THE FDA has approved an updated COVID shot for everyone 6 months old and up, which renews a now-annual quandary for Americans: Get the shot now, with the latest COVID outbreak sweeping the country, or hold it in reserve for the winter wave?
The new vaccine should provide some protection to everyone. But many healthy people who have already been vaccinated or have immunity because they’ve been exposed to COVID enough times may want to wait a few months.
COVID has become commonplace. For some, it’s a minor illness with few symptoms. Others are laid up with fever, cough, and fatigue for days or weeks. A much smaller group — mostly older or chronically ill people — suffer hospitalization or death.
It’s important for those in high-risk groups to get vaccinated, but vaccine protection wanes after a few months. Those who run to get the new vaccine may be more likely to fall ill this winter when the next wave hits, said William Schaffner, an infectious
Marcos seeks to boost collaboration with US Indo-Pacific Command
FORMER President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris have a rare point of agreement in their otherwise bitter and divisive contest: It’s up to the government to cut high U.S. drug prices.
Harris cast the tie-breaking Senate vote in 2022 for legislation that allows Medicare to negotiate drug prices for its more than 60 million beneficiaries. Before that, she was an aggressive regulator of the drug industry as California attorney general.
As president, Trump would likely retain Medicare price negotiations unless the pharmaceutical industry can come up with something more compelling that they’d put on the table, people close to him say. In his first term, he proposed various policies aimed at reducing prescription costs but had limited success with their implementation.
The drug industry could benefit, though, if Trump remains unable to advance such proposals.
“His efforts were largely fragmented and faced resistance from both the industry and lawmakers,” said Sergio Jose Gutierrez, a political strategist who has primarily worked
MANILA — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Tuesday, August 27 stressed the importance of media’s role as watchdogs in providing check and balance to the government. He made the pronouncement during the oath-taking ceremony of the newly elected officers of several media groups at the Palace.
“Continue strengthening this partnership between the media and the government. It is critical. We need [the] media to be there. Government would not function as well as it does without the media,” said Marcos in
his speech.
“Because if unfettered, government can go in any direction and we need, once in a while, a watchdog to say, look, look, look, you are going too far this way, you’ve made a mistake here, and makes us think, make us reexamine what we have done and perhaps take into account what has been said by our media practitioners,” he added.
Marcos also noted how critical reports can sometimes be right, even if it is directed to him.
“I always say when there are reports and there are people who are critical of my administration, and people say ‘why do you listen to that? That just puts you in a bad
Kamala Harris accepts Democratic presidential nomination with promise of ‘new way forward’
by AJPress
UNITED States Vice President Kamala Harris accepted the Democratic presidential nomination on Thursday, August 22 as she heads into the 2024 general election against former President Donald Trump. With the acceptance, Harris became the first woman of color to be nominated for president by a major U.S. political party.
"On behalf of everyone whose story could only be written in the greatest nation on Earth, I accept your nomination for president of the United States of America," Harris said in her address at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago.
She outlined her plans to "chart a new way forward" for the country and to be a "president for all Americans."
“Our nation, with this election, has a precious, fleeting opportunity to move past the bitterness, cynicism and divisive battles of the past, a chance to chart a new way
MANILA — Former President Rodrigo
Duterte has called on Filipinos to pray for peace and justice as he criticized the police for what he called its abuse of authority and ignoring people’s rights in its ongoing search for televangelist and Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC) leader Apollo Quiboloy at the group’s 30-hectare compound in Davao City.
Some House lawmakers, however, criticized Duterte, with Manila Rep. Bienvenido Abante Jr., human rights committee chair, calling it “ironic” that the former leader was defending Quiboloy’s rights “when he attached very little
value to human rights during his administration’s war on illegal drugs.”
Duterte, the designated administrator of KOJC’s frozen assets, denounced in a statement on Saturday, August 24 how the Philippine National Police, through Brig. Gen. Nicolas Torre II, Davao Region police chief, “forced their way” into the compound, which supposedly led to the death of one of its members and injury to others. The police, however, said the alleged victim died of fatigue.
“We sympathize with the members of the KOJC for having become victims of political harassment, persecution, violence, and abuse of authority. This certainly puts a dark stain on the
August 25 sought forgiveness from members of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC) for persuading them to vote for the former in 2022, Duterte also condemned what she described as a "gross abuse of police power in the takeover of the KOJC compound."
A contingent of 2,000 police officers stormed the KOJC compound in Davao City on Saturday, August 24 in an attempt to serve arrest warrants to evangelist Apollo Quiboloy, who is facing charges of sexual abuse and human trafficking.
In a statement on Sunday, Duterte said she could not help but ask herself if the use of extraordinary force by the police in entering the compound was prompted by the fact that Quiboloy is a known supporter
Former President Rodrigo Duterte Malacañang file photo
Then presidential aspirtant Ferdinand Marcos Jr. (elft) and running mate Davao City Mayor
Sara Duterte-Carpio face supporters in Tagum City, Davao del Norte. File photo
u PAGE 3
Marcos: Media’s role crucial in providing...
mood.’ I said, ‘they might be right despite being critical of you, maybe one guy is right.’ So, listen to everything. Don’t shoot the messenger. If they really believe what they’re saying, then think about it, baka naman tama
siya (perhaps it’s right).
“And that’s why we need you. We need the media. I always consider you partners in government and that the check and balance that you provide is very important,” he added. He urged journalists to
continue their efforts in helping the public distinguish truth from misinformation and disinformation.
Marcos also assured journalists of the government’s commitment to make the Philippines a safe haven for media practitioners. n
Kamala Harris accepts Democratic presidential...
forward – not as members of any one party or faction, but as Americans," Harris said.
She made a pitch to those outside of her political party to support her campaign against Trump.
"I know there are people of various political views watching tonight. And I want you to know: I promise to be a president for all Americans," she said.
Harris — the daughter of Jamaican and Indian immigrants — would make history if elected, as the first woman, first Black woman and first Asian American woman to serve as president.
Harris as the Democratic nominee comes a month after President Joe Biden ended his re-election bid and backed her as his successor.
Harris began her pivotal address by sharing her family's
background and her motivations for becoming a prosecutor, before being elected to California attorney general, senator, and vice president since 2020.
“My entire career I’ve only had one client: the people," she said, while contrasting against her opponent whose interests have been for “the only client he has ever had: himself.”
Trump responded to Harris' speech during a Fox News interview by asking, “Why didn’t she do the things that she’s complaining about?”
“It was a lot of complaining. She didn’t talk about China. She didn’t talk about fracking. She didn’t talk about crime,” Trump said, adding, “Other than that it was a nice-looking room.”
As a presidential candidate, Harris outlined her stance on national security — in favor of strengthening U.S. alliances,
continuing its support of Ukraine in its conflict against Russia, and ending Israel's war against Hamas and stabilizing the Middle East.
“I will never waver in defense of America’s security and ideals, because in the enduring struggle between democracy and tyranny, I know where I stand and I know where the United States belongs,” she said.
Dozens of Filipino Americans, who formed "Filipino Americans for Harris-Walz" (FAFHW), from around the country joined the week-long DNC.
"FAFHW remains committed to mobilizing the Filipino American community and ensuring their voices play a decisive role in electing Kamala Harris as the next President of the United States and Tim Walz as vice president," the group said in a statement. n
Marcos seeks to boost...
“I’m going to see you and you’re coming to see us. We have a great deal of … there are a great many subjects that will be discussed, many decisions that we have to make for the United States and for the Philippines,” he added.
While in the country, Paparo is set to address the Military Law and Operations Conference on Aug. 27, visit an Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (Edca) location on Aug. 28, and attend the 2024 Mutual Defense Board and Security Engagement Board Meeting on Aug. 29 in Baguio City.
The Presidential Communications Office then quoted Marcos as saying that Paparo’s planned visits to several Edca sites would expose the U.S. delegation to the real situation in the country.
It was in November 2023 when Marcos also visited the Indopacom headquarters in Hawaii.
The U.S. Indapacom was established as a unified command on Jan. 1, 1947. It is one of six geographic
CHRISTMAS SYMBOL.
Bondoc
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has expressed his intent to boost collaborations with the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command (Indopacom) during a meeting with its new commander Admiral Samuel Paparo on Tuesday, August 27. Inquirer.net photo
U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris (2nd from left) accepted the Democratic presidential nomination on Thursday, August 22 during the final night of the Democratic National Convention (DNC) in Chicago. She was joined on stage by her husband, Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff, her running mate Minnesota Governor Tim Walz and his wife Gwen Walz. Photo courtesy of Kamala Harris for President campaign
Unified Combatant Commands of the U.S. Armed Forces and the oldest and largest of the American unified commands. n
The new COVID vaccine is out. Why you...
disease professor at Vanderbilt University School of Medicine and a spokesperson for the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases.
On the other hand, by late fall the major variants may have changed, rendering the vaccine less effective, said Peter Marks, the FDA’s top vaccine official, at a briefing Aug. 23. He urged everyone eligible to get immunized, noting that the risk of long COVID is greater in the un- and undervaccinated.
Of course, if last year’s COVID vaccine rollout is any guide, few Americans will heed his advice, even though this summer’s surge has been unusually intense, with levels of the COVID virus in wastewater suggesting infections are as widespread as they were in the winter.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention now looks to wastewater as fewer people are reporting test results to health authorities. The wastewater data shows the epidemic is worst in Western and Southern states. In New York, for example, levels are considered “high” — compared with “very high” in Georgia.
Hospitalizations and deaths due to COVID have trended up, too. But unlike infections, these rates are nowhere near those seen in winter surges, or in summers past. More than 2,000 people died of COVID in July — a high number but a small fraction of the at least 25,700 COVID deaths in July 2020.
Partial immunity built up through vaccines and prior infections deserves credit for this relief. A new study suggests that current variants may be less virulent — in the study, one of the recent variants did not kill mice exposed to it, unlike most earlier COVID variants.
Public health officials note that even with more cases this summer, people seem to be managing their sickness at home. “We did see a little rise in the number of cases, but it didn’t have a significant impact in terms of hospitalizations and emergency room visits,” said Manisha Juthani, public health commissioner of Connecticut, at a news briefing Aug. 21.
Unlike influenza or traditional cold viruses, COVID seems to thrive outside the cold months, when germy schoolkids, dry air, and indoor activities are thought to enable the spread of air- and
saliva-borne viruses. No one is exactly sure why.
“COVID is still very transmissible, very new, and people congregate inside in air-conditioned rooms during the summer,” said John Moore, a virologist and professor at Cornell University’s Weill Cornell Medicine College.
