AUGUST 9-15, 2024
PCSO chief sues vlogger in US court
PHILIPPINE Charity Sweepstakes Office
(PCSO) General Manager Melquiades Robles has filed defamation and invasion of privacy charges against vlogger Claire Contreras, known as “Maharlika,” before a United States court.
In a press conference on Sunday, August 4, Robles said he decided to file the cyber complaints before the Central District Court of California after Contreras allegedly maligned his family in her vlogs.
Robles said he and his wife, Sherwil, went to the U.S. late last June to sue Contreras to “stop her from continuously harassing and maligning” them through her online vlog. Contreras, said to be a U.S. citizen, has been dubbed as the “queen of fake news” by many social media users because of her criticisms against the administration of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and other government officials.
Robles said that for almost a year now, he and his family have been subjected by Contreras “to an almost daily barrage of vicious, unjustifiable and blatantly false attacks through her YouTube channel called ‘Boldyak’ TV.”
Harris’ California health care battles signal ghts ahead for hospitals if she wins
WHEN Kamala Harris was California’s top prosecutor, she was concerned that mergers among hospitals, physician groups, and health insurers could thwart competition and lead to higher prices for patients. If she wins the presidency in November, she’ll have a wide range of options to blunt monopolistic behavior nationwide.
The Democratic vice president could influence the Federal Trade Commission and instruct the departments of Justice and Health and Human Services to prioritize enforcement of antitrust laws and channel resources accordingly. Already, the Biden administration has taken an aggressive stance against mergers and acquisitions. In his first year in office, President Joe Biden issued
by RED MENDOZA ManilaTimes.net
NEARLY four out of 10 adult Filipinos prefer to be identified as pro-Marcos or administration supporters, while only two out of 10 support the Duterte family and their political allies, a survey commissioned by OCTA Research shows.
In its second quarter Tugon ng Masa survey conducted from June 26 to July 1, 2024, 36 percent said that they identified themselves as pro-administration or were more supportive of the administration of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., an increase of 5 percentage points from the previous survey conducted in March.
Meanwhile, only 16 percent said that they identified themselves as pro-Duterte or were more supportive of the policies of the Dutertes and their political allies, a 4 percentage point decrease from the previous survey.
Five percent of respondents said they supported the opposition, or those who identified themselves as being associated with the group of traditional opposition such as former Vice President Leni Robredo or the Liberal Party, a slight increase of 1 percentage point from the previous survey, while 11 percent said that they were ambivalent, or neutral, about their own political preferences.
The National Capital Region and Balanced Luzon were among the areas with the highest number of those who identified themselves as pro-Marcos at 43 percent and 42 percent, respectively, while Mindanao
PNP
urges Quiboloy to surrender, assures due process, rights
MANILA — Top leaders of the Philippine National Police (PNP) on Monday urged wanted religious leader Apollo Quiboloy to finally come out of hiding and surrender, assuring that due process and human rights would be respected.
PNP chief Rommel Marbil first aired his demand before the Senate panel on public order and dangerous drugs’ Monday (August 5) hearing, maintaining that the June 10 operation to serve an arrest warrant against alleged rapist Quiboloy did not violate any
rules.
“I assure, as the chief PNP, that we will assure you na i-surrender niyo na po si Apollo Quiboloy and the four others, nandito po kami and you will see na we follow the rules, human rights, and dito niyo lang po kami makikita na we follow yung human rights. We assure you po,” said Marbil.
For his part, Police Brigadier General and Regional Director Nicolas Torre III shared Marbil’s point of view, also calling for Quiboloy to show up and spare Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KJC) members from what they considered “harassment.”
Philippines holds joint drills with US, Australia, Canada
MANILA — Teaming up for the first time, warships from Australia, Canada, the Philippines and the United States sailed the waters of the West Philippine Sea (WPS) in a two-day Multilateral Maritime Cooperative Activity (MMCA) aimed at promoting a free and open Indo-Pacific. The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) said the respective air force assets of the four allied nations also participated in the exercise scheduled Aug. 6 and 7 within the country’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ).
In a joint statement, Admiral David Johnston, Australian chief of Defense Force; Gen. M. A. Jennie Carignan, Canadian chief of Defense Staff; Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr., AFP chief of staff and Admiral Samuel Paparo, commander of the US Indo-Pacific Command, said the
MMCA seeks to “uphold the right to freedom of navigation and overflight, other lawful uses of the sea and international airspace, as well as respect for maritime rights under international law, as reflected in the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea.”
The ranking military officials announced on Wednesday, August 6 that the joint sail demonstrates “our collective commitment to strengthen regional and international cooperation in support of a free and open IndoPacific.”
They declared that the naval and air force units of participating nations will operate together, enhancing cooperation and interoperability between the four armed forces.
“We stand together to address common maritime challenges and underscore our shared dedication to upholding international law and the rules-based
order,” the military officials said. “Our four nations reaffirm the 2016 South China Sea Arbitral Tribunal Award as a final and legally binding decision on the parties to the dispute.”
The AFP said the exercise featured a variety of naval and air assets from the participating nations, with the Philippines fielding the BRP Jose Rizal with a AW159 helicopter and the BRP Ramon Alcaraz.
Australia’s involvement features a Poseidon Aircraft and Canada deployed the HMCS Montreal and a Sikorsky CH148 Cyclone helicopter.
The AFP added that the United States military contributed the USS Lake Erie and a Sikorsky MH-60R Seahawk helicopter for the MMCA, which forms part of a series of events designed to enhance interoperability and cooperation among the participating
respondents remained strongly pro-Duterte at 50 percent, while those who said that they were proMarcos were at 25 percent.
Class ABC and D also identified strongly as proMarcos, with 40 and 37 percent of respondents saying they strongly identified with the administration, while 33 percent of Class E respondents said they strongly identified with the Duterte family and their allies.
Support for the opposition among major areas ranged from 0 to 16 percent, with the highest support for the opposition in the Visayas region at 16 percent, followed by the NCR and Balanced Luzon at 5 percent and 3 percent, respectively.
The support for the opposition among socioeconomic classes also ranged from 2 percent to
by JEANETTE I. ANDRADE Inquirer.net
by KLARIZE MEDENILLA AJPress
ON Tuesday, Aug. 6, a coalition of leading Filipino American Democrats celebrated the likely Democratic candidate Kamala Harris’s selection of Tim Walz, governor of Minnesota, as her running mate in the 2024 presidential election.
Filipino Americans for Harris Walz (FAFHW) — which was established on July 29 and formerly known as Filipino Americans for Harris — shared their support for Walz and highlighted some of his political achievements in a press release.
“Governor Walz brings even more energy and excitement to the race for president. Vice President Kamala Harris made an excellent decision when she selected Governor Walz to be her vice presidential pick. He and Vice President Harris make an exceptional team for the race to the White House and we are looking forward to helping bring that victory in November!” FAFHW said.
Walz, 60, has served as the governor of Minnesota since 2019. Previously, he represented Minnesota in the United States
As a Midwestern Democrat — which was a rarity in Congress at the time of his tenure — Walz supports LGBTQ rights, labor and workers’ rights, and increased gun control protocol (previously, he was a fervent gun rights advocate until the Parkland high school shooting in 2018). As governor, he signed off on a number of police reform bills
RETURN OF LAPULAPU. The 40-foot bronze Lapulapu monument, also called the “Sentinel of Freedom,” is fully restored and re-erected at Agrifina Circle of Rizal Park in Manila as photographed on Monday, Aug. 5. The National
by CHARIE ABARCA Inquirer.net
by MICHAEL PUNONGBAYAN Philstar.com
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz has been selected by Vice President Kamala Harris as her running mate for the 2024 presidential election. File photo/https://mn.gov House of Representatives from 2007 to 2019.
More people back Marcos than....
administration was highest at the Cordillera Administrative Region at 83 percent, Cagayan Valley at 79 percent, Eastern Visayas at 75 percent, Mimaropa (Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon and Palawan) at 69 percent and Ilocos Region at 60 percent. Meanwhile, Pro-Duterte support was highest in Davao Region at 70 percent, Soccsksargen (South Cotabato,
Cotabato City, Sultan Kudarat, Sarangani and General Santos City) at 52 percent and Caraga Region at 67 percent.
Pro-Marcos support was also high among Filipinos ages 75 years old and above at 69 percent, as well as in rural areas than in urban areas.
The survey had 1,200 respondents and a margin of error of plus or minus 3 percent. g
PCSO chief sues vlogger in US...
“For reasons unknown to us, she continues to deliberately spread malicious lies against us while also calling me various names that were meant to deride and denigrate my reputation,” he said.
In her online program, Contreras also allegedly made several “absolutely untrue and outlandish accusations” against Robles, including “stealing money from the people, contract killing and even assisting terrorists.”
“She even accused me of plotting to kill her when I went to the U.S., which was outrageous because my main job in the PCSO is to save lives, and we have helped over 300,000 Filipinos who were hospitalized just last year,” he said.
Robles said he wonders why
He said he and his family tried to stay silent, knowing that Contreras’ accusations
products of her vile imaginations and
They decided to seek redress from the court when they realized that the vlogger had no plans of stopping her unfounded assaults against us, Robles said. He said he would go back to the U.S. once the court required his presence. g
Carlos Yulo vows LA 2028 encore,
PAGE 1 west coast as the defending champion of the floor exercise and vault, which he ruled in back-to-back nights to become the most decorated Filipino Olympian in history.
If he makes it past the myriad qualifying tournaments and books a ticket to Los Angeles, EJ Obiena will be competing from a place starkly different from Yulo.
Obiena will be looking for redemption after missing out on a podium finish by one spot.
“I will be back,” Obiena wrote on his social media account after finishing an agonizing fourth in the pole vault competition early Tuesday morning, August 6 after the world No. 2 failed to crack the 5.95-meter bar in three tries.
“I have been knocked down. But I will get back up.”Obiena apologized for the defeat; he was one of the PH stars tagged as a favorite for the podium.
But the 28-year-old Asian record holder missed out on his attempts at 5.95 after the 12-man finals field had been whittled to four. As a result, he missed reuniting the world’s top three vaulters at the podium.
World No. 1 Mondo Duplantis won the gold and reset the world and Olympic records with a 6.25-m vault.
World No. 3 Sam Hendricks finished with the silver with a 5.95-m finish while Emmanouil Karalis of Greece finished with the bronze at 5.90—the same barrier Obiena crossed, but one he reached in fewer tries.
“It’s painful. I missed a medal by one jump and it wasn’t far on all my attempts at [5.95 m],” Obiena said in an interview with Olympics broadcaster One Sports.
“I apologize. I promised [I was] gonna go back after Tokyo and do better. I did, but it didn’t change in my book. I still came up short. I’m really sorry. I apologize for it,” added Obiena, who placed 11th in the Tokyo Games.
On his socials’ post, Obiena wrote: “[Fourth] place is painful to say the least; and in sports with three podium places, perhaps [fourth] is the harshest place to be. I am heartbroken that a single failure cost me and
cost a nation I so deeply love … the podium.”
