Hawaii Filipino Chronicle - January 6, 2023

JANUARY 6, 2024  HAWAII FILIPINO CHRONICLE  1

JANUARY 6, 2024

CANDID PERSPECTIVES

Will Trump Become The White Marcos In 2024?

TRAVEL & TOURISM

Spending A Day at Cebu Safari and Adventure Park

DATELINE: LAS VEGAS

Eureka: Katimbeng Ti Pateg Dagiti Napukawko Iti Hawaii Ti Nasarakak Ditoy Las Vegas

OPEN FORUM

Let’s Try a Bottom-Up Approach to More Homebuilding

2 HAWAII FILIPINO CHRONICLE  JANUARY 6, 2024

EDITORIAL

Social Media Played Pivotal Role in Biggest News Events of 2023, Making It the Top NonEvent News of The Year

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erhaps the biggest news of 2023 is not an event per say which is why it hasn’t been considered among the top news this year for most publications (including in our own list). What it is – is a fairly old technology which maturity has finally arrived and happens to dramatically impact and shape all of the top news of last year.

What is it? The rise of social media as now arguably the co-main source of mass communications along with traditional media.

Let’s take a look at a few of our top news events of 2023 and how social media influenced them.

1) Maui Wildfires – the details of this historically devastating event are in our cover story.

Social media was a powerful communications tool used during the Maui wildfires. Many social media users went online to track their families and friends living on Maui. While some mobile phone and broad band communications towers went down temporarily, a great number of users eventually found out their family members were safe using various social media from Meta to Instagram and others.

Maui residents posted online their situation which also later became a means to crowd fund among family and friends which direct communication enabled certain specific items and needs be met. Traditional media addressed the government’s response in providing aid and shelter, among other important information. But social media was used to repeat this valuable information to ensure family and friends received them in an instantaneous, timely fashion.

For all the criticism social media has been receiving (many of them valid), in emergency catastrophic events affecting entire communities such as in the Maui wildfires, social media has proven to be ideal and effective in transmitting valuable and life-saving information.

Furthermore, in organizational relief efforts such as those spearheaded by our own Filipino community, planners relied on social media to broadcast times of events like donation drives and other relief efforts. Without social media, many of these drives would have gone largely unnoticed because traditional media cannot possibly cover the multitudes of drives that were happening at the same time in different locations.

2. The Oct. 7 attack on Israel and ongoing genocidal campaign. (again, details are in the cover story) In this event we see that social media has and is shaping public perception of the conflict in unprecedented ways.

Historically, traditional, or mainstream media controls the narrative of war, which many historians and politicos will say, is mostly hawkish and pro-war. It can be argued that mainstream media inherently and as an agenda do not support war.

But many journalists themselves will admit that their reliance on limited sources like the Pentagon, the White House communications, and others (who do have an agenda) will skew their reporting on war.

Whether news outfits are consciously biased or being spoon-fed information (unintentionally biased), war time news as a final product is filtered news. How social media changed wartime coverage is by direct access from the public to the public, unmitigated by traditional communications gatekeepers. (continue on page 3)

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FROM THE PUBLISHER

hank you all, our readers, friends and the community for joining us in 2024. We’d like to send a heartfelt Happy New Year’s greeting and best wishes to all our supporters. If you’re new to the Chronicle, our very first issue is always a recap of the previous year.

For our cover story, associate editor Edwin Quinabo counts down the top stories of 2023 covered in the Hawaii Filipino Chronicle. The first half of the year started slowly as far as major events happening relative to previous years.

But the year certainly finished with surprising catastrophic events. The two top stories are a no brainer – first the devastating Maui wildfires that was the deadliest and most damaging wildfire in a century that our state is still recovering from; and the second is the ongoing Israel war campaign on Gaza that most Americans are hoping will not expand to a regional conflict that would have the U.S. directly involved militarily (more than it is now). Find out what the other compelling and momentous stories HFC has covered rounding up our top 10 list for 2023.

2024 is an election year and true to our newspaper’s tradition of keeping our readers informed on politics particularly in election years, we have three articles on the subject.

HFC columnist Emil Guillermo contributes “Will Trump Become the White Marcos in 2024?” which explores what many are already predicting that a Trump second term could lead to autocratic rule like our Republic has never seen in modern times. HFC columnist and former Hawaii state senator Will Espero covers the presidential race as well as Honolulu Mayor Rick Blangiardi’s possible reelection bid. The third article is our editorial on the need for voters to follow the money in politics (political donations) to get a better grasp of how a candidate is likely to vote on policies while in office versus what a candidate says he will do.

Also in this issue, we have a Travel & Tourism feature

by Renelaine Bontol Pfister “Spending a Day at Cebu Safari and Adventure Park.” The Philippines is nice and warm all year round even as many parts of the world are starting the winter season. This tourist site is not as famous as others, but it sounds like an exciting place to visit. It is an animal and plant sanctuary, a 170-hectare property that houses over a thousand animals and a million variations of orchids.

HFC columnist Rose Cruz Churma writes a book review on Feast, a collection of poetry by Ina Cariño published in 2023 by Alice James Books of New Gloucester, Maine.

Keli’I Akina, president and CEO of the Grassroot Institute of Hawaii, submits to our Open Forum column “Let’s Try a Bottom-Up Approach to More Homebuilding.” He suggests, “We need to try the bottom-up approach to relieving Hawaii’s housing crunch. Thinking small is the way to go. We have to stop launching more over-budget government projects or new bureaucracies. We cannot count on top-down mandates and massive government spending to resolve the issue.”

Lastly, with it being the start of the year, once again we are inviting all Filipino, civic and professional organizations to submit your planned events for our Community Calendar.

You can submit it to the filipinochronicle@gmail.com. Also, be sure to visit our website to get the latest and archived issues. Visit www.thefilipinochronicle.com. We look forward to bringing our readers another year of thorough, informative and interesting news reporting. Until the next issue, Aloha and Mabuhay!

Publisher & Executive Editor Charlie Y. Sonido, M.D.

Publisher & Managing Editor

Chona A. Montesines-Sonido

Associate Editors

Edwin QuinaboDennis Galolo

Contributing Editor

Belinda Aquino, Ph.D.

Design

Junggoi Peralta

Photography Tim Llena

Administrative Assistant Lilia Capalad

Editorial & Production Assistant Jim Bea Sampaga

Columnists

Carlota Hufana Ader Rose Cruz Churma Elpidio R. Estioko Willie Espero Perry Diaz Emil Guillermo Arcelita Imasa, M.D. Seneca Moraleda-Puguan J.P. Orias Charlie Sonido, M.D. Emmanuel S. Tipon, Esq.

Contributing Writers

Clement Bautista Edna Bautista, Ed.D. Teresita Bernales, Ed.D. Sheryll Bonilla, Esq. Serafin Colmenares Jr., Ph.D. Linda Dela Cruz Carolyn Weygan-Hildebrand Amelia Jacang, M.D. Caroline Julian Max Levin Raymond Ll. Liongson, Ph.D. Federico Magdalena, Ph.D. Matthew Mettias Maita Millalos Paul Melvin Palalay, M.D. Renelaine Bontol-Pfister Seneca Moraleda-Puguan Mark Lester Ranchez Jay Valdez, Psy.D. Glenn Wakai Amado Yoro

Philippine Correspondent: Greg Garcia

Neighbor Island Correspondents: Big Island (Hilo and Kona) Grace LarsonDitas Udani Kauai Millicent Wellington Maui Christine Sabado Big Island Distributors Grace LarsonDitas Udani Kauai Distributors Amylou Aguinaldo Nestor Aguinaldo Maui Distributors

Cecille PirosRey Piros

Molokai Distributor Maria Watanabe Oahu Distributors Yoshimasa Kaneko Shalimar / Jonathan Pagulayan

Advertising / Marketing Director Chona A. Montesines-Sonido

Account Executives Carlota Hufana Ader JP Orias

JANUARY 6, 2024  HAWAII FILIPINO CHRONICLE  3

EDITORIAL

This Election Don’t Just Trust Politicians at Their Word, Follow the Money, Investigate Their Campaign Contributions for Insight on How They’re Likely to Vote

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t’s a new year. It’s an election year.

Two quotes come to mind as we usher in this new election year. The first is by American writer Alvin Toffler: “The illiterate of the 21st century will not be those who cannot read and write, but those who cannot learn, unlearn, and relearn.”

The second quote is by the famed scientist Albert Einstein who said “Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.”

Specific to politics and elections, both quotes speak to a need for doing things differently if we want to change the results of the same toxic, underwhelming and partisan politics in Congress. Americans are tired of an unresponsive, do-nothing Congress that’s paralyzed by fear from special interest groups.

The same pattern has been playing out for decades and both political parties are to blame. Typically, a new politician promises change, to rattle the status quo and represent constituents, the “people,” the voting public.

Then once that politician is elected, that campaign rheto-

ric is quickly muted to mere idealism as he is sidelined and humiliated to follow a dysfunctional D.C. culture run by special interest groups.

New politicians learn immediately to survive and be reelected, they must follow what veteran politicians are doing – pick and choose battles most important to them to one or two, play softball with the rest, and give in to special interest groups who are the bread and butter to one’s reelection hopes.

So, what do we have left in this corrupt system? Very little gets accomplished incrementally. Or as what transpired in this last election cycle, practically nothing gets passed except a budget that looks almost identical to the budget of two years ago.

Follow the money What needs to be done?

What needs to change? Perhaps just thinking in terms of voting for a political party that matches your values is not enough. There needs to be more thought in primary elections. There needs to be thorough research into each candidate’s campaign contributions on both sides of the political spectrum.

