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MARCH 5-11, 2020 Volume 31 - No. 10 • 16 Pages

T H E F I L I P I N O –A M E R I C A N C O M M U N I T Y N E W S PA P E R

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USA

DATELINE Several Fil-Ams advance to general election for Congress, state, local seats FROM THE AJPRESS NEWS TEAM ACROSS AMERICA

SEVERAL Filipino Americans vying for seats on the federal, state and local levels will advance to the general election in November following the March 3rd primary. For Texas’ 23rd Congressional District, Filipina American Gina Ortiz Jones secured the Democratic nomination with 66% of the votes on Tuesday night, March 3. In November, she will face either Tony Gonzales or Raul Reyes, both Republicans who will advance to a run-off in May. A former Air Force intelligence officer, Ortiz Jones first ran for the seat that covers the southwest portion of the state during the 2018 midterm election but was narrowly defeated by incumbent Republican Rep. Will Hurd with less than 1,000 votes. “I’m honored to be the Democratic nominee in Texas’ 23rd Congressional District. I’ve dedicated my life to public service, and I’m running for Congress to expand the opportunities that allowed me to grow up healthy,

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Record number of naturalized immigrants eligible to vote in 2020 WASHINGTON — At a time when U.S. immigration policy issues have become controversial, a record number of immigrants are eligible to vote in the presidential election this year, a new report says. The Pew Research Center report released last Wednesday, February 26 shows that the size of the immigrant electorate has nearly doubled since 2000. Eligible voters are U.S. citizens aged 18 and older. Mexican and Filipino immigrants are the largest groups among foreign-born eligible voters, the report says. More than 23 million naturalized immigrants in the United States are eligible to vote, or about 1 in 10 eligible voters. But they must register to vote and actually show up at the polls to have an impact on the election. Pew’s analysis is based on data from the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey and the 2000 U.S. decennial census. “Many of the administration’s proposed

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US wants newer, stronger defense ties with PH — Duterte by RITCHEL

MENDIOLA AJPress

ng lapit (that after my rift with them and the termination of VFA, they are now trying to make amends),” Duterte said in a speech delivered at Malacañang’s Rizal Hall on Tuesday, March 3. Duterte also revealed that he had a meeting with U.S. Ambassador to the Philippines Sung Kim as well as Ambassador of the Philippines to the U.S. Jose Manuel Romualdez, but dismissed the possibility of the U.S. holding him accountable over the reported

PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte said the United States has been reaching out to the Philippine government for newer and stronger defense ties since the termination of the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) between the two countries. “It came to the fore na yung alitan ko sa kanila, tinanggal ko ‘yung VFA, sila naman ngayon ang lapit

deaths of drug personalities in the country due to his war against illegal drugs. He also reiterated to Kim that he needed to get things done with the VFA to prove a point that he is saving the country from illegal drugs. “Sinabi ko sa kanya (I told him), ‘I don’t... Iyang extrajudicial killing, wala akong pakialam diyan (I don’t care about extrajudicial killing). You can bring on the

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As PH seeks independent foreign policy, Senate questions Duterte’s power to end treaties by RITCHEL

MENDIOLA AJPress

PHILIPPINE President Rodrigo Duterte’s decision to scrap the Visiting Forces Agreement with the United States may face some legal challenges as several senators this week voted on a resolution asking the Supreme Court to determine the Senate’s role in treaty abrogations. In a 12-0-8 vote, the Senate on Monday, March 2 adopted a resolution that would seek the high court’s ruling on whether there needs to be Senate concurrence in treaty termination. “I respectfully adhere to the rule that, yes, the President of the Philippines is the sole representative of the country in foreign affairs. I do not intend to go against the tide. I just want clarity. We want clarity. And I hope that once and for all, the honorable Supreme Court shed light on this purely question of law,” Senate President Vicente Sotto III said in an interview with Rappler.

