The Filipino Press: February 3-9, 2023

MANIL -- President Ferdinand

R. Marcos Jr. on Thursday met with the board members of the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) to discuss projects funded through partnerships with the private sector and the Official Development Assistance (ODA).

Marcos convened the 3rd NEDA Board Meeting at Malacañan Palace's State Dining Room to receive updates on the new and existing public-private partnership (PPP) and ODA-funded projects, based on a Facebook post by the Office of the President (OP).

"President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. presided over the 3rd National Economic and Development Authority Board meeting, where the status of Public-Private Partnership projects and Official Development Assistance (ODA) projects, both new and existing, were discussed," the OP said.

It said the meeting also focused on NEDA's compliance with Marcos' directives, as well as other relevant topics for the country's economic development and progress.

State-run Radio Television Malacañang (RTVM), in another Facebook post, said the meeting was attended by NEDA Board members.

The board consists of NEDA director general and Socioeconomic Secretary Arsenio Balisacan, Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin, Finance Secretary Benjamin Diokno, Public Works Secretary Manuel Bonoan, Trade Secretary Alfredo Pascual,

Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista, Energy Secretary Raphael Lotilla, Budget Secretary Amenah Pangandaman, and Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Deputy Governor Francisco Dakila Jr.

Special Assistant to the President Secretary Antonio Ernesto Lagdameo Jr., Chief Presidential

Legal Counsel Secretary Juan Ponce Enrile, and Presidential Communications Office Secretary Cheloy Velicaria-Garafil were also present during the meeting, RTVM said.

On Jan. 27, Marcos acknowledged the importance of attracting more investments to sustain the growth of

the Philippine economy.

Meeting with renewable energy developer Meanwhile, Marcos also had a meeting with renewable energy developer San Ignacio Energy Resources Development Corp. (SIERDC) at Malacañan Palace on Wednesday, the OP said.

It said SIERDC briefed Marcos on the company's 440-megawatt Peak Solar Power Project in Isabela. "The meeting provided the President with an opportunity to gain insights into the progress and potential impact of SIERDC's renewable energy project in the region," it said.

SIERDC, the RTVM noted, is currently developing more than 440 megawatts of solar photovoltaics and hydro projects in Northern Luzon through a business venture that is expected to bring in PHP18 billion in investment and provide employment to roughly 4,500 workers.

Joining Marcos at the meeting were Lagdameo, Lotilla, and Science and Technology Secretary Renato Solidum Jr., the RTVM said. SIERDC is part of the Nextnorth Energy Group, which specializes in developing solar and hydro projects in Northern Luzon.

It is involved in the design and construction of renewable energy plants, such as solar and biomass power generation, as well as maintenance and operation of facilities, various inspections, and consulting services. (MNS) NEDA Board OKs first PPP project under PBBM admin

The National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) Board, chaired by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., approved on Thursday the University of the Philippines (UP)-Philippine General Hospital (PGH) Cancer Center Public Private Partnership (PPP) project, aimed at modernizing the country’s health infrastructure on oncology services and cancer care.

The NEDA Board gave its nod for the construction of a P6-billion, 300-bed capacity hospital, the

in between.”

WASHINGTON—AARP invites local eligible organizations and governments across the country to apply for the2023 AARP Community Challenge grant program,now through March 15 at 5:00 p.m. Eastern. Grants fund quick-action projects thathelp communities become more livable in the long-term by improving public spaces, transportation, housing, civic engagement, diversity and inclusion, and more. Now in its seventh year, the program is part of AARP’s nationwide Livable Communities initiative, which supports the efforts of cities, towns, neighborhoods and rural areas to become great places to live for all residents, especially those age 50 and older.

“By 2030, one out of every five Americans will be 65 or older, but many communities may not be ready to support the needs of residents of all ages and abilities,” said Nancy LeaMond, AARP Executive Vice President and Chief Advocacy & Engagement Officer. “The AARP Community Challenge grant program has demonstrated that by supporting local leaders and organizations’ efforts to strengthen their communities, we can improve the quality of life for the very young, the very old and everyone

Previous Community Challenge grants have led to impressive results withnearly half of grantees leveraging their projects into additional funding support from private and public sector partners and eight in ten overcoming barriers and advancing change.

In 2023, the AARP Community Challenge is accepting applications across three different grant opportunities, two of which are new this year. All projects must be consistent with AARP’s mission to serve the needs of people 50 and older along with other eligibility criteria. AARP will prioritize proposals that are inclusive, address disparities, and directly engage volunteers age 50 and older.

Newthis year, the program will providecapacity-building microgrants paired with additional resources, such as one-on-one coaching, webinars, cohort learning opportunities and more for improving walkability and starting or expanding a community garden.

Also new this year, the Community Challenge will also offerdemonstration grants. A portion will be focused on transportation improvements with funding support provided by Toyota

Motor North America. Another portion of demonstration grants will focus on promoting greater awareness of the benefits of accessory dwelling units as a housing solution.

AARP will also offer grants under aflagship opportunity to support projects that improve public places; transportation; housing; diversity, equity and inclusion; civic engagement; community health and economic empowerment; and new this year community resilience; and digital connections.

Since 2017, AARP has awarded more than $12.7 million to over 1,060 projects through the Community Challenge to nonprofit organizations and government entities across all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The program provides direct support to all community types, including rural, suburban and urban communities with a special focus on the needs of those 50 and older.

The Community Challenge is open to eligible nonprofit organizations and government entities. Other types of organizations are considered on a case-by-case basis. Grants can range from several hundred dollars for small, short-term activities to tens of thousands for larger projects.

The application deadline is 5:00 p.m. Eastern, March 15, 2023. All projects must be completed by November 30, 2023. To submit an application and view past grantees, visitwww.AARP.org/ CommunityChallenge.

SACRAMENTO, CA -California’s Master Plan for Aging (MPA), a 10-year blueprint to prepare the state for the coming demographic changes and continue California’s national leadership in aging, disability, and equity, released its Annual Report. The Annual Report reviews investments and progress made in 2022 toward the 132 initiatives that were the focus of the first two years of MPA implementation, and outlines the 95 new initiatives that will drive activities for the next two years. Today, California also launched the MPA Initiatives Tracker, an interactive website that provides ondemand public access to initiative progress updates.

“Over the past two years, there have been historic investments, collaborative public-private partnerships, and ongoing efforts from a variety of stakeholders to make the Master Plan for Aging come to life, while doing the hard work that’s required to achieve California’s five bold goals by 2030,” said Dr. Mark Ghaly, California Health and Human Services Agency Secretary. “I’m impressed by the progress made last year and by the strength of commitment shown by stakeholders, philanthropy partners, the Legislature, and the entire administration. This truly is a wholeof-society movement. I’m confident we’re on the path to creating a better future for Californians of all ages and all abilities.”

The MPA was launched by

Governor Gavin Newsom in 2021 to address an upcoming demographic shift: by 2030, one in four Californians will be aged 60 or older. The MPA outlines five bold goals to build a California for all ages and abilities by 2030: 1) Housing for All Ages & Stages; 2) Health

Reimagined; 3) Equity & Inclusion, Not Isolation; 4) Caregiving That Works; and 5) Affording Aging. The first two years of MPA activities focused on 132 initiatives that included preventing homelessness for older adults and veterans, expanding health care affordability and access, protecting older adults and people with disabilities from abuse and neglect, supporting family caregivers, reducing food insecurity, and more.

Key 2022 Annual Report Updates

Progress was made on all 132 initiatives that were part of the first two years of MPA implementation.

The Legislature invested billions of dollars to advance the MPA’s five bold goals. Some of the 2022 achievements include:

Community Care Expansion: As of October 2022, CDSS awarded more than $100 million to 17

organizations to fund 19 projects to create more residential care options for older adults and people with disabilities, including people at risk of or experiencing homelessness. More than 660 beds or units will be created with these funds.

Medi-Cal Coverage for People

50+ Regardless of Immigration

Status: The Medi-Cal program now covers individuals over age 50 regardless of immigration status. The 2021-2022 state budget invested $1 billion (ongoing) to expand access to full-scope Medi-Cal benefits for adults aged 50 and over, which has already provided 235,000 additional Californians with access to health care.

