Historic Filipino roundtable at city hall spurs hope for change
by MoMar G. ViSaya AJPress
THE New York City Mayor’s Community Affairs Unit held the first Filipino roundtable discussion at City Hall last week, convened by Mayor Eric Adams and First Deputy Mayor Maria Torres-Springer. The event, organized in recognition of Filipino American History Month, brought together city officials and Filipino leaders to address pressing issues facing the Filipino American community, focusing on ways to support Filipino businesses, community health centers, and community-based organizations.
First Deputy Mayor Torres-Springer, known for her commitment to inclusive policies and economic resilience, emphasized the administration’s dedication to improving New York City for all communities.
“This is the first time that the Filipino community has gathered in this format in
Language access a barrier to elections for communities nationwide
A new report finds that gaps in election legislation including the Voting Rights Act excludes many Limited English Proficient communities across the country.
NEARLY 70 million Americans speak a language other than English at home. With election day less than two weeks out, this population — nearly one in four Americans — continues to face significant barriers to voting.
That’s the conclusion of a new report, Language Access and Voting Rights: An Overview of Federal, State and Local Policies, published Oct. 23 by the think tank Dēmos.
“While a patchwork of federal, state, and local laws provides for some language assistance in elections, thousands of voters
Trillanes: ICC given Duterte ‘death squad’ transcript
Gillian VillanueVa
de Villa, tina G. SantoS Inquirer.net
MANILA — Former Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV
said on Wednesday, October 30 that he had sent copies of the transcripts of the Senate and House hearings on President Rodrigo Duterte’s drug war to the International Criminal Court (ICC) as additional evidence in the charges of crimes against humanity against the ex-president.
During Monday’s (October 28) Senate hearing, Duterte confessed that he had a death squad, which he ordered to kill suspected drug offenders when he
was the mayor of Davao City for over two decades.
Trillanes was one of the parties that had brought a complaint against Duterte to the Hague-based tribunal over the ruthless antinarcotics campaign that resulted in thousands of deaths, officially numbering over 6,200, which human rights groups say could be multiple times more.
The staunch Duterte critic said he submitted the Senate transcripts on Wednesday and those from the House quad committee last week.
“All of these would be used for the trial later on,”
Trillanes said in a post on X.
The ICC had already acknowledged that it had received these transcripts, he told the Inquirer
Human rights lawyers representing the families of
Pope prays for Kristine victims in Philippines
by EvElyn Macairan Philstar.com
MANILA — Pope Francis has offered prayers for Filipinos affected by Severe Tropical Storm Kristine. At Sunday’s (Oct. 27) Angelus address at the Vatican, the 87-year-old pontiff reportedly mentioned praying for the victims of Kristine.
“I am close to the population of the Philippines, struck by a powerful cyclone. May the Lord support those people, so full of faith,” the pope said, from his window overlooking St. Peter’s Square. Floods and landslides led to 116 casualties, 109 injured and 39 missing people, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council said on Monday, Oct. 28. Kristine affected 6.7 million people
Roque faces human trafficking charge over POGO links
by daphne GalVez Philstar.com
MANILA — Former presidential spokesman Harry Roque is facing a complaint for qualified human trafficking before the Department of Justice (DOJ) over his alleged links to the raided Philippine offshore gaming operator (POGO) hub in Porac, Pampanga.
The Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC) as welll as the police Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) on Monday, Oct. 28 filed a supplemental complaint, which included Roque in the human trafficking case earlier lodged against Lucky South 99 authorized representative Cassandra Li Ong and 53
others.
The PAOCC and CIDG alleged that Roque “participated in the furtherance of the illegal activities” of the POGO firm by representing Lucky South 99 when it applied for a gaming license with the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (Pagcor) in 2023.
Citing the judicial affidavit of Pagcor assistant vice president Jessa Mariz Fernandez, Roque allegedly made several follow-ups on the status of the online gambling permit of Lucky South 99.
The PAOCC and CIDG rejected Roque’s statement that he only lawyered for Whirlwind Corp., which leased a property to Lucky South 99.
The agencies said Roque’s involvement with Lucky South 99 is
drug war victims had earlier expressed their intention to also hand over documents, including the so-called “narcolist,” presented by resource persons during the quad committee hearings to further pin down Duterte’s accountability in the drug war.
The Duterte narcolist included the names of local government officials with alleged links to the drug trade. But the document appeared to have not been properly vetted.
“If they find that it is not a credible list, then Duterte is part of a conspiracy to commit abuses, including extrajudicial killings,” lawyer Neri Colmenares earlier told the Inquirer Colmenares, chair of Bayan Muna partylist,
by Krixia
MANILA — The review from the House of Representatives of the Senate’s turn to scrutinize the six-year drug war waged by former President Rodrigo Duterte was far from flattering. For two members of the House quad committee, which for the past two months had conducted hearings on the brutal crackdown, the Senate blue ribbon committee allowed two loyal allies of the ex-president to ”influence the proceedings.”
They were referring to senators Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa and Christopher “Bong” Go, who joined the hearing that marked the first appearance of former President Rodrigo Duterte in an official body revisiting his campaign that left thousands dead. In a press conference on Tuesday, Oct. 29, Manila Rep. Bienvenido Abante and Laguna Rep. Dan Fernandez said the way the two senators conducted themselves “diminished the credibility” of Monday’s opening hearing led by Senate Minority Leader Aquilino “Koko Pimentel.” u PAGE 2
PH to lead next year’s World Health Assembly
by dexter Cabalza Inquirer.net
MANILA — The Department of Health (DOH) said the Philippines will lead the World Health Assembly (WHA), the world’s highest health-policy setting body composed of health ministers, next year as presidentnominee.
The decision to nominate the Philippines came during the 75th regional committee meeting of the 37 member-states of the World Health Organization (WHO) in the Western Pacific region, the DOH said in a statement.
The 78th WHA or WHA78
is set in May 2025 in Geneva, Switzerland.
“Filipinos are recognized as bridge-builders in the international community. Our nomination by the Western Pacific member-states as ‘WHA78 president’ is a recognition of our collective contribution and leadership in international health,” Health Secretary Teodoro Herbosa said.
‘Historic nomination’
The DOH called the nomination “historic,” as it is the first time that the Philippines will be the president of WHA since the WHO was founded in 1948. According to the DOH,
u PAGE 3
photo by Robinson Niñal Jr.
SubingSubing, Tina g. SanToS Inquirer.net
Health Secretary Teodoro Herbosa Inquirer
photo/Richard A. Reyes
Former presidential spokesperson and congressman Harry Roque Jr. answers questions at the House of Representatives Quad Committee hearing on August 23, 2024. House of Representatives
House members hit leeway...
Of Dela Rosa, Abante said: “The way he sounded, he was more of a senator-suspect or senatorrespondent. There was nothing wrong with that, but he should have seated himself with his former boss (Duterte), who wanted to be called a witness instead of a resource person. That would have been more appropriate than sitting with the investigating panel in order to defend his actions.”
Before entering politics, Dela Rosa served as the first Philippine National Police chief appointed by then-President Duterte, the earliest enforcer of the antinarcotics campaign that left thousands dead.
“The validity of what seemed to be (Dela Rosa’s) interminable explanations and defenses was also not subjected to questioning. No one questioned him, no one challenged his version of those facts nor his assertions,” Abante added.
Fernandez noted that Dela Rosa ended up “interrogating resource persons” when “common sense dictates (that you) cannot be part of any investigation that you yourself are involved in.”
“He is one of the accused, but he is also part of the jury?” he added.
‘Neutralize’
In the Senate eight-hour hearing, Dela Rosa often interrupted some of the resource persons, including families who lost members in the drug war.
At one point, he also butted heads with human rights lawyer Chel Diokno over the wording of a PNP memo—particularly on the use of the term “neutralize”—that he issued in 2016 to lay the groundwork for the crackdown.
Dela Rosa, along with Duterte, is among the former PNP top brass being investigated by the International Criminal Court (ICC) for their roles in the drug war.
Go, meanwhile, had also been mentioned in an earlier House quad comm hearing for allegedly facilitating a rewards system for drug war killings using intelligence funds and state lottery revenues during his years as a close Duterte aide.
In his turn to speak at Monday’s Senate hearing, Go maintained that Duterte’s “only desire was to clean up our country and fight those who sow terror, especially when it comes to illegal drugs.”
“As far as I know, he has never implemented any system in exchange for anybody’s life,” he said.
Duterte curses
But Abante and Fernandez also noted how Duterte got away with repeated curses and foul language during the Senate probe.
“It seems the Senate is not used to a calling point of order,” Abante said, referring to rules of parliament. “We should not allow any vulgar statement in this hearing.”
The House quad comm has a standing invitation for Duterte to attend its hearings.
Risa draws praise
Also on Tuesday, former Sen. Panfilo Lacson remarked that the Senate hearing was practically “invaded” by the 79-year-old former leader, but only one senator “consistently and steadfastly stood up to preserve the dignity” of the chamber.
“She happens to be a woman who answers ‘present’ during a roll call. Her name: Risa Hontiveros,” Lacson said in a post on X.
Former Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV agreed, saying Hontiveros was “the only bright spot in the Senate
hearing (for) standing up to the evil Duterte.”
“That’s the leader! Brave! Intelligent! Excellent!,” Trillanes said of the Senate deputy minority leader in a social media post.
Senate President Francis Escudero, who was not in the hearing, shared the view that Hontiveros “handled (the situation) well” when she and Duterte had heated exchanges.
“I agree when Senator Risa pointed out and reminded the former president and the committee to maintain order in the Senate, stressing that cursing is not normal and foul language should not be part of any proceedings,” he said in a forum.
“We should not be numb to it and accept it as normal and part of everyday life,” he added. “The former president said he was just narrating past incidences where he was cursing. But that may not be true for all the expletives he uttered during the hearing. And it was good that Senator Risa pointed it out.”
Chiz: Koko was fair
Escudero also commended Pimentel for the “fair” handling of the hearing.
“I think Senator Koko did a good job more than what I have expected. The role he played yesterday was not easy, and for me, he did his best to preside over that hearing and gave everyone a chance to speak, which is the most important thing,” the Senate leader said.
“The subcommittee was able to give all resource persons the venue to air their views and positions, especially that it was the first time Duterte testified, under oath, on extra-judicial killings and anti-drug war during his administration. That alone is a big thing for me,” he added.
For lawyers’ review
Sought for comment, Pimentel explained that it was just an initial hearing, noting many of the invited resource persons did not show up on Monday.
“(Duterte) was personally present, hence he got to speak… We need those with something to say to appear before the subcommittee because, as I’ve said, we will follow the evidence,” said Pimentel, who was the Senate president in the early years of the Duterte administration, from July 2016 to 2018.
Pimentel said he would like lawyers, whether in the government or not, to go over what Duterte said under oath.
“All those interested in the issue should act now.
The Senate committee is only a venue or avenue to gather other forms of evidence. The former president’s words will have to be analyzed by experts in criminal law as to their overall value as evidence,” he added. n
on Wednesday said that he “wouldn’t be surprised” if the ICC terminated its investigation and issued a warrant of arrest against the former president before the end of the year.
He said that Duterte’s admission that he urged policemen to provoke the victims of extrajudicial killings to fight back rendered the argument of self-defense useless, making him a coconspirator of each police officer.
Duterte’s claim that he would “take full responsibility” for the drug war killings was “just drama” since police officers cannot blame the former president for the killings because “unlawful orders are not a defense,” according to Colmenares
“All Duterte did was use himself as a coconspirator in the individual cases of policemen because he said that he would take full responsibility,” he said.
The Commission on Human Rights (CHR) on Wednesday said that it would make police officers and individuals who were involved in extrajudicial killings accountable for their actions during Duterte’s war on drugs.
In a statement, the CHR condemned and expressed “deep concern” over Duterte’s confession during Monday’s Senate hearing that he would “rather have suspected drug dealers killed” by encouraging law enforcers to provoke suspects into fighting back to justify “neutralizing” them in self-defense.
Duterte also said it would be better to spend money on those without food or jobs than waste funds to feed people in jails.
“As more details emerge from the recent Senate Blue Ribbon sub-committee proceedings, the Commission on Human Rights hopes that these efforts will ultimately bring accountability to the perpetrators and all those involved in extrajudicial killings (EJK) during the previous administration’s anti-illegal drug campaign,” CHR said.
It said that it was optimistic that the statements given during the hearings called by the Senate and the House quad committee “will help bring full justice to all” victims of EJK.
“Additionally, the Commission, under the 6th Commission en banc, endeavors to determine
the accountable officers and individuals, in pursuit of truth and justice, as more come forward to shed light on events surrounding the campaign on illegal drugs,” it said.
The admissions made under oath by Duterte during the Senate hearing, including having a “death squad,” could be used against him, said Sen. Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa, who initiated the bloody antinarcotics campaign as the first national police chief of the previous administration.
Duterte gave various accounts of who comprised his death squad.
At one point during the Senate hearing, he pointed to Dela Rosa and other retired police officers who had served as chiefs of the Davao City police. Later he said there were seven members composed of gangsters. Then he said the hitmen were rich individuals from Davao who just wanted to kill criminals “because they wanted businesses to thrive” in the city.
