100524 - Los Angeles Edition

City of Carson to celebrate Filipino American History Month with cultural celebration

THE City of Carson is thrilled to announce the Filipino American History Month Kick-Off! Event goers are in for a treat as we celebrate Filipino American history, culture and acknowledge Filipino American contributions in the arts and innovation.

In addition to mainstage entertainment, this year’s FAHM celebration will inaugurate the “Battle for the Best” chicken adobo cookoff, showcasing the finest cooks in Carson who will compete live in “kitchen stadium.” This year, Apl.de.Ap will be among the judges. The co-founder of the international Grammy award-winning hip hop group the Black-Eyed Peas and founder of the Apl. de.Ap Foundation International will be on hand along with other celebrity judges to determine the winner.

The Apl.de.Ap Foundation International

Asian American leaders lambast JD Vance for demonizing migrants during VP debate

REPUBLICAN Vice Presidential candidate JD Vance continued his party’s demonization of migrants Oct. 1 in his debate with opponent Tim Walz, blaming them for the nation’s housing shortage, lowered wages, and supplying fentanyl and guns.

In a post-debate spin room organized by AANHPIs for Harris/Walz, Rep. Judy Chu, chair of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus, said she was annoyed by Vance’s constant shaming of migrants. “I’m so irritated by him saying that our problem with housing has to do with illegal aliens taking up spots. Of course there is no evidence at all.”

Abortion Chu blasted Vance for saying during the debate that he was “pro-women.” She noted that he has been supportive of a national abortion ban. During the debate, Vance said he has never supported a national ban on abortion. But when he ran for Senate in 2022, he did tell the Very Fine People podcast he

Enrile, Reyes, Napoles cleared of plunder in pork scam

MANILA — After a decade, the trial for plunder of former senator and now presidential legal adviser Juan Ponce Enrile, his former chief of staff Jessica Lucila Reyes and businesswoman Janet Lim Napoles by the Sandiganbayan ended in their acquital. In a vote of 4-1, the Sandiganbayan Special Third Division on Friday, October 4 acquitted Enrile, Reyes and Napoles “for failure of the prosecution to prove their guilt beyond reasonable doubt.”

Sotto, Lacson eye return to Senate

FORMER Senators Tito Sotto and Panfilo Lacson — both in their 70s — filed their certificates of candidacy (CoCs) Wednesday, October 2 seeking to return to the Senate after a two-year absence.

Lacson ran for president with Sotto as his running mate in 2022 but lost miserably to now President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and Vice President Sara Duterte. They are now running under Marcos' Alyansa ng Bagong Pilipinas (ABP) coalition. Joining the former senators were current Sens. Imee Marcos and Lito Lapid.

Senator Marcos, the president's sister, filed her certificate of candidacy before the Commission on Elections (Comelec) for her reelection bid in the 2025 midterm polls.

She filed her CoC under the Nacionalista Party (NP); she was accompanied by her mother, former First Lady Imelda Marcos, and sons Borgy and Michael Manotoc. Marcos was originally included in the administration's 12-person senatorial lineup but did not show up at the launch of the administration alliance and said she would run instead as an independent.

Senator Marcos, who is allied with the family of former President Rodrigo Duterte and his daughter, Vice President Duterte, snubbed the administration alliance, but the president said they would still support her. Lapid is also in the administration's ABP coalition. He won his third Senate seat in the u PAGE A2

MANILA — Despite removal from public office and ongoing legal hurdles, dismissed Bamban, Tarlac mayor Alice Guo can still file a certificate of candidacy (COC) for the 2025 midterm elections.

According to Solicitor General Menardo Guevarra, the former mayor can still file her candidacy as the Ombudsman's dismissal order is not yet final.

"Guo may still file her certificate of candidacy unless the Comelec (Commission on Elections) disqualifies for some reason," Guevarra said in a message to Philstar.com.

Meanwhile, when asked about the possibility of Guo filing a COC, Comelec spokesperson John Rex Laudiangco explained the poll body does not have motu proprio powers to cancel a certificate of candidacy.

In law, motu proprio (Latin for "on his own impulse") refers to an official act taken without a formal request from another party.

"Gaya nung nabanggit ko, 'yung parte ng petition for disqualification, petition to cancel or deny due course 'yung COC, hindi po po pwedeng Comelec ang magfafile po niyan," Laudiangco said in an ambush interview with

Following their acquittal, the court ordered the lifting of the hold departure order (HDO) on Enrile, Reyes and Napoles as well as the release of the bail bond that they previously posted for their provisional liberty.

The court, meanwhile, ordered the issuance of new arrest warrants against Napoles’ nephew Ronald u

The plunder cases, filed by the Office of the Ombudsman on June 5, 2014, stemmed from Enrile’s alleged receipt, through Reyes, of a total of P172.83 million in commissions or kickbacks from Napoles in exchange for the allocation of his Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) or pork barrel to the businesswoman’s bogus non-government organizations, during his term as a senator from 2004 to 2010. Enrile and Napoles were acquitted without presenting any defense as the court granted their respective demurrers to evidence, in which they prayed for the dismissal of the case solely on the ground of the weakness of evidence of the prosecution. Reyes, meanwhile, was acquitted after months of presenting her counter-evidence.

MANILA — Leaders from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) and the Republic of China are expected to discuss issues on the West Philippine Sea (WPS) in the 44th and 45th Asean Summits in Laos, officially the Lao People’s Democratic Republic, next week.

In a press briefing on Friday, October 4, Foreign Affairs Assistant Secretary Daniel Espiritu said Asean leaders and Chinese Prime Minister Li Qiang were scheduled to attend the Asean-China Summit set for October 10. Li will attend on behalf of Chinese President Xi Jinping, he said. Asked whether the WPS issue would be brought up at the summit, Espiritu said: “Of course, definitely. The president always sanctions that issue in all of the summits from the very start.”

“Of course, the recent developments, but I won’t

MANILA — Former Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile said he knew all along that he will not be convicted in his plunder case before the Sandiganbayan.

He made this remark during an ambush interview on Friday, October 4 after the Sandiganbayan Special Third Division announced its acquittal verdict on him, his former aide Jessica Lucila “Gigi” Reyes, and Janet Napoles, who earned the moniker pork barrel scam queen.

“Pinasasalamatan ko ‘yung mga mahistrado (I thank the magistrates),” said Enrile, who is currently President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s chief legal counsel.

“I knew all along that I’ll be acquitted because I haven’t done anything and I hope the people who filed those cases against us will examine their conscience,” he added.

While Reyes refused to comment on the anti-graft court’s decision, Napoles thanked those who prayed for her.

“God is good. Pinasasalamatan ko lahat ng nagdasal (I thank all people who prayed for me),” Napoles said in a quick interview shortly after the verdict was announced.

The Sandiganbayan Special Third Division’s decision that cleared Enrile, Reyes, and Napoles of plunder stemmed from cases connected to alleged misuse

Enrile, Reyes, Napoles cleared of...

Lim and former employee John Raymund de Asis, as their cases were temporarily archived.

“I thank the justices for rendering justice for all of us. I knew all along that I’ll be acquitted because I have not done anything. We have not done anything in this case and hope that the people who filed these cases against us will examine their conscience,”

Enrile, a centenarian, said.

Enrile’s chief legal counsel, former solicitor-general Estelito Mendoza, meanwhile, described the decision as a “vindication” for the former senator and his coaccused.

“We are vindicated. It was a long road but today, JPE is acquitted, including Gigi Reyes,”

LOS ANGELES COUNTY

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LACMTA will receive Bids/ Proposals for OP126710 - AIR CONDITIONING UNIT - HVAC ASM, KINKISHARYO, P3010 electronically via email to bids@ metro.net.

A Pre-Bid conference will not be held. All Bids must be submitted to LACMTA, electronically via email to bids@metro.net , on or before 2:00 p.m. Pacific Time on Thursday, October 31, 2024. There will be a virtual public bid opening at 2:30 p.m via Teams. Information can be found in the solicitation document. Bids received after the above date and time may be rejected and returned unopened. Each Bid must be sealed and marked Bid No. OP126710. For a copy of the Proposal/ Bid specification visit our Solicitation Page on our Vendor Portal at https://business.metro. net or for further information email Uriel Villa at villau@ metro.net.

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CNS-3856862# ASIAN JOURNAL (L.A.)

Mendoza said. Reyes immediately left the Sandiganbayan building after her acquittal, while Napoles was escorted by personnel of the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) back to the Correctional Institution for Women (CIW) in Mandaluyong City.

Despite her acquittal, Napoles will remain in prison as she was earlier convicted of plunder and multiple counts of graft also in connection with the multibillionpeso pork barrel scam.

None of the prosecution lawyers from the Office of the Ombudsman granted interviews with the media after the promulgation.

Pending charges

Enrile, Reyes and Napoles, however, are still facing 15 counts of graft before the Third Division in connection with the same alleged PDAF misuse.

Enrile was granted bail by the Supreme Court (SC) in 2015 for “humanitarian consideration,” citing his frail health condition and old age.

Reyes, meanwhile, was released from the Taguig City Jail Female Dormitory in January 2023 after nearly nine years in detention, after the SC granted her petition for writ of habeas corpus. In its resolution, the SC said Reyes’ nine years of detention for a pending plunder case was a violation of her right to speedy trial and right to liberty.

In its 84-page decision, the Sandiganbayan Third Division said the prosecution panel of the ombudsman failed to establish all the elements of plunder as defined under Section 2 of Republic Act 7080 or the Anti-Plunder Law.

For one, the court said it was not established that there was a series of “overt criminal acts” on the part of Enrile and his co-accused to amass ill-gotten wealth of at least P50 million, the threshold amount for the crime to be considered as plunder.

The court said that while it was established that Enrile wrote letterrequests to the Senate committee on finance for the release of his PDAF for 2006, 2007 and 2010 to various NGOs, that did not prove anything, especially his “criminal intention to commit an offense.”

“It must be shown clearly and convincingly that in making the letter-requests, Enrile

intended to receive kickbacks or commissions in exchange for his endorsement of Napoles’ NGOs,” the Sandiganbayan said in its decision, penned by Associate Justice Ronald Moreno.

“If the NGOs turned out to be spurious, then it should have been established that Enrile either participated in the faking of these NGOs, or knew at the time that he was making the letter-request that the NGOs were bogus. The prosecution’s evidence was clearly wanting on these points,” it added.

More importantly, the court said, no documentary evidence or witnesses was presented by the prosecution to prove that Enrile or Reyes personally received commissions or kickbacks from Napoles or from any of the latter’s employees or representatives.

“Verily, the prosecution failed to prove the allegation that Enrile received a percentage of the cost of any project funded from his PDAF in consideration for the latter’s endorsement to Napoles’ NGO,” the decision read.

No witnesses

The court said that while state witness Ruby Tuason testified that she delivered Enrile’s kickbacks to Reyes, no other evidence or witnesses were presented to corroborate her claim.

“Clearly, Tuason made no mention at all of the amounts, and the details and particulars of the alleged deliveries she made to Reyes. Nowhere in her testimony did she ever state that she delivered a particular sum to Reyes corresponding to a specific project, the specific date of the delivery and the specific place where the kickbacks and commission had been received,” the court said.

As for Napoles, the court said she cannot be solely convicted of plunder as the Plunder Law requires that the main plunderer or plunderers are public officials.

The court said a private individual can only be held guilty of plunder if proven that he or she conspired with the public official in the commission of the crime.

“Since the prosecution was unable to prove the receipt of money as alleged in the [case] Information by herein public officers Enrile and Reyes (the alleged main plunderers), then

Sotto, Lacson eye return...

2019 midterm elections. He first ran for the Senate in 2004 and won reelection in 2010.

Lapid, a former movie star, said in 2015, after two terms as senator, that he really did not fit the role because he lacked a college education. Still, he was reelected to the Senate in 2019.

As usual, he avoided the media on Wednesday.

Sotto said he would push for the bill he filed in 2019 seeking to rightsize the national government.

