The Filipino Press: June 23-29, 2023

to help registered

MANILA -- A House leader on Thursday proposed amending the Philippine Nursing Act (Republic Act 9173) with the creation of categories for nurse practitioners and nursing assistants who can lighten the workloads of registered nurses in medical facilities.

House Committee on Civil Service and Professional Regulation chairperson Alexie Tutor said the amendatory bill can be certified as urgent if the Department of Health (DOH) and Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) deem the nursing personnel shortage to be in "urgent crisis mode."

Tutor said DOH Secretary Teodoro Herbosa's plan to provide temporary licenses to nursing graduates who failed the mandatory board exam, but nearly passed with ratings of 70 percent to 74 percent has no basis in either the Philippine Nursing Act or the PRC Modernization Act (Republic Act 8981).

"Republic Act 9173 and RA 8981 do not provide for any circumstance or situation wherein either the Nursing Board or the PRC is authorized or empowered to issue any temporary license to practice the nursing profession. We are aware of no precedents for the issuance of temporary professional practice licenses," she said.

Tutor, however, pointed out that RA 9173 has a provision under Section 15 allowing those examinees to retake the

exam for those subjects where they got ratings lower than 60 percent.

"Special examinations can be scheduled for those. This is one way for the DOH and PRC to achieve what

they would like to happen: have more passers of the nursing boards," she said. She also proposed that instead of hiring "near passers", the DOH should

hire several unemployed passers of the nursing boards through filling up the vacancies for nurses of the DOH hospitals' plantilla items.

KABAYAN Party-list Rep. Ron

Salo, for his part, backed Herbosa's proposal to grant temporary licenses to nursing board takers who obtained scores between 70 percent to 74 percent, as he acknowledged the

pressing need for additional nursing personnel in government hospitals.

Salo said this temporary measure will help address the current shortage while the government formulates a comprehensive long-term solution.

"This immediate action will provide us with additional manpower to support our healthcare system while we work on a sustainable solution for this matter," Salo said.

Salo, however, stressed that certain conditions must be adopted before granting temporary licenses to nonboard passers.

He recommended that the DOH prioritize board passers in its hiring and only consider granting temporary licenses to non-board passers once there is an actual insufficient number of qualified board passers available.

"It is crucial for the DOH to prioritize board passers in granting these temporary licenses. Only after ensuring that there are no qualified board passers available that they proceed to consider non-board passers," Salo said.

Salo further noted that temporary license holders should still be required to take and pass the board exams within a specified timeframe.

"This condition ensures that they meet the standards of the nursing profession and maintain the quality of healthcare services," he said.

By Emily ingco SAN DIEGO, CA -- Laban Pilipinas! Suporta galing sa mga

taga San Diego kailangan!

Arriving in San Diego with the heart and pride of the Philippines, the Philippines Men’s National Lacrosse Team are ready to represent and dominate in the World Lacrosse Men’s Championships.

With 11 of the original 23 players and skillful athletes from around the globe (including the US and Australia), the men are serving nothing but rebanse (revenge).

“As you can imagine, we got some high expectations for 2023,”

Ron Garcia (president of Philippines Lacrosse Association (PLA)) said.

During the monumental 2018 season, the men made their first appearance in the World Championship in Israel, triumphantly placing 10th out of 46 countries. Like 2018, the 2023 team gracefully qualified for the World Lacrosse Men’s Championships

among three other teams. After recruiting national lacrosse athletes with extraordinary expertise to fill in the gaps of the team, the men leave their blood, sweat, and tears out on the field in preparation for game day.

“Everyone is sending their best to this championship and everyone’s competing,” Garcia said. “This is kind of a big deal and we want to showcase our best athletes within those parameters of skill and being Filipino.”

With young players beginning to make a name for themselves out on the field and older athletes having to retire from the sport, Garcia eagerly predicts a new future for the Philippines National team.

Although it was difficult to find a specific time to fly everyone out, the Philippines Lacrosse Association persevered in finding the availability to train and come together like Kapamilya. This is the PLA’s main goal —it's capability in bringing Filipinos together through a sport.

Under Japan’s mantra-- “Lacrosse makes friends” -- Garcia and the board members of PLA introduced their love for lacrosse to the Philippines in hopes of expanding the North American sport.

“In 2013, myself and Justin Manjares (director of International Affairs and board member of the Philippines Lacrosse Association) took a trip to the Philippines and introduced lacrosse to a few schools: one being an international school in Manila and Silliman University in Dumaguete,” Garcia said. “A lot of us continue to go back to the Philippines to help with the programs we started and so forth. It was one of the most amazing times in my life, as I saw the same attitudes, smiles, and faces like I do here.”

Along with publicizing the sport in his hometown, Garcia enjoys uniting Filipino lacrosse athletes with similar backgrounds

LOS ANGELES, CA -- The summer months are here, signaling that it’s time to soak up the warm weather, enjoy time outside, and make the most of the longer days. The hotter months can also bring additional risk for outdoor activities, so follow these safety tips to prepare for a fun and healthy summer.

Use sun protection. Always take protective steps when enjoying time in the sun. Make use of the shade on a sunny day to keep cool and reduce the risk of sunburn. A widebrimmed hat can provide additional protection from damaging UV rays. Best of all is broad-spectrum sunscreen, which should be applied 20 minutes before going outdoors. Choose sunscreen with at least SPF 15, and reapply every 2 hours and after swimming, sweating, or toweling off.

Prepare for bugs. When planning a day outside, be sure to pack insect repellent. Warmer weather means more insects, which can be more than noisy nuisances. Insects like mosquitoes and ticks can also carry disease. If the day calls for spending time in tall grass or heavily wooded areas, wear long-sleeved shirts and long pants to prevent bites. Remember to check your clothing, body, and pets for ticks upon returning indoors. Stay active. Staying active is also important to good health, and summer is a great time to jumpstart an active lifestyle. Try to get at least 150 minutes of physical activity each week, whether that’s swimming, playing catch, or

just going for a walk around the neighborhood. Many people break up the 150 minutes a week into 30 minutes a day, 5 days a week.

But do whatever works for your schedule and lifestyle. Physical activity doesn’t just help you stay in shape: moving more can also improve stress and anxiety and lead to better sleep.

Drink enough water. Staying on top of fluid intake is key to staying healthy and hydrated in the heat, and it can be easy to become dehydrated without noticing. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends drinking at least 64 ounces of water a day.

Sports drinks can help replenish vital electrolytes after time in the hot sun but should be consumed in moderation due to their high sugar content.

Update your COVID protection.

Winter may be known as the cold and flu season, but COVID remains a threat year-round. If you are

already vaccinated but don’t yet have an updated vaccine, consider getting one — especially if you are planning to travel, attend crowded events, or spend time with older adults. Updated COVID vaccines offer protection against two strains of the COVID virus. And if you’re 65 or older, or you are immunocompromised, you can get a second dose of an updated vaccine because you’re at high risk for COVID complications.

“With the official public health emergency ending, people may be tempted to dismiss COVID as something they don’t need to worry about when they make plans for the summer,” said Dr. Peter Chang, a cardiologist at Memorial Hermann in Houston, TX. “The truth is, COVID is still part of our lives, and staying up to date on vaccines will help keep COVID from disrupting the things you want to do.”

For more info and to find a free vaccine, visit www.vaccines.gov.

By FRANCINE m AIgu E

There are male politicians across the nation, who are caught in scandals involving inappropriate behavior towards women, some in the workplace, some out. These multiple stories have stirred society with what many have the audacity to call "a trend." Lack of professionalism, lack of respect, lack of good ol' chivalry...a trend?

The range of claims made by women against these male politicians is wide. Local stories tell of unsolicited advances. National stories tell of consensual acts gone wrong.