Two silvers Yulo’s two gold medals came three years after Hidilyn Diaz (now Diaz-Naranjo) broke through with the first Olympic title ever for the Philippines after ruling the women’s 55-kilogram class of weightlifting in Tokyo. Before that trailblazing win, the country had gone through 97 years of Olympic participation without ever winning a gold.
From 1924 to 2016, the Philippines’ shiniest medal was a silver, one coming in 1964 in Tokyo from boxer Anthony Villanueva, in 1996 in Atlanta through boxer Onyok Velasco, and the other in 2016 courtesy of Diaz in Rio de Janeiro.
And in the span of three years, the Philippines has collected three golds, two silvers and one bronze, with at least two more podium finishes ahead.
Yulo, Obiena and the other young stars of the country hope to continue that winning haul in four years.
“Four years. It’s still a long way. I just hope I’ll be healthy and free from injuries,’’ said Yulo. In Paris, the country’s current medal count is at two golds and two bronzes. Aira Villegas and Nesthy Petecio both settled for bronze following losses in their respective semifinals fights on Wednesday, August 7 and Thursday, August 8 respectively. g
Carlos Edriel Yulo Photo courtesy of International Gymnastics Federation
EJ Obiena Photo from Instagram/@ernestobienapv
CHARGED. PCSO General Manager Melquiades Robles holds a copy of the complaint he filed against vlogger Claire Contreras in a press conference on Aug. 4. Photo by Ismael De Juan Contreras continues to harass and malign him and his family when he did not even know her personally.
“were only
hateful heart.”
FILIPINO PRIDE. A billboard of Gymnast Carlos Yulo, double gold medalist in the 2024 Paris Olympics, is up at the entrance of Rizal Memorial Sports Complex in Pablo Ocampo Street, Malate, Manila on Tuesday, Aug. 6. The historic complex is near Leveriza Street where Yulo grew up. PNA photo by Yancy Lim
Harris’ California health care battles signal...
an executive order intended to intensify antitrust enforcement across multiple industries, including health care.
Under Biden, the FTC and DOJ have fought more mergers than they have in decades, often targeting health care deals.
“What Harris could do is set the tone that she is going to continue this laser focus on competition and health care prices,” said Katie Gudiksen, a senior health policy researcher at University of California College of the Law, San Francisco.
The Harris campaign didn’t respond to a request for comment.
For decades, the health industry has undergone consolidation despite government efforts to maintain competition. When health systems expand, adding hospitals and doctor practices to their portfolios, they often gain a large enough share of regional health care resources to command higher prices from insurers. That results in higher premiums and other health care costs for consumers and employers, according to numerous studies.
Health insurers have also consolidated in recent decades, leaving only a handful controlling most markets.
Health care analysts say it’s possible for Harris to slow the momentum of consolidation by blocking future mergers that could lead to higher prices and lower-quality care. But many of them agree the consolidation that has already taken place is an inescapable feature of the U.S. health care landscape.
“It’s hard to unscramble the eggs,” said Bob Town, an economics professor at the University of Texas.
There were nearly 1,600 hospital mergers in the U.S. from 1998 to 2017 and 428 hospital and health system mergers from 2018 to 2023, according to a KFF study. The percentage of community hospitals that belong to a larger health system rose from 53 in 2005 to 68 in 2022. And in another sign of market concentration, as of January, well over threequarters of the nation’s physicians were employed by hospitals or corporations, according to a report produced by Avalere Health.
Despite former President Donald Trump’s hostility to regulation as a candidate, his administration was active on antitrust efforts — though it did
allow one of the largest health care mergers in U.S. history, between drugstore chain CVS Health and the insurer Aetna. Overall, Trump’s Justice Department was more aggressive on mergers than past Republican administrations. Harris, as California’s attorney general from 2011 to 2017, jumpstarted health care investigations and enforcement.
“She pushed back against anticompetitive pricing,” said Rob Bonta, California’s current attorney general, who is a Democrat.
One of Harris’ most impactful decisions was a 2012 investigation into whether consolidation among hospitals and physician practices gave health systems the clout to demand higher prices. That probe bore fruit six years later after Harris’ successor, Xavier Becerra, filed a landmark lawsuit against Sutter Health, the giant Northern California hospital operator, for anticompetitive behavior. Sutter settled with the state for $575 million.
In 2014, Harris was among 16 state attorneys general who joined the FTC in a lawsuit to dismantle a merger between one of Idaho’s largest hospital chains and its biggest physician group. In 2016, Harris joined the U.S. Department of Justice and 11 other states in a successful lawsuit to block a proposed $48.3 billion merger between two of the nation’s largest health insurers, Cigna and Anthem.
Attempts to give the state attorney general the power to nix or impose conditions on a wide range of health care mergers have been fiercely, and successfully, opposed by California’s hospital industry. Most recently, the hospital industry persuaded state lawmakers to exempt for-profit hospitals from pending legislation
that would subject private equitybacked health care transactions to review by the attorney general. A spokesperson for the California Hospital Association declined to comment.
As attorney general of California, Harris’ work was eased by the state’s deep-blue political hue. Were she to be elected president, she could face a less hospitable political environment, especially if Republicans control one or both houses of Congress. In addition, she could face opposition from powerful health care lobbyists.
Though it often gets a bad rap, consolidation in health care also confers benefits. Many doctors choose to join large organizations because it relieves them of the administrative headaches and financial burdens of running their own practices. And being absorbed into a large health system can be a lifeline for financially troubled hospitals.
Still, a major reason health systems choose to expand through acquisition is to accumulate market clout so they can match consolidation among insurers and bargain with them for higher payments. It’s an understandable reaction to the financial pressures hospitals are under, said James Robinson, a professor of health economics at the University of California-Berkeley.
Robinson noted that hospitals are required to treat anyone who shows up at the emergency room, including uninsured people. Many hospitals have a large number of patients on Medicaid, which pays poorly. And in California, they face a series of regulatory requirements, including seismic retrofitting and nurse staffing minimums, that are expensive.
“How are they going to pay for that?” Robinson said. At the federal level, any effort
Fil-Am pro-Harris coalition celebrates...
following the murder of George Floyd by then-Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin in 2020. Walz is also a supporter of abortion and reproductive rights.
Prior to his political career, he taught social studies and coached football at the high school level. In 1989, he lived in China where he taught English for a year.
Walz also served in the Army National Guard for 24 years. As a congressman, he became a part of the House Committee on Veteran Affairs, where he advocated for more sophisticated mental health care
and suicide prevention programs for veterans.
Since 1994, he has been married to his wife Gwen, with whom he has one son and one daughter. Walz was arrested in 1995 for driving under the influence of alcohol; he has since abstained from alcohol. He is also a practicing Lutheran.
Harris’s selection of Walz came to a surprise to many who believed she would select among a shortlist of likely contenders, like Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro or U.S. Senator Mark Kelly of Arizona. According to the Associated
PNP urges Quiboloy to...
“As I’m saying, the wheels of justice can only start if he submits to the jurisdiction of the court because everything that we discuss here, saying whether he’s innocent or guilty, are of the moment because we are not the court that will thresh out all those issues,” said Torre.
“So I would really suggest that Mr. Quiboloy submit[s] himself to the jurisdiction of the court because sooner or later, the long arm of the law will catch up with him,” he added.
Panel head Sen. Bato dela Rosa, meanwhile, countered the demands, clarifying that it’s unfair to make Quiboloy’s presence a prerequisite for peace in Davao.
“I would just like to react na it’s unfair for them naman na i-require niyo muna sila na i-surrender muna si Pastor Quiboloy para maging peaceful ang Davao. Parang ganon — para maging normal ang lahat; for all you know, even [former] President Rodrigo
Duterte ay walang contact kay Pastor Quiboloy, hindi alam kung nasaan na ‘yun ngayon,” said dela Rosa.
(I would just like to say that it’s unfair to require them to surrender Pastor Quiboloy before it becomes peaceful in Davao. It’s like that, in order for it to be normal again; for all you know, even former President Rodrigo Duterte has no contact with Pastor Quiboloy, we don’t know where he is right now.)
According to dela Rosa, he even tried to keep in touch with Quiboloy after the warrant was issued, but he failed to have constant contact with the religious leader who is wanted for sexual abuse and human trafficking. Quiboloy is facing two separate arrest orders from Davao and Pasig courts.
The Supreme Court, however, granted the Department of Justice’s bid to transfer Quiboloy’s sexual abuse case from a court in Davao to Quezon City to avoid a miscarriage of justice.
Press, Harris held in-person meetings with Shapiro, Kelly, Walz, and others over the weekend. But ultimately she was moved by his history as a congressman as well as his life before public office.
“He’s the kind of person who makes people feel like they belong and then inspires them to dream big,” said Harris during a rally in Philadelphia where she introduced Walz as her running mate. “That’s the kind of vice president America deserves.”
Vice President Kamala Harris White House photo
Religious leader Apollo Quiboloy Inquirer.net file photo
Comelec chair seeks US DOJ help
by Mayen JayMalin Philstar.com
MANILA — Commission on
Elections (Comelec)
Chairman George Garcia is seeking the assistance of the United States Department of Justice (DOJ) in identifying those behind the allegations that he owns offshore bank accounts.
Garcia said he would coordinate with the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) in
requesting help from the U.S. DOJ. He expressed optimism that the U.S. govermment would lend a hand in probing possible cases of identity theft and bank fraud.
Garcia said he would ask the U.S. DOJ to probe those behind Jaleo Consulting LLC who deposited $100 each in the Cayman National Bank and New York Bank accounts that he supposedly owns.
Sagip party-list Rep. Dante Marcoleta earlier alleged that volunteers made fund transfers to two offshore accounts of Garcia. Garcia said the Comelec wants to know the real owners of the two bank accounts. He said he would send a letter to the DFA requesting the U.S. DOJ to provide legal assistance to him, based on the Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty. g
Philippines holds joint drills with US...
PAGE 1 forces.
Among the events held were the pre-sail briefing, communication exercise, division tactics/officer of the watch maneuver, photographic exercise, cross deck landing operations, antisubmarine warfare exercise, replenishment at sea, contact reporting/maritime domain awareness, and a final exercise.
Chinese ships
There were no traces of Chinese activity monitored in Panatag Shoal, but three People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) warships were seen tailing or observing the ongoing MMCA in the WPS, the AFP said on Wednesday.
“Initial reports from the ground indicate no trace of Chinese military activity in the area of Bajo de Masinloc as of Aug. 7. Aside from the usual illegal encroachment and presence of Chinese maritime militia vessels, we have not monitored any purported exercise or combat patrols,” the AFP public affairs office said.
“We can, however, confirm the presence of three PLA Navy vessels, namely PLANavy Wuzhou Jiangdao II Class Corvette, PLA-Navy Huangshan Jiankai II Class Corvette and PLA-Navy Qujing Jiangdao II Class Corvette, that tailed the ongoing MMCA. Nevertheless, the safety of our personnel and the overall conduct of the MMCA remains an utmost priority,” the AFP added.
The AFP said the most recent Chinese exercise in the northern part of the South
China Sea happened from July 31 to Aug. 2, but it was carried out outside the Philippine EEZ.
“The AFP, in coordination with the Philippine Coast Guard and other relevant agencies, will continue to monitor the situation as part of our mandate to protect our territory, sovereignty and sovereign rights based on international law,” the military said.
