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JANUARY 8-14, 2021 Volume 14 - No. 9 • 16 Pages

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PH bans entry from the US, 6 more DATELINE USA countries due to new COVID-19 variant ‘Last responders’ fROm THE AJPRESS NEWS TEAM AcroSS AMEricA

brace for surge in COVID deaths across US

fUNERAL director Kevin Spitzer has been overwhelmed with COVID-related deaths in the small city of Aberdeen, South Dakota.

He and his two colleagues at the Spitzermiller funeral Home have been working 1215 hours a day, seven days a week, to keep up with the demand in the community of 26,000. The funerals are sparsely attended, which would have been unthinkable before the pandemic.

“We had a funeral for a younger man one recent Saturday, and not 20 people came,

by Ritchel

Mendiola AJPress

fOLLOWING a recent ban on foreign travelers from the United States, the Philippines has expanded the restrictions to six more countries to prevent the transmission of a new, more infectious COVID-19 variant.

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte on Wednesday, January 6, approved the recommendation of the country’s Departments of Health and foreign Affairs to include Portugal, India, finland, Norway, Jordan, and Brazil on the travel ban list. foreign passengers who have been in any of the aforementioned countries within 14

days prior to their arrival in the Philippines cannot enter the country from January 8 to 15, 2021.

However, foreign diplomats and officials from international organizations are exempt from the restriction.

“Local/accredited foreign diplomats and

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DFA sees new spike in infections among overseas Filipinos

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by AJPress

DEVOTEES’ LINE. A long line of churchgoers builds up outside the National Shrine of Our Mother of Perpetual Help in Parañaque City on Wednesday, January 6 for the year’s first Wednesday Mass. Devotees visit the church every Wednesday to attend Mass and pray the novena to Our Mother of Perpetual Help.

PNA photo by Avito C. Dalan

THE Philippine Department of foreign Affairs (DfA) on Wednesday, January 6 recorded five new confirmed COVID-19 cases among filipinos abroad.

The day before, the agency reported observed another spike as it logged 67 additional infections.

The two-day numbers bring the total tally to 13,001, of which 3,631 are currently undergoing treatment.

The agency also reported 56 new recoveries on Tuesday and Wednesday, raising the official

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Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte Malacañang photo by Simeon Celi

Makati City Prosecutor PH Senate to probe releases 3 suspects in death Government debt accumulates to P10.13 government’s vaccine campaign of Filipina flight attendant trillion in November THE Philippine Senate will continue with its inquiry into the government’s vaccination program, despite President Rodrigo Duterte’s threat of a “little crisis” should the senators insist on investigating the unauthorized inoculation of his security detail with an unregistered COVID-19 vaccine.

However, Philippine Senate President Vicente Sotto III clarified that the Commit-

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by Ritchel

Mendiola AJPress

THREE suspects linked in the controversial death of filipina flight attendant Christine Dacera were released on Wednesday, January 6, following the order of the makati City prosecutor’s office.

“After a thorough evaluation of the facts and evidence presented during

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by ian

Christine Dacera Photo from Instagram/@xtinedacera

nicolas cigaRal Philstar.com

mANILA — Government debt sustained an uptrend in November towards a new record-high, an expected consequence of falling tax receipts and a hefty pandemic bill that just keeps on rising.

The state’s outstanding liabilities reached P10.13 tril-

lion as of end-November, up 1.1% from the preceding month, latest data from the Bureau of the Treasury showed on Wednesday.

Since the beginning of last year, obligations accumulated by a whopping 31.1% “owing to higher funding requirements to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic and

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From the Front Page

New year brings 5 new laws in California

COVID-19 workplace protections, minimum wage raise and criminal justice reform

by Klarize

Medenilla AJPress

NEW year, new laws.

On Jan. 1, a flurry of new laws came into effect in California. Some of these laws were set in motion years ago and were simply on the docket, but many of these new laws reflect the unique trials and tragedies brought forth the previous year: especially, the coronavirus pandemic, the economic fallout of the pandemic, wildfires and criminal justice.

The pandemic has especially influenced the new set of laws, which seek to quell outbreak surges in places like Los Angeles County, which has experienced increases of in-person gatherings and record-shattering increases in infection, hospital capacity and death due to COVID-19.

Hundreds of bills were signed into law and scheduled to take effect in 2021 — such as new protections

for student loan borrowers that’ll go into effect in July — but many of them won’t be enacted until later this year.

Here are six of the most crucial laws that went into effect on the first day of 2021.

AB 685: COVID-19 workplace protections Employers are now required by law to notify workers of potential exposures to COVID-19 in the workplace and report any outbreaks to public health officials within 48 hours of an outbreak.

Since the beginning of the pandemic, many employers have opted to provide written notification of outbreaks or exposures in the workplace for ethical reasons; this law simply makes that a legal obligation.

These written notifications must be detailed and be distributed to any worker who was in physical contact with the “qualifying

individual” (the infected worker) within the “infectious period.”

This also gives more power to Cal/OSHA to enforce pandemic safety violations and protect workers.

If a workplace is found to violate pandemic protocol, Cal/OSHA has the authority to shut it down.

Recent outbreaks in vulnerable areas like the Central Valley and Southern California — where ICU capacity remains at 0% — highlight the impact of employers who were slow to report workplace outbreaks.

SB 1159: COVID-19 workers’ compensation Workers who contract COVID-19 on the job will now more easily become eligible for workers’ compensation benefits with SB 1159, which makes it easier for COVID-19 to be classified as an occupational injury if a worker catches the virus at work.

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Boracay, El Nido named among world’s best beaches for 2020

by Jan

Milo Severo Philstar.com

The country’s top beaches, Boracay and El Nido, were among those that made it to Condé Nast Traveler’s 25 Best Island Beaches in the World: 2020 Readers’ Choice Awards list.

The prestigious travel publication placed Boracay at 2nd while El Nido in Palawan placed 9th.

“For our 33rd annual Readers’ Choice Awards survey—yes, more than three decades—our readers leaned in heavily into nostalgia.

With travel largely on pause this year, it seems what they may have missed most was a coveted beach vacation where they could get away from it all. Whether you’re looking for a calm stretch of sand in the Caribbean or a family-friendly resort in the

middle of the Indian Ocean, there are enough options out there to suit every type of traveler,” the publication said in its introduction.

The publication described Boracay as a “screensaver brought to life, with dazzling white sand, so-clear-youcan-see-your-toes water, and a lush jungle backdrop, available to anyone willing to make the journey.”

“The island used to fly under the radar with one of the most beautiful beaches in the world—but the secret’s out. Now the three-mile White Beach, with its grottos and beachside dining (and nightlife), is its busiest swath of sand,” wrote Conde Nast’s Caitlin Morton.

El Nido, meanwhile, was described as home to around 50 whitesand beaches.

“Palawan remains steadily under the radar, even though

it continues to rank highly in our Readers’ Choice Awards.

El Nido alone is home to around 50 white sand beaches—it’s impossible to choose just one—all of which are set around dramatic limestone formations and have the finest and whitest sand you’ll ever see. The water is so blindingly blue it makes the Caribbean Sea look murky in comparison. And the sunsets? Well, they’ll ruin you for life. Consider yourself warned,” Morton said.

Gouverneur, St. Barts topped the list, followed by Boracay, North Island in Seychelles; Reethi Rah and North Malé Atoll in Maldives; Parrot Cay in Turks and Caicos; Maundays Bay in Anguilla; Marco Island in Florida; Kiawah Island in South Carolina; El Nido in Palawan and Seger Beach in Lombok. n

BACK TO WORK. Passengers queue at the Metro Rail Transit 3 (MRT3) North Avenue Station in Quezon City on Monday, January 4. Many businesses and offices have resumed operations on the first working day of the year after the long holidays.

PNA photo by Joey O. Razon

PH bans entry from the US, 6 more...

PAGE 1 international organizations such as the World Health Organization and the United Nations shall be exempted from quarantine protocols provided they will undergo RT-PCR test upon arrival at the airport, execute an undertaking, and observe strict 14-day quarantine,” the country’s Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) said Wednesday.

Foreign dignitaries who shall observe existing testing and quarantine protocols upon arrival, as well as those with medical and emergency cases, including their medical escorts, are also exempted.

The six new countries joined the list of countries under the Philippines’ travel ban, including the United Kingdom, the United States, Denmark, Ireland, Japan, Australia, Israel, the Netherlands, Hong Kong, Switzerland, France, Germany, Iceland, Italy, Lebanon, Singapore, Sweden, South Korea, South Africa, Canada, and Spain.

Filipino nationals coming from the countries covered by the travel ban are permitted to enter the Philippines, provided that they undergo a 14-day quarantine regardless of a negative COVID-19 swab test result.

Meanwhile, travelers from countries not included in the travel ban list will be “endorsed to the Local Gov-

ernment Units (LGU) upon yielding negative RT-PCR results at the point of entry.”

“Despite negative results, LGUs are strongly urged to ensure that travelers complete their 14-day quarantine period either at a facility or at home,” the DOH said.

‘Regularly updated’ The DOH on Tuesday, Jan. 5, said that the list of countries included in the Philippines’ travel ban will be “regularly updated.”

“The list of countries included in the travel restrictions shall be regularly updated to include countries who will officially report the detection of the variant,” the agency said.

The DOH added that it will make recommendations, along with the DFA, on which countries should be included in the travel ban.

