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JANUARY 21-27, 2022 Volume 15 - No.11 • 16 Pages

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DATELINE Gov. Gavin Newsom proposes universal health care, including for undocumented FROM THE AJPRESS NEWS TEAM ACROSS AMERICA

CALIFORNIA Governor Gavin Newsom recently announced his plan for universal healthcare, which would extend coverage to the state’s 1.1 million undocumented residents.

If approved, California would be the first state in the nation to provide universal health care.

Speaking at the Clinica Sierra Vista’s Lamont Center in Kern County, an agricultural region which serves as home to roughly 70,000 undocumented people,

Also published in LOS ANGELES, ORANGE COUNTY/INLAND EMPIRE, LAS VEGAS, NORTHERN CALIFORNIA

New York city’s COVID-19 cases continue to decline

by AJPRESS MAYOR Eric Adams touted the city’s numbers at a briefing on Tuesday, Jan. 18 saying that 16 million doses have been

administered, including 2.5 million booster shots, and that the number of COVID cases is beginning to drop.

“We have not won yet,” Mayor Adams said, “but we are winning.”

“The level of cases in New York City, they

are declining, we know that there’s work to do and that still remained at very high level, but we’re seeing a leveling off, and we’re seeing a decline because of what you did,” Adams added. “We’re nowhere near where we ought

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Times Square vigil honors subway shove victim

Asian American leaders call for concrete, proactive solutions

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by MOMAR

G. VISAYA

AJPress

Mayor Eric Adams at the vigil for Michelle Alyssa Go in Times Square on Tuesday, January 18, 2022.

Michael Appleton/Mayoral Photography Office

HUNDREDS of New Yorkers gathered in Times Square on Tuesday, Jan. 18 for a candlelight vigil to honor Michelle Alyssa Go, a 40-year-old New York City resident who was killed after being pushed onto the subway tracks over the weekend.

Leaders in the Asian-American community are denouncing this senseless act of violence and called on the city to come up with concrete solutions.

In a tweet, Rep. Grace Meng said she was

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Duterte: Restrictions Bongbong-Sara tandem US residents can now order on unvaccinated are names 7 candidates in free at-home COVID-19 tests AJP for the public good initial senatorial slate President Rodrigo Duterte

Malacañang file photo

MANILA — Individual rights must give way to the “the greatest good for the greatest number,” President Rodrigo Duterte said as he argued for restrictions on the unvaccinated that some sectors have said may be unconstitutional.

In pre-recorded comments, Duterte said that government is obligated to keep its people safe from the pandemic and that measures like having barangay officials list names of

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by NEIL

ARWIN MERCADO Inquirer.net

MANILA — There are now seven candidates in the senatorial line-up of the tandem of former senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. and Davao City Mayor Inday Sara Duterte-Carpio.

During the Manila Virtual Caravan of the Marcos and

Duterte-Carpio, who are vying for the posts of president and vice president, respectively, the tandem announced the following as members of its initial senatorial line-up: • Incumbent Senator Sherwin Gatchalian • Former presidential spokesperson Harry Roque • Former Quezon City may-

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by

RESS

STARTING this week, residents in the United States can order free at-home rapid COVID-19 testing kits from the federal government.

As part of the White House’s initiative to deliver rapid tests to Americans amid the latest surge, the website (www.COVIDtests.gov) to place orders went live on Tuesday, January 18, a day earlier than previously announced.

This is part of the Biden administration’s plan to purchase 1 billion athome, rapid COVID-19 tests, with the first 500 million available for ordering this month.

“Every home in the U.S. is eligible to order 4 free at-home COVID-19 tests. The tests are completely free.

Orders will usually ship in 7-12 days,” the website reads.

It adds, “Order your tests now so you have them when you need them.”

The site redirects to an U.S. Postal

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Duterte: Restrictions on unvaccinated...

PAGE 1 people in their villages who have not been vaccinated against the coronavirus are justified and do not violate the Constitution. “[E]ven if it is really a violation, at this time when there is a public — public ano, protection of the public, of the many, eh masasakripisyo talaga ‘yung the right will be — not really sacrificed — but must be below always, it cannot go higher than the public good,” he said. “[T]hat’s a dictum that must be remembered when constitutional provisions are being put into issue,” the president also said.

Over the weekend, an official of the Department of the Interior and Local Government said barangay officials should list down the names of unvaccinated residents and told unvaccinated barangay captains — without legal basis — to resign or take a leave of absence.

“Obligado — obligasyon ng gobyerno kasi ‘yung may namatay, tapos ‘yung iba ayaw naman ‘yung sa bakuna,” Duterte said in his pre-recorded message.

(It is government’s obligation... people are dying and some don’t want to be vaccinated.)

Although Duterte has repeatedly hinted at making vaccines manadatory, there have been no moves in Congress to pass a law that would make it so. The Palace said last October that “the level of individuals who want to be vaccinated is already very high so maybe we don’t need it for now.”

Recent decisions by government agencies, though, have made it a requirement. On-site workers must be vaccinated while unvaccinated employees must get regular COVID-19 tests at their own expense. In areas under Alert Level 3, unvaccinated people are barred from malls, restaurants and other public places as well as on public transportation.

Vaccination in the Philippines was hampered in 2021 by a lack of supply, slow rollout and vaccination hesitancy among some sectors.

Around 67.8% of Metro Manila residents are fully vaccinated.

The Commission on Human rights has warned that the “no vaccine, no ride” policy “ef-

fectively restricts the exercise and enjoyment of fundamental rights” while transportation workers’ group Pagkakaisa ng Manggagawa sa Transportasyon called it too cumbersome to implement.

“If unvaccinated workers are not allowed on public transport to get to work then it is tantamount to being a requirement for work,” the group also said.

Manila police last week arrested and charged six people who attended a small protest against mandatory vaccination for not wearing masks and refusing to present vaccination cards.

Without naming the group directly, Duterte said they were “doused by the bumbero (hosed down by firefighters) because you are violating the prohibition of being, you know, social distancing, and even a crowd tha — A crowd is a crowd.”

The Duterte administration has often played down rights and liberties because of emergency situations like the pandemic, the communist insurgency, terrorism and the “war on drugs.” (Jonathan de Santos/Philstar.com) n

A health worker attends to patients at the Manila Manila COVID-19 field hospital at Quirino Grandstand on Thursday, January 13.

Philstar.com photo by Michael Varcas

Isko offers free quarantine for returning Pinoys, OFWs

MANILA — Manila Mayor Isko Moreno on Monday, January 16 called on returning Filipinos and overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) who test positive for COVID-19 to have themselves quarantined at the Manila COVID-19 Field Hospital (MCFH), where they will be accommodated free of charge.

“Access is available to them any time. Just tell the BOQ (Bureau of Quarantine) not to bring you to a hotel.

You can request. Hanggang kaya, tutulong kami (While we can, we will help),” Moreno said.

According to Moreno, countless immigrants and OFWs sent cash donations at the height of the pandemic in 2020, and giving free accommodation to OFWs and Filipino returnees is the city government’s little way of returning the favor or paying it forward.

Moreno assured the public that he and Vice Mayor Honey Lacuna have been making sure that every single centavo that goes into the coffers of the city government is spent wisely and for the benefit of the greater majority.

He said all they ask in return is for the public to get vaccinated and continue observing basic health protocols to curb the spread of COVID-19.

Moreno said those who will avail themselves of free accommodation at the MCFH, headed by Dr. Arlene Domingez, will find that the facilities are comfortable and patients do not have to spend a single centavo until they are fully cured.

“Welcome kayo sa Maynila.

We are offering the services for free.

Komportable, walang tosgas. May aircon, maayos na hospital beds, doctors, nurses, food,

oxygen, gamot, WiFi at may libre chicha pa three times a day. Para nang sa ganun, ‘yung naipon ninyong pera di na masusugatan pa at maiuuwi ninyo nang buongbuo sa inyong tahanan,” Moreno said.

He said the city government had been receiving requests from OFWs and Filipino returnees for free accommodation, saying they do not want a good portion of their savings going to hotel expenses alone.

Citing records provided

by Dominguez, Moreno said that since Dec. 31, 2021, more than 100 OFWs and Filipino returnees were accommodated at a given time at the MCFH. Dominguez reported that only 105 out of the total of 344 beds in the hospital are occupied, unlike a week ago when the occupancy rate was at 93%. n

New York city’s COVID-19 cases continue...

PAGE 1 to be and we want to move even further, to make sure that we get everyone boosted and vaccinated in the city.”

