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Indo-Pacific 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 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 u PAGE 2

“It’s

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 Na-

MANILA — Sending U.S. ships to escort Philippine vessels on supply missions in the West Philippine Sea is “an entirely reasonable option,” the chief of the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command said on Tuesday, August 27. Admiral Samuel Paparo made the remarks on the sidelines of a defense forum in Manila, in response to a media query whether Washington would consider providing escorts to Philippine ships taking supplies to the BRP Sierra Madre or to land features in the West Philippine Sea occupied by Filipinos.

“I mean certainly, within the context of consultations,” Paparo added, without giving details of ships likely to be employed for the task.

Armed Forces chief Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr., however, said the Philippines prefers to run those missions on its own, making every effort to ensure their success despite China’s “dangerous” and “coercive” actions.

“We are going to try all options, all avenues that are available to us,” Brawner told reporters. “While we can

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 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 trafficking and child abuse, orders which the

Former Pres. Duterte slams human rights violations against Quiboloy, supporters

by Jeannette 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.

“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 u

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

Former President Rodrigo Duterte Malacañang file photo

Philippines calls for ‘more dynamic...

that we are serious in protecting our sovereignty and we will fight for it.”

“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 China-led,” 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 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. (With reports from Alexis Romero)

US open to escort PH resupply missions...

do it by ourselves, we will do it.”

But the Philippines would seek alternatives if it found itself constrained from doing so, he added.

“It’s not just perhaps operating with the United States, but also with other like-minded nations,” he pointed out.

After the forum, Paparo paid a courtesy call on President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. at Malacañang.

“I’m sure we’ll be seeing more of you... We have many subjects to discuss for the United States and for the Philippines,” the president told the U.S. military official.

“I’m glad that you are able to find time to tour with us in the Philippines. I understand that you were going to visit some sites and one of the EDCA sites so you will see the true situation on the ground,” he added, referring to the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement.

Malacañang has yet to release additional details about the meeting, which was also attended by Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin, Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro Jr., National Security Adviser Eduardo Año, Brawner and U.S. Ambassador MaryKay Carlson.

Paparo’s remarks came on the heels of maritime and air confrontations between the Philippines and China in the West Philippine Sea in the past week.

At the forum organized by the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, Teodoro said the country’s defense treaty with the U.S. must be interpreted more broadly to tackle a “dynamic and cunning adversary.”

More dynamic pact

While the U.S. has reassured its oldest Asian ally that their defense partnership is “ironclad,” Teodoro 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. Indo-Pacific 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 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.”

“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 China-led,” 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 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.

Philippine eyes maritime drills with Spain Meanwhile, Department of National Defense spokesman Arsenio Andolong said Teodoro discussed on Tuesday with Spain’s new defense attaché Col. Santiago Martin Sanz the possibility of having Spain join Maritime Cooperative Activities or joint sail with the Philippine Navy in the West Philippine Sea.

“With a view of developing maritime security cooperation, (Teodoro) expressed openness to possible port visits by Spanish Navy vessels in the future and raised the prospect of conducting MCA,” Andolong said.

More Chinese ships

This developed as the Philippine Navy reported a notable increase in the number of Chinese vessels in the West Philippine Sea in the past seven days.

Data showed there were 163 Chinese naval, coast guard and maritime militia vessels spotted in various parts of the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone from Aug. 20 to 26, the highest count in the past three months. The number of Chinese vessels monitored during the period Aug. 13 to 19 was 129. The figure was even lower at 92 between Aug. 6 and 12.

Reports also showed a huge concentration of vessels in Escoda Shoal where the BRP Teresa Magbanua of the Philippine Coast Guard has been stationed since April to keep watch and prevent any reclamation activities by the Chinese (With reports from Alexis Romero)

Marcos ratings up, VP’s...

the Visayas by 3 percentage 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.

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.

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

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

The new COVID vaccine is out. Why you might...

tional 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 transmis-

sible, 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. u PAGE 4

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

Admiral Samuel Paparo pays a courtesy call to President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. Malacañang photo

Governor Newsom signs new laws to help communities further address homelessness

SACRAMENTO — Continuing the state’s unprecedented support to help local communities address homelessness, Governor Gavin Newsom signed two bills into law — AB 2835 (Gabriel) and AB 3057 (Wilson) — on Tuesday, August 27 to help create more shelter beds for Californians and build more housing units faster.