A new country may be banned if its government reports the detection of the variant in its official channels, or makes an official notification to the International Health Regulations.

“Unofficial reports, including those reported by media outlets, do not qualify as official sources and therefore cannot be used as basis in recommending travel restrictions from a specific country,” the DOH said.

Bello: Expanding travel restrictions to OFWs being studied The IATF, meanwhile, is studying the possibility of including overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) in the travel

ban.

“Right now, if the traveler is coming from the 21 countries, he will not be allowed to enter. The only exemption if you’re an OFW but there is a move that even OFWs will be included but it’s still being studied,” Philippine Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III said in a virtual forum on Monday.

So far, no OFW has caught the new strain, according to Bello.

“Once we find an OFW contaminated by this new COVID-19 variant, this might be a factor that will move the IATF-EID to consider including them in the restriction,” he added.

The labor chief also revealed that the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) is concerned about the shortage of quarantine facilities for OFWs. “I just had a meeting with OWWA administrator Hans Cacdac and he is apprehensive that we’ve run out of quarantine because we are repatriating at least 1,000 to a maximum of 3,500 OFWs a day,” Bello said.

A total of 327,511 OFWs have been repatriated since the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs started its COVID-19 repatriation flights in 2020.

Of the figure, 231,537 were land-based OFWs coming from at least 90 countries while 95,974 were seafarers from more than 150 cruise ships, oil tankers, and other bulk vessels. n

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ATTY. GURFINKEL FPFC

January 8-14, 2021 • nEW yOrK anD nEW JErSEy aSIan JOurnaL

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PH Senate to probe government’s...

PAGE 1 tee of Whole’s probe would not focus on the early vaccination of members of the Presidential Security Group (PSG). He also said that the PSG members would not be invited into the hearing.

“The topic of my hearing is the roadmap for the P72.5 billion for vaccines.

Who in heaven’s name told (Duterte) I’m calling for the PSG? I think the president is being misled,” Sotto said Tuesday, January 5.

Meanwhile, Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon pointed out that while Duterte can invoke executive privilege to prevent the PSG from appearing in a hearing, he has no power to stop Congress from eliciting information in aid of legislation from other resource persons.

“The president, in effect, is invoking executive privilege. It is a recognized power of the president. It is a valid exercise of the power of the President under EO 464, as affirmed by the Supreme Court in the case of Senate of the Philippines vs Ermita,” Drilon told Senate reporters.

“But to investigate in aid of legislation is also a valid exercise of legislative power. There is no preventing Congress from eliciting

information in aid of legislation from other resource persons. Congress can exact information on matters that can help it craft better legislation,” he added.

On Monday, January 4, Duterte warned Congress against investigating the PSG, insisting that the inoculation was a matter of “self-preservation.”

“To me, it’s a matter of self-preservation. Iyan lang (That’s all). Whatever be your objection, whatever be your criticism, para sa akin (for me), it is a matter of preservation. And I would like to call on Congress na hindi naman ako nakikiusap. Ang ano ko lang diretso na salita na (I am not making an appeal. I want to tell you straight) do not tinker with the PSG,” he said in a taped speech.

‘Shut up’ Duterte said that he is not keen on allowing PSG commander Brig. Jesus Durante III and other PSG members to attend the Congress’ hearing.

“I will not elaborate on it but do not force my hand to meddle into this affair because maybe I will not, I am not so keen about allowing Durante and the rest of the PSG to testify,” he said.

He added, “If they will be called to testify in Con-

gress… then I would ask the PSG to just shut up.

Do not answer. Invoke the right against self-incrimination and you will not get anything.”

The President threatened the Congress that there will be a “crisis” if the Congress decides to cite the PSG in contempt and detain them.

“Huwag mo silang pakialaman (Don’t interfere) because… Two things may happen: I will ask them to shut up and not to answer any question, and I’m not threatening, please do not cite them in contempt by detaining them, I will not allow it.,” Duterte said.

“Pag ginawa ninyo ‘yan (If you do that), there will be a little crisis. Nasa inyo (It’s up to you). I am prepared to defend my soldiers. I will not allow them for all of their good intentions to be brutalized in a hearing,” he added.

Senate’s responsibility According to Senator Francis Pangilinan, it would be the Senate’s decision whether or not to focus on the PSG’s early immunization.

“What’s important to me is to ensure that the vaccine rollout should be orderly, fair, safe and effective and find out if the government

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Government debt accumulates to...

PAGE 1 other socio-economic measures,” the Treasury said in a statement.

With no end in sight yet for the coronavirus health crisis, the debt stock likely increased further into the last month of the year with the government projecting yearend obligations to hit P10.14 trillion.

By end-2021, Treasury expects debt to rise further to P11.98 trillion.

Broken down, local debts continued to grow monthon-month in November while a rallying peso against the US dollar helped bring down the amount of foreign obligations. Peso-denominated obligations represent a chunk of the debt with 71% share against external debt’s 29%.

More specifically, domestic liabilities inched up 1.6% month-on-month to P7.19 trillion. Year-to-date, local borrowings surged 40.3% from end-2019 just before the pandemic prompted a global fundraising race to

meet rising public demands.

In November alone, local debts climbed due to net proceeds worth P114.56 billion from issuance of government securities. The government borrow weekly from domestic investors by selling Treasury bonds and bills. In total, P6.65 trillion in domestic debts were in the form of securities as of end-November.

The remaining balance in peso obligations were in the form of loans, the bulk of which came from the central bank last October at P540 billion. These cash advances were already paid last December 29, and would have likely materially pushed down debt in the last month of the year. An additional P948 million were loans from other institutions.

Meanwhile, foreign debts inched down 0.3% monthon-month in November to P2.94 trillion after the peso appreciated to an average of P48.085 to a dollar against October’s P48.396. With a

strong currency, government would need to shell out fewer pesos to meet its external obligations.

That said, for the first 11 months, foreign liabilities remained up 13% from end2019 level, data showed.

During that same period, program loans added P364.64 billion, while the more specific project loans contributed fresh P32.93 billion.

Apart from loans, proceeds from bond issuances abroad worth P186.06 billion added to the existing debt pile as of November, Treasury figures showed.

The government typically borrows from foreign and local markets to bridge its budget deficit and pay up old debts. But last year, borrowings soared as government expected to widen its budget gap to a record 7.6% of economic output.

Large borrowings, in turn, are slowly translating into bigger debts, all while the economy shrinks into recession. n

INTERNET EXPANSION. A technician installs internet cables to a post near an internet satellite tower on Salvia Street at Saint Dominic Subdivision in Barangay Kaligayahan Novaliches, Fairview in Quezon City on Tuesday, January 5. The internet provider is expanding its network capacity to accommodate more subscribers.

PNA photo by Oliver Marquez

Makati City Prosecutor releases...

PAGE 1 inquest proceedings, the Office of the City Prosecutor, Makati City resolved to refer the case for further investigation and to release the arrested persons from detention,” said Prosecutor General Benedicto Malcontento in a statement.

John Pascual Dela Serna III, Rommel Galido, and John Paul Halili, who were arrested on Monday, January 4, left detention at the Makati City police department upon order.

Malcontento said further investigation is needed to determine the following: 1. Whether Christine Angelica F. Dacera was raped and/or killed, and if yes, the identities of the persons responsible therefor, and; 2. Whether the death was by reason or on the occasion of rape or for other reasons – the actual cause of death.

Dacera, 23, was found unconscious in an empty bathtub of a hotel in Makati City on January 1 after a New Year’s Eve party with friends.

She was rushed to Makati Medical Center where she was pronounced dead.

The Philippine National Police (PNP) earlier filed a provisional charge of rape with homicide against the arrested suspects due to the bruises, lacerations, and fluids found on Dacera’s body. However, the Makati prosecutor’s office pointed out that there was not enough evidence to establish if Dacera was sexually assaulted or raped.

“After a thorough examination of the evidence presented on inquest, this Office finds that there are certain matters that need to be clarified to determine the participation and culpability of each respondent for the alleged rape and killing of [Dacera],” the resolution read.

“At this point, the pieces of evidence so far submitted are

insufficient to establish that she was sexually assaulted or raped. And, if sexual assault/ rape was committed, who is/are the person/s responsible?” it added.

The Makati prosecutor’s office also noted that Dacera’s cause of death remains unclear.

An initial autopsy report said the cause of death was a ruptured aortic aneurysm, which may be caused by several factors like high blood pressure, high cholesterol, infection, or sudden traumatic injury.

“No evidence medically or scientifically was presented to prove that the cause of death or the rupture of aortic aneurysm was by reason of the alleged rape,” the prosecution said.

At large The Prosecutor General also said the complaint against eight other suspects linked in the case, and who are still at large, will be under further investigation: Gregorio Angelo de Guzman, Clark Jezreel Rapinan, Valentine Rosales, Mark Anthony Rosales, Rey Englis, Louie de Lima, Jammyr Cunanan, and a certain Ed Madrid.

The investigation will be conducted on January 13.

PNP Chief Gen. Debold Sina, for his part, gave the suspects at large 72 hours to surrender, threatening to “hunt them down.”

Earlier, the police considered the case as “solved” as they have identified the “suspects” in Dacera’s death.

Violation of due process Several groups demanded the PNP to be thorough and transparent after it said Dacera’s case was already “solved” despite incomplete information on the case.

