The Filipino Press: October 28 - November 3, 2022

Filipinos:

MANILA -- President Ferdinand R. Marcos has an enticing suggestion for Filipinos: Explore, travel, and discover the beauty of the Philippines.

In his weekly vlog on Saturday night, Marcos said boosting local tourism will propel economic growth.

"Lagi pong tandaan, sa bawat pagbiyahe at pamamasyal natin sa napakagandang Pilipinas, tuluytuloy ang ating pagbangon (Always remember, traveling to the beautiful places in the Philippines will pave the way for our continued recovery)," he said.

"Mula sa kapwa nating Pilipino ang bulto na pumapasok na kita kung kaya't hindi ako titigil na hikayatin kayong lahat na bisitahin pa ang napakaganda mga nating tourist spot (A huge chunk of our revenues comes from our fellow Filipinos, so I will continue encouraging all of you to visit our beautiful tourist spots)," he added.

Marcos encouraged spending next week's four-day holiday that includes "Undas" (All Saints’ Day) by visiting the best destinations in the country. October 31 and November 1, which fall on Monday and Tuesday, are nonworking holidays.

"Umpisahan na natin ngayong Undas. Isang rason kaya natin dineklarang special non-working holiday ang October 31 ay para naman magkaroon pa tayo ng mas marami pang oras para makasama ang pamilya natin at makapagplano nga sa ating mga bakasyon (Let's begin traveling this All Saints' Day. The reason why

I declared October 31 as special nonworking holiday is to allow us to have more time with family and plan our vacation)," Marcos said.

Access to more provinces

To attract more tourists, Marcos said he would continue attending promotional tourism activities in

provinces and make more provinces accessible to travelers.

"Kaya kapag mas madaling puntahan, mas maraming maeenganyo na dumalaw, mas marami ring papasok na pera sa probinsya (If a province becomes more accessible, more tourists will be encouraged to

visit and more money will come in)," Marcos said.

"Sa simula't simula pa lang ay tinukoy na natin ang industriya ng turismo bilang isa sa mga magiging susi natin para pasiglahin muli ang ekonomiya lalo na sa kanayunan. Alam nating lahat kung gaano kalawak

ang mabibigyan ng mga negosyo at trabahong malilikha kapag naging matagumpay ang kampanya natin sa turismo (From the very beginning, we already identified the tourism industry as one of key drivers to revitalize our economy in the countryside. We can create more jobs, if we are able

to develop our tourism sector)," he added.

Promote PH Domestic travel continues to rise with local trips in 2021 reaching 37.27 million, higher by 38.16 percent from the 26.98 million recorded in 2020 when the Covid-19 pandemic struck, according to the Department of Tourism (DOT) data.

The country has also welcomed some 1.6 million international guests since opening up for leisure travel in February.

Americans (335,327) have outranked South Koreans (240,469) as the Philippines' top visitors so far, posting a total of 335,327 visitors from February to October 17.

During the same period, there were also 24,599 Chinese tourists, who were previously on the second spot.

"I am confident because I have said this many, many times that there is no warmer, more poignant sight than the smile of a Filipino and that is something that we can introduce to the world," Marcos said in his speech during the Philippine Tourism Industry Convergence Reception at SMX Convention Center in Pasay City on October 17.

Marcos said he would be persistent in promoting the Philippines as a destination ready to welcome local and foreign travelers.

For the first time, a Chief Geriatric Officer will help lead the County’s efforts surrounding the health and wellbeing of San Diego’s growing older adult population.

Lindsey Yourman, MD will fill the role of Chief Geriatric Officer, joining the County’s Health and Human Services Agency (HHSA) Medical Care Services department.

This position is one of the first of its kind in the state and nation for a local integrated health and human services system. HHSA Director Nick Macchione said the time was right for its creation in San Diego County.

“In 2010, our region had about a half million residents 60 years of age or older,” said Macchione.

“Since then, we have added about a quarter million more and by 2030 the older adult population is expected to surpass 900,000. The growth is even more rapid for the number of San Diegans 85 years of age and older, which will see its population is going to grow 40 percent in the next eight years. The need is here, and we are excited to add Dr. Yourman to the team which already includes a Child Health Officer.”

Dr. Yourman’s 16-year career of health advocacy, improving care systems and studying the needs of older adults is motivated by her close relationship with her grandparents.

A graduate of Harvard College, Dr. Yourman continued her education as a Health Advocacy Fellow at the Medicare Rights Center in New York City and later attended the University of California, San Francisco Medical School.

Dr. Yourman went on to complete her Internal Medicine Residency at Scripps Mercy and Geriatric Fellowship at the University of California, San Diego, where she worked clinically in diverse settings across San Diego County and became interested in studying models of care that best serve older adults.

Since 2015, Dr. Yourman’s work surrounding older adults has included clinical leadership of interprofessional teams to help older adults live independently and studying quality improvement and implementation science to improve health care delivery for older adults. She was the inaugural graduate and now serves as co-director of the West Health-UCSD Geriatrics Quality Improvement Science Fellowship designed to support early-stage geriatricians to pursue careers in quality improvement for older adults.

Dr. Yourman joins the County from

UC San Diego, where she worked as a Primary Care Geriatrician, served as the Medical Director of Geriatrics Quality Improvement, and launched their Age-Friendly Health System’s Initiative.

“I see the creation of the County’s Chief Geriatric Officer position as a victory for older adults and for us all as we age in San Diego County,” said Dr. Yourman. “For me, personally, it means the opportunity to apply my life’s passion, the soul and science of Geriatric Medicine, to support the health, dignity and connectedness of all of us we age. My grandparents inspired me to go into Geriatric Medicine and I wish they were here to celebrate this.”

he Chief Geriatric Officer will work in HHSA’s Medical Care Services department headed by Eric McDonald, MD, MPH, Chief Medical Officer.

“Dr. Yourman brings the County an immense wealth of knowledge, experience and expertise surrounding the unique needs of older adults,” said Dr. McDonald. “We are thrilled to have her join our team and lead the County’s vision to better serve this growing population.”

The addition of a Chief Geriatric Officer is part of County efforts to support the needs and celebrate the contributions of its expanding population of older adults through the Aging Roadmap, which launched in 2019 with direction from the County Board of Supervisors.

The Aging Roadmap is San

By A BigA il leForge/eMS

SAN FRANCISCO, CA -- A pioneering program for college students in California took another step forward last week when Governor Gavin Newsom swore in over 3200 fellows as the latest cohort in the state’s College Corps Fellowship.

The #CaliforniansForAll program, launched in response to COVID-19, is the first of its kind in the state. Collegiate level students from the Community, State, and UC systems will be given the opportunity to earn up to $10,000 in exchange for a year of service to their communities.

Service opportunities include tutoring and mentoring for lowincome students in K-12 schools, food distribution to those facing food insecurity, or tackling climate change.

The program is intended for lowincome students to help ease the financial burden of a college education. Eighty percent of the Fellows come from communities of color, 58% are first generation college students, and 68% are Pell Grant eligible. This is also the first state mandated program specifically allocating spaces for AB540 students, or Dreamers.

A media briefing hosted by Ethnic Media Services and California Black Media featured California Chief Service Officer Josh Fryday, and Debbie Espinosa with Find Food Bank, a part of Feeding America. Two of the student Fellows in the program, Ali Alani of UC San Diego, and Wendi Lizola of Sacramento State University also joined the panel.

“They will be doing extraordinary

work for our communities,” said Fryday, emphasizing the importance of the program, which he described as a win for society and the state, creating a generation of serviceoriented professionals at a moment when California — and the nation — confronts a host of critical challenges.