Or “maybe COVID is more tolerant of humidity or other environmental conditions in the summer,” said Caitlin Rivers, an epidemiologist at Johns Hopkins University.
Because viruses evolve as they infect people, the CDC has recommended updated COVID vaccines each year. Last fall’s booster was designed to target the omicron variant circulating in 2023. This year, mRNA vaccines made by Moderna and Pfizer and the protein-based vaccine from Novavax — which has yet to be approved by the FDA — target a more recent omicron variant, JN.1.
The FDA determined that the mRNA vaccines strongly protected people from severe disease and death — and would do so even though earlier variants of JN.1 are now being overtaken by others.
Public interest in COVID vaccines has waned, with only 1 in 5 adults getting vaccinated since last September, compared with about 80% who got the first dose.
New Yorkers have been slightly above the national vaccination rate, while in Georgia only about 17% got the latest shot.
Vaccine uptake is lower in states where the majority voted for Donald Trump in 2020 and among those who have less money and education, less health care access, or less time off from work. These groups are also more likely to be hospitalized or die of the disease, according to a 2023 study in The Lancet.
While the newly formulated vaccines are better targeted at the circulating COVID variants, uninsured and underinsured Americans may have to rush if they hope to get one for free.
A CDC program that provided boosters to 1.5 million people over the last year ran out of money and is ending Aug. 31.
The agency drummed up $62 million in unspent funds to pay state and local health departments to provide the new shots to those not covered by insurance. But “that may not go very far” if the vaccine costs the agency around $86 a dose, as it did last
year, said Kelly Moore, CEO of Immunize.org, which advocates for vaccination.
People who pay out-of-pocket at pharmacies face higher prices: CVS plans to sell the updated vaccine for $201.99, said Amy Thibault, a spokesperson for the company.
“Price can be a barrier, access can be a barrier” to vaccination, said David Scales, an assistant professor of medicine at Weill Cornell Medical College.
Without an access program that provides vaccines to uninsured adults, “we’ll see disparities in health outcomes and disproportionate outbreaks in the working poor, who can ill afford to take off work,” Kelly Moore said.
New York state has about $1 million to fill the gaps when the CDC’s program ends, said Danielle De Souza, a spokesperson for the New York State Department of Health. That will buy around 12,500 doses for uninsured and underinsured adults, she said. There are roughly one million uninsured people in the state.
CDC and FDA experts last year decided to promote annual fall vaccination against COVID and influenza along with a one-time respiratory syncytial virus shot for some groups.
It would be impractical for the vaccine-makers to change the COVID vaccine’s recipe twice every year, and offering the three vaccines during one or two health care visits appears to be the best way to increase uptake of all of them, said Schaffner, who consults for the CDC’s policy-setting Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices.
At its next meeting, in October, the committee is likely to urge vulnerable people to get a second dose of the same COVID vaccine in the spring, for protection against the next summer wave, he said.
If you’re in a vulnerable population and waiting to get vaccinated until closer to the holiday season, Schaffner said, it makes sense to wear a mask and avoid big crowds, and to get a test if you think you have COVID. If positive, people in these groups should seek medical attention since the antiviral pill Paxlovid might ameliorate their symptoms and keep them out of the hospital.
As for conscientious others who feel they may be sick and PAGE 5
Sara regrets endorsing...
PAGE 1
of the Dutertes.
"Kaya nais ko ring humingi ng kapatawaran sa lahat ng miyembro, deboto at bumubuo ng Kingdom of Jesus Christ, sa paghikayat at pakiusap ko sa inyong iboto si Bongbong Marcos Jr. noong 2022
(That is why I also want to ask forgiveness from all the members, devotees and people who make up the Kingdom of Jesus Christ, for persuading and appealing to you to vote for Bongbong Marcos Jr. in 2022)," she said.
Duterte was Marcos' running mate under the UniTeam in 2022.
One KOJC member died of a heart attack during the raid.
Nearly 36 hours later, police were still searching the 30-hectare compound for signs that Quiboloy was hiding there.
"We just haven't been able to find him due to their wellplanned movements within the compound," Davao Regional Police Office chief BGen. Nicolas Torre III told reporters Sunday.
"So, we are not leaving until we catch Quiboloy," Torre added.
He said he had received information that Quiboloy uses various disguises to elude arrest.
Sometimes, the KOJC leader dresses up as a woman, Torre said.
Sen. Imee Marcos condemned the excessive show of force in trying to arrest Quiboloy.
On Sunday, Marcos appealed to police authorities to be more circumspect in their actions.
"This is the second incidence of excessive force used by the PNP, and must be stopped immediately," Marcos said.
She said deploying 2,000 police officers to raid the premises of an "established" religious group was "both unwarranted and unjustified."
"The disturbance, fear, and even reported death that such massive show of force caused to bystanders and to those who were simply exercising their constitutionally protected rights is unacceptable," Marcos said.
Sen. Ronald de la Rosa urged the PNP to restore friendly relations with the people of Davao City.
De la Rosa, a former PNP chief, said the use of excessive force in serving of arrest warrant against Quiboloy is "alienating" the police from the rest of the community.
The senator, chairman of the Senate Committee on Public Order and Dangerous Drugs, said he recently went home to Davao City and decided to pass by the KOJC compound to check the situation in the area.
Former President Rodrigo Duterte also reacted sharply to the police raid on the KOJC compound.
''Our country has never been in a more tragic state as it is today. Rights have been trampled upon and our laws," he said in his statement Sunday.
''We sympathize with the members of the KOJC for having become victims of political
harassment, persecution, violence, and abuse of authority. This certainly puts a dark stain on the hands of those involved in today's incident, led by no less than the top police official of the region,'' he added.
Duterte's sentiments were echoed by his former spokesman, Salvador Panelo.
In a separate statement, Panelo said that the PNP "is tasked to enforce the law, not to violate it, to protect the people, not scare them, to shield the citizenry from criminal violence, not to inflict it on them."
He said President Marcos' "silence" over the incident "is construed as acquiescence."
Responding to the vice president's condemnation of the KOJC raid, House Assistant Majority Leader and La Union 1st District Rep. Paolo Ortega V said the situation was "not about who voted for whom in 2022."
Ortega said the PNP "was simply doing its job by enforcing a valid arrest warrant against Quiboloy and his cohorts, who are facing serious charges."
"To call this an 'abuse of power' is a gross mischaracterization of the situation. The police were acting within the bounds of the law," he said.
"The law must prevail, and we expect all public officials, including the vice president, to stand behind our institutions as they work to ensure that justice is served," Ortega said. n
DRUG-FREE GOAL. Graduates of rehabilitation programs are congratulated by Department of the Interior and Local Government Secretary Benjamin Abalos Jr. (center) during the Usapang BIDA: Kontra Ilegal na Droga forum for Camanava local government units at Caloocan Sports Complex on Saturday, August 24. The open dialogue aims to equip participants, like local officials, with knowledge and guidance to develop effective anti-drug programs in their communities. PNA photo by Robert Oswald P. Alfiler
Former Pres. Duterte slams human rights...
hands of those involved in today’s incident, led by no less than the top police official of the region,” the former president said.
He appealed to “remaining decent and patriotic” government workers not to allow themselves “to be used, to be abusive and violent in enforcing illegal orders.”
‘Reign of fear, terror’
“We call on all Filipinos, regardless of political persuasion, to offer prayers for peace and justice, and to spare our people of the unwarranted tension brought about by the reign of fear and terror by people sworn to uphold the law and protect the citizens of
this country,” Duterte said. “Again, let us ask this administration how it can guarantee the preservation of the constitutional rights of our fellow Filipinos when even the most fundamental of these rights are being blatantly violated,” he added. Abante, however, said the rights of all Filipinos “should be respected, whether they be pastor or pauper,” adding that it was a “tragic irony” that the former president was speaking out “while the [House] quad committee is investigating the Duterte administration’s drug war that killed thousands of Filipinos, orphaned so many children, and traumatized families.”
He noted that Quiboloy was being afforded due process while “unfortunately and tragically, thousands of our kababayan[s] who were slain during the war on drugs were not given the same opportunity.”
House Deputy Majority Leader and Tingog party list Rep. Jude Acidre, meanwhile, backed former Sen. Leila de Lima’s call for Duterte to help authorities serve the arrest warrant for Quiboloy, saying, “as a former president, he should be all for upholding the law at all times, no exceptions.”
“How can one argue against a legitimate operation of law enforcement agencies?” he said. n
For Pharma, Trump vs. Harris is a showdown...
with Democrats in the U.S. “The lack of a cohesive strategy and the limited ability to implement significant changes made his approach less effective compared to what a Harris-Walz administration could offer.”
The industry is increasingly under attack by lawmakers from both parties for drug prices most Americans regard as unreasonable, according to KFF polling, so the election outcome could be pivotal to drug companies’ fortunes. Their predicament is a sharp reversal from years past, when the firms enjoyed a reputation as being almost untouchable.
For more than a decade, manufacturers successfully fended off proposals to let Medicare negotiate lower drug prices before losing the battle two years ago.
The shift in their political standing shows up in pharmaceutical companies’ contributions to candidates. An industry that gave three or four times as much to GOP candidates as to Democrats in the 1990s and early 2000s is now hedging its bets. So far in the 2024 cycle, drug companies have given $4.89 million to Democrats and $4.35 million to Republicans, according to OpenSecrets, a nonpartisan research group.
Harris has received $518,571 from the industry and Trump has received $204,748.
At the Democratic National Convention in Chicago last week, Harris and fellow Democrats touted their records on curbing drug prices. Harris supporters point to her past and present.
While she was California’s at-
torney general, she joined cases that resulted in nearly $7.2 billion (about $22 per person in the U.S.) in fines for drug companies.
Her vote to pass President Joe Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act paved the way not only for Medicare price negotiation but also an annual $2,000 cap on Medicare beneficiaries’ total drug spending and a $35 cap on their monthly insulin supplies.
“In the United States of America, no senior should have to choose between either filling their prescription or paying their rent,” Harris said Aug. 15 in her first joint appearance with Biden since he exited the presidential race.
She has promised to extend both the annual drug spending cap and the insulin price cap to all Americans with insurance, not just those on Medicare, if elected president.
Harris also backed a contentious policy that, in some instances, would empower the federal government to inject more competition into the marketplace by seizing the patents on some high-cost drugs developed with federal funds.
Doug Hart, 77, of Tempe, Arizona, has been spending about $7,000 annually on prescription drugs. A drug he takes to prevent blood clots will cost less under the Medicare price negotiations. The retired labor union president said the decrease will be considerable and it is one reason he backs Harris.
