062024 Las Vegas Edition

Biden administration announces new immigration actions on DACA anniversary

Immigrant advocacy groups applaud Biden’s new policies for DACA recipients and families

by MoMar G. Visaya AJPress

ON the 12th anniversary of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program on Tuesday, June 18, President Joseph R. Biden announced two significant immigration actions, reinforcing his commitment to immigrant communities.

Eligible spouses and children of U.S. citizens, who have lived in the U.S. for over ten years, will no longer need to leave the country while

applying for a green card. They can remain with their families, work legally, and receive protection from deportation during the process.

Additionally, Dreamers with a degree from a U.S. college or university and a job offer from a U.S. employer can now swiftly secure a work visa.

Many Asian American and Pacific Islanders (AAPIs) families and communities stand to benefit from these measures, where 1.7 million AAPIs are undocumented,

comprising almost 1 in 5 undocumented individuals living in the U.S.

“While today’s actions are a significant step forward, there is more work to be done to fix our broken immigration system. That includes the need for a pathway to citizenship for Dreamers. President Biden and I continue to call on the United States Congress to join us in acting by passing permanent protections for Dreamers,” Vice President Kamala Harris said in a u PAGE 2

California lawmakers preserve aid to older, disabled immigrants

CALIFORNIA lawmakers on Thursday, June 14 passed a 2024-25 budget that rejected Gov. Gavin Newsom’s proposal to cut in-home supportive services for low-income older, blind, and disabled immigrants lacking legal residency. However, the Democratic governor has not said whether he’ll use his line-item veto authority to help close the state’s $45 billion deficit.

The legislature, controlled by Democrats, passed a $211 billion general fund spending plan for the fiscal year starting July 1 by drawing more from the state’s rainy-day fund and reducing corporate tax deductions to prevent cuts to health and social services.

“Our legislative budget plan achieves those

California loops in AI to translate health care information

TENER gripe, tener gripa, engriparse, agriparse, estar agripado, estar griposo, agarrar la gripe, coger la influenza. In Spanish, there are at least a dozen ways to say someone has the flu — depending on the country.

Translating “cardiac arrest” into Spanish is also tricky because “arresto” means getting detained by the police. Likewise, intoxicado” means you have food poisoning, not that you’re drunk.

The examples of how translation could go awry in any language are endless: Words take on new meanings, idioms come and go, and communities adopt slang and dialects for everyday life.

Human translators work hard to keep up with the changes, but California plans to soon entrust that responsibility to technology.

State health policy officials want to harness emerging artificial intelligence

Marcos accepts Sara Duterte’s resignation as DepEd chief

MANILA — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

accepted Vice President Sara Duterte’s resignation as Education secretary and member of the Cabinet, said the Palace on Wednesday, June 19.

“Yes, accepted,” Press Secretary Cheloy Garafil told reporters when asked if Marcos accepted Duterte’s resignation. Duterte resigned on Wednesday afternoon at exactly 2:21 p.m. The Palace said Duterte tendered her

China’s actions in West Philippine Sea undermine regional peace – Blinken

by Zacarian Sarao Inquirer.net

MANILA — The recent aggressive actions of China in Ayungin (Second Thomas) Shoal in the West Philippine Sea “undermine regional peace and stability,” said U.S. Secretary of State Anthony Blinken.

According to the U.S. Embassy in the Philippines on Thursday, Blinken, during a meeting with Foreign Affairs Sec. Enrique Manolo, also reiterated the U.S.’ “ironclad commitments” to the country under its mutual defense treaty.

“Secretary Blinken emphasized that the PRC’s (People’s Republic of China) actions

undermine regional peace and stability and underscored the United States’ ironclad commitments to the Philippines under our Mutual Defense Treaty,” State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said, based on a readout sent by the U.S. embassy to reporters.

Miller also said Blinken and Manalo exchanged views on “how to build on the momentum from recent high-level bilateral engagements on issues of shared concern.”

This development came after a ramming incident on Monday, June 17, between China Coast Guard (CCG) vessels and Filipino boats during a resupply mission to BRP Sierra

Philippines ex-vaccine czar doubts alleged US-led

by JoSe rodel clapano Philstar.com

‘anti-vax’ campaign

MANILA — Allies of the Philippine government at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic supported any vaccine available at the time, according to presidential peace adviser Carlito Galvez Jr.

ABS-CBN quoted Galvez as saying that reports alleging a U.S.-backed propaganda that tried to discredit China’s Sinovac vaccine are not true.

“I believe it is not true,” he reportedly asserted in a statement.

Galvez was the National Task Force against COVID-19 chief implementer and vaccine

czar during the peak of the pandemic.

A Reuters report, which saw print over the weekend, alleged that the U.S. military allegedly launched a clandestine program to discredit China’s Sinovac during the pandemic.

Galvez explained that countries supporting the Philippines during the pandemic said the best vaccine during the pandemic is the vaccine that is immediately available.

“I am not aware of anything like this since all countries, through their embassies, are trying to help us to acquire available vaccines in the market,” he said.

“As far as I can remember, most of our

resignation as member of the Cabinet, Department of Education secretary and National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict vice chairperson.

This action will be effective on July 19. Her resignation comes after weeks of being unresponsive to media queries in several issues, including China’s increased aggression in the West Philippine Sea and controversies surrounding Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators. n

President Marcos to Filipinos: Uplift lives of others

by KriStina Maralit ManilaTimes.net

MANILA — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Monday, June 17 urged Filipinos to help enrich the lives of others as he joined Muslim Filipinos in the observance of Eid’I Adha or the Feast of Sacrifice.

In his message, the chief executive said the solemn occasion offers the nation a unique opportunity to ruminate on the life and tale of Ibrahim whose steadfast faith and unconditional love for Allah have become the core virtues of Islamic teaching.

“We will find a greater sense of purpose in uplifting the lives of others and enriching the facets that make our dreams and endeavors meaningful,” he said.

“Let us continue to radiate goodness to those around us, confident that—with the right intention and conduct—the true, the good, and

photo

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

Malacañang photo

Biden administration announces...

statement.

Asian Americans Advancing Justice – AAJC commended the new policies, which are expected to bring stability to many undocumented immigrants and their families. The White House estimates that around half a million spouses of U.S. citizens and 50,000 immigrant children will benefit from these changes.

In a statement, AAJC said, “These policies are momentous for hundreds of thousands of families, including many Asian Americans. They will bring much-needed stability, not just for undocumented immigrants and DACA recipients who have been waiting years for immigration reform, but also for their spouses and families. Many families who have feared permanent separation can now breathe a sigh of relief.”

The AAJC stressed the significance of these policies in providing relief to families who have feared permanent separation and called for further reforms to address longstanding issues in the immigration system. They noted that many Asian immigrants might not qualify due to entry method provisions, leaving numerous families still in the shadows without a path to permanent status.

The organization urged continued efforts toward comprehensive immigration reform that includes pathways to citizenship for all immigrants, including DACA recipi-

ents, Temporary Protected Status holders, and essential workers. They highlighted the importance of welcoming policies that keep families together and uphold the U.S.'s moral and prosperous standing.

Juliet K. Choi, President & CEO of the Asian & Pacific Islander American Health Forum (APIAHF), praised the Biden administration's ongoing efforts to improve conditions for immigrant communities. She highlighted the expedited work visa process for DACA recipients, which reduces the waiting period from six months to two weeks, significantly benefiting the Asian American and Pacific Islander community, which represents about ten percent of DACA recipients.

“Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders represent about ten percent of DACA recipients, and half of all DACA recipients are college graduates. This new process will expedite their work visa from six months to two weeks,” Choi said. “The administration’s announcement to keep families together and working during the green card process underscores the President’s commitment to our values and makes America safer and stronger.”

Choi also emphasized the importance of these actions in keeping families together and reinforcing America's values of safety and strength. The administration's decision aligns with President

Biden’s earlier expansion of health coverage for DACA recipients through the Health Insurance Marketplace.

“NAPAWF applauds the Biden administration for today’s immigration relief announcements. These necessary steps ensure that our community members can gain legal status, access essential health benefits, and lead more complete lives. Undocumented spouses and DACA-mented youth, have for too long lived in the shadows and borne the brunt of our broken immigration system,” Sung Yeon Choimorrow, National Asian Pacific American Women’s Forum (NAPAWF) Executive Director said.

“While these announcements are a step in the right direction, this is only the beginning. The majority of Americans support pathways to citizenship. There is still much more that needs to be done to guarantee that everyone, regardless of their immigration status, can live full and healthy lives in America. Our organization will continue to advocate for justice for all members of our community.”

These announcements by the Biden administration represent a step forward in supporting immigrant communities and addressing the complex challenges they face, but they also underscore the need for ongoing advocacy and legislative action to achieve lasting, meaningful reform. g

China’s actions in West Philippine Sea...

The Armed Forces of the Philippines said the CCG also used water cannons and even boarded Filipino vessels.

The Philippines and China have been embroiled in a territorial dispute after Beijing claimed most of the South China Sea, including the West Philippine Sea, through its so-called ten-dash line.

However, China’s claims were effectively invalidated by a July 2016 international tribunal ruling that stemmed from a case filed by Manila in 2013.

Despite this, China has continued encroaching on Philippine waters, maintaining its aggression and militarization even in areas within the Philippines’ territory in the West Philippine Sea. g

California loops in AI to translate health...

technology to translate a broad swath of documents and websites related to “health and social services information, programs, benefits and services,” according to state records. Sami Gallegos, a spokesperson for California’s Health and Human Services Agency, declined to elaborate on which documents and languages would be involved, saying that information is “confidential.”

The agency is seeking bids from IT firms for the ambitious initiative, though its timing and cost is not yet clear. Human editors supervising the project will oversee and edit the translations, Gallegos said.

Agency officials said they hope to save money and make critical health care forms, applications, websites, and other information available to more people in what they call the nation’s most linguistically diverse state.

The project will start by translating written material. Agency Secretary Mark Ghaly said the technology, if successful, may be applied more broadly.

“How can we potentially not just transform all of our documents, but our websites, our ability to interact, even some of our call center inputs, around AI?” Ghaly asked during an April briefing on AI in health care in Sacramento.