"Around 60 percent of the government every year, more than P6 trillion, goes to personal services and a big chunk of the 40 percent goes to that service. So, almost nothing is left to distribute to the people. So, rightsizing the government is the right thing to do," he said.

He said he also wants to push for the passage of his bills, such as the Anti-False Content Act (Senate Bill 9) and the 14th Month Pay Law (SB 10), as well as for hybrid elections.

Lacson said he did not need to reinvent himself should he return to the Senate.

Instead, he would meticulously scrutinize the annual national budget as he had done before in his previous terms in the Senate — even as he vowed to fully support the administration's programs.

"I pledge to continue not

availing of the pork barrel allocations in any shape or form.

I will continue to be a vanguard, if you will, of the annual national budget to the best of my ability.

I will help the president pursue his administration's programs to

benefit the majority of the Filipino people in alignment with his [State of the Nation Address] last year and in cadence with my personal credo, 'What is right must be kept right, what is wrong must be set right,'" he said. n

SENATE BID. Former senators Tito Sotto and Ping Lacson, with incumbent Sen. Lito Lapid, file their certificates of candidacy on Oct. 2, 2024. ManilaTimes.net photo by Mike Alquinto

PRESIDENTIAL SISTER. Senator Imee Marcos waves to her supporters as she arrives at the Manila Hotel to submit her certificate of candidacy with the Commission of Elections on Wednesday, October 2. PNA photo by Yancy Lim

Governor passes landmark legislation to ban legacy admissions in California

Newsom signs AB 1780, opening doors for first-generation, disadvantaged, and students of color

SACRAMENTO – On Monday, September 30, in a historic move for college access and equity, Governor Newsom signed AB1780 (Ting), which prohibits California’s private colleges and universities from providing preferential admissions to children of alumni and donors, a practice known as “legacy admissions.”

This will allow for a fairer practice of admitting students based on their qualifications and accomplishments and eliminates the special treatment of people with wealth and connections.

“AJSOCAL applauds Governor Newsom and the California Legislature for their resounding support and passage of AB1780. This new law will close the unfair loophole of ‘legacy’ and financial influence at private universities, creating opportunities for

disadvantaged, first-generation, and students of color. This is a key win for Asian American and Pacific Islander students in California, as research shows that 86% come from immigrant families and do not have the generations of family connections to make them shoo-ins for admissions. We thank Assemblymember Ting and our co-sponsors Hispanas Organized for Political Equality (HOPE), the Campaign for College Opportunity, the College for All Coalition, Diversity of Narrative and Generation Up for their partnership and collaboration for this significant victory in the ongoing fight to provide disadvantaged students a fair shot at their future.” said Connie Chung Joe, CEO at Asian Americans Advancing Justice Southern California (AJSOCAL).

“If we value diversity in higher education, we must

level the playing field. That means making the college application process more fair and equitable. Hard work, good grades and a well-rounded background should earn you a spot in the incoming class – not the size of the check your family can write or who you’re related to,” said Assemblymember Phil Ting (D-San Francisco).

The passage of AB1780 arrives after the 2023 U.S. Supreme Court ruling banning race considerations in college admissions and over 27 years of California’s affirmative action ban. The new law aims to level the playing field by ensuring that all students have a fair shot at higher education regardless of their familial connections or wealth. California joins Virginia and Maryland in passing similar measures to ban legacy admissions this year.

(AJSOCAL Release)

Alice Guo can still file for candidacy...

reporters.

(As I mentioned earlier, regarding the part of the petition for disqualification,petition to cancel or deny due course to the COC, the Comelec cannot be the one to file that.)

In a separate interview with Teleradyo on Tuesday, October 1 Laudiangco explained the Comelec only has a “ministerial duty” when it comes to certificates of candidacy.

“Wala po kaming kapangyarihan tanggihan, i-pre-evaluate o i-reject agad 'yung mga pina-file na COC," Laudiangco said in the Teleradyo interview.

(We do not have the authority to refuse, pre-evaluate, or immediately reject the filed COC.)

“Hindi kasi namin basta-basta mare-reject ito. Una, 'yang kaso niya ay gumugulong ngayon. Wala pang desisyon ang mga kasong naka-file sa korte at kahit 'yung sa Comelec election offense niya na iniimbestigahan namin, wala pa rin pong final na desisyon,” he added.

(We cannot just easily reject this. First, her case is ongoing. There has been no decision on the cases filed in court, and even with the Comelec election offense that we are investigating, there is still no final decision.) However, Laudiangco emphasized that an individual is not automatically a candidate for elections once a COC is filed.

"Hindi po ibig sabihin nito ay pag-nafile ang COC samin, ay garantisadong na siyang kandidato," he said.

(This does not mean that once the COC is filed with us, the person is guaranteed to be a candidate.)

"Lahat po kasi, kahit 'yung sa tingin natin nuisance candidate, hindi po namin pwedeng tanggihan 'yan. Ang ginagawa po ng Comelec, in compliance with due process, sinasampahan ng kasong petition to declare as nuisance candidate," he added.

(Everyone, even those we believe to be nuisance candidates, cannot be rejected by us. What the Comelec does, in compliance with due process,

is file a petition to declare them as nuisance candidates.)

In another report by ABSCBN News, one of Guo’s lawyers, Nicole Jamilla, said the dismissed mayor is mulling to file a COC due to her supporters and unresolved issues in Bamban.

One of the grounds for disqualifying a candidate by the Comelec is material misrepresentation, a case that Guo is also facing before the poll body. Should she be found guilty, her COC as an elected official would be voided.

Guo is facing several legal hurdles due to her alleged involvement in the unlawful activities of the Philippine offshore gaming operators in Bamban, Tarlac. Among the charges she is facing are human trafficking, money laundering, graft and corruption and tax evasion.

Guo is the subject of a quo warranto petition that questions the legitimacy of her position as mayor, along with a potential case regarding the cancellation of her birth certificate. (With reports from Jean Mangaluz)

Mass deportations will tear apart families and shrink the workforce, driving up prices and hurting the economy. While David Valadao's party supports this, Rudy Salas is fighting to protect our communities, strengthen the economy, and keep American families together.

CDPH confirms two cases of bird flu in California

SACRAMENTO – The California Department of Public Health (CDPH) reports that the human case previously under investigation for bird flu, and one additional case, have been confirmed H5 bird flu by CDC. These are the first human cases of bird flu identified in the state and are both in Central Valley individuals who had contact with infected dairy cattle.

There is no known link or contact between the two cases, suggesting only animal-to-human spread of the virus in California. Like the first case, the second individual has also experienced mild symptoms, including conjunctivitis (eye symptoms), and neither reported respiratory symptoms, nor was hospitalized. To protect patient privacy, additional details will not be provided at this time.

Risk Remains Low: The risk to the general public remains low, but people who interact with infected animals, like dairy or poultry farm workers, are at higher risk of getting bird flu. CDPH recommends that personal protective equipment, or PPE, such as respirators (N95 masks), eye protection (face shields or safety goggles), and gloves be worn by anyone working with animals or materials that are infected or potentially infected with the bird flu virus. Wearing PPE helps prevent infection. Please see CDPH’s Worker Protection from Bird Flu for full PPE guidance.

Pasteurized milk and dairy products continue to be safe to consume, as pasteurization is fully effective at inactivating the bird flu virus. As an added precaution, and according to longstanding state and federal requirements, milk from sick cows is not permitted in the public milk supply.

What CDPH is Doing: CDPH has helped coordinate and support outreach to dairy producers and farm workers on preventive measures that have helped keep human cases low in other states with bird flu outbreaks. CDPH continues to support local health departments in distributing PPE from state and federal stockpiles directly to affected dairy farms, farmworker organizations, poultry farm workers, those who handle raw dairy products, and slaughterhouse workers. To protect California

farm workers from bird flu, during the last four months CDPH has distributed more than 340,000 respirators, 1.3 million gloves, 160,000 goggles and face shields, and 168,000 bouffant caps.

In addition, CDPH is working closely with local public health laboratories and local health departments to provide health checks for exposed individuals and ensure testing and treatment are available when needed. As one of the 14 states with infected dairy herds, California also received 5,000 additional doses of seasonal flu vaccine for farm workers from the CDC. CDPH is working to distribute the doses to local health departments with the highest number of dairy farms.

CDPH has been tracking bird flu and making preparations for a possible human infection since the state’s first detection in poultry in 2022. CDPH partners closely with the California Department of Food & Agriculture (CDFA) on a broad approach to protect human and animal health. CDPH and the CDC use both human and wastewater surveillance tools to detect and monitor for bird flu, and work closely with local health departments to prepare, prevent, and lessen its impact on human health.

What Californians Can Do: People exposed to infected animals should monitor for the following symptoms for 10 days after their last exposure: eye redness (conjunctivitis), cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, diarrhea, vomiting, muscle or body aches, headaches, fatigue, trouble breathing, and fever. If they start to feel sick, they should immediately isolate, notify their local public health department, and work with public health and health care providers to get timely testing and treatment.

CDPH recommends that all Californians — especially workers at risk for exposure to bird flu — receive a seasonal flu vaccine. Although the seasonal flu vaccine will not protect against bird flu, it can decrease the risk of being infected with both viruses at the same time and reduce the chance

Enrile, Reyes, Napoles cleared of...

Napoles could not be found liable for the offense charged since the basis of her indictment was conspiracy with the said public officers,” the court said.

Furthermore, the Sandiganbayan stated that it was not proven “with moral certainty” that the amount of kickbacks or commission allegedly received by Enrile or Reyes from Napoles was at least P50 million. The court said that based on a “ledger” or daily disbursement records (DDR) of Napoles’ former employee and primary witness Benhur Luy, only P46.387 million was indicated.

Associate Justices Bernelito Fernandez, Geraldine Faith Econg and Juliet Manalo-San Gaspar concurred with the ruling.

Sandiganbayan Presiding Justice and Third Division chairperson Amparo CabotajeTang, while concurring with the acquittal of Enrile, voted for the conviction of Reyes on five counts of direct bribery and Napoles on five counts corruption of public officials.

For Tang, the prosecution was able to sufficiently establish that Reyes received a total of P46.387 million from Napoles for the PDAF allocation of Enrile released to NGOs controlled by Napoles.

“Further, as established earlier, the DDRs of Luy and the testimony of Tuason proved that accused Reyes, through Tuason, received from accused Napoles the amount of P46,387,500.00 on at least five different instances,” Tang’s 255page concurring and dissenting opinion read.

For Tang, Reyes should be sentenced to a minimum of eight years to a maximum of nine years and four months of imprisonment for each count of the offense while Napoles should be sentenced to eight years to 10 years of imprisonment for each count of her offense.

Tang said Reyes and Napoles must also be meted with a fine of P139 million each. Enrile was among the three senators charged with plunder during the administration of the late former president Benigno Aquino III in connection with the pork barrel scam.

The Sandiganbayan had earlier acquitted Sen. Bong Revilla and Sen. Jinggoy Estrada of their respective plunder cases. n

California nurses applaud new law that provides transparency, improves equity in nursing education

RNs say SB 1015 is a commonsense reform for California nursing students’ clinical education placements

CALIFORNIA Nurses

Association (CNA), the largest union of registered nurses in the state, applauds the signing of Senate Bill 1015 by Gov. Gavin Newsom. Nurses say the new law, which was authored by Sen. Dave Cortese and sponsored by CNA, is an essential step towards ensuring clinical placement opportunities for California’s future nurses, particularly for students attending public institutions like community colleges and state universities.

“This commonsense reform will increase transparency around and equitable access to clinical education placements for nursing students across the state,” said CNA President

LOS ANGELES COUNTY METROPOLITAN TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY (LACMTA) INVITATION FOR BID

LACMTA will receive Bids for IFB No. OP122327(2)Tunnel Washing Servicesat the 9th Floor Receptionist Desk, Vendor/Contract Management Department, One Gateway Plaza, Los Angeles, CA 90012. All Bids must be submitted to LACMTA, and be filed at the reception desk, 9th floor, V/CM Department, on or before 2:00 p.m. Pacific Time on Monday, November 18, 2024, at which time bids will be opened and publicly read. Bids received after the above date and time may be rejected and returned unopened. Each Bid must be sealed and marked IFB No. OP122327(2).

