The Filipino Press: September 30 - October 6, 2022

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MANILA -- The House of Representatives on Wednesday night approved on third and final reading the proposed PHP5.268 trillion national budget for 2023.

With 289 affirmative votes, three negative votes, and no abstention, the Chamber passed House Bill 4488, or the 2023 General Appropriations Bill (GAB), which will be the first national budget to be enacted under the administration of President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.

The House passed its version of the spending measure on the second and third reading on the same day following Marcos’ certification of urgency.

Earlier, President Marcos called for the swift passage of the proposed 2023 budget “in order to address the need to maintain continuous government operations following the end of the current fiscal year, strengthen efforts to respond more effectively to the Covid-19 pandemic, and support initiatives towards national economic recovery.”

Speaker Martin Romualdez lauded his colleagues for their valuable contributions in the swift passage of GAB and in ensuring that every centavo is spent wisely to implement the programs of the Marcos administration aimed at revitalizing the country's economy amid the lingering ill-effects of the coronavirus pandemic.

“The expeditious passage of the proposed 2023 budget is the product

of the collective effort of the entire House, in transparent and open proceedings where the majority accorded ample opportunity for the constructive inputs of our friends from the minority bloc,” Romualdez said.

He noted that the House-approved

budget for 2023 remains consistent with the 8-point socio-economic agenda of the Marcos administration to achieve sustainable growth.

With the approval of the GAB, the House met its self-imposed deadline to terminate the deliberations on the proposed 2023 budget before the

adjournment of the session from October 1 until November 6, 2022.

It took the House of Representatives barely six weeks to approve the GAB, from the time the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) submitted the National Expenditure Program

(NEP) on Aug. 22, 2022.

Earlier, the government’s economic team pointed out that the Marcos administration seeks to achieve 6.5 to 8.0 percent real gross domestic product (GDP) growth annually between 2023 to 2028 to attain a single-digit or 9.0 percent

poverty rate by 2028.

Pursuant to such a goal, the PHP5.268-trillion NEP submitted by the DBM is 4.9 percent higher than the 2022 budget and puts top priority on education, infrastructure development, health, agriculture, and social safety nets.

Under the NEP, the education sector will receive an 8.2 percent increase next year at PHP852.8 billion and will remain with the highest budgetary priority as mandated by the Constitution.

The Department of Education increased from PHP633.3 billion in 2022 to PHP710.6 billion in 2023.

On the other hand, a total of PHP1.196 trillion has been allocated for the government’s 2023 infrastructure programs.

Meanwhile, the health sector shall receive a 10.4 percent budget increase at PHP296.3 billion in 2023, inclusive of the budgets of the Department of Health (DOH) and the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth).

To improve its performance, the agriculture sector was allocated PHP184.1 billion, a 39.2 percent increase from its 2022 allocation.

The total amount includes PHP29.5 billion for irrigation services.

These allocations are in line with the President’s directive that top priority must be given to agriculture to invigorate and transform this sector from being an economic laggard to one of the main drivers of growth and employment. (MNS)

As California continues to meet the challenges of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, we are learning more about lingering symptoms that can affect adults and children long after they’ve been infected with the virus. Known as post-COVID, long-haul COVID or long COVID, these persistent symptoms— including breathing problems, organ dysfunction, lingering cough, fatigue, and brain fog—can show up weeks or months after someone has contracted COVID.

To help us understand long COVID, we asked Dr. Yeh for answers to some frequently asked questions.

Dr. Yeh, what are some of the conditions associated with long COVID?

Dr. Yeh: The symptoms of long COVID vary from person to person and can affect someone physically, mentally, and emotionally. According to the Centers for Disease Control, health conditions that might be related to previous COVID-19 illness include: neurologic and mental health conditions like depression and anxiety, kidney failure, musculoskeletal conditions, cardiovascular conditions, respiratory conditions, blood clots and vascular issues.

How likely is it for someone to get long COVID?

Dr. Yeh: Anyone who has had COVID-19 can develop long COVID symptoms, including people who had COVID-19 with no symptoms or mild symptoms. More than one in five adult COVID-19 survivors may develop long COVID. Public health

officials advise taking precautions to reduce risk with vaccination, boosting and masking in high-risk situations to prevent the worst outcomes from COVID-19.

Should you see a provider to treat long COVID?

Dr. Yeh: Treatment depends on the symptoms people are experiencing. Doctors will evaluate and treat each patient individually. If you think you may have long COVID, talk to your doctor for the best course of action.

What about children? Can they get long COVID?

Dr. Yeh: While many of the nation’s 64 million children who have tested positive for COVD-19 may have less severe or even no symptoms from the virus compared to adults, health experts note that children are not immune to experiencing the worst outcomes from infection, including Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome

in Children (MIS-C), hospitalization and death.

Some of the symptoms of COVID-19 infection that can affect both adults and children after COVID-19 include breathing problems, lingering cough, fatigue, brain fog, chest or stomach pain, headache, muscle pain, sleep problems, mood changes and taste or smell changes.

To safely address post-COVID-19, the American Academy of Pediatrics advises families to consult with their physician to monitor lingering symptoms, the appearance of new symptoms and guide return-toactivity plans. It is important to know that long COVID symptoms can mask as other childhood illnesses, so talk to your pediatrician or clinician with questions or concerns.

Parents and caregivers can prevent the worst outcomes of COVID-19 in their kids by getting them vaccinated. If you have questions about having your child vaccinated, talk with your health care provider.

How can we protect our kids and each other from long COVID?

Dr. Yeh: Get vaccinated. Help the whole family stay healthy by keeping current with vaccination and boosters. The best way to prevent post-COVID conditions is to prevent COVID-19 infection in the first place.

As we approach the fall, kids are back in school, holiday activities are approaching, what is the best advice you can give families about staying

The U.S. Department of Education announced awards totaling nearly $1 billion through the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act (BSCA). The Stronger Connections grants will help schools provide all students with safe and supportive learning opportunities and environments that are critical for their success.

Through the BSCA, and under the leadership of President Biden, Congress provided $1 billion in Title IV, Part A formula funding to state educational agencies (SEAs) to develop state grant programs to provide students with safer and healthier learning environments. Earlier today, Secretary Cardona informed chief state school officers of their allocations under the BSCA Stronger Connections grant program. SEAs must award these funds competitively to high-need local educational agencies (LEAs), as determined by the state, to fund activities allowable under section 4108 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA).

“We have years of evidence that demonstrate the value of building safe and supportive schools. These efforts improve academic achievement, promote emotional well-being, reduce disciplinary actions, and increase positive behaviors,” said U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona. “Safe and supportive schools help our children and youth overcome challenges and provide a strong foundation for school safety. These grants will provide real benefits to real students in real schools.”

Safe and supportive schools are proven by decades of rigorous research to be most effective in supporting

academic success as well as meeting the social, emotional, physical, and mental wellbeing of students. These funds can also be used to support school and community partnerships that pursue multifaceted solutions to more effectively prevent and respond to acts of bullying, violence, and hate that impact members of our school communities at both individual and systemic levels.

As part of the Department’s announcement, Secretary Cardona sent chief state school officers a Dear Colleague Letter outlining three principles that SEAs are strongly encouraged to consider when designing a competitive grant competition and providing LEAs with direction for how they use these funds: (1) Implementing comprehensive, evidence-based strategies that meet student social, emotional, and mental well-being needs; create positive, inclusive, and supportive school environments; and increase access to place-based interventions and services (2) Engaging

students, families, educators, staff, and community organizations in the selection and implementation of strategies and interventions to create safe, inclusive, and supportive learning environments (3) Designing and implementing policies and practices that are responsive to underserved students, protect student rights, and demonstrate respect for student dignity and potential. These policies are consistent with the Administration’s previous position on these issues.

Funds can be used to provide all students with safe and supportive learning opportunities and environments that are critical for their success. For example, funds could support the kind of work underway in Santa Fe Public Schools in New Mexico where they are focusing on the mental health and wellness of students and staff. The district is using federal relief funds to expand the district’s

President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. meets with his Cabinet members on Tuesday at Malacanang Palace. The meeting tackled several initiatives that would upskill the Philippine workforce. (MNS photo)

Pampered Pinay: Back to School

By Francine Maigue

‘Tis the season of rushing in and out of overflowing parking lots…stuffing everything from lunchboxes and backpacks to brains and schedules…pumping out projects & papers…pulling early mornings and all-nighters… Yup. It’s back to school season.

For all the initial grief that goes into getting back in the habit… the beginning of every school year delivers a fresh note of hope and infinite possibility. The raw energy that buzzes around campuses as another year in academia commences is something I hope I never tire of. That’s why I’ve decided to go back to school, too. University of Cambridge, here I come!

I know what you’re thinking. “Francine reallllllly likes school. She won’t stop until she has another degree.” And I do. And I won’t. I’ll be the first to admit that I’m a bit of a nerd…a fashionable one…but, yes, a bit of a nerd. I embrace opportunities to get educated like they’ll never come again. I read case studies…for fun.