But some translators and scholars fear the technology lacks the nuance of human interaction and isn’t ready for the challenge. Turning this sensitive work over to machines could create errors in wording and understanding, they say — ultimately making information less accurate and less accessible to patients.

“AI cannot replace human compassion, empathy, and

transparency, meaningful gestures and tones,” said Rithy Lim, a Fresno-based medical and legal interpreter for 30 years who specializes in Khmer, the main language of Cambodia.

Artificial intelligence is the science of designing computers that emulate human thinking by reasoning, problem-solving, and understanding language. A type of artificial intelligence known as generative AI, or GenAI, in which computers are trained using massive amounts of data to “learn” the meaning of things and respond to prompts, is driving a wave of investment, led by such companies as Open AI and Google.

AI is quickly being integrated into health care, including programs that diagnose diabetic retinopathy, analyze mammograms, and connect patients with nurses remotely. Promotors of the technology often make the grandiose claim that soon everyone will have their own “AI doctor.”

AI also has been a game changer in translation. ChatGPT, Google’s Neural Machine Translation, and Open Source are not only faster than older technologies such as Google Translate, but they can process huge volumes of content and draw upon a vast database of words to nearly mimic human translation.

Whereas a professional human translator might need three hours to translate a 1,600-word document, AI can do it in a minute.

Arjun “Raj” Manrai, an assistant professor of biomedical informatics at Harvard Medical School and the deputy editor of New England Journal of Medicine AI, said the use of AI technology represents a natural progression

in medical translation, given that patients already use Google Translate and AI platforms to translate for themselves and their loved ones.

“Patients are not waiting,” he said.

He said GenAI could be particularly useful in this context. These translations “can deliver real value to patients by simplifying complex medical information and making it more accessible,” he said.

In its bidding documents, the state says the goal of the project is to increase “speed, efficiency, and consistency of translations, and generate improvements in language access” in a state where 1 in 3 people speak a language other than English, and more than 200 languages are spoken. In May 2023, the state Health and Human Services Agency adopted a “language access policy” that requires its departments to translate all “vital” documents into at least the top five languages spoken by Californians with limited English proficiency. At the time, those languages were Spanish, Chinese, Tagalog, Vietnamese, and Korean.

Examples of vital documents include application forms for state programs, notices about eligibility for benefits, and public website content.

Currently, human translators produce these translations. With AI, more documents could be translated into more languages.

A survey conducted by the California Health Care Foundation late last year found that 30% of Spanish speakers have difficulty explaining their health issues and concerns to a doctor, compared with 16% of

u PAGE 5

by pancho diZon

TRIVANTAGE Holdings Pte Ltd., a Singapore-registered special-purpose vehicle jointly owned by mostly Philippine-based investors and former consumer brand executives, recently acquired athleticwear brand 2XU from L Capital Ironman Pte Ltd. While the terms of the transactions were not officially disclosed, The Independent Investor discovered a company filing with the Australian Securities and Investments Commission that disclosed that 2XU was sold for USD$22 million or AUD$34.2 million.

The acquisition marks a significant development in the Philippine investment community, reflecting their growing involvement in international business transactions.

Founded in Australia in 2005, 2XU (pronounced “Two Times You”) is known for its premium performance-focused activewear, particularly compression garments. The brand originated in endurance sports, and its product range covers various stages of athletic performance, including preparation, performance, and recovery. 2XU’s products are frequently used by elite athletes worldwide across multiple disciplines, and the brand holds a notable position in the global high-performance sportswear market. 2XU is headquartered in Melbourne, Australia, and its products are available in over 50 countries worldwide, with more than 2,000 points of sale.

“We welcome 2XU’s new own-

ership group and are excited to work with them to further expand the reach of the  2XU brand,” said Marc Boelen, CEO of 2XU.

“With their support and fresh perspectives, my team and I are looking  forward to exploring new growth avenues for this market-leading brand.”

TriVantage Holdings Pte Ltd. is jointly owned by John Alonte, Eric Manlunas, Angelica Suiza, Willy Au, and Harry Markl, all of whom bring extensive experience in a variety of industries, including venture capital, sports apparel, and e-commerce. Markl, a co-founder of the e-commerce marketplace Zalora, originated and brought this opportunity to TriVantage while advising on the acquisition. Markl will also represent the new ownership group and work closely with 2XU’s management team.

“We’re humbled that we can acquire a well-known global Australian brand and we intend to be responsible stewards and protect what the 2XU brand stands for,”

commented Alonte. “We will continue to pursue the  original vision of making 2XU Australia’s first major global sportswear brand.”

“We’re grateful for this opportunity and we intend to further expand 2XU’s global reach,” said Manlunas. “We have a solid foundation to build on given the brand’s track record. We’re highly confident that 2XU has no upper limits and can exponentially grow in the coming years to further solidify its leadership in the sports compression athleticwear market.”

“We’re excited to further unlock 2XU’s brand potential by leveraging its market leadership in high-performance compression sports garments, commented Angelica Suiza. “We will grow its presence in fast-growing markets in  North America, Europe, and the Asia Pacific region. With Harry Markl’s stewardship, we will catapult 2XU to new commercial highs.” (Reprinted from The Independent Investor)

Secretary of State Antony Blinken shake hands with Pres. Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. during the former’s courtesy call in Malacañang. Malacañang file photo

Filipino investors John Alonte (left) and Eric Manlunas (right)

Madre.

It resulted in a Philippine Navy

having his thumb severed, with several other naval personnel sustaining minor injuries.

Older women are different than older men. Their health Is woefully understudied

by Judith GrahaM California Healthline

MEDICAL research has shortchanged women for decades. This is particularly true of older women, leaving physicians without critically important information about how to best manage their health.

Late last year, the Biden administration promised to address this problem with a new effort called the White House Initiative on Women’s Health Research. That inspires a compelling question: What priorities should be on the initiative’s list when it comes to older women?

Stephanie Faubion, director of the Mayo Clinic’s Center for Women’s Health, launched into a critique when I asked about the current state of research on older women’s health. “It’s completely inadequate,” she told me.

One example: Many drugs widely prescribed to older adults, including statins for high cholesterol, were studied mostly in men, with results extrapolated to women.

“It’s assumed that women’s biology doesn’t matter and that women who are premenopausal and those who are postmenopausal respond similarly,” Faubion said.

“This has got to stop: The FDA has to require that clinical trial data be reported by sex and age for us to tell if drugs work the same, better, or not as well in women,” Faubion insisted.

Consider the Alzheimer’s drug Leqembi, approved by the FDA last year after the manufacturer reported a 27% slower rate of cognitive decline in people who took the medication. A supplementary appendix to a Leqembi study published in the New England Journal of Medicine revealed that sex differences were substantial — a 12% slowdown for women, compared with a 43% slowdown for men — raising questions about the drug’s effectiveness for women.

This is especially important because nearly two-thirds of older adults with Alzheimer’s disease are women. Older women are also more likely than older men to have multiple medical conditions, disabilities, difficulties with daily activities, autoimmune illness, depression and anxiety,

uncontrolled high blood pressure, and osteoarthritis, among other issues, according to scores of research studies. Even so, women are resilient and outlive men by more than five years in the U.S. As people move into their 70s and 80s, women outnumber men by significant margins. If we’re concerned about the health of the older population, we need to be concerned about the health of older women.

As for research priorities, here’s some of what physicians and medical researchers suggested:

Heart disease

Why is it that women with heart disease, which becomes far more common after menopause and kills more women than any other condition — are given less recommended care than men?

“We’re notably less aggressive in treating women,” said Martha Gulati, director of preventive cardiology and associate director of the Barbra Streisand Women’s Heart Center at Cedars-Sinai, a health system in Los Angeles.

“We delay evaluations for chest pain. We don’t give blood thinners at the same rate. We don’t do procedures like aortic valve replacements as often. We’re not adequately addressing hypertension.

“We need to figure out why these biases in care exist and how to remove them.”

Gulati also noted that older women are less likely than their male peers to have obstructive coronary artery disease — blockages in large blood vessels —and more likely to have damage to smaller blood vessels that remains undetected. When they get procedures such as cardiac catheterizations, women have more bleeding and complications. What are the best treatments for older women given these issues? “We have very limited data. This needs to be a focus,” Gulati said.

Brain health

How can women reduce their risk of cognitive decline and dementia as they age?

“This is an area where we really need to have clear messages for women and effective interventions that are feasible and accessible,” said JoAnn Manson, chief of the Division of Preventive Medicine at Brigham

and Women’s Hospital in Boston and a key researcher for the Women’s Health Initiative, the largest study of women’s health in the U.S.

Numerous factors affect women’s brain health, including stress — dealing with sexism, caregiving responsibilities, and financial strain — which can fuel inflammation. Women experience the loss of estrogen, a hormone important to brain health, with menopause. They also have a higher incidence of conditions with serious impacts on the brain, such as multiple sclerosis and stroke.

“Alzheimer’s disease doesn’t just start at the age of 75 or 80,” said Gillian Einstein, the Wilfred and Joyce Posluns Chair in Women’s Brain Health and Aging at the University of Toronto. “Let’s take a life course approach and try to understand how what happens earlier in women’s lives predisposes them to Alzheimer’s.”

Mental health

What accounts for older women’s greater vulnerability to anxiety and depression?

Studies suggest a variety of factors, including hormonal changes and the cumulative impact of stress. In the journal Nature Aging, Paula Rochon, a professor of geriatrics at the University of Toronto, also faulted “gendered ageism,” an unfortunate combination of ageism and sexism, which renders older women “largely invisible,” in an interview in Nature Aging.

Helen Lavretsky, a professor of psychiatry at UCLA and past president of the American Association for Geriatric Psychiatry, suggests several topics that need further investigation. How does the menopausal transition impact mood and stress-related disorders? What nonpharmaceutical interventions can promote psychological resilience in older women and help them recover from stress and trauma? (Think yoga, meditation, music therapy, tai chi, sleep therapy, and other possibilities.) What combination of interventions is likely to be most effective?

Cancer

How can cancer screening recommendations and cancer PAGE 5

California lawmakers preserve aid to older...

goals with targeted, carefully calibrated investments in safetynet programs that protect our most vulnerable,” said Assembly member Jesse Gabriel, chair of the Assembly’s budget committee, following voting in Sacramento.