For a copy of the IFB specification visit our Solicitation Page on our Vendor Portal at https://business.metro. net or for further information email Andrew Coppolo at coppoloa@metro.net.

10/5/24 CNS-3857119# ASIAN JOURNAL (L.A.)

Michelle Gutierrez Vo, RN. “It is critical that all of California’s future nurses have clinical placement opportunities. This law will help ensure that hospitals and other health care facilities can continue to meet our state’s nursing workforce and staffing needs.”

Clinical placements are an essential and necessary part of any nursing education. California Board of Registered Nursing (BRN) data shows that, in 2021 and 2022, nursing students at a staggering 92 of California’s 152 nursing programs had been denied access to clinical placements. Nursing schools reported to the BRN that the inability to secure clinical placements was the No. 2 reason for not enrolling more students and that the issue was an acute problem for public nursing education programs. If those trends continued unchecked, nurses feared the existing dynamic would exacerbate an uneven playing field for students from community colleges and public schools,

which are vital for ensuring the state’s nursing workforce reflects the diversity of California and provide an affordable pathway into the nursing profession.

The law will mandate new levels of transparency for clinical placements and begin developing standards for those placements to ensure equitable access. It will empower the BRN to collect and analyze how BRN-approved programs handle these placements, information that will be presented to the state legislature annually. Additionally, it calls on the BRN’s Nursing Education and Workforce Advisory Committee to recommend standards that will ensure fair and equitable access to clinical placements.

California Nurses Association/ National Nurses United is the largest and fastest-growing union and professional association of registered nurses in the nation with more than 100,000 members in more than 200 facilities throughout California and nearly 225,000 RNs nationwide. (CNA Release)

Pres. Marcos will further...

go into the details of that,” he replied when asked what specific issue would be discussed.

Espiritu said the president would also meet the 400-member Filipino community in Lao before his formal engagement starts.

In a statement last September 12, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said that the

Philippines and China had agreed to continue discussions on areas of cooperation concerning the WPS. It said that Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Ma. Theresa Lazaro exchanged views with Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Chen Xiaodong on managing the situation in the WPS, including the Escoda Shoal. n

Millions of Californians to receive average $71 credit on October electric bills

SACRAMENTO – Governor Gavin Newsom on Wednesday, October 2 announced that more than 11.5 million Californian households will automatically see savings on their October electricity bill through the California Climate Credit, funded by the state’s innovative Capand-Trade Program. This credit will average $71 per electric bill customer. Including credits that went out in April, Californians will receive an average of $217 in bill credits during 2024. Since 2014, Californian households have already received an average of $971 in combined automatic

April and October climate credits on their utility bills, totaling more than $14 billion statewide.

“Thanks to our state’s Capand-Trade program, millions of Californians will see an average credit of $71 on their electric bills this month. Not only does this credit provide much-needed relief for families, it’s helping Californians make the switch to cleaner energy,” said Gov. Newsom in a statement released by his office.

Electricity bill credits this month will range from approximately $32 to $174.

More than 1 million small businesses are also expected to

receive the credit. Customers may remember receiving a similar credit on electricity bills in April. (See how much your climate credit will be by visiting https://www.cpuc. ca.gov/climatecredit.)

The California Climate Credit comes from the State’s Capand-Trade Program, which collects funds by requiring companies to pay for climate pollution, and is managed by the California Air Resources Board. The credit on utility bills represents the consumer’s share of the payments from the State’s program. (CA Governor’s Office Release)

City of Carson to celebrate Filipino American...

will be co-producing the first ever Carson Auto Show. The Filipino American community has long been a driving force in shaping cultural and economic landscapes, both in the United States and around the world.

From pioneering achievements in the arts and entertainment to groundbreaking innovations in business and technology, Filipino Americans have consistently pushed boundaries and set new standards.

The Car Show is a celebration of Filipino American heritage through the lens of automotive excellence — a field where Filipino Americans have made significant contributions. The event will feature an impressive array of vehicles, from classic and vintage to modern marvels, each telling a story of creativity, passion, and innovation that

echoes our community’s spirit.

One of the event’s highlights is the public debut of Apl.de.Ap’s 1967 Ford F100 — a classic race truck reimagined as a 600 HP electric powerhouse. This vehicle is more than a testament to engineering prowess; it’s a symbol of our foundation’s commitment to sustainability and innovation.

Live entertainment will begin at 11 a.m. and will feature the dynamic singer Leo Mercedez and the captivating Broadway actress/singer Debralee Daco. Up-and-coming singers Jey Bersales, Hazel Velasco, and Toni Gica will be making their FAHM debut. Janice Javier, a finalist on “The Voice: Philippines” brings her unique powerhouse vocals and comedian Rex Navarrete headlines the afternoon’s entertainment. Candidates from the 2024 Mr. Philippines USA

Juan Ponce Enrile: ‘I knew all along...

of the Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) or popularly known as pork barrel fund, which broke out in 2013. It came after Enrile’s demurrer to evidence motion concerning his plunder case was granted.

The Ombudsman filed plunder complaints against Enrile, Reyes,

Ronald Lim, John Raymund de Asis, and Janet Lim Napoles on June 5, 2014. They were accused of amassing P172 million from Enrile’s PDAF from 2004 to 2010.

In 2018, the Sandiganbayan found Napoles guilty of plunder in a separate case involving the misuse of Senator Ramon Revilla Jr.’s pork barrel fund.

Other cases related to the pork barrel scam were likewise filed against Revilla and Jinggoy Estrada — however, both were eventually acquitted. Enrile, Revilla, and Estrada ran for senator in the 2019 polls, but only Revilla won in that election. Estrada ran again in the 2022 polls and finally triumphed. n

Asian American leaders lambast JD Vance...

“certainly would like abortion to be illegal nationally,” reported The Independent newspaper.

Rep. Ted Lieu, vice chair of the House Democratic Caucus, said in the spin room that Vance had disqualified himself at the end of the debate when he refused to state that former President Donald Trump had lost the 2020 election. “You cannot be vice president if you cannot agree on the basic issue of democracy.”

“Why is it that JD Vance is up here debating tonight, and not former Vice President Mike Pence? Because Pence did not follow Trump’s orders to do something illegal. He certified the election. And then Trump’s supporters wanted to hang him,” said Lieu, referring to the Jan. 6, 2021 invasion of the Capitol.

Immigration

Like his running mate, Democratic Presidential candidate Kamala Harris, Walz did not defend migrants during the debate, hosted by CBS News

and moderated by Margaret Brennan and Norah O’Donnell.

The Minnesota governor parried back, saying that the Biden/Harris administration had introduced a bi-partisan immigration bill, co-sponsored by Republican senators, and supported by Customs and Border Patrol. The bill did not pass because Trump called his supporters and effectively killed the bill, alleged Walz.

“Trump wanted an issue he could campaign on. So he killed the bill. He had 4 years to fulfill his immigration agenda. But only 2% of the wall has been built and Mexico hasn’t paid a dime,” said Walz.

‘Lost Children’

Brennan asked Vance if children would be separated from their parents under Trump’s proposed mass deportation plan. Vance ditched the question twice, pushing back against the Biden/Harris administration.

“Right now in this country, Margaret, we have 320,000

children that the Department of Homeland Security has effectively lost. Some of them have been sex trafficked. Some of them, hopefully, are at home with their families. Some of them have been used as drug trafficking mules. The real family separation policy in this country is unfortunately Kamala Harris’ wide open southern border.”

CBS News fact-checked Vance’s statement, noting he was likely referring to an August report issued by Immigration and Customs Enforcement. That report stated that 32,000 unaccompanied minors had not shown up for their court hearings over the past 5 years. CBP has also not issued hearing notices to 291,000 unaccompanied minors as of May 2024, according to the report.

Moderators cut mics during a prolonged squabble on immigration, amid an otherwise cordial debate. (Sunita Sohrabji/ Ethnic Media Services)

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. Malacañang photo

Dateline PhiliPPines

Imee Marcos seeks reelection, stays independent from brother’s slate

by Jean Mangaluz Philstar.com

MANILA — Sen. Imee Marcos

filed her certificate of candidacy on Wednesday, October 2, seeking to retain her spot in the Senate.

Members of the Marcos clan came in full force to support Imee, with former First Lady Imelda Marcos making a rare public appearance to support her daughter. Her sons Borgy Manotoc and Michael Manotoc were also able to join her.

Imee reiterated that she will not join the adminsitration slate, opting to remain a free agent. She is still a member of the Nacionalista Party but said she will refrain from joining an alliance for now.

“Ako’y mananatiling malaya at matatag,” Imee said. (I will remain free and strong.)

Last month, the incumbent senator was announced as part of her brother President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s slate; however, she did not attend the “Alyansa Para sa Bagong Pilipinas” convention where the alliance was revealed.

“It is in our blood to serve others and to love the country. She was a representative, a governor, and a senator. They

say that she is frank. But she is frank in telling the truth and sticks to what is right,” Marcos Jr. said in Filipino. Marcos Jr. reasoned that his sister was already campaigning, hence her absence from the convention.

Imee, however, later said she would not join the alliance, saying that she planned to remain independent.

“I choose to remain free and loyal—not to any group but to every Filipino. Armed with my achievements for the nation in the past term, the laws I dedicated for the people, the truth that I never strayed from, and the path and principles of my father: To serve every Filipino without favor, except for the welfare of every citizen,” Imee said.

Legislation

Imee has authored bills that seek to:

• Lower Philhealth insurance premiums

• Extend the terms of office of barangay officials to six years

• Protect pineapple, moringa, dragon fruit and mango industries in what was collectively called “fruit salad” bills, and

• Reform the party-list system by classifying it into political and sectoral organization categories,

among others. She also co-authored the Land Reform Act and the controversial Anti-Terrorism Act. The Supreme Court later struck down the anti-terrorism law’s “killer” clause and a provision allowing the Anti-Terrorism Council to designate persons or groups based solely on the UN Security Council’s resolutions.

Political career

Imee has long been involved in politics, having a role in the young community council Kabataang Barangay in her early 20s during the term of her father, the late President Ferdinand Marcos Sr., called a dictator.

In 1977, Mapua Institute of Technology student Archimedes Trajano, an activist, publicly questioned Imee’s ability to lead the council. Weeks later, Trajano was found bloodied and dead on the streets of Manila.

She served at the House of Representatives between 1998 and 2007, governor of Ilocos Norte between 2010 and 2019 and was elected senator in 2019.

In 2018, she claimed to have graduated from the prestigious Princeton University in the U.S.

While she studied in the Ivy League school, she did not earn a degree. n

From House to Senate? Camille Villar

MANILA — Deputy Speaker Camille Villar made her Senate bid official after filing her certificate of candidacy before the Commission on Elections on Friday, October 4.

Villar, running under the Nacionalista Party, is part of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.'s “Alyansa Para sa Bagong Pilipinas” senatorial slate. Marcos praised Villar for her leadership in both the government and private sectors.

“Now, the 12th in my slate has shown wisdom in leading not just in government but also in companies that provide services to the public," Marcos said in Filipino at the announcement of his administration's slate for 2025 on September 26. Villar is one of the few newcomers in the lineup dominated by returning senators and experienced politicians. Camille was accompanied by her father, former Senate president and billionaire Manny Villar, who is consistently ranking in the top five of the wealthiest people in the Philippines.

According to Forbes magazine’s 2024 rankings, Manny has an estimated net worth of $10.9 billion. Currently

seated Sen. Mark Villar also joined them during the COC filing.

As a millennial, Camille said she wants to bring new politics into the Senate.

"I believe I can offer fresh perspectives and innovative solutions," Villar said. Camille added she wants to help create more jobs and help them set up their own businesses.

