Page 14By A� y. Lozano

Metro Manila filmfest 2022 bares first 4 entries

he fi rst four o cial entries in this ear s etro anila ilm esti al ha e been selected he entries were announced b the e ecuti e committee which said the upcoming th edition of the fi lmfest will bein on hristmas da he husband and wife tandem of oni on aga and aul oriano ice anda odi ta aria and oco artin are the fi rst stars to headline the fi rst four o cial mo ies at this ear s ased on script submissions the entries are ab u ith n ccent b - ilm roductions starring oco artin and odi ta aria directed b odel acianceno anahimi ng abi b ein ntertainment roductions starring an eneracion on onfi ado and ea en erale o directed b hugo raico artners n rime b - ilm roductions starring ice anda and ana lawi directed b ath arcia- olina and he eacher b starring oe e eon and oni on aga directed b aul oriano he members of the selection committee of the which chose the four entries are led b the multiawarded and respected leaders of the fi lm industr oots nson- oa odrigo and essie ercito chairman and ice chairman respecti el he said the chose the top scripts based on the following criteria rtistic cellence percent ommercial ppeal percent ilipino ultural ensibilit percent and lobal ppeal percent he deadline for the fi nished fi lm submission where the other four o cial entries that will complete the agic of entries is on eptember for earl birds and eptember for the regular submissions

his ear s edition promotes the message ali a a while foregrounding the ababa ans en o ing the ilipino cinematic e perience again during the hristmas eason a we continue to support ilipino fi lms bac where the should be en o ed in the theaters mo ie houses oo ing forward to a successful ali a a the said in its aceboo post ast editions of the ha e traditonall chosen the fi rst four entries based on scripts while the other four were chosen on fi nished products he is held annuall and opens on hristmas a t runs for two wee s were anila theaters onl screen the o cial entries ow on its th ear promotes the message ali a a signaling the return of mainstream fi lms in ph sical theaters

So blessed and forever grateful, says Maine as she marks 7th year in showbiz

o blessed and fore er grateful to be li ing this life hus said actress and tele ision host aine endo a as she mar ed her se enth ear since oining show business efore this da ends ust want to sa than ou to e er one who greeted and remembered aliit na baga man sa iba pero mala ing baga sa a in a a maraming salamat sa o araming salamat sa in o she added he e en followed it up with a simple remembrance of her anni ersar in showbi hoc s talaga bang sa tong o recall it was on ul when at ulaga introduced the character of a a ub in the al e ser e segment uan for ll ll for uan he was named a a ub because of her talent in dubsmashing which went iral during that time aine whose full name is icomaine ei apili endo a with her newfound popularit also became a popular product endorser and has appeared in man mo ies n her post on her witter recentl the phenomenal star e press her gratitude for all the blessings she has had since she oined showbi he was able to thrill the iewers when she admitted to the dabar ads that she had a crush on lden ichards hile she was pla ing the role of a snob a a ub she suddenl lost control of her script when she saw lden ichards on the split screen and felt gidd to the delight of the iewers hat started their lo e team ia split screen and e entuall became al e er e which hit high ratings on tele ision and bro e all witter records worldwide n real life aine s bo friend is actor r o ta de was was elected congressman of the fi rst district of ue on it in his fi rst attempt at politics he are now in their fourth ear as a couple hen she celebrated her th birthda earl this ear ongressman ta de made sure to greet her in his usual sweet wa ahal na mahal ita r o wrote in an nstagram post where he posed with aine with their arms around each other oo ing forward to celebrating all our birthda s with ou app birthda aba r o added r o fi rst confi rmed in anuar that the were e clusi el dating but the were spotted going out as earl as he ha e also been nown to spend time with each other s families n one of their celebrations the had their acation in l ido alawan

Upside...

with the bi since he was months old he estimated uite liberall oo bad the don t ha e outdoor dining for those who e heard of lassic s other draw its game grub but aren t read to mingle indoors o bring on the outdoor fairs

hilippine ews oda ecuti e ditor herie uerol oreno manages eninsula amil er ice s ot heels transportation program for older residents of cities along orth ount and the coast of an ateo or more on programs isit https www peninsulafamil ser ice org about-us

Brian Dossey and Angelika Abellana (third and fi � h from le� ) visit with author, Anna Lopez, Tessie Madrinan and Veronika Yecguanchuy Park of Peninsula Family Service.

(From Page 11)

ALLICE umares umpares give out the A-List resource guide (from le� standing) Leonard Oakes, Nan San� ago and Junior Flores. (Seated) Elsa Agasid and Blessy Valera.

 REAL ESTATE Task force created to go after illegal real estate practitioners

QUEZON CITY – The Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD) has created a tas force that will boost the fi ght against illegal real estate operators and colorum unregistered bro ers and agents he ational as orce on nti- llegal eal Estate Practices will expand measures to stop illegal real estate operations to be implemented through an inter-agenc panel led b and supported b partner agencies reated through oint emorandum ircular o eries of the tas force is composed of epartment of ustice epartment of the nterior and ocal o ernment epartment of n ironment and atural esources and egistration uthorit rofessional egulation ommission hilippine ational olice and ational ureau of n estigation his is a testament to our partnership as we s nchroni e our eff orts to end the fraudulent acti ities in the housing and real estate industr hence protecting homebu ers and helping them in the reali ation of their dream to ac uire decent and aff ordable homes using their hard-earned mone and lifetime sa ings ecretar duardo del osario said in a statement

he hilippine ssociation of eal state oards nc earlier lamented the proliferation of fa e real estate agents and bro ers who continue to unscrupulousl dupe bu ers despite a law regulating the practice of real estate ser ice uring the tas force s launch o er the wee end the member agencies committed to collaborate and intensif further the cooperation not onl in eradicating malpractices in the housing and real estate sector but e uall important is protecting home bu ers and legitimate de elopers accepts the challenge to ta e the lead in this campaign as we fulfi ll our mandate to protect the rights of bu ers of subdi isions and condominium pro ects including memorial lots and similar real estate de elopments del osario said ased on the ousing and and se egulator oard under residential ecree o no real estate bro er or salesman shall engage in the business of selling subdi ision lots or condominium units without being registered has regulator power o er real estate developers and brokers and salespersons are obliged to register with the agenc before engaging in propert selling

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T B N F H R C C L Mortgage Forbearance important information.

With so man ob losses due to the - man homeowners are in search of mortgage relief wo strategies that man borrowers are an ious to in o e right now are mortgage deferment and mortgage forbearance stimated about million US homeowners have had re uested for dela ed mortgage pa ment lea ing billion in principal unpaid balances and that fi gure is steadil climbing da b da oth tactics allow a borrower to s ip monthl pa ments for a set period epending on the lender there can be subtle diff erences between the two terms

