What Trump's immigration plans mean for the US
President-elect Donald Trump has promised to launch the largest deportation program in US history.
PRESIDENT-ELECT Donald Trump has promised to launch the largest deportation program in U.S. history.
This was estimated by Vice Presidentelect JD Vance to involve one million removals yearly.
Can the U.S. afford these policies? What do these crackdowns mean for undocumented and legal immigrants?
Mass deportation
Based on Census data surveys, there are an estimated 11.7 million undocumented immigrants in the U.S. as of July 2023 — about 3.5% of the total population, and up 800,000 from the previous July.
The all-time peak is 12 million immigrants, reached in 2008.
The highest year of deportations from the U.S. interior is 238,000 immigrants, reached in 2009.
“Currently, most people we deport are already in detention. The government just picks them up … and figures out whether they’re allowed to be here and how to get them back, and if the country will take them back,” said Jeremy Robbins, executive director of the American Immigration Council, at a Friday, November 15 Ethnic Media Services briefing on Trump’s promised immigration policies.
“With mass deportations, however, we’re talking about finding people in their communities,” he continued. “The two branches of the Department of Homeland Security that specifically do that do not have the capacity. It’s extremely expensive … Nor do we have
Marcos, Trump discuss alliance in phone call
by Helen Flores Philstar.com
MANILA — President Marcos said he and U.S. president-elect Donald Trump discussed their countries’ alliance and their desire to further strengthen the relationship in a phone call on Tuesday, Nov. 19. Marcos told reporters the call with Trump was “very friendly” and “very productive,” and said he planned to see Trump as soon as he could.
“I think president-elect Trump was happy to hear from the Philippines,” said Marcos, whose two-year-old administration has strengthened Manila’s defense relationship with Washington as both countries face common security challenges in the region.
“We continued to talk about the relations – the alliance between the United States and the Philippines. And I expressed to him our continuing desire to strengthen that relationship between our two countries, which is a relationship that is as deep as can possibly be because it has been for a
very long time,” Marcos told reporters in Catanduanes where he inspected areas hit by Super Typhoon Pepito and distributed assistance to affected communities.
He also recalled telling Trump of the “overwhelming” support Filipino Americans gave him during the recent U.S. elections.
“So, I’m sure he will remember that when we meet…and I plan to meet him as soon as I can,” Marcos said.
Marcos followed up his remarks with a Facebook post showing a photo of
Next House focus: Cops who face drug war raps
MANILA — After getting former President Rodrigo Duterte to assume responsibility for his bloody war on drugs, House lawmakers have now shifted their focus toward assisting the police officers affected by his bloody campaign.
Chief among the lawmakers’ priorities is to increase the budget of the Philippine National Police (PNP) to cover legal assistance and aid for these cops, as well as financial support for those who were killed or injured in the
‘Drug
Comelec conducts final tests to ensure secure and seamless online voting, empowering over a million overseas voters
by MoMar g. Visaya AJPress
FOR the first time in Philippine history, registered overseas Filipinos will cast their votes online in the 2025 national and local elections, a groundbreaking shift that promises to revolutionize how the diaspora engages in the country’s democratic process. This groundbreaking move aims to simplify voting for Filipinos abroad while maintaining security and trust in the process.
war’ witness Garma, daughter detained in US
by Frances Mangosing, Jane Bautista, Krixia suBingsuBing Inquirer.net
MANILA — Retired police colonel and former state lottery official Royina Garma, who had made arguably the most damning allegation yet in the ongoing congressional inquiry into former President Rodrigo Duterte’s brutal war on drugs, was arrested in the United States last week after her visa was canceled, according to the Department of Justice (DOJ).
Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin “Boying” Remulla has instructed the Bureau of u PAGE 2 u PAGE 4
Also published in LOS ANGELES, ORANGE COUNTY/INLAND EMPIRE, LAS VEGAS, NORTHERN CALIFORNIA, SAN DIEGO
COMPETITIVE. A team races to the next station during the “bahay kubo” (nipa hut) race of the 20th Bayanihan Festival in Pasig City on Saturday, November 16. The annual event promotes the spirit of unity, cooperation, culture and Filipino values. PNA photo by Joan Bondoc
by KRIXIA SUBINGSUBING Inquirer.net
Next House focus: Cops who face...
PAGE 1 line of duty.
On Tuesday, Nov 19, the House committee on public order and safety led by Laguna Rep. Dan Fernandez staged its first hearing to investigate the criminal and administrative cases faced by police officers who said they merely followed the orders of their superiors when they enforced the war on drugs.
Also discussed during the meeting was the legal basis of Command Memorandum Circular No. 16-2016, which outlines the strategies and procedures for their antiillegal drugs operations, remedies for PNP personnel facing criminal and administrative cases, as well as measures to limit the use of deadly force by police.
Promised protection
Fernandez said this was part of an effort to strike a balance between hearing out the families of the victims of the war on drugs and the police officers who were promised safety and protection by the Duterte administration but now feel “deceived.”
“There was a promise that they would be protected and cared for by the Duterte administration, but unfortunately, according to the records of the PNP, no monetary or legal assistance was done,” he noted.
“As such, we want to push for the inclusion of a special account in the proposed national budget that could be used as aid for our law enforcers who need help,” Fernandez added.
The Laguna lawmaker earlier highlighted that some officers were unaware the orders they followed could lead to legal consequences and many believed they were following lawful directives from Duterte and his police chief then, now Sen. Bato dela Rosa.
Killed, wounded
PNP chief Gen. Rommel Marbil earlier said there were 1,286 officers affected by the drug war, 312 of them killed and 974 wounded, from July 2016 to June 2022.
At the same time, at least 214 officers faced 352 criminal cases.
This included two former police officers who are now facing charges of illegal possession of drugs and firearms after their superiors allegedly framed them in 2016.
Former Police Officers 1 Marco Almario of the Zambales Provincial Police Office (PPO) and Sonny Reyes of Quezon City Police District Station 11 said their cases were similar to other drug suspects who
were accused of drug charges after having evidence planted against them.
Not enough funds
Surigao del Norte Rep. Robert Ace Barbers said around P200 million was allocated to the Department of the Interior and Local Government, of which the PNP is an attached agency, this year to assist police officers entangled in legal issues.
However, PNP spokesperson Jean Fajardo stressed that this was “not enough to cover all the police officers who are facing servicerelated cases.”
“If we are indeed serious [about] helping the PNP, we need to increase the PNP’s budget so that our officers don’t hesitate in the line of duty,” Barbers said.
Barbers had earlier noted that many officers were struggling financially due to legal fees.
Fajardo also clarified that legal assistance provisions are limited to service-related charges and any offenses committed by a police officer outside the line of duty are not covered under the proposed assistance.
“If a certain police officer will be charged for a certain offense because of his own doing, meaning not in the actual performance of his duty, this is not covered,” she pointed out.
Many of these cops are assisted by the Office of the Solicitor General but have problems paying off their legal fees.
Review of cases
During the House quad committee hearing last Nov. 13, Duterte admitted he was not aware that there were hundreds of police officers currently facing legal consequences for implementing his war on drugs.
He had also promised to put up P1 million from his personal money to help support police officers in their cases and even made an ambitious commitment to serve as their legal counsel, over which lawmakers expressed skepticism.
Fernandez also called on the PNP’s Internal Affairs Service (IAS) to review cases against police officers and to “validate if the charges filed against them were indeed committed by them.”
Misamis Oriental Rep. Yevgeny Emano, meanwhile, suggested additional funding for the IAS, which investigates alleged erring police officers.
Emano also recommended that the IAS be made into an independent agency and not under the PNP and that IAS findings not be subject to the approval of the PNP chief. n
Marcos, Trump discuss alliance...
himself sitting at a desk between two Christmas trees and speaking into his smartphone.
The chief executive has sought to rebuild ties that frayed under his predecessor, Rodrigo Duterte, who was openly hostile to the U.S.
Last year, he made the first official visit by a Philippine leader to the U.S. in more than 10 years.
Marcos is the son of the late strongman Ferdinand and former first lady Imelda Marcos, whom Washington helped flee into exile in Hawaii during the 1986 “people power” uprising.
‘How’s Imelda?’
He said Trump had asked about his 95-year-old mother. “He asked, ‘How is Imelda?’ I told him she’s congratulating you,” he said.
The Philippines, a former U.S. colony, is seen as central to Washington’s efforts to counter China’s increasingly assertive policies in the South China Sea and towards Taiwan.
Also Tuesday, U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin visited the Armed Forces of the Philippines’ Western Command in Palawan, where he reiterated Washington’s commitment to the Philippines under their 1951 Mutual Defense Treaty.
“Americans are profoundly committed to the defense of the Philippines,” Austin said at a joint press conference with his Manila counterpart Gilbert Teodoro.
“I can’t imagine a day that the United States of America and the Philippines aren’t closely allied,” Teodoro said.