I attend classes in a wide range of areas just because I want to learn… about everything. You know those kids that always ask why? I was (read: still am) one of those kids.

But I know I’m not alone. My friends, how many of you have considered pursuing a(nother) degree? How many of you think that taking a class to enhance or refresh your skill set may prove to be a critical step in pursuing your dream career or desired promotion? How many of you need a hobby that you can pour yourself into, one that you can challenge yourself with?

As busy as I am, I am allowing myself to pamper my brain with fresh perspectives. Don’t waste all your brain power playing games on your cell and social media stalking. It’s never too late to prove to yourself that your mind can continue to evolve.

Rejoice in the opportunity

to take a class online or attend workshops and seminars in your field of interest/profession. You can even check out courses at your local community college or learning annex. When we learn, we grow…and you don’t want to plateau. Enjoy!

“You can never be overdressed or overeducated.”

-Oscar Wilde

“Give a bowl of rice to a man, and you will feed him for a day. Teach him how to grow his own rice, and you will save his life.”

-Confucious

“Intelligence plus character--that is the goal of true education.”

-Martin Luther King, Jr.

“Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.”

-Nelson Mandela

"The whole purpose of education is to turn mirrors into windows."

-Sydney J. Harris

“Education is not the filling of a pail, but the lighting of a fire,”

-W.B. Yeats

“You educate a man; you educate a man. You educate a woman; you educate a generation.”

-Brigham Young

“Education is our passport to the future, for tomorrow belongs to the people who prepare for it today.”

-Malcom X

“The educated differ from the uneducated as much as the living differ from the dead.”

-Aristotle

Exclusively here in The Filipino Press--Follow Pampered Pinay, Francine Maigue’s, adventures as she represents 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. Because YOU DESERVE IT!

SAN DIEGO, CA – San Diego

Gas & Electric (SDG&E) is unveiling its latest wildfire mitigation and resiliency advancements while urging its customers to prepare for possible wildfires and Public Safety Power Shutoffs (PSPS) during the region’s Santa Ana wind season, which is typically between September and December.

Wildfire season is now yearround in California, however, the risk for wildfires in Southern California especially increases when seasonal Santa Ana winds become more active. This time of year is referred to as peak wildfire season.

“Just one wildfire could significantly impact the health and safety of our customers, which is why our team works so hard to strengthen our electrical grid to help reduce the risk of wildfires and the impacts of Public Safety Power Shutoffs in our high fire threat areas,” said SDG&E CEO Caroline Winn. “This work also benefits our entire region in that it helps to defend against other extreme weather conditions as we build a smart energy grid of the future that can support the clean energy transition.”

Over the last decade, SDG&E has made significant improvements to its electric infrastructure to help mitigate the impacts of PSPS on its customers and withstand extreme weather conditions. This year alone, the company plans to underground nearly 50 miles of power lines and install additional sectionalizing devices, which are intended to limit the size of outages by isolating faults, on its overhead power lines. When combined, these efforts will help reduce PSPS impacts to more than 7,000 customers in some of the highest risk areas.

Additionally, SDG&E has a total of seven microgrids that are already in use, or under construction.

POWER SHUTOFF TIPS

These microgrids will help keep communities and critical facilities like fire stations, schools and public safety infrastructure such as CAL FIRE’s Air Attack Base in Ramona energized during outages and Public Safety Power Shutoffs. Because these facilities can operate without needing to be connected to the larger energy grid, communities and emergency responders will continue to have access to critical resources during a planned or unplanned outage. Since 2020, SDG&E has also completed the following infrastructure enhancements:

Strategically undergrounded more than 70 miles of the riskiest overhead infrastructure

Hardened more than 430 miles of overhead power lines, including wood-to-steel pole replacements

Upgraded more than 40 miles of power lines with covered wires, which provide additional protection for the line from falling debris

Deployed Falling Conductor Protection technology, which deenergizes a power line before it hits the ground, in select areas at most risk for wildfires

“We’ve made significant strides in strengthening our electric infrastructure, but that’s only part of the equation,” said SDG&E Vice President of Wildfire and Climate Science, Brian D’Agostino. “To be as strategic and surgical as possible when it comes to turning off someone’s power, we really have to understand the weather, the climate and the wildfire risk in very specific areas of our service territory.”

Over the last 10 years, the company has developed a stateof-the-art situational awareness network, which includes pan-tiltzoom cameras that enable smoke detection technology, more than 220 weather stations, artificial intelligence modeling and satellite imagery. This year SDG&E will continue improving its network of

weather stations and further expand the number of hilltop cameras, some of which are in new locations that allow its in-house meteorology team to predict weather more accurately in areas that are at risk for wildfires. The company is also installing air quality sensors to better understand the impacts of wildfire smoke on the health and safety of its customers and employees. SDG&E has also leveraged aerial drones to inspect its powerlines in areas with the highest wildfire risk along with machine learning to enhance its ability to detect issues on powerlines.

The data pulled from this network allows SDG&E to strategically time and initiate PSPS to reduce customer impacts as much as possible. The information also allows the company to strengthen its electric grid in priority areas to further reduce PSPS impacts and the overall risk of wildfires.

Because the safety of our customers, employees and the communities we serve is our highest priority, SDG&E may initiate a PSPS as a last resort preventative measure to help protect our communities from wildfires. The decision to initiate a PSPS is informed by a combination of factors including wind speeds, humidity levels, field observations by SDG&E crews, vegetation moisture and information from fire agencies. If these factors threaten SDG&E’s ability to safely operate the electric system, power may be temporarily shut off. While SDG&E is doing everything in its power to prepare for high fire-risk weather, preparing our region is a whole community effort.

"We recognize that community preparedness takes all of us working together and strengthening our partnerships with trusted community-based organizations, such as 211 San Diego and Orange

are urged to prepare for potential

Shutoffs when Santa Ana winds are at their peak

LURED BY THE AMERICAN DREAM: FILIPINO SERVANTS IN THE U.S. NAVY AND COAST GUARD, 1952-1970 AND HOW THEY SOUGHT EQUAL OPPORTUNITY

“This book is dedicated to my father, Proceso A. Paligutan, 19302017. Dad, I hope this book makes you proud.” – P. James Paligutan

SAN DIEGO, CA -- Think about it. A writer sacrifice hours, weeks, months of his or her life to sit in front of a computer create a story out of nothing. It’s a tough job. Sometimes the imagination runs dry. Sometimes the writer would rather be out with friends or even enjoying a movie. But a vision of the finished goal – a story so well-crafted that readers will plunk downs their hardearned cash to buy a copy – keeps the writer motivated. Then, at last, the day comes when all the obstacles of writing, revising, editing are conquered and the dream becomes a reality…The book is born!

Great, you are an author now! So Mr. Author, when am I getting my complimentary copy?

Ha-ha-ha-ha!

And that is exactly what I got from a colleague of mine here at the college campus where I am presently employed.

Incidentally, I say it’s an exciting time to be a book reviewer, too. Once confined to print newspapers and journals, reviews now dot many corridors of the Internet – forever helping others discover their next great read. That said every book reviewer will face a familiar panic: how can you do justice to a great book in just a thousand words?

As you know, the best way to learn how to do something is by immersing yourself in it. Luckily, the Internet (i.e. Goodreads and other review sites, in particular) has made book reviews more accessible than ever – which means that a lot of book reviews examples out there for you to view!

So, here’s my own book review or personal perspective on P. James Paligutan’s “Lured by the American Dream: Filipino Servants in the U. S. Navy and Coast Guard, 19521970”...Please read on.

Despite racial discrimination and second-class status within the enlisted corps, the United States Navy’s mess attendants, officer’s cooks, and stewards compiled a proud legacy of combat service in World War II. The heroism of a few like “Dorie” Miller became quite well known to the American public but most have long been forgotten.

The narrative tells the story of those thousands of unheralded sailors of African descent who served frontline combat with fellow “mess men” of Filipino, Guamanian and Chinese ancestry from the first day of war to the last. Their story begins with recruit training in the racially, segregated confines of Norfolk, Virginia’s Units-K-West and B-East during the 1930s and proceeds through the perilous early months of war. Though long disparaged as “seagoing chambermaids” and worse, they gallantly upheld the honor of their race while shredding their blood in full proportion in some of history’s greatest naval battles.

For this first major study of the subject, the author Richard E. Miller draws on a wealth of previously untapped primary documents and more than forty oral history interviews that he conducted. The

men he interviewed served at the Naval Academy and aboard ships of all types prior to their wartime service. Miller focuses on the period from the late 1932, when the Navy reopened its doors to black men, to 1943 when the ranks of the re-named “steward’s branch” has grown and become transformed by the influx of wartime inductees. Collectively, the interviews cover nearly every naval campaign in the first two years of war. The unexplored perspective of the U.S. Navy puts a face on the “greatest generation’s” last overlooked heroes while making a significant contribution to the operational, social and cultural history of the U.S. Navy.

By the same token, an accessible and sophisticated exploration of the recruitment and experiences of Filipinos in the U.S. Navy is an excellent illustration of how the economic underdevelopment of our beloved old homeland – the Philippines – and definitely in the interests of American economic and political gain - created the first of many pools of cheap Filipino migrant workers.