The AFP has conducted several MCAs with other allied military forces in the WPS in the past months.
Just last week, the Japanese warship JS Sazanami sailed in the WPS alongside the Philippine Navy’s BRP Jose Rizal, a month after the signing of a Reciprocal Access Agreement between the Philippines and Japan allowing joint military training exercises between the two nations.
China, deploying two PLAN vessels, monitored the exercise and were observed tailing the formation within four nautical miles and 4.9 nautical miles, respectively. (With reports from Pia Lee-Brago/Philstar.com)
Two county parks close in high heat
DUE to triple-digit temperatures, two county parks will be closed for the month of August. They are El Capitan County Preserve in Lakeside and Mt. Gower County Preserve in Ramona.
These locations have difficult trails that end in isolated areas. They also offer very limited shade which can lead to dangerous conditions during major heat events. They join two desert parks that are already closed for the summer due to extreme heat: Vallecito and Agua Caliente County Parks.
Closing parks is always a last resort, but it is done to reduce heat-related incidents like heat exhaustion and heat stroke.
“When we close park gates, it’s to reduce health risks and related injuries caused by severe weather events – for guests as well as for our own team members who are called to assist in emergency situations,” said Brian Albright, director of the County of San Diego Department of Parks and Recreation.
The closures also provide County Parks and Recreation staff an opportunity to conduct needed maintenance including trail restoration. This work is done in the early morning or evening while it is cooler.
The county will continue to work safely to improve your park experience and look forward to A dirt trail in the El Capitan County
welcoming you back to El Capitan and Mt. Gower County Preserves in September.
There are more than 100 other County parks and preserves to explore during the month of August – like Waterfront Park and its new active recreation area. It’s open daily from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. If it is really hot, consider staying home or plan your next hike by taking one of these virtual tours of some of the County’s most popular trails. If you do go out for a hike, be smart about it! Here are some safety tips to consider: • Let someone know where you will be and when you plan to return.
• Hike with others, never alone.
• Leave your dog at home for difficult hikes. Even “easy” hikes may be too much for your dog when the air or ground are too hot.
• Take plenty of water
• Take breaks in shade, if possible.
• Take a fully charged mobile phone, map and/or GPS.
• Wear lightweight, lightcolored, ventilated clothing.
• Bring along a warm jacket if you plan to stay out after dusk.
• Wear sturdy shoes with traction for slippery rocks.
• Follow all posted safety rules.
• Bring ample food, sunscreen to reapply, a flashlight, first aid kit, multi-purpose tool and a whistle.
• Know your limitations; choose trails that match your level of physical fitness and areas where you are not going to get lost. For additional information on visiting County Parks, visit sdparks. org. (Shauni Lyles/County of San Diego Communications O
Harris’ California health care battles signal...
to blunt anticompetitive mergers would depend in part on how aggressive the FTC is in pursuing the most egregious cases. FTC Chair Lina Khan has made the FTC more proactive in this regard.
Last year, the FTC and DOJ jointly issued new merger guidelines, which suggested the federal government would scrutinize deals more closely and take a broader view of which ones violate antitrust laws. In September, the FTC filed a lawsuit against an anesthesiology group and its private equity backer, alleging they had engaged in anticompetitive practices in Texas to drive up prices.
In January, the agency sued to stop a $320 million hospital acquisition in North Carolina. Still, many transactions don’t come to the attention of the FTC because their value is below its $119.5 million reporting threshold. And even if it heard
about more deals, “it is very underresourced and needing to be very selective in which mergers they challenge,” said Paul Ginsburg, a professor of the practice of health policy at the University of Southern California’s Sol Price School of Public Policy.
Khan’s term ends in September 2024, and Harris, if elected, could try to reappoint her, though her ability to do so may depend on which party controls the Senate.
Harris could also promote regulations that discourage monopolistic behaviors such as all-or-nothing contracting, in which large health systems refuse to do business with insurance companies unless they agree to include all their facilities in their networks, whether needed or not. That behavior was one of the core allegations in the Sutter case. She could also seek policies at the Department of Health and
Human Services, which runs Medicare and Medicaid, that encourage competition.
Bonta, California’s current attorney general, said that, while there are bad mergers, there are also good ones. “We approve them all the time,” he said. “And we approve them with conditions that address cost and that address access and that address quality.”
He expects Harris to bring similar concerns to the presidency if she wins.
(Bernard J. Wolfson and Phil Galewitz/KFF Health News)
This article was produced by KFF Health News, which publishes California Healthline, an editorially independent service of the California Health Care Foundation. KFF Health News is a national newsroom that produces in-depth journalism about health issues and is one of the core operating programs at KFF—an independent source of health policy research, polling, and journalism.
The Armed Forces of the Philippines deploys the BRP Ramon Alcaraz with AW159 helicopter during air and naval drills with Australia, Canada and the U.S. in the West Philippine Sea on Wednesday, August 7. File photo/www.philstar.com
Comelec approves ling of misrepresentation raps vs Alice Guo
by GHIO ONG, JANVIC MATEO Philstar.com
MANILA — The Commission on Elections
(Comelec) has approved the recommendation of its law department to file an election code complaint against suspended Bamban, Tarlac Mayor Alice Guo. Besides filing a material representation case, Comelec chairman George Garcia said on Tuesday, August 6 that the poll body’s en banc also agreed order a preliminary investigation of the case.
The complaint stemmed from a fact-finding investigation conducted earlier by the Comelec’s law department regarding Guo’s mayoral candidacy, which may potentially violate Section 74 in relation to Section 262 of the Omnibus Election Code.
Section 74 of the code states that a candidate must use their baptized name or, if not baptized, the name registered with the local civil registrar, unless they have legally changed their name through a courtapproved process.
Garcia also said that Guo would be given a chance to explain her side.
In June, the National Bureau of Investigation confirmed that the fingerprints of Guo matched those of Chinese citizen Guo Hua Ping.
When asked if the embattled mayor can still file for candidacy in the next elections, Garcia stated that the Comelec must accept all candidacy filings.
Citing the Omnibus Election Code, the poll body’s chief said the Comelec must accept all the certificates of candidacies unless a court has ruled “with finality” that the aspiring candidate has been guilty of violating election laws.
“Whether the candidate’s name remains on the ballot depends on any filed cases against the
candidate or if Comelec itself decides to remove the name due to ineligibility,” Garcia said in an ambush interview in Filipino.
On July 5, the Office of the Solicitor General (OSG) filed a petition before a Tarlac court to cancel Guo’s certificate of live birth. Weeks later, the OSG filed a quo warranto petition against Guo to formally remove her from office.
The OSG requested Guo’s removal from public office, stating that she is “unlawfully holding the position and illegally performing the duties and responsibilities of the mayor of Bamban, Tarlac.”
Still a no-show
The suspended mayor still did not show up at the preliminary investigation for the trafficking in person case filed against her before the Department of Justice.
This waives the rights of Guo and three other Chinese incorporators of Baofu Land Development Inc. to answer the charges against them as they did not file their counter-affidavits, Justice Assistant Secretary Mico Clavano said.
“It was decided by the panel of prosecutors not to give them anymore another chance or another extension,” Clavano said in an interview with reporters.
However, the other co-accused, including former Technology and Livelihood Resource Center chief Dennis Cunanan and the two Chinese nationals were given a 10-day extension to file their responses to the case.
This makes the deadline for Cunanan and the other accused to August 10. If found guilty, Guo and the others accused could face life imprisonment and fines between P2 million and P5 million.
Resolve charter change issue, Sen. Padilla asks high court
by FRANCO JOSE C. BAROÑA ManilaTimes
SENATOR Robinhood Padilla filed a petition before the Supreme Court on Monday, August 5 asking it to determine whether the Senate and the House of Representatives should vote jointly or separately on amendments to the Constitution.
The question has been a sticking point to previous attempts to amend the Constitution, with senators tending to support separate voting and members of the House joint voting.
“The ones who drafted the Constitution have admitted ... they really failed in that matter, that amending certain provisions in the Constitution, Congress should vote separately,” Padilla told reporters following the filing of his petition.
“So, I hope, with the wisdom, with what we call the clear thinking of our judges, they can finally resolve the issue. We are not asking for advice; we are asking for a resolution. We are asking for the Court to resolve this conflict,” he added.
Padilla further pointed out that he could not perform his functions as chairman of the Senate Committee on Constitutional Reforms “due to the ambiguities” of Sections 1 and 3 of Art. XVII of the Constitution.
He invoked the Supreme Court’s constitutional power to “settle an existing, actual controversy,” which are purely questions of law, “as it ruminates on the proper application and interpretation of Constitutional provisions.”
“Without the honorable Court’s declarative pronouncements, these questions, as well as the unstable relations between the two Houses of Congress, shall persist,” Padilla said.
In filing the petition, the senator quoted President
Ferdinand Marcos Jr. who declared that both Congress should settle the debate on how to amend the Charter.
He also pointed out the numerous resolutions filed in Congress that sought to amend provisions in the Charter.
“Neither the Senate nor the House of Representatives wants to give in to the other’s interpretation... In other words, the same misinterpretations caused by the ambiguities, which Congress seeks to resolve, are preventing all of its efforts to resolve the controversy,” Padilla said.
In his petition, Padilla asked the Court to determine if, voting jointly, the requirement of three-fourths voting under Sec. 1(1) be treated as a threefourths vote by the Senate plus a three-fourths vote by the House or a three-fourths vote by the 24 senators with all members of the House of Representatives.
He also asked the high court to decide whether the Senate and House should jointly convene and assemble when voting for calling a constitutional convention and submit to the electorate the
question of calling such a convention.
Also when voting jointly, Padilla asked the Court to resolve if the requirements of a two-thirds vote under Sec. 3, Art. XVII, be treated as a twothirds vote in the Senate plus a two-thirds vote in the House, or a two-thirds vote of all 24 senators and all members of the House.
Finally, he asked the Supreme Court to declare whether the requirement of a “majority vote” under Sec. 3, Art. XVII can be treated as a majority vote in the Senate plus a majority vote in the House or a majority vote of all 24 senators voting with all members of the House when voting to amend the Constitution.
Padilla noted the “tension” between members of the Senate and the House of Representatives, which started from the people’s initiative proposal that included both Houses voting jointly.
The 24-seat Senate has taken the position that voting should be done separately, or else they would be outnumbered by the more than 300 members of the House.
Senator Robin Padilla, chairman of the Senate Committee on Constitutional Amendments and Revision Codes, files a petition seeking declaratory relief on key issues in the 1987 Constitution before the Supreme Court on Monday, August 25. ManilaTimes.net photo by Mike Alquinto
BACK TO SCHOOL. Students of Masambong High School in Quezon City finally return to their classes but outside the classroom on Monday, Aug. 5. The school was flooded on July 24 due to the Typhoon Carina-induced monsoon rains and some classrooms are still under repair. PNA photo by Joan Bondoc
FEATURES OPINION
Excessive entitlement
IT’S good to hear Sen. Ronald dela Rosa saying he is willing to be interviewed by prosecutors of the International Criminal Court. Although the former chief of the Philippine National Police maintained that he still did not recognize ICC jurisdiction, he said the ICC “can interview me anytime.”
