Philippine News Today

VP HARRIS REAFFIRMS PLEDGE TO DEFEND PHL

to

By ALFRED GABOT and CLAIRE MORALES TRUE Editor in Chief and Managing Editor

Marcos opens door for use of nuclear power in PHL

By Be�ng aygo olor, ditor

MANILA – Even before he assumed the presidency, Ferdinand ‘Bongbong’ Marcos Jr had made known his inclination to turn to nuclear power as one solution to the country’s over-dependence on imported fossil fuels for its power needs.

He had even mentioned the possibility of power-

Tension flares over China-PHL sea ‘encounter’

By eanne ichael Penaranda

Personal thanks to FilAms

By David J. Canepa

This is the time of year to express thanks and I couldn’t be more thankful to all the voters, including the readers of this newspaper, for supporting my run for Congress this year.

Although the vote won’t be fi-

nalized for another three weeks, as of the writing of this column, our campaign received more than 86,000 votes, about 44.5 percent of the total vote. In San Francisco, we did even better, earning 49.8 percent

MANILA/WASHINGTON/PALAWAN

— Following vows by United States President Joseph Biden Jr. and then President Barack Obama and their secretaries of defense and state of “iron-clad commitment to the defense of the Philippines,” US Vice President Kamala Harris, this time while inside Malacanang, made clear before President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. himself that commitment, saying that the US will act in case the Philippines is attacked in accordance with the mutual defense treaty of the two countries.

MANILA Tension flared between the Philippines and China anew after China Coast Guard forcibly seized from Philippine Navy troops a debris from what appeared to be a Chinese rocket near the Pag-asa Island, a town of Palawan in West Philippine Sea.

The Chinese Foreign Ministry denied the Philippine troops accusation, saying tht Filipino side returned the object “after friendlyconsultation.”

26-year-old Ohio man faces decade in prison for hate crime vs student

By Gilda P. Balan, Correspondent

CINCINNATI - Verbal assaults have become commonplace, but hardly a week goes by without an Asian-American

being physically assaulted somewhere in the US.

So it was that earlier this month, a 26-year-old

San Mateo County Supervisor David Canepa with wife Ana and son Piero. Courtesy O ce of u ervisor Cane a

. . C P T amala arris is welcomed by President erdinand arcos r. in alacanang. and Phili ine o cials were with them as they held a dialogue.

U.S.

invoke mutual defense treaty in case PHL is attacked

US boosts PHL Covid-19 vax efforts with $5-M add’l aid

CALOOCAN CITY -- The Philippines’ vaccination program against coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) got a shot in the arm with a US$5 million additional support from the United States.

Second entleman Douglas Emhoff, husband of US Vice President Kamala Harris who is in Manila, made the disclosure during an activityin Caloocan City..

The fresh assistance through the US Agency for International Development (USAID) will support vaccine distribution for children and adults in line with the Philippine government’s Covid-19 vaccination efforts to intensify and strengthen the country’s wall of immunity.

This builds on the over US$46 million aid the US has provided to support the

country’s vaccine efforts as well as its donation of 33.6 million Covid-19 vaccines.

“Through SAID, the nited States has trained health care workers, strengthened the vaccine supply chain, supported effective communications campaigns, deployed mobile vaccination clinics, and bolstered economic recovery efforts in the Philippines,” the S Embassy in Manila said.

The US will also invest US$8 million to “strengthen its global health security partnership with the Philippine health system.”

To date, SAID has provided more than US$10.6 billion to over 120 countries to address the Covid-19 pandemic, with more than 664 million vaccines donated as of mid-November 2022.

DSWD chief Tulfo a US citizen? CA defers his confirmation anew

PASAY CITY — The appointment of Social Welfare and Development Secretary Erwin Tulfo is under question before the Commission on Appointments following the discovery that he was an American citizen, had served the nited States Army for several years and has 10 children from at least four different women.

Also, he was found to have been convicted for libel, which makes him disqualified from holding public office, according to House Deputy Speaker Rodante Marcoleta.

Due to the issues, the CA deferred Tulfo’s confirmation.

Tulfo did not answer the question during the CA hearing if he is an American citizen, but admitted after the hearing to

reporters that became US citizen since the 1980s and revealed he renounced his US citizenship this year reportedly to be able to qualify for the position as Cabinet member of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

Caloocan First District Rep. Oscar Malapitan also asked Tulfo about his US Army service from 1988 to 1992 and assignment in Europe from 1992 to 1996.

The questions on Tulfo’s personal and professional life which were unearthed during the CA hearing prompted the DSWD official to request an executive session to discuss the lawmakers’ inquiries.

Tulfo’s appointment was not tackled by the CA when it was first calendared before it went on a month-long break last September.

Surigao del Norte Second District Rep. Johnny Pimentel inquired about Tulfo’s personal life, particularly his “10 children from several women.”

“I suppose you had a very colorful love life and there were four women or the mothers ” Pimentel asked as ABS-CBN reported.

Tulfo answered yes. He added: “We’ve separated. es, we are in good terms. We are in talking terms, including all my children. Some of them are in the nited States, and some are here.”

Pimentel then asked if “meeting women” would distract Tulfo in his work at DSWD, ABS-CBN reported.

“Considering that in your line of work, the moment you are the Secretary of DSWD, I suppose you will be meeting a lot of women in your work. Hindi po ba magiging sagabal sa trabaho mo yun na marami kang makikitang babae ” Pimentel asked.

MMDA boosts visibility of enforcers in Metro during Christmas season

PASIG CITY – The Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) will boost the presence of its traffic enforcers in the National Capital Region (NCR) to help ease congestion and improve road safety.

In a statement, MMDA Acting Chair Romando Artes said personnel from the MMDA’s Traffic Discipline ffice will have their duties extended until midnight in response to the 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. adjusted operating hours of shopping centers in the NCR.

Artes told his enforcers that traffic management should be prioritized ahead of apprehensions of simple and light violations that may hamper the flow of traffic.

“Our primary duty is to manage traffic first before apprehending erring motorists. We don’t allow the practice of waiting for motorists to violate traffic rules before flagging them down,” he said.

He said exemptions to the minimized apprehension policy include distracted

driving and number coding violations.

He also ordered traffic enforcers to avoid grouping together and the unnecessary use of mobile phones while on duty.

“Activities of field personnel will also be monitored through the use of closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras located at the MMDA Operations Monitoring and Control Center (Metrobase) to make sure that the policy and guidelines among their ranks shall be strictly implemented,” he said.

New MMDA vice chair, general manager named

MANILA – President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. has appointed a new general manager and vice chairman of the Metropolitan Development Authority (MMDA).

The President also appointed officials of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) and Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO).

Retired police officers Pierre Bucsit and Procopio Lipana were tapped as PDEA deputy director general and MMDA general manager, respectively, while Frisco San Juan Jr. was

designated as MMDA deputy chairperson.

Bucsit, Lipana and San Juan took their oaths of office before Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin, along with another retired police general, Moro Virgilio Lazo, who was appointed PDEA director general in October.

Bucsit was a former executive officer of the Directorate for Integrated Police Operations in Western Mindanao while Lazo was once chief of the Special Action Force.

Before replacing former MMDA

general manager Baltazar Melgar, Lipana served as head of operations of the Quezon City Market Development and Administration Department and was once the deputy director for operations of the QC Police District.

San Juan was MMDA general manager under the Duterte administration, used to head the Pasig River Ferry Service and was a former Rizal vice governor.

On Monday, retired Marikina City judge Felix Reyes was sworn in as member of the PCSO Board of Directors. He was a former president of the Philippine Judges Association.

QUEZON CITY – As cases of coronavirus disease (Covid-19) continue to drop, Cubao Archbishop Ness Ongtioco called on the Catholic faithful to revive their faith by going back to church.

In a Homily at the end of the 9-day Novena to Nuestra Señora de la Salud (Our Lady of Health) at the San Nicolas Catholic Church in Quezon City, Ongtioco encouraged the Filipinos to reconnect and reboot themselves by going to church and commune with others.

“We need to refresh our faith,” ngtioco said, echoing the earlier appeal of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) for the faithful to go back to Church since the situation in most places has improved and the restriction has eased up.

“We are asked to come back to Church, to once again experience what it means to be a community (which) is to be in communion with others, to participate in God’s plan of salvation, and to live with a mission. Let us refresh, reconnect and reboot ourselves,” ngtioco said.

He said practicing Catholics should receive sacraments in person.

The archbishop also asked those who are accustomed to attending masses through live streaming should cease doing this activity and instead join the other faithful in praying and worshiping God inside the church.

Ongtioco also cited the important role of Nuestra Señora de la Salud, the other name of the Blessed Virgin Mary, in containing the spread of Covid-19 in the Philippines and healing of many Filipinos who had contracted the disease.

The Catholic Church revived the devotion to the miraculous image of Nuestra Señora de la Salud in 2016 after it was hidden from public veneration for 72 years.

It was in 1634 when the image was brought to the Philippines by the Spaniards.

Go back to church, Cubao archbishop tells faithful

Frisco San Juan Jr.

Come ec en anc s stains A a o ernor dis a ification

LEGASPI CITY/MANILA – The Commission on Elections (Comelec) has denied the motion for reconsideration (MR) filed by Albay overnor Noel Rosal in the petition for disqualification filed by defeated Legazpi City candidate for councilor, Joseph Armogila.

The Comelec en banc said it “found no cogent reason to reverse the findings” of the Comelec First Division in September.

Comelec spokesperson John Rex Laudiangco said the decision of the en banc is final but Rosal may elevate the matter to the Supreme Court (SC) “via a reasonably filed petition for certiorari.”

“The en banc’s decision is final, but has yet to become final and executory,” he said in a statement. “A certificate of finality and a writ of execution will ensue.”

The ruling stated that the MR “neither contains any new matter or issues, nor was it able to establish that the

Assailed Resolution was based on insufficient evidence or that the same is contrary to law.”

Section 1, Rule 19 of the Comelec Rules of Procedure cites two grounds for an MR to be denied the evidence is insufficient to justify the decision, order or ruling or the decision, order or ruling is contrary to the law.

The MR sought to assail the Resolution of the Division, promulgated on Sept. 19, which granted the petition to disqualify Rosal.

The First Division did not find Rosal liable for vote buying but was in violation of Section 261(v) of the mnibus Election Code, which prohibits the release and disbursement or expenditure of public funds during the 4 -day election ban.

It added that Rosal’s act of giving cash assistance to tricycles and senior citizens in Legazpi City was without prior authority from the Comelec.

C on to co orders ins ection of firewor s

CIT F SAN FERNAND , Pampanga The Police Regional ffice-Central Luzon (PR -3) has started random inspections of fireworks manufacturers and dealers in Bulacan.

The move was made following the explosion in a fireworks factory in Sta. Maria, Bulacan that wounded at least eight people last Nov. 3.

PR -3 chief Brig. en. Cesar Pasiwen said his directive issued aims to ensure that the fireworks manufacturers and dealers are complying with the rules and guidelines and ensure the safety of the public.

He said they are coordinating with local government units to make sure that all requirements mandated

by the Philippine National Police have been complied with before the issuance of permits to manufacturers and dealers of firecrackers and pyrotechnic devices.

“This is to avoid mishaps in fireworks manufacturing sites and prevent injuries as well as casualties to workers,” he said in a statement.

Last Nov. 9, eight people were arrested while illegally manufacturing pyrotechnic products in an operation by police at a residential area in Barangay Bi ang 1st, Bocaue, Bulacan.

Another individual was also nabbed while making firecrackers without the necessary permit in Barangay Bi ang 1st, Bocaue, Bulacan last Nov. 18.

Rosal’s wife, Legazpi City Mayor eraldine Rosal, was likewise ordered disqualified by the Comelec for the same offense.

Ex-VP Robredo bewails disinformation in PHL at Obama democracy forum in NY

Democracy Forum in New ork hosted by the foundation of former S President Barack bama.

“Strengthening our democracies is difficult but crucial work, as challenges evolve with the times. I find hope in today’s discussions and the collective commitment to make our spaces more inclusive and attuned to how we can help each other thrive,” she said in a social media post which ABS-CBN reported.

In the forum, Robredo said that disinformation in the Philippines had already evolved to the point where “two different, almost incompatible” information ecosystems were formed.

As a result, she said these ecosystems effectively “destroyed common baseline of facts which is very essential for discourse for discussions for accountability.”

Robredo recounted her 2022 presidential campaign, noting that her “Tao Sa Tao, Puso Sa Puso” campaign “made breakthroughs” in fighting disinformation, but admitted the strategy was carried out “late in the game.”

“It was encouraging our supporters to go out of social media try to talk to as many people who do not share your val-

ues do not share your beliefs,” she said.

The former Vice President also said that more research has to be done to unmask disinformation operations in the Philippines.

Aside from Robredo, other international pro-democracy figures headlined the forum litch CE Anil Dash, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Nikole Hannah-Jones, and eynep Tufekci, director of the Craig Newmark Center for Journalism Ethics and Security.

Renee DiResta of the Stanford Internet bservatory served as the forum’s moderator.

For its part, the bama Foundation said it hopes the inaugural edition of the forum will serve as a platform to share ideas vital to “keep democracies alive.”

“These democratic ideas are currently under assault around the world... We see it in the backsliding that’s taking place in what were well-established democracies. We see it in the escalating polarization and disinformation that’s so evident in recent elections whether it’s in Brazil, the Philippines, Italy, Sweden, and right here in the nited states,” bama said as ABS-CBN reported.

inaction on rec amation f rther threatens fish stoc s

QUEZON CITY – Members of the militant fisherfolk group Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (PAMALAKA A) trooped the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) in time of the World Fisheries Day on Monday, November 21.

The protest was to hold DENR Secretary Antonia ulo-Loyzaga over the continued reclamation projects across the country that threaten marine biodiversity, fish stocks, and livelihood rights of small fisherfolk.

“Lantad na lantad na sa publiko ang masamang epekto ng reklamasyon sa kalikasan at kabuhayan ng mga mangingisda pero hanggang ngayon ay walang imik ang DENR. Sa Manila Bay, 21 proyekto ang mayroong environmental compliance certificate (ECC) pero walang aksyon ang DENR sa panawagang irepaso ang mga ito,” Ronnel Arambulo, PAMALAKA A National Spokesperson said in a statement.

The fishers’ group has been demand-

ing for the revocation of 21 ECCs for reclamation projects in Manila Bay. Among the reclamation projects with ECCs in Manila Bay are the 420-hectare reclamation project in Bacoor City, Cavite the 2, 00-hectare Bulacan Aerotropolis 360-hectare Pasay Reclamation Project 318-hectare Manila City Waterfront Project and the 419-hectare Horizon Manila project.

“Nasisira ang yamang-dagat habang pwersahang pinapalayas ang mga mangingisda para sa reklamasyon. Kasunod nito ang pagbagsak ng supply ng isda sa pamilihan na ginagawang dahilan ng pamahalaan para mag-angkat ng bilasa. Isa ang DENR sa mga ahensyang responsable sa pagbagsak ng produksyon ng isda dahil sa pagiging kasangkapan nito sa mga mapanirang proyekto sa karagatan tulad ng reklamasyon,” Arambulo said.

PAMALAKA A said that aside from forcible displacement of fisherfolk from coastal communities, reclamation destroys mangrove forests, sea grasses,

and coral reefs that provide habitats for a large variety of marine life.

“Destruction of marine biodiversity for reclamation projects should be a non-negotiable for the DENR, especially under its current leadership who’s been known to have expertise on climate resilience and disaster risk reduction. Secretary ulo-Loyzaga is giving us absolutely nothing on this issue that concerns our marine biodiversity and ecosystem,” ended Arambulo.

PAMALAKA A creatively brought to the streets their demands. They paraded a kinetic protest art that portrays organized fisherfolk battering the waves of suffering brought about by the destructive reclamation projects.

The World Fisheries Day was first celebrated when the global fisherfolk organization World Forum of Fisher Peoples (WFFP), in which PAMALAKA A is a member organization, was formed in New Delhi, India, in 199 .

More Filipinos becoming more ‘conscious’ of having children

MANDAL N CIT Many Filipinos have become conscious of the implications of having children, as the country’s fertility rate declined, the Commission on Population and Development (Popcom) reported.

Popcom officer-in-charge Lolito Tacardon said the agency is looking at the declining fertility rate in the country as an “opportunity from various levels,” noting its benefits nationwide.

The decline in the country’s total fer-

tility rate (TFR) offers both an opportunity and a challenge, Tacardon said.

For starters, it can be considered a breakthrough in programs on population and development as well as family planning, said Tacardon.

A recent Philippines Statistics Authority National Health Demographic Health Survey (NDHS) 2022 Dissemination Forum showed that the TFR of Filipino women aged 1 to 49 years old is down to 1.9 children from 2. children

in 201 .

It placed the country within the replacement fertility level of 2.1 children, or the rate at which women give birth enough to sustain population levels.

“The Philippines’ latest TFR is now comparable to that of upper middle-income countries’ 1.8 children and Thailand at 1. children. In the Southeast Asia region, the Philippines now has the third-lowest after Singapore’s 1.1 children. It is lower than the Asian av-

erage of 2.2 and is comparable to Latin America’s and the Caribbean’s, which is at 2 children,” Tacardon explained in a statement.

The updated NDHS validated the PSA findings in February that the Philippines is now in a demographic transition, characterized by a situation when a country has a low level of fertility and mortality, as well as the oung Adult Fertility and Sexuality Survey released a month ago,

according to Tacardon.