What happens at the end of the forbearance period is the amount of pa ments that ou missed during that forbearance will be due in a lump sum sometimes the lender will wor with borrowers to structure a pa ment plan instead of demanding a lump sum eferment especiall special programs that lenders ha e introduced during the pandemic often allow customers to repa the mone o er time or to add it to the end of the loan period learing up confusion about mortgage forbearance f a lender does diff erentiate between the terms deferment and forbearance the diff erence will be at the end of the loan period whether the missing pa ments are all due or restructured ome borrowers will be able to add e tra pa ments to the end of the loan or ma e other arrangements to spread out repa ment while others will not ometimes pa ment terms in ol e a new loan or a rewriting the e isting loan echnicall a mortgage forbearance agreement is when ou e possibl been late and the lender agrees not to foreclose during that forbearance period n this scenario a borrower alread has a histor of nonpa ment before entering into a forbearance agreement ut with the pandemic onl re ealing its enormous scope within the past da s man borrowers ha en t been late et owe er because of sudden ob loss or because of the uarantine borrowers ha e besieged the phone lines of their lenders to get out in front of the fi nancial iceberg ontact our lender for mortgage relief o matter what ou call it if borrowers as for help during this crisis man lenders are allowing them to miss pa ments and not charge them late fees or penalties ore importantl the defi nition reall doesn t matter he moral of the stor right now is to call our lender on t ust assume ou can s ip a pa ment all them let them now and ma e arrangements ue to the current fi nancial situation the mortgage world is shifting ptions that weren t on the table for borrowers a few months ago might be a ailable now he length of time that the forbearance could be e tended and the options at the end of the term might be diff erent orrowers in good standing prior to the current crisis ma able to do a modifi cation wherein an monthl pa ments missed now are simpl tac ed on to the end of the loan ressing pause on our mortgage hate er terminolog our lender uses it s important for ou to understand what is reall happening with our loan othing is free ou can t e pect to stop pa ing our mortgage fore er here is no such thing as a free mortgage pa ment it s not free mone orbearance is temporaril hitting the pause button on our mortgage and not ha ing to ma e the pa ment t does not necessaril pause the interest that is accruing and it does mean that ou re going to ha e to ma e that principal and interest pa ment at a later date e uestions to as before see ing mortgage forbearance hen calling our lender arlson recommends as ing • What relief options are available? ill interest continue being calculated during the length of time am not pa ing ill there be an fees • How will it be reported to the credit bureaus? o still need to pa (C ont inue on page 27)

21 July 14-20, 2022  NATIONAL NEWS SPORTS NEWS

Mark Magsayo loses WBC featherweight belt to Mexico’s Vargas

SAN ANTONIO, Texas – Newly minted world champion Mark Magsayo failed in his fi rst defense of the orld o ing Council featherweight title as he lost a split decision to Mexican opponent Rey Vargas on July 10 at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas.

Despite scoring a knockdown in the ninth round, Magsayo did not have enough fi repower to defeat the taller argas

Magsayo began the bout on a high note, tagging Vargas with his trademark right-handed shots.

Vargas, however, frustrated Magsayo with his jabs during the next rounds, and the erstwhile champ could not take advantage of a cut at the challenger’s left eye side which ideo repla s confi rmed to be coming from an accidental headbutt, PNA’s Ivan Stewart Saldajeno reported from Manila.

A potential game-turning point happened with 40 seconds left in Round 9 when Magsayo landed a right hook that fl oored argas for onl the fourth time in his career.

Vargas remained wobbled until Round 10 especially when Magsayo began looking for the knockout blow, but the former bounced back mightily in Round 11 to basically seal his win.

Jesse Reyes thought the knockdown decided the contest and gave Magsayo a 114-113 win, but Tim Cheatham and David Sutherland both saw Vargas as the better well-rounded boxer and gave him similar 115-112 wins.

Vargas keeps his record perfect with his 36th consecutive professional boxing win in as many bouts, while Magsayo lost for the fi rst time after straight wins in his professional career.

Magsayo’s defeat leaves the Philippines without an active world champion at the moment, but the country can have another boxing champ again if Donnie Nietes beats a uto o a for the unior bantamweight title in Tokyo.

Fil-Japanese Tsukii captures World Games gold medal in karate

labama – Filipino-Japanese Junna Tsukii ruled the women’s kumite -50kg categor in the orld ames karate competition at the irmingham outhern ollege in Alabama, the United States on July 8.

Reports from Alabama reaching Manila stated that su ii pulled off a - upset win over world No. 2 Yorgelis Salazar of Venezuela in the fi nals to become the fi rst ilipino arate champion in the prestigious tournament. A GO LD IN KARATE. Filipino-Japanese Junna Tsukii (center) “I have been waiting for this for many years. The Philippines is not a very big country and we have shows her gold medal a� er winning the women’s kumite -50kg event at the W orld Games in Birmingham, Alabama on July 8, 2022. W ith her are Karate Pilipinas president Richard Lim (le� ) and na� onal team head coach Okay Arpa. not won many gold medals. oda was not fi ghting ust for m self was fi ghting for the new generations of karatekas in the Philippines who hopefully can outgrow this success and achieve even greater success themselves,” Tsukii was quoted as saying in the news article on the orld arate ederation website

In the elimination round, world No. 5 Tsukii absorbed a 1-8 setback from Sala ar in the fi rst match but she bounced bac in the ne t match beating haira ubris of erman - s ean alanum reported. su ii bowed to orales una ema of pain - ia senshu fi rst to score advantage) in the third match and ended up in a three-way tie for second place at 1-2. She, however, had a better score to take the second spot behind the unbeaten Salazar, who owns two Continental Championship titles. n the semifi nal round su ii outplayed two-time world champion Miho Miyahara of Japan, 4-3, to gain a championship berth. “Mabuhay si Junna. Mabuhay ang Karate Pilipinas. Mabuhay ang Pilipinas,” said Karate Pilipinas president Richard Lim in a statement released to the media. Tsukii, a bronze medalist in the 2022 ietnam outheast sian ames attended a two-week camp under Olympic and world champion coach Roksanda Atanasov in Arandelovac, Serbia to prepare for her orld ames debut

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Let me share this story. A client from Los Angeles called me 2 years ago with a summons. She was so depressed because of what was happening to her. I told her that I was going to get her in a program that would address the summons and gi e her time to sa e mone for a ear or more o m attorne partner fi led an answer to the summons and she received a little over one year to save some money so we can settle the debt. Mind you, we still need money to settle the debt. Months passed and I rarely heard from her. So come due date, we have no money to settle the debt. Then she was back on the hair pulling experience. She had a year of pure happiness, not thinking of what she was supposed to be doing which was saving up. Instead, we had to extend her problem for another year. Which means the problem did not go away. It merely got worst.

Ating lesson, Ang paglutas ng utang ay kailangan ng pasensya, para mawala ang problema.

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23 July 14-20, 2022

 COMMUNITY NEWS California hands $30-M grant to combat hate crimes

SACRAMENTO — In the wake of escalating violence, California has awarded $30.3 million to 12 organizations to aggressively address hate crimes by providing services to survivors and facilitating anti-hate prevention measures. recent report b the o ce of alifornia ttorne eneral shows that hate crimes increased by 89% over the past decade. In particular, the report noted that anti-Asian hate crimes increased by 177% in 2021. t comes as no surprise that as the fl ames of hatred and bigotr have been stoked in our society, acts of cowardice and violence have increased at an alarming rate. In California, we are investing millions to prevent this hate from taking hold in our communities e simpl will not tolerate intolerance said o ernor a in Newsom.

The new grant doubles down on the $14.3 million in grants to 80 organizations for prevention and intervention services to groups at risk of experiencing bias and hate crimes announced this past March. fter the fi rst round of grants the alifornia epartment of ocial er ices and ommission on sian and acifi c slander merican ff airs wor ed together to identif larger investments with the potential to have an even greater impact in the area of anti-hate services.

The grants are part of last year’s budget, which included an unprecedented sian and acifi c slander uit udget totaling $166.5 million. o ernor ewsom last ear also signed legislation establishing the ommission on the tate of ate the fi rst statewide commission to monitor and track hate crimes and recommend policy to the o ernor tate egislature and tate gencies he egislati e aucus and are e cited that the second round of top the ate grants are being awarded to communit organi ations as a result of the million uit udget we sponsored in last ear s state budget said tate enator r ichard an - acramento hair of the alifornia egislati e aucus hese grants will support communities in all corners of California struggling with the rise in hate crimes and we continue to be grateful for the o ernor s support that made these impactful community investments possible.” he latest round of grants is timel because the eff orts to stop

COM M UNITY HERO AW ARD. City of Artesia M ayor M elissa Ramoso has been aw arded the Community Hero Aw ard by the Los Angeles Dodgers at the Dodger Stadium fi eld during its celebra� on of Filipino Heritage Night. Ramoso said she is blessed and humbled by the award, adding she is truly honored to represent Artesia as Mayor and the Filipino American community. (Photo credit Los Angeles Dodgers)

hate need resources now more than e er he latest statistics show hate crime increased 33% in California last year, highlighting the need for more state in estment in the sian merican acifi c slander communit said ssembl udget hair hil ing an rancisco his new funding will be impactful because it will work towards creating a safer environment and providing help to victims.”