“If they want to talk, I will answer their question,” Dela Rosa said last Friday, August 2, adding he would not show the ICC disrespect. What he intends to tell the ICC is unclear. Dela Rosa, as the first PNP chief during the presidency of Rodrigo Duterte, is said to be the architect of the brutal anti-drug crackdown code-named Oplan Tokhang. If he would tell the whole truth about the war on drugs that led to the killing of over 6,000 drug suspects at the hands of law enforcers, it would be a major step toward justice.
Editorial
Dela Rosa issued the statements after Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla said the Philippine government would not stop the International Criminal Police Organization from enforcing an arrest order issued by the ICC for “suspects” in a case of murder as a crime against humanity in the conduct of Duterte’s drug war.
The Philippines is one of 196 Interpol member states and is bound by its commitments to the
Virtual Reality
TONY LOPEZ
DID you know that the Philippine government budgeted only P52 million to prepare, train and send our athletes to the Paris Olympics?
For that money, the Philippines so far has won two golds and possibly will win two bronzes, if not silvers (from boxing), during the 100th year anniversary of the Games in Paris where Manila is making its 23rd Olympics appearance.
On Aug. 3, Carlos Yulo won the gold in floor exercise, artistic gymnastics and on Aug. 4, his second gold, this time in men’s vault, artistic gymnastics.
With two Olympiad golds (each with six grams of pure gold, worth $1,027 plus a bit of Eiffel metal) by spending just P52 million, the cost per gold medal for the Philippines is only P26 million. Per capita with a population of 116 million, the Philippines has one Olympic gold for every 58 million Filipinos. Well, not bad. India, with a population of 1.4
APPARENTLY, there’s a huge payback for the Marcos Jr. administration after its magnanimous offer to the Americans last April to use five more Philippine military bases in addition to the previous four.
The United States can now set up their own military facilities – minibases, actually – inside nine Philippine locations, in accordance with the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) of 2014.
They can install communication systems, store war equipment, ammunition, transport vehicles and supplies. American troops are to be stationed there on “rotational basis.” This effectively means U.S. troops will continually be present in the country in the coming years. Presumably in appreciation of Marcos Jr.’s show of generosity, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin announced in Manila on Tuesday, July 30 that the U.S. Congress would allocate an additional $500 million in military financing to the Philippines. They described the amount as part of an “unprecedented… once in a generation” U.S. investment in modernizing the Armed Forces
world’s largest police organization, in case the ICC courses its arrest orders through the Interpol. There are unconfirmed reports that upon ICC request, the Interpol has issued “blue notices” to member states for help in obtaining information from five drug war “suspects” – Dela Rosa, former PNP chief Oscar Albayalde, PNP Drug Enforcement Group chief Brig. Gen. Eleazar Mata, retired police Col. Edilberto Leonardo who is now a commissioner of the National Police Commission, and Northern Luzon police commander Maj. Gen. Romeo Caramat Jr., who was the Bulacan provincial director when 32 drug suspects were killed within just 24 hours in the province in 2017 in a “one-time, big time” antidrug sweep.
The ICC has reportedly tagged Leonardo as the paymaster for PNP members who killed drug suspects, with Caramat allegedly facilitating the reward of P10,000 per kill. If the allegations are true,
billion, so far has zero gold in Paris. In Tokyo, India won one gold, or one gold for every 1,400 million Indians.
With two gold medals, the Philippines ranks 21st out of 206 participating countries and territories, No. 5 out of 44 Asian countries, in the Paris Olympiad, in gold medal tally.
According to a University of the Philippines study years ago, up to 40 percent of the government’s annual budget or the General Appropriations Act (GAA) is stolen.
The GAA in 2024 is P5,767.6 billion (P5.767 trillion), of which only P52 million went to the training and expedition of 22 Filipino athletes to Paris, or about P2.36 million per participant, including Yulo. In effect, for spending P2.36 million for Caloy, the Philippines got one gold for every P1.18 million.
If the 40 percent of the P5.767 trillion that is stolen (which may explain the massive floods that inundated Metro Manila and most of Luzon last July 23 and 24, 2024, because the government spends more than P1 billion for every work day for flood control that cannot control floods; that
it could help establish that the killings were statesponsored and systematic. Will Dela Rosa and the others cooperate? They may want to help finally shed light on a dark period
Gold, genes and golds
is P2.3 trillion literally down the drain), were diverted to sports, we could possibly win hundreds of Olympic medals.
Divide P2.3 trillion by P26 million, that is 88,461 gold medals. Statistically, though, winning 88,461 gold medals is not possible. There are only 329 gold events in Paris. In Olympics, there are two proven ways to success – genes and money.
Some nationalities are predisposed to excel in sports.
According to Randall Wilber of the US Olympics Committee and Yannis Pitsiladis of the University of Brighton, “since the 1968 Mexico City Olympics, Kenyan and Ethiopian runners have dominated the middle- and long-distance events in athletics and have exhibited comparable dominance in international cross-country and road-racing competition.”
Among the factors for their excellence: 1) genetic predisposition, 2) development of a high maximal oxygen uptake as a result of extensive walking and running at an early age, 3) relatively high hemoglobin and hematocrit, 4) development
of good metabolic “economy/ efficiency” based on somatotype and lower limb characteristics, 5) favorable skeletal-musclefiber composition and oxidative enzyme profile, 6) traditional Kenyan/Ethiopian diet, 7) living and training at altitude and 8) motivation to achieve economic success.
The richer a country is in GDP, the higher are its chances of winning Olympics medals.
In the past 20 years of the Olympics, the winningest countries have been: 1) United States, 816 medals; 2) Russia 559; 3) China 535; 4) Germany 441; 5) Britain 321; 6) France 299; 7) Australia 281; 8) Japan 264; 9) Canada 257 and 10) Italy 253.
In nominal GDP, the richest countries are in US trillion dollars: 1) USA $27.36; 2) China $17.94; 3) Germany $4.45; 4) Japan $4.21; 5) India $3.55; 6) UK $3.34; 7) Italy $2.25; 8) Brazil $2.17; 9) Canada $2.14 and 10) Russia $2.02.
Per Wikipedia, Russian medal winners have historically been gifted expensive premium cars valued at $50,000 to $200,000 and luxury apartments valued at $500,000 to $1,000,000 in
addition to separate payouts from national federations and regional governments. That tradition stretches back to the Soviet era. Our Philippine Sports Commission has a P112-million budget for “amateur sports promotion and development.”
PSC itself has a 2024 budget of P1.156 billion. Most of that money PSC spends for itself, its bureaucracy – P69 million in payroll, P782 million in maintenance and operations and P295 million in capital outlay.
Each of our senators has an annual pork of P200 million or P1.2 billion in six years. The Senate donated P30 million to the Philippine athletes in Paris; of that money, P23 million came from just one senator, Risa Hontiveros.
Some senators did not part with their pork.
I am sure when Caloy Yulo returns a hero in Manila, the Senate will allocate princely sums to honor him. Or maybe, pass a bill to erect a statue (bronze will do) in his honor in front of the spanking new P30-billion Senate building in Taguig. After all, gymnastics is far more exciting
and thrilling than the verbal calisthenics inside a Senate session hall, what with its six actors and two broadcasters as members.
With his unprecedented two golds, Yulo comes home a multi-millionaire. By law, the government awards a gold winner P10 million or P20 million for two golds. The House of Representatives has pledged P3 million per gold. Andrew Tan’s Megaworld will give a threebedroom condo in Mckinley Hill worth P35 million.
Meanwhile, in July 2023, Cynthia Carreon sent an effusive thank you note to Manuel V. Pangilinan for his total support for Philippine gymnastics and for being the first to respond to her call for funds to train Carlos in Japan. This week, that support paid off, handsomely, for the country and our people. (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: biznewsasia@gmail.com
$500-million bonanza in military aid from US
of the Philippines (AFP) and the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG). The nine EDCA sites are: Antonio Bautista Air Base in Palawan; Basa Air Base in Pampanga; Fort Magsaysay in Nueva Ecija; Lumbia Air Base in Cagayan de Oro City; MactanBenito Ebuen Air Base in Cebu; Camilo Osias Naval Base and Lallo Airport, both in Cagayan; Camp Melchor dela Cruz in Isabela and Balabac Island in Palawan.
Three of the new sites are in Northern Luzon – the Lal-lo Airport and the naval base in Cagayan and Camp Melchor dela Cruz in Gamu, Isabela – which are proximate to the Taiwan Strait, an arena of potential armed conflict between the U.S. and China. Marcos Jr. specifically cited the importance of Lal-lo Airport in the defense of Northern Luzon against “external threat” (subtly suggesting China).
Through a series of four bilateral discussions, dubbed as 2+2 dialogues from April 30, 2012 to April 12, 2023, the Philippines has entered into multiple defense and security alliances with a growing number of countries –bilateral, trilateral, quadrilateral alliances that the U.S. is cobbling together to shore up its hold in the Indo-Pacific region.
Over the decades, U.S. military financing purportedly to help modernize the AFP had typically been so minuscule as to make no impact in whatever aspect of the modernization program.
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Now let’s look more closely into the implications of these developments.
One may perceive that the EDCA arrangements practically circumvent the 1987 Philippine Constitution’s prohibition on the permanent presence of foreign military bases and troops in the country. This situation calls for a thorough re-examination.
After EDCA was signed in 2014 as an executive agreement between the Philippines and the U.S., its constitutionality was challenged before the Supreme Court by former Senators Wigberto Tanada and the late Rene Saguisag together with progressive organizations. The SC, by a 10-4 vote, however, upheld its constitutionality as an implementing agreement to the 1999 Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) and the 1951 Mutual Defense Treaty (MDT).
The EDCA was supposedly to be effective for an initial period of 10 years, and thereafter, it shall continue in force automatically unless terminated by either party by giving one year’s notice through diplomatic channels of its intention to terminate the agreement.
In February 2016, De la Salle University professor Renato Cruz de Castro wrote that the SC ruling upholding the EDCA paved the way for “the return of forward-deployed U.S. forces to
select Philippine military bases.”
Notably, he pointed out:
“The 10-year EDCA is considered a calculated effort by Manila and Washington to make the Philippines again a major staging base for projecting U.S. naval and air power in the face of China’s maritime expansion in the South China Sea.”
On the $500-million additional funding, U.S. Secretary of State Blinken explained that it’s intended to “boost security collaboration with our oldest treaty ally in this region, to strengthen the alliance.” The two countries’ armed forces, he added, are “working on more shared priorities in more places than ever before.” However, he did not provide any details.
It was Defense Secretary Austin who gave some details. He and Blinken, he said, are working with the U.S. Congress to allocate the $500 million to send a “clear message of support for the Philippines from the Biden administration [which ends its term this year], the U.S. Congress and the American people.”
The U.S. defense department intends to more than double its investments in EDCA sites across the Philippines, with Biden asking Congress to allocate more than $128 million this year to fund key EDCA projects. Besides the DND, Austin said, the USAID plans to pre-position disaster relief supplies in EDCA sites later
For the nth time, Austin reiterated that the 1951 Mutual Defense Treaty remains the “bedrock” of the U.S.-Philippine alliance and that it applies to armed attacks on either of the two countries’ armed forces, aircraft or public vessels anywhere in the South China Sea.
