A PROPOSAL to expand the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors has garnered support from Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) elected officials, who say that doing so could lead to the creation of a special district for the community.
Prominent AAPI congressmembers, Rep. Ted Lieu (CA-36) and Rep. Judy Chu (CA28), joined county supervisors during a press conference on Thursday, July 18 to support a governance and ethnics reform package for LA County.
The proposal, introduced by County Board Chair Lindsey Horvath and Supervisor Janice Hahn, seeks to create an elected county executive position, expand the Board of Supervisors from five to nine, and establish ethics reforms.
“This expansion is not just a structural
AS AI grows more prevalent, ethnic voters face an election landscape where the difference between real and artificial news is ever-harder to gauge.
At a Friday, July 12 Ethnic Media Services briefing, digital media transparency and political watchdog experts monitoring the rise of AI-generated disinformation discussed prospective challenges to ethnic voters in this year’s national and local elections, and suggested policy and initiatives to fight the issue.
AI disinformation As the November U.S. election nears, online disinformation “is a very real problem, turbocharged by AI, that is emerging in our democracy, literally by the day,” said Jonathan Mehta Stein, executive director of California Common Cause, a nonprofit watchdog agency.
“These threats are not theoretical,” he continued. “We’ve seen elections impacted by AI deepfakes and disinformation in Bangladesh, Slovakia, Argentina, Pakistan and India. Here, before the primary, there was a fake Joe Biden robocall in New Hampshire telling Democratic voters not to
percent in March to 19 percent in June, however, an increase in disapproval ratings was reported in Luzon, from 11 percent to 16
MANILA — Alarmed by a report identifying Manila as among the “riskiest cities for tourists,” the Department of Tourism (DOT) has assured the public that it is working closely with the Philippine National Police and Department of the Interior and Local Government to ensure a “safe and welcoming environment for all travelers” in the city and elsewhere in the country.
In a statement, the DOT highlighted the establishment in October 2023 of the Tourist Assistance Call Center with the hotline 151TOUR or 151-8687, which is accessible
round-the-clock to accept “all tourist-related concerns.”
It has also tapped the police to address immediate needs of travelers through the Tourist-Oriented Police for Community Order and Protection or TOPCOP.
The DOT has also come up with its own disaster risk reduction and management operations manual, as well as the TourISM WoRCS or Tourism Integrates, Support, and Minds Women’s Respect and Child Safety program that looks after the welfare of women and children in the tourism industry.
The agency is also working on the establishments of tourist first aid facilities
VICE President Sara Duterte said Thursday, July 18 she will neither campaign for the Marcos administration nor a possible ticket with her father, former President Rodrigo Duterte, in the 2025 elections.
Duterte, who ended her stint as education secretary, said she was invited by both Marcos and her father to campaign for their candidates, but she declined them both as she wants to think about her direction in the 2025 polls.
Duterte also said that her regional party, Hugpong ng
Pagbabago, is not going to participate in the "Alyansa para sa Bagong Pilipinas" coalition of the president's Partido Federal ng Pilipinas, Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats, Nationalist People's Coalition and the National Unity Party.
However, she said she would have a "heart-to-heart" talk with her father's allies in the Senate, Senators Bong Go and Ronald dela Rosa, who are likely to seek reelection.
The vice president said, however, that "anything can change" between now and the filing of certificates of candidacy (CoCs) in 2025, stressing that
MANILA -- “Absolutely ludicrous.”
This was how former Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) chairman Noli Eala described ESPN’s list of top 100 professional athletes since 2000, which saw Filipino boxing legend Manny Pacquiao ranked 71st.
The list made by ESPN ranked Pacquiao below basketball stars Kevin Garnett (23rd), Dwyane Wade (35th), Maya Moore (36th), Kevin Durant (39th), Dirk Nowitzki (41st), Giannis Antetokounmpo (42nd), Steve Nash (51st), Candace Parker (60th), James Harden (67th) and Jason Kidd (69th).
Pacquiao, the only eight-division world champion in the history of boxing, was only one of three boxers in the list, below No. 25 Floyd Mayweather and ahead of No. 78 Bernard Hopkins.
US senators urge Biden for...
presence there.
In recent years, Chinese militia vessels have steadily expanded their presence in the South China Sea based on Beijing's claim that it owns nearly all of the contested waters, including parts of the West Philippine Sea.
The U.S. has routinely backed the Philippines over its altercations with China and expressed its "ironclad" commitment to defend the country, sparking concerns over how the South China Sea could become the staging ground for a violent showdown between the two powerful nations.
Risch and Wicker asked Biden in their letter to "respond with visible and concrete demonstrations" of the U.S.’ support to the Philippines following a violent altercation between Chinese and Filipino vessels on June 19.
“Your administration has repeatedly stated that an attack on Philippine public vessels, aircraft, and armed forces – including its Coast Guard in the South China Sea – would invoke the U.S. mutual defense commitments
under Article IV of the 1951 U.S.Philippines Mutual Defense Treaty (MDT)," the senators wrote.
“Limiting our response to verbal assurances of the applicability of Article IV undermines the credibility and value of these commitments," the senators added.
The senators said that anything short of concrete support to the Philippines "risks our appearing unwilling to honor our bilateral commitments.”
In one of the worst escalation of tensions between China and the Philippines yet, the Chinese coast guard rammed and boarded Filipino navy boats on June 19 and caused injuries to at least eight Filipino crew members in an attempt to foil their resupply mission to BRP Sierra Madre on the Ayungin Shoal. Officials from the executive department had contradictory, at times flip-flopping, responses on dealing with the altercation.
While both Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin and Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro agreed that the incident was not an
"armed attack," which would be grounds for the Philippines to invoke the MDT, Teodoro contradicted Bersamin in saying that the Philippines would now start publicizing the schedule of resupply missions.
Bersamin initially described the incident as "probably a misunderstanding," pointing out that the Chinese crew members only used bladed weapons. However, Teodoro clarified days later that the incident was a "deliberate act by Chinese officialdom."
In December 2023, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. cited the need for a "paradigm shift" with the Philippines' policy of dealing with Chinese aggression, admitting that its diplomatic efforts with China were heading "in a poor direction."
Earlier in 2023, the Philippines announced four new military bases open to U.S. troops under the 2014 Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement, prompting China to rebuke the Philippines for "[endangering] regional peace and stability."
Pacquiao’s No. 71 ranking in ESPN list...
In a post on X, Eala said that he “cannot believe Manny Pacquiao is not in the top 50.”
“[This is] absolutely ludicrous,” the sports executive said. According to the list, the top professional athlete in the 2000s is swimmer Michael Phelps, who won 28 Olympic medals. He is followed by tennister Serena Williams.
Lionel Messi, LeBron James and Tom Brady complete the top five.
Roger Federer, Simone Biles, Tiger Woods, Usain Bolt and Kobe Bryant round up the top 10.
Of the top 100, 56 athletes came from the United States, followed by five in Spain, four in Dominican Republic and Canada, and three in France and Japan.
Several basketball players, American football players, baseball players, football players, racers and golfers were also ranked higher than the legendary Pacquiao.
According to ESPN, the methodology of the list is that
experts in individual sports were asked to rank the top athletes in their sport since January 1, 2000.
“Those votes pared down pools in each sport to lists of 10 to 25 athletes each, which constituted the overall candidate pool for the top athletes of the 21st century so far. Each voter was presented two randomly selected names and asked to pick which one has had the better career in the 21st century,” it said.
“Across repeated, randomized head-to-head matchups, more than 70,000 votes were cast at this stage, and using an Elo rating system, the list was pared down from 262 to 100. That list was then evaluated by a panel of experts for any inconsistencies or oversights, resulting in the top 100 ranking seen here,” it added.
David Schoenfield, senior writer at ESPN, said that with the number of transcendent athletes over the past 25 years, they did the rankings and expanded their choices beyond North America.
“In the end, we received more than 70,000 votes from ESPN
contributors to create our top 100. Let the arguments begin,” he said.
And arguments, indeed, began.
Other social media users on Facebook also slammed the list, with a commenter saying that the list is a “massively biased list towards American athletes.”
One commenter also said that the list is “such a popularity contest,” while another stressed that the list is “decent, but way too heavily skewed to basketball and baseball.”
Another called the ESPN article as “ridiculous,” as there was only one cricket player and no volleyball players.
Others argued that former NBA star guard Allen Iverson should have made the list, as well as competitive eating legend Joey Chestnut.
However, there were some who agreed with the list, saying it is “well done” because people can make so many arguments about the athletes, and one said that the top 25 was “pretty good.”
Marcos’ performance, trust ratings...
percent.
Vice President Duterte's approval ratings increased slightly to 69 percent, a 2 percentage point gain from 67 percent in the previous quarter.
Duterte's approval ratings jumped in NCR and Visayas, with 12 and 16 percentage point gains, respectively, rising to 64 percent from 52 percent and 80 percent from 64 percent, respectively, in these regions. She also increased her approval ratings among socioeconomic class E, with a 17-percentage point increase to 82 percent from 65 percent in the previous quarter.
Speaker Martin Romualdez's approval ratings increased by 4 percentage points to 35 percent, with the biggest jump registered in the Visayas region, a 26-percentage point increase from 33 percent to 59 percent. He also posted a 2-percentage point increase in trust ratings among Class E, from 20 percent to 41 percent.
Marcos' trust ratings declined in June 2024, with only 52 percent saying that they trust the president, a decline of 5
percentage points from the 57 percent reported in March. The decline in Marcos' trust ratings was more pronounced in Luzon, with a nine-point drop from 67 percent to 58 percent, as well as in socioeconomic class ABC, with a 13-percentage point drop in trust ratings from 63 percent to 50 percent.
Duterte's approval rating remained stable at 71 percent, with no change from the previous quarter's survey, while Romualdez's trust rating increased 4 percentage points from 31 percent in March to 35 percent in June, boosted by a 30
percent increase in trust ratings in the Visayas region, from 27 percent to 57 percent, and socioeconomic class E, from 22 percent to 40 percent.
Newly installed Senate President Francis Escudero's initial trust rating was registered at 69 percent, with the highest trust rating reported in the NCR, with 75 percent of respondents saying they trust the new leader. Romualdez said that the results of the survey are a "clear affirmation" of the diligent work and dedication demonstrated by his colleagues at the House of Representatives.
How is AI threatening ethnic...
vote.”
Last week, the U.S. Justice Department also disrupted a Russian disinformation campaign involving nearly 1,000 AI-generated social media bot profiles promoting Russian government aims on X while posing as Americans throughout the country.
Additionally entire AIgenerated local news websites are emerging for the purposes of Russian-led disinformation, among them D.C. Weekly, the New York News Daily, the Chicago Chronicle and the Miami Chronicle.
“India is a good example of what could happen in the US if we don’t educate ourselves,” Stein said. “As Indian voters are bombarded with millions of deep fakes and candidates have begun to embrace them. It’s created this arms race where some candidates are using deep-fake images of themselves and their opponents, and the candidates who don’t want to use them feel they have to in order to keep up.”
As the problem worsens, many social media platforms are ignoring it.
Meta has made some of its fact-checking features optional, while Twitter has stopped the software it used to identify organized disinformation campaigns. YouTube, Meta and X have stopped labeling or removing posts that promote false claims of a stolen 2020 presidential election. All of these platforms have laid off large swathes of their misinformation and civic integrity teams.
“Real news is the answer to fake news,” said Stein. “We’re in an era of double-checking political news. If you see an image or video that helps one political party or candidate too much, get off social media and see if it’s being reported … Before you share a video of Joe Biden falling down the stairs of Air Force One, for example, see if it’s being reported or debunked by the AP, the New York Times, the Washington Post, or your trusted local media.
Challenges to communities of color
“In the last 12 months, we documented over 600 pieces of disinformation across all major Chinese-language social media. And the top two themes are supporting or deifying
Trump, and attacking Biden and democratic policies,” said Jinxia Niu, program manager for Chinese digital engagement at nonprofit Chinese for Affirmative Action. “This year, AI disinformation presents this problem at a much faster speed.”
“The biggest challenge for our community to address it is that our in-language media often lacks the money and staff to fact-check information,” she explained. “In our immigrant and limited-English-speaking communities particularly, AI literacy is often close to zero.
We’ve already seen scams on Chinese social media with fake AI influencers getting followers to buy fake products. Imagine how dangerous this would be with fake influencers misleading followers about how to vote.”
While most political disinformation in the Chinese diaspora community is directly translated from English social media, Niu said some original content being shared by right wing Chinese influencers include AI-generated photos of former President Trump engaging with Black supporters, and AIgenerated photos attacking President Biden by portraying his supporters as “crazy.”
“A huge challenge on the ground for the Asian American community is that this disinformation tends to circulate not only on social media, but is directly shared by influencers, friends ad family through encrypted messaging apps,” she continued — most popularly WeChat for Chinese Americans, WhatsApp for Indian Americans and Signal for Korean and Japanese Americans.
“These private chats become like unregulated, uncensored public broadcasting that you can’t monitor or document due to well-intentioned data and privacy protections,” Niu explained. “It creates a perfect dilemma where it’s difficult, if not impossible, to intervene with fake and dangerous information.”