The rule of thumb: the more money that’s donated to a campaign by special interest groups, that politician, in essence, is beholden to each of those special interest groups. His vote on policies is easily foreshadowed. That politician is bought.

Inversely, the more money that’s raised that’s smaller in amount by grassroots support, individuals, and less special interest group dollars in his treasury – that politician is less beholden to big monied pressure. That means the potential for real change is higher.

As educated, smarter voters, we no longer can rely on words and rhetoric, what we see on campaign brochures or candidates’ websites, instead we must follow the money.

And this has gotten easier.

For example, there is OpenSecrets, a nonpartisan, independent, nonprofit, that’s a research group tracking money in U.S. politics and its effect on elections and public policy. By visiting Opensecrets.org, voters can track the flow of money in American politics.

It’s possible to track money (data) by industries like

the Defense industry’s contributions by year. It’s possible to track contributions by mega billionaire donors to find out which party they are donating more and less to. If you want to be specific and find out about a certain group of politicians like those who were electoral objectors during the last election, there is data on them, their donors, that explains why they were so willing to object to the certification of electoral votes.

It’s also possible to type in the names of specific candidates and get a detailed summary of his or her campaign committee funding and see who that candidates’ top donors are whether they are from individuals, corporations or PACS (and types of PACS). There is also a breakdown of contributions by industries.

It’s possible to know donations to a candidate from commercial banks, non-profits, labor groups, professional groups like health, trade groups, real estate firms, law firms, education groups, human rights groups, tourism groups, and so on.

Then you as a voter will have invaluable insight into how these politicians would

Change takes better research The fact is American voters express frustration over the way government has been running, but they do the same thing over and over, simply trust what candidates are saying without really looking into how they’re most likely to vote by finding out who is donating to their campaigns.

If we want change, we all must be willing to do the homework. Skepticism is healthy for a healthy democracy. Don’t’ just trust what politicians say, follow the money!

and other “agenda” sources covered in traditional news outfits. Larger alternative broadcast news outfits such as Democracy Now and TYT have as guests -- academics specializing in the Middle East who are not a part of the typical scheduled pundits seen in traditional media.

Besides reputable academics, social media is enabling writers, authors, activists, investigative journalists (outside of traditional media) from the West and the areas of conflict in the Middle East to give the public an entirely fresh and often opposing perspective from those guests who are recycled in traditional media.

And most importantly, because of social media, the average American (and citizen from Toronto to London to Manila to South Korea to Melbourne, etc.) can hear from those directly impacted by the war on the ground, mostly unfiltered.

In essence, the truth that was always hidden in wartime like it was in the Iraq war and all other conflicts before the maturity of social media is finally reaching the public.

This changes everything.

People are more informed and not as easily fooled by propaganda. Afterall, how can they deny their own eyes and ears, what they see and hear?

Versatility of social media In sum, social media was quantum, meaning suitably fit in relaying and accessing “personal” information during the Maui wildfires catastrophe that traditional media could not do.

On the other side of the spectrum, social media is universal and global in relaying and accessing first-account “on-the-ground” information in the ongoing Gaza genocide that traditional media is not able to do.

The maturity of social media as it is now (it could go through changes such as governmental restrictions in the future) in and of itself was arguably the biggest nonevent news of 2023.

vote if elected on specific policies. For example, there’s a lot of talk on building affordable housing in Hawaii.

Is that something that the real estate industry supports? In some cases, it is and others it isn’t, depending on the real estate firm. By investigating further, you can determine if a candidate received large amounts of contributions from the real estate industry as a whole or to specific real estate firms to get a better idea if in fact a candidate supports more affordable housing or is just giving lip service during election time.

(EDITORIAL: Social Media.....from page 2)

This changes wartime entirely, and ultimately is shaping history in a way that’s never seen before.

For example, legacy newspapers and giant cable news networks from the West, most of them, do not have reporters on the ground in Gaza, and must rely on information from Israel, the Pentagon and other sources. Israel is not granting free access to Gaza.

On rare occasions, access is limited to where Israel approves as appropriate for the international press to visit.

But there is local press on the ground in Gaza, a few international news outfits.

These reporters have been either streaming live or down-

loading reports to their social media feeds for the world to access directly with minimal gatekeeping. However, there have been increasing reports of shadow blocking, meaning social media is beginning to block sensitive content.

But raw images of killings, bombings, and interviews with people on the ground are still penetrating massive audiences worldwide that otherwise would never reach the public.

Furthermore, because of the rise of podcasts in social media as an alternative broadcast source of information, we are now hearing from more experts in the region besides the Pentagon, White House

4 HAWAII FILIPINO CHRONICLE  JANUARY 6, 2024

COVER STORY

Year in Review – Top 10 News Covered by HFC in 2023

By Edwin Quinabo

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EAR-IN-REVIEW: The first unpopular candidates in a rematch most half of 2023 was dominat- Americans are not looking forward to. ed by the usual toxic politics What would a second Trump presidenswirling in Trump orbit and cy do to the nation’s fragile democracy? his new legal woes. It was An AP-Norc poll found 62% of adults the same gravitas pitched by the main- say democracy in the U.S. could be at stream media 24/7 since the real es- risk if Trump wins in 2024. As for Biden, tate-mogul-turned politician burst onto could an aging Biden really govern? A the nation’s political sphere – an import majority of Americans found Biden’s age as problematic as Biden announced of crisis proportion.

Relative to the truly heart-thump- his reelection bid in April. These were Aerial view of what’s left along the Lahaina shoreline ing, momentous news events that rocked the questions media and Americans after the Maui wildfires on August 8, 2023. the nation and world in previous years were asking.

The Republican primary debates publican party and captured the imagi– COVID-19, deepest recession since the Great Depression, Capitol insurrection, were hardly newsworthy as the party’s nation for some in the Asian American Ukraine war and sky-rocket inflation top poll-getter Trump dodged partici- community whose loyalty in practice recrisis – 2023 mid-year rolled out fairly pation in any of them. Florida Gov. Ron mained with the Democratic Party, acDeSantis, fresh off an overwhelming gu- cording to polls. quietly as news goes.

Just as Americans thought 2023 In fact, Olivia Rodrigo’s wildly suc- bernatorial re-election was initially neck cessful sophomoric album “Guts” and and neck with Trump in some of the early would close out with relatively softer all the Billboard records it broke in the polls. But as the nation got to know more news than usual like the Chinese spy U.S. and international charts were high of DeSantis, registered Republicans re- balloon spotted over the U.S. or the 33page report on unidentified anomalous up in news worthiness and attention coiled from their nascent enthusiasm.

Two Indian-Americans -- Nikki Ha- phenomena (UAPs), two historic latealong with the “woke” movement and conservative cultural pushback to it that ley and Vivek Ramaswamy – injected year catastrophes occurred. First in Auincluded book bans and white suprema- fresh diversity to the GOP, if only they gust the nation experienced the worst were real contenders polling better than brush wildfires in decades in Maui then cist rallies.

At mid-2023, journalists’ preoccupa- they have been. Haley, the former am- second in October the militant Islamist tion was on the humdrum do-nothing bassador to the United Nations and for- group Hamas launched a surprise atof Congress where gridlock was the top mer South Carolina governor, had sur- tack on Israel that left hundreds dead story as a chaotic Republican-led house passed DeSantis for second place by the and triggered the ongoing conflict most experienced unprecedented in-fighting end of 2023. Ramaswamy, brilliant and are calling a genocide in Gaza. More on that eventually led to Rep. Kevin Mc- a self-made multi-millionaire, arguably these two events later.

The following is the HFC’s top 10 Carthy being ousted as speaker of the could have been polling much better House. It was the first time in 113 years given his right-wing brand of politics Year-in-Review for 2023. Original artithat the House has voted to vacate the in a right-wing GOP ecosystem. But it’s cles appeared in HFC cover stories, edihard not to argue that a majority of Re- torials, news or topics written by columspeaker’s chair.

In the first half of 2023 the big news publicans couldn’t see pass his color or nists. In each article, HFC presented a was more futuristic of what 2024’s elec- religious background. Still, their candi- Filipino-community angle reporting on tion would be like between two highly dacies were groundbreaking for the Re- and for our niche audience. #1 Wildfires devastate Maui, worst U.S. wildfire in decades Topping the list of news in 2023 is a no-brainer for the state of Hawaii – the wildfires in Maui on August 8 struck hardest the resort town of Lahaina. HFC did two cover stories on the fires, first immediately after the outbreak then a follow-up two months later.

Historic Lahaina town in Maui was leveled to debris in what the National Fire Protection Association called the deadliest wildfire in the U.S. in more than a century. State officials say just under 100 people were killed and more than 2,500 structures (1,800-1,900 homes) were destroyed. Hawaii Gov. Josh Green estimated damages to be $6 billion.

Hawaii’s Filipino community was severely impacted by the fires. Lahaina is considered a Filipino enclave. Its population is mostly Filipino and the workforce of Maui’s visitor industry. The Filipino population -- a combination of newly arrived immigrants and those whose multi-generational families are rooted in Maui – make up some 40% of

Lahaina residents.

Officials say the wildfires traveled about a mile per minute. Powerful wind gusts generated from hurricane Dora hundreds of miles south of the Hawaiian Islands-chain caused hot embers to leap from home to home, neighborhoods to neighborhoods, igniting everything in its path. Fires moved quickly through overgrown

grasslands, which experts believed intensified the blaze and its spread. Maui residents describe the fire’s aftermath as apocalyptic, a level of devastation that came as a complete surprise, even as Maui residents are used to frequent brush fires.