“The Republicans all voted against Medicare negotiation. Harris broke the tie in the Senate to allow it,” said Hart, who is a board member for the Arizona Alliance for Retired Americans, which works to mobilize returned union members and activists on progressive issues.
While Republicans as a party remain more friendly to the pharmaceutical industry, Trump has been willing to challenge GOP orthodoxy by taking action to combat high drug costs.
He sought during his administration to tie drug prices in Medicare to lower international prices, a proposal that the PricewaterhouseCoopers health research institute estimated would cost five drugmakers as much as $500 million a year. What was known as the “most favored nation” interim final rule was blocked because of legal challenges and later rescinded by the Biden administration.
Trump issued a rule setting up a path to import drugs from Canada and other countries, with Florida this year becoming the first state to get federal approval to import some prescriptions from Canada. But the state has been stymied by pushback from Health Canada, the Canadian government department responsible for national health policy.
And on his campaign website, Trump posted a video in which he questioned whether child -
The
PAGE 3
hood health problems are the result of “overprescription” of medications.
“Too often, our public health establishment is too close to Big Pharma — they make a lot of money, Big Pharma — big corporations, and other special interests, and does not want to ask the tough questions about what is happening to our children’s health,” he said. “If Big Pharma defrauds American patients and taxpayers or puts profits above people, they must be investigated and held accountable.”
Trump hasn’t said much about drug prices in his 2024 campaign, but allies and former advisers say he remains committed to knocking down prescription prices if reelected.
He would likely focus on increasing generic and biosimilar competition, importing drugs made in the U.S. but sold overseas back to the U.S., and capping out-of-pocket insulin costs, according to former Trump administration officials. Other goals may be lowering prices for drugs in the Medicare 340B program, which requires drugmakers to provide outpatient drugs at reduced prices to eligible health organizations that serve lower-income and uninsured patients.
“The No. 1 issue he cared about while I was in the White House, and I continue to hear him talk about, is lowering drug prices,” said Theo Merkel, a senior research fellow at conservative think tanks Paragon Health Institute and the Manhattan Institute. Merkel was also a special assistant in the Trump White House. “I’m confident that will be at the top of the agenda,” he added. Catherine Hill, a spokesperson for Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America, or PhRMA, said the industry trade group looks forward to collaborating with any future presidential administration.
She criticized the Biden administration’s plan for Medicare price negotiation as well as Trump’s plan to align U.S. prices with those in foreign countries. This month, the administration announced new, reduced prices for 10 drugs in the program following negotiations between the federal government and drugmakers. The lower costs take effect in 2026.
“Previous price controls adopted by the Biden administration threaten to stifle that innovation,” Hill said. “Undermining intellectual property protections and borrowing other countries’ price controls will further undercut innovation and threaten patients’ access to medicine.” (Stephanie Armour/KFF Health News)
KFF Health News is a national newsroom that produces indepth journalism about health issues and is one of the core operating programs at KFF—an independent source of health policy research, polling, and journalism.
new COVID vaccine is...
don’t want to spread the COVID virus, the best advice is to get a single test and, if positive, try to isolate for a few days and then wear a mask for several days while avoiding crowded rooms.
Repeat testing after a positive result is pointless, since viral particles in the nose may remain for days without signifying a risk of infecting others, Schaffner said.
The Health and Human Services Department is making four free COVID tests available to anyone who requests them starting in late September through COVIDtest.gov, said Dawn O’Connell, assistant secretary for preparedness and response, at the Aug. 23 briefing.
The government is focusing its fall vaccine advocacy campaign, which it’s calling “Risk less, live more,” on older people and nursing home residents, said HHS
spokesperson Jeff Nesbit. Not everyone may really need a fall COVID booster, but “it’s not wrong to give people options,” John Moore said. “The 20-yearold athlete is less at risk than the 70-year-old overweight dude. It’s as simple as that.” (Arthur Allen and Eliza Fawcett, Healthbeat and Rebecca Grapevine, Healthbeat, KFF Health News) KFF Health News correspondent Amy Maxmen contributed to this report.
Healthbeat is a nonprofit newsroom covering public health published by Civic News Company and KFF Health News. KFF Health News is a national newsroom that produces indepth journalism about health issues and is one of the core operating programs at KFF—an independent source of health policy research, polling, and journalism.
OVERSEAS JOB FAIR. Jobseekers troop to the Music Hall of SM Mall of Asia in Pasay City on Tuesday, August 27. Organized by the local government’s Public Employment and Services Office, the fair was participated by 24 firms from Asia, Africa, Canada, Europe, Australia, New Zealand, the Middle East, and United States. PNA photo by Yancy Lim
‘Hiwalay
Dateline PhiliPPines
na muna, Ate’: Shiela Guo says she doesn’t know where Alice is
by Maila ager Inquirer.net
— Where did dismissed
MANILA
Bamban, Tarlac Mayor Alice Guo
go?
Even her sister, Shiela Guo, said she doesn’t know where Alice is after they parted ways in Indonesia.
In her testimony in the Senate hearing on Tuesday, August 27, Shiela said she and her siblings, Alice and Wesley, left the Philippines by sea to Malaysia.
She did not say when they left the country, but Sen. Risa Hontiveros previously revealed that Alice Guo left the Philippines on July 18.
From Malaysia, the Guo siblings went to Singapore and then proceeded to Indonesia on August 18.
“O ngayon ang tanong ko, nasaan ang kapatid mo? (Now my question is, where is your sibling?)” Senate President Pro Tempore Jinggoy Estrada asked, referring to Alice.
“Hindi ko po alam ( I don’t know),” Shiela answered.
She reiterated that while they arrived together in Malaysia, they separated in Indonesia either on August 19 or August 20.
When Estrada pressed where Alice is, Shiela said: “Wala po siyang sinabi (She did not say
anything).”
“Basta-basta lang umalis (She just left)?” the senator asked.
“Sabi lang niya sa akin hiwalay na muna, ate. Tapos tanong ko siya saan siya punta? Sabi niya sa akin wag ko daw alamin,” Shiela said.
(She just told me, ‘We’re taking a break for now, sis.’ When I asked her where she was going, she told me not to find out.)
According to her, even their brother, Wesley, was separated from them while they were in Indonesia.
From Indonesia, however, Shiela said she and Wesley were planning to go back to Singapore before going to Hong Kong.
“Babalik kami sa Singapore sana tapos balak kaming deretso sa Hong Kong,” she said.
(We were supposed to return to Singapore and then planned to go directly to Hong Kong.)
“Sino kayo? Kayo ni Alice (You and Alice)?” Estrada asked, but Shiela said she was supposed to travel with Wesley.
“How about Alice?” the senator asked.
“Hindi ko alam, kasi hiwalay na po kami (I don’t know because we’re already separated),” Shiela said.
Estrada reminded Shiela of her statement that Wesley was also
separated from them. Shiela clarified that they were only separated in Indonesia. At this point, Hontiveros cited information she received that a certain “ZJ” booked four rooms at the Harris Hotel Batam Center.
“Nag-book po siya ng apat na kuwarto dun sa Haris Hotel so parang hindi siya para sa hiwahiwalay na tao, para siya sa isang grupo ng apat na tao. Just pointing that out kasi kontra dun sa sinasabi mong magkakahiwalay-hiwalay,” Hontiveros said.
(ZJ booked four rooms at the Haris Hotel, so it seems like it wasn’t for separate people but rather for a group of four. I’m just pointing that out because it’s contrary to what you’re saying about being separated.)
Alice is the subject of a Senate probe in connection with her alleged ties to illegal Philippine offshore gaming operators (POGOs) in her town in Bamban.
Sheila and Alice’s business partner, Cassandra Ong, were arrested in Indonesia on August 21 and they were sent back to the Philippines on August 22.
Shiela and Ong are currently detained in the Senate and House of Representatives, respectively, as the two chambers hold separate probes on POGOs. n
Baguio eyes eco-cultural tourism
BAGUIO CITY — The city government is considering developing an integrated eco-cultural tourism complex supporting community-based tourism activities to bolster the summer capital’s recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.
In a recent management committee meeting chaired by Mayor Benjamin Magalong at the city hall, Tourism chief Alec Mapalo presented the Challok (Country Club, Happy Hallow, Atok Trail, Lucnab, Loakan, Outlook, Kias) Ecopark Communities, a community-based sustainable tourism development as a total nature and culture immersion, aimed at protecting forest reserves, and preserve and promote culture.
The proposed development would also provide livelihood and employment opportunities.
Mapalo said the program involves the seven barangay (villages) with remaining mountainous pine forest cover under proclamations and ancestral domains where several Indigenous peoples communities live overlooking the mines and mountains of Itogon, Benguet.
“The idea is to support community-based tourism programs that’s integrated into a general tourism product concept of nature plus culture immersion within the pine forests, thus promoting environmental protection and cultural preservation while furthering livelihood and employment opportunities for communities in the area, cultivating sustainable development in ancestral domains,” he explained.
Mapalo said that the project is in line with the city government's
#BreatheBaguio branding campaign.
He said possible tourism community activities in the area are view decks on selected sites, arts and crafts shops, curated pocket gardens, camping sites, horseback riding and eco-trails around the area, cable cars connecting one community to another, and more.
For the development to be self-sufficient, the use of selfsustaining renewable energy source (solar or waterpower) is proposed, including putting up of an independent water supply and sewerage treatment plant, waste recycling program, and forest and garden green houses to ensure regreening and reforestation for regenerative environmental programs. (Gaby B. Keith/manilatimes.net)
by Jacob Lazaro Inquirer.net
MANILA — The Philippine government has repatriated a total of 1,147 Filipinos from the Levant since terror groups Hamas and Hezbollah attacked Israel last year, but an estimated 40,000 more, including dual citizens and permanent residents, remain in Israel and Lebanon.
Of these, 858 (including six from the West Bank and two from the Gaza Strip) came from Israel while 289 from Lebanon, according to the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA). [Israel, Lebanon along with Gaza Strip, West Bank, Jordan, Syria, and other areas along the eastern Mediterranean shores are also referred to as the Levant region.]
The DFA said the latest batch of repatriates — comprised of 38 caregivers, one hotel worker and one child — arrived on Friday afternoon, August 23 from Israel.
The Department of Migrant Workers said the overseas
Filipino workers voluntarily availed of the government’s repatriation program implemented by the DMW, DFA and Overseas Workers Welfare Administration.
Each of the repatriates will be given P75,000 from the DMW’s assistance-to-nationals fund and other forms of support from the government. According to the Philippine Embassy in Tel Aviv, there are more than 30,000 documented Filipinos in Israel, mostly caretakers, and they chose to stay because no one would take care of their elderly employers in relatively peaceful Tel Aviv, Jerusalem and Haifa.