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NEW OFFICIALS. President Rodrigo Duterte swears in the newly-appointed government officials during the oath-taking ceremony at the Malacañang Palace on Tuesday, March 3. Congratulating the newly appointed officials, the president reminded them of their primary obligation to serve the country with integrity, impartiality and be duty-bound to defend the Constitution. They must also obey all laws and discharge their duties with utmost efficiency, honesty and competence. Malacañang photo by Albert Alcainw

Philippines first in women’s pay, female representation - regional report by FRANCO LUNA Philstar.com

MANILA — Organizations and workplaces in the Philippines placed first in overall gender diversity, a new study of companies from ten Asian economies In this Feb. 14, 2018 photo, St. Scholastica’s College students dance in found. This was discovered by nonunison during the “One Billion Rising” global movement as part of their advocacy against all forms of discrimination and violence against women profit Community Business in its and children. Philstar.com photo by Michael De Guzman flagship study the Gender Diver-

sity Benchmark for Asia (GDBA) which was released to reporters in a forum at the Thomson Reuters Manila office in Taguig on Monday, March 2. The GDBA analyzed the representation of women in organizations in China, its Special Administrative Region Hong Kong, and India, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore and Taiwan and found

that the Philippines led them all across the board despite a limited sample size. Representatives of Community Business said that the study integrated data from a partnership with global advisory firm Willis Towers Watson, who conducted surveys of 4.8 million employees in more than 3,600 companies.

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House panel to tackle ABS-CBN franchise renewal on March 10 House approves OFW bill on 2nd reading by GAEA

KATREENA Philstar.com

CABICO

MANILA — The House of Representatives will finally conduct its first hearing on ABS-CBN Corp’s bid to renew its legislative franchise for another 25 years. House Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano announced on Wednesday, March 4 that the House committee on legislative franchise will take up the 11 pending bills seeking to renew the franchise of the country’s top broadcaster. Cayetano said the lower chamber will conduct the hearing next week to make it clear to the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) that Congress is acting on ABS-CBN’s franchise. “We’re going to focus on the NTC to make sure that ABS-CBN won’t go off the air yet,” the Taguig-Pateros representative said. ABS-CBN was granted a 25-year legislative franchise in 1995. This is due to expire on May 4. Last week, the House panel led by Rep. Franz In this February 15 photo, thousands of ABS-CBN employees gather at the ABS-CBN compound in Quezon City in support of the network’s franchise renewal.

Philstar.com photo by Miguel De Guzman

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THE House of Representatives on Wednesday, March 4 approved on 2nd reading a bill creating the Department of Overseas Filipinos and Foreign Employment. The bill is one of the priority bills, along with the creation of the Department of Disaster Resilience and the Department of Water. HB 5832 aims to create a primary agency that will ensure protection and welfare of overseas Filipinos. It is a consolidation of 39 bills, which was passed jointly by the House Committees on Government Reorganization and on Overseas Workers Affairs jointly on Nov. 26, 2019 and is currently pending deliberations at the

plenary. Agusan del Norte 1st District Rep. Lawrence Fortun, one of the authors of House Bill (HB) 5832, had stressed the need to create the department in response to recent “tragic” incidents that led to recent deaths of workers in Kuwait and Singapore. “The purpose of the establishment of this department is to institute bureaucratic efficiency by combining and streamlining the different functions of the different agencies involved in overseas employment to ensure the effective protection of the rights and welfare of OFWs (overseas Filipino workers) and to ensure that their employ-

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march 5-11, 2020 • LaS VEGaS aSIaN JOUrNaL

US wants newer, stronger... PAGE 1 charges you want, but I will stick to my guns. I will kill anybody (who) will tend to destroy my country,’” Duterte said. “How could it be wrong, when can it be wrong pag magsabi ako (when I say), ‘Do not destroy my country because I will kill you? Who can debate with that? That is the preservation of my people,” he

added. Following Duterte’s order, Foreign Affairs Secretary Tedoro “Teddy Boy” Locsin, Jr. sent the U.S. a notice to terminate the twodecade old VFA on February 11. The treaty is said to be terminated 180-days after the notice. Romualdez, for his part, said there are ongoing negotiations between Manila and Washington to

