020820 - Los Angeles Weekend

FEBRUARY 8-11, 2020 Volume 30 - No. 10 • 4 Sections – 30 Pages

Duterte: Send US notice to terminate VFA

by RITCHEL

MENDIOLA AJPress

PHILIPPINE President Rodrigo Duterte has formally ordered the government to send the United States a notice terminating the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA), according to Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo.

Panelo told reporters on Friday, February 7 that the president has instructed Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea to inform Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. to send the notice to the U.S. government that would end the two-decade long agreement.

DATELINE

“[President Rodrigo Duterte] is instructing [Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea] to tell [the Secretary of Foreign Affairs Teodoro “Teddyboy” Locsin Jr.] to send the notice of termination to the U.S. government,” the spokesperson said in a text message to reporters.

Panelo also added that Duterte is slated to speak to U.S. President Donald Trump by phone, though no further details of the conversation have been shared.

During a Senate Committee on Foreign Relations hearing on Thursday, Locsin previously said that he had “prepared the notice

of termination but it has not been sent upon the orders of the president.”

He added, “I prepared it and I specifically said that I will send it upon the direct personal order of the president and no one else.”

The VFA, which came into force in 1999, covers the conduct of U.S. soldiers in the Philippines.

Among the provisions of the deal include lax visa and passport policies for U.S. troops, and the rights of the U.S. government to retain its jurisdiction over its milTRAVEL BUSINESS AS USUAL. A travel and tours fair is held at a shopping mall in Pasay City on Friday, February 7 with one of the staff members wearing itary personnel when they com- a medical mask for protection, despite the new coronavirus scare that has made frequent travelers and vacationers think twice.

Inquirer.net photo by Marianne Bermudez u PAGE A2

PH military officers worry about loss of US surveillance aid

USA

by FROILAN

FROM THE AJPRESS NEWS TEAM ACROSS AMERICA

Health agencies, Big Tech seek to dispel mass misinformation on coronavirus Groups condemn anti-API ‘racism and hate’

AS the global medical community continues to try to mitigate the threat of the severe coronavirus, the World Health Organization (WHO) and leading social media giants are working to combat another epidemic of a different nature: the dissemination of misinformation.

Since the news of the coronavirus — a novel respiratory infection that first broke out in Wuhan, China — first broke out last month, and since the WHO has declared it a public health emergency of international concern, it has been one of the most talked-about topics on social media.

But the severity of the infection, coupled u PAGE A4

Not just a smoker’s disease: Stigma of lung cancer still persists in Asian American community

WITH lung cancer as the leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the United States, there is still a stigma around the disease that prevents patients, especially in the Asian American community, from receiving proper support.

A report from the American Cancer Society in January said that the cancer death rate in the U.S. dropped 29% between 1991 and 2017.

However, lung cancer remains the leading cause of cancer deaths for men and women at nearly one-quarter of all cancer deaths.

The same report found that 34.4% of Asian American and Pacific Islanders — the fastestgrowing minority group in the country — had incidences of lung cancer from 2012-2017.

A recent panel of doctors in Los Angeles highlighted that more education and outreach need to be done to reduce the misconceptions around the disease and barriers to care within the Asian u PAGE A3

Terminating the Philippines’ Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) with the United States at this time would most likely have negative effects on the country, Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. (right) says during a hearing at the Senate in Pasay City on Thursday, February 6. Also in photo are Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Enrique Manalo (center) and Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana (left).

PNA photo by Avito C. Dalan

GALLARDO, JULIE ALIPALA Inquirer.net

FIELD-BASED officers of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) has expressed worry over the possible cut in the United States government’s assistance for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) activities should President Duterte proceed with terminating the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA).

The officers, who asked not to be named, said U.S. support is crucial in running after

Islamic State (IS)-linked militants.

Without U.S. support, one officer said, it would be like “fighting the militants with blurry eyes or a hazy vision.”

“Some of our operations will be affected,” the officer further said.

Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana, in a recent visit here, has said the country stands to lose U.S. support for ISR operations without the VFA. Lorenzana said the support is made possible through the Enhanced Defense Coopu PAGE A2

Suspected nCoV cases in PH jump to 178

by RITCHEL

MENDIOLA AJPress

THE number of people under investigation in the Philippines for the possible novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) has risen to 178, the Department of Health (DOH) said on Thursday, February 6.

“Of the total 178 [people under investigation (PUIs)], 147 are admitted in hospitals, 10 have refused admission and 16 have already been discharged under strict monitoring,” said Health Secretary Francisco Duque III at a press conference.

He added that 84 of the 178 have tested negative for the virus while the laboratory tests on samples taken from 127 PUIs are still pending.

Duque assured that the DOH is coordinating with the Philippine National Police (PNP) in requiring asymptomatic PUIs to be admitted to health facilities.

“We are working with the PNP to compel these PUIs refusing admission to agree to undergo isolation and testing,” he said, stressing that identifying all the PUIs tested and confined is necessary to stop the threat of the potentially deadly virus.

Duque also said that DOH officials are discussing with public cemeteries about the possible burial of the remains of the Chinese national who died due to the nCoV as private cemeteries refused to cremate the victim.

“I have instructed the San Lazaro Hos- President Rodrigo Duterte discusses matters with some members of the Cabinet prior to the u PAGE A2 start of the 46th Cabinet Meeting at the Malacañan Palace on Tuesday, February 4.

Malacañang photo by Ace Morandante

PAL sets up tighter screening Duterte issues EO protocols on US-bound flights for ‘Filipino centric’ PH quincentennial

by RICHMOND

MERCURIO Philstar.com

MANILA — Flag carrier Philippine Airlines (PAL) is implementing new protocols in the acceptance of passengers for U.S.-bound flights in line with the new rules imposed by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (US DHS).

PAL had advised its passengers going to the U.S. of extra screening measures in accordance with the rules of the U.S. DHS. “If you are traveling to points PAL had advised its passengers going to the U.S. of extra screening in the United States, we strongly measures in accordance with the rules of the U.S. DHS. Philstar.com photo by Edd Gumban u PAGE A4

quincentennial of various historic events.

The order, which was issued MANILA — President Rodrigo last Jan. 28, amended EO 55, Duterte cited the need for a “Fili- which created the National Quinpino-centric” point of view in the centennial Committee in 2018. commemoration of the 500th anThe historic events mentioned niversary of the circumnavigation in EO 55 were the 500th anniverof the world, the Battle of Mactan sary of the arrival of Ferdinand and “other related events.”

Magellan in the Philippines, the Duterte pushed for a “Filipino- celebration of the first mass, the centric” view in Executive Order circumnavigation of the globe 103, which also added new mem- by Magellan and Juan Sebastian bers to the steering committee Elcano from 1519 to 1522 and for the commemoration of the u PAGE A4

by ALEXIS

ROMERO Philstar.com

A February 8-11, 2020 • La WeeKeND aSIaN JOurNaL

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From the Front Page

PH military officers worry about loss...

PAGE A1 t

eration Agreement (EDCA) which was inked in 2014. It allows the United States to rotate troops into the country for extended stays, and to build and operate facilities on AFP bases.

“I think EDCA will become useless if there is no more VFA. Who will man these bases,” said

Lorenzana, referring to the U.S. military facilities that’s providing the intelligence and surveillance support, one of which is in Zamboanga City.

Along with the Zamboanga U.S. facility, Lorenzana said the surveillance flights provided by Dyne Corporation, a service provider of the U.S. Department of

Defense, will also stop its operations in Southern Philippines.

Another military officer has told the Inquirer the Zamboanga facility was instrumental in the recent successful operation that led to the killing of a local IS affiliate in Lanao del Sur. “We have to look elsewhere for that kind of support soon,” said Lorenzana, who is vice chair of the body overseeing implementation of the VFA on the Philippine side.

In Zamboanga City, Lt. General Cirilito Sobejana, commander of the Western Mindanao Command, said the U.S. support “complements our existing intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities.”

Sobejana attributed the U.S. support to the successful rescue of the British-Filipino couple who was kidnapped by the Abu Sayyaf in Zamboanga del Sur last year, and the three Indonesian fishers who were snatched, also last year, in waters off Sabah, Malaysia.

These kidnap victims were brought to Sulu where they were also rescued.

Sobejana also acknowledged the role of U.S. surveillance support in tracking Lanao IS affiliate Jarir Usman who was killed in an armed encounter with government troops in Balindong town last Jan. 24.

According to a military officer, the troops were fed information about Usman’s whereabouts from the U.S. surveillance facility in Zamboanga City, coursed through the AFP’s chain of command.

Once the defense deals are terminated, the temporary facility operated by U.S. forces in southern Zamboanga City will also shut down, Lorenzana said.

“That DyneCorp [surveillance] will have to go, too, because it is attached to the U.S. Department of Defense,” Lorenzana added.

Lorenzana said the Philippine military would then have to build its own aerial surveillance capability.

Surveillance aircraft operated

by DyneCorp helped government troops defeat in 2017 IS militants who laid siege on Marawi City.

Apart from aiding the AFP in war-fighting, some other AFP officers pointed to logistical assistance from the U.S. military towards rescue and relief operaPAGE A4

ALERT VS. NCOV. A holding area for suspected cases of the 2019 novel coronavirus (nCoV) is set up at the entrance of the Mandaluyong City Medical Center on Thursday, February 6. Local governments across the country have stepped up efforts against the virus which has already claimed over 500 lives worldwide, mostly in China.

PNA photo by Joey O. Razon

Duterte: Send US Notice to...

PAGE A1 t mit crimes in the Philippines.

On Jan. 23, Duterte threatened to scrap the VFA following the U.S.’ cancellation of Senator Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa’s visa.

He gave the U.S. a month to “correct” the cancellation of Dela Rosa’s visa, however, he ordered the start of the termination process the following day.

Ratified by the Philippine Senate in 1999, the VFA can be terminated through a written notice from either of the countries, taking effect 180 days after the notification.

VFA needs ‘vigorous review’ Locsin said a “vigorous review” of the VFA is needed.

“There is value in revisiting the VFA to address matters of sovereignty such as jurisdiction and custody and early resumption of clarificatory talks should serve

as a basis, as well as a jump-off point for a review of the VFA,” he said in his opening speech on Thursday.

“Perhaps, we should review the VFA, certainly we should do that because I don’t believe that because we need them, we should suffer insults to our sovereignty,” he added.

Locsin also pointed out the benefits that the Philippines has been getting from the VFA, including military assistance, financial grants, and deterrence against possible attacks from other countries.

The continuance of the agreement “is deemed to be more beneficial” for the country, Locsin said, noting that abrogating the VFA would render the Mutual Defense Treaty (MDT) and the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) “nothing but

pieces of paper.”

“When you abrogate the VFA, the MDT can remain and so with EDCA but both will be nothing but merely pieces of paper… as the VFA is the implementing document,” he said.

Under the Supreme Court jurisprudence, it is stated that EDCA can only exist with the VFA. Locsin said he will “insist on” negotiating controversial provisions of the VFA during the review, but also stressed that the Department of Foreign Affairs has no formal stance on whether it favors a termination or a review of the VFA. “The DFA, at this point, has no preference for any of these options,” he said. “But at this point, I think, a review, a vigorous review of the Visiting Forces Agreement is called for.” n

Suspected nCoV cases in PH jump...

PAGE A1 t

pital to coordinate with public cemeteries if they can just bury the corpse, because based on information, they don’t have cremation there,” he said.

He urged the government to coordinate with the Chinese government since the initial agreement was for the victim’s remains to be cremated.

Decline in 1-2 months According to the DOH, the number of PUIs in the country is expected to drop dramatically within the next two months.

“We see a drop in cases in one to two months since we have already stopped the entry of travelers from China,” Health Undersecretary Eric Domingo said.

“Since there are no more trav-

elers coming from China, we will just be monitoring those who are already here and the number of the PUIs will start to drop,” he added.

Duque also said that concerned government agencies are continuously tracing people who made contact with the three confirmed cases of the nCoV infection in the country. n

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Dateline USa

LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL • FEbRUARy 8-11, 2020

A

What will the 2020 Census ask you? Here is a list of every question on the questionnaires

by Mark Hedin Ethnic Media Services

Maureen Rigney of GO2 Foundation for Lung Cancer, Dr. David Park of St. Jude Heritage Medical Group, Dr. Bing Xia of USC Keck School of Medicine, Dr. Alex Makalinao of California Hematology Oncology Medical Group and Dr. Ron Natale of Cedars-Sinai Medical Center participate in a recent panel challenging the stigma and changing expectations of lung cancer among Asian Americans.

Contributed photo

Not just a smoker’s disease: Stigma of lung cancer...

PAGE A1 t American community.

“Lung cancer stigma is why research funding at the national level is not what it should be,” said Maureen Rigney, director of support initiatives at GO2 Foundation for Lung Cancer. “That’s why we haven’t seen a lot of increase in lung cancer survival rates over many, many decades.”

Rigney cited data that 56% of the general public said that people who were diagnosed with lung cancer were “at least partially to blame for their disease.”

“Even perhaps more heartbreakingly, there was a significant increase in patients who said that they felt that their family and friends would have been more supportive if they’ve been diagnosed with a different type of cancer,” she added. “For all us, it’s just really important for us to know about the lung cancer stigma and help to work to eliminate it so that people who are diagnosed are confident that they’re going to receive the same level of care and the same compassion as people diagnosed with other types of cancer.”

Reducing barriers to care One of the common beliefs around lung cancer is that it is a “smoker’s disease.” Evidence has shown that it is the first health risk conclusively linked to smoking, but it has largely resulted in patients with the disease being personally blamed, even if they do not have a history of smoking.

There is a growing incidence of lung cancer among Asian American non-smokers, panelists noted.

Based on data from patients in Southern California, about 25% Filipino Americans who have never smoked were diagnosed with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), the most common form of the disease, in the early 2000s.

Certain social and cultural factors prevent early detection as well as receiving appropriate care once diagnosed.

In the Asian American community, across the various groups, many are quick to hide their lung cancer diagnosis from family and friends for fear of shame and to not be a burden. Some adult children even hide the diagnosis from their elderly parents or family members in anticipation of the emotional difficulties.

Filipino American oncologist Alex Makalinao said that before talking about the diagnosis and treatment, it’s important to approach care in a culturally sensitive manner and to build trust with patients.

Many Asian American patients have said that language barriers have prevented them from raising concerns or asking questions about lung cancer.

“It’s our culture to protect our parents and our family members… when I come and see them, the families outside are talking to me and telling me not to say anything and it’s very hard for me to convey what the diagnosis is,” Makalinao told the Asian Journal. Speaking to families in Tagalog has been helpful in breaking down the resistance and earn their trust, he found.

“I just have to gain the confidence of the parent or the loved one and when I get that, it’s a lot easier,” he said. “But still, before you could say the ‘C word,’ it could take several visits before you even say it.”

Makalinao added that one of the best ways to raise awareness among patients in the Fil-Am community is through media, whether through TV programs or newspapers.

“When they come to us…patients show us what they read or what they saw in the newspaper and so making them aware that there [are] other ways of treating this cancer is very important,” he said.

Testing and treatment options Like other types of cancer, lung cancer has several causes, presents itself in different forms, and affects various racial and ethnic groups in distinct ways.

Though symptoms do not typically appear until the lung cancer is at an advanced stage, they include persistent cough, sputum streaked with blood, chest pain, a hoarse voice, worsening shortness of breath and recurrent pneumonia or bronchitis, according to the American Cancer Society.

“Lung cancer is a disease of mutations, where carcinogens and cigarette smoke are responsible for smoking-related lung cancer, or carcinogens in the environment, which is responsible for non-smoking related lung cancer, damage the DNA of a normal bronco endothelial cell, producing a mutation that then drives the growth of that moment in the cell clone,” said Dr. Ron Natale, director of the Lung Cancer Clinical Research Program at the Samuel Oschin Comprehensive Cancer Institute at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center.

He added that studies show Asian Americans appearing to be more sensitive to environmental carcinogens that produce such Filipino American oncologist Alex Makalinao mutations. talks about the barriers to proper care for lung One biomarker associated with cancer within the Asian American community.

NSCLC is an epidermal growth AJPress photo by Christina M. Oriel factor receptor (EGFR) gene mutation, which is prevalent among Asians more than any other racial and ethnic group. (A 2017 multinational study found that 52% of lung cancer incidences in the Philippines were due to EGFR mutations.)

When individuals are diagnosed with NSCLC, it’s crucial that they get biomarker testing — either through a blood test or a biopsy that removes tissue from a tumor — to identify the specific disease type, and receive a targeted treatment plan, such a once or twice a day oral pill. Other mutations include ALK, BRAF, NTRK, PD-L1, and ROS1.

“Part of this program is really educating the public that there are good and better therapies out there for lung cancer now. It’s okay to ask your doctors about treatment options and getting tested for molecular alterations,” said Dr. Bing Xia, an assistant professor at the University of Southern California Keck School of Medicine.

In recent years, the development of targeted therapies has helped directly attack cancer cells by attaching to or blocking targets that appear on the surfaces of those cells.

Xia added that in her practice, she has found that patients who take targeted pills are more receptive than when on chemotherapy drugs, which cannot tell the difference between normal cells and cancer cells.

“Patients who take these targeted pills generally do very well.

They have, generally speaking, higher efficacy than chemotherapy and generally lower side effects.

So patients are very happy with these pills and they feel well when taking them,” she said.

Rigney also noted that taking

u PAGE A4

LOS ANGELES COUNTY METROPOLITAN TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY (LACMTA) INVITATION FOR BID LACMTA will receive Bids/ Proposals for C67756C1202 Wi-Fi Access Points Installation at 14 Divisions at the 9th Floor Receptionist Desk, Vendor/Contract Management Department, One Gateway Plaza, Los Angeles, CA 90012.

A Pre-Bid conference will be held on Wednesday, January 22, 2020, 9:00 a.m., at One Gateway Plaza, Los Angeles, CA 90012, Palisades: Room 0898. All Bids must be submitted to LACMTA, and be filed at the reception desk, 9th floor, V/CM Department, on or before 2:00 p.m. Pacific Time on Monday, March 2, 2020, at which time bids will be opened and publicly read. Bids received after the above date and time may be rejected and returned unopened.

Each Bid must be sealed and marked Bid No. C67756C1202.

For a copy of the Proposal/ Bid specification visit our Solicitation Page on our Vendor Portal at https://business.metro.net or for further information email Diana Dai-Tsang at daitsangd@ metro.net.

2/8/20 CNS-3339948# ASIAN JOURNAL (L.A.)

WE’VE had years of worry about the confidentiality of people’s census responses, what purposes those responses would be used for, plus the possibility – now abandoned – of being asked about citizenship status. With the 2020 census now officially under way, here’s a look at what those census questionnaires will actually ask us.

There are nine questions on the primary census form (https://tinyurl.com/ 2020censusquestionnaire). The first asks how many people live in the household. For each of those people, there’s a of seven-question second form. Here are all the questions, starting with the nine asked of every household: • “How many people were living or staying in this house, apartment, or mobile home on April 1, 2020?”

• “Were there any additional people staying here on April 1 that you did not include in Question 1?”

This question offers five possible responses, in the form of checkboxes, to describe such additional people as children, relatives, live-in babysitters, guests or, in the fifth check-box, “no additional people.”

• “Is this house, apartment or mobile home –” Here, the check-boxes offer four ways to complete the sentence, ranging from “owned by a resident via a mortgage or a loan,”

to owned outright, rented or occupied rent-free.

• “What is your telephone number?”

The questionnaire states that you would only be contacted “if needed for official Census Bureau business.”

• The fifth question is specifically directed to the person who pays the rent or owns the residence, and it asks for that person’s first and last names and middle initial. From then on, this person is referred to as “Person 1.”

• “What is Person 1’s sex?”

There are two choices given: male and female.

• Question 7 asks for Person 1’s age and date of birth.

• Question 8 asks if Person 1 is of “Hispanic, Latino, or Spanish origin?”

The question offers five checkboxes for responding. The first is “No.” The second is Mexican, Mexican-American or Chicano. The third is Puerto Rican, the fourth is Cuban and the fifth “Yes, another Hispanic, Latino, or Spanish origin.” This option is fol-

lowed by space to write in a more specific description, such as “Salvadoran, Dominican, Colombian, Guatemalan, Spaniard, Ecuadorian, etc.”

The instructions for this question say, “for this census, Hispanic origins are not races,” and ask respondents, after answering this question, to continue to the next and final question.

• “What is Person 1’s race?”

Here, respondents have 15 check-boxes to choose from, along with five places where they can write in a specific origin.

For instance, after the first check-box, for “white,” respondents are asked to write whether they are, “for example, German, Irish, English, Italian, Lebanese, Egyptian, etc.”

The next check-box, for “Black of African Am.” also has a write-in line. Its examples of possible responses are: “African American, Jamaican, Haitian, Nigerian, Somali, etc.”

The third check box is for American Indian or Alaska Native

u PAGE A4

A February 8-11, 2020 • La WeeKeND aSIaN JOurNaL

Dateline USa

PAL sets up tighter screening protocols on...