Wailuku, Maui resident, director of Maui Filipino (continue on page 5)

JANUARY 6, 2024  HAWAII FILIPINO CHRONICLE  5

COVER STORY (Year in Review.....from page 4)

Many organizations throughout Hawaii held donations drives to offer relief to Maui residents affected by the Maui wildfires.

Chamber of Commerce Kit Zulueta Furukawa describes to the Chronicle the perilous situation. “Nobody was prepared to handle a disaster on this scale.” Besides losing family and friends to the fires, she said “what is lost here is not just generational homes and memories attached to material possessions. It is not just the livelihood, historical buildings, schools, churches and the colorful vibrant town. We have lost a sense of place and especially for the locals, they lose a part of their identity.”

Two sisters who fled to the water spoke with CBS Mornings. Amelita Tingson said, “We spent six hours in the water. We jumped into the ocean because we were trapped.”

Her sister Nelen Cesar counts on her blessings. “You know, our life is the blessings [we take from this tragedy]. We are thankful for this. It’s so sad.

Everything is gone.”

ty outreach and dissemination of information through traditional media and alternative media such as HFC to ensure our community is made aware of what’s available.”

Cecille Piros, vice president-general manager of KPMW-FM (MIX 105.5 FM, Maui’s only Filipino FM radio station, said “while we understand that Lahaina will never be the same, it’s crucial to adopt a long-term perspective to this recovery effort. I believe we should focus on key areas such as community engagement, cultural preservation, collaboration and partnerships, and economic diversification.”

Federal, state and county officials said full recovery from the wildfires will take years. Zulueta Furukawa said “the Maui spirit remains strong. The sense of community driven with purpose is overwhelming. The challenge is to sustain this momentum once the cameras go away and once #2 Hawaii’s Filipino commu- the headlines change. We hope nity rally to aid Maui you stick with us for the long Hawaii’s Filipino organi- haul.” zations rallied with fervor and focus to assist Maui residents #3 Hamas Attack on Israel impacted by the wildfires. The triggers genocidal-level Filipino Maui Chamber, Fili- response, U.S. plays major pino Chamber of Commerce support role in conflict Israel’s current war with of Hawaii, Philippine Medical Association of Hawaii, FAUW Hamas was triggered by and UPAAH are only a few of Hamas’ surprise attack that many organizations that of- left hundreds of Israelis killed fered various assistance from and 240 taken as hostages on cash and in-kind donations to October 7. But the Israeli occupation of Palestine that has donation drives.

Hawaii’s Filipino media resulted in ongoing conflict helped to get recovery assis- started back in 1948 when the tance known to the public. state of Israel was founded and “Every bit of assistance to the forced mass displacement of victims of Maui’s wildfires Palestinians that same year in makes a difference,” said Cho- what is called the Nakba.

Currently, Hamas still na Montesines-Sonido, publisher and managing editor of has 140 Israeli hostages, and the Hawaii Filipino Chronicle the death toll of Palestinians (HFC). “But it takes communi-

in Gaza is more than 21,000 and counting. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the war campaign against Hamas will continue for months as he readies the IDF for a ground force operation into Gaza. The bombing by Israel cumulatively is said to be equal to two atomic bombs, military experts say.

Israel is accused of breaking international law by targeting mass Palestinian civilian population in what’s called “collective punishment,” as well as violating laws that forces mass migration or displacement, use of white phosphorous and blocking food, water and humanitarian aid from reaching Gazans.

The U.S. has offered its support for Israel and recently President Biden approved the sale of millions in weapons to Israel, bypassing Congress. It was the second such approval in the month of December. The U.S. presence in the Red Sea to stop the attacks of cargo ships

by Yemen’s Houthis – who got involved in the war in response to Israel’s bombing of Gaza – stands the risk of expanding the war into a regional conflict.

#4 Political fallout of Gaza Genocide Causes Split in Democratic Party and Favors Trump in His Bid for a Second Presidency Like the surprise attack of Oct. 7, the political fallout also caught politicos off guard.

Prior to the Oct. 7 attacks on Israel and the following bombing campaign, most polls showed President Biden leading Trump between 1-4 percentage points. Since the war, Biden has lost favor among the progressive wing of the Democratic Party, younger voters (Gen Z and millennials) and Arab-Muslims because of his support for Israel and inability to persuade Israel to change course on their war strategy.

In key battleground states where the outcome of the presidential elections lies, Biden now trails Trump in six of seven battleground states between 3 to 6 percentage points, paving the way for a potential Trump win in 2024. Biden’s reelection campaign is reeling and hardly anyone expect-

ed the dramatic turnaround to the Olympics are well beyond sports and known to be caused by the war. an event that arouses national #5 Social media spurs and ethnic pride. global resistance to Gaza Both the women’s soccer bombings team and men’s basketball As the first war unfolding team did not advance to the in real time on social media, second round but drew masthe Gaza genocide triggered sive fan support. The women’s unprecedented global protests soccer team competed in host from London and New York country New Zealand, but a City to Kuala Lumpur, Jakar- large Filipino fan base repta, Sydney and South Africa. resented the Philippines well Because of social media, im- with attendance of global Filages and reports that previ- ipinos running in the tens of ously would have been filtered thousands. A sea of Philippines by western corporate media, flags waved at the main soccer were instead made public for stadium when they competed the world to see which spurred against host New Zealand. The an anti-war global movement FIBA men’s basketball tournanever seen before, or in the ment broke all previous FIBA U.S.’ case., an intensity not men’s attendance records. The experienced since the Vietnam electric support among globwar. al Filipinos were reminiscent Attempted muzzling of of the passion aroused during freedom of speech at universi- Manny Pacquiao’s hey day ties and boycotting of corpora- and his streak of championship tions due to war at a massive boxing wins. scale are adding new dimensions to the war-time phenom- #7 Filipino American role enon. What politicos also has models shine in 2023 Filipino Americans nafound unique to this specific war is the level of distrust of tionally and locally had anAmerican and western cor- other banner year. Locally, the porate media and the western University of Hawaiʻi at Māgovernments’ spin on war- noa John A. Burns School of fare. Never have we’ve seen Medicine (JABSOM) selectthis level of doubt and scrutiny ed Dr. Lee Buenconsejo-Lum against governments and me- to be their new interim dean. dia in wartime, politicos say. Her selection, praised by many Again, which they largely at- in the university system to be tribute to social media arriving well-deserved and merited, in prominence as the co-dom- made history as she became inant channel for global com- the first Filipino dean at the munications along with tradi- University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa. tional media.

Also locally, Allisen Cor#6 Banner year for Philpuz became the 2023 U.S. ippines sports – women’s Women’s Open winner, the soccer team and Filipino first American to win the U.S. men’s basketball compete at Open since 2016 and the secWorld Cup ond U.S. Open winner of FilFilipinos around the globe ipino ancestry since Filipino beamed with pride and ex- Japanese Yuka Saso won the citement over the Philippines championship in 2021. team sports competing at two On the mainland besides international competitions for Olivia Rodrigo’s monster a first time. In July the Phil- sophomoric album (mentioned ippine women’s soccer team earlier), Filipino Americans competed in the 2023 FIFA hit the entertainment big time World Cup. Later in the year with the Broadway musical Gilas Pilipinas Men’s Bas- Here Lies Love which feaketball competed in the FIBA tured Broadway’s first all-FilBasketball World Cup. Both ipino cast. Telling the story teams had to qualify to make it of former Philippines First to this highest level of interna- Lady Imelda Marcos and her tional competition. The aura, family’s rise and fall, the maprestige and buzz surrounding jor production debuted in the (continue on page 6) the World Cup which is equal

6 HAWAII FILIPINO CHRONICLE  JANUARY 6, 2024

CANDID PERSPECTIVES

Will Trump Become The White Marcos in 2024?

By Emil Guillermo

A

s we close 2023 this holiday season, I am moved to extend to you the gift of history. President Joe Biden made me do it.

But first, consider the stark contrast in the recent immigration-speak from the two who will be vying for your attention in the new year, 2024.

There’s the aforementioned Biden, and then there’s that other guy, the twice-im-

peached, quadruple-indicted, former president who seems intent on driving the U.S. into full-speed reverse mode.

That would be the desire of Donald Trump, who as Liz Cheney says has America sleepwalking into dictatorship, Trump’s ambition come November.

He’s already vetting people for a Trump administration that would allow him to be a strongman autocrat.

When he says he wants to be a dictator for one day, he’s not kidding.

According to reports, on his first day in office, Trump

(COVER STORY: Year in Review ....from page 5)

Broadway Theatre on June 17 and ran for most of the second half of 2023.

Filipino American engineering teacher and robotic instructor Joseph Alvarico was honored with the 2024 California Teacher of the Year Award.

The 2023 James Beard Award Chef and Restaurant Winners included three Filipino American restaurants-chefs, two nominees apart from the three who won, and a FilAm winner of the James Beard Award in the social media category (promoting food).

#8 Trump Indictments In March Trump became the first former president to be indicted in a criminal case following a grand jury investigation into hush money payments

made on his behalf during the presidential campaign. Trump, who announced a third run for the presidency, would later face federal charges in June over classified documents, and charges in August in federal court and in Georgia over his efforts to overturn his 2020 election loss. Trump called his indictments “witch hunts” and attempts at undermining his presidential run.

#9 AI and tech continues to replace American workers AI, robotics and tech have been replacing lower-skilled jobs in multiple industries for a while now, but advancements to AI have infiltrated the creative industries that include writers and journalists’ employment. The Writers Guild of America (WGA) went on a months-long strike over the use of artificial intelligence when it comes to script writing in Hollywood. The WGA also represents some newsrooms.

