083024 - San Diego Edition

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

Californians can now add their mobile driver’s license to Google Wallet

SACRAMENTO – Governor Gavin Newsom on Friday, August 23 announced the California Department of Motor Vehicles’ (DMV) addition of Google Wallet as an option to hold secure, convenient, and private digital driver’s licenses and identification cards.

“It’s never been easier to keep a digital driver’s license and identification card in California. The state continues to work to offer convenience for those opting into the mobile driver’s license program, now with the option of using Google Wallet.” Gov. Newsom said in a statement released by his office. California is now one of four states to offer a digital driver’s license in Google Wallet. Last week, the Governor announced mobile

dynamic’ pact with US to counter China

by Michael Punongbayan Philstar.com

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.”

by Krixia SubingSubing

Inquirer.net

MANILA — The former “poster boy” of the war on drugs Wednesday, August 28 said that the closest associates of former President Rodrigo Duterte, Senators Christopher “Bong” Go and Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa, ordered police officers to use “all means necessary” to eradicate drug suspects — including killing them — and reward the deed.

Lt. Col. Jovie Espenido, former police chief of Albuera, Leyte, made the allegations in a seven-page affidavit to the quad committee

Austin Machitar, a 30-year-old father of four, died at the scene of the collision

SAN DIEGO – A Filipino American police officer with the San Diego Police Department was killed and a second officer was clinging to life on Tuesday, August 27 following a fiery traffic crash in San Diego that also killed a motorist, who allegedly fled from an attempted late-night traffic stop. The police SUV cruiser, the BMW the suspect was driving at high speed and several other vehicles collided at about 11:30 p.m. Monday, August 26 in the 5200 block of Clairemont Mesa Boulevard, near Doliva Drive, SDPD Chief Scott Wahl told reporters. The crash sent one of the lawmen, Officer

Zach Martinez, 29, through the windshield of the police vehicle, which then caught fire, OnSceneTV reported.

The driver of the cruiser, Filipino American SDPD officer Austin Machitar, a 30-year-old father of four, died at the scene of the collision. Paramedics took Martinez to a trauma center, where he remained in critical condition Tuesday evening. In a Facebook post, Emmy awardwinning Fil-Am journalist and Fox 5 San Diego news anchor Maria Arcega-Dunn mourned the death of Machitar, saying it was “especially difficult” since he was “a member of my Filipino community.”

of the House of Representatives, where he said that Go had funneled money collected from small-town lottery and “jueteng” lords, intelligence funds and Philippine offshore gaming operators (POGOs) to an alleged “quota and reward system” for Duterte’s drug war.

Order to ‘eliminate’

He said Dela Rosa, who was then the Philippine National Police chief, personally ordered him to “eliminate” illegal drugs in Leyte, which was commonly understood by policemen as “doing it by all means, including killing.”

Officer Austin

US open to escort PH resupply missions in West Philippine Sea

missions in the West Philippine Sea is “an entirely reasonable option,” the chief of the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command said 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 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 Marcos 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

Machitar died at the scene of the collision.

Photo from Maria Arcega Dunn/Facebook

by Michael Punongbayan Philstar.com

by Red Mendoza and CatheRine S. Valente ManilaTimes.net

Californians can now add their mobile...

would also be coming soon in Apple Wallet.

In 2023, as part of the statewide Digital Identity Framework, the DMV introduced 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.

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 navigating day-today 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.”

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.

“We are grateful for the over half-million Californians who are participating in the mDL pilot,” said California State Chief Information Officer and Department of Technology Director Liana Bailey-Crimmins. “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.”

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’sOfficeRelease)

The new COVID vaccine is out...

older or chronically ill people — suffer hospitalization or death.

It’s important for those in high-risk groups to get vaccinated, but vaccine protection wanes after a few months. Those who run to get the new vaccine may be more likely to fall ill this winter when the next wave hits, said William Schaffner, an infectious disease professor at Vanderbilt University School of Medicine and a spokesperson for the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases.

On the other hand, by late fall the major variants may have changed, rendering the vaccine less effective, said Peter Marks, the FDA’s top vaccine official, at a briefing Aug. 23. He urged everyone eligible to get immunized, noting that the risk of long COVID is greater in the un- and undervaccinated.

Of course, if last year’s COVID vaccine rollout is any guide, few Americans will heed his advice, even though this summer’s surge has been unusually intense, with levels of the COVID virus in wastewater suggesting infections are as widespread as they were in the winter.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention now looks to wastewater as fewer people are reporting test results to health authorities. The wastewater data shows the epidemic is worst in Western and Southern states. In New York, for example, levels are considered “high” — compared with “very high” in Georgia.

Hospitalizations and deaths due to COVID have trended up, too. But unlike infections, these rates are nowhere near those seen in winter surges, or in summers past. More than 2,000 people died of COVID in July — a high number but a small fraction of the at least 25,700 COVID deaths in July 2020.

Partial immunity built up through vaccines and prior infections deserves credit for this relief. A new study suggests that current variants may be less virulent — in the study, one of the recent variants did not kill mice exposed to it, unlike most earlier COVID variants.

Public health officials note that even with more cases this summer, people seem to be managing their sickness at home. “We did see a little rise in the number of cases, but it didn’t have a significant impact in terms of hospitalizations and emergency room visits,” said Manisha Juthani, public health commissioner of Connecticut, at a news briefing Aug. 21.

Unlike influenza or traditional cold viruses, COVID seems to thrive outside the cold months, when germy schoolkids, dry air, and indoor activities are thought to enable the spread of air- and saliva-borne viruses. No one is exactly sure why.

“COVID is still very transmissible, very new, and people congregate inside in air-conditioned rooms during the summer,” said John Moore, a virologist and professor at Cornell University’s Weill Cornell Medicine College.

Or “maybe COVID is more tolerant of humidity or other environmental conditions in the summer,” said Caitlin Rivers, an epidemiologist at Johns Hopkins University.

Because viruses evolve as they infect people, the CDC has recommended updated COVID vaccines each year. Last fall’s booster was designed to target the omicron variant circulating in 2023. This year, mRNA vaccines made by Moderna and Pfizer and the protein-based vaccine from Novavax — which has yet to be approved by the FDA — target a more recent omicron variant, JN.1.

The FDA determined that the mRNA vaccines strongly protected people from severe disease and death — and would do so even though earlier variants of JN.1 are now being overtaken by others.

Public interest in COVID vaccines has waned, with only 1 in 5 adults getting vaccinated since last

“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

September, compared with about 80% who got the first dose. New Yorkers have been slightly above the national vaccination rate, while in Georgia only about 17% got the latest shot.

Vaccine uptake is lower in states where the majority voted for Donald Trump in 2020 and among those who have less money and education, less health care access, or less time off from work. These groups are also more likely to be hospitalized or die of the disease, according to a 2023 study in The Lancet.

While the newly formulated vaccines are better targeted at the circulating COVID variants, uninsured and underinsured Americans may have to rush if they hope to get one for free. A CDC program that provided boosters to 1.5 million people over the last year ran out of money and is ending Aug. 31. The agency drummed up $62 million in unspent funds to pay state and local health departments to provide the new shots to those not covered by insurance. But “that may not go very far” if the vaccine costs the agency around $86 a dose, as it did last year, said Kelly Moore, CEO of Immunize.org, which advocates for vaccination.

People who pay out-of-pocket at pharmacies face higher prices: CVS plans to sell the updated vaccine for $201.99, said Amy Thibault, a spokesperson for the company.

“Price can be a barrier, access can be a barrier” to vaccination, said David Scales, an assistant professor of medicine at Weill Cornell Medical College. Without an access program that provides vaccines to uninsured adults, “we’ll see disparities in health outcomes and disproportionate outbreaks in the working poor, who can ill afford to take off work,” Kelly Moore said.

New York state has about $1 million to fill the gaps when the CDC’s program ends, said Danielle De Souza, a spokesperson for the New York State Department of Health. That will buy around 12,500 doses for uninsured and underinsured adults, she said. There are roughly one million uninsured people in the state.

CDC and FDA experts last year decided to promote annual fall vaccination against COVID and influenza along with a one-time respiratory syncytial virus shot for some groups.

It would be impractical for the vaccine-makers to change the COVID vaccine’s recipe twice every year, and offering the three vaccines during one or two health care visits appears to be the best way to increase uptake of all of them, said Schaffner, who consults for the CDC’s policy-setting Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices.

At its next meeting, in October, the committee is likely to urge vulnerable people to get a second dose of the same COVID vaccine in the spring, for protection against the next summer wave, he said. If you’re in a vulnerable population and waiting to get vaccinated until closer to the holiday season, Schaffner said, it makes sense to wear a mask and avoid big crowds, and to get a test if you think you have COVID. If positive, people in these groups

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. (Alexis Romero/ Philstar.com)

pileup were not seriously injured, the police chief said.