Solutions
“Nevertheless,” Niu continued, “We’re trying to do something about it through Piyaoba.org,” the first-ever factchecking website for Chinese American communities. For example, this in-language resource “offers a smart chat box to send our latest fact-checks to
followers in a Telegram chat group … But these solutions are not enough for the much bigger problem we face.”
“I think one of the biggest misperceptions about misinformation, is that the vast majority of it, violates social media platforms’ rules. Rather, it falls into a gray area of ‘misleading, but not technically untrue,’” said Brandon Silverman, former CEO and cofounder of content monitoring platform CrowdTangle, now owned by Meta.
“It’s the difference between saying that the moon is made of cheese and saying that some people are saying that the moon is made of cheese,” he added. “In that the gray area, it’s very hard for platforms to enforce anything as quickly that they can with the directly false information.” Furthermore, the existence of AI-generated or foreigncontrolled accounts “does not mean that they had a measurable or meaningful impact on a topic or election,” he explained. “One of the very goals of disinformation campaigns is ‘flooding the zone’ with so much untrustworthy content that people don’t know what to trust at all … There’s a balance we have to walk of being responsive, but also not playing into their hands by making them seem so powerful that nobody who knows to trust.”
On the policy level, Silverman said he supported taxes for some percent of the revenue generated by digital advertising on large platforms, to fund ethnic and community journalism at the local level. He added that large organizations currently fighting AI disinformation include the Knight Foundation with its Election Hub of free and subsidized services for U.S. newsrooms covering federal, state and local 2024 elections; and the Brennan Center with the launch of Meedan, a nonprofit for anti-disinformation newssharing software and initiatives.
“Rather than responding to individual content, we should think about the narratives that are being consistently pushed — not only by bots but real influencers — and how can we can push back against ones we know are false,” Silverman said. (Selen Ozturk/Ethnic Media Services)
READY. Security troops that will be deployed to the State of the Nation Address gather for the send-off ceremony at the Quezon City Police
grandstand in Camp Karingal on Friday, July 19. Some 23,000 police officers will be deployed, mostly along Commonwealth Avenue
and around Batasang Pambansa Complex where President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. will deliver his third SONA. PNA photo by Robert Oswald P. Alfiler
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President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. Malacañang photo
A California medical group treats only homeless patients — and makes money doing it
by ANGELA HART KFF Health News
LOS ANGELES — They distribute GPS devices so they can track their homeless patients. They stock their street kits with glass pipes used to smoke meth, crack, or fentanyl. They keep company credit cards on hand in case a patient needs emergency food or water, or an Uber ride to the doctor.
These doctors, nurses, and social workers are fanning out on the streets of Los Angeles to provide health care and social services to homeless people — foot soldiers of a new business model taking root in communities around California.
Their strategy: Build trust with homeless people to deliver medicine wherever they are — and make money doing it.
“The biggest population of homeless people in this country is here in Southern California,” said Sachin Jain, a former Obama administration health official who is CEO of SCAN Group, which runs a Medicare Advantage insurance plan covering about 300,000 people in California, Arizona, Nevada, Texas, and New Mexico.
“The fastest-growing segment of people experiencing homelessness is actually older adults,” he said. “I said, ‘We’ve got to do something about this.’”
Jain’s organization three years ago created Healthcare in Action, a medical group that sends practitioners onto California’s streets solely to care for homeless people. It has grown rapidly, building operations in 17 communities, including Long Beach, West Hollywood, and San Bernardino County.
Since its launch, Healthcare in Action has cared for about 6,700 homeless patients and managed roughly 77,000 diagnoses, from schizophrenia to diabetes. It has placed about 300 people into permanent or temporary housing.
Street medicine in most of the country is practiced as a charitable endeavor, aimed at serving a challenging patient population failed by traditional medicine, its proponents say. Living transient, chaotic lives, homeless people suffer disproportionately from mental illness, addiction, and chronic disease and often don’t have health insurance — or don’t
use it if they do.
That makes designing a business around caring for them a risk, insurance executives and health economists say.
“It’s really innovative and entrepreneurial to take all this energy and grit to try and improve things for a population that is too often ignored,” said Mark Duggan, a professor of economics at Stanford University who specializes in homelessness and Medicaid policy. “Financial incentives matter massively in health care. It’s everything.”
An estimated 181,000 people were homeless in California in 2023 — about 30% of the nation’s total. The number living outside, more than two-thirds of California’s total, increased 6.9% over the previous year.
The state’s leaders, including Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom, have struggled to make inroads against the mounting public health and political crisis — despite marshaling unprecedented taxpayer resources.
“We have a huge problem on our hands, and we have a lot of health plans and municipalities saying, ‘We need you,’” Jain said.
On the streets
On a cloudy April morning in Long Beach, Daniel Speller navigated his mobile medical van among the tents and tarps that crowded residential streets, searching for a couple of homeless patients. A physician assistant for Healthcare in Action, Speller said he was particularly worried about the badly infected wounds they developed on their limbs after they used the street drug xylazine, an animal tranquilizer often mixed with fentanyl.
“These wounds are everywhere. It’s really bad,” Speller said. If infections progress, they can require toe, foot, or arm amputations.
“Man, this one is still so deep,” Speller said as he peeled denim pants from the swollen leg of Robert Smith, 66.
After cleaning and wrapping Smith’s leg, Speller asked him if he needed anything else. “I lost my food stamps,” Smith replied.
Within the hour, Speller’s team of social workers and nurses had summoned an Uber to take Smith to a state office, where he received a new CalFresh card.
Speller then turned his medical van onto a side street lined with
more tents and cars-turnedshelters. Nick Destry Anderson, 46, was sleeping on the sidewalk and badly in need of wound care.
“I was so scared. I thought I was going to lose my leg before I met them,” Anderson said, grimacing as Speller sprayed his leg with antibiotic mist. “These people saved my life.”
Anderson reported feeling lightheaded, so Speller asked another team member to use the company credit card to get him a cheeseburger and a Sprite.
Many homeless people languish on the streets, so entrenched in mental health crises or addiction that they don’t much care about seeing a doctor or taking their medication. Chronic diseases worsen. Wounds grow infected.
People overdose or die from treatable conditions.
Part of street medicine is bandaging infected sores, administering antipsychotic injections, and treating chronic diseases. Street providers often hand out drug paraphernalia such as clean needles and glass pipes to reduce sharing and prevent infections. Perhaps more importantly, these workers build trust.
Getting homeless patients established with primary care doctors and nurses — who visit them on the streets, in parks, or wherever they happen to be — can prevent frequent and expensive emergency room trips and hospitalizations, potentially saving money for insurers and taxpayers, Jain argues. Even though shelter and housing are scarce, Healthcare in Action’s goal is to get patients healthy enough to live stable, independent lives, he said.
But that’s easier said than done.
In West Hollywood that week in April, Healthcare in Action clinical coordinator Isabelle Peng found Lisa Vernon, a homeless woman, slumped over in her wheelchair at a busy bus stop. Vernon is a regular at nearby Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Peng and her colleague David Wong said.
When Peng and Wong attempted to examine her swollen leg, Vernon shouted at them and declined aid. “Antibiotics aren’t going to save my life!” Vernon yelled as a mouse scurried for the potato chip shrapnel at her feet.
They moved on to their PAGE A7
Meet the youngest Filipina Olympic athlete: Levi Jung-Ruvivar
THE 2024 Paris Olympics is just around the corner, and the Philippine delegation is hopeful of surpassing their impressive performance from the 2020 edition.
Among the athletes representing the country is Filipina American gymnast Levi Jung-Ruvivar, one of the four gymnasts alongside Carlos Yulo, Aleah Finnegan and Emma Malabuyo who are hoping to snatch a podium finish or gold for the country.
Here are some facts about this hopeful and determined young gymnastics prodigy.
She’s the youngest Filipina athlete
At 18, the Fil-Am gymnastics champion is the youngest Filipina athlete competing in the Paris 2024 Olympics. Her journey to the games was secured when she clinched a bronze medal in the individual all-around category on May 24 at the Women’s Artistic Gymnastics Asian Championships in Tashkent, Uzbekistan.
She was born in Hawai’i
Born in Hawai’i, Jung-Ruvivar’s Filipino roots are through her father, Anthony, a former member of the US juniors gymnastics team. Her multicultural heritage and strong family ties have significantly shaped her athletic
career and influenced her decision to represent the Philippines on the global stage.
“Growing up, Filipino culture has been a very important part of my life and I am beyond grateful to connect to my Filipino culture through my love of gymnastics,” she wrote in an Instagram post.
Jung-Ruvivar spent her early years in the Philippines before moving to the United States as a young adult. She switched teams
After representing the U.S. for several years, she’s now gearing up to proudly compete for the Philippines. The 18-year-old gymnastics sensation shared her decision on Instagram last year, expressing her excitement about this new chapter in her athletic journey.
“Being able to compete for the Philippines fills me with so much pride, appreciation and joy,” she further expressed. Her decision to switch allegiances adds depth to the growing Philippine gymnastics scene and brings her into a group of talented Filipino American gymnasts, including Finnegan and Malabuyo.
She’s unstoppable At 18, Jung-Ruvivar is now headed to Paris for the Games, but her journey in gymnastics began with numerous accolades at a young
but also
TURNOVER. Outgoing Education Secretary, Vice President Sara Duterte (left), and her successor, outgoing Senator Juan Edgardo Angara, plant trees at the Department of Education garden in Pasig City on Thursday,July 18. Duterte turned over the department’s seal, flag and transition report. PNA photo by Avito Dalan
age. At just 10 years old, she claimed first place in the all-around and uneven bars, and second in the vault at the Combs-La-Ville in France, following multiple victories in the American gymnastics circuit. Her achievements also include a silver medal on the uneven bars in her first elite competition at the WOGA Classic, a third-place finish in the Desert Lights National Qualifier and another silver on
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Nutrition insecurity hits Asian Americans the hardest, LA study says
Research shows Asians in LA County are more than twice as likely to be nutrition insecure than white residents
by MARY VILLEGAS Inquirer.net
NUTRITION
insecurity is becoming prevalent among Asian Americans in Los Angeles County, according to a new study.
This issue, expanding beyond not having enough food to eat, covers substantial disparities in food access that affect Asian Americans’ mental and physical health.
Over 1,000 adults in LA County were surveyed by researchers at USC from Dec. 5, 2022, to Jan. 4. 2023, to identify the rates of food and nutrition insecurity in the county.
This recent study – published by the USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences –shows that Asians in LA County are more than twice as likely to struggle with nutrition insecurity compared to the county’s white residents.
About 1.4 million adults in the area face nutrition insecurity, with young adults, Asians and Hispanics at greater risk, according to the study.
The lack of access to nutritious food has been linked to several health problems, such as diabetes and depression, the study shows.
What is nutrition insecurity
People who face food insecurity are those who don’t have the money to buy enough food. On the other hand, people who struggle with nutrition insecurity are those who can buy groceries but find it hard to
access healthy food options that meet their religious, cultural or dietary needs.
As a result, those facing nutrition insecurity turn to processed junk food with empty calories and high fat content, leading to poor health.
“We’re really understanding now that poor nutrition has so much to do with the food environment that you’re in, as opposed to folks making bad health choices,” Kayla de la Haye, who leads USC’s Institute for Food System Equity, told LAist. Although the study didn’t delve deeply into why Asians have the hardest time finding healthy food, de la Haye explained that even in a region as diverse as LA County, some Asians live in areas where their food preferences are hard to access.
“They might have to travel further,” she added. “Or the types of foods they’re looking for might not be as available to them.”
This study didn’t come as a surprise to local food equity leaders. Alba Velasquez, executive director of the Los Angeles Food Policy Council, emphasized the lack of Asian produce in grocery stores around the county.
“Japanese radish, bitter melon, bok choy, taro, eggplant,” she stated. “When we think of access to healthy food, unfortunately it’s not touching on these culturally relevant foods.”
Other key takeaways
Statistics: In 2022, 24 percent
of Angelenos were food insecure while 25 percent were nutrition insecure. Overall, around 1.4 million people faced both issues.
Demographics: Hispanics are more likely to face food insecurity. Young adults below 40 years old are five times more likely to undergo both as compared to those over 65 years old.
Nutrition insecurity and food insecurity are challenges that communities face worldwide.
For example, Filipinos in Canada have faced the same struggles, as revealed by the 2021 Canadian Income Survey. The percentage of food-insecure families surged from 16 percent in 2021 to 18 percent in 2022.
Solutions on the horizon
To properly address the issue of nutrition insecurity, inclusive food assistance programs are vital. Velasquez highlights the significance of access to Asian fruits and vegetables in these projects — a mission for groups like the API Forward Movement.
Another approach is to boost farmer’s markets with language assistance. Hunger Action Los Angeles has implemented such an initiative with their weekly market in West Adams.
From community initiatives to policy updates, ensuring everyone has access to healthy and culturally appropriate food is critically important.
As Velasquez puts it, “We need to make sure our food systems are as diverse as our communities.”
Proposal to expand LA County Board of...