NEW RK CIT Former Vice

President Maria Leonor Leni Robredo bewailed disinformation has clouded the information ecosystems in the Philippines

and declared social media has a big role to unravel disinformation.

Robredo spoke last week at the inaugural edition of the bama Foundation

Former Vice President Leni Robredo joins the inaugural democracy forum hosted by the Obama ounda�on in ew ork City on ov. , .

P15.6-B worth of COVID-19 vaccines wasted — DOH

PASAY CITY — Here’s a heart-breaking news. In its hurry to contain the COVID-19 pandemic, the government and the private sector purchased vaccines but over 31 million doses of which worth P15.6 billion have gone to waste.

The Department of Health (DOH) itself made this disclosure during a Senate hearing on the DOH budget.

The DOH said the loss is 12% of the 250.38 million doses received and procured by the government in answer to questions in the Senate hearing.

Senator Juliana Pilar Pia Cayetano, who sponsored the agency’s proposed budget for next year, cited various reasons for the wastage.

“One of the reasons for the expiration was because some of the COVAX funded vaccines we received have really short lifespan,” she said during the budget deliberation at the Senate. “And then there were also those that were subject to natural disasters, there were those that were subject

to temperature excursion...There’s such a thing such as underdosing.”

Senator Risa Hontiveros pointed out that the vaccine wastage reported by the DOH in August was 20.66 million, or 8.42%

Cayetano, however, clarified “What happened was they did a complete inventory at saka nila natuklasan na nandun sa mga kaduluduluhan ng mga warehouse (and they found out that there were still vaccines in warehouses)...What happened was we now have a more accurate inventory.”

Although the World Health rganization has set a 10% threshold for vaccine wastage, Cayetano said “WH found that the reality is that in low-income, middleincome, and even high-income countries, the wastage rates went up to 30%.”

“So, there was then a statement made by WH that up to 2 is acceptable. I don’t think it’s meant to be an excuse, but it’s just showing the trends and the realities,” she added.

ara cites historic firsts on OVP 87th anniversary

MANDALUYONG CITY – Vice President Sara Duterte took pride on the “historic firsts” that her office has so far achieved under her tenure, including extending basic services in other regions through their satellite offices.

Duterte lauded these accomplishments during last week’s celebration of the Office of the Vice President’s 8 th anniversary.

“Happy anniversary to the hardworking and dedicated team behind the OVP’s success. We are here to make things happen. Let us toast to the many firsts we have accomplished and many more public service innovations to come,” Duterte stressed in her speech.

The vice president, who served as Davao City mayor before assuming her national post, said that basic services for Filipinos are very much needed in other regions.

“We set out to reach more Filipinos living in cities outside Metro Manila by extending our services to other regions, provinces, and cities across the country. Hence, we opened satellite offices across seven key cities to bring our services closer to the people. A first in the history of the ffice of the Vice President,” she said.

These satellite offices, together with the VP Central ffice, have been distributing medical and burial assistance to qualified beneficiaries.

Besides medical and burial assistance, the OVP has also launched a nationwide “libreng sakay” (free rides) program, PagbaBAGo campaign for learners, Kalusugan food trucks and disaster relief and response.

The OVP, meanwhile, noted that it is also important to intensify inter-agency collaboration for efficient disaster relief and recovery.

(From page 1)

with only 75 votes separating me from Congressmanelect Kevin Mullin.

Mullin and I were the top two-vote getters in the crowded seven-person field in the June Primary and I want to commend all the candidates who ran for the Congressional District 15 seat to replace the retiring Jackie Speier.

It was a historic election considering the seat had not seen a close contested race since the late Tom Lantos first won the seat in 1981.

It was the most exciting year of my life running for Congress and I want to thank the legion of volunteers and do-

26 years old...

(From page 1)

man fi rst insulted, then hit an Asian-American student in the University of Cincinnati campus.

This time, however, two people witnessed the attack and intervened. They held the attacker until police arrived.

The Department of Justice released a statement saying, “Darrin Johnson, 26, was indicted by a federal grand jury yesterday and arrested this morning. His case was unsealed when he appeared in federal court at 1:30pm.”

The D J had determined that the attack was based solely on the victim’s ethnicity, qualifying it as a hate crime.

Before assaulting the victim, Johnson had shouted, “ et back to your country,” and “ ou brought the kung fl u’ here. ou are going to die for it.”

After making the death threat, he then punched the victim in the side of the head. This caused him to fall

nors, especially from the FilAm community, who inspired me to never give up and to fight to the very end. With that, I congratulate Mullin for his victory and look forward to working with him on the most pressing issues our nation faces as I will continue to represent Daly City and North San Mateo County on the Board of Supervisors.

For me, this race proves that one day someone from Daly City, perhaps someone reading this column now, can be elected to Congress or other higher office. My passion has always been public service and lending a voice to people who are in need.

Many of you may have remembered the day I kicked off my campaign about a year ago now in front of Seton Hospital. I chose that setting because it’s the hospital

and hit his head again on the bumper of a parked car.

The victim suff ered multiple injuries, including a concussion and facial lacerations.

It might have otherwise been nothing more than a simple case of slight physical injuries, but because of his verbal attacks preceding the assault, it took on the nature of a hate crime, which is a federal off ense.

In court, Johnson entered a guilty plea to misdemeanor assault coupled with criminal intimidation. He was initially sentenced to a year in jail.

However, the Justice Department’s upgrading the charges to a hate crime elevated it to a federal level, and Johnson can be sentenced to as long as 10 years in prison if convicted.

A young man now, Johnson will be approaching middle age when he is released.

A recent report from Fox News stated that more than 9,000 incidents against Asian Americans and Pacifi c Islanders had taken place between March 2020 and November 2022.

While most involved taunting and other forms of verbal abuse, a number – more than 1,000 -- involved physical assaults, often against helpless and defenseless victims.

Legally, however, taunting is not considered a hate crime.

Earlier this year, President Joe Biden signed into law the bipartisan C VID-19 Hate Crimes Act, which expedites Justice Department reviews of anti-Asian hate crimes. The law also makes federal grants available for campaigns to address anti-Asian sentiment.

Available data states that the most common victims of physical attacks are elderly AsianAmericans, FilAms included.

In California, a state grant was made available earlier this year to also address Asian hate. Philippine News Today is among the media organizations partnering with the state via StopAsianHate to fi nd ways to minimize if not end the hate crimes against Asians and Asian Americans.

where I was born, is Daly City’s largest employer and was in bankruptcy proceedings just prior to C VID in February 2020.

With your help, we fought tirelessly to save the hospital from closure and to ensure the most vulnerable residents in North San Mateo County receive high-quality, low-cost health care.

I want to thank all the nurses and staff at Seton for never giving up and for your unwavering support of my Congressional campaign.

I want to wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving and to reflect on what we all should be thankful for, to live in one of the most culturally-diverse cities in America and that’s DalyCity.

VP Harris... (From

page 1)

VP Harris, accompanied by US Ambassador to Manila MaryKay Clarkson and other S officials, called on President Marcos after meeting Vice President Sara Duterte and before flying to Puerto Princesa City in Palawan and eventually to Los Angeles, California, and reaffirmed the longstanding ties between her country and the Philippines,

Only last September, on the sidelines of their participation in the United Nations General Assembly sessions in New York City, President Biden met President Marcos and vowed to defend the Philippines as they underscored their support for freedom of navigation and overflight in the South China Sea and the peaceful resolution of disputes in the region with China and certain countries with claims in the area.

Harris, a former US senator and attorney general in California which hosts one of the biggest population of Filipinos, told President Marcos, Vice President Duterte and Filipino officials with him during the call, that any armed attack on the Philippine military, as well as the country’s public vessels and aircraft “would invoke the US mutual defense commitment.”

“We must reiterate always that we stand with you in defense, in international rules and norms in the South China Sea,” Harris told Marcos as she assured him of their two countries’ relationship to address concerns on security in the Asia-Pacific region, particularly in the South China Sea.

Harris’ pledge and Marcos response were aired on television live from the Malacanang Palace.

“When we think about what is happening in this region, we know that there are so many opportunities for us to strengthen our relationship. But the basis of our relationship is based on mutual commitments to international rules and norms and upholding those in all the ways that we know,” she added.

As Harris visited Palawan on Air Force Two, the White House announced it will help beef up the capacity of Philippine maritime law enforcement agencies like the Philippine Coast Guard by providing . million, or over 430 million, worth of additional assistance.

The White House said the funding will strengthen the agencies’ capabilities to counter illegal fishing, improve maritime domain awareness, and provide

search and rescue support, including in the disputed South China Sea.

“Pending Congressional notification,” the S will back the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) in upgrading and expanding its vessel traffic management system for improved maritime safety and environmental monitoring, the White House added in a statement.

The White House called Harris’ trip to Palawan “historic,” as she became the highest-ranking US official to visit the province, known as the Philippines’ last ecological frontier, and near the tension-filled West Philippine Sea and South China Sea.

In Palawan, Harris said in a speech on board the Philippine Coast Guard lead patrol his BRP Teresa Magbanua that the 2016 Permanent Court of Arbitration decision rejecting China’s expansive claims in the South China Sea and upholding the Philippines exclusive economic zone (EEZ) in the area must be respected by all nations.

During her speech, Harris was flanked by the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) personnel, the frontline responders against aggression and incursions in the West Philippine Sea as well as US and Philippine officials. Harris also visited a fishing village in Palawan to ascertain their needs and extend assistance.

“The United States is proud of our longstanding ties with the people of the Philippines. I am here in Palawan to underscore the importance of our partnership in order to create economic opportunities, protect coastal ecosystems, maintain peace and stability, and uphold international rules and norms here in the South China Sea and around the world. To the Philippine Coast Guard, you are on the frontlines of standing up for the international rules-based order,” said Harris.

“As you patrol these waters, you uphold the rules and norms that are vital to the prosperity of the Filipino people, and people around the world. As the United States has long made clear: We support the 2016 ruling of the N Arbitral Tribunal, which delivered a unanimous and final decision firmly rejecting China’s expansive South China Sea maritime claims. The tribunal’s decision is legally-binding, and must be respected,” she stressed.

Upholding international rules and norms, Harris said, is tantamount to supporting the lives and livelihoods of people throughout the region.

“We must stand up for principles such as respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity, unimpeded lawful commerce, the peaceful resolution of disputes,

and the freedom of navigation and overflight in the South China Sea, and throughout the Indo-Pacific,” she said.

“The United States– and the broader international community –have a profound stake in the future of this region. America’s prosperity relies on the billions of dollars that flow through these waters every day. And we are proud to work with you in your mission. As an ally, the United States stands with the Philippines in the face of intimidation and coercion in the South China Sea,” she added.

While The Hague-based Arbitration court already junked China’s expansive nine-dash theory claiming the entirety of South China Sea islands, Beijing has refused to recognize the Philippines’ unprecedented legal victory.

Instead or recognizing the ruling, Beijing engaged in massive reclamation of reefs and shoals and built airfields, ports and other military installations on them. At the same time, China has stationed hundreds of warship, China Coast Guard vessels and militia boats disguised as fishing boats, some of them within the Philippine territory and exclusive economic zone and prevented Filipino fishermen from fishing in their

traditional fishing grounds.

Harris declared that the defiance of The Hague court ruling and other laws have huge consequences for the communities. She did not identify China in her speech.

“The vitality of fishing communities is at risk. They have seen the consequences when foreign vessels enter Philippine waters and illegally deplete the fishing stock, when they harass and intimidate local fishers, when they pollute the ocean, and destroy the marine ecosystem. Illegal, unreported, and unregulated, fishing are far too common across the world’s oceans. It presents a direct threat to coastal ecosystems and economies,” she said.

Meanwhile, Washington also said the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) will launch a new initiative — including a grant to a local organization — to support traditional livelihoods and sustainable fishing practices in the country.

It said this also aims to strengthen food security and advance the conservation of marine ecosystems in the South China Sea that are vulnerable to development and climate change.

MARCOS-HARRIS DIALOGUE. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and US President Kamala Harris hold their dialogue in alacanang as o cials of the Phili ines led by ice President ara uterte and led by mbassador ary ay Carlson listen.

The Philippine Navy belied Beijing’s claim, however, prompting National Security Adviser Clarita Carlos to recommend the filing of a note verbale against China.

Carlos also questioned the sincerity of the Chinese leader Xi Jinping to peacefully settle the territorial dispute between the two countries amid another tense confrontation in the West Philippine Sea.

The confrontation occurred as S Vice President Kamala Harris arrived in the Philippines to engage in talks to strengthen ties with the Philippines, its treatyally.

Later, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

said he has “complete trust” in the Philippine Navy’s account following another confrontation with the Chinese Coast Guard in the disputed South China Sea.

He said he wanted to get to the bottom of the issue, adding that he would ask China to explain their statement’s stark contrast to the Philippine Navy’s report.

“We have to resolve this issue. f course, I have complete trust in our Navy and if this is what they say happened, I can only believe that that is what happened,” Marcos said.

“We have now asked the Chinese, why is it that their account is so different and it’s much more benign – shall we use that word. Because the forcibly was used in the at least in the initial reports of the Philippine Navy,” he added.

Marcos supported Carlos’ recommendations for the Philippines to file a note verbale against China.

“I think that that’s what we need to do because when it was first reported to me by the Chief of Staff, I asked him to immediately call the military attaché in the Chinese embassy and to get a report,” he said.

He added he looked forward to his upcoming state visit to China in January 2023 as it would be an opportunity to discuss ways to prevent confrontation and conflict in the highly-contested sea.

“These kinds of incidents are some of the things that I’m glad that I’m going to Beijing early January because these are the things that we need to work out because, with the way that the region, our region, Asia-Pacific is heating up, baka

may magkamali lang, may mistake, may misunderstanding then lalaki ‘yung sunog (if someone makes a mistake, there’s a misunderstanding and the fire gets bigger),” he said.

“We don’t want that to happen. So we want to have a mechanism na we have to find a way na hindi na mangyari yun, na wala tayong mga incident na ganyan (that incidents like that don’t happen again),” he added.

Marcos and Chinese President Xi Jinping have both called for the immediate conclusion of negotiations for the final and binding Code of Conduct (C C) in the South China Sea (SCS) to address the maritime disputes among littoral states during a bilateral meeting in Bangkok, Thailand.

ing up the long-mothballed Bataan Nuclear Power Plant (BNPP), one of the projects of his late father and namesake. He again advocated going nuclear in his fi rst State of the Nation Address, saying it was “time to re-examine our strategy towards building nuclear power plants.”

This past week, President Marcos appeared to still be mulling the idea of the Philippines having a nuclear plant or two, by discussing the possibility, fi rst with French President Emmanuel Macron and then with S Vice President Kamala Harris.

Harris announced on Monday, Nov. 21, that the S and the Philippines were initiating talks on a “civil nuclear cooperation” deal.

nder the so-called 123 Agreement, there will be legal basis for S exports of nuclear equipment and material to the Philippines.

A statement from the White House said the S would be “deploying advance nuclear reactor technology as quickly as safety and security conditions permit to meet the Philippines dire baseload power needs.”

At the Asia-Pacifi c Economic Cooperation Summit in Thailand late last week, Marcos said he discussed with Macron the possibility of forging a partnership on nuclear energy.

Marcos said he was confi dent such a partnership would be strong because “they (France) have up to 6 percent of their power production from nuclear en-

ergy.”

So the French “are very, very used to it,” Marcos added.

Earlier, Philippine Ambassador to the S Jose Manuel Romualdez said the Marcos administration was considering bringing in S-developed small modular reactors to the country.

Most opponents to nuclear power cite safety concerns as the main reason for the countryto never operate nuclear plants.

While generally considered a safe and inexpensive source of power, previous meltdowns in other countries have exposed the dangers of nuclear energy.

The Fukushima disaster in Japan, the Chernobyl disaster in kraine, and the Three Mile Island accident in the S, are the three instances when radioactive

material was emitted into the air as a result of meltdowns.

While the number of fatalities have been relatively small, the immediate areas where the meltdowns occurred have become uninhabitable.

As for the BNPP, it was learned that the facility was erected near a fault, which could have caused serious damage had a major earthquake occurred in the vicinity. Built by S company Westinghouse, the nuclear plant is theoretically still operable as it has been maintained by the government since it was mothballed in 1986.

pponents of nuclear power say the Philippines is better off sticking to renewable power sources such as wind, solar, and even wave power.

EDITORIAL

Goodbye to the Big Lie

If there was any lesson to be learned from the recent mid-term elections, it is that Donald Trump’s Big Lie – that he was cheated of a second term in the 2020 elections – has ceased to be an issue with the voting public.

He had, after all, repeated his lie again and again, to the point that Trump endangered the very democracy that the US stands for by pushing his fanatical followers to attack the Capitol in order to block the country’s lawmakers from declaring the winner of the presidency.

To this day he maintains that he won, for no other reason than his massive, overblown ego could not accept the fact that the majority of US voters wanted nothing more to do with him.

Unless the GOP accepts this wholeheartedly, they may face defeat in multiple state positions in the 2024elections which theycould or should win.

The 45th president supported a number of candidates in the midterm, all of whom he required to support his Big Lie. Almost all of them lost. This includes candidates for senator, governor, and state secretary.

One of the most notable losers was Kari Lake, who ran for governor of Arizona but lost to Katie Hobbs. Even after the race had been called for the Democrat, former newscaster Lake refused to accept the results.

