The Filipino Press: August 12-18, 2022

MANILA -- United States (US)

Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Saturday assured President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. that the US would honor its decades-old commitment to the 1951 Mutual Defense Treaty (MDT).

Blinken made the assurance after he paid a courtesy call on the President at Malacañang Palace to strengthen the ties between the two countries."We’re committed to the Mutual Defense Treaty. We’re committed to working with you on shared challenges," Blinken said. “What’s so striking to me, Mr. President, is that (we’re) working together on bilateral relations between us, we’re working together in the region, and increasingly, we’re working globally.”

Signed on Aug. 30, 1951, the MDT is an accord that stipulates that the Philippines and the US would support each other if either of them were to be attacked by an external party.

Marcos, meanwhile, said the 70-year-old joint defense pact is in "constant evolution."

"The Mutual Defense Treaty is in constant evolution. I’d like to think of it,” Marcos said. “As I spoke with your Ambassador sometime when she came, is that we cannot, we can no longer isolate one part of our relationship from the other. We are too closely tied because of the special relationship between the US and the Philippines, and the history that we share.”Healso recognized the assistance and support the Philippines has received from the US over the years, noting that it could no longer be

"categorized as one thing or another because they cover such a large scope.”Ina statement, Press Secretary Trixie Cruz-Angeles said apart from defense and security cooperation, the President and Blinken also talked about other issues that include

By Jennie Manrique/eMS

LOS ANGELES, CA -- She identifies as African American, Mexican, and Puerto Rican. He is Korean American but didn’t speak English until he was school age. They met and got married in Los Angeles and had four children who they are “raising intentionally” in a multicultural, multiracial, and multilingual home.

At a time of increased political polarization and racial tension, Sonia and Richard Kang’s story offers an alternative narrative that is increasingly becoming the norm in the United States.“Imet Richard and we have children who are multiracial and I’m thinking: how are we going to make this better for them,” said Sonia, whose father is African American and whose mother is Mexican.“Growing up I just always knew I didn’t fit in very well,” she recalled of her upbringing in the 80s in Hawaii and LA, a time when blond hair, blue eyes, and big waves were the standard. “I was darker skinned and had tight curly hair. I had the surname Smith in a predominantly Latino area in school but spoke Spanish. So I always stuck out.”It was the same for Richard, Sonia’s husband. “I could tell there was something different about our family,” he says of his childhood growing up as a Korean speaker in a predominantly whiteTheneighborhood.coupleshared their experience during an August 5 media briefing organized by Ethnic Media Services looking at the rise in inter racial

marriages amid a backdrop of increasing hate crimes and deepening political polarization.

Data from the 2020 census shows that “mixed race” is the fastest growing category under racial identity, and according to the Pew Research Center, about 17% of new marriages are interracial couples. All of that comes as cities nationwide saw a significant surge in racially motivated attacks during the Covid 19 pandemic, rattling communities and contributing to growing

Accordingtensions.to Justin Gest, associate professor at George Mason University’s Schar School of Policy and Government, the rise in interracial marriages offers a counter to the increasing “separation, polarization and some of the violence that we’re seeing in our country.”

Gest, author of the 2022 book “Majority Minority,” which looks at societies where dominant religious or racial groups lost their numerical advantage, says families like the Kangs are a “powerful way for people to

renewable energy, climate change mitigation, agriculture, food security, and the coronavirus disease 2019.

Cruz-Angeles said Blinken also hailed Filipino nurses in the US, calling them "angels who are caring in so many ways."

Among those present in the meeting

were US Ambassador MaryKay Loss Carlson, Assistant Secretary for East Asian and Pacific Affairs Daniel Kritenbrink, Director of the Secretary of State's Policy Planning Staff Salman Ahmed, Spokesperson Ned Price, Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy Thomas Sullivan, and Political

Counselor Brett Blackshaw.

The US Secretary of State also had a meeting with Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo on Saturday.

This is Blinken's first trip to the country since assuming office in January 2021.

It followed the official visit of Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman, the State Department’s second-highest official, in June.

Marcos: Pelosi visit to Taiwan doesn't fire up US-China tension President Bongbong Marcos said Saturday that the controversial visit of United States House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to Taiwan may not have aggravated the strained US-China relations, but only demonstrated the brewing tension between the two superpowers.DuringUS Secretary of State Antony Blinken's courtesy call in Malacañang on Saturday, Marcos said: “I do not think, to be perfectly candid, I did not think it raised the intensity [of the tension], it just demonstrated it — how the intensity of that conflict has been.”

“It actually has been at that level for a good while, but we got used to it and put it aside,” the President said.

Pelosi, the highest-profile elected US official to visit the Taiwan in 25 years, ended her visit on Wednesday and pledged solidarity and hailed the self-ruled island nation’s democracy. Her visit angered China, which has been claiming Taiwan as a breakaway province. Beijing has vowed to seize the island-nation one day, by force if necessary.China announced it would hold live-fire military drills in the Taiwan Strait in response to Pelosi's visit, the US Navy's Seventh Fleet said the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier Ronald Reagan was operating in the Diego’s Filipino Community An Award-Winning Newspaper

overcome the divisive politics that take place in societies undergoing a lot of demographic change.”

That includes the US, where demographers predict that by 2045 non-Hispanic whites will no longer be the “Whenmajority.people are intermarrying, it basically disarms the politics of polarization and division,” Gest notes. “These relationships blur those boundaries. They don’t allow politicians and others to use fear mongering to divide us.”

Interracial marriages were prohibited in the US until the 1967 Supreme Court decision Loving vs. Virginia. Between 2010 and 2020, the number of interracial unions jumped threefold, according to census data.

The most common unions are white and Asian, and white and Latino, with only 20% of all interracial couples being between two nonwhite partners. California is the leader when it comes to the number of interracial marriages,

MANILA -- Press Secretary Trixie Cruz-Angeles on Tuesday called on Filipinos to take time to learn more about the important role of indigenous peoples (IPs) in promoting Philippine culture and identity.

She made this call as the Office of the Press Secretary joins the country in celebrating National Indigenous PeoplesCruz-AngelesDay. described the event as an opportunity to honor IPs and other ethnic groups in the country and around the “Itoworld.rin ay pagkakataon upang alamin at kilalanin ang mahalagang papel ng mga katutubo sa pagtaguyod sa mga kaalaman at kultura na bahagi ng ating pang-araw-araw na buhay sa kasalukuyan (This is also an opportunity to learn and recognize the important role of indigenous people in promoting the knowledge and culture that are part of our daily lives today),” she said in a Facebook post.

She specifically mentioned the valuable contributions made by indigenous women in their communities.“Bahaginito ang mga mahahalagang aral at kaalaman mula sa mga babaeng katutubo na nagsilbing pundasyon at nagpakita sa lipunan ng mahalagang papel ng mga babae sa pangangalaga ng pamilya, lipunan, at bansa (Part of this are important lessons and knowledge from indigenous women who served as the foundation and showed society the important role of women in the care of the family, society, and country),” she added. National Indigenous Peoples Day is celebrated as a special working holiday in the Philippines every August

9 following the passage of Republic Act (RA) No. 10689.

The United Nations (UN) General Assembly decided on December 23, 1994 that the International Day of the World’s Indigenous People will be observed on August 9 every year.

The date marks the day of the first meeting of the UN Working Group on Indigenous Populations in 1982.

This year’s celebration carries the theme “The Role of Indigenous Women

their communities as breadwinners, caretakers, knowledge keepers, leaders and human rights defenders, they often suffer from intersecting levels of discrimination on the basis of gender, class, ethnicity and socioeconomic status.Their right to self-determination, self-governance and control of resources and ancestral lands have been violated over centuries.

“Small but significant progress has

in the Preservation and Transmission of TraditionalAccordingKnowledge.”totheUN, indigenous women have an integral collective and community role as carers of natural resources and keepers of scientific knowledge.“Manyindigenous women are also taking the lead in the defense of lands and territories and advocating for indigenous peoples’ collective rights worldwide,” the UN said.

However, despite the crucial role that indigenous women play in

been made by indigenous women in decision-making processes in some communities. They are leaders at local and national levels, and stand at the frontlines of defending their lands, their cultures, and their communities. The reality, however, remains that indigenous women are widely underrepresented, disproportionately negatively affected by decisions made on their behalf, and are too frequently the victims of multiple expressions of discrimination and violence,” the UN added. (MNS)

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. meets with United States Secretary of State Antony Blinken in Malacanang on Saturday. Marcos said they discussed several topics like mitigating climate change and the country's drug problem. (MNS photo)

Samahan features indigenous culture & dance at Balboa Park

By Francine Maigue

“Just how much should a person be pampered?”Ibelievein taking the time to pamper yourself everyday. After all, if we don’t take good care of ourselves, we can’t expect anybody else to. With that said, my idea of “pampering” is one that fits our current time and economic state. Our recession forced us to reprioritize, and thus redefined what it means to be “pampered.”