Austin, meanwhile, reiterated his nation’s “ironclad commitment” to its Mutual Defense Treaty with the Philippines. “Let me say again that the Mutual Defense Treaty applies to armed attacks on either of our own armed forces, aircraft or public vessels, including our coast guards, anywhere in the South China Sea,” Austin said.
The U.S. official said he also visited the Antonio Bautista Air Base in Palawan, one of the nine Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) sites in
the country.
Teodoro said Tuesday’s activity wrapped up Austin’s two-day visit to the country, with the latter engaging in discussions with WESCOM Commander Rear Admiral Alfonso Torres Jr. and personally witnessing “specific bilateral activities” between Philippine and U.S. soldiers in Palawan.
DND spokesman Director Arsenio Andolong said that in their earlier engagement, President Marcos, Teodoro, and Austin “celebrated the remarkable strides the United States and the Philippines have made to expand and modernize the alliance and reinforced their shared vision for a free and open Indo-Pacific.”
$1 million Pepito aid
Earlier, Austin announced the U.S. commitment to support the Philippines’ response to Super Typhoon Pepito’s devastation, including $1 million in additional humanitarian assistance from the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID).
Andolong said the leaders discussed defense cooperation activities as well as regional security concerns and highlighted the need for deeper coordination to address challenges in the South China Sea, specifically acts of provocation by the Chinese.
At Camp Aguinaldo, Austin and Teodoro signed a General Security of Military Information Agreement (GSOMIA), which aims to enhance information sharing and deepen interoperability.
Andolong said the two defense chiefs also led the groundbreaking ceremony
for a new bilateral Combined Coordination Center (CCC).
Andolong said Austin and Teodoro also visited a bilateral C2 Fusion Center – one of several built by US Indo-Pacific Command in the Philippines to enhance information sharing.
The two officials observed a demonstration of a T-12 Unmanned Surface Vessel, one of several unmanned aircraft that the U.S. provided to the Philippine Navy through Foreign Military Financing.
Chinese naval and coast guard ships had repeatedly harassed Philippine vessels in the West Philippine Sea, using water cannons and powerful lasers or engaging the smaller Filipino boats in dangerous maneuvers. Their frequent encounters at sea have turned the strategic waterway into a potential flashpoint between Washington and Beijing.
China claims sovereignty over almost the entire South China Sea, a conduit for more than $3 trillion in annual ship-borne commerce, putting it at odds with its Southeast Asian neighbors.
In 2016 the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague ruled that China’s claims had no legal basis, siding with the Philippines which brought the case.
China rejects that ruling, but Washington, which supports it, says that decision is binding. Several other countries including Japan, Australia, Canada and those belonging to the European Union have voiced support for the arbitral ruling. — Michael Punongbayan
Rep. Dan Fernandez
Photo from the House of Representatives
Photo shows President Marcos congratulating Donald Trump in his first phone call with the U.S. president-elect Tuesday, Nov. 19. In his post, Marcos said ‘the overwhelming support of Filipinos in the United States on your triumphant win is a testament to the deep and enduring friendship between our nations.’ Image from Instagram
Pres. Biden nominates Fil-Am philanthropist to Millennium Challenge Corporation board
UNITED States President Joe Biden has announced his intent to nominate Filipina American community leader and philanthropist Loida Nicolas Lewis to serve on the board of directors of the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC).
Created by the U.S. Congress in January 2004 with strong bipartisan support, the MCC partners with the world’s poorest countries that are committed to just and democratic governance, economic freedom and investing in their populations.
The MCC is an independent agency separate from the State Department and USAID.
Lewis serves as Chair and CEO of TLC Beatrice, LLC, a family investment firm. A lawyer by profession, Lewis made history as the first Filipino woman to pass the New York Bar without attending law school in the United States. Her landmark discrimination case against the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service paved the way for integration within the agency, where she served as General Attorney from 1978 to 1988.
Lewis was Chair and CEO of TLC Beatrice International, a $2 billion multinational food company with operations across Europe, from 1994-2007. She assumed leadership of the company following the passing of her husband, Reginald F. Lewis, a pioneering financier and the first African American to acquire a billion-dollar company through his leveraged buyout of Beatrice International Foods.
Beyond her professional accomplishments, Lewis is deeply invested in philanthropy and advocacy. She chairs the Reginald F. Lewis Foundation, which supports institutions like Harvard Law School, the Museum
of Maryland African American History & Culture, and Virginia State University. A proud native of Sorsogon, Philippines, she has also contributed to the Lewis College in her hometown.
Lewis has co-founded numerous advocacy organizations, including the Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund (AALDEF), the National Federation of Filipino American Associations (NaFFAA), and U.S. Filipinos for Good Governance. Her lifelong commitment to justice and equity has inspired generations of leaders.
In a statement, NaFFAA celebrated and showed support for Lewis’ nomination.
“Loida Lewis’ nomination is a testament to her unparalleled commitment to service and justice,” said Brendan Flores, NaFFAA National Chairman. “She has been a trailblazer throughout her career, inspiring countless individuals with her unwavering dedication to uplifting communities and fostering meaningful change.” (AJPress)
What Trump’s immigration plans...
the detention capacity. You’d need a whole new set of asylum facilities and judges before even getting people home.”
Deporting all undocumented immigrants, which represent about 4.8% of the U.S. workforce as of 2022, would cost about $315 billion and have between a 4.2% and 6.8% negative impact on GDP, by conservative estimates.
By comparison, the national GDP fell 4.3% during the Great Recession, from 2007 to 2009.
“For most things Congress will fund, they’ll need 60 votes. Budget reconciliation needs 50. It’s far from clear they can fund these measures … but they can repurpose money from elsewhere,” said Robbins. “It’s possible to use forms like the military, but our resources are already strained.”
The existing Department of Homeland Security (DHS) budget — $107.9 billion for fiscal year 2025 — exceeds all other federal law enforcement budgets combined.
The current daily detention capacity is estimated around 50,000.
Congress has provided approximately $3.4 billion to detain a daily average of 41,500 noncitizens in 2024, of which 60.1% have no criminal record.
For comparison, funds in 2023 were $2.9 billion to detain an average of 34,000 noncitizens daily.
Along with difficulties getting bipartisan
‘Drug war’ witness Garma, daughter...
PAGE 1
Immigration to facilitate the repatriation of Garma, who was detained by U.S. border control authorities on Nov. 7 in San Francisco, California.
Garma and her daughter flew to San Francisco via Philippine Airlines Flight PR104, and were marked out by the U.S. Immigration and U.S. INS (Immigration and Naturalization Service), Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla, brother of the DOJ chief, said on Tuesday, Nov. 19.
then-Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) board secretary Wesley Barayuga.
At the time, Garma was the general manager of the PCSO, where she was appointed by Duterte following her retirement from the police service.
No pending PH cases Garma may be expected to return to the Philippines “anytime within the next 10 days,” Boying Remulla said.
the same, we’re doing this also respecting the wishes of the quad comm. Because we know she’s considered as an important witness by the quad comm,” Remulla added.
Released by House
The House quad committee on Tuesday confirmed that it released Garma from weeks of detention since she had finished serving the penalty for her contempt citations in past hearings.
Congressional support, “Biden has already maximally deployed existing resources for enforcement,” said Greg Chen, senior director of government relations at the American Immigration Lawyers Association.
“They don’t have the resources to do much more … and contracting with private facilities, or training state and national guards, will mean more expensive delays.”
DHS data from 2023 shows that, in absolute terms, 3.5 times as many people were removed under Biden than under Trump.
Of the 1.4 million arrests made in the 24 months of 2019 and 2020 under Trump, 47% were removed from the U.S.
In the first 26.3 months under Biden, DHS made over 5 million arrests, of which 51% were removed.
Legal immigration
“Trump has been talking so much about mass deportations that we rarely hear about impacts on the legal immigration system, meaning the hundreds of thousands of employment visas, family visas and humanitarian visas coming through every year,” said Chen.
Annual new legal permanent residents fell under Trump from 1,183,500 in 2016 to 707,400 in 2020, according to DHS data; the numbers have shot back up since then to 1,173,000 in 2023.
“During the first Trump administration,
“Over the course of the Senate hearings, her visa was canceled. It appears she tried her luck and went to the U.S.,” Jonvic Remulla said in a press briefing, adding: “We don’t know why Garma’s visa was canceled. Actually, it’s the U.S. prerogative to cancel it. From what I know, they will inform you if your visa is canceled. I’m sure she was informed.”
“They are currently detained and they are in the process of being sent home here back in the Philippines,” Jonvic Remulla said of Garma and her daughter.
Called to testify in the House investigation into extrajudicial killings (EJKs) linked to the Duterte drug war, Garma initially denied involvement in the death of three Chinese drug convicts in August 2016.
But she later made a turnaround and revealed the existence of a reward system allegedly put in place by Duterte himself for killing drug suspects during the sixyear crackdown.
