OPINION: Happy Birthday, Former Vice President Leni Robredo; Her Politics and Her Manners By Manuel L. Caballero

ON MY WATCH

By MANUEL L. CABALLERO

HAPPY  BIRTHDAY, FORMER VICE PRESIDENT LENI ROBREDO; HER POLITICS AND HER MANNERS

Tomorrow, April 23,  is the former Veep's birthday. I know her age. But, a man is not supposed to tell. I'm confident she will reveal it herself.  

During the short period that she has been in politics, as a lawyer, as widow of a late cabinet member, as representative of her district in PH Congress, as Vice President of the Philippines, as a candidate for PH president, as Hauser speaker at Harvard Kennedy School, as a fellow of the Rockefeller Foundation and as invited speaker in various international associations, she has gained respect and admiration as an amazing and singular woman.

The Angat Buhay is her pet advocacy program that focuses on six key areas. Those are public education, rural development, food security and nutrition, women empowerment, universal healthcare, and housing and resettlement.

Her politics is plain, simple and honest. Politics, being her ability to make the other person do what, otherwise, he will not do. 

I will sum up her politics from what she said publicly last year, "Kung walang kaaway sa loob (ng Pilipinas), wala ring kaaway sa labas ." 

Her doctrine has been proven true many times. Just last week, the First Lady of the PH directly praised her good political manner by comparing her to VP Sara, who Mrs. Araneta-Marcos apparently believes is a lesser politician compared to Atty. Robredo.

I have met Mrs. Robredo five times in the past in my capacity as  journalist, the last one was last year during the UPAAA Reunion in NJ. In all our meetings, I have developed a liking for her, short of having "crush". If you recall, I even wrote something about her pony tail.

Since she returned from Italy as a Rockefeller Foundation Fellow, she has gone to her Camarines Sur 5 or 6 times as guest speaker of various local groups. These visits make me think that she has local political plan in the 2025 elections.

Many Filipinos, including those who tirelessly react positively to her photos that I have been regularly posting in my Facebook Story for the past 2 years,  are perhaps, hoping that one day, she will be granted the blessing of leading the native country which badly needs a leader of her caliber.

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President Marcos Expects Alliance with US, Japan to Benefit PH Economy

President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. expressed confidence Friday that American and Japanese investments in the country will materialize in the next five years following his trilateral summit with the leaders of said countries.

“They have already committed to these investments and the fact that we have together identified areas – that investment will go to, it shows that this is not a promise – it is something that we intend to do. I am very confident that this will all materialize and mararamdaman natin sa Pilipinas,” President Marcos said during a media interview in Waldorf, Hotel in Washington, DC.

“I think for the years to come we’ll start to begin [to] see the wisdom of having that – good thing entered into. We affirmed our close relationship with the United States – made to the US, which is indicative of how are we redefining our relationship – developments around the world, how we approach it – it’s really about development, so all of these things have come together,” he said.

The President said he sees the trilateral alliance changing the dynamics in the region, in Southeast Asia, in Asia, and around the South China Sea, noting such partnership is a major step for the Philippines, US, and Japan.

The trilateral summit formalized the partnership between the Philippines, Japan and the US, the President said, adding it is a continuing evolution of their relationship amid new challenges in Indo-Pacific.

“This is evidence(d) by the fact that the large part of the agreement is on economic proposal – security and defense, of course, is there, but it is not the main point of the trilateral agreement,” President Marcos noted.

“Talaga namang very well defined, [the] sectors that we have prioritized are stated very clearly – we have to characterized it properly, nagkakaisa lang ang tatlong bansa, ang Japan, ang US at Pilipinas. Walang mangyayari sa mga plano kung magkagulo, nais natin ‘wag masyadong magkagulo,” he stressed.

President Marcos has concluded his two-day working visit to the US which included a bilateral meeting with his American counterpart, the trilateral meeting with US and Japanese leaders, the meeting with US defense officials, and US business leaders. 

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In New Jersey, Bill O'Dea Campaign Headquarters in Greenville Opens By Manny Caballero

photo by Helen Castillo

BILL O'DEA CAMPAIGN HEADQUARTERS IN GREENVILLE OPENS

By MANNY CABALLERO

JERSEY CITY, MARCH 2- If the saying that rain is a sign of bright future is true, then, the opening today of Jersey City mayoral candidate Bill O'Dea's campaign headquarters at 1590 Kennedy Blvd. (across Walgreen's at Seaview Ave.) in the midst of day-long rain tells of a bright 2025 for the mayoral bet and his supporters. Despite heavy rain, some 200 supporters attended the opening.

photo by HelenCastillo

The Filipino group, led by community leader and long-time O'Dea supporter Helen Castillo, carried placards which read,  "Filipino-Americans are for Bill O'Dea for Jersey City Mayor 2025".