Starting in 1952, the United States Navy and Coast Guard actively recruited Filipino men to serve as stewards – well, essentially domestic servants for its officers – if I must bluntly say it. Oral histories and detailed archival research inform us all - of Lecturer in Asian American studies at California State University, Fullerton P. James Paligutan’ s story of the critical role played by Filipino sailors in putting an end to race-based military policies.

Constrained by systemic exploitation, Filipino stewards responded with direct complaints to flag officers and chaplains, rating transfer requests that flooded the bureaucracy and refusals to work. Their actions had a decisive impact on seagoing military’s elimination of the antiquated steward position.

Paligutan looks at these Filipino sailors as agents of change while examining the military system through the lens of white supremacy, racist perceptions of Asian males, and the motives of Filipinos who joined the armed forces of the power that had colonized their nation.

No doubt about it, Paligutan has done a fantastic job at weaving in an intersectional analysis of gender particularly masculinity throughout his book.

Moving on with our own narrative, I say a writer’s job is to engage readers through words.

Vignettes – poetic slices-of-life – are a literary device that brings us deeper into a story. Vignettes step away from the action momentarily to zoom in for a closer examination of a particular character, concept, or place. Writers use vignettes to shed light on something that wouldn’t be visible in the story’s main plot.

Take this vignette from Paligutan’s interview of my own Navy experience: “Sergio Norombaba faced similar circumstances before his recruitment. Although nearly finished with his studies in commerce, he was lured into joining the U.S. Navy when the opportunity presented itself. Recruited in May 1960, Sergio judged that a stint in

Amazon Alexa voice assistant using any Alexa device or the Alexa app.

the Navy offered more economic promise than a business career in the Philippines. As he recalls: ‘Everybody wants to get in…That was your chance to be able to upgrade your life…I was almost graduating from college in the Philippines, and I know there were so many college grads at that time, and yet so many of them don’t have jobs.’”

“Third-year student at the University of the Philippines, Diliman (the most prestigious university of the Philippines), and Jesus “Jesse” Reyes was one year away from a degree in foreign service when he decided to join the U.S. Navy in January 1966.

Watching his father, a government worker, struggle to pay for the college tuition of Jesse’s two sisters and himself compelled Jesse to make an abrupt turn in his life course. Of course, this decision was not solely influenced by familial obligations –as Jesse recalls, an older first cousin (who was later killed in Vietnam) had already been working in the Navy

for five years, and their homecoming conversations were replete with tales about an incomparable place called America. As Jesse remembers: ‘When going home on vacation, he was regaling me with all the stories about how nice it is (in America)… all the women they see in the liberty port… (At first), it wasn’t my idea (to join), but I kind of looked at my dad, he was really working hard, he couldn’t make ends meet with three of us in college. Upon spotting an advertisement placed by the U.S. Navy in the newspaper the Manila Chronicle, Jesse decided that joining the Navy would not only alleviate the financial burden his father shouldered but also provide Jesse with similar adventures experienced by his cousin.”

“The impression of America as the ‘land of opportunity’ held almost equal sway in the decision to enlist in the U.S. military. Indeed, many young Filipinos cited their own adventurism, a willingness to explore the uncharted frontier of the United States and stake their claim as

life of adventure in America coupled with economic promise was exactly the definition of the American Dream for these young men,” cites Paligutan in his book.

County, the Red Cross and the South Bay Fire Academy helps us broaden our reach and provide people with the information, tools and resources they need to remain resilient," said D’Agostino.

SDG&E continues to forge strong partnerships with Community Based Organizations, Non-Governmental Organizations, local governments and Public Safety Partners. These partnerships help the company provide information, tools and resources to more customers prior to, during and following a PSPS.

Most recently, SDG&E has made accessibility enhancements to its PSPS website and PSPS mobile app, and the company has released its own Alexa skill which offers real-time notifications, including weather forecasts, fire potential, PSPS information, Community Resource Center locations and State flex alert information through the

From strengthening the electric grid, to improving its situational awareness, to supporting its customers during PSPS and extreme weather, SDG&E remains as committed as ever to the health, safety, and resiliency of its customers, employees and the communities it serves.

“At SDG&E, our culture is to be better today than we were yesterday, and that is what drives us to work tirelessly to reduce the chance of a wildfire and the devastating impacts to communities,” said Winn. “We recognize there is still much work to be done and it cannot be done alone.”

In advance of peak Santa Ana wind season, SDG&E recommends customers update their account contact information via My Account and download the Alerts by SDG&E mobile app to receive PSPS alerts.

For additional PSPS information including Community Resource Centers, notification timelines,

resources and more, visit SDGE. com/PSPS. The company also advises customers to develop a plan to prepare for a PSPS or wildfire. More information on how to prepare can be found at SDGE.com/wildfireemergency-preparedness.

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.

a factor overlapping with economic needs in their desire to join the U.S. Navy. A letter by Rodolfo N. San Juan to Lieutenant Commander C.J. Barry reflects both such push-andpull factors in his desire to enlist: ‘It’s (sic) approval would mean a lot to me. It would emancipate me from my job-seeking worries. I would be in a better position to save more money…Furthermore; I think I might take American citizenship, too. Something more (sic), it would provide (me) with adventures galore. Similar sentiments are expressed by Federico Bona, who was recruited into the U.S. Coast Guard in 1964: ‘There were many reason (why I joined), number one is financial, because I’d be able to help my mom in raising my brothers and sisters; number two is adventure –I wanted to see the States.’ Sailing east toward America was imagined as a path toward a fabled land of overabundant wealth and new experiences for these young men. A

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 DivineWill

Amen

Or try this other vignette from Paligutan’s Lured by the American Dream: “Once reaching American soil for the first time, Filipino stewards were likely bedazzled by the spectacular glint of modern America, as Paulie’s narrative describes above. Yet for some, this initial excitement would soon be followed by less-than-pleasant experiences within their new home. Right away, the new sailors were bussed to either Alameda (for Coast Guard recruits) or San Diego (for Navy recruits) to undergo basic training. Jesse Reyes’s recollection of his first experiences in America demonstrates how the brown skin of his fellow Filipino recruits in training camp marked them for differential treatment: ‘I could hear (non-Filipino recruits) saying, “I don’t understand these people, you know they could hardly speak English”…Then, one of the company commanders always said something behind our backs… Subtle things. In clothing stores, they would give Whites the better uniforms. We were issued the same dungarees, but we didn’t have any jackets when we first came in here. It was cold in Treasure Island; we were shivering in our dungarees… (The Whites) were already issued (jackets). It took almost a couple of weeks before they issued us (Filipinos) winter clothing and jackets,’ A first glance, such claims of differential treatment regarding basic proper clothing may strain credulity, yet Jesse’s recollection of this matter is not singular; in fact, one major factor for an incident of Filipino labor stoppage at the U. S. Naval Academy in Annapolis (discussed later) was the Navy’s neglect in providing Filipino stewards appropriate cold-weather clothing while forcing them to walk to the mess hall in the dead of winter.

Furthermore, some Filipino stewards truly believed that they were denied the same food privileges as other enlisted men, which would be a factor in a labor strike at the U.S. Coast Guard Academy. At times, basic staple necessities, according to oral testimonies, were differentially allocated based on race and/or national origin,” wrote Paligutan on his book.

Paligutan’s “Lured by the American Dream” is well worth reading (not because I am featured on it…Ha-ha-ha-ha…just kidding!)…not just to understand what the Filipino stewards endured, but also to appreciate their fortitude and perseverance.

(The book will be available through the internet starting on October 25.)

COVID-19

Continued from page 1

COVID-safe?

Dr. Yeh: All Californians, regardless of vaccination status, should follow these 5 key safety basics to protect ourselves and each other:

● Get vaccinated and boosted as soon as eligible. Go to MyTurn. ca.gov to find a vaccine near you or call 833-422-4255.

● Wear a mask in high-risk settings to help protect yourself and others.

● Stay home if you are sick or experiencing COVID-19 symptoms.

● Wash your hands frequently with soap and warm water for at least 20 seconds.

● Test for COVID-19 if you believe you have been exposed. Testing before and after traveling or gathering in groups is a key tool you can use. Californians can go to www.COVID19.ca.gov for more information on COVID-19 and the latest public health guidelines.

Perhaps this new book is also another good reason why Filipino Americans have since advocated for the month of October to be recognized as Filipino American History Month; the date has been celebrated every year since 1988, by the way; it has been long recognized by President Barack Obama and the U.S. Congress. The occasion commemorates the many ways that Filipino Americans have contributed significantly to American history from serving in World War II to strengthening our labor movement.

As one of the largest immigrant groups in the country, we want our history to be recognized, of course - and our stories told. Personally, it is because of this that I have been writing the Filipino Potpourri columns for more than a couple of decades now and have made it my own mission to tell and express what the Filipino experience in America was.