The grants will bolster local services to prevent hate crimes from happening in the fi rst place and support those who are ictims of hate crime: irect ser ices such as mental health and complementar health, wellness, and community healing, legal assistance, navigation, and case management; re ention ser ices to deepen understanding and empath youth development, senior safety and ambassador/escort programs, individual and community safety planning, bystander training and other de-escalation techni ues

Intervention services for outreach and training on the elements of hate incidents and hate crimes, services for survivors, and community-centered alternative approaches to repair harm from hate incidents and hate crimes.

“These investments show once again that California leads,” said irector im ohnson hrough our continued partnership with and the man organi ations selected to provide these critical supports and services, we can stem the tide of hate incidents in California and provide the communities impacted by them the resources they need.”

Selected organizations with a demonstrated track record of anti-hate work with priority populations were invited to apply for larger funding awards. A complete list of grantees announced in partnership with and the alifornia sian acifi c slander egislati e aucus can be found here

The grant funding has been made available over the next three ears from ugust through ul to continue to support anti-hate eff orts

Non-Stop Entertainment: Philippine Filipino American Arts Exposition announces return American Friendship Day on July 9 In Cerritos to in-person 29th Pistahan parade and festival celebration

SAN FRANCISCO, CA – The Filipino American Arts Exposition announced the return to an in-person celebration for the 29th annual Pistahan Parade and Festival.

With the theme of “Homecoming: Reconnect with Our Roots and Community,” this year’s festivities will take place on Saturday, Aug. 13 and Sunday, Aug. 14, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. PDT each day at the Yerba Buena Gardens in San Francisco. The Pistahan Parade will take place on Saturday at 11 a.m. in the heart of downtown San Francisco.

To participate as a sponsor, exhibitor, performing artist, pavilion presenter, volunteer, and parade contingent, visit Pistahan.net. The Pistahan Parade and Festival is the largest celebration of Filipino art, culture, dance, food, and music in the U.S. For the third year in a row, global audiences will be able livestream the two-day event via Kumu, Facebook Live, and YouTube Live. he th istahan arade ic s off the festival weekend on Saturday, Aug. 13, and is a colorful display of Filipino community pride and diversity, featuring festi e fl oats cultural dance groups musical performances, and community organizations. The Parade will begin at the Civic Center, proceed up Market Street, and end at Yerba Buena Gardens. The free two-day outdoor event will feature cultural performances, worldclass entertainment, food trucks, artisan merchandise, and hands-on and authentic cultural experiences in six themed pavilions: Art, Culinary, Dance, Health, Innovation, and Sports. The Festival supports local artisans, food vendors, entrepreneurs, and more, and provides opportunities for guests to discover Philippine history, heritage, and traditions. The 29th Pistahan Parade and Festival’s featured artist is Manila’s Taipan Lucero. His CalligraFilipino – Bayba in fi ne art calligraph is the centerpiece of this year’s Pistahan Parade and Festival poster (see attached artwork). Lucero’s CalligraFilipino – which draws infl uence from elements of ilipino culture, such as our ancestors’ royal garbs and jewelry, the Maranao’s Okir, and the Pintados – has been featured by mainstream outlets on print, radio, television, and new media both in the Philippines and abroad. Lucero and numerous local artists will be showcased at this year’s Festival. A full lineup of events and activities for the 29th Pistahan Parade and Festival will be announced at a later date. About The Filipino American Arts Exposition (FAAE): The Filipino American Arts Exposition (FAAE) is a vital part of the rich tapestry of cultures and ethnic communities of the San Francisco Bay Area through its promotion of ilipino merican art music fi lm and dance. FAAE celebrates its ancestral heritage and contemporary traditions, broadening awareness and deepening the understanding of Filipino history, achievements, and culture. Founded in is a grassroots nonprofi t organization that contributes to the artistic and cultural pride of the Filipino American community and strives to be a meaningful community tradition among the many great ethnic institutions of San Francisco. Follow FAAE at www.pistahan.net and on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter (pistahanSF).

ANG PAUNAWA AY IBINIBIGAY SA PAMAMAGITAN NITO na ang isang Pangkalahatang Halalang Munisipal ay gaganapin sa Lungsod ng Pleasanton sa Martes, Nobyembre 8, 2022, para sa mga sumusunod na Opisyal at (mga) Panukala:

Para Alkalde

Para sa 2 Miyembro ng

Konseho ng Lungsod Buong panahon ng panunungkulan na dalawang taon Buong panahon ng panunungkulan na apat na taon Ang panahon ng pangmungkahi para sa mga katungkulang ito ay magsisimula sa Hulyo 18, 2022 at magsasara sa Agosto 12, 2022 sa 5:00 ng hapon/gabi. Kung ang mga papel ng pamumungkahi para sa nanunungkulang opisyal ng lungsod ay hindi naiharap bago lumampas ang Agosto 12, 2022 ang mga botante ay may hanggang ika-83 araw bago ang halalan, Agosto 17, 2022, upang magmungkahi ng mga kandidato na iba sa (mga) tao na mga nanunungkulan sa ika-88 araw bago ang halalan, para sa inihahalal na katungkulan ng nanunungkulang iyon. Ang pagpapalawig na ito ay hindi angkop kung walang nanunungkulan na karapat-dapat ihalal. Kung wala o iisang tao lamang ang iminungkahi para sa isang inihahalal na katungkulan, ang paghirang sa inihahalal na katungkulan ay maaaring gawin gaya ng nakasaad sa §10229, Kodigo sa mga Halalan ng Estado ng California. Ang mga lugar ng botohan ay mananatiling bukas mula ika-7 ng umaga hanggang ika-8 ng gabi. Jocelyn Kwong Klerk ng Lungsod Pinetsahan: Hulyo 14, 2022

25 July 14-20, 2022

 COMMUNITY NEWS The ‘chronic rash’ of ageism in mainstream media

ByPeter Schurmann

Editor’s N ote: Last month, N ew York M agazine ran a lengthy profi le of California Senator Dianne Feinstein, contrasting the senator’s age (she is 89) with a younger cohort of Democratic offi cials eager to take the mantle. That was followed by another piece from the New York Times featuring an image of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi seemingly intended to cast her age (82) in a negative light. The pieces are part of a recent spate of stories faulting Democrats’ declining fortunes on the advanced age of its leadership. Journalist Paul Kleyman has covered issues on aging for 50 years and says the attacks on these and other elected offi cials belies an unquestioned prejudice in media and society against older adults. He spoke with EMS Editor Peter Schurmann about the latest spate of ageism in media and about the Journalists in Aging Fellows Program.

You just published a long piece about a new cycle of ageism in mainstream media. Can you summarize what you’re seeing and how pervasive it is?

What I am seeing is unfortunately like a chronic rash in the media of ageism that very often comes in spates like this. A couple of years ago there was reporting about how older people in the pandemic were using up too many of the limited number of vaccines. That narrative kept rippling through the system, including an awful set piece on Saturday Night Live, all the while ignoring the pandemic’s impact on older populations – particularly Latinos and African Americans – who were dying in droves in nursing home settings. More recently there was a big cover story in New York Magazine about California Senator Dianne Feinstein and how she represents this “gerontocracy” – all these older elected offi cials who won t get out of the Paul Kleyman has covered issues on aging for 50 years way and make room for young people. One journalist on NPR used the phrase “gerontological and heads the Journalists in oligarchy” last week. Oligarchy Aging Fellow ship program, is a er specifi c term referring now in its 13th year. to rich people controlling the system for their own purpose. Feinstein and her peers are experienced, and yes, sometimes lock in an economic model; but then ou ha e to tal about that specifi call o the generali ation has become, “Let’s move along these people in their 70s and 80s.” Some of us like these people, like Bernie Sanders (80), Elizabeth Warren (73), and Bennie Thompson (74), stalwart of the Jan 6 committee. I felt the need with one article after another to call this out.