Newsom and lawmakers are expected to continue talks.

“What was approved today represents a two-house agreement between the Senate and the Assembly – not an agreement with the governor,” said state Department of Finance spokesperson H.D. Palmer.

“We’ve made good progress, but there’s still more work to do.”

Newsom had proposed eliminating the new in-home benefit for qualified immigrants to save nearly $95 million in the next fiscal year, with no plans to bring it back. Lawmakers not only rejected Newsom’s cut to the in-home services program; they also refused the governor’s proposal to slash $300 million a year from public health agencies. However, they accepted delaying food assistance to low-income older immigrants without legal residency.

The In-Home Supportive Services program helps lowincome older, blind, and disabled individuals receive care in their homes, which helps keep them out of more costly nursing and residential facilities. The program works by paying $16 to $21 an

hour to caregivers, many of them family members.

Advocates applauded lawmakers for rejecting the cut. They had urged the governor to adopt the legislature’s budget, arguing the state could end up paying more in the long run as Medi-Cal recipients tap nursing services. The state has estimated the annual per-person cost of nursing homes is $124,189, compared with the roughly $28,000 average cost for people without legal residency in the inhome services program.

“These individuals would need to essentially go into costly hospital or nursing care,” said Ronald Coleman Baeza, managing policy director at the California Pan-Ethnic Health Network. “It’s not only cruel for undocumented immigrants, but it doesn’t make sense as a fiscal decision either.”

The governor has said he’s trying to maintain fiscal discipline while preserving Medi-Cal benefits for immigrants. California was the first state to expand Medicaid eligibility to all qualified immigrants regardless of legal status, phasing it in over several years: children in 2016, adults ages 19-26 in 2020, people 50 and older in 2022, and all remaining adults this year.

“It’s a core of I think who we are as a state, and we should be as a nation,” Newsom said in May.

As part of the Medi-Cal

expansion, the state authorized nearly 3,000 older, blind, and disabled immigrants without legal residency to access paramedical services and daily care, including meal preparation, bathing, feeding, and transportation to medical appointments. Advocates estimate 17,000 immigrants qualify.

“Fixing California’s deficit means making tough choices, so the Assembly came to these negotiations focused on preserving programs that matter most to Californians,” said Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas, a Central Coast Democrat, in an earlier statement.

Lawmakers did agree to Newsom’s proposal to delay around $165 a month in food assistance to low-income immigrants without legal residency ages 55 and older.

Lawmakers had approved the benefit two years ago, but the governor proposed delaying it by two fiscal years to 2027. (Vanessa G. Sánchez/KFF Health News)

This article was produced by KFF Health News, which publishes California Healthline, an editorially independent service of the California Health Care Foundation. KFF Health News is a national newsroom that produces in-depth journalism about health issues and is one of the core operating programs at KFF—an independent source of health policy research, polling, and journalism.

As little as 6 inches of water can sweep a person off their feet, and a foot of water can cause a car or truck to float. Turn from flooded roadways no matter what kind of vehicle you’re driving.

PRIME WEAPONS. Uniformed officers try on life vests at the Tactical Survival and Arms (TACS) expo which opened at SM Megamall in Mandaluyong City on Thursday, June 20. Aside from modern firearms and survival equipment, there will also be information dissemination on disaster preparedness.

PNA photo by Joan Bondoc

Barriers to Alzheimer’s care for rural Californians

by Selen oZturK Ethnic Media Services

ALTHOUGH the number of Californians living with Alzheimer’s will nearly double to 1.1 million within twenty years, those in rural and remote areas face major challenges to accessing care.

Compared to urban communities, these rural Californians struggle to access preventative services, including screenings, diagnostic care, clinical visits, and appointments with specialists. Long wait times and a lack of public transportation are also common issues.

Alzheimer’s access in remote California

With Alzheimer’s now the second-leading cause of death for people in California—home to more adults aged 65 and over than any other state—barriers to treatment are more harmful than ever, said Dr. Rita Nguyen, assistant health officer for the state of California and population health director for the California Department of Public Health (CDPH).

There were 660,000 Californians living with Alzheimer’s in 2019; that number is expected to more than double to nearly 1.5 million in 2040. While rural California is home to just 6%—2.3 million residents—of the state’s overall population, residents

in these areas are also older than their urban counterparts; more geographically isolated from clinics, caregivers and specialists; and more prone to Alzheimer’s risk factors like heart disease, hypertension and diabetes.

“The Surgeon General has highlighted the immense impact that loneliness has on health outcomes,” noted Nguyen, adding that stigma around Alzheimer’s adds to the isolation many experience, despite the fact that most Californians are “connected by one or two degrees” to someone with the disease.

In response, CDPH has launched Take on Alzheimer’s, the first-ever statewide campaign to reduce stigma around the disease and teach Californians how to detect it and what to do after a diagnosis.

“Our own research on access barriers to Medicaid, the largest payer of long-term U.S. care access, has involved over 40 focus groups and over 100 individual interviews,” said Hagar Dickman, senior attorney at Justice in Aging. “We found, statewide, that low-income individuals with mid-to-late Alzheimer’s and dementia, particularly in rural areas, generally have no options to access community or personal care programs.”

For instance, California’s largest program for low-income

adult home care—In-Home

Support Services, serving 700,000 individuals—“is essential for keeping adults in the community and out of nursing homes, but it’s selfdirected. Users apply for, find, hire, supervise and fire their caregivers, and 70% of users have a family caregiver,” she explained. “But it doesn’t work for those who can’t direct their own care,” she added, suggesting an agency option, and integration of caregiving with social services like housing.

Other Medicaid programs like Assisted Living Waivers, available in only 15 of California’s 58 counties, can have 3,000-person waitlists. (Medi-Cal is California’s version of the federal Medicaid program.) Community-Based Adult Services, an adult day health program available in about 22 counties, closed many centers during the pandemic in rural counties which already have less alternatives like nursing homes, caregivers and specialty clinics.

“We found that those with neglected needs go into institutional care or die at home as providers … social workers and community organizations struggle to find support for those who come to them for help,” Dickman said. “Once the Alzheimer’s is mid-to-late, often in despair, they call Adult Protective Services, even though it can’t really assist.”

President Marcos to Filipinos: Uplift lives...

the beautiful will prosper now and in the years to come,” he said.

Marcos hoped that Filipinos, through dependence on God and on life of prayer, will gain clarity of mind and kindness of heart to overcome trials.

“As we understand the significance of this

commemoration, we feel deep within ourselves that, in nurturing our relationship with others and the Almighty, we are strengthened by our past and fueled with lessons to face tomorrow with grit and resilience,” he said.

He also expressed optimism that Filipinos would band together for a Bagong Pilipinas

One from whom all wisdom and knowledge flows.”

Eid’I Adha is a major holiday celebrated by Muslims worldwide.

It is the second of two great Muslim festivals, the first being

Philippines ex-vaccine czar doubts...

friends and allies even said that

‘the best vaccine is the vaccine (on) our shoulders,’ meaning, whatever vaccine we had and (was) available, we have to take it immediately,” he added.

China-made Sinovac was one of the early vaccines made available to the country at the height of the pandemic.

Public distrust

In a related development, Iloilo 1st District Rep. Janette Garin on Monday, June 17 cautioned against any effort to demonize a vaccine, saying it would lead to public distrust in immunization programs.

Garin, a former health secretary, noted that public health should be insulated from military operations because in the end, the victims would be the people and the public health

programs.

“Accountability should be in place,” she said in a television interview as she underscored the need for the media to be discerning in getting people to interview about public health.

She added that if a certain vaccine is “demonized,” it will “create public distrust in all vaccines and all vaccination programs.”

Garin made the statement following reports that the U.S. military had launched a clandestine program to discredit China’s Sinovac vaccine against COVID-19.

“The impact of this operation on public health cannot be overstated. Public health experts have rightly criticized this campaign for endangering lives and undermining trust in vaccines, including those manufactured in the United States,” she added.

The lawmaker emphasized that this campaign would contribute to “vaccine hesitancy in the Philippines, a country where vaccine coverage was already limited, leading to unnecessary loss of lives.” g

Meanwhile, House of Representatives Deputy Minority Leader and ACT Teachers party-list Rep. France Castro strongly condemned the U.S. government, particularly the Pentagon, for running a secret anti-vaccination campaign. Castro said this is “deeply concerning” as it would “cast doubt on the safety and efficacy of Chinese vaccines,” which were the primary vaccines used by the Philippines to combat COVID-19.

With Alzheimer’s now the second-leading cause of death for people in California, barriers to treatment are more harmful than ever. Pexels.com photo by RDNE Stock project

PAGE 5

California loops in AI to translate health...

English speakers.

Health equity advocates say AI will help close that gap.

“This technology is a very powerful tool in the area of language access,” said Sandra R. Hernández, president and CEO of the foundation. “In good hands, it has many opportunities to expand the translation capability to address inequities.”

But Hernández cautioned that AI translations must have human oversight to truly capture meaning.

“The human interface is very important to make sure you get the accuracy and the cultural nuances reflected,” she said.

Lim recalled an instance in which a patient’s daughter translated preoperative instructions to her mother the night before surgery. Instead of translating the instructions as “you cannot eat” after a certain hour, she told her mom, “You should not eat.”

The mother ate breakfast, and the surgery had to be rescheduled.

“Even a few words that change meaning could have a drastic impact on the way people consume the information,” said Sejin Paik, a doctoral

candidate in digital journalism, human-computer interaction, and emerging media at Boston University.

Paik, who grew up speaking Korean, also pointed out that AI models are often trained from a Western point of view. The data that drives the translations filters languages through an English perspective, “which could result in misinterpretations of the other language,” she said. Amid this fast-changing landscape, “we need more diverse voices involved, more people thinking about the ethical concepts, how we best forecast the impact of this technology.”

Manrai pointed to other flaws in this nascent technology that must be addressed. For instance, AI sometimes invents sentences or phrases that are not in the original text, potentially creating false information — a phenomenon AI scientists call “hallucination” or “confabulation.”