In the course of the House probe, Garma was also implicated in the July 2020 ambush that killed
Once back in the country, however, Garma is free to go home since there are no pending charges against her in the Philippines, the justice secretary added.
But the government, he said, plans to “offer her protection” and ensure she remains in contact with authorities to prevent similar issues in the future.
“In any case, she’s considered a very important witness by the quad comm. That’s why we intend to offer her witness protection for that matter,” Boying Remulla told reporters in a chance interview.
He said DOJ prosecutors had already interviewed Garma as part of the ongoing case buildup being handled by a newly established task force looking into the drug war killings.
“We’re still conducting a case buildup. In any case, that’s already included in the task force. The purpose of the case buildup is to ensure that the cases to be filed are strong cases. We cannot just file cases that have no legal basis or evidence,” he said.
“She may be part of it in one way or the other or she may be a suspect in one way or [another]. But just
Committee chair and Surigao del Norte Rep. Robert Ace Barbers said the panel had “moved forward” from the issues on which Garma testified, referring to the alleged drug war reward system and the Barayuga killing.
The committee did not receive any formal notification about Garma’s trip to the U.S. or why she was arrested, he said.
Earlier bid to enter U.S.
During her first appearance before the quad committee on Sept. 12, Garma said she once attempted to enter the United States in August but was forced to return because her visa was canceled.
In an earlier Inquirer interview, human rights lawyer Kristina Conti, a counsel to the families who lost loved ones in the drug war, said Garma’s visa was canceled possibly because of U.S. restrictions on persons being linked to human rights violations.
Conti saw parallels between Garma’s case and that of former national police chief and now Sen. Ronald dela Rosa, the one-time chief enforcer of the drug war, whose U.S. visa was also canceled. n
MAINTENANCE. A village workers sweeps fallen leaves in Barangay Paligsahan, Quezon City on Monday, November 18. Trash littered the streets despite moderate rains and minimal effects of Super Typhoon Pepito the day before.
PNA photo by Robert Oswald P. Alfiler
President Joe Biden with Fil-Am community leader Loida Nicolas Lewis, who has been nominated to serve on the Millennium Challenge Corporation’s board of directors.
Features OpiniOn
A test for PH justice
FINALLY, the Philippine government has launched its own probe into possible crimes against international humanitarian law that might have been committed in connection with the bloody campaign against illegal drugs that Rodrigo Duterte launched during his presidency.
Under oath, Duterte had given selfincriminating statements – although peppered with inconsistencies – to both the Senate Blue Ribbon subcommittee and the quad committee of the House of Representatives. Combined with the sworn testimonies of several witnesses in the congressional probes, state prosecutors should have enough ground to indict Duterte in court for violations of Republic Act 9851. Passed in December 2009, RA 9851 is the Philippine Act on Crimes Against International Humanitarian Law, Genocide and Other Crimes Against Humanity.
If the case reaches the courts, and the judiciary applies RA 8493 – the Speedy Trial Act of 1998 – plus rules issued by the Supreme Court in line with the constitutional mandate for speedy trial, Duterte and several of his minions could
OVER the past week, one of the main topics of discussion not only here in Washington, D.C. but in many parts of the globe is the immigration policy of President-elect Trump. Many of our media friends
be held accountable for mass killings and penalized within the current administration, long before he dies.
The probe is being undertaken by a task force formed by the Department of Justice to investigate extrajudicial killings believed to have been carried out under Duterte’s so-called war on drugs. It’s unclear if the DOJ probe will include EJKs perpetrated by a socalled Davao death squad when Duterte was the city mayor, and killings that he himself carried out, as he told the quad committee last week.
Also unclear is how the DOJ probe will affect any attempt by the International Criminal Court to get custody of Duterte, who is under ICC investigation for possible murder as a crime against humanity. The ICC probe has been going on for several years now, but the court has failed to get
statements from Duterte and his officials who played key roles in his crackdown on drugs, including those who supervised an alleged cash reward system that encouraged police officers to kill drug suspects.
Duterte denied there was such a reward system, but he admitted the existence of a death squad in Davao and killing
criminals himself, although he was vague on specifics. He has taunted the ICC to try him before he dies. The Marcos administration has maintained that there is no need for the ICC to step in because the country’s criminal justice system is fully functional. This will be tested by the ongoing DOJ probe of Duterte. (Philstar. com)
Anticipating the Trump immigration policy
from the Philippines asked us how it will affect many undocumented Filipino immigrants in the United States.
A report published by the Pew Research Center estimates that the number of illegals in the U.S. has grown to 11 million in 2022, although these numbers “do not reflect events since mid2022” as the unauthorized immigrant population “has
likely grown over the past two years based on several alternative data sources.”
Based on “Agenda 47” that outlines the policy plans of Donald Trump as the 47th president of the United States plus his pronouncements, there will be mass deportation of illegal immigrants using federal law enforcement agencies and the military.
Undocumented
immigrants will not receive benefits like public housing and shelter, food stamps, health care and welfare checks. The southern border will be closed to asylum seekers, while the “catchand-release” practice of releasing migrants while they await immigration hearings will be suspended.
Birthright citizenship (acquiring citizenship by being born in the U.S.) for
children of undocumented immigrants will be denied.
Tourists who give birth in the U.S. will no longer be allowed to extend their visa – and for the baby to acquire citizenship, one of the parents must be a U.S. citizen or resident.
Federal funding will also be blocked for sanctuary cities and counties that allow undocumented immigrants to stay. Under
Title 42, which is a public health rule that began in 2020 during the pandemic, border authorities can send back migrants, including children, to their countries of origin. Experts also say that expedited removals could be conducted, which means U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials could swiftly deport illegals. But while the president-
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PNP: No quota on drug war killings, arrests
by Jose rodel Clapano Philstar.com
MANILA
— As far as the spokesperson of the Philippine National Police can recall, there was no quota on PNP killings or arrests in the implementation of the war on drugs during the presidency of Rodrigo Duterte.
Brig. Gen. Jean Fajardo, one of the resource persons invited by the House committee on public order and safety chaired by Sta. Rosa, Laguna Rep. Dan Fernandez, said on Tuesday, November 19 that based on her personal experience during her stint as station chief of police at the height of Oplan Double Barrel, she did not receive any order for a quota on “arrests or killings” of drug suspects.
“I will speak in my capacity. During the time of former President Duterte, I was the chief of police. I could say in all honesty, there was no quota for us, or in a week you must have arrest of five or you have killed
(someone),” Fajardo said in reply to a question of Antipolo City Rep. Romeo Acop, a former police officer himself.
The PNP spokesperson hinted that most police officers in the station, who were at the height of their career, may probably just tried to impress their superiors and deliver accomplishments.
“There is no specific policy given to us, either written or verbal ones. In my personal experience during my time as chief of police and even during my time as a provincial director,” she added.
Fajardo confirmed at the hearing the chiefs of police were required to submit a report on the number of houses, drug pushers or users that they visited in the implementation of Oplan Double Barrel.
Fajardo, when she was still a police station chief, denied that they were required to visit at least 50 houses for tokhang in a month.
“During my time, there was none. The
10
Anticipating the Trump...
PAGE 6
elect intends to crank up on mass deportation, he also says he wants people to “come in” to the U.S., but legally. Clearly, the top priority for deportation are those who pose a threat to national security and have criminal records.
There’s no doubt, however, that the Trump administration will be strict in its immigration policy, judging from the appointment of former Immigration and Customs Enforcement deputy director Thomas Homan as the “border czar.” Homan, a former police officer who became a U.S. Border Patrol agent, said workplace raids will be conducted to address labor and sex trafficking problems.
We certainly understand the worry and anxiety that our kababayans feel for friends and relatives who may be illegally staying in the US. Which is why we have called all the heads of post at our Philippine consulates in the United States – from Chicago, Honolulu, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco as well as Guam –for a meeting in Washington, DC during the first week of December to discuss prospects under the incoming administration and obviously, number one on the agenda will be the immigration policy of president-elect Trump.
DFA Undersecretary Ed de Vega will be meeting our consuls in Los Angeles end of November to see how DFA’s Assistance to Nationals can be of help to Filipinos facing potential deportation after ascertaining what the new immigration policy will be and the guidelines on its implementation.
Former National Border Patrol Council president Brandon Judd said it’s not as if immigration authorities will just round up people and haul them off – those facing deportation can go before the courts which will hear their cases and rule whether they should be deported or not. We hope to consult an immigration lawyer to help us navigate through this policy.
Long before I even came to Washington, I have been writing about the potential ramifications of evolving U.S. immigration laws and its impact on Filipinos overstaying in the United States. I knew of so many people who waited until they got deported –
completely taking away all chances of ever legally returning to the U.S.
Today, more and more countries are facing problems on illegal immigration. There are a number of countries that are now coming out with stricter immigration policies and tightening their borders. Canada, considered to be one of the most immigrant-friendly nations, has reversed its policy due to growing concerns about immigrants contributing to problems related to housing, health care and other social services.