Prior to Camille, the Makabayan Senate slate filed their respective candidacies before Camille. Within earshot of the Villars, Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas Chair Danilo Ramos criticized the family for turning the Senate into a family business.

Asked about criticisms of nepotism, Villar said they were elected fairly.

"I think what's very important to remember here is that we are all elected officials, my father, my mother, my brother," Villar said. Villar also defended her mother, Sen. Cynthia, when it came to criticisms of the latter's handling of the Senate panel on agriculture.

"I believe that everyone is entitled to their own opinions. But I also know that my mother, Sen. Cynthia Villar, is very

passionate about the agricultural sector," Camille said. Camille currently represents the lone district of Las Piñas City in the House of Representatives, a position she has held since 2019.

Legislative record

In the lower house, Camille has pushed for several measures, focusing on science and education. Notable bills she has authored or co-authored include:

• A bill seeking to advance virology research and development

• A bill requiring the inclusion of entrepreneurship as a separate subject in junior and senior High School

Her legislative efforts reflect a mix of public health and economic empowerment initiatives, aligning with her background in business and governance.

Family influence If elected, Camille Villar will further the clan's political hold after her father, who served as senator, and her mother, Cynthia, who has been a fixture in the Senate for more than a decade, and her brother, Mark, a former Secretary of Public Works and Highways. (Philstar.com)

Mass deportations will tear apart families and shrink the workforce, driving up prices and hurting the economy. While Mike Garcia’s party supports this, George Whitesides is fighting to protect our communities, strengthen the economy, and keep American families together.

Sen. Imee Marcos files her certificate of candidacy before the Comelec at the Manila Hotel on October 2, 2024. She is joined by Former First Lady Imelda Marcos and her sons, Borgy Manotoc and Michael Manotoc. Philstar.com photo by Jean Mangaluz

Las Piñas Representative Camille Villar is eyeing a senatorial seat for the 2025 midterm polls as she files her certificate of candidacy at the Manila Hotel’s Tent City on Oct. 4, 2024. She is accompanied by her father, former politician Manny Villar, and her brother, Public Works and

Highways Secretary Mark Villar. Philstar.com photo by Ryan Baldemor

OpiniOn Features

Broken mechanisms

WITH all the horror stories emerging from the ongoing probe of drug-related killings in the previous administration, people are wondering how the abuses committed by ranking Philippine National Police officials got past the internal disciplinary mechanism of the PNP.

A police officer still in the active service, Lt. Col. Santie Mendoza of the PNP Drug Enforcement Group, has told the so-called quad committee of the House of Representatives that two retired police officials, Royina Garma and Edilberto Leonardo, were behind the July 2020 assassination of another former PNP official, Wesley Barayuga.

Garma at the time was the general manager of the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office – a post that she denies she earned because of her alleged special ties with then President Rodrigo Duterte. Leonardo was then assigned to the police Criminal Investigation and Detection Group regional unit in the Davao region. Barayuga, as board secretary of the PCSO, was reportedly set to disclose anomalies linked to the Small Town Lottery. After his murder, the Duterte administration claimed he was on the drug watchlist.

Both Garma and Leonardo, currently a commissioner of the National Police Commission, have also been linked to the execution of three Chinese drug convicts held at the Davao penal colony in 2016. Leonardo is also one of five former and incumbent PNP officials being investigated by the International Criminal Court in connection with

possible crimes against humanity committed in the course of Rodrigo Duterte’s brutal campaign against illegal drugs. The PNP counts over 6,000 drug suspects killed in law enforcement operations during the Duterte administration. The probe being conducted jointly by four House committees is providing the most detailed picture yet of the abuses by the police in waging the war on drugs. What was the PNP Internal Affairs Service doing in the years when Duterte was president, and when he was mayor of Davao City?

Local government units also have People’s Law Enforcement Boards, which are tasked to handle public complaints against PNP members. Did PLEBs nationwide look the other way in the face of gross police abuses in the war on drugs? Were IAS members sleeping in the noodle house, or ordered to bury their head in the sand? Shouldn’t they be held accountable for dereliction of duty?

The mechanisms for promoting discipline and preventing wrongdoing in the PNP, imposing punishment for abuses and giving the public avenues for redress are broken. The quad committee probe should lead to reforms that will fix or replace these mechanisms.(Philstar.com)

Hate crimes will rise if Trump becomes president again

there in a while. Or do you mean one of the Army bases I was deployed to as a soldier in Iraq defending your right to speak to me like that?”

IN spring 2020, I was filling up

my car at a gas station near my home in Atlanta, when a large pick-up truck pulled up close. A man got out, pointed his finger at me and yelled, “Take your COVID back and go home.”

As a Chinese American male, I’ve unfortunately had many moments like that in my lifetime. But this one was different, because the man was repeating a rhetoric he had heard from the president of a country I had served for 24 years in the U.S. Army. I locked the gas pump. I glanced at my reflection in the car window. I took a deep breath, and turned to face him.

“Which ‘home’ do you mean, sir?” My voice was louder and deeper than I expected it to be—my family calls it “the Colonel voice.” “Do you mean my house just down the road? Or where I was born in New Haven, Connecticut? I haven’t been

Public Lives

ranDy DaviD

WHEN, against all expectations, Rodrigo Duterte won the presidential elections in 2016, people wondered how long the former Davao mayor could maintain the sudden surge in popularity that had propelled him to the nation’s highest office. His parochial experience as the autocratic political boss of a Mindanao city barely prepared him for the immensely complex tasks of managing the affairs of an entire country, especially in a time of geopolitical tensions. Analysts expected the Duterte myth to swiftly unravel after he assumed office.

But, as it turned out, the Duterte regime did not only survive; it also emerged with the highest approval and trust ratings at the end of its six-year term. This was unprecedented. In the absence of a constitutional provision allowing reelection, the continued popularity of the Duterte political brand presaged the rise of the outgoing president’s daughter Sara as his logical successor.

But for the fact that the younger Duterte lacked the self-assurance and bravura of

He was startled. The roles had been reversed. He was being called out, and he clearly had not expected me to confront him.

He was now the person feeling threatened even though my intent was merely to stand up to this bully. He didn’t say anything. He pulled his baseball hat down low, got back in his truck, and drove away.

I let out a slow breath as I returned to the gas pump. At that moment, I decided that every time I would go out during the pandemic—for groceries, for medicine, for a walk just to get some fresh air—I would wear a rotating closet of Army apparel. It would be my shield, along with my stature—I’m a tall, broad, muscular guy. But hundreds, thousands of other Asians and Asian Americans didn’t have those shields while Donald Trump was president.

Donald Trump repeatedly and aggressively stirred anti-Asian

hate across the country.. As president. Trump used the bully pulpit of his office to legitimize and weaponize his repugnance, empowering thousands of people to believe that hateful rhetoric and violence were not only acceptable, but American. From March 19, 2020, to December 31, 2021, a total of 10,905 hate crimes against Asian American and Pacific Islanders were logged according to data collected by Stop AAPI Hate, an organization formed in response to the alarming escalation in xenophobia and bigotry resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic. And those are only the ones that were reported. Elderly Asians were the most at risk, often unable to defend themselves. They were beaten on subways, in building lobbies, and just walking down the street. There is one instance at the start of the pandemic in April 2020 that particularly haunts me: a 39-year-old Asian woman in Brooklyn was taking her garbage out, and a neighbor threw boiling oil on her. She suffered chemical burns to her face, neck, shoulder

and back.

Throughout his presidency and after it, Donald Trump agitated this hate and fostered senseless violence. The January 6 insurrection that Donald Trump directly incited was not just an attack on the U.S. Capitol but also on democracy and the rule of law. It resulted in injuries to Capitol Police officers, some of which ultimately resulted in death. The fever pitch continued just a few months later with the Atlanta shootings on March 21, 2021, when a gunman targeted several Asian spa businesses and ended up killing six women of Asian descent among two others. Trump’s presidency instilled fear and trauma into millions of Asian Americans across our nation, including my mother, a Chinese orphan who was raised by nuns at a convent in Virginia. My mother died from COVID-19 just days before the vaccine became available. She did everything she was supposed to—she masked, she distanced, she hand-sanitized. And yet, she got sick. I think often of Donald Trump’s reckless encouragement

to ignore the guidance of health officials, resulting in mass public endangerment and angst. In the last year of her life, my mother was afraid to go outside–all because of Trump. Yet, she still believed in this country and the promise of the American Dream. She was proud that I retired as a U.S. Army Colonel and served under two presidents – Bill Clinton and Barack Obama – in the Office of the United States Trade Representative and the White House National Security Council. I only wish she had lived just one more year to see me get sworn in as the United States deputy secretary of homeland security. When I told my wife and daughters of what happened at the gas station, I asked them to always try their best to be safe, but also to be unafraid and unwavering in their optimism for America. I want a better future for my two half-Chinese American daughters. I want a country that does not give mouthpieces to politicians who build their career on hate. I want a country where my daughters don’t have

to carry pepper spray in their pockets, where they don’t worry about people attacking women that look like their grandmother on the street, where they don’t call me and beg me, their threecombat tour veteran father, to stay home to be safe. I have spent most of my adult life in service of defending our great nation, and ensuring safety and security for each of us, and everyone we love. However if Donald Trump becomes president again, I guarantee you we will be under the threat of violence and hate again. We can’t go back to the age of terror and fear under Trump. Vote for Kamala if you want to live in a country of hope, optimism, and opportunity for all. * * * 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.

*

* * John Tien was the first Asian American to serve as Deputy Secretary of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security from 2021-2023.

The unraveling of a corrupt enabling system

her father, she could have been president in 2022. In any case, she could have garnered more votes than Ferdinand Marcos Jr. in that election. Yet, Sara Duterte agreed to step aside and run as vice president to Marcos, despite topping the pre-election polls.

Her dream political marriage to Marcos Jr. was shrewdly brokered by two powerful women—former President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo who has sought to magnify her political clout by acting as Sara’s mentor, and Sen. Imee Marcos, Marcos Jr.’s elder sister and friend to Sara. While the Duterte patriarch did not approve of the partnership, he decided it was futile to impose his will on his headstrong daughter.

The tacit understanding behind this partnership was that, in exchange for Sara’s gracious collaboration in the Marcos family’s single-minded quest to retake Malacañang 50 years after being driven out of power, the Marcoses would support her run for the presidency in 2028. By then, it was expected that she would have gained sufficient experience in leadership at the national level to be worthy of the presidency.

As expected, this north-south coalition of the country’s two most powerful political dynasties could not outlive the limited purpose for which it was forged.

San Diego, Philippines

If the Dutertes were looking to get their share of power as befits a real political partner, they could not have been more wrong. Vice President Sara did get appointed secretary of education, a position from which, her supporters hoped, she could strategically project her presidential ambitions. But, outside the education department, she remained a political non-entity. Her father’s appointees, who for six years inhabited the juiciest and most powerful sinecures in government, were summarily removed from their positions as soon as the Marcos team took over.

At the House of Representatives, Duterte’s key ally, Arroyo, failed in her bid to re-assume the allpowerful position of speaker, after Malacañang made it clear that it preferred Martin Romualdez, the president’s first cousin, to head the House. Arroyo’s return to the speakership, an expected reward for her role as matchmaker, would have enabled her to control key appointments to the chamber’s most crucial committees. But the new administration had other plans, and these did not require her participation. The final blow came with her unceremonious ouster as senior deputy speaker. Perhaps nothing is more emblematic of the changing of the guards at the House than

the expulsion from the corridors of power of the acid-tongued Rodante Marcoleta, the Sagip party list representative who was one of the Duterte regime’s most feared hatchet men. It was Marcoleta who led the assault on the ABS-CBN network to deny the renewal of its franchise and compel its closure as a broadcast company. The other day, the mighty Marcoleta was relieved of all his positions in major House committees, which had been the source of his outsized influence.