PAGE A1 t recommend that you allot extra time (up to four hours before flight departure time) to check-in for your flights,” PAL said in its advisory.

“Each passenger will need to undergo extra screening that includes an interview on recent travel history. This is a mandatory procedure in view of new rules imposed by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security,” it said.

PAL said a passenger will not be accepted to board a flight to

the U.S. if the passenger has been present in the People’s Republic of China (excluding Hong Kong and Macau) within the past 14 days preceding the date of departure from the Philippines.

The carrier said exempted from the rule are U.S. citizens, flight crew members, lawful residents in the U.S., holders of permanent resident card or letter of parole, any alien seeking entry into or transiting the U.S. or who have originated in, transferred from, or transited through

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Health agencies, Big Tech seek to dispel mass...

PAGE A1 t

China (excluding Hong Kong and Macau) and are entering the U.S. through the Los Angeles International Airport, San Francisco International Airport, Honolulu International Airport, and John F. Kennedy International Airport.

The World Health Organization has declared the novel coronavirus outbreak a public health emergency of international concern.

On Sunday, the Civil Aeronautics Board, in line with the directive of President Duterte, has ordered all airlines operating to and from the Philippines to comply with the temporary banning of entry into the country of any person regardless of nationality, except Filipino citizens and holders of permanent resident visas issued by the Philippine government directly coming from China or its special administrative regions.

Any person regardless of nationality, except Filipino citizens and holders of permanent resident visas, who within 14 days immediately preceding arrival in the Philippines has been to China or its special administrative regions, are also banned from entering the country.

Likewise, a temporary ban on Filipinos from traveling to China or its special administrative regions have also been ordered.

PAL, Cebu Pacific, and AirAsia all expressed their willingness to comply with the government’s directive imposing travel restrictions. n

with the fact that medical professionals are still trying to fully understand the virus itself, has led to unsubstantiated and blatant falsehoods associated with its creation, spread and remedies.

Countless dubiously-sourced infographics about the virus and false claims of coronavirus cases in American cities have been shared in great numbers, causing a mass hysteria comparable to other major world epidemics like the 2013 Ebola virus outbreak.

In an effort to stop the spreading of medical misinformation, the WHO has begun collaborating with tech companies like Google, Twitter and Facebook.

Facebook, which has been linked to other major cases of misleading information and fake news, has also independently pledged that it will remove posts, photos and videos peddling lies about the coronavirus.

Kang-Xing Jin, the head of health at Facebook, wrote in a blog post, “Our global network of third-party fact-checkers are continuing their work reviewing content and debunking false claims that are spreading related to the coronavirus.”

Jin said that these fact-checkers will rate pieces of information, and if something is rated as false, programmers will “limit its spread on Facebook and Instagram” and send notifications to users who “already shared or are trying to share this content to alert them that it’s been factchecked.”

“As the global public health community works to keep people safe, Facebook is supporting their work in several ways, most especially by working to limit the spread of misinformation and PAGE A2 t harmful content about the virus tions in times of disasters like af- and connecting people to helpful ter typhoons Sendong, Pablo and information,” Jin wrote.

Yolanda.

In an age where the growing But the Philippine National Police (PNP) said the abrogation of the VFA will not impact the agency.

“We are not totally affected and PAGE A1 t we are not totally dependent from the victory of Lapu-Lapu in the the United States,” PNP spokes- Battle of Mactan. In the amended man Brigadier General Bernard EO, only the 500th anniversary Banac has said. of the “role of the Philippines in Some units of the PNP, like the the first circumnavigation of the Special Action Force, receive spe- world” and the victory of Lapucialized training from U.S. forces. Lapu in the Battle of Mactan were “We have other partners in mentioned. The first mass was no the region like Japan and Korea, longer mentioned although the including Interpol. The SAF gets amended order said “other resome trainings, but we have many lated events” would also be comoptions in the region,” Banac memorated. said. n There was no mention of the

PH military officers worry...

faction of people who distrust science and proven medical procedures like vaccines, false conspiracy theories and wellness practices have also percolated timelines. Some of the most outrageous falsities include a theory that purports that the coronavirus was a bioweapon of mass destruction funded by Bill Gates to boost vaccine sales and natural remedies such as eating garlic or drinking a concoction made of bleach.

“There are self-appointed experts, people working from anecdote or making up wild claims to get traffic or notoriety,” said Andrew Pattinson, manager of digital solutions at the WHO. Another side effect of the massively shared misinformation about coronavirus has led to reported cases of racism and hatred.

Since the coronavirus outbreak began in China and has slowly spread to a dozen other countries, the global Asian community has been targeted, with misinformed people wrongly associating individual Asians with the coronavirus.

“People with a different national, ethnic or religious background have historically been accused of spreading germs regardless of what the science may say,” Monica Schock-Spana, medical anthropologist and senior scholar at Johns Hopkins, told Time Magazine.

As of press time, the coronavirus has infected more than 17,000 people and 719 deaths, according to the latest updates from the WHO — all but two have occurred in mainland China, with the other two occurring in the Philippines and Hong Kong.

In the United States, there have been 12 confirmed cases as of Friday, February 7, which, aided with misinformation about the virus itself, has resulted in ru-

mors against the Asian American community.

John Pomfret, a reporter at the Washington Post, wrote that “At a middle school a few blocks from my house, a rumor circulated among the children that all Asian kids have the coronavirus and should be quarantined.”

Los Angeles County officials have warned against a fake letter that had been circulating Facebook and email chains that falsely claimed that five people in Carson, California have contracted the virus and linked the names of five Asian-owned businesses to the dissemination of the virus.

The National Council of Asian Pacific Americans sent out a statement reminding Americans that the coronavirus outbreak should not be used against the Asian and Pacific Islander community.

“While the coronavirus represents a legitimate public health concern, it is not a green light to target Asian Americans and Asian immigrants with racism and hate,” the organization said in a statement. “We are concerned with the growing xenophobic rhetoric that harkens back to the dehumanizing, anti-Asian trope of the “yellow peril,” that was used during the 19th century. We have consistently stood against efforts to cast our community as “perpetual foreigners,” and sadly, we find ourselves having to do so again.”

“Many Asian Americans are just as concerned as everyone else about the coronavirus — even more so considering how in some cases, our extended families could be impacted,” NCAPA National Director Gregg Orton said. “Mass hysteria will not help, and neither will bigotry. Be better than that.” (Klarize Medenilla/AJPress)

Duterte issues EO for ‘Filipino centric’...

arrival of Christianity in the two orders.

Duterte previously said there is no reason to commemorate the coming of the Christian faith to the Philippines because it also marked the colonial subjugation of the Philippines. The president, who has been at odds with the Catholic Church over the critical stance of some bishops toward his bloody war on narcotics, also claimed the Spaniards who introduced Christianity “slaughtered” Filipino heroes.

Duterte said the National Quincentennial Commitee espouses a Filipino-centric point of view of the first circumnavigation of the world by underscoring the “magnanimity, compassion, and humanity of our ancestors in helping the impoverished crew of the expedition that traversed the Pacific Ocean.” He said the committee also highlights the “courage and bravery” of the warriors

in Mactan who “continue to serve as inspiration to our heroes and martyrs up to this day.”

“All activities relative to the 2021 QCP (Quincentennial Commemorations of the Philippines) shall reflect Filipino viewpoints and highlight our cognizance and pride for our ancestors and rich cultural heritage through literature, languages, art and other cultural outlooks,” the president said in EO 103.

“Further, commemorative activities must emphasize the Filipino identity and the values of unity, magnanimity, and sovereignty,” he added.

Aside from Filipino-centric, Duterte said the commemorations should be “multidisciplinary” or should involve scholars from several academic disciplines and specializations; and “communicative and transformative” or should increase knowledge of historical educational among Filipinos through traditional and new media.

Duterte also reconstituted the composition of the National Quincentennial Committee. He appointed Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea as the chairman and National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP) chairman Rene Escalante as vice chairman and executive director.

The secretaries of the departments of foreign affairs, tourism, budget, interior and local govern-

ment, public works, education, defense and presidential communications, the chairman of the National Commission for Culture and the Arts, and the presidential adviser for the Visayas were named members of the committee.

The committee was tasked to undertake the overall study, conceptualization, and implementation of programs and projects related to the commemorations; act as principal coordinator for all activities related to the quincentennial commemorations; and serve as clearing house for the preparations and information dissemination efforts. It was also authorized to undertake fund raising activities if necessary.

Duterte also ordered the committee to come up with an appropriate quincentennial commemorations branding or logo that would reflect and depict the heroism of Lapu-Lapu in the Battle of Mactan and highlight the 500th anniversary of the Filipinos’ role in the circumnavigation of the world.

The funding for the implementation of EO 103 will come from the funds of the NHCP, and if necessary, the contingent fund subject to existing regulations.

The committee will cease to exist after the liquidation and turnover of all documents and properties to NHCP or 12 months from Dec. 31, 2020 whichever is earlier. n

What will the 2020 Census ask you...

PAGE A3 t

and asks respondents here to print the name of “enrolled or principle tribe(s)” and gives as examples “Navajo Nation, Blackfeet Tribe, Mayan, Aztec, Native Village of Barrow Inupiat Traditional Government, Nome Eskimo community, etc.”

After this are 11 more check boxes, for “Chinese, Filipino, Asian Indian, Other Asian, Vietnamese, Korean, Japanese, Native Hawaiian, Samoan, Chamorro, Other Pacific Islander.”

Beneath is a space in which to “Print, for example, Pakistani, Cambodian, Hmong, etc.” if you’ve checked the box for “Other Asian.” Or, if you’ve checked the “Other Pacific Islander” box, to specify “for example, Tongan, Fijian, Marshallese, etc.”

Finally, there’s one more check box, for “Some other race,” with space to write in a specific “race or origin.”

For those households with more than one person, there is a separate, seven-question form for

each additional household member. Most of these questions are the same ones Person 1 will have answered, described above, starting with name.

But Question 2, instead of asking if anyone else lives in the household, inquires if “Person 2” usually lives or stays somewhere else. There are nine possible responses offered here, from “no” to eight “yes” options: at college, in the military, for work, in a nursing home, with a relative, at a second or seasonal residence, incarcerated or “for another reason.”

Question 3 asks how Person 2 is related to Person 1. It offers 16 possibilities, from spouse or partner, with separate boxes for same-sex spouses or partners, to a variety of family relationships, such as son/daughter, adopted son/daughter, stepson/daughter, sibling, parent, grandchild, parent- son- or daughter-in-law, “other relative,” roommate, foster child or “other non-relative.”

The remaining four questions are the same as the last four

posed to Person 1 about gender, age/birthday, Hispanic/Latino/ Spanish origin and ethnicity.

Governments and community organizations are spending hundreds of millions of dollars to collect this information this year, and trillions of tax dollars will be distributed over the next decade based on what this data reveals about how many people live where and what their needs are.

And that’s not all – census data determines how many members of congress each state gets and how many electoral college votes.

Businesses rely on census data, too, to decide where to invest. The list goes on and on.

Census data that identifies you personally is protected by the government’s most strict confidentiality rules — it’s kept sealed for 72 years. *** Mark Hedin is a reporter for Ethnic Media Services. He has previously written for the San Francisco Examiner, the San Francisco Chronicle, the East Bay Times, Central City Extra, and SF State’s Golden Gater, as well as other papers.

Not just a smoker’s disease: Stigma of lung cancer...

PAGE A3 t oral medications has a more positive impact on the quality of life for patients.

“All medications have side effects…but oftentimes, these oral therapies can have fewer effects.

So people aren’t tied to their treatment, they can continue to travel, they can continue to live their lives

and oftentimes in the way that they would like to as opposed to when they’re going through chemotherapy,” she said.

Though the discussion was supported by biopharmaceutical company AstraZeneca, the panelists did not specifically endorse or mention targeted therapy drugs by name.

However, the company has been running an “It’s Okay to Ask” campaign that is “designed to encourage and empower patients and their caregivers to take a proactive approach in treating lung cancer and to ask their physicians specific questions about their cancer,” Natale said. (Christina M. Oriel/AJPress)

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A February 8-11, 2020 • La WeeKeND aSIaN JOurNaL

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D ateline PhiliPPines Batangas governor sees bright side of Taal eruption, invites people to visit province

by Kimmy

BaRaoidan Inquirer.net

MALVAR, Batangas — The governor of Batangas invited people to come visit the province despite several of its towns suffering severe damage from the eruption of Taal Volcano last Jan. 12, saying visitors could help the province recover.

At the Batangas Economic Recovery Roundtable on Friday, February 7, at the Lima Park Hotel here, Mandanas said towns outside the radius of damage caused by the volcano were unscathed and continued to operate normally. These included key areas like ports, economic zones and industrial sites hosting power plants and oil depots.

Mandanas said many tourist sites were untouched by the eruption, like Taal Basilica in Taal town, beaches in Nasugbu, Lian and Calatagan in the west

and Batangas City, Lobo and San Juan in the southeast.

The port of Batangas in Batangas City, southeast of Taal Volcano, remained operational throughout the eruption.

Mandanas said the port even has more passengers than the port of Manila. Economic zones, according to the governor, are found in the towns of Calaca and Malvar, and the cities of Sto. Tomas and Tanauan.

The governor said he didn’t view the eruption as a disaster since the provincial government had been prepared. He said preparations had been underway even at the lowest alert level declared for the volcano.

“No one died. No one was even hospitalized during the eruption,” he said.

Mandanas said the eruption was even a blessing in disguise as it provided a chance to the

province to accelerate programs and show stakeholders that towns hit by the eruption would get back on their feet and have sustainable programs for recovery and rehab.

“We will give work similar to what they’re doing,” Mandanas said of residents in permanent danger zones who lost sources of livelihood.

Mandanas said the Taal eruption “solidified the unity and heroism of everyone.”

“And that is really the virtue that we want to emphasize, something that is over, above and beyond what is ordinary,” he said.

“We branded Batangas as rich,” he said. But he said after the eruption, he believed “we are leveling up.”

“We are showing the true spirit of the Filipino in Batangas.

And that’s why we changed it to magiting (brave),” he said. n

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EMPOWERING PWDs. A person with disability (PWD) begs for money at an intersection along Congressional Avenue, Quezon City on Monday, February 3, which is a common sight on the streets of Metro Manila. The government, through the Department of Trade and Industry’s (DTI) PWD Economic Empowerment Program, focuses on areas of disability prevention, rehabilitation, and equalization of opportunities. It also intends to enhance PWDs’ capacity to attain a more meaningful, productive and satisfying way of life and ultimately become self-reliant, productive and contributing members of society. vPNA photo by Robert Oswald P. Alfiler

Pacquiao: Fight earnings won’t go to campaign chest

by Josef

Ramos ManilaTimes.net

SENATOR Emmanuel “Manny” Pacquiao said he would not tap into his earnings from future megafights to finance his political endeavors in 2022.

There are speculations that Pacquiao is being lined up for either a rematch with Floyd Mayweather or a match against Ultimate Fighting Championship superstar Conor McGregor.

Any of those fights could deliver a windfall for the 41-yearold Pacquiao.

But in an interview with The Manila Times recently, he made it clear that whatever he earns, if any of the fights materialize, would not form part of his campaign chest.

Pacquiao has not disclosed if he was running for reelection in the Senate or would take a crack at the vice presidency or even the presidency.

“I am not thinking about it (2023 plans) and you don’t need that kind of amount to run,” he said.

A fight against McGregor could bring upwards of $250 million (P12,690,125,000), according to a report by business insider reporter Alan Dawson last January 17.

The Filipino ring legend’s big-

Senator Manny Pacquiao

Photo by Wendell Alinea/Manny Pacquiao Promotions

gest fight purse came from his May 2015 bout against Mayweather in Las Vegas, Nevada.

He lost that fight by unanimous decision and ever since reports have been floating about that a mega rematch will be happening this year.

The Pacquiao-Mayweather fight reportedly earned $300 million, with Pacquiao getting $120 million and Mayweather taking home the rest.

But Pacquiao (62-7-2 win-lossdraw record, with 39 knockouts) insisted that he does not need to spend that much money in an election.

“Hindi kailangang gumastos

ng malaki, ‘yung na aayon lang sa batas (You don’t need that big an amount, just enough to comply with the law),” he said.

Pacquiao’s last fight was a split decision win over Keith Thurman last July 20 in Las Vegas.

“Hindi kailangan bilhin ‘yung tao. Ang importante, malaman ng tao ‘yung hangarin mo, ‘yung tao hindi ‘yan mabibili (You don’t need to buy the people. The important thing is for the people to learn what’s your plan, you cannot buy the people).”

Pacquiao’s next fight is set in April or June against a still-unnamed opponent. n

Duterte open to talk to water firms as long as they return money to citizens

by Ritchel

mendiola AJPress

PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte on Thursday, February 6, asked Manila Water Co. and Maynilad Water Services where the money they allegedly stole from their consumers went, adding that he would entertain talks with them if they return the money.

“So where is the money? Where is the money of the Filipino people? Where is the money of the average Filipino who are poor but who pay (their water bills), who pays his water bill and he has to pay because if it will be cut off, it would give him a lot of headache for the day?” Duterte said during the oath taking of new appointees in Malacañang.

He added, “Give us back the money. Give it back to the people and maybe we can talk about solving your problem. It will not be the problem of this government.”

Previously, Duterte was adamant about not negotiating with water concessionaires, whom he had accused of “milking” Filipi-

nos by the billions, going as far as ordering the Justice Department and the Office of the Solicitor General to draft new water contracts that would be more advantageous to the public.

He also said that he would order the military to take over water distribution if Manila Water and Maynilad refuse to accept the new deals.

“They’re (water firms) trying to reach out for a settlement. Let us see how it develops. Talagang galit ako as in galit (I am really furious),” said Duterte.

“Hindi ako nagyayabang. Hindi ako matapang. Pero ‘pag naasar ako sa’yo, sasampalin kita sa harap ng tao (I do not brag. I am not brave. But if I get angry with you, I will slap you in public),” he added.

According to Duterte, water firms have been collecting money from consumers for years but they have yet to provide potable water.

“It’s in your bill if you care to look at it. And it is there that you guys have been collecting money since (1997) to build a something

of — and you have not even come up with a can of clean water or a canal there,” he noted.

In December, Duterte threatened to jail and file economic sabotage cases against Manila Water and Maynilad due to their 1997 contracts with the government, which was described as “the world’s largest water privatization.”

He was informed by the Department of Justice (DOJ) that the government contracts with Manila Water and Maynilad had 12 onerous provisions that were reportedly disadvantageous not only to the government but more so to water consumers.

Among these provisions was the “prohibition against government interference in rate-setting, and the provision on indemnity for possible losses in the event of such government interference,” prompting the Permanent Court of Arbitration in Singapore to order the Philippine government to pay Maynilad about P3.6 billion for losses and damages and recently P7.4 billion to Manila Water. n

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Bong Go says Duterte was just joking, Filipinos repatriated from Hubei to no plans to run as president in 2022 be quarantined in New Clark City

by Gabriel

Pabico lalu

Inquirer.net

MANILA – Senator Bong Go has downplayed President Rodrigo Duterte’s statements about him planing to run as president in the 2022 elections, saying that Duterte was merely joking.

Go clarified on Thursday, February 6, that he does not have any ambition to become president — although it was the same case in 2018 when Duterte also teased him about having aspirations to be a senator, which Go vehemently denied.

Prior to becoming a senator, Go was Duterte’s longtime aide from the latter’s days as Davao City mayor up to his presidency.

“Alam niyo naman na mapagbiro ang ating Pangulo. But allow me to clarify, I have no plans of running for President. Hindi ko po inaambisyon iyan. Masaya na po ako na nabigyan ako ng pagkakataon na magserbisyo sa kapwa kong Pilipino (You know, the President was just joking. But allow me to clarify, I have no plans of running for President. That is not my ambition. I am happy that I have been given the chance to serve my fellow Filipino),” Go said in a statement.

“Binigay na rin sa akin ng Panginoon ang maging senador kaya ibabalik ko sa tao ang serbisyong para sa kanila. Pangako ko sa mga tao na kahit saang sulok ng Pilipinas, basta kaya lang ng oras at katawan ko, pupuntahan ko kayo para mapakinggan ang inyong hinaing at mabigyan ng pansin ang inyong mga pangan-

Senator Bong Go

Inquirer.net photo

gailangan (God has given me the chance to be a senator that is why I would give back to the people the service they deserve.

My promise is that wherever they are in the Philippines, as long as I have the time and my health wills it, I would be visiting you just to hear your concerns and to attend to your needs),” he added.

In a speech on Thursday, Duterte jokingly said that Go’s intentions about the presidency were apparent as he frequently visits fire victims, being the first to respond. The President even teased Go about supposedly igniting fires because he knows the situation better than firefighters.

“Halata man masyado. Nauuna kapa sa… eh wala pang sunog nandun ka, nandun kana eh. Ikaw ata tiga-sindi. Nauna kapa dun sa bumbero. ‘Wag mo masyadong sobrahan baka mahalata (It’s

pretty obvious. You’re ahead of the… you’re already there even if there’s no fire yet. Maybe you’re the one igniting it. You arrive way before firefighters. Don’t do it too much or they might notice it),” Duterte said.

