Suspect in murder of newlywed Fil-Am nurse pleads not guilty
the suspect in the killing of a 32-year-
old filipino American nurse from oregon pleaded not guilty during a preliminary hearing monday afternoon, september 16.
Bryce s chubert, 27, accused of killing her neighbor melissa Jubane, now faces an updated charge of first-degree murder, according to the Washington County District Attorney’s office.
Jubane, who was reported missing on s ept. 4 after returning home from her hawaii wedding, was found dead on sept. 7. s chubert, who had been Jubane’s neighbor at a Beaverton apartment complex, was arrested and charged with seconddegree murder. It has been updated to first-degree murder, and schubert now also faces new charges of kidnapping and abuse of a corpse, according to the DA’s office. on sept. 4, Jubane, a nurse at Providence st. Vincent hospital in southwest Portland,
California must create permanent investments to combat
sACrAmeNto — thousands of California residents who are vulnerable to hate crimes and incidents have received support and awareness services through a $190 million multi-year grant the state of California has allocated to combat hate. that funding, which helped build a statewide communication infrastructure pairing ethnic media and community-based organizations, will end over the next 15 months.
$10 million of the AAPI equity Budget was granted to more than 60 ethnic media outlets around the state. those outlets used the two-year grant to amplify stories of victims and to address the root causes of hate crimes and incidents, including school bullying. they also partnered with CBos to be “first responders,” and to collectively work towards permanent solutions to combating hate in the state. the ethnic media grant, administered by the California state Library, will end in December. With all funding from the AAPI equity Budget having been allocated, the ethnic media sector will receive no additional funding from that initiative.
‘More work to do’
“It’s really remarkable when we think of the countless stories that have been writ-
US: No legal basis for China claims in South China Sea
by Pia lee-Brago Philstar.com
mANILA — the Philippines can count on continued U.s. support amid repeated harassment at sea by the Chinese whose maritime claims in the south China sea (sCs) have no legal basis, according to the U.s state Department.
there’s no legal basis for the PrC’s maritime claims in the south China sea, and the dangerous ways in which it attempts… to enforce those claims put filipino lives and livelihood at risk,” state Department spokesman matthew miller said at a press briefing on tuesday, september 17, referring to China by its official name.
“It is up to the Philippines to decide how they operate their vessels in areas where it enjoys the freedom of navigation on the high seas under international law, and I wouldn’t want to forecast what this particular incident might mean other than to say that we continue to support our Philippine allies,” he said.
miller’s assurance came after the departure from escoda shoal of the only Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) ship stationed in the area.
executive secretary Lucas Bersamin, who also chairs the National maritime Council (NmC), confirmed on sunday, september 15 that the BrP teresa magbanua left escoda shoal after being deployed in the area in the past five months.
PNP set to file a criminal complaint vs. persons who harbored Quiboloy
by Faith argosino Inquirer.net
mANILA — A complaint of obstruction of justice will be filed against individuals suspected of harboring captured alleged rapist Apollo Quiboloy, according to the Philippine National Police (PNP).
PNP chief Gen. rommel marbil said on sunday, sept. 15 they launched an investigation to hold accountable those persons who aided the Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KJC) founder.
“We will not tolerate any form of obstruction of justice. our investigation aims to identify those who knowingly provided refuge to
Quiboloy, and we will ensure they face appropriate legal consequences,” marbil said in a statement. “obstruction of justice is a serious offense, and those who aided in shielding Quiboloy from law enforcement will be charged accordingly. the law is clear — no one is above it, and those who helped Quiboloy will be held accountable,” he added. the preacher was captured on september 8. Before that, he had been in hiding for almost 6 months since the warrant of arrest against him was issued on April 3.
chief may have helped Alice Guo escape’
by CeCille Suerte Felipe Philstar.com
mANILA — A former chief of the Philippine National Police (PNP) may have been bribed to help dismissed Bamban mayor Alice Guo escape, a Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (PAGCor) official told senators on tuesday, september 17.
During the continuation of the senate’s public hearing on Philippine offshore gaming operator-related crimes, sen. risa hontiveros asked PAGCor senior vice president raul Villanueva about
the possibility that government officials may have helped Guo escape in exchange for money.
“Apart from that general detail, which is P200 million (given) to a high Bureau of Immigration official, are there other people who were allegedly bribed? Are there additional amounts being discussed?” hontiveros said. there was talk about border immigration. I just don’t know, ma’am, the exact amount, including PNP officials. But I still can’t confirm that as I’ve been outside of the loop lately,” Villanueva
Bersamin said the PCG vessel had to sail back to its home port in Palawan so that it could undergo repairs and allow its crew to have furlough and attend to their medical needs.
At a meeting of the Bilateral Consultation mechanism in Beijing on Wednesday last week (sept. 11), the Philippines firmly voiced its position that escoda shoal is within the country’s exclusive economic zone (eeZ). the Department of foreign Affairs (DfA) said on thursday, september 12, Undersecretary ma. theresa Lazaro had a “frank” and “candid” exchange of views with Chinese Vice foreign minister Chen Xiaodong on managing the situation in the West Philippine sea, u PAGE 2
mANILA — A total of 157 Chinese vessels in various locations within the West Philippine sea (WPs) were monitored by the Philippine Navy from september 10 to 16 this year. this data shows a significant decrease compared to the 400 foreign ships – 85 percent from China — monitored last year. In a press briefing on tuesday, september 17, Armed of the Philippines spokesperson Col. francel margareth Padilla said the 157 consists of 26 Chinese Coast Guard vessels, seven People’s Liberation Army Navy ships, 123 Chinese maritime militia vessels, and one research survey vessel. Based on the data she shared with the media, 17 out of the 157 were spotted in Bajo de masinloc, 17 in Ayungin shoal, 32 in Pagasa Islands, four in Lawak Island, four in Panata Island, 65 in sabina shoal, and 17 in Iroquois reef. Last week, a Navy report revealed that 206 Chinese vessels were spotted within WPs from september 3 to 9. n
VICe President sara Duterte remained unfazed as she again faced members of the house of representatives, saying she would not bow to them.
Duterte on Wednesday, september 18, attended the Committee on Good Government and Public Accountability's hearing on the budget of the office of the Vice President.
"You may try to destroy me; you can skin me alive and throw my ashes to the wind.
But let it be known: You will find me unbowed," she told the lawmakers. she requested the committee
to end its hearing "for its clear lack of any proposed legislation or substantive matter for discussion." the truth is, the budget is not your target because it is very easy to remove a budget. What you are trying to do is make a case for impeachment," she said.
Duterte on Wednesday asserted that there was "no misuse of funds." she maintained that the office of the Vice President (oVP) had done nothing wrong. there is no misuse of funds.
Dismissed mayor Alice Guo is escorted by officers to the Senate as a panel resumes its probe on her identity and involvement in POGOs. Senate photo
US: No legal basis for China claims...
PAGE 1
including in escoda shoal.
It was during the meeting that Chen asked Philippine officials to immediately pull out a PCG ship from escoda shoal, apparently referring to teresa magbanua.
“ e mphasizing that e scoda s hoal is within the e xclusive economic Zone of the Philippines, Undersecretary Lazaro reaffirmed the consistent position of the Philippines and explored ways to lower the tension in the area,” the DfA said in a statement.
Defense of allies
In a high-level military-tomilitary talks with their Chinese counterparts in Beijing over the weekend, U.s. defense officials reaffirmed their commitment to peace in the Indo-Pacific region as well as their readiness to defend allies.
michael Chase, deputy assistant secretary of defense for China, taiwan and mongolia, led the U.s delegation to Beijing for the 18th iteration of the Defense Policy Coordination talks between the U.s. and China.
“DoD also reaffirmed the U.s commitment to defending its IndoPacific allies, and the department emphasized the importance of respect for freedom of navigation as guaranteed under international law in light of ongoing aggressive PrC (People’s republic of China) harassment against lawfully operating Philippine vessels in the south China sea,” a senior official said at the conclusion of the talks. the U.s. delegation expressed concern over China’s increasingly
coercive behavior in the region.
t he U. s . delegation also underscored the importance of maintaining peace and stability across the taiwan s trait, and called the attention of China to provocations from North Korea.
Last week, the commander of U.s. Indo-Pacific Command Admiral samuel Paparo warned China against the use of dangerous, coercive and escalatory tactics in the south China sea against U.s allies in a video teleconference with China’s Gen. Wu Yanan, commander of the People’s Liberation Army’s southern theater Command. following the latest talks in Beijing, officials emphasized that the military-to-military dialogue did not signal a change in the U.s approach to China.
t he department continues to view (China) as our pacing challenge as described in the National Defense strategy,” a senior official said. “(China) continues to be the only U.s. competitor with the intent and, increasingly, the capability to overturn the rulesbased infrastructure that has kept peace in the Indo-Pacific since the end of the second World War.” the official added that the U.s “remains clear-eyed about China’s intentions and their actions in the region and around the world.”
Chinese paranoia
In an interview with “storycon” on one News on tuesday, PCG Commodore Jay tarriela said the heightened level of Chinese aggression in escoda shoal in August was due to paranoia over a possible grounding of teresa
magbanua in the shoal.
“It’s just their paranoia. they were just so paranoid believing their own narrative that teresa magbanua, the most expensive vessel that we have, will be run aground,” tarriela, who is also spokesman for the National task force for the West Philippine sea, said.
the Philippines has repeatedly stated that it does not intend to ground a second vessel in the West Philippine sea.
t he B r P s ierra m adre, still considered an active vessel of the Philippine Navy, was run aground in Ayungin shoal in 1999.
“We have repeatedly said it … We’re just basically exercising our sovereign rights and protecting our marine environment. But despite that, they still think that our intention is to ground (teresa magbanua),” said tarriela.
