5.9.24-5.15.24 by Philippine News Today

DOCUS LINKING MARCOS TO DRUG USE NOT FAKE?

ACTRESS Maricel

a Senate hearing

California Forever initiative surpasses needed signatures

SOLANO COUNTY, California – More than enough needed signatures have been submitted to the Registrar of Voters to support the eﬀorts to have an initiative for a better future in Solano County.

A total of 20,472 voter signatures of the needed 13,062 valid signatures were submitted to the Solano County Registrar of Voters in support of Page 19

Senators defend, question PDEA papers authenticity

By Be�ng Laygo Dolor, Editor

MANILA -- What does it mean when a suspected drug user serves as chief executive of an entire nation?

This is the question confronting Senator Ronald ‘Bato’ Dela Rosa, whose committee is holding hearings on the country’s drug problem, which includes what appears to be evidence that President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is or was a user of illegal drugs, speciﬁcally cocaine.

PHL, US forces ‘sink’ China made ship off Ilocos Norte

By ALFRED GABOT, Editor in Chief

MANILA – As the Balikatan 2024 war drills of some 18,000 Philippine and American troops with 14 observer nations nears its close, the Philippine Navy (PN) said its missile frigate BRP Jose Rizal (FF-150) ﬁred its LIG Nex 1 C-Star “sea-skimming surface-to-surface antiship cruise missile” system at the decommissioned naval tanker BRP Lake Caliraya in simulation of sinking of an “enemy” ship, a China made ship, oﬀ

Laoag City in Ilocos Norte near Taiwan.

The Armed Forces of the Philippines and the United States Armed Forces declared as successful the conduct of the Balikatan maritime strike exercise oﬀ Laoag City when they sunk a mock enemy ship.

Plot to oust Marcos? PNP says hogwash

By Jeanne Michael G. Penaranda, Correspondent

CAMP CRAME, Quezon City – Is there a plot to destabilize the administration of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.?

Authorities bluntly said no, it’s a hogwash as Interior and Local Government Secretary Benjamin

Benhur Abalos Jr. and the Philippine National Police (PNP) denied any brewing destabilization plot against Marcos among its ranks.

Abalos dismissed as pure hearsay former senator Antonio Trillanes IV’s claims of in-

Filipina held in UCLA, bewails harrowing ordeal in campus

By Cesar Antonio Nucum Jr.

“I couldn’t believe that the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) administration would approve of such violence and arrest its own students and faculty. I was arrested with a few faculty and I deeply admire the way they stood up for us students, consistently telling CHP not to harm students, that students were unarmed, and that there was no reason for them to respond with batons, ﬂashbangs, and rubber bullets.”

Page 9 Page 4 Page 13

The “made in China” ship BRP Lake Caliraya sank at 10:49 a.m., over two hours after the exercise started, the AFP and USAF said.

Page 6

Percy Lapid gunman meted 8-16 years in prison

Vhong Navarro maulers convicted, are now jailed

CALIFORNIA FOREVER CEO Jan Sramek

Soriano a�ends

led by Sen. Ronald dela Rosa. Soriano denied knowledge of PDEA documents linking her and then Senator Ferdinand Marcos Jr. in alleged drugs use.

STANDOFF between the UCLA protest par�cipants and law enforcers. (Lauren Daus)

3 Asian-American celebrities recall racist attacks

SAN FRANCISCO -- Being a celebrity does not shield Asian-Americans from various kinds of racial attacks, ranging from verbal to physical.

This was the case of the female stars of Teen Wolf, The Boys, and Fixer Upper: Welcome Home. In two cases, the assaults were recent, while in another it was in the past, but which left her emotionally scarred for life.

The most recent incident involved Karen Fukuhara, who starred in both The Boys as well as The Suicide Squad. She was recently hit in the back of her head outside a café. Fukuhara was unable to identify her assailant.

In her Instagram post, she said: “This shit needs to stop. Us women, Asians, and the elderly need your help.”

Meanwhile, Teen Wolf actress Arden Cho was likewise the object of a raciallymotivated attack while walking her dog.

She recalled that a man ﬁrst shouted

By Gilda Balan, Correspondent

racial slurs at her, which turned to outright threats.

The unknown attacker screamed that he was going to “motherXXXXXXX kill you and your fuXXXXX dog”

The 35-year-old actress said she hadn’t been “this scared in years. He was a couple of feet away and started coming towards me. I grabbed Chewy and ran as fast as I could.”

Cho said the incident brought back the trauma she had experienced as a child.

For Joanna Gaines, 42, of Korean descent, a traumatic experience she had as a child involved her mother.

The star of Fixer Upper: Welcome Home who is also a published author, shared a memory of what her mom had undergone when she was a child.

I remember as a little girl being out with my mom and seeing how in a moment, a person’s harsh look or an underhanded comment would attempt to be-

little rich story and her beautiful culture.”

The mother of ﬁve recently wrote her second children’s book. The World Needs Who You Were Made to Be, which was translated into her mother’s native language Korean.

She said, “We can’t take lightly the power that our words or actions carry.”

Indeed, spoken words and aggressive actions can be just as harmful as hateful, dagger looks, which show that a person has hate in his or her heart, even against total strangers.

Authorities have said that hate crimes should not be allowed to happen, and action must be taken against the perpetrators. But Fukuhara said she opted not to confront her attacker to avoid the risk of further violence.

One thing has been made clear by the recent incidents. Hate crimes against Asians and Asian-Americans continue, with some fear it could worsen if a known

racist returns to the White House after the November elections.

This resource is supported in whole or in part by funding provided by the State of California, administered by the California State Library in partnership with the California Department of Social Services and the California Commission on Asian and Paciﬁc Islander American Aﬀairs as part of the Stop the Hate program. To report a hate incident or hate crime and get support, go to https://www.cavshate.org/.

New Affordable Homes for Sale in Mission Bay

148 Below Market Rate Condominium for middle-income, first-time homebuyers. One-bedroom, two-bedroom and three-bedroom homes priced from $260,000 - $501,000 without parking will be available. Applicants must be a first-time homebuyer and earn no more than the income levels listed below:

Apply online through DAHLIA, the SF Housing Portal at www.housing.sfgov.org | Applications Due May 31st

• Saturday, April 27th | 10:00am - 12:00pm

• Friday, May 3rd | 11:30am - 1:30pm

• Wednesday, May 8th | 4:00pm - 6:00pm

Groups ﬁle complaint vs DENR, PRA over Manila Bay reclamation, dredging

MANILA — Activist groups Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (PAMALAKAYA) and Kalikasan People’s Network for the Environment lodged an administrative complaint against two government agencies, the Philippine Reclamation Authority (PRA) and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), over reclamation and dredging projects in Manila Bay.

Assisted by their legal counsels from the Community Legal Help and Public Interest Centre (C-Help), PAMALAKAYA and Kalikasan brought to the agencies’ attention the “distress” that coastal communities have been experiencing amid the cumulative and long-term impacts of dredging and reclamation activities across Manila Bay.

“We bring to your attention the distress we are experiencing in the face of adverse changes in our environment and socioeconomic conditions resulting partly from the cumulative and long-term im-

pacts of seabed quarrying and reclamation activities in Manila Bay,” activist groups Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipins (PAMALAKAYA) and Kalikasan People’s Network for the Environment (PNE) said in their administrative complaint.

“Although there are many factors at play, seabed quarrying, and reclamation activities signiﬁcantly contribute to the degradation of Manila Bay,” PAMALAKAYA and Kalikasan PNE added.

They stressed that reclamation and dredging projects in Manila Bay have caused a signiﬁcant decline in ﬁsh populations, depletion of marine resources, an increase in invasive marine species, and lead to coastal and land erosion. These projects also disrupt their livelihoods and displace communities.

PAMALAKAYA and Kalikasan PNE asked the PRA and DENR to provide detailed plans for the relocation of communities aﬀected by reclamation and dredging activities, and technical evaluation

and advisory opinions on the environmental impact of these projects.

They also requested copies of environmental compliance certiﬁcates (ECCs), area clearances, monitoring reports for all implemented and ongoing projects, and comprehensive environmental assessment.

The DENR is conducting a cumulative

impact assessment of reclamation activities along Manila Bay.

This move follows President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s order to suspend reclamation projects pending a review of their environmental and social impacts, as well as compliance with regulations. However, the government has not yet released an oﬃcial suspension order to the public.

Columnist-evangelist to speak at Golden Gate congregation May 12

SAN FRANCISCO -

Art Gabot Madlaing, book author, columnist with the weekly PHILIPPINE NEWS TODAY and Evangelist, will speak during the Sunday morning worship services at the GOLDEN GATE CHURCH OF CHRIST, 701-8th Avenue (near Golden Gate Park) on May 12 2024, to post-commemorate and celebrate the 50th wedding anniversary with his beloved wife Virginia Jimenez Madlaing.

“I am glad that James Quitoriano, minister of the Golden Gate congregation, has scheduled me to preach on the Sunday morning of May 12, 2024 to post-commemorate and celebrate the 50th Wedding Anniversary on May 5, 2024 with my beloved wife Virginia Jimenez Madlaing, “ said the book author, columnist and evangelist.

(From page 1)

volvement of ranking police oﬃcials in an ouster plot against President Marcos

Art Gabot Madlaing, active Evangelist, will speak on the topic “MOVING FORWARD OR BACKWARD?” He is a member of the WE CARE Ministries Team which had been conducting “WE CARE” Evangelism Campaign and Workshop yearly since 2012 in Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao in the Philippines. Art is also lifetime member of the United Pangasinanes of America, Inc. (UPAI) and Peninsula Toastmasters International.

Mr. Madlaing had authored six best-selling books printed and marketed by Amazon in hardcover, paperback and E-book namely:

“LIFESTYLE FOR LONGEVITY” subtitled “How to be Heathy Emotionally, Financially, Physically, Sexually and Spiritually,” “REAL ESTATE & YOU” subtitled “Your Basic Guide & Information for Successful Investing in Home, Land and Income Property,” “R.A.W. WISDOM” subtitled “FINDING PEACE IN THE MIDST OF CHAOS,”

Jr.

In a media interview at Camp Crame, Quezon City, Abalos said there is “no

co-authored with the late Ralondria Antoinette Ward; “HISTORICITY OF JESUS” subtitled “Facts and Evidences for Agnostics, Atheists, Believers and Christians,” “LONGEVITY TIPS” subtitled “Secrets You Can Discover and Do for Good Health Longevity,” and “LAUGHTER FOR GOOD HEALTH” subtitled “Humorous Anecdotes and Stories on Cooking, Events, Families, History and Personalities,” which he co-authored with Mary Ann Gove Cheatham from Laveen, Arizona USA.

There will be special Pot Luck Lunch Fellowship at the Fellowship Hall immediately after the worship services to honor the author, columnist, evangelist and his wife and the May Birthday celebrants.here will special Pot Luck Lunch Fellowship at the Fellowship Hall immediately after the worship services to honor the author, columnist, evangelist and his wife and the May Birthday celebrants.

credible threat” over the issue, noting that ouster plot allegations surface in almost all administrations.

“Alam mo naman mga tsismis (You know, these rumors), it’s not a credible threat at all. Talagang as far as we are concerned binabalewala po namin ito (We do not pay attention to these),” Abalos said.

Abalos said he does not see the need to investigate those police oﬃcials as he expressed conﬁdence in their loyalty to their mandate.

“As far as we are concerned wala po sa kapulisan, wala po ito and 100 percent ang talagang supporta sa ating Pangulo ng kapulisan at hindi lamang yun, nakafocus lahat sa trabaho nila bilang pulis (we do not have these among the police ranks. Our police oﬃcers are 100 percent supportive of the President. Not only that, they are focused on their duties as police oﬃcers),” he said.

Meanwhile, Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Gen. Rommel Francisco Marbil said the police force remains loyal to the Constitution and rallies behind

“I am inviting the regular readers of my weekly column and the general public to come and join our Sunday morning worship services on May 12, 2024 at 11am and then enjoy the Lunch Fellowship after the worship services. This is a unique opportunity to meet in person the readers of my weekly column,” explained Mr. Madlaing.

To post-commemorate the 50th Wedding Anniversary, the author will be giving free complimentary autographed copies of “LONGEVITY TIPS” (available at Amazon in Hardcover-$15.95, Paperback-$12.95 plus shipping and handling and E-book-$7.95) subtitled “Secrets You Can Discover and Do for Good Health and Longevity” and autographed copies of the original “HISTORICITY OF JESUS” subtitled “Facts and Evidences for Agnostics, Atheists and Believers.” Reserve your copies now. RSVP: Call (650) 438-3531 or (415) 584-7095 or email: artmadlaing@hotmail.com

Marcos’ ‘Bagong Pilipinas’ vision.

“There is no issue for us na magkaroon ng destabilization, wala pong ganun (to have a destabilization plot. There are no such things). Yung mga pulis natin, kaya nga mas happy sila ngayon (Our police our much happier now), we are providing them with so much help kaya nga walang issue na para lumaban sa gobyerno (that’s why there is no issue for them to ﬁght the government). Now, you won’t see any demoralization among their ranks),” he said.

Earlier, former senator Antonio Trillanes IV claimed that high-ranking police oﬃcials were recruiting personnel to join the plot.

Trillanes said retired military oﬃcials were also trying to recruit soldiers to support the ouster plot.

Trillanes claimed that the plot is intended to protect former President Rodrigo Duterte in light of the possible issuance of arrest warrant against him by the International Criminal Court (ICC) in relation to the alleged crime against humanity of murder in the country during his drug war.

Ac�vist groups Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas and Kalikasan People’s Network for the Environment on May 6 lodged an administra�ve complaint against the Philippine Reclama�on Authority and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, over the reclama�on and dredging projects in Manila Bay

ART MADLAING

PHL, US troops show might in live ﬁre exercise in Laoag sand dunes

By Leilanie Adriano

LAOAG CITY – Joint forces of the Philippines and the United States military showed their prowess in a counter-landing live ﬁre exercise held at the Metro La Paz dunes in this city on Monday.

Using high-powered arms to thwart a simulated invasion in the coastal waters of Ilocos Norte which is located near Taiwan, about 200 soldiers took turns “defending” the shores of Metro La Paz as they launched Javelin missiles and ﬁred howitzers and machine guns to prevent an enemy attack.

The live exercise was set last year in the Ilocos waters but it was moved to Zambales due to unforeseen events including some logistical concerns, which at that time, have not been resolved yet.

After a year of planning and preparation, “Balikatan” 2024 executive agent Col. Michael Logico told local reporters they decided to return to Ilocos Norte due to the exponential value of the location.

“The waters in Ilocos Norte provide the best training venue for both our AFP (Armed Forces of the Philippines) and the United States Armed Forces not to mention, it has better weather conditions compared to other areas,” said Logico.

He said this year’s US-Philippines Balikatan exercise has evolved from being a tactical unit training venue to an operational level which means more complex activities and complicated exercises were undertaken to improve the combat readiness of all service components involving the Army, Navy and Air Force personnel.

Taal Volcano continues spewing hot gases causing phreatic eruption

TAGAYTAY CITY – Taal Volcano is continuously spewing hot gases that could lead to sporadic phreatic eruptions, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) reported.