The entire industry of journalism is gradually using AI for some non-analytical news stories.

Digitization, automation, robotics and artificial intelligence (AI) are rapidly changing the labor market and often rendering occupations obsolete affecting workers across the spectrum, including Filipi-

intends to invoke the Insurrection Act and establish an American martial law.

It reveals Trump’s main ambition--to become the White Marcos. (The senior Ferdinand, not Bongbong)..

That would truly be historic, where the colonizer goes retro and becomes more no Americans. AI expert-venture capitalist KaiFu Lee predicted that 40% of the world’s jobs will be replaced by robots in the next 15-25 years.

An Oxford study also warns that as AI progresses, it is inevitable that large sectors of the workforce will face mass unemployment or job replacement. Like all college students, Filipino American Gen Zers face greater career uncertainty than previous generations and are asking themselves: “Are the skills I’m learning now the type of skills that are robust to weather the storms of change powered by technology?”

#10 State lawmakers fund loan repayment program to help offset physician shortage, 500 healthcare workers selected to have part of their loans paid off To help offset the dire Hawaii’s physician shortage, Hawaii state lawmakers this session agreed to spend $10 million in 2024 and $20 million in 2025 to help medical professionals, including doctors, nurses and social workers to pay down educational loans.

In December nearly 500 healthcare workers in Hawaii with student debt were selected to have up to $100,000 of their loans paid off by the state if they work in the state full-time for two years. Hawaii Gov.

ing to a recent New York Times/Sienna College poll.

Republicans have normalized the “badness,” and just want power.

Good for them, bad for America.

There’s still enough time to reverse the reversal before Trump actually debases American democracy.

If we don’t, that won’t and more like the country it look good for Filipino Amercolonized. icans, or Asian Americans in Don’t think it can’t hap- general. pen, not if we continue to the trend of the polls, where 70% Trump’s view on immigrants of Republicans say despite Just before the ChristTrump’s criminality, they mas holiday, Donald Trump would rather see the aging was on the campaign trail and morbidly obese Trump in Iowa denouncing immiman return to power, accord(continue on page 10)

Josh Green said the selection is the state’s first cohort of the Hawaii Healthcare Education Loan Repayment Program, or HELP program.

“I saw firsthand how desperately needed medical care is, especially in rural areas of the islands and for underserved populations,” Green said.

“HELP will prove to be a great start toward decreasing our long-standing and challenging shortage of healthcare professionals across the state. One of the key lessons we’ve learned over the years is we simply don’t have enough healthcare providers in the places we need the most. So, our team has been thinking about this for quite some time,” Green said.

The program is funded with $30 million from the Hawaii State Legislature and an additional $5 million from the CEO of Salesforce, Mark Benioff, and his wife, Lynne Benioff.

Medical school students upon graduating are facing a quarter-to-half a million dollars in debt. Assistance to pay down educational loans could incentivize new medical graduates to practice in Hawaii.

According to data compiled by Dr. John Lauris Wade, a member of the Hawaii Physician Shortage Crisis Task Force, Hawaii’s physician shortage has been increasing for more than 10 years.

Based on preliminary numbers, in 2019 there was a 24% physician shortage (820 doctors) statewide. This year, the shortage has grown to 29%, or 1,014 physicians. It is unlikely that the trend will reverse itself as Hawaii also has the second oldest physician workforce in the nation, with 37% age 60 or older, according to data from the Association of American Medical Colleges Some of the reasons for the shortage in Hawaii include the aging of physicians and retirement; not enough new physicians are coming to practice in the state; the high cost of living is driving doctors to leave the islands; insurance reimbursement is lower in Hawaii compared to other states; Hawaii lacks adequate residency training positions that forces local graduates to move; administrative tasks got too complicated; and newer technology also got too complicated for older physicians not tech savvy.

2023 ended with unexpected catastrophes which aftermath in the Maui wildfires and ongoing Gaza genocide will have long-lasting consequences. EDITOR’S NOTE: Original articles of these top stories and others not included in the top 10 can be accessed in HFC’s archives of articles at www.thefilipinochronicle. com.

JANUARY 6, 2024  HAWAII FILIPINO CHRONICLE  7

HAWAII-FILIPINO NEWS

First Recipients of Hawaii’s Loan Repayment Program for Medical Professionals Announced

J

ust before Christmas on December 22, Hawaii Governor Josh Green announced the first round of recipients of the $30 million loan repayment program for medical professionals.

The Hawaii Healthcare Education Loan Repayment Program was launched in September to aid medical professionals in repaying their student debt and help ease Hawaii’s critical shortage of doctors, nurses, and other medical professionals such as social workers, pharmacists, and medical assistants.

The first set of awardees received their acceptance letters on December 20. The awardees include close to 300 pri-

mary care and behavioral health providers across the state, 90 other specialties or professions practicing in rural areas and about 40 medical residents in training.

“This program is something special to me.

As a physician and health care provider for my entire adult life in the state of Hawaii, I’ve seen the challenges that we face to deliver adequate care to our people,” the governor said in a press conference.

“The program will help us retain and ex-

pand our healthcare team statewide by roughly 500 medical personnel. This is gonna help us enhance health care by 750,000 of our citizens.”

Developed by the University of Hawaii John A. Burns School of Medicine (JABSOM), the Healthcare Association of Hawaii, the state Department of Health and funded by the state

legislature, the program received over 1,000 applications for the loan repayment program.

“These loan repayment amounts, while it doesn’t completely wipe out their debts, is a huge sigh of relief and gives them a little bit of breathing room,” said JABSOM’s interim dean Dr. Lee Buenconsejo-Lum. “The COVID-19 pan-

demic took its toll on many, especially those in private practice. Most have not fully recovered and face difficult decisions about staying in Hawaiʻi. This program helps us keep local doctors and other providers here despite our very high cost of living and myriad other challenges.”

In its first year, the program will disperse $10 million, and then $20 million in its second year. Officials hope to encourage medical professionals to stay in Hawaii with the loan repayment program.

“We want to be the first state that has no shortage whatsoever of access to health care. This is our view of universal care, which is everyone can actually find a health care provider,” said Green.

8 HAWAII FILIPINO CHRONICLE  JANUARY 6, 2024

PERSONAL REFLECTIONS

Trump’s Presidential Bid

By Will Espero

H

appy New Year! January has arrived, and I wish everyone good health, prosperity, happiness, peace, and friendship for the coming year.

War in Ukraine, the Israeli/Hamas conflict, the battle over abortion rights, the indictment of Donald Trump, high interest rates, inflation, China’s global impact, and a compromised U.S. Supreme Court were some of the national events and issues that held our attention and interest in 2023.

Lack of affordable housing, the opening of Oahu’s rail operations, the closing of the Navy’s Red Hill opera-

tion, Maui’s devastating wildfires, and the announcement of the sale of Hawaiian Airlines were some of the issues and events that also made the headlines in our local news.

With a presidential election coming up this year, politics will be at the forefront again in 2024. Mayor Blangiardi is up for re-election on Oahu, and at this time, no strong contender has come forth to challenge the mayor.

No great accomplishments have occurred under the mayor’s watch, but no scandals have plagued his administration so his re-election bid looks promising.

The corruption in the county’s planning department had been ongoing before the mayor started, so let’s hope he can clean up the mess left by others and make the Department of Planning and Permitting an efficient, well-run agency.

I’ve heard many stories

Donald Trump

about delays and long waits for permits because of this agency’s problems, and these delays have impacted home builders and small businesses.

The City Council and Mayor need to stay on top of this department to ensure incompetence, corruption, favoritism, and laziness are weeded out and eliminated.

Delays mean lost revenues and higher costs, and this should not be tolerated in 2024.

The Republican race for president is an interesting race despite Trump’s commanding

lead in the polls for the Republican nomination.

His faithful and loyal supporters seem to disregard or ignore the legal trouble he is involved with, and their support is unfortunate in my eyes.

Ron DeSantis, Nikki Haley, Vivek Ramaswamy, and Chris Christie are doing their best to gain some traction against Trump, but their efforts are falling very short of even making a small dent in the Trump armor With only Chris Christie making significant meaningful attacks against Trump, I’m guessing the others might be vying for a possible vice-president nomination.

If the effort to keep Trump’s name from even being on the ballot is successful, the field of Republican nominees suddenly becomes legitimate and credible.

This issue should go before the U.S. Supreme Court this year, and we voters will

anxiously await the Court’s ruling. Until then, the hold Trump has on his base of supporters is frightening and disturbing.

Trump’s relationship with Russia’s Putin and North Korea’s Kim, the ruling finding Trump liable for sexual assault against columnist Jean Carrol, Trump’s support and advocacy in the January 6th Capitol insurrection, Trump’s alleged payments of hush money to adult film star Stormy Daniels, Trump’s efforts to have election results changed, Trump’s New York problems with his questionable business dealings, and his past negative comments against women, disabled persons, and military families depict a man who has no business being president again.

Trump’s recent sharing of a word cloud featuring the words ‘Revenge’ and ‘Dictatorship’ reveals an individual whose state of mind is immature, vindictive, and controversial. (continue on page 14)

JANUARY 6, 2024  HAWAII FILIPINO CHRONICLE  9

TRAVEL & TOURISM

Spending a Day at Cebu Safari and Adventure Park

By Renelaine Bontol Pfister

T

here are plenty of beautiful beaches and resorts, malls and restaurants in Cebu City, Philippines where I am

from.

But recently when I visited my family, one of the highlights of my trip was visiting a world-class attraction tucked in the mountains of Carmen, north of Cebu.

