030222 - Southern California Midweek Edition

2 MARCH 2-4, 2022 • SoCal ASIAN JOURNAL

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From the Front Page

California drops all indoor...

PAGE 1 The Golden State is also joining western states in ending school mask mandates next week.

By March 12, California along with Oregon and Washington, will drop the requirement for students to wear masks while at school, leaving the decision up to districts and local jurisdictions.

The announcement came on Monday, Feb. 28 that schools and child care facilities will not have to wear masks, even if they will continue to be strongly recommended.

"Masks are an effective tool to minimize spread of the virus and future variants, especially when transmission rates are high. We cannot predict the future of the virus, but we are better prepared for it and will continue to take measures rooted in science to keep California moving forward,” the governor added.

Local jurisdictions, like Los

Angeles County, may have additional requirements beyond the state guidance.

LA County is following the state in dropping school masking measures, but will continue to recommend indoor masking at child care sites and K-12 schools, according to the county Department of Public Health.

“School districts may continue to require masking at schools and during school activities and are encouraged to consult with teachers, staff, parents and students as they consider the appropriate safety protections for their school community, recognizing that many individuals may want to continue additional protections,” the department said in a statement.

While the LA Unified School District has not put out a statement on whether it will drop the mask mandate, the United Teachers Los Angeles,

the teachers’ union, said it is premature to discuss ending the mask mandate for schools.

“LAUSD schools have been the safest and most well equipped in the country because educators and families united to demand critical health and safety protocols,” union President Cecily Myart-Cruz said. “These protocols, like indoor masking, have protected tens of thousands of educators and more than half a million students, along with their families. It is premature to discuss removing these health and safety measures while there are still many unvaccinated youth in our early education programs and schools.”

As of Tuesday, March 1, Public Health reported 1,093 new positive cases in LA County, bringing the total to 2,797,628 cases. Further, 58 new deaths were reported, with 30,773 deaths to date.g

PASSENGERS’ QUEUE. Public commuters line up to get a ride on Commonwealth Avenue in Philcoa, Quezon City on Monday, Feb. 28. The volume of passengers is expected to balloon after the government approved on Sunday to place the National Capital Region and 38 other areas under Alert Level 1 from March 1 to 15.

PNA photo by Joey O. Razon

Marcos still not sure about joining...

PAGE 1 for each, the right to respond and rebut his/her arguments, who will be the moderator, among others.”

Earlier on Tuesday, the Comelec announced that it would inform presidential and vice-presidential candidates of the general topics that would be tackled in the debates.

Asked if he will attend now that the topics are to be released prior to the event, Marcos Jr. said: “That’s basically the same as the others.”

Marcos Jr. has been drawing

flak for always declining major presidential interviews, debates, and forums that his rivals generally attend.

The first one Marcos Jr. turned down was an interview with veteran journalist Jessica Soho, who he called “biased.” He also skipped the presidential forum organized by the Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster ng Pilipinas (KBP), citing supposed conflict in his schedule.

Most recently, he did not participate in the presidential debate organized by CNN Philippines.

But he attended the debate arranged by media network SMNI, which is owned by televangelist Pastor Apollo Quiboloy, who earlier endorsed Marcos Jr. for president.

However, presidential candidates like Senators Panfilo Lacson and Manny Pacquiao, Manila City Mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso, and Vice President Leni Robredo did not attend the SMNI debate.

Marcos Jr. has also so far accommodated interviews by broadcaster Korina Sanchez and TV personality Boy Abunda. g

Sen. Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. PAGE 1 President Duterte’s faction in the PDP-Laban has adopted The Department of Foreign Duterte-Carpio as its vice Affairs said last Thursday that presidential candidate. The it has accounted for some 181 faction, however, has not Filipino nationals in Ukraine, endorsed any presidential with majority residing in the candidate yet. capital Kyiv.

Initially, the Duterte faction The DFA said the Philippines was endorsing the presidential embassy in Warsaw had put bid of Sen. Bong Go, but the "great efforts in counting and senator later withdrew his accounting for every kababayan." candidacy.

Foreign Secretary Teodoro President Duterte himself has Locsin Jr. earlier vowed that no not endorsed any presidential harm would come to Filipinos candidate yet — including in Ukraine as he reassured the his daughter’s running mate public that the government was Marcos, whom he once tagged President Rodrigo Duterte and his daughter, Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpo. taking steps to keep them safe.

Malacañang photo by King Rodriguez as “a weak leader.” g The Philippines has voted yes

to a resolution at the UN General Assembly calling on Russia to withdraw its troops from Ukraine and condemning its invasion of the former Soviet country.

The EU said it will impose economic sanctions on Russia, including excluding the country from global banking system SWIFT that would render many financial transactions with Russia impossible.

Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky earlier signed a document signifying his country's intent to apply for EU membership, the deputy head of his office Andrii Sybiha said on

Twitter.

For centuries, Ukraine was part of the Russian empire before becoming a Soviet state, and eventually becoming an independent nation after the USSR fell in 1991.

In 2014, Ukrainians deposed their pro-Russian president Viktor Yanukovych, who had rejected an association agreement with the EU in favor of forging closer ties with Moscow.

Russia responded by annexing Ukraine's southern Crimean peninsula and backing separatists in the East. g

Duterte hopes his successor will continue...

PAGE 1 the campaign against illegal drugs would protect the next generation because “they will have a serious problem in their hands” if the drug problem is not mitigated.

“Kung ganito katindi ang pamamalakad nila, kung hindi sabayan ng katindi ng resolve,

matatalo ka,” he added.

(If the drug problem is so serious now, if you don’t meet it with as much intensity, you will lose.)

Duterte earlier said he will never apologize for the fatalities that resulted from his administration’s bloody war on drugs.

In Tuesday’s televised public address, he reiterated that he instructed policemen to avoid getting killed in police operations.

“Sabi ko sa police, ‘wag kayo magpauna,” he said.

(I told the police that they should not let themselves be killed.) g

Sara Dutete: No talks with her father...

PAGE 1

DFA urged to prepare evacuation plans...

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The demise of single-payer in California trips...

PAGE 1

major blow to similar campaigns elsewhere in the nation — which had looked to California for inspiration and leadership — casting doubt on their ability to succeed.

“We’re also fighting in New York, but just like in California, there’s not 100% Democratic consensus among legislators,” said Ursula Rozum, co-director of the Campaign for New York Health, which is working to pass single-payer legislation. “It feels like a constant question of ‘Can we win this?’”

Health policy experts agree that California’s failure to adopt single-payer dampens momentum across the country.

“California, given its size and politics, has always been a bellwether for progressive policy, so this certainly sends a signal to other states about how hard this is,” said Larry Levitt, executive vice president for health policy at KFF. But Rozum and singlepayer activists in Colorado, Washington state, and elsewhere say that rather than giving up, they are taking key lessons from California’s failure: It is essential to win — and keep — support from the governor. Groups pushing single-payer must unite Democrats, bringing in businessfriendly moderates and broader support from organized labor.

And they say they must learn how to counter intense lobbying by doctors, hospitals, and health insurance companies fighting to preserve the status quo.

“We’ve seen what happened in California, so we are working hard to get our governor on the record in support of single-payer so she will sign it when it gets to her desk,” Rozum said. “And just like there, our union movement is divided. We know we need them to have any chance of moving forward with our bill.”

So far, single-payer proponents haven’t been able to broaden their movement beyond liberal activists or convince people that they should pay higher taxes in exchange for scrapping health care premiums, deductibles, and copays.

The only state that has passed single-payer, Vermont, didn’t implement it.

Vermont adopted a singlepayer plan in 2011 with unequivocal support from its then-governor, Democrat Peter Shumlin. But he abandoned the

effort in 2014 amid growing concerns about tax increases and runaway health care costs.

“There isn’t a political party in the world that’s going to raise their hands every year to increase taxes on hard-working citizens,” Shumlin told KHN. “That’s the big mistake I made in Vermont.”

But progressive dreams for single-payer didn’t die when Vermont retreated. “Medicare for All” became a liberal rallying cry for Democrats nationally when Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders stumped for it during his presidential campaigns.

After President Joe Biden was elected, the movement shifted to the states, in part because Biden has opposed Medicare for All. Activists in Colorado are mobilizing for another singlepayer campaign after the overwhelming defeat of a 2016 ballot initiative that failed partly because of intense health care industry opposition. Organizers in Washington state are pushing legislation and trying to get a single-payer initiative on the ballot next year.

Shumlin said Democrats must be prepared to take on deep-pocketed industry groups and rein in soaring health care spending — or they’ll be confronted with the political difficulty of constantly raising taxes.

“California is the best state to lead this because it has the fifthbiggest economy in the world.

It’s all about scale,” Shumlin said. “And if California gets it right, other states and the federal government will follow. But this is hard stuff, so get ready to get bloodied.”

Some Democratic lawmakers and the California Nurses Association had hoped California would lead the way this year and that Newsom would be their champion.

State Assembly member Ash Kalra (D-San Jose) introduced legislation sponsored by the union that would have created government-run health insurance for all state residents while significantly raising taxes on employers, employees, and businesses to pay for it. State estimates pegged the cost at roughly $360 billion a year, with a little less than half coming from tax increases and the rest from the federal government.

On Newsom’s first day in office in 2019, he said, “I committed

to this and I want folks to know I was serious.” But since then, he has distanced himself from single-payer.

Instead, he has created a commission to study the concept and asked the Biden administration for permission to collect federal money that flows to the state via the Affordable Care Act, Medicaid, and Medicare, which California could use to help finance a single-payer system. But Biden can’t simply approve the request — California would need complicated federal waivers and approval from Congress.

Newsom has shifted to a platform of “universal health care,” which includes Medicaid coverage for all income-eligible unauthorized immigrants and state-funded subsidies for Californians who buy health insurance from Covered California, the state’s Obamacare insurance exchange.

Newsom said in January that he has long believed single-payer is “inevitable” but signaled that the federal government should take the lead.