“The homelessness crisis demands immediate and innovative action, not the status quo. With these new laws, local governments have even more tools to provide housing. I urge them to fully utilize the state's unprecedented resources to address homelessness,” Gov. Newsom said in a statememt released by his office.

The bills will assist local governments and housing providers to create:

• Additional Shelter: AB 2835, authored by Assemblymember Jesse Gabriel, removes the sunset date on tenancy rules that make it easier for service providers to place people experiencing homelessness into privately owned hotels and motels for more than 30 days. This approach has been proven to enhance stability for those in need.

• More Housing Units: AB 3057, authored by Assemblymember Lori Wilson, will help streamline and jumpstart the process for local governments to permit and facilitate the construction of Junior Accessory Dwelling Units to create more affordable living spaces throughout the state.

More shelter Local governments and service providers throughout the state have successfully used hotels and motels to provide housing for homeless individuals. These efforts have been enhanced through Governor Newsom’s pioneering and nation-leading housing programs. Since 2019, the state has invested over $27 billion to support local governments in providing services and housing to help prevent and end homelessness, including $3.3 billion for Homekey, $1 billion in Encampment Resolution Funding, and $4.85 billion in Homelessness Housing Assistance Program funds. The state encourages local governments to use this funding to ramp up efforts to support people experiencing homelessness and help get people out of dangerous encampments.

In 2023, roughly 181,000 Californians experienced homelessness, with approximately 90,000 people in unsheltered conditions. Using Governor

Newsom’s unprecedented investments and support, many local communities have worked towards solving unsheltered homelessness by using available space in hotels and motels to supplement available shelter beds. This strategy not only creates additional safe and stable interim shelter for Californians experiencing homelessness but also helps ensure that service providers can more easily connect and support people with the services they need to access housing and exit homelessness permanently. AB 2835 extends local governments' and service providers’ ability to use this tool indefinitely.

“We need solutions to our homelessness crisis that are both compassionate and effective,” said Assemblymember Jesse Gabriel. “AB 2835 will deliver on both fronts by providing much-needed stability to kids and families experiencing homelessness while also cutting red tape and saving taxpayer resources. I am proud to partner with Governor Newsom on this effort and appreciate his continued leadership.”

More housing Although there are many reasons why someone may lose access to housing, the lack of available affordable homes in California is a key driver. Most people who enter homelessness are rent-burdened and cite economic hardship such as increased rent or housing costs. Adding to the inventory of available housing is an essential part of the state’s strategy to address this challenge. Accessory

Dwelling Units (ADUs) and Junior Accessory Dwelling Units (JADUs) are innovative and effective options for adding muchneeded housing in California.

California has helped create new housing by expanding and streamlining the process of creating ADUs and holding local governments who unlawfully block housing production accountable. Tuesday’s bills expand this support by extending to JADUs the current exemptions from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) that apply to local laws that allow the creation of standard ADUs.

“AB 3057 represents a small but significant technical change that offers Californians more accessible and efficient options to build affordable housing solutions,” said Assemblywoman Lori D. Wilson. “By simplifying the process for constructing junior accessory dwelling units (JADUs), this bill makes it faster, cheaper, and easier for families to create additional living spaces within their homes, helping to address our state's housing shortage. This legislation allows families to stay closer together and fosters stronger, more connected communities. I am grateful to Governor Newsom for signing this bill and to California YIMBY for their unwavering commitment to making California an affordable place for everyone.”

Housing for all Californians

Since taking office, Governor Newsom has invested over $40 billion to boost affordable housing and more than $27 billion to address homelessness. Tuesday’s announcement follows Governor Newsom’s recent executive order that, among other things, urges local governments to use the unprecedented state funding to address unsanitary and dangerous encampments within their communities and provide people experiencing homelessness in the encampments with the care and supportive services they need.

The governor has also enacted dozens of CEQA reforms into law and championed the creation of the Housing Accountability Unit at the California Department of Housing and Community Development to ensure cities and counties fulfill their legal responsibilities to plan and permit their fair share of housing. This focus on accountability has, in part, led to a 15-year high in housing starts in California.