Phivolcs has observed weak phreatic or steam-driven eruption at the Taal Main Crater between 8:27 a.m. to 8:31 a.m., producing white steam-laden plumes

2,000 meters high.

This was likely driven by the continued emission of hot volcanic gases at the Taal Main Crater and could be succeeded by similar events, Phivolcs said in an advisory.

Phreatic eruption occurs when water beneath the ground or on the surface is heated by volcanic activity.

TAGALOG TAGALOG FFEST EST

PAMPANGA VICE GOVERNOR Lilia “Baby” Pineda is greeted by former President now Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal Arroyo and others in this ﬁle photo. The Pineda clan is eyeing poli�cal seat in San Fernando, the provincial capital.

Increased

gas ﬂux observed

COMMEMORATING THE TH YEAR PASSAGE THE TH YEAR PASSAGE OF THE FILIPINO LANGUAGE ORDINANCE OF THE FILIPINO LANGUAGE ORDINANCE 10 IN SAN FRANCISCO. IN SAN FRANCISCO.

in Kanlaon Volcano

KAPWA GARDENS KAPWA GARDENS 967 MISSION ST., S N FR NCISCO, C 94103 967 MISSION ST., SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94103

FREE COMMUNITY EVENT RESOURCE TABLES LIVE PERFORMANCES BY: SATURDAY, MAY 18, 2024 SATURDAY, MAY 18, 2024 12PM - 5PM 12PM - 5PM

PARTNERS & SPONSORS:

DOBLE

2 Pinays, 1 FilAm among ﬁnalists in 2024 Pulitzer Prize

By Jennifer T. Santos

MANILA — Filipina photojournalist

Hannah Reyes Morales and visual artist Ren Galeno were among the ﬁnalists in the 2024 Pulitzer Prizes, considered the most prestigious award in US journalism.

A third Filipina ﬁnalist was investigative journalist Nicole Dungca, a Filipino American.

Many Filipinos and Filipino Americans have won the Pulitzer Prize, the ﬁrst being Carlos P. Romulo in 1942 for his

war reportage and the last being Manuel S. Mogato formerly with Reuters in 2018 for investigative reporting.

The Filipino-American Pulitzer Prize winners in the past includes Jose Antonio Vargas, Cheryl Diaz Meyer, Bryan Acohido and Alex Tizon.

Galeno and Dungca were ﬁnalists in the “Illustrated Reporting and Commentary” for their work on The Washington Post’s “Searching for Maura” with journalist Claire Healy.

The Pulitzer website praised the Wash-

ington Post’s story for “masterful and sensitive use of the comic form to reveal the story of a great injustice to a group of Filipinos exhibited at the 1904 World’s Fair in St. Louis, where some of them died.”

Last year Dungca, president of the Asian American Journalists Association, was a Pulitzer Prize ﬁnalist in the Audio Reporting category for another Post story “Broken Doors.”

Morales is a ﬁnalist in the “Feature Photography” category for her contributory work in the New York Times’ “How the Youth Boom in Africa Will Change the World.”

The Pulitzer says the Times’ story is about a “youthquake” in Africa, where the continent will make up a quarter of the global population and a third of all young people by 2050.

Morales and Galeno are alumnae of the University of the Philippines, which

page 1)

“The mission is to try to prevent an aggressor from landing in Philippine soil,” Lt. Col. Omar Abdullah Al Assaf, Balikatan 2024 maritime strike lead planner, told reporters in Laoag City.

As this developed, General Romeo Brawner Jr., AFP chief of staﬀ, said it “will not dignify” the claim of the Chinese embassy in Manila that its organization has agreed to a “new model” for managing the situation in the Ayungin Shoal.

In a statement, General Brawner Jr. said China’s claim of an audio recording between Vice Admiral Alberto Carlos and a Chinese diplomat “does not merit sig-

congratulated them for the citation, according to ABS-CBN report by Jauhn Etienne Villaruel.

Morales previously won a Pictures of the Year International Award and a World Press Photo Award, both in 2023, and also photographed the Nobel Peace Prize winners of 2021, which included the ﬁrst Filipino winner and journalist Maria Ressa.

The annual Pulitzer Prize administered by Columbia University recognizes achievements in newspaper, magazine, online journalism, literature and musical composition in the United States.

niﬁcant concern.”

The Department of Foreign Aﬀairs, Department of National Defense and the National Security Council have all denied the existence of the supposed agreement Commander John Percie Alcos, PN spokesman said that before the launch of the C-Star surfaceto-surface missile, fast attack interdiction craft BRP Lawrence Narag (PG-907) ﬁred its NLOS (non-light of sight) missile system at the decommissioned tanker, Alcos said, adding “both missiles successfully hit the target.”

“I cannot disclose the speciﬁc salvo size to sink or neutralize the speciﬁc target. For that target, it requires more than one but this morning, we tested the accuracy of both missiles,” he added.

He said the BRP Jose Rizal ﬁred its C-Star missile system at a distance of 20 nautical miles from the target vessel.

After the PN vessels, Philippine Air Force planes also tested their missiles and other munitions on the former BRP Lake Caliraya.

The Philippine Air Force’s FA-50 lead-in trainer ﬁghter aircraft then dropped air-to-ground missiles on BRP Lake Caliraya, causing it to tilt on its stern.

The United States’ F-16 aircraft, for its part, released its guided bomb unit, directly hitting the target.

Meanwhile, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) deployed two capital ships and their crew in the ﬁnal leg of the Philippines-United States Balikatan exercise.

2024 PULITZER PRIZE ﬁnalists (from le�) Ren Galeno, Hannah Reyes Morales and Nicole Dungca

BSP execs, Remulla highest paid in gov’t – COA

By Jeanne Michael Penaranda

MANILA — Oﬃ cials of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas have dominated anew the Commission on Audit (COA)’s annual list of highest paid government oﬃ cials, with BSP Governor Eli Remolona Jr. topping the list with a net pay of P35.48 million last year.

Justice Secretary Crispin Remulla, meanwhile, is the highest paid Cabinet member, according to COA.

Based on COA’s “2023 Report on Salaries and Allowances” or ROSA, uploaded on its website , Remolona’s net pay grew by P29.3 million or 474 percent from the P6.18 million net pay he received in 2022 where he was not even in the top 20 but at 132nd.

The COA’s breakdown showed that Remolona’s net pay for 2023 included P5.97 million in basic salary as BSP governor for six months (July to December) and P3.3 million in basic salary as BSP Monetary Board member for six months (January to June); P11.7 million in allowances; P10.01 million in bonus, incentives and beneﬁ ts; P2 million in discretionary and extraordinary and miscellaneous expenses (EME); P24,000 in additional compensation and honorarium; and additional P2.47 million from “prior years’ adjustment.

Remolona took the top spot from his predecessor, former BSP governor Felipe Medalla, who was relegated to second spot with a net pay of P28.05 million from P34.17 million in 2022.

Medalla ended his term as BSP governor on July 2, 2023 and was immediately replaced by Remolona who is set to serve a six-year term until July 2029.

Justice Secretary Remulla received the highest salary and allowances among Cabinet members in 2023 with over P7 million, the COA said.

Based on the COA’s 2023 Report on Salaries and Allowances Received by Principal Oﬃ cers and Members of the Governing Boards of Government Corporations and their Subsidiaries, and by Secretaries, Undersecretaries, Assistant Secretaries and Other Oﬃ cials of Equivalent Rank of the National Government Agencies released by state auditors, Remulla is the highest paid among Cabinet members with P7.07 million, followed by Special Assistant to the President 2 with the rank of Secretary Antonio Lagdameo, Jr. with P6.98 million.

Placing third was Secretary Renato Solidum, Jr. of the Department of Science and Technology with P6 million, followed by Department of Public Works and Highways chief Manuel Bonoan with P5 million.

Presidential Assistant 2 Leo Magno, who is also of Secretary rank, ranked ﬁ fth with P4.96 million.

Rounding up the top 10 highest Cabinet members were:

Labor Secretary Bienvenido Laguesma with P4.93 million

Energy Secretary Raphael Lotilla with P4.758 million

Information and Communications

Technology Secretary Ivan Uy with P4.750 million

Foreign Aﬀ airs Secretary Enrique Manalo with P4.7 million and Social Welfare and Development chief Rex Gatchalian with P4.68 million.

Finance chief Benjamin Diokno barely missed the top 10 list with P4.678 million to place 11th, followed by Human Settlements and Urban Development Secretary Jose Acuzar with P4.671 million.

Other Cabinet members who earned over P4 million in a year include:

Budget and Management chief Amenah Pangandaman with P4.66 million

Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista with P4.648 million

Agrarian Reform Secretary Conrado Estrella III with P4.646 million

Secretary Cheloy Garaﬁ l of the Presidential Communications Oﬃ ce with P4.63 million

Secretary/ Presidential Adviser on Legislative Aﬀ airs Mark Mendoza of the Presidential Legislative Liaison Ofﬁ ce with P4.57 million

Tourism Secretary Christina Frasco with P4.56 million

Environment and Natural Resources

Secretary Maria Loyzaga with P4.51 million

Secretary Arsenio Balisacan of the National Economic and Development Authority with P4.5 million

Secretary Guiling Mamondiong of the National Commission on Muslim Filipinos with P4.48 million

Interior and Local Government chief Benjamin Abalos, Jr. with P4.45 million

Trade and Industry Secretary Alfredo Pascual with P4.39 million and

Secretary Lope Santos III of the National Anti-Poverty Commission with P4.18 million.

Jus�ce Secretary Crispin Remulla

DOCUS...

(From page 1)

One key evidence presented is a Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) document linking Marcos to alleged drug use, which Dela Rosa said was “not fabricated.”

The document is the most damning piece of evidence yet against the president’s alleged drug use, which had been talked about for years, it was alleged.

Besides Mr. Marcos, actress Maricel Soriano was also linked to drug use.

Soriano appeared before Dela Rosa’s committee on public order and dangerous drugs on Tuesday, May 7 (Philippine time) to deny being involved in drugs.

Soriano has denied any knowledge of the supposedly leaked PDEA documents linking her and President Marcos to illegal drugs.

Soriano, however, admitted owning a Rockwell condominium unit where sniﬃng of drugs was alleged to have been made.

The document is a PDEA Pre-Operation Report dated March 11, 2012.

In the supposed leaked PDEA pre-operation report dated March 11, 2012, it was indicated that “a group of showbiz and politically aﬄuent personalities are frequently using illegal drugs” inside a condominium in Makati City which turned to be once owned by Maricel Soriano.

Supporters of the president had questioned the legitimacy of the report, but Dela Rosa said, “it is existing” and was not AI generated, adding “It is not fabricated.”

Since the senator did not have the original copy of the document, he depended on a photocopy.

Still, he believed it was a true copy

based on telltale signs that it was unretouched from the original, including punch holes indicating it was removed from a fastener.

PDEA Director General Moro Virgilio Lazo stated categorically that the document in Dela Rosa’s hands was a fake.

Former PDEA investigation agent Jonathan Morales, however, insisted the document was authentic. Morales has served as a star witness to the probe, and admitted that he was indeed signatory to the original document.

Dela Rosa praised Morales as being a “very straightforward” witness. Further, other PDEA agents had testiﬁed that Morales was indeed with the agency at the time the document incriminating Mr. Marcos was prepared, only to be removed later on.

Dela Rosa, who is a former Philippine National Police chief, said he wanted to give the president as well as Ms. Soriano the beneﬁt of the doubt, saying their being implicated did not necessarily mean they were guilty.

The contents of the document still needed to be validated, he said.

Dela Rosa said that because the document stated that it was “pre-operation” only meant that there was raw information on the named personalities alleged drug use.

Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri, meanwhile, reminded his colleagues to be careful in the conduct of public inquiries, which he said should not be used for political persecution.

Zubiri issued the reminder after monitoring the public hearing conducted by the Committee on Public Order and Dangerous Drugs chaired by Senator Dela Rosa where, the Senate President noted, “very serious

accusations have been made” without evidence.

“While certain claims were made, documentary evidence is yet to be presented. There were no pictures, no corroborating testimonies. In other words, this was solely based on the testimony of one person based on what appears to be hearsay evidence,” he said.

Zubiri noted that former Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) agent Jonathan Morales presented a document, “which he claims to have seen, by virtue of his former position, although he did not personally witness any wrongdoing.”

Senator Jose Jinggoy Estrada said he is convinced that Morales is a “liar” and might be the one who leaked the supposedly conﬁdential documents of PDEA allegedly containing the names of President Marcos and other well-known personalities.

Last week, House of Representatives Deputy Majority Leader and Tingog Partylist Rep. Jude Acidre, Isabela 6th District Rep. Faustino “Inno” Dy, and Assistant Majority Leader and Taguig City 2nd District Rep. Amparo Maria Zamora said the former agent’s testimony is part of a “larger eﬀort to discredit and destabilize” the current administration.

It is worth noting that the now controversial document came out in 2012, when the drug menace was only beginning to be acknowledged as posing a growing threat.

The president then was the late Benigno Aquino lll, who was succeeded by Rodrigo Duterte, who went on to launch one of the world’s deadliest war on drugs. As PNP chief, Dela Rosa took charge of that drug war and the “tokhang” operations that targeted mostly poor, young men suspected of

being drug users or pushers.

Duterte has accused Marcos of being a drug user or dependent in his on again, oﬀ again attacks. Duterte has also cited the PDEA as a source of his information on the current president’s alleged drug use.

Besides his political allies, government oﬃcials have circled their wagons around the chief executive, including the current leadership of PDEA.

After Marcos assumed the presidency, PDEA debunked what it called “fake” documents incriminating the president.

PDEA said it ran a thorough check and found no operation was logged on the March 11, 2012 date stated on the document.

The Civil Service Commission also warned that whoever leaked the document may face sanctions, with CSC Director IV lawyer Alma Flores-Foronda saying the unnamed whistleblower faces up to 10 years imprisonment for divulging conﬁdential information.

Speaking in the vernacular, Flores-Foronda said divulging conﬁdential information was punishable under two laws. One is the code of conduct and ethical standards for government oﬃcials and employees, and the other the anti-graft and corrupt practices act.

For now, a cloud of doubt hangs over the head of President Marcos Jr, whether he was in the past or is still in the present time a drug user.

Marcos laughed oﬀ the allegations and refused to take a valid drug test as suggested by his former executive secretary Vic Rodriguez.

BRP Andres Bonifacio back to WPS patrols after upgrade

SAN NARCISCO, Zambales – The BRP Andres Bonifacio (PS-17), one of the Philippine Navy (PN)’s three oﬀshore patrol vessels, is back to its patrol duties after an intensive upgrade of its communications and sensor equipment.

“Following the successful completion of its extensive upgrades, Philippine Navy patrol ship BRP Andres Bonifacio is back in action, resuming its naval operations with upgraded capability within the Naval Forces West and AFP (Armed Forces of the Philippines) Western Command area of operations,” the ship’s Facebook post stated.

The works included a signiﬁcant upgrade in combat management system, the central nervous system that integrates various sensors and systems to provide real-time situational awareness, command, and control capabilities.

BACK IN ACTION. The BRP Andres Bonifacio (PS-17), one of the Philippine Navy’s three oﬀshore patrol vessels, in this undated photo.

fulﬁll its mandates under the Naval Task Force 41 from maritime patrol operations, to internal security operations, and to logistics support missions,” it said.