T are partly responsible for the nation’s political gridlock. How do you see it?

50 years ago, in 1972 I started work on my book “Senior Power: Growing Old Rebelliously.” What also happened 50 years ago was Woodward and Bernstein and the catchphrase they helped coin, “follow the money.” When you see attacks like this, “These greedy geezers, they’re taking everything,” suddenly you see articles about the need to cut back on social security, or funding for Medicare. Recently, as these attacks on Feinstein came up, the Washington Post ran an editorial, not an op-ed, saying, “Oh we need to cut back on social security because older people are taking too much for themselves.” When you start hearing that, you already know… follow the money. Who is going to gain from this? Wall Street is a prime example. It has always looked at social securit as a trough of funding that cannot be siphoned off for other reasons. That is our money. It was created in the 1930s to protect lower income working people. That is us. So all of the ageism around the surface and edges of this issue, there is always something behind it used to scare people that is phony.

The stereotypes are that older people aren’t’ capable of doing a good job, or they aren’t tech savvy. And yet people who are 50+ or 65+ are increasingly becoming the highest-level tech consumers, they’re learning new tech at the highest levels. On the other hand, economists will say older people are healthier today and more capable and active, so they are not going to need so much in the wa of fi nancial support lwa s remember there are lower income people across the board aff ected b isms of e er kind. Older middle-class whites are generally healthier, less so older adults of color. And even among those entering their later ears from middle-class bac grounds an estimated still fi nd themsel es on fi ed and low incomes and ha ing to struggle with rising costs.

W hat does the latest research show in terms of issues on aging?

Today you’ll see all these books and titles on ageism, and most are about how to age richer and sexier and healthier. Dr. Becca Levy is a social psychologist and epidemiologist at Yale. Her book, “Breaking the Age Code,” is backed by her own research over the last 30-40 years, and the main thing she concentrates on is showing the stereotypes in ageing that follow through our s stems in healthcare mong her fi ndings there are no requirements for older people to be involved in things like pharmaceutical research, even in cases like drug trials on Parkinson’s disease. Doctors have to understand that certain medications metaboli e diff erentl as we age and we re not training that t goes to bone level in terms of ageism in our system.

How can media do a better job of informing readers about aging?

They can just cover it, and that is the purpose and aim of our fellowship program ne of the di culties especiall for smaller media, is how to devote someone to a huge cross-cutting issue like ageing. We know this is an issue to cover, but where do we begin? That is what the fellowship aims to do. We do our program with the biggest professional research society on ageing, the Gerontological Society of America (GSA) and they have 5,000 members who are the experts on every aspect of ageing. We cover a wide variety of issues and help guide reporters on where they can start.

Paul Kleyman is editor and co-founder of Generations Beat Online (GBO), a free e-newsletter covering issues on aging. He also co-founded the Journalists in Aging Fellowship, which celebrates its 13th annual program this year. The fellowship is open to reporters in mainstream and ethnic media, in all languages. The deadline to apply is Aug. 1.

July 14-20, 2022 26 Youth facilities and features unveiled at Presidio Tunnel Tops Is Your Child Prepared To Have A Fun & Safe Summer? By We Can Do This COVID-19 Public Education Campaign

Whether it’s participating in a summer learning program, going to camp, or joining a new sports team, summer is an exciting time for children to learn, play, and grow through new experiences. However, if your child has not yet received their COVID-19 vaccine, they may not have the chance to enjoy this special time of year.

COVID-19 remains a public health concern and the long-term eff ects on children remain un nown But, there is good news. Parents and caregivers can now get their children 6 months through 5 years of age accinated with the fi er- io ech or oderna vaccines to better protect them from COVID-19. All children, including children who have already had COVID-19, should get vaccinated.

Don’t miss out on this opportunity to get your child summer ready. COVID-19 vaccines are safe. he ha e undergone and will continue to undergo the most intensi e safet monitoring in history. Distribution of pediatric vaccinations for these younger children has started across the country, and will be available at thousands of pediatric practices, pharmacies ederall ualifi ed ealth enters local health departments, clinics, and other locations this wee ere are some simple steps parents can ta e to ensure that their children are safe this summer, especiall as the participate in programs with other ids

Get your child vaccinated. Vaccination is the best defense against severe illness. Children 5 years or younger can be vaccinated with whichever vaccine is a ailable either oderna or fi er- io ech Everyone 5 years or older should also get a COVID booster when eligible. Parents can reach out to their doctor, nurse, local pharmacy, or health department, or visit vaccines.gov to see where vaccines for children are available. ractice general safet measures a e sure our child nows about good handwashing techni ues and maintain a suppl of hand saniti er containing at least 60% alcohol. As many young children have yet to receive a vaccine, they should continue to wear the most protective, bestfi tting mas a ailable for them. educe the ris of spreading COVID-19. Keep your child home if they are exposed to COVID or show symptoms of illness. Before participating in any group activity, or if you suspect your child might be ill, get your child tested. In case of a positive test, follow the CDC’s uarantine and isolation guidance and notif the group, team, or program being attended by your child.

Keep your child home if they are exposed to COVID or show symptoms consistent with COVID. If your child has been in close contact with someone who has eep them home from their summer program for fi e da s get them tested and ta e precautions such as wearing a mas around others until day 10. If your child has any of the following s mptoms ou should eep them home get them tested and notif camp staff fe er or chills cough shortness of breath or di cult breathing fatigue muscle or body aches, headache, new loss of taste or smell, sore throat, congestion or runny nose, nausea or vomiting, or diarrhea. a e e tra precautions if our child is at high ris for se ere illness from - hildren with certain health issues such as asthma diabetes obesit and sic le cell disease ha e a greater chance of getting er sic from al with your child’s health care provider to learn your options to help protect your child.

For more information on how COVID vaccines can ma e this the best summer et for our famil visit vaccines.gov.

Soc ial Security U pdat e SOCIAL SECURITY IS HERE WHEN YOU’RE READY FOR RETIREMENT

By G race Sam son

Social Security Public A airs Specialist in ay

hen ou thin ou re read to retire we re here to help ou ma e an informed decision about when to appl for benefi ts You should decide based on your individual and family circumstances. ould it be better for ou to start getting benefi ts earl with a smaller monthly amount over a longer period? Or perhaps wait for a larger monthl pa ment o er less time he answer is personal and depends on several factors, such as your current and anticipated cash needs, health, and your family histor on longe it ost importantl ou should stud our future fi nancial needs and obligations and estimate our future ocial ecurit benefi t he best and easiest wa to estimate our future ocial ecurit benefi ts is with a personal m ocial ecurit account ou can create our free account at www ssa go m account se your account to see how much you might receive each month based on the age at which you want to start receiving benefi ts We encourage you to weigh all the factors carefully before deciding when to begin recei ing ocial ecurit benefi ts his decision aff ects the monthl benefi t amount ou will recei e for the rest of our life and ma aff ect benefi ts for our sur i ors ocial ecurit s nline etirement esources Whether you’re ready to learn about, apply for, or manage our retirement benefi ts our online resources ma e it eas for ou to fi nd the information you need. How easy? You can do it from your computer, tablet, and even smartphone! n our website ou can · Get our publications. stimate our benefi ts with one of our man calculators. · Find your Full Retirement Age. earn about benefi ts for a spouse and famil members. ppl for benefi ts Dr. Scott N guyen, anesthesiologist from ange our benefi ts once ou start recei Boston M assachuseets diligently w orking and advocating the Covid prevention to help to reduce the spread of the virus. ing them. You and your loved ones can discover all these resources at www.ssa.gov/retirement.