Duterte later retracted his statement implicating senior officers of the Philippine National Police, particularly graduates of the Philippine Military Academy.
For Sen. Risa Hontiveros, Duterte’s “bombshell” testimony already proves the existence of a so-called Davao Death Squad, and several former officers are implicated in the EJKs.
“He, himself, said that he has a death squad. The war on drugs and extrajudicial killings started with the Davao model, which we are now investigating if it was
used as a template to scale up (the operations) nationwide,” the senator said during the hearing. In his online press briefing on Wednesday, Dela Rosa dismissed the ex-president’s admission of the existence of a death squad as “superlatives to scare off criminals.”
But he maintained that Duterte’s statement that he and several other former Davao police chiefs were death squad commanders was a “100 percent joke.”
Senate Minority Leader Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III, who chaired Monday’s Senate hearing, said he saw no need to call back Duterte to another hearing when he was asked by reporters on Wednesday how the committee would clarify whether or not the former president was serious or merely joking when he made his admissions.
“The admissions were made and then we would ask that it be taken back?” he said. “We have a lot of material to work with. Let the material stay. Let the criminal law experts study very well the material with the committee.”
The CHR said that the justification for the killings that were encouraged by Duterte violated the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which upholds the right to life and to legal protection. This also violates the Bill of Rights in the Philippine Constitution, which safeguards a person’s right to life and liberty, and to a presumption of innocence until proven otherwise in a fair trial. n
JAIL TIME. Former President Rodrigo Duterte’s recent testimony at the Senate justifying his war on drugs—and admitting he had employed a “death squad” for it—reignited calls for his prosecution and imprisonment, like here at a press conference held by the human rights groups Karapatan and Selda in Quezon City on Wednesday, Oct. 30. Photo by Niño Jesus Orbeta
Sen. Risa Hontiveros
Senate PRIB
Governor Newsom issues executive order tackling rising electric bills
SACRAMENTO – On Wednesday, October 30, Governor Gavin Newsom signed an executive order designed to reduce electric costs for Californians.
The governor’s action encourages electric bill relief while maintaining the state’s commitment to achieving carbon neutrality and 100% clean electricity by 2045. The action comes as millions of Californians received an average credit of $71 on their October electric bills from the California Climate Credit, provided by the state’s Cap-andTrade program.
“We’re taking action to address rising electricity costs and save consumers money on their bills. California is proving that we can address affordability concerns as we continue our world-leading efforts to combat the climate crisis.”
Tackling rising electricity costs
While California has been successful in keeping electric bills lower than many other states on average thanks to decades of work advancing energy efficiency standards, Californians have seen their electric bills rising in recent years. A major driver has been critical utility wildfire mitigation efforts that have accelerated to match the pace of the climate crisis, as well as several programs added over time.
The governor’s executive order addresses both of these cost drivers by zeroing in on some programs that could be inflating customer bills and evaluating utility wildfire mitigation expenses for potential administrative savings.
The governor’s executive order:
• Encourages electric bill relief. The executive order asks the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) to identify underperforming programs and return any unused energy program funds back to customers receiving electric and gas service from private utilities as one or more credits on their bills.
• Maximizes the California Climate Credit. The executive order directs the California Air Resources Board (CARB) to work with the CPUC to determine ways to maximize the California Climate Credit, which is a twice annual credit that shows up on many Californians’ electric and gas bills in the spring and fall and is funded by the state’s Cap-and-Trade program.
• Manages and reduces electric costs for the long-term. The executive order asks the CPUC to evaluate electric ratepayer supported programs and costs of regulations and make recommendations
on additional ways to save consumers money. It also asks the CPUC to pursue any federal funding available to help lower electricity costs for Californians. Additionally, the executive order directs the California Energy Commission (CEC) to evaluate electric ratepayer-funded programs and identify any potential changes that could save Californians money on their bills.
• Smarter wildfire mitigation investments. The executive order directs the Office of Energy Infrastructure Safety, and requests the CPUC, to evaluate utility wildfire safety oversight practices and ensure that utility investments and activities are focused on cost-effective wildfire mitigation measures.
Text of the executive order is available to read by visiting https://www.gov.ca.gov/wp-content/ uploads/2024/10/energy-EO-10-30-24.pdf.
In addition to the governor’s action, earlier this year, the CPUC approved a proposal to reduce the price of residential electricity through a new billing structure authorized by the state Legislature. This follows actions in recent years such as providing direct relief to customers and using state funds, rather than ratepayer monies, to develop a Strategic Reliability Reserve to maintain electric grid reliability during extreme conditions.
The governor welcomes partnership with the legislature to further additional actions that will address electric bill affordability.
“Californians expect us to take a hard look at their monthly energy and electricity bills and deliver reduced costs and savings for the longterm,” said Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas (D-Salinas). “I support increased oversight efforts, because regulators must ensure energy programs are implemented effectively and responsibly. The governor’s action today is another step forward to lessen households’ total energy burden and lower the cost of living in our state.”
“Rising electricity costs are impacting Californians and their quality of life,” said Senate President pro Tempore Mike McGuire (D-North Coast). “The state, including its regulatory agencies, needs to buckle down and blunt the expanding fiscal impacts on ratepayers. This is an important start by Governor Newsom, and the Senate plans to double down on this progress in the months ahead.”
(CA Governor’s Office Release)
PH to lead next year’s World Health Assembly...
Western Pacific member-states chose the Philippines “by consensus, in recognition of the country’s leadership in the region and its important voice in the international health arena.”
The DOH stressed the “nomination comes at a pivotal time for the Philippines, as the country is pursuing numerous health initiatives on the global stage aimed at strengthening the health workforce to address gaps in health-care delivery, championing the implementation of the universal health care
through primary health care, and leadership in global tuberculosis, HIV/AIDS and patient safety initiatives.”
Functions, responsibilities Its main tasks are to determine the policies of the WHO, appoint the WHO director-general, supervise financial policies, and review and approve the proposed program budget.
Member-states traditionally elect a president from each of the six WHO regions, rotating every year. For the 78th session of the WHA, the president will come from the Western Pacific.
The last time a WHA president came from the Western Pacific was when the Lao People’s Democratic Republic was elected in 2019.
The WHA president oversees the conduct of the WHA and guides the Assembly in its critical discussions and decisions on global health policies and initiatives.
He may appoint the five vice presidents to act in its place during meetings or parts thereof. The vice presidents can also be selected at the session where the election takes place. n
2024 Presidensyal na Pangkalahatang Eleksyon
Mga Vote Center ay Bukas Araw-Araw mula Ika-26 ng Oktubre - Ika-5 ng Nobyembre.
Bumoto ng maaga para maiwasan ang mahahabang mga pila!
Humanap ng lokasyong malapit sa inyo sa
Pope prays for Kristine victims...
or 1.6 million families in 10,147 barangays nationwide. It also displaced 980,355 people in 6,286 evacuation centers.
Damage to agriculture and infrastructure was estimated at P2.5 billion and P1.5 billion, respectively.
Two more areas were placed under a state of calamity, bringing to 160 the total number of cities and municipalities that declared a state of calamity.
Caritas Philippines has appealed for food donations, potable water, hygiene kits and other relief supplies.
Bishops in the hardest-hit Bicol region had also appealed for aid as many families remained in evacuation centers.
Caritas Manila executive director Anton Pascual reported they have donated an initial P1.2 million to six dioceses in Bicol, namely the Archdiocese of Caceres in Camarines Sur and the Dioceses of Libmanan, Legazpi, Daet, Virac and Sorsogon.
Pascual said they are preparing to send assistance to affected dioceses in Southern Luzon and Central Luzon, as well as donations to help repair churches.
Lipa Archbishop Gilbert Garcera reportedly asked for prayers and help in Batangas.
In a situation report, the Lipa Archdiocesan Social Action Commission said 43 people died and 22 are missing in the province.
Meanwhile, three Philippine Postal Corp. trucks are being utilized by the Office of Civil Defense (OCD) to deliver essential supplies to communities in Bicol.
Two trucks carried 720 shelter tarpaulins and a third truck was stocked with 3,500 hygiene kits.
Humanitarian aid
In Pampanga, the police regional office on Saturday deployed 62 personnel – specializing in search, rescue and retrieval operations – to provide humanitarian assistance to communities in the Bicol region affected by Kristine.
The Police Regional Office 3 also sent essential relief supplies.
“In times like these, extending help to the hardest-hit communities is vital. This mission is made possible with the strong support of the OCD, whose resources have been instrumental in enabling our response,” said PRO3 director Brig. Gen. Redrigo Maranan.
Mental health
Aside from leptospirosis, the Department of Health (DOH) is monitoring cases of stress and other mental conditions among those affected by Kristine.
“In evacuation centers, it is important to give assurances and have a few minutes of conversation with people,” Health Assistant Secretary Alberto Domingo said on Monday.
At Monday’s public briefing, Domingo said the Code Blue alert is still in effect in the Ilocos region, Cagayan Valley and Bicol region.
Code Blue, he said, means around-the-clock monitoring and field reports so that immediate action can be undertaken if necessary.
The DOH has deployed two augmentation teams to Bicol, he said. All DOH-run hospitals are operational.
The agency has not monitored an increase in illnesses in evacuation centers.
New underwear
Almost a week into their ordeal, evacuees affected by Kristine have one common request: underwear.
Former vice president Leni Robredo, who is leading relief efforts in her hometown Naga, shared the appeal of evacuees after she visited the city’s largest evacuation center on Sunday.
Angat Buhay, the non-government organization that Robredo founded, started accepting donations of new underwear to support victims. New underwear may be dropped off at Angat Buhay’s headquarters in Quezon City and Naga City. Angat Buhay executive director Raffy Magno also appealed for canned goods, which will be donated to evacuees in Bicol.
According to Angat Buhay, it has provided relief goods, hygiene kits and hot meals to over 95,000 families and people.
As of Monday, the organization received inkind donations worth almost P26 million and raised more than P34 million in cash donations.
Meanwhile, 604 families from Barangays Mabolo and Triangulo received 5,040 gallons of purified water, which came from the water purification system of the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority.
The OCD has deployed its rapid deployment team to Naga to oversee the distribution of relief goods.
OCD Assistant Secretary Hernando Caraig Jr. attended a briefing with President Marcos in Naga.
PNR restores routes The Philippine National Railways (PNR) has restored its route in Laguna and Quezon, which were battered by Kristine.
The state-owned railway reopened the LucenaCalamba-Lucena route on Monday. Its routes in Bicol remain closed. (Ric Sapnu, Mayen Jaymalin, Janvic Mateo, Pia Lee-Brago, Ghio Ong)
Kumpletuhin ang inyong balota tahanan. Pirmahan at petsahan ang inyong sobreng pagbabalikan, i-seal ang inyong nakumpletong balota sa loob, at ibalik ito sa pamamagitan ng U.S. Postal Service - hindi kinakailangan ng selyo!
Ibalik ang inyong balota sa alinmang opisyal na mga ballot drop box ng Tagapagrehistro sa buong county magsisimula sa Martes, Ika-8 ng Oktubre hanggang sa Araw ng Eleksyon, Martes, Ika-5 ng Nobyembre. Iwasan ang mahahabang pila sa pamamagitan ng paggamit ng benepisyo sa maagang pagboto! Sabado, Ika-26 ng Oktubre, magbubukas araw-araw ang mga vote center mula ika-8 ng umaga hanggang ika-5 ng hapon hanggang Lunes, Ika-4 ng Nobyembre. Sa Araw ng Eleksyon, Martes, Ika-5 ng Nobyembre, ang mga oras ng botohan ay mag-iiba mula ika-7 ng umaga hanggang ika-8 ng gabi.
Humanap ng ballot drop box o vote center na malapit sa inyo sa sdvote.com.
Pope Francis addresses the crowd from the window of the apostolic palace overlooking St. Peter’s square during the Angelus prayer on October 27, 2024 in The Vatican. AFP / Tiziana Fabi
Roque faces human trafficking charge over...
“further bolstered” by the fact that his executive assistant Alberto Rodulfo dela Serna, who has a joint bank account with the former presidential spokesman, lived inside the POGO compound for almost nine months for free. Deputy City Prosecutor
Darwin Cañete said this is an opportunity for Roque to clear his name by submitting his counter-affidavit. In a statement, Roque described the complaint as “nothing but a trumpedup charge,” adding that the evidence against him was
“manufactured.” Roque has denied involvement in the illegal activities of Lucky South 99. He said he would face “the lies” peddled against him and “vowed to hold those responsible for this miscarriage of justice in due course.” n
Historic Filipino roundtable at city hall...
this building,” Torres-Springer said. “It’s been really important to Mayor Adams that we not only open this building, which is the people’s building, to our diverse, beautiful communities across the five boroughs, but that we also open up government in ways that may not have been accessible before.”
The conversation covered unique challenges faced by Filipinos in neighborhoods like Little Manila, where concerns include public safety, such as issues related to the sex trade, and the need for stronger connections to community-health programs.