“By concluding that a case is already solved without providing clear evidence and being able to take into custody

all persons of interest is a gross violation of due process and is a further injustice to Christine’s death,” said Kasama Ka sa Paglikha ng Arte at Literatura Para sa Bayan (KALikha).

According to the group, it is the PNP’s burden “to prove the facts of the case and be held accountable for prematurely releasing a report that is incomplete and inconclusive.”

“We demand the PNP to be sensitive and give respect to the grieving family as they handle and release further information regarding the case,” KALikha said.

University of the Philippines Los Baños Babaylan likewise demanded for a thorough investigation of the case.

“Ang kasong ito ay hindi dapat tuldukan at markahan bilang isang ‘solved’ case hanggat hindi pa natatapos ang proseso ng imbestigasyon at hindi pa napatutunayan ang mga tunay na nasa likod ng krimen (This case should not be closed and marked as a “solved” case until the process of the investigation is not over and the truth behind the crime is not uncovered),” the group said in a statement.

Meanwhile, a Palace official urged the public to wait for results of the investigation before making assumptions.

“Since the investigation on Christine’s death is on-going, we advise those who are concerned with the case to reserve their judgements until all the facts are in,” said Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Salvador Panelo.

“Should there be evidence that a crime was committed, then this administration assures that the offenders thereof, regardless of who they are, will be dealt with in accordance with law that justice may be served,” he added. n

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NEW YORK AND NEW JERSEY ASIAN JOURNAL • JANUARY 8-14, 2021

Features

OpiniOn

A festering problem

Philstar.com photo

WITH repeated emphasis on the presumption of innocence, President Duterte finally decided to publicly identify the members of the House of Representatives implicated in corruption in the Department of Public Works and Highways.

Eight incumbent congressmen and a former lawmaker were identified in a report prepared by the Presidential Anti-Crime Commission, which conducted a probe on corruption in the DPWH. The department had merited special mention by President Duterte himself for investigation.

PACC Commissioner Greco Belgica has explained that the lawmakers were not the subjects of the probe, since Congress is outside the PACC mandate. But the names of the congressmen surfaced in the course of the probe, Belgica said. The President, who initially refused to name the lawmakers in the PACC report, said they were linked to various anomalies including kickbacks ranging from 10 to 25%, bid rigging and influence peddling.

Such stories have in fact surfaced in the DPWH through several administrations. While the department has its share of rotten eggs, some DPWH officials in the past have lamented that lawmakers also promoted corruption in the department. Even contractors that did not meet DPWH criteria were awarded projects due to pressure from lawmakers, the officials said.

It’s the public that suffers the consequences. Studies conducted by groups including the World Bank have shown that road projects are among the biggest sources of corruption around the globe. And the cost of corruption is usually passed on to the end users, who suffer from substandard roads.

All the congressmen named in the PACC report have denied the allegations. The De-

Editorial

partment of Justice has stepped into the probe. The Office of the Ombudsman, champion of opaqueness in government, might be interested in pursuing its own probe. These

stories have been swirling around the DPWH and Congress for years. A presidential body has unearthed leads. It’s time to find out the truth. (Philstar.com)

Georgia on my mind: Why this special Senate runoff election matters to effect change in America The Fil-Am Perspective Gel SantoS-ReloS “GEORGIA…Georgia on my mind”…must have been the soundtrack of Tuesday, January 6, 2021 as American voters in this state have once again cast their solemn

vote through ballots — either through mail-in or in-person at polling stations throughout the state.

WHY again, you’d ask, especially when President-elect Joe Biden is constitutionally bound to be sworn into office as the 46th president of the United States by noontime of January 20, 2021, after his historic win to be the candidate for President who has won the biggest number of popular votes in American

history?

This is true as well for Vice President-elect Kamala Harris — the first woman, and the first person of color to hold the second highest position in the Executive Department — who could possibly be the first woman president in the future.

This is how The Washington Post explained it: Ever since Trump lost to President-elect Biden, he has made repeated and false

claims that widespread voter fraud cost him the presidency. Yet almost every single legal challenge filed on his behalf has been rejected by the courts, including the Supreme Court. His own attorney general said there was no evidence of widespread fraud.

Trump can count on about a dozen conservative senators, as well as scores of House Republicans, to press his case by objecting to the

certification of results from some crucial battleground states.

Democrats, however, control the House, and are certain to reject any effort to overturn the outcome. Additionally, many Senate Republicans oppose the pro-Trump efforts.

That all but guarantees that after hours of debate, Congress will certify President-elect Biden’s victory, clearing the path for his in-

auguration Jan. 20.

Why does Georgia’s Senate runoff matter?

Georgia is on our mind NOT because it will give the outgoing President Donald J. Trump four more years as president to further shield him from all the legal woes he would be facing for all the alleged and reported criminal, civil, and political transgressions he has committed.

PAGE 10

The views expressed by our Op-Ed contributors are solely their own and do not necessarily reflect the predilection of the editorial board and staff of Asian Journal.

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Dateline PhiliPPines

1 in 4 Metro Manila residents willing to get vaccine

by Red

Mendoza ManilaTimes.net

ONLY 1 in 4 people in Metro Manila is willing to get vaccinated against the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccine if it becomes available this year, according to a survey done by the team who tracks the country’s COVID-19 numbers.

In its maiden Tugon ng Masa (Answer of the People), an independent, noncommissioned and selffunded survey, the Octa Research Group said 25% of those surveyed are willing to get the vaccine.

On the other hand, 28% of respondents said they will not get themselves vaccinated, while 47% are undecided.

Octa Research Fellow

Professor Ranjit Rye said the low number of respondents who are willing to be vaccinated, coupled by the high number of respondents who are unsure, was due to lack of information dissemination by the government regarding the COVID-19 vaccination program.

“You have to understand that the deployment of the vaccine will not reach the regular common Tao (person) until the latter part of this year. As early as now, we should have a massive information drive to emphasize the importance of the vaccine,” Rye told The Manila Times in a phone interview.

The deployment of the vaccines will be crucial in the country’s long-term fight against COVID-19, but

some people are not knowledgeable and uncertain about vaccines.

Rye added that the government should start its information drive in the National Capital Region (NCR).

“If we can manage the epidemic in the NCR, we can manage the epidemic in the whole country,” he said.

Vaccine costs are also a factor in the uncertainty of people, especially in the D and E economic classes, said Rye. He said people will get more confident of vaccinating themselves if they are certain of the safety and efficacy of the vaccine and its cost.

“They must ensure that the vaccine that they will PAGE 7

House to restart charter change talks upon Velasco’s directive

by Xave

GReGoRio Philstar.com

MANILA — Discussions on charter change would soon restart in the House of Representatives upon the directive of Speaker Lord Allan Velasco (Marinduque), who just three months ago said there was not enough time for such talks.

House constitutional amendments panel chair Alfredo Garbin (AKO BICOL party-list) told Philstar.com that Velasco directed him to tackle proposed amendments to “restrictive” economic provisions in the Constitution.

“It’s long overdue. Ours is a 33-year-old Constitution of which its restrictive economic provisions

no longer conforms to the needs of time,” Garbin said in a message on Wednesday.

Asked if they would also tackle political provisions, like term extensions, Garbin said that their focus is solely on economic provisions.

Garbin said his panel would resume deliberations on proposals to liberalize the Constitution’s economic provisions next Wednesday.

Among those proposals is by Velasco himself, who in 2019 filed Resolution of Both Houses (RBH) No. 2, which seeks to convene Congress into a constituent assembly to amend Articles XII, XIV and XVI of the Constitution.

Velasco’s proposed amendments seek to give

Congress the power to lift several economic restrictions imposed by the Constitution, like limitations on foreign investments.

Velasco’s proposal does not include provisions for term extensions, but he has said that he is in favor of extending the terms of elected officials, even remarking that the three years allotted for lawmakers to sit in the House is “very short.”

In October, Velasco told the Daily Tribune in an online interview that while he wanted to push for charter change, there is no more time for it, especially while the legislature is focused on how to address the pandemic that has brought the economy to its knees and unemployment to a record high. n

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NEW YORK AND NEW JERSEY ASIAN JOURNAL • JANUARY 8-14, 2021

‘Last responders’ brace for surge in...

PAGE 1 because most everyone was just afraid,” he said.

As COVID-19 has spread from big cities to rural communities, it has stressed not only hospitals, but also what some euphemistically call “last responders.” The crush has overwhelmed morgues, funeral homes and religious leaders, required ingenuity and even changed the rituals of honoring the dead.

Officials in many smaller cities and towns learned from seeing the overflow of bodies during last spring’s first wave of COVID deaths in places such as Detroit, where nurses at Detroit Medical Center Sinai-Grace Hospital alerted the media to bodies accumulating in hospital storage rooms.

They watched as New York hospitals and funeral homes marshaled refrigerated trucks to store bodies. More than 600 bodies of people who died in the spring COVID surge remain in freezer trucks on the Brooklyn waterfront because officials can’t find next of kin, or relatives are also sick or unable to pay for burial.

People like Dr. Robert Kurtzman, Montana’s chief medical examiner, took heed.

Last spring, he worked with funeral directors and others to study the state’s morgue capacity. After looking at COVID projections, the state arranged with the Montana National Guard to have 13 refrigerated semitrucks ready to dispatch anywhere in the state.

“We are already in a precarious position, and the projections present a scary proposition,” he said. “We need to be ready for worstcase scenarios.”