Offl ine

(From Page 13)

A friend of mine who heads a top 1,000 corporation told our viber group that reading that odd answer of Ferdinand Junior to a simple question only succeeded in giving him a headache. I’m sure he was joking when he said his ears bled.

Another buddy could only say, “We have six more years of this???”

This week, the 17th president supposedly had COVID-19, and I wish him well. I hope he recovers quickly, then asks his respectable economic team to gi e him a briefi ng on conomics

It isn’t that hard, actually.

While economics is not a precise science, it is considered a social science that studies the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services.

If he does not understand the vagaries of micro and/or macro economics, the very least he can do is to consult with his economic team and ask them two things: One, what is the problem with the Philippine economy? And two, what is (or are) the best solution to the problem?

Another thing. When faced with a question that he does not know the answer to, he should defer the matter. He can say, “Let me get back to you,” or maybe “I can give you a detailed answer to that later. I’ll send it to you via email.”

This way, he gives the impression that he is giving serious thought to matters that count. And nothing, but nothing, is more important at this stage of his presidenc that fi ing the countr s wobbly economy.

He must also show that he is on top of the situation, that he is in charge, and that there is no need to panic.

Finally, Marcos Jr. must stop winging it. No more nonsensical answers to serious questions, please.

Maybe someone should read him the Miranda warning. He has the right to remain silent. Anything he says can and will be used against him in a court of law.

To simplify, he should just shut the f@ck up when he does not know the answer to any question.

Can I bill him a billion bucks for my sage advice? In the Trenches (From Page 12)

sidize the farm sector and dismantle the so-called rice cartel which has made middlemen richer at the expense of poor farmers. t is also more profi table to import rice than to grow the staple where there is no adequate storage and transport system. A huge portion of domestic production is wasted on antiquated farming and poor post-harvest practices.

An additional pressure is the rise of fertilizer costs and supply shortage due to the ussian- raine confl ict ussia is one of the world’s biggest fertilizer suppliers.

But the biggest problem for Marcos is the livestock and poultry sector because of the global supply shortage brought about by tight supply of animal feed and the destructive African Swine Flu (ASF). It nearly wiped out the hog population on mainland Luzon and some parts in Mindanao. lobal wheat suppl was also aff ected b the war in astern Europe. The Philippines imports wheat to be used as animal feed.

Marcos wants to raise corn production to cushion pressure from animal feed shortages.

The looming food crisis is Marcos’ toughest test as a leader. It will make or break his administration. He has put so much faith in the “Masagana” program. He should avoid mistakes made by his father’s rice production program by removing politics in the rice suffi cienc program and trul help poor landless farmers

His targets are quite ambitious but doable. Let’s hope the weather will cooperate and there will be less destructive typhoons in the months ahead. (Edi tor’s N ote: The w riter M anue l M ogato is a Pul itzer Prize winning Filipino journalist. His column fi rst appeared on Press ne. PH )

Health & Wealth (From Page 12)

said that what mattered most of all was the DASH between those years. For that DASH represents all the time that she spent alive on earth and now only those who loved her know what that little line is worth.

For it matters not, how much we own, the CARS, … the HOUSE… the CASH. What matters is how we live and love and how we spend our DASH.So think this long and hard; are there things you’d like to change? For you never know how much time is left that can still be rearranged.

If we could just slow down enough to consider what’s true and real and always try to understand the way other people feel.And be less quick to anger and show appreciation more and love the people in our lives like we’ve never loved before. If we treat each other with respect and more often wear a smile… remembering that this special DASH might only last a little while.So when your eulogy is being read with your life’s action to rehash, would you be proud of the things they say

Hahn invites families to free “Lunch at the Library” program this summer

LOS ANGELES— Los Angeles County Supervisor Janice Hahn is promoting “Lunch at the Library” after the County accepted $56,250 grant from the California State Library to continue the free lunch program this summer. The program provides free sack lunches for children and teens that can be picked up at participating Los Angeles County Libraries, including six libraries in Supervisor Hahn’s district.

“The Lunch at the Library program is one of the many ways our LA County Libraries have stepped up to meet the needs of their communities,” said Supervisor Janice Hahn. “This grant allows us to keep this program going this summer and I urge families with kids and teens to take advantage of it. Stop by one of the six participating libraries to pick up a free lunch, and a good book while you are at it.” he unch at the ibrar program off ers free lunch for ids and teens and under eals are a ailable on a fi rst come fi rst ser ed basis at select libraries from 12 – 1 pm, either Mon – Fri or Tue – Fri, depending on the location (see schedule below). There are no restrictions on family income. Parents & caregivers can pick up on behalf of children; kids and teens don’t need to be present but are welcome!

Since 2015, LA County Library has been off ering free nutritious lunches. Lunch at the Library keeps children nourished during the summer months, helping to ensure that they return to school in the fall ready to learn. Lunch at the Library is a project of the California State Library in partnership with the California Library Association and supported with funds from the State of California.

about how you spent your DASH? n memor of anang hristina m off ering complimentar autographed copies of the HISTORICITY OF JESUS ( (Amazon price is $12.95 Paper Back and $19.95 Hard Cover plus shipping and handling to our readers and the general public his off er is good onl in the nited tates until ul the fi rst ear anniversary of the MY ANGEL RADIO SAN FRANCISCO. To get your autographed copies, just write or contact BOOKS MINISTRY, 701-8th Avenue, San Francisco, CA 94118 Tel. (650)438-3531 or (415)584-7095 or email:artmadlaing@gmail.com A T A T MAD A N is accredited and commissioned Notary Public and licensed eal Estate roker (D E 00 59 ) in California since 98 . He is the founder of F TNESS F H MAN TY (aka F TNESS F CH ST) and ACAP N Y. Art is active Evangelist with the DEN ATE CH CH F CH ST in San Francisco, California SA. MindSparks

(From Page 12)

with the Filipino nation.

The party list parties did not do any better in promoting nationalism and shared interests. In fact, they did and did worse, promoting narrower interests. With groups as Bikol Saro, An Waray, Ako Bisaya, Ako Bisdak Bisayang Dako, AMIN (Anak Mindanao), Moro-Ako – OK, Kusog Tausog, Uma Illongo, ABEKA (Ang Kapampangan), and ANGAT PINOY (Nagkakaisang Pilipino para sa Pag-angat ng Maralitang Manileno), among others, claiming to represent regional, provincial, tribal territories or people speaking same dialects, the notion of one Filipino people becomes less important. Not all party list parties enumerated above gained seats in the House of Representatives. However, other party list groups representing e en more limited specifi c interests that should be included in what the district representatives should advance, without entailing additional expenditures for the national government, gained seats.

“The foremost national hero of the Philippines taught and left us with great and noble ideas to learn from. They will be nothing more than an academic exercise and hollow calls if not adhered to, applied, and followed by the people to who he gave his life for.”

Rizal believed in a representative government, a system where the people elect the government. Electing leaders to run the government is the responsibility of the people. Thus, a country deserves every government it elects, assuming that elections were freely held. For Rizal, each individual was given a will of their own to distinguish between the just and the unjust. If the people do not wisely make use of that will, resulting in the choice of an undeserving leader, no one else may be held responsible for whatever may result therefrom.

The foremost national hero of the Philippines taught and left us with excellent and noble ideas to learn from. They will be nothing more than an academic exercise and hollow calls if not adhered to, applied, and followed by the people to who he gave his life for.

What’s Up Atty (From Page 12) across the street from their home in Batac. He was surrounded by thousands.