She has therefore pushed her own big lie that the elections were rigged and that she was the true winner in the Arizona polls. How very Trumpian of her, and how pathetic that she cannot accept the reality that she might have won had she not tied her fortunes to the former president.

At least most other backers of Trump’s lie who ran and lost have accepted the reality that they made a big mistake and can now move on. Perhaps they can even run again in the future, but must dissociate themselves from Trump’s lie by admitting that theymade an error in judgment.

With Trump having declared his intention to run again in 2024, it is worth noting that some of his former top donors have publicly stated that they now have no intention of supporting him again.

Worst of all, at least for him, is that print and broadcast media magnate Rupert Murdoch has not only turned his back on the former president, but has actually been allowing his newspapers notably the Wall Street Journal and the New York Post to mockand attack Trump.

The biggest prize of Murdoch’s empire, Fox News, has already taken a hands off stance on Trump as witnessed by its barely covering his announcement last week of his plan to run again.

With the public rejection of Trump’s Big Lie, it behooves the twice-impeached former president as well as the rest of the GOP to take another tack two years from now. The Republican Party has much to offer large swathes of the FilAm electorate attracted to its fiscal conservatism, free market and small government philosophies as the best wayto move forward.

Unless the GOP rejects Trumpism, the US presidency will always be out of reach for them.

Each day deserves gratitude

We ought to take a breath and observe the changing seasons to affirm our appreciation for the circle of life. Everything comes in due time. Everything passes. Each day deserves gratitude.

Didn’t we start this year with a setback in the fight against the coronavirus when the omicron was discovered? We had thought COVID would be behind us in a matter of months, but then the new variants triggered a surge of cases everywhere. Suddenly we hunkered down again, avoided company, cancelled plans to celebrate milestones with family and friends.

Upside

We’ve prevailed, those who believed it our responsibility to take care of ourselves and others. And here we are, still standing, looking forward to festivities with people who share our cautious return to a social rhythm, slowly and surely.

We only have to go to our local farmers’ market to witness human strength and resilience, just like nature’s bounty overcoming the elements.

Winter is when citrus reigns, when kumquats and oranges flood stands along with hardy leafy greens.

Spring is a reawakening, a prelude to the joys to come. Tender buds mingle with young blossoms herald the end of winter. Plump blueberries tumble from mini baskets, strawberries announce their arrival.

Summer is a heady parade of seductive scents emanating from fruit and flora, mixed in with the chatter of shoppers, those who tagged along with their elders then now pushing their own little ones’ strollers. Precious cherries paint their mouths ruddy or golden in the brief months after Memorial Day. Oh the tomatoes so honey-sweet that for some no other source will do anymore.

Then autumn, my favorite time of the year, delivers pumpkins and all sorts of squash followed by persimmon so pretty and luscious.

And the best harvest is that untouched by pesticides or fertilizers, lovingly nurtured with respect for nature, like the ones Roger Cruz and his son Ron Cruz present at their stand Saturday mornings at the Serramonte Center in Daly City. Little wonder lines form endlessly, gratefully for their produce reaped just hours ago at their organic family farm.

Selections dwindle, a sign nature needs to take a break for other forces to take precedence. For the cycle to turn yet again.

***

CHERIE QUEROL MORENO

JO ERLINDA YABUT

BLESIE D. SISON ALBERT MARTINEZ RENE AMON Account Executives

BETING LAYGO DOLOR Manila Editor

JUNNI RANILLO Entertainment Editor

CLAIRE M. TRUE Managing Editor

CHERIE M. QUEROL MORENO

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

Roger and Ron Cruz serve smiles and organic produce.

Cherie M. Querol Moreno is Executive Editor of Philippine News Today.

Raising false hopes Apostille processing update; Vene’s 65th birthday

Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s aspiration to sell rice at P20 a kilo will never ever happen. It is not sustainable. It will drain the government’s resources if the president wants to make it happen.

In the end, it will be the taxpayers that will be burdened just for Marcos to win brownie points.

IN THE TRENCHES

During the presidential election campaign, candidate Marcos promised to bring down the price of rice, the country’s staple, to P20 a kilo. Many believed and voted for him.

Last week, at the inauguration of the “Kadiwa sa Pasko” stores in Metro Manila, the government sold rice at P2 a kilo but limited consumers to only three kilos per person.

Bongbong Marcos boasted that his dream of selling affordable rice to the public was only a matter of time, lifting the spirits of 31 million people who voted for him.

A day after the “Kadiwa” stores opened, they stopped selling rice at P25 a kilo after the supply was exhausted. The stores were still waiting for the government to replenish the supply of cheap rice.

Will the “Kadiwa” stores continue selling rice at P25 a kilo? That remains to be seen.

Bongbong’s promise to sell rice at P20 or P25 a kilo is a cheap publicity stunt. The government has no enormous funds to subsidize rice prices.

A former agriculture department official said the government would need about P400 billion a year to subsidize rice prices at P20 per kilo.

However, the farm department has a budget of only a little over P100 billion next year. Where will it get more than P300 billion to sustain a project to sell P20 per kilo of rice in the market?

Commercial rice is available in the market at more than P3 per kilo. The imported variety from Thailand and Japan costs more at nearly P60 per kilo.

Local farmers are selling palay at P17 to P19 per kilo. Two kilos of palay produce a kilo of milled rice sold at more than P30 per kilo.

Before the rice tariffication law was introduced, the government through the National Food Authority (NFA) sold rice at P27 per kilo, buying from local farmers.

But the law prohibited the NFA from competing with traders and was only allowed to stockpile rice supplies to be used during disasters and emergencies.

Lawmakers say the rice tariffication law has helped local farmers after the government collected more than P100 billion in taxes from rice importers.

However, the lawmakers forgot to say the losses in the farm sector exceeded the taxes collected from the rice tariffication law.

The farm sector needed more subsidy in terms of seeds, fertilizer, irrigation, and machinery to increase rice production. It also needed investments in farm-to-market roads, post-harvest facilities, and huge grain storages.

The country’s farm sector is inefficient and antiquated. There are still many areas where farm animals are used to plow non-irrigated farmland.

It is easier, faster and cheaper to import rice from Vietnam than transport rice harvest from Mindanao where dozens of stevedores are needed to load sacks of rice to a vessel, taking several days, when in a matter of hours a boatload of rice can ship from Thailand or Vietnam.

The quality of imported rice is also better than locally milled rice.

Farmlands in the country are also rapidly shrinking because farmers are willing to sell their lands to property developers, turning the fertile farms into residential subdivisions and commercial and industrial complexes.

Shrinking farmlands means declining production, resulting in shortages. The Philippines imports an average of two million metric tons of rice every year because the country’s rice sufficiency is at 90 to 9 .

A hectare of riceland in the Philippines can produce the same number of metric tons in Vietnam and Thailand because of advanced technology in rice farming.

However, Thailand and Vietnam (Continue onpage 27)

For the past months, documents I notarized and submitted to the Secretary of State, Notary Public Section in Sacramento,California for apostille were processed from 10 to 14 working days.

Health & Wealth

For the past two weeks, I notarized Affidavits, Special Power of Attorney, DEED OF EXTRAJUDICIAL SETTLEMENT AND WAIVER OF RIGHTS and other documents needed in the Philippines”. I, then, submitted the notarized documents for apostille to the Secretary of State, Notary Public Section in Sacramento, California.

As accredited and commissioned Notary Public in California since 1981, I was surprised to he apostilled documents in 5 and 6 working days. I commend and thank our newly elected Secretary of State Dr. Shirley N. Weber, Ph.D. and the staff at the Secretary of State, Notary Public Section in Sacramento, California for the speedy and faster apostille processing of the submitted notarized documents needed in the Philippines.

I hope and pray that as we get out from the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown, the Front Desk will be opened so that we can go back to the normal one-day apostille processing of notarized documents needed in the Philippines and the other member nations of theHague Apostille Convention

I continue to receive calls and inquiries from old and new clients asking if the Philippine Consulate in San Francisco, California still authenticate documents notarized by accredited and commissioned Notary Public like myself. In response to these inquiries, I would like to share to our readers and the general public, excerpts of the Special Noticed from the Legal Section of the Philippine Consulate in San Francisco, California as follows:

“The Philippine Consulate shall no longer issue Authentication Certificate (red ribbon) for documents notarized or apostilled in the states under its jurisdiction namely: Alaska, Idaho, regon, Washington State, Northern Nevada, Colorado, Montana, Utah, Wyoming and Northern California.

If you notarized documents before 14 May, 2019, the Philippine Consulate will (1) still accept it for authentication (red ribbon) or (2) you my advice applicant to secure an Apostille. On the other hand, if you notarized documents from 14 May, 2019 onward, we will no longer Authenticate said documents. The applicant should forward it to the issuing State/Competent Authority for the issuance of an Apostille Certificate

Please note that Apostilled documents no longer need additional authentication by the Philippine Consulate General. nce apostilled, it already has legal validity and can be sent to the Philippines for use.”

Mobile Signing Services (MSS) is still committed and will continue to assist and help the elderly, veterans and those physically handicapped in the notarization and apostille follow up of Affidavits, Special Power of Attorney (SPA) , DEED F D NATI N, Proof of Life, Parental Travel Permit (PTA), Deed of Extrajudicial Settlement with Partition, DEED OF ABSOLUTE SALE 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: MOBILE SIGNING SERVICES, 730 Madrid Street, San Francisco, California 94112 SA Tel. (6 0)438-3 31 or (41 ) 84- 09 or email artmadlaing gmail.com

VENE UNTALAN ABAD’S 65th BIRTHDAY. My beloved wife VIR INIA JIMENE MADLAIN and I were blessed and fortunate to attend the 65th Birthday celebration of VENE NTALAN ABAD last Monday, November 14, 2022 at the Dominic Oyster Point in South San Francisco, California.

The special 65th Birthday of Vene Untalan Abad, a medical technologist, was attended by close friends, relatives and colleagues from Sacramento, Elk rove, San Francisco, Daly City and nearby cities in Northern California. Her oldest sister Sally Untalan came all the way from the Philippines to attend the celebration. The 65th Birthday celebration was hosted by her husband Eric Abad and their children.

Special highlights of the 65th Birthday celebration were the personal greetings and best

Being “crazy” is not bad, as when a young man tells his beloved “I am crazy about you.”Being a “fool” is not bad either.

An Ilocano lawyer from Honolulu who met an 18-year old virgin in Baguio City went singing in the rain together at the Baguio Botanical Garden during the October typhoon. What were they singing? The lawyer’s signature song, “Fools rush in, where angels fear to tread.”

Insanityis a mental illness and is curable.

What’s Up Attorney

Stupidity refers to being slow of mind, acting in an unintelligent or careless manner, lacking intelligence or reason, or acting senselessly. (Merriam Webster Dictionary. https www.merriam-webster.com dictionary stupid.)

Stupidity has no cure. But its adverse effects in immigration cases can be assuaged byan excellent lawyer.

Admitting he licked his daughter’s pussy

The most disgusting case I ever handled involved a 40-something father who admitted that while he was massaging his daughter’s legs he licked with his tongue her vagina without any complaint from her daughter. For all we know, she might even have enjoyed it. (Vagina is a muscular passage leading out of the body of a woman; it is an essential part of a woman’s external genitals, or vulva, which allows a woman to experience sexual pleasure. (Cleveland Clinic. https my.clevelandclinic.org health body 22469-vagina)

“Pussy” is slang for female genitals. Donald Trump described his interactions with women as having “grab them by the pussy.”

The man was charged and convicted in a Hawaii court for sexual abuse. Then he was placed in deportation proceedings and charged with “murder, rape, and sexual abuse of a minor.” It is an aggravated felony and there is no relief from deportation.

We represented the man in immigration court. We asked the immigration judge to dismiss the case. We argued that licking a pussy is not murder. Licking a pussy is not rape because rape means sexual intercourse by force using sexual organs, and that there was no force and the tongue is not a sexual organ. Licking a pussy is not sexual abuse because abuse requires more than one incident and there was only one incident here, and furthermore, the term “sexual abuse” is void for vagueness. What constitutes “sexual abuse” to one person might not be “sexual abuse” to another. Therefore, like beauty, “sexual abuse” is in the eye of the beholder. That is unconstitutional. The Immigration Judge granted our motion to dismiss.

We asked the guy why he licked his daughter’s pussy. He said he did not know and he started to cry. We asked why he admitted to doing it when there were no witnesses. He said he did not know. It is not stupid to lick a pussy. I know at least one who has done it. It is admitting it that is stupid when it is a crime in that state and no one knows it, except the pussy licker, the daughter, and God.

I was in Baguio City on ctober 2 . I spent the evening drafting a Petition to Set Aside the Conviction of the pussy licker because I found out that he was deprived of his constitutional rights to due process of law and that he was tried and convicted without being indicted by a grand jury. At about 11 pm, my legs were shaking. I thought I might have a stroke or something. Then the telephone rang and the frantic voice said “Earthquake, earthquake. Everybody must leave the hotel. Use the stairs.” My son, Noel, a criminal defense attorney, said that the earthquake was an omen. I asked him if it was good or bad. He said we will know when the judge rules on the petition which we filed when I returned to Hawaii. I believe it was a good omen and the judge will set aside the conviction.

Refusing to have sex with horny wife

Two Filipinos met in the Philippines. They had sex before they got married at the instance of the woman. “Gutom” as they say in Tagalog (meaning hungry).

After the woman petitioned the man and he arrived in Hawaii, she wanted to have sex almost every day. The man should rejoice. But he did not. There are limits to a man’s sexual potency which no amount of Viagra can bolster. One evening the woman arrived home smelly from a hard day’s work at a hospital. She wanted to have sex. The man declined. He told her to take a bath first.

ART GABOT MADLAING

Stupidity – the biggest cause of immigration fiascos, unless assuaged by an excellent lawyer

EMMANUEL SAMONTE TIPON

MANNY MOGATO

No wonder they prefer to stay inside

In a perfect world, any person who commits a serious crime must pay, usually in the form of a prison sentence. The length of the sentence depends on the nature of the crime that he or she has committed.

As everyone knows by now, the Philippines is one of the most imperfect countries in the planet. There is supposed to be a justice system that punishes criminals, but revelations of the past few weeks have shown that some wrongdoers actually end up being rewarded bya prison sentence.

The New Bilibid Prison AKA the national penitentiary is where those convicted of various types of crimes are placed in order to paytheir debt to society.

In fact, the opposite is true.

It has long been known that some convicts are treated as VIPs inside the penitentiary. In the past, there have been cases of rich or well connected criminals – I refuse to use the euphemism PDL or person deprived of liberty– living it upinside.

A political figure even built himself a tennis court and a burger joint. Another was known to leave the premises whenever he felt like it. Yet another convict built himself a recording studio and released some of his songs to the public. He even reportedlyscored a hit.

One very notorious killer was seen not only outside ‘Munti’ as it is known but was seen in the South, working as an assassin, reportedly for politicians as well as for the military. When his contract was done, he would head back to Bilibid, almost certainlywith a fatter bankaccount than when he left.

So it was that in the past month or so, and as a result of the investigation on the killing of popular radio commentator Percy Lapid, what was discovered was not just a can of worms, but an entire pit of vipers.

First it was learned that someone inside had given the word that Lapid was to be killed, and the handpicked assassin received a little more than half a million pesos to complete the deed.

This seems like a plot of a Hollywood gangster movie, doesn’t it? But it was real, it actuallyhappened.

And when the killer was forced to give himself up after his face was caught by CCTV cameras, he revealed the name of the middleman who had gotten in touch with him. That middleman was strangled to death on the same day that his identitywas made known.

Ah, but the plot thickens.

With the head of the Bureau of Corrections – which runs the country’s prisons, of which Bilibid is the largest – suspended on suspicion that he was the mastermind of the Percy Lapid killing, it was then found out that “entrepreneurs” inside the pen were making big money selling everything from beer to cell phones to tablets to firearms to drugs.

Anything and everything illegal could be had if the price was right.

Cans of beer sold at 20 times their regular retail price outside, but there was no shortage of buyers.

One would think that gambling paraphernalia would be among the common items smuggled in by friends and relatives of the inmates. That would be small fry. It later turned out that fighting cocks as well as race horses were kept inside, too.

And let us not forget the pet snakes that were also discovered.

And it gets better and better, folks.

The suspended BuCor chief, it turned out, had excavated a large parcel of land inside the Bilibid. When this was discovered, he sang different tunes.

First he said he was having a deep swimming pool built. In fact, it was envisioned to be the deepest pool in the country. His reason? He was an avid scuba diver, he said, and he was also planning in using the deep pool to train some of his people in the fine art of emergency rescue.

But whywas there a tunnel being built at the site?

The Justice secretary said he was told by the suspended prisons boss that he was actually searching for buried treasure. He was looking for the fabled Yamashita’s treasure, no less.

Oh, the suspended boss had also paid a private company to take care of the bidding because he said he had the authority to do so, without having to inform

(Continue onpage 27)

Protagonists in Basilan clashes renew harmony

COTABATO CITY –Soldiers and Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) combatants who turned protagonists in the recent armed clashes in Basilan have buried their hatches and renewed harmony in a conciliation meeting held by the mediating authorities led by the ffice of the Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation and Unity (OPAPRU).

