121022 - Los Angeles Weekend Edition

Marcos confident PH will avoid recession

PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said he was confident that the Philippines would not fall into an economic recession despite surging inflation, which reached a 14-year high of 8 percent in November.

In a video message released by the Office of the Press Secretary on Thursday, December 8 the President said he was relieved that the unemployment rate in the country eased to 4.5 percent in October from 5 percent in September.

“So somehow we are confident that we will not have a recession here in the Philippines because the unemployment rate is too low and if you remember, at the start of my administration, we were already discussing prioritizing jobs. So that is what is happening. We will just continue with that,”

To attract caregivers, California o ers paid training and self-care

ONE November afternoon, Chris Espedal asked a group of caregivers — all of whom work with people who have cognitive impairments, behavioral health issues, or complex physical needs — to describe what happens when their work becomes too much to bear. The participants, 13 caregivers from all over California, who had gathered in a Zoom room, said they experienced nausea, anxiety, shortness of breath, elevated heart rates, and other telltale signs of stress.

“I want to scream!” one called out. “I feel exhausted,” said another.

Espedal, who has been training caregivers for 18 years, guided the class through a selfsoothing exercise: “Breathe in for four counts, hold the breath for four, exhale for four.” She taught them to carve out time for themselves,

he said.

A recession is characterized mainly by a sharp decline in economic activity that can last years.

Economists technically define a recession as two consecutive quarters of contraction in gross domestic product (GDP), a measure of economic activity. During a recession, unemployment rises, consumer sales decline, and manufacturing output falls.

Mr. Marcos added that the government was working to cushion the impact of high consumer prices, particularly on poor Filipinos.

“Expect that we will do everything we can to lower the inflation rate and make the price increase (of basic goods and services) at least slower,” he said.

According to the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), the 4.5 percent inflation rate in October

Marcos: Growth on track amid ‘rampant’ in ation

MANILA — While he admitted that inflation is “running rampant and out of control,” President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Tuesday, December 6 said the Philippines is still on track “to maintain a strong economic performance” and achieve the government’s growth target of 6.5 to 7.5 percent for this year. The rate of increase in prices of goods

What’s inside the ‘re ned’ Maharlika Wealth Fund bill?

MANILA — House lawmakers pushing for the creation of a sovereign wealth fund (SWF) introduced "refinements" to the controversial bill in response to simmering public backlash.

During the House Committee on Appropriations hearing on Friday, December 9, proponents of the still unnumbered bill,

which would create what would be known as the Maharlika Wealth Fund, finalized the changes meant to pacify negative reactions over the piece of legislation, particularly its funding provisions.

Here are the key amendments to the Maharlika bill: GSIS, SSS removed as funding sources Under the revised version of the bill, the Government Service

Insurance System (GSIS) and Social Security System (SSS) have been removed as sources of seed money for Maharlika.

This, amid public anger over the original version’s provision requiring the two state pension funds to inject a combined amount of P150 billion to the SWF, which critics said could put retirement funds of contributors and pensioners at risk of

Jose Aguila and his wife, Lorraine Lim, are facing several felony and misdemeanor charges as a result of an investigation into the working conditions of their nanny, “Nicel R.,” the District Attorney’s office announced.

According to prosecutors, a neighbor alerted the San Francisco Police after finding out how Nicel R. was being treated. The SFPD Special Victims Unit rescued the nanny on November 29, 2021.

The couple allegedly brought Nicel R. to the U.S. in June of 2019 and forced her to work seven days a week to take care of their disabled child in addition to other forms of forced labor inside and outside their residence.

The victim told investigators that the couple promised her she would be in the U.S. for only three months, but that turned into

Philippines seeks closer, e ective partnerships in Asia-Paci c region

MANILA — The Philippines called for closer and more effective partnerships in the Asia-Pacific region to ensure that oceans remain zones of peace and prosperity for the benefit of present and future generations.

In his remarks at the Second World Ocean Summit in Singapore, Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo highlighted the Philippine government’s priorities toward the vision of a stable and secure future for all Filipinos, which include food and energy security, climate change

mitigation and adaptation, regional and global peace, all inextricably linked to the maritime space.

The summit covered sustainable ocean economy with sessions on governance, climate change, finance, supply chains, innovation and technology, shipping, tourism, fishing and aquaculture.

Manalo also outlined the government’s key efforts on environmental and marine protection, ocean governance and sustainable development.

He said these efforts reflect consistent and concrete action of the government  PAGE A2

and services in the country accelerated to 8 percent in November, exceeding the 7.7 percent figure back in October, which was already the highest in 14 years.

Data from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) released on Tuesday showed that the core consumer price index reached that level, driven by price gains in food and non-alcoholic beverages. The commodity group had an inflation rate of 10 percent, accounting for the 

Hidilyn Diaz wins only gold missing from her collection

HAVING fame, fortune, being a wife and very little time for herself haven’t stopped Hidilyn Diaz from performing at her best as she set her bid to qualify for Paris 2024 in swashbuckling motion on Thursday, December 8 by collaring three gold medals in the 55-kilogram

division

Filipino couple in San Francisco charged with tra cking nanny from PH

Marcos confident PH will avoid...

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this year was lower than the 7.4 percent in October 2021.

The PSA also reported that the number of unemployed Filipinos decreased to 2.24 million in October from 3.5 million last year.

The PSA also said that the employment rate in October rose to 95.5 percent, from 95 percent in September, which was the highest rate recorded since January 2020.

Inflation causes

Last November, Finance Secretary Benjamin Diokno also assured Filipinos that the country would not go into a recession despite projections that the global economy was headed into one.

“I can assure you, your honor, that given the data that we have, under very extreme conditions, we will not have a recession because we have a very young population,” Diokno told lawmakers during a Commission on Appointments committee hearing on his ad interim appointment.

“I can assure you, given our focus on agriculture, we restored mining, our industry and manufacturing are working well, we have opened up the (market for migrant workers), and we have increased the quality of our overseas workers, I don’t think we’ll have a recession,” said.

On Tuesday, December 6,

the President told an economic forum hosted by the Joint Foreign Chambers (JFC) of the Philippines that while inflation was “running rampant and out of control,” the country was still on track “to maintain a strong economic performance” and achieve the government’s growth target of 6.5 to 7.5 percent for this year.

“We are now trying to identify the areas of the economy that are the main drivers of that inflation,” he said, admitting that “the main drivers, unfortunately, are still imported inflation. So again import substitution is still a good idea not only for foreign exchange reserves but also so that we can keep our inflation rate down.”

The President also noted that the country continues to recover from the pandemic, pointing out that “our growth rate looks healthy, our peso has become a little stronger, [and] our unemployment rate is quite reasonable, considering the situation.”

Strong growth Latest data from the PSA showed that the Philippine economy grew by 7.6 percent in the third quarter of 2022, faster than 7 percent in the same period of 2021 and 7.5 percent in the second quarter this year.

Mapa said the country’s output of goods and services grew for the sixth quarter in a row.

Before that, Philippine GDP suffered five consecutive quarters of decline—from -0.7 percent in the first quarter of 2020 at the onset of the pandemic, bottoming at -16.9 percent in the second quarter that year, until -3.8 percent in the first quarter of 2021.

In July to September this year, all the three major economic sectors showed growth— agriculture (2.2 percent), industry (5.8 percent), and services (9.1 percent).

In particular, wholesale and retail trade businesses (up 9.1 percent) were among the main contributors along with financial and insurance activities (7.7 percent), and construction, (12.2 percent).

Economic Planning Secretary Arsenio Balisacan said the latest economic readout placed the Philippines second in the region after Vietnam (13.7 percent) and ahead of Indonesia (5.7 percent) in terms of economic growth.

“This turnout signifies that Filipino families are close to returning to prepandemic life, as more people visit restaurants and hotels and engage in recreational activities within the country,” Balisacan said. 

Philippines seeks closer, e ective partnerships...

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against illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing; innovations on sustainable aquaculture; enhancement of maritime transport in view of the country’s status as largest provider of the global seafaring workforce and the fourth-largest shipbuilder in the world; adoption of a National Plan of Action for the prevention, reduction and management of Marine Litter to achieve “zero waste in Philippine waters by 2040,” and the recently passed legislation introducing extended producer responsibility on plastic packaging waste.

The two-day summit brought together ocean leaders for a discussion on the most critical topics and reflections on how to ensure that the Asia Pacific remains at the heart of the global ocean conversation.

The World Ocean Summit is an annual global event which brings together the widest cross-

section of the ocean community from business and finance to governments, national and international policymakers, civil society and academia.

The 10th Annual World Ocean Summit and Expo, with the theme, “Inspiring Oceans Solutions” will be held on Feb. 27 to March 1, 2023 in Lisbon, Portugal.

Meanwhile, the Philippines underscored the importance of constructive engagement with the United Nations Human Rights Council (HRC) that fully respects the role of the state as a sovereign duty bearer.

Philippine Permanent Representative to the United Nations and other international organizations in Geneva Evan Garcia shared his observations on current dynamics in the HRC during a dialogue of ASEAN Permanent Representatives in Geneva with newly appointed UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk on Nov. 29.

Garcia joined the other ASEAN permanent representatives in the dialogue.

With Cambodia as chair of the ASEAN Committee in Geneva, the ASEAN Permanent Representatives and Türk exchanged views on progress and challenges in human rights promotion and protection in the ASEAN region, engagement and cooperation of ASEAN members states with the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), and potential areas of cooperation, including capacity building and technical assistance.

Garcia noted that the Philippines has recently undergone major reviews on its compliance with international human rights obligations, particularly the Convention on the Rights of the Child in September and International Convention on Civil and Political Rights in October this year.

The Philippines also underwent  PAGE A4

Hidilyn Diaz wins only gold missing...

the best in the snatch, clean and jerk and total in the Colombian capital as she finally reigned in the Worlds while getting her bid for Paris—where the Philippines’ second Games gold can be won— right on track.

“Finally, I [get a] win at the World Championships,” Diaz told the International Weightlifting Federation website after the win. “I am so happy with that.”

Diaz snatched a total of 93 kgs for her first gold before ruling the clean and jerk with an effort of 114. She failed to improve on this, though, by failing at 117 and 121 as she tried to establish a personal best for the year.

Her 207-kg tally was eight kilos better than hometown bet Rosalba Morales’ effort for the silver.

Diaz and the rest of Team HD prepared well and hard for this, arriving in Colombia ahead of the rest of the field to acclimatize, a factor that spelled the downfall of many others with Bogota being 2,640 meters above sea level.

The PH contingent first set up camp in the United States before heading to Colombia a week

before the competition.

“It was good timing because this is the last time that I will compete at 55 kg,” said Diaz, who would need to choose between going down to the 49-kg division or moving up to 59 kg in Paris.

After winning in Tokyo, Diaz was understandably the toast of the country last year. It was a victory that not only wrote history, but also kept her busy with numerous appearances, commercial shoots and her own work in giving something back to the sport.