Kalra decided not to bring his bill up for a vote in the state Assembly, saying on Jan. 31 that he couldn’t muster enough support.

“It makes it harder to get the votes you need when I’m trying to convince my colleagues that there’s an absolute path to success,” Kalra said. “We have a governor who campaigned on single-payer, and if we’re going to successfully have single-payer health care in California, at some point we need his engagement and it needs to be genuine.”

Kalra said he’s considering introducing another bill next year but conceded that he must shift his strategy to bring more Democrats and unions into the campaign.

These are lessons other states are heeding.

“There’s no question that had California passed a singlepayer health care plan, we’d be in a position in the state of Washington to say, ‘Look what California is doing,’” said Andre Stackhouse, campaign director for Whole Washington, an advocacy group trying to get a single-payer initiative on the ballot next year.

Stackhouse worked on behalf of California’s single-payer campaign this year, helping with PAGE 5

DRY. Residents of Barangay Anabu II in Imus, Cavite line up to get water from a Maynilad truck on Saturday, Feb. 26. The water service provider is doing maintenance activity to repair water pipes that caused the temporary service interruption.

PNA photo by Gil Calinga

Is inflation eroding the middle...

PAGE 1

Liberating Ourselves from the American Dream: “Hundreds of people across the country experience being middle precariat. It is a cross between the proletariat and the precarious. It’s when the middle class (51% of the population) looks like the unstable working class in terms of contingency, job anxiety, economic doubt, inability to pay basic fees and rents.”

“Inflation rises against the backdrop of an already destabilized class…Three things are really pressing: cars, housing and medical care.”

“40% of U.S. workers experienced worsening job quality since the start of COVID-19. 27,000 media jobs have been lost. we’re trying to give all these independent reporters some sustenance and keep them writing and keep them contributing to the mainstream media.”

“At the root of a lot of the attitudes towards the struggling middle class is this bootstrapping myth that is a toxin… It has taken a mental toll particularly on the middle class because of the anxiety and secrecy around finances.”

Penny Wang, Deputy Editor, Special Projects-Money,

Consumer Reports: “It’s important to use this current spike in inflation as a touchstone in people’s interest and financial plans… One reason that prices are going up now is that there’s a lot of cash sloshing through the economy.”

“90% plus of Americans were seeing significantly higher prices in all areas, but gas was the one that paid attention to the most. But there’s not a silver bullet for solving that. The main thing is just to budget for that…

Another pain point was grocery shopping.”

“For families that are struggling financially, there are certain programs that might help you cut costs, one of them being on a project for people who are trying to pay for internet, and it’s the American connectivity program (https:// www.fcc.gov/acp).”

“The biggest concern in future inflation is housing costs. That’s going to have to be something that policymakers and advocates really push on.”

Josh Bivens, Director of Research for the Economic Policy Institute: “There’s no knob you can turn that only reduces inflation without having consequences

for lots of other things we care about in the economy as well, like sustaining job growth, and how able people are to get wage increases.”

“The obvious thing that is common across countries is the shock of COVID. We have inflation, because COVID imposed extreme distortions on the economy, both on the demand side and the supply side.”

“By the middle of 2022 inflation is going to start to decelerate pretty significantly, just on its own. We have started to delink economic activity from COVID. Look at January when we had the biggest spike in Omicrom in the United States, yet we created 470,000 jobs in that single month.”

“We came into the pandemic with crazy disparities by income group by race. None of them got better during the pandemic, and we haven’t done anything in the long run to really push them back together. (Low) unemployment is one of the few things that actually does help racial disparities a little bit, it pushes wages closer together. We should always be searching for it.” (Jenny Manrique/Ethnic Media Services)

4 MARCH 2-4, 2022 • SoCal ASIAN JOURNAL

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SoCal ASIAN JOURNAL • MARCH 2-4, 2022 5

J&J-vaxxed, mRNA-boosted, SFIO appoints experts across F&B, real and pondering a third shot estate and technology onto advisory board YES, we are all exhausted by the covid pandemic. Flummoxed by the constantly shifting science and guidelines. Worried about a succession of scary new variants, each with its own name, like hurricanes.

But a sizable minority — nearly 17 million U.S. residents, including me — has its own special quandary. Our initial vaccine was Johnson & Johnson, which was just one shot, and that has many of us confused.

Are we fully vaccinated, even with a booster, or should we get a third shot to catch up with the 92 million vaccinees who got two doses of Pfizer or Moderna early on and have since been boosted?

Since J&J has largely disappeared from the public eye, actionable information is in scarce supply — not to mention that the guidance is constantly shifting, for everybody.

On April 4, 2021, I dutifully traveled across Los Angeles to line up for my J&J shot at a mass vaccination site. Like many of my J&J brethren, I was following the advice of public health officials to take the first available vaccine.

At the time, J&J was kind of a cool newcomer among covid-19 vaccines. The protection it provided against illness, though apparently less than that afforded by the so-called messenger RNA (mRNA) vaccines from Pfizer and

Moderna, seemed sufficient to ward off serious illness.

And while those vaccines required two shots, J&J was billed as “one and done” — a big advantage for people with needle phobia and for transient populations, including farmworkers, people living in homelessness, and inmates in county jails. Its easy storage requirements, compared with the deep freeze needed to handle the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines, also made it a good choice for remote rural populations.

But just days after I got my shot, the reputation of J&J entered what would prove to be a disastrous tailspin, with news of the vaccine’s link to a rare but potentially deadly blood clotting disorder. That prompted federal health officials to hit the pause button on it, only to clear it 10 days later and then reverse course in December by recommending the Moderna and Pfizer vaccines over J&J’s, mainly because of studies that intensified the blood clot concern.

In the interim, J&J was plagued by production snafus and concerns about its vaccine’s efficacy.

Research showed a disproportionate share of breakthrough infections among J&J vaccinees during a covid surge on Cape Cod last summer. State data from California covering

most of 2021 paints a similar picture, not only for infections but also for hospitalizations and deaths.

With J&J seemingly destined to be a benchwarmer among covid vaccines in the U.S., it often has been left out of public discourse and guidance on covid.

“Very little J&J vaccine is currently being used, which is part of the reason that people don’t talk about it very much anymore,” says Dr. William Schaffner, a professor of infectious diseases at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville, Tennessee.

When the Biden administration first recommended boosters in August, it initially excluded J&J vaccinees, citing a lag in the data.

No wonder the citizens of J&J Nation have been feeling a bit like neglected stepchildren.

“I wish I had chosen something that more people had received so I could get more information,” says Leah Justman, a 39-yearold resident of Los Angeles, who preferred the J&J shot last April because she was breastfeeding her newborn baby at the time, was nervous about the new mRNA technology, and thought J&J was “more similar to getting a regular vaccine.”

Now, she says, she feels as if there’s a bit of a stigma attached to being a J&Jer: “When I go u PAGE 8

The demise of single-payer in California trips...

PAGE 1 a phone-banking campaign to pressure lawmakers. He’s part of a new national coalition called Medicare for All Everywhere, a group of organizers and volunteers working to identify why single-payer efforts fail and how to overcome political and lobbying obstacles.

California was a key test, he said. “We’ve learned all the ways Democrats can kill a bill, but we can’t spend all of our time grieving this loss and the huge setback that it is,” Stackhouse said.

For instance, a major goal for the movement is to persuade more unions to join the fight.

Although the nurses union is leading the battle in California, other unions are against singlepayer.

“As trade unionists, we believe

everybody should have health care, but there’s a big fear that we’re going to lose the benefits that we have,” said Chris Snyder, political director for the local International Union of Operating Engineers in Northern California.

“We have our own health care trust fund, and we don’t want benefits that we’ve fought for for decades to be taken away or watered down.”

Lack of union support is a major problem in New York, where Democratic Assembly member Richard Gottfried has introduced a single-payer bill in every legislative session for the past 30 years.

“What is keeping the bill from moving in the legislature is opposition from public employee unions,” Gottfried said. “They feel they have negotiated excellent coverage, so we need

to convince them that the New York Health Act is as good or better than what they have now.”

Gottfried said he has been negotiating with teachers, sanitation workers, and other trade unions on legislative language that would provide “more explicit guarantees” that union members would receive better coverage without paying more out-of-pocket than they already do.

It’s not clear if the measure will get a vote this year.

“Whichever state goes first will help build momentum for other states,” he said. (Angela Hart/Kaiser Health News) This story was produced

by KHN, which publishes California Healthline, an editorially independent service of the California Health Care Foundation. g

STARFLEET Innotech, Inc. (OTCPink: SFIO), a leading asset management company and innovation group, is pleased to share details about the advisory board it has assembled to lead its global expansion plans across its core divisions.

Starfleet Innotech, Inc. has formalized its change to the new company name. Various media have already begun updating their databases to reflect this change, so expect see more of Starfleet across your feeds as they mobilize the communication efforts around the roadmap for 2022.

SFIO chairman Jeths Lacson shared a comprehensive look at the strategy towards uplisting to the Nasdaq within the next three years.

This strategy revolves around SFIO’s three core divisions: Food and Beverage, Real Estate, and Technology. As SFIO expands the global footprint and scale across these three sectors, the company must be able to effectively anticipate and stay ahead of the nuanced forces shaping each facet of the growing conglomerate. To do this, SFIO has gathered a truly remarkable advisory board, bringing decades of expertise and perspective to SFIO’s leadership team.

With perhaps the widest breadth of experience on the team, Roger Oriel serves as an advisor on board, commanding decades of experience as a businessman, investor, and enterprise leader.

Roger is chairman of the board of wine distributor Napa Valley Distribution and Premier Asia Pacific Real Estate and Development, the developer of one of the major real estate projects in the Philippines, Lombard by the Bay. Most recently, Roger joined the board of directors of BayaniPay, a California-based fintech firm bridging millions of Filipinos based in the U.S. with their families in the Philippines. Roger will also be providing strategic guidance on their communications efforts, pulling from his experience as the CEO and publisher of Asian Journal Publications, a U.S.-based multimedia publishing company focused on the Filipino diaspora, and as the chairman of the board of Trending Entertainment, an entertaining company focused on immersive streaming platforms.