Young women wooed by middleaged men through cyber chat spaces and explicit text messages. Female powerhouses, who have garnered titles, such as Navy Admiral and University Dean, who have authored policies to protect other women, whose horrific experiences caused them to fall silent. These claims are hard to hear and, for many, even harder to discuss.

I applaud our community for making an effort to engage in healthy conversations, even debates, about these issues; however, these conversations continue to be polluted by notions that the women in these

situations had to have enjoyed the attention given to them and that's why they waited so long to release their stories.

Is it possible that these women felt complimented on some level by men in highly powerful leadership positions taking an interest in them?

Yes, especially the women who actively sought and engaged in explicit communication with these men. We would be hard-pressed to find a woman, or man for that matter, who does not like to be called attractive. Does this excuse manipulation, sexual harassment, and invasion of personal space, especially in the workplace? No.

Women have worked a long time to be taken seriously in the workplace, to be seen and valued as equals. There are still women around the world, who have yet to taste a morsel of female empowerment in their home, let alone a workplace.

Here in the US, women are digging deep to find their voice to speak out against men, whose sexual urges blinded their ability to see these women as professional equals, who instead saw these women as inferiors on which they could prey.

Some still cry, "But these men are good politicians!" But are they good men? Are they good enough that you would trust them to share an office space with your mother, your daughter, or your friend? If we can't

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trust them to be in the same room as women professionals, this only pushes women out of the professional zones we worked so hard to get into in the first place. Good is being able to act in one's absence as you would in one's presence. Boy, you better treat a woman with respect in the company of others, as well as behind closed doors.

Politicians are leaders. They are elected officials. They are representatives of our rights and champions of our concerns. They are trusted and, thus, should be trustworthy.

We've got a long journey ahead of us, as these stories continue to unfold in the media and due process begins. As weeks turn into months, and our newscasts and headlines continue to be inundated with this subject matter, let us not fall jaded to the issues at hand. Let us not turn a blind eye to mistreatment of women. Let us learn. Let us respect. Respect=trending. #respect Check back every week for ways to pamper yourself and those you love. Why? The answer is simple: YOU DESERVE IT, Hardworking Kababayans.... Do you want to send a love note at The Filipino Press ? Email us at filpressads@aol.com

We love to hear from you our dear readers!

HAPPY 4TH OF JULY TO ALL

The Young Voices of the Philippines (YVP) is delighted to announce its participation in several choral events across the United States. This is a golden opportunity to showcase Philippine music and make history as the first Filipino children's choir to perform in the historic Carnegie Hall's Isaac Stern Auditorium / Perelman Stage on July 7, 2023.

From July 1 to 3, the YVP will represent the Philippines at the Voices Together: International Youth Choral Symposium at the University of Maryland. They will perform in a joint concert with all of the symposium's choirs on July 3, 2023 at 7:00PM, in an acoustically exquisite auditorium, the Dekelboum Concert Hall, at the Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center.

To premier at the Carnegie Hall, will be the exquisite four-movement piece for treble voices, Missa Virtutum (Mass of Virtues), composed and arranged by the internationally published Filipino composer Jude B. Roldan, with Dr. Janet Hostetter as conductor. Dr. Hostetter states, "Missa Virtutum is the skillful weaving of a timeless faith tradition with eastern and western tonalities, distinctive instrumental colors, rhythmic interplays, ornamented melodies, canonic episodes, and breathtaking dissonances. Only the finest composers can synthesize such lofty musical

elements into an accessible and appealing tapestry for young musicians to perform. Roldan has produced a jewel that will endure in treble repertories for years to come."

Along choirs of note, the Children's Chorus of Washington, the Shenandoah Valley Children's Choir, St. Genevieve Valiant Voices, the Toronto Children's Chorus, the Virginia Children's Choir and the Children's Orchestra Society, we invite everyone to heed the melodious voices of the children and youth choirs which will surely resonate through the hearts of all listeners.

Next stop will be at the Golden Gate International Choral Festival in San Francisco, California. YVP will be one of the featured choirs in a Spotlight Concert on July 11 and at the Festival Closing Concert on July 15. YVP will be performing in several churches in the BayArea and Oregon. Please see schedule below.

As part of the esteemed Treble Choir Association of the Philippines (TCAP), YVP embraces its mission by showcasing the extraordinary talents of Filipino composers. Their impressive repertoire includes the acclaimed KATHA, a delightful collection of Filipino Folksongs for Treble Choirs, released in collaboration with the National Commission for Culture and the Arts. They have also brought to life the Mass for Children, a masterpiece

by the renowned Jesuit Music Ministry Jesuit Communications.YVP's dedication to promoting Filipino artistry to the world is a vibrant celebration and honor of their cultural heritage.

The heart of the Young Voices of the Philippines lies in their unity despite their differences; these children who would not have otherwise met have their lives intersect with the beauty of music-making. YVP sings regularly at the Immaculate Conception Cathedral of Cubao and performs for various diplomatic and national events. Comprising more than 40 members, only twenty-three young individuals will participate in international choral events. The Young Voices of the Philippines represents the vibrant cultural spirit of the Philippines on the global stage.

ABOUT YBP

The Young Voices of the Philippines (YVP) is one of the scholar choirs currently performing under the Treble Choir Association of the Philippines, notably featuring young Filipino choristers from various social backgrounds under the choral program of their founders, Dr. Maria Theresa Vizconde-Roldan and Prof. Jude B. Roldan. As a church and community choir, YVP assists TCAP in its commitment to the progress of Philippine choral music.

Phivolcs: Raising Mayon's alert level unlikely for now

MANILA -- Raising Mayon

Volcano's alert status from Level 3 (increased tendency towards hazardous eruption) to Level 4 is unlikely for now, the chief of the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) said Wednesday.

In a public briefing, Phivolcs officer in charge Teresito Bacolcol said they are considering several parameters before increasing a volcano's alert level.

"Kapag dumadami po iyong earthquake na naitala natin, kapag nagkakaroon na po ng lava fountaining, dumadami iyong rock fall events natin, dumadami iyong pyroclastic density current events, iyon po ang mga indikasyon na itataas natin to Alert

Level 4. Pero so far, hindi pa po natin nakikita iyan ngayon (If we record an increase in earthquakes; when there's lava fountaining; increased rockfall events, pyroclastic density current -these are indications that we need to increase Mayon's alert level to Level 4. We don't see these indicators so far)," he said.

Another parameter he cited is an increase in sulfur dioxide emission.

"Yesterday, we recorded 389 tonnes of sulfur dioxide, which is low compared to the average 500 tonnes per day that the volcano usually emits," he said.

Alert Level 4 means a hazardous explosive eruption is possible within hours to days.

Under Alert Level 3, on the other hand, Mayon is exhibiting magmatic eruption of a summit lava dome, with increased chances of lava flows and hazardous pyroclastic density currents (PDCs) affecting the upper to middle slopes of the volcano and of potential explosive activity within weeks or days.

Bacolcol said Mayon Volcano continues to exhibit effusive eruption, which means magma is slowly released. The lava flow reaches 2.5 km. away from the crater, along the Mi-isi gully, and 1.8 km. along the Bonga gully.

"The debris brought about by rockfalls and PDCs have reached 3.3 km. from the crater," he added.

Bacolcol noted that only seven PDCs, 299 rockfall events, and two volcanic earthquakes were recorded at the Mayon Volcano from Tuesday to 5 a.m. Wednesday.

He said these parameters are similar to what the Mayon Volcano was exhibiting in 2014. "We hope that this (trend in) parameters will not change, so the eruption will just be effusive," he said.

The Phivolcs chief also said that extending the 6-kilometer (km) permanent danger zone (PDZ) to seven-km. is unlikely at this time. This is because lava flows slowly, around 350 meters towards the steep slope, per day, Bacolcol explained.