It’s called Cebu Safari and Adventure Park.

It is an animal and plant sanctuary, a 170-hectare property that houses over a thousand animals and a million variations of orchids, open for the public to enjoy. It is owned

by Michel Lhuillier and his business partner, Eduard J. Loop.

Cebu Safari has lions, hyenas and giraffes among its fea-

tured animals, and you can hop on a vehicle and ride around the property to enjoy them.

My 5-year-old niece Renee and I attended the giraffe feeding activity so we could see the giraffes up close. We were so close that when we posed for pictures, I felt the giraffe’s head graze my face. It was a thrilling moment.

My family and I also signed up for the Night Safari, which my brother and his family hadn’t experienced on their previous visits.

Some animals like lions and hyenas are nocturnal and are more active at night, therefore giving a different experience for the observers.

One of the lions followed our vehicle, so closely that if we poked our fingers out of the vehicle’s cage, we could have touched it. We listened to the

guide and did not attempt it.

Other mammals include tigers and otters, meerkats, orangutans, and even a local: the Visayan Warty pig. But I was most impressed by the rare white tiger—they don’t have the pigment that orange Bengal tigers have.

Only a glass window separates the animals from the visitors, giving us an intimate view of their magnificence.

Cebu Safari also features reptiles like the crocodile, caiman, and Burmese python— the latter unmoving in its glass case.

For the first time, I heard a crocodile growl and it was one of the scariest sounds I’ve ever heard. It’s what I imagine a dragon might sound like.

It started snapping its jaws at another crocodile and I was glad I was on solid ground

above and away from the monster.

There are a couple of bird exhibits that you can walk through to admire the birds up close.

I laughed at the sign outside the bird exhibit: “Don’t look up with your mouth open.”

The Victoria Crowned pigeon is the most striking to me among the birds. It is teal in color, with a feathery crown and red eyes.

There are also playful, naughty birds who are not shy and perch on your head, shoulder, arms, etc. The dan-

gerous Southern Cassowary runs around below a suspended trail. You wouldn’t want to be near it anyway.

I enjoyed watching the bird show like I was a little kid.

The best part for me was not even the smart birds solving math problems, but the ducks and geese waddling and rushing out from one side of the stage to the other at the beginning of the show. Unbearably cute to watch.

If you are not so much into animals and are a plant lover, you will not be disappointed.

There is a walking trail (continue on page 14)

10 HAWAII FILIPINO CHRONICLE JANUARY 6, 2024

AS I SEE IT

2024: Happy New Year!

By Elpidio R. Estioko

G

oodbye 2023, welcome 2024!

As we end 2023, we are pinning our hope for 2024 to be a better year for us.

We must have failed or did fairly in 2023, so we hope to be more prosperous and successful in the coming year 2024.

Are you ready for the countdown? It is a common practice that on December 31, the eve of New Year, we go through the traditional countdown and jump ending the count of 1 to welcome the new year.

As we enter the new year, we make our New Year’s resolutions. We do this even if we know that most of the time, we fail to comply with it… but, we do it anyway!

We make our New Year’s resolutions because a new year can be a great time to set goals and look for ways to make positive changes in the months to come.

We just have to remem-

ber to set realistic goals and things that are simple and reachable.

Otherwise, we are doomed to fail in pursuing our New Year’s resolutions because general and unreasonable intentions are difficult to comply with.

I remember my friend former Polytechnic University of the Philippines Professor Angelito “Lito” Roldan, now residing in California, who said: “New Year’s resolutions have become a mere fad that carrying it out is lost as the months pass by.”

He may be right because most New Year’s resolutions fail, but despite this, we do it just the same!

Richard Wiseman, in his study in 2007 from the University of Bristol involving 3,000 people, showed that 88% of those who set New Year’s resolutions fail.

Well, if that is the case, why is there still a need for a New Year’s resolution?

This is a “million-dollar question” because in real life most people make their New Year’s resolution. After all, it is crucial to our life.

If we make one, we set a goal that we aspire to attain.

On the other hand, if we do

not – there is no direction – at all, in our life. I should say, it’s better to have one than none at all!

Also, I remember Gertrudis Estioko, a retired Master Teacher 2 from the Urdaneta Central School, who agreed that resolutions are a must for us to be able to set the direction of our future.

“We just have to follow it to the letter,” she said.

That is the catch we need to guard ourselves with. If we won’t, then we are really doomed to failure.

For me, while there are popular goals or resolutions people go for, the most important is to keep the family together.

If your family is one, united, and well-connected – maintain it by all means!

If there are a lot of disconnections, dysfunctions, and misunderstandings – pick up the pieces and put them together.

“The bottom line is,” Prof. Roldan said, “I think, it is celebrating Christmas and New Year with the family together in love and harmony.”

So, with that, let us make and nourish this year’s resolution to greater heights and

with renewed vigor and enthusiasm.

Make the family the center of our heart, the center of our life, the center of our existence. Make it the center of everything we do in life without any hesitation!

The crux of the matter is, that with or without a New Year’s resolution, we can do many good things in our lives. All we need to do is to commit to our goals and resolve to do it religiously.

With this, our life will even be more meaningful… it will have a direction, and there is a goal we can aim for and attain, as we live the New Year with a charted future!

I know a lot of people failed to comply with their resolutions because they said they forgot. Others say, “I’m busy.”

My other friends told me it’s because their resolutions are many, vague and general. Well, many also told me their resolutions were not measurable. In short, let’s make simple and concrete

Not if it can be helped. As Trump would say, we’re poisoning the blood of America.

The Chinese Exclusion Act was the first and only major law that targeted a specific national group from immigrating to the U.S. Imagine a Chinese face, put a bar across it. With few exceptions, they weren’t allowed in the U.S. And, of course, the idea was first introduced by a threatened, pre-MAGA California Republican, Horace Page, and signed into law by Republican President Chester Arthur on May 6, 1882.

Even when the Exclusion Act was finally repealed in 1943, some restrictions

remained. Chinese may not have faced wholesale exclusion, but Chinese immigration was limited to just over 100 people a year.

The racist quota was in place until the Hart-Cellar Act gave the U.S. the immigration reform needed in 1965.

By recognizing the repeal of the Chinese Exclusion Act, President Biden was acknowledging the original sin against all Asian Americans.

If you’re wondering why you should care about the Chinese exclusion, consider how all other Asian ethnicities were excluded in the U.S. in the early 20th century, including Japanese, Indian and Filipino.

goals that we can easily comply with.

It can also help if we have somebody to remind us and keep us posted on what we should be doing to be able to make our resolutions come true.

Or, come up with a checklist to make sure we don’t miss any.

Or, even better, make a recording to remind us of what we need to do on a specified time and date.

So, let’s face the New Year, whether we make our New Year’s resolution or not, embrace it, and let’s do it with the hope that it will help us for the better!

Make realistic goals and measurable endeavors!

Remember this: Realistic and measurable resolutions give us directions and a clear path to success!

Happy New Year! ELPIDIO R. ESTIOKO was a veteran journalist in the Philippines and a multi-awarded journalist here in the US. For feedbacks, comments… please email the author at estiokoelpidio@gmail.com

(CANDID PERSPECTIVES: Will Trump....from page 6)

grants: “They’re ruining our country. And it’s true, they are destroying the blood of our country.”

Trump, the phlebotomist, was talking about the southern border, but the arrivals aren’t just from Mexico, or Central and South America. Increasingly, the border crossers have been Asian, particularly from China and India.

Trump was talking about our blood too.

Trump denies he was using Hitleresque rhetoric, boasting about his illiteracy saying he’s never read “Mein Kampf.” It doesn’t matter.

The thoughts are in his heart.

Compare Trump’s hate

speech with the public statement of President Joe Biden on Dec. 17.

On that day, President Biden honored all Chinese immigrants to America by remembering the 80th anniversary of the repeal of the Chinese Exclusion Act. Did anyone (public figure, stranger, friend, or family member) even bother to mention that momentous occasion and what that means not just to Chinese Americans, but all Asian Americans?

Exclusion has been a fundamental theme for Asian Americans in U.S. history.

America always wants us to come here to work, but they don’t want us for good.

But the Chinese were the first. Their exclusion was a model for all Asian hate in America.

“The Act, along with racism and xenophobia in other parts of American life, was part of the anti-Chinese “Driving Out” era which included the Rock Springs and Hells Canyon Massacre,” Biden added for good measure.

How many Americans, let alone Asian Americans, even know of those two horrible events that captured the animus of the time? Biden mentioned them, but for most people, like me, they were just empty words. (continue on page 12)

JANUARY 6, 2024  HAWAII FILIPINO CHRONICLE  11

BOOK REVIEW

FEAST

By Rose Cruz Churma

F

east is a collection of poetry

by Ina Cariño and published in 2023 by Alice James Books of New Gloucester, Maine. This is fairly a slim publication at 76 pages in softcover.

Ina Cariño recently read her poetry in Honolulu at Ka Waiwai along University Avenue at an event organized

by Jake Eduardo Vermaas of the Whitenoise Project and co-sponsored by other local groups.

The event titled “Absences and Ancestors—An Afternoon with Virginia Poet Laureate Emerita, Luisa A. Igloria, PhD” headlined the multi-awarded poet and professor Luisa A. Igloria, who is also Ina Cariño’s mother.

It was a rare occasion when both mother and daughter shared their poetry. I am more familiar with Luisa Ig-

loria’s body of work, from the early days of her career while she still lived in the Philippines.