Rachelle Ocampo, co-host of Makilala TV and the president of the National Federation of Filipino American Associations (NaFFAA) New York, highlighted the challenges faced by New York’s Filipino American community during the roundtable.
She shared that approximately 146,000 Filipinos reside in New York State, with around 89,000 living in New York City, making Filipinos the fourth-largest Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) group in the region. Despite these numbers, Ocampo pointed out a lack of government investment and support for Filipino-led organizations, which creates significant service gaps. She emphasized that, to date,
only one Filipino organization in New York State has a single full-time paid staff member, and fewer than three received new funding in New York City’s latest grant cycle.
Ocampo called for critical changes to support the Filipino community in meaningful and sustainable ways. She advocated for immediate funding to hire staff for a dedicated community center—a resource the community currently lacks. Additionally, she stressed the need for resources to educate Filipino leaders on grant access and financial management to help these community organizations grow.
Community members expressed that while resources are available, they are often hard to navigate. Filipino business owners, particularly womenand minority-owned businesses, also spoke about difficulties in accessing city certifications and connecting to larger projects, which impacts their economic opportunities.
“Our Filipino American community called attention to the need for funding directed toward our community through nonprofit organizations, as well as the inclusion of our womenowned and small businesses in development projects like the Citifield parking area,” said
lawyer Lara Gregory. “We’re hoping to have specific small business seminars and nonprofit workshops on grant acquisition and other ways to ensure that available resources are easily accessible to our community.”
“The meeting helped us to air out some of the issues that the Filipino community is facing, making us feel heard. Seeing a Filipina leader, the top AAPIappointed city official, First Deputy Mayor MTS, was a sign of hope for more serious changes,” Ocampo told the Asian Journal.
“Let’s see if they’ll follow up on all the points they said they’d look into.”
She hopes that Filipino groups will learn how to build capacity with city resources so the community can establish more organizations with paid staff to provide direct services. “I hope the Mayor will stay true to his word and match the funds we get from the federal government to build a brick-and-mortar community center, so we have a place we can trust to receive critical resources and referral services,” Ocampo added.
The roundtable emphasized actionable outcomes beyond symbolic representation. TorresSpringer committed to ongoing dialogue, aiming to implement initiatives that directly benefit Filipino American families. n
Language access a barrier to elections...
PAGE 1
who prefer a language other than English remain without a real opportunity to cast a ballot,” the study notes.
Latinos and Asian Americans, two of the nation’s fastest growing demographic groups with high rates of Limited English Proficiency (LEP), are among those most impacted, though other groups — including Native Americans and U.S. born Latinos — are also affected, according to the report.
Such barriers also help explain consistently lower turnout rates among these groups, with multiple studies showing a clear link between language assistance and voter participation.
Defining language minorities
“From the literacy tests of the Jim Crow era to the English-only voting materials imposed by states in the modern era, language barriers have a long history of leaving voters, particularly voters of color, without adequate access to the ballots,” study author and Dēmos Senior Researcher Angelo Ancheta told Spanish-language news outlet La Opinión.
In 1975, Congress amended the Voting Rights Act to explicitly prohibit discrimination against “language minority” groups, mandating, among other things, that state and local election officials provide written translations of ballots and election materials.
The move came following Congress’ recognition of the challenge to voting faced by Spanish-speaking Puerto Rican voters who are U.S. citizens.
Under the amended rules, jurisdictions where more than 5% or more than 10,000 votingage citizens are limited-English proficient, are considered language minorities and are therefore covered under Section 203 of the VRA.
Yet, Ancheta writes, the definition of what constitutes a “language minority” has remained limited, meaning “the vast majority of non-English languages that are spoken in the U.S. are categorically excluded
from group-based coverage under the VRA.” That includes languages such as Arabic, Armenian, Farsi, French, Haitian Creole, Polish, Russian, Somali, and Ukrainian, among others.
Moreover, the VRA’s numerical benchmark excludes communities that fall just short of the 10,000 number required under the law.
“One hundred five language minority groups in 30 states had relevant populations of between 7,500 and 9,999 or between 3.9 and 4.99%,” according to the study.
“For example, in Arizona’s Pinal County, Latino LEP votingage citizens numbered 9,865, which was fewer than 150 citizens short of meeting the 10,000 benchmark, while in Virginia’s Fairfax County, Korean LEP voting-age citizens numbered 9,934, which was fewer than 70 citizens short of meeting the numerical benchmark.”
Filling in the gaps
The study, which examines current federal, state and local laws, notes numerous states and localities across the country have moved to fill in the gaps, providing in-language outreach literature, registration forms and sample ballots in languages not covered by the VRA.
Other efforts include lowering the minimum threshold, thereby expanding the number of voters receiving assistance.
The battleground state of Pennsylvania earlier this month moved to make voting documents available in nine additional languages not covered by the VRA, potentially enfranchising up to 251,701 eligible Pennsylvania voters. Lawmakers in California, home to the largest number of LEP households in the country, are considering a similar bill.
Yet issues remain, including underinvestment as well as poor and even mistranslation leading to ballot errors in some cases, even in regions supportive of greater language access. There are also jurisdictions where “backlash against the provision of bilingual or multilingual ballots is also not
unusual; criticism from many voters and public officials is often vocal and severe, even openly nativist or racist.”
Such attitudes have been enshrined in public policy in a number of jurisdictions where opponents of language assistance argue that English is and should be the dominant language and that any provision of assistance undermines incentives for LEP communities to become more proficient.
An issue of ‘racial equity’
“Language access is an issue of racial equity,” Dēmos Director of Democracy Phi Nguyen told La Opinión. “As they currently stand, federal language access laws often fail to protect voters and leave out thousands of voters of color due to their level of language proficiency.”
Among the study’s recommendations are:
– The creation of electoral materials in languages other than those required by federal law.
– Lowering thresholds for language assistance offered below federal triggers to expand the number of voters receiving assistance.
– The use of clear compliance mechanisms that are based on both sufficiently funded government policies and strong community participation.
Civic organizations and nonprofits, meanwhile, have also been active in producing inlanguage election material, including the website Guides. vote, which offers non-partisan voter information on candidate races both at the state and national level in 12 languages. The group also produces popular social media campaigns like this one that has garnered over 1 million views.
“As we have already seen in many states and localities across the country,” noted Nguyen, “enacting policies to better address the diverse linguistic needs of American voters can address inequities in ballot access and ensure our democracy works for our communities.” (By Peter Schurmann)
HEIGHTENED ALERT. Manila Police District officers prepare for deployment at the MPD quadrangle in Ermita, Manila on Wednesday, October 30.
The MPD mobilized thousands to secure various cemeteries and columbaria for the observance of All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day on Nov. 1 and 2, respectively. PNA photo by Yancy Lim
Dateline PhiliPPines
Palace: Philippines safer under Marcos
by HElEn FlorES Philstar.com
MANILA — The Philippines is safer and the people are more secure than ever under President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., Malacañang asserted on Monday, October 28, contrary to claims by former President Rodrigo Duterte at a Senate hearing that crime has become rampant in the country.
“With due respect to former President Rodrigo Duterte – there is no truth to his statement that crime remains rampant in the country,” Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin said in a statement.
Bersamin said statistics from the Philippine National Police show “the complete opposite.”
In defense of his bloody war on drugs, the former president claimed at the Senate Blue Ribbon committee hearing on Monday that criminal activities had soared since Marcos took over.
“There has been a widespread decline in crime across the board,” Bersamin said. “Moreover, we have achieved stability and maintained peace and order in our country without forgoing due process nor setting aside the basic human rights of any Filipino.”
This was the first time Duterte attended an inquiry into the bloody drug war after he stepped down. He had begged off from a similar investigation by the quad committee of the House of Representatives.
Malacañang, meanwhile, also slammed Duterte for citing “outdated” facts about a drug raid in San Miguel, Manila, where the Palace is situated.
Duterte was apparently referring to the arrest of a suspected drug pusher at a residential area in Malacañang complex in San Miguel.
“Further, the incident which the former president cited – of a drug raid in San Miguel, Manila – is based on outdated information,” Bersamin said.
“In that case, one suspect was arrested, drug paraphernalia was seized and his partner is now being pursued by law enforcement,” he said.
“All of this shows that our country is safer, our people more secure and our future more assured than ever before under the stewardship of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.,” Bersamin, a former chief justice, said.
Marcos had said his government would not hand over Duterte to the International Criminal Court (ICC), which is investigating the previous administration’s alleged atrocities in its war on drugs.
Make Duterte pay
Commenting on Duterte’s admission of full responsibility for thousands of extrajudicial killings during his administration, House members said the former president should be made to face “the full force of the law and go to jail.”
For deputy majority leader and Tingog party-list Rep. Jude Acidre, Duterte’s admission “leaves no room for leniency.”
“The former president has publicly accepted responsibility for these deaths ... If we truly stand by our principles of justice and the rule of law, then Mr. Duterte must be held accountable. He must go to jail for these EJKs. This is not about politics; it’s about justice,” he said.
Duterte admitted the existence of the death squad
and accepted full responsibility for thousands of killings in his drug war at Monday’s first hearing by the Senate Blue Ribbon sub-committee on the issue.
Acidre emphasized that no one, “especially those in positions of power, should be immune from legal consequences.”
“Duterte’s words have given the justice system a clear mandate to act ... As public servants, our duty is to uphold justice – not to shield individuals. Duterte must face the legal consequences for his actions,” he said.
“The wheels of justice must take its due course. Charges must then be filed and, if proven guilty, Rodrigo Duterte must go to jail,” the House deputy majority leader asserted.
“We must not set this evidence aside, or keep a blind eye to violations of our laws that were made as state policy,” he pointed out.
“The Philippines is not a ‘no man’s land’ where there are no laws and accountabilities. We are a democratic country run by a rule of law, which is the very basic foundation of our government,” Acidre maintained.
“The problem in the drug war of the previous administration is very clear: instead of being fair and just, the policy became harsh and bloody. This policy violated human rights under our 1987 Constitution,” he said.
“The result: we veered away from the path to justice, and this policy claimed the innocent lives of our people, including young ones,” Acidre said. “The problem lies in the implementation of the policy of the past administration’s war against drugs.”
House assistant majority leader and Zambales Rep. Jay Khonghun echoed Acidre’s stance, calling Duterte’s admission a “pivotal moment” that offers an opportunity for the nation to reaffirm its commitment to the rule of law.
“This is a critical time for our institutions to show their strength by pursuing the legal accountability that so many families have waited for,” he added.
For her part, House assistant majority leader and Nueva Ecija Rep. Mika Suansin
g highlighted the role of government institutions in ensuring that justice is upheld.
“Our judiciary and investigative bodies now have a duty to act on this admission... The former president’s own words must be met with a serious response. For too long, victims of EJKs have waited for answers,” Suansing said.
Cagayan de Oro City Rep. Lordan Suan, for her part, called on the Department of Justice and the Office of the Ombudsman to initiate a full investigation.
“We cannot ignore such an admission,” Suansing stressed. “These institutions must act decisively and transparently to restore faith in our justice system.”
Rep. Mohamad Khalid Dimaporo (Lanao del Norte first district) said Duterte’s admission “should galvanize us to reinforce our commitment to justice and human rights.”
Philippines, US, Japan hold talks to counter economic coercion
by criSTina cHi Philstar.com
MANILA — The Philippines renewed talks with the United States and Japan on working together to shield their economies from foreign countries' coercive economic practices.
Delegates of the three countries
held an "informal trilateral discussion" in Manila on October 25 to reinforce their joint stance against the issue during the first Japan-U.S.-Philippines Summit in April.
The trilateral meeting stressed the need for each country to build economic resilience and raise awareness on potential foreign
“We owe it to the victims and to the Filipino people to prove that our institutions can and will deliver justice,” Dimaporo, chairman of the House committee on Muslim affairs, stressed. U.S.
President Joe Biden heads to a trilateral meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida (R) and Filipino President Ferdinand Marcos
(L) at the White House in Washington, D.C.
Malacañang file photo
AFTER THE STORM. Taal Lake is as calm as it can be, photographed from Laurel, Batangas on Tuesday, October 29. It is hardly indicative of the devastation left by Severe Tropical Storm Kristine in the town and the entire province, which is under a state of calamity.
PNA photo by Joan Bondoc
Waiting for indictment
FINALLY facing a congressional investigation, former President Rodrigo Duterte delivered a mouthful on Monday, October 28, refusing to leave the Senate even after spending eight hours before the Blue Ribbon subcommittee.
Duterte’s main message was that he was taking full legal and moral responsibility for the policy pursued during his presidency in dealing with the illegal drug scourge, which led to the killing of over 6,000 drug suspects in law enforcement operations. Human rights groups say the actual number of fatalities, including those killed apparently by vigilantes, could reach around 20,000.
Editorial
The former president was unapologetic, saying, “I did what I had to do… I did it for my country.” He shielded the Philippine National Police from blame, even when he admitted having a “death squad” that he said was composed of “gangsters” and wealthy civilians who wanted to kill criminals when he was mayor of Davao City. Pressed to identify the death squad members, he said at age 73, his memory fails him. “Thousands” were killed in Davao at the time, he said, but they were criminals.
