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The new COVID vaccine is out. Why you might not want to rush to get it.

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 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

Philippines calls for 'more dynamic' pact with US to counter China

by Michael Punongbayan Inquirer.net

MANILA — While the U.S. has reassured its oldest Asian ally that their defense partnership is “ironclad,” Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro Jr. called for the pact to be made “more dynamic” to avoid falling into “China’s

trap.”

“The mutual defense treaty should be interpreted dynamically,” he told the forum organized by the U.S. IndoPacific Command.

He also urged regional nations to call out China, which he described as the “biggest disruptor of peace,” for its activities in the busy waterway.

“I believe they’re not undeterrable

WHERE'S YOUR 'SISTER'? Shiela Guo (extreme left), also known as Zhang Mier. is compelled to detail her escape out of the

Marcos ratings up, VP's decline

by Red Mendoza and catheRine S. Valente ManilaTimes.net

FOR the first time, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.'s trust and performance ratings eclipsed those of Vice President Sara Duterte in the latest survey conducted by pollster OCTA Research.

In its second quarter Tugon ng Masa survey conducted from June 30 to July 5, 2024, Marcos gained a 71 percent trust rating, a 2 percentage point increase from the previous survey period, while Duterte received a 65 percent trust rating, which is lower than the 68 percent reported in the previous quarter.

The survey period comes a few weeks after Duterte resigned from the Marcos Cabinet as education secretary.

OCTA said that this was the second consecutive quarter that Duterte experienced a decline in her trust rating, which began in the fourth quarter TNM survey in December.

The increase in Marcos' trust ratings was due to the increase in Mindanao by 8 percentage points and an 11-percentage point gain among AB and C socioeconomic classes.

Meanwhile, Duterte's decline was due to the decrease in the Visayas by 3 percentage

because it’s just a question of getting a worldwide consensus,” Teodoro said. He said it is also important for the Philippines to “collaboratively and on our own” build up its military as deterrence “in order to give them pause that we are serious in protecting our sovereignty and we will fight for it.”

Quiboloy manhunt will go on despite court’s temporary protection order

by diana lhyd Suelto Philstar.com

MANILA — Police forces will continue hunting accused sex offender and human trafficker Apollo Quiboloy at the Kingdom of Jesus Christs (KOJC) compound in Davao City even if there’s a temporary protection order (TPO) from a local court, Interior and Local Government Secretary Benhur Abalos said on Tuesday, August 27.

“It will continue and I guarantee that we will still proceed with the operations to look for Pastor Quiboloy,” Abalos told reporters. Abalos instructed their lawyers to file a petition to clarify the court’s ruling, as there was no clear order from the court to halt all police operations pursuant to serving the arrest warrants.

“We will follow but we need to clarify with the courts. The police operations and the barricade does not pose a threat to the life, liberty and security of the KOJC. And we have two warrants of arrest. We will clarify this,” he added.

According to Abalos, two courts, one in Pasig and Davao, have issued warrants of arrest against Quiboloy for qualified human

Also published in LOS ANGELES, ORANGE COUNTY/INLAND EMPIRE, LAS VEGAS, NORTHERN CALIFORNIA, SAN DIEGO

country last month together wqith her "sister," dismissed Mayor Alice Guo of Bamban, Tarlac, as she faces a Senate subcommittee on Tuesday, August 27, five days after her arrest and deportation from Indonesia. Inquirer photo by Richard A. Reyes

The new COVID vaccine is out. Why you might not...

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 proteinbased 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

of the same COVID vaccine in the spring, for protection against the next summer wave, he said.

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-ofpocket 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 policysetting Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices.

At its next meeting, in October, the committee is likely to urge vulnerable people to get a second dose

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 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-year-old 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.

Duterte slams human rights violations against Quiboloy, supporters

by Jeannette i. andRade, MelVin gaScon Inquirer.net

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.

trafficking and child abuse, orders which the Philippine National Police (PNP) must also implement.

Col. Jean Fajardo, spokesperson for the PNP, said the TPO only instructed the Police Regional Office XI to remove the barricades, barriers and blockades it established.

Fajardo also clarified the court’s ruling is not a restraining order. “There is nothing there saying that we need to leave the KOJC,” she said.

