062924 - Los Angeles Weekend Edition

Speaking

a similar number of demarche. So we have to do more than just that,” the president said. He did not specify what doing more might entail.

LOS ANGELES — Los Angeles County supervisors voted unanimously Tuesday to buy up and forgive millions of dollars in medical debt as part of a comprehensive plan to tackle a $2.9 billion burden that weighs on almost 800,000 residents.

The measure, authored by supervisors Janice Hahn and Holly Mitchell, allows the county to enter into a pilot program with Undue Medical Debt, previously known as RIP Medical Debt, a national organization that relieves patients of what they owe by purchasing their medical debt for pennies on the dollar then retiring it.

“Medical debt is largely out of people’s control, but it is devastating families across

MANILA — The House Committee on Human Rights has invited former President Rodrigo Duterte and his former police chief, now Sen. Ronald dela Rosa, to answer questions about their six-year drug war that had left thousands dead.

Also invited as a resource person was former Sen. Leila De Lima, a staunch critic of Duterte’s bloody antinarcotics campaign, who on Monday, June 24 was cleared of the last of three illegal drug trading charges filed against her during the previous administration.

SACRAMENTO — California’s nationleading $25 minimum wage for health workers will rely on a significant boost in federal funding and exempt thousands of state employees under an agreement that is expected to be approved in the coming days.

The minimum wage hike for more than 400,000 health workers, which will be phased in over several years, was to start June 1, but will now begin no earlier than Oct. 15 and no later than Jan. 1 under a budget deal announced June 22. The legislature is expected to approve the changes and Gov. Gavin Newsom to sign them into law before the new fiscal year begins July 1.

The delay is just one of several healthrelated measures in the nearly $300 billion state spending plan. The budget includes about $800 million in cuts to public health and health care workforce programs, but they are

MANILA — No restrictions will be imposed by the Philippines in terms of tourism and investments from China despite the ongoing tensions in the West Philippine Sea (WPS), according to the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA).

“We have no intention of restricting investments or tourists from China to the Philippines. Everyone is welcome to the country for investments as investors, as tourists,” NEDA Secretary Arsenio Balisacan said during the East-West Center International Media Conference on Wednesday, June 26.

Despite recent clashes between Chinese and Filipino vessels in the WPS, Balisacan said “it’s in our interest to see peace and prosperity in our region.”

for senator: It’s a free

country

by CATHERINE S. VALENTE AND JAVIER ESPINOZA ManilaTimes.net

PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is unfazed by the prospect of former President Rodrigo Duterte and his two sons — Davao City Rep. Paolo Duterte and Davao City Mayor Sebastian Duterte — running for senator in 2025.

Speaking to reporters at the National Employment Summit at the Manila Hotel on Thursday, June 27, the president said it was the right of the former president and his two sons to "do whatever they want." "It's a free country. They're allowed to do whatever they want. I really have no reaction to it. Besides, it's still early," Marcos said.

By having Duterte and De Lima on its list, the panel is setting the stage for a possible showdown between the political nemeses.

The camp of the former justice secretary believes the drug charges against her were filed in retaliation for her criticism of the drug war and her prior investigation of vigilante-style killings by the socalled Davao Death Squad in the former president’s hometown.

“As much as I would want to give courtesy to the former president and the senator, because of the gravity of the testimonies of [the families of the victims], Duterte and Dela Rosa] should face these people,”

He said supply chain disruptions from geopolitical tensions or other shocks like climate change will have a direct or indirect effect on the country.

Should tensions between the Philippines and China further intensify, he said it will impact the country’s economic growth, but this will be hard to quantify.

He said where the country may be affected most would be in terms of trade.

“The area where we are most exposed to China is in trade… We are part of the global supply chain,” he said.

Special Assistant to the President on investment and economic affairs Frederick Go said Chinese firms remain interested to invest in the Philippines and are confident of the country’s growth story.

Speaking in English and Filipino, Marcos said a lot can happen between now and 2028, when his term ends. Things will become clearer in October, during the period for filing candidacies for next year's

elections, said Marcos, who was Vice President Sara Duterte's running mate in the 2022 elections.

The vice president earlier said her father and her two siblings will run for the Senate in 2025.

She said Mayor Duterte plans to run for president in 2028.

The vice president made the announcement less than a week after she resigned from Marcos's Cabinet.

PSA: Cancel Guo birth certi cate

THE Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) has recommended the cancellation of Bamban, Tarlac Mayor Alice Guo's birth certificate because it was fraudulently acquired, throwing her identity into limbo.

Marizza Grande, Civil Registration Office assistant national statistician, told a Senate panel on Wednesday, June 26 that the delayed registration of

the birth of Guo and

on

"irregular."

Testifying at a hearing on human trafficking in some Philippine offshore gaming operators (POGOs) in Tarlac, Grande said they had endorsed the cancellation of Guo's certificate of live birth to the Office of the Solicitor General because the PSA had no power to do so.

"Technically, her identity is in

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. Malacañang file photo

Former President Rodrigo Duterte (middle) and his two sons — Davao City Rep. Paolo Duterte (right) and Davao City Mayor Sebastian Duterte (left) ManilaTimes.net file photos

‘Philippines should do more than...

Asked if he had summoned

Chinese Ambassador Huang

Xilian to discuss the latest incident in the Ayungin Shoal, Marcos replied: “We have called him many, many times. Well, the DFA will have to decide to formalize that discussion with the ambassador, but we are actually constantly in touch with him.

“We have already made our position very clear. We have made our objections to some of the actions that were undertaken by the maritime forces of the PLA (People’s Liberation Army). Also, our objection to that, we have also made it very clear, not only to the ambassador but also to Beijing,” he explained.

On Wednesday, June 26, Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo told reporters they had already sent a note verbale to China.

“So, it will really depend on how formal we want to make this

complaint,” Marcos said without elaborating. Not an armed attack Marcos echoed the view of Philippine security officials that the Chinese coast guard’s actions during the June 17 incident did not constitute an armed attack, but emphasized they were deliberate.

Under the 1951 Mutual Defense Treaty, the Philippines and the U.S. may jointly develop their capabilities to counter an external armed aggression. U.S. officials have repeatedly said that an armed attack on Filipino armed forces, public vessels or aircraft in the Pacific, including in the South China Sea, would invoke Washington’s treaty commitments.

“It’s not armed. Walang pumutok (No shot was fired),” Marcos said.

“They did not point guns at us. But it was a deliberate action to stop our people. And in the

process of that, kinuhanan tayo (they seized something from us), they boarded a Philippine vessel, and took the equipment from that Philippine vessel. So, although there were no arms involved, nonetheless, it is still a deliberate action and it is essentially an illegal action that was taken by the Chinese forces,” he pointed out.

Marcos also clarified the previous statement of National Maritime Council chairman and Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin that the incident was possibly a “misunderstanding” or an “accident.”

“Initially, we were looking at data. Maybe it was just a mistake. But since I visited WESCOM (Western Command) and talked to (Vice) Admiral (Alfonso) Torres (Jr.) and the seamen, I said, ‘What really happened?’ Clearly, it was not a misunderstanding. They really went there to block our resupply,” the president said. 

Los Angeles County approves medical...

L.A. County, especially for people living on the brink of poverty,” Hahn said before the vote. “Luckily for us, this is lowhanging fruit. I think we have a moral obligation to seize this opportunity.”

The debt purchase measure is part of a larger county initiative that includes efforts to prevent the debt from accumulating in the first place, such as boosting hospital financial assistance programs and tracking hospital debt collection practices.

The Hospital Association of Southern California raised objections to the county’s overall plan in a letter to the Board of Supervisors, saying it unfairly singled out hospitals and citing a study that said onetime debt relief programs did not improve patient mental wellbeing. The hospital association declined to speak with KFF Health News further about the debt forgiveness pilot program.

Hahn’s office estimates the county’s $5 million public health investment will help 150,000 residents and eliminate $500 million in debt. The public health department said it hopes to launch the pilot in the coming

months and provide Angelenos relief this year. According to Mitchell’s staff, more money could be allocated in the future if the pilot goes well.

Health care debt burdens 4 in 10 adults in the U.S., according to a KFF Health News investigation, and disproportionately affects people of color, low-income people, and families with children. In January, LA County found such debt weighed on 785,000 adults in 2022 and at least doubled the likelihood that patients would delay or forgo health care or prescriptions. The county labeled it a public health issue on par with diabetes and asthma.

Los Angeles County is part of a growing wave of local governments addressing medical debt. Cook County, home to Chicago, invested $12 million with Undue Medical Debt in 2022 to erase $1 billion in debt for its residents. In March, Arizona announced it would commit up to $30 million to medical debt relief.

“This is not a miracle that’s going to relieve all of this burden,” said Allison Sesso, CEO of Undue Medical Debt.

“But it’s a worthwhile effort,

given the amount of money and how relatively inexpensive it is to relieve a lot of these debts.”

While the program provides immediate relief, the county acknowledged it’s a short-term approach that doesn’t prevent residents from incurring more debt in the future. Mona Shah of Community Catalyst, a national health equity and policy organization, endorsed LA County’s approach of pairing one-time debt forgiveness with other efforts to tackle the root causes of medical debt.

“We don’t want to ever deny that relief, but we really need to focus on preventing medical debt from happening in the first place,” Shah said. “Otherwise, it just ends up being this vicious cycle where you’re relieved, and then the next day you can be back in the same situation again.”

Shah said she also has concerns that these programs let hospitals off the hook for the failures of their legally required financial assistance programs for low-income patients. Nonprofit hospitals, which are exempt from most taxes, are required to provide charity care,

PSA: Cancel Guo birth...

floating [status] because she is an official of the government, and her Filipino citizenship is being questioned," Grande said.

She said the PSA was investigating alleged fraudulent registrations of birth.

"The PSA is doing its part to investigate if there is really a syndicate [involved in this fraudulent registration of birth]," Grande added.

Sen. Risa Hontiveros, committee chairman, asked Grande whether Guo obtained her birth certificate "fraudulently or irregularly" because it lacked supporting documents.

Grande said, "Yes."

Guo failed on Wednesday to attend the ninth Senate inquiry on human trafficking in Tarlac because she was sick while her relatives were invited to the hearing but were also a no-show.

Guo sent a letter to the Senate Committee on Women, Children, Family Relations and Gender Equality, saying she was "not fit" to attend the June 26 hearing.

She said that the previous hearings had "exposed her to stress and [a] high level of anxiety" that seriously affected her mental health.

The mayor also said that the filing of charges against her for human trafficking had exposed her to "public ridicule" and tarnished her image.

Guo deplored that she had already been "prejudged." But she maintained that her nonappearance did not mean she wanted to disregard or disobey the committee.

Hontiveros, the committee chairman, raised the possibility that the mayor "stole" the identity of the real Alice Leal Guo. She presented a National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) clearance of a certain Alice Leal Guo, who was born on July 12, 1986, in Tarlac. The senator claimed that the mayor's real name is Guo Haping.

"Is it a coincidence that this NBI clearance was applied for just a few days before the date of filing of the delayed registration of birth of the other Alice Guo in Tarlac City?" she asked.

"Or is this a case of stolen identity? Has Guo Haping assumed the identity of a Filipino woman and then, nearly a decade later, run for office? Who is this woman whose name is Alice Leal Guo, but does not look like the mayor? Where is she now?"

Hontiveros further asked.

Sen. JV Ejercito raised the need to hasten the phasing out of POGO operations due to the negative effects they have brought to the country.

He said the operation of POGOs in the country could also be compared to the aggressive presence and behavior of the Chinese in the West Philippine

Sea.

"The presence of the Chinese coast guard and militia in our seas and the operations of POGOs on our lands have only caused chaos and social disorder," Ejercito said.

He said these were "failed attempts to tamper with the Filipino courage and spirit, but undeniably have already adversely affected our communities and fellow citizens."