The AFP, meanwhile, would focus on ﬁve major defensive capabilities as it adopts the Comprehensive Archipelagic Defense Concept (CADC), aimed at defending all the country’s territories, including its exclusive economic zone (EEZ).

The ﬁve focus areas are cyber systems, air interdiction, surface and sub-surface, missile defense systems, and support systems capabilities.

“It was also ﬁtted with air and surface search radar, bolstering its capability in long-range surveillance, search and rescue, and maritime patrol,” the post added.

The upgrades reﬂected the vessel’s optimum operational readiness, emulating its motto “Semper Paratus” (Always Ready).

No other details were provided due to security reasons.

“With enhanced systems and advancing capability, PS-17 is poised to better

This was discussed during the National Security Cluster Communications of the “Bagong Pilipinas” Media Engagement and Workshop held at the Philippine Merchant Marine Academy in San Narciso, Zambales on May 2 to 4.

Clark scorches with 50°C heat index, more areas in danger zone

CLARK FREEPORT – The heat index in Clark, Pampanga hit 50 degrees Celsius on Monday, state weather bureau PAGASA (Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration) reported.

PAGASAsaid that under danger level or 41°C to 51°C heat indices, heat cramps and heat exhaustion are likely.

Continued exposure to the sun could also cause heat stroke.The past four days, the reading from the Clark International Airport ranged from 39°C to 41°C.

Dagupan City in Pangasinan recorded 47°C.

Pasay City and Quezon City felt the heat at 43°C and 42°C, respectively.

The same indices are expected in the two National Capital Region cities the next two days, PAGASA said.

Thirty-seven areas are forecast to experience danger level heat indices on Tuesday, with the highest at 45 degrees likely in Dagupan City, Pangasinan.

Heat index or what the temperature feels like to the human body when rela-

tive humidity is combined with the air, ranging from 42 to 44 degrees

La Trinidad, Benguet was the lone area with a below-caution index at 26°C while Baguio City was at a “hotter” 28°C.

Muñoz, Nueva Ecija had the highest actual temperature of 39.8°C while Tuguegarao City, Cagayan was at 39°C.

Philippine News Today is published weekly by Philippines Today LLC with business and editorial oﬃces at 156 South Spruce Ave Ste 205 South San Francisco CA 94080 Phone no . 650-872-3200 E-fax # 650-745-1442 and website address www.pnewstoday.com and email address advertising@philippinestodayus.com or editor@philippinestodayus.com

MANILA OFFICE: Le Marquis Townhomes, 51 P. Tuazon Blvd. Quezon City 1112, Tels. 8546.8426, 8451.1892, 8546.8421

MARILYN B. KING Senior Account Executive

BETING LAYGO DOLOR Manila Editor

JUNNI RANILLO Entertainment Editor

ANGELO LOPEZ Cartoonist

FRANCIS ESPIRITU Publisher/President

THELMA L. CRUZ Senior Account Executive

CHERIE QUEROL MORENO Executive Editor

NEIL GONZALES Chief Correspondent Northern California LYDIA SOLIS Chief Correspondent Southern California

MA. CECILIA G. MADELO Graphic Director

ELEANOR SMITH Oﬃce Manager GILDA PASION BALAN FRANCO G. REGALA

NICK SAGMIT

GEORGE GANGE

RENE AVENIDO Photo Correspondents

ALI MACABALANG

JEANNE MICHAEL PENARANDA Manila Correspondents

ALFRED G. GABOT Editor-in-chief

CLAIRE M. TRUE Managing Editor

JENNIFER T. SANTOS Entertainment Editor

THOMAS G. MADELO JR. Creative Director

BLESIE D. SISON

ALBERT MARTINEZ RENE AMON Account Executives

VAL G. ABELGAS, HOMOBONO A. ADAZA, PERRY DIAZ, JOJO LIANGCO, JO ERLINDA G. NEBRES, ROY C. MABASA, ART G. MADLAING, FR. JOEPEL PADIT, RODEL E. RODIS, LOURDES TANCINCO ESQ, MELANDREW T. VELASCO, DANTES & CYNTHIA VELUZ, CRISTINA OSMENA, LUDY ONGKEKO. COLUMNISTS

The views and opinions expressed herein by writers, columnists and advertisers are their own and do not necessarily reﬂect those of the publisher, management and staﬀ of Philippines Today. We are not responsible for incorrect printing, photographical errors or information listed or for loss or damage of unsolicited manuscripts. Reproduction or redistribution in whole or in part is prohibited.

PMarcos still refuses to defend PHL territory Canepa

hilippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is either getting some very bad advice vis-àvis China’s actions in the West Philippine Sea, or he is making horrible decisions on his own, to the detriment of the Filipino people.

Over the weekend, he rejected the use of water cannons against the China Coast Guard, which has used the same weapon on the Philippine Coast Guard as well as Filipino ﬁshermen on numerous occasions.

In eﬀect, he is saying it’s perfectly all right for China to ﬁguratively spit on the faces of all Filipinos and to cower under the constant assaults by China on the Philippines’ dignity and self-respect.

He is, in other words, taking the coward’s way out.

His own father and namesake, the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos, must be turning in his grave. At least the elder Marcos fought for his country when it was invaded during World War ll. Marcos Jr. is unable to face the reality that China is getting more and more aggressive where the West Philippine Sea is concerned, and his inaction may well set the stage for a fullblown invasion on the country should worse come to worst.

First China concocted a nine-dash line that no country recognizes to claim ownership of the WPS. Then China expanded their claim with a more recent ten-dash line.

Using the same logic, it will not take long before China will claim that the Philippines was actually Chinese territory before the coming of the Spaniards four centuries ago.

What would Mr. Marcos do then?

There’s an old saying, give the man an inch and he will likely take a foot.

In standing down against every Chinese act of aggression, Mr. Marcos belies his own claim that he will never surrender so much as an inch of Philippine territory to China.

He should brush up on his reading, particularly modern history. Mr. Marcos should research why China is only able to humiliate the Philippines and not take any similar actions against countries which also reject China’s claim of near total ownership of the South China Sea.

He will ﬁnd out that some of the country’s neighbors had from the beginning made clear that they would ﬁght tooth and nail to defend their territory.

And because they were not afraid to face down China, it was the Chinese who have done what the Philippines does again and again. They resorted to diplomatic protests whenever their coast guard is repelled by the countries whose waters they wanted to claim as theirs. Like the West Philippine Sea.

Mr. Marcos should be forewarned. The Filipino people are not satisﬁed with how his administration is mishandling the Chinese actions in Philippine territory. His weakness is noted, and if he continues to take the cowardly way out, there will be hell to pay.

He has allowed China to cross the line too many times. Any leader worth his salt would have said enough is enough. Any leader would have told Chinese leader Xi not to mistake patience for weakness.

It is enshrined in the Philippine national anthem. Filipinos will gladly die for their country, if need be.

Remember this, sir: “Aming ligaya na pag may mang-aapi, ang mamatay ng dahil sa iyo” Sad to say, thus far Mr. Marcos, you have not provided the leadership worthy of a people who are both angered and insulted by China’s actions in their waters.

REDWOOD CITY, Calif. – San Mateo County Board of Supervisors Vice President and Metropolitan Transportation Commission Legislation Committee Chair David J. Canepa unveiled the debut of a Bay Wheels bikeshare station to kick oﬀ National Bike Month at a news conference May 1 on 379 St. Charles Ave. Daly City.

“This is a social movement that will pave the way for safe bicycling and its debut at Daly City BART, the ninth busiest in the system, can propel the Bay Area to be the most bike-friendly in the nation one day,” Canepa said. “It’s a last-mile commute solution that is better for the environment and better for the mind and body. Today, Amsterdam is considered to be the most bike-friendly in the entire world, but it was only a few decades ago that the city’s streets were clogged with cars like we are now. I’m proud to be a part of a growing movement that shows what a little pedal power can do.”

The new docking station marks the ﬁrst Bay Wheels location in San Mateo County and the continuation of a growth strategy that began last fall with the introduction of more than 1,500 new e-bikes and 30 new docking stations in San Francisco and San Jose and then shifted last month to the East Bay, where the system is adding 24 new docking stations and 565 next-generation e-bikes in Oakland, Emeryville and Berkeley.

Launched in 2017, Bay Wheels is the Bay Area’s regional bikeshare program with over 6,000 bicycles — both pedal-powered and pedal-assist electric bikes — at more than 500 stations in San Jose, San Francisco, Oakland, Berkeley, Emeryville and Daly City. Lyft operates Bay Wheels under a contract managed by MTC.

On April 13,2024, my friend, Goya Lasat Navarrete, celebrated her birthday in South San Francisco, with family and friends in attendance.

Bad weather had caused a change in venue from her daughter Joy’s place in El Cerrito to the Hilton Hotel.

The invitation to the party was for 1:30 P.M. and for the most part, the guests came on time.

The atmosphere was festive, the food was delicious,the music from a two-piece band was enlivening and danceable.

The program opened with the prayer led by Fr. Art Albano who, like Fr. Rey Calibe, surprised me by their dancing with the birthday celebrant.

The event was the celebration of the life of Goya, civic leader, activist, philanthropist, entrepreneur, wife and mother.

Love was in the air as family and friends ﬂocked to honor Goya for a life well-lived.

Among those present were Attorney General Rob Bonta, members of the Coalition against the Marcos Dictatorship (CAMDI), Ging Reyes of ABS-CBN, Lupita Aquino and Ken Kashiwahara, Atty. Ted Laguatan. Atty. Rodel Rodis, Francis Juliano, Lolit Vargas, Jane de Joya, members of the Lasat and Navarrete families.

Goya’s husband Danny and their children, Joy and Rex Navarrete, two-time Aliw Best stand-Up Comedian awardee,saw to it that everyone was entertained.

The party was a once-in-a-lifetime event, one forever etched in the memories of all who were present, myself included.

The party ended with Rex and Joy thanking all who had taken time to join in the celebration of their mother’s special day.

The pleasure was ours, Rex! Long live Goya Navarrete!

CHERIE M. QUEROL MORENO

Supervisor Canepa paves way for Daly City joining the worldwide social movement for safe bicycling.

Note: Upside defers to a news item from the Oﬃce of San Mateo County Supervisor David Canepa.

Neighbor, others discover healing of various ailments through SB-10

Last month, Susie, our neighbor at the Excelsior District in San Francisco, California and client with Mobile Signing Services, called me for review of some documents.

After we’re done reviewing her documents, Susie conﬁded her various ailments which had been bothering her like insomnia, lack of appetite, too much pain in her body, lack of energy and diﬃculty in breathing. I also noticed that she was limping in her walk.

With concern and compassion, I went to my parked car and took one bottle of SB-10. With the help of her son, we rubbed and massage her joints, legs, hands, neck and parts of her body where she’s experiencing too much pain. Then, we assisted her in drinking half-full glass of bottled water with 20 drops of SB-10. I waited for30 minutes and asked Susie how she felt.

“I feel much better and the pain has lessened. Thank you Art, “she said.

I left the one bottle of SB-10 to Susie and instructed her son to continue rubbing and massaging her Mom with SB-10 twice a day (one in the morning and one in the evening).I also instructed her son to assist her Mom in drinking half-full glass of bottled water with 20 drops of SB-10 in the morning; with 15 drops of SB-10 in the afternoon and with 20 drops of SB-10 in the evening one hour before going to sleep. After one week, I received a text from Susie as follows:

“Art I want 2 bottles of tonic mineral drops (SB-10). Please let me know when to pick them up. Thank you.”

“You can pick up anytime this afternoon at 730 Madrid Street, San Francisco, CA 94112,” I responded.

“Okay. Art, Glenn (her son) and my son-in-law will be there now to pick them up. He will pay you $50,” Susie replied.

I followed up with Susie how she is doing with SB-10. She responded as follows:

“Thank you Art. It really helped me. I sleep better now and I don’t have so much pain anymore,” she explained. Susie also regained her strength, her appetite and is walking very much better now. There are others who discover the healing and health beneﬁts of SB-10.

SOLOMON DE VERA, visiting Evangelist from the Philippines, tried SB-10 after reading my column and watching the special Synergy Benefits -10 presentation by Jun Isiderio. After few days of taking SB-10 he told me that he got better and deeper sleep. Solomon said that he put 10-15 drops of SB-10 in his morning coffee and the coffee tested better. He experimented rubbing and massaging his hair with few drops of SB-10 and noticed his hair looked darker with the few white hair completely invisible. He ordered 5 bottles of SB10 for himself and for his brother and sickly sister-in-law who are residing in San Diego area.

I found out that Solomon shared the SB-10 bottles to his brother, his sister-in-law. Like a domino eﬀect, his sister-in-law shared the SB-10 to her own sister (sibling). Here’s excerpts of what I received from Solomon through Messenger few days ago:

“Good morning Manong, magorder ng 10 SB bottles yung hipag ko (sister-in-law) . . . She is buying for her sister whom I gave I bottle and her response was ‘I LOVE IT’, also for my brother. For me the SB-10 gives me a good sleep.,” Solomon explained.

I mailed the 10 bottles of SB-10 ordered by Solomon’s sister-inlaw by Priority Mail in two separate envelopes (5 bottles each) with FREE autographed copies of “LONGEVITY TIPS” subtitled “Secrets You Can Discover and Do for Good Health and Longevity” and “ R.A.W. WISDOM” subtitled “FINDING PEACE IN THE MIDST OF CHAOS,” as my personal gift, plus Gospel tracts.

ROBERTO N. JORDA, from West Covina, California, is the ﬁrst reader from Southern California who ordered 5 bottles of SB-10 after reading my column “Reader ﬁnds solution to health problems with SB-10.” Roberto was very thankful when he received the 5 bottles of SB-10 he ordered together with the FREE autographed copy of “LONGEVITY TIPS” subtitled “Secrets You Can Discover and Do for Good Health and Longevity.”

“Maganda and resulta sa akin ng SB-10. Lalo akong lumakas sa maga gawain ko sa backyard,” (SB-10 has very good result for me. I got more energy doing my backyard work), said Roberto N. Jorda.

DEBORAH Q. MARCOS, a practicing nurse with Kaiser Permanente and breast cancer survivor, read my column “Reader ﬁnds solution to health problems with SB-10, “ and appreciated the portion on PREVENTION AND MAINTENANCE. She ordered some bottles of SB-10 for help in preventing the recurrence of cancer.

SB-10 FOR PREVENTION: Daily intake of SB-10 may help in arresting or preventing anomalies that may be happening in the body before they became serious or advanced (now stage 3 or stage 4 cancer or kidney problem requiring dialysis or surgery ) because those conditions inside the body are not seen, unlike those occurring outside the body that are obvious or visible.

AN OUNCE OF PREVENTION IS BETTER THAN A POUND OF CURE: It is better and economical to have daily intake of SB-10 (only about $30 monthly) than staying in the hospital and paying thousands of dollars for doctor and hospital bills.

The invasion continues 1st Asian American Stories

Award Ceremony,

a success!

While nobody seems to know the actual ﬁgures as new ones keep sprouting like mushrooms after a hard rain, there appears to still be a very large number of Philippine Overseas Gaming Operators or POGOs in the country.