From The FronT Page

craft “something similar” to VFA. However, Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo stressed that the discussions are only “exploratory talks” since Romualdez was not given the authority by Duterte to negotiate with Kim to craft a new military agreement between the two countries. The annual Balikatan, Filipino for shoulder-to-shoulder, considered the largest exercise between Filipino and American soldiers, is still scheduled to proceed this May. “It will push through as scheduled. That is within the 180-day period so it will continue as scheduled,” Brig. Gen. Edgard Arevalo, Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) spokesperson, said at a press briefing on Wednesday (March 3). The joint drill is set to include 6,529 Americans, 4,302 Filipinos and 44 Australians military personnel. With the termination of the VFA, large-scale exercises like this would no longer be covered. ‘No potential president among new politicians’ Duterte said that he has not seen a potential president among the new crop of politicians. “Wala pa ako nakita na new crop politicians dito sa ating bayan, frankly wala ako nakita, wala akong nakita na pwede talaga maging presidente (I have not seen anyone among the new crop of politicians in our country, frankly none, I have not seen anyone who can become president),” he said Tuesday. “Alam mo, sa totoo lang, presidente ka, di ka marunong pumatay at takot ka mamatay, huwag ka na magpresidente. Wala mangyayari sa iyo. Wala mangyayari sa bayan (If you are president and you don’t know how to kill or die, do not run for president. Nothing will happen to you or the country),” he added. The president also admitted that he is scared for the next generation. “I am just protecting our grandchildren...I’m trying to protect the generation of Filipinos especially the next batch, our children,” he said. He added, “The problem is I cannot gamble the next generation. It would be difficult. I have a lot of grandchildren. I have 11. I am nervous about what will happen to them tomorrow so let us help each other.” n

President Rodrigo Duterte presides over the 46th Cabinet Meeting at the Malacañang Palace on Monday, March 2. Malacañang photo by Rey Baniquet

As PH seeks independent foreign policy...

PAGE 1 This vote comes after the Senate last month previously debated whether the president had the power to unilaterally revoke international agreements. Sotto is slated to file of a petition before the Supreme Court within the week. Senators who sided with the Senate President include Senate President Pro-Tempore Ralph Recto, Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri, Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon, and Senators Francis Pangilinan, Risa Hontiveros, Panfilo Lacson, Joel Villanueva, Juan Edgardo Angara, Nancy Binay, Richard Gordon and Manuel “Lito” Lapid. Senators Christopher “Bong” Go, Ronald dela Rosa, Aquilino Pimentel III, Imee Marcos, Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr, Francis Tolentino and Cynthia Villar abstained, while Senators Manny Pacquiao and Pia Cayetano were unable to vote. “They did not want to offend the president... That is the reason why they abstained because if you feel that a resolution is wrong, then you vote against,” Sotto said. ‘Independent policy’ Malacañang reiterated Duterte’s

desire to have an independent foreign policy on Monday, stressing that the Philippines is prepared to face the consequences that may arise out of the termination of any executive agreement or international treaty. “The position of the president is to have an independent foreign policy. And that means if any treaty or agreement is abrogated, then necessarily certain consequences will follow,” said presidential spokesperson Salvador Panelo in a press briefing. “The president has already said that he has studied that. So we are prepared for whatever consequences that may arise out of the abrogation or termination of any executive agreement or treaty,” he added. This comes after six United States senators reportedly want the U.S. Trade Representative office to consider revoking Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) on the Philippines’ exports to the U.S., according to Business Mirror. Currently, the U.S. is the Philippines’ biggest export market, third-largest trading partner, and fourth-largest import source. According to the American

senators, the U.S should refrain from entering into future trade negotiations with Manila until the country’s “human rights records has vastly improved.” Panelo also said that Philippine Ambassador to the U.S. Jose Manuel Romualdez is free to hold discussion with his U.S. counterparts about another possible military deal between the two countries. “I don’t think you can stop the Ambassador [Romualdez] from entertaining initiatives coming from his counterpart,” he said, adding that it is part of “diplomacy.” However, he stressed that the discussions are only “exploratory talks” since Romualdez was not given the authority by Duterte to negotiate with U.S. Ambassador to the Philippines Sung Kim, to craft a new military agreement between the two countries. “Whatever. Baka (Perhaps) they want to talk. Hayaan mo na silang mag-usap (just let them talk),” Panelo said. Following Duterte’s order, Foreign Affairs Secretary Tedoro “Teddy Boy” Locsin, Jr. sent the U.S. a notice to terminate the twodecade old VFA. The treaty is said to be terminated 180-days after the notice. n