Come home for safety
The DFA said there are about 11,000 more documented Filipinos in Lebanon, but 85 percent of them live and work in Beirut, around 100 kilometers from southern Lebanon where hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah are escalating.
Eduardo de Vega, spokesperson
for the DFA, said hostilities were limited to the border areas between Israel and Lebanon, and no Filipino has been injured due to the conflict.
However, De Vega renewed the DFA’s appeal for Filipinos in the war zones to avail of the government’s voluntary repatriation program while travel is still relatively free and they still can.
Hostilities in southern Lebanon, in particular, have intensified recently with Hezbollah firing more rockets at northern Israel daily while Jerusalem has unleashed bombing missions against Hezbollah weapons stores. One Hezbollah drone even reached Tel Aviv.
Hezbollah has been considered a terrorist organization since the 1990s, but it remains part of the coalition governing Lebanon and has expressed “solidarity” with Hamas, also considered a terror group. Both groups are backed by Iran. n
OpiniOn Features
No personal piggybank
ANYONE is free to become a book author. No one, however, is entitled to become a book author at taxpayers’ expense, with a guaranteed initial distribution run of 200,000, simply because the author happens to be a government official.
Books intended for distribution to early childhood learners in particular must pass through a proper vetting process – for the lessons and values imparted, the images and grammar used, and for overall age appropriateness.
Editorial
Vice President Sara Duterte, apparently pleased with the controversy generated by her foray into the creation of children’s books, has announced that another one is coming up. The first, as she has described it, is about friendship; she says her next project will be about betrayal.
Anyone is free to become a book author. No one, however, is entitled to become a book author at taxpayers’ expense, with a guaranteed initial distribution run of 200,000, simply because the author happens to be a government official.
Books intended for distribution to early childhood learners in particular must pass through a proper vetting process – for the lessons and values imparted, the images and grammar used, and for overall age appropriateness.
Vice President Sara Duterte, apparently pleased
IN typical fashion, Filipinos use humor to express their exasperation – sometimes anger and frustration – at ridiculous situations. As the title of this column suggests, people are coming out with jokes about the disappearance of dismissed Bamban mayor Alice Guo, who has been the subject of a very high-profile Senate investigation over her suspected ties with illegal gambling operators and allegations that she is a fake Filipino.
Demonstrating the Pinoy wit and ability to play with words, “Where did she Guo? Paano siya naka Alice?” ( nakaalis means “able to leave” in Filipino) is now going around social media following the revelation from Senator Risa Hontiveros that Alice Guo – a.k.a. Guo Hua Ping – left the country on July 18 for Indonesia. She then went to Malaysia and on July 21, traveled to Singapore where she had a “reunion” with her parents, Lin Wen Yi and Guo Jian Zhong, brother Wesley Guo and an associate named Cassandra Ong. The Senate hearings over illegal gambling hubs following the raid of a POGO complex in Tarlac has made Guo’s name and face very familiar among many
I WRITE this on National Heroes’ Day, which we commemorate every last Monday of August. The day traces its roots to the so-called Cry of Pugad Lawin, a clandestine meeting led by Andres Bonifacio, and which is said to have heralded the Philippine Revolution. Earlier in the morning, I was on the road and it was eerily empty except for a few cars here and there and some street children roaming around. Perhaps the rest of the population are still on a quick holiday break or just enjoying some quiet time at home. As for me, I couldn’t help but ponder and wonder – what would our heroes think about the Philippines of today?
If they were alive, would they be happy and proud of where we are now? Would they be happy of how our nation, whose independence they staunchly fought for during
with the controversy generated by her foray into the creation of children’s books, has announced that another one is coming up. The first, as she has described it, is about friendship; she says her next project will be about betrayal.
That P10 million is not “free” for taxpayers. And the ordinary children’s book author in this country can only dream of getting P10 million in people’s money to produce a book with a guaranteed distribution. Many authors would be hard-pressed to obtain even P1 million to publish a book.
The vice president launched her book last year when she was still the secretary of education and not yet openly regretting her support for the presidential bid of Ferdinand Marcos Jr. The post of education secretary, however, does not automatically entitle its holder to publish a children’s book at public expense, bearing the secretary’s byline and photo. Doing so betrays a mindset that sees public coffers as a personal piggybank. Congress, which holds the power of the purse, should disabuse the vice president of this notion. (Philstar.com)
‘Where did she Guo?
Filipinos, with numerous memes poking fun at her “selective amnesia” and her repetitive answer of “Your honor, I can’t remember” when asked about her education and other details about her childhood supposedly in a farm.
In reality, it’s not funny at all that despite being the subject of an arrest warrant by the Senate for her refusal to attend the subsequent committee hearings and the issuance of an Immigration Lookout Bulletin Order (ILBO), she was able to leave the country undetected, much to the amazement, and fury even, of many.
Granted that an ILBO could not stop anyone from leaving the county unlike a Hold Departure Order (HDO) issued by the court, there have been many instances of people getting offloaded or prevented from boarding their flights by Immigration officials who subject them to secondary questioning, especially if they are in an “alert list” like the ILBO.
We have heard so many stories about Immigration officials asking Filipino travelers to show the birth certificate of ancestors to establish their relationship with a relative in another country that they plan to visit. In fact, several legislators have called out the Bureau of Immigration for the “abuse of power” displayed by frontline officers against outgoing passengers even without seeming basis – like an
their time, turned out to be?
Would they do it all over again, knowing what would happen more than a hundred years later? Would they still offer their blood, sweat and tears for our country to be free?
There is no doubt that the freedoms we enjoy now are because of the heroes who came before us.
But a closer look would tell us that freedom isn’t only about being able to wake up and move about each day.
It is also about being free to enjoy all our rights, privileges and benefits as Filipino citizens of this country. Unfortunately, this isn’t happening yet because we are bogged down by corruption and the unlawful or improper use of taxpayers’ money. Our money.
Our government officials have no qualms spending taxpayers’ money for projects that benefit them, more than the people.
Children’s book author Take for instance a P10-million budget for a children’s book by a government official who isn’t even
incident that went viral when an Immigration officer asked a traveler to produce a graduation photo and even a yearbook –causing the woman to miss her flight.
Citing “intelligence information” from counterparts abroad, BI officials said Guo may have been able to leave the Philippines illegally (obviously) without passing through immigration authority checks. There are suspicions that she may have boarded a chartered plane which allowed her to skip the usual Immigration process and directly proceed to the gate. This has prompted Senate President Chiz Escudero to propose the creation of a general aviation terminal that would require private plane passengers to pass through proper checks that regular airport passengers need to go through.
President Marcos has ordered a full-scale investigation, saying, “The departure of Alice Guo has laid bare the corruption that undermines our justice system and erodes public trust.”
Promising that “heads will roll,” the president also said, “We will expose the culprits who have betrayed the people’s trust and aided in her flight,” adding that “those responsible will be suspended and will be held accountable to the fullest extent of the law. There is no room in this government for anyone who places personal interest above
a children’s book author.
Here in the Philippines, the best artists and literary minds struggle to get funding for their creative work.
And yet, and yet, here’s Vice President Sara Duterte, who isn’t even a recognized author, publishing her own book using taxpayers’ money.
Our lawmakers are correct to raise questions on the project.
I write this though not as an attack or a commentary against the vice president or the collapse of Team Unity, if it ever existed. Corrupted with impunity
This is really about using taxpayers’ money properly. I am bewildered by how easy it is for our government officials to use taxpayers’ money as if it’s their own. There are too many projects and unnecessary expenses funded by taxpayers’ money and people in power have no qualms about it –from multimillion-peso logos, to agency slogans; from children’s books to campaign posters; from wall clocks and wall-hangings plastered with their faces; from
serving the Filipino people with honor, integrity and justice.”
The disappearance of Alice Guo right from under our very noses is no laughing matter as it goes to show that we are facing an extremely serious national security situation. Many agree that Alice Guo would not have been able to leave the country without the complicity of corrupt officials from the Bureau of Immigration, which intelligence sources clearly indicate to be at the root of the problem.
Time and again, reports have come out about the endemic corruption that seems to pervade the bureau, like the alleged issuance of prearranged employment visas to thousands of foreign nationals for fake local companies. Let’s not forget, corrupt BI officials also moonlight as “escort service” agents who, for as little as P10,000, facilitate a special no-screening entry for Chinese and other foreigners who subsequently obtain fake Filipino birth certificates and IDs.
Justice Secretary Crispin Remulla has vowed accountability for anyone who assisted Guo or allowed her to leave the country illegally. There should be no letup in the efforts to identify those responsible for this travesty. The government should make an example of these people who continue to cooperate and collaborate with those who seek to undermine the security of this
junkets to lavish parties, etc. etc.
There are ghost employees, too and ghost projects, especially among local government units (LGUs) that have become notorious for corruption.
What is happening to our country, indeed?
We can never be free if our taxes are corrupted with impunity. We can never be free if officials treat every project as campaign material. We can never be free if we do not have a government that works for its citizens.
A few good men I find hope in individuals and institutions who fight for what is right and who, despite the uphill battle, continue to advocate for good governance and an end to corruption.
The Anti-Red Tape Authority (ARTA), for instance, sent me a letter early this month, to share what it has been doing to fight corruption and red tape in government.
Efforts include the conduct of capacity building, monitoring and inspection of national government agencies and LGUs.
country. To those who continue to doubt the security risks that we face – wake up and stop these influence operations from pulling the wool over your eyes. Now more than ever, we must get ourselves together because of the continuing aggression that we face as seen in the recent incident near Escoda Shoal where Chinese Coast Guard ships rammed two Philippine Coast Guard vessels that were on a supply mission to Filipino personnel stationed in Patag and Lawak islands. Despite these continuing risks
It has been proven with data and statistics that the most effective way of fighting red tape and corruption is to follow the directive of the president to streamline and digitalize government services, ARTA said.
Thus ARTA, together with other agencies, are intensifying efforts to ensure that LGUs – which in recent years have become known for shaking down businesses –are now compliant with the fully automated Electronic Business One Stop Shop requirements.
This means that the issuance and renewal of business permits and licenses are done online. This is meant to minimize human interaction, which often leads to red tape and corruption.
Compliant LGUs have experienced substantial increases in business registrations and revenue collections, ARTA director general Ernesto Perez said in his letter to me.
The agency has been recognizing LGUs that are compliant with the system.
