Poll: Harris leads over Trump among Asian American voters
ImPoster scams are rising at alarming rates, thanks to sophisticated new tactics; here’s how to protect your money. of the millions of scam reports the federal trade Commission gets each year — 2.6 million in 2023 — the most common type by far are imposter scams, where scammers impersonate an entity, usually a business or government agency. the first half of 2024 alone saw 360,000 impersonation scam reports, with $1.3 billion in reported losses and a median loss of $800. Less than 5% of scam victims report at
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released on tuesday, september 24. t he poll, commissioned by nonpartisan groups APIAVote and AAPI Data and conducted by NorC at the University of Chicago, indicates that harris holds a 38 point lead over trump, with 66% of Asian American voters intend to vote for harris in the 2024 presidential election, compared to just 28% for trump. this survey marks the first since President Joe Biden withdrew from the presidential race and harris assumed the Democratic nomination. Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) voters have long been a critical demographic, with significant growth in voter turnout since 2016. In the 2020 election, this group played a decisive role in Biden's victory, particularly in key battleground states.
mALACAÑANG said digital media experts have found that the viral video showing a man looking like President ferdinand marcos Jr. using drugs had been faked.
Presidential Communications office (PCo) secretary Cesar Chavez said over the weekend that artificial intelligence experts from the Deepfakes Analysis Unit (DAU), which is part of the India-based misinformation Combat Alliance, found the video to have been extensively manipulated to make it appear that the man in the video was the president. the video was released in July during a gathering of f ilipinos in Los Angeles, California, ahead of marcos' third state of the Nation Address.
sAN DIeGo — filipino American police officer Austin machitar, who was killed in the line of duty last month, was honored saturday at a memorial service in el Cajon. he was 30. our City stands united in grief over the death of this brave soul,” said todd Gloria, the fil-Am mayor of san Diego, who paid a special tribute to machitar during the service at shadow mountain Community Church. “he lived a life by the code of service, courage and sacrifice. for five-and-a-half years, he served our department knowing the risks yet never hesitating to protect and serve.” machitar was killed in a fiery crash in san Diego while pursuing a suspect, who allegedly fled from an attempted late-night traffic stop. Gloria said machitar was known for having an “extremely positive attitude” and for his infectious smile that was “as bright as san Diego’s sunniest day.” that smile, his charisma and movie star good looks landed him in the department’s
m ANILA — Divorce obtained abroad even through mutual agreement may be recognized in the Philippines, according to the supreme Court. the landmark decision penned by Associate Justice Japar Dimaampao expands the scope of foreign divorce recognition in the country, which had long been contentious.
In its ruling, the sC clarified that Philippine courts may recognize divorces obtained overseas, regardless of whether they were achieved through legal or administrative processes, or even mutual agreement. the sC decision cited the case of filipino citizen r uby Cuevas Ng who married Japanese national Akihiro sono in Quezon
mANILA — former Bamban mayor Alice Guo claims to be a victim.
In what was supposed to be the final hearing on Philippine offshore Gaming operators (PoGo), Guo deviated from her usual responses to assert her innocence—and to hint at a bigger boss.
“Your honor, hindi ako mastermind. masasabi ko po is isa akong victim (Your honor, i am
s everal government agencies, such as the Department of National Defense (DND) and Philippine National Police (PNP) have previously tagged the video as fake. the findings of DAU was corroborated by Vera files, an independent and awardwinning social media unit and one of the country's leading fact checkers.
In an extensive report published last september 16 and written by Celine Isabelle samson and Bryan Daniele manalang, the Vera files said that it sent copies of the video to an India-based misinformation advocate. the PCo added that the DAU found traces of extensive digital manipulation on what is now known as the "polvoron video." Using a tool called sensityAI, the DAU found that a "face swap" was used in manipulating the
not a mastermind. i can say that i am a victim.) ,” Guo said. for most of her appearances in the senate since being detained by Indonesian authorities in september, Guo has typically given one of three responses: she either claims ignorance, invokes her right against self-incrimination or cites a death threat. sen. Jinggoy estrada then asked Guo if she was a pawn of an international criminal syndicate. Guo responded that she was not exactly used, but acknowledged
that she has a reputation for being helpful.
“hindi naman po sa ginamit, if ever po, kung meron man akong naitulong, ano po akong tao, helpful akong tao, kung mayroon man po, yun lang po. Pero sa mga activities na ginawa, o sa mga allegations, wala akong kinalaman (Not that i was used, if ever, if i ever helped anyone, it is just because i am a helpful person. But the activities done, the allegations, i had nothing to do with it),” Guo
City in 2004. After the couple relocated to Japan, their relationship deteriorated, leading to a “divorce decree by mutual agreement” in Japan. the Japanese embassy issued a divorce certificate attesting to the arrangement. Acting on Ng’s petition, a regional trial court in the Philippines issued a judicial recognition of her divorce, allowing her to remarry. h owever, the o ffice of the s olicitor General (osG) challenged the rtC ruling, arguing that only court-issued foreign divorce decrees should be recognized in the Philippines. this was debunked by the sC. “filipinos previously married to foreigners can seek judicial recognition of their foreign divorce
mANILA — house lawmakers on tuesday, september 24, said that Vice President sara Duterte should resign if she has no intention of fulfilling her duties as the official holding the second highest position in government.
“Kung hindi na po siya interesado sa kanyang pong duties and functions as the vice president, we can ask the vice president to step down,” rep. Jil Bongalon (Ako Bicol Party) said at a press conference.
(if she is no longer interested in her duties and functions as vice president, we can ask her to
step down.)
t his is the response of lawmakers to Duterte’s refusal to attend the proceedings for the office of the Vice President’s ( oVP) proposed 2025 budget. No authorized representative was also present at the oVP’s scheduled plenary debate on monday, september 24.
Asked about their reaction to Duterte’s alleged vacation at a beach in Camarines Norte over the weekend, Bongalon said there is no problem with that. however, the lawmaker said that if Duterte is serious about her duties as vice president, she should have returned to
Vice President Kamala Harris White House photo
Former Bamban Mayor Alice Guo Philstar.com photo
Poll: Harris leads over Trump among...
findings of the survey include harris' favorability among Asian American voters has increased by 18 points since the spring, with 62% now viewing her positively. meanwhile, 70% of Asian American voters have an unfavorable view of trump.
the survey shows a boost in voter engagement, with 77% of Asian American voters saying they are “absolutely certain” to vote in the 2024 election—up from 68% earlier this year.
In terms of party outreach, 62% of Asian American voters reported being contacted by the Democratic Party, compared to 46% by the republican Party, signaling a greater effort from Democrats to engage this community. the survey also indicates that harris' identity as a woman resonates more strongly with Asian American voters than her heritage
as an Asian Indian or south Asian.
Christine Chen, co-founder and executive director of APIAVote, emphasized the growing political influence of Asian American voters, stating, "they are re-energized and poised to play a decisive role in the 2024 election.”
Karthick ramakrishnan, executive director of AAPI Data, added, “We now have nationally representative, in-language survey data that show AAPI voters and volunteers are highly engaged in this election.”
Asian Americans are the fastest-growing segment of eligible voters in the U.s., expanding by 15% in the last four years. As campaigns ramp up for 2024, both parties are increasingly aware of the importance of courting AAPI voters—a group that could once again shape the outcome of the presidential race. the 2024 AAPI Voter survey was conducted between septem-
ber 3-9, 2024 by N or C using NorC’s Amplify AAPI® Panel for the sample source. the survey was offered in english, Chinese dialects of mandarin and Cantonese, Vietnamese, and Korean and was administered in two modes depending on the preference of the respondent provided during panel recruitments: 1) self-administered by the respondent online via the Web; or 2) administered over the telephone by a live interviewer. the surveys with a live interviewer were only conducted in english. survey respondents are Asian American voters, Native h awaiians, and Pacific Islanders 18 years of age or older, with oversamples of citizens and registered voters. the data have been weighted by ethnicity, education, Census region, age by gender, ethnicity by gender, and ethnicity by nativity. the overall margin of error is +/- 4.7 percent. n
Foreign divorce now recognized by...
‘I’m a victim,’
Alice Guo says as she denies...
h owever, the s C had to remand Ng’s case to the rtC to which she had to present first an authenticated copy of the relevant Japanese divorce law.
under Article 26, paragraph 2 of the family Code.” the high tribunal emphasized that whatever way a divorce is settled is irrelevant as long as it is legally valid in the country of the foreign spouse. the decision aims to prevent a situation where a foreign spouse can remarry while the filipino spouse remains legally bound to the marriage. In Ng’s case, she claimed that Japanese law permits divorce by mutual agreement or judicial action.
According to rule 132, sections 24 and 25 of the revised rules on e vidence, foreign public documents must be validated either by official publication or by copies attested to by the legal custodian.
said.
t he s C noted that while Circular No. 157-2022-A of the office of the Court Administrator includes a compilation of foreign divorce laws for reference, it does not exempt parties from complying with the revised rules on evidence. n
estrada asked if she believed there was someone more culpable than her. Guo reiterated that she was not guilty.
she added that, given the length of the senate investigation, they should already know who the real mastermind is.
“It is known, especially by our m adame Chair, who is really
[behind] everything,” Guo said, referring to sen. risa hontiveros, who chairs the panel leading the inquiry.
Next step: A closed-door session e strada suggested that Guo could reveal who the “most guilty” party was in a closed-door executive session.
Guo initially agreed but hesitated as her lawyers were not present. once the public hearing was suspended and the proceedings went off-air, Guo’s camp huddled opposite the senators. s ens. h ontiveros, s herwin Gatchalian, francis tolentino, Bato dela rosa and JV ejercito waited for a response, as Guo vacillated on whether to accept the offer for an executive session. Dela rosa
and hontiveros, in particular, grew increasingly impatient as they tried to persuade her to agree. Guo eventually agreed, on the condition that her lawyer, stephen David, could join via video conference.
the former Bamban mayor has become the central figure linked to illegal PoGo activities, her name almost synonymous with the issue. t he s enate investigation into Alice Guo and PoGos has exposed a range of other illegal activities, from human trafficking in gambling hubs to the issuance of fraudulent birth certificates to foreign nationals.
Guo faces a slew of cases, including money laundering, human trafficking, graft and misrepresentation. n
Palace: Video of Marcos using...
video. Using another tool called hIVe, the international misinformation advocates "found multiple points of manipulation in the video's runtime and where the "no-deepfake and the deepfake manipulation overlapped."
Chavez also gave assurances that there will be no letup in the government's fight against misinformation and disinformation. he urged all law enforcement agencies to ramp up their drive against fake news and harmful online posts. n
"In today's world of trolls, bots, and deepfake manipulation, it has become easy to throw mud at others," Chavez said. he reminded the public to be wary of malicious videos and social media posts.