House approves OFW bill on... PAGE 1 ment abroad would only be for decent jobs para sa kanila (for them),” Fortun said. Committee on Overseas Workers Affairs Chairman Ray-

mond Democrito Mendoza also said that the creation of the department recognized the need to address concerns of millions of Filipinos that were deployed abroad. He also said that it

should not institutionalize the exportation of Filipinos abroad but instead prioritize job creation and decent wages within the country. (Divina Joy Dela Cruz/ManilaTimes.net)

Dateline USa

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LAS VEGAS ASIAN JOURNAL • mARch 5-11, 2020

Philippines first in women’s pay, female...

PAGE 1

Gina Ortiz Jones

TJ Cox

Rob Bonta

Godfrey Plata

Todd Gloria

getters move forward, regardless of party or majority vote. You can still #GoWithGodfrey!” An advocate for public educators, Plata seeks to be the first openly gay immigrant and first Filipino from the LA area in the state Legislature. The district covers southern regions of Huntington Park and Vernon to parts of the east side of Boyle Heights and Downtown LA to Koreatown and Pico-Union. “More than 1/3 of voters in the district said NO to the status quo. In a Dem-Dem race, this is feedback for the incumbent, for the Democratic Party, and for Sacramento: there is thirst in our district for a different direction in leadership and a different type of representation,” Plata continued, adding “The work our campaign has done and will continue to do is building something much longerterm for all those who have volunteered, engaged, and voted.” Down in San Diego, Assemblymember Todd Gloria topped the race for San Diego mayor and will compete against city Councilmember Scott Sherman in a November runoff. Gloria secured

40.2% of the votes, as of Wednesday morning. Gloria — who is of Filipino, Dutch, Puerto Rican, and Native American descent — was elected to represent the 78th Assembly district in 2016. A native of San Diego, he previously served two terms on the city council, including as council president and interim mayor following Bob Filner’s resignation. He would also become the city’s first openly LGBTQ mayor if elected in November. Other Fil-Ams who ran in primary elections included Gina Alexander for Gardena City Council and Courtney “CJ” Berina for the state’s 30th Congressional District. Alexander, a handbag designer and philanthropist, nabbed 9% of the vote among the crowded eight-candidate field. Berina, a millennial who ran on a progressive platform, was one of the Democratic challengers against incumbent Rep. Brad Sherman for the 30th Congressional District, which covers parts of Los Angeles and Ventura counties. (Christina M. Oriel/AJPress)

Several Fil-Ams advance to general election for... PAGE 1 get a quality education, and serve our country,” she said in a statement. “Folks in South and West Texas are ready to send a leader to Washington who will fight for quality, lower cost health care, responsible and compassionate immigration reform, and an economy that works for everyone.” In California’s 21st Congressional District, Rep. TJ Cox — the first Fil-Am from the state to serve in Congress — will face Republican David Valadao anew in November. Cox received 36.1% of the votes, while Valadao clinched 53.1%. An engineer and small business owner, Cox won the seat in 2018 and became the first Democrat to represent the Central Valley district since 1981. Under the state’s top-two primary system, the two candidates with the most votes for any office advance to the general election, regardless of party. For the state Assembly, incumbent Rob Bonta received 85% of the votes for the 18th Assembly District. Bonta, who made history as the first Fil-Am to serve the state legislature, has been in the seat since 2012, covering Alameda, Oakland and San Leandro. “Thank you voters of the 18th Assembly District for your support! It’s an honor to serve you and I’m proud to represent the most engaged, progressive, and ‘woke’ constituents in the state!” Bonta wrote on Twitter following his victory. For the Assembly District 53 race, 35-year-old Godfrey Santos Plata will head to the general election in November against incumbent Miguel Santiago, who is also a Democrat. Plata, who received 33.8% of the votes, wrote on Twitter that “We advanced to Nov’s general election! In CA, the top-2 vote-