“Our target is to recognize at least 100 LGUs this year. Imagine
and challenges, we can take comfort in the fact that many if not all of our international partners and friends are one with us in condemning this kind of aggression not only in disputed territories but as well as the entire Indo-Pacific region. (Philstar.com)
*
* * The opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by the author do not necessarily reflect the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints of the Asian Journal, its management, editorial board and staff.
* * * babeseyeview@gmail.com
if we can have all LGUs compliant with this requirement,” Secretary Perez said.
I’m happy to hear about this, though cognizant of the fact that it’s only one part of the battle against corruption.
Nonetheless, props to ARTA for its efforts. I hope these initiatives continue. Follow-through and constant monitoring are also necessary.
Winning the war against corruption takes a whole-ofnation approach and it’s never an easy fight.
But one day, hopefully, our people can claim victory against it and all the other ills hounding our society.
Perhaps only then can our heroes in their graves be at peace knowing that theirs wasn’t such a futile battle after all. (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.
* * * eyesgonzales@gmail.com
IrIs Gonzales
Eyes Wide Open
Comelec asks deactivated voters to register anew
by Mayen JiMalin Philstar.com
MANILA — The Commission on Elections (Comelec) is encouraging at least five million deactivated voters to apply for reactivation to be able to participate in the May 2025 midterm elections.
Comelec Chairman George Garcia said they are tapping the poll body’s citizens’ arms and other cause-oriented groups in encouraging the deactivated voters to register again before the registration period ends on Sept. 30.
Garcia noted that the Comelec has removed about six million names from the official list of registered voters.
A majority of those taken out of the list were deactivated voters.
According to Garcia, 66 million voters have registered for the 2025 midterm elections.
The Comelec is working to increase the figure to 70 million.
“But because of the number of deactivated voters, I think we cannot reach our target of 70 million voters,” Garcia said. He noted that only 100,000 of
PH budget shortfall widens to P642B
n
Police told to ensure due process vs KoJC
THE Commission on Human Rights (CHR) in Region 11 issued
a stern reminder to all parties involved to ensure that due process will prevail and judicial process will run its course in the police operation at the Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KoJC) compound in Davao City.
The commission’s regional office acknowledged the police operation is guaranteed by the Philippine Constitution, but just the same, it said it is closely monitoring the situation.
The police on Saturday, August 24 swooped down on the KOJC compound to serve an arrest warrant for KoJC leader Pastor Apollo Quiboloy.
“The Commission reminds the Philippine National Police to exercise maximum tolerance and to ensure the safety of everyone, especially the children. The CHR stresses that no violence or unnecessary force shall be used in making an arrest, in accordance with the law,” the CHR said in a statement.
The agency reiterated to the members of KoJC the importance of respecting state
forces, allowing them to carry out their duty, and refraining from any actions that may escalate tensions or obstruct the legal process.
The CHR also reminded the supporters of the KoJC leader to “refrain from harassing civilians who are simply performing their duties.”
The commission’s reminder came following reports that a special investigator from CHR Region 11 was “threatened and harassed by some KoJC members.”
Emphasizing that the rule of law must prevail to ensure everyone’s rights are upheld and protected, the CHR also called on all involved to “remain calm and cooperate fully with the legal proceedings, in the interest of justice and peace.”
Meanwhile, the Police Regional Office 6 (PRO-6) expressed its support to the ongoing enforcement operation of the Police Regional Office in Davao Region (PRO-11) against Quiboloy.
“It is the sworn duty and obligation of the Philippine National Police (PNP) to enforce the law and to implement lawful orders and decrees by competent
judicial and duly constituted authorities,” it said in a statement on Sunday, August 25.
The PRO-6 emphasized that the PNP’s task transcends personal interests, political affiliations, religious beliefs, and ideological biases.
It added that it is the PNP’s mandate to serve and to protect the people by upholding the constitutional principles of equal protection of rights under the law and that the “law must apply to all and that no one is above the law.”
“Not even a self-appointed, Anointed Son of God can exempt himself from adherence to our penal and procedural laws,” the PRO-6 added.
Quiboloy is wanted for human trafficking, child abuse, and contempt of court.
On Saturday, around 2,000 police officers backed by riot squads raided the Kingdom of Jesus Christ compound in Davao City to serve arrest warrants on Quiboloy.
The PRO-6 expressed support to PRO-11 director BGen. Nicolas Torre III, who remains unfazed by the “black propaganda” being hurled against him because of his fidelity to his duty as a police officer.
THE government's budget balance continued to run a deficit as spending outpaced revenues, a Cabinet official reported on Tuesday, August 27.
The P642.8-billion budget shortfall in the January to July period is 7.2-percent higher than the P599.5 billion deficit logged in the same period last year.
During the budget deliberation of the Department of Finance on Tuesday, Secretary Ralph Recto said that government spending totaled P3.25 trillion in the sevenmonth period, outpacing the P2.61-trillion revenue collection.
The revenues, however, grew at a faster rate of 14.8 percent compared to the 13.2-percent increase in expenditures.
Tax collections accounted for the bulk of the revenues at P2.34 trillion in the January to July period, 11-percent higher than the P2.02 trillion recorded in the same period last year.
“We credit this feat to the BIR (Bureau of Internal Revenue) and BoC's (Bureau of Customs) Brave digitalization strategies and the balikatan with allied agencies to kick our revenue operations into high gear,” Recto said.
Brave is the government's initiative to combat smuggling and illicit trade, and has five components: Border security enhancement; Revenue collection and revenue-base protection;
Adaptive regulations and compliance monitoring; Vigilant enforcement operations and vigorous intelligence gathering activities; and Effective engagement with stakeholders and inter-agency cooperation.
Broken down, the BIR collected P1.68 trillion during the period, 12.7-percent higher than the P1.49 trillion last year. Customs revenue collections, meanwhile, totaled P535.9 billion, up 5.8 percent from P506.5 billion last year.
Nontax revenues, on the other hand, totaled P368.8 billion in the January to July period, 44.5-percent higher than the P255.3 billion last year.
Recto said that the dividends from the government-owned and controlled corporations contributed much to the increase, which is approximately P185
“This strong revenue performance placed us among Asia’s top revenue-to-GDP (gross domestic product) ratios at 17.1 percent for the first half of the year. And this is above our fullyear target of 16.1 percent,” Recto said.
“As we ramp up Brave, we anticipate a 10.3 percent average annual growth in total revenues over the medium term to support our people's growing needs,” he added.
Broken down, the BIR collected P1.68 trillion during the period, 12.7-percent higher than the P1.49 trillion last year. n
by Niña Myka PauliNe arceo ManilaTimes.net
VEGAS&STYLE JOURNAL
‘Elevator’:
A tale of love, ambition and the OFW life
by Jerry Donato Philstar.com
WHAT I like about streaming platforms, particularly Netflix, is that I can still watch content, initially screened in cinemas, that I’ve missed.
“Elevator” is one example.
Shown last April in theaters, it offers a refreshing take on Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) or migrant workers stories captured on film. Most of them are usually set in (family) drama genre and touch on the character’s struggles with adapting to the host culture and hiding from authorities because of overstaying.
All this, in a way, is different from the tale of Jared (played by Paulo Avelino) in the production from Viva Films, Studio Viva, Cineko Productions and Rein Entertainment. He works legally and lives decently as the elevator guy in Singapore.
Prior to his job in the city-state and island country, Jared worked for a bitcoin company in Qatar and used his IT degree to make a living in Taiwan.
His earlier lines “Andito rin ako para baguhin ang tadhana ko. Sawa na akong maging empleyado kaya oras na para ako naman ang maging amo (I’m also here to change the course of my life and fate. I’m tired of being an employee, and it’s now time for me to become a boss),” reveal the internal conflict and personal goal that the male lead character has to deal with.
However, the “Love or Money?” advertisement in the waiting shed, where he and his multi-cultural circle of friends meet, hints at another conflict that he soon deals with. It will involve another person or even fate may come into play.
These co-workers-turnedfriends believe in his dream of creating and launching an app that will connect migrant workers, from around the world, to their prospective employers. They’re supporting him all the way.
Jared, still a representation of every Pinoy’s search for greener pastures and the selfless calling to better his or her family’s social standing in contemporary times, has a bigger dream for himself and needs to bet on it. He must believe in himself and create possibilities.
“Elevator” has an empowered character in Jared whose dream will also change the lives of his friends and also those dispersed worldwide as stakeholders in the app.
In a way, the elevator, where Jared is “confined” or stationed for most of his working time, symbolizes his aspiration to reach the apex of his full potential, professional-wise. What he only needs is the right person, who will invest in the app, and the right time that will allow him to pitch his idea.
Big-time entrepreneur-investor Byron (portrayed by Singaporean actor Adrian Pang), who’s staying
by allan PolicarPio Inquirer.net
WITH a medal around their necks, their loved ones beaming at them, Ely Buendia, Raymund Marasigan, Buddy Zabala and Marcus Adoro stood onstage with giddy grins on their faces, like proud schoolboys on graduation day.
The four musicians, who met and formed the iconic rock band Eraserheads in the late 1980s, have no diplomas to show for their time at the University of the Philippines (UP) in Diliman, as Marasigan jokingly pointed out.
But last Aug. 20 at the UP Executive House, they finally got a sense of what it must have felt like to hold one. For “indelibly shaping the soundscape and spirit of Filipino pop culture,” the band was given something of equal, if not greater, importance—the Gawad Oblation.
for that matter, to have been given the honor, Jimenez told the Inquirer. He described the band as “a cultural icon” that helped define the music and identities of a generation.
“Through songs, they voiced out our struggles and hopes,” he said, adding the band’s enduring music, which has unwittingly become a soundtrack, not just of UP students’ lives, but of the Filipino people.
The award citation credited the Eraserheads for being an industry game changer that “captured zeitgeist of the 1990s.” “It wielded its artistry, not only to entertain, but to ignite change … leaving an indelible imprint in the culture consciousness of Filipinos,” it read.
particularly the first three albums, “Ultra…,” “Circus” and “Cutterpillow”—are intertwined with their life in UP. Different facets and details unique to the university and its culture are immortalized in their songs, like the Kalayaan Residence Hall in “Minsan” and the beloved Casaa food court in “Shirley.”
As such, the group couldn’t help but wax nostalgic and reminisce about the experiences that informed the storytelling of their earlier work.
Adoro had the crowd cheering as he talked about the “lambingan” at the Lagoon, the fun nights they had at the Sunken Garden and the dark corners of the Beta Way that cuts across the Academic Oval.
“It’s in UP that we experienced real freedom—freedom to choose, express and follow our voices,” the guitarist said in his speech.