A worse fate than merely being fired or marginalized had befallen another Duterte stalwart—the vociferous Harry Roque, former party list representative and former Duterte spokesperson. Today, Roque faces possible prosecution for various kinds of criminal offenses in connection with the dubious services he provided to illegal offshore gaming operators and the allegedly unexplained wealth he accumulated during the Duterte years. Like the cult leader and Duterte spiritual adviser Apollo Quiboloy of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ, who was recently captured after a massive police search of his Davao stronghold, all of Duterte’s enablers and perpetrators have become potential targets of congressional investigations.

This apocalyptic process is what we are seeing unfold in both the Senate and House hearings. Never has the cause of justice depended more on a rift within the ruling class than on the strength of the political opposition. Deprived of the material resources (e.g., confidential and intelligence funds), political clout, and access to political patronage (e.g., Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office and Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. funds) to keep their enabling system going, the

Dutertes are finding themselves deserted by their allies. Given how rapidly the world of Dutertismo is collapsing, if Sara Duterte does not become president in 2028 or sooner, father and daughter and their legion of enablers may all likely end up in jail. (Inquirer.net) * * * 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.

* * * public.lives@gmail.com

Former President Rodrigo Duterte Inquirer.net file photo

ManilaTimes.net photo

Robredo leads launching of ‘Team Naga 2025’ slate

by Dianne SaMpang Inquirer.net

MANILA — Former Vice

President Leni Robredo announced on Friday, October 4 the “Team Naga 2025” slate following her confirmation to run as mayor of Naga City in the 2025 local elections.

According to Robredo’s official Facebook page, the slate was chosen through an evaluation and vetting process.

The post also said the vetting process was based on “criteria including integrity, character, experience, and contribution to people empowerment.”

“Those who are with me today have been evaluated based on three categories: ethical standards, capacity and experience, and governance” Robredo said in Bikol.

Further, the post added that the vetting process was a “tradition started by her late husband, long-time Naga City Mayor Jesse Robredo” and was participated by over 2,000 Nagueños.

Outgoing Camarines Sur Representative Gabriel Bordado will serve as the slate’s vice mayor. It was not Bordado’s first time as a vice mayor stint as he already served as vice mayor during Jesse Robredo’s mayoral leadership in the province. Further, the aspiring councilors of the Team Naga 2025 slate are:

• Outgoing City Administrator Elmer Baldomero

• Incumbent Councilor Jess Albeus

• Incumbent Councilor Gayle Abonal-Gomez

• Outgoing City Budget Officer

Frank Mendoza

• Atty. Areiz Macaraig

• Former City Health Officer

Dr. Butch Borja

• Former Councilor Miles

Raquid-Arroyo

• Incumbent Councilor Omar Buenafe

• Incumbent Councilor Jose Perez

• Incumbent Councilor Oying Rosales.

Despite calls to run for senator, Robredo previously said that she already closed the doors on the possibility as she preferred to run for mayor in her province.

The former vice president currently sits as the chairman and president of Angat Buhay Foundation, a non-government organization. The foundation was founded after she lost her presidential bid in the 2022 elections. n

Abby Binay launches senatorial bid

by Jean Mangaluz Philstar.com

MANILA — While her last name may not be new to the Senate, Makati City Mayor Abby Binay is one of the newcomers in the race toward the Upper Chamber of Congress.

Binay filed her certificate of candidacy on Friday, Oct. 4, 2024. She is running under the administration slate of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

“Wala sa polyeto ang pruweba ng kanyang kagalingan; nasa lungsod na mahusay niyang pinamamahalaan,” Marcos said when he announced Binay’s senatorial bid on September 26.

(Proof of her excellence is not in the pamphlets; but in the city that she has wisely governed.)

Binay is running under the party of the Nationalist People’s Coalition, a political party that Marcos’s Partido Federal ng Pilipinas recently forged an alliance with.

After filing her certificate of candidacy at the Manila Hotel, Binay said that many people did not know that she was a lawmaker in the House of Representatives for nine years as the representative of the 2nd District of Makati.

Some of the key legislation she would implement in the Senate would focus on aiding local government, such amending the local government code, and helping local governments

get access to climate change funding.

"I think we really have to be more resilient because cyclones and disasters will not go away," Binay said.

The Binay clan has had a foothold in both local and national politics.

Abby’s sister, Nancy Binay is an outgoing senator. She held no elected post prior to beginning her senatorial stint.

Abby’s father is former Vice President Jejomar Binay, who served under the term of the late President Benigno Aquino Jr. He

ran for senator in 2022 but fell short. Interestingly, Jejomar was a human rights lawyer during the time of the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos Sr., the father of the current president.

During the time of Marcos Sr., Jejomar provided free legal assistance to Martial Law detainees. The Binay patriarch was himself imprisoned, becoming a victim of Martial Law. His daughter Abby now runs under the slate of Marcos Sr.’s son.

Malacañang debunks another Marcos video

by alexiS RoMeRo Philstar.com

MANILA — The Presidential Communications Office (PCO) on Saturday, September 28 belied another video implying that President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is using illegal drugs and urged the public to examine the claims that are making the rounds online.

A video showing President Marcos receiving something from a supporter while posing for selfies during a public event has gone viral, spawning speculations that he got a sachet of illicit drugs.

Critics of Marcos alleged that the object contained a “white substance” and assailed him for his supposed brazen acceptance of narcotics.

In a video posted on Facebook, the PCO clarified that someone handed Marcos a lapel pin containing the logo of his party Partido Federal ng Pilipinas, not prohibited drugs.

“Some individuals are using these kinds of content to propagate a wrong narrative. If a video or photo is shared in the wrong context, it becomes easy for some to convince the public to believe in wrong information,” the narrator of the video said in Filipino.

The PCO called on the public to know the complete story behind such videos and to examine their details.

The giving of the lapel pin was a “simple action that was given a different interpretation” because some of the details in the story were lacking, the agency added.

The PCO said the blurring and cutting of clips and the sharing of information in the wrong context are effective ways to deceive the public.

The office also called on the public to “think critically, share responsibly” and to join the fight against fake news.

Marcos’ critics are claiming that he is addicted to illegal drugs, but the president merely laughed off the accusation.

Last week, the PCO cited a report by fact-checker Vera Files stating that artificial intelligence experts from the Deepfakes Analysis Unit had found traces of manipulation in the video that tried to portray Marcos as a cocaine user.

The agency said the experts’ findings vindicated Marcos from “malicious individuals” who have been trying to slander him and

Gets namin ang aming customer mga Pilipino

May magagandang rate, guaranteed delivery, at walang hidden fee, samahan ang milyon-milyong nagtitiwala sa Remitly kapag nagse-send ng pera sa mga kaibigan at pamilya.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

PNA photo cast aspersions on his character. Officials have said the people behind the now-debunked video could face charges for violating the Cybercrime Prevention Act. n

Outgoing Makati Mayor Abby Binay files her certificate of candidacy for senator at the Manila Hotel’s Tent City on Oct. 4, 2024 under the Marcos administration’s “Alyansa para sa Bagong Pilipinas” coalition. Philstar.com photo by Ryan Baldemor

LOS ANGELES

Olivia Rodrigo

Notable young Filipino-Americans making waves in the international stage

by Jessica ann evangelista Cebudailynews.Inquirer.net

CEBU CITY — October is Filipino American

History Month, a time to celebrate the culture and contributions of Filipinos who have lived in the United States.

With so many of our kababayans now calling the U.S. home, it’s a great time to reflect on how they’ve shaped the country and continue to make their mark— especially the up-and-coming younger generation.

With that in mind, several notable FilipinoAmerican artists are gaining significant attention from their global fans, especially their Filipino supporters. Let’s highlight some of them and the industries where they currently excel.

Fashion and entertainment industry

Kelsey Alaine Meritt

In 2018, Fashion icon Kelsey Alaine Merritt made history as the first Filipino-American to walk in the prestigious Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show.

Born in Pampanga to a Filipina mother and an American father of French, German, British, and Irish descent, Merritt continues to represent her diverse heritage on the international stage. She recently

attended the September-October Paris Fashion Week for several luxury fashion brands.

Olivia Rodrigo 21-year-old popstar princess Olivia Rodrigo is currently making waves online with her eclectic pop music, which resonates with many young women today, especially her fellow Gen Zs.

In a 2023 episode of The Hollywood Reporter’s Awards Chatter podcast, the Filipino-American artist dives into her journey in showbiz, chatting about her early acting days, her creative process as a musician, and more. She opens up about growing up FilipinoAmerican and even teases her first-ever show in the Philippines, which will happen this Saturday, October 5.

Jacob Batalon

Known for playing the relatable sidekick Ned Leeds, 27-year-old Jacob Batalon debuted in SpiderMan: Homecoming in 2017 as the tech-savvy best friend of Tom Holland’s Spider-Man. He also stars as Reginald Baskin in the TV series Reginald the Vampire. Jacob Batalon was born in Hawaii on October 9, 1996, to Filipino parents with Ilocano roots. He has

Citizen Pinoy answers immigration questions at a New York City pop-up event

IN this week’s episode of “Citizen Pinoy,” leading U.S. Immigration Attorney Michael J. Gurfinkel heads to a vibrant Pop-up event in New York City called “ Batok at Sulat ,” where he learns about the Filipino indigenous art of “ batok ” tattooing, made famous by the legendary Apo Whang-Od.

The event, organized by Augee Francisco, owner of Kabisera NYC, showcased booths by Kristian Kabuay ( batok artist) who featured Baybayin art; Michelle Solis (Ina Sol) who featured indigenous style jewelry; Gerald Mayupao (Anito) who had apparel for the community; and Robin and Maya Kitana Aquilizan (Bayani Art) who offered children’s books on Philippine heroes. During the event, Atty. Gurfinkel took time to address immigration questions, including Chef Augee’s inquiry on how she can sponsor relatives from the Philippines for green cards to help operate her restaurants.

Another attendee, Rodrigo, asked if there was a path to legal status for his friend who overstayed an H-2B visa but has been paying taxes. Atty. Gurfinkel answers these questions and more in “Your Tanong , My Sagot ” at the New

Kelsey Meritt

LEADING U.S. IMMIGRATION ATTORNEY MICHAEL J. GURFINKEL ANSWERS IMMIGRATION

Black Eyed Peas debuting Taylor Swift-inspired

AI member at 2025 Las Vegas residency

by Kristofer Purnell Philstar.com

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."   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.

Ria’s favorite role of Zanjoe

by lyKa nicart Philstar.com

MANILA — Zanjoe Marudo and wife Ria Atayde have officially entered their parenthood era!

The celebrity couple welcomed their first child, a baby boy, on Sept. 23.

It was none other than Ria’s ecstatic mom, Sylvia Sanchez, who shared the happy news on Instagram.

The veteran actress took to the platform to express excitement over becoming a first-time grandma, sharing a video at the hospital following her daughter’s successful delivery.

“Lola na ako !!! Yahoooo!!!,” Sylvia wrote as a caption in the video reposed by Zanjoe via

The celebrity couple, Zanjoe Marudo and Ria Atayde, welcomed their first child, a

on Sept. 23.

Instagram stories. Newbie mom Ria, meanwhile, posted a photo of Zanjoe cradling their bundle of joy. “Fave role of yours to date,”

said Ria. The two tied the knot at a civil wedding ceremony last March, a month after announcing their engagement.

A Major Milestone for A Well-Loved Mother.

MRS. FE BETIA GONORA - VILLANUEVA, widow of the late Jose (Joe) Villanueva, Sr. of Riverside, California and Bacolod City, Philippines (a decorated World War II USAFFE veteran), is a well-loved grand lady of the family bestowed with lots of God-given talents and creative ability. She recently reached a major milestone in life, celebrating her 100th birthday in a well-attended bash given by family members at the Norman P. Murray Community Center in Mission Viejo, CA on July 20, 2024.