Lastly, I am pleased to join in congratulating author P. James Paligutan’s book publication and in acknowledging the Filipino stewards for the many ways they have enriched our society. An unshakable faith in the promise of America has guided these “kababayans” of ours to American shores. When they arrive, many of those who first settled here suffered setbacks and faced challenges in their pursuit of the American Dream, but with relentless optimism, they held their heads high and laid down their roots – building our country into the beacon of hope that it is today.

The earliest Filipinos arrived at Morro Bay, California in the 16th century – on 18 October 1587, to be precise – and Filipino Americans have since then long played an integral role in shaping the life of our adopted country. They have been the artists who challenge us, the educators who keep us informed, and the laborers of our vibrant economy. And throughout U.S. history, they have served as members of our Armed Forces, helping safeguard our Nation and the values upon which we stand.

As we mark this special month of October, we celebrate the ways Filipino Americans have lent their unique voices and talents to changing our country for the better. Their immeasurable contributions such as writer P. James Paligutan’s book “Lured by the American Dream: Filipino Servants in the U.S. Navy and Coast Guard, 1952-1970” to our Nation reaffirm that as Americans, we will always be bound to each other in common purpose and by our shared hopes for the future.

With this I wish a happy 2022 Filipino American History Month to all and TGIF – “Thank God, I’m Filipino!” Mabuhay!

STUDENT Continued from page 1

existing restorative justice program, hire additional school psychologists, and expand school counselor programming. More information about the BSCA Stronger Connections grant program and the required state assurances can be found here.

Allocations for Southwest and Western regions:

Alaska - $4,833,025

Arizona - $20,826,927

Arkansas - $9,378,149

California - $119,828,943

Colorado - $9,356,572

Hawaii - $4,833,025

Idaho - $4,833,025

Louisiana - $21,279,385

Montana - $4,833,025

Nevada - $8,866,003

New Mexico - $7,684,976

Oklahoma - $11,776,526

Oregon - $8,265,004

Texas = $93,985,252

Utah - $5,100,063

Washington - $15,795,771

Wyoming - $4,833,025

Jesse T. Reyes Filipino Potpourri

FOR POSTERITY'S SAKE: Author P. James Paligutan presents yours truly a complimentary copy of his book "Lured by the American Dream: Filipino servants in the U.S. Navy and Coast Guard, 1952-1970"

COVER IMAGE: United States Coast Guard boot camp graduation photograph of Proceso "Paulie" Paligutan, father of the author P. James Paligutan

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

Agri damage due to Karding soars to P1.97 billion

MANILA -- The damage and losses incurred by the agriculture sector following the onslaught of Typhoon Karding have risen to nearly P2 billion, the Department of Agriculture (DA) reported Wednesday.

According to the latest estimates from the DA’s Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Operations Center (DRRM), the value of production loss amounted to P1.97 billion as of 9 a.m. on September 28, up from P1.29 billion as of Tuesday afternoon.

Karding ravaged a total of 148,091 hectares of agricultural land in the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR), Ilocos Region, Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon, Calabarzon, and Bicol Region.

The calamity affected some 88,520 farmers and fisherfolk, with a combined volume of production loss of 114,446 metric tons (MT).

Affected commodities include rice, corn, high-value crops, livestock, poultry, and fisheries.

These values are subject to validation, according to the DA.

“The increase in overall damage and losses is due to additional reports on rice, corn, high-value crops, livestock, and fisheries in Ilocos Region, Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon and Bicol Region,” it said.

The DA said its Regional Field Offices (RFOs) are conducting assessments of damage and losses to the agri-fisheries sector.

The agency said the following assistance is available for distribution to affected farmers and fishers:

-P170.34 million worth of rice seeds, P23.16 million worth of corn seeds, and P13.55 million worth of assorted vegetable seeds

-P2.45 million worth of animal heads, drugs, and biologics for livestock and poultry

-Fingerlings and fishing paraphernalia to affected fishermen from the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR)

-Survival and Recovery (SURE) Loan Program from the Agricultural Credit Policy Council (ACPC) with a loanable amount of up to P25,000 payable in three years at zero interest

-P500 million worth of Quick Response Fund (QRF) for the rehabilitation of affected areas

-Mobile KADIWA centers for rolling out in areas affected by Karding to stabilize prices and supply of agrifishery commodities

The Department of Social Welfare and Development also said it has allocated P1.1 billion for its disaster response and assistance to those hit by the typhoon.

Karding left the Philippine Area of Responsibility on Monday, affecting several areas in Luzon and killing at least 10 people. (MNS)

Karding-affected families near 40K mark -- NDRRMC

The number of families affected so far by Super Typhoon Karding has climbed to 39,893 or equivalent to 157,023 persons residing in 1,318 barangays in seven regions in the country.

In its Wednesday update, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) said the affected population is from Ilocos Region, Cagayan Valley, Calabarzon, Mimaropa, Bicol, and the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR).

Around 574 evacuation centers are currently sheltering 8,825 families or

37,135 individuals with the remainder being aided by relatives and friends.

So far, the NDRRMC is still validating and confirming reports of 10 deaths and eight missing persons.

The deaths include six from Bulacan, two from Zambales, one from Burdeos, Quezon province and one from Tanay, Rizal while the missing persons include two from Antipolo, Rizal, one from Patnanungan, Quezon and five from Mercedes, Camarines Norte.

Around 3,068 houses were also reported damaged by "Karding" in Ilocos Region, Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon and Cordillera.

Of this number, 2,437 were classified as partially damaged and 631 as totally damaged.

Agriculture damage was estimated at PHP108,837,409 and these were incurred in the regions of Ilocos, Calabarzon, Bicol, and CAR.

Damage to irrigation was placed at PHP1.3 million in the Bicol Region while infrastructure damage was placed at PHP23 million in Ilocos Region, Mimaropa and Cordillera.

CHED clarifies class suspension rules during typhoons

The Commission on Higher Education (CHED) said Wednesday colleges and universities follow separate guidelines from the Department of Education (DepEd) on class suspension during weather disturbances.

In a statement, CHED Chairman Prospero de Vera said higher education institutions (HEIs) are guided by Executive Order No. 66 S. 2012 and CHED Memorandum Order (CMO) No. 15 S. 2012 in cancelling classes during typhoons and other calamities.

Under CMO No. 15, classes at the collegiate level, including graduate school, are automatically cancelled or suspended in areas placed under Signal No. 3 by state weather bureau PAGASA.

The policy also states that classes "may be cancelled or suspended at the discretion of the local chief executives of Local Government Units and/or heads of HEIs if special circumstances in their area such as flooding, road damage, etc. warrant it."

"Until the amendment or revocation of the said Executive Order and CMO No. 15, Series of 2012, CHED instructs all HEIs to observe these guidelines in their respective campuses," De Vera said.

De Vera made the clarification as "there appears to be confusion" raised by the DepEd's latest guidelines on class suspensions.

The latest DepEd order mandates that classes are automatically suspended in all areas placed under Signals No. 1 to 5 by PAGASA.

Classes are also automatically cancelled in schools where orange and red rainfall warnings are issued, according to the DepEd.

'Black Hawk' transports relief goods to typhoon-hit Aurora

The Philippine Air Force's multifunctional S-70i "Black Hawk" helicopter has transported relief goods from Villamor Air Base in Pasay City to Typhoon Karding-hit Dingalan town in Aurora province.

In a statement Wednesday, PAF spokesperson, Col. Ma. Consuelo Castillo, said the airlifted goods include food packs, medicines, slippers, clothes, boxes of bottled water and milk.

In times of disaster, the Black

Hawk combat utility helicopters could also be used for disaster response and surveillance.

Apart from sending out aid to the typhoon victims, the PAF's search and rescue group, using its Huey II, also carried out an operation for a missing fisherman in Laoag City, Ilocos Norte.

The fisherman's body was found and was brought back to Laoag International Airport to be received by the local government unit, Castillo said.

In another operation with local disaster response teams in Tarlac province, the remains of a 29-year-old male from Camiling town was found after he was reported missing at the height of the typhoon's onslaught.

Meanwhile, the Philippine Army, along with government personnel and non-government organizations (NGOs), continues to bring aid to farflung towns hit by the typhoon.

Using Army trucks, the military and Coast Guard personnel also hauled relief goods from NGOs for distribution to families in Polillo Island in Quezon province.

Agri dept says PH pork supply ‘enough’ for holidays; no rice shortage in 2023

The Department of Agriculture (DA) on Thursday assured the public that the country’s pork and livestock supply would be enough during the holiday season, and added that there would be no rice shortage next year.

Agriculture Undersecretary Domingo Panganiban said the production of pork is expected to ramp up by the end of the year.

“‘Pag karneng baboy, mas inaasahan ang produksyon dito sa katapusan ng taon kung ikukumpara sa parehong taon noong 2021, sa aming pagtataya, hindi magkakaroon ng kakulangan sa karneng baboy ngayong holiday season,” said Panganiban during a televised briefing.

There would also be a “surplus” in chicken meat this year, with the highest projected surplus expected to happen by the last quarter this year at 181,043 metric tons.

“Mayroon tayong sapat na supply sa loob ng 40 araw,” he said.