Some 10,000 applications have already been submitted for the program, three times more than there are slots available. Participating students were selected by their respective campuses through a competitive application program. Students that were not selected this year can re-apply in subsequent years. The program is scheduled to continue until 2026.

“We have to be able to ensure through a multifaceted approach that people have the means to break poverty cycles,” said Espinosa, who works with the Deserts Regional Foodbank based in Palm Springs and distributes over 20 million pounds of food to 150,000 individuals per month.

Fellows with College Corps will help provide food to students and families in a variety of settings whether it be packaging in the warehouse, distributing food on campus, or on sites in the community.

Espinosa says learning loss among students in California during Covid was exacerbated by growing food insecurity, noting 98% of the clients they serve are working families and the elderly. Less than 2% are unhoused individuals.

She adds the program will provide students with a variety of transferable skills while creating tangible change for their peers and community.

“My goal with College Corps is to help students,” said Alani, who was born in Syria and educated in Saudi Arabia. He and his family immigrated to San Diego when he was 16. Alani is now a second year Computer Software Engineering Major at UC San Diego, where he discovered the College Corps

"Higit pa sa pagbangong inaasam, ang pangarap ko ay maipakilala muli ang Pilipinas sa buong mundo (On

Dr. Lindsey Yourman

Pampered Pinay: Francine’s Birthday on October 30

To our dear Francine, 2019 La Vie en Rose- Joyeux Anniversaire in Paris, 2020 Birthday Light Parade, 2021 Unicorn Birthday and 2022 Heavenly Birthday.

As each day passes, we miss you more and more but today on your birthday we miss you the most. On this day that honors you, we pray that the heavens above are rejoicing in your name, and also reminding you of how very special you are to us. We'll never forget you and how much you mean to every soul you touched in your short time here on earth.

Losing you is one of the hardest things we've had to go through but we take comfort knowing you're dancing in heaven now at peace.

Though we can't celebrate you like we have in years past, we hope you know that we are still trying!

Our birthday gift to you would be sweetest thoughts carried, in memory. Of our love for you, that will always live on In life, as in death, you will never be gone.

Daughter, Sister, Ninang, Niece, Cousin, Best Friend, Mentor, Our Pampered Pinay...Francine Antoinette Maigue.

We want you to know that you are... Always Loved Forever Missed. ~Your Family & Friends

THANK YOU ALL for your sweet and thoughtful birthday wishes! Such blessings! You each mean so much to me, and I am very grateful. Sending you all love, hugs and best wishes for a safe and Happy Halloween! ~Francine @Francine_Filipina

Cutting Through the Confusion of Voter Registration

BY ETHNIC MEDIA SERVICES

In the United States, one-third of eligible voters are not registered to vote. The reasons behind the millions of unregistered voters are manifold but one of the factors in the US, unlike in many other democratic societies, is that the responsibility to register to vote falls solely on the citizen, and not the government.

new Americans or those with limited procedures and deadlines for registering to vote varies widely by state. APIAVote and Ethnic Media Services would like to cut through the confusion by providing ethnic media and their audiences with the relevant information they need to empower their communities to register and vote in this upcoming election.

In general, eligible voters must be a US citizen (either by birth or

naturalization), 18 years old on or by a certain time period before Election Day, and a resident of the state in order to register to vote in that state. But some states will also have additional valid photo ID or not having been a convicted felon. While some states bar “convicted felons”, others bar felons currently incarcerated from voting. In some states such as Hawaii, Maryland and New York, you may pre-register to vote at 16 (although you may not vote until 18).

Deadlines to submit voter registration vary widely as well. With only a month to go before Election Day, which this year falls on Tuesday, November 8, 2022, it is imperative that unregistered voters check the deadline dates for voter registration in their state.

States where the voter registration deadline 28 to 30 days before an election:

Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, New Mexico, Ohio, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas States where the voter registration deadline is 20 to 27 days before an election:

Delaware, Kansas, Missouri, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Oregon, Virginia, West Virginia

States where the voter registration deadline is 1 to 15 days before an election:

Alabama, Massachusetts, Montana, Nebraska, Pennsylvania, South Dakota States, and Washington, D.C., where voter registration is available on Election Day (called same-day registration): California, Colorado, Connecticut, District of Columbia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Iowa, Maine, Maryland,

Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Hampshire, Utah, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, Wyoming North Dakota does not have voter registration. To vote, you must be a U.S. citizen, at least 18 years old on Election Day, a North Dakota resident, and a resident in the precinct for 30 days preceding the election. You simply need to bring valid proof of ID and residency to the polls in order to vote.

Montana and North Carolina have same-day voter registration during the early voting period but not on Election Day.

Registering to vote can be done easily via online registration forms, such as this one by Rock the Vote. This organization, as well as others such as Vote411.org are trusted non-partisan non-governmental organizations that conduct voter registration and getout-the-vote efforts. Even if you have already registered to vote, if your changed since then, you will need to update your registration. Remember: voting is one of the key duties we have as American citizens! Voting allows us

to voice our values, ensure our elected change on the issues that matter to us: education, healthcare, public safety, and more. When our communities vote in large numbers and consistently, we multiply the power of our vote and ensure we cannot be ignored. We have a duty to make sure our government hears and represents us, vote this November!

VOTE On NOV. 8

"Voting allows is to voice our values, ensure our elected officials truly represent us, and create changes that matter to us: education, healthcare, public safety and more"

SACRAMENTO, CA – Governor Gavin Newsom today announced a historic agreement that strengthens California’s partnership with Mexico and advances key border projects and initiatives. In Mexico City, state representatives and a delegation of regional leaders joined the San Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG) to sign the new Toll Revenue Sharing Agreement with Mexico which supports the construction of the Otay Mesa East Port of Entry at the San DiegoTijuana border. The new state-ofthe-art border crossing facility will reduce wait times, curb greenhouse gas emissions, power economic growth and bolster binational trade along the busiest border region in the Western Hemisphere.

“Mexico is one of California’s most important international partners and we share a deep bond that stretches back generations,” said Governor Newsom. “Our state is a national leader when it comes to international cooperation and smart, clean infrastructure investments that are critical to the U.S. supply chain. At a time when states are using the border as a wedge issue to divide people, California and Mexico are showing how crossborder agreements can strengthen our communities while growing our economy and bringing a host of

Congressmember Scott Peters, California Lieutenant Governor Eleni Kounalakis and Assemblymembers David Alvarez and Chris Ward witnessed the signing of the Toll Revenue Sharing Agreement, which comes on the heels of the Otay Mesa East Port of Entry Project receiving a $150 million INFRA grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation, the

largest award nationally, which will go toward the construction of the new border crossing facility and related transportation infrastructure.

The new port of entry is scheduled to be completed by the end of 2024.

“This new agreement, which I signed as a witness today, will bring economic prosperity to our crossborder region,” said Lt. Governor Kounalakis. “The Otay Mesa East Port of Entry is a vital link in our nation’s supply chain and in creating thousands of jobs. This historic

the joint commitment of California and the Government of Mexico to boosting trade and creating jobs.”

U.S. Ambassador Ken Salazar

on “California Day” with a local reception to recognize Caltrans, SANDAG, and local partners who have built the necessary supporting transportation infrastructure and have planned and developed the Otay Mesa East priority project over the last several decades.

“California and Mexico share just 140 of the 2,000 miles of our border,

but Cali-Baja punches far above its weight in terms of its contributions to our binational economy and family,” said Ambassador Salazar.

“The Otay Mesa East Port of Entry is proof of the dynamism and creativity of our relationship and a symbol of the 21st-century border we want to create.”