Chad Towner, CEO of St. Joseph Health System, which

has two hospitals in northern Indiana, ordered two refrigerated semitrailers in April. For a time, things were relatively quiet. But the pandemic has hit.

“I told a friend who was a COVID doubter that if my wife needed a bed today, I could not arrange one. That’s the dire situation we face here,” Towner said. “All our competitors in the area are in the same boat, and we’re working together instead of competing.”

Although the freezer trucks have not yet been needed, he worries that the sharp increase in cases, and those anticipated from holiday gatherings, will make last-resort measures necessary.

“We recently had four deaths in one afternoon,” said Towner. “A priest approached me to say he’d been asked to provide last rites to three patients in one hour.”

Moving bodies from the hospital morgue is a slower process than usual, he said.

“Morticians and funeral homes are overflowing as well. Families that are sick or quarantined at the time of the loved one’s death often can’t work with us on a transfer, meaning bodies are here longer. The entire system is stressed to the tipping point,” said Towner.

Private enterprise has created a solution for smaller communities. In Bozeman, Montana, a specialty truck company has retrofitted trailers that can be pulled by an SUV or a pickup.

Acela Truck Co. has already sold hundreds of the pull-behind refrigerated units created in response to the COVID pandemic. They range from 9 to 53 feet and have racks that each hold four body trays.

“We’re very busy and have orders in all of the lower 48 states,” said CEO David Ronsen. Acela has partnered with Mopec, a Michigan autopsy supply company, to help sell and deliver the new product.

Billings Clinic in Montana also anticipated a flood of deaths last spring by reserving a semitrailer for delivery, if needed. The clinic, which has just two morgue spaces, has dealt with 80 COVID deaths, including seven on the weekend after Thanksgiving.

Chief Nursing Officer Laurie Smith said the hospital is at capacity, despite adding beds by converting office space and building an addition. The hospital, which currently has 335 beds, so far has handled the additional deaths through what she calls a “sad partnership” with funeral homes, which have been quickly picking up bodies the hospital cannot store.

The hospital does its best to allow relatives to say goodbye, but that often involves family members standing at an interior window outside the patient’s room, using a computer tablet to communicate their last words.

That is just one way in which the rituals of grieving have changed during the COVID pandemic.

Typical congregational hymns are pretty much gone, as are choirs.

“We are using mostly recordings, sometimes a soloist,” said Spitzer. (Cindy Loose/Kaiser Health News) This story was produced by KHN (Kaiser Health News), which publishes California Healthline, an editorially independent service of the California Health Care Foundation. KHN is not affiliated with Kaiser Permanente. n

DFA sees new spike in infections among...

PAGE 1 number of recovered and discharged patients to 8,446.

Meanwhile, the death toll remained at 934 as no new fatalities were recorded by the DFA. “The DFA, together with its Foreign Service Posts, remains fully committed to monitoring and assisting our nationals abroad amidst this ongoing battle against the COVID-19 pandemic,” the agency said.

Overall by region, Europe – which comprises 20 countries – has recorded 1,794 Filipino cases, including 339 undergoing treatment, 1,337 recover-

ies and 118 deaths.

The Middle East and Africa, covering 33 countries, has reported 7,712 cases; of which, 2,421 are undergoing treatment, 601 deaths and 4,690 recoveries.

The Asia Pacific region, which spans across 21 countries, has 2,708 cases, with 784 undergoing treatment, 1,893 recoveries, and 21 deaths.

The Americas – covering 10 countries like the United States – have 787 reported cases, with 67 undergoing treatment, 526 recoveries, and 194 deaths.

“To date, the Middle East

and Africa remain to be the region with the most number of confirmed COVID-19 cases, recoveries, under treatment, and fatalities among our nationals,” the DFA noted on Tuesday.

“The Americas has the least numbers in all categories compared to other geographic regions, except in the total number of deaths, wherein Asia and the Pacific rank lowest with a total of only 21,” it added.

Meanwhile, in the Philippines, there are a total of 479,693 confirmed COVID19 cases, with 9,321 fatalities and 448,375 recoveries. n

REPAIR SHOP. A mechanic (right) at a bicycle store and repair shop fixes a bike as customers look on in Barangay Salitran 3, Dasmarinas City, Cavite on Tuesday, January 5. Bicycles are one of the alternative means of transportation used by workers and authorized persons outside of residence (APOR) amid the coronavirus pandemic.

PNA photo by Gil Calinga

1 in 4 Metro Manila residents...

PAGE 6 procure is, in the first place, safe and effective, if this is not so, people will lack trust and confidence in the vaccine program,” Rye said.

Meanwhile, most resi-

dents in Metro Manila approve of the government’s COVID-19 response at 81%.

Only 6% of those surveyed are dissatisfied with the government’s response,

while 12% are unsure.

The survey was conducted from December 9 to 13 among 600 respondents aged 18 and above. It had a sampling error of plus-minus 4%. n

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New year brings 5 new...

PAGE 2 Employees who suffer illness or death from COVID19 between July 6, 2020 and Jan. 1, 2023 may be entitled to compensation. Since the beginning of the pandemic, many Californians were allowed to work from home, but millions of Californians who are deemed “essential workers” — including health care workers, retail and restaurant workers and deliverers, for example — have had to return to the workplace.

Among health care workers, there have been more than 67,000 confirmed positive cases and 250 deaths in California, as of Dec. 27.

Minimum wage increase Per a law that was signed by former California Gov. Jerry Brown in 2016, employers must now pay a minimum wage of $14 per hour, a dollar increase from last year’s hourly minimum wage. Workplaces with fewer than 26 workers are now required to pay a minimum wage of $13.

The law that Brown signed in 2016 made it so that the state’s manda-

tory hourly minimum wage would increase every year until 2022 when it reached $15 an hour. Gov. Gavin Newsom decided to maintain the law, arguing that it could help families and individuals who work hourly jobs who have financially struggled throughout the pandemic.

“Not allowing this increase to go forward will only make life harder for those Californians who have already borne a disproportionate share of the economic hardship caused by this pandemic,” Newsom said in a statement.

AB 2992: Expanded work leave for crime victims Victims of crime or abuse that has caused physical or mental injury are now eligible for job-protected leave.

Specifically, these new protections involve individuals who have been victims of domestic abuse, sexual assault or stalking as well as any employee whose immediate family member is deceased as a direct result of any of these crimes.

AB 2992 imposes new limitations on employers

from unfairly discriminating against or discharging employees who are victims of crime or abuse.

With domestic abuse on the rise as families continue to be sequestered at home due to the COVID19 pandemic, this new law aims to protect victims.

CA State Assemblymember Shirley Weber (D-San Diego) authored the bill as a way to “create a safe haven for survivors who need time to recover and get to safety following traumatic crimes, without the risk of losing their job.”

SB 1383: Expanded family leave California was the first state in the country to institute a paid family leave guarantee, and this law expands on that landmark legislation. SB 1383 would expand the types of situations that would be eligible if an employee at a small business needs to take time off to care for a loved one: domestic partners, grandparents and grandchildren, siblings and parents-inlaw.

This law also expands

BELIEF. Catholic devotees buy an image of the Black Nazarene outside the Minor Basilica of the Black Nazarene after the mass in Quiapo, Manila on Monday, January 4. In an effort to still celebrate the Traslacion or Feast of the Black Nazarene on January 9, the Quiapo Church has decided to localize the observance of the anticipated event by bringing the image to several areas in the Archdiocese of Manila and in neighboring dioceses to avoid mass gatherings at the church. PNA photo by Avito C. Dalan

existing protections to businesses that employ five people or more, which opens up paid family benefits to millions more Californians — a timely expansion during a time when more people, especially women, are taking time off work to care for family members.

CA Sen. Hannah-Beth Jackson (D-Santa Barbara) authored the bill that passed in 2020 and noted that for years, all employed Californian workers pay into the paid family leave program (through deductions) but many don’t take advantage of it for fear of being dis-

charged from their jobs.

According to the First 5 California Commission, 40% of California workers in 2020 were at risk of losing their jobs if they took leave to care for a newborn or a sick loved one because their employer was too small. n

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NEW YORK AND NEW JERSEY ASIAN JOURNAL • JANUARY 8-14, 2021

Child porn transactions hit P113 million in 6 months

by Lawrence

agcaoiLi Philstar.com

MANILA — Suspicious transactions worth P113.1 million related to child pornography were reported in the first half of last year, almost double the P65.8 million booked in 2019 as the government stepped up its campaign against the sexual abuse of children, the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) revealed.

In a public bulletin titled “Child pornography in the Philippines,” the AMLC showed the volume of suspicious transaction reports (STRs) reached 27,217 from January to June 2020 or more than 2.5 times the 10,627 reported for the entire 2019.

“STRs submitted in the first semester of 2020 have already exceeded STRs submitted in 2019,” the AMLC said.

The financial intelligence unit pointed out that STRs related to child pornography reached 37,844 from January 2019 to June 2020, significantly higher than the 2,611 reported

from 2015 to 2018.

It added that the STR submissions have increased by 1,654 percent from 2018 to 2019 and 156 percent from 2019 to the first semester of 2020.

“This is expected to increase further until the end of 2020,” AMLC stated in the report.

The observed increase in STRs could be attributed to the sharing of the AMLC study on child pornography and the improved collaboration and cooperation of the AMLC with its partner covered persons.

As a result, AMLC said STRs filed by covered persons are based on existing indicators and not merely triggered by news reports.