Fe first came to the United States in December of 1983 as an immigrant, joining her husband Joe who, as a member of the American Legion of Veterans, had earlier been sworn in as a naturalized American citizen. She lives with daughter, Paula V. Gustilo, a retired registered nurse from Kaiser Permanente, Riverside. She found her niche working as a floral designer at a posh flower shop in downtown Riverside. She was trusted with a meticulous task of helping provide beautiful flower arrangements at the elegant Mission Inn Hotel, a 150-year old historic landmark in the City of Riverside. Mission Inn has listed a number of U.S. Presidents as among its notable guests, including Teddy Roosevelt, Kennedy, Nixon, Ford, Reagan, and George W. Bush, to name a few. In fact, Richard Nixon and wife, Pat were married at its Presidential Suite back in 1940. Ronald and Nancy Reagan also spent their honeymoon there. Fe’s grand and growing family is composed of 12 children, 25 grandchildren, 22 great grandchildren and about 60 nephews and nieces.

seven half-siblings—one brother and one sister from his mom and three brothers and two sisters from his dad.

“Being Filipino and being proud of my heritage, it gives me this great sense of responsibility to be a better person,” Jacob shares in a video interview with Syfy, an American media company.

Hailey Steinfeld

Known for her hit songs like “Capital Letters,” “Love Myself,” and “Rock Bottom,” Hailee Steinfeld isn’t just a talented singer—she’s also made a name for herself as a remarkable actress.

She first gained recognition for her role in “The Edge of Seventeen” and later starred in “Bumblebee” and the 2023 film “The Marvels.” She’s winning hearts as Emily Dickinson in the comedy-drama series, “Dickinson”.

As the younger of two children to Cheri Domasin and Peter Steinfeld, 27-year-old Hailee proudly embraces her Filipino roots with her maternal grandfather, Ricardo Domasin, hailing from Panglao, Bohol.

Government and Civil Service

Fernando Montanes

Fernando Montanes, a student and community advocate, was recently sworn in as a Recreation Commissioner in Daly City, California. Known for its diverse community, Daly City is where Fernando hones his organizational skills as a sales team lead at a shop in Serramonte Center.

Joining four other residents appointed by the City Council, he’ll help advise on safe and fun activities

for everyone in town. The Recreation Department, or “Rec” as it’s often called, “works closely with youth and students, providing them services and programs that promote community welfare, extracurricular activities, sports, and other fun stuff,” said Monthanes in an interview with Inquirer.net

Billy Crawford credits late father as biggest coach in

by Jerry Donato Philstar.com

MANILA — His work as a coach to “The Voice” kids has started, and Billy Crawford is definitely on the lookout for talents, aged between seven and 14, who will constitute his team. Hopefully, one of them will reach the finale show.

Billy simply banks on his years of experience as a singer and recording artist here and abroad.

Like his fellow “The Voice Kids” coaches Julie Anne San Jose and Stell and Pablo of SB19, Billy has a game plan, which he generously shared in a recent press conference for the reality singing talent show, airing Sundays at 7 p.m. on GMA.

“My strategy is that I have to tell and be honest with the kids and tell them that ‘This is a competition,’” said he. “Sa isang competition, may mananalo at may matatalo (in a competition, someone wins and someone loses), pero gusto ko ring i-embed sa kanila na di matatapos yung career nila dahil sa isang kumpetisyon (but I also want to embed or instill in them that their career will not end because of one competition).”

Billy added that he wanted the kids to also appreciate the importance of having work ethics and professionalism in the fields of performing and singing.

“And also how to love and to be passionate about their craft, which is singing,” shared he. “So, when it comes to performance, what I can also give them (as advice) is kung ito ang hilig nila (if this is something they want to do or they’re interested in doing), they really have to give their heart.”

It’s safe to say that all this is a glimpse of Billy as a coach of “The Voice Kids,” although he has also shown his coach side in “The Voice Generations.” In life, Billy has had coaches or influences who have inspired him

to chase his dreams and helped him navigate his entertainment careers, from being a child actor-performer to becoming an international singer and a wellknown actor.

“One of my biggest coaches in my life was my father,” said he, adding that his dad gave him a sense of awareness about work and professionalism. (His dad sadly passed away on Sept. 22.)

“And I’ve always wanted to be like or at least close to my father.”

However, the idea of coaching is not something new to him.

“I love coaching my kid, Amari,” said Billy, who is married to actress Coleen Garcia. “We try to give them (our kids) the best coach in life at kami yung tinitignan nila araw-araw (parents, like me, are the ones they look up to).”

“I’ve been given this platform to actually motivate kids and to teach them certain things like tricks and trades that we know as coaches and we can share with the kids.

That’s why it’s a big responsibility (to be a coach), nakaka-pressure,

but the experience of being a coach, it’s not so new to me, pinangarap ko na ito matagal na (I’ve dreamed this for long), like I’ve always wanted to help performers enhance whatever skills they have,” added he.

Following Billy’s train of thought, one could gather that an artist should always try to perfect his or her craft. Regardless of the artist’s chosen field — be it singing, acting or painting, he or she has to work hard and put his or her (heart and) soul into it.

“It feels good to be a coach, and (for) all of us, our roles in life are to coach and teach good to others, kumbaga automatic na tayong coaches,” said he.

That’s why, when the opportunity to coach for this new edition of “The Voice” came along, Billy took and grabbed it. After all, it is his way of paying it forward and helping aspiring singers. “I’m just really thankful and blessed that I’m given this opportunity, siguro makabalik

Jacob Batalon is known for his role as Ned Leeds in the Marvel Spider-Man universe. Hailee Steinfeld

Fernando Montanes hones his organization skills as sales team lead at a shop in Serramonte Center. Photo from Cherie Querol Moreno

J. Rey Soul, also known as Jessica Reynoso (second from right) of “The Voice of the Philippines,”

baby boy,

Rogelio Constantino Medina My P.E.P.

ILOCOS Norte Governor Matthew Joseph Marcos Manotoc, who finished a psychology course in Claremont McKenna College in California and attended the National University of Singapore’s Stanford Graduate School of Business, is inviting fellow Ilocano and non-Ilocano residents to join in “Himala sa Buhangin” ( Miracle in the Sand) event during the Himala Arts and Music Festival at Suba Sand Dunes (where some art installations can be found) in Paoay, Ilocos Norte on November 16. Many artists and performers like Zack Tabudlo and Shanti Dope will participate in this festival (a brainchild of Sen. Imee Marcos). For tickets, you may contact himala.ilocosnorte.ph or http://www.smtickets.com.

Manotoc is an avid golfer and basketball player. He was a basketball coach and a co-founder of Espiritu Manotoc Basketball Management (EMBM).

* * * Rapper-comedian Andrew Espiritu, or simply Andrew E, is a responsible, caring husband to former Mylene Yap of Boracay Island. He sired three bright, talented kids. He will have his first major concert after 34 years, dubbed as “1 Time for Your Mind” at New Frontier Theatre in Quezon City on December 11.

* *

*

For Los Angeles-based Filipino chef Marvin Aritrangco, winning best action short film for “Bare-Knuckle” at this year’s Los Angeles Film Festival is a great honor. ‘We are grateful for the recognition and support from our fellow winners, as well as the opportunity to sit beside Lou Diamond Phillips,” he said.

Directed by Alex De Ocampo and written by Mark Labella, “Bare-Knuckle” follows the story of a hitman coming to terms with his sexuality and grapples with the dual challenge of breaking free from a toxic relationship while confronting the merciless underworld he has chosen. The hitman eventually aims to redefine his own destiny through self-love and redemption.

Singing Chef Marvin, is also part of the half-hour dramedy series “Nurse the Dead” by Mark

Himala Arts and Music Festival in Ilocos Norte on Nov. 16

Labella, and it is in the works. Hailing from a family of overseas Filipino workers, Marvin was a sous chef de cuisine at Sheikh Hamad Al Sharqi Royal Palace in Rabat, Morocco some years ago. His first exposure abroad was in 2006 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates where he worked at the Royal Palace for the Al Maktoum-Al Sharqi family. He later became chef de partie and personal chef of Sheika Fatima Al Maktoum at the Ruler’s Palace in Fujairah, UAE. Interestingly, his communication line with his former lady boss is still open. Despite his success, he remains humble for he knows how to give back what he has now achieved in life. “Life, after all, is a continuous learning, and giving,” he said with a smile.

* * * Nicole Andersson is the daughter of 1975 Miss Young Philippines titleholder and actress Jean Saburit while Robin da Roza is the nephew of 1969 Miss Universe titleholder and actress Gloria Diaz. Both followed the footsteps of their relatives, but later on left the kleig lights. Nicole appeared in ABS-CBN’s “Kaya ni Mister, Kaya ni Misis” (with Maricel Soriano and Cesar Montano in the lead) and in the film “Mulawin, the Movie.” She also used to host a TV show with Georgina Wilson. This writer met Nicole years ago during a yoga session launch in Ortigas, Pasig City. Through her French-Filipina friend Solenn Heussaff, she has been doing yoga, a great full body workout, to build strength and to serve as stress therapy. She left the kleig lights (since she was three years old, she had been into acting for 13 years but she stopped) to study international business and marketing at the University of San Francisco in California. After college, she worked abroad, then she took a year off, travelling around Europe. She has a blog about her travelling experiences and enjoys reading business books that helps her in shaping her business philosophy: “Don’t be afraid to take a risk.”

Former Close-Up toothpaste model Robin da Roza, who was first discovered in showbizness by Simon Ongpin, was asked by German Moreno in 1984 (that time, he was about to finish his elementary education) to join Kuya Germs’ TV show but his mom wanted Robin to finish his

studies at De La Salle University. At three years old, he did his first commercial. He had done 18 TV commercials. He is now an interior design consultant.

* * * Sixteen P. Ablero, or Hiwaga ” of Hiwaga Pares, from Negros island, appeared in GMA Network’s series “Black Rider” as Marisol as well as in “TiktoClock.” He was interviewed in shows “Unang Hirit,” “Sarap ‘Di Ba ?,” and “ May Puhunan: Kaya Mo .” He was recognized recently in the 1st Filipino Heroic Awards as Most Outstanding Social Media Influencer and FastRising Entrepreneur of the Year.

* * * Congressman Bro. Eddie

Villanueva was recently recognized by the 2nd Philippines Finest Business Awards and Outstanding Achievers as Most Outstanding Public Servant in the Philippines. He was represented by Leo Alconga during the awards ceremony at The Hexagon Events Place in Quezon City. He is the founder of the Jesus Is Lord (JIL) Church Worldwide which will celebrate its 46th anniversary in Luneta, Manila on October 12.

* * * 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

Sixteen Ablero, or Hiwaga, and Rogelio Medina Nicole Andersson with Rogelio Medina

From left: Marvin Aritrangco, Lou Diamond Phillips and Tamerlane Mopia

Rogelio Medina and Matthew Marcos Manotoc

The Manotocs (from left): Atty. Mike, dad Tommy, Borgy and Gov. Matthew.

Robin da Roza in India

Matthew Marcos Manotoc playing basketball.

Andrew E with wife Mylene and their kids in Japan.

Leo Alconga accepts the PFBA award on behalf of Bro. Eddie Villanueva.

Photos courtesy of Rogelio Medina

FOREIGNERS that have either a business in their home country or have the capital or can raise the capital to establish a business in the U.S., there is an option for obtaining long term status in the U.S. that confers a lot of privileges to the applicant. This is either through the E-1 “treaty traders” or the E-2 “treaty investors.” Both classifications required that 1) the alien seeking E status is a national of a country with an appropriate treaty; 2) the U.S. business to employ the alien is owned at least 50% by nationals of the same country as the E alien; 3) the trade or investment by the treaty nationals is “substantial”; and 4) the alien seeking E status either is an actual investor in the U.S. business, has an executive or supervisory position in the U.S. business, or possesses skills essential to the U.S. business.

The major distinction between the two is that under the E-1, the U.S. business must conduct “substantial trade” with and

WHAT narratives or stories do you create in your mind? Are they true or mere products of your insecurities and fears? Do they stem from childhood experiences that shape your sense of self, either positively or negatively? Are these thoughts uplifting or do they lead to feelings of depression? Are they real, or just impostors?