While cases are declining, Mayor Adams said that residents still need to be vigilant as ever.

Dr. Dave Chokshi of the Health and Mental Hygiene Commission echoed the mayor’s pronouncements, citing that the city’s sevenday average of daily new cases is under 20,000 or less than half the peak of nearly 43,000 average new cases a day earlier in January.

“We are on the downslope from the omicron summit,” said Chokshi.

“We are starting to see a decrease in COVID-19 hospitalizations, from a total of about 6,500 patients hospitalized citywide on Jan. 11 to about 5,800 as of Sunday,” he added.

“Now, let me be clear: these numbers are

still high, meaning community transmission remains widespread.”

According to data from the New York City Department of Health & Mental Hygiene, a single-day peak of 50,803 COVID-19 cases was reported on Jan. 3, and just 9,202 cases were reported on Jan. 14.

Last week, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul said at a briefing that the state may be “turning the corner” with omicron cases.

In a statement on Monday, Jan. 17, Hochul said. “While we are continuing to see promising trends, we are not through the winter surge yet and it is critical that we continue to use the tools that will help stop the spread.”

“Our best weapon is the vaccine, so if you haven’t, get your shot today and make sure you get your second dose and booster as well,” she added. n

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From the Front Page

Bongbong-Sara tandem names 7... Gov. Gavin Newsom...

PAGE 1 or Herbert Bautista • Former senator Jinggoy Estrada • Former Defense Secretary Gibo Teodoro • Former Public Works Secretary Mark Villar • Antique Rep. Loren Legarda Except for Legarda, all senatorial candidates in the lineup were present during the online caravan.

Gatchalian, who currently chairs the Senate basic education committee, underscored the need to help the education sector which was impacted by the coronavirus pandemic. He urged local officials to help students and teachers in their respective areas.

Meanwhile, Roque is pushing for a “Free from COVID, free from hunger” initiative should he be elected to the Senate. He said he would promote the public’s right to food and clean water and a compensation fund for human rights victims.

Bautista said he would advocate strengthening local

Former Sen. Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. and Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio

governance, adding the Local Government Code and other laws that need to be updated to operate in a “21st Century Philippines”. The former mayor said that there are also areas in the country with a poor internet connection, which affects many students.

Estrada said he would prioritize the provision of jobs for Filipinos since many lost

their source of income due to the pandemic. He also pointed out that during his stint in the Senate from 2004 to 2016, he avoided being absent or late in sessions and hearings.

Teodoro, meanwhile, stressed that local autonomy—from the barangay level to provincial—should be strengthened so that the government can respond faster

Inquirer.net file photos

to the needs of the public.

The fiscal and digital infrastructure, as well as the military and police capability in the country, should also be strengthened, he added.

Villar also underscored the importance of job generation, pointing out that the Duterte administration’s “Build, Build, Build” program was able to create thousands of jobs. n

Times Square vigil honors subway shove victim...

PAGE 1 horrified and heartbroken when she heard about the attack.

“We need to implement better policies to protect New Yorkers riding mass transit and to get people the proper help that they need - mental and social services,” she said.

“It is imperative that New York City implements proactive, community-based solutions that prevent these crimes from ever happening in the first place,” said Jo-Ann Yoo, executive director of the Asian American Federation.

In the statement, Yoo said that the horrific incident “is a reminder that the fear of anti-Asian violence in our community is well-funded,” citing an NYPD report last month that hate crimes targeting Asian Americans have risen by 361 percent.

“This latest attack causing the death of an Asian American woman in the Times Square subway station is particularly horrifying for our community,” said Margaret Fung, executive director of the Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund. “These attacks have left Asian Americans across the city and across the country feeling vulnerable and they must stop.”

The attack happened at about 9:30 a.m. on Saturday, Jan. 15 at the 42nd Street Times Square station, according to New York City Police Department Commissioner Keechant Sewell in a news conference.

A man had pushed Go onto the southbound Q train tracks, Sewell said.

Police later identified the man accused of shoving Go as 61-year-old Simon Martial. According to investigators, Go was standing on the train platform and was suddenly pushed onto the oncoming train.

New York City Mayor Eric Adams joined the hundreds of people who attended the vigil, which was organized

by Asians Fighting Injustice.

“Right here in Times Square, I served as a police officer, and spent many days in the early ‘80s wearing a blue uniform as a police officer - a transit police officer, watching where we were,” Adams said.

“I’m re-committed to make sure this will not happen in our city. We have to do this together.”

Portraits of Asian American victims of hate and violence became the backdrop of the vigil as their likenesses were shown on some of the giant screens in Times Square.

Go’s family released a statement on Twitter asking that people remember Michelle for the way she lived, not the way she died, and that the press respect their privacy as they deal with their shock and loss.

“We are in a state of shock and grieving the loss of our daughter, sister, and friend. We hope Michelle will be remembered for how she lived, and not just how she died. She was a beautiful, brilliant, kind, and intelligent woman

who loved her family and friends, loved to travel the world, and to help others.

Her life was taken too soon in a senseless act of violence, and we pray that she gets the justice she deserves. Thank you for your condolences. We ask the media to please respect our privacy during this very difficult time,” the statement read in full.

The Philippine Consulate General in New York joined the rest of the AsianAmerican Community in mourning the senseless death of Go, recalling a kababayan, Maria Luningning Ambrocio who lost her life as a result of the same senseless violence inflicted by a homeless individual with mental health concerns.

Consul General Elmer Cato also implored city officials to focus more on the issues of homelessness and mental health.

“We are counting on New York City Mayor Eric Adams in making the streets safe again by not only increasing police visibility, especially in subway stations but also by addressing the housing and behavioral health needs of the hundreds of homeless individuals in the city,” the consulate statement read.

Consul General Elmer Cato also reiterated his call for Filipinos to be vigilant.

“We also would like to remind our kababayan to be vigilant of their surroundings and to always stay behind the yellow line on the platform, when taking the subway,” he said. n

PAGE 1 Newsom laid out his plan for universal access throughout the state, regardless of preexisting conditions, ability to pay, or immigration status.

Long-time labor activist Dolores Huerta and California state Assemblyman Rudy Salas took the mic to commend the governor on his proposal.

“This is a historic moment,” said Huerta. “Thank you, Governor Newsom for including all undocumented people in your budget.

California is the first state in the nation to finally recognize our immigrants and their contributions,” she said, expressing her confidence that the state Legislature would pass the budget.

The $614 million proposal is part of the 2022-23 state budget known as the California Blueprint, which the governor unveiled a day earlier. The budget must be approved by the state Legislature; Newsom said he expects to see the finished package on his desk by May. If approved, expanded coverage would be rolled out by the end of 2022.

Currently, Medi-Cal covers all low-income children and young adults under the age of 26, regardless of immigration status. Last year, the state expanded Medi-Cal eligibility to lowincome undocumented adults over the age of 50. The new proposal would expand Medi-Cal coverage to lowincome people between the ages of 26-49, regardless of immigration status, Newsom addressed the concerns of critics who fear an increase in state taxes.

“We already have universal health care, but it is at the back end and called the emergency room. It’s costing

you a bundle, with all of us paying higher premiums.”

“Why not have access to preventive care at a much lower cost?” he queried, expressing his hope that other states would follow his lead to extend coverage to the nation’s 10.5 million undocumented residents.

The California Taxpayers Association raised its objections to the proposal Jan. 7, before the plan was formally announced, noting that taxes would be increased on businesses and individuals earning more than $149,000 annually. California state Assembly members Ash Kalra and Alex Lee, both Democrats who represent portions of the Silicon Valley, have introduced ACA 11, which would raise an estimated $200 million annually to support universal health care in the state.

“This measure would add to the cost of living in California and lead to job losses, without any guarantee that the billions in new taxes would benefit anyone,” said CalTax President Robert Gutierrez in a press statement.

“Taxpayers want and deserve quality healthcare services, but there is no guarantee that a government-run healthcare system will deliver better care for Californians at an affordable price.”

Kalra defended his bill in a press statement: “Those that profit off the immoral status quo may not like it, but I am confident that the vast majority of working and retired Californians will see the benefit of significant cost-savings as we remove debilitating insurance costs, out-of-reach prescription drugs and arbitrarily high hospital fees.”

(Sunita Sohrabji/Ethnic Media Services) n

PROTECTIVE GEAR. A man wears complete riding safety gears such as helmet, goggles, elbow and knee pads and gloves as he cruises along EDSA in San Juan City onboard his e-scooter on Tuesday, January 18. Aside from bicycles, e-scooters are among the alternative means of transportation that thrived worldwide since the start of the pandemic in 2020.