Ching Wong, executive director of the Vietnamese Community Health Promotion Project at the University of California-San Francisco, has been translating health content from English into Vietnamese

and Chinese for 30 years. He provided examples of nuances in language that might confuse AI translation programs. Breast cancer, for instance, is called “chest cancer” in Chinese, he said. And “you” has different meanings in Vietnamese, depending on a person’s ranking in the family and community. If a doctor uses “you” incorrectly with a patient, it could be offensive, Wong said.

But Ghaly emphasized that the opportunities outweigh the drawbacks. He said the state should “cultivate innovation” to help vulnerable populations gain greater access to care and resources.

And he was clear: “We will not replace humans.” (Paula Andalo/ KFF Health News)

This article was produced by KFF Health News, which publishes California Healthline, an editorially independent service of the California Health Care Foundation.

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

Older women are different than older men...

treatments for older women be improved?

Supriya Gupta Mohile, director of the Geriatric Oncology Research Group at the Wilmot Cancer Institute at the University of Rochester, wants better guidance about breast cancer screening for older women, broken down by health status. Currently, women 75 and older are lumped together even though some are remarkably healthy and others notably frail.

Recently, the U. S. Preventive Services Task Force noted “the current evidence is insufficient to assess the balance of benefits and harms of screening mammography in women 75 years or older,” leaving physicians without clear guidance.

“Right now, I think we’re underscreening fit older women and overscreening frail older women,” Mohile said.

The doctor also wants more research about effective and safe treatments for lung cancer in older women, many of whom have multiple medical conditions

and functional impairments. The age-sensitive condition kills more women than breast cancer.

“For this population, it’s decisions about who can tolerate treatment based on health status and whether there are sex differences in tolerability for older men and women that need investigation,” Mohile said.

Bone health, functional health, and frailty How can older women maintain mobility and preserve their ability to take care of themselves?

Osteoporosis, which causes bones to weaken and become brittle, is more common in older women than in older men, increasing the risk of dangerous fractures and falls. Once again, the loss of estrogen with menopause is implicated.

“This is hugely important to older women’s quality of life and longevity, but it’s an overlooked area that is understudied,” said Manson of Brigham and Women’s.

Jane Cauley, a distinguished professor at the University of Pittsburgh School of Public

Health who studies bone health, would like to see more data about osteoporosis among older Black, Asian, and Hispanic women, who are undertreated for the condition. She would also like to see better drugs with fewer side effects.

Marcia Stefanick, a professor of medicine at Stanford University School of Medicine, wants to know which strategies are most likely to motivate older women to be physically active. And she’d like more studies investigating how older women can best preserve muscle mass, strength, and the ability to care for themselves.

“Frailty is one of the biggest problems for older women, and learning what can be done to prevent that is essential,” she said.

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

Barriers to Alzheimer’s care for rural...

“What became clear from talking to rural participants is that many policy solutions that may work in urban areas really are not appropriate for rural areas, because of low density, lack of providers and lack of infrastructure,” she continued. “Any solution, to help individuals with Alzheimer’s who don’t have family caregivers, needs to address these issues.”

Alzheimer’s outreach in rural SoCal

“Our population is growing. In the Inland Empire alone, there’s a projected 685% increase in people 65 and over by 2060,” said Carmen Estrada, executive director of the Inland Caregiver Resource Center, a network of 11 free caregiver service centers in the San Bernardino, Riverside, Inyo and Monroe counties of Southern California. “Our infrastructure is definitely not ready for that, but we’re hopeful we can implement what we found about reaching people.”

“First of all, we use word of mouth,” she continued. “It’s not just about dropping off brochures at a community center or church … individuals in rural communities are close-knit, and to foster trust we encourage current clients to tell others about how we can help them care for loved ones with Alzheimer’s” through services like counseling, caregiver referrals, caregiving

training and respite care.

“Most importantly, we learn what the community needs,” Estrada continued, through listening sessions and focus groups, as well as what the best channels are for delivering information, whether it’s “flyers, TV, radio?” Language accessibility is also critical.

One caregiver’s story

“I’ve been caring for my brother three years since he got diagnosed with frontal temporal dementia, and it’s been challenging,” said Maria Cortez, a Glenn County-based 66-year-old caregiver for Jerry, her 62 year old brother with Alzheimer’s.

She lived in Texas when he first showed abnormal symptoms, including losing his job, drinking frequently, being verbally abusive to siblings who’d visit him and blacking out while driving, totaling his car on one occasion.

“He was then living alone in our parents’ home and had four friends who saw what was going on, moved in, and took over the home and his bank account,” Cortez said. “They had him living worse than a dog, so I took him to Texas. He was upset, so after a few months we went back to remove his friends. It took three to four months to evict one … If we hadn’t intervened, my brother would be dead by now.”

“Since he had no money

left, I spent a month and a half struggling with paperwork to get him on Medi-Cal,” she explained. Unable to get a neurologist in Chico, 10 minutes away, “he got one in Sacramento, early appointments two hours each way.”

“The symptoms progressed so fast, about every two months,” said Cortez. “It was memory loss, then anxiety, hallucinations, depression, losing empathy, personal hygiene and the ability to feed or dress himself. In the last month or two he can no longer bathe himself, which has been difficult for me, being his sister.” She added that her brother has been able to join the Peg Taylor Center for Adult Day Health Care in nearby Chico, where he goes two to three times a week for up to four hours per visit, “They’re wonderful,” she said. “He’s now like a three year old in an adult body, and this is the only program I know of here that gives me time to catch up, go out, do what I want for a bit.”

Cortez said the most fulfilling part of caring for her brother despite these challenges “is that I helped him be alive, for however many years he’s got left. But we didn’t know what was happening for a few years, and that could have helped him … If you’re facing similar issues, learn the signs.” g

IMPROVEMENT. The rehabilitation of the EDSA-Kamuning flyover in Quezon City continues on Monday, June 17. The northbound lane remains open to vehicular traffic while the southbound portion is off-limits, except for EDSA Carousel buses, until its target reopening on Oct. 25. PNA photo by Joan Bondoc

OpiniOn Features

The high ground

THE last thing opponents of former President Rodrigo Duterte should want is to have accusations hurled back at them about gross human rights violations. This, however, is happening now as the administration comes down hard on Apollo Quiboloy, pastor of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ.

The Department of Justice has declared Quiboloy a “fugitive” as he evades arrest for various offenses including the non-bailable qualified human trafficking. In compelling anyone to face the law, however, authorities should not look like lawbreakers themselves. This is what Quiboloy’s camp is saying after police swooped down last week on four Quiboloy properties in Davao to serve arrest warrants for the pastor, a staunch supporter of Duterte. Video footage showed police breaking down the fence of the KOJC’s “Glory Mountain.” Quiboloy’s lawyer stressed that an arrest warrant does not allow a search of the premises, except if there is reasonable ground to suspect that the fugitive is in the address specified on the warrant, in which case an “incidental search” may be allowed. The lawyer said there could have been no “reasonable” certainty of Quiboloy’s presence in the property that was broken into because the police tried to serve the warrant almost simultaneously at four different sites.

Editorial

International, which is operated by Quiboloy’s Swara Sug Media Corp. Duterte, who has agreed to serve as administrator of KOJC assets, lambasted the raids. “Will this overkill be the trademark of this administration when dealing with individuals who are merely accused of committing a crime and have not been proven guilty beyond reasonable doubt? Will they exhibit the same lack of selfrestraint they have shown toward critics of this administration when dealing with their supporters?”

Those who suffered from Duterte’s brutal crackdown on illegal drugs will scoff at his comments. Still, the actions of the current administration and its allies against Quiboloy are raising genuine concern about the state of free speech and the constitutionally guaranteed right to be secure in one’s domicile.

The raid is on top of the House of Representatives voting overwhelmingly last March to revoke the franchise of Sonshine Media Network

It is also unfortunate that after deploying elite police Special Action Force commandos and several other police teams to serve an arrest warrant, the police still came up empty-handed. Government critics are not the only ones who see a failure of intelligence in that operation.

IN a recent meeting I had with Facebook executives, they said they are continually developing new tools and technologies to increase account security as well as identify and shut down fake Facebook accounts that scam people and, more critically, those that are used for misinformation/ disinformation and covert influence operations.

In November last year, Meta – the parent company of Facebook – announced that it has shut down over 4,800 fake social media accounts that originated from China but whose profiles appear to be Americans (complete with fake photos) creating and sharing political content aimed at sowing political discord and furthering ideological divide.

While misinformation/ disinformation activities are geared at spreading fake news or misleading information, influence operations (IO) take things a step further because they are aimed at manipulating public opinion/perception and

ultimately, influencing political outcomes. IO may also use trolls, hackers and cyberthugs to attack personalities through black propaganda by spreading lies and engaging in smear campaigns.

In the Philippines, “cyberthugs” are increasingly becoming rampant, with black propaganda and demolition jobs now considered to be big business, making it relatively easy to hire IO and social media rent-a-groups. Oftentimes, the source of the black propaganda/ smear campaign is a newly created Facebook account (likely to be dubious or fake) making a malicious post or content that assails the integrity and credibility of public figures or institutions.

Aside from the use of fake social media accounts (with ridiculous sounding names and locked or blank profiles) another way to spot a demolition job is when there is a “coordinated inauthentic behavior” (CIB) from Facebook and other social media platforms like X that post the same content with copy pasted, repetitive, scripted and verbatim comments attacking the target at specific time intervals, in contrast with real social media accounts whose

users show diverse opinions and a variety of comments.

Obviously, technological advancements have also greatly enabled the capability of cybercriminals to perpetuate scams, steal data, hack company and government websites and other nefarious activities with relative anonymity. Artificial intelligence (AI) in particular is becoming a weapon of choice for cybercriminals because of its great capacity to increase the speed, efficiency and sophistication of attacks, and could even tailor fit the kind of assault for a specific target.

Just last month, scammers impersonated a mayor in Queensland, Australia and made it look like she was making a live call through the use of generative AI that allows scammers to impersonate a face and clone voices to create deepfake audios and videos.