Lawmakers to VP Sara: Step...
m anila by s unday, s eptember
23 or coordinated with rep. Zia Alonto Adiong (Lanao del sur, 1st District). he added that this would have allowed Adiong to prepare for questions during the plenary.
“In other words, this means she really has no intention to attend the plenary hearing to sponsor and defend the oVP's budget,” Bongalon said in filipino.
Shared sentiment rep. Jay-Jay suarez (Quezon, 2nd District) also said the sentiments expressed by lawmakers at the press conference on monday are also shared by other house members because it is a government official’s job to show up.
“ t his is not about her, this is about the office of the Vice President, the second highest position of the land. And you have to show respect and due courtesy to that office and to simply show up and do your work. I think it's the least that she can do for the o ffice of the Vice President,” suarez added.
Setting a ‘bad precedent’
While Duterte provided a letter dated s eptember 11 to Adiong, rep. ramon Gutierrez (1- r ider Party) said the letter did not specify that she would be absent, the reason for it or indicate that there would be an official representing the oVP at the plenary.
“It will set a bad precedent because other departments or government agencies might follow suit, thinking, ‘It’s okay not to attend plenary debates. We can just send a representative or any high-ranking official from the agency,’” Bongalon said in filipino. Why agencies need to be present
Lawmakers emphasized that the budget sponsor is not the one who will be spending the agency’s budget, which is why a representative from the agency should be present to help explain its expenditure program. t he congressman defends the budget, but we are not the disbursing officer. We are not the ones spending the budget. We justify the budget, we defend the budget, but we are not the ones spending it,” rep. Jefferson Khonghun (Zambales, 1st District) said.
When the agency is present at the plenary, Bongalon said the budget sponsor has the
opportunity to consult with the agency head to ensure that they accurately convey its perspective when answering questions from other lawmakers. s ince the h ouse budget proceedings are scheduled to end on Wednesday, september 24, Gutierrez said the lower chamber “will be extending maximum leniency” to the oVP. the house will only determine how to handle the agency’s 2025 budget once the oVP has exhausted all its opportunities to attend, Khonghun said. What will happen if OVP doesn’t show up?
During the press conference, reporters asked lawmakers whether a reenacted budget for 2025 would be possible if the h ouse fails to pass the 2025 General Appropriations Bill (GAB) on time due to further potential delays caused by the oVP.
According to section 25 (7), Article VI of the 1987 Constitution, a reenacted budget refers to the budget of the previous fiscal year that remains in effect until Congress passes a new General Appropriations Act (GAA). this occurs only when the GAA for the following year has not been approved before the current year ends. for Khonghun, a reenacted budget will not happen because lawmakers will not allow the vice president to sabotage the house of representatives’ schedule in passing the GAB for 2025. suarez added the oVP is the only agency that “has not fully complied with the requirements of the law,” noting that all other agencies and departments have been fulfilling their duty in the process of having their respective budgets approved.
Bongalon also said that a reenacted budget would harm other departments and agencies as they might not receive the necessary budget increase to fund their programs.
t he o VP’s proposed 2025 budget was rescheduled for tuesday, september 24, but may be postponed to Wednesday, september 25, if no authorized representative appears at the session hall for its plenary debate. the oVP has requested a P2.026 billion budget for 2025, but this was slashed to P733 million by the house appropriations committee on september 11 due to issues surrounding the agency’s alleged misuse of funds. n
Vance rewrites history about Trump and Obamacare
by Julie Appleby KFF Health News
Do NALD trump could have destroyed the Affordable Care Act, but “he chose to build upon [it].” s en. JD Vance ( r - o hio) on “meet the Press,” sept. 15
s en. JD Vance ( r - o hio) on sept. 15 told viewers of NBC’s m eet the Press” that former President Donald trump built up the Affordable Care Act, even though trump could have chosen to do the opposite.
“Donald t rump had two choices,” Vance, trump’s running mate, said. “ h e could have destroyed the program, or he could actually build upon it and make it better so that Americans didn’t lose a lot of health care. he chose to build upon a plan, even though it came from his Democratic predecessor.” the remarks follow statements the former president made during his sept. 10 debate with Vice President Kamala harris in Philadelphia. trump said of the ACA, “I saved it.” the Affordable Care Act, aka o bamacare, has grown more popular as Americans have increasingly used it to gain health coverage. more than 20 million people enrolled this year in plans sold through the marketplaces it created. t hat makes the law a tricky political issue for republicans, who have largely retreated from their attempts over the past decade to repeal it.
Both Vance’s and trump’s statements are false. We contacted Vance’s campaign; it provided no additional information. But here’s a review of policies related to obamacare that trump pursued as president.
So what did Trump do with the ACA?
m ost of the t rump administration’s ACA-related actions involved cutting the program, including reducing by millions of dollars funding for marketing and enrollment assistance and backing the many failed efforts in Congress and the courts to overturn the law.
In June 2020, for example, the administration asked the supreme Court to overturn the law in a case brought by more than a dozen GoP states. the high court eventually rejected the case. t he fact the ACA survived the trump administration is a testament to the strength of the underlying statutory framework, and that the public rallied around
it,” said s abrina Corlette, codirector of the Center on health Insurance reforms at Georgetown University.
most ACA provisions took effect in 2014, during Barack obama’s presidential administration. Average premium costs, already rising when trump took office, jumped for some plans in 2018, before beginning a modest decline for the rest of his term, according to statistics from Kff, a health information nonprofit that includes Kff health News.
s ome of those increases were tied to a 2017 t rump administration decision to stop making payments to insurers, which was intended to reduce deductibles and copayments for people with low to moderate incomes. By law, though, insurers still had to offer the plans.
t wo months earlier, the Congressional Budget o ffice warned that stopping the payments could cause some insurers to leave the ACA marketplace — and that premiums would rise by 20% in the first year.
m ost states, however, let insurers make up for the lost payments by increasing monthly premiums. that had the unintended effect of boosting federal subsidies for people who buy obamacare plans, because the subsidies are tied to the cost of premiums.
“By accident, that gave people cheaper access to better coverage in the exchange plans,” said Joe Antos, a senior fellow emeritus with the American e nterprise Institute.
s ome r epublicans think trump deserves credit for this inadvertent improvement.
But Larry Levitt, K ff ’s executive vice president for health policy, said that wasn’t the trump administration’s intention.
“ t he one time when trump improved the ACA, it was an unintended consequence of an attempt to weaken it,” he said.
m eanwhile, the t rump administration expanded access to some kinds of less expensive health coverage that aren’t compliant with ACA rules, including short-term plans that generally have more restrictions on care and can leave consumers with surprise medical bills.
Democrats call the plans “junk insurance.”
Brian Blase, president of the Paragon h ealth Institute, a conservative health research group, said broader access to cheaper, less comprehensive
plans helped more people get coverage. the plans’ critics say that if they had attracted too many healthy people from ACAcompliant insurance, increases could have spiked for people who remained.
t rump also supported congressional repeal-and-replace efforts, all of which failed — including on the memorable night when s en. John m cCain (r-Ariz.) helped kill the effort with a thumbs-down vote. the trump administration never issued its own replacement plan, despite the former president’s many promises that he would. trump, during the debate with harris, said that he has “concepts of a plan” to replace obamacare and that “you’ll be hearing about it in the not-too-distant future.”
o n “ m eet the Press,” host Kristen Welker asked Vance when trump’s plan would be ready. he didn’t answer directly but said it would involve “deregulating the insurance market.”
Critics say that’s code for letting insurers do business as they did pre-ACA, when sick people could be denied coverage or charged exorbitant premiums based on preexisting conditions.
Our ruling Vance’s assertion that trump as president took steps to build upon the ACA and protect the health coverage of 20 million Americans is simply not supported by the record.
trump administration policies, for example, didn’t buttress the ACA but often undermined enrollment outreach efforts or were advanced to sabotage the insurance marketplace. Also, trump vocally supported congressional efforts to overturn the law and legal challenges to it.
By the numbers, Affordable Care Act enrollment declined by more than 2 million people during trump’s presidency, and the number of uninsured Americans rose by 2.3 million, including 726,000 children, from 2016 to 2019, according to the U.s Census Bureau. t hat includes nearly three years of trump’s presidency.
We rate Vance’s statement false.
Sources: “Meet the Press” interview with Sen. JD Vance, Sept. 15, 2024. Brookings i nstitution, “Six Ways Trump Has Sabotaged the Affordable care Act,” oct. 9, 2020. Vox, “Trump i s Slashing obamacare’s Advertising Budget
Fil-Am cop killed in pursuit crash honored...
brochures and videos, helping our City to fill the ranks of our police department with some of s an Diego’s finest,” he said.
Gloria said m achitar came from a family of public servants who were passionate about helping others, citing his grandfather, who was a member of the Us Navy, and his father, retired san Diego Deputy sheriff Chris machitar.
Addressing Chris m achitar, sDPD Chief of Police scott Wahl said, “You raised one heck of a young man and an exemplary police officer. he was such a good kid and had unlimited potential.” the memorial service opened with a prelude by pianist michael s anchez, and a welcome and opening prayer by san Diego Police Department Chaplain Chuck Price, who described machitar as “funny, humble, charismatic, generous, genuine, dependable, respected and respectful.” special tributes were also paid by sgt. Andrew schidecker, sen. s teve Padilla, cousins Julian Chanfreau and mcKenzie holt and sister Asia machitar.
“You were meant to make a difference and you did just that. It’s amazing seeing how much of a positive impact you left on everyone, you’re so missed. thank you for always checking in, thank you for the encouragement, thank you for the laughs, thank you for the friendship, and thank you for the memories. We have
the watch from here Austin, rest easy, you’re so loved,” san Diego sheriff’s office Deputy Crystal Corona said. t he service concluded after nearly three hours with a flag folding and presentation by the sDPD honor Guard, and a 21-gun salute.
o n Aug. 26 at 11:30 p.m., officer machitar was killed in a vehicle crash at the intersection of Doliva Drive and Clairemont mesa Boulevard. machitar and his partner, officer Zachary martinez, 27, were responding to the area of the fleeing suspect when the fleeing car broadsided officer machitar’s patrol vehicle at 90 mph, causing the police cruiser to be engulfed in flames.
o fficer m achitar was pronounced dead at the scene. officer martinez was taken to sharp m emorial h ospital in critical condition, but survived the crash and was present and also honored
at machitar’s service. officer martinez was released from hospital care on sept. 3. the driver of the pursuit vehicle died in the crash.
