The Filipino Press: January 6-12, 2023

MANILA -- President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on Wednesday reported a productive bilateral meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing that focused on soft infrastructure, climate change, renewable energy, people-to-people ties and agricultural cooperation that include the so-called "durian protocol."

"It has been a very wide-ranging discussion... the meeting ran very long, and that's why I'm actually very optimistic because President Xi seemed to be genuinely interested in all of these issues and finding a way to move forward to again strengthen the relationship between China and the Philippines. I'm quite gratified that we had made a good start," Marcos said in an interview.

The Asian leaders talked "at great length" about climate change, which Marcos described as "a subject that we cannot leave alone or it will come back to haunt us in the future."

The President said there was also an offer of so-called "soft infrastructure" in terms of digitalization of government bureaucracy as well as improving connectivity across the country.

"We had a very fruitful exchange of ideas and beginnings of a plan for moving forward... And we covered so many subjects, much more than as usual for these very formal meetings. We talked about the trade imbalance between our country and China and what we can do to remedy this," he said.

Marcos said the meeting yielded a "durian protocol," pointing to an agreement for exporting durian to China.

Manila and Beijing agreed on a protocol of phytosanitary requirements for the export of

could trigger a bigger problem than what we already have."

"And I was very clear in trying to talk about the plight of our fishermen. And the President (Xi) promised that we would find a compromise and find a solution that will be beneficial,

so that our fishermen might be able to fish again in their natural fishing grounds," President Marcos pointed out.

The President also spoke about his meeting with Chinese Premier Li Kequiang and National Congress of the People's Republic of China chairman Li Zhanshu.

"I met with the Premier, Premier Li, who I had met before in Cambodia. And we continued the discussions that we began there, which were essentially about the strengthening again of relationships between China and the Philippines," Marcos said.

The Philippines and China earlier inked 14 bilateral agreements on Wednesday during President Marcos' state visit to China, including deals on agriculture, infrastructure, development cooperation, maritime security, and tourism, among others.

Marcos: Xi promised solution to allow Filipinos to fish in 'natural fishing grounds'

BEIJING, President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. on Wednesday raised the plight of Filipino fishermen in the West Philippine Sea in his bilateral meeting with his Chinese President Xi Jinping at the Great Hall of the People here.

Marcos said they agreed to find a compromise and find measures that will be beneficial to Filipino

LOS ANGELES, CA -- Malayo na ang narating natin para maiwasan ang epekto ng COVID-19 sa tulong ng mga bakuna at gamot. Pero nanganganib pa rin ang mga mas nakakatanda. Habang nagtitipon tayo at ipinagdiriwang ang Lunar New Year, maraming mga tool ang maaaring gamitin ng mga mas nakakatanda — at ng kahit sino — bilang proteksyon laban sa malubhang impeksyon sa COVID.

Narito ang ilang paraan upang simulan ng mga nakakatanda at kanilang mga mahal sa buhay ang Taon ng Kuneho na nasa pinakamabuting kalusugan: Magpabakuna ng updated na bakuna. Sa sunod-sunod na mga salusalo at pagdiriwang na gaganapin sa darating na Lunar New Year, ang magpabakuna ng updated na bakuna ay epektibong paraan para protektahan ang iyong sarili at ang lahat ng iyong mga mahal sa buhay. Inirerekomenda ng CDC na magpabakuna ng updated na bakuna sa COVID ang mga 65 taong gulang at mas matanda dahil sila’y nasa mas mataas na panganib na maospital, magkasakit, at mamatay dahil sa COVID. Upang manatiling up to date, kailangan mong kunin ang pinakabagong bakuna sa lalong madaling panahon. Naibabalik ng updated na bakuna sa COVID ang proteksyong dulot ng mga naunang dosis na nabawasan na. Kung nagkaCOVID ka kamakailan, maghintay ng tatlong buwan bago magpabakuna ng updated na bakuna.

Ang

• Ang Japanese Cultural Center ng Hawai’i, na magdiriwang ng Year of the Rabbit sa Ohana Festival nito na may vaccine clinic na mag-aalok ng mga bakuna mula 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. sa Linggo, Enero 15, sa JCCH, 2454 S. Beretania St., Honolulu, HI.

• Ang San Francisco Chinese New Year Festival & Parade’s Flower Market Fair, na gaganapin sa weekend ding iyon sa Enero 14-15 sa Grant Avenue, at mag-aalok ng mga bakuna.

• Ang Tu-Gether Lunar New Year Festival sa LA, na gaganapin sa Enero 21-22 sa Monterey Park, CA at magaalok ng mga bakuna.

• Ang Chinese New Year in the

Desert, na gaganapin sa huling bahagi ng linggong iyon sa Enero 28, na may spring festival—at vaccine clinic—sa Fremont East Entertainment District sa downtown Las Vegas.

• Ang Chinatown Lunar New Parade, na ipagdiriwang ng Chicago sa Enero 29, at kung saan ang mga bakuna ay magiging available sa downtown Chicago.

• Ang Chinese New Year Fair ng San Diego, na magkakaroon ng onsite na vaccine clinic sa pagdiriwang nito sa Pebrero 4-5 sa downtown San Diego.

• Ang Chinatown Lunar New Year Parade & Festival sa Manhattan, na mag-aalok ng mga bakuna sa pagdiriwang nito sa Linggo, Pebrero 12, na magsisimula sa Mott at Canal sa New York sa 1 p.m.

Patuloy na mamuhay sa malusog na paraan. Maliban sa mga bakuna,

SAN DIEGO, CA -- Today, San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance participated in the 134th Rose Parade presented by Honda, with a float celebrating the San Diego Zoo Safari Park’s 50th anniversary. The float’s theme, “Celebrating 50 Years of Conservation,” depicted rhinos, giraffes and the Safari Park’s iconic Wildlife Safari experience, bringing to life the Safari Park’s ability to connect guests with wildlife and provide life-changing moments.

The Safari Park’s float won the Animation Award for most outstanding use of animation. The giraffes and rhinos on the float were animated, with the rhinos seemingly coming to life as they turned their heads and the giraffes moving their long necks and bending down for a cool drink of water from a flowing waterfall.

“We are humbled and honored to receive the Animation Award, but more importantly, we are grateful the Rose Parade gave San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance and our Safari Park an opportunity to bring our conservation message to a global audience,” said Paul A. Baribault, president and chief executive officer, San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance. “Conservation starts with people— and at the Safari Park, we are able to make a connection between our

guests and wildlife every day. Our hope is that connecting people to wildlife will inspire them to help support our mission and our global conservation programs to protect endangered wildlife.”

San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance is an international conservation organization with “two front doors”: the San Diego Zoo near downtown San Diego and the San Diego Zoo Safari Park in Escondido, California.

The Safari Park opened in 1972, and since the beginning, saving species has been a key part of its mission.

The Safari Park has played a huge role in the conservation of species ranging from condors and hornbills

to rhinos and elephants.

The “Celebrating 50 Years of Conservation” float featured 4-month-old Neville and his mother Livia, two southern white rhinos who bring enormous hope to the cutting-edge efforts to save the distantly related northern white rhino. With only two northern white rhinos left on Earth, San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance is combining groundbreaking conservation science with more than a century of world-class wildlife expertise to save the species. Neville is the third rhino born as part of this

mga pagdiriwang ng Lunar New Year at Bagong Taon sa buong bansa ngayong buwan at sa susunod ay magkakaroon ng mga vaccine clinic kung saan mag-aalok ng mga updated na bakuna. Kabilang dito ang mga sumusunod:

fresh durians from the Philippines to China between the Department of Agriculture (DA) and China's General Administration of Customs.

"Because they are opening their trade to imports of durian and other agricultural products from the

Philippines so that we can redress the imbalance in our imports and exports from China," Marcos said. The two leaders also discussed what they could do "to move forward, to avoid any possible mistakes, misunderstandings that

President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. meets with Chinese President Xi Jinping in a historic bilateral meeting. They also had a fruitful discussion on various key areas of cooperation and signed multiple agreements. (MNS photo)

Pampered Pinay: Happy New Year 2023!

By Francine Maigue

I hope your year is off to an amazing start, my pampered friends!

In my family, our holiday season continues through my Ate Theresa’s birthday, which takes place on the 5th! (Happy Birthday, my beautiful sis!)

For Theresa’s birthday, (prior to COVID-19) the guest list is always an eclectic mix of folks from a wide range of backgrounds (which we love), so we enjoy serving familiar Filipino favorites as well as introducing other dishes that give insight into our culture. Also, people are always mingling during Theresa’s parties (her friends are some of the best storytellers), so we keep the food easily hand held. (You just can’t hug, gesture, or handle a cocktail well while balancing a loaded dinner plate!)

This year, I’m serving up some of my signature Picadillo Empanadas. Here’s how I’ll do it:

Picadillo Empanadas

2 lbs. Pizza Dough (I love using store-bought, oregano flavored dough—a tasty time saver!)

1 lb. Ground Turkey (unseasoned)

16 oz. Marinara Sauce

1 Large Potato, peeled and diced

1 Medium Onion, diced

½ Green Bell Pepper, diced

1 Tbs. Garlic, minced

¼ Cup Raisins

1, 16 oz. Combo Bag of Frozen Peas and Diced Carrots (½ way thawed)

½ tsp. Crushed Red Pepper

6 Dashes Worcestershire Sauce

¾ tsp. Cumin

¾ tsp. Cinnamon

¾ tsp. Paprika

1 Tbs. Brown Sugar

Soy Sauce, to taste Salt & Ground Black Pepper,

In a large pan, fry the diced potatoes in olive oil until they are golden brown. Remove the cooked potatoes and reserve them on a plate for later. Sprinkle them lightly with salt.