OPAPRU Sec. Carlito G Galvez, Jr. witnessed Lt. Col. John Ferdinand Lazo, commanding officer of the 64th Infantry Battalion, and akan Kumander Huram Malangka of the MILF-Bangsamoro Islamic Armed Forces (BIAF) traded handshakes and hugs to gesture of peaceful settlement of misunderstanding-turnedatrocity that broke out on Nov. 8 in Unkaya Pikan in Basilan, an OPAPRU news release said.

Lazon and Malangka alongside their men also agreed to foster close coordination and enhance adherence to existing peace mechanisms to avoid hostilities and protect the island-province of Basilan from lawless elements, said the statement.

“What happened in Ungkaya Pukan is very unfortunate,” Sec. Galvez said in the statement released shortly after the conduct of the peace dialogue on Monday, Nov. 14 in Basilan’s Isabela City.

For the government side, State Peace Implementing Panel officials alongside military brasses led by B en. Arturo Rojas, Western Mindanao Command acting chief, BGen. Domingo Gobway, head of the Joint Task Force Basilan and 101st Infantry Battalion; and BGen Eduardo Gubat, chair of the GPH Coordinating Committing on the Cessation of Hostilities (CCCH), attended the dialog, it was learned.

The MILF-BIAF side was represented in the dialog by its high-ranking leaders led by Dan Asnawi, a Bangsamoro Parliament member and MILF base commander, Butch Malang, chair of the MILF-CCCH and Malik Caril, officerin-charge of the MILF-BIAF Western Mindanao Front and member of the MILF-CCCH, the OPAPRU said.

The peace dialogue came after the GPH and MILF’s CCCH and Adhoc Joint Action Group (AHJAG) facilitated the signing of a ceasefire agreement on November 10, which ended a three-day firefight between government troops and MILF-BIAR forces in Ungkaya Pukan, Basilan.

Galvez said the local truce prescribed for the MILF to inform the military of the presence of the lawless elements in their area, for the military, AFP and the LGUs to work closely and ensure coordination to address the presence of the lawless groups in Basilan, and for both camps to bring about normalcy in the area, especially in the rehabilitation of a madrasah (Arabic school) partly damaged in the armed skirmishes.

The AFP and BIAF-MILF also renewed commitment to work together in bringing peace and development in Basilan, as they agreed to establish a Joint Peace and Security Team (JPST) in Ungkaya Pukan, the OPAPRU said.

Brig. Gen. Rojas and Caril lauded the truce forging and expressed gratitude to the OPAPRU’s mediation, describing also the Nov. 8 incident as an “isolated case.”

“If there are issues (appearing) bit unclear (and) sometimes we can’t avoid it, let’s just convey (them) to both peace mechanisms. Let them talk to each other at the local level so that the problem can be solved immediately,” Caril said in the OPAPRU statement.

According to published reports, the Nov. 8 armed skirmish left two MILF-BIAF members and a 20-year old student dead, and at least five soldiers wounded.

The reports said soldiers had instituted tight watch on the movements in Unkgkaya Pukan of MILF-BIAF members suspected of being infiltrated by lawless elements such as Abu Sayyaf guerillas. The same MILF-BIAF members were to be decommissioned yet under the 2014 Bangsamoro peace process’ normalization track, it was learned.

Ground soldiers admitted having allowed the MILFBIAF members to move in and out freely as long as they would not bring firearms. But the revolutionary cadres came in with guns on Nov. 7, prompting soldiers to accost them. In the process, a suspected sniper from the MILF-BIAF fired and hit in the chest a soldier wear-

Milpitas Library hosts exhibit on African American Rural Histories

Did African-Americans travel only to big cities? Well, yes… that’s what majority of us knew, but some of them, maybe without us knowing it, also moved to the rural areas.

In the past, we knew that most African Americans travelled in big cities in California, but not known to many, several Black American families also moved to rural areas of the state. This is the main thrust of the mobile exhibit dubbed as:

We Are Not Strangers Here: African American Histories in Rural California, which are now on display at the Milpitas Library.

This exhibit, according to Mariana Walker, Associate Communications fficer, Santa Clara County Library District Services and Support Center, highlights the unknown and untold stories of Black farmers, ranchers and rural residents from the 1849 Gold Rush to today who lived as far north as Siskiyou County, to the Central Valley, to the Imperial Valley in the South. There are also podcasts available on Soundcloud and an audio tour that features scholars and descendants of rural Black Californians that will complement the experience of the exhibit.

The displays are located at the Milpitas Library Courtyard at 60 North Main Street, Milpitas, CA 95035 which will last up to Wednesday, January 4, 2023.

“We Are Not Strangers Here.” the SCCLD spokesperson said, “is a collaboration between the Cal Ag Roots Project at the California Institute for Rural Studies, Susan Anderson of the California African American Museum, the California Historical Society, Exhibit Envoy and Dr. Caroline Collins from UC San Diego.

Prior to this, the Milpitas Library hosted the Nationwide Traveling Exhibit on Darshana: A Glimpse into Hindu Civilization from October 17, 2022 Through Thursday, November 10, 2022.”

The exhibit contained a colorful overview of Hindu concepts and practices, which offered

participants the opportunity to learn about one of the oldest civilizations in the world.

It featured a variety of topics, ranging from yoga and divinity to mathematics and administration.

Created by Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh (HSS), this traveling exhibit aimed to raise awareness on Hindu thinking, contributions and common practices. Darshana: A Glimpse into Hindu Civilization has been hosted by various institutions nationwide.

There were speakers who answered questions about the displays.

Both the exhibit and reception were free and was opened to the public and no registration was necessary.

The Santa Clara County Library District (SCCLD) is dedicated to promoting cultural enrichment, knowledge and ideas with programs such as Darshana: A Glimpse into Hindu Civilization.

According to Pew Research Center, there are about 1 billion Hindus around the world, representing 15% of the global population. There is also a large Hindu community in the Bay Area.

Compiled by Hindu Americans, Darshana aimed to clear misconceptions, introduced key Terms and inspired further research into the rich culture.

Also, before the pandemic, in 2015, the Milpitas Library likewise hosted the Smithsonian’s

‘Exploring Human Origins’ Exhibit. The Smithsonian Institution’s “Exploring Human Origins” exhibit featured more than 40 educational panels, interactive kiosks and displays exploring what it means to be human. according to Julian Ramos, The Mercury News. into the rich culture.

The free exhibit took visitors back to the earliest stages of human evolution, development and civilization.

Milpitas was one stop in the exhibit’s 19-city tour across the nited States. It offered rare insights into how early humans came together, learned, developed and grew into communities, organizers said.

Pieces of the display arrived

BETING DOLOR

ELPIDIO R. ESTIOKO

ALI G. MACABALANG MINDANAO VOICE

Marriage online is recognized by the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) on two conditions: 1) if it is valid in the district where it was celebrated and 2) the couple verifies that they have consummated the marriage by having sexual relationship after the marriage. This kind of marriage may apply to certain people such as when a same sex marriage is not recognized in certain countries like the Philippines. It also applies to people in the military because they cannot travel to other countries and arrange for marriage. Senior citizens may find this useful because of their difficulty in travelling. For whatever reasons, the requirement for its validity has to be satisfied.

What are the steps to apply for a green card for a proxy marriage?

A U.S. citizen or permanent resident may petition a foreign national spouse for permanent resident status (green card). The .S. spouse files Form I-130 (Petition for Alien Relative) to designate an immigrant visa for this “qualifying relationship. The couple will be required to show up at an interview to prove their marital relationship. Among other things, they must prove that their marriage is legally valid, and they have a good faith marriage.

How can I get a proxy marriage?

If you are interested in a proxy marriage, contact your local government authority to determine if a proxy marriage is a legal method in that district. In the United States, Colorado, Missouri, Montana, Texas, and Utah each have laws that allow for proxy marriages with various rules.

Always check with an immigration attorney to confirm the validity of the marriage. What evidence may I show that my proxy marriage is valid for immigration?

ou may submit affidavits and or documentary evidence as proof that you consummated your marriage after the ceremony. Examples of acceptable documentary evidence to show the couple was in the same physical place include but are not limited to copies of the airplane tickets, hotel reservations, photos together, or lease agreement, affidavits from friends or relatives attesting to their personal knowledge of the marital relationship.

Note: This is not a legal advice.

BREAKIN NEWS

N-400 Application for Naturalization

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

DACA reinstated

Pres. Biden reiterated to renew the DACA processing as of August 31, 2022

Petition for Caregivers

The priority date for “ ther workers” for Final Action date is May 8, 2019, which is about 3 years waiting for the visa. The priority date for Date of Filing of Adjustment of Status for those in the U.S. is now current. This means that when the petition is approved an adjustment of status can be filed. This process is good for those who need caregivers.

Arrest and removal of undocumented is now up to the discretion of ICE officer

US Supreme Court did not allow Pres. Biden 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 ICE officer which could include arrest of anyone who is undocumented. It is time to work on your green card now.

Bankruptcy Basics

• Bankruptcy will actually improve your credit within one year because your unsecured debts are discharged. Although the bankruptcy will be in your records for 10 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.

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

• Chapter 7 will eliminate all unsecured debts. If you are near retirement age, you must eliminate most of your debts.

CAR ACCIDENTS

ur Law Firm successfully settled a car accident for 6 .000.

FAMILY LAW

We also handle uncontested DIV RCE.

INC ME TA PR BLEMS

We can help you if you are under IRS audit, need a representation with IRS, need to reduce your tax liability or need to offer a payment plan to IRS,

S CCESS ST RIES

For the month of ctober 2022, we received an approvals from the Immigration Court a waiver of misrepresentation for an immigrant in removal proceeding who entered the U.S as single but actually married. The waiver allows him to stay in the U.S. permanently. We also received approval from USCIS six naturalization applications, two Fiancée visa petition, three removals of condition on residence and three 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 ffices 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, Esq. is an active member of the State Bar of California, the American Immigration Lawyers Association and San Francisco Trial Lawyers. He practices immigration law, bankruptcy and income tax preparation since June 1999. His contact phone is 1-877-456-9266, email: info@CCLlaw.net Website: www.crispinlozanolaw.com/

Marcos: Talk on Diokno leaving DOF, all ‘fake news’

MANILA - President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. has dismissed as “fake news” the rumors of an impending change of leadership in the Department of Finance (DOF).

The President said he does not know where the reports about Finance Secretary Benjamin Diokno leaving his post and being supposedly replaced by Albay 2nd District Rep. Joey Salceda was coming from.

“Fake news. I don’t know where it comes from. Why would I do that? We’ve assembled a great team,” Marcos said on the sidelines of the 49th Founding Anniversary of the Career Executive Service Board (CESB) in Pasay City.

“At saka, we’re trying to go down a certain direction. It’s a very, very poor time to change horses in midstream,” the President told reporters.

In an ambush interview with reporters during the Stratbase Albert Del Rosario Institute’s Pilipinas Conference in Makati City, Diokno denied he is leaving the DOF, noting he has good relationship with the President.

Diokno shrugged off the rumors, saying he is “old enough in this game to even bother about this.”

Salceda, who chairs the House Ways and Means Committee, also downplayed rumors that he is taking over the finance portfolio.

“The President ultimately makes the decisions on appointments. The Cabinet, after all, is his official family. He has a SOF already. Until he says otherwise, any talk of any appointment is pointless speculation,” Salceda previously said to reporters

Marcos APEC participation opens up business opportunities for PHL

MANILA - President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s participation in the 29th APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting in Thailand and his meetings with Thai business groups have opened up a lot of opportunities for the Philippines and Thailand to collaborate further, Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI) President eorge Barcelon said.

Former President and now Senior Deputy Speaker loria Macapagal Arroyo, meanwhile, said Marcos Jr. made a very good impression on the world’s most important economic leaders and thinkers in his first appearance at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit.

“Well, it was his first appearance as President on the world stage because the Asia-Pacific region covers more than half of the world’s economies,” Arroyo said of President Marcos.

“And he certainly made a very good impression on the leaders of the very important economies. And not only the very important economies, also on the great economic thinkers of the world,” Arroyo

pointed out.

“The President in the speech or the talk that we had with the Thai business… captains of various industries, was very frank. The President talked about the concern of the food security that the Philippines is worrying,” said Barcelon, who was part of the President’s delegation to Thailand.

Thai industries have expressed interest in investing in the Philippines in a wide range of areas that include infrastructure, transportation, tourism and food security.

Kriengkrai Thiennukul, chairman of the Federation of Thai Industries, made this commitment in a roundtable conference with Thai business leaders and Philippine economic managers and officials in Bangkok.

“We are ready to support… investing in food security and infrastructure such as transportation and promoting tourism with the Philippines to enhance the business sector for mutual expansion between the two countries in the future,” Thiennukul said.

Can you get a green card based on online or proxy marriage?

PRESIDENT MARCOS with his economic team, including Finance Secretary Benjamin Diokno.

Sharon Cuneta reveals almost break up with Kiko Pangilinan

gilinan after six months of “lover’s quarrel” that resulted to temporary separation.

The news about the couple’s “LQ” and near separation is publicized in Manila media like ABS-CBN, CNN and others.

Cuneta first admitted in 2018 that she and her husband had experienced marital problems which also led to a near separation.

Yes,

The singer-actress herself made the revelation as she admitted that she has “reunited” with Pan-

In several social media posts, a now happy Sharon shared a series of the sweet photos together, as Pangilinan was seeminglytrying to charm his wife.

The photos were taken during the 18th birthday celebration of Judy Ann Santos and Ryan Agoncil-

lo’s daughter Yohan.

“Reunited after a 6-month long L.Q. which we thought would lead to a separation,” Cuneta captioned one of her posts.

“Kala ko single na ako uli next year. Ayan buti bati na,” she said in another post.

Cuneta even teased Pangilinan to exert more effort in wooing her so he would be her “sutart” (sweetheart) again after sixmonths.

The actress explained their misunderstanding was the reason why they weren’t always together during recent their trip to South Korea, as seen in her vlog.

Cuneta and Pangilinan have been married for 24 years. Theytied the knot in 1996.

She actively joined Pangilinan during the campaign season leading up to the May 2022 elections in which Pangilinan was the runningmate of former Vice President Leni Robredo.

As a couple, Cuneta and Pangilinan have three children together, Frankie, Miel and Miguel. Cuneta is also the mom of actress KC Concepcion.

‘On the Job,’ ‘Big Night’ are Gawad

Urian best films

John Arcilla, Yen Santos win top acting honors

The crime thriller “On the Job: The Missing 8” emerged as the big winner at the 45th Gawad Urian, winning nine prizes, including the Best Film trophy, which it shared with the film “Big Night ”.

The winners were awarded by the Manunuri ng Pelikulang Pilipino honored at a star-studded awarding ceremonyat the UPFI Film Center in Quezon City.

Aside from Best Film, “On the Job: The Missing 8” took home eight trophies, including acting awards for John Arcilla, Lotlot de Leon, and Dante Rivero; and Best Director for Erik Matti and Best Screenplay for Michiko Yamamoto.

Arcilla’s Gawad Urian recognition is his latest Best Actor win for the same role, after earning the coveted Volpi Cupfrom the 2021 Venice Film Festival.

Filipino animator Roque Federizon Lee, also known as Roxlee, took home the lifetime achievement award, Natatanging Gawad Urian.

The Gawad Urian Awards, established in 1976, is the “Filipino Film Critics’ measure of the artistry and skills of our filmmakers.”

It is also a “symbol of recognition of this ability, but above all, a symbol of appreciation of the creators’ role toward their medium and toward their audience.”

The full list of awardees follows:

Natatanging Gawad Urian: Roque “Roxlee” Federizon Lee

Best Film “ n The Job The Missing 8” and “Big Night ”

Best Director: ErikMatti, “On The Job: The Missing 8”

Best Actress: Yen Santos, “A FarawayLand”

Best Actor: John Arcilla, “On The Job: The Missing 8”

Best Supporting Actress: Lotlot De Leon, “On The Job: The Missing 8”

Best Supporting Actor: Dante Rivero, “On The Job: The Missing 8” Best Screenplay: Michiko Yamamoto, “On The Job: The Missing 8” Best Cinematography Carlo Canlas Mendoza, “Big Night ” Best Documentary: “The Right to Life,” Arbi Barbarona

Best Short Film: “Dandansoy,” Arden Rod Condez

Best Editing: “Gerone Centeno, Jay Altarejos, “Walang Kasarian ang Digmang Bayan” and Jay Halili, “On The Job: The Missing 8”

Best Production Design: Whammy Alcazaren, “Kun Maupay Man It Panahon”

Best Music: Erwin Romulo, Malek Lopez, Arvin Nogueras, “On The Job: The Missing 8”

Best Sound: Corinne De San Jose, “On The Job: The Missing 8”

The Gawad Urian Awards, established in 1976, is the “Filipino Film Critics’ measure of the artistry and skills of our filmmakers.”

Maria Clara. The megastar Sharon Cuneta and her husband former Senator Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan almost separated.

Neil Arce breaks silence, denies split with Angel Locsin

the celebrity couple.

Netizens and showbiz fans have been talking about a blind item which garnered speculations that it is about Angel and Neil. The blind item stated that an actress who took a break is no longer with her husband because he allegedly impregnated an inactive actress.

Maxene has not answered the issue, but lately she posted photos showing her attending a party.

said in past interview.

Maxene has just revealed that she and her husband Rob Mananquil are no longer together.

Arce branded as “fake news” the rumors about his alleged separation with wife Angel Locsin.

In a statement, Arce said “Me and my wife are charitable people. Donation na po namin sa fake news peddlers ‘yang kikitain nila sa pagpapakalat ng fake news.