"We don't see an indication that we need to extend the PDZ," he said.

P74-M aid extended to communities hit by Mayon unrest

The government has provided PHP73.9 million worth of assistance to communities affected by the ongoing unrest of the Mayon Volcano.

In its Wednesday update, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) said assistance extended includes distilled water, assorted clothes, hygiene kits, tents and shelter materials, family food packs, sleeping kits, and fuel.

As of this posting, 10,171 families or 39,057 persons residing in 26 barangays in the Bicol region have been affected by Mayon's increasing

activity. About 5,466 families or 18,999 persons are being sheltered in 28 evacuation centers. The rest are being aided by relatives and friends.

PBBM assurance on WASH facilities for Mayon evacuees lauded Albay Representative Joey Salceda on Tuesday expressed his gratitude to President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. for his assurance that the national government will assist with water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) facilities in evacuation centers amid Mayon Volcano’s continued unrest.

“Cleanliness is central to Filipino dignity. That’s why we are very thankful that the President has given his assurance of support for these facilities in evacuation centers,” Salceda said in a statement.

He said sanitation concerns will compound for prolonged evacuation, adding that the lack of WASH facilities also increases the risks of diseases.

Salceda said Albay lawmakers will continue to work with the House leadership headed by Speaker Martin Romualdez to get the necessary funding for these facilities.

Salceda, meanwhile, requested for continued support from the national government as the lava flow from Mayon Volcano's summit dome has reached a "maximum length" of 2.5 kilometers according to the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs).

“The rumblings continue and the danger remains. We respectfully request the continued support of the national government for local governments with evacuees. The primary responsibility for evacuees lies with LGUs (local government units), but we really need national government support to keep people safe,” Salceda said.

“LGUs who have evacuated their people have made the decision that early evacuation is necessary to protect the lives of their people. But they need help. That is why we have repeatedly expressed our gratitude to the national government for its steadfast support of evacuation efforts," he added.

He said the crucial ingredient to zero-casualty is sufficient resources, highlighting that the national government has been “extremely supportive.”

“Zero-casualty can be a very expensive objective – but it is embedded in our constitution, our culture, and our values that there is nothing more expensive than the loss of human life,” Salceda said.

Salceda added that due to the "protracted nature of Mayon evacuations, we will need not only food and economic assistance, but also health, safety, educational and psychosocial support.”

“We definitely need provisions for more social workers, more health workers and facilities to allow continued learning in evacuation centers. Evacuation should be minimally disruptive of the economic and social life of evacuees,” he said.

Marcos has reiterated that the government is ready to provide the necessary assistance to the families who have been displaced due to Mayon’s increasing volcanic activity.

He acknowledged that Mayon’s unrest could last for a few months.

In a media interview on the sidelines of the International Trade Forum at the Shangri-La The Fort in Taguig City on Thursday, Marcos said all available resources will be tapped to help Mayon evacuees, stressing that the government must be “sensitive” to

the needs of the affected residents in Albay province.

Mayon Volcano's restiveness has forced nearly 18,000 individuals to stay in evacuation centers in the province’s six towns and two cities.

Marcos on Wednesday visited the Guinobatan Community College evacuation center to assess the condition of the displaced families and lead the distribution of government assistance.

In a situation briefing at the Albay Astrodome, Marcos said concerned government agencies must provide relief assistance to Mayon evacuees for 90 days, the estimated maximum period of unrest of the volcano.

PBBM guarantees aid for evacuees until Mayon Volcano calms down President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. has expressed relief that displaced families in Albay province are still in “good condition,” despite Mayon Volcano’s continuing unrest.

In his weekly vlog uploaded on his official Facebook page, Marcos said he visited Albay to check on the condition of the evacuees.

“Pinuntahan din natin ang ating mga kababayan sa Bicol na apektado sa pagputok ng Bulkang Mayon. Ang naabutan naman namin doon ay maayos naman at maganda ang kalagayan ng ating mga evacuee. Kahit papaano ay nabigyan sila ng lugar at nabibigyan sila ng mga tulong (We visited our countrymen in Bicol affected by Mayon Volcano’s unrest. What we saw is the evacuees are in good condition),” Marcos said.

Marcos also reiterated that the government is ready to provide the necessary assistance to the families who have been displaced because of Mayon’s increasing volcanic activity.

He acknowledged that Mayon’s unrest could last for a few months.

“Baka tumagal pa ng ilang mga buwan ang kanilang pagka-evacuate hanggang matigil na ang pagputok ng Bulkang Mayon (They may be forced to evacuate for months until Mayon Volcano’s activity stops),” Marcos said.

“Kaya pinaghahandaan nating mabuti na kahit tumagal, ay handa ang pamahalaan na bigyan ng tulong doon sa mga na-evacuate sa six-kilometer radius ng Bulkang Mayon (That’s why, we are making sure that if it lasts for months, the government is ready to provide assistance to those who evacuate because they are living within the six-kilometer radius permanent danger zone of Mayon Volcano).”

In a media interview on the sidelines of the International Trade Forum at the Shangri-La The Fort in Taguig City on Thursday, Marcos said all available resources will be tapped to help Mayon evacuees, stressing that the government must be “sensitive” to the needs of the affected residents in Albay province.

Mayon Volcano's restiveness has forced nearly 18,000 individuals to stay in evacuation centers in the province’s six towns and two cities.

Marcos on Wednesday visited the Guinobatan Community College evacuation center to assess the condition of the displaced families and lead the distribution of government assistance.

In a situation briefing at the Albay Astrodome, Marcos said concerned government agencies must provide relief assistance to Mayon evacuees for 90 days, the estimated maximum period of unrest of the volcano.

Mayon Volcano remains under Alert Level 3. (MNS)

MANILA -- The government continues to monitor transactions in the digital space to protect the public against scammers and abusive online lenders, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. said on Thursday as he warned the people against the threat and risks posed by artificial intelligence (AI).

“We continue to monitor very closely and do all that we can,” President Marcos said during an interview after attending the 85th Anniversary of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) as Company Registrar at the SEC Headquarters in Makati City.

“The SIM card registration I think was a big step and I think we are getting to the point where we have disposed of or taken out of the system many of the SIM cards that have not been registered because they have been used for illegal purposes.”

Everybody, he said, must be “very, very watchful and careful” and also be aware of the new technologies that are being introduced to prevent the people from being duped by scammers.

Marcos advised the public that when people get a message and there is a deal being presented and it sounds too good to be true, they should proceed with caution.

“There is no such thing as 100 percent risk-free. There is no way to guarantee these enormous returns on what they are claiming, on the money that you put, that you give them,” he said.

“If the public is aware and knows and is able to spot because of the way that these scams are presented, then that is the best defense that we have.”

Asked by reporters about punishing scammer involved in such schemes, the President said anyone found guilty of promoting such scams will have to be dealt with using the full force of the law.

But the big challenge is finding those people who do not usually maintain identifiable offices or establishments while they operate, he said.

“These are people sitting in somebody’s basement with a computer, which they can just shut down, sell away, buy a new one, and keep going. So, that’s the trouble that we are finding now,” he pointed out.

“The best that we can do, there are certain instances, especially when they’re very large-scale that we can find exactly where it’s coming from. But again, it’s very movable — these are not offices, corporate offices in a big building.”

NTC: Registered SIMs breached 100M as of mid-June

The number of mobile phone users who registered their SIMs or subscriber identification modules has breached 100 million as of the middle of June, over a month before the extended SIM registration expires.

Data from the SIM registration update posted on the National Telecommunications Commission’s (NTC) website showed that a total of 100,048,884 SIMs were registered as of June 20, 2023.

The number accounts for 59.55% of the total 168,016,400 subscriber base.