Begin to cook the ground turkey in olive oil. Season the turkey with Worcestershire Sauce, cumin, cinnamon, paprika, crushed red pepper, and soy sauce. When the turkey begins to slightly brown, add the diced onions and green bell pepper. Once both the turkey and onions start to caramelize, add the minced garlic and the peas & carrot combo. (The peas and carrots will continue to thaw while cooking, which prevents them from being overcooked, and the steam will bring just the right amount of moisture to the meat.) When the peas and carrots have thawed, add the marinara sauce, brown sugar, and raisins. Add back in the potatoes. Add

salt and black pepper to taste.

Allow mixture to cool. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Divide your pizza dough into 16 equal balls. Gently stretch each ball into a circular shape, and spread your circles onto two parchment paperlined baking sheets. Spoon 1 ½ Tbs. of the picadillo mixture onto the center of each circle. Gently stretch and fold one side of the dough to cover the filling. Seal each empanada by crimping the edges with a fork.

Brush the top of each empanada with a little olive oil or melted butter. Bake the empanadas until they are lightly golden. Serve and enjoy! These are great to prepare ahead of time, so you can enjoy the party even when you’re the host!

BONUS TIPS: If you have extra filling, you can enjoy the picadillo over rice or in pan de sal. Mmm… Also, if you can’t find ready-made pizza dough or want to serve smaller appetizers, spoon the picadillo filling into the center of wonton wrappers. Seal by brushing the edges of the wrappers with beaten egg before folding. Fry until golden, sprinkle lightly with salt, and enjoy!

Cheers to you and celebrating those you love all year-round with fabulous food and parties, my pampered friends! XO ~Francine

Exclusively here in The Filipino Press--Follow Pampered Pinay, Francine Maigue’s, adventures as she represented our region with grace and honor as the FilipinoAmerican History Achievement Award Winner in Humanitarianism, Arts, and Community Service as an Outstanding Filipino American Young Leaders Awardee.

Check back every week for ways to pamper yourself and those you love.

Why? The answer is simple: YOU DESERVE IT!

Your comments could be featured here!

Got a business or event Filipino Press should know about? Wish to agree or “agree to disagree” ? Email us at filpressads@aol.com

Have a Happy, Healthy and Prosperous New Year to Everyone! From the management and staff of The Filipino Press...

to taste

PH, China ink 14 deals on agri, infra, maritime, tourism

MANILA -- At least 14 bilateral agreements were inked between the Philippines and China on the second day of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s state visit to Beijing, Malacañang announced Wednesday.

The signed deals aim to enhance the two countries' cooperation in various fields, including agriculture, infrastructure, development cooperation, maritime security and tourism, Undersecretary Cheloy Garafil, officer-in-charge of the Office of the Press Secretary (OPS) said in a statement.

Garafil said a joint action plan for 2023-2025 on agricultural and fisheries cooperation was signed between the Department of Agriculture (DA) and the Chinese Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs.She added there was also an agreement between the DA and China's General Administration of Customs for the protocol of phytosanitary requirements for the export of fresh durians from the Philippines to China.

The two countries, Garafil said, also inked a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on cooperation on the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), a global infrastructure development strategy launched by Chinese President Xi Jinping in 2013 to invest in nearly 150 countries and international organizations, enhancing connectivity and facilitating smoother trade flows among Asia, Europe, and Africa.

Garafil said another MOU was signed between the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) and China’s to improve the two nations’ cooperation on digital and information and communications technology (ICT).

Manila and Beijing also agreed on the handover certificate of the Philippine-Sino Center for Agricultural TechnologyTechnological Cooperation Phase III (PHILSCAT-TCP III), Garafil added.

Garafil said a handover certificate of two China-aid bridge projects in Manila, the Binondo-Intramuros bridge and the Estrella-Pantaleon bridge, was also sealed.

She said Manila and Beijing also had a framework agreement for the Renminbi-portion of the loan financing for three priority projects of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH).

The two countries, Garafil said, also sealed four loan agreements for the mixed-credit financing (US Dollar and Renminbi) of the DPWH’s three priority bridge projects.

Garafil noted that the Philippine and Chinese governments also agreed to implement the MOU on tourism between the Philippines' Department of Tourism (DOT) and the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of China.

She said an MOU on electronic commerce cooperation was also inked between the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and China’s Ministry of Commerce.

An MOU between the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) and China's International Development Cooperation Agency was likewise signed for the implementation of the Development Cooperation Plan 2023-2025, Garafil said.

Garafil said there was also

an agreement on economic and technical cooperation between China and the Philippines.

Also included in the list of deals was the mutual recognition agreement between the Bureau of Customs (BOC) and China’s General Administration of Customs of China for the implementation of the authorized economic operator program, she added.

Garafil said there was also an arrangement for the establishment of a communication mechanism on maritime issues between the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) and the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The 14 agreements are in addition to the existing 100 deals between the Philippines and China.

Marcos, before departing Manila for his China trip on Tuesday, expressed hope that his three-day state visit would help further elevate the two countries’ ties to "comprehensive strategic partnership" and improve their cooperation on key areas.

PBBM elated over China's readiness to import more fruits from PH

President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on Wednesday welcomed the commitment of Chinese President Xi Jinping to address the trade deficit gap as China readies to accept high-value Philippine agricultural products.

“I’m very glad that we are in the process of finalizing the rules and regulations for the import by China of fruits from the Philippines,” Marcos said in his bilateral meeting with Xi.

Earlier, the Philippine Department of Agriculture (DA) and China General Administration of Customs signed an agreement for the protocol of phytosanitary requirements for the export of fresh durians from the Philippines to China.

The DA and the Chinese Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs also signed a joint action plan for 20232025 on agricultural and fisheries cooperation.

In total, the Philippines and China signed a total of 14 bilateral agreements in various fields, including agriculture, infrastructure, development cooperation, maritime security, and tourism.

Marcos acknowledged that China has become the Philippines’ largest trading partner, but noted an imbalance between exports and imports.

“I believe that very soon now, we will be able to see the different fruits… the high-quality agricultural products coming from the Philippines start to come into China to balance the trade situation that we have between China and the Philippines,” Marcos said.

China is the Philippines’ largest trading partner, the largest source of imports, and the second-largest export destination.

Likewise, Marcos told Xi that he looks forward to welcoming more Chinese travelers to the Philippines once the Covid-19 situation in China becomes more manageable.

The Philippine and Chinese governments earlier agreed to implement the memorandum of understanding on tourism between the Philippines' Department of Tourism (DOT) and the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of China.

China is the second largest source of foreign tourists in 2019 and a key player in inbound foreign direct investments and development assistance. (MNS)

Data from the Department of Tourism (DOT) showed that Chinese nationals accounted for 1.7 million arrivals in 2019.

Marcos said the Philippines and China must also focus on cultural and educational exchanges as well as people-to-people relationships to achieve a higher level of closeness and cooperation.

He said the two countries should also work for the transfer of technology in both directions particularly in addressing future health emergencies.

“And other pandemic lessons that we have to learn is that our health care system must be made more robust, made more efficient, and made more effective. And this is another one of the great priorities that we are going to have to attend to,” he added.

PBBM gets $22.8-B worth of investment pledges from China; cites frank talks with President Xi on WPS

President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. reported a productive state visit to China, where he underscored his “in-depth and frank” discussions with Chinese President Xi Jinping in a bid to resolve issues on the West Philippine Sea.

“President Xi and I also had an in-depth and frank discussion on the West Philippine Sea issue. We took note of our growing maturity of this bilateral relationship – this bilateral relationship which now allows both sides to manage differences on the West Philippine Sea, so as to not allow it to hinder the rest of our fruitful engagements and multifaceted cooperation,” Marcos said in his arrival statement delivered at the Villamor Air Base.

In his bilateral meeting with President Xi, the chief executive said they affirmed that maritime issues do not comprise the entirety of Philippine-Chinese relations, but acknowledged as well that they remain a significant concern and priority for the Philippines and for the region.

The President also welcomed the signing of an agreement to establish direct communication lines to avoid miscommunication over issues in the West Philippine Sea.

President Marcos said he recognizes how China’s development has positively impacted the Philippines’ relationship with our Chinese friends, especially considering the ties between both countries as close neighbors and important bilateral partners.

“We renewed our commitment to strengthen bilateral cooperation as close neighbors in the Asia Pacific Region,” Marcos said.

The state visit, according to the President, “offered us an opportunity to exchange views on important issues that affect regional and global peace, stability, and development.”

In his three-day state visit, the President and selected members of his Cabinet also attended three roundtable meetings on agriculture, renewable energy and strategic manufacturing.

President Marcos reported an

Senate body to begin air traffic fiasco probe on Jan. 12

MANILA, Jan 5 (Mabuhay) -- The Senate Committee on Public Services will start on Jan. 12 the inquiry on the New Year air traffic mess that affected more than 56,000 passengers, Senator Grace Poe announced Wednesday.

Poe, chair of the Public Services committee, said the committee could still hold inquiries even during the break.

However, she said the committee could not immediately convene and hold the investigation since it wants to give the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) and the Department of Transportation (DOTR) ample time to normalize airport operations before they appear to the body.