They have, however, adopted a new tack: where previously their owners would set up shop within Metro Manila, they are now operating in cities outside the metropolis.

And just to thumb their noses at local authorities, they are registering as Filipino-owned corporations. In fact, it is the drivers, maids, and gardeners who work for the Chinese “businessmen” who appear in the registration papers with the Securities and Exchange Corporation.

This gives them an air of legitimacy, after there were growing calls in the early part of the Marcos administration to rid the country of these POGOs, which the previous Duterte regime had allowed to proliferate unabated.

Lawmakers and Cabinet oﬃcials joined local government oﬃcials in citing the dangers posed by the POGOs, which had become centers of gambling, prostitution, and even kidnapping.

Other oﬃcials, however, gave various reasons or excuses not to immediately rid the country of the pests, including one Cabinet secretary whose family owns a huge property just outside the National Capital Region which houses multiple POGO buildings. Rent earnings alone is easily in the tens if not hundreds of millions of pesos per month, so getting rid of the goose that lays golden eggs on a daily basis is diﬃcult for the family.

Meanwhile, a large real estate organization warned that the industry would be badly crippled if all the POGOs were forced to close shop.

Opponents, however, stated the obvious dangers posed by the unregulated business. There were, they said, more reasons to rid the Philippines of POGOs than there were to allow them to continue to exist.

At the start, a large number were operating out of such high-end areas as the Makati and Ortigas business districts, and the immediate vicinity of the Mall of Asian in the Manila Bay reclamation area.

Employees would be housed either in rented condos or large residential houses in exclusive villages.

Soon enough, news reports appeared on the not-so-wholesome activities being conducted in the POGO centers.

The only good thing about the negative reports was that only Chinese workers and players of the games were involved.

What the general public was unaware of was that behind the supposedly harmless “gaming” operations were not just online casinos, but onsite gambling activities.

There were no actual gaming operations that young people enjoyed, where they would play against each other for fun.

And where quasi-legal gambling takes place, money lending and prostitution is not far behind.

Instances of Chinese kidnapping Chinese were reported regularly, with the victims usually unable to pay for loans that they availed of in the gaming sites.

Some players became so heavily in debt that they were unable to pay for rent or the salaries of their house help.

Worst of all, the police usually avoided any attempt to solve the cases. It was easy to see why. It turned out that members of the police force were moonlighting as security of the POGO operators.

The Chinese made it clear that they wanted to be left alone to take care of whatever issues were happening in their operations.

At least there were no Maﬁa-style killings. At least none that were made public. The scuttlebutt was that those who were indebted to the lenders were forced to pay through various means, including having their immediate family practically sold into slavery until the debts were settled.

Some of the POGOs would also hire Filipinos, but only for lowly positions. At least this gave them an air of credibility for providing employment to Pinoys. Never mind that the locals only served as security guards and maintenance crew.

After the pandemic had eased, I was able to meet a Chinese man who was involved in POGO operations. It seems he had befriended a close friend of mine, and we were invited to dinner at a Chinese restaurant in one of the buildings in the vicinity of MoA.

The ﬁrst thing that struck me when I got there was that the overwhelming majority of the people in the area were young Chinese.

Out host matter-of-factly told us that yes, they were employees of the POGOs, which operated 24/7.

Our host also said that we Filipinos should not worry about the seeming Chinese “invasion,” as the operators of the gaming companies were just businessmen operating companies which were not allowed in Mainland China.

As for the tens of thousands of Chinese workers, they were boosting the local economy, he said.

They were renting houses, buying food and groceries at local markets and stores, and spending their money for local entertainment.

During the First Asian American Stories Award Ceremony held Thursday night, Founder and President of Ding Ding TV, a Silicon Valley Community Media and Chairman of the Asian American Stories Video Contest for 2023-2024, Diana Ding thanked everyone who made and joined the affair a success which kicked off Asian American and Pacific Islander Month.

The event was held at HL Peninsula Restaurant, Ranch Drive, Milpitas, CA with Robert Handa, NBC Bay Area News Reporter & Asia Paciﬁc America Host as emcee.

“Thank you to everyone who joined us for the Asian American Stories Award Ceremony! It was wonderful to see all of you, gather to celebrate Asian American storytellers, and kick off Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month. Congratulations to all of our winners - your stories touched and inspired us! Thank you and congratulations to every single person who participated in Asian American Stories contest - thank you for trusting us with your stories. Thank you to our committee, judges, volunteers, partners, and sponsors! Thank you to Brotherhood Cup Foundation for sponsoring the event! Your support and contributions have been pivotal in making this event a success. Special thanks to the elected officials and community leaders who support Asian American Stories and celebrate the AAPI Heritage Month with us.”

Diana Ding said: “We hope you will continue to advocate for representation and inclusion in all sectors, whether it’s in media, education, or policy making. By working together, we can create a more equitable and supportive environment for all members of the Asian American community. Please let us know how we can help you with such eﬀorts.”

Narrating her experience as a young reformist in the US, Diana said Asian Americans need to tell their stories for others to follow. “Growing up in a Chinese family, I learned the importance of being humble and developed a tendency to keep my stories to myself. This sentiment is shared by many Asian American households where success is often met with modesty and struggles are silently endured.”

But with the challenges brought about by the pandemic and a surge in Asian hate crimes and misunderstandings, Diana said that these “prompted us to act to bring diverse communities together for this cause.”

As I See It, she was advocating for Asian Americans to speak out, come forward and tell their stories, so our community can hear their voices and learn from them.

So, as the founder of this initiative, she was “profoundly honored by our communities’ overwhelming participation in this empowering storytelling journey. We have received 72 remarkable stories, ranging from seasoned ﬁlmmakers to ﬁrst-time storytellers.”

I agreed with her hundred percent when she said: “This contest transcends geographical boundaries and competition; it serves as a celebration of identity, culture, and community. By sharing our narratives, we honor our heritage and strive to bridge divides and foster a more inclusive society.”

As a closing statement, she commented: “As we celebrate diversity, unity, and the transformative power of storytelling, let’s ask, ‘What’s next?’ I invite you to join us in sharing your ideas in our ongoing mission to share our stories with the world and work together to be a strong voice in our nation.”

Congratulations to all the winners and the judges for their participation in making the event a success.

Romeo Morales, author of the book Time to Breathe (Confessions of an Alien) who came all the way from Alaska to attend the ceremony, was the recipient of the First Submission Award taking the lead and setting a powerful example being the ﬁrst submitter among the participants, underscoring the signiﬁcance of Asian American voices and demonstrating the impact of timely action.

The major winners are: Tim (Jian) Zheng, 1st Place, Adult category; Sylvie Nguyen 1st place, youth category; Min Zhou, 2nd place, adult category; Samantha Quynh Huong Tran, 2nd place, Youth category; Jiayi Li, 3rd place, Adult category; and Abby Wu, 3rd place, youth category.

Other winners are: Avalyn Wu, Judges’ Special Merit Award, Adult category; Cathy Chang, Judges’ Special Merit Award, Youth category; WeDance, Viewers’ Choice Award, Adult category; and Samantha Quynh Huong Tran, Judges Special Merit Award, Youth category.

For the Excellence Awards, the following are the winners of the Adult Excellence Awards: Victor William Chen, Long Jin, Min Zhou, Ann Chang & Yue Chang, and Dr. Arthur L. Jue.

For the Brotherhood Foundation Youth Excellence Awards: Ethan Guan, Kaihua Skyler Chong, William Chui, Lauryn Chew, and Sophia Cheng.

(Continue on page 20)

Most of those who shared their positive experiences with SB-10 read my original column “Amaz-

That last included meeting their needs, speciﬁcally for female companionship. So what was wrong

(Continue on page 20)

The Youth Ambassadors Winners (Awards presented by judge Elpidio R. Estioko) are: Sophia Cheng, a highs school senior at Pinewood School; Ethan Guan, president of the Harker School Film Club since 2019; and Michelle Ahl, a 10th grade student from Carlmont High School, and co-founder-president (Continue on page 20)

BETING DOLOR

“

ART GABOT MADLAING Health & Wealth

ELPIDIO R. ESTIOKO

Filipina held...

(From page 1)

This was the reaction of second-year Filipina UCLA PhD student in the Urban Schooling Division in the Department of Education Lauren Daus after she and over 200 other students and faculty members were arrested for around six hours on Thursday May 2 after staging on campus rallies and encampment.

“Students were trampled over, shoved, pushed to the ground, and shot at with rubber bullets before being arrested,” Daus recalled. “I was also reﬂecting on how police have been violently responding to the encampments across the nation—this tells us that police are not here to protect us. I was detained for almost six hours. Along with other arrestees, I was so upset that it took so long for them to process our information. I could barely move my arms the moment they removed the zip ties from my wrists.”

Daus and company were welcomed by community members who were waiting for them to provide rides home, feed us, and provide us with legal support after they were released around 9 a.m. on Thursday. The participants range from UCLA students, alumni, and professors to community members.

“My experience has deﬁnitely motivated and inspired me even more to continue ﬁghting for the liberation of Palestine and for the liberation of college students who have been subjected to institutional violence. We take care of each other and are willing to do what it takes to stand against the dehumanization of all peoples,” Daus declared.

Daus ﬁrmly believes that as the number one public university in the U.S., “UCLA needs to stop being complicit in the genocide of Palestinian people.”

“As a student collective(ly) ﬁghting for the liberation of Palestine, we have ﬁve demands for UCLA: (1) DIVEST funds from

companies and institutions that support Israeli occupation, (2) DISCLOSE all assets such investments, donations, and grants for full transparency, (3) ABOLISH the heavy policing of Pro-Palestinian advocacy on campus and cut all ties with the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) as more cops on campus do not make us feel safe, (4) call for an immediate CEASEFIRE, and (5) BOYCOTT by severing all UC-wide connections to Israeli universities, programs, fellowships, and collaborations, such as UCLA’s Nazarian Center.”

Daus also believes this is not a conﬂict but a war on Gaza in which over 34,000 Palestinians have been killed, including more than 14,500 children as of May 7, 2024, which marks seven months of this ongoing genocide.

“We have been witnessing a genocide happening right in front of our eyes for the past seven months—college students across the country are mobilizing their power to speak out and stand against white supremacy, imperialism, and repression. The same fascist tactics being used to execute a genocide in Gaza are being used to silence and repress college students across the nation. Our struggle and ﬁght for liberation are tied together,” Daus considers.

At the moment, Daus could not commit to having a dialog as she has been “channeling my energy to organize with other students, faculty, and community members in continuing to ﬁght for UCLA’s divestment and ﬁght against UCLA’s complicities in genocide.”

In what turned out to be a traumatic experience for Daus and company, the California Highway Patrol (CHP) arrested 210 participants at UCLA’s Palestine solidarity encampment early Thursday morning, May 2, 2024.

“Despite peacefully protecting our encampment with wooden and human bar-

Social Security Update

WHAT YOU CAN DO IF YOU HAVE A SOCIAL SECURITY OR SSI OVERPAYMENT

By G. Samson Social Security Public Aﬀairs Specialist in the Bay Area

An overpayment occurs when Social Security pays a person more money in Social Security beneﬁts or SSI payments than should have been paid. The amount of the overpayment is the diﬀerence between the payment received and the amount that was due.

Social Security is required by law to adjust beneﬁts or recover debts when an overpayment occurs. If you receive an overpayment notice, it will explain why you’ve been overpaid, the overpayment amount, your repayment options, and your appeal and waiver rights.

ford to pay the money back or it is unfair for some other reason. You can ask for a waiver by submitting a completed SSA-632, Request for Waiver of Overpayment Recovery, to your local oﬃce. If your overpayment is $1,000 or less, we may be able to process your waiver request quickly by telephone. You can contact your local oﬃce or call us at 1-800-772-1213, Monday through Friday, between 8:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m.

ricades, CHP violently stormed our encampment with rubber bullets, ﬂashbangs, and batons,” lamented Daus.

“It is a complete disgrace that UCLA’s administration would rather call in the police to inﬂict violence on their own students and faculty than engage with our demands to stop being complicit in genocide and the militarization of our campus.”

UCLA campus night of May 1 before the early morning

of 210 par�cipants on May 2

At that instance, Daus was reminded of the many times students have always resisted UC war proﬁteering, such as in 1985, when UCLA students and community members fought for divestment from the apartheid in South Africa, eventually forcing UC regents to divest from the apartheid in 1986.

“From the unwavering mobilization of students, we are continuing to learn the importance of abolishing the police, divesting from war, and continuing to hold onto our collective liberation. We are the ones who protect each other and we are the ones who keep us safe,” Daus comforted herself.

Suddenly drawing a parallel, Daus sees that the struggles of Palestine and the Philippines as interconnected.

“In the Philippines, we see the violent repression of people ﬁghting for their basic needs. It is vital that our mass mobilization continues, to struggle towards collective liberation for all,” Daus concluded.

After receiving an overpayment notice, you can:

• Repay the overpayment in full or through a repayment plan by check, money order, credit card or by monthly reductions from your Social Security benefit. You may be able to make a full or partial repayment using Pay.gov or your bank’s online bill pay option. We offer flexible repayment plans, including payments as low as $10 per month.

• Appeal the overpayment if you don’t agree that you’ve been overpaid, or you believe the amount is incorrect. You can request a nonmedical reconsideration online or you can submit a completed SSA-561, Request for Reconsideration, to your local Social Security oﬃce.

• Request that we waive the overpayment if you believe you are not at fault for causing the overpayment AND you cannot af-

• Request a diﬀerent repayment amount if you are unable to meet your necessary living expenses due to the current repayment amount. If you are unable to repay the debt within 60 months* due to the negotiated repayment amount, you will be asked to complete form SSA-634, Request for Change in Overpayment Recovery Rate. You can ﬁnd the form at www. ssa.gov/forms/ssa-634.pdf.

*This is a recent policy change. Previous policy required the completion of the SSA-634 if the overpayment could not be repaid within 36 months.

To learn more about overpayments and our process, visit our Understanding SSI Overpayments webpage at www.ssa.gov/ssi/ text-overpay-ussi.htm, read our Overpayments fact sheet at www.ssa.gov/marketing/ assets/materials/EN-05-10106.pdf, or watch our Overpayment video at www.youtube.com/ watch?v=pxYYcjqkFvM.

UCLA encampment before the arrests of 210 rally par�cipants

arrest

Art for Pales�ne solidarity in front of the main entrance to Royce Hall

Cedric Lee, Deniece Cornejo, others jailed over Vhong Navarro detention

By Jennifer T. Santos

After three years of trial, businessman Cedric Lee and model Deniece Cornejo have been sentenced by the Taguig Regional Trial Court to 40 years each of imprisonment after the court found them guilty of illegally detaining TV host and actor Ferdinand “Vhong” Navarro in 2014.

Lee and Cornejo are now detained in separate jails, Lee at the National Bilibid Prisons in Muntinlupa while Cornejo at the Women’s and Children Correctional Center in Mandaluyong City.

In a 94-page decision, Branch 153 of the Taguig Regional Trial Court found Lee, Cornejo, Ferdinand Guerrero and Simeon Raz guilty beyond reasonable doubt of illegal detention for ransom under Article 267 of the Revised Penal Code and sentenced them to suﬀer the penalty of reclusion perpetua — or up to 40 years imprisonment.