“Words are never enough to convey the pain and loss San Diego feels right now. Please keep their families and friends in your prayers,” she writes.

The suspect also was taken to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead, Wahl said. He was believed to be a 14- or 15-year-old boy, according to the video news service. His name has not been released.

Fighting back tears as he spoke to reporters, Wahl said, “It is for any other reason that I’d rather be in front of you all today than to have to announce the passing of one of our officers last night, and a second officer that’s fighting for his life in the hospital.”

“Last night, we had a vehicle that was traveling at a high rate of speed down Clairemont Mesa Boulevard,” Wahl said. “We had a police officer that tried to initiate a traffic stop. The (suspect) failed to yield, and a brief pursuit ensued.”

“Due to the high rate of speed, a supervisor terminated that pursuit. Two officers working together in one vehicle were responding to that fleeing suspect, and ultimately the suspect vehicle collided at a high rate of speed into the side of their vehicle.”

The people in the other cars involved in the

The SDPD has turned over investigations into the fatal crash to the California Highway Patrol

“due to the enormity of the situation and all the emotion that’s behind it,” Wahl said.

“I can’t put into words the feelings that come at a time like this, when we have police officers that are coming to work to make a difference, to help those in need, and are putting their lives on the line for people they don’t even know,” Wahl told reporters. “And last night we lost a good one.”

The police chief described Machitar, who served with the SDPD for about 5 1/2 years, as a “San Diego kid” who “was the kind of guy you want on your team.”

“He was athletic,” Wahl said. “He was a competitor. He had a passion for training. … Austin had a very infectious smile and a character that made him one of a kind.”

Martinez, a Texas native, is an 18-month member of the SDPD, as well as a Navy Reservist and emergency medical technician, the police chief said during a late-afternoon briefing. “He was born and raised to serve. … His heart is into helping people,” Wahl said. “We are very optimistic he’s going to be OK, but he has a very long road to go.” (With CNS report/ Inquirer.net)

Pexels.com

photo by Nataliya Vaitkevich

Drug war ‘poster boy’ testifies in House...

“His instruction was, ‘Help me and the president about this war. I will assign you as the chief of police in Albuera so the drugs there should disappear,” Espenido told the quad committee investigating criminal activities during the Duterte administration.

“Did he elaborate [on] how you would do that?” asked Manila Rep. Joel Chua.

“Among us, sir, we use general words that we know the meaning of,” he replied. “If they say ‘mawala,’ kasama na ’yung mamatay (‘eliminate,’ that includes killing). That is very obvious for us.”

Espenido also said it was “automatic” that the “reward” was given or remitted to police regional commanders, provincial commanders, and “the group or individuals who make the kill.”

When asked what motivated him to make the allegations, he told the lawmakers that “what I am saying here is the truth” and that he was aware of the consequences.

Go: All ‘zarzuela’

In a statement, Go dismissed Espenido’s claims as malicious and defamatory, saying it was just part of a “zarzuela” and political maneuvers to “paint us black so they will appear white.”

Duterte’s former aide said he was studying his legal options to protect his name from individuals trying to link him to POGOS

He also maintained that POGO money never funded the previous administration’s antidrug campaign.

“I can categorically say that I was never involved in POGO and the supposed reward system in the drug war,” Go said.

“When I was still the special assistant to the president, I never handled any funds related to the drug war and most especially anything from POGO. More so when I became [a] senator in 2019,” he said.

Dela Rosa declined to directly respond to Espenido’s allegations since he was not able to monitor his former subordinate’s testimony at the House hearing.

He, however, reiterated that he never ordered Espenido or any other PNP officer to kill those involved in the drug trade.

“I was only referring to legal means when I said ‘get rid of illegal drugs in your jurisdiction,’” Dela Rosa told reporters.

Go and Dela Rosa were elected to the Senate in 2019 after serving the Duterte administration.

Espenido said during the quad committee hearing that intelligence funds were also used in the drug war.

POGO money was also used. After these POGOS were able to register with the government, funding was funneled downward from the level of Bong Go,” he said.

Cash rewards

Some local governments also awarded P100,000 for successful arrests involving big-time drug pushers, he said. There was also a reward of P20,000 per kill in the drug war facilitated by “bagmen” — often noncommissioned police officers — who acted at the “beck and call of regional and provincial directors.”

As for the quota system, Espenido said it was “50-100 a day [which] we took to mean that we had to knock on the doors of 50100 households suspected of drug use or pushing.”

It’s the first time an active-duty police officer has publicly admitted to such a system, which human rights groups have long suspected.

The number of arrested or slain drug suspects was tallied as “accomplishments” in the drug war. The official tally of deaths in Duterte’s bloody six-year campaign is over 6,000, but human rights watchdogs say the number could be as high as 30,000.

Espinosa slay Espenido was police chief of his hometown of Albuera before he was transferred to Ozamiz City, Misamis Occidental, after Albuera Mayor Rolando Espinosa Sr., who was held in jail on drug charges, was killed by members of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) implementing a search warrant in November 2016.

Following Espinosa’s killing, Espenido said the CIDG action would instill fear in other potential informants on the drug trade, like the slain mayor, whom he allegedly convinced to identify the officials and police officers protecting the mayor’s son’s alleged illegal drug operation.

As Ozamiz police chief, Espenido led an antidrug raid on the

house of Mayor Reynaldo Parojinog Jr., where the mayor and 14 other people were killed. Parojinog was in a Duterte “narcolist” of drug lords.

Espenido was praised by Duterte, who said he was “free to kill everybody.”

Fall from grace

In 2019, he was transferred to Bacolod City, where he served as deputy police chief until he fell from grace the following year when he appeared in the second batch of names added to Duterte’s narcolist.

Then Interior Secretary Eduardo Año confirmed that Espenido was on the list, which was still subject to verification even as he stood by its reliability. The names on the list were sourced from the PNP, the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency, the National Intelligence Coordinating Agency, and the Intelligence Service of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, Año said.

Dismayed over his inclusion on the list, Espenido said it was a failure of intelligence on the part of the PNP.

He said that he was included in the drug watch list in 2016, but was cleared by the PNP itself in 2017.

During Wednesday’s hearing, Espenido said that the PNP was the “biggest crime group in this country.” In his affidavit, he said that “there can be no drug lords without policemen protecting them.”

Acierto testimony In a hearing by the House committee on dangerous drugs in June, former Police Col. Eduardo Acierto, who is now in hiding, identified former Duterte economic adviser Michael Yang as a drug lord and that Duterte, Dela Rosa, and Go allegedly knew this but ignored his report on the ex-president’s Chinese friend.

Acierto also accused Duterte of wanting him killed due to his knowledge of the former president’s links with Yang and other individuals involved in illegal drug activities.

Espenido faces six counts of homicide in the killing of six suspected members of the “Martilyo Gang” in 2017 in Ozamiz. The bodies of the six men killed during a raid were laid under the sun near the police station until their relatives claimed them. He is out on bail while awaiting resolution of the case. (With reports from Marlon Ramos and Inquirer research)

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

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

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

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

PCO Photo

Lt. Col. Jovie Espenido.

File photo

Fil-Am pens debut novel ‘Love Can’t Feed You’

Cherry Lou Sy will launch her book on Oct. 7

NEW YORK — Filipino

American Cherry Lou Sy is

releasing her debut novel

“Love Can’t Feed You,” described as a “tender yet searing coming-of-age novel about a young Filipina woman suspended between two countries, two identities, and two parents.”

Readers will be introduced to Queenie, who is torn between her family’s expectations and her own burning desires.

Queenie, her brother and their elderly Chinese father arrive in the United States from the Philippines to find that her Filipina mother, who’d been working as a nurse in Brooklyn for some time, is now a different woman than the one they knew.

On the cusp of adulthood, Queenie dreams of attending college but her parents can’t afford to support both children. Stretching themselves to assimilate, her family begins to fall apart.

Queenie starts to explore the nature of her relationships with her mother, her father, her own sexuality and the new country she’s immigrated to as she juggles her many identities: Filipina, Chinese, New Yorker, immigrant, daughter, sister, student, worker, woman, friend, lover.

“I was always interested in prose writing,” says Sy. “I even got into an MFA program run by [Filipino American novelist and playwright] Jessica Hagedorn at Long Island University. She liked my prose but she praised my playwriting after reading a one-act I [had written].”

Sy then went on to an experimental playwriting program at Brooklyn College ran by author, poet and playwright Mac Wellman. “Mac was all about experimenting in not just form, but genre. He told me that I should work on a novel if I wanted to.”

Sy was taking her master’s in playwriting when she began working on the novel. “The story of the narrator, Queenie, wouldn’t leave me,” she says.