Businessman Neil Arce has denied he and wife actress Angel Locsin have broken up.

Arce, at the same time, also denied rumors that he had reunited with ex-girlfriend Maxene Magalona.

“Kasinungalingan,” Arce said as he denied the rumors. Arce’s going back allegedly to

The breakup rumor was fueled by the long absence of Angel in the social media.

The actress, however, recently posted her photo with husband Neil Arce, with the caption “spread love,” which netizens said indicated there is no truth to the alleged breakup of

Neil had a relationship with Maxene years ago. Their relationship lasted over a year. The actress confi rmed their split in June 2012. In an interview back then, based on the article in GMA News Online, Maxene said that there was no third party when she and Neil broke up.

Maxene simply said that they were not meant to be. “So, for me, Neil and I we were trying to make it work but in the end, napagod na rin kami. But now we’re friends. When we see each other, hi, hello. He texts me once in a while. He calls once in a while. Okay naman kami,” she

“Besides, deserve naman ng followers and subscribers nila makarinig ng kasinungalingan,” he stated.

Arce’s statement came amid the circulation of YouTube videos from non-reputable sources alleging he and Locsin have separated.

A number of the videos even claimed that the separation is the reason for Locsin’s extended absence online. The Kapamilya star has been on hiatus from social media for over three months.

Her last Instagram update was on August 1 a photo that shows a polaroid print of her with Arce.

Maxene has fueled rumors that he and his wife have separated.

FilAm ex-actor and athlete David Bunevacz gets 17 years in US jail, to pay $35 M to victims

Former Philippine team and Universityof California in Los Angeles (UCLA) decathlete turned TV personalityDavid Joseph Bunevacz has been sentenced bythe United States District Court to 210months or 17 years and sixmonths in prison.

US District Judge Dale S. Fischer also ordered Bunevacz to pay $35,267,851in restitution to his investment scam victims.

Judge Fischer said Bunevacz continued with his scheme even while serving probation for a state court conviction. “Not even a criminal conviction and the threat of jail convinced [Bunevacz] to become a law-abiding citizen,” he said.

Earlier in July, Bunevacz, 53, of Calabasas, California, who has been in federal custodysince his arrest on April 5, pleaded guiltyto one count of securities fraud and one count of wire fraud, crimes that carrya statutorymaximum penaltyof 20years in federal prison,according to the US Justice Department.

According to his plea agreement,

going backto 2010, Bunevacz created several business entities – including HolySmokes Holdings LLC and Caesarbrutus LLC – that he claimed were involved in the cannabis industryand the sale of vape pens containing cannabis products such as CBD oil and THC.

The justice department said Bunevacz falselytold at least one investor he had a longstanding relationship with a Chinese manufacturer of disposable vape pens and he obtained “raw pesticide-free oil” that was sent to a “lab that infuses the flavors into the oil with our proprietarycustom process that renders the vape flavoring smooth and discrete,” according to court documents. Bunevacz also provided investors with forged documents – such as bankstatements, invoices and purchase orders – to support his claims of the businesses’ success and the need for investor funds.

Instead of using the funds to finance business operations, Bunevacz misappropriated the vast majorityof

the funds to payfor his own opulent lifestyle, including a luxurious house in Calabasas, Las Vegas trips, jewelry, designer handbags, a lavish birthdaypartyfor his daughter, and horses.

To create the false appearance that his companies were engaged in legitimate business activities, Bunevacz registered various shell companies, including several with names similar or identical to those of legitimate cannabis businesses. To conceal his control of these shell companies and the bankaccounts associated with them, Bunevacz listed other individuals, including his stepdaughter, as the corporate officers of the shell companies.

Bunevacz’s blog touts his success as a former decathlete who competed for the Philippines, and his wife and daughter appeared in a realitytelevision show. Despite Bunevacz’s promotion of his background, Bunevacz took efforts to conceal negative information from investors, such as his 2017felonyconviction for the unlawful sale of securities, according to an affidavit submitted in support of the criminal complaint. After one investor uncovered a lawsuit against Bunevacz, Bunevacz emailed a counterfeit version of the settlement agreement to falsely make it appear that he had been paid $325,000as part of a settlement. In reality, it was Bunevacz who had agreed to pay $325,000to settle the claim.

Operating through his cannabis companies, Bunevacz raised between approximately$37,166,737and

$45,068,227from more than 10victim-investors. He admitted to causing losses of at least $28,409,112, according to the justice department.

Bunevacz declined to make statements in court but his lawyer requested that he be given an 87-month sentence, saying that he was diagnosed with advanced heart failure and had not seen a cardiologist since his arrest last April 5.

The court, however, did not grant Bunevacz’ lawyer’s request to shorten the jail sentence due to his client’s health condition.

Bunevacz is set to serve his sentence at a California state prison.

More than a dozen victims were present in court, and sixspoke during the sentencing hearing, ABS-CBN reported.

Throughout each testimony, Bunavacz did not lookat or acknowledged anyof the victims as described their personal and businesses relationships with him.

Theytold the court that their families became close to the Bunevacz family, and he would eventuallyconvince them to invest into cannabisrelated businesses.

In some cases victims would use their own companies and life savings to fund their investments, according the reports.

It was gathered that Bunavacz had victimized at least 100people, and claimed that he would not be rehabilitated in prison, citing a 2017felony conviction for the unlawful sale of securities which he had received probation for.

Daniel Padilla, John Arcilla, Dingdong, Piolo lead 5th EDDYS Awards nominees

The Societyof Philippine Entertainment Editors has announced the list of nominees for the 5th EDDYS (Entertainment Editors’ Choice) Awards, to be held in-person on 27November at the Manila Metropolitan Theater with Boy Abunda as host and Ice Seguerra as director.

Topping the nominees for best actor John Arcilla (On The Job: The Missing 8), Christian Bables (Big Night), Dingdong Dantes (A Hard Day), Daniel Padilla (Kun MaupayMan It Panahon) and Piolo Pascual (My Amanda).’

Vying for the Best Actress award are Janine Gutierrez (Dito at Doon), Kim Molina (Ang Babaeng Walang Pakiramdam), Maja Salvador (Arisaka), Charo Santos (Kun MaupayMan It Panahon) and Alessandra de Rossi (My Amanda).

The complete list of nominees in the different categories follows:

Best Film

Arisaka (Ten17Productions)

Big Night (IdeaFirst Company)

Dito at Doon (TBA Studios)

Kun MaupayMan It Panahon (BlackSheep, Globe Studios, Dreamscape Entertainment)

On the Job: The Missing 8(RealityEntertainment).

Best Director

Erik Matti (On the Job: The Missing 8)

Mikhail Red (Arisaka)

Jun Lana (Big Night)

Carlo Francis Manatad (Kun MaupayMan it Panahon)

JP Habac (Dito at Doon)

Best Actress

Janine Gutierrez (Dito at Doon)

Kim Molina (Ang Babaeng Walang Pakiramdam)

Maja Salvador (Arisaka)

Charo Santos (Kun MaupayMan It Panahon) Alessandra de Rossi (My Amanda)

Best Actor

John Arcilla (On The Job: The Missing 8)

Christian Bables (Big Night)

Dingdong Dantes (A Hard Day)

Daniel Padilla (Kun MaupayMan It Panahon)

Piolo Pascual (My Amanda)

Best Supporting Actress

Janice de Belen (Big Night)

Lotlot de Leon (On The Job: The Missing 8)

Eugene Domingo (Big Night)

Elizabeth Oropesa (Huwag Kang Lalabas)

Rans Rifol (Kun MaupayMan It Panahon)

Best Supporting Actor

John Arcilla (Big Night)

Mon Confiado (Arisaka)

Christopher de Leon (On the Job: The Missing 8) Ricky Davao (Big Night)

Dennis Trillo (On the Job: The Missing 8)

Best Cinematography

Neil DerrikBion

(On the Job: The Missing 8)

Mycko David (Arisaka)

T.M. Malones (Huwag Kang Lalabas)

TeckSiang Lim

(Kun MaupayMan It Panahon)

Noel Teehankee (For Love or Money)

Best Production Design

Whammy Alcazaren (Kung MaupayMan It Panahon)

Michel N. Español, Roma Regala

(On the Job: The Missing 8)

Arthur Maningas (Huwag Kang Lalabas)

Jay Custodio (Huling Ulan sa Tag-araw)

Norico Santos (Love is Color Blind)

Best Screenplay

Erik Matti, Michiko Yamamoto (On the Job: The Missing 8)

Giancarlo Abrahan, Carlo Francisco Manatad, Jeremie Dubois (Kung MaupayMan It Panahon)

Juna Lana (Big Night)

AcyRamos, Irish Precious Mangubat (Huling Ulan sa Tag-araw)

Khristine Gabriel, Simon Arciaga (Love is Color Blind)

Best Musical Score

MalekLopez, Arvin Nogueras, Erwin Romulo (On the Job: The Missing 8)

Andrew R. Florentino (Kun MaupayMan It Panahon)

Teresa Barrozo (Big Night)

Jerrold Tarog (Dito at Doon)

Cesar Francis Concio (Love is Color Blind)

Best Sound

Immanuel Verona (Arisaka)

Immanuel Verona (Big Night)

Andrew Forentino (Kun MaupayMan It Panahon)

Corinne de San Jose (On the Job: The Missing 8)

MikoyMorales (Huwag Kang Lalabas)

Best Editing

Nikolas Red (Arisaka)

Benjamin Tolentino (Big Night)

JayHalili (On the Job: The Missing 8) Bienvenido Ferrer III (Kun MaupayMan It Panahon)

Marya Ignacio (Love is Color Blind)

Renard Torres (Dito at Doon)

Best Original Theme Song “Maaari Ba” (from Love at First Stream)

Performed by Alyssa Quijano

Words and music byRichard Salazar “Sana PanaginipLang” (from Love at First Stream)

Performed by Trisha Denise Words and music byRichard Salazar

“Maganda Kahit Matanda” (from Revirginized)

Performed byMarion Aunor Words and music byMarion Aunor

“Maghihintay” (from More Than Blue)

Performed byMarion Aunor Words and music byMarion Aunor “For Your Eyes Only” (from Love is Color Blind)

Performed byBelle Mariano Words and music by Trisha Denise

Maolen Fadul (Big Night)

Gerwin Meneses (Huwag Kang Lalabas)

Sam Manacsa, Nimrod Sarmiento (Kun MaupayMan It Panahon)

Bernadeth Bolima, MarkDanielle Paras (On the Job: The Missing 8

The Post ffice (The ExorSis)

This year’s Icon Awards will be conferred upon Tito Sotto, Vic Sotto, Joeyde Leon, PhillipSalvador, Roi Vinzon, Helen Gamboa, Divina Valencia, Elizabeth Oropesa, Sharon Cuneta, and Alma Moreno.

Gretchen Barretto, Kris Aquino, Alfred Vargas, GMA Kapuso Foundation, and ABS-CBN SagipKapamilya are the recipients of this year’s Isah V. Red Award. The award is presented in honor and memoryof SPEEd’s founding president, Isah V. Red. It is given to personalities and organizations to honor their humanitarian efforts toward alleviating conditions of people adversely affected by the Covid-19 pandemic.

This year’s special awardees are entertainment reporter Mario Dumaual, Joe Quirino Award; former entertainment editor Eric Ramos, MannyPichel Award; Rein Entertainment for the Rising Producers’ Circle; and Viva Films, Producer of the Year.

SEC okays real estate trust IPO

By Jennifer T. Santos, Correspondent

PASAY CITY – The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has considered favorably the initial public offering (IP ) of a real estate investment trust sponsored by S.I. Power Corporation (SIPC R) and Camotes Island Power eneration Corporation (CAMPC R).

In its Nov. 10 meeting, the commission en banc resolved to render effective the registration statement of Premiere Island Philippines Holding Corporation, which will change its name to Premiere Island Power REIT Corporation (PREIT) covering 3,288,669,000 common shares subject to the company’s compliance with certain remaining requirements.

The offer will include up to 1.4 billion common shares priced at P2 per share, to be sold by SIPC R and CAMPC R, plus up to 210 million common shares as part of the overallotment option.

Net proceeds from the offer could reach up to P3.09 billion, assuming the overallotment option is fully exercised.

The selling shareholders will receive the full amount of the proceeds, which shall be reinvested in the Philippines, pursuant to the revised implementing rules and regulations of Republic Act No. 98 6, otherwise known as the Real Estate Investment Trust (REIT) Act of 2009.

Assuming the full exercise of the overallotment option, new investors will corner 42.6 percent of the issued and outstanding common shares of PREIT, while SIP-

C R and CAMPC R will retain a .4 percent interest.

PREIT intends to conduct the IP from Nov. 2 to Dec. 2 and debut on the Philippine Stock Exchange (PSE) on Dec. 12, based on the latest timetable submitted to the SEC.

The company engaged China Bank Capital Corporation as sole issue manager, underwriter, and bookrunner for the offer.

RCBC Capital Corporation will also serve as participating underwriter.

VFund Management Inc. and VProperty Management Inc. have been tapped as fund manager and propertymanager, respectively.

PREIT is seen to be the power and infrastructure REIT platform of Villar-led Prime Asset Ventures, Inc.

The company’s initial property portfolio consists of land and power plant assets utilized in the power generation projects of SIPC R and CAMPC R in Cebu and Siquijor, which have a total combined installed capacity of 21.2 megawatts.

As mandated by law, PREIT shall distribute at least 90 percent of its annual distributable income as dividends.

The distributable income refers to the company’s net income as adjusted for unrealized gains and losses/ expenses and impairment losses, and other items in accordance with internationally accepted accounting standards. It excludes proceeds from the sale of the REIT’s assets that are reinvested in the REIT within one year from the date of the sale.

How much will housing prices do down?

Based on many predictions, House prices could plummet 20 in some US cities as soaring mortgage rates continues to discourage and scare off buyers

In certain markets for sure prices will go down more. Some home prices in California should be prices close to 1 million and yet they are. These homes are 20-2 overpriced.

Take note that home prices have soared 40 in the past two years alone and climbed more between 2013 and 2022 than they did between 1998 and the peak of the housing bubble in 200 .

It’s an extraordinary rise, and now you have mortgage rates, which are 1 -year highs It has all the ingredients to see a notable fall in home prices. Still, the most majority of Americans with mortgages are paying rates below . As a result, many will likely balk at selling up and taking out a more expensive mortgage for a new home once the prices adjust to a norm.

The one thing that can mitigate a sharp decline is that dearth of inventory of existing homes. However, new home inventories are building rapidly. These builders will have to come up with great concession if the rates don’t come down to be able to sell this home in 2023.

A Trickledown effect of the vast size of the S housing market is a likelihood of a slump in prices that will could hit consumer spending and weigh on economic growth.

Housing is almost 20 of the S economy, and almost 20 of the US economy is in a recession right now that will continue into next year.

Several experts are predicting a housing downturn. A 1to-20 drop in S home prices over the next year. Similarly, Wharton professor Jeremy Siegel has warned house prices are poised to drop 1 from their peak, and could slide further if the Federal Reserve keeps hiking interest rates in an effort to curb red-hot inflation.

Paul Krugman, a Nobel Prize-winning economist, has also predicted a housing slump. He’s explained that higher rates will likely sap demand for mortgages, resulting in less construction, reduced spending and hiring in the housing industry, and a broader economic slowdown.

No one has a crystal ball, and we can’t be certain what the future holds for any investment asset. Even with hours of research, the best algorithms and the most skilled analysts, there’s always the potential for something completely unexpected.

Like a global pandemic.

The last few years have looked completely different to what was projected before the outbreak of Covid-19, and there is always the potential for something new and unaccounted for to come along.

Even so, it makes sense to look to the future to at least provide some guidance as to the impact on our finances. It might not be perfect, but it’s the best we’ve got.

This is particularly true for the housing market. For many people, buying a home is the single largest purchase they’re ever going to make. It makes sense to really want to get it right. It also takes many years of saving and planning, which is why looking as far into the future as possible is a good idea.

Sure, it might work out differently than you’d expected, but having a plan in place at least means you’re taking steps in the right direction, regardless of the actual outcome.

So, what is the property market looking like it’s going to do over the next few years?

I say its going to be an incrementally slow to rise probability, especially with he election coming up in 2024. We need for the politician to govern our country with a sense of pride, yes its as simple as that. Now they are all for themselves.

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Boy, 9, of Albay, is Eastern Asia Youth Chess Champion

LEGAZPI CITY – Nine-year-old Bince Rafael Operiano of Oas, Albay emerged as champion in the recently concluded 6th Eastern Asia Youth Chess Championship in Bangkok, Thailand.

Operiano bested more than 20 players from several countries, said his father Ben Operiano.

Bince is back to his schooling and other regular chores in his hometown following his victory.

Ben Operiano disclosed many people have been visiting them in Oas to meet and congratulate his son in person.

“Mang Ben” recounted the struggles that he and his son had to go through that eventually led to Bince’s winning the top plum in the Bangkok chess championship, PNA’s Connie Calipay reported.

“I have to admit that I made a lot of sacrifices for my cravings. I stopped drinking liquor, quit smoking, and being a cockfighting aficionado to save money and give quality time for the training of my son,” he said.

He said he had to gather courage and ask people for assistance, whether in cash or other forms, for Bince’s travel to Bangkok.

“I needed also to be shameless from soliciting assistance from people who signified willingness to help my son. I literally became shameless,” Mang Ben said.

He noted that due to limited funds, his son traveled alone to Thailand.