It was a pleasant surprise to hear her daughter recite her poems from her latest book, FEAST. A former resident of Baguio City in the Philippines, Ina Cariño won the Whiting Award for poetry in 2022.

Her creative output has appeared in the American Poetry Review, the Margins, Guernica, Poetry Northwest, Poetry Magazine, the Paris Review Daily, Waxwing, New England Review, and elsewhere.

She was awarded a fellowship at Kundiman, a nonprofit organization dedicated to nurturing writers and readers of Asian American literature by creating spaces where Asian Americans can explore unique challenges that face those in the diaspora through their art. She also won the 2021 Alice James Award for Feast which was published in

2023.

In 2021, she received an MFA in creative writing from North Carolina University and was selected as one of four winners in the 92Y Discovery Poetry Contest.

Before that, in 2019, Ina founded a poetry reading series called Indigena Collective, a reading series and platform for marginalized creatives.

Lena M. Turner of The Harvard Crimson observes that:

“Cariño’s collection adeptly grapples with the tensions of existing in the United States as an immigrant and a queer person alongside the beauty of Filipino culture and lineage. Their debut feels boldly autobiographical, and Feast does not hesitate to use the physical body as a canvas to explore these themes. […] There is no doubt that Ina Cariño is an important poet of our age, one who will not hesitate to share the stories they find in beautifully gripping detail.”

For example, in the first chapter of the book titled Takipsilim, the poem “Soiled” deftly describes the process of removing head lice or kuto: “it is a collaborative effort, slow / hunt shared in swathes of sun / streaming past ikat curtains.”

It describes beautifully the device used in this exercise: “with scrimshaw handled comb, / double-sided butterfly, mama tends / to my hair— rakes fine toothed wood.”

In the third and last chapter named Balintataw, some

passages made me pause. In Piyesta, she writes: “surrendering to a new tongue / is having mine sliced / on the jag of expectation: / language cut on sweetened rim— / chipped teeth whitened. / but sugar burns bitter.

I watch / my sentences crack candy glass / shattering on foreign floors.”

It brings to mind questions directed at immigrant writers, “Why don’t you write in your own language?”

In the poem “I Dream in a Tongue Other Than My Own,” one senses an inner conflict that perhaps afflicts those who think and dream in one language but verbalize in another or whose art form uses a borrowed language.

Some passages grapple with this torment: “…mouthing vowels so flat my mongrel self / sounds almost real / but I dream in a different dialect / sift my mother’s stout syllables / plump honorifics / from the language of my colonizers / who is left / glossy contractions / shiny (continue on page 12)

12 HAWAII FILIPINO CHRONICLE JANUARY 6, 2024

OPEN FORUM

Let’s Try a Bottom-Up Approach to More Homebuilding

By Keli‘i Akina

H

awaii’s housing crisis sometimes seems like a formidable monster that can only be defeated by a magical, cure-all solution.

But could a lot of little policy changes maybe achieve the same big goal?

Yes, they could. Small, focused policies could free up homebuilders and generate a wave of new housing construction, which would increase supply, put downward pressure on home costs and make Hawaii more affordable for all.

So what kinds of little policy changes am I talking about?

According to a new report just issued by the Grassroot Institute of Hawaii, they could include allowing more duplexes, smaller lots, accessory dwelling units and office-to-housing building conversions, plus parking reform, permitting reforms and a range of other policies that separately might not seem like much, but together could really make a big difference.

The new report is titled “How to facilitate more home-

building in Hawaii,” and was written by Grassroot policy researcher Jonathan Helton. It was intended for a broad audience, but especially for state and county lawmakers who can do something about putting many of its recommendations into practice.

The report should especially be welcomed by anyone concerned about “keeping the country country,” since it is focused mostly on homebuilding in Hawaii’s urban cores.

As Helton explained during his recent interview with radio host Johnny Miro of the H. Hawaii Media network, Hawaii’s urban centers are where essential infrastructure such as roads and utilities already exists, which would not only make it easier and less expensive to build homes, but also help limit urban sprawl.

In the introduction to the policy brief, I mention that these suggested reforms have been proven around the world to facilitate the creation of more housing — at a lower cost for homebuyers and at no cost to taxpayers. I think that is something we could all agree would be a win-win for Hawaii.

Cities that have used such reforms to great success include Houston, Texas, which

changed its laws in 1998 and again in 2013 to allow buildings on smaller lots. The result? Homebuilders there constructed smaller houses at more affordable price points.

In addition, Auckland, New Zealand, authorized denser homebuilding in threefourths of the city in 2016.

Home construction subsequently increased and home prices declined.

None of this should come as a surprise. When a state or city removes barriers to housing, it incentivizes more housing. There are technical concerns, such as land availability or road construction, but in general, these types of zon-

ing changes work — and they could work in Hawaii.

Of course, zoning laws are only half the picture. Hawaii’s permitting and approval processes also get in the way of new housing. Researchers have documented that it can take years for a housing project in Hawaii to go from concept to completion.

To remedy this, Helton explains how counties could expand the use of “by right” approvals and self-certification to cut down on wait times.

If you are interested in the details of this new report, you

can read or download a copy at www.grassrootinstitute.org.

My overall point is this: We need to try the bottom-up approach to relieving Hawaii’s housing crunch. Thinking small is the way to go.

We have to stop launching more over-budget government projects or new bureaucracies.

We cannot count on top-down mandates and massive government spending to resolve the issue.

At this point, our best hope is to remove the many small barriers that have impeded homebuilding in Hawaii and let homebuilders, homeowners, renters and everyday citizens do what they can to make Hawaii a place where we all can live and prosper. KELI‘I AKINA is president and CEO of the Grassroot Institute of Hawaii.

(BOOK REVIEW: FEAST....from page 11)

/ subjunctive / grammar that belongs / to the anthropology of the pale / people who look nothing like me…”

And ends with the cry: “my tongue / is burning is / burning my tongue / is burning / is burning / is” The poem “Hibiscus Dream No. 4” brings me back to my childhood in Baguio, when we would gather hibiscus buds we called gumamela and proceed to “pulp me / mash stamen / & pistil—petals deep red. / Then in a glass jar / slosh me with water / till i’m viscous, / juice turned thick.”

The concoction can now be used to make bubbles us-

ing leftover old plastic wands or “…twist a thin metal rod, / and coil it until a loop forms.”

I recall the fascination we had watching the bubbles form as we blew through the slime: “…when the bubbles pop— / when the concrete stoop is soaked, / patterned with small wet circles— / will you search for me again / among verdant fronds?”

With the frugality of words deftly positioned on the page, she brings back memories now forever etched in one’s consciousness.

This book has certainly met the terms of the publisher

“to publish books that matter.”

As noted on the back page of the book, Alice James Books “seeks out poets whose writing possess the range, depth, and ability to cultivate empathy in our world and to dynamically push against silence.” ROSE CRUZ CHURMA established Kalamansi Books & Things three decades ago. It has evolved from a mail-order bookstore into an online advocacy with the intent of helping global Pinoys discover their heritage by promoting books of value from the Philippines and those written by Filipinos in the Diaspora. We can be reached at kalamansibooks@gmail.com.

(CANDID PERSPECTIVES: Will Trump....from page 10)

Let me fill them out for At least 28 Chinese minyou. Everyone needs to know ers were killed and 15 were them. injured. Rioters also burned down nearly 80 Chinese Chinese massacres of the homes in what was Rock exclusion Springs’ Chinatown.

If you think all the mass It was just the beginning shootings, we’ve had in the of hate toward the wave of U.S. are bad, they’re nothing Chinese immigrants who had like the mass murder and riot come to America to help build in Rock Springs, Wyoming in the railroad and mine for gold 1882. in the American West.

That’s when angry white Examples of the hot rhetminers went after Chinese oric were published in The miners who worked for less North American Review, and were accused of taking where Asian immigrants jobs away from white work- were referred to as “the Asiaters. ic race, alien in blood, habits

and civilization.”

Sound familiar?

The hate extended from Wyoming to Oregon’s Hells Canyon Massacre, also known as the Snake River Massacre in 1887.

That’s when 30 laborers mining gold were gunned down by a white gang of horse thieves.

The identity of the seven murderers was known, and a trial did take place in 1888.

But only three stood trial and were acquitted.

According to History. (continue on page 12)

JANUARY 6, 2024  HAWAII FILIPINO CHRONICLE  13

PERSONAL REFLECTIONS

Start Afresh

By Seneca Moraleda-Puguan

F

ive, four, three, two, one…

Happy New Year!

Oh, what a wonderful declaration! Aside from “Merry Christmas,” shouting “Happy New Year!” is one thing I always anticipate.

But the start of 2024 was different for our family.

While everybody was celebrating over food and fellowship, enjoying the first day of the year, we were busy discarding things, packing balikbayan boxes, selling and giving away household items.

While everybody was outside with family and friends, we were surrounded by big boxes and luggage in a topsy-turvy home.

We were supposed to leave the house on the last day of 2023 but since it’s a holiday, we were given one more day to completely clear the house in time for the in-

spection of the apartment on January 2, 2024.

As much as we wanted to celebrate, we couldn’t fully enjoy it as there were so many things to accomplish that we had to put the New Year festivities aside.

We have given up a beautiful home that had been a place of refuge and shelter for the past three years to live temporarily with a friend in Seoul while we wait for our flight to our next destination, our next home.

The past few weeks have been very challenging and overwhelming. It was a roller coaster of emotions.

Excited for the new season but at the same time sad that we will leave so many beautiful things and people behind.

As we try to put the things that we have accumulated for the past 10 years as a family into a few boxes, I couldn’t help but be heartbroken.

There were moments when I wanted to cry.