The good news is – a number of U.S. high-tech companies with strong financial backing from major investors are now rapidly developing AI technology to identify security threats and vulnerabilities, investigate malicious software, go after scammers, hackers, trolls and all kinds of cyberthugs. These emerging technologies

are intended not only to spot fakes but to also locate the base of operations of hackers and cybercriminals.

Last May, OpenAI – an artificial intelligence research company based in San Francisco – announced that it identified and removed five influence operations that were using the company’s AI technology to create deceptive content shared across a variety of platforms to influence public opinion and political discourse.

Developments such as this are significant because cybercrime has become so rampant all over the world, but most especially in the Philippines where cyberattacks doubled in 2023. Considering the highly politicized atmosphere in the country today with the 2025 elections drawing nearer, the proliferation of POGOs (Philippine offshore gaming operators) suspected of being hubs for spying and hacking operations against government agencies, plus the fact that we are facing external security threats, the Philippines could be highly vulnerable to cyberattacks. Certainly, the government is aware of these cybersecurity threats and our national security

officials have already identified some of these cybercriminals and mercenaries, some of whom are Western nationals – among them an American pretending to be a U.S. intelligence officer or at least pretending to be a spy operating in the Philippines and allegedly involved in local politics. Our national security people are slowly but surely closing in on them.

During the first-ever Philippines-U.S.-Japan trilateral summit in Washington, among the topics discussed was the need to strengthen cybersecurity cooperation, with plans to hold a cyber dialogue sometime in July to help the Philippines become more resilient in combatting cyberattacks from state-backed and criminal organizations.

A technology and digital summit among heads of state is also being contemplated to discuss how emerging technology can be leveraged to enhance cybersecurity, considering that the new battlefront is in cyberspace where threats and risks have become a global concern because of their impact on the global economy.

I’m very pleased to see that the United States is very much at the forefront of AI technology

and research, as seen in the launch of “Task Force Lima” by the U.S. Department of Defense to develop and use artificial intelligence in a trustworthy and responsible manner for many sectors that include business, health care, policy making and naturally, military defense and readiness.

According to Deputy Secretary of Defense Dr. Kathleen Hicks, who directed the organization of “Task Force Lima,” the Pentagon has been investing in AI-enabled systems for many years. I am one of many government officials being targeted by black ops, but we all know that as public figures, this is par for the course. Nevertheless, these cyberthugs will not deter us from doing our job in deepening the relations between the Philippines and the United States, especially in the wake of continued maritime harassment and cyberattacks from a big bully nation. (Philstar.com)

* * *

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

* * * babeseyeview@gmail.com

ASIANS are the fastestgrowing racial group in the U.S.

Yet most Americans can’t name a famous Asian American or a single event or policy related to them, according to a recent study by The Asian American Foundation.

More than 150 years after the first major wave of Asian immigration to the United States, knowledge of AAPI history across the country is severely lacking and needs to be addressed.

I have the privilege of being a Chapter Leader and Legislative Action Committee lead of the student-led group, AAPI Youth Rising, which works to increase understanding of the AAPI community and combat rising hate and intolerance. Over the last few months, I have presented AAPI Youth Rising’s One Day of AAPI History lesson to several middle school classes.

Thanks to a partnership with Alliance for a Healthier Generation, the lesson has already reached 52,000 schools

across the country, exposing the untold stories of Asians in America. Still, the last thing I expected when teaching this lesson was to learn a sobering lesson myself. I asked my middle school students to name as many Asian ethnicities as they could. After listening to several enthusiastic responses, one student raised his hand and, with all seriousness, said “Caucasian.” The student genuinely believed it was true. None of them had heard of the Chinese Exclusion Act or the annexation of Hawaii. The gap in what young people are learning—or not learning— when it comes to AAPI history is shocking, I realized.

Earlier this year, I conducted a survey on AAPI education at my high school in the San Francisco Bay Area. Of the 159 students surveyed, 87% of them did not understand the significance of the murder of Vincent Chin. Chin was an American of Chinese descent who was killed following a racially motivated assault, and his death was a turning point for Asian American civil rights engagement, sparking a movement that challenged systemic injustices and

advocated for equality.

My study also showed that 74% of students at my school hadn’t heard of the 442nd Regiment Combat Team, the most decorated military unit in U.S. history. The bravery and sacrifices of the 442nd Regiment, made up of Japanese American soldiers during World War II, demonstrated the strength and loyalty of a dedicated group of Japanese Americans whose own country was incarcerating Americans of Japanese descent.

The lack of AAPI recognition in school classrooms speaks directly to the wider underrepresentation of Asian Americans in society and to the recent rise in hate crimes targeting the community.

During the pandemic, we witnessed an alarming increase in anti-Asian sentiment and violence, and the hate incidents continue. According to a 2023 AAPI Data/AP-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research poll of Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders (AANHPIs), one in three reported experiencing some sort of hate incident in the last year.

Educating young people can help combat the harmful stereotypes fueling this

disturbing trend and build a culture of understanding across the nation. It’s a lesson I’ve learned first-hand.

Growing up as an Asian American in a predominantly white community, I experience my share of bullying. Comments like, “Where are you really from?” “You speak English so well” and “You people are so good at math” were also a common refrain. And even if well-intentioned, they have a detrimental impact on youth, leading young Asian Americans like me to feel as though we don’t belong.

Studying AAPI history helped me flip the narrative. It has led to an increased sense of pride in my Asian American culture and a newfound confidence in my own ability to speak about issues facing AAPI youth. That, in turn, has given me the ability to stand up for the AAPI community as a whole.

The good news is that some states are starting to take notice.

In 2021, the Illinois State Board of Education passed the Teaching Equitable Asian American Community History (TEAACH) Act. This ensures that within Illinois public schools,

students are taught about Asian Americans’ contributions to the economic, cultural, social, and political development of the U.S.

Recently, the governor of Wisconsin signed legislation mandating Asian American and Hmong history be taught in all K-12 public schools in the state.

Additionally, the New York State Senate has passed a bill requiring the commissioner to establish AANHPI history and civic impact curriculum for school districts.

California is also expected to expand Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander history in schools. This comes following the passage last year of California Assembly Bill 1354, introduced by Assemblyman Mike Fong (D-Alhambra), which calls for the creation of curriculum frameworks for Asian American Studies in grades K-12.

These actions can play a vital role in dismantling harmful myths involving the AAPI community, such as the “model minority” and “perpetual foreigner” myths. And they can lead to a broader understanding of Asian Americans’ experiences and acknowledgment of historical discrimination while building a culture of understanding across the nation.

Within the U.S., only 20 states have mandated the teaching of AAPI History; this is not nearly enough. At a national level, we must collectively fight anti-Asian hate by presenting a more equitable and accurate curriculum to students across America.

AAPI history is part of this country’s history. It’s time to ensure that AAPI history isn’t just a footnote, but an essential part of the narrative we teach future generations. (Ethnic Media Services)

* * * 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.

* * * Matthew Sugiyama is a Bay Area high school student and Legislative Action Committee CoLead with AAPI Youth Rising.

This resource is supported in whole or in part by funding provided by the

At least the Philippine National Police leadership reacted quickly and sacked the police regional director for the Davao Region plus the PNP operations chief and more than a dozen other officers over the botched operation. The raid must serve to inculcate within PNP ranks the idea that in law enforcement, it is best to maintain the moral and legal high ground. (Philstar.com)

Dateline philippines

Comelec to publicize candidates’ documents starting in 2025

by William Depasupil ManilaTimes.net

—

MANILA

The Commission on Elections (Comelec) moved to make public election-related documents required from candidates for added transparency, starting in the upcoming 2025 national and local polls.

Comelec Chairman George Erwin Garcia on Thursday, June 20 identified the required documents as the certificate of candidacy (CoC), statement of contribution and expenditures (SOCE) and the certificate of nomination and acceptance (CONA).

`"Our proposal to post the CoC and the CoNA in the Comelec website has already been approved in principle," said Garcia, adding that the Comelec Legal Department and Information Technology Department have been tasked to make the corresponding policy guidelines with-

out violating the privacy rights of candidates.

According to Garcia, the same would also be done with the SoCE so that the public would have a complete picture on the source of funding of a particular candidate.

In his memorandum to the Comelec en banc, Garcia said that the measure may form part of the e-SoCE project of the Commission, adding that publication should also allow for the downloading of said SoCEs.

Garcia recommended that the Law Department and the Information Technology Department prepare the mechanism and/or platform to be used, draft the guidelines and suggest the timeline, including the deadline for publication of the SoCE.

"Said guidelines should adhere to the provisions of Republic Act 10173 or the Data Privacy Act of 2012," he added.

Except for independent candidates, the CoC should be filed along with the sworn CoNA from the aspirant's political party or coalition.

Aspirants for national posts have to personally file their CoCs or send their representatives to file on their behalf, before the Comelec

The legal basis for requiring candidates and political parties to submit "full, true and itemized" SoCEs is Section 14 of Republic Act 7166 or the Synchronized National and Local Elections Law. It provides that all candidates and treasurers of political parties are required to file their SOCEs.

Winning candidates who overspent during the campaign period may also be removed from office even if they have already assumed office.

Under the law, all candidates must submit their SoCE within 30 days from election day. g

Imee on Sara: I’m with you all the way

by Marc JaySon cayabyab Philstar.com

MANILA — Sen. Imee Marcos

has vowed to stand by Vice President Sara Duterte despite her quitting the Cabinet of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., the senator’s brother.

“My trust and confidence in our friendship and in your kindness and integrity remain the same,”

Senator Marcos said in Filipino on Wednesday, June 19.

“I am with you in every step of the way in this fight for the country,” she added.

For his part, Sen. Bong Go thanked Duterte for her service in her short stint as Department of Education (DepEd) secretary.

“There is always a time for everything. This is the time to prioritize the people’s welfare,” Go said in Filipino.

Meanwhile, former president and former House senior deputy speaker Pampanga 2nd District Rep. Gloria Macapagal Arroyo distanced herself from any issues surrounding the vice president’s resignation from her Cabinet posts.

“I understand the vice president did not give a reason for resigning

from the Cabinet. Thus, I am not in a position to give a statement,” said Arroyo, a close friend and political ally of Duterte.