“We all miss you tremendously, Austin. It is so tragic, anger-inducing, and cosmically unfair what happened to you and Zach. I remember when you first started at Northern Division years ago. You were so eager to get involved and learn and you were always helpful and positive. truly in it for all the right reasons. the radio calls and arrests come and go in the tides of our memories, but it’s the little things that we’ll remember forever. the department, the city and our community has lost someone truly irreplaceable,” sDPD officer Nick marino said.
o fficer m achitar had served with the san Diego Police Department for over five years. he is survived by his parents and sister. (inquirer.net)
SCRUTINY. Technicians
Expanded healthcare brings hope, healing for women exiting prison or jail
Recently expanded Medi-Cal services are helping women access a wider range of support as they work to regain their footing post-incarceration.
by Peter SchurMann Ethnic Media Services
sAN frANCIsCo — eighteen
months ago, m argeret Wilson walked out of jail. A mother of five and legally blind, she faced the unimaginable challenge of rebuilding her life and that of her family post-incarceration.
recently expanded medi-Cal services mean women like Wilson can now access a wider range of support as they work to regain their footing.
“In 2021 I was arrested,” says Wilson. “After I got out on bail, I came into this program,” she continues, referring to Cameo house, a residential program for reentry women and their children located in a non-descript apartment building in san francisco’s mission District.
this place shows that not every person who is incarcerated is just a piece of paper or just someone who has no worth,” she adds.
Currently enrolled at Chabot Community College in oakland, Wilson is now working toward her bachelor’s degree in sociology. she’s also employed as a transitional housing ambassador with the non-profit five Keys, which operates shelters and homeless navigation centers in san francisco and Alameda counties.
Wilson, who has resided at Cameo house with her youngest son since her release, joined a gathering here Wednesday of representatives from community-based organizations, ethnic media journalists, as well as other formerly incarcerated women who shared their personal stories of trauma and pain but also of hope and healing.
the event, organized by ethnic m edia s ervices in partnership with the Department of healthcare s ervices, highlighted the range of newly available health services under medi-Cal for reentry women, children and families.
Nearly one million women in the United states are currently under the criminal justice system, around 10% of them behind bars with the rest either on parole or probation. A majority are women of color.
In California, there are some
3,900 women currently serving time, according to the latest figures. It is less clear how many women are currently out on probation or parole. statewide, some 458,000 individuals are either behind bars or otherwise under the criminal legal system. health data on women caught in the justice system paint an alarming picture: a majority have at least one child and are survivors of childhood abuse or trauma themselves. many also face the ongoing threat of domestic partner violence. Women in jail also report higher rates of mental health and substance use disorder than their male counterparts. “I am working on my recovery,” says s hannen Curlin, a single mom and current resident at Cameo house. “I am a couple of weeks shy of two years. I’m just trying to get my priorities in order, go to school, get my record lifted and just trying to straighten up and fly right.”
Curlin lives with her 10-yearold son. they took me in and allowed my son to come here with me. they supported me with graduating high school and starting college. they helped me clear my DUI and my record. t hey pressed me to make sure I go to my groups and that I am participating in my mental health and in my recovery.”
s tarting in 2023, California became the first state in the nation to offer federally subsidized
healthcare services to incarcerated youth and adults up to 90 days prior to their release. the Justice-Involved Initiative, aimed at easing the reentry process, is part of a broader expansion in medi-Cal services built on a “vision of healthcare that is not stuck in hospitals but goes to the communities to close the gap,” says ems Director sandy Close. especially for people who have never had access to healthcare.”
for the women at Wednesday’s event, housing was the number one issue, one not typically linked to public health. And yet medi-Cal enrollees can now receive housing navigation services covered as a benefit under the program.
my doctor referred me to a case manager,” explains Wilson. “And they help with housing. so, I met the gentleman… and he let me know that my medi-Cal was inactive, and that I had to get this taken care of because it’s what pays for all the services.”
Wilson shared that she’s since continued to meet with her case manager as she prepares to transition out of Cameo house.
tina Curiel runs communications for the Center on Juvenile and Criminal Justice, which operates Cameo house. “It is one of san francisco’s only alternative sentencing housing programs that women and children can live in and for that long. It is unique in that way.”
PAGE 5
How to fight rising imposter...
all, according to ftC and Better Business Bureau estimates.
“this is just the tip of the iceberg,” said emma fletcher, senior data researcher at the ftC at a friday, september 20 ethnic media services briefing about imposter scams. “Behind those numbers are people who’ve lost tens and hundreds of thousands of dollars. We’re really concerned about the volume of reports we’re getting on scams that take it all. People have emptied their bank accounts, even their retirement accounts.”
over the past few years, reported losses to business and government impersonation scams have skyrocketed nearly fourfold.
$175 million was lost to government impersonators in 2020 compared to $618 million in 2023, and $195 million was lost to business impersonators in 2020 compared to $751 million in 2023.
scam tactics and stories
“this tremendous increase in reports from people who’ve lost enormous sums of money is tied to very concerning changes in the tactics these scammers are using,” said fletcher.
these scams often involve bank transfer methods like Zelle, or cryptocurrency payment methods like Bitcoin Atms, which are referred to by many scammers as “federal safety lockers.”
o ne reporter attending the briefing, sunita sohrabji, shared a personal example.
“my daughter tried to sell her bike via facebook marketplace,” sohrabji said. “It was her first time selling anything, and someone messaged her saying they wanted to buy the bike, and that they’d pay through Zelle, but that she first had to establish a Zelle business account and put $400 in an account they’d sent her, which would be refunded once the transaction was made. of course, that never happened.”
“With the endless daily time-sensitive messages, emails, deliveries, due dates and service invoices we already get, especially in the media, there are so many you have to resist and double-check nowadays,” added elena Kuznetsova, a reporter for slavic sacramento.”
“there have been congressional hearings about Zelle and the role of financial institutions when fraud occurs,” said Kati Daffan, assistant director of the ftC Division of marketing Practices. “It’s an open question right now. We encourage people to report it to us and their bank. If they’re unhappy
with how their bank handles it, they can also file a report with the Consumer financial Protection Bureau.”
Per a new ftC Impersonation rule in effect since April, pretending to represent or be endorsed by a government or business is explicitly a violation, enabling the ftC file federal court cases seeking to return money to victims and enact civil penalties against scammers.
“In our first case using the new rule, somebody pretending to be affiliated with the U.s. Department of education would tell people: ‘this is a time sensitive notice, and you can get tax-free loan forgiveness,’ to entice consumers to call them,” said Daffan. then the telemarketers, claiming to be affiliated with the government, would convince people to sign up for a debt relief program and collect hundreds of dollars in illegal upfront fees,” she continued. “our case is ongoing.”
Daffan added that telltale signs of a scammer include urging the victim to act immediately; asking them to lie to someone, like a bank teller or broker; threatening them with arrest or deportation; and telling them not to hang up before money is withdrawn or transferred.
Also trending are “tag-team” scams blurring the line between business and government impersonation.
these scams typically start out impersonating a business; say, your bank saying there’s suspicious charges on your account,” said f letcher. “But when you respond, the situation escalates rapidly. Your accounts are at risk, so they connect you with a government agency. the aim is to create a sense of heightened alarm, to make it difficult to think clearly, recognize the scam, and hang up the phone.”
f urthermore, many scams now involve victims who believe they’re protecting their money from entities who want it.
“If you believe you’re paying someone, you’re going to be cautious about giving all you have. But if you believe you’re protecting your money, you’re more likely to empty your account, and these scammers will position themselves as someone informing you of this problem and helping you resolve it,” fletcher continued. “they’re not necessarily posing as the aggressor anymore.” there are many misconceptions about who’s impacted by scams,” she added. “they’re not, say, less
intelligent or greedy. It’s really important to put those ideas to rest, because they’re barriers to people being receptive to messages about how to avoid scams … It’s people of all ages, people you know in your community.” the ftC found in 2021 that adults aged 18 to 59 were 34% more likely to report losing money to fraud than older adults, with a median loss of $500. however, older adults reported much higher median losses: $800 for those in their 70s, and $1,500 for those 80 and over.
“I’m always telling my audience: please be aware. Don’t do this. I’m 69 with 43 years of experience in journalism, and I fell in their hands completely,” said Celina rodríguez, a journalist who got a call two years ago from scammers impersonating Bank of America.
“they said I bought an iPhone, and was it really me? It was so embarrassing having to explain
‘No,’” she said. “I was in a rush, I had to do a radio program, and I was panicking. I let them into my computer and sent money to them fortunately, Bank of America helped me shut my computer down, had I t come turn it on in a safe way and I changed my passwords.” the way they get you involved is amazing,” rodriguez added.
“We’re so vulnerable now. even though we’re on top of things every day, we are human beings and any of us can become psychological targets.” those experiencing fraud can report it and find next steps at reportfraud.ftc.gov. (Selen ozturk/ Ethnic Media Services)
Date Time Location
Oktubre 23 10:30 AM – 7:00 P.M. Aliante Library, 2400 W. Deer Springs Way, NLV 89084
Oktubre 19 – Oktubre 20
Oktubre 21 – Oktubre 24
Oktubre 25 – Oktubre 27
Oktubre 19 – Oktubre 31 Nobyembre 1 9:00 AM – 7:00 P.M. 9:00 AM – 8:00 P.M.
Mga Lugar ng Maagang Pagboto sa Lungsod ng North Las Vegas na Bukas sa Buong Panahon ng 2-Linggong Maagang Pagboto:
Oktubre 28 – Oktubre 31 Nobyembre 1 Sarado 8:00 AM – 5:00 P.M. Sarado 8:00 AM – 5:00 P.M. Sarado City Hall, 2250 Las Vegas Boulevard North, NLV 89030
Springs Town Center, EVENT TENT, 640 E. Deer Springs Way, NLV 89084, Parking Lot near Home Depot
Oktubre 19 – Oktubre 31 Nobyembre 1 9:00 AM – 7:00 P.M. 9:00 AM – 8:00 P.M. LVAC- Las Vegas Athletic Club, EVENT TENT, Parking Lot, 6050 N. Decatur Blvd., NLV 89031
Oktubre 19 – Oktubre 31 Nobyembre 1 9:00 AM – 7:00 P.M. 9:00 AM – 8:00 P.M. CRAIG RANCH
Oktubre 19 – Oktubre 25 9:00 AM – 6:00 P.M.