Closing the Digital Divide: The $17 million Home and Community-Based Services Digital Connections Program builds off the Connections, Health, Aging, and Technology (CHAT) program that distributed 4,000 iPads, including digital literacy training, to isolated older adults in 2021. The Digital Connections Program expands CHAT’s reach to include participants

By Theresa maigue- Bendorf

“…I fear that women will continue to sacrifice being liked for being successful.”

-Sheryl Sandberg

Sharing with you my thoughts on Facebook COO, Sheryl Sandberg’s, book Lean In: Women, Work, and the Will to Lead.

In Lean In, Sandberg implores women to embrace their leadership potential and to act upon the equity, especially in the workplace, that we as women have desired and worked towards for generations. Lean In is a call to action with Sandberg on the megaphone.

The reality is this: all too often, even now in 2023, women are marginalized. Underestimated. Confronted with double standards.

Objectified. …and (as “minority” women, we know all too well) even exoticized. I stand with Sandberg in her effort to empower women with the encouragement, tools, and resources to put stigmas to rest, so that more women may be accepted as full equals as leaders in all professional sectors.

A current Philippine congresswoman, a former beauty queen, once told me she often felt stereotyped by having been a beauty queen and that being taken seriously as a young, female politician was made harder sometimes as a result. She gave me

what she considered advice: “Don’t just be a beauty queen.”

Never wanting to be “just ANYTHING,” I responded saying, “As public figures, aren’t we all ‘beauty queens?’ We are ambassadors for our communities. We advocate a wide range of social reform platforms. We are called to handle tough questions with the utmost grace.”

Sandberg writes, “All of us— men and women alike—have to understand and acknowledge how stereotypes and biases cloud our beliefs and perpetuate the status quo.”

“She’s too nice.”

“She’s too pretty.” “She’s too bubbly.” “She’s too bossy.” These are just a few judgments that have kept and continue to keep women from positions of leadership. …But let’s investigate a double standard. I have yet to hear men penalized for being “too kind,” “too handsome,” “too upbeat,” “too assertive.” In fact, on the contrary, men are often rewarded for such traits.

Sandberg shares a Harvard study in which a case study illustrating the character traits of a successful, effective leader is presented two ways—first, with a male leader named Howard, then with a female leader named Heidi. The name (and thus the sex of the leader) is the only difference. The results of the study concluded that both men and

women found it more difficult to like Heidi as a leader than Howard. But, why?

On the conflict women encounter between success and likeability, Sandberg shares, “Our stereotype of men holds that they are providers, decisive, and driven. Our stereotype of women holds that they are caregivers, sensitive, and communal…I believe this bias is at the very core of why women are held back. It is also at the very core of why women hold themselves back. For men, professional success comes with positive reinforcement every step of the way. For women, even when they’re recognized for their achievements, they’re often regarded unfavorably…Because of these unfair expectations, women find themselves in ‘damned if they do’ and ‘doomed if they don’t’ situations.” With all this considered, it’s no wonder women have more loops to jump through in financial negotiations, job interviews, even day-to-day encounters. So what can we do to resolve this issue?

First, we must not downplay our achievements. Sure, no one likes a bragger…but there’s a difference between bragging, and being willing to take ownership of the success you worked so hard to attain. We must also be willing to let other women shine. As Sandberg asserts, “Every social movement struggles with dissension within its ranks…Queen bees internalized the low status of women and in order to feel worthy themselves wanted only to associate with men. Often, these queen bees were rewarded for maintaining the status quo and not promoting other women. Unfortunately, this ‘there can only be one’ attitude still ligers today.”

If we want women as a whole to be taken seriously as leaders, we must be willing to pay forward any opportunities we have been given and build communal support. Only then will we be able to perpetuate the idea that women are deserving, capable, and, yes, even likeable leaders at home, at school, at work, and beyond! Pamper yourself

and another woman today by congratulating yourself and them on their success. With more than enough critics in the world, let’s be one another’s champion! Your comments could be featured here! Again, just email us at filpressads@aol.com Got

Do

MANILA -- In line with his vision of increasing farmers’ and fishers’ income, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. has directed the Department of Agriculture (DA) to directly link food producers to consumers and institutional buyers, thereby removing the middle men.

In compliance with the President’s directive, the DA enhanced its market linkage initiative to assist farmers’ cooperatives and associations (FCAs) across the country.

Under the initiative, spearheaded by the department’s Agribusiness and Marketing Assistance Service (AMAS), about P2.589 million worth of onions have been sold by the FCAs to institutional buyers from September 2022 to January 24, 2023, composed of 3,478 kilograms of red onions worth P755,455 and 5,106.38 kilograms of white onions worth P1.833 million.

The DA-awarded Kadiwa trucks and vans also helped the FCAs with their hauling and delivery to markets and big buyers.

“Malaking tulong actually ang logistics. Nakatulong ang Kadiwa sa logistics,” Elvin Jerome Laceda of RiceUp and Sakahon farmers’ enterprises said of the P1.325 millionworth four-wheel truck awarded by the DA to the RiceUp Farmers, Inc. in Pampanga in 2022.

RiceUp also received P1-million in financial grant through the DA’s “Enhanced Kadiwa ni Ani at Kita” program, which enabled it to facilitate the trading of farm produce directly from the farmers to the market.

Farmers are also provided with assistance and trainings in farm clustering and consolidation, where market-driven production and focus on supplying institutional buyers are applied to help farmers earn better with higher volume.

Through Sakahon, which is an agritech solutions company, Laceda and his team aim to create a system wherein the farmers already know what the market needs even before they plant and harvest.

In addition to serving big buyers, RiceUp and Sakahon farmer partners regularly bring their produce to the DA Kadiwa outlet in Quezon City.

Laceda and Bayambang farmers brought 1.5 tons of onions priced at P240/kilogram for big sizes, and P140/kilogram for small sizes at the DA Kadiwa and the Senate in the last week of January 2023.

“Two years na kasi kaming tumutulong sa mga farmer ng Bayambang kahit wala pa ‘tong crisis na ‘to. Talagang ang mission namin is to create a system where the produce is bought with justice. Farmers get the value of their produce, at the same time, it’s affordable sa mga consumer,” Laceda said.

He added that they bought the onions at P200/kilogram, which is the highest farm gate price in the area, so that the farmers could earn an additional P90,000 for every 1,000 kilograms. Previously, the onions were bought at P110/kilogram.

Last year, President Marcos announced he is determined to transform the Kadiwa project into a national program, in collaboration with the local government units (LGUs), to provide the public access to more affordable and high-quality merchandise and, at the same time, provide a market to local farmers,

fishermen and small business enterprises.

“We appreciate what the DA is trying to do,” Laceda said. He added, market-driven production and farmers’ access to capital and available storage facilities, which are among the priorities of the DA under the leadership of of the President, will also be a big boost to the agriculture sector.

PBBM greenlights creation of Water Resource Management Office to ensure sufficient water supply in all parts of the country President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on Wednesday approved the creation of a Water Resource Management Office (WRMO) to manage the country’s water resources and respond to the current environmental challenges through a concerted government effort with the help of all sectors of society.

During the multi-sectoral meeting in Malacañang, President Marcos discussed the importance of planning with regard to water management, as he underscored the need for a plan that will serve as a roadmap for waste management agencies.

“Kaya nga kailangan sumunod sa plano. That’s why we have to strengthen the mandate of the Water Management Office. We have to bring them together so that they are all following the overall plan,” Marcos said as he pointed out that adhering to the plan has to be compulsory.

“So that whatever the relationship we come to with MWSS (Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System) and Local Water Utilities Administration (LWUA) and the Water Board, DENR (Department of Environment and Natural Resources) and this new Water Management Office, it has to be cohesive in the sense that kailangan ‘yung recommendation ng management office sinusundan,”

President Marcos explained.

The President suggested that the WRMO’s first action should be reducing the country’s reliance on groundwater and deep wells, as well as managing surface water supply.

“That’s as far as I could tell. We have sufficient… there’s enough water in the Philippines hindi lang natin ginagamit, tinatapon natin,” Marcos said.

An executive order (EO) will be crafted to enable the National Water Resources Board (NWRB), MWSS and LWUA and the other water-related agencies of the DENR to have a collaborative mechanism under the WRMO to implement water management programs.