"We can conduct hearings even during the break. I intend to call for a hearing on Thursday, Jan. 12, allowing CAAP & DOTR to normalize airport operations before conducting a hearing. By that time, key executives should not have an excuse not to attend," Poe said.

Aside from Poe, other senators filed resolutions seeking to thoroughly investigate the NAIA fiasco to determine who were liable for the incident and to avoid such occurrence in the future that could jeopardize national security.

Meanwhile, Senator Nancy Binay expressed apprehension over the idea of privatizing the national aviation system, saying it is critical to national security concerns.

“Non-negotiable yan (This is non-negotiable), otherwise that means reducing the government's involvement and control of our airspace," Binay said.

She clarified, however, that she is open to some proposals to privatize the commercial operations within the airport complex.

"We welcome privatization in terms of commercial operations within the airport complex, but we should not be entertaining private handling of air traffic because it impairs national security," she added.

Senator JV Ejercito earlier hinted that the privatization of NAIA would not do any good to the country, similar to other public utilities that were privatized during the past administrations.

Ejercito cited the National Power Corporation plants, National Grid Corporation of the Philippines, National Steel Corporation, and Fort Bonifacio which were already privatized but brought no benefit to the country.

"Vital utilities should be controlled by the government. The NAIA glitch should be an eye-opener that just like that, the air traffic was paralyzed," Ejercito said.

DOTr, CAAP to expedite facilities upgrade to avoid glitches

The Department of Transportation (DOTr) and the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) are looking to expedite the upgrade of facilities and replace affected equipment following the New Year's Day technical glitch that resulted in suspended flight operations in several of the country's major airports.

In a statement on Wednesday, the CAAP said the decision to upgrade came after a meeting with various heads of government agencies on Tuesday.

“After CAAP reported their investigation and traced the most likely cause of the glitch, DOTr

Secretary Jaime Bautista said Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) Secretary Ivan John Uy offered to assist CAAP in expediting acquisition,” it said.

During the meeting, National Security Adviser Clarita Carlos suggested declaring such communications and electrical equipment as vital to national security to accelerate its purchase and prevent a repeat of the incident.

CAAP reported that the glitch does not appear to be the result of a cybercrime “because affected electrical equipment cannot be manipulated from outside CAAP compound.”

“Nonetheless, a review will still be conducted by cyber-security experts,” it said.

The meeting was followed by an inspection of affected equipment and facilities inside the CAAP compound by heads and representatives of the DOTr, DICT, Department of National Defense, National Intelligence Coordination Agency and Intelligence Service of the Armed Forces of the Philippines.

In a radio interview, Bautista said he received news of the glitch at around 10 a.m. on Sunday and immediately informed President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.

“Ang sabi niya ay pilitin nating maayos ‘yan as soon as possible and 'yung mga maapektuhan na pasahero see to it na they are taken care of (Marcos said we should try to fix it as soon as possible and affected passengers must be taken care of),” he said.

Aside from providing food and drinks to passengers, he said those with canceled flights have been rebooked without additional fees while diverted flights were coordinated with different airports.

On Sunday, the CAAP Air Traffic Management system and its backup failed, stranding hundreds of flights and thousands of passengers at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport, Clark, Mactan, Davao and other CAAP-operated airports.

The incident was the result of a loss of power due to a problem in the system’s electrical network and the failure of its uninterruptible power supply that served as the backup power supply.

DMW assists 3K OFWs affected by air system mess

Over 3,000 overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) affected by the New Year’s Day air system glitch at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) that led to numerous flight cancellations were able to receive assistance from the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW).

In a Laging Handa public briefing on Wednesday, DMW Undersecretary Hans Leo Cacdac said the department helped the OFWs rebook their flights and were provided with food packs and hotel accommodations while awaiting their flight schedules.

“Ngayon, January 4, mayroon pa ring mga lumilipad out of the country from their rebooked flights noong January 1; at sa pagkakaintindi ko until mga January 5 or 6 iyong rebooking noong karamihan (Today, January 4, there are still those flying out of the country from their rebooked flights on January 1; and as far as I understand, most of the rebooked flights would be until around January

5 or 6). So, we had around 3,000 assisted [OFWs] that day),” Cacdac said.

The official said DMW has deployed teams at the NAIA to continuously assist OFWs.

He also said OFWs who needed assistance in communicating with their employers in explaining the delay of their arrivals in the host country were also assisted, as ordered by DMW Secretary Susan ‘Toots’ Ople.

“May direktiba si Secretary Toots sa kaniyang mga labor attachés na kausapin iyong mga employers na mayroong mga katanungan o pagkaklaro na kinakailangan dito sa mga nangyaring pagka-cancel ng mga flights (Secretary Toots has directed the labor attachés to talk to those employers who have questions or clarifications regarding the cancellation of flights),” Cacdac said.

He also expressed gratitude to the Department of Transportation, the Manila International Airport Authority management, and the airline companies who helped them assist the affected OFWs.

As of Jan. 3, Cacdac said around 200 OFWs are still staying in hotels awaiting their rebooked flight schedules.

At least 56,000 passengers were affected by the air system mess last Sunday.

DOTr, CAAP have no contractual obligation to compensate passengers -- Bautista

The Department of Transportation (DOTr) and the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) have no contractual obligation to refund passengers affected by the hours-long shutdown of the Philippine airspace due to a power supply glitch on New Year’s Day, Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista said Wednesday.

Bautista said the legality of compensating affected air travelers should be carefully studied.

The Transportation chief made the remark after Albay Representative Joey Salceda called on the government, the CAAP in particular, to compensate the thousands of passengers whose flights were grounded due to a power outage of the country’s air traffic management system.

“Dapat pagaralan natin ang legality nito ano [It’s legality should be studied],” Bautista said.

“Unang una, ‘yung CAAP at saka DOTr wala kaming arrangement with the passengers, ‘di katulad ng airlines. Bumili sila ng ticket, merong obligation ang mga airlines na ilipad sila o i-refund ang kanilang pamasahe ‘pag hindi naka-refund,” he added.

Salceda cited the Joint Administrative Order (JAO) No. 1 s. 2012 of the Transportation and Trade Departments, which states that “[I]n case the air carrier cancels the flight because of force majeure, safety and/ or security reasons, as certified by the CAAPs, a passenger shall have the right to be reimbursed for the full value of the fare.”

The lawmaker said CAAP should certify the event as a “safety reason for cancellation so that a reimbursement mechanism can be set into motion.”

Salceda, who chairs the House

STRANDED. Thousand of passengers were stranded on New Year's Day (Jan. 1, 2023) at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3 (NAIA 3) in Pasay City due to "technical issues" of the air traffic management system of the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP), according to Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista. Normal operations resumed on Tuesday (Jan. 2). (MNS photo)

NEW YEAR BABY. Melanie Soriano gives birth to her first child, Nathalie, at the Dr. Jose Fabella Memorial Hospital in Sta. Cruz, Manila on Sunday (Jan. 1, 2023). Baby Nathalie was born at exactly midnight of Jan. 1. (MNS photo)

THE YEAR THAT WAS IN REVIEW: THE

HARDY PHILIPPINES HAD IT GOOD IN 2022!

SAN DIEGO, Calif. –Greetings!

As the New Year is on and as we eagerly wait what is in store onwards for 2023, we turn again to our annual look at our beloved old homeland –the Philippines. Now, with hopes that COVID-19 is in retreat and that inflation will moderate in the months ahead, we take a last glance at why our old country had it good in 2022.

Yes, indeed…perseverance proved a winner in 2022 as the year ended with Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. becoming leader of our beloved old homeland…salvaging a family legacy – storylines befitting a Netflix series, if I may say so.

In Manila, Marcos – the namesake son of the authoritarian father – won a landslide election last May for president, despite what detractors see as a patrimony of corruption and impunity. More than 35 years ago, in February 1986, the senior Marcos and his wife Imelda fled to Hawaii in exile, driven out by a People Power Revolution and a loss of U.S. support.

“PBBM” as the new Filipino president is fondly called in all circles now face the challenge of governing and moving the archipelagic nation forward.

I say stay tuned for the next episode.

Interestingly, the Philippines national election made the fight against disinformation more critical in 2022, too. In a first-of-akind initiative called #FactsFirstPH, over 100 groups came together to stem the tide of false information and promote truth in public spaces.

With its four layers – factchecking, amplification or mesh, research, and deterrence – working together, the coalition produced hundreds of fact checks that were magnified in creative ways, among member organizations that included traditionally competitive newsrooms.

The coalition was recognized in an international fact-checking conference as the most innovative and impactful collaboration.

As everyone knows, truth tellers in the media, academe, civil society, and legal groups, among other sectors do face a myriad of challenges. Members from the four layers of #FactsFirstPH talked about what they experienced in 2022, what they achieved under the coalition, and what they hope to do moving forward. And that for me sounds a bona fide progress, isn’t it?

It is a fact that the Philippines, as with the rest of the world, were adversely affected by COVID-19. The government’s pandemic response was, initially, to restrict mobility, then to accelerate vaccination, when vaccines became available. The former led to

economic contractions, as much as -`16.9 percent in the second quarter of 2020; unemployment rate went up to 17.6 percent. However, financial assistance was provided to those furthest behind. During the first semester 2021 compared to 2018, income of families from the bottom eight scores increased by 5.5% on average, while those in the 9th and 10th decile declined by 1.5% and 5.5%, respectively.