The State Route 11 Otay Mesa East Port of Entry project is a joint venture between SANDAG and Caltrans in collaboration with state and federal partners in the U.S. and Mexico to create a 21st-century border crossing for the San DiegoBaja California megaregion that will enhance regional mobility and fuel economic growth and binational trade.

The proposed border improvements will provide fast, predictable, and secure border crossings by constructing a fourlane, tolled road connecting directly to a state-of-the-art Customs and Border Protection Land Port of Entry and a California Highway Patrol Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Facility.

Governor Newsom's approach to border policy recognizes the vibrancy of the border region and that safe cross-border movement of people and goods are essential for California, regional economies and the many residents who cross the border daily for school, family and business. The administration prioritizes safety, strengthening our economic ties, as today’s agreement does, and supporting humanitarian efforts that protect the health and well-being of arriving migrants and our border communities. California recently invested $477 million to support the state’s model COVID-19 response and humanitarian efforts at the southern border.

PBBM supportive of Metro Davao Development Authority

MANILA -- President Ferdinand R. Marcos is supportive of the establishment of the Metropolitan Davao Development Authority (MDDA), Malacañang said Thursday.

In a press release, the Palace said Marcos expressed support for the with regional directors as part of the President’s visit to Davao City.

Malacañang has not released details about what was discussed during the meeting as of posting time.

In April this year, former President Rodrigo Duterte signed Republic Act 11708 creating the MDDA, a special body mandated to coordinate and promote the socioeconomic growth and sustainable development of Metropolitan Davao.

It will have jurisdiction over the cities of Davao, Panabo, Tagum, Island Garden in Samal, Digos, and Mati, as well as the municipalities of Sta. Cruz, Hagonoy, Padada, Malalag, Sulop, Carmen, Maco, Malita and Sta. Maria.

Among its services are development planning; transport management; solid waste disposal and sewerage management; urban renewal, zoning, land use planning and shelter services; health and sanitation and public safety.

The MDDA is designated to formulate plans aligned with the Davao Regional Development Plan, Philippine Development Plan 20172022, and succeeding national and regional development plans.

It is also tasked to set policies management and public safety and security for Metropolitan Davao; prepare and implement metropolitan-wide programs and projects; review and recommend policies to the Metropolitan Davao Development Council; install and administer a single ticketing system; and prescribe and collect service and regulatory fees.

National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) Davao regional director Maria Lourdes Lim said the MDDA is currently in its “formative stages.”

She said the law still requires the completion of its implementing rules and regulations; the approval of plantilla for the human resource; and a budget.

To date, she said the Japanese government, through the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), has already approved a grant for the formulation of the master plan for Metropolitan Davao.

A survey team is expected to prepare a masterplan project for Metro Davao next week, she added.

Meanwhile, Marcos also directed Davao’s Regional Development Council (RDC) to convene the Davao International Airport Authority Board (DIAAB) and operationalize programs which aim to address Davao’s urban challenges.

The President said he wanted the council to carry out programs addressing Davao’s urban issues.

Lim said the establishment of the MDDA will institutionalize the rapid organization of the Davao region through strategic and viable

reforms, primarily toward regional cooperation.

Currently, she said the NEDA Davao Region is awaiting feedback from the Department of Budget and Management for the approval of a plan to hire personnel.

The IRR is already being drafted through the RDC and the location of the Metro Davao Development Council will be determined soon.

The Davao International Airport Authority Board, an important vehicle in implementing various projects, encountered delays partly because of the leadership transition. (MNS)

Insurgency-free Davao achievement for all Filipinos -Marcos

President Ferdinand R. Marcos on Thursday welcomed the declaration of Davao region as “insurgency free”, describing it as a “collective victory” in attaining peace and security in the entire country.

Speaking during the relaunch of Davao region as a tourism and investment-ready destination in Panacan, Davao City, Marcos said the insurgency-free declaration proves that “there is no place for extremism and senseless violence anywhere in the Philippines.”

“We must all be proud and happy knowing that the Davao Region has been declared as insurgency-free by the Davao Regional Peace and Order Council. An important day indeed, it is one noteworthy achievement not only for Davaoeños but for every Filipino as well,” he said in his speech.

Marcos said there is no better way to commemorate the eradication of insurgency in Davao than to declare the region as a tourism and investment-ready destination.

“Davao with its very active and vibrant economy, and the businesses who have been leading the way in Mindanao and doing better than the national averages, have always been there. However, we have always had to deal with the security problem that was holding progress back,” he said.

He pointed out that “peace” and “progress go hand in hand”, stressing that both were essential to creating a thriving environment.

that the declaration would serve as a timely platform to boost Davao’s post-pandemic economic growth and leverage the region’s abundant resources and opportunities.

“As Mindanao’s largest economy, the Davao Region will play an important role in this march of the entire country towards prosperity. It must also maintain its stature as a beacon of progress, where many facets of our landscapes and culture will be shared for those who will set foot on this rich land,” he said.

He was also hopeful that achievements made in Davao would be replicated across the country.

“This way, we can reproduce our shared success a hundred-fold, allowing our fellow countrymen prosperity for present and future generations to come,” he added.

Peace efforts

Meanwhile, Marcos lauded the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), particularly the Eastern Mindanao Command for ensuring

the protection and security of Filipinos through civil and military operations.

He also recognized the efforts of local government units (LGUs), national government agencies, and law enforcement authorities for supporting the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed programs that improve the living conditions for all.

“...That whole-of-nation concept that was attached to the NTFELCAC was, I think, what brought us success. Because instead of the rebel returnee or even the only dealing with the military, now they deal with the entire government. And whatever it is that the government can give, that one is what we will give to those who are in need and to take away the against the government,” he said.

“...To those men and women who are part of that very important effort, your patriotism, your the ideals of peace have yielded successful and fruitful results. Now, the people in the region, especially those in geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas, will reap the all of you have been responsible,” he added.

He also emphasized the need to sustain the current whole-of-nation approach to peace development to prevent terrorist and lawless elements from recruiting, regrouping, and regaining power.

“We cannot afford to go back to square one. Thus, I call on our armed forces, government agencies, LGUs, and communities to continue working together to seize the gains in the region and ensure that we will carry this momentum toward the future,” Marcos said.

Bangsamoro normalization milestones on track -- OPAPRU

Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation and Unity (OPAPRU) on Wednesday said the shared responsibility of the Philippine government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) has been the key in ensuring the successful normalization track under the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro (CAB).

OPAPRU executive director Wilben Mayor said the interventions carried out through the Normalization Program, especially those under its socioeconomic component, are the result of the strong collaboration between the government and the MILF.

“Because the peace and order situation is improving in BARMM (Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao), economic activities have already increased. Ito ‘yung mga magagandang nakikita natin (These are the good things that we see) because of the fruits of our labor, both from the national government and the MILF,” he said in a statement.

Mayor said the Bangsamoro people’s quality of life continues to improve, as evidenced by the region's poverty incidence declining

Marcos not convinced 'middleman' in Percy Lapid slay died of natural causes

MANILA -- President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. on Wednesday said he is not convinced the inmate tagged as the middleman in the killing of broadcaster Percy Lapid died of natural causes.

was natural causes," Marcos told reporters in an ambush interview.

"There are ways to kill a person that do not show up in the medico legal, so tuloy-tuloy pa ang imbestigasyon," he added.

middleman as one Jun Villamor, an inmate at the New Bilibid Prison.

The Bureau of Corrections on Villamor's death show "no signs of physical external injuries which probably indicates a natural cause of death or no signs of foul play."