Based on DA's food supply, demand, and sufficiency outlook this year, the total local production of pork is at 1.34 million metric tons, while 290,000 metric tons are imported.

His statement came after meat importers urged President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr., who concurrently heads the agriculture department, to cut pork import tariffs in the next 5 years to ensure food security and cool down inflation.

They said Marcos should issue an executive order to "reinstate the import duty rates on pork of 5 percent in quota and 15 percent out quota for a duration of 5 years."

Malacañang has yet to issue a statement on the group's suggestion.

Meanwhile, he also allayed fears that there would be a shortage of rice supply next year amid the rising prices of commodities and the suspension of rice exports from other countries like India.

Panganiban noted that the country still maintains the 60-day buffer stock requirement to keep prices and supply steady.

In June this year, the DA said Vietnam and Thailand might "coalesce" and raise the price of their

SIM registration may be first law to be signed by PBBM -- Romualdez

MANILA -- The House of Representatives on Wednesday ratified the bicameral conference committee’s report on the Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) Registration bill which, according to Speaker Martin G. Romualdez, may gain the distinction as the first law to be signed by President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.

“This may be the first of the many legislative measures that will be signed and enacted into law by President Marcos Jr. in his six years of office,” Romualdez said.

He said the approval of the measure is timely amid the continuing proliferation of malicious text messages meant to take advantage of unwary cell phone users and could even pose danger to people’s lives and to public order.

“This Act will not only help promote responsibility in the end users of SIMs for electronic devices, but also provide our law enforcers the necessary tools to resolve crimes involving telecommunication devices,” Romualdez said.

The Speaker is the main author of the House version of the proposed SIM Registration Act, with Ilocos Norte 1st Dist. Rep. Ferdinand Alexander Marcos and Tingog Partylist Reps. Yedda Marie Romualdez and Jude Acidre as co-authors.

With the reconciled measure also ratified earlier by the Senate, Romualdez expressed confidence that it will not suffer the same fate as the SIM Card Registration Act that then President Rodrigo Duterte vetoed in April this year over a provision on social media that may give rise to intrusions and violations of constitutionally protected rights.

“This bill no longer contains the controversial provision that orders the mandatory registration of social media accounts,” Romualdez pointed out.

Among the key provisions of the bill include the establishment of a system of registration of SIMs for all users by the submission of pertinent data electronically through a platform or website to be provided by the Public Telecommunication Entities (PTEs).

To regulate the registration and use of SIMs, all SIMs to be sold shall be in a deactivated state. It shall only be activated after the end-user completes the process of registration.

The registration shall carry the full name, date of birth, gender, and address of the end-user appearing in a valid government-issued identification document with photo such as passport, national ID, GSIS e-Card, digitized SSS ID, driver’s license, voter’s ID and Senior Citizen’s card among others. It requires end-users to immediately inform the PTEs through its facility, of any change in the information after registration, including requests for deactivation.

The bill also provides provisions of confidentiality and non-disclosure of information which prohibit disclosure of any information of a subscriber, unless upon subpoena by a competent authority pursuant to an investigation based on a sworn complaint, that a specific mobile number was or is being used in the commission of a crime or that it was utilized as a means to commit a malicious, fraudulent or unlawful act.

The confidentiality clause in the SIM registration shall take effect at the point of activation.

The proposed SIM Registration

Act likewise mandates the registration of all existing SIM subscribers. Failure to comply within the prescribed period stated in the bill shall authorize the PTEs to automatically deactivate its services to the specific existing SIM.

Ex-Chief Justice Bersamin named Executive Secretary

President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. has designated retired chief justice Lucas Bersamin as the new Executive Secretary, Malacañang announced Tuesday.

Marcos administered Bersamin’s oath of office before the holding of the 9th Cabinet meeting at Malacañan Palace in Manila, Press Secretary Trixie Cruz-Angeles said in a press statement.

“Former Chief Justice Lucas Bersamin has taken his oath of office as Executive Secretary, before President Ferdinand Romualdez Marcos Jr. He began his duties immediately by attending the 9th Cabinet meeting right after swearing in,” Cruz-Angeles said.

Bersamin replaced resigned Executive Secretary Victor Rodriguez who is currently serving as Presidential Chief of Staff.

As an Executive Secretary, Bersamin will be referred to as the “Little President" who is mandated to “directly assist the President in the management of affairs of the government as well as to direct the operations of the Executive Office," according to the Official Gazette.

The Office of the Executive Secretary (OES) is also deemed “unique,” in the sense that it has both line and staff functions.

Its staff function pertains to its duties to the President, while its line function pertains to its management of the Office of the President and its attached agencies.

The OES also performs other duties upon the discretion of the President or as stated by law.

Prior to his new stint, Bersamin served as chairperson of the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) under the leadership of Marcos’ predecessor, former president Rodrigo Duterte.

Bersamin was named as the country's top magistrate in November 2018 and retired from the judiciary in October 2019.

A native of Abra, Bersamin finished his law degree at the University of the East in 1973 and placed ninth in the bar examinations in the same year.

He served as presiding judge of the Quezon City Regional Trial Court Branch 96 in 1986.

In 2003, Bersamin was appointed associated justice at the Court of Appeals and was promoted to the Supreme Court in 2009.

He bagged the Judicial Excellence Award for Best Decision both in Civil Law and Criminal Law.

Marcos gets $3.9B investment pledges from US trip

President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. has received USD3.9 billion in investment pledges during his working visit to the United States (US) last week, Malacañang announced on Thursday.

These business agreements and commitments, which are expected to generate 112,285 jobs, will come from different sectors such as Information Technology and Business Process Management (IT-BPM), data centers and manufacturing.

The Palace clarified that the estimates do not reflect the full

potential of future investments from several companies that the President and the trade department met while in New York.

“...Some companies had expressed interest in considering new or further investments in the country, but their plans have yet to be firmed up,” Malacañang said in a press release.

Marcos’ working visit to the US was held from Sept. 18 to 24. This was his third overseas trip since assuming office in June.

During his six-day working visit, he first met with the Filipino community in New Jersey.

He participated in a business dialogue with members of the USAssociation of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) Business Council and the US Chamber of Commerce, seeking partnerships with American investors.

Marcos also presented the Philippine government's priorities aimed at bringing progress and development to the Philippines during a meeting with top World Bank executives.

During the Philippine Economic Briefing in New York, he also enjoined American investors to take advantage of the Philippines' economic resurgence.

He said business leaders and investors from different US companies he met have committed to be a part of the Philippines’ development and economic growth.

The highlight of Marcos’ trip was his participation in the 77th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) where he delivered the "message of unity" before world leaders.

He also met with various heads of state, including US President Joe Biden, Japan Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, and French President Emmanuel Macron.

On Wednesday, Marcos described the grand opening of the New Terminal Building of the Clark International Airport in Clark Freeport in Pampanga as a “strong signal” to the world that the Philippines is open for business.

He also assured investors of the government’s commitment to promote ease of doing business in documentation, procedure, structure, legislation, to encourage investors to do business in the Philippines. )MNS)

Marcos, Saudi Foreign Minister affirm PH-Saudi ties

President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. on Thursday received Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Saudi Arabia, in a courtesy call at Malacañan Palace.

State-run Radio Television Malacañang (RTVM), on its official Facebook page, uploaded a short video of the meeting between Marcos and Prince Faisal.

Prince Faisal also signed a guest book at the Malacañang Palace, based on the video.

The Palace has yet to disclose details about their meeting.

The Embassy of Saudi Arabia in the Philippines also shared photos of the meeting between Marcos and Prince Faisal on its Twitter account.

The Saudi Foreign Minister conveyed greetings of Saudi Arabia’s King Salman bin Abdulaziz and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to Marcos wishing for his “continued

BUMPER-TO-BUMPER. Motorists experience bumper-to-bumper morning traffic along Commonwealth Avenue, in Quezon City on Wednesday (Sept. 28, 2022). Heavy traffic has been usually experienced by motorists due to the high volume of vehicles traversing the area. (MNS photo)

STUDENT BRIEIFING. Grade 6 pupils attend a Rapid Language Assessment Testing briefing at the Fernando Ma. Guerrero Elementary School on Pedro Gil Street, Paco, Manila, on Tuesday (Sept. 27, 2022). Classes in public and private schools in Metro Manila have resumed after a one-day suspension due to Typhoon Karding. (MNS photo)

Continued from page 8

rice exports which could lead to a P6 per kilo increase in the price of imported rice.

"Sa aming palagay hindi magkakaroon ng rice shortage sa bigas at palay next year. Kailangan magkaroon tayo ng buffer stock na 60 days kung sa ganoon ay mapunan natin ang pangangailangan ng ating mga kababayan... baka ma-shortfall,” he said.

The Philippines suffered some P2.02 billion worth of agricultural losses from the onslaught of Typhoon Karding earlier this week.

Commodities and agricultural products heavily damaged by the strong storm include rice (P1.66 billion), high value crops (P271.6 million), corn (P43.6 million), fisheries (P43 million), and livestock and poultry (P7.9 million).

