011521 - Northern California Edition

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NORTHERN CALIFORNIA

Volume 20 - No. 2 • 14 Pages

T H E F I L I P I N O A M E R I CA N C O M M U N I T Y N E WS PA P E R

Volume 18 - No. 17 • 2 Sections – 16 Pages

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Also published in LOS ANGELES, ORANGE COUNTY/INLAND EMPIRE, SAN DIEGO, LAS VEGAS, NEW YORK/NEW JERSEY

PH eligible again to participate USA UC system plans to in US H-2B visa program in 2021 return for in-person DATELINE

FROM THE AJPRESS NEWS TEAM ACROSS AMERICA

in consultation with the Department of State (DOS), announced the list of countries on Tuesday, January 12. For 2021, the acting secretary of homeland seTHE Philippines can now participate in the United States’ H-2B visa program again after two curity and the secretary of state have agreed to add the Philippines to the list of countries eligiyears of ineligibility. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS), ble to participate in the H-2B program. However, by RITCHEL

MENDIOLA AJPress

classes in fall 2021

AFTER over a year of virtual classes, the University of California announced that it is planning to return to mainly in-person instruction starting in the fall semester. In an announcement on Monday, January 11, students will be welcomed back to the 10 UC campuses this fall as COVID-19 vaccines start to become available to students, staff and faculty. “As the University continues to monitor the evolution of the pandemic, we are also carefully planning a safe return to in-person classes,” President Michael V. Drake said in a statement. “Current forecasts give us hope that in the fall our students can enjoy a more normal on-campus experience.” Specific plans for resumption of fall classes, including additional safety measures and starting dates, will be announced by individual UC campuses as

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PH government targets vaccinations for up to 70-M Filipinos in 2021 Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine rollout to start in February by RITCHEL

MENDIOLA AJPress

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Greater Sacramento exits regional stay-at-home order THE Greater Sacramento area has exited the regional stay-at-home order based on four-week intensive care projections. The region, which exited the order on Tuesday, January 12, has a current intensive care unit (ICU) capacity of 9.4%, but in coming weeks is seen to be at 19.1% capacity. “We’re starting to see some stabilization both in ICUs as well as stabilization in our positivity rate. We’re also starting to see the rate of growth for hospitalizations beginning to decline,” Governor Gavin Newsom said on Tuesday. “Today, effectively immediately, we’re pulling the Sacramento Region out of the stay-at-home order.” The determination was made based on current estimated regional ICU capacity available, measure of current community transmission, current regional case rates and the proportion of ICU cases being admitted. State guidelines say that a region must be above 15% to move back to the tiered reopening system.

it is still not eligible to participate in the H-2A program. The H-2A visa program allows U.S. employers to bring foreign nationals to fill temporary and seasonal agricultural jobs, while the H-2B visa program lets U.S. employers bring foreign na-

PEDDLING FAITH. Vendor Marife wipes the large statue of Sto. Niño which she sells in front of the church of the Diocesan Shrine of Sto. Niño, Bukidnon Street, Bago Bantay, Quezon City on Wednesday, January 13. She has been a vendor of religious items in the area for 20 years but only now have they experienced low sales due to the pandemic. PNA photo by Robert Oswald P. Alfiler

THE Philippine government is aiming to vaccinate 50 to 70 million Filipinos in 2021, with up to 200,000 individuals receiving jabs every day. “We are trying to vaccinate at least 100 to 200,000 people every day. Yun po ang gagawin natin para at least magkaroon tayo ng record-breaking daily vaccination rollout (We are trying to vaccinate at least 100 to 200,000 people every day. That’s what we’re trying to do so that we can have a record-breaking daily vaccination rollout),” the country’s vaccine czar Carlito Galvez Jr. said Tuesday, January 12. The vaccine czar also said that 25,000 vaccinators are currently being trained and that local government units are consolidating the list of individuals that will participate in the vaccinations.

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Coalition launches effort to get Rob Bonta appointed as CA’s attorney general by CHRISTINA

M. ORIEL

AJPress

SEVERAL Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) elected leaders and organizations are calling on Governor Gavin Newsom to appoint Assemblymember Rob Bonta as the state’s next attorney general. Current Attorney General Xavier Becerra has been tapped to join the Biden administration as the Health and Human Services secretary, creating a vacancy in his seat if he is confirmed by the U.S. Senate later this year. Since Becerra’s nomination last month, Bonta — who was elected to the Assembly u PAGE A4 in 2012 and became the state’s first Filipino

American legislator — has been floated as a top candidate to be the state’s chief law enforcement officer. The 48-year-old lawmaker in November 2020 was reelected for a fifth term to represent the state’s 18th Assembly district, which covers the East Bay areas of Oakland, Alameda, and San Leandro. He currently serves as the assistant majority leader, and sits on several committees, including appropriations and health. Bonta was reportedly among the contenders for attorney general in 2017 when Kamala Harris was elected to the U.S. Senate. Becerra, then a congressman representing the 34th congressional district in

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A group of elected leaders and organizations is calling on California Governor Gavin Newsom (left) to appoint Assemblymember Rob Bonta (right) as state’s attorney general amid Xavier Becerra’s appointment to the Biden administration. File photo from October 2019 shows Newsom after signing AB32, authored by Bonta, which moved for California to be the first in the nation to ban for-profit, private prisons and civil detention facilities.

Manny Villar only Filipino on Bloomberg’s 500 richest list Groups criticize Biden admin as new Cabinet lacks AAPI secretary for first time in 2 decades by RITCHEL

MENDIOLA AJPress

Manny Villar

Photo courtesy of Vista Land & Lifescapes Inc.

BUSINESS tycoon Manuel Villar is the only Filipino listed on Bloomberg Billionaires Index, a daily ranking of the world’s top 500 richest people. As of January 13, the self-made billionaire ranked 381st richest in the world based on the market value of his publicly-listed businesses. Villar’s businesses in real estate, retail, and utilities are estimated to be worth $6.75 billion. Tesla’s Elon Musk, mean-

while, emerged as the world’s richest person with a total net worth of $202 billion. He is followed by Amazon’s Jeff Bezos with $183 billion, and Bill Gates with $133 billion. Villar, 71, is the founder and chairman of Vista Land and Lifescapes, the largest home builder in the Philippines. The firm has built about 300,000 homes in more than 140 cities. He also owns stakes in Golden Bria Holdings, a property and death care company, as well as Vistamalls, a shopping mall operator.

by KLARIZE

MEDENILLA AJPress

AS the administration of President-elect Joe Biden prepares to take over the White House, fellow liberal lawmakers, activists and operatives excitedly await the new administration that has promised policies and public servants that represent the growingly diverse American public. Asian American and Pacific Islanders (AAPIs), who comprise the fastest-growing ethnic group in the U.S., have become u PAGE A2 more visible and vocal over the last de-

cade in American politics, with activists and lawmakers propelling the community’s issues to the forefront. Vice President-Elect Kamala Harris, the daughter of Jamaican and Indian immigrants, has already made history as the first female, Black and AAPI to serve in the position. In addition to Harris, Biden appointed Chinese American Katherine Tai to serve as United States Trade Representative, the head of the government agency that is responsible for the development and rec-

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