Friends, the stories we create in our minds each day possess the power to strengthen or weaken us; they can inspire, motivate, or even destroy our spirit. This is why it is crucial to be aware of these narratives, discerning whether they are beneficial or harmful, true or false. If they erode our hopes, make

The E Visa classificaton as an immigration option for foreign investors

for which over 50% of the substantial trade conducted with the treaty country. On the other hand, the E-2 requires “substantial investment” in the U.S. business.

The E classification offers several advantages over other employment based nonimmigrant classifications such as the H-1b and the L-1. First, no prior preapproved petition is required from the CIS. The immigrant may apply directly with the U.S. Consulate.

Second, there is no time limit an alien may stay in the U.S. under an E classification. Third, there is no required affiliation with a foreign company if the U.S. business is owned by at least 50% by nationals of the alien’s treaty country. Fourth, there is no requirement that the alien worked with a foreign affiliate. Fifth, the Alien’s dependent Spouse may legally work in the United States. The major disadvantage of the E is that either substantial investment or substantial trade with the treaty country is required. Also, this is not an option is the alien’s

country does not have a treaty with the United States. Alien investors can come to the U.S. on a B-1 to evaluate business and investment opportunities. For more conservative investors, a safer option for maximizing success from both an immigration angle and a business angle is to purchase an existing business. Purchasing an existing and profitable business is more likely to satisfy the “substantial investment” requirement. Preparing an E case requires the presenting of legal and financial documents which reflects the ownership structure of the business as well as its financial condition. In the case of a new business, a well-puttogether business plan should be prepared. It may be necessary to employ the services of other experts such as a CPA in addition to the immigration attorney. Due to the complexity of the E classification, aliens should seek the assistance of an experienced immigration attorney.

* * * Please note that this article is not

legal advice and is not intended as legal advice. The article is intended to provide only general, non-specific legal information. This article is not intended to cover all the issues related to the topic discussed. The specific facts that apply to your matter may make the outcome different than would be anticipated by you. This article does create any attorney client relationship between you and the Law Offices of Kenneth U. Reyes, APC.  This article is not a solicitation.

* * * Attorney Kenneth Ursua Reyes is a Board Certified Family Law Specialist. He was President of the Philippine American Bar Association. He is a member of both the Family law section and Immigration law section of the Los Angeles County Bar Association. He is a graduate of Southwestern University Law School in Los Angeles and California State University, San Bernardino School of Business Administration. He has extensive CPA experience prior to law practice. LAW OFFICES OF KENNETH REYES, APC is located at 3699 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 700, Los Angeles, CA, 90010. Tel. (213) 388-1611 or e-mail kenneth@ kenreyeslaw.com or visit our website at Kenreyeslaw.com (Advertising Supplement) by Anne PAsAjol Inquirer.net

On Guarding Our Thoughts

us feel unworthy or inferior, hinder our relationships, and rob us of joy and zest for life, then they do not come from God. Instead, they originate from His enemy, Satan.

As believers in a loving, forgiving, and affirming God, we cannot allow Satan to make us feel worthless or insignificant. Remember, God created us good, as the story of creation in the Bible recounts.

In this time when many are experiencing depression, hopelessness, and anxiety due to a world rife with divisions, conflicts, wars, and diseases, we must cultivate a positive and hopeful mindset, guarding our thoughts against the negative voices of the Enemy, who may whisper that we are nothing, that life is not worth living, and that God does not care or even exist. We must plant in our minds seeds of loving kindness for

both ourselves and others, as well as confidence in God and our inherent human potential. Again, remember that from the beginning, God created us good and made us partners in His creative power. After He created wild animals and various birds, God brought them to the man to see what he would call them. Recognizing that these creatures were not enough to provide the man with good company, He created a woman from the man’s ribs to demonstrate just how much He cares for him. From the very moment of creation, God has always had our best interests and those of the world in mind. Therefore, the greatest narrative we must hold onto is that we are inherently good, and that everything will ultimately be good, for this reflects God’s will for us. This is the fundamental reason He

Liza joins int’l entertainment company WILD

Jam Republic, Lana, Seungyeon and Sorn.

sent His beloved Son into the world—to redeem us from sin and death, to rescue us from the snares of His enemy, whose mission is to destroy our hope, divide us, sever our loving relationships, and bring chaos to both the world and our society.

Friends, let’s guard our thoughts. Let’s dismiss any thoughts that stir fears, doubts, and depression. Instead, let’s listen `solely to the voice of God, who sees the goodness within our hearts. With warm regards, Fr. Rodel “Odey” Balagtas * * * 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.

* * * Fr. Rodel “Odey” Balagtas is the pastor of Incarnation Church in Glendale, California.

LIZA Soberano received warm welcome as she joined the global entertainment company WILD as one of its talents.

The actress’ new management was announced through the label’s official Instagram page on Tuesday, October 1.

“We’re so happy to welcome the talented Filipino-American actress Liza Soberano to our WILD family,” it said, showing a portrait of Soberano.

The company further provided the contact detail for “any Singapore-related inquiries” for Soberano. Other than this, no details on the signing were immediately made public.

WILD, as per its website, is a “global entertainment company, marketing agency and music label” which aims to “connect Asian-American artists and talent worldwide, with a focus on Southeast Asia, South Korea and the United States.”

Other talents managed by the label are Tasha Low, Haven,

“WILD’s global roster of talent ranging from artists, actors, hosts, and content creators each have their own stories to tell—as well as the initiative to grow their brand beyond their platforms,” the company said of its talents, per its website.

“Above all, we bring out the best in our team by forging strong and lasting relationships, providing them with the right support, as well as giving the strategic and technical knowhow to produce the highest quality work,” it further stated. Soberano was previously managed by Careless, a label founded by actormusician James Reid. Reid confirmed the actress’ exit in September, after weeks of speculations.

Reid further disclosed that Soberano herself decided to leave the agency, saying this was due to the actress and the company having different “career paths.”

Soberano, meanwhile, has yet to speak on the matter as of this writing.

Tisha Alyn hosts 2nd Philippine Airlines (PAL) USA Cup

TISHA Alyn, a Filipino American former pro golfer turned popular golf media personality who was recently featured in Forbes’ “Women in Sports,” will host the exciting Second Philippine Airlines (PAL) USA Cup – Bong K. Tan Memorial Golf Tournament on November 2 at the Morongo Golf Club at Tukwet Canyon in Beaumont.

Forbes, in its feature of Women in Sports for its 2024 Under 20 Summit, wrote: “Tisha Alyn is a renowned Filipino American golf media host, content creator, former pro golfer, and talented trick-shot artist. Since her professional debut in 2015, Tisha has created a significant buzz in the golf industry by leveraging her social media channels to share her golf journey behind the scenes, which landed her partnerships with some of the world’s biggest brands.

“Today, she stands tall among the biggest names in the industry. With her captivating personality and exceptional talent, Tisha continues to engage her followers with her love for golf, fitness, travel, fashion, and juggling many hats. She produces entertaining content, including her trademark trick shots, and showcases the latest fashion trends.

“Tisha has also become the face of Google Fitbit, sharing her latest in-app workouts with her followers. Her influence extends beyond the golf course, as she hosts international brand initiatives, travels the world to host tournaments, and advocates for the LGBTQ+ community and girls’ youth programming through various activations as an ambassador for Youth On Course. Tisha’s passion for Golf started at the age of 3 and has since defied societal norms along the way- she looks forward to breaking barriers across golf and entertainment.”

The pioneering Filipino American creative powerhouse in the world of golf started playing golf at the young age of three. At seven years old, the Illinois native was already playing golf in competition. By the time she was 11 years old, Alyn was ranked the number one Junior in Illinois.

After shining as a college athlete at Cal State University, she turned pro. Today, Alyn has become a popular golf media personality and a passionate advocate of the LGBTQ+ community. She looks forward to hosting the Nov. 2 tournament which offers a chance to win free roundtrip PAL tickets to the Philippines. A raffle giving away free PAL roundtrip tickets to the Philippines, a gourmet catered lunch and more are in store for all participating golf enthusiasts.

Celebrities

Liza Soberano

Photo from Instagram/@signedbywild

Gretchen Barretto stuns fans, celebs with ‘fitspiration’ photo

by Anne PAsAjol Inquirer.net

GRETCHEN Barretto flaunted her ageless beauty in a recent “fitspiration” photo, sending not only fans but also fellow celebrities Heart Evangelista, Anne Curtis and Bea Alonzo gushing.

Barretto looked radiant in a casual white tank top paired with denim shorts, with her hair in a sleek bun, as seen on makeup artist Mark Kingson Qua’s Instagram page last Saturday, Sept. 28.

“So nice to see you again,” Qua captioned his post. “Fitspiration ba kamo?”

Evangelista then took to the comments section to compliment Barretto, saying the latter’s photo is “a reminder — she is the queen.” Curtis and Alonzo likewise showered Barretto with praises, alongside other celebrities Iza Calazado, Phoemela Baranda,

Nikki Valdez and Ciara Sotto.

In a separate post, Qua also shared the behind-the-scenes of his photo shoot with Barretto, showing the actress trying out clothes and shoes.

“Getting ready with the queen,” he said. Barretto has been rarely seen on social media since she has no official accounts of her own.

“I like the more peaceful Gretchen now; the older, the more mature, the more confident—I’m more sure of myself,” she said in a January 2024 interview. “I like it, and there’s nothing wrong with appreciating peace.”

The socialite added that giving up social media led her to know more about freedom and the sincerity people feel for her.

“I have the freedom to do what I want to do with all sincerity. I don’t do things out of wanting to show people, and I connect with people more because I feel their sincerity,” she remarked.

Billy Crawford credits late...

lang sa kapwa ko whether kahit anong edad (maybe just to help others), but it’s just a blessing na makaka-coach pa ako sa mga kabataan (to be coaching the young ones),” said he.

For Billy, no matter what age, one can start anything, such as discovering and pursuing one’s talent, let’s say, for singing, as one may add.

“It’s just such a beautiful thing

to see innocent children having their dreams and fulfilling their dreams, even makatapak lang sila dito sa entablado (them stepping on the stage to perform) without knowing if they will pass (or go to) the next round or not, just the experience, it’s a lifetime core memory, and I hope people will see it. That’s why it’s such a beautiful program to have, it is such a beautiful program to watch,” concluded he.

The world’s iconic monument: The Leaning Tower of Pisa

From My Point of

WHEN my family traveled recently to Florence, Italy, the first tourist destination that I dreamed of visiting, was the iconic Leaning Tower of Pisa. After all, it was only 50 minutes travel by high speed train running 155 per hour from Florence aka Firenze in Italian –the center of Renaissance Period of unified Italy.

Pisa is a small provincial city by the sea in Italy’s Tuscany Region northwest of Rome with a population of about 100,000. It is one hour and three minutes by car from Florence covering 90 kms. And from the train station of Pisa, The Leaning Tower is only 10 minutes away by cab on narrow streets. I can’t help but compare the narrow downtown Italian cities to wider avenues of California’s metropolis. The lanes were typical of the Old World or ancient civilization where horsedrawn carriages were the mode of transportation back then.

The Leaning of Tower of Pisa was started by its native sons Bonanno Pisano and Guglielmo

in 1173. Bonanno also sculpted the bronze door of the Cathedral beside the tower in 1180.

From the information I gathered, the tilt was already evident when the tower had reach its construction on the third floor due to the “crumbly state” on the ground or foundation upon which the tower now stands. The famous tower was never built as a vertical edifice.

Bonanno left Pisa in 1185 to Sicily without completing the tower’s construction. After a year, he came back to his native Pisa but died and never saw the completion of his monumental project. He was given an honorable burial in a sarcophagus or a stone coffin associated with the ancient civilization of Egypt, Rome and Greece – at the foot of the tower. The work was completed by Giovanni di Simone. The design of the tower is a blend of Gothic with a predominant Romanesque.

The construction of this iconic tower was interrupted by internecine wars among city states. Florence and Lucca defended their territorial turfs against Genoa during the Roman empire. In 1319 the belfry was added. The whole tower was completed in 1350 by Tommaso Pisano.