To settle the issue, Fajardo said they will file a petition before the court seeking a clarification on the scope of its order, whether police officers have to stop operations to locate Quiboloy inside the compound.

The official also disclosed that they have monitored at least two heartbeats in what they believe is an underground bunker in the compound, based on signals obtained by their ground penetrating radar.

“There were two beats found there,” Fajardo said over dzBB, adding that it means there are at least two people hiding below the compound, one of whom they believe is Quiboloy. (Emmanuel Tupas, Sheila Crisostomo, Romina Cabrera, Janvic Mateo, Daphne Galvez/ Philstar.com)

Pexels.com photo by Nataliya Vaitkevich

This photo shows policemen from the Philippine National Police Region XI in a raid inside Apollo Quiboloy's compound in Davao City. Facebook / Presidential Tracker

Duterte slams human rights violations against...

“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,” 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.”

Philippines calls for 'more dynamic' pact with...

“What people don’t realize is that there is active effort to reshape the international order publicly articulated by China to create a new world order and what is this new world order, this new world order will mean it will be Chinaled,” Teodoro pointed out.

He said such new world order will have no credibility. “Even their historical basis is questionable,” Teodoro said, referring to China.

“On the one hand, the world should see the duplicity here. They want to be bridges of peace in the Middle-East, in Africa, elsewhere where there is conflict. Yet what are they doing in their backyard, that’s what the world should see,” he stressed.

“We should not allow China to define what ASEAN centrality means. We should get together in ASEAN and protect each other’s

Marcos ratings up...

PAGE 1

points and 4 percentage points in Balanced Luzon, as well as the decrease in trust rating among Class D and E by 3 and 4 percentage points, respectively.

National Capital Region at 6 percentage points and the Visayas at 4 percentage points.

Senate President Francis Escudero received a 67 percent trust rating, his first since his ascension as leader of the upper chamber, while Speaker Martin Romualdez received a 62 percent trust rating, a slight increase within the margin of error.

“How can one argue against a legitimate operation of law enforcement agencies?” he said. n sovereign rights and sovereignty while settling our internal disputes between and amongst ourselves,” he said.

“Yet what is China

trying to do? Trying to break us apart and that fortunately will not happen because I believe firmly that our leaders realize that in this region, China, although without saying it and I’ll say it for you, is the biggest disruptor of international peace in the ASEAN region,” he added. (Alexis Romero/ Philstar.com)

Romualdez's trust ratings spiked in Mindanao, where he received a 9-percentagepoint increase, which offset his 4-percentage-point drop in the Visayas.

Chief Justice Alexander Gesmundo, on the other hand, slid down 2 percentage points from 15 percent to 13 percent due to a 16-point decline in the Visayas.

Marcos also led Duterte in performance, with 68 percent of adult respondents satisfied with the chief executive's performance, an increase of 3 percentage points from the previous quarter but still within the margin of error.

Duterte, meanwhile, suffered a 4-percentagepoint drop in her performance rating from the previous quarter, for a performance rating of 60 percent.

It is also the second consecutive quarter that her performance ratings declined, beginning with the fourth quarter TNM survey.

Duterte experienced declines in performance ratings among all regions, with the highest in the

President Marcos on Tuesday, August 27 vowed to "continue to do more and even try to do even better" to uplift the lives of Filipinos, as he welcomed the increase in his trust and performance ratings.

Speaking to reporters in Malacañang, the President said it was good that more Filipinos were starting to appreciate his work.

"It is more that it is seen that we're really doing our best to alleviate the hardships of the people," the President said.

"So it's good [to] have that kind of result or statistic behind you, and again, every time this happens as far as I'm concerned, it seems to be people are beginning to understand what we are trying to do, they're beginning to feel the effects of it," he added.

Marcos said the latest survey inspired him to work harder for the betterment of the country.

"So we must continue to do more and even try to do even better. So, that's always an inspiration for me," he said.

In a statement, Romualdez said that his high performance ratings are attributed to the collective efforts of his House colleagues in advancing legislation that directly benefits the Filipino people.

The survey had 1,500 respondents with a margin of error of plus or minus 3 percent nationwide. n

Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro Jr. at a forum orginized by the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command

DND photo

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. PCO Photo

Former President Rodrigo Duterte Malacañang file photo

Features OpiniOn

No personal piggybank

is free to become a book author. No one, however, is entitled to become a

Editorial

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 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

Babe’s Eye View

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 highprofile Senate investigation

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 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? Paano siya naka Alice?’