Moreover, various awareness campaigns and information exchange of the AMLC, law enforcement agencies and other financial intelligence units as well as private organizations also contributed to the increase in STR submissions.

The report showed 97.3 percent of the total STRs were submitted by money service businesses fol-

lowed by electronic money issuers with 1.3 percent, banks with 1.2 percent and virtual currency exchanges with 0.1 percent.

In terms of value, money service businesses cornered 89.4 percent of the total amount from January 2019 to June 2020 followed by electronic money issuers with 6.9 percent, banks with 3.6 percent and virtual currency exchanges with 0.03 percent.

“The accessibility of money service businesses in most areas, including remote rural locations, may still be the primary reason for using them to channel funds. Some payments were also made via banks, noting that offenders and facilitators prefer to use traditional payment methods through money service businesses and banks,” AMLC said.

The financial intelligence unit also noted the use of electronic money issuers and virtual currency exchanges via electronic wallets accessible through mobile phones and other devices.

PAGE 10

PH Senate to probe government’s...

PAGE 4 is indeed prepared for it,” he said.

“If the different agencies of the Executive branch are not yet ready and are going their own ways in different directions, it is the responsibility of the Senate under the Constitution to serve as a check and balance and investigate this,” the senator added.

Earlier, the Senate adopted Pangilinan’s resolution to convene into a Committee of the Whole to conduct a legislative probe into the government’s vaccination program.

Senator Risa Hontiveros, for her part, stressed that it is the Senate’s duty to open an inquiry into the government’s plans.

“We would be remiss in our duty if we did not pursue this…. Kung may isang branch of government na nagkukulang (If one branch of government is falling short) then the other branches, including our own in the legislature,

must and I believe, will step up,” she said.

FDA, NBI probes The Philippine Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on Wednesday, January 6 also announced that it will proceed with its probe into the PSG’s use of unregistered COVID-19 vaccines.

“The president said the PSG should not attend congressional hearings. The FDA has its own set of processes on how we handle and investigate complaints and reports. We will continue the probe according to the processes laid out by FDA,” FDA Director General Enrique Domingo said in Filipino.

To date, the FDA has not given any COVID-19 vaccine manufacturer that applied in the country an emergency use authorization (EUA).

Likewise, the country’s National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) said it will not drop its investigation.

“The focus of the NBI investigation is the alleged

proliferation of unregistered anti-Covid 19 vaccines in the so-called black market and their unauthorized administration,” said Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra.

“The agency can obtain information from various sources,” he added.

NBI spokesperson Ferdinand Lavin also said that the agency might reach out to the PSG and the military for the investigation.

“If they refuse to cooperate, we will still proceed with the investigation. We will build up the case based on independent evidence,” he said.

Malacañang, for its part, urged the PSG to participate in investigations by agencies in the executive branch.

“Iyong mga hearings ng ehekutibo (The hearings in the executive branch) can continue and of course we expect the PSG to appear and cooperate,” Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said. n

10

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OLD FASHIONED. Despite the presence of numerous shopping malls in Metro Manila, small traders from nearby Luzon provinces continue to promote the country’s native products. One is through the traditional way — moving from place to place using a bull- or horse-drawn “caretela” or carriage like the one shown in photo along Aurora Boulevard near Katipunan Avenue in Quezon City on Tuesday, January 5.

PNA photo by Joey O. Razon

Georgia on my mind...

PAGE 5 No. Justice will prevail and he will be held accountable for all that he did and did not do according to the oath he took as president.

Whatever the outcome of this special election will NOT affect the certification of Electoral College results

by Congress, no matter how hard the propaganda machinery has been trying to make supporters believe that the election victory was “stolen” from Trump.

Georgia is on our mind because the results of this special election will determine if the leadership of the Senate will go blue — ejecting Republican Mitch McConnell from his post as Senate Majority Leader and paving the way for a Chuck Schumer leadership.

Last November 3, none of the Senatorial candidates in Georgia garnered more than 50% of the vote. This forced dueling runoff races between the top two vote-getters in each contest, the Post reported.

So the American voters in Georgia will be casting their most consequential decision that will determine if President-Elect Joe Biden will be able to smoothly put into action the changes he campaigned on to “restore the soul of America” and “build back better” from the rubbles and ashes of the failed Trump leadership.

Avid Trump supporter Republican David Perdue seeks a second term in office and is challenged by Democrat Jon Ossoff.

Separately, the Post reported that appointed GOP Sen. Kelly Loeffler is running against Democrat Raphael Warnock to complete the remainder of retired Repub-

lican Sen. Johnny Isakson’s term.

What results are needed by both sides of the aisle to win?

The Post explained: “Republicans need to win only one of the races to secure a narrow 51-49 majority. But if Democrats take both seats, the Senate would be divided 5050, with Vice President-elect Kamala Harris poised to cast tie-breaking votes once she takes office and assumes her duties as the Senate’s presiding officer.”

The Post further reported that the results of the elections will not change the “calculus in Congress when it comes to the Electoral College certification process.”

This is because pursuant to quirks in Georgia election law, Perdue won’t be able to cast a vote Wednesday even if he wins.

“Perdue’s contest went to a Jan. 5 runoff that is being held after his term ended, he is not a senator right now. If he wins, he can retake his seat after the results of his election are certified later this month and Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp issues a certificate stating he won. Loeffler, on the other hand, is still a senator. Her appointment

by Kemp remains in effect until the winner of the election is sworn in,” the Post explained.

In the days leading up to the January 5 election, the New York Times reported that about 3.1 million people have already voted in the run-off races, and this accounts for almost 40% of all registered voters in the state.

The Times reported that based on early voting data, the races are very competitive, meaning the state that used to be “red” may have

already evolved to be purple, and even blue, with the Democrats having an even bigger share of the early voting electorate compared to their share in the November general elections. The question now is: Will the Republicans be more compelled and motivated to vote in person to beat the fire and enthusiasm of Democratic voters lead by Stacey Abrams who has been turning the tide in Georgia by mobilizing people of color to vote?

Despite the desperate efforts from Trump’s Republican minions in Congress who “pledged to undo Democrat Joe Biden’s victory by mounting a challenge to the election results during a joint session of Congress,” they will not be successful in subverting the will of the American people who decisively fired Trump and elected Biden to be president of the United States in the next four years.

HAPPY NEW YEAR! May 2021 clear the path toward new hope and new beginnings to fulfill our shared goals of healing and unity for the greater good of the American people. *** 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. *** Gel Santos Relos has been in news, talk, public service and educational broadcasting since 1989 with ABS-CBN and is now serving the Filipino audience using different platforms, including digital broadcasting, and print, and is working on a new public service program for the community. You may contact her through email at gelrelos@icloud.com, or send her a message via Facebook at Facebook.com/Gel.Santos.Relos.

Philippine Senator and Red Cross Chairman Richard Gordon

ManilaTimes.net photo

PhilHealth owes Red Cross P1 billion

by John

Eric MEndoza ManilaTimes.net

THE Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) owes the Philippine Red Cross almost P1 billion in coronavirus swab tests, the humanitarian organization’s chairman said on Monday, January 4.

Red Cross Chairman Sen. Richard Gordon urged the state insurer to pay the

outstanding balance on time to prevent another suspension of state-funded swab tests.

“We’re biting our nails in hopes that they settle their dues before this becomes a ‘part two’ of the issue,” Gordon said in a tweet, referring to Red Cross’ decision to stop the tests in October last year after PhilHealth’s debt reached nearly P931 million.

The tests resumed shortly

after Philhealth made a partial payment.

Gordon said the state insurer should pay at least P500 million “right away.”

PhilHealth was supposed to pay Red Cross “every three days,” but its last payment was on December 29.

The Red Cross has done 1.6 million swab tests, many of them on overseas Filipino workers and medical frontliners, Gordon said. n

Child porn transactions hit...

PAGE 9 Of the total value from January 2019 to June 2020, the report showed 68.4 percent pertain to international remittances from the US, Australia, Canada, Saudi Arabia, United Kingdom, Norway, United Arab Emirates, Korea and Singapore.

Pampanga topped the list where recipients of remittances related to child pornography are located in terms of volume and value. It was followed by Cebu, Bulacan, Cavite and Quezon City.

The report also showed several domestic remittance transactions made across regions with Rizal, Cebu, Davao del Sur, Bohol and Taguig City topping the list in terms of value and volume.

“The report also revealed a possible existence of organized crime groups and syndicates involved in child exploitation activities due to multiple links between senders and beneficiaries.

Child pornography in the Philippines is predominantly cross-border in nature, but localized setting is also evident because of the domestic remittances related to child pornography,” AMLC said.

Meanwhile, Malacañang urged people Monday, January 4 to report to the police any information about the alleged selling of sensual photos and videos by financially troubled students as the National Bureau of Investigation and the justice department’s cybercrime office vowed to strengthen efforts against online human trafficking.

The Philippine National Police (PNP) also ordered its Anti-Cybercrime Group (ACG) to monitor such activities in social media as PNP chief Debold Sinas called on parents and the Department of Social Welfare and Development to intervene if these acts are done voluntarily.

The agencies noted reports of some students holding a “Christmas sale”

of lewd photos and videos, selling videos and photos to raise money allegedly for their internet bills and gadgets for online classes.

Various sectors have expressed concern that the practice makes students vulnerable to sexual exploitation and unlawful acts.