Also supporting the communications efforts on the advisory board is Vince Caruso, the founder and CEO of enterprise marketing firm FMW Media Works Corp. Through FMW Media Works, Vince oversees the production of New to the Street, a monthly business news show that profiles public and private companies for an audience of 83.1 million U.S. households. He is a serial entrepreneur and marketing expert, having led projects spanning fitness, ecommerce and the metaverse. As SFIO continues to broaden their efforts in technology development, Vince will be an invaluable asset to SFIO, ensuring the stakeholders are kept abreast of the progress.

On the point of technology, SFIO is thrilled to

have Stanley Yang advising the pioneering work in technology development.

Stanley is the CEO of NeuroSky, Inc., a Silicon Valley-based biosensor solutions company innovating on the frontlines of body and mind analytics.

NeuroSky’s wearable devices range from smartwatches to brainwave monitoring headsets. It’s this work in mass market brain-computer interface technologies that has made him a global leader in the field, closely collaborating with Fortune 500 industry leaders and innovative independent developers alike.

For the real estate developments, SFIO is hard at work building data-driven wellness systems for healthier and more resilient communities. To support SFIO’s efforts building the data gathering tools necessary for those systems, there are few business leaders with the same depth of expertise that Stanley brings to the table.

Finally, Jose Gerardo Noble, or Jinggoy, rounds off SFIO’s advisors, bringing over 25 years of experience across banking, stock brokering, and real estate. He’s a licensed real estate broker, currently serving as the Deputy Sales Head of SM Development Corporation (SMDC), managing roughly 500 of the company’s organic sellers.

Under his leadership, his team at SMDC has generated over $600 million in sales over the past two years. While it was his deep well of experience leading real estate projects that first drew SFIO to Jinggoy, it’s his entrepreneurial spirit and passion for F&B that sealed the deal. Beginning with his first Metro Manila-based restaurant franchise in 2012, he now manages over a dozen branches of multiple F&B brands, a restaurant service management company, and a cloud kitchen concept.

Let’s trace SFIO’s roots back to the first Epiphany Cafe founded in New Zealand. SFIO is blazing a trail forward through F&B, fueled by the real estate efforts, and enabled by the SFIO technology initiatives. SFIO has set out to accomplish a bold mission and developed a comprehensive, crossdivisional strategy to achieve it. As such, the brilliant team has assembled a similarly bold and multi-disciplinary board of advisors to guide its execution.

As SFIO progresses towards the goal of uplisting to the Nasdaq, SFIO will continue to grow the advisory board, as well as the voting board, through similar strategic appointments. Via their individual networks, their experience in their respective fields, and the diversity of perspectives they command as a group, SFIO’s board members will play an integral role in SFIO’s journey these next few years.

“I would like to thank you all for your continued support and generous guidance as we shape our shared future as a corporate community. On behalf of Starfleet Innotech, Inc., our division leaders, and our new advisors, I am thrilled to have you onboard in this journey with us,” says Jeths Lacson, CEO and Chairman of SFIO. (Advertising Supplement)

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OPINION

FEATURES

Preparing for the new normal

AFTER two years of mobility restrictions, people are eager to shift to a postpandemic “new normal” particularly in the National Capital Region, which accounts for about a third of the country’s economic output. There is high anticipation that by next week, the NCR will be de-escalated to Alert Level 1 and the economy can fully reopen.

After two years of battling COVID-19, however, the country is also fully aware of the continuing risks posed by the coronavirus. With the average daily COVID death toll nationwide steady at around 100, and considering the pandemic situation in other parts of the world, the country cannot rush the lifting of restrictions even as economic reopening continues.

The government’s pandemic response team has added metrics for de-escalation to Alert Level 1: 80 percent of seniors and persons with comorbidities as well as 70 percent of the general population must be fully vaccinated. Several epidemiologists say the additional parameters are not enough, and that the vaccination target for seniors with comorbidities should be 100 percent.

At 80 percent, it would still leave about 1.8 million elderly and immune compromised at risk.

The consequences are being seen in the ongoing COVID surge in Hong Kong, where hospitals have become overwhelmed. This has led to people who test positive for COVID including Filipina domestic

helpers being forced out of their employers’ homes. Hong Kong had enjoyed near-zero COVID cases for most of the pandemic, but the highly infectious Omicron variant managed to penetrate its defenses. And the cases have not been mild, which is why hospitals are overflowing with the infected. By most accounts, the cases needing hospitalization are mostly unvaccinated seniors and those with comorbidities.

Similar problems have been reported in Singapore and Indonesia, although their healthcare situation is not as dire as in Hong Kong.

From below 200 cases per day in mid-December last year, Indonesia recorded 57,049 new Omicron-driven infections last Feb. 15 – breaking its pandemic record of 56,757 cases driven by the deadly Delta variant on July 15 last year.

In the Philippines, people’s preference for cheaper antigen testing, whose results are not recorded by the government, is blurring the pandemic picture and skewing projections that are critical for determining COVID alert levels.

Editorial

Philstar.com photo

Hospital bed utilization, however, indicates that there is truly a downtrend at least in serious infections in the NCR. Still, the unpredictability of Omicron and the possibility of more variants emerging make

continued adherence to safety protocols of utmost importance amid economic reopening, particularly masking in public places, physical distancing and regular disinfection. The new normal does not mean pre-pandemic normal. (Philstar.com)

Presidential debates: Finding your true north amid the deep toxic division fueled by fake news and disinformation

The Fil-Am Perspective GEL SANTOS-RELOS

own channel. The gatekeeping of information that used to be shared by a few news organizations who adhere to the social responsibility of delivering accurate and factual news and information have been taken away from them.

This opened the gates to the use of YouTube, Tiktok, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter etc. as channels of content that are NOT vetted or filtered for their truth, accuracy and precision.

As long as you can produce something, you have the platform to air and promote it to reach a wider audience.

This is why in our engagement with other people in today’s world, made us ask ourselves “Where is that coming from?

Saang planeta ka ba nakatira (What planet do youn live in?)?” especially when such platforms are being used and abused to purposely effect disinformation for some people’s dirty political tactics to deceive people, win their “trust” and mobilize them to action according their political agenda. This, unfortunately has caused people to mistrust each other’s sanity, intention, honesty, when in the past, we all believed we were working together for the same goal.

This brings us back to the importance of having DEBATES during campaign period. It is during the campaign season that

WE are less than 11 weeks away from the consequential May 9, 2022 presidential elections. Campaign season is now in full gear with political rallies in different parts of the country, online discourse and the controversial debates — all intended by the electoral system to give voters the opportunity to make better informed and conscientious decision in choosing the true leader who will steer the country in the right direction.

Unfortunately, the very new platforms that help voters be better engaged and participative in this civic exercise has proven to be a double-edged sword. The painful fact we now realize is that people may be reaching out to other voters in different parts of the world, thanks to social media and the internet, but are more deeply divided than ever, so much so that we feel we are living in two parallel universe.

Let us do a throwback to a notso-distant past together.

In the olden days before social media and the internet, we all watched and listened to the same choices of newscasts and interviews in a handful of channels, read the news from the same options of publications.

In a healthy democracy, news

organizations aimed at protecting their integrity and credibility to keep their viewership high, and so they exercised due diligence in confirming news from sources and do true honest to goodness investigative research before delivering the news.

This was changed by the 24/7 news cycles of cable news in the 90s and the individualized on-demand news consumption beginning the turn of the millennium. With more competition among sources of information, “Breaking News” became the race, the sense of urgency to report ahead of the others became more important than diligence and precision in reporting.

And with a wider gamut of programming formats, the difference between entertainment and news has increasing became blurred, with more news organizations now utilizing the shock factor and sensationalism the audience find in reality shows.

Traditional news media organization had again had to deal with new reality brought about by new technology that allowed newscasts, news reports, breaking news, documentary, commentary etc. by anybody through the internet via YouTube, podcasts, etc. Every person now technically can have his or her

Babe’s Eye View

Ukraine: Another global crisis

BABE ROMUALDEZ IT is so distressing to know that just as there is good news regarding our fight against the COVID-19 pandemic with several studies indicating that booster shots will continue to offer protection against serious illness and even death for months and perhaps even years – once again we are entering another worldwide crisis with the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

In my column last week, I wrote that the last thing the world needs is another war considering that the global economy continues to be fragile.

A lot of people could definitely relate with the sentiment of UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres when he said that “this is the saddest moment of my tenure…” as he issued an appeal to Russian president Vladimir Putin.

“In the name of humanity, bring your troops back to Russia.

In the name of humanity, do not allow to start in Europe what could be the worst war since the beginning of the century, with consequences not only devastating for Ukraine, not only tragic for the Russian Federation, but with an impact we cannot even foresee in relation to the consequences for the global economy,” Guterres said.

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on Thursday immediately caused oil prices to soar to over $105 per barrel for the first time since 2014, while the global financial markets went tumbling down.

Eastern European leaders as well as US President Joe Biden condemned Putin’s actions, using words such as “horrific,” “reckless,” “atrocious” and “barbaric” – and announced a wave of new sanctions that plunged the Moscow index to more than 30 percent and caused the Russian ruble to hit record lows.

Aside from the US, the UK, France and other European Union nations, Japan, Australia, New Zealand as well as Taiwan have also weighed in,

with the sanctions aimed at Russian oligarchs and targeting financial institutions as well as the technology, energy and transport sectors, among many others. Many however feel that the sanctions are not strong enough and that the impact will be felt probably after several months. Besides which, the sanctions will not hurt Putin personally as he is reportedly sitting on a pile of cash and has prepared a war chest.