Noted forensic pathologist Dr. Raquel Fortun is set to perform a second and independent autopsy on Villamor's body.

Lapid, whose real name is Percival Mabasa, was shot dead while on his way home in Las Piñas City on October 3.

The existence of Jun Villamor (also reported as Cristito Villamor Palaña) was announced on October 20, the same day he was announced dead.

It was also the same day that Joel Escorial, the self-confessed gunman in the killing, was presented to the media following his surrender to the police.

It was Escorial who bared that he and his cohorts worked with a middleman inside the NBP in killing Lapid.

Percy Lapid killing: Remulla says all persons named by middleman's sister secured

Authorities have secured all the persons mentioned by the sister of Jun Villamor, an alleged middleman in the killing of radio commentator Percy Lapid.

Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin “Boying” Remulla made this disclosure on Wednesday morning, on the sidelines of an activity at the New Bilibid Prison (NBP) in Muntinlupa.

“Ang mahalaga ho sa sister nung Villamor, lahat ng naituro dun ay custody na po. We’ve secured all those possible persons,” he said when asked for updates on the case.

Pressed for a number of those in custody, Remulla said there are “at least 6 of them,” including Villamor's sister alias "Marissa," another relative named Jose who is now in police custody, and an alleged second middleman, Christopher Bacoto, who is still with the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology.

The identity of the 3 others in custody is not yet known.

of those in custody.

While Remulla said 2 to 3 are in police custody and 3 others are with the NBI, Bureau of Corrections General Gregorio Catapang, Jr. said in a separate interview that they have also secured 3 persons inside the NBP. What is clear however is that the police are still looking for the Dimaculangan brothers Israel and Edmond, and a certain Orly, who allegedly accompanied selfconfessed gunman Joel Escorial in killing Lapid outside his subdivision in Las Piñas on October 3.

Remulla said the mastermind

might not be included yet among those in custody.

“Posibleng iba pa. We are looking at all angles. Baka madagdagan pa ng isa mamaya itong in custody. We’re working out everything for the possible angles. I have to be in conference with the NBI about it. I will also speak to the PNP, the investigators of the case. Kakausapin ko rin yung Las Piñas police who are investigating,” he said.

mastermind, based on the messages of her brother before he died on October 18 inside NBP.

“We cannot speculate. I think it’s unfair to speculate. We will…. basta aabutin natin kung san man matutumbok yan, tutumbukin natin,” he explained.

Bantag sees foes' hand in suspension from BuCor Suspended Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) director general Gerald Bantag on Tuesday linked his suspension to individuals who he said have issues against him.

"Alam niyo naman ang dami kong nasagasan. Drug lords — lahat po i-mention na natin. Talagang magpipiyesta talaga sila," Bantag said in a radio interview when asked for a possible reason for his temporary

Bantag was preventively suspended following the death of Jun Villamor, an inmate at the New Bilibid Prison who has been tagged as middleman in the killing of broadcaster Percy Lapid.

He was replaced by BuCor OIC Gregorio Catapang, a former chief of staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines.

According to Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla, President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. wanted Bantag suspended to give way to a “fair and impartial investigation.”

Bantag was also among the 160 persons of interest in the killing of Lapid. The Philippine National Police said these personalities were criticized by the broadcaster in his program.

When asked about this, Bantag said Lapid's criticisms were not true.

“Alam mo, nakita ko rin 'yung parang ano, parang YouTube, pang tawag doon sa programa niya. At ang mga binabanggit naman niya walang katotohanan 'yun,” Bantag said.

PNP 'getting closer' to identifying mastermind in Percy Lapid slay

The Philippine National Police is "getting closer" to identifying the mastermind behind the murder of broadcaster Percival Mabasa, its chief said Tuesday.

"I think the evidence that we are getting are leading us closer po to the mastermind of the case because we already have in our custody Joel Escorial and some information are coming in from the different sectors," PNP chief Gen. Rodolfo Azurin Jr. said. He also said the sister of alleged middleman Cristito Villamor Palaña came forward to the National Bureau of Investigation with crucial information regarding the case. as Crisanto or Jun Villamor. He died at the New Bilibid Prison on the same day that alleged hitman Escorial faced the media and confessed to killing Mabasa.

"We are really getting closer po dun sa goal natin na ma-identify who really ordered the killing of sir Percy Mabasa," Azurin said.

The PNP chief also reiterated that foul play might have been involved in Palaña's death.

"Dahil nga po sa sinabi ko na parang napaka-incidental naman na kung kailan pa kami nag-coordinate sa kanila initially to secure po 'yung supposedly na middleman ay bigla ho namatay," Azurin said.

penitentiary failed to secure Palaña.

"Bakit hindi ho nila sinecure 'yung tao? Ang nangyari, namatay po on the day na ongoing po 'yung press release ng aming DILG (Department of the Interior and Local Government) secretary," Azurin said.

AMLC help sought in money trail probe on Lapid slay case

The Philippine National Police (PNP) on Thursday said it has asked the Anti-Money Laundering Council investigation into Joel Escorial, the self-confessed gunman in the killing of broadcaster Percival Mabasa also known as "Percy Lapid".

PNP spokesperson Col. Jean Fajardo said this came after Escorial were promised PHP550,000 to kill Mabasa.

"We formally requested the investigation because the selfconfessed gunman has already surrendered his passbook and he has also given authorization to check his transactions in his account, so that is what we requested. It may help us trace the people who deposited with him this PHP550,000 that went into his account," Fajardo said in mixed English and Filipino in a television interview.

However, Fajardo said they still have to seek permission from the court to be able to look into other bank accounts that may have been used to transact with Escorial.

"For huge sums of money that were deposited to the account, we Court of Appeals to allow us to get from the respective banks to identify that there was a transaction and it was used to deposit the money in our gunman's account)," Fajardo explained.

In an earlier presser, Escorial said the amount was transferred to his account after killing Mabasa. He later transferred portions of it to other people.

In the same interview, Fajardo said the mobile phones used by Escorial and the one used by the sister of the alleged middleman Cristito Villamor Palaña are now undergoing forensic examination by the PNP Anti-Cybercrime Group (PNP-ACG).

The PNP said the recorded conversations between the persons of interest, as well as the bank transactions that were undertaken with regard to the case, will all be pieced together during the investigation.

Escorial earlier tagged brothers Edmon and Israel Dimaculangan, and a certain Orly, as his companions in the hit job.

Mabasa was gunned down at the gate of a subdivision on Aria Street, Barangay Talon Dos, in Las Piñas City on Oct. 3. (MNS)

SAN DIEGO, CA -- Birthed on October 31st? Well, aren’t you lucky? Some might believe that being born on one of the scariest nights of the year might be a special type of curse. Actually, you can consider yourself blessed especially if you display some of the genuinely wonderful traits of my one-and-only grandson.

Happy sweet 19, Jacob! Happy Halloween!

Nobody wants their birthday to compete with a holiday, especially one where you get free candy and wear fun costumes. It’s easy to understand why friends and family can easily get distracted by holiday festivities instead of giving the birthday honoree the love and attention they deserve.

So what’s one to do with a Halloween Birthday?

I say embrace it!

Let’s take a look at different ways we can incorporate Halloween into birthday celebrations and make a Halloween Birthday special.

In today’s society, grandparents are often separated from their grandchildren by long distances. A senior’s adult children may move away to pursue career opportunities, get married, and begin raising a family far from their childhood home.

Even if grandkids live nearby, school schedules and afterschool activities can keep families moving at a frantic pace. It makes spending time with the older generation tough.