Two other politicians have expressed plans to run for mayor of the city in the 2025 polls. 

Incumbent JC Mayor Steve Fulop, who is on his 3rd term, will run for governor.

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In New York, Philippine Consulate General Explores Public Diplomacy Cooperation with GMA Network's VP Joseph Francia

Left to Right: Vice Consul Cathe Ryne Denice S. Aguilar, Consul General Senen T. Mangalile and GMA Network Inc. First Vice President Joseph Jerome T. Francia discuss possible public diplomacy cooperation initiatives. (Photo by Maria Annette F. Aquino-Herrera)

Consul General Senen T. Mangalile met with Mr. Joseph Jerome T. Francia, First Vice President and Head of International Operations at GMA Network, Inc., at the Philippine Center on 01 March 2024 to explore potential avenues for cooperation in public diplomacy between the Consulate and GMA Network, Inc.

Consul General Mangalile highlighted the pivotal role of the Filipino American media in shaping public perceptions and fostering a sense of a community among the Filipino Americans in the US Northeast. He emphasized that by collaborating with GMA Network, Inc., the Consulate General aims to harness GMA’s extensive expertise and wide reach. This partnership is intended to significantly enhance the visibility and impact of the 2024 Very Important Pinoy (VIP) Tour, which is being organized by the Consulate this year, reaching a broader audience and enriching the global appreciation of the Philippines’ rich cultural and heritage offerings.

Left to Right: Mr. Joseph Jerome T. Francia, First Vice President, Head of International Operations, GMA Network, Inc., and Philippine Consulate General Senen T. Mangalile pose for a photo after their productive meeting at the Philippine Center. (Photo by Maria Annette F. Aquino-Herrera)

Mr. Francia, expressing his enthusiasm for the collaboration, underscored GMA Network Inc.’s commitment to crafting and disseminating positive narratives that contribute to a deeper understanding of the Philippines and Filipinos. He indicated that the network is keen to support initiatives through the organization of promotional events, exclusive coverage, and creation of collaborative content.

The meeting concluded with both sides expressing eagerness for future collaborations. This partnership marks a significant step towards strengthening the ties between the Consulate General and key media stakeholders, such as GMA Network and GMA Pinoy TV, in promoting the Philippines to the global stage.

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Rare Historic Document Unveiled: 1899 Declaration of Philippine Independence from the United States

Ms. Amanda Williams, Director of the MacArthur Memorial Museum and Consul General Iric Arribas with the Philippine Declaration of Independence on display.

WASHINGTON D.C. – In a poignant ceremony marking the convergence of two nations’ histories, the General Douglas MacArthur Memorial Museum unveiled an original document declaring the independence of the Philippines from the United States. Signed by President Emilio Aguinaldo, the declaration was made immediately before the Philippine-American War, which commenced 125 years ago. 

Consul General Iric Cruz Arribas, in his opening remarks, underscored the significance of the occasion, stating, “This document symbolizes the courage and resilience of the Filipino people in our quest for self-determination. It is a testament to the enduring spirit of independence that continues to define both our nations. We are honored that the MacArthur Memorial Museum will preserve and showcase this invaluable piece of Philippine history.” 

On stage during the unveiling ceremony (left to right) Col. Arthur M. Romanillos Jr., Philippine Army Attache, Dr. Cynthia Romero, Chairman of the Council of United Filipino Organizations of Tidewater, Consul General Arribas, Norfolk Mayor Kenny Alexander, Virginia Representative Bobby Scott, and Mr. Max Frias of the Philippine American National Historical Society- Hampton Roads Chapter.

Ms. Amanda Williams, Director of the MacArthur Memorial Museum, emphasized the document’s role in education and reflection. “The Declaration of Philippine Independence, housed within the museum’s esteemed collection, will serve as a focal point for deepening understanding of the complex historical narratives that connect the Philippines and the United States,” she remarked. 

Following the unveiling, a symposium on the Philippine-American War, organized by the museum in partnership with the Filipino American National Historical Society- Hampton Roads Chapter, provided further insight into this shared history. 

Consul General Iric Cruz Arribas delivering a message on behalf of the Philippine Embassy Washington DC and Philippine Secretary of Defense Gilberto C. Teodoro Jr.

The event, attended by dignitaries such as Virginia Congressman Robert Scott and Norfolk City Mayor Kenneth Cooper Alexander, along with historians and leaders from the Filipino community in Hampton Roads, served as a meaningful reminder of the enduring bonds between the Philippines and the United States. 

The MacArthur Memorial has also released a new multi-media guide that provides a look at some of the Spanish-American War and Philippine-American War items in the museum collection.