When Go was still Duterte’s aid last June 2018, he clarified that he has no intentions of running for the Senate in the 2019 midterm elections, and that his body of work merely stems from a desire to serve people.

However, on October 15, 2018, a tearful Go emerged from the San Miguel Church in Malacañang announcing that he was running for senator, under Duterte’s party PDP-Laban. He eventually filed his certificate of candidacy, and was accompanied by the President himself.

In terms of the 2022 elections, Go said that he is volunteering himself as the campaign manager of the presidential candidate that will be selected by Duterte.

“Ayaw ko pa po pag-usapan ang pulitika, mas gusto kong unahin ang pagseserbisyo. Pero kung tatanungin ninyo ako tungkol sa 2022 elections, I am willing to volunteer as campaign manager sa kung sinuman ang makakapagpatuloy ng pagbabago na inumpisahan ni Pangulong Duterte (I don’t want to talk about politics, I want to prioritize and servicing people. But if you were to ask me about the 2022 elections, I am willing to volunteer as a campaign manager for anyone who can continue the changes that President Duterte initiated),” he added. n

Court to rule on cyber libel case vs Rappler, Ressa on April 3 MANILA — A Manila court is set to rule on the government’s cyber libel case against Rappler and its CEO Maria Ressa on April 3.

Manila Regional Trial Court Branch 46 Presiding Judge Rainelda Estacio-Montesa set the promulgation on the morning of April 3, eight months since the trial started in July 2019.

Also charged in the case is Reynaldo Santos, Rappler’s former researcher. The case emanated from a complaint filed by businessman Wilfredo Keng assailing an article, first published in May 2012.

Case background The Department of Justice in-

dicted Rappler, Ressa and Santos on cyber libel charges, despite the cybercrime law being signed four months after the publication of the story.

State prosecutors pointed out that the story was updated on Feb. 19, 2014, which puts it under the “multiple publication rule.”

Ressa and Santos, however, raised that there was no substantial change made in the article when it was updated in 2014, but the court said that their argument is “evidentiary in nature which the defense should prove during trial.”

National Bureau of Investigation agents arrested Ressa at her office early night Feb. 13, 2019.

Her camp tried to post bail before a night court in Pasay but failed to do so.

Ressa spent the night in detention at the NBI then posted the bail bond of P100,000 at the Manila court the following day.

Ressa and Rappler are also embroiled in a string of legal suits.

They are facing charges of tax evasion, anti-dummy and violations of the Securities and Regulations code.

A Quezon City prosecutor junked Department of Agrarian Reform Secretary John Castriciones’ libel complaint against Ressa and reporter Rambo Talabong for lack of probable cause. (Philstar. com)

by ratziel

San Juan Philstar.com

MANILA — Overseas Filipino Workers returning from Hubei Province in China, the ground zero of the 2019 Novel Coronavirus Acute Respiratory Disease outbreak, will be quarantined at the Athlete’s Village in New Clark City in Tarlac, Health Secretary Francisco Duque III said in a press briefing on Thursday, February 6.

Each person will be given one room, originally meant to be used by athletes training there, to stay in. After a twoweek period under quarantine, the repatriated Filipinos will be discharged if found to not be infected.

However, returning Filipinos exhibiting symptoms of the novel coronavirus will immediately be admitted as Patients Under Investigation at hospitals instead of being sent to the quarantine area.

The government initially eyed the use of the massive drug rehabilitation center in Fort Magsaysay in Nueva Ecija as the quarantine area, and the Palace had already announced that this was where the repatriated Filipinos would stay.

Better facilities at New Clark City The Bases Conversion and Development Authority offered the use of New Clark City, Duque said.

He said that one room will be allotted per person for safety and convenience. The rooms are big enough to accommodate a family of three.

“The movement of the quarantined people shall be limited to the building only, and packed lunch will be served and prepared for them every day within the facility,” he said.

“By the way, the rooms have televisions. Each one of them.

And a refrigerator, air conditioner, it’s such a nice place.

Very nice rooms. And we believe nothing less should be provided to our kababayans, OFWs.” Repatriation flight being readied There are at least 45 OFWs who have expressed their interest to be repatriated, Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Brigido Dulay, who was also at the briefing, said.

Dulay said they are already taking care of requirements like clearances and that the Filipinos will undergo checkups before boarding the planes.

The first batch of OFWs is expected to depart on Saturday and arrive on early morning Sunday, but Dulay said this is subject to change.

The repatriation is still open for application and OFWs can still sign up by reaching out

to the Philippine consulate in Shanghai. The Foreign Affairs department said it is ready for the number of Filipinos to grow.

Dulay, however, said that Chinese authorities have yet to give its clearance for the OFWs to be repatriated.

China has implemented a lockdown in Hubei’s capital Wuhan City and nearby areas in order to contain the virus. n

A8 FEBRUARY 8-11, 2020 • LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL

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OPINION

Profiting from public misery

FEATURES

DEMAND for face masks spiked in parts of Luzon about two weeks before the novel coronavirus scare hit the country. This was after Taal Volcano spewed ash and steam on January 12, with the ash plume blanketing much of Batangas and Tagaytay City as well as other parts of Cavite. The ash was borne by the wind to parts of Laguna and all the way to Metro Manila.

There are persons who truly need the masks — those with symptoms, or who are immuno-compromised or vulnerable in other ways due to health conditions and advanced age, and the health workers and disaster mitigation personnel who are on the front lines of the efforts to contain the spread of the virus.

Health officials have stressed that these are the ones who suffer most when people hoard or stock up on masks and create shortages.

The problem is on top of profiteers who overprice masks. Authorities have correctly started cracking down on the profiteers, even as certain groups have started giving away masks to people in vulnerable areas.

Containing this public health threat calls for the cooperation of the entire country. People must heed health advisories on the use of face masks, and give priority to those on the front lines of this battle. And people must restrain the urge to profit from public misery. (Philstar.com)

Supplies of masks were already running low in the ash-affected areas when the nCoV scare reached the Philippines. Health officials have been reminding the public that there is no airborne transmission of the virus. The nCoV can be transmitted through infected droplets, especially when a person coughs or sneezes. Covering the nose and mouth therefore helps prevent the spread of the pathogens.

Persons who are immune-compromised, or with weakened immune systems that make them vulnerable to infections — those living with HIV or lupus, for example, or with tuberculosis or cardiac problems — may wear masks when going to public places.

But for low-risk persons with healthy immune systems, wearing masks is unnecessary under ordinary circumstances, according to health authorities. Such admonitions, however, have not stopped even healthy people from stocking up on face masks, with the N95 the preferred item.

Editorial

Philstar.com photo

On banning US trips and junkets

Street Talk GREG B. MACABENTA President Rodrigo Duterte’s directive banning travel to the U.S. by members of his cabinet is just one more move of the president to curb junkets of officials in his administration.

While the ban is his way of “getting even” with the U.S. for cancelling the 10-year tourist visa of one of his favorite officials, former PNP chief and now Senator Ronald “Bato” de la Rosa (plus the likely cancellation of the visas of other officials involved in the incarceration of Senator Leila de Lima), Duterte’s move is in line with earlier directives banning “wasteful” foreign travel.

Last year he issued an executive order prohibiting public officials from going on foreign trips ostensibly to participate in so-called team building seminars and “orientation tours.” Duterte thinks they are a waste of money.

Duterte refers to them as junkets — vacations at taxpayers’ expense. Also prohibited by the executive order are vacation leaves immediately after the government-funded trips. Obviously, Duterte saw the “palusot” (ruse)

of officials, going on vacation on trips already paid for by the government. Often, these officials take along family members and even mistresses, at taxpayers’ expense.

During the Marcos regime, junkets and shopping sprees were the fashion, thanks to the biggest spender of them all, First Lady Imelda Marcos. Imelda and her Blue Ladies were rumored to have closed down department stores in New York so that they could view the luxurious merchandise at their leisure.

We may also recall that trip to the U.S. of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, with members of her family in tow, along with a huge “official” retinue, and how they splurged on meals and shopping — at the expense of the poor people of the Philippines (one difference between Gloria Arroyo and Imelda Marcos was that the latter insisted that the Philippines was really “a rich country pretending to be poor”).

In prohibiting overseas trips of government officials, Duterte is probably right in many respects, but not all overseas orientation and team-buIlding trips are useless. As a life-long advertising and marketing practitioner, I have seen how exposure to overseas technology, systems

and techniques and postings in overseas operations can improve the skills and expand the minds of workers — and that includes civil servants.

I still remember handling the advertising of Nestle in the Philippines, with me and my team hardly ever having been out of the country while our client counterparts had undergone postings in Europe, the U.S. and around Asia.

It took native Pinoy abilidad to survive that phase of my career without suffering a severe case of inferiority complex.

At any rate, I think Duterte should be applauded for banning the junkets. I also think that the ban should cover members of Congress, as well as the military and the police. And the ban should include, not just travel to the U.S., but to other countries, as well.

I am convinced that many of these officials own property and have families and investments in the U.S. There’s really nothing wrong with that, if it is done with personal “explainable” funds — but we know from the pork barrel scandals that many of the hogs in Congress were splurging on the country’s pig sty.

Concerning Duterte’s banning members of his cabinet

from traveling to the U.S. Does it make sense?

Frankly, a total ban on official trips would be like cutting off one’s nose to spite one’s face.

If Duterte thinks he is “hurting” the U.S. by keeping Philippine officials from going on a trip, he is kidding himself.

The U.S. economy will hardly feel the “loss of tourism revenues” resulting from the ban.

Even assuming profligate shopping sprees by the families of the officials, the department stores will not feel the loss as much as the competition being given them by Amazon and other online marketers.

But the Philippines will have to suffer opportunity losses from our officials being unable to deal directly and personally with their counterparts in business and government in America.

While we can appreciate Duterte, to some extent, for believing that the Philippines is the center of the universe, our country is really just one dot on the map — just one source of raw materials and low-cost machine and computer parts, just one more export market for consumer goods and durables. we are hardly the biggest source of revenues of America. In fact, it is the other way around. The U.S. is one of the biggest mar-

kets for Philippine exports and one of the biggest investors in the Philippine economy.

Imagine the Secretary of Tourism and her team being prohibited from visiting one of the Philippines’ most lucrative tourist markets? That’s like pushing them into a boxing ring blindfolded. It’s bad enough that the Philippines has a meager tourism promotion budget compared to Thailand, Hong Kong and Singapore, preventing DOT from meeting with the U.S. travel trade makes their problem worse.

Duterte’s macho ego isn’t doing the Philippines any good.

He has refused foreign aid badly needed in the rural areas, and he has terminated the Visiting Forces Agreement, which is part of the defense umbrella provided by the U.S. Duterte has threatened to do more.

According to him, he is ”toning down” relations (whatever that means) between the Philippines and the U.S. Indeed, whatever the term means, it is obvious that Duterte believes he has a China card and a Russian card to play against America and that he can pit them against each other because the Americans cannot afford to lose their presence in the Philippines.

He is right about the strategic

importance of the Philippines to the U.S. But he is wrong about two things. Believing that he can “use” the Chinese and the Russians and thinking that the US will let him have his way.

Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin are past masters at “using” countries and governments to their advantage. On the other hand, America has never allowed itself to be pushed around. If the U.S. has a mind to, it can also put the squeeze on the Philippines in ways that even Duterte will feel.

But the Americans are probably just waiting for Duterte’s term to expire, with the hope that the next administration will be easier to deal with. But assuming that a Duterte clone wins the presidency, the Philippines may find itself caught in a game that only the big boys can play.

The memory of World War II, where the Philippines, was the battleground of the U.S. and Japan is less than a century fresh in our minds. And the fate of Iraq, Libya and Syria is something we should not wish for. Not for all the U.S. visas in the world.

There is an old saying,”When elephants dance, the grass is trampled.” Guess who the grass is. (gregmacabenta@hotmail. com)

Manipulating facts worsens nCoV risks

Postscript

FEDERICO PASCUAL JR. WHEN Malacañang’s primary information agency twists indicator facts to achieve an ulterior propaganda effect, the masses who are engrossed with making a living are unable to know the true state of the nation and are thus easily manipulated.

The Duterte Cabinet launched on Jan. 17 at the Philippine International Convention Center in Pasay City a “Duterte Legacy” campaign reporting the administration’s supposed accomplishments in the last 3.5 years.

A Duterte Legacy infographic was also circulated on social media by the Presidential Communications Operation Office. Not a few observers noted, however, inaccuracies in what looked like a disturbing attempt to misinform and mislead.

We are calling attention to this sneaky move, partly because in the management of the novel coronavirus (nCoV) outbreak, disinformation could hide the nature

and extent of the epidemic and the administration’s response to it.

President Duterte should not allow his deferential attitude toward China, where the epidemic started in its Hubei province last December, to color his approach to the problem — to the extent of manipulating information and misleading the public.

Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Ernesto Pernia said Monday in a TV interview on ONE News’ “The Chiefs” that some of the Legacy numbers that could mislead the public were not shown to him before PCOO published them.

Pernia, who heads the National Economic and Development Authority, also said the data should have been presented in a proper context.

In a separate interview on “The Chiefs,” Executive Director Sonny Africa of research group Ibon Foundation, noted for instance that Duterte Legacy credited 64 airports to the administration.

Africa said: “Even that 64 airports, that’s ambiguous. The impression that it’s trying to create is under Duterte’s watch, 64

airports were built. If we check government data, there are over 80 airports in the country. Are you saying 64 of these 80 were built under Duterte”?

He added: “It’s a sort of pattern of disinformation using government funds.”

Several readers were incredulous. Sun Rise said: “Bridges 2,709 = 1.85 bridges per day are completed in four years LOL maybe including footbridges.

Classroom = 71,803 = 49.05 classroom per day for the entire four years. OMG. High-Value Target 8,105. Lowly drug pusher classified as HVT.” Mu sashii: “5.9M Filipinos lifted out of poverty???”

Leonardo Esmero: “I expected Duterte’s legacy would at least be maintaining a reasonable inflation rate. But then came 6.7 percent inflation, 30 percent rise in food prices, and 50 percent increase in rice prices.

“I thought he would also curb shabu use but instead he even admitted the situation got worse with 7 to 8 million addicts from 1.8 million when he took power.”

Writing for Rappler.com, JC

Punongbayan, a PhD candidate at the UP School of Economics, noted: “Inflation record – The Legacy infographic cited an inflation rate of 0.8 percent, supposedly the slowest pace since May 2016.

“Inflation refers to the pace by which prices rise over time.

Low inflation is generally good: it basically means you can buy more with the same income you have. Although an inflation of 0.8 percent sounds low, there are problems with this number as presented in the Legacy.

“First, it’s unclear how they arrived at it. The infographic claims to be updated as of Jan. 9, 2020, but the last time inflation clocked in at 0.8 percent was in November 2019. In December 2019 – the latest month with available data – inflation actually inched up to 2.5 inflation.

“Second, and more to the point, 0.8 percent hides the fact that in 2018 we experienced some of the highest inflation rates in almost a decade. This was due to a number of domestic and international factors, but in large part to administration policies.

“Jobs record – Duterte Legacy also claimed that Build, Build, Build, the government’s flagship economic project, generated nearly 4.2 million jobs.

“This statistic is implausible.

As of October 2019, there were 4.22 million people employed in the construction industry. Does Duterte Legacy mean to say BBB created nearly as many construction jobs as there currently are?

“At best we can say from the Labor Force Surveys there were 719,000 more construction jobs in October 2019 than in July 2016 when Duterte came into office.”

The research group IBON Foundation was among those who called out Malacañang’s PCOO for “reverting to a really crude propaganda tactic of repeating a lie often enough for people to believe it.”

Some items in the Ibon’s version of what it said was a more truthful Duterte Legacy: • 5.9-percent growth for fullyear 2019.

• P7.9-trillion outstanding debt, growing twice as fast as under Aquino.

• As many as 350,000 rice

farmers at risk of displacement by rice liberalization.

• 27.2 million Filipinos are in non-regular, agency-hired and informal work.

• 12.4 million Filipino families try to survive on P132 or less per person per day.

• Around 4.7 million unemployed Filipinos in 2019.

• P537 NCR minimum wage is just 48 percent of P1,025 family living wage needed for a family of five.

• No fewer than 156 Lumad community schools closed.

• P558-billion fiscal deficit in 2018 equivalent to 8-year-high 3.2 percent of GDP. • Around 58 percent of healthcare expenses by PhilHealth members are paid from their own pockets.

Ibon cited its sources as: Philippine Statistics Authority, Bureau of the Treasury, PhilHealth, Philippine Institute for Development Studies, and Save Our Schools Network. (Philstar.com) *** NOTA BENE: All Postscripts can be accessed at manilamail.com. Follow author on Twitter as @FDPascual. Email feedback to dikpascual@gmail.com.

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

LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL • FEbRUARy 8-11, 2020

A

DOLE chief apologizes for wrong report on OFW death in Dubai MANILA — Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III on Friday, February 7, apologized to the government of Dubai for his pronouncement on Thursday that a Filipina domestic helper had died of an unspecified strain of coronavirus in that Arab country.

Citing a belated report that he received from the Philippine Labor Office in Dubai, Bello said that migrant worker Amalia Collado Daproza was not infected with coronavirus.

The findings were based on the confirmatory test conducted by the Pathology and Genetics Department of the Dubai Health Authority on Daproza’s specimen.

NAVOTAS FISH PORT REHAB. Department of Agriculture (DA) Secretary William Dar, together with officials and personnel from the Philippine “Secretary Bello nonetheless Fisheries Development Authority (PFDA), make the rounds at the 47-hectare Navotas Fish Port Complex (NFPC) on Wednesday, February 5. The complex is set to undergo rehabilitation and upgrading for the next three years to be transformed into an integrated center for wishes to apologize to the govvarious agricultural commodities. The PHP14-billion rehab project will include the expansion and elevation of unloading stations, repair of ernment of Dubai for the confuroad networks and drainage systems, and establishment of state-of-the-art cold storage facilities. The project is targeted to be completed sion and whatever anxiety that by 2023.

PNA photo the announcement may have caused,” the statement reads.

On Thursday, February 6, Bello announced that the OFW had died of “coronavirus” based on an earlier information provided to his office. He, however, did not say it was the novel coronavirus.

In a Twitter post, the Government of Dubai Media Office disputed Bello’s statement.

The post stated that the “deceased was suffering from respiratory infection and laboratory tests showed she did not have the virus.”

The government of Dubai in the United Arab Emirates has denied the report of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) that a Filipina domestic helper died of coronavirus in the Arab state.

The Government of Dubai Media Office denied what it described as “false statements” attributed to Bello regarding the death of the Filipina.

“The cause of death was pneumonia and the woman had tested negative for novel coronavirus,” it said in a post on social media hours after the DOLE made the announcement.

The coronavirus is a large family of viruses that cause a wide range of illnesses, from the common cold to the deadlier Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome and the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome.

A new strain of the virus has emerged in the past months and infected thousands, mainly in China.

There are now three confirmed cases of nCov in the Philippines, including a Chinese man who died last week.

A Filipino crewmember of a cruise ship currently docked in Japan was also confirmed to have been infected with nCoV. (Philstar.com)

47 of its implementing rules and regulations.

“Here, it is undeniable that accused Vitangcol III and accused Arturo Soriano are related to each other within the third civil degree of affinity, since the latter and the mother of accused Vitangcol III’s wife are siblings”,

the court said in part.

Vitangcol and Soriano were acquitted of the charge of violation of Section 3(h) of the antigraft law.

The court acquitted Wilson de Vera, Marlo de la Cruz, Manolo Maralit, and Federico Remo of all the charges. n

Easing EDSA traffic still possible – Villar Ex-MRT general manager Vitangcol convicted of graft

THE Duterte administration will still be able to deliver on its promise to decongest Epifanio de los Santos Avenue (EDSA) despite the delayed completion of the Skyway Stage 3 project because of the fire that caused a portion of the structure to collapse, a Cabinet official said.

Palace spokesman Salvador Panelo said Public Works Secretary Mark Villar reported that the completion of the Skyway project has been pushed back to July but that EDSA might still be unclogged within Duterte’s term.

“Secretary Villar said that there is no such thing as a structure which is fireproof. Thus, the damaged portion needs to be reconstructed,” Panelo said in a statement.

“Despite this, Secretary Villar assured the President that while this is considered as a delay, they will still make certain that EDSA will be decongested within the latter’s term,” he added.

Duterte’s term will end in 2022.

The Skyway Stage 3, proposed by San Miguel Corp.’s Citra Central Expressway Corp., is an 18.30-kilometer elevated expressway from Gil Puyat Avenue (Buendia), Makati City to the North Luzon Expressway in

Balintawak, Quezon City.

San Miguel earlier said it would work 24/7” to complete the project by July.

The Skyway Stage 3 is among the flagship infrastructure projects of the administration aimed to ease traffic along EDSA, the busiest road in Metro Manila.

Panelo said Villar noted that the elevated expressway would help attain the President’s promise of a 5-minute travel between Cubao and Makati City.

Villar earlier said officials targeted the Skyway opening in April this year.