Duterte, however, along with his aide-turnedsenator Bong Go, denied maintaining a cash reward system for police officers who killed drug suspects.
Duterte dismissed as a “liar” the source of this story, former Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office general manager Royina Garma, a retired police colonel.
Former Senator Leila de Lima, who attended the Blue Ribbon hearing, had investigated Duterte over the Davao Death Squad when she was chair of the Commission on Human Rights and later the secretary of justice. Asked by Sen. Jinggoy Estrada why she did not press criminal charges against Duterte in her previous official capacities, she said witnesses were fearful to come out and there was “no real evidence yet at my disposal.”
Duterte’s testimony on Monday, as noted by Sen. Risa Hontiveros, could bolster criminal charges against him related to his bloody war on drugs. Having lost his presidential immunity from criminal prosecution, Duterte can now be indicted and tried. The Marcos administration has maintained that the International Criminal Court, which is investigating Duterte and several of his former officials for possible murder as a crime against humanity, need not exercise jurisdiction over the Philippines because the pillars of justice in the country are working. The Marcos administration can prove this by pursuing cases in court against Duterte and his former officials. It can be done parallel to the ICC probe, and it will be a test of the strength of the Philippine criminal justice system. (Philstar.com)
Testing America’s political stability
IF the United States can hold peaceful, orderly elections on Nov. 5 and inaugurate a new president without prolonged legal or political battles, it will mark a major success for American democratic institutions. Such an outcome would send a powerful message to the world: that free elections, even in highly polarized climates, remain a credible source of political legitimacy. Political legitimacy is the foundation of strong institutions, and strong institutions are the barriers that prevent autocrats from hijacking democracy. Unfortunately, this scenario seems increasingly uncertain as America gears up for what could be its most consequential
presidential race in history. The final national poll from The New York Times and Siena College shows Democratic candidate Kamala Harris and Republican candidate Donald Trump tied at 48 percent of the popular vote. This seems to leave just 4 percent of American voters with the power to decide the next president.
The U.S. electoral system is complex. The presidency isn’t awarded to the candidate with the most popular votes nationwide but to the one who secures the majority of the Electoral College votes from the 50 states. In most states, the candidate who wins the popular vote claims all that state’s electoral votes. This winner-take-all rule applies everywhere except in Maine and Nebraska, where electoral votes are partly distributed based on congressional district results.
Historically, “blue” states vote Democratic, while “red” states tend to go Republican. However, about six or seven states, known as “battleground” or “swing” states, can vote either way, ultimately determining the election outcome. Key among these are states with large electoral votes: Pennsylvania (19), North Carolina (16), Georgia (16), Michigan (15), Arizona (11), and Wisconsin (10).
The Electoral College has 538 votes, and a candidate needs a majority of 270 to win. This system can create situations where a candidate wins the nationwide popular vote but loses the electoral count—as happened in 2016 when Hillary Clinton lost to Donald Trump. It’s not surprising therefore that in the last few weeks of the current presidential campaign, Kamala Harris and Donald
Rody holds court
nice with the lowlifes; you just have to exterminate them.
There are cops who genuinely support such short cuts to justice.
THE stories emerging from the congressional probes on the drug war are more terrifying than Halloween ghost stories.
Now, is the nation horrified enough to act so that the atrocities won’t happen again?
There’s no guarantee that there won’t be a repeat, even if the alleged perpetrators are put behind bars. Unless one point that Rodrigo Duterte raised in his much-awaited appearance at the Senate is addressed: slow justice.
This slow pace, and the overall weakness of the criminal justice system, make people feel unsafe and so frustrated with lawlessness that they are willing to accept short cuts to justice.
Election results and surveys consistently show a level of public support for anti-crime hardliners that would frustrate human rights advocates.
The maiden hearing of the Senate Blue Ribbon subcommittee produced several bombshells – some volunteered by an unapologetic Duterte himself – that could bolster efforts to indict him and his minions for crimes against humanity.
But he also used the hearing to remind the nation of his life’s advocacy, for which Filipinos gave him a landslide victory in 2016: the justice system is broken, so he will just go around it and get rid of criminal elements. There’s a segment of the population that agrees with him when he argues that you can’t play
In police offices, you hear personnel grumbling about the hassle of having to spend half a day to attend a court hearing as a prosecution witness. For a single case, they grouse, their presence in court could be required over 20 years, and this is no exaggeration. So why not just get rid of the offender for good, ASAP?
The world will then be a safer place – this hardliner’s message resonates. It appeals to the basic human need for personal safety, which is ranked in importance next to the basic physiological needs for food, water and shelter.
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Have you missed Duterte’s profanity-laden diatribes?
If you haven’t, it looks like he did. Arriving at around 10 a.m. on Monday, October 28 at the Senate, the former president fielded questions from the Blue Ribbon subcommittee for hours. By past 6 p.m., he still wasn’t done, saying there were many points he had not yet explained. Surely he knew the comical impact of his refusing to leave the Blue Ribbon stage. When his supporters in the chamber finally managed to drag him away, he held a press conference.
Duterte was holding court again, before a national audience, and clearly enjoying himself, ignoring Sen. Risa Hontiveros’ request for him to refrain from filling the Senate with the PI that peppered his statements.
In vintage Digong, he apologized while saying it was in his nature to be “bastos” and “walanghiya” – and then proceeded to continue using his favorite profanity throughout the rest of his testimony. Maybe he wouldn’t have been president, he said, if he weren’t rude and shameless, and he was just showing his rage toward criminals.
Hontiveros was not the only one who was reminded of Duterte’s meandering late-night briefings at the height of the COVID lockdowns; she told him that his Senate appearance was not such a briefing. Still, Duterte would have none of it.
You can see why he preferred to face the Senate while snubbing the quad comm hearings at the House of Representatives. With help from his supporters in the chamber –and they weren’t just Ronald dela Rosa and Bong Go – Duterte turned the Blue Ribbon hearing into a bully pulpit.
His appearance at the Senate should make his political foes at the House think twice about impeaching his daughter, Vice President Sara Duterte, and handing her over to the Senate for trial.
The Blue Ribbon did obtain some gems: Duterte admitted that he organized a death squad in Davao City. But the details of several of his statements were inconsistent with those provided by persons who have given statements to the International Criminal Court (ICC), and the bombshells dropped by several of his former officials who have faced the quad comm. Sen. Koko Pimentel, who chairs the Blue Ribbon subcommittee, said the transcripts of the pro-
Trump and their major celebrity endorsers—for example, former president Barack Obama for Harris and the multibillionaire Elon Musk for Trump—have focused their campaign efforts on the battleground or swing states.
In the final NYT-Siena College poll, Harris leads by less than 1 percentage point in Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, and Michigan. Trump holds a similarly narrow lead in North Carolina, Georgia, and Arizona. These tight margins underscore how the winnertake-all rule can make even the smallest fraction of votes pivotal.
In 2020, Biden narrowly won Georgia with 49.47 percent of the popular vote to Trump’s 49.24 percent—a margin of just 0.23 percent or 11,779 votes.
The margin in Georgia was so close that Georgia’s Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger ordered a hand recount, which confirmed
Biden’s win. Nevertheless, Trump leaned heavily on Raffensperger to “find” the 11,780 votes he needed to win. To his lasting credit, Raffensperger stood firm.
Until the final moments of the 2020 electoral process, Trump pressured then-Vice President Mike Pence, who oversaw the congressional certification of electoral votes, not to certify Biden’s win. The events culminating in the Jan. 6 Capitol assault by Trump supporters remain fresh in Americans’ minds. Trump has yet to acknowledge his 2020 loss.
As though to test, once and for all, the limits of America’s deeply fractured politics, this year’s election pits one of the most racist and misogynistic of America’s politicians against an American woman of South Indian and African-Jamaican ancestry. Few candidates could
be more different in personality, demeanor, and background than Trump and Harris.
This rare matchup brings to the fore the issues that have polarized Americans in recent years: immigration policy, abortion and women’s rights, racial equality, wealth distribution, the role of the state, and the autonomy of government institutions, particularly law enforcement and the judiciary. The choice American voters make on Nov. 5 will definitely shape not only their future but also America’s role on the world stage. (Inquirer.net)
* * * 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. * * * public.lives@gmail.com
ceedings would be made available to the public and can be accessed by anyone. Those who need the transcripts in any court proceedings can get these certified by the Senate, he said.
Facing “Storycon” on One News, Pimentel expressed hope that foreign probers – referring to the ICC – won’t beat Philippine prosecutors in using the transcripts.
* * *
Duterte’s defense of his brutal approach to the illegal drug problem was not new. We heard it throughout his six years in office, and he won the presidency by a landslide on such a platform.
In his early days as president, he sat down with The STAR at Malacañang for a long chat, during which he explained his approach to the drug problem. It was much like what he said at the Senate last Monday.
He told us what I’ve also learned from covering the crime and judiciary beats. Having worked for years as a prosecutor, local chief executive and congressman, he said he found it tough to pin down people for drug trafficking. They have to be caught in the act – meaning they have the drugs in their possession and they are selling it. Or else there is material evidence such as surveillance camera recordings of the act of trafficking, with witnesses providing testimony against the drug kingpin.
Even when there are sufficient witnesses and material evidence, the case could languish for years in the courts, during which witnesses could be murdered and corrupt judges paid to dismiss the case.
“If you file a case, it will take years,” Duterte told the Senate subcommittee, while stressing that he is not denigrating democratic institutions.
There are Filipinos who will agree with him. Such arguments cannot justify the execution of thousands whose guilt has not yet been established. Keeping people safe cannot come at such a steep cost. But these are issues that must be sufficiently addressed, if we don’t want a repeat of the mass killings carried out in the name of law enforcement.
Unless this is done, even if Duterte and the enforcers of his drug war are put away for life, we are likely to see another politician promising his brand of justice rising to high office. (Philstar.com) * * * 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.
Former President Rodrigo R. Duterte attends the Senate Blue Ribbon Subcommittee hearing on the Philippine War on Illegal Drugs
ManilaTimes.net photo
Freedom, opportunity, and a new way forward for Filipino American families
FOR generations, people of Filipino heritage have come to America in search of hope and opportunity. The earliest Filipinos arrived at Morro Bay, California, in the 16th century. Today, more than four million Filipino Americans call this country home, and your values of hard work, family, and faith make America stronger.
This October, as we honor Filipino American History Month, I join you in celebrating this incredible community. From the manongs and manangs who organized to improve labor conditions in the Delano Grape Strike, to the Filipino and Filipino American soldiers who fought against tyranny in World War II, to frontline health care workers during the pandemic, you have been a part of our greatest triumphs and struggles. I was proud to welcome the return of in-person Filipino American History Month celebrations at the White House, and I am inspired by your stories and aspirations for a better future.
My mother was 19 when she crossed the world alone, traveling from India to California with an unshakable dream to be the scientist who would cure breast cancer. She worked tirelessly to raise our family and taught me to never complain about injustice, but do something about it. At a young age, I decided I wanted to do the work of fighting for people, and that has been the story of my entire career. As a courtroom prosecutor, I stood up for women and children against predators. As Attorney General of California, I took on the big banks and delivered $20 billion for families who faced foreclosure. As Vice President, I have stood up for workers and seniors. Now, I am running for president—because I believe Americans want and deserve a leader who will fight for all the American people.
This election is about two very different visions for our nation: one focused on the
future, the other on the past. I represent a new, optimistic generation of leadership and will chart a New Way Forward— one that ensures you can not just get by, but get ahead. I grew up in a middle class household, and I remember my mother’s sacrifices and the long hours she spent to make things work for our family. As president, I will build an Opportunity Economy where every American has the opportunity to own a home, to build wealth, to start a business. I will cut taxes for 100 million Americans, hold companies accountable for price gouging on food and groceries, and work to lower the costs of essentials.
I will build three million affordable homes and provide up to $25,000 in down payment assistance to firsttime homebuyers. I know what homeownership means to the American people, not to mention what it meant to my mother. We were renters growing up, and she saved up for years to buy our first home. She was so excited when that day came, and I want all Americans with dreams of achieving homeownership to feel that same excitement.
Small businesses and Filipino American entrepreneurs are the engines of our economy, and I will support these essential businesses by boosting access to capital and increasing the startup expense deduction 10fold, from $5,000 to $50,000.