View here: https://www.flipsnack.com/FE7AC7BBDC9/macarthur-memorial-span-am-war-and-phil-am-war-collection-guide

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Mayor Adams Unveils New Anti-Trash Technology, Launches Next Phase Of City’s War On Trash

Administration Unveils New Trash Collection Truck Four Years Ahead of Schedule,  Allowing for On-Street Containers at Large Residential Buildings 

Mayor Announces New Data-Driven Strategy to Identify Best Containers for Buildings of Different Sizes 

Manhattan Community Board 9 Will Be City’s First Fully-Containerized District Next Year 

NEW YORK – New York City Mayor Eric Adams and New York City Department of Sanitation (DSNY) Commissioner Jessica Tisch on Thursday, February 1, made two major announcements that will help get all of New York City’s trash off the streets and into secure, rodent-resistant containers, once and for all. The two announcements — a new, automated, side-loading garbage truck and a new data-driven containerization strategy — taken together represent the largest single turning point in the ongoing effort to make New York City the cleanest major city in the United States, and affirm a commitment in Mayor Adams’ 2024 State of the City address to set New York City on the course to store all trash put out for pickup in containers. Mayor Adams also announced that, thanks to today’s new announcements, Manhattan Community Board 9 will be the first district with 100 percent of its trash containerized and serviced next year. These announcements follow new data in the Preliminary Mayor’s Management Report showing that the city’s streets are getting cleaner. 

“The data is clear: Under our administration, New York City’s streets are cleaner. And as of this fall, thanks to the bold steps we have taken, a full 70 percent of New York City’s black bags will be off our streets and put into containers — but we’re not stopping there,” said Mayor Adams. “The new garbage truck we’re unveiling today — four years ahead of schedule — represents the future of New York City garbage collection. It means we’ll be able to containerize trash from our large residential buildings, something people didn’t believe would be possible in our dense city. And thanks to that truck and our commitment to turning our streets from mean to clean, residents of Manhattan’s Community Board 9 will be the first in the city to experience our streets free of every single black bag.” 

“Rats and black bags are heading off our streets — no room for them in a containerized New York City,” said Deputy Mayor for Operations Meera Joshi. “Thanks to the hard work of DSNY, we have a smart containerization plan that meets the diverse needs of the city. New Yorkers and visitors are getting the clean, welcoming streets they deserve.” 

“New Yorkers have been clear: they’ve had enough of the black bags occupying our sidewalks, enough of the oozing garbage juice, and enough of being told that other global cities can have something that we can’t,” said DSNY Commissioner Tisch. “This administration rejects the cynicism that says things can’t change, and the speed at which we’ve moved to change the relationship between 8.3 million New Yorkers and 44 million daily pounds of trash cannot be overstated.” 

Automated Side-Loading Truck: A New Superweapon Against Trash 

The Adams administration today unveiled an all-new, automated, side-loading garbage truck — removing a major barrier to containerizing trash from high-density residential buildings. DSNY’s 2023 “Future of Trash” report found that this type of truck is needed to service the stationary on-street containers that high-density buildings will use to containerize their trash. But less than one year ago, industry experts estimated that development of this prototype truck would take up to five years. The truck unveiled today will also allow for substantially faster collection than manual pick-up. The rapid development of this prototype — which took place in Torino, Italy and in both Hicksville and Brooklyn, New York — will be followed by substantial testing and training. 

A New Data-Driven Model 

Mayor Adams today outlined a new strategy for determining the type and size of containers that will be used for buildings of different sizes. Under this model, buildings with 31 or more residential units will be required to use stationary, on-street containers for their trash, serviced by the new automated side-loading garbage truck described above. Those on-street containers will be assigned to a specific building, solely for residents of that building. Buildings with 10 to 30 units will be able to choose between stationery on-street containers and smaller wheelie bins. Buildings with one to nine residential units will be required to put their trash in individual wheelie bins starting this fall, with the first-ever official NYC Bins available for use at that time and required by all residential units with one to nine units approximately two years later, in the summer of 2026. This model was informed by a volumetric analysis of how much trash buildings of different sizes produce, on average.   

A New Timeline to Containerize a Full Community District 

Thanks to the automated, side-loading garbage truck and new containerization strategy announced today, New York City will have its first district with 100 percent of its trash containerized and serviced next year: Manhattan Community Board 9. The district is currently home to a successful containerization pilot on 10 residential blocks and at 14 schools, during which rat sighting complaints in the pilot zone dropped by 68 percent compared to the same period the prior year. 

Because the automated side-loading truck had not been available, that current 10-block pilot uses wheeled containers, which sanitation workers wheel to the back of a conventional collection truck retrofitted with a tipping mechanism. Those wheeled bins will be removed and replaced with stationary on-street containers like those used in Europe, Asia, and South America.