“I saw myself in her and I could also see her as a student at Brooklyn College, where I was an adjunct lecturer,

encountering people who are like her. Earnest, curious and hungry for change, despite or because of their histories.”

“At the time, I was reading Marguerite Duras’s ‘The Lover’ and was haunted by the story of an impoverished 15-year-old white girl who has an affair with a rich 27-yearold Chinese man in French Indochina in the 1930s.

“I had never read anything like it, and it made me think of my own background being half-Chinese and half-Filipino.

“What if the protagonist of the book had a child with her Chinese lover? How would it have ended differently? I superimposed this question onto the dynamics of my own family – my mother was 17 years younger than my Chinese father – and began writing.”

Frustations, grief, multitude

The story started to become more concrete during the pandemic.

“Everything stopped. My career as a theater artist stalled. There was no pipeline for me to enter and Zoom theater was incredibly frustrating. I felt so disconnected with theatermaking as a practice

and just started focusing on my novel,” she says.

“It was also shaped by the death of my father. We thought that he was attacked because he had a head fracture and was found at a bus stop. He died two months later.”

Though she initially tried to process her grief through theater work and had applied for fellowships, those efforts did not pan out. “That’s when I turned to prose to deal with my grief,” she says.

“The pivot seemed natural. The pandemic was the key event. It made me think about myself as an artist.

“Anyway, a story is like water. Just as water tries to find its way to the sea, a story will find a way to be told. And one can be both a playwright, a novelist and a multitude of other things.”

(Walter Ang/ inquirer.net)

(There will be a book launch for “Love Can’t Feed You” on Oct. 7, 2024 at Powerhouse Arena Bookstore, Brooklyn, New York. Walter Ang is the author of “Barangay to Broadway: Filipino American Theater.” Available at Amazon, Bookshop and other online booksellers.)

The new COVID vaccine is out. Why...

should seek medical attention since the antiviral pill Paxlovid might ameliorate their symptoms and keep them out of the hospital.

As for conscientious others who feel they may be sick and don’t want to spread the COVID virus, the best advice is to get a single test and, if positive, try to isolate for a few days and then wear a mask for several days while avoiding crowded rooms. Repeat testing after a positive result is pointless, since viral particles in the nose may remain for days without signifying a risk of infecting others, Schaffner said.

The Health and Human Services Department is making four free COVID tests available to anyone who requests them starting in late September through covidtest.gov, said Dawn O’Connell, assistant secretary for preparedness and response, at the Aug. 23 briefing.

The government is focusing its fall vaccine advocacy campaign, which it’s calling “Risk less, live

more,” on older people and nursing home residents, said HHS spokesperson Jeff Nesbit. Not everyone may really need a fall COVID booster, but “it’s not wrong to give people options,” John Moore said. “The 20-year-old athlete is less at risk than the 70-year-old overweight dude.

Civic News Company and KFF Health News. KFF Health News is a national newsroom that produces indepth journalism about health issues and is one of the core operating programs at KFF—an independent source of health policy research, polling, and journalism.

US open to escort PH resupply...

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 Chinaled,” Teodoro pointed out.

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

“On the one hand, the world should see the duplicity here. They want to be bridges of peace in the Middle-East, in Africa, elsewhere where there is conflict. Yet what

are they doing in their backyard, that’s what the world should see,” he stressed.

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

to possible port

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 report from Alexis Romero)

Filipino American Cherry Lou Sy is releasing her debut novel “Love Can’t Feed You.” Contributed Photo

Admiral

(Teodoro) expressed openness

visits by Spanish Navy vessels in the future and raised the prospect of conducting MCA,” Andolong said.

Dateline PhiliPPines

Duterte slams human rights violations against Quiboloy, supporters

by Franco Jose c. Baroña ManilaTimes.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 region,” the former president said.

He appealed to “remaining decent and patriotic” government workers not to allow themselves “to be used, to be abusive and

violent in enforcing illegal orders.”

‘Reign of fear, terror’

“We call on all Filipinos, regardless of political persuasion, to offer prayers for peace and justice, and to spare our people of the unwarranted tension brought about by the reign of fear and terror by people sworn to uphold the law and protect the citizens of this country,”

Duterte said.

“Again, let us ask this administration how it can guarantee the preservation of the constitutional rights of our fellow Filipinos when even the most fundamental of these rights are being blatantly violated,” he added.

Abante, however, said the rights of all Filipinos “should be respected, whether they be pastor or pauper,” adding that it was a “tragic irony” that the former president was speaking out “while the [House] quad committee is investigating the Duterte administration’s drug war that killed thousands of Filipinos, orphaned so many children, and traumatized families.”

He noted that Quiboloy was being afforded due process while “unfortunately and tragically, thousands of our kababayan[s] who were slain during the war on drugs were not given the same opportunity.”

House Deputy Majority Leader and Tingog party list Rep. Jude Acidre, meanwhile, backed former Sen. Leila de Lima’s call for Duterte to help authorities serve the arrest warrant for Quiboloy, saying, “as a former president, he should be all for upholding the law at all times, no exceptions.”

“How can one argue against a legitimate operation of law enforcement agencies?” he said. n

Interpol to undergo PH court system to serve ICC arrest warrants, says Remulla

by Charie Mae F. abarCa Inquirer.net

MANILA — The International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol) needs to undergo the Philippine court system if it decides to serve the International Criminal Court’s (ICC) arrest warrants against people involved in the drug war, according to Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla.

At the Senate’s deliberations on the proposed 2025 budget of the Department of Justice (DOJ) on Wednesday, August 28, Remulla said the Philippines is no longer a member of the ICC, but because of emerging technologies, the Philippine government cannot stop ICC investigators from interviewing probable witnesses in the country.

“[K]ung gusto nilang pumasok dito upang manghuhuli at gusto magsagawa ng warrant na na-isyu ho ng ICC pagdating ng panahon, kailangan po itong dumaan sa ating court system. Ito po ay kinakailangan ng isang aksyon, action to enforce a warrant,” Remulla explained. (If they really want to enter the country to arrest someone and serve the warrant issued by the ICC, they need to undergo the Philippine court system. It needs an action, an action to enforce a warrant.)

“Action to enforce a judgment, kailangan pong dumaan yan sa ating court system. So hindi ho namin pakikialaman kasi yan po trabaho na ng Interpol kung talagang gusto nilang habulin yung taong nasasakdal. Sabihin natin nag-isyu po ng warrant of arrest ang ICC, gusto i-enforce ng Interpol dito, para ho ito ay matuloy at hindi magkaroon ng kasuhan kinakailangan po magpunta sila sa korte natin. Yun po ang aming paningin,” he added.

(Action to enforce a judgment needs to undergo our court system. We won’t meddle with that because it’s the job of Interpol if they really want to go after the accused. Let’s say the ICC issued a warrant of arrest and the Interpol wants to enforce it here, in order for this to push through and to ensure that no cases will be filed, they need to go to our court. That’s our point of view.)

In an ambush interview on Wednesday, Sen. Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa said he is happy that the DOJ is defending its turf.

“Very good. That’s a good development kung ganun ang kaniyang sinabi . I’m happy that they are defending their turf, defending our sovereignty, [and] our jurisdiction,” he said. Dela Rosa, the chief implementor of former President Rodrigo Duterte’s war on drugs, is one of those mentioned in the crimes against humanity complaint before the ICC.

Former President Rodrigo Duterte Malacañang file photo

RESOURCEFUL. A cyclist uses a wooden board to shield himself from the rains along EDSA in Quezon City on Wednesday, August 28. The southwest monsoon caused intermittent light to heavy rains in Metro Manila the entire day. PNA photo by Robert Oswald P. Alfiler

Features OpiniOn

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

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

grammar used, and for overall age appropriateness.

Vice President Sara Duterte, apparently pleased with the controversy generated by her foray into the creation of children’s books, has announced that another one is coming up. The first, as she has described it, is about friendship; she says her next project will be about betrayal.

That P10 million is not “free” for taxpayers.

And the ordinary children’s book author in this country can only dream of getting P10 million in people’s money to produce a book with a guaranteed distribution. Many authors would be hard-pressed to obtain even P1 million to publish a book.

The vice president launched her book last year when she was still the secretary of education and not yet openly regretting her support for the presidential bid of Ferdinand Marcos Jr. The post of education secretary, however, does not automatically entitle its holder to publish a children’s book at public

expense, bearing the secretary’s byline and photo. Doing so betrays a mindset that sees public coffers as a personal piggybank.

‘Where did she Guo? Paano siya naka Alice?’

familiar among many Filipinos, with numerous memes poking fun at her “selective amnesia” and her repetitive answer of “Your honor, I can’t remember” when asked about her education and other details about her childhood supposedly in a farm.