“It’s really hard when you become famous,” Diaz told the website. “I have been able to control it, but it’s very hard time management.”

Diaz also tied the knot with her long-time coach Julius Naranjo earlier this year.

“[This win] is absolutely amazing,” said Philippine Weightlifting Federation president Monico Puentevella. “It shows her incredible commitment.”

“This recent breakthrough of Olympic champion Hidilyn Diaz is proof that Filipinos are strong and talented individuals,”

Philippine Olympic Committee president Bambol Tolentino said in a statement released to media outlets.

“We are truly grateful to Team HD for this is a result of hard work,” the statement said. “[This latest achievement is] a combination of determination, continuous training and confidence.”

Dream medal haul

To say that Diaz is the best Philippine athlete of her generation is an understatement as she completed a medal collection others could only dream of.

Before being queen of the Tokyo Games, Diaz had pocketed gold medals in the Southeast Asian Games, the Asian Games and the Asian Championships. She could be the Philippine Sportswriters Association’s Athlete of the Year yet again.

The Bogota event is a required event on the list of qualifying events for Paris 2024, where Diaz will hope to win a second straight gold even after her old division had been taken out of the events. (Musong R. Castillo/ Inquirer.net)

Philippines seeks closer, e ective partnerships...

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the 4th cycle Universal Periodic Review (UPR) of the HRC where the government accepted 200 recommendations on various human rights issues.

The ambassador noted that the United Nations Joint Program on Human Rights is an example of such an approach to human rights

action and meant to support national initiatives, including the ongoing law enforcement and justice reforms being undertaken by the Department of Justice.

He said that the Philippines is one of the pilot countries for the OHCHR’s National Recommendations Tracking Database, which is hoped to enhance the capacity of

government agencies to monitor and implement human rights recommendations arising from the UPR and constructive dialogues with treaty bodies.

Garcia reaffirmed the Philippines’ commitment to work closely with the OHCHR on issues of common interest within the framework of ASEAN and in its national capacity. 

Marcos: Growth on track amid ‘rampant’...

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biggest weight in the inflation basket at 58.4 percent.

Vegetables, rice, and sugar were the top three goods that saw an increase in their prices.

‘Poor news’

Restaurant and accommodation services were the second biggest commodity group that was the source of inflation, with a rate of 6.5 percent and a share of 19.8 percent.

The November figure brings the year-to-date inflation to 5.6 percent, in close proximity to the government’s target of 5.8 percent.

Following the release of inflation data, Marcos, addressing

an economic forum by the Joint Foreign Chambers (JFC) of the Philippines, said of that “poor news” that “we are now trying to identify the areas of the economy that are the main drivers of that inflation.”

“The main drivers, unfortunately, are still imported inflation. So again import substitution is still a good idea not only for foreign exchange reserves but also so that we can keep our inflation rate down,” he added.

The president also noted that the country continues to recover from the pandemic.

But he also pointed out that “our growth rate looks healthy, our peso has become a little stronger, [and] our unemployment rate is quite reasonable, considering the situation.”

“[H]owever, on the other side of that coin, there is still inflation that is rampant and out of control,” Marcos said.

Inflation

The MB holds a policy meeting twice in every quarter, once a month except for the first month of each quarter.

‘Tools to combat inflation’

In a statement, Albay Rep. Joey Salceda recommended that the President issue an executive order that would ensure all supply bottlenecks for food and other farm produce are eased to address logistics and transport costs in food prices.

“Local government units may be directed to lift all hindrances and blockages across farm-tomarket routes. The Department of Transportation may be directed to ensure the proper flow of traffic feeding into inter-island nautical routes,” he suggested further.

“As much as 48 percent of prices of certain food staples are logistics costs,” Salceda pointed out. “We can make an impact on food prices by reducing transport bottlenecks.”

peak?

Rizal Commercial Banking Corporation chief economist Michael Ricafort said when asked to comment: “There is a chance that year-on-year inflation could have already reached the peak in the fourth quarter of 2022, and could start to ease gradually thereafter and could even ease year-on-year significantly, especially starting in the first quarter of 2023.”

Ricafort noted this since crude oil prices have already gone down from a high of $130.50 per barrel in March to $77 per barrel today.

“However, this could be offset by any additional storm damage toward the end of 2022, in case there is any, as well as some seasonal increase in demand and prices of Christmas holiday-related products toward December,” he said further.

But PSA Deputy National Statistician Divina Gracia del Prado said her agency was unsure if December inflation could be higher, citing historical data trends which show that inflation in the last month of a given year could go both ways.

Rate hikes

Last month the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) hiked its policy rate by 0.75-percentage-point (ppts) to tame the country’s inflation rate.

But more hikes are seen on the horizon until around mid-2023.

The Monetary Board (MB), the central bank’s seven-person policy-making body, decided to raise the interest rate on the central bank’s overnight reverse repurchase facility by 75 basis points (bps) to 5 percent, effective on Nov. 18.

Almost a week ago, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) nudged the Philippines to further tighten its monetary policy amid persistent inflationary pressures, making the recommendation after its periodic consultations with key officials.

BSP Governor Felipe Medalla said in an interview with Bloomberg TV last week that he is personally looking at several more increases of 0.25 ppts in the succeeding meetings of the MB, which is set to meet one more time this month before the year ends.

The Albay lawmaker also cited his measure seeking to classify large-scale food price manipulation as economic sabotage—which he said has the support of the House leadership and the committee on agriculture and food.

“There is an abundance of tools available to the President and his economic team to combat inflation. Immediate executive action may still take time to actually address fundamental drivers of inflation, but would be proper signaling for the public and private sectors,” Salceda said.

“Inflation remains the toughest economic storm we must weather, and our ships must sail in the same direction,” he said further.

ACT Teachers Rep. France Castro urged the President to certify as urgent bills raising public and private workers’ wages and reducing costs of basic goods.

‘Golden era’

“The administration should prioritize steps to reduce the prices [of basic commodities] and raise the salaries of Filipinos. This is not the time for a Maharlika Investment Fund, the government should not have budgets for oppressive policies like the NTFElcac and confidential funds. What should be prioritized are funds for aid, increase in salaries and wages and benefits for the people,” the House deputy minority leader said in a statement.

She added: “It was easy to bring back the P10 billion to the NTF-Elcac and the P150 million in confidential funds of the Department of Education but when it comes to salaries, benefits and primary requirements for safe and quality education, the government has no budget?”

“Prices of ingredients for sauteing are now like gold. This must be the ‘golden era’ mentioned during the campaign period,” the lawmaker lamented in Filipino.

“The Marcos administration must do something to ease the rising prices of basic goods. Increase salaries and wages to give the people more purchasing power and remove [the valueadded tax] and other taxes on essential goods, especially oil products,” she said. (With reports from Jeannette I. Andrade And Nestor A. Corrales)

Filipino couple in San Francisco...

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more than two years. Through various means, they allegedly isolated Nicel R., who does not speak English, like keeping her passport, and preventing her from having a cellphone. Nicel R. depended on the couple for her food, shelter, and other necessities. She had to sleep a storage room, authorities said.

According to investigators, Aguila and Lim only paid Nicel R. $240 a month for the first several months and then reduced that to $40 per month. She was also required to be available at all times, even in the middle of the night, to care for the couple’s child.

Prosecutors said Aguila and Lim did not provide

other mandatory employee benefits such as payment for the substantial overtime hours she worked, meal and rest breaks, paid sick leave, workers’ compensation insurance and proof of wages.

“Each of the suspects posted bond on $100,000 bails set by the court,” the District Attorney’s press release stated. “Pretrial release conditions include electronic monitoring by the San Francisco Sherriff’s Department, surrendering passports and abiding by the terms of a Criminal Protective Order which states that they must have no contact with the victim and must stay 100 yards away from her. If convicted of all charges, they each face over 19 years in State Prison.” (Inquirer.net)

Dateline PhiliPPines

19 senators sign committee report recommending SOGIESC Equality Bill

MANILA — The Senate women, children, family relations, and gender equality panel filed its report recommending the passage of the Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity and Expression, and Sex Characteristics or SOGIESC Equality bill to the tune of 19 signatures out of 24 senators, Sen. Risa Hontiveros said.

“I am ecstatic that 19 of us colleagues in the Senate have come together to support the SOGIESC Bill. In just one day, we persuaded them to sign the committee report. I am even more encouraged that in this Congress, the SOGIE bill will finally be passed,” Hontiveros said in a statement. "It's 2022 already; our laws should reflect the reality of our culture."

In the 18th Congress, just eight senators signed the committee report. The following were the 19 who signed the report and expressed “strong and immediate support to move the bill forward"

according to Hontiveros:

• Senate Minority Leader Koko Pimentel

• Senator Sonny Angara

• Senator Imee Marcos

• Senator Cynthia Villar

• Senator Nancy Binay

• Senator Bato dela Rosa

• Senator Grace Poe

• Senator Mark Villar

• Senator Francis Tolentino

• Senator JV Ejercito

• Senator Robinhood Padilla

• Senator Raffy Tulfo

• Senator Jinggoy Estrada

• Senator Lito Lapid

• Senator Chiz Escudero

• Senator Loren Legarda

• Senator Bong Go

• Senator Bong Revilla

The five remaining senators, including Majority Leader Joel Villanueva and Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri, signed with reservations or have signaled their intent to interpellate.

“The swiftness with which the

committee report was signed and filed is surely a sign of good things to come. I am hopeful that this bill can continue to move forward to show that our Senate is a true supporter of the LGBTQIA+ community,” Hontiveros said in mixed Filipino and English.

What does the bill say?

The SOGIESC Equality bill mandates the State to address all forms of discrimination and violence on the basis of SOGIESC. This includes:

• refusing admission to or expelling a person from any educational or training institution

• imposing disciplinary sanctions harsher than customary that infringe on the rights of students

• refusing or revoking the accreditation of organizations, groups, political parties, or institutions, among others

Penalties include a fine of not less than P100,000, but not more than

BuCor execs face plunder charges

BUREAU of Corrections Officer in Charge Gregorio Catapang Jr. vowed to file plunder charges against BuCor officials involved in the release of funds for the upgrading of prison facilities.

Catapang said he discovered that 95 percent of the budget for the modernization of three of BuCor’s seven prisons and penal farms have been released, but only 60 percent of the projects have been completed.

“It is very frustrating because 95 percent of the money has already been released, but the percentage of work is only 60 to 65 percent in the two penal colonies that we visited,” he said on Tuesday, Dec. 6.

Catapang was referring to the Iwahig Prison and Penal Farm in Palawan and the Davao Prison and Penal Farm in Davao del Norte.

He announced that he is scheduled to visit the Leyte Regional Prison in Southern Leyte.

Aside from the Iwahig and Davao prisons, BuCor’s other operating units include the New Bilibid Prison (NBP) in Muntinlupa

Each of the prison facilities has a budget of P300 million.