PNA photo by Joey O. Razon

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OPINION

5

FEATURES

No exemption from restrictions HOW can unvaccinated officials enforce restrictions on other unvaccinated people? Over the weekend, the undersecretary for barangay affairs said that if he could have his way, village officials who remain unvaccinated against COVID should go on leave during the pandemic or even resign.

Some barangay officials, not necessarily unvaccinated, protested that the recommendation is unconstitutional and there is no law that allows it.

Interior and Local Government Undersecretary Martin Diño did not say his suggestion would be implemented. He simply said barangay officials tasked to implement vaccination restrictions “should be ashamed” if they themselves had not received the COVID shots.

An improvement of the message would be an assurance to the public that barangay officials are not exempted from the mobility restrictions and would have to stay home except for essential errands. Obviously, being covered by the restrictions would prevent them from participating in the enforcement of the new rules.

Restrictions on the unvaccinated have been

tightened as new COVID infections believed fueled by the highly contagious Omicron variant surge in the National Capital Region and neighboring areas. Vaccines are seen as the main weapons to contain the pandemic.

The tighter restrictions are meant to get more people inoculated particularly in the NCR, which has the highest infection numbers and the largest supply of vaccines in the country.

Barangay officials have been tasked to conduct an inventory of the unvaccinated in their areas as the government considers houseto-house inoculation. Officials who are unvaccinated themselves should either lead by example and get their shots, or else confine themselves to their homes as they are included in the inventory.

The Department of the Interior and Local Government has warned that penalties will be

Editorial

AS the whole world feels battle fatigue and desperation in fighting the nearly twoyear war against COVID-19 and its variants, a little bit of victory in some battles gives some European countries a bit of impetus to change their strategies and tactics in order to keep the momentum of re-

imposed on those who fail to submit the inventory of unvaccinated. The DILG should add that heavier penalties await those who submit inventories that are deliberately inaccurate and leave out unvaccinated barangay officials.

One problem is whether the DILG has the capability to verify the accuracy of the in-

ventories. It can deter deliberate inaccuracies by picking a few barangays at random for verification with local government and health officials. Pandemic restrictions entail heavy sacrifices, and a sure way to promote non-compliance is the selective application of the rules. (Philstar.com)

Is the US really in the position to ‘learn to live with COVID’ like some EU countries?

The Fil-Am Perspective GEL SANTOS-RELOS

Philstar.com photo

building their nations going.

And Americans are watching closely.

As the New York Times reported, “For Italy, France, and the UK, we see that the number of patients in hospital with COVID remains much lower than in previous waves.

In the UK, 291 patients with coronavirus per million were in hospital on 10 January. Just

under a year ago, the ratio stood at 576 per million. In France, the ratio stood at 347 per million on the same day, compared with a high of 490 in November.”

“In Spain, for instance, Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez declared last week that citizens would “have to learn to live with it, as we do with many other viruses,” and said

that the country should adjust the national approach to more closely align with how it handles influenza outbreaks.

Olivier Véran, the French health minister, said recently that France’s high level of infection and strong vaccination rate could “maybe” mean this would be the final wave,” the Times report added.

Those who push the U.S

government to relax restrictions and be bold like these EU countries so businesses can rebuild faster pick up on this boldness, seemingly ignoring the fact about one very important difference in our trajectories in this war: the U.S.’ peak in the rate of infection and hospitalization is in an uptick, and the peak is yet to come.

In the U.S., “411 US COVID-19 patients per million people were in hospital as of 9 January - surpassing a previous peak of 400 per million set on 14 January 2021”, BBC News reported.

This is a hard and bitter pill of a fact to swallow, considering the reality that the United States, the most powerful and 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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D ateline PhiliPPines Pangilinan asks gov’t to

Metro Manila logs scrap ‘no vax, no ride’ rule; negative COVID growth Lacson urges further study

by Maila

ageR Inquirer.net

MANILA — Senator Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan on Tuesday, January 18 asked the government to end its “no vaccination, no ride” policy supposedly intended to curb the spread of COVID-19.

“Magiging source lang ng paninikil at pangaabuso. Hindi solusyon sa COVID-19 ang panggigipit at pananakot,” Pangilinan said in a text message as the government began implementing the policy this week.

(It will only lead to oppression and abuse.

COVID-19 cannot be solved through harassment and

intimidation.)

Instead of completely halting it, presidential aspirant Senator Panfilo Lacson urged the government to take a “second hard look” at this new policy.

“Not stop but take a second hard look at the policy,” Lacson said in a separate text message when sought for comment on Pangilinan’s call.

“Gather more data and study further the science behind the policy, particularly the effect of full vaccination vs transmissibility, not to mention the human rights aspect on the poor who have no choice but commute to earn their daily meals.”

“Speaking for myself, I am fully vaccinated and boosted, but I got infected by the Omicron variant.

Many of my friends and relatives, similarly situated, also got the Omicron virus,” Lacson added.

Pangilinan believes, however, that this “draconian” policy will all the more punish the poor, who will now be prevented from using public transportation unless they are vaccinated against COVID-19.

“Parusa itong no-vax, noride policy sa mga mahihirap nating kababayan na gusto lang maghanapbuhay, at walang sariling sasakyan.

Dagdag parusa rin sa mga naka-first dose lang kung PAGE 10

by Red

Mendoza ManilaTimes.net

THE COVID-19 growth rate in the National Capital Region (NCR) dropped to less than 1 percent on Sunday, January 16 after soaring to as high as 15 percent during the past week.

The negative growth rate was met with guarded optimism by OCTA senior research fellow Dr. Guido David, who said it was still too early to consider it as an indication that the Omicron-driven surge in Metro Manila was beginning to slow down.

The Department of Health (DoH), meanwhile, reported that the nationwide daily count of COVID-19 cases rose to 37,070 on Monday, Jan. 17 the sixth straight day the tally went over the 30,000 mark.

The total active case count was 290,935, the DoH said.

The positivity rate was 46 percent, based on the 77,410 tests processed by more than 300 laboratories.

The Health department said 12 laboratories were not able to submit their test reports on Saturday.

Total recoveries are at 2.899 million, with

33,940 new recoveries.

David said OCTA came up with the COVID growth rate in the NCR using data from DoH, which logged 15,969 new cases in Metro Manila on Sunday, January 16.

He said that other indicators, such as the positivity rate and reproduction number in the region, were down as well.

The positivity rate was 50 percent, lower than the 54 percent during the previous weeks.

The reproduction number was 2.6, a steep drop from the 6.12 during the previous weeks.

David sees COVID peak in Metro Manila in late January or early February.

He said it is too early to celebrate because the downtrend has to be sustained during the next few days.

The downtrend, however, is unique to the NCR. Other areas of the country, such as in Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon, Western Visayas and Zamboanga City and Davao del Sur in Mindanao, continue to experience a sharp rise in cases.

In a separate interview on CNN Philippines, David also said that based on the antigen PAGE 7

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7

Duterte praises military but slams police for poor discipline, corruption

by Cathrine

Gonzales Inquirer.net

FULL CAPACITY. A signage of full capacity for COVID-19 cases is placed in front of the emergency department of the San Juan de Dios Educational Foundation Inc. Hospital on Roxas Boulevard in Pasay City on Tuesday, January 18. The Philippines has administered 118,944,887 doses of coronavirus disease vaccines nationwide, with 55,195,486 Filipinos now fully vaccinated against the dreaded infection.

PNA photo by Joey O. Razon

UN seeks more support for Odette-ravaged areas

by Pia lee-BraGo Philstar.com

MANILA — The United Nations (UN) has appealed for more support to hasten the recovery and reconstruction in areas damaged by Typhoon Odette.

Relief efforts for communities are hampered by challenges – surging COVID cases, overstretched health facilities and staff getting sick – forcing movement restrictions and causing supply chain constraints, according to UN Philippines resident coordinator Gustavo Gonzalez.

“This cascade of challenges is severely hampering operations on all fronts,” Gonzalez said in a statement released on Monday, January 17.

The humanitarian community continues working despite these obstacles to support national and local relief efforts.

Present in 10 regions are 57 aid organizations and 107 partners that are distributing food, building shelters and providing other essential items.

Gonzalez said among the top priorities were to ensure that people have access to adequate food, clean drinking water and shelter, and to address protection concerns. He said Odette destroyed communities that were already suffering from malnutrition, stunting and lack of food. n

US residents can...