Nevertheless, several people admitted that the statement from European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen could send shivers down one’s spine as she outlined the “massive and targeted sanctions” European leaders plan to impose: “These sanctions will suppress Russia’s economic growth; increase the borrowing costs, raise inflation, intensify capital outflows and gradually erode its industrial base.”

One of the main pillars of the sanctions would be to limit Russia’s access to crucial technology. “We want to cut off Russia’s industry from

each and every candidate will have the opportunity to introduce herself/himself to the voters, share her/his vision and platform to the people on how to make their life better in the next six years through her/his leadership and governance.

Convincing the electorate why they are the better candidate is done by each campaign through political ads, media interviews, online features, campaign sorties/ events/rallies, door to door reaching out to people through grassroots campaigning, mailers, etc.

However, there are campaigns that may have dished out information about the candidates’ life narrative, educational and professional background, achievements, etc. that have not been vetted or tested to be true and accurate.

Then there is the sin of omission, where candidates may have wittingly or unwittingly covered up any material information, documents, records, etc. that may reveal much about their character-- something that is of paramount importance in choosing whom to vote for and be accorded with so much power and public trust that go with the Office of the President.

DEBATES, therefore , while not legal requirement, have been used every election cycle,

and especially now, so that the fragmented electorate will have the chance to see the candidates vying for the presidency in one setting, subjected to the same questions covering varied issues important to the people.

This is a rare opportunity for voters to assess the candidates’ knowledge about issues, compare and contrast the substance and sincerity of their answers to the questions, observe their demeanor in the way they respond to questions, their demeanor toward the other candidates and the debate moderators, see how they think fast under pressure, because as President, this is an important qualification for the job.

Debates are also important tools to fact check candidates’ claims, and bring out material information some candidates may be hiding so that they are given the opportunity to explain head on.

DEBATES provide one singular opportunities for the candidates and the Filipino people to share one moment together, digest the same information at the same time, watch the candidates together in real time without filter or editing.

And so if the candidates truly want to help the Filipino people make one of the most important decisions they will make for

their family and the nation, then they should take participating in debates seriously and sincerely.

At the end of the day, the candidates need to show their respect for their soon to be boss - the Filipino people -- and the electoral process. They need to convince the Filipino people that their interest and welfare matter most to them as their elected leader, more than anything else; that in good faith they are allowing themselves to be vetted, cross-examined for their honesty, transparency, and accountability.

Only those who are hiding something , only those who feel entitled to the presidency, will not consent to this process and will continue to push for their own self-serving agenda. ***

the technologies desperately needed today to build a future… and this ranges from high-tech components to cutting-edge software. This will also seriously degrade the Russian economy in all areas in the future,” von der Leyen warned, stressing: “It is president Putin who will have to explain this to his citizens. I know that the Russian people do not want this war.”

In fact, protests have erupted to show disapproval of the attack on Ukraine, with thousands of Russians taking to the streets in many cities that include Moscow and St. Petersburg, chanting “No to war!” Journalists have also issued an open letter denouncing the invasion, while activists utilized social media, urging people to engage in mass protest actions. Several celebrities and artists working in state-funded institutions have also reportedly quit their jobs in disgust. According to reports, more than 1,700 have been arrested amid warnings

by Russian authorities about the legal consequences of staging protests.

What is also making the situation very poignant for people in Russia who have expressed

disapproval of the attack is that they have relatives and friends in Ukraine – a nation that was once part of the Soviet Union until the people overwhelmingly voted in a referendum to become independent in 1991. And while becoming the world’s pariah may not really matter much to Vladimir Putin, Russians like Novaya Gazeta editor Dmitry Muratov are dismayed at the thought. “Our peace-loving Russian people will now feel the hatred of the world because we are starting a third world war in the center of Europe,” he lamented.

Security experts and analysts say that the invasion does not only threaten Ukraine’s sovereignty but also the geopolitical order, warning that the attack on Ukraine could lead to aggression against other countries. As NATO SecretaryGeneral Jens Stoltenberg said, “Peace in our continent has been shattered… We now have a war in Europe, on a scale and of a type that we thought belonged to history.”

Even as the attack against Ukraine continues and its president says they have been left all alone to defend their country

as powerful forces watch from afar, he called on Ukrainians to remain steadfast in their resolve to fight back against invaders.

And although thousands have fled to neighboring European countries such as Poland and Hungary, Ukrainians said they will fight to the very end. In fact, weeks before the attack, women have been getting defense training, including how to handle firearms to help their army in any way they can. Social media posts are also circulating about a Ukrainian pilot nicknamed the “Ghost of Kyiv” who reportedly shot down six Russian fighters.

In the midst of all the uncertainty caused by the situation in Ukraine, one thing is certain: It is the people – both Russians and Ukrainians – who will suffer most in the end.

As a quote attributed to Winston Churchill put it, “War does not determine who is right – only who is left.” (Philstar.com) ***

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. She was a news anchor, TV host and radio commentator and public service host for ABS- CBN and DZMM. She is now working on her advocacies independently, serving the Filipino audience using different media platforms. You may contact her through email at gelrelos@ icloud.com, or send her a message via Facebook at Facebook.com/Gel.Santos.Relos. Also on Twitter, Instagram: Gel Santos Relos

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.

*** Email: babeseyeview@gmail.com

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

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SoCal ASIAN JOURNAL • MARCH 2-4, 2022 7

Bongbong, Sara top OCTA survey Solicitor General tells Comelec to scrap polls partnership with Rappler or risk court case

by Kaithreen

Cruz ManilaTimes.net

THE team of former senator Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. and Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio continued their domination of surveys of candidates in the May elections.

In OCTA Research's February poll, Marcos was the choice for president of 55 percent of the respondents, 1 percent higher than what he got in OCTA's December 2021 survey.

He dominated all subnational regions — 65 percent in Mindanao, 56 percent in Balance Luzon, 47 percent in the Visayas and 46 percent in the National Capital Region (NCR).

Marcos also ruled the socioeconomic classes, with 58 percent in the ABC group, 54 percent in the D and 55 percent in the E group.

Trailing him were Vice President Maria Leonor "Leni" Robredo at 15 percent, Manila Mayor Francisco "Isko Moreno" Domagoso (11 percent), Sen. Emmanuel "Manny" Pacquiao (10 percent) and Sen. Panfilo "Ping" Lacson (3 percent).

Domagoso was the second preference of voters at 29 percent, if their initial candidate drops out of the race.

Robredo had 16 percent; Marcos, 13 percent; Pacquiao, 12 percent; Lacson, 11 percent; labor leader Leodegario "Ka Leody" de Guzman, 1 percent; former defense chief Norberto Gonzales, 0.5 percent; and Faisal Mangondato, 0.2 percent.

OCTA said 17 percent of respondents either refused to give an answer for their second choice for president or do not know who their second pick will be.

Duterte-Carpio was the

preferred vice-presidential candidate of 43 percent of the respondents, 7 percent lower than last December's rating.

She was followed by Senate President Vicente "Tito" Sotto 3rd (33 percent), Sen. Francis "Kiko" Pangilinan (10 percent), Dr. Willie Ong (7 percent) and Buhay partylist Rep. Jose "Lito" Atienza (1 percent).

Duterte-Carpio was the main candidate in Mindanao at 82 percent and the Visayas at 43 percent, while she tied with Sotto in the NCR at 40 percent.

Sotto took the lead in Balance Luzon at 46 percent.

Duterte-Carpio garnered 45 percent in ABC group, 42 percent in the D group and 48 percent in the E group.

Sotto was the top second choice at 30 percent among vicepresidential candidates, followed

by Pangilinan (19 percent), Duterte-Carpio (13 percent), Ong (12 percent), Atienza (4 percent), Manny Lopez (1 percent), Carlos Serapio and Rizalito David (0.1 percent each), and Walden Bello (0.02 percent).

OCTA interviewed 1,200 respondents nationwide from February 12 to 17.

Marcos' spokesman Vic Rodriguez said the results of the OCTA survey confirmed that the direct, on-ground communication campaign approach worked for the candidate.

"Certainly, there is no substitute to showing up in person, in flesh and blood, just to be in the company of millions of individuals one wishes to serve," Rodriguez said.

Marcos and Duterte-Carpio also received the endorsement of a coalition of supporters of Sen. Christopher Lawrence "Bong" Go.

The coalition, led by senatorial candidate Greco Belgica, and referring to themselves as the Let's GO-UniTeam Coalition, is composed of more than 300 groups of Duterte DieHard Supporters (DDS) and Bong Go supporters in the 2016 and 2019 elections "who remained loyal up to this time."

It said the coalition was established to "uphold the essence of [the] ultimate sacrifice made by much-loved Senator Go" after the withdrawal of his certificate of candidacy from the Commission on Elections.

"Following the lapse of [a] considerable cooling-off period of time after the heart-shaking withdrawal, [we] have finally accepted it, moved on, and came into a consensus to support UniTeam base on merit and track records of BBM-Sara tandem," the group said in a statement.

The group lauded DuterteCarpio for endorsing Marcos, highlighting that he was the only skilled, capable and efficient candidate among the presidential candidates.

Marcos' competency to lead "was bolstered through the display of his attitude and character by not showing any retaliatory measure against his critics despite striking below the belt against his person and that of his family — an example of positive traits of a leader with [a] positive mental attitude which is crucial in making decisions in difficult times," the coalition added.

The UniTeam campaign manager, former Metropolitan Manila Development Authority Chairman Benjamin "Benhur" Abalos Jr., accepted the manifesto of support presented by the coalition. g

Alert Level 1 not enough to achieve full economic recovery - NEDA

by Alexis

RomeRo Philstar.com

MANILA — Full economic recovery would only be possible if face-to-face classes resume as in-person learning is expected to increase business activity and allow parents to go to work, the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) said Tuesday, March 1.

NEDA Director-General Karl Chua said while the placing of Metro Manila and 38 other areas under the most lenient Alert Level 1 would generate more economic activity and reduce unemployment, it won't be fully implemented if parents need to stay home to help their children study.