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 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 incident that went viral when an Immigration officer asked a traveler to produce a graduation photo and even a

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Dateline philippines

EX MAYOR ALICE GUO’S SISTER APPEARS BEFORE SENATE HEARING. Shiela Leal Guo, sister of former Bamban, Tarlac Mayor Alice Guo, made her first appearance at the Senate hearing Tuesday, August 27. Sen. Risa Hontiveros urged the Department of Foreign Affairs to cancel Alice Guo’s passport. An order of arrest was issued against Guo after her repeated refusal to attend the Senate investigation into the raided Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator hubs in Porac, Pampanga and Bamban, Tarlac. Sheila Guo was arrested in Indonesia last August 20. She said she left together with her sister, Alice, and they took a boat to escape the country.

Senate Public Relations and Information Bureau photo

‘Hiwalay na muna, Ate’: Shiela

Guo says she doesn’t know where Alice is

by Maila ageR Inquirer.net

MANILA — Where did dismissed 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

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 self-sustaining 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)

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 hiwa-hiwalay 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

DESPITE ESCALATING HOSTILITIES

1,147 Filipinos back from Levant, but more choose to stay

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-tonationals 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

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. (Leander C. Domingo/ manilatimes.net)

Isko vs Lacuna for Manila mayor?

by MaRk eRneSt Villeza Philstar.com

MANILA — The battle between Manila Mayor Honey Lacuna and defeated presidential candidate Isko Moreno appears to be inevitable in the 2025 midterm elections.

On Tuesday, August 27, Lacuna formally

announced her reelection bid, with Vice Mayor Yul Servo as her running mate. Reports said that former Manila Mayor Isko Moreno may seek to reclaim his post under Aksyon Demokratiko, a political party he heads. Lacuna was Moreno’s vice mayor in the 2019 elections.

In an earlier statement, Lacuna said she respects Moreno’s decision, but asked him to reconsider his political plans for 2025. Lacuna, who is on her first term, expressed confidence that Manila residents would give her a fresh three-year term to continue the programs she has initiated for the city. 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

PCG’s high-speed response boats deployed in Western Mindanao

by Roel PaReño Philstar.com

ZAMBOANGA CITY

— The Philippine Coast Guard has deployed four new high-speed response boats or HSRB as part of the PCG’s maritime security enhancement in Western Mindanao.

The boats – HSRBs 023, 024, 027 and 028 – were received and blessed during a ceremony led by Commodore Marco Antonio Gines, chief of the Coast Guard District Southwestern Mindanao and CGD Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).

The watercraft were part of the 40 units procured by the PCG from a local shipbuilding company in Cebu.

Gines said the HSRBs were fitted with two outboard diesel-fed engines and designed to respond to critical situations.

The HSRBs have mounts for machine guns of different calibers and other protective armaments.

Gines said the newly acquired assets would boost the external defense operations of the military’s Joint Task Force Poseidon in Mindanao.

He said two of the boats would be deployed in the

PH budget shortfall widens to P642B

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 seven-month period, outpacing the P2.61-trillion revenue collection.

BARMM and the rest would secure the seas in Western Mindanao, which the PCG said is the most challenging area of its operation.

“If we take out the WPS issue in the picture, the most challenging coast guard sector area is in this part of the region,” Gines said, referring to the West Philippine Sea. n

‘Where did she Guo? Paano siya...

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 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 noscreening 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 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 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

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 revenuebase 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 governmentowned and controlled

corporations contributed much to the increase, which is approximately P185 billion, up by 65 percent from P112 billion collected last year.

Meanwhile, the Bureau of the Treasury recorded a 27.8-percent increase in its collection to P183.8 billion from P143.8 billion last year.

“This strong revenue performance placed us among Asia’s top revenue-toGDP (gross domestic product) ratios at 17.1 percent for the first half of the year. And this is above our full-year 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. (Niña Myka Pauline Arceo/manilatimes.net)

Comelec asks deactivated voters to register anew

by zacaRian SaRao Inquirer.net

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 the over five million deactivated voters have so far reactivated their status. n

A Philippine Coast Guard chaplain sprinkles holy water on the newly acquired highspeed response boats during a ceremony in Zamboanga City on Tuesday, August 27.