With a shift in perspective, resources, and financial stability, I found it appropriate to develop a Pampered Pinay Lifestyle that encompasses a level of self-respect and encourages balance.ThePampered Pinay Lifestyle is about treating yourself well--without guilt or remorse. All too often we take such good care of others but forget to do the same for our own mind, body, and resources. I believe that with the right tools and daily commitment, we can all find the satisfaction that we not only desire, but rightfully deserve.

Sure, you could pamper yourself with lavish, expensive, material belongings…but The Pampered Pinay Lifestyle is so much more…

The Pampered Pinay Lifestyle is about recognizing the infinite value of your health, your relationships, your time, your talents—your potential for greatness… It’s about a positive quality of life that celebrates what it means to be uniquely you, one day at a time.

My pampered friends, this week I share with you three of my daily blog posts from my official website, thepamperedpinay.com, each of which deal with pampering your health, wealth, and well-being. Cheers to enjoying The Pampered Pinay Lifestyle!Pamper your weekend couch potato. Substitute the usual (calorie-laden) suspects with healthful, flavorful, equally snackable options.

Current fave: Homemade Kale

ChipsWash and dry fresh kale. Remove kale leaves from stems, and tear leaves into chip-sized pieces. (Dispose the hard stems, or save them for your next soup stock.) Spritz kale with olive oil

At-Home-SpaKaleHappyPiggy

spray and a light sprinkling of salt or low-sodium soy sauce. Bake on a cookie sheet for about 10 minutes at 350 degrees (or until the edges are a light brown), and presto! Mmm… mmm…mmm… Indulge in a whole bowl of kale chips or settle for a couple of potato chips for the same amount of calories? Tell those potato chips to take a hike, so you don’t have to!

Bonus Tip: Want to add a little tang to your chips? Grate a little lemon zest on top of the kale before baking. Enjoy! Pamper your body after enduring the Monday madness. Have a MASSAGE exchange.Don’tlet a case of the Monday’s get you down. Start off the work week in a rejuvenating way. Take some time at night to relax and reflect. Why wait ’til Friday to treat yourself well? Personally, I tend to get my best ideas when I allow myself to escape, indulge,

and brainstorm…while receiving a massage early in the week. I hope it works for you, too!

Bonus Tips:

* Combine equal parts brown sugar, olive oil, and raw oats for an exfoliating scrub. Apply the mixture with slow, circular, soft massage strokes. Wipe off the sugar mixture with a warm, damp washcloth.*Mash up an avocado with a little milk for a moisturizing body masque. Apply the avocado mixture with slow, deeper, longer massage strokes. Leave the masque on for a few minutes. Wipe off the avocado mixture with another warm, damp washcloth.

* Don’t forget your favorite “happy place” playlist…For starters, I recommend “Slow Me Down” by Emmy Rossum and just about any song by Malika Ayane.

Take some deep breaths…Enjoy… You deserve it.

What are some of your favorite “let me escape the world for a moment” rituals, my pampered friends?

Pamper your end-of-the-year financial goals and plans…beginning today. If you are able to save just $3.50 everyday, from today ’til the end of the year, you'll a good amount to ring in the New Year with. So…what are your goals, hopes, and plans, my pampered friends? A holiday trip…a fancy gift… paying off debt by the time the New Year starts? Put that piggy bank to good use…every lil bit really does add up.

HowCha-ching!would YOU pamper yourself with your moneies saved, my pampered friends?

with Hawaii a close second.

And according to Allison SkinnerDorkenoo, assistant professor of Behavioral and Brain Sciences & Social Psychology at the University of Georgia, there has been a “great increase” in media representation of interracial couples, which correlates with data showing 94% of Americans approving of such unions.

But, Skinner-Dorkenoo adds, there is still a lingering bias toward same race marriages in many families, including Richard’s.“Iwas going to marry Sonia no matter what,” he says, describing his parents’ initial rejection of his soon-tobe wife. It was only after his father fell ill, and then after his parents met their grandchildren, “that they really opened their hearts to us.”

The couple decided early on to raise their children in a multi-lingual house. “We’ve called it ‘culture proofing our home,’ to safeguard their identity,” Sonia said. “We made sure that we brought in products, books, and movies, all that look like our family in an authentic way.”

Sonia, president of the non-profit Multicultural Families of Southern California, created a children’s clothing business named Mixed-Up Clothing, with the intention to use fashion as a vehicle to talk about issues of culture, diversity, and inclusion.

“I knew there was something in clothing that brings in this sense of self, and I wanted to duplicate that feeling,” she said. “The fact that folks are getting it and taking the time to see that there’s beauty in diversity has really helped to steer the conversation.”

Happy 17th Year Anniversary to Amy and Rizza's Hair Salon, Happy joint birthday celeb to Mrs. Cudal and Ms. Dirige. Hats off to Bella Carreon for her creative talents.

Sonia and Richard Kang

Francine

Rotary Club Sweetwater San Diego fetes Open House on August 30

NATIONAL CITY, CA - Marissa de Luna, president of the Rotary Club Sweetwater of San Diego and her officers/ board of directors would like to share the news that they are having an Open House on August 30, 2022 with Chuck Pretto as special guest speaker. Pretto is the District Director of Rotary International encompassing the entire San Diego region. In his other life, Chuck and his wife, Kim Kobey, run Kobey's Swap Meet, San Diego’s largest open-air market. Kobey's recently celebrated its 47th year in business.

A lifelong San Diegan, Chuck has all three of his degrees from the University of San Diego, including his MBA and JD, and he and Kim are currently empty-nesters living in Mission Beach. Chuck has long been active in area community organizations and has served on numerous boards, including the San Diego Red Cross, the San Diego Crime Victims fund, the San Diego Community College Foundation Board, and was President of the Business Improvement Association for the Sports Arena area for 10 years. He also served as President of the National Flea Market Association his industry’s premier organization. But today Rotary is his passion, and the primary focus of his year as District Governor is shedding the light on and attacking the adolescent mental health crisis that is gripping

not only our San Diego region, but the entire Marissacountry.deLuna, a dynamic leader in the Fil-Am community is passionate in extending help for those who are in need of resources. Rotary is just the latest manifestation of her commitment to volunteer service wherever she has lived, including at one time teaching computer skills to women in domestic violence shelters.

In her other life she is an Independent Insurance Agent and award-winning Mobile Notary with an MBA who is an avid bowler and ran 57 Half Marathons on every continent and in every state and the District of Columbia in just 10 months to celebrate her turning 50!

A native of the Philippines, Marissa moved to the U.S. in the

late 1980’s – first to New York City and then to the San Diego area. She is married to Tracy Sundlun, Co-Founder of the Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon Series, and they live in Santee with her 41-year-old son who is physically and mentally challenged, and their chihuahua, Lilo.

Please, join Marissa, Chuck and the rest of the members of the Rotary Club of Sweetwater San Diego on Tuesday, August 30 at 7:00pm at the International House of Pancakes (IHOP), 1430 E. Plaza Blvd., National City. Chuck Pretto will lead the discussion about the San Diego region’s current adolescent mental health crisis and what can be done about it. For more info or to reserve your spot call (619)7261962.

WEAREVERYONE,SAFESTAYYOURMASK,WASHHANDSOFTEN

REO Brothers of Tacloban Band visits Gerry's Grill for Sumptuous Lunch

Pictured above are the members of the REO Brothers as they paid a courtesy visit and enjoyed a sumptuous lunch at popular Gerry's Grill located at the Plaza Bonita Mall in National City, a day prior to their Sold Out Concert at Sycuan Casino. Noel Arangorin, branch manager and lead staff Mariel are delighted to serve the band, entourage and staff of Amor Yu Productions. Noel also happily shared that aside from offering house specials like bulalo, crispy pata, pork sisig and kare-kare, Gerry's now offers nightly entertainment from Tuesday-Thursday with live acoustic players, Live full band on Fridays and Saturdays. Private function rooms for special events are available for up to 50 people. For more info, contact Gerry's Grill at (619) 464-3779.

Chuck Pretto

Marissa de Luna

Prayer to Saint Expedite May the intercession of the glorious martyr ,

Philippine economy grows slower to in Q2

MANILA -- The Philippine economy grew at a slower pace in the second quarter of the year, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) reported on Tuesday.

The country’s gross domestic product (GDP) — the total value of goods and services produced in a specific period — grew by 7.4% during the April to June period, slower than the downwardly adjusted 8.2% GDP growth in the first quarter of the year.

The second quarter GDP also compares with the 12.1% growth in the same period last Quarter-on-quarter,year. the economy saw a contraction of 0.1%.

“The global headwinds, particularly inflation, those coming from fuel and food contributed to that somewhat slowdown,” Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Arsenio Balisacan said at a press conference.

Inflation has been growing faster in April (4.9%), May (5.4%), and June (6.4%) as global oil supply disruptions brought by the Ukraine-Russia war and domestic supply challenges kept fuel and food prices elevated.