Way back in 2011, such assurance was first given by former U.S. President Barack Obama during his first official visit to the Philippines. Local “ uzi ” noted that when Marcos Jr. welcomed Blinken and Austin to Malacañang on Tuesday, the three were all broadly smiling. Similarly, after a press conference following their 2+2 meeting, Blinken, Austin and their counterparts, Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo and Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr., put on happy faces
as they joined hands for media photographers. In welcoming the two Americans, Marcos Jr. remarked: “I’m always very happy that these communication lines [between the treaty allies] are very open so that all the things that we are doing together, in terms of our alliance, […] the specific context of our situation here in the West Philippine Sea and in the Indo-Pacific, are continuously examined and re-examined so we are agile in […] our responses.”
The primordial consideration, of course, is how all these developments affect the lives and future of the Filipino people. (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.
in Philippine law enforcement. It could bring not only spiritual redemption, but also a better legal deal for those who are directly responsible for murder as a crime against humanity. (Philstar.com)
ALLIES. United States Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin III and Secretary of State Antony Blinken, and the Philippines’ Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo
No progress yet in talks to free MV Galaxy’s Filipino seafarers
MANILA
– The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said there is “no real progress” in the appeal to release the seafarers of MV Galaxy Leader, nine months since they were seized by the Houthi rebels in Yemen.
The statement was issued as the agency reported that the three sick Filipinos who were admitted to the hospital for malaria have already recovered.
“They have recovered and are on the ship or are being returned to the ship,” Foreign
Affairs Undersecretary for Migration Eduardo Jose de Vega told the Philippine News Agency on Tuesday, August 6.
“No real progress on talks as the Houthis insist on their position that they will only release the seafarers if the Israelis end their hostilities in Gaza,” he added.
The Houthi hijacked the cargo vessel near Hodeidah in November 2023 and held hostage its 25 crewmembers, 17 of whom are Filipino nationals.
It was confirmed that the Sana’a government in Yemen provided medical assistance when the three Filipino crewmembers exhibited malaria symptoms.
Honorary Consul to Yemen
Mohammad Saleh Al-Jamal sought the help of Sana’a authorities for the release of the three Filipinos, citing humanitarian reasons.
The Houthis previously said its attack was a retaliation for the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza. (PNA)
‘Hidilyn Diaz law’ revived at House after Carlos Yulo’s Olympic triumph
by Cristina Chi Philstar.com
MANILA — As millions in pledges pour in for Carlos Yulo’s double-gold victory at the 2024 Paris Olympics, the House ways and means committee on Monday, August 5 swiftly passed a bill seeking to exempt his and other athletes’ financial rewards from taxes and other fees.
The still-unnumbered substitute bill amends Republic Act 10699 or the National Athletes and Coaches Benefits and Incentives Act to grant tax exemptions for all incentives, rewards and other forms of donations to national athletes “who compete or win” in select international sports competitions.
The measure consolidates several House bills, including House Bill 421, which was refiled by committee chairperson Rep. Joey Salceda (Albay, 2nd District) in the 19th Congress.
An earlier version of the bill dubbed the “Hidilyn Diaz Law” was approved by the lower chamber in the 18th Congress in 2021 but failed to clear the Senate.
The bill was filed after Filipina weightlifter Hidilyn Diaz snagged a gold medal at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics — the first athlete from the Philippines to win gold at the Olympics. In his sponsorship speech,
Salceda pushed for the bill to exempt not just the cash prize handed out to winning athletes but also the donations that go to their training one year before the competition.
“A 12-year-old Carlos Yulo once gave an interview where he said that his dream was to win a gold medal for the Philippines in the Olympics. It took him more than a decade to reach that goal in the grandest manner possible,” the lawmaker said.
“What that teaches us is that the prize is never won on the day of the competition itself, but years before,” Salceda added.
The proposed law also makes the tax exemption for athletes’ cash incentives retroactive to January 1 of this year.
Prior to approving the provision, Salceda sought the Department of Finance’s official position on the matter, quipping: “Please accept the retroactivity. Nakakahiya kay Yulo kung babawasan mo yung ibibigay ni [Manuel V. Pangilinan] and Ramon Ang (It’s embarassing to Yulo if you will deduct the rewards from Manuel V. Pangilinan and Ramon Ang) .”
A representative from the DOF said that it will accept the provision making the tax exemptions retroactive to January 1.
Both the DOF and Salceda also agreed to keep the taxes in place for donations with a
commercial aspect.
Besides exempting donations one year before the athletes join the competition, the House ways and means chairperson also proposed to make donations through the Philippine Sports Commission or the Philippine Olympic Committee tax-free regardless of the time that has passed.
“At the proper time, that can be introduced in the plenary,” Salceda said.
“But let me emphasize this once again: it is mere tokenism, it is mere public relations, to ride the bandwagon when the victory has already been achieved. What we need to incentivize is the investments being made on the athletes who are still working on winning medals for the country,” the lawmaker added.
The current National Athletes and Coaches Benefits and Incentives Act provides a default 20% discount for national athletes in transportation services, hotels and restaurants, and the purchase of medicine and sports equipment, among others, regardless of winning any international competition.
The lower chamber is set to award Yulo with P3 million in cash incentives for winning the gold medal in the floor exercise finals on Saturday, and then another P3 million for topping the vault exercise finals on Sunday, August 4.
Manila ranks 93rd in list of 100 most sustainable cities
MANILA — The nation's capital, Manila, placed 93rd out of 100 cities in the Sustainable Cities Index 2024.
Global consultancy firm Arcadis ranks countries with four main pillars, namely Planet, People, Profit and Progress.
Planet measures environmental factors, Profit is for business environment, People is for citizen’s quality of life, while Progress is for sustainable goals that can be achieved within a 10-year time frame.
Under these pillars, there are 67 metrics. Under Planet, factors such as waste management is taken into account. Meanwhile, economic performance is measured in Profit, and social equity is under People. Progress is measured by activities such as improving
Lifetime pension for Filipino Olympians?
Riding on the high of Yulo’s historic back-to-back win in men’s gymnastics, House Speaker Martin Romualdez on Monday vowed to study the possibility of increasing government benefits to medalists in the Olympics, including granting them monthly pensions for life.
Romualdez said a lifetime monthly pension would honor Filipino athletes’ contributions to the country even after retirement.
In March, the House youth and sports committee began its deliberations on a House bill that provides retired Filipino Olympians with a lifetime monthly pension of at least P15,000.
The International Olympic Committee, the governing body of the Olympic Games, has long been concerned about the career transition prospects of competing athletes.
In a white paper published on its website, the Olympic committee described how all athletes must eventually prepare to transition away from their elite sports career, especially as “athletes will have little to no experience of a full-time job,” and some may have “missed out on college or university due to your sporting commitments.” g
by Reina C. TolenTino Philstar.com
sanitation, closing income gaps and more.
“In the 2024 index, Metro Manila ranked 93rd out of 100 cities,” Arcadis said in a statement.
According to Arcadis, the Philippines highest score was under the Planet. This means that there are efforts to reduce emissions and advance renewable energy.
Ranked in terms of the pillars, the Philippines was 77th in Planet, 91st in People, and 84th in Profit.
“Notably, it finds itself in the ‘Cities lacking momentum’ category within the Progress pillar, suggesting overwhelming challenges and limited progress on sustainability initiatives in recent years,” the report read.
Here are the top 10 most
PBBM’s
MANILA – Speaker Martin
Romualdez on Thursday, August 8 said the 6.3 percent growth of the Philippine economy in the second quarter of 2024 reflects the “effectiveness” of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s strategic economic policies amid global headwinds.
Romualdez welcomed the country’s economic trajectory as an “encouraging development” driven by the collaborative efforts between the executive and legislative branches of government.
“The 6.3 percent economic growth rate shows the effectiveness of President Bongbong Marcos’ economic strategies and the solid legislative support of Congress. Our economy is steadily recovering and growing, creating more job opportunities and improved quality of life for Filipinos,” Romualdez said.
sustainable cities, according to Arcadis: 1.) Amsterdam, Netherlands 2.) Rotterdam, Netherlands 3.) Copenhagen, Denmark 4.) Frankfurt. Germany 5.) Munich, Germany 6.) Oslo, Norway 7.) Hamburg, Germany 8.) Berlin, Germany 9.) Warsaw, Poland 10.) London, United Kingdom Joining Manila in the bottom are the following cities: 91.) Kolkata, India 92.) Bogota, Colombia 93.) Manila, Philippines 94.) Cairo, Egypt 95.) Lagos, Nigeria 96.) Kinshasa, Congo 97.) Cape Town, South Africa 98.) Nairobi, Kenya 99.) Johannesburg, South Africa 100.) Karachi, Pakistan g
Romualdez highlighted the performance of the industry and services sectors--which posted year-on-year growth rates of 7.7 percent and 6.8 percent, respectively--as being crucial for job creation and daily economic activities.
“Ang patuloy na paglago ng mga sektor na ito ay patunay ng tiwala ng mga Pilipino sa ating ekonomiya at sa kinabukasan ng bansa (The continuous growth of these sectors shows the Filipinos’ trust in our economy and the future of our country),” he said.
Romualdez also noted the 4.6-percent increase in household consumption, which indicates a boost in consumer confidence and spending.
He pointed out that government spending surged by 10.7 percent, reflecting the administration’s commitment to public services and infrastructure development.
Romualdez said the construction sector, with a 16-percent rise, created numerous jobs and laid the foundation for long-term economic prosperity.
He, meanwhile, reiterated the government’s commitment to supporting the agriculture sector to ensure the resilience and productivity of farmers and fisherfolk, considering that the sector contracted by 2.3 percent due to the El Niño phenomenon. (PNA)
ANNOUNCEMENT / LEGAL SERVICES LEGAL SERVICES
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A mandatory site visit is scheduled for 8:00 a.m. on FRIDAY, APRIL 16, 2024, outside the main office of Sherman Elementary School, 301 22nd Street, San Diego, CA 92102. Upon completion of the first site, contractors shall proceed to the following sites in the order listed: Point Loma High School, 2335 Chatsworth Boulevard, San Diego, CA 92106; Ross Elementary School, 7470 Bagdad Street, San Diego, CA 92111; Madison High School, 4833 Doliva Drive, San Diego, CA 92117; Walker Elementary School, 9225 Hillery Drive, San Diego, CA 92126. Prime contractors must be present at all 5 sites in order to bid this project. All attendees must preregister with the District prior to attending the site walk at sandiegounified.org/sitewalks. The Bid and Contract Documents may be downloaded free of charge at the District’s online Planroom at sandiegousdplans.com. All bids must be received electronically via PlanetBids before 1:00 p.m. on AUGUST 30, 2024. Prime contractors interested in submitting a bid must go to tinyurl.com/SDUSD-PlanetBids then search under “Bid Opportunities” for “Invitation number” CP25-0302-50-00-00 Kitchen Modifications Group 5. For new vendors, please register under “New Vendor Registration.” The project estimate is between $750,000 and $850,000, inclusive of allowances. This not a PSA project and does not require prequalification. The District requires that Bidders possess any of the following classification(s) of California State Contractors License(s), valid and in good standing, at the time of bid opening and contract award: A, or other appropriate license, subject to District approval. SAN DIEGO UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT, George A. Harris III, Director, Fiscal Controls and Information Systems, Facilities Planning and Construction CP25-0302-50-00-00
CASE NUMBER: 24CU001513C TO ALL INTERESTED PERSONS: Petitioner Alexus Alazay Enriquez filed a petition with this court for a decree changing names as
NOTICE OF INITIAL PETITION FOR PROBATE ESTATE OF Ruben F. Imanil CASE NO: 24PE001826C To all heirs, beneficiaries, creditors, contingent creditors, and persons who may otherwise be interested in the will or estate, or both, of: Ruben F. Imanil A Petition for Probate has been filed by Jessie Imanil in the Superior Court of California, County of SAN DIEGO The Petition for Probate requests that Jessie Imanil be appointed as personal representative to administer with will annexed the estate of the decedent. The petition requests the decedent’s will and codicils, if any, be admitted to probate. The will and any codicils are available for examination in the file kept by the court.