PAGE 1 Service form where individuals can fill in their contact and shipping information.

There is a limit of one order per residential address and orders will ship free starting late January.

The tests available for order are rapid antigen at-home tests, not PCR and can deliver results within 30 minutes.

The website’s guidance advises individuals to take an athome test if they begin to exhibit COVID-19 symptoms; at least 5 days after they come into contact with someone with COVID-19; or if they are going to gather with a group of people, especially those who are at risk of severe disease or may not be up to date on COVID-19 vaccines.

“To ensure equity and access for all Americans, the Administration will also

launch a call line to help those unable to access the website to place orders, and work with national and local community-based organizations to support the nation’s hardest-hit and highest-risk communities in requesting tests,” according to a White House announcement.

In addition to the tests, the COVIDtests.gov website offers additional resources for those who need to get tested immediately or are looking for another type of test.

These include at-home tests at retailers and pharmacies, insurance reimbursement and a list of over 20,000 free testing sites nationally.

According to the CDC, over 65.1 million COVID cases have been tracked in the United States and 847,577 deaths, as of Tuesday, January 18. n

MANILA — Rodrigo Duterte praised the military for helping with relief efforts for residents affected by Typhoon Odette, but indicated that the police lack discipline and are “corrupt to the core.”

During part two of his pre-recorded Talk to the People aired on Tuesday, Jan. 18 Duterte described the military as “utility workers” capable of helping the government in both armed conflicts and natural disasters.

“Utility worker itong mga sundalo, bagyo, baha, sunog, landslide, away, kanila ‘yan.

Kung wala kang mamobilize, ganitong mga biglaan, there’s a lot of people to be assisted, sundalo lang talaga ‘yan, matawag mo para tumulong, na hindi magsabi ‘hindi.’ ‘Yung ibang, ano, sapaw yan, hindi namin trabaho ‘yan. Sundalo.

But pulis, there are certain exempt,” he said.

(Soldiers are utility workers during storms, floods, fires, landslides, and armed conflicts. If you can’t mobilize anyone, you can call the soldiers. Others would say it’s not their job. For the police officers, there are certain exemptions.)

“Itong pulis medyo kailangan ng ano, depende sa CO (commanding officer) nila, ‘yung kanilang superior. Kapag istrikto ‘yung superior or commanding general or station commander, lalo na sa taas, kapag ‘yung nasa taas sa pulis ay malinis, sigurado mo, pababa ‘yan malinis. But if the head happens to be a cor-

rupt officer, down below corruption malakas,” he added.

(These police officers depend on their superior. If their superior or commanding general or station commander is not corrupt, they will not be corrupt. But if the head happens to be a corrupt officer, corruption is also prevalent down the organization.)

“Hindi ko inaano ang pulis, hindi kasi kasing, well, I don’t want to… Baka kasi sabihin nila nagpapabor ako, but kulang talaga ng discipline itong pulis,” he also said.

(I am not belittling the police. They are not just that…

Well, I don’t want to compare.

They may say I favor others, but the police really lack discipline.)

Duterte believes that corruption can occasionally occur in some police work.

“Mga gambling, basta may illegal, malapit ang pulis dyan pero kapag head ng PNP (Philippine National Police) ay hindi corrupt, down the line, hindi ‘yan, mag-iwas ‘yan,” he noted.

(Police officers are near gambling and anything illegal, but if the head of the PNP is not corrupt, policemen down the line will also avoid illegal activities.)

The President, however, said he is satisfied with the performance of the PNP as he nears the end of his term.

“But overall, actually ang pulis I am satisfied. Magtatapos na ako ng term ko for the so many years that I have been their commander in chief. Okay ang performance except for a few. There will always be bad eggs, basta an

organization na ganoon kalawak. Meron talagang scalawags,” he said.

(But overall, I am satisfied with the police. I am nearing the end of my term of being their commander in chief.

There will always be bad eggs in an organization that is that big. There will always be scalawags.)

“Sabi ko nga eh itong droga, sabi ko in six months time kasi sa Davao nilinis ko six months time, pagdating ko sa Maynila ang kalaban ko anim na generals. Nasa droga eh, susmaryosep. Ang akala ko ang kalaban ko mga durugista, mga kriminal. Hindi ko alam na ang kalaban ko mismo, gobyerno ko, Customs, lahat,” the President added.

(I said I would finish the drug trade in six months because I did it in Davao. But when I arrived in Manila, my enemies were six generals who were in the drug trade. I thought I was fighting against drug lords. I did not know that my enemies were from the government.)

Duterte then praised retired military generals in his Cabinet, including Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana, vaccine czar Carlito Galvez Jr., and Interior Secretary Eduardo Año.

“I am praising the military because they deserve it. I am praising the police with a few exceptions. Sana naman ‘yung exceptions hindi matabla doon sa karaming maiwan (I hope the exceptions will not overpower the good),” he said.

According to Duterte, scalawag police officers want the

pandemic to prolong because they can wear face masks and cover their faces in gambling and cockfighting sites.

“Ito namang maskara, sabi ko sa pulis, ayaw kitang makita na magsugal, so hirap sila, ‘yung mga sugarol talaga.

Kaya if there is somebody na ayaw nilang matapos itong COVID, gusto nila, patagalan for the longest time, ay ang mga buang maskara. Magcap lang, tapos magmaskara tapos magbili nung binibili sa sidewalk na murang shades,” said Duterte.

(I told the police I don’t want them to gamble. That’s why if there are people who do not want COVID to stop, it’s the scalawag police officers who want to wear masks. They will wear caps and masks and buy cheap shades.)

“Mag-shades lang, magcap pati maskara pasok sa sabungan ‘yan, hindi mo makita. Ang pulis happy sa COVID. May cover sila, ‘yung mga scalawags. Pero at least medyo ngayon medyo disiplinado sila,” he noted.

(They will wear shades and masks and enter cockfighting sites, making themselves virtually unidentifiable. The police are happy with COVID. The scalawags have a cover.

But at least now, they are more disciplined.)

This was not the first time Duterte has expressed his dismay over the police. In 2017, he also called the PNP “corrupt to the core” following the kidnap-slay of South Korean businessman Jee Ick Joo at the hands of police officers. n

Metro Manila logs negative COVID...

PAGE 6 testing being done by the Department of Transportation at Metro Rail Transit (MRT) stations, there could be unreported numbers of COVID cases.

The antigen tests revealed a 12.4 positivity rate among MRT passengers, which David means 1 in every 8 passengers that were tested had the virus.

This could indicate that the number of cases in Metro Manila could be 6 to 15 times higher than what the department reported, David said.

Dr. Alfonso Victorino Famaran, medical director of the Dr. Jose N. Rodriguez Memorial Medical Hospital, said the hospital is now at 53-percent capacity, with 274 of the

520 COVID-alloted beds occupied.

Famaran said 259 of the cases are moderate, eight are severe and seven are critical.

He said 43 percent of COVID patients were fully vaccinated, 2 percent were partially vaccinated and 55 percent were unvaccinated.

Famaran said the hospital was able to prepare for the Omicron surge by stockpiling COVID-19 medicines and personal protective equipment for its staff.

He said more than 500 out of 1,300 of its medical staff are under isolation for COVID-19, but the hospital has also taken in 229 new personnel, including staff from DoH’s Central Office and the NO VAx, NO RIDE. A guards checks the vaccination card of a passenger Philippine National Police General at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport on Monday, Jan. 17, 2022, the start of the implementation of the ‘no vax, no ride’ policy.

Hospital. n Photo by Rene H. Dilan

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SFIO announces $50-M eco-luxury community project in world-renowned Puerto Princesa, Palawan With stunning views of Ulugan Bay, the eight-hectare seaside community will feature world-class resort amenities and pioneer health and wellness offerings in one of the world’s most iconic islands

LAST month, global asset management company Starfleet Innotech, Inc. (OTC: SFIO) closed off 2021 by signing a joint venture with Filipino partners to build a world-class ecoluxury, health and wellness community on their bayside property in globally-renowned Philippine destination Puerto Princesa, Palawan.

The project will be owned and developed by SFIO Leisure and Development, Inc., a joint venture stock corporation, and will see eight hectares of beachfront land transformed into an exclusive, holistic lifestyle community hidden amongst Palawan’s iconic mangrove glades and situated less than half an hour from the Puerto Princesa Subterranean River, one of the official New Seven Wonders of Nature.