“The capacity of Edsa is 280,000. The volume of traffic today is 400,000. Para ibalik natin sa dati, kailangan nating i-reduce ang traffic (To bring back to its original capacity, we have to reduce the traffic volume) by 120,000 cars,” Villar said.

“With this project alone, ang expectation namin is almost 100,000 cars a day ang mawawala sa EDSA (we are expecting that almost 100,000 cars will be taken out of EDSA),” he added.

In December last year, Duterte ordered concerned state agencies to introduce innovations to ease traffic jams in Metro Manila.

The government’s ambitious

Build, Build, Build infrastructure program is seen as a solution to address the crippling traffic congestion in the metropolis.

Some P9 trillion has been earmarked for the implementation of around 100 big-ticket infrastructure projects and over 10,000 small infrastructure projects under the Build, Build, Build program.

Meanwhile, Panelo said Presidential Adviser on Flagship Programs and Projects Vivencio Dizon noted that among these projects, 34 were being constructed, 44 should commence construction within six to eight months, 15 were in the advanced stages of government approval and seven were in the advanced stages of feasibility studies.

Panelo also said Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Ernesto Pernia said other small projects, totaling 4,900, “will surely improve the lives of the Filipino people in different places of the country.”

“Per Secretary Pernia, while visibly small, these projects are significant and are in tune with one of the main thrusts of this Administration, which is regional development,” he said.

(ManilaTimes.net)

by Reina Leanne

ToLenTino ManilaTimes.net

THE Sandiganbayan convicted Al Vitangcol III, ex-general manager of the Metro Rail Transit 3, and an uncle of graft.

In a ruling promulgated by the Third Division on January 31 but released on Thursday, the court found Vitangcol and Arturo Soriano guilty beyond reasonable doubt of violation of Section 3(e) of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act in connection with the award of the MRT-3 interim maintenance deal in 2012 to PH Trams and Comm Builders and Technology Philippines Corporation (CB&T).

Vitangcol awarded the contract to the company where Soriano, an uncle by marriage, was then-PH Trams incorporator.

“In this case, accused Vitangcol 3rd clearly gave unwarranted benefit and advantage to PH Trams when he concealed the fact of his relationship with co-accused Soriano, one of the [then-] incorporators of PH Trams”, the court said in part.

It also found the two guilty beyond reasonable doubt of violation of Section 65 paragraph C(1) of the Government Procurement Reform Act, in relation to Section

A10 February 8-11, 2020 • La WeeKeND aSIaN JOurNaL

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HealtH News

LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL • FEbRUARy 8-11, 2020

A11

Patients stuck with bills after insurers don’t pay as promised

by Lauren

Weber Kaiser Health News

THE more than $34,000 in medical bills that contributed to Darla and Andy Markley’s bankruptcy and loss of their home in Beloit, Wisconsin, grew out of what felt like a broken promise.

Darla Markley, 53, said her insurer had sent her a letter preapproving her to have a battery of tests at the Mayo Clinic in neighboring Minnesota after she came down with transverse myelitis, a rare, paralyzing illness that had kept her hospitalized for over a month. But after the tests found she also had beriberi, a vitamin deficiency, Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield judged that the tests weren’t needed after all and refused to pay — although Markley said she and Mayo had gotten approval.

While Darla learned to walk again, the Markleys tried to pay off the bills. Even after Mayo wrote off some of what they owed, her disability and Social Security checks barely covered her insurance premiums. By 2014, five years after her initial hospitaliza-

tion, they had no choice but to declare bankruptcy.

Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield spokesperson Leslie Porras said company “records do not indicate that Ms. Markley had tests authorized that were later denied.”

Markley said she never would have had the tests done if she had known insurance was not going to pay for them. “I feel for anyone that finds themselves in that predicament,” said Markley, a nurse who was pursuing her Ph.D. in education. “You can go from an upstanding middle-class American citizen to completely under the eight ball.”

The billing quagmire into which the Markleys fell is often called “retrospective denial” and is generating attention and anger from patients and providers, as insurers require preapproval — sometimes called “prior authorization” — for a widening array of procedures, drugs and tests.

While prior authorization was traditionally required only for expensive, elective or new procedures, such as a hip replacement or bypass surgery, some

Darla Markley and her husband, Andy Markley, of Winter Park, Florida, tried to pay off their medical bills following tests Darla had done at the Mayo Clinic in 2010. Even after Mayo wrote off some of what they owed, her disability and Social Security checks barely covered her insurance premiums. Five years after her initial hospitalization, they had no choice but to declare bankruptcy.

Photos by Zack Wittman/Kaiser Health News

insurers now require it for even the renewal of some prescription drugs. Those preapprovals are frequently time-limited.

While doctors and hospitals chafe at the administrative burden, insurers contend the review is necessary to ferret out waste in a system whose costs are exploding and to ensure physicians are prescribing useful treatments.

But patients face an even bigger problem: When insurers revoke their decision to pay after the service is completed, patients are legally on the hook for the bill.

Prior authorizations may now include a line or two saying something like: “This is not a guarantee of payment.”

This loophole allows insurers to change their minds after the fact — citing treatments as medically unnecessary upon further review, blaming how billing departments charged for the work or claiming the procedure was performed too long after approval was granted.

In other cases, a patient will be told that no prior authorization is needed for a certain intervention, only to hear afterward that the insurer wanted one in this particular case. It then refuses to pay. Oftentimes, approval conversations happen primarily between the insurer and the provider — leaving the patient further in the dark when the bill appears.

The American Medical Association drafted model legislation to combat the problem for lawmakers to introduce, but the measure has not been widely picked up.

Martha Gaines, director of the Center for Patient Partnerships at the University of Wisconsin Law School, co-authored an article in the Journal of the American Medical Association on the issue and sees firsthand the time and money patients lose fighting such retrospective denials — for coverage they thought they had.

“How broken can you get?” she asked. “How much more laid bare can it be that our health care insurance system is not about health, nor caring, but just for profit?”

The push-and-pull of prior authorizations Many physicians and health care providers consider the extra paperwork needed for prior authorizations a growing scourge that requires them to expand their staff to handle the back-and-forth with insurers.

According to an American Medical Association survey released in 2019, 88% of providers reported that the burden of prior authorization has increased over the past five years, forcing them or their staff to spend an average of two business days a week completing them.

The process of prior authorization aims to establish medical necessity to prevent “unnecessary, costly, or inappropriate medical treatments that can harm patients,” according to Cathryn Donaldson, a spokesperson for the America’s Health Insurance Plans industry group.

It’s unknown how many patients get stuck with bills for prior approvals gone wrong.

But retrospective denials have become only more common as prior authorizations have increased, said Dr. Debra Patt, an oncologist and chair of the Texas Medical Association’s legislative council.

Her practice has tripled the number of staff who deal with prior authorizations, and she said she is currently trying to get the Texas Medical Association to survey its members on the revocation topic after seeing its impact on her patients, one of whom she said recently had chemotherapy payments denied.

Donaldson said her insurance trade group realizes the process for prior authorizations could be improved and is working with tech companies to help streamline it for all involved. But she added that denials may be simple requests for more information.

“A denial usually occurs because the clinician may not have provided the documentation needed to show that the treatment is necessary,” Donaldson said. “Once that documentation is received, claims may then be approved.”

As insurers and providers argue over money, patients are often stuck in the middle.

After Rebecca Freeman’s insurer, Moda Health Plan, approved a genetic test for the Portland, Oregon, woman’s now 5-year-old daughter in 2018 to rule out a serious condition that could cause blindness, the insurer declined to pay after the test was performed.

Moda argued that the dates and billing codes didn’t match up with what was authorized. It told Freeman’s lab company, PreventionGenetics, it wasn’t going to

The Markleys were left with a stack of medical bills and financial headaches.

pay, and, eventually, PreventionGenetics billed Freeman.

“Everyone is pushing the blame on everyone else, and I’m left holding the bag — there’s no recourse for the patient,” Freeman said. “Worst case for them is they pay what they were supposed to. You don’t get anything for all your stress and time.”

When Kaiser Health News first asked about the case, Moda spokesperson Jonathan Nicholas said it was still an active claim.

“As soon as the lab provides us with correct information, we anticipate prompt payment,” he said.

But Freeman said Moda had denied five claims and appeals on the nearly $2,000 bill for more than a year.

Within days of KHN’s questions, Moda paid the bill.

The problem with legalese Pharmacist Melita Pasagic of Fenton, Missouri, was told by her provider — who had called UnitedHealthcare, her insurer — that her and her husband’s genetic tests needed no prior authorization.

After the tests were performed, though, UnitedHealthcare told Pasagic it had deemed the tests medically unnecessary and would not pay for them. Later when she called, she said, the insurer cited a coding discrepancy. Although Pasagic spent hours on the phone appealing the decision, the insurer didn’t budge. The genetic testing company sent the $5,000 bill to collections.

“How can you deny anything post-service for medical necessity?” she said. “If it didn’t require a pre-review, why does it have a post-review?”

Pasagic said she plans to take

UnitedHealthcare to court over it. The insurance company said the testing was never covered in the first place.

“While certain procedures, tests and drugs may not require prior authorization, individuals should still confirm that the services are covered under their benefit plans,” UnitedHealthcare spokesperson Maria Gordon Shydlo said.

Typically, there’s no penalty for insurance companies that play games with prior authorizations, Gaines said, calling denials and delays integral to their business model.

The National Association of Insurance Commissioners has formed a working group to investigate the revocations following a presentation in December

by Patt, of the Texas Medical Association. The Minnesota and Pennsylvania departments of insurance both said they had seen complaints regarding retrospective denials of prior authorizations. But quick fixes are unlikely.

“There’s no silver bullet for this issue, so we encourage consumers to remain vigilant,” said Katie Dzurec, acting director for the Health Market Conduct Bureau in Pennsylvania. “Ask questions, review documents and contact the insurance department.”

Markley hopes this doesn’t happen to more people.

“I wish people would understand that they are one illness away from totally losing everything they worked for,” Markley said. “I lost it all in a day.”

This story was produced by Kaiser Health News, an editorially independent program of the Kaiser Family Foundation. n

A12 February 8-11, 2020 • La WeeKeND aSIaN JOurNaL

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SHOWBIZ&STYLE

B

Journal

Sanya is cast as leading lady on ‘Agimat’

By Lhar

Santiago ManilaTimes.net

FROM a blossoming young lady to a woman in full bloom, Sanya Lopez says she isn’t on the look out for love but believes love will find her.

Not that the beautiful actress is wanting for admirers. In fact, there’s one actor from the other network who was avidly pursuing her. But sadly for the guy, the courtship led to nothing.

Admitting it’s her fault he stopped wooing her, Sanya chuckled, “Ang tagal ko raw kasi siyang sagutin. Nagsawa na siguro.”

She didn’t intend to make him wait though, as Sanya explained, “I’m nice naman to guys na nagpaparamdam or nanliligaw but I can’t really be rushed pag-oo. Kasi dapat sure na sure na ako sa feelings ko Sanya Lopez PAGE B2

The Preserve at Chino delivers a fresh start at 6 new neighborhoods

Photo from Instagram/@sanyalopez

Maja reveals real score between Joshua, Janella

By Jan

MiLo Severo Philstar.com

ACTRESS Maja Salvador clarified that she’s not Joshua Garcia and Janella Salvador’s matchmaker.

In an interview with the media after she performed at the recent Guitar Apparel event in which she was launched as endorser, Maja said they were just having fun in the party of the recently concluded series “The Killer Bride.”

“Kung ano man ang lumabas no’ng time na ‘yon, we’re just having fun. Siyempre masaya kami dahil ang daming nagsuporta sa show namin,” Maja said.

Maja was talking about the videos from the party that circulated online, showing her teasing Maja Salvador Joshua and Janella, who were Photo from Instagram/@iammajasalvador seen sweet that night. Joshua even

dedicated a song for Janella.

“Nagsaya lang kami nang gabing ‘yon, so kung meron mang lumabas na videos, siyempre mauunahan ng malisya, but lahat kami friends. Alam naman ng dalawa na fan ako no’ng dalawa.

Bilang siyempre si Camila,” Maja said.

Maja clarified that Joshua and Janella were just friends.

“In fairness do’n sa dalawa, malalim talaga ‘yung friendship na kahit anong pagtutukso mo, wala. Then siguro no’ng party namin, maghihiwalay na, wala na kaming taping, so may extra sweetness. Pero hanggang do’n lang,” Maja said.

Maja performed a song and dance number in front of a crowd in Robinsons Place Manila. Together with Maja were fellow endorsers Gloc 9 and Carlos Agassi.

CHINO, CA — The Southern California dream can now be yours. In a new home at The Preserve at Chino by Lewis Community Developers, days are filled with first-class amenities, the satisfaction and peace of mind provided by award-winning schools and the remarkable shopping and dining that SoCal is known for.

Here, well-respected builders ensure that new homes meet every expectation for quality and craftsmanship for the new home you have always wanted. But, for affordability, search from San Diego to Los Angeles and you’ll see that this master-planned community stands out from the rest, bringing hopes of homeownership from someday to today.

Whether you’re a first-time buyer or ready to retire, your ideal home is waiting for you at The Preserve at Chino.

Renowned builders Lennar, Richmond American Homes and TRI Pointe Homes craft their homes with exceptional

quality, with options for every lifestyle. Ranging from approximately 1,229 to 2,640 square feet with up to six bedrooms and four-and-onehalf baths, these homes can accommodate even the largest of families. Priced starting in the $300,000s, these homes are an exceptional deal, making homeownership attainable for all.

In the center of the community, The Parkhouse at The Preserve at Chino brings neighbors together in an impressive resident-only clubhouse. Whether you’re trying to stay active in the fitness center or getting a little work done in a quieter spot at the business center, The Parkhouse supports all your goals and ambitions. Game rooms and an intimate movie theater will help you relax and unwind. A wonderful location for any event, the multipurpose room has a welcoming feel and features a connected on-site catering kitchen. Lighted tennis courts, a junior Olympic swimming pool, spa and playgrounds

make the outdoors at The Parkhouse just as inviting. In addition, The Parkhouse library is a great place for students from the award-winning Cal Aero Preserve Academy across the street to finish homework and study before walking home.

Residents will also have access to the agrarian-themed Gardenhouse Recreation Center, where get-togethers happen organically. Community gardens connect residents back to the land, while indoor-outdoor kitchen and dining spaces take farm-to-table entertaining to new heights. Whether you’d rather go for a swim in the junior Olympic pool or lounge on the deck, afternoons in the sun will leave you feeling refreshed and re-energized. The Gardenhouse Recreation Center is all about relaxation that’s in harmony with nature.

With a home at The Preserve at Chino, days always turn towards new adventures. Just moments away, explore The Shoppes at Chino Hills to find PAGE B2

B FEBRUARY 8-11, 2020 • LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL

EntErtainmEnt

Jake assures Kylie on her birthday: ‘You have my loyalty’

by Ian

BIong Inquirer.net

AS beauty queen and actress Kylie Verzosa turns 28 on Friday, February 7, her partner, Jake Cuenca, assured her of his love and loyalty in a heartfelt birthday greeting.

The actor emphasized just how lucky he is to be with Verzosa, and he took to Instagram earlier today to declare once again his love for the beauty queen.

“I always remind myself how lucky I am to have you in my life, I’m the lucky one here to have you,” Cuenca said. “I want you to know that you have my loyalty.”

“I’ll always be here to take care of you no matter what. I’ll always be by your side fighting the good fight with you,” he added.

Cuenca also prays that Verzosa’s dreams will come true, saying he knows that she deserves it.

“You are amazing boo wishing you all the best on your special day thank you for making this life not only special for me but for everyone around you. You are amazing. I love you boo happy birthday @kylieverzosa,”

Jake Cuenca with Kylie Verzosa

he ended.

Verzosa appreciated Cuenca’s sweet gesture, and commented on his post, “But i’m the lucky one. Thank you for always being by my side boo. Love you so much.”

Photo from Instagram/@juancarloscuenca

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Jillian is all grown up

By Lhar

SantIago ManilaTimes.net

TIME flies so fast indeed.

Wasn’t it just yesterday when Jillian Ward was the favorite child star of so many televiewers? At age five, she became TV’s darling in 2010’s “Trudis Liit.” The following year, she endeared herself more to the public as the cute “Daldalita.”

Then, it wasn’t long before she captured the hearts of moviegoers appearing in such box office hits like “Si Agimat At Si Enteng Kabisote” and “My Valentine Girls.”

But look at Jillian now. She’s already a young lady as she turns 15 in two weeks. Like a flower in bloom, she possesses that captivating beauty and charm. In fact, a lot of people say she shares a few similarities with Marian Rivera.

“Siyempre po I feel so flattered hearing that pero nahihiya rin po ako kay Ate Marian,” Jillian humbly smiles.

Showbuzz has actually witnessed Jillian’s journey from child star to becoming a tween. As a little girl, she was so loveable — a

The couple late last month marked their first anniversary while also celebrating Cuenca’s 32nd birthday in Singapore. The two, however, only officially announced their relationship to the PAGE B1 public last September 2019. hidden treasures in the shops or a new favorite meal in one of the restaurants. Or take a short drive for new experiences at Chino Spectrum Marketplace, Chino Spectrum Towne Center, Eastvale Gateway, Victoria Gardens, Ontario Mills or the famous Fairplex. This exciting location makes it easy to head up to the local mountains, find your spot on the beaches of Los Angeles and Orange counties or tour all the world-famous Southern California entertainment hotspots. From days spent at theme parks to afternoons at

aLLan PoLIcarPIo Inquirer.net

LOVI Poe walked into the restaurant thinking she would be attending a work-related meeting. But much to her surprise, she was greeted by a room full of people, singing and wishing her a happy birthday.

She was ecstatic seeing some of her closest friends and colleagues, who waited with their phones up to capture the actress’ reaction. But she was especially touched to see her half-sister, Sen. Grace Poe, to whom she giddily rushed and hugged upon spotting her in the crowd.

“I was shocked—I didn’t expect that someone as busy as her could make time for me. It’s PAGE B3

PAGE B4

Jillian Ward

Photo from Instagram/@jillian

The Preserve at Chino delivers a...

Lovi turns 31: Reflecting on her body, soul and new leading men by

cute hyper-active child who’d run to all corners of a room and talk to everyone, including those she didn’t know.

She was also very inquisitive asking questions about anything and everything.

“I still remember those days,” she chuckled after Showbuzz reminded her of her antics. “And that time, I would sing without much prodding. Pag sinabi sa akin na kumanta, kakanta talaga ko!”

Today, however, Jillian has blossomed into a fine young lady, more reserved but still as observant as ever.

“I was always told before that it would be hard for to transition from child star to grown-up star.

Mahirap na raw akong i-cast kasi alanganin ang age ko. Actually, hindi ko naman masyadong naramdaman yung transition. But when I did ‘Prima Donnas’, the soap I’m currently in, I realized na iba na nga, may pagbabago na and nag-mature na nga po ako,” she related.

With her maturity came chang-

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The Preserve at Chino is a development by Lewis Community Developers, a member of the Lewis Group of Companies. The Lewis Group of Companies has successfully developed more than 55,000 residences, 10,000 apartments and over 14 million square feet of retail, office and industrial space. Founded in 1955, the company is one of the nation’s largest privately held real estate organizations.

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Sanya is cast as leading lady on...

Lovi Poe

Photo from Instagram/@lovipoe

PAGE B1 bago ko sagutin ang manliligaw.

I haven’t experienced being in a relationship so I want to be ready and gusto ko talagang sure ako na mahal ko ‘yung magiging boyfriend ko. Ayoko naman na sasagutin ko para lang masabing, ‘Uy, may boyfriend na si Sanya, but I know that one day, the right guy will

come for me.”

In the meantime, Sanya is very busy with her career with two projects in the pipeline. The first is “Agimat Ng Agila” where she’s been cast as Senator Bong Revilla’s leading lady, while the other will pair her with Ruru Madrid later this year.

At the story conference for Agimat Ng Agila this week,

Sanya admitted she couldn’t hide her excitement.

“Excited ako na kinakabahan.

Siyempre Sen. Bong Revilla ang kasama ko. Alam naman natin that he’s a big star. Intimidated nga ako kasi senador siya, pero sa totoo lang, mabait siya sa personal. He is very nice and he’s such a gentleman,” she shared.

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An ‘acting piece’ for Xian and Cristine

WHEN there is violence in a marriage, you can expect conflicting narratives from the couple involved. “Untrue”, a psychological-drama-thriller from “Kita Kita” writer/director Sigrid Bernardo, will show that there’s a lie in every story, unraveled in her latest offering via a dark and intriguing ride.

Cristine Reyes and Xian Lim play Mara and Joachim, two lonely Filipino migrants in the country of Georgia who find solace and companionship in each other. They hastily get married, without even getting to know each other very well.

When their fiery romance turns into heated arguments and physical abuse, Mara goes straight to the Georgian police.

Following her narration of how she married a mad man, Joachim defends himself with his own version of events, pointing to his wife as the real lunatic.