As they learned to balance economic activity and risk mitigation, our old homeland is absolutely now on its way to recovery. This experience has intensified the urgency of building resiliency and promoting innovation. The list of strategies now includes financial inclusion, savings mobilization, insurance coverage and effective social protection. There is also greater emphasis on change, beginning with developing 21st century skills, encouraging research, promoting collaboration and building the knowledge economy. These new master plans should build into the previous initiatives on stakeholder engagement, resource mobilization and monitoring.

In point of fact, a strong rebound in domestic demand with the easing of COVID-19 mobility restrictions in the country supported robust growth for the Philippine economy in 2022, despite high inflation due to global and local price pressures, according to reports released by the Asian Development Bank (ADB). The recovery is expected to also have overall positive impact on poverty reduction. The expansion projection for the New Year 2023 is now kept at 6.3% as monetary policy tightening and accelerating inflation both crimp domestic demand…however, still the highest growth rating among its Asian neighbors.

There is bound to be many more challenges for sure but I say the biggest is to remain steadfast in the Filipino’s commitment to achieve the world they want.

As proof of the above, the Philippines was voted anew as the “world’s best country tourism destination” in the 2022 Uzakrota Global Travel Awards, cementing its position as a top-of-the-mind travel spot even during a pandemic.

The nation bested all other countries nominated with 721 votes, bagging the award for the second time since it held the title in 2020.

The initiative was led by the Turkish travel organization Uzakrota Global, which also recognized Malaysia and the Dominican Republic as the world’s top two and three with 523 and 459 votes, respectively.

Aside from the Uzakrota

awards, the Philippines also picked up 13 recognitions in all categories available at Scuba Diving’s 2023 Readers’ Choice Awards by U.S.based Scuba Diving Magazine including the top honors for Shore Diving.

“As the international accolades for the Philippines continues to grow, so too the role of tourism as an engine of the Philippines’ economic growth under the administration of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. whose prioritization of tourism has brought much optimism and hope for the industry,” Tourism Secretary Christina Frasco commented.

“These awards reflect the global traveling public’s view of confidence and enthusiasm for our country and it translates to more tourists visiting our shores as

evidenced by our over two million arrivals thus far.”

The country ranked second in Macro Life, Cavern/Cave & Grotto Diving, Beginners, Photography, and Best Value categories; third in Wreck Diving, Snorkeling, and Health of Marine Environment; fourth in Wall Diving and Advanced; fifth in Best Overall; and ninth in the Big Animals groupings for the Pacific and Indian Ocean cluster.

The Philippines has also been hailed the World’s Leading Dive Destination and the World’s Leading Beach Destination for 2022 at the 29th World Travel Awards Grand Final Gala Ceremony held in Muscat, Oman recently.

“These global victories for the Philippines evince the unequaled beauty of our country and the distinct warmth of the Filipino people. We sincerely thank the World Travel Awards and everyone from all over the world whose vote of confidence is timely as the Philippines fully opens its arms to welcome tourists to our shores,” said Tourism Secretary Christina Frasco.

As the World’s Leading Beach Destination, the Philippines also bested other seashores around the world including previous awardees such as the Maldives, the Algarve in Portugal, Jamaica, Galapagos Islands in Ecuador and Turks and Caicos Islands.

Meantime, three local partner tourism establishments also shared the World Travel Awards distinction: Amanpulo, as the World’s Leading Dive Resort 2022; City of Dreams Manila, as the World’s Leading Casino Resort 2022; and Ascott Bonifacio Global City Manila as the World’s Leading Serviced Apartments 2022.

The Philippines’ Department of Tourism (DOT) was also nominated as the World’s Leading Tourist Board last year as well as Siargao as the World’s Leading Island Destination and Old-world Intramuros as the World’s Leading Touristy Attraction.

The 29th World Travel Awards gathered the best of the travel and hospitality industries from its regional awardees across Asia, the Caribbean, Central America, Europe, the Indian Ocean, the Middle East, North America, Oceania and South America..

Aren’t they all awesome news to hear?

You betcha!

Meanwhile, Cebu had been listed among the 50 “best places to travel in 2023” by the U.S.-established online travel guide

Travel Lemming.

Travel Lemming described Cebu as “perfect for all types of tourists” and “allows you to indulge in both thrilling experiences and waterfront relaxation.”

Another key stop in the Philippines, Palawan was cited by another US-posted travel guide Fodor as one of the 40 destinations on its Go List for 2023.

Fodor called Palawan “the very definition of eco-luxury” and “one of the Philippines’ most magical islands where underwater worlds meet lush jungles.”

Aside from worldrenowned Palawan, Cebu and Boracay, the Philippines have a lot more landing place to offer for various types of travelers, too.

Samar,and one of the country’s smallest and newest province of Biliran, and Leyte alone are home to plenty of mesmerizing waterfalls, caves and rock formations making them ideal stops for adventure-seeking tourists.

Siquijor in the Central Visayas, for now, is perfect for those seeking a laidback vibe and less crowded island destination.

Earlier last year, the government also relaxed entry restrictions for travelers as part of its efforts to revive the economy amid the pandemic.

Additionally, the holidays delivered further gains for the Philippine tourism industry as it breached its 1.7-million targets with 2.65 million international arrivals as of the end of 2022.

The advent translated to PHP208.96 billion or USD3.68 billion in tourism revenues, a whopping 2,465.75-percent increase from 2021, according to the news release.

Based on the monitoring of the Department of Tourism (DOT) from the time the country reopened its borders to all travelers in February until Dec. 31, 2022 arrivals peaked in December as more Filipinos and tourists’ alike opted to spend the Christmas and New Year vacations in the Philippines.

Of the total 2.65 million international arrivals last year, 628,445 were returning Filipinos while the bulk of 2.02 million tourists were from top markets United States (505,089), South Korea (428,014), Australia (137, 974), Canada (121, 413), the United Kingdom (101,034), Japan (99,557), Singapore (53,448), India (51,542),

The concept and real-life application of originality

work?

Plagiarism is not illegal but unethical especially in academia, art, and letters. Copyright infringement is illegal, unethical, and will cost dearly. Our society being such a litigious one, that people will sue even for the slightest chance of getting money off of it.

an original genius who can come up with artistic masterpieces.

Taylor Swift, an American pop and country music icon was sued in 2017 for copyright infringement for her top billing song, “Shake it Off” in her hit album, “Midnight.” The lawsuit alleged that Swift infringed on a song by Hall and Butler’s “Playas Gon’ Play.”

The lawsuit was recently dismissed with the judge ruling that the lyrics were “too banal” to be stolen. The Swift song contains a couple of lines, "Cause the players gonna play, play, play, play, play/ And the haters gonna hate, hate, hate, hate, hate") that contained lyrical similarities to that of Hall and Butler’s "The playas gon' play/Them haters gonna hate" and "Playas, they gonna play/And haters, they gonna hate."

The crux of Swift’s filings was that “players are gonna play; and haters are gonna hate” are not original phrases. Admittedly, they’re really common phrases we read or hear every day. But this case really goes back to the concept of originality and how the general public understands and practices

it. Originality is often invoked in cases of plagiarism and copyright infringement, words involving lack of originality.

Lawsuits in the music industry are quite common and even the famous ones like Beatle George Harrison’s “My Sweet Lord,” was sued for his single hit that was copied from somebody else’s idea, Chiffon’s hit single, “He’s So Fine.” Harrison claimed he was not aware of the similarity and the judge agreed but made him pay for subconsciously plagiarizing the song. Plagiarizing somebody’s else’s work without the person himself knowing it. It sounds ridiculous but there is a grain of truth in this. Why?

Musicians for example, just like we do, listen to other people’s work especially popular and hit songs. Thus, it is entirely possible that a new creation is not really an original work. Music is easily embedded in our memory and therefore, it is so easy for a songwriter to be influenced by other people’s work. But do they constitute plagiarism or infringement on other people’s

Litigations take time and money, so oftentimes, parties settle and so the public is denied such knowledge if plagiarizing was involved.

How about for ordinary mortals like us? What should be a good North Star? Perhaps delving in other areas of applications that we might arrive at a different appreciation of things. For example, Shakespeare is obviously a genius in his field but do his works come with absolute originality labels? Of course not. The obvious ones like the alphabet, power of words, syntax, how to put them together in rhymes, he must have learned them from his teachers, mentors, people who blazed the trail before him.

Philosophers contributed greatly to his work in playwright and poetry, and he even said so. Yet, he is regarded as a great original genius. Similarly, Tomas Aquinas’ theology was highly influenced by Greek philosophers like Plato and Socrates. Plato, for instance, came up with the original thought that Aeon, in an allegorical play written by Socrates, was incapable of being

That Aeon’s work was influenced by higher order of spirits or spheres of being as influenced by a god or deity through dreams. Aquinas gave a name to Plato’s divine spirit and called it the Holy Spirit. On the theory of evolution, Plato used a term called organicism, that the universe is orderly and alive much like an organism. Darwin’s, of course, contrasts that of Plato that the emergence of life and mind are accidents of evolution and that mortal organisms are microcosms of the great macrocosm.

Before Christianity, there was a story in Greek mythology of Theseus, the son of Poseidon, the god of the sea. Theseus was the son of a virgin, princess Aethra who was visited by goddess Athena in her dreams instructing her to go to the beach, make an offering for her offspring to be blessed by them. She did and Poseidon appeared and got her pregnant.

