Philippine News Today

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Readies additional $100-M military aid to the Philippines

By ALFRED GABOT, Editor-in-Chief

SINGAPORE/MANILA — After the warming up of ties between US President Joseph Biden Jr. and Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., the United States announced plans to expand its presence in the South China Sea to secure and ensure a free and open Indo-Pacific amid heating tensions in the region over freedom of navigation and conflicting claims of islands and shoals in the area.

California Community Colleges firm on support for undocumented students amid court ruling on DACA

By Jo Erlinda Maufit

SACRAMENTO, California —

The California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office has reaffirmed its commitment to undocumented students in light of a recent federal appeals court decision which said the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) policy violates U.S. immigration law and bars new applications for DACA benefits by un-

documented students.

The court decision stokes fears and puts a program in jeopardy that provides deportation protection and work permits to thousands of Californians who lack legal status, including many community college students, it was learned.

In a statement sent to Philippine News Today, the Califor-

By Gilda Balan, Correspondent

SAN FRANCISCO - This month of October started with a simple act replete with meaning. The city of San Francisco paid tribute to a very senior citizen who was the victim of an unprovoked hate attack resulting

in his death by naming a street after him.

The street formerly known as Sonora Lane is now known as Vicha Ratanapakdee Way. It was named after an 84-year-old Thai-American who

Gunman of broadcaster Lapid surrenders, mastermind unknown

By Be�ng Laygo Dolor, Editor

MANILA – The October 3 assassination of popular broadcaster Percival ‘Percy Lapid’ Mabasa may have

Cebu still PHL’s richest city, province

He was not the first victim, but he represents all the victims

PESO-DOLLAR

Joseph

Got These cards?

Law resetting barangay, SK polls questioned before high court

MANILA An election lawyer has challenged before the Supreme Court (SC) the law resetting the Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) elections from December this year to October 2023.

In his petition, Romulo Macalintal asked the high tribunal to declare Republic Act (RA) No. 11935 unconstitutional and to direct the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to proceed with the polls on December 5.

Macalintal argued that the constitution does not give Congress the power to postpone the elections nor to extend the term of office of village officials because it is within the exclusive jurisdiction of the Comelec “after it has determined that serious causes warrant such postponement.”

y e tending the term of office of barangay (village) officials, RA 3 violates the principle that the term of said officials should not be longer than their superiors,” he said in his petition.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. signed the law on October 10, setting the BSKE to the last Monday of October 2023 and every three years thereafter.

Any change to the term of office of village officials should apply to future elections and to apply it retroactively will “unduly curtail the freedom of the people to choose their leaders through popular votes,” Macalintal said.

The postponement, he claimed, “is a subtle way to lengthen governance without the mandate of the people” and the “questioned law violates the constitutional provision that the state shall guarantee equal access to opportunities for public service.”

Macalintal is not questioning the provi-

sions of the law insofar as the Sangguniang Kabataan is concerned as “SK membership is a mere statutory right conferred by law and that Congress may amend at any time the law to change or even withdraw the statutory right.”

After the law was signed, Comelec chair George Garcia said they would always adhere to what the law dictates.

“As far as the Comelec is concerned, this (postponement) is a political decision. We reserve this to the wisdom of our executive and legislative. The Comelec is merely the administering arm of the government, meaning, we administer the election, we execute the decisions of the political departments,” he said in an interview.

The Comelec welcomed the petition filed by Macalintal.

Garcia said the decision of the High Court will be the basis if there will be a postponement or moving of the elections in the future.

“What Atty. (Romulo) Macalintal did is a good development. From now on, if our Supreme Court has a definitive ruling, in the next events if there is a postponement or reset of the election, this case will be our basis,” Garcia said.

Garcia noted that ruling on the petition filed by Macalintal will also determine if Congress has the power to move or postpone electoral exercises.

“It’s high time to have an interpretation of the Constitution. Does Congress have the power to postpone elections? Number 2, does the postponement intentionally include the Barangay and SK or is it just limited to other positions? It’s good that there is an interpretation in that provision,” he said.

Fishers to DENR: Scrap 21 environmental permits for Manila Bay reclamation projects

By Jennifer T. Santos

QUEZON CITY The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) should ‘unconditionally revoke’ all the environmental compliance certificates (ECCs) for Manila Bay reclamation projects and pursue an actual rehabilitation and restoration of its marine biodiversity.

The call was made by the fishers’ group Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (PAMALAKAYA) in a protest at the DENR central office in uezon City on October .

The group said in a statement the ECCs for reclamation projects in Manila ay were disclosed by D NR officials during the budget briefing for the D NR at the Senate on October 11.

In the budget briefing, Senator Cynthia Villar, chairperson of the Senate committee on environment and natural resources, scorned the D NR officials over the reclamation projects in Manila Bay covering the Cavite province and Metro Manila.

“Kung hindi pa sapat ang maaanghang na salitang natanggap ng DENR, narito ang mga mangingisdang direktang apektado ng reklamasyon para paalalahanan sila sa mandato nitong protektahan

ang kalikasan at karagatan laban sa anumang anyo ng mapanirang proyekto, tulad ng reklamasyon” Ronnel Arambulo, PAMALAKAYA National Spokesperson, said during the protest.

The fishers’ group lamented the DENR’s alleged ‘‘inaction’’ on the concerns raised by the group and environmentalists on the costs of reclamation.

PAMALAKAYA said that it has sought the agency’s position on several big-ticket reclamation projects a ecting vital marine biodiversity in Manila Bay.

“Mula nang mag-umpisang maupo hanggang tuluyang makumpirma ng Commission on Appointments si environment Secretary ulo-Loyzaga, hindi kami tumigil na idulog sa kaniyang ahensya ang banta ng reklamasyon sa aming kabuhayan at pangisdaan. Pero hanggang ngayon ay wala pa kaming nakukuhang malinaw na sagot,” Arambulo said.

“Muli kaming nananawagan kay Secretary ulo-Loyzaga na magkaroon ng malinaw na tindig laban sa mapanirang reklamasyon. Sa ngalan ng kalikasan, dapat ipawalang-bisa ng DENR ang environmental permits na ipinagkaloob ng mga nagdaang administrasyon para sa mga mapanirang reklamasyon sa Manila Bay,” Arambulo added.

Marawi siege heroes honored, senators vow support beyond rehabilitation of city

TAGUIG CITY Senators Ronald Dela Rosa and Francis Tolentino recalled the bravery of everyone involved in the Marawi City liberation five years ago and vowed support for continuing recovery e orts.

Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation and Unity (OPAPRU) chief Secretary Carlito alvez r., meanwhile, said the best way to honor the soldiers who died to liberate Marawi City from the hands of terrorists is to ensure that the event will never happen again.

alvez added that this is the task peace stakeholders are now focusing on by addressing drivers of armed con ict.

As we lay these wreaths on the tombs of our fallen soldiers, let us honor them for their courage, sel essness and heroism. They gave up their lives so that others may live, alvez said in his speech during the commemoration of the fifth anniversary of the liberation of Marawi City at the Libingan ng mga ayani in Taguig City.

alvez, who served as Western Mindanao Command chief during the fivemonth campaign to retake Marawi City

from terrorists, said memories of the campaign remain fresh to this day. e later became Armed Forces chief of sta .

Dela Rosa, who chairs the Senate Special Committee on Marawi City Rehabilitation and Victims’ Compensation, said they will always give utmost importance to the needs of Marawi residents in rebuilding their lives.

Let us not forget the resiliency of our Maranao brothers and sisters who continue to patiently wait for the full rehabilitation of their beloved city, he said in a statemen. Our task will not end with the full rehabilitation of the city, we will continue to march on towards a developed, progressive and peaceful Marawi City.

Tolentino recognized anew the government troops who perished and the ,8 others who were hurt during the battle to reclaim Marawi City from the Islamic State of Ira and Syria-inspired Maute group.

Limang taon na ang nakalipas noong tayo mismo ang pumunta sa ground zero sa paglunsad ng rehabilitasyon. inding hindi ko malilimutan ang nasaksihan kong mapait na kalagayan ng ating mga kapatid sa Marawi (Five years have passed since I last visited the ground zero during the start of the rehabilitation. I will never forget the tragedy su ered by the people in Marawi), he said.

Tolentino said he will not only continue to support the Marawi rehabilitation but also the fight against violence and terrorism.

The Department of udget and Management (D M) announced that the national government has allotted P billion to compensate displaced persons and victims who lost their properties during the siege.

D M Secretary Amenah Pangandaman, a Maranao, said the Marawi Siege Victims Compensation Fund has been included in the proposed P . 8trillion 3 national budget, lumped under the P3 -billion National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Fund or the calamity fund.

Gunman in Percy Lapid slay surrenders, tags 5 cohorts 6 nabbed in Pasig online ‘sabong’ raid

By Jennifer T. Santos

CAMP CRAM , euzon City – The alleged gunman in the killing of veteran broadcaster Percival Mabasa, more popularly known as Percy Lapid, has surrendered to authorities and named at least three others in the killing.

Interior and Local overnment Secretary enjamin Abalos r., assisted by Philippine National Police officers, presented the suspected gunman, oel storial, 38, a resident of uezon City, to media in a press briefing at the PNP head uarters.

Speaker Martin Romualdez lauded Secretary Abalos, and the PNP for the arrest of storial.

We in the ouse of Representatives welcome this positive development in the unfortunate crime that took the life of Percy Lapid. We applaud the e orts of Sec. Abalos and the police to swiftly resolve the case, Romualdez said in a statement.

We hope that this arrest leads to the apprehension of the other suspects in the gruesome murder of Lapid and the resolution of the case, he added.

Senators Ramon Revilla r. and A uilino Pimentel III also immediately lauded the PNP for solving the case.

Abalos said storial turned himself in to the police on October out of fear for his personal safety after his photo was released and a P . -million bounty was placed on his head.

In a statement given to police and made during the press briefing, storial revealed that there were si of them involved in the murder of Lapid for a pay of P , .

storial also surrendered the firearm he used in the fatal shooting of Lapid at about 8 3 p.m. on October 3 at the gate of F Resort along Aria Street, arangay Talon , Las Pi as City.

Ang tanong ng publiko, totoo kayang sumuko yan or he’s just a fall guy indi po, siya talaga. indi niya lang inamin because the gun itself matched the slug, nag-match ang ballistics. ‘ ung mga damit (na suot niya nung nakuhanan siya

ng CCTV) na pinunit punit niya nandoon pa rin (he presented to the police) , said Abalos.

Abalos said storial issued an e trajudicial confession in the presence of a lawyer where he also named his cohorts as brothers dmon and Israel Dimaculangan and a certain Orly, who are all still at large. e said the two other suspects who were not identified are from the New ilibid Prison in Muntinlupa City.

PASI CIT – Members of the Philippine National Police-Anti Cybercrime roup (PNP-AC ) arrested si people who were engaged in online sabong (cockfighting) in Pasig City.

In a statement, PNP-AC chief rig. en. oel Doria said Roger Altiche, ulius Francisco, Monddie Castrono, Rolando elen, Noe Ronapo, and alleged small town lottery (STL) collector, Manuel Pangos were nabbed by members of the astern District Anti-Cybercrime Team ( DACT).

Online cockfighting was previously regulated by the Philippine Amusement and aming Corporation (PA COR) but former President Rodrigo Duterte ordered a stop of its operations in May this year, citing its harmful e ects on the people who get addicted to it as well as on their families.

ased on the report of DACT team leader Maj. ly Compuesto II, the suspects were arrested after their office received a complaint regarding the illegal activity taking a place at a merchandise store in arangay Pinagbuhatan.

Let’s support Marcos Jr., gov’t - Isko

By Jennifer T. Santos

MANILA “Let us help our country by not joining any e orts aimed at putting down the current government.

Thus said former Manila Mayor and presidential candidate Francisco Isko Moreno Domagoso at the launch of the Manila City Hall Reporters’ Association forum at the arbor View Restaurant near the former Army and Navy Club and the uirino randstand.

e appealed to the people to help President Ferdinand Marcos r., the senators, mayors and other leaders.

Domagoso said even ordinary citizens can help Marcos score victories not for himself but for the people and country, by just doing their share in nation building by simply following the law, rules and regulations.

Let us all move on. Let’s move forward not backward. Iraos ang bansa at kapuwa, he said, adding no one is perfect. Tulong tulong tayo for our kids.

Pag bumagsak ang bansa, sama sama tayong tulubog dahil isang bangka lang tayo, he said.

e said Marcos has done well in his first days.

The former Manila mayor chided those who

are praying for Marcos’ downfall not knowing that no less than the people would su er in such an event.

Domagoso said Marcos has the mandate from 3 million voters that the rest of the country must respect.

Domagoso said he is not going back to showbiz or politics yet, admitting he has been sounded o on certain o ers, but the same have not come from principals, only from certain intermediaries.

GUNMAN. DILG Secretary Ben amin Abalos Jr. le presents to the media suspect Joel Estorial center , the alleged gunman in the killing of broadcaster Percy Lapid, in a presser in Camp Crame, uezon City.

Davao City, Davao de Oro richest in city, province in Mindanao

DAVAO CITY Davao City, the home city of former President Rodrigo Duterte and incumbent Vice President Sara Duterte, is the richest city in Mindanao.

This is based on the latest financial report by the Commission on Audit (COA) on the assets of cities, provinces and towns in the country.

In the same report, Davao de Oro was listed as the wealthiest province in Mindanao in terms of assets. (See related stories)

According to COA’s Annual Financial Report (AFR),” Davao City’s total assets increased to P26.555 billion from P23.664 billion in 2021, P19.78 billion in 2020, P16.259 billion in 2018, P13.181 billion in 2017,

and P9.898 billion in

The city, however, moved down a notch from last year’s ninth spot.

This is the city’s sixth year as the richest city in Mindanao.

According to the COA report, the leading city assetswise is uezon City, having total assets worth P4 . billion. This is a slight decrease from P452.333 billion in

Davao de Oro remains the fourth richest province in the country with assets of P 3. billion. This is an increase from P20.391 billion in

This is the fifth year the province entered the list.

Alert level, warning raised as Mayon Volcano acting up

LEGASPI CITY, Albay The majestic Mayon Volcano is acting up again, prompting the Philippine Institute of Volcanology to raise warning to alert level no. .

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. directed government agencies to prepare uick response and assistance just in case the volcano erupts.

Despite no recorded increase in volcanic activities, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology raised Mayon’s alert status from Level (abnormal) to Level (increasing unrest) on Oct. 7.

Department of Science and Technology Secretary Renato Solidum r. said magma has slowly ascended to the surface extruding lava that formed a lava dome and that the dome has increased in volume as more lava piled up.

A slight in ation of Mayon Volcano has also been observed based on electronic tilt and GPS measurements and precise leveling survey, which indicated the continued slow ascent of magma to the surface. ence,

the alert level was raised to Level , Solidum said.

The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC), meanwhile, said it is keeping a tight watch over Mayon Volcano.

We are now on heightened monitoring because we are looking at all her activities but while the situation is still stable, we will see to the readiness of our responders or the LGUs (local government units) for that matter, so that we can react immediately in case the alert levels are elevated further should there be further volcanic activities, NDRRMC spokesperson and Office of Civil Defense Assistant Secretary Bernardo Rafaelito Alejandro IV said during a Laging anda briefing.

Alejandro reminded LGUs near the volcano to strictly prohibit human entry or any activity in the sikilometer permanent danger zone especially in areas near the volcano which are prone to avalanches or fissuring of the ground.

Cebu Province remained the wealthiest province in the country, with a total of P . billion worth of assets.

No municipality from Mindanao made it to the top wealthiest towns in the country.

Solon seeks to revive ‘old glory’ of footwear industry

QUEZON CITY Marikina Rep. Stella Luz Quimbo has called on fellow lawmakers in the House of Representatives to help bring back the lost glory of the country’s footwear industry.

Quimbo made the call in a sponsorship speech for House Bill (HB) or “the Philippine Footwear, Leather Goods, and Tannery Industries Development Act of 2022”.

She said her hometown Marikina City, tagged as the “Shoe Capital of the Philippines”, was once renowned for exporting fine, durable, and elegant shoe products around the world.

Speaking before the House Committee on Creative Industry and Performing Arts, Quimbo traced the beginnings of the Marikina shoe industry to Kapitan Moy Guevarra, who in “reverseengineered” and disassembled a pair of

imported shoes to learn how to make a pair himself.

His business prospered and his neighbors began making shoes as well.

The local industry, she said, boomed in the 1970s, and she remembered exporting snake-skin shoes to New York and other cities in the United States.

“Ganyan naging tanyag ang sapatos na gawang Marikina (That’s how Marikinamade shoes became famous). However, when we had to liberalize our economy in the 1990s, there was a massive displacement within the industry,” she said. “And this is due to the fact that we were not strong enough then to compete against foreign imports.”

By the 2000s, Quimbo said the country’s local shoe industry saw intense competition with imported Chinese footwear.