STAR/Rod Pareño photo

Department of Finance Secretary Ralph Recto Facebook photo from DOF FB page

Individuals fill out registration forms in Intramuros, Manila in line with the resumption of the voter registration on February 12, 2024. STAR/Edd Gumbann photo

COMMUNITY JOURNAL

Citizen Pinoy visits

Max's Fried Chicken in Seattle to answer immigration questions

CITIZEN Pinoy brings this brand new “Your Tanong , My Sagot ” episode from Max’s Fried Chicken in Tukwila, Seattle, Washington – a beloved spot for Filipino Americans to enjoy traditional Filipino cuisine and celebrate special occasions.

Leading U.S. Immigration Attorney Michael J. Gurfinkel visited the restaurant to answer immigration questions from staff members and customers.

Atty. Gurfinkel was warmly

welcomed by Lana Marcaida, senior business head for Max’s North America, who shared her experiences managing the popular chain in the U.S.

The episode also features questions from Jael and Jharmaine, the daughters of the restaurant's owner, who are both part of the working staff.

Marylou asked how her niece can come to the U.S. legally to find a job or a husband.

12

KAPAMILYA GET ANSWERS TO THEIR IMMIGRATION QUESTIONS ON ‘YOUR TANONG, MY SAGOT’ FROM THE SEATTLE BRANCH OF MAX'S FRIED CHICKEN. Leading U.S. Immigration Attorney Michael J. Gurfinkel answered immigration questions from staff and customers at the Seattle branch of Max’s Fried Chicken. Some of the questions were – From Marylou (top left): How can my niece come to the U.S. and find a job or a husband legally?; From Jenny (top right): My passport lists my middle and last names as Marcial-Marcial. Why am I being questioned about my name now that I am about to petition my husband and our children?; From Jharmaine (bottom right): How can our relatives in the Philippines come to the U.S. so they can help in our restaurant?; From Jael: My friend came to the U.S. as a tourist and then got pregnant. Can she get her papers through her son, who is now turning 18 years old? Be sure to tune in for the answers to these questions and more from Kapamilya in Seattle on a brand-new episode of “Your Tanong, My Sagot” on Citizen Pinoy on Sunday, September 1 at 6:30 PM PT (9:30 PM ET) through select Cable/Satellite providers, right after TV Patrol Linggo. (Advertising Supplement)

COMMUNITY JOURNAL

Citizen Pinoy visits Max's Fried Chicken...

11

Jenny is concerned about issues with her name on her passport, which lists her middle and last names as “Marcial-Marcial,” and wonders how this might affect her ability to petition her husband and kids.

Jael has a friend who came to the U.S. as a visitor and got pregnant. Jael asks if her friend could now get her papers in order through her son, who is turning 18.

Jharmaine wanted to know if their relatives in the Philippines can immigrate to the U.S. to help in the restaurant.

Atty. Gurfinkel answers these questions and more in “Your Tanong , My Sagot ” at the Seattle branch of Valerio’s Tropical Bakeshop. Watch this brand-new episode of Citizen Pinoy on Sunday, September 1 at 6:30 PM PT (9:30 PM ET through select Cable/Satellite providers), right after TV Patrol Linggo. Citizen Pinoy is also available on iWantTFC. Viewers may download the free app.

(Advertising Supplement)

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

On kidney stones

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 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

too but be cautious and talk to your physicians before taking them because some of them have serious sideeffects.

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 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.

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 calcium-rich 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.

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/almond-milk (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 over-the-counter herbals

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 socalled “odor-eliminator” air fresheners for cars or homes which are irritants to our lungs. Air-fresheners 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 naturae’s ambient air is healthier without those contaminants. And it’s free! The main objective of this column is to educate and inspire people to live a healthier lifestyle, to prevent illnesses and disabilities and achieve a happier and more productive life. Any

Atty. Gurfinkel (left) with Lana Marcaida, senior business head for Max’s North America

Marylou (right) with Atty. Gurfinkel

Jael (left) with Atty. Gurfinkel

Jenny (left) with Atty. Gurfinkel

Atty. Gurfinkel with Jharmaine (left)

The graduation the Eraserheads never had

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.

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 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.