(CA Gov. Newsom’s Office Release)

Quiboloy manhunt will go on despite...

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.

Former Pres. Duterte slams human rights...

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 adminis-

Californians

can

the California DMV Wallet mobile driver’s license (mDL) pilot program. To date, more than half a million Californians have added the mDL to their smartphones.

“We continue to expand the availability and acceptance of digital licenses and identification cards,” said DMV Director Steve Gordon. “Having an mDL in your smartphone wallet is a huge convenience for Californians.”

The state’s mDL pilot program is ongoing and currently limited to 1.5 million participants.

tration 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.”

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

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.”

now add their mobile driver’s...

navigating day-to-day life easier by giving people convenient and secure access to everyday essentials like your payment cards, loyalty cards, concert tickets and more,” said Jenny Cheng, vice president and general manager of Google Wallet. “Our research shows that having a way to save an ID to Wallet is critical in order for people to feel like they have a complete digital wallet. By bringing this capability to Android users in California, we’re excited to provide yet another way for people to move seamlessly throughout their day.”

pilot,” said California State Chief Information Officer and Department of Technology Director Liana BaileyCrimmins. “California continues to lead the way in leveraging and testing the latest technology so that Californians have easy and safe experiences with all of the state’s digital services.”

In the future, the mDL will work in partnership with California’s Digital ID Framework that securely and conveniently allows the state to verify people’s identity.

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.

Presenting your mDL in Google Wallet and the California DMV Wallet app is currently accepted as a valid form of identification at select retail locations and TSA airports. The DMV continues to work with public and private partners to encourage broader acceptance of the mDL.

“Google Wallet makes

“We are grateful for the over half-million Californians who are participating in the mDL

The mDL does not replace the requirement to carry a physical driver’s license while driving, but does give Californians another convenient option for identity verification and more control over how they share their information – offering the choice to display name and age information only when presenting for ID checks. Pilot participants still must carry their physical card, though acceptance and uses of the mDL will continue to evolve.

(Gov. Newsom’s Office Release)

“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. (With reports from Emmanuel Tupas, Sheila Crisostomo, Romina Cabrera, Janvic Mateo, Daphne Galvez)

The new COVID vaccine is out. Why you might...

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 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 prepared-

‘Hiwalay

Dateline PhiliPPines

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 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 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)

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?

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)

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

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 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

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

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

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

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

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.

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 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 billion, up by 65

“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 by leaNder

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

Teresa

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 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—

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 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.

past struggles with son Diego

‘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

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 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.

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 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

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

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

by HannaH Mallorca Inquirer.net

Eraserheads

Inquirer.net photo by Renjie Tolentino

Loyzaga’s

Teresa Loyzaga with son Diego Photo from Instagram/@teresaloyzaga

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.

This Labor Day let’s work to keep our roads safe and clean

Follow these tips from Caltrans and the California Office of Traffic Safety to keep our communities litter-free this Labor Day Weekend

by Caltrans DireCtor tony tavares

Atty. Gurfinkel was warmly welcomed by Lana Marcaida, senior business head for Max’s Landmark

Funding

housing project in San Mateo

REDWOOD CITY – The largest affordable

housing project in San Mateo County’s history received key financial support on Tuesday, August 27 from the Board of Supervisors.

By a unanimous vote, supervisors approved a $14 million loan that will spur construction at Midway Village, located near the Cow Palace in Daly City’s Bayshore neighborhood.

•

be a “litter bagger” and not a “litter bug” by designating a bag for trash in your car and properly disposing its contents at your final destination. This reduces distracting litter on the road and keeps your car and our natural environment cleaner. You can also reuse the bag for future trips.

• Secure your load and keep a safe following distance: If you're transporting items in a truck bed –such as a cooler, chairs or luggage – make sure they are tied down and securely fastened to prevent them from falling onto the road. Maintain a safe distance from the vehicle in front of you to allow ample time to stop safely if you need to move or brake suddenly.

• Recycle: Separate recyclables from trash in your car and dispose of them in appropriate recycling bins at your destination, a rest area or when you arrive back home.