“When the pandemic came two years

ago, many shoe business owners, including myself, had to close shop because school kids and office people didn’t need leather shoes anymore, and footwear was not considered an essential business,” she said.

The lady lawmaker expressed belief that the footwear, leather goods, and tannery industries are vital parts of the Philippine economy and they have enormous economic potential.

In fact, she said, from a gross value added of P8.65 billion in 2000, this grew to P15.82 billion in 2019, before the pandemic hit.

owever, the figure went down to P11.79 billion in 2020 and further down to P11.64 billion in due to the pandemic, she added.

Quimbo said the government rightly saw the potential of these industries that

led to the enactment of Republic Act (RA) or “the Footwear, Leather Goods and Tannery Industries Development Act” to strengthen them so that they could fare well in a liberalized economy.

QC, Cebu, Carmona remain PHL’s richest city, province, town — COA

By Jennifer T. Santos

QUEZON CITY Quezon City remains the country’s richest city and local government unit (LGU) with assets totalling P451 billion in 2021, edging for the second time Makati City, the wealthiest in which is a far second with assets of P238.5 billion.

Quezon City, with almost P30 billion in revenues, is also the richest city in the country, outpacing Makati City and Manila, in terms of annual income from taxes, fees and other collections.

Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte and Cebu Governor Gwendolyn Garcia thanked the COA for its report as well as their respected constituents for their continued support in terms of payment of

taxes, fees, licenses and other collections.

Manila, the country’s capital and once its richest city, lagged far behind as third richest with . billion worth of assets.

The ranking is based on the list of richest LGUs in the Commission on Audit’s (COA) 215-page Annual Financial Report (AFR) for the local governments which was released last Oct.

In the same ranking for provinces, Cebu Province remains the country’s richest province for eight consecutive years with . billion in assets in , an increase from its 3 billion in and 3. billion in .

Rizal landed second with assets increasing by P7 billion in to reach 3 . billion in . The province pushed atangas to third with . billion in assets.

2 Americans wanted in US nabbed

MANILA Two American fugitives wanted by United States federal authorities for serious crimes have been arrested by immigration authorities in separate operations in San Juan City and Rizal province.

Immigration Commissioner Norman Tansingco identified the two as Teresita Kindle, 57, and Virgilio Carigma Cruz, 67, who were arrested on Sept. and Oct. 6, respectively, by the immigration bureau’s Fugitive Search Unit (FSU).

Kindle was apprehended at a condominium unit in Little Baguio, San Juan City while Cruz was arrested at his residence in Barangay San Pedro in Morong town, Rizal province.

The BI chief ordered the arrest at the request of the US authorities who sought their help in locating and deporting the fugitives.

“They will be deported and placed in our bureau’s blacklist of undesirable aliens, thus they are perpetually banned from re-entering the Philippines,” he

said in a statement.

Tansingco added that these foreigners are already undocumented aliens as their passports were either revoked by the State Department or have already expired.

Rendell Ryan Sy, BI-FSU acting chief, said Kindle was charged with multiple counts of wire fraud and money laundering before the US district court in Florida which issued a warrant for her arrest.

She was arrested on the strength of a deportation warrant that Tansingco signed pursuant to a deportation order that the BI board of commissioners issued against her last month.

Cruz has an arrest warrant issued by the superior court of New Jersey in February after he was indicted on illegal drug charges.

Both are currently detained at the BI warden facility in Camp Bagong Diwa, Taguig City while awaiting deportation.

Ironically, the big provinces such as Pangasinan, Bulacan, Cavite, Quezon and Laguna are not in the top riches provinces.

The report stated that QC’s assets actually took a P1 billion dip in 2021, since its assets in amounted to P452.3 billion. On the other hand, the second richest Makati City’s assets in were higher compared to its reported P238.4 billion in

Based on COA’s AFR, the top wealthiest cities in are: Quezon City P451.007 billion; Makati City P238.562 billion; Manila P65.253 billion; Pasig City P51.176 billion; Taguig City P36.117 billion; Cebu City P33.343 billion; Mandaue City, P33.007 billion; Mandaluyong City P31.440 billion; Davao City P26.556 billion; and Caloocan City P23.383 billion.

The top four cities secured the same spots in 2020, although Taguig City managed to elbow Cebu City in 2021, the report said. Mandaluyong City was not in the list in but jumped to eighth place in 2021, while Zamboanga City was booted out from the top 10, the report stated.

The top wealthiest provinces in are: Cebu P215.27 billion; Rizal P30.638 billion; Batangas P29.705

billion; Davao de Oro P23.211 billion; Bukidnon P19.455 billion; Negros Occidental P18.025 billion; Ilocos Sur P17.907 billion; Iloilo P17.399 billion; Isabela P16.419 billion; and Palawan P16.109 billion

Rizal province was the biggest performer in 2021, with a P7 billion increase from its P23.053 billion in 2020, the report said.

Iloilo’s assets also moved from the 10th spot in to the eighth spot in 2021, while Isabela dropped from seventh to ninth place in

COA’s report said the wealthiest municipalities are Carmona, Cavite P6.212 billion; Limay, Bataan P4.795 billion; Silang, Cavite P3.738 billion; Cainta, Rizal P3.393 billion; Taytay, Rizal P3.274 billion; Binangonan, Rizal P3.141 billion; Caluya, Antique P3.117 billion; Sta. Maria, Ilocos Sur P3.044 billion; Cabugao, Ilocos Sur P2.967 billion; and Rodriguez (Montalban), Rizal P2.915 billion.

Based on the list, COA’s report stated that Carmona was the best performer as it managed to climb from seventh place in to number one in 2021. Sta. Maria and Cabugao, both from Ilocos Sur, are new to the list and managed to edge out Mariveles in Bataan and Sual in Pangasinan.

Mayor Joy Belmonte

Governor Gwen Garcia

U.S....

page

At the same time, US Ambassador to Manila MaryKay Carlson disclosed that following Manila’s decision to scrap its multi-million peso helicopter deal with Russia, the US government is o ering additional US$100 million in military aid to the Philippines as hundreds of American and Filipino soldiers undertake military drills in Palawan, Batanes and other areas in Luzon.

Days before the announcement by US Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas in Singapore and Ambassador Carlson in Manila, the US Navy’s aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan docked in Manila port for a new visit after a tour of duty o South orea following tensions caused by North orea’s fi ring of ballistic missiles and ying war planes over South orea.

In Singapore, Secretary Mayorkas disclosed that the US has announced a US$60-million investment in new regional maritime initiatives throughout

the Indo-Pacifi c region which covers the Philippines.

We have a signifi cant presence here already. The United States Coast Guard has a presence in the Indo-Pacifi c region. We intend to advance that presence in more areas here,” Mayorkas said.

The US Homeland Security chief added that the US government is also “rapidly deploying” assets and initial personnel throughout the region for maritime training and capacity building, among others.

Meanwhile, aboard the USS Ronald Reagan which docked in Manila on October 14, Rear Admiral Michael “Buzz” Donnelly, commander of the Carrier Strike Group (CSG) 5, assured the US Navy is ready to back its Indo-Pacifi c allies that includes the Philippines.

The US Navy “looks to support...the common universal values we share with our allies and partners,” Admiral Donnelly said aboard the US warship.

Earlier, the Philippines and US an-

nounced that there will be more than 430 joint military exercises and training of Filipino and American soldiers in the Philippines next year.

At the sidelines of the United Nations conference in New York earlier, President Marcos told President Biden that he is open to the freedom of navigation operations (Fonops) in the West Philippine Sea, which is being claimed by China as part of its territory.

Marcos and Biden discussed the issue of freedom of navigation operations in the disputed seaway during their meeting last month in New York.

Donnelly also told reporters aboard the US carrier the US Navy’s freedom of navigation missions in the West Philippine Sea, “reinforced our commitment that we will y, steam, and sail anywhere that international law allows.”

US Ambassador Carlson also told reporters on board the US Navy ship, said the USS Ronald Reagan’s visit to Manila strengthens the ties between the Philippines and the US, especially since

the Indo-Pacifi c waters are a challenging environment to navigate.”

This visit o ers an opportunity to recognize our two nations’ enduring alliance and commitment to each other,” she said in a speech aboard the ship.

The waters of the Indo-Pacifi c are dynamic and challenging environment to navigate, and we’re fortunate to work with friends, partners and allies in the Philippines to achieve our mutual security goals,” Carlson said.

“Together we advance our shared objectives, including humanitarian assistance, maritime security, and economic development in the region,” she said.

The US ambassador also described the USS Ronald Reagan’s visit as “a true symbol of our friendship and the strong ties that our two nations share.”

She disclosed that at least 10 percent of the over 5,000 sailors on the carrier are Filipino-Americans. The sailors had their rest and visit while USS Ronald Reagan was docked in the Manila port.

US invests P228-M more in Pinoy youth training, employment

partnership between the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the Philippine Business for Education (PBEd).

“The US government is proud to invest in the Filipino youth. Together with PBEd, we are providing training opportunities that will lead them to employment so they can provide for themselves and contribute positively to society,” Variava said.

“Investing in our youth is investing in our country’s success. Through YouthWorks PH, the youth—especially those who are not in education, employment or training—are empowered with the right skills needed for their employment,” PBEd Chairman Ramon R. Del Rosario Jr. said. “With the help of our partners, we are able to provide work-based training, enhance their employability and help them get back on track.”

By Jeanne Michael Penaranda

MANILA The United States government is investing an additional P228 million (US$3.8 million) to provide free skills-based and work-based training to unemployed and out-of-school Filipino youth.

This was announced by the US Embassy

in Manila, saying the additional funding extends the YouthWorks PH program for another three years and completed in US Embassy Deputy Chief of Mission Heather Variava made the announcement at outhWorks P ’s first-ever Skills Partnerships Summit in Taguig City.

YouthWorks PH is a private sector-driven

YOUTH SUMMIT. McDonald’s Philippines President and CEO Kenneth Yang, U.S. Embassy Deputy Chief of Mission Heather ariava, PBEd E ecu�ve Director Love Basillote, McDonald’s Vice President for the Human Capital Group, Franchising, and Restaurant Support Group Rebecca Roselada, and USAID Mission Director Ryan Washburn a�end the outhWorks PH Skills Partnerships Summit

are getting the food they need

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Gunman...

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been solved, but only partially.

The man who shot Lapid came out of hiding on Tuesday, admitting to the crime with the help of three others but failing to identify the mastermind

behind the most sensational killing of a journalist in decades. (See related earlier stories inside)

Local Government Secretary Benhur Abalos presented to the public self-confessed killer Joel scorial, 3 . Abalos confi rmed that they had the gun used in the crime and it matched the bullet slugs left behind after the shooting.

The name of the gunman was initially spelled Estorial, which the Philippine National Police admitted Wednesday was a mistake. There was also an apparent misunderstanding on the source of the funds paid to the gang who committed the murder.

The clothes Escorial was seen wearing in a CCTV video hours before the shooting was also found, but had been ripped to shreds.

Speaking in the vernacular, Escorial said he surrendered both out of fear for his life and because his conscience had been bothering him.

He pointed to the possible mastermind as an inmate at the New Bilibid Prison in Muntinlupa City who gave the group assigned to kill Lapid the sum of P550,000 (slightly more than $10,000).

There was also a misunderstanding here, as his reference to ‘Bilibid’ the Tagalog word for prison was taken to mean the national penitentiary. PNP OIC Police Lieutenant en. Rhodel Sermonia said the person referred to was in jail, but not the New Bilibid Prison.

Sermonia also said that the real mastermind was not the prisoner, who was only the contact, or a middleman.

Escorial asked forgiveness from Lapid’s family, saying he only committed the crime because he was jobless.

It was later learned that the self-confessed gunman is married with two children and he ran a small business, reportedly in Cavite.

Abalos said that besides his verbal confession, Escorial also executed an extrajudicial affi davit with the help of a lawyer.

The three other suspects whom he named as being part of the conspiracy to kill the hard-hitting broadcaster were Israel Dimaculan-

gan, dmon Dimaculangan, and a certain Orlando or Orly, who was driving the motorcycle where Escorial was the passenger.

Escorial also mentioned that there were two other persons whom he did not know who were somehow involved in the conspiracy.

In his narration of the events of that night, scorial said that they agreed that whoever was closest to Lapid who was alone in his car, heading for a studio where he taped his YouTube podcast would take the shot.

If I did not shoot Lapid, one of them would have shot me,” he said in the vernacular.

Aside from fearing for his life, the self-confessed gunman said that his photos taken from CCTV videos and widely distributed to media gave him no choice but to surrender.

Of the money paid to the gang, Escorial said he pocketed P140,000.

The Bureau of Corrections said an investigation would be conducted to determine if Escorial, or the Dimaculangan brothers, or Orlando had indeed visited any inmate in one of the jails and prisons under its control. They would then identify whom any of the group had spoken with.

Presuming that the order to kill Lapid had indeed come from inside a jail or prison, it is not likely that the real mastermind was a convict there, but was only acting at the behest of a more powerful person or persons.

Lapid’s younger brother Roy Mabasa, also a media practitioner, said he was satisfi ed that scorial was really the triggerman, but like the PNP, he expressed his doubts that the mastermind was the still unidentifi ed prisoner visited by scorial and his accomplices.

Mabasa said as far as their family was concerned, the likely mastermind was someone whom Lapid had attacked in his radio show. The prisoner the gang visited “was only a middleman,” as far as the family was concerned, he said.

On Wednesday, the PNP charged Escorial and accomplices with murder.

While Lapid made a lot of enemies due to his hard-hitting comments, he reserved his toughest shots at former President Rodrigo Duterte and his administration. After Duterte stepped down, Lapid then turned his sights on the new Marcos regime.

was killed in January

Ratanapakdee was an immigrant from Thailand who had become a full- edged US citizen. He was walking in the Anza Vista neighborhood near his place when he was attacked by a 19-year-old man.

He was found in a pool of blood and was rushed to a hospital, where he lived for another two days before eventually expiring.

The entire heinous crime was caught on CCTV.

As one of the first deadly crimes against Asian-Americans, the killing of Ratanapakdee sparked a nationwide movement to battle hate crimes against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, which includes Filipinos and FilAms.

Sadly, the attack on the old ThaiAmerican became almost a blueprint of the tiny fraction of Americans who would assault elderly Asians and Asian American men and women, a crime that has spread throughout the US which shows no signs of abating.

The victim’s daughter Monthanus told CNN that she hoped the killing of

her father would remind “generations to come that violence against our Asian community, especially the elderly, has no place in our society.”

The renaming of Sonora Lane to an Asian American victim of a hate crime is a first not only in San Francisco, but a first in the United States.

A longtime news anchor from San Francisco was at a loss for words when she first saw the Thai grandfather being shoved to the ground.

It was, the news anchor said, her first glimpse of “wickedness in action.”

The renaming of a street in one of the biggest cities in the US may not stop hate crimes, but should serve as a reminder that all possible steps must be taken to stop the scourge that is Asian hate.

For this reason, the state of California has backed the StopAsianHate movement, which seeks solutions to end the rising tide of hate aimed at people whose only crime was immigrating to the US in search of a better life.

(From

He was not...

nia Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office stated it remains focused on creating an ecosystem where all students feel welcome and supported on campus. As part of this commitment, the system will host Undocumented Student Action Week which started on Oct. and ends on Oct. as an opportunity to foster support for undocumented students and connect them with resources through campus events, daily systemwide webinars and federal advocacy meetings.

The court decision on DACA does not change our mission to welcome and serve all students. This is what we have always done, and we will not waver. Undocumented students can continue to rely on California’s community colleges for support and know that they are safe on our campuses, said California Community Colleges Interim Chancellor Dr. Daisy onzales, PhD.

We encourage undocumented and DACA students to enroll and stay enrolled in our colleges. Our system o ers several opportunities to make college more a ordable and accessible. Undocumented students can receive financial aid and work study opportunities through programs like College Corps and the California Dream Act, Dr. onzales said.

Undocumented Student Action Week began in in response to threats made against the DACA Program. This year’s Action Week is mindful of the rising uncertainty sur-

rounding DACA once more due to the controversial uly Te as v. United States ruling that held DACA is unlawful. That decision was recently upheld by a federal appeals court and sent to a lower court for further revisions to the law leaving the pathway to citizenship for DACA and undocumented students unclear.

Since its implementation years ago, DACA has protected thousands of undocumented students in California and hundreds of thousands across the United States from deportation as they pursue their college degrees. DACA recipients make positive contributions to California communities and serve in a host of critical professions such as first responders, medical professionals, educators, scientists, and more. ust this year, California lawmakers advanced critical legislation introduced by former Assemblymember Firebaugh to e pand A 4 which opened the doors of higher education for undocumented students by allowing them to ualify for in-state tuition. The recent passage of S 4 by Senator Lim n eliminates the two-year cap on credit courses that can be counted toward achieving A 4 status. These initiatives will save undocumented students time and money in their pursuit of a college degree.