Panganiban said the impact of the typhoon on the country’s agriculture sector might lead to a “15 to 20 percent” spike in prices in the coming days.

Canada to partner with PH on agri, food security

Canada will become a "reliable partner" of the Philippines on

from page 8

“During the reception, they reviewed the bilateral relations between the two friendly countries based on cordiality, friendship, and joint cooperation in various fields,” the embassy said.

Joining the President in the courtesy call were Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin, Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo and Presidential Management Staff Secretary Ma. Zenaida Angping.

Secretary for Foreign Affairs

Enrique A. Manalo meets with H.H.

Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. (DFA photo by Philip Fernandez)

Prince Faisal arrived in the Manila on Wednesday night before meeting

agriculture and ensuring food security.

The commitment was made by Canadian Agriculture Minister MarieClaude Bibeau who visited Manila from Sept. 25 to 26 to increase trade and investment, and promote Canadian agri-food products and solutions.

“We are committed to elevate this relationship even further and to explore ways Canada can contribute to the Philippines’ agri-food sector by being a reliable partner on food security,” Bibeau said in a statement forwarded by the Canadian Embassy in Manila on Wednesday.

During her visit, Bibeau met with Department of Agriculture officials, local meat importers and agri-food importers in retail, flour milling, and wheat.

She also engaged civil society groups and other stakeholders from Philippine agriculture and agri-food industries and organizations.

She reiterated Canada’s commitment to advance agricultural trade and cooperation with, and expand market access in the Philippines.

Based on the latest Embassy data, the Philippines has become Canada’s second largest agri-food and seafood export market in Southeast Asia.

In 2021, Canada’s exports to the Philippines grew by over 64 percent to over CAD567 million from 2020.

Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) Secretary Enrique Manalo and Marcos.

The DFA said Prince Faisal affirmed Riyadh's commitment to deepening cooperation with the Philippines.

In a meeting with Manalo, the two top diplomats discussed "opportunities to further economic cooperation" in support of Manila and Riyadh's development goals.

The DFA said the two officials also discussed numerous areas of cooperation to strengthen bilateral ties.

"Secretary Manalo expressed his appreciation for the Foreign Minister’s visit, noting that the depth of Philippine-Kingdom of Saudi Arabi bilateral relations can be seen in numerous high-level visits and active partnership in various sectors," the DFA said.

Prince Faisal, for his part, said the Kingdom is ready to continue working hand-in-hand with the Philippines on issues of mutual interest.

Agri-food and seafood constituted to approximately 35 percent of Canada’s total exports to the Philippines, making the country Canada’s second largest export market for poultry, fifth for pork and eighth for beef.

Meanwhile, Philippine agri-food exports to Canada, which include coconuts, pineapples, dried mangoes, seafood such as tuna, and processed food have steadily increased even throughout the pandemic.

The Embassy added that it shares a number of priorities and interests with the Philippines as expressed by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. in recent statements including combatting climate change, food security and working to preserve fragile environments.

“Canada recognizes the impact of climate change on Philippine agriculture, food security and poverty reduction,” Bibeau said during her meeting with Agriculture Senior Undersecretary Domingo Panganiban.

“We are committed to support interventions that promote increased agricultural growth while adopting climate-smart and gender-sensitive approaches,” she added.

The Minister also sent her sympathies to to the country following Super Typhoon Kardinh that swept through Central Luzon. (MNS)

Saudi Arabia is home to approximately 860,000 Filipino workers, the largest number in the Middle East.

STAy SAFE EvERyONE success.”

Previously, the two nations partnered on tackling labor mobility and human rights. Last May 2022, the two together with Bahrain organized a conference on the sidelines of the International Migration Review Forum, discussing migration policy innovations and ways to ensure decent work for migrant workers.

The diplomatic relationship between the Philippines and Saudi Arabia was established in October 1969, according to the DFA.

In 1973, the Republic of the Philippines appointed Ambassador Liningding Pangandaman as its first resident ambassador to Saudi Arabia.

Earlier on the same day, Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe also paid a courtesy call on Marcos in Malacañan Palace. (MNS)

and provide viewpoints that could give us the means to make intelligent decisions for ourselves and others.”

editor and publisher

Spiritual Life

Daily Devotionals

Do you have a daily devotional? A book or a pamphlet that will inspire you and lead you to meditate on the Word of God. Yes, I have my personal Holy Bible, but I also have “My Daily Bread”, “The Upper Room”, and “In Touch”. I also have “Streams in the Desert” by Mrs. Charles E. Cowman, a birthday gift from a beloved niece.

According to the publishers, the first edition of “Streams in the Desert” was released in 1925. In it were thoughts, quotations and spiritual inspiration which had helped to sustain Mrs. Comman during her years of missionary work in Japan and China.

I did not tell my niece that her mother also gave me “Streams in the Desert” 60 years ago. Someone borrowed the book but never returned it. Now I have a copy of the latest edition. Thank you, Ester and Marty for your invaluable birthday gift.

May I share with my readers, the first reading for the New Year, headlined by this verse, “The land whither ye go to possess it is a land of hills and valleys and drinketh water of the rain of heaven; a land which the Lord thy God are always upon it, from the beginning of the year even unto the end of the year.” Deuteronomy 11:11-12.

“Today, dear friends, we stand

Aurora S. Cudal-Rivera

My Personal Testimony

upon the verge of the unknown. There lies before us the new year and we are going forth to possess it. Who can tell what we shall find? What new experiences, what changes shall come, what new needs shall arise? But here is the cheering, comforting, gladdening message from our heavenly Father, “The Lord thy God careth for it.” ”His eyes are upon it away to the ending of the year.”

“All our supply is to come from the Lord. Here are springs that shall never dry; here are fountains and streams that shall never be cut off. Here, anxious one, is the gracious pledge of the heavenly Father. If He be the source of our mercies they can never fail us. No heat, no drought, can parch that river, “the streams whereof make glad the city of God.”

“The land is a land of hills and valleys. It is not smooth nor all

downhill. If life were all one dead level of dull sameness it would oppress us; we want the hills and the valleys. The hills collect the rain for a hundred fruitful valleys. Ah, so it is with us! It is the hill difficulty that drives us to the throne of grace and brings down the shower of blessings; the hills, the bleak hills of life that we wonder and perhaps grumble at, bring down the showers.We cannot tell what loss and sorrow and trial are doing. Trust only. The Father comes near to take our hand and lead us on our way today. It shall be a good, a blessed new year!

Almighty and ever loving God, we lay bare our hearts and souls to you. Teach us to trust and obey your Will, as we walk through the hills and valleys of our lives. Fill us with your love and grace, and make us a blessing to others. Amen.

Truth never changes

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,

Danny Hernaez From Whom All Blessings Flow

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 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.

Jesus didn't come as a king, but as a helpless infant (Luke 2). Although he was perfectly God and perfectly human at the same time (John 1:14), he lived his life as a humble laborer. After he began his ministry, he demonstrated humble service to others in the miracles he performed, as well as in his instruction to his disciples. When the time came for him to die, he submitted to his Father's divine will (Mark 14:36). And now, seated in power at the right hand of God, he intercedes on our behalf (Acts 5:29-32). As the perfect model for godly leadership, Jesus set the perfect example of humility. Ask God to help you follow Jesus' example as you seek to demonstrate the kind of humility that will cause others to see Jesus in you.

Greetings in the Lord!

This Sunday the whole Diocese of San Diego will be reading the following homily written by our bishop Robert Cardinal McElroy. This will serve as my message for this Sunday.

Respect Life, Sunday Homily prepared by Cardinal McElroy.

Today’s second reading from the letter to Timothy speaks of the courage that we must have in proclaiming our testimony to Jesus Christ in an often hostile world. “So do not be ashamed of your testimony to our Lord...but bear your share of the hardship for the Gospel with the strength that comes from God.”

The Church asks us to focus this weekend upon the comprehensive commitment to human life that is a vital part of the Gospel message and Catholic teaching. We are called to understand that every human life is an incredibly precious gift from our Creator, which we are called to treat as sacred in every dimension of our lives. It is this commitment to the sacredness of human life that lies at the heart of the Church’s call to protect unborn children, to feed the hungry and provide decent housing, to oppose the death penalty and protect the elderly and the disabled from being discarded or terminated in our society.

And that call to defend the sacredness of human life in all of its dimensions demands that we have the courage to proclaim the Gospel in our lives as citizens and believers, despite the cost and difficulties of doing so in our polarized world.

Fr. Agustin T. Opalalic

This year in California, we are called in a very specific way to reject the pathway of making illegal virtually all limitations on abortion. Proposition 1, which would enshrine in the state constitution the ability to have late-term abortions and abortions for purposes of gender selection, as well as subsidizing abortion for people who do not even live in California, is absolutely incompatible with the Gospel call to protect all human life. And we must witness to that contradiction in our role as citizens.

The very excruciating issue of abortion calls us to balance the challenging problems of women who are pregnant with the lives of unborn children. Proposition 1 simply obliterates the moral reality of the unborn child in striking this balance. As people of faith, we must not accept such a logic. Instead, we must work within our society to build a comprehensive framework that genuinely protects and builds the dignity and sacredness of human life it its fullness, at every stage and

for every person.