Beginning of everything

The resignation of Vice President Duterte as DepEd secretary and vice chair of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict signals the start of a full-blown ‘war’ with the Marcos administration, according to former presidential spokesman Harry Roque.

“This signals the beginning of everything,” said Roque. Before the vice president quit the Cabinet, there were already hints of her stepping down. Duterte was even expected to tender her resignation from her Cabinet posts last June 8, sources said. She deferred the date to June 19 when she went to Malacañang and made clear her resignation before President Marcos himself.

The vice president hinted of cracks in the relationship with the Marcos administration when she earlier said there is no longer a UniTeam with Marcos, as it was only good during the 2022 elections when they were still candidates.

She even naughtily quipped that

one should remain beautiful and be able to wear two-piece when oppressed.

Various groups supporting the vice president were said to have also prepared for what will happen after her resignation effective July 19.

But Duterte gave assurance that she will still look after the concerns of the education sector even if she is no longer DepEd secretary.

The vice president is still expected to grace certain functions as head of the education department between now and July 19. g

De

Lima: Real opposition sides with the people

by criStina chi Philstar.com

MANILA — Liberal Party spokesperson Leila De Lima on Thursday, June 20 questioned the claim that Vice President Sara Duterte is the new face of the opposition, describing her breakaway from the president’s Cabinet as a new political maneuver rather than a move based on principles.

A political science expert has also pointed out that Duterte’s resignation as Department of Education (DepEd) secretary allows her to distance herself from the actions of the Marcos administration ahead of a possible presidential campaign for the 2028 national elections.

On Wednesday, June 19, Duterte announced that she has stepped down as DepEd secretary, with her resignation officially taking effect in 30 days or on July 19 – the last working day before the president delivers his third State of the Nation Address on July 22.

The vice president announced her resignation from the education department without explaining why, both during her press conference and in the letter she submitted to Malacañang. DepEd and the Office of the Vice President told the media it would not entertain questions on the matter during the 30-day transition period.

On the same day, former presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said Duterte “has just become the leader of the opposition” and added that the UniTeam electoral partnership between her and Marcos during the 2022 elections had just been “formally dissolved.”

De Lima took exception to Roque’s remarks, saying that the “real opposition” is founded on the principles of “accountability, transparency and concern for the people,” which the former senator said is non-existent in Duterte’s track record.

“In her resignation, there was neither an acceptance of responsibility nor a change in principles and stance. How can someone who still owes accountability to the people be considered opposition?" De Lima said in Filipino.

"Above all: The opposition prioritizes the people. Not the expansion and maintenance of power. Not defending a wanted religious leader or the killing of thousands

of Filipinos. Certainly not turning a blind eye to the oppression of our fishermen and the seizure of our territory by foreigners,” the former senator added.

Similarly, LP president Edcel Lagman, also the representative of Albay’s 1st District, said Duterte may assume the role of the leader of the “partisan opposition to the Marcos Jr. administration” while LP remains the “ideological and conscientious opposition to both the current administration and Duterte’s breakaway power bloc.”

De Lima said Duterte’s exit from Marcos’ Cabinet was merely an admission of what most already knew, “that the 'unity' of the 'UniTeam' was only for show during elections to gain voter support.”

“Now, it's evident that another maneuver is underway,” De Lima said.

To recall, critics of the vice president have recently called her out for her continued silence on Chinese aggression in the West Philippine See while she has issued statements defending controversial preacher Apollo Quiboloy, a close ally of her family, among other issues.

Political science professor Cleve Arguelles said these recent developments point to a showdown between the Dutertes and the Marcoses in the 2025 and 2028 elections, but the “competition will be tough for the Dutertes” given Marcos’ resources at Malacañang.

But the divided administration forces — whose rifts have been deepening since 2023 and then turned into a full-blown word war at the start of the year — may also give the opposition an opening due to votes being divided be-

tween Marcos and Duterte, said Arguelles, who also serves as CEO of the public opinion research firm WR Numero Research.

The political science expert noted that Duterte’s resignation gives her “more time and opportunity for a pre-campaign tour” ahead of the 2028 elections.

“Beginning yesterday too, her potential presidential campaign is now free of the baggage of whatever will happen with the Marcos administration,” Arguelles added.

The political science professor also explained that the use of the opposition tag has been "actually very permissive," and in the Philippines, there have been several instances where politicians find themselves in the opposition after serving in the administration because of their political ambitions are no longer supported by the government in power."

"Filipinos almost always prefer change during presidential elections. Opposition leaders usually benefit from this. So Sara may too in 2028 if she will be seen as opposition by voters demanding change," he added.

A Pulse Asia survey released in April shows that Duterte and Sen. Raffy Tulfo are statistically tied among potential presidential candidates in the 2028 elections. Meanwhile, Duterte remains Filipinos’ top choice for president in a WR Numero poll released in March.

Arguelles said in January that public services and programs meant for marginalized Filipinos may be “hijacked” by political forces to capture supporters amid the spat between the Marcoses and the Dutertes. g

Liberal Party spokesperson Leila De Lima Philstar.com file photo

Senator Imee Marcos Philstar.com file photo

VEGAS&STYLE JOURNAL

Oliver Tolentino shows at 75th Anniversary Philippine-Thai diplomatic relations & 126th Independence Gala

BEVERLY Hills-based fashion designer Oliver Tolentino wowed an 800+ person crowd in Bangkok, Thailand, on Wednesday night, June 12 as part of the 75th Anniversary of Philippine & Thai Diplomatic Relations and 126th Independence Day Gala.  The event was produced by the Philippine Embassy in the ballroom of the luxury Siam Kempinski Hotel and hosted by Ambassador Millicent “Tinta” Paredes.  She kicked off the evening (in a Tolentino piña gown) with a toast in honor of the Thai King, and Thai Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Russ Jalichandra reciprocated with a toast to President Marcos.

Guests mingled while enjoying Filipino dishes and drinks as they viewed native dances and an art collection by local Manila artists.  Tolentino’s fashion show was the main event with a 29-piece collection presented by professional models in front of a capacity crowd of ambassadors, diplomats, and members of Thai society, including the President of the Senate, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior, Minister for Social Welfare and Human Security, Governor of Bangkok, and former Thai ambassadors to the Philippines, Ambassadors Ruangprateepsaeng & Upatising. The designer featured a collection mostly made of handwoven piña, abaca, inabel, ikat fabric (from Mindanao), raw silk cocoon (from Visayas), and Thai silk to represent the two countries’ native fabrics. Tolentino modernized and manipulated the fabrics into wearable couture.   He featured structured piña bell skirts alongside pantsuits with tops of abaca, ikat, and inabel paired with piña bottoms.  One set featured piña pants accented with solihiya-weaved Thai silk.  He closed with hand-painted and embellished piña gowns and colorful gowns with dramatic hand-draped abaca bodices.   According to the designer, “The embassy put on a firstclass event that really impressed the international diplomatic audience. I was proud to be flown in to showcase our native fabrics

Fil-Am taps magic and wonder in costume design for Shakespeare’s play

Raven Ong is designing the wardrobe for the Utah Shakespeare Festival’s staging of ‘The Winter’s Tale’

by Walter anG Inquirer.net

FILIPINO American costume designer Raven Ong is designing the wardrobe for the Utah Shakespeare Festival’s staging of “The Winter’s Tale.”

King Leontes’ jealousy and rage spark the action in this romance by the Bard. Driven by nothing but his unfounded suspicions, Leontes falsely accuses his wife Hermione of infidelity and dire consequences follow.

Ong says that a Shakespeare play is subject to interpretation.

“It can be anywhere and anytime.

Building the world for the show is the most exciting part of the process.”

He explains that this particular staging sets the action in the early 1900s. “The Edwardian period serves as the main inspiration.

Since the story has several magical moments and characters, we call it

‘Edwardian fantasy’ or ‘imagined Edwardian’ aesthetic.

“By going in this direction, we were able to create our own world of myth and our own visual vocabulary.”

Raven Ong returns to the Utah Shakespeare Festival after having previously designed the costumes for two of its school touring productions, “Othello” and “Much Ado About Nothing.”

“The Winter’s Tale” marks his first mainstage summer show.

Ong has also designed costumes for New York Lyric Opera at the

Lincoln Center and Carnegie Hall, La Mama Experimental Theatre Club’s world premiere of Fil-Am playwright Linda Faigao-Hall’s “Dying in Boulder,” and De-Cruit Theatre Company’s Shakespeare Triptych in New York. Musicals include “Alice in Wonderland,” “Waitress,” “Kinky Boots,” “Matilda” and “Beautiful: Carole King Musical,” among others.

He is also the associate professor of costume design at Central Connecticut State University. As an educator, he has presented his paper “Filipiniana: Fabrics and Silhouettes in the Transnational Journey” at the Fashion, Costume and Visual Cultures conference in Roubaix, France. Whimsy

When he was preparing to work on this show, “it was clear from the beginning that we would approach this play with childlike wonder and belief in the magic of wonder.

“After my meetings with the director Carolyn Howarth, I was reminded of the many things that were magical to me as a young child.

“My research process included looking at artworks by painters of the time such as John Singer Sargent and Giovanni Boldini.”

While grounded in reality, Ong made sure to incorporate whimsy and fun into his work. A favorite childhood cartoon movie provided inspiration for his costume for the character Time.

“The piece is a large white cape with crinkled texture. To achieve this texture for dramatic effect, yards and yards of silk fabric were soaked, twisted and dried. There is a wide belt with a gold 3D printed spinning astronomical clock. It comes with a large gold round headdress with stars and sparkles.”

Ong says “The infamous ‘Exit, pursued by a bear’ stage direction is from this play and it took some time for us to design.”

He worked with the show’s scenic designer Apollo Weaver to craft the show’s “own unique version of Edwardian bunraku puppeteers with top hats and fur details. It is still winter after all!”

Professional

Ong also looks for practical solutions to real-world problems.

“I needed to solve a number of looks for the Hermione character.

I couldn’t afford two different dresses for two scenes.

“My solution was to create a two-in-one outfit where Hermione wears her base dress and a detachable beaded outer dress. This formula allowed for the outfits to still be able to tell the story without compromising the design, while also keeping within budget and designing economically.”