“The money that we first raised

was only enough for his fare. So Bince went alone to Bangkok. Then I just followed him on a separate flight after I raised an additional amount,” he said. “Because of the help of our 3rd District Rep. Fernando Cabredo and Oas Vice Mayor Hector Loyola, I was able to buy a ticket and follow my son in

Bangkok, Thailand with a very limited budget.”

Mang Ben said he is very proud of his son for becoming a chess champion at an early age and for remaining humble despite his feat.

“I always tell my son that poverty must not be a hindrance to his dream. Even if we are poor, we have to fight the hardships by having a strong heart and do not forget to thank God,” he said.

Bince started to play chess at age five as bonding time activity with family members and friends. He first joined a tournament in 2020 and won a kiddie championship at six years old.

In Bangkok, Mang Ben said Bince braved the first game “with no parent around to cheer him on. He felt pressured and even lost to his opponents in the first sets of the tournament.”

“But my son started winning when I arrived and watched and cheered for him,” he added.

Bince prevailed in the final game sets until he was declared overall champion in the Asian chess championship, besting more than 20 opponents from different countries.

Gilas games for 6th window of FIBA World Cup qualifiers set at PHL Arena

in the fifth window.

This as the Senate committee

The Senate panel, chaired by Senator Francis Tolentino, cleared Senate Bills No. 1336 and 1516 which seek to naturalize the 34-year-old basketball player who born in Georgia, United States.

Last week, the House of Representatives approved on first reading the counterpart measure, which they also aim to pass before Congress goes on break in December.

The Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) aims to bring in the five-time PBA champion and two-time PBA best import as a naturalized player for Gilas Pilipinas beginning with the sixth window of the FIBA World Cup Asian qualifiers in February 2023.

The Philippine Arena in Bocaue, Bulacan will be hosting the sixth window of the 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup Asian qualifiers with ilas Pilipinas facing Lebanon and Jordan, according to Sonny Barrios, the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) executive director.

ilas will square off against Lebanon on Feb. 24 then Jordan on Feb. 27. The Philippines currently holds a 5-3 win-loss slate in Pool E after beating Jordan and Saudi Arabia on the road in the fifth window.

Barrios said that the Philippine Arena was the preferred venue for the Gilas’ games in the sixth window of the FIBA World Cup qualifiers regardless of the results

“It’s really Philippine Arena whatever would have been the outcome,” he said. “If you look back, the February window was at Araneta [Coliseum] while the Aug. 29 game in the fourth window was at the Mall of Asia [Arena].”

The Philippine Arena will be the venue of the final phase of the 2023 FIBA World Cup, while the Smart Araneta Coliseum and Mall of Asia Arena will be the venues for the groupstages, Barrios added.

Brownlee, who appeared before the Senate in a Barong Tagalog, reiterated his love for the Filipino people and culture which fueled his desire to become a citizen of the Philippines, CNN Philippines and other media reported.

To emphasize his willingness, he even said he is ready to join the country’s military reserve force to participate in any disaster, calamity, rescue operations during typhoon season. He even said he is willing to join the Philippine Armyreserve force.

“Coming here in 2016 and just right off the bat receiving so much love and admiration from the fans it was just really I couldn’t believe it. It was overwhelming. Just wearing that flag it seems like it allows me to give back to the people, the fans and that’s something I just want to try to do whether it can be inspiration or motivation or winning games or practicing with the team whatever it is all the love that I receive I just want to give it back,” Brownlee said.

Tolentino said the bill is expected to be approved by the Senate in December.

B CO P . Ben O eriano le and his son Bince afael who emerged as cham ion in the th astern sia outh Chess Cham ionshi in Bangkok, Thailand. Connie Cali ay

Barangay Ginebra American import Justin Brownlee is nearing efforts to become a Filipino to be able to play for the Gilas Pilipinas national team in its quest to join the world championship.

on justice and human rights approved two measures granting him citizenship.

Alarming Surge of Pediatric RSV

ByPeter White

A common virus with flu-like symptoms is infecting very young children in large numbers, leading to a spike in the number of emergency room visits and hospitalizations in recent weeks.

Respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV, was first identified in 19 6 there is no vaccine although clinical trials are underway with pregnant women, said Dr. Priya Soni, a Pediatric Infectious Disease Specialist at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles.

“There is no treatment or therapeutic antiviral for RSV virus,” Soni added, speaking at a national Ethnic Media News briefing last week. Babies are getting ill because they have smaller airways and they’re not able to clear secretions like older adults.

“For us, our virus can be just a mild cold but in babies they can get bronchiolitis and other complications,” she said.

To make matters worse, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) is reporting large numbers of flu cases across the country, especially in eorgia and Florida. RSV could spike later.

“We hope that everything doesn’t coincide at the same time as RSV surging, but we are seeing an uptick in flu cases as well,” Soni said.

The journal Lancet Respiratory Medicine published a study in November estimating that 1 in 0 children under age around the world die from RSV. It is the second leading cause of death after malaria and kills between 100,000 and 200,000 babies under the age of one every year.

Dr. Mina Hakim usually sees more RSV patients in January or February. He is a pediatrics specialist at South Central Family Health Center in Los Angeles. “It’s very unusual to see it this early,” he said. He worries what will happen in the next few months

“This is coming to a point where it’s overwhelming our ERs and our IC s, and our hospitals,” he said.

Whites, Hispanics, and Native Americans have a higher risk of infection, according to the CDC. But Hakim said the highest risk population is children less than six months old.

CDC RSV-NET Interactive Dashboard, Rates by Race Ethnicity

Hakim noted the general overall hospitalizations rate year to year for RSV is about 13 per 100,000, or 0.3 . “For children less than six months of age, the hospitalization rate can be up to 2 percent. So there’s more than a 100-fold difference there in the hospitalization rate,” Hakim said.

RSV spreads like the flu from tiny droplets that are inhaled, unwashed hands, or from hard surfaces where the virus can live up to six hours. But why is RSV surg-

ing now

Dr. Manisha Newaskar, Clinical Assistant Professor of Pulmonary Medicine at Stanford Medicine Children’s Health, said most babies catch RSV before they are two years old and get over it but precautions taken during the C VID pandemic kept babies from being exposed to it.

“We were taking utmost precautions, right We were wearing masks, we were washing hands, we were not sending our kids to school if they were having even a sni e. So that’s what was causing fewer cases and now that things have opened up, the world has gone back to its normal pace,” Dr. Newaskar said.

“The most common symptom is a stuffy nose and babies breath thru their nose and that makes them struggle.”

Babies may have a fever and Tylenol can help reduce it. But what lands them in the ER is difficulty breathing from swollen

airways. RSV babies fuss, don’t eat, and get dehydrated.

Newaskar said that if an infant is less than six months old with cough, congestion, or fever, parents need to keep a close eye on the baby’s symptoms and see a pediatrician if they get worse. There is a diagnostic test that can determine if the baby has the flu, RSV, or C VID. The flu comes on quickly, RSV in stages, and all three viruses have similar symptoms.

RSV is a virus and antibiotics won’t help. What does is suctioning mucus from the nose with a bulb and using a humidifier to keep airways moist. Newaskar noted that doctors give the Synagis vaccine to preemies and other high-risk infants to prevent severe RSV disease.

“Studies have found that kids who are exposed to smoking at early stages are more likely to be in the hospital due to RSV, as are babies who have not been breastfed, Hakim noted. “Three months of breastfeeding can decrease your risk for severe bronchitis from RSV.” Hakim, 90 of whose patients are below the poverty line, added that working mothers stop breastfeeding because the realities of life make them return to work sooner than other populations.

Doctors advise the same prevention measures people use to avoid C VID.

Newaskar said that good basic hygiene like covering your cough and frequent hand washing can keep babies from getting sick.

“If your child is sick, don’t go to school, right even if they are having mild symptoms, it’s best to keep them home to prevent the virus from going around in the school,” she urged.

If you’re planning to travel over the holidays, make sure you’re up to date on our C VID boosters and get a flu shot. “So at least you have protected yourself against two major viruses,” she said.

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

Veterans Day is on Friday, November 11, 2022. Every year on this day, we honor all veterans who served our country and risked their lives to protect us.

ur Wounded Warriors webpage is an important resource for military members who return home with injuries. If you know a wounded veteran, please let them know about our Wounded Warriors webpage at www.ssa.gov

woundedwarriors.

The page shares information about our Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefi ts for veterans, including

How SSDI benefi ts are diff erent from benefi ts available through the Department of Veterans Aff airs and require a separate application.

How we expedite the processing of Social Security disability claims for service members. If they develop a disability while on active military service on or after ctober 1, 2001, they can fi le a disability claim regardless of where the disability occurs.

Answers to questions asked

about Social Security.

If active-duty military service members are unable to work due to a disabling condition and continue to receive pay while in a hospital or on medical leave, they should consider applying for SSDI. Active-duty status and receipt of military pay doesn’t necessarily prevent payment of SSDI benefi ts.

ur webpages are easy to share on social media and by email with your friends and family. Please consider passing this information along to someone who may need it.

Photo by Kelly Sikkema on Unsplash

Social Security Update

PH CONSULATE IN SF DONATES FILIPINIANA BOOKS TO FEC GALING BATA ON THE CENTER’S 21ST ANNIVERSARY

Diablo Canyon Power Plant extension gets $1.1 B federal aid

SACRAMENTO – Governor Gavin Newsom lauded the U.S. Department of Energy for awarding $1.1 billion from the Civil Nuclear Credit Program to support a limited-term extension of the Diablo Canyon Power Plant:

“Amid intensifying climate impacts in the West and across the country, California is focused on meeting our bold climate and clean energy goals while tackling the challenges of extreme weather that puts lives at risk and strains our grid,” Newsom said in a statement sent to Philippine News Today.

“This investment creates a path forward for a limited-term extension of the Diablo Canyon Power Plant to support reliability statewide and provide an onramp for more clean energy projects to come online,” he said.

“I thank the Biden-Harris Administration for this critical support and the California Legislature for moving quickly to make this award possible. I look forward to our continued work together to build a clean, affordable and reliable energy future for our state,” Newsom said.

In partnership with the Legislature, Governor Newsom signed a measure in September authorizing a limited-term extension of the Diablo Canyon Power Plant’s license, structured to take advantage of the opportunity for federal support while minimizing costs to California ratepayers and taxpayers. Any extension will require approvals by federal, state and local regulatory entities.

SAN FRANCISCO - Following the Philippine Consulate General in an rancisco s book dona�on at the an rancisco Public Library last October, Consul General Neil Ferrer led the turnover of more than 150 Filipiniana books to the Filipino Educa�on Center C aling Bata on ovember at the Bessie Carmichael chool, O Pili inas istrict in an ran cisco. ite irector Charm Consolacion received the books on behalf of C aling Bata.

The Consulate s book dona�on covers to ics that include Philippine literature, Philippine history, and Philippine arts. mong those that were received by C aling Bata were coloring books �tled tronger Together ublished by C ili inos, and s onsored by nterna�onal and Pinoy TV. The coloring books were made at the height of the COVandemic in su ort of the advocacy on mental health and an� sian hate crime.

California reports first flu and RSV death in a child under age 5

SACRAMENTO – The California Department of Public Health (CDPH) reported the first death of this winter season of a child under the age of due to flu and Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV). Young children are most vulnerable to severe complications from RSV and the flu, especially if they have underlying medical conditions or were born premature.

To protect patient confidentiality, no additional information, including where the death occurred, is being released at this time.

“Our hearts go out to the family of this young child,” said State Public Health fficer and CDPH Director Dr. Tomás Aragón. “This tragic event serves as a stark reminder that respiratory viruses can be deadly, especially in very young children and infants. We are entering a busy winter virus season with RSV, flu and C VID-19 spreading – and urge parents and guardians to vaccinate their children as soon as possible against flu and CVID-19. It’s also important to follow basic prevention tips like frequent hand washing, wearing a mask, and staying home when sickto slow the spread of germs.”

To help address the current and anticipated further surge in hospitalizations from an early winter virus season, CDPH issued new Guidance for Response to Surge in Respiratory Viruses among Pediatric Patients. The guidance, in part, allows health facilities to reconfigure space as needed to accommodate patient surge.

In addition, CDPH is recommending that all health care facilities, including inpatient and outpatient facili-

ties without existing pediatric services, explore shortterm measures to expand capacity for evaluation and treatment of pediatric patients.

Vaccines continue to be the most effective tool to limit the risk of severe illness and death from circulating winter viruses. Vaccinating an entire household against flu and C VID-19 helps boost immunity and lowers the risk of severe outcomes from these viruses. It will also keep hospital beds open for those who need urgent medical attention.

The 2022–2023 RSV season began earlier than usual, with activity rapidly increasing throughout October. Usually, activity rises in December and peaks in February. On October 3, CDPH released a health advisory addressing both this early activity and the use of the preventative antibody treatment palivizumab in eligible high-risk infants. An updated health advisory was sent to health facilities on November 12. verall influenza and C VID-19 activity is increasing in California.

CDPH encourages all Californians to follow these five tips to protect themselves and others from severe illness and hospitalization:

Get Vaccinated, Boosted and Treated if You Test Positive

Flu and C VID-19 vaccines continue to be your best defense to limit severe illness and death – and you can get both at the same time. If you test positive for COVID-19, contact your doctor or a test-to-treat site immediatelyto seektreatment.

Domestic Violence is ‘Healable and Preventable’

Erica lsen is the Safety Net Project Director at the National Network to End Domestic Violence (NNEDV), an umbrella for nearly 2000 local domestic violence programs nationwide. She focuses on the role of technology in DV cases.

“Abusers will misuse any kind of technology as a tool of abuse,” says lsen. “Some abusers may install a hidden app or monitoring software on a partner’s device without their knowledge. Some may misuse social media sites or smart devices in the home as a way to harass or stalk.”

Tactics include tracking someone’s location without their knowledge, or hijacking financial or social accounts to commit fraud or impersonation, distributing intimate images without consent or posting threats or harassing content online. For L BT survivors, their abusers may specifically threaten to out them online. “That’s a very common tactic,” says lsen.

A piece of the new VAWA includes a provision for Civil Action for Nonconsensual Image Sharing, which gives survivors an option to go to court to recover monetary damages and access to protection orders.

The Department of Justice says rape arrests from 1980 to 201 dropped from 26,000 to 1 ,000. That indicates the efforts to combat DV are working. To end it, advocates say more must be done proactively on the prevention side with victims and their abusers.

As a freshman at University of Texas at Austin Deborah Tucker did not find campus life an extension of the safe and loving home she grew up in.

Some creepy guy harassed Tucker and her two roommates. He stalked them and kept trying to break into their apartment, so they reported him. The police couldn’t catch him but they surveilled their place for a week. The stalker was watching.

“As soon as the cops were pulled off, the guy broke in again. And unfortunately, we had a friend staying with us that particular weekend, and he assaulted her,” Tucker said during an ctober 28 media briefing organized by Ethnic Media Services.

Tucker has been advocating against the use of violence against women ever since. She founded the Austin Rape Crisis Center, the Austin Center for Battered Women and is current president of the National Center on Domestic and Sexual Violence (NCDSV).

“I’ve pretty much earned every one of these bright white hairs doing this work,” Tucker says.

Domestic and sexual violence occur across the world in every culture, including in California, where “more than half of have up close and personal experience” with it, says Jenna Lane, communications officer with the Blue Shield of California Foundation. “It is truly everywhere, which is troubling.”

When you think about battered women you think about their physical injuries. But domestic violence (DV) includes a lot of abusive behaviors that cause other injuries.

“It can also be emotional. It can be financial, like controlling someone’s money or getting them fired from their job . It can be legal, like threatening to call immigration on someone,” Lane says. The big question is “What to do about it ”

ctober is Domestic Violence Awareness month, and the foundation just launched a new website, Let’s End Domestic Violence, which offers information on prevention, healing and other resources.

“DV is everywhere it is healable it is preventable,” Lane says.

Tucker, who co-founded the National Domestic Violence Hotline in 1996, went to Washington in 19 4 to help then Senator Joe Biden work on the first rendition of the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA). It has been reau-

thorized a few times, most recently in March 2022.

The law authorizes an array of supportive services, including funding for different DV programs, giving victims the choice to go to court instead of mandatory arbitration, and increasing services and support for survivors from underserved and marginalized communities including for L BT survivors of domestic violence.

ood statistics on DV are hard to come by. A lot of DV occurs between intimate partners and is often not reported.

States also define DV differently, an issue that exists even between various state-level agencies within a single state. For example, in California courts have a penal code for criminal cases, a family code that controls family court, and civil code for civil court.

“Domestic violence isn’t even uniformly defined across those codes in the same state,” says Pallavi Dhawan.

Dhawan was a prosecutor in the Family Violence nit of the Los Angeles District Attorney’s office. “I spent 13 years handling really horrific cases of murders and rapes and attempted murders,” she says. And Dhawan was good at it. In 2019 she received the L.A. County Bar Association award for Prosecutor of the ear.

Dhawan now works out of the City Attorney’s office, which sponsored California Senate Bill 1141, legislation that adds coercive control to the definition of domestic violence within the Family Code.

The bill relied on research that estimated between 60 and 80 of female domestic abuse survivors have experienced coercive control.

“I was tired of hearing people say that domestic violence requires physical abuse and bruising. And I heard that in court a lot, and I heard it from jurors and judges, “ Dhawan says.