"The committee has uncovered and discovered not just the material facts and information to prove the involvement of Mayor Guo but also the compelling and disturbing reasons that call for the government's policy shift on POGO operations," Ejercito said.

Sen. Grace Poe reiterated her call to ban POGOs, saying they have become breeding grounds for corruption.

Poe said POGOs had become a "major headache" for the government with the myriad of problems they have brought, such as crimes, modern-day slavery, vices and illicit activities.

She said the Senate hearing on the raided POGO complex in Bamban, Tarlac, had bared how the company had skirted laws and regulations to thrive in its illegal venture.

Poe said it was time to ban POGOs because they could not be regulated, as they have protectors in and out of government. 

FAITHFUL. A devotee prays before the image of Saint Peter at Fishers of Men Chapel inside a mall in Quezon City on Friday, June 28. The Feast of Saints Peter and Paul, observed every June 29, is a liturgical feast in honor of their martyrdom in Rome. PNA photo by Robert Oswald P. Alfiler

PAGE A1

Marcos on 3 Dutertes running for senator...

Marcos said the Dutertes' plan to run in the elections will not affect the UniTeam — a coalition between him and the vice president in the previous polls.

The president said that the stand of the UniTeam will depend on who the vice president will support in next year's elections.

Sen. Robinhood Padilla, acting president of the Partido

Demokratiko Pilipino-Laban (PDP), described the prospect of former president Duterte and two of his sons running for the Senate as excellent news.

"Given the current political landscape, this development could significantly influence the balance of power in the Senate," Padilla said on Thursday. He emphasized the benefits of having three more allies in the

Senate, including Senators Bong Go, Ronald "Bato" dela Rosa and Francis Tolentino. "That is indeed excellent news. I will have allies in the Senate other than Senators Go, dela Rosa and Tolentino," Padilla said. Go, dela Rosa and Tolentino are eligible for another Senate term in 2025. Their reelection could further strengthen the PDP's position in the Senate. 

No investment, tourism restrictions...

A1

“I think they continue to do business in the Philippines. The private companies, the private corporations out of China continue to want to invest in the Philippines,” Go told The STAR after the Manila Overseas Press Club Investment Night in Makati last Tuesday.

“I think the companies who invest in the Philippines believe in the Philippine growth story. They believe in the attractiveness of the Philippines as an investment destination,” he added.

Go said “occasional occurrences” are part of life and would not change the view of businesses with long-term confidence in the country’s economic performance.

“There is always something happening but if you have a longterm confidence growth story, you will stick to that conviction. I believe investors should be rewarded... We are one of the fastest growing economies in the region and in the world,” Go added.

Asked during the MOPC Investment Night to react to the WPS row, Go said it is “business as usual as far as trade and business is concerned.”

“Our policy when it comes to the economic side is to welcome all investments. We welcome all investments from China, from Japan, from Korea, etc. As a matter of fact, the trade counselor of the Chinese embassy, Counselor Yang (Guoliang), was in our office last week, and we were discussing some potential investors,” he said.

Data from the Philippine Statistics Authority showed China was the fourth biggest market for Philippine exports in April, accounting for $702.02 million.

In terms of imports, China was the Philippines’ biggest source in April amounting to $3.15 billion.

In terms of foreign direct investments (FDI), he said the share from China is quite small at

0.9 percent in the last three years, falling from 4.4 percent during the period of 2015 to 2019.

While China’s share in FDI to the Philippines declined, Balisacan said this cannot be directly attributed to the geopolitical issue with China.

“It could be one of those indirectly. It’s hard to attribute that in the absence of more information,” he said.

When it comes to official development assistance (ODA), he said China’s share is also small at only five percent of the total.

“We have been diversifying our sources of ODA,” he said.

As for tourism, he said there has been a slowdown, but this is also seen in other countries due to China’s internal issues and slow economic growth.

He also said China’s share in total remittances to the Philippines is very small at below one percent.

While the country’s economy, which has been driven by domestic demand, remains one of the fastest growing economies in the region, he said the aim is to strengthen other pillars of growth like investment and exports.

“When you can get your exports also to grow robustly as what our neighbors have done, of course, that will even elevate further our economic growth,” he said.

If the global economy is better and trade restrictions are reduced, he said the country’s economic growth will be even faster.

U.S. to China: Stop harassing Philippine vessels

The United States called on China on Wednesday to end harassment of Philippine vessels and interference in the WPS.

U.S. Ambassador MaryKay Carlson said the “chorus against threats to peace and stability in the South China Sea is growing louder and stronger each day.”

“When the United States sees our partners being bullied in their backyard, we speak up. And we encourage others to speak up

as well – and they are doing so,”

Carlson said in her remarks at the East-West Center’s International Media Conference.

She noted that a “free and open Indo-Pacific” is a region free from coercion from other countries, open to trade and investment and governed by international law.

“With likeminded partners and all who support the rule of law, we urge the PRC (People’s Republic of China) to cease harassment of Philippine vessels lawfully operating in the Philippine exclusive economic zones; to halt its disruption to states’ sovereign rights to explore, utilize, conserve and manage natural resources in their territories and EEZs; and to end its interference with the freedoms of navigation and overflight of all states lawfully operating in the region,” she said.

When disputes arise, she said they should be resolved in accordance with international law.

“We will continue to support the Philippines and other partners on these issues,” Carlson added.

Carlson said the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA), which operationalizes the US-Philippine alliance, is one of the cornerstones of the Mutual Defense Treaty of the U.S. and the Philippines.

She noted that EDCA enables Filipino and American forces to more closely train together, modernize and respond to shared threats, including natural disasters, in nine mutually agreed locations.

EDCA projects across these locations represent an initial investment of about $100 million or P5 billion, funding the repair of runways and the construction of disaster response warehouses and command and control infrastructure.

“These infrastructure investments at EDCA locations also spur economic growth and opportunity in local communities,” she said. 

High Court ruling upholds law disarming domestic violence abusers

by VIJI SUNDARAM Ethnic Media Services

WOMEN’S rights advocates are hailing last week’s ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court that takes away the right of those subject to domestic violence restraining orders from owning or purchasing firearms.

In an 8-to-1 ruling, the justices upheld the constitutionality of a federal law that makes it a crime for a person under a restraining order in a domestic violence case from owning firearms. It limits a controversial standard the high court’s conservatives had set down in 2022 that required gun prohibitions to have a connection to historical practices to survive constitutional scrutiny.

“When an individual poses a clear threat of physical violence to another, the threatening individual may be disarmed,” said Chief Justice John Roberts, who wrote for the majority, with only Justice Clarence Thomas dissenting.

In a press release put out by the California Partnership to End Domestic Violence (CPEDV), the group noted that the ruling acknowledges that guns must be kept away from people who commit acts of domestic

violence, as they have been proven to increase lethality in abusive situations. CPEDV filed a brief supporting the law.

A woman is five times more likely to be killed if the intimate partner abusing her has access to a firearm, according to the CPEDV. Black women are twice as likely to be shot and killed by an intimate partner. Justice Thomas argued that instead of encroaching on a person’s Second Amendment right, the better way of dealing with a dangerous person is by prosecuting them for criminal violence.

Earlier this week U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy issued a first-of-its-kind advisory declaring gun violence a public health crisis. “I want people to understand the full impact gun violence is having on the United States,” Murthy told the BBC in an interview. There were some 48,000 firearm-related deaths — or 132 people per day — in the US in 2022, according to provisional data.

SCOTUS’s ruling notwithstanding, abusers with restraining orders can still sneak guns during visitations with their children. A case in

point happened in March 2022, when David Mora, a 39-yearold immigrant, fatally shot his three daughters ages 13, 10 and 9 at the time, during a supervised visitation at a church in Sacramento. He then shot the chaperone supervising the visit, before turning the gun on himself.

Mora was out on bail after being arrested five days earlier on charges of resisting arrest, battery on a police officer and driving under the influence. In response to a court filing for a five-year-restraining order submitted by his ex-girlfriend and mother of their children, Mora said he had no guns. His ex-girlfriend also said she was not aware of him having guns.

“There were gaps in the order” that allowed him to have access to guns, said Krista Colon, senior director of public policy strategies at CPEDV. She said the visitations should have been in a “more secured location.”

Every time domestic violence survivor Anjali Raj called the police on her former partner after he violently abused her, it didn’t take him long to retrieve his guns from the police within days after he was released, she said.  PAGE A4

California’s $25 health care hourly wage...

less severe than what Newsom initially proposed. It includes an 8% reduction in public health spending and preserves in-home support for Medi-Cal recipients regardless of their legal status. It counts on nearly $1.8 billion in additional revenue from the Managed Care Organization tax.

Newsom, a Democrat, had wanted an annual trigger that would have delayed the health worker wage bumps in tight budget years like this one, when the state faced a nearly $47 billion deficit.

Instead, Democratic leaders who control the legislature agreed to a one-time trigger that will start the increases in October if state revenues come in 3% higher than expected, or no later than in January after the state increases what is known as the Hospital Quality Assurance Fee, which allows hospitals to tax themselves to draw in federal money for Medi-Cal, the state’s Medicaid program.

Budget officials expect the fee increase to cover about 30% of the minimum wage increases.

The fee currently provides about $8.4 billion to California hospitals each year and officials project that the unspecified increase will bring in billions of dollars more.

The fee increase requires federal approval, but budget officials said they believe even such a large increase is allowed under federal guidelines. The Newsom administration plans to hash out the details with hospitals over the next several months.

The managed care plans will still have to compensate for the remaining increased minimum wage costs with higher Medi-

Cal managed care rates, budget officials said.

However, the administration said hospitals expect the wage bumps “will not result in significant additional costs.” That differs from what the California Hospital Association said in successfully contesting a $25 minimum wage in one Southern California city. The association said it was reviewing the plan.

The California Association of Health Plans did not comment.

The California Kidney Care Alliance said many dialysis providers already increased wages ahead of the new requirements.

The law originally excluded employees at the Department of State Hospitals, and state budget officials said the new bill extends that to exclude an estimated 21,000 employees at all health care facilities operated by the state, with the exception of the University of California system.

Proponents have said the wage increases would have included employees at the departments of Corrections and Rehabilitation, Developmental Services, and Veterans Affairs.

“Of course, workers are disappointed that not every lowwage worker in health care will receive raises this summer as the law initially scheduled,” said Dave Regan, president of Service Employees International UnionUnited Healthcare Workers West, which pushed for the increases over the state’s $16 minimum wage. But he praised Democratic leaders for recognizing that “despite a historic budget deficit, California’s patient care and health care workforce crisis must be addressed.”

The University of CaliforniaBerkeley Labor Center projected that more than 469,000 health workers would get wage increases, with the biggest benefits going to women and workers of color. The law covers lower-income employees including certified nursing assistants, patient aides, food service workers, janitors, groundskeepers, and security staff. California separately increased the minimum wage for fast-food workers to $20 an hour.

The health worker law originally was set to raise the hourly minimum at large health facilities and dialysis clinics to $23 this year, $24 in 2025, and $25 in 2026. It would have increased hourly wages at community clinics to at least $21 in 2024, $22 in 2026, and $25 in 2027. Other health facilities were to go to at least $21 an hour in 2024, $23 in 2026, and $25 by 2028.

The initial increases will be pushed back several months based on the one-time trigger.

Because the increases will start partway through the fiscal year, Newsom’s administration now projects the first-year cost to be $1.4 billion, down from its earlier full-year estimate of $4 billion.

(Don Thompson/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.

Duterte, De Lima face-o sought...

A1

said Manila Rep. Bienvenido Abante Jr., chair of the House committee.

“Maybe the former president can look into his heart and realize what he has done in his six years,” he added.

Widows, mothers

Gabriela Rep. Arlene Brosas made the motion to invite Duterte and Dela Rosa to the next hearing after several widows and mothers of drug war victims testified before the panel to recall how the police killed their husbands or sons — some of them minors — in cold blood and claimed self-defense later.