But seniors still play a vital role in shaping young lives. From acting as the family’s historian to being a source of unconditional love and support relationships that cross the generations are important, if I must reiterate it.

New research indicates that when younger generations don’t have enough opportunities to connect with grandparents and other family elders, they are more likely to view aging through a negative lens. They may believe the stereotypes about old age and fear growing older and watching their parents’ age.

Finding ways to help bridge the generation gap is one way to prevent those fears and concerns from taking root in younger family members. Nontraditional holidays like Halloween provide an ideal opportunity to connect and bond across generations.

And that’s why my wife Zeny and I plan to be involved with our grandson Jacob’s 19th birthday celebration comes Halloween night this Monday, October 31st.

We have a few ideas. If Zeny and I can’t be there to shop with Jacob in person for a Halloween costume – perhaps my wife who has good sewing skills could help create Jacob’s costume. And that is just one of our shared thoughts.

“Happy 19! Happy Halloween!”

is what my wife and I will be greeting Jacob when we walk into their house on Monday. It would be funny to hear them both being said together, something no one’s ever done before in our family circle. I guess that it’s accurate though. Our grandson was born on Halloween, and it’s been proven to be quite a good day to have a birthday on. I know other people who have much less fortunate holidays to have birthdays on – take Christmas for example. No one wants to get anyone two presents on the same day, am I right?

I reckon Jacob consider himself lucky – when he was younger, he got to celebrate his birthday and then still go out and get free candy from random people. Jacob have actually been asked quite a few recurring questions about what it’s like to have been born on the spooky day, so here are some answers for all of you!

“Did you tell people that it was your birthday when trick-or-treating to get more candy?”

Actually, I didn’t think that Jacob would do that on his own though I’m sure some would’ve given him extra sweets. My grandson was kind of a shy child and I also thought that he’d sound demanding and rude if he ever told anyone. So, I believe Jacob just never bothered. Never look a gift horse in the mouth, free candy is still free candy.

Ha-ha-ha-ha!

“What’s Jacob’s favorite part about having a Halloween birthday?”

As his Grandpa, here’s what I trust would be his answer –my birthday and remember it!” I say, too that folk who are just my grandson’s acquaintance know his birthday because it’s just such an easy date to learn. Some of his friends know his birthday was on Halloween before they knew the actual date of 10/31 for a while – and they would simply understand.

“What’s Jacob’s least favorite part about having a Halloween birthday?”

His answer – I am optimistic - is something I know others can relate to. You know when stores start putting Christmas decorations up a week before Halloween? Yeah, that. It’s like - can you please wait until it’s over before changing the black cats into reindeer and costumes into fake trees? Also, on a lesser note, Halloween festivities are great, but it’s really hard to plan any birthday parties around them if you don’t do so early on.

“Are there a lot of people whose birthdays are on Halloween? It seems like it.”

Jacob’s gotten this a lot, surprisingly. Once more, I’ll answer this on my grandson’s behalf as I did some serious research on it. I am positive that there are lots of

Halloween babies – I mean, there are only 365 days in a year – it’s bound to happen, right? Juliette Gordon, the founder of the Girl Scouts was born on the 31st of October. Some of the other notable people celebrating Halloween birthdays include former CBS anchorman Dan Rather, actress Deidre Hall, TV show host Jane Pauley, actor Dermot Mulroney, rock musician Larry Mullen, rapper Vanilla Ice, “Lord of the Rings” director Peter Jackson, Filipino-American comedian/actor

Rob Schneider and more. “Do you have really elaborate costumes?”

No doubts about it, that there are few things more enjoyable about parenting than the chance to dress your kid up in a whacky costume and take them door-to-door for others to fuss over. It is peak proud parent feeling. The period of time when you actually get to pick your kid’s costume is actually pretty short, as they begin to develop Big Opinions around toddlerhood. There are a ton

Jesse T. Reyes Filipino Potpourri

Pope Francis’ call for synod to synodality continues to reverberate the important work by the Second Vatican Council or more popularly called Vatican II. The Council was convened in 1962 to reinvent the church for the modern age. Vatican II reforms allowed the Catholic Church to embrace the concepts of human rights, democracy, the freedom of religion, and a recognition of the laity being part of Pilgrim people of God.

Nearly 60 years later, we are still at it. The synodal path that began in 1962 was derailed by internal dissension within the Catholic Church and continues to this day, that the reforms were “too liberal.” Interestingly, the voices coming out of Asia during the current synodal consultations faced post Vatican II – lack of deeper understanding of the Christian faith and perhaps, even failed to form a keener consciousness of the Christian identity and mission.

Although Asian bishops, for

ecumenical council, their collective voices were muted because Vatican II was dominated by European prelates and Western thoughts and ideas, yet reforms were applied globally.

Consequently, Vatican II has not really achieved its impact on the Asian churches as fully envisioned.

In the Philippines where the population share of Catholics grew to where it is now at 80% plus, perhaps the predominantly English-speaking population was easier translating the conciliar documents to the vernacular. This same development could not be said regarding other Asian countries who struggled translating the Latin documents to their native tongue. Still, as a whole, Asian churches were able to transition and had achieved a “full, conscious, and active participation in the liturgical participations.

In the Philippine setting, however, the institution went beyond the intended purpose of Roman authorities by including local cultures into sacramental and liturgical celebrations (i.e., music, garment,

of cute costumes for older “babies” but if you are lucky enough to have a baby in the fall and need an infant Halloween costume, the options for bunting, baby wearing, or stroller costumes are endless.

However, for Jacob…regrettably, the answer is no. He wore the same spider costume for a while since it spider legs. One year he went on blank stares; no matter what, my grandson had the same enthusiasm about Halloween, actually.

Interestingly, the idea behind babies born on Halloween being immune to evil spirits is that

Halloween is when the “line” between the living earth and deathly world is the thinnest, meaning that those born on October 31st likely have some sort of special association or connection with spirits. An article on MSN Lifestyle reported that this immunity to evil spirits lasts the entirety of a Halloween baby’s life. But just remember, for the ultimate Halloween birthday party, you will need an out-of-this world Halloween cake. Luckily, my wife and I have plenty of good ideas for that, too. And with that, a happy Halloween to you all, and thanks for reading! Mabuhay!!

Discerning the synodality path for Filipinos, Part 2

sacred objects, gestures, etc.). Some sacramental celebrations (veneration of the dead, weddings) even included ancestral cult. Devotional cults converted seamlessly from anitos to the European saints that the colonizers brought with them.

The Philippine scenario differed from other geography’s emphasis although they were based on the same conciliar documents. Latin America, for example, was more focused on liberation of the poor and those in the margins from socioeconomic exploitation of the West. The Philippines, on the other hand, focused more on inculturation, fostering the dynamism and expansion of a new post-Vatican II culture while traditions.

Clearly, such focus or approach moved away from the dominant model of mission of the pre-conciliar era. In the context of ecumenism that Vatican II promoted, Filipino Catholics were at war with Muslim Mindanao that continued into modern times. When the Americans came at the end of the Spanish colonization, they introduced a different religion, Protestantism, to “purify” the pagans (Catholics). The Philippines became an extension of the Reformation/Counter-Reformation, a proxy war.

In this context, the dialogue with non-Christian religions happened

clergy leadership involvement in the 2022 Philippine presidential election made it plain that there no such faithful adherence to the concept of ecumenism of Vatican II and the Pope’s synodality call.