Late April, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. approved the 90-day extension of the SIM registration period or until July 25 from the original deadline of April 26.

The Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) is looking to register 70% of the total subscriber base to capture the “legitimate” SIM users.

The DICT will gradually deactivate some SIM services such as access to social media accounts and loss of ability to make outgoing call as the 90-day additional registration period moves forward.

Broken down, the 100.048 million registered SIMs are composed of 47.272 million Smart subscribers, accounting for the 71.30% of the company’s total 66.304 million subscriber base.

Globe followed with 45.868 million registered SIMs or 52.88% of its 86.746 million total subscribers.

DITO Telecommunity’s registered subscribers reached 6.908 million or 46.16% of its 14.964 million total customers.

PBBM seeks SEC help to promote PH as ‘investment destination’

President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on Thursday urged the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to help his administration promote the Philippines as a “safe and proactive” investment hub.

Marcos made the call, as he joined the SEC’s 85th anniversary celebration at its headquarters in Makati City.

In a keynote speech, Marcos vouched for SEC’s competence, saying it has become “a reliable regulator of corporate and capital markets and a staunch protector of our people and their investments.”

“I know that I can count on each of you to help promote our country as an investment destination— one that is safe, that is orderly, and proactive; and one that can uphold the rights and welfare of our investors and consumers to their mutual benefits,” he said.

Marcos also called on SEC to help the business sector and transform it as an “agent of social and economic transformation.”

He expressed optimism that more local businesses will reach even greater heights for a “more robust and equitable” economy.

“Throughout the commission’s existence, the SEC has helped create an environment that benefits the business and investment sectors,” Marcos said. “As we are now deep in our efforts to fully transform our economy, it is my hope that your role in our collective growth remains clear so that businesses will not only thrive, but will also become agents of our economic and social transformation.”

Digitalization efforts

Marcos also lauded the SEC personnel for their commitment to improve the services offered by the country’s company registrar.

He called on SEC to continue its digitalization initiatives in pursuit

of “sustainable finance and good corporate governance.”

This, as the commission introduced its new digital services, which include the Electronic SEC Universal Registration Environment (eSECURE); the Electronic SEC Education, Analysis, and Research Computing Hub (eSEARCH); SEC API Marketplace, Electronic Registry Application for Market Participants (eRAMP), and the SEC Check App 2.0.

Marcos said the programs will enable SEC to be a “reliable partner” in efforts to digitalize government procedures and services.

“Your openness to achieving digital transformation has likewise been integral to fostering business formation and for growth,” he said, stressing that the innovations pursued by the commission employ a “more modern, more efficient, and more secure approach in managing stakeholders and their data.”

“Through the digital reforms that you have put in place, you have made it easier for corporations to comply with the requirements and maintain a good standing in the business community,” Marcos added.

The SEC acts as the Philippines’ corporate registrar by virtue of Commonwealth Act 287 enacted on June 3, 1938.

It is mandated to perform all functions relative to the registration of corporations and associations.

Marcos wants PH Open Government Partnership institutionalized President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. on Thursday directed the institutionalization of the Philippine Open Government Partnership (PHOGP), which he said is vital in implementing governance reforms.

Through Executive Order No. 31, Marcos said the directive aims "to further strengthen the engagement of government and non-government champions."

"There is a need to institutionalize the PH-OGP as a mechanism for the delivery of more effective and sustainable actions to address current social concerns."

The PH-OGP is hereby institutionalized as a multistakeholder partnership responsible for overseeing and implementing the country's commitments to the open government partnership.

Under EO No. 31, the PH-OGP, through its steering committee, shall ensure that open government values are embedded in government policies and programs.

The committee will set the direction, programs, and activities of the PH-OGP and promote open and participatory governance through advocacy and outreach activities.

The PH-OGP national action plan shall contain commitments from the government, which shall be co-created through a multistakeholder process.

The national action plan shall also embody a concrete set of actions, composed of government programs and projects that conform to the OGP values, the EO stated.

(MNS)

HIGH

PRICES. Prices of fruits at the Magsaysay fruit stand in Davao City see a notable increase on Wednesday (June 21, 2023), which vendors said is due to low supply before the harvest season. From PHP150, durian now sells for PHP280 per kg., while marang prices went up from PHP40 to PHP120, and mangosteen prices from PHP50 to PHP250.(MNS photo)

PBBM warns public against AI, says gov’t monitoring online transactions to prevent

MY HUMBLE RETIREMENT FROM THE PRIVILEGE OF PUBLIC SERVICE

SAN DIEGO, CA -- In my opinion, retired state employees aren’t living it up but they certainly are getting by –which is more than you can say for the next generation.

I’m a Baby Boomer born in October 1947. My parents, who grew up during the lean years back home in our beloved old country – the Philippines – told me that financial security, especially in retirement, should be the most important goal of my working years. I listened.

And so, though I’m not rich or famous, as a soon retiring California state worker, my wife and I are reasonably secure. I will be getting a modest but safe state pension which, coupled with Social Security and Navy retired veteran’s check, generously gives me more than enough of what I made while working. That keeps food on the table and the wolves away from our door. I will also be getting good health care coverage through a comprehensive Kaiser Medicare Advantage plan coupled with state paid supplemental benefits.

You may perhaps have heard that the retirement costs of workers like me are a fiscal problem for the state and the country. I say they are not. The real issue is the opposite. I’m actually becoming a rarity.

Yes indeed, fewer and hardly any workers can expect or aspire to the satisfactory retirement I will be having. Statistics show that the number of people receiving secure pensions has been in decline for at least 40 years now; the quantity of pension plans of any sort today is just a quarter of the aggregate was in 1984.

Retirement security decreased sharply in the Great Recession, in 2008 and just after, when Americans on the verge of retirement – ages 55 to 64 – lost a third of their net worth. Younger boomers were off the right track even more. Today, over 23 million Americans who are 60 and older are economically insecure, living at or below 250 percent of the federal poverty level. Five years ago, only one in five private sector workers enjoyed the sort of traditional defined benefit pension plan that supported our parents and grandparents for as long as they lived. Today, as companies eliminate such schemes even more rapidly, the number is down to one in seven.

The outlook for the future is even bleaker. Back in 1991, half of all American workers planned to retire before they reached the age of 65. Today, that number is 23 percent.

In 2008, the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) reported that half of all companies that still have the old, secure defined benefit pension plans are freezing them and forcing newer employees into much less locked delineated contribution programs. The GAO predicted that the remaining secure private sector

pensions would be gone within a few years. And then there’s Social Security, which makes up about 38 percent of total income for the elderly, and for 1 in 3 retirees, it is their only compensation source. Moreover, the Social Security fund will be exhausted within decades. After that time, contemporaneous money paid into the purse will be enough to pay only about 75 percent of benefits. As Social Security’s most recent annual report warns the window for making changes to stabilize the savings is small and closing soon. All of this spells a cold, hard old age for our children and grandchildren.

The reality of that cataclysm hit home to me not long ago when my wife and I were waited at a fast food place by a sweet old lady perhaps my wife’s age or maybe even a couple of years older than my wife and I both were. I imagine her salary was not much above the federal minimum wage for nonexempt employees, say $7.25 an hour. (Conceivably I’m wrong and she owned the franchise, but she looked frail and arthritic and hardly appeared to be the boss.) Those are poverty pay and I would shudder to think that my fellow Boomer retirees are headed for a similar existence.

Public employees have not been spared from the attack on their retirement security. The pensions of those of us who served the public are increasingly at risk. Recent polls show that here in our state of California, many people, alarmed by supposedly common $100,000 retirement accounts now believe that public pensions are way too large and that those payments threaten the solvency of state government.

In reality, 98 percent of public retirees barely get by on modest pensions. Half get less than $1,500 a month and many – teachers and public safety workers among them – do not even receive Social Security.