After the motion was carried, Brosas broached the idea of inviting De Lima as well, a proposal that was also approved by the body.

The next hearing is on Wednesday, July 3, but Duterte, Dela Rosa, and De Lima are to be invited to the hearing after that, according to Abante.

One of the mothers, Raquel Lopez, turned emotional as she recounted how her son Rabby was killed by the Cebu police during a “one-time, big-time drug operation” in October 2018.

The younger Lopez was shot in his room as he slept, then wrapped in his own bedsheet and thrown out of the house “like a slaughtered pig,” his mother said.

“He had no known (criminal) record whatsoever,” she said in Cebuano. “I was so surprised that this happened to him… He was kind.”

The House committee did not state any plans to invite Duterte and Dela Rosa when it opened the inquiry on May 22.

Abante then said the committee’s goal was merely to “seek the truth” and gather “comprehensive information” on alleged human rights violations linked to the drug war.

The crackdown left at least 6,000 people dead, based on official government data, but human rights watchdogs said the actual figure could be as high as 20,000 due to underreporting and incomplete or falsified records.

Abante, a pastor-turnedlawmaker, had been noncommittal about inviting Duterte, whose drug war is also

PAGE A2

and in California it is required of all hospitals.

Undue Medical Debt typically partners with hospitals or physician groups to identify people who make below 400% of the federal poverty line or whose debt is shown by hospital financial records to be more than 5% of their annual income. They then negotiate a purchase price, acquire the debt, and retire it.

Sesso thinks most of these patients would likely have been eligible for hospital financial aid in the first place. However,

under investigation before the International Criminal Court for alleged crimes against humanity.

‘Moral failings’

But over the past two hearings, many of the lawmakers on the panel—including Abante himself—admitted to having a change of heart as they listened to accounts from the families of drug war victims.

Eleanor Llanes, a missionary sister from the Immaculate Heart of Mary, reproached the House panel for launching an inquiry only now, two years after Duterte left office.

“I am not blaming you, but I think all of us have moral failings by being silent,” she said.

Abante acknowledged her point, saying: “We all count this as a rebuke [against us].. .I admit this is also a lapse on my part as a lawmaker. But here we are now, and I promise you we will pursue this to the end.”

During Tuesday’s hearing, Lanao del Sur Rep. Zia Alonto Adiong asked human rights lawyers to define “extrajudicial killings” in the context of the drug war.

Kristina Conti, legal counsel for some of the families of drug war victims, said: “We would rather look at the victim than the intention. There is a commonality among the victims that could point to a system— the targets of the killings are the same, whether they are police operations or vigilante killings, they were either on the drug lists or perceived drug addicts.”

In a message to the Inquirer, ACT Teachers Rep. France Castro, who attended the hearing, said Abante might have changed his mind “because

the committee was able to see the extent of the suffering and trauma that the families of the victims of Duterte’s fake drug war are still enduring.”

“It is only the policymaker (Duterte) and its chief implementer (Dela Rosa) who can answer the multitude of queries not just of the committee members but [of] the families of victims as well,” she added.

At the close of the hearing, Adiong tried to comfort the grieving mothers and widows, saying: “The truth will remain the truth, whether it is accepted now or in a million years.”

Noynoy Aquiono, Erap, FVR Should Duterte attend the House hearing, he would not be the first former president to face a congressional inquiry.

In December 2017, former President Benigno Aquino III appeared before the Senate blue ribbon committee as a resource person to explain the government’s purchase of P3.5 billion worth of the controversial dengue vaccine Dengvaxia, which was administered by the Department of Health to 280,000 students nationwide.

In January 2003, former President Joseph Estrada appeared in the Senate to defend the controversial $450 million Impsa power contract that sought to develop the CalirayaBotocan-Kalayaan hydroelectric power plant.

Former President Fidel Ramos also appeared at a congressional hearing in 2006 over his role in the anomalous $561.7-million deal won by a Malaysian firm over the sale of the 600-megawatt Masinloc coal-fired power plant in Zambales province to YNN Pacific Consortium Inc. 

Los Angeles County approves medical...

many patients don’t know these programs exist or are put off by cumbersome approval processes.

Sesso said her organization uses patient eligibility reviews as an opportunity to engage hospitals on how they could improve their policies.

Yolanda Vera, health and wellness senior deputy in Mitchell’s office, said the county understands that a one-time debt relief program isn’t a cureall but sees value in providing immediate relief.

“We have to try every tool we can to improve the economic

well-being in our community,” Vera said. “And this is one of them.” (Molly Castle Work/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 indepth journalism about health issues and is one of the core operating programs at KFF—an independent source of health policy research, polling, and journalism.

High Court ruling upholds law disarming...

Raj, who lives in the Bay Area, said she dropped the charges against him after every arrest, out of fear of what he might do to her and their two children, now 7 and 8, and her elderly parents. And to add to her fears, he would display the weapons on a countertop as a threat, she said.

“Why was he allowed to reclaim them when he had a history of abuse?” Raj said. They are now separated and have shared custody of their children. She said that because she has been unable to hire a good attorney she has never been able to get justice from the court. According to a new report from California Attorney General Rob Bonta’s office, the number of protective orders issued in California to limit access to firearms for people deemed dangerous increased by 20% between 2020 and 2023. Last week’s high court ruling stemmed from a case involving a Texas man named Zackey Rahimi, with a history of armed violence against girlfriends and shootings in public places. While under a protective order, prosecutors said he

Pexels.com photo by RDNE Stock project

Former Sen. Leila De Lima and former President Rodrigo Duterte Inquirer.net photos

QUAKE DRILL. Persons Deprived of Liberty and officers of the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology participate in the second quarter nationwide simultaneous earthquake drill at Manila City Jail on Friday, June 28. The drill aims to ensure

DATELINE PHILIPPINES

PH keeps tier 1 rank in human tra cking

by FRANCO JOSE C. BAROÑA ManilaTimes.net

THE Philippines maintained its tier 1 ranking for the ninth consecutive year in the U.S. State Department's Trafficking in Persons Report.

Tier 1 ranking, the highest designation, signifies that the Philippines fully met the minimum standards for the elimination of the crime of human trafficking.

Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla said the U.S. report validates the efficacy of the comprehensive measures implemented by the InterAgency Council Against Trafficking.

"This distinguished recognition underscores the nation's sustained collaborative efforts and exceptional performance in eradicating human trafficking and protecting the rights of victims,"

said Remulla in a statement on Wednesday, June 26. "This tier 1 ranking will serve as our motivation in reaching greater heights in our neverending quest to eliminate all forms of human exploitation and trafficking. The State [Department] declares an 'allout war' against every single human trafficker out there preying on the innocent; we will show no mercy in running after each one of you," he added. 

Manny Pacquiao faces new Japanese foe in July exhibition bout

by GLENDALE G. ROSAL Inquirer.net

JAPANESE kickboxing and Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) champion Chihiro Suzuki officially withdraws from his upcoming exhibition fight against former senator and boxing’s only 8-division world champion Manny “Pacman” Pacquiao.

MANILA – Senator Joel Villanueva on Thursday, June 27 pushed for the passage of Senate Bill (SB) 1281, seeking to prohibit Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs) and all forms of online gambling in the country.

Villanueva made this call amid mounting evidence linking POGOs to various crimes such as torture, kidnapping, murder and human trafficking.

“There should be no debate that the social costs of gambling far outweigh any benefits. We must put an end to this once and for all,” Villanueva said in a statement.

PAGCOR licensees found to be running scam operations,” he said.

He said the various crimes linked to POGOs demand urgent action from PAGCOR.

“This is why we reiterate our call not only to completely ban POGOs but also all forms of online gaming,” he said.

He said PAGCOR should investigate other forms of online gambling that are easily accessible to anyone with a mobile device.

They will fight in a boxing exhibition match that is primarily promoted by the RIZIN Fighting Federation.

The 28-year-old Anpo from Hyogo, Japan is the former K-1 super lightweight champion and recently signed with the RIZIN Fighting Federation.

He has an impressive record of 27 wins with 14 knockouts, eight losses, and one draw in kickboxing. He has one win and one defeat in his MMA record. In terms of size, Anpo stands

This was officially announced by Suzuki’s promoters from the RIZIN Fighting Federation and Brandon Gibbons’ Viva Promotions on Friday, June 28. According to Viva Promotions’ Facebook post, Suzuki was forced to withdraw from his July 28 fight against Pacquiao at the Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan due to a hand injury. With that in mind, Suzuki is replaced with an equally dangerous kickboxing champion in Rukiya “Demolition Man” Anpo which will be held at the same venue and same date.

at 6-feet tall, while Pacquiao stands at 5-foot-5.

A short backgrounder, Anpo has fought well-known kickboxing legends such as Buakaw Banchamek in 2023 which ended in a draw during the RIZIN 42 fight card in Japan.

Meanwhile, Pacquiao who has a legendary pro record of 62 wins, 39 knockouts, eight losses, and two draws last fought in a pro bout in 2021. He fought and lost to Yordenis Ugas for the WBA Super World Welterweight title by unanimous decision in Las Vegas, USA.

After that, Pacquiao fought Korean YouTube sensation DK Yoo where he won by unanimous decision in 2022. 

He said Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR), the country’s gaming regulator, has “unfortunately failed” to ensure the POGOs conduct their business operations aboveboard.

“In fact, the POGOs raided in Bamban, Tarlac, and Porac, Pampanga were both ex-

“This should be a concern as their attractive advertisements on various social media platforms can entice anyone to play,” he said. Under SB 1281, Villanueva proposed that any person involved in online gambling shall be punished by imprisonment of up to six months or a fine of up to PHP500,000.

“The consequences of gambling and online gambling are too severe to be ignored. The

by KRISTINE DAGUNO-BERSAMINA Philstar.com

MANILA — The Chinese Embassy in Manila has called upon the United States Embassy to address accusations of a covert campaign to reportedly incite fears of China-made vaccines among Filipinos at the height of the coronavirus pandemic.

"During the COVID-19 pandemic, out of the same geopolitical self-interest, the U.S., in addition to promoting 'America first', has unscrupulously smeared Chinese vaccines and medical supplies and thwarted Chinese donation of vaccines and medical supplies to the Philippines," the embassy said in a statement released on X.

The statement was released after U.S. Ambassador to the Philippines MaryKay Carlson

called on China to stop the “harassment” of Philippine vessels in the West Philippine Sea and to uphold freedom of navigation and overflight rights for all nations.

According to the Chinese Embassy, the disinformation effort allegedly led "to tens of thousands of deaths in the Philippines, and endangered the health of people in the region."

"The Filipino people and the international community deserve transparency. Why has the U.S. Embassy in the Philippines remained silent on this issue? Shouldn't the United States be held accountable for its actions during the pandemic?" the Chinese Embassy said.

A Reuters investigation found that from 2020 to 2021, a coordinated campaign used 300 fake social media accounts to spread fear about China's vaccination program. These

accounts, created in the summer of 2020, used the hashtag #Chinaangvirus (China is the virus). The accounts aimed to create fear about the Sinovac vaccines and other health supplies from China.

Sinovac vaccines were the first COVID-19 shots available in the Philippines, arriving in February 2021. Reuters also reported that the Pentagon initiated the influence operation against China "as payback for Beijing's efforts to blame Washington for the pandemic."

Earlier on Friday, June 28, a top U.S. official told a Chinese counterpart that Washington's defense commitments to the Philippines under the Mutual Defense Treaty were "ironclad" following a violent clash in the West Philippine Sea that led to injuries of Filipino troops. 

Official poster of Pacquiao and Anpo’s upcoming fight.

Photo from RIZIN

cost of gambling is no longer limited to the loss of money, but extends to the loss of values and lives,” Villanueva said in his explanatory note of his bill filed in September 2022. (PNA)

Senator Joel Villanueva PNA file photo

OPINION FEATURES

Identity theft

HOW easy is it to steal personal identity in the Philippines? Relatively easy, if the details presented by senators about suspended Mayor Alice Guo of Bamban, Tarlac are accurate.