“Report that to the police because we have laws to punish such acts,” presidential spokesman Harry Roque said at a press briefing.

Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian, chairman of the Senate’s basic education committee, previously said there have been reports that the students are selling their sensual content through social networking site Twitter.

Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra has also warned the public against traffickers who are taking advantage of the pandemic lockdowns to search for potential victims. (Alexis Romero, Neil Jayson Servallos/Philstar.com) n

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NEW YORK AND NEW JERSEY ASIAN JOURNAL • JANUARY 8-14, 2021

COMMUNITY Journal

11

Court upholds Trump’s ‘public charge’ proclamation requiring healthcare coverage

medical care as determined by the Secretary of Health and Human Services.

It remains to be seen how this proclamation will be implemented and applied at Atty. MichAel the Embassies, and we will Gurfinkel, eSQ continue to monitor this developing situation and keep you informed.

ON December 31, 2020, But with all of these rapthe 9th circuit court of apid changes to immigration peal struck down a nationlaw, policies, and requirewide injunction by a lower ments, I would recommend District Court, ruling that that you seek the assistance Pres. Trump’s proclamaof an attorney, who can tion banning the issuance help you navigate your way of immigrant visas to those through these new requirewho cannot obtain private ments and greatly increase insurance or demonstrate your chances for success. the funds to self-insure, was *** lawful. This Michael J. means that Gurfinkel has By way of background, on October 4, before an an attorimmigrant 2019, Pres. Trump issued a proclamation been ney for over visa can be issued, the requiring people immigrating from outside 40 years and is licensed, and person must the U.S. to demonstrate either (1) they will an active memeither obtain private acquire healthcare coverage within 30 days ber of the State Bars of Califorinsurance or of entry; or (2) have the ability to pay for nia and New show they York. All immihave enough reasonably foreseeable healthcare expenses. gration servicmoney to es are provided pay for care.

The reasoning for the proc- ing the Proclamation’s im- by, or under the supervision of, an active member of the State lamation was that having plementation.”

What this will mean is Bar of California. Each case is difuninsured immigrants come to the U.S. burdens our that, in addition to all other ferent and results may depend on “public charge” require- the facts of the particular case. healthcare system.

By way of background, ments, most people seek- The information and opinions on October 4, 2019, Pres. ing an immigrant visa from contained herein (including tesTrump issued a proclama- outside the US will need to timonials, “Success Stories,” ention requiring people im- show they can obtain private dorsements and re-enactments) migrating from outside the health insurance or have are of a general nature, and are U.S. to demonstrate either enough money to pay for not intended to apply to any par(1) they will acquire health- their health care expenses, ticular case, and do not constitute care coverage within 30 and will not rely on taxpay- a prediction, warranty, guarantee days of entry; or (2) have ers to pay for their medical or legal advice regarding the outthe ability to pay for reason- expenses and care. If they come of your legal matter. No ably foreseeable healthcare cannot do so, a consul could attorney-client relationship is, or shall be, established with any refuse to issue their visa. expenses.

The Proclamation does list reader.

Trump had maintained WEBSITE: www.gurfinkel.com that intending immigrants several healthcare plans that Follow us on Facebook.com/ who lacked approved health- would qualify as “approved care insurance or the finan- health insurance,” includ- GurfinkelLaw, Twitter @Gurfinkelcial resources to pay for ing an employer-sponsored Law and YouTube: US Immigration their medical costs, would plan, and unsubsidized TV Call Toll free to schedule a conbe a burden on U.S. taxpay- health plan offered in the ers and our healthcare sys- individual market within a sultation for anywhere in the US: 1-866-487-3465 tem, especially those using state, a catastrophic plan, (866) – GURFINKEL hospitals’ emergency rooms a family member’s plan, Four offices to serve you: for a variety of non-emer- a medical plan under the LOS ANGELES ∙ SAN FRANCISCO gency conditions, causing Medicare program, or any overcrowding and delays other health plan that pro- ∙ NEW YORK ∙ PHILIPPINES (Advertising Supplement) for those who truly need vides adequate coverage for

Immigration Corner

emergency services. Allowing thousands of aliens to immigrate who could not demonstrate their ability to pay for their health care costs just made the problem worse.

A lawsuit was filed, and a lower District Court issued an injunction, halting this proclamation from taking effect. But the Ninth Circuit upheld the president’s authority to issue this proclamation, stating that, “We conclude that the Proclamation was within the President’s statutory authority and therefore reverse the district court’s order enjoin-

LEADING U.S. IMMIGRATION ATTORNEY MICHAEL J. GURFINKEL ANSWERS YOUR IMMIGRATION QUESTIONS VIA ZOOM ON CITIZEN PINOY – SOCIAL DISTANCING STYLE. Citizen Pinoy continues its public service by providing relevant information and updates on immigration. In this episode, Atty. Gurfinkel answers questions from Kapamilya in New Jersey, Alaska, California, and the Philippines. Are there any new requirements that could affect the petition of a person who arrived in the U.S. on a tourist visa, but married a U.S. citizen? A son petitioned by his mother is now preparing for his Embassy interview. On a business trip to the U.S., he made a side visit to his brother in Canada, and was denied re-entry to the U.S. Would that affect his mother’s petition? Answers to these and more on the encore episode of “Citizen Pinoy: Your Tanong, My Sagot – Social Distancing Style” this Sunday, January 10 at 6:15 pm PST/EST (9:15 pm EST thru select Cable/Satellite providers).

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COVID-19 vaccine myths

Health@Heart PhiliP S. Chua, MD, FaCS, FPCS IN this information age and era of rapid telecommunication and split-second transmission, data, truths, and facts are disseminated with lightning speed to do business, social contact, educate, and entertain, but, unfortunately, so are myths, fake news, and falsehood, which could instantly misinform, confuse and put people’s health and life in jeopardy.

With the advent of the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna anti-COVID-19 mRNA vaccines, which is a light at the end of the long tunnel in this pandemic, hope smiles at humanity because this symbolizes the beginning of the end of this deadly global disaster that has infected almost 86.5 million and killed about 2 million people around the world; nearly 21.5 million cases and almost 365,000 deaths in the United States; and nearly 480,000 infected and around 9400 deaths in The Philippines.

Here are some harmful myths circulating around the internet and in the social media we want to correct before they hurt and kill people. I appeal to all readers to eblast only facts and truths to counter fake news and falsehood.

This is our obligation to ourselves and to our fellowmen.

The vaccines for COVID19 are dangerous Not true. These vaccines have been proven safe and effective. People are actually now feeling more secure about the safety of the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines against COVID-19 after seeing healthcare frontliners, government officials, celebrities, and seniors getting either shot, without serious side-effects. The social media claim that Tennessee nurse Tiffany Dover died after getting the vaccine was fake news; she is alive and working. The CDC advises people with a history of “immediate allergic reactions” to anything in the past should NOT get these vaccines, without consultation with an allergist-immunologist first.

More than 13 million doses of the vaccine have been administered in 30 countries; 4.7 million persons in the

United States have received the shot since the vaccination started here on December 14, 2020. People now know that vaccines are safer than COVID-19, which has killed millions, and are eager to get their shot for protection and peace of mind.

These vaccines were rushed and are unsafe False. The reason why these vaccines were developed so fast was not because short-cuts were taken, but because of the new discovery and application of a more advanced, more efficient, and speedier techno-scientific process (using mRNA) in vaccine development, the first time ever it was utilized.

These new mRNA vaccines do not alter the recipient’s DNA. President Trump also helped in facilitating the efforts of these and other vaccine companies. In the past, it took several years or even decades to come up with vaccines. Henceforth, the world will witness faster vaccine development in the future for other ailments.

One can get COVID-19 from the vaccine Not true. There is no virus in the vaccine, unlike in some vaccines of yesteryears. These two available mRNA vaccines today work by providing the genetic code for our body cells to manufacture proteins, which cause our body to launch an immune response against the virus, enabling the individual to develop immunity.

So, these new vaccines cannot cause COVID-19 or any disease. It does not cause infertility either. Pregnant women with COVID-19 might even prevent a miscarriage or premature labor with the vaccine, so vaccination is recommended to ALL pregnant women.

These vaccines can cause long term ill-effects No. There is no evidence, even in the studies and clinical trials and among those vaccinated, that these mRNA vaccines can lead to long term side-effects. The only complication observed is mild allergic reaction (immediately severe in rare cases) which happens within 15 minutes or an hour after vaccination, the reason post-vaccinated individuals are observed for 15 minutes to an hour before being discharged. The common side-effects can include pain around the needle-entry site, headache, tiredness, fever, and chills, varying in differ-

ent persons. These reactions are a good indication that the body is responding and creating antibodies against the SARS-CoV2 virus, including the new variant from the United Kingdom.

Instant protection after the shot Wrong. With the widely publicized efficacy of 90 to 95 percent for each vaccine, as shown by their respective studies and three-stage clinical trials, people may have the impression that after receiving the shot, they are instantly protected, immune within seconds/minutes from getting infected with the SARS-CoV2 virus of COVID-19. Not true! There were cases reported where individuals, five or so many days after receiving the vaccines, still got infected with COVID-19. It takes about 3-4 weeks for the vaccine to provide 52 percent (partial) immunity, and about another couple of months to achieve 90-95 percent protection.