Balisacan said that if not for inflation, the second quarter GDP “definitely it would be better.”

The National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) chief said that inflationary pressures to growth are expected to continue in the second half of the year.

Nonetheless, he said the global headwinds and inflation are already taken into consideration in the economic managers’ target of 6.5% to 7.5% growth for the entire year.

Balisacan said that to hit the lower end of the target, the second half GDP should grow 5.3%. Meanwhile, to achieve the upper end of the goal, the economy should grow 7.2% in the July to December period.

As of the first half of the year, the country’s GDP grew at 7.8%, according to the NEDA chief.

PBBM vows to create ‘enabling environment’ for PH research

President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. on Thursday reiterated his promise to create an “enabling environment” for research in the country by pushing for the creation of a local virology institute and disease prevention and control center.

Marcos made this remark during his attendance at the 15th Philippine National Health Research System (PNHRS) Week celebration at the Clark Marriott Hotel in Clark Freeport Zone,“AsPampanga.yourPresident, I hope my presence here today gives a clear signal that this administration continues to support your endeavors so that together, we can create an enabling environment for the Filipino research community that fosters collaboration and cooperation that will yield solutions that will make lives better for our fellow men and women,” he said.

Marcos cited how the immediate passage of a measure creating the Virology Institute of the Philippines (VIP) would “consolidate disparate research, knowledge, and data”, while the passage of a bill creating the Philippine Center for Disease Prevention and Control would prepare the country for “unfortunate warnings” concerning pandemics.

“We have been in consultation with the House of Representatives and the Senate to create these agencies. We will continue to work so that our people are safer, so that our citizens have better access to health care, and so that the quality of our health care will improve,” he added.

Meanwhile, the President praised the country’s health researchers for their “unparalleled commitment” to helping the country respond to the pandemic.Citing his own experience after contracting the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) for the first time in March 2020, Marcos said “intellectual humility” helped researchers hone their competencies and gain new insights from other experts.

“For the first time in our experience, I asked the doctor and I said, what is happening and he said, ‘I don’t know.’ ‘What are you going to do to cure me?’ ‘We don’t know.’ That is the situation that we were in. There was a total lack of information, of knowledge about this new pandemic. That is why the work that you did, that developed – the genome sequencing so that we could follow and identify and detect the different strains as they came about, the tests kits that you were able to develop for the local community, the modeling that was done – this was all a fruit and of your partnership, and it is something that has never been seen before,” he said.Marcos said the coordination and leadership among researchers would help the country utilize the maximum economic and social benefits that stem from the rapid developments in science and“Amedicine.keyelement of the work that you do is the cooperation: Different agencies have come together and removed all the barriers in terms of scientific research in exchange of information of help in facilities, help in using all of the laboratories so that we are able to maximize our efforts. This has been the key to the successes that you have enjoyed, and the successes you will enjoy,” he said.

Noting that research institutes were generous in sharing information at an unprecedented rate, Marcos said nations have learned to mitigate the various problems that have come up during the pandemic.

“I think we are better prepared because we have formed and we have had experienced during the Covid-19 pandemic. And that, I think, still remains the key element to our success,” he added.

The PNHRS Week, which recognizes research as crucial in “facilitating the development of national health policies towards an equitable, efficient, and effective health system,” is celebrated every second week of August under Presidential Proclamation 1309 of June 2007.

Carrying the theme, “Health Research: Responding to Challenges Towards National Recovery and Resiliency”, the week-long celebration serves as a venue for the health research community to share their insights, best practices, and experiences in developing innovative solutions to contribute to national recovery towards achieving resilience through health research and development.

Reso on sugar imports ‘illegal’; probe ongoing -- Palace

A resolution that supposedly approved the importation of 300,000 metric tons (MT) of sugar is “illegal”, Malacañang said Thursday.

Press Secretary Trixie CruzAngeles said the resolution uploaded on the website of the Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA) but later deleted was not authorized by President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., who is also SRA chairperson.

“It appears that the resolution was signed for and on behalf of the President by [Department of Agriculture]

Undersecretary Leocadio Sebastian. He was not authorized to sign such a resolution because the President did not authorize the importation,” CruzAngeles said in a Palace press briefing.

She said importations, particularly agricultural importations, are a sensitive matter that needs to be “carefully studied.”

“Sugar is one such importation which we take great care with. It is a balancing act. The importation has to be carefully studied to protect both the consumer against the rising prices of basic commodities while ensuring at the same time that we do not destroy the local industry,” she said.

Cruz-Angeles said although Executive Secretary Vic Rodriguez issued a verbal order to create an importation plan, the President did not express his approval or agreement.

“You don’t convene the Sugar Regulatory Board in the absence of the President and in the absence of any such approval on his part. He did not approve the convening. You can only convene the board with the explicit assent of the President and he did not make such an agreement,” she said.

She said the Palace is investigating the unauthorized signing of the resolution and will impose penalties if necessary.“An investigation is ongoing to determine whether any acts that will cause the President to lose trust and confidence in his officials can be found, or if there is malice or negligence involved. In such a case, if such findings are made then the only determination left will be how many heads are going to roll,” she said.

No preventive suspensions have been issued, she added.

Harvest season approaching Cruz-Angeles acknowledged that the Department of Agriculture has indicated critical levels of sugar, but noted that harvest season is approaching next month.

Because an importation of sugar could affect the harvest prices of local sugarcane growers, she said the resolution “should not have been issued with such haste.”

“We just imported last May. We have to determine if another importation supposedly to address the critical levels that are approaching at the end of the month will affect the harvest season which opens in September. So again, a study is necessary,” she said.

Retail prices of sugar are currently beyond PHP100 per kilogram in wet markets and grocery stores. Traditionally, the retail prices of sugar are only PHP50 per kilo.

DA Undersecretary Kristine Evangelista earlier attributed the rise in the prices of sugar to the tight sugar supply.The country's sugar supply is expected to last until the third week of August, SRA chief Hermenegildo Serafica.

NTC to review partnership deal between ABS-CBN, TV5

The National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) is set to review the deal that would allow ABS-CBN to broadcast its programs on TV5 following the former’s failure to renew its broadcasting franchise in 2020.

In an interview over Radyo Pilipinas on Thursday, NTC Commissioner Gamaliel Cordoba said there would be a thorough review of the proposed joint venture between the two broadcasting companies due to the outstanding violations of ABS-CBN revealed during the investigation made by the

Infection control plan per school required for F2F class

MANILA -- The Department of Education (DepEd) on Wednesday assured the public that schools are expected to have an infection control plan or strategy for the opening of in-person classes this month, considering the possible surge of cases of the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19).

The DepEd made the statement in a press briefing in response to the Octa Research Group’s pronouncement that there may be a possible case uptick once the inperson classes resume.

"We take the Octa Research seriously as guidance. However, we look also on the study of [the United Nations Children's Fund]. There's actually no direct correlation between in-person classes and transmission, as long as the minimum safety standards are observed, most particularly the wearing of face mask. That is important)," Education spokesperson Michael Poa said.

Poa noted that under DepEd Order 34, schools are required to have an “infection containment” strategy."‘That’s what we are hoping to see, what we call infection containment plan or strategy that the schools will implement. For instance, what are their plans if someone tests positive in school? Will they contain it? Will they suspend that particular class or the entire school? So that’s something we will require from them and our field offices will be monitoring to ensure that’s in place for each school,” he said.

No discrimination

The DepEd, meanwhile, assured the public it is coordinating with the Department of Health to promote the government's vaccination campaign, as well as counseling that will be launched per region.

The education department maintained its stance that the vaccination remains voluntary and that no one will be discriminated against, especially since they are pushing for the face-to-face setup, to address the learning loss.

“There will be no discrimination. So this year, whether vaccinated or unvaccinated, the teachers, the nonteaching staff, and the learners, all of them can go to school and teachers can conduct classes),” he said.

As of Wednesday, there are over 17.9 million enrolled learners nationwide for the upcoming school year.

The DepEd has also confirmed that the budget for the construction of temporary learning spaces in quake-affected areas has already beenPoadownloaded.saidthecost needed to build each temporary walled and roofed learning space is PHP180,000.

He said they are also conducting a mapping of affected areas to identify students who need additional learning materials like books.

DepEd to try quick fix, warranty for teachers' outdated laptops

The Department of Education (DepEd) said on Wednesday it will either do a "quick fix" or avail of the warranty for the allegedly "pricey" laptops that the agency had bought for its distance learning program.

In a press briefing at the DepEd central office in Pasig City, Education spokesperson Michael Poa said they will also “closely coordinate” with the Procurement Service of the Department of Budget and Management (PS-DBM) over the laptop purchase which the Commission on Audit had earlier flagged.

“We will use a two-pronged approach. First, let’s evaluate and see if these laptops are truly slow and do an internal quick fix in the department, if we have one, to help the teachers," he said.