Guo, whose certificate of candidacy for mayor listed her birth on July 12, 1986 in Tarlac and her mother as Filipina Amelia Leal, is actually Guo Hua Ping, born to Chinese national Lin Wenyi on Aug. 31, 1990 in China’s southern province of Fujian.

Editorial

This is according to Sen. Risa Hontiveros, who announced on Thursday, June 27 that examination conducted by the National Bureau of Investigation showed that Guo’s fingerprints in her NBI clearance matched those of Guo Hua Ping in the Chinese passport. “This means these are the fingerprints of one and the same person,” Hontiveros said.

There was no immediate reaction from Guo, who skipped the Senate hearing last Wednesday reportedly because she was “sick and stressed” by recent developments involving her identity and alleged links to illegal Philippine offshore gaming operator or POGO firms.

Apart from faking her own identity, Guo also declared fake incorporators of Hongsheng Gaming Technology – a POGO that Guo represented before she ran for mayor – by stealing the identities of

Once a year, an essay competition is held at CSUN, amongst Asian American Studies and Education majors, as part of an endowment set up by Prosy Abarquez-Delacruz for her deceased mother, Asuncion Castro Abarquez and her deceased sister, Rosalinda Abarquez Alcantara. It was set up in 2016, to provide a scholarship grant to deserving students. The essay is vetted by Dr. Kimberly Teaman Carroll, Dr. Tomo Hattori, Dr. Phil Hutchison, and Dr. Joyce Pualani Warren. Thanks to the Asian Journal for being a partner in this endeavor.

LEARNING another language outside of your own opens many opportunities and offers an endless world of multicultural communication and understanding. Many children are exposed to a second language through different means, whether it’s through their parents’ exclusive use of their native language or the language used by surrounding speakers. Personally, my parents spoke to me in a mixture of Vietglish whereas the primary population of my hometown speaks English and Spanish. These types of environments can be formed through the formation of an ethnic enclave, a phenomenon where there is a large presence of a specific minority group. which draws that crowd in. Within these enclaves, the primary language that is spoken is determined by which ethnic community

IN his recent keynote address at the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. expressed his opposition to any “illegal, coercive, aggressive, and deceptive actions [which] continue to violate our sovereignty, sovereign rights, and jurisdiction” in the West Philippine Sea. Although he didn’t directly name China, everyone in the room, including the large Chinese military/troll army delegation was keenly aware of Mr. Marcos’ reference point. In response to a Chinese military officer, who tried to grill the president with a toxic cocktail of strategic gaslighting and run-of-the-mill propaganda, Mr. Marcos warned that “[i] f a Filipino citizen is killed by a willful act, that is I think a very,

vendors at the public market in Tarlac, Hontiveros said. The senator learned about the fake identities after a woman named as one of the incorporators surfaced and denied involvement in the POGO. The woman, a BPO worker, also said she recognized three other supposed Hongsheng incorporators as market vendors who sold vegetables, breakfast food and grilled meat.

Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian, who has been pushing for a total ban on POGOs, said a Google street view check of the supposed incorporators’ addresses showed humble homes. Did the vendors authorize Guo to use their identities to set up an illegal POGO? Were their identities faked or stolen?

The mystery surrounding Alice Guo has raised concern not only about how POGOs are being used to engage in criminal activities, but also how easy it can be for foreign spies to enter and operate in the country. Reforms are urgently needed in several agencies to plug the loopholes that facilitate identity theft and faking of Philippine citizenship. (Philstar.com)

Cultural consequences of multilingualism through mother tongue

Essay by Kobby Tran

has the largest population. One example of this is Little Saigon in Westminster. Since many aspects of the mainland are built into the city’s foundations most noticeably in its population, it makes sense that the primary language of that specific community is Vietnamese.

As a second generation, bilingual English dominant, Vietnamese American student who frequented Little Saigon, I had a strong understanding from a young age of how Westminster was culturally different from my hometown north of it in Oxnard and a strong understanding of my Vietnamese upbringing overall. However, one factor that separated me from fully understanding my heritage was my inability to speak Vietnamese fluently. I and many Asian Americans are unable to speak their mother tongue. This ultimately leads to an inability to completely understand and immerse within one’s own culture since language, among other factors, plays a primary role in one’s understanding of the culture and its intricate nuances.

One example of my disorientation is during the time of Tet (Lunar New Year) where the younger generations receive a red envelope with money from the older generation to bring in a wealthy year. In exchange, the younger people bless the older generations with personal wishes.

Most Vietnamese American children know the extent of saying Chuc murng Nam Moi (Happy New Years) when receiving an envelope, but most children don’t

very close to what we define as an act of war and therefore we will respond accordingly.” Moreover, he implied that Washington would likely come to the Philippines’ rescue in such eventuality under the terms of the Philippine-United States Mutual Defense Treaty (MDT). But when pressed on the matter, U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin III largely demurred during his own address at Asia’s premiere defense dialogue. Instead of squarely standing by the Philippines, he simply resorted to the “iron-clad commitment” platitude and refused to engage in any “hypothetical” scenarios.

To be fair, the U.S. defense chief’s priority was to reestablish communication channels with Beijing following his firstever formal meeting with his Chinese counterpart in years.

But at this point, it was clear to everyone in the room that the maritime disputes were entering a particularly troubling phase,

know that there are more phrases that can be said to elders to bless them with a more enriching year. Different blessings can include Surc khoe doi dao (to stay in good health), An khang thinh vurong (prosperity and security), and many more. Despite the vast variety of different blessings one can say to their elders, I only knew Chuc murng Nam Moi, the most basic greeting. I didn’t realize the importance of blessing at the time as a way to acknowledge the sacrifices they made throughout their lives to get me to a more fortunate place. A sense of guilt has crept up on me over the years due to my inability to bless the older folks on this very special holiday.

As a child, I gravitated towards English since it is the dominant language of my community. While I spoke to my family in basic Vietnamese, I never bothered to formally learn Vietnamese since, if I didn’t need to learn it, why would I want to? At times, I even resented my parents for not fluently speaking English for my own sake. It was not until the pandemic hit and Asian targeted hate crimes and rhetoric increased that I felt a spark of a genuine connection to my sense of my Vietnamese heritage. Before that, I understood the culture but wasn’t fully immersed in it. From that point, my desire to have a deeper understanding of my culture grew exponentially over the years since the year the pandemic hit. Before my realization, I had a relatively strong idea of what it meant to be

with the prospect of armed conflict becoming far from just hypothetical.

The past year alone saw Chinese maritime forces deploying water cannons and colliding with Philippine patrol vessels on half a dozen occasions. The significance of Mr. Marcos’ statements was fully on display just weeks later when Chinese maritime forces aggressively boarded Philippine vessels and disarmed naval officers en route to the Second Thomas Shoal. The upshot was the injury of at least one Filipino serviceman.

After decades of strategic ambiguity stretching from the Richard Nixon to Barack Obama administrations, the Trump administration went the extra mile to clarify that any “armed attack” on Philippine public vessels, troops, and aircraft in the West Philippine Sea would activate the MDT. The timing is crucial since former president

Vietnamese American, but I didn’t have the linguistic ability to portray that in any capacity. Four years after my realization, my ability to communicate in Vietnamese has improved significantly but I am still missing so many cultural pieces to allow me the experience of living with the complete cultural context (as much as one can have for never entering the motherland). This was made apparent when I went to Vietnam for the first time in January 2024 to my father’s hometown of Da Nang. My inability to communicate with my relatives who have never left the country was jarring and alienating since there was little sense of connection. Even though I have never met these people in my life, I would have liked to get to know everyone that was considered important in my father’s life at one point, but since my Vietnamese ability is so low, there was no further conversation than simple greetings. No real connection could be made.

Certainly not every single Asian American child had the same experience, even my older sister has a much better cultural understanding of the Vietnamese experience because she has the language capabilities to have the conversations with my parents about the culture, they grew up in. Both parties have the common ground of speaking comfortably in Vietnamese to have more complex conversations and thus build a stronger bond since they can understand and relate to one another more fluidly. The same

Rodrigo Duterte convincingly questioned America’s reliability during the earlier years of his tenure. A Pulse Asia survey conducted from Dec. 6-11, 2016, showed that as many as 50 percent of respondents either were undecided (33 percent) or disagreed (17 percent) when asked if “security/defense relations with the U.S. have been beneficial to the Philippines.”

The following year, a Pew Survey showed that confidence in U.S. leadership collapsed from 94 percent under Obama in 2015 to only 69 percent under Trump in 2017. In short, Washington was under pressure to clarify its commitments after letting Filipinos down on multiple occasions, most notably during China’s seizure of Mischief Reef (1995) and Scarborough Shoal (2012).

The problem, however, is that the current interpretation of MDT has not deterred China from employing aggressive

goes for my Japanese friend “A” who is completely bilingual. She is overall very close with her own family due to her ability to converse completely in Japanese. Since both parties (my sister and my parents as well as “A” and her family) are bilingual, both can communicate in either language as second nature, yet if one party is unable to speak the language comfortably, both parties end up losing on a much more enriching experience of community and cultural bonds. This can be seen in the 2022 Academy Award winning film, “Everything Everywhere All at Once” starring Michelle Yeoh, where her character, Evelyn Wang, is an immigrant from China and each of the people that are close to her speak to her in a different language: Her father, referred to

“gray zone” tactics, even if former U.S. Ambassador Sung Kim suggested, on the eve of the Reed Bank Crisis in 2019, that the MDT could potentially also apply to gray zone operation by “government-sanctioned militias” of a hostile third party. In a 2023 declassified document, legal experts and policy analysts at the Indo-Pacific Command have suggested that the MDT should also apply to “illegal use of force [which] is not limited by law to a kinetic armed attack (e.g., the use of munitions), but could also include non-kinetic attacks that result in death, injury, damage, or destruction of persons or objects.” So far, however, the Biden administration has not clarified that, as a matter of official policy, the MDT is purpose-fit for China’s aggressive gray zone tactics, which are already causing “injury” and could be potentially fatal.

as Baba, speaks only Cantonese; her husband, Waymond Wang, is bilingual in Mandarin and English; her daughter Joy Wang is bilingual but English dominant. This multilingual household reflects the common experience in many Asian American families, where individuals may have varying degrees of bilingualism, like me and my sister who are both bilingual but English dominant. Further exploring the conflict in the film, it is revealed early on that Joy does not have a good relationship with her family, because she is unable to adequately converse with Evelyn since their degree of fluency in their non-dominant languages are opposite. The main conflict of the story is the cultural clash between Evelyn and Joy and the utilization PAGE A7

Aside from adapting the parameters of MDT, however, the U.S. should also facilitate the expedient modernization of the Philippines’ maritime active defense capabilities through, inter alia, rapid transfer of decommissioned littoral combat ships and lease of high-speed boats to the Armed Forces of the Philippines, which has been starved of any modern U.S.-made weapons systems for decades. Otherwise, what’s the point of an alliance if it’s only hypothetically useful when an all-out war breaks out? Lest we forget, the ultimate utility of any robust alliance is the deterrence of hostile powers. (Inquirer.net)

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

* * * rheydarian@inquirer.com.ph

ManilaTimes.net photo

The essay author, Kobby Tran, with Professor Tomo Hattori, Ph.D. of the Asian American Studies Department at California State University, Northridge.

NDRRMC: China rocket debris to fall in waters o Ilocos Norte, Cagayan

MANILA — Possible fallen

debris from a Chinese rocket launch scheduled this weekend is expected to drop in the waters near Ilocos Norte and Cagayan, according to an advisory by the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council.

Issued on June 25, the NDRRMC's memorandum states that China will launch the Long March 7A from a launch site in Hainan sometime between Friday night to Sunday (June 28-30).

Parts of this Long March 7A rocket are expected to fall within the identified drop zone, which is around 75 nautical

miles away from Burgos, Ilocos Norte and 126 nautical miles away from Santa Ana, Cagayan, the NDRRMC said.