Resuming in-person classes, Chua said, would free up the time of one-fourth of parents who skip work or reduce work time to accompany their children who are having online classes.

"If we want a full recovery, Alert Level 1 is not enough. Faceto-face learning should resume," the socioeconomic planning secretary said at a press briefing.

Chua said face-to-face learning would also increase economic activity by P12 billion per week with the resumption of services around schools like transport, dormitories, food stalls and school materials. Resuming inperson learning would also avert about P11 trillion in productivity losses for every year of school closure. He said the Philippines is losing about P22 trillion already since face-to-face classes have been suspended for two years.

The NEDA chief said the benefits of resuming in-person classes are on top of the economic gains to be achieved from the placing of 39 areas, including Metro Manila, under Alert Level 1.

Under the alert status, businesses can serve more customers or clients because they will be allowed to operate at full venue capacity. The capital region and 38 other areas will be under the most relaxed classification from March 1 to 15.

The placing of some areas under Alert Level 1 would result in an additional P9.4 billion of economic activity and P3 billion in salaries per week, according to NEDA estimates. The relaxing of restrictions is also projected to reduce the number of unemployed persons by 170,000 over the next three months.

Chua said the amount of additional economic activity would have been P16.5 billion per week while the additional salaries would have been P5.2 billion if the entire country were placed under Alert Level 1. He added that an Alert Level 1 status for the entire Philippines would have reduced the number of unemployed persons by 297,000.

Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez expressed confidence that the Philippines is heading towards economic recovery. He noted that the Philippine economy grew by

5.6% but it is still below the 2019 level.

"That is the benefit of Alert Level 1. It will now allow us this year not only to hit back the 2019 level pre-pandemic, we can exceed it with the 6% to 7%. But Sec. Karl said it can be even higher than seven percent.

Of course, barring outside forces like the Ukraine issue," Lopez said during a meeting of the government's pandemic task force last Monday.

"We are now on the road to full economic recovery towards building back better," he added. g

SAN DIEGO COUNTY KONSORSYUM PAUNAWA NG PAMPUBLIKONG PAGDINIG AT PAUNAWA NG PAGIGING MAGAGAMIT COUNTY NG SAN DIEGO KONSORSYUM 2022-23 TAUNANG PLANO SUSOG SA 2021-22 TAUNANG PLANO COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT (CDBG), HOME INVESTMENT PARTNERSHIPS (HOME), EMERGENCY SOLUTIONS GRANT (ESG), AT HOUSING OPPORTUNITIES FOR PERSONS WITH AIDS (HOPWA) PROGRAM FUNDS Ito ay isang paunawa na ang Lupon ng mga Superbisor ay magsasagawa ng pampublikong pagdinig sa Abril 5, 2022 sa alas 9:00 ng umaga. sa Silid 310 ng County Administration Center, 1600 Pacific Highway, San Diego, CA, upang isaalang-alang ang Piskal na Taong 2022-23 na Taunang Plano. Isasaalang-alang ng Lupon ang iminungkahing paggamit ng tinatayang: $4,395,761 na mga pondo ng CDBG; $3,280,906 na mga pondo ng HOME; $363,813 na mga pondo ng ESG; at $5,253,183 na mga pondo ng HOPWA na matatanggap ng County mula sa Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) ng Estados Unidos. Isasaalang-alang din ng Lupon ang iminungkahing paggamit ng tinatayang $2,000,000 sa Piskal na Taong 2022-23 CDBG at mga kita ng HOME Program at ang muling paglalaan ng tinatayang $9,600,000 sa mga nakaraang taon na mga karapatan sa HOME, ESG, CDBG at HOPWA. Ang mga bilang na ito ay batay sa mga antas ng pagpopondo noong nakaraang taon.

Inilalarawan ng Taunang Plano ang mga iminungkahing aktibidad na popondohan mula Piskal na Taong 2022-23 at mga karapatan sa nakaraang taon, na dapat matugunan ang mga layunin na itinatag sa 2020-24 Konsolidadong Plano.

Isasaalang-alang din ng Lupon ang iminungkahing paggamit ng $11,891,028 na mga pondo ng HOME-American Rescue Plan (HOMEARP). Ang County ay tumatanggap ng mga pondo ng HOME-ARP mula sa HUD upang tulungan ang rehiyon sa pagbabawas at pagpigil sa kawalan ng tirahan at pataasin ang katatagan ng pabahay.

Ang programa ng CDBG ay nagbibigay ng pondo sa hindi inkorporadong lugar ng County at sa mga lungsod ng Coronado, Del Mar, Imperial Beach, Lemon Grove, Poway at Solana Beach. Ang mga pondo ng CDBG ay dapat na: (1) pakinabangan ng mga taong mas mababa ang kita; (2) maiwasan/alisin ang mga iskwater at kahirapan; o (3) matugunan ang agarang pangangailangan sa pagpapaunlad ng komunidad.

Pinopondohan ng programang HOME ang mga aktibidad sa abotkayang pabahay sa loob ng Konsorsyum ng HOME ng County. Kasama sa Konsorsyum ng HOME ang mga lugar ng CDBG, kasama ang mga lungsod ng Carlsbad, Encinitas, La Mesa, San Marcos, Santee at Vista.

Pinopondohan ng programang ESG ang tulong sa mga walang tirahan sa mga lugar ng CDBG at pinopondohan ng programa ng HOPWA ang mga pabahay/serbisyo para sa mga taong may HIV/AIDS at kanilang mga pamilya sa buong County ng San Diego.

Magagamit ang mga kopya ng balangkas na Plano para sa pampublikong pagsusuri at komento, sa loob ng 30-araw na panahon ng komento mula Marso 4, 2022 hanggang Abril 5, 2022, sa website ng County sa www.sdhcd.com. Ang mga taong nangangailangan ng tulong upang makilahok sa mga pagpupulong (hal., hindi nagsasalita ng Ingles, may kapansanan sa pandinig, atbp.) ay dapat sabihan ang HCDS limang araw bago ang pulong. Para sa karagdagang impormasyon, mangyaring tumawag sa (858) 694-8724. Para sa tulong na may kapansanan sa pandinig, mangyaring tumawag sa (866) 945-2207.

ANUNSYO NG PAMPUBLIKONG SERBISYO SA COVID-19 Dahil sa emerhensiya sa pampublikong kalusugan dala ng sakit na Coronavirus (COVID-19), ang County ng San Diego ay gumagawa ng ilang pagbabago na may kaugnayan sa mga pulong ng Lupon ng mga Superbisor upang protektahan ang kalusugan ng publiko at maiwasan ang pagkalat ng sakit sa lokal na mga lugar. Maaaring tingnan ng mga miyembro ng publiko ang ilang mga opsyon para ipakita ang kanilang pampublikong komento sa online: https://tinyurl.com/SDpubliccomment 3/2/22 CNS-3559895# ASIAN JOURNAL (L.A.)

by KRistine Joy

Philstar.com

PAtAg

MANILA — Warning of potential court action, the Office of the Solicitor General is urging the Commission on Elections to rescind its Memorandum of Agreement with online news site Rappler for the May polls, claiming it "violates the Constitution and relevant laws."

Solicitor General Jose Calida said the Comelec has until March 4 to withdraw from the arrangement with Rappler.

"Otherwise, the OSG as the People’s lawyer, may have to file the necessary case in court to declare the nullity of the MOA by 7 March 2022," the OSG added in a statement late Monday afternoon, February 28.

The Comelec last week announced that it entered into a partnership with Rappler on "voter engagement and fighting disinformation in relation to the 2022 National and Local Elections."

In its press statement dated February 23, the poll body said the online media company committed its resources to help them disseminate information and engage the public.

"An online show, podcast, workshops and seminars are also in the pipeline," it added.

SEC case, data sharing But Calida questioned the partnership and claimed it "will unwittingly grant Rappler, a foreign-funded entity, the monopoly of truths arising from its claimed fact-checking accreditation from international entities."

The solicitor general was referring to the revocation of the Securities and Exchange Commission of Rappler’s Certificate of Incorporation in 2018 The SEC ruling has since been elevated to the Court of Appeals, and the court later ordered the regulatory body to look into the effects of Philippine Depositary Receipts of Omidyar Network to the company.

The SEC however upheld that the donation has "no

effect," according to Rappler’s lawyer in November 2021.

They have since appealed the finding.

But Calida insisted that Rappler is subject to the foreign equity restriction under the Constitution. "Thus, the MOA contravenes this Constitutional limitation and the proscription against foreign participation in the conduct of the elections," he added.

The solicitor general also questioned the authority given to Rappler to produce show for election-related information, to "alert" the poll body on election-related clams on social media, and to establish “PHVote Microsite,” which will contain information related to the polls.

Calida went as far as accusing Rappler of disseminating "unverified and, sometimes, false claims" and noting the Distributed-Denial-ofService attacks on its website in insisting on their being "unfit" for the purpose of the MOA. DDoS attacks on news website have become more frequent in recent months and have targeted news sites other than Rappler. On Sunday, a DDoS attack took down the website of CNN Philippines as the network was hosting presidential debates.

Newsrooms and press freedom organizations have called for government action to look into the attacks.

Quoting Calida, the OSG said that if "Rappler goes on to implement the MOA, the credibility and integrity of the 2022 elections will be in shatters."

But Rappler, in a statement, said Calida's statement is "fraught with falsehoods, innuendos and hallucinations", saying also that the memorandum of agreement with the Comelec is to "[help] the poll body disseminate truthful information to voters and ensure transparent elections."

Rappler said it has been partnering with the Comelec since 2013 and that the poll

body has similar arrangements with other media companies.

"This claim reads like the column and social posts of the lobbyists of a presidential bet," it also said.

Marcos camp also questions MOA Earlier on Monday, the campaign team of presidential aspirant Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. questioned the same agreement between the Comelec and Rappler.

Benhur Abalos, Marcos’ campaign manager, asked why Comelec allowed Rappler to be a "fact checker" as he raised the SEC and CA rulings on Rappler. He also said they have "issues" on the Comelec's precinct finder, which will also be made available to Rappler’s website.