Navarro, who has returned as co-host in a top rating ABS-CBN noontime show, thanked the court for its decision.

Lee and Cornejo were also ordered to pay Navarro a total of P300,000 in damages. The court also cancelled the bail bond of the accused.

Cornejo and Raz attended the promulgation of the verdict on Thursday and were immediately taken into custody while Lee and Guerrero were not present, prompting the court to order their immediate arrest.

“It is all too apparent that the accused planned and premeditated to restrain Vhong Navarro to extort money from him,” the court said, adding that their conduct showed “a common understanding between them” to commit the crime.

“Proof of their agreement was inferred from their conduct before, during, and after the commission of the crime,” the court said.

“The acts of Deniece Cornejo, Cedric Lee, Zimmer Raz and Ferdinand Guerrero, when taken together, revealed that they acted in concert with one another and that their acts emanated from the same purpose or com-

mon design showing unity in its execution,” it added.

The ﬁerce legal battle took 10 years to resolve.

On 22 January 2014, Cornejo ﬁled a complaint with the Southern Police District (SPD) in Bonifacio Global City in Taguig against Navarro for the “alleged crime of attempted rape.”

Cornejo, who was unidentiﬁed at the time, said she was alone in her condominium when Navarro arrived at around 10:30 p.m. Once inside, Navarro allegedly tried to rape her.

Cornejo’s friends, including Lee, then ar-

rived and performed a citizen’s arrest on Navarro, bringing him to the SPD.

But Navarro had a totally diﬀerent version.

Through his talent manager, Chito Roño, Navarro said he was a victim of extortion after Lee and his group beat him up, detained him and demanded P2 million from him.

The Department of Justice (DoJ) in 2014 ﬁled a case of serious illegal detention against Lee, Cornejo, Raz, Guerrero, Bernice Lee, Jose Paolo Gregorio Calma and Sajed Fernandez Abuhijleh for allegedly holding Navarro captive and inﬂicting serious physical injuries on him.

Of the alleged rape, the DoJ resolution said Cornejo’s narrative “demonstrates physical improbability.”

But the Court of Appeals’ (CA) 14th Division reversed and set aside the DoJ’s resolutions from 2018 and 2020 that aﬃrmed the dismissal of Cornejo’s 2014 complaint.

“Cornejo decries attempted rape on the night of 22 January 2014 while Navarro denies any wrongdoing. We reiterate once more that a preliminary investigation is not the proper venue for determining the respondent’s guilt or innocence,” the CA said.

“Cornejo’s claim that she initially managed to escape Navarro’s unwanted advances but he caught up with her to further his perverse objective satisﬁes the element of force and intimidation,” the CA said, stressing that cases where the credibility of the accuser and the accused are weighed should be heard in a proper court trial.

The Incredible Impact of Teacher Audrey and Her Exceptional Advocacy

“My conﬁdence in my students is my strength. I think they are always capable of more. With my love and support, I believe they can reach their fullest potential,” shared Teacher Audrey Ann Bayogos as she reﬂected upon her 27 years of experience. She is a special education (Sped) teacher for a Special Day Class (SDC) at John F. Kennedy Elementary School in Daly City, California, USA.

Through the years, Teacher Audrey has organically gained the ability to understand deeply the different learning disabilities that impact the educational triumph of every student. She was able to create an effective pedagogy that beneﬁts every individual in her class. Because of her extraordinary contributions, she has become an asset to the institution.

In full bloom, Teacher Audrey is at the pinnacle of her abilities. She has become wellrounded in her noble profession, backed up by experience, expertise, knowledge, and recognition.

But how does one reach their full potential? Teacher Audrey became a breadwinner in 1996. She graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology with honours from the Philippine Normal University, Manila, Philippines. At her graduation, she was the recipient of the Psychological Society Leadership Award. During college, she was a consistent university scholar. She held key positions at the Supreme Student Council and at The Torch, the oﬃcial students’ publication of PNU. She served as the Vice President for Internal Aﬀairs and as a Features Editor, respectively.

A day after her graduation, she started teaching at the Philippine Montessori Center in White Plains, Quezon City. For 23 years, she was the classroom directress there. She managed a class with 20 to 24 students, ranging in age from two to six years old. During that time, she was also the Sped consultant at the Kids Connection Learning Center for almost eight years.

Together with her close-knit colleagues, they established the ANJOR Center for Special Education and Multi-Services, Inc., in December 2010. It is a special educational arm with programs speciﬁcally crafted for the beneﬁt of the students. She spearheaded the creation of their special education program, assessment process, and strategy for coordinating with teachers. They provide one-on-one and group sessions for children with developmental delays. They also provide

By Wilminia Dumaop

home management for parents and caregivers. She acts as program director and coordinates with the allied team, composed of developmental doctors, occupational, physical, speech, and behavioural therapists.

She has been trained in handling children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), attention deﬁcit disorder (ADD), attention deﬁcit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), global developmental delay (GDD), learning disability (LD), sensory processing disorder (SPD), mental retardation (MR), and pervasive developmental delays (PDD). Teacher Audrey got married in 2018, the same year she got acceptance for a job in the USA. “I think I was destined to teach,” she said. Following her passion, Teacher Audrey started her teaching career in California, USA, in September 2019. As she carried on her mission, she was motivated to nurture and develop young children with special needs to help them maximise their potential and abilities.

Her qualiﬁcations in the USA are palpable. Teacher Audrey has California Basic Education Skill Test (CBEST) proﬁciency. Moreover, she has an Education Specialist Instruction Credential, Autism Authorization, and Mild to Moderate Severe Needs (MMSN) Credential.

Moreover, the district’s Board Certiﬁed Behavior Analyst (BCBA) provided her with “Handle with Care training,” which promotes the use of preventative strategies to deescalate challenging student behaviours. Teacher Audrey also received extensive professional development in writing legally defensible individual education programmes (IEPs), developing and teaching appropriate goals, and collecting the necessary data that is needed to complete student progress reports.

Aside from all the accreditation she has, Teacher Audrey also received awards from the educators’ community for her remarkable service. She was chosen as one of the Outstanding Global Educators for 2023 in the International Who’s Who Awards by the BETMA English in Vietnam in partnership with Aloysian Publication in the Philippines. Recently, she was hailed as the “Best Outstanding Special Education Specialist for Teaching Students with Extensive Support Needs” by the Dakilang Filipino Awards for 2024.

She has essential aﬃliations as well, such as being a member of the following: the California Federation

of Teachers (CFT), Jeﬀerson Elementary Federation of Teachers (JEFT), National Association of Special Education Teachers (NASET), National Education Association (NEA), and the Autism Partnership (AP).

“Ms. Bayogos’ work ethic, professionalism, and love for teaching are consistently shown every day that she comes to work,” applauded Colleen M. Miller, the former program coordinator for special education services at the Jeﬀerson Elementary School District.

Even in the hardest situations, Teacher Audrey exhibits grit and affinity for her students. While teaching in California, she met parents who are well-known and experts in the field of medicine. Upon being informed, they cannot accept that their child is on the spectrum. They even threaten her of being sued. But she remained honest and respectful, telling them that she observed some delays and different behaviour in their child. Clearly, the child needs to be seen by a developmental paediatrician for an assessment so they can do an early intervention to help the child cope in school. Teacher Audrey is the number one advocate for her students. They were able to overcome this situation with the cooperation of the child’s parents and her directress.

It is no wonder why Teacher Audrey annually receives the Positive Climate and Culture Award in her classroom. Her colleagues are consistently impressed by Audrey’s positive attitude, dedication to her work, empathy for her students, professionalism, and productivity. Teacher Audrey has challenging students in her caseload. She had students with various disabilities. Some have behavioural challenges, severe learning disabilities, developmental disorders, multiple disabilities, and moderate to severe autism. In all those cases, Teacher Audrey showed her dedication and love for the students by creating a welcoming and caring environment. Indeed, Teacher Audrey has a skillset that is extraordinary in special education.

According to the California Department of Education (CDE), there has been a consistent shortage of special education teachers in the state for several years. There is a continued rise in the number of students who need special education services. This is one of the primary causes of the demand. On the other hand, there are only a very limited number of qualiﬁed candidates

for special education teaching positions. Having Sped teachers under the Cultural Exchange Program gives a solution to this need. But because of the limited number of years of stay granted to teachers under this program, the shortage is not being addressed in the long term. When the pandemic hit in 2020, Teacher Audrey gave her best to support students in whatever way she could. This became more evident when she accepted the challenge to work as a home teacher for one of her former students. The student was severely avoiding coming back to school and demonstrating challenging behavior. With her consistent patience and compassion, she was able to restore the conﬁdence of the student to return to the school setting. Even the parents of the child were so grateful to her.

It takes at least a decade to become exceptional. To become an expert in the field, one has to be self-reliant and dedicated to progress. Teacher Audrey has been navigating her career for almost three decades now. Her advocacy is not easy, yet with her faith, she kept pushing boundaries. Her love and faith for her students is astounding. Furthermore, her longevity in the field enables her to serve as a mentor for younger teachers. She delivers seminars and speeches on different programs and activities. She gives guidance and wisdom to help other educators understand different students. She also serves as an inspiration to make a difference in the lives of students.

All the successes she has right now, she lovingly dedicates to her adoptive parents. From them, she learned that families and love are not only born of blood. It is best cultivated with dedication and commitment to change someone’s life for the better. About the Writer Wilminia Dumaop is a Grand Prize Awardee of the Carlos Palanca Memorial Awards for Literature. She also vested recognition in various organizations, such as the YMCA (Young Men’s Christian Association) and The Lasallian Scholarum Awards, among others. She was the Editor-in-Chief of The Philippine Artisan, the Oﬃcial Student Publication of the Technological University of the Philippines, from 2007 to 2009. In 2023, her love for design led her to establish an interior design company in Singapore. She writes articles as a way of self-expression and passionate endeavour. She has a deeprooted respect for educators.

“Staying 28 until further notice,” captioned Teacher Renelle as she posted on social media her birthday celebration on June 9, 2023. Holding a rainbow-coloured cake, she paired it with a contagious smile. She has an unparalleled sunny disposition in life. A colorful person who grew up in a digital age. Her dopamine level is always in check. She likes to travel and experience new things.

Renelle Ojano is a dedicated and compassionate special education (Sped) teacher. At present, she is a Special Day Class (SDC) teacher at Benjamin Franklin Intermediate School in Daly City, California, USA, and is teaching 6th to 8th graders. She has an Education Specialist Instruction Credential and successfully passed the California Basic Education Skills Test. In the Philippines, she became a Licensed Professional Teacher in March 2016.

For eight years, Teacher Renelle showed unique qualities that made her a very eﬀective educator. This makes her extraordinary and highly in demand in the special education system. She has a deep understanding of every subject matter, and she knows how to convey a message that resonates with her students. She spent the ﬁrst four years of her career in the Philippines.

In the USA, Teacher Renelle’s four years of professional teaching experience exhibit her strong commitment to inclusive and supportive learning environments for students with diverse disabilities. Because of this, she gained the trust of her superiors and served as a panellist in assessing and selecting candidates for Sped teaching positions in their school.

In the class, Teacher Renelle is Sped-savvy. She introduces online educational games. She is highly proficient in integrating technology into the classroom to enhance instruction and support the learning of the students. She patiently taught them how to create a username and password. After that, the students can finally access educational websites and their modified

Sped-Savvy Teacher Renelle

By Wilminia Dumaop

curriculum online. She knows how to utilise assistive technologies and educational software to facilitate access to the curriculum and promote fun and independent learning.

Because of her smart way of teaching, she received various recognitions. She was the Teacher of the Year in 2017 at the Philippine Women’s University - Jose Abad Santos Memorial School, Quezon City, Philippines. In 2023, she received two awards from the International Who’s Who Awards, Betma English Vietnam Aloysian Publication, Philippines. She was given the “International Excellence in Special Education Award” and the “Outstanding Special Education Teacher Award.”

“I appreciate SDC Teacher Renelle Ojano for her steadfastness and warmth. She is incredibly studentcentered and hardworking, and she is a joy to work with. She balances the needs of her students, families, and colleagues. Ms. Ojano, you are a gem!” Shout out by Sam Pasarow, the principal of Benjamin Franklin Intermediate School, on the school’s newsletter in 2021.

For three years, she has been highlighted annually in the school’s newsletter as an excellent and loving teacher. She regularly conducts community-based instruction activities for her students in the USA. As a cultural exchange teacher, she ﬁnds satisfaction in witnessing how they enjoy learning from the multicultural activities she prepares each year. Because of this, Teacher Renelle becomes friends with her students. Even after graduation, they visit her regularly. They share life updates and success stories.

She plans, directs, supervises, and evaluates the learning experiences of each student. She makes sure that everything she does is parallel to the Special Education Handbook. She reports to the parents about the progress of each pupil. She has in-depth knowledge

about special education laws, regulations, and best practices. This enables her to provide appropriate accommodations, modiﬁcations, and interventions for students with disabilities. She is highly skilled in conducting assessments, developing Individualised Education Programs (IEPs), and implementing evidencebased instructional strategies tailored to speciﬁc and unique individual needs.

Teacher Renelle has also been an active volunteer in the non-government organization Kamp Pagkakaisa Volunteers Inc. (KPVI) since 2017 up to the present. This charity conducts an annual 10-day summer camp around the Calabarzon area in the Philippines for children and foster homes with special needs. They assist in providing educational support and mentoring. They also advocate for their rights. In KPVI, teacher Renelle collaborated with fellow volunteers and staﬀ to create inclusive learning environments and deliver targeted interventions.

Before working in the USA, she was a Sped teacher at the Philippine Women’s University-Jose Abad Santos Memorial School in Quezon City, Metro Manila, Philippines. She handled 1st to 12th grades there from August 2016 to June 2019.

She got her degree of Bachelor of Elementary Education with a Major in Special Education from the New Era University, Diliman, Quezon City, Philippines. She graduated in 2015. She was only 19 years old when she started teaching at New Era University in Quezon City, Metro Manila. She taught 7th to 10th grade there from August 2015 to June 2016.

She also built a program for junior and senior high school students. They set up a cafe where the students make, serve, and sell food. Her classes achieve a 100% success rate upon the conclusion of each academic year. All of her students were able to step up yearly into their new respective class levels.

Her favourite quote is, “A teacher affects eternity; He can never tell where his influence stops,” by Henry Adams. This is the reason why she makes sure she’s always patient, creative, adaptable, and knowledgeable for her students. Her empathetic and compassionate approach to teaching makes her an effective positive reinforcement for her students. Her advocacy is to effectively collaborate with her students, parents, caregivers, co-workers, and superiors.

Her inspiration for her noble career is her late father, who had the dream of having a teacher in the family. She sees teaching as a divine calling. Teacher Renelle is a breadwinner and supports her niece and nephew to finish college. Looking back in 2019, she remembered how hard her first year in the USA was. It was the most challenging yet satisfying decision she ever made. In that same year, she had one student who expressed that he wanted to become her classroom assistant in the future. He used this as inspiration to finish his studies. Teacher Renelle also developed a good relationship with the student’s parents. They send her life updates regularly, and they visit her annually.