"The second is legal in nature. If these computers are slow and not at par with what we wanted, these computers, as I understand, are still under warranty so we will invoke the warranty provision in our contract with our laptop suppliers ," he Poaadded.said they also wanted to know why the laptops, worth PHP58,300 each but with relatively lower specifications, were procured instead of those with higher specifications.

He, however, said it would still be unfair to comment without having seen the documentation of the“I’mpurchase.surewhen the PS-DBM did our market-survey quotation, when they determined the bid price, that’s backed with documentation because that’s required for the procurement. But on our side, we don’t have that document on hand,” he said, adding that the DepEd has requested the documents from the PS-DBM.

Poa said the PS-DBM was “very cooperative” with their request and vowed to look into the matter.

The DepEd previously said it has sent its responses to the recommendations of the COA, but maintained that the latter's Annual Observation Memorandum on the laptop purchase is not conclusive and remains an observation.

Sara Duterte calls on ASEAN to invest in youth while pursuing agenda

Vice President and Education Secretary Sara Duterte on Monday called on member-states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to "seriously invest" in the youth as it pursues its growth agenda in the next few years. In her speech for the 55th founding anniversary of the regional organization, Duterte said that focusing on the youth will help ASEAN reach its potential by 2030 while it continuously recovers from the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.“Ibelieve that for ASEAN to be able to successfully pursue its regional agenda, the ASEAN to be able to maintain its strong presence in the world, we should seriously invest in our youth,” she said.

“The young people of ASEAN deserve a future characterized by stability, prosperity, increased mobility, and competitiveness,” she added.Duterte underscored the importance of quality education in shaping the ASEAN’s future, saying that intra-regional scholarships and cultural exchanges between ASEAN countries should be strengthened.

She also said that it is “high time” to encourage the ASEAN

youth to learn each other’s national languages to build meaningful relationships among one another.

“We all know that if we are successful in providing our children with access to quality education, coupled with a deep sense of love of country and fellowmen, our future is secured. One of the ways to involve the ASEAN youth is to ensure that they are equipped with the knowledge and skill set needed in a highly competitive environment,” she said.

“ASEAN languages may be offered in our schools and universities... I believe it is high time we encourage our youth to learn each other’s national languages. With a collaborative and nurturing environment within our region, we allow our youth to grow and mature as ASEAN citizens while forging meaningful friendships and relationships with their ASEAN neighbors,” she added.

As the DepEd chief, Duterte said that the Philippines is “now aggressively pursuing a future” together with the youth sector in nation building.

She is in favor of the mandatory Reserve Officers Training Corps (ROTC) program, which President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. is pushing for senior high school students.

DepEd firm on Aug. 22 school opening

The Department of Education (DepEd) remained firm in its decision to start the coming school year on Aug. 22 despite calls to postpone the school opening.

"Tuloy na tuloy na tayo. Wala nang atrasan. August 22, 2022 ang opening of classes natin this year," DepEd Spokesperson Michael Poa said.The Teachers' Dignity Coalition has urged the DepEd to move the school opening to mid-September, arguing that the school break was insufficient to allow teachers to recover from the previous academic year and prepare for the next one.

But Poa said "many" have already participated in the Brigada Eskwela program, where stakeholders and volunteers prepare schools for the coming school year.

The spokesman added that the DepEd was coordinating with other government agencies for the school opening, such as trade department to regulate the prices of school supplies, and the Department of Health to vaccinate students and school personnel against COVID-19.Poaalso cited Republic Act No. 7797, which prohibits the school year to start beyond August.

This week, the DepEd will also start building temporary learning spaces for schools affected by the powerful earthquake that struck Luzon last July 27, Poa said.

"We are also in contact with [local government units] para sa spaces na hindi nila nagagamit or hindi naman usually nagagamit, baka puwede ipahiram muna as temporary learning spaces," he added.The DepEd reported last week that the number of schools damaged by the magnitude 7 earthquake rose

MONDAY RUSH. Motorists plying the southbound lane of Commonwealth Avenue in Quezon City experience heavy traffic amid light rains on Monday (Aug. 8, 2022). The weather bureau said the southwest monsoon (habagat) will dampen most areas in Luzon. (MNS photo)

PH TRAVEL MART RETURNS. Philippine Tour Operators Association Inc. president Fe Abling-Yu. announces the return of the Philippine Travel Mart (PTM) for its 33rd year at the Edsa Shangri-La in Mandaluyong City on Wednesday (August 10, 2022). PTM is the longest-running interactive tourism exposition, with new offers for travelers. (MNS photo)

SAN DIEGO, CA -- Greetings!

A chart that went viral on social media this week shows that FilipinoAmericans have the second-highest median household income of any ethnic group in the U.S.

In all honesty, this has been quite a shocking revelation for me! When the U.S. Census Bureau released its latest American Community Survey, they found a very interesting fact among its median household income statistics amongst its population.

Here, Filipino Americans emerged to become the second highest earners among any Asian American race around the nation. Registering incomes of over 100,000 U.S. dollars, a figure that almost doubles that of White Americans where they had only $65,000 in median household income. The same data has shown the Filipino Americans way far ahead of all other races including the Chinese Americans, Japanese Americans and so on. They (Filipinos) are just behind Indian Americans which stand as the highest group of earners in the study that the U.S. Census Bureau has done so far.

Isn’tWow!that awesome, “kababayan”?

Truly, as the report indicated, Filipino Americans have become super rich here in America … certainly now one of those “Crazy Rich Asians” as portrayed in that hit movie!With the Indians only a bit ahead of them, the Filipinos in the U.S., with an average household earning of precisely USD 100,273 and 47 per cent of college graduates, in point of fact have surpassed the overall American population in terms of wealth and college education, according to this media announcement which cited the latest census data.

The number of people who identify as Asian in the United States nearly tripled in the past decades, and Asians are now the fastestgrowing of the nation’s four largest racial and ethnic groups, according to a New York Times analysis of the census

Factdata.ismore than four million Filipinos currently live in the US, including 1.6 million visa holders, 1.4 million naturalized residents and a million are U.S. born residents.

And almost 300,000 U.S. citizens reside in the Philippines, including a large number of U.S. military veterans. Additionally, Manila is home to the only Veterans Administration regional office outside the United States, and the American Cemetery in Manila is the largest American military cemetery outside the United States.

Pre-COVID, more than one million U.S. citizens visited the Philippines each year. People-topeople exchange programs between the United States and the Philippines include the longest continuously running Fulbright plan in the world, the International Visitor Leadership Program, and the Kenney-Lugar Youth Exchange and Study initiative.

As I have stated earlier above, the median family earnings of Filipinos in the US is USD 100,273, nearly double the nationwide average of USD 65,000. About 47 per cent of Filipinos are college graduates, too in comparison to 28 per cent nationally.“People of Filipino descent hold a notable share of jobs in several highpaying fields, including computer science, financial management and medicine. A significant large per cent of nurses and doctors in the United States are of Filipino descent, and more than half of them are immigrants,” the report said.

Interestingly, Filipino Americans born in the United States tend to be younger – half of them are children. They are the offspring of older, naturalized citizens who immigrated to the country a generation before.

As a growing group in American demographics, Filipino Americans are also playing an increasing role in electoral politics. In fact, the 37th and current mayor of our beloved hometown of San Diego – “America’s Finest City” – and as he himself described his ethnic background “basically half Native American, a quarter Filipino and then a little bit of Dutch and PuertoDespiteRican.”all of the above information, Filipino Americans remain a remarkably under-studied and overlooked group both in U.S. culture and in academic research, particularly with respect to women’s health(FYI:issues.Breast cancer is the leading cause of death for Filipina Americans

and there is still currently a lack of research on this topic.)

Moving on, in Jo Koy’s ‘Easter Sunday,’ Filipinos (or Filipino Americans, for that matter) finally get their chance to shine on the big screen.Ialways knew our “kababayans” were funny. Growing up in my historical hometown of Sta. Ana in old Manila – all of my childhood friends were stand-up comedians in any way, shape or form…Ha-ha-haha! But I never knew if Americans would think we were quick-witted with our special brand of humor. It’s a feeling Jo Koy can relate to, I guess….Ha-ha-ha-ha!Thestarandexecutive producer’s film, which spans a whirlwind of unlikely events on a holy day, celebrates the loving, albeit complicated dynamics of the Filipino American family. And although it’s huge moment of representation for the 4.2 million Filipinos across the United States – to see people who look like them on the big screen for the first time – for me, a firstgeneration Filipino American, Easter Sunday helped me better understand my relationship with my very own family and adored mother and reminded me that as a people we certainly have so much to be proud of.