This is not the first time the Marcos team and the OSG have been on the same side as they both earlier moved to have Associate Justice Marvic Leonen inhibit in the poll protest that the former senator filed over the results of the 2016 vice-presidential elections.

Responding to issues raised by the Marcos campaign, Comelec spokesperson James Jimenez pointed out that the issue on supposed foreign ownership of Rappler is still pending before the CA. "If it’s pending before CA it seems to me like a final determination hasn’t been reached yet. The Comelec is not the proper venue to make that proper determination," he said.

Jimenez also explained that its MOA with Rappler is the same that they enter into with other media organizations.

"Rappler is not getting any special information it’s not getting any special treatment.

It’s not getting any information that would not be available to any other media network," he also said.

To note, Jimenez was asked to react on Abalos’ statements.

At the time of the briefing, the OSG had yet to release its statement questioning the MOA. g

8 MARCH 2-4, 2022 • SoCal ASIAN JOURNAL

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Moreno woos religious groups MANILA Mayor Francisco "Isko Moreno" Domagoso admitted that he needs the support of religious groups to have a better fighting chance against his rivals in the May elections.

The Aksyon Demokratiko presidential bet said religious organizations endorsing candidates to their followers do not violate the principle of the separation of Church and State, but rather guide them in making

informed choices when electing the country's leaders.

"Kailangan namin ang lahat ng tulong sa aming kampanya upang mapagtagumpayan naming ang aming ipinaglalaban namin para doon sa mga itinataguyod at layunin naming sa paggogobyerno (We need all the help in our campaign to win the fight for what we want to establish with regards to governance)," Domagoso said in Sunday's "The

Filipino Votes" presidential debate organized by CNN Philippines in partnership with the University of Santo Tomas.

He said he welcomes the backing of any religious organization, regardless of affiliation or belief.

The former actor's stand was shared by five of the nine other presidential candidates who took part in the debate. (ManilaTimes. net)

J&J-vaxxed, mRNA-boosted, and...

PAGE 5

to restaurants or show that I’m vaccinated, people are like, ‘Oh my God, you got J&J.’ It’s almost like a joke, where people think, ‘Thank God I didn’t get it.’”

In December, Justman got the half-dose Moderna booster recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

That leaves her behind the curve compared with Moderna and Pfizer recipients who received two full doses initially and a booster later on. She worries about how long she will be protected and what her next move should be.

There appears to be a growing consensus in scientific circles that one shot of J&J was never enough and that it could account for the lower efficacy compared with the mRNA vaccines.

“A lot of us believe it should have been a two-dose vaccine all along,” says Bradley Pollock, associate dean for public health sciences at the UC Davis School of Medicine. In coming months, he says, “it is entirely possible that they’re going to say a three-dose schedule is full vaccination.”

That got me thinking about whether I am fully vaccinated.

Factoring in the half-dose Moderna booster I received in late October, I’m still behind those who’ve had three Pfizer or Moderna shots.

I’ve spoken to several J&J vaccinees who, thinking similar thoughts, sought a second booster even though the current federal guideline for J&J vaccinees calls for just one mRNA booster, two months or more after the initial vaccination.

I recently went online to book an appointment for a second Moderna booster. On my first try, I got a message from the pharmacy saying I wasn’t eligible. A second pharmacy allowed me to book a slot, but I canceled at the last minute after receiving dissuasive

EMPLOYMENT

EMPLOYMENT

emails (albeit mild ones) from two of my expert sources.

“It’s not as quantitative as you’re making it out to be,” wrote Dr. George Rutherford, a professor of epidemiology at UCSF. The J&J and mRNA vaccines work differently, he said, “so it’s not like one J&J plus one Moderna equals 1.5 Pfizer doses.

I don’t think it will make you sick, but I’d just sit tight. Omicron is going away.”

New research suggests that as few as two covid shots could be enough to protect most people from serious illness and death for many months, or even years.

If you are among the nearly 17 million J&J people and have had a booster, consider standing pat like I finally did. But if you haven’t had a booster yet, do so ASAP. It seems clear, or at least as clear as anything can be where covid is concerned, that if you are vaccinated and boosted, your risk of developing severe illness is very low.

New federal guidance allows for a second booster if your immune system is compromised by, for example, cancer treatment, HIV, or an organ transplant. If you’re not immunocompromised but are worried about weak protection, you can try to persuade a pharmacist or the staffers at a vaccination site to give you another shot. It won’t be easy, but it’s possible. Or talk to your doctor, who may be willing to prescribe one.

Now that I’ve spent most of this column pointing out the problems with the J&J vaccine, it’s only fair that I say a few positive things about it.

First, even though it appears to be less effective than the Pfizer and Moderna shots, the J&J vaccine still provides a high degree of protection against serious illness and is vastly preferable to no vaccine. J&J,

EMPLOYMENT

which is cheaper than the mRNA vaccines and easier to transport, also has a critical role to play in low-income countries with large rural populations and poor transportation infrastructure.

Even in the United States, where use of the J&J shot has declined sharply, it’s helpful to have the vaccine in stock. It’s a good alternative for those who are anxious about the mRNA shots and would otherwise not get vaccinated.

And it’s always possible that demand for it could return. The mRNA vaccines carry a risk of heart inflammation for young men, a side effect that appears to be short term in most cases.

But if future studies show it can lead to permanent damage or even death, “that would make the J&J vaccine potentially at least as attractive, if not more attractive,” says Dr. Walter Orenstein, a professor of epidemiology at Emory University in Atlanta.

The vaccines are still new, many clinical trials have yet to yield unambiguous results, and every new variant throws doubt on data collected when a different strain was dominant.

“It may turn out to be true that three doses or two doses and a variant-focused booster are going to turn out to be best. We don’t know yet,” says Dr. Gregory Poland, director and founder of the Mayo Clinic’s Vaccine Research Group in Rochester, Minnesota. “And the way things have been going, we will barely be getting the answers to those questions, and more time will have passed, and a new variant will arrive.” (Bernard J. Wolfson/ Kaiser Health News) This story was produced by KHN, which publishes California Healthline, an editorially independent service of the California Health Care Foundation. n

T A J

MDWK

Wednesday MARCH 2, 2022

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James Beard Awards names 12 Fil-Am semifinalists S

by MOMar

G. ViSaYa / AJPress

IX chefs, two restaurateurs, one pastry chef, a bar that offers an outstanding bar program, and a couple of emerging chefs.

That is how Filipino Americans in the food and hospitality industry fared on Wednesday, Feb. 23 as the James Beard Foundation announced its 2022 Restaurant and Chef Awards semifinalists in advance of the returning James Beard Awards.

In the category of Emerging Mia Orino and Carlo Gan of Kamayan AT Photo from Instagram/@engineeredcapture Chef, Mia Orino and Carlo Gan of Kamayan ATL (Atlanta) are in the running. This is open to chefs who display exceptional talent, character, and leadership ability, and who are likely to make a significant impact in years to come.

A couple of Filipino restaurants - ABACÁ, San Francisco; Kasama, Chicago - are in the running for Best New Restaurant, which honors a restaurant that opened in 2020 or 2021 that already demonstrates excellence Genever owners Trisha Perez, Tinette Sumiller and Roselma Samala in cuisine and hospitality Photo courtesy of Instagram/@Genever and seems likely to make a significant impact in years to come.

Margarita Manzke of République in Los Angeles got another nod under the Outstanding Pastry Chef category. Genever, also in Los Angeles is a semifinalist for the Outstanding Bar Program category. This award is given to a restaurant or bar that demonstrates exceptional care and skill in the selection, preparation, and serving of cocktails, spirits, and/or beer.

Carlo Lamagna Dale Talde of Goosefeather Dale Talde Photo from daletalde.com Photo from Instagram/@twistedfilipino in Tarrytown, NY is up for the

best chef NY thank you to the team @goosefeather and my beautiful wife @agneschung for the support thank you being on this journey,” said Top Chef alum Talde.

His fellow Top Chef buddy Sheldon Simeon also expressed his thanks in an Instagram post.

In 2019, his new restaurant then called Lineage was up for Best New Restaurant.

“Humbled to be in such great company. Overjoyed to see so much Hawaii talent getting their well deserved recognition,” Simeon said.

Jojo Vasquez of Fond posted, “Woke up to some congrats messages. So honored to be amongst some Uber talented chefs across the nation.

Francis Ang Timothy Flores Photo from Instagram/@cheffrancisang Photo from Instagram/@timothyryanchi Being noticed with our humble little neighborhood eatery for a semi-finalist for Best Chef: Northwest and Pacific.”

A first-time nominee, Genever, a Filipina-run cocktail gem in LA’s Historic Filipinotown games for its gin-based drinks, said “To say we’re honored, humbled, straight-up blown away is an understatement.”

“We’re so fortunate to still be here after an incredibly challenging two years that many Margarita & Walter Manzke Photo from Republique LA of our fellow hospitality partners did not survive. We feel truly blessed for the support we’ve Musang (Seattle); Sheldon Best Chef: New York State had from our suppliers, friends, Simeon, Tin Roof (Kahului, HI); award while five Fil-Am chefs families, and our amazing Jojo Vasquez, Fond (Lahaina, are duking it out for the Best Genever team,” the IG post HI); and Aaron Verzosa, Chef: Northwest and Pacific read. “It really does take a Archipelago (Seattle).

(AK, HI, OR, WA) award - Carlo village.”

“Honored and humbled Lamagna, Magna Kusina (Portland, OR); Melissa Miranda, by the nomination of #jbfa for Continued on Page 11

entertainment TKO returns with a big bang, live at Pechanga Theater!

Paul Anka brings the ‘Anka Sings Sinatra’ tour to Los Angeles

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The Asian Jour nal MDWK MAGAZINE - March 2, 2022

Legend spills on what keeps him going: ‘I love what I’m doing’ By

MoMar G. Visaya AJPress

LEGENDARY singer and songwriter Paul Anka is all set for his tour stop in LA this Saturday, March 5.