Ong adds, “Costume Director Jeff Lieder assembled a dream team. Working with highly skilled and brilliant people like drapers, stitchers, costume crafters, wigs and makeup made the process a dream come true.”

to support the local weavers, embroiderers, and fabric painters,” Tolentino added. The designer is one of the biggest promoters of Philippine fabrics on the international stage, with even Hollywood celebrities wearing piña and abaca on the red carpet. Tolentino noted, “It

makes me so happy to help all the talented hard workers in the province.”

Tolentino, the first Filipino couture designer to expand

operations to the U.S., maintains walk-in boutiques in Makati and Beverly Hills.  For more info:  OliverTolentino.com or IG: @ theOliverTolentino.

Heart Evangelista returning to silver screen after almost a decade with new international movie

SOCIALITE-ARTIST Heart Evangelista is making a comeback to the big screen after nearly a decade with the international film “Infamous 6.”

Heart confirmed she was set to appear in the upcoming Anthony Hickox film by sharing a still on her Instagram story.

A teaser for the movie was also shown at the recently concluded Toycon 2024 held in SMX Convention Center in Pasay.

In the cast with Heart are Lorena Andrea from “Warrior Nun” and “The Little Mermaid,” Emmy winner Armand Assante, Alana Boden from “Uncharted,” Jemma Dallender, Alexandre Nguyen, Keli Price, and British-Filipino Ocean Navarro.

Heart’s last movie appearances were Viva Films’ “Trophy Wife” and “Felix Manalo” from 2014 and 2015 respectively.

Her television appearances are more recent with 2022’s “I Left My Heart in Sorsogon” and “Bling Empire.”

The film announcement comes on the heels of Heart’s recent appointment as president of the Senate Spouses Foundation, Inc. following her husband Chiz Escudero succeeding fellow senator Migz Zubiri as Senate President. (Kristofer Purnell/Philstar.com)

Tetchie Agbayani reveals why she turned down ‘Rambo 2’ with Sylvester Stallone

by Kristofer Purnell Philstar.com

ACTRESS Tetchie Agbayani

looked back at her career, shooting and trying out for international films, including “Rambo: First Blood Part II,” which she turned down despite completing a test screening with Sylvester Stallone.

Agbayani sat down for an interview with broadcaster Julius Babao for his YouTube series

“Julius Babao Unplugged,” with the second part uploaded last June 11.

The actress recalled moving to Los Angeles after appearing on the German edition of Playboy in 1982, which made her the first and only Filipina to date to have done so, and working on a few Filipino movies.

After attempts to study in University of California, Los Angeles and find non-showbiz jobs, a friend suggested Agbayani to try acting. This led her to meet talent agent J.J. Harris, who at the time handled Kevin Costner, Kurt Russell and Michael J. Fox.

Harris helped Agbayani get into the films “The Emerald Forest,” “Gymkata” and “The Money Pit,” the latter as the stepmother to Tom Hanks’ character despite having no scenes with him.

After some time, Harris contacted Agbayani about auditioning for “Rambo: First Blood Part II” because it was reportedly going to shoot in the Philippines.

The role for Vietnamese

intelligence agent Co Phuong Bao went down between Agbayani and Singaporean-American actress Julia Nickson, and the two agreed whoever got the part will treat the other to an expensive dinner. Agbayani went to a screen test with Stallone. Harris called the actress to inform her she had landed the role; however, the shoot was going to be in Mexico and not the Philippines because of logistical issues. “Rambo 2” was released in 1985. The early 1980s were marked by high tension during Ferdinand Marcos Sr.’s final years as president.

“I just came from the jungles of the Amazon. I wouldn’t mind the jungles of the Philippines but Mexico?” Agbayani told Harris, turning the role down. Nickson nabbed the part instead.

The actress also shared her audition with Stallone went well, finding the action star polite but not as tall, “Simple lang siya... Pangkaraniwan lang, hindi siya ma-ere.”

Many years later when Agbayani was at the airport heading back to the Philippines, she crossed paths with Nickson, whom Agbayani pointed out was married to “Starsky & Hutch” star David Soul for six years. Sabi ko sa kanya, ‘Look, let’s do this. Let’s not have dinner. Let’s just keep this nice story between us going... that you’ll forever owe me a dinner,’” Agbayani recalled telling Nickson, happy the latter got the “Rambo” sequel role.

Babao asked Agbayani if she had any regrets about turning down the “Rambo: First Blood Part II” role, given that it might have changed the trajectory of her career. The actress said she has no regrets.

“Wala naman akong ilusyon na I wanna make it big in Hollywood, ang sakin ay everything is an adventure,” Agbayani explained.

“Let’s see what unfolds. There’s more to life than just acting, even up to now.” The actress also pointed out that accepting the “Rambo” sequel might have not allowed her to come back to the Philippines, finish her collegiate studies, or have a family.

“To me, life is a learning experience, life is there to live [and] make the most of, and certainly not just all about being an actor,” Agbayani ended.

Progression of Filipino American Raven Ong’s costume design for Hermione in Utah Shakespeare Festival’s “The Winter’s Tale.” Contributed photos

Tetchie Agbayani GMA photo

Heart Evangelista Photo from Instagram/@iamhearte

NaFFAA NV’s spectacular gala celebrates 126th Philippine Independence Day in Las Vegas

by Gloria t. Caoile

ON a vibrant evening in Las Vegas, the National Federation of Filipino American Association (NaFFAA) NV hosted an unforgettable gala to commemorate the 126th anniversary of Philippine Independence.

"With an unprecedented attendance of over 400 guests, the event was a testament to the unity and pride of the Filipino-American community," hailed Jacque de Joya, NaFFAA NV President. It was a night of excellence with the gala program meticulously curated, encompassing all facets of NaFFAA NV's mission. Here are some highlights:

• The Scholarship Awards - NaFFAA NV recognized the academic achievements of high school students who are embarking on their college journeys. These scholarships serve as a beacon of hope for their futures.

• Community leaders honored - the evening celebrated 35 community leaders who have tirelessly worked to uplift and empower the Filipino American Community. Their dedication and passion were acknowledged with well-deserved accolades.

• Cultural Showcase - The Gala kicked off with a mesmerizing Rigodon De Honor performance by NaFFAA NV officers and members. This traditional Filipino dance not only honored our rich cultural heritage but also set the tone for an enchanting evening.

The gala was opened by the Songspell Performing Arts of Davao with our Philippine National Anthem and a Nationalistic Song in Dance. The U.S. Anthem touchingly sung by Breanna de Santos.

• Empowering evening - distinguished candidates for office in the State of Nevada graced the event, emphasizing their appreciation for the Filipino American community's numbers and the value of their vote. Their presence underscored the community's influence and impact. NaFFAA NV was also presented with Proclamations from the offices of the Governor and Mayor of Nevada. For a first ever, the Las Vegas Metropolitan Poloce Department attended in full force with Captain Katie Geiger assuring our community, “you can call on us for any assistance you may need.”

"You have created an event beyond compare and showed the strength and unity of NaFFAA NV," remarked Mariela Fletcher, NaFFAA National President, in her speech to the audience.

Maria Alnee A. Gamble,  acting head of post at the Philippine Consulate General Los Angeles, gave congratulatory remarks to NaffAA NV and an update of programs that affect our communities.

Our very own Philippine Honorary Consul Amie Belmonte gave updates of the services of her office here in Las Vegas.

NaFFAA NV thanks donors G Bank; Nuerology Center of NV; Magical Entertainment; Filipinotown Magazine; CMC Boutique, ito Solutions and US Bank whose sponsorships are invaluable!

As the night unfolded, the dance floor came alive. Attendees reveled in the joy of celebration, moving to lively tunes and creating memories that will last a lifetime. “The spirit of unity and resilience echoed throughout the ballroom, reinforcing the bonds that tie the Filipino-American community together,” Jacque de Joya summed up the evening.

PhiliP S. Chua, Md, FaCS, FPCS Health @Heart

IN this wonderful era of health-consciousness, olive oil, which is an essential ingredient in the Mediterranean Diet, considered the healthiest diet in the world, is on the spotlight today. Olive oil has been used since 4,000 BC. It is amazingly useful and versatile.

The most common method of making olive oil is by cold pressing, without the use of heat or chemicals. This process helps the oil to retain its nutritional value, because beneficial plant compounds are broken down by high heat.

The oleic acid content of olive oil determines its grade. The highest grades, extra virgin and virgin olive oil, are always cold pressed to preserve its highest level of oleic acid.

For cooking, frying, sauteing, light virgin olive oil is recommended. Extra virgin olive oil is popularly used for dips and salad dressing. Other uses of extra virgin olive oil: dental cleaning, skin moisturizer, wound application as a “liquid bandage,” and as a health drink (a tablespoon a day).

Olive oil is preferred over canola oil, vegetable oil, sunflower oil, and others on the market. The next best is avocado oil, which is second to olive oil in the level of healthy monounsaturated fats.

Extra virgin olive oil

Extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) contains more than 20 varieties of polyphenols, plant-based antioxidant chemicals that reduce inflammation and protect our arteries and our heart. They fight unhealthy free radicals in our body that cause oxidative stress, to minimize the signs of aging and the risk of getting chronic diseases.

Oxidation is the process that makes all of us age. The more stress we have in life, including bad habits and unhealthy behavior, the greater the oxidative process and faster we age. Living a healthy lifestyle, which includes fish (seafood) and plant-based diet and daily exercise (plus no smoking, skimping or abstinence from alcohol and illicit drugs) is the best way to reduce oxidative stress, slow down aging, and maintain a good health.

Olive oil benefits

There are at least a dozen health benefits provided by olive oil. Among them are: Olive oil is gluten-free and high in unsaturated fat, which is associated with lowered

Olive oil wonders

risk of heart disease, T2 diabetes, cancer, and other chronic diseases. It also contains vitamin E (12.9 percent of the Daily Value), a powerful antioxidant that boosts the immune system, and vitamin K (6.8 percent of the DV), which plays a major role in blood clotting and bone health.