In this he-said/she-said film, a strange apparition of a woman adds to the suspense. As Mara and Joachim fight to discredit each other, truth, lies, and a dark past are brought to the surface.

Director Bernardo described “Untrue” as “an acting piece,” and in previous interviews commended Reyes and Lim for their dedication to their roles which resulted in remarkable performances.

“Untrue” had its world premiere as a featured film at the prestigious Tokyo International Film Festival in October 2019 along with seven other notable Filipino films.

Recalling the beginnings of doing the movie at media

Xian Lim and Cristine Reyes star in Sigrid Bernardo’s psycho-drama-thriller, which is among Viva Vision’s offering for the year.

Photo from Instagram/@vivaartistsagency

conference last week, Reyes and Lim shared how they went through an intense 10-day acting workshop before leaving for Georgia since they only had a precise number of days to shoot abroad.

Reyes, who had to dye her hair red to portray the fiery Mara, elaborated “We only had three weeks to shoot in Georgia so we needed to do our rehearsals before leaving. When we got there, we worked every single day — no days off — to be sure we fulfilled every sequence in the script.

Shot mostly in Tbilisi, the capital of Georgia, Lim also recalled how the cast and crew had to endure the freezing

Heart Evangelista has poured her love for dogs into relief efforts.

weather.

“It was extremely cold and the temperature dropped to negative-one,” the actor, who in turn had to gain 20 pounds and grow a beard for Joachim, related. “The shoot was really challenging for everyone. We were acting in really strong winds, freezing, doing heavy drama… nothing came easy for this movie.”

According to the pair, Georgia was chosen as the film’s setting because the story called for a place that isn’t filled with too many migrant Filipinos. In fact there were only 30 Filipinos living in Georgia when they did the shoot and they met every one of them. (ManilaTimes.net)

Photos from Instagram/@iamhearte

Heart visits Taal-affected animals, calls for aid

by Cha LIno Inquirer.net

WEEKS after Taal Volcano’s eruption, actress Heart Evangelista went to Batangas to check on the affected animals and help address their needs. Aside from her volunteer work, she also urged the public to donate more food and supplies for the animals.

Evangelista joined the Philippine Animal Welfare Society (PAWS) on its drive to Batangas, as seen on her Instagram post today, Feb. 6. To ensure

her safety, the actress wore an N95 face mask and a black cap together with PAWS’ green volunteer uniform.

While other dogs were being fed, Evangelista cradled one in her arms. “Don’t worry little one, we’re all doing what we can to give all of you the love and care you need during this time,” she assured the dog.

In Batangas, the actress also helped in feeding other stray animals and taking care of horses.

Evangelista shared with her followers the current state of the surrounding area near the vol-

cano via her Instagram Stories.

“5 [kilometers] away from Taal with @pawsphilippines,” she captioned her pictures.

Evangelista also said that the organization is in need of financial support. The actress declared, “We really need more financial aid for meds and transportation.”

Evangelista announced that animals in Batangas still need help as she took her call for donations to Twitter.

Evangelista assured her followers that “no amount is too small.”

Catriona takes on mission of making cleft children smile as their ambassador

by Ian

BIong Inquirer.net

MISS Universe 2018 Catriona Gray has been crowned a new title, and it is that of a global ambassador by Smile Train, an international charity dedicated to helping children with cleft conditions.

Gray is grateful for her new role and is “super honored to continue working to create smiles” with the organization, she announced on Instagram on Tuesday, February 4.

“Children’s causes have been and continue to be so close to my heart and I can’t wait to travel and raise awareness for cleft around the world, as well as here in the Philippines,” she noted.

Gray started working with Smile Train after winning Miss Universe back in 2018. The international nonprofit group meanwhile has been a partner of the Miss Universe organization since 2016.

The Filipina-Australian beauty queen recently raised around P388,000 through her birthday fundraiser, which was donated to Smile Train Philippines.

She shared the good news on Instagram last Monday, February 3.

Last October, Gray went to South America along with other beauty queens to visit

Catriona Gray

the Brazillian arm of Smile Train, where they spent their time bonding with the young beneficiaries.

Even before joining Binibining Pilipinas and Miss Universe, however, Gray has been involved in charity work since it has always been her advocacy to help underprivileged children.

Other than Smile Train, Gray

Photo from Instagram_@catriona_gray

has also been helping out Young Focus, a Philippine-based nonprofit organization that aims to provide impoverished youth access to free, quality education and proper nutrition.

While her birthday fundraiser was for Smile Train, Gray celebrated her birthday with the kids of Young Focus in Tondo, Manila. She turned 26 years old on Jan. 6.

AFTER HER PARENTS’ DEATH, A DAUGHTER DID EVERYTHING SHE COULD TO SALVAGE THEIR PETITION AND REALIZE THEIR PARENTS’ DREAM – ON AN ENCORE EPISODE OF CITIZEN PINOY THIS SUNDAY. Ismael (left) was petitioned by his father back in 1996. He patiently waited for his petition to be current. However, when their mother passed away in 2009, their father’s health started to deteriorate, too. Tatay Samuel died in 2014, and his petition for his son Ismael “died” with him. Ester (3rd from left) promised their parents that she would do whatever it takes to get their eldest brother, Ismael, to join the rest of the siblings and their families in the U.S. That was their parents’ dream and Ester intended to honor that. She went through two lawyers who filed for humanitarian reinstatement, but got denied. She filed the humanitarian reinstatement on her own, but that was also denied. She even asked the help of a congressman, but the most it got them was a status update. As a last resort, Ester went to consult with leading U.S. Immigration Attorney Michael J. Gurfinkel (right).

See how Atty. Gurfinkel was able to help Ester fulfill her promise to their parents and bring Ismael and his wife, Glen (2nd from left), to the U.S. on an encore episode of CITIZEN PINOY – on Sunday at 6:15 pm (PST) on TFC. (Advertising Supplement)

Lovi on turning 31, her sister...

PAGE B2 great and I’m just so happy,” Lovi, who turns 31 on Feb. 11, told select reporters at an advanced birthday dinner hosted

by LVD Management, which handles her show biz career.

While they don’t get to see each other as often as they would like, Lovi and Sen. Grace— daughters of the late show biz legend Fernando Poe Jr.—have “a good relationship.” “We usually text each other. I love her.

She’s amazing and really nice,” Lovi related.

The GMA 7 star, who had just been from a shooting for her upcoming film, “Hindi Tayo Pwede,” turned emotional with the show of overwhelming love.

“I truly see and appreciate their efforts. No matter how close you are to a person, busy schedules do get in the way sometimes. Or they’re simply too far away from us. But being reunited with friends here whom I have never seen in years is heartening,” she said, adding that she feels “blessed” to be surrounded with the “right

people.”

“Sometimes, we get so busy with work and the goals we want to achieve that we forget to slow down and say thank you to the people who love and appreciate us,” Lovi said.

What’s her birthday wish?

“A lot of good things have been happening recently, and I hope the blessings continue to pour in. I hope to grow into a better person with each passing year,” she said.

Her prayers also go out to everyone who has been affected by recent natural disasters, like the eruption of Taal Volcano, and the outbreak of the 2019 novel coronavirus.

“It makes you realize a lot of things. You can’t just pray for yourself or your loved ones—you have to do it for everyone else.

We can get so caught up with [our own lives] that we forget to reach out to other people. I’m wishing for positive things for everyone. We have to be strong, pray harder and keep the faith,” she said.

Her boyfriend, Monty Blencowe, a Los Angeles-based Eng-

lish film producer and medical researcher, wouldn’t be able to fly to the Philippines to celebrate her birthday with her. But she understands.

“He’s busy with work now; his field of work is different from ours. But I’m happy with the communication we have,” said the actress, who pointed out that being in a long-distance relationship requires a strong foundation. “We’re good, happy.

Being in this kind of relationship… you have to be solid.”

On the upside, their setup, she said, has been beneficial to their growth not just as a couple, but also as individuals. “We have our own careers, and we get to pursue our respective goals… we get a lot of things done,” Lovi said. “But at the same time, we make sure to support each other.”

Lovi couldn’t talk in detail about her coming sexy drama flick. But all she can say is that her leading men, Tony Labrusca and Marco Gumabao, have been a joy to work with. “They bared their souls more than their bodies,” she teased.

B4 FEBRUARY 8-11, 2020 • LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL

Jillian is all grown up...

PAGE B2 es in her ways and her attitude towards many things. Jillian is now quieter and refrains from asking too many questions, especially people she just met.

“Pinapakiramdaman ko na po yung place kung nasaan ako, sino ‘yung mga tao. I’ve become more — how do I put it — proper. I’ve also become more understanding of others and more open-minded.

But I think I’ve gotten more curious than when I was younger.”

But unlike before, her curiosity is focused on more serious matters.

“Hinahanap ko po ‘yung lalim ng mga bagay bagay sa buhay.

I want to know the meaning of things if you can put it that way.

Sa dami ng nangyayari sa mundo, we really need to understand different situations so that we’ll know what steps we should take if they suddenly concern us.”

As a pensive young lady, Jillian impressively acknowledges her

weaknesses today as much as her strengths.

“When it comes to my weakness as a person, I think it has something to do with the present stage of my life. Siyempre po ngayon pa lang ako nagiging dalaga, so I still don’t know what to do. I’m in a stage na hindi na bata pero hindi pa rin dalagangdalaga. I’ve been used to life as a child star pero ang liit-liit ko pa po noon. Tapos ngayon, eto na ko and bigla ring nagkaroon ng pagbabago sa physicality ko, so there’s bound to be confusion for me at this crossroads,” Jillian explained.

In the series “Prima Donnas,” Jillian portrays the role of Mayi, a teener who is so timid that she can never voice out her opinions.

She can neither fight for what she thinks is right, but she will sacrifice anything for the love of her family.

“I’m similar to Mayi when it comes to that — her love for family. Ganun din ako, sobrang mahal ko ang parents ko at ang mga kapatid ko. I’ll do everything I can to give them a comfortable life. Pero when it comes to being timid, hindi po ako gano’n. I speak my mind kung kailangan.”

Another thing she is certain of is that she’s where she’s meant to be. From childhood, Jillian made the decision to be an actress all through her life.

“Acting is my first love and I want to keep acting for the rest of my life. Gusto ko maging parang si Lola Gloria Romero po na hanggang pagtanda ko, nag-a-acting pa rin po ako,” Said Jillian.

Just like any teenager, Jillian has started to become more conscious of her appearance. She now watches her figure closely, explaining, “Siyempre po artista ako so I have to look good all the time. I go on diets but it’s not only for my figure but more for my health.

“I eat mostly fruits and vegetables. Less sweets na rin and when I’m at home, I don’t eat rice. But on the set, I eat one half cup kasi kailangan po ng energy.”

As to the reality of attracting boys at her age, Jillian said this: “Pag naramdaman ko po na may ibang balak, friend zone agad.

Magaling po akong mang-friend zone. Mas mabuti naman po kasi na hindi minamadali. If they have feelings for me, friends na lang kami. Saka bawal pa po kasi. Baka atakihin sa puso ang papa ko,” Jillian ended with a laugh.

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Heaven, bless the children of a lesser God MOONLIGHTING

by MYLAH DE

LEON

SANTA CLARITA – It was a unique dance party that intermingled all the facility residents and their caregivers together into one big family.

The center’s low building and the winding street look like a college campus. It is vast and sheltering, increasingly heartwarming. One did not expect a special party, even for the special people, to be warm and squishy.

But the welcome spring dance at the Seniors Recreational Center here was just that. More than 100 guests exchanged hugs and kisses in between sips of orange juice and sparkling sodas.

Hair coiffed, nails polished.

Party frocks pressed. Shoes and cufflinks shined, as health teams bright. Then it was off to the dance Saturday Dance night for fun and frivolity when anything can happen at least for a couple of hours — dancing, dining, chatting, and attention-getting antics, under a nearly full moon illuminating the surrounding with its whiteness.

The classy club was crowded that evening with astonishingly experts dancers who took command of the floor to strut their

stuff. The men, young and old alike, in a row of surging testosterone, something I’ve never seen in any of my past visits. A young woman, whose blond ringlets were bouncing, wanted to grab the microphone from the emcee.

Her adrenalin shot up!

One felt like an amateur watching the participants flash fancy foot routines to pulsating rhythms.

I saw a lad, short, slender and tense pluck a flower from the vase vowed and handed it to a giggling lady, then swing her to the dance floor. A couple in matching Hawaiian attire (which was the evening’s motif) broke ranks to boogie together from the center of the formation, oh, so merrily.

Two men wearing a sports coat, held each other arm and arm, toe to toe, and then moved onto spinning each other in gay abandon, to the delight of the spectators.

The ladies each did their own unmindful digs and unfazed by this un-macho display of male togetherness, as they live and let live in whiz-bang rhythm. What was unique was some of the dancers were strapped to wheelchairs, some were supported by the walkers while some were literally hanging on their dancing partners for supports. Some simply sat it up, others blankly stared, but it was a wild happy bunch.

Dance is human, sensuous, and soulful. It’s rhythm, it’s timing, it’s sweat. You must be nimble, determined, and focused. That Saturday, it was all there on

display. A fanciful mixture of special people that is now and the pathetically bruising referred to us as “children of a lesser God.” There was more roaring at the center that night than at a football game, each time the music lulled.

The participants flood your heart with pure joy you can only feel in the company of people with hearts of gold and pure souls. What appear to be birds and the height of bad manners turn out to be in intricate punk-rock headbangers disarmingly funny and amusing even in repose.

In those flickers of confusion and delight, they exude a melancholy comedy but you saw happiness twinkle in their eyes, every movement as they danced.

It was an expression of words of joy unsaid. Some were strapped to wheelchairs, bodies that refused to work for their owners, unable to cloth themselves; some could never walk again, but on the dance floor, little pockets of happiness were theirs for the taking. They chanted, gasped, and whined, then would dance again. It gets beautiful, absolutely exquisite, like eternal adolescence.

The merrymaking looked like a memory. It is all different views bunched up together. Ut is like roads to different directions of the room.

It looked like slices of heaven. If only photos were allowed! *** E-mail Mylah at moonlightingmdl@aol. com.

James hints at real reason behind breakup with Nadine

by JAN

MILO SEVERO Philstar.com

ACTOR James Reid gave a hint on why he and actress Nadine Lustre broke up.

In an interview with Mega Man, James said he wanted to figure out who he really is after being tied up with Nadine for a long time.

“We’ve been in a love team for so long. And that’s been my whole life. I can’t even begin to think of who I am or what I’m supposed to be outside of that love team, which is scary. And that’s why I said I got a lot of figuring out to do,” James said.

“People might say I’m a bit heartless. I don’t want it to seem like me wanting to know who I am

Nadine Lustre and James Reid at the 2019 ABS-CBN Ball

without Nadine is the only reason.

There are too many to point out, but that’s all I’m able to share without going into depth.”

The matinee idol also admitted that while he still loves Nadine, his perspective on love has changed.

“I still love her. It’s just my per-

Philstar.com photo

spective on love has broadened,” he said.

James and Nadine broke up early this year. They confirmed their split in a joint statement announced by Boy Abunda in his show “Tonight With Boy Abunda.”

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B FEBRUARY 8-11, 2020 • LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL

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COMMUNITY Journal

Nominations open for 2020 Presidential Awards for Filipino Individuals and Organizations Overseas THE Philippine Consulate General in Los Angeles is now accepting nominations for the 2020 Presidential Awards for Filipino Individuals and Organizations Overseas (PAFIOO).

Completed nomination forms and supporting documents must be submitted through the Consulate General on or before June 5, 2020 for onward transmittal to the Commission on Filipinos Overseas. The awarding ceremony will be held in December 2020 at Malacañang Palace.

The Presidential Awards, spearheaded by the CFO, is a biennial search to honor and recognize Overseas Filipinos and other individuals or organizations who contribute to Philippine development initiatives, promote the interests of the Filipino diaspora, or have exceptionally distinguished themselves in their work.

Since its inception in 1991, the PAFIOO has been bestowed upon 485 individuals and organizations overseas in about 52 countries and territories. It highlights the time- honored Filipino values of bayanihan or the convergence of pakikipagkapwa, pagtutulungan, and pagkakaisa.

The four (4) award categories are: • Lingkod sa Kapwa Pilipino (LINKAPIL) Award conferred on Filipino individuals or organizations for their exceptional or significant contribution to progress and development in the Philippines; • Banaag Award conferred on Filipino individuals or organizations for their contributions that have significantly benefited a sector of the diaspora, or advanced the cause and interest of overseas Filipino communities; • Pamana ng Pilipino Award conferred on overseas Filipino individuals, who, in exemplifying the talent and industry of the Filipino, have brought the country honor and recognition through excellence and distinction in the pursuit of their work or profession; and

LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL • FEBRUARY 8-11, 2020

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• Kaanib ng Bayan Award conferred on foreign individuals (natural-born) and organizations for their exceptional or significant contribution to Philippine progress and development, or in advancing the cause or promoting the interests of overseas Filipino communities.

For detailed guidelines, downloadable nomination and endorsement forms, and other relevant information about the awards, please visit, www.presidentialawards.cfo.gov.ph or

contact the Presidential Awards Secretariat through the following: Presidential Awards Secretariat / Commission on Filipinos Overseas at Tel. Nos.: (632) 552-4700 locals 761 to 767 Fax No.: (632) 561-8291; E-mail: presidentialawards@cfo.gov. ph; presidentialawards2018@ gmail.com For updates on the PAFIOO, interested parties are encouraged to follow the Gawad ng Pangulo Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/gawadpangulo/. n

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C FEBRUARY 8-11, 2020 • LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL

Tax & Stock Tips Victor sy,

cPA, mBA (retired)

Scoring system: The IRS uses a Discriminant Function System (DIF) to determine returns that are most likely to generate additional revenue for the government. Although the scoring is secret, it’s based on two factors: Total Positive Income and Total Gross Receipts.

A return with a high DIF score is more likely to be audited, since such a score indicates a greater probability that additional revenue will be generated. The DIF score is based on statistical profiles developed through the National Research Program (NRP).

You are a high earner: The IRS is underfunded and understaffed. They don’t want to

Tapat Sa Batas Atty. rheA sAmson NOONG Enero 27, 2020, ang U.S. Supreme Court ay naglabas ng ruling na nagpapahintulot sa DHS/USCIS na ipagpatuloy ang implementasyon ng bagong public charge rule. Ayon sa USCIS, ang Inadmissibility on Public Charge Grounds Final Rule ay ipapatupad simula Pebrero 24, 2020.

Sa ilalim ng Final Rule, ang USCIS ay magsusuri ng edad, kalusugan, sweldo, educasyon at kakayanan ng dayuhan sa determinasyon nito kung ang dayuhan ay malamang na magiging public charge.

Ang pagiging public charge ay ground for inadmissibility. Ang ibig sabihin nito ay ang dayuhan ay maaaring hindi mabigyan ng green card o immigrant visa papuntang U.S. Sa pagdetermina ng USCIS kung ito ay magbibigay ng green card o immigrant visa sa dayuhan, susuriin ng USCIS kung malamang na aasa ang dayuhan sa mga government benefits sa hinaharap na panahon. Kung malamang na aasa ang dayuhan sa mga government benefits, siya ay masasabing isang public charge.

Ang public charge inadmissibility rule ay nakakaapekto sa mga aplikante ng green card o immigrant visa. Hindi ito nakakaapekto sa proseso ng naturalization, kung

Top tax audit triggers

Part 1 of 4 allocate scarce resources to tax ers earning between $200,000 returns with low chances of col- and $499,999 were audited the lecting taxes. They prefer to au- other year, whereas 3.25 percent dit taxpayers with high income to of those who reported no adjustmake their audits pay off. ed gross income were invited for Most audited returns are for IRS audits. taxpayers who earn $200,000 a FYI: IRS statistics indicate that year or more, and most of them you’re safest if you report income had incomes of over $1 million. about $50,000 to $74,999. These Of course, you and I don’t have to taxpayers are audited the least. worry that. You see, high-income *** taxpayers carry complex tax is- Victor Santos Sy graduated Cum Laude sues and with such issues come from UE with a BBA and from Indiana related errors.

State University with an MBA. Vic You manage to zero out your worked with SyCip, Gorres, Velayo (SGV adjusted gross income: - Andersen Consulting) and Ernst & Young Middle and high-income tax- before establishing Sy Accountancy payers are expected to pay their Corporation. own share of taxes. We all are. *** However, some can wipe out He retired after 50 years of defending total income via tax deductions, taxpayers audited by the IRS, EDD, BOE sometimes a little too creative. and other governmental agencies. He Such creativity increases your published a book on “How to Avoid or odds of IRS audit.

Survive IRS Audits.” Readers may email Only about 1 percent of taxpay- tax questions to vicsy@live.com.

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Minding Your Finances Atty. rAymond BUlAon

ARE you having problems paying your debts? Are creditors calling you day and night threatening you with a wage garnishment, repossession or foreclosure? Are you starting to feel hopeless and depressed about your situation and don’t know where to turn for help?

The last few years have been tough for a lot of people. You may have suffered a job loss, foreclosure, lawsuit, divorce or other unexpected calamity and now find yourself overwhelmed with debt. You realize that your debt problems are not simply going to go away unless you do something about them but just don’t know where to start.