In reality, it’s not funny at all that despite being the subject of an arrest warrant by the Senate for her refusal to attend the subsequent committee hearings and the issuance of an Immigration Lookout Bulletin Order (ILBO), she was able to leave the country undetected, much to the amazement, and fury even, of many.

Granted that an ILBO could not stop anyone from leaving the county unlike a Hold Departure Order (HDO) issued by the court, there have been many instances of people getting offloaded or prevented from boarding their flights by Immigration officials who subject them to secondary questioning, especially if they are in an “alert list” like the ILBO.

We have heard so many stories about Immigration officials asking Filipino travelers to show the birth certificate of ancestors to establish their relationship with a relative in another country that they plan to visit. In fact, several legislators have called out the Bureau of Immigration for the “abuse of power” displayed by

frontline officers against outgoing passengers even without seeming basis – like an incident that went viral when an Immigration officer asked a traveler to produce a graduation photo and even a yearbook – causing the woman to miss her flight.

Citing “intelligence information” from counterparts abroad, BI officials said Guo may have been able to leave the Philippines illegally (obviously) without passing through immigration authority checks. There are suspicions that she may have boarded a chartered plane which allowed her to skip the usual Immigration process and directly proceed to the gate. This has prompted Senate President Chiz Escudero to propose the creation of a general aviation terminal that would require private plane passengers to pass through proper checks that regular airport passengers need to go through.

President Marcos has ordered a full-scale investigation, saying, “The departure of Alice Guo has laid bare the corruption that undermines our justice system and erodes public trust.”

Promising that “heads will roll,” the president also said, “We will expose the culprits who have betrayed the people’s trust and aided in her flight,” adding that “those responsible will be suspended and will be held

accountable to the fullest extent of the law. There is no room in this government for anyone who places personal interest above serving the Filipino people with honor, integrity and justice.”

The disappearance of Alice Guo right from under our very noses is no laughing matter as it goes to show that we are facing an extremely serious national security situation. Many agree that Alice Guo would not have been able to leave the country without the complicity of corrupt officials from the Bureau of Immigration, which intelligence sources clearly indicate to be at the root of the problem.

Time and again, reports have come out about the endemic corruption that seems to pervade the bureau, like the alleged issuance of prearranged employment visas to thousands of foreign nationals for fake local companies. Let’s not forget, corrupt BI officials also moonlight as “escort service” agents who, for as little as P10,000, facilitate a special 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 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

I WRITE this on National Heroes’ Day, which we commemorate every last Monday of August. The day traces its roots to the so-called Cry of Pugad Lawin, a clandestine meeting led by Andres Bonifacio, and which is said to have heralded the Philippine Revolution. Earlier in the morning, I was on the road and it was eerily empty except for a few cars here and there and some street children roaming around.

Perhaps the rest of the population are still on a quick holiday break or just enjoying some quiet time at home.

As for me, I couldn’t help but ponder and wonder – what would our heroes think about the Philippines of today?

If they were alive, would they be happy and proud of where we are now? Would they be happy of how our nation, whose independence they staunchly fought for during

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 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 wallhangings plastered with their faces; from 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.

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. Followthrough and constant monitoring are also necessary.

Winning the war against corruption takes a whole-of-nation 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

Congress, which holds the power of the purse, should disabuse the vice president of this notion. (Philstar.com)

Former Bamban, Tarlac Mayor Alice Guo Philstar.com

IrIs Gonzales

BaBe Romualdez

DoST to make Batanes sustainable community

THE Department of Science and Technology (DoST) in Region 2 (Cagayan Valley) on August 19 launched the Smart Basco LOQALINK project at the Basco Lighthouse, an initiative aimed at transforming Batanes, particularly the municipality of Basco, into a smart and sustainable community by providing datadriven solutions to boost the agriculture sector.

The launch was through DoST’s Provincial Science and Technology Office in Batanes and in partnership with Isabela State University, Batanes State College and the local government unit of Basco.

The Digital Business Locator for Agriculture Supply and Demand Information System (LOQALINK) is a key component of the project which uses technology to identify potential business opportunities, optimize agricultural production and improve market access for local farmers.

The launch was attended by key government officials, including DoST Secretary Renato Solidum Jr.; Philippine Council for Industry, Energy and Emerging Technology Research and Development Director Ernesto Paringit; Basco Mayor German Caccam; Betchie

Aguinaldo, project leader at DoST-ISU Smart City-Technology Business Incubator and director at Business Intelligence Research and Development Center; DoST Region 2 Director Virginia Bilgera; and other representatives from DoST, the provincial government and Batanes State College.

“This project is a testament to our commitment to empowering rural communities through science and technology,” said Solidum.

“By providing farmers with the necessary tools and information, we hope to enhance their livelihoods and contribute to the overall development of Batanes.”

A pledge of commitment was signed by all partners to solidify their collaboration in achieving the project’s goals.

LOQALINK will undergo several phases, including goal setting, data analysis, action planning, data mapping, pilot implementation and communication.

The project is expected to result in integrated information systems, increased support programs, enhanced government capabilities and improved access to government services.

(Manilatimes.net)

DOJ: Timor-Leste denies Teves’ appeal against extradition

MANILA — The motion for reconsideration filed by the camp of former Congressman Arnolfo Teves Jr. against his extradition has been denied, the Department of Justice (DOJ) said.

“The Department of Justice (DOJ) has received an official update from the Prosecutor General of Timor-Leste regarding former Congressman Arnulfo Teves’ Motion for Reconsideration. Teves sought to reverse the Timor-Leste Court of Appeals’ decision on his extradition,” it said in a statement on Wednesday, August 28.

“We wish to inform the public that this motion has been denied,” it added.

The DOJ said that Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla praised the denial of Teves’ motion and called it “a significant step forward” in the quest for justice.

“This decision underscores that justice proceeds irrespective of an individual’s status,” Remulla said, as quoted in the statement.

The Court of Appeals in Timor-Leste last June granted the Philippine government’s request to extradite Teves. He is facing a murder trial over the killing of a political rival last year. This decision was countered by Teves’ camp through a motion for reconsideration filed the following month. n

Fewer OFWs opting to register for 2025 polls

by Mayen JayMalin Philstar.com

MANILA — Fewer Filipinos abroad are opting to register for the May 2025 midterm elections, according to the Commission on Elections.

Comelec Chairman George Garcia reported that the number of registered overseas voters remains at 1.18 million.

“Our projection is 1.486 million overseas voters,” Garcia said, noting that the figure is still way below their target.

He said they understand that Filipinos abroad could not register either due to work or they are staying far from the registration sites.

Garcia expressed optimism that many Filipinos abroad would be encouraged to register as the Comelec will be implementing internet voting in 2025.

He also expects the different Philippine posts abroad to mount satellite registration activities to lure more Filipinos to register for the 2025 polls. At a public briefing

has his biometrics taken during registration at a mall in Manila on Wednesday, August 28. The Commission on Elections’ Register Anywhere Program ends on Aug. 31. Edd Gumban/The STAR on Tuesday, August 27

Comelec spokesman John Rex Laudiangco said the number of registered voters dropped because many were deactivated for failure to vote in previous elections.

PH returns to global dollar bond market

THE national government has returned to the international bond market through a three-tranche U.S. dollar-denominated bond offering.

Moody’s Ratings, which assigned a “Baa2” rating to the bond offering, announced on Wednesday, August 28 that the bonds would be issued from its existing shelf program, including tranches maturing in 2030, 2035 and 2049.

“The bonds to be issued under the shelf program will

constitute direct, unconditional and unsubordinated obligations of the government of the Philippines,” Moody’s said. It added that the bonds would have the same priority as the issuer’s existing and future senior unsecured debt obligations.

The proceeds from the bonds will be used for general purposes, including budgetary support, in which part of the tranche maturing in 2049 will also fund projects eligible under the Philippines’ Sustainable Finance Framework.

The Bureau of the Treasury

has not yet disclosed the amount it plans to raise from the bond issuance.

S&P Global Ratings assigned a “BBB+” long-term foreign currency issue rating to the benchmark-sized senior unsecured bonds, while Fitch Ratings gave a “BBB” rating. In May, the government successfully raised $2 billion from offshore capital markets through a dual-tranche debt securities sale.

Foreign borrowings declined by 27.02 percent to Php267.41 billion in the first half of 2024, down from Php366.44 billion last year. n

CA Community Colleges, CA Student Aid Commission

urge community college students to secure most financial

aid available for community college

Students must complete FAFSA/CADAA by Cal Grant Sept. 3 deadline to maximize amounts

Laudiangco said the Comelec has received 400,000 applications for registration from Filipinos abroad. He said there are 15 million overseas Filipinos, but only 1.4 million have registered for the 2025 elections.