From my point of view, the tower, although it is leaning by 15 feet, won’t crumble or collapse

by any stretch of imagination. It is fortified by sturdy and concrete slabs. The tower is 179 feet tall comprising of eight floors with the belfry on the eighth storey. It was only my son Denver and myself who reached the top of the tower. I had to pause for a few seconds after the third floor to catch my breath. My wife Myrna just remained at the base.

The origin of the iconic bell tower was intended as a Muslim minaret of a mosque to calls for prayer. When unified Italy was converted to Christianity, the tolling bells were used to summon the faithful to prayers. Thereafter,

a Cathedral in front of the tower of Pisa was built during the second half of the 13th century. A high walled cemetery called Campo Santo nestle fronting the cathedral but obscured from public view. The Leaning Tower of Pisa has become the symbol of the unified Italy

‘Happiness is Sharing’ event takes place Oct. 28 in Panorama City

THE spirit of giving is set to shine bright this holiday season with the “Happiness in Sharing: Dinner, Show, and Dance” event, hosted by Gelo Francisco. This lively evening will take place on October 28, 2024, from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m. at Bamboo Bistro located at 8516 Van Nuys Blvd, Panorama City, CA 91402.

The event is part of the ongoing support for the “ Maligayang Noche Buena 2024” campaign. This initiative aims to provide food packages to underprivileged families in Manila, Philippines, with an average monthly income of $100-$200. These food packages will offer families the opportunity to celebrate a joyful and meaningful Christmas despite financial hardships.

Attendees can look forward to an evening filled with heartwarming performances, great food, and the opportunity to contribute to a meaningful cause. Gelo Francisco will host and perform at the event, ensuring a fun-filled night of entertainment. The event encourages

everyone to experience the joy of giving while enjoying a delightful dinner and dancing.

“Maligayang Noche Buena 2024” is the 4th Annual Food Distribution event organized by Joyful Hearts in partnership with the Philippine Women’s University (PWU) University Community Outreach Program (UNICORP) and the PWU Alumni Relations and Development Office.

This year, the project will focus on distributing Christmas food packages to families from various communities, including PWU partner communities like Brgy. 694 in Manila, Brgy. 54 in Pasay, KASAKA Inc., EDSA Manila, and Asilo de San Vicente de Paul.

The campaign is calling for donations to reach more families and spread holiday cheer. Donations in both dollars and pesos can be deposited directly to PWU accounts or U.S. donors can contribute via Zelle to Jane Makanas Pacheco at janepacheco@ yahoo.com.

For more information, contact: Maribel Catala at 818-235-6799 or via Messenger USA; Jane Makanas Pacheco at 510331-7223 or via Messenger USA; Helena Sumagay Carlos via Messenger USA; or Ruth Peñano via email alumni@pwu.edu.ph (for Philippines inquiries).

Donations are being accepted until November 25, 2024. All contributions will make a direct impact on ensuring these families can celebrate Christmas with warmth and dignity.

Joyful Hearts is committed to uplifting underprivileged families through charitable programs. Each year, Joyful Hearts collaborates with local communities and international partners to provide essential food items during the holidays, creating priceless memories for the families they serve. Join Joyful Hearts for this meaningful event and help spread happiness this holiday season through sharing!

EMPLOYMENT EMPLOYMENT

Gretchen Barretto. Photo from Instagram/@mkqua

The author at the belfry of the tower on the eighth floor of the iconic tower.

The author (right) and his family Denver E. Niño (left) and Myrna E. Niño (center) with the Leaning Tower of Pisa as backdrop.

Apo Hiking Society, PAL discount promo codes added as extra treats to ‘Ibalon’ showgoers

IN addition to the beloved Apo Hiking Society and world-renowned concert pianists Raul Sunico and Rene Dalandan, “Ibalon” showgoers will have an exciting extra treat. Philippine Airlines will distribute discount promo codes on the day of the show, October 27, to “Ibalon” ticket holders present at the Cerritos Center for the Performing Arts. Purchase PAL tickets for flights to the Philippines on the

event day and use the promo code to avail of the discount. PAL representatives will be at the Cerritos Center for the Performing Arts to distribute flyers and discuss the discount promo codes with the showgoers. As an extra musical treat to an event that’s shaping up to be the biggest Filipino American event this fall season, Jim Paredes and Boboy Garrovillo of the Apo Hiking Society, internationally

acclaimed concert pianists Raul Sunico and Rene Dalandan are the featured guest artists who will perform numbers in addition to “Ibalon,” a grand full ballet production of the Philippine Ballet Theatre (PBT), the Philippines’ national performing arts company for dance.

The show will start at 5:00 p.m. at the Cerritos Center for the Performing Arts in Cerritos, California. Preceding the show will be an exhibit, free and open to the public, titled “Prelude to

Pinagmulan,” to be held from 1:00 to 5:00 p.m. The performances of the Apo Hiking Society, whose hits have been cherished by several generations of Filipinos, Raul Sunico and Rene Dalandan, two internationally acclaimed pianists, will make the Oct. 27 show even more memorable and a night not to be missed.

Paredes and Garrovillo, who are carrying on the much-loved Apo Hiking Society reputation of treasured songs, Sunico and Dalandan, who recorded

Disco Party sa BASC

2024 BASC 37th Anniversary Fiesta Celebration

October 26, 2024

HALINA at makisayaw sa Disco Party ng Binangonan Association of Southern California sa ikaw-26 ng Oktubre, 2024 na gaganapin sa Double Tree by Hilton Buena Park, 7000 Beach Blvd, Buena Park, CA 90620 For more details, you can reach us at 2024fiesta.basc87. org

an album together, “DuoPiano Concert,” will richly supplement “Ibalon,” a brand new, full-length Filipino ballet extravaganza.

“Ibalon,” based on the beloved Bicolano legend and the love story between a warrior and a cursed princess, will be an epic evening staged by PBT, which is also the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) resident dance company.

In its American premiere, “Ibalon” celebrates the country’s colorful mythology,

set to original music blending contemporary and traditional Filipino elements and entrancing dances inspired by Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao, with spectacular sets and costumes especially flown in from the Philippines.

“Ibalon,” presented in partnership with the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP), is co-presented by Philippine Airlines, Arko Foods Market (Glendale) and American Seafood Ranch Market (Cerritos).

Ted Benito is producing the show for LXV Enterprises, LLC. Emmy and Telly Award winner Lisa Lew’s P & L Media provides the creative video marketing concept and campaign production.

Tickets at $250, $200, $150, $100 and $75 are available from Rosie (818) 859-3108; Gilbert (213) 458-0582; and Gerald (909) 851-6406. Cerritos Center for the Performing Arts is at 18000 Park Plaza Drive, Cerritos, California 90703.

The pre-show exhibit will highlight works by fashion designers Len Cabili and Ditta Sandico and will feature designs created from indigenous materials, accompanied by ethnic music. Complimentary refreshments will be served. (Ruben Nepales)

In addition to the beloved Apo Hiking Society (left) and world-renowned concert pianists Raul Sunico (middle) and Rene Dalandan (right), “Ibalon”

Over 500 gather at Holy Trinity Catholic Church for San Lorenzo Ruiz Feast Day

Los Angeles, hosted the 16th Annual San Fernando Regional celebration of the Filipino Ministry of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, commemorating the feast day of San Lorenzo Ruiz de Manila. The event drew over 500 guests who came together to honor the first Filipino saint. The celebration was marked by a solemn Mass, presided over by Most Rev. Albert M. Bahhuth, Auxiliary Bishop of the San Fernando Pastoral Region. Bishop Bahhuth’s homily deeply moved the congregation, highlighting the unwavering faith and courage of San Lorenzo Ruiz.

Event commemorates the 25th anniversary of hate crime victim Joseph Ileto and his

LOS ANGELES — Asian

Americans Advancing Justice Southern California (AJSOCAL) announced on September 25 that its 41st Anniversary Gala, “United in Action,” will be held on October 10 at Vibiana in DTLA. This annual event, emceed by journalist David Ono (he/him), brings together Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) leaders in civil rights, social justice, public office, business, entertainment and the arts.

The 2024 Public Image Award will be bestowed to veteran entertainment executive Fritz Friedman (he/him) for his decades-long commitment to celebrating AAPI representation. Award-winning actor Lou Diamond Phillips (he/him) will present Friedman with his award.

family

This year’s event held special significance as it was part of Holy Trinity Catholic Church’s centennial celebration, adding a historic and joyous dimension to the festivities. The day included a devotional procession, preliturgical moments reflecting on the life of San Lorenzo, and a luncheon reception featuring traditional Filipino music and dance performances, fostering a sense of community and fellowship.

Chung, Pastor of Holy Trinity Church. “This celebration not only honors the legacy of San Lorenzo Ruiz but also strengthens the bonds within our parish and the wider Filipino community.”

“We are immensely grateful for the incredible turnout and the heartfelt participation of our community,” said Fr. Brian

For more photos and details about the event, please visit the Holy Trinity Catholic Church and the Filipino Ministry San Fernando Region ADLA Facebook pages.

The gala this year commemorates the 25th Anniversary of the murder of Filipino American hate-crime victim Joseph Ileto, along with an in-memoriam tribute to his mother, Lillian Ileto, for her antiviolence advocacy. That tribute includes performances by actors/ recording artists Jennifer Paz (she/ her) and Anthony Fedorov (he/ him). Mental health professional and LGBTQIA+ activist Eddy Gana (they/them), LCSW, will be receiving the 2024 Joseph Ileto Courage Award, which annually recognizes unsung heroes for exceptional courage and resilience in the face of adversity.

Executive Director of Search to Involve Pilipino Americans (SIPA) Kimmy Maniquis (she/her/siya) and wife of the late Eric Swing, Ellen Rodgriguez Swing (she), will present Gana with their award. Connie Chung Joe (she/her/ hers), CEO, AJSOCAL says, “In our 41st year, AJSOCAL is remembering Lillian Ileto’s tireless dedication to the fight against antiAsian hate in the wake of her son Joseph’s tragic murder. It’s hard to believe that mass shooting in the San Fernando Valley by a White Supremacist was 25 years ago. While we as a nation have made strides toward awareness and understanding, today, anti-Asian hate is still poisonous and under-

reported. We want our people and allies to continue to work toward equity and acceptance.” Public Image Award recipient Fritz Friedman Friedman (he/him) is president of The Fritz Friedman Company, a production and strategic marketing communications company based in Los Angeles and San Diego. He is also a Commissioner for Arts and Culture for the City of San Diego and a Board Member of California Humanities. At Sony Pictures Home Entertainment, he held the position of Senior Vice President of Worldwide Publicity and Corporate Communications for two divisions: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (SPHE) and Sony Pictures Worldwide Acquisitions. Friedman has a long history of philanthropic and civil rights activities, including lobbying efforts to help gain benefits for more than 18,000 Filipino Veterans of World War II. For this, the Philippine Government gave him a Presidential Citation, which President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo awarded at Malacanang Palace in Manila. He was also a member of the California Commission on Asian and Pacific Islander Affairs, Chair of the Vassar College Asian Pacific Islander Alumni Association, and the co-founder and President Emeritus of The Coalition of Asian Pacifics in Entertainment (CAPE), the largest entertainment organization for Asian Americans in the world.

2024 Joseph Ileto Courage Award recipient Eddy M. Gana Gana (they/them) is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and a Clinical Program Manager at Search to Involve Pilipino Americans (SIPA) where they founded a support group for nonbinary community members. Gana provides 1:1 therapy, family counseling, support groups, mental health first aid training, and coalition-building. They serve as a community and policy advocate for the Queer Trans API (QTAPI) community. Their organizing experience also

includes advocating on behalf of Filipino veterans’ rights with KmB / Pro-People Youth, Los Angeles. Gana graduated from UC Irvine with Bachelor’s degrees in Psychology and Criminology, UCLA with a Certificate in Alcohol and Drug Abuse Counseling, and USC Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work with a