The petition requests authority to administer the estate under the Independent Administration of Estates Act. (This authority will allow the personal representative to take many actions without obtaining court approval. Before taking certain very important actions, however, the personal representative will be required to give notice to interested persons unless they have waived notice or consented to the proposed action.)
The independent administration authority will be granted unless an interested person files an objection to the petition and shows good cause why the court should not grant the authority.
A hearing on the petition will be held in this court as follows:
Date: 08/29/202
Time: 01:30 P.M. Dept.: 503 Address of court: 1100 Union Street, San Diego, CA 92101 Branch Name: Central, Probate
If you object to the granting of the petition, you should appear at the hearing and state your objections or file written objections with the court before the hearing. Your appearance may be in person or by your attorney.
If you are a creditor or a contingent creditor of the decedent, you must file your claim with the court and mail a copy to the personal representative appointed by the court and mail a copy to the personal representative appointed by the court within the later of either (1) four months from the date of first issuance of letters to a general personal representative, as defined in section 58(b) of the California Probate Code, or (2) 60 days from the date of mailing or personal delivery to you of a notice under section 9052 of the California Probate Code. Other California statutes and legal authority may affect your rights as a creditor. You may want to consult with an attorney knowledgeable in California law.
You may examine the file kept by the court. If you are a person interested in the estate, you may file with the court a Request for Special Notice (form DE-154) of the filing of an inventory and appraisal of estate assets or of any petition or account as provided in Probate Code section 1250. A Request for Special Notice form is available from the court clerk. SoCal Asset Locators c/o Estate of Ruben F. Imanil 1047 Angelo Dr. National City, CA 91950 619-701-0000 Publication Dates: 08/09, 08/16, and 08/23/2024 AJ 1479 AJSD 1479
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT NO. 2024-9014352
Craftee Designs located at 3742 33rd St #5, San Diego, CA 92104. Registrant: Tatjana Annette Sebro, 3742 33rd St #5, San Diego, CA 92104. This business is conducted by An Individual.
REGISTRANT HAS NOT BEGUN TO TRANSACT BUSINESS UNDER THE NAME(S) ABOVE.
Signature: Tatjana Serbo. Statement filed with Recorder/County Clerk of San Diego County on 07/11/2024. AJ 1465 07/19, 07/26, 08/02, and 08/09/2024. AJSD 1465
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT NO. 2024-9014395
Numinous Med located at 3655 Ruffin Rd. Suite 200, San Diego, CA 92123. Registrant: Numinous Naturopathic INC, 9885 Erma Rd, San Diego, CA 92131. This business is conducted by A Corporation.
REGISTRANT HAS NOT BEGUN TO TRANSACT BUSINESS UNDER THE NAME(S) ABOVE.
Signature: Diana E Phan. Statement filed with Recorder/County Clerk of San Diego County on 07/12/2024. AJ 1468 07/19, 07/26, 08/02, and 08/09/2024. AJSD 1468
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS
NAME STATEMENT NO. 2024-9014536
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT NO. 2024-9014536
Tyni3 Bites located at 1062 Calle Pilares, Chula Vista, CA 91913. Registrant: Ma Christina D. Agoncillo, 1062 Calle Pilares, Chula Vista, CA 91913.
This business is conducted by An Individual. REGISTRANT FIRST BEGUN TO TRANSACT BUSINESS UNDER THE NAME(S) AS OF 05/01/2024. Signature: Ma Christina D. Agoncillo. Statement filed with Recorder/County Clerk of San Diego County on 07/16/2024. AJ 1471 07/19, 07/26, 08/02, and 08/09/2024.
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS
NAME STATEMENT NO. 2024-9014621
Tita’s Kitchenette located at 2720 E Plaza Blvd, National City, CA 91950. Registrant: Tita’s Enterprises. Corp, 2720 E Plaza Blvd, National City, CA 91950. This business is conducted by A Corporation REGISTRANT FIRST BEGUN TO TRANSACT BUSINESS UNDER THE NAME(S) AS OF 06/08/2011. Signature: Ovidio S. De Guzman. Statement filed with Recorder/County Clerk of San Diego County on 07/17/2024. AJ 1475 07/26, 08/02, 08/09, and 08/16/2024. AJSD 1475
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS
NAME STATEMENT NO. 2024-9014052
Linda View Disposal located at 6456 Tooley Street, San Diego, CA 92114.
Registrant: Gerardo Lopez Burgoa, 6456 Tooley Street, San Diego, CA 92114. This business is conducted by An Indidvidual. REGISTRANT HAS NOT BEGUN TO TRANSACT
BUSINESS UNDER THE NAME(S) ABOVE. Signature: Gerardo Lopez Burgoa.
Statement filed with Recorder/County Clerk of San Diego County on 07/08/2024. AJ 1478 08/02, 08/09, 08/16, and 08/23/2024. AJSD 1478
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT NO. 2024-9013050
San Diego Indian Spices located at 6784 El Cajon Blvd, Ste-C, San Diego, CA 92115. Registrant: Himalayan Spice Mart LLC, 6784 El Cajon Blvd, Ste-D, San Diego, CA 92115. This business is conducted by A Limited Liability Company.
REGISTRANT HAS NOT BEGUN TO TRANSACT BUSINESS UNDER THE NAME(S) ABOVE.
Signature: Sasmit Koirala. Statement filed with Recorder/County Clerk of San Diego County on 06/21/2024. AJ 1466 07/19, 07/26, 08/02, and 08/09/2024.AJSD 1466
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT NO. 2024-9014405
Lupita’s Cleaning And Dusting located at 2422 Buena Vista Ave, Lemon Grove, CA 91945.
Registrant: Guadelupe Murillo Rodriguez, 2422 Buena Vista Ave, Lemon Grove, CA 91945. This business is conducted by An Individual.
REGISTRANT FIRST BEGUN TO TRANSACT BUSINESS UNDER THE NAME(S) AS OF 07/12/2024.
Signature: Guadelupe Murillo Rodriguez. Statement filed with Recorder/County Clerk of San Diego County on 07/12/2024. AJ 1469 07/19, 07/26, 08/02, and 08/09/2024. AJSD 1469
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS
NAME STATEMENT NO. 2024-9014528
Sarah’s Global Getaways located at 8829 Spectrum Center Blvd, 3310, San Diego, CA 92123. Registrant: Sarah Valdez Rostamijam, 8829 Spectrum Center Blvd, 3310, San Diego, CA 92123. This business is conducted by An Individual. REGISTRANT HAS NOT BEGUN TO TRANSACT BUSINESS UNDER THE NAME(S) ABOVE. Signature: Sarah Valdez Rostamijam. Statement filed with Recorder/County Clerk of San Diego County on 07/16/2024. AJ 1472 07/19, 07/26, 08/02, and 08/09/2024. AJSD 1472
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT NO. 2024-9014592
Philly Fusion located at 287 Naples St, Chula Vista, CA 91911. Registrant: Triple Een Beautified LLC, 4646 63rd St #1122, San Diego, CA 92115. This business is conducted by A Limited Liability Company.
REGISTRANT HAS NOT BEGUN TO TRANSACT BUSINESS UNDER THE NAME(S) ABOVE. Signature: Parween Kakayi. Statement filed with Recorder/County Clerk of San Diego County on 07/16/2024. AJ 1476 07/26, 08/02, 08/09, and 08/16/2024. AJSD 1476
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS
NAME STATEMENT NO. 2024-9016052
a. SAFA International Market located at 12788 Rancho Penasquitos Blvd, Suite E, San Diego, CA 92129. b. SAFA Restaurant located at 12788 Rancho Penasquitos Blvd, Suite E, San Diego, CA 92129. Registrant: SAFA INC, 12788 Rancho Penasquitos Blvd, Suite E, San Diego, CA 92129. This business is conducted by A Corporation. REGISTRANT FIRST BEGUN TO TRANSACT BUSINESS UNDER THE NAME(S) AS OF 08/06/2024. Signature: Bashir Ahmadi. Statement filed with Recorder/County Clerk of San Diego County on 08/06/2024. AJ 1480 08/09, 08/16, 08/23, and 08/30/2024. AJSD 1480
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS
NAME STATEMENT NO. 2024-9014325
Unspoken Gibberish located at 3400 Cottage Way, Ste G2, Sacramento, CA 95825. Registrant: Unspoken Gibberish, 3400 Cottage Way, Ste G2, Sacramento, CA 95825. This business is conducted by A Limited Liability Company.
REGISTRANT FIRST BEGUN TO TRANSACT BUSINESS UNDER THE NAME(S) AS OF 07/11/2024. Signature: Allen Ramirez. Statement filed with Recorder/County Clerk of San Diego County on 07/11/2024. AJ 1467 07/19, 07/26, 08/02, and 08/09/2024. AJSD 1467
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS
NAME STATEMENT NO. 2024-9014533
Garlic Crave SD located at 1062 Calle Pilares, Chula Vista, CA 91913. Registrant: Ma Christina D. Agoncillo, 1062 Calle Pilares, Chula Vista, CA 91913. This business is conducted by An Individual. REGISTRANT HAS NOT BEGUN TO TRANSACT BUSINESS UNDER THE NAME(S) ABOVE.