Laudiangco stressed the need for registered overseas voters to pre-enroll so they could avail themselves of the internet voting system. n

Police told to ensure due process vs KoJC

THE Commission on Human Rights (CHR) in Region 11

issued a stern reminder to all parties involved to ensure that due process will prevail and judicial process will run its course in the police operation at the Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KoJC) compound in Davao City.

The commission’s regional office acknowledged the police operation is guaranteed by the Philippine Constitution, but just the same, it said it is closely monitoring the situation.

The police on Saturday, August 24 swooped down on the KOJC compound to serve an arrest warrant for KoJC leader Pastor Apollo Quiboloy.

“The Commission reminds the Philippine National Police to exercise maximum tolerance and to ensure the safety of everyone, especially the children. The CHR stresses that no violence or unnecessary force shall be used in making an arrest, in accordance with the law,” the CHR said in a statement.

The agency reiterated to the members of KoJC the importance of respecting state forces, allowing them to carry out their duty, and refraining from any actions that may

escalate tensions or obstruct the legal process.

The CHR also reminded the supporters of the KoJC leader to “refrain from harassing civilians who are simply performing their duties.”

The commission’s reminder came following reports that a special investigator from CHR Region 11 was “threatened and harassed by some KoJC members.”

Emphasizing that the rule of law must prevail to ensure everyone’s rights are upheld and protected, the CHR also called on all involved to “remain calm and cooperate fully with the legal proceedings, in the interest of justice and peace.”

Meanwhile, the Police Regional Office 6 (PRO6) expressed its support to the ongoing enforcement operation of the Police Regional Office in Davao Region (PRO-11) against Quiboloy.

“It is the sworn duty and obligation of the Philippine National Police (PNP) to enforce the law and to implement lawful orders and decrees by competent judicial and duly constituted authorities,” it said in a statement on Sunday, August

25. The PRO-6 emphasized that the PNP’s task transcends personal interests, political affiliations, religious beliefs, and ideological biases.

It added that it is the PNP’s mandate to serve and to protect the people by upholding the constitutional principles of equal protection of rights under the law and that the “law must apply to all and that no one is above the law.”

“Not even a self-appointed, Anointed Son of God can exempt himself from adherence to our penal and procedural laws,” the PRO-6 added.

Quiboloy is wanted for human trafficking, child abuse, and contempt of court.

On Saturday, around 2,000 police officers backed by riot squads raided the Kingdom of Jesus Christ compound in Davao City to serve arrest warrants on Quiboloy.

The PRO-6 expressed support to PRO-11 director

BGen. Nicolas Torre III, who remains unfazed by the “black propaganda” being hurled against him because of his fidelity to his duty as a police officer. (Leander C. Domingo/ Manilatimes.net)

SACRAMENTO — The California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office and the California Student Aid Commission urge community college students to submit their financial aid application by the Sept. 3 deadline to get the most aid available for the 2024-25 academic year.

With hundreds of millions of dollars in debt-free financial aid left on the table each year – that can be used to pay for tuition, fees, books, transportation, childcare, rent, and more – many students can receive aid they may not know they are eligible for. Students must submit a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) or California Dream Act Application (CADAA) to be considered for all types of financial aid.

As of Aug. 27, more than 40,000 fewer students had submitted a financial aid application from the same period last year, according to the commission. With Sept. 3 fast-approaching, the California Community Colleges and the California Student Aid Commission are working to reverse the decline in FAFSA/CADAA submissions. While students have faced technical glitches trying to complete the FAFSA, the U.S. Department of Education continues to make progress to ensure the form is streamlined for students. Additionally, here in California, students from mixed-status families who cannot complete the FAFSA, can complete a California Dream Act Application to access state, local and institutional financial aid. A mixed-status family is a household with members who have different immigration or citizenship status.

The FAFSA and CADAA are gateways for students to receive a variety of aid opportunities to support their higher education pathways, including federal and state aid, scholarships,

college-based aid, on-campus paid student positions loans and more.

“Current and prospective students should act now,” said California Community Colleges Assistant Vice Chancellor for Equitable Student Learning and Impact Gina Browne. “No matter your financial status, I encourage you to submit your FAFSA or California Dream Act Application by Sept. 3 so you can get the most aid available, determine the amount of aid you are eligible for and better prepare for the academic year so you can really focus on your reaching your higher education goals.”

Community colleges unlock life-changing opportunities for Californians, but especially for students from low-income backgrounds or immigrant families. The Sept. 3 Cal Grant deadline is critical: students across the state can qualify for aid that can propel their dreams and does not need to be paid back.

“Financial aid is transformative – it allows students to access high-quality upskilling and higher education opportunities,” said California Student Aid Commission executive director Daisy Gonzales. “The Commission is here to provide students and families with the

support and resources they need to complete their financial aid application. We believe in your dreams. Apply.”

Students who have not yet filed their FAFSA or CADAA can still attend a Cash for College webinar co-sponsored by the California Student Aid Commission and the California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office to get help navigating the process.

Upcoming dates include Aug. 29 and Sept. 3.

“Nearly half of our students are not paying fees or tuition because they’ve filed a FAFSA or CADAA and are receiving financial aid that is covering those costs,” Browne said.

“Don’t miss your chance to change your future. Financial aid is available year-round at community colleges but if you miss the Sept. 3 deadline, you could miss out on thousands of Cal Grant dollars which can really make a huge difference.” The California Community Colleges is the largest system of higher education in the nation, composed of 73 districts and 116 colleges serving 2 million students per year. California community colleges provide career education and workforce training; guaranteed transfer to four-year universities; and degree and certificate pathways. u PAGE 10

by niña Myka Pauline arceo Manilatimes.net

by Luisa Cabato Inquirer.net

FILIPINO COMPETITORS. Filipino cyclists pose for a photo before competing in the 18-stage, 1,600-kilometer

1001 Miglia Italia race in Milan,

Italy held from Aug. 16 to 22, 2024. The team members include Gerard Melvin Herradura, Glenn Paul Cacanindin, Gilbert Ngo Chan, Enzong Junior, Reny Cataran, Michael Acosta, Kith Nebres and Eric Bandelaria. Contributed photo

ANNOUNCEMENT LEGAL SERVICES LEGAL SERVICES LEGAL SERVICES

NOTICE OF INITIAL PETITION FOR PROBATE ESTATE OF SANDY PECK CASE NO: 24PE001806C

To all heirs, beneficiaries, creditors, contingent creditors, and persons who may otherwise be interested in the will or estate, or both, of: SANDY PECK

A Petition for Probate has been filed by ADIL ABDULAHAD in the Superior Court of California, County of SAN DIEGO

The Petition for Probate requests that ADIL ABDULAHAD be appointed as personal representative to administer with will annexed the estate of the decedent. The petition requests the decedent’s will and codicils, if any, be admitted to probate. The will and any codicils are available for examination in the file kept by the court.

The petition requests authority to administer the estate under the Independent Administration of Estates Act. (This authority will allow the personal representative to take many actions without obtaining court approval. Before taking certain very important actions, however, the personal representative will be required to give notice to interested persons unless they have waived notice or consented to the proposed action.)

The independent administration authority will be granted unless an interested person files an objection to the petition and shows good cause why the court should not grant the authority. A hearing on the petition will be held in this court as follows:

Date: 08/28/2024

Time: 01:30 P.M. Dept.: 502 Address of court: 1100 Union Street, San Diego, CA 92101

Branch Name: Central, Probate

If you object to the granting of the petition, you should appear at the hearing and state your objections or file written objections with the court before the hearing. Your appearance may be in person or by your attorney. If you are a creditor or a contingent creditor of the decedent, you must file your claim with the court and mail a copy to the personal representative appointed by the court and mail a copy to the personal representative appointed by the

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT NO. 2024-9016494

One-Stop Commercial Equipment Services located at 981 E. J St, Chula Vista, CA 91910. Registrant: One-Stop Commercial Equipment Services, 981 E. J St, Chula Vista, CA 91910. This business is conducted by A Limited Liability Company. REGISTRANT FIRST BEGUN TO TRANSACT BUSINESS UNDER THE NAME(S) AS OF 08/13/2024. Signature: Kristina Balderrama. Statement filed with Recorder/County Clerk of San Diego County on 08/13/2024. AJ 1488 08/16, 08/23, 08/30, and 09/06/2024. AJSD 1488

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT NO. 2024-9017268

Paradise Spa Massage located at 6919 Paradise Valley Road #2, San Diego, CA 92139. Registrant: Yuzhen Sun, 3875 Vista Campana S 3, Oceanside, CA 92057. This business is conducted by An Individual. REGISTRANT FIRST BEGUN TO TRANSACT BUSINESS UNDER THE NAME(S) AS OF 08/23/2024. Signature: Yuzhen Sun. Statement filed with Recorder/County Clerk of San Diego County on 08/23/2024. AJ 1495 08/30, 09/06, 09/13, and 09/20/2024. AJSD 1495

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT NO. 2024-9016893

E.Z. Keys Locksmith located at 2801 B St #583, San Diego, CA 92102. Registrant: Best Price Solutions Inc., 2801 B St #583, San Diego, CA 92102. This business is conducted by A Corpration. REGISTRANT HAS NOT BEGUN TO TRANSACT BUSINESS UNDER THE NAME(S) ABOVE. Signature: Eduardo Burgos. Statement filed with Recorder/County Clerk of San Diego County on 08/19/2024. AJ 1499 08/30, 09/06, 09/13, and 09/20/2024. AJSD 1499

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT NO. 2024-9016052

a. SAFA International Market located at 12788 Rancho Penasquitos Blvd, Suite E, San Diego, CA 92129.

b. SAFA Restaurant located at 12788 Rancho Penasquitos Blvd, Suite E, San Diego, CA 92129.