A rom-com narrative film about the Pinoy diaspora, ‘Elevator,’ starring Paulo Avelino and Kylie Verzosa, has beautifully interspersed and mixed the stories about chasing one’s dream and finding one’s love. Netflix is on point to describe it as ‘inspiring’ and ‘romantic.’ Aside from that, it reminds one about believing in and betting on oneself. Philstar.com photo in the hotel where Jared works, gives the latter that chance and hope. Given Byron’s busy and full schedule, Jared has to communicate with Bettina (Kylie Verzosa), the Pinay executive assistant to Byron. She is another empowered OFW character, with business acumen and instincts to boot — and bank on.
Will she help Jared or intercede to make things happen for him?
At the start, she might be viewed as a typical jealous kababayan of another Pinoy’s success abroad or a plain skeptic, but surprise, surprise, Bettina is the biggest cheerleader of Jared. They’re simply two Filipinos who work for their families and support each other abroad.
Jared and his friends, including the new hotel worker, speak about the global phenomenon that sees different nationalities living and working abroad. It contributes to every national economy.
I think it’s common knowledge that remittances from OFWs or Pinoy migrant workers help keep Philippine economy afloat, resilient and robust, along with the presence of BPO industry and micro-small-medium enterprises in the country. Definitely, there are more specific industries and policies that make up an economy.
Bettina, Byron and the character Alice, on the other hand, represent the regionalization and globalization of the economy.
The film is also a glimpse of the digitalization of employment recruitment and the further leveling of the playing field via the flat-world platform discussed by author Thomas Friedman in his book. Yes, more people can now work together regardless of their geographical locations and time zones. But, there are many, many individuals who still migrate to work in another country or elsewhere on the globe. We indeed live in exciting times, technology-wise.
Since Jared and Bettina are in talks about the app, they’ve grown close to one another. Special feelings have been developed.
Told through the “he and she points of view,” one gets into the thoughts of Jared and Bettina, who kissed him after a night out with Byron and his friends. Besides being an executive assistant to Byron, she is his girlfriend. She’s also looking forward to the divorce of Byron and his wife Alice, who attends meetings with him to talk about the division of assets and joint businesses in Hong Kong and Singapore. With that, “Elevator” makes viewers consider the idea that personal issues should not get in the way of professional decisions, as one may recall a conversation between Byron and Bettina.
Bettina and Alice have spoken to Byron on two different occasions, saying, “We grew our money more than our love.”
I think it’s a nice piece of advice from them on how to keep a relationship intact. These women seem ready to move on, and they only wish the best for the man they’ve once loved.
Kudos to the convincing and engaging portrayals of Paulo, Adrian, Kylie and Amy Cheng.
Same goes to the ensemble acting of Chai Fonacier, Shrey Bhargava, Shahid Nasheer, Shaun Lim, and Rishi Vadrevu, and congratulations also to the direction and story of Philip King.
As a rom-com narrative film about Pinoy diaspora, “Elevator” has beautifully interspersed and put together the stories about chasing one’s dream and finding one’s love.
I also adore and love watching content that features Asian and Southeast Asian characters and talents.
And Netflix is on point to describe it as “inspiring,” and “romantic.”
Please watch “Elevator” on the streaming platform.
Kathryn Bernardo, Alden Richards wrap filming their scenes in Canada
by
HannaH Mallorca Inquirer.net
“Hello,
Love, Again,” although it remains unknown if production for the movie is already done.
Bernardo and Richards celebrated the end of filming in Canada, where they were joined by their co-actor Joross Gamboa,
director Cathy Garcia-Sampana, and crew members, as seen on Gamboa’s Instagram page on Monday, August 26.
“Eyyy! It’s a wrap Canada. Oh Ethan bat ka naman umiiyak (why are you crying),” Gamboa said in his post while referring to Richards’ character.
Last June, Richards, Sampana, and members of the movie’s production team flew to Hong Kong to film scenes for the muchanticipated sequel.
It’s not known if “Hello, Love, Again” had already finished filming the movie for good.
“Hello, Love, Again” is the sequel to the 2019 film “Hello, Love, Goodbye” which explores the budding love story between Joy Fabregas (Bernardo) and Ethan Del Rosario (Richards) which was cut short after Joy heads for greener pastures in Canada. The sequel was confirmed in May 2024, which is said to tell the story of how things had changed between them amid the growing hardships of overseas Filipino workers (OFW).
After UP President Angelo Jimenez draped the prestigious medal around Marasigan, the palpably excited drummer raised his fists in triumph. One wouldn’t have guessed that he was actually feeling the butterflies.
Extraordinary service Kinakabahan ako — sh*t!” quipped Marasigan, who dedicated the “unexpected honor” to his parents “who continued to support me even if I couldn’t give them a diploma.” On Instagram, after the event, he wrote: “ Parang grumadweyt na rin kami ngayon.”
“So, this is how it feels to graduate. Heart bursting… I look far away, imagining that my parents beaming proudly at me,” Zabala, the band’s bassist, also wrote on Instagram.
And as they posed together for photos, Marasigan asked his bandmates to bite their medals for the cameras, as if Olympic athletes on a podium.
Launched in 2017, the Gawad Oblation is “the highest distinction UP can bestow” on those who have rendered and continue to render “extraordinary service with or in the name of the university.” The title is typically conferred on individuals or organizations that excel in the fields of research, education, creative production, public service and volunteerism, among others.
The real deal
The Eraserheads is the first pop music act, or mainstream celebrity
In his testimonial, retired humanities professor and musician Robin Rivera recounted meeting the band during its infancy, and how he helped the young artists record their now legendary demo tape, “Pop-U,” at the university’s faculty studio from May 25 to 26 in 1991.
Potential
“Whatever happens to them, at least they would have some sort of documentation of their youth,” said Rivera, who served as a mentor to the band. “But while their eventual stardom was unexpected, it wasn’t altogether surprising because I know their songs were the real deal.”
He recognized that potential from the moment he heard samples of their bedroomrecorded compositions on the C-60 cassette Marasigan, his then student, handed to him.
“The songs were dripping with originality, wit, colloquialisms, imagery and intensity wrapped up in the language of their generation,” Rivera observed.
Rivera would go on to coproduce the Eraserheads’ debut album, “Ultraelectromagneticpop!,” and solely produce the band’s six succeeding albums. “To their fans, they will always be remembered as smart, clever and pilyo college dormers, who wrote catchy narratives and situational songs sung by the voice of the everyman,” he said.
“But beyond that, I know them to be dedicated artists who audaciously bucked the trends of the limiting and, at times, oppressive world of pop culture,” Rivera added.
NostalgicThe group’s music—
Zabala, who hails from Zamboanga City, found “a home away from home” in UP. “It’s where it all began. My world expanded, or rather, exploded. The place gave us many unforgettable experiences—countless of which made their way into our songs,” he said.
Tribute Buendia has always wanted to speak on a podium and he made sure not to miss this opportunity. Like the batch’s model student delivering the valedictory address, he paid a heartfelt tribute to UP, which served as the group’s stage, playground and testing ground all in one.
“This was where ideas were born, dreams were nurtured … where our music found its voice. We learned the power of creativity and freedom of expression that would later define who we are later as artists,” the lead vocalist said. Setting foot inside the campus conjured up images of the friendships forged in classrooms, the countless nights the band spent writing and dreaming, and the community that believed in their music long before they could.
More than anything, he stressed, life in UP taught him and his bandmates “how to question, challenge and speak out.” “The spirit of social engagement, the pursuit for truth, and the commitment to social responsibilities are values we have carried with us in our journey,” he said.
by Ronnie CaRRasCo iii ManilaTimes.net
IN her rare TV guest appearance, Teresa Loyzaga confessed to have fiercely struggled with her son Diego's predilection for drugs years ago.
Tong — as she's pet named in showbiz circles — told Boy Abunda, "It reach a point where my child was already disrespecting me. But I knew it wasn't him, it's the effect of drugs on him."
To make a way out, Teresa had no other recourse but to send Diego to a rehabilitation facility.
She remembered how she'd furtively sneak into the premises without Diego knowing,: "Because it was strictly prohibited."
Since she couldn't bear not to catch sight of Diego, Teresa had to plead with the facility personnel if she could at least peep through a hole in the tarpaulin, "As long as I didn't make any noise for Diego to sense I was just around."
How she was able to rise above her pitiful state, Teresa attributed it to three things: "prayers, prayers and more prayers."
With Diego turning a new leaf, Teresa couldn't be any happier now. Say it three times, too.
(From left) Joross Gamboa, Kathryn Bernardo, Alden Richards, and director Cathy Garcia Sampana. Photo from Instagram/@joross_gamboa
Tolentino
KATHRYN Bernardo and Alden Richards wrapped up filming their scenes in Alberta, Canada for their reunion movie
‘Ipso Facto’ at ArtistSpace, ‘RSVP’ wins best short film in NY int’l film festival
My P.E.P. (People, Events,Places)
Rogelio Constantino Medina
MANY thanks to the Sovereign Seal of Business Triumphs and Remarkable Achievers award for the recognition as Remarkable Columnist of 2024 to be held on August 28 at Dusit Thani Manila’s Mayuree Ballroom.
Other awardees include Salvacion Paparon, Wej Cudiamat, Annabelle Surara, Shirley Belangel, Dennis Antenor Jr., Braggy Braganza, Lae Manego-Franzani, Miller Daniolco, Carmela Betonio, Bon Jheo Exconde, Janice Delima, Dr. Elva Evasco-Auza, Mel Marty Macasil, Merjohn Lagaya, Vern Kaye, Nicole Hyala, Chis Tsuper, Tanya Chinita, Queen Dura, Pete Gatela, Carlos Parsons, JP Catering Services, Sheanne Roll Up Door Construction Services, Intele Builders and Development Corp., Lucky GHL Advertising, JFBV, 97.9 Home Radio, Aliw Channel 23, DWIZ-AM, Chef Chateau, Rise and Shine Pilipinas, The Metropolista, Media House Express, Lagniappe Printshop, Studio45k, Eyeleen Hair and Make-up by Aileen Sebua, Gown and Events Management by Touting, Jam Lim Enterprises, Alegre de Pilipinas, Light TV, JL Photoworks, Links Digital, RTU Himig Rizalia, Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation, TAGM Marketing Solutions Inc, and Fil-Global Immigration Services Corporation.
“Ipso Facto” is the 8th solo exhibit by Jose Ferdinand Rojas II. It opened at ArtistSpace on August 18, 2024 — with an artist’s reception scheduled on September 1 — located at the Ground Level, Ayala Museum Annex, Makati Avenue corner De La Rosa Street in Makati City (across Greenbelt 5 ground floor entrance).