For many Filipino Americans, defining our identity has been complex. Although, we are the second largest group among Asian Americans in the United States and were noted to be the first Asian to land in America, the stories of our history as part of this nation have been silenced or simply forgotten. We’re often just known for the stereotypes people have heard about us over the years – that we’re

all nurses, that we make delicious ‘lumpia,’ that we’re good at karaoke. Easter Sunday touches on these cliché’s and the light-hearted movie doesn’t dive into the complexities of our rich past. But I figure Jo Koy didn’t set to make a movie about the Filipino diaspora – he wanted to make a family comedy that made us feel seen and proud.

And he did just that.

The film features mostly Filipino actors, with wonderful, culturally specific jokes and a cast of characters that fit into stereotypical, but no less true, immigrant archetypes. Not only our “kababayan” viewers will see their families represented here; much of it rang true to this writer, as well.Set around a family gathering to celebrate Easter Sunday, the comedy is based on Jo Koy’s life experiences and stand-up comedy.

Directed by Jay Chandrasekhar, Easter Sunday centers on divorced father Joe Valencia (standup comedian Jo Koy) who is guilttripped by his mom (Lydia Gaston) into driving a few hours from Hollywood with his son Junior (Brandon Wardell). Back home, Joe is a local celebrity (everyone knows the commercial and practically begs for him to recite it in front of them). It also doesn’t take long before he’s actually happy to be home, treated with much respect and further reverence after misleading the family into thinking he received an upcoming leading role on a sitcom. More importantly, he is perceived as a charming peacemaker for this Filipino American family of colorful personalities.Diffusingis necessary, as it turns out Joe’s mom is feuding with his Aunt Theresa (Tia Carrere), with no

Jesse T. Reyes

one in the family having a firm grasp on what they are fighting about. Cousin Eugene (Eugene Cordero) is the obligatory goofball screw-up of the bunch, having made a bad investment starting up a business with Joe’s money, which leads to run-ins with ruthless criminals and stolen prized possessions (a pair of boxing gloves worn by Manny Pacquiao come to play).

Meanwhile, aspiring photographer Junior has a crush on Tala (Eva Noblezada), developing a sweet bond as they discuss coming from different social classes and family relationships. Junior is frustrated and feels that his father is hardly ever there for him and is much more focused on elevating his acting career. Nevertheless, the dangerous adventures involving Eugene’s tomfoolery allow the three of them to connect throughout shenanigans.

Some of the more engaging ideas at the core of Easter Sunday, such as Joe faced with a decision to make; he can have a starring sitcom role but only if he degrades himself putting on a silly accent that lowest common denominator Americans will find amusing.

As such, there is genuinely much to explore involving what it’s like for minorities inside comedy and the Hollywood system. Still, it’s brushed chiefly aside for comedy far broader and sillier, as if it doesn’t want to genuinely encourage the Americans in the audience to contemplate such things.Using the size of the family and supporting cast to its advantage, the chemistry is there and provides an opportunity to focus on the holiday itself – and more distinct aspects such as authentic cooking.

No doubt about it, the performances are primarily solid. The good intentions are there – its holiday hijinks from a refreshing

perspective and the characters certainly are endearing.

Despite its little flaws, Easter Sunday is a good, surprisingly wholesome family comedy with a solid, charming cast and a positive, uplifting message about a family overcoming their differences and coming together. It is clear that Jo Koy loves his relatives, and wants the world to know it. One can’t help leaving with a smile. Food, family, a big karaoke scene…and a spotlight on an immigrant community underrepresented in Hollywood; there are worse ways to spend 96

minutes…Ha-ha-ha-ha!Iknowitwillbea pleasure for you all – my dear folks – to see the entire cast’s jubilance in bringing their culture to screen, which shines even in some of the script’s weakest moments. It is this deft mix of proudly celebrating Filipino culture and being universal that makes Easter Sunday ultimately satisfying and

IBravo!heart-warming.saycomesee it (‘Easter Sunday’) at a theater near you!

For sure, we have come a long way, my dear “kababayans”!

Without doubt, the new generation of Filipino Americans is also coming of political age and especially during this moment of COVID and the increase in anti-Asian racism and hate incidents – I say you all, too will be seeing a kind of political consciousness that’s forming that will likely last a generation. I reckon looking ahead, we’re going to see a lot more civic engagement such as this celebration of Filipino culture that can be appreciated by all in the film ‘Easter Sunday’, political activism among the younger Filipino American population, and especially given the circumstances of the past year and even this blue moon. Mabuhay!

to 427, with the estimated cost for repairs at P2.1 billion.

The DepEd has required all public and private schools to shift to 5 days of in-person learning by November.

In-person classes to boost PH economic recovery -- Marcos President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is hoping for a successful resumption of face-to-face or in-person classes later this month, noting that it will boost economic recovery from the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.

In his weekly vlog uploaded Saturday, Marcos enjoined local government units (LGUs) anew to be more aggressive in their Covid-19 vaccination and booster drives to ensure the safety of everyone, especially students, once Academic Year 2022-2023 starts August

Citing22.government data, he said some 15.9 million Filipinos have received their first Covid-19 booster shots while over 1.2 million have received their second booster doses.

Marcos admitted it is still far from the government’s target of administering at least 23 million Covid-19 booster shots within his first 100 days in office.

“Kaya hindi tayo magsasawang pakiusapan ang ating LGU na maging mas agresibo dito sa kampanyang ito (We will not get tired of asking our LGUs to be more aggressive in this campaign),” he said. He acknowledged that getting more Filipinos to get their Covid-19 jabs and booster shots is not easy but it is crucial to reopening more sectors.“Hindi man ito ganung kasimple pero kapag tama ang paghahanda ay siguradong magiging matagumpay ito (It might not be that simple, but if our preparation is done right, I am sure this will be successful),” he added.

According to Marcos, the resumption of in-person classes will revive economic activities in establishments around schools such as school supplies stores, retail industry, and the like and in public transport.Parents will also have the opportunity to go back to work while their children are in school, which means an increase in workforce.

“Kapag ito ay naging matagumpay, hindi lang ito balikeskuwela kundi balik-negosyo, balik-hanapbuhay at balikkaunlaran. Ito ay masasabi ring malaking tulong sa malawakang kilusan natin ng pagbubukas ng ekonomiya (If this becomes successful, it won’t only mean the resumption of classes but also the resumption of business, livelihood, and economic development. This would be a huge help to our efforts to reopen the economy),” he said.

Marcos reminded industries to continue enforcing minimum public health standards to prevent a spike in Covid-19

“Maramingcases.industriya ang magiging bahagi at makikinabang sa hakbang na ito kung kaya’t dapat nating siguruhin na ang lahat ay handang-handa (A lot of industries will take part and benefit from this step so we need to make sure that everyone is ready),” he added.

Marcos personally visited a vaccination site in Pasig on August 1 to observe and encourage more to receive primary and booster shots.

“Wala naman tayong ibang panlaban dito kung hindi ang vaccine. Huwag na po natin hintayin na dumami pa ang mga kaso at maging mahirap na naman ang ating pagpunta sa trabaho, ang ating paglabas ng bahay (We have no other defense against this other than the vaccine. Let's not wait for the cases to increase and to become difficult for us to go to work, to leave our homes),” he said in his speech. (MNS)

MANILA -- The Philippines' daily new COVID-19 case tally was back in the 4,000 range on Thursday, as 4,533 new infections were recorded by the Department of Health.

This brings the nationwide tally to 3,818,480, and active infections to 37,962—an increase from 36,666 on Wednesday.Thursday's tally is an increase from the 2,618 cases recorded on Tuesday and the 3,181 cases on Wednesday.Intherecent two weeks, the National Capital Region (NCR) topped the list with 15,700, followed by Calabarzon with 10,098, Central Luzon with 5,189, Western Visayas with 2,842, and Central Visayas with 2,167.New recoveries also recorded, increasing the recovery tally to 3,719,602, while the country’s death tally climbed to 60,916.

The latest figures also showed

at least 8,684 beds were occupied, while 20,353 were vacant as the bed occupancy in the country increased to 29.9% as of Tuesday, August 9.

The Health department said a total of 24,814 individuals were tested, while 326 testing labs submitted data as of August 10.

Palace: Extension of COVID-19 state of calamity rests on DOH recommendation

The potential extension of the state of calamity declaration in the country due to the COVID-19 pandemic rests on the health department's recommendation, Malacañang said Thursday, as an uptick in fresh infections continued.

"It (extension) will depend on the recommendation of the DOH," Press Secretary Trixie Cruz-Angeles said in a Palace briefing.

"We will make the announcement when the time comes," she added.

The country's state of calamity

in the face of all the changes we have been seeing and the changes that are between our bilateral relationship with the United States,” he said.

declaration is set to lapse on Sept. 12, 2022. If it is not extended, COVID-19 vaccines' emergency use authorization will "cease to be valid", the DOH earlier Government'ssaid. emergency procurement, tax exemptions for donors, price controls for COVID-19 drugs and testing kits, and health workers' benefits will also cease once the state of calamity ends, according to theTheagency.declaration also empowers local governments to implement the COVID-19 vaccination program and tap emergency funds to respond to the healthPresidentcrisis. Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. last month ordered authorities to look into extending the declaration.