The seaside community will feature a beachfront resort, as well as condominiums and a residential subdivision for longer-term residents looking to embrace Palawan’s luxurious lifestyle and relocate to its idyllic isles.

With stunning views of Ulugan Bay and resting upon some of the nation’s most fertile soils, the resort will offer a lush, nourishing environment for both short and long-term visitors and long-term residents to reconnect with nature.

The resort’s tropical design evokes the nostalgic warmth of Filipino hospitality, featuring the nation’s iconic pitched roofs, woven textures, and natural shade elements. These initial design and feasibility studies are already underway, with development scheduled to kick off within the year.

Visitors and residents alike will enjoy resort amenities across the development’s condotels, private villas, natural springs, chapel and meditation garden, spa and wellness centers, glamping sites, forest trails, and of course, walking access to Palawan’s iconic white sand beaches and crystalclear waters. With a focus on nurturing wellbeing, the resort will also offer productivity features for remote workers looking for the perfect blend of modern accessibility and natural living.

SFIO’s announcement comes on the heels of a series of joint ventures with Philippine-based partners to develop world-class resorts and townships across the country. With PAGE 10

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Is the US really in the position...

PAGE 5 richest country in the world that has led the nation in the fight against pandemics and epidemics in the past would lag behind other industrialized countries in this fight against COVID. We produce most of these life-saving vaccines, remember? We lead in the research and development of our arsenals in the fight against the invisible enemy, right?

This is explained by Dr. Mark Cameron, an associate professor in the department of population and quantitative health sciences at Case Western University in Ohio, in the BBC News report.

Dr. Cameron believes “the U.S. is suffering from ‘a perfect storm’ of COVID-19, co-morbidities, uneven access to health care and hostility to vaccines, masks, and other preventative measures.”

“When all of that ‘perfect storm’ nature of vulnerabilities that are unique to the U.S. combine, you’ve got an outbreak of the virus that can quickly lead from increased cases to increased hospitalisations, which tax the local hospitals and health community.”

Let us talk about numbers to substantiate this.

“Just over 63% of the U.S. population is fully vaccinated, much lower than in the UK (71%) as well as Italy and France (both 75%). In Canada, almost 79% of the population is fully protected,” BBC News report stated.

Let’s talk about organized institutional resistance to the life-saving vaccine and mask mandates.

There are still Americans who do not believe in vaccines and are sick and tired of wearing masks despite the glaring facts that these have been saving lives. They continue to spread misinformation and disinformation against these public safety measures, demonize our scientists, health officials, and the federal and state govern-

ments who fight hard day and night to save lives.

Then there are also those Americans who are so obsessed and fixated with their personal liberties instead of focusing on the safety and wellness of people during wartime like where we are right now. They filed cases before the Supreme Court, which, by the way, now has the majority of justices, thanks but no thanks to Donald Trump. Unfortunately, this same SC blocked the Biden Administration’s vaccine-or- mask mandates for big employers.

The dissenting opinion as penned by Justices Stephen G. Breyer, Sonia Sotomayor and Elena Kagan “expressed incredulity at the court’s willingness to frustrate “the federal government’s ability to counter the unparalleled threat that COVID-19 poses to our nation’s workers.”

Talk about being pro-life, well this is definitely antithetical to what these dissenters in the Conservative party claim they are fighting for.

Let us talk about a real-life experience.

My husband and I were privileged to travel twice to Europe in 2021 — to Spain, France and Germany and the Netherlands. Despite the pandemic, we felt safe. We saw how most of the people, and I mean a vast majority of them, sacrifice a little of their liberties for the greater good. They get vaccinated, they use their health passes to show proof of vaccination to eat out, attend concerts, join public events. They wear masks, urge people to wear masks indoors.

They do not whine. They do not curse their government because they know and understand that saving lives is the obligation not only of the government, but of the citizens.

Here in the U.S., We have so many “pasaway,” trying to game the system for their own personal selfish reasons.

The Times report added

that “the World Health Organization cautioned this week against treating the virus like the seasonal flu, saying it was too soon to make that call.

Much about the disease remains unknown, the W.H.O. said. And a surge in cases driven by the Omicron variant is still battering the continent, while the population of much of the world remains vulnerable because of a lack of widespread vaccination, and more variants are still likely to arise.”

And so to answer my own question in the title of this piece: NO. The United States is not yet in the position to be bold like most EU countries.

Before we can even claim that for ourselves, let us do our part in getting fully vaccinated and boosted. Let’s agree to use health passes. Let us get tested so we can self-isolate to avoid spreading the virus and killing the more vulnerable people like the chronically ill with co-morbidities, the old and the children.

Let us start thinking less of ourselves and more of the what will be good for the community. Then, maybe, we can be bold because we have all collectively done our responsibility to be part of the solution instead of the problem. Then and only then, can we be bold when we finally work TOGETHER to save the lives of our people, and not side with the invisible enemy. *** 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.

MONDAY COMMUTE. Passengers queue at the EDSA Carousel Nepa Q-Mart station in Quezon City on Monday, January 17. Commuters have to present vaccination cards before boarding public transport as the “no vaccination, no ride entry” in Metro Manila takes effect, in compliance with President Rodrigo Duterte’s order to restrict the movement of unvaccinated persons.

PNA photo by Joey O. Razon

SFIO announces $50-M...

PAGE 9 their latest venture, SFIO brings its global expertise in real estate development to a global destination in island leisure.

Palawan consistently places among the world’s top islands, coming in first on Travel+Leisure’s definitive global ranking multiple years in a row. Based on Collier’s 2021 Residential Survey, Palawan was the top destination for Filipinos once travel restrictions are lifted. The global research firm expects domestic tourism to drive the leisure sector’s looming rebound, citing the Philippine Department of Tourism’s projection that domestic trips will reach 84.8 million in 2022, or 90 percent of total trips in 2019.

Not long after, the Philippines’ hotel industry – led by island beach destinations like Palawan – is forecasted to surpass even pre-pandemic revenues as early as 2023.

According to latest data from Statista, the industry is expected to reach an all-time revenue high of $2.1 billion by 2025.

Timed to debut amidst this renewed renaissance for Palawan, SFIO’s latest development in Puerto Princesa is expected to be completed by 2024.

SFIO’s joint ventures in real estate play a crucial role in the global asset management

company’s strategy of collaborative innovation towards building better communities. Work is already underway at SFIO’s recently established Technology Division on a suite of state-of-the-art, smart-building technologies designed to ensure the long-term, holistic wellbeing of communities. The team has also designed a proprietary project management platform tailored for their real estate projects.

With this system, SFIO’s partners and global network of licensed realtors are able to easily access information and seamlessly collaborate with project proponents, expediting the selling process across SFIO’s real estate portfolio.

These technologies are expected to set new gold-standards for real estate management and community health systems across resorts and townships.

According to SFIO, the company is in talks with a number of investment banks to enter debt financing deals that would fund these projects while preserving shareholder value.

Profits from these high-yield projects are intended to be reinvested into future growth, helping carry the group towards their plans to uplist from the US OTC Markets to the NASDAQ by 2024.

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Pangilinan asks gov’t to scrap ‘no vax, no ride’ rule...

PAGE 6 hindi pa sila papayagang makagamit ng mass transport,” the presidential aspirant said in a statement.

(No vaccination, no ride policy penalizes the poor who only want to work and do not own a car. Those who received their first dose and cannot use mass transportation are subjected to an additional burden.)

“Sigurado ako na kung pwede lang silang

mag work-from-home ay gagawin nila, pero hindi e. Halata na ang target ng polisiyang ito ay ang ating mahihirap na kababayan,” he added.

(I’m sure that if they are only allowed to work from home, they will do it, but they are not. It’s evident that the target of this policy is our poor countrymen) Pangilinan said it is also unfair to attribute the rise of COVID-19 cases to unvaccinated

individuals because there is no science backing this claim. Besides, he said, vaccinated individuals are still prone to carry the virus, hence the term “asymptomatic.”

“Kahit na ikulong pang lahat ang mga di pa napabakunahan, kakalat pa rin ang COVID dahil merong mga bakunado na asymptomatic,” Pangilinan said, referring to another policy suggesting to bar the unvaccinated from leaving home.

(Even if you jail all unvaccinated individuals, COVID will continue to spread because there are vaccinated who are asymptomatic) Instead of enforcing the “no-vaccination, no-ride” policy, the senator urged the national government to make inoculation convenient by setting up vaccination stations in transportation hubs and other such places. n

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COMMUNITY Journal

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Visas issued, despite petitioner’s death, this Sunday on Citizen Pinoy ALMITA’S father petitioned her in 2001. However, before her visa was issued, her father died on Christmas Eve of 2014. This resulted in the petition being “revoked.”