In the same program, N m C spokesman Vice Admiral Alexander Lopez said the pullout of teresa m agbanua from e scoda had President marcos’ approval.
“When we say strategic presence, it does not necessarily mean that we will put a vessel there permanently or static. We can do monitoring, we can do the coverage, we can do the documentation, we can detect any illegal activities not only by putting a ship in the area,” Lopez said in english and filipino.
Asked about the offer of the U.s. to escort Philippine vessels on supply missions, Lopez said the government is studying its implications.
“We are still not pushed to the wall … we still have some dignity, we have some pride,” he said in filipino. “If push comes to shove and worse comes to worst, it will be an executive decision whether to tap the offer.”
Fewer Chinese vessels m eanwhile, the number of Chinese vessels in the West Philippine sea (WPs) has decreased to 157 from 207 recorded last week, the Philippine Navy reported. from sept. 10 to 16, the Navy observed 123 Chinese maritime militia (Cmm) vessels, 26 China Coast Guard (CCG) ships, seven People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLN) warships, and one research vessel within the country’s eeZ. (With reports from Mark Ernest Villeza, Janvic Mateo)
‘Ex-PNP
1
chief may have helped Alice...
said, citing raw reports from the intelligence community.
Asked which PNP unit he was referring to, Villanueva replied, “not PNP unit, but (PNP) personalities.”
“PNP personalities. Who are they?” hontiveros asked.
“I think it was mentioned, a former chief PNP,” Villanueva said, adding he could not provide details pending further verification.
“Just to be clear, part of the talk in the intelligence community is that a former PNP chief is on the take with Guo hua Ping, right?” the senator asked Villanueva.
“Yes, ma’am. But I also cannot ascertain that, from whom the report came… It’s just like rumors within the intelligence community. I think they are validating it right now. I even went to NICA (National Intelligence Coordinating Agency) last week, but there’s no information about it,” Villanueva explained. the talk there, ma’am, seems to be on the payroll, the monthly payroll ever since,” he added.
Villanueva clarified that the information about a former PNP chief being included in the payroll from PoGos – which he described as rumors or “usap-usapan” – was subject to further validation.
PNP-Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) Deputy Director for Administration Gen. raul tacaca said that “so far, (there’s) no report with regards to whether any PNP personnel have been bribed.”
Not Bato sen. ronald “Bato” dela rosa did not waste time clarifying with Guo about the former PNP chief who was reportedly in the payroll of PoGos.
Dela rosa was the first PNP chief under the administration of former president r odrigo Duterte. he (Villanueva) said that there is a former PNP chief receiving a monthly payroll from you (Alice Guo), can you find out who it is?
I am concerned because I am a former PNP chief,” Dela r osa asked Guo.
t he senator expressed concerns that “maybe later there will be a script out there that Bato is taking money from you.”
the mayor formerly known as Guo hua Ping replied, “Nothing like that happened.”
Dela rosa further pressed Guo, “Are you sure?” to which she said she was sure. the senator asked Guo if she knew him, and she claimed she only got to know Dela rosa when she came to the senate.
s he also added she did not even have any selfie pictures with the senator. even Villanueva cleared Dela rosa, saying “I don’t have any confirmation, but I’m sure you are not the one.”
Guo pre-signed counter affidavit
Guo admitted before the senate that she pre-signed her counter affidavit before fleeing the country last July, bolstering allegations that a lawyer had the public document notarized to cover her tracks.
Guo admitted signing the last page of her counter-affidavit to the charges prepared against her before she fled the country in early July.
s he then left the paper at her farm house in Bamban and instructed her secretary Cath salazar to attach it to the draft counter-affidavit that was notarized on Aug. 14, when she had already fled the country. Guo was arrested in Indonesia on sept. 3. hontiveros noticed that the last page of Guo’s counter-affidavit is the signature page that she signed before she fled.
hontiveros presented the affidavit of an unnamed Pangasinan trader who was approached by the secretary of sual, Pangasinan mayor Liseldo Calugay to find a lawyer to notarize Guo’s counter-affidavit.
for its part, the Department of Justice (D o J) is eyeing to file administrative complaints against the lawyers of Guo over her “fake” counter-affidavit that was notarized and submitted to prosecutors in absentia. the document was then notarized by lawyer elmer Galicia on Aug. 14 and later submitted before the DoJ.
DoJ Undersecretary Nicholas felix ty said that possible complaints await notary public Galicia, as well as Guo’s lawyers since they have drafted and submitted the counter-affidavit before the department.
While the DoJ is still studying the cases they will file, ty said it is certain that they will file a com-
plaint before the supreme Court, such as a disciplinary case against the lawyers for their “possible misbehavior.”
the criminal charges of human trafficking and money-laundering filed against Guo had been ordered transferred from the Capas, tarlac trial court to the Pasig City trial court, ty said. It is possible that future cases to be filed against Guo will be before the Pasig court.
Calugay denies romantic relationship m eanwhile, m ayor Calugay denied he has a romantic relationship with Guo despite mounting evidence that the two shared more businesses bearing their combined names and photos of them wearing matching shirts during the campaign and when they were both serving as mayors. senate President Pro tempore Jinggoy estrada pursued the line of questioning about their supposed romance, showing photos of them together, including one of Guo and a large bouquet of flowers Calugay sent for Valentine’s Day.
“You sent her flowers on feb. 14, and yet you deny your relationship?” a smiling estrada said.
“I send flowers to many people during Valentines,” Calugay said.
“Are you not lovers in PoGo?” sen. Joel Villanueva asked.
“I have no business partnership with her. she is not my girlfriend,” Calugay said.
senators showed to Calugay the following businesses which bore his name with Guo – AC Aqua farm, Dee Aqua farm, Licsel fish farm, Donguo fish farm, and GuCo Aqua farm, all based in Baquioen, sual, Pangasinan. estrada earlier bared that an Alisel Aqua farm also bore their name.
Both Calugay and Guo denied having any business or romance.
“I am not lying. she is not my girlfriend. And we do not have any joint business,” said Calugay, who asserted that his previous marriage was annulled and he now has a new partner.
Proactive t he PNP should have been more proactive in its investigation to identify the people who assisted Guo’s escape from the country, a ranking security official said on tuesday. the official, who is privy to the u PAGE 4
This handout photo taken on March 23, 2024 and released by the Philippine Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (PCG/BFAR) on March 25, 2024 shows an aerial view of BRP Datu Pagbuaya as it sails from the Philippine-held Thitu Island sheltered port, in the Spratly Islands, in the disputed South China Sea. Photo by Handout / Philippine Coast Guard / AFP
Gets namin ang aming customer mga
Pilipino
May magagandang rate, guaranteed delivery, at walang hidden fee, samahan ang milyon-milyong nagtitiwala sa Remitly kapag nagse-send ng pera sa mga kaibigan at pamilya.
na ang refund para
na bayad sa transfer.
Historic numbers of Americans live by themselves as they age
by Judith Graham KFF Health News
GerrI Norington, 78, never wanted to be on her own as she grew old.
But her first marriage ended in divorce, and her second husband died more than 30 years ago. When a five-year relationship came to a close in 2006, she found herself alone — a situation that has lasted since.
“I miss having a companion who I can talk to and ask ‘how was your day?’ or ‘What do you think of what’s going on in the world?’” said Norington, who lives in an apartment building for seniors on the south side of Chicago. Although she has a loving daughter in the city, “I don’t want to be a burden to her,” she said.
Norington is part of a large but often overlooked group: the more than 16 million Americans living alone while growing old. surprisingly little is known about their experiences.
this slice of the older population has significant health issues: Nearly 4 in 10 seniors living alone have vision or hearing loss, difficulty caring for themselves and living independently, problems with cognition, or other disabilities, according to a Kff analysis of 2022 census data.
If help at home isn’t available when needed — an altogether too common problem — being alone can magnify these difficulties and contribute to worsening health. studies find that seniors on their own are at higher risk of becoming
isolated, depressed, and inactive, having accidents, and neglecting to care for themselves. As a result, they tend to be hospitalized more often and suffer earlier-thanexpected deaths. Getting medical services can be a problem, especially if older adults living alone reside in rural areas or don’t drive. too often, experts observe, health care providers don’t ask about older adults’ living situations and are unaware of the challenges they face.
***
During the past six months, I’ve spoken to dozens of older adults who live alone either by choice or by circumstance — most commonly, a spouse’s death. some have adult children or other close relatives who are involved in their lives; many don’t. In lengthy conversations, these seniors expressed several common concerns: how did I end up alone at this time of life? Am I oK with that? Who can I call on for help? Who can make decisions on my behalf if I’m unable to? how long will I be able to take care of myself, and what will happen when I can’t? t his “gray revolution” in Americans’ living arrangements is fueled by longer life spans, rising rates of divorce and childlessness, smaller families, the geographic dispersion of family members, an emphasis on aging in place, and a preference for what eric Klinenberg, a professor of sociology at New York University, calls “intimacy at a distance” — being close to family, but not too close. the most reliable, up-to-date
data about older adults who live alone comes from the U.s. Census Bureau. According to its 2023 Current Population survey, about 28% of people 65 and older live by themselves, including slightly fewer than 6 million men and slightly more than 10 million women. (the figure doesn’t include seniors living in institutions, primarily assisted living and nursing homes.) By contrast, 1 in 10 older Americans lived on their own in 1950.
this is, first and foremost, an older women’s issue, because women outlive men and because they’re less likely to remarry after being widowed or divorcing. twenty-seven percent of women ages 65 to 74 live alone, compared with 21% of men. After age 75, an astonishing 43% of women live alone, compared with only 24% for men.
t he majority — 80% — of people who live alone after age 65 are divorced or widowed, twice the rate of the general population, according to Kff’s analysis of 2022 census data. more than 20% have incomes below $13,590, the federal poverty line in 2022, while 27% make between that and $27,180, twice the poverty level. ***
of course, their experiences vary considerably. how older adults living alone are faring depends on their financial status, their housing, their networks of friends and family members, and resources in the communities where they live.