The study defined the representation of women as based on job level, industry and function and age, while its methodology employed a company-weighted approach, reported the median, and focused solely on full-time corporate positions. Conclusions on the pay gap were also drawn from total compensation for men and women. ‘Bright spot but still not perfect’ The study found that women make up 56% of the total workforce in the Philippines, good for second in Asia. In terms of representation in senior level or leadership positions, women in the Philippines also ranked first in Asia while still being significantly unrepresented compared to men at 33%. Next were Malaysia, which had 26.7% of senior posts held by women, and Hong Kong at 24.7%. Despite the glowing results of the Philippines, the country’s inclusion of women is clearly not without its lapses. “The Philippines is a bright spot in Asia, but it’s still not perfect,” Tina Arcilla, head of the Diversity & Inclusion Asia Network and a member of Community Business Hong Kong, said. For instance, women still make up no more than a third of leadership posts, including country heads and senior executives. The Philippines still led in this category with 33% of women in senior roles, but the numbers are far from encouraging. Although the Philippines led the countries in the study in terms of pay gap between men and women, the gap was still generally present among all countries studied. Across the ten markets surveyed, women were seen to be paid less than men by at least ten percent, which equated to women being paid 90 cents for ever dollar a man earns. According to the Gender Diversity Benchmark for Asia, women need to work up to an additional 98 days a year to earn as much as men do. Interestingly, the GDBA noted that women’s representation consistently declined with increasing age. Women who were in their early 20s actually outnumbered men in the workforce. Past age 55, they make up less than 40%. Thomson Reuters, who cofunded the study, linked this to “cultural biases that hinder

women’s career advancement, such as playing a bigger role in domestic duties, which coincides with a later phase in life and the opportunity to take on more senior roles at the workplace.” “While the Philippines continues to rank highly across the three metrics considered by the study, gender imbalance persists in terms of organizational functions. Women are heavily represented in Human Resources (71%) and Finance (69%) but outnumbered in IT (28%),”

Thomson Reuters said in a release. Community Business was careful to point out that while companies in the Philippines made up less than ten percent of the aggregated data employed in the study, the data on each company was still a fairly representative sample size. Moving forward The study was released to the media ahead of International Women’s Day 2020 on March 8. PAGE 5

march 5-11, 2020 • LaS VEGaS aSIaN JOUrNaL

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Dateline USa

LAS VEGAS ASIAN JOURNAL • mARch 5-11, 2020

Pacquiao-Garcia fight looms

SIX months after ending previously unbeaten Keith Thurman’s victory streak, Filipino ring icon Manny Pacquiao could have, likewise, ended shopping for an opponent that started since then. This looked to have developed when after scoring his first career victory as a welterweight Saturday night, February 29, Mikey Garcia announced to continue campaigning in the 147-pound class and even pointed his finger to Pacquiao as his choice for his next opponent. Garcia, a four-division world champ beat Jessie Vargas by HOSTAGE TAKING. Members of the Philippine National Police (PNP) Special Weapons And Tactics (SWAT) team take positions in one of the unanimous decision at Ford Cenentrances of the mall during the hostage-taking at Virra Mall in Greenhills, San Juan City on Monday, March 2. Police said disgruntled former ter at The Star, and, at the tradisecurity guard Archie Paray held hostage around 30 persons inside the mall. After almost eight hours, the security guard surrendered to tional meeting with the press after authorities Monday night. PNA photo by Robert Oswald P. Alfiler the bout, mentioned his interest in fighting Pacquiao, who had just turned 41 last December.