DOH officer-in-charge Maria Rosario Vergeire said that before the state of calamity is lifted, the wall of immunity against COVID-19 should be high and booster coverage must be

if Marcos will attend the event.

He said Marcos' flight had been booked even before he formally assumed the presidency as it was a “first come, first served” basis.

ramped up.

The DOH has instructed the Food and Drug Administration to coordinate with vaccine manufacturers to determine their readiness to apply for a Certificate of Product Registration (CPR) needed to make COVID-19 shots commercially available.

During his first State of the Nation Address last month, Marcos said government would no longer implement COVID-19 lockdowns. He also promised to build a vaccine institute and a center for disease control and prevention.

The Philippines has so far logged a total of 3,813,952 COVID-19 infections, of which 36,035 cases remained active, the DOH said on Wednesday.Atleast71.9 million people in the country have been fully vaccinated against the respiratory disease, of whom 16.2 million have received their booster shots. (MNS)

Philippine Sea, south of Taiwan.

Likewise, Marcos said the recent events resulting from Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan “just demonstrates how volatile the international diplomatic scene is, not only in the region.”

“Obviously the events in the Ukraine have been of significant, significant importance to even countries like the Philippines which if we imagine is very far away,” the President said.

“So again, this just points to the fact of the importance of the relationship between the United States and the Philippines. I hope that we will continue to evolve that relationship

Blinken, likewise, said that the relationship between the US and the Philippines “is quite extraordinary because it is really founded in friendship, it’s forged as well in partnership.”

Marcos expected to attend, speak at UN General Assembly -Amb. Romualdez President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is expected to attend and speak at the United Nations General Assembly this coming September, the Philippine Ambassador to the United States said Monday."Yes, that's correct," Ambassador Jose Manuel Romualdez when asked

“So President Marcos is expected to speak at the UN on September 20th which is the day it starts,” Romualdez said, adding several heads of state have been asking to speak with Marcos.“There are many people who are very eager to listen to him from what I’m told. We have several heads of state who have asked if they could have a meeting with President Marcos. So it’s going to be something that’s going to be very important for the country,” he said.

Romualdez said Marcos has already put together an outline for his speech.

“I think we are sort of ready to tell the world that we’re here, we’re going to play a major role in the global community, and more importantly which is really part of what President Marcos has always said, the recovery from the pandemic is not going to be done by one country alone but by the world. That probably will be his message,” he Meanwhile,said. Romualdez said Marcos may mention security, the West Philippine Sea, and the 2016 arbitral ruling that invalidated China’s massive claims over South China Sea.

“I think that that’s probably going to be mentioned, generally, I suppose,” he Romualdezsaid.said Marcos has been asking his Cabinet secretaries for inputs. (MNS)

18th Congress in 2020.

The deal, Cordoba said, would allow ABS-CBN to have part ownership of TV5 and would allow the former to “ride” the broadcasting franchise of the latter. “Hindi po sila makakuha ng sariling prangkisa, so ang ginagawa po nila is sasakay po sila dito sa prangkisa po ng TV5. Pero hanggang ngayon po ay bitbit po nila ang kanilang mga violations kahit dati pa po iyon (They can’t secure their own franchise, so what they will do is ride the franchise of TV5. But until now they are still burdened with their old violations),” he said.Heannounced the release of NTC Memorandum Order 3-06-2022 that would prohibit a “franchise grantee” to enter into “mergers, joint ventures, sale, or any commercial agreement arrangements on matters within the Commission’s mandate and jurisdiction.”“Dapatpo ang franchise grantee ay hindi po makikipag-enter ng commercial arrangement sa isang entity na may mga obligasyon po sa national and local government (The franchise grantee should not be able to enter into a commercial arrangement with an entity that still has obligations with the national and local government),” he said.

The franchise grantee, he said, will have to ensure that clearances have been obtained from the “appropriate government agencies” such as the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR), Bureau of Customs, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the NTC. “Kasama po rito ang Department of Justice (DOJ), Land Registration Authority (LRA), nabanggit

Congressman [Rodante] Marcoleta ang Philippine Competition Commission (PCC) at ang iba pa po (This would include the DOJ, the LRA, and Congressman Marcoleta mentioned the PCC, and others),” he said.

The NTC’s next step would be to have the two companies submit a copy of their signed commercial agreement along with clearances from the said relevant government agencies.

He noted that the memorandum states that the NTC would need to approve before “consummation” of such a partnership.

To date, he said the NTC is yet to see the details of the partnership agreement to find out whether the deal violates any government regulations.

In response to allegations that the NTC continues to pressure or violate ABS-CBN’s freedom of speech, he said a broadcast franchise is a “privilege, not a right” and that the recently released memorandum applies to all franchise holders.

“Bumili po kayo ng lupa, bago po ninyo mai-transfer ang lupa sa inyong pangalan ay kailangan pong bayaran ang lahat ng real property taxes dito, ‘di po ba? Parang ganoon po iyon (For example, you purchase a parcel of land and before the deed is transferred to your name, all real property taxes would need to be paid, right? This is similar),” he said.

Earlier, the ABS-CBN Corporation announced its plan to acquire 6.46 million new common shares of the TV5 Network Inc., representing 34.99 percent of its total voting and outstanding capital stock for PHP2.16 billion.Following the acquisition, MediaQuest Holdings, Inc. -- the operator of TV5 -- will have 64.79 percent of voting and capital stock and

would still have controlling stock of the Inetwork.

nfo dissemination more ‘sedate, objective’ under Marcos admin

Press Secretary Trixie Cruz-Angeles is ensuring an “orderly” dissemination of information on policies, programs, official activities, and achievements of President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. and the Executive Department by maintaining objectivity in making pronouncements.

In an interview on PTV-4's "The Chatroom" aired Wednesday night, Cruz-Angeles emphasized the importance of relaying statements that are free from her personal opinion.“For orderly dissemination of information, you don't put any opinions there. That's what I'd like to imprint in the style that we’re trying to show now. There’s a lot of passion in the past administration, this time it’s more sedate, more objective. The President likes science and there’s a science to language,” she said. “We don’t speak for the President, but we do clarify or put together what he has already articulated so that it is clearer,” she

Cruz-Angeles,added.a lawyer, said her approach to information dissemination would be to trumpet policies and programs that would benefit the nation.

“When you’re a lawyer, when you appear in court, you can only say what advances the cause of your client. So it’s like on a bigger scale, you say what advances the cause of the country. It doesn’t help, for example, if the public officials issue opinions that might run counter to existing policy. It makes for a lot of confusion,” she said. She admitted that being the President’s mouthpiece was “challenging”, but also “kind of fun”.

Last June, Cruz-Angeles admitted feeling hesitant at first to accept her

new position, noting that the job required “self-discipline” since she would be representing the President andShegovernment.saidshe eventually accepted the job offer because she did not want to refuse the chance to serve the nation andMeanwhile,people.

Cruz-Angeles said the President’s Executive Order No. 2, which reorganized and renamed the now defunct Presidential Communications Operations Office to the Office of the Press Secretary (OPS), allowed for a “rational” bureaucracy that translated to faster information dissemination.“Inoticed the reaction times are faster. If you look at the earthquake for example, we were on-air giving a press briefing in less than two hours… We coordinated with the information officers of all of the agencies and departments. This is based on the directive of the President. So, because of these link-ups, we get a clear view right away of what’s going on,” she said. “When something like an earthquake happens, there are things already in place. It’s not just NDRRMC [National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council] but it’s also the other agencies and how they react and their own data systems. So we’re able to tap into that immediately and give a briefing before 10 o’clock,” she added.