Undocumented Student Action Week mobilizes faculty, sta , students, administrators and policymakers to support the needs of undocumented students enrolled at all California community colleges through outreach, professional development and campus events.

This weeklong initiative is a joint effort led by the oard of overnors, the California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office, the Foundation for California Community Colleges, and the Community College League of California, in partnership with many statewide advocacy organizations.

This year’s theme, untos Podemos (Together, We Can) Collaborative cosystems that Support Undocumented Students, recognizes that we must continue to advance best practices, ensure authentic, campuswide collaboration and advocate for policy solutions to support long-term success.

Undocumented students and their families count on us to provide a high- uality education. It is our collective responsibility to ensure they have e uitable access to the information and services they need to be successful, and to feel safe in their learning environment not just during Undocumented Student Action Week, but every day of the year, said Dr. onzales. We must ensure policies and practices, including our diversity, e uity, inclusion and accessibility initiatives, also meet the uni ue needs of our undocumented students.

As of Nov. , there will be an UndocuLiaison at every California community college campus. UndocuLiaisons are dedicated to helping undocumented students get the legal and support services they need to succeed. Additionally, many of the colleges also have Undocumented Student Resource Centers, which provide a safe community and a judgement free place that makes it

Filipinos ready to mark All Saints Day

MANILA - Filipinos throughout the country are all set to honor their dead on All Saints Day, November , a holiday, and unlike last year, they may be allowed in greater numbers in public and private cemeteries and memorial parks.

Millions of people are e pected to ock to cemeteries, columbaria, and memorial parks to visit their departed loved ones for this year’s All Saints Day and All Souls Day observance.

In the past two years, the cemeteries were ordered closed during the Undas holidays to curb the spread of coronavirus but people were allowed there before and after November and .

The tradition starts with cleaning the graves and grave markers by pulling weeds and repainting them days before All Saints’ Day, a public holiday.

On All Saints’ Day, a vigil is held, and prayers are said. Families set up tents and stay all day and night at the graves of their loved ones, picnicking with favorite Filipino foods such as chicken and pork adobo with rice.

Already, President Ferdinand Marcos r. declared October 3 as a special non-working holiday in the country but November , All Souls’ Day, was declared a special working day.

Para na din po mas marami tayoing time kasama ng ating pamilya at

para ma-promote na din po ang ating local tourism, said Undersecretary Cheloy arafil, officer-in-charge of the Office of the Press Secretary in a public briefing.

Some , law enforcers, meanwhile, will be deployed in Metro Manila to ensure peaceful and orderly commemoration of All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day.

(We will deploy) an initial , na mga police personnel, kasama na diyan ang mga force multipliers, ang mga barangay tanods, mga civic volunteer organizations at iba pang mga volunteer organizations , NCRPO spokesperson Lt. Col. De ter Verzola Southern Police District (SPD) director en. irby ohn rion raft said that , policemen and members of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, Philippine Army, ureau of Fire Protection and Philippine Coast uard have been tasked to man the Libingan ng mga ayani in Fort Andres onifacio in Taguig City and 8 other cemeteries.

The lawmen will be backed by , barangay volunteers, raft said. raft said bringing of li uor, illegal substances, loud music from huge speakers, and deadly or sharp weapons such as guns and knives in the cemeteries are prohibited and will be confiscated.

Whatever happened to palabra de honor?

Thereis no precise translation for the term ‘palabra de honor,’ which is a good thing for Philippine Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla because it is something he does not seem to have.

A good translation would be word of honor.

Mr. Remulla also doesn’t have any appreciation for yet another word with Spanish origins, and that is ‘delicadeza.’ Among Filipinos, it is taken to mean having a sense of propriety, of knowing what is right and what is wrong.

Palabra de honor and delicadeza are two traits that were treasured by Filipinos in ages past, and all government officials were e pected to possess them.

So many politicians have come to the defense of Remulla after his 38-year-old son was caught by the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency of having smuggled a commercial quantity of kush, or high-grade marijuana.

This would not be too big a deal in the US, where marijuana has been legalized in many states, not just for medicinal purposes but also for recreational use. Former president Rodrigo Duterte even once said that he favored legalizing the plant.

But for now, possession of marijuana is a crime back in our beloved motherland, and possessing commercial uantities is so serious an o ence that those charged and found guilty could spend a large part of their adult lives in prison.

Remulla’s defenders parrot the same line that the sins of the son are not the sins of the father. Yet few, if any, have noted that a serious crime had been committed by the son of the Justice secretary, who may not have any legal responsibility, but he certainly has a moral obligation over his son’s actions.

He may have mouthed some nice motherhood statement about guaranteeing that he would not interfere with his son’s case in any way, but Remulla cannot ignore the fact that when the case goes to court, all parties involved in prosecuting his son are his subordinates.

That alone practically guarantees that justice will not be served.

It would be one thing if Remulla was a Cabinet secretary handling any post other than the Justice portfolio. He could be secretary of trade, of tourism, of energy, or any other post e cept justice.

That he said that he never for a single moment considered resigning says it all. Jesus Crispin Remulla has no sense of delicadeza or palabra de honor.

Or are we e pecting too much of him to possess such ualities in this day and age

We think not. What we see is a politician who will cling to his high and mighty post till hell freezes over.

It is almost predictable what will happen to his son. Sooner or later, he will be set free. It can be based on a technicality, or a weak case can be filed against him so that the judge will have little choice but to dismiss it. now what makes this doubly sad for the country is first name is esus, and he was clearly named after the prophet considered as the founder of the world’s biggest religion. Incidentally, the Philippines is a predominantly Christian state.

Millions of Filipinos may follow the teachings of Jesus Christ, but there is one Filipino who brings shame to the name.

He’s the one who has neither delicadeza nor palabra de honor.

Think deeply about Joseph Ileto

First of 2 Parts

you think you’re safe from hate crimes like the 11,000 various attacks documented to date by San Francisco Bay Area-based coalition Stop AAPI Hate because you have a lucrative career, speak with no foreign accent, and live in a fairly quiet neighborhood, think of Joseph Ileto.

If you were born before the year 2000, or if your family arrived here after 1999, chances are you believe you’re free from violence wrought by people who detest those who look and sound di erent from them. You may believe you are in a far better place than the one you or your elders left behind like many Filipinos who uprooted themselves to escape poverty or political persecution until you learn about Joseph Ileto.

ou don’t know oseph Ileto

He was one of us, a Filipino American. Yes, was. Sad to say he is no longer with us.

Joseph Santos Ileto was a 39-year-old United States Postal Service worker, and so much more. He was an aspiring engineer at Cal Poly in Pomona, Los Angeles County. More importantly, he was a son, a brother and a new uncle, the surrogate father to a family who had lost their patriarch just months earlier. An immigrant from the Philippines, he brimmed with hope for himself and his loved ones.

e was a single man, devoted to his filial duties, dedicated to his responsibilities in civil service and a caring colleague who had agreed to cover a co-worker’s shift one fateful day. Who would have thought that his virtues and his identity would cost him his life

The Southern California bachelor was going about his daily chores delivering the mail close to noon one typically hot summer day in Chatsworth, a suburb of the City of Los Angeles, when he was stopped in his tracks by the driver of a car that pulled over with a uestion Would oseph mail his letter

Barely had Ileto obliged when the stranger bared his true intention. The guy whipped out a gun and shot Ileto. Nine times. An unprovoked and deliberately fatal attack.

In seconds, a promising life was snu ed out on August , .

For what ecause he was a person of color and a federal employee, the shooter disclosed when he turned himself in immediately after the murder.

y killing Ileto the shooter accomplished what he had attempted but failed hours earlier when he fired at the playground of the North Valley Jewish Community Center in Granada Hills, also in LA County. Five people sustained serious injuries but luckily survived.

The vehicle used to hunt the killer’s ne t victim was carjacked from an Asian woman surely scarred forever by the moment.

Authorities identified Ileto’s killer as uford White, an avowed white supremacist who will be mentioned this once only to thwart his perverted desire for notoriety among his ilk. He received two life sentences without the possibility of parole, 110 years in prison, and payment of $690,292 in restitution. Almost four years later, the California Fair Employment and Housing Commission (now the California Civil Rights Department) ordered him to pay $150,000 in compensatory damages and $25,000 in civil penalties for having violated Ileto’s civil rights and caused e treme emotional distress on his family, according to renowned civil rights leader Stewart Kwoh in a commemorative article published recently by Asian Americans Advancing Justice Southern California or AAJSOCAL. Previously known as Asian American Advancing Justice LA, AJSOCAL , the largest legal and civil rights organization for Asian Americans, Native awaiians and Pacific Islanders he co-founded in 83 as the Asian Pacific American Legal Center or APALC.

This was the first time that the ma imum penalty was awarded for a hate violence case under California’s Ralph Civil Rights Act. The Commission’s decision to order the ma imum penalty was based on the coroner’s determination that oseph e perienced tremendous emotional and physical trauma in the minutes before he died and because of the severe nature of the hate violence,” Kwoh captured the outcome of the tragedy.

INSULT TO INJURY

cruciating that losing their brother in such a cowardly act and heinous crime was, the Ileto family’s

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Marcos and the Maharlika class

n ancient Philippines when datus, rajahs, and sultans ruled a territory, the Maharlika class were a warrior or martial class of freemen, similar to knights in medieval urope.

ut the dictator Ferdinand Marcos gave it another meaning. He claimed he had commanded a guerrilla unit against the Japanese during World War II called Maharlika, part of the myth he had woven to achieve greatness.

IN THE TRENCHES

He later associated the Maharlika with a noble class. There were even portraits in Malacañang, during their time, showing the family with crowns and sashes similar to uropean royalty.

The Marcoses styled themselves as the Philippines’s royalty, e ual to ritish monarchs and even higher than Southeast Asian sultans, because Malaysia had about of these rulers. ut they were not rich, so the Marcoses decided to plunder the country for his family to live in the style of uropean royalty. e bought properties abroad. His son was more interested in parties than earning a college degree in London.

ongbong Marcos, who was elected by a majority of Filipinos in May , wanted to relive the good life under his father’s regime. During the presidential campaign until after he was inaugurated as president, he has been trying to copy his father’s policies, faithfully following in his footsteps.

Sadly, he also wanted to emulate the grandiose lifestyle of his father who really wanted the Filipino people to look up to them as the country’s monarchs.

There was a time when he favored a proposal to rename the country to Maharlika after the late senator ddie Ilarde had the strange idea of changing the country’s name.

Ilarde and Marcos did not succeed but many streets and buildings were named after Maharlika.

In his first day in office, Marcos r has not done anything to alleviate the lives of ordinary people who have to endure rising prices, a weakening peso, and increasing unemployment.

conomists predict the food crisis will worsen in the months ahead as rice, corn, and vegetable production will be a ected after arding, internationally known as Noru, a powerful typhoon, damaged farmlands in the country’s rice granary.

More workers will be thrown out in the streets as e porters lay o employees in the garment industry due to weak orders from the US and urope as a result of rising in ation and global supply chain problems.

Marcos r was not seen in his first days tackling these issues. ut he was seen partying, attending concerts, and watching car races abroad.

It was so insensitive for a leader of the country to abandon his people in the middle of an economic crisis when the price of a ollibee Chickenjoy meal will become una ordable to ordinary Filipinos.

Marcos r did not hesitate to shell out nearly P4 , per person for a chance to see the Singapore F1 Grand Prix and waste precious aviation fuel and ight time in using the P -billion Philippine Air Force GulfStream jet.

Marcos Jr was acting as a royalty or as a head of state rather than as a head of government who must address the food and fuel crisis. He chose to leave the problem-solving to his Cabinet, forgetting that he is also the agriculture secretary.

Agriculture is one of the weakest sectors in the economy. The people are looking up to him to take action on food shortages as well as the importation of practically everything, to the detriment of local farmers.

Political infighting was evident in his political circles that three very important Cabinet positions were vacated before he marked his days in office.

Marcos’s unity coalition is also crumbling. Normally, the president’s political party grows bigger after the elections as many lawmakers and local e ecutives jump ship to join the ruling party. ut the Partido Federal remained small and if there were some political realignments, these politicians moved to other parties, particularly to his cousin’s Lakas Christian-Muslim Democrats Party.

Rodrigo Duterte’s Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng ayan (PDP-Laban) has warned that it would serve as a fiscalizer, promising to speak out if there are wrongdoings in government.

Marcos r won the elections on the strength of support from the Dutertes. A break between Marcos and the Dutertes could spell trouble for him since he has a thin political base. Duterte remains highly popular.

One indication of a breakup is the ongoing uarrel among social media in uencers and vloggers who supported the Marcos and Duterte team in the elections.

The attacks on the political opposition, particularly on former vice president Leni Robredo, has gone down as these troll farms have started hitting each other. (Continue on page 27)

Narra tree, hope for diabetics

The endangered national tree Narra (Pterocarpus indicus) has been identified by the Department of nvironment and Natural Resources (D NR) as one of the suitable trees for forest restoration and urban forestry in the country.

Organizations involved in reforestation and tree-planting activities, among these the Million Trees Foundation, Inc. (MTFI) have included Narra in their choice species for rehabilitating denuded and deforested areas.

THE OUTSIDER

MELANDREW T. VELASCO

The Foundation intends to plant million trees in critical watersheds by 3 .

A million trees can save lives, MTFI Chairman meritus en. Reynaldo V Velasco said.

The inclusion of Narra in the preferred list of species is indeed laudable. Not only is it the country’s national tree following the overnor- eneral Frank Murphy’s Proclamation No. in 34, it is among the country’s premium tree species with its various uses. Aside from its aesthetic importance and high quality wood, narra also possesses medicinal attributes. It is included in the list of forest tree species with medicinal uses compiled by the cosystems Research and Development ureau of D NR.

The different parts of the narra tree have medicinal uses.

Decoction of the bark is used for diarrhea. Its young leaves are used to treat boils, skin ulcers and prickly heat.

A light infusion of the leaves is also used to control fever. Root e tract is used on syphilitic sores. The wood has diuretic, antidysenteric, antithermic and antimalarial properties. The fruit kernel is given as emetic.

Add to the various uses of Narra is a recent good news from the De La Salle University-Dasmari as College of Pharmacy that the tree’s branch and bark contain the highest O ygen Radical Absorbance Capacity (ORAC) scores in the country, and among the top among the US Department of Agriculture List of the top 3 food items with antio idants in the world. The ORAC Score is the unit of measure of antioxidants which is the body’s natural defense versus harmful compounds that are linked to multiple illnesses.

This was contained in the Narra tract Research Report which also revealed the presence of pterocarpin and pterostilbene, two most potent antioxidants discovered.

According to another study, Pterostilbene can be found in Narra e tract ( u et al, ). Pterostilbene (Pts), isolated from Chinese herb Pterocarpus indicus Wild.”

“In the future, with our interest in Narra extracts, we plan to do human clinical trials, Dr. Louie Legaspi, Dean of College of Pharmacy, De La Salle-Medical ealth Sciences Institute, said during the presentation of the Narra tract Research Report on September 3, .

A study by Pari and Satheesh on diabetic rats revealed that supplementing with the antioxidant pterostilbene can improve blood sugar levels over times as effectively as metformin.

“A significant decrease in glucose and significant increase in plasma insulin levels were observed in normal and diabetic rats treated with pterostilbene. The effects of pterostilbene were comparable to the e perimental effects of mg kg oral metformin,” the study stated.

uman clinical trials however re uire financing. Dr. lenn Soriano, a U.S. licensed medical doctor and advocate of natural medicine said ““In order to prove that pterostilbene from Philippine Narra extract can treat diabetes in humans, human clinical trials must be run.

However, such projects are very costly, ranging in the millions of pesos just to start, so a major sponsor like DOST is needed to fund this research. ”Should the human clinical trials push through with positive findings, there is hope that millions of lives and millions of pesos spent in drugs for the treatment of diabetes will be saved. It is a sad reality that diabetes mellitus is among the top leading causes of mortality in the Philippines since years back.

In its latest preliminary report, the Philippine Statistics Authority identified diabetes mellitus as the fourth leading cause of mortality for the period anuary to une . In anuary to une , deaths due to diabetes mellitus recorded , cases or . percent share, making it the fourth leading cause of death [in the Philippines]”.

Diabetics need not despair. They can live more comfortably by consuming more antioxidants which can be sourced from fruits and vegetables or from supplements. One among these supplements is the carma health supplement in capsule form and tea bags which are made from pure Narra extract.

carma Narra tea and capsules are made of pure Narra e tract, T Meneses, President of carma ealth Options Corporation said. carma products are available in drugstores nationwide and on the company’s official stores on Shopee Lazada

Certifying a copy of document

As accredited and commissioned Notary Public in California since 1981, received from time to time requests for certifying documents needed in California and in the Philippines

How do certify a copy of a document? The basic process for copy certification is described below. Some steps my vary depending on individual state laws:

& Wealth

ART GABOT MADLAING

The documents custodian re uests a certified copy. The keeper of the original document (also called the “custodian”) appears before the Notary Public and asks to certify a copy of the original document.