Attitudes can make a difference.
‘Ex-PNP chief may have helped Alice...
ongoing investigation into the activities of illegal PoGos, scored the police force after reports surfaced that a former PNP chief was instrumental in Guo’s escape.
“Because of all the names mentioned, they should have investigated it,” the official said in a phone interview. the official declined to be named so that he could speak freely about the issue.
Closer to the truth the senate investigation into Guo’s links to PoGos and other illegal activities is “about to end, and I believe that we are getting closer and closer to the truth,” hontiveros said.
“Policy-wise, I want to share what we have achieved so far. We have managed to identify gaps
in border control, the system of granting visas, law enforcement, and birth registration, and now the government agencies that operate in these aspects are having their own investigations,” hontiveros noted.
h ontiveros added the joint committees also gathered information, which prompted the filing of criminal charges against several individuals.
“our hearings have allowed us to craft an amendment – accepted and passed into law – to the Anti-financial Account scamming Act Law. We are also crafting amendments to the e xpanded Anti-trafficking in Persons Act to add ‘forced criminality’ in the definition of human trafficking,” she added.
estrada warned Alice Guo that
‘You will find me...
If there are audit findings, we shall gladly respond to them before the Commission on Audit. And if there are legitimate cases to be filed, then we shall gladly respond to them before the appropriate courts," Duterte said.
she reiterated her decision not to defend the oVP's 2025 budget, leaving it to the discretion of the leadership of the house of representatives.
"I am not asking for any special treatment, nor am I asking you to uphold any tradition. there is no disrespect. All I am saying is that you have the complete freedom to do
she “will live most of your adult life behind bars” as her convoluted testimonies earned the ire of filipinos. h ere we GU o again. It’s season 2 of ‘I don’t remember / I don’t know, your honor.’ Because of your lies, Alice, and your convoluted answers, you have really captured the annoyance of the f ilipino people,” estrada said.
“And we are far from over,” he said. “however, even if we get almost nothing from asking you (Alice Guo), and even if you mislead this committee with your answers, we will not stop here in the senate because we know that the whole truth will come out in the end.” (With reports from Emmanuel Tupas, Marc Jayson cayabyab, Daphne Galvez)
whatever you wish to the oVP budget," she said.
Duterte refused to take the oath to tell the truth at the start of the hearing on the alleged misuse by her office of millions in funds for socio-economic programs.
she invoked the committee's rules on inquiries in aid of legislation under which she said only witnesses were given the oath, arguing that she attended as a resource person.
former President and Pampanga rep. Gloria macapagal Arroyo came to Duterte's defense, citing a supreme Court ruling and a senate precedent wherein a witness is given more protection than a resource person since the former may find himself or herself as an accused.
Committee chairman and manila third District rep. Joel Chua ruled that the former president's remarks were noted.
manila 2nd District rep. rolando Valeriano, in his remarks, stressed that the congressional inquiry was necessary due to the lack of evidence regarding how the oVP spent the budgets on socioeconomic programs from July 2022 to the present.
Chua, meanwhile, highlighted Congress' vital role in overseeing government spending.
"We have to ensure that funds are spent solely for purposes for which they have been appropriated," Chua said.
Never again In an interview with reporters, Duterte said that she would never team up with the marcoses again. she said in mixed filipino and english that she will announce her decision whether to run or not in the 2028 elections "in the fourth quarter of 2026."
Duterte was the running mate of President ferdinand marcos Jr. in the 2022 elections.
hindi kami magkaibigan (We are not friends)," she said of the president. "We only met because we became running mates."
my friend really is sen. Imee marcos. she has known me since 2012," Duterte added. she said her last conversation with the president was when she tendered her resignation from his Cabinet. she resigned earlier this year as secretary of the Department of education. (With reports from Philippine News Agency)
Valeriano said Duterte's refusal to answer questions regarding oVP's proposed budget for 2025 and the "questionable" utilization of the office's previous budgets that were flagged by the Commission on Audit are the reasons the hearing was conducted. he said the oVP had not submitted documents to support its claims of socioeconomic programs benefiting over 2 million individuals in the National Capital region.
marbil said Quiboloy could not have evaded arrest for a long time without the help of his close associates and legal representatives, whom he said helped the sect leader by “misleading authorities regarding his whereabouts.” the PNP Criminal Investigation and Detection Group will facilitate the case build-up and gather pieces of evidence relevant to the case. on August 24, some 2,000 PNP members served the arrest warrant of Quiboloy at the KJC compound in Davao City.
Quiboloy and four of his subordinates Jackielyn roy, Ingrid Canada, Cresente Canada and sylvia Cemanes surrendered after they were given a 24-hour ultimatum.
Quiboloy is detained in the PNP Custodial Center in Camp Crame, Quezon City. the other respondents, who were also previously in the custodial center, have been transferred to Pasig City Jail last friday, sept. 13. one of the suspects, Paulene Canada, was the first to be arrested in July and is now detained in Pasig.
Quiboloy and five other suspects pleaded not guilty to charges of human trafficking and child abuse filed before the Pasig City regional trial court (rtC) and Quezon City rtC. n
Suspect in murder of newlywed...
was reported missing after she failed to show up for her morning shift at the hospital.
s he had just returned from hale’iwa in oahu, where she got married to her boyfriend of 10 years, U.s. Navy member Bryan Llantero, last Aug. 24.
Jubane’s mother-in-law, Imelda Llantero, told K ho NtV that the newlyweds returned to the U.s. mainland on sept. 1 and spent the Labor Day holiday together before Jubane returned to work in Portland.
A public f acebook group, f ind m elissa Jubane case Discussion and Updates,” was set up on Aug. 26 to help search for the fil-Am nurse. By 3:12 p.m. on s ept. 4, Jubane was officially entered into the national law enforcement systems as a missing person.
Jubane was found dead on sept. 7, but the police declined to disclose more details, including where the body was located.
s chubert, who was also a nurse and a former Providence Portland m edical Center employee from s eptember 2022 to o ctober 2023, was arrested after investigators found evidence linking him to Jubane’s disappearance.
Washington County Chief Deputy District Attorney Jeff Lebowski requested Judge Lemoine to seal the documents revealing details about the murder case, including the summary of evidence, search warrant affidavit and the possible cause that led to the arrest. s chubert did not physically appear in court on sept. 16 and, instead, appeared on a screen behind a cell door at the county jail, according to KoIN 6. his attorney, Gregory scholl, entered a not guilty plea on s chubert’s behalf. t he judge accepted the plea. schubert is scheduled to appear in court on o ct. 15. (Mary Viillegas/ inquirer.net)
Melissa Jubane (left) and Bryce Johnathan Schubert.
Historic numbers of Americans live by...
PAGE 1
many older adults relish being independent, while others feel abandoned. It’s common for loneliness to come and go, even among people who have caring friends and family members.
“I like being alone better than I like being in relationships,” said Janice Chavez of Denver, who said she’s in her 70s. “I don’t have to ask anybody for anything. If I want to sleep late, I sleep late. If I want to stay up and watch tV, I can. I do whatever I want to do. I love the independence and the freedom.”
Chavez is twice divorced and has been on her own since 1985. As a girl, she wanted to be married and have lots of kids, but “I picked jerks,” she said. she talks to her daughter, tracy, every day, and is close to several neighbors. she lives in the home she grew up in, inherited from her mother in 1991. her only sibling, a brother, died a dozen years ago.
In Chicago, Norington is wondering whether to stay in her senior building or move to the suburbs after her car was vandalized this year. “ s ince the pandemic, fear has almost paralyzed me from getting out as much as I would like,” she told me.
she’s a take-charge person who has been deeply involved in her community. In 2016, Norington started an organization for single Black seniors in Chicago that sponsored speed dating events and monthly socials for several years. she volunteered with a local medical center doing outreach to seniors and brought health and wellness classes to her building. she organized cruises for friends and acquaintances to the Caribbean and hawaii in 2022 and 2023. Now, every morning, Norington sends a spiritual text message to 40 people, who often respond with messages of their own. “It helps me to feel less alone, to feel a sense of inclusion,” she said.
In m aine, Ken e lliott, 77, a retired psychology professor, lives by himself in a house in mount Vernon, a town of 1,700 people 20 miles northwest of the state capital. he never married and doesn’t have children. h is only living relative is an 80-year-old brother in California. for several years, elliott has tried to raise the profile of solo agers among maine policymakers and senior organizations. this began when elliott started inquiring about resources available to older adults living by themselves, like him. how were they getting to doctor
appointments? Who was helping when they came home from the hospital and needed assistance?
What if they needed extra help in the home but couldn’t afford it?
to elliott’s surprise, he found this group wasn’t on anyone’s radar, and he began advocating on solo agers’ behalf.
Now, elliott is thinking about how to put together a team of people who can help him as he ages in place — and how to build a stronger sense of community.
“Aging without a mythic family support system — which everyone assumes people have — is tough for everybody,” elliott said.
In manhattan, Lester shane, 72, who never married or had children, lives by himself in an 11-by-14-foot studio apartment on the third floor of a building without an elevator. h e didn’t make much money during a long career as an actor, a writer, and a theater director, and he’s not sure how he’ll make ends meet once he stops teaching at Pace University.
“ t here are days when I’m carrying my groceries up three flights of stairs when I think, ‘this is really hard,’” shane told me. Although his health is pretty good, he knows that won’t last forever.