The WRMO will be under the DENR and will be a transitory body pending the creation of a Water Resources Department.

The WRMO’s main functions include formulating and ensuring the implementation of the Integrated Water Management Plan (IWMP), which will integrate various plans of different agencies.

The IWMP, which will serve as the main guiding document for the WRMO, will respond to the current environmental challenges and manage water resources through a concerted government effort engaging various sectors.

The WRMO is also tasked to champion, together with the Presidential Legislative Liaison Office (PLLO), the passage of a law

creating an apex body; collaborate closely with all relevant agencies, including local government units (LGUs), private sector, civil society, and the communities; as well as perform other functions under the DENR.

Water is crucial for food security as irrigation accounts for a 35.6 percent contribution to the agriculture sector’s Gross Value Added.

Water is critical to supporting cities and urban growth. The Philippines ranks among the world’s rapidly urbanizing countries, with over 47 percent of its population living in cities in 2021, requiring large water projects, including bulk water supply and sanitation infrastructure.

It also has a significant part in the country’s energy mix, as hydropower represents 7 percent of the total energy production in the country, and its contribution can be increased by as much as 15 percent by 2030.

DA gears up to sustain Grade A durian output for $2-B China deal

The Department of Agriculture (DA) said on Wednesday it is gearing up to ensure the production of highquality durians for its US$2.09-billion “durian protocol” deal with China.

In a statement, the DA said it needed to intensify actions with various stakeholders to achieve sustainable Grade A durian production for Chinese importers after President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s three-day state visit to China.

“The administration of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. is committed to implementing strategies to ensure high-quality fruits for export, including durian, which is subject of an export deal with China amounting to $2 billion,” it said.

Primary production sources of high-quality durians include Davao City and the provinces of Davao del Sur and North Cotabato.

However, the DA said it targets expansion to strengthen durian export capacity and open opportunities for more producers.

“The bilateral venture between the Philippines and China is seen to generate at least 10,000 direct and indirect jobs,” it said.

“Potential areas for expansion will be identified by the DA to sustain the durian export,” it added.

To date, there are five licensed exporters, six licensed packing facility operators and 65 registered durian growers in the Davao Region.

Alongside expansion is training for officials, inspectors and other stakeholders to improve technical know-how on the production of fresh durian.

This also includes training on the proper management of pests and diseases.

For the first year of the durian protocol, over PHP8.24 billion worth of fresh durian exports are expected.

“China will be importing more than 5.7-million kilograms of fresh durian per season,” the DA said.

So far, five big Chinese corporations and groups have made purchase commitments for the year.

The Chief Executive earlier said the durian protocol will help "regress" the trade imbalance between the Philippines and China.

According to the Philippine Statistics Authority, the country's trade gap with China reached US$15 billion as of 2021. (MNS)

Advisory body backs DepEd's agenda for 'job-ready' K to 12 grads

MANILA -- The Private Sector Advisory Council (PSAC) on Wednesday expressed support for the Department of Education's (DepEd) plan to revise the Kinder to Grade 12 (K to 12) curriculum to produce "job-ready, active and responsible" graduates.

The commitment was made, two days after Vice President Sara Duterte, who also serves as DepEd Secretary, launched the "MATATAG" agenda, which would serve as the department's roadmap in addressing challenges in basic education.

In a statement, PSAC Job Sector lead Joey Concepcion said the private sector is giving its full support for the DepEd's "comprehensive" reforms to address systemic challenges in several aspects of the education sector.

“Under the leadership of Vice President and Secretary of Education Sara Duterte, PSAC fully supports their efforts and comprehensive plans for improving the Philippine basic education system," said Concepcion, founder of GO Negosyo and president and chief executive officer of RFM Corp..

“We believe that it will bring about positive change for students, educators and the country as a whole,” he added.

Concepcion also ensured that the PSAC is ready to work with the government to improve the country's basic education system.

“PSAC is committed to working with the government and other partners to help achieve the goals DepEd has set out and to contribute to the development of a welleducated and skilled workforce,” he said.

During the presentation of the Basic Education Report (BER) 2023 at Sofitel Hotel in Pasay City on Monday, Duterte identified the problems hounding various areas in the basic education sector, including curriculum, infrastructure, learners' well-being and teachers' welfare.

She also launched the "MATATAG" agenda, which stands for a four-side holisitc approach to basic education improvement.

Based on Duterte's presentation, "MATATAG" means "MAke the curriculum relevant to produce job-ready, active, and responsible citizens; TAke steps to accelerate the delivery of basic education services and provision facilities; TAke good care of learners by promoting learner well-being, inclusiveness learning, and positive learning environment; and Give support for teachers to teach better."

Duterte also sought partnership with the Commission on Higher Education (CHED), the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) and various industry partners to address the issue of skills mismatch in senior high school program.

Marcos, who graced the DepEd event, said the national government must confront issues hounding the education sector with an “open mind and compassion.”

On Dec. 9, 2022, the PSAC Jobs Sector met with President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., Duterte and other relevant government

officials to discuss concrete plans to create more and better jobs for Filipinos.

One of the PSAC proposals made during the Dec. 9 meeting was to build skills and capabilities that would allow longer-term competitiveness. The recommendation was reflected in the first factor of DepEd’s MATATAG agenda.

PSAC Jobs Sector also recommended identifying specific skills for long-term competitiveness and revamping basic and higher education and workforce development to drive productivity and encourage entrepreneurship.

The specific skills identified during the recent meeting were English proficiency; science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) related skills; and digital readiness.

The council also proposed that the DepEd, CHED and TESDA further integrate and work with the private sector to set standards, update curricula and design training programs that match the real skill needs of priority sectors.

Schools’ mental health services, oversight on drugs bills passed Voting 272-0 with no abstentions, the House of Representatives on Tuesday passed on third and final reading a proposed measure seeking to strengthen the promotion and delivery of mental health services in basic education through the hiring and deployment of mental health professionals.

House Bill 6574, or the proposed Basic Education Mental Health and Well-Being Promotion Act, is a consolidation of House Bills 929, 3691, 4162 and 4194 authored by Reps. Roman Romulo (Pasig City), Rex Gatchalian (Valenzuela City 1st District), Harris Christopher Ongchuan (Northern Samar 2nd District), and Rufus Rodriguez (Cagayan de Oro City 2nd Distruct), respectively.

The authors urged for the passage of the measure to ease the severe shortage of mental health professionals in the basic education system, and properly addressing the emotional, psychological and mental health well-being of both learners and teachers, especially in the aftermath of the pandemic.

The measure also seeks to enhance their classroom and learning preparedness, including learners identified as children in conflict with the law, students at risk of dropping out, learner-victims of Violence Against Women and Children, and learners-victims of other related forms of child abuse and criminal acts.

Under HB 6574, a Mental Health and Well-being Office, under the administration and supervision of the Department of Education (DepEd), shall be established in every school division.

It also mandates the hiring and deployment of mental health professionals within five years from the effectivity of said law, such that each public elementary and secondary school, vocational institution, and offices in the central, regional, and schools’ division governance levels of the DepEd shall have mental health

professionals or mental health service providers.

The Mental Health and Wellbeing Office at the school’s division level shall be headed by a qualified Mental Health Professional with the position of Guidance Services Specialist V with Salary Grade 24.

To lure more mental health professionals in the basic education system, HB 6574 also provides for the hiring of a sufficient number of mental health professionals with salary grades not lower than Salary Grade 16, including guidance associates and psychometricians at the entry level of Salary Grade 11.

The measure likewise allows public schools to hire graduates with relevant background in psychology or similar fields, who may not yet qualify as mental health professionals, to provide schoolbased mental health services, provided that they undergo training on capacity building as determined by the DepEd.

Mental health professionals in the DepEd shall enjoy the rights and privileges provided for in the Magna Carta for Public Health Workers, Mental Health Act and other pertinent laws.

The DepEd shall provide for sufficient resources for mental health programs and projects designed to maintain and address the mental health and well-being of learners and personnel.

Congressional oversight panel on drugs Citing the need to continuously monitor and ensure the proper implementation of the Comprehensive Dangerous Drug Act of 2002, the House also approved on third and final reading a joint resolution seeking to extend the life of the Congressional Oversight Committee on Dangerous Drugs for another 10 years.