You have rights under federal law to file bankruptcy and get immediate relief from debt.

Bankruptcy is nothing more than a legal remedy that allows you to regain control of your finances so that you can get back on your feet as quickly as possible. Of course, it is not the answer to all financial problems but when appropriate for your situation, it may be the only way for you to get out of the mess you’re currently in.

Although Congress has ensidized housing, cash aid kasama acted tougher bankruptcy laws ang TANF at SSI, at mga state o over the years, most people still local cash assistance program. qualify for debt relief, whether Ayon sa DHS, ang sariling kakayanan at kasapatan ay core American values at bahagi ito Family ng immigration law sa loob ng maraming siglo. Ito ang dahilan Law para sa Final Rule. Ang USCIS ay naghihikayat din na ang mga dayuhan ay umasa sa kanilang sarili, pamilya at komunidad upang Atty. magsulong ng kanilang tagumpay EthElEnE F. SAlAS at protektahan ang American taxDIVORCES or any family law payers. related problems do not have to *** On January 27, 2020, the U.S. get costly and lengthy. These Supreme Court issue a ruling al- problems can carry its own set of lowing DHS/USCIS to enforce the stresses that parties do not need.

An alternative to a costly and new public charge rule. According to USCIS, the Inadmissibility lengthy divorce is mediation. on Public Charge Grounds Final Mediation provides an option to Rule will be implemented on Feb- divorcing families or families emruary 24, 2020. Under the Final broiled in a custody dispute to Rule, USCIS will look into the have these issues mediated and alien’s age, health, income, edu- resolved as quickly and as prication and skills in order to deter- vately as possible with the least mine whether the alien is likely to amount of disruption and ongoing uncertainty. Sensitive and ofbecome a public charge.

Being a public charge is a ten complex financial issues can ground for inadmissibility, mean- be openly discussed and resolved u PAGE C3 within the privacy of a confidential mediation. The end result is the hope that parties come to a written agreement to resolve

New public charge rule to be implemented “ The public charge inadmissibility rule mainly impacts those seeking green cards or immigrant visas.”

saan ang mga lawful permanent resident o green card holder ay nag-aapply upang maging U.S. citizen. May requirement din sa Final Rule na ang mga dayuhan na mag-aapply ng extension of stay o change of status ay magpakita na wala silang natanggap na public benefits simula noong makuha nila ang kanilang nonimmigrant status.

Ang depinisyon ng “public charge” sa ilalim ng Final Rule ay ang isang taong malamang na tatanggap ng public benefits na mahigit sa 12 buwan sa loob ng panahon na 36 buwan. Ang bawat isang public benefit ay bibilangin sa 12-month calculation – kung ang dayuhan ay tumanggap ng dalawang public benefit sa isang buwan, ang magiging bilang nito ay dalawang buwan na paggamit ng public benefit. Ang mga publicly-funded program na kasama sa determinsyon kung ang dayuhan ay malamang na magiging public charge ay ang federally-funded Medicaid, ang Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP o mga food stamp), Section 8 housing assistance, federally sub-

The Prophetic Voice reVerend rodel G. BAlAGtAs YOU’RE not doomed in darkness! You’re meant to give light to others and the world.

Your life is not meant to be bland and boring. It is intended to be vigorous, fulfilling, and beautiful!

It’s what Jesus meant when he told his disciples, “You are salt of the earth…You are the light.”

Jesus wants to tell us about his desire for everyone. He wants us to live a more exciting and purposeful life. He does not want us to hide in our fears and insecurities. He wants us to be free—free to be ourselves and yet willing to take a risk and to show up to be a light of hope for others.

I remember counseling someone who kept hiding in his room and stopped engaging with people. A traumatic car accident with a group of friends made him “hide” from people. After a se-

Barrister’s Corner Atty. Kenneth UrsUA reyes CONSIDER this common factual situation. You are over 21 years old and your US citizen parent petitions you while you are inside the United States. Since this is a preference category, you have to wait many years for your priority date to be current. As the years go by, your petitioning parent dies which in turn revokes the petition. Can you still apply for your green card when your priority date becomes current?

Under Section 204(l) of the immigration and nationality act, you may apply for a green card despite the death of the petitioner once your priority date becomes current as long as 1) you were in the United States at the time of the Petitioner’s death, and 2) you continuously resided in the United States until the present time when you apply for adjustment of status. This provision does not apply to beneficiaries that are

Can’t have peace of mind due to debt problems? they are wiping out debts under Chapter 7 or reorganizing under Chapter 13. Depending on your circumstances, your debts can be wiped out under Chapter 7 in only a few months or the Court may ask you to repay your creditors with lower monthly debt payments over a 3-5 year period.

Either way, the goal is to help you recover financially and help you start a new life free from the burden of excessive debt.

Briefly, Chapter 7 allows you to cancel or discharge your debts but in return, you must give up whatever non-exempt assets you may have. The good news is that most people don’t have much and whatever little they have, they are often protected by the exemption laws in bankruptcy. So it is a misconception that “once you file bankruptcy, you will automatically lose everything.” The truth is that most people keep everything they have (homes, cars, bank accounts, retirement plans, etc) and they lose nothing at all.

An experienced bankruptcy attorney can evaluate your case and help you plan so that you can maximize your exemptions and claim the full benefits allowed by law.

Chapter 13, on the other hand, is a debt reorganization or debt consolidation plan. The court requires you to submit all your income information as well as a

monthly budget to assess your ability to pay. Your Chapter 13 plan payments will be based on the surplus income as determined by the Court. Chapter 13 allows you to keep valuable property such as your home or car (although you were behind on your mortgage and car payments at the time of filing) and will stop foreclosure and repossession immediately on the day your case is filed. Credit card debts are included in your monthly payment under Chapter 13 and, in most cases, they can be significantly reduced or even totally eliminated.

The only way to know if bankruptcy is right for your situation is to consult with a professional who has the knowledge and experience to advise you regarding your options under bankruptcy law. For a free office consultation, please call Toll-Free 1-866477-7772. We have offices in Glendale, Cerritos, and Valencia. *** None of the information herein is intended to give legal advice for any specific situation. Atty. Ray Bulaon has successfully helped more than 5,000 clients in getting out of debt. For a free evaluation of your situation, please call Ray Bulaon Law Offices at TOLL FREE 1-866-4777772. They have offices in Glendale, Cerritos and Valencia.

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Mediation on divorces

all their issues so that a judge do not have to decide or rule on an issue.

A mediator can and will help the parties file the necessary paperwork to begin and finalize the parties’ divorce in court without the parties ever having to step foot in the courtroom themselves.

The parties are often encouraged to have their own independent attorney review the marital settlement agreement before it is signed and sent in to the court.

Although many parties are reluctant to hire an independent attorney to review the agreement that the parties and the mediator prepared together, this step can provide assurance that both parties fully understand the agreement as well as their legal rights and obligations.

In many instances, mediators are best in resolving custody and support issues. It will allow parties to create an agreement that will satisfy both parties without

the need of going in front of a judge. Call me to mediate your problem. Together, we can draft a settlement agreement and file it with the court. This will save all parties money and time. *** Ethelene F. Salas, Esq. is a practicing family law attorney. Ms. Salas is a PilipinoAmerican born in the Philippines, raised in the United States, and speaks Tagalog fluently. She completed all her studies in the United States including a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Economics in 1989 from University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) and a Juris Doctorate in 1992 from the University of California, Los Angeles, (UCLA) School of Law. The Law Offices of Ethelene F. Salas is located at—the main office at 100 N. Barranca St., Suite 700, West Covina, CA 91791. We also have branch locations in Torrance/Gardena, Cerritos, Riverside, Orange, and Ontario.

To schedule an appointment with her, please call (626) 858-4646 or email us at efsalas-law@att.net (Advertising Supplement)

On giving light “ He wants us to be free—free to be ourselves and yet willing to take a risk and to show up to be a light of hope for others.” ries of talks with him, I was able to convince him to get out of his house and become involved in the church.

He started with attending a young adult group and later on, helping in youth ministry. A year after, he volunteered to teach a confirmation class. And in the subsequent years, he became the youth minister of his parish.

What a transformation I witnessed in him! From a timid and fearful young man, he became a courageous leader of his parish, bringing joy and faith to many young people. He became bold about living a passionate life.

And for him, the way to do this is to help others, especially young people.

Perhaps, he did not want other people to experience a depress-

ing and dark life as he experienced before he encountered Christ. He felt that there is hope and a second chance for others to change their ways.

This Sunday, let’s reflect on how we can be a “salt” and a “light” for others, especially the poor children and families in our society. Let’s not hide our generous hearts. Let our participation in church and humanitarian projects be tangible ways to show our care for those in need!

Let our lives be fulfilling, beautiful, exciting, and free! Free to love, care, and serve!

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

Can I qualify for a green card despite the petitioner’s death? outside the United States. This provision also applies to both approved and pending Petitions.

This avenue is available to all family based petitions as outlined in INA section 204(l)(2).

This includes 1)immediate relative petitions and 2)preference family petitions such as unmarried sons and daughters of us citizens, spouses and unmarried sons and daughters of lpr, married sons and daughters of us citizens, and brothers and sisters of us citizens.

Derivative beneficiaries of pending or approved employment- based immigrant visa petitions are also covered by this section. This includes the spouse and unmarried children under age 21 of an individual who was sponsored under the employment-based category.

If you fail to meet the requirements of INA 204(l) because you did not continously reside in the US since the death of the Petitioner, you may still try to reinstate the Petition under 8 CFR

Sec. 205.1(a)(3) Humanitarian Reinstatement. The DHS (Dept. of Homeland Security) may exercise discretion “for humanitarian reasons” to reinstate the petition and to allow the Affidavit of Support requirements to be satisfied by the qualifying I-864 of a spouse, parent, mother-inlaw, father-in-law, sister-in-law, brother-in-law, grandparent, or grandchild or legal guardian of the beneficiary, as long as the petition was “approved” prior to the Petitioner’s death.

DHS discretion does not mean “guaranteed” approval. The case will be evaluated on a case by case basis. Some of the factors that the DHS may consider are 1) disruption of an established family unit; 2) hardship to US citizens or lawful permanent residents; 3) beneficiary is elderly or in poor health; 4) beneficiary has had lengthy residence in the US; 4) beneficiary has no home to go to; 5)undue delay by USCIS or consular officer in processing

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(818) 502-0651 • (213) 250-9797 • http://www.asianjournal.com

LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL • FEBRUARY 8-11, 2020

Protecting employees who uphold the rights of their co-workers JEREMIAH Matthews worked as a cook and a maintenance supervisor for Happy Valley Conference Center. Happy Valley is an affiliate of the Community of Christ Church and hosts seminars, retreats, and camps for church members in their property.

Mathews was supervised by the executive director, Melinda Gunnerud. Gunnerud frequently flirted with younger male employees. Gunnerud had sent a dishwasher named Eli sexually suggestive text messages.

Another employee, Brett, began working at Happy Valley after Eli left. Gunnerud took Brett on shopping errands, a task she used to do alone. Brett testified that he started to feel like he was receiving special treatment from Gunnerud. The treatment made him feel “kind of strangely.” Gunnerud began sending him personal text messages after work hours, which eventually focused on “more and more suggestive” topics, which made him uncomfortable.

Brett confided in Mathews about the inappropriate text messages he received from Gunnerud. Brett and Mathews reported the text messages up the chain of command, which eventually reached the Church’s general counsel, Karen Minton.

Mathews and Brett told Minton that they feared retaliation by Gunnerud. Minton believed the messages constituted sexual harassment. She asked an executive committee member, Smith, to investigate. Smith reviewed the text messages Gunnerud had sent and thought they were “joke[s] in poor taste” rather than sexual harassment. Smith believed that Mathews was trying to make trouble by reporting Gunnerud.

Protecting Employee & Consumer Rights Atty. C. Joe SAyAS, Jr. Even though the Church President thought the texts were “borderline” harassment, he followed Smith’s recommendation. Gunnerud was simply reprimanded and ordered to undergo sex harassment training. Gunnerud kept her position and continued to have supervisory authority over Mathews and Brett.

Mathews claimed that Gunnerud then began a “witch hunt” by asking employees to write complaints about him so he could be fired. Mathews emailed Minton stating his dissatisfaction with the sexual harassment investigation. He told Minton he will pursue “state and federal complaints.” He then emailed the US Equal Employment Opportunity Commissions about being retaliated against for reporting the sexual harassment of another employee. Mathews was placed under the supervision of another board member, who fired him a few days later for alleged insubordination and failure to complete his tasks.

Mathews sued, alleging wrongful termination based on retaliation, including a violation of California’s Whistleblower Protection Act. The law protects whistleblowing employees from retaliation by their employers. It provides for civil liability against any person who threatens or retaliates against an employee for making a ‘protected disclosure.’ These disclosures include information provided to a government or law

enforcement agency, where the employee reasonably believes that a violation of law has occurred. The employer cannot also retaliate against an employee who refuses to participate in activities that violate the law.

California’s anti-retaliation law protecting whistleblowers was expanded to cover employees who complain within a company about unlawful practices.

It also applies to cases where the employee truly believed the conduct they complained about was unlawful, even if it was not.

Retaliation laws encourage potential whistleblowers to come forward and report corporate violations of the law.

Without protection afforded to whistleblowing employees, government enforcement agencies and the public will not know about those corporate activities that endanger public health and safety.

After trial, the jury returned a verdict in favor of Mathews, awarding him almost $900,000 in damages (including punitive damages) and nearly $1 million in attorney’s fees. *** The Law Offices of C. Joe Sayas, Jr. welcomes inquiries about this topic. All inquiries are confidential and at no-cost.

You can contact the office at (818) 2910088 or visit www.joesayaslaw.com. [C. Joe Sayas, Jr., Esq. is an experienced trial attorney who has successfully recovered wages and other monetary damages for thousands of employees and consumers. He was named Top Labor & Employment Attorney in California by the Daily Journal, consistently selected as Super Lawyer by the Los Angeles Magazine, and is a Presidential Awardee for Outstanding Filipino Overseas in 2018.]

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How does the bankruptcy means test work?

IS the means test in bankruptcy? It’s a method for calculating what your household income is to determine if you qualify for Chapter 7 or Chapter 13 of the bankruptcy code. By household income, we mean the combined income of husband and wife, if the debtor is married, unless they are separated.

The means test is a relatively new concept introduced in the new bankruptcy code of 2005.

Before that new bankruptcy law took effect, there was no such thing as a means test. Before 2005, the general rule was if the household income were less than the monthly necessary expenses, a debtor would probably qualify for Chapter 7.

Under the means test, debtor’s average income for the last six months, if less than the median income for the household for the state, would prima facie qualify debtor for Chapter 7, without any presumption of abuse arising.

Each state has a different median income. For example, in California, the median income for a single person is about $48,000 a year. So, if you are single and make less than $48,000 a year, then you would automatically qualify for Chapter 7.

However, this does not mean that single persons making more than $48,000 would be disqualified from Chapter 7. This is so because the means test provides for amounts that may be deducted from gross income given the cost of living in the state.

Hence, a single person making $70,000 a year with a mortgage payment and a car payment would probably still qualify for Chapter 7.

What happens if one’s income is so high that the means test is breached? A presumption of abuse is marked in your means test and the U.S. Trustee (UST)

Debt Relief

Atty. LAwrenCe yAng would have their say about the presumption of abuse matter.

The UST position would be: show me documentary evidence why you qualify for Chapter 7.

It is possible to overcome the presumption of abuse and still get a Chapter 7 discharge even if your income is a lot more than the state median income if you can prove to the satisfaction of the UST that you do indeed qualify for Chapter 7.

If you are short on your documentation, the UST will file a motion to dismiss your Chapter 7 case based on the abuse of bankruptcy law. This gives you a chance to argue why you are eligible for Chapter 7 discharge despite the objection of the UST before the bankruptcy judge in charge of your case. I would say that it’s difficult to convince the judge if the UST has filed its motion to dismiss unless you have good and complete documentation to support your case for getting a Chapter 7 discharge.

For instance, you give $500 a month to your favorite charity.

With this deduction, you pass the means test for Chapter 7, but the UST files its motion to dismiss as they object to your claim of a charitable deduction. You argue that you do indeed give $125 in cash to your church every week, with a grand total of $500 a month. Without this deduction, your disposable income is $500 a month, dislodging you from Chapter 7 and tracking you into Chapter 13 instead.

The UST asks for proof that you actually give $500 a month to your church. Since you donate in cash, there is no documentary proof of your weekly donation.

You submit a picture of your hand putting $125 of cash into the cash box of the church every Sunday for one month. The UST pretty much says that they don’t believe your picture evidence.

The UST says that your income tax returns for 2017 do not claim any charitable donation. You argue that your CPA was drunk when he prepared your tax returns.

Will the bankruptcy judge side with you or the UST? I think the odds are against you. The UST and federal judges are well qualified in what they do.

If you can’t pass the means test for Chapter 7, no matter how hard you try, you should really consider filing Chapter 13 instead. Chapter 13 lets you reorganize your financial resources in such a way that you pay possibly only a small portion of what you owe. For example, you owe $50,000 of credit cards. In Chapter 7, you don’t have to pay the $50,000; the discharge order just wipes them out. In Chapter 13, you might have to pay $200 a month for 60 months, or $12,000.

If you complete all 60 payments of $200 each, the court will discharge or wipe out $38,000 of your credit cards.

I have a senior client who couldn’t file a Chapter 7 because she had sold her house to her brother in law for $120,000 below market price. I advised her against Chapter 7 unless she wanted to risk losing her house.

She did this because when her husband died two years ago, she could not afford to make the mortgage payments anymore.

Her brother-in-law allowed her to

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New public charge rule to be...

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ing that a person could be denied a green card, an immigrant visa or admission into the U.S. In deciding whether to grant the alien applicant a green card or an immigrant visa, USCIS must determine whether the alien applicant is likely to become dependent on certain government benefits in the future, which would make him a public charge. The public charge inadmissibility rule mainly impacts those seeking green cards or immigrant visas. They do not apply to the naturalization process, where lawful permanent residents/green card holders apply to become US citizens. The Final Rule also includes a requirement that aliens seeking an extension of stay or change of status demonstrate that they have not received public benefits since obtaining the nonimmigrant status they seek to extend or change.

The Final Rule defines a public charge as a person who is likely to receive any number of public

benefits for more than an aggregate of 12 months over any 36-month period of time. Each benefit used counts towards the 12-month calculation such that when an applicant receives 2 different benefits in 1 month, they would be counted as use of benefits for 2 months. The publiclyfunded programs considered in the determination of whether an applicant will be likely a public charge includes federally-funded Medicaid, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP or food stamps), Section 8 housing assistance and federally subsidized housing, cash aid, including TANF and SSI, and state or local cash assistance programs.

According to DHS, the reason for the Final Rule is due to the fact that self-sufficiency is a core American value and has been part of immigration law for centuries.

By requiring aliens seeking to come or stay in the US to rely on their own resources, families and communities, DHS/USCIS will en-

courage self-sufficiency, promote immigrant success and protect American taxpayers. *** ATTY. RHEA SAMSON is the principal of SAMSON LAW FIRM, P.C. She has been a member of the State Bar of California for over 15 years and the Integrated Bar of the Philippines for over 20 years. Atty.

Samson received her Legal Management degree from the Ateneo de Manila University and her Juris Doctor degree from the Ateneo Law School. She was a Professor for over 10 years, teaching Obligations and Contracts, Labor Laws and Social Legislation and Taxation Law. Atty Samson is the author of The Law on Obligations and Contracts (2016), Working with Labor Laws-Revised Edition (2014) and Working with Labor Laws (2005).

SAMSON LAW FIRM, P.C., 3580 Wilshire Boulevard, Suite 1710, Los Angeles, CA 90010; Phone: (213) 381-5710; Email: info@samsonlawfirmpc.com” info@samsonlawfirmpc.com.

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Maximizing recovery in personal injury cases DEAR Attorney Tan, I was driving home and was at a complete stop when another driver rear ended my car. I was not feeling well after the accident, as my back seemed very tight and stiff. I took some days off from work. After a week, I contacted the other driver’s insurance to report the claim.

The insurance adjuster for the other driver said they would fix my car, and offered me $500.00 for my injuries. Is that enough?

I do not know where to go from here. –K.K. Dear K.K., The first step is to make sure that any injuries that you have suffered in the accident are examined and treated. You can recover treatment costs since they are considered “economic damages” that you suffered due to the accident. You can also recover for time away from work as “economic damages,” even if you used paid time off or sick leave.

The term “economic damages” means “objectively verifiable monetary losses including medical expenses, loss of earnings, burial costs, loss of use of property, costs of repair or replacement, costs of obtaining substitute domestic services, loss of employment and loss of business or employment opportunities.” Civil Code Section 1431.2(b)(1). A person’s claim for economic damages apart from medical expenses are often overlooked and not pursued by persons who settle their accident cases on their own, or with the assistance of inexperienced counsel.

