021721 - Southern California Midweek Edition

February 17-19, 2021 Volume 31 - No. 13 • 2 Sections - 14 Pages

DATELINE USA FROM THE AJPRESS NEWS TEAM ACROSS AMERICA

Elderly Pinay attacked on San Diego trolley AMID a surge of violence against older Asian Americans across the country, an elderly Filipina was the victim of a random attack in San Diego, California on Monday, February 15.

The Pinay senior citizen, who has not been identified, was riding a trolley when a man, unprovoked, started punching her, sources told ABC 10News.

The station said witnesses helped the victim report the attack to the police. She was later treated at a local hospital.

Police arrested a suspect, whose details were not released, for “assault with a deadly weapon with an elder abuse enhancement,” according to the news station, but the incident was not considered a hate crime.

Violent attacks against elderly Asian Americans have gone viral in the past month.

In late January, 84-year-old Vicha Ratanapakdee, who was originally from Thailand, died from injuries after Antoine Watson, 19, knocked him to the ground

Mass vaccination site opens at Cal State LA Part of Biden administration’s vaccine goal in first 100 days

by CHRISTINA

M. ORIEL

AJPress

A COVID-19 mass vaccination site under the Biden administration’s partnership with the state is now open at California State University, Los Angeles.

The site in East LA opened on Tuesday, February 16 as one of two in the Golden State and the first of 100 planned locations across the country. The vaccination site at Oakland-Alameda Coliseum was also

launched simultaneously.

The LA and Oakland sites will be run by the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES) and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) as part of the new administration’s pledge to vaccinate 100 million Americans during President Joe Biden’s first 100 days in office.

Both sites were chosen to help “expand the rate of vaccinations in California in an efficient, effective, and equitable manner, with an explicit focus

IMMIGRATION reform, a term that has become synonymous with political gridlock and ideological barriers to entry, may finally be on the horizon after decades of unsuccessful attempts from both Democrats and Republicans.

White House officials confirmed that President Joe Biden and congressional Democrats are expected to release a sweeping immigration reform bill this week.

The bill — called the U.S. Citizenship Act of 2021 — was first announced on Jan. 20 shortly after Biden’s inauguration. It had been marketed as the start of a more “fair, orderly [and] humane” immigration system, as previously reported in the Asian Journal.

“There’s a lot of talk, with good reason, about the number of executive orders that I’ve signed. I’m not making new law — I’m eliminating bad policy,” Biden said at the Oval Office on Tuesday, Feb. 2 when he signed three

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Palace: PH should get close to $16 billion compensation from US

by RITCHEL

MENDIOLA AJPress

AFTER President Rodrigo Duterte demanded that the United States pay for the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA), Malacañang said that the Philippines should get “something like $16 billion or close to that amount” from the U.S. Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque pointed out how little the U.S. has provided in terms of military assistance to the Philippines from 2002 to 2017.

Citing a study by Washington-based Stimson Center on counterterrorism spending, Roque said the Philippines only received $3.9 billion for counterterrorism efforts compared to Pakistan’s $16.4 billion.

“When did Pakistan become an ally of America? They do not have a basis to say that they have a longstanding relationship with America unlike the Filipinos who died in the Death March during World War II,” he said on Monday, February 15.

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Biden, Democrats’ immigration reform bill: A slow start toward pro-immigrant policy, experts say

on making sure that communities with a high risk of COVID-19 exposure and infection are not left behind,” Cal OES said in a statement.

“This is what this site is all about,’’ Newsom said during the Cal State LA site opening on Tuesday morning. “It’s proximate to a community that has been disproportionately impacted by this pandemic. The effort here is to address that issue forthrightly.’’

INAUGURATION. National Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana (left), Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea (2nd from left), Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat (2nd from right), and Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade (right), lead the inauguration and commissioning of the repair and overlay of the newly-constructed taxiway of the Terminal 2 of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport in Pasay City on Tuesday, February 16. Fire trucks use water cannons to salute the aircraft from Philippine Airlines, Cebu Pacific, and AirAsia.

PNA photo by Avito C. Dalan

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PH Supreme Court junks Marcos’ poll protest vs Robredo

by KRISTINE JOY

PATAG

formed that seven members fully concurred in dismissal while eight concurred in the result,” Hosaka said.

MANILA — The Supreme Court, sitting as Three hours after the SC made the anPresidential Electoral Tribunal, has junked nouncement on the voting, lawyer Vic Rodriformer Sen. Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos guez, Marcos’ spokesperson, falsely claimed Jr.’s poll protest against Vice President Leni that the tribunal only dismissed their second Robredo. cause of action, which is on the recount of According to a source, the tribunal unani- votes in the pilot provinces and their bid on mously dismissed the electoral protest on the annulment of votes in Mindanao is still Tuesday, February 16. pending. “(Y)es unanimously dismissed,” the source At 5:00 p.m., the SC issued an “updated told Philstar.com. press briefer” that stressed that the “entire SC spokesperson Brian Hosaka in a press electoral protest” was unanimously disconference confirmed the dismissal of the missed. electoral protest filed in 2016.

The SC also shared the dispositive portion “Out of the 15 members of the tribunal of the resolution that read: “Wherefore, the were present in today’s meeting, I was inu PAGE A2 Philstar.com

Former Senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.

Inquirer.net photo

Duterte receives flak for VFA threat Appointments for second

dose appointments will become available online at Coronavirus.

LACity.org/VaxAppointment.

This week’s second dose appointments were automatically scheduled for Angelenos who received their first dose from January 18-23 at Hansen Dam, San Fernando Park, Crenshaw Christian Center, Lincoln Park, and Dodger Stadium. Patients who qualify should have received a text message and/or an email with their second appointment details.

Given the low level of overall

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LOS Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti announced that city vaccination sites will prioritize second doses this week while the city waits for additional vaccines.

“Our City has the tools, the infrastructure, and the determination to vaccinate Angelenos swiftly and safely — we simply need more doses,” said Garcetti. “Our density and demographics have made our region an epicenter of this crisis in recent months, and with a reliable, consistent supply of vaccines, we can get more

shots into people’s arms, bring down rates of infection, hospitalization, and death, and defeat this pandemic once and for all.”

The City of Los Angeles is expected to receive just 54,000 doses of Moderna and 4,000 doses of Pfizer COVID-19 vaccines this week.

In accordance with guidelines issued by the Centers for Disease Control and the County Department of Public Health, the city will prioritize individuals whose second doses are due in the days ahead. If the city receives additional supply this week, more first

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PNA Photo by Richard Madelo

by AJPRESS

S

President Rodrigo Duterte

vaccine dose prioritized in LA

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PHILIPPINE President Rodrigo Duterte is under fire after he demanded the United States to “pay” if it wants to keep the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) from being terminated.

Addressing the troops at Clark Air Base in Pampanga on Friday, February 12, Duterte said: “I’d like to put on notice if there’s an American agent here. From now on, you want the Visiting Forces Agreement done?

You have to pay.”

“It’s a shared responsibility but your share of responsibility does not come free because, after all, when the war breaks out, we all pay,” he added.

Duterte’s statement was criticized by Philippine Vice President Leni Robredo, who

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From the Front Page

Mass vaccination site opens...

PAGE A1 To date, over 6.2 million doses have been administered in California, with 1.5 million distributed in LA County. Statewide, about 13% of Asian Americans have been inoculated, according to the state’s COVID-19 vaccine dashboard.

“We recognize we have more work to do. The issue at the end of the day is supply. We need to manufacture more Moderna vaccine, more Pfizer vaccine,” Newsom said.

Both Cal State LA and OaklandAlameda Coliseum are expected to administer 6,000 doses a day and will be open seven days a week from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. to accommodate drive-thru and walkup appointments.

They will each have two mobile vaccination clinics that can go into the communities and serve eligible individuals directly.

The opening of the two sites is additive to current vaccinations capacity in the state and does not affect existing allocation of vaccine supplies to other cities or counties.

For those who do not have a car, the Cal State LA site will be accessible through public transportation. Shuttles will operate from the nearby Metrolink station to the vaccination site.

Currently, health care workers,

long-term care residents and those over the age of 65 are eligible to be inoculated in California.

Newsom previously announced that those working in education, child care, emergency services and food and agriculture would be next.

The state on Friday, February 12 said that people 16 to 64 who are disabled or have underlying conditions — such as cancer or heart failure — putting them at high risk for COVID-19 could receive vaccines by March.

Appointments for the Cal State LA and Oakland Coliseum vaccine sites are available on the state’s MyTurn website (https:// myturn.ca.gov) or by calling (833)-422-4255.

On Monday, both the city and county of LA announced that its super sites would focus on administering second doses this week as the area awaits more vaccines.

School reopening Meanwhile, after nearly a year of virtual learning, elementary schools serving kindergarten to sixth grade were given the green light to reopen for in-person instruction this week as LA County reached the state’s threshold of 25 cases per 100,000. (The county remains in the most restrictive purple tier under the

state’s blueprint.)

Schools can reopen if they have a waiver or if they submitted a COVID-19 safety plan.

Safety protocols include masking, distancing, fixed group sizes, incorporating COVID-19 testing and immediate reporting of cases to the county Department of Public Health.

Schools offering on campus learning opportunities must offer 100% distancing learning opportunities as well, Public Health Director Dr. Barbara Ferrer said on Tuesday.

Seventh to 12th grade schools can reopen once the threshold drops to seven cases per 100,000.

The LA Unified School District, the nation’s second-largest school district, has not announced the reopening timeline of its elementary schools, as of this writing.

California on Tuesday announced 5,692 new COVID-19 cases and 64 deaths, bringing the total to 3,412,057 cases and 47,107 since the start of the pandemic.

LA County reported 1,260 new cases and 120 deaths, bringing the total cases to 1,169,550 infections and 19,215 fatalities.

Currently, 2,964 individuals are hospitalized. n

PAGE A1 Roque also cited the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement, a 2014 deal that gave American soldiers access to the Philippines’ military establishments.

“But how much are we getting for this? According to the study, we got $3.9 billion. Is this a big amount? It is loose change when compared to what other countries got,” he said.

The spokesman continued: “Pakistan got $16 billion, we think we should get something similar or close to that amount.

But definitely, not the amount we are currently getting.”

According to Roque, the amount is based on the “historically very strong ties” between the Philippines and the U.S. “We are basing it on the fact that we have had historically very strong ties and if you have very strong ties with a very strong

ally, then I think it also comes with a higher amount of financial assistance to be given,” he explained.

If the U.S. refuses to pay, then the VFA termination will proceed as scheduled, Roque said.

“I think the president has been clear, he wants compensation. If the Americans don’t agree, then there is also the previous declaration of the Filipino president that he will terminate the VFA,” he stressed.

Duterte, on February 12, said before the troops at Clark Air Base in Pampanga: “I’d like to put on notice if there’s an American agent here. From now on, you want the Visiting Forces Agreement done? You have to pay.”

“It’s a shared responsibility but your share of responsibility does not come free because, after all, when the war breaks out,

we all pay,” he added.

The VFA, which came into force in 1999, has provisions including lax visa and passport policies for U.S. troops and the rights of the U.S. government to retain its jurisdiction over its military personnel when they commit crimes in the Philippines.

Last February, the Philippines sent the U.S. a notice terminating the VFA reportedly after the U.S. canceled Senator Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa’s visa.

The termination was later suspended in June “in light of political and other developments in the region,” and the suspension was extended in November for another six months to enable the Philippines and the U.S. to find a more enhanced, mutually beneficial, mutually agreeable, and more effective and lasting arrangement on how to move forward in their mutual defense. n

Palace: PH should get close to $16 billion...