Oktubre 21 9:00 AM – 6:00 PM Albertsons,
Oktubre 29
Oktubre 29 – Oktubre 30 9:00 AM – 6:00 P.M. Silver Mesa Recreation Center, 4025 Allen Lane, NLV 89032
Oktubre 31
Nobyembre 1 9:00 AM – 5:00 P.M. 9:00 AM – 7:00 P.M. Skyview YMCA, 3050 E. Centennial Pkwy., NLV 89081
Oktubre 22 9:00 A. M. - 6:00 P.M. Sun City Aliante Community Center, 7390 Aliante Pkwy., NLV 89084
ang sinabi) sa mga sumusunod na lokasyon ng North Las Vegas: Ang mga sumusunod na sentro ng pagboto ay magbubukas sa North Las Vegas sa araw ng Pangkalahatang Halalan:
Mga Lokasyon ng Sentro ng Pagboto sa Araw ng Pangkalahatang Halalan Nobyembre 5, 2024 • 7:00 AM hanggang 7:00 PM
Findlay, Clifford O. (Pete) Middle School, 333 W. Tropical Pkwy., NLV 89031
Bridger, Jim Middle School, 2505 N. Bruce St., NLV 89030
Cram, Brian and Teri Middle School, 1900 W. Deer Springs Way, NLV 89084
*Deer Springs Town Center, (Near Home Depot) 640 E. Deer Springs Way, NLV 89084
Dickens, DL “Dusty” Elementary School, 5550 Milan Peak St., NLV 89081
*Craig Ranch Park / Parking Lot, 628 W. Craig Rd., NLV 89032
*LVAC Las Vegas Athletic Club- North, Parking Lot, 6050 N. Decatur Blvd., NLV 89031
Pearson, Dr. William U. Community Center, 1625 W. Carey Ave., NLV 89032
Sedway, Marvin Middle School, 3465 Englestad Street, NLV 89032
Swainston, Theron Middle School, 3500 W. Gilmore Ave., NLV 89032
Wolfe, Eva Elementary School, 4027 W. Washburn Rd., NLV 89031
North Las Vegas City Hall, 2250 Las Vegas Blvd. North, NLV 89030
Simmons, Eva G. Elementary School, 2328 Silver Cloud Dr., NLV 89031
Sun City Aliante Community Center, 7390 Aliante Pkwy., NLV 89084
College of Southern Nevada (NLV Campus), 3200 E. Cheyenne Ave., NLV 89030 City Council Ward 2 4-Year Term Ruth Garcia Anderson Robert “Twixx”
Expanded healthcare brings hope, healing for...
residents –around 15 women and their children currently – can remain for up to 18 months. to hear statistics of women and children, there’s like a few thousand per each bed available in san francisco,” notes Curiel. so, it’s ridiculously underfunded, these types of programs.” o ther speakers included Janelle Buccat, program manager with the occupational ther-
apy training Program in s an francisco, and michelle Alvarez, program director with Instituto familiar de la raza. Alvarez described how her organization uses medi-Cal dollars to fund “wellness activities” for low-income families, including kayaking trips on the san francisco Bay and visits to nearby m uir Woods. for families and kids “struggling with anxiety, depression, or worrying about
how to pay rent,” she adds, such activities are a balm for their mental well-being. Charity harris is program director with Cameo house. “this is a second family for me,” she told the gathering. “this work gave me purpose at a time in my life when I lost purpose.” s he continued, “ s eeing the impact of the criminal justice system on these families inspired me to come forward.”
Vance rewrites history about Trump...
3 by 90%,” Aug. 31, 2017. center on Budget and Policy Priorities, “Trump Administration Has cut Navigator Funding by o ver 80 Percent Since 2016,” Sept. 13, 2018. The New York Times, ‘Trump Administration Asks Supreme court To Strike Down Affordable care Act,” June 26, 2020. constitutional Accountability center, Texas v. United States, accessed Sept. 16, 2024.
Harvard T.H. c han School of Public Health, “Quantifying Health coverage Losses Under Trump,” Nov. 3, 2020. center on Budget and Policy Priorities, “Uninsured rate rose Again in 2019, Further Eroding Earlier Progress,” Sept. 15, 2020.
U.S. c ensus Bureau, Health i nsurance Historical Tables, revised Aug. 22, 2024.
KFF, Marketplace Average Benchmark Premiums, accessed Sept. 16, 2024. Brookings i nstitution, “The c ase for r eplacing ‘Silver Loading,’” May 20, 2021. KFF Health News, “Trump Administration Loosens restrictions on Short-Term Health Plans,” Aug. 1, 2018. The New York Times, “Biden Administration Finalizes r ule curbing Use of Short-Term Health Plans,” March 28, 2024. Telephone interview, Sabrina corlette, co-director of the center on Health reforms at Georgetown University, Sept. 16, 2024. Telephone interview, Joe Antos, senior fellow emeritus, American Enterprise i nstitute, Sept. 16, 2024. Email correspondence, Brian Blase, president of the Paragon Health institute, Sept. 16, 2024.
Email correspondence, Larry Levitt, KFF executive vice president for health policy, Sept. 18, 2024. congressional Budget office, “The Effects of Terminating Payments for c ost-Sharing reductions,” Aug. 15, 2017. USA Today, “Trump To End c ost-Sharing Subsidies to insurance companies,” oct. 12, 2017.
New York magazine, “Vance: Trump’s Health-care Plan is To Let i nsurers c harge More for Preexisting c onditions,” Sept. 17, 2024. KFF Health News is a national newsroom that produces indepth journalism about health issues and is one of the core operating programs at KFF—an independent source of health policy research, polling, and journalism.
LOCAL ECONOMY. Raymart Dahang, a 25-year-old boatman, makes a living out of transporting tourists to and from the Sunken Cemetery, photographed on Saturday, Sept. 21 while waiting for his guests. The tourist attraction with the giant cross is also a site for snorkeling. PNA photo by Robert Oswald P. Alfiler
OPiniOn FeAtures
The 44th inmate
As of the close of regular office hours in government late Monday afternoon, September 23, Alice Guo remained in a cell with 43 other inmates at the Pasig City Jail. The dismissed mayor of Bamban, Tarlac was transferred to the city jail female dormitory from the Custodial Center of the Philippine National Police at Camp Crame on orders of the Pasig City Regional Trial Court Branch 167, where Guo faces trial for qualified human trafficking, a non-bailable offense.
Guo’s camp, claiming threats to her life, wants her to stay at the PNP Custodial Center. her transfer to the Pasig jail, which is under the Bureau of Jail management and Penology, was briefly stalled when she was tested for suspected tuberculosis infection in her left lung. When the test result came out negative, she was moved to the BJmP facility.
Editorial
BJmP officials have given assurance that inmates are safe in the local jails and Guo need not fear for her safety in the Pasig female dormitory. Both the BJmP and PNP are under the Department of the Interior and Local Government. their detention facilities should be sufficiently secure to prevent escapes, while allowing for the humane treatment of inmates.
there’s no guarantee that Guo would be safer or more secure at Camp Crame, headquarters of the PNP, even if its chief and the DILG secretary posed for a selfie with her in Indonesia. highrisk detainees including kidnappers and drug traffickers have broken out of Camp Crame
t here is that old saying “curiosity can kill a cat” – and in our country, too much politics could ultimately kill all of us. As the may 2025 midterm election draws near with the filing of certificates of candidacy just around the corner, we can expect shifts in the political landscape with new party coalitions or alliances, realignments and even defections to happen.
While senate and congressional hearings continue to take centerstage with filipinos riveted to the tV or the screens of their smart gadgets waiting for the latest episode of the Alice PoGuo story, let’s not lose sight of the fact that we are faced with so many serious challenges that can potentially impact the future of our country and people.
In the 2024 World risk report published two weeks ago by the Germany-based Bündnis entwicklung hilft and the ruhr University Bochum-Institute for International Law of Peace and Armed Conflict, the Philippines topped the list of countries that are most at-risk to extreme natural events and negative climate change, followed by Indonesia, India, Colombia, mexico, myanmar, mozambique, r ussia and Bangladesh with Pakistan at number 10. this is the third time in a row that the Philippines has topped the report’s “World risk Index” that breaks down the disaster risks of 193 United Nations member-states based on their
detention in the past years. In 2012 following a string of jailbreaks from police detention facilities around the country, a memorandum from the PNP chief at the time, Nicanor Bartolome, had noted that the Custodial Center at Camp Crame was already congested due to a rising number of high-risk inmates committed there. t he memorandum pointed out that the Custodial Center is used only as “a temporary lock-up facility for persons under custodial investigation…”
In being cleared of tB, Guo lost an excuse to seek detention in her own cell, or better yet, “hospital arrest” – a favorite tack of VIP inmates who want to avoid incarceration in a crowded regular jail. she might yet complain of pain in her other lung. And she still has a long string of body parts that can be tested for illness requiring long hospital confinement. to foil attempts at special jailbird treatment, the PNP and BJmP must ensure that their regular jails are sufficiently equipped to keep all inmates secure. (Philstar.com)
Politics could ultimately kill the cat
“exposure to natural hazards, the vulnerability of the population and the coping and adaptive capacities of societies.”
According to the report, climate change is “increasing the frequency and intensity of extreme natural events, leaving less and less time for regeneration. As soon as one disaster is overcome, the next threat is already looming.”
With the Philippines getting hit by an average of 20 typhoons every year that also result in massive flooding in many parts of the country, the impact has been devastating, with the displacement of hundreds of thousands of families, damage to infrastructure and agriculture worth billions of pesos that could ultimately affect the economy.
A recent example was super typhoon enteng (international name Yagi) that cut a swathe of destruction in its wake, causing massive flooding and landslides, cancellation of classes and disruption of power supply and telecommunication services.
According to the National Disaster r isk r eduction and management Council, damage to infrastructure across six regions in the country is estimated at P700 million, with agricultural losses estimated at over P650 million.
seeing the devastation caused by typhoon e nteng and the bare forests in many areas, the President said government must have stricter implementation of laws against illegal logging because this has become a matter of “life and death.”
Another cause for concern is a recent study made by the University of the Philippines
resilience Institute titled “Ground subsidence in major Philippine metropolitan cities from 2014 to 2020” that highlights the threat of “gradual sinking or sudden collapse” faced by metro m anila and other urban areas due to “excessive groundwater extraction, rapid urbanization and natural sediment compaction, exacerbated by climate change through rising sea levels.”
A major result of the study reveals the significant ground subsidence in Iloilo with rates reaching as high as nine millimeters per year – no doubt exacerbated by groundwater extraction.
In a business column over a decade ago, I remember writing about the excessive extraction of groundwater that is causing cities to sink slowly, with overpopulated areas like metro manila at high risk due to the overwhelming demand for water for drinking, bathing and other needs. the situation was also aggravated by the construction of deep wells by private subdivision owners and businesses whose operations require large amounts of water.
As early as then, several areas aside from metro manila were identified as water critical; among them are Baguio, Davao, m etro Cebu, Cagayan de o ro, Bacolod, Angeles in Pampanga and Iloilo.