“I’m on all the lists for senior housing — all lottery situations. most of the people I’ve talked to said you will probably die before your number comes up,” he said with mordant humor. then, shane turned serious. “I’m old and getting older, and whatever problems I have now are only going to get worse,” he said. As is the case for many older adults who live alone, his friends are getting older and having difficulties of their own. the prospect of having no one he knows well to turn to is alarming,
shane admitted: “Underneath that is fear.”
Kate shulamit fagan, 80, has lived on her own since 1979, after two divorces. “It was never my intention to live alone,” she told me in a lengthy phone conversation.
“I expected that I would meet someone and start another relationship and somehow sail off into the rest of my life. It’s been exceedingly hard to give up that expectation.”
When I first spoke to fagan, in mid-march, she was having difficulty in Philadelphia, where she’d moved two years earlier to be close to one of her sons. “I’ve been really lonely recently,” she told me, describing how difficult it was to adjust to a new life in a new place.
Although her son was attentive, fagan desperately missed the close circle of friends she’d left behind in st. Petersburg, florida, where she’d lived and worked for 30 years.
four and a half months later, when I called fagan again, she’d returned to st. Petersburg and was renting a one-bedroom apartment in a senior building in the center of the city. she’d celebrated her birthday there with 10 close friends and was meeting people in her building. “I’m not completely settled, but I feel fabulous,” she told me.
What accounted for the change? here, I know if I want to go out or I need help, quite a few people would be there for me,” fagan said. the fear is gone.”
KFF Health News is a national newsroom that produces in-depth journalism about health issues and is one of the core operating programs at KFF—an independent source of health policy research, polling, and journalism.
California must create permanent...
ten, the readership of those stories, and how much awareness has been raised,” said manjusha Kulkarni, founder of stop AAPI hate, during a panel discussion Aug. 27 at the ethnic media services/ California Black media expo in sacramento. “It’s also important that individuals in our community know where they can go to get help,” she said.
Kulkarni advocated for an extension of the AAPI equity Budget, saying there was much more work to do. she did note, however, that California currently faces a $40 billion budget deficit.
“media play the role of safety,” said Brandon Brooks, a journalist and spokesman for California Black media. Black people in California are overwhelmingly the most frequent victims of hate attacks: 518 hate crimes against Black people were recorded in 2023, more than 25% of all hate crimes reported last year.
there is lots of under-reporting. We feel uncomfortable trusting police. many people call our newsroom before they call police,” said Brooks.
Wallace Allen, publisher of the Westside story newspaper, which covers the Inland empire east of Los Angeles, echoed Brooks, noting the scarcity of resources “is placing Black people at the back of the line again.”
Hate crime data
the web portal stop AAPI hate has collected over 12,000 reports of anti-Asian hate crimes and incidents nationwide since it was founded in 2020. hate crimes have slowed down from their peak in 2020, when former President Donald trump released a volley of anti-Asian hate, blaming China for the CoVID-19 pandemic. still, in 2023, a total of 1,970 hate crimes were report-
ed by law enforcement agencies across California.
this figure marks a drop from 2021, when 2,180 hate crimes were reported throughout the state. Community advocates say more victims now feel emboldened to report the attacks against them, as a result of ethnic media reporting and CBo advocacy.
AAPI equity budget
As hate crimes against the Asian American community reached alarming numbers in 2020, Dr. Karthick ramakrishnan, founder of AAPI Data, began to collaborate with California state senator richard Pan, formerly the chair of the AAPI Legislative Caucus, and Assemblymember Phil ting, who served on the Budget Committee. In 2021, the state Legislature approved $166.5 million to establish the AAPI equity Budget. ramakrishnan explained at the expo that the state had a budget surplus that year, which made it much easier to get the historic grant approved. Additional money was allocated the following year, building the AAPI equity Budget to a total of $190 million.
“Part of the hope we had in putting the AAPI equity Budget together was to not just think of it as solving a pressing problem in the moment, but to think about the ways that we can use that investment to fundamentally shift how government systems work, how ethnic media is financed, community media is financed in the state of California, and, ultimately, to make sure that people in the state have access to the services that they’re entitled to,” said ramakrishnan.
Crimes will not stop “We cannot have a one-time investment to address a surge in hate crimes. We must make permanent investments in communi-
cations that promote the health and well-being of our ethnic and minority communities,” said Dr. Jose Luis Benavides, a professor of journalism at Cal state Northridge, who moderated a stop the hate panel at the expo. Andrew Wong, director of advocacy at Chinese for Affirmative Action and co-founder of stop the hate, said the state must continue to fund long-term investments in combating hate. “Because these threats continue to exist. We’re continuing to face hate. there is virulent anti-immigrant sentiment.”
“We’re hearing it from political candidates across the country. And regardless of the outcome in November, you better believe that that rhetoric is only going to get worse, not better. And so we have got to prepare for that, and we have to continue to sustain the good work that we’ve collectively been doing,” he said. Transformative
“the stop the hate and transformative grants programs have been nothing short of extraordinary,” said Khydeeja Alam, executive director of the California Commission on Asian Pacific Islander American Affairs. she noted that in the first year, 20,000 people were helped with intervention services, prevention services, and legal aid services, among other resources.
“We are investing in building this multi-racial, multi-ethnic coalition that will support our AAPI communities, Black communities, Latinx communities, LGBt communities, to prevent and stop hate at the state level,” said Alam. the stop the hate work at the state level is scheduled to end in 2026. the hate is not going to stop in 2026. so we as a commission want to ensure these investments become permanent,” she added.
Sense of justice
eliana Kaimowitz, director of the office of equity at the California Department of social services said much of the work over the past three years has been focused on building trust.
“Immigrants may not want to make a call to law enforcement when they experience a hate crime. encouraging people to report a crime and to seek assistance when these things happen requires trust.”
“People need to be able to feel some sort of justice and feel like they have a sense of belonging and inclusion,” she said. (Sunita Sohrabji/Ethnic Media Services)
A Stop the Hate panel at the EMS/CBM Expo. From left to right: Andrew Wong, Dr. Karthick Ramakrishnan, Khydeeja Alam, and Eliana Kaimowitz. Ethnic Media Services photo
Gerri Norington is part of a large but often overlooked group: the more than 16 million Americans living alone while growing old. Their experiences have not been well studied. KFF Health News photo by Taylor Glascock
OPiniOn Features
Harboring fugitives
It took considerable state resources, time and effort to find pastor Apollo Quiboloy in the huge Kingdom of Jesus Christ estate in Davao City. the government also had to scramble to track down Alice Guo after the dismissed mayor of Bamban, Tarlac was confirmed to have fled the country together with her alleged siblings Shiela and Wesley.
those involved in the manhunt for Quiboloy and Guo complained that they were misled by supporters of the two including lawyers. In Quiboloy’s case, amid efforts to stop the police search for the pastor at the KoJC compound, even Vice President sara Duterte said he was no longer there, joking that he had gone to heaven, while his chief legal counsel expressed a similar view.
Editorial
for facilitating her escape. t he man Guo has identified as the person who financed her departure allegedly by yacht from manila and escape to malaysia, singapore and then Indonesia is a Chinese who is reportedly no longer in the Philippines. following Guo’s testimony on tuesday before the senate, however, authorities may yet nail down persons still in the Philippines who helped her escape.
o n tuesday, s eptember 17, the Philippine National Police said that aside from indictments for harboring a fugitive and obstruction of justice, the government is studying possible sedition cases against KoJC members who staged mass gatherings during the manhunt for Quiboloy. t his week the Department of Justice also said even former President rodrigo Duterte, who has accepted his designation as administrator of KoJC assets, may be indicted for obstruction of justice.
As for Guo’s escape, a lawyer is in hot water for apparently playing a role in covering up her departure from the country in July. Authorities are still determining who can be held liable
A former “chief PNP” reportedly received a generous amount of money to help, although at this point, this story is more like raw, unverified intel bordering on gossip.
t he cases of Quiboloy and Guo have raised questions on the extent of protection allowed under the principle of attorney-client privilege. the privilege is not supposed to extend to cases wherein the services of a lawyer are used or obtained to aid or enable the client to commit a crime. Is the lawyer allowed to help the client evade arrest or prosecution? these issues need to be clarified, if only to prevent more fugitives from evading the law. (Philstar.com)
BaBe romuaLdez
oNe of the crimes considered as the most heinous and serious worldwide is the sexual abuse and trafficking of minors and children who are among the most vulnerable members of society. s adly, this type of crime has increased substantially over the past decade. According to the nongovernment organization save the Children, child trafficking refers to the exploitation of girls and boys, primarily for forced labor and sexual exploitation.
“Children account for 27 percent of all the human trafficking victims worldwide, and two out of every three child victims are young girls,” the organization says. At least 120 million girls (about one in 10) have been forced to engage in sex or perform other sexual acts, says the UNICef, although the actual number is probably much higher.
Last June, a large-scale joint initiative across 39 countries in europe, Asia, Latin America and Africa dubbed as “ o peration Global Chain” targeted highrisk criminal organizations
Extradition treaties – important tool against transnational crimes
engaged in human trafficking, with particular attention given to child victims and cases involving sexual exploitation, forced criminality and mendicancy. t he operation resulted in the arrest of 219 criminals, and over 1,300 potential victims including children were identified. During the week-long operation, 276 new investigations were initiated, while additional 362 suspects were identified. According to the Interpol, among the most abhorrent cases involved a hungarian couple who were sexually exploiting six of their children and making them beg on the streets around their village.
It’s not surprising that law enforcement agencies highly prioritize child trafficking and sexual abuse/exploitation cases, working with their international counterparts to go after suspects of these heinous crimes and using extradition as a legal mechanism to bring perpetrators to justice.