Our country is also facing serious problems with illegals coming into the country, which is overwhelming Immigration authorities. An alarming situation is the case of Chinese national Alice Guo using a fake birth certificate and getting elected to public office.
After my initial media interviews regarding undocumented Filipinos in the U.S., there were a few clueless critics who have absolutely no idea of potential problems faced by victims of human trafficking and those living with the “sword of fear” hanging over their heads. One example is the case of Fedelina Lugasan who I met at our consulate in Los Angeles. She was rescued after being enslaved by her employers.
Nanay Fedelina was recruited from Leyte to work as a domestic helper when she was a teenager and eventually brought to the U.S. – enslaved by a Filipino family for 65 years, unpaid and abused, sleeping on the floor with just a thin blanket. Her plight was discovered in 2018 when she collapsed due to hunger while taking care of her employer in the hospital, prompting the FBI’s Victim Protection Unit to investigate and rescue her.
It was a heartbreaking story that is forever etched in my mind. I most certainly do not ever want that to happen to anyone, much less Filipinos. (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.
* * * Email: babeseyeview@gmail.com
Let Duterte run again as president – Alvarez
by Jose rodel Clapano Philstar.com
MANILA — Inspired by Donald Trump’s reelection as U.S. president, Davao del Norte 1st District Rep. Pantaleon Alvarez wants his friend, former President Rodrigo Duterte, to run again and be reelected as president in 2028.
“Let him run. Let the people decide and if there is a legal issue, let the courts resolve it,” Alvarez said in a statement.
A provision in the 1987 Constitution limits presidents to one fixed six-year term without reelection.
The provision is an offshoot of the dictatorship of the late President Ferdinand Marcos Sr., who perpetuated himself in power for 20 years until his ouster in 1986.
“The president shall not be eligible for any reelection,” the Constitution states.
But Alvarez, whom Duterte backed as House speaker in mid-2016 until he was ousted in July 2018, believes the prohibition refers only to consecutive presidential terms.
“It refers to the sitting or incumbent president not allowed for reelection,” he
stated.
“That shouldn’t apply to our former president because he is no longer incumbent. He can still run as president. As you can see, lawmakers grilled the expresident for 13 long hours, but he still ended up strong. His heart is in the right place,” Alvarez said, referring to the quad committee’s investigation on Duterte’s drug war.
The presidential reelection issue was raised before the Supreme Court in 2010 when former President Joseph Estrada, following a presidential pardon for his September 2007 conviction for plunder, joined the May 2010 presidential race, wherein he finished second to Benigno Aquino III.
But the high tribunal left the question hanging, saying the issue had been rendered moot with Aquino’s victory.
“Look at our senators. They can always run after their consecutive terms. The people are allowed to decide whether they want the senator to be reelected. In the U.S., look at President Trump; he was reelected. If we really believe in democracy, then let
What Trump’s immigration plans...
PAGE 4
we saw retrogression — meaning it took much longer to process these cases,” Chen continued. “For an employment or family visa that might typically take three to six months, we saw those times typically double.”
He added that these backlogs are often created by understaffing departments and by Requests for Evidence, which are “ways of asking for more information on a case to ferret out fraud. But if used unnecessarily, it simply becomes red tape … and if immigration is unavailable to people who are trying to come here through legal means, we’ll be seeing greater amounts of illegal migration.”
Currently, immigrants arriving at official crossing points on the border can make an appointment through the CBP One app and wait months to be processed into the U.S. with temporary humanitarian parole.
“People who try to enter between those points have a very hard time qualifying to begin the process towards asylum,” said Julia Gelatt, associate director of the Migration Policy Institute’s U.S. immigration policy program. “Under Trump, we can expect that the CPB One process at ports of entry will end, meaning that it will be very difficult for people coming to the border to access legal asylum proceedings,” she continued.
“Instead, we’ll likely see what we’ve seen before: people paying smugglers to sneak them into the United States, rather than to the border, where many people now present themselves to border authorities to ask for protection,” she added.
Trump has also suggested that he’ll scale back the use of Temporary Status — which covers over one million immigrants, mostly Venezuelan, Haitian and Salvadoran — and eliminate Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), on which about 580,000 immigrants rely.
The Supreme Court ruled in 2020 that
the president can terminate DACA, a policy which gives some people who came to the U.S. illegally as children the right to study and work in the country.
“Most employers want to hire a legal workforce. If their workers lose authorizations like DACA and TPS, they’ll have to let them go,” said Gelatt. “We’re an aging country … and when we lose immigrant workers, it doesn’t necessarily create jobs for U.S. workers. If an employer loses the immigrant workers they rely on, they might contract out their operation or close up shop altogether. Immigrants and US workers are compliments in the labor force.”
Bureau of Labor Statistics data shows that the unemployment rate for U.S.-born workers in 2023 was 3.6%, the lowest on record.
That year, the share of employed primeage (25 to 54) U.S.-born workers was 81.4%, the highest rate since 2001.
While mass crackdowns on these immigrants “will take more resources than the new administration will have, resulting in economic devastation across the country, they’re still counting on instilling fear in communities,” added Chen. “We have people with legal status calling our attorneys because they’re afraid that they’ll be rounded up because they’ll be profiled. Those are legitimate concerns in this new environment.”
“What does it look like when that intimidation campaign is working? It looks like kids not going to school because their parents fear being deported, shortages of health care workers because people move to safer states or are removed from the country, like shortages of teachers here on TPS and DACA,” said Elizabeth Taufa, policy attorney at the Immigrant Legal Resource Center.
“Even if they can’t afford to enforce these policies, they’re unraveling the threads of our American communities,” she added. n
Dateline philippines
PH business registrations, renewals hit record high
54.92 percent of the total with 549,881 new registrations and renewals.
BUSINESS name registrations and renewals filed at the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) soared to a record high in midNovember, surpassing the one million mark as retail businesses continued to make up the largest portion of filers.
DTI data showed that there were 1.001 million filings from January to November 17, surpassing the full-year figure of 984,330 in 2023.
Of the total so far this year, 886,203 — or 88.5 percent — were new registrations, while the remaining 115,003 were renewals.
In early October, Trade Undersecretary Blesila A. Lantayona told the Inquirer that business name registrations have been “on a consistent increase.”
“Given this positive trend and our ongoing efforts, we are optimistic that we will surpass the highest number of registrations recorded last year,” she said.
In 2023, the full-year number was at 515,076, indicating that it has grown by 6.8 percent so far this year.
“The improvement, especially on retail and consumer-related businesses and industries, may also reflect the fact that local employment data since late last year improved to the best level in nearly 20 years,” said Ricafort.
Meanwhile, the accommodation and food service category followed at a distance with 140, 412 filings, while manufacturing and real estate had 56,855 and 49,521, respectively.
Other top categories include transportation and storage with 40,776, the other service activities category with 37,627, and administrative and support with 37,501.
In terms of regional dispersion, Region IV-A continued to lead with the highest number of registrations at 190, 211, which is 19 percent or nearly a fifth of the total.
The National Capital Region (NCR) came in second with its 16.67 percent share of. 166,831
The other three in the top five are Region III with 133,832, Region VI with 67,679, and Region VII with 62,169.
Sought for comment on the trend, Rizal Commercial Banking Corporation (RCBC) chief economist Michael Ricafort told the Inquirer that the growth could be a reflection of the lifting of COVID-related restrictions.
He noted that it has been more than a year since the government lifted the state of public health emergency.
Ricafort said that this supported the recovery of many businesses and industries, especially those hit hard by the pandemic such as tourism, services, and retail, among others.
Growth of retail businesses
Businesses engaged in the wholesale and retail trade, many of which are small neighborhood shops or “sari-sari stores,” as well as the repair of motor vehicles made up
Completing the other half in the top ten are Region I with 54,497, Region XI with 40,298, Region II with 36,599, Region X with 36,474, and Region V with 34,536.
The DTI began the full implementation of its online business name registration process in 2023, in a bid to streamline their listing processes.
Businesses can apply online through the DTI’s Business Name Registration Services (BNRS) website at https://bnrs.dti.gov.ph or by going to the various DTI’s Negosyo Centers across the country. n
houses that will be the subject for tokhang will depend on the number of drug personalities reported by the BADAC (barangay anti-drug abuse council),” Fajardo explained.
“Like I said, Mr. Chair, there is definitely pressure for the station commanders to deliver accomplishment. So that probably really triggered the intention to really deliver in terms of arrest,” she further explained. Asked by Acop if the pressure on station commanders contributed on the alleged quota of 50-house visitations, Fajardo answered that it is a possibility. n
PUBLIC SERVICE. Volunteers assemble boxes that will be filled with food products for calamity victims at the Department of Social Welfare and Development-National Resource Operations Center in Pasay City on Tuesday, November 19. The facility, formerly the Villamor Air Base Relief Operations Center, stores all donations to and relief goods of the DSWD. PNA photo by Joan Bondoc
Members of the Manila Police District (MPD)
Philstar.com photo
by alden M. Monzon Inquirer.net
PH gears up for first-ever internet...