Her previous lawyer suggested that the family lie about the petitioner’s death, pretending he was alive, and continue pursuing the case. However, Almita’s mother did not want to lie. They discussed Humanitarian Revalidation but were informed by the lawyer that he did not handle such cases.

However, the lawyer sent a single-page letter to the National Visa Center (NVC) seeking Humanitarian Revalidation. Due to delays and missing documents from the previous lawyer, the USCIS

eventually officially revoked the petition.

Mom refused to give up and insisted on getting the “Attorneyof-Last-Hope,” Michael J. Gurfinkel, who was able to submit a new humanitarian revalidation request that was approved. Almita and her five children were able to get their immigrant visas and arrived in the U.S. in November 2021.

Watch this success story on a brand-new episode of “Citizen Pinoy” on Sunday, January 23 at 7:00 PM PT (10:00 PM ET thru select Cable/Satellite providers), right after TV Patrol Linggo. Citizen Pinoy is also available on iWantTFC. Viewers may download the free app.

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THIS FAMILY NOW NEEDS A “BIGGER RICE COOKER” AFTER DAUGHTER AND HER FIVE CHILDREN GOT THEIR IMMIGRANT VISAS, THIS SUNDAY ON CITIZEN PINOY. Almita (left) was petitioned as single by her father in 1997, but because she married her boyfriend, she had to be re-petitioned in 2001. Unfortunately, Almita’s father died before she could get her visa. Her previous lawyer sent a one-page letter seeking Humanitarian Revalidation, but USCIS revoked the petition. It seemed her dreams of immigrating to the U.S. were “dead.”

Almita’s sisters, Evelyn (2nd from left), Mimi (3rd from left) and their mother consulted with leading U.S. Immigration Attorney Michael J. Gurfinkel (right) who filed a new humanitarian revalidation request and was able to get it approved. Almita and her five children had their visas issued and immigrated to the U.S. in November 2021. Watch this success story on a brand-new episode of CITIZEN PINOY on Sunday, January 23 at 7:00 PM PT (10:00 PM ET) through select Cable/Satellite providers, right after TV Patrol Linggo.

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Wisdom vs COVID

Health@Heart PhiliP S. Chua, MD, FaCS, FPCS WHERE does oxygen come from?

Oxygen, which makes up about 20% of the air we breathe in, is an odorless, colorless, tasteless gas that is essential for the production of energy and, therefore, to life. Its main source is from living green plants.

The ambient air we inhale is absorbed by the lungs which “extracts” and filters oxygen, which then combines with hemoglobin (red pigment in blood cells). The resultant oxyhemoglobin is circulated throughout the body by the pumping action of the heart to supply oxygen to the entire body. Some tissues in our body are more sensitive than others to oxygen deprivation.

The brain is super-sensitive to lack of oxygen. It “dies” in about 3-4 minutes after oxygen delivery ceases (as in suffocation, drowning or cardiac arrest).

What is dyslexia?

“Word blindness” is a term commonly used to describe this condition where the person, starting from childhood, has extreme difficulty with reading and writing. About 10% of children are dyslexic, and it is more common among boys. Dyslexia, which may be inherited, is caused by a localized brain lesion, where there is a certain number of brain cells being “faulty,” or there is delayed or incomplete development of the brain. These children are NOT brain-damaged.

Usually, these youngsters are not recognized as dyslexic and may be thought of as lazy, disobedient, bored, problem kids and can be relegated to the background as dumb. Early detection is important for those affected to be able to benefit from special schooling and catch up in their learning skills. With early and proper training, many of them can grow up to be very successful individuals.

What causes lead poisoning among children?

Ingestion of lead is the obvious cause, and the sources could be inhaling lead from the leaded paint used inside, say, a classroom, where children stay for hours. In the United States, it is a le-

gal requirement to use only unleaded paint, especially in schools, etc. Toddlers can also get poisoned by the paint chips from cribs, toys, pencils and other objects with lead. Parents can prevent poisoning in general by being aware and being cautious of the environment and items their children are exposed to. We can never be too careful when it comes to our children’s health.

Are tampons safe?

If used properly, yes, the new tampons are fairly safe.

In 1978, a worldwide phenomenon called Toxic Shock Syndrome (TSS) was first described, with symptoms ranging from high fever, skin rash, fall in blood pressure, severe eye infection, headaches, disorientation, joint and muscle pains, diarrhea and kidney failure. The victims were females (average age 23) having their normal menstrual period. A number of deaths from TSS has been reported. Implicated was the use of super-absorbency tampons, which acted as a culture medium for the staphylococcal infection in the vagina. The longer the tampon was left in the vagina, the greater the risk. The toxin or poison produced by the staphylococci caused the serious illnesses described above. Most patients recovered after appropriate treatment of intravenous fluids and antibiotics, but at a later stage lost the skin of their palms and soles, the face and even the tongue. Mortality rate for TSS is about 2 or 3 percent. Tampons should be changed 3 to 4 times a day, even if not fully stained to prevent TSS. This makes it a bit too expensive. A time-proven safer alternative is the use of sanitary pads.

Does a pet help pre-m women?

Yes, this is no fable. It has been shown that pre-menopausal women who owned a pet they could communicate with (like a dog or a cat), and who kept them company, went through this change in their life and physiology with much less pain and agony.

The constant companionship and love the pets gave these suffering women provided the much-needed love, sense of loyalty and security during this formidable stage in their life. For one thing, these pets do not complain and do not answer back. They give their love totally, genuinely and unconditionally.

Because of these attributes, pets are

considered by some people as “better than some friends and family members.”

COVID-19 updates As of 11:30 AM (CST) Tuesday, January 18, 2022, there were 332,280,117 cases of COVID-19 worldwide, with 5,566,715 deaths, and 269,571,029 who have recovered. At that same time in the United States, there were 67,633,1409 cases and 874,347 deaths, and in the Philippines, 3,270,758 cases and 28,471 deaths. Records show daily hospitalization at 156,515 (5,109 of them children).

Omicron (developed in human – mostly unvaccinated – bodies after 50 mutations), albeit apparently milder but highly transmissible, is causing havoc around the world.

First reported in South Africa on November 26, 2021, Omicron could have actually started in Europe, according to an article from the Netherlands. Those with the booster are better protected although not 100 percent, but the vaccines provide a significant degree of protection from Omicron. Vaccination remains to be the best preventive measure together with frequent handwashing, masking, social distancing, and avoiding crowds by limiting our travels to essential chores only.

More than 95 percent of those infected recently were unvaccinated. Almost 9 million children have been infected by COVID-19 since the pandemic started.

During the first week of January 2022 alone, there were 580,247 children infected.

Omicron is super contagious.

If needed, drug firms are ready to develop (within 100 days) a tailored, custom-made, vaccine specifically for Omicron. The newest variant, Deltacron, is being closely monitored.

Eating in a restaurant, or group eating and conversation, appear to increase the risk of getting infected, as masks are removed to eat and conversation sends the virus flying in the air and inhaled by others in the room.

Symptoms from omicron could rapidly manifest within 6 hours from exposure.

COVID-19 test kits are available for free which started on Wednesday, January 19, 2022, and could be ordered online and at your nearest pharmacy.

Since the pandemic started on January 19, 2020 (CDC reported it two days later),

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MMCAA USA East Coast Chapter Elects First Board MARYkNOll/Miriam College Alumni Association (MMCAA) congratulates the first Board of Directors of its USA East Coast Chapter and the officers elected among them. Chapter elections were held last December 2021. A follow-up meeting among the Directors was held on 11 January 2022 to elect officers.

The MMCAA USA East Coast Chapter was accredited on the 11th of September 2021 with 36 registered regular members. The Chapter Bylaws were signed by 23 members. It was formally introduced to the alumnae community, along with 4 other international Chapters, during the MC Grand Alumni Virtual Homecoming on September 2021.

For its jurisdiction, the Chapter covers the following areas: a) the East Coast: Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Washington DC, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida; b) the Midwest: North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, kansas, Minnesota, Iowa, Missouri, Wisconsin, Illinois, Michigan,

Felicidad De Los Angeles Bunuan GS ‘65, HS ‘69, COLL 73 Chapter Head

Myrna De Guia Gutierrez COLL ‘76 Deputy Head

Marie Licelle Razalo Cobrador HS ‘96 Board Secretary

Grace Hufano Labaguis COLL ‘89 Board Treasurer

Indiana, Ohio; c) the Southern States: kentucky, West Virginia, Tennessee, Alabama, Mississippi, Oklahoma, Arkansas, and louisiana.