We saw him vote, took his picture, and congratulated him. Most of the voters were not even born or were too young to remember martial law which was the main issue against Bong Bong. These young voters voted overwhelmingly for Bong Bong. They did not believe that martial law was that bad or that Marcos, Sr. was an evil person. When I visited President Marcos in Makiki Heights in Honolulu where he was a virtual prisoner, I asked him if he was going to fi ght the alleged martial law ictims who had fi led a class action lawsuit against him. I told him that I had read their complaint and that a class action was improper because there was no “commonality” among their grievances and that the U.S. courts had no jurisdiction because the alleged acts took place outside the United States. He replied with a wave of his hand “Bay bay amon” (“Never mind”). He said that he never ordered any body to be harmed during martial law. “I do not even know these people,” he exclaimed. f wanted to harm an bod will go after those fi ghting me li e Salonga or Tanada. But I have not done so.” Right minded people who supported Bong Bong believed in the Bible that the sins of the father (if any) should not be visited

Free lunches for kids in teens available in South Whi er, Hun� ngton Park, South Gate, Lynw ood, and Norw alk

on the son. People sympathized with Bong Bong for having been a victim of cheating (reportedly the “Switikmatic” election machines) when he ran for vice president in 2016. Bong Bong observed what we often preach: “Less talk, less mistake. No talk, no mistake.” He avoided debates and press conferences. He ran on a platform of “Unity”. People hearkened to the message. Supporters of Bong Bong utilized Facebook, You Tube, Messenger, TikTok and other social media to the fullest. They posted scenes of large crowds at his campaign rallies. They posted the speech of President Marcos during his visit to the White House, his singing duets with Mrs. Marcos, and other episodes favorable to the Marcos family. Bong Bong’s admirers posted his playing the saxophone, his spirited singing of the Beatles song “Hey Jude” and amming with loomfi elds www bongbongmarcos com ne commentator said “Bravo sir Bongbong. Hindi lang pang presidente kundi pang rock star pa.” Bong Bong was proclaimed President of the Philippines b ongress on a and too the oath of o ce on une 30, 2022. Congratulations again President Ferdinand “Bong Bong” Romualdez Marcos, Jr. We pray that you succeed in your goals for the sake of the Filipino people. Was Bong Bong’s victory a matter of Destiny or Timing? If destiny, did Bong Bong control his destiny? (Atty. Emmanuel Samonte Tipon was a Fulbright and SmithMundt scholar to Yale aw School where he obtained a Master of aws degree speciali ing in Constitutional aw. He has a achelor of aws degree from the niversity of the Philippines. He is admitted to practice before the .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 aw of the College of aw, Northwestern niversity, Philippines. He has written law books and legal articles for the w orld’s most prestigious legal publisher and w rites columns for newspapers. He wrote the best-seller inning by Knowing Your Election aws. isten to The Tipon eport which he co-hosts with his son Attorney Emmanuel Noel Tipon. t is considered the most witty, interesting, and useful radio show in Hawaii. KND 2 0 AM band every Thursday at 8 00 a.m. Atty. Tipon was born in aoag City, Philippines. E-Mail fi lamlaw yahoo.com. ebsite https w w w.tiponlaw.com.

Ken Go

(From Page 20)

for my escrow to cover taxes, insurance, and mortgage insurance? ome lenders ha e decided to allow certain loan modifi cations In some cases, they will allow the monthly payment to be changed later in the life of the loan, to include the amount missed during the forbearance.

However, the main confusion for consumers right now is the fact that most lenders will not necessarily require a lump sum payment after the forbearance period ends.

I think some people are panicked that if they get a forbearance, they have to pay it all back immediately.

That’s one option, or they can enter into a payment plan if they can’t make the lump sum, and if they can’t make a repayment plan work, there are other options available to them.

If you work out a forbearance or deferment plan with your lender and don’t just skip payments, it can protect your credit.

So far, It doesn’t show a positive or a negative, but it doesn’t show like a missed payment.

So if you were to ignore it and just not pay anything and pretend it will go awa that s absolutel going to aff ect our credit report in the long run. But the forbearance or deferment is a neutral. It’s not positive or negative on the credit report, but it’s a lot better than having missed payments on your mortgage.

One caveat to keep in mind is that if you can pay your mortgage, pay it, and don’t ask for relief.

Be Safe and Lets Pray for everyone to be safe and this Covid crisis to go away. Thanks for your inquiries, please call Ken Go of 1st Innovative Finance Group 562-508- 7048. CABRE 01021223 NMLS 238636.

COVID-19 infections, hospitalizations, deaths rise in LA County; wearing of masks pushed

o rlinda aufi t - - cases hospitali ations and deaths continued to increase during the past two weeks in the os ngeles ount prompting count health o cials to call anew for the wearing high-quality respirator masks and getting tested. Barbara Ferrer, PhD, MPH, MEd, director of the county’s Department of Public Health made the call, pointing out that masking and testing are critical steps to slowing the spread of COVID-19, as vaccination, boosters, and therapeutics remain key strategies for reducing serious illness and death.

At press time, the Department of Public Health reported 14 additional deaths and 5,170 new positive cases, raising the total number of deaths in L.A. County to 32,464.

In a statement, the department also reported a total of 3,183,359 positive cases of COVID-19 across all areas of L.A. County since the pandemic started.

The county’s positivity rate is 16.3%, the department added.

There are 1,153 people with COVID-19 currently hospitali ed according to the department adding testing results are available for more than 12,238,563 individuals, with 23% of people testing positive. he epartment of ublic ealth recogni es that when we return to universal indoor masking to help reduce high spread, for many this will feel like a step backwards,” errer said in a statement sent to hilippine ews oda t ma be more useful to recogni e that we ha e a er rich toolkit that we can use to cope with the uncertainty of the trajectory of the pandemic. All of the tools we have can help us get through diff erent challenges she said hen transmission is er high uni ersal indoor masking makes a lot of sense and helps us reduce risk. hen transmission is lower it is appropriate to return to masking recommendations,” Ferrer added.

“Thank you to the millions of LA County residents who continue to take care of each other. Your actions make a diff erence and help protect our entire communit from the worst impacts of the pandemic,” she said. hile ount remains at the enters for isease Control and Prevention (CDC) designated COVID-19 Community Level of Medium, the county is very likely to move into High later this week as the rate of daily new admissions continues to increase, the department reported. sing ount specifi c data the count was at 8.8 new admissions per 100,000 people. Once the county reaches 10 new admissions per 100,000 residents, the county will enter the High Community Level.

Should the county remain in the High Community Level designation for two consecutive weeks, universal indoor masking, in alignment with the CDC, would be implemented across LA County.

Fueling the high rates of transmission is the increased circulation of new highly transmissible Omicron sub-variants, according to the department. The Omicron variant continues to account for 100% of the sequenced specimens, with a steady increase in the proportions of the BA.4 and BA.5 subvariants. To date, Public Health has detected a total of 677 positive, sequenced specimens of these two subvariants – 285 of BA.4 and 392 of BA.5.

In the week ending June 18, BA.4 and BA.5 accounted for 40% of all specimens sequenced, which is over 2.5 times higher than just two weeks prior. The CDC estimates that, across the country, as of the week ending July 2 - the BA.4 and BA.5 subvariants of Omicron combined accounted for just over 70% of specimens, a considerable increase from the 39% just two weeks ago.

BA.2.75 – A killer?