The OPS currently supervises the operations of state-run TV stations PTV-4 and IBC-13, radio station Radyo Pilipinas, and the Philippine NewsRadioAgency.Television Malacañang is now controlled by the Presidential Management Staff while the Philippine Information Agency has gone back under the supervision of the Office of the President. (MNS)

Dear Readers, Business Community for restaurants, medical offices, supermarkets, caregivers, delivery services and more. If you know of anyone, relative, friend, neighbor or former co-workers looking for a job, give them a copy of the Filipino Press for job opportunities. Some jobs may not yet be posted, so you may visit our website at www.thefilipinopress. com or email at filpressads@aol.com. We are here to help you our kababayans find jobs, opportunities and connect you to resources that you may need. Thank you YOUR

Spiritual Life

A mother’s thoughts on age and aging

At this time of my life, my thoughts revolved around my children and grandchildren, when I’m not busy doing other things in the community. I try to keep track of their activities, although my husband and I live independently from them. When I decided to live in our own apartment, I thought that it was the best arrangement. But now, I am having second thoughts. I would like to see my children more often, to interact with them and to share their joys and challenges. I would like to live with anyone of them. But one of my daughters said, “Mama, you are welcome to transfer to our house and occupy the guest room that we have reserved for you and Dad. But you have to transfer with only your essentials” I realized I was not emotionally ready to give up my independence and my worldly goods. So here I am often reminiscing and trying to delay aging and doing the things I am doing to prevent the onset of dementia.I’vealways been conscious that my body is the temple of God. I tried my best to embrace a healthy life style. So people tend to perceive that I look younger than my age, which of course flatters me no end. I attend meetings, engage in multi-level marketing of a breakthrough age defying skin cream, Nerium AD and distribute

S.AuroraCudal-Rivera My TestimonyPersonal

Healthy Coffee, and still remain as the avid community volunteer. I admit that I am aging and I simply embrace contentment, enjoy the company of my friends, and spend my energy in purposeful activities.Awoman author shared these thoughts on how we can make peace of who we are. (1) Embrace health. We may not be able to control age’s gravity, but we can commit to living wisely, we can eat nutritious food, exercise and seek to keep short accounts with friends and family. (2) Push against our culture’s superficial tyranny of beauty. We can defy the trend that glorifies youth and devalues anything less than perfection. Since God created us all, we are all beautiful people. (3) Be mindful of eternity. Whenever I worry about my looks, I think of heaven and the fact that this body

won’t remain – that a new body will replace it. Paul describes the anticipation believers should have. “We look not at the things which are seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal.’ (2 Cor.

Let’s4-18).be less consumed with a body that is fading and more consumed with the consuming fire of God’s testing. Let’s strive to live a life worthy of Jesus’ words. “Well done, good and faithful servant.” Let us value faithfulness over youthfulness, our service over our looks. Godly people are content with how they look.

AS a wife, mother, grandmother and great grandmother, I am learning to be alive in the moment, to rejoice for the breath that fills my lungs, and thankful for the years the Lord has given me thus far.

There is no fear in love...

A friend is a sky-diving, mountain-climbing, hang-gliding thrill-seeker, but in the cave he felt sheer panic. He was terrified. He tried fighting his fear, but he kept picturing his dead body moldering in the cave. Finally, he told his guide he was about to lose it, and the guide said, "Hey, close your eyes and listen to my voice.

I will keep talking, calmly, and guide you through this. We will be okay. I have been here before. I will get you to the other side. But you must listen to my voice. It will not work for you to let your thoughts run wild. Just focus on my voice." He did so. What freed him from panic and fear was not trying hard to quit thinking fearful thoughts. It was listening to another voice.

What voice do you listen to when you're in the cave and it's dark, when the ceiling is low and you can't back out? The Spirit longs to flow in our minds all the time. One reason why people have found memorizing Scripture helpful is that it helps us listen to the voice of our guide when we are in the cave. We set our minds on those thoughts that equip us for life. God does not want us to live in worry or fear. He wants us to live with bold confidence in his power. "For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and selfdiscipline."IntheBible, we see a pattern

Danny Hernaez From Whom All FlowBlessings

in which God rarely sends people into situations where their comfort level is high. Rather He promises to be with them in their fear. It is God's presence - not comfortable circumstances - that brings people to the best version of themselves.Paulsaidthat when we live in the flow of the Spirit, he does not make us timid, but instead gives us power and love. This is not the only place in the Bible where we see a close connection between receiving love and living in power. The apostle John makes the same association in one of the most famous statements in the Bible: "There is no fear in love... perfect love casts out fear."

When we live in the flow of the Spirit, we let the perfect love of God wash over us until our fear begins to leave. Modern science has confirmed what John wrote so many centuries ago. Love and fear are literally incompatible in our bodies. God wants to love you - and in loving you, to cast out

yourJesusfear. was facing adversity when he told his followers that if they had faith, they could command a mountain and it would be cast into the sea. When my focus is on the mountain, I am driven by my fear. When my focus is on God, however, I am made alive by my faith. But if I did not have the mountain, I would not know that faith could be in Useme. your imagination to picture being shepherded by the Lord in green pastures beside still waters. Is there any room for fear?God knows that you can stand that trial; He would not give it to you if you could not. It is His trust in you that explains the trials of life, however bitter they may be. God knows our strength, and He measures it to the last inch; and a trial was never given to any man that was greater than that man's strength, through God, to bear it.

Greetings in the Lord!

We are now in the twentieth Sunday in Ordinary time and the readings that we have heard are very challenging as they are also encouraging especially for those who would like to remain faithful as disciples of Jesus. Last Sunday we have seen how the response to the call of Jesus to discipleship may be concretized in stewardship. Briefly, may I summarize what Christian stewardship is: the grateful acknowledgement of the reality that all that we are and everything that we have come from God. These may be considered as unique gifts that we have to fully develop so that we can return them to God joyfully and share with other generously as expressions of our love and compassion for our neighbor, especially those who are really in need. Allow me to share my reflections on the gospel reading this Sunday, but still in relation to discipleship. The first reading and the gospel show us the consequence of discipleship, or the result that one should expect from following the person of Jesus and proclaiming his message in its totality. The message of Jesus is centered on the paschal mystery that entails that a disciple has also to undergo through the events that include dying to self, carrying the cross and finally rising with Jesus. This message contains the realities that one has to truly be in love with Jesus and share the same love with others as a participation in the paschal mystery. It also implies that discipleship urges one to proclaim the message of the gospel which does not only constitute essential elements of the truth but also fundamental orientation in the way one has to lead one’s life, as an individual and also as a member of a community and society as a whole. The first speaks of what is known as the truth about the Kingdom

Fr. Agustin T. Opalalic

which is called as the doctrine that demands assent in faith, the second as the requirements one has to follow in order to conduct oneself as faithful member of the kingdom. This is the moral standards of being a disciple.

In history is has been shown that Jesus truly brought fire into the world that brought division and not unity. Not everybody believed in what he taught and many could not follow the demands required in following Jesus. Allow me to consider the current position of the Church, the living sacrament of Christ in the world today that has set people divided. The first that comes to mind is the reality that Jesus came into the world to give fullness of life to men and women and have it developed in abundance. This message entails the inviolability of the dignity of life from the moment of conception until natural death.

Besides it implies the dignity of every person, regardless of one’s age, sexual orientation, color of the skin and race, economic status, cultural background and educational attainment. Every person is truly equal in dignity not only because he is a child of God but because of his nature as a person. The second reality that Christ has proclaimed to be a natural phenomenon is the right of every person to found a family

based on the principle that a family is based on a marriage between man and woman intended to unite them forever and allow them to share in the creative powers of God through procreation. The child is the crown of creation and the future of humanity and also of the Church which the community of the disciples of Jesus.

There are other current moral issues that are so challenging for the disciples to keep themselves faithful in their response to the invitation of Jesus. Many disciples courageously respond to Jesus and their decisions not infrequently have separated them even from loved ones and acquaintances. Others have even given their lives joyfully in the sufferings caused by misunderstanding, non acceptance and even martyrdom because of the faith. This is the consequence of being a disciple of Jesus, but a disciple has nothing to be afraid of because as Jesus promised in last Sunday’s gospel, blessed is the steward who is found vigilant when the master returns for he will be given more responsibilities and his reward would be greater in his kingdom. Finally, we must always be aware that the disciple is never greater than the master, and whatever the master have gone through, the disciple is expected to also suffer. He said that in as much as the world hated him, his disciple should not expect the less and a aware that the world would also hate him because of he is the disciple of Jesus.Let us, therefore, pray my dear brothers and sisters that we may continue to follow Jesus, believe in Him and love Him more dearly for truly He is the way, the truth and the life and only by being with Him that we can be nourished and have life everlasting.

SAN DIEGO, CA -- San Diego

Gas & Electric (SDG&E) wants its residential customers to be on the lookout for upcoming breaks on their electric bills. SDG&E’s residential customers will receive $64.17 in bill credits on both their August and September electric bills (or a total of $128.34). Earlier this year, SDG&E’s residential natural gas customers also received $43.06 in credits. This is all thanks to the California Climate Credit program. Administered by the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC), the program is part of the state’s efforts to fight climate change.

There is no action required to receive the credits. All electricity customers, including community choice aggregation customers, will automatically receive the credits in their August and September billing cycles. SDG&E will also alert customers to the Climate Credits via Altogether,email.this year’s climate credits total up to $171.40, about double last year’s amount. In addition to residential customers, eligible small businesses will also receive the same amount of climate credits on their electric bills. The credits will be applied during what are typically the

hottest months in the year, when energy use tends to be higher due to air Theconditioning.California Climate

Credit is a state program that requires power plants, natural gas providers, and other large industries that emit greenhouse gases to buy carbon pollution permits. The credits on customers’ bills represent their share of the payments from the state’s program and provide customers with an increased opportunity to invest in energy-saving products.