Loss of earnings are often a significant part of an injured

Legal Advice Atty. DArriCk tAn person’s claim for economic damages. Damages are recoverable for both past and future lost earnings. To recover for past lost earnings, a person must prove the amount of income or earnings that he/she has lost to date.

To recover damages for future earnings, a person must prove the amount of income or earn-

outlines the amount of time that one has lost as a result of his/her injury, the loss of benefits, and the rate of pay during the time of loss is evidence of the value of one’s loss of earnings claim.

Other supporting documents include pay stubs, time cards, and tax returns. The monetary value of sick leave and vacation time that are used due to the injury are also recoverable. For those self-employed, earnings history as reflected by tax returns and profit and loss statements can help prove the value of lost earnings. Similar supporting documentation must be presented for future lost earnings.

Apart from economic damages, you can recover “general damages,” which are damages for the pain, suffering, and inconvenience due to the accident.

If you were suffered injury in an auto accident or someone’s premises, please contact our office to discuss your case. To maximize monetary recovery, it is important to have the assistance of an experienced attorney in presenting your personal injury claim. *** Darrick V. Tan, Esq. is admitted to practice law in California and Nevada. Mr. Tan is a graduate of UCLA and Southwestern University School of Law. He is a member of American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA), Consumers Attorney Association of Los Angeles (CAALA), and is a former member of the Board of Governors of the Philippine American Bar Association (PABA). LAW OFFICES OF DARRICK V. TAN, 3580 Wilshire Boulevard, Suite 900, Los Angeles, CA 90010. Tel: 323639-0277. Email: info@dtanlaw.com

“ The monetary value of sick leave and vacation time that are used due to the injury are also recoverable.” ings that he/she will be reasonably certain to lose in the future as a result of the injury. CACI No. 3903C. How are past lost earnings proven? Medical records, which show the doctor authorizing a release from work or giving instructions to restrict work activities, can support the time taken off from work due to the injury.

For those self-employed, medical providers typically do not provide a release from work; however, medical records should record work restrictions placed by the medical provider.

After showing that the time off was justified, the next step is to value the lost earnings. A letter from a person’s employer that

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Can I qualify for a green card despite...

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petition and visa; 6) and Beneficiary has strong family ties in the United States.

The beneficiary must be prepared to show proof of the original I-130 that was filed, proof of I-130 approval if approved, a copy of the Petitioner’s death certificate, proof of substitute sponsor’s relationship to the beneficiary, and meet all the I864 requirements *** Please note that this article is not legal advice and is not intended as legal advice.

The article is intended to provide only general, non-specific legal information.

This article is not intended to cover all the issues related to the topic discussed.

The specific facts that apply to your matter may make the outcome different than would be anticipated by you. This article does create any attorney client relationship between you and the Law Offices of Kenneth U. Reyes, P.C. This article is not a solicitation. *** Attorney Kenneth Ursua Reyes is a Certified Family Law Specialist. He was President of the Philippine American Bar Association. He is a member of both

the Family law section and Immigration law section of the Los Angeles County Bar Association. He is a graduate of Southwestern University Law School in Los Angeles and California State University, San Bernardino School of Business Administration. He has extensive CPA experience prior to law practice. LAW OFFICES OF KENNETH REYES, P.C. is located at 3699 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 747, Los Angeles, CA, 90010. Tel. (213) 388-1611 or e-mail “mailto:kenneth@kenreyeslaw. com” kenneth@kenreyeslaw.com or visit our website at Kenreyeslaw.com (Advertising Supplement)

C4 FEBRUARY 8-11, 2020 • LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL

http://www.asianjournal.com • (818) 502-0651 • (213) 250-9797

How does the bankruptcy means...

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stay in her house, which now belonged to him, for as long as she wanted, without rent. This was a verbal agreement. The client was 74 years old. The arrangement worked for her because even if she just rented a room, she would have to pay at least $500 a month. So, if she lived another 20 years, living in her house rentfree would be like getting back $120,000 over 20 years.

Even if she passed the means test with flying colors since her only income now was social security of $1,300, there was a big chance that the Chapter 7 trustee would invalidate the sale of the house to the brother in law since it was sold below market price only two years ago. If this happened, it would be a big disaster because she would lose the roof

over her head immediately and she would have nowhere to go.

The court confirmed her Chapter 13 plan recently where she paid only $152/month for 60 months. If she completes her Chapter 13 plan payment, the court will discharge $53,000 of her $60,000 credit cards. In other words, her Chapter 13 plan approved by the court will discharge 90 percent of her credit cards if she pays 10 percent of those cards over five years. There is no interest accruing during the five years because, with Chapter 13, credit cards cannot charge interest. All payments go to the reduction of principal.

People have different kinds of financial hardship, but they all benefit from total elimination of debt in Chapter 7 or partial elimination of debt in Chapter

Calendar of Events across

13. Either way, they end up with no debt eventually. I can say with certainty that 100% of my clients are better off with no debt after a bankruptcy discharge. They all become productive again and are much happier living their lives debt-free.

Most, if not all, have rebuilt their credit after only a couple of years. ***

People and Events LA-based Pinay artist Lynda A.N. Reyes to exhibit in Davis, CA and Kansas

Lawrence Bautista Yang specializes in Bankruptcy, Business, Real Estate and Civil Litigation, and has successfully represented more than five thousand clients in California. Please call Angie, Barbara or Jess at (626) 284-1142 for an appointment at 20274 Carrey Road, Walnut, CA 91789 or 1000 S. Fremont Ave., Mailstop 58, Building A-10 South Suite 10042, Alhambra, CA 91803.

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America

ADVERTISE YOUR EVENTS! PRE-EVENT AND POST EVENT GO DEEPER. GO WIDER. LET THE WORLD KNOW. CALL ASIAN JOURNAL: (818) 502-0651 DISPLAY AD SIZES AT SPECIAL RATES FOR NON-PROFIT GROUPS F E B R UA RY 1 4

Live jazz and dance event in Los Angeles Amintuh Productions invites everyone to the show, “A Valentine’s Night of Hearts Fusion with Debbie Torres” on Valentine’s Day, February 14, 2020 at 7:00 p.m. at Embassy Suites Los Angeles (800 N. Central Ave., Glendale, CA 91203). Tickets start at $45(Show only), an optional Dinner Ticket is also available for those who want a complete Valentine’s date package or simply enjoy having a delicious dinner with their family and friends! A cash bar and dance floor will also be available for your enjoyment. Dinner guests will be served at 7:30 p.m. with the main event beginning at 9:00 p.m., followed by dancing into the end of the evening. Feel the love in the air on Valentine’s Day through the energy of jazz composition and improvisation from an eclectic ensemble of instruments, from Piano to Saxophone. Tickets are available at www.amintuh.com, select “Shows” and you’ll be directed to an Eventbrite ticketing page. Sponsorships available, if interested, please contact us at amintuhpro@yahoo.com.

F E B R UA RY 1 5

Live Filipino Music at Hard Rock Cafe in Boston, MA An evening of live music at the Hard Rock Cafe - Boston with talented Filipino American bands and performers, including Arianne Aldecoa, Balut Proof, Highland Ave Band, Jireh Calo and John dela Cruise. Bring your special someone, your besties or your family on this Valentine’s Day weekend. For tickets/info, call Rowena (617) 407-0232 or Ning (508) 843-0346.

F E B R UA RY 23

SIPA and #Hashtag Lunchbag host food drive in Historic Filipinotown Search to Involve Pilipino Americans (SIPA) and #Hashtag Lunchbag are joining forces to create positive changes in Historic Filipinotown. On Sundays, February 23, May 17, September 13, November 22, and December 27, SIPA will be hosting a Food Drive with #HashtagLunchbag to create letters of encouragement, decorate lunch bags, and assemble sandwiches for those in need in Historic Filipinotown and Greater LA. When finished, we will be giving out lunch bags to homeless youth, women, and families. The event will be happening from 10 a.m.-1 p.m. at 3200 W Temple Street, LA, CA 90026. Parking is available on Dillon/Temple and Robinson/Temple.

Donations of $10+ are not required, but are highly suggested so that we can continue to have community service events like these. You can donate in person, through our Venmo: @SIPA-LA, and our Square Store: squareup.com/store/sipacares. If you have any questions or concerns, contact Maria Carmel Valendez at maria@sipacares.org or (213) 382-1819 ext. 107.

F E B R UA RY 29

23rd annual Susan G. Komen ‘More than Pink Walk’ in Los Angeles Susan G. Komen Los Angeles County will hold its 23rd annual event at Dodger Stadium on Saturday, February 29, the ‘MORE THAN PINK Walk™.’ Known for raising significant monies to help those with breast health issues in Los Angeles County, the affiliate does so with many activities, the Expo, Hope Village, for survivors and those living with breast cancer, Reflection Tent, and Team Zone in addition to the fun MORE THAN PINK Walk™ itself. There’s something everyone will enjoy. Sponsored by AutoNation, Spiritual Gangster, The Citadel and CBS-2/KCAL-9, 2020’s event is expected to significantly surpass 2019’s attendance of 6,000, nearly 400 survivors in attendance, and over 900 members on the largest corporate team.Through events like the Los Angeles County MORE THAN PINK Walk™, Komen Los Angeles County invests 75% of the funds raised to support vital local breast health services and dedicates the remaining 25% to national research to find the cures. Registration opens at 7:30 a.m., with opening ceremonies at 8:30 a.m. To participate, call 310.575.3011 or visit komenlacounty.org/walk.

Free oil filter & motor oil recycling event in South LA ATTENTION ALL FLORENCE-FIRESTONE RESIDENTS: Free Oil Filter & Motor Oil Recycling Event on Saturday, February 29! It will take place from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at AutoZone (5858 S. Central Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90001). Everyone is invited to bring in their used motor oil and used oil filters. All those who recycle their used oil filter will receive one FREE new Oil Filter.

Recycling motor oil and filters helps save our environment and keeps our water clean. So don’t miss out – it’ll be easier for you to keep your car running smoothly and efficiently.

MARCH 7

‘The Filipino Instant Pot Cookbook’ family cooking demo and book signing in Long Beach, CA Flipp Family and Romeo Chocolates Present “The Filipino Instant Pot Cookbook” demo and book signing on Saturday, March 7 from 1-4 p.m. This is a two-part event: 1-2 p.m. (Paid ticket required): Cooking demo will be an interactive experience where everyone, including the kids will be able to learn one of the recipes from the cookbook. Romeo, owner of Romeo Chocolates, will also do a special champorado recipe that can easily be made in the Instant Pot as well! This portion requires a paid ticket. Kids are free with adult ticket purchase. 2-4 p.m. is free, but RSVP ticket required: After the cooking demo, you will be able to purchase the cookbook or bring your copy to get signed. Hangout with the authors in an intimate casual setting. “The Filipino Instant Pot Cookbook” features over 75 traditional Filipino recipes, including desserts adapted for the Instant Pot. It is the brainchild of six Filipino American home cooks “who set out to explore their Filipino heritage and intimate family histories, one dish at a time.” The Filipino Instant Pot Cookbook has been so well received that it is now a bestseller on Amazon. Flipp Family is building community by cultivating the Filipino culture through various events that are highlighted through food, music, dance etc. Flipp Family is about bringing families together and learn more about their culture as a whole family. The event will be held at Romeo Chocolates at 460 Pine Ave, Long Beach, CA 90802.

If you have an upcoming event and would like us to post it, please email us the details at info@asianjournalinc.com or calendar@asianjournalinc.com

LOS Angeles-based Filipina American artist Lynda A. N. Reyes has two art exhibits to usher in the New Year.

Her oil painting “Port Hueneme,” will be featured in the Magic Hour Exhibition at the Rice Gallery of Fine Arts from February 7 until March 13, 2020 in Kansas.

Another painting, a watercolor “Walking Along Venice Beach,” will be featured in the Water + Color National Juried Exhibition at the Pence Gallery in Davis California from February 14 until March 31, 2020.

The Magic Hour Exhibition in Kansas features paintings of 40 artists that have been hand-selected by a panel of jurors from over 400 online submissions, offering a unique survey of works celebrating that very special time of day when the sun either rises from or sets on the horizon.

All works featured in the show will also be included in an online “digital art opening,” which will present images of each painting via Facebook, YouTube, and www.thericegallery.com.

Lynda’s landscape paintings, such as the “Port Hueneme,” are picture windows where viewers are invited to stop and ponder about the imagery and perhaps, picture themselves as part of the scene. Her scene paintings, whether big or small, are almost

hypnotic. As the painting lures its viewers into a deep contemplation of the subject, the viewers unconsciously participate in the creative process. They relate to the scene depicted and at the same time imagine themselves participants in that moment of time and place. This oil painting was one of the finalists in the landscape category of the Artists” Magazine 27th Annual Competition and was previously exhibited at the Brand Gallery in Glendale.

The watercolors of Lynda are most fascinating and just simply captivating. In her “Walking Along Venice Beach” — to be exhibited at the Pence Gallery in Davis, California — the challenge to render in transparent watercolor a simple or complicated subject using one of the most difficult and unforgiving media in the visual arts is clearly evident in this art work.

The swift, fluid and spontaneous brushstrokes combined with the detailed meticulous rendering of human figures highlighted by brilliant colors draw attention to the otherwise subtle content of her paintings. It is a peaceful day at the Boardwalk at Venice Beach in LA in California. The viewers are reminded of that lively side of Venice that can ignite one’s creativity, spirit, fun, laughter and curiosity.

Sponsored by Bob and Joanne Andresen, the Water + Color Exhibit was juried by Sandy Delehanty. Out of 374 images submitted online from all over the U.S., 28 paintings were chosen for this exhibit to celebrate the vibrancy of the watercolor medium in contemporary art. A highlight of the show is a discussion on the history of watercolor from the Middle Ages to the Golden Age of watercolor in the 18th and 19th-century British art by Dr. Catherine Anderson, Professor of Art at Sacramento City College on March 7 from 23 p.m.

Lynda has had seven museum exhibits in California, Wisconsin, Louisiana, Pennsylvania and Montana and has had participated in national juried shows in Berkeley, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Burbank, Sherman Oaks, Tarzana, Sta. Monica, Glendale, Brea in Orange County and in out-of-state shows in Kentucky, Canada, Maryland, Wisconsin, Colorado and New York. She also had a solo exhibit in Burbank. Her lengthy resume attests to her extensive expertise in the arts, not just in painting but also in art history, authorship and education. Lynda maintains her studio and gallery in Glendale, California.

For further information, please visit www. Lyndaanreyes.com. . ■

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MARKETPLACE SHOWROOM

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Supreme Court clears way for Duty Free adds perks to OFWs, balikbayans new public charge regulations

Immigration Corner

by CZERIZA

VALENCIA Philstar.com

ATTY. MICHAEL GURFINKEL, ESQ THE U.S. Supreme Court recently cleared the way for the Trump Administration to enforce new (and tougher) public charge regulations, which USCIS announce will become effective on February 24, 2020. The new regulations expand the list of public benefits as well as the factors USCIS officers may consider to determine if it is “more likely than not” a person will ever become a public charge (or dependent on taxpayers for care and support).

The plan is to deny green cards unless the person proves they are self-sufficient or relies on family for support, and not on public assistance. USCIS will be evaluating whether a person would be considered “inadmissible” to the U.S. “based on his or her likelihood of becoming a public charge at any time in the future…”

“Public charge” means a person had received certain public benefits for over 12 months in a three-year period. These benefits include: • Supplemental Security Income (SSI) • Cash benefits for income maintenance • Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) • Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program (SNAP or food stamps) • Medicaid and certain housing benefits. (Medicaid for aliens under 21, pregnant women, and emergency medical services

would not be considered against the person.)

As part of the public charge evaluation, USCIS will consider the alien’s age, health, private health insurance, assets, education, credit score, ability to speak English, employment history, etc., to determine the likelihood that the person will become a public charge at any time in the future.

Some of the “negative factors” include if a person is over 60 or under 18 years of age. Aliens must also submit a Declaration of Selfsufficiency (Form I-944).

According to USCIS, “self-sufficiency has been a core tenant of the American dream. Selfreliance, industriousness, and perseverance laid the foundation of our nation and have defined generations of hard-working immigrants seeking opportunity in the United States ever since.” In other words, the Trump administration wants to stop situations where a person is petitioned for a green card, and as soon as they get that green card, they apply for as many public benefits as possible, considering those benefits to be “free,” but in reality, are being funded by taxpayers. Trump doesn’t want new immigrants living off of taxpayers. Instead, they either must support themselves or seek support from their family members, especially from the one who signed the affidavit of support.

But what will happen after February 24, 2020, when people petition their elderly parents as immediate relatives? It’s likely the parents are retired or over 61, such that the USCIS (or the Em-

bassy) could deny the visa, based on the “likelihood” of the beneficiary becoming a public charge at any time in the future.

If you’re considering petitioning family members, you should do so as soon as possible, because any application or petition already pending with USCIS as of the effective date will still be evaluated under the old, more lenient standards on public charge.

You should also seek the advice of an attorney in connection with petitioning family members and/or preparing affidavits of support, as the attorney could help evaluate and identify any potential public charge issues, which could result in a denial. *** Michael J. Gurfinkel has been an attorney for over 35 years and is licensed, and an active member of the State Bars of California and New York. All immigration services are provided by, or under the supervision of, an active member of the State Bar of California.

Each case is different and results may depend on the facts of the particular case. The information and opinions contained herein (including testimonials, “Success Stories”, endorsements and re-enactments) are of a general nature, and are not intended to apply to any particular case, and do not constitute a prediction, warranty, guarantee or legal advice regarding the outcome of your legal matter.

No attorney-client relationship is, or shall be, established with any reader.

WEBSITE: www.gurfinkel.com Follow us on Facebook.com/GurfinkelLaw and Twitter @GurfinkelLaw Call Toll free to schedule a consultation for anywhere in the US: 1-866-487-3465 (866) – GURFINKEL Four offices to serve you: LOS ANGELES · SAN FRANCISCO · NEW YORK · PHILIPPINES (Advertising Supplement)

Business Quote of the Week “I think success needs to be defined on your own terms.

If you look to outside sources (friends, media, the internet) for constant validation, you will never feel fulfilled.”

— Jaclyn Johnson, Author and CEO of Create and Cultivate

MANILA, Philippines — Staterun Duty Free Philippines Corp.(DFPC) continues to prioritize overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) and balikbayans as it offers new discounts to its top market segment.

In a statement, DFPC said OFWs and balikbayans will be entitled to a 10% discount on all regular priced items when they shop Duty Free Philippines Fiestamall on February 1 until March 14, 2020.

“We at DFPC would like to express our gratitude to our OFWs and balikbayans who have been our major market for the past 32 years,” DFPC chief operating officer Vicente Pelagio Angala said.

“In return for the sacrifices

they have endured working in other countries to support their families, our Bagong Bayani deserves more benefits aside from their exclusive duty free shopping privilege,” he added.

DFPC said OFWs and balikbayans, need to avail or present their Balikbayan Plus Card upon registration along with their passports and any proof of their overseas employment (for OFWs) such as Seaman’s Record Book or OFW Electronic Identification Card.

The company earlier said OFWs and balikbayans along with Filipino tourists, remained DFPC’s top source market with a share of 85% in 2019.

Angala said earlier he is optimistic of further sales growth this year, as he sees doubledigit sales growth in the first few weeks of January.

“We are still finalizing it but

we are optimistic that will maintain our upward trajectory,” Angala said when asked of the company’s sales growth target this year.

DFPC reported earlier that 2019 sales grew 4% to $226 million from $217 million in 2018.

Without disclosing exact figures, DFPC said nationwide sales in the first three weeks of January are 15% higher than sales in the same period last year.

“DFPC welcomes the year with optimism that we will sustain our positive business performance,” Angala said.

“We aim to further expand our market reach with the opening of new duty free stores and expansion of our merchandise lineup,” he added.

Angala cited the opening a new Duty Free Store inside the Hilton PAGE D2

Jollibee padlocks 14 China stores in coronavirus epicenter

by MAILA

AGER Inquirer.net

FAST-food giant Jollibee Foods Corp. (JFC) has temporarily padlocked 14 of its restaurant outlets under the Yonghe King brand in central China’s province of Hubei, whose capital city, Wuhan, is the epicenter of coronavirus contagion.

JFC has likewise taken steps to protect the health of its employees in China and contributed to the community by providing free meals to front-line medical staff since Jan. 30, JFC told the Philippine Stock Exchange on Tuesday.

China accounts for 6.5% of total JFC network and 7.4% of global systemwide sales. Within China, the 14 closed stores located in Hubei represented less than 1% of the total JFC store network and 3.6% of the total store network in China.

The shutdown of the 14 stores is part of China government’s efforts to contain the virus that has

Inquirer.net file photo

spooked the global community.

JFC said it’s ”taking the necYonghe King is a local noodle essary measures to protect the house chain that JFC acquired in health of all its employees in 2012 and expanded since then.