That is, he clarified, if a rematch with Errol Spence Jr., who dealt him his first career loss in March of last year, wouldn’t be possible. “I think I have great options. I would love to fight Pacquiao or a rematch with Spence. I’d like to continue campaigning at 147,” the 32-year-old, who started his career as featherweight and moved to lightweight until 2018, told media men. Although he looked to have been at home facing opponents at the 135-140 range, Saturday’s win at welterweight must’ve emboldened him to think of swapping punches with the Filipino great. Pacquiao, who’s celebrating his 25th year as a prizefighter this year, has bigger plans in mind, though, like a rematch with archrival and former tormentor, the undefeated Floyd Mayweath-

er Jr. that could serve as obstacle to Garcia’s wish. Or battle MMA artist Connor McGregor, which is a more lucrative option, similar to the Pacquiao-Mayweather II encounter. “I would love to get in the ring with Manny,” Garcia declared following that triumph over Vargas. “It’s a fight that’s been mentioned and talked about for several years.“ Garcia was referring to the Philippine senator’s previous announcement made a few years back of fighting him. “I would love to fight Manny Pacquiao. He’s a living legend. I would love to share that ring with him.” Pacquiao hasn’t fought since dealing Thurman his first knockdown en route to that split decision win to crown himself the WBA welterweight “super” champion. n

PAGE 1 Alvarez (Palawan) urged the NTC to grant ABS-CBN Corp. a provisional authority to continue its operation past the expiry of its legislative franchise. The committee said it has begun deliberating the company’s application of franchise by asking parties to submit their position papers on the matter in February. Cayetano also said the first hearing on ABS-CBN franchise aims to set ground rules so the proceedings would not end up

like a “circus.” “Ayaw nating maging bull session ang hearing. Ayaw din namin maging sipsipan forum,” he said. (We do not want the hearing to become a bull session. We also don’t want it to become a lackeying forum.) Last week, the Senate committee on public services conducted a hearing on the legislative franchise of ABS-CBN and the network’s supposed violations. A congressional franchise bill needs to be approved by the

House of Representatives before it is transmitted to the Senate. The version of the proposed bill approved by both chambers will still need the president’s approval. President Rodrigo Duterte, however, has repeatedly criticized the broadcasting network and stated that he is determined to block the renewal of its franchise. He also said the Lopez-owned company should just be sold as he vowed to give its owners an episode they will not forget. n

by EddiE

AlinEA ManilaTimes.net

Trump to nominate retired Fil-Am Navy Rear Admiral for assistant defense secretary House panel to tackle ABS-CBN franchise... by KlArizE

MEdEnillA

AJPress

PRESIDENT Donald Trump plans to nominate a retired Filipino American Navy veteran to be the assistant secretary for strategy, plans and capabilities for the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD), the White House announced on Wednesday, February 26. Retired U.S. Navy Rear Admiral Victorino G. Mercado — who was born in the U.S. and whose family comes from Batangas, Philippines, according to the Philippine Consulate General in Honolulu — currently serves as deputy assistant secretary of defense for plans and posture, the “principle civilian advisor” to the deputy under secretary of defense who provides counsel on campaign and contingency plans. As assistant secretary for strategy, plans and capabilities, Mercado’s responsibilities will increase as he will act as the primary adviser on national security issues and defense strategies to

the defense secretary, deputy defense secretary, under secretary for policy and principal deputy under secretary of defense. After a 35-year career with the U.S. Navy, Mercado retired in the summer of 2018 before transitioning to his previous post with the DOD. Throughout his career, he has completed tours and assignments across the world, asea and ashore. His final assignment as an active duty service member was as the director of maritime operations for the U.S. Pacific Fleet. Mercado graduated from the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, California, earning his master of science in systems technology in joint command control and communications. He is also a graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy, earning a bachelor of science in mathematics and computer science in 1983. Following his retirement, Mercado has been celebrated as one of the highest-ranking Filipino Americans who has served the

Filipino American Victor Mercado will be nominated by President Donald Trump to be an assistant secretary of defense for strategy, plans and capabilities. Photo courtesy of U.S. Dept. of Defense

U.S. Navy. In a retirement ceremony on August 7, 2018, Philippine Consul General Joselito A. Jimeno of Hawaii recognized Mercado’s efforts in “fostering the good relationship between the United States and the Republic of the Philippines.” n