All MC (Maryknoll/

Miriam) alumnae are welcome to register and join the Chapter to form a solid knoller sisterhood community in the region. mmcaa.eastcoast@gmail. com n

Marcia Caridad Malata Caringal HS ‘86 Board Director

Melisa Geronimo De Lara GS ‘69, HS ‘73, COL ‘77 Board Director

Celeste Demafeliz Lagoy COLL ‘73 Board Director

handshaking, hugging, and most body contact were abandoned by people, and wisely so. And being social beings, we all miss such rapport and intimacy. While many are still arrogant, careless, even reckless, most have accepted they are mortal and could be killed by this stealth virus and treat this killer with humility and extreme caution.

Vaccination and wisdom are two effective weapons against this deadly nemesis.

May God bless all of us with an abundance of the second

to help end this pandemic sooner than later. *** The opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by the author do not necessarily reflect the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints of the Asian Journal, its management, editorial board and staff. *** The 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 intend-

ed 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 Advocate, and Chairman of the Filipino United Network-USA, a 501(c)3 humanitarian foundation in the United States.

Websites: FUN8888.com, Today.

SPSAtoday.com, and philipSchua. com; Email: scalpelpen@gmail.com.

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National Artist F. Sionil Jose buried Alden’s food for the soul to prevent burnout in Libingan ng mga Bayani

By MArAne

By AllAn

A. PlAzA

Inquirer.net

Philstar.com

NATIONAL Artist for Literature F. Sionil Jose was laid to rest on Tuesday, January 18, at the Libingan ng mga Bayani.

Before the inurnment, there was a mass at 10 a.m., followed by the State Funeral.

The National Artist passed away last January 6 while confined at the Makati Medical Center, waiting to undergo angioplasty. He was 97.

The inurnment was by invitation-only, in accordance with the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) protocols. Those who wanted to pay their last respects were encouraged to tune in to the live streaming via the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) Facebook page. The necrological service and tribute at the CCP has been deferred upon the advice of the family.

One of the most revered

EMPLOYMENT

PolicArPio

F. Sionil Jose (left) as seen in his popular The Star column, ‘Hindsight’ (right).

and read Filipino writers, Jose was known for his novels and literary works espousing national sovereignty and social justice, such as his famous series the “Rosales” saga.

Five of José’s most known works have won the Carlos Palanca Memorial Awards for Literature: his short sto-

ries “The God Stealer” in 1959, “Waywaya” in 1979, “Arbol de Fuego” (Firetree) in 1980, his novel “Mass” in 1981, and his essay “A Scenario for Philippine Resistance” in 1979.

He was bestowed the National Artist Award in 2001 for his outstanding contributions to Philippine literature.

SERVICES

Philstar.com photos

The founder of the Philippine chapter of PEN, he received various accolades such as the CCP Centennial Honors for the Arts in 1998, the Outstanding Fulbrighters Award for Literature in 1988, and the Ramon Magsaysay Award for Journalism, Literature, and Creative Communication Arts in 1980. n

ALDEN Richards isn’t one to publicize his charity work, so not a lot of people know that he has actually been sponsoring the education of underprivileged children and young adults for the past eight years.

In fact, some of the scholars themselves didn’t know that it was the GMA 7 star helping them go to school.

“It’s my food for the soul.

Sometimes, in life, when you do the same things over and over again, burnout is always there. To get rid of that burnout, I find scholars or extend help to different foundations.

But I don’t tell them it’s me—I ask others for help and do it for me,” he told the Inquirer in a virtual conference for his Jan. 30 documentary-style concert, “ForwARd: Meet Richard R. Faulkerson Jr.” “All I get are photos of them. They don’t know it’s me,” he added. “That’s how I have been doing it the past couple of years.”

SERVICES

Alden has sent 14 scholars to school: two of them recently graduated college with degrees in information technology and electrical energy, respectively; the others— whose grade levels range from elementary to college— are currently studying.

“There was a time when I had no idea that I already had that many scholars. It’s usually after a payday that I look for new ones to help,” he related.

Up until last year, his philanthropic efforts were mostly carried out by him and the people he closely worked with. But with the creation of Alden’s AR Foundation, Alden plans to expand the scope of his initiative.

Formally registered last September, the charity organization aims “to raise and grant funds to scholars who aspire to achieve their full potential” and become “well-rounded, confident and responsible individuals.”

Education is a matter Alden feels strongly about, he said, PAGE 15

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OF SINIGANG PACKETS, ADOBO AND MANG TOMAS

Fil-Am cast members of Broadway’s Aladdin on why representation, sense of community matter

by MOMAR

G. VISAYA / AJPress

MONG all the musicals running on Broadway today, Aladdin holds the record when it comes to the sheer A number of Filipinos in the ensemble. It’s 9, for those who are wondering.

We had a chance to chat with three of them: Don Darryl Rivera, who originated the role of Iago, Jafar’s sidekick; Heather Makalani who is a Princess Jasmine understudy, and Angelo Soriano, one of the swings.

Among the three, it’s DDR who has been on the show the longest.

His Aladdin journey started in 2011 when Disney did a pilot production of the show at the Fifth Avenue Theater in Seattle. He was a local hire and he originated the role of Iago when the show opened at the New Amsterdam Theater on Broadway in 2014.

Soriano’s Aladdin story

started in 2015. As a swing, he covers 12 male ensemble roles while understudying two principal roles, Omar and Iago. New York Times featured him in 2019 where he shared a day in the life of a swing on a Broadway musical.

Makalani made her Broadway debut in 2019, which she calls “a fullcircle moment.” Back in Australia, she understudied for fellow Filipino-American Arielle Jacobs, who was also Princess Jasmine when Makalani joined the Broadway cast.

Aladdin’s Filipino Club Soriano said there are nine members of what can be called unofficially as

Aladdin is Heather Makalani’s Broadway debut. She is part of the ensemble and understudies Princess Jasmine. Makalani’s family comes from Guam, her mom is originally from Laoag City in the Philippines.

Photos by Disney on Broadway

Aladdin’s Filipino Club.

There have also been past cast members who have left including the siblings Adam and Arielle Jacobs and Joshua Dela Cruz who is now on Blue’s Clues.

Born and raised in Manila, Soriano was nine years old when his family immigrated to the United States. He was in the Philippines in January 2020 for his honeymoon in Boracay and Palawan.

“We were happy when Heather came in from the Australian company, we can always use more Pinoys to tag along on our post-show escapades to our favorite Filipino restaurant down the street for example,” Soriano said, echoing what they told us in an interview three years ago about how they would go to the East Village to have dinner at Jeepney or Maharlika.

Having lived away from her family for so many years and not getting Filipino home cooking, it was almost easy for Makalani to forget about her Filipino-ness.

“Sometimes you forget that that’s such a huge part of your identity. And then coming into a company where there are Filipinos and they’re making Filipino jokes with you or someone says, ‘Hey, I’ve got a sinigang packet, do you want one’?” she said laughing.

PAGE 15

Aladdin’s official Instagram account posted this group photo of the Filipino-American members of the cast to celebrate Filipino American History Month last October.

Photo from Disney on Broadway/@aladdin

Don Darryl Rivera (Iago) and Jonathan Freeman (Jafar) Photo by Deen van Meer

Angelo Soriano was born and raised in Manila and moved to Don Darryl Rivera originated the role of Iago when the musical the United States when he was nine years old. He is a swing in Aladdin and an understudy for Omar and Iago. opened on Broadway in 2014.

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Fil-Am cast members of Broadway’s Aladdin...

Alden Richards

Photo from Instagram/@aldenrichards02

Alden’s food for the...

PAGE 13 because he knows what it was like having the desire — but not the resources — to study.

‘I know how it feels’ “Poverty is a hindrance to education. I know how it feels wanting to go to school, but not having means to do so. I experienced that when I was younger. And I don’t want that to happen to kids today. With this cause, I hope I can help break the cycle,” Alden said.

This project isn’t going to be a one-off thing. Now, the 30-year-old actor has a team helping him map out his foundation’s future plans. “I have good people behind me. We have talked about how big our budget has to be by 2025 if we were to take this number of new scholars while sustaining the existing ones,” he related.