House Joint Resolution (HJR) No. 14, which was approved with an overwhelming 274 votes, mandates the extension of the life of the panel from July 4, 2022 to July 4, 2032.

If enacted into law, this will be the second time the life of the oversight committee will be extended. The first time was in 2012, or the year the Dangerous Drug Act marked its 10th year of implementation.

The Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002 that was signed into law on June 7, 2002 and took effect on July 4, 2002.

“The House of Representatives felt the need to extend the life of our powers of oversight as the implementation of the law needs to be reviewed from time to time,” Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez said.

Surigao del Norte Rep. Robert Ace Barbers, one of the principal authors of HJR 14 and chairman of the House Committee on Dangerous Drugs, added that “addressing the drug problem in our country requires our laws to be constantly attuned to the changing times.

The Congressional Oversight Committee on Dangerous Drugs is currently chaired by Barbers in the House of Representatives and Sen. Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa in the Senate. It is composed

seven

(MNS)

of

members from each chamber.

FRESH AND CHEAP. Consumers buy agricultural products sold at cheaper prices at the Kadiwa store at the corner of Maginhawa and Magpakumbaba Streets in Barangay Sikatuna Village, Quezon City on Wednesday (Feb 1, 2023). Deboned bangus (milkfish) is also sold at the stall at PHP110 each while red and white onions are sold at PHP130 and PHP140 per kilo, respectively. (MNS photo)

KING OF FRUITS. A woman smells a durian from the Bonena Multipurpose Cooperative stall at the Department of Agriculture Kadiwa store on Elliptical Road, Quezon City on Tuesday (Jan. 31, 2023). The delicious fruit known for its potent stench will soon be all over Chinese markets under a PHP2-billion deal between the Department of Agriculture and China General Administration of Customs. (MNS photo)

Farmers sell P2.5M worth of onions as PBBM-led DA directly links food producers to consumers, institutional buyers

LOOKING BACK ON THE HUMANITY OF THE PHILIPPINES’ NATIONAL HERO JOSE RIZAL AND HIS STORIED TRAGIC LOVE LIFE ON THIS VALENTINE’S DAY OF 2023

SAN DIEGO, Calif. - Greetings and Cheers and a Happy Valentine’s Day to all of you!

A popular song among ex-couples, who had to let go of one another for the reason that breaking apart is the right thing to do, is “Somewhere down the Road.” It’s lyrics tells the story of a love that was lost, but one that still clings to the hope that someday and somewhere lovers who fell apart will find themselves in each other’s arms again. It was written by Cynthia Weil and Tom Snow and recorded in 1981 by American singer-songwriter, arranger, musician and producer with a career that has spanned more than 50 years, Barry Manilow.

If O Sei San were still alive in the 1980’s, she could have dedicated this song to the national hero of the Philippines’ Dr. Jose Rizal, as she had to let go of the great Filipino patriot in order for him to fulfill his dream for his country’s destiny. Indeed, Rizal could have lived longer and established his own family had he opted staying in Japan with O Sei San. However, Rizal made an extraordinary sacrifice when he chose to return to the Philippines and devote his precious life for his fellow countrymen.

It was only in recent years that interests have arisen to unravel the mystery of Rizal’s Japanese love –“O Sei San.” His relationship with his Japanese sweetheart and his stay in Japan for over a little month has been one of the highlights of PhilippineJapan relations. Leonor Rivera may be Jose Rizal’s greatest love as she was his girlfriend for some quite long years. However, their relationship did not last as Rivera was forced to marry an English engineer named Charles Kipping. On the other hand, a Japanese maiden named Seiko Usui (O Sei San) had loved Rizal like no other woman.

The short-lived residence in Japan proved to be one of the happiest days in Rizal’s life for he was not only fascinated with the sceneries in Japan but he also fell in love with O Sei San. Their love came to an end when Rizal had to leave. His heart was filled with grief as he bid “Sayonara” to O Sei San. Rizal left Japan bound for San Francisco on board the English ship Belgic in April 1888. A day before he departed Japan, Rizal wrote in his diary his regret for leaving, and his longing for the love of O Sei San.

“O Sei San…Sayonara, Goodbye! I have spent a lovely golden month; I do not know if I will have another one like it in all my life. Love, money, friendship, esteem, privileges…no woman like you has ever loved me… no woman has made such sacrifices as you have…you shall never know what I still think of you, and that your image lives on in my memory… when shall I return to spend another divine afternoon like that in the temple of Meguro?...When will the sweet hours I spent with you come back?... Everything is at an end! Sayonara, Goodbye!”

Jose Rizal’s dalliances with various women in the Philippines and elsewhere in the world have made him a legend and a hero to Filipino men who aspire to be as smooth as he was. Whether these encounters were more likely brief flirtations than full-blown relationships doesn’t seem to matter too many. The point is -the man was just like all of us – falling in love and waxing sentimental over fond memories about the one that got away. Or in this case, the more than one who got away. Ha-ha-ha-ha!

On this Valentine’s Day of 2023, we look back on the other wonderful women who caught the Filipino’s national hero’s eye:

Segunda Katigbak was the sister of Mariano Katigbak, Rizal’s friend and classmate. She studied in La Concordia College (located in my beloved historical hometown of Sta. Ana in old Manila), where Rizal’s sister Olympia also enrolled.

Some say the two met in Trozo, Manila, while others say it was in Lipa, Batangas. Given that Segunda studied in the same school as Rizal’s sister, he did the most logical thing: visit La Concordia College more frequently, ostensibly to see his sister but primarily to get a glimpse of the girl he described as having “eloquent eyes, rosy cheeks, and a smile that reveals very beautiful teeth.”

The story goes that Rizal told Segunda that he was returning home to Calamba for the New Year. He added he might see her when her steamer docks at Binan and she passes through Calamba on her way to Lipa. He waited for her and he did see her pass by on a carriage – in fact, she even waved to him – but instead of following her, he chose to go home.

And that is how it abruptly ended.

Leonor Valenzuela or “Orang” was his neighbor when he stayed in Intramuros while studying at the University of Santo Tomas.

Being neighbors gave Rizal plenty of opportunities to find some reason to hang out with Orang whether or not there was an occasion for them to meet up. He wrote love letters to her in invisible ink, and it’s been speculated that he did so to cover up his indiscretion, as he was also pursuing his next love, Leonor Rivera, at the time. And how did it concluded? Without tears or fanfare, Rizal may have been strongly infatuated with Orang, but it’s likely that Orang didn’t feel the same way about him. She went on with her life, entertaining other suitors, and not even shedding a tear when Rizal left the country.

Although our history books suggest that Rizal was somehow a ladies’ man, there’s no doubt that his first true love was Leonor Rivera, his near-cousin and childhood sweetheart who became the inspiration behind the character Maria Clara in Rizal’s novel “Noli Me Tangere” (Touch Me Not).

A native of Camiling,Tarlac,

Leonor Rivera captured Rizal’s heart when they met during the former’s 13th birthday party. Rizal was then a medical student who boarded at the Casa Tomasina, which at that time was managed by the Rivera’s. Bumping into each other was inevitable: Leonor and Rizal’s youngest sister, Soledad, were both boarding students at La Concordia College. Before long, the casual encounters blossomed into a full-fledged romance.

For a decade (1880-1890), the star-crossed lovers wrote each other countless of letters, even after Rizal left for Europe to further his medical studies. They continued to keep in touch but they never saw each other again – no thanks to “Noli Me Tangere” which already reached the Philippines’ shores and had put anyone close to Rizal under tight scrutiny by Spanish authorities. Worse, Leonor’s mother, who was already aware of Rizal’s reputation as a “filibusterer,” bribed the local postal clerk so the letters wouldn’t reach Leonor.

When the messages stopped coming, the two grew more and more distant from each other. Fearful that Rizal would only put her daughter’s life in danger, Leonor’s mother did everything she could to stop the relationship. She convinced Leonor to marry Henry Kipping, an Englishman and railroad engineer who was

involved in the construction of the Dagupan-Manila railway then.

Leonor agreed to marry Kipping on three conditions: Her mother would stand beside her during the wedding and she would never sing or even play the piano again for as long as she lived. Upon hearing the sad news, Rizal allegedly “wept like a child.” It took him half a year before he told what had happened to his Austrian friend and confidant, Ferdinand Blumentritt.