Policy gaps leave Philippines ‘wide open’ to foreign trash - report by GAEA

KAtrEEnA Philstar.com

CAbiCo

THE country’s laws and regulations have fallen short in protecting the Philippines against the harmful effects of foreign waste dumping, two environmental organizations said in a report on the waste trade. In a report released Wednesday, March 4, Greenpeace Philippines and EcoWaste Coalition stressed that policy loopholes such as the definition of waste in Philippine laws and waste trade for “recycling” allowed garbage from abroad to enter the country. “Past experiences have repeatedly shown that the Philippines is wide open to both illegal and ‘legitimized’ waste trade. The country will remain vulnerable to continued exploitation if it does not take policy measure to close its borders against waste trade,” the report read. Republic Act 6969 or the Toxic Substances and Hazardous Nuclear Wastes Control Act of 1990 prohibits any move “to cause, aid or facilitate the storage, importation and even in transit of any amount of hazardous waste.” Under the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000, it is also unlawful to import toxic wastes misrepresented as “recyclable” or “with recyclable content.” In a report released Wednesday, Greenpeace Philippines and EcoWaste Coalition stressed that policy loopholes such as the definition of waste in Philippine laws and waste trade for “recycling” allowed garbage from abroad to enter the country. “Past experiences have repeatedly shown that the Philippines is wide open to both illegal and ‘legitimized’ waste trade. The country will remain vulnerable to continued exploitation if it does not take policy measure to close its borders against waste trade,” the report read. Republic Act 6969 or the Toxic

Substances and Hazardous Nuclear Wastes Control Act of 1990 prohibits any move “to cause, aid or facilitate the storage, importation and even in transit of any amount of hazardous waste.” Under the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000, it is also unlawful to import toxic wastes misrepresented as “recyclable” or “with recyclable content.” However, Administrative Order 2013-22 of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources does not list plastic waste as hazardous waste. The order is the procedural manual for the implementation of RA 6969. “As such, application of these policies may be limited,” the report noted. Problem with recycling Waste trade primarily for “recycling” and under certain conditions is legal in the Philippines. Garbage in the form of electronic waste, used lead acid batteries, plastic materials, used oil and flyash from coal power plants is allowed into the country. “Even while waste importation for ‘recycling’ is allowed, there is no sufficient and effective monitoring whether the waste would be properly handled once they entered Philippine shores,” the report said. The items marked for “recycling” from other countries also added to the already stretched landfills and few recycling facilities in the country. Between 2013 and 2014, fiftyfive container vans labelled as recyclable plastic scrap arrived in the Philippines from Canada and only belatedly discovered. The containers—which actually contained recyclable plastic, waste paper, household waste, electronic waste and used adult diapers—returned to Canadian shores in June 2019. Protection from waste importation In 2018, containers shipped from South Korea to Misamis Ori-

ental were found to contain over 6,000 tons of contaminated plastic waste, used batteries, diapers and electronic equipment. Around 150 containers of illegal waste were shipped back to the east Asian country in 2019. But the repatriation of the remaining 50 containers has not yet pushed through. In May last year, a container of electronic waste from Hong Kong was also discovered in the Misamis Oriental Port. The trash—mislabelled as “assorted electronic accessories”—was brought back a month later. ‘Ratify Basel Ban amendment’ Greenpeace and EcoWaste called on the government to immediately ratify the Basel Ban Amendment, which aims to prohibit the export of hazardous wastes and other wastes from developed to developing countries for any reason, including recycling. “The Philippines still remains vulnerable to hazardous waste dumping under the guise of recycling by developed countries that are either not parties to the treaty (US) or have not ratified the Ban Amendment (Australia, Canada, Japan, New Zealand and South Korea). It is therefore imperative for the Philippines to ratify the Basel Ban Amendment,” they said. The groups also urged the government to enforce a comprehensive ban on all waste imports. The ban would allow the Philippines to focus on the country’s own waste management issues, improve the recycling and re-processing facilities and implement and promote a “zero waste” society. “This proposal finds legal justification within the context of the Constitution and our laws. The government has the legal authority and mandate to take measures, although extraordinary and unprecedented, to protect the people’s fundamental right to a clean and healthy environment,” they said. n

Philippines first in women’s pay, female...