As this full-district pilot will require procuring new containers and new trucks, installation will begin across the entirety of Manhattan Community Board 9 in the spring of 2025. This work is already underway, and DSNY will release an RFP to procure the containers next month. DSNY will conduct the necessary environmental review this year and will engage in substantial outreach across the district. 

A timeline and process for expansion beyond Manhattan Community Board 9 will be determined based upon learnings from the pilot district.

The “Trash Revolution” Thus Far 

The implementation of the transition to automated side-loading trucks for high-density buildings and a new containerization strategy will be among the final steps in the “Trash Revolution” and the war on rats. 

1. In October 2022, the Adams administration kicked off the Trash Revolution by changing set-out times for both residential and commercial waste from 4:00 PM — one of the earliest set-out times in the country — to 8:00 PM in April 2023, while also allowing earlier set-out if the material is in a container. This incentivization of containerization was paired with major changes to DSNY operations, picking up well over a quarter of all trash at 12:00 AM rather than 6:00 AM, particularly in high density parts of the city, and ending a practice by which up to one fifth of trash had been purposefully left out for a full day. 
2. Later that month, DSNY published its “Future of Trash” report, the first meaningful attempt to study containerization models in New York City, and the playbook to get it done. 
3. Last August, containerization requirements went into effect for all food-related businesses in New York City. These businesses — restaurants, delis, bodegas, bars, grocery stores, caterers, etc. — produce an outsized amount of the type of trash that attracts rats. 
4. That same month, installation of the initial 10-block, 14-school Manhattan Community Board 9 pilot containers began.
5. Last September, commercial containerization requirements extended to chain businesses of any type with five or more locations in New York City. These chain businesses tend to produce a large total volume of trash.
6. Starting March 1, 2024, container requirements will go into effect for all businesses — of every type — in New York City to get their trash off the streets and into a secure bin. 
7. Later this fall, when container requirements go into effect for low-density residential buildings — those with one to nine units — approximately 70 percent of all trash in the city will be containerized.  
8. In the spring of 2025, installation of stationary on-street containers will begin in Manhattan Community Board 9 for the first full-district containerization pilot, serviced by new automated side-loading trucks.  

“DSNY’s steadfast commitment to containerize waste is inspired,” said Director of Citywide Rodent Mitigation Kathleen Corradi. “This progress in systematically denying rats’ food access enables our city’s mitigation efforts to gain substantial traction and achieve sustainable, long-term success. The full containerization of CB9, representing one third of the Harlem Rat Mitigation Zone, will have a significant positive impact on residents and a significant negative impact on rats.”  

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Philippine Consulate in New York Highlights Key Initiatives in Media Hour

Consul General Senen T. Mangalile unveils the significant initiatives of the Philippine Consulate General in New York during the Media Hour with the Filipino-American media. (Photo by Cathe Aguilar)

Consul General Senen T. Mangalile unveiled significant initiatives during the Philippine Consulate General in New York’s first Media Hour of the year, held on 23 January 2024. Reflecting on the past year, Consul General Mangalile highlighted achievements and expressed gratitude for the support received since taking office.

During the Media Hour, Consul General Mangalile announced the upcoming 2024 VIP Tour scheduled from 21 to 30 July 2024, covering Manila, Bacolod, Cagayan de Oro, and Bukidnon. The addition of the Mindanao leg to the tour presents exciting opportunities for more extensive interactions with local communities, contributing to the broader goal of promoting Philippine culture and heritage. Consul General Mangalile emphasized the importance of media support in promoting the tour, recognizing its potential impact on fostering cultural understanding.

The new officer designations were also introduced by the Consul General. With these changes, the Consul General emphasized the Consulate’s commitment and continuity in serving the Filipino community. He specifically highlighted the importance of delineating cultural diplomacy from community relations, noting that cultural diplomacy targets non-Filipinos while recognizing the Filipino community’s crucial role in promoting Filipino culture to a broader audience.

The Consul General also announced the full implementation of the e-payment system in the Consulate as an initiative to streamline consular services, offering efficiency and convenience for clients. Media representatives were encouraged to inform the public about this transition and its positive impact on consular services.

Looking ahead, Consul General Mangalile announced that the 10th Filipino Community General Assembly is scheduled for 24 February 2024 at the Philippine Center. He noted that the General Assembly would provide an opportunity for the Filipino American community and media to learn about the Consulate’s accomplishments and upcoming projects this year.

The Media Hour concluded with an engaging Q&A session, allowing media representatives to seek clarification and interact with the Consul General. Consul General Mangalile expressed gratitude for media support and welcomed their continued participation and support in the upcoming activities of the Consulate.

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