One would think that private sector workers, having seen their own retirement accounts trashed, would stand at the barricades along with public employees to protect collective annuities, if only to rebuild support for secure pensions as a whole. Instead, antipathy toward public laborers seems on the rise.

Who’s hurt? I say, minorities, for one. Black Americans are 30 percent more likely to be public employees than any other race. So, let public pensions shrink and Black Americans will be disproportionately affected. The same will almost certainly be true for Latinos, whose retirement savings are about half of those of non-Latino whites.

On the other hand, Asian Pacific Islander Americans (Filipino Americans included) were or near parity for civil service employment rates. At the same level, Asian Pacific Islander Americans were reported to

be the second most underrepresented group, though it has been noticed that they appear to have been able to penetrate the highest quality jobs.

Jesse T. Reyes

Filipino Potpourri

Also, despite the notion that Asian Americans are the “model minority” there is no evidence that they are currently overrepresented in the total civil servants workforce.

Finally, here comes the issue of OPEB, or Other Post-Employment Benefits, particularly health care. Here is where my own greatest concern lies. While my pension is secure for the foreseeable future, my health care coverage could be revoked at any time. It is at the mercy of our elected leaders and the voters. Like most public employees in the U.S., California does not set aside money in advance to cover health care for its retirees. It is pay as you go. The state budget has recovered from the awful effects of the Great Recession, but nothing says that we won’t face another similar fiscal mess. If so, nonguaranteed costs like retiree health benefits could be among the first things tossed overboard. National estimates of unfunded public retiree health costs run from $1.2 trillion to $2 trillion.

In January of 2015, in a unanimous decision, the U.S. Supreme Court threw out previous pronouncement guaranteeing vested lifetime health benefits for retirees and sent the issue back to a lower court to determine how or even if such a lifetime guarantee should apply. Few private employers provide such coverage and the decision is likely to end even that. Public sectors may fare little better. Here in California some state workers with sufficient service credit at retirement now receive full employer paid health coverage. Because of the Supreme Court’s action, such continued coverage is likely to be a significant bargaining business in future contract negotiations.

In that same time frame, a piece in the periodical San Francisco Chronicle noted that the Affordable Care Act may be the savior of retiree

health benefits. Governments could simply eliminate their retirees’ health benefits and instead give them a subsidy to buy health coverage under Obamacare, thus turning a program to ensure all Americans have health coverage into a bailout for strapped or fiscally irresponsible governments. For instance, the city of Detroit in the mid-western state of Michigan then, as part of its bankruptcy plan, stopped providing health care to retirees not yet eligible for Medicare, the Chronicle noted, and instead gave them each a stipend to buy insurance in the Obamacare exchange. I presumed that other cash-poor governments likely followed suit.

Consequently, I conclude my very own pension is probably not at risk. The California Public Employees Retirement (CalPERS) fund is solvent and well-managed. I qualified for Medicare and the small additional amount the state pays for my Medicare supplement is affordable for it. But I fear greatly for those coming after me. I certainly do not want, in my senior years, to have to see oldsters from Gen X and beyond (my children and grandkids specially) flipping burgers to supplement their meager retirement savings. Or worse, facing what Shakespeare described in “All the World’s a Stage”: “Mere oblivion, sans teeth, sans eyes, sans taste, sans everything.”

And he might have added, sans health care and pension, too.

What advice I can honestly give about retirement?

I say plan ahead. Be informed. Talk to other people. I think getting involved is a good way to organize, as well. Explore activities that you have an interest in so you can leave your job and get into these things outside of work. Be active because that’s so important.

And if you have any baggage, let it go; retirement is about enjoyment! At work you think “who’s going to do this when I leave?” – But actually that’s all in our heads! Everyone is expendable, nobody s irreplaceable…Nobody!

Having a pension has made a world of difference for me. I am very fortunate to be part of a healthy and supportive pension plan. Prepare now while you’ve got the time.

That said, I say lastly make sure that your best years are ahead of you rather than in the past…Ha-ha-ha-ha! What say you?

SDG&E TO REWARD CUSTOMERS WITH BILL CREDITS AGAIN THIS SUMMER FOR ENERGY CONSERVATION

Enrolled customers who conserved during the last heat wave earned more than $11M in bill credits for helping to reduce strain on the statewide grid

SAN DIEGO, CA -- With today being the first official day of summer, San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E) is sharing summer energy savings tips and encouraging its residential customers to sign up for Power Saver Rewards, an energy savings incentive program that rewards customers with bill credits for reducing their electricity use on days when the statewide grid is stressed by high demand. Enrolled customers who conserved during the summer 2022 heat wave earned more than $11 million in bill credits. Tips on how to stay cool while keeping energy costs down are available at sdge.com/myenergy.

This dedicated webpage also provides tools for managing energy use and avoiding surprise bills.

“Customers receive a double benefit when they participate in Power Saver Rewards and conserve energy:1) they can save on their energy bill, and 2) they help to keep the grid reliable for all Californians on hot summer days when the grid is stressed,” said SDG&E Director of Customer Programs Hollie Bierman.

“The grid is interconnected statewide, and we appreciate our customers’ willingness to do their

part to help.”

Around Labor Day last year, an extended heat wave drove up energy demand significantly in California.

The state was able to avoid rotating outages, in large part because of consumers responding to the call for conservation. The California Independent System Operator (CAISO), which manages the state’s flow of electricity on high-voltage power lines, issued an unprecedented nine straight days of Flex Alerts. Flex Alerts are voluntary calls for conservation that are typically issued during peak hours in the afternoon to reduce overall power consumption.

Last year’s Flex Alerts triggered the Power Saver Reward program several times.

A Power Saver Rewards event may be called any day of the week from 4 to 9 p.m., May through October. When such an event is called, customers who lower their energy use below their typical use during the hours of 4 to 9 p.m. can earn a bill credit of $2 per kWh on their next month’s bill. There is no cap on the rewards.

Participation in the program is entirely voluntary. Participants are not penalized if they aren’t able to

reduce their energy use. Residential customers served by a Community Choice Aggregation (CCA), or Direct Access programs are eligible to participate. Participants must be residential electric customers with a smart meter within SDG&E’s service territory and not taking part in other SDG&E energy conservation incentive programs such as AC Saver, Capacity Bidding, or a thirdparty program. The Power Saver Rewards Program was initiated by the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) in 2022 to strengthen summer reliability statewide. Per CPUC requirements, more than 570,000 SDG&E customers, including those currently on the CARE and FERA bill discount programs, were automatically enrolled in the program.

Residential customers can apply for Power Saver Rewards at sdge. com/powersaver or by calling (866) 291-9516. Commercial customers are encouraged to enroll in the Emergency Load Reduction program, which is similar to Power Saver Rewards and has no penalties. In 2023, all businesses are eligible to

participate, as the minimum energy reduction required to qualify for bill credits has been reduced from 50 kW to1 kW. Learn more at elrp.sdge. com.

SDG&E is an innovative San Diego-based energy company that provides clean, safe and reliable energy to better the lives of the people it serves in San Diego and southern Orange counties. The company is committed to creating a sustainable future by providing its electricity from renewable sources; modernizing natural gas pipelines; accelerating the adoption of electric vehicles; supporting numerous nonprofit partners; and, investing in innovative technologies to ensure the reliable operation of the region’s infrastructure for generations to come.

SDG&E is a subsidiary of Sempra (NYSE: SRE). For more information, visit SDGEnews.com or connect with SDG&E on Twitter (@SDGE), Instagram (@SDGE) and Facebook.