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adjustment, it’s a crucial step toward ensuring that our government truly represents the rich diversity of our region,” Chu said at the press conference. “LA County is home to more Asian Americans than any other county in the United States, with close to 1.5 million AAPIs living here.”
Chu added that despite LA County being "home to 14 Asian majority suburbs,” “there is not a single person who is AAPI who sits on the Board of Supervisors."
Hanh, in a statement, said that the AAPI community would benefit from smaller district as “no one district has an AAPI majority.”
"But if the proposal Supervisor Horvath and I have put forward passes – that could change,” said Hahn, who represents the county’s fourth district, which covers cities like Cerritos, Artesia and Long Beach. “We want to expand the board from five districts to nine – not because we want bigger government, but because we want better, more representative government. We want to make
sure more voices are in our Board room when we are deciding how to tackle the biggest challenges we face as a County. The AAPI community deserves a seat at that table.”
This proposed change would create distinct executive and legislative branches of the government through a directly elected County Executive. The elected County Executive would function much like a Mayor, Governor, or President with the Board of Supervisors serving as the legislative branch like a City Council, State Legislature, or Congress.
Beyond the three key pillars of the proposal, additional reforms include establishing a commission to review the County Charter every ten years; creating a Director of Budget and Management and a County Legislative Analyst; requiring departments to present their annual budget in open hearings; creating a task force to oversee reform implementation; and that all changes come at no additional costs to or taxes imposed on
Sara Duterte: no campaign...
nothing is final until the last day of filing of CoCs.
As she was leaving the Department of Education (DepEd), Duterte said she was not keen on joining the Marcos Cabinet in another role.
Taking over from Duterte is former Senator Juan Edgardo Angara, who vowed to "hit the ground running" at the department.
Speaking to reporters after the turnover ceremony held at the DepEd headquarters in Pasig City, Duterte said she did not have any regrets about serving the DepEd for two years.
"In fact, it is with a heavy heart that I will leave the Department of Education, I loved this job, I loved my colleagues in DepEd," Duterte said in Filipino.
What she regretted, however, is not being able to meet the deliverables of the Marcos administration, something that she hoped Angara would continue as secretary, including the review of the Senior High Curriculum which was supposed to end this year.
"I am sure Secretary Angara will continue it as [he sees] the importance of the review of the Senior High curriculum and the implementation of the Basic Education curriculum to make sure a Grade 12 student who graduates will be able to get a job," Duterte said.
She is also hopeful that Angara would implement the Digital Classroom project, which would institutionalize blended learning.
Duterte said her resignation was over a combination of "personal", "professional," and "political" reasons, but she declined to say what these were.
"It's a personal reason from President Marcos which stems from what we have discussed before I accepted DepEd, there are professional reasons, and there are reasons that involve the
in select tourist destinations such as La Union, Palawan, Boracay, Puerto Galera, Bohol and Siargao.
Earlier, the Forbes Advisor released a report ranking Manila as the fifth “riskiest city for tourists,” with the “highest natural disaster risk, the fifth highest personal security risk, and the seventh highest health security risk.”
Caracas in Venezuela was the first in the list followed by Karachi in Pakistan, Yangon in Myanmar, and Lagos in Nigeria.
In February last year, 34-yearold Nicholas Peter Stacey, a tourist from New Zealand, was shot dead after he was robbed
taxpayers to implement.
“The Ethics Commission will hold our elected Supervisors and County staff responsible for their own actions and remind them there are standards we must observe and abide by,” said Filipina American Artesia Councilmember Melissa Ramoso.
“This creates trust, accountability, and public confidence that many resident voters are entitled to. I commend Supervisors Horvath, Hahn and Solis for their leadership and dedication to advancing these necessary changes and moving our County into the 21st century.” At its July 9 meeting, the Board of Supervisors approved Supervisor Horvath and Hahn’s governance and ethics reform proposal. County Counsel is now drafting an ordinance to amend the Los Angeles County Charter, which was adopted in 1912 when the population was 500,000. The ordinance will return to the Board on July 23 for first reading. If approved after a second reading, the proposal will go before voters as a charter amendment ballot measure this November. (AJPress)
nation," Duterte said. She also categorically denied that her rift with first lady Liza Araneta-Marcos had something to do with her resignation.
During his speech at the ceremony, Angara said that it is a "huge honor" for him to be selected by President Marcos to serve as education chief and vowed to do whatever it takes to achieve the reforms and changes needed in the education system in line with "Bagong Pilipinas" (New Philippines)
He also lauded Duterte for her work that became a "stronger foundation" of all the programs and projects that they will implement.
"We will build from what you have already started," Angara said.
Angara's departure from the Senate brings the number of senators to 23.
Angara's resignation took effect on Thursday as he was set to take his oath as DepEd chief on Friday, July 19. In his letter submitted to
by motorcycle-riding suspects in Makati City. Later on, suspect John Mar Manalo surrendered to police after he was identified by Stacey’s Filipina girlfriend. The DOT condemned the killing of Stacey, saying the crime was “not reflective of the millions of peace-loving Filipinos across the country.”
Meanwhile, Manila Mayor Honey Lacuna-Pangan declared the Manila Police District has the “second lowest crime rate” among police districts in Metro Manila. While she did not refer to the Forbes Advisor findings, she cited the incident last July 11, when two men were killed and five
Senate President Francis Escudero dated July 16, Angara tendered his resignation as senator effective July 18.
"This is in light of my forthcoming appointment as secretary of the Department of Education. I have served our countrymen through the Senate of the Philippines for 11 years," he wrote.
Angara added, "The portfolio that I will be taking on as DepEd Secretary is riddled with very serious challenges."
"But I am confident that with your support and of the rest of my colleagues at the Senate, these challenges are surmountable," he said.
Angara was supposed to "graduate" in 2025 as he is on his last term as member of the Senate since his reelection in 2016. A senator is allowed two six-year consecutive terms.
Angara last July 4 said he would stick with the executive department until the end of the Marcos administration in 2028 since he no longer plans to run for Congress.
policemen were wounded in an armed encounter.
In a statement, Lacuna-Pangan praised the “sheer bravery and complete devotion to duty of the Manila Police District (MPD) officers who sustained gunshot injuries while serving an arrest warrant last July 11 in Balut, Tondo.”
Meanwhile, PNP spokesperson Col. Jean Fajardo is questioning the Forbes Advisor report, saying the PNP wants to know the methodolgy used for its survey. She added the MPD under the leadership of Brig. Gen. Arnold Thomas Ibay has assured residentas and tourists they are safe from criminals.
AAPI elected officials and community members join Los Angeles County Board Chair Lindsey Horvath and Supervisor Janice Hahn during a press conference on Thursday, July 18 in support of a proposal to expand the Board of Supervisors from five to nine seats. Photo courtesy of the Office of LA County Supervisor Lindsey Horvath
Education Secretary Sonny Angara lauded Vice President Sara Duterte for her work that became a "stronger foundation" of all the programs and projects that they will implement.
Photo from Facebook/Inday Sara Duterte
People who struggle with nutrition insecurity are those who can buy groceries but find it hard to access healthy food options that meet their religious, cultural or dietary needs. Pexels.com photo by Yaroslav Shuraev
DATELINE PHILIPPINES
Global IT outage grounds ights, hits banks, media
by RUDY SANTOS ELIJAH FELICE ROSALES Philstar.com
A MAJOR outage wreaked havoc on global computer systems on Friday, July 19, grounding flights in the United States, derailing television broadcasts in the UK and impacting telecommunications in Australia.
Major U.S. air carriers including Delta, United and American Airlines grounded all flights on Friday, over a communication issue, according to the Federal Aviation Administration.
Flights were suspended at Berlin Brandenburg airport in Germany due to a “technical problem,” a spokeswoman told AFP.
“There are delays to check in, and flight operations had to be canceled until 10 a.m.,” the spokeswoman said, adding that she could not say when they would resume.
All airports in Spain were experiencing “disruptions” from an IT outage that hit several companies worldwide on Friday, the airport operator Aena said.
Hong Kong’s airport also said some airlines had been affected, with its authority issuing a statement in which it linked the disruption to a Microsoft outage.
In the Philippines, some local airlines are facing technical issues due to the system outage.
Cebu Pacific (CEB) and AirAsia Philippines advised passengers that they are currently experiencing technical issues, reportedly related to technology
provider CrowdStrike.
“The technical issue requires us to handle affected processes manually, potentially causing delays. We are working closely with our teams to mitigate disruptions to our operations and will provide regular updates as the situation progresses.
We appreciate your patience and understanding,” the CEB management stated.
AirAsia Philippines came out with a separate statement, saying a global outage affecting Microsoft services has been confirmed by its partner, Navitaire.
It stated that the outage is causing unexpected rebooting of machines, leading to some operational disruptions related to check-in processes and navigating its AirAsia MOVE app.
The UK’s biggest rail operator meanwhile warned of possible train cancellations due to IT issues, while photos posted online showed large queues forming at Sydney Airport in Australia.
“Flights are currently arriving and departing, however there may be some delays throughout the evening,” a Sydney Airport spokesman said.
“We have activated our contingency plans with our airline partners and deployed additional staff to our terminals to assist passengers.”
Australia’s National Cyber Security Coordinator said the “large-scale technical outage” was caused by an issue with a “third-party software platform,” adding there was no information
Cebu
as yet to suggest hacker involvement.
Sky News in the UK said the glitch had ended its morning news broadcasts, while Australian broadcaster ABC similarly reported a major “outage.”
Some self-checkout terminals at one of Australia’s largest supermarket chains were rendered useless, displaying blue error messages.
New Zealand media said banks and computer systems inside the country’s parliament were reporting issues.
Australian telecommunications firm Telstra suggested the outages were caused by “global issues” plaguing software provided by Microsoft and cybersecurity company CrowdStrike.
Problem solved
Crowdstrike has deployed a fix for the issue, the company’s CEO said on Friday.
Microsoft said separately it had fixed the underlying cause for the outage of its 365 apps and services including Teams and OneDrive, but residual impact was affecting some services.
“This is not a security incident or cyberattack. The issue has been identified, isolated and a fix has been deployed,” Crowdstrike CEO George Kurtz said in a post on social media platform X.
The issue stemmed from a defect found in a single content update for Microsoft Windows hosts, Kurtz said.
Mac and Linux hosts were not impacted by the issue, he added.
Crowdstrike’s “Falcon Sensor” software was causing Microsoft Windows to crash and display a blue screen, known informally as the “Blue Screen of Death,” according to an alert sent by Crowdstrike earlier to its clients and reviewed by Reuters.
The travel industry was among the hardest hit with airports around the world reporting delays and issues with their system network, while banks and financial institutions from Australia and India to South Africa warned clients about disruptions to their services.
University of Melbourne expert Toby Murray previously said there were indications the problem was linked to a Crowdstrike Falcon.
“CrowdStrike is a global cyber security and threat intelligence
MANILA — Liberal Party spokesperson and former Senator Leila De Lima has ruled out any plans to join the 2025 electoral race.
De Lima said that she will not seek any electoral position in the 2025 midterm polls as she remains committed to other priorities, including helping the Liberal Party (LP), according to an interview with TeleRadyo Serbisyo on Friday, July 19.
"I will not join the electoral fray for next year regardless of the position. That is my decision now," De Lima said in a mix of English and Filipino.
With around three months before the official period for filing certificates of candidacy, De Lima said some are saying she might still change her mind.
But the former senator said that she is already handling several matters related to her personal life and advocacies, including helping the LP.
De Lima said on June 30 that her team plans to file counter-charges against former President Rodrigo Duterte and his justice secretary, Vitaliano Aguirre, for pursuing trumped-up and politically motivated charges against her.
The Duterte critic was
incarcerated for nearly seven years based on drug-related charges that human rights defenders said were fabricated in retaliation for her criticism of Duterte's so-called war on drugs.
De Lima walked free on bail in November 2023 and was cleared of all charges on June 24.
On Friday, De Lima also expressed frustration over the LP's poor showing in recent senatorial surveys.
The three senatorial candidates backed by the Liberal Party, namely former senators Bam Aquino and Francis Pangilinan and lawyer Chel Diokno, failed to break into the winning circle of Pulse Asia's survey on senatorial preferences published earlier this week.
No senatorial survey from a reputable pollster so far has shown the three LP bets at the top.
"It's frustrating. We are offering qualified.. competent candidates, intelligent, hard working, with good track record, and their integrity is intact. But it's a bit of an uphill battle, at least based on the surveys," De Lima said.
"But the election is still far ahead, that is why the LP is preparing intensively," the LP spokesperson added.
De Lima said the LP is set to hold a meeting next month where they will discuss their strategies to improve the "acceptability and winnability" of their candidates. More candidates will also be added to LP's senatorial slate, De Lima said. It's undecided, however, if the LP will be able to field a full 12-member Senate slate, the LP spokesperson added. "Of course, ideally it should be a complete slate, but it doesn't need to be forced if it's not possible. What's important is that we get a few in," De Lima added. (Cristina Chi/Philstar.com)
Former Senator Leila De Lima Philstar.com file photo
OPINION FEATURES
5th riskiest city
WHETHER in terms of natural disasters, personal safety, health or digital security, Manila has been ranked as the world’s fifth riskiest city for tourists, in a list that includes 60 international cities. The rankings were drawn up by Forbes Advisor, a global platform that helps people make informed financial decisions.