Although inherent in the Pastoral Constitution on the Church in the Modern World (Gaudium Et Spes), Chapter IV (Role of the Church in the Modern World), Part II (Some Problems of Special Urgency), subchapter II (The Proper Development of Culture), the Philippine situation could have adopted the provisions of Section 2 (Some Principles for the Proper Development of Culture), the Philippine Vatican II thrust could have focused also on the liberation aspect of it instead of spending more on the inculturation aspects.

In today’s context, it is important to look back to the Asian synod that Pope John Paul II convened in Rom in 1998 as a springboard for what Pope Francis is calling as the Asian Millennium as Asian bishops are gather in Bangkok to determine “What is the Holy Spirit is saying to the churches in Asia?” question posed by the pope.

The 1998 Asian Synod did not produce anything earth shaking but their voice and courage to address the pope in Rome. With boldness, they told the pope that churches in

Asia must be Asian in spirit, for it to survive. Ironically, the synod’s theme was “Jesus Christ the Saviour and His Mission of Love and Service in Asia: “…that they may have life, and have it abundantly” according to John 10:10).

The call for a new ecclesiology presupposed to move focus away from the Church to the reign of God. Meaning, the new mission of the Asian church is not to expand the Church and its institutional structures reach be a better instrument of the reign of God where the reign of justice, peace and love, of which the Church is the seed.

During the Synod of Bishops in 2012 at the Vatican, then Archbishop Luis Antonio Tagle of Manila reminded other bishops that for the church to be a place where people meet God, that “it needs to learn three things from the example of Jesus: humility, respect for others, and silence.”

It is also worth noting what Archbishop Socrates Villegas of Lingayen-Dagupan, said at the same forum when he made an equally strong plea for humility. "Evangelization has been hurt and continues to be impeded by the arrogance of its messengers," Villegas said. "The hierarchy must shun arrogance, hypocrisy and bigotry… and that the Gospel cannot thrive in pride," Villegas said. "When pride seeps into the heart of the church,

the Gospel proclamation is harmed."

Then the 2022 Philippine presidential election happened. After the stinging rebuke at the polls, the newly designated cardinal, Jose Advincula, Archbishop of Manila admitted, “Our local Church is far from being with the Church of the poor that we aspire to be. The Church does not know the poor and the poor do not know the Church.”

Well, he was not alone. Last month, Bishop Pablo Virgilio David of Kalookan, as the CBCP president said during a speech delivered at the Manila Cathedral on the occasion of the 50th anniversary celebration of the Federation of Asian Bishops’ Conferences (FABC), where he said a mouthful. “Many priests and lay leaders have tended to be more welcoming toward the wealthy and the

“We have tended to limit the church involvement of the laity to serving the Church rather than serving society as members of a servant Church,” he continued. Regarding inter-religious ecumenism, he blames the fact that the Philippines is predominantly Catholic, “[It] is precisely the reason why we have the tendency to be less concerned about (dialogue) with other religions.”

There is clearly a lack of synodality not only in the Church but also in the family, culture, society and most certainly, politics. To be continued…

BORN ON HALLOWEEN: WHAT IT’S LIKE TO HAVE A HALLOWEEN BIRTHDAY FOR MY WIFE AND I’s ONE-AND-ONLY GRANDSON?

Spiritual Life

Honoring God with our body

Last Sunday, our Bible Study focused on 1 Corinthians 6:19: “Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own, you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body.”

If everyone know and believe that their bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, then there will be less sickness, less immorality, and less violence in our society. We will be more mindful of our behavior and the actions we take in taking care of ourselves and our relationships. We will be living a healthy lifestyle to prevent the many debilitating diseases that affects us – diabetes, heart disease, stroke, cancer to name a few. We will be living a healthier and happier life and place.

University of the Philippines was on physical education and health education. Then I moved on to pursue public health and health education. Hence, I spent more preventing disease, and prolonging life through organized community

career, having worked at various levels in the government, in the academe, and in the church. My work always made me conscious Health Organization (WHO) as the “state of physical, mental, emotional, and social well-being,

Cudal-Rivera

Personal Testimony

and not only the absence of disease

Praise God for giving me the of public health. I have helped people assume responsibility for their own health through relevant educational approaches and counseling techniques. I’ve opened the doors for the less fortunate to access health and social services.

I’ve encouraged people to stop smoking, to eat nutritious foods and to modify their negative life style and high risk behaviors.

I could not forget the time when as the Senior Health Education Adviser of the Philippines’ Department of Health, I wrote on behalf of the Secretary of Health a policy statement which made it imperative for government doctors to modify their smoking habits. Doctors should not smoke while attending to their patients. Then, I partnered with the Manila Sanitarium (a Seventh Day Adventist medical institution) in developing a Smoking Cessation

Program for health workers.

When I was the President of the Board of Women’s Work of the Philippines Central Conference of the United Methodist Church, I also spearheaded what I dubbed as “Alternative Nutrition Program”, espousing a healthy vegetarian diet, with the help of Dr. Rudy Imperio, a classmate at the Institute of Public Health’s doctoral program.

These experiences strengthened my will to pursue a healthy life style conscious of the fact that my body is the temple of the Holy Spirit. I will soon be an octogenarian. I am still up and about, still doing volunteer work, still actively engaged in planning and organizing community events. My primary physician said that I am in good health as shown by the results of my annual medical check-up.

Thank you, God for allowing me to start a meaningful year and for reminding me that my body is the temple of the Holy Spirit which I received from you.

I want to leave an impact for Christ

In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: It is more blessed to give than to receive. (Acts 20:35)

When you've departed this earth, what do you want to be remembered for? What do you want to leave behind? If you're should not be wealth or how you scored by the standards of the glitter and glamour of the world. What really counts is the legacy you leave that impacts future generations for Christ.

Nobody who leaves a great told us that it is more blessed to give than to receive. The world preaches a different message, but if you understand your eternal inheritance, you will be more generous with your earthly inheritance. Your life will be about serving others with your time, talents and treasures. He wants us to invest in others for

Danny Hernaez

From Whom All Blessings Flow

His and their sake.

At the beginning of a new year, people make all kinds of resolutions. What if your goals became steps to building your legacy? Have you decided exactly what kind of legacy you want to leave behind?

Lord, I want to leave an impact for Christ with the footprints of my life. Help me to grow and to shine by living by Your word this year. May the world I leave be a better place because I was here. Amen.

Lord Jesus Christ, how we thank you for your willingness to give up so much to become human. Thank you for your choice to become poor so that

dealerships.

because she could not understand English. “I remember I got frustrated with myself,” she said.

we might be rich in you. You know, Lord, how easy it is for me to receive your blessings, but then hold onto them. Help me to be a person who imitates your act of generous giving. As I

from you, may I share them freely with others. As I have been gifted by your Spirit, may I serve people in your church and in the world. As I have received the outpouring of your love, may I love others in my life: at work, at home, at church, and wherever I might be. Help me this very day, Lord, to be rich in you by giving away your blessings to others. Amen.

in Ordinary Time. We had a very enlightening gospel message last Sunday that focused on the need to be humble whenever we pray. Through parable mentioned by St. Luke we are reminded that we do not really need to inform God about ourselves and our achievements in life, but we should rather humbly acknowledge our sinfulness and seek for his divine mercy and forgiveness. Today’s readings elaborate on the theme of God’s mercy and the concrete example of being humble, especially in the story of Zacchaeus. This story reminds us of something which is very often overlooked: Jesus is the embodiment of God’s compassion and love for sinners. He is the lover of souls who came to look for the lost; to save sinners and not condemn them. Jesus is beautifully described in our First Reading as one who “overlooks our sins and ignorance, giving us space that we might repent and not perish in our sinfulness.” We sing praise to him in our Psalm” “He is slow to anger and compassionate towards all he had made.”