“So, if 95 percent have been released, more or less P290 million has been received. I reported to [Justice] Secretary [Jesus Crispin] Remulla about this last Sunday (December 4). I said, if need be, I really don’t feel guilty, I will file a plunder case against those involved in this,” Catapang said.

Republic Act (RA) 10575, or the “BuCor Modernization Act of 2013,” primarily aims to make the BuCor’s systems at par with international prison management standards.

RA 10575 authorizes the construction of additional prison facilities to decongest the NBP.

“Why plunder? Because how was the money released if it didn’t go through them? Who authorized the payment? Although the contractor is responsible to finish the project, in the same manner, BuCor is responsible for the

Based on RA 7080, plunder charges are filed when a public officer, by himself or in connivance with others, through a combination or series of criminal acts acquired ill-gotten wealth of at least P50 million.

Any person who conspired with the public officer shall also be punished for the crime.

Meanwhile, 500 newly hired corrections officers took their oath on Monday at the NBP sunken garden.

The hiring of 415 male and 85 female officers is part of the BuCor’s efforts to boost manpower in prisons and penal farms nationwide.

The recruits include licensed architects, agriculturists, civil engineers, psychologists, social workers, teachers, nurses and foresters, among others.

They will undergo rigid training before their deployment to BuCor facilities, Catapang said.

RA 10575 mandates the hiring of additional prison guards to satisfy the optimum corrections officer to persons deprived of liberty (PDL) ratio of 1-to-7. The current ratio is 1-to-35. g

Drug recycling, again

MANY law enforcers have been arrested on drug charges. This case, however, is notable for the brazenness of the alleged perpetrators. On Tuesday, December 6, the National Capital Region Police Office conducted a drug sting – right in the southern district office of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency in Taguig. And the principal suspect turned out to be no other than the PDEA district officer himself, Enrique Lucero.

Arrested together with Lucero were two other PDEA agents, Anthony Vic Alabastro and Jaireh Llaguno along with their driver, Mark Warren Mallo.

Editorial

The NCRPO, assisted by the PDEA, reported seizing 1.35 kilos of shabu valued at P9.1 million, four guns and a digital weighing scale. Video footage showed NCRPO raiders kicking the door to the PDEA office as they barged in and conducted the raid.

By law, the PDEA is the lead agency in the campaign against illegal drugs. NCRPO officers said they were tipped off that the suspects were “recycling” for street sale illegal drugs seized by the PDEA. A similar “drug recycling” story involving 12 police officers in Pampanga in 2013 brought down their commander at the time, Oscar Albayalde, as chief of the Philippine National Police. Drug money is big money, and its lure can be irresistible to those who believe they can get away with drug trafficking. PNP chief-turned-senator Ronald dela Rosa has said he has one regret in carrying out Rodrigo Duterte’s bloody campaign against illegal drugs: there was no thorough cleansing of the PNP before the hounds of Tokhang and Double Barrel were unleashed.

As the raid on the PDEA office indicated, the

case involving the so-called “ninja cops” in Pampanga apparently did not put an end to the recycling of seized drugs. A positive aspect of the story is that the criminal activity in the PDEA office was unearthed and the raid carried out. In a statement, the PNP and PDEA vowed closer cooperation in weeding their ranks of scalawags.

Alongside the housecleaning, there should be tighter controls in the safekeeping of confiscated illegal drugs. The banned substances are supposed to be destroyed, but are kept ostensibly because they are needed as evidence in prosecuting drug cases.

Before the pandemic lockdowns, PDEA officials had said the agency’s storage area for confiscated drugs would be placed under video surveillance around the clock to prevent pilferage and recycling.

The problem is when the officers tasked to ensure that the surveillance system is in place are the ones engaged in selling the seized drugs.

A more secure storage facility may have to be found for all illegal drugs confiscated by both the PNP and PDEA, if only to deliver their members from temptation. Too many anti-narcotics officers have shown that when opportunity knocks for making big money illegally, they grab it. (Philstar.com)

Should Marcos be blamed for soaring in ation?

strengthened its dollar, which in our case drove down the international value of our peso, making our imports — either for manufacturing inputs or direct consumption —expensive.

NO, and yes.

No, since almost all countries in the world have seen their inflation — the rate at which prices increase over a given period — worsening since 2020, with the global average rising from 4.7 percent in 2021, to 7.4 percent so far this year. This has been initially due to the disruption in economic activity due to the impact of the COVID-19 epidemic that started in 2021.

It has been a perfect storm, with so many factors involved.

To simplify things though: Blame it on Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, which was like a meteor falling on the global sea, creating tsunami waves in different forms such as disruptions in energy and food supplies. The richest countries’ defensive actions not just to contain their local inflation but prepare for war with Russia worsened the situation. The U.S., for example, steeply raised its local interest rates, but this

But this doesn’t explain the fact that our inflation rate, in November at 8 percent, is the highest in the region, next only to Laos, one of the poorest countries in Asia which reported a 39 percent inflation. Our 8 percent inflation is double that of Malaysia’s 4 percent, significantly higher than Indonesia’s 5.4 percent and Vietnam’s 4.7 percent.

What is worrying is that, as shown in the accompanying table, our inflation has worsened from 7.7 percent in October to last month’s 8 percent — the highest in 14 years, or since November 2008 at the height of the 20082009 global recession. There has been an upward trend monthly from 6.4 percent in July at the start of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s administration.

This continuous rise is in contrast to the decline in inflation in most countries in the region.

Thailand’s inflation slowed down from 6 percent to 5.6 percent

from October to November; Indonesia’s, from 5.7 to 5.4 percent, and Malaysia’s, from 4.5 percent to 4 percent.

Lackadaisical

I can only attribute the continued rise in our inflation rate — compared to our neighbors which are facing the same global factors — to Marcos’ lackadaisical response to inflation. Yes, he is to some extent to be blamed for the 8 percent inflation reported last month.

He had revealed his mentality with regard to the inflation problem at the very start of his administration when he even cast doubt on the Philippine Statistics Authority’s report that inflation had hit 6.1 percent in June. “I have to disagree with that number,” he said, as if there can be a debate on a question of fact. He even told the media then: “The forces that have pushed commodity prices up are beyond our control. Much of our inflation is imported; it’s inflation on products that have suffered inflation that we import. Sumama inflation nila sa atin (Their inflation accompanied ours).”

Marcos has been the secretary of the agriculture department

Sovereign wealth fund

since news broke that House Speaker Martin Romualdez and presidential son Sandro Marcos are pushing a measure creating the sovereign wealth fund.

OUR neighbor, Indonesia launched their sovereign wealth fund in February 2021 with a seed capital of just $5.4-B. Now after a year, it has ballooned to $24.5 after foreign investors took interest in their efforts to build toll roads.

Just last month, Singapore’s GIC and the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority has invested more than $20-B to fund airports, seaports also in water and logistics sectors, and digital infrastructure industry that includes fiber optics and data centers.

In their launch last year, inaugural president director Ridha Wirkusumah of the Indonesia Investment Authority, or INA, revealed that this was their initial strategy to attract investors into funding their national development projects. And for a better investment climate, their government will first ensure good governance of the fund by working alongside the supervisory board and accounting firms.

President Joko Widodo then set Wirkusumah’s target at $100-B.

Today, our country’s version, the proposed Maharlika Wealth Fund, comes under close scrutiny

In itself, a sovereign wealth fund (SWF) is not a bad idea. If handled well, it may actually help a country grow its investable funds. For many governments, individuals and corporations, investing is one of the best strategies for wealth creation.

But what’s with all the ruckus over the Maharlika Fund? There are concerns about use of State pension funds and money from government financial institutions for investment purposes. Possible corruption, fund misuse and alleged lack of safeguards are the most common misconceptions that prompted even big business groups to oppose the measure.

Yes, one of Malaysia‘s sovereign wealth fund, the IMDB was looted by its ex-premier Najib Razak by $5-B mainly because, it was a single signature set-up. And he succeeded in cahoots with corrupt personalities in Goldman Sachs. Razak was then investigated in more than 10 countries and then convicted in his own country.

Today, much of the money have been recovered and Malaysia’s sovereign wealth fund still stands at $37-B.

But to allay public fears here,

lawmakers and the country’s Economic Team underscored the benefits of institutionalizing the proposed Maharlika Wealth Fund (MWF). Led by Finance Secretary Benjamin Diokno, the country’s economic managers assured Filipinos that the funds will help the Marcos administration achieve its Agenda for Prosperity.

For his part, Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) President and GM Jose Wick Veloso also believes that a number of key industries in the country can move forward upon investment in high capital expenditures. The MWF, he said, would help improve employment, taxation, and economic activities.

For the MWF to work, there must be enough safeguards in place to ensure accountability and transparency in managing the fund. That’s why government economic managers vowed to abide by the Santiago Principles of the International Working Group of Sovereign Wealth Funds by establishing a threelayer mechanism for checks and balances. This includes internal audit, external audit, and finally, examination and audit by the Commission on Audit. Additionally, there will be an executive department reportorial requirement which will be implemented together with

since he assumed the presidency. He has done this, as he claimed, to emphasize that his administration is putting priority on efficient food production, to ensure stable supply at prices affordable to the masses.

As often happens, theory doesn’t match practice, and the agriculture department in effect has been a leaderless organization. With every official there waiting for Marcos’ instructions, the department has had no real, major initiatives to address the rise in food prices — which, in fact, has been the main reason for our soaring inflation rate.

Agri secretary Marcos being agriculture secretary obviously was crucial in asking Congress for an unprecedented 40 percent increase in its budget for next year. But will the agriculture department in its demoralized condition be able to spend that money efficiently and quickly to reduce food prices?

It seems Marcos and the agriculture department’s main response to addressing the rise in food prices has been to get a page from his father’s programs, which

congressional oversight.

Doubters and skeptics who don’t think a sovereign wealth fund can work can look at the experience of Singapore. GIC Private Limited is a sovereign wealth fund that manages the island-state’s foreign reserves.

It was established by the Government of Singapore in 1981 as the Government of Singapore Investment Corporation and its mission is to preserve and enhance the international purchasing power of the reserves with the aim of achieving good long-term returns above global inflation over the investment time horizon. The U.S.-headquartered Sovereign Wealth Fund Institute (SWFI) had estimated the fund’s assets at $690 billion as of June 2022 and it continues to invest in different entities across the globe.

Since our country’s economic managers want to assure the public that the MWF would be properly managed with enough safeguards against corruption, why don’t they include the possibility of tying up with Singapore’s GIC to help manage and invest the fund? After all, our neighbors in Singapore are already experts in this field while the Philippines could need some handholding in the fund’s early stage.

Now let us ask ourselves, why is Singapore’s GIC investing in Indonesia’s toll roads and their other national projects and not here in the Philippines?

is the Kadiwa idea of getting producers to sell to retailers directly, to remove traders’ margins.