In 1893, Rivera died after giving birth to her second child with Kipping. It is said that one of her requests was to have the silver box containing the ashes of Rizal’s burned letters be buried with her.

The most that can be dug up about

Jesse T. Reyes Filipino Potpourri

keen on Rizal, helping him with his artwork. Supposedly, her assistance helped Rizal finish his works, namely ‘Prometheus Bound’, ‘The Triumph of Death over Life’, and ‘The Triumph of Science over Death.’

It’s pretty safe to say that nothing really happened between them in the first place, save for the crush Gettie had on “Pettie” (this was her nickname for Rizal). Some sources say that Rizal got cold feet, which made him decide to leave London for Paris in March 1889, possibly in an effort to let Gettie down easy.

So, moving on - Suzanne Jacoby was a Belgian woman who was the niece of the landladies of the boarding house where Rizal stayed in Brussels in February 1890.

In jest, will someone please keep Rizal away from all those boarding houses…Ha-ha-ha-ha!

Just kidding…Ha-ha-ha-ha!!

Rizal’s six-month stay in the city saw him spending a lot of time with Suzanne, and they attended the city’s summertime festival together.

got married to someone else, which probably prompted him to think, “Hey, you know what? I’m going to get married too! That’ll show her!”

Somehow, it went asunder because Nellie wanted Rizal to convert to Protestantism, and her mother didn’t approve of a man who didn’t have the capacity to give her daughter a good life. But it didn’t end in tears, as this two had a pretty amicable breakup and she even wished him well in a letter as he was about to leave Europe.

Born in Hong Kong to Irish parents, Josephine Bracken was the wife of Rizal; he called her “dulce extranjera” (sweet stranger).

In real life ambition, greed, lust among others drive humans to commit evil things. But what drives them to act? Do evil ideas just come as a spur of the moment thing or are they inseparable from self? St. Paul alluded to this in his Letter to the Galatians where he suggested that the earth’s elements may be transformed from its own energy and to degenerate as caused by fallen spirits. Meaning humans are good candidates for the picking.

Star worship is one who worships himself as gods of the earthly elements (air, earth, fire, and water).

Think of capitalism as evil per Pope Francis, that make use of these elements to enrich themselves or be famous (oil, space travel, real estate, manufacturing, agriculture). Star worship is a lot more. It can start with a selfie (metaphorically) and you like what you see. You’re the man, the top guy, number one!

Star worship, big or small in and of itself is a cult, a fast-growing religion

with its own commandments. The insatiable thirst and hunger for selffulfillment serves as an aphrodisiac for higher and bigger things that a man desires most – fame, wealth, power. Trying to achieve and fulfil these desires is an endless loop. Nothing earthly really satisfies man. What makes self-worship so potent is the fact that we are susceptible to sinning. Sinning is pleasurable. Star worship truly believes that man is the source who defines what is the truth. His words are authoritative, and he becomes a sovereign in his mind by virtue of having followers who help make things happen because he has the power. Man wants to climb the highest peak that God created and declare himself supreme. Desire for millions to billions, trillions and gazillions even, it is bottomless. Unsatisfied with his earthly kingdom, he wants to expand beyond and rule the heavens too via the most expensive airfare space travel can offer.

Consuelo Ortiga Rey is that she was the daughter of Don Pablo Ortiga, a former mayor of Manila.

Consuelo wrote in her dairy that she first met Rizal in Madrid on September 16, 1882, and apparently they talked the whole night (Always a promising start to any interrelation, if one may think about it…Ha-ha-haha!). Sources say she had a penchant for asking Rizal to write her poems and verses, and he would happily comply. The most well-known of these is entitled “A La Senorita C.O. y R.”

Things happened and one of Rizal’s compatriots Eduardo de Lete, apparently had his eye on Consuelo, too which forced Rizal to back out of whatever budding association he had within her. Also, he was still then engaged to Leonor Rivera, which he probably should have thought of before even considering starting something with another woman.

Nicknamed “Gettie” by Rizal, Gertrude Beckett was the daughter of Charles Beckett, who was Rizal’s landlord when he stayed in London, England in May of 1888.

After his stay in the United States (Yes, Rizal made it here in the US, just like the rest of us, too…Ha-haha-ha!) – Rizal headed to London and stayed in the boarding house run by Charles Beckett. Gettie was apparently

However, it seems that Rizal just wasn’t into her. He left her a box of chocolates, which she didn’t even open, possibly to keep as a memento. She wrote him two months later, telling him about the unopened box of chocolates and urging him to hurry back. In another letter she sent him, Suzanne wondered if Rizal even thought about her, and resigned herself to the fact that she might not see him again. He ended up returning to Brussels in April 1891, but only to keep working on his second and last novel “El Filibusterismo” (The Reign of Greed).

Nellie Boustead was the daughter of British businessman Eduardo Boustead and was half-Filipina. She was also the fiancée of Antonio Luna (Yes, that fiery brilliant Filipino Army general who fought in the PhilippineAmerican War!)

Rizal had been friends with her family and he used to fence with Nellie and her sister Adelina at Filipino painter, sculptor and political activist, Juan Luna’s studio. In February 1891, Rizal stayed at the Villas Eliad, the Boustead’s winter residence in Biarritz (an elegant seaside town on southwestern France’s Basque coast) on the French Riviera. Apparently, it got to the point where Rizal actually considered proposing to Nellie, although it might have been the rebound blues talking; at the time, he had just learned that Leonor Rivera

Josephine, together with her adoptive father George Taufer, sailed to the Philippines and then to Dapitan to see Rizal, as Taufer’s eyes required medical attention and Rizal had already then developed an impressive reputation as an eye specialist. Josephine and Rizal eventually fell in love, although Rizal’s sisters thought she was a spy for the Spanish. They lived in Barangay Talisay in Dapitan where their son Francisco was stillborn.

After Rizal’s death, Josephine returned to Hong Kong and lived with her father. In 1900, she married Vicente Abad and they had a daughter named Dolores. Josephine died of tuberculosis at the age of 25. Others say she actually returned to the Philippines and lived in Cebu with her husband and taught English at various institutions.

Now, if you’re asking what other ladies caught our old country’s national hero’s eye?

Well…full particulars dug up by leading experts on Jose Rizal such as Renato Constantino (“Veneration Without Understanding,” 1970) and Ambeth Ocampo (“Rizal without the Overcoat,” Revised Edition 1998) tells us that the first step to being grateful for the heroism of Jose Rizal is to appreciate his humanity: his limitations, shortcomings, sins and his quirks.

Here is a genuine fact that may have been obscured in the teaching on the subject of history back in the old homeland of ours: Rizal did allowed himself some “amusements.”

In 1883 when Rizal was in his late 20s in Europe, he wrote to his elder brother Paciano: “Women abound even more here in Madrid and it is, indeed shocking that in many places

See JESSE REYES on 8

A perspective on angels and demons, Final Part

And because you attain orgasmic high in sinning, who needs grace?

There, star worship leads to selfrighteousness, endless pursuit for self-glorification. You are convinced of your own star power, and nobody could be more powerful than you here on earth. You become the Antichrist.

There are biblical references supporting the idea that the collective space around us contains unseen powers both from the good and bad spirits (seen and unseen) that inhabit the earth along with humans. That their supernatural powers can encompass phenomena as diverse as pandemics, calamities, divination (healing individuals – priests or witch doctors, seers), efficacy of religious or pagan actions, and even social unrest and political upheavals that has happened or have been predicted (by guys like Nostradamus).

The stories of Jacob and St. Anthony wrestling with a supernatural being here on earth and evil deeds both from biblical and modern times, tell us that God is not in control of this world and do allow star worship to grow. St. Paul said that this world’s god is someone who has “blinded the minds of them (unbelievers).” Let’s pause for a moment and reflect on this because saying that God is not in control of

this world sounds subversive.

All these cosmological and supernatural stuff from the Old Testament have been overtaken by Christianity. Paul’s letters to the Romans and Galatians emphasized that Christians are no longer under the Mosaic Law because Christ is the new deal. Yet, many still believe the supernatural stories of the Old Testament in our struggles with life towards salvation. In the process, our lives become complicated.