This rocket launch is part of China's space program, which has increasingly ramped up over the past decades as Beijing seeks to expand its presence in outer space.

China says it opposes the weaponization of space but also considers success in space as a boost to its image as a global power, according to a December 2023 report by Agence-France Press. The NDRRMC has recommended that the relevant government agencies impose

temporary restrictions and issue notice to mariners and coastal navigation warnings to ensure the safety of the public on the waters near the drop zones. The Philippine Space Agency also cautions the public against retrieving or coming in close proximity to the fallen debris to minimize risk from remnants of toxic substances such as rocket fuel. An earlier rocket launch conducted by China in March also prompted authorities to warn of fallen debris in the waters off Ilocos Sur and Catanduanes. (Cristina Chi/ Philstar.com)

Anti-Duterte unity ticket proposed

Trillanes: Marcos, ‘pink’ camps can join forces

ticket,” Trillanes said.

by

JOSE RODEL CLAPANO Philstar.com

MANILA — With the Duterte family aiming to return to power, the Marcos administration can unite with non-traditional allies, including the so-called “pink” forces of the independent opposition, former senator Antonio Trillanes IV said on Wednesday, June 26.

Trillanes said he has sent a message to the administration about the possibility of uniting with the forces that opposed the return to power of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr..

“We have to set aside sensitivities for a larger cause,” which is “the obliteration of the Duterte forces,” Trillanes told “Storycon” on One News.

“The timing is good. It is a reason to galvanize the unity of all the sectors who are not with the Dutertes. It should be in 2025. We must have unity candidates and absorb all the opposition, the independent opposition,” he added.

Trillanes said he has initiated “exploratory talks” for the administration and the independent opposition to unite.

“We have been reaching out to different personalities involved. Their initial reactions are positive. We just have to sit down with them. I am reaching out to those who are establishing the lists of senatorial candidates for the administration

He said he launched this effort after Vice President Sara Duterte announced last Tuesday, June 25 that her father, former president Rodrigo Duterte, and brothers Paolo and Sebastian intend to run for the Senate in 2025.

Sebastian, currently the mayor of Davao City, would also seek the presidency in 2028, the Vice President said. She clarified yesterday, however, that there was still no final decision on this.

Trillanes said he had sent a message about his proposal to the camps of former Senators Bam Aquino and Francis Pangilinan, but not to former Vice President Leni Robredo and former Senator Mar Roxas, and so far, not to Sen. Risa Hontiveros.

The past two years have shown that the camps of Marcos and those who opposed his rise to power have more common ground than differences, such as over the West Philippine Sea and economic recovery, Trillanes told Storycon. The main divergence of opinion, he noted, is over Charter change.

Asked if he thought President Marcos might be open to the idea, he said, “We’ll know in a few days. Naparating na natin yung mensahe (We have sent the message).”

“That’s a proposition worth looking into,” Trillanes said. “If I am crucified for thinking of the proposal, OK lang naman sa akin

(it’s OK with me).”

If his proposal is pursued, he said a united ticket could be fielded in time for the 2025 midterm elections.

“We have already sent messages to the inner circles of some of these candidates,” Trillanes said. “There has to be a consensus… We are calling on them… If the pink forces can see that it can be done, if the Marcos forces can see that this will be the easiest way to finally ease out the Duterte forces.”

He added: “It is in the interest of the Marcos administration and the independent candidates to join forces. Otherwise, they will be weakened.”

Trillanes, who is expected to run for mayor of Caloocan City in 2025, said the vice president’s announcement of her family’s political plans could galvanize the anti-Duterte forces to unite.

Meanwhile, Speaker Martin Romualdez on Wednesday welcomed the plans of former president Duterte and his sons to run for senator in 2025, saying it is part of the democratic process. Romualdez said it is the “democratic right” of the Dutertes to seek an elective post.

Asked about his own plans in 2025, the Speaker noted that he intends to seek reelection as the representative of the first district of Leyte in the House. He added there are still many things that he wants to do for his district. 

Palace propose P6.352 trillion 2025 budget

by LOUISE MAUREEN SIMEON Philstar.com

MANILA — The Marcos administration is proposing another record budget of P6.352 trillion for 2025 as the government moves to finance its priority programs and achieve its macroeconomic targets.

At a briefing following the 188th Cabinet-level Development Budget Coordination Committee meeting on Thursday, June 27, Budget Secretary and DBCC chair Amenah Pangandaman said the proposed National Expenditure Program for 2025 is P6.352 trillion.

The record budget level proposed for next year is 10.1 percent above this year’s allocation of P5.768 trillion.

“Social sector will definitely, again, get a big chunk of the budget – that’s education, health and social protection,” Pangandaman said.

“Agriculture will also remain to be a top priority as we increase our investments for food security. We also have infrastructure development and digitalization as well as climate projects,” she said.

The P6.352 trillion is 2.45 percent higher than the previous proposal of P6.2 trillion last April. Next year’s budget is equivalent to 22 percent of the economy.

Pangandaman explained that the increase has taken into

consideration the higher budget allocation for local government units (LGUs) – up by almost 20 percent to P1.03 trillion. The national tax allotment (NTA) for LGUs for 2025 will be up 18.7 percent to P1.03 trillion from this year’s level of P871.38 billion.

LGUs will get a higher share as the NTA is based on the 2022 revenue collection, which improved as the economy significantly bounced back from a two-year slump at the height of the COVID pandemic.

“Next year is also an election year so we have to fund that, we increased the allowance for those who will help in the election,”

Pangandaman said.

She added that there is also an expansion in the conditional cash transfer program of the government, as well as the higher allowance of P10,000 for teachers.

She noted that the economic team is set to present the NEP to the Cabinet on July 2 and submit it to Congress on July 29, a week after the president’s State of the Nation Address. The process will be significantly ahead of schedule as the constitutional deadline for the submission of budget is 30 days after the SONA.

Furthermore, Pangandaman emphasized that the budget will build on the gains from the first two years of the Marcos administration and continue to usher in economic

and social transformation for a prosperous, inclusive and resilient society.

In line with the Philippine Development Plan, the proposed budget also aims to protect the capabilities of individuals and families and transform production sectors to generate more quality jobs and produce competitive products. It also targets to foster an enabling environment encompassing institutions, physical and natural environments. In evaluating the agencies’ budget proposals for 2025, Pangandaman said the Department of Budget and Management considered several factors such as the availability of fiscal space, implementation-readiness of programs and projects, agency absorptive capacity, and alignment with expenditure directions.

The administration’s economic team, meanwhile, was less optimistic on the inflation trend in the country, hiking its assumption to three percent to four percent range from the previous target of two to four percent in April. Inflation quickened to a sixmonth high of 3.9 percent in May, bringing the five-month average to 3.5 percent. The trend is not expected to significantly impact overall growth, however, according to the economic team.

Cultural consequences of multilingualism...

of the language barrier is essential to tell the story accurately. In the beginning of the story, Joy attempts to communicate with Baba that she has a girlfriend in broken Mandarin, Baba retorts that her Mandarin is getting worse and Evelyn jumps in to say that Joy has a good friend rather than a girlfriend which makes Joy resent Evelyn for portraying her relationship inaccurately, thus further straining their relationship. Situations like Joy where the things that need to be communicated can’t are commonplace in many Asian American children’s households where the child cannot accurately express what their needs are. Further down the line, the people that were once unable to understand their own culture come to understand their need for it through some form, like where Joy realizes her frustration with being unable to express to Evelyn what she wants from their broken

relationship. Communication is a tool that people use to express ideas and thoughts which can ultimately lead to personal and wholesome connections. Language plays a massive role in representing oneself to another. Without the use of language, one would be unable to completely express themselves. This statement rings more true if you’re supposed to be bilingual due to your upbringing but aren’t. Language is supposed to be a tool to bring people together but if one lacks the ability to speak a language, the proper connections cannot be made. In my own life, to feel a better sense of belonging within my family and community, I make an effort to communicate to my parents strictly in Vietnamese so that I don’t alienate them any longer as opposed to my younger self’s reliance on communication through their broken English. That way, I can form a proper

Catriona: Women in pageantry are multi-hyphenates, not just pretty faces

By Bot glorioso Philstar.com

EXPECT Miss Universe

2018 Catriona Gray to give her full support and words of encouragement to women who wish to enter the pageantry scene although some of them worry that they are not beautiful enough.

“I think everyone can be their own type of beautiful. I may be a sentimentalist in saying that but honestly, I’ve always believed that the energy of someone speaks louder than the facial symmetry, or what they deem typically beautiful,” said Catriona about women aspiring to be beauty queens but are not so confident with their looks.

“It’s really how they treat other people, their energy that

they exude to those around them I think that’s the thing that makes them magnetic and even though they may be on a stage in a pageant, I feel like people can feel that. People can feel when your energy is in a right place and when you are being genuine and authentic. So that’s why we encourage them to not limit themselves by their physical appearance alone,” she added in an interview with The STAR Pageantry nowadays, the beauty queen furthered, is pushing boundaries on what women are made of. She, too, stressed that women (in pageantry) are not just pretty faces but multi-hyphenate women. “Some are in the workforce, some are studying or pursuing degrees. So, I think it’s PAGE B2

Is Isko Moreno closing doors on public service?

by Jessica ann evangelista Inquirer.net

AFTER his mayoral term ended and his presidential run concluded in 2022, Isko Moreno took a break from politics to focus on his showbiz career. Is he now ready to embark on public service again? The ex-Manila City mayor said his journey to public service is currently on hold, with a comma but not a period.

During the Sparkle world tour media conference on Thursday, June 27, the former Manila City mayor said it is not his priority to run for a seat in politics right now. “I don’t think it is on top of my mind right

Catriona Gray: Everyone can be their own type of beautiful. Photo from Instagram/@catriona_gray

Isko Moreno at the Sparkle world

conference on Thursday, June 27. Inquirer.net photo

Barbie Imperial cries foul over ‘lies’ about her

By Anne PAsAjol Inquirer.net

BARBIE Imperial asked the public to mass-report a Facebook page that she said spreads false claims about her, one of which is her supposed pregnancy with Richard Gutierrez’s child.

Through her official Facebook page, the actress showed a screenshot of the account that uses the name Showbizfinds and has over 119,000 followers.

The social media account recently showed a stitched photo of Imperial, Gutierrez and Boy Abunda, claiming that the actress supposedly admitted to the TV host that she and Gutierrez are expecting a child.

“This page is posting lies and things that I never said. Please report,” Imperial appealed on her post. “ Mga oragon, patabang please.”

Imperial and Gutierrez first sparked dating rumors in January after they were spotted huddling close together at a gastropub.

Netizens further speculated that the actors had been vacationing together, pointing out the similarities of their background in their Instagram photos. A clearer picture of the pair together in South Korea then made rounds on social media not long after.

In May, showbiz reporter and comedian Ogie Diaz then claimed, citing a reliable source, that Imperial and Gutierrez are “exclusively dating,” and that there was no overlapping between the actress and Gutierrez’s estranged wife Sarah Lahbati. Imperial and Gutierrez, however, have yet to confirm or deny this as of this writing. g

Melai Cantiveros reveals she refused Vicki Belo’s nose enhancement offer

By Anne PAsAjol Inquirer.net

MELAI Cantiveros disclosed that she refused to undergo a nose procedure even when it was already offered by celebrity doctor Vicki Belo, with the actress-TV host stressing that she is already content with her appearance.

Cantiveros spoke about this after she was asked if she ever thought of undergoing cosmetic surgeries, during the media event for her upcoming talk show Kuan-on-One” on Tuesday, June 25.

“Ako talaga, inofferan na ako ni Dra. Vicki Belo na ‘yung mukha ko raw maging Kristine Hermosa,” she said, drawing laughs from the members of the press.