PAGE 1
in September, with over a million Filipinos registered to vote online. Starting April 13, 2025, these voters will access a dedicated online voting platform, designed specifically for the Commission on Elections (Comelec), to participate in both national and local elections.
Comelec Commissioner Ernesto Ferdinand Maceda, Jr. highlighted the importance of this transition during a field test in New York on November 7, 2024, which coincided with similar tests in Tokyo, Abu Dhabi, Milan, and Washington, D.C. "This is the first time in history that we are carrying out internet voting for our overseas Filipino voters," Maceda remarked. He explained that internet voting is a response to longstanding requests to make the voting process more accessible, saying, "We are betting that this is a way that it could be made easier for everyone.”
Maceda assured that extensive testing and mock elections would ensure the system's reliability. "The law requires a field test—a technical rehearsal—to verify functionalities like secure transmission and to identify any issues that need improvement. This will be followed by public mock elections in December, which will allow us to test the system further with actual voters," he said.
New York Consul General Senen Mangalile, who hosted the field test, emphasized the reduction in workload for consular offices while highlighting plans to assist voters through information campaigns and in-office kiosks. "Although voting is now online, we will provide
kiosks in consular offices to guide voters who may need help with the process," Mangalile announced.
The field tests will demonstrate the system's capabilities to integrate security measures and streamline the voting process. Maceda noted that international certification entities would evaluate the system to ensure its integrity. "It is important to see if the system integrates seamlessly, is secure, and can handle real-world challenges," he stated.
“There will be certification and authentication measures in place, kung ano yung mga common na ginagamit sa mga online applications, yun yung nire-require din natin dito,” Comelec Information Technology Department Director Eden Bolo said. “May assurance ang mga tao na secure yung gagamitin for online voting.”
The transition to online voting has been met with enthusiasm and cautious optimism. Comelec Chairman George Erwin Garcia has led efforts to
enhance voter accessibility through innovative approaches, despite challenges such as varying internet connectivity in some countries. "This is a step forward, and we hope these 'birth pangs' of internet voting will lead to a smoother and more trustworthy election experience for our overseas voters," Maceda said.
With voting extended over a 30-day window, overseas Filipinos can cast their votes until May 12, 2025. As Comelec continues its preparations, the hope is that this historic move will pave the way for greater participation in the democratic process while preserving the sanctity of the vote.
Mock elections in December are expected to provide further insights into the system's functionality and readiness for the 2025 elections. As Maceda concluded, "Our goal is to protect every vote and ensure that the process is seamless, secure, and trusted by all." n
Let Duterte run again as president...
PAGE 7
the people decide,” Alvarez said.
U.S. presidents are allowed two four-year terms.
No Duterte bank waiver
Meanwhile, the quad committee is not expecting any bank waiver that Duterte has promised to them during his testimony before the committee last week, Laguna 1st District Rep.Dan Fernandez said on Tuesday, November 19.
In an interview with “Storycon” on One News, Fernandez noted that Duterte had changed his tune and said he would need his wife’s consent since the bank account is conjugal.
“On the issue about the bank waiver, the second day has already passed and it was not signed. There were many reasons that he cited. We are not expecting it anymore,” Fernandez said.
“We are expecting the waiver to be signed. But he has a pronouncement about his wife. He will not really sign the waiver. We are waiting for the AMLC (AntiMoney Laundering Council) also,” he added.
Fernandez said if Duterte is really determined to sign a waiver, he should have signed the document right at the hearing of the quad comm that he attended last week.
“We are depending on (former deputy ombudsman) Art Carandang about this issue on the money in banks. We are trying to find out the whereabouts of Carandang,” Fernandez said.
He stated the quad comm’s investigation on the alleged extrajudicial killings (EJKs) that allegedly transpired during Duterte’s presidency is already done.
“For me, the EJK probe is already finished. Most likely, we will start tackling Duterte’s Executive Order 13 on POGO (Philippine offshore gaming operators), which has not been tackled yet. If ever we are tackling POGO, we might invite him again,” Fernandez said.
Since all of Duterte’s testimonies were made under oath, the former president’s inconsistencies could constitute perjury, Fernandez said.
“He was under oath. If you closely look at it, there was perjury. He is really liable to his statement that he delivered to quad comm. We are here to find out what laws we can file and legislate in connection with the hearing,” he explained.
He added the invitation of the quad comm to Senators Ronald dela Rosa and Bong Go is “open-ended.”
“It’s really up to them if they want to be present. If they don’t want to attend, it’s their prerogative,” he said.
He said the quad comm is running out of time.
“We have until Dec. 16 (for the regular Congress sessions). After Nov. 28, we have two more remaining hearings. On our return to Congress on Jan. 15, it will be the start of the campaign period already. We might find it difficult to get a
member of quad comm to attend the hearing,” he stated.
Meanwhile, he said that they moved the scheduled hearing of quad comm on Thursday, November 21 to next week, Nov. 28. The hearing next Thursday of the House committee on good government and public accountability chaired by Manila 3rd District Rep. Joel Chua will tackle Vice President Sara Duterte’s alleged misuse of P612.5million confidential intelligence funds in the Office of the Vice President and the Department of Education when she was the department’s former secretary.
Meanwhile, human rights group Karapatan on Tuesday called on the Department of Justice to fully cooperate with the International Criminal Court (ICC) in its investigation into thousands of drug war-related killings under Duterte.
Karapatan secretary general Cristina Palabay said ignoring the ICC’s ongoing probe, launched in 2018, would delay justice for victims and allow the process “to be manipulated” by the camp of Duterte.
“The ICC investigation into extrajudicial killings in Duterte’s drug war has been ongoing. Ignoring this reality will prolong the agony of families seeking justice for their loved ones,” Palabay said in a statement. (With reports from
)
Jose Rodel Clapano, Mark Ernest Villeza
HOLIDAY FEAST. A store owner arranges food items at her stall at the Paco Public Market in Manila on Monday, November 18.
The Department of Trade and Industry said prices of food products for Noche Buena (Christmas eve) have remained at their 2023 prices while others even decreased. PNA photo by Yancy Lim
Comelec Commissioner Ernesto Ferdinand Maceda, Jr. and Consul General Senen T. Mangalile discuss the importance of internet voting for the overseas Filipino voters in next year’s national elections. AJPress Photos by Momar G. Visaya
Comelec Commissioner Ernesto Ferdinand Maceda, Jr. Comelec Information Technology Department Director Eden Bolo
U.S. Immigration Attorney
Michael J. Gurfinkel saves the day by finding a mother’s missing petition for her daughter and reinstating it in time. Even when she was working as a domestic helper in Hong Kong, Nanay Nelfa has always felt sorry for leaving her youngest daughter Elyssa behind in the Philippines. For many years, mother and daughter missed out on celebrating special events like Christmas and birthdays together. So, when Nelfa immigrated to the U.S. in 2016 courtesy of her eldest daughter’s petition, she filed her petition for Elyssa immediately so they could all be together in the soonest time possible.
COMMUNITY JOURNAL
Three years passed. Nelfa and her family in the U.S. were wondering why she never received any notices from the USCIS. They called the agency to inquire about Elyssa’s petition and were told it was already with the National Visa Center (NVC). They called the NVC and were informed the file was nowhere to be found. Nelfa would call every month, but every time she inquired, she got different answers. Adding to the frustration, Elyssa was close to aging out of the petition.
Atty. Gurfinkel took on the case in January 2020 and, to Nelfa and her family’s amazement, he was able to track down the petition and
12
CITIZEN PINOY LOCATES AND REINSTATES MISSING PETITION IN A BRAND-NEW EPISODE. In this week’s episode of “Citizen Pinoy,” leading U.S. Immigration Attorney Michael J. Gurfinkel (left) works like an immigration sleuth to locate a mother’s missing petition for her daughter and then successfully reinstates it. Nanay Nelfa petitioned her daughter Elyssa (right) as soon as she immigrated to the U.S. in 2016. Three years passed and the whole family was wondering why they never received any notices from USCIS. When Nelfa called USCIS, she was told the file was sent to the National Visa Center (NVC). When Nelfa called that agency, she was informed that Elyssa’s petition had been misdirected elsewhere. Nelfa would call every month for an update but was given a different excuse each time. Adding to her frustration, Elyssa was close to aging out of the petition. As soon as Nelfa hired Atty. Gurfinkel, the tenacious lawyer used his expertise to locate and reinstate Elyssa’s petition within a month. But then COVID hit and all the immigration offices shut down. The law office continued to work on Elyssa’s case in the meantime. Eventually, Atty Gurfinkel was able to apply the Child Status Protection Act (CSPA) to prevent Elyssa from aging out. Thanks to Atty. Gurfinkel's perseverance, Elyssa was granted her green card in October 2024, fulfilling her mother’s dream of not only giving her a brighter future in the U.S. but also finally celebrating the upcoming holidays together after missing out for more than a decade. Be sure to watch this incredible success story on a brand-new episode of Citizen Pinoy on Sunday, November 24 at 6:30 PM PT (9:30 PM ET) through select Cable/Satellite providers, right after TV Patrol Linggo. (Advertising Supplement)
Health@Heart Is RFK anti-vaccine?