A tablespoon (15 ml) of cold pressed olive oil has 119 calories, 13.5 grams of total fat (saturated – 2 grams, monounsaturated – 10 grams, and polyunsaturated – 1.5 grams). Nearly 71 percent of its fat comes from unsaturated fats oleic acid, which lowers the low-density lipoprotein (LDL, the bad cholesterol) and about 11 percent from omega fatty acids. It is indeed packed with healthy fats, about 5 times more monounsaturated fats compared to grapeseed oil, which is healthy because it contains a lot of Omega 6 fatty acids. Omega 3 is the healthier of the two.

(The USDA recommends consumption of 20 to 35 percent of calories from fat, mainly unsaturated. Fats from red meats are unhealthy saturated fats, linked to increased risk for cardiovascular diseases, Alzheimer’s and even cancer.)

Cold pressed olive oil also contains 30 beneficial plant compounds, mostly potent antioxidants with good anti-inflammatory health effects.

The potent antioxidant contents of olive oil fight against harmful unstable molecules called free radicals and as such, helps ward off heart disease, diabetes and cancer. It also contains oleuropein, oleocanthal, and hydroxythyrosol, which are partly responsible for the benefits of the Mediterranean Diet, including stronger bones, lesser arthritis, reduced cardiac disease, brain maladies, Alzheimer’s, and cancer.

A study of more than 84,000 women revealed that substituting foods high in monounsaturated fats like olive oil for saturated fats (as in red meats, lard, and other cooking oil) reduced heart disease by 15 percent. The Mediterranean Diet itself, which relies heavily on olive oil, has been shown to reduce the risk of heart attack by 18 percent.

A 4.5-year research in 923 individuals who adhered to a healthy diet were found to have a 53 percent reduction in the rate of Alzheimer’s Disease.

Besides reducing the risk for T2 diabetes and improving blood sugar level, olive oil also delays the progression of arthritis, provides relief from constipation, aids in losing weight, and helps maintain

healthy hair, skin, and nails. Many cosmetic products have olive oil in them. The extra virgin olive oil is also good for gastric infection from helicobacter, chapped lips, cracked heel, sunburn, removing sticky substances, as hair-conditioner, ear-wax remover, etc. Olive oil is indeed versatile.

Historical data suggest Jesus Christ most likely ate olive oil as part of his peasant Mediterranean-style diet in Nazareth, a village in Galilee, and in Judea, regions in Israel. Olive oil is very popular in Europe. The European Union (EU) is the world’s largest producer, consumer, importer and exporter of olive oil, about 53 percent of global consumption. In 2022, the EU consumed more than 1.55 million tons of olive oil, with Italy and Spain as the largest users.

So, as far as cooking is concerned, instead of using unhealthy saturated-fat-loaded lard, shortening, butter, or bacon grease for cooking, use light virgin oil, and for a substitute for creamy salad dressings, try extra virgin olive oil (with or without vinegar). Olive oilbased sauces are also better than cream- or cheese-based sauces, even for dips.

Let’s lubricate, not only our joints but our health, with the wonders of olive oil.

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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.

* * *

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

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Philip S. Chua, MD, FACS, FPCS, a Cardiac Surgeon Emeritus based in Northwest Indiana and Las Vegas, Nevada, is an international medical lecturer/author, Health Advocate, newspaper columnist, and chairman of the Filipino United Network-USA, a 501(c)3 humanitarian foundation in the United States. He was a recipient of the Indiana Sagamore of the Wabash Award in 1995, presented by then Indiana Governor, US senator, and later a presidential candidate, Evan Bayh. Other Sagamore past awardees include President Harry Truman, President George HW Bush, Muhammad Ali and Astronaut Gus Grissom (Wikipedia). Websites: FUN8888.com, Today. SPSAtoday.com, and philipSchua.com; Email: scalpelpen@gmail.com.

Navigating dual ownership: Property rights for Filipino American dual citizens

SAB’s Review

ShaRon ann Bathan-San PedRo

FOR Filipino Americans holding dual citizenship, the landscape of property ownership in the Philippines is rich with opportunities and benefits. Thanks to Republic Act No. 9225, also known as the Citizenship Retention and Re-acquisition Act of 2003, natural-born Filipinos who have become naturalized citizens of other countries can reclaim their Philippine citizenship. This law empowers dual citizens with the same property rights as any Filipino citizen, opening doors to owning, inheriting, and investing in real estate in the Philippines. Understanding these rights and responsibilities is crucial for maximizing the benefits of dual citizenship in the property sector. This article aims to provide a comprehensive guide to navigating property ownership for Filipino-American dual citizens, ensuring you can make informed decisions and effectively manage your investments in the Philippines.

Understanding dual citizenship

Thanks to the Philippine Dual Citizenship Law (Republic Act No. 9225, also known as the Citizenship Retention and Re-acquisition Act of 2003), Filipinos who have become American citizens can reclaim their Philippine citizenship. This dual citizenship status allows you to enjoy the benefits of both nations, including the right to own property in the Philippines just like any Filipino citizen.

Republic Act No. 9225: Citizenship Retention and Re-acquisition Act of 2003 Republic Act No. 9225 allows natural-born Filipinos who have lost their Philippine citizenship through naturalization in a foreign country to reacquire their Philippine citizenship. Here are the key details and provisions of the law:

• Retention of Philippine citizenship: Natural-born Filipinos who become naturalized citizens of another country can retain their Philippine citizenship by taking an oath of allegiance to the Republic of the Philippines.

• Re-acquisition of Philippine citizenship: Natural-born Filipinos who have lost their Philippine citizenship through naturalization in another country can reacquire it by taking the same oath of allegiance.

• Rights and privileges: Dual citizens under RA 9225 enjoy full civil and political rights as Filipino citizens. This includes the right to vote in Philippine elections, own

property, engage in business, and practice their profession in the Philippines.

• Oath of allegiance: The oath of allegiance is a formal declaration of loyalty to the Republic of the Philippines, which must be taken before a duly authorized Philippine official.

• Children of dual citizens: Unmarried children, whether legitimate, illegitimate, or adopted, under 18 years of age, of those who reacquire Philippine citizenship under this Act shall be deemed citizens of the Philippines.

• Benefits for reacquired citizens: Dual citizens can own land and other properties in the Philippines as if they were natural-born Filipino citizens. They also regain the right to practice their profession, provided they meet the requirements set by the relevant professional regulatory bodies.

• Residency requirement for public office: For dual citizens to hold public office in the Philippines, they must establish residency in the country. Specific offices may have additional requirements regarding residency and other qualifications.

Your property rights explained

As a Filipino-American dual citizen, you have the same property ownership rights as any Filipino. Here's what you can do:

• Own land: You can buy and register land in your name.

• Inherit land: You can receive property as inheritance according to Philippine laws.

• Invest in property: You can invest in real estate and engage in property-related businesses.

Property ownership for foreigners

While foreigners are generally not allowed to own land in the Philippines, they are permitted to purchase condominium units. The Condominium Act of the Philippines (RA 4726) allows foreigners to own up to 40% of the total units in a condominium project. For land ownership, however, the owner must be a Filipino citizen or a dual citizen.

Keeping up with responsibilities

Owning property comes with responsibilities, such as:

• Tax compliance: Stay updated on real estate taxes and ensure timely payments to avoid penalties.

• Property management: Maintain your property, ensure its security, and, if it's leased, manage rental income effectively.

• Legal obligations: Keep informed about zoning laws, property regulations, and any changes in legislation that could impact your ownership.

Estate planning and inheritance

Proper estate planning is essential, especially if you have significant assets in the Philippines.

It's important to:

• Set up a will: Ensure your assets are distributed according to your wishes.

• Understand Philippine inheritance laws: Be aware of how these laws affect your estate.

• Hire a reliable attorney: A good attorney can help you navigate legal complexities and manage your affairs.

Investment potential

If you're interested in investing, the Philippines offers promising opportunities in various sectors, such as residential, commercial, and agricultural real estate. Key tips to consider include:

• Research emerging markets: Look into areas with high growth potential.

• Assess investment types: Decide whether you want to invest in residential, commercial, or agricultural properties.

• Evaluate before purchasing: Consider factors like location, market trends, and legal aspects.

Real-life insights

Learn from other Filipino American dual citizens who have successfully navigated the property market. Their experiences can provide valuable lessons on overcoming challenges and making strategic decisions. We encourage you to share your own experiences with us. Email us your stories, challenges, and triumphs. By sharing insights, we can build a community interested in property and land management in the Philippines. Let's engage in SAB — Sharing Across Borders — to foster a network of support and knowledge exchange.

We're here to help

Whether you're new to dual citizenship or considering investing in the Philippine real estate market, we're here to provide trustworthy advice and information to help you make informed decisions. If you have any property concerns related to buying, selling, or documentation, don't hesitate to reach out. We are here to assist you every step of the way.

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* * 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. * * * Sharon Ann Bathan-San Pedro, founder and CEO of SAB Realty, is a licensed real estate broker in the Philippines with 10 years of experience and a

Kim Chiu ‘getting closer’ to Paulo Avelino

KAPAMILYA actress Kim

Chiu said that she and love team partner Paulo Avelino's friendship are getting closer.

Kim recently posted a photo of her with Paulo in the vicinity of Mount Mayon in Albay, Bicol.

"Nag-show kami sa Sorsogon at Agusan ni Paulo. Masaya naman kami. Napatalon kami sa dami ng nanonood pala ng 'Linlang,' ng 'Secretary Kim'," Kim told the media during her launch as BillEase finance application recently.

"Parang punung-punong 'yung buong plaza 'pag nagperform kami," she added.

Kim said that Paulo is now

comfortable with her.

"Okay naman, natatawa naman na siya sa akin. Nagkukuwento naman na siya. So, parang sa tagal na rin kaming magkatrabaho," she said. When asked if Paulo is the reason why she moved on fast from ex-boyfriend Xian Lim, Kim said: "Uy! Ang bilis niya po talaga," referring to the media.

Kim was also asked if things are better with Paulo after what she had been through.

"Grabe naman 'yung things are better. Siguro po na nagkataon lang na, ano, na... na okay 'yung mga nangyayari lately and then 'yung mga blessings ay dumarating naman na hindi inaasahan. So, parang masaya naman," she said.

by Jan Milo seVero Philstar.com

Gatchalian

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