Ilong daw—magkwan daw ako ng ilong, [kaso] sobrang takot ako sa injection,” she continued. Sobrang takot ako sa mga ganyan, na baka kung anong ilagay sa ilong ko. Ang pinakakinatatakot ko [ay] baka hindi ako makahinga.

Cantiveros then underscored that she jokes about her appearance only in public, adding that she truly deems herself pretty.

Syempre, ako sa sarili ko, nagagandahan ako pero baka naman kayo hindi. So ayoko naman pangunahan ‘yung mga utak ninyo,” she joked.

“Okay na ako sa mukha ko e. Nung nakita ko pa lang ‘yung sarili ko sa salamin nung bata pa ako, okay na ako,” she stated, noting that she is already satisfied with just having skin-care treatments. Cantiveros also recalled not proceeding with her

dental makeover after her dentist informed her that her case needs “further studies.”

Cantiveros rose to fame after she emerged as the big winner in the reality TV show “Pinoy Big Brother” in 2009. She is now a mom to her two daughters, Mela and Stela, with her husband Jason Francisco. g

Lara Quigaman shoots down separation rumors with husband Marco Alcaraz

By jessicA Ann evAngelistA Inquirer.net

FORMER beauty queen Lara

Quigaman took to social media to deny that she and her husband, actor Marco Alcaraz, have parted ways after reports that they had separated circulated on the internet.

On Instagram, the Miss International 2005 titleholder said that some of her friends saw a TikTok post that suggests she has taken a step away from something that does not give her worth, implying that it

B5

Is Isko Moreno closing doors on public...

now. I truly love serving people. Half of my life, 24 years, was dedicated to public service. In fact, still today, I continue to share some ideas with some officials of the country and some localities,” he said. Moreno affirmed that his love for serving the people will not perish, but his priorities just lie elsewhere right now. “Hindi mawawala ang pagmamahal ko sa mga taga Maynila at sa taong bayan. To cut the long story short, to make the answer shorter, may kuwit naman. Wala pang tuldok,” he remarked.

Pinagpapasalamat ko sa Diyos kung saan man ako nandoon ngayon. Pinagpapasalamat ko sa taong bayan for giving me the opportunity to be of service. And hindi ‘yon mawawala sa puso ko. Hindi ko lang siya masiyadong iniintindi ngayon dahil, I continue to fulfill my obligation as an artist of GMA 7,” added the actor-politician. The former “Tahanang Pinakamasaya” host also underscored that right now he’s also taking the time to be with his family, as it was something he could not do when he was still active in politics.

“For the meantime, nageenjoy muna ako magbayad sa pamilya ko ng oras. You know, after 24 years of doing public service, it cannot be denied that a big portion of it is pinagkait ko sa mga anak ko,” he said. Kaya ngayon siguro, for the meantime, maunawaan naman ako ng mga tao na pamilya muna ako. Habol-habol muna nang kaunti,” he continued. Meanwhile, Moreno is set to headline the U.S. and Canada leg of the GMA Sparkle world tour alongside Alden Richards, Julia Anne San Jose, Rayver Cruz, Ai-ai delas Alas and Boobay in August. g

Catriona: Women in pageantry are...

a sad thing to limit yourself by just the genetics that God gave you.”

Catriona has a piece of advice to beauty queen aspirants: never fear failure on the first try.

“I mean, considering my first try at international pageantry, I also lost so, I also have that perspective as well. As is R’Bonney (Gabriel, Miss Universe 2022) and many other girls who went through the pageant system. It’s not usually their dream (has been) realized on their first try.

“But I think it echoes a really wonderful sentiment that life is not linear and the path to success is not just A to B. It really goes up, down and all around. You fail maybe a lot or maybe a little but that’s the point of it. You’ll grow so much and you’ll learn so much from those experiences. So, we are encouraging women to pursue pageantry and it’s okay to fail, and if they wanna take another shot, just do it.”

The just-concluded Miss Manila 2024, which she co-hosted with R’Bonney and GMA Sparkle artist Gabbi Garcia, served as proof that women in pageantry see the contest as a good platform to be able to work with community and charity projects. During the finals night, the Top 5 candidates expressed their desire to work on their advocacy projects for the betterment of the country’s city capital and its people.

Catriona was impressed at how pageant organizers were able to showcase Manila’s historic places and the Filipino culture through the event.

“The thing that I really appreciate about the Miss Manila pageant is that they really use the basis of production, I mean in terms of opening numbers, swimsuit, evening gown competition, the backdrops on stage truly share something about Manila which I think is wonderful. It’s a visual aspect but also an invitation for people to know more about the city of Manila,” offered Catriona who served as host for the second time but first time sharing the stage with cohosts R’Bonney and Gabbi.

“It was sister bonding for us,” exclaimed the beauty queen. “It was just us bonding as hosts backstage during the gaps or commercial breaks. (We’re) just chatting with each other, getting to know each other because Gabbi, I’ve only run into her in a handful of events. And R’Bonney and me have only had that just one shoot together. It was kind of a bonding experience for us.”

Catriona recalled that she first met R’Bonney during a pictorial for Vogue Philippines “so this is our first event, and live event pa kaya sobrang saya. It’s wonderful to be with her, and also Gabbi being part of our trio this year.

“It was a lot of fun. It’s all being girl-girls, and cheering each other on from backstage and just making chika in between,” concluded Catriona. g

Planning, perseverance, and prayer...

PAGE B1

Leading U.S. Immigration Attorney Michael J. Gurfinkel prepared a long-term strategy for Julius and Amelita’s green cards that involved long-term planning and dedication. It required son Nikko to obtain his green card and U.S. citizenship through marriage to his girlfriend, Joyce. Upon Nikko’s naturalization, he was able to petition for his parents, culminating in his parents receiving their green cards. Julius and Amelita’s journey to legalization spanned 15 years and the use of the three P’s: Planning, patience, and prayer. They also had the strategic planning of the Law Offices of Michael Gurfinkel. But with unwavering patience, and steadfast prayer, Julius

PAGE

Melai Cantiveros Photo from Instagram/@mrandmrsfrancisco

Barbie Imperial Photo from Instagram/@msbarbieimperial

Lara Quigaman and Marco Alcaraz Photos from Instagram/@laraquigaman and Amelita’s

Live Life to the Fullest: Active Lifestyle Amenities at CostaVida Residential Resort

Do you dream of an active retirement filled with activities, social connections, premium amenities, and wellness opportunities? Then check out the CostaVida Residential Resort, the first active adult lifestyle community by the coast in the Philippines, located within Megaworld’s The Mactan Newtown township in Lapu-Lapu City, Cebu. CostaVida fosters a fulfilling lifestyle for foreigners and Filipino active adults who are 50 years old and above. This exceptional community in the Philippines is exclusively marketed by Megaworld International, the global marketing arm of Megaworld Corporation.

Unwind with Resort-style Amenities

Imagine starting your day with a refreshing dip in the sparkling swimming pool, complete with wheelchair access for added convenience in your home. Breathe in the fresh air and soak up the sunshine at the pool deck, perfect for socializing with fellow residents or enjoying a delicious barbecue prepared at the outdoor grill.

Active Lifestyle with Aqua Therapy

CostaVida prioritizes your well-being. Experience the unique benefits of water therapy in the dedicated aqua therapy pool. This gentle and lowimpact exercise improves your flexibility, range of motion, and joint health. The warm water therapy is also ideal for pain relief, improved circulation, and overall well-being.

Take advantage of the dedicated outdoor fitness area with an exercise lawn, ideal for gentle yoga sessions or light workouts. Feel more energy as you jog or walk along the jogging path, or take a moment of reflection at the meditation deck.

Socialise and Pursue Passions

Mingle with friends under the warm sun at the outdoor lounge, or nurture your green thumb in the urban garden. Challenge yourself with a friendly game at the putting green or host memorable gatherings in the fully equipped function rooms, then have an intimate dinner at the private dining area.

Pamper, Stay Fit and Reconnect

Maintain your fitness goals at the premium fitness gym, or pamper yourself with a rejuvenating spa session at the on-site spa, massage, treatment, and sauna room. For a touch of tranquility, visit the dedicated prayer room.

Stay Connected and Entertained

Bond with friends over a karaoke session in the game room, or catch up on work, or socialize in the modern co-working space with a designated meeting area. At CostaVida, your retirement is an opportunity to embrace a fulfilling and active lifestyle. With a diverse range of amenities catering to your physical, social, and mental well-being, CostaVida offers a truly exceptional home in the Philippines.

Inquire now at CostaVida Residential Resort, and discover how you can live life to the fullest in your golden years.

For more information, please visit: https://megaworldinternational.com/perfect-retirement-home/.

Eraserheads to bring iconic OPM sounds to Pechanga on July 19

TEMECULA – After

delivering an incredible concert last year, Filipino rock legends Eraserheads are returning to Pechanga Resort Casino on Friday, July 19, 2024, at 8 p.m. for a can’t-miss evening of their biggest hits and beloved OPM classics. This follows their sold-out performance at the resort last year, which left fans wanting more. As part of their highly anticipated Huling El Bimbo World Tour 2024, Eraserheads will perform their greatest hits, including “Ang Huling El Bimbo,” which won the International Viewer’s Choice Award for MTV Asia in 1997 and the “Awit (Song) Award” for most downloaded song. One of the most influential and successful bands in Philippine music history, Eraserheads spearheaded the iconic Manila rock invasion of the 1990s. Led by Ely Buendia on vocals/guitar, Raymund Marasigan on drums, Buddy Zabala on bass, and Marcus Adoro on guitar, their unique sound blended rock and pop, capturing the hearts of fans around the world with their energetic live performances. Formed in 1989 at the University of the Philippines, Eraserheads quickly gained a cult following with their smart songwriting and unconventional style. Their breakout 1993 album Ultraelectromagneticpop! containing hits like “Tindahan ni Aling Nating” propelled them to mainstream success. 1994’s Cutterpillow went multi-platinum, becoming a mainstay in Pinoy music, selling over 400,000 units in the Philippines and remains the fifth biggest-selling album in OPM history. Now reunited, Eraserheads are hitting the road again to perform their iconic catalog of songs that defined OPM for a generation. Don’t miss your chance to experience these musical legends live at Pechanga Resort Casino’s Summit Events Center. Tickets for the Eraserheads start at $98 and

Julie Anne San Jose, Bianca Umali on the joy of interacting

By Jessica ann evangelista Inquirer.net

AHEAD of their upcoming world tour, Sparkle artists, including Julie Anne San Jose and Bianca Umali, spoke about how they feel when performing and interacting with Filipinos based abroad.

“The best thing about it is doing what I love in front of an audience, because ever since, kasi bata pa lang ako gusto ko na kumanta Gusto ko nang magperform. I’ve always been passionate about it,” said San Jose at the grand media conference for their world tour on Thursday, June 27.

The “I’ll Be There” singer underscored that she gets her strength to perform from the reaction of the audience.

“Nag-iiba talaga ‘yung energy kapag nagpeperform ka na sa harap ng maraming tao, especially sa harap ng ating mga global Pinoy. Iba kasi ‘yung nabibigay nilang warmth. Kumbaga nadudraw ako doon sa energy nila. And ‘yung strength ko as performer nakukuha ko from them,” she explained.

On the other hand, Umali recalled the first time

with fans

she went abroad to perform and said she was looking forward to doing the same things again with the fans.

Napaka sarap po nilang kasama. It was a humbling experience. We were able to eat with them. To chat with them. How they welcome us, kung paano nila kami inalagaan,” she shared.

Meanwhile, Rayver Cruz and Ken Chan also shared their experiences performing abroad, describing it as “heartwarming” and the “best.”

“Performing before a Filipino audience overseas is the best. Iba ‘yung feeling na inaabangan na nila kung ano ‘yung gagawin mo kahit ‘di mo pa ginagawa. Parang kapag nagperform ka na, unang kembot mo pa lang, unang pitik pa lang, parang nag-eenjoy na sila. Masarap sa pakiramdam namin

‘yon as performers,” said Cruz. Chan added, “May mga lalapit sa’yong senior citizens na mga talagang dumayo pa just to see us. Sobrang nakakataba ng puso na nag-effort sila, may mga dala pa silang gift.”