Registrant: SAFA INC, 12788 Rancho Penasquitos Blvd, Suite E, San Diego, CA 92129.

This business is conducted by A Corporation. REGISTRANT FIRST BEGUN TO TRANSACT BUSINESS UNDER THE NAME(S) AS OF 08/06/2024.

Signature: Bashir Ahmadi. Statement filed with Recorder/County Clerk of San Diego County on 08/06/2024. AJ 1480 08/09, 08/16, 08/23, and 08/30/2024. AJSD 1480

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS

NAME STATEMENT NO. 2024-9015706

Carbix Auto Detailing located at 475 Woodlawn Ave, Chula Vista, CA 91910.

Registrant: Yorbis Jose Rivera Carrero, 300 S. Escondido Blvd. Ste 104, Escondido, CA 92025. This business is conducted by An Individual. REGISTRANT HAS NOT BEGUN TO TRANSACT BUSINESS UNDER THE NAME(S) ABOVE.

Signature: Yorbis Jose Rivera Carrero. Statement filed with Recorder/County Clerk of San Diego County on 08/01/2024. AJ 1484 08/16, 08/23, 08/30, and 09/06/2024

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT NO. 2024-9016174

Inti Multi Services located at 568 Palmwood Dr, San Diego, CA 92139. Registrant: Jessica Paola Guerra, 568 Palmwood Dr, San Diego, CA 92139. This business is conducted by An Individual. REGISTRANT HAS NOT BEGUN TO TRANSACT BUSINESS UNDER THE NAME(S) ABOVE. Signature: Jessica Paola Guerra. Statement filed with Recorder/County Clerk of San Diego County on 08/08/2024. AJ 1489 08/16, 08/23, 08/30, and 09/06/2024. AJSD 1489

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS

NAME STATEMENT NO. 2024-9017046

Top Gun Junk Removal located at 4215 Haines St, San Diego, CA 92109.

Registrant: GSL Elite LLC, 4215 Haines St, San Diego, CA 92109. This business is conducted by A Limited Liability Company. REGISTRANT HAS NOT BEGUN TO TRANSACT BUSINESS UNDER THE NAME(S) ABOVE. Signature: Guillermo David Sanchez. Statement filed with Recorder/County Clerk of San Diego County on 08/20/2024. AJ 1497 08/30, 09/06, 09/13, and 09/20/2024. AJSD 1497

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT NO. 2024-9016165

Pretty Evy located at 4434 49th Street Apt 5, San Diego, CA 92115.

Registrant: Evelyn Anayely Bojorquez Arreola, 4434 49th Street Apt 5, San Diego, CA 92115. This business is conducted by An Individual. REGISTRANT FIRST BEGUN TO TRANSACT BUSINESS UNDER THE NAME(S) AS OF 08/08/2024.

Signature: Evelyn Arreola. Statement filed with Recorder/County Clerk of San Diego County on 08/08/2024. AJ 1481 08/09, 08/16, 08/23, and 08/30/2024. AJSD 1481

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT NO. 2024-9016037

Mahshid Boutique located at 602 Verdin St, El Cajon, CA 92019.

Registrant: Fatima Nedeem, 602 Verdin St, El Cajon, CA 92019. This business is conducted by An Individual. REGISTRANT HAS NOT BEGUN TO TRANSACT BUSINESS UNDER THE NAME(S) ABOVE.

Signature: Fatima Nedeem. Statement filed with Recorder/County Clerk of San Diego County on 08/06/2024. AJ 1485 08/16, 08/23, 08/30, and 09/06/2024.

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS

NAME STATEMENT NO. 2024-9016749

Spirits Of St. Germain located at 3251 Holiday Ct, #101, La Jolla, CA 92037. Registrant: a. Kevin Song, 3251 Holiday Ct, #101, La Jolla, CA 92037. b. Chom Ae Sharp, 3251 Holiday Ct, #101, La Jolla, CA 92037

This business is conducted by A Married Couple.

REGISTRANT HAS NOT BEGUN TO TRANSACT BUSINESS UNDER THE NAME(S) ABOVE.

Signature: Kevin Kyongho Song. Statement filed with Recorder/County Clerk of San Diego County on 08/15/2024.

AJ 1492 08/23, 08/30, 09/06, and 09/13/2024. AJSD 1492

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT NO. 2024-9017123

Grow Your Practice located at 12636 High Bluff Drive #400, San Diego, CA 92130. Registrant: Leverage Group LLC, 12636 High Bluff Drive #400, San Diego, CA 92130. This business is conducted by A Limited Liability Company.

REGISTRANT FIRST BEGUN TO TRANSACT BUSINESS UNDER THE NAME(S) AS OF 08/16/2024. Signature: Sameer Kumar. Statement filed with Recorder/County Clerk of San Diego County on 08/21/2024. AJ 1498 08/30, 09/06, 09/13, and 09/20/2024.

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT NO. 2024-9016186

Therapy With Tracy located at 14340 Minya Lane, Poway, CA 92064. Registrant: Tracy Sharbaugh Aronlee, 14340 Minya Lane, Poway, CA 92064. This business is conducted by An Individual.

REGISTRANT FIRST BEGUN TO TRANSACT BUSINESS UNDER THE NAME(S) AS OF 03/13/2024. Signature: Tracy Sharbaugh Aronlee. Statement filed with Recorder/County Clerk of San Diego County on 08/08/2024. AJ 1482 08/16, 08/23, 08/30, and 09/06/2024. AJSD 1482

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT NO. 2024-9016388

Nordahl Pharmacy located at 740 Nordahl Rd Unit 120, San Marcos, CA 92069.

Registrant: Nordahl RX, INC, 16226 Avenida Suavidad, San Diego, CA 92128. This business is conducted by A Corporation.

REGISTRANT HAS NOT BEGUN TO TRANSACT BUSINESS UNDER THE NAME(S) ABOVE.

Signature: Casey Long Hoang. Statement filed with Recorder/County Clerk of San Diego County on 08/13/2024. AJ 1486 08/16, 08/23, 08/30, and 09/06/2024.

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT NO. 2024-9016840

Arevalo Painting located at 3241 Franklin Ave, Apt C, San Diego, CA 92113. Registrant: Israel Arevalo, 3241 Franklin Ave, Apt C, San Diego, CA 92113. This business is conducted by An Individual. REGISTRANT FIRST BEGUN TO TRANSACT BUSINESS UNDER THE NAME(S) AS OF 08/06/2024. Signature: Israel Arevalo. Statement filed with Recorder/County Clerk of San Diego County on 08/16/2024. AJ 1493 08/23, 08/30, 09/06, and 09/13/2024. AJSD 1493

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT NO. 2024-9015110

Tanika’s Cleaning located at 1683 Coolidge St Apt B, San Diego, CA 92111.

Registrant: Tanika Natosha Edwards, 1683 Coolidge St Apt B, San Diego, CA 92111. This business is conducted by An Individual. REGISTRANT HAS NOT BEGUN TO TRANSACT BUSINESS UNDER THE NAME(S) ABOVE.

Signature: Tanika Edwards. Statement filed with Recorder/County Clerk of San Diego County on 07/24/2024. AJ 1487 08/16, 08/23, 08/30, and 09/06/2024. AJSD 1487

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT NO. 2024-9017352

DERMA BESTIE located at 1730 Monroe Ave, Suite A, San Diego, CA 92116. Registrant: DERMA BESTIE, 6551 Zena Drive, San Diego, CA 92115. This business is conducted by A Limited Liability Company.

REGISTRANT HAS NOT BEGUN TO TRANSACT BUSINESS UNDER THE NAME(S) ABOVE. Signature: Alice Mai Lei. Statement filed with Recorder/County Clerk of San Diego County on 08/26/2024. AJ 1496 08/30, 09/06, 09/13, and 09/20/2024. AJSD 1496

SAN DIEGO

Kathryn Bernardo, Alden Richards wrap filming their scenes in Canada

by HannaH Mallorca Inquirer.net

KATHRYN Bernardo and Alden Richards wrapped up filming their scenes in Alberta, Canada for their reunion movie “Hello, Love, Again,” although it remains unknown if production for the movie is already done.