The Notary compares the original and the copy. The custodian presents the original document and the copy so that the Notary may confirm the copy is identical to the original. In some cases, the custodian may present the original document and the Notary may be asked to make the copy.

The Notary certifies that the copy is accurate. Once the Notary confirmed the copy matches the original, he or she will complete and attached to the copy a notarial certificate that the copy is true, accurate and complete.

Can all notaries certify copies? Not in every state. Some states( such as Michigan and Nebraska do not allow Notaries to certify copies of documents as an official notarial act, and some states limit the types of documents or records that Notaries may certify.

California Notaries may only certify copies of powers of attorney, or copies of the Notaries’ own journal entries if requested by the Secretary of State or a court.

Florida Notaries may not certify copies of vital records or public records if a copy can be made by the custodian of the public record.

Texas permits Notaries to certify a copy only if the original is a non-recordable document. A potentially recordable document cannot be copy certified.

If Notaries can’t certify a copy of a document, is there an alternative An alternative procedure called copy certification by document custodian” may be permissible. With this procedure, the document’s custodian or holder signs a statement attesting to the accuracy of the copy, and the Notary notarizes the custodian’s signature on the statement. The di erence is that rather than directly certifying the copy, the Notary is notarizing the custodian’s signature on a statement vouching for the copy’s accuracy.

Can a Notary advise a signer regarding copy certification alternatives? Notaries must be careful not to provide unauthorized legal advice to the signer. Notaries can mention that we may perform a copy certification by documents custodian, but should not suggest or recommend it to the signer. For e ample, if asked to certify a copy, Notary can say, “State law does not authorize me to certify a copy of your document. However, in this circumstance, may be able to notarize your signature on a written statement in which you certify the copy. Notaries should not say something like, I can’t do this and must perform a copy certification by the document custodian instead. The important di erence here is that you may mention you can perform the procedure, and let the signer choose that option if he or she wishes, but you should not tell the signer what to do --- that could constitute legal advice Notaries aren’t allowed to give.

IMPORTANT R MIND R Notarized statement or Affidavit of a copy certification by document’ s custodian if needed in the Philippines must be apostilled by the Secretary of State, Notary Public Section in Sacramento or Los Angeles to be legal, valid and binding in the Philippines.

Mobile Signing Services (MSS)is committed and will continue to help and assist old and new clients in the notarization and apostille follow up of Affidavits, Special Power of Attorney (SPA)tra udicial Settlement of state, D D OF DONATION, Durable Power of Attorney (DPA), Last Will, D D OF A SOLUT SAL and other documents needed in the Philippines and the other member nations of the Hague Apostille Convention.

For immediate help and assistance, just write or call MO IL SI NIN S RVIC S, 3 Madrid Street, San Francisco, CA 4 Tel.( ) 438-3 3 or (4 ) 84- or email artmadlaing gmail.com

(ART GABOT MADLAING is accredited and commissioned Notary Public and licensed Real Estate Broker in California since 1981. He is founder of MOBILE SIGNING SERVICES, FITNESS FOR HUMANITY (aka FITNESS FOR CHRIST) and ACAPINOY. He is active Evangelist with the GOLDEN GATE CHURCH OF CHRIST in San Francisco, California USA)

MANNY MOGATO

When good intentions aren’t good enough

The Philippine National Police has a thing or two to learn about good public relations.

Over the weekend, media practitioners were ‘visited’ by police officers, ostensibly to check if they were all right, and free from potential harm, or if they had, in fact, received any threats of late.

The PNP had uietly begun a program of visiting journalists not at their places of work, but in their private residences.

The worst part is that the cops who were assigned the task of inspecting the mediamen were in civilian attire. They simply knocked on the doors of their target maybe that’s the wrong word, huh? to check if they were all good and dandy. They were not, of course.

As a media practitioner myself in a Philippine setting, circa , I will be the first to admit that such a visit is most unwelcome. mean, most cops have paunches or even bulging tummies, but their handguns are still quite visible.

Now imagine a middle aged, pot-bellied man with a gun tucked to his waist then knocking on your door. What would be the first thing that comes to your mind e may say he is a cop, and he may even ash a badge or ID, but those things can be purchased anywhere in downtown Manila. He could be a hired killer out to end one’s ability to report the news or write an opinion that is certain to make certain powerful people very unhappy.

This was the first thing that came to the mind of a broadcast journalist from one of the large networks, and he was shaken up by the experience.

The supposed cop then asked if he could take a picture of the mediaman, who politely declined. The supposed cop then asked for the address of another newsman who lived nearby.

The somewhat frightened newsman was asking where the supposed cop got his address in the first place.

Having worked with a number of media organizations for the past three decades, I know that none of them would willingly give my home address to anyone without first clearing it with me.

The broadcast journ was not alone. As far as the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines could tell, similar visits were also paid to at least four other practicing journalists last weekend.

Sonamagum, you might say? Sunavabtch, will correct you.

The action taken by the cops no more supposed because the PNP hierarchy confirmed that it was in fact a project of theirs was wrong on so many levels.

One official supposedly said that the addresses of the newsmen came from their barangay officers. While this may be true, it is still wrong for any local government unit to release the addresses of private citizens.

Naturally not wearing their uniforms was a big no-no. The NUJP rightfully said that there was something threatening about an armed stranger knocking on one’s door.

If it had happened to me, would have been livid with anger, especially if were wearing a new pair of Levi’s at the time, as them denims would have been soiled with and possibly #2.

As some have said, the police may have had the best intentions at heart with their ‘Visit the Newsman’ program. Indeed, if a newsman had been receiving threats, specifically death threats, the wise thing to do is to inform the police about it, and even give the names of the possible enemies who had the capacity and the motivation to do one harm.

The PNP was only reacting to the still unsolved killing of broadcast journalist Percy Lapid.

Lapid was no ordinary broadcaster, of course. He had one of the most popular shows on the air, and he only happened to have spent a good part of his programs attacking what he perceived were the wrongs committed by the Duterte regime before, and the current regime in more recent weeks.

His brother is also a past president of the National Press Club. So he was no mere reporter covering a beat, but one with a nationwide following.

So popular was Lapid that the reward for information leading to the capture of his assas-

How DeSantis’ Florida handles a hurricane

Today (I am writing this on October ) marks the twenty-first day after Hurricane Ian hit Florida and, more notably, the barrier island consider home. This audience is no stranger to storms and post-storm damage and neither am I. However, have not seen a recovery quite like this.

The bridge connecting my barrier island to the rest of the county was destroyed in three places, washed away by a - 8 foot storm surge or mile-per-hour winds. The day after the hurricane passed through, islanders were expecting to get the functionality of the bridge back in a year. Then Florida’s overnor Ron DeSantis decided to make it a priority just like he prioritized reconnecting neighboring Pine Island. As a result, at 11am Eastern Time today, the causeway to Sanibel was declared open for civilian use (meaning residents with passes). That is two days earlier than what they previously estimated, which was more than a week earlier than the end of month estimate before that. All this is surprisingly sooner than the one year everyone was saying it was going to take when the storm died down and sections of the bridge were found missing or severely damaged.

Accessing our island by bridge instead of boat makes it far easier to visit, repair, and restore our homes. Before today, the only means of travelling there was by private boat in which the passenger had to wade through water and travel home on foot. It really is reminiscent of the Philippines. ust as importantly, neighbors bring with them a measure of safety. That’s because Florida is a second amendment state. As a household without guns, we rely on our gun-owning neighbors to provide the threat to potential looters or otherwise. Since the island has been evacuated of residents, looting has picked up, something that I had not even heard of during prehurricane times. Neighbors watch out for each other in these communities. Without them, criminals have been emboldened, despite the presence of additional police officers.

The local electric cooperative is busy re-erecting power distribution poles and plans to have power feeding into the island in four days. Water is now pressurized. For a state that charges no individual income taes (there are other kinds of ta es, of course), this kind of responsiveness is astonishing.

I credit Florida’s governor for much of this recovery. Ron DeSantis is motivated to perform well following a high-profile storm if he wants to come across as a good chief executive should he run for United States President in 2024. Indeed, it has worked. He reserved crews from neighboring states ahead of the storm in order to respond uickly after it passed. The iden administration deserves credit as well. The local government, what I assumed was a sleepy small-city government, has stepped up to the plate and kept the residents informed and organized. They have also been busy with road clearing and debris management.

It is a lot of detail on the recovery post hurricane Ian, but it drives home the point that a government that prioritizes safety and infrastructure is the best government. Compare this response to the rolling brown-outs in California that happen during normal times.

n most cases, people read books alone, not in the company of others. We see them in the library, in a corner, in the bus, in their study room, in the park, or under a tree. This is the general practice for book lovers.

Can reading books connect people, build communities? (Continue on page 27)

The question is: Can we transcend these solitary reading practices to be able to build communities and make us successful as a group? Generally speaking, reading books in and of itself cannot make you successful. However, reading enhances the chances of success. Reading allows you to learn from others’ mistakes and success. It also makes you to be creative, imaginative, and smart among other things; helping you achieve success faster. (thebookbu .com)

When we read, we learn new things. And when we read together, we learn things not just about the book, but also about the people with whom we are read. When we all get On the Same Page, we make better collaborators and problem solvers because we understand our world a little bit better. We become a community of engaged, educated, and empathetic individuals. And we have the opportunity to make better families, better communities, and a better world. (weareonthesamepage.org)

Well, these two resources validated the fact that we can connect with others and build communities through reading.

In 1998, Seattle started One Book, One Community, a project which emphasized the phenomenon of reading books to ignite and make the community more viable and connected. Since then, this reading program has been growing steadily across the country.

In 2003 in Silicon Valley, the Santa Clara County Library District (SCCLD) started the Silicon Valley Reads, a countywide community engagement program and activities centered around books with a di erent theme every year. This kept the community connected most of the time.

Not known to many, for the last two decades, Silicon Valley Reads has brought people together with books and events centered on a focused theme that resonated with the community. This countywide reading engagement program will mark 20 years in 2023, with special programs at schools, libraries and local organizations, according to a press release issued by Mariana Walker, Associate Communications Officer, Santa Clara County Library District.

Walker stated that: “We will celebrate the anniversary and the kicko of the 3 season on Thursday, anuary , 3 with an in-person and live-streamed author event including featured authors Tommy Orange, Amanda Skenandore and Kai Harris at the Visual Performing Arts Center Theater at De Anza College in Cupertino.”

Two years ago, when the world e perienced a global pandemic, Silicon Valley Reads gave people hope for the future with themes like “Connecting” and “The Power of Kindness, Resilience and Hope.” With these themes, the community was united and now is ready to move forward to 2023 with a theme: “Journey to New Beginnings.”

Jennifer Weeks, Santa Clara County Library District’s County Librarian and one of the co-chairs of Silicon Valley Reads said, “since then, Silicon Valley Reads has enjoyed a dynamic journey since its inception in 3.’’ She co-chairs alongside Dr. Mary Ann Dewan, County Superintendent of Schools and Jill Bourne and Michelle Ornat, City of San José Library Director and Deputy Director, respectively. We started as a one book, one community program in 2003 and over the years have broadened our scope to become more inclusive and re ective of the many communities that make up Silicon Valley.”

Also, Dr. Dewan had thoughts on the long history of Silicon Valley Reads: “We have been honored to engage with and serve the community throughout the years. Author visits and special programs are highlights for the students in our county. Silicon Valley Reads helps to increase literacy and demonstrates the importance of books, writing, and conversation for schools, parents, children and the community. It’s been a great journey and we are excited about the future.”

The theme Journey to New Beginnings features three adult fiction titles. The first is a novel titled There There by Tommy Orange. The novel features characters from Native communities who are all traveling to

BETING DOLOR

ELPIDIO R. ESTIOKO

Effect of Domestic Violence on Naturalization

BREAKING NEWS

New Regulation will make it easier to immigrate

The Biden Administration will release a regulation by December 2022, making it easier to immigrate for people who have taken public benefits. The public charge under Trump era will be revised significantly.

N-400 Application for Naturalization

The USCIS is now giving priorities to application for naturalization . The reason is obviously to allow ualified immigrants to vote in the coming midterm and presidential election. There are cases when the waiting time is only si months compared to prior years. Pres. iden is encouraging all ualified to file for naturalization. This is a rare opportunity that all ualified should take advantage of. DACA reinstated

Pres. iden reiterated to renew the DACA processing as of August 3 , Arrest and removal of undocumented is now up to the discretion of IC officer

US Supreme Court did not allow Pres. iden to overturn the immigration policy of Trump with regards to priority in arrest and removal. With increasing migrants at the border White House is now requiring ICE to deport more migrants under political pressure. It is now a decision to be made by the IC officer which could include arrest of anyone who is undocumented. It is time to work on your green card now. ect of Domestic Violence on Naturalization

A conviction of Domestic Violence will make you deportable and inadmissible. If you travel outside the U.S. you will be sent to second interview at the port of entry because that will trigger on your green card. In order to avoid this situation, you should consult with an immigration attorney to analyze your case of Domestic Violence. There are re uirements for the conviction to be deportable. These re uirements are ) the crime has a potential sentence of one year or more ) the crime was committed within five years after date of admission. ased on this re uirements, whenever you have encounter with the police or the USCIS agents, you may be sent to Removal Proceedings. There is a way to avoid this situation and that is to consult with an immigration attorney if you can naturalize. An attorney can analyze your case and argue that the crime is a first o ense e ception or that the potential sentence was not for one year or more or argue that the crime happened after five years of your admission to the U.S.

If you are convicted of two or more domestic Violence or other crime involving moral turpitude, then consult with an immigration attorney if you can avail of the e ception and arguments specified above. If you ualify for the e ception, you may be able to naturalize.

Note This is not a legal advice and presented for information purposes only. If you have immigration problems the Law Offices of Crispin C. Lozano can help you find a solution before your problem gets worse which could lead to deportation and family separation.

ankruptcy asics (We do Chapter ankruptcy)

. ankruptcy will actually improve your credit within one year because your unsecured debts are discharged. Although the bankruptcy will be in your records for years, not filing bankruptcy will make your credit even worse until most your debts are paid.

. If you are being sued by your creditors, most money judgment can be eliminated in bankruptcy.

3. Collection actions continue and you can be sued if you are in debt settlement.

4. Chapter will eliminate all unsecured debts. If you are near retirement age, you must eliminate most of your debts.

CAR ACCIDENTS

Our Law Firm successfully settled a car accident for . . FAMIL LAW

We also handle uncontested DIVORC . INCOM TA PRO L MS

We can help you if you are under IRS audit, need a representation with IRS, need to reduce your ta liability or need to o er a payment plan to IRS, CLAIM FOR UNPAID WA S

We help our clients recover from employers’ unpaid minimum wage and overtime. Undocumented workers are ualified to apply.

SUCCESS STORIES

For the month of September , we received approval from USCIS four naturalization applications, two Fianc e visa petition, two removals of condition on residence and two adjustment of status applications.

Note: If you have immigration problems write us a letter and we will reply to you with no initial obligation. The Law Offices of Crispin C. Lozano can help you find a solution before your problem gets worse which could lead to deportation and family separation. Chris Caday Lozano is an active member of the State ar of California since . e specializes in Immigration Law and ankruptcy Law. e has offices in ayward and Cerritos, CA. Contact -8 -4 - or email at info ccllaw.net. www.crispinlozanolaw.com

Gov’t on right track in addressing inflation: Balisacan

MANILA – The Marcos administration is on the right track in addressing in ation and not distracted by “short-term challenges, according to Socioeconomic Planning Secretary and National Economic and Development Authority (N DA) Director eneral Arsenio alisacan. Tuesday.

Balisacan made the statement following President Ferdinand Marcos r.’s meeting with members of the economic team earlier in the day to discuss in ation, interest rates, and foreign e change.

“We tackled short-term challenges that we have discussed and this pertained to current in ation, the e change rate, interest rates, and what we need to do to assure our people that we are on track, and we are not distracted by these developments in achieving our short-term and medium-term goals,” alisacan said in a Palace press briefing. e assured that the Marcos administration is “mindful” of these economic challenges, particularly higher in ation and rising interest rate, which are expected to mute e orts being done to improve the country’s poverty situation.

Citing government data, he said sustained increases in in ation in and 3 will cause a slowdown in the country’s economic growth, translating into a gross domestic product ( DP) level lower by . percent in 3 than its e pected level had there been no sustained in ation shock.

He, however, said the economic team expects the rise in in ation to be temporary , as it is likely to slow down and return to the medium-term target of percent to 4 percent.