Manila shares the dubious distinction with the worst ranked, Caracas in Venezuela, which registered the highest risks in health security, crime and worst travel safety rating from the U.S. State Department. Karachi in Pakistan was rated as the second worst, followed by Myanmar’s former capital Yangon and Lagos in Nigeria.
Editorial
Among the key metrics for the rankings are crime and personal security, health security, infrastructure, natural disaster and digital security risks. Manila posed the highest risk in terms of natural disasters, the fifth highest in terms of personal security and seventh highest in terms of health security.
The health security metric assesses the quality of health care services. Personal security includes risks of criminality, violence and terrorist attacks. It’s no coincidence that the cities deemed safest for tourists are also among the consistent top global travel destinations: Singapore followed by Japan’s capital Tokyo. Toronto in Canada came in third.
In terms of natural disasters, the Philippines is situated along the Pacific Ring of Fire and is visited regularly by earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. The country also serves as a welcome mat for tropical cyclones emanating from the Pacific Ocean, which cause torrential flooding even in Metro Manila. Japan, however, also sits along the Ring of Fire, but has among the world’s most sophisticated disaster preparedness and mitigation systems. This is where Manila is still found lacking. In terms of health security, Manila is home to the country’s biggest and most advanced health care facilities, but even residents find health care services still inadequate. As for personal safety, both Filipinos and foreigners, notably Chinese nationals, have been targeted for ransom kidnapping, armed robbery and torture.
The Forbes Advisor ranking merely affirms what Filipinos already know, and should spur the agencies concerned to do better. With such problems, it will be tough for tourists to love the Philippines. (Philstar.com)
The other shooters
THE other men – and women – who “shot” Donald Trump on Saturday, July 13 at a Pennsylvania rally after an assassination attempt gave America and the rest of the world pivotal records of history amid our fast spinning and turning world.
Three images stood out immediately soon after the shooting and, according to news website Axios, these are now dubbed in newsrooms everywhere as the “Evan photo” by the Associated Press’ Evan Vucci; the “Anna photo” by Getty Images’ Anna Moneymaker and the “bullet photo” by the New York Times’ Doug Mills.
Evan Vucci’s photo shows a bloodied and defiant Trump raising his fist with the American flag in the background while Doug Mills’ photo showed a speeding bullet very close to Trump’s head.
Anna Moneymaker managed to capture an extraordinary image
Moving Into High Gear
MICHAEL LIM UBAC
THE geopolitics in the South China Sea (SCS) has been front and center of discussions over the contested region. There is nothing wrong with that, except that the fisheries perspective is largely absent from conversations over the West Philippine Sea (WPS), which is the portion of SCS that is well within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone.
What’s behind the aggression of China in the SCS? It’s clear that the territorial disputes have a security dimension because of the geopolitical implications of allowing China to dominate the vast SCS, which includes territorial waters belonging to the Philippines, Vietnam, Taiwan, Brunei, Malaysia, and Indonesia.
The territorial disputes also have a trade dimension, as $3.37 trillion in global trade passes through the SCS annually. Therefore, China’s complete control of the region could compromise a third of global maritime trade. The third dimension is the potential for drilling oil—SCS has 190 trillion cubic feet of natural gas and 11 billion barrels of oil reserves, according to the Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative.
Many Western think tanks
of Trump on the floor of the stage after the shooting which, as described by the Associated Press, was “taken peephole-style through the legs of a Secret Service agent shielding him.”
Of the three, I like Anna’s photo the most because it was a quiet, intimate and raw capture of a man caught in a very chaotic moment in his life.
I dare say photographers are perhaps as highly skilled as assassins themselves.
While their purpose and their weapon are entirely different, both the assassin and the photographer have just one pivotal chance to seize a moment which, in split seconds, is gone forever. Either they succeed or they don’t.
Of the three images though, it is perhaps Evan’s photograph that has become the most popular and widely shared, especially by Trump’s allies and devotees.
After all, throughout history, photographs and paintings with flags and bloodied men have always been a compelling visual record of critical moments in time – whether it’s the French Revolution or the American War.
An article by The Atlantic’s Tyler Austin Harper summed it perfectly. Writing about Evan Vucci’s photo, Harper said:
“Donald Trump raises a fist. Blood streaks his face. The sky is high, blue and empty except for an American flag caught in a hard wind. A Secret Service agent has her arms around his waist. The former president’s mouth is open, in the middle of a snarled shout.
We know from video footage that he is yelling ‘Fight!,’ that the crowd is chanting ‘USA!’
“The photograph, by the Associated Press’ Evan Vucci, became immediately legendary. However you feel about the man at its center, it is undeniably one of the great compositions in US photographic history. Although I am deeply relieved that Trump survived this assassination attempt, I am no fan of his.
“But the first time I saw the photo, I felt an emotion that I later recognized, with considerable discomfort, as a fluttering of unbidden nationalist zeal. What encapsulates our American ideal more than bloody defiance and stubborn pride
that teeters just on the edge of foolishness? No hunkering and no hiding – standing undaunted and undeterred, fist-pumping your way through an attempted murder.
“It was a moment when Trump supporters’ idea of him – strong, resilient, proud – collided with reality.”
For me, the images, at the very least, show the importance of having experienced and professional photojournalists to record history.
But more than a homage to the photographers who captured that extraordinary moment in history, I write this as an attempt to disentangle Trump, the man and his devotees’ idea of him.
As Harper said, at least at that moment, Trump supporters’ image of him had collided with reality.
I write this though without prejudice to the assassination plot itself or whatever it was; authorities must get to the bottom of it.
I write this, too, without prejudice to the still rampant use of guns in America.
The U.S. has surpassed 39,000 deaths from gun violence every year since 2014, according to data from the Gun Violence Archive as reported by abcnews.
Still, gun deaths are down from 2016, 2017 and 2018, when the total number of deaths each year surpassed 50,000. There were 44,310 such deaths in 2022, the report said.
Most of all, I write this to show what the images really tell – and the extent by which they were shared especially by Trump’s allies and supporters.
‘Strongmen’ The images are reflections of the strange and still untarnished appeal of “strongmen” leaders, especially in America and especially after President Biden’s performance during their debate.
From Putin to Xi Jinping to Rodrigo Duterte and yes, Trump, the world has tilted toward such leaders, forgetting the high hopes that freedom-loving nations had for a new kind of leadership and liberal democracies after the historic fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989.
It was true in the early 2000s
and still true now. At best, the images have given Trump’s critics the lens by which his devotees see him. Americans – perhaps like the rest of the world – bank on a leader’s toughness and defiance to steer their ship in the face of an uncertain future. They see that promise of MAGA – Make America Great Again – in that bloodied image of Trump raising his fist amid the chaos. Trump, being Trump of course, had that uncanny instinct to consider how he looked even in the face of gunfire. What happens next, however, is still anyone’s guess and whether or not Trump will deliver on his promise to “make America great again” remains to be seen. (Philstar.com)
* * * The opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by the author do not necessarily reflect the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints of the Asian Journal, its management, editorial board and staff.
* * * Email: eyesgonzales@gmail.com. Follow her on Twitter @eyesgonzales. Column archives at EyesWideOpen on FB.
The missing piece of South China Sea puzzle
have cited these three factors to explain what is at stake in the SCS, with the risk of a shooting war between China and other claimant countries like the Philippines not improbable if the disputes are not settled peacefully.
For sure, the news media has also been covering the perspective of fishermen as part of efforts to provide a human face to these escalating territorial disputes which have already resulted in stronger military alliances between our country and the United States, Japan, Australia, and even France. But so far, the news coverage has focused on the livelihood of Filipino fishermen who are now barred by China from fishing in Bajo de Masinloc (Scarborough/Panatag Shoal) and the Kalayaan Island Group (KIG or Spratly Islands). These traditional fishing grounds are necessary not only for the thousands of Filipino fisherman to earn a living and feed their families, but also for Chinese fishermen.
500 species of reef fish. As early as June 2, 2021, the University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB) tried to draw attention to an often-neglected dimension of the SCS conflict: the fish. Through its Facebook page, UPLB’s Animal Biology Division (ABD) posed a thoughtprovoking question: “Why is the West Philippine Sea important to us Filipinos?” The same post
provided a four-page infographic series made by “Filipino scientists who have worked in the region, including members of the ABD’s Aquatic Ecology Lab” to provide a “fisheries perspective” on the issue.
According to these UP scientists, the WPS has expansive coral reefs, with the KIG accounting for 30 percent of the total coral reefs in the Philippines. But what’s more crucial is that WPS alone—apart from the whole SCS—has “500 species of coral reef fish, a significant number of which are important food fishes,” the UPLB-ABD’s post says, citing several studies in the SCS.
The WPS provides around 27 percent of the country’s commercial fisheries production. If we were to lose control of the WPS, where would we find a quarter of our fish supply? Ironic as it may seem, we have been importing round scads or galunggong from China and other Asian countries during the closed fishing season in Palawan.
KIG alone is home to an estimated 1.94 million metric tons of large tuna, purpleback squid, bonitos, and trevallies (talakitok). Annually, KIG can produce 62,000-91,000 MT of fish, “enough to feed 1.6-2.3 million Filipinos per year,” UPLBABD says. Half of the world’s fishing operations. But what’s both surprising and troubling is this—
the WPS and the SCS region are a fishing hot spot in which “55 percent of the world’s fishing vessels operate,” UPLB-ABD says. Dear reader, what it means is that the price of fish in overseas markets can be dictated by anyone who has control over SCS. What we might have been missing all along in our spirited conversations about the WPS is that fish—a source of protein, healthy fats, vitamins, and minerals—is at the heart of China’s food security. Without seafood, how would it feed its 1.4 billion people?
In fact, despite effectively controlling much of the SCS using gray zone tactics, China is the world’s largest importer of frozen fish (19.9 percent or $5.1 billion) in 2022, according to TrendEconomy.com. As early as 2016, the U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission warned that China’s “building of these artificial islands will almost certainly lead to increased Chinese fishing in the surrounding waters, which could raise the risk of a clash between Chinese fishing boats and those of other claimant countries.”
Thus, it’s no surprise that Filipino fishermen can’t even fish in our waters. For far too long, security and trade concerns have predominated discussions over the SCS, overlooking the more fundamental problem of food security for China and other claimant countries. (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.
* * * For comments: mubac@inquirer.com.ph
DREADED ENCOUNTERS Fishermen in Masinloc town, Zambales are
to Guo: We never picked on you, but liars irk us
by JAVIER JOE ISMAEL
MANILA — Sen. Risa
Hontiveros snapped back at Bamban, Tarlac Mayor Alice Guo's Facebook post alluding to some lawmakers "boosting their political ambitions" amid the Senate investigation on issues surrounding Philippine Offshore Gaming Operations (POGOs).
"You lied about your connection to POGO, you lied about your identity, and every time you log in to Facebook, you invent something new. Don't worry; we are not fixated on you. We are just allergic to liars," Hontiveros said.
Hontiveros, who heads the Committee on Women, Children, Family Relations, and Gender Equality, leads the inquiry into the alleged connection of Guo to POGO-related crimes.
"Mayor Alice Guo or Guo Hua Ping, you have more posts on Facebook than attendance
at Senate hearings. Attendance before the Senate hearings is adherence to the rule of law," Hontiveros said. She told Guo: "Your frequent social media posts do not equate to her attendance in the Senate. How can you have peace of mind if you always avoid questions? In case you forgot, you are being summoned because you are in the middle of the POGO abuses of our laws, which you allowed to expand due to your influence as Mayor."
In her latest Facebook post, Guo stated: "I regret that I was unable to attend the last two Senate hearings due to the severe exhaustion and trauma I have experienced following the earlier hearings and numerous cases filed against me. My primary priority now is my health and peace of mind, so that I can properly address all the legal issues directed at me.
"While multiple open cases have been filed against me, I
am deeply concerned about and keep questioning why Senator Win Gatchalian, Senator Risa Hontiveros, and the other offices seem fixated on me. If they have evidence against me, I am ready to face them in a fair trial and at a proper forum.
"Respectfully, I do not wish to be used by anyone to boost their political ambitions. Our country faces many critical issues such as national security, poverty, unemployment, food shortage, healthcare delivery, environmental degradation, and human rights violations. I appeal to them to focus their attention on these problems instead of continuously threatening me with arrest and accusing me of being complicit in various [POGO]-related crimes that are untrue and unfounded. Am I the country's biggest problem that they need to focus on? Or do they just want to project me as the antagonist/ villain?" the suspended mayor said.
Manila sea level rising by 2.6 cm/year – study
by BELLA CARIASO Philstar.com
MANILA
— The sea level in Manila has been increasing by about 2.6 centimeters per year from an average rate of 1.3 millimeters per year in the 1900s, with groundwater use in the city enhancing the risk of sea level rise in the country’s capital, according to a study. The Philippine Climate Change Assessment report was contained in the 268-page National Adaptation Plan (NAP) approved by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.