• Don't throw cigarette butts out the window: Hot and dry conditions in the summer puts California at high risk for wildfires. Cigarette butts only exacerbate fire hazards, as they can ignite and fuel the spread of wildfires. Do your part by properly disposing all butts into appropriate trash receptacles.

• Report illegal dumping: If you see someone dumping or disposing waste on public or private property, include relevant roadway details and report the crime to local authorities. Violators can be fined up to $10,000. If you are driving, park at a safe location and then report the violation, or have a passenger place the call. Let's keep our community clean this Labor Day weekend! Remember, Zero Litter is the Goal! For more information on how to stay safe and litter-free on the go, visit CleanCA.com and GoSafelyCA.org. (Clean CA Release)

“This is probably, in terms of housing in San Mateo County, one of the most transformative projects ever,” said Board Vice President David Canepa, whose District 5 (https://www.smcgov. org/district-5/about-district-5) includes Midway Village. “You’re looking at going to 555 units. This is amazing.”

The county, through the Housing Authority, is working with partners to transform and expand Midway Village into a neighborhood that showcases affordable housing in the modern age. The new housing will also help achieve functional zero homelessness, that is when the social services system is able to prevent homelessness whenever possible and ensure that when homelessness does occur, it is rare, brief and one-time.

“This area in particular needs a lot of help,”

Atty. Gurfinkel (left) with

‘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

ConGen Ferrer discusses fostering STEM education with PhilDev leaders

SAN FRANCISCO – Philippine

Consul General in San Francisco Neil Ferrer met with Board of Trustees member Maria Banatao and executive director Olivia de Jesus of PhilDev Foundation on August 21, 2024, at the Sentro Rizal of the Philippine Center.

Consul Vanessa Bago-Llona, Consul Rowena PangilinanDaquipil, and Economic Assistant Jennifer Sto. Domingo also joined the meeting.

The nonprofit organization aims to foster science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education, entrepreneurship, and innovation in the Philippines. It also supports deserving students in the United States.

“We welcome PhilDev’s advocacy and efforts in fostering STEM education and innovation, particularly in the Philippines, which aims to uplift the lives of many Filipinos and promote economic growth,” said Consul General Ferrer.

“PhilDev plans to continue its mission to expand science, engineering and technopreneurship programs in the Philippines and in the U.S. We also aim to support more women toward this end,” said Banatao during the meeting.

PhilDev founder Dado Banatao pioneered the personal computer (PC) chipset and graphics acceleration architecture, which are still part of the foundational technologies in all PCs.

“We thank Mr. Dado Banatao for his contributions to Silicon

Valley, and Ms. Maria Banatao and their family for inspiring and supporting many Filipino scholars in STEM,” Consul General Ferrer added.

PhilDev developed a subject called Technopreneurship 101, which has since been incorporated in the academic curriculum of engineering students in collaboration with Philippine government agencies, primarily the Commission on Higher Education. PhilDev also plans to contribute to further develop the semiconductor industry in the Philippines. The Banatao family also supports the Center for

Information Technology Research in the Interest of Society (CITRIS) and the Banatao Institute, in collaboration with University of California campuses in Berkeley, Davis, Merced and Santa Cruz, to provide “information technology solutions for society’s most pressing challenges.”

PhilDev will hold its annual gala event on October 12, 2024 at the Westin SFO in San Francisco, in recognition of the achievements of the global Filipino community. More information can be found on PhilDev’s website at https:// www.phildev.org/events/phildevgala-and-awards-2024/. (PCGSF Release)

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.

Dawn watering for a great garden

AFTERNOON drooping is plants’ natural heat defense, not necessarily an indication that they need water. Wilted plants in the morning tell you that’s watering time. Early watering augments morning dew and works best with plants’ natural water uptake cycles; you’re applying water they need instead of overwatering them to death.

Running sprinklers midday wastes your water, time and money since most of that water evaporates almost instantly with heat and wind. In fact, that's why the city, county and state all prohibit overhead watering midday.

Night watering invites root rot and fungal growth, plus it attracts unwanted pests like gnats, slugs and snails.

Water at dawn for maximum plant benefit, lowest pest and disease risk and minimum waste. Visit SantaClaraCA.gov/ GardenGuide for more watering tips, free fall garden class registration and more! (City of Santa Clara Release)

Funding approved for largest affordable...