VACCINE SIMULATION IN PGH. An employee of the Philippine General Hospital (PGH) is “vaccinated” on Monday, February 15 during the simulation exercises for the coronavirus disease 2019 vaccine rollout. Some 50 health workers participated in the dry run in preparation for the actual vaccination process.

PNA photo by Avito C. Dalan

PH Supreme Court junks Marcos’...

PAGE A1 Presidential Electoral Tribunal dismisses the Election Protest filed by protestant Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. for lack of merit.”

The SC had also dismissed Robredo’s counter-protest.

Full resolution yet to be published Hosaka did not give any further details on the voting, including the identity of the justices who voted with the full concurrence of the main decision. He said the copy of the resolution will be uploaded to the SC website once it is available.

Hosaka also declined to comment on whether a decision may be appealed.

Should an appeal be filed, a reversal of the ruling, however, may be difficult as the tribunal was unanimous in its decision.

PET actions The PET in September 2020 ordered the Commission on Elections and the Office of the Solicitor General to file their comment on the issues related to Marcos’ third cause of action in his poll protest.

In particular, this involves the annulment of elections in the provinces of Lanao del Sur, Basilan and Maguindanao on the

grounds of terrorism, intimidation, harassment of voters and pre-shading of ballots.

This action came almost a year since Associate Justice Alfredo Benjamin Caguioa submitted his initial report on Marcos’ second cause of action which covered the recount in his identified three pilot provinces.

PET said in the October 2019 resolution: “After the revision and appreciation, the lead of protestee Robredo increased from 263,473 to 278,566.”

PET, however, said it will “comply with its constitutionally mandated duty allowing the parties the opportunity to examine the results of revision...as well as comment so that they are fully and fairly heard on all related legal issues.”’

Inhibitions sought Through the course of the petition, protestant Marcos had moved for the inhibition of at least two justices.

He accused Associate Justice Alfredo Benjamin Caguioa, of being a “partial and biased” in 2018 but the SC dismissed his motion and “sternly warned” Marcos and his legal counsels “that any unfounded and inappropriate accusation made in the future will be dealt with more

severely.”

Caguioa was previously the member-in-charge of the case until it was re-raffled after the release of the report on the recount of ballots from Marcos’ three identified pilot provinces.

Caguioa and former Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio dissented and voted that the case should be dismissed.

In 2020, Marcos and Solicitor General Jose Calida, in an unrelated pleading, again claimed bias and prejudice and sought the recusal of Associate Justice Marvic Leonen, reportedly member-in-charge of the case.

The tribunal again denied Marcos’ motion. It also reiterated that it is a collegial body, and the member-in-charge of a case can only recommend actions to be taken.

The tribunal then cautioned parties, counsels and those acting on their behalf to “be more circumspect in their pleadings and in their public pronouncements.”

“All counsels including the Solicitor General are reminded to attend to their cases with objectivity and dignity demanded by our profession and keep their passions and excitement in check,” the PET added. n

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The ACA marketplace is open again for insurance sign-ups.

Here’s what you need to know

by Michelle

Andrews Kaiser Health News

DISINFECTION. Church personnel sprays disinfectant inside the Immaculate Conception Parish Church, also known as Dasmariñas Church, after the mass. The Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases has recently approved to increase capacity for religious gatherings from 30% to 50% in areas under general community quarantine (GCQ) beginning Feb. 15 or two days before the beginning of the Catholic Lenten season on Ash Wednesday.

PNA photo By Avito C. Dalan

Duterte receives flak for VFA threat PAGE A3

noted that the demand sounded like extortion.

“Parang extortion lang. Parang kriminal eh, ‘kung gusto mo nito magbayad ka muna’ (It’s like extortion. It sounded like a criminal saying, ‘If you want this, you have to pay up first’),” she said in her Sunday radio show Biserbisyong Leni.

PAMPUBLIKONG ABISO HOUSING AUTHORITY NG COUNTY NG SAN DIEGO PLANO NG AHENSYA NG PAMPUBLIKONG PABAHAY TAUNANG PLANO PARA SA PISKAL NA TAONG 2021-2022 Sa pamamagitan ng abisong ito, ibinigay na ang Board of Commissioners of the Housing Authority ng County ng San Diego ay magkakaroon ng pampublikong pagdinig sa Abril 7, 2021 ng 9:00 a.m. sa Room 310 ng County Administration Center, 1600 Pacific Highway, San Diego, CA. Maririnig ang pampublikong testimonya sa iminungkahing Taunang Plano ng Piskal na Taon ng 2021-2022, ang Public Housing Admissions and Continued Occupancy Policy, at Housing Choice Voucher Section 8 Administrative Plan. Sa Pebrero 22 2021, ang itinukoy na mga Plano ay ilalabas para sa 45- na araw ng pampublikong pagsusuri at panahon ng kumento.

Maririnig ang pampublikong testimonya sa iminungkahing Taunang Plano para sa Pisakal na Taong 20212022, ang Public Housing Admissions and Continued Occupancy Policy, at Housing Choice Voucher Section 8 Administrative Plan. Ang Plano ng Public Housing Agency (PHA) ay isang komprehensibong gabay para sa mga polisiya, programa, operasyon, at mga estratehiya ng PHA para matugunan ang lokal na pangangailangan at layunin sa pabahay. Ang Public Housing Admissions at Continued Occupancy Policy at Section 8 Administrative Plan ay ang namumunong mga dokumento para sa administrasyon ng PHA para sa programang pampublikong pabahay at Seksyon 8 na program.

Kapalit ng harapang pagdalo, ang mga miyembro ng publiko ay inuudyok na isumite ang kanilang kumento sa iminungkahi sa Taunang Plano ng Public Housing Agency para sa Pisikal na Taong 20212022, Public Housing Admissions at Continued Occupancy Policy, at Housing Choice Voucher Section 8 Administrative Plan gamit ang eComment na serbisyo o sa pamamagitan ng e-mail sa publiccomment@sdcounty. ca.gov. Lahat ng mga kumento na isinumite sa pamamagitan ng eComment na serbisyo ay ipapadala sa mga miyembro ng Board of Commissioners at ang Chief Administrative Officer para sa kanilang pagsasaalangalang. Tatanggapin ang mga kumento hangggang sa simula ng pagpupulong.

Simula Pebrero 22, 2021, ang isinangguning mga dokumento at suportang mga dokumento ay maaaring matasa kaagad sa www. sdhcd.org at magagamit para sa pagsusuri sa mga sumusunod na lokasyon: County of San Diego Melrose Manor Apartments Housing and Community Development Services 1678 Melrose Ave., Apt.13 3989 Ruffin Road Chula Vista, CA 91911 San Diego, CA 92123 Towncentre Manor Apartments L St. Manor Apartments 434 F St., Apt. 101 584 L St., Apt. F Chula Vista, CA 91911 Chula Vista, CA 91911 Dorothy St. Manor Apartments 778 Dorothy St., Apt. A Chula Vista, CA 91911 Housing and Community Development Services Website: www.sdhcd.org Ang mga nakasulat na mga kumento ay maaaring maisumite bago ang pampublikong pagdinig at sa 45na araw na panahon ng kumento o hanggang Abril 7, 2021, sa: County of San Diego Housing and Community Development Services Attn: Anthony McCall 3989 Ruffin Road, San Diego, CA 92123 2/17/21 CNS-3439974# ASIAN JOURNAL (L.A.)

Robredo also called Duterte’s statement “embarrassing,” adding that the administration should list its reasons for not renewing the VFA without involving money.

“Para sa akin, nakakahiya. Parang nang-eextort tayo. Sa akin, kapag sinabi nating ayaw nating i-renew ‘yung VFA, ilatag natin kung bakit. Ipakita natin bakit ba hindi siya nakakabuti sa atin.

Hindi ‘yung pera ang consideration (To me, it’s embarrassing.

It’s like we’re extorting money.

When we say we don’t want to renew the VFA, let’s lay down the reasons why. Let’s show how it’s disadvantageous to us.

Money should not be the consideration),” she said.

“Ang nakabase ito, mutual benefit ng parehong parties to contract. Hindi naman dahil kaibigan kita dahil binigyan mo ako ng pera (This is based on mutual benefits of parties to a contract. We’re not friends just because you gave me money),” she added.

Philippine Senator Panfilo Lacson expressed a similar sentiment, saying that asking Washington to pay may give an impression that the Philippines is a “nation of extortionists.”

“Just to clarify, please be informed that we are not a nation of extortionists; at lalong hindi kami ‘mukhang pera’. Err... hindi lahat (And we are definitely not money-hungry. Err… not all of us),” he said in a now-deleted tweet.

The senator explained that he took down the tweet after thinking that Duterte’s intention was “to get a fair shake of the agreement.”

“I decided to take it down after giving it a thought that the president’s intention was to get a fair shake of the agreement, only he could have said it in a more diplomatic way. On crucial issues such as this, there should be no room for misinterpretation or misunderstanding moving forward,” he said in a statement.

Lacson, who heads the Senate Committee on National Defense, also urged Duterte to take a diplomatic and statesmanlike approach in dealing with VFA negotiations.

“The president may have used strong words to send his message across to the U.S. But certainly, there is a more civil and statesmanlike manner to ask for compensation from a longtime ally using the usual diplomatic channels and still get the same desired results,” he noted.

In a separate tweet, he reiterated: “The diplomatic channels should be a better route to accomplish the same desired results. At least give the other party an elbow room to save face instead of looking bullied and stripped of dignity.”

For national interest Malacañang, for its part, came to Duterte’s defense, saying his demand is in line with the Philippines’ national interest and

not to extort money from the U.S. “Sa mga nagsasabing extortion, hindi po ‘yan extortion.

‘Yan po ay isang pagtaguyod ng pang-nasyonal na interes ng mga Pilipino at dahil marami po tayong gastusin lalung-lalo na sa COVID-19 (To those calling it extortion, it’s not extortion.

That’s in line with the national interest of Filipinos because we are spending a lot especially for COVID-19),” Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said Monday, February 15.

According to him, the payment from the U.S. could be used as additional funding for the country’s Universal Health Care (UHC) program.

“Bakit hindi tayo sumingil ng sa ganun yung perang makukuha natin magagamit natin para sa COVID response natin, para sa libreng pakain ng ating mga estudyante, para po sa Universal Health Care, para sa libreng patubig. Lahat po ‘yan kinakailangan ng pondo (Why don’t we seek compensation so that the money can be used for our pandemic response, free meals for our students, for the Universal Health Care, for free water services. All those need funding),” said Roque.

“Huwag naman natin ipagkait sa ating mga kababayan ang karagdagang pondo ngayong pwede naman talaga pagbayarin ang mga Amerikano para sa paggamit ng ating teritoryo (Let’s not deny our citizens additional funds since it’s actually possible to ask America to pay for using our territory),” he added.

Roque stressed that the VFA termination will proceed if the U.S. refuses to pay the Philippines.

“I think the President has been clear, he wants compensation. If the Americans don’t agree, then there is also the previous declaration of the Filipino President that he will terminate the VFA,” he said.

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 relaxed visa and passport policies for U.S. troops, and the rights of the U.S. government to retain its jurisdiction over its military personnel when they commit crimes in the Philippines.

In February 2020, the Philippines sent the U.S. a notice terminating the VFA reportedly after the U.S. canceled Senator Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa’s visa.

The termination was later suspended in June “in light of political and other developments in the region,” and the suspension was extended in November for another six months to enable the Philippines and the U.S. to find a more enhanced, mutually beneficial, mutually agreeable, and more effective and lasting arrangement on how to move forward in their mutual defense. n

Elderly Pinay attacked on...

PAGE A1 while on his morning walk in the Anza Vista neighborhood of San Francisco. A fundraiser for Ratanapakdee’s family has raised nearly $70,000.