“Wouldn’t it be great that on the anniversary of ‘My Way’ and Sinatra after his death to do some of the arrangements that he gave me and do an evening of Sinatra and my hits,” Anka told the Asian Journal in an interview days before his Beverly Hills pitstop.

The crooner said that they have just left Florida last week for some sold-out shows.

“People showed up, they love the concept.

So I’m gonna keep doing it and then we wind up in Vegas. After LA, we’re doing a television special and doing the anniversary of the Smith Center in Vegas. And that will be what we’re going to do for March,” he added.

Anka was only 14 years old when he started his career and recorded his first single and at the age of 16, his song “Diana” topped both the U.S. and Canadian charts.

His prolific career saw him reaping success in both writing and recording standards that have become beloved timeless classics. From “Put Your Head on My Shoulder,” “Lonely Boy,” and “Puppy Love,” to writing “She’s a Lady” for Tom Jones and the English lyrics to “My Way” for Frank Sinatra, Anka says this tour is meant to give his fans the classics that they love.

“The Anka Sings Sinatra tour will honor a great artist who has influenced me more than anyone else throughout my career, Frank Sinatra,” he shared. “It will also feature the hits that have spanned my career on this 62nd anniversary year. It will be a night filled with his songs, my songs, my way!”

Yes, that’s right. Anka is celebrating 62 years of being in the business and there are no signs of stopping nor slowing down.

The legend, who celebrated his milestone 80th birthday last year, is thankful for lasting this long.

“I love what I’m doing. Music is timeless I feel and as long as that’s there and the people show up, I’m there because I don’t know what else to do with myself in terms of something I love to do,” Anka explained. “I just don’t believe in age being a factor of quitting because what we do we’re successful at, our tour has been sold out and we’re going to start the west coast part at Saban.”

After his concerts in the U.S., Anka is all set to do a world tour starting in July in Europe. He shared that they’re also going to go to Asia and Australia in February to see his fans over there.

Paul Anka

And of course, there’s going to be a stop in the Philippines.

The singer holds fond memories of his young career performing for audiences in Manila.

“The Philippines was the first major country when I was a kid that I went for four or five shows at the Araneta Coliseum. They have always been very supportive of me,” he recalled.

The fan support he got from Filipinos did not stop there.

“The audiences that I get, whether in New Yorker or the West Coast, I can guarantee you a respectful percentage that comes in are from the Philippines,” he shared. “They are so passionate about their music, and singing and the way they’ve embraced my music all these years. In fact, last week, we started negotiating to go back to Manila next February.”

(Paul Anka will perform this Satuday, March 5 at the Saban Theater in Beverly Hills. For ticket and details, visit www.ticketmaster.com)

IT’S gonna be another evening of fun-filled laughter, excitement and family entertainment and togetherness at the Pechanga Resort Casino in Temecula, California.

T.K.O. (Tawanan! Kantahan!

Overload!), comes back with a bang come Saturday, March 5, 2022, to perform live at 8p.m., at the halls of Pechanga Theater with tons of jokes and antics to kick off your New Year.

Pechanga Resort Casino is well-known for hosting the best and the brightest Filipino entertainers and provides a wholesome entertainment to the delight of the crowd and patrons of the casino.

Fan-faves Bugoy Drilon and Kris Lawrence will appear as special guests of the T.K.O troupe — Negi, Wacky Kiray, and Rufa Mae Quinto.

Negi and Wacky Kiray commonly do various comedy streaks in both local and national scenes while making waves in the Filipino American comedies.

Highly acclaimed by her followers and audience, Rufa Mae Quinto will render special performances with matching songs and laughter that will surely wow the crowd. As an entertainer, she has done various comedy shows in both local and international scenes.

Bugoy Drilon and Kris Lawrence – both winners in reality television singing competitions in the Philippines – have the ability to capture

the hearts of the audience with their songs and performances.

Mark your calendars on March 5 with the number one entertainment hub in Southern California- Pechanga Resort Casino at Temecula, California.

Tickets starting at $38 may be purchased by calling 888-8108871 or via online at www. pechanga.com.

Shows in the Pechanga Theater offer a comfortable and intimate concert experience. With 1,200 seats in its theater, each show features state-of-the-art, acoustically perfected sound, plus comfortable chairs and an up-close view from every theater seat.

Pechanga Resort Casino offers one of the largest and most expansive resort/ casino experiences anywhere in the United States. Voted the number one casino in the

country by USA Today and rated a Four Diamond property

by AAA since 2002, Pechanga Resort Casino provides an unparalleled getaway, whether for the day or for an extended luxury stay. Pechanga offers more than 5,000 of the hottest slots, table games, world-class entertainment, 1,100 hotel rooms, dining, spa and golf at Journey at Pechanga, Pechanga Resort Casino features a destination that meets and exceeds the needs of its guests and the community. Pechanga Resort Casino is owned and operated by the Pechanga Band of Luiseño Indians.

For more information, call toll free (877) 711-2946 or visit www.Pechanga.com. Follow Pechanga Resort Casino on Facebook, Instagram and on Twitter @PechangaCasino.

(Advertising Supplement)

AG award nominee wears Oliver Tolentino

Ann Dowd

ACTRESS Ann Dowd walked the 28th Screen Actors Guild Awards red carpet last night in an Oliver Tolentino navy blue chiffon off-shoulder couture gown with ball skirt and up-cycled, handembellished 3D floral applique bodice. Dowd was nominated for “Outstanding Performance by a Drama Ensemble” for the final season of Hulu’s The Handmaid’s Tale. Succession ended up winning the category. The 2022 SAG Awards were Hollywood’s first major televised, in-person awards show since Photo by Sthanlee B. Mirador the COVID-19 pandemic.

features

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The Asian Jour nal MDWK MAGAZINE - March 2, 2022

James Beard Awards names 12 Fil-Am...

From Page 9 Francis Ang, chef and owner of Abaca expressed his gratitude to their supporters.

“I am blown away.

From a small mom and pop pop-up to a @ beardfoundation semifinalist,” he said. “How our family has grown. This was possible because of them--the constant hard work, sacrifice, and perseverance--this recognition is for you. I have learned to be a better leader because of them. I am proud of my #AbacáPamilya.”

Esquire Magazine named Abaca one of the best new restaurants in the United States in 2021, along with Kasama Chicago, helmed by the husband-and-wife team of Timothy Flores and Genie Kwon. The New York Times also named two Filipino restaurants - Kasama and Archipelago - in the publication’s The Restaurant List 2021, which honored the 50 most vibrant and delicious restaurants they were “most excited about right now”.

“Congrats to our team!

Though we are thankful to be on this years @ beardfoundation chef list, if it were not for your passion, dedication, hard work… your puns… we would not be where we are today. Y’all make Archipelago, our community, and culture great. We are beyond thankful for each and every one of you,” Verzosa posted on Archipelago’s

Jojo Vasquez with his wife

Melissa Miranda Photo from Instagram/@meltronica

Sheldon Simeon Photo from Instagram/@chefwonder

Instagram page.

He also acknowledged “our pamilya, Kuya @twistedfilipino, ate @meltronica, kuya @ chefwonder” and their teams for the honor.

“We know when it comes to our culture it takes a family to move these visions forward,” he said.

This year’s winners will be celebrated at the James Beard Restaurant and Chef Awards ceremony on June 13 at the Lyric Opera of Chicago.

The James Beard Awards, considered to be among the nation’s most prestigious honors, recognize exceptional talent in the culinary and food media industries, as well as a demonstrated commitment to racial and gender equity,

community, sustainability, and a culture where all can thrive.

Founded more than 30 years ago, the James Beard Foundation “celebrates and supports the people behind America’s food culture, while pushing for new standards in the restaurant industry to create a future where all have the opportunity to thrive,” according to its announcement.

The 2022 James Beard Awards will be the first in two years, after a hiatus during which the Awards underwent a full audit of its policies and procedures, continuing the work to remove bias, increase transparency and accessibility, and making the program more aligned with the Foundation’s mission and values.

Photo from Instagram/@jojovasquez

Aaron Verzosa

Photo from Archipelago Seattle

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community

The Asian Jour nal MDWK MAGAZINE - March 2, 2022

Reimbursement for community contribution towards a spouse’s education and student loan during marriage Barrister’s Corner Atty. Kenneth UrsUA reyes ONE of the biggest problem of millenials and Gen Z are educational cost and student loan debt. This eats up a large part of a households budget even among married couples.

However, what happens to all the money paid towards one spouse’s education and student loans if the marriage fails and leads to divorce. Well, California Family Code Section 2641(b)(1) provides that upon divorce or legal separation, the community “shall be reimbursed” for its “contributions” to a spouse’s education or training that “substantially enhances” the spouse’s earning capacity. Under Family Code Section 2641(a), reimbursable community “contributions” means payments made with community or quasicommunity property for a spouse’s education or training or for the repayment of a loan incurred therefor, no matter where the parties resided when the payments were made.

Family Code § 2641 reimbursement is not limited to education or training received during marriage.

Rather, by its terms, application of the statute is governed solely by whether community funds were used to pay for the education or training.

Thus, educational costs and loans paid with community funds are within the ambit of § 2641 reimbursement even if the education occurred before marriage. Marriage of Weiner,

supra, 105 CA4th at 239-240, 129 CR2d at 291; In Marriage of Mullonkal & Kodiyamplakkil (2020) 51 CA5th 604, 607-608, 265 CR3d 285, 288, the court held that the community is entitled to reimbursement where spouse paid off student loans for education she attained before marriage with funds from her salary earned during marriage.