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 bedroom-recorded 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.

Nostalgic

The group’s music— 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.

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

Kathryn Bernardo, Alden Richards wrap filming their scenes in Canada

by hannah MalloRca Inquirer.net

KATHRYN Bernardo and Alden Richards wrapped up filming their scenes in Alberta, Canada for their reunion movie “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 much-anticipated 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). n

Eraserheads Inquirer.net photo by Renjie Tolentino

(From left) Joross Gamboa, Kathryn Bernardo, Alden Richards, and director Cathy Garcia Sampana. Photo from Instagram/@joross_gamboa

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. n

Why Rufa Mae Quinto didn’t mind losing in ‘LOL’: The game got really dirty

by hannah MalloRca Inquirer.net

“I’D rather lose the P1 million than lose my family,” said comedienne Rufa Mae Quinto as to why she didn’t feel too sad about losing the prize money of the recently concluded reality show “LOL: Last One Laughing Philippines.”

Rufa Mae was one of 10 comedians who took part in the competition where the contestants faced off in a showdown, with the goal of making others laugh without cracking up themselves. Chad Kinis eventually brought home the P1million cash prize.

“I didn’t feel bad about losing because I already knew where it was heading. The game was starting to get really dirty, so I opted out. Of course, who wouldn’t want to win P1 million? I could have tried to fight for it, but I decided to let it go.

“I certainly didn’t want to lock lips with Chad Kinis or with anyone there. I have a husband and a child. I didn’t want them to see me do that on TV. Besides, I can’t handle spitting on another person’s face, because I don’t want anyone to do that to me. My brand of humor is different,” she told reporters over lunch recently.

Secret to not laughing

When asked what lesson she learned from the show, Rufa Mae said: “Keeping one’s self from laughing is so difficult that you would eventually cry. Also, the secret to not laughing is to keep yourself feeling hungry. You will eventually get angry at everyone around you and won’t feel like laughing at all. I made the mistake of eating too much during our lunch break. That’s why, in the middle of the competition, I suddenly felt like going to the toilet. That’s another reason I didn’t want to compete anymore. I didn’t want to make a mess out there,” she quipped.

Rufa Mae said she and her family have decided to relocate to Manila from the United States now that she is starting to get offers to work on TV and the movies again. She is currently working on a comedy film by Randolph Longjas titled “Mujigae,” which will be released in October. This was after her series of shows, called “Todo na Tour,” in Canada with Donita Rose and Daniel Matsunaga.

Piolo Pascual, Jasmine Curtis Smith take on ‘most mature roles’ in R-rated ‘Real Life

by chaRMie

MANILA — 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 off-screen 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 recently 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.”

She stressed how significant it is to set boundaries between work and personal life. “So, selftalk (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 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 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 lock-in 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. n

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

Rufa Mae Quinto

Photo by Marinel Cruz

Joy Pagulong Philstar.com

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Teresa Loyzaga's past struggles with son Diego

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. n

Why Rufa Mae Quinto didn’t...

Rufa Mae was recently a guest on the GMA 7 news and public affairs program, “Dapat Alam Mo!,” where she battled it out with host Susan Enriquez in a segment called “Bawal Tumawa Challenge.”

Back from the US

The actress shared a recent observation by her daughter, Athena, now 6. “When she saw me on TV, she said, ‘Mama, you’re a newscaster!’ In another instance, she said, ‘Look Mama, you’re a queen here [in the Philippines]. Everybody likes you!’ I had to laugh at that one. I said, ‘Ikaw naman ang princess.’

“I think she is starting to like becoming an artista. In fact, Sparkle has just asked me about her. When she was younger, she would cry whenever I would leave for work. Now, she’s starting to ask about work behind the camera.”

Rufa Mae continued: “It was during the press con for ‘LOL’ that my husband and I decided to relocate here. For me, it’s the perfect time because Athena is turning 7. It’s about time that she learns how to speak Tagalog. We’ve lived in the U.S. for quite a while, especially during the pandemic when local show business was forced to shut down. It’s also the perfect time for me to return because we’re opening up again.”

As for her husband, Trevor Magallanes, Rufa Mae said: “He is very supportive. He has believed in me ever since. He said, ‘You’ll do great! I just know it.’”