The exhibition is presented by Joy Rojas, jfrii Studio, and The Saturday Group of Artists. It will be on view until September 3. Gallery hours is from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.
* * * A 1981 graduate of the famous
Brooks Institute of Photography in Santa Barbara, California, Luz Amandolina Cruz Navasero, or simply Mandy, has a gone a long way since her public relations work at Bank of America in the early 1970s. Her first break as a photojournalist came in 1976 when the late Levi Marcelo, Philippine Panorama magazine’s editor, asked her to do cover photos for the Sunday magazine of the Manila Bulletin.
“Chelo Banal was very proud that there was now a woman photographer. At that time, the world of photography was dominated by men,” said Mandy, an AB English degree holder from the Philippine Women’s University. She also has an MA in English Literature at the Ateneo de Manila University.
She was a photojournalist of Mr. & Ms. Magazine, courageously taking the first shot in the rallies. “I’ve balls in my chest. During the EDSA revolt, we faced the tank. We did this because we love our country. It’s nice to be a Filipino. At that time in our history, together with the religious, we did pray with sincerity in our hearts. I prayed, ‘Hail Mary, have mercy on us.’ It’s great and you can really be proud to the world to be a Filipino,” she added.
* * * Los Angeles-based Sunita M. Mukhi was my schoolmate at De La Salle University-Manila. Her sister, Sujata, is my former classmate. I am happy that the film “RSVP” where she appeared won best short film in the recent New York International Women Film Festival.
“RSVP” is an exploration on the ways “we grieve the loss of a complicated significant other… a disappointing hubby, a near absent father, a lost childhood. The guilt for not loving enough – so much drama and intensity. And most importantly, the love between a mother and a daughter – the grievances and the forgiveness.”
Sunita felt elated when “RSVP” was declared as the winner, stating, “It is always gratifying to get recognition for your talent – a sincere compliment from friends and family, a nod of approval from your director, a hug from strangers…and the accolade from a jury of experts.”
*
* * I was honored to meet recently
Sentro 1771’s Executive Chef Vicky Pacheco, who belongs to the Reyes clan known in the world of cooking. For more than one hour we talked about food, including iconic dish corned beef sinigang, beef caldereta, rated GG (fried galunggong fillet drenched in olive oil and sprinkled with garlic bits), bangus with calamansi butter, fried kesong puti, crispy kangkong rice, vegetable juices, smoothies, etc.
I am also thankful to Sentro 1771’s marketing analyst Bien Esmero, restaurant manager Lino Gonzales, operations manager John Paulino as well as the Sentro 1771’s staff Lester Bitara, Mary Rose Bacuetes, Symond Camba, Noebal Singh, Melinda Caramba and Aillen Ruth Casilao for their care and hospitality.
* * *
“Showbizness is a serious business, and you’ve to put your heart and soul into it,” said singer Leandro ‘Ding’ Mercado. His enduring love affair with fame started when he won first prize in a singing competition which qualified him to participate in the Asian Amateur Song Festival in Hong Kong in 1977. This achievement led to an offer as a contract artist in a TV variety show in Hong Kong. Since then, he has captivated Hong Kong’s music lovers, and there was no stopping Ding’s rise in the international music scene.
Music, he said, is a universal language. To some extent, it has helped him cope in Hong Kong. “I’m more of a ballad, broadway and pop singer, although I like listening to mellow jazz. I also like singing love songs.”
* * * Philippine Stagers Foundation (PSF) president Johnrey Rivas will play the lead role in the musical play on the life of Philippine hero visual artist Juan Luna. It will have a grand opening on August 27 and 29 at Adamson University in Manila. I first watched Johnrey in the BL series “Why Love Why,” an indie film produced by Philstagers Films, and I was impressed and magnetized by his acting power. He won Best Featured Actor and Best Male Crossover Artist in the 2019 and 2020 Aliw Awards, respectively. In the 38th PMPC Star Awards, he was declared Best Movie Supporting Actor of the Year; in the 70th FAMAS
Awards as Best Supporting Actor in the film “KATIPS: the Movie.” He also appeared in “Joe the Movie,” “Ako Si Ninoy,” and “Bangkay” (based on the Don Palanca Memorial Awards fulllength entry winner written by
Vince Tanada). He also directed the short film “Zomnia” and the BL movie “Twinkle Twinkie Little Star the Series.” Sometime in September his film “Oh, My Boo Boo” will be shown.
* rogeliocmedina@yahoo.com
Clockwise, from lower left: Fe Zamora (partially hidden), Mandy Navasero, JP Feniz, Philippine Daily Inquirer editor-in-chief Letty JimenezMagsanoc, and Francoise Joaquin (center). Photos courtesy of Rogelio Medina Sisters Sujata and Sunita Mukhi
(From left) Jackie Aquino, Anna Ylagan and Ding Mercado in Greenfield District’s The Hub.
From left: Lino Gonzales, Rogelio Medina and John Paulino.
Atty. Joy Mendoza Rojas (left) and Atty. Trisha Bunye with their dog TJ.
PSF president Johnrey Rivas
At Sentro 1771: (from left) Bien Esmero, Rogelio Medina, Executive
Chef Vicky Pacheco and Roger Oriel. Rogelio Medina has been named “Most Remarkable Columnist for 2024” by the Sovereign Seal of Business Triumphs and Remarkable Achievers.
City of Las Vegas offers free fall 2024 concerts
Live outdoor performances for all ages
THE city of Las Vegas is sponsoring eight free fall concerts, featuring a variety of music and entertainers. All concerts are free, open to the public and appropriate for all ages. Reserve your spot now and receive concert updates. Food trucks will offer refreshments for sale at each park. Bring low-back chairs or blankets to be more comfortable on the park lawn.
Steven Halliday Band
Saturday, Sept. 7, 7 p.m.
Bob Baskin Park, 2801 W. Oakey Blvd.
The Steven Halliday Band is a group of versatile and passionate musicians who groove with a unique style and sound. If you like rock, blues, jazz, funk, reggae or something with a saxophone, catchy melodies, or uplifting lyrics, you'll enjoy their performance.
Patria Mexicana: Voces de Union y Libertad
Friday, Sept. 13, 5-8 p.m.
West Las Vegas Arts Center
Outdoor Amphitheatre, 947 W. Lake Mead Blvd.
Enjoy this cultural celebration marking Mexico’s independence with mariachi music. The arts center’s own student ensemble, Mariachi Nueva Promesa of Mariachi Conservatory of Las Vegas, will perform, along with community ensemble Mariachi Alma del Sol, Mariachi Amanecer of Sunrise High School, Mariachi Joya of Las Vegas High School and more. Call 702.229.4800 for more information.
Nathan Brian Wine and the Las Vegas Jazz Ensemble
Friday, Sept. 13, 7 p.m.
Centennial Hills Park
Amphitheater, 7101 N. Buffalo Drive at Deer Springs Way.
International cross-over
singer Nathan Brian Wine and the 21-member Las Vegas Jazz Ensemble Orchestra present “Wine & Song under the Stars.” They will perform an array of music in English, Spanish and Italian from The Great American Songbook, The Jazz Standard Songbook, timeless movie themes and tunes from Broadway. Bring family and friends, your low-back chairs,
blankets, snacks and beverages to be comfortable around the stage enjoying an evening of favorite music together at the park.
An Evening with The Phantom and The Music of Andrew Lloyd Webber
Saturday, Sept. 21, 7 p.m.
Centennial Hills Park
Amphitheater, 7101 N. Buffalo Drive at Deer Springs Way.
Join artists Rose Kingsley (dramatic soprano from Phantom on Broadway and The Metropolitan Opera), Allan Glassman (The Metropolitan Opera tenor and international artist) and Gregory Buchalter (musical director and conductor at The Metropolitan Opera) from Phantom on Broadway for a special night honoring the music of Andrew Lloyd Webber.
The first half of the show will pay tribute to songs from Andrew Lloyd Webber's Broadway hits, to include “Jesus Christ Superstar,” “Evita,” “Cats” and many more. The second half will devoted to the music from “Phantom of the Opera.” Don’t miss the opportunity to hear this amazing show sponsored by the International Opera Institute in partnership with the city of Las Vegas.
Pascal Bokar’s Afro Blue Grazz Band
Saturday, Sept. 28, 7 p.m.
Sammy Davis Jr. Festival Plaza in Lorenzi Park, 720 Twin Lakes Drive.
The pinnacle of versatility, talent, and musicianship, Pascal Bokar impresses everyone with his innovative combination of musical styles creating the blend he calls Afro Blue Grazz. The name derives from combining Afro-funk, blues, bluegrass and jazz to form a completely new sound. Bokar, as a music composer, vocalist and guitarist, proudly expresses the musical textures of his Senegalese and Malian roots by including fiddle, balafon and banjo in his band. Hear the band here.
“Animaniacs” in Concert Saturday, Oct. 5, 7 p.m. Centennial Hills Park Amphitheater, 7101 N. Buffalo Drive at Deer Springs Way. Join the original lead-voice
cast of “Animaniacs” -- the iconic animated Warner Bros. series created by Steven Spielberg -for a “zany, animany and totally insaney” evening as they perform the world-famous songs from the beloved cartoon TV series, backed by projections of the equally worldfamous animations (featuring a trio of wacky characters causing mayhem on the Warner Bros. studio lot). Starring the original Emmy-winning composer Randy Rogel and the voice talents of Emmy Winner Rob Paulsen, with Maurice LaMarche ("Pinky & The Brain"), the performances are as relevant today as when the series debuted in the early 1990s. With newer episodes currently streaming on HULU, "Animaniacs" is a multi-generational animated favorite with universally recognized hit songs. As its creators say, “Animaniacs in concert is for the adults – it’s hip, it’s funny…but kids will love it, too!”
Dixie Flats
Saturday, Oct. 12, 7 p.m.
Bruce Trent Park, 8851 Vegas Drive.
Dixie Flats is a Las Vegas-based band, playing hot jazz, Depressionera blues, Second Line and other fun music inspired by the culture and traditions of New Orleans. Named for a topographical feature in Elko, Nevada, Dixie Flats aims to respectfully interpret the music that they love, with a nod to the countless artists that inspire them. Hear the group here.
Earth Beats: Capoeira Nights
Friday, Oct. 25, 7 p.m.
Stewart Place Park, 4700
Chantilly Ave.
Celebrate an evening of folk dance under the stars! Artist Gustavo Caldas will present an evening of Capoeira, a centuriesold, Afro-Brazilian art that combines acrobatic dance, selfdefense and eco-spiritual culture. Expanding on Capoeira and its base movement Ginga, Gustavo will introduce other Afro-Brazilian rhythm and dance movements in a 90-minute concert that will feature dancers from Valley High School's residency.