“The implications of rising sea levels are compounded by the occurrence of land subsidence in certain areas, exacerbating the impact of sea level rise and leading to increased vulnerability to flooding and extreme sea levels,” the report said.
Vulnerable The NAP also cited a report from the Department of Science and Technology-Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration that Southeast Asia is often considered especially vulnerable to the impacts of sea-level rise, and local areas of the Philippines have been experiencing relatively high rates of sea-level rise.
“About 60 percent of the Philippine population and over 50 percent of Philippine
municipalities, including the country’s capital, Manila, are in the coastal zone,” the report said.
“Manila has experienced a rapid increase in sea level, primarily attributed to long-term land subsidence caused by excessive groundwater extraction. In contrast, Legazpi and Davao have witnessed gradual sea level rises, while no clear trend has been observed in Cebu and Jolo, Sulu,” the report added.
Groundwater use, subsidence related
The report said that the research utilizing satellite data has revealed a significant correlation between subsidence zones and regions with high groundwater usage, particularly in Regions IV-B, III, VII and XI.
“Given this understanding, an important adaptation strategy for reducing the effects of sea level rise and flooding in these vulnerable areas would be to manage water (including groundwater) usage effectively,” the report added. It added that sea level rise poses a significant threat to the Philippines, particularly in terms of inundation.
A sea level rise of one meter would affect 7,000 square kilometers and 1.8 million people in 2,490 barangays, according to the report.
A three-meter rise would affect
over 15,000 square km and 3.4 million people in 5,387 barangays.
“Sea level rise also affects natural systems, such as mangrove degradation, coral reef bleaching and saltwater intrusion,” the study said.
According to the report, the scale of the potential impacts underscores the urgency of addressing and mitigating the risks associated with rising sea levels.
“Human-induced factors, such as climate change and the subsequent warming of the oceans and melting of ice sheets, are primarily responsible for this phenomenon,” the NAP report said in its conclusion.
The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) has said that around 13.6 million Filipinos would need to relocate amid the impact of climate change.
“It is projected that almost 17 percent of the Philippines’ islands will be submerged due to sea level rising by 2100, putting at risk 64 provinces… and (an) estimated 13.6 million Filipinos would need relocation,” DENR Undersecretary for finance, information systems and climate change Analiza Rebuelta-Teh said.
The country’s hosting of the Loss and Damage Fund Board gives vulnerable and developing countries representation, she said.
Global IT outage grounds ights, hits banks, media
company,” Murray said. “Falcon is what is known as an endpoint detection and response platform, which monitors the computers that it is installed on to detect intrusions (i.e. hacks) and respond to them.”
University of South Australia cybersecurity researcher Jill Slay said the global impact of the outages was likely to be “enormous.”
Airlines issue notice
“AirAsia Philippines is closely monitoring the situation and is in constant communication with Navitaire and Microsoft. Our top priority is to minimize any impact on our guests and ensure that all systems are restored to full functionality as soon as possible,” said AirAsia communications
and public affairs head and First Officer Steve Dailisan.
The airline advised travelers to visit @flyairasiaph social media platforms and AirAsia newsroom and through their registered mobile phones and email accounts for flight updates.
CAAP is preparing for the increase in passengers waiting at airports, activating irregular operations protocols and closely coordinating with airlines, the PNP Aviation Security Group and Office for Transport Security.
More seating for passengers are being added, and personnel at the Malasakit Help desk and medical teams are on standby.
Flag carrier Philippine Airlines, meanwhile, said its technical systems are “not affected” by
the issue, according to PAL spokesperson Cielo Villaluna. However, it remains unclear whether the airline was simply spared or its computers are running with a different operating system.
Information
Assistant Secretary Renato Paraiso said the government is monitoring the impact on the Philippines of the Microsoft outage. He also clarified that the Department of Information and Communications Technology was unaffected by the disruptive glitch.
“We assure the public that the [DICT] does not use the same cybersecurity service provider and that no DICT systems or assets have been affected,” Paraiso said.
A California medical group treats only...
next patient, a man they were tracking with a GPS device they sometimes affix to homeless people’s belongings. Use of the devices is voluntary. They work better than cellphones because they less often get taken by law enforcement during encampment sweeps or stolen by thieves.
“Our patients really move around a lot, so this helps us go find them when we have to get them medication or do followup care,” Wong said. “We have already developed rapport with these patients, and they want us to see them.”
Growing revenue Street medicine teams are in demand, largely because of growing public frustration with homelessness. The city of West Hollywood, for instance, awarded Healthcare in Action a three-year contract that pays $47,000 a month. The nonprofit can also bill Medi-Cal, California’s Medicaid program, which covers lowincome people, for its services.
Mari Cantwell, a health care consultant who served as California’s Medicaid director from 2015 until early 2020, said Medicaid reimbursements alone aren’t enough to fund street medicine providers. To remain viable, she said, they need to take creative financial steps, like Healthcare in Action has.
“Medicaid is never going to pay high margins, so you have to think about how to sustain things,” she said.
Healthcare in Action brought in about $2 million in revenue in its first year, $6 million in 2022, and $15.4 million in 2023, according to Michael Plumb, SCAN Group’s chief financial officer.
Healthcare in Action and SCAN’s Medicare Advantage insurance plan generate revenue by serving homeless patients in multiple ways: Both are tapping into billions of dollars in Medicaid money that states and the federal government are spending to treat homeless people in the field and to provide new social services like housing and food assistance.For instance, Healthcare in Action has received $3.8 million from Newsom’s $12 billion Medicaid initiative called CalAIM, which allows it to hire social workers, doctors, and providers for street medicine teams, according to the state.It also contracts with health insurers, including L.A. Care and Molina Healthcare in Southern California, to identify housing for homeless patients, negotiate with landlords, and provide financial help such as covering security deposits.
Healthcare in Action collects charitable donations from some hospitals and insurers, including CalOptima in Orange County and its own Medicare Advantage plan, SCAN Health Plan.
Healthcare in Action partners with cities and hospitals to provide treatment and services. In 2022, it kicked off a contract with Cedars-Sinai to care for patients milling outside the hospital.
It also enrolls eligible homeless patients into SCAN Health Plan because many low-income, older people qualify for both Medicaid and Medicare coverage. The plan had revenue of $4.9 billion in 2023, up from $3.5 billion in 2021.
“There’s been an incredible market fit, unfortunately,” Jain said. “You can’t walk or drive down a street in Los Angeles, rich or poor, and not run into this problem.”
Jim Withers, who coined the term “street medicine” decades ago and cares for homeless people in Pittsburgh, welcomed the entry of more providers given the enormous need. But he cautioned against a model with financial motives.
“I do worry about the corporatization of street medicine and capitalism invading what we’ve been building, largely as a social justice mission outside of the traditional health care system,” he said. “But nobody owns the streets, and we have to figure out how to play nice together.”
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.
Asian Journal WKND
Citizen Pinoy presents part 2 of ‘Your Tanong My Sagot’ at Valerio’s Tropical Bakeshop in Chicago
able to ask
Funny ways Filipino vlogger Cong TV outwitted
Ryan Reynolds, Hugh Jackman
By Jessica ann evangelista
FILIPINO vlogger Cong TV had a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to interview Hollywood stars Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman, who currently stars in “Deadpool & Wolverine” in Seoul, South Korea. But it was not your typical interview, as the YouTuber brought his comedic skills to the hilt that even the Hollywood actors themselves couldn’t help but break into fits of laughter.
Cong, whose real name is Lincoln Cortez Velasquez, conducted the interview with ABS-CBN heartthrob Donny Pangilinan, which he posted on his vlog. But the tension between them was so palpable that it did not escape even their interview
subjects. The interview opened with Jackman and Reynolds ribbing each other as they are wont to do, being real-life best friends. Then
came the seemingly seriouslooking (nervous?) Cong and Pangilinan who then introduced themselves simultaneously. The
Luis Manzano, Jayda Avanzado take on nepo baby challenge
being the children of famous parents as they took on the nepo baby challenge. On TikTok, the two exchanged some stereotypes that netizens think
CITIZEN
LUIS Manzano and Jayda Avanzado tried to embrace their
by Jessica ann evangelista Inquirer.net
Inquirer.net
Ryan Reynolds, Hugh Jackman, Donny Pangilinan and Cong TV Photo from Instagram/@donny
Luis Manzano, Jayda Avanzado...
“I’m a nepo baby of course, sinasakyan ko lang ang kasikatan ng mga magulang ko,” entered Manzano.
“I’m a nepo baby of course, akala nila madali lang pumasok sa show biz,” added the young singer.
“I’m a nepo baby kahit wala akong talent sikat ako,” said the actor-host.
Jayda is the only daughter of OPM singers Jessa Zaragoza and Dingdong Avanzado, while Luis is the only son of Star for All Seasons Vilma Santos and actor-politician Edu Manzano.
Sitting down for a one-on-one interview with each other, Jayda and Luis reflected on what it feels like to grow up with known parents.
“Ever since I was a kid there was always that love for entertainment. I grew up around it, but my parents never forced me to do show biz. Sa
totoo nga ‘yung mom ko ayaw niya ako pumasok sa show biz kasi nga alam niya kung gaano ka-cruel at harsh ang industriya na ‘to,” she said, with Luis agreeing.
Luis emphasized that people can’t choose their families, saying, “It’s not as if we chose to be born sa pamilya na ‘to.”
“I’m not saying all people think that way, but some people. They always use it as an opportunity to try to discredit us. Personally, for me, I see it as a blessing,” weighed in Jayda.
Luis emphasized that people can’t choose their families, saying, “It’s not as if we chose to be born sa pamilya na ‘to.”
“I’m not saying all people think that way, but some people. They always use it as an opportunity to try to discredit us. Personally, for me, I see it as a blessing,” weighed in Jayda. g
Towering Filipino middleweight Blazen Rocilli signs agreement with Boxing VIP
LAS VEGAS – Filipino boxer Blazen Rocilli (60, 5 KOs), a promising 21-year-old middleweight from Waipahu, Hawaii, now training in Las Vegas, NV, has officially signed a managerial agreement with Andrew Bocanegra, president of Boxing VIP.
Rocilli, standing at an impressive 6’3” and fighting out of the southpaw stance, is unique for his size. He is the tallest Filipino in the sport and is poised to make significant strides in his boxing career under this new partnership.
Rocilli is trained by highly respected coach Richard Barrientes at the Pound-4-Pound boxing gym in Las Vegas, known for hosting some of the best training camps in boxing. With an incredible work ethic, Rocilli has quickly become a notable figure in the super welterweight division.
“I’m thrilled to be teaming up with Andrew Bocanegra and Boxing VIP,” said Rocilli, whose family back in the Philippines is from the city of Ilocos Norte. “I believe this partnership will elevate my career to new heights and provide me with the opportunities I need to showcase my skills on the biggest stages. I have a great team behind me now and I’m looking forward to my future in boxing.”
“Blazen Rocilli has the makings of something special in the boxing world,” said Bocanegra, confident in Rocilli’s potential. “His talent, combined with his massive height and southpaw stance, makes him a problem for anyone in the super welterweight division. As a tall Filipino boxer, he brings a unique style and presence to the ring that I believe will captivate fans and unite the Philippine community. In my opinion, he can
become the next Filipino superstar.”
Rocilli, a promotional free agent, inspired by the legacy of Filipino boxing legends, expressed his aspirations for his career. “I want to follow in the footsteps of great Philippine fighters like Manny Pacquiao and others. They have set a high standard, and I am determined to honor their legacy by working hard and striving for greatness in every fight.”
(Boxing VIP Release) g
Andrea Brillantes to people who criticize her body: ‘I don’t care’
By Jessica ann evangelista Inquirer.net
A MUCH more confident Andrea Brillantes remained firm that she doesn’t care about people who constantly criticize her body, especially after she lost some weight, as she stressed that everything she does is for herself.
During the ambush interview after her contract signing for a beauty endorsement, the Kapamilya star admitted that she lost around 20 pounds, which explains why she now has slimmer arms and figure.
Sa mga nagcocomment po ba about my arms, I really don’t care, kasi it’s actually crazy that other people think they have the authority or that their opinions matter to me about my body,” she confidently told reporters.
The “Senior High” star affirmed that as long as she’s happy with how she looks, the outside voices don’t really matter.
“Everything that I do for my body is for me, kasi ang nakikita ko sa salamin paggising ko is my body. Hindi naman si username
chuchu diba? Aware ako sa sinasabi nila, pero hindi ko siya pinapapasok sakin kasi ginagawa ko kung ano ‘yung magpapasaya sakin, and I’m really happy with my body right now,” she said. Brillantes underscored that she is more inclined to accept
her appearance because she considers it a blessing from God.
“Gets ko ‘yung mga sinasabi nila na medyo hindi proportional or whatever. Well, I can’t control if God blessed me with blessings. Wala akong magagawa I just have to own it, kung ano ‘yung bigay sakin ni Lord, and I’m really happy with it. So alangan naman patanggal ko siya dahil sa comments sakin ng mga tao, No. Tatangappin ko lang kung ano ‘yung meron ako,” explained the actress.