The gospel today tells us about the story of Zacchaeus who, due to his profession, was considered a lost soul. He is a tax collector and as such considered as a public sinner and excluded from the Jewish religious and social community. Besides being a chief tax collector, he is a rich man who apparently

gained his living through fraud. Nevertheless, the faith of Zacchaeus brings salvation to his house. Here he expresses his faith in his fervent desire to “see” Jesus, even humbling himself so as to climb a tree in order to watch him pass by. While those of loftier religious stature in the Jewish society of the time react to Jesus with grumbling and complaints, Zacchaeus receives him with joy and contrition and promise of retribution. Zacchaeus appears different from the other rich men whom Jesus meets not is he like those whom Jesus often speaks about. He repents, vowing to make restitution to those he has cheated and to give half of his money to the poor. By his humility, he is exalted and made worthy to welcome Jesus into his home. By his faith, he is descendant of Abraham. Just as what we heard in last Sunday’s gospel reading, Jesus is again using a tax collector to show us the kind of faith and the virtue of humility

that we need to develop in order to obtain salvation.

As sinners, we should be initially attracted by the Good News of God’s compassion and love. And as we step into this joyful truth, we could be disposed to keep the norms of sanctity and discover with great joy that those norms are actually the true path to happiness. However, we cannot realize this while we are still blinded by sin.

unconditional love for us. When steps towards conversion. But this demands both courage and humility tree in order to watch Jesus pass by. And when Jesus looked up and saw Zacchaeus on the tree, he did not see a sinful man but a humble man who was willing to do everything and even give up what he owned and generous enough to part with his wealth in order to make amends for his past dishonest life. We are also called to see Jesus daily with repentant hearts. And what a wonderful occasion to evaluate our own lives and see how far or close we are to Jesus, what are the possession we need to part in order to follow him with love and true devotion as we are now close to the end of the year of faith. Let us pray with St. Paul who said in the second reading “our God will make his power every good resolve and work of faith.”

through an email from his university.

“It helped me focus on my education while helping me pay for my college,” he said.

Alani will be working with K-12 students in San Diego, saying he hopes to have the kind of impact on students that his own teachers have had on his life. “I really hope to do the same,” he said.

undocumented student who came to California with her parents and two older sisters when she was a child.

how her family worked seven days a week from four in the morning until eleven at night washing cars at auto

It’s an experience that drew her to joining the College Corps, which has given her the opportunity to connect with students who are also facing barriers to education due to language.

She said the experience makes it feel very personal. “It’s very rare when an opportunity like this is available to our AB-540 students,” she noted, in reference to Dreamers.

Lizola is studying to be a Pediatric Nurse at Sacramento State University.

It was there at a workshop where she applied for the program. She was shocked by the amount of student interest and seeing the response across the state makes her feel very

lucky to be a part of the program.

“It felt like a miracle, it was just able to cover everything that I needed,” she said. She does not have to pay anything out of pocket. Alani also stated that he was able to pay all

students to apply for this program,” Lizola said.

Applications for the 2022-2023 school year have closed. Students

applications re-open for the 20232024 school year. Student interested in getting started in volunteer opportunities sooner can register with the #CaliforniansForAllmailinglist which provides regular updates on service opportunities in your community.

top of our recovery, my dream is to reintroduce the Philippines to the world)," Marcos said.

Marcos to Pinoys: It’s time to return to pre-pandemic life President Ferdinand R. Marcos on Sunday enjoined Filipinos to get back to their normal lives before the Covid-19 pandemic hit, stressing that it is crucial to show the world that the Philippines is slowly getting back on its feet.

“It is a good thing to remind people that the pandemic may have been through the wringer. But we are back,” Marcos said in a speech in Bacolod City during a luncheon just before he graced the culminating activity of the 43rd MassKara Festival.

“The pandemic is fading away. We are learning to manage it and now it is time for us to all go back to work, to all go back to our normal lives, to remind ourselves of all the opportunities that were before us before the pandemic… It is time for us to go back to all of those endeavors that we were undertaking before Covid hit,” he added.

Marcos said the MassKara Festival signaled not just the opening of Bacolod City to tourists, but also the entire country.

“It is time for us to go back and exercise once again, show once again the Filipino resilience, the Filipino resourcefulness, the Filipino industry, the Filipino talent, ipakita naman natin sa buong mundo dahil nagbubukas ang mundo, dahil nagbubukas ang Pilipinas, ito ngayon ang MassKara Festival ay isang pagdiriwang hindi

lamang sa pagbubukas ng Bacolod kung hindi sa buong Pilipinas (let us show the world because the Philippines is now open, this is the MassKara festival which is a celebration of the opening of Bacolod but of the entire Philippines),” he said.

Despite the festival being borne out of “a very sad period in the history of Bacolod”, the President said it also symbolizes Filipinos’ “reemergence from a crisis.”

“..That is what we celebrate today and that is what we see that people are feeling and that is the feeling that we want to continue to encourage within our people because that is what’s going to lead us to success,” he said.

Marcos also congratulated Bacolod City Mayor Albee Benitez and event organizers for a successful holding of the festival.

Founded in October 1980 by the late Bacolod City Mayor Jose “Digoy” Montalvo Jr., the MassKara Festival

tragedies that befell Negrenses–the collapse of sugar prices in the international market and the sinking of the Negros Navigation ship M/V Don Juan.

During the sugar crisis, artists thought of promoting mask-making as an alternative source of income for the locals. Montalvo likewise suggested holding a mask festival to lift the spirits of the locals after the maritime accident that killed his wife, two daughters, and hundreds of Bacolod residents.

MassKara is derived from the words “mass” meaning “many” and “kara” meaning “faces,” thus calling it the Festival of Many Faces.

face-to-face event after two years of being suspended due to the pandemic.

Before gracing the culminating activities of the MassKara Festival, Marcos attended the inauguration of The Upper East and the unveiling of the township marker in Bacolod City.

Marcos Jr. to issue EO lifting mandatory wearing of face masks in indoor spaces

The Philippines is planning to lift the mandatory wearing of face masks in indoor spaces amid the lingering COVID-19 pandemic, Tourism Secretary Christina Frasco said Tuesday.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. will soon issue an executive order “to make the indoor wearing of face masks also voluntary all over the Philippines with a few exceptions,” Frasco told Palace reporters in a press conference.

”The overarching direction of the Marcos administration is to allow our country to convey to the world that we are ready to receive tourists and investments,” she said.

“We simply cannot go on in a pandemic perspective. We need to give our country an opportunity to thrive,” she added.

Data from the Inter-Agency Task Force on COVID-19 showed that “since September, there has been a decrease in COVID-19 cases by 2.8 percent,” Frasco said.

“The lifting of the mask mandate [in outdoor spaces] in no way led to any surges in any parts of the country,” she said.

Marcos earlier said that the Philippines would make use of tourism as one of the country's key economic drivers after the COVID-19 pandemic. (MNS)

elderhood.”

Diego County’s regional vision and framework for supporting healthy aging for people of all ages and ensuring the needs of older adults are met when it comes to care and support, affordable housing, accessible transportation and opportunity to work and volunteer.

efforts, in August of this year, San

the nation where every eligible nonmilitary hospital has earned geriatric emergency department (GED) accreditation from the American College of Emergency Physicians.

On the current regional efforts toward the Aging Roadmap, Macchione commented, “from transforming emergency departments and primary care clinics to building out behavioral health’s continuum of care and integrating experts on aging in our day-to-day work, the entire region is on its way to making San Diego County the national model for

will work closely with County Aging & Independence Services and support all HHSA departments serving older adults. The CGO will advance the County’s Aging Roadmap by helping to improve coordination of health and social services, and working with local physicians to improve the detection, diagnosis and management of Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias.