PhiliP S. Chua, md, FaCS, FPCS
PRESIDENT Donald J. Trump, who won a “trifecta” landslide victory – more like a “perfecta” for winning the electoral, popular, and ethnic votes – announced his nomination of Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., as secretary of Health and Human Services. RFK is infamous for his antivaccine stance, which hopefully is only his personal bias for himself, and not for the public.
Vaccines have been saving lives since it was first created by Dr. Edward Jenner in May of 1796. During this pandemic, more than 12.7 billion shots of the COVID-19 vaccines have been given safely, resulting in 63 percent reduction in the death rate around the world, literally saving billions of lives.
As of April 13, 2024, more than 7 million people in 229 countries have died from COVID-19; more than 1.2 million in the United States and 66,864 in the Philippines. In the United States, 81 percent of the population of 346,123,888, had at least one vaccination, and around 71 percent of the 116,201,488 population in the Philippines.
The 19 percent unvaccinated in the United States translates to about 67.8 million unprotected
people. One unvaccinated person (a prime target of the virus) who gets infected is enough to cause a pandemic as shown in Wuhan City, China. The best scenario and the safest situation for the country is obviously for everyone to be vaccinated as early as possible and religiously follow the CDC mitigating guidelines. To achieve this epidemiologically and save the greatest number of lives, the government should implement federal mandates on vaccination and mitigating measures, no matter how unpopular this collision of civil rights versus science. When is saving the greatest number of lives not a noble objective?
RFK could be most useful in reigning in the pharmaceutical industry and put an end to its abuse, lack of transparency, and price gouging. Why drug prices in Canada are about half the price of the same generic drugs in the United States is most revealing. He could also explore the food preservatives-additives health issues. The other area is the 146-billion-dollar food supplement industry, where miracle claims and false data abound and where there is zero scientific oversight and scrutiny of the products as far as efficacy, safety, interaction, side-effects, complications, etc., are concerned. The public is left basically unprotected from corporate greed. Hopefully, when confirmed,
RFK would put aside his personal biases, follow medical science, and faithfully carry out the plans for the health of the people and the nation as envisioned by the incoming 47th president of the United States.
Marijuana dangers
In the United States alone, there are almost 62 million marijuana users, and about 18 million of them with symptoms of cannabis disorder. In the Philippines, it is around 1.8 million users among its 116 million people, with proportionate malady.
A study in the University of Montreal, Quebec, Canada, reported that “cannabis use may lead to thinning of the cerebral cortex in adolescents…The multilevel study demonstrated that tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), an active substance in cannabis, causes shrinkage of dendritic arborization — the neurons’ network of antennae that play a critical role in communication between brain cells.” This thinning “makes it harder for the brain to learn new things, interact with people, cope with situations, etc.” This research was published October 9, 2024, in the Journal of Neuroscience.
Problems associated with the use of marijuana, some fatal to users and to innocent bystanders, are mounting, since it was legalized. As a society, we need to seriously rethink our
Belle Mariano grateful to work with Disney for ‘Moana 2’ theme song
by Lyka Nicart Philstar.com
KAPAMILYA star Belle Mariano was handpicked to reinterpret in Filipino the song Beyond from Disney’s animated film “Moana 2.”
The local version, titled Anong Daratnan ?, will be showcased in the end credits, making history as the first-ever Tagalized song to be featured on the big screen in a Walt Disney Animation Studios film.
The original English version, which is now available on all streaming platforms, was written by Grammy Award-winning songwriters Abigail Barlow and Emily Bear (Barlow & Bear).
Mariano is doing a Tagalized
approach to the introduction of any new recreational drug that can potentially be harmful to our health and to society. Tobacco alone has killed an estimated 100 million in the 20th century and projected to kill about 1 billion in the 21st century.
REM sleep – vital
Rapid eye movement (REM) sleep is a normal part of our sleep cycle, and each of the 4-6 cycles per night cycle lasts about 80-100 minutes. The first REM lasts for just a few minutes and gets longer with each subsequent cycle. The total may be half an hour of REM sleep, when dreams usually occur. During REM sleep, our breathing, heart rate, blood pressure, and brain activity all increase. While our eyes are closed, our eyes move rapidly. Our muscles in our arms and legs are unable to move, preventing us from acting out our dreams as we experience them. REM sleep decreases from 50 percent in the newborn to 20 percent among those age 20 and above and down to 17 percent by age 80.
The benefits we get from REM sleep: Mood regulation, improved learning and memory, brain development, and protection against dementia. For every 1 percent reduction in REM sleep, there is a 9 percent increase in the risk of dementia.
To improve sleep, it is best to stick to regular bedtime and
wake-up time schedules, even on weekends or on vacation, and to avoid a long nap, watching television, especially violence, or any excitement before bedtime. Tablets and cellphones emit blue lights that interfere with sleep. Limit caffeine to a cup a day, 2 maximum, and alcohol intake to one, as they suppress REM sleep. Take a warm shower, listen to soft music, stretch, and read. Exercise slightly decreases REM, so exercise in the morning, preferably outside. In general, regular exercise increases the amount of restorative sleep, which boosts mood and energy. Sleeping pills may not be safe for some people, especially the elderly.
Social media ban
The prime minister of Australia, Anthony Albanese, recently announced his proposal to ban all social media for children under the age of 16. If approved, these platforms will have 12 months to implement blocking measures or face potential fines against them but not the users. He argued the ban is needed “due to social media’s harmful effects on young people’s mental health.”
Around “95 percent of teens use social media, spending an average of 4.8 hours a day, and 41 percent of them rate their mental health as poor or very poor.” Indeed, a courageous noble move. This is preventive medicine, pro-active and preemptive. *
The opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by the author do not necessarily reflect the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints of the Asian Journal, its management, editorial board and staff.
* * *
The main objective of this column is to educate and inspire people to live a healthier lifestyle, to prevent illnesses and disabilities and achieve a happier and more productive life. Any diagnosis, recommendation, or treatment in our article are general medical information and not intended to be applicable to or appropriate for anyone. This column is not a substitute for your physician, who knows your condition well and who is your best ally when it comes to your health.
Philip S. Chua, MD, FACS, FPCS, a Cardiac Surgeon Emeritus based in Northwest Indiana and Las Vegas, Nevada, is an international medical lecturer/author, Health Advocate, newspaper columnist, and chairman of the Filipino United Network-USA, a 501(c)3 humanitarian foundation in the United States. He was a recipient of the Indiana Sagamore of the Wabash Award in 1995, presented by then Indiana Governor, U.S. senator, and later a presidential candidate, Evan Bayh. Other Sagamore past awardees include President Harry S. Truman, President George HW Bush, Muhammad Ali, Astronaut Gus Grissom, scientists, and educators. (Wikipedia). Websites: FUN8888. com, Today.SPSAtoday.com, and philipSchua.com; Amazon.com (“Where is My America?”); Email: scalpelpen@gmail.com.
Success story: Lost petition is found...
PAGE 11
to be chosen for the collaboration, which she called a dream come true. “ Sobrang grateful ko kasi dream ko maka -work ang Disney. Moana is one of my favorite Disney characters, and I’m really emulating her fearlessness in my rendition of this song,” she said.
have it reinstated in less than a month. However, the celebration was shortlived because after a few months, COVID hit and all the immigration offices shut down. Despite this setback, the law office continued to work on Elyssa’s case. One major accomplishment was to ensure that Elyssa, who was about to turn 21, would not age out of the petition. The Child Status Protection Act (CSPA) was able to preserve Elyssa’s eligibility for immigration.
In August 2024, a mother’s long-time dream was finally fulfilled when Nelfa’s daughter Elyssa obtained her visa from the U.S. Embassy. Elyssa was welcomed at the San Francisco International Airport in October 2024. The whole family is excited about the coming holidays because it will be the first time in more than 10 years that they will celebrate Christmas and New Year’s Eve together.
Beyond perfectly encapsulates Moana’s fearless sense of adventure and connecting her island beyond its shores. Meanwhile, the Filipino version will be available on Nov. 22, alongside the official music video.
In a media release, Belle shared she felt honored
The sequel to the epic animated musical reunites Moana (voice of Auli‘i Cravalho) and Maui (voice of Dwayne Johnson) three years later for an expansive new voyage alongside a crew of unlikely seafarers. After receiving an unexpected call from her wayfinding ancestors, Moana must journey to the far seas of Oceania and into dangerous, long-lost waters for an adventure unlike anything she’s ever faced.