Teacher Renelle’s inﬂuence on her students is undeniable. Her belief is indeed true. “Do everything with love, and the rest will follow.”

About the Writer

Wilminia Dumaop is a nationally acclaimed writer in the Philippines, a Carlos Palanca Memorial Grand Prize Awardee for literature. She received various writing awards from organizations, such as the YMCA (Young Men’s Christian Association) and The Lasallian Scholarum Awards, among others. She was the Editor-in-Chief of The Philippine Artisan, the Oﬃcial Student Publication of the Technological University of the Philippines, from 2007 to 2009. Her most recent essay received an award from the CFO Competitive Literary and Visual Arts International Finals.

Unlocking Property Value and Income Potential: The Case for Building an ADU

In the ever-evolving landscape of real estate investment, savvy property owners are constantly seeking ways to maximize the value of their assets. Enter the Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU), a discreet yet powerful addition to residential properties, promising not just increased value but also a potential source of passive income. In this article, we delve into the world of ADUs, exploring their beneﬁts, costs, and considerations for property owners.

An ADU, also known as a granny ﬂat or second unit, is a self-contained living space complete with a full kitchen and bathroom, typically built on the same property as a primary residence. This versatile structure oﬀers a myriad of advantages, with one of the most compelling being its ability to enhance property value. Studies have shown that ADUs can add anywhere from 10% to 25% to a property’s overall value, making them a sound investment for homeowners looking to bolster their equity.

The appeal of ADUs extends beyond mere ﬁnancial gains. These units also serve as an attractive source of passive income, especially in regions where housing demand outstrips supply. By renting out the ADU, homeowners can enjoy a steady stream of rental income, eﬀectively turning their property into a dual-income asset. Furthermore, the presence of an ADU can broaden the pool of potential buyers when it comes time to sell, as it appeals to individuals seeking both a residence and an additional source of income.

However, it’s important to approach ADU construction with a clear understanding of the associated costs and considerations. While the potential returns can be substantial, there are several expenses to factor into the equation. Permit fees, architectural and engineering costs, and connection to city utilities are just a few of the expenses that can add up quickly. Moreover, fluctuations in lumber and concrete prices, compounded by inflation and market dynamics, further underscore the importance of careful financial planning.

Navigating the regulatory landscape surrounding ADU construction can also pose challenges. Zoning regulations, building codes, and permit approval processes vary from one jurisdiction to another, requiring homeowners to stay informed and compliant every step of the way. Partnering with a contractor experienced in ADU construction can help streamline the process and minimize potential setbacks.

Another consideration is the valuation of ADUs, which remains a relatively new and evolving area for appraisers. While ADUs undoubtedly contribute to a property’s value, accurately quantifying this contribution can be challenging. As such, homeowners should temper their expectations when it comes to appraised values, recognizing that appraisers may not fully capture the ADU’s worth.

Despite these challenges, the potential benefits of building an ADU are undeniable. For homeowners contemplating whether to embark on this endeavor, it’s essential to weigh the costs against the potential returns, taking into account both financial and non-financial factors.

Factors such as location, market demand, and the specific needs of the homeowner should all inform the decision-making process. Ultimately, the decision to build an ADU should align with the homeowner’s long-term goals and objectives. Whether it’s increasing property value, generating rental income, or accommodating multigenerational living arrangements, ADUs offer a flexible and

versatile solution to meet a variety of needs. By carefully evaluating the costs, beneﬁts, and considerations involved, homeowners can make informed decisions that unlock the full potential of their properties. Thanks for your inquiries, please call Ken Go of 1st Innovative Finance Group 562-508-7048 or write to kennethgo@verizon.net CABRE 01021223 NMLS 238636

Australian, S. Korean rule Subic International Triathlon tourney

SUBIC FREEPORT, Zambales – Australian Luke Bate came up with an impressive performance to win the men’s elite title in the 2024 Subic Bay International Triathlon (SuBIT) here on Saturday, May 4.

The 25-year-old from Perth submitted the best aggregate time of 54 minutes and 25 seconds in the race held over 750m swim, 20km bike, and 5km run at the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) Freeport Boardwalk.

Compatriot Christopher Deegan posted 54:32 for second place while Japan’s Amu Omuro (54:38) was third.

Australians Rory Thornhill (54:48) and Jack Chrome (55:00) came fourth and ﬁfth, respectively, followed by Japanese Satoshi Iwamoto (55:13), Hokuto Obara, (55:28) and Kenshin Mori (55:34); Korean Kim Jusin (55:41); and Australian Samuel Mileham (55:47).

“I’ve been racing for eight years so I really wanted to win,” said the 6-foot-1 Bate, who resides in Wollongong City.

“It’s my ﬁrst time in the Philippines, I’m glad I won,” said Bate, currently No. 8 in Australia. “I hope I can come back next year. It depends on my schedule.”

Cebuano Andrew Kim Remolino, who won two silvers in triathlon and one silver in duathlon at the South East Asian (SEA) Games, was the best ﬁnisher among the locals. He clocked 56:09 for 13th place, while province mate Matthew Justine Hermosa (56:38) was 16th.

Joshua Ramos of Baguio Benguet Triathlon (56:53) was 19th, and Filipino-Spanish Fernando Jose Casares, a two-time SEAG gold winner, was 23rd with a time of 57:44.

Meanwhile, South Korean Jeong Hye Rim registered

1:01:22 to secure the women’s title in the event presented by NTT and Asian Triathlon and organized by Triathlon Philippines in cooperation with SBMA.

Iceland’s Edda Hannesdottir (1:01:32) took the silver medal while Australia’s Chloe Bateup (1:01:47) settled for the bronze.

Indonesia’s Martina Ayu Pratiwi (1:02:11) was fourth followed by Japan’s Manami Hayashi (1:02:15), Filipino Raven Faith Alcoseba (1:02:20), Guam’s Manami Iijima (1:02:31), Japan’s Himeka Sato (1:02:38), and South Korea’s Kim Gyuri (1:03:19) and Kim Ji Yeon (1:03:50).

“It’s too hot, (but) except for the weather, I’m okay,” the 25-year-old Jeong said through an interpreter.

TRIATHLETES. Champion Luke Bate (center) on the podium during the awarding ceremony of the Subic Bay Interna�onal Triathlon (SuBIT). With him are (from le�) Rory Thornhill and Christopher Deegan (Australia), Amu Omuro (Japan), and Jack Chrome

Jeong, who hails from Daejon City, was only hoping for a podium ﬁnish after placing 20th last year. She ﬁrst joined in 2018.

“I did not expect to win. It’s been six years since I ﬁrst joined the tournament, so I am very happy that I won the gold medal,” said Jeong, who pocketed the bronze medal in the junior division of the 2016 ITU World Triathlon Grand Final in Cozumel, Mexico.

Jeong debuted at the 2014 Incheon Asian Games where she won the silver medal in the mixed relay. At the 2022 Hangzhou Asiad, she was seventh in the individual event.

In the junior elite category, the top three ﬁnishers in the men’s division were Dayshaun Karl Ramos (1:02:05), Juan Miguel Tayag (1:02:40), and Darell Johnson (1:03:22).

The winners in the women’s division were Naomi Felicity Aytin (1:18:42), Edellaine Mae Diggs (1:18:36), and Maria Celinda Raagas (1:19:05).

The SuBIT is the longest-running Olympic distance triathlon in Asia and is supported by the Philippine Sports Commission. (Jean Malanum/PNA)

Ramos, Avanzado rule super sprint in Subic International Triathlon

SUBIC FREEPORT, Zambales – Euan Arrow Ramos and Eleora Avanzado ruled the Super Sprint 13-15 category of the 2024 Subic Bay International Triathlon (SuBIT) here on Sunday, May 5. Ramos, representing Baguio Benguet Triathlon, triumphed in the men’s side after clocking 35 minutes and 34 seconds at Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) Freeport Boardwalk.

Get Coach’D Army’s Peter Sancho Del Rosario (36:42) secured the silver medal while teammate Diego Jose Dimayuga (36:58) took the bronze medal.

Avanzado clocked 39:26 for the women’s gold medal in the event presented by NTT and Asian Triathlon and organized by Triathlon Philippines in cooperation with SBMA.

Christy Ann Perez of TLTG-Go for Gold captured the silver medal in 40:00 while Yvaine Osias settled for the bronze medal with a time of 41:42.

The podium ﬁnishers are aspiring to represent the country in the 4th Summer Youth Olympic Games in Dakar, Senegal in 2026.

In the Sprint age group, Daniel Cadavos (1:08:25) ruled the 1619 men’s category over Jacob Tan and Peter Jaynario, who both ﬁnished in 1:09:00.

Winners in other categories were John Wayne Ybanez (1:06:33), Daniel Nazarro (1:07:37) and Carlos Santiago Arenas (1:08:40), men’s 20-29; Allan Racines (1:19:51), Samuel Ebuen Bada (1:25:03) and Benjamin Asiddao Jr. (1:44:00), men’s 3039; Raﬀy Dolor (1:17:37), Bryan Lucas (1:19:04) and TJ Rabena (1:25:25), men’s 40-49; Dato Arroyo (1:31:46), Diosdado Soriano (1:38:37) and Joey Gatchalian (1:47:43), men’s 50-above.

TOP

Expansion of Medi-Cal for healthier lives for Californians in the works

The saying is health is wealth is given more importance today particularly in California as the Golden State is working to have Californians can get the care they need to live healthier lives.

This comes as the State’s Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) is transforming Medi-Cal in order that members now have access to new and improved benefits and services that go beyond the doctor’s office or hospital and address their medical and healthrelated social needs.

As a new benefit, for example, Enhanced Care Management (ECM) provides person centered care management to members with the most complex needs and Community Supports aim to improve Medi-Cal members’ overall health and well-being by addressing both medical and social factors that can impact a person’s health through programs like housing supports, home accessibility modifications, in-home care, sobering centers, asthma remediation and medically tailored nutritious meals.

At a news briefing by Ethnic Media Services and California Black Media, DHCS leadership discussed the MediCal transformation and the multiyear initiative to create a coordinated. enhanced and equitable system of care.

Medi-Cal community providers and health care workers also shared what ECM, Community Supports, and bridging the health information gap on the ground.

Among those who shared their expertise in the April 11 briefing titled Transforming Medi-Cal Bringing Quality Care to Communities were Deputy Director for Health Care Programs, California Department of Health Care Services Sarah Brooks, Senior Clinical Director at Pacific Clinics Rachelle Grant, Director of Health Equity Services, Somali Family Services of San Diego Agnes Hajek, Program Manager, Umma Community Clinic Angelica Rodriguez and Executive Director/ Board Chair Mari Perez-Ruiz, and Rural Health Equity Community Organizer, with Central Valley Empowerment Alliance Aide Hernandez.

Speakers at this first of six briefings sponsored by DHCS shared how Medi-Cal is bridging health gaps on the ground by connecting communities to new services that go beyond the doctor’s office — like housing supports, home accessibility modifications, inhome care, sobering centers, asthma remediation and medically tailored nutritious meals.

Roughly 1 in 3 or 15 million Californians currently enrolled in Medi-Cal, are being ably supported by transformation in health care through Community Supports services and the Enhanced Care Management (ECM) benefit with Deputy Director Brooks announcing that Community Supports is aiming to “keep people out of costly emergency rooms or institutions and support them in their homes and com-

By Jun Nucum

munities, helping them in their place of need.”

In explaining how Medi-Cal is working to help members recover from illness, stay healthy and thrive at home, Brooks mentioned that ECM “supports Medi-Cal members with the most complex physical, mental or social needs — who often who are too sick or impaired to keep track of doctor’s appointments and prescriptions — by assigning them a single lead care manager to help them navigate services like basic care, dental, mental health, substance use disorder treatment and long-term care, as well as equipment and transportation.”

“These are at-risk individuals, including people experiencing homelessness, foster youth, pregnant women and their children, adults at risk for long-term care institutionalization and people transitioning from nursing home care facilities back into the community,” Brooks continued.

“Health systems can be burdensome to navigate, and we’re working hard to revolutionize that by simplifying and broadening how members across the state access care, helping them live more independently and safely at home — no matter where they live, what language they speak, or the complexity of their needs,” Brooks added.

For her part, Grant believes that for the state to say “everyone deserves health’ is one thing, but to invest in the lives of a third of Californians is another.”

“Other health plans and states aren’t doing this,” Grant revealed. “As the state’s largest nonprofit communitybased behavioral health service provider, we now have more referrals than ever in the history of our organization, including 27,000 outreaches to eligible members since the start of ECM” in January 2022.

Pacific Clinics where Grant is the Senior Clinical Director, now provides ECM and Community Supports services in 20 counties. Community Supports they offer include housing services, such as deposit and move-in loans

up to $6,000, landlord and roommate facilitation, household maintenance navigators and daily skills habilitation programs — to ever-growing success.

“Our street outreach team discovered another individual living in a tent who shared that he was unable to get a job due to an injury, but he also didn’t qualify for disability. He called into our first day of rehabilitation Zoom classes from his tent, and learned new skills to help him find shelter,” Grant continued. “There’s no wrong door to get these services — it’s about meeting people’s needs where they are.”

Providing support and preventative care for asthma patients in underserved communities is what Agnes Hajek trains her services and is positive that the pandemic “proved that “community health workers who speak the language, who are trusted by the community, are the first responders for linguistically or culturally isolated people.”

Hajek’s Somali Family Services of San Diego, which serves refugees and immigrants from several regions, including the Middle East, Haiti and north and east Africa.

Typical of the organization’s culturally tailored Medi-Cal services is its asthma remediation program in which community workers provide supplies like air purifiers, humidifiers, pillowcases, and mattress covers; inspect homes for mold; develop asthma plans in several languages; and gather support groups to address symptoms.

“Growing up in South Central Los Angeles to Mexican immigrant parents, I’ve seen firsthand the barriers our community can face when trying to access care,” recalled Angelica Rodriguez, Program Manager of Umma Community Clinic, which serves lowincome, predominantly brown and Black populations in the area.

“There are so many ways we can fall through the cracks. Some can’t afford to take time off work when health centers are open nine to five on weekdays. Others can’t seek care due to language or cultural barriers, or hav-

ing to take multiple buses to get to the closest clinic. Some can’t afford nutritious foods to help them stay healthy,” Rodriguez enumerated. “Now, we can address these issues beyond the clinic walls.”

Mari Perez-Ruiz, Executive Director of Central Valley Empowerment Alliance (CVEA), serving a 40 percent Filipino and 99 percent farmworker population primarily in Tulare County rued that “neglect by, and low trust in, care systems is a widespread barrier to health in rural California.”

“Geographical challenges also worsen this access barrier, as we don’t have public transportation for medical appointments. We have two buses that come when they can, one in the morning, one in the evening,” PerezRuiz continued, adding that Medi-Cal lets CVEA bridge these access gaps by bringing care to those least reached and most in need of it.

Perez-Ruiz explained that, in partnering with Tulare County Public Health, CVEA health workers “bring these new services into rural communities.”

“We do street medicine with farmworkers by their houses, mobile blood pressure checks, Medi-Cal enrollment help, preventive care with children to break the cycle that leads them to feel uncomfortable going to the doctor, and connect people to shelter,” Perez-Ruiz conveys.