Signature: Ma Christina D. Agoncillo. Statement filed with Recorder/County Clerk of San Diego County on 07/16/2024. AJ 1470 07/19, 07/26, 08/02, and 08/09/2024. AJSD 1470
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS
NAME STATEMENT NO. 2024-9014423
Purified S&B located at 1111 Sixth Ave, San Diego, CA 92101. Registrant: Rachelle Bayola, 1111 Sixth Ave, San Diego, CA 92101. This business is conducted by An Individual. REGISTRANT FIRST BEGUN TO TRANSACT BUSINESS UNDER THE NAME(S) AS OF 06/04/2024. Signature: Rachelle Bayola. Statement filed with Recorder/County Clerk of San Diego County on 07/15/2024. AJ 1473 07/19, 07/26, 08/02, and 08/09/2024. AJSD 1473
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS
NAME STATEMENT NO. 2024-9014657
American
Combat Academy Inc. located at 945 Otay Lakes Rd Suite E, Chula Vista, CA 91913. Registrant: American Combat Academy Inc., 945 Otay Lakes Rd Suite E, Chula Vista, CA 91913. This business is conducted by A Corporation
REGISTRANT FIRST BEGUN TO TRANSACT
BUSINESS UNDER THE NAME(S) AS OF 07/15/2024. Signature: Anthony P. Caravelli. Statement filed with Recorder/County Clerk of San Diego County on 07/17/2024. AJ 1477 07/26, 08/02, 08/09, and 08/16/2024. AJSD 1477
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT NO. 2024-9016165 Pretty Evy located at 4434 49th Street Apt 5, San Diego, CA 92115. Registrant: Evelyn Anayely Bojorquez Arreola, 4434 49th Street Apt 5, San Diego, CA 92115. This business is conducted by An Individual. REGISTRANT FIRST BEGUN TO TRANSACT BUSINESS UNDER THE NAME(S) AS OF 08/08/2024. Signature: Evelyn Arreola. Statement filed with Recorder/County Clerk of San Diego County on 08/08/2024. AJ 1481 08/09, 08/16, 08/23, and 08/30/2024. AJSD 1481
SAN DIEGO
Fresh o his James Beard win, Chef Lord Maynard Llera joins Filipino American peers at ‘Taste America’ culinary celebration
by MOMAR G. VISAYA / AJPress
T ASTE America, a nationwide initiative by the James Beard Foundation, unites chefs, special guests, and diners to celebrate local independent restaurants at the heart of their communities, while advocating for a more inclusive, sustainable, and diverse culinary industry.
The recent kickoff event at Tribeca 360° in New York was a powerful demonstration of this mission, featuring food stations hosted by the TasteTwenty 2024-2025 chefs. The culinary series not only showcases these chefs’ signature styles but also highlights the uniqueness of their respective restaurants and communities.
This year’s roster includes four James Beard Award winners, five semifinalists, and six nominees. Notably, three Filipino American chefs were among those celebrated, reflecting the initiative’s commitment to honoring diversity in the culinary world.
Recent James Beard Award Winner for Best Chef: California Lord Maynard Llera joined chefs Jerome Grant and Silver Iocovozzi at the foodie event.
From garage kitchen to culinary stardom
Lord Maynard Llera of Kuya Lord in Los Angeles prepared a dish that beautifully encapsulates his culinary journey: Lucenachon at Talong (Slow-Roasted Pork
Belly with Smoked Eggplant Pulp, California Cherry Tomatoes, Cucumbers, Micro
Mint, Cilantro, Fish Sauce, and Calamansi Vinegar).
This hearty and innovative combination of lechon pork belly and smoked eggplant puree with housemade anchovies reflects his culinary philosophy: a blend of tradition and creativity, deeply rooted in his Filipino heritage.
Reflecting on his recent win in Chicago, Llera admitted, “It took me about a month, and after that, it was very overwhelming. I couldn’t believe it, it felt like winning the lotto without the money!”
Llera’s journey to this accolade was far from straightforward. “I was supposed to open my restaurant in 2020,” he shared, recalling the challenges posed by the pandemic. “I was forced to build a kitchen out of my garage.” Despite the setback, Llera’s determination only grew stronger. With nearly two decades of experience in the food industry, he felt ready to take the leap and open his own restaurant in Los Angeles.
“It is an honor, especially for me, coming from the Philippines. I come from the province of Quezon. What else could you ask for?” he said
beaming. “Opening a restaurant in the United States was my American dream, and winning James Beard was a big plus.”
Joining Llera at the event were fellow TasteTwenty chefs Jerome Grant and Silver Iocovozzi.
“This year’s TasteTwenty cohort exemplifies culinary excellence, innovation, and a commitment to positive societal impact. Their remarkable talents and dedication to their craft and communities inspire us, and we’re honored to showcase their remarkable work on a national stage,” said Siobhan Flaherty Haber, Vice President of Events at the James Beard Foundation.
James Beard Award Semifinalist, Chef Bootcamp Alum, and American Culinary Corps Chef Jerome Grant of Mahal BBQ in Washington, D.C., prepared Smoked Beef with Szechuan Peppercorn–Coriander Rub, Marinated Cucumbers, and Calamansi White Barbecue Sauce.
Grant told us that he is both proud and happy to be a part of the TasteTwenty chefs from across the country and he is looking forward to touring
different cities with the group, where they will showcase their talents throughout the year at chef dinners and walk-around tastings, spotlighting the breadth and unity of culinary creativity across the nation. He introduced his latest culinary project, “Mahal” two years ago. After spending 20 years in the culinary industry, this concept - Americanstyle barbecue with Filipino flavors - is deeply personal for him, especially after the reflective pause brought on by the pandemic. During these challenging times, he cherished the opportunity to slow down, spend time with family, and
appreciate life’s blessings. James Beard Award Nominee Silver Iocovozzi of Neng Jr.’s in Asheville, NC, presented Smoked Duck Adobo, a dish that pays homage to Filipino culinary traditions. “My mom’s nickname is Neneng and basically I’m her mini-me,” Silver shared. At Neng’s Jr., they serve Filipino classics like pancit, beef caldereta, duck adobo, and tinola. For the Taste of America event, Silver brought one of her favorites: duck adobo, smoked with applewood, sliced thinly, and served with a traditional adobo sauce using coconut vinegar, soy sauce, black peppercorns, onions, garlic, and
bay leaves, steeped in coconut milk.
“It feels really special to be here and I love representing Filipino food. We’re having so much fun,” she said. Silver opened Neng’s Jr. two years ago and dreams of opening another restaurant in New York someday.
Llera also shared his inspiring journey and plans for his restaurant. “I decided to leave my last job to open the restaurant,” he said, highlighting his commitment to this dream. For him, the James Beard Award is more than a professional milestone. “It’s an PAGE 10
Silver Iocovozzi
Jerome Grant
Lord Maynard Llera
Randy Santiago to perform at NWR’s Bar 360; Philstagers’ musical version of ‘Juan Luna’ coming soon
My P.E.P. (People, Events, Places)
RANDY Santiago, OPM’s one and only EyeCon dubbed as Mr. Private Eyes, had an engaging performance on August 3 at Bar 360 in Newport World Resorts (NWR), with the Serenity band. Recently, his son Raiko, or Rainier Nikolo Lorenzo Coronel Santiago, graduated with Honorable Mention and Loyalty Award from De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde.
He said, “So proud of this hardworking son of ours who works for me as production and tour manager of Private Eyes and still managed to study online especially during the pandemic...
He managed his time between working and studying online while we were doing the Eye Labyu U.S. Tour... He did very well as we flew back and forth from East Coast to West Coast. So much pressure including time difference,” said Randy, who was my classmate at De La Salle University-Manila.
* * * I was a guest recently in The Voice of Senior Citizens at DZME TV Cable Link Channel 5 and DZME 1530 AM Band from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m., with Congressman Godofredo Arquiza, Sure Manuel and director Raymard Gutierrez, assessing the situation of senior citizens in the Philippines.
* * * Singer Louie Heredia, known for his phenomenal song “Nag-iisang Ikaw,” reminisced to me that:
“My bosses at Vicor Music Corp. wanted me to sing Tagalog songs because they felt that I would be able to reach to the masses, or ordinary people, more if I sang Tagalog songs. So they gave me Nag-iisang Ikaw, composed and tailor-made by one of the country’s top composers Vehnee Saturno. At first I did not want to sing this song since I found it so ‘baduy’ (in poor taste). It was then not my style but an insider in Vicor told me that if I did not record the song, they would release me from my contract with them. So, I had no choice but to record the song.” Louie took up business management at Notre Dame de Namur University in Belmont, California and graduated cum laude in 1987.
“Vehnee Saturno, aside from being the composer of the song, was also assigned to be the producer of the song. He guided me every inch of the way during the recording of Nagiisang Ikaw, and I guess we did everything right since the song gave me a Double Platinum Record Award and this is the same song that made Louie Heredia,” he added. To this date, many other top performers have revived Nagiisang Ikaw.
* * * Congrats to the winners of the PSF (Philippine Stagers Foundation) Theater Festival 2024 Thumbs Up Awards as well as to the PSF Workshop and Masterclass Batch 2024 graduates. The PSF, or Philstagers, the national mobile theater company in the Philippines, announces the biggest, grandest and most spectacular All-Original Filipino Musical based on the life story
of the misunderstood and highly questionable character of a national hero, Juan Luna. Written and directed by Atty. Vince Tañada, the musical brings us to late 1800s Manila and Europe up to the death of Luna in Hong Kong. The avant-garde, neo-cinematic musical is billed as “Juan Luna, Isang Sarsuela” – a lavish, most expensive and highly technical stage piece but maintaining its classical and elegant literary masterpiece and musicality. The musical will run from August 2024 to April 2025 in various theaters all over the Philippines, true to the vision and mission of the theater company in bringing
quality theater to the masses and in turn educating its audience on Philippine history, culture, tradition, patriotism and national identity.
* * *
Congrats to Mabalacat City College (MCC) of Mabalacat City, Pampanga for being praised by Pres. Bongbong Marcos in SONA 2024. MCC was bestowed a prestigious award as Technological or Digital Innovation of the Year by Times Higher Education in United Kingdom. It is headed by MCC president Dr. Michelle Aguilar-Ong, also a u PAGE 11
Fresh off his James Beard win, Chef...
9
honor, especially coming from the Philippines,” he proudly expressed.
Llera’s journey to America was driven by a singular dream: to open his own restaurant.
“Coming to America just to see my dream come true... it’s an American dream for me,” he said, his voice brimming with gratitude. Despite his growing fame, Llera remains grounded and grateful to the people who believed in him. “I don’t care if you’re a food writer or a regular customer,” he said. “I just want people to experience my way of showcasing Filipino cuisine.”
Llera’s dishes are more than food; they are narratives of his life. “The regional specials are special to me because they tell the story of my upbringing,” he shared. This blend of Filipino heritage and American techniques defines his culinary style, creating a unique dining experience that resonates with authenticity and innovation.
To younger Filipinos and Filipino Americans aspiring to enter the culinary industry, Llera offers some sage advice. “Make sure you know yourself,” he emphasized. “Understand your roots and stay patient. Keep pushing forward despite mistakes, it’s all part of the journey.” g
City of San Diego improves crosswalks in time for students going back to school
Intersections at several city schools have been updated with new and increased safety features
SAN DIEGO – The City of San Diego is making safety improvements to several key intersections ahead of students going back to school this month. Over the last few weeks, crews from the city’s Transportation Department have added or refreshed crosswalks outside 11 schools located in Hillcrest, Logan Heights, 4S Ranch, Chollas View, City Heights, Pacific Beach, Loma Portal, Mira Mesa, Scripps Ranch, Point Loma and Cherokee Point.
“Providing the latest and most effective safety features for pedestrians and all road users is one of the highest priorities of the Transportation Department,” said Transportation Director Bethany Bezak. “In this case, we were able to maximize our available funding by making data-driven decisions on which school crossings to refresh as students and their families prepare for the back-to-school season.”