Because the arrest of Apollo Quiboloy, the leader of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ religious group, took so long, it has now turned into the most watched case all over the world – taking
center stage in the international media. Quiboloy is currently in the fBI’s “most Wanted” list, having been indicted by a federal grand jury in California for “conspiracy to engage in sex trafficking by force, fraud and coercion and sex trafficking of children; sex trafficking by force, fraud and coercion; conspiracy and bulk cash smuggling” with a federal warrant issued in November 2021 for his arrest. According to the fBI, Quiboloy is “wanted for his alleged participation in a labor trafficking scheme that brought church members to the United states, via fraudulently obtained visas, and forced the members to solicit donations for a bogus charity, donations that actually were used to finance church operations and the lavish lifestyles of its leaders. members who proved successful at soliciting for the church allegedly were forced to enter into sham marriages or obtain fraudulent student visas to continue soliciting in the United states year-round.”
Women were allegedly recruited to work as personal assistants or “pastorals” for Quiboloy and that “victims
prepared his meals, cleaned his residences, gave him massages and were required to have sex with Quiboloy in what the pastorals called ‘night duty’.” the Philippines and the U.s signed an extradition treaty in November 1994 and was ratified by the senate later, with Presidential Decree 1069, also known as the “Philippine extradition Law,” as the implementing law. According to the Department of Justice, a U. s . extradition request is expected soon.
Under the extradition law, a formal request is coursed through the Department of foreign Affairs, then forwarded to the Department of Justice for evaluation, with the request supported by required documentation. A petition will then be filed in the appropriate court that decides if the request has merit, after which an extradition order is issued.
Undoubtedly, each country has its own laws and naturally, President m arcos needs to have Quiboloy face the charges before the local courts first before extradition, especially with more alleged victims locally – many of them girls as young as 12 – now coming out against the
religious leader, claiming they were subjected to systematic sexual abuse and manipulation. m any countries, most especially the United s tates, are known for being relentless when it comes to sex trafficking cases, especially of minors. As one international enforcer commented one time, “We may not get the trafficker today, we may not get him tomorrow, but we’re going to get him.”
Last year, Leonardo Jimenezr odriguez, the leader of a transnational sex trafficking ring that lured young women and girls and employed beatings, threats and psychological abuse to force them into prostitution in New York and elsewhere –was extradited to the U.s. from mexico. According to the special Agentin-Charge who took part in the operation, Jimenez-rodriguez’s extradition was the “result of years of extraordinary collaboration with law enforcement agencies spanning multiple countries and investigative jurisdictions.”
J U st a few days ago, selfproclaimed “Appointed s on of God” and “ o wner of the Universe” Kingdom of Jesus Christ (K o JC) Pastor Apollo Quiboloy was finally brought to court. he was finally arrested just last sunday (sept. 8). similarly, a few days before, on s ept. 4 (Wednesday), suspended Bamban, tarlac mayor Alice Guo was arrested by Indonesian law enforcement and brought back to the Philippines to answer to the Philippine senate for PoGolinked crimes such as human trafficking, money laundering, violence against women and children and torture.
Cynics say that the arrests of Alice Guo and Pastor Quiboloy, and its grabbing international news media headlines, amount to nothing but infamy for our country. however, I see this as an opportunity to prove ourselves and overcome challenges.
It’s a new opportunity for us to demonstrate that crime does not pay in the Philippines. No
matter how seemingly powerful the personality, if there exists strong evidence of their crimes and other wrongdoings – and especially if it harms our children, our economy and our national security – then the Philippines can and will bring criminals to justice. Alice Guo and her associates are international in scope with Chinese financiers and “big bosses” having fled abroad, and linked to personalities involved with the notorious Pharmally. on the other hand, the arrests present to us a challenge to vastly augment the abilities of our intelligence agencies. We must realize that these abhorrent criminal incidents involving transnational organized crime have highlighted the highly influential role of understated elements of our national security apparatus – intelligence networks, surveillance operations and its necessary interconnectedness with the international community. It includes the Intelligence service, Armed forces of the Philippines (IsAfP), the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) and the National Intelligence Coordinating Agency (NICA). the arrests of Alice Guo and Pastor Quiboloy would not have
succeeded without intelligence agencies. the Philippines’ National security Policy 2023-2028 recognizes the foundational role of intelligence operations. It states “any effort to formulate a National security Policy should therefore start with an awareness and assessment of the factors and circumstances that can influence or shape the nation’s security outlook in the foreseeable future.”
t he f ive e yes, an intelligence-sharing alliance among Australia, Canada, New Zealand the United Kingdom and the U.s., raised the issue of commercial, industrial and conventional espionage by asserting that the “Chinese government is engaged in the most sustained, scaled and sophisticated theft of intellectual property and expertise in human history;” that China state-sponsored hackers have been spying on U. s . critical infrastructure and China has been doing all of it alongside conventional espionage around the world. We are more than familiar with Chinese infringement, interference and infiltration. strengthening our intelligence apparatus is thus our responsibility to meet the requirements of our vision of
national security.
As senator Grace Poe, principal sponsor of republic Act No. 11934 or the subscriber Identity module (sIm) registration Act, remarked, “nagkandahirap tayo ipasa ang text scam law na finally napasa na [,] pero nagugulat tayo dahil tuluy-tuloy pa rin ang mga pagti -text ng mga scam sa atin. ‘Yun pala, siguro merong correlation between those scammers and those [PoGos] that were raided just recently[.]” true enough, police raids on PoGo revealed droves of cyber-criminals and potential cyber espionage elements being conducted against us inside our own territory.
As a total ban on P o G o s is close, despite deportations and other cases in court, it’s inevitable that the most stubborn P o G o s would operate underground. e nsuring a just and complete conclusion to this crime-ridden sequence in our modern history requires sufficient support to our intelligence agencies.
s ince we now work in the committee on finance in the senate, let’s put things in perspective here from a fiscal standpoint. It was reported
“We cast a wide net in search of mr. Pratt,” U.s. Attorney tara mcGrath stated, adding they are prepared to bring michael Pratt to justice and thanking the spanish government for its assistance. today, child sexual abuse is considered to be the most disgusting, abhorrent crime ever worldwide, more so when perpetrators use the name of God in committing this despicable act. even ordinary prisoners are well known to have their own brand of justice when it comes to sex abusers of children – punishing the offenders by continually raping them and occasionally subjecting them to various kinds of sexual humiliation. often, these child sex trafficking criminals are placed in separate isolated cells –but only if they are lucky enough. (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.
Last m arch, the alleged mastermind of a sex trafficking ring that victimized teenagers from Canada and the U. s who were forced to appear in pornographic videos was extradited to the U.s. from spain.
‘Isang bala ka lang’
that Alice Guo was willing to pay approximately P1 billion in bribe money. the 2025 National expenditure Plan provides the following approximate amounts for specific agencies: P3.5 billion to the NBI; P2.24 to NICA and P896 million to the National security Council (NsC). In other words, one suspected foreign agent is alleged to be capable of paying an amount so exorbitant that it can cover the entire budget of the N s C, a third of the NBI’s or close to half of the NICA budget. It exposes how currently lopsided the fight is in favor of extremely wealthy criminals and how our intelligence agencies are actually severely underfunded. July this year, just before the president announced the shutdown of PoGo operations in the Philippines, Presidential Anti- o rganized Crime Commission (PAoCC) reported that there were 42 licensed P o G o operators remaining. e ven with just 42 remaining, their combined financial capacity would most likely outspend our entire intelligence network. however, it’s not all bad news.
Alice Guo’s arrest was the product of international, inter-agency coordination. t he Philippines
* * * babeseyeview@gmail.com
and Indonesia can use this recent intelligence victory as a rallying cry in gathering momentum to revitalize “our eyes Initiative,” which was envisioned as the AseAN counterpart of the five eyes. As our Alice Guo example has illustrated, two AseAN members collaborating against crime can lead to a mission accomplished. furthermore, all agencies are currently eyeing financing for cyber security and capacity building.
We need to use these recent events as an opportunity to reflect on what is needed to ensure the safety and well-being of all our countrymen. As it turns out, september, under Presidential Proclamation No. 713 dated sept. 22, 2004, is the “rule of Law month.” the arrests of Quiboloy and Guo serve as a stern warning: “ Wag mong sabihin malakas ka. Wag mong sabihin marami kang tauhan. At wag mo ring sabihin marami kang salapi. Pare-pareho lang tayo, isang bala ka lang!” (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.
Philippines still deadliest country in Asia for environmental defenders in 2023 – watchdog
mANILA — the Philippines re-
mains the most dangerous country in Asia for land and environmental defenders, accounting for 68% of the recorded killings and enforced disappearances in the region in 2023, the watchdog Global Witness found.
o f the 25 defenders in Asia whose lives were taken away in 2023, 17 of them came from the Philippines, where 10 were killed and seven have disappeared. India recorded five such cases, while Indonesia had three.
In 2023, a total of 196 defenders were killed or forcibly disappeared worldwide, with Colombia, Brazil, honduras, mexico and Philippines ranking as the top five most dangerous countries. the marcos Jr. administration has failed to stem the tide of violence against those protecting our environment and natural resources,” Kalikasan People’s Network for the environment (Kaliaksan PNe) advocacy officer Jonila Castro said in a statement.
“In fact, repression and militarization have worsened under this regime. environmental defenders are being red-tagged, harassed, and murdered with impunity,” she added.
Data shows that the targeted killings and enforced disappearances of green activists in the Philippines have risen by 54.5%, up from 11 cases in 2022.
Global Witness has been documenting lethal threats against land and environmental defenders since 2012, and throughout this period, violence toward these individuals has been most concentrated in the Philippines. from 2012 to 2023, 64% of the 468 recorded deaths and enforced disappearances in Asia occurred in the country.