Watch this success story on a brandnew episode of Citizen Pinoy on Sunday, November 24 at 6:30 PM PT (9:30 PM ET) through select Cable/Satellite providers, right after TV Patrol Linggo. Citizen Pinoy is also available on iWantTFC. Viewers may download the free app. (Advertising Supplement)
Belle
version of the ‘Moana 2’ theme song to be released ahead of the theatrical release of the Disney animated film’s sequel on Nov. 27. Photo from instagram/@belle_mariano
people events arts culture entertainment
Weaving heritage and innovation: Filipino textiles take the spotlight in Philadelphia
Thomas Jefferson University hosts 'Habi: Discovering Possibilities for Philippine Fiber', showcasing the rich heritage, sustainability, and innovation of Filipino weaving traditions
Jefferson University in Philadelphia welcomed visitors to the opening of Habi: Discovering Possibilities for Philippine Fibers, an exhibit celebrating the vibrant and sustainable textile heritage of the Philippines. Running until November 26, the exhibit invites attendees to explore a diverse array of traditional Filipino fibers such as piña (pineapple), abaca, bamboo, and banana, transformed by local weaving communities into intricate, handcrafted items including fashion accessories, home decor, and industrial products.
This collaboration with Thomas Jefferson University is a pioneering effort to bring Filipino craftsmanship to a global audience, reflecting a blend of tradition, sustainability, and innovation.
“This campus started as the first textile university in the United States, and we have alumni around the world who have worked in family textile industries,” Dr. Susan Aldridge, President of Thomas Jefferson University said, setting the stage for the event’s celebration of global textile traditions.
“The textile industry is changing and evolving, and this exhibit aligns perfectly with our commitment to international perspectives and sustainability in design.”
Professor Marcia Weiss, Interim Dean of the School of Design and Engineering and Professor of Textile Design, hosted the program, explaining that with this collaboration, the university
envisions exchange programs and research opportunities for both faculty and students in areas such as sustainable fashion, new product development, and industrial textile applications.
"We’re looking forward to many opportunities to collaborate on research projects and explore ways for our students to work with communities in the Philippines," Dr. Aldridge shared.
Consul General Senen Mangalile emphasized the cultural and historical significance of Filipino weaving traditions in his remarks, describing the exhibit as a celebration of the artistry embedded in each fiber. “Imagine a single thread, simple and unassuming, yet carrying within it the knowledge, stories, and artistry of generations,” he said.
“This exhibit is not just about textiles; it’s about the essence of Filipino culture
and its potential to inspire artists and designers across borders.”
He highlighted the unique qualities of fibers like abaca, piña, and bamboo, which have long played a role in Filipino culture and economy.
“This is an invitation for us all to recognize the power of each individual thread in forming a cohesive whole, and to see the stories interwoven in every fiber.”
One of the exhibit's distinctive features is its presentation of fibers and textiles at various stages, from raw materials to finished products. The display highlights traditional weaving techniques and showcases the work of indigenous artisans, many of whom belong to women-led micro and small-to-medium enterprises. These artisans preserve Filipino weaving traditions while supporting their families and sustaining their communities’ cultural
identities. The exhibit highlights the Philippines’ rich biodiversity and unique position as a source of raw materials with applications in fashion and industrial textiles.
Dr. Julius Leano from the Philippine Textile Research Institute (PTRI), an agency of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) spoke on the scientific and sustainable potential of Filipino fibers. He noted that textiles have applications far beyond fashion, which is traditionally only a small sector of the textile industry. "Textiles go into everything from face masks to carpets,” he explained. “Our mission is to channel the Philippines’ resources into the textile supply chain, providing a value proposition through niche and diverse offerings rather than competing in mass production.”
Dr. Leano emphasized the need for innovation in the textile industry to help Filipino artisans and small businesses thrive on a global scale, aside from highlighting sustainability as well.
Through collaborations with the PTRI and the Department of Trade and Industry, Filipino artisans and researchers are exploring ways to “cottonize” natural fibers to make them more versatile and marketable in daily life. Trade Commissioner Benedict Uy highlighted the importance of these collaborations, and said, “At the end of the day, our mission is to develop
by MoMar G. Visaya / AJPress
industries back home by creating partnerships in our areas of jurisdiction, like this one with Jefferson. We hope this showcase of what we have will lead to more collaborations and opportunities for both our students and artisans.”
The exhibit also featured a fireside chat with experts who discussed the balance of cultural preservation and commercial viability in promoting Filipino textiles.
Adrienne Charuel, founder
of Maison Métisse, a brand that features handwoven textiles, explained how her work with single mothers through PTRI training programs provides these women with a sustainable livelihood while preserving their traditional skills.
“We focus on hand artistry, like embroidery and natural dyeing, using local botanicals, flowers, and leaves,” she said. “Our creations reflect a dialogue
Consul General Senen T. Mangalile led the ribbon untying ceremony using Filipino fabrics at the opening reception of the Habi: Discovering Possibilities for Philippine Fibers at Thomas Jefferson University. He was joined by (from left) Prof. Marcia Weiss, interim dean of the School of Design and Engineering; Dr. Susan Aldridge, president of Thomas Jefferson University; and Benedict Uy, trade commissioner of the Philippines Trade and Investment Center - New York.
Consul General Mangalile said that the exhibit focuses on Filipino fibers like pina, abaca, bamboo and banana from their raw form to final products and creations spanning fashion, accessories, home decor, and industrial applications.
THOMAS
WHEN I learned from GMA-7 news of Max Soliven's passing away on November 24, 2006, just three days before Ninoy Aquino’s birthday, I was very sad and tried to control my tears. My personal encounter with Max began on August 2, 1990, the day Kuwait was invaded by Iraq. He told me to join him first in a morning breakfast at the lobby of Manila Peninsula hotel in Makati City before I interviewed him about his fond memories of Ninoy Aquino for the Philippine Daily Globe’s August 21, 1990 special focus feature entitled “…Ninoy, the Men Who Remember Aquino”. (I actually got Max’s residence phone number through Mela Soliven-Pascual who I met during the birthday of Mother Socorro Reyes, former directress of St. Paul College of Manila, sometime in September 1989 at the house of Romy Reyes on breezy Acacia Street in Valle Verde, Pasig.)
Later Max brought me to the hotel’s La Bodega (now Nielsen) coffee shop where we saw then Trade Assistant Secretary Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo who was taking a cup of coffee. Max right away introduced me to Gloria. As I shook her hand, I candidly said to her that she would be the country’s leader in the next millennium as Max smiled to what I was predicting. Gloria just smiled at me for she had no ambition to be president someday. But I was very sure that it would come true. Meanwhile, I bade her goodbye for I had to interview Max Soliven, a multi-awarded journalist who recalled how Ninoy used to chide him for having started Ninoy’s career by firing Ninoy from The Guidon, the official weekly college organ of the Ateneo de Manila. Max was then the managing editor while Ninoy was a cub reporter who later joined The Manila Times.
Ninoy had a keen eye and his guts were terrific, and he had what it took to be a successful newspaperman, the ability to detect what was newsworthy and to analyze the news. “The editor of The Manila Times was so impressed with Ninoy
Donald Trump, the 47th US president; Chelsea Manalo, 1st Miss Universe Asia 2024
that he would translate Ninoy’s dispatches into English,” said Max, adding that it was only Ninoy’s copy that was edited by the editor-in-chief. At 17, Ninoy Aquino became Manila Times’ youngest war correspondent in Korea, a feat that had certainly made him famous.
Former U.S. President Donald Trump will make a dramatic comeback to the White House as the 47th president of the United States of America.
Among the celebrities who supported him are as follows: Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Harrison Ford, Mel Gibson, Joe Rogan, John Schneider, Rob Schneider, Elon Musk, Hulk Hogan, Megyn Kelly, Caitlyn Jenner, boxer Jake Paul, astonaut Dr. Buzz Aldrin, Drae de Matteo, Dr. Phil, comedian Tony Hinchcliffe, adult film actress Richelle Ryan, modelAmber Rose, Paula Deen, Brett Favre, Victoria Jackson, Joe Exotic, sportsman Harrison Butker, Britanny Mahomes, John Daly, Kelsey Grammer, Tucker Carlson, Jim Caviezel, Zachary Levi, Danica Patrick, Taryn Manning, Kanye, Dennis Quaid, Randy Quaid, Jason Aldean, Savannah Chrisley,
Kodak Black, Dana White, Russel Brand, Roseanne Barr, Kid Rock, Lil Pump, Kevin Sorbo, Chris Janson, James Woods, rapper Curtis "50 Cent" Jackson, Lil Wayne, rapper Sexyy Red, Trace Adkins, DaBaby, Jon Voight, Scott Baio, Steve Mnuchin, Dean Cain, Rod Blagojevich, and Vinny Guadagnino.