In early February, a Filipino American man had to receive almost 100 stitches after he was slashed across the face by another passenger on the New York City subway.

Noel Quintana, 61, was riding the L train to get to work in Harlem on February 3 when a man walked by and kicked the tote bag that Quintana had set on the train floor.

When Quintana confronted the man after he noticed his bag be-

ing kicked again, the man took out a box cutter and slashed Quintana across the face from cheek to cheek. Quintana was taken to Bellevue Hospital for treatment.

From March to December 2020, Stop AAPI Hate, an online reporting tracking anti-Asian hate incidents, received 2,808 reports of racism and discrimination targeting community members, as previously reported by the Asian Journal.

The tracking center (stopaapihate.org) allows individuals to report in English as well as several Asian languages like Tagalog.

The website also features safety tips for those who experience or witness hate. (AJPress)

FOR people who’ve been without health insurance during the pandemic, relief is in sight.

In January, President Joe Biden signed an executive order to open up the federal health insurance marketplace for three months as of Monday so uninsured people can buy a plan and those who want to change their marketplace coverage can do so.

Consumer advocates applauded the directive. Since 2016, the number of Americans without health insurance has been on the rise, reaching 30 million in 2019. The economic upheaval caused by the novel coronavirus has made a bad situation worse, throwing millions off their insurance plans.

The move is in stark contrast to the Trump administration’s approach. As covid-19 took hold last spring and the economy imploded, health experts pleaded with the Trump administration to open up the federal marketplace so people could buy insurance to protect themselves during the worst public health emergency in a century. The administration declined, noting that people who suddenly found themselves without coverage because they lost their jobs were able to sign up on the marketplace under ordinary rules. They also cited concerns that sick people who had resisted buying insurance before would buy coverage and drive up premiums.

The Biden administration is promising to spend $50 million on outreach and education to get the word out about the new special enrollment period. That’s critical, experts said. Although the number of people signing up for Affordable Care Act plans has generally remained robust, the number of new consumers enrolling in the federal marketplace has dropped every year since 2016, according to KFF, corresponding to funding cuts in marketing and outreach. (KHN is an editorially independent program of KFF.) “There are a lot of uninsured people who even before covid were eligible for either hefty marketplace subsidies or for Medicaid and not aware of it,” said Sabrina Corlette, a research professor at Georgetown University’s Center on Health Insurance Reforms.

A marketing blitz can reach a broad swath of people and hopefully draw them in, regardless of whether they’re uninsured because of covid or not, she said.

Here are answers to questions about the new enrollment option.

Q: When can consumers sign up, and in which states?

The sign-up window will be open for three months, from Monday through May 15. Uninsured residents of any of the 36 states that use the federal healthcare.gov platform can look for plans during that time and enroll.

Most of the states and the District of Columbia that operate their own marketplaces are establishing special enrollment periods similar to the new federal one, though they may have somewhat different time frames or eligibility rules. In Massachusetts, for example, the sign-up window remains open until May 23, while in Connecticut, it closes March 15. Meanwhile, Colorado has reopened enrollment in its marketplace for residents who lack insurance, but anyone already enrolled in one of the state’s marketplace plans won’t be allowed to switch to a different plan based on this special enrollment period.

At this point, only Idaho has not announced plans to open their marketplaces, said Corlette.

It may still do so, however.

Q: Can people who lost their jobs and health insurance many months ago sign up during the new enrollment period?

Yes. The enrollment window is open to anyone who is uninsured and would normally be eligible to buy coverage on the exchange (people who are serving prison or jail terms and those who are in the country without legal permission aren’t allowed to enroll).

People with incomes up to 400% of the federal poverty level (about $51,500 for one person or $106,000 for a family of four) are eligible for premium tax credits that may substantially reduce their costs.

Typically, people can buy a marketplace plan only during the annual open enrollment period in the fall or if a major life event gives them another opportunity to sign up, called a special enrollment period. Losing job-based health coverage is one event that creates a special sign-up opportunity; so is getting married or having a baby. But usually people must sign up with the marketplace within 60 days of the event.

With the new special enrollment period, how long someone has been uninsured isn’t relevant, nor do people have to provide documentation that they’ve lost job-based coverage.

“The message is quite simple: Come and apply,” said Sarah Lueck, a senior policy analyst at the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities.

Q: What about people who are already enrolled in a mar-

ketplace plan? Can they switch their coverage during this new enrollment period?

Yes, as long as their coverage is through the federal marketplace. If, for example, someone is enrolled in a gold plan now but wants to switch to a cheaper bronze plan with a higher deductible, that’s allowed. As mentioned above, however, some state-operated marketplaces may not make that option available.

Q: Many people have lost significant income during the pandemic. How do they decide whether a marketplace plan with premium subsidies is a better buy for them than Medicaid?

They don’t have to decide.

During the application process, the marketplace asks people for income information. If their annual income is below the Medicaid threshold (for many adults in most states, 138% of the federal poverty level, or about $18,000 for an individual), they will be directed to that program for coverage. If people are eligible for Medicaid, they can’t get subsidized coverage on the exchange.

People can sign up for Medicaid anytime; there’s no need to wait for an annual or special enrollment period.

Those already enrolled in a marketplace plan whose income changes should go back into the marketplace and update their income information as soon as possible. They may be eligible for larger premium subsidies for their marketplace plan or, if their income has dropped significantly, for Medicaid. (Likewise, if their income has increased and they don’t adjust their marketplace income estimates, they could be on the hook for overpayments of their subsidies when they file their taxes.)

Q: What about people who signed up under the federal COBRA law to continue their employer coverage after losing their job? Can they drop it and sign up for a marketplace plan?

Yes people in federal marketplace states can take that step, health experts say. Under COBRA, people can be required to pay the full amount of the premium plus a 2% administrative fee.

Marketplace coverage is almost certainly cheaper.

Normally, if people have COBRA coverage and they drop it midyear, they can’t sign up for a marketplace plan until the annual fall open enrollment period. But this special enrollment period will give people that option.

This story was produced

by Kaiser Health News, an editorially independent program of the Kaiser Family Foundation. n

Appointments for second vaccine dose...

PAGE A1 supplies, approximately 4,600 first doses will be available throughout the week at the city’s newest site at Pierce College and mobile vaccination clinics serving our most vulnerable communities.

Most City vaccination sites are scheduled to be open this week from Tuesday through Saturday; Hansen Dam will reopen on Wednesday. Mobile clinics are scheduled to operate from Tuesday through Friday in Council

Districts 8, 9, and 14.

Angelenos can visit Coronavirus.LACity.org/Vaccine to check for first dose appointment availability, sign up for notifications, and find more information about second dose appointments. n

Biden, Democrats’ immigration reform bill...

PAGE A1 executive orders that promise to review Trump-era immigration policy.

The bill, which Democrats in both chambers of Congress support, includes proposals for: an “earned pathway to citizenship” for 11 million undocumented immigrants, a majority of whom are beneficiaries of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program; expands the refugee resettlement program; streamlining the backlog of immigration court cases and improving technology at the Southern border.

Asylum processing for minors and reviewing the controversial public charge rule are also major components of the Biden immigration vision.

“The plan is not only about fixing our broken immigration system, but building a better one that reunites families, brings the undocumented community out of the shadows and on a path to citizenship, stands up for human rights, addresses root causes of migration and includes a smart border security strategy,” said Sen. Bob Menendez (D-N.J.), who is leading the legislative force in the Senate.

On the other side of the Hill, Rep. Linda Sanchez (D-C.A.) is leading the effort in the House. She noted the multiple communities that are relying on the Biden administration to create a more functional immigration system.

“From our DREAMers, to the service workers and farmers pulling us through this pandemic, there are too many relying on this reform for us to fail,” Sanchez said in a statement.

With Democrats in control of both chambers in Congress and the White House, Biden’s bill may

be on a faster track to passing than those of previous presidential administrations.

That being said, however, immigration experts stress that while the executive orders may be the beginning of a new era in policy, the Biden administration has taken no significant action yet.

According to the legislation’s text, much of the proposal involves “reviewing” and vetting current policies without offering any legislative alternatives to those policies.

“Some executive actions call for the review of current policies so as of today, it is not clear what further changes will happen or when,” Maria E. Penaloza, program manager at the Los Angeles County Office of Immigrant Affairs (OIA), said at a press briefing with ethnic media outlets on Thursday, Feb. 11.

“Right now, it has not been introduced [and] it is not law yet,” Penaloza stressed, noting that the proposal has not been published yet aside from summary fact sheets that the White House released weeks ago.

In the LA area alone, there are 80,000 DACA beneficiaries and 30,000 holders of Temporary Protected Status (TPS), both of whom receive temporary protection from deportation.

For the LA immigrant community — a vast web of families and individuals, a majority of whom hail from Latin America and Asia — local resources and county commitment to providing those resources should be the priority, according to LA County OIA Executive Director Rigoberto Reyes.

Reyes said that the county is dedicated to providing necessary services like legal representation and consultation, health care, ed-

ucation support, cash assistance and other “basic things that the county wants to provide.” (Reyes advised undocumented immigrants who are seeking advice to call 800-593-8222.)

Amid the federal effort to scale back former President Trump’s immigration policy, other local immigration officials are urging undocumented individuals and families to avoid immigration scams.

Adriana Garcia, associate director for LA City OIA, warned that immigration scams tend to prop up any time new immigration laws are under consideration.

“Notario fraud” — when nonlawyers or unethical attorneys offer legal advice or promise “guaranteed positive results” — is particularly common. Garcia warned against working with firms or individual attorneys who make clients pay for government forms (which are free on the government websites).

Additionally, clients should only give copies of original documents and always ask for copies of documents that are being prepared for them. And, always get or request agreements in writing, including information about fees.

“After the Trump administration, undocumented folks are less willing to reach out to government agencies for help,” said Daniel Sharp, chief of LA County OIA, who said that the public charge rule largely contributed to immigrants’ distrust in government services and agencies.

He added, “But you don’t want to be in a situation where a shady attorney makes you pay for things that are free or takes your documents.” (Klarize Medenilla/AJPress)

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Dateline PhiliPPines

NEDA wants MGCQ for entire country in March

by Alexis

RomeRo Philstar.com

MANILA — Citing the need to address hunger and income losses caused by prolonged lockdowns amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) has recommended placing the entire Philippines under modified general community quarantine (MGCQ), the most lenient quarantine status, next month.

Quarantine restrictions that have been in place since March last year have caused a total income loss of P1.04 trillion or P2.8 billion per day, which translates to an average annual income loss of P23,000 per worker, according to acting NEDA director general Karl Chua.

“However, we know that other sectors were not allowed to operate under the community quarantine and other people lost their jobs. That’s why the impact on the income and livelihood of other workers is worse,” Chua said during a meeting of the government’s pandemic task force last Monday.

The acting socioeconomic planning secretary cited the need to balance the containment of COVID-19 and efforts to revive the economy.

“We need to shift as soon as possible to MGCQ for the entire Philippines. We hope starting March 1, 2021, so we can address the high percentage of Filipinos who are experiencing hunger,” he said.

“We are not saying that we should reopen the economy without minding the number of COVID cases. We have to do both,” he added.

Chua explained that there was no significant increase in the number of COVID-19 cases despite the reopening of the economy in October and the Christmas vacation. He also cited a recent survey that found 73 percent of Filipinos saying the government has to balance the opening of the economy and jobs and controlling the spread of the virus.

“So given progress on the health side and no spike in COVID-19 cases from the reopening of the economy last October and the yearend holiday, our recommendation is … we further open

the economy to MGCQ for the entire Philippines, especially the NCR (National Capital Region),” he said.