Who were they? majority of the 17 filipinos listed were smallscale farmers, seven of which were tagged as “murdered” and two as “disappeared.”
In a constant battle against land grabbing, indigenous peoples are also common victims of murder and enforced disappearances. one of them was killed and two could no longer be found.
Globally, the report found that nearly half of the total number of defenders killed and forcibly disappeared in 2023 were indigenous
peoples and Afrodescendents. Children and relatives of targeted defenders are equally at risk, constituting three of the 17 killed in 2023.
While Global Witness could not identify the industries behind the attacks, their report revealed that most of the perpetrators were from the armed forces. here are the names of the 17 land and environmental defenders who were forcibly taken or killed:
•Ben Fausto
•Arjie Velasco Salvador
•Antonio Diwayan
•Rey Almario Belan
•Ravin Fausto
•Dexter Capuyan
•Lee Sudario
•Gene Roz Jamil De Jesus
•Roly Fausto
•Danny Malinao
•Mariano Jolongbayan
•Crispin Tingal Jr
•Emelda Fausto
•Bea Lopez
•Jose Gonzales
•Norman Ortiz
•Peter Agravante. Local monitoring findings
e nvironmental rights group
Kalikasan People’s Network for the environment (Kalikasan PNe), meanwhile, said in a statement that they have recorded an even higher number of human rights abuses against green activists in 2023. the group tallied a total of 21 killings and 11 abductions in 2023, which Kalikasan PNe said had affected 19 environmental defenders.
Kalikasan PNe and the environmental Defenders Congress, another green rights group, reported that these attacks target those opposing excessive mining, mega-dam construction and reclamation and quarrying projects.
Attacks persist in 2024 environmental defender rowenda Dasig remains missing even after her reported release from Lucena City District Jail on August 22.
Dasig was arrested alongside community health worker m iguela Peniero by armed forces in Atimonan, Quezon in July 2023 on charges of illegal possession of firearms, ammunition, and explosives. Charges against Dasig were only dismissed over a year after her arrest, on August 13, due to lack of evidence, while Peniero remains in detention.
Dasig and Peniero were detained
while studying the potential environmental impacts of Atimonan one energy, Inc.’s construction of a combined cycle gas turbine power plant and liquefied natural gas facility. they were examining how this power plant and facility, which burns natural gas and utilizes steam to generate power, might affect the health and livelihoods of coconut farmers and fisherfolk communities in Atimonan, Quezon.
t he Commission on h uman rights has since investigated the case, urging for the stricter implementation of republic Act 10352 or the Anti-enforced or Involuntary Disappearance Act of 2012.
Besides Dasig and Peniero, two other environmental defenders were reportedly abducted recently.
More are missing felix salaveria Jr., a 66-year-old cyclist and indigenous peoples’ rights activist, went missing on August 28 in tabaco City, Albay. this happened five days after labor activist and fellow cyclist James Jazmines disappeared.
meanwhile, Andy magno, a graduate of UP manila and former chairperson of the environment organization minggin, was abducted on september 11 in san Pablo, Isabela alongside migrant workers’ advocate Vladimir maro.
earlier this year, two other environmental defenders francisco ‘eco’ Dangla III and Joxelle ‘Jak’ tiong were found on march 28, days after their abduction in san Carlos City, Negros occidental. Attacks against environmental defenders in the Philippines are not limited to killings and enforced disappearances. rights groups have reported ongoing red-tagging, intimidation, harassment and arbitrary detention of individuals opposing government and private sector infrastructure projects that exploit the country’s resources and displace communities. environmental defenders play a crucial role in safeguarding our ecosystems and communities from destructive projects masquerading as 'development' or even 'green' initiatives. Yet instead of recognizing and protecting us, we are being systematically attacked and silenced," Dangla, eDC spokesperson said in a statement. (Dominique Nicole Flores/Philstar.com)
m ANILA — Police have intensified the manhunt for harry roque, who has an arrest order issued by the h ouse of representatives quad committee, with special tracker teams looking for the former presidential spokesman round the clock.
Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Gen. rommel francisco marbil said on tuesday, september 17 they have mobilized tracker teams led by the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group to locate roque and bring him before the house’s quad committee.
“We have officially received the request from the house of r epresentatives and the PNP is fully committed to executing this order while adhering to our core mandate,” marbil said in a statement.
t he h ouse quad committee has a standing order for roque’s arrest over his failure to submit subpoenaed documents related to his assets. Lawmakers believe the documents could be connected to criminal activities of illegal Philippine offshore gaming operation hubs.
m arbil assured r oque that the manhunt for him would be carried out with the highest level of professionalism and respect for due process. o ur fundamental duty is to respect the decisions of our democratic institutions and ensure human rights are protected throughout this process,” he said. s peaking to reporters in an interview, marbil said it is up to roque if he will continue to evade the arrest order or surrender to the house of representatives as “he knows what is right and what is wrong.” roque, former spokesman of former President rodrigo Duterte, has denied being a fugitive and said he would seek judicial relief from the supreme Court.
Apart from the PNP, m arbil said the National Bureau of Investigation and Bureau of Immigration are helping in the manhunt for roque. n
Janine Gutierrez’s stunning Venice experience
by Tessa Mauricio-arriola ManilaTimes.net
J ANIN e Gutierrez, with her striking mestiza features, could easily be mistaken for a european beauty. Yet no matter how the admiring eyes at the Venice film festival perceived her, she was, from head to toe and heart, a proud filipina through and through on her glamorous debut at one of the most prestigious stages in global cinema.
Janine wowed the Italian city in early september, just as the likes of hollywood's George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Cate Blanchette, Nicole Kidman and Angelina Jolie arrived in haute couture hordes to grace the world premiere of their latest cinematic works. Janine flew to Venice to do the same, headlining the Philippine contingent with fellow actors ronnie Lazaro, hazel orencio, Dong Abay and Paul Jake Paule, producer Paul soriano and, of course, team captain and Venice film festival rock star Director Lav Diaz for his new film epic, "Phantosmia."
Janine portrays reyna in a fourhour psychological drama set primarily on an isolated island housing a penal colony. reyna lives with her adoptive mother in a destitute community just outside the prison's boundaries, where she is exploited and pimped out to the corrupt men in charge. eventually, her character crosses paths with master sergeant hilarion Zabala (ronnie Lazaro), whose suffering from phantosmia — an olfactory hallucination triggered by PtsD — and search for redemption becomes intertwined with reyna's plight. featured in the non-competition lineup of the 87th edition of the prestigious festival, Direk Lav's party received a grand reception
nonetheless, given the filipino filmmaker's repeated notable wins in Venice in past years. so, following the practice of such highprofile world cinema celebrations, "Phantosmia" had a proper photo call and a red carpet premiere.
It was on these two occasions that Janine dazzled the international press and cineast crowds of the Venice film festival — a twin experience, which she describes as her proudest moment to be filipino.
"It was my first time to have a screening with an international audience," the ever down-to-earth Janine gushed in an interview this week, gorgeously tanned from the Venice sun and still flushed from all the excitement.
"I'm so grateful for everyone's support," she added, as she shared the wonderfully surreal experience of an entire cinema of foreigners applauding you at the screening and walking the glamorous red carpet as part of such a prestigious global event.
"I felt incredibly proud to be filipino at the Venice film festival. Walking the red carpet was an amazing experience, and seeing the filipino flag displayed when it was our turn, as they do for the different nationalities of the participating delegations, made it even more special."
she said she was also deeply humbled to be part of the Lav Diaz movie since she came across audiences who flew from different parts of the world to Venice to specifically watch the filmmaker's featured piece.
Direk Lav is so revered in Venice that people would stop him whenever we were out, asking for photos. fans even traveled from places like Germany just to watch the screening. It's amazing because Direk Lav always describes his films
as cultural works — his passion is to share our culture with the world. that's why it's so touching and wonderful to see how much we're appreciated and to witness people from other nationalities genuinely excited about his work."
When asked how she felt about comments suggesting that, while Philippine cinema was celebrated in Venice, the spotlight back home seemed to shift to her red carpet looks, implying she stole the show, Janine responded thoughtfully. rather than becoming defensive, she offered an insightful perspective on the intersection of fashion and film.
"I've always believed that fashion and cinema go hand in hand," Janine conveyed. "my idols like Lady Gaga use the red carpet to draw attention to their work, and I hope my choices did the same for 'Phantosmia.'"
Despite the attention her absolutely gorgeous looks at Venice garnered, however, Janine remains
11 National Artists for Film honored at FDCP
the film Development Council of the Philippines opened the 4th Philippine film Industry month (P f I m ) with a gala night that honored 11 National Artists for film. the agency acknowledged their contributions in directing, scriptwriting and acting that helped grow the movie industry. h eld on s eptember 13, at teatrino Promenade in Greenhills, s an Juan, f DCP honored late industry titans Lamberto Avellana, Gerry de Leon, manuel Conde, e ddie r omero, Lino Brocka, Ishmael Bernal, m arilou DiazAbaya and fernado Poe Jr. as well as living legends ricky Lee, Kidlat tahimik and Nora Aunor. s a inyong mga balikat nakatayo kaming lahat, at sa inyong mga sining, darating ang mga nagniningning henyo ng kinabukasan ng talentong Pilipino (on your shoulders, we all stand, and through your arts, the shining geniuses of the future of Filipino talent will emerge)" fDCP Chairman Jose Javier reyes said during the program.
Present at the event were National Artist Kidlat tahimik and ricky Lee who, together with Nora Aunor, were honored with remarkable portraits by filipino visual artists teofilo m ontifar, teresita Dimanlig-torda, and Grandier Gil Bella. Aunor, however, did not make to the event.