This challenge on farmworkers was echoed by rural health equity organizer Hernandez voicing that “many farmworkers don’t get the health care they need because they’re too busy worrying about how they’re going to get their next meal on the table.”

“Community members have come in, not knowing they have a serious condition,” she added, “and the following day, they’re diagnosed with diabetes, they have a limb removed, and they’re in a very serious place because they didn’t get preventive care. To be able to connect these families to this expansion of services is life-changing and life-saving.”

Sarah Brooks Rachelle Grant Agnes Hajek

Angelica Rodriguez Mari Perez-Ruiz

Aide Hernandez

Mother’s day weekend Glendale concert tickets have sold; tickets for May 12 show going fast

The anticipation for “Odette Quesada All Hits 40th Anniversary Celebration” at the Alex Theatre in Glendale on May 11 has reached a crescendo as tickets for the event have completely sold out. Fans eagerly secured their seats to witness this amazing throwback concert.

In her social media post, Quesada was very grateful to all her fans, and reminded those who are still on the fence to be sure to grab tickets for the San Francisco Bay Area leg of the concert series.

ABS-CBN International Head of Events Business Development Kerwin Du shared his excitement, stating, “The overwhelming response to Odette Quesada’s concert is a testament to her enduring impact on music lovers around the world. We are thrilled to see such enthusiastic support from her fans.”

When asked about what was keeping

(From page 1)

placing the East Solano Homes, Jobs, and Clean Energy Initiative on the November ballot qualifying the initiative to the for Solano County ballot next elections.

“Solano County voters want to have their voices heard,” beamed Michael Fortney, 3rd generation Solano resident and Head of Partnerships for California Forever. “Today we are grateful to the more than 20,000 voters across Solano County who have helped place the East Solano Homes, Jobs, and Clean Energy initiative on the ballot.

Fortney is conﬁdent that Solano County will have a choice to make this November on whether Solano County residents “want to stay stuck in the status quo that is clearly not working for so many working families across Solano?”

“Or, do we want a better future? One that brings much needed investment to Solano creating local jobs, aﬀordable homes, and clean energy that will ensure our kids and grandkids have a place to grow right here at home,” asked Fortney.

Vacaville Vice Mayor Greg Ritchie also announced his endorsement of the East Solano Homes, Jobs, and Clean Energy Initiative.

“I’m proud to support the East Solano Plan for the benefits it will bring to all residents of Solano County,” endorsed Ritchie. “We have an opportunity to determine what Solano County will look like in the future, and I know that this initiative offers tangible improvements we need: good paying jobs, economic investments, and more homes our families and our children can afford.”

The Solano County Registrar of Voters now needs to validate the signatures turned in. California Forever needed to collect 13,000 signatures. They turned in 20,000.

Tim Flanagan of the Registrar of Voters expects their oﬃce to spend the next 1-3 months counting and reviewing the

her passion alive all these years, Quesada expressed, “The passion is actually all in the live performances. I’m really, really enjoying performing in front of

signatures. The proposed initiative needs 50 percent plus one to pass.

The East Solano Plan brings 15,000 local jobs paying over $88,000/year, a $200 million commitment to invest in revitalizing downtowns in existing Solano cities, and $500 million in community beneﬁts for downpayment assistance, scholarships, and small business grants for Solano residents.

The massive project, backed by some of Silicon Valley’s most inﬂuential billionaires, seeks to build a brand-new city on thousands of acres of Bay Area farmland in Solano County, the land that was purchased by a parent company, Flannery Associates, over a period of several years but the approval of a ballot initiative— which, it would appear, has been accomplished.

Earlier, California Forever issued a statement on alleged “misinformation about signature gathering in Solano County saying:

“Opponents of the East Solano Homes, Jobs, and Clean Energy Initiative have been spreading misinformation regarding the petition currently in circulation that would qualify the measure for this November’s election. This is an attempt by the opponents to prevent Solano County voters from deciding what future they want for themselves and their children.”

The statement later claimed that:

Those who are gathering signatures throughout Solano County are professional signature gatherers who have done so on many other successful statewide and local ballot initiatives;

The signature gatherers are provided a fact sheet that presents very clearly what the proposed measure would do. Here is the fact sheet;

The petition that Solano County residents are signing clearly displays the title and summary of the measure, as written by the Solano County Counsel’s Ofﬁce, as well as the proposed language in its entirety. The title and summary are displayed on every signature page, just

a small crowd, a big crowd, It doesn’t matter.” Quesada aﬃrms that there is a real connection with the audience, mainly because “I’m ﬁnally enjoying it my-

above where any voter signs. The page clearly identiﬁes California Forever as the funder of the initiative; and

Anyone who signs the petition is not voting for or against the measure — they are giving Solano County voters a chance to decide on the measure should it qualify for the November 2024 General Election.

“A small but vocal group of oppo-

self, and I think that radiates to people watching.”

AIP Entertainment Co-Founder Saripaz Villar, is excited to bring Odette’s 40th anniversary concert series to the U.S., especially after the sold out shows in Manila last year. “We got very overwhelming reaction and feedback from the Filipinos here, so, we are so excited to share to the Filipinos all over the world the show that we have,” adds Villar.

Crossover Events Head Rio Manotoc also underlines that while so many fans and listeners know and hear Quesada’s songs, “to know the stories behind the songs, and from the very person who wrote them is a very special experience.” That is why Manotoc is looking forward to audiences in Los Angeles and in San Francisco to enjoy the shows.

nents are attempting to create confusion and prevent Solano County voters from deciding what future they want for themselves and their children. They will not succeed. We encourage everyone considering whether or not to sign our petition to read the ﬁne print, ask questions, and keep an open mind -- and let the voters decide,” said Matthew Rodriguez, Campaign Manager for the ballot initiative.

As I See It

(From Page 11)

of the American Chinese Youth Performing Foundation (ACYPF).

The Legendary Story Teller winner was Gerrye Wong, a fourth generation Chinese American who has always been an avid story teller of Chinese-American history as an elementary school teacher for the Moreland San Jose School District (MSJSD).

Most Valuable Player was awarded to Amy Zhao, Liyan Zhao, Chin Lin, and Alex Lin, for their exceptional contributions to the team for the Asian American stories.

The members of the board of judges were: Joel Wong, contest co-chair, chairman; Sandy Close, Founder, Ethnic Media Services; Santa Clara Mayor Lisa Gilmor, Milpitas Mayor Carmen Montano; Tony Shyu, Hollywood award-winning TV and Film director; Richard Flanders, Rotary District 5170 Governor, Attorney; Former Assembly Member of the state of California Kansen Chu; David Louie, Past editor, reporter, ABC-owned KGO-TV; Beverly Molina, Santa Clara ﬁreﬁghter and author; Maggie Liu, founder of Brotherhood Cup Foundation; Mattie Scariot, director of the Poppy Jasper International Film Festival; Don Orozco, Filipino American Media leader; Piyush Malik, Startup executive, entrepreneur, board advisor; David Mosby, CEO of e21 Academy; and Elpidio R. Estioko, Educator, PR pro, author, journalist and author of the book Unlocking the Chain of Poverty: In Pursuit of the American Dream which is available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Xlibris Publishing.

Co-chairs for the Asian American Video Contest 2023 – 2024 were Diana Ding and Francis Espiritu, President/Publisher, Philippine News Today (PNT).

The Asian American Tell Your Stories Contest will continue its mission to share stories with the world and work together to be a strong voice in our nation!

Fellow Asian Americans, let’s be part of the advocacy - “All of Us Belong Here!”

Health & Wealth...

(From Page 11)

ing SB-10 Food Health Supplement” which described how I maintained my blood sugar level ranges from 97 to 110 and blood pressure ranges from 101/68 to 118/72which are all normal after raking SB-10 daily. I also experienced better and deeper sleep, more energy. SB-10 even improved my eyesight and potency as a man.

As an active Evangelist and founder of FITNESS FOR HUMANKITY (aka FTNESS FOR CHRIST), I am committed and dedicated to share the gospel and SB-10 to ALL my FRANCS (Friends, Relatives, Acquaintances, Neighbors, Co-Workers, Strangers) for good health (spiritually and physically) and longevity.

I, therefore, encourage you to have daily intake of SB-20 for your good health and longevity. Remember, YOUR GOOD HEALTH IS YOUR WEALTH. You can order 5 or 10 bottles supply of SB-10 for you and your family like what Solomon de Vera and his sister-in-law did.

If you order only one bottle of SB-10, the cost is $30 plus shipping and handling ($9.85). For order of 4 bottles of SB-10, we’ll give YOU one bottle FREE at discounted price of only $120 (with FREE shipping and handling) a total savings of more than $60. We’ll also give YOU FREE autographed copy of “LONGEVITY TIPS” subtitled “Secrets You Can Discover and Do for Good Health and Longevity” or “R.A.W. WIDOM” subtitled “FINDING PEACE IN THE MIDST OF CHAOS,” best-selling books available at Amazon (in Hardcover, Paperback and E-book). This Special Oﬀer is available from May 5,2024 to August 18, 2024 to commemorate our 50th Wedding Anniversary on May 5, 2024 and my 77th Birthday on August 18,2024. This Oﬀer is good only in the United States.

For your initial supply of 5 bottles of SB-10 with FREE autographed copy of selected book, just send $120 (in check or money order) to: ART G. MADLAING, 730 Madrid Street San Francisco, CA 94112 Tel. (650) 438-3531 or (415) 584-7095 or email: artmadlaing@hotmail.com

(ART GABOT MADLAING is accredited and commissioned Notary Public and licensed Real Estate Broker (DRE#00635976) in California since 1981. He is founder of MOBILE SIGNNG SERVICES, FITNESS FOR HUMANITY (aka FITNESS FOR CHRIST) and ACAPINOY. Art is active Evangelist with the GOLDEN GATE

PMASC Celebrates the Induction of its 2024-2025 Leadership

60 schools with 37 that are approved by the National Medical Commission. Cebu Institute of Medicine, Lyceum Medical, De La Salle Medical, Angeles Medical, South Western University Medical were represented at the event.

Garden Grove - On May 4, 2024, Los Angeles Philippine Deputy Consul General Maria Alnee A. Gamble inducted the Philippine Medical Association of Southern California (PMASC) Oﬃcers for 2024-2025 at the Embassy Suites in Garden Grove, California. They were President Warren Regh Gabrillo III, Immediate Past President Henrico Mungcal, President Elect Agnes Joaquin, Vice-President Salvardor L. Abiera, Secretary Emma Arella, PRO Samuel L. Aquino, Asst. Secretary Susan Aquino, Treasurer Ma. Teresa Galarpe-Pastor, Auditor Ma. Eleanor Abejuela, Executive Director/EVP Reynaldo Abejuela; Members of the Board are Nerissa Abiera, Albert, Encina, Maxlen Fernandez, Jesus Licuanan, Victor Sunga, Rita Guiamelon, Earl Uychocde, Irene Igual, Cathy Uyloan, Arlene Nieva and Auxillary Members Lally Gabrillo, Roger Igual, Divinia Encina, and Vernon Nieva. The Executive Council includes Marilou E. Dichoso.

53 years ago, the Philippine Medical Association of Southern California was organized by a group of Filipino American doctors led by Dr. Roland Navarro as a platform to highlight their signiﬁcant contributions to the American healthcare system. The late Dr. Noli Zosa propelled the organization to become a formidable organization. The PMASC members belong to a conglomeration of Philippine medical schools. During the earlier years, there were only 5 medical schools in the country and these were the University of the Philippines, University of Santos Tomas, Far Eastern University, University of the East and Manila Central University. Today, there are

The medical missions to the Philippines remain a top priority humanitarian program of the organization. Their next mission destination is to Carcar, Cebu in 2025.

To those interested in joining the organization, please contact Dr. Warren Gabrillo III at warren3gabrillo@gmail.com or Dr. Ray Abejuela at RYLNMD2yahoo.com

with that, our host asked.

So the Chinese women working at POGOs also availed of the services of Filipino men, I asked.

Maybe, he said. Another friend told me that she was doing business with the POGO employees. She was using her van to ferry the workers to and from their homes and places of employment. She was getting paid quite well for providing the daily transports services, she told me, then asked if the small van I own could be used for the same service.

I have to admit that I thought about it for a while. But I eventually decided that

the ﬁnancial rewards were not commensurate to the headaches that came with dealing with Chinese who may or may not be in the country legally.

Incidentally, besides prostitution and money laundering, gun-running was also rampant in the industry. Presumably, the ﬁrearms they get are not legal, which could mean that the amateur but talented gun makers of Danao are doing brisk business with industry players.

At this stage, calls for the removal of all POGOs seem to have died down. I’d hate to think that the government oﬃcials who used to speak loudly against POGOs have been befriended by the operators.

Perhaps they have been the recipients of POGO largesse above and beyond a simple lunch or dinner?

Or have very influential officials told them to back off for now, maybe?

Your guess is as good as mine.

They may have come to accept the POGOs as legit businesses that help the Philippine economy, but in my book they are about as welcome in my country as another global pandemic emanating from the People’s Republic.

(From Page 11)

Unraveling the Critical Shortage of Sped Teachers in California

By Audrey Ann Bayogos

Special education (Sped) is a very important system that provides support and resources to students with varying disabilities. This is to ensure that all students, despite their condition, have access to quality education. Some of the students’ disabilities are autism spectrum disorder (ASD), mild intellectual disability (MID), moderate to severe intellectual disability (MSID), multiple disabilities (MD), and sensory impairment. The aim of Sped is to help students thrive academically and socially.

Qualiﬁ ed Sped teachers play a pivotal role in the students’ success. However, in recent years, there has been a shortage of Sped teachers in California. This issue creates signiﬁ cant challenges and has a damaging impact on the quality of education provided to students with special needs.

According to the research from the Learning Policy Institute (LPI), “Enrolees with disabilities steadily grow in number. This directly increases the demand for more Sped teachers. The number of students increased by 13% from 11.7% of the population in 2014–2025 and 2018–2019 respectively.” California’s Special Education Teacher Shortage (report) by Naomi Ondrasek, Desiree Carver-Thomas, Caitlin Scott, and Linda Darling-Hammond. Moreover, they added, “California’s worsening shortage of special education teachers is a

‘ﬁ

ve-alarm ﬁ re,’ with two of every three new recruits entering without having completed preparation programs.”

Despite the increase in students, on the contrary, there is a decrease in the number of qualifi ed Sped teachers. According to the California Department of Education (CDE), there is a signifi cant decline in the number of individuals 1 pursuing special education teaching credentials. Therefore, there is a shortage of qualifi ed individuals in the fi eld. Because of the high turnover rate among Sped teachers, there is a constant increase in the need for new hires. Another cause of the shortage is the lack of incentives and support provided for the Sped teacher. Teaching in Sped requires regular training and resources in order to give them the knowledge and skills to cater to students with diff erent needs. Sped teachers are also facing heavy work loads at school and inadequate funding. This limits their professional development opportunities.

The unique challenges and demands for Sped teachers are also another major reason why there are only a very limited number of qualiﬁ ed candidates for the position. Many professionals would rather choose other teaching specialties or careers. Moreover, obtaining a special education credential in California can be a lengthy and complex process. This discourages potential candi-

dates from pursuing a career in special education.