Aside from climate change and natural disasters, one other problem that impacts future generations is quality education. this was highlighted in a U-report survey conducted by the UNIC ef that showed climate change, natural disasters and education being the top
concerns among the 3,000 survey respondents. the very low ranking of the Philippines (bottom four among 64 countries) in the Program for International s tudent Assessment (PI s A) that tested the creative thinking abilities of students underscores the need to improve the country’s educational system, with filipino students ranked as among the world’s weakest in math, science and reading which are considered basic or fundamental competencies.
A lot of hope is riding on the shoulders of education secretary sonny Angara who, I’m glad, is on the right track, starting with an increase in the salary of teachers, with plans to incorporate coding
in the curriculum and utilize technology that would allow teachers to concentrate on the job of teaching instead of being burdened by administrative work.
“We are working to incorporate coding into our curriculum and are utilizing educational technology, such as analytics, to assess learners in real-time.
t his will allow teachers to focus more on teaching and less on administrative tasks, ultimately improving the quality of education,” secretary Angara said during the most recent Philippines-singapore Business and Investment summit. externally, the Philippines is facing the most serious challenge to our sovereignty and existence
as a free country – not because of climate change or rising sea levels – but by force coming from a foreign country claiming large portions of our territory.
Climate change, defense and security, low quality of education – these are just a few of the issues that our political leaders must seriously tackle as these could impact the future of our country –because undoubtedly, too much politics could ultimately “kill the cat.” (Philstar.com)
* * * The opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by the author do not necessarily reflect the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints of the Asian Journal, its management, editorial board and staff.
* * * babeseyeview@gmail.com
As a diabetic, I worry about the future of my health care under Donald trump for myself, for my family, and for my filipino community.
I am a beneficiary of the Bidenharris $35 a month insulin cap, and it has changed my life. I went from paying $450 a month to $35 a month. But Donald trump wants to reverse all of that progress. he wants to take away our right to health care for his own personal gain.
h is intentions were made incredibly clear on the debate stage last week when he doubled
down on his plans to drag us into the past - saying once again he is “absolutely” going to overturn the Affordable Care Act - meaning higher health care costs for all of us, and tens of thousands Nevadans could lose their access to health care.
Donald trump has never had to worry a day in his life about affording medication or whether he could take his kid to the doctor and still afford to put food on the table. You can’t really understand that panic and the life-threatening impacts of not having reliable healthcare unless you’ve lived it. But I have.
I was diagnosed with Covid at the height of the pandemic in 2021. I spent three weeks in the ICU, and I was subsequently
diagnosed with type 2 Diabetes. the diagnosis changed my life. each day I was afforded was a gift when I feared for my life.
so now I am doing all I can to ensure we elect leaders who believe what I believe: health care is a right, not a privilege - it can literally be the difference between life and death.
If Donald trump gets reelected, I don’t know how people in my community and my family would pay for my health insurance or doctors visits because their care relies on the Affordable Care Act. Not only that, but Donald t rump also degrades our community and calls us names. he is working for himself, not the filipino community.
Donald trump’s Project 2025 agenda would gut programs
like the Affordable Care Act and m edicare. h is Project 2025 agenda would jack up health care costs, including prescription drug prices, and threaten coverage for people with preexisting conditions.
When I watched h arris and trump debate, I saw two versions of my future: one with trump and his Project 2025 agenda, where I live in fear every day of getting sick or having something happen to a loved one – and one with Vice President h arris and her New Way forward, where my health care is protected and I can better make ends meet.
Vice President harris showed me on the debate stage exactly how she’ll be as president –someone who puts the American people first.
she held trump accountable for his threats to our essential health care and now we have to do our part to make sure he never gets back into the White house again.
Vice President harris knows what it’s like for people like us. that’s why she helped expand health care for millions of Americans alongside President Biden and helped lower the price of prescription medications, including capping the cost of insulin at $35 a month for seniors.
When we elect her and Governor Walz, they will continue fighting to protect my health care, lower drug costs even more, and make it easier for every Nevadan to get the care they need.
s o with ballots arriving any day now in our mailboxes and early voting starting in just a few weeks here in Nevada, now is the time to put in the work. Let’s tell all our friends, family, and neighbors to get registered now and make a plan to vote. We need to volunteer, get the word out, and do everything we can to protect our healthcare, our freedoms, and our country from Donald trump.
mANILA — the office of the Vice President has confirmed a report that Vice President sara Duterte met with her predecessor, maria Leonor robredo, during the Peñafrancia festival in Naga City on friday, september 20 but a spokesman for robredo described the meeting as "personal." the report by an online news website claimed that Duterte met with robredo to seek her support amid challenges in her office.
In a statement issued on friday night, the oVP said that Duterte
m ANILA — t he brother of
michael Yang, Yang Jianxin, on tuesday, september 24, admitted being born in China and assuming a f ilipino identity to operate businesses in the Philippines. Despite being in the Philippines for around 26 years, Jianxin spoke little to no english and filipino, needing an interpreter for the senate hearing.
Jianxin said he was born in fujian, China, and it was his maternal grandfather who arranged his move to the Philippines.
“ t he initial intention of my grandfather is for me to start a business here, that’s why I use english names so that I can also apply for business permits for other documentations that will be needed
DAteline PhiliPPines
him. some senators questioned the supposed coup against escudero, with senator ronald "Bato" dela rosa saying that the issue only disturbed their "quiet life." he said no one is circulating a resolution for the senators to sign to expel escudero from the senate leadership.
was "excited to experience her first ever Peñafrancia festival," upon the invitation of an unnamed Bicolano "friend."
t he friend, the o VP said, was the one who arranged the meeting with robredo, which was described as "casual."
It also said that Duterte met with prominent Bicol personalities and heard mass with regular Bicolanos.
"she neither looked desperate nor distressed," the oVP said to belie reports about how Duterte looked during the visit.
robredo's spokesman, Ibarra Gutierrez, confirmed the meeting between the two on friday, but described it as "personal" and not
senator Cynthia Villar clarified that she was not "involved" in the coup plot, while senator Loren Legarda insisted that she had no idea about it. n
"political."
In a post on X (formerly twitter) on s aturday, s eptember 21, Gutierrez said Duterte's visit to robredo's home in Naga City was "sudden."
she [Duterte] suddenly went to her [robredo's] home all of a sudden. she was politely accepted. they talked, but not about politics. It was just a simple conversation and not a meeting. then she left. end of conversation," Gutierrez said in filipino. he said while he disagreed with the politics of Duterte, he thought it was right that her predecessor welcomed her politely. hindi tayo bastos," (We are not rude.) Gutierrez added. n
er” Jumalon and Cresenciano Bundoquin.
m ANILA — t he government is “doubling down” on its duty to protect f ilipino journalists and uphold press freedom in the country, President f erdinand m arcos Jr. said on friday, s eptember 20.
“ t hey are not just names in a report; they are faces with families, colleagues and communities that grieve their loss,”
m arcos said.
for the business,” Jianxin said in Chinese, translated into english by interpreter Carolyn Batay. sen. risa hontiveros presented Jianxin’s Philippine birth certificate. Like in the case of former Bamban mayor Alice Guo, Jianxin’s birth was registered late at the Philippine statistics Authority. Despite being born in 1970, Jianxin’s birth certificate was only issued in 2004. he would have been 34 years old by the time he got a Philippine birth certificate. the name on Jianxin’s birth certificate is Antonio Lim, and his place of birth was listed in misamis oriental. Documents from hontiveros’ office, however, showed that the place of birth listed in Jianxin’s
other IDs are different.
the birthplace listed on Jianxin’s tIN is Cagayan de oro.
“You have profited from changing your name and nationality here,” hontiveros said. Jianxin was detained at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport by the Bureau of Immigration on september 19.
he is the owner of steel company Phil sanjia Corporation, which faces complaints from its employees for its failure to pay their government benefits.
Jianxin is the brother of michael, the former economic advisor of former president rodrigo Duterte. Yang has also been tagged in the Phramally scandal of the previous adminsitration. n
In his speech at the 50th anniversary of the Publishers Association of the Philippines Inc., m arcos acknowledged the role of the organization as “vigilant” vanguards of communities and “tireless” defenders of press freedom.
“We celebrate not just the pages that you have printed, but the values you upheld with every word, every story and every truth you fought hard to tell,” the president said.
“After all, the true measure of journalism is not just about telling stories and writing headlines, it is about standing firm even when the ground beneath you begins to shake,” he said.
m arcos also paid tribute to f ilipino journalists who were killed in the last two years, including Percival “Percy Lapid” m abasa, Juan “DJ Johnny Walk -
“All our efforts to bring them justice are a testament to the belief that no story, however dangerous, is too small or too insignificant to be told,” he said.
t he Philippines slipped two places on the World Press freedom Index for 2024 by Paris-based organization reporters Without Borders, ranking 134th out of 180 countries and territories.
m arcos also emphasized the crucial role played by journalists in the fight against “a different kind of enemy.”
m isinformation, cyber libel threats, the relentless pressures of the digital age have added layers of complexity in ensuring press freedom. e very post, every share, every careless click – these are the new battlegrounds,” the president said.
f rom the anonymous troll farms to the deliberate spread of conspiracy theories, this fight has evolved far beyond
the newsroom, it is now in the palm of every hand that scrolls through social media,” he said. m arcos said journalists have the duty to protect the sanctity of facts even as he urged media workers not to waver in the face of challenges.
“Let us stand together for truth,” he said.
t he government, he said, has initiated the media and information literacy campaign to equip the public, especially the youth, with the skills to critically evaluate the information they consume to help fight misinformation and disinformation. together, let us foster responsible journalism, for we know that more than a democratic ideal, it is a necessity for an informed and empowered citizenry to make the proper, intelligent, well-informed decisions about their leaders, about their situation, about their condition,” the chief executive said.
“As we mark this golden milestone, I urge you to keep pushing the boundaries of what it means to be a journalist. Innovate. Adapt. But never compromise your principles,” he said. n
VEGAS&STYLE Journal
Pia Wurtzbach
by hAnnAh mAllorCA Inquirer.net
PIA Wurtzbach is among the celebrities and models who set the “Walk Your Worth” show at Paris fashion Week on fire, as she became the first filipina to prance on the runway held by a french cosmetics brand.
Wurtzbach sizzled the runway in a body-hugging black off-shoulder midi dress with pink detachable sleeves in L’oreal’s “Le Défilé
‘Walk Your Worth” show, which was held at the Place de l’opéra in Paris, f rance, on s ept. 23 (early morning of sept. 24 in the Philippines).
the cosmetic brand’s serum, liquid foundation, newly launched mascara, and liquid lipstick completed her look.
t he m iss Universe 2015 titleholder graced the catwalk with her signature smize before finishing with a radiant smile.