For humans, being in control of our lives is being human. We hate dictators because they’re control freaks or any control freak for that matter. So, the idea that we surrender ourselves to God is an idea that is hard to grasp much less to practice in life. We want to be free and be the king of the road, the “captain of our soul, master of our fate.” We prefer democracy over communism precisely because of that concept.

God created everything from the farthest galaxy to the smallest particle or atom. God owns everything because He created them. He is sovereign. Yet, from the get-go, Adam displayed such self-reliance by not wanting to be ruled by a sovereign. He chose to exercise free will and self-rule. God wanted him to rule earth and enjoy all the creation on it, above and below it. But he

rebelled with Eve thus opening the door for the Serpent to rule earth and produce star worshippers.

So, when the world is chaotic, like what’s happening in Ukraine and elsewhere, we ascribe a motive that there must be evil characters in play. Still, we hesitate and often ask when confronted with evil, “If God is in control, why does He allow evil to exist?” The short answer is because man freely allows evil to exist.

One good way to discern the question is to say that God is in charge. Like a teacher in a classroom, he may lose control of the class being noisy, chaotic but when the teacher stands in front of the class, looks everybody in the eye, raises his arm up or bangs a ruler on the table; everybody takes heed, finds their seats and keeps their mouths shut.

That in essence, is what God does to us. He let us play, think and act – to a degree. It is always important to remember that from the beginning mankind (through Adam) was already given free will and the liberty to decide what is good or bad. Adam’s disobedience caused everyone else’s sin because the man lost the grace given him.

Consequently, every reproduction carries the original sin. Adam has shown that man has an inclination to sin.

Baptism cures the original sin but that is as far as it goes. We continue to sin because of a term called concupiscence or the tendency to sin.

For Catholics, the Church created the Sacrament of Penance or Confession as an off-ramp for sin forgiveness. The thing is though, less than 40% goes to confession once a year and 35% never do, the recent poll in the U.S. showed. Does that mean that over 60% are good to go? Or just plainly not into it.

The Catholic Church has codified over 400 of what it considers sins to guide the faithful on what to avoid. Recently, more mortal sins were added to cope with globalization, to an already long list of sins: drug dealing, environmental pollution, engaging in manipulative science, pedophilia, abortion, social injustices that cause poverty or the “excessive accumulation of wealth.”

Are we hopeless? No. The opposite of evil thoughts or committing sins is exercising free love, to practice humility, to think of good things, to follow Jesus and the Beatitudes. There is no physical place called heaven where everyone wants to be in the afterlife. Jesus taught us that here on earth, the Beatitudes offer a potent antidote to star worship, to the toxicity around us. Heaven can wait.

Girlfriends of Jose Rizal

Dr. Jose P. Rizal

Professional Business Directory

PLACE YOUR AD TODAY! CALL:

PBBM

Continued from page 1

Marcos administration’s first PPP project.

The project aims to establish UP-PGH’s dedicated cancer hospital that will modernize its health infrastructure and offer comprehensive, high-quality, and affordable oncology services towards enhancing the country’s health service quality and capacity for cancer care.

It will be solicited from the public through the submission of a bid and will be structured as a 30year Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) arrangement under the BOT Law.

The BOT approach is an agreement that grants a concession to a private partner to finance, build, and operate a project over a fixed

term.

After that period, the project is returned to the public entity that originally granted the concession.

The Cancer Center, with a lot area of 3,000 square meters, will be located within the UP-PGH campus in Manila.

The entire building will have a capacity of 300 beds (150 charity beds for the UP-PGH Area and 150 private beds for the Private Area), 15 to 20 floors, 350 parking spaces, 1,000 square meter of commercial space, and an area for three linear accelerators (LINAC) bunkers.

The hospital will provide a full range of cancer treatments, including radio oncology (radiotherapy), imaging, medical oncology, and support for the UP-PGH’s teaching and research activities. The UP-PGH’s private partner will design, engineer, construct, and

commission the entire new hospital building, procure, maintain, and provide for the periodic replacement of medical and non-medical equipment.

It will also maintain all nonclinical services for the entire hospital building, operate relevant commercial activities, provide clinical services to private-paying patients in the private area, and assume all associated costs of clinical manpower, drugs, and consumables.

UP-PGH, on the other hand, will provide the site at no cost, transfer the existing equipment to the Cancer Institute, provide clinical services to non-paying charity patients in the UP-PGH area, assume all associated costs of clinical manpower, drugs, and consumables, as well as undertake clinical teaching and research. (MNS)

Help Wanted / For Rent / For Sale

Be gentle with yourself while grieving

Grief will be less painful if we see the beauty of the sunset or we listen to a melody of a song. The sunset leaves an after- glow and the melody of a song lingers in sweet refrain. That is how it is, as we leave the world of the living and as we enter to the heavens with joy and contentment. The passing of a loved one challenges our faith. We try to question God's will in our lives. But sooner or later, we accept the belief that death is a continuum of life, it is a transition from our earthly life to life everlasting.

I would like to comfort my friends with these words uttered by our Lord Jesus Christ to his disciples: "Let not your heart be troubled: you believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father's house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself, that where I am there you may be also."

A CareNotes article written by Rev. Mary Kendrick Moore entitled "Be Gentle With Yourself

While Grieving" offers several tips on how to develop a language of gentle kindness for those who go through a season of grief. She says, look for the small things that

Aurora S. Cudal-Rivera my personal Testimony

feel good to you; think of ways to pamper yourself; remember to care for your body and care for your soul. In caring for our soul, seek the teachings from your faith that are gentle with grief. Find comfort in the Book of Psalms. where the psalmist poured out his deepest emotions and also found encouragement that God will hear them. Every faith includes teachings about bringing your cares before God. "Come to me all you that weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest."

Saint Augustine expressed these profound thoughts: "Let my soul take refuge from the crowding turmoil of worldly thoughts beneath the shadow of Your wings; let my heart, this sea of restless

Spiritual Life There is no fear in love...

waves, find peace in You, O God."

For my bereaved friends, may I share this gentle prayer of healing by Rev. Moore. "God accompany me through these difficult days like a friend on a long walk, quietly alongside me, allowing me to feel all that I feel. Wrap your love around me like the warm embrace of a hug. Teach me to be gentle with myself - to let the tears flow when my eyes become full, to rest when my body is tired, to seek gentle listening ears when my spirit is lonely, and to look to you when my soul is empty. Help me embrace and not fear the grief that fills my life at this time. May I take care of myself as I would nurture a child in my arms with the food of gentle nourishment and a drink of patience. Grant me the gentle way through healing. Amen.

Greetings in the Lord!

Today is the fifth Sunday in ordinary time. Last Sunday we read about the teachings of Jesus in his eight (8) beatitudes preached on what we know today as the Mount of Beatitudes. These eight beatitudes, as I mentioned last Sunday as "the map to go" to heaven. This is the path on which we, the disciples of Jesus, must advance in order to faithfully and joyfully follow Jesus. And as I mentioned in my homily last Sunday, this map to follow demands of us, however, a radical conversion of ourselves to the life of discipleship that is completely different from the lifestyle the world offers us. By the way, poverty of spirit, humility, joy in suffering, being merciful, peace-loving and patient in the face of insult and persecution, are the virtues that a disciple of today's world must live and not skimp.

Today's Gospel tells us, now, what we should be in relation to others in the world. And I think the gospels of past Sundays, too, have some orientation in our relationship with others. After the Baptism of Jesus in the Jordan where Jesus inaugurates his mission and ministry on earth, preaching about the Kingdom, the gospels first spoke about the need to bear witness to this Jesus who came to bring the message of salvation to all men. This witness to Jesus, however, demands a total conversion within

AGING

Continued from page 1

in the Multipurpose Senior Services Program (MSSP) and CommunityBased Adult Services (CBAS) program, as well as PACE program recipients. This augments billions of dollars invested in statewide broadband access.

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 self-discipline."

Danny Hernaez

In the Bible, we see a pattern 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.

Paul said that 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 your fear.

Jesus 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 me.

Use 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.