“The main reason is we want to mitigate or reduce sickness, hunger, poverty, job and income loss that are arising from non-COVID cases,” he added.

Localized lockdowns that are limited to specific barangays and municipalities can be imposed to prevent the spread of the virus, according to Chua.

Majority of the provinces and cities in the Philippines are now under the most relaxed MGCQ, where about 75 percent of industries are allowed to operate.

Only Metro Manila, Batangas, Abra, Apayao, Benguet, Baguio City, Ifugao, Kalinga, Mountain Province, Tacloban City, Davao City, Davao del Norte, Lanao del Sur and Iligan City are under the stricter GCQ, where about half of the industries can operate.

Presidential spokesman Harry Roque said President Duterte is still studying the NEDA’s recommendation.

Roque, however, agreed with Chua that the government should now help Filipinos who are experiencing hardships because of COVID-19-related restrictions.

Citing a study by the NEDA, the Palace spokesman said that while the number of COVID-19 infections has reached more than 550,000, the number of Filipinos who are experiencing hunger has risen by 23.7 million.

The number of poor people has increased by 4.5 million while that of jobless individuals has risen by more than two million, he added.

“Since more people are suffering because of non-COVID-related activities... it’s about time that we save our countrymen from hunger and poverty,” he said at a press briefing yesterday.

Roque added that Filipinos have also been following health and safety protocols, citing an OCTA research suggesting that 93 percent of them wear face masks.

Other recommendations The NEDA also proposed the expansion of public transport from 50 percent to 75 percent so that more people can return to work.

Chua said public transportation should be complemented with

“active transport support” like designating bike lanes. He cited the need to expand inter-province bus operations, noting that many Filipinos who went to the provinces during the lockdown could not report for work.

He also recommended the easing of age-based movement restrictions, which was deferred because of the emergence of a new and more infectious COVID19 variant.

“At present, people aged 15 to 65 are the only ones who are allowed to go out. Our proposal is to gradually expand it to (people) aged five to 70. We can do it gradually, in increments of five years, also with appropriate safeguards,” the acting NEDA chief said.

“With regard to safeguards, young people can go out with their parents only, or initially, they can go out to more open areas and it does not mean they will go to the malls. Young people can go out with safeguards, it will allow also their parents to work and get a job,” he added.

The NEDA also called for holding pilot face-to-face classes in low-risk areas, saying the government was able to control the spread of the new COVID-19 variant. Pilot in-person classes were supposed to start last month, but they were canceled as a precautionary measure against the new virus strain.

DTI backs NEDA The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) is in favor of the NEDA’s proposal, but emphasized that health protocols must be strictly complied with by everyone.

“I agree and support. I have mentioned before that it will depend on COVID statistics, but as we see, the cases (are) generally going down. Even with gradual and calibrated reopening of economy, we should continue gradual safe reopening of sectors and further relaxation to MGCQ, with very localized lockdown where needed, so we can open other parts of the economy and bring back more jobs for our kababayans,” Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez said in a Viber message to reporters yesterday.

While the economy is on its way to recovery, Lopez said the country still had the biggest u PAGE A7

SoCal ASIAN JOURNAL • febRUARy 17-19, 2021

A5

A6 FEBRUARY 17-19, 2021 • SoCal ASIAN JOURNAL

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OPiniOn

Endangerment through forgery

FeatURes

WITH COVID cases still rising in several areas outside Metro Manila, and the vaccine rollout hitting a snag, coronavirus transmission can be curbed only through strict adherence to health protocols. The so-called three T’s – tracing, testing and treatment – need to be stringently maintained.

Obviously, this goal is seriously undermined when people fake the results of reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction swab tests. The forgery of RT-PCR test results used to be done mainly by people seeking employment or a return to their jobs.

With the gradual reopening of various economic sectors, however, faking RT-PCR test results has also been resorted to even by those who want to enjoy tourism. This was the case with six visitors to Boracay, three of whom tested positive for COVID following their arrest in a hotel on the resort island.

This week the Department of Tourism filed criminal charges against the six, who are from Metro Manila, for falsification of public documents.

Last December, the Aklan police also filed criminal charges against five Boracay visitors, for falsification of public documents as well as violation of Republic Act No. 11332, the Mandatory Reporting of Notifiable Diseases and Health Events of Public Health Concern Act. Since Boracay began accepting visitors from areas outside Western Visayas on Oct. 1 last year, about 100 tourists have been apprehended for

faking swab test results. Malay town, which has jurisdiction over Boracay, is preparing a resolution declaring the 100 as persona non grata.

Such reports have apparently not provided sufficient deterrence. Last week eight more people with fake swab test results were arrested in three separate resorts in Boracay. Unless people see violators suffering the consequences of faking swab test results, there will be many more people who will recklessly endanger others with possible infection. Boracay could soon suffer a surge in COVID cases.

While acting more decisively on this problem, the government must address the root cause of the forgery: the steep cost of RT-PCR tests and limited access to testing facilities. The Philippine Red Cross has started rolling out its less invasive RTPCR saliva testing, which provides faster results at half the price of the swab test.

The government can augment this effort by procuring its own saliva tests. Even better, it should look at the much cheaper saliva tests being used in oratory processing and produce results instantly, countries such as Israel, which do not require lab- with high accuracy. As long as COVID swab tests

Editorial

Philstar.com photo

remain expensive and difficult to access, forgery of results will continue. (Philstar.com)

The Republican Party of true conservative values is gone after being hijacked and terrorized by Trump The Fil-Am Perspective GEL SANTOS-RELOS NO, the Senate acquitting Donald J. Trump in his second impeachment trial did NOT mean the 45th president was not guilty of inciting the deadly January 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol.

It only meant it did not have 10 more Republicans voting to convict, as seven others courageously did.

The final vote revealed that a majority gave a guilty verdict — 57, including seven Republicans joining Democrats, while 43 voted to acquit him, all of them Republicans. Sixty-seven votes were needed to convict.

Trump has been terrorizing the Republican Party, warning them against voting against him, threatening them and their families. Using his power over his die-hard followers, he stoked fear among the members of Congress who desper-

ately wanted to cling on to power even if it meant selling their souls to the devil.

One month ago, the House voted 232 to 197 to impeach Trump for incitement of insurrection, with ten Republicans joining Democrats. This happened one week after the January 6 riot when an armed pro-Trump mob breached the Capitol to stop the members of Congress from fulfilling their Constitutional duty to officially declare that Joe Biden won, based on the results of the November 3rd election.

We all have seen videos of the riot that killed five people, injured 140, put the lives of the members of Congress at risk, threatened to hang Vice President Mike Pence after he did not follow Trump’s will that he should reject the Electoral College vote, vandalized and looted the Capitol.

All of these were a product of Trump’s hateful rhetoric, lies and disinformation even before the election, that the only way he would lose was if the election was stolen from him. After the November 3rd election, his rhetoric became even viler, continuing to claim

he won by a landslide and that there was massive voter fraud — a claim that had been rejected in courts and by election officials across the country for lack of evidence.

And on January 6, Trump did nothing to stop the carnage, even praised the mob for being patriots. Those arrested and convicted said they were just following the orders of Trump.

Rep. Liz Cheney, the third highest-ranking Republican, contended that Trump summoned this mob, assembled the mob and lit the flame of this attack. “There has never been a greater betrayal by a President of the United States of his office and his oath to the Constitution,” Cheney said.

“We know that the President of the United States incited this insurrection, this armed rebellion against our common country,” House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said on the House floor before the votes were cast. “He must go. He is a clear and present danger to the nation that we all love.”

After the House impeached Trump, it was the Senate’s duty to either convict or acquit

Trump. McConnell could have called the Senate back to work before Biden’s inauguration, but he did not. This, even after saying that he was glad the House impeached the President as this would purge Trump out of the Republican Party. This, after he and the Republican leadership rebuked Trump’s role in the January 6 insurrection.

The Senate’s acquittal of Trump a month after is glaring evidence that the Republican Party has ceased to be the party of Lincoln, the party that upholds the Constitution and the rule of law. It revealed their true color, their true reason for being in office, and that is their greed for power.

During the 2016 presidential primaries, these Republicans had warned the American people against Trump, how much he did not embody the values of the Republican Party, how much of a pathological liar and crook he was, and why he should never be trusted.

But Trump was right after all when he said that he could shoot somebody at 5th Avenue and still win the election. He was referring not only to the Republican base. He was also

talking about the supposedly honorable members of the Republican Party who were accorded public trust through the public posts they hold.

These public officials, both elected and appointed, all swore to serve the people and to defend the Constitution.

Unfortunately, these Republicans in Congress all betrayed their oath when they chose to be more loyal to Trump than to the Constitution.

McConnell sharply criticized his former ally in a speech on the Senate floor shortly after Trump was cleared in a 57-43 vote, saying the rioters had been “fed wild falsehoods by the most powerful man on Earth. Because he was angry he’d lost an election,” CNN reported.

“Former President Trump’s actions that preceded the riot were a disgraceful, disgraceful dereliction of duty,” added McConnell. “Trump is practically and morally responsible for provoking the events of the day.”

But they acquitted him anyway. They failed to fulfill their duties of checks and balances and accountability as man-

dated by the Constitution because, like Trump, they wanted to hold on to power. Birds of the same feather flock together. They were complicit.

They were all as guilty as Trump.

These Republicans are not true public servants. They failed us. They failed to honor our will. We, the People have spoken. We voted out Trump.

We voted out Republicans in the Senate and the House. Let us continue to guard our democracy — the government of the people, for the people, by the people. *** The opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by the author do not necessarily reflect the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints of the Asian Journal, its management, editorial board and staff.

*** Gel Santos Relos has been in news, talk, public service and educational broadcasting since 1989 with ABS-CBN and is now serving the Filipino audience using different platforms, including digital broadcasting, and print, and is working on a new public service program for the community. You may contact her through email at gelrelos@icloud.com, or send her a message via Facebook at Facebook. com/Gel.Santos.Relos.

What does Duterte really want from the US? Postscript

FEDERICO PASCUAL JR. WHAT exactly does President Duterte want from Washington, aside from the “guided rockets” and 20 million doses of COVID19 vaccines, for him to withdraw his notice terminating the PH-U.S. Visiting Forces Agreement?

First off, who speaks for the Philippines on VFA matters? Is it only President Duterte – or is it a chorus that includes his spokesman Harry Roque, Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana, Foreign Secretary Teddy Locsin Jr. and the Mayor’s favorite senator?

Secondly, do the two allies want to continue with the VFA that was signed in 1998 and came into force in 1999 when the Philippines ratified it? (The U.S. regards it as an executive agreement that does not require ratification by its Senate.)

Since the U.S. has not sent its own notice of termination, effective 180 days after notice as stipulated in the contract, Washington is presumed to still want to keep the VFA. It may just come in handy considering the turbulent security weather in the Indo-Pacific area.

On the Philippine side, Duterte sent last year a termination notice whose deadline had been extended twice – first to force revalidation of the US visa of his protégé former PNP chief (now senator) Bato dela Rosa and, second, to demand delivery of 20 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines.

The U.S. embassy has reissued Dela Rosa’s visa, but on the demand for vaccines, then President Trump waved it off and said something about the U.S. being able to save money by not paying what looked like a ransom for the VFA. Now Duterte is insisting that the U.S. “pay up!” in a transactional tone that has embarrassed many Filipinos not used to seeing their President talk like an extortionist.

On whether the Philippines wants to keep the VFA, before

Locsin could tweet a reaction, Lorenzana beat him to it, saying in a TV interview: “We at the defense department and the armed forces, the general feeling is for the VFA to continue.”