SAN DIEGO, CA -- The Old Globe

is pleased to announce the artists and creativeteam for Passengers, a oneof-a-kind theatrical experience by The7 Fingers, directed, written, and choreographed by Shana Carroll (Cirquedu Soleil, Alliance Theatre’s Water for Elephants). Performances begin July 1and play through July 30, 2023, with the opening on Saturday, July 1on the Donald and Darlene Shiley Stage in the Old Globe Theatre, part ofthe Globe’s Conrad Prebys Theatre Center in San Diego’s Balboa Park. Tickets are available at www. TheOldGlobe.org.

Experience a train trip like never before with Montreal-based contemporary physicaltheatre troupe The 7 Fingers. This innovative show blends acrobatics, theatre, music,and dance in a truly magical performance about strangers in transit. Rather thansit in silence, the passengers on this train express their dreams and visions throughthe exuberance of their bodies, telling human stories with superhuman skills. “Thistrain is bound for glory,” cheered The Boston Globe, and it’s one ride you won’t want to miss!

“Appropriately for a show about train journeys, Passengersrepresents an exciting departure for The Old Globe,” said Erna Finci ViterbiArtistic Director Barry Edelstein. “A creationof the extraordinary Montreal-based company Les 7 Doigts de la Main, or The 7 Fingers,it’s a piece that fuses acrobatics, dance, movement, song, text, and

spectacle.A cast of thrilling performers executes remarkable acts of physical control andprecision, and in the context of theatre and story, these circus-derived techniquesrise to the level of metaphor. It’s a very special experience, a little differentfrom what our audiences are used to but in all kinds of delightful and captivatingways. I think Passengers will be memorable for Globe audiences ofall ages.” The artists for Passengers include Eduardo De Azevedo Grillo, Kaisha D-W, Beto Freitas,Marco Ingaramo, Nella Niva, Mandi Orozco, Santiago RiveraLaugerud, Andrew Sumner, and Méliejade T. Bouchard.

In addition to Shana Carroll, the creative team includes IsabelleChassé (Assistant to the Director),Ana Cappelluto (Scenic Designer), Colin Gagné (Musical Director), Johnny Ranger(Video Designer), Éric Champoux (Lighting Designer), Camille Thibault-Bédard (Costume Designer), Francisco Cruz(Head Coach), Shana Carroll (Texts), and Conor Wild (Text, Einstein’train). Passengers is co-produced by TOHU in Montréal and ArtsEmersonin Boston with commissioning partners Moscow Musical Theatre in Moscow.

The author is seen here receiving his 25 years of service recognition/honors during the 2017 annual Classified Employee Service Awards ceremonies at San Diego Mesa College.

The author poses for posterity with the trophy that his workstation won at the inaugural "Department of the Year" award ceremony at San Diego Mesa College in 2021.

The author (shown here seated in front 5th from the left) was also decorated with the coveted campus Olympic Spirit Medal during a convocation ceremony at San Diego Mesa College in August of 2019.

The Old Globe announces the artists and creative team for the critically acclaimed Passengers

Help Wanted / For Rent / For Sale

Spiritual Life

Turning points in my life

A friend came for a business call but we spent the first half hour talking about the turning points in our lives. I shared with him my personal experiences when I was still in the Philippines, that of “falling from the favor of men and being caught by the hands of God”.

I was 45 years old with ambitions to fulfill. I’ve worked hard and accomplished so much. I thought I deserved a promotion. So I went to the Secretary of Health to request that I be considered for appointment to the just vacated position of Executive Director of the Dangerous Drugs Board. He said, “Hija, you are already occupying a very good position. I have been sending you abroad to represent me in international conferences. Why do you have to apply for a management position?”

I would like to try my hand in management, I replied. Then he started saying negative things about me. I pushed a little bit harder knowing that what he was saying was hearsay and I was qualified for the position. Then he said with a tint of sarcasm, “I can’t appoint you because you are a woman.” I blew my top. I stood up, banged my fist on his table and pointed my fingers to him. In anger I said, “when did you ever think that I do all the things I am doing for you because I am a woman. If you can’t promote me, then retire me!” His answer was curt, “file your papers.” I left the room, too proud to even look back. I fell from the favor of an influential bureaucrat.

When you have nothing to hold on to, in times of despair and disappointment, the only thing you can do is to hold on to the hands of God. I felt so distraught. When I came home that evening I

Aurora S. Cudal-Rivera My Personal Testimony

got my dusty and long-forgotten Bible, opened it and started to pray. After praying for discernment and forgiveness, I opened the Bible and my eyes fell on these verses, “But, seek ye first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you.” (Matthew 6:33) So I started seeking His Kingdom by reading and studying His Words, by going back to church and serving Him with all my heart. One Saturday morning I attended the Women’s Society of Christian Service Prayer rally where women were so happy sharing their personal testimony on the power of God in their lives. After listening and being inspired by what I heard, I stood up to acknowledge the speakers, but what came out of my lips, was a profound confession. “I am a sinner and I’ve fallen short in the glory of God.” Then came a strange feeling within me, a very warm sensation engulfed my whole being. Then and there, I felt that God has touched me and made me whole. My life was transformed and since then, I claimed the words of Micah: “What does the Lord expect of you, to love mercy, to do justice and to walk humbly with God.”

God opened new doors for me.

God allowed me to be elected to various positions in the church and to one of the highest position in an international women’s organization, that of World Secretary of the World Federation of Methodist Women (1991-96). I traveled to East Asia, South Pacific, South America, North America and Europe, speaking before women’s groups. When I think of the many wonderful experiences I’ve had, I am reminded of what a friend shared with me from, Jeremiah 33:3, “Call to me and I’ll answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.” I called to Him and He answered me, and showed me great and mighty things I never knew.

There has been a season in my life when I was wounded and crucified, but I clung to the Lord in prayer. I’ve uttered to my detractors, “Father, forgive them for they do not know what they do” Figuratively speaking, I carried my cross. I was whip-lashed by a cruel pen and would have given up, but the message of the Resurrection – Hope and New Life were my constant source of inspiration. Hallelujah, Christ has risen. Christ has risen, indeed. Happy Easter!

Situational ethics

Lord, who may dwell in Your sanctuary? Who may live on Your holy hill? He whose walk is blameless and who does what is righteous, who speaks the truth from his heart. (Psalm 15:1-2)

"I cannot believe they are not going to honor my bonus agreement," said the executive who was about to take another position in a new city. Her understanding of her present work agreement called for a bonus at the end of the year. Management saw the situation differently. "It's not right. I am entitled to that bonus," she complained.

It was time to leave. The company had given her a laptop to use. However, when she left, she decided that because the company was not going to pay her the bonus she was entitled to, she would simply keep the laptop as compensation due her. "And they would never miss it," she reasoned. She was now in the employment of the new company. As each day passed, she grew uneasier about her decision. She could not get it off her mind. Finally, she concluded that the Holy Spirit was telling her this decision was wrong and that she needed to call her former boss to confess her action. She called

him and confessed what she had done and why she had done it. Her boss accepted her confession and forgave her. Strangely enough, he allowed her to keep the laptop computer.

Truth never changes. It is absolute. When we make decisions based on other actions that are taken, we move into making decisions based on the situation, not truth and righteousness. The executive may indeed have been wronged, but she had to address the wrong in the appropriate way. Trying to compensate for the wrong by doing something that violates another scriptural principle is called situational ethics. If the employer had never wronged the executive, do you think she would have felt justified in taking the computer? Probably not. When you isolate

We are back to the liturgy of the Ordinary Season of the liturgical year. I always presume that we have been enriched by the past two seasons, namely, Lent and Easter as well as the very important feasts that were celebrated in both seasons. The first Sunday after those feasts brings us to the Twelfth Sunday in Ordinary time that presents us the message of the Sunday gospel reading taken from the Gospel written by St. Matthew, chapter ten verses 26 to 33. The central message of this gospel is the reality that every Christian has been “saved by the grace of God in the person of Jesus Christ.” Hence, we should be confident in his ever reassuring presence in our lives so that we have nothing to be afraid in this mortal life, “for the Lord defend us unto life everlasting.” In a world that is filled with anxieties, apprehension, fears and unpredictable and unforeseeable incidents, one may be enveloped with fear and despair. However, a staunch believer and faithful follower of Jesus who is both loving and merciful has really nothing to fear. We only have to fully entrust ourselves to Him assuring words when he mentioned in the gospel

today “do not be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.” ( Mt. 10, 31.)