Piolo Pascual, Jasmine Curtis-Smith take on ‘most mature roles’ in R-rated ‘Real Life Fiction’
by Charmie Joy Pagulong Philstar.com
PIOLO Pascual and Jasmine Curtis-Smith essay their “most mature roles” yet in the upcoming film, “Real Life Fiction,” directed by Paul Soriano.
Produced by TEN17P, Viva Films, Spring Films and distributed by Black Cap Pictures, the R-rated drama-thriller, which was filmed during the height of the pandemic, delves into the abyss of an actor’s mind as he loses bits of his sense of self after years of being one of the most celebrated personalities in the industry.
Piolo plays Paco, an actor with an illustrious career, who decides to write, direct, and act in a film that will inevitably bring him closer to his own demise before revealing that his truth may be far from what he has become.
Paula, played by Jasmine, comes into play as Paco’s on- and offscreen muse, blurring the lines between what’s real and what’s not. The movie sheds light on the psyche and the limits to which actors push themselves and the people around them to find brilliance in madness.
“It was fun. Very fun,” described Jasmine of working with Piolo. She admitted during the presscon of “Real Life Fiction” held last week at SM North EDSA cinema that her character in the flick is her most mature role to date.
“Hope you enjoyed it,” she said
with a laugh, referring to the steamy scenes with Piolo.
Piolo also laughed and chimed in, “We had too much fun.”
One of the takeaways that moviegoers can glean from the film is the importance of self-talk and opening up to another person to improve one’s well-being.
“It’s not abnormal to be talking to yourself. It’s not abnormal to acknowledge and question your thoughts, the things that run in your head. But you also have to have a grasp of reality,” reflected Piolo.
“Because sometimes, if you don’t have a sounding board or wala kang nakakausap, you tend to believe your own thoughts. And you have to talk to someone,” he added.
The actor related this to his character as Paco as someone who “made his life more complicated by choice.”
“So, I guess this is a question of how you’re gonna be with yourself, having to deal with your own demons and where you’re gonna go from there. You’re gonna go this way or that way. For me, it’s reflective. You really have to dig deep into yourself.”
For Jasmine, she described Paula as someone who is committed to the project and her boyfriend. “And in any relationship, you should always know the fine line of your commitment to yourself and to your partner,” she reflected.
“In the same way that you commit to your job and to your real life — whether or not, you’re an artist, you’re an actor, you’re on-screen or off-screen. There’s always that fine line of work and commitments.”
Health @Heart
PhiliP S. Chua, MD, FaCS, FPCS
KIDNEY stones are formed in the kidneys and some travel down the ureters causing severe excruciating pain some female patients describe as worse than childbirth. The ureters are sensitive muscular tubes, about 8 to 10 inches long, with an inner diameter of about 2-4 mm, roughly the size of the lead in pencils, that transport urine from each kidney to the bladder.
Prevalence
About one in ten individuals will have kidney stones in their lifetime. A prevalence of about 9.9 percent translates to roughly 32.9 million people in the United States, 10.8 percent in men and 9.1 in women.
Types of stones
The two most common types are calcium oxalate and calcium phosphate stones. About 70-75 percent of kidney stones are calcium oxalate crystals. They form when calcium in the blood combines with oxalates, a chemical found in food items listed below. The less common calcium phosphate stones are seen among persons with hyperparathyroidism and renal tubular acidosis. Other stones are struvite, uric acid, cystine stones.
The causes
Inadequate fluid, oxalates and calcium intake significantly contribute to kidney stone formation. While calcium itself, in a large dose as supplements, can cause stones, it can also prevent stone formation when you happen to eat foods high in oxalates and then eat calciumrich items at the same time in order for the calcium to combine with oxalates while still in the stomach and intestines, before they go to blood stream and the kidneys. Our body needs oxalate also, so while we eat some foods with oxalate in moderation, we should also eat some calcium at the same time.
Those who had kidney stones in the past are 50 percent more prone to form them again, unless they take precautions and pre-emptive measures. Lifestyle (hydration, diet, medications, activities) significantly affects kidney stone formation.
Prevention
Drinking between 2-3 liters of fluids (filtered water is best, between four to six 500 cc-bottled water), minimizing foods rich in oxalates, cautious calcium supplement intake under your physician’s advice, staying away from alcoholic beverages, minimizing coffee and
She stressed how significant it is to set boundaries between work and personal life.
“So, self-talk (is also essential) and also look for the people that can support you. If it’s texting yourself, if it’s texting your friend, and if it’s looking yourself in the mirror. And literally saying to yourself what you want to hear, then say it, do it. It might be a little crazy, you might sound weird but honestly, it helps because I feel like I do that nowadays.”
Doing so is vital so that you don’t get lost in your work and career, added Jasmine.
As actors, Piolo and Jasmine acknowledged that sometimes, it’s hard to shake off the characters they’ve portrayed but they find a way to let go of them after filming.
“It happens. It happens all the time. Because of course, there are times when your guard is down. You’re too tired. Your defenses are down. Then you become the character. It’s hard to shake it off because there’s so much emotional investment,” admitted Piolo.
“But at the end of the day, you have to wake up to a new day, and be somebody else. So, those things you know. There are a lot of blurry moments but you have to live with (them) and deal with (them) as much as you can because you don’t have any choice but be the person
On kidney stones
tea, and being physically active, are effective strategies to minimize the chances of kidney stone formation. For those not on water restriction, that much water is also good for all organs in the body, including our eyes, skin, and nails
The best fluid for hydration is water. Soft drinks (toxic to the body), coffee, tea, alcoholic beverages are “aggravators” for people prone to kidney stone formation. Drinking lemon juice, cranberry juice, and apple cider vinegar is also beneficial.
Mechanics
The simple act of drinking a lot of water is the major strategy in helping prevent kidney stone formation or in aiding in flushing out kidney stones. All the other measures will fail if proper hydration is not foremost in the regimen.
The mechanics is simple: water dilutes minerals or substances in the urine, prevents them from clumping into crystals, and a large volume of water effectively flushes them down to the bladder and out through the urethra as urine. This is just like power-washing a large tube or flushing the toilet.
Oxalate-rich foods
Some of the oxalate-rich foods are spinach (6 times the safe level of oxalates), kale, beets, potatoes, legumes, grapes, currants, canned fruits, peanuts, almonds/almondmilk (high in oxalates and in unhealthy omega-6), wheat bran, seeds, miso soup, corn grits, salt and salty foods, processed meats and internal organs (high in purine, which increases uric acid, also bad for gout). There have been occasional ER reports of patients developing “oxalate poisoning” from too many greens in their smoothies.
Treatment
Good hydration is a salient part of the management. There are prescription medications to help pass kidney stones and some overthe-counter herbals too but be cautious and talk to your physicians before taking them because some of them have serious side-effects.
More than 90 percent of kidney stones smaller than 5 mm come out with the urine with no problem, within a month from the first pain.
Larger than 7 mm usually needs surgery under general anesthesia, called ureteroscopy, a minimally invasive procedure using a catheter inserted “through” the penis. A basket in the catheter is used to snare and pull out the stone stuck in the ureter. Sometimes laser is used to break the stone into smaller fragments. A stent is left
that people expect you to be.”
When Piolo is off-cam, he is just a regular guy. He said, “I guess it’s just because of work that’s why it seems big, larger than life, especially when you watch it on screen or sa movie. But it’s all in a day’s work for me. I don’t carry or bring it home with me.”
“At the end of the day, you shrug it off. You shake it off and then you go home to your family without the cameras. And also, that’s why I limit my exposure. I don’t do my own channel because that’s already your day job. If you’re gonna be hounded by cameras 24/7, you will lose your privacy,” the actor shared.
On the other hand, Jasmine, who has been taping for a year for a GMA show, shared that she can easily separate her role from who she is in real life.
“Because I know, well, No. 1, I’m not married, I don’t have children. So, those are easily distinguished from my life and my role’s life,” she explained.
Echoing what Piolo said earlier about “emotional investment” in a character, the actress confessed that sometimes, it’s difficult to “shape up because your body doesn’t know that it’s not real.”
“So, sometimes these signals get sent to your brain and then you start to kind of consolidate or create
in the ureter, to keep open the area of the ureter where the stone was, and to allow easier urine flow.
Percutaneous lithotripsy using ultrasound or laser to break the stones is also an option.
Erratum
In the news capsule about vaping in our column last week, the first line should read: “Smoking e-cigarettes, vaping, is not more dangerous than smoking.” But not totally safe either. While e-cigarettes do not contain the 7000 toxic (some carcinogenic) chemicals found in regular cigarettes, constant vaping has been found to be associated with heart attacks and other cardiovascular ailments. Besides medications and behavioral modification, e-cigarettes could be a useful transitional tool for those who are trying to quit smoking. The air in our environment is polluted enough. Let us try not to contaminate it more, even with the so-called “odor-eliminator” air fresheners for cars or homes which are irritants to our lungs. Airfresheners contain volatile organic compounds (VOC), formaldehyde, benzene, toluene, and others. VOCs are associated with cancer in high doses. These air fresheners are harmful to everyone, even to our pets. Mother nature’s ambient air is healthier without those contaminants. And it’s free!
* * The opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by the author do not necessarily reflect the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints of the Asian Journal, its management,
beliefs in yourself that there is some truth to (them),” she added. Jasmine further cited an example where one might start to feel annoyed and frustrated at a co-actor playing kontrabida but not actually a cruel person in real life. “And that’s because of those emotional investments that you chose to put into your scenes and in your character that create that blurry line in your mind and in your brain.”
“It’s like science that just happens and you have to constantly say, ‘Stop,’ and put yourself into therapy. Let’s say, ‘It’s not you. Hey, let it go. She’s not your kaaway in real life.’”
Nevertheless, it was a breeze for the two filming “Real Life Fiction” during the pandemic lockin because it’s “close to reality,” Jasmine said.
Along with Piolo and Jasmine, Epy Quizon also stars in “Real Life Fiction” as Paco’s stern yet considerate manager with the special participation of filmmaker Lav Diaz (“Phantosmia”) as the owner of an eclectic pawnshop where Paco finds himself drawn into while searching for his true self.
(“Real Life Fiction” opens on Aug. 28 exclusively at SM Cinemas nationwide. Rated R16 by the MTRCB.)
Piolo Pascual and Jasmine Curtis-Smith play Paco and Paula, respectively, in Paul Soriano’s R-rated drama-thriller ‘Real Life Fiction.’ Phistar.com photo