With the theme " Tuloy ang Tradisyon ng Pelikulang Pilipino," the evening also saw the attendance of the National Artists' descendants such as Lovi Poe (daughter of "Da King" fernando Poe, Jr.), Janno Gibbs (grandchild of Gerardo de Leon) and director Joey r omero (children e ddie romero). e nchong Dee stood as the
at shangri-La
film classics. the PfIm Gala Night was only one of the many activities fDCP scheduled for the month-long celebration.
ongoing until september 27, fDCP will present classic films by National Artists at Cinematheque Centres in manila, Iloilo, Negros, Davao, and Nabunturan, with accompanying talkbacks. the inaugural film education Convention ( f ilm e C) is also happening at the De La salleCollege of saint Benilde. the twoday event showcases top student films, engaging panel discussions, and film book sales. Designed for students and educators, filmeC aims to elevate film education in the Philippines and inspire the next generation of filmmakers.
Kabataan finalists will premiere their short films on september 20. sine Kabataan offers a platform for youth to present their perspectives on contemporary issues through filmmaking.
Sept. 27 - PFIM Closing Ceremony at Seda Vertis North the PfIm will conclude with a closing ceremony honoring contributors to Philippine cinema. the event will feature the announcement of the Philippine entry for the 97th Academy Awards, unveil fDCP's upcoming initiatives, and showcase PfIm 2024 highlights and f DCP's achievements.
By celebrating Philippine film Industry month, the fDCP reaffirms its commitment to nurturing and sustaining the growth of Philippine cinema. (ManilaTimes.net)
Janine Gutierrez Photo from Instagram/@janinegutierrez
Film Development Council of the Philippines Chairman Jose Javier Reyes (center) with National Artist for Film Kidlat Tahimik and National Artist for Film and Broadcast Arts Ricky Lee.
Photo from the Film Development Council of the Philippines
PhilDev Foundation announces 2024 awardees for gala and awards on October 12
the Philippine Development foundation (PhilDev) has announced the 2024 PhilDev Awards, which recognize outstanding contributions in education, Innovation, and entrepreneurship.
this year’s gala will inaugurate the Dado Banatao Legacy Award, named after our esteemed founder and silicon Valley pioneer, Diosdado “Dado” Banatao.
Awardees include:
Education: Sheila Coronel Director of the stabile Center for Investigative Journalism and the stabile Professor of Professional Practice in Investigative Journalism at Columbia University, for her unwavering commitment to investigative journalism and her efforts to build institutions that support free and independent reporting.
Innovation: Ayesha VeraYu, Ceo & Co-founder of ArK solves, for her groundbreaking work in social impact ventures that empower rural communities toward self-sustainable food security.
Entrepreneurship: Eros
Quesada Resmini Jr., founder & managing Partner of the mini fund, for his dedication to helping young entrepreneurs build lasting foundations for their startups through hands-on mentorship and investment.
Entrepreneurship: Susie
Quesada, 3rd generation owner and President of ramar foods International, for leading the filipino food company and bringing the flavors of the Philippines to supermarkets and restaurants across the world.
The Dado Banatao Legacy Award will be presented to Eric Toda, Director of social marketing at meta and executive Director of meta Prosper. eric is recognized for his visionary leadership, relentless advocacy, and transformative contributions to the Asian American community and the tech industry. this award celebrates an individual who has made significant and lasting impacts, on both a local and global scale, aligned with the mission and values set by PhilDev founder, Dado Banatao.
“We are honored to celebrate these remarkable individuals who have made significant strides in their fields,” said maria Banatao, PhilDev foundation trustee
and Gala Chair. “their work embodies the spirit of innovation and excellence that we strive to promote at PhilDev.” the awards will be presented at the PhilDev Gala and Awards on october 12, 2024, 5:30 p.m., at the Westin sfo in san francisco, California. the evening will be a memorable celebration featuring live entertainment from r&B artist Zeyonce Brown and the Voice UsA’s Justin and Jeremy Garcia. Guests will also have the opportunity to participate in a live auction, for the benefit of PhilDev's initiatives in education, innovation and entrepreneurship. “We call on the fil-Am
community to attend the Gala,” said olivia de Jesus, PhilDev UsA executive Director. “Your support enables our young filipinos to achieve their dream of success.” Tickets and Donations: to book seats or host a table at the Gala, please visit: www.phildev. org/events/phildev-gala-andawards-2024/ for those unable to attend, PhilDev encourages donations. You may send your check donations by mail to “Philippine Development foundation, 325 Lytton Avenue, suite 4A, Palo Alto, CA 94301,” or you may also donate online at: www.phildev. org/donate-to-phildev/
Janine Gutierrez’s stunning Venice...
clear that the film's significance is paramount. "In the end, the film was still the real star, and I'm sure it will be here too when we show it very soon."
Janine's much-talked-about Venice looks featured two standout gowns designed by filipino fashion geniuses Inno sotto and Vania romoff. "I'm grateful to Inno and Vania for agreeing to dress me," she expressed. "Wearing their creations was another way to showcase our local talent on the global stage, and that's exactly what I wanted to do."
Usually given a big glam team for her events in manila, Janine is also indebted to her lean and mean crew, who traveled with her to Venice. she had with her hairstylist
Jay Aquino and makeup artist Anthea Bueno, who also played key roles in her festival debut.
"It was just the three of us, which made it more special," Janine noted. "We've dreamed of doing this together, you see — to make it to an international film festival, having gone to New York fashion Week before. And it was so gratifying to see our shared dream come true."
Janine said the preparation for the high-profile event was intense but fun, adding, "It would have been so overwhelming if they weren't there with me. Actually, it was Anthea who was getting really nervous before the red carpet, and we all had a good laugh when she realized and blurted out she wasn't
even the one who would need to walk on it."
Looking back at the entire experience, Janine feels a deep sense of accomplishment. "When I first started in showbiz, people would just say I was beautiful and didn't talk about my talent," she said quite bashfully. "But with this, I'm thrilled that people recognize me now for my acting. It's a dream come true to be seen for my work and not only for how I look."
Indeed, Janine's Venice debut was more than just a glamorous event. What it truly was a celebration of filipino artistry and her growth as an actress with a bonus. that is, superb fashion playing a supporting role in her cinematic journey.
Eros Quesada Resmini Jr.
Ayesha Vera-Yu Susie Quesada
Eros Quesada Resmini Jr.
Toda
voting registration
the Philippine Consulate General in san francisco is informing the public that it will extend its office hours during the final week of the 22-monthlong overseas voting registration for the 2025 Philippine national elections, which ends worldwide on september 30, 2024. on september 23-27 and september 30, the overseas voting registration at the consulate will run from 9:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., instead of the usual 3:00 p.m. closing time. the extended hours are strictly for overseas voting registration; other services (e.g., passport, dual citizenship, notarial) will be available only during the Consulate’s standard operating hours. All filipino citizens who are abroad or will be abroad and at least 18 years of age on may 12, 2025, and are not otherwise disqualified by law, should bring the original and a photocopy of their valid Philippine passport, and proof of current filipino citizenship. A prior appointment is not needed to register as an overseas voter. for more information, visit: https://pcgsanfrancisco.org/ overseas-voting. (PcGSF release)
ConGen Ferrer calls on OFM regional director John Choi
sAN frANCIsCo – Consul General Neil frank
r ferrer of the Philippine Consulate General in san francisco welcomed and called on mr. John Y. Choi, newly appointed regional Director of the office of foreign missions (ofm), U.s. Department of state, on friday, september 16.
During the meeting, Consul General ferrer noted the strong bilateral relations between the Philippines and the United states and thanked ofm san francisco for the support extended to the consulate. the Philippine Consulate General in san francisco looks forward to strengthening relations and enhancing collaboration across various areas of cooperation with the office of foreign missions under mr. Choi’s leadership,” said Consul General ferrer. (PcGSF release)
Governor Newsom signs bills to combat deepfake election content
sAN frANCIsCo – taking action to address the use of deepfakes and other deceptive digitally generated or altered content in election campaigns, Governor Gavin Newsom on tuesday, september 17 signed three measures to remove deceptive content from large online platforms, increase accountability, and better inform voters.
“safeguarding the integrity of elections is essential to democracy, and it’s critical that we ensure AI is not deployed to undermine the public’s trust through disinformation – especially in today’s fraught political climate. these measures will help to combat the harmful use of deepfakes in political ads and other content, one of several areas in which the state is being proactive to foster transparent and trustworthy AI,” said Gov. Newsom in a statement released by his office. earlier on tuesday, the Governor announced signing legislation to protect the digital likeness of actors and performers by ensuring that AI is not used to replicate their voice or likeness without their consent.
Building on legislation signed by the governor in 2019 to crack down on deepfakes in elections, the governor signed three bills related to election advertisements and communications.
AB 2655 by Assemblymember marc Berman (D-menlo Park) requires large online platforms to remove or label deceptive and digitally altered or created content related to elections during specified periods, and requires them to provide mechanisms to report such content. It also authorizes candidates, elected officials, elections officials, the Attorney General, and a district attorney or city attorney to seek injunctive relief against a large online platform for noncompliance with the act.
“AI-generated deepfakes pose a clear and present risk to our elections and our democracy. AB 2655 is a first-in-the-nation solution to this growing threat, and I am grateful to Governor Newsom for signing it. Advances in AI over the last few years make it easy to generate hyper-realistic yet completely fake electionrelated deepfakes, but AB 2655
will ensure that online platforms minimize their impact. the new law is a win for California’s voters, and for our democracy,” said Assemblymember Berman.
AB 2839, an urgency measure by Assemblymember Gail Pellerin (D-santa Cruz), expands the timeframe in which a committee or other entity is prohibited from knowingly distributing an advertisement or other election material containing deceptive AIgenerated or manipulated content. the bill also expands the scope of existing law to prohibit materially deceptive content of elected officials, candidates, elections officials and others, authorizing them to file a civil action to enjoin the distribution of such material.