The “Kadenang Ginto” actress also weighed in on how people tend to use the word “nanay” when bodyshaming plus-sized girls.
Ang weird lang na ginagamit nila pang body shame ang katawan ng ‘nanay’, na parang, ‘Grabe parang nanay na si Andrea, yung katawan niya.’ That’s so embarrassing for you to say… You’re body-shaming your mom? So yun gusto ko sabihin, maganda katawan lahat ng kababaihan. Hindi dapat ginagawang pang body shame ang katawan ng nanay,” she stressed. g
Edgar Mortiz comes full circle in music as he turns
70
EDGAR “Bobot” Mortiz was only 13 years old when he joined “Tawag ng Tanghalan” in 1967 and became consecutive champions. Nora Aunor came ahead of him and they were first paired onstage before his teamup with Vilma Santos became known.
“I started in standard singing,” Edgar disclosed. “Wherever I was then, I always did standards. After a while, when the ‘80s came, the likes of Madonna came into the music scene. They asked me to change my genre.
“I would just sing at home,” he shared. “Up to this day, I still have my sound system and vinyl collection at home. My grandchildren would see my records and they would ask me to play them. I refused.”
The vinyls are all in good condition and still working. “I have a lot of vinyl records at home, mostly standards,” Edgar said. “Some were even from the ‘60s. Vinyl is coming back. There are sales of vinyls everywhere.
“The public had different music tastes at that time. They became more mature. So, I thought, why will I still sing if that’s not what I like. So, I stopped singing when the ‘80s came. I no longer performed solo onstage. I sang mostly with groups.” Eventually, Edgar had forgotten about singing. Through the years, he became a TV director (“Goin’ Bulilit”), producer and still part-time actor.
so she wants to know if such an arrangement will become a problem.
Elvira’s daughter petitioned her brother back in 2014. She is asking why it is taking so long.
Lyn, an employee of Valerio’s, wants to know how they can expedite the arrival of their son in the U.S. Her husband petitioned their son in 2018, and the son is now 37 years old.
Atty. Gurfinkel answers these questions and more in part 2 of “Your Tanong, My Sagot” at Valerio’s Chicago branch. Watch this brand-new episode of Citizen Pinoy on Sunday, July 21 at 6:30 PM PT (9:30 PM ET through select Cable/Satellite providers), right after TV Patrol Linggo. Citizen Pinoy is also available on iWantTFC. Viewers may download the free app. (Advertising Supplement)
Atty. Gurfinkel (extreme left) with Lea (extreme right) and her family
Atty. Gurfinkel with Liza Valerio
Atty. Gurfinkel (left) and Jim
Filipino boxer and undefeated middleweight Blazen Rocilli Photo courtesy of Boxing VIP
Luis Manzano and Jayda Avanzado
from TikTok/@jedijayda
Andrea Brillantes Photo from Instagram/@blythe
Gawad Kalinga USA and The Filipino School: A youthful journey of hope and Filipino identity
BRIDGING the gap between diverse backgrounds and cultures can be challenging.
Celebrations like Filipino American Friendship Month remind us to promote cultural exchange and unity, highlighting the vibrant heritage shared between the Philippines and Filipino American citizens in the United States.
Gawad Kalinga USA (GK USA) helps foster these connections. Dedicated to eradicating poverty for millions of Filipino families through community empowerment, GK USA also bridges cultural divides by involving Fil-Ams in their projects.
Through a partnership with The Filipino School, GK USA welcomed young Filipino Americans from various U.S. states on their 2024 Filgrimage to a GK Village. Three participants –Adrian, 24 (Boston), Emma, 22 (Washington), and Austin, 36 (San Diego) – shared their experiences visiting the Philippines for the first time and deepening their connection to their heritage.
The participants took a big leap of faith, having never been to the Philippines despite their Filipino roots. They each had personal and familial reasons for the journey, wanting to connect with their families and their Filipino heritage. As second- or thirdgeneration immigrants, they sought to understand their identity and be comfortable in their own skin.
Adrian recognized the country’s beauty but was also aware of its economic disparities and political issues. The participants had limited expectations due to their lack of prior knowledge but were eager to explore.
They noted significant cultural differences and similarities with the U.S. and found their interactions with locals eyeopening and enriching.
In the Philippines, they were introduced to Gawad Kalinga’s mission of community empowerment and poverty eradication. Their immersion in a GK Village included volunteer work to construct homes, share meals, and play games with the children. Adrian was glad to witness hope and happiness among the communities despite their economic status. Emma, initially nervous about her impact, was impressed by GK’s sustainable change efforts. Austin enjoyed the house-building activity, done “bayanihan” style – working together as a community. They all enjoyed classic Filipino games, with Adrian appreciating the outdoor playtime uncommon in his experience due to technology.
The GK visit had a profound impact on the participants. Adrian realized the stark differences in
living conditions between the U.S. and the Philippines, particularly the challenges in accessing basic necessities like clean water and healthy food.
He said, “You can always put yourselves in their shoes, but you have to put yourselves in their shoes on the land that they grew up in.” Emma agreed, noting that witnessing disparities firsthand provided a deeper understanding. Their experiences highlight the importance of strengthening ties with their homeland. They emphasized the value of such visits for other FilipinoAmericans, stressing that truly immersing oneself in Filipino culture requires being present in the Philippines. Emma encourages others to visit or, if unable, to learn more about the Philippines and support initiatives like GK USA to foster connection and empathy with fellow Filipinos, especially the less privileged. Austin shared, “The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.”
The Filgrimage participants’ journey to the Philippines and their engagement with Gawad Kalinga left a lasting impact. They stepped out of their comfort zones to be more comfortable with who they are,
By Kathleen a llemit Philstar.com
NADINE Lustre is trying on a different hat apart from acting. The actress alloted a few minutes with the press in the middle of the launch of the new and first artificial intelligence (AI) smartphones of Oppo, the Reno 12 5G series.
Speaking to reporters in the Oppo store last July 13 in SM Sta. Rosa in Laguna, the actress was asked about Siargao and her other business ventures.
“I guess those are really exciting projects for you just because it’s kind of me taking on a different hat,” she said. She was asked to say something about Dehusk and Verde Siargao.
Verde Siargao is a plant-based restaurant, while Dehusk is a brand of plant-based milk.
“I guess, I’m more of a businesswoman this time around. I’m really happy because both Ver De Siargao and Dehusk are all very close, I guess, to my heart,” she said.
Ver De Siargao’s Instagram page says the restaurant in the famous island destination serves “100% Plant-Based Always!” on its menu.
The healthy restaurant offers Naked Pizza, Bang Bang Tofu and Mezze, a Mediterranean platter for starters. It also has burgers, pastas, salads and poke bowls. Teas, coffees and even a selection of Maison Bukana Wines are available at the restaurant.
Dehusk, meanwhile, is a “new milk” company that aims to offer “affordable alt-milk to Asia.” In its website, it said that Dehusk is a “plantbased alternative” that is not only good for the stomach but also “better for the planet.” Their milk is said to be free of lactose, dairy and gluten.
Edgar Mortiz comes full...
“Vinyls last a long time. They don’t get worn out. You need low maintenance to take care of the records.”
Two years ago, before Edgar turned 68, he thought of recording an all-standards album and releasing it on vinyl before he would turn 70. The man has been away from the limelight and detached from singing.
Thanks to Curve Entertainment recording executive Narciso Chan, who gave his nod to release Edgar’s all-standards album.
“I asked for Ciso’s help,” Edgar recalled. “I told him, kumanta ako sa iPad and made him listen to the tracks. I asked Ciso, ‘Boss, pwede pa ba ko? I want to release an all-standards album.’ So we produced it.”
Edgar added, “That was what I wanted. ’Yun ang trip ko noon. The album had always been a passion project that has been brewing through my heart and mind. Those are songs which became part of my life then. Like when I became broken hearted, I had a song for that.”
His voice glides through all the standard tracks in the album, such as You And Me (We Wanted It All) and All My Tomorrows, dedicated to his wife, Millet Santos-Mortiz. “I met my wife and I had no work at that time,” recalled Edgar, who also sang the ballad in the wedding of Al Tantay.
Edgar included Somewhere in Your Heart for his Ninong Ron (Fernando Poe Jr.), How Do You Keep the Music Playing?, You Will Be My Music, What Are You Doing the Rest of Your Life?, You Turned My World Around and That’s Life.
“All the songs have meaning in my life,” Edgar pointed out. “I chose all the songs, which are my favorites from the time I was a teenager. Bata pa ako kinakanta ko na ‘yung mga standard songs.”
that was what’s important to me.”
Edgar clarified, however, that “Goin’ Standard” is not a comeback for him. He is simply returning to the recording studio to sing what his heart had yearned for all these years.
Edgar lamented, however, that the landscape of today’s songs has obviously changed.
“Standards cater to a certain crowd,” he said. “Nawala na sina (Frank) Sinatra, Tony Bennett. I was thinking after my recording, maybe no one will sing the songs I recorded anymore.
“Mine is heavy standards. You really have to listen to the songs and the story behind them. The lyrics are very important.”
experiencing the beauty and challenges of their ancestral land. Learning about the “bayani” (hero) and “kapwa” (kindred/shared identity) culture gave them more pride in their heritage. Their stories serve as a call to action for other Filipino-Americans to explore their roots and support community-driven initiatives during Filipino American Friendship Month and beyond. Connect more with your roots and your fellow Filipinos even if you are across the world from them. Visit www. gk-usa.org to know how to give or get more involved with our communities! Join us at the GK Next Gen Summit on Sept. 7, at Houston Hilton North in Houston, Texas. Learn more on how you can connect with young Filipino Americans who share the same passion in helping the poor by visiting https:// gknextgen.wixsite.com/mysite or through their Instagram account: gknextgen.
Check out The Filipino Story Studio and their 6-part video series about what it means to be a Filipino here: https://youtube.com/@thefilipinostorystudio?si=NWNCgHl2iQMrSBUw. (Gawad Kalinga USA Release)
The album was finished last February so Edgar comes full circle now that “Goin’ Standard” is released. “I am turning 70 this August 30,” said Edgar. Umabot naman ang album
“The tracks are not perfect, but I told Ciso, ituloy natin ‘yan If we want to make the songs perfect, I think it’s possible with today’s technology. How I really felt at the time I was recording,
At the recent album listening party of the eight-track “Goin’ Standard,” recorded by Pro-Ject Audio System, Edgar’s friends in and out of the entertainment industry arrived in droves and supported him. The event was held at The Gallery Bar of Crowne Plaza Hotel. Edgar’s wife, Millet, and his daughters Carmela and Camille, were present. Edgar
Ricky
girlfriend
rendered
You
Tonight. Jazz prince Richard Merk arrived by his lonesome and carried out Fly
To
Ali
Wonder of
crooned There’s No
(To Break Somebody’s
Al Tantay was with his wife Micha and sang It Had To Be You. Eric Nicolas, who also hosted the event, dished out an OPM number, Kahit
Na ang Buhok Ko, while Lianne Quebic rendered You Made Me Live Again. Even comedian Tuko delighted the crowd and greeted everyone with all the languages he knew.
Former recording executive Rudy Tee joined Curve Entertainment bosses Narciso Chan, Mario Joson and Chito Confiado. Serafin Pua was present, too, as well as TV executive Malou Fagar and actress Amy Austria. (Leah Salterio/Philstar.com) g
Photos courtesy of Gawad Kalinga USA
Edgar ‘Bobot’ Mortiz releases the all- standards album ‘Goin’ Standard’ (inset). It’s not a comeback for him. He’s simply returning to the recording studio to sing what his heart yearned for all these years.
The Mortiz family shows their full support. Philstar.com photos
and Millet did a rare duet of Don’t Mention Love. Sister-inlaw Charo Santos-Concio was in attendance with her friends.
Davao came with his
Malca Darocca and
The Way
Look
Me
the Moon.
Forbes sang The
You. Joey San Andres
Easy Way
Heart).
Maputi
Nadine Lustre
Photo from Instagram/@nadine
Enchong Dee on showing up at awards shows
By HannaH Mallorca Inquirer.net
ENCHONG
Dee stressed that being present in an awards ceremony, whether an actor is poised to win a plum or not, is a way of supporting the entertainment industry. Dee pointed out that “showing up” matters as these
ceremonies “celebrate” the industry when asked about actors supposedly “hesitant” to attend awards shows due to “uncertainty” of winning the award.
“We have to remember that an awards night is a celebration of our industry. It’s a celebration because last year, somehow, we saw the light in the Philippine movie industry when we thought that it was already dying. And all of a sudden, record-breaking films happen,” he told reporters at a Star Magic media con.
Touching on the topic, Dee recalled a reminder from “GomBurZa” director Pepe Diokno, where the latter always reminded the cast and crew Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) 2023 entry to “always show up.”
“It’s funny that you’re asking this because magkakasama kami ni Direk Pepe, nagkaroon ng awards night after the MMFF film,” he said. “And at our table, Direk Pepe said, ‘We always show up. We always show up no matter what. Because we’re not here to get an award. We’re here because our team is here.’”