The Sparkle Stars are set to fly around the U.S., Canada and Japan for a total of five shows from August to September. g

Cristine Reyes’ daughter Amarah wins in Hong Kong gymnastics tournament

Reyes documented Amarah practicing, interacting with her competitors and receiving her medals. After the competition, Gumabao then surprised Amarah with a stem of pink rose.

“We are bringing home three shiny medals! Your hard work paid off, and we couldn’t be prouder of you, Amarah,” the celebrity mom said. Just last May, Amarah celebrated a separate milestone as she finished another

year.

(From left) Jillian Ward, Bianca Umali, Julie Anne San Jose, Isko Moreno, Alden Richards, Ruru Madrid, Ken Chan, Rayver Cruz and Betong Sumaya at the Sparkle world tour grand media conference on Thursday, June 27, 2024 Inquirer.net photo by Jessica Ann Evangelista

school

Her moving up ceremony was attended by Reyes and the actress’ former husband Ali Khatibi, who recently welcomed his son with his non-showbiz girlfriend. (By Anne Pasajol/ Inquirer.net) g

CRISTINE Reyes went all out in supporting her daughter Amarah who recently competed in the Asian Gymnastic Club Tournament in Hong Kong. Reyes and Amarah flew

Marco Gumabao, Cristine Reyes and her daughter Amarah Photo from Instagram/@cristinereyes

Robin Padilla on possible movie reunion with Sharon Cuneta Ara Mina is in the best place in her life

By JessicA Ann evAngelistA Inquirer.net

ACTOR-SENATOR Robin

Padilla is set to lead the biopic of retired soldier and politician Gringo Honasan, and one of the questions that fans are asking is: who would be his leading lady?

Padilla said he is excited upon learning that megastar Sharon Cuneta is being offered the role opposite him.

“Na-excite ako (I’m excited),” the senator told the press in an ambush interview. “Sana tanggapin niya kasi ‘pag nakausap ko si Ma’am (Sharon), sasabihin ko naman na ang pelikulang ito ay true story at may aral na matutunan ang mga manonood. Ang magiging problema lang, ‘yung schedule niya, sana hindi siya busy.”

(I hope she accepts the offer because, once I get to talk to Ma’am (Sharon), I will say that this movie is a true story and there is a lesson for the audience to learn. The only problem is her schedule, I hope she’s not busy.)

During the film’s media conference on Wednesday, June 26, Padilla shared that he asked the production to text the veteran actress right then regarding the offer and awaited her reply.

The actor-politician also revealed that he hasn’t been in contact with Cuneta for a while, and he doesn’t know about the health concerns she’s facing at the moment, based on her social media posts.

“Hindi kami nagkaka-usap ni ma’am. Nag-aalala naman ako. Tatawagan ko,” he said. (We haven’t talked in a while. I suddenly got worried. I will call her.)

Padilla also expressed optimism about the possibility of doing intimate scenes with Cuneta, who used to be his girlfriend, and who at one point admitted that he had proposed

marriage to.

“Pwede ba natin unahin ‘yung mga eksena na ‘yon? (Can we prioritize those scenes?)” joked the senator. “Pero seriously, malaki ang maambag ni ma’am, ni Sharon, kumbaga sa mga dialogue-gan. Alam naman natin na magaling na dramatic actress si ma’am.”

(But seriously, ma’am, Sharon can contribute a lot to the dialogues. We know that ma’am is a good dramatic actress.)

Cuneta and Padilla have previously worked in “Maging Sino Ka Man,” (1991) “Di Na Natuto,” (1993) “Unexpectedly Yours,” (2017). g

Rhian Ramos, Glaiza de Castro reuniting for new movie

Film company Wide

International Film Productions announced in a series of social media posts that Rhian and Glaiza agreed to do a movie together.

The agreement occurred during the fanmeeting of FreenBecky — stars of the first Thai GL show

“Gap: The Series” — last year in Araneta Coliseum.

Both Rhian and Glaiza were teased by fans and said “yes” on doing a movie together, but Wide International just made it official the film will be produced by them.

The production company and filmmaker Dennis Evangelista also said the film will be directed by Sigrid Andrea Bernardo, best known for “Kita Kita,” “Walang KaParis,” and “Under Parallel Skies.”

The two actresses earned praise for their performances in 2015’s “The Rich Man’s Daughter,” billed as one of the first-ever GL shows in Southeast Asia, dubbing them the “RaStro” love team.

Also appearing in the show were Katrina Halili, Sheena Halili, Chynna Ortaleza, Pauleen Luna, Paolo Contis, Tony Mabesa, and Gloria Romero. (by Kristofer Purnell/Philstar.com) g

By MJ MArfori Philstar.com

BANGING in her 40s, all you can say is “vavavoom” when you get a hold and sight of Ara Mina nowadays. We caught up with the actress at the Feta Mediterranean Restaurant, Rockwell Makati as she arrived in a simple navy blue fit top and black pants that highlighted her 26-inch waistline.

Ara revealed she has hypothyroidism but she already went to the experts to keep the condition at bay that will not hinder her from her fitness goals.

Naisip ko kasi si J.Lo, ‘di ba? She looks great. Na-inspire ako. Wala talagang excuse. You have to put in the hard work,” the actress said.

As for her secret, Ara shared, “I do Bikram Yoga. I don’t eat junk foods. I don’t drink soft drinks. Iyong sweets ko, mga once a week lang.” Sometimes, Ara said, that she also works out together with her sister, Cristine Reyes, and Marco Gumabao. “Grabe mag-work out iyong dalawang iyon. Wala akong ligtas. Gumigising sila ng maaga at ginigising nila ako!” she further revealed.

Well, it is all good for Ara as she prepares for her 30th anniversary concert on July 11 at the Newport Performing Arts Theater. “Halos every day talaga ako nag-training, pati rehearsals,” she said.

So, why did Ara decide to hold a major concert after all these years of acting?

She answered, “First love ko talaga ang singing. Gusto ko rin i-share and i-remind sa mga tao na binabalikan ko iyong first love ko. I had an album before and naka-three albums din tayo. I signed again with Star Music just recently. Naglabas kami ng anniversary album and ni-

remaster lahat ng songs ko.”

Who could forget Ara’s hit Ay, Ay, Ay, Pag-Ibig, right? Well, it is just one of the songs she is gearing up to perform for the big night. “May surprise din ako sa fans, may ipapakita ako one talent na kinalimutan ko,” she added.

With three decades worth of accolades and filmography, Ara shared the Top 5 highlights of her career. “First, of course, pag-launch sa akin sa ‘That’s Entertainment,’ then nagulantang ang tao sa pag-relaunch naman sa akin sa ‘Maldita.’ From teenybopper, bigla akong naging sexy siren. Third, of course, are my albums and I had a gold record award.”

Nasundan pa ng album at isa pang album. Na-establish na naging singer din ako. Fourth is pagkakaroon ng Best Actress award for ‘Mano Po.’ Kumbaga from sexy, nakatunton na tayo ng isa pang-step to change the image na, ah, actress na ito,” she continued.

“Fifth is fulfillment ang pagiging host ko last year. It was a dream come true to have my own show. Iyong binigay nga ng

Net25.”

With all these blessings in her showbiz career, Ara is not one to shy away from issues. Ara had a lengthy explanation regarding her recent viral photo when she watched “One More Chance: The Musical” last week at the PETA Theater. She was seen looking at her cellphone during the show and was even judged to have a companion using a laptop. Ara quickly answered the accusations.

Sa 30 years ko sa industry, never naman kayo nakarinig na I don’t have manners. For me, hindi na kailangan palakihin. Sumilip lang ako (sa) phone and kasama ko, it’s normal, but not the entire show!” she said.

“I also saw the laptop (of) the girl in front of me. May laptop ako, pero nasa bahay! Hindi related sa amin ang girl na may laptop!”

She added that their assigned seats were also taken by other audience members, but she did not make a huge fuss about it.

“I’m also in production. I produce, artista rin ako, hindi na ako nag-reklamo or something, I just let it go,” she said. g

Teresa Loyzaga feels a ‘different high’ as new grandmother

By Boy ABundA Philstar.com

TERESA Loyzaga may have been living alone, but it does not mean she’s lonely. Whether in her home in Perth, Australia, or the Philippines, she knows there are people she can easily relate to.

The presence of her friends here and abroad makes her happy, and so do her children, Diego and Joseph, who would come and visit her at her house every so often.

Teresa, or Tong as I fondly call her, has been so used to living alone that you won’t see her wallow in sadness. “I think lungkot is just a state of mind. Busy yourself. Do something to improve yourself para walang lungkot,” she said.

Doing yoga makes her feel good yet she does not do it every day “because when I do it every day, the following day there’s pain here and there, so I give my body enough time to recuperate.” Yoga also gives our mind a break and Tong

agreed by saying that it’s a form of relaxation because it’s not all about stretching but it also taught her to keep quiet and be still “to hear everything.”

Her grandchild, Hailey Paige Loyzaga, whom she lovingly refers to as her “Pochola,” is her other source of happiness. Hailey is the oneyear-old daughter of Diego. She would like her Pochola to call her “Glamma.”

“I thought when I had my children, ‘yun na ang highlight. But I feel a different high as a grandmother. Akala mo graduate ka na as a mom when your children are in that stage (as adult), but may continuation pa pala ‘pag naging lola ka. Ibang stage na naman ng womanhood.” The actress described how she raised her two sons. “I was a mother, father, brother, and sister. I was everything to them. I had to work hard but I had to be at home, too. I had to put food on the table, I had to work and fly but I had to come back

On raising her sons, she shares, ‘I was a mother, father, brother, and sister. I was everything to them. I had to work hard but I had to be at home, too. I had to put food on the

Sharon Cuneta and Robin Padilla Photo from Instagram/@reallysharoncuneta

Asked why she has decided to hold one after all these years of acting, Ara answers, ‘Singing is really my first love. I had an album before. We were able to do three albums.

ACTRESSES Rhian Ramos and Glaiza de Castro are set to star in a new GL movie together, nearly

a decade after they starred in the GL series “The Rich Man’s Daughter.”

Glaiza de Castro and Rhian Ramos Photo from Instagram/@whianwamos

Dealing with assets omitted in a divorce case

YOU and your spouse may have gone through a lengthy and contentious divorce proceeding. This is usually the most difficult period of a person’s life. Finally, time heals all pain. You and your spouse get tired of bickering and being mean to one another that you both decide to compromise each other positions and resolve all issues in your divorce case through settlement. Shortly thereafter, the divorce judgment is finally entered by the Court and you get a sigh of relief. Later you discovery that “Oops!,” your ex-spouse had community asset and/or debt that was left out of the divorce judgment. This may be a pension, retirement account, a hidden bank account, or a piece of real estate property which was not divided in the judgment. What is one to do in this situation? The answer can be found in California Family Code §2556.

California Family Code §2556 provides “In a proceeding for dissolution of marriage, for nullity of marriage, or for legal separation of the parties, the court has continuing jurisdiction to award community estate assets or community

estate liabilities to the parties that have not been previously adjudicated by a judgment in the proceeding.” California Family Code §2556. Even if the parties did not expressly reserve jurisdiction on that piece of asset, the Court retains the power to divide a specific property if there is a community interest in it.