“signing AB 2839 into law is a significant step in continuing to protect the integrity of our democratic process. With fewer than 50 days until the general election, there is an urgent need to protect against misleading, digitally-altered content that can interfere with the election. With the enactment of AB 2839, California is taking a stand against the manipulative use of deepfake technology to deceive voters. I’m thankful that Governor Newsom signed this legislation to ensure that voters are equipped with the accurate information they need to make informed decisions this November,” said Assemblymember Pellerin, Chair of the Assembly elections Committee.
AB 2355 by Assemblymember Wendy Carrillo (D-Los Angeles) requires that electoral advertisements using AIgenerated or substantially altered content feature a disclosure that the material has been altered. the bill authorizes the fair Political Practices Commission to enforce a violation of these disclosure requirements by seeking injunctive relief to compel compliance or pursuing other remedies available to the commission under the Political reform Act.
“I applaud the Governor for signing AB 2355, my proposal mandating that political advertisements using content created or significantly altered by generative AI, include a clear disclosure of this fact. the availability of tools to doctor images, video, and sound is not new. however, the rapid
improvements in AI and Large Language models have made it easier to create convincingly fake images, videos, and sounds. As these technologies become more accessible and are used in political campaigns, their impact on democracy requires urgent action. Voters must be informed when generative AI is used in political advertising to substantially alter media or create misleading content. free speech and political expression are a cornerstone of our democracy, but we cannot lose sight of our humanity amid the advancement of artificial intelligence. this is a balanced policy that makes California the first state to include artificial intelligence under its campaign transparency rules,” said Assemblymember Carrillo. home to the majority of the world’s leading AI companies, California is working to harness these transformative technologies to help address pressing challenges while studying the risks they present. the state last month partnered with NVIDIA to launch a first-of-its-kind AI collaboration, and earlier hosted an AI summit convening leaders from across technology, labor, government, and academia to discuss how the technology can be used to benefit Californians. Last year, Governor Newsom signed an executive order laying out California’s measured approach focused on shaping the equitable and responsible use of AI while remaining at the forefront of AI innovation.
(cA Governor’s office release)
ALAmeDA – on behalf of the Philippine Consulate General in san francisco, Consul rowena Pangilinan-Daquipil graced the 88th anniversary celebration of the Bohol Circle at its community center on september 14, 2024.
During the celebration, Consul Pangilinan-Daquipil lauded the group’s commitment in fostering unity and camaraderie not just among Boholanos but also with other filipino and filipinoAmerican community groups. In her remarks, she expressed that the group has exemplified the values of pakikipagkapwa and bayanihan through the years.
“You have witnessed many changes and faced numerous challenges in the past. Yet, your collective strength and unwavering commitment to your mission have allowed Bohol Circle to not only endure but thrive. It is your shared vision and purpose that have been the cornerstone of your group’s success,” Consul PangilinanDaquipil added. the Bohol Circle was established by Boholano immigrants in 1936 and is recognized by the filipino American National historical society (fANhs) as the oldest existing filipino American organization in the United states.
In 1965, after pooling membership money to buy land, the Bohol Circle Center was built.
It is intended to be a gathering place for filipinos and filipino Americans, including those who are new arrivals in the United states. In January 2023, owing to the efforts of Bohol Circle
sAN frANCIsCo – the Philippine Consulate General in san francisco, led by Consul General Neil frank r ferrer joined the KmC solutions event, “A Night at the Academy,” at the California Academy of sciences in san francisco on september 12, 2024. the venue showcases the world's largest replica of the Philippine Coral reef and is actively working with the Ph government in restoring the marine ecosystem. Guests were given an overview of hope for reefs, an initiative led by the
California Academy of sciences aimed at restoring and protecting coral reefs worldwide and strives to educate the public about the critical role reefs play in marine ecosystems, acting as biodiversity hotspots and providing livelihoods for millions of people globally.
Consul General ferrer shared KmC solutions’ hopes that guests will gain appreciation for the Philippines’ talent market and commended events similar to “A Night at the Academy” that could potentially result in more jobs and opportunities for many filipinos.
he also invited prospective and current clients of off-shoring expert KmC solutions to take a deeper look and appreciate the key advantages of the Philippines in the It-BPm services market.
“A Night at the Academy” san francisco not only highlights filipino culture and heritage through our Philippine coral reefs exhibited at the California Academy of sciences, but also showcases the strength, depth and breadth of the Philippine ItBusiness Process management (It-BPm) industry. (PcGSF release)
Myrna Cajilog.
Consul Rowena Pangilinan-Daquipil (seated, 4th
members, the first park in the U.s named after a filipino American community organization, the Bohol Circle Immigrant Park, was inaugurated in Alameda. (PcGSF release)
CU
Philippines Chelsea m analo believes that “everything happens for a reason.” As a child, she experienced bullying: “Yes, bullying doesn’t stop and still happens to any one... I keep focusing on what I am more passionate about and on what I can only control.” s he adds: “I have always believed that bashing comes from people who are only hurt and negative.” trials and hardships motivate her to be a better person. through these means, she has learned to excel in whatever pursuit she does and uses these to do the right thing. her parents are very supportive of her dream, stating, “I have always been telling them that I love them and that I am so glad that they have become my parents who are supportive of my dreams.” During weekends, she spends time with her parents and friends going to mass and dining out. she has also been supportive of charity works that deal with the youth and indigenous people. she wants to try acting, singing and dancing in a filipino theatrical musical play. “Anything that will unleash my star and diva childhood dreams of performing. Whatever comes I would gladly accept. I have actually been dreaming of one day performing as a drag queen.” this dark-skinned beauty from Bulacan will compete in the 73rd miss Universe pageant in mexico on November 16. Good luck and a myriad blessings!
* * *
I am fortunate to have met in July this year Jo Berry (the lead actress in GmA7’s tV series “Lilet matias: Attorney-at-Law”); Dagul, or romeo Pastrana in real life (a filipino actor and comedian best known for being a host of the children’s sketch program Goin’ Bulilit on ABs-CBN); and former miss Universe Philippines michelle Dee who holds a special place in her heart for children with developmental disabilities, with autism awareness as her advocacy during the miss Universe pageant. t hanks to r ichard h inola for letting me to meet them in person during the Legacy Awards.
* * * Jade maris is my former student at holy Angel University in Angeles City, Pampanga. she has done
several commercials for PAG-IBIG fund, PsBank, magic Creams with actor Donny Pangilinan, Grab, Payless Pancit Canton, Jollibee Chicken Joy, Cliqq Card-7 eleven, Jollibee Aloha Burger, at t GP with actor Jericho rosales. she also appeared in a movie on the life of Philippine hero Jose Abad santos played by richard Cepeda in the lead role (with former beauty queen marina Benipayo and actor Alex Vincent medina). she is a resident theater actress of Uyat Artista, an Aliw Award and L.e.A.f Award winning theater group in Angeles City.
* * * the planned new Pacific Coast City, which is 80 kilometers from Central m anila, is situated on the eastern Luzon seaboard between Infanta and Dingalan municipalities. It is envisioned to have developed industrial cities, a government center, forest and wildlife preserves, residential areas, a worker’s city, an educational city, a tourism center, a religious center, a movie capital, and a sports center.
Infanta, which is considered the “Gateway to the Pacific,” is a first class municipality and the largest lambanog manufacturer in Quezon. Also known for its bayugo (giant mountain snail) dishes, the town is the center of economic activity in the northern part of Quezon province.
meanwhile, Dingalan, dubbed as the “Gateway to s outhern t agalog,” is a 3rd-class municipality in Aurora province. It has several caves, of which the Lamao Caves are the best known. the town’s rough shoreline and very high waves make it attractive to surfers. It is envisioned to be the next Port of manila.
“In the pursuit and implementation of the strategy of development, a crucial and paramount component is the proper interrelationship among the government, the business sector and the educational system. If each of these three vital sectors performs their designated roles to the hilt, the cycle of economic growth, development and industrialization will continuously spiral towards greater heights,” said New York-trained think-tank Atty. romeo G. roxas, the man behind the new Pacific Coast City concept and author of the book Pathways to Progress, a compilation of articles he wrote
artist Isaac Medina with his artworks.
for the Philippine Star he continued, “Pacific Coast City is an actual model of a sustainable community with a livelihood component.”
* * * Promising artist and swimmer Isaac Antheo Diaz m edina, a freshman f ine Arts m ajor in Advertising student at the University of santo tomas, divides his love for visual arts and sports. At a young age, he had already joined an arts exhibit in sm mall
in mandaluyong City and won medals in swimming, having been trained by an olympic swimmer. he competed in the Philippine National Games in 2023 and is a member of the Philippine Aquatics Inc. and the Palms Kingfisher swimming team in montalban, rizal.
* * * s potted during the recent 2nd Philippines finest Business Awards and outstanding Achievers at t he h exagon e vents Place
in Quezon City were talented artists and broadcasters from GmA Network, 24 oras, PtV 4, Aliw Channel 23, DWIZ 882 Am 97.9 home radio, Net 25, DWAN Am 1206, IBC, Light tV, Light r adio, Balitang A2Z, Zoe t V, media house express, sword tV Philippines, and Win radio 91.5.
* * * Young performing members of the “sibol” showcased their talents in the recent Goldenberg Concert series at the Goldenberg
mansion, san miguel, manila. In attendance were first Lady Liza Araneta-marcos, former first Lady Imelda romualdez-marcos and Presidential sister Irene marcosAraneta.
* * * 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
awardees: (from left) Rogelio Medina, Net 25’s Wej Cudiamat and Belle Surara.