It was not clear if Lorenzana was talking for the government, especially with Duterte having just said he wanted the U.S. to pay for being able to use the VFA. If Duterte wants the VFA terminated, there is no point negotiating. The Philippines could just drop all pretense, scrap the VFA 180 days after notice, then formalize its being de facto an open city to another power lusting to control it.

But that is jumping to a premature conclusion. A new U.S. president sits in the Oval Office and early signals point to his being at least attentive to little brown Americans in the American continent and across the Pacific.

As we said here last Sunday, the VFA cannot be reviewed or revised in isolation. The talks on how to adapt the 21-yearold contract to the realities of the present will impinge on

the gamut of bilateral relations – and even the very stay of Duterte in power.

While current talks revolve around the VFA, “depending on Duterte’s frame of mind, the negotiations could dive deeper and wander wider” and open for review even the 2014 Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement supplementing the VFA. The EDCA allows the U.S. to send troops to the Philippines for extended periods on rotation and to operate facilities on Philippine bases, one way of going around the constitutional ban on permanent foreign bases.

The need for the VFA and the EDCA arose when the Bases Agreement, which was also written to help carry out MDT objectives, expired in 1991 and the constitutional ban on foreign bases, facilities and troops automatically took effect.

For reference, Article XVIII (Transitory Provisions) says: “Section 25. After the expiration in 1991 of the Agreement between the Republic of the Philippines and the United States of America concerning

military bases, foreign military bases, troops or facilities shall not be allowed in the Philippines except under a treaty duly concurred in by the Senate and, when the Congress so requires, ratified by a majority of the votes cast by the people in a national referendum held for that purpose, and recognized as a treaty by the other contracting State.”

Duterte has emerged as the fulcrum on which Fil-Am relations will move. As he has generated a political climate that is beginning to feel for many people like one-man rule, what he says generally goes. An effective political opposition is hardly felt.

So we go back to the question asked in the head of this column: What does Duterte really want? He has to say what, so everybody knows what must or could be done.

If he wants the U.S. armed forces out, he can go ahead with his VFA notice of termination. He can drop all pretense, stamp out U.S. military presence and open the country to another power that is already within the walls anyway.

That scenario leads us to another question raised earlier: Between Duterte and the AFP, who controls whom? Section 3 of Article II says “the Armed Forces of the Philippines is the protector of the people and the State,” but does not answer the question.

The saner assumption is that Duterte simply wants the VFA revised to suit his immediate requirements and not as prelude to kicking Uncle Sam out of the kulambo.

Duterte’s negotiating team could find many ways to water down the VFA’s pro-U.S. bias and still be able to collect what the boss wants as payment.

We hope they have learned the lesson of Ferdinand Marcos’ pushing too hard and finding himself being pushed out to fall, tubes and all, from his throne of bayonets. *** The opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by the author do not necessarily reflect the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints of the Asian Journal, its management, editorial board and staff.

*** Author is on Twitter as @FDPascual.

Email: fdp333@yahoo.com

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Dateline PhiliPPines

SoCal ASIAN JOURNAL • febRUARy 17-19, 2021

A7

NEDA wants MGCQ for entire country...

PAGE A5 decline in gross domestic product and employment among its Southeast Asian neighbors.

He added that based on data from NEDA, Metro Manila has a very weak recovery and many are still out of jobs.

“The damage to malnutrition and other health and social issues will be irreversible,” he said.

Given this situation, Lopez said it is about time the country moves to MGCQ after being under stricter quarantine classifications for close to a year, but with full compliance to health protocols – wearing of face mask and face shield, physical distancing, frequent sanitation and good ventilation.

OCTA bucks move Citing COVID-19 outbreaks in various parts of the country, the OCTA Research Group yesterday rejected the NEDA’s proposal.

Instead of setting a deadline on when to loosen the quarantine restrictions, OCTA fellow and University of the Philippines professor Ranjit Rye said the government should look at the current situation before coming up with such a decision.

“The government has set the guidelines, there is a prerequisite on when to shift from GCQ to MGCQ,” Rye said in Filipino in an interview with CNN Philippines on Tuesday.

“For us in OCTA, that is more important than the deadline in March. The reopening should not be arbitrary or premature because it will become risky,” he added.

The country is not yet “where we are supposed to be to move to MGCQ,” according to Rye. “Although we are in a manageable situation right now, we cannot say for certain that we have managed transmission in the NCR. There are nine cities with upticks, and among the serious ones is Navotas right now,” he said.

He also noted upticks in Cebu, Caraga and Kalinga, stressing the need to further strengthen the “test, trace and isolate” strategy to ensure that the country is capable of managing the surge.

Rye also reiterated their call to strengthen bio-surveillance to determine the real situation as regards the more infectious United Kingdom variant, which has been detected in some areas in the country.

“We have not rolled out our vaccination for health care workers,

and that I think that now – given the nature of the pandemic in the country and in the NCR – should be a requisite in any decision to loosen up,” he said.

In a separate interview with Teleradyo, OCTA Research fellow Guido David also highlighted the importance of vaccination before further loosening up the restrictions.

“If we will suddenly open up, there is a risk for the cases to rise, especially since we have not conducted the complete bio-surveillance,” David said in Filipino.

He also expressed concern over the proposal to allow more minors outdoors, saying the vaccines are not designed for those below 16 years old.

“They have low mortality rate… but the problem is that they can be carriers, possibly even super carriers,” he said.

No consultations with mayors Several Metro Manila mayors yesterday rejected the proposal to place the entire country under MGCQ. San Juan City Mayor Francis Zamora and Marikina City Mayor Marcelino Teodoro said they preferred their cities to stay under GCQ, which they see as a viable option to keep the highest standards of prevention while allowing the economy to thrive.

“For me, it’s better to remain under the current quarantine status. After all, the vaccines are expected to arrive,” Zamora said in an interview aired over GMA News.

Teodoro, who also rejected the government’s decision to reopen several industries like cinemas and arcades, said decisions on the matter should also be hinged on what experts in the health sectors say.

He had earlier suggested that easing quarantine restrictions, especially in reopening industries, should instead be an incentive for effective implementation of the vaccination program and proposed consultation with Metro Manila mayors.

“This had no proper consultation and we mayors are asking for this because we are the ones on the ground, meaning we are the ones enforcing the guidelines,” he said.

Zamora said the consensus among mayors in Metro Manila, according to their last discussion, is to allow 15- to 65-yearolds outdoors as opposed to the

current age regulations allowing 18- to 65-year-olds outside.

Navotas City Mayor Toby Tiangco also lamented that mayors were not consulted by the NEDA in proposing to lower those allowed outdoors to seven years old.

Tiangco said he was surprised that there were no consultations made, just like with the national government’s proposal to reopen cinemas, arcades and other establishments.

He added that he sided with experts that children could become super carriers of COVID-19. “(I’m) surprised again that there were no consultations. And the opinion of health experts not taken into consideration,” he said.

For Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte, reopening cinemas will have a major impact on the economic recovery of the country.

In an interview with “The Chiefs” on One News/TV 5 last Monday night, Belmonte said even cinema operators whom she talked to were apprehensive about opening their theaters.

Some do not think that it is economically viable for them to open considering the current circumstances, according to the mayor.

“Others were saying, even if we open up, what would we show?

There are no distributors with any new films to show,” she said.

“I really don’t see the correlation between opening theaters and economic growth. I don’t think that that’s the solution to the economic woes of the country.”

The mayor also doubted the claim that opening cinemas would provide jobs for 300,000 people, noting the possibility that only a handful of theaters would be opened even if it was allowed by the government.

Malabon City Mayor Antolin Oreta III also said he does not approve of allowing those as young as seven to go outside.

“It might produce spikes in COVID-19 cases,” Oreta said, adding that he would prefer to remain under GCQ. The mayor, however, said he was in favor of easing age restrictions to 15 to boost the economy.

Valenzuela City Mayor Rex Gatchalian said he would consult with city health experts first before commenting about the proposal to further lower the allowable age outdoors. n

STOP THE SURGE Wear a mask

Stay home

Washing hands frequently

Stay 6 feet apart

covid19.ca.gov

JOGGING PARTNER. A woman, together with her pet Shih Tzu, runs around the cycling oval at the Neopolitan Business Park Leisure Center in Fairview, Quezon City on Tuesday, February 16. The new leisure park is popular for cycling, volleyball, jogging, or brisk walking.

PNA photo by Oliver Marquez

Anti-terror law petitioner arrested

by EvElyn

Macairan Philstar.com

MANILA — For the first time, a petitioner against the Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020 (ATA) was arrested at a lumad school in Cebu last Monday, raising fears among petitioners that they are “seriously threatened” and that this has created a “chilling effect.”

Just before ending the third oral arguments on the ATA at past 5:30 p.m. yesterday, Albay Rep. Edcel Lagman, one of the 37 petitioners and at the same time

one of the seven lawyers representing the petitioners, asked the Supreme Court (SC) to issue a temporary restraining order (TRO) against the implementation of the law.

“For the first time in history, the petitioners and their counsel are seriously threatened prosecution under the challenged statute by no less than a military general who is part of the State enforcing the controverted ATA,” Lagman said.

He said volunteer teacher Chad Booc is accused of alleg-

edly training 19 lumad children to be “child warriors” of a communist group.

Chief Justice Diosdado Peralta recommended to Lagman and the other petitioners to put the request for TRO in writing. The SC would give give the Office of the Solicitor General 10 days upon receipt of the motion to file its comment.

Solicitor General Jose Calida said they may need more time to gather information since Booc was arrested in Cebu, not in Metro Manila. n

Envoy: Beijing assured it won’t target Philippines with coast guard law by alExis

roMEro Philstar.com

MANILA — China has given an assurance that it is not targeting the Philippines when it adopted a controversial law allowing the Chinese Coast Guard to fire on foreign vessels.

Philippine Ambassador to China Chito Sta. Romana said Manila has objected to the law’s language on the use of force and its possible application in areas that are beyond China’s territory.

“The Chinese have reassured us through their spokesman, the foreign ministry spokesman

as well as the Chinese Embassy that...they are not targeting the Philippines or any specific country and that they will not resort to force in the first instance,” Sta. Romana said at a press briefing Tuesday.

“I want to explain that through the objection, through the diplomatic note and through the diplomatic discussion, the Chinese have tried to reassure that they will still exercise restraint. This is what we are calling for, that all claimant countries resort to diplomacy and avoid the use of force,” he added.

Under the law, the Chinese

coast guard can “take all necessary measures” to prevent maritime incursions. It also allows the boarding and inspection of foreign ships in waters claimed

by China and the destruction foreign structures on Beijingclaimed islands and reefs.

The Philippines, one of the five claimants disputing China’s extensive claim in the South China Sea, has protested the law.

In 2016, a Hague-based arbitral tribunal voided China’s wide-reaching maritime claim in the South China Sea but the Chinese government refused to recognize the ruling. n

A8 february 17-19, 2021 • SoCal aSIaN JOurNaL

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Asian Journal

mdwk The Asian Jour nal MDWK MAGAZINE - February 17, 2021

Wednesday FEBRUARY 17, 2021

mAGAZINE

Ready for the spotlight: Teen actress Laya DeLeon Hayes takes on her biggest project to date by

MoMar G. Visaya / AJPress

f you stayed on CBS after the Super Bowl to watch the preI miere of “The Equalizer,” then you saw a possible breakout star named Laya DeLeon Hayes.

Laya DeLeon Hayes was born in Charlotte, NC and raised in Grand Prairie, Texas. As a young girl, she participated in school plays and talent shows, which powered her passion to perform.

Photo by Alex Kruk

Hayes plays the role of Delilah, the teenage daughter of Robyn McCall played by the Academy Award nominee and multi-hyphenate Queen Latifah.