Meanwhile, the cultural exchange program supplies the needs of teachers in Sped. But this is for a limited amount of time only. After the validity of the J1 visa, they either have to go back to their home country or try to apply for a better visa. This does not meet the demand for Sped teachers in the long run. Therefore, the cycle of scarcity continues.

In my four years of experience working as a cultural exchange Sped teacher in California, I always make sure that my students receive the kind of care and attention they need. “Through success and failure, you will always be there for your students!” This is my belief. I always say this whenever I get invited to speak at an event or a seminar. Having disabilities should not hinder someone’s educational growth. It is so disheartening to see the eﬀ ects of Sped teacher scarcity in the city.

2 The shortage of Sped teachers has signiﬁ cant implications for the education system in California. Inadequate numbers of qualiﬁ ed teachers mean that students with special needs do not receive the attention and support they require. This will hinder the overall educational success of the students. In the long run, it will create a widening achievement gap that may worsen the

challenges for the students, the teachers, and their families.

This is a pressing issue that needs to be addressed urgently. With respect to ﬁ nding a solution to address the gap, the government should increase funding for special education programs. This will mobilise and amplify the materials and facilities being used by the students for their academic and social growth.

More so, the teachers’ training must be enhanced. This will cater to the need of teachers to be regularly updated with the knowledge and skills that they need to address the needs of their students.

There should also be an attractive incentive for special education careers. In this way, this will inspire candidates to passionately drive themselves towards this noble profession.

Lastly, one of the best tools to alleviate isolation among Sped teachers is to give them better platforms for collaboration and support networks. This can help them get the best sharing experience of the best practices, resources, and strategies in the ﬁ eld.

Quality education must be available for every student, regardless of their abilities. Addressing the critical shortage of Sped teachers in California can ensure that all students, regardless of their abilities, receive an inclusive and quality education.

Heart of Hope

No. Thanks to those vulnerable unvaccinated, COVID-19 is still with us. Had everyone been vaccinated against COVID-19 from the ﬁrst day vaccines were available, we should have had herd immunity, and COVID-19 would have left us. Between April 21 to April 27, 2024, there were still 5,098 patients hospitalized for COVID-19. While the death rate was down to 0.8 percent, that is still signiﬁcant. As I have said often, one life lost is one too many.

While the respiratory season may be ending in the USA, a new group of COVID-19 variants, called “FLiRT” is now ﬂirting with us as variant KP.2, which overtook the JN.1 omicron subvariant. KP.2 accounts for 25 percent of infections nationwide, according to USCDC. The other variant is KP.1.1. Will there be another surge of COVID-19?

Let us get the new vaccine for the new strains of COVID-19 and continue our vigilance.

Rice and diabetes

All carbohydrates (sugars), which have high glycemic index (easily digested after eating and cause blood glucose (sugar) spikes are the nemesis of diabetics. Among these carbs are the notorious soft drinks, rice, bread, pasta, potato, beans, milk, popcorn, cookies, corn, cakes, ice-cream, pies, and most desserts.

Rice, the staple food in most Asian countries, now also in Latin America and Africa. It usually provides more than 50 percent of the calories consumed in those nations.

Diabetics are advised to minimize carbs (like rice, bread, sweets) in the diet, which significantly and rapidly affect blood sugar levels. Brown rice, which has more fibers and nu-

Has COVID-19 left?

trients, fewer calories and carb in it, is actually not healthier than white rice, as previously thought. The hull of brown rice (is removed, only bran remains) contains signiﬁcant toxins like lectins that injures gut lining, causes brain fog, and triggers auto immune system in some people. The hull that has been removed also contains arsenic.

White rice (reﬁned carb) lacks ﬁber and nutrients, hence it is enriched during production. It has a high glycemic index, compared to brown rice. White rice is one of the reasons why Asian countries, especially the Philippines, have very high prevalence of diabetes Mellitus T2.

Basmati rice, which has higher ﬁber, lower calories, and lower glycemic index, is healthier than reﬁned white rice. It has more nutrients, lower arsenic contamination, more folate, thiamine, selenium, B Vitamin, Zinc, phosphorus in it.

The best strategy is moderation in intake of rice in general. Personally, I love basmati rice, but am minimizing it for caloric control. Diabetics should get at least 50 percent of their daily carb from whole grains (lower glycemic index than rice), which contains complex carbs that takes the body longer to break down, reducing sugar spikes. Many health-conscious people are giving up rice for vegetable salad with olive oil-vinegar dressing.

Some of the whole grain foods are oats, whole grain wheat bread, quinoa, Rye, buckwheat, bulgur wheat, millet, whole barley, spelt (ancient wheat), brown rice. Nothing beats vegetables, fruits, and nuts. Red meat is not essential, and man can stay healthier without red meat.

Caloric portion or quantity is essential, especially for those who are overweight and/or are diabetics. Discuss this with your physician or dietician for proper guidance, or “consult Dr. Google.”

Nightshades and arthritis

There are vegetables that are called Nightshades (Solanaceae family). They are inﬂammatory food items bad for the body, especially for those with arthritis. They aggravate joint pains. Some of these items are tomatoes, white potatoes, pepper, eggplants, paprika. Tobacco actually belongs to the nightshade family and tobacco contains a carcinogenic substance in it.

The inﬂammatory ingredients in tomatoes are in the skin and in the seeds; removing them before cooking helps minimize them. It seems to be the same for eggplants, which are good antioxidants.

Avoiding inflammatory food items is important for everyone, not only to those with arthritis. Our bodies’ enemies are oxidation, inflammation, imbalanced microbiome. Luckily, we have the knowledge and resources to fight these nemeses. Its now up to us.

Olive Oil: beneﬁts

Olive oil, especially the one from Morocco, northwest Africa, with high levels of monosaturated fats (73 percent healthy oleic acid) and a lot of powerful antioxidants, polyphenols (hydroxy-thyrosol), provide large healthy antiinﬂammatory properties.

For cooking (frying, etc.) the Light Tasting Olive Oil is the best, better than Canola, Vegetable oil, Coconut oil, palm oil or corn oil. The extra virgin olive oil (EVOO), cold pressed, is especially good for dips, and for drinking (one teaspoon daily). Monosaturated fats are quite resistant to high heat, unlike Canola and other oils, making light olive oil a healthy choice for cooking. Oil that is not heat-resistant and burns is detrimental to health, much like charcoalburnt red meats, a risk for cancer.

The biologically active antioxidants and anti-inﬂammatory substances (oleocanthal, with action like ibuprofen) in olive oil reduce the risk for chronic illnesses and lower cholesterol, hence heart healthy. Olive oil can reduce biomarkers like C-reactive protein (CRP) and lowers blood pressure and bad cholesterol,

help prevent stroke, and reduce heart disease. It lubricates the joints and reduces joint pains in osteoarthritis, and also in rheumatoid arthritis, especially when combined with ﬁsh oil.

Olive oil may also help prevent Alzheimer’s, which is associated with plaques in the brain. Olive oil was shown to reduce plaques in the brain in mice. It also has anti-cancer properties by reducing oxidative damage due to free radicals, a leading driver of cancer. Olive oil also has antibacterial properties and also lowers the risk for dementia-related death. Olive oil is a wonderful drug for prevention of diseases and for maximal health and longevity.

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 decorated recipient of the Indiana Sagamore of the Wabash Award in 1995, presented by then Indiana Governor, US senator, and later a presidential candidate, Evan Bayh. Other Sagamore past awardees include President Harry Truman, President George HW Bush, Muhammad Ali, Astronaut Gus Grissom (Wikipedia). Websites: FUN8888.com, Today. SPSAtoday.com, and philipSchua.com Email: scalpelpen@gmail.com

PHILIP S. CHUA

Recipe of the Week

Chicken Asado,

Ingredients:

1 k. chicken, cut into serving pieces with the bones intact

1/4 cup kalamansi juice

1/4 cup soy sauce

1 cup tomato sauce

2 medium size onion, chopped

1/2 head garlic, minced

4 potatoes, quartered

3 pc. bay leaf

salt and pepper

cooking oil

Cooking procedure:

In a bowl marinate chicken with kalamansi, soy sauce, salt and pepper for 10 to 20 minutes before cooking. In a sauce pan fry chicken for 3 to 5 minutes or until colour turn to golden brown in batches. Remove from pan, set aside. In same sauce pan sauté garlic and onion, add in chicken, stir fry for 2 to 3 minutes, Add tomato sauce and bay leaf, stir cook for 1 to 2 minutes. Pour in 2 to 3 cups of water and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes. Add in potato and simmer for another 5 to 10 minutes or until chicken and potato are cooked and tender and until most of the liquid has evaporated. Correct saltines if required. Serve hot.

2024 Vallejo Pista Sa Nayon to Debut Filipino Fashion Show, DJ Showcase and Weavers on June 1 at Mare Island

VALLEJO, Calif. — The Philippine Cultural Committee will host Vallejo Pista Sa Nayon, the annual festival celebration of Filipino heritage and history at Mare Island Coal Sheds, on June 1, 2024. This year’s theme, “Weaving Generations of Filipino Culture and Traditions,” stresses the importance of strengthening and connecting the social fabric of the Filipino-American community, as well as previewing the latest addition to this year’s family-friendly festival – Pista’s ﬁrst-ever Filipino fashion show.

The theme was inﬂuenced by Festival Organizer Jennie Mojica’s recent visit to the Philippines, where she visited diﬀerent regions of the country and drew inspiration from the talent, hospitality and unity of the people. She also met Lucia Capuyan-Catanes, the daughter of late designer Narda Capuyan. Their chance meeting led to the idea of a fashion show that will highlight the work by renowned designers from the Philippines, New York, San Diego, Vallejo and the Bay Area. Gracing Pista’s catwalk is Narda’s Handwoven Arts & Crafts, which has previously been featured at New York’s Couture Fashion Week. Other designers include Lola Weavers, Pineapple Industries, La Union, Barong Barkada and Vallejo’s own Barong and Formal.

A dynamite DJ showcase will headline our always popular concert stage. Filipino DJs who have made signiﬁcant contributions to hip-hop and the DJ industry in the Bay Area will transport the audience on a trip from the 1980s all the way back to the present. Headliner and world champion DJ Shortkut has toured more than 20 countries with his pioneering turntable skills. The lineup also includes Glen Aure, former Program Director, Music Director and Mixshow DJ for 106 KMEL San Francisco; Ken “DJ KenFused” Anolin, who has been featured on KQED; and special guest DJs. The Fresh Crew’s own Kendo and J.E. will be the festival DJs for the day. Mojica encourages festival-goers to stay until the end. “This year is really special,” Mojica said. “I promise the ﬁnale is something that has never been

experienced in Pista’s 38-year history.”

The Cultural Pavilion and Youth Stage, which both debuted during the 2023 festival, return this year. The Cultural Pavilion will feature weaving demonstrations by the Kalingafornia Laga collective: pre-Philippine script and Filipino tattoo artists Kristian Kabuay and Apat Na Alon Tribe (Mark of the Four Waves); heirloom bead workshops; history panels by the Vallejo Filipino American National Historical Society; and kids activities led by the Kababayan Kids and volunteer youth. The Pavilion Youth Stage will include performances and cultural dance demos by students from Vallejo and Bethel high schools.

The Filipino Martial Arts Tournament, another favorite among festivalgoers, will return for its 15th annual showcase.

And for the foodies, more Filipino food trucks and vendors have been added serving up the most delicious Filipino food and drinks that Northern California has to oﬀer. This year, our partner Mare Island Brewery will debut its special edition Pista Pilsner, which was brewed with input from its Filipino-American staﬀ and made available exclusively at the festival.

Attendance is expected to exceed 8,000 and parking on Mare Island is limited. We encourage attendees to take the free round-trip San Francisco Bay Ferry service between the Vallejo Waterfront and Mare Island.

“On the same day as Pista, our partners Chelu Car Club are presenting their annual car show “Battle of the Bay” downtown Vallejo from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. We encourage attendees to visit both events in style on the SF Bay Ferry!” Mojica said.

The 2024 Vallejo Pista Sa Nayon is made possible with the sponsorship support of the City of Vallejo, Mare Island Company, East Solano, Cache Creek, Kaiser Permanente, NBC Bay Area and the San Francisco Bay Ferry.

The Mare Island Coal Shed is located at 850 Nimitz Avenue in Vallejo. For more information, visit vallejopistasanayon.com.

Sky River Casino’s Spectacular May Promotions: Winning Has Never Been This Exciting

As the calendar turns to May, Sky River Casino is set to dazzle members with a host of promotions that promise excitement, luxury, and a touch of elegance. Get ready for a month where every moment at the casino oﬀers a chance at winning something extraordinary, from dream cars to designer handbags.

Drive Away With A Dream Car

Feel the energy on the casino ﬂoor spike every Saturday night from May 1 to July 27, between 7 pm and 10 pm with the “Road to Glory” giveaway, as members are presented with the chance to win the ultimate prize: a brand-new car. From the sleek lines of the Lincoln Nautilus to the muscular contours of the Ford Mustang GT, and the commanding presence of the GMC Sierra, there’s a perfect match for every winner’s taste. Beyond the allure of these stunning vehicles, members can rev up their winning potential with 100 bonus entries for every 100 Tier Credits accumulated every Monday and Tuesday. And the chance at winning doesn’t end there –cash and Free Play are also on the prize roster. Don’t forget to secure your free daily entry with a swipe at the promotional kiosk, because every visit oﬀers a new opportunity to turn the key on a new luxury ride.

Adding a dash of British sophistication to Sky River’s May lineup, the London Fog Handbag Collection Giveaway on Thursdays or Fridays from 3 pm to 10 pm allows members to accessorize their wardrobes with timeless elegance. By earning 500 Tier Credits, members can walk away with a distinguished new

each week, from

or a versatile

OCEAN Restaurant: A Voyage to Vietnamese Delicacies

Adding to the enchantment of May, OCEAN restaurant at The Market proudly presents a new traditional Vietnamese menu. Delight in the authentic ﬂavors with steaming bowls of pho, freshly

made banh mi, and succulent Shrimp Spring Rolls. Open every day to satisfy your culinary cravings, visit OCEAN from 4 pm to 10 pm Sunday through Thursday, and extend your gourmet journey from 11 am through 12 am on Friday and Saturday. Discover more about this dining jewel at https://www.skyriver. com/dining-and-drinks/the-market-atsky-river/ocean-bar

Make your way to Sky River Casino this May for a gaming experience that transcends the tables and slot machines. Whether it’s the thrill of the game or the delight of a gourmet meal at OCEAN, the potential to win – and dine – in style is boundless. For the full rundown on May’s promotions and the sumptuous oﬀerings at OCEAN, visit Sky River Casino.com.

About Sky River Casino

Sky River Casino was built by the Wilton Rancheria in partnership with Boyd Gaming Corporation, which is building and managing the property for the tribe. The casino opened in August 2022 and includes 100,000 sq ft of gaming, 2,100 slot machines, 80+ table games, and 18 bars and restaurants. To learn more, visit www.SkyRiver.com.

London Fog Handbag Collection Giveaway

accessory

a sleek Wallet to a stylish Crossbody Bag, a classic Satchel,

Tote.