Dr. Lindsey Yourman begins her new position on November 4, 2022.

SD City College Receives $2M Grant to Support Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander Students

San Diego City College has been awarded a $2 million Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institutions (AANAPISI) grant funded by the U.S. Department of Education. The grant, which will provide $400,000 a year over the next five years, will fund the Including City Achievement Network or ICAN program and enable the college to improve and expand its capacity to serve Asian American, Native American Pacific Islander students, and low-income individuals.

“Becoming an AANAPISI makes City College a minorityserving institution, a Hispanicserving institution, and now an Asian American and Native American Pacific Islanderserving institution,” said Kirin Macapugay, associate professor of Social Work. “This will give us the opportunity to strengthen our commitment to educate and empower our long underresourced communities, the communities our own faculty and

Filipino student Algeno Camilo soldering guitar electronics in City College’s Manufacturing Engineering Technology Program.

San Diego City College video b-roll: https://youtube.com/playlist ?list=PLdiiT1_9sLBKDJUeFdbst416ASuYXEVq

San Diego City College logos for download: https://www.sdcity.edu/ about/communications/logos.aspx

staff come from and care for.”

San Diego City College serves more than 25,000 students annually with 13% of students identifying as Asian American or Native American Pacific Islander.

“We are so excited to be the recipient of the Title III, Part A, AANAPISI grant,” said Masahiro Omae, Ph.D., dean of Behavioral and Social Sciences, and Consumer and Family Studies. “We are certain that this grant will further strengthen our commitment to providing additional learning opportunities for our Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander students.”

In 2021, Mesa College was awarded a $1.5 million AANAPISI grant. Mesa’s AANAPISI project, “Equity, Empathy & Excellence: Uplifting and Transforming Campus Culture through a Kapwa Lens,” is a multipronged, evidence-based effort designed to reduce equity gaps and increase the academic success, retention, graduation, and transfer rates.

Festival of

BY ELAINE ALFARO

Prayer to Saint Expedite

May the intercession of

Amen.

We supplicate Thee,

St

San Diego Area Walmart Supercenters

The San Diego Union Tribune in cooperation with SDSU School of Journalism & Media Studies, KPBS and Voice of San Diego present the Inaguaral Festival of Journalism at the Tula Community Center at SDSU on October 15, 2022. Top photo shows the panelists

Importance

Bommunity Journalism,

right Cheryl Morrow

of the San Diego

from 52.6 percent in 2018 to 29.8 percent in 2021, based on data from the Philippine Statistics Authority.

“Because of the improved peace in the BARMM, maraming (there are a lot of) economic activities at prospects. No less than Budget Secretary Benjamin Diokno said that there is a bright future in Mindanao,” he added.

He also cited the increased complementation between the GPH and the MILF’s various peace mechanisms, which have resulted in more effective program implementation on the ground.

“These mechanisms are composed of national government representatives, as well as the (those coming from the) MILF. Any decision that will be brought up by these mechanisms is a collective decision,” Mayor said.

He said there should always be an agreement between the government and the MILF before

these programs are implemented.

Another testament to the strong partnership between the GPH and the MILF is the ongoing decommissioning process of MILF combatants, which is among the key provisions of the Annex on Normalization of the CAB.

As of Oct. 24, a total of 23,985 MILF members have been decommissioned or nearly PHP2.4 billion in transitional cash assistance provided to them.

of the other socio economic projects worth nearly PHP750 million, which these former combatants stand to receive from the government such as social protection, capacity development, livelihood and employment assistance, and smallscale infrastructure programs.

A total of PHP3.1 billion funds which have been pooled from the national government and various international donor agencies have been earmarked for socio-economic programs for the decommissioned combatants, their families, and communities.

OPAPRU chief Carlito Galvez Jr. said the implementation of the socio-economic development aspect of the normalization track is crucial to the Bangsamoro peace process, as they aim to uplift the lives of former combatants and their families.

“We are optimistic that the funding requirements for the socioeconomic programs will be met in the succeeding years, as member-agencies of the InterCabinet Cluster Mechanism on Normalization’s socioeconomic sub-cluster are gearing up towards the inclusion of normalization in its regular programs,” he added.

“The work for the normalization track, as well as the political track, is a shared commitment and effort.

I urge our MILF counterparts to continue working with us to fast-track the implementation of our programs so that we can successfully transform the lives of our MILF brothers and sisters and bring sustainable peace and development to their communities,” Galvez said. (MNS)

Conversation with Marites D. Vitug

A leading Filipina investigative journalist and UCSD Fellow

BY JOE GARBANZOS

NATIONAL CITY, CA -- Women have always played outsize roles in national affairs and family matters in the Philippines. The Philippines, also known for women of beauty and grace, has an uncelebrated history of consequential women leaders. Marites Danguilan Vitug - because of her fearless and acclaimed journalistic work - belongs to a storied class of consequential Filipina women. You may have a rare opportunity to meet and engage Ms. Vitug in-person. Filipino Press is sponsoring a meet/ greet conversation with Ms. Vitug on Nov. 11 at 6PM in San Diego. Seats are limited. If you wish to attend please reserve a seat; you may reach out for details to susands4@yahoo.com

UCSD Fellow

Marites Danguilan Vitug is a University of the Philippines graduate and a visiting fellow at the University Fellows Program. In announcing her 2022 fellowship, UCSD recognizes her achievement - “a leading Filipino investigative journalist and author, editor-at-large of Rappler and chair emeritus of the Journalism for Nation Building Foundation. She was editor of Newsbreak magazine, a trailblazer in Philippine investigative journalism.” This is high praises from UCSD. For Fellows Program https://ccgt.ucsd.edu/ fellows/index.html

Trailblazing Publications

Ms. Vitug is known for her original and well-researched work. UCSD mentions many of her trailblazing publications. “Her books include “Rock Solid: How the Philippines Won its Maritime Case against China;” “Shadow of Doubt: Probing the Supreme Court,” which exposed critical weaknesses in the country’s highest court; “Power from the Forest: The Politics of Logging”; and “Under the Crescent Moon: Rebellion in Mindanao” with Glenda M. Gloria” These books are celebrated for incisive reporting and compelling narrative. Her work is big news in the Philippines. Ms. Vitug is a fearless writer.

Honor and Excellence Ms. Vitug embodies the noble aspirations of her Alma Materthe University of the Philippines. She completed her degree in A.B. Broadcast Communication at the University of the Philippines. She continues to pursue lifetime learning that have taken her to top learning

institutions in the world.

Her educational pedigree includes a diploma in world politics from the London School of Economics; a Nieman fellow at Harvard University and a recipient of distinguished fellowships from the Australian National University, University of Kyoto and the National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies in Tokyo.

Continuing Passion

Ms. Vitug brings the rigor of facts-based research to her Leadership Fellows Program, in awarding the fellowship, gave credit to her passion and discipline. She has won the National Book Award and various awards for reporting on Philippine justice, security and political affairs, including the Courage in Journalism Award from the US-based International Women’s Media Foundation.

Ms. Vitug hosts a series of podcasts, “The Great Asian Pushback,” which featured personalities who shared their countries where democracy is under threat, produced by the Council of Asian Liberals and Democrats.

She also sits on the advisory board of Analyzing War, a U.S.-based journal.

For inquiries and more details on the meet/greet event on Nov. 11th you may also reach out to joe garbanzos j3garb@gmail.