Well, actually, Theseus was not the first virgin birth from antiquity. In Egypt, Assyria, Greece, Cyprus and Carthage, a mythological virgin mother with names derived from “Ma,” meaning mother, has been written. The Syrian Myrrha, Greek’s Maia, Maya in Hindu, and Mary in Hebrew and their half-human, half-divine child was often a popular subject of art and

sculpture. Dionysus was among them, son of Zeus and born to a virgin Persephone.

In architecture, modernism is highly influenced by Roman, Greek, Victorian, Gothic or other European designs. Interestingly, no quotation marks or attribution to an author are expected. A house or building designs can contain features such as columns, arches, stairs, ceilings copied from foreign concepts, but modern architecture uses these features to be part of a new emphasis – aesthetics and functionality. Does that make the product an original design? No, but an evolution of a new way of thinking.

Such is the minutiae of originality. A bigger question is if modern art, humanities, music, science, or philosophy for that matter, can achieve originality especially knowing that Renaissance perhaps was the pinnacle of civilization?

Meaning, everything after that was a derivation or innovation from the old ways of thinking.

Socrates is credited as the Father of Western Philosophy. Yet, Socrates created dialogues and plays based on Plato’s philosophy. Another claim is that Thales of Miletus is the Father of Western Philosophy who foretold that the “day will suddenly turn into darkness” during the Battle of Halys. Yet, it was Herodotus, the Father of History who retold the story.

When Socrates was tried and sentenced to die for not accepting the gods of Athens and of corrupting the young with his ideas, Plato concluded that democracy was a corrupt and unjust form of government. The corruption of current democracies, therefore, is not an original idea. Corruption in government is bane to democracy, yet it is an old idea given new life –by definition, makes such corruption of a concept, original.

The Third Edition of Webster’s International dictionary includes nearly half-a-million words, many of which we use in our everyday conversations or writings. Unless one is quoting a particular definition in the dictionary, we use words without attributing them to Webster. For example, plagiarism explains Merriam-Webster is “to steal and pass off (the ideas or words of another) as one’s own; or to commit literary theft: present as new and original an idea or product derived from existing source.”

Finally, Haruki Murakami on originality – “If you only read the books that everyone else is reading, you can only think what everyone else is thinking.” Does that make everyone a plagiarist?

English clergyman, William Ralph Inge, said it well that “Originality, is undetected plagiarism.” To that I say, imitation and copying is a form of recycling.

Jesse T. Reyes Filipino Potpourri

The Philippines' (DOT) Department of Tourism Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco

PHILIPPINES-ISRAEL FRIENDHIP: The Philippines has become one of the top destination for Israeli tourists because they are drawn to the Filipinos' hospitality and family values, as well as the historical ties that strongly bind the two cultures together.

The Philippines was voted anew as the "World's best tourism destination" for 2022

The Philippines has also been hailed as the World's Leading Dive Destination and the World's Leading Beach Destination for 2022 See JESSE REYES

Professional Business Directory

Ask the DMV – ’Tis the season to utilize the DMV’s most convenient Online Services!

Intro: The DMV knows how busy the holiday season can be. You can renew your vehicle registration, update your address, chat with a DMV virtual assistant, and so much more from the convenience of your phone, computer, or tablet. Check some stress off your list this year by using the DMV’s Online Services to take care of your DMV to-do list while you’re getting your holiday shopping done.

Q1: I saw a DMV kiosk at my local grocery store. Can I use it if I can’t make it to a DMV office before the holidays?

A1: Yes! If you are unable

to make it to the DMV before the holiday season, you can use one of the hundreds of DMV kiosks located throughout the state to help complete your vehicle registration renewal, print registration tags instantly, submit proof of insurance, receive a driver or vehicle record, and more. Some are even open 24/7 and are located throughout communities in local grocery stores, libraries, and other convenient locations. Locate the DMV kiosk nearest to you here.

Q2: I will be moving next year, but I want to get my address updated on my driver’s license before the holidays. Can I change my address online?

A2: Yes, you can update your new address online as long as you

already have a valid California ID and your new residence is in the same state that you currently reside in. Before you begin, make sure you have:

• Both your old and new addresses.

• If changing the address for your vehicle or vessel, you will also need your most recent registration card and the address where your trailer coach or vessel is located (if applicable).

• A MyDMV account which can be created online.

Once you have all those items handy, you can start the application process to update your address at dmv.ca.gov/online.

Q3: What if I have an urgent question regarding DMV services, but I don’t have time to make it into an office before the holidays? Do I have any other options?

A3: Yes, a DMV virtual assistant is available 24/7 to help guide you and answer any questions about DMV services. Just click or tap the “Ask DMV” button in the bottom right corner of your screen. The DMV site also features a virtual field office allowing users to start transactions and upload any required documents, which are then reviewed by a DMV customer service agent before contacting you to finish the process.

For more information or answers to questions not listed here, please visit www.dmv.ca.gov/online

All DMV offices will be closed on Monday, December 26 –Christmas Day (Observed)*

• Note: DMV offices are closed on weekends.

* When a holiday falls on a Sunday, the holiday is observed on the following Monday.

Dear Readers,

Our Business Community needs workers 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, kindly 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

Spiritual Life

Why do we celebrate Dr. Martin Luther King’s birthday?

Every time the third Monday of January comes around, I am reminded of my visit to the Martin Luther King, Jr. Center for Nonviolent Social Change in Atlanta, Georgia. It was there where I learned so much about Martin Luther King, Jr. and why President Ronald Reagan signed a proclamation declaring the third Monday in January of each year a public holiday in honor of his birthday.

As a new immigrant from the Philippines in 1993, I had very faint idea on the life and influence of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. An invitation from Edith Ming, former President of the World Federation of Methodist Women gave me the opportunity to know more about Dr. King and why we celebrate Martin Luther King’s Day. The original proclamation states that, “The observance of the birthday of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. as a national holiday is a time for rejoicing and reflecting. We rejoice because in his short life, Dr. King by his preaching, his example, and his leadership helped to move us closer to the ideals on which America was founded. We reflect on his words and his works. Dr. King’s was truly a prophetic voice that reached out over the chasms of hostility, prejudice, ignorance and fear to touch the conscience of America. He challenged us to make real the promise of America as a land of freedom, equality, opportunity, and brotherhood.”

I have a book entitled “The Words of Martin Luther King, Jr.” Some of my favorite quotations are as follows:

Aurora S. Cudal-Rivera My Personal

Testimony

“The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy. The true neighbor will risk his position, his prestige, and even his life for the welfare of others. In dangerous valleys and hazardous pathways, he will lift some bruised and beaten brother to a higher and more noble life.”

“We are prone to judge success by the index of our salaries or the size of our automobiles, rather than by the quality of our service and relationship to humanity.”

”An individual has not started living until he can rise above the narrow confines of his individualistic concerns to the broader concerns of all humanity.”

“Love is the only force capable of transforming an enemy into a friend.”

“We must develop and maintain the capacity to forgive. He who is devoid of the power to forgive is devoid of the power to love. “

“Hatred and bitterness can never cure the disease of fear; only love can do that. Hatred paralyzes

life; love releases it. Hatred confuses life; love harmonizes it. Hatred darkens life; love illumines it.”

“So I say to you, seek God and discover Him and make Him a power in your life. Without Him all of our efforts turn to ashes and our sunrises into darkest nights.

Without Him, life is a meaningless drama with the decisive scenes missing. But with Him we are able to rise from the fatigue of despair to the buoyancy of hope. With Him we are able to rise from the midnight of desperation to the daybreak of joy. ST. Augustine was right – we were made for God and we will be restless until we find rest in Him.”

“Now let me say that the next best thing we must be concerned about if we are to have peace on earth and goodwill towards men is the nonviolent affirmation of the sacredness of all human life. Every man is somebody because he is a child of God.”

Let’s pause and reflect on these words as we celebrate the birthday anniversary of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

So when someone hurts you ...

But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High; for He Himself is kind to ungrateful and evil men. (Luke 6:35)

"Forget it, I don't want to talk to you anymore!" The text came through abruptly, and Susan blinked as she reread it in disbelief. Had she really been this misunderstood by her friend? Her heart began to beat faster at her ability to conjure up these feelings in another human. On the other hand, Susan was relieved. Was she really finally free of such a difficult relationship?

Today's verse reminds us that in many cases, even though we want to cut ourselves off from a world that doesn't understand us, Jesus tells us that we should love, even - especially - those who are ungrateful and evil. We are made in God's image after all, and He is the very definition of kindness. So regardless of anyone else's belief system or personality or stereotyping, you, as an image

Greetings in the Lord!

The celebration of the nativity of Jesus continues and one of the very important elements of this mystery of the incarnation of the second person of the Blessed Trinity is his manifestation to the world through certain events in history. His becoming human was revealed in nature through mysterious natural phenomena, such as the shining of a bright star, as well as divine mysterious appearance of angels who announced the event to lowly shepherds in the field in Bethlehem. These phenomena, both natural and supernatural were recognized by the shepherds but also by wise men whose astronomical wisdom led them to conclude that a person of greatness was born. They went, seeking for the infant and their search was guided by the star. This is the story of the magi whose place in history and the events that led the world to know the birth of the child Jesus who turned out to be the Savior of the world.