Also part of the show were Kendall Jenner, e va Longoria, Viola Davis, Jane fonda, Cara Delevingne, “Bridgerton” star simone Ashley, miss World 1994 Aishwarya rai, and miss Universe 2016 Iris m ittenaere, among others.
h ours before the fashion show, the former beauty queen also shared behind-the-scenes glimpses of her experience on Instagram.
“Just a few more hours before it’s showtime…but first, an obligatory balcony shot! sharing a few snaps at the suite and me signing some polaroids. It’s the calm before the storm. But I’m ready,” she wrote. Wurtzbach, who’s now a fashion Week regular, was announced as part of the fashion show as the ambassador of the cosmetics brand’s local branch. she was also the face of its’ “sayang? No,
#ImWorthIt” campaign in march 2024. t he beauty queen-turnedfashion personality’s recent
milestone comes fresh off the heels of her appearance in multiple shows at the recent milan fashion Week in Italy.
PoPULAr "Pinoy Big Brother"
host and actress Alexa Ilacad could not escape taking a closer look at what motherhood is all about while shooting the family drama "mujigae," which opens in cinemas on october 9.
A cross-cultural narrative, Ilacad plays sunny in the film, a woman tasked with caring for her half-Korean niece named mujigae after the child's mother passes away. t he 24-year-old celebrity admitted at a media conference that she could relate to her role's hesitation to look after a kid, confessing that she was not particularly fond of children in real life for the longest time. that was until I had my own nieces. honestly, they changed my life," Ilacad said in filipino. Working closely with child actress r yrie s ophia further helped her get comfortable with little ones.
"After working with r yrie, I realized that children are actually cute and fun to be around. I especially like ryrie; I find her so fun to be with. she's so mature and were like friends on set," she added.
reflecting on her experience filming the movie, Ilacad said she realized the many challenges of motherhood.
"my main takeaway is that it's really hard to be a mother. It takes so much selflessness. It made me ask myself, 'Could I ever do this?'" she pondered. however, Ilacad emphasized that becoming a mother has yet to be part of her immediate plans.
"It's not something I'm thinking about right now. I want to focus on my career. I have big dreams, like saving more money and achieving stability. But maybe one day, if I'm stable enough and have the right partner, I will consider having a family," she noted.
Joining Ilacad in the cast of m ujigae is Korean actor Kim
the same makers of the awardwinning 2003 s haron Cunetastarrer, "Crying Ladies." t he film will be released exclusively in sm Cinemas on o ctober 9. (ManilaTimes.net)
ChArmie
t he cast members of the film “maple Leaf Dreams” have expressed their admiration for overseas filipino Workers (ofWs) who are hailed as the “modern-day heroes.”
In the movie, lead actors Kira Balinger and LA santos portrayed molly and macky, a couple who move to toronto to seek better jobs. they made sacrifices to leave their homes to provide for their families. Along the way, they experience personal, professional and cultural setbacks that test their decision and their love.
t he tearjerker “ m aple Leaf Dreams,” helmed by Benedict mique (“Lolo and the Kid”), also includes the cast members Joey marquez, snooky serna, ricky Davao, m alou Crisologo, Jong Cuenco, Jeff Gaitan, hannah thalia Vito, Luke Alford, Kanishia santos, Benito mique, Wilson martinito and Bea rose santiago.
eighty percent of the film was shot on location in Canada. While filming, Kira and LA were able to meet with and immerse themselves in the ofW community in Canada, and the experience opened their eyes and hearts to the realities of how it was like living and working there.
“It is really a big deal for you to be present for your loved ones,” declared LA during the presscon after the red Carpet Premiere of the film at the Gateway Cinema. “All of us is going through something that’s why saying just a simple ‘I love you’ or ‘how are you?’ is already a big deal. I hope the moviegoers will have this as takeaway from the film, that they will tell their crush, ‘I love you’ (after watching).”
t he s tar m agic actor also showed his respect for ofWs. he said, “Bilib na bilib ako sa inyo. You really deserve the world because never kayong nabigyan ng justice, never kayong naintindihan ng mga tao. Tingin lang ng mga tao sa inyo pera ka they think you can do this and that and it’s easy but it’s not.”
“I just wanna say I really admire you guys. the people don’t see how you work hard just to buy a pair of shoes for your siblings or your children.” LA wished that the viewers would
like the film because he accepted the movie project and his role as macky to pay tribute to the filipinos and ofWs. this is not for me, (it’s) not (because) I wanted to be an actor. I did macky because I want to give voice to the ofWs and I want them to know that they are appreciated,” he asserted.
Kira echoed, “I have so much respect for the ofWs. I have family members who are ofWs and my message to them, to all the ofWs who will watch our movie, keep going. Like I know it is so hard but you have those dreams, you have all those goals that you want to achieve.
“And you deserve to achieve those dreams so please keep on going. Because when you feel like you want to give up na, tapos ka na, ayaw mo na, that’s when the breakthrough is almost about to happen. the Lord is just testing you if you are going to pursue it, if you are strong enough for the dreams that you have. so keep going, keep your family in your heart always and pray also.”
Bea, who is now based in Canada, recalled that she also experienced waiting to get a permanent resident status in Canada.
“I also lost my lolo. It was painful and hard,” she added. “that’s my takeaway (from the film). to all who have family members who are ofWs, they are not money machines. they are also going through rocky times.”
Kanishia, for her part, shared that she empathized with the ofWs. relating to the film, she said, “I felt how they miss their families back home and losing their family members. I saw and felt the ofWs
(hardship and pain) and also their families.”
h annah, on the other hand, lauded the acting performance of Kira and LA. “I was moved and even cried. somehow, the movie resonated with me because it’s not just about working abroad but also being independent in general — having to work, live by yourself without your family. People romanticized it a lot but it’s really a difficult process when it comes to having to be yourself.”
“ t he life of of Ws is really tough,” Jong pointed out. “Plus, of course, based on my character in the movie, you could really see the difference in social standing. In the film, Joey’s character is my relative. But the way I treated him because only I was a bit more moneyed than him so you could really see the difference in society and then it forces someone to leave para lang ma-improve yung buhay nung tatay niya. hopefully we get that message across.”
m aple Leaf Dreams” will be screened in local theaters nationwide starting today, sept. 25, and in major cities in Canada on sept. 27. the story is co-written by direk Benedict and hannah Cruz. It is produced by 7K entertainment, Lonewolf films and ABs-CBN’s star magic, and distributed by Quantum films in the Philippines and robe entertainment in Canada. f or their performances for maple Leaf Dreams,” Kira and LA were nominated Best Actress and Best Actor, respectively, at the recently-concluded sinag maynila 2024. Benedict and h annah also earned nomination for Best screenplay.
theAtre star Lea salonga emphatically said no when she was asked about her being named as a National Artist.
salonga, who recently had her own madame tussauds wax figure in singapore, would instead like to champion Dolphy as one of the country's National Artists.
"No, no, no. No, there are folks who are far more deserving and whose National Artist Awards are long overdue," she said during the ambush interview with the press including Philstar.com after the award ceremony of the Gawad CCP Para sa sining 2024 held on friday, september 20 in samsung theater in Circuit makati.
salonga was feted for her body of work and accomplishments in theater. the Broadway star is a tony- and Laurence olivier awardee, as well as a nominee of the Grammy Awards. Beyond theater, salonga was named a Disney legend in 2011 for work in some of Disney's well-loved titles, including mulan" and "Aladdin."
"I would love to see somebody like Dolphy, for example, it is because we have to judge him as an artist for his body of work," the Broadway legend said.
"And he has contributed so much, even the movies where he's crossdressing, it lends so much tolerance and so much acceptance for the LGBt community," she added.
the late Dolphy started his career as early as the Bodabil (vaudeville) days during the Japanese occupation in the country in the 1940s. he also dabbled into radio and transitioned to making films and tV shows.
Dolphy was known as the "King of Comedy," starring in the movie "facifica falayfay" and tV shows and their spin-offs of the same name, "home Along Da riles" and "John en marsha."
rIA Atayde is officially a mom with the birth of her first child six months after tying the knot with husband Zanjoe marudo in march.
m arudo announced on facebook that Atayde gave birth to their first child on monday, sept. 23. he didn’t disclose any more details about his wife’s birth, save for a video clip of a baby in a carriage being pushed by a nurse at an undisclosed hospital.
the video also contained the text, “09.23.24,” referring to the birth date of their child.
eto na! officially Zaddy ka na Z (Here you go! You’re officially a Zaddy, Z),” he wrote.
the actor also shared the same video on his Instagram s tory. Atayde reposted her husband’s short video on her Instagram story as well.
While details on the couple’s first child are yet to be disclosed to the public, an ABs-CBN News report said the actress gave birth early morning of sept. 23.
Atayde and marudo said “I do” in a civil ceremony witnessed
‘Maple Leaf Dreams,’ lead actors Kira Balinger and LA Santos portray Molly and
Lea Salonga
Photo from leasalonga.com
Ji soo, who plays Ji seong, the father of five-year-old mujigae. Kim, who is signed with GmA Network's sparkle Artists Center, adds a cross-cultural dimension to the film with his portrayal of a struggling single father in Korea. It also stars comedian rufa mae Quinto in a special role. m ujigae is directed by randolph Longjas and produced by Unitel s traight s hooters,
Comedy was Dolphy's strength, but he was also a serious actor that tackled relevant and social issues in films like "markova: Comfort Gay," which was among the entries to the 2000 metro manila film festival.
Dolphy died on July 10, 2012 at the age of 83. even if that was not his intention at the time, that was an effect, an after effect that I don't think he could have foreseen, but that's just an example of why I think he should be heralded first," Lea said. so, hopefully I'll be given the opportunity to champion him," she concluded.
by their loved ones in Quezon City hall last march. the actress confirmed her pregnancy three months
GMA Network’s ‘Firefly’ wins silver in Content Asia Awards ‘24
My P.E.P. (People, Events,Places)
rogelio constantino medina
B ro ADCA st media giant
GmA Network earned top honors for the Philippines at the Content Asia Awards 2024.
s ecret s laves: t he Jessica soho special report on human trafficking” won the gold award in the Best Current Affairs Program made in Asia for regional Asia and/or International markets category. Produced by GmA Public Affairs, the documentary examined the global issue of human trafficking through survivor testimonies and investigative reporting. the program was presented by the Philippines’ most awarded broadcast journalist Jessica soho. the critically acclaimed film firefly” added another win to its growing list of accolades with a silver award in the Best Asian feature film/telemovie category.
Produced by GmA Pictures and GmA Public Affairs, the film is about a young boy who searches for the mythical island of fireflies described in his mother’s bedtime stories. It stars euwenn mikaell and Alessandra de rossi and is directed by Zig Dulay.