Bernardo and Richards celebrated the end of filming in Canada, where they were joined by their co-actor Joross Gamboa, director Cathy Garcia-Sampana, and crew members, as seen on Gamboa’s Instagram page on Monday, August 26.

“Eyyy! It’s a wrap Canada.

Oh Ethan bat ka naman umiiyak ( why are you crying ),” Gamboa said in his post while referring to Richards’ character.

Last June, Richards, Sampana, and members of the movie’s production team flew to Hong Kong to film scenes for

the much-anticipated sequel. It’s not known if “Hello, Love, Again” had already finished filming the movie for good.

“Hello, Love, Again” is the sequel to the 2019 film “Hello, Love, Goodbye” which explores the budding love story between Joy Fabregas (Bernardo) and Ethan Del Rosario (Richards)

which was cut short after Joy heads for greener pastures in Canada.

The sequel was confirmed in May 2024, which is said to tell the story of how things had changed between them amid the growing hardships of overseas Filipino workers (OFW). n

Teresa Loyzaga’s past struggles with son Diego

IN her rare TV guest appearance, Teresa Loyzaga confessed to have fiercely struggled with her son Diego’s predilection for drugs years ago.

Tong — as she’s pet named in showbiz circles — told Boy Abunda, “It reach a point where my child was already disrespecting me. But I knew it wasn’t him, it’s the effect of drugs on him.”

To make a way out, Teresa had no other recourse but to send Diego to a rehabilitation facility. She remembered how she’d

furtively sneak into the premises without Diego knowing,: “Because it was strictly prohibited.”

Since she couldn’t bear not to catch sight of Diego, Teresa had to plead with the facility personnel if she could at least peep through a hole in the tarpaulin, “As long as I didn’t make any noise for Diego to sense I was just around.”

How she was able to rise above her pitiful state, Teresa attributed it to three things: “prayers, prayers and more prayers.”

With Diego turning a new leaf, Teresa couldn’t be any happier now. Say it three times, too. n

Rivermaya’s reunion tour takes the stage in September

TEMECULA – Get ready to rock with Filipino music legends Rivermaya as they take the stage at the Pechanga Resort Casino for an unforgettable evening of electrifying performances. The iconic band will be performing live at the Pechanga Summit on Sunday, September 22, 2024, at 7:30 p.m., promising an exhilarating experience for both loyal fans and new listeners.

Rivermaya, one of the most enduring and acclaimed bands in the Philippines, has been captivating audiences with their eclectic sound and powerful lyrics for over three decades. Known for hits like “214,”

Kisapmata,” “Hinahanaphanap Kita,” and “Elesi,” the band’s fusion of rock, pop, and alternative music has earned them a prominent place in the hearts of millions. Their ability to blend poignant storytelling with catchy melodies has kept them at the forefront of the Filipino music scene.

Tickets for the Rivermaya concert are available now and can be purchased through the Pechanga Resort Casino website or the Pechanga Box Office. Don’t miss this chance to witness Rivermaya’s dynamic live performance, featuring a mix of their classic hits and new material that showcases their musical evolution.

Pechanga Resort Casino, Southern California’s premier entertainment destination, is excited to host Rivermaya as part of its commitment to offering world-class entertainment to its guests. The Pechanga Summit provides an intimate yet vibrant setting, making it the perfect venue to enjoy Rivermaya’s powerful live performance.

For more information about

Resort Casino offers one of the largest and most expansive resort/casino experiences anywhere in the United States. Voted best casino in the west by USA Today and rated a Four Diamond property by AAA since 2002, Pechanga Resort Casino provides an unparalleled getaway, whether for the day or for an extended

(877) 711-2946 or visit www.Pechanga.com.

Pechanga Resort Casino on Instagram, Facebook and on X @PechangaCasino. (Advertising Supplement)

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

Teresa Loyzaga with son Diego Photo from Instagram/@teresaloyzaga

Harvest Moon brings $250,000 windfall to Pechanga Resort Casino

TEMECULA – Pechanga Resort Casino is thrilled to announce its Harvest Moon promotion, offering guests a chance to win a share of $250,000 in cash and EasyPlay drawings throughout September.

Two special Fridays –September 13 and 27 – will serve as the focal points of this enticing event. Throughout the month, simply play slots or table games and contribute to your chance of winning. At 10:30 PM on each drawing night, multiple winners will receive EasyPlay prizes of $250, $500, and $750. The highlight of the promotion is a grand prize of $100,000 in cash, awaiting one fortunate participant.

Enhancing the month-long celebration is the “Harvest Moon Swipe to Win” event, occurring every Tuesday from noon to 10 PM. This additional opportunity allows guests to win up to $5,000 in EasyPlay, adding another layer of anticipation to your visit.

The Harvest Moon theme infuses the casino with a sense of seasonal charm. Decorative autumn elements featuring lanterns and florals create an inviting atmosphere that complements your gaming experience.

Don’t miss your chance to be part of this incredible experience. Whether you’re a seasoned player or new to the excitement, the Harvest Moon shines bright for everyone. Remember, activation is the key – just insert your club card on drawing days, and you’re in the running for these amazing prizes.

For complete details on the Harvest Moon promotions, please call 1-877711-2946 or visit www. pechanga.com. Plan your visit this September to see what’s in store for you.

Pechanga Resort Casino wishes you a Happy Harvest Moon!

Pechanga Resort Casino offers one of the largest and

CA Community Colleges, CA...

As the state’s engine for social and economic mobility, the California Community Colleges support Vision 2030, a strategic plan designed to serve our students, our communities and our planet. For more information, please visit the California Community Colleges website or follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter (X).

The California Student Aid Commission currently serves over 400,000 students and administers the state’s $3 billion portfolio of student financial aid programs and services, including the Cal Grant, the Middle Class Scholarship, and the California Dream Act Application. The Commission serves as a resource for policymakers and the public on college affordability and financing issues, and advocates for policy changes to eliminate cost as a barrier to any qualified California student pursuing a higher education. Visit our website at www.csac. ca.gov or follow us on social media by clicking on our Link Tree (https://linktr.ee/castudentaid).

(CCC/CSAC Release)

Diego

SAN DIEGO – The State of California’s Strategic Growth Council (SGC) has awarded $33.7 million in competitive grant funding from the Affordable Housing and Sustainable Communities (AHSC) program to Hitzke Development Corp. and Casa Familiar for their Avanzando housing project in San Ysidro.

The project, located near public transit, will create 103 rental units, of which 101 will be affordable.

“I am thrilled to see another AHSC grant awarded to our city,” said Mayor Todd Gloria. “The Avanzando project is a perfect example of affordable transitoriented housing done right. Residents will have access to key bus routes and our Trolley’s Blue Line for efficient daily commuting. We are proud to support this project, which also features pedestrian and bike lane upgrades, because residents deserve a range of convenient transportation options.”

The City of San Diego is included as a sub-recipient partner for the award and will receive $320,000 to help develop the surrounding transportation infrastructure for the project. The city right-of-way improvements include a half mile of sidewalks with ADA-accessible pedestrian curb ramps and the

conversion of two miles of Class II bike lanes into separated Class IV bikeways within the project area. The project will also feature transportation upgrades to Metropolitan Transit System assets, including 10 new bus shelters along the 906 and 907 bus routes and expanded weekend Trolley service on the Blue Line.

“Casa Familiar is honored to receive this grant from the Strategic Growth Council,” said Lisa Cuestas, executive director of Casa Familiar. “This funding is a critical step in our mission to create equitable housing opportunities and to build a community where 103 families can thrive for generations. The Avanzando (Advancing) San Ysidro Community Land Trust project exemplifies our commitment to sustainable development and community empowerment.”

“Tackling the housing crisis requires more than just building homes; it demands a commitment to collaboration and innovation,” said Ginger Hitzke, president of Hitzke Development Corp. “This project exemplifies how we can come together with community partners like Casa Familiar and the City of San Diego to create lasting, sustainable and equitable housing solutions. By working collectively, AS

New head of County Law Enforcement Review Board announced

AN attorney with twenty years’ investigative experience as a special agent with the Federal Bureau of Investigation, will serve as the new executive officer of the San Diego County Citizen Law Enforcement Review Board (CLERB).

Brett Kalina’s start date is September 3, said CLERB Chairperson, MaryAnne Pintar, who served on the selection committee.

“Brett has extensive experience with complex, high-profile investigations involving narcotics trafficking, violent crimes, complicated forensic evidence, and diverse communities,” said Pintar.