It has been almost a year to the date when the 16-year-old rising performer got the big news that she bagged the role of the enigmatic former CIA operative’s smart and observant daughter.

“I was crying tears of joy,” Hayes told the Asian Journal, “They’re all so talented and very kind. It’s a dream really. Many of these actors I’ve watched and admired since I was younger,” Laya told sharing that she had just gotten the Asian Journal as she described her The Equalizer costars, led by Queen Latifah.

Photo by Michael Greenberg/CBS out of acting class when her agents called and shared the see a role like Delilah come worked with some amazing Navy veteran. Both lolo and exciting news. up. Not to mention, this is also lola come from Pangasinan, he actors on big projects but The audition process moved nothing compared like this. my first lead in a live-action TV from Mangaldan and she from very quickly, according to the drama series,” she said. “[It is] “Considering how popular Umingan. They immigrated to young star. She went in four something I’ve been wanting of a franchise The Equalizer America in the 70s. times for the role, all in the for a while. I’m constantly is and how Queen Latifah is They would cook lumpia, span of a week. About two learning every single day on creating history by being the adobo, and pancit and Laya’s days after the call, she was on set, whether that’s from the first female Equalizer really mom, Gina, still cooks some of a plane to New York to film the made me excited and honored crew or our amazing cast. I am those dishes for her. pilot episode. soaking everything up.” to be a part of this amazing “I have never been to the The teen actress is perhaps cast,” Hayes said, describing Tracing her roots Philippines, but I would love to best known for voicing the “I grew up very close with the eagerness she felt about visit one day,” she said. titular role in the BAFTA, Emmy the project. my Filipino side and I still am.

Growing up biracial and Peabody Award-nomiUp until I was nine years old, I It is no wonder then that Born in Charlotte, NC nated animated series, “Doc spent every summer with my the role of Delilah means and raised in Grand Prairie, McStuffins,” which earned her a so much to her. She recalls grandparents,” Laya shared.

Texas, Laya participated in NAACP Image Award nomina“I visit my Filipino side at least reading the script last year and school plays and talent shows, tion. She was just 9 years old once or twice a year and I’m really relating to the character: which powered her passion to when she booked the landmark a girl who is in this weird time constantly learning more about perform. She trained at Hart role as the first Black/Fil-Am an- of growing up where she’s not that side of my family every and Soul studio in Dallas prior imation character on Disney Jr. a grown woman yet but also day.” to moving to Los Angeles to Hayes considers this as her Her grandparents immigrat- pursue an acting career. not a baby. biggest project to date, and ed from the Philippines. Her “Realistic roles for teenage “Growing up in a biracial that she has been fortunate grandfather, who passed away family is something I’m exbiracial girls don’t come up in her career so far to have recently, was a retired U.S. often so, I was so ecstatic to Continued on Page 2

2

entertainment The Asian Jour nal MDWK MAGAZINE - February 17, 2021

Disney’s next theatrical short ‘Us Again’ features choreography by Fil-Am couple

By Ritchel

Mendiola AJPress

like it was made for animation, and that there was this genuine, honest and organic connection beWALT Disney Animation is set to debut the tween them because they were actually a married animated short “Us Again” in theatres before couple in real life,” he added.

“Raya and the Last Dragon” on March 5, and will In an Instagram post, Keone Madrid expressed be available on Disney+ in June. his excitement for “Us Again.”

“Us Again” is written and directed by Zach “Dream project announcement. Since 2019 Parrish, the head of animation of “Big Hero 6.” we’ve been working on an animated short film It will be Disney’s first theatrical short in five with Disney, told entirely through dance/music years, following 2016’s “Inner Workings,” which (can’t believe I get to type that). And on March premiered in front of “Moana.”

5th, “Us Again” will play in theaters before Raya “Us Again” tells the story of an elderly man and the Last Dragon (wherever theaters are open). named Art and his young-at-heart wife Dot It will later go to Disney+ in June,” Madrid wrote rekindling their youthful passion for life and each on Monday, February 15. other on one magical night. It will be told entirely He continued, “There are so many levels to Claudia Conway shows off her golden ticket during the “American Idol” season premiere on Sunday night, February 14. She was accompanied by her father through dance, with composer Pinar Toprak dewhich my heart explodes with joy when thinking George Conway, a Filipino American conservative lawyer.

ABC screenshot livering an “original funk and soul musical score about this coming to life, particularly that we can reminiscent of the mid-60s.” watch our daughter watch this - and that watchFor this short, Parrish collaborated with Filipi- ing the shorts before Disney films have always no American dancers and married couple Keone been something I’ve deeply cherished - but this and Mari Madrid, who have previously worked film and the village of people who helped bring it with musical acts such as Justin Bieber, Billie to life, are so special. Thank you Zach, Brad and Eilish, and K-pop group BTS. the team for believing in us. The Disney dork in “Working with Keone and Mari was the us is floating on animated clouds above space

By Ritchel Mendiola key to making this film work,” said Parrish in a mountain.”

AJPress statement.

“Us Again” is produced by Brad Simonsen “From the very beginning, I knew that I want- (“Big Hero 6,” “Zootopia,” “Ralph Breaks the InCLAUDIA Conway, the teened this film to be music driven. And I felt that ternet”) and executive produced by Jennifer Lee, age daughter of former White dance is a universal language that can translate chief creative officer for Walt Disney Animation House counselor Kellyanne into any culture. I loved that their dance style felt Studios.

Conway and Filipino American conservative lawyer George Conway, is advancing to the next round of “American Idol.”

The 16-year-old — who made headlines last year for her

By Jan Milo SeveRo viral TikToks criticizing her mothPhilstar.com er’s job and former President Donald Trump — received a THE life of deceased flight golden ticket during the show’s attendant Christine Dacera is season 19 premiere on Sunday Conway, a 16-year-old high school student, shares how music is a passion.

ABC screenshoot reportedly going to be immortalnight, February 14. ized into a movie soon.

“There’s a lot of noise in TikTok account, which has over For her audition, Claudia According to a report by your life. Before you sing, you 1.7 million followers, features sang Rihanna’s “Love on the Gorgy Rula on Pilipino Star need to get off your phone. You videos criticizing the Trump Brain,” but was cut off by AI Ngayon, line producer Dennis need to stop reading your comadministration, weighing in judge Katy Perry, who asked her Evangelista told the veteran ments. Push it aside. Because if on social issues like the Black to sing a different song. columnist that there are talks not, you may not ever rise above Lives Matter movement, and She went on to perform between the producer and Chrisyour dad or your mom. It’s your showing an inside look into her Adele’s “When We Were tine’s mom Sharon, but they still choice,” the pop star said. tumultuous relationship with her Young,” which received mixed have not finalized the deal.

Claudia was accompanied parents. reviews from the panel.

The report also added that by her father George to the au“The internet can be a very, AI judge Luke Bryan noted there’s an independent film dition, while Kellyanne encourvery dark place, but when life Bianca Umali Photo from Instagram/@bianxa that her range was “limited,” producer who wanted to turn aged her remotely on a large is all going downhill, I have my while Lionel Richie gave her Christine’s life into a movie, but a hotel in Makati.

Sharon reportedly wanted screen when she admitted being music,” said Claudia. props for choosing music. will focus more on what hap“Wala pa rin. Wala pa Kapuso actress Bianca Umali nervous for the audition.

“Now I kind of want to get Claudia received a ‘no’ from pened on that night when she talaga,” Dennis said when asked to portray her daughter in the “She loves music and I’m out of the controversy, get out Bryan and a ‘yes’ from Perry and was found dead on a bath tub in who will play as Christine. film. really thrilled that she’s here of the drama, get out of the poRichie, earning her a golden because maybe it gives her an litical whatever, and let people ticket to Hollywood. opportunity to pursue it at anknow that I am a singer and that “Claudia, you’re not going other level,” George said in an this is what I want to do,” she to D.C., honey, you’re going interview outside of the audition added. straight to Hollywood,” Perry obvious: Andrea and Derek called it quits in Perry suggested that Claudia room as he wiped away tears.

By Ronnie caRRaSco, iii announced.

November last year. Selling the project to make Philstar.com unplug from social media.

Continued on Page 4 The high school student’s it sizzle with a real-life romance gone kaput, so to GMA Network’s upcoming series “Legal speak, would have been naturally difficult for the Wives” isn’t actually Andrea Torres’ folstation and its publicists. low-through project after “The Better Woman” For the first time, GMA tackles a compelling with erstwhile leading man Derek Ramsay. love drama which the viewers only come across auditioned and it was parang they

By Ratziel San Juan “Legal Wives” casts her as one of three in documentaries.

Philstar.com were already in the last leg of spouses of Dennis Trillo, a Muslim, along with Anyway, after her breakup with Derek in their auditions. And I got a call.”

Alice Dixson and Bianca Umali. Technically, this November, under no circumstances has Andrea KAPUSO actress Heart EvanHeart recalled that the audiis Andrea’s next project to contend with after granted any interviews. Her soc-med posts theregelista finally revealed that she tion took place in the Philippines.

“Sanggang Dikit,” a reunion TV project with after never offered clues for the split, except indeed auditioned for a role in “And I remember I got a crew Derek, had been totally scrapped. that her sexy photos seem to be a subtle way of the 2018 Hollywood blockbuster and I did the scene as like a real The reason for its cancellation was pretty Continued on Page 4 with an all-Asian cast, “Crazy Rich scene from a telenovela. And I Asians.” did, I got a call. I remember, I Heart had tried out for the woke up to 10 missed calls from role of heiress Araminta Lee, the agent from LA.” which ultimately went to actress After a few steps, they asked Sonoya Mizuno (“La La Land” and Heart if she was available to “Beauty and the Beast”). shoot.

In the vlog of Dr. Aivee Teo, The ending? “And then they the dermatologist and the actress never came back.” reacted to their old photos, inHeart was a sport about it, cluding one with Heart next to ac- saying that everything happens tress Gemma Chan, who played for a reason. the iconic Astrid Leong-Teo. She revealed that she even “I actually did audition talabecame friends with “Crazy Rich Heart Evangelista ga,” Heart confessed to Aivee. “I Asians” author Kevin Kwan.

Claudia Conway gets golden ticket in ‘American Idol’ premiere

Bianca eyed to play Christine in biopic

Andrea has no choice but to talk very soon

Did Heart audition for ‘Crazy Rich Asians’?

Andrea Torres

Photo from Instagram/@andreaetorres

Photo from Instagram/@iamhearte

Ready for the spotlight: Teen actress Laya DeLeon...

From Page 1

tremely proud of. Growing up I didn’t realize what that meant or how interracial couples were looked at back in the day, because it just felt normal to me and it still does,” she said.

“When you’re mixed, I think it can be challenging at times just figuring out who you are or where you fit.”

Being mixed has allowed her to become closer to her ancestry and embrace the two cultures that make up who she is; two cultures that she is constantly learning more about and extremely proud of.

And now, with this new show, she has this opportunity to represent.

Asked about how she feels that this role will be seen by

young girls, particularly Asian/ Filipino American and Black girls, she said, “It means the world to me. I really believe representation matters.”

Like regular viewers, Laya used to constantly find characters who look like her or are going through the same things like her. She believes that having characters that relate to the audience member makes them feel less alone and when the character looks like them, it’s even more of a connection.

“Art should depict real life and real stories. Knowing that young Asian/Filipino or biracial girls will look on their screen and see someone who looks like them is something I don’t take lightly,” she quipped. “I know when I was younger, I

wanted to see a character like Delilah, one who’s not perfect and has a lot of growing to do but helps audiences know that that’s okay. You don’t get many roles for biracial girls that depict a realistic teenage girl just trying to come of age.

That’s why this role means so much to me.”