In Mullonkal & Kodiyamplakkil, the trial court erroneously held § 2641 did not apply because, among other things, the student spouse (Wife) repaid her premarital education with her own earnings

supra, 51 CA5th at 615616, 265 CR3d at 294. At a minimum, reimbursable community expenditures include amounts paid for the student spouse’s tuition, fees, books, supplies and transportation. Fam.C. § 2641, Law Rev. Comm’n Comment, 23 Cal. L.Rev. Comm’n Reports 1 (1993) Beyond this, however, community expenditures are a reimbursable “contribution” only if directly related to he educational experience.

Ordinary living expenses that would have been incurred regardless of whether one spouse was attending school such as rent, food and clothing, health care and entertainment, are not reimbursable under § 2641. Marriage of Watt (1989) 214 CA3d 340, 354, 262 CR 783, 791-792.

“Family Code § 2641 reimbursement is not limited to education or training received during marriage. Rather, by its terms, application of the statute is governed solely by whether community funds were used to pay for the education or training. “ during the marriage, and the nonstudent spouse (Husband) failed to contribute to Wife’s education/loan repayments and family expenses. “[B]ut nothing in [§ 2641] contemplates denying reimbursement to the community where the student spouse pays for her own education or where the nonstudent spouse did not somehow earn an entitlement to an equal share of the community. Indeed, the statute refers to community contributions to education, and makes no reference to the source of the community contribution.” Marriage of Mullonkal & Kodiyamplakkil,

*** 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) 3881611 or e-mail kenneth@kenreyeslaw.com or visit our website at Kenreyeslaw.com.

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FASGI fundraiser features Becca Godinez

THE Filipino American Service Group, Inc. (FASGI), a non-profit organization in Historic Filipinotown dedicated to serving the Filipino community, will kick start a year of raising funds to support on-going programming. In its 40th anniversary, FASGI has helped millions of individuals through programs that include mental health education, naturalization application assistance, arts incubation, health and wellness, and assistance to WWII veterans. FASGI has also implemented programs to deal with COVID protocols and prevention.

Together with Individual Health Care Services, Inc., FASGI will be executive producing its first concert featuring actress/singer Becca Godinez. Entitled “Becca Godinez: In My Life,” the concert is Becca’s most intimate show to date as she revisits her time as one of the Philippines’ most in-demand performers during the 1970’s and 1980’s. This musical journey will trace Becca’s career from hit-music recording artist, concert singer, television host, and thespian with Repertory Philippines. Joining her on stage are special guest artists Mike Monserrat (dancer/choreographer and member of the original “Penthouse 7” crew), Spanky Rigor (co-founder/musician of the 70’s hit group VST & Company), Broadway actors Jennifer Paz (“Evita,”and “Songs for a New World”), Red Concepcion (“Miss Saigon,”and “Priscilla Queen of the Desert”), Nicole Santiago (“Mama Mia” and “Criers for Hire”) and Natasha Kaiserman (Becca’s daughter), who will be making her L.A. concert debut.

Becca will also be joined by guest vocalists Charmie Morales, Leah Auditor and Tina Cruz.

Myke Gonzaga, one of the most in-demand musical directors, leads the band which also features Abe Lagrimas, Jr. (drums), Bryant Simpson (bass), Sandro Rebel (keyboards) and Michael Seaman (piano). The concert will also feature a special virtual appearance by Cocoy Laurel, one the Philippines’ legendary actors and Becca’s co-star in many theatrical productions.

When asked what the audience will experience, Becca said, “Gosh, my career spans about 50 years!! I chose each guest because they were all part and parcel of what I’ve done as a performer – from hosting TV shows, to being a theatre artist.”

FASGI’s Executive Director Yey CoronelAlcid stated, “The FASGI Board wants all our fundraisers to be memorable and fun. We know that this concert will truly entertain because it combines Becca’s talent, charisma, and energy with her showmanship, creativity, and style.

More importantly, Becca understands and shares FASGI’s passion in helping those in need to lead richer and more fruitful lives.

It is important for FASGI to raise additional funds because most of our programs have either limited or no funding. Our clients become part of the FASGI family, so we commit to care for their needs and provide the utmost quality in services. We embrace our motto, “Happy to serve; Honored to help!” Any funds raised will go towards additional services for seniors, human trafficking survivors, and artists/ performers with our Arts Incubator Program.

We will also create a revolving loan fund for US citizenship applicants who find costs prohibitive; and resume the Kalayaan Festival, a whole day of medical and holistic healing for physical, mental and emotional wellbeing.”

Co- Executive Producer Trinity Foliente, owner of Individual Health Care Services said, “I have known and partnered with FASGI since Yey Coronel became Executive Director in 2015. Under her leadership, I have seen FASGI’s dedication to serving the Filipino American community increase and expand. FASGI always goes the extra mile to help the community in any way possible. They are dependable and efficient and never cease to amaze me.”

Tickets for the one-night-only concert on Saturday, March 12 are $100/$60/$45 and can be purchased by contacting Yey Coronel 818271-0901 [phone/text] and Trinity Foliente 818455-2132 [phone/text] or via email at admin@

Immigrant Living: 101 and BeMonette AdevA MAglAyA (CONTINUED from last week …)

An angel is an invisible presence that must be acknowledged to become ever stronger. God sends angels to keep watch over human beings and help them in every human challenge. There is, however, the element of free will in humans.

You can acknowledge the presence of angels or deny it.

It is your choice ultimately. The more angels are acknowledged and become a conduit to heaven, they become a hovering, guiding reality in one’s life growing ever stronger in their influence to shape every thought, word and deed in one’s life.

On the other hand, if the dark side prevails repeatedly in one’s soul that is made progressively weak by severe addictions of any kind, whether chemical, sexual or the human inclination towards pride, disobedience and evil, then the angel’s influence becomes weak. The human protectee is like a a cell phone that is not receiving signals and becomes dead on a skip zone.

Only a direct divine intervention wrought by the most powerful force of intercessory, unceasing prayers by one or more prayer warriors can avert the cosmic disaster of a soul lost forever to darkness, death and nothingness.

Filipina actress and singer Becca Godinez

fasgi.org. Special balcony pricing of $25 is available for seniors, military, and students by calling 818-271-0901. Tickets are also available at the Aratani Theatre website by visiting www. jaccc.org or by calling 213-680-3700.

FASGI’s Acting Board Chairperson, Celina Taganas-Duffy is excited for the concert. “Over the years, I’ve had the opportunity to see Becca perform. She’s truly amazing and we’re honored she’s headlining this benefit concert to raise funds and further FASGI’s mission to provide vital services to our community.” She is joined on the Organizing Committee by Co-Chairperson Ronnie Cross (FASGI Board Member), Mae Abeleda (FASGI Board Treasurer), Ferdinand “Bong” Soriano (FASGI Board Member), Ethel Provido (FASGI Program Director), Evelyn Andamo (Principal, Westin Enterprises, Inc.), Ethel Rubio (Principal/Owner, Ethel G. Rubio Assoc. AIA, PRO, Kalayaan Incorporated, Community Leader), Rosalie Caratao (Community Leader) and Thelma Sugay (President, Filipino American Press Club of California).

FASGI and Individual Health Care Services are honored to have LA City Commissioner Dr. Cris B. Liban and his wife, Benel Se-Liban (Managing Partner of JBC Group, LLC) as the presenting sponsor for the show. Other sponsors include Asian Journal; Joel & Luchie Pengson, Eleos - The Cognitive Center of Southern California, MVCMG – the Moreno Valley Community Medical Group; Joel A. Pengson, M.D., A Medical Corporation; Josie Jones, Admiral Home Health Inc., Admiral Hospice Care and Alpha Hospice Care; Ronson Provido, P.E., Century Engineers, Inc.; D-1 Productions, MonteMaria Cellars; and BayaniPay. The Aratani Theater strictly follows current State, County and City COVID protocols, which change daily. To maintain a safe environment for the artists and the audience, patrons should be prepared to wear masks once inside the theater for the duration of the entire show and may be asked to present valid vaccination cards. The venue will not accept negative COVID tests results. Patrons should be vaccinated and/or boosted prior to entering the theater.

For more information on the concert, please visit The Filipino American Service Group, Inc. at www.fasgi.org. Becca Godinez: In My Life is produced and directed by LXV Enterprises, LLC to benefit the Filipino American Service Group, Inc.

Angels among us (Last of 4 parts)

“All God’s angels come to us disguised.”

– James Russell Lowell There is a study of angels called angelology. In it, it is claimed that there is a hierarchy of celestial beings grouped into three spheres.

According to Wikipedia, there is a First Sphere, the highest ranking of all because they are closest to God. This includes Seraphim, Cherubim and Thrones. The Second Sphere includes Dominions, Virtues and Powers. In the Third Sphere can be found Principalities, Archangels and Angels.

Our personal guardian angels fall in the last group.

The memorial feast of the Holy Guardian Angles is celebrated on October 2 every year. Each human being is believed to be assigned a personal guardian angel, Christian or not. The angels that keep watch over human beings belong to the lowest order of celestial beings and they are the ones concerned with the affairs of human beings. They are holy celestial beings who are agents of God intended as a help to mere mortals. They are powerful but we ourselves need to connect to that power to take effect.

If you acknowledge that you as a child of God was given a personal guardian angel from the time God conceived you in His thoughts, there should

be no fear in our hearts to face even the unknown. An angelic relationship can be nurtured daily and can grow wonderfully through time until the end of human life.

Not long ago, I had a very vivid dream where my guardian angel told me his name is Radiance. He was a being filled with light. From then on, in my quiet moments and often during the day, I would simply converse with him.

Who knows? In the end, we might be able to see this yet unseen godly presence, link up face to face, do a high-five, even dance a jig and thank our personal guardian angel, whether you gave him a name or not, whether he revealed his name to you or not, when we transition out to a celestial realm ourselves — finally free of ALL heavy worldly concerns and ALL constraints of time, space and gravity.

Just perhaps, that light at the end of a long dark tunnel might give us a glimpse of the face of God himself. ***

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.

***

To send comments, e-mail monette. maglaya@asianjournalinc.com

The Asian Jour nal MDWK MAGAZINE - March 2, 2022

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