That is why Catholic teaching points to the identity of human life as a gift from God.

It is as grace that we have all received the gift of our lives as the foundational right that is the source of every blessing we know in our world. And it is this same sense of giftedness that frames our understanding that every member of the human family is equal in dignity and must be treated in this manner.

We live in a harsh world that on so many levels denies the graced identity of the life which is our most fundamental blessing. The realities of economic exploitation, human trafficking, euthanasia and the abandonment of the elderly all inflict grave harm upon individuals created in the image and likeness of God and coarsen our society so it becomes more and more dehumanizing.

The words of the letter to Timothy compel us to speak against these evils in our society, and so demand public policies and laws that oppose violations of human life and dignity.

And the letter to Timothy also compels us to oppose Proposition 1 on this year’s ballot, in the clear understanding that it destroys every possible legal protection for unborn children in our state.

I pray that the Lord will bless our state and our nation in the coming months, and that together we might build a more just and more humane society in our midst.

Alexander Layosa Quinto, 80, beloved husband of Janeta Bernales Quinto, passed away under a clear, sunny sky on September 3, 2022 in San Diego, California. Alex experienced a life of joy and love by being dedicated to his family, serving his country with duty, practicing a faithful devotion to his Catholic beliefs, and inspiring hope as a humanitarian. He was a devoted husband and a loving father and grandfather. He was well-loved and will forever be honored. ALex and wife recently celebrated their 53rd wedding anniversary.

Alex enlisted in the US Navy in 1965. He served as a modest steward and closed his career as an Avionics Technician. A Vietnam-era Veteran,

his time in duty and service was one of distinction and honor.

Alex dedicated himself to the Lions Club International in the last decades of his life. With the club,

he worked tirelessly as a volunteer in community service projects throughout Southern California and served on several medical missions in the Philippines and Vietnam to help those in the greatest need. He was elected San Diego Executive Lions Club President multiple times and spearheaded and led numerous community outreach initiatives. His proudest accomplishment as President was the adoption of the Dulangan Elementary School in Castilla, Sorsogon, Philippines as a Lions Club International Legacy Project. His lasting legacy lives on through the donation of books and school supplies, the repairs and construction of various school

infrastructure, and the improvement of the lives and education of the young students. Through his unwavering passion and leadership, the club won the prestigious District 4L6 Academy Awards of Lions and the award for the Large Club Project of the Year for their work with the school. Alex’s humanitarian efforts brought hope and made a positive impact on numerous lives throughout the world.

Alex will finally rest at the Miramar National Cemetery on October 3, 2022 - a fitting site to remember his

life’s journey and establish his place in our family’s history. He joins his friends and shipmates and will receive full military honors. Join us at 2:15 PM at the Miramar National Cemetery, 5795 Nobel Drive, San Diego, CA 92122.

Alex's memory will live on through his wife, Janet; his sons Joseph, Brian, Lloyd, and Evan; daughterin-law Yvonne; and grandchildren Ashley, Nathan, Caitlyn, Joshua, and Alessia. His devotion to family and appreciation of life was evident in his final days. He will be dearly missed.

Dear Readers, Email us your story tips, dear editor letter, business referral etc. at info@ thefilipinopress. com

Julia Barretto not ready to forgive dad Dennis Padilla

MANILA -- Actress Julia Barretto got real about how she feels about her father Dennis Padilla in a recent interview with Karen Davila.

In the vlog of the Kapamilya broadcaster, Barretto admitted that she is not ready to forgive Padilla yet after a series of publicized disagreements through the years.

“Hindi ko ipagkakait ang forgiveness but I'm just not ready. There's just been so much pain over the years since I was young, so parang I got tired of the same thing,” the actress said.

“It’s not difficult for us to forgive, but it’s difficult to really just… It’s not the forgiveness, it’s to forget. But there's just a lot of fear because I don’t know what’s gonna happen. But forgiveness, of course, definitely, that’s for my own peace of mind, di ba?” she continued.

Barretto has yet to speak with her father as she feels scared of getting hurt again after making amends –which happened to them several years ago.

“You know, I kinda just want to huminga lang muna from that cycle. And, you know, I've just been praying also na, I don’t know, maybe in God's time and way na, you know, mag-meet kami in the middle without having to get hurt again,” Barretto said.

The actress, however, revealed that Padilla has tried to reach them again.

“I won't lie, I mean, he’s tried. I’m just really not ready. I don’t wanna force myself also. Because if you force yourself, then it’s not genuine, hindi siya totoo. So, I want to get to a point na when we speak, it’s when I’m ready,” she added.

Last June, Padilla took to social media to air his disappointment after his kids "forgot" to greet him on

Father’s Day.

This did not sit well with his kids, especially Leon, who responded with a lengthy explanation, also on Instagram.

Padilla then apologized in response to Leon’s post and wrote: “I am sorry Leon... Miss ko lang kyo... God bless you more.”

Padilla have three kids with Marjorie Barretto: Julia, Claudia, and Leon. (MNS)

Belle Mariano receives Outstanding Asian Star at Seoul International Drama Awards

MANILA -- Emerging superstar Belle Mariano received her Outstanding Asian Star award at Seoul International Drama Awards in South Korea.

Mariano wore a Francis Libiran gown for the event and was accompanied by ABS-CBN Head for International Production and CoProduction Ruel S. Bayani and ABSCBN Films AdProm Head Mico Del Rosario.

She bested 175 male and female actors, according to Mariano’s talent agency Star Magic. The group said Mariano is among the five honorees from the region.

Among the Filipino nominees in the category were Mariano’s screen partner Donny Pangilinan, as well as their fellow Star Magic artists Charlie

Asian Star is the latest career milestone for Mariano, following her phenomenal success as an actress (“He’s Into Her” and “Love Is Color Blind” with Pangilinan), a singer (“Daylight,” her debut album and solo concert), and as an in-demand endorser.

Recent Filipino winners of the Asian Star prize in the SDA are actors Alden Richards in 2019 and Dingdong Dantes in 2020.

The 2022 honorees will be awarded at the 17th Seoul Drama Awards ceremony in the South Korean capital. The event will be broadcast live on KBS 2TV on September 22.

Founded in 2006, the SDA is said to be the only international drama festival in South Korea that puts the spotlight on drama trends across the globe. (MNS)

Megan Young, Mikael Daez open to the idea of not having kids

In their latest podcast, the celebrity couple said they are open to the idea of not having kids, in the same way that they welcome the possibility of expanding their family.

"If we have kids, then we have kids. And if we don't, then we don't. So if I get pregnant, okay. And if not, then we continue living life," Young said.

According to the Miss World 2013 titleholder, she and the actor used to have a more traditional view on having kids, that they initially thought of it as something that automatically comes after marriage.

But they later on realized that there are many other factors to consider, and that each couple has a different journey.

"My mindset then was yeah, it was normal for couples to get married and have kids. I just thought of the very cookie-cutter image of a family... You're supposed to have kids, parang 'yun 'yung nasa isip ko," Young recalled.

"To be honest, I really enjoy the life that we have together, that it's just us. And I don't know how ready I am to take on a big responsibility like that... I'm not sure yet, but I'm not closing my doors to it," she added.

In the podcast, Young also opened up about her fears and concerns about becoming a mother, such as the changes it would bring to her body.

"I guess I'm afraid of having

complications for myself and for the child if ever we do get pregnant. My number one fear is getting sick or dying, honestly, from having a baby," she said.

"Though I've had friends and family get pregnant in the last couple of years, I'm just scared of the unknown. Not being able to know what's going to happen to my body, or how my body is going to react, really scares me," she said.

The former beauty queen also admitted that she is not sure yet if she is ready for the lifelong responsibility of raising a child.

"You are bringing a child into this life. You are going to teach them values, you're going to teach them the way of the world. So is that something that I

want for the rest of my life?" she added.

Young also took into consideration their current lifestyle, which involves a lot of traveling.

"I love that we can just get up and go. Of course we have to think of our pets, but it's different -- we can always have somebody house and take care of them, that's something that we're very lucky to have. But if you have a kid, you can't just be like, 'yo, take care of my kid while I go to another country,'" she explained.

For now, Young said she is letting life "take me where it should."

"I mean, we're not like stopping ourselves from getting pregnant, that's the thing. If it happens, then hey, it's going to happen," she said.(MNS)

New AARP National Survey Reveals Connection Between Discrimination and Women’s Mental Health, Financial Health

On average, 60% of Asian American and Pacific Islander women age 50+ experience discrimination regularly

WASHINGTON — AARP released new results from its annual survey, Mirror/Mirror: Women’s Reflections on Beauty, Age and Media™. The study reveals that 60% of Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) women age 50+ experience discrimination “at least sometimes.”

Furthermore, AAPI women 50+ who experience discrimination regularly are subjected to it most frequently because of their race, ethnicity and/or skin tone (82%). Yet, close to half (44%) cite their accent as another top reason they feel discriminated against, followed by their age (40%).