Winning the bronze award in the Best Variety Program category is “All-out sundays.” the musical variety show is known for its non-stop entertainment every sunday, giving Kapuso viewers dynamic musical performances and fun games led by various Kapuso talents.
* * * e xcerpt from a review by r obert m anuguid s ilverio of “Juan Luna: i sang Sarsuela ”:
“No doubt about it, Vince tanada and Johnrey r ivas once again stole the show in their great performances... And a writer who watched gave them both a standing ovation.
“Vince gave a very sensitive and enduring performance as the ‘alter-ego’ of Juan Luna. his delivery of the character was multi-dimensional, offering a wide variety of scopes and interpretations which was very hard to do, and a writer who watched gave him a solid salute. his character’s own version of killing his wife Paz and his mother-in-law was the one that the audience
believed. t hus, he was more credible than the ‘real Luna’ himself in that certain scene of violence. But Johnrey rivas, who portrayed the real Luna, was so perplexing in many of his scenes, challenging the hearts and minds of the viewers, with his juicy angst, superb attacks and proper nuances. Johnrey was indeed a wonder.
m alena Leonard as Nellie Bousted, coming from G m A s parkle Artist Center, somehow convinced the followers of independent-minded people that mainstream artists, given a chance to perform in an independent performance setting, could also awe and impress. her singing prowess was exquisite, like a nightingale singing at Berkeley square.”
soon, the Philippine stagers foundation will stage “san Vicente: isang Sarsuela,” written and directed by Atty. Vince m tanada and music by Pipo Cifra on s eptember 24, 25 and 26, 2024 at Adamson University theater.
* * *
metropop, or the metro manila Popular music festival, was held every year from 1978 to 1985. It was the country’s pioneering songwriting competition which launched the careers of many filipino singers and songwriters, including freddie Aguilar, ryan Cayabyab, and odette Quesada, among others. Its main objective was the advancement of filipino music, and its main proponent was s en. Imee m arcos who steered the competition together with the late teodoro “Ka Doroy” Valencia.
m any of the songs featured during the metropop years are now considered filipino music classics. “It is said that music can evoke emotional responses to relax or stimulate people or help them heal. During difficult times, people take refuge in music that brings back happy memories and raises their spirits,” says senator marcos, who hosts “At the moment with Imee” every sunday at 5 p.m. over one Ph, Cignal tV Channel 1, satLite tV Channel 1 and Cignal Play App.
* * * At classy Villa Caemilla Beach Boutique h otel in Boracay’s station 3, some celebrities who have been there are r on Poe, tom taus, Antoinette taus, rita Avila and director fm reyes. I was fortunate to meet some of their kind staff (Christy reyes, Alden moralda, Benjie Doydora, Gio e mmen, r azel Penaroyo, Drigs oquendo, and supervisor Paul Panagsagan) who attended to my brief stay there. I will surely return to this place.
Guia Cruz Buenaventura, host of Coffee tea on mhe, represented the media house express, the first internet tV in the Philippines.
* * * Peoples television Network’s Audrey Gorriceta won as the best male host/anchor in the recent 2nd Philippines finest Business Awards and outstanding Achiever 2024, while Jamin Lim won as the best event photographer.
* * * Awards Committee Chairman Nirro marcelo said that the recent sovereign seal of Business triumph & remarkable Achievers Award 2024 at luxurious Dusit thani hotel manila, was organized to recognize exceptional achievers and business leaders. Likewise, he also emphasized that the 2nd Philippines finest Business Awards and outstanding Achievers at the hexagon events Place in Quezon City was to celebrate the finest in the Philippine business community and acknowledge their exceptional contributions. on December 8 at the Winford resort and Casino in manila, the 2nd s outheast Asian Premier Business and Achiever Awards will be held to recognize the accomplishments and contributions to the business sector, which will honor deserving individuals as well as companies.
* * * 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
Paul Panagsagan (behind the counter) and Rogelio Medina.
This year’s FAMAS best child actress Elia Ilano of “Ghost Tales” and best child actor Euwenn Mikaeli of “Firefly.”
From left: Christy Reyes, Alden Moralda, Benjie Doydora, Rogelio Medina and Gio Emmen. Not in photo are Razel Penaroyo and Drigs Oquendo.
Sen. Imee R. Marcos (right) with son Matthew Joseph Marcos Manotoc.
Guia Cruz Buenaventura (left) of Coffee Tea on MHE and Rogelio Medina. Photos courtesy of Rogelio C. Medina
From left: Rogelio Medina, Jamin Lim and Audrey Gorriceta.
Nirro Marcelo (standing, 5th from right) with the production staff during the 2nd Philippine Finest Business Awards and Outstanding Achievers ceremony.
Vince M. Tañada’s “San Vicente, Isang Sarsuela” will be staged at Adamson University on Sept. 24-26.
IN the United s tates, there are about 4.7 percent of the population count of 337,141,658 (as of 9:28 a.m., 9-20-24) who are 90 years and older. t his translates to about 15.8 million nonagenarians.
t he life expectancy for American men in 2023 was 73, and for women, 79; 67.3 years for men and around 74.5 for women in the Philippines. People have been more health-conscious the past 5 decades – progress in medical science and healthcare skyrocketed, and overall societal mindset and environment tremendously improved. As a result, people are living longer.
Currently, there are about 90 percent of adults in the United states who regularly take at least one prescription drug and 80 percent at least two.
Among non-drinkers, nonsmokers, 33 percent of women will live to 95 or beyond, and only 20 percent among men will live 95 and older. only 4.3 percent of people of them have no illness at all, like symptomatic arthritis, diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol level, etc.
In the United states, annually, there are an estimated 400,000 deaths from tobacco-related illnesses and 100,000 deaths from alcoholism. these two risk factors alone account for 33.3 percent of all deaths in the country. Car crashes kill about 43,000 a year. Wearing seatbelts lowers the risk of death by 45 percent.
Actuarial tables show that for men, the probability of living to 100 is about 0.48 percent, and for women, 1.66 percent, about three and a half times greater. Indeed, women are tougher than men.
But how many people in the United states who are 96, are active, of clear mind and memory, who do not have any symptom of arthritis, etc., at all, and not on any medication whatsoever?
I have a good old friend, a namesake, “Ipe,” who is 96 years old, a non-smoker, a teetotaler, with a memory clear as a bell, who still dances the cha-cha, has no pains of arthritis or any ills, and not even on a single pill at all. he and his wife of 91 have been married for 66 years. they have 5 loving children, 10 grandchildren, 3 great grandchildren, and 1 great great grandchild. What a blessed couple and a wonderful family! f or health and longevity, having a closely-knit family where love is always home is a big psychological, emotional, spiritual, and physical support. this makes life more meaningful, easier to navigate, and more
No meds at 96!
fulfilled. In the Philippines, the government’s Centenarian Act of 2023 awards filipino citizens and f ilipino dual citizens an incentive cash of P10,000 every 5 years for those who live to 80, 85, 90, and 95, and P100,000 for centenarians. In 2019, there were 59 overseas filipinos (in the U.s., Canada, Australia, UK and hong Kong) who got the award for reaching 100. seniors in the Philippines also get a 20-percent discount card for medications, groceries, restaurants, movies, transportation, and transport preboarding privilege. A healthy lifestyle maximizes longevity and can outweigh bad genes. however, having good family genes does not guarantee good health and a longer life. Unhealthy diet, self-abuse with tobacco, alcohol, or illicit drugs, toxic environment, recklessness, arrogance, braggadocio, and antimedical attitude, all significantly affect the health and lifespan of an individual. Indeed, the lifestyle is the elixir of our well-being, the key to Ponce de Leon’s elusive fountain of youth.
In this informational age, where Dr. Google is ubiquitous and on-call 24/7, with almost infinite data on any subject, it behooves everyone to constantly search, learn, and use the progress of medical science and healthcare for our own and our family’s wellbeing. All the information we need is now at our fingertips. savor the info to be wiser, healthier, more productive, and happier. the mind-boggling great strides in all sciences and technologies in various fields of human endeavors, including medicine, surgery, space exploration, and now Artificial Intelligence, are all blessings, thanks to man’s intelligence, wisdom, vision, ingenuity, and skills, and should be taken full advantage of. Not utilizing them to better our health and well-being is a grave waste, an insane irresponsibility, and irreverence, not only to our own body and soul, but also to the Almighty, for those who believe in God.
f rom m ay 30, 2021 to september 3, 2022, there were quarter of a million deaths among the unvaccinated persons in the United s tates. s adly, misinformation and fake news led to their fear of this life-saving vaccine, like the 3 anti-vax misinformed radio talk show hosts in the U. s . who warned their audiences against the vaccines, who later got infected and died from C o VID-19 themselves, apologizing to their listeners before their death.
t hose were unfortunate incidents of wasting a wonderful vaccine, a marvelous invention
of man, since physician edward Jenner invented the very first vaccine against the mass-killer smallpox in 1796. there were an “estimated 400 million people around the globe who were killed by smallpox in the 20th century alone.” Jenner’s vaccine saved the world from almost total annihilation. his invention has inspired the manufacture of other vaccines to what we have today. the most recent discovery is a more efficient system of producing vaccines, called m rNA, which happened during this pandemic, and which has revolutionized and expedited vaccine creation from 10 years or longer down to about months. What a leap of progress for mankind!
Anyway, since diet is fundamental to attain good health, and quantity, besides quality of food, is vital, allow me to share with you a strategy my wife and I learned from our medical school mentor, the world-famous Philippine pediatrician, the first woman accepted to study at harvard in 1936, Dr. fe del m undo, who died in 2011 at almost 100. she was practicing at the Children’s medical Center in Quezon City she founded in 1957, the first pediatric hospital in the country, till she was 94. her advice to us was: “Push yourself away from the table less than full.”
Indeed, simple words of golden wisdom, a sage, practical, and effective strategy for health and longevity!
Let’s always aim for the stars in whatever we do.
* * * The opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by the author do not necessarily reflect the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints of the Asian Journal, its management, editorial board and staff.
* * * The main objective of this column is to educate and inspire people to live a healthier lifestyle, to prevent illnesses and disabilities and achieve a happier and more productive life. Any diagnosis, recommendation, or treatment in our article are general medical information and not intended to be applicable to or appropriate for anyone. This column is not a substitute for your physician, who knows your condition well and who is your best ally when it comes to your health.