<(((><

“There is a mistaken notion among some that to own a paper is to have a license to clobber one’s enemies and attack people we don’t like. A newspaper is an information tool to reach a large number of people at a given time. A newspaper should inform, educate, entertain and provide viewpoints that could give us the means to make intelligent decisions for ourselves and others.” — Ernie Flores Jr., founding editor and publisher

Dementia Care Aware: The Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) launched the nation’s first Dementia Care Aware (DCA) program. Through this $23 million investment, DHCS, in partnership with UC San Francisco, is leading a statewide program for primary care providers, including trainings, tools, and resources needed to administer cognitive health assessments in a culturally responsive manner and determine the appropriate next steps for patients.

CalGrows: The California Department of Aging has launched a $150 million statewide Direct Care Workforce Training and Stipends Program – CalGrows – including an Innovation Fund that seeks to train, incentivize, and support the direct care Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) workforce (nonIHSS), including unpaid family and friend caregivers. CalGrows aims to improve direct care worker skills, job satisfaction, and employment retention, and present opportunities to progress on career, training, and educational ladders.

Nutrition Support and Infrastructure: Investments in homedelivered and congregate meals have increased by $52.5 million (ongoing) to support the nutrition needs of older adults. The state also invested $40 million to fund capacity and infrastructure improvement grants for senior nutrition programs. These funds relate to MPA Initiatives and don’t reflect the full funding to support nutrition services and CalFresh in California.

New Funding for Local Leadership: Over the next two years, the California Department of Aging will award $4.5 million in grants to up to 36 local communities across the state to help launch their own aging-

JESSE REYES

Continued from page 5

they intercept men and they are not the ugly ones either. With respect to morality there are some who are models of virtue and innocence and others who have nothing womanly about them, except the dress or at most their sex. Rightly, it has been said that the women in the south of Europe have fire in their veins. However, here prostitution is a little more concealed than at Barcelona, though not less unrestrained.”

The letter to Paciano simply establishes that Rizal was indeed familiar with such diversions. However, it was one of the Filipino generals

Fr. Agustin T. Opalalic

the life we should have. This life of discipleship, however, is considered through the living of the Beatitudes as the way that leads us to the kingdom of heaven. And in today's Gospel, we are told that when we live the Beatitudes we will truly be "the light of the world and the salt of the earth." Two symbols: light and salt, which Christians, the disciples of Jesus, should be in their relationship with one another in today's world.

The world today is telling us that total self-satisfaction, power, wealth, glory, and honor should be our goals. Very attractive and seductive goals that many of us are convinced to achieve. However, with it, the world has fallen into racial divisions, political conflicts, economic instability; an emptiness that is described in evangelical words as "living in darkness", which needs the light to lead us to a life of truth, happiness and harmony. The

and disability-friendly action plans.

2023-24 Initiatives

The 95 priority initiatives for 2023-24 build upon the work of the MPA’s first two years. Each initiative will have one or more areas of focus — Deliver, Analyze, Communicate — that add another level of accountability beyond the Annual Report, Initiative Tracker, and other reporting. Some of the 2023-24 initiative themes include:

• Addressing housing needs by promoting access to models that integrate housing with services, as well as streamlining funding for new housing options

• Improving accessible transportation options

• Expanding health care and services options to make it easier to age in place, at home

• Encouraging healthy aging and expanding access to geriatric care across the state

• Expanding support for people with Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia

• Driving innovation in skilled nursing and long-term care facilities

• Bridging the digital divide for older adults and people with disabilities

• Improving the supports available to unpaid family and friend caregivers, as well as offering training and career paths for paid caregivers to reduce turnover

• Ending older adult homelessness and improving income and food security

“The Master Plan for Aging is guiding actions that are making a difference in the lives of Californians today, not planning for action that starts in 10 years,” said California Department of Aging Director Susan DeMarois. “The Master Plan is delivering greater access to health care, more options for housing and home and community-based care, expanded access to technology to reduce isolation, and more support for caregivers, a critical but often unseen workforce. Our priority initiatives for the next two years will help California make additional progress toward the Master Plan for Aging’s goals and reinforce California’s commitment to equity for all.”

during the Philippine Revolution and the Philippine-American War, Jose Alejandrino who recounts in his book, “La Senda del Sacrificio” (“The Price of Freedom,” 1945) the following: “One day he invited me to amuse ourselves, telling me we could pass the time in the house of two sisters whom he knew. We went there and I came to like the amusement very much, because a few days later I asked him when we could return for more fun, but then he grew serious, saying that he considered such entertainment was necessary once a month but more than once was already a vice, and he was not willing to encourage vices.”

Although he did not explicitly state it, the real meaning behind this “pleasurable diversion” was clearly

life of Christ and His disciples is expected to bring this light in the midst of men and women in the midst of darkness. The simplicity of our lives, the peaceful actions of our lives, the martyrdom that many Christians have to suffer for the sake of righteousness and justice in the name of Jesus, becomes like the light that brings the enlightenment of a hope toward a radiant future that is, truly, eternal life in the Kingdom of God, which is a life of a true luz that will never end.

In the same way, in this life as disciples of Christ to which we have lovingly and joyfully committed, as Christians we are "the salt of the earth" that can give life and flavor to the world that not only lives in darkness but has almost lost, also, its objectives and values. We do not have to enumerate the consequences that Evil has made in our society, starting with the legalization of abortion, the danger of acceptance of same-sex marriages, the social and family effects of divorces. An authentic Christian life following the spirit of the Beatitudes can truly make us "the salt of the earth".

Therefore, let us pray, my dear brothers and sisters, that we may continue to be open to a daily conversion of our lives, and that we may live the spirit of the Beatitudes and continue to be "light of the world and salt of the earth" today and always.

Access the complete Master Plan for Aging Annual Report and 2023-24 Initiatives at https://mpa.aging.ca.gov/ UpdatesAndProgressReports/. The MPA Implementation Tracker is at https://www.mpaprogress.org/.

About The Master Plan for Aging

California’s Master Plan for Aging (MPA) was launched in 2021 as a collaborative effort between the Governor’s Office and all cabinet agencies under the leadership of the California Health and Human Services Agency, philanthropy partners, and a variety of stakeholder groups. By 2030, one in four Californians will be aged 60 or over, introducing new challenges and opportunities for the economy, health care system, communities, workplaces, and families. The MPA is a comprehensive 10-year effort to expand programs and access to care and services for all older adults and people with disabilities, delivering a California for All Ages & Abilities, where people are engaged, valued, and afforded equitable opportunities to thrive. To learn more, visit https:// mpa.aging.ca.gov/.

About the California Department of Aging Under the umbrella of the California Health and Human Services Agency, the California Department of Aging (CDA) administers programs that serve older adults, adults with disabilities, family caregivers, and residents in long-term care facilities throughout the State. These programs are funded through the federal Older Americans Act, the Older Californians Act, and through the Medi-Cal program. To promote the Department’s goal of every Californian having the opportunity to enjoy wellness, longevity and quality of life in strong healthy communities, CDA actively collaborates with many other State departments (and other entities) on transportation, housing and accessibility, emergency preparedness and response, wellness and nutrition, falls and injury prevention, improving services to persons with dementia, reducing fraud and abuse, and many other issues. To learn more, visit www. aging.ca.gov.

implied. Alejandrino simply wrote it in a tone of respect for Rizal. He was then an engineering student in Belgium where he met and became friends with Rizal.

The purpose of revisiting these stories is not to mock our revered national hero but to recount and appreciate his magnanimity. In doing so, we realize that Jose Rizal was not a deity to be put on a pedestal but someone relatable – a true Filipino we can cherish and emulate because just like all of us, he was very human and also made discernible mistakes in life.

So, I say - Hurrah to the humanity of our national hero, Jose Rizal…and again Happy Valentine’s Day to all of you, dear folks!

Mabuhay!!

CA CLIMATE CREDIT MOVED UP TO PROVIDE WINTER BILL RELIEF TO SDG&E CUSTOMERS

SAN DIEGO, Feb. 2, 2023 –

SDG&E residential customers who have both gas and electric service will see a total of about $104 in bill credit on their February and March SDG&E statements, earlier than in previous years, following a decision made today by the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) to move up the timing of two of three scheduled installments of California Climate Credit to provide winter bill relief to residents statewide. California gas consumers have been experiencing record high bills as a result of unprecedented market volatility in natural gas commodity prices in the West.