“We maintain that the country’s economic prospects remain bright as we get our priorities straight and our acts right, he said. alisacan cited the World ank’s Octo-

ber forecast for and 3 which epects the Philippines to grow by . percent in , second only to Vietnam among major Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) economies, and by .8 percent in 3 – again faster than Indonesia, Malaysia, and Thailand.

e also referred to the projection made by the Asian Development ank (AD ) and Asean 3 Macroeconomic Research Office (AMRO) that Philippine economic growth will remain robust in and 3, with the economy e pected to grow by . percent to . percent in and .3 percent in 3.

Our employment statistics are also encouraging the unemployment rate has fallen to .3 percent in August from 8. percent in August , while the labor force participation rate rose to . percent from 3. percent– an indication that the reopening of the economy is having its intended effects, he added.

Metro Pacific expanding hospital network, eyes accessible healthcare for Pinoys

MA ATI CIT – The Metro Pacific ealth (MP ), formerly Metro Pacific ospital oldings, Inc. (MP I), is aiming to bring accessible and a ordable healthcare services for Filipinos by expanding its network of healthcare care facilities in the country.

During the brand equity launch in Makati City, MP president Augusto Palisoc r. said that the group increased its previous target of 3 hospital networks by 3 to 4 hospitals in the ne t seven to eight years.

MP is currently a network of hospitals across the country, including the Makati Medical Center, Asian ospital and Medical Center, Manila Doctors ospital, Cardinal Santos Medical Center, Davao Doctors Hospital, Delos Santos Medical Center, Central Luzon Doctors ospital, Our Lady of Lourdes Medical Center, Dr. Delgado Memorial Medical Center, Calamba Medical Center, Los Banos Doctors Hospital and Sacred Heart ospital and others.

MP also has outpatient care centers, and six cancer treatment centers with a total 3,8 bed capacity, a pool of , doctors, and , employees servicing nearly 3.8 million patients annually.

MP I, the country’s first and largest network of hospitals, has rebranded to MP as the heart of Filipino healthcare .

Palisoc said MP is currently in talks with at least healthcare facilities, which the company aims to invest in.

He said the healthcare facility network remains keen on expanding through ac uisitions.

Palisoc said MP targets facilities in major islands in the Visayas, particularly Cebu and Iloilo.

Its networks of hospitals are in Metro Manila, ulacan, Tarlac, Rizal, Laguna, ohol, Negros Occidental, amboanga del Sur, and eneral Santos.

Palisoc said that by building its network of healthcare facilities, the company will be able to provide a ordable healthcare services to its patients.

“If you run your hospitals more efficiently, then in e ect you’ll be able to deliver your service at a lower cost. And then mentioned, since we buy as a group, then we probably are the lowest, we buy medicines, supplies at the lowest cost now in the country. It all now helps reduce the healthcare in our hospitals,” Palisoc said on the sidelines of the event.

Na�onal Economic and Development Authority Secretary Arsenio Balisacan

Fil-Am Miss USA R’Bonney Gabriel to visit Manila in December

By Claire Morales True

LOS AN L S - The first Filipino American beauty ueen to be crowned Miss USA, R’ onney abriel, is visiting the Philippines, the country of her father.

Ms abriel made the announcement herself, saying she is e cited to visit the country again, admitting that she has been in the Philippines several times while growing up.

The FilAm beauty said she grew up on chicken adobo, ensaymadas and sinigang and has spent a lot of time in Manila.

I’ve been to l Nido. I want to e plore more. It’s so beautiful, she added.

Ms. abriel said she will be in Manila in December as part of a series of charity engagements for the Smile Train event of the Miss Universe organization.

After her Manila trip, she will compete at the st Miss Universe Pageant in New Orleans, Louisiana on anuary 4, 3.

She revealed that she feels proud to represent her heritage on the pageant stage.

Miss USA, me, as well as Miss Teen USA, Miss America and Miss Universe are all Asian and that just makes me so proud of who I am, to share the story with the world, our culture, and let people know what we do, what we’re all about, she said.

The beauty ueen also said that she feels thankful to her Filipino supporters for joining her in her journey.

Maraming, maraming salamat sa lahat ng tulong ninyo. I will be working very, very hard to not only represent Filipinos but Filipino Americans at the Miss Universe stage, she stated.

I’m really looking forward to going back (to

Manila) in December with Smile Train with the Miss USA Organization, Ms. abriel said in an interview.

Smile Train is a cleft-based organization, and we’ll be doing work there by the end of the year, said abriel.

My dad moved to America from the Philippines on a college scholarship with about in his pocket. e wanted to pave a new life for himself. e met my mom in Te as, who is a country woman from eaumont. I’m a very proud Filipina Te an, she said..

My mom and dad were actually married in the Philippines, abriel disclosed after winning the crown.

And those ower designs were the same ower designs that were on my mother’s wedding dress and I have the Maria Clara color just to champion not only my love for my Filipino roots and how proud to be a Te an and I just want to show my best self as a designer at the Miss USA stage, the -year-old beauty ueen said.

abriel has advice to aspiring beauty pageant contestants.

My advice is to tap into what makes you special, and what makes you uni ue, and fully embrace that. As the first Filipina-American Miss USA, I embrace that wholeheartedly, and I think it’s what makes me strong, she said.

So I encourage girls to look into what makes them uni ue and special and not compare themselves to anybody, else.

I was first runner-up three times in a row before I finally won Miss Te as USA and then went on to win Miss USA. So never, never, never let rejection make you give up.

I think rejection just o ers you ways to analyze in ways that you can get better. So never give up, keep going, and embrace what makes you special, she added.

abriel, who also made history when she was crowned the first Asian American as Miss Te as last uly at the ilton ouston Post Oak, bested 4 other candidates, including two other Filipino Amer-

icans, in the competition to succeed Miss USA lle Smith. The two other candidates with Filipino ancestry are iana amat of awaii who formerly resided in San Francisco, California and Suzanne Perez of New Me ico. Perez made it to the Top . abriel was impressive with her dresses during the competition. One of her dresses featured a traditional Maria Clara collar shape.

I hand painted the same ower design from my mothers wedding dress onto my sleeves and tied in a traditional Maria Clara Filipina collar shape, she said.

I have immense gratitude for the opportunities my parents provided me and wanted to e press my love to them through this, she added.

Smile Train is an international children’s charity with a sustainable approach to a single, solveable problem cleft lip and palate.

Many children with clefts around the world live in isolation, but more importantly, have difficulty eating, breathing, and speaking. Cleft repair surgery is simple, and the transformation is immediate. Our sustainable model provides training, funding, and resources to empower local doctors in countries to provide percent-free cleft repair surgery and comprehensive cleft care in their own communities.

We use the teach a man to fish model, focusing on training local doctors to perform cleft repairs in their own communities. Those doctors then go on to train other doctors, creating a long-term, sustainable system.

Patients see their smile for the first time, parents cry tears of joy, lives and communities are changed forever.

As a result of our efficiency and with the support of our donors and partners around the world, Smile Train has transformed the lives of more than . million children by giving them the power of a smile.

Smile Train Philippines is located at 3 F Anne ldg., ast Ave. Diliman, uezon City, Metro Manila, Philippines 3- - -TRAIN ( - -

Pops, Kuh, Jaya set for November concert in California

“And was so broken. A few days na lang, mag-o-open na kami, tumawag ako kay Tita Pilits [Pilita Corrales, former manager ni Jaya],” she recounted.

“Sabi ko, ‘Tita Pilits, hindi ko kayang kumanta. Bigyan mo lang ako ng another two weeks, iiiyak ko lang ito,’ she recalled. “And know, think Jaya was a little bit, or maybe, very disappointed. Pero sabi ko, ‘Paki-explain mo na lang kay Jaya because hindi ko talaga kaya.’

“Talagang wala akong maisip kundi the pain, the betrayal, and all that. But noong nag-show na kami, talagang ang ganda ng repartee at duets namin,” Kuh recalled.

prayer she learned from Pops.

“Noong bagong Christian pa lang ako, invited Pops sa bahay. don’t know if she remembers that,” she said in the Pep.ph report.

“There was one prayer na sinabi sa akin ni Pops na ginagamit ko. Ginamit ko especially when was still very heartbroken,” she said.

“So Pops taught me, started praying, that no matter what her children would hear in school about their separation, she prayed that ‘Lord, would you deafen my children’s ears from those stories?’

Kuh Ledesma, Pops Fernandez and Jaya.

Yes, the three top singers will entertain their fans and supporters during their concert called Divas at the Fantasy Springs Resort Casino in Coachella Valley, California, on November 12, 2022.

“Kaming tatlo, we have truly ma-

tured as singers and as individuals. Lahat kami, believers,” Kuh enthused as she talked about her friends Pops and Jaya as they prepare for the US concert during a digital conference with media.

“Alam niyo ba na si Jaya noong nagPower of Two [concert nila noon ni Jaya] kami, noon ako nakipaghiwalay sa husband ko?” Kuh said in Pep.ph report.

Cavite solon wants to reopen probe vs. ABS-CBN

QUEZON CITY Rep. Elpidio Barzaga Jr. of Cavite has called for the reopening of a congressional investigation into the alleged violations committed by media company ABS-CBN Corp.

There was no immediate comment from the media firm on arzaga’s proposal.

In a statement, Barzaga, a lawyer-accountant, cited the need to revisit the issues raised against ABS-CBN “to determine if the company had corrected the legal infringements and the other violations that led to the denial of its legislative franchise in 2020.”

“These legal and constitutional issues include the possible violations committed by ABS-CBN on the constitutional limits on foreign ownership, its reported violations of labor and tax laws, and other violations of its previous franchise. We have to find out if A SCBN has been following the law or continuing to violate or circumvent it,” said Barzaga, vice chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Legislative Franchises.

The veteran lawmaker noted that ABS-CBN had initially attempted to merge with TV-5 to ride on the legislative franchise granted to the latter. The merger was dropped when several lawmakers disclosed that they planned to investigate the deal.

After the failed merger bid, ABS-CBN inked another agreement, this time with international cable channels Discovery Asia and the Asian Food Network.

While Barzaga said he sees no possible violation of the new agreements at this time, “we do not know if there are other deals that ABS-CBN has entered into which need to be reviewed to find out if they are violating the law.”

For the first time, uh une pectedly talked about her failed relationship with ex-husband Louie Gonzales as she reminisce her ties with Pops and Jaya, Pep. ph reported. “I was so broken then,” she recalled.

Kuh went on jokingly, saying: “Si Pops naman, ipinagdarasal ko palagi na huwag munang magka-boyfriend.”

“Makamandag ang aking dasal, sabi ni Lord, Siya lang daw talaga ang boyfriend mo,” she said.

Kuh recalled an important lesson and

“So, alam mo, Pops, ang laking bagay nun. started praying that even for Isabella and for myself,” she said. Isabella is the only child of Kuh.

“Si Pops, ang na-admire ko sa kanya, she’s really very independent,” Kuh continued. “She travels alone when she wants to travel alone. She’s not insecure, and she’s very masipag, napakasipag, and very professional at napakagaan katrabaho.”

“I must say, si Pops talaga, actually ito ang sinasabi ko, sa lahat ng artista na nakatrabaho ko, napakadisente ni Pops. Ang ibig kong sabihin ng disente, magaling siyang makisama,” she said.

$518-M grants up for housing and services for people experiencing severe mental illness and substance abuse

SACRAMENTO — The nation is experiencing a mental health crisis. Thus, California announced $518.5 million in grants to help provide services and housing options to those with severe mental illness or substance abuse problems, including for those who are living on the streets.

The latest funding will help Governor Newsom’s CARE Court proposal, taking a new approach to homelessness and taking stronger action to get people o the streets and into a place where they can get the care they need.

The funding will provide treatment beds for more than 1,000 people at a time, plus behavioral health services for many more. It is part of a . billion e ort to e pand mental health housing and services across California, especially for people experiencing homelessness.

The Governor announced the latest grants during a meeting with families who have loved ones dealing with serious mental illness, many of whom have been homeless.

“The crisis on our streets is at a breaking point. Too many Californians are struggling with mental illness and substance abuse, and many of them end up on our streets. We need to change the way we deliver help to those who need it, and these grants are an important step in changing our approach to homelessness and serious mental illness,” Governor Newsom said. “California won’t look away any longer; we’re helping our fellow Californians now. That’s the California Way.”

The Governor’s meeting in Sacramento with members of the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) in-

cluded families who are caring for loved ones struggling with behavioral or mental health disorders and could be helped by CARE Court. The Governor heard their stories and talked about the historic actions that California is taking to address this crisis.

CAR Court will provide Californians su ering from untreated schizophrenia spectrum and other psychotic disorders with community-based treatment, services, and housing, and is intended to serve as an upstream intervention for the most severely impaired Californians.

“Governor Newsom has NAMI’s full support in getting CAR Court across the finish line, said essica Cruz, NAMI CA CEO. “We’re here today to show our commitment to providing help, hope and health for those a ected by serious mental illness by supporting initiatives like CARE Court which will provide much-needed help to Californians who need it most.”

“CARE Court has the potential to change the lives of thousands of families across the state,” said Harold Turner, Executive Director of NAMI Urban Los Angeles. “Organizations like NAMI urgently need this support so we can quickly begin helping our loved ones who are struggling with untreated mental and behavioral issues.”

The awards announced today are delivered through the Department of Health Care Services’ (DHCS) Behavioral Health Continuum Infrastructure Program (BHCIP) Round 3: Launch Ready grants. In all, $2.2 billion was provided by the Legislature and the Governor to construct, acquire, and expand behavioral health facilities and community- based care options while investing in mobile crisis infrastructure.

Cash-Out Refinance vs. Home Equity Loan

our home is not just a place to live, and it is also not just an investment. It’s both a home and a piggy bank to be used carefully. When using it as a handy source of ready cash to cover emergencies, repairs, upgrades or paying o debts leaving enough e uity for the future and for a market price correction should always be considered.

Two of the most common are cash-out refinancing and home equity loans.

Why refinance

So why would you want to refinance your mortgage Well, there are two main reasons—lowering the overall cost of your mortgage or releasing some equity that would otherwise be tied up in your house.

Let’s say that years ago, when you first purchased your home, interest rates were 3. on your 3 -year fi ed-rate mortgage. Now, in 2022, you can get a mortgage at an interest rate of 3.5-4%. Seems like there is no purpose for you to refinance at current rates owever, if you have racked up your credit card bill and have student loans or personal loans averaging between 10-22% in interest. It would be smart to do it now before the rates go any higher. Yes, you should have done it last year when rates where below but there is no reason to look back but to see where you will be moving forward.

If you have repairs and children’s college expenses coming soon, a cash out refinancing option should be in your horizon to accomplish before rates hit 5% by year end 2022 as per expert’s predictions.

Now might not be the time to refinance cash out to buy another house with rates on the rise, would wait for the market to settle. Nonowner occupied rates are about .50% to .75% higher than a owner occupied loan, which means it is above 4% as of today.

Home Equity Loans

ome e uity loans are one option when it comes to refinancing. These loans are averaging 3.75-4.25% today they’re collateralized by your property, and that’s the catch: The lender can come after your home if you default. ome e uity loans also come in two avors: the traditional home equity loan, in which you borrow a lump sum, and the home equity line of credit (HELOC).

Second mortgages

A traditional home equity loan is often referred to as a second mortgage. You have your primary mortgage, and now you’re taking a second loan against the equity you’ve built in your property. The second loan is subordinate to the first should you default, the second lender stands in line behind the first to collect any proceeds due to foreclosure.

Home equity loan interest rates are usually higher for this reason. The lender is taking a greater risk. HELOCs are sometimes referred to as second mortgages as well.4

Pros and cons of home equity loans

There are several advantages to home equity loans that can make them attractive options for homeowners looking to reduce their monthly payments and simultaneously release a lump sum. Refinancing with a home e uity loan can o er

Lower monthly payments due to lower interest rates and a smaller principal

A lump sum that can be used for any purpose, including renovations and improvements to your property that, in turn, can raise its value

On the other hand, home equity loans come with risks that you should be aware of:

Your home secures the loan, so your home is at risk if you fall behind on your loan repayments.

With a traditional home equity loan, you have to borrow a set amount of money. If you don’t end up needing the whole amount, you can be stuck paying interest on a portion of the loan you don’t use. This is why HELOCs are a better option for homeowners who need to cover ongoing, unpredictable expenses.

You can’t get a home equity loan with too much debt or poor credit. This bars some people from being able to access the equity in their homes.

Usually if you take a line of credit you are intending to pay back this mortgage in less than years. A line of credit should not be used to buy a second home and use that amount long term. Especially now that rates are subject to go higher multiple times just this year.

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Hidilyn Diaz poised to start run for another Olympic gold, cites woes, set to train in US

kg, 71-kg, 81-kg and +81-kg.

MANILA The country’s only Olympic gold medalist Hidilyn Diaz-Naranjo is poised to start her journey to possibly compete in the Paris Olympics in as she joins eight Filipino athletes in the World Weightlifting Championships in Bogota, Colombia on December to ut before ying to Colombia, Diaz will undergo training for several weeks in the United States.