I wanted to bring along so many things that have become so important to me: my children’s newborn clothes, their precious artwork and scribbles, some of my favorite bags and shoes, and so much more.

But, I couldn’t.

There are beautiful and important things I just had to let go, of to make things lighter and to give room for new ones.

We had to filter everything that we have, take with us the things that will be useful in the next season and leave behind things that we used to love but will just take space in our new place.

(CANDID PERSPECTIVES: Will Trump....from page 12)

com, a rancher who attended the trial commented, “I guess if they had killed 31 white men, something would have been done about it, but none of the jury knew the Chinamen or cared much about it, so they turned the men loose.”

No one cared about the Hells Canyon case again until 1995 when a Wallowa County (Ore.) clerk found some files in a local museum’s safe.

The records of the trial, like the shameful history, were hidden.

Once uncovered, a reporter from the Oregonian wrote a book on the massacre, which led to a memorial built on the Snake River to honor some of the Chinese who were killed.

portance of the events that signified the Asian hate in America during the Chinese Exclusion Act, officially repealed on Dec. 17, 1943.

“Today, there are those who still demonize immigrants and fan the flames of intolerance,” Biden said in his statement.

“It’s wrong. I ran for President to restore the soul of America. To bring people together and make sure we give hate no safe harbor. . .[and] to celebrate the diversity that is our great strength.”

Almost as if on cue, that same weekend Trump was in Iowa, talking about how immigrants’ blood poisons our country.

Trump’s already done plenty to poison our modern politics. In 2012, during PresExclusion’s repeal ident Obama’s term, a RepubOf all the candidates lican-led House of Represenrunning for president, I only tatives passed unanimously heard President Biden care a resolution to condemn the enough to mention the im- Chinese Exclusion Act.

Can you imagine that happening now with an anti-China, anti-immigrant Freedom Caucus?

That’s how close we are to an America in full reverse, led by a newly elected Trump.

History can repeat itself if we aren’t careful.

President Joe Biden remembered that the other day when honoring the repeal of an act some politicians wish still existed.

Biden knew the importance of recognizing what all Asian Americans, including Filipinos, have had to overcome.

That is the gift of history. Putting the present into context always helps us to keep moving forward with undeniable clarity in 2024. EMIL GUILLERMO is a journalist and commentator. His talk show is on www.amok.com.

Yes, it was definitely heartbreaking to not be able to bring so many things that have given me wonderful memories but we knew it was necessary.

In the end, it was fulfilling.

I realized that facing the New Year is very much the same.

As much as we want to take along with us all that we have gained in 2023, there are things we must let go of as we face 2024. Especially our emotional baggage, the heaviest burdens we carry, and the things of the past that weigh us down.

Let us leave them behind and look forward to new beginnings, new experiences, new relationships, and new memories to build.

It’s time to start afresh.

South Korea has been my home for almost a decade.

It is a place where I experienced many beautiful things in my life. It is where

I said yes to my husband, where we began our family, conceived, gave birth, and raised our two amazing children.

It is in this nation where I have experienced many firsts and have built countless covenant relationships.

I have felt, witnessed, and experienced God’s generosity, kindness and grace in this wonderful place.

I will surely miss it and its remarkable people.

But all good things come to an end to give room for something better.

A new adventure awaits our family.

Indeed, the New Year ushers in a new beginning for our family. We do not know what lies ahead, one thing we do know is that great things await us.

God has opened a door for us, and we are excited to enter it. He is calling us to enter a land of promise and we are more than eager to conquer it.

We look back on the many years of our stay in the land of kimchi and samgyeopsal, K-Pop and Korean drama with grateful hearts.

Today, we look forward to stepping into the land of mountains and lakes, cheese fondue and Rolex.

2024, bring it on! New home, here we come!

14 HAWAII FILIPINO CHRONICLE JANUARY 6, 2024

DATELINE: LAS VEGAS

Eureka: Katimbeng Ti Pateg Dagiti Napukawko Iti Hawaii Ti Nasarakak Ditoy Las Vegas

By Amado I. Yoro

P

aset ti biagko dagiti napateg a bambanag a napukawko iti Hawaii a nabukelko iti kinasiak kabayatan nga addaak sadiay iti aganay a limapulo ket dua [52] a tawen, nakail-ilala unay kaniak gapu ta isuda ti nangrugiak, isuda ti nagbalin a pakabuklan ti kinataok, propesion, trabaho ken iti komunidad a pakaibilangan ti Lions Club International, GUMIL Hawaii. GUMIL Oahu, Timpuyog, Oahu Filipino Community Council, United Filipino Council of Hawaii, Order of Knights of Rizal, Annak Ti Sinait Iti Hawaii, Vigan Association of Hawaii & Associates, Honolulu Fil-Am Lions Club; Hawaii Fil-Am Media Council, Laoag City Circle, DWCLCAAH, Tri Media Council, Leeward Oahu Lions Club, Hawaii Lions Club, District 50; Filipino Fiesta, Sinait Alumni Association of Hawaii, Ewa Neighborhood Board, Friends of Ewa, Ilocos

Sur International Association and Foundation, ken dadduma pay.

Tagipatgek amin dagiti innak pannakipulapol kadagiti adu a gagayyem, ken dagiti padak a volunteers kadagiti nadumaduma a programa, proyekto ti organisasion katimbeng met ti nasarakak iti Las Vegas, iti ibilangko itan a baro a daga, baro a komunidad.

Adda ditoy ti kapatgan iti biagko, iti biagmi nga agassawa ti kakaisuna nga anakmi ken ti dumakdakkel a kameng ti pamiliana.

Isu ngata ti gasatko ken kaibatogak iti panagalla-allak.

Panagkallautang. Pannakayadayo iti lugar a nakairuaman, ti man daga a nakayanakak.

Maysaak a tawataw, wenno bayanggudaw. Addaan met iti bukod nga arapaap ken sirmata iti biag.

Iti sangkakunak: siak ti mayarig iti sasos, wenno umang, wenno upa nga agbirok iti kamangan.

Ita iti kastoy a kasasaadko, masubliak man ketdi dagi-

ti luglugar a nagalla-allatiwak.

No adda mapanawak, adda mapukawko.

No sadino ti pakaisadsadak, adda met mabirokak.

Idi pumanawak idiay Tapao, Mayo 1966. Awan ti aniaman a balonko. Saanko a binalon ti pungan ken ulesko.

Saanko nga intugot ti iddak a papag a naaramid iti nakayasan a kawayan. Awan balonko nga ikamen.

Idi addaak iti siudad ti Pasay ken iti Manila, kaskasdi nga awan ti ikamen, pungan ken ulesko. Nakipagyanak iti barongbarong iti igid iti agararek-ek a narugit a wwaig, ken iti sidiran ti sementerio iti La Loma Chinese Cementery Tambunting, Binondo, Manila. Nagtrabaho a kas sunlit iti nagan a Genaro Guzman, Php 3.50 tunggal aldaw. Agkali iti tanem, agaramid, agsemento iti panteon.

Iti kaaddak iti Laoag City, [ 1966-1970] kaskasdi nga awan ti kama a nagiddaak.

Daan a tawa Kapis ken nagsusukot a karkarton ken ules ken moskitero. Ditaak a nangkun-

not ti anag ti napateg nga adal ket iti DWCL a nangileppasak iti Bachelor degree, History Major.

Idi mapanak iti Hawaii, awan doliarko. Kaaduan nga inutang dagiti ginastomi nga aggaama.

Kaaduan a paw-it dagiti naglaon iti maletak. Adda pindang a posit wenno laki. Dinaing. Napagango nga ik-iket ken aragan [seaweeds]. Adda bawang. Bulong ti tabako.

Mabalin a tallo paris laeng ti aruatek.

Iti Hawaii ti nangrugiak a nangbangon ken nangbukel iti kinaasinok.

Nangrugiak iti nababa a kita ti trabaho iti plantasion

ti kaunasan. Ultimo a Utility Field Work $2.10 per ora.

Naum-umsi ken nakatkatawaan.

Dayta la kanon ti kabaelak a trabaho,maysaak a degree holder. Naileppasko ti kolehio.

Naigamerak iti komunidad. Aganay a limapulo ket dua a tawen a naipulapolak iti komunidad. Adda pasetko iti komunidad iti Hawaii iti adu a banag. Trabaho.

Iti nalaus a panagkedkedko nga umay ditoy Las Vegas, isu met iti pannakalunag ti pusok iti kalikagum ti kakaisuna nga anakmi nga umaykami ditoy tapno as-asideg iti ayanda a sangapamilia.Nangnangruna pay iti kalikagum ni Gloria gapu iti kastoy a kasasaadna.

Abus man pay ta agpapaim(continue on page 15)

(PHILIPPINE FEATURE: Spending ....from page 9)

featuring Lhuillier’s 40-year orchid collection, as well as Gardens of the World, which feature flora from all over the world.

You can see thousands of orchids and enjoy details like a life-sized Cinderella carriage, giant heart-shaped topiaries and giant owl wooden figures you can step into.

We stayed overnight and rented a cabin with two bedrooms, two bathrooms, and a spacious living room/kitchen/ dining area.

There is an infinity pool near the cabins which overlooks the chasm of the mountains. The view was breathtaking.

From there you can see the adventure area: the Giant Swing, the Sky Bike and the zipline.

Cebu Safari is great for people of all ages.

You could walk around the park but for those who have trouble getting around, they have several minibuses and pick-up points throughout the park.

The staff is exceptionally friendly and accommodating.

They place a high priority on safety.