PHILIP S. CHUA

Heart of Hope

In the continuing saga of the SARS-CoV2 virus, which has mutated into various strains since it was fi rst disco ered in uhan China, on December 8, 2019, to the vicious killer Delta, then Omicron, and its super-contagious substrains, BA.4 and BA.5, the current dominant variant, a newly spawned mutant, BA.275, has evolved and invaded numerous countries including the United States. Scientists believe that BA.2.75 may be a more e cient super-spreader and get around immunit from vaccines and previous infection. The clinical virology at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, says “the rates of transmission are showing kind of that exponential increase,” and “whether it will outcompete BA.5 is yet to be determined.” Could BA.2.75 be a more deadly strain than other Omicron variants? That is still unclear since it is so new, and greater clinical observation is needed to know more about its eventual clinical behavior and impact on our health. As to be expected when the full-vaccination rate of a nation is only 67 percent like the United States, with 33 percent (about 110 million) unvaccinated and the most likely target of the virus and become potential spreaders of COVID-19 infection, the coronavirus will continually replicate and mutate in the bodies of these 110 million unprotected people, to churn out new variants, ad libitum. So, it is possible that the 24 Greek Alphabets, from Alpha to Omega, could all be used up before this pandemic truly comes to an end - if it ever leaves us at all.

Universal vaccine Since the protective immunity conferred by all current vaccines for COVID-19 wanes in about 6 months or less fi er and io ech mounted a new clinical trial for universal COVID-19 vaccine candidates. The study is led by a research team from the University of olorado nschut edical ampus in urora he will include T-cell enhancing shots and pan-coronavirus shots that “protect against the broader family of viruses and its mutations.” The major challenge for this vaccine is whether or not it will be able to maintain e cac as the virus mutates.” Even with a universal vaccine, no doubt a life-saver, the greater dilemma, as the past couple of years have shown, is some people’s hesitancy, reluctance, and rejection of the COVID-19 vaccines. n analog e ma de elop superior and more protective state-of-the-art bullet-proof vests (a metaphor for the universal vaccines) in our war against this invisible enem with billions of stealth irus-bullets fl ing all around us, but if people refuse to “wear” them because they have the constitutional freedom of choice to refuse them and behave the way they want regardless of potential harm to other people, the advances in science and technology and expensive resources would be greatly wasted.

More than 1,046,232 have died out of the total 90,491,960 COVID-19 cases in the United States as of July 12, 2022, with 7-day average cases of 108,652 and 323 deaths a day. In the Philippines, the total is 3,721,413 (1362 new cases) and 60,640 deaths. There have been greater than 12 billion COVID-19 vaccines administered around the world, proving how safe and eff ecti e the are

Mon keyp ox w inning

Experts have commented the monkeypox outbreak should have been easy to contain because the virus, unli e the - irus does not spread e cientl except through intimate contact, and tests and vaccines were at hand before the current outbreak.” The United States has fallen short at every turn as it did with the COVID-19 pandemic, which raises great concern about the nation’s ability to battle future national health crises. The global toll of monkeypox (in more than 58 countries) has gone beyond 8,100 cases (mostly men who had sex with men), the largest international outbreak the world has seen. So far, there is no report of Monkeypox in the Philippines. There are now at least 700 cases in the United States and the number is expected to go much higher. This is evidently the failure in this country to take public health seriously as it did with the COVID-19 pandemic. Seemingly a sexually transmitted disease like syphilis, which is associated with genital sores and lesions in the groin, monkeypox, with similar wounds, could also be transmitted through bod fl uids from these infected areas. There were more than 130,000 new cases of syphilis in 2020 alone, among heterosexuals too, more than 50 percent were among those ages 15 to 24. Aggressive testing for syphilis is vital and helpful even in the diagnosis and management of monkeypox. Since it only requires one shot of penicillin to treat syphilis, the successful treatment of syphilis and elimination of the genital sores will help in the diagnosis of monkeypox, which will not respond to penicillin and retain its lesions in the groin. There is no cure for monkeypox but there are several antiviral medications for smallpox that may help patients with monkeypox.

Masks, isolation, vaccines The COVID-19 pandemic has been with us for 949 days (more than 2.6 years) and yet some people, (disappointingly, including some physicians and nurses), still do not believe in quarantine (like, isolating an infected spouse from the other at home, or an infected mother from her healthy child). And there are countless individuals, in spite of their education, who do not accept the protective value of masks, distancing, and the - accines ith the predicted fi fth wa e as new strains of the virus evolve, it is sad to see people putting their guards down this early. Some even curse those who are vaccinated, still masking (which protects others also) and distancing, being careful, trying to evade the virus for a wise reason.

The failure of the government in educating the public about the SARS-CoV2 virus promptly and adequately (in vivid understandable detail) is one of the reasons why the COVID-19 pandemic was able to kill more than one million in the United States alone and why it will be with us for more years to come. The misinformed antivax, anti-mask, civil rights protestors and the political correctness spewed b some of our public o cials with their own agenda, are the other reasons for the unrelenting COVID-19 infections in the country. Public education (thorough and comprehensive) about this virus is vital if we are to thwart more infections and elude more preventable deaths.

How many more COVID-19 deaths do we need to wise up and accept the fact that the vaccines, masking, and social distancing will safel and eff ecti el reduce our risk?

Like ignorance or misinformation, arrogance and bra ado could be deadlier than the irus e need humility and wisdom to defeat this invisible enemy.

Phi lip S. C hua, M D , FAC S, FPC S, a C ardi ac Sur geon Emeritus bas ed in N orthw est Indi ana and Las Vegas, N evada, is an int ernat ional medi cal lecturer/author, H ealth Adv ocate, new spaper columni st, and C hai rman of the Filipino U ni ted N etw ork-U SA , a 501( c)3 humani tarian foundat ion in the U ni ted St ates. W ebs ites: FU N 8888.c om, Today .SP SA today .c om, and phi lipSc hua.c om Email: scalpelpen@ gmail.c om

INSPIRATIONAL ARTICLE FOR THE WEEK

LIFE IS LIKE WHAT?

By TIM PEDROSA

Whenever our life is like a life on the river, let us send our worries downstream, watch every sunset and let the current give us strength. Rivers never go reverse. So try to live like a river. Forget your past and focus on your future. Always be positive! Let us take walks on lazy days or play in the sand and make memories. Life is a circle of happiness, sadness, sad times, and good times. Let us have faith that good times are on the way if we are going through hard times i e a boo life has man diff erent chapters for us. One bad chapter does not mean that it is the end of the entire book. Sometimes in life we just need a hug, not words not advice, just a hug to make us feel better. I have learned that to feel happy, we don’t have to expect anything from anyone. Expectations always hurt. Life is short, so let us love life, be happy and keep smiling. Let us see the brighter side of things, create our own future destiny and give it all we got. Let us remember that God is guiding, leading and showing the way. The closer we get to God, the more we become gracious, generous humble, magnetic, attractive irresistible charming adorable elegant magnifi cent and wonderful person Let us also remember that as we breathe right now, another person takes his last. So let us stop complaining, and learn to live our life with what we have.

Life is like a camera, focus on what is important, capture the good times develop from the negatives and if things don’t work out take another shot. It is not the strongest of the species that survive, or the most intelligent, but the one most responsive to change. Life is like an arrow, we have to take a step back to propel into the future, go to our own way, focus and aiming et us alwa s remember that di cult times will launch us into something great. An arrow can only be shot by pulling it backward. So when life is dragging us bac with di culties it means it is going to launch us into something great. Life is like an arrow, we have to take a step back to propel into the future, go to our own way, focus and keep aiming. Let us always remember that di cult times will launch us into something great! An arrow can only be shot by pulling it backward. So when life is dragging us back with di culties it means it is going to launch us into something great. Life is like a bicycle, you won t fall off unless you stop peddling, it is all about balance. Challenge your limits but always remember life is not a race but journey.