Filipino Americans are also at the heart of our healthcare system. I will protect the Affordable Care Act, which has reduced the uninsured rate among Asian Americans to record lows. President Biden and I worked to lower the price of prescription drugs and cap the cost of insulin at $35 for seniors, and I will go further to reduce costs for all Americans. My plan will also strengthen Medicare to cover home care for seniors, easing the financial and emotional burden many Filipino Americans face when caring for their elders. I took care of my mother when she was sick with cancer—I know that caregiving is about dignity. I have spent my career fighting crime, and as Vice President, I have helped to secure $15 billion for law enforcement and public safety
“ During Filipino American History Month, we honor the ways Filipinos and Filipino Americans have helped bring our nation closer to fulfilling the promise of America. In a democracy, while we can hold on to it, our vote is the power that each of us as an individual has. It is an extraordinary power, and we will not give it away.”
and enact landmark legislation to combat anti-Asian hate crimes. While Donald Trump’s failures during the pandemic put Filipino American health care workers at risk and fueled anti-Asian violence, I will work to keep you safe, including from gun violence. Our safety is also dependent on fixing our broken immigration system. I will sign the bipartisan border security bill that Trump sabotaged, and I reject the false choice between securing our border and creating a system of immigration that is orderly and humane. We can and must do both.
Finally, I will work to strengthen America’s global leadership. While Trump cozied up to dictators and tyrants, I have traveled to 21 countries, met with more than
150 world leaders to advance our interests, and deepened our ties with the Philippines. In my visits to Manila and Palawan, I strengthened our economic and investment ties, reaffirmed our mutual defense commitments, and reiterated our commitment to upholding international rules and norms in the South China Sea and around the world. This election, the stakes could not be higher. Donald Trump intends to “terminate” the Affordable Care Act, strip away health care protections from millions, and raise drug prices. His policies would cause inflation to skyrocket, lead to a recession by mid-2025, and increase costs for families by nearly $4,000 a year. He and his allies would devastate the middle class and cut Social Security and Medicare.
Donald Trump is an unserious man, but the consequences of him ever getting back into the White House are brutally serious. Trump has vowed to be a dictator on “day one,” and speaks openly about using the military against Americans. His own national security officials warn he is unhinged and unstable, and out for unchecked power. Consider what he intends to do if we give him power again, especially after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled he would be immune from criminal prosecution. He would wield the powers of the presidency not to improve your life, not to strengthen our nation, but to serve himself. It is time to turn the page on the chaos and divisiveness of Trump. America is ready to chart a new way forward.
During Filipino American History Month, we honor the ways Filipinos and Filipino Americans have helped bring our nation closer to fulfilling the promise of America. In a democracy, while we can hold on to it, our vote is the power that each of us as an individual has. It is an extraordinary power, and we will not give it away. I will always fight for the American people. And together, we will build a brighter future for our nation.
* * * 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.
* * * Kamala D. Harris is the Vice President of the United States.
Palace: Philippines safer under... Philippines, US, Japan hold talks...
DOJ, ombudsman
Rep. Bienvenido Abante Jr., chairman of the House committee on human rights and one of the leaders of the quad committee, said prosecutors from the Office of the Ombudsman and the Department of Justice should look into the criminal liability of Duterte, who owned up to killings and human rights violations during his term.
“Former President Duterte’s admission should be taken seriously by both Philippine authorities and the international community. This is a crucial opportunity to reaffirm our commitment to human rights, justice and the rule of law,” Abante said.
“The legal basis is there. We owe it to the victims and the Filipino people to pursue justice without fear or favor,” he said.
He said Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla and Ombudsman Samuel Martires should look deeper into Duterte’s admission.
“The House quad comm has already unearthed evidence and testimony that bolstered allegations that the victims of the war on drugs were innocent, that they were victims of a relentless campaign waged by no less than Malacañang, and had its full blessings,” Abante said.
“We have testimony that shows that the former president issued directives and gave the green light to a reward system that led to the death of innocents. If the former president says that he is taking responsibility for the illegal and fatal acts of law enforcement during his administration, then he should be held accountable,” Abante maintained.
He said that by his own admission, the former
president should be made to stand trial before Philippine courts or the ICC.
“While he was president, the law and political considerations protected him. But now, this admission might be seen as enough basis for both Philippine and ICC prosecutors to hold him accountable,” he explained.
The ICC, which had initiated a preliminary examination of the anti-drug campaign, could potentially interpret Duterte’s statements as an endorsement of systematic actions against alleged drug offenders, a potential crime against humanity, Abante said.
Although the Philippines withdrew from the Rome Statute in 2019, Abante pointed out that the court retains jurisdiction over incidents committed before 2019.
Independence doubted
Lawyers and families of some victims of extrajudicial killings during the Duterte administration have questioned the independence of the Senate Blue Ribbon subcommittee investigation, saying it “has become a platform for those involved and accused,” particularly Senators Bato dela Rosa and Bong Go.
The Rise Up for Life and for Rights noted that the two senators “had neither the decency nor discretion to inhibit themselves, despite persistent and credible allegations of their participation in the whole scheme of things.”
“This raises significant questions over the independence and effectivity of the Senate investigation and the possibility that this might serve as a whitewash,” it added. (With reports from Sheila Crisostomo, Delon Porcalla, Mark Ernest Villeza, Janvic Mateo)
country or countries that pose a threat via economic coercion, but Washington has regularly raised the issue of China's coercive tactics as a matter of national security with its allies in the region.
"The participants shared their concern over and strong opposition to economic coercion and a commitment to building economic resilience," the U.S. State Department said in a statement on October 25.
"They also affirmed that the three countries intend to cooperate to raise awareness of this issue among the international community and enhance their resilience to and response capabilities to potential economic coercion," it added.
The discussion was chaired by Ma. Corazon Halili-Dichosa, executive director for Industry Development Services at the Board of Investments in the Philippines.
What went before
During their first trilateral talks in April, the Philippines, U.S. and Japan issued a joint statement expressing their objection to economic coercion and willingness to deepen their cooperation in fighting the practice.
A month before that, the Chinese Embassy in Manila called out the Philippine ambassador to the United States Jose Manuel Romualdez for claiming China could use trade restrictions to pressure the Philippines over the South China Sea dispute, saying his statement was "deplorable" and "in ignorance of basic facts."
The embassy, in its statement in March, said China's economic relations with the Philippines has
brought "tremendous benefits to both countries" and that the accusation is forms part of a "malicious smear campaign against China."
Without singling out the United States, the embassy said: "Who invented 'economic coercion'? Where did it originate? Who weaponizes economic power and gets addicted to sanctions? The questions are self-explanatory."
The U.S. and five other countries — Australia, Britain, Canada, Japan and New Zealand — issued a joint declaration in 2023 that they oppose the use of trade-related economic coercion to force or influence nations into complying with third-party countries' demands.
The U.S. has also been accused by Chinese officials of using economic coercion to achieve its aims through its imposition of sanctions on entities and individuals.
A Washington Post investigation in July found the U.S. has imposed three times as many sanctions as any other country or international body, affecting a third of all nations with some form of financial penalty on individuals or organizations.
For instance, under Trump, the U.S. in 2017 imposed severe sanctions on Venezuela with the goal of ousting Nicolás Maduro's regime in support of the opposition. These sanctions targeted the oil industry and key officials, aiming to cut off revenue and pressure Maduro to step down.
Instead, the sanctions worsened Venezuela's economic collapse, causing severe shortages of food, medicine, and fuel, leading to hyperinflation, widespread poverty, and a mass exodus of Venezuelans seeking refuge abroad. n
Vice President Kamala Harris delivers remarks at a campaign rally in Las Vegas, Nevada, on August 10, 2024.
Photo by Christopher Dilts/Harris for President
LEGAL SERVICES LEGAL SERVICES LEGAL SERVICES
NOTICE OF INITIAL PETITION FOR PROBATE ESTATE OF SANDY PECK
CASE NO: 24PE001806C
To all heirs, beneficiaries, creditors, contingent creditors, and persons who may otherwise be interested in the will or estate, or both, of: SANDY PECK
A Petition for Probate has been filed by ADIL ABDULAHAD in the Superior Court of California, County of SAN DIEGO
The Petition for Probate requests that ADIL ABDULAHAD be appointed as personal representative to administer with will annexed the estate of the decedent.
The petition requests the decedent’s will and codicils, if any, be admitted to probate. The will and any codicils are available for examination in the file kept by the court.
The petition requests authority to administer the estate under the Independent Administration of Estates Act. (This authority will allow the personal representative to take many actions without obtaining court approval. Before taking certain very important actions, however, the personal representative will be required to give notice to interested persons unless they have waived notice or consented to the proposed action.)
The independent administration authority will be granted unless an interested person files an objection to the petition and shows good cause why the court should not grant the authority. A hearing on the petition will be held in this court as follows:
Date: 10/30/2024
Time: 01:30 P.M. Dept.: 502 Address of court: 1100 Union Street, San Diego, CA 92101
Branch Name: Central, Probate
If you object to the granting of the petition, you should appear at the hearing and state your objections or file written objections with the court before the hearing. Your appearance may be in person or by your attorney. If you are a creditor or a contingent creditor of the decedent, you must file your claim with the court and mail a copy to the personal representative appointed by the court and mail a copy to the personal representative appointed by the court within the later of either (1) four months from the date of first issuance of letters to a general personal representative, as defined in section 58(b) of the California Probate Code, or (2) 60 days from the date of mailing or personal delivery to you of a notice under section 9052 of the California Probate Code. Other California statutes and legal authority may affect your rights as a creditor. You may want to consult with an attorney knowledgeable in California law.
You may examine the file kept by the court. If you are a person interested in the estate, you may file with the court a Request for Special Notice (form DE-154) of the filing of an inventory and appraisal of estate assets or of any petition or account as provided in Probate Code section 1250. A Request for Special Notice form is available from the court clerk.
Evane K. Abbassi, Esq. (SBN 335491) Abbassi Law Firm c/o Estate of Sandy Peck 6320 Canoga Ave, Suite 1610 Woodland Hills, CA 91367
818-463-2329 Publication Dates: 10/18, 10/25, and 11/01/20224 AJ 1539 AJSD 1539
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT NO. 2024-9019572
Christina’s Boutique located at 456 J Street, Chula Vista, CA 91910. Registrant: Christina Alaniz, 456 J Street, Chula Vista, CA 91910. This business is conducted by An Individual. REGISTRANT FIRST BEGUN TO TRANSACT BUSINESS UNDER THE NAME(S) AS OF 09/27/2024.
Signature: Christina Alaniz. Statement filed with Recorder/County Clerk of San Diego County on 09/27/2024. AJ 1542 10/25, 11/01, 11/08, and 11/15/2024. AJSD 1542
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT NO. 2024-9018671
a. Bite and Bark Wild Snacks located at 1340 Hemlock Ave Apt 18, Imperial Beach, CA 91932.
b. Bite & Bark located at 1340 Hemlock Ave Apt 18, Imperial Beach, CA 91932. Registrant: Carlos Humberto Pecovich Castro, 1340 Hemlock Ave Apt 18, Imperial Beach, CA 91932. This business is conducted by An Individual. REGISTRANT FIRST BEGUN TO TRANSACT BUSINESS UNDER THE NAME(S) AS OF 09/13/2024. Signature: Carlos Humberto Pecovich Castro. Statement filed with Recorder/County Clerk of San Diego County on 08/29/2024. AJ 1549 10/25, 11/01, 11/08, and 11/15/2024. AJSD 1549
CASE NUMBER: 24CU015696C TO ALL INTERESTED PERSONS: Petitioner Rudy Hernandez Jr filed a petition with this court for a decree changing names as follows: a. Rudy Hernandez Jr to Rodolfo Sandoval. THE COURT ORDERS that all persons interested in this matter appear before this court at the hearing indicated below to show cause, if any, why the petition for change of name should not be granted. Any person objecting to the name changes described above must file a written objection that includes the reasons for the objection at least two court days before the matter is scheduled to be heard and must appear at the hearing to show cause why the petition should not be granted. If no written objection is timely filed, the court may grant the petition without a hearing. NOTICE OF HEARING Date: 11/26/2024 Time: 8:30 AM Dept. 61 Superior Court of California, County of San Diego 330 WEST BROADWAY DEPT. 61 San Diego, CA 92101
A copy of this Order to Show Cause shall be published at least once each week for four successive weeks prior to the date set for hearing on the petition in the following newspaper of general circulation printed in this county. Asian Journal: 10/08/2024 NO HEARING WILL OCCUR ON ABOVE DATE: SEE ATTACHMENT Maureen F. Hallahan Judge of the Superior Court AJ 1547 10/25, 11/01, 11/08, and 11/15/2024 ATTACHMENT TO ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME (JC Form #NC-120) NO HEARING WILL OCCUR ON THE DATE SPECIFIED IN THE ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE. The Court will review the documents filed as of the date specified on the Order to Show Cause for Change of Name (JC Form #NC-120). If all requirements for a name change have been met as of the date specified, and no timely written objection has been received (required at least two court days before the date specified), the Petition for Change of Name (JC Form #NC-100) will be granted without a hearing. One certified copy of the Order Granting Petition will be mailed to the petitioner. To change a name on a legal document, including a birth certificate, social security card, drivers license, passport, and other identification, a certificate copy of Decree Changing Name (JC Form #NC-130) or Decree Changing Name and Order Recognizing Change of Gender and for Issuance of New Birth Certificate (JC Form #NC-230) may be required. Contact the agency(ies) who issues the legal document that need to be changed to determine if a certificate copy is required. A certified copy of Decree Changing Name (JC Form #NC-130) or Decree Changing Name and Order Recognizing Change of Gender and for Issuance of New Birth Certificate (JC Form #NC-230) may be obtained form the Civil Business Office for a fee. Petitioners who are seeking a change of name under the Safe at Home program may contact the assigned department for information on obtaining certified copies. If all the requirements have not been met as of the date specified, the Court will mail the petitioner a written order with further directions. If timely objection is filed, the Court will set a hearing date and contact the parties by mail with further directions. A RESPONDENT OBJECTING TO THE NAME CHANGE, MUST FILE A WRITTEN OBJECTION AT LEAST TWO COURT DAYS (excluding weekends and holidays) BEFORE THE DATE SPECIFIED. Do not come to court on the specified date. The court will notify the parties by mail of a future hearing date. Any Petition for the name change of a minor, that is signed by only one parent, must have this Attachment served along with the Petition and Order to Show Cause, on the other, non-signing parent, and proof of service must be filed with the Court. AJSD 1547
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT NO. 2024-9020326
DRP Leasing located at 244 Palomar St, STE A/ Office, Chula Vista, CA 91911-4200. Registrant: PW INC, 244 Palomar St, STE A/Office Chula, Vista, CA 919114200. This business is conducted by A Limited Liability Company. REGISTRANT FIRST BEGUN TO TRANSACT BUSINESS UNDER THE NAME(S) AS OF 05/20/2014.