*
* * Philip S. Chua, MD, FACS, FPCS, a Cardiac Surgeon Emeritus based in Northwest Indiana and Las Vegas, Nevada, is an international medical lecturer/author, Health Advocate, newspaper columnist, and chairman of the Filipino United Network-USA, a 501(c)3 humanitarian foundation in the United States. He was a recipient of the Indiana Sagamore of the Wabash Award in 1995, presented by then Indiana Governor, U.S. senator, and later a presidential candidate, Evan Bayh. Other Sagamore past awardees include President Harry S. Truman, President George HW Bush, Muhammad Ali, Astronaut Gus Grissom, scientists, and educators. (Wikipedia). Websites: FUN8888. com, Today.SPSAtoday.com, and philipSchua.com; Amazon.com (“Where is My America?”); Email: scalpelpen@gmail.com.
Spotted in Singapore, Liza Soberano, Jeffrey Oh fuel new romance rumors
by JAn milo severo Philstar.com
romANCe rumors between Liza soberano and James reid's exbusiness partner Jeffrey oh sparked anew after they were seen together in singapore recently. Indonesian actress raline shah posted on her Instagram story her brief encounter with Liza.
“It was nice meeting you, most beautiful girl in the Philippines and the world for sure,” raline told Liza.
At the end of the video, Jeffrey was seen at the back. the video trended online as social media users speculated that Liza and Jeffrey are in a relationship. recently, Careless music Chief executive officer James reid revealed why he terminated Jeffrey from his company. reid said that they terminated oh because oh was arrested and detained by Bureau of Immigration because he had no legal documents to work in the country. there were many grounds, but the most basic, the most urgent was that, Jeff is a foreigner. At the time of the audit that we did, he did not have complete papers to be able to work in the Philippines. this was the reason why the immigration filed a complaint against him,” James' legal counsel rodel De Guzman said.
Philippine real estate market poised for growth: A prime opportunity for overseas
SAB’s Review
sharon ann Bathan-san Pedro
Des PI te a slower-than-expected recovery in the early part of the year, the Philippine real estate market is now showing promising signs of growth for 2024. f or overseas f ilipinos looking to invest back home, this could mean better opportunities and returns in the coming months.
Demand drivers: What fuels growth?
t he resurgence in demand for office spaces, particularly within the metro manila area, is being driven by key sectors: (data source: inq7.net)
• Business Process Outsourcing (BPo): this sector remains a strong player, contributing 38% of the demand for office spaces in the metro.
• Online Gaming: Another significant player, online gaming companies account for 19% of office space demand.
• Other Industries: The remaining 43% comes from various industries, showing diversity in growth.
for investors, this trend highlights the importance of identifying properties near major business hubs, as demand for office spaces directly impacts nearby residential areas.
Township locations: The rise of areas outside Metro Manila
An interesting trend is the growing prominence of real estate developments outside of metro manila. In fact, 60% of township locations are now concentrated in provinces like Laguna, Cebu, Pampanga, and Cavite. these areas are rapidly urbanizing, offering potential
investors a chance to tap into emerging markets with less competition than metro manila. With the growth of township developments and business centers in these regions, overseas investors should consider properties in key provinces. Not only do they offer competitive pricing, but they are also positioned for long-term value appreciation. Resilience amid global challenges e ven with global economic uncertainty, the Philippine real estate market remains resilient.
Using the metrics set by the m cKinsey r eport, the country has achieved what is referred to as a "soft landing," avoiding severe economic pitfalls that could have impacted growth. In 2024, the real estate sector is expected to maintain this upward trajectory, buoyed by favorable conditions such as controlled inflation and sustained economic expansion.
for overseas filipinos looking to invest, this resilience is a key factor. the Philippine real estate market, especially in residential, township, and mixed-use developments, has proven to weather financial downturns better than many other regions.
The rise of residential prices and opportunities
Better prospects for investors the Philippine government’s focus on improving infrastructure and developing smart cities further enhances the outlook for real estate. With better transportation, accessibility, and services, areas outside traditional city centers are expected to become more attractive for homebuyers and investors. for filipinos abroad, this represents a unique opportunity to secure properties at a time when prices are still on the rise, but before they reach their peak. Properties in emerging areas, such as Pampanga or Laguna, might provide the best balance between affordability and growth potential.
SAB Realty: Your partner in Philippine real estate At sAB realty, we understand the challenges and opportunities of investing from abroad. Whether you’re looking to buy a family home, diversify your investment portfolio, or prepare for retirement, we provide expert guidance to help you make informed decisions. For more information and personalized assistance, contact SAB realty. We're here to help you navigate the evolving landscape of Philippine real estate with confidence.
* * * The opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by the author do not necessarily reflect the opinions,
As noted in recent data, residential property prices, particularly for housing units and condominiums, have been on the rise. this is a positive indicator for potential investors, as rising property values often signal strong demand and a thriving market. for 2024, analysts expect further increases in housing prices due to limited supply in key urban areas like metro manila, Cebu, and Davao. With this continued upward trend, now could be the ideal time for overseas f ilipinos to consider investing in the Philippine housing market. Whether it's for personal use or rental purposes, properties bought today are expected to yield higher returns in the future.
Combating elder abuse
by Annie WAlters Social Security Public Affairs Specialist in Nevada
eLDer abuse is the intentional mistreatment or harming of an adult over age 60. t his abuse can take many forms – physical, emotional, sexual, and financial exploitation, as well as neglect. In the United states, an estimated 1 in 10 adults over the age of 60 experience some form of abuse each year. that number is likely much higher because elder abuse is often underreported – especially in underserved communities.
Abuse victims typically show emotional and behavioral red flags, such as depression, unusual fear or anxiety, or intentional isolation. many victims are abused by someone they know or trust. It’s important to look for unusual changes in behavior around:
• Family members.
• Staff at inpatient facilities.
• Hired or volunteer caregivers.
• People in positions of trust like doctors or financial advisors.
You can help make a difference by checking in with older loved ones. the first step to preventing abuse is to look for signs of mistreatment or physical harm, including bruises, burns, and other unexplained injuries. t here may also be signs of neglect such as:
• Hunger and poor nutrition.
• Poor appearance or hygiene.
• Lack of necessary medical aids like glasses or medications that a caretaker should be providing. there may also be indications of financial abuse, including:
• Unpaid rent or other bills.
• Sudden changes to a will.
• Unusual changes in money management or habits.
• Large, unexplained financial transactions.
• Allowing someone new to access bank accounts.
If you suspect that a person is a victim of elder abuse, please report it. If you or someone you care about is in a life-threatening situation, call 911. If you suspect possible abuse – but see no immediate danger – contact:
• Your local Adult Protective services at www.napsa-now.org/ help-in-your-area.
• The National Center on Elder Abuse at 1-855-500-3537 (eLDr). You can also find additional local resources by searching the eldercare Locator for your community at eldercare.acl.gov/ Public/index.aspx. take some time to call or visit an older adult. Ask if they are oK and listen to what they tell you. Pay attention to signs of abuse or unusual behavior. most of all, don’t be afraid to report suspected abuse. f or more information about elder abuse visit www.ssa. gov/payee/elder_abuse.htm.
Liza Soberano and Jeffrey Oh Philstar.com photo
Jehovah’s Witnesses launch global ‘Enjoy Life Forever!’ campaign offering free Bible study to all
– In a time when
LAs VeGAs
many are seeking hope, direction, and answers to life’s most pressing questions, Jehovah’s Witnesses are launching a global campaign to offer free Bible study sessions based on their comprehensive enjoy Life forever!” brochure. this initiative is designed to help individuals and families discover practical, Bible-based solutions to the challenges they face today.
t he “ e njoy Life f orever!” campaign will make Bible study easily accessible to anyone interested in learning about the Bible’s timeless wisdom. t hrough engaging lessons, readers will explore topics such as how to find happiness, cope with stress, strengthen family ties, and cultivate inner peace. these lessons provide real-world applications of Bible principles, offering insights that are both spiritual and practical.
What’s included in the campaign:
• Free bible study: Participants will receive a free copy of the enjoy Life forever!" brochure, which is available in over 1,000 languages and can be studied at a pace that fits each individual's schedule.
• Flexible learning: studies can be conducted in person, over the phone, or via video conference, allowing for safe and convenient participation regardless of location.
t he brochure, designed for easy understanding, helps people
examine the Bible’s advice for facing everyday challenges such as financial stress, maintaining mental health, and improving family relationships. It’s a resource that has already brought comfort and hope to millions around the world. the “enjoy Life forever!” Bible study is completely free of charge, with no obligation. It is simply an opportunity for individuals to explore the teachings of the Bible and apply its principles in their lives.
How to get started: those interested in participating can visit JW.org to request a free Bible study or download the "enjoy Life forever!" brochure. Additionally, visitors to the website can access a vast library of free content, including articles, videos, and audio recordings that provide support and guidance on
Heart Evangelista wants Anne Curtis to attend more fashion events
If there’s any local celebrity that fashion maven h eart e vangelista wants to grace more fashion events, it would be Anne Curtis, who the former said deserved to have her own “moment” in the high-stakes fashion scene.
o n tuesday, s eptember 24, evangelista uploaded a mini vlog on her “Day o” in Paris, showing her fittings with luxury brands, campaign photoshoots, and inbetween conversations with her team.
In one of the clips, the fashion influencer was seen scrolling through her Instagram feed when she saw Curtis’ post on her attendance at one of the shows in
this year’s milan fashion Week. “ Ang cute, cute ni Anne,” expressed evangelista. “Anne, I want you to have the moment… Dalian mo na, Anne, rampa ka na dito (Hurry up, Anne, come and grace the runway here).” evangelista also complimented the “It’s showtime” host’s fashion week outfit, pointing out that they have more in common than their having grown up under the show biz spotlight almost at the same time — they also have the same tastes in fashion that it felt like they were “twinning.” on top of that, evangelista said she admired Curtis “pure heart.”
“I really appreciate Anne; you know, when we were growing up, we were both in showbiz, and it was a little bit stressful,” she said.
“But then, as you age, you really discover she has such a pure heart so it’s so nice that we are okay, and we became good friends.”
“I should spend time with Anne. she’s very nice; she’s very supportive; she’s a girl’s girl,” concluded the Kapuso star.
Curtis previously left a comment in one of evangelista’s photos from Paris f ashion Week, simply writing, “Love!” followed by a red heart emoji, which received more than 1,000 likes from netizens as of writing. In June, e vangelista and Curtis landed fourth and ninth spots, respectively, in the top 20 Global Celebrities for all fashion and sportswear based on Launchmetrics Insights’ report on fashion marketing.
or to schedule an interview with a representative from Jehovah’s Witnesses, please visit the website at www.jw.org. (Bev Llorente)
Heart Evangelista (left) and Anne Curtis
Photos from Instagram/@iamhearte, @annecurtissmith
by JessiCA Ann evAngelistA Inquirer.net
a variety of life issues. for more information,