This idea didn’t work during his father’s time, it won’t work today. Because our agricultural sector has mainly been a smallscale industry, traders provide before-harvest loans for farm-tomarket transport costs, for which they extract their profits. A new, major phenomenon that didn’t exist during the elder Marcos’ time is the emergence of big supermarkets with their “wetmarket” sections with, of course, their own trading margins.

How can mom-and-pop Kadiwa outlets compete with the large traders sector and the supermarkets? Kadiwa stores by one estimate, don’t even account for 1 percent of retail sales of agricultural products.

Food prices

It is no surprise then that our soaring inflation rate has been mainly due to the rise in food prices, which rose 10 percent in November, compared to a year ago, one of the highest rates in the post-EDSA period. The biggest rises were for commodities the

Gov’t should strictly watch Grab-MoveIt Motorcycle taxi operations

GRAB’s takeover of MOVEIT’s business operations is frowned by several consumer transport civic groups such as National Public Transport Coalition and Lawyers for Commuters Safety and Protection. This opens the perilous possibility of Grab PH’s dominance in the motorcycle taxi market that may lead to significant lessening of competition and affect not only passengers’ pockets but also the jobs of transportation workers.

I’ve learned that this backdoor acquisition was not approved by the Motorcycle Taxi Technical Working Group (TWG), lead agency for the government and civic-led pilot program for the motorcycle taxi market. It has only accredited Filipino companies Angkas, JoyRide, and Move It that’s supposed to be an aid for developing legislation that can better govern the industry.

While Move Its market share remains low compared to other competitors, Grab PH can turn the tables with its existing reach. A more concerning matter is that until now, it has yet to submit its latest compliance report on its commitments in respect of fare transparency and pricing behavior.

For the record, Grab PH once dominated the transport network vehicle services (TNVS) industry when it acquired Uber in 2018.

agriculture department could have the most influence on, among them: corn, 27 percent; sugar, 38 percent; vegetables, 26 percent; and meat, 9 percent. (See accompanying table)

What can be done? Leonardo Montemayor, longtime chairman of the Federation of Free Farmers, says: “A lot of things could be done by the agri department — such as seed dispersal for vegetables, efficient subsidized fuel to fishermen. While these may seem small things that won’t lower overnight food prices, if they’re all done, in a coordinated manner, these will have an impact. But right now, the agriculture department is still waiting for signals from the agri secretary on what to do.”

Debate as much as you want whether Marcos must share part of the blame for our soaring inflation, one thing is crystal clear to me: His administration doesn’t have a clear and detailed strategy to contain inflation. I find this scary. There’s a point at which inflation reaches — 10 percent according to some economists — at which it gets out of hand, and can be contained only by the harshest means such

Many suffered from unjust fare prices which prompted the Philippine Competition Commission (PCC) to issue penalties. It was the PCC who confirmed that Grab PH has overcharged and without proper regulation, history can repeat itself.

As of March 2022, Grab PH still needs to release PhP19.3 million refunds to eligible passengers for violating its commitments. Together with concerned groups, Marikina’s 2nd District Rep. Stella Quimbo in a congressional hearing asked regulators to be on their toes so passengers wouldn’t experience unfair treatment again.

As far as I am concerned, I have many issues specifically on GRAB’s delivery businesses. But like everyone else, no single business or entity, should be above the law or able to manipulate our regulations. Government, specifically the PCC, is supposed to be protectors of consumers’ interest. They must do their job as watchdogs of private businesses with “awarded public opportunities”, who oftentimes in the get go, begin to harm the general public’s interest. (Inquirer. net)

* * * The opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by the author do not necessarily reflect the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints of the Asian Journal, its management, editorial board and staff.

19 senators sign committee report...

P250,000 or imprisonment of not less than one year, but not more than six 6 years. The bill also penalizes those who deny a person access to health services on the basis of the person’s SOGIESC. Those who refuse medical and health services based on SOGIESC can be penalized with a fine of not less than P100,000, but not more than P300,000, or imprisonment of not less than six months, but not more

than two years and four months.

The measure also explicitly states that nothing in the law should be interpreted to disturb the exercise of parental authority or academic freedom.

“One of the most important things that the SOGIESC bill does is to ensure that every Filipino, regardless of gender, can receive competent medical services when needed. The stories of LGBTQIA members who are denied medical

services simply because of their gender are heartbreaking. This is flat out discrimination," Hontiveros said.

“The SOGIESC Bill’s message is clear: our country should not tolerate any act of discrimination. We are depriving LGBTQIA+ members of their lives and jobs simply because of beliefs and traditions that need to be corrected." (Franco Luna /Philstar. com)

To attract caregivers, California o ers paid...

such as setting the goal of reading a book from beginning to end, and reminded everyone to eat, sleep, and exercise. “

The class is a little touchy-feely. But it’s one of many offerings from the California Department of Social Services that the agency says is necessary for attracting and retaining caregivers in a state-funded assistance program that helps 650,000 low-income people who are older or disabled age in place, usually at home.

As part of the $295 million initiative, officials said, thousands of classes, both online and inperson, will begin rolling out in January, focused on dozens of topics, including dementia care, first-aid training, medication management, fall prevention, and self-care. Caregivers will be paid for the time they spend developing skills.

Whether it will help the program’s labor shortage remains to be seen. According to a 2021 state audit of the In-Home Supportive Services program, 32 out of 51 counties that responded to a survey reported a shortage of caregivers. Separately, auditors found that clients waited an average of 72 days to be approved for the program, although the department said most application delays were due to missing information from the applicants.

The in-home assistance program, which has been around for nearly 50 years, is plagued by high turnover. About 1 in 3 caregivers leave the program each year, according to University of California-Davis researcher Heather Young, who worked on a 2019 government report on California’s health care workforce needs.

It doesn’t help that the pay is low. According to the state, the average hourly rate for

caregivers in the in-home assistance program is $15.83.

Rates vary because the program is administered locally, with each county setting its own.

“Training is very helpful,” said Doug Moore, executive director of the United Domestic Workers of America AFSCME Local 3930, which represents roughly 150,000 caregivers in California. “But when the wages are low — and you can make more at Target or McDonald’s and get a signing bonus — then you’re going to go and do that work versus harder work, which is taking care of someone with a disability or a person that’s aging.”

The training initiative came out of Gov. Gavin Newsom’s Master Plan for Aging to improve the quality of caregiving careers.

Theresa Mier, a spokesperson for the Department of Social Services, said the state hopes financial incentives will help attract new workers and keep them caring for people with specialized needs longer. In addition to their hourly pay for taking classes, in-home caregivers will receive incentive payments that start at $500 for 15 hours of training. They can earn up to $3,500 if they go on to work at least 40 hours a month with a qualified client for at least six months. Previously, counties offered some training but did not pay workers for their time.

The state issued grants, including $16 million to Homebridge, a San Franciscobased caregiving organization, to coordinate training. Classes will be offered in Spanish, Cantonese, Mandarin, and Armenian, in addition to English, to reach more workers. And state officials are planning a social media campaign to recruit new caregivers.

But the incentives are

committed only through the end of 2023.

Greg Thompson, executive director of the Personal Assistance Services Council, the public authority that manages Los Angeles County’s in-home program, would like to see paid training become permanent.

“There needs to be, in my opinion, some kind of accountability, structure, supervision, and ongoing training,” he said.

Many caregivers who attended early courses care for family members with a mix of physical and behavioral needs. In fact, 3 out of 4 caregivers in the inhome assistance program are relatives of clients. But the state needs to prepare for a workforce shift, one that requires people to look outside their families. The number of California seniors is expected to be nearly 8.5 million by 2030, an increase of more than 40% from 2019. Many of them will be single.

The state will need more caregivers like Luz Maria Muñoz, who has worked in the in-home assistance program for six years.

The Bakersfield resident has navigated challenging situations on the job. One older client was on 30 medications. Another had bedsores, which can be life-threatening if not properly treated. Muñoz peppered the client’s nurse with questions about dressing the wounds and felt responsible for the client’s well-being.

“Those wounds needed to be cleaned daily,” she said.

Early sessions have filled up as soon as they’re set up. Leslie Kerns, the in-home assistance registry manager for Connecting Point, the public authority for the program in Nevada, Plumas, and Sierra counties, said some classes were full after  PAGE A8

USAID study proposes solutions to address PH cyber security risks

MANILA – A study funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) on Wednesday, December 7, proposed several solutions meant to address gaps in the country's current cybersecurity, particularly the lack of workforce in its cybersecurity ecosystem.

In a launch event at the Conrad Hotel in Pasay City, USAID's Better Access and Connectivity (BEACON) Activity presented its "National Cybersecurity Talent Workforce Assessment of the Philippines" commissioned by IBM Consulting Services and written by Caryn LeMur and Jeff Krinock.

BEACON Chief of Party John Garrity said the study found a lack of credentialed or certified and experienced cybersecurity workforce in the country, particularly in the public sector, among women, and entry to midlevel job positions in the private sector.

To address such issues, the study proposed several solutions that are divided into two tracks.

The first set of recommendations, he said, are incremental solutions that are "natural evolutions" of existing cybersecurity steps and are deemed as "low risk.”

"They are designed to move the Philippines' national cybersecurity forward in successive steps,” he added.

These include encouraging cyber awareness at all levels such as in schools, workplaces and homes and ensuring that the government is staffed by competent cybersecurity personnel while cybersecurity initiatives are "sufficiently funded" to toughen the country's information and communications technology (ICT) infrastructure.

He also recommended the formal adoption of a cyber "common consistent lexicon" such as the US National Institute for Standards and Technology's (NIST) National Initiative for Cybersecurity Education Workforce Framework for Cybersecurity.

To allow regular Filipinos to resist cyberattacks themselves, the study also recommended ensuring Filipinos have to right to freeze their credit.

The second track of recommendations, he said, are

"jumpstart" or adaptive solutions that are meant to move the country's cybersecurity posture by a "leap."

One of these is appointing an executive agency for cybersecurity that would review and right-size current cyber laws, use tax incentives to create cyber apprentice programs and provide grants to create cybersecurity centers of excellence.

In addition, such an executive agency may provide vouchers for certification exams, provide "after-the-fact" 50 percent scholarship to computer engineering graduates that pass selected cyber- or privacy examinations as well as regulating the cost of training.

He highlighted that such agency would need to collaborate with several government agencies such as the Technical Education and Skills Development Agency (TESDA), Commission on Higher Education (CHED), the Philippine legislature and the private sector.

The second "jumpstart" recommendation is implementing a cybersecurity curriculum that reflect local and global market demand.

To ensure that the national government has its own professional cybersecurity workforce, the study also proposed making the government cyber pay scale "competitive."

He said recruitment in the cyberspace sector is difficult for many nations and suggested that the best for a country to protect itself is to retain its "best people."

To ensure legal consequences for cybercriminals, the report also recommended enhancing and implementing cybersecurity legal training for judges.