Canepa said, noting the area has lower median incomes than most other areas of the Peninsula. “We’ve talked about the need for affordable housing. This is really going to do that.”

On-site amenities will include childcare, a community garden, an exercise room, meeting space and outdoor recreation areas.

Local officials say residents will include former foster youth, who will be offered an array of supportive services, as well as individuals and families and people who formerly experiences homelessness.

The original Midway Village, with 150 units, opened in the mid-1970s to provide housing for individuals and families with low incomes on the site of a former gas works and World War II Navy housing. Redevelopment is now occurring in phases.

Led by nonprofit housing developer MidPen Housing (https://www.midpen-housing. org/), construction of Phase 1 was completed in May 2024, providing 147 units of affordable

housing, and a parking garage that will serve residents of both Phase 1 and Phase 2. Former Midway Village residents are given priority for the new housing. Tuesday’s loan approval will kickstart development of Phase 2, which includes a total of 111 units ranging from studios to four bedrooms along with two additional units for on-site managers.

with playing fields and play structures operated by the City of Daly City.

“This field is going to provide access to a community that does not have a field, whether it’s soccer, whether its football,” Canepa said. (Supervisor Canepa’s Office Release)

“We applaud the County of San Mateo for its critical commitment to the final piece of financing for Midway Village Phase 2, which will bring 111 affordable homes for families and a new child care center to Daly City,” said Matthew O. Franklin, president and CEO of MidPen Housing. “We welcomed 147 families and individuals into Phase 1 this year and, with the groundbreaking of Phase 2 in early 2025, are excited to continue progress toward a grand total of 555 new affordable homes across four phases.” Qualified applicants must meet certain income and other requirements. Most units, for instance, are held for individuals or families earning from 15 percent to 60 percent of the Area Median Income (AMI). Of the 111 units, 29 are set aside for clients of the county’s Behavioral Health and Recovery Services, which offers support services such as case management and counseling. All 150 existing Midway Village households have the right to live in Phase 1 or Phase 2 apartments, without having to experience temporary relocation. Phases 3 and 4 will provide additional affordable housing including some homeownership opportunities. Phase 5 will provide a large

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.

PH consul general meets Filipino Googlers in Silicon Valley

MOUNTAIN VIEW –

Philippine Consul General in San Francisco Neil Ferrer met with Filipino Googler Network (FGN) members at Google’s Bay View campus in Mountain View, California on August 22, 2024.

Consul General Ferrer met with FGN co-convenor and Google Maps Program Manager

Alexandria Chu, Principal of Organization and Talent Development at Google Martin Gonzalez, Hardware Test

Engineer Allan Ysunza, and Android Location & Context Program Manager Charles Zamora.

Consul Vanessa Bago-Llona, Economic Assistant Jennifer Sto. Domingo, Director Soleil Tropicales of the Philippine Department of Tourism Office

in San Francisco, and Trade Specialist Rosalie Say of the Philippine

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.

Jenny is concerned about issues with her name on her passport,

the meeting.

The Bayview Campus, known for its cutting-edge design and environmental sustainability, provided consulate officials with the opportunity to see Google’s forward-thinking approach to technology and workplace culture. The campus features state-of-the-art facilities that reflect Google’s dedication to creating an environment that supports both productivity and inclusion.

FGN is one of Google’s active employee resource groups. Its most active members total over 2,000 Filipino Googlers.

The FGN officers and members discussed ways of supporting national development, including by collaborating with like-minded individuals and organizations.

Consul General Ferrer mentioned that the Philippines recently established the National Center for AI Research (NCAIR), and invited potential cooperation with the FGN.

“We welcomed the Filipino Googler Network’s advocacies and projects and I encourage you to further support the developing tech and startup ecosystem in the Philippines,” said Consul General Ferrer. (PCGSF Release)

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 brandnew 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)

Sky River Casino announces exciting Fall promotions & entertainment

ELK GROVE – Sky River Casino unveils a thrilling lineup of promotions this fall, offering guests multiple ways to win big and enhance their gaming experience.