The 31-year-old Diaz is preparing for the Paris Olympics while putting together her thesis for her business management course at the College of Saint Benilde, which is near Rizal Memorial Sports Complex, according PNA’s Jean Malanum.

Earlier, Diaz met Arianne Cerdeña who bagged the gold medal at the Seoul Olympic Games where bowling was played as a demonstration sport during a courtesy call on Philippine Sports Commission Chairman Noli Eala and Commissioner Bong Coo, herself a champion bowler.

Like Cerdena, Diaz said she wants to still be of service after her retirement.

Both agreed that the road to greatness is not easy and aspiring Olympians will have to go through several hardships.

Meanwhile, Diaz admitted during a media discussion that she is experiencing difficulty in getting funding in her bid to do a golden repeat in the Paris Olympic Games.

Diaz, who ended the 97-year gold medal drought of the Philippines at the Tokyo Olympics, said that she is looking for more funds to help her achieve another Olympic gold, a revelation that attracted some criticisms which she shrugged o .

She said the fund she was referring to would be for the series of competitions she has to join to qualify for the quadrennial meet in

This will include the airfare of her team and other expenses such as her

food, stressing in an ABS-CBN report the importance of nutrition in a winning formula.

“Kailangan ko ng team. Paano na ‘yung coaches ko sa likod? Hindi naman pwede na ibang coaches ang kasama ko na hindi ako kilala. Paano ‘yung pagkain ko? Nag-a-add ako ng weight. Nutrition really helps sa laro, tapos ‘yung sports psychologist. So kailangan ko ng team,” she said.

Diaz noted that the one-way airfare alone could reach P100,000 for her team, citing the upcoming IWF World Championships in Colombia.

There are also the professional fee of her coaches, she said adding it is unfair for them to do pro bono work for her Olympic bid.

Diaz said she is aware that many Filipinos think that she does not need help anymore since she already won a hefty amount of incentives after her historic win in the Tokyo Olympics.

ut she clarified that the incentives she received from last year are dedicated for her future outside of sports.

Diaz posted on her Instagram story that as much as it pained her to do so, she is asking for financial help.

irap na hirap na ako. I need financial support. Sa tingin niyo, okay lang, kaya. Nahihiya kasi ako, pero try ko kapalan mukha ko para sa minimithi kong pangarap para sa ating bansa, na maiuwi ang gold medal sa Olympics,” she said at the time.

The World Championships is the first ualification tournament on the road to the Paris Olympic Games.

Diaz-Naranjo is entered in the women’s 55-kg category which she ruled in the Tokyo Olympics but is not included in Paris.

The weight class featured in Paris are men’s 61-kg, 73-kg, 89-kg, 102-kg and +102-kg; and women’s 49-kg,

Also going to the World Championships are Rosegie Ramos and Lovely Inan (women’s 49-kg), Elreen Ando (women’s 59-kg), Vanessa Sarno and Kristel Macrohon (women’s 71-kg), Nestor Colonia (men’s 55-kg), John Febuar Ceniza (men’s 61-kg) and Dave Lloyd Pacaldo (men’s 67-kg).

The other members of the delegation headed by Samahang Weightlifting ng

“We are optimistic for a good showing in the World Championships to be led by Hidilyn and Vanessa. This is why we skipped the Asian Championships to concentrate on our goal of qualifying,” said Puentevella in an interview.

“This world championship is a prelude to the Paris Olympics already. Where we meet the best in the world. At the same time, we’ll know who’s ready and also improve our qualifying chances,” added Puentevella, who was inducted into the International Weightlifting Federation (IWF) Hall of Fame on June this year.

Sarno won three gold medals (Youth 71-kg) and Ramos bagged three gold medals (Junior 49-kg) at the Asian Youth and Junior Weightlifting Championships in Tashkent, Uzbekistan last July.

Pilipinas President Monico Puentevella are coaches Ramos Solis, Richard Pep Agosto, Joe Patrick Diaz, Julius Irvin Hikaru Naranjo, sports psychologist Dr. Karen Katrina Trinidad and nutritionist Jeaneth Aro.

When they Get to Vote, Native Americans Swing Elections

ByPeter White

Indian lawyers have been winning lawsuits against gerrymandering and restrictive voting laws in Arizona, New Me ico, Montana, North Dakota, and Alaska. Despite more laws making it harder to vote, Native Americans keep on casting ballots.

Native American voters “have the power to swing a host of elections this coming year,” says Jacqueline De Leon, a member of the Isleta Pueblo and sta attorney with the Native American Rights Fund (NARF). Which e plains, she adds, the ongoing hostility towards Native Americans voting and a dramatic rise in laws that are aimed to make it difficult or impossible for Native Americans to vote.”

De Leon was speaking at a news briefing on Indian Country’s fight for fair representation cosponsored by thnic Media Services, Indian Country Today (ICT), and First Nations perience (FN ). ICT ditor-at Large Mark Trahant moderated. ven though the eligible Native American voting population is small less than

1% according to Trahant Native Americans have already swung elections for Senator Lisa Murkowski and Representative Mary Peltola in Alaska, Senator Jon Tester in Montana, and former Senator Heidi Heitkamp in North Dakota. Voting age Indians could swing elections in Wisconsin, Michigan, Minnesota, and Nevada in the coming year.

In 2020 De Leon co-authored a 200page NARF report called Obstacles at very Turn which e plains why Native American voter turnout has historically been so low.

“It details the absurd structural barriers that Native Americans face,” De Leon says.

They include far away polling places, few voter registration opportunities, lack of residence mail delivery that makes registering or receiving a ballot difficult or impossible. Reliable transportation over rough roads to vote in November is always a problem.

The reason these barriers e ist is because of the power and potential of the Na-

tive American vote,” De Leon says.

Arizona

Last year Arizona’s Congressional District was redrawn by the legislature, replacing a large number of Hispanic voters near Tucson with voters in avapai County which historically has not been friendly to Indian tribes.

“There was no need to do that,” according to Derrick Beetso, director of the Indian aming and Self overnance program at Arizona State University’s Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law in Phoeni . There had been no huge in u or e odus of people in these communities. ou’ll see the same grandma living in the same house. All the same tribal members live where they’ve lived and all the di erent individuals that are impacted in avapai county and other counties still live in the same area.

“The only conclusion we are led to believe is that it was done for political purposes rather than to make sure that everyone’s vote counts,” Beetso said.

In Republicans passed a new voter ID law in North Dakota that disenfranchises Native Americans because they can’t put a residential address on their voter registration application.

Native American voters use post office bo es as an address and there are no post offices on reservations. It’s one of what De Leon calls “absurd structural barriers” that also makes it difficult for Native Americans to vote by mail. The Supreme Court let stand that law and in 2018 Sen. Heidi eitkamp lost her seat to Republican evin Cramer.

Society of PHL surgeons celebrates 50th year of service in Las Vegas

LAS V AS - The Society of Philippine Surgeons in America, including their members in Canada, is commemorating its half a century of service to healthcare in North America and its humanitarian endeavors to aid the poor in the Philippines.

SPSA Fellows, surgeons from around the United States and Canada, are coming to Las Vegas for this historic golden celebration at the Casear’s Palace, October 19-21, 2022, according to SPSA President Honorio M. Cruz, MD, FACS.

This renowned e clusive society of Filipino surgeons of various sub-specialties was established in San Francisco in 1972, with ernan M. Reyes as Founding Presi-

dent. A number of them are in academia, Professors, Chiefs of Surgery, and medical sta presidents in various medical centers around the United States and Canada.

A 4 -page SPSA olden earbook, a historic account of the association and compendium of the contributions, achievements, and legacy of its members, is to be presented to each SPSA Fellow during its olden ala Dinner- all on Friday, October 21st, together with its 84-page supplement, the SPSA olden Souvenir ournal.

These two highly treasured books are given free, one per each SPSA Fellow. Those interested to obtain a second or more copies may order them by sending

a donation of per additional copy (net cost of printing, handling, and postage, which could be ta -deductible e penses) to Dr. Danny C. Fabito, at 8 Ivory Sage Street, Las Vegas, NV 89148. These are both limited edition books and are available only while they last.

Among the 14 news SPSA Fellows inducted to the Society during the ala was a Nun surgeon, Sister va Fidel Maamo, MSLP, MD, of Paranque, Metro Manila, Philippines, reported d amboa, MD, FACS, Membership Chairman of Membership.

Dr. Daniel C. Fabito, MD, FACS, FPCS, Past President and now ecutive

Director, said the complimentary Welcome Dinner at the NoyPitz ar and rill on South Las Vegas, was very well attended.

Las Vegas is a fantastic city. The olden ala Dinner-Dance at the Caesar’s mperor’s Ballroom was a great success and a wonderful historical epilogue, a grand legacy of the SPSA as it embarks into its ne t chapter, its new voyage, SPSA . , states SPSA olden Convention Chairman Philip S. Chua, MD, FACS, FPCS.

For SPSA contacts, send email to any one of these addresses: hmcruzmd@gmail. com, danielfab co .net, and scalpelpen gmail.com

New and Expanded Resources Can Help Customers Prepare for Possible Public Safety Power Shutoffs as Windy Season Approaches

OAKLAND, Calif. To make sure customers stay safe during planned wildfire safety outages, Pacific as and lectric Company (P ) o ers new and e panded customer resources in case Public Safety Power Shuto s (PSPS) are needed this autumn. Because high winds may cause trees and debris to contact energized lines and possibly start a wildfire, P may need to turn o power during dry, windy weather. ach year, P enhances the PSPS program by further refining the ability to identify and mitigate catastrophic wildfire risk. There was an 88% reduction in customers impacted by PSPS in 2021 compared to 2020, and a 43% reduction in the duration of outages during a PSPS in 2021 compared to 2019.

“System improvements and favorable weather meant that PSPS a ected fewer customers last year than in 2020 and 2019,” said Mark uinlan, Vice President of lectric System Operations at P . P continues to use PSPS as a last resort to prevent catastrophic wildfires. very day, P is working hard to respond to the state’s changing climate, reduce wildfire risk across every part of the service territory and make the system safer.”

This year, P is providing customers with several tools to help them prepare and stay safe during a planned power outage:

The enerator and attery Rebate Program has e panded to provide a 3 rebate to customers located in Tier or High FireThreat Districts ( FTD) and or served by an nhanced Powerline Safety Settings ( PSS)protected circuit. If the customer is located outside of an FTD but is served by an PSScapable circuit, they must have e perienced two or more recent PSPS to qualify.

Hotel discounts are now available as a new resource for customers who are e periencing a PSPS. P is teaming up with I otels Resorts, yatt, Choice, and Wyndham otels to o er customers discounted rooms as a safe space during a power outage.

Transportation to Community Resource Centers (CRCs) has been e panded to provide accessible transportation to and from CRCs to customers in Shasta, l Dorado, Fresno, Marin, Sonoma, Solano, Stanislaus, San Joaquin, Tuolumne, Amador, Calaveras, and San Francisco Counties during a PSPS.

Customers who depend on power for medical devices or assistive technologies may qualify for the Disability Disaster Access and

Resources (DDAR) Program, a collaboration between P and the California Foundation for Independent Living Centers. The program assists those who have medical and independent living needs with:

Creating an emergency plan

Signing up for the Medical Baseline Program

Applying for a portable backup battery

Obtaining ADA-accessible car rides and or hotel stays during a PSPS

Receiving food replacement during and after a PSPS

P shares information in advance of and during PSPS outages as soon as possible. New this year, notifications will be sent both day and night, depending on when the dry, windy weather occurs and power will be out. P understands this may mean customers are called at night and recognizes the inconvenience this may pose. In previous years, P has not sent notifications between the hours of p.m. and a.m. However, due to requirements from the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC), the policy has been updated. Although weather conditions can be uncertain, P aims to send notifications via calls, te ts and emails two days ahead of

a PSPS, one day ahead, just before shutting o power, once power is turned o and daily until power is restored. P will also send notifications if a PSPS outage is no longer e pected. Customers can ensure their contact information is current by visiting pge.com myalerts.

Address Alerts

Customers can receive PSPS notifications for any important address such as their parents’ home, their children’s school or their business via te t or phone call in languages. Customers and non-account holders can sign up for Address Alerts at pge.com addressalerts.

To help customers prepare for possible emergencies due to increasing wildfire risk, P is e panding its wildfire safety and preparedness online toolkit. A new online Wildfire Safety Videos hub serves as a onestop shop with easy-to-navigate videos about customer support and wildfire safety initiatives.

An in-depth look at customer resources before, during and after a PSPS is available at pge.com pspsresources. Information about how P is working every day to reduce wildfire risk can be found at pge.com cwsp.

October and November Weather Conditions Could Elevate the Potential for Public Safety Power Shutoffs as a Last Resort to Prevent Wildfires

NaFFAA anti-hate task force vows full support for victims

After creating its own task for on antihate, National Federation of Filipino American Associations (NaFFAA) pledged its commitment to providing any support we can to victims, to organizations supporting victims, and to help identifying resources for victims.

NaFFAA National Vice President and task force head Chris Rivera underscored this in an email interview as he strongly urged victims to come out and report incidents of hate and not hide in fear.

“First step is always to call 911 and report it to authorities. After this, NaFFAA can certainly provide support and help direct the victim towards professionals and experts in various fields, depending upon the specific needs of the individual, which is definitely something NaFFAA has access to, which is our diverse membership and network of stakeholders from across the country,” Rivera advised.

Rivera shared that their task force has been either directly involved, or been contacted at least hate incidents since the launch of NaFFAA’s Hate Crimes Task Force on April 24, 2021and that they are aware that cases were filed in appro imately 3 of these incidents although most of those filed did not result in penalties often because the perpetrators were never identified.

There is still a cultural in uence that many Filipino families still hold, which is that if there is no one physically hurt, nothing

stolen, nothing broken, that there is nothing to report. The problem is that when a victim of hate bias does not report even the smallest of incidents, what it tells the perpetrator and others who may potentially commit these crimes is that it is okay,” rued Rivera.

To somehow assuage fears and hesitations in reporting hate incidents, Rivera believes community members can meet these victims in the middle, in the form of community watchdogs acknowledging that a concerted e ort to be aware, and forthcoming with support, especially if these volunteers come from the a ected neighborhoods, then victims would be more likely to report.

“If we can put victims at ease, and have true numbers of hate incidents, then those in power would be hard pressed to neglect our communities. On the other hand, believe that authorities could devote some resources to tracking occurrences of hate incidents. Extra patrols in these targeted neighborhoods, or areas frequented by members of these communities, would be a start. It would have to be a tandem e ort to be e ective, Rivera stresses.

Rivera cited that many of the victims are trying to move on, and out of the limelight although some, like Mayor Marico Sayoc of Los Gatos, CA, and Noel Quintana and Vilma Kari of New York have been public about their experiences.

Recently, NaFFAA was saddened and enraged by the latest reported incident of which was a Filipina was approached by a random attacker on 43rd Street in Times Square. The unidentified man punched and kicked causing her to fall. He then kicked her multiple times in the head before eeing.

“This climate of violence and hatred against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders must come to an end people of all ethnicities and nationalities have the right to exist without fear,” stated Brendan Flores, NaFFAA National Chair and President. “What is more painful to see is that our women and elders are being attacked in public and received no help from witnesses nearby. In the horrific event that happened on March 29, 2021 in New York City against a 65 year-old Filipina woman, there was no help.

Flores also wondered why there weren’t any attempts at preventing the escalation of this incident by sta inside of the building she was attacked in front of whose security guard just physically shut the building’s door while she was being brutally kicked in the

head.

Still, Rivera exhorts Filipinos to travel with a companion, always have some sort of PPE (mace, collapsing baton, etc.) or whistle, or change their routine when possible even as he reiterates that what will ultimately stem the tide would be better reporting numbers, and the biggest impact would be for community leaders putting folks at ease about reporting.

“It would also be easier for authorities to redirect resources to these a ected neighborhoods if they could have tangible evidence and data to support the changes. We can certainly help direct victims to trauma specialists, should victims request support,” Rivera trusts.

CONSUL GENERAL FERRER MEETS WITH PHILIPPINE

TODAY PUBLISHER AND PRESIDENT

Philippine Consul General in San Francisco Neil Ferrer welcomed Philippine News Today Publisher

President rancis Espiritu, during the

call at the Philippine Center in

Raquel Solano, Consul Rowena Pangilinan-Dauipil,

Adrian Baccay,

ournalist Cesar Nucum Jr.

