear of displacement.”

Thirty-two of the units are designated for seniors who qualify for PACE, Program of all Inclusive Care for the Elderly.

“St. Paul’s PACE program will provide wraparound medical care and social services,” said Health and Human Services Agency Interim Director Dr. Eric McDonald. “Our most vulnerable elderly residents can get the care they need right here onsite.”

The Levant Street development was a combined effort.

The County worked with Wakeland Housing and Development, and San Diego Kind Corporation to develop the property. The developers will lease the land for $1 a year and

pay an annual $10,000 administrative payment to the county. The housing units will remain affordable for 70 years.

The San Diego Housing Commission provided 70 project-based vouchers. The state provided $19 million through the Multifamily Housing Program and over $20 million in federal tax credits.

Seniors who earned between 25 and 50% of the area median income qualified for the units. About 30% of their income will go toward rent. The monthly cost will range from $603 to $1,206.

Officials broke ground at the Levant Street site in June 2022. The project is now complete, fully leased, and residents will move in next month.

The county and Wakeland are currently working on two of the 10 other affordable housing developments planned for excess County property. One will provide 334 affordable homes for families and seniors in Grantville, the second will house seniors in Ramona. Affordable housing is a budget priority for the county. Since 2017, the county has invested $310 million into affordable housing, using excess land, its Innovative Housing Trust Fund and other state, federal and local funding sources administered by the county. The recommended budget calls for an additional $10 million toward the trust fund next fiscal year. In all, the county will contribute toward over 10,000 affordable housing units in the region providing homes to nearly 21,000 people.

(Tracy DeFore/County of San Diego Communications Office)

New technology to improve emergency evacuations countywide

A NEW technology launched on Wednesday, May 29 that will help streamline the evacuation process during emergencies throughout the region.

Evacuation zones powered by Genasys EVAC technology will help emergency managers and dispatchers send out more precise location-based alerts during an emergency evacuation.

The zones were developed by a coalition of local emergency managers, law enforcement and fire officials, and other safety experts. The team used geo boundaries, like lakes, freeways, mountains and neighborhoods, to create more logical and precise mapping zones.

The updated mapping will provide more specific evacuation areas, which will limit unnecessary evacuations. This will also support more efficient repopulations to get people back into their homes sooner.

Genasys EVAC will be integrated into AlertSanDiego. org and the SD Emergency app. Residents who are already registered do not need to resubscribe or download anything new to get emergency alerts.

Agencies throughout San Diego County will utilize this technology as part of regional efforts to continue to innovate

and capitalize on best practices to keep residents safe and informed during emergencies.

With peak fire conditions ahead, regional fire and safety officials gathered on Wednesday to promote the Genasys EVAC launch and urge residents to stay safe and prepared.

Make sure you are registered for emergency alerts through AlertSanDiego.org and the SD Emergency app. You’ll get

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The Levant Senior Cottages in Linda Vista, built on county excess land, opened recently and boasts 127 affordable units for low-income seniors. Photo captured from YouTube video by Anita Lightfoot/Andy Tolley