In contrast to the perception of the lowly shepherds and the foreign wisemen, the bible tells us how the Jewish people, who longed for their savior, found themselves ignorant in their religious experience. Their

JESSE REYES

Continued from page 5

Malaysia (46,805) and China (9,627).

expectation was for somebody who was to bring salvation and liberation to them from the political, economic and cultural enslavement they were in at that period in history. They expected a Messiah, but never believed this to happen in a place like a lowly stable where actually the baby Jesus was born. Their expectations were far from the reality as it unfolded. This expectation was common among the highly place members of the Jewish society, beginning with the royalty, wise pharisees and saduccees as well as the lowly priests and also the common people.

The feast that we are celebrating today has been handed down in the tradition of the liturgy of the church

for ages, but the focus then was the existence of the three wise men, or three kings, who came from the east, bringing their gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh, to the new born Jesus. The liturgy then put significant emphasis on the gifts to the newborn savior, but not to the act of bringing into the fore the purpose of his coming. Today’s liturgy shirts the purpose of the feast on the universality of the message that Jesus brings. His epiphany opens the horizons that is unlimited to all people of good will, and stresses on the attitude and outlook of the beholders of the revelation. The lowly shepherds and the wisemen are concrete models of such attitude: openness and wisdom. Only the open, meek and humble, such as the shepherds can receive the message of the Gospel with joy and jubilation. Only the wise and courageous can understand the message of salvation brought by the newly born savior whose birth is meant for all.

Let us, therefore, rejoice and be glad for the message that the birth of Jesus brings to the world. Let us receive him gladly and openly listen to him as we continue on during this new year.

Hernaez From Whom

All Blessings Flow

bearer of God, are meant to love. So when someone hurts you, instead of withdrawing, take a step back momentarily, allowing everyone some time to breathe. You can show love even if you don't see eye to eye. Don't offer something that will harm you or the other person by spoiling or indulging sin, but instead, show love. In doing so, you will remind the other person that you not only value who they are, you also recognize your own worth and dignity.

Then, ask God for help in showing this person that He has something better for both of you: a reward, as it says in Luke, that will be great!

Dear Lord, thank You for making me in Your image. I

know You have equipped me to love others, even when I am so tempted to strike back at them. Show me when to set boundaries, and when to receive people with open arms. I want to bless others with Your Light. I trust You with all my relationships, even the hard ones. Help me to be bear Your image in all that I do. Amen.

The disciples thought they suffered their greatest defeat when Jesus died on the cross. However, this defeat became the greatest victory on earth. Christ's death gave liberty. Forgiveness came to all men. New life came forth - new strength for the disciples. Resurrection and new life came as a result of a "defeat."

<(((><

(FYI: The Philippines has also become one of the top tourist destinations for the Israeli people in the last few years with the latter enjoying similarities in the culture of both counties. “You’ll see quite a number of Israeli tourists picking up very quickly from youngsters to families. So, you will see, of course, a lot of youth coming to the Philippines, young Israelis who are doing backpacking honeymooners,” Israeli Ambassador to the Philippines H.E. Ilan Fluss told in an interview at the sidelines of the Manila Roadshow of Israel’s Ministry of Tourism. Citing opportunities in the innovation and technology, Fluss said entrepreneurs and other people from the business sector are also traveling between Israel and the Philippines. He noted family values and openness to foreigners is a couple of resemblance seen among Filipinos and the Israeli people that are drawing his nation to the Philippines and may encourage Filipinos to visit Israel as well. “The Filipinos and Israeli are the same, very, very friendly. And I see this everyday as the Israeli ambassador. It is fantastic,” Flus stated.)

(FYI: On top of the above, the Philippines also seek to woo more tourists from Saudi Arabia, the country’s top Middle East market In fact, the DOT moved to boost tourism cooperation with the Kingdom. Before the pandemic, Saudi Arabia ranked No, 1 in tourism arrivals among the Philippines’ source markets in the Middle East, with at least 43,748 visitors recorded in 2019. To date it ranks 23rd with 9,424 arrivals since the Philippines reopened last February 2022. “We see great potential in ushering in more arrivals into the Philippines. At the same time, the development and relationship is mutual considering there are over 800,000 Filipinos in Saudi Arabia alone. Therefore our affection for each other is long standing and I am very interested in furthering this relationship

SAN DIEGO ZOO

Continued from page 1

revolutionary program at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park—joining Edward and Future, who also made history as the first southern white rhinos born through artificial insemination in North America.

Also featured was Msituni (pronounced see tune neee), an 11-month-old giraffe born at the Safari Park. Born unable to walk, a condition in which she would not have survived in her native habitat, she required months of critical around-the-clock care, along with several pairs of custom giraffesized orthotic leg braces, to support her while she gained the necessary strength to walk. Today, after making a full recovery, Msituni runs alongside dozens of giraffes, wildebeest, impalas, rhinos and

by formalizing an agreement specifically focused on tourism development,” DOT Secretary Frasco said during her recent Riyadh trip. “We recognize the massive potential for growth to attract more tourism from this Region, especially with our drive to expand “Halal” (Arabic for permissible) Tourism in the Philippines,” she reminded. The Filipinos, meanwhile looks forward to the prospects of more Saudi Arabian tourists as it continues to invest in the sector.)

The year just ended likewise generated an estimated 5.23 million tourism-related jobs, 11,989 DOTaccredited tourism enterprises as of Dec. 29, 2022 and 25,770 tourism stakeholders who were trained.

Philippine DOT Secretary Frasco was elated over the achievements of the administration of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. just six months into office.

She noted that the tourism growth clearly showed the hard work of the entire industry in order to recover from the unprecedented crisis brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Moments of great difficulty are also moments of growth opportunity. In the past, we have overcome a global pandemic and survived various calamities. The Philippine tourism industry has managed to exceed expectations and our tourism partners and front-liners continue to offer the best of Filipino grace and hospitality to the world,” Frasco declared in a statement.

“We welcome 2023 with gratitude and excitement for Philippine tourism to bounce back stronger than ever. We shall welcome with warmth and that distinct Filipino smile visitors from all over the world as they visit our award-winning beaches, experience the richness of our culture, and enjoy our worldrenowned Filipino brand of service excellence,” she added.

No doubts about it, Frasco is hopeful that the DOT will surpass its target anew in 2023.

(FYI: The Philippines eyes to double its tourism revenues and reach at least 4.8 million in foreign arrivals in the New Year 2023).

“We look forward to the continued

Cape buffalo in the Safari Park’s African savannas.

On the float, a pair of African crowned cranes meandered through lush landscape, as Msituni’s parents peeked with curiosity into an openair safari truck filled with guests. The riders were wildlife care specialists, veterinarians and conservation scientists from the Safari Park, who have dedicated their lives to caring for Neville, Msituni and hundreds of wildlife species in San Diego and around the globe. They were joined by the Safari Park’s executive director, Lisa Peterson, expert wildlife guides from the Safari Park and four young children representing the next generation of conservationists.

The floral array on the float illustrated that both the San Diego Zoo Safari Park and San Diego Zoo are accredited botanical gardens that feature over 2 million plants—and

convergence and collaboration of our tourism stakeholders – travelers, tourism players, national agencies, local government units and host communities – in propelling our industry to the heights of becoming a tourism powerhouse in Asia,” Frasco concluded.

And to top it all off for last year (despite all the trials and tribulation, too!) our “kababayans” (fellow Filipinos) emerged as the happiest nation in the world based on the 2022 End of Year Survey by the Gallup International Association (GIA).

I say that even in the worst of times, Filipinos are quick to smile and laugh troubles away. So it’s no surprise that our “kababayans” are truly the happiest bunch of people in the world.

Laughter is said to be the best medicine, and being cheerful in the face of adversity is always good for mental, physical and emotional health. As important as a person’s level of optimism, however, are the material and other aspects that reflect the quality of life.

Of the countries included in the survey, the Philippines earned a net score of 75%. The top 5 include Mexico, Malaysia, Afghanistan and Ecuador.

No doubts about it - Filipinos are a cheerful, optimistic lot, regardless of the quality of governance and living standards. Our “kababayans” will always rank high in any happiness indexes, if I must say it.

In conjunction with the above, the national Social Weather Survey December 10-14, 2022 found 95% of adult Filipinos entering the New Year with hope rather than fear. This is 2 points above the 93% recorded in 2021 and similar to the pre-COVID-19’s 96% in 2019. On the other hand, 5% will enter the New Year with fear, down by points from 7% in 2020 and 2021…truly a testament to the Filipinos’ tenacity and resiliency further cementing the fact that it is absolutely more fun to be in the Philippines!

Certainly, the comeback country of our beloved old homeland – the hardy Philippines – leads the way as Asia’s and possibly as the world’s overall winner for 2022!

Mabuhay!!

serve as a reminder of San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance’s dedication to plant conservation through its many efforts, including the Wildlife Biodiversity Bank.

The Safari Park’s 1,800 acres are home to vital conservation efforts, with more than 3,600 individual animals from more than 300 species, and a botanical collection of more than 1.75 million plants. The Safari Park welcomes more than 1 million guests each year, providing an ideal setting for visitors to connect with nature and wildlife, while supporting San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance’s conservation efforts worldwide.

Prior to this year, San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance had a float in the Rose Parade in 1996, in celebration of the Zoo’s 80th anniversary; and in 2022, celebrating San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance’s global conservation efforts.

Danny

Fr. Agustin T. Opalalic

Physical Therapists Help People of All Ages.

NATIONAL CITY, CA -- Physical therapists are experts in human movement who are trained to evaluate and treat all kinds of musculoskeletal issues. They are highly trained in prescribing and progressing exercise to help people move and feel better. Because everyone moves and everyone can benefit from exercise, physical therapists can help people through their entire lives.