(It’s funny that you’re asking this because Direk Pepe and I were together with the cast and crew. There was an awards night after the MMFF film. And in our table, Direk Pepe said, “We always show up. We always show up no matter what. Because we’re not here to get an award. We’re here because our team is here.”)
This particular reminder, according to the actor, was “stuck” on him. It was advice
Jessica Soho, Kara David headline top programs on GMA & GTV; Rolando Inocencio, a seasoned actor
My P.E.P. (People, Events, Places)
Rogelio Constantino Medina
BY the time my first name
“Rogelio” was being chanted musically at Philstagers’ PSF Blackbox Theatre in Manila on late evening of July 6, 2024, something good was happening on the other part of the globe: my new column P.E.P. (People, Events, Places) for Asian Journal was about to be published in print in the Asian Journal LA Weekend edition in California. That for me is a blessing.
* * *
The No. 1 highest rated show on GMA is “Kapuso Mo, Jessica Soho” and July 7’s episode rated a lately unheard of 18 points, the highest rating of any show in 2024.
Maria Jessica Aspiras Soho, born in San Fernando, La Union, has been the host of GMA Network’s Public Affairs news magazine program “Kapuso Mo Jessica Soho” since 2004. In 1998, she became the first Filipino to win the British Fleet Street Award for Journalism. In 1999, she and the I-Witness team received the Philippines’ first Peabody Award for producing the “Kidneys for Sale” and “Kamao” documentaries. Her story of a hostage crisis in Cagayan Valley made her the first Filipino to win in the New York Film Festival.
Soho attended the University of the Philippines Diliman to study Mass Communication. One of her professors was Luis Beltran who inspired her to finish her studies and practice journalism in Manila.
Meanwhile, the No. 1 highest rated show on GTV is Pinas Sarap, hosted by Kara David. It has been rating more than double its TV5 counterpart (which happens to be a drama).
Kara Patria Constantino DavidCancio, a TOYM and TOWNS awardee, is assistant professor at UP Diliman and the current chairperson of the Journalism Department at UP’s College of Mass Communication.
She is the founder and president of Project Malasakit, a foundation that helps the people she has featured in her documentaries. She has won a Peabody Award, the second Filipino to win this award.
She is the daughter of Professor Randy David of UP Diliman and Karina ConstantinoDavid, former chairperson of the Civil Service Commission.
* * *
The 2nd Philippines Finest Business Awards & Outstanding Achievers 2024 will be more exciting this year for it will give recognition to outstanding individuals and companies that have made a difference and impact to society.
One sector is the entertainment industry. Among those to be given awards are Sparkle GMA artists like Ken Chan, Julie Ann San Jose, Rita Daniella, Rayver Cruz, Anthony Rosaldo, Ruru Madrid, Miguel Tanfelix, Bianca Umali, Barbie Forteza, Ashley Sarmiento, Marco Masa, Allen Ansay, Sofia Pablo, Boobay, as well as Sparkle GMA Artist Center and UP College of Law lecturer Atty. Annette Gozon-Valdes, president of GMA Worldwide, Inc. and GMA Network Films. Likewsie, awardees will also be coming from the broadcast news and information sector: Annabelle Surara, Wej Cudiamat, Dennis Antennor Jr., Braggy Braganza, Earlo Bringas, Audrey Gorriceta, DJ Mama Colleen, Papa Marky, DJ Kuya Machete, Usec. Robert Rivera, Nerlyza Eliza Francisco Rivera, 97.9 Home Radio, Aliw Channel 23, DWIZ-AM, Media House Express, The Metropolista, Rise and Shine Pilipinas, Light TV, and Win Radio. In music, awardees will be Lae Manego, Dylan Menor, Merjohn Lagaya, George Sison-Tagle, The Flippers (3rd Gen.), Carmela Betonio, The Voice Academy of the Philippines Inc., and RTU Himig Rizalia. Others are in the field of
business or entrepreneurship and professionalism: Salvacion Paparon, Bhinky Reyes, CPA Shirley Belangel, mga photographer Miller Daniolco, Jamin Lim at Bhon Jheo Exconde, Janice Israel Delima Tentler, Judge Tarcelo Sabarre Jr., Jeffrey Dy, and Sara Luningning Medina.
The PFBA is organized by La Visual Corporation and SIRBISU Channel. The awards night will be held at The Hexagon Events Place in Quezon City on September 8, 2024.
* * * Museo Orlina in Tagaytay City celebrated its 10th anniversary by opening the “Eskultura III: Crystal Clear” exhibit featuring some of the Philippines’ top glass sculptors like Marge Organo, Raisa Luz, Jinggoy Salcedo, Anna Orlina, Michael Orlina, and Presidential Medal of Merit Awardee Ramon Orlina. It was highlighted by a house blessing presided by Fr. Tito Caluag, and both the museum and the new space being developed were blessed.
“Eskultura III: Crystal Clear” will run until August 18, 2024. For questions or requests for catalogs, you may contact +63917-107 -5958, landline (+6346) 413 2581, email: info@ museo-orlina.org.
* * * Rolando Inocencio, a seasoned actor who appeared recently in “A Thousand Forests” musical film, was invited as one of the three judges (the other two were actor Mon Confiado and Eric dela Cruz) in the recent Philstagers’ PSF Theatre Festival for two Saturdays. (Writer Ymman Jake Biaco and PX Ilano were helping me in the updates there.) Inocencio started as a
and Tanghalang Pilipino. He also appeared in dozens of Jose Javier Reyes films. “He runs a tight ship. No time is wasted,” said Rolando of Joey’s style of directing.
He was the artistic director when Dulaang Talyer performed during Festival Off d’Avignon in 2003 in Theatre du Balcon in Avignon, France. It is a spontaneous space for creation that sprung up in 1966 in relation to the Festival d’Avignon. Referred to as the ‘festival In,’ the ‘festival Off Avignon’ is today in and of itself one of the biggest performing arts festivals in the world. The Festival Off means more than 1,500 shows during the 3-week duration of the festival in July that turns Avignon into one big festival, thanks to the thousands of artists and performers who take over the streets, and the more than one hundred theatres in the city. A unique structure, built on the independence of the theatres that take part in the festival off, the ‘Festival Off Avignon’ welcomes all the rich diversity of French and international artistic creation.
*
1973 Miss Universe Margie Moran Floirendo (front row, center) with Ramon Orlina and Fr. Tito Caluag during the recent ribbon-cutting ceremony at Museo Orlina in Tagaytay City.
Sparkle GMA artists will headline U.S. shows in Anaheim, CA and San Francisco, CA on August 9 and August 10, respectively. Photos courtesy of Rogelio C. Medina
Rolando Inocencio Rogelio Medina and Jessica Soho
Anna Orlina’s glass work, Hagdan-Hagdan. Atty. Felipe Gozon (right) with daughter Atty. Annette Gozon-Valdes. workshopper in 1981 in the CCP Student Drama Workshop. Since then, he joined the Bulwagang Gantimpala, Teatro Pilipino, Repertory Philippines, PETA,
Enchong Dee ABS-CBN photo
Dealing with assets omitted in a divorce case
Barrister’s Corner
Atty. Kenneth UrsUA reyes
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)
Jennylyn Mercado’s GMA contract not yet renewed, now a freelancer
By Jerry Donato Philstar.com
ACTRESS Jennylyn Mercado revealed that she’s a freelancer now because she hasn’t signed a new contract with GMA. At her recent press conference for a new endorsement, Jennylyn said that she still wanted to be a Kapuso.
“Sa GMA naman po siyempre, palagi naman akong Kapuso, ang
daming nag-aantay ng sagot kung lilipat ba,” she said. Ako naman, 20 years na po akong Kapuso and I am very thankful na hanggang ngayon po ay ako po ay Kapuso pa rin, mayroon pa rin mga nini-nego (negotiate), pero mabilis na lang po iyan, so we’re just waiting for the contract pero happy pa rin naman ako maging Kapuso, basta gusto pa rin nila ako ‘di ba?” she added. g
Pastor’s Notes
NO matter how busy Jesus was ministering to people who were sick and hungry for his words of wisdom, he would never skip praying. He would go to a deserted place to be alone with his Father. It was this practice that gave him the energy and passion to address the needs of God’s people. Being alone with God is a treasure we must cherish. It is during these moments that we can experience peace of mind and heart. This time does not take away from our productivity; instead, it grounds and centers us, focusing us on the most essential aspects of life.
Recently, I discovered some wisdom from reading Benignus O’Rourke’s book, “Finding Your Hidden Treasure: The Way of Silent Prayer.” Rooted in the teachings of St. Augustine, the book reminds readers of the essence of prayer – not
God within us
in finding God outside of ourselves, but within our own hearts. O’Rourke writes:
“The foundation of true prayer for Augustine lies in Jesus’s promise that he would dwell in us, as he said to his disciples, ‘Make your home in me as I make mine in you.’
Following his last meal with his disciples, Jesus assured them: ‘I shall not leave you as orphans; I shall come to you. Soon the world will no longer see me, but you will see that I live, and you will live too. On that day you will know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you’ (John 14:18-20).”
“O’Rourke further elaborates:
“That is why Augustine encourages us: ‘Wherever you are, wherever you may be praying, the one who hears you is within you, concealed within. The one who listens is not merely beside you; there is no need to wander or strain to reach out to God as if you could touch Him with your hands. Wherever you are, wherever you may be praying, the one who hears is within you, concealed within.’”
The book offers an enlightening perspective. We do not need to search for God externally; He is already within us, residing in our hearts. Therefore, we must delve into our hearts to discover Him. This is indeed the essence of prayer. It requires practice to perceive the light of wisdom. Sometimes, it involves setting aside our rosaries or novena books and simply being silent. It is about mindfully listening to the God who resides within our hearts – no words needed, only moments of loving presence with God within us. May you discover this hidden wisdom. May you always feel the comforting embrace of God’s healing grace!
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.
Hori7on: Bridging borders with music
By Iza IglesIas ManilaTimes.net
HORI7ON (pronounced as Horizon) is rapidly establishing itself as one of the top P-pop acts in the Philippines and making significant strides in the music industry.
Formed in 2023, this South Korea-based Filipino boy band — with members Vinci, Kim, Kyler, Reyster, Winston, Jeromy, and Marcus — has the unique distinction of being the first all-Filipino boy band to debut in South Korea, garnering the band considerable attention in both countries.
The group, formed by MLD Entertainment and ABS-CBN Corporation through the survival reality show “Dream Maker,” made their official debut on July 24, 2023, with their album “FriendShip.”
Prior to this, they released three pre-debut singles — “Dash”, “Salamat”, and “Lovey Dovey.” Their first single album “Daytour,” featuring the track “Lucky,” followed in 2024, showcasing their musical versatility and appeal.
Hori7on’s success is rooted in their rigorous training, blending K-pop and P-pop elements.
Trained by both Filipino and South Korean coaches, they underwent stringent routines typical of the K-pop industry. This unique combination of influences has helped them stand out, earning them the label of “global rookies” by Korean media outlets such as My Daily, and highlighting their “unique presence” in the
Because of the growing influence, their journey has not only been about
Jennylyn Mercado Photo from Instagram/@mercadojenny
Hori7on is one of the top P-pop acts in the Philippines today. Photo from Instagram/@hori7onofficial industry.
music but also significant endorsements. g
New book of journalist-professor Alfredo Gabot out in California
LOS ANGELES – Veteran Filipino
journalist, author and professor Alfredo G. Gabot has published his first of a series of books in the United States.
Gabot’s new book, “California: A Philippine Territory – Almost and Other Stories,” is now available at Amazon, its publisher, announced on July 7, in both hardcover and paperback editions. Later, the eBook edition will also be available.
The 293-page book is the first volume on the compendium of select columns and articles of Gabot with the title as its centerpiece. Since retiring as a senior editor at Manila Bulletin, Gabot has become a freelance journalist, writing and editing newspapers, magazines and books, part-time professor and broadcaster.
Gabot’s first three books published in Manila in 1975 and 1976 were the “Manila Revenue Measures” and “Manila Barangay Guidebook and Directory” and the best-selling “Barangay: Peoplepower” which was an approved reference by then Education Secretary Juan L. Manuel in high schools and colleges and listed in the United States Library of Congress, among others.
The Amazon-published book is partly a tribute to outstanding Filipinos in America like Carlos S. Bulosan, a famous Filipino author and labor union advocate in the U.S. and a grand uncle of Gabot, noted for his autobiographical novel “America is in the Heart,” essay “Freedom from Want,” short story “The Laughter of My Father” and poem “I Want the Wide American Earth,” among others.
The book features the first translation in Filipino of the Bulosan poem “I Want the Wide American Earth” by journalist, poet, author and educator Jose Lad. Santos, former chairman of the Commission on the
Filipino Language (Komisyon sa Wikang Filipino) and former Commissioner of the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) like Gabot.