An equal rights and social justice advocate, Laya utilizes her social media platforms to spread awareness and to help propel conversation forward.

Also, she is passionate about women’s rights, body positivity and equality for all.

In her free time, Hayes enjoys rollerblading, baking with her friends and family, fashion, singing, traveling and sketch drawing. She loves theater,

Laya, seen here in a scene with Queen Latifah has established a successful voiceover career, garnering roles in “Kung Fu Panda: The Paws of Destiny,” “Hey Arnold: The Jungle Movie,” and most recently, she voiced the Iron Maiden in the popular video game series “League of Legends.”

Photo by Barbara Nitke/CBS

watching movies and creating films and videos. In the future, she hopes to develop, write, direct and produce her own projects.

Pandemic work The episodes of “The Equalizer” were shot during the pandemic. In fact, they’re still filming right now, something that Hayes is so grateful for.

“It’s definitely taken some getting used to, especially because of how collaborative the process of making a show can be. There were challenges in the beginning, but production and CBS really make sure everyone is safe and taken care of on set,” she said.

The cast and crew are The Equalizer also stars Liza Lapira (center), Adam Goldberg (left), Chris Noth, Lorraine Toussaint, and Tory Kittles. It is aired on CBS every tested regularly, they pracSunday, 8:00-9:00 PM, ET/PT. Photo by Barbara Nitke/CBS tice social distancing, and the

production does a deep clean of the set every day. They also wear their masks everywhere and only take them off before they say action.

“We’re all working hard to not only make sure this a good show, but also a safe environment for everyone,” Hayes quipped.

Hayes describes working with Queen Latifah and everyone on this cast as amazing, specially since she has been watching them since she was a young girl.

“Queen is the coolest. She plays music on set and really knows how to have the intensity needed for a scene while also creating a light environment on set. She’s got cool stories too,” she shared. “It’s been really nice to have bond-

ed with them during the time we have been filming. They’re masters at their craft and I’m learning so much simply by watching them.”

Laya’s additional television credits include “Just Add Magic,” “Liv & Maddie” and “Raven’s Home.” Also, she guest-starred in “Cougar Town,” “Grey’s Anatomy,” “Quantico” and “Code Black,” on the Network. Also, she appeared in the television film “Santa Hunters” and several national commercial campaigns.

The goal now is to continue building her already impressive body of work as she looks forward to grow every day and expand her career with each role and project that she gets to be a part of.

Rabiya: ‘Women are as capable as men’ MISS Universe Philippines 2020 Rabiya Mateo said she firmly believes that women “are as capable as men” amid President Rodrigo Duterte’s statement that women are unfit for the presidency.

Mateo, a 24-year-old physical therapist, voiced her thoughts on leadership and the President’s sexist statement in an interview with pageant website Missosology last Saturday, Feb. 13.

She was fielded questions from followers and was first asked about what Filipinos should look for in leaders with the coming 2022 elections.

In response, Mateo quipped that Filipinos have higher standards for Miss Universe over their own leaders.

“That shouldn’t be the case, right? We need to have stricter qualifications to vote someone,” she noted.

“And if there’s gonna be one aspect of being a leader that I would like to highlight, that is being honest,” she said.

“Because all the good things will go after that. An honest leader is somebody who is just, who is humane but most importantly he or she is accountable [for] what is happening in his or her country.”

“We need to look at the background of these leaders,” she stressed, “And we really need to use our mind and our heart in doing so because this is gonna give the opportunities to our children to build a better society for the future.”

“So I hope this 2022, Filipinos will be smarter and we will choose the best possible leaders for our country.”

She was also asked about her reaction to Duterte’s statement last January, when there were speculations that his daughter Sara would run for president.

“This is not for women. You know, the emotional setup of a woman and a man is totally different. You will become a fool here. So… that is the sad story,” he said then.

“Well I do respect the Pres-

features The Asian Jour nal MDWK MAGAZINE - February 17, 2021

Do I have a community property interest in a house which my spouse acquired before our marriage?

Barrister’s Corner Atty. Kenneth UrsUA reyes

Miss Universe Philippines 2020 Rabiya Mateo

ident but I completely disagree with this thought,” said Mateo, noting that the country has had two female presidents. “By doing that women are as capable as men in handling a nation.”

She also cited New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, whose swift and effective Covid-19 response has been hailed.

“Their female leader was able to nurse a newborn but at the same time she was able to become a mother to her land,” Mateo said, in reference to Ardern having a newborn baby while still running the country in 2018.

The beauty queen also argued that emotions can make for good leadership.

“I am a woman and I believe that my [emotions] do [take] part in my leadership skills,” she said. “I have so much heart, I have so much calling in being a leader actu-

property acquired by a spouse prior to marriage is considered separate property under family code section 770 while those acquired after marriage are considered community assets under family code section 760. How do you characterize real property purchased prior to marriage but with the mortgage principal paid down using community income or funds during the marriage?

The community in this situation acquires a pro tanto interest in the ratio that the payments on the purchase price made with community funds bear to the Photo from Instagram/@rabiyamateo total payments on the purchase price and any appreciaally and I do disagree with this tion should be apportioned acthought. I can lead my country cordingly. Marriage of Moore because I have the power to (1980) 28 C3d 366, 371, 373, do so.”

168 CR 662, 664, 665. Other “We live in an era in which expenses associated with the we need to treat men and property are not considered women equally. We need to in the calculation such as give them the same oppormortgage interest, taxes, and tunities,” Mateo stressed. “I insurance. In essence, the real won’t agree with something property would accumulate like this (Duterte’s statement) both a separate property and because I know my capabilities a community property compoand strengths as a woman and nent by the date of separation.

I know I can make a difference, The appropriate remedy in so much difference.” this situation where separate “We need female leaders property is subsequently paid who will put their emotions with community funds is “apin making decisions. Because portionment.” it’s not all about experience.

The process of apportionSometimes you need to [use] ing between the separate and your [emotions] to be the community property compomother of the country,” she nent is laid out in the Marriage added. of Marsden. In that case, the The Iloilo City beauty is also court determined the ratio Miss Universe Philippines’ amor percentage in which the bassador for education. (Niña mortgage loan principal was V. Guno/Inquirer.net) reduced during the marriage and applied that percentage to the appreciation of the real property during the marriage.

The community property component would then consist of the reduction in the mort-

Matteo is the epitome of happy & unbothered

By Ratziel

San Juan Philstar.com

SINCE his controversial PlayStation unboxing vlogs and judging debut on TV5’s “Masked Singer Pilipinas” last year, Matteo Guidicelli has definitely upped his following all the more on the small screen and online, with part-admirers and part-bashers as expected.

As he puts a different hat on for 2021 as host of “Born to be a Star Season 2,” still on TV5, In the Know had the opportunity to ask how he feels about the year that was and what is to come, which you’re all about to read right here.

Chatting virtually with Matt alongside “Born to be a Star” co-host Kim Molina, the popular heartthrob was in a very playful mood. Describing the fun he’s having on set, he joked, “It’s nice coming out of the closet ha ha ha!” quickly adding, “I mean it’s nice to come out and just be honest and have fun on stage specially with a partner like Kim.” Now we all know Matteo’s a good guy, despite the occasional headlines related to his better half Sarah Geornimo’s family in the past, but very clearly, he’s loosened up a lot over the pandemic with a live and let live attitude.

These days, he takes things quite lightly, so much so that in between our Q&A, he had to check several times if he wasn’t in trouble with his handler yet for supposedly off-the-record stuff he was spilling. Even Kim had to glare at him at one point.

Laughing all through it though, Matteo quipped, “Every night I go inside my closet and cry kasi pinapagalitan ako o!”

All in the name of good fun, he explained, “At the end of the day this is entertainment and we’re coming out here just having a good time. Specially with Covid, everybody’s just home and stuck, just walking around in circles.”

It can be recalled that when Matteo posted his PS5 unboxing vlog a month ago, it quickly hit a million views albeit with more dislikes than likes because of how brutal he was in handling the gadget. Gaming aficionados couldn’t believe how rough he was, ransacking the box to get to the PS5 then playing with it without a care in the world.

Asking if his vlog concepts were planned to be so, Matteo says he just does what’s natural to him every time. He’s very much aware of the backlash over his style but says again,

Ken Chan

Dali Fan, M.D., PH.D. Health Science Clinical Professor Cardiovascular Medicine UC Davis Health

Matteo Guidicelli Photo from Instagram/@matteog

“At the end of the day it’s entertainment, and it’s how people receive that. For me, it’s just about not taking everything too seriously. Life is already difficult to begin with so [what I do offers] a source of happiness, a source of love and a source of good vibes that I also hope to bring to people.”

Ken fulfills dreams despite pandemic a. llemit

Philstar.com

KEN Chan is proving to be an actor who can play roles that require sensitivity. He was prayed for his portrayal of a trans woman in the 2015 acclaimed afternoon drama “Destiny Rose.” He again rose to the challenge in 2018 when he played a man with intellectual disability on “My Special Tatay.”

As he signs an exclusive contract with GMA Network anew, Ken is given another role

that would display his range as an actor even more.

He is set to headline the upcoming drama series “Ang Dalawang Ikaw” where his character will tackle Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID), which the Cleveland Clinic defines as “a complex psychological condition that is likely caused by many factors, including severe trauma during early childhood (usually extreme, repetitive physical, sexual, or emotional abuse).” It was also previously known as multiple personality

gage loan principal during the marriage plus the portion of appreciation during the marriage applying the ratio discussed above.

In the Marriage of Marsden, the real property was purchased by the husband for $38,300 prior to the marriage.

The original mortgage was $30,000. By the time the husband got married, the house was now worth $65,000 while the mortgage has gone down by $7,000. Both the appreciation of $26,700 and the mortgage reduction of $7,000 would be separate property since it occurred prior to marriage. Marriage of Madsen (1982) 130 CA3d 426, 181 CR 910.

During the marriage until the time of trial, the property has appreciated another $117,500 (property now valued at $182,500) while the mortgage has further declined by $9,200 up to the date of separation. The ratio at which community funds paid down the mortgage ($9,200) during the marriage to the original purchase price ($38,300) amounts to 24.02%. This percentage of the property appreciation during the marriage of $117,500 ($28,223.50) plus the reduction in mortgage balance during the marriage ($9,200) would constitute the community component of the real property. The rest was the husband’s separate property. The husband in that case was awarded his separate property component of the real property plus one half of the community property component.

The Marsden apportionment method is also applicable to situations where a community real property is later transmuted into one spouse’s separate property through execution of a quit claim by the other spouse but is subsequently paid using community funds. Marriage of Broderick (1989) 209 CA3d 489, 257 CR 397. In litigation, the community interest in the

situations mentioned about is proven through expert witness testimony typically by a forensic CPA. Since California case law allows the creation of a community interest in real property acquired prior to marriage, one has to consider vehicles to protect themselves if you own property and you are contemplating of getting married. There are several ways of avoiding the creation of a community interest on your separate real property. One, you can sign a prenuptial agreement.

Two, the parties can execute a postnuptial agreement if the parties are already married. Three, the parties can execute a transmutation agreement with a waiver of any family code section 2640 reimbursement claim. If your divorce case involves complex issues of asset distribution, it is best to retain the representation of competent counsel.. *** 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, APLC. 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, APLC is located at 3699 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 747, Los Angeles, CA, 90010. Tel. (213) 388-1611 or e-mail kenneth@kenreyeslaw.com. Visit our website at Kenneth@kenreyeslaw.com.

(Advertising Supplement)

Q&A: COVID-19 vaccines

Photo from Instagram/@akosikenchan

By Kathleen

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disorder and reportedly affects at least 1% of the world’s population.