"The Philippine Supreme Court should move to facilitate cybersecurity legal training for judges appointed to hear cybersecurity cases in coordination with the executive agency for cybersecurity," he said.

Lastly, the report recommended sponsoring a national cyber consortium in the Philippines.

"The executive agency for cybersecurity should sponsor and chair a national cyber consortium to ensure the cybersecurity ecosystem is improving and adapting to the changing local and global market," he said.

The consortium, he said, should

consider meeting every quarter, or every three months, to "adapt these initiatives" and report back to President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.

He said representatives of the consortium should include those from the Office of the President (OP), DICT, cyber organizations in the military and intelligence, cyber law enforcement agencies, CHED, TESDA, Department of Education (DepEd), Supreme Court, the academic and private sector, as well as other relevant stakeholders.

If the country fails to adopt or address these recommendations, he said the Philippines will fail to increase the size of its cyber workforce, will continue to have "great difficulty" recruiting and retaining cyber talent (especially in the public sector), and be unable to take advantage of the growing world demand for cyber expertise through the country's business process outsourcing (BPO) sector.

On the other hand, if the country is only able to adopt measures in the first track or incremental recommendations, there is a 75 percent possibility that the USD23 billion BPO sector in the country may be "jeopardized."

Another risk brought about by the continued lack in the cyber workforce, he said, would be the consequences of cyber attacks, noting that it is not a question of "if" but "when" such attacks happen.

However, if both tracks of recommendations are adopted, it will create a cybersecurity ecosystem that allows cybersecurity stakeholders to "ask questions that address issues and concerns above-andbeyond mere compliance."

The country's cyber ecosystem would also allow the use of "many positive levers" to manipulate its environment.

During the event, Garrity was joined by several government officials such as Senator Grace Poe, Senator Sherwin Gatchalian, DICT Secretary Ivan John Uy, IBM Philippines president and country general manager Aileen Jiao, IT and Business Process Association of the Philippines executive director Frankie Antolin, and other top ranking executives and officials in the government and private sector. (PNA)

What’s inside the ‘re ned’ Maharlika...

losses.

GSIS, SSS can still invest in Maharlika, but...

At a press conference also on Friday, Finance Secretary Benjamin Diokno said that while the GSIS and SSS were no longer included in the list of funders, the two state pension funds can still invest in Maharlika should their respective boards decide to do so.

"We are not mandating them to contribute. But if they are looking for higher returns, they may contribute. But that is up to the respective boards of the SSS and GSIS,” Diokno said.

BSP earnings as seed money

The new version of the Maharlika bill proposes that profits of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas be used to bridge the funding gap left by the removal of GSIS and SSS. If enacted into law, the BSP would be mandated to put 100% of its declared dividends into Maharlika during the first two years of the fund’s establishment. After the first two years, the BSP

will only need to remit 50% of its declared dividends to Maharlika, while the remaining 50% would be deposited to a special account meant to raise the P200 billion capitalization of the BSP. Under the revised central bank charter, the declared dividends that the BSP remits to the government must be used to raise the higher capital requirement of the central bank so it can perform its functions.

Once the BSP is fully capitalized, Maharlika could again receive 100% of the BSP’s declared dividends.

Last year, the central bank netted P34.81 billion and declared dividends of P17.41 billion. For this year, central bank lawyer Leila Rivera told House lawmakers that the BSP's income is forecast to range between P60 to P70 billion, which would translate to dividends of P30 to P35 billion.

Apart from the BSP, the following government institutions would also contribute to the initial capital for the SWF: • Land Bank of the Philippines

• Development Bank of the Philippines – P25 billion

• Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) – 10% of its online gaming

proceeds

The House appropriations panel also approved the proposal to exclude the General Appropriations Act (GAA) as one of the mandatory sources of funding for Maharlika.

DOF chief to head Maharlika board

Another salient feature of the amended bill is the designation of the Finance Secretary as chairman of the board of governors, replacing the Philippine president. The revision was meant to “insulate (Maharlika) from politics," lawmakers said.

Rep. Irwin Tieng (Manila 5th district), chair of the House Committee on Banks and Financial Intermediaries, also disclosed that the 15-man Maharlika board would have four independent directors instead of the original two. 

Should Marcos be blamed for soaring...

as astronomical interest rates.

Inflation would be Marcos’ scariest nightmare. It wasn’t the Filipinos’ desire for democracy or justice for the killing of opposition leader Benigno Aquino Jr. that eventually led to his father’s ouster.

It was inflation. Although due to reasons so different from those operating today, it crept up from 10 percent in 1979 to an unbelievable 50 percent in 1984. Tama na, sobra na really

referred to rising prices at the time.

He should get the Congress he controls to stop working on the silliness called Maharlika Wealth Fund and should instead draft a comprehensive antiinflation program, in the way President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo formulated and executed her government’s Economic Resiliency Plan in 2008.

This enabled the country to weather the 2008-2009 global recession and break the back of

inflation fast, from 8.3 percent in 2008 to 4.2 percent the succeeding year. (ManilaTimes. net)

* * * The opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by the author do not necessarily reflect the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints of the Asian Journal, its management, editorial board and staff.

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Twitter: @bobitiglao

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To attract caregivers, California o ers paid...

PAGE A7

three hours. State officials said registration for classes next year should open soon.

Angelina Williamson cares for her mother, who is disabled, in San Diego and took a course on mobility and transferring patients. She said she learned how to use her body to break a fall and that if her mother falls, it’s better to bring her a chair than pick her up because her mother has enough upper body strength to pull herself up, with Williamson’s help.

Recent surveys suggest that caregivers are likely to be

interested in self-care. In a review of nonprofit caregiver resource centers in California, 35% of caregivers reported that their health had worsened while providing care, and 20% had experienced symptoms of depression. Some caregivers also reported being lonely, which could include lacking companionship, feeling left out, or feeling isolated from others.

And a 2020 report by the National Alliance for Caregiving and AARP found that 26% of caregivers had difficulty managing their stress.

Robbie Glenn, a single father in Anaheim, attended Espedal’s

self-care class and learned to take time for himself. By day, Glenn cares for his 11-year-old son, Edin, who has birth defects from alcohol exposure and has nonverbal autism. Edin needs help going to the toilet and bathing. He has epilepsy and sometimes walks in his sleep. By night, Glenn freelances, doing post-production work, such as film editing and color grading.

Glenn now uses a timer to remind himself to take a break. “And,” he said, “I’ve been doing those breathing exercises a lot.” (Laurie Udesky/California Healthline)

Nye County passes moratorium on renewable energy projects for at least 6 months

IN a bid to strike a balance between the desires and needs of the Nye County communities, to which Pahrump belongs to, the Nye County Board of County Commissioners issued a moratorium on all applications for renewable energy generation facilities, which includes solar energy projects.

In recent years, applications for these types of projects have come at a fast clip for Nye County. The county’s planning department, according to a report in the Pahrump Valley Times, requested the county commissioners to pass the resolution “instituting a temporary [six-month] moratorium on the processing of any future applications for permits for renewable energy generation facilities in order for the planning department to conduct discussions and hearings to determine whether amendments or changes to Nye County Code are necessary in

order to protect the public health, safety and general welfare of the citizens of Nye County.”

Both local residents and representatives from solar companies spoke at a recent Nye county commissioners meeting where the item was included in the agenda. Residents spoke in favor of the moratorium, while solar company reps emphasized the need for the county to work with the renewable energy industry to develop standars that everyone could live by.

Part of the resolution passed, reads, “Whereas, the Nye County Planning Department has received a number of inquiries related to the creation and zoning of renewable energy generation facilities, which has resulted in a number of comments and concerns being made by Nye County citizens and members of the general public. And whereas the Nye County Planning Department

is under development pressure with inquiries and issues related to renewable energy generation facilities and… the Nye County Board of County Commissioners have been reviewing the Nye County Code with respect to renewable energy generation facilities and changes may be necessary…

“Whereas, several citizens of Nye County have publicly and privately questioned the provisions of the Nye County Code related to renewable energy generation facilities and the planning director is requesting the… board… pass a resolution instituting a temporary moratorium… to allow time for the planning department to study and research the proper classification, restrictions and requirements for renewable energy generation and other similar activities in Nye County and to propose amendments to the Nye County Code.

“Now therefore be it resolved, the Nye County Board of County Commissioners hereby adopt a temporary moratorium for a period not to exceed six months on the processing of any future applications for permits for renewable energy generation facilities and be it further resolved that said moratorium shall become effective immediately upon its passage…”

With the passage of the resolution, the Nye County Planning Department will work on scheduling public hearings so it can gather relevant information and data that can be used in the event that changes need to be made to the county codes for any renewable energy projects that will be developed in the future in Pahrump and other areas of Nye County.

This is another instance of government taking the reins in protecting the interests of its citizens by carefully looking at projects that are being considered for the future welfare of residents and businesses.

While renewable energy is at the forefront of people’s minds due to climate change, it is vital that the state, county, and city/ town governments also look at the viability of projects, related costs, impact on the environment and local flora and fauna, and other factors that can affect the livability in the area.

Pahrump is a town that has grown by leaps and bounds since its founding in the late 19th

century where large ranch-style holdings typified the area on which cotton and alfalfa were grown, and livestock raised.

It has gone through significant changes, and is one of the fastestgrowing towns in the United States.

Big companies and franchises like The Home Depot, Burger King, Chevron, Coyote Corner, CVS Pharmacy, Domino’s, Davita, Enterprise, Family Dollar, US Bank, Bank of America, Taco Bell and Supercuts have established operations, along with hundreds of businesses that cater to the needs of the diversified, growing population of the town. Of course, Pahrump being in Nevada, there are a few hotel-casinos and legal brothels operating in town.

Pahrump is home to the Mountain Falls Golf Club, which has an 18-hole course codesigned by architectural firms Nicklaus Design Group and Cal Olson Design.

It is also where Spring Mountain Motor Resort and Country Club is situated, which has the longest road course in North America with over 6 miles of challenging racetrack that can be offered in more than 50 unique configurations. The facility is home to car racing schools, and also houses Spring Mountain Estates where luxury trackside homesites are being offered and built.

With affordability the name of the game right now in real estate, Pahrump is one of those

cities and/or towns that keep popping up in due to the lower, affordable real estate prices and its location in Nevada – it is only about 62 miles west of gaming and entertainment hub/emerging sports capital Las Vegas. People who are priced out of the Las Vegas real estate market are looking at areas near the city, and Pahrump is one of those places that offers a quiet, more peaceful alternative to the big city lights and traffic that are ever-present in Sin City.

I have helped many clients look for their piece of real estate heaven in Pahrump and in Las Vegas. I have decades of experience in assisting my clients find their American Dream,

property-wise – one that fits their budgets and needs. Many of my clients have even become repeat buyers and investors, with some now reaping the benefits of their real estate investments via rentals or through Airbnb.