PAGE 3 Asked by reporters what the next move for pushing for further equity in the workplace Marla Garin-Alvarez, Diversity & Inclusion Lead at Thomson Reuters highlighted the need for branching out. “Looking at the new arenas where we need to make our presence felt,” she said. “Women need to be more adept at technology in order to lead in that space, [for example.]” ‘Political empowerment gap’ The World Economic Forum in a separate 2020 study noted that the political empowerment gap for women grew wider as the

Philippines dropped from 13th to 28th among 153 countries in that regard. This was linked to the lack of women appointees in Duterte’s cabinet. Although Grant Thornton International’s 2020 Women in Business report placed the Philippines first out of 32 countries after it was found that 43% of Filipino women executives held senior management positions, the World Economic Forum in a separate study noted that the political empowerment gap for women grew wider. Alvarez said that such expansion for women had to be done while supporting each other in

order for generations of women leaders to pave the way for the next ones and providing opportunities. “If you get to a senior enough level, that you are able to call the shots and make decisions, do so and use your leadership position to make things happen for women,” Alvarez said. Asked about the role of men in achieving parity for women in the workplace, Arcilla says conversations and programs should highlight that gender equity affects everyone and not just women. “We need to make sure it’s communicated as everyone’s fight,” she said. n

Record number of naturalized immigrants...

PAGE 1 policy changes, such as expanding the border wall and limiting immigration have generated strong, strong polarized reactions from the public,” Pew says. “These proposals may also affect how immigrants see their place in America and the potential role they could play in the 2020 presidential election.” Pew notes that historically, voter turnout rates for immigrant eligible voters has lagged behind U.S.-born voters. In 2016, just 54% of foreign-born eligible voters cast ballots, compared to 62% of U.S.-born eligible voters. But within the racial and ethnic groups with the largest numbers of immigrants, the trend is different, Pew says. “Immigrant voter turnout rates

have trailed the U.S. born overall,” Pew says, “but not among Latinos and Asians.” About 53% of Hispanic immigrants who were eligible to vote cast ballots in 2016, compared with 46% of the U.S. born. Similarly, among Asian eligible voters, 52% of immigrants voted, compared with 45% of the U.S. born. Some other findings in the report: • 46% of the nation’s eligible immigrant voters live in states where Democratic primaries or caucuses take place on or before Super Tuesday. This is up from 21% in 2016, Pew says, a change driven primarily by movements in the calendar of the Democratic Party’s primaries and caucuses. • The number of immigrants living in the U.S. is rising, but just

half of immigrants in the country are eligible to vote • The four states with the largest eligible voter populations — California, New York, Florida and Texas — are also home to most immigrant voters. “Even so,” Pew says, “immigrant eligible voters are dispersed across the nation. While California may have more immigrant voters than any other state, many states have substantial immigrant eligible voter populations.” • The immigrant electorate is growing the fastest in Georgia, Minnesota and North Carolina. “All three have seen their numbers of immigrant eligible voters nearly triple between 2000 and 2018,” Pew says. “Georgia increased by 193% during this time, the nation’s fastest growth.” (Inquirer.net)

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MARCH 5-11, 2020 • LAS VEGAS ASIAN JOURNAL

OPINION

COVID’s economic costs

FEATURES

ABOUT one percentage point may be shaven from this year’s gross domestic product growth in the Philippines as a result of a slowdown in economic activities due to the 2019 coronavirus disease contagion, Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Ernesto Pernia said on Monday, March 2. In a growing number of countries, the COVID-19 threat has shut down factories and top tourist destinations and cancelled international gatherings. Japan’s temporary closure of schools further stoked speculation that the Tokyo Olympics from July to August this year might also have to be postponed. In Rome, the biggest draw for travelers — Pope Francis — has taken an unprecedented weeklong leave while nursing a cold and cough. The international travel and tourism industry is reeling from COVID-19. Also affected are the numerous travel-related downstream enterprises. With three of the world’s manufacturing powerhouses badly hit – China, Japan and South Korea — global supply chains have been seriously disrupted, with the Philippines also feeling the impact. Stock markets have been battered

and the oil-producing countries, which host millions of overseas Filipino workers, are seeing drastic reductions in demand. A vaccine is still about a year away, while the virus continues to spread. No one knows how long the global uncertainty will last. Governments must be on emergency mode to deal not just with the