The claim that two half doses will confer the same full immunity was not part of the original studies and trials on 80,000 subjects, and is therefore questionable. As time goes by, we will learn more about the virus and the efficacy, duration of protection from the mRNA vaccines, and if we will need annual shots, like the flu vaccines.

People with health issues should not get the vaccine False. As a matter of fact, those with high blood pressure, diabetes, heart diseases, etc., should get the vaccine because they are high risk for COVID-19, especially seniors, who have the highest COVID-19 mortality. The same is true with those with compromised immune system (those with autoimmune disease, cancer patients undergoing treatments, etc.).

After the healthcare frontliners, seniors, and these persons are the next priority for vaccination.

After getting infected, no vaccine is needed Not true. Studies show the protective value of the vaccine is better than the immunity from having COVID-19, so the CDC recommends vaccination also for those who had COVID-19 for greater protection.

After getting the shot, no PPE are needed False. After receiving the vaccine, Personal Protective Equipment are still needed, as explained earlier. We PAGE 15

Markus Paterson and Janella Salvador

Photo from Instagram/@markus

Secret’s out: Janella, Markus reveal details about baby hidden for months

By Jan

Milo Severo

Philstar.com

KAPAMILYA actress Janella Salvador and boyfriend Markus Patterson introduced their firstborn to the world.

In the newly created YouTube channel of the couple, Janella revealed how she gave birth to her son Jude Trevor.

Jude was born in the United Kingdom on October 20,

2020.

Janella said that Jude is too precious so they chose not to share him to the world then, and she admitted that she’s nervous upon sharing the wonderful news.

“I was quite nervous about this day because I know how harsh the world could be,” Janella said.

The video blog showed how the couple prepared for their firstborn.

“Hey Jude, I know you came to us as a surprise,” said Janella’s mom Jenine Desiderio in the vlog, “but you are one pleasant surprise!”

Janella and Markus confirmed their relationship last September 2020.

Reports said that Janella and Markus began dating in 2019. The two remained quiet about their relationship even though pregnancy rumors hounded them.

Enrique writes sweet birthday message for his ‘paradise’ Liza

By Jan

Milo Severo Philstar.com

KAPAMILYA actor Enrique Gil penned a short but sweet birthday message for his onand off-cam partner Liza Soberano.

In his Instagram account, Enrique posted a photo of him and Liza embracing in a beach.

“We may be in an island far away but my paradise is always with you. Happy Birthday my love! 23 to infinity,” Enrique wrote.

Liza celebrated her 23rd birthday in a resort in Siargao with Enrique and her family.

Celebrities such as Erich Gonzales, Kim Chiu, Janine Gutierrez, Elisse Joson, Rayver Cruz and Andrew E, to name a few, greeted Liza on her special day. She

Enrique Gil with Liza Soberano

then thanked everyone who wished her a happy birthday.

Photo from Instagram/@enriquegil17

“Thank you so much for all the greetings and wishes,” Liza wrote.

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Artist manager to Nadine: Fil-Am vlogger Alex Wassabi to take Honor thy contract break from YouTube after 15 years By ronnie

CarraSCo ManilaTimes.net

By niña

iii

AN ARTIST manager who requested anonymity — concerned about Nadine Lustre and her situation — understands and supports Viva Artists Agency (VAA) in its move to make the actress honor her management contract. Allow me to address the artist manager as Ms. X who has a vast experience in the field.

It was on December 11 when Boss Vic del Rosario’s VAA filed a lawsuit against Nadine before the Quezon City Regional Trial Court. It reasoned out that “early this year, Nadine violated her valid and existing Agency Management Agreement with them by contracting independently with advertisers, promoters and other third parties in utter disregard of the exclusivity of her contract.”

While Ms. X is supposedly pro-artist management, she’s quick to share a typical showbiz upstart’s mindset when offered a contract.

“Usually, we, managers, offer a one-year management contract with the artist.

There are stipulated clauses in it which we ask the artist to study carefully, or if necessary have it read by his lawyer. That contract almost always gets extended for five years,” Ms. X explains.

Enrique Gil with Liza Soberano

The problem, she adds, normally arises within that five-year period, “Kadalasan kasi, on the second or third year biglang sikat ‘yung talent mo. That’s when he gets inundated with offers which, of course, translate to money.

Ang nangyayari, nanghihinayang na ‘yung artist sa 30 percent commission off his talent fees without taking into consideration the management office’s efforts in building him up, plotting his career, investing on him, etc.

Eh, paano rin naman ‘yung company which gambled on him?”

Photo from Instagram/@enriquegil17

Ms. X terms it as “buildup contract” which, in most cases, is a win-win situation on the part of the contracted artist.

She sees the parallelism in the case of Nadine who started out with VAA in 2009. The actress’ contract got renewed until 2014, for another 10 years to expire in June 2024.

In 2015, Nadine had signed another five-year contract to end in June 2029.

Ms. X continues, “Ako, I have nothing against Nadine.

Pero di ba, last January she wanted released from VAA PAGE 15

How gaming stopped Alden from ‘Goin’ Crazy’

By Jan

Milo Severo Philstar.com

KAPUSO actor Alden Richards revealed that gaming saved him from anxiety during the COVID-19 pandemic.

In a recent exclusive interview with Philstar.com, the “Eat Bulaga” host admitted that the first months of the lockdown due to the coronavirus pandemic was hard for him.

“Yes. Actually, dumaan din ako sa ganong stage.

But really it’s just a matter of how you see things at the moment. Kalaban mo lang talaga during those times yung sarili mo, kung paano mo pina-process ‘yung situation in every day, in the past nine months kasi so-

v. Guno

Inquirer.net

brang binago niya lahat,” Alden said.

“Now, almost a year affected by the pandemic, medyo nakaka-cope naman. But during the first five months, mayroon mga ganong instances,” he added.

Alden said his gaming friends and families helped him successfully cope with the lockdown.

“I’ve been really into my gaming since I was young naman... Mas na-enhance lang dahil I had a free time before. Four months straight ‘yon kasi nga bawal lumabas. Binusy ko lang sarili ko, bond with family, ayon ‘yung mga wala bago mag-pandemic. ‘Yung mga gaming friends ko ang nagpa-busy sa akin so hindi ko na siya gaanong inisip,” he said.

Alden Richards Photo from Instagram/ @aldenrichards02

YOUTUBE star Alex Wassabi (real name: Alex Burris), announced that he will take a break from creating videos after 15 years on the platform.

Burris, 30, explained to his millions of followers on his channel Wassabi why he wanted to go on a hiatus, in a vlog titled “Thanks for the last 15 years… Goodbye” on Friday, Jan. 1.

“I’m honestly burnt out guys. I feel less creative,” he said. “I don’t have the same urge to create that I used to.”

“So I want to take a break to just be myself, just figure out who I am, just figure out what I want to do with this channel or if I even want to be a YouTube creator anymore.”

Burris said that since he launched the channel in January 2006, he had not taken a break for longer than a week, his reason being that he felt pressured other people depended on him.

Alex Wassabi (real name: Alex Burris)

Photo from Instagram/@alexwassabi

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January 8-14, 2021 • nEW yOrK anD nEW JErSEy aSIan JOurnaL

• (212) N E W http://www.asianjournal.com YO R K / N E W J E R S EY 655-5426 JA N UA RY 8 , 2 0 2 1

people events arts culture entertainment

Looking back at the Asian Journal’s LifEASTyle stories of 2020 H by

AJPress

APPY New Year! With a fresh start in front of us, it’s customary to reflect on what the past 365 days were like. But, how would one even begin to describe 2020, especially the events that unfolded and defined the year?

Let’s see: the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and its effects on vulnerable communities like the Filipino American community; the introduction of two vaccines against the virus; the United States’ continued fight for racial equity; the November general election; the decennial census and the court rulings that followed; deaths of numerous high-profile individuals; championships for the Los Angeles Dodgers and Lakers…among many other headlines.

Following tradition, the Asian Journal editorial team dedicates the first issue of the year reflecting on the LifEASTyle stories from 2020. Each week, the LifEASTyle features long-form stories of Filipino American personalities, organizations, and businesses that continue to break barriers in their respective industries, as well as highlighting the FilAm experience living in America and the various social issues the community faces.

The 52 features published have covered ways families have celebrated major holidays while staying safely at home, how business owners in the tri-state have coped with the ever-changing restrictions related to the pandemic and the summer of protests for racial justice, new books by Fil-Am authors, and more.

It’s always difficult to narrow down the best features — as each one is compelling — we remember several stories that have been widely shared and discussed. To read these selected features & other stories in their entirety, visit: https://www.asianjournal. com/category/magazines/life-eastyle-magazine/

A still from ‘Overseas’

Photo courtesy of Iota Production

Stills from ‘Aswang’ Photos courtesy of Cinematografica Films

Authors, films, actors Jan 10 and 24, Feb 7, Mar 20, April 24 issues Last year, we featured a host of personalities, ranging from authors with current and upcoming books and actors who are on stage, television, or film.

Films helmed by Filipino and Filipino American directors made it to various New York festivals including the Doc Fortnight at the Museum of Modern Art (Aswang and Overseas), New York Asian Film Festival (John Denver Trending and Girl and a Gun), and the multiple titles showcased in the Asian American International Film Festival.

Birds of Prey introduced Ella Jay Basco, who happens to be a niece of Dante Basco.