My company, Precious Properties, is a full-service company that has served its clientele since 1992. You can reach me at 775-513-8447, 805559-2476 and 702-538-4948 for more information, or send me an email at fely@preciousproperties.com or fely.precious@ gmail.com. We have investors who buy houses in California and Nevada for cash and quick escrow in as short as 7 days. (Advertising Supplement)

Atty. Gurfinkel answers immigration questions from Kapamilya in Chicago on part 1 of a series of Q&A on Citizen Pinoy

LEADING U.S. Immigration Atty. Michael J. Gurfinkel visited Chicago, where he answered questions of Kapamilya from the “Windy City” and neighboring areas. In Part 1 of “Your Tanong, My Sagot,” viewers will hear answers to the following immigration concerns:

• Maria’s mother petitioned her sister 15 years ago but passed away in 2018. Maria asks if she

can bring her sister to the U.S.

•

Martin Nievera’s joy of performing music for 40 years

ART is the natural attitude of the soul, wrote Lissa de Guia. Even in sorrow and in pain, true artists connect to their art. Imagine performing your music for 40 years. Think of how Martin Nievera persisted, irrespective of his surroundings and circumstances, to be giving the best of his performances to fans, as if they are the king.

“No one ever told me I was good. No one ever told me, ‘You’re great.’ Then, someone had to name me Concert King. It’s hard to live with the name Concert King. My philosophy is

that as a singer, I want to be that singer who gives a performance fit for a king, and the king, for me, is the audience,“ Martin shared.

Joyful moments defined #M4D concert at Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles.  Martin Nievera is the first Filipino solo male artist to

perform at the iconic venue, giving a performance just under 3 hours for his audience of 1,601 attendees. The audience was family to him, some of whom travelled a distance just to see him in person. He performed generously for his “King”, the audience, 24 songs. When we

Popular singer Jovit Baldivino passes away at 29

SINGER and first grand winner of talent search program, “Pilipinas Got Talent”, Jovit Baldivino passed away on Friday morning, December 9 due to aneurysm, days after his reported confinement in intensive care. He was 29.

In an official statement sent by his family through ABSCBN’s MJ Felipe, Baldivino was recuperating for a week with hypertension maintenance medicines when he was invited by a family friend from Batangas City to perform in an event.

According to his parents and fiancé Camille Ann Miguel, the doctor advised him not to sing while recuperating but gave in to the clamor of the crowd. He sang three signature songs, including his famous version of “Faithfully” by Journey. However, he was seen gasping for breath on the third song.

Manny Pacquiao releases movie against Asian hate crimes

LOS ANGELES – Eight-division world

champion Manny Pacquiao has xxecutive produced a movie to raise awareness of Asian hate crimes titled “Almighty Zeus”, which had a theatrical release in selected theaters starting December 2, 2022.

Pacquiao said, “I hope this movie will encourage and Inspire a lot of people, not only In America but all over the world. I hope

It encourages people to spread love Instead of hate.” [To view Manny Pacquiao’s interview with CBS LA on executive producing Almighty Zeus, visit https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P-7lxFqSWs.]

Written, directed, and produced by Chris Soriano, who also stars as the main actor, the goal of the film is to showcase unity through the sport of boxing. The story focuses on the middleweight champion of the world losing his mother to COVID-19 and ends up challenging an Asian American boxer (Zeus) to punish in the ring. Zeus encounters a neighborhood boxing legend, Coach Green, who decides to take Zeus under his wing and teach him fight tactics through the dangerous streets of Los Angeles.

Soriano began filming during the pandemic and incorporated real hate crimes that happened to Asian Americans in his film. Soriano felt the need to tell this story in hope it will shine light on how the country could deal with racism toward minorities. His goal is to promote peace. The co-lead actor in the film is a Black American, Coach Green. Soriano hopes that this film will showcase unity with the journey both characters go through.

Details for “Almighty Zeus”:

• Genre: Action/Drama

• Runtime: 1hr 55min

• “Zeus” is on Facebook, Instagram, @ almightyzeusmovie and Twitter under @ Zeusthemov

• Movie Trailer: http://www.tricoastworldwide. com/almighty-zeus-trailer/ Passcode: 11124

• Scene - Asian man gets sprayed with hand sanitizer: https://youtu.be/4bZ22Hvf3hY.

(Courtesy of Lavi PR/Avalon Communications)

Popular singer Jovit Baldivino...

“After an hour while sitting, his face was deformed with flowing salivas. He was then rushed to the nearest ER at Nazareth of Jesus Hospital last December 3, 2022 around 10 p.m. CTscan showed a blood clot in the brain (sign of aneurysm),” the statement read.

The doctors suctioned 100cc of blood around 2 a.m. of December 4 and the singer was comatose for five days before he died on Friday, December 9 at 4 a.m.

Miguel, Baldivino’s fiancé, shared a photo of them together on Facebook with a caption. ASAWA KO (crying face emoji).”

On Thursday, December 8, friend and fellow singer Limuel Llanes asked his followers for prayers and financial help for Baldivino.

Before winning the reality talent show in 2010, Baldivino used to sell siomai at a market after school to sustain his studies and help his family.

He was known for his version of the songs “Faithfully” and “Too Much Love Will Kill You.” A couple of his hit tracks “Pusong Bato” and “Ika’y Mahal Pa Rin” became popular after they were posted on social media. g

Dolly earns best supporting actress nomination at 27th Satellite Awards

DOLLY de Leon has been nominated for best supporting actress at the 2022 Satellite Awards for her role as Abigail in the film “Triangle of Sadness,” alongside five other celebrities.

The Filipino actress is included in the U.S.-based International Press Academy’s list of nominees for the 27th Satellite Awards, released on its official website on Thursday, Dec. 8.

Also included in the nominees for Best Actress in a Supporting Role category are Jean Smart for “Babylon,” Angela Bassett for “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever,” Kerry Condon for “The Banshees of Inisherin,” Claire Foy for “Women Talking” and

Jamie Lee Curtis for “Everything Everywhere All at Once.”

De Leon is the only Filipino who is currently in the running for an award at the 27th Satellite Awards. On the other hand, “Triangle of Sadness” is nominated for Best Motion Picture, while writer-director Ruben Östlund bagged a Best Original Screenplay nod.

According to the International Press Academy, the winners will be announced on Feb. 11, 2023.

Born as Dolly Earnshaw de Leon, the actress gained international recognition after starring in the Palme d’Orwinning film “Triangle of Sadness.” She also appeared in the Filipino films “Historya ni Ha” and “Hintayan ng Langit,” and the HBO Asia anthology series “7 Days of Hell.” g

Atty. Gurfinkel answers immigration...

her youngest daughter. Her mother was caught and her H1B was revoked. Dahlia wants to know if she can petition her mother now that she (Dahlia) is an American Citizen.

• Pauline wants to know the easiest way for her to get a green card if she came to the U.S. as a tourist and then changed her status to an F1 (Student).

• Ann’s mother was petitioned by her sister (Ann’s aunt) years ago. By the time the petition was approved, only her youngest sister was able to come to the U.S. with their mother, since Ann

and her other sister had aged out. Ann wants to know if there is still a chance for her other sister to immigrate to the U.S. via the Child Status Protection Act.

Atty. Gurfinkel answers these questions in Part 1 of “Your Tanong, My Sagot,” with Kapamilya from Chicago. Watch this success story on an encore episode of “Citizen Pinoy” on Sunday, December 11 at 6:30 PM PT (9:30 PM ET) through select Cable/Satellite providers, right after TV Patrol Linggo. Citizen Pinoy is also available on iWantTFC. Viewers may download the free app. (Advertising Supplement)

Jodi hailed as best actress at Asian Academy Creative Awards

JODI Sta. Maria has been named the best actress at the Asian Academy Creative Awards held in Singapore, for her performance in the drama series “The Broken Marriage Vow.”

The actress was shown holding her trophy while being greeted by the show’s producer Dreamscape Entertainment, as seen on its Instagram page on Thursday, Dec. 8.

“Congratulations [Jodi Sta. Maria] for being hailed as Best Actress in a Leading role at the [Asian Academy Creative Awards 2022],” it stated.

The production company also showed Sta. Maria’s acceptance

speech in another Instagram post.

In her speech, Sta. Maria thanked Dreamscape, the show’s directors, her co-stars and the entire production team behind “The Broken Marriage Vow.” Sta. Maria also called winning the best actress award the “highlight of my year.”

“The Broken Marriage Vow,” the Filipino adaptation of the British drama series “Doctor Foster,” aired on ABS-CBN from January to June this year. It starred Sta. Maria in the lead role alongside Zanjoe Marudo, Sue Ramirez and Zaijian Jaranilla. g

Donny, Belle fulfill goal to go skydiving together in Dubai

DONNY Pangilinan and Belle Mariano made good on their deal to go skydiving together, as they checked the item off their bucket list during their recent trip to Dubai.

The pair, who are currently in Dubai to promote their new movie “An Inconvenient Love,” gave a peek at their

skydiving adventure on their respective social media pages on Wednesday, Dec. 7.

Pangilinan showed the moment he was about to jump off a plane for skydiving, as seen on his Instagram page on Wednesday. He also described skydiving as “one of the best moments of my life” on his Instagram Stories.

Meanwhile, Mariano gave

Martin Nievera’s joy of performing...

attend concerts at Disney Hall, we are lucky to have six songs performed by the orchestra.

Journalist Ruben V. Nepales described it: “The show is a big milestone for Martin, known as the Philippines’ Concert King, as he bows in revered architect Frank Gehry’s landmark hall.”  Martin was accompanied by his live band, who travelled all the way from Las Vegas, and returned home that same night.

Goodwill greetings from Martin’s peers

Apl.de.ap introduced a nineminute video, and came in person to give tribute to Martin, and watched the compilation of greetings from their professional colleagues:

*Pilita Corrales who described how she knew the first time she saw him that he would be a superstar.

*Coco Martin who thanked him for helping with the theme song of a teleserye, Juan de la Cruz.

*Becca Godinez who met Martin when he was 17 years old and forecasted his success and now witnessing the “stretching of his vocal cords to reach high notes. You give to your audience and that is what endears and brings them with you.”

*Regine Alcasid and Ogie Alcasid who playfully had a short repartee to greet Martin.

*Susan Anton who acknowledged Martin’s concerts getting audiences’ raves.

*Manny Pacquiao, Sharon Cuneta and Piolo Pascual greeted him as well.

*The most meaningful and loving greeting came from his ‘bro,’ Gary Valenciano. Gary described their journey together as fellow artists, how they would try to outmatch each other and by doing so, became even better professionals. He was certain they would reach heaven and would perhaps joke about who outlasted whom. He ended it with an endearing “I love you, bro!”

*Lea Salonga congratulated him for performing in the best acoustical stage in Los Angeles and for a fantastic career that had longevity, because he was such a joy to be with, in having so much fun and “being such a presence [onstage], makulit  (persistently annoying) whom I highly respect and love.”