SDG&E’s residential gas customers will see a $43.40 credit on their February bill. Electric customers will see a $60.70 credit on their March bill and the same amount on a bill in the second half of the year. Customers will see the climate credit reflected on their next bill. Billing cycles vary for customers, so not everyone will see the bill credit at the same time of the month.

This year’s climate credit totals up to $164.80. In the past three years, SDG&E disbursed the climate credit in three installments with the gas credit appearing in the April billing cycle, and the electric credit appearing in the August and September billing cycles.

“Over the past few weeks, SDG&E and CPUC staff met several times to explore the feasibility of moving up the climate credit to provide our customers with bill relief,” said SDG&E Vice President of Customer Services Dana Golan. “In anticipation of today’s vote, our billing group has been working hard to put procedures into place to accelerate the climate credit as quickly as possible.”

The 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 credit on customers’ bills represents their share of the payments from the state’s program and provides customers with an increased opportunity to invest in energy-saving products.

There is no action required to receive the credit. All gas and electricity customers, including community choice aggregation customers, will automatically receive the credit in their upcoming billing cycles. SDG&E will also alert customers to the climate credit via email.

Assistance Programs

Customers who are struggling to pay their SDG&E bill are encouraged to visit sdge.com/assistance to explore all of the resources available to them – bill discounts, debt relief payment

Feeding Daygo 5th Annual Mutual Aid Mall on Feb. 5 at Sycuan Square

arrangements and no-cost energy efficiency upgrades that can help lower their bill long-term.

The Neighbor-to-Neighbor program, funded entirely by SDG&E shareholder dollars (not ratepayer dollars), provides eligible customers with up to $300 to offset their outstanding bills. The federally funded Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) offers financial help ranging from a few hundred dollars to a few thousand dollars, depending on household income, size and past due balances. Learn more at sdge.com/assistance.

SDG&E is an innovative San Diegobased 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.

ALONSO GONZALEZ SELECTED AS NEW CHULA VISTA COUNCILMEMBER

CHULA VISTA, CA -- The Chula Vista City Council has appointed Alonso Gonzalez to fill the vacant District 3 seat on the council. The seat was vacant due to the election of former councilmember Steve Padilla to the State Senate in November 2022. Following a public interview and comment process at two City Council meetings, the Council voted 3-1 on January 31 to appoint Gonzalez to the seat and he was sworn in immediately..

Gonzalez, a seven-year resident of the City, is a real estate broker with extensive land-use knowledge including eight years of local government service in land use and policy development. He previously served as Deputy Chief of Staff for the San Diego City Council.

A current member of the Urban Land Institute and the Pacific Southwest Association of Realtors, Gonzalez received his M.A. degree

in Public Administration with an emphasis on financial management from San Diego State University.

“I am an advocate for healthy, vibrant communities that favor inclusion over single family zoning,” says Gonzalez. “My expertise with land use and experience in local government administration are the tools that will allow me to serve the Chula Vista City Council District 3 and its residents well.”

EL CAJON, CA-- Feeding Daygo and the Sycuan Band of the Kumeyaay Nation are pleased to cohost theFeeding Daygo 5th Mutual Aid Mall. This is a free event to give away free clothes, shoes and hygiene supplies to anyone in need. Musical acts such as bands from School of Rock San Diego and local DJs will be performing. The event will be on Sunday,

February 5, 2023 from 12 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the Sycuan Square – 4915 Dehesa Rd., El Cajon, CA 92019

Free event, open to the public, all ages are weclome.

About Feeding Daygo

Feeding Daygo is a grassroots mutual aid by the people, for the people, without the man. Our mission is to provide our community with resources

based on mutual aid bases such as food, clothes, hygienic supplies, and more. At Feeding Daygo we believe that houselessness does not discriminate. Anyone can fall on hard times, and we will be there to catch them. By the people, for the people, without the man; we are here for everyone in need. For more information, please visitfeedingdaygo.com.

PBBM eyes creation of P1-B housing subsidy

MANILA -- President Ferdinand

R. Marcos Jr. on Tuesday bared that he is eyeing a PHP1 billion housing subsidy fund for the recipients of the government's low-cost housing units.

Marcos made the pronouncement during the groundbreaking ceremony of the housing project under the Pambansang Pabahay Para sa Pilipino Housing (4PH) Program and walkthrough of the Batasan Development Renewal Plan at the Batasan Tricycle Operators and Drivers' Association (BaTODA) Terminal in Batasan Hills, Quezon City.

He said he and Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD) Secretary Jose Rizalino Acuzar are studying the creation of the subsidy fund to help beneficiaries who could not afford the monthly amortization of the housing units.

"We are still left with a fact that many of our beneficiaries will still not be able to afford the monthly amortization of these units," Marcos said, reiterating his vow to provide "decent and affordable housing for every Filipino family."

"Pinag-aaralan namin ni Secretary Acuzar ang pagtatayo ng subsidy fund para dito sa ating housing program. Siguro, maglalagay tayo diyan, 'pag nakahanap tayo ng pera, mga PHP1 billion to start with para meron tayong subsidy na ibibigay para sa ating magiging tenant (Secretary Acuzar and I are studying the possibility of establishing a subsidy fund for our housing program. Perhaps, if we find a funding source, we will allot PHP1 billion to start with the distribution of subsidies for our future tenants)," he added.

Marcos thanked the DHSUD for leading the national government's flagship housing program, as well as the Quezon City local government for its support and allocation of land and financial resources for the housing project.

He expressed hope that Congress would heed his call to make the housing interest support as part of the regular appropriations for the coming years.

"The government is committed

to secure the needed housing interest support for 2023," Marcos said. "I now call on Congress for your support, including housing interest support as part of the regular appropriations for the succeeding years."

He emphasized that the development of sustainable human settlements would help his administration realize its bid to build "better, more resilient, and more equitable communities."

The Batasan Development Urban Renewal Master Plan, spearheaded by the DHSUD, will see the completion of three main sites at the Batasan Road Development, NGC-West Controlled Economic Zone, and the Manotoc Property.

The first phase of the Batasan area’s redevelopment will include the

construction of two 33-story buildings with a total of 2,160 housing units planned to become both commercial and residential.

The plans include the use of the lot’s ground floor for the improved BaTODA terminal, the biggest Tricycle Operators and Drivers Association in the Philippines.

The BaTODA members will be among the priority beneficiaries of the project. Marcos said the groundbreaking of the first phase of the Batasan Development Urban Renewal Plan is "only the beginning of the one of the largest projects" under the government's flagship housing program.

"Slowly but surely, we will be able to achieve our greatest aspirations for

the nation, including the dream for a decent and affordable housing for every Filipino family," he said.

"Those living here in the surrounding areas will have complete access to markets, to schools, to hospitals and various means of making income so they will prosper and get to see their goals and dreams come to life."

Unity, cooperation key to attaining PBBM’s 6M housing target House of Representatives Speaker Martin G. Romualdez on Tuesday expressed optimism that President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s target of building six million housing units during his six-year administration is attainable.

“Our target: one million housing

units every year. This is an ambitious target, but I am very confident we can achieve this through our unity in purpose and the cooperation of all stakeholders in the program,”

Romualdez said during the unveiling and groundbreaking of the Legacy Housing Project of the Marcos administration in Batasan Hills, Quezon City.

Local officials call the project “Bagong Bliss para sa Mamamayan ng Quezon City” which is part of the President’s Pambansang Pabahay para sa Pilipino Program.

The project is reminiscent of the BLISS (Bagong Lipunan Improvement of Sites and Services) holistic housing program of the President’s mother, former First Lady Imelda Romualdez Marcos, when she was minister of human settlements.

“President Marcos is addressing

the country’s woes on all fronts almost simultaneously: food security, foreign investments, jobs and livelihood, public order and safety, health and social protection, and now social services, like housing,” Romualdez said.

He promised that Congress “will do everything to support our President in all of his programs because we also believe that if we work as one, we can achieve even the greatest of ambitions.”

“This is how we move forward; this is how we move mountains,” he said.

Recognizing how housing is important to all Filipinos, he pointed out that Marcos, from Day One of his administration, has instructed all those in government service “to move heaven and earth” to ensure that affordable housing units will be available to homeless Filipinos. (MNS)