Signature: Robert Pennell. Statement filed with Recorder/County Clerk of San Diego County on 10/08/2024. AJ 1543 10/25, 11/01, 11/08, and 11/15/2024. AJSD 1543
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT NO. 2024-9019176 DHARMA BIOCONSULTING located at 7895 Via Belfiore Unit 1, San Diego, CA 92129. Registrant: Supurna Chowdhury, 7895 Via Belfiore Unit 1, San Diego, CA 92129. This business is conducted by An Individual. REGISTRANT HAS NOT BEGUN TO TRANSACT BUSINESS UNDER THE NAME(S) ABOVE. Signature: Supurna Chowdhury. Statement filed with Recorder/County Clerk of San Diego County on 09/2/2024. AJ 1550 10/25, 11/01, 11/08, and 11/15/2024. AJSD 1550
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT NO. 2024-9019215
Sweetwater Apartments located at 1058 Elkelton Blvd, Spring Valley, CA 91977.
Registrant: South Bay Group LLC, 244-A Palomar St, Chula Vista, CA 91911. This business is conducted by A Limited Partnership.
REGISTRANT FIRST BEGUN TO TRANSACT BUSINESS UNDER THE NAME(S) AS OF 10/02/1979.
Signature: Robert Pennell. Statement filed with Recorder/County Clerk of San Diego County on 09/23/2024.
AJ 1529 10/11, 10/18, 10/25, and 11/01/2024. AJSD 1529
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS
NAME STATEMENT NO. 2024-9019609
AERIESTHETICS located at 3655 Avocado Boulevard, La Mesa, CA 91941.
Registrant: Aerie-Renai Almandarez Campbell, 2071 Lakeridge Circle Unit 102, Chula Vista, CA 91913. This business is conducted by An Individual.
REGISTRANT HAS NOT BEGUN TO TRANSACT BUSINESS UNDER THE NAME(S) ABOVE.
Signature: Aerie-Renai
Almandarez Campbell Statement filed with Recorder/County Clerk of San Diego County on 09/30/2024. AJ 1533 10/11, 10/18, 10/25, and 11/01/2024. AJSD 1533
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS
NAME STATEMENT NO. 2024-9020756
El Presidente Backflow Co. located at 590 G St, Chula Vista, CA 91910. Registrant: Jose De Jesus Ramirez Reyes, 590 G St, Chula Vista, CA 91910. This business is conducted by An Individual. REGISTRANT FIRST BEGUN TO TRANSACT BUSINESS UNDER THE NAME(S) AS OF 04/24/2019.
Signature: Jesus Ramirez. Statement filed with Recorder/County Clerk of San Diego County on 10/15/2024.
AJ 1537 10/18, 10/25, 11/01, and 11/08/2024. AJSD 1537
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS
NAME STATEMENT NO. 2024-9020311
Park Vista Apartments located at 49-45 4th Ave, Chula Vista, CA 91910. Registrant: West Grawyler Associates LTD, 244 Palomar St, STE A/Office Chula, Vista, CA 919114200. This business is conducted by A Limited Partnership. REGISTRANT FIRST BEGUN TO TRANSACT BUSINESS UNDER THE NAME(S) AS OF 07/11/1979.
Signature: Dennis H Pennell. Statement filed with Recorder/County Clerk of San Diego County on 10/08/2024. AJ 1544 10/25, 11/01, 11/08, and 11/15/2024. AJSD 1544
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT NO. 2024-9020521 P E C Services located at 1436 E 16th St, National City, CA 91950. Registrant: Celedonio Espinoza Polanco, 456 J Street, Chula Vista, CA 91910. This business is conducted by An Individual. REGISTRANT FIRST BEGUN TO TRANSACT BUSINESS UNDER THE NAME(S) AS OF 10/10/2024. Signature: Celedonio Espinoza Polanco. Statement filed with Recorder/County Clerk of San Diego County on 10/10/2024. AJ 1551 11/01, 11/08, 11/15, and 11/22/2024. AJSD 1551
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT NO. 2024-9019784
Visions Window Cleaning By J.P located at 4765 Home Ave Apt 91, San Diego, CA 92105.
Registrant: Visions Window Cleaning By J.P Corp, 4765 Home Ave Apt 91, San Diego, CA 92105. This business is conducted by A Corporation.
REGISTRANT FIRST BEGUN TO TRANSACT BUSINESS UNDER THE NAME(S) AS OF 02/19/2020.
Signature: Jesse Perez. Statement filed with Recorder/County Clerk of San Diego County on 10/01/2024.
AJ 1530 10/11, 10/18, 10/25, and 11/01/2024. AJSD 1530
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT NO. 2024-9019804
Cleaning Services Lucy’s Clean Touch Co. located at 963 Gillispie Dr, Spring Valley, CA 91977.
Registrant: Fatima Gonzalez, 963 Gillispie Dr, Spring Valley, CA 91977. This business is conducted by An Individual.
REGISTRANT FIRST BEGUN TO TRANSACT BUSINESS UNDER THE NAME(S) AS OF 10/01/2024.
Signature: Fatima Gonzalez. Statement filed with Recorder/County Clerk of San Diego County on 10/01/2024. AJ 1534 10/18, 10/25, 11/01, and 11/08/2024. AJSD 1534
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS
NAME STATEMENT NO. 2024-9020659
Butter Mochi SD located at 11319 Spica Dr, San Diego, CA 92126.
Registrant: Mahalu LLC, 11319 Spica Dr, San Diego, CA 92126. This business is conducted by A Limited Liability Company.
REGISTRANT FIRST BEGUN TO TRANSACT BUSINESS UNDER THE NAME(S) AS OF 10/04/2024.
Signature: Kurt Antonio. Statement filed with Recorder/County Clerk of San Diego County on 10/14/2024.
AJ 1538 10/18, 10/25, 11/01, and 11/08/2024. AJSD 1538
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT NO. 2024-9021596
Elegance Hair Boutique located at 3030 Plaza Bonita Road Unit 1336 Ste 114, National City, CA 91950.
Registrant: Maria Elena Camarena Fierro, 1915 Avenida Del Mexico Unit 261, San Diego, CA 92154. This business is conducted by An Individual. REGISTRANT FIRST BEGUN TO TRANSACT BUSINESS UNDER THE NAME(S) AS OF 10/07/2024.
Signature: Maria Elena Camarena Fierro. Statement filed with Recorder/County Clerk of San Diego County on 10/29/2024. AJ 1545 11/01, 11/08, 11/15, and 11/22/2024. AJSD 1545
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT NO. 2024-9021338
Point Loma Dog Salon N Spa located at 4011 W Ponit Loma Blvd, San Diego, CA 92110. Registrant: EJ Pet Enterprise LLC, 614 Sipes Circle, Chula Vista, CA 91911. This business is conducted by A Limited Liability Company. REGISTRANT HAS NOT BEGUN TO TRANSACT BUSINESS UNDER THE NAME(S) ABOVE. Signature: Byoung Cheol Lee. Statement filed with Recorder/County Clerk of San Diego County on 10/23/2024. AJ 1552 11/01, 11/08, 11/15, and 11/22/2024 AJSD 1552
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT NO. 2024-9019668
Malaika Multi Services LLC located at 4135 38th St Apt 1, San Diego, CA 92105.
Registrant: Malaika Multi Services LLC, 4135 38th St Apt 1, San Diego, CA 92105. This business is conducted by A Limited Liability Company.
REGISTRANT FIRST BEGUN TO TRANSACT BUSINESS UNDER THE NAME(S) AS OF 07/10/2024.
Signature: Lindsay Laborde. Statement filed with Recorder/County Clerk of San Diego County on 09/30/2024. AJ 1531 10/11, 10/18, 10/25, and 11/01/2024. AJSD 1531
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT NO. 2024-9020633
a. CALI DISCOUNTZ located at 1014 Coolidge Ave, National City, CA 91950. b. THE NEXT DEAL located at 1014 Coolidge Ave, National City, CA 91950. Registrant: Francisco Garcia Zazueta Jr, 1014 Coolidge Ave, National City, CA 91950. This business is conducted by An Individual. REGISTRANT HAS NOT BEGUN TO TRANSACT BUSINESS UNDER THE NAME(S) ABOVE.
Signature: Francisco Garcia Zazueta Jr. Statement filed with Recorder/County Clerk of San Diego County on 10/14/2024. AJ 1535 10/18, 10/25, 11/01, and 11/08/2024. AJSD 1535
STATEMENT OF WITHDRAWAL FROM PARTNERSHIP OPERATING UNDER FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT NO. 2024-9020904 a. Troy’s Trusses THE STATEMENT OF THE FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME(S) REFERRED TO THE ABOVE WAS FILED IN SAN DIEGO COUNTY ON 09/23/2024, and assigned File on. 2024-9019217 LOCATED AT: 8936 Troy St, Spring Valley, CA 91977. THE FOLLOWING PARTNER HAS WITHDRAWN: Paulino Morales Solis, 8936 Troy St, Spring Valley, CA 91977. Signature: Paulino Morales Solis. Statement filed with Recorder/County Clerk of San Diego County on 10/17/2024. AJ 1540 10/25, 11/01, 11/08, and 11/15/2024. AJSD 1540
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS
NAME STATEMENT NO. 2024-9021035
House Of Hope located at 1101 Camino Del Mar, #C, Del Mar, CA 92014. Registrant: a. Jai Jun Yang, 1101 Camino Del Mar, #C, Del Mar, CA 92014. b. John Young, 1101 Camino Del Mar, #C, Del Mar, CA 92014 This business is conducted by A General Partnership.
REGISTRANT FIRST BEGUN TO TRANSACT BUSINESS UNDER THE NAME(S) AS OF 08/18/2022. Signature: Jia Jun Yang. Statement filed with Recorder/County Clerk of San Diego County on 10/18/2024. AJ 1546 10/25, 11/01, 11/08, and 11/15/2024. AJSD 1546
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT NO. 2024-9021045
Lady Diana Cleaning Services located at 160 Boomer Place, Chula Vista, CA 91910. Registrant: Diana Carolina Ariza Pulido, 160 Boomer Place, Chula Vista, CA 91910. This business is conducted by An Individual. REGISTRANT FIRST BEGUN TO TRANSACT BUSINESS UNDER THE NAME(S) AS OF 01/25/2024. Signature: Diana Carolina Ariza Pulido. Statement filed with Recorder/County Clerk of San Diego County on 10/21/2024. AJ 1553 11/01, 11/08, 11/15, and 11/22/2024. AJSD 1553
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT NO. 2024-9019568
Ariel Mariah LLC located at 4824 Bram Ave, Bonita, CA 91902. Registrant: Ariel Mariah LLC, 4824 Bram Ave, Bonita, CA 91902. This business is conducted by A Limited Liability Company.
REGISTRANT HAS NOT BEGUN TO TRANSACT BUSINESS UNDER THE NAME(S) ABOVE. Signature: Warren GibsonCrockett Statement filed with Recorder/County Clerk of San Diego County on 09/27/2024. AJ 1532 10/11, 10/18, 10/25, and 11/01/2024. AJSD 1532
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS
NAME STATEMENT NO. 2024-9018448
a. BUNSKETCHES located at 11261 Spitfire Road, San Diego, CA 92126. b. BUNNY BUSINESS located at 11261 Spitfire Road, San Diego, CA 92126. Registrant: Yehleen Antonio Cerezo, 11261 Spitfire Road, San Diego, CA 92126. This business is conducted by An Individual. REGISTRANT HAS NOT BEGUN TO TRANSACT BUSINESS UNDER THE NAME(S) ABOVE.
Signature: Yehleen Antonio Cerezo. Statement filed with Recorder/County Clerk of San Diego County on 09/10/2024.
AJ 1536 10/18, 10/25, 11/01, and 11/08/2024. AJSD 1536
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS
NAME STATEMENT NO. 2024-9021005
TA’SEA LLC located at 8026 Hummingbird Lane, San Diego, CA 92123. Registrant: TA’SEA LLC, 8026 Hummingbird Lane, San Diego, CA 92123. This business is conducted by A Limited Liability Company. REGISTRANT HAS NOT BEGUN TO TRANSACT BUSINESS UNDER THE NAME(S) ABOVE. Signature: Marisa Bell. Statement filed with Recorder/County Clerk of San Diego County on 10/18/2024. AJ 1541 10/25, 11/01, 11/08, and 11/15/2024. AJSD 1541
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS
NAME STATEMENT NO. 2024-9021126
Lasting Automotive Protection Company located at 1409 Broadway, Chula Vista, CA 91911. Registrant: LAPCO Enterprise LLC, 3400 Cottage Way, Ste G2, Sacramento, CA 95825. This business is conducted by A Limited Liability Company.
REGISTRANT HAS NOT BEGUN TO TRANSACT BUSINESS UNDER THE NAME(S) ABOVE. Signature: Linberg Pelarion. Statement filed with Recorder/County Clerk of San Diego County on 10/21/2024. AJ 1548 10/25, 11/01, 11/08, and 11/15/2024. AJSD 1548
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT NO. 2024-9021722
a. Diego Style Car Club located at 1727 Euclid Ave, National City, CA, 91950.
b. Diego Style Bike Club located at 1727 Euclid Ave, National City, CA, 91950. Registrant: a. Henry Llamas, 1727 Euclid Ave, National City, CA, 91950. b. Eva Llamas, 1727 Euclid Ave, National City, CA, 91950. This business is conducted by A Married Couple. REGISTRANT FIRST BEGUN TO TRANSACT BUSINESS UNDER THE NAME(S) AS OF 10/30/2024. Signature: Henry Llamas. Statement filed with Recorder/County Clerk of San Diego County on 10/30/2024. AJ 1554 11/01, 11/08, 11/15, and 11/22/2024. AJSD 1554
SAN DIEGO
‘HARD WORK, HUMILITY, AND OPTIMISM’
Maria Torres-Springer reflects on leadership and the importance of Filipino American History Month
by MOMar G. Visaya / AJPress
MARIA Torres-Springer, the recently appointed First Deputy Mayor of New York City, is a trailblazer whose Filipino heritage and personal experiences growing up have profoundly shaped her leadership capabilities. At a recent event sponsored by the Philippine American Chamber of Commerce New York celebrating Filipino American History Month, Torres-Springer shared her journey from growing up between California and the Philippines to holding one of the highest positions in the city’s government.
Born to Filipino immigrant parents—her father Manny from Pampanga and her mother Elsa from Batangas—she shared that her formative years were marked by challenges and perseverance.
Born in Los Angeles, she lived in the Philippines from ages nine to fourteen after her mother passed away. Her father, a single parent struggling to raise three children, moved the family back to his hometown in Pampanga.
This decision provided her with the unique opportunity to grow up surrounded by extended family and to connect deeply with her Filipino roots. She also shared that her dad was the youngest of 23 siblings. “I had the wild fortune of growing up with, literally, it felt like hundreds of cousins. But my time in Pampanga was really valuable because it allowed me to understand where I came from, and it allowed me to connect not just to my family, but to the rich and deep history of Filipinos,” she recalled.
Her time in the Philippines, as well as her return to the U.S., where her family faced economic struggles, had a lasting impact on her understanding of the role of government in people’s lives.
“We relied on food stamps, we relied on Section 8, and I say all of that because I know firsthand what it means… we experienced it when government works, and
we also experienced what it was like when government didn’t work,” she said, reflecting on her family’s reliance on government assistance during tough times. These experiences fueled her desire to enter public service and ensure that government programs truly help those in need.
Torres-Springer became the first in her family to attend college in the U.S., a milestone her parents supported by giving her all their savings. She earned a bachelor’s degree in ethics, politics, and economics from Yale University, followed by a master’s in public policy from the Harvard Kennedy School.
Throughout her career, TorresSpringer held influential roles under Mayors Mike Bloomberg, Bill de Blasio, and Eric Adams, shaping New York City’s economic and housing policies. She was instrumental in citywide projects like the Coney Island renovation and led significant positions, including Commissioner of
Housing Preservation and Development. Before rejoining city government in 2022, she directed U.S. programs at the Ford Foundation, advocating for racial justice and workers’ rights. Now, as the First Deputy Mayor, Torres-Springer oversees
New York City Mayor Eric Adams and First Deputy Mayor Maria Torres-Springer led the roundtable meeting with Filipino community leaders. Photos courtesy of @nycimmigrants
Maria Torres-Springer at the Filipino American History
Photo by Momar G. Visaya
Mayor Eric Adams and First Deputy Mayor Maria Torres Springer convened Filipino leaders and organizations and discussed a wide range of issues impacting
First Deputy Mayor Torres-Springer looks at the poster of the Filipino American community produced by the NYC Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs led by Commissioner Manuel Castro.
Rachelle Ocampo pointed out that the Filipino community remains historically underserved, leading to the closure of three physical spaces for Filipinos over the last decade. Her remarks underscored the urgency of building capacity to better serve and support the Filipino community across New York City.
Constan tino Medina
MISS Aura International 2024 first runner-up Isabelle Delos Santos was oozing with charisma and confidence even after the coronation night.
Days before the coronation, Delos Santos became the early favorite among the candidates as she won the fan favorite category and secured her spot to be part of the top 11 finalists of the competition. She appeared in some films such as “Ano‘ng meron kay Abok” (2022), Becky and Badette (2023) and “May for Ever” (2024). She has been a volunteer for Special Olympics Pilipinas, providing sports and opportunities for people with intellectual disabilities in communities across the Philippines.
I have a strong feeling that beauteous Isabelle Delos Santos, possessing an auratic presence, will capture an international title
Isabelle de los Santos, ‘24 Miss Aura Int’l 1st runner-up; Elia Ilano, future super actress
in the near future.
* * * Boy Lizaso III, a fashion designer and owner of Lizaso Haute Couture, has produced prestigious fashion shows in Hollywood, California benefiting charitable organizations. He recently celebrated his 75th birthday, with a dinner gala, fashion and awards night and performances from Pocholo Malillin’s Club Mwah, attended by glitterati at Manila Hotel’s Maynila Ballroom. I was about to leave Manila Hotel when actor Roger Calvin (her daughter used to be my neighbor in a condo at Wack-Wack) and actress Imelda Ilanan (mom of actress Maricel Laxa and grandma of actor Donnie Pangilinan) told me not to leave yet and enjoy the night but I had to since it was already late evening. They were so caring. I hope to see Roger and Imelda again.
* * * Multi-awarded, talented child actress Elia Ilano will appear in Viva Films’ “Nanay, Tatay” film, to be shown on October 30 exclusively at SM cinemas. It also stars Andrea del Rosario, Jeffrey Hidalgo, Aubrey Caraan, Heart Ryan, and Xia Vigor. “Nanay, Tatay” is the first Filipino movie together with “Pasahero,” to be part of the Sine Sindak Film Festival which is now on its 5th year.
Elia Ilano will be playing the role of Malena in the said horror film. After the blockbuster and award-winning movie, “Deleter,” and her accolade-filled performance in “Pinoy Ghost Tales,” Elia is set to be part of another horror movie. According to Elia, Malena is her dream role and the most difficult role she ever played to date.
* * * A recent mini-reunion of CITEM
(Center for International Trade, Expositions and Missions) employees happened during the Manila FAME, a bi-annual trade show organized by CITEM, the export promotions arm of the Philippine Department of Trade and Industry, at World Trade Center.
* * *
GMA Pinoy TV, the home of Global Pinoys, proudly joins the celebration of Filipino American History Month this October, embracing the theme “Struggle, Resistance, Solidarity, Resilience.”
Through its participation in various events and activities, GMA Pinoy TV honors the history, achievements, and legacy of Filipinos in the United States.
Global Pinoys can participate in various celebrations across the United States, which include concerts by popular Filipino bands such as Ben&Ben and Side A, as well as special programs and shows, enlightening talks, and fun markets. The Ben&Ben Autumn Tour 2024 will thrill Global Pinoy fans on October 27. Known for its heartfelt lyrics and unique musicality, the nine-piece band from the Philippines is set to deliver a performance that will showcase the fine elements of contemporary Filipino music. Watch Ben&Ben at the California’s San Jose Center for the Performing Arts, 255 S Almaden Blvd.
A special episode of “Becoming Pinoy” will air on October 26, featuring Filipino-American rapper Talilo (Tala and Ilog). Known for his powerful storytelling through rap and hip-hop, Talilo sheds light on social issues, poverty, and personal struggles through his original compositions and music videos filmed in the Philippines, where he showcases local icons like Apo Whang-od, the Ilonggos, and popular tourist destinations. “Becoming Pinoy,” GMA Pinoy TV’s multi-awarded original series, profiles successful and influential
City of San Diego seeking new operator for former Village Grill Restaurant in Balboa Park
City works to bring new culinary offerings to visitors in support of effort to protect park’s future
SAN DIEGO
– As part of a larger undertaking to preserve Balboa Park as the city’s crown jewel and make it an even more welcoming place, the City of San Diego is looking for an organization or individual to rehabilitate and reestablish the former Village Grill.
On Monday, October 28, the city issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) for the lease and renovation of the restaurant located near the Spanish Village Art Center. In their proposals, interested parties must show how they plan to renovate, operate and maintain the property. This includes offering highquality food and beverage options for Balboa Park visitors.
“I would encourage local businesses to pursue the opportunity to respond to the city’s search for a new food and beverage vendor at the corner of Village Place and Old Globe Way,” said Councilmember Stephen Whitburn, who represents District 3.
u PAGE 11
Mayor Gloria highlights successful Safe Parking Program, planned expansion
SAN DIEGO — Mayor Todd Gloria, Council
President Sean Elo-Rivera, Councilmember Stephen Whitburn, and San Diego Housing Commission Senior Vice President of Homelessness Housing Innovations Casey Snell on Monday, October 28 announced a package of new initiatives to expand shelter and the options to address participants’ individual needs and provide a path toward resolving their homelessness.
The new initiatives include adding 363 beds to the shelter system and implementing a shelter-focused homelessness diversion effort to free up additional beds.
Starting Dec. 1, an additional 165 shelter beds will be made available for single adult men, seniors aged 55 and older and veterans at the campus of Veterans Village of San Diego (VVSD) through a master lease and contract with the San Diego Housing Commission (SDHC). An SDHC contract with the San Diego Rescue Mission will also add 37 beds to the shelter system, and the Alcohol Use Disorder Shelter (previously known as the Serial Inebriate Program) will add 56 beds, in collaboration with the County of San Diego, which provides services to participants. Another 105 beds would become available at a motel site that would be converted into a non-congregate shelter.
“With hundreds of new beds at multiple sites, we are delivering on our commitment to ensure that no one who is currently sheltered will be sent back to the streets,” said Mayor Todd. “This is all possible thanks to close cooperation between my administration, the Housing Commission, the City Council, the Regional Task Force on Homelessness and our network of service providers — all who share the same goal of getting people off the street
and connected to care.”
The interventions discussed Monday are the result of the Short-Term Action Plan on Homelessness that the City Council asked the city’s Homelessness Strategies and Solutions Department (HSSD) and SDHC to develop. The action plan was approved Oct. 1, 2024.
Informed by listening sessions with stakeholders, the new options reflect the continued shift toward a system-level approach to addressing sheltering and supportive service needs of the community.
“Our goal is to get every person experiencing homelessness in San Diego into permanent housing,” Council President Elo-Rivera said. “Doing that will require us to listen to those who have experienced homelessness, collaborate with multiple partners, and make use of all of the resources and tools available. Our short-term action plan did just that, and the options we’re announcing today are the product of that work. This serves as a model for us to move forward in a collaborative process and find the most effective ways to shelter and find homes for San Diego residents in need.”
“These 363 additional beds will allow us to make further progress in moving people off the streets and into shelter and housing,” said Councilmember Whitburn. “I’m glad that many of these beds will be filled by seniors and veterans who deserve our community’s support.”
SDHC, in collaboration with the Regional Task Force on Homelessness and service providers, will launch an initiative Nov. 1 to focus diversion resources on connecting current shelter participants to longer-term housing more quickly, freeing up their shelter beds to serve others.
global Pinoy individuals of Filipino descent.
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Many thanks for featuring us in New York City billboard for the 2nd Southeast Asian Premier Business and Achiever Award. Thanks to La Visual Corp. and to Janice Israel Delima.
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Biyaya Animal Sanctuary was thrilled recently when Krishnah Gravidez, a Filipino youth advocate and an Ilocana beauty pageant titleholder who was crowned Miss World Philippines 2024 (she will compete in Miss World 2025 in February), participated in “FUR-ever Yours” Weekend Adoption Event at Quezon City’s Ayala Malls Vertis North Atrium to give these fur babies the chance to find their fur-ever homes. Every pet deserves quality care.
* * * I made it to the 12/2-3/2022 Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Knight Science Journalism Advanced Fact-Checking Workshop. During the Science Journalism Forum (SJF) 2022, the
Philippines (I represented) topped the Whova Leaderboard, followed by Bangladesh (female journalist Farhana Nila) and Pakistan (male journalist Satram Sangi).
In 2023, I emerged No. 3 (Philippines) in the SJF 2023 Leaderboard, after 1st placer Hassan AbouSeada (head of Frequency Coordination Department of the Egyptian Space Agency) from Cairo, Egypt and 2nd placer Bouda Brahim, freelance journalist from Algiers, Algeria. Another Filipino, Marshall Asis (No.10) from the Philippine Department of Agricul-
ture’s Bureau of Agricultural and Fisheries Engineering, made it to the Top 10.
Hailed as the virtual multilingual and most diverse global event for science journalists, the October 28-31, 2024 SJF predicts to be a huge success.
* * * 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
Governor Newsom visits Tijuana River rehabilitation efforts, assesses impact of sewage crisis
TIJUANA RIVER VALLEY –
Governor Gavin Newsom visited wastewater treatment facilities on both sides of the border to assess rehabilitation efforts and the ongoing sewage crisis, a long-standing environmental and public health issue.
Working alongside federal, state, and local partners, Governor Newsom has helped secure critical funding and support to address cross-border pollution from the Tijuana River while holding authorities accountable to expedited timelines. With upgrades to facilities on both sides of the border, sewage flows are expected to be reduced by up to 90%.
“The Tijuana River sewage crisis has impacted our communities for far too long. Thanks to our partnership with international, federal, and local partners, we are making real progress. But our work is far from over — we need serious, continued action to protect public health and restore our environment,” said Gov. Newsom in a statement released by his office.
“Pollution in the Tijuana River Valley is the number one environmental health crisis impacting our region, and Governor Newsom coming to San Diego for today’s briefing shows his steadfast commitment to our communities,” said San Diego County Board of Supervisors Chairwoman Nora Vargas. “I have said time and again that the only way we will solve this crisis is by working together. Our collaboration with Governor Newsom, as well as our federal partners, is critically important. We’re working to put forward our best collective efforts to restore and protect our region.”
Addressing this decadeslong crisis
Securing federal funding: In partnership with California’s congressional delegation and the Biden-Harris Administration, Governor Newsom helped secure $453 million in federal funding — $103 million this year and $350 million last year— for critical upgrades to the South Bay International Wastewater Treatment Plant. The upgrades
will significantly reduce the flow of untreated sewage into California’s coastal waters.
State investments to clean up the area, provide air filters to communities: Earlier this month, the county announced plans to purchase and distribute $2.7 million worth of air purifiers for local residents, which will be reimbursed by the state. Since 2019, California has allocated $35 million in state funding to address pollution in the Tijuana River Valley and support cleanup efforts:
• $1 million to fund Tijuana River Valley Recovery Team projects in the Tijuana River Valley.
• $9 million to operate and maintain Goat Canyon sediment and trash basins.
• $4.7 million to Rural Community Assistance Corporation’s Tijuana River Trash Boom pilot Project.
• $14.25 million for the Smuggler’s Gulch Improvement Project.
• $3.3 million for the Tijuana River Valley Habitat and Hydrology Restoration Project.
• $3 million to develop a model to forecast the presence of pathogens in San Diego coastal and tidal waters and help measure the effectiveness of potential projects in the Tijuana River Valley. Expedited timelines: Federal authorities committed to expediting construction timelines to more quickly repair infrastructure to mitigate sewage flows. Public health and air quality monitoring: California public health officials have been working closely with local
authorities to monitor air quality and support public health efforts to protect the community. The state helped get the CDC to deploy resources on the ground and assess public health conditions. The state has also supported the local air district on air monitoring, planning, and mitigation strategies to protect public health.
Water quality and timeline accountability: State authorities have been using enforcement tools to compel infrastructure improvements to the federal wastewater treatment plant, with the San Diego Water Board holding the federal facility to timelines for several repair and maintenance actions, including replacing and installing additional pumps, cleaning out sedimentation tanks, replacing a junction box and temporary influent pipe, and rehabilitating all mechanical parts for sedimentation tanks. Continued federal and Mexico partnerships: The governor has urged federal and Mexican partners to address this crisis. When Governor Newsom traveled to Mexico for President Claudia Sheinbaum’s inauguration, he discussed with Mexican authorities this crisis and repairing wastewater treatment facilities to prevent excess flows from reaching the U.S. During the October 28 visit, the governor also met with Baja Governor Marina del Pilar Ávila Olmeda. In February and October of this year, the governor met with White House officials to push for action to address this crisis. (CA Governor’s Office Release)
Rogelio
Isabelle Delos Santos, Miss Aura International 2024 first runner-up
Krishnah Gravidez with an aspin at Ayala Malls Vertis North Atrium.
GMA Pinoy TV celebrates Filipino American History Month on October 2024.
At Boy Lizaso’s birthday celebration: (from left) Carlito Pocholo Malillin, Nick Legaspi, Fernando Pando Manipon, Rogelio Medina and Cris Nicolas.
Former CITEM Executive Director and Tourism Secretary Mina Gabor (seated, right) with Oly delos Santos (seated, left) and current CITEM Executive Director Leah Pulido Ocampo (standing, 2nd from right).
From left: CITEM’s Kate Pineda, Rogelio Medina, Marjo Factora-Evio, Froilan Miranda and Lhen Visperas.
Multi-awarded, talented child actress Elia Ilano
Clockwise, from bottom left: Rogelio Medina with Dr. Fritzie Lexdy Noche; FAMAS president Francia Conrado (seated) with Roger Calvin and Imelda Ilanan; celebrant Boy Lizaso III (extreme left) with Connie & Victor Garcia; Connie Garcia with Pando Manipon. Photos courtesy of Rogelio Medina
Columnist Rogelio Medina predicts that the 2024 SJF will be a huge success.
Mayor Gloria highlights successful...
Diversion strategies employing flexible financial assistance, shared housing strategies and targeted case management can result in positive outcomes for shelter participants who are experiencing homelessness for the first time or who have existing support systems and the ability to end their homelessness without a long-term subsidy.
“Through recent listening sessions, we have heard from shelter participants that more choices, including non-congregate shelter spaces, and services are needed,” SDHC president and CEO Lisa Jones said. “Working with the Mayor, City Council and service providers, we are making intentional and thoughtful efforts to address these needs and center our approach on delivering the resources needed to best serve our unhoused neighbors.”
Father Joe’s Villages will operate the shelter beds for single adult men and seniors at the VVSD campus, and VVSD will operate the shelter beds for veterans.
“We are honored to have the opportunity to make an even greater impact for people experiencing homelessness in our region through this new partnership at Veterans Village of San Diego,” Father Joe’s Villages president and CEO Deacon Jim Vargas said. “At Father Joe’s Villages, we know that shelter isn’t one-size-fitsall. To adequately address the growing homelessness crisis, we must provide a diversity of tailored shelter options alongside wraparound services, such as healthcare and social work, for increasingly vulnerable populations. We commend the mayor and the city for listening to the voices of our neighbors and providing intentional community settings.”
“Veterans Village of San Diego is proud to partner with the City of San Diego, San Diego Housing Commission and Father Joe’s Villages to provide critically needed shelter beds for our community,” VVSD president and CEO Akilah Templeton said.
“Our core mission is to support America’s veterans as they transition out of homelessness. This partnership reflects our dedication to ensuring that they, along with seniors, have a place to call home.”
Participants residing at the shelter currently operating at Golden Hall, which will close by the end of the year, will be prioritized for placement in the new shelter beds if they do not exit to housing before the shelter’s closure.
Golden Hall participants continue to work with on-site case managers and partnering service providers to develop a transition plan that best meets their needs. Dozens have selected to transfer to the city’s Safe Sleeping program, which recently added 235 tent spaces; a handful will transition into long-term housing; and appropriate shelter placements will be available through these new initiatives for any remaining participants.
The city temporarily suspended client intakes at the
“With hundreds of new beds at multiple sites, we are delivering on our commitment to ensure that no one who is currently sheltered will be sent back to the streets,” San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria said on Monday, October 28 after announcing a package of new initiatives to expand shelter options and creating additional paths to resolving homelessness. File photo/www.sandiego.gov
264-bed Golden Hall shelter earlier this year. Since then, intensive housing efforts, family reunification assessments and other programs have connected shelter residents to resources. The 165 individuals remaining at Golden Hall are anticipated to transition to permanent housing or other programs before Dec. 20.
(City of San Diego Release)
Maria Torres-Springer reflects on leadership
strategic direction, operational and budgetary matters, and spearheads initiatives in housing and economic development.
One of her primary focuses is advancing Mayor Eric Adams’s ambitious goal of creating 500,000 new homes over the next decade. “We believe, and I believe, that we can take a great leap forward as a city, because we have to, because that’s what New Yorkers deserve,” she emphasized.
Treasuring Her Filipino Values
Throughout her speech, TorresSpringer repeatedly attributed her success to the values instilled in her by her Filipino heritage, particularly hard work, humility, and optimism.
“No one works harder than I do, because no one works harder than the Filipino,” she proudly stated. This work ethic, rooted in her cultural background, is a key driver behind her leadership style and commitment to public service.
Humility, another deeply Filipino virtue, also shapes how she approaches her responsibilities. “I didn’t get here all by myself. I stand on
the shoulders… of Filipinos who were strivers and doers and believers and survivors,” she said. This acknowledgment of the community and ancestors who paved the way for her success informs her sense of duty to open doors for others, especially underrepresented groups. She sees her position not just as a personal achievement but as an opportunity to uplift other Filipinos, the broader Asian Pacific Islander (API) community, and all New Yorkers struggling for a better life.
Despite the challenges faced by the city and the nation, TorresSpringer maintains a sense of optimism—a quality she believes is inherently Filipino. She spoke about the turbulent political and social climate, including the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, and how it can be easy to fall into cynicism. However, she chooses to approach these difficulties with hope, believing in the city’s ability to overcome them. “Filipinos are endlessly optimistic,” she remarked, “and I try to keep that too, because it keeps me going.”
Celebrating History For her, Filipino American History Month serves as both a
celebration and a call to action.
With over 89,000 Filipinos in New York City alone, the month offers an opportunity to highlight the community’s contributions while tackling the everyday challenges they face. “It’s a month to celebrate, to recognize, to represent, and it’s also a month to act,” she stated. These actions, she believes, must focus on key issues that matter to Filipino American families, from economic development to health care.
Torres-Springer also called for more Filipino representation in leadership roles across public and private sectors. She stressed the importance of seeing Filipinos not only in government but also in corporate settings and other decision-making spaces. “It’s critical in my mind that you see Filipinos in all aspects of leadership… that we are at the table helping make decisions, shaping policy,” she remarked. Looking ahead, she is committed to ensuring that Filipino Americans—and all New Yorkers—are represented and heard in city government. She believes that fostering dialogue between communities and the government is essential to addressing the specific needs of
Filipino Americans, such as issues surrounding small businesses, health care access, and public safety in areas like Little Manila. “We have to get the basics right,” she said, emphasizing the need for ongoing engagement with the community to ensure their voices are consistently heard.
As Maria Torres-Springer embarks on this new chapter as First Deputy Mayor of New York City, she remains driven by the values instilled in her by her Filipino heritage—hard work, humility, and optimism. Her commitment to uplifting marginalized communities and ensuring that government works effectively for everyone reflects her belief in the power of public service.
Torres-Springer envisions a New York where all voices are heard, and where communities like Little Manila receive the support they need to thrive. “It’s a privilege and a responsibility,” she said, “to use my role to open doors for others and make a lasting difference.” For TorresSpringer, this isn’t just a job— it’s a mission to honor her roots, celebrate her community, and pave the way for a more inclusive city for future generations. n
City of San Diego seeking...
“Having a variety of dining options for every pocketbook will enhance the overall experience for visitors in Balboa Park.”
The approximately 1,700-square-foot building was constructed in 1973 in a prime location in the park. It includes a walk-up kitchen service counter, roll-down window grills, a grill, an exhaust fan and a walk-in cooler/ freezer. Adjacent to the building, there is an outdoor seating area with benches. The Village Grill last served customers from 2014 through 2017.
“Each year, Balboa Park welcomes about 14 million visitors to not only explore the San Diego Zoo, museums, gardens, arts and culture but to also enjoy delicious food,” said Economic Development Director Christina Bibler. “We hope to receive proposals that will add to the unique culinary experiences offered in the park.”
The Balboa Park Central Mesa Precise Plan serves as a guide for renovations and improvements within the park. Review of any proposed renovations will include the city’s Parks and Recreation Department, the Balboa Park Committee and the Balboa Park Historic Resources staff.
When selecting a lessee, the city will consider the proposer’s experience and qualifications to operate a restaurant, financial capability, detailed operating plan and their proposed plans for renovations. The exact terms of