Rufa Mae said her talent management is negotiating with GMA 7 for her own talk show. “Again, it’s the perfect time because

On kidney stones...

the environment on the set has changed a lot since the pandemic. It’s now more considerate in terms of the work schedule, especially to artists like me who already have a family.”

Choosier

She added that she would now be choosier when it comes to her projects. “I have to consider what my family will feel when they see me onscreen. I don’t want to do anything vulgar. I don’t want my daughter to experience getting bashed. I’m not closing any doors on doing sexy roles. Besides, Anne Hathaway and Nicole Kidman still do kissing scenes even though they have kids,” she pointed out.

In “Mujigae,” produced by Unitel Straight Shooters (UXS), Rufa Mae will be working with costars Alexa Ilacad, Ryrie Turingan (as Mujigae) and Korean actor Ji Soo. It will be shown on Oct. 9. “This is already my third project with Direk Randolph. I’m happy because I’m included in a lot of his films. We still have another one for Valentine’s Day. I have a lot of projects. I think Pinoys missed my humor. I’m happy that the younger generation still appreciates me.”

Rufa Mae and Trevor are planning on having another child, hopefully, a boy, this time. “We tried the first time this year, but nothing came out of it. We will try again in December,” she said laughing.

Rufa Mae is convinced that 2024 is a good year for her, so far. “I’ve been in show biz for 30 years—hindi lang halata. I guess it’s all about believing God has great plans for you. If something is meant for you, it will be yours. 2024 is my year. I’m already claiming it!” n

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diagnosis, recommendation, or treatment in our article are general medical information and not intended to be applicable to or appropriate for anyone. This column is not a substitute for your physician, who knows your condition well and who is your best ally when it comes to your health.

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

The main objective of this column is to educate and inspire people to live a healthier lifestyle to prevent illnesses and disabilities and achieve a happier and more productive life. Any diagnosis, recommendation, or treatment in our article are general medical

information and not intended to be applicable to or appropriate for anyone. This column is not a substitute for your physician, who knows your condition well and who is your best ally when it comes to your health.

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

How Jericho helped Janine understand her role

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ACTOR Jericho Rosales, who recently admitted to dating Janine Gutierrez, revealed that he and the actress sat through a fourhour meeting in order to help Janine understand her character in “Lavender Fields” and portray it more effectively.

“I’ve already known Janine for quite a long period of time. She’s a very sweet person. Everybody on the set loves her. She is also family-oriented and very passionate about her work. So being Iris, her character in our series, is just a monumental shift for her. One day, I told her, ‘Hey! Do you want to discuss work?’ She agreed and so we had a meeting with our acting coach Ana Feleo. We talked about our characters outside work. We had a four-hour meeting just to discuss Iris, my character Tyrone, their relationship as a married couple, what they want, and where they want to bring things,” he told Inquirer Entertainment in a recent interview.

Honest, open

“Towards the end, Janine said, ‘Aha! I get it now!’ It’s like something clicked in her brain. You see, Iris is not Janine at all. That’s why it’s so hard for her. She would say, ‘How do you do that?’ She actually had to go through her mental files to see who she knew in real life who is just like Iris, if there is one. After that

in ‘Lavender Fields’

session, problem solved!” Jericho recalled.

Jericho is back to acting in a teleserye after taking a break for six years. He claimed that so much has changed in him since then.

“There’s a huge difference. Some of the good parts, I’ve kept, while some of the bad parts are filed away. The main difference is that I know what I want now. I know how to better handle my relationships.

I’ve decided that the relationships I’m keeping now are only the ones that

are helping me grow. As a result, I feel like I’m now well-equipped to follow my dreams. Of course, I’m welcoming any help, suggestions, or advice on self-improvement. My journey has been all about really getting to know myself deeper. I face you now not as an actor. I’m me—honest and open.”

“Lavender Fields,” which also stars Jodi Sta. Maria, is produced by Dreamscape Entertainment for ABSCBN and will premiere on Sept. 2. n

Ronnie caRRaSco iii ManilaTimes.net

MaRinel cRuz Inquirer.net

Teresa Loyzaga with son Diego Photo from Instagram/@teresaloyzaga

Jericho Rosales as Tyrone Dreamscape Entertainment photos

Jericho Rosales (left) and Gutierrez in “Lavender Fields” Dreamscape Entertainment photos