Lawyer-CPA Maritess Barrios-Taran, Director General of KWF and a professor at the Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila (PLM), in her foreword stated the book captures the scintillating achievements of Filipinos in the Philippines and America like former California Supreme Court Chief Justice Tani CantilSakauye, Attorney General Robert Bonta, sports greats Victoria Manalo Draves and Natalie Coughlin, and celebrity Vanessa
Hudgens, among others.
The book also features two governors –Gavin Newsom of California and Ramon Guico III of Pangasinan – who, although miles apart, their fates are intertwined with a common mission of serving their constituents and one common bond –the Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila (University of the City of Manila) where they both have Doctor of Public Management (DPM) degrees.
The book cover was from a painting of artist and historian Florante Villarica of Oriental Mindoro where galleon ships were built and mounted for the long sail to the Americas centuries ago.
The book is set to be launched in California and Manila soon. The launch in California is being planned at the Los Angeles Public Library where Carlos Bulosan immersed himself in reading while confined at the nearby Los Angeles General Hospital and started writing poems and honed himself for writing short stories and essays.
“Gusto Ko ang Malawak na Lupaing Amerika,” the Filipino translation of Carlos Bulosan’s famous poem, is expected to be recited during the book launching.
Gabot, former president of the National Press Club (NPC), former NCCA commissioner, former Director and Chairman of the Board of the Philippine Postal Corporation, and a university professor, is in the final preparations for his next books, among them “Rising from Ruins and the Big Dreams Come True,” and “Carlos S. Bulosan: The Hometown He Never Returned To.”
“California: A Philippine Territory –Almost and Other Stories” is available globally through Amazon.com. The link to the book via Amazon is https://amzn. to/4eXPO5U. g
How Aga Muhlach, family separate sitcom from reality
By Deni Rose M. AfiniDAD-BeRnARDo Philstar.com
NOW that actor Aga Muhlach, wife Charlene Gonzales, and their twins Atasha and Andres are set to star in their first ever sitcom together as a family, “Da Pers Family,” how do they separate acting from their real dynamics as a family?
In an interview with veteran showbiz columnist Cristy Fermin on Thursday, July 18 for her radio program, Aga admitted, “Mahirap ‘pag skit kasi naka-script, ‘di ba? Sanay ako na kinakausap ang mga anak ko in a very normal level… pero kapag may script na kayong sinusunod, dapat umaarte kayo, parang na-aw-awkward ako.”
“But ‘pag may mga eksena sila na even hindi ako kasama, nanonood ako sa likod ng kamera, at apparently natutuwa naman talaga ako,” he added. He asked the entire cast to assist his children since they are sitcom newbies. Sa cast namin, sinabi ko na paki-alagaan na lang. Alalayan n’yo sila.”
In the sitcom, they speak more relatable and street colloquial terms than in real life, since the new sitcom’s director, Danni Caparas, has been known for “salitang kalye” since he also directed Aga’s hit ‘90s sitcom “Oki Doki Doc,” where Aga and Charlene met. Sa script, lahat ng salitang kalye, at ‘yun naman ang kailangan sa sitcom talaga, para makarelate ang marami talaga,” Aga said. The show will reunite Aga and Charlene with their “Oki Doki Doc” co-stars, Bayani Agbayani and Roderick Paulate. g
Funny ways Filipino...
two Hollywood A-listers were looking at them in confusion, waiting for the Filipino interviewers to figure out how to proceed with the interview.
Ako muna magsasalita,” Cong told Pangilinan under his breath, but which probably everyone in the room heard. Sabi mo saken eto muna gagawin mo… O di sige kung ano gusto mong gawin, gawin mo na,” Pangilinan said.
“We can hear you,” said Reynolds, as Jackman looked at the two curiously. “Let me just start by saying ‘I’m sorry, for whatever that happened.’”
‘How are you?’ Cong then followed with his killer first question: “How are you?”
“Concerned,” Reynolds replied, looking at him with a touch of… concern, all the while that Cong was seemingly waiting for things to unfold — maybe for the two American actors to suddenly transform into their costumes? “Well, nailed it. Next question?”
Pangilinan. who was holding his laughter in, then interjected, saying they were just “messing” with them. The movie actors then began sighing with relief, with Jackman saying he was sweating the interview might have taken a bad route.
But Cong was sticking to his guns. “No we’re not (messing with you).”
Why Deadpool and Wolverine fight a lot
As Pangilinan tried to get the interview rolling, he began by saying they have amazing questions to ask.
Cong then started reading his cue card with a straight face. “In the trailer, you fight a lot. Why?”
“I knew this question,” Reynolds said.
“It’s a love language,” said Jackman of his friend Reynolds whom he could always be seen dissing on social media.
“It is kind of a love language, right? It’s how we express ourselves,” said Reynolds as he tried to stay in his usual aura, while Jackman was seen releasing a little laughter then and there. How to not be a terrible father
“I recently just got married, and me, myself, I have a twoyear-old son,” Cong said, but Jackman told him, “You did? You look very happy, Cong.”
“I heard from you that you are a terrible father,” Cong then asked Reynolds. “Any advice so I don’t end up like you?” he said, referencing what he said during a press conference earlier that his daughter’s best friend in New York is from Seoul, but he did not bring them with him during the tour because he was a “cruel, heartless and a terrible father.”
Reynolds and Jackman were in utter disbelief. “Wow,” said the Wolverine actor, amazed by Cong’s audacity. “‘Michelle, contain your client,” Reynolds called the staff in mock anger. In
a more serious tone, he said: “I think you just want to value and prize external accomplishments instead of bringing them home for yourself. Just try to stay away as much as possible, you know,” advised Reynolds.
“People make the mistake of being a good parent at the beginning, but if you’re going to improve, if the expectations of the kid are so low,” added Jackman, with his co-actor agreeing. Who heals faster Cong and Pangilinan then asked the Hollywood stars to play the game called “Who’s Most Likely To?” The former was then seen pulling out from his back pocket a pair of paddles before sniffing them and wiping them on his shirt, before handing them over to the Deadpool & Wolverine actors, who were looking askance at the props.
“Where did you pull… Oh right, cool,” said Jackman.
“Wow, that came out right under the old keister, okay,” Reynolds said.
The two were then asked by Pangilinan who’s most likely to heal faster, pertaining to their characters in the film. The two actors whose characters just happened to have the uncanny ability to heal faster than regular human beings or mutants, conceded the other to be more.
But Cong, still with his poker face, said, “No, we mean from heartbreaks.”
“Oh,” said the Hollywood actors in chorus. “Those scars last,” added Reynolds. He pointed again on Wolverine’s image on his paddle, saying, “I didn’t have a heart.”
‘Despicable son of a bi—’
Reynolds and Jackman were then asked by Pangilinan who’s most likely to lead the Avengers and beat Thanos, in a parrallel Marvel universe, a question that both actors have no ready answer to.
Before both of them could reply, Cong spoke with his usual blank face, “I know someone.
Manny Pacquiao.”
“Oh, Manny Pacquiao, he’s a slugger,” said Reynolds.
“And last question before you can go back to your family,” said Cong. But Reynolds was done holding it in and had to ask him, “When you smile, does it make a cracking sound?”
Cong tried to hide a smile but Jackman saw him. “Oh, I saw that! Watch that, replay that!”
“I saw joy in your eyes!” said Reynolds after finally being able to draw out a shadow of a smile from Cong’s inscrutable demeanor. “Despicable son of a bi—! Oh, there’s his dimples, too.”
But Cong was all professional and cut off their banter with his last question. “Which is most likely to take a better Gen Z selfie between you two? Are you familiar with a Gen Z selfie?”
Reynolds said he’s not familiar with such and Cong proceeded to demonstrate how it’s done. Reynolds ended up being the one to hit the right button. g
Aga Muhlach and Charlene Gonzales with their twins Atasha and Andres TV5 photo
Echo Park’s Lotus Festival 2024: A celebration of culture and community
THE 44th annual Lotus Festival at Echo Park Lake in Los Angeles, held on July 13-14, 2024, celebrated the rich cultural heritage of the Philippines. This year’s festival, a vibrant display of community and tradition, attracted thousands of attendees who enjoyed a variety of activities and performances throughout the weekend.
The event featured live cultural dance and entertainment, showcasing traditional Filipino music and dance forms. Artisans and boutiques offered unique crafts, while community booths provided information and engagement opportunities for attendees.
The food court was a highlight, offering a taste of authentic Filipino cuisine and other delicious treats.
One of the most anticipated events of the festival was the dragon boat races, which drew large crowds eager to watch the thrilling competitions on the lake. The children’s area offered a range of fun activities for the younger attendees, ensuring a family-friendly environment. Additionally, the eco-friendly area highlighted sustainable practices and environmental awareness, aligning with the festival’s commitment to promoting green initiatives.
The festival concluded each night with a serene Lantern Launch, where attendees purchased tickets in advance to release lanterns onto the lake, creating a beautiful and reflective spectacle. This tradition added a poignant
and memorable end to the day’s festivities. Philippine participation at the Lotus Festival This year, the Lotus Festival proudly highlighted the cultural heritage of the Philippines, offering festival-goers a deep dive into Filipino traditions
and contemporary culture. The Philippine Consulate General in Los Angeles played a significant role in organizing and curating the Filipino cultural exhibits and performances. Attendees were treated to a rich tapestry of Filipino dance, including the famous Tinikling,
known for its intricate footwork and rhythmic bamboo poles. Traditional Filipino music, featuring instruments like the kulintang and rondalla, resonated throughout Echo Park Lake, bringing the sounds of the Philippines to the heart of Los Angeles.
The food court was a bustling hub of activity, with vendors serving a variety of Filipino delicacies such as adobo, lechon, lumpia, and halohalo. These culinary delights offered an authentic taste of the Philippines, drawing food enthusiasts and curious attendees alike to explore the diverse flavors of Filipino cuisine.
In addition to the performances and food, the festival also featured educational exhibits on Filipino history and culture. These exhibits provided insights into the Philippines’ rich cultural heritage, from its pre-colonial history to its modern-day influences. Artisans from the Philippines showcased traditional crafts, including weaving and pottery, allowing attendees to appreciate the intricate artistry and cultural significance behind these crafts.
The 2024 Lotus Festival not only celebrated the culture of the Philippines but also highlighted the diverse AsianPacific heritage in Los Angeles, fostering a sense of community and cultural appreciation among all who attended.
For more details on future events and updates, visit the Los Angeles Parks Foundation website at www. laparksfoundation.org. g
Enchong Dee on showing up at awards...
that reiterated that he is not at an awards show for himself.
“The last thing I can do is to show up and to be here for my film… we are not here for ourselves. We are here for the family that we created. At the same time, isa siyang reminder na ’di ba, sobrang proud ka sa film mo? (At the same time, it’s a reminder that you’re proud of your film, right?) And when you’re nominated, you’re supposed to be proud to be nominated for your film,” he said. Dee also reiterated that once an actor gets paid to star in a film, it’s supposed to be a “total package” from filming, joining promotional activities and press conferences, to attending awards ceremonies.
Jessica Soho, Kara David...
Goes to USA performance in Anaheim, California on August 9. The following day, they will perform in South San Francisco High School Auditorium in San Francisco, California.
* * * Navarro Jr., son of the late comedian Rod Navarro Sr., met again the FAMAS ladies headed by its president Francia “Cheche” Conrado and members Christina Aliada and Teresita Tolentino Pambuan (a retired schoolteacher in Hayward, California who appeared in Romm Burlat’s Manang) during the first anniversary of a beauty wellness and spa in Binondo, Manila. They were all invited as VIP guests by top podcaster Cali Manzano.
* * * On July 21, a month before the
August 21 death anniversary of Ninoy Aquino, a holiday in the Philippines, a group of August Twenty-One Movement (ATOM) will quietly walk, run, jog and bike along Ayala Avenue at 6:30 a.m. through its ROAR (run on against revision) campaign. Expected to attend are regular runners Kiko Aquino Dee (the Aquino family’s spokesperson), Emilio Aquino (son of former senator and actor Butz Aquino), historian Xiao Chua,
and
“Proud ka sa pelikula mo and the least you can do is to be there for it. Ako kasi, lagi ko siyang tinitignan na kapag binayaran ka ng producer sa shooting, hindi naman siya natatapos sa shooting. It’s a total package,” he said. (You’re proud of your film and the least you can do is to be there for it. For me, I always believe that when a producer pays you to be part of a film, it doesn’t just involve shooting. It doesn’t end in shooting. It’s a total package.)
Dee recently was named Best Supporting Actor award at the seventh Entertainment Editors’ Choice (Eddy) Awards for his portrayal of Padre Jacinto Zamora in “GomBurZa.” g
Filipino American Symphony Orchestra (FASO) musicians performing at the festival’s stage. Photos courtesy of Eddie Sotiangco
Kayamanan ng Lahi members performing the Tinikling folk dance.
ROAR participants from a previous year. Photos courtesy of Rogelio C. Medina
Rod Navarro Jr. (extreme right) with FAMAS ladies (from left) Tess Pambuan, Christina Aliada and president Francia Conrado.
Regular ROAR runners (from left): Francisco Kawada, Kiko Aquino Dee, Volt Bohol and Xiao Chua.