Upgrades to intersections include installing or repainting continental crosswalks, which
provide greater visibility and improved guidance for pedestrians and motorists. Thermoplastic pavement painting and school crossing signs have been added in both directions to provide drivers with advanced notice before approaching the crosswalk.
While crews were on site at these locations, they also refreshed street infrastructure, including repainting curbs and re-striping nearby roadway markings.
The safety upgrades and new crosswalks were selected based on location data generated by Get It Done reports and other requests for service. The schools where nearby crosswalks were updated include:
• Florence Elementary School
• King-Chavez Primary Academy
• Del Norte High School & Design 39 Campus Elementary
• America’s Finest Charter School
• Clark Middle School
• Sessions Elementary School
• Loma Portal Elementary
School
• Jerabek Elementary School
• Point Loma High School
• Edison Elementary School
• Sandburg Elementary School.
Upgrades to these crosswalks near city schools come as Mayor Todd Gloria’s FY25
“Protecting Our Progress” Budget provides record investments in street repair, critical infrastructure and pedestrian safety. This latest budget allocates more than $40 million within the Transportation Department to implement the city’s Vision Zero goals to eliminate traffic fatalities and severe injuries in San Diego. This includes projects and safety improvements to intersections, bicycle facilities, guardrails, sidewalks, streetlights, traffic signals and medians.
To view construction, street repair, and other projects and events near you, visit the city’s interactive Project Finder Map at https://sandiego-public.dotmapsapp.com/map. (City of San Diego Release)
New grant bolsters county’s fight against wage theft
A NEW $750,000 grant will strengthen the county’s efforts to fight unscrupulous employers who cheat workers of their rightfully earned pay.
The two-year state grant will help support the salaries of a prosecutor, an investigator and a paralegal who can review wage theft cases for criminal or civil violations.
The District Attorney’s Office, County Counsel and the County’s Office of Labor Standards and Enforcement (OLSE) will work to help wage theft victims recover lost wages.
People who earn low wages, women, people of color, non-English speaking and those who are foreign-born are particularly at risk. Many who lose their pay don’t know how to get help recovering their earnings.
“Wage theft is a grave injustice that affects many in San Diego County, especially our most vulnerable workers,” said County Board Chairwoman Nora Vargas. “This grant empowers us to strengthen our efforts to protect workers’ rights and hold employers accountable for exploitation.”
San Diego County sees roughly $2 million in wage theft losses every year.
“We are holding companies accountable that steal money from their workers and fail to pay the wages they have been promised,” said Board Vice Chair Terra Lawson-Remer.
“We established the county’s Office of Labor Standards to protect workers and this new program to prosecute bad employers is a significant step forward. I am thankful California’s Labor Commissioner awarded us this funding, OLSE will put it to good use, and help as many people as possible.”
The county’s Office of Labor Standards and Enforcement was established in 2021 to educate employers and workers about employment laws, and workers’ rights.
The office administers the Workplace Justice Fund which has helped 34 victims of wage theft.
The DA’s Workplace Justice Unit was also created in 2021 and was one of the first in California to investigate and prosecute criminal wage theft cases.
“Wage theft is oppressive and impacts the livelihood and dignity of hard-working people. This is why it has been a priority for our office to hold those who steal wages account-
able through felony wage theft prosecutions,” said District Attorney Summer Stephan.
“With this grant, we will be able to expand our efforts in partnership with our county partners and further protect workers. I want to thank California’s Labor Commissioner Lilia Garcia-Brower for her trust in us and awarding us this valuable grant.”
The DA’s office investigates criminal wage theft cases, County Counsel addresses violations of labor laws through civil enforcement actions and OLSE educates employers about labor laws and workers about their rights.
“Wage theft victims in San Diego County are not alone. There is help.” said OLSE Director Branden Butler. “People have a right to the wages they’ve earned and we’re here to help workers recover the money they are owed.” For more information on workers’ rights or wage theft, contact the Office of Labor Standards and Enforcement at 619-531-5129 or call the DA workplace justice hotline at 1-866-402-6044. (Tracy DeFore/County of San Diego Communications Office)
Rogelio Constantino Medina
Louie Heredia gives moral support to current Miss Universe Philippines Chelsea Manalo.
First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos attends the GMA GALA 2024. With her in the photo are Annette Gozon-Valdes and Shintaro Valdes.
MCC president Michelle Ong with Senate Pres. Chiz Escudero during the recent U.S. Independence Day reception in Fairmont, Makati.
OJ Arci with Lance Cabradilla (left) and John Kenette Intano (right) in Philstagers’ “I Didith Show.”
Randy Santiago with his son Raiko during the latter’s graduation in P.I.C.C. Manila. Photos courtesy of Rogelio C. Medina
A poster for the musical “Juan Luna, Isang Sarsuela” which will be staged by Philstagers Foundation in various theatres starting August 2024.
Chef Silver Iocovozzi (and her team) of Neng’s Jr., the first Filipino restaurant of its kind in Asheville, NC. Opened officially to the public on July 1st, 2022, the former arcade room turned intimate dining room has an open kitchen and only 18 seats.
AJPress Photos by Momar G. Visaya
Singer Maffi Papin Carrion (3rd from left) with OMI’s Emily Samson (extreme left) and friends.
From left: Ray Gutierrez, Sure Manuel, Cong. Fred Arquiza and Rogelio Medina.
Randy Santiago to...
former producer of films directed by multi-awarded Kapampangan
director Carlo Enciso Catu. She is the former TV host of a weekly public affairs program on GNNTV 44 in Pampanga.
* * *
Zumba instructors joined together in Quezon City Memorial Circle to show their concern for the environment. Among them were Maricris Wee, Mike, Winston, James, Aris and Jason of Live Love Party (LLP) Crew; Jenito, Camper and Gilbert of South Vibes Est. 2020; Charly Esquejo and Jayz Blanco of TML; Mark and Che of MNL Crew Est. 2018; Lhou and Ace of Lou & Ace Fitness Group; and Erwin Mendana of AE5.
It is spearheaded by One Movement Inc. headed by chairman Marlon Mendoza, with the support of former Eat
Bulaga and Solid Gold dancer Emily Samson. Singer Imelda Papin, with her daughter Maffi and her sister Aileen, attended this worthy cause.
First Lady Liza AranetaMarcos attended recently the GMA Gala 2024, and she was seen with GMA Films president Annette Gozon-Valdes and actor Shintaro Valdes, a fellow La Sallite. Meanwhile, on August 10, some young talents from Sparkle GMA Artist Center will be recognized as Philippine Empowered Youth 2024 at Teatrino Promenade in Greenhills, San Juan City.
Among the young Sparkle GMA Artists to be recognized are as follows: James Graham, Charlie Fleming, Zyren dela Cruz, Waynona Collings, Travis Clarino,
Shane Sava, Selina Griffin, Princess Aliyah, Patricia Coma, Mark Oliveros, Liezel Lopez, Liana Mae, Lee Victor, Kimson Tan, Keisha Serna, Kaloy Tingcungco, Josh Ford, Jade Tecson, Hannah Arguelles, Gaea Mischa, Brent Valdez, and Aya Domingo.
* * *
Dr. Fernando dela Pena, a California-based dentist, is the eldest son of the late actor Paquito Diaz and 1969 FAMAS Best Supporting Actress Eva Darren.
Dr. De la Pena finished college at Centro Escolar University-College of Dentistry in Manila in 1992. Afterwards, he went to the U.S. His younger brother actor Joko Diaz and sister actress Cheska Diaz and other siblings often visit him there.
“My best memories of my dad was when he came to see me on my birthday. No matter how busy he was, he always found time to see me,” he said.
Dr. de la Pena’s practice’s website (De La Pena Dental Group) is www.losangelesdentist.la, while the school website of Los Angeles School of Dental Assisting is www.losangelesdentalassistant. com and is located along Beverly Boulevard in Los Angeles, California.
Dr. Fernando is named after Fernando Poe Jr., his dad’s bosom friend. He also writes articles about the Philippine Dental Association.
* * * The opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by the author do not necessarily reflect the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints of Asian Journal, its management, editorial board and staff.
* * * rogeliocmedina@yahoo.com
How to transfer real estate titles in the Philippines
ann
TRANSFERRING a real estate title in the Philippines (from a sale) is crucial to ensure legal ownership and avoid future disputes. For overseas Filipinos, this process can seem daunting due to distance and time constraints. Here’s a simplified guide to help you navigate the process and ensure a smooth transition of ownership, even from abroad.
Potential problems
• Unregistered sales: If a property sale isn't registered and the title isn't transferred, future disputes can arise, especially if the original parties pass away.
• Incomplete documents:
Purchasing a property without verifying all documents can lead to issues if supporting documents are missing.
• Corporate sales: If a corporation sells a property but dissolves before the title transfer is complete, the buyer may face difficulties.
Step-by-step guide
A. Preparation
1. Documents for Deed of Sale: – Deed of Absolute Sale – Acknowledgment of payment
– Affidavit of Non-Tenancy (if applicable)
– Affidavit of Land Holdings (if applicable)
2. Signing documents: – Both parties sign the Deed of Sale and Acknowledgment Receipt
Seller signs the Affidavit of Non-Tenancy (if applicable)
Buyer signs the Affidavit of Land Holdings (if applicable)
3. Additional documents:
2 government-issued IDs of both parties
Tax Identification Number (TIN) of each party
Original Owner’s Duplicate of Title
Marriage contract (if applicable)
Previous Certificate Authorizing Registration (CAR)
Tax Declaration
Real Property Tax (RPT) receipts
Special Power of Attorney (SPA) if applicable
4. Notarization: Notarize all signed documents.
B. Payment computations and certified copies
1. Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) – Get computation for Documentary Stamp Tax (DST) and Capital Gains Tax (CGT).
2. City Treasurer’s Office – Get computation for Transfer Tax and Tax Clearance.
3. City Assessor’s Office – Obtain a Certified True Copy of the Tax Declaration.
4. Registry of Deeds – Get computation for Registration Fee and a Certified True Copy of the existing Title.
C. Prepare payments
1. Deadlines
CGT: 30 days after notarization of Deed of Sale
DST: 5th day of the following month from notarization
Transfer Tax: 60 days from execution of Deed of Sale
Registration Fee: 1 year from CAR release date + 6 months extension if approved by BIR.
D. Process payments
1. BIR
Submit required documents to ONETT for computation
Pay DST and CGT at the Accredited Agent Bank – Return to BIR to file documents and obtain the new CAR.
2. City Treasurer’s Office – Submit Deed of Sale and IDs.
Pay Transfer Tax and get the Transfer Tax Clearance.
3. Registry of Deeds – Submit CAR, Deed of Sale, and Transfer Tax Clearance.
Pay the registration fee. E. Follow up 1. Registry of Deeds
Follow up on the new Title application.
Once released, file a copy with the City Assessor’s Office. F. New Tax Declaration 1. City Assessor’s Office
Present the new Title to get a new Tax Declaration.
reminders
From left: Cris Pablo, Nancy Deocarez and Richard Hinola.
Dr. Fernando de la Pena (right) with his dad Paquito Diaz in a photo from 2003.
Sharon
Bathan-San Pedro