Speakers during protest press event are as follows:

Terry Wiley, Chief Assistant District A�orney of Alameda County

Annie Esposito, Founder and Chairwoman of Asian American Prosecutors’ Associa�on

Carl Chan , Oakland Chinatown leader

Don Orozco, Director of Filipino American Chamber of Commerce

Francis Espiritu, Publisher/Owner of Philippine News Today

Gary Fanger, Chairman of California for Liberty Jason Xu , President of Silicon Valley Chinese Associa�on

Je Wang, former Board Trustee of New Haven Unified School District Joel Eng , Execu�ve Director of Chinese American Ins�tute for Empowerment

Sunny Sun , Founder and Chairman of Be�er Milpitas

Wilson Young , Business Leader and Crime Vic�m

Protest against racial discrimination

California for Liberty Chinese American Institute for Empowerment Jeff Wang, former Trustee of New Haven Unified School Board Liang Chao, Vice Mayor of Cupertino Organization for Justice and Equality Yang Shao, Vice Mayor of Fremont

We are outraged by the racial discrimination remarks by Pamela Price, a candidate for Alameda County District Attorney. We demand her to sincerely apologize, retract the statement, and promise not to make the same big mistake again. elow please find the video found in Twitter clearly showing her discriminatory speech

https twitter.com eastbaycitizen status 888 s t ci -L oPa8 t nm F ww

In the video, Pamela Price outrageously and unacceptably stated that Chesta oudin, former San Francisco District Attorney, lost in the recall mainly due to Asian Americans who followed one or two top leaders whom oudin had o ended. This is far from the truth. She strongly implied that Asian Americans are ignorant and just blindly following leaders who harbor hatred and are also ignorant. This is discriminatory and re ecting her bigotry ow can a candidate for the District Attorney position disparage and discriminate Asian Americans publicly as this Many leaders believe that if Price has done this to another ethnic group, there would already be major outcry against her everywhere.

At a time when anti-Asian hostility has already caused numerous serious assault cases, this type of racial remarks can be pernicious, dangerous, and contagious, and must be censured and stopped er statement unveils her lack of empathy for Asian Americans who are the major targets of the criminals. Importantly, it is a well known fact that Boudin was recalled by both Democrats and Republicans due to his not enforcing the law, but not due to one or two Asian American top leaders’ preference.

The video, moreover, discloses that Pamela Price is against law-and-order which the current Alameda County District Attorney Department, under the leadership of Nancy O’Malley, Annie sposito, and Terry Wiley (the other candidate for Alameda County District Attorney), strives to maintain. Pricee praised Chesta Boudin, who stunningly prosecuted only two drug dealers in his last year of office as San Francisco DA, and she castigated Alameda DA for enforcing the law to maintain law-and-order. Voters have ample reasons to ask Price, Are you for lawlessness and disorder

At a time when the residents in the Bay Area are experiencing unprecedented menace on public safety with numerous cases of robberies, burglaries, assaults, murders, etc., Alameda County residents do need a DA to maintain law and order. Regardless of philosophies and theories, public safety is a very top priority in society. We have to strike the balance. At the end of the day, everyone should be able to return home safely after a day of work or school. Citizens need a safe environment for the nurturing of the ne t generation. It is obvious that Pamela Price will not focus on public safety and cannot protect citizens properly. She will very likely e acerbate the current problematic crime situation

To recap, we must stand up firmly against the racial discrimination remarks by Pamela Price who must apologize, retract the discriminatory statement, and promise not to make the same big mistake again. Alameda County voters must be aware of Pamela Price’s serious lack of focus and concern on public safety and do not vote for her. It is a general belief that Alameda County would eventually become uninhabitable if Pamela Price is elected as the District Attorney This is indeed a decisive moment for Alameda County voters especially Asian Americans

Letter to the Editor

the culture.

The Iletos know full well the e ects of hate-motivated crimes on a loved one. They’ve lost two members of the family as a conse uence of the murder of their kuya or older brother, Ismael shared at the UCLA forum, where he was introduced as a cofounder of Asian Americans Advancing ustice. rief overcame a sister to the point where she took her life, he said, his grief palpable even as he calmly spoke of an often unseen impact of hate crimes –its toll on the mental wellness of the family of victims.

woh’s story posted in August on the 3rd anniversary of oseph’s murder reiterates the sorrow, regret and longing harbored by oseph’s family and how they have been transformed by the tragedy.

We never even got the chance to say goodbye, oseph’s younger brother told woh. I want to tell him that we miss his company and I hope he can see that we’re doing our best to honor his name. I want people to remember my brother oseph not just as a hate crime victim, but for what his name stands for .O.S. .P. .I.L. .T.O. oin Our Struggle ducate and Prevent ate Instill Love, uality and Tolerance for Others.

woh says the killing of Ileto and victims of hate crime helped raise the nation’s consciousness regarding hate violence, leading to the proposal of the ate Crimes Prevention Act of intended to increase federal resources to address the problems of hate crimes. ut the proposed legislation stalled after the first deadliest foreign terrorist attacks on US soil in New ork and Pennsylvania, which refueled race hatred, this time for people of same or similar origin as the assailants.

Philippine News Today was unable to reach Ismael Ileto or woh at press time, but woh in the recent article says the Iletos continue to speak out against all forms of hatred and responsible gun control.

woh highlights the oseph Ileto ate Crimes Prevention Fellowship established by the Asian Pacific American Legal Center of Southern California as a memorial for oseph by advancing education and advocacy around the issue of hate crimes and strengthening intercommunity networks as a means of preventing hate crimes. They have worked with the Filipino Civil Rights Advocates, known as FILCRA, toward the same goal.

TO CONCLUD D

Offline

Upside...

su ering did not end after oseph was laid to rest.

Crimes motivated by race, gender and religion-related hatred had been reported around the time of the Ileto murder, but crimes targeting Asian American and Pacific Islanders received little or no coverage in national media.

Filipino American publications gave the tragedy front-page coverage as it had deserved, but the scarcity of attention from the mainstream media heightened the invisibility of the Filipino population in US society all over again.

The media were not the only ones guilty of egregious omission.

Days after Ileto’s death, ov. ray Davis signed three gun control bills. In his remarks at ceremonies announcing the proposed legislation, David paid tribute to members of the ewish community in attendance as he noted the attack on the ewish Center. The Ileto family was seated on the front row but were among scant AAPI in attendance. The governor referred to them only toward the end of his remarks.

y the way, the Ileto family is here, oseph’s younger brother Ismael remembered Davis’s afterthought as people were starting to walk out, woh said in his article.

The name of oseph Ileto, the only one who was killed in the Aug. rampage, did not merit mention by the governor, adding insult to injury upon the Iletos.

oseph’s mother Lillian e pressed humiliation and said she hoped there were no Filipinos around to know oseph was not recognized. Ismael was appalled. ou shouldn’t be embarrassed, you should be enraged, Ismael responded to his mother. ually o ended, his wife Deena added Why are they oblivious to us when we are sitting right in front of them

Davis, of course, would be recalled by voters in 3.

TRANSFORMATION

The Iletos, on the other hand, awakened to an advocacy. They have been speaking at events to raise awareness of gun violence and its e ects on the entire family.

In my e perience I don’t think we’ve moved farther down the line, Ismael minced no words in at the UCLA Luskin Center where he sat on a panel with e perts discussing the history of American gun culture and its conse uences on racial tension.

We need more involved people to change laws. We can march and march but nothing will change until we change the ones who e ect the law, he said in .

It always boils down to -- like this year, election year. I think whoever has relatives in other states, that we can change the makeup of Congress when we only see the change in gun laws. Otherwise, it will be the same thing over and over again. We will still have these mass shootings, and nothing will be done about the mental health care and these e ects that are part of the mass shootings we have in the US, that’s my feeling. I think we can do all the marches we want, the analysis we want, and like the keynote speakers said, understanding how the Second Amendment came about, and changing the views of how a Second Amendment should be, or should be practiced, is the only way we will change

As I See It

(From

the ig Oakland Powwow. This chorus of voices showcases the plight of the urban Native American--grappling with a comple and painful history, with an inheritance of beauty and spirituality, with communion and sacrifice and heroism, hailed as a historical classic. There There won the P N emingway Award, the 8 National ook Critics Circle Award ohn Leonard Prize and was a Pulitzer Prize finalist.

The Second is Life of Mirielle West by Amanda Skenandore. This depicted the glamorous world of a silent film star’s wife which abruptly collapsed when she was e iled at the Carville Lepers ome, hundreds of miles from home. It is a story of courage, resilience, and reinvention set in s Louisiana and Los Angeles.

ased on the true story of continental America’s only leper colony, The Second Life of Mirielle West brings vividly to life the Louisiana institution, where thousands of people were stripped of their civil rights, branded as lepers, and forcibly uarantined throughout the entire th century.

The 3rd one is What the Fire ies new by ai arris based on the perspective of -year-old enyatta ernice ( ). It is a coming-of-age novel which followed and her teenage sister, Nia who were sent to live with their estranged grandfather after the death of their father and the loss of their home. It is a moving novel about family, identity, and race, which revealed the heartbreaking but necessary component of growing up

These three novels, ill ourne emphasized, has each feature uni ue journeys that act as mirrors or windows for our diverse community. Some people may relate to the plight of the characters, and others will glean insight into uni ue perspectives

The Silicon Valley Reads community engagement program is presented annually by Santa Clara County Library District, Santa Clara County Office of ducation, and San os Public Library in conjunction with other public libraries, community colleges and universities, and community organizations.

In , in response to the COVID- pandemic, the theme was Connecting. The following year, as the community continues to adapt to life during a pandemic, Silicon Valley Reads moved the community forward with the theme arnessing the Power of indness, Resilience ope.

(From

sin began at half a million pesos to si and a half million pesos as of last count.

A picture of a person of interest has also been released and he bears a striking resemblance to a certain e -president, but of course it wasn’t him. The guy is a known sleepyhead and is too old to do anymore of the stupid things he did as a former government official.

ut the killer is out there, and in most likelihood this was not his first hit.

If a person such as the suspected killer was targeting a working journalist, knowing that his intended victim had been visited by the good old PNP would have made him think twice.

ut that is neither here nor there.

The fact is the visits to the homes of journalists was ordered by the head of the PNP National Capital Region, who apologized immediately after his ill-fated program was discovered.

And here’s the thing. e failed to inform the head of the Department of Interior and Local overnment of his wonderful project. Maybe he didn’t like the DIL head’s name, as he is called enhur. ood thing his parents didn’t name him Spartacus, huh Or some silly name like Pancracio or pimaco.

I should talk. One of my four first names is Faustino, and I do not think parents are naming their kids with such names anymore

So if the police ever think of reviving this fool program of theirs, they would not trace me so easily as my barangay only knows me by my kilometric first name.

Now you know why I use my nickname in my bylines.

As for the friendly, neighborhood policemen, if they sincerely want to keep working journalists safe, the best way to do so is to make sure all communities are safe and crime-free.

They should also do everything humanly possible to find out who ordered the killing of Percy Lapid, which is not his real name by the way. ut Percy really is his nickname for his real first name of Percival.

I end this by relating that some years ago, a friend of mine who was already a retired editor was also killed along with his brother. To this day, the killers of friend Mike and his brother have not been caught, or even identified.

We do not need good PR from the police. We need good policework, the kind that results in bad guys ending up behind bars.

The oard of Supervisors of Santa Clara County appointed San ose resident Tshaka Campbell as - 3 Santa Clara County Poet Laureate for a two-year term ending December 3 , 3.

County Librarian ennifer Weeks said Poetry inspires us, as well as sheds light upon the emotional side of the human condition. The Library is a repository for the written word as well as a public space for poets to perform their work and future poets to learn the art form. We look forward to hosting poetry events with Tshaka during his term as County Poet Laureate.

Supervisor Mike Wasserman, President of the Santa Clara County oard of Supervisors and Chair of the Library oint Powers Authority oard said Words hold great power to entertain, to inform, and to help us grow. The County of Santa Clara welcomes our new Poet Laureate and we look forward to the important contributions he brings to inspire a love and appreciation for poetry in our communities.

As a former city commissioner and chairperson of the Library ducation and Advisory Commission (L AC), I can attest to the fact that Silicon Valley Reads have brought the neighborhoods together by reading the community-based novels and accompanying books during the duration of the reading program ( anuary to March).

Campbell, the seventh poet laureate to be appointed by the County of Santa Clara oard of Supervisors, has authored four books (Tarman, Muted Whispers, Tunnel Vision and Stu ) and released three music albums (One, loodlines, and Skin Vol. ).

Nils Peterson was the County’s first Poet Laureate ( - ), followed by Sally Ashton ( - 3), David Perez ( 4- ), Arlene iala ( - ), Mike Mc ee ( 8- ), and anice Lobo Sapigao ( - ).

Let’s move the community through reading by participating in the Silicon Valley Reads es, it works

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

In The Trenches

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Social media is an e ective tool to gauge Marcos’ popularity. Many have started hitting Marcos r on two issues – his soft approach to the communists and his new approach to fighting drugs.

Marcos r. also has to take heed of the opinion polls showing that percent of the population were concerned with rising in ation, an issue that gave him a poor score.

Workers’ groups, including public school teachers, have been demanding a wage increase. One group has urged Congress to legislate an across-the-board P increase in the minimum wage.

The situation should be a wake up call for Marcos r who might swiftly lose his popularity if prices keep on increasing, the peso continues to sink against the US dollar, and unemployment worsens.

These are ingredients for potential unrest. Members of the royalty are not immune to social unrest.

In the United ingdom and its realms, people have been calling to abolish the monarchy. In the Philippines, the president is subtly restoring the Maharlika class by acting as if he is above the fray, wanting to be seen in ceremonies and show o pomp and pageantry instead of dirtying his hands to tackle ordinary people’s problems.

If Marcos does not play his cards well, there will be no restoration of the Maharlika class. e will be a king without a throne because political and economic conditions could conspire against him.

(Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Manny Mogato wrote this column for PressOne.Ph where it first appeared.)

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Staggering backsliding across women’s, children’s and adolescents’ health revealed in new UN report

RLIN – A new United Nations report shows that women’s and children’s health has su ered globally, as the impacts of con ict, the COVID- pandemic and climate change converge with devastating e ects on prospects for children, young people and women.

Data presented in the report show a critical regression across virtually every major measure of childhood wellbeing, and many key indicators of the Sustainable Development oals (SD s). Since the last very Woman very Child Progress Report published in , food insecurity, hunger, child marriage, risks from intimate partner violence, and adolescent depression and an iety have all increased.

An estimated million children were un- or under-vaccinated in – million more than in - increasing their risk of contracting deadly and debilitating diseases. Millions of children missed out on school during the pandemic, many for more than a year, while appro imately 8 of children in 4 countries and territories e perienced learning-loss because of school closures. Since the start of the global pandemic, . million children lost a parent or caregiver to COVID- .

At the core of our unkept promise is the failure to address the gaping ine uities at the root of global crises, from the COVID- pandemic to con icts and the climate emergency. The report describes the impacts of these crises on women, children and adolescents, from maternal mortality to education losses to severe malnutrition, said Antonio uterres, United Nations Secretary- eneral.

The report provides wide-ranging evidence that children and adolescents face wildly divergent chances of leading a healthy life simply based on where they are born, their eposure to con ict, and the economic circumstances of their families. For e ample

A child born in a low-income country has an average

life e pectancy at birth of around 3 years, compared to 8 in a high-income country. This devastating -year survival gap has changed little over recent years. In , million children died even before the age of , mostly from preventable or treatable causes. Meanwhile, most maternal, child, and adolescent deaths and stillbirths are concentrated in just two regions – sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia.

More than 4 million children had acute malnutrition in , a life-threatening condition which leaves them vulnerable to death, developmental delays and disease. Nearly three- uarters of these children live in lower-middle-income countries. A staggering 4 million children were stunted in . Africa is the only region where the numbers of children a ected by stunting increased over the past years, from 4.4 million in to .4 million in .

The si countries with the highest numbers of internally displaced persons – Afghanistan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, thiopia, Sudan, the Syrian Arab Republic and emen – are also among the top food insecure countries.

A woman in sub-Saharan Africa has around a 3 times higher risk of dying from causes relating to pregnancy or childbirth than a woman in urope or North America. Coverage of antenatal care, skilled birth attendance, and postnatal care is far from reaching all women in low- and middle- income countries, leaving them at elevated risk of death and disability.

Millions of children and their families are e periencing poor physical and mental health from recent humanitarian disasters in Afghanistan, thiopia, Pakistan, Somalia, Ukraine and emen. In , a record 8 .3 million people worldwide were driven from their homes by war, violence, persecution, and human rights abuse.

Heart of Hope

PHILIP S. CHUA

Researchers studied autopsy findings on 4 brains, of them people called SuperAgers, those who are 8 and over. I refer to them as TeenAged, individuals whose cognitive ability, alertness, attitude, behavior, posture, and movements are almost similar to people or more years younger than they are. Findings in this study revealed the brains of SuperAgers had larger neurons, the information messenger of the brain that transmit electrical impulses and chemical signs between various areas of the brain and between the brain and the rest of the nervous system and the body. The larger neurons in the entorhinal corte ( RC) appear to help preserve memory capacity among SuperAgers. Memory capacity usually decrease with age, with about 4 percent of people aged years and older having age-associated memory impairment, and about percent of them progress into dementia each year. The study also found that SuperAgers lacked neurons with tau tangles, that are characteristic of Alzheimer’s Disease. SuperAgers have been described as the ‘professional athletes of cognition,’ since they are rare people who continue to have sharp memories well into old age.