“Since CLERB’s primary function is investigative, Brett’s deep well of knowledge will serve CLERB’s mission extremely well.”

Kalina most recently served as an FBI Supervisory Special Agent.

CLERB’s primary role is to investigate citizen complaints against San Diego county sheriff and probation officers,

as well as any incident of death or serious bodily injury connected to the actions of either department. Based on the cases it reviews, as well as trends observed in the community, CLERB also recommends new policies or policy changes to the departments to improve policing practices, prevent harm and support equity.

“Kalina has been recognized for nurturing equal opportunity in the workplace and for his work to promote diversity and inclusivity in policing,” Pintar said, adding that Kalina served for five years as President of Bureau of Equality. In this role, Kalina was dispatched to train teams tasked with investigating the mass homicide at the Pulse nightclub in 2016. Kalina’s role was to ensure culturally sensitive and thoughtful engagement with Orlando’s diverse communities.

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we’re not just addressing the immediate need for affordable housing, but we’re also investing in the future of our communities.”

The AHSC grant program is a state-funded initiative designed to support the development of affordable housing projects that promote environmental sustainability.

Mayor Gloria’s administration joined several other jurisdictions to successfully urge the SGC to award AHSC funds by region, which has resulted in more equitable allocations across the state. Since Mayor Gloria took office, $74.8 million has been awarded from this program to build 293 homes in San Diego. (City of San Diego Release)

LABOR Day weekend is one of the busiest travel periods of the year, with people driving to major recreational destinations to celebrate with friends and loved ones. But an uptick in travel comes with increased litter on the highway system. Not only is litter unsightly and unhealthy, but litter on our roads can also create unsafe driving conditions and imperil lives.

Litter and debris on our roadways cause motorists to swerve or brake suddenly to avoid these obstacles, increasing the risk of serious crashes or other traffic incidents. Refuse tossed from vehicles can also harm local wildlife that might consume garbage or become tangled in the harmful trash. That’s why the Caltrans Clean California Initiative, in partnership with the Office of Traffic Safety (OTS), is providing Californians with the following travel tips to keep our roads clean and safe this Labor Day weekend:

• Keep a litter bag in your vehicle: Choose to 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

COUNTY supervisors have agreed to move forward in securing a construction contract for a project to improve water quality in the unincorporated area.

The Green Street project is located in Fallbrook, along South Mission Road, between Grand Tradition Way and Pepper Tree Lane. Green Streets support the county’s commitment to watershed protection and sustainability by filtering stormwater. The goal is to reduce or remove trash and pollutants before they can enter bodies of water like creeks, rivers and the ocean.

Contracted work will include the installation of a trash capture device beneath the road and a biofiltration basin that improves the landscaping above it. The trash capture device will remove trash, sediment and debris. The biofiltration basin will remove bacteria and nutrients from stormwater that would enter the San Luis Rey River.

In 2022, the Department of Public Works (DPW) published the Green Streets Clean Water Plan. The plan’s primary goal is to protect the environment and improve water quality. Through the plan, the county

Kalina is a certified instructor in diversity and inclusion and headed initiatives that led to updated language policies within the Bureau. He is also a specialized instructor in criminal enterprise and organized crime as well as active shooter training.

Kalina earned his juris doctor from the University of North Dakota School of Law, and a bachelor’s degree from the University of North Dakota. (County of San Diego Communications Office)

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. (Caltrans Director Tony Tavares/Clean CA Release)

chose South Mission Road (North Segment) out of 30 ranked projects as a Green Street. The decision was based on potential water quality, environmental and community benefits, as well as costeffectiveness. The county uses a variety of tools to prioritize stormwater improvement projects in underserved areas. When completed, the project will help improve the county’s water quality by reducing bacteria, trash and other pollutants. The project is in step with the county’s sustainability goals of protecting and promoting natural resources.

It also improves the natural environment for residents, visitors and future generations to enjoy. The total project cost is estimated at $3 million. Construction is scheduled to begin in late 2024 and be completed in the summer of 2025. For more information about the county’s upcoming and previously completed green infrastructure projects, visit DPW’s website at

Brett Kalina, the new executive officer of the CLERB

photo/www.countynewscenter.com

‘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

The

Sentro 1771’s Executive Chef Vicky Pacheco, who belongs to the Reyes clan known in the world of cooking. For more than one hour we talked about food, including iconic dish corned beef sinigang beef caldereta , rated GG (fried galunggong fillet drenched in olive oil and sprinkled with garlic bits), bangus with calamansi butter, fried kesong puti, crispy kangkong rice, vegetable juices, smoothies, etc.

I am also thankful to Sentro 1771’s marketing analyst Bien Esmero, restaurant manager Lino Gonzales, operations manager John Paulino as well as the Sentro 1771’s staff Lester Bitara, Mary Rose Bacuetes, Symond Camba, Noebal Singh, Melinda Caramba and Aillen Ruth Casilao for their care and hospitality.

* *

*

“Showbizness is a serious business, and you’ve to put your heart and soul into it,” said singer Leandro ‘Ding’ Mercado. His enduring love affair with fame started when he won first prize in a singing competition which qualified him to participate in the Asian Amateur Song Festival in Hong Kong in 1977. This achievement led to an offer as a contract artist in a TV variety show in Hong Kong. Since then, he has captivated Hong Kong’s music lovers, and there was no stopping Ding’s rise in the international music scene.

Music, he said, is a universal language. To some extent, it has helped him cope in Hong Kong.

“I’m more of a ballad, broadway and pop singer, although I like listening to mellow jazz. I also like singing love songs.”

* * * Philippine Stagers Foundation (PSF) president Johnrey Rivas will play the lead role in the musical play on the life of Philippine hero visual artist Juan Luna. It will have a grand opening on August 27 and 29 at Adamson University in Manila. I first watched Johnrey in the BL series “Why Love Why,” an indie film produced by Philstagers Films, and I was impressed and magnetized by his acting power.

He won Best Featured Actor and Best Male Crossover Artist in the 2019 and 2020 Aliw Awards, respectively. In the 38th PMPC Star Awards, he was declared Best Movie Supporting Actor of the Year; in the 70th FAMAS Awards

Band of The Kumeyaay

THE Sycuan Band of the Kumeyaay Nation will return with both its annual 35th Sycuan Powwow, and 3rd Fashion Show themed “The Fire Within.” The theme will allow Native American artists to illuminate the beauty, talent and resilience of Native American culture, declaring “we are still here.”

The fashion show’s theme, inspired by the Kumeyaay greeting “may the fire (your spirit) burn bright within you,” reflects the enduring spirit of indigenous people. The show will also feature 11 designers from Turtle Island, with their designs available for purchase.

The three-day powwow will showcase champion powwow dancers from across the United States, Canada and Mexico. We will celebrate the beautiful dance style of indigenous people representing their tribes. Chairman Cody Martinez will also be conducting an invocation before each grand entry. Arts and craft vendors will be selling their handmade authentic jewelry, pottery, basketry and paintings, and of course, there will be lots of food vendors!

The events are as follows:

• Powwow is from Friday, Sept. 6 to Sunday, Sept. 8

Friday, Sept. 6: 5 to 9 p.m.

Saturday, Sept. 7: 11 to 9 p.m.

Sunday, Sept. 8: 10 to 4:30 p.m.

**Hours may change, depending on the happenings that weekend**

• The Fire Within Fashion Show

Saturday, Sept. 5 at 5:30 p.m.

**Must be 21 or older with valid I.D. to attend**

Both events will take place at 5469 Casino Way, El Cajon, CA 92019. The powwow is free to the public, while fashion show tickets start at $20.

Members of the Sycuan Band of the Kumeyaay Nation have resided in and around the foothills of the Dehesa Valley for more than 12,000 years. Today, they are a modern government providing public services to their members, employees and neighbors. The Sycuan Tribal Government operates one of the region’s premier Indian gaming and resort facilities, Sycuan Casino Resort. The Sycuan Tribe demonstrates its strong commitment to the San Diego region through the support of hundreds of civic and charitable organizations. The Tribe also seeks to reinvest back into the San Diego community with a progressive business development and diversification effort. The tribe is a major investor in and owner of the 30th Major League Soccer (MLS) team that was awarded to the city of San Diego in 2023, becoming the first native American tribe to be part-owner of any men’s major league sports franchise. They purchased the former Singing Hills Country Club and the historic U.S. Grant Hotel; developed the Marina Gateway Hotel and Conference Center in National City; and constructed and operates the Sycuan Market and convenience store. Combined, these enterprises now employ nearly 3,500 San Diegans. For more information on Sycuan visit www.sycuantribe.com. (Advertising Supplement)

Safeguard your home from wildfires...

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.

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

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

* * * rogeliocmedina@yahoo.com

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 PSF president Johnrey Rivas

(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.

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.