Some people see a physical therapist shortly after birth. The most common reasons a baby would need to see a PT would be something like torticollis or cerebral palsy. Torticollis is a postural issue that causes babies to hold their heads tipped to one side. Cerebral palsy is a neurological disorder that causes difficulty with movement and coordination.

As children continue to grow, some have trouble hitting their motor milestones - like rolling, crawling, or walking. Physical therapists can use their expertise to help encourage development of motor skills and coordination to get these children back on track.

Sports injuries become more common in adolescents. Whether it's an ankle sprain, or an ACL surgery, a PT can help. Some adolescents have issues from the rapid growth their bodies go through. Things like growth plate fractures, growing pains, Osgood-Schlatter's disease, and Sever's disease are all common in adolescence.

As adults, a lot of us will have

back pain - studies say up to 80% of us. Physical therapy is one of the first treatments recommended for back pain. Physical therapists also see injured adults. It could be from weekend warrior type sports injuries, overuse, or from an accident at work. Some adults also start to show symptoms of diseases like multiple sclerosis, or myositis which also benefit from physical therapy.

Later in life, people tend to accumulate more health issues that impact their ability to move. Issues like arthritis, joint replacements, strokes, and heart attacks are all things a PT can help with. Physical therapists also help people age better - keeping them moving with exercise programs that help reduce falls, or helping them make adaptations and modifications to keep them in their homes safely. Movement is a constant in life. As

movement experts, PTs can help people of any age. Some specialize in treating pediatric patients, and some specialize in treating geriatric patients, but all PTs have the expertise to help people move better.

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maraming bagay ang maaari mong gawin para makatulong na protektahan ang iyong sarili mula sa impeksyon ng COVID. Regular na maghugas ng kamay gamit ang sabon at tubig. Kapag sumama ang iyong pakiramdam, manatili sa bahay at magpahinga para alagaan ang iyong sarili at ang iyong mga mahal sa buhay. Iwasan ang matataong lugar

at mga lugar na walang bentilasyon. Kung kailangan kang magpunta sa mga lugar na iyon, huwag kang magtatagal at isaalang-alang ang pagsusuot ng maskara.

Maghanap ng mga paraan para maiwasan ang stress. Nakaka-stress para sa marami ang kasalukuyang pandemic, kabilang sa mga nakakatanda—at okay lang na aminin ito! Ang mga pang-araw-araw na gawain ay nabago, at marami ang nakakaranas ng higit na kalungkutan, stress, at pagkabalisa. Kabilang sa

mga tip para makayanan ang stress ay ang bukas na pakikipag-usap sa isang taong pinagkakatiwalaan mo, pag-iwas muna sa mga balita, paggawa ng mga pisikal na aktibidad na kinagigiliwan mo, pagkain ng masustansyang pagkain, at pakikipagugnayan sa pamilya, mga kaibigan, at komunidad.

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fishermen.

“I was very clear in trying to talk about the plight of our fishermen," Marcos said of his discussion with Xi.

"The President promised that we would find a compromise and find a solution that will be beneficial so that our fishermen might be able to fish again in their natural fishing grounds,” he added.

President Xi committed to deepen cooperation with the Philippine government as he also wants to develop bilateral ties with Manila.

"Mr. President, your current trip is a trip to honor history, but more importantly, it is to open up the future. I look forward to having discussions with you to carry forward the friendship and further promote [our] bilateral relationship," Xi told Marcos.

"Together, let's deepen cooperation and draw out a blueprint with China-Philippines cooperation in the new era. This way, we will bring more benefits to our people and contribute to peace and stability in the region," he added.

During Marcos' state visit to Beijing, the two countries signed an agreement for the establishment of a communication mechanism on maritime issues between the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) of the Philippines and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China.

This deal is meant to prevent miscommunications and misunderstandings in the West Philippine Sea.

Diplomatic protests have been filed over the past years over the alleged harassment by the Chinese of Filipino fishermen.

The Philippines in February 2015 lodged two diplomatic protests against China’s alleged harassment of Filipino fishermen off the Manilaclaimed Scarborough Shoal in the South China Sea and its illegal harvest of endangered species in the same area.

The DFA said three Philippineflagged fishing vessels “were intentionally rammed” by Chinese Coast Guard Vessel 3412 on January 29 at the shoal, “causing damage to the vessels and endangering the lives and safety of the Filipino fishermen on board.”

The Philippines in August 2020 filed a diplomatic protest against China for confiscating fish aggregating devices installed by Filipino fishermen in Scarborough Shoal off the country's southwestern waters.

Manila called the Chinese Coast Guard's action of taking away the devices "illegal."

The incident at the shoal, which lies 124 nautical miles off the nearest Philippine landmass of Palawan, occurred in May 2020

The DFA in May 2022 protested China's unilateral fishing ban in the disputed South China Sea, where the Philippines and other neighboring Asian states have overlapping claims.

This developed after China imposed a three-and-a-half-month fishing moratorium "in areas of the South China Sea north of the 12 degrees North latitude."

Manila said it did not recognize China’s fishing moratorium from May 1 to August 16 as it covered waters in areas where the Philippines exercises "sovereignty, sovereign rights and jurisdiction.”

“On the political front, we also discuss what we can forward to avoid any possible mistakes, misunderstandings that could trigger a bigger problem than what we already have,” Marcos said.

Marcos said he was optimistic as Xi seemed genuinely interested in all of the issues tackled during the meeting.

“I am quite gratified that we've made a good start, but it is, the start," Marcos said.

He said he had instructed Foreign Affairs Secretary Ricky Manalo

and Ambassador to China Jaime FlorCruz "to pursue the subjects that we had discussed and to make sure that they are not, they do not remain in the wind but will actually come to fruition."

Marcos said the results of the discussions should be felt by both our people by both China, both the Philippines and both our peoples to mutual benefit.

Marcos hoping for revival of oil exploration talks with China

MANILA, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on Wednesday told Chinese President Xi Jinping that he is hopeful that efforts to revive discussions on the joint oil exploration between China and the Philippines in the West Philippine Sea (WPS) would soon bear fruit.

“I would very much like, as you have suggested, Mr. President, to be able to announce that we are continuing negotiations and that we hope that these negotiations will bear fruit because the pressure upon not only China, not only the Philippines but the rest of the world to move away from the traditional fronts of power," Marcos told Xi in a bilateral meeting between the two leaders in Beijing.

Talks on the joint exploration of oil and gas between the two countries were “completely terminated” during the term of President Rodrigo R. Duterte due to China’s claim on the disputed territorial waters.

Marcos earlier said he remained hopeful that talks would continue but bared that his administration is also finding other ways to pursue oil exploration should government-togovernment discussions fail.

Meanwhile, Marcos told Xi that strengthening Philippine-China ties is crucial in making the two countries stable and strong and keeping the region a driving force behind the new global economy.

He noted that the two countries had already established many partnerships in different areas of society, economy, culture and people-to-people exchanges in 50 years.

"We are hoping that after the pandemic becomes more manageable, that we will not only return to the path that we were on before the pandemic but that we even build-up to greater heights… [in] our participation in joint programs and joint ventures together," Marcos said. "...That this is one of my main goals that I hope to achieve as we are here in China and meeting with you, Your Excellency. We hope to achieve to further that relationship that we have," he added.

For his part, Xi affirmed his commitment to work with Marcos in boosting Manila-Beijing relations and vowed to extend assistance to the Philippines in various areas such as in agriculture, energy and infrastructure.

"Mr. President, your current trip is a trip to honor history, but more importantly, it is to open up the future. I look forward to having discussions with you to carry forward the friendship and further promote [our] bilateral relationship," Xi said.

"Together, let's deepen cooperation and draw out a blueprint with China-Philippines cooperation in the new era. This way, we will bring more benefits to our people and contribute to peace and stability in the region," he added.

China has been the Philippines' major trading partner, posting a total trade of USD29.1 billion from January to September 2022. (MNS)

Direct line with China seeks to avoid ‘incidents’ in WPS

President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on Thursday said that the new agreement establishing a joint direct communication mechanism between the governments of China and the Philippines is geared at avoiding incidents in the West Philippine Sea.

In a media interview in Beijing, Marcos said the direct communication mechanism, which he proposed himself, would elevate to a ministerial level the official

communications between Beijing and Manila.

“Ang aking proposal ay iakyat, pataasin natin ang bilateral, ang mga member ng mga bilateral. Sabi ko, ang pinakamaganda, sana ‘yung (My proposal is to raise and increase the bilateral, including the members of the bilateral. I said the best way is that) Chinese members of the bilateral group have a direct access to the President (Xi Jinping),” Marcos said.

He assured that for his part, members of the Philippine delegation for the bilateral would also have “direct contact” with him so that “nothing will be lost in translation.”

“Hindi magkakaproblema sa misinformation na maaring mangyari kapag napakatagal bago nakapag-usap kami (There will be no problem in miscommunication that may possibly happen due to delays before we can talk with each other)," Marcos said.

Marcos and Xi earlier affirmed to establish a "direct communication mechanism" to prevent possible miscommunication in the West Philippine Sea.

The two leaders announced the agreement in a joint statement released on the final day of Marcos' official state visit to Beijing.

This communication line would be opened between the Maritime and Ocean Affairs Office of the Philippines' Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) and the Department of Boundary and Ocean Affairs of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China.