Oftentimes we would discover that our fears and anxieties are consequences of the realization that we are helpless and insecure, hopeless and in despair once we realize that we cannot do everything by our own strength and power. Our overconfidence in ourselves that may lead us to know that there are many external forces that are more powerful than us make us miserably hopeless and many of us turn to other powers such as, alcohol, drugs, bad company and other evil influences and eventually bring us more problems and make our lives in complete disaster.

The message of the gospel this Sunday reaffirms the goodness and loving mercy of God, especially in concretized in His presence in the Blessed Sacrament. We only to open ourselves to His loving presence so that we would be able to feel in merciful and saving existence in our lives. On Friday, June 16, the whole Catholic world celebrated the feast of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus. This is one of the most widely practiced and well known devotion of the Roman Catholic Church. The origin of this devotion is derived from the mystical experiences of St. Marguerite Marie Alocoque, a French saint, who shared her mystical experiences with Jesus, especially the wonders of his love and mercy, and his asking her to diffuse the treasure of his goodness. During the celebration of the feast I mentioned that we will promote the love for the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus in our parish. In fact we will pray the prayer of Padre Pio every Friday for this purpose. In this way we can truly respond to his love by loving Him in turn, especially to our brothers and sisters who are in material and spiritual needs.

ways.

What could perhaps be among the most pleasant words our Lord would hear from us is when we say “Here I am Lord. Make use of me according to Thy will.” It is a complete surrender acknowledging that God is in control and we are but His foot soldiers helping build His Kingdom here on earth. God doesn’t want to do violence to our freewill. Service to God and our fellowmen is volitional. It is not something imposed by God for us to do. We take the initiative to Love. For us to serve God, God does not look into our Ability. He requires only our Availability. We recall that when our Lord started His ministry, He did not look for scholars and philosophers to help Him spread His message. Instead He chose simple fishermen who made themselves available. When we offer ourselves to God He will infuse in our whole being, the Holy Spirit. When this happens, we will be capable to accomplish things which will truly amaze us. This is exactly what happened to Sally and me.

the two situations, you see that one action was taken in response to the other action. Have you had any experiences in which you have used situational ethics? The Lord desires His people to have a higher standard, even at the cost of being wronged. Ask the Lord to reveal any business practices that may indicate situational ethics. You might be surprised what will happen when you do the right thing.

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."

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When we left the Philippines for the US in 1987, we left our stable jobs and dared to face an uncertain future in a foreign land to start anew. We were no longer young then so the challenge was even much greater. What we had with us was our complete Trust in the Lord and a firm belief that He will not forsake us. I wrote a letter to Sally telling her among others” We do not know what the future holds for us, but we know Who holds the future”. All we need to do is to make ourselves available to Him and allow Him to direct our

Continued from page 1

and interests and developing connections among the players. As players travel across the globe to San Diego to play in the championships, Garcia commends this opportunity for the team.

“I think it is a unique opportunity for us to come together, compete, and show the world that we can compete in the viable sport,” Garcia said. “We really feel like the game of lacrosse lends to Filipino people. You don’t have to be 6 foot tall and you don’t have to weigh a certain amount.”

As he waits for the rivalry rematch against Israel, Garcia hopes for a lot of support within the Filipino community of San Diego.

“We partnered up with World Lacrosse and House of Philippines and The Filipino Press to get the word out,” Garcia said. “We have posters with QR codes for tickets. I believe there will be a Filipino food cart there and a parol booth to buy a T-shirt. I think them just buying tickets to come out and cheer us on would be wonderful. During these nerve-wracking games, the athletes need to hear their crowd’s roars and cheers to boost their spirits. Share this article and invite friends,

Before we came to the US we were not even sure if we could go back to teaching and so what happened next to us was totally unexpected and amazing. Teaching the Filipino Language in the US was beyond our wildest dreams. Through God’s grace however, we became pioneers in the highly successful Filipino Language Program in San Diego County. Currently, there are close to 2,000 students enrolled in Filipino classes directly impacting the lives of thousands of Filipinos. Filipino is second only to Spanish in terms of student enrollment. Prior to the teaching of Filipino, only the major languages were taught, Spanish, French, Japanese and some European Languages. After the introduction of Filipino in the City Schools, nineteen other languages followed us, Vietnamese, Somali, Lao, Arabic etc. In the words of Sacramento, Filipino has become the model for the less commonly taught languages of California. Sally was the chief author of the CSET Filipino a written test which is a requirement before one could teach Filipino in California. When Sally was the President of the Filipino Teachers group, San Diego hosted an International Conference on Filipino as a Global Language. The conference attracted Filipinos the world over because language has become a major issue in the Filipino diaspora. When Sally and I retired from San Diego City Schools, we were invited to help start The Filipino School. In cooperation with the Council for Teaching Filipino Language and Culture (CTFLC)

family, and loved ones to watch our immaculate Filipino athletes play in the championship games.

With your support, our Filipino athletes can win the championship for the Philippines and the men, women, and youth back home who are unable to make it to San Diego themselves. For Kapamilya in San Diego, please purchase tickets to support our fellow Filipino Lacrosse athletes. Single day passes for SDSU will be available to purchase the day of the games at the SDSU Sports Deck box office. For future playoff games (once qualified), fans can purchase tickets online at worldlax2023.com.

Alongside our men’s national team, the Philippines brings three teams-men’s open team, women’s open team and youth team-- to compete in the Adrenaline World Lacrosse Festival beginning June 29 to July 2. Please come support our men, women, and youth Filipino athletes in this lively and thrilling event, as they showcase their skills in the tournament surrounding the World Lacrosse Men’s Championship.

To get updates on the team, please follow their Instagram (@ philippineslacrosse), Facebook (@ Philippines Lacrosse Association), and Twitter (@PhilippinesLAX).

Arriving on June 18, the men will collectively practice and await

we initiated the FLASP (Filipino Language After School Program) in the Elementary Schools. About ten years ago, with the grace of God, we helped organized a Charity Organization which operates mainly in the Philippines. It is still operational. Through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, I started writing Poems in Filipino at the latter stage in my life. This came as a big surprise to me considering the fact that my native tongue is not Filipino but Pangasinan. For all of these life transforming achievements we are claiming nothing. All we did was to allow God to use us to accomplish His will. If we are to help build God’s Kingdom here on earth, we need to be a part not of the Ego drama but the Theo drama where God is the Script Writer, Producer and Director. We are merely the Actors acting out according to His Script. If we seek Him out and make ourselves available to Him, He will continue to surprise us with the things we can do.

their battle against Israel and their future goals they will shoot for. The men will be playing four scheduled games consecutively from June 23 to June 26. Following the day after, the playoff tournament begins for the World Lacrosse Men’s Championship.

The Philippines will play in future playoff games depending on their success in winning the first four scheduled matches.- June 23: Philippines vs. Israel at 1:00 pm on the SDSU Sports Deck- June 24: Philippines vs. Puerto Rico at 4:00 pm on the SDSU Rady FieldJune 25: Philippines vs. Czech Republic at 1:00 pm on the SDSU Rady Field- June 26: Philippines vs. Sweden at 7:00 pm on the SDSU Wolf/Epoch Field. Lead by team captain Justin Rodis and head coach Kirk Ventiquattro, the men shoot to inspire future generations back home, as they victoriously wave the Filipino flag and pump red, blue, white, and gold in their veins. Laban para sa bayan!