“Masasabi kong isa ito sa pinakamahirap ng character o role na naibigay sa akin ng GMA 7. Sabi ko nga, napaka-blessed ko talaga dahil nabibiyayaan ako ng mga proyektong may advocacy. Sobrang challenging niyang gawin kasi hindi lang isang tao ang ginagampanan ko dito kundi dalawa at hindi natin alam dahil baka mayroon pang ibang katauhang lalabas. Sa Continued on Page 5

Q: Doesn’t the vaccines have side effects? Is it dangerous?

A: COVID-19 vaccines are safe, about as safe as any other vaccine and much safer than almost all common medicine. There can be some minor side effects after vaccination, such as a mild fever or sore arm. Mild symptoms are normal and a sign that the body is building immunity. About 10% of the people received the vaccine may experience side effects.

The COVID-19 vaccines are up to 95% effective.

Q: Have some people gone into anaphylaxis with allergic reactions?

A: Allergic reactions to the COVID-19 vaccines are rare and very few people have had severe adverse reactions (about 5 in 1 million people), it is 100 times less than penicillin. If someone normally has allergic reactions to the flu vaccine or other severe allergies, they should report that to their health providers in advance of receiving the COVID 19 vaccine.

Q: I have allergies and am allergic to many drugs, such as antibiotics. Is it still safe for me to get vaccinated?

A: You can still get the COVID-19 vaccine if you have allergies to drugs, such as antibiotics, but you need to talk to your healthcare provider first about what types of allergies you have had and if any precautions are needed for you to receive the COVID-19 vaccine.

Q: Can I still take the vaccine if I have underlying health conditions, take routine medication/ treatment and nontraditional or homeopathic remedies?

A: Yes, you can still receive the COVID-19 vaccine even if you have underlying health conditions.

Q: Is the vaccine safe for pregnant women? What about for mothers who are breastfeeding?

A: American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) recommends that COVID-19 vaccines should not be withheld from pregnant individuals who meet criteria for vaccination. However, all women who are pregnant and mothers who are breastfeeding should talk with their healthcare provider before getting the vaccine.

Q: There’s a new variant of the virus already In California?

Will this vaccine protect against it or will there be another vaccine?

A: Vaccine scientists believe the present COVID-19 vaccine is effective against the new variant.

Scientists are continuing to study this new variant and the vaccines’ effectiveness against it. Both Pfizer and Moderna have already made progress with new vaccines against the new variant.

Q: How long does immunity from the vaccine last?

A: How long the vaccine will provide immunity from the virus is still unknown, but scientists believe it is at least 6 months and they are studying this. People should continue to take safety precautions including mask wearing, hand-washing and physical distancing, even after receiving the vaccine.

Q: How were these vaccines developed so quickly?

A: COVID-19 vaccine was developed to be safe and effective while moving very quickly to get doses manufactured en masse.

Manufacturing started while the clinical trials were still underway. The U.S. government and vaccine manufacturers invested millions of dollars in producing millions of doses of vaccine while clinical trials were in progress, greatly reducing the amount of time between vaccine authorization and vaccine implementation.

The investment in manufacturing normally doesn’t happen for other vaccines until later in the development process but the urgency of this virus required expediency. Still, these more quickly developed vaccines, called mRNA, continue to be held to strict safety standards.

Q: How do mRNA vaccines work? Are they safe and do they alter your DNA? A: This mRNA, or messenger RNA, form of vaccine helps our cells make a “spike protein” that acts to trigger an immune response in the system and does not change our DNA. The technology utilized to make these vaccines has been developed over the last 20 years. Messenger RNA has been studied for over a decade for effectiveness in influenza, Zika, rabies, and new cancer treatments. This type of vaccine is what Pfizer and Moderna are manufacturing to help us get this public health crisis under control safely and effectively.

Q: When and how will people know it’s their turn to get a vaccine?

A: California has a new tool – the MyTurn website, MyTurn. ca.gov, which allows people to sign up to be notified when it is

their turn. The state’s priority is to continue vaccinating health care workers and residents in long-term care settings, then move to other priority groups and ultimately everyone once the vaccine supply is available.

California simplified eligibility guidelines under which health care workers, individuals 65+ and education and childcare, emergency services and food and agriculture workers are eligible to make appointments to receive the vaccine, depending on supply.

Future groups will become eligible based on age.

This eligibility standard will move in unison across all 58 counties and allow the state to scale capacity up while ensuring the vaccine goes to disproportionately impacted communities.

Q: I don’t have a primary physician, where should I go to get the vaccine?

A: People without a primary care physician should contact their local community health clinic, known as Federally Qualified Health Care Center. Or local public health department to know when and where to go for their vaccine.

Q: How much does the vaccine cost?

A: The vaccine cost nothing – it is free for all Californians. If someone charges for it, it would be a scam.

If you’re undocumented or don’t have insurance, you can still get the vaccine at no cost, and COVID-19 vaccine does not count under the public charge rule.

Q: When will the majority of Californians get the vaccine?

A: The state’s weekly supplies of vaccine are extremely limited at this time. Once the vaccines are produced at scale by the manufacturers and made available to the state, we will know when everyone can have the vaccine according to the prioritized groups. Go to VaccinateAll58. com for information about the prioritization of groups for receiving the vaccine.

Q: Do people who already had COVID 19 have to be vaccinated?

A: Yes. Everyone should get vaccinated even if they had COVID-19. Health officials don’t know how long the immune response lasts after contracting COVID-19, so it is important that everyone receive this safe and effective vaccine.

Q: Do you need to get the same vaccine for your first and second dose?

A: Yes. Mixing different doses of different COVID-19 is not recommended.

(Advertising Supplement)

entertainment Lovi and Benjamin: Of love and money Claudia Conway gets golden ticket...

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The Asian Jour nal MDWK MAGAZINE - February 17, 2021

By Niña

V. GuNo

Inquirer.net

From Page 2

“It makes me happy seeing her here, doing this one way or the other.”

“You should be nervous, honey. It’s a very humbling experience,” said Kellyanne, adding, “But remember, honey, winners are people who are willing to lose.”

In a home video played before the audition, Claudia opened up about her relationship with her high-profile mother.

“When your mom is working for the president of the United States, who you very much disagree with, it’s hard,” she said.

When asked by Perry if her mom still hugs her, Claudia

answered: “I mean, yeah, she loves me. I love her. I feel like our relationship’s a little iffy.

Most of my life, my feelings had been suppressed, so then I got social media, and I was like ‘Well, damn. Now my voice is being heard.’”

Perry also gave Claudia a pep talk, advising her to “calm the storm that is around you.”

“When you sing this next song, think about when you were young, and go back to that time.

There’s a sadness there. It’s like, you lost your youth, because you weren’t able to experience it on your own, without all of this noise,” the AI judge said.

“Your dad’s your dad. Your mom’s your mom. Who is Claudia? You have to calm the storm that is around you, ‘cause if you sing like you want to read the social media comments afterwards, you’re only ever gonna be a TikTok star. We want an American Idol,” continued Perry.

“American Idol” airs Sundays at 8 p.m. on ABC.

Andrea has no choice...

From Page 2

telling her ex-boyfriend, “This is what you lost!”

No, it’s not Ellen Adarna who Derek chose over Andrea. The brewing Derek-Ellen neighborly closeness didn’t happen until early January this year. But then again who knows?

Andrea’s disturbing silence is, in all likelihood, a stern network directive. For to allow the Derek-Andrea angle gain publicity mileage will simply steal spotlight from the other cast members of the upcoming project.

With due respect, Alice — being the most senior (but whose looks betray her fifty-something age) — is enough publicity slant on her own. And GMA is generously giving her just that.

For Andrea, Derek-related questions from the media are to be anticipated, nonetheless.

This is showbiz after all.

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DON’T worry — TV’s newest love story isn’t pitting love and money as a Valentine’s special. This romantic-comedy that curiously touches on the importance of learning how to make important financial decisions, especially in these challenging times.

Titled “Owe My Love,” it will make more sense to know that the network’s News and Public Affairs is producing the series thereby the deliberate effort to inject a substantial amount of useful information within an entertaining story.

Starring Kapuso Premier Drama actress Lovi Poe and sought-after Kapuso leading man Benjamin Alves, with Comedy Queen Ai-Ai delas Alas, Owe My Love follows the story of Pacencia “Sensen” Guipit and Dr. Miguel “Migs” Alcancia whose lives become entangled in serious money matters that arise from extreme dedication to family.

Fate and a series of unfortunate events that find Sensen paying off her father’s gambling bills to shouldering her youngest sibling’s hospital bills she soon becomes indebted to Doc Migs.

With its complete season ready for airing, Poe, Alves and

Lovi Poe and Benjamin Alves

the rest of the show’s formidable cast — delas Alas as Vida Morales who portray Sensen’s boss-cum-second mother; WinWyn Marquez as Trixie Gibs, Migs’ clingy ex-girlfriend; veteran comedians Nova Villa, Ruby Rodriguez, Pekto Nacua, Buboy Villar and Kiray Celis who provide nonstop laughter; and Jacki Lou Blanco as Divina, Migs’ greedy stepmother — are already back in locked in taping hard at work for the second season.

GMA photo

Poe, who just celebrated her birthday on Thursday away in the production bubble, is very excited to finally see this long-awaited teleserye, with purpose, come to life on GMA. “We may be away from our families — me on my birthday, and all of us on Valentine’s Day —but I’m happy because we’re doing something special here and we’ve really become a family too who really care from one another here.”

Ken fulfills dreams despite...

From Page 4

araw-araw na ginagawa namin ang mga eksena, sobra pa rin yung kaba ko dahil talagang mabibigat at madugo ang fight scenes,” Ken shared.

Ken has come a long way since his first exposure as one of the late German Moreno’s “alagas” who was seen in the latter’s “Walang Tulugan With The Master Showman.”

He’s stayed with GMA-7 and was given roles that many actors could only dream of.

He has nothing but good words for the network that gave him his big breaks. “‘Yung matawag ka pa lang na ‘Kapuso’ ay sobrang sarap na sa pakiramdam. Hindi madali ang mga pinagdaanan ko para makapasok sa showbiz industry pero binigyan ako ng pagkakataon ng GMA para buuin ang mga pangarap ko

bilang isang aktor. Proud akong sabihin na dahil sa GMA, nakagawa ako ng mga teleseryeng may mga kakaibang istorya at maraming tao ang sumaya at na-inspire.

Talagang minahal nila yung mga proyektong ginawa ko.” he related.

Apart from churning in fine performances, Ken is also effective as a leading man. He played the rich temperamental male lead trope in the romantic-comedy “Meant To Be” opposite Barbie Forteza in 2017.

It remains to be one of GMA’s cult favorite rom-com series. A year later, he again proved he could pull-off a romance amid an advocacy-driven show by showing great chemistry with co-star Rita Daniela in “My Special Tatay.”

Fans of the RitKen pairing can look forward to their movie

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FOR SALE

“Huling Ulan Sa Tag-araw” and the fourth season of the all-original musical competition “The Clash” where they are the “journey hosts.”

Besides showbiz accomplishments, Ken is also happy to have achieved one of his childhood dreams -- to own a gasoline station. “‘Yung blessings na binibigay sa akin ng Panginoon, ayaw kong sayangin dahil alam niyang marami akong mga taong matutulungan through my businesses. Naaalala ko noong mga 10 years old ako, sabi ko sa sarili ko na balang araw magkakaroon din ako ng sarili kong gasoline station.

Nagdilang-anghel nga siguro talaga ako dahil I am very proud to say na naabot ko yung pangarap ko na magkaroon ng sariling gasolinahan,” he recalled.

5 The Asian Jour nal MDWK MAGAZINE - February 17, 2021

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