The two leaders concurred that "confidence-building measures would contribute to improving mutual trust," and reaffirmed the importance of the Foreign Ministry and Consultations and the Bilateral Consultation Mechanism on the West Philippine Sea.

Marcos said maintaining an open line of communication will be good for both sides, explaining that untoward incidents can be prevented if the commanders of the Philippine Coast Guard, the Navy, and their Chinese counterparts have open lines of communication.

The President considers incidents like Filipino fishermen and the Coast Guard having conflict with Chinese authorities as a result of a lack of communication.

As to the timetable, Marcos said there is already an existing mechanism involving a bilateral group tackling issues between China and the Philippines.

When asked if the agreement would result in lesser incidents or no harassment of fishermen in the contested areas like Scarborough Shoal, the President said that it is an important aspect of the relationship that China will consider.

“When we get back, the Foreign Secretary and his counterparts here in China will finalize the organization of that, and the situation with our fishermen will be number one on the agenda,” Marcos said.

Both Marcos and Xi have also reaffirmed the importance of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC) in safeguarding peace and stability in the West Philippine Sea.

The two leaders cited the Joint Statement on the 20th Anniversary of the DOC, adopted in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, on Nov. 11, 2022.

The DOC, signed by China and the 10 Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) member states in 2002, states that all parties would exercise self-restraint from conducting activities that complicate or heighten tension and affect peace in the region, including "refraining from action of inhabiting on the presently uninhabited islands, reefs, shoals, cays, and other features" in the South China Sea.

The President said his state visit to China on Jan. 3-5 was very productive and enabled him to accomplish what he intended to do.

Marcos’ trip to China was his first official visit to a non-Association of Southeast Asian Nations country in Asia. (MNS)

“overwhelming response” from the Chinese business community on the investment and trade opportunities in our economy.

The various Chinese companies participating in these meetings presented their investment plans in the Philippines, totaling USD 22.8 billion as well as trade purchase intentions amounting to almost USD 2.1 billion.

When realized, these investments will support the country’s economic recovery efforts and create more jobs for Filipinos.

Manila and Beijing also witnessed the signing of 14 bilateral agreements that will broaden and deepen ties in many vital areas.

The deals covered various sectors from agriculture, education, energy, environment, infrastructure, science and technology, trade, to people-topeople exchanges.

President Marcos said he and Xi also “ventured into new areas of cooperation, such as e-commerce, digital cooperation.”

“These agreements reflect our common priorities as well as practical ways of pursuing bilateral cooperation in an ever-increasing range of areas,” the President said.

PH infra program gets boost from bilateral deals with China

The infrastructure program of the administration of President

Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. got a boost following the signing of six bilateral agreements and one project implementation between the Philippines and China on Wednesday.

Finance Secretary Benjamin Diokno, who signed the agreements and completion documents on behalf of the Philippine government, said they welcome China’s support to the government’s "Build Better More" infrastructure agenda.

“The signing of these agreements demonstrates the strong commitment between China and the Philippines to deepen bilateral cooperation through infrastructure development,” he said in a statement on Thursday.

The signing event, held at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, was witnessed by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. and Chinese President Xi Jinping as part of Marcos’ three-day state visit to the world’s second-largest economy.

The Department of Finance (DOF), on Thursday, said four of the loan agreements have an aggregate amount of USD201.8 million (around PHP11.3 billion) and were co-signed by Export-Import Bank of China (China Eximbank) Chairman Wu Fulin.

These agreements will fund the Priority Bridges Crossing PasigMarikina River and Manggahan Floodway, it said.

The latest financing from China brought to USD1.06 billion its total loan commitments for ongoing

projects in the Philippines, it said.

Relatively, DOF said the Framework Agreement for the implementation of the Priority Bridges Crossing Pasig-Marikina River and Manggahan Floodway under Chinese Government Financing, which was co-signed by China International Development Cooperation Agency (CIDCA) Chairman Luo Zhaohui, is a precursor agreement that gives the Philippines access to the Renminbi (RMB)-denominated government concessional loan (GCL) facility portion of the loan.

The Finance Department said Diokno and Luo also inked the agreement on economic and technical cooperation between the two governments, worth 1.5 billion renminbi (around PHP12.2 billion) for projects to be determined by both countries “based on the development plan and specific needs of the Philippine government.”

Also, Diokno signed along with Chinese Minister of Commerce Wang Wentao the handover certificate for the Binondo-Intramuros and Estrella-Pantaleon Bridge – both of which were financed by the Chinese government and were completed on April 13, 2022 and Sept. 17, 2021, respectively.

“The two bridges, spanning Manila, Makati, and Mandaluyong, seek to improve the capacity and efficiency of the road transport network in Metro Manila,” the DOF said. (MNS)

Committee on Ways and Means, then estimated a total of P660 million or P10,000 worth of financial remuneration for each of the 66,000 passengers affected, including the 56,000 stranded on Sunday.

While the government is not contractually obliged to compensate passengers, Bautista said that “morally” the DOTr and CAAP could be obligated.

“Pero ang legality nito dapat pagaralan mabuti dahil, ako hindi naman abogado, pero sa pagkakaintindi ko walang contractual obligation between the passengers and DOTr or CAAP,” he said.

“Dapat pag-aralan mabuti ng ating mga abogado para ano ba ‘yung dapat maging sagot ng gobyerno,” Bautista added.

On Sunday, hundreds of flights were cancelled stranding thousands of passengers as the CAAP’s Navigation and Surveillance Systems for Air Traffic Management (CNS/ ATM) suffered a power system issue.

In particular, officials said that one of the uninterruptible power supplies (UPS) failed on Sunday morning, and troubleshooting activities had to be done. Once the system was reconnected to the power supply, however, warnings were released at around lunch time due to over voltage as 380 volts were coming in instead of 220 volts. This then affected the very small aperture terminal (VSAT), which also had to be addressed.

PNP top brass heeds DILG's call, submits courtesy resignation Top officials of the Philippine National Police (PNP) led by chief Gen. Rodolfo Azurin Jr. on Thursday tendered their courtesy resignation.

The move came after Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Benjamin Abalos Jr. appealed to police colonels and generals to do the same to rid the police force of those linked to illegal drugs. Aside from Azurin, other ranking officials who submitted a courtesy resignation are deputy chief for administration Lt. Gen. Rhodel Sermonia; deputy chief for operations Lt. Gen. Benjamin Santos Jr. and chief of the directorial staff Maj. Gen. Michael John Dubria, among others.

“This call of SILG (Secretary of the Interior and Local Government) is a test of individual character. And as an answer, I am taking the lead to submit myself to such evaluation, assessment, and scrutiny by the committee. We, in the uniformed service, are trained and prepared and are expected to prioritize public service over personal interests.

Similarly, I support and uphold the guidance of our beloved President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. to every policeman to keep our integrity untainted and to do our best to uphold the moral ascendancy of the PNP and to ensure the continuity of public rapport,” Azurin said in a press conference at Camp Crame.

He said PNP Internal Affairs Service director Alfegar Triambulo, a civilian, will also submit a courtesy resignation.

“The appeal for courtesy resignation particularly addressed to our senior officers is a wakeup call to all PNP members, to reflect on how and what has happened in our respective careers. We must contemplate among ourselves if our contributions to the PNP have made it better or worse in the eyes of the public we oath to serve,” he added.

Azurin said all colonels and generals of the police force have until Jan. 31 to submit their courtesy resignation.

A five-member committee which is independent of both PNP and DILG will be handling the assessment and evaluation process.

“We respectfully demand the members of the said committee to maintain their reputation of impeccable character, probity, fairness, and unquestionable integrity throughout the process. At least they are reminded of the careers, reputations, families and even lives of these third-level officers, built for 30 years or more, depending on their hands," Azurin said.

Azurin, meanwhile, said "less than 10" officials are on the "list" of those who are allegedly involved in illegal drugs. He did not name them.

He said police officials who would be cleared after the vetting process would be made public.

“Definitely we will inform the public so that nobody will tell us, 'it's only you and your colleagues inside

the organization who conducted the probe'," Azurin noted, adding that he already discussed the matter with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

Azurin also said the process will not affect the benefits of officials who are already due for retirement.

“They get their commutation of leaves accumulated through the years, they will receive their pension, until the trial is not over until they are convicted and that conviction will reach up to the SC (Supreme Court) for finality,” he said.

IAS, IMEG, PDEG restructuring

Azurin also ordered a restructuring of IAS, Integrity Monitoring and Enforcement Group and the PNP Drug Enforcement Group whose functions are mainly focused on internal cleansing and the anti-drug drive.

“And to give more teeth to our disciplinary machinery, our processes in IAS must be further improved to pave the way to a speedier disposition of cases,” he said.

Azurin said a stronger vetting process among personnel of these units and among all key positions in the PNP will be implemented with strong resolve.

"Similarly, our counterintelligence efforts must step up to protect the integrity of all police undertakings,” he added.

Support from units

Meanwhile, the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) and the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) expressed support for Abalos' call.

“We believe that the said radical approach to full-fledged colonels and generals will greatly affect the organization in cleansing the ranks and will further improve the operations on the grounds,” NCRPO chief Gen. Jonnel Estomo said in a statement, adding that he has already tendered his courtesy resignation.

CIDG chief Brig. Gen. Ronald Lee said CIDG officers who have an untarnished reputation and integrity should heed the call of the DILG chief.

“Our reputation reflects who we are. As an officer and a gentleman, I accept the challenge of SILG. As a member of the PNP, I support whatever the decision of the PNP Chief,” he said. (MNS)