Customers who are struggling to pay their bill are encouraged to visit sdge.com/assistance

to explore all of the resources available to them – bill discounts, debt relief, payment arrangements and free energy efficiency upgrades that can help lower their bill.SDG&E is an innovative San Diego-based energy company that provides clean, safe and reliable energy to better the lives of the

people it serves in San Diego and southern Orange counties. The company is committed to creating a sustainable future by providing its electricity from renewable sources; modernizing natural gas pipelines; accelerating the adoption of electric vehicles; supporting numerous nonprofit partners; and, investing in innovative technologies to ensure the reliable operation of the region’s infrastructure for generations to come. SDG&E is a subsidiary of Sempra (NYSE: SRE). For more information, visit SDGEnews.com or connect with SDG&E on Twitter (@ SDGE), Instagram (@SDGE) and Facebook.

Gary V Re-Energized

Live U.S. Tour sa Teatro ng Pechanga Okt. 8

Pinagpipitagang mang-aawit na Pilipino sa buong mundo, si Gary Valenciano ay muling magbabalik para sa isa pang pampamilyang pagtatanghal musikal na gaganapin live sa Pechanga Resort Casino sa Sabado, Oktober 8, 2022 alas8p.m. Ang pagtatanghal na ito ay kabilang sa isinasagawang U.S. live tour ng premyadong mangaawit ngayong Fall.

Ang Pechanga Resort Casino ay kilala sa pag-iimbita ng pinakamahusay at matatalinong Pilipinong mang-aaliw at tagapagpalabas sa naising makapagbigay ng kakaibang karanasan sa mga espesyal na Filipino-Americans na mga patron.Kailan lamang, ang pinagkakahabul-habol na may di-mabilang na award si Gary V ay nagpalabas ng bagong diriheng musikal na video para sa kasalukuyan nitong madamdamin at patok na single, “Pwede Pang Mangarap.”Angbagong inilabas na hanay ay sinasabing pinagsanib na pwersa sa pagitan ng grupo ni Gary V at ang kanyang sumusuportang tagagawa ng label sa mahigit 30taon, ang Universal Records.

Ang album ay Isang inspirasyong kanta hango są rmatimtimang awitin na nauukol upang bigyang pwersa ang industriya ng musika upang maibsan ang gumuguhong pangarap na epekto ng pandemya, gayundin upang mabuhay na muli ang ekonomiya at inspirasyon sa buhay ng mga Nakapaloobtao. sa bagong album ang pinakamahusay na signaturang “Pinoy Pop” na mga himig at umano’y, hinirang sa Mega Magazine bilang Musical Icon ng Taon— si Gary V walang katumbas na pagtatanghal na mga konsyertong musikal sa video na talaga namang “walangkahalintulad”.Angmga tagamasid ay nagsabing ang taglay na bagong husay na ibinuhos sa paggawa at dedikasyon na pinagsama-

sama sa bagong album nito, at bilang you-tuber, ang nagbigay daan upang maakit ang mahigit 12,000 tagasunod sa tagumpay ng konsyerto nito sa lalawigan ng BicolHuwagkamakailan.imintis ang tanging pagkakataong minsan lamang mararanasan kasama si Gary V sa Pechanga Resort Casino. Ang mga pagtatanghal sa Pechanga Theater ay nagdudulot ng komportable at natatanging karanasan sa konsierto. May 1,200 na mag upuan sa teatro, habang bawat isang pagtatanghal ay naghahandog ng mga makabago, naayong tugtuging akma sa pandinig, at komportableng mga upuan at malapitang tanaw habang nakaupo sa teatro.

Patungkol sa Pechanga Resort CasinoAng Pechanga Resort Casino ay nag-aalay ng pinaka malaki at napakalawak na resort/casino na eksperiyensta saan man sa Estados Unidos. Ibinotong numero unong

casino sa bansa ng USA Today at may rata na Four Diamond property ng AAA mula 2002, ang Pechanga Resort Casino ay naghahatid ng walang kapantay na libangan, maging anumang araw o kahabaan ng pananatili rito. Ang Pechanga ay naghahatid ng mahigit 5,000 ng pinakamainit na slots, table games, world-class na paraan ng aliwan, 1,100 na mga kwarto sa hotel, kainan, spa at golf sa Journey sa Pechanga. Ang Pechanga Resort Casino ay nag-aalok ng mga destinasyon na tutugon at hihigit pa sa mga pangangailangan ng mga panauhin at komunidad. Ang Pechanga Resort Casino ay pag-aari at nasa ilalim ng pamamalakad ng Pechanga Band of Luiseno Indians. Sa karagdagang impormasyon, tumawag toll free sa (877) 711-2946 o bumisita sa www.Pechanga.com. Sundan ang Pechanga Resort Casino sa Facebook, Instagram at sa Twitter @PechangaCasino.

CA Senators Ask for $5 Million to Increase Pipeline of Asian Language Teachers

By Sunita Sohra Bji/EMS

Asian Americans are the fastest growing population in California, yet the state credentialed only 89 teachers who speak one of several Asian languages in the 2019-2020 academicAccordingyear. to the California Department of Education, more than 1000 bilingual accreditations were issued that year. Yet only four teachers were accredited in Vietnamese, and only 58 were accredited to teach in Mandarin.

Two California state Senators, Dr. Richard Pan, D-Sacramento, and Tom Umberg, D-Orange County, spoke at a June 6 media briefing, organized jointly by Ethnic Media Services and Asian Americans Advancing Justice. Pan and Umberg asked for $5 million in the California state budget to train and credential a pipeline of teachers who speak Asian languages.

The funds would be allocated to the the California State University Asian Language Bilingual Teacher Education Program Consortium, an alliance among 10 California state universities that have come together to work to increase the number of accredited bilingual teachers in six Asian current languages: Mandarin, Cantonese, Japanese, Hmong, Korean and Vietnamese.

The grant would be allocated over a four-year period.

“There are very few Asian language bilingual teachers who are teaching in dual immersion classrooms, but there’s tremendous demand for that,” said Pan, a pediatrician and educator who chairs the California Asian American and Pacific Islander Legislative Caucus.

He noted that the state Legislature has passed a $166.5 million AAPI equity budget to stem the rising tide of anti-Asian hate crimes. But little of that budget was devoted to language access in schools, which Pan believes is critical to stem bullying and xenophobia.

“Research shows that children participating in dual immersion

language programs develop a greater understanding and empathy for others with different backgrounds and cultures,” said Pan, noting that Asian students who are English learners also benefit.

More than 66 percent of Asian Americans speak a language other than English at home, noted Pan. The Senator added his personal story: during his elementary school years, the son of immigrants was placed in special needs programs.

“It wasn’t that long ago where you had people talking about, ‘well, if you’re in this country, you just need to learn English.’ That sentiment still exists out there, and has sometimes put barriers to investments in language,” he said.

Umberg noted that the $5 million budget ask was an investment in the state’s future. “It is advantageous for a state like California to have bilingual, even trilingual capacity in the global economy were functioning in.”

“It is obvious, I think, to anyone who has looked at the global economy in the last ten years, that, as we become more integrated, we, the United States, and in particular California, need to be both language capable as well as culturally capable to be able to thrive in the global economy,” said Umberg.

“I know that the language of business, for the most part, is English, but if you really want to do well, then you speak another language,” he stated. “I still practice law, and 50% of our practice is run by Mandarin speaker who is able to communicate in both perfect Mandarin, as well as being culturally acute and sensitive to Mandarin speakers. And that’s been good for business.”

“We want to make sure that our young people are as productive citizens as is possible. The way to make them most productive is to make sure that they are fully functional in at least two languages,” said Umberg.

Asked if $5 million was enough to build a pipeline of Asian

language speaking teachers, both Pan and Umberg said it was a start that could be expanded upon in future years.

Dr. Fernando Rodríguez-Valls, professor of secondary education at California State University, Fullerton, noted that funding has been a significant barrier for potential teachers to get accredited. Most classes are offered over the summer when students cannot access financial aid.

Two classes are required for bilingual accreditation, at a cost of $1200 per class; the program costs about $2500, out of the reach for many otherwise-qualified instructors, said Rodriguez-Valls. Candidates must go through the regular credentialing program and then complete a specialization program which allows them to be a certified bilingual teacher.

He noted that by the year 2030, 75 percent of California students will be at least bilingual, and may also be pluralingual.“Iwould say that $5 million is a good start. It will really help to support teachers, candidates who want to obtain their bilingual authorization in Asian languages,” said Rodriguez-Valls. “We want to provide high quality instruction for all our language learners in California.”Victoria ‘Nikki’ Dominguez, Education Equity Director for Advancing Justice – Los Angeles, kicked off the briefing, noting: “The Asian American community continues to face language access challenges. It identifies language access as the number one barrier to access to the services that our community needs, including equitable and fair education for all of our“Thisstudents.”consortium will build the infrastructure needed for us to train, recruit and support aspiring Asian language teachers who are looking to earn the credentials to be able to enter our workforce, our schools, and lead our students in their academics as well,” said Dominguez.

By Sunita Sohrabji