Victims of this form of abuse can now seek restraining orders prohibiting coercive control and requiring courts to consider evidence of coercive control in child custody determination.

Common forms of coercive control include isolation, deprivation of resources, monitoring a person’s movements and behavior. It’s all of those things that strip away a person’s autonomy and reduce them to a shadow of their former self, Dhawan says.

“Here in Texas, we did a huge study a few years ago of everyone who was in prison for having committed murder or a serious violent crime, and the 80 rule came out,” says Tucker, in reference to life-changing events that predict abusive behavior. According to her findings, 80 of inmates included in the study grew up in families where domestic violence was used.

Whenever Tucker works with lawmakers she reminds them “that 80 of the people that we lock up for murder grew up and had to deal with the use of violence against themselves or someone they loved very, very early in life.”

When it comes to improving legislation, she adds, “If we want to stop the worst of the violence we gotta stop domestic and sexual violence. It’s all interconnected,” she says.

Clockwise enna ane, Communica�ons O cer, Blue hield ounda�on of California Pallavi hawan, irector of omes�c iolence Policy, os ngeles City �orney s O ce ealth ditor unita ohrab i eborah Tucker, resident of the Board of irectors, the a�onal Center on omes�c and e ual iolence and ria Olsen, irector of the afety et rogram, a�onal etwork to nd omes�c iolence.

nd while there has been encouraging rogress, advocates say much more needs to be done to revent abuse.

Covid-19 cases increasing in LA county, indoor masking strongly recommended

By Claire Morales True

LOS ANGELES - One week before the Thanksgiving holiday, Los Angeles County is reporting rising cases of COVID-19, increased circulation of new Omicron strains, and high transmission of other respiratory illnesses including the flu and respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV.

This was disclosed by the county’s Department of Public Health which called for wearing a well-fitting high filtration mask indoor to help reducing transmission of the viruses.

The wearing of masks can result to less disruptions and illness as the masks can protect the healthcare system from becoming overwhelmed, the department said in a statement sent to Philippine News Today.

The COVID-19 case rate is now over 100 new cases per 100,000 individuals – up from 86 cases per 100,000 one weekago, the department noted.

“Indoor masking in all indoor public spaces is now highly recommended, in accordance with the LA CountyCOVID Response Plan,” the department stated.

The department said the recommendation covers indoor spaces at schools, retail establishments, entertainment venues, public transit, correctional and detention facilities, and at homeless and emergencyshelters.

Masking continues to be required for people who have been exposed to COVID during the past 10 days, in healthcare settings and congregate care facilities, and anywhere where it is required bythe site, it added.

Throughout the pandemic there has been mounting evidence that wearing a mask is an effective way to limit the spread of respiratory viruses, according to the county’s health department.

With the current case rate of 100 cases per 100,000 individuals, at a 200 person event, the probability that at least one person at the event is infected with COVID-19 is 45-60%, it was disclosed. “If the case rate continues to increase and reaches 150 cases per 100,000 individuals, this probability jumps to 60-75%,” the department added.

The county is also seeing increased circulation of newly emerging COVID-19 strains BQ.1 and BQ.1.1, according to the department.

“Combined, the two subvariants comprise 26% of sequenced specimens, surpassing the threshold for High Concern in the county’s Early Alert Signals,” it stated.

The department said this is only the second week of tracking these strains as new subvariants of interest in the LA County Early Alert Signals. Last week, this indicator was at 17%.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

(CDC) has predicted that, for the week ending November 12, BQ.1 and BQ.1.1 combined will account for about 45% of sequenced specimens nationwide and this prediction is the same for Region 9, which includes California plus Arizona, Hawaii, Nevada, and U.S. territories.

The department said LA County also continues to see steep increases in flu positivity, with rates significantly higher than expected for this point during the flu season. Also, RSV percent positivity is still extremely high, surpassing the peak rates seen over the previous four seasons.

Planning ahead and taking straightforward actions can reduce the risk of transmission at Thanksgiving and holiday gatherings, said the Department of Public Health as it recommended masking and testing when traveling, testing before gathering, particularly if gathering with those more vulnerable for serious illness, increasing ventilation by staying outdoors or, if indoors, opening windows and doors and using an air purifying system, and staying home if sick.

A critical strategy for reducing the risk of severe illness and death from COVID-19 is being up-to-date with COVID vaccines, it added.

Residents age 5 years and older are eligible for the new updated Fall COVID-19 booster. This bivalent booster can protect against both the original virus that causes COVID-19 and Omicron BA.4 and BA.5 subvariants. These two subvariants are different, but they have the same spike protein, and the new Fall bivalent booster offers protection against both. The bivalent booster is also expected to provide protection against the BQ strains, which are sublineages of BA.5.

In LA County, uptake of the bivalent booster lags. Of the almost 7.5 million residents age 5 years and older who are eligible for a bivalent booster only about 14%, or 1.02 million have received one. Nearly 86% of these residents, or almost 6.5 million people, have not yet received the bivalent booster

The updated Fall C VID-19 boosters, plus flu vaccines, are readily available at Public Health sites, pharmacies, and other locations across the county. Seniors and residents who can’t easily leave their home can contact Public Health telehealth services at (833) 540-0473, seven days a week, from 8:00 am to 8:30 pm to arrange for at-home COVID-19 Fall booster and primary series vaccinations or transportation to a vaccination center. Insurance is not required, and callers can be assisted in multiple languages.

Residents can also go to VaccinateLACounty.com to find nearby vaccination sites, request a mobile vaccination team for your worksite or community event, or an in-home visit if you or someone you know is home-

bound.

The 7-day average case count in the county is 1,556, a nearly 17% increase from one week ago when the 7-dayaverage of 1,326cases was reported.

Over the past seven days, the average number of daily COVID-positive patients in LA County hospitals increased to 582, a 26% increase from one week prior when the average number of COVID-positive patients per daywas 461.

Deaths, which typically lag hospitalizations by several weeks, have increased slightly from an average of 8 deaths reported each day this past week. The week before, an average of 7deaths were reported daily.

“I send my deepest sympathies and wishes of peace and comfort to the many families who have lost a loved one from COVID-19,” said Barbara Ferrer, PhD, MPH, MEd, Director of Public Health. “In winter, we find ourselves indoors more often – at family holiday gatherings, entertainment events and shopping for gifts – all situations that can increase exposure to COVID-19 and other respiratory viruses like the flu and RSV, especially if not wearing a mask.”

“With rising rates of transmission, there is an increased probability that you may be exposed to someone with COVID-19 as you gather with friends and family, travel, and shop,” Ferrer said. “We can reduce the risk of disrupting holiday plans and exposing those most vulnerable, including very small children, older adults, and essential workers, to dangerous viruses by being up to date on flu and C VID vaccines, wearing a well-fitting high filtration mask when indoors, staying home and away from others if ill, and testing before gathering and before and after traveling.”

“ While the three viruses currently circulating at elevated levels, C VID-19, flu, and RSV, are not new, this season is the first time all three are circulating at high levels at the same time,” Ferrer said. “This creates additional risks of overwhelming our health care system, making it difficult for our healthcare workers to meet the high demand for services. We can each make a difference now byprotecting ourselves and those around us.”

Earlier, the Department of Public Health reported eight additional deaths and 2,249 new positive cases. Of the eight new deaths, four people were between the ages of 65-79, and four people were aged 80 years or older. Of the eight newly reported deaths, all had underlying health conditions.

To date, the total number of deaths in L.A. County from COVID-19has risen to 34,098.

The Department of Public Health has reported a total of 3,515,225 positive cases of COVID-19 across all areas of L.A. County.

City of Carson sets Holiday Tree lighting San Francisco selected to host 2023 Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Summit

The tree lighting event is open to the public and admission is free. The tree will be lit at 6:00 p.m. in the atrium of the Carson Event Center located at 801 E. Carson Street in Carson.

The tree lighting ceremony is a tradition observed in the City of Carson for many years and draws participation from the members of the community, especially the young children of Carson. This special event features light refreshments and a visit from Santa.

“We are thrilled to once again be the host state for an historic international summit,” Newsom said. “There is no better place in the nation to host the AsiaPacific Economic Cooperation summit than California - the world’s soon-to-be fourth largest economy.”

“San Francisco is both the birthplace of the United Nations as well as a hub for innovation, that boasts deep cultural and economic ties with the Asia-Pacific region,” the governor said.

CIT F CARS N - Carson’s City officials will lead the community in lighting its giant Holiday Tree in a fun-filled ceremony scheduled for Thursday, December 1st.

SACRAMENTO – Governor Gavin Newsom hailed the selection of San Francisco as the host city for the 2023 Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Leaders Meeting, the premier Asia-Pacific economic summit.

“I

join San Francisco in welcoming world leaders to the Golden State next year with open arms,” said Newsom, who once served as mayor of San Francisco.

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Minadanao Voice

(From Page 13)

the justice secretaryor the president of the Philippines.

His lawyer would add that the BuCor chief was actually planning something that had never been done before, anywhere and anytime. Mr. Prisons chief was going to convert part of the place to a business center!

Sorry, folks, but that exclamation point was absolutely necessary.

If all this seems too much to take, that’s because it is. Mindboggling doesn’t even begin to describe the situation inside the pen.

One has to wonder how all this craziness can happen in one prison. It is something that cannot physically happen in the legendaryUS prisons of decades past, like Alcatraz or Singsing.

The reason why became clear to yours truly after an aerial shot of the New Bilibid Prison was shown. The place is absolutely huge. It’s an entire barangay, ladies and gentlemen. That’s village for all the non-Pinoys reading this.

What happened was that the national penitentiary had become the private fiefdom or kingdom of the director general of the NBP. He tolerated everything, and common sense says that he was getting a piece of everypie inside, be it legal or illegal.

For as long as one was a member of a gang, and as long as that gang played footsie with the big boss, the pen could be a paradise.

Incidentally, it goes without saying that ladies of the night were also available inside, again if the price was right. So if a can of beer goes for a thousand bucks, imagine what a quick roll in the hay would go for.

This is one reason why jailbreaks have become rare these days. There can be no Escape From Alcatraz scenario because it’s so much better to stayinside.

It goes without saying that the suspended chief did not turn the NBP into his private kingdom overnight. The current situation has certainly been going on for several years now, if not decades.

The best proposal to come out of the recent revelations is to build a real, honest-to-goodness, maximum security prison, with inmates who committed lesser crimes being kept in separate facilities awayfrom the hardened criminals.

ne proposal was to either convert an old Navy ship to a floating prison, or to build one in an island like Corregidor. It would be in a shark-infested area to dissuade anyone from thinking of escaping.

It must be made clear to anyone thinking of committing a heinous crime to think twice. Because in a perfect world, crime does not pay. Even in the Philippines. Right, folks?

As I See It

(From Page 12)

from Utah in 23 crates and were assembled in the reading room near the library’s auditorium.

Milpitas’ was the only library in California that hosted the traveling exhibition.

Then Milpitas Community Librarian Stephen Fitzgerald said the library applied for a grant to receive the exhibit and was selected.

“We like to think that we proposed a great location in a great building that could accommodate the size of the exhibit (1,200 square feet), a great set of complementary programs (clergy tour, poetry workshop and reading, essay contest and local expert lectures), and fun children’s programs,” Fitzgerald said.

The Santa Clara County Library District and Milpitas Library hosted the display, which was created and curated by the Washington D.C.based Smithsonian Institution in partnership with the American Library Association. Grants from the Templeton Foundation and the Peter Buck Human Origins Fund helped made all of it possible.

The display included a range of human skull casts marking key periods of human evolution and a life-size sculpture of a Neanderthal mother and child. Also offered were series of lectures, documentary screenings, poetry events and an essay contest for children in fourth to 12th grades. The essay topic was: “Has your understanding of what it means to be human changed since viewing the exhibition? Why or why not?” It was sponsored by the Milpitas Library Education and Advisory Commission (LEAC), the Milpitas Library and the Friends of Milpitas Library, in collaboration with the Milpitas City Council.

The Santa Clara County Library District (SCCLD) promotes knowledge, ideas, and cultural enrichment such as those already mentioned. Founded in 1914, its collection includes more than 2 million books, videos, CDs, DVDs/Blu-rays, audiobooks, eBooks and extensive online resources accessible from anywhere with an internet connection, according to SCCLD spokesperson.

For the last fourteen years, Library Journal has recognized SCCLD as one of America’s Star Libraries, and in 2021, SCCLD was rated as a -Star library in their Index of Public Library Service, one of only five library systems in the United States with expenditures over $30 million given this honor. In 2014 and 2019, SCCLD won Innovator Awards from the Urban Libraries Council. SCCLD also received a Challenge Award in 2019 from the California State Association of Counties and an Innovative Project of the Year Award (Large District) from the California Special Districts Association in 2020.

SCCLD includes two bookmobiles, an online library, seven community libraries and one branch library, serving the cities of Campbell, Cupertino, Gilroy, Los Altos, Los Altos Hills, Milpitas, Monte Sereno, Morgan Hill, Saratoga, and the unincorporated areas of Santa Clara County. In Fiscal Year 2021-22 SCCLD had 551,623 library accounts, over a million unique website visits, and a circulation of 10.5 million items. Milpitas Library, hosted these international exhibits… will there be more?

(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.)

ing a Kevlar vest, news reports said.

(From Page 13)

The soldiers’ tight watch on Ungklaya Pukan was reportedly prompted by an ambush in September where three Army troops were killed, reports said.

What’s Up Atty (From

Page 12)

The woman was infuriated and threw away his clothes outside the doorway. When a woman is horny, she is wilder than the wild bull of the pampas.

The man should have remembered that his green card was conditional for 2 years. He must please the petitioner and do her bidding. The man should have told his wife: ‘Let’s take a warm shower together, darling.” When taking a shower together, use a bar of soap (not liquid soap), preferably Yardley, to gently soap every part of each other’s body, especially the most intimate parts. If this does not cause an erection, I do not know what will.

But the man was stupid and he did not ask to take a shower together with his wife. The woman divorced the man. The man did not file a petition to remove the conditions on residence within the 2-year period since his wife could no longer co-sign it and his divorce was finalized after the 2-year conditional residencyexpired. He was now deportable.

Worse, the wife wrote a letter to USCIS that their marriage was fraudulent and that they never had sex. The man remarried. The second wife petitioned her husband. USCIS denied her petition because his first marriage was fraudulent and his second marriage did not cure the fraud.

We were asked to represent him. We told immigration authorities that the first wife’s complaint was merely the raving of a sex maniac for “Heaven has no rage like love to hatred turned, nor hell a furylike a woman scorned.” We demanded to cross-examine the first wife. We told SCIS that our client would show they made love every night. USCIS refused. We appealed to the Board of Immigration Appeals. It reversed the USCIS and ordered it to comply with our demands. USCIS approved the second wife’s petition.

If the man was not so stupid as to refuse a horny wife’s nocturnal advances, he would not have had to undergo all this trouble and spend moneyfor attorney’s fees.

(Atty. Emmanuel Samonte Tipon was a Fulbright and Smith-Mundt scholar to Yale Law School where he obtained a Master of Laws degree specializing in Constitutional Law. He graduated with a Bachelor of Laws degree from the University of the Philippines. He is admitted to practice before the U.S. Supreme Court, New York, and the Philippines. He practices federal law, with emphasis on immigration law and appellate federal criminal defense. He was the Dean and a Professor of Law of the College of Law, Northwestern University, Philippines. He has written law books and legal articles for the world’s most prestigious legal publisher and writes columns for newspapers. He wrote the best-seller “Winning by Knowing Your Election Laws.” Listen to The Tipon Report which he co-hosts with his son Attorney Emmanuel “Noel” Tipon. They talk about immigration law, criminal law, court-martial defense, and current events. It is considered the most witty, interesting, and useful radio show in Hawaii. KNDI 1270 AM band every Thursday at 8:00 a.m. Atty. Tipon was born in Laoag City, Philippines. Cell Phone (808) 225-2645. E-Mail: filamlaw@yahoo.com. Website: https://www.tiponlaw.com.)

Health & Wealth

Dear Vene; and many, many more. Another year had passed, we love you evermore. Tomorrow starts a new year, but memories can’t wait. We want to say ‘We love you!’ Vene Happy Birthday!!!

The gift we have for you, is the promise to be true. To love you through the years, and never bring you to tears. Tomorrow starts a new year, but memories can’t wait. We want to see, ‘We love you!’ Vene Happy Birthday!!!”

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

In The Trenches

have contiguous rice farms compared with the archipelagic Philippines. Rice is grown better in Central Luzon, Cagayan Valley, and in the Panay area in the Western Visayas region.

But the Philippines is very unfortunate because of adverse weather conditions. An average of 20 tropical storms visit the country every year and some are very destructive and can wipe out farmlands due to floods and strong winds.

There are also storms in Thailand and Vietnam but these weather disturbances pass through the Philippines first and sometimes they dissipate before reaching Vietnam.

The Philippines has become a top rice importer in the world because of its population. With a population of nearly 110 million people, the annual 20 million metric tons of rice production is not enough to feed the entire nation compared with Thailand and Vietnam, which have less than 80 million people each.

They will always have an excess in rice production which they could export to the Philippines.

Rice is a very sensitive commodity in the region. A severe shortage could result in civil unrest in a country. There had been instances when the government resorted to rationing rice in the past — during the time of dictator Ferdinand Marcos and former president Gloria Macapagal Arroyo.

Bongbong has learned his lesson. He wanted an affordable price of rice as secretary of agriculture. He does not want to fail the 31 million people who elected him into office.