Furthermore, they’re not just about showing the plants and animals to the public. They are also committed to the conservation of avian wildlife. They have a Breeding and Research Center that aims to accomplish this.

The staff is hard at work on the landscape and gardening and continued improvements of the place. There is promise of much more to see. I look forward to my next visit.

(LINGERING THOUGHTS: Trump’s ....from page 8)

We surely do not want this man in the White House for another four years.

There will be much political grandstanding, rhetoric, and propaganda prior to the 2024 presidential primary and general elections, so it is imperative that all voters pay attention to the words and actions of the candidates.

I expect Trump will receive much publicity and news due to his legal problems and loose mouth. A man

of his caliber with his reputation should not be running for president.

The last thing the world needs is a divisive figure having a residency in Washington D.C. again.

WILL ESPERO retired from the Hawaii legislature after serving 19 years in the state House of Representatives and state Senate. He is currently a novelist, poet, and supporter of the arts. Lingering Thoughts provides a glimpse of his perspective on current events and issues

JANUARY 6, 2024  HAWAII FILIPINO CHRONICLE  15

COMMUNITY CALENDAR LET’S ZUMBA | Filipino Community Center | Every Monday starting January 8, 2024 at 6:15pm | FilCom Center, Consuelo Courtyard, 94-428 Mokuola Street, Waipahu | Need to unwind in movement and dance after a long workday? Join the community as we Zumba through the evening.

Only $5 per class. Proceeds go to support these program-types for FilCom Center.

NATURALIZATION CLINIC, U.S. IMMIGRATION COMMUNITY OUTREACH PROGRAM | FilCom Center, NOHA

Immigration | February 3, 2024 at 10pm to noon | Flores Ballroom, FilCom Center, 94-428 Mokuola Street, Waipahu | Learn about the steps, eligibility requirements and process to become a Naturalized U.S. citizen. The free event will offer resources to prepare form N-400 and also an Immigration Scam Awareness seminar.

PHILIPPINE MEDICAL ASSOCIATION OF HAWAII’S 44TH INAUGURATION AND INSTALLATION OF OFFICERS | Saturday, January 27, 2024 | Royal Hawaiian Hotel-Monarch

Ballroom | Formal Attire or Filipiniana. Email pmahhawaii.org/pmahinfo@gmail.com for details.

FLORES DE MAYO & FILIPINO FIESTA | FilCom Center, Filipino Jaycees of Honolulu | May 4, 2024 | FilCom Center, 94-428 Mokuola Street, Waipahu | The community is urged to save the date for this year’s celebration of Filipino culture and heritage!

To stay up to date with new information, visit filcom. org./2024filipinofiesta.

PHILIPPINE NEWS

DOH: No COVID-19 Surge During Holidays

By Gaea Katreena Cabico Thursday ‫ ׀‬January 4, 2024

M

ANILA, Philippines — The Department of Health (DOH) said Thursday that COVID-19 transmission remained low during the Christmas and New Year holidays, dispelling fears of a new surge.

The DOH advised the public against claims of a new COVID-19 wave in Metro Manila, attributed to

a physician from St. Luke’s Medical Center, circulating online.

“There is no credible evidence or official announcement from health authorities supporting the assertion of a surge in COVID-19 cases at the mentioned hospital,” the agency said.

According to the health department, bed occupancy for COVID-19 cases in intensive care units remained low between November and December 2023, reaching a

Filipinos to rely on information about COVID-19 from reputable sources such as the agency and other official health organizations.

“Misinformation can contribute to unnecessary panic and fear,” the department said.

The agency warned that it may file criminal complaints if false claims persist.

There are currently around 5,310 active COVID-19 cases in the Philippines. Since the start of the pandemic, more than 4.06 million people have recovered, while over 66,000 have died in the country.

maximum of only 16% and averaging 12%.

Non-ICU bed occupancy followed a similar pattern, peaking at 19% and averaging at 17%. The proportion of severe and critical admissions also remained low, currently at 11% The DOH reported the average number of new COVID-19 cases per day for the week of December 26 to January 1 decreased by 10% compared to the daily average of new infections from

December 19 to 25.

“Our data shows the continuous low transmission and mild presentation of COVID-19 locally.

This is due to Filipinos choosing healthy behaviors and heeding the call for multiple layers of protection,” the DOH said, as it reminded the public not to be complacent against COVID-19.

Misinformation spreaders warned The DOH called on (www.philstar.com)

NGA anakmi ken ti pamiliana.

Iti pito a bulanen, saanak pay a nakapasimsimpa.

Kaslaak agkarkarawa ken agmatamata pay laeng ditoy. Sadino ti laud ken daya; ti abagatan ken amianan. Adu pay ti birbirokek.

Masapul met ti naan-anay a panawen.

Iti bukodko a pammaliiw, sabali ti Las Vegas iti man paniempo, iti presio iti pagbiag.

Adda ketdi makitak kadagiti bukodko a mata, adda panagpada ti Hawaii ken Las Vegas.

Maibilang dagitoy. dagiti street people, dagiti homeless.

Addada iti sulsuli iti kanto, karenderia, iskinita. Adda mett dagiti sapawsapawda kas iti mmann daan nga ules, tolda, karkarton. Iggemda iti iti dakkel wenno bassit a pedaso a karton, naisurat. I need help. I am Hungry. God Bless.

Numan pay saanak pay unay a nakapagpaspasiar ditoy, dagiti ketdi nakitakon dagiti sumagmamano a pagtagilakuan, restaurant, keen dadduma a negosio, kukua ken imatonan dagiti kadaraan.

Nupay saanak pay a naki-

kamkameng kadagiti gunglo Filipino ditoy, adda naammuak nga Ilocano American Association in Nevada [IAAN], segun iti nabasak nga impormasion ket addaan iti aganay a sangapulo ribu a kamkameng.

Ket nupay saanko pay a nakontak, ngem kadagiti masungad nga aldaw, ikagumaakto a kontaken daytoy nabasak a maysa ken kakaisuna nga UMUNA a FILIPINA a kameng iti Nevada Assembly [Legislature] a segun ti nabasak adda ramutna manipud iti Mindanao.

Kangrunaan nga ibilang-

(DATELINE: LAS VEGAS: Eureka ....from page 14)

bag, now in five years in road to recovery, mailiw kano la unay kadagiti tallo nga appokomi.

Napukawko ti St. Paul’s Episcopal & Philippine Independent Church [ Iglesia Filipina Independiente] iti Queen Emma Square Honolulu, Hawaii a nagserserbianmi nga agassawa kas aktibo nga opisial aganay a tallopulo ket siam [39] a tawen, tallo a papadi da Rev. Fr. Tim Quintero, Rev. Imelda Padasdao, Rev. Canon Randolph VN Albano, iti tallo nga Obispo da Rt. Rev Donald Hart, Rt. Rev. Richard Chang, Rt. Rev. Robert Fitzpatrick ngem nagasat ta nasarakanmi ti Epiphany Episcopal Church ditoy nagsulian ti Cactus Ave/Gillispie St. Las Vegas, Nevada.

Napukawko dagiti fellow volunteers kadagiti adu nga aktibidad iti Hawaii pakaibilangan iti Feed the Homeless, Adopt a Highway iti Farrington Highway Waipahu, Kalihi Street ken LIkelike Highway, Kalihi, Ti Hawaii Food Bank, Life Savers Club, Blood Bank of Hawaii, The Tree Planting for Life; Make America Beautiful, Bus shel-

ter construction, Graffiti Buster Program, Weed & Seed with Narcotic Division, HPD, painting school bleachers, painting the house of the blind, Feed the Orphanage, Feed the Elderly, Walk for Life ken dadduma pay ngem naigasatak ta nasarakak ti Food Bank/Distribution ditoy Stober Blvd, Las Vegas, Nevada.

Napukawko ti ABC Group Burger King Coffee Hour a kaduak pakaibilangan da sigud a State Representative Romy Mindo, Grand Knight ken UMPIL, Bucaneg Awardee Francis Ponce, Pat Bolo, Hermie Estrada, Martin Mendoza, Virgilio Banda, kdpy, adda Billiard gameko inaldaw malaksid iti Sabado ken Domingo.

Namissko dagiti nasayaat dodoktor pakaibilangan da Dr. Charlie Y. Sonido, Dr. Lo, Go, Bautista, kdpy, ngem ketdi adda met dagiti nalaing a dodoktor ditoy pakaibilangan da Dr. Dizon, Dr. Avelar, kdpy.

Adda met ramutda a kas kaniak a maysa Filipino.

Nayadayoak iti kakaisuna a kabsatko a babai ken dagiti kakaanakak ngem itan kas katimbeng dagiti napukawko, nadennaanmi ti KAKAISUNA

H E L P

ko a gameng a nasarakak ditoy kunada a siudad ti basol, wenno siudad ti disierto, ditoy sirok ti sumsumged ken dumardarang nga init, isu a sinursurotko: the best of the best of all I have found, for me, ni Gloria ken siak addakamin a mayasideg iti kakaisuna nga anakmi ken ti pamiliana.

Awan ti baet a taaw ken rinibu a milia. Adda talged, adda talek, no balitok man dagiti napukawko idiay Hawaii, nabirbirtud, nabalbalor ti nasarakak ditoy. EUREKA: nasarakakon.

I’ve found it: anak, manugang, ina, ama, appoko, ditoykami kas pamilia.

W A N T E D

Cabinet / millwork person. No exp. Fully paid med, drug, vis, den, vac, holiday. Pay negotiable.

Call 808 671-6133

H E L P W A N T E D Part time • To package candies

Call (808) 226-3790

JANUARY 6, 2024