The Bible for Us

We believe that “God’s word is li ing and eff ecti e sharper than any two-edged sword, penetrat- Afl ame The Hearting even between soul and spirit, joints and marrow and able to discern refl ections and thoughts of the heart (Heb. 4:12).” The Bible, the Sacred Scriptures, is important for us Christians. Our Catholic Christian stand is that the Sacred Revelation is both the Sacred Tradition and the Sacred Scriptures, we call the Bible. This Sacred Revelation is safeguarded by the Magisterium of the Church. The Magisterium refers to the Apostles and their successors; they are the ones entrusted to preserve and proclaim the teachings and truths of our faith. The Old Testament is the Tanak; the Bible of the Hebrew or Jewish people. The New Testament contains the writings or books written about the life, words, and works of our Lord Jesus Christ. Moreover, it contains the teachings and deeds of the Apostles and relevant stories of the fi rst hristian communities hus our ible at present has the ld and the New Testament; and all the books in it are what our faith, and by mandate of our Mother Church, holds as canonical, inspired by God and free of error. We take the words of St. Paul to Timothy: “All Scriptures is inspired by God and is useful for teaching, for refutation, for correction, and for training in righteousness, so that one who belongs to God may be competent, equipped for every good work (2 Tim. 3:16-17).” There is much to sa about the ible but su ce it as our little introduction e en presume you already know many things about the Scriptures, dear reader. Yet, I want us to ha e a discourse and refl ection about the ol ords of od for in many occasions the Bible becomes an instrument of division instead of unity, of confusion rather than consolation, or even worse to push away people instead of gathering them to God in Christ Jesus. I would like us to be reminded of some basic truths how we as Catholics take the Bible: First, the Bible is not a book, one book, but we have to understand it is actually a library of books. Since it is a library of books; so, the writers are many. The times of the writing of the books span for man ears with infl uences also of culture customs and languages of peoples nd since these are man boo s the are of diff erent iterar Genre. Consequently, we cannot take and understand the Bible, and the words that we read, with our current contemporary mentality. We must be aware of this in order that we may not subject the Scriptures to our own personal preferences and subjective thinking. Moreover, we must pay attention to the diff erent literar genres of these boo s in the ible here is a great temptation to read and interpret what we read according to our mindset and based from our own experiences. We are to read the Bible as we are taught by our Mother Church, since it is from Her guidance through the Magisterium that we will be safeguarded from falling into errors and heresies. Second, we are to remind ourselves that the Bible is not a historical book according to how we understand history in our human studies. The Bible is more than that; it is a Divine Story. The story of God’s relation and inter ention in li es of a people or peoples in the li es of diff erent persons and especially and most importantly about Jesus Christ, the Son of God who became human; so that, we might be saved and be reconciled to God. The mindset, therefore, is that the Bible is not about us but rather about God; and His great love for humanity that calls for us to reciprocate. Our reciprocation will not add something to od but it is more to our benefi t and best interest. Minding this truth, we will read the Bible with a grateful and docile heart. Lastly, we read and understand the words of the Bible in union with all the Apostles, the Fathers of the Church, and all the faithful in our One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church. That is why we have the Magisterium to help and guide us in this matter. Our primary duty is to translate what we read into practice not to interpret it to our liking and to suit our lifestyle. We read the Bible to train us for righteousness and holiness of life, as our Lord Jesus told us: “Be perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect (Mt. 5:48).” The Sacred Scriptures are words of God for our time and for all times. The Holy Spirit is at work in our time, and He is the Divine Presence and Power behind the words that we read in the Bible. May we follow His biddings always that speaks to us through the words we read from the Bible. Amen. REV. JOSE PELAGIO A. PADIT, SThD

Recipe of the Week

Pinoy Roast Pork, Tocino Style

Pinoy Roast Pork, Tocino Style is the New Year special, it is another innovative dish that is uniquely Pinoy. Roast Pork is commonly serve in special occasions including the Christmas Season .i

To prepare the skinned pork roast, slit cut the fats in diagonal patterns about half an inch diamonds. Then rub with a mixture of salt, sugar, garlic powder and paprika powder and let marinate for at least a day or longer the better.

Baking it the usual temperature and timing, except that the pork roast has to be placed in the baking dish upside down and including the marinade during the fi rst half of roasting t is then fl ip o er and continue to roast with occasional basting using the drips from the roasting por uring the fi nal stage of roasting the dripping is collected then thickened by boiling out the excess liquid. The reduced sauce is then use as glazing for the roast and used as sauce for the fi nal product o not worr about internal temperature ino s want their meat properl cooked so stick to the roasting times. The roast pork has to be set aside covered with aluminium foil to rest, this is to ensure that the roast pork is well cooked inside out. o conclude the slits on the fat outer co ering was essential for the marinade to penetrate the meat t would have been better if the pork was left to marinate for a couple of days to reach to the center, but the reserve sauce dip will compensate it. Alternately during the last roasting stage the pork roast is sliced then individually applied with the glaze and continue to roast till done.

Ingredients:

1 kilo Pork Loin Roast, about 4 ribs rack 1 cup white sugar 1 tbsp. salt 2 tbsp. garlic powder 1-2 tbsp. paprika powder

To serve:

garlic fried rice sunny side up fried eggs

Cooking procedure:

Remove the skin of the pork roast leaving most of the fat. Make diagonal crisscross slit cuts on the outer fat co ering the si e of inch diamonds and deep enough to penetrate the meat and eep aside n bowl mi the salt, sugar, garlic powder and paprika powder. Rub and coat the pork roast with the sugar mixture. Place the coated pork roast in a thermo glass loaf baking dish including the remaining sugar mixture, cover and place in the refrigerator and let marinate for at least 1day, occasionally turning over the pork roast for even marination. re-heat o en to to ta e the por roast out in the refrigerator and let stand outside till the temperature has increased to outside temperature. Ensure that the pork roast in the baking dish is positioned upside down and the fat and meat are facing the bottom of the baking dish, submerged with the marinade. Cover and seal the baking dish with aluminium foil and place in the rack at the middle of the oven and let bake for about 1 hour at to ow remo e the roasting por from the o en and transfer in a larger ba ing dish reser e the drippings, this time place the pork roast with the fats and meats facing up and the ribs facing the bottom of the ba ing dish eturn to the o en and roast for about to minutes at to monitoring the temperature decrease the temperature as necessar n the meantime using a small saucepan reduce the reser ed drippings to a syrupy consistency. Using the syrup baste the roasting pork about halfway then again on the last 2 to minutes of roasting increasing the temperature to about this will result a gla ed and seared eff ect on the fats. When done remove from the oven and cover with aluminium foil and let stand for about 10 minutes to rest. To serve slice individual ribs, arrange in a platter with garlic fried rice and fried egg. And pour over a couple of tablespoon of the syrup.

Sagada reopens natural caves for tourists

SAGADA, Mt. Province – “Revenge tourists” or travelers whose trips have been held back by lockdowns due to the pandemic can fi nally marvel anew at the splendor of Sagada’s famous natural caves after the town swung open its doors. unicipal tourism o cer aria Teresa Abad urged tourists to register online via https://umali-kayo. sagada.gov.ph/views/pages/tourist/ accommodations.php to generate a quick response (QR) code, which will be required at the border checkpoint upon entering the Sagada-Dantay Road from the national highway.

“We are now open. We have allowed two bus lines to transport tourists and locals from Baguio City,” she said in a PNA report.

Abad said women who are in charge of the border checkpoint will also require tourists to be fully vaccinated and must show their vaccination cards, before being allowed to enter the place.

GL Trans and Coda Lines, which have scheduled daily trips, can accommodate fully vaccinated tourists. bad howe er clarifi ed that for now, only the Sumaguing Cave, Lumiang Cave, and the Balangagan Cave have been opened to tourists for trekking.

She said the other destinations, meanwhile, are undergoing rehabilitation and thus are still closed to the public. bad howe er clarifi ed that for now, only the Sumaguing Cave, Lumiang Cave, and the Balangagan Cave have been opened to tourists for trekking.

She said the other destinations, meanwhile, are undergoing rehabilitation and thus are still closed to the public.

Abad said the local government made sure all establishments and tour guides were ready to take in tourists again before the decision to reopen the town was made.

Sagada, which continues to maintain its serene environment, has become a popular tourist destination, especially among foreigners.