Josh dela Cruz took on Blue’s Clues and brought in his lola in an episode where they cooked bibingka. Nico Santos stole some of the limelight in

Ella Jay Basco as Cassandra Cain in Warner Bros. Pictures’ Birds of Prey (And the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn).

Photo courtesy of Warner Bros.

Pictures/ & © DC Comics

Kelly holds a copy of “We Dream of Space, which was released on May 5

by Greenwillow Books, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers.

Photo courtesy of Erin Entrada Kelly/Instagram

John Denver Trending won Best Film and Best Actor (for newcomer Jansen Magpusao) at the 2019 Cinemalaya Philippine Independent Film Festival and was an Official Selection at the 2019 Busan International Film Festival.

Photo courtesy of NYAFF

Chefs Feb 28, Mar 13, Apr 3 issues

The Girl and the Gun (Babae at Baril), written and directed by Rae Red, made its North American premiere at the New York Asian Film Festival. The film, which earned a Best Director award for Red at the QCinema International Film Festival stars Janine Gutierrez, Felix Roco, JC Santos, and Elijah Canlas.

Superstore and Spyros Bros delivered eye-catching performances on America’s Got Talent.

We also featured books and their authors, among them Jia Tolentino, Mia Mer-

cado, Albert Samaha, Erin Entrada Kelly, Meredith Talusan, and Maria Quiban. We also rejoiced when Virginia announced poet and professor Luisa Igloria as the state’s Poet Laureate.

We honored FilAm chefs who were recognized by James Beard Awards, including Tom Cunanan, who won Best Chef: MidAtlantic in 2019. He left Bad Saint early this year and in November, led a band of FilAm chefs to stage ‘A Taste of the Philippines,’ a project that he has been dreaming of for years now.

Since they don’t get to cook together, Cunanan

saw this as an opportunity to be able to collaborate and work with each other to showcase Filipino cuisine to a broader market in Washington, DC. A week before the lockdown in New York, we celebrated Louis Bayla, who was declared “Prince of Pork” at Cochon 555, a celebration of all things pork.

Bayla, Chef de Cuisine PAGE 15

Tom Cunanan Photo from Instagram/@beardfoundation

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Looking back at the...

PAGE 14 at Little Park in Tribeca emerged victorious after the dual judge/guest vote was tallied and he was supposed to represent the city in the grand championship last year. His winning lineup that got him the votes: sinigang wrapped in cabbage (using loin and bones); pancit palabok (shoulder, butt, and skin); sisig (head, belly, and offals), adobo pork rib (ribs and liver), and halo halo (trotter, knuckle, and skin).

We also mourned the death of Chef Rod Aglibot, who introduced Filipino food to mainstream America in San Francisco back in 1996. He was then working as a sous chef at E&O Trading Company, a panAsian restaurant, which

served wood-fired adobo pork chops and Filipino egg rolls. He moved back to Los Angeles as the chef of Zazen, another pan-Asian restaurant where he infused more Filipino dishes and flavors into the restaurant’s menu.

He became more famous in the Los Angeles area when he became the opening executive chef at Koi, a celebrity hotspot.

Then he opened Yi Cuisine, where he wrote a menu Chef Rodelio Aglibot

that mirrored his biography as a young chef and served several Filipino dishes. He then moved to Chicago and became the founding chef at the hotspot Sunda.

Years later, he opened Me Geisha Salerno in Rome and Salerno.

Artist manager to Nadine...

PAGE 12 kasi raw civil right niya ‘yon.

Ang akin, what is a contract for? What purpose does it serve kung hindi mo rin pala ito io-honor? I suppose Nadine had willingly signed it since it was done in good faith.”

Nadine announced she had left the VAA this January with a legal statement from the Kapunan and Castillo Law Office citing her rights under the Civil Code of the Philippines specifically Article 1920. This was, however, countered by

the VAA saying that Nadine could not unilaterally withdraw from her contract.

“Given this scenario,” Ms. X stresses, “Sana, antimano Nadine should have sought a dialogue with the VAA to lay down her terms or if she was no longer happy with the way the VAA was handling her career.”

Ms. X went on to cite how professional and businesslike Boss Vic and his daughter Veronique are, “Nakakadeal ko ‘yung mag-ama at matino silang kausap. The

matter could have been resolved amicably without Nadine taking it to the courts of law.”

As a refresher, Nadine’s passport to instant fame was via the Wattpad novel-based film “Diary ng Panget” in 2014 opposite James Reid.

It gave birth to their JaDine loveteam which had since graced the wide screen and two widely followed TV series on ABS-CBN. “Sa showbiz,” Ms. X concludes, “may commandment din, ‘Honor thy contract.’”

COVID-19 vaccine myths...

Photo from Facebook/Rodelio Aglibot

Thriving Businesses Sept 11, Nov 27, December 4 issues The global pandemic brought a lot of hardship to small business owners with the restaurants and food business among the industries hit hardest.

Three Filipino restaurants in New York and New Jersey defied the odds, rolled the dice, and made it happen. Bilao, Tradisyon, and Jayhan’s Grill opened despite the grim prognosis and continued economic uncertainty. That they opened in cities that were once among the world’s top spots for the pandemic took a lot of bold audacity especially with numerous restaurant closures left and right.

Two others: So Sarap NYC and Kora took the popup route and found immense success. Another thing they have in common? They were not only selling food, they were hawking nostalgia.

There are some food items that automatically trigger nostalgic trips down memory lane for many, and that holds true for Filipinos who have lived abroad for a while now who have an earnest yearning to travel back home. The long lines at Kabisera on Allen St. on Labor Day Weekend and the succeeding weekends after that is proof.

Hundreds of people lined up just to have a taste of classic Filipino street food, the way they were sold and eaten back home. The aroma of fishballs, kikiam and kwek kwek being fried, as isaw, pork and chicken barbecue and betamax cooked to per-

15

Tradisyon’s chef owner Anton Dayrit (right) with co-owner Joey Chanco and head chef Bianca Vicente.

Photo courtesy of Tradisyon

PAGE 12 must continue to use facemasks (more effective N95 masks, if available) when in public, do social distancing, and do frequent handwashing. As I stated above, there were people who got infected several days after getting the shot, because immunity takes weeks/months to develop antibodies to protect the person. My precautionary recommendation is, after vaccination, behave as if you never got the shot, and continue to protect yourself and others following the same standard COVID-19 Guide-

lines, until herd immunity is established and stable. The scientific community and government will surely advise the public when “freedom” day arrives. We are all anxiously looking forward to that historic liberation with bated breath (literally) under our facemask. *** The main objective of this column is to educate and inspire people live a healthier lifestyle to prevent illnesses and disabilities and achieve a happier and more productive life.

Any diagnosis, recommendation or treatment in our article are general medical information and

not intended to be applicable or appropriate for anyone. This column is not a substitute for your physician, who knows your condition well and who is your best ally when it comes to your health. *** Philip S. Chua, MD, FACS, FPCS, a Cardiac Surgeon Emeritus based in Northwest Indiana and Las Vegas, Nevada, is an international medical lecturer/author, a Health Public Advocate, and Chairman of the Filipino United Network-USA, a 501(c)3 humanitarian and anti-graft foundation in the United States. Visit our websites: philipSchua.com and FUN8888.com; Email: scalpelpen@ gmail.com.

Owners Akie Flores and Tesa Abaya Austria take pride in Jayhan’s Grill’s specialties, including chicken inasal and various Ilonggo dishes like cansi and batchoy.

“It’s a lot of hours of manpower and mental planning involved in every single recipe and every single donut. New flavors will be added and rotated on a weekly basis,” Kimberly Camara tells the Asian Journal.

AJPress Photos by Momar G. Visaya

Among the five flavors included in the popup were Churron, a portmanteau of churros and turon (center). Champorado, Leche Flan ni Lola, Ube and Sans Rival.

Marie Dinopol, one of the owners of Bilao, ia a restaurateur by day and a nurse by night like her co owners Jude Canela and Joan Calanog. They wanted to have a place that serves classic Filipino breakfast like the silogs here.

VJ Navarro working the grill. For now, it’s a family and friends affair, and as he told the Asian Journal, “My family has been such a huge support system. I am very honored to be having my dad along side with me and my wife who works tirelessly, on her days off. My cousin and nephew, are a huge plus in helping us out too.”

AJPress Photo by Momar G. Visaya

fection on the grill wafted along the streets of Manhattan and pulled in some onlookers.

In Queens, people were in line for four hours just to get their hands on some Filipino doughnuts.

Kimberly Camara began

her online bakery during the pandemic. While stuck in lockdown, she began baking cakes, and one day, she had leftover dough so she experimented and fried some of them and the first version of her ube doughnut was born.

Camara then came up with ideas, among them, using Filipino flavors from classic Filipino desserts that her mother’s mother Corazon used to make for them. Now, she makes all the doughnuts and their components from scratch and in small batches

right from her own kitchen.

Among the flavors she introduced are traditional Filipino favorites: Leche Flan ni Lola (brioche doughnut stuffed with her grandma’s famous leche flan); Ube (ube brioche doughnut, fresh ube custard, ube glaze, purple

yam crisps, ube powder); Halo-halo (brioche doughnut, classic halo-halo mixins, cream, ube glaze, flan, pinipig, banana chip, maraschino cherry); Buko Pandan (pandan brioche, coconut & sago cream, pandan glaze, flaked coconut, pinipig).

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January 8-14, 2021 • nEW yOrK anD nEW JErSEy aSIan JOurnaL

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