Every Sunday in September, guests have a chance to win up to $2,000 in prizes with the $100,000 Huddle Hot Seats! Guests must be playing slots or table games with their Sky River Rewards card for a chance to be in the hot seat.

Saturdays in September will feature the “Get in the Game Giveaway” from 7 PM to 10 PM. This exciting event offers $25,000 in prizes each week, including a guaranteed $10,000 cash winner. Players earn entries by enjoying their favorite slots and table games, with the opportunity to score 100 bonus entries every Tuesday and Friday when earning 100 Tier Credits. Visit Skyriver.com for complete details.

Football fans can participate in the “Game Day Giveaway” every Monday from September 9 through December 30. Guests can make their pick for the winning team of the football game on Monday night from 8 AM until one hour before kickoff. Correct predictions could win $500 in Free Play and a $25 Dining Credit for 32 Brews Street. Guests who play weekly will have a chance to win the Big Game Grand Prize of $5,000 Free Play and The Big Game VIP Experience at 32 Brews Street.

Sky River Casino is also proud to announce a three-day Anniversary Concert Series in September, filled with talent across Asia. Kicking off the weekend is Filipino singer-songwriter Odette Quesada, who is set to perform on Friday, September 20. A prominent figure in Original Pilipino music, Quesada has penned hits such as “Till I Met You,” “Give Me a Chance,” and “Friend of Mine,” which have become karaoke favorites in the Philippines. Tickets starting at $50. Visit Honorglobal.net/tickets.

Prepare for an evening of soul-stirring music as the melody continues on Saturday, September 21, with some of the most celebrated names in the Vietnamese music industry coming together for an extraordinary concert. This star-studded lineup includes Hong Ngoc, Minh Tuyet, Lam Nhat Tien, Khang Viet, and the dynamic Brothers Band, promising to be an unforgettable experience for all attendees. Tickets starting at $50. Visit Honorglobal. net/tickets.

As the weekend draws to a close, finish the night out strong on Sunday, September 22, for a mesmerizing evening of Chinese music featuring the incomparable talents of Sylvia Lai and Sandra Lang. This concert will be the perfect finale to a weekend filled with diverse musical performances, leaving the audience with lasting memories. Tickets starting at $60. Visit Honorglobal.net/tickets.

This Anniversary Concert Series is part of Sky River Casino's ongoing commitment to providing diverse, high-quality entertainment. As the moon reaches its fullest, may your life be filled with abundance and your heart with contentment. Happy Mid-Autumn Festival!

Join Sky River Rewards Sky River Rewards, is one of the most hi-tech rewards programs among casinos in Northern California, allowing guests cardless play, cashless wallet, and more. The Sky River Rewards card is your key to receiving points for all your activities and those points can be redeemed for Free Play or dining credits. Become a Sky River Rewards member now to receive $15 Free Play. To activate your Free Play, visit any slot machine and place a bet. Sky River Rewards enrollment can be done online using a computer, tablet, or phone with a camera. Sky River Casino was built by the Wilton Rancheria in partnership with Boyd Gaming Corporation, which is building and managing the property for the tribe. The casino opened in August 2022 and includes 100,000 sq ft of gaming, 2,100 slot machines, 80+ table games, and 18 bars and restaurants. To learn more, visit www.SkyRiver.com. (Advertising Supplement

Marylou (right) with Atty. Gurfinkel

Jael (left) with Atty. Gurfinkel

Jenny (left) with Atty. Gurfinkel

Singer-songwriter Odette Quesada, who is responsible for penning some of the most unforgettable hits in the Philippines, performs at Sky River Casino on September 20.

Filipino Googler Martin Gonzalez (extreme right) and Allan Ysunza (3rd from left) tour the Philippine Consulate team at Google’s Bayview campus. San Francisco PCG photos

Consul General Neil Ferrer and the consulate team meets with members of the Filipino Googler Network.

Experience a mesmerizing night of Chinese music with Sylvia Lai and Sandra Lang on September 22.

Celebrated names in the Vietnamese music industry – Hong Ngoc, Minh Tuyet, Lam Nhat Tien, Khang Viet and the Brothers Band – come together on September 21.

Atty. Gurfinkel with Jharmaine (left)

Trade and Investment Center in Silicon Valley joined