The Court’s “continuing jurisdiction” over omitted community estate assets or debts is invoked by filing a post judgment Motion, or Request for Order in the divorce case. Family Code §2556 provides “A party may file a postjudgment motion or request for order in the proceeding in order to obtain adjudication of any community estate asset or liability omitted or not adjudicated by the judgment.” The postjudgment partition of the unadjudicated community estate claims is properly entertained by the court even absent an express reservation of jurisdiction in its prior judgment. Marriage of Moore & Ferrie (1993) 14 CA4th 1472, 1483, 18 CR2d 543, 549, fn. 9. The postjudgment motion is available to any omitted asset or debt not adjudicated by the divorce judgment. However, Family Code §2556 does not extend to division and adjudication of any separate property. Marriage of Klug (2005) 130 CA4th 1389, 1396, 31 CR3d 327, 331–332. If an asset was partially omitted, the Court can still

divide and adjudicate the portion that has been omitted postjudgment under family code §2566. Community Property adjudicated under § 2556 shall be divided equally “unless the court finds upon good cause shown that the interests of justice require an unequal division of the asset or liability.” Family Code §2556

* * *

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

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

Lara Quigaman shoots down separation...

has something to do with her marriage.

“So a few friends were concerned and sent me a link to a TikTok post that’s been going around that has my picture, plays a sad song, and the caption that says, ‘Minsan Kailangan mo lumayo para makita mo ang tunay na halaga mo. Huwag ka matakot mag-isa kasi doon mo makikilala ang sarili mo.’ And so, some think that [Marco Alcaraz] and I separated. Hindi po,” she said.

Quigaman joked that the only time she asks to be left alone is whenever she goes to the restroom. Bakit ba kasi gusto nyo kami maghiwalay? [Never], at hindi ko po sinabi ang nasa caption, pero minsan lumalayo po talaga ako, nagla-lock ng door (sa CR) para mag-isa [laughing emoji], pero di para makilala sarili ko kundi para makatakas sa ingay ng bahay kahit 5mins lang [laugh],” she added. In 2022, the 41-year-old actress-beauty queen expressed

her disappointment over people who want other relationships to fail and who make celebrity breakups a joke.

“Recently, ang daming balita ng hiwalayan, away, etc. Nakakalungkot, pero mas nakakalungkot na maraming tao are making memes and jokes out of it. And what’s worse, others are waiting for other relationships to fail,” she said at the time.

Quigaman and Alcaraz tied the knot in a civil wedding ceremony in Vancouver, Canada, in 2011, and share three children. g

Katya Santos, Sheree say they

By Jessica ann evangelista Inquirer.net

FORMER Viva Hot Babes

members Katya Santos and Sheree admitted that it hurt them to be described as “bold stars” at the time they were doing onscreen sexy roles. During a guest appearance on Fast Talk with Boy Abunda, the two actresses were asked if there was a term that offended or hurt them in the past.

“‘Yung ‘bold star.’ I didn’t like that because, for me, I think, we’re actresses. It’s just that during that time ang Philippines parang hindi pa sila ready compared sa Hollywood. Sa Hollywood wala namang ganon, if you’re an actress and you need to be naked, then okay, ‘di ka tatawaging bold star,” said Santos. Santos underscored that what they do takes a whole lot of courage, and it shouldn’t be belittled.

Ayun lang ‘yung masakit minsan, ‘Oh, bold star ka lang,’ Parang ‘yung ‘lang,’ parang ‘why,’ ‘Di niyo ba alam na hindi ganon kadali maging naked on screen. It takes courage and will power na maghubad ka in front of someone,” explained the actress. Sheree echoed Santos’ statement by saying that at the time they had no choice as it was also a way to ensure more

projects for them.

“Actually, ‘yun talaga ‘yung pinaka ayaw naming na word na ginagamit pagka dine-describe kami. Kasi if you need to take off your clothes for a certain role or story, wala kaming choice eh,” she said.

Sheree also revealed that her 16-year-old son also asked her to stop doing Vivamax roles.

“Kasi ‘yung one time pumunta kami sa school niya, merong lumapit. ‘I watch your movie,’ ‘What movie’ blah blah. Tapos sabi ng anak ko, ‘What happened’ tapos ini-explain ko sa kaniya tapos sabi niya, ‘I wanna sit down and talk to you,’” shared the actress.

“He said, ‘I just have one request, you can still do ‘yung mga sexy but can you not do the Vivamax na, the bold,’ Sabi ko,

‘Yes. I just tried it lang naman. Even before you told me, I decided to move na to more serious projects,’” added Sheree. Meanwhile, when asked about their motivations for tackling such roles, Santos gave an honest answer. “Real talk, fame of course. Because if you’re famous dirediretso na ‘yung work mo. Parang naging stepping stone lang siya na magkaroon ka pa ng more projects,” she remarked.

Known for their hits “Bulaklak,” “Kikay,” and “Basketbol,” Viva Hot Babes was a girl group formed in 2003, known for their sexy roles and provocative dance moves. Aside from Santos and Sheree, the group also count Maui Taylor, Andrea Del Rosario, Gwen Garci, Jen Rosendahl, as members, among others. g

because my sons needed me for this and that.”

“I really tried hard to be everything but you know, it’s still not enough because I cannot be everything,” said she.

Tong readily admitted that she blamed herself for what Diego went through when he went into a drug rehabilitation center.

“I think what people do not know is that I put him in rehab. When I put him in rehab, there was a part of me that died but I wanted my son to live. So, I put him in rehab,” she revealed.

It was a difficult decision Tong had to make and it angered Diego. “He wasn’t himself then. We have to understand that once our loved ones become addicted to drugs, they disrespect us when we talk to them (but) they are not themselves.”

Thankfully, Diego was able to recover and finally understood why his mom had to do it.

Although Tong never failed to visit her son, she was not allowed to let Diego see her. It was part of his punishment for him to learn, to appreciate home and family.

During her visit, Tong would content herself watching Diego on a small monitor. “There was even one time that we were just separated by a tarpaulin. May butas lang ‘yung tarpaulin and I was made to promise (by the staff) to be quiet and not let Diego feel that I was there. Nakasilip lang ako sa butas para makita ko lang ang anak ko.” In my past interview with Diego, he said that his eight-month stay in the rehab had changed his life 180 degrees.

“Like I said hindi ako iyakin na tao. Pero ngayon, kung babalikan ko ‘yung isang araw ko doon sa loob ng rehab, naiiyak talaga ako. It was so difficult,” he disclosed.

Tong also acknowledged how prayers greatly helped her triumph the challenging situation.

“There’s so much to be thankful for every day. You learn something. Every day is a struggle but there’s also a reason to be thankful and to rejoice, to celebrate. Let’s be grateful for it’s a new life,” she said. g

Katya Santos (left) and Sheree

GMA photo

Carla Abellana on crossing paths with ex Tom Rodriguez

By KATHLEEN A. LLEMIT Philstar.com

ACTRESS Carla Abellana

said she is ready to face her ex, returning actor Tom Rodriguez, if their paths would cross in GMA.

The actress got candid in her interview with the press after the press conference of her

upcoming show “Widows’ War,” co-starring with Bea Alonzo. The actress said she is living a peaceful life off camera and she is happy with it.

“Okay naman masaya... Tahimik ‘yung buhay. Busy sa trabaho. Very blessed,” the actress said with a smile. “Widows’ War” is Carla’s latest project after 2023’s

“Stolen Life.” It is her first project with Bea Alonzo, whom she said she gets starstruck by. Entertainment reporter Rose Garcia then said she had to ask the question on her ex since Carla and Tom are both with GMA-7.

“Nasabi ko naman na kung sakaling mangyari ‘yun, ready naman ako. Hindi naman kailangan ng preparation or anything.

Kumbaga kung nangyari, andiyan na siya sa harap ko, eh ‘di let it happen,” she replied.

Carla might be ready to face with the possibility of crossing paths with her ex, but she is not yet open to getting chummy or working with him any time soon.

Hindi naman,” Carla answered when asked if she would greet Tom. She added, “I don’t see the need na bumati, na mag-small talk, na mag-conversation. Ready naman ako kung sakali. Hindi naman ako ‘yung iiwas or magtatago. Hindi rin naman ako ‘yung parang friends tayo ulit. Hindi naman gano’n.”

The actress added that she wants to respect their space as well as their separate lives.

“I don’t think I’m ready to work with him anytime soon. Kumbaga... rerespetuhin ko ‘yung space niya, ‘yung trabaho niya, ‘yung buhay niya. And you know, I have my own. Mahirap na nga to focus on my own life, my own career. So, ‘yun lang ‘yung focus [ko].” 

UST Alumni Gala in America set for July 2024 in SF

SAN FRANCISCO – Lumina

Pandit is Latin for “Spread the Light”. Inspired by Saint Thomas Aquinas and one of the benchmark events of the University during its quadricentennial celebration in 2011, Thomasians USA, the Pontifical and Royal University of Santo Tomas Alumni Association in the United States, is staging an alumni homecoming event on July 6, 2024.

Initially planned to be held at the Cathedral of Saint Mary of the Assumption, co-sponsored by the Archdiocese of San Francisco, the supposed April 2020 event was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Rising from the pandemic hiatus, Thomasians USA will be holding the gala dinner at the Basque Cultural Center in South San Francisco on July 6, 2024, Saturday night – the choice of venue being a salute to our rich heritage as a royal university under the patronage of the Spanish crown, since the university’s establishment in 1611.

Apart from the huge number of Thomasian alumni now living in the United States, University of Santo Tomas enjoys great ties with the U.S. not only due to the University hosting American dignitaries, from General Douglas MacArthur (UST Doctor of Laws, 1945, honoris causa) to Secretary Hillary Clinton, but also due to the University’s bittersweet past as internment camp for thousands of Americans during the Second World War, when the Japanese occupied the Commonwealth of the Philippines. One may also remember that during the American occupation of the Philippines, UST was the oldest university under the American flag, as UST predates Harvard by a quarter of a century.

Since 1987, Thomasians USA has been actively engaged in efforts of the Filipino community in the United States towards educational empowerment and civil rights, with most of its years under the tutelage and leadership of renowned Filipino American civil rights leader, alumna and former UST Sociology department chair, Prof. Alice Peña Bulos, until her passing in 2016. Under the helm of succeeding alumni presidents: academic Amelia Fernandez (2016-2017), architect and urban planner Joseph Palafox (2017-2019), and model and entrepreneur Jeffrey Manalang (2019-present), Thomasians USA

has continuously evolved and grown its network of community partners and alumni alike in the fields of business, academe, and public service, among others.

From a government-recognized non-profit based in the United States, Thomasians USA has recently been recognized as the official arm of the University of Santo Tomas Alumni Association in the United States. Efforts have been made to also establish official arms in Canada and other North America countries with significant alumni presence.

Apart from the continuing project to support deserving scholars and perform donation drives for disaster-stricken areas in the Philippines, Thomasians USA heavily lobbied and supported the California State Legislature’s resolution to rename a state highway in California, stretching long as Metro Manila’s Sucat Road. The scenic state highway set a stone’s throw away from the Pacific Ocean was unveiled in 2022 as the Alice Peña Bulos Memorial Freeway. Among others, UST alumni making waves in the United States include Golden Globe awardee Gini Cruz Santos, National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) 2018

actress

Lies Love. A night of food, music, and entertainment, the 2024 gala of Thomasians USA is open to the public and encourages participation of non-alumni friends and family members and civil society. The event also coincides with other significant events celebrated by the Thomasian community this year, most notably, the opening of the academic year for the University of Santo Tomas campus in General Santos City, Mindanao. As of now, the University of Santo Tomas system operates four campuses: UST Manila, UST Angelicum Quezon City, UST Legazpi, and UST General Santos. Two more campuses are in the pipeline with the integration of the Angelicum campus in Iloilo City and the establishment of UST in Santa Rosa, Laguna. (Thomasians USA) 

Carla Abellana Photo from Instagram/@carlaangeline

Honor Awardee Engr. Benjamin Saldua, Telly Award winning host and singer Enteng Evangelista, University of Las Vegas Nevada (UNLV) med-school dean Dr. John Fildes, Scottish Rite 33rd Degree Masonic leader Froilan Ancheta, and musical theatre

Lora Nicolas Olaes who co-produced the Tonynominated Broadway musical Here