Ikaw was sung by Martin

Nievera, quite endearing and quite a spectacular Disney Hall performance, attended by 1,601 folks in August, a tough vacation month to fill up venues.

I replayed the video vignettes, feeling the emotions that he conveyed, with every lyrics sung expressing tender feelings of love, one would surmise – is he singing to his three sons or to his current partner?

Ikaw ang bigay ng Maykapal  (You are a gift from God)

Tugon sa aking dasal  (The answer to my fervent prayer) upang sa lahat ng panahon (So that for the time that goes by) bawat pagkakataon  (Every opportunity)

Ang ibigin ko’y ikaw. (I get to love you)

Ikaw ang tanglaw sa aking mundo  (You are the light in my world)

kabiyak nitong puso ko  (The other half of my yearning heart) wala ni kahati mang saglit (No one even in a split of time) na sa iyo’y may papalit (There will be no one else)

ngayong kailanman ikaw (Now and forever, but you).

At the press conference convened by Ted Benito as director and producer in August 2022, I told Martin that I would read my questions, to which he responded with wit, “I will read my answers.” That quickly gained rapport with me.

“I am an aging grandmother that I cannot help attending your press conference. I saw you perform TwoGether with Pops Fernandez and I like you both a lot, that I followed you

performing at a casino. This is my third concert and I bought the first seven tickets for my family,” I told him.

Martin asked, “was it the 80’s, the 90’s?”

“I watched the most recent ones,” I told him.

First question: Spirit is the substance of reality, deeper than your young boyish, handsome looks; deeper than the inked letters of the lyrics you are going to be singing, describe please your parenting spirit to your sons, your publicly declared treasures, Robin and Ram (his sons with exwife Pops Fernandez and Santino (his son with ex-partner Katrina Ojeda) a savant, a gifted child for a specific zone of knowledge.

Martin’s response: “We’re waiting to see what that is. Every parent who has a special child hopes he or she is a savant or some sort of genius. We want to tell ourselves we did good but I think my son [Santino] has gone through so many different moments where he changes ’savant-ness.” Right now, he loves to play the drums. He has told me that he is going to play the drums for you on August 28. That’s the one place where he is at peace and he’s the calmest. I think it’s because of numbers, just doing one number. I mean, everything is moving at the same time. I think that seems to be where we are.”

“This is the longest he’s been with something. He tried the piano. We bought a piano. Two days later, we didn’t need the piano anymore. He tried the violin. Not even a day later, we don’t need the violin.”

“We tried everything. We read the book; this is what’s going to happen to our special kids. Well, not all kids end up that way. They find what I call ‘a different magic’ and we’ve been waiting to see what the magic of Santino will be.”

“You’re going to have to be with me as we look forward to that day. When we know exactly what it is that he will be, when I’m already six feet under. And that’s my biggest fear.”

“For all three kids, it’s very hard to be the father that I wish I was, because I’m not present. I’m never there. With Santino, if I was guilty that I lost time with Robin and Ram, what more with Santino because his mother and I are no longer together?”

“Every child I have, their mother and I are not together, so how could I accept the award for the best father of the year? It’s always haunting me that I’m not good enough for my kids. My love, my time, as precious, as rare—it’s not the quantity but the quality.”

“I tell myself that all the time. This is how I get when I talk about my kids because I don’t deserve anything more than what I’m getting now.”

Second question: How has music enhanced your parenting of these three young adult men? Will they be embodiments of what your heart carries – like a big tent to help anyone in crises?

Martin’s response: “Maybe because they were there at certain songs during my 40 years. They may not have seen what all of you saw during that time but I was the father that I was back then.”

“Let’s say the first albums, I was present. I was there all the time. We did things together. We slept in one bed together. Their only memories of their mother and me, that’s the first ten albums.”

“The second ten albums, the different songs that I wrote, and now you start seeing it in my lyrics that I am going through something, songs like “What’s on the Other Side.’ I’m wondering what is it like to not be me?”

“Songs like ‘Chasing Time’ – these are songs you may not have heard before. But that’s where I was starting to go as a composer because I was going through something. I struggled

On the importance of being patient

EVERYTHING in life takes time to grow, flourish, and bear fruits.  It’s true in any relationship, whether it’s marriage, family, or friendship.  It’s also true in community and nation-building,   Healing also takes time.  Any doctor would tell us this hard truth.  Even friends mention this to us when we lose someone dear with the comforting phrase, “Time heals.”

Also, it takes time to fulfill a personal goal, mission, or vision, whether it pertains to one’s career, business, or physical, emotional, and physical health.   So, what proper attitudes must we possess to go through this growth process?

First, we need to have patience.  It’s what St. James advises in the Second Reading this Sunday, December 11 (James 5:7-11):

“Be patient, brothers and sisters, until the coming of the Lord.  See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, being patient with it until it receives the early and the late rains.  So you, too, must be patient.”

In his Sunday Readings reflection, Fr. Ron Rolheiser also speaks about this virtue when he asks:

“Can anyone paint a masterpiece in a couple of hours?  Can a doctoral thesis be completed in two hours?  Can sex with someone you met just two hours before be sublime?”

There is a saying in Spanish that goes this way: “Cuando Dios quiera, donde Dios quiera, como Dios quiera, y con quien Dios quiera.”

In English, it means “when God wants, where God wants, how God wants, and with whom God wants.”

The saying implies patience, which also presumes a strong faith in God and a spirit of surrender to His will.

Second, we must have discipline.  Indeed, this virtue is challenging to practice

because it also takes time to develop.  But doing it one day at a time, with consistent follow through and encouragement from others will allow us to set it in our lives.  Furthermore, the fruits of discipline would inspire and make us happy and fulfilled.

Advent season, being a waiting period urges us to put on patience and discipline in our lives.

And so it helps us to reflect on these questions:

When I look at my life, what is the area where I have the greatest need to grow in patience?

Where am I failing in discipline?

Blessings!

Your loving pastor, F. Rodel G. Balagtas    * * *

The opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by the author do not necessarily reflect the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints of the Asian Journal, its management, editorial board and staff.

* * *

Fr. Rodel “Odey” Balagtas is the pastor of Incarnation Church in Glendale, California.

Employers’ duty to protect employees against harassment from non-employees

Protecting Employee & Consumer Rights

Q: I FEEL I am being harassed at work and my manager is not doing enough to stop it. My manager is calling asking me to come back, but I’m afraid I will have a mental breakdown if I do. I work in a residential rehab facility. One of the patients keeps asking me to be his girlfriend. I tried to ignore his advances, but it just made him more vulgar and aggressive. I feel scared of what he might do.

I complained to my manager, and asked about the sexual harassment policy they talked about at training. She told me that was company policy for employees, but that she can’t really do anything about patients’ behavior. I feel like I’m in danger at work and my employer won’t do anything until something bad happens to me. Is that really the law?

A: No, the law requires far more than what your employer said to you. Under California’s Fair Employment and Housing Act (“FEHA”), workplace harassment is unlawful if it is based on “race, religious creed, color, national origin, ancestry, physical disability, mental disability, medical condition,

genetic information, marital status, sex, gender, gender identity, gender expression, age, sexual orientation, or veteran or military status.”

California Government Code § 12940(j)(1). Sexual harassment is considered unlawful harassment based on sex. California Government Code § 12940(j)(4)(C).

Contrary to what your manager told you, an employer’s obligation to maintain a workplace free of unlawful harassment is not limited to only harassment committed by the employer’s own employees. Rather, FEHA emphasizes that “[a]n employer may also be responsible for the acts of nonemployees, with respect to harassment of employees… if the employer, or its agents, or supervisors, knows or should have known of the conduct and fails to take immediate and appropriate corrective action. California Government Code § 12940(j) (1).

The California Supreme Court confirmed this affirmative obligation of employers in Carter v. California Department of Veterans Affairs, a case with facts very similar to yours. In Carter, a nurse was being sexually harassed by a tenant resident in a California VA facility. The Court agreed with the plaintiff there that FEHA imposes liability on an employer when its customers

or clients sexually harassed its employees.

Under FEHA, employers have an obligation to take immediate and appropriate corrective action if its customers or clients unlawfully harasses employees based on “race, religious creed, color, national origin, ancestry, physical disability, mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, marital status, sex, gender, gender identity, gender expression, age, sexual orientation, or veteran or military status.” California Government Code § 12940(j)(1).

* * *

The opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by the author do not necessarily reflect the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints of the Asian Journal, its management, editorial board and staff.

* * *

The Law Offices of C. Joe Sayas, Jr. welcomes inquiries about this topic. All inquiries are confidential and at no-cost. You can contact the office at (818) 291-0088 or visit www.joesayaslaw.com. [For more than 25 years, C. Joe Sayas, Jr., Esq. successfully recovered wages and other monetary damages for thousands of employees and consumers. He was named Top Labor & Employment Attorney in California by the Daily Journal, selected as Super Lawyer by the Los Angeles Magazine for 11 years, and is a past Presidential Awardee for Outstanding Filipino Overseas.] (Advertising Supplement)

It’s about time for Jake

Donny, Belle fulfill goal to go...

a glimpse of her descent to the ground on her Twitter page.

“Finally off my bucket list: skydiving,” Mariano stated.

Pangilinan and Mariano have been waiting for quite some time for a chance to try skydiving together.

Back in August 2021, when the two were promoting the series “He’s into Her,” Mariano mentioned that she had always wanted to go

skydiving but never got the chance to do so. This prompted Pangilinan to ask her if she would be open to doing it with him, to which she answered in the affirmative.

Mariano and Pangilinan, known as the love team DonBelle, had their first onscreen teamup in the digital series “He’s into Her,” which premiered in May 2021 and ran for two seasons until last August. They also starred in the 2021 romantic drama “Love Is Color Blind” before working together again on “An Inconvenient Love.” g

AS our side of the entertainment industry keeps coming face to face with the stars anew following the long pandemic, the sight of Jake Cuenca presenting an award at The 5th Eddys a couple of weeks back and then now at his solo media conference for the Metro Manila Film Festival entry, “My Father, Myself,” takes me back to round about this time too in 2018.

Sat in a small huddle at a packed resto of a Quezon City mall, Jake was the interviewee for his much talked about role as Lizardo in Coco Martin’s then MMFF entry, “Ang Panday.” No matter that the film was a fantasy movie, pre-awards buzz had Jake as a shoo-in for Best Supporting Actor. Seeing him up close — his hair long and going wayward, his nails painted black, and his getup

straight out of a dark DC comic book —, it was easy to see why. Jake Cuenca is one actor who deeply immerses in his character when filming, so much so that he cannot shake it off off-camera.

Intense is the perfect word to describe the famous actor. Back then, he admitted to plastering the walls of his home with pictures of the late Heath Ledger’s Joker as his inspiration for molding his own terrifying Lizardo. And as he spoke, Jake’s breath seemed to have the faintest smell of alcohol that is expected of such a persona.