PAGE D2

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London think tank says PH manufacturing not only Billionaire Enrique Razon bags survived Taal eruption, but grew faster in January majority voting rights in Manila Water

by Ben

o. de Vera Inquirer.net

THE eruption of Taal Volcano disrupted the operations of some companies in Calabarzon last January but the Philippines’ manufacturing sector posted a faster growth that month, according to London-based information provider IHS Markit Ltd. The latest IHS Markit Philippines Manufacturing Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) released on Monda (Feb. 3) showed that the seasonally adjusted PMI further increased to 52.1 last January from 51.7 in December 2019.

A score of more than 50 PMI reflected an overall increase in manufacturing activity.

David Owen, IHS Markit economist, said while “some businesses were notably affected” by the eruption, “for the most part,

the Philippines manufacturing sector continued to grow.”

“Operating conditions improved at the joint-strongest pace for a year, with production increasing moderately amid stronger demand for goods,” Owen said.

Taal’s eruption caused displacement of people and disruption of businesses in areas that included the provinces of Batangas and Cavite, which took the brunt of the eruption’s impact.

Economic zones in Calabarzon host some of the country’s biggest manufacturing and export sectors, including cigarettes, electronics and semiconductors.

“In particular, export sales have now risen in three out of the past four months, signalling an improving trade climate as U.S.-China relations appear to brighten,” said Owen.

“If this is sustained, sales

growth could strengthen further this year,” he added.

Owen was referring to Washington and Beijing’s “phase one” trade deal, which the two global economic giants signed last Jan. 15, about two years after U.S. President Donald Trump waged a trade war on China.

Owen, however, took note that Taal’s eruption also highlighted the Philippines’ problem with road traffic which he said “disrupted delivery times in each of the past six months.”

He said the Philippine government was now addressing road bottlenecks with its ambitious “Build, Build, Build” infrastructure program.

“This is clearly an important project for manufacturers, with several pinning confidence around future output onto improved traffic conditions,” Owen said. n

Thailand eyed as face mask source by louella

desIderIo

Philstar.com

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) has identified Thailand as a good source of surgical masks which the country could tap to boost local supply, noting a Thai manufacturer could provide more than one million masks a month.

Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez told reporters that the DTI’s attached agency Philippine International Trading Corp. (PITC) has been ordered to source surgical masks overseas and has received feedback from a Thai supplier.

As the government’s priority is to have available supply of surgical masks for the Department of Health (DOH) and other health workers, he said the Thai supplier could be tapped for this purpose.

The DOH needs about two million masks for the next three months.

Earlier, Lopez said the sole producer of face masks in the country, Medtecs International Corp. Ltd., could provide masks to the government, with 100,000 pieces to be given this week, and 400,000 pieces per week thereafter.

Drugstores, he said could also get their supply of surgical masks from the Thai firm.

This Feb. 3, 2020, file photo shows Prime Metroline Holdings Inc Chairman and President Enrique K. Razon (R) and Ayala Chairman and CEO Jaime Augusto Zobel de Ayala (L).

Philstar.com file photo

by Ian

nIcolas cIgaral Philstar.com

MANILA, Philippines — Ports and casino tycoon Enrique Razon bagged a majority voting rights in embattled Manila Water Company Inc., the utility’s parent, Ayala Corp., said Thursday, February 6.

Earlier this week, Manila Water said Razon-led infrastructure company Prime Metroline Holdings Inc. bought 820 million common shares of the water firm at a price of P13 apiece. Ayala Corp. remains a shareholder with a 38.6% stake.

In a disclosure to the stock exchange, Ayala Corp. said the company’s executive committee gave Trident Water, the new company that Razon set up for its deal with Ayala, a 51% voting interest in Manila Water.

Philwater Holdings Company, a subsidiary of Ayala Corp., holds Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez

“For retail, we are encouraging the drugstores, if you can’t source from your typical supplier, you can get from here (Thailand),” he said.

He said sourcing from Thailand could be done soon, as the stocks are available.

Apart from Thailand, another source of surgical masks the Philippines could tap is India.

“There is another source, India, but it will take them 30 days

Philstar.com file photo

to manufacture,” Lopez said.

Apart from Thailand and India, PITC was in touch with Pakistan, Vietnam, U.S. and some countries in the European Union (EU) for the possible supply of masks.

Pakistan, U.S. and EU countries have indicated limited stocks.

Supply of face masks in the market has become tight amid a surge in demand following confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus in the country. n

65.95% of voting shares in Manila Water. Upon the grant of proxy rights to Trident Water, Ayala’s effective voting interest in Manila Water will stand at 31.6%.

“The shareholders’ agreement will become effective after the closing of the subscription agreement, which will occur after certain conditions are met, including required lenders’ consent and regulatory approvals,” Ayala Corp. said.

“This arrangement aims to strategically rationalize the economic and voting stakes between Ayala and Trident Water as strategic partners in Manila Water,” it added.

President Rodrigo Duterte has berated both Manila Water and Maynilad Water Services Inc. after a Singapore-based arbitration panel ordered the Philippine government to indemnify the two water providers for losses they

suffered from an unenforced rate hike.

The president accused both companies of having government contracts with “onerous” provisions that are disadvantageous to the public and threatened to terminate their concession deals, sending their shares tumbling.

The concessionaires have since dropped more than P10 billion in compensation claims from the government.

The Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System, the Philippines’ water regulator, has rescinded the 15-year extension of the water concession deals, derailing the two utilities’ long-term plans.

Razon’s transaction with the Ayalas will infuse P10.7 billion in additional equity capital to Manila Water to support the company’s expansion plans and “growth initiatives.” n

Finance Dept: China virus to make PH tourism, exports suffer

by MayVelIn

u. caraBallo Manilatimes.net

THE 2019 novel coronavirus acute respiratory disease (2019nCoV ARD) that broke out in China and has spread overseas would likely drag growth in the Philippines’ tourism and export sectors this year, Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III said on Tuesday, February 4.

Dominguez’s view was shared by a number of analysts, who estimated that the virus’ impact on the local economy would reach between $300 million and $600 million.

“A significant impact on the economy [would] most likely be centered on the tourism sector,” Dominguez told a Senate hear-

ing on Tuesday, February 4.

According to him, travel restrictions imposed by the government to protect Filipinos’ health would likely decrease the sector’s direct gross value added.

Latest data from the Department of Tourism (DoT) showed that the number of foreign tourists in the country reached 7.48 million in the first 11 months of 2019, up 15.58 percent from the year-ago figure. Tourists from mainland China were the second-highest in the period, with 1.62 million.

Although Dominguez emphasized that it was still too early to determine the economic impact of these restrictions, he said the DoT had committed to continue

looking for opportunities in partnership with industry stakeholders.

“The agency will intensify the promotion of domestic destinations for local travelers who have decided to postpone or forego international travel for the time being,” he added.

The Finance chief also said the lockdown imposed by Beijing on the city of Wuhan — considered a hub of transport and industry in central China, and where the virus originated — could create some supply-chain problems that would affect trade elsewhere.

Since China is the Philippines’ top trading partner, Dominguez said this would have an effect on Manila’s outbound shipments.

PAGE D3

Duty Free adds perks to OFWs...

PAGE D1 t Hotel in Clark by March or April as among the potential growth drivers for the company, as it will capitalize on the increasing number of international flights in Clark.

In June, DFPC signed a partnership with Dongwang Clark Corp.(DCC), the Philippine subsidiary of the Sun Valley Group of South Korea, to open a Duty Free outlet at the Hilton Sun Valley Resort inside Clark Freeport Zone.

DFPC is the country’s sole operator of the duty-and taxfree merchandising system. It is mandated to satisfy the duty-free shopping needs of international travelers including balikbayans and OFWs.age of Filipino households had at least one member who was or had been an OFW. Of these households, a fourth belongs to the highest wealth quintile, a tenth belongs to the middle wealth quintile and 4.3% belongs to the lowest wealth quintile.

Among households receiving

or have received remittances from OFWs, most are in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM), Cagayan Valley, and the Ilocos Region.

Regions with the lowest percentages of households with current or former OFWs are Caraga, Mimaropa and Central Luzon.

As around 2.3 million Filipinos migrate overseas for better jobs, around 13% of 100.9 million Filipinos have been migrating internally in the past five years from less prosperous regions or cities in the country to regions where there are better economic opportunities.

Some of these internal migrants are lifetime migrants or those residing in a place different from the usual residence of their parents.

The NMS also showed that most lifetime migrants settle in the National Capital Region, Calabarzon, Central Luzon, Davao Region and Central Visayas.

These internal migrations were

found to be significant sources of remittances as well.

The NMS survey found that 48% of the population aged 15 and over responded that they have been receiving remittances from local sources. Four percent, meanwhile, reported receiving remittances from both sources.

PSA said this indicates that “domestic remittances are just as important as international remittances.”

By age group, senior citizens— those in the age group of 60 and over—were the top recipients of remittances while those in the age groups 30 up to 39 and those aged 40 up to 49 were the strongest senders of remittances.

Money transfer operators was the predominant mode for transferring remittances both domestically (90%) and internationally, followed by remittances through banks.

Transfers through families and friends, meanwhile “were not so common.” n

Jollibee padlocks 14 China stores...

PAGE D1 t China, such as allowing employees to work from home, providing them with health guidelines to keep them and their families healthy and safe, including providing them with protective masks.”

“While it is too early to determine the total impact of the novel coronavirus on its business in China, JFC remains very committed to keep building and growing a profitable business in China,” the company said.after Duterte barred his Cabinet from traveling to the U.S. Lacson noted that the Philippines is exporting at least U.S.$10-billion worth of goods annually to the U.S., which accounts for at least 52% of the total U.S. military financing and aid to the entire Asia-Pacific region.

“Considering these numbers,

an indefinite travel ban now imposed on all members of the Cabinet could have adverse consequences on our country’s economy and security, not to mention the many employed Filipino immigrants in that country, especially if the U.S. responds and retaliates to the recent tirades of President Duterte,” he said in a text message.

“I hope some of the Cabinet members will have the courage and sensibility to speak to him to reconsider,” Lacson added.

Duterte’s order to bar the Cabinet from going to the U.S. followed his threat to terminate the Visiting Forces Agreement between the two countries.

All these were triggered by the U.S.’ cancelation of visa of Duterte’s close ally, Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa, who was chief implementor of the gov-

ernment’s brutal war on drugs when he was the police chief.

“It’s a sign of his (Duterte) displeasure,” Senate President Vicente “Tito” Sotto III said in a separate text message when asked about the travel ban on the Cabinet’s US travels.

For his part, Dela Rosa noted that when Cabinet officials joined this government, they were expected to “sink or swim” with it.

“If they are not ready to sink, then they have an option to quit swimming with this government,” he said in another text message.

Opposition Senator Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan, meanwhile, criticized the travel ban, saying the government should have barred instead the entry of Chinese nationals from areas infected with coronavirus. n

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Fitch flags Philippines lack of focus on clean energy Privacy body stops Grab’s test of video, audio recording of passengers

by Danessa

RiveRa Philstar.com

Inquirer.net file photo by Richard A. Reyes

by Roy

stephen C. Canivel Inquirer.net

Privacy body stops Grab’s test of video, audio recording of passengers The country’s privacy watchdog agency had suspended a pilot test of Grab Philippines that kept video and recordings of its passengers, noting that the company gave more weight to its risks than its riders’.

The National Privacy Commission (NPC) had also suspended the selfie verification program of Grab for the same reason.

These three initiatives, the NPC said, “may endanger the privacy rights of the riding public.”

The issue marked another point of conflict with regulators, as Grab Philippines remains the biggest player in the local ride hailing market after buying out Uber, its main competitor, in 2018.

The Uber buyout triggered competition concerns that were not always addressed.

In this case, personal data collected by Grab was supposed to help authorities piece together information in cases of conflict which would allow Grab to give police the entire picture if requested.

The video recording system, for example, will give Grab employees in the Grab Office a front row seat to what is happening inside a vehicle in cases of the driver pushing the emergency button.

The NPC said despite good intentions, the efforts failed to strike a balance between security and privacy.

The commission added that Grab had not given much thought to the risks passengers are being exposed to and “only the risks faced by the company were taken into account.”

The NPC said while it “believes that the security of passengers and drivers is a primordial concern, their privacy rights must not be disregarded.”

The commission sent a cease and desist order to Grab last Tuesday (Feb. 4) a few days after the NPC flagged Grab’s deficiencies in a notice issued on Jan. 31.

The Jan. 31 notice came long after Grab had already started its pilot test of the new security features, which began on Jan. 13 for 180 Grab vehicles in Metro Manila.

The pilot test ran for two to six weeks with half of the number of cars being equipped with cameras while others equipped with audio recording equipment.

At the launch of the pilot test, Grab said the new measures were another “layer of security” for drivers and passengers.

Similar programs were launched in other countries, such as Grab in Jakarta and Uber in the United States.

Grab had said it was complying with the Data Privacy Act but the NPC said the company failed to cite a legal basis for collecting passenger data.

The NPC also said Grab was unable to establish if benefits outweighed risks and if the new security layer was the only way to achieve its objective.

Grab had tried to downplay pri-

vacy concerns by saying that riders always had the choice to opt out without penalty after being informed in advance of the recording equipment.

If the passenger consented, Grab said audio and video recordings would be encrypted and stored in Grab’s database for seven days for audio and 10 hours for video.

The NPC, however, said details about how passengers could opt out were “not sufficiently communicated.” The agency added it was not clear how data processing would be done if consent had been withdrawn.

The NPC gave the company 15 days from Jan. 31, or until the first half of February, to comply with proposed remedial measures. The measures were not specified.

The cease and desist order would remain in effect on a caseto-case basis for each of Grab’s data privacy programs until Grab had addressed the deficiencies cited by the NPC. The NPC clarified that the order was not a penalty, but an opportunity for Grab to fully comply with the law.

The NPC stopped short of saying whether it would bar Grab from using the recording systems subject of the order.

“The move, in effect, secures the riding public from unwanted privacy exposure,” said the NPC. It also gave Grab a chance to “modify its system to be complaint with the DPA,” the NPC added, referring to the Data Privacy Act. Grab has not responded to requests for comment. n

MANILA, Philippines — Fitch Solutions Macro Research has flagged the country’s lack of focus on clean energy development in its long-term energy plan, particularly in the development of natural gas, liquefied natural gas (LNG) and renewables, as “worrying.”

The Philippines needs to import more LNG amid declining output from Malampaya, Fitch said.

Based on its outlook for the Philippines LNG imports, Fitch said the country lacks emphasis on natural gas, LNG and renewables in the Philippines’ Energy Plan (PEP) 2017-2040 and this remains a source of potential concern.

“While promoting ‘a low carbon future’ remains one of eight strategic directions outlined in the PEP, the plan does not include specific targets for clean energy development. This creates the risk that strategic pillars such as ‘improving energy security’ and ‘expanding energy access’ that are also outlined in the PEP may not necessarily be achieved by stronger gas off-take, particularly in light of cheaper coal,” it said.

The long-term energy mix target of the Department of Energy (DOE) published in 2017 projected coal’s share to increase by a

substantial 20 percent by 2040, while the share for all other energy sources contract.

“This indicates that while Manila is prepared to offset the fall in Malampaya’s gas via LNG imports, there is yet no certainty that it is ready to steer the energy mix towards gas and LNG, in the manner of certain regional neighbors,” Fitch Solutions said.

“The abundance of announced projects, and government’s receptive stance towards them is a sign, although any LNG growth significantly beyond peak contribution from Malampaya, would first need to be preceded by a clearer state push towards gas and LNG,” it said.

Currently, the Philippines’ main source of gas is the Malampaya field, which supplies 15 percent of the country’s total electricity and supplies fuel to 20 percent of the Luzon grid’s capacity.

However, the Malampaya’s supply is rapidly declining, with output expected to be depleted latest by 2027 based on DOE’s own projections.

Fitch Solutions said there are efforts to extend Malampaya’s life, but it is expected to have limited impact.

Malampaya operator Royal Dutch Shell through local unit Shell Philippines Exploration B.V. (SPEX) has submitted a request to extend its current contract for Service Contract 38—which ends in 2024—until 2030 based on re-

cent satellite finds.

The research firm, however, said “the DOE has been reluctant to extend the contract in its current form.”

In September last year, Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi said he is not keen on unilaterally extending SC 38 for the Malampaya gas project. If ever, extending SC 38 should be renegotiated under new terms.

Instead, he is open to renegotiate the Malampaya contract with the current consortium led

by Shell Philippines Exploration B.V. (SPEX) on new terms.

While Fitch Solutions noted the country’s attempt to boost exploration through the Philippine Conventional Energy Contracting Program (PCECP), this would take time.

This situation prompts LNG importation as a quicker solution but is also hounded by risks of project delays, Fitch Solutions said.

An example of which is the “painfully slow” progress of Energy World Corp.’s Pagbilao LNG project due to funding concerns, regulatory hold ups and delays to gaining approval to connect to the national grid.

The Pagbilao LNG project is projected to enable imports of up to three metric tons per annum of LNG imports, mainly to supply gas-fired power generation units of 650 megawatts within the complex. n

Finance Dept: China virus to make PH...

PAGE D2 t “In the immediate term, the temporary closures of factories in China and possible disruption in global supply chains may cause a temporary [and] slight decline in our exports, particularly of electronics and auto parts,” he said.

More than half of Philippine exports to China last year were of electronic parts, according to Dominguez.

With this, the Finance chief said the Department of Trade and Industry had committed to work closely with affected Chinese and China-based companies that would be looking to strengthen their operations by adding a pro- Finance Secretary Carlos Domingues III “Other vulnerable sectors induction site outside the East Asian clude airlines, gaming, lodging country. and leisure,” he added.

‘When China sneezes’ Roces projected probable losses Security Bank Corp. chief economist Robert Dan Roces said tour- to Philippine growth could reach ism would be the first to be hit by $300 million (-0.1 percent) a quar2019-nCoV since China was the ter from tourism and external trade second-largest tourist market after losses alone.

For his part, ING Bank Manila South Korea.

ManilaTimes.net file photo

senior economist Nicholas Antonio Mapa said the virus’ impact on tourism and trade could hit as high as $600 million.

“In this case, when China sneezes, the Philippines catches a cold and picks up a cough given recent developments in economic ties,” he added. n

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Kuwait deployment ban partially lifted

by Tina

G. SanToS Inaquirer.net

THE Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) on Thursday, February 6 ordered the partial lifting of the deployment ban in Kuwait for overseas Filipino workers (OFWs), except for household service workers (HSWs)—both new and returning.

“It will take some very serious study before we can consider lifting the ban on HSWs,” said Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III. “Exempted from the ban are the skilled workers, semiskilled workers and professionals. Both the new hires and returning can already be deployed,” he said, adding that the directive was effective immediately.

According to Bello, the decision to partially lift the ban was in response to the approval of a harmonized contract of employment for OFWs between Kuwait and the Philippines.

“This is a measure that would provide effective and efficient

Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III

protection to our overseas workers,” he said.

Employers charged The POEA imposed last month a total deployment ban on all OFWs in Kuwait following the killing of HSW Jeanelyn Villavende, allegedly by her employers.

A National Bureau of Investigation autopsy report showed that Villavende was not just tortured but also sexually abused by her employer before she was killed in

Inquirer.net file photo

the Gulf state in December 2019.

Bello said he was informed that Villavende’s employers have already been charged with murder and are now in detention.

A 2018 labor deal between Kuwait and the Philippines meant to protect HSWs have the following terms: allowing Filipino HSWs to keep their passports and cell phones, setting one day off with pay, and designated working and sleeping hours. n

Lexus posts new sales record in 2019 HIGH-END automaker Lexus sold a record 765,330 units worldwide last year, up 10% from the 2018 figure.

It credits the well-received UX and redesigned ES that were introduced in 2018; the popular RX, which was partially redesigned last August; and the expanding luxury market in China as having helped drive overall sales.

By region, Lexus sold approximately 325,000 units in North America; approximately 202,000 in China and Hong Kong, up 25 % year-on-year; approximately 87,000 in Europe, up 14%; approximately 62,000 in Japan, up 13%; approximately 32,000 in the Middle East, up 8%; and approximately 34,000 in East Asia, also up 8%.

“I would like to express my heartfelt appreciation to each and every Lexus customer around the world. From the time of our founding, we at Lexus have been earnestly pursuing the spirit of innovation and untiring evolution, and we will continue to take up the challenge of building vehicles that exceed our customers’ expectations,” Lexus International President Koji Sato said.

“Looking forward, based on our ‘Lexus Electrified’ vision, we will expand our lineup of electri-

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Lexus International President Koji Sato

fied vehicles, starting with the launch of our first BEV production model, the UX300e. We will further evolve the Lexus DNA to achieve the ideal balance of ride comfort and quietness with driver confidence and engagement,” he added.

“By applying advanced Lexus technologies such as the integrated control of drive power, learned over many years developing electric motor control technologies in our hybrid vehicles, we will provide an inspiring

ManilaTimes.net file photo

and enjoyable driving experience unique to Lexus.”

Established more than 30 years ago, Lexus is a global luxury automotive brand with an unwavering commitment to bold, uncompromising design, exceptional craftsmanship and exhilarating performance. It has developed its lineup to meet the needs of the next generation of global luxury guests and is currently available in more than 90 countries worldwide. (ManilaTimes. net) n

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