Not surprisingly, AAPI women who experience discrimination based on ethnicity/race/skin tone rate their current mental health lower than those who don’t.

AARP’s Mirror/Mirror™ survey shows that while experiences of discrimination may vary, 75% of AAPI women 50+ who experience discrimination regularly deploy avoidance tactics in similar ways: 63% closely observe their surroundings

• 52% carefully watch what they say and how they say it

• 49% consider feelings of safety and comfort in their everyday interactions

The survey also unveiled that AAPI women of all ages experience work-place discrimination regularly, with 56% of working AAPI women 18+ who experienced discriminatory practices that impacted their earning potential as well as their financial health. Of these working AAPI women 18+:

• 44% have been overlooked, disrespected, or devalued by a client or a colleague while at work

• 33% have been passed over for a raise, promotion, or an opportunity to get ahead at work

• 26% have been told to behave a certain way at work

• 25% have been excluded from projects or meetings at work that would have helped them advance their career 18% have been unfairly fired from a job or not been hired due

to an unfair hiring practice

“Being an Asian American and Pacific Islander woman has always been challenging due to the stereotypes we have had to endure. On top of having to overcome these stereotypes, AAPI women have had to contend with many forms of discrimination as well,”

said Daphne Kwok, AARP Vice President, Asian American & Pacific Islander Audience Strategy, Office of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion. “In the workplace, women, including AAPI women, should not have to combat barriers like age, ethnicity, or any other factor to work, succeed, and excel.”

To learn more about AARP’s Mirror/Mirror™ study, go to http:// www.aarp.org/healthyliving. For tips, tools, and resources on how to stay mentally and physically fit visit: https://www.aarp.org/work/.

About AARP: AARP is the nation’s largest nonprofit, nonpartisan organization dedicated to empowering people 50 and older to choose how they live as they age. With a nationwide presence and nearly 38 million members, AARP strengthens communities and advocates for what matters most to families: health security, financial stability and personal fulfillment. AARP also produces the nation's largest circulation publications: AARP The Magazine and AARP Bulletin. To learn more, visit www. aarp.org or follow @AARP, @ AARPadvocates and @AARPAAPI on Facebook and Twitter for more community news and videos. For translated resources, please visit the AARP Chinese website, or our AARP pages in Korean and Vietnamese. Follow us @AARPAAPI for more news and videos.

SAN DIEGO, CA -- “’You need to come home,’ my mom said on the phone, on a call I’ll never forget.” Travis Chrisman recalls of the day he knew his dad’s issues weren’t just ordinary aging. “He was on the floor… it was a real freak-out moment.”

For the five ensuing years, his father was on a downhill spiral that included experimental brain surgery and eventually hospice care.

A few years after his dad passed, Travis signed up for his first Walk to End Alzheimer’s.

“It was real tough watching this disease attack such a hearty, hardworking individual as my dad. It was as if the king had been ripped from his kingdom,” Travis continues. “Now I’ve had success in business, and I want to help others who are suffering as my family did. Fighting Alzheimer’s is a cause I believe in. It wasn’t hard making the decision to walk.”

Travis Chrisman is participating in this year’s San Diego Walk to End Alzheimer’s® on Saturday, October 8th, which this year will be held at NTC Park in Point Loma.

“The Walk to End Alzheimer’s is a platform to help build awareness, to come out and educate, as well as raising money for research,” he adds.

On Walk day, participants honor those affected by Alzheimer’s with the poignant Promise Garden ceremony — a mission-focused experience that signifies solidarity in the fight against the disease. The colors of the Promise Garden flowers represent people’s connection to Alzheimer’s — their personal reasons to end the disease.

Someone develops Alzheimer’s in this country every 65 seconds, and Alzheimer’s is the third leading cause of death in California. Money raised at the Walk to End Alzheimer’s will help the Alzheimer’s Association serve more people with dementia,

their caregivers and others in the community by providing outreach, education, advocacy and research.

There is no registration fee to attend the October 8th Walk to End Alzheimer’s, however if you raise $100, you will receive a Walk t-shirt. Start or join a team at www.alz.org/ walk. To join Travis Chrisman’s team, type in “Team Coastal Pay.”

Thank you to San Diego Walk to End Alzheimer’s sponsors Acadia Pharma, Best Buy, Advisors in Placement, AMN Healthcare, Sycuan Casino Resort, ASML, Illumina, Geico, Belmont Village, Aya Healthcare, PRN, The Neurology Center, TheKey, At Home Nursing Care, St. Paul's Senior Services, Alzheimer's, Keck School of Medicine of USC Alzheimer's Therapeutic Research Institute.

Alzheimer's Association Walk to End Alzheimer’s®

The Alzheimer’s Association

Walk to End Alzheimer’s is the world’s largest event to raise awareness and funds for Alzheimer’s care, support and research. Since 1989, the Alzheimer’s Association mobilized millions of Americans in the Alzheimer’s Association Memory Walk®; now the Alzheimer’s Association is continuing to lead the way with Walk to End Alzheimer’s. Together, we can end Alzheimer’s About the Alzheimer’s Association:

The Alzheimer’s Association is the leading voluntary health organization in Alzheimer's care, support and research. Their mission is to eliminate Alzheimer’s disease through the advancement of research, to provide and enhance care and support for all affected, and to reduce risk of dementia through promotion of brain health. Their vision is a world without Alzheimer’s. Visit alz.org or call 800.272.3900.

2022 San Diego Walk to End Alzheimer’s® October 8th at NTC Park in Point Loma

Dizon, Dimples Romana, Jake Cuenca, Maris Racal, Kaila Estrada, and Zanjoe Marudo.

Being hailed as an Outstanding

Travis Chrisman with parents Bud & Dianne

MANILA -- Megan Young and Mikael Daez recently shared their thoughts about having children, saying it is not something that they are actively seeking.

ARE YOU LOOKING FOR A JOB? Looking for workers? Looking for Renters or Room for Rent? Check our weekly classifieds. Opportunity awaits you. Weekly.

SAVE THE DATE!

Week-end Art Retreat and Pop Up Event October 8-10, 2022 hosted by Ruth Gonzales at Art Space 349 in the Palm Springs, CA area with an Opening Cocktail Nite on October 8th starting at 7pm. Suggested donations $20. For details please PM or cll Ruth at Cell# 760-315-7550. She has a few rooms to host you. We hope to see you there.

Why Markus Paterson was initially hesitant to do 'Teen Clash'

MANILA -- Markus Paterson admitted that he was hesitant at first to be part of the upcoming series "Teen Clash" with Aljon Mendoza and Jayda Avanzado.

In Star Magic's Inside News, Paterson explained this was because he is already a father.

"This project has been lingering around me for a while. Like management really wanted me to read for it. Pero to be honest nung una I was hesitant. Kasi unang-una 'yung title 'Teen Clash,' hindi na ako teen. Tatay pa ako alam naman ng tao 'yon. But they reassured me that it's not exactly a teenybopper show. Especially when I found out that Black Sheep is doing it, mas lalong na push pa ako na mag-read. So I read a couple scenes as the character Jude. And nandito na tayo ngayon na-cast ako," Paterson said.

"So exciting I can't wait to work with Aljon again. This is Jada's first acting project. Alam naman natin na talented siya. I feel na sobrang excited ang mga tao na makita siya dito sa acting world. I know for a fact that she's excited too," he added.

For his part, Mendoza admitted he was not expecting to be chosen as one of the lead stars after he

auditioned for the role last year.

"Sobrang saya ko nung nalaman kong ako 'yung napili sa Ice na character at napabilang ako sa magandang project na ito. Sa totoo lang nag-audition ako last year pa tapos hindi ko naman in-expect na ako talaga 'yung mapipili. Parang nag-try lang. Sabi nila ita-try lang natin pero huwag ka umasa. Sabi ko naman 'game' sobrang excited ako," Mendoza said.

"And then nung nangyari siya

and finally sinabi na sa akin, siyempre na-excite ako kasi bagong experience makakatrabaho ko ang ang iba't ibang tao ulit. And Markus, nung nasabing part siya na excite ako kasi magkakasama na naman kami sa trabaho, ganyan.

So happy ako kasi masasabi ko na isa rin ito sa mako-consider kong launching project ko rin kasi first isa ako sa mga lead, so 'yun happy ako. Feeling grateful and blessed," Mendoza added.

The upcoming series is based on the hit Wattpad title "Teen Clash" by Ilyn Anne Danganan.

The ABS-CBN Films outfit will produce the series as an iWant Original offering, to be helmed by Gino M. Santos (“Love Me Tomorrow,” “Ex with Benefits”).

Black Sheep’s adaptation of “Teen Clash” follows the massive success of another ABS-CBN series based on a Wattpad novel, “He’s Into Her,” starring Belle Mariano and Donny Pangilinan.

Aside from "Teen Clash," Mendoza and Paterson along with Anthony Jennings, Jae Miranda, Gello Marquez are hosts of the noholds-barred video podcast "Boys After Dark," which premiered last September 3. (MNS)