But he could be raising false hopes by promising to bring down the price of rice to P20 per kilo.

It could be done if there is abundant supply and the government has adequate funds to subsidize rice. It could even lower the price to P10 per kilo by increasing subsidies.

However, the realities do not support Bongbong’s aspirations.

(Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Manuel Mogato wrote

(From Page 12)

wishes by the celebrants co-workers from Kaiser Permanente, Seton Medical Center and UCSF Medical Center; personal greetings and best wishes from neighbors and town mates (Calasiao, Pangasinan) like Angeles, Jimenez Cayabyab and granddaughter Mercy, Virginia Jimenez Madlaing, Perse Jimenez Trinidad, Joy Trinidad and children, Ferdinand Relosimon and his wife Aurora Parayno Relosimon and sons, Dan Salazar, her children and others.

The 65th Birthday Program was facilitated by DJ EUGENE MACALA. I was fortunate to sing a special birthday song to the celebrant as follows:

“Happy Birthday

WHO to identify pathogens that could cause future outbreaks and pandemics

ENEVA - The World Health rganization is launching a global scientific process to update the list of priority pathogens—agents that can cause outbreaks or pandemics—to guide global investment, research and development (R&D), especially in vaccines, tests and treatments.

Starting with a meeting held last Friday, 18 November, WH is convening over 300 scientists who will consider the evidence on over 25 virus families and bacteria, as well as “Disease X.” Disease X is included to indicate an unknown pathogen that could cause a serious international epidemic. The experts will recommend a list of priority pathogens that need further research and investment. The process will include both scientifi c and public health criteria, as well as criteria related to socioeconomic impact, access, and equity.

The list was first published in 201 and the last

prioritization exercise was done in 2018. The current list includes COVID-19, Crimean-Cong haemorrhagic fever, Ebola virus disease and Marburg virus disease, Lassa fever, Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS) and severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), Nipah and henipaviral diseases, Rift Valley fever, Zika and Disease X.

“Targeting priority pathogens and virus families for research and development of countermeasures is essential for a fast and eff ective epidemic and pandemic response. Without signifi cant R D investments prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, it would not have been possible to have safe and eff ective vaccines developed in record time,” said Dr Michael Ryan, Executive Director of WH ’s Health Emergencies Programme.

For those pathogens identified as priority, the WH R D Blueprint for epidemics develops R D road-

maps, which lay out knowledge gaps and research priorities. Where relevant, target product profiles, which inform developers about the desired specifications for vaccines, treatments and diagnostic tests, are developed. Efforts are also made to map, compile and facilitate clinical trials to develop these tools. Complimentary efforts such as to strengthen regulatory and ethics oversight are also considered.

“This list of priority pathogens has become a reference point for the research community on where to focus energies to manage the next threat,” said Dr Soumya Swaminathan, WH Chief Scientist. “It is developed together with experts in the field and is the agreed direction for where we—as a global research community—need to invest energy and funds to develop tests, treatments and vaccines. We thank our donors like the US government, our partners, and the scientists who work with WH to make this possible.”

Lockdown too late

Guangzhou, one of China’s largest and busiest cities, is locking down as it battles a major outbreak of COVID-19. Lockdowns are truly effective and less cumbersome, a lot simpler to enforce, if done in a timely fashion when it comes to a contagious killer disease, like the SARSCoV2 virus. In this case, the horses are already out of the barn, so to speak, so a lockdown is a bit too late. It will likely be more of a crackdown now. It should have been implemented in the whole of China as a preventive measure when the fi rst diagnosed case in Wuhan City was confi rmed. verkill Not if we want to save millions of lives. Science has the proof of the gross mistake: Almost 7 million people have died from COVID-19 around the world. It is a grave international disgrace because the strict principles of science and medicine have not been faithfully implemented and enforced, resulting in this negligent “genocide.”

Heart of Hope

The best scenario would have been the total lockdown of Wuhan City on December 8, 2019, when it fi rst identifi ed the mysterious killer pneumonia as caused by the novel coronavirus we now know as SARS-CoV2 virus, the super-contagious killer (almost 644 million cases today, with more than 6.6 million deaths). Had Wuhan been locked down (100 percent), no one in, no one out, it could have contained the deadly virus within the city. The cases and deaths would have been limited to that city alone. And even the rest of China could have been spared, not to mention, the whole world.

For infectious diseases, it must be 100 percent lockdown, and not 99 percent, because one single infected person going out (or coming in, like in the USA) could spread the virus-like an exponential wildfi re, which is what happened. This C VID-19 pandemic started on December 8, 2019, with one person, Wei uixian, a female vendor at the large Huanan Seafood Wholesale Market in Wuhan City, who was the fi rst person infected with the novel coronavirus. Indeed, one person is enough to start a deadly global catastrophe.

As most everybody knows, Typhoid Mary (Mary

Mallon, a cook) single-handedly (no pun intended), innocently and unaware, totally without symptoms, started the typhoid outbreak in 1906-0 in New ork and surrounding cities. To prevent the spread of typhoid fever since she was always positive for the disease (but without symptoms), she was quarantined in North Brother Island (Bronx) for more than 23 years, isolated, until she died of a stroke at age 69 in 1938. A sad story of a grave injustice!

If the nited States, on December 31, 2019, or even on January 18, 2020, upon confi rming the fi rst case of novel coronavirus infection in Washington State involving a person who returned from Wuhan City, had imposed a total national lockdown and immediate contact tracing, mandatory masking in public and social distancing, and had federally mandated vaccination of everyone in the country, when the vaccines were available (those refusing to be vaccinated, quarantined at home, those returning to the USA quarantined at facilities near the airport, seaport, etc), the more than 100 million S cases of C VID-19, with greater than a million deaths, would have been reduced by more than 90 percent. And the devastation of the national economy and of the children’s education would have been avoided.

Faithfulness to the century-old proven epidemiologic measures to minimize the spread of a contagious disease and people discipline and cooperation could have saved at least 900,000 of those lives lost in the nited States alone. But that requires pure medicine, pure science, and wise and steadfast national leadership in the management of the pandemic, sans politics and fake news.

Unfortunately, people in a free nation like the USA appear to savor the exercise of their freedom of choice under our First Amendment Rights more so than preventing the spread of this killer virus and saving the lives of their fellowmen, as shown by the number of cases and deaths from COVID-19 in the United States. People’s refusal to mask up in public and refusal to get vaccinated (“because WE have the freedom to choose what to do with our own body”) contributed to the massive exponential spread of SARS-CoV2 virus around the country and the almost 1.1 million deaths in the United States, not to mention a devastated national economy and education. The greater tragedy is the fact that majority of the more than 100 million cases and those deaths were,

epidemiologically speaking, mostly preventable, had the government followed pure science in controlling the killer virus.

The confusion and chaos about the virus, mitigating measures, and the vaccines were caused by the poor messaging by our government, which had 0 commanders-in-chief, one for each state, with confl icting partisan and personal views, policies, and rules, contradicting each other.

A pandemic is like a world war. In dealing with it, we must have only one commander-in-chief, with one national policy, based on pure science and medicine, with an all-hands-on-deck of the nation’s people, united, all fi ghting (not with each other but) against our common invisible-killer enemy. The nation and its people acting as one solid force, focused on one objective, even voluntarily giving up some of our individual freedom temporarily to save the lives of our fellowmen and our nation as a whole.

Two of the most perpetrated fake news in social media claim masks are useless and that vaccines are dangerous. Science has repeatedly shown masks are eff ective in preventing the spread of respiratory diseases. This COVID-19 pandemic has proven masks do help save lives. Masks not only protect the wearer but people nearby! Like bullet-proof vests, they are not 100 percent, but nonetheless, they are lifesavers. Past epidemics and pandemics have also proven that.

As for the vaccines, more than 13 billion have been administered worldwide saving billions of lives around the world during this pandemic, contrary to the disinformation anti-vax mongers are promoting which has caused countless deaths.

I hope we have learned enough from this pandemic to prepare us for a future one. Even one death is one too many.

Philip S. Chua, MD, FACS, FPCS, a Cardiac Surgeon Emeritus based in Northwest Indiana and Las Vegas, Nevada, is an international medical lecturer/ author, a Health Advocate, Chairman of the Filipino United Network-USA, a 501(c)3 humanitarian foundation in the United States. He is a recipient of the Indiana Sagamore of the Wabash Award in 1996, whose other awardees include: President Harry Truman, President George HW Bush, Astronaut Gus Grissom, Mohammad Ali, David Letterman. Websites: FUN8888.com and philipSchua.com Email: scalpelpen@gmail.com

PHILIP S. CHUA

By TIM PEDROSA

Today I feel like saying, “Thanks be to God.” Thanks.. for everything God gives us abundantly–health, happiness, and prosperity. Thanks.. for the opportunities to cultivate patience, tolerance, and hope. Thanks… for the failures I have stomached–they have taught me humility, the obligation to never sleep on my laurels, and the necessity to understand the failures of other people who, just like me, at times, do need a helping hand.

Thanks… for the parents who loved me and the friends I’ve met, the teachers who taught me and the books I’ve read, the journeys I’ve made and the meals I’ve had. Thanks… for the sceneries I’ve admired and the sun I’ve watched, the flowers I’ve gazed at and the air I’ve breathed. Thanks…for multiple discoveries of reality and truth. Thanks… for good things I’ve grasped and bad things I’ve dodged, for solutions I’ve found and talents I’ve grown, for victories I’ve earned and beautiful days I’ve lived.

Thanks for the growing awareness that God is tending me in spite of my mistakes, protecting me in spite of my weaknesses, loving me in spite of my flaws, and finding solutions for me in spite of my stubbornness. Thanks … for the joy oh, so simple of feeling that I am ‘‘alive’’! And thanks be to od ... for every morning that I wake up to find yet another day to live and love. Thanks to you God for the breath of life!

Have a Wonderful Day! God Bless… HAPPY THANKSGIVING EVERYONE!!

When you’re down to nothing, God is up to something. Thank God for what you have; trust Him for what you need.

Advent Season: Be Prepared

Our faith tells us that, our Lord Jesus Christ will come again. His Second Coming is the end of human time; it is the time when all will be judged; hence, we have to be prepared for it. Moreover, our faith teaches us that we need to prepare also for our own dying. We will all die, and it will not be a fearful event, if we have lived godlyand righteous lives as God wants us to; thus, we must prepare ourselves for our passing multiplying good deeds and growing in virtues, living our dailylife pleasing to God. We are also told to be vigilant, because like good servants we must always be in the lookout of doing what our Master has told us. We cannot be complacent or worse be lazy servants. ood servants are always ever prepared servants for the coming of the Master and prepared to serve Him promptly.

Afl ame The Heart

In this year’s Advent Season, I want then to reflect on what sort of preparation we should have for our Lord Jesus’ birthday. Please let us consider seriously three ways of preparation: First, God centering life preparation; making God center of our existence. We heard of this theme repeatedly; but is it happening in your life, dear reader? Is God fullyand uncompromisinglycenter and number one in your life? We know we are not yet fullymaking God center of our life; that is why, we have to repeatedlyalso renew our commitment to make that happen; and so also, have this Advent Season in a more urgent manner let that happen through dailyprayer. Prayer makes us focus on God. Prayer makes us stopor put aside all other things to give time and attention to God. Prayer makes grow in our love and fondness of God; hence, we must be prayerful, we must exert effort to pray especially, this Season. In prayer, we adore, worship, and listen to God; hence, everytime we pray, we are making God center of our life. In order to let God be center of our life, we must start that in prayer. Growing to be prayerful, hopefully, byGod’s grace also, we grow in making God center and priorityof our dailyexistence. During this Advent Season, prayand pray; do not let a daypass without prayer. We do not onlyconverse with God during prayer time; we also can let our heart be concerned for God and in everything that matter to Him. If we can live bythis lesson daily; then, God has become the center of our life and existence.

Second, preparation by purification we prepare by cleansing ourselves. We prepare bypurifying ourselves, mind and heart, from sin and any moral filth that is in us. During Advent Season, do not take for granted your daily examination of conscience. If you do have, dear reader, the habit of dailyexamination of conscience; then, begin to practice it during this Advent Season and beyond. It is of paramount importance that are cleansed of our sins bygoing to confession during this Advent Season so that on the Christmas Day, the birthdayof our Lord Jesus, we have our veryhearts prepared and readyto be as our gift to Him. Be reminded that our conscience in the voice of God in us. It is the voice of morality, the voice that tells us what is right and wrong. It is the voice that tells us what we trulycan do and should do. So, we must listen to tour conscience always. By listening, we live a life clean and in fidelity to od. This kind of preparation will trulyhonor and please the Lord. Be alert against the deception of the devil in its temptations. Do let sin heapupagainst you; but rather, cast all forms of sin away. You know your own demons; destroythem bywillinglyliving for the Lord alone and then you will have God’s blessings.

Lastly, prepare in abundance; that is, we must multiplygood deeds. We are to do good deeds abundantly. Good deeds, especiallythe deeds of Charity. Be generous and be charitable; this is what I want us do during this Advent Season and for the rest of our lives. The gifts and charitable acts that we will do this season and on Christmas season are actions done for and to our Lord Jesus Himself. Thinkof this; the gifts we give, especiallyto the less fortunate, we give to Christ Jesus. The more we do good deeds, especiallydeeds of generosityand charity, the greater love we are offering to our Lord Jesus Christ, as He celebrates His birthday. Mayour Blessed Mother Mary, our Model for good preparation, may helpus in all our Advent endeavors to make this season meaningful and our lives pleasing to God. Amen.

REV. JOSE PELAGIO A. PADIT, SThD

Buko

Recipe of the Week

Buko Melon Salad

Ingredients:

20 pcs. buko, grated, buko water keep aside for other use

4 pcs. Melon, grated 3 cups condense milk 1 cup all-purpose creamer

For the Ice Cream: 1.3 liters Nestle’s Buco Melon Sorbetes ice cream

Method:

Combine and mix thoroughly all the ingredients in a big bowl. Chill in a refrigerator until ready to serve.

Sagado opens new tourist hubs, relaxes entry rules

BAGUIO CITY – Sagada, a town in Mountain Province famous for its hanging coffins on high cliffs and centuries old burial sites, has opened new places to visit for domestic and foreign tourists.

This was disclosed by Mayor Felicito Dula who said the new destinations are in the town’s southern zone composed of four villages -- Ankileng, Nacagan, Takkong and Suyo (ANTS) which launched what they called as the “Southern Sagada nature treat, tour and adventure.”

“Marami pang destination at kasama natin ang community sa pagbubukas at pag-welcome ng mga bisita para ma enjoy din nila ang iba pang magagandang lugar sa Sagada (there are still other destinations and we are one with the community in opening them and welcoming the visitors to enjoy the other beautiful places in Sagada),” Mayor Dula said in PNA’s Liza Agoot report.

Sagada, considered the Shangrila of the North, earlier relaxed entry rules that used to make visits to the town difficult and expensive for tourists.

The opening of additional tourist attractions in Sagada was earlier proposed to attract more tourists and put Sagada on the bucket list of local and international tourists.

Southern Sagada has the Obwa Canyon waterfalls, Takkong traditional burial grounds, Balangagan caves and the Pinumdeng skyline sunrise as among the attractions.

A camp site has been set up near the barangay hall of Suyo, which will have a tourist information center where coordination can be done and tour guides will be provided for the safety of the visitors aside from a ComPAC (Community Police Assistance Center).

Sagada, which has 19 villages, is divided into five zones -- central, south-central, northern, eastern, and southern zones.

The eastern zone, where the Marlboro Hills is located, is expected to be launched anytime.

Dula said most of the existing and pop-

ular tourist destinations are located in central and south central zones like the EchoValley, Hanging Coffins, pottery, Sagada weaving, Bokong Falls and the Kiltepan sunrise, same as the town proper or Poblacion.

“They are ready to receive the tourists. The tour guides have been trained and accredited to bring the visitors and make them safe while in the village,” the mayor said.

Sagada has expressed confidence that its tourism industry will flourish anew, according to Mayor Dula, who said every weekend for about four weeks now, tourist arrivals are on the rise.

“We have recorded a total of 39,866 tourists who arrived from January 1 to September 30. There are also a small number of seminars and conferences already being held here,” the mayor said.

Pre-pandemic, Sagada averaged 140,000 tourists per year.

Sagada has lifted all entry requirements for tourists, including registration, Covid-19 test, and proof of full vaccination.

“We have decided to ease the restrictions because they prevent tourists from putting us on their list of areas to visit,” Dula said. “We had to move because tourism is the number one livelihood of the people in Sagada and making it difficult for tourists to enter our town will make it difficult also for our people to recover from the financial losses that resulted from the lockdowns.”

The mayor said locals own restaurants, inns, and souvenir shops while others are engaged in making processed items or serve as tour guides.

Based on a 2021 survey, Sagada has 12,300 residents who are directly engaged in tourism or related business activities

Culture preservation thru tourism Councilor Jaime Dugao, the Indigenous Peoples Mandatory Representative (IPMR) of the town, said during the launching of the southern Sagada nature treat, tour and adventure that Sagada’s tourism is not just about the place but most especially about the people and the culture.

VISIT SAGADA. Sagada y has launched the southern Sagada nature treat, tour and adventure that formalizes tours and visits to the Obwa Canyon waterfalls, the Taccong tradi�onal burial grounds, Balangagan caves and the Pinumdeng skyline sunrise as among the a�rac�ons.