“Granting scholarships is just the first stage… We have bigger plans in the coming years,” he added. “We want holistic development for the kids.”

Asked why he finally decided to make his efforts public, after years of working behind the scenes, Alden said he wanted to let people know that, “in these trying times,” the AR Foundation’s doors are open. “I want to let them know that the foundation is there for deserving kids struggling with education,” he said. “In fact, we have already gotten a lot of inquiries.”

Introducing the foundation Inspired by documentary-inspired concert specials by foreign artists on streaming platforms, Alden figured that the concept could be an effective way to introduce AR Foundation to the public. “I thought, ‘Why not do a concert, so the viewers can have a deeper understanding about how the foundation came about? Where is Alden coming from?’” he said. “I want to show [what] I stand for … fight for.”

When some members of the show biz press pointed out that it was mature of him to pursue projects that some celebrities think of only toward the end of their careers, Alden said losing his mother at an early age compelled him to grow up faster. “I lost my mom at 17, so I matured early. I got motivated to help others,” he said.

“It all started with my family. But now that I’m blessed with a good career, I have a bigger platform to spread influence,” he added.

‘A deeper calling’ Unlike his previous concerts that put the spotlight on him and his performing talent, the music setlist for “ForwARd” is meant to accentuate its narrative: The life journey of Richard R. Faulkerson Jr.; how he became Alden Richards we know now; the milestones; and the path that led him to creating his own foundation. (For tickets and more information, visit Ticket2me.net and AR Foundation’s official Facebook page.)

Directed by Frank Lloyd Mamaril and produced by FLM Creatives and Productions, the fundraising digital show will have Alden revisiting the place he grew up in Laguna, and doing production numbers with his foundation’s beneficiaries.

“The way the songs and performances are laid out conforms to the narrative of the documentary… There are mellow and nostalgic songs and something happy and inspirational,” Alden said. “What I had been showing about my life in my past shows was just the tip of the iceberg. There’s a deeper calling and I want to show that.” n

PAGE 14 Recently, Soriano and Makalani collaborated on a duet for the Tagalog version of A Whole New World.

As they were joking around backstage and speaking Tagalog, talking about the quirks and Filipino humor and culture, they came across the idea of maybe singing a duet together.

They didn’t want to sing what they hear on the show eight times a week so they researched and found a translated version of A Whole New World which came from the original broadcast of the Tagalog version of the 1992 film Aladdin, according to Soriano.

They studied and learned the lyrics and shot the video in Soriano’s home office/recording studio.

“We self-produced this cover video because it was it was too beautiful not to perform together. And Heather contributed her amazing voice to it and we had a we had a fun process,” he said.

“I feel so excited and enthralled and just happy that somebody else understands the food and the jokes and the humor and the community of the Philippines. It’s just nice to not feel so alone,” she added.

Beyond the inside jokes, they have also been exchanging Filipino products.

Rivera shared that Heather gave them champorado packs while he, on the other hand, is the source of sinigang packets and Mama Sita’s barbecue marinade, among others.

“I have three Filipino stores within a five-mile radius of my house. I’m always happy to go. I’m always happy to do a run and pick up banana ketchup, soy sauce, whatever anyone needs,” explained Rivera, who lives in New Jersey. “Yeah, you know, we like to share food with each other. I think that’s obviously a huge part of the Filipino culture.”

They have also brought the troop – including some non-Filipinos – to Tradisyon, a Filipino restaurant in Hell’s Kitchen and one of Makalani’s favorites.

Soriano is partial to Flip Sigi, mentioning the Filipino taqueria’s version of the In-and-Out burger.

DDR’s favorite on the other hand is about a hundred steps away from the stage door.

“There is a Jollibee literally right around the corner of the theater. So I do visit that quite frequently but I like to hit up the lunch counters here in Jersey. I mean there’s nothing like a home-cooked meal that you can pick up at the store,” he shared.

The Swing Life Last month, Broadway League President Charlotte St. Martin faced a backlash from industry leaders when she talked about Broadway’s recent COVID-related cancellations in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter where she talked about the lack of “experienced” understudies and swings. St. Martin has since apologized.

Through social media, Disney on Broadway posted, “When the stories are written about the return of Broadway they must reflect the

extraordinary talent, courage, and spirit of our Swings, Understudies, Standbys, Alumni, Dance Captains, Stage & Company Management, Musicians, Crew, Subs and all the unsung heroes who make the impossible possible every day. To each of you who has jumped on an airplane, learned a track at half hour and filled the critical space that allows our shows to continue on Broadway, on Tour and around the world we are deeply grateful to you for your contribution. We stand in awe and deep appreciation.”

“We’ve definitely felt the support right away from those who did understand how important our roles were and I stand here, you know, to tell you that I am a proud swing understudy. And I love my job because it’s where I find my joy and I find my purpose, especially for a magical show like this,” Soriano said.

During the pandemic, Soriano said he focused on preparing himself mentally and physically to redo the show again when it was time to reopen.

It took all of 18 months but it was all worth it. He is happy to be back into the routine, back on track.

Soriano had to recollect the muscle memories, he revisited the script and made sure that the choreography is still back in his body.

“The pressure has become a little bit heavier on swings and understudies and standbys, which is really cool because we’re getting recognized for it,” he said.

For him, it is about challenging himself and being able to perform any of the 12 tracks at any moment’s notice gives him satisfaction.

“I quite like swinging, I enjoy it, and you know, it’s not usually for everyone.

If you’re a perfectionist, you have to remember that maybe not all shows will be perfect. But you definitely do your best and go out there and give everyone who’s seen the show for the first time the best show possible,” Soriano explained.

“My daughter just turned six at the beginning of this month, and I was able to be home and have birthday cake with her and have a family dinner. Because Angelo supports me that way as an understudy,” Rivera shared. “So kind of outside of the industry, understudies, swings, and standbys, they allow us to live our lives. So really, it’s just more far-reaching than the show must go on. But like, we’re able to do things like that because we have that kind of support and it’s really lovely.”

Makalani echoed those sentiments, saying that as understudies and swings, they do not have the luxury of having rehearsed the roles regularly like the principal cast. That they need to be ready at a moment’s notice makes it extra challenging.

“I feel like sometimes people underestimate the swings and understudies, sometimes they get a bad rap for being less talented. I don’t know where this comes from but sometimes some of the most talented people I have ever met are the people who are offstage.”

From Oz to Broadway Makalani’s Broadway journey began in Australia. She was in her final year for her theater arts degree in 2015 when she auditioned for the original Australian company of Aladdin. She got in two months later and became a Princess Jasmine understudy for two and a half years touring around the country.

She wanted to reach greater heights so on a limb, she emailed the assistant director to ask if there was a chance for her to audition for Broadway or the North American tour. She got a response a couple of months later saying that there was a temporary opening on Broadway so she took the chance, sent in her self-tape, and waited.

As an understudy, Makalani distinctly remembers the first time she took on the Princess Jasmine role.

“It just felt like all the hard work that I had and all the doubts that I ever had for myself kind of just melted away and it felt like I was just so proud of myself,” she shared.

She cherishes that memory with all her heart specially since her parents were in the audience. They flew from Guam to watch their daughter do her thing on Broadway.

“It was just a very nice gratifying moment for all of us because my parents have always been so supportive of me and my career and then being able to see me take a bow on Broadway like one of the highest standards of performing,” Makalani said.

Performing on that stage at the New Amsterdam Theater has given the actors tons of special memories.

“It’s nice to be able to be on that stage and watch the kids in the audience who look more like me are lit up and their eyes are googly on the idea that maybe someday that they can do that, too,” Soriano said. “And I think that’s quite an honor to be able to carry as far people like me who was born in Manila and made it all the way to New York City and making a living here and really living that dream.”

For the safety of the cast members, theater workers, and the audience, waiting outside the stage door for photos and autographs has been discontinued for the time being.

Soriano, a dead ringer of presidential candidate Manny Pacquiao, laughingly recalled that he has posed in a lot of photos with his arms flexed like the famous former boxing champion’s.

Back then, Rivera said he would get a lot of Filipinos who would come up to him and ask if he is Filipino.

“So we would connect right away from that, but there’s something really awesome about Filipino people.

Complete strangers will come up to you and say how proud of you they are, how proud they are, that you’re representing the culture, that you’re making it big in American mainstream entertainment,” he shared. “There’s something really heartwarming about that, like, the only blood we share is the Filipino blood and they’re so proud. Filipinos are proud people. So representation does matter, a hundred percent.” n

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