Nasal vaccines

No-needle mucosal vaccination is now being developed, to be delivered nasally or orally (also transdermal, with a micro needle). Since the virus enters the nose and mouth, the hope is that the nasal oral versions would halt the virus at those entry points and prevent it from spreading to the rest of the body. At least a dozen nasal vaccine candidates are being studied and are at their phase III clinical trials. The ones for COVID- are still far o from being available in the United States. China has approved an inhaled COVID- vaccine as a booster about weeks ago. India is following suit with its own version of an intranasal vaccine for emergency use. In the meantime, as of last Monday, October , , there were 4 , 4 cases of COVID- , with 338 deaths, 4, hospitalized in the United States. Sadly, very few have opted for the bivalent booster shot, which is a big mistake.

Vaping worse?

umping from the pan to the fire could well be the case of those who stopped smoking and started vaping (e-cigarettes). Vaping, like smoking tobacco, is self-induced slow suicide. Why some people have to take in hazardous substances into their body is mind-boggling. Almost half a million die each year from tobacco-related illnesses in the United States. Secondhand smoke kills more than 4 , people in the United States alone. Vaping use is catapulting to a serious high. They are advertised as a safer option to cigarettes. Does it mean it would destroy the body more slowly, killing more softly Those vaping have 4 percent more likely to have bronchitis symptoms, with lingering cough, phlegm, congestion, etc., and 3 percent shortness of breath. Vaping is more to ic in close uarters. Those near a person vaping could also be e posed to second-hand vaping. Let’s stop being masochistic and cease hurting our body.

Early onset cancer

Cancer of the colon and 3 other digestive system cancers have been observed to be spiking as early-onset malignancies, targeting younger and younger people. This was revealed by a new study in 44 countries. The fact that these are gastrointestinal suggests the big role diet and the bacteria in our gut (microbiome) have in causing these cancers. Some factors that increase the risk for cancers are smoking, high alcohol intake, obesity, consuming mostly meat, lack of vegetables, fruits, nuts in the diet, too much carbohydrates (sugars), lack of e ercise, environmental pollution. In , about . million cases of cancer and nearly , related deaths ( deaths a day) are e pected in the United States alone.

Selenium and aging

As we grow older, the caps on the ends of some of our chromosomes, called telomeres, get shorter. More evident signs of aging are wrinkles and gray hair. In the blood stream, an ingredient, selenium, declines. Daily re uirement is micrograms per day for 4 and older. Pregnant or lactating mothers need - micrograms. Selenium, a trace element, which plays a vital role in DNA and cell-health (and protecting the body from free radicals), can be found in multivitamins and mineral (combo) supplements. perts believe selenium might help fight against aging. Selenium may be found in seafoods, like shrimp, tuna, halibut, sardines, and meats, razil nuts, and grains. Consult your physician for more details.

Microbiome Diabetes

A new study links gut microbiome to the development of diabetes, where there is loss of dysfunction of the beta cells

of the pancreas (which manufacture natural body insulin). This research reports that a protein called beta cell e pansion factor A ( efA) secreted by certain gut bacterial species could induce the proliferation of beta cells in young mice and zebrafish. This means dysfunctional beta cells (which is the situation in diabetes T ) could someday be replicated to produce insulin for the body, hence e ectively helping treat or preventing diabetes. This study shows how gut microbiome (the balance of the good and bad gut bacteria milieu) in uences pancreatic beta cells development early in childhood. When this lab discovery is found applicable to humans, this gut microbiome strategy in replenishing the beta cells of the pancreas will tremendously benefit the more than 4 million individuals ( . 8 percent of the world’s population) who have T diabetes and, especially, the 8. million with T diabetes. As we have posted in this column before, a healthy gut microbiome by living a healthy lifestyle would ma imize our health and longevity.

Protect your DNA

We are healthy when our DNA is healthy. Protecting our DNA from childhood to adulthood is e istentially vital. Any damage to the DNA caused by self-abuse (alcohol e cess, smoking, elicit drugs, unhealthy diet, too much stress, lack of e ercise, sleep deprivation, lack of rest, etc.), e posure to harmful chemicals, too much sun, and bodily injuries, will lead to dis-ease of our system, resulting in illnesses. As I have stated in my book, Let’s Stop illing our Children (view at philipSchua.com), protecting the DNA starts in the womb (maternal healthy behavior during pregnancy), and in the crib, when dieting should start, not in high school, if we are to prevent damages to the child’s DNA. The strategy to a healthy life and longevity, unlike the lengthy global search of Ponce de Leon for the Fountain of outh, is actually here with us, all along. It is called living a healthy lifestyle. The e ecution of living a health lifestyle is the challenge, because is takes a lot of personal sacrifices and strict discipline to achieve its great rewards.

Philip S. Chua, MD, FACS, FPCS, a Cardiac Surgeon Emeritus based in Northwest Indiana and Las Vegas, Nevada, is an international medical lecturer/author, and Chairman of the Filipino United Network-USA, a 501(c)3 humanitarian and anti-graft foundation in the United States. Visit our websites: philipSchua.com and FUN8888.com Email: scalpelpen@ gmail.com

“SuperAgers”

Meet and greet event hosted by Elvie Teodoro and Linda Reyes with Cindy Chavez for Mayor of San Jose and publisher of Philippine News Today, Francis Espiritu, held at Elvie Teodoro’s place on Saturday, October 15.

INSPIRATIONAL ARTICLE FOR THE WEEK

WALKING AWAY FROM RELATIONSHIP

By TIM PEDROSA

hen someone is mean, don’t listen; when someone is rude, walk away; when someone tries to put you down, stay firm don’t let someone else’s bad behavior, destroy your inner peace. We should stop complaining about our relationship with others once we have done our very best. It might be between couple, parents/children, siblings, relatives, friends, etc. Some people expect the other party to initiate the connection all the time. They feel proud and important. However, sometimes the best way to get someone’s attention is to stop giving ours. Sometimes it hurts to ignore, to stay away or to say goodbye to people we love, who ignore fighting. Sometimes walking away has nothing to do with weakness, and everything to do with strength. We walk away not because we want others to realize our worth and value, but because we finally realize our own. How do we know when it is time to walk away from others dear to us? Love can be an incredibly hard thing to recognize. But it is an even harder thing to know when it is time to walk away from those dear to us and we may feel lost, wondering if it is really the right thing, and we are not sure if it is time to put an end to it or if we are supposed just to push on through. The only people who deserve to be in our life are the ones who treat us with love, kindness and respect. Respect is a very important thing in a healthy relationship, as is self-respect. If our significant other, a member of the family or a friend does not respect us, then it is not a healthy relationship to stay in. The biggest tragedy is to hang on long after the respect has gone. We are better o being alone and happy than staying with those who make us unhappy. When our opinion does not matter to someone, it is often a sign that the person does not respect us. Let us walk away from people who put us down, from anyone who does not see our worth. Let us walk away from mistakes and fears; they don’t determine our fate. The more we walk away from the things that poison our soul, the healthier and happier we will be. When people throw you stones, it’s because you are a good tree full of fruits. They see a lot of harvest in you. Don’t go down to their level by throwing back the stones but throw them your fruits so the seeds of yourself may inspire them to change their ways. If we are experiencing any abuse in a relationship, it is a clear sign that we need to walk away and that the relationship should have ended the moment it started happening. Let us not get caught up in thinking that the only kind of abuse that warrants separating is physical abuse. Emotional abuse and verbal abuse which can happen even in a long distance relationship are not okay in a relationship and are not something we should stand for. Relationship is a game of chance, sometimes we win, sometimes we lose. The key is to know when to hold on and when to move on. We cannot determine who will come into our life but we can choose whom we allow to stay. A broken relationship is like a broken glass. It is better to leave it broken when it gets expensive and keeps on hurting us trying to fi it. It is time to let go. Sometimes God gives us the wrong person before giving us the right one, so that when the right one comes, we know how to appreciate the gift.

The Tragedy With Bad Example

e know that bad deed is evil and sinful and will not bring out good consequence; worse, it can destroy not only our good reputation but also our life. Unfortunately, we do bad deeds; we even seek and plan out to do them. Moreover, bad deeds which also become bad examples; they also attract attention, meaning they are attractive. Bad deeds or bad examples can be sensational; and people like sensational things. We are attracted to the bad deed in the sense that it intrigues; and whatever is intriguing excites us; then, a bad action becomes sensationalized that it is talked about, it becomes topic for gossips. In comparison to a good deed done, to a good example, most often although it is attractive because good is always attractive, yet it is not sensationalized, it is not talked about for gossips. A bad example as a bad deed done is like mud, and whoever grabs it or talks about it, gossips about it, are dirtied and stained with it. The doer of the bad action or bad example has culpability of the entirety of what he has done; and those who talks or imitate the bad example will also have their own responsibility and culpability in the degree of whatever they did with it. In the gospels, our Lord Jesus mentioned bad actions that become bad examples. Jesus said, that those who do scandals or bad examples better for them to have a millstone tied around their neck and be thrown into the sea (see Lk. 17: 1-2). If we fall into doing bad deeds and become bad example for others incurs for us sin; we are culpable not only of the bad deed but also the bad consequence that it has on others. We cannot and must become bad examples to each other.

Bad examples will never do any good to the person around it, those who saw, experienced, and talked about them. Bad examples, if ever we talk something good about it, is only in the sense that it becomes a warning for us. If we have a warning sign telling us to not do or go there, or a warning alert telling us that it is dangerous; we must not take it for granted for the danger is not only for physical or bodily harm but also spiritual harm. The lesson or warning that bad examples give is an imperative by conscience to avoid them, to never choose any bad or evil action.

Furthermore; like good example, bad example is able to be imitated; unfortunately, it attracts also people to imitate it. It is sad, in fact, that many do not only do the bad deeds or bad example; they even promote it. And when there are many people doing the bad deeds, many people are doing the immorally evil actions, people think that it is fine and they begin to think it alright to just do them. This situation makes the person committing fall into sin and also the whole environment becomes an environment of sin. God disappears from the view of the person; only the ego shines. The environment without God is in darkness; a world full of sinful deeds and bad examples is a world in darkness. When we are full of ourselves, when our ego reigns; God disappears; then, we are in darkness. We cannot be doers of bad deeds and fall into promoting bad examples; for we become bearers of darkness ourselves. This is tragic for us to be that way.

Lastly, a bad example as a bad deed will surely not lead to a good end; it always leads to destruction, sin is destruction. Whoever sins falls into a moral and spiritual tragedy. Whoever sins dies. Whoever dies in sin; precisely, has lost the life with God, for the sinner has lost God who is life. Now, if we are bad examples in behavior and in the manner of our life; then, we are actually becoming an instrument of the evil one to let God disappear not only in one’s life but also in the lives of people around. This is a moral and spiritual tragedy that is happening in our time. Every time we are being bad example, we let God disappear and what we allow is the reign of sin. If there is the reign of sin; it is tragic because we cannot live without God. It is our ruin to think we can live without God. With sin our ego rules in place of God; we cannot let that happen for all will be is darkness. If we sin, we must right away get up, confess our sins and receive God’s grace of forgiveness, and amend our ways. We cannot deprive ourselves of God’s presence and friendship. Apart from God we are nobody and life is without meaning. Amen.

REV. JOSE PELAGIO A. PADIT, SThD

Recipe of the Week

Ingredients:

Pork and Spinach in Coconut Milk, Pinoy Laing Style

1/4 kilo pork belly, cut into thick strips

1/2 kilo frozen chopped spinach grams fresh baby spinach ml canned coconut milk/cream

3-4 clove garlic chopped thumb size ginger, cut into thin strips large size onion chopped tbsp. bagoong alamang (use fish sauce if not available) stalk lemongrass (optional), trimmed crushed 1/2 tsp. cracked peppercorns

3-5 pieces green/red chili, chopped or whole salt cooking oil

Cookingprocedure:

In a medium size sauce pan sauté garlic, ginger and onion until fragrant. Add in the pork and stir cook for to minutes add in the bagoong alamang and continue to stir cook for another to minutes.

Add in 1/2 cup of water, the coconut milk, lemon grass, crushed peppercorns and chili, bring to a boil and simmer at moderate heat for to minutes or until the pork are tender and the sauce renders oil and almost dry, stirring occasionally. Add in the frozen spinach and baby spinach, cook at low to moderate heat for to minutes until almost dry, stirring occasionally. Correct saltiness if required. Serve with a lot of rice.

San Juanico Bridge getscolorful lights and soundeyed to boost tourismeconomy,

TACLOBAN CITY Eastern Visayas has a new attraction for locals and foreign tourists.

It is the newly improved more than two kilometer San Juanico Bridge which connects this city with Sta. Rita town.

Built during the administration of President Ferdinand Marcos Sr., the bridge has been painted and enhanced with aesthetics light and sound show.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. switched on the colorful lights and sound of the improved bridge, saying the new colors and sound is “an excuse to come home.”

NEW ATTRACTION. President Ferdinand R. Marcos hails the San Juanico Bridge Aesthe�c Ligh�ng Pro ect as new a�rac�on that would boost economic ac�vi�es and tourism in Eastern Visayas region and nearby areas.

The President expressed confidence that the new attraction would boost economic activities and tourism in Eastern Visayas region and nearby areas.

In a speech in Santa Rita town, Samar province after personally witnessing the 21-minute light and sound show, Marcos said he did not want to pass up the chance to attend the event because the San Juanico bridge holds a “special place” in his heart.

The 2.16-kilometer San Juanico Bridge, which connects Leyte and Samar islands, is part of the Pan Philippine Highway supported by the Japanese government.

“With the recent completion of the San Juanico Aesthetic Lighting Project, look forward to seeing the bridge turn into a true sight to behold not just during the day but now even in the dark at night. look forward to the economic opportunities that will be stimulated by this as well as other Spark Samar initiatives in the near future,” Marcos said, referring to the branding campaign of the local government that was launched in 2015.

“I eagerly anticipate the assistance it will bring for the complete recovery of the tourism industry in the Eastern Visayas and nearby areas,” he added.

Marcos congratulated officials from both the provinces of Leyte and Samar, the Department of Tourism (DOT), Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority (TIEZA), and others involved in the completion of the project.

He said joint efforts of government and non-government entities were “commendable”, noting that such partnerships were needed to “transform” the country’s post-pandemic economy.

“It is fundamental in our pursuit of programs, this kind of cooperation you have done, and programs and projects that will boost the tourism and economic development of Samar and Leyte. After all these years, after overcoming postponements and restrictions brought about by the pandemic, the result of your dedication and perseverance will now be shown in its full glory,” he said.

Marcos also expressed hope that the project encourages other local government units (LGUs) to pursue programs that will translate to significant enhancements to infrastructure and pave the way for long-lasting impacts in the lives of

Filipinos.

“Every day henceforth, this bridge will stand, as it has stood since the beginning, as a staunch reminder of the rewards awaiting our collaborative endeavor and come night time as people are mesmerized by the wonderful display put up at this scenic spot, let it exemplify how we hold the power to add value, purpose, and grace onto our nation,” he said.

The President said the lights in the San Juanico bridge signal the Filipino resolve to make islands even more connected by “filling its gaps with displays of ingenuity, creativity, and openness so that progress may move freely among us.”

He also assured other LGUs that his administration will provide the support needed to enhance, preserve, and showcase the best tourism projects and other initiatives they have to offer.

‘Built for Samar, not Leyte’ Marcos took time to explain to Samar Governor Sharee Ann Tan that the San Juanico Bridge was built not just because his mother, former First Lady Imelda Marcos, hails from Leyte.

“I would also like to point out to our good governor, San Juanico bridge was not built for Leyte, San Juanico bridge was built for Samar,” Marcos said.

He said his mother was crucial in making sure that the bridge provided economic and tourism activities for Warays in Samar.

“...It was very very important that this bridge be built to give Samar some of the advantages that Tacloban has, that the province of Leyte has. And to respond to your cry na ‘Samar naman (Samar next)’, would like to say dati pa naman Samar na (it has always been Samar),” he added.

Built in August 1969 and completed in 1972, with a span of 2.162 kilometers, the bridge stood many challenges with the Super Typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan) that ravaged Eastern Visayas on Nov. 8, 2013.

The San Juanico Bridge aesthetic lighting project was proposed to TIEZA in 2015 by Tan and the DOT in Eastern Visayas (Region 8).

TIEZA is the funding source of the PHP80 million aesthetic light and the sound project carried out by Amigo Entertainment Technologies Inc.

The San Juanico Bridge Aesthetic Lighting Project is the first of its kind in the country.