Every year, he’d be part of an MMFF entry and, while always cast in a supporting role, be it in Panday, 2019’s action-comedy “Mission Unstoppable: The Don Identity” or “Mano Po 7” a couple of festivals back, Jake always manages to stand out because of what he gives any of his characters: His all and his everything.

It’s about time for...

PAGE B5

So for this year’s MMFF, his peers, critics and supporters — media included — can’t be happier for Jake now that he is finally headlining a movie of his own.

“In the past, I did MMFF with Bossing Vic [Sotto] with Coco [Martin]. I was also a villain in Panday, now is my first time to lead for Metro Manila Film Festival,” the 34-year-old actor who went from teen star to

compelling actor confirmed without a hint of anger, regret or impatience.

After all, Jake being Jake — always aiming for that powerful impact from role to role — he wouldn’t have wanted anything less than the challenge of delivering his character in “My Father, Myself,” nor the controversy the movie’s been drawing as early as November.

Jake plays a human rights lawyer in the film, explaining

his clean-cut look these days. He is married to Tiffany (Dimples Romana), who has an adopted son from a deceased lover portrayed by indie discovery Sean de Guzman. The conflict begins when Jake’s character falls in love with Sean.

“To be honest, I’m very proud that this is the movie I’m starring in [as a lead] for the first time because walang takot itong pelikula na ito.

“At the same time, I’m very much honored that my [starring] first movie at the MMFF is with director Joel Lamangan. It’s very good for my CV, for my portfolio,” added the actor’s actor.

It goes without saying then that Jake gave his all in My Father, Myself, especially in the very intimate scenes he had to do with Sean. Their kissing scene in the trailer, which went viral and reaped all sorts of reactions, to begin with.

“It was worth it. It was worth the effort,” he said of playing a closeted gay role. “It was worth going outside your comfort zone, doing things na hindi mo naman ginagawa sa totoong buhay. Because honestly, ito rin naman ang dahilan kung bakit ako artista, isang aktor. Para ma-challenge na makagawa ng isang pelikula na kakaiba sa iba pang mga pelikulang ipinapalabas. So for me, I take that with the highest honor.”

A starring role in the biggest festival of the year may be long overdue for an actor of Jake’s caliber. But then again, with the kind of passion he has for his profession — one that is clearly for the art and not for his vanity; one that aims to keep growing regardless of time — let’s take Jake’s word for it. Now is only just his time. g

Which debts are discharged in Chapter 7 bankruptcy?

Debt Relief

THE Constitution of the United States of America allows bankruptcy to its citizens and residents to allow them to become productive again if they are saddled with accumulated debt.

The Supreme Court calls Chapter 7 bankruptcy “the fresh start.” You may have good income but debt repayment could be eating up all of your disposable income. In this case, you are compared to Sisyphus, the character in Greek mythology who is condemned to roll a rock up to the top of a mountain, only to have the rock roll back down to the bottom every time he reaches the top. The debtor with too much debt is the same as Sisyphus because no matter how much his income is, he pays his minimum required payments each month, left with no disposable income every month, only to have to pay out the same amount to his creditors next month and forever, leaving nothing for the debtor himself in savings. The debtor becomes a hamster running inside the wheel. It goes nowhere. Are you a modern-day Sisyphus?

The myth of Sisyphus prompted the French philosopher

and Nobel-prize winner, Albert Camus, to say that an eternity of futile labor is a hideous punishment. But debtors with too much debt, in reality, are the modern-day Sisyphus.

‘Busting out of debt’

To break out of the debt cycle, or in bankruptcy slang, the Chapter 7 “bust out” of debt allows debtors to petition the court to grant relief from debt by “discharge” of debt by court order. The discharge order prohibits the creditor from collecting the debt, in effect wiping it out.

But what debts are discharged and what debts are not discharged?

Dischargeable debts

The bankruptcy code states that a debt is dischargeable, unless it is excepted from discharge. §523 of the bankruptcy code contains a list of debts, which are not discharged. Generally speaking, most debts are discharged. For example, credit card balances up to any amount, medical bills, unpaid rents, payday loans, any kind of unsecured or secured loans or credit lines, bank loans, utility bills, car loans, and even home mortgages are discharged in Chapter 7. Even hundreds of millions of court judgments for the collection of debt are wiped out.

Non-dischargeable debts What kinds of debts are not discharged? Child support, alimony, student loans (unless 3 prong test of hardship is proven in an adversary proceeding), HOA for the house

where you live (not HOA for your rental property which is dischargeable), damages caused by intentional torts (willful intent to cause damage to the person or property is proven, income taxes owed where the requirements for discharge are not met (income taxes are dischargeable if specific requirements for discharge are met.)

Therefore, if you have too much credit card debt — for instance, you owe $40,000 of credit cards, a judgment for unpaid rent of $200,000, owe $1 million to the casino in Pechanga, owe a $2 million in a civil lawsuit, say for breach of contract — a Chapter 7 discharge will wipe all of your debts away. But if you owe $300,000 of student loans, unless you can prove hardship under the three-prong test in an adversary proceeding, you are stuck with the student loans until you die, unless Uncle Biden gives you a way out of it.

* * *

Disclaimer: None of the foregoing is considered legal advice for anyone. There is absolutely no attorney-client relationship established by reading this article.

(Advertising Supplement)

How courts determine child custody in California

Barrister’s Corner

legal custody is ordered by the court, either parent alone can make decisions concerning the health, education, and welfare of the child unless otherwise specified in the order.

ONE of the most emotional aspects of a marital dissolution case is dealing with Child custody issues. Sadly enough, this is an area where most parents play games with each other trying their best to deprive the other parents of their right to maintain relationship with their child. Child custody comes in two parts, 1) physical custody and 2) legal custody. Physical custody may be awarded solely to one parent or jointly. Sole physical custody means that the child will reside primarily and under the supervision of one parent subject to visitation from the other parent upon order of the court. Family Code §3007. Joint physical custody on the other hand means that the child gets to spend frequent and continuing contact with both parents. Family Code §3004. The court would state specifically the periods of time the child will be under the supervision of each parent.

Legal custody on the other hand deals with the right and responsibility of a parent to make decisions regarding the health, education, and welfare of the child. Family Code §3006. Examples would be decisions such as where the child shall attend school, whether the child can travel to another jurisdiction or state, legal decisions involving the child. In cases where joint

In making its determination on child custody issues, the court considers various factors depending on the specific facts of the case. The court usually follows the public policy of ensuring and encouraging the child’s frequent and continuing contact with both parents after the divorce unless it would not be in the best interest of the child.

Fam. Code §3011. If the court is inclined to order sole custody to one parent, the consideration boils down to which parent is more likely to allow the child frequent and continuing contact with the noncustodial parent.

Family Code §3040(a)(1). A major factor that would tilt the courts decision are incidents or history of child abuse and domestic violence. This can be from the part of a parent, a parent’s co-habitant, or other person to whom a parent has a relationship with. The childs amount and nature of contact with the parents is also another factor considered. Fam. Code §3011(c). Other factors that can be considered are the parent’s use of controlled substance, prior criminal convictions and registration as a sex offender, and existence of restraining order against a parent.

The family code requires that the parties go to mediation and attempt to agree on the custody issue prior to the court hearing the contested case. Family Code §3170(a). If the case is not settled in mediation, it gets decided in court through a

contested hearing. At times, the court will order a child custody evaluation if it determines that it would be in the best interest of the child. The court may also appoint a minor’s counsel if it feels it would be in the best interest of the child. Family Code §3150(a). The court retains continuous jurisdiction over issues of child custody and support until the child reaches 18. This means the order may be modified all throughout this period if there has been a change in circumstances.

* * * Please note that this article is not legal advice and is not intended as legal advice.  The article is intended to provide only general, non-specific legal information.  This article is not intended to cover all the issues related to the topic discussed.  The specific facts that apply to your matter may make the outcome different than would be anticipated by you.  This article does create any attorney client relationship between you and the Law Offices of Kenneth U. Reyes, APLC.  This article is not a solicitation.

* * *

LAW

Tel. (213) 388-1611 or e-mail Kenneth@kenreyeslaw.com Visit us at www.kenreyeslaw.com.

Martin Nievera’s joy of...

with my fame, struggled with Pops and her fame. Fame and fame don’t’ mix, just so you know”  “Two fames don’t make a right. In the case of Santino, maybe in the next 10 and onward, you start seeing these songs of release, of happiness. This is the man I want to be. I’m happy with this man I’m in kind of songs.”

Then he shared the three lessons he learned in 40 years, with those of us, the media folks in attendance: Never forget where you came from; Never forget the people who helped you and Remember the moment: There should be more than a Martin Nievera, just a Nievera to be remembered, makes you a great performer.”

Even the Concert King has his vulnerabilities. He shared his “lack of presence” in his treasured children’s milestones. It had him teary-eyed at the August press conference in Glendale, that this writer promptly said: “but you are doing that now,” reassuring him that while his art took away from his personal life, his music keeps legions alive, soulfully vibrant, and warm hearted.

Martin also supports philanthropies, “I lend myself to charities. Last June 25, I performed and raised Php 3,700,000 to make a difference in 70 children’s lives with heart disease. One I met was a young girl who told me, “My grandma loved you and told me before she died.”

Many were singing with him in the audience as he sang his favorite song, “Say That You Love Me,” which he said that even his mom wrote a chorus for, in Spanish.

At Disney Hall last August 29, 2022, fans would shout out their love for Martin, and he would say

out loud, pausing to exclaim: “I love you too.”  Quite memorable for me was when he sang Kahit Isang Saglit, dedicated to each of his three sons, accompanied by a video of Robin, Ram and Santino.

When he sang ‘You are To me’, the three sons were called in to share the stage. The highlight of that evening was seeing Santino on the drums, perfect pitch, enjoying himself to the tune of ‘Sweet Child of Mine.’

When Bones was played by Robin, we knew that the torch had been passed on from Martin to his three sons, surnamed Nievera.

With these songs, and aptly closing the performance with ‘Say that You love me’, ‘Forever,’ and ‘Wonderful World,’ the fans just knew we needed to see more of Martin Nievera and his three gifted sons.

During an ASAP event in Las Vegas, before a full capacity audience on November 5, 2022, many of his fans shouted loudly, “We love you, Martin.”  * * *

Prosy Abarquez-Delacruz, J.D. writes a weekly column for Asian Journal, called “Rhizomes.” She has been writing for AJ Press for 12 years. She also contributes to Balikbayan Magazine. Her training and experiences are in science, food technology, law and community volunteerism for 4 decades. She holds a B.S. degree from the University of the Philippines, a law degree from Whittier College School of Law in California and a certificate on 21st Century Leadership from Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government. She has been a participant in NVM Writing Workshops taught by Prof. Peter Bacho for 4 years and Prof. Russell Leong. She has travelled to France, Holland, Belgium, Spain, Portugal, Japan, Costa Rica, Mexico and over 22 national parks in the U.S., in her pursuit of love for nature and the arts.