The Philippines LaCrosse Team wants to thank San Diego local sponsors i.e. Susn Ladrido, Glass Box's Executive Chef Ethan Yang, Luna's Lunpia, Kimberly King Media, Filipino American Chamber of Commerce Greater San Diego. House of the Philippines, Filipino Press outreach team and

Danny

Fr. Agustin T. Opalalic

Ni Salvador S. Idos

Salvador S. Idos

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

He said a long-term solution should still be implemented involves increasing the salaries of nurses to compete with international markets and encourage them to remain in the country with their families.

"Addressing nurse retention and creating a conducive environment for their professional growth should be our priority," he said.

Philippine College of Physicians president Dr. Rontgene Solante earlier said board eligibles are already competent enough to do nursing work after graduation.

“It’s just a matter, that when they will be incorporated or isama na natin sila doon sa mga (include them in the) hospital, they have to undergo training, also the trainers, they will look at how they are competent enough to be working in the hospital,” Solante said in a televised public briefing on Tuesday.

Once immersed in the hospitals, Solante said they have to be monitored by the staff and be taught of the processes.

“Because for me, even if they have not taken the board yet, they already possess the skills of a nurse, it’s just a matter that they still have to take the board,” he said. “Napakaimportante nitong hakbang dahil, we can encourage those na nagna-nursing pero hindi pa nag-take ng board, pumupunta ng ibang work kagaya ng mga call centers (This is an important plan because we can encourage those who took nursing but have not taken the board and are taking other work like in call centers).”

The PRC reported that there are 951,105 registered nurses in the country but only 509,297 or 53.55 percent are practitioners as of March 24, 2023.

The PRC said the country does not meet the ratio of practicing nurses set by the World Health Organization which is 27.4 for nurses for every 10,000 individuals.

Temporary license for nursing board flunkers not allowed by law

There is no provision in the Philippine Nursing Act that allows the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) or any government agencies to issue temporary licenses to nursing graduates who failed the licensure examination.

In a televised public briefing on Thursday, PRC commissioner Dr. Jose Cueto Jr. said that practice through special or temporary permit applies only for licensed nurses for foreign countries as stated in Section 21 of Republic Act 9173 or the nursing law.

“Naiimbita sila na maging faculty ng mga College of Nursing or involved sila sa mga medical missions or humanitarian missions (They are invited to be a faculty [member] of Colleges of Nursing or they are involved in medical missions or humanitarian missions),” he said.

“O kaya naman nai-invite sila para maging eksperto sa mga diskusiyon ng mga issues involved dito sa (Or they are invited to be experts in the discussion of issues involved in the) nursing profession.”

Cueto noted that nursing board examinees must obtain an average of 75 percent without any subjects lower than 60 percent to get a professional license.

“Kapag hindi po napapalitan ang provision sa batas eh hindi po pwede gamitin ‘yung percentage na (Unless the provision in the law is amended, we cannot consider the average that is) lower than 75,” he said.

Earlier, Health Secretary Teodoro Herbosa said among the plans to solve the shortage of nurses in hospitals nationwide was by providing temporary license to nursing graduates with 70 to 74 percent grade in the board exam.

They would be allowed to work in hospitals under the direct supervision of registered nurses but unlike board passers, they do not have the privilege to independently practice their profession, Cueto said.

“Hindi sila covered doon sa strikto na provision ng batas (They are not covered in the strict provision of the law.) They will be supervised all the way,” Cueto said. All their tasks should be monitored by their supervisors as part of a quality assurance mechanism to ensure patient safety and welfare.

They will be assigned in areas in the hospitals with easy load and not in the intensive care units and recovery rooms immediately.

In May 2023, the PRC reported about 14,000 examinees took the licensure test for nurses. Of the tally, about 10,764 or 74.94 percent have passed.

Cueto noted that the figure is one of the highest passing percentages in the nursing licensure examination history in recent years, including the 74 percent rate in November 2022 where almost 70,000 or 60 percent out of the 113,000 nursing graduates passed the licensure examination. (MNS)

Permanent disabled person parking placard holders who have had their placards for six or more years must provide a signature to the DMV to renew this year. Placards expire on June 30, 2023.

A new law has changed the renewal process, so longtime placard holders will no longer automatically receive new placards. Placards must be renewed every six years. The process can be completed easily and entirely online at dmv.ca.gov/DPP.

Andrea Brillantes opens up: 'Nagmahal ako ng totoo'

MANILA, June 16 (Mabuhay)

-- Actress Andrea Brillantes opened up about the state of her heart after her rumored breakup with basketball player Ricci Rivero.

Directly asked about the state of her heart, she replied: "Tingin ko ay okay naman siya. I mean it could be worse sa mga nagaganap ngayon.

Puwedeng wala rin ako rito today kasi hindi ko kayang humarap sa mga tao. Pero tingin ko naman po sa lahat nang nagaganap ay okay siya ngayon."

Asked if is she is now free, Brillantes admitted: "Parang hindi pa po ako malaya, fully."

"Tingin ko po kasi kapag

Prayer to Saint Expedite

May the intercession of the glorious martyr , St Expedite, recommend us, O my God, to Thy goodness, in order that his protection may obtain for us what our own merits are powerless to do.

Amen.

We supplicate Thee, Lord , to inspire by Thy grace all our thoughts and actions, that thou being their principle, we may, by the intercession of St. Expedite, be conducted with courage, fidelity and promptitude, at the time proper and favorable, and come to a good and happy end, through our Lord, Jesus Christ

Amen

St Expedite, honored by the gratitude of those who have invoked thee at the last hour and for pressing cases, we pray thee to obtain from the all powerful goodness of God, by the intercession of Mary Immaculate, (today or such a day) the grace we solicit with all submission to the Divine Will Amen

sinabing freedom, may part doon ng acceptance. Kasi naa-accept mo na na kailangan mo ng i-let go ang mga bagay-bagay. Ako po kasi, aminado ako na since ang bago-bago pa lang po talaga ng lahat, at alam mo 'yon naging totoo kasi sa akin lahat. Ako nagmahal ako ng totoo, hindi ko 'yon male-let go agad-agad," she explained.

"So hindi ko masababing malaya ako ng 100% kasi may mga bagay pang ayaw ko pang pakawalan and may mga bagay pang na pinoprocess ko pa. Kasi ganun naman talaga. Normal lang naman na dapat ay namnamin ko ang mga feeling na ito para makapag-heal ako ng

maayos. Ayaw ko naman maging pretentious na maki-trend lang na I'm unbothered, para lang masabi na unbotheredly. Aminado ako na nakakaramdam ako kasi tao pa rin po ako," she added. Brillantes, who said she is still in the stage of mourning, added that she is now at the point where she chooses to be happy.

"Kahit gusto kong magsalita ay pinipili kong huwag na lang, para walang gulo. Kahit ang dami kong gustong gawin ay pinipili kong piliin na lang ang sarili ko at magfocus sa kung ano ang mayroon ako at sa mga taong nagmamahal sa akin,' she said.

Last Friday, after weeks of speculation, basketball player Rivero finally broke his silence on his rumored breakup with Brillantes.

Without mentioning the name of Brillantes, Rivero suggested that his relationship with the actress has ended, as he appealed not to drag "other characters" into " false accusations."

"I own up to the mistake of not making my relationship status public because I felt there’s no need to add up to what were going through. Please respect our decision to keep it to ourselves so that we can preserve what's left of our friendship," Rivero wrote.

Brillantes and Rivero celebrated their first anniversary last April.

It was in April 2022 when Rivero asked Brillantes to be his girlfriend after a basketball game. (MNS)