* * *
A new cooking and talk show will satisfy viewers' curiosity and taste buds every afternoon with GMA Public Affairs’ newest talk magazine program, “Lutong Bahay,” which intersects sumptuous yet easy-to-make recipes with feel-good and life-changing memories, bringing together people in the comfort of their homes. It is hosted by Mikee Quintos with our new kapitbahays Hazel Cheffy Anonuevo, Chef Ylyt Manaig, and Kuya Dudut. “Lutong Bahay” airs Mondays to Fridays, 5:45 p.m. on GTV. Global Pinoys can catch it via international channel, GMA Life TV. *
Current Miss Universe Philippines Chelsea Manalo, a dark-skinned beauty from Bulacan, extended her utmost gratitude to fellow Filipinos from all over the world for the whole-out
support to her candidacy in the recently-concluded 73rd Miss Universe pageant in Mexico. She was declared 1st Miss Universe Asia 2024.
In preparing for the international stage, she sees to it that “whatever it is, I voice it out and act upon it with some pieces of advice and suggestions I get from those close to me. I make sure that I keep up with the current events and I show up to my family.”
Family, the very basic unit of a society, is a vital part of her life. Her parents are very supportive of her dream. “I have always been telling them that I love them and that I am so glad that they have become my parents who are supportive of my dreams.”
During weekend, she has been with her parents and friends going to Mass and dining out. She has also been supportive of charity work that deals with the youth and indigenous people. She believes that “everything happens for a reason.” As a child, she experienced bullying: “Yes, bullying doesn't stop and still happens to anyone... I keep focusing on what I am more passionate about and on what I can only control.”
She elucidates: “I ignore them. I have always believed that bashing comes from people who are only hurt and negative.”
Trials and hardships motivate her to be a better person. Through this means, she has learned to excel in whatever pursuit she does and uses this to do the right thing. “I live up to the principles of goodness, greatness and godliness and these are what help me in pursuing whatever I want to achieve in life,” says Chelsea, a B. S. Tourism alumna of De La Salle Araneta University. “Experiences in life have molded me to look at life more beautiful than being too negative. It made me more stronger.”
She reiterates that there is “no label on who I am,” but she has always been kind to other people. Hardships and trials have motivated her to be a better person for “it only makes me better and through it I learn on and apply it in my life.”
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Thanks to 2nd Southeast Asian Premier Business and Achiever Award recipients Usec. Robert Rivera and Lady Elyza Rivera for guesting Jamin C. Lim and me on their show, “Pilipinas Ngayon Na!” on DWIZ. We enjoyed the discussion on photography and journalism.
* * *
I saw young artists, including Winnie Wong (partner of Patrick, the brother of Paul Soriano who’s First Lady Liza Marcos'
nephew) at Ronan Art Center in San Juan City attending a Christmas showcase that features art pieces. I also saw writers Peps Bernardo, Carlos Abalos, Queenie Ostulano, Andre Dantis, Nuel Manaligod, and Pia Lorraine Yater-Dalmazo.
* * * 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
Rogelio ConStantino
Miss Universe Asia Chelsea Manalo (left) with 2024 Miss Universe Pageant winner Victoria Kjaer Thelivig of Denmark.
“Lutong Bahay” hosts (clockwise, from left) Cheffy Anonuevo, Kuya Dudut, Ylyt Manig and Mikee Quintos.
From left: Peps Bernardo, Nuel Manaligod, Queenie Ostulano, Carlos Abalos, Winnie Wong, Pia Lorraine Yater-Dalmazo, Rogelio Medina and Andre Dantis.
At “Pilipinas Ngayon Na!” radio broadcast: (from left) Jamin Lim, Usec. Robert Rivera, Lady Elyza Rivera and Rogelio Medina.
1960 TOYM awardees (standing, from left) Oscar Yatco, Leonardo Martin, Benito Legardo Jr., Cirio Santiago, Alberto Florentino; (seated, from left) Gabriel Elorde, Ninoy Aquino, Max Soliven and Sixto Roxas.
Photos courtesy of Rogelio C. Medina
Chelsea Manalo, Miss Universe Asia 2024
47th American President Donald Trump at a campaign trail event at a McDonald’s franchise in Bucks County, Pennsylvania in October 2024.
Weaving heritage and innovation...
between past and present, transforming textiles into a bridge across generations.”
Charuel's collection features silk wrap blouses, caftans, coconut-dyed dresses, and handwoven tunics, with a few of her pieces showcased in the exhibit.
The exhibit was made possible by the support of various partners, including the National Commission for Culture and the Arts, the Philippine Consulate General in New York, and the office of Philippine Senator Loren Legarda, who has long championed the promotion of Filipino culture abroad. Their backing enabled the display of Filipino textiles at an international platform, fostering cultural pride and promoting sustainable industry practices.
As visitors explore Habi, they’re invited not only to appreciate the beauty of Filipino weaving traditions but also to consider the environmental and social impact of these fibers.
Through this groundbreaking partnership with Thomas Jefferson University, the exhibit opens new doors for the global recognition of Filipino artistry and the sustainable potential of its natural resources. The team hopes to replicate this exhibit across other U.S. cities and around the world, aiming to weave a global appreciation for Filipino textiles and to support the artisans who keep these traditions alive. n
Billy Crawford’s international music career booming — Coleen Garcia
A CONCERT in France, 32 more shows in the pipeline, a new album in the works — Christmas is indeed going to be merry for Billy Crawford, Coleen Garcia and their son Amari.
At an exclusive interview with Philstar.com during last week’s Tiffany & Co. Christmas tree lighting in Makati City, Coleen shared that Billy’s international music career is in full swing, with his first solo concert since 2006 going to be held in France.
The Filipino singer has just finished doing 16 shows in France, and has been renewed to do 32 more. As such, Billy is also coming up with a new album, Coleen revealed.
Since Billy has been blessed with many projects, Coleen said that they have been open to many options, but they have not decided to move to France yet.
So far, their family has been staying in central Paris while Billy is busy with his projects. Despite being busy,
however, the couple takes turns in doing household chores because in Paris, they have no house help.
During Billy’s days off, the family bonds by exploring the outdoors.
“I pray and I hope that everybody gets to spend as much time as they can with their family, friends,” Coleen said as a Christmas wish for
everyone.
She said that this Christmas, all that she wanted is to spend as much time with her family and friends.
“I just pray that in the midst of all the chaos, all of the busyness and even in the middle of all the Mondays, that people celebrate with their loved ones.”
Chelsea Manalo named continental queen of Asia at Miss Universe 2024
CHELSEA Manalo may not have posted the Philippines’ fifth Miss Universe victory as she had wanted, but she will not go home empty-handed as she was bestowed a special title from the competition after she was named the first continental queen of Asia.
Aside from Manalo, other continental queens are Miss Finland for Europe & Middle East), Miss Peru for the Americas, and Miss Nigeria for Africa and Oceania, as announced at a press conference held following the coronation night on Sunday, in Mexico City where Denmark’s Victoria Kjaer Theilvig won the Miss Universe 2024 title.
The Filipino queen was proclaimed as “Miss Universe Asia,” one of the “continental queens” that the organization promised to proclaim when it launched the 2024 competition.
When Miss Universe
Organization (MUO) coowners Raul Rocha and Anna Jakrajutip launched the 2024 pageant, they said that four continental winners will be proclaimed, and will become part of the Top 30.
It was not clear, though, if the continental winners had already been predetermined prior to the announcement of semifinalists. The four ladies all hurdled the first cut.
Manalo finished in the Top 30, and so was Finland’s Matilda Wirtavuori who was
proclaimed as Miss Universe Europe and Middle East.
Peru’s Tatiana Calmell, who finished in the Top 12, was proclaimed as Miss Universe Americas, while Miss Universe first runnerup Chidimma Adetshina from Nigeria was hailed as the continental queen for Africa and Oceania.
Reports said the continental queens will be traveling with Theilvig in different parts of the world for the Miss Universe Organization.
by DeNi afiNiDaD-BerNarDo Philstar.com
by armiN P. aDiNa Inquirer.net
Billy Crawford Photo from instagram/@billycrawford
Miss Universe 2024 Victoria Kjaer Theilvig and the continental queens.
Photo from from MUPH EVP Voltaire Tayag
Each item tells a compelling story of sustainability, creativity, and deep cultural roots, highlighting the skill and talent of local artisans.
After the opening reception was a fireside chat moderated by Prof. Marcia Weiss, with panelists (from left) Benedict Uy, Dr. Julius Leano, director of the Philippine Textile Research Institute, and Adrienne Charuel, founder and creative director of Maison Matisse. AJPress Photos by Momar G. Visaya
Adrienne Charuel, founder and creative director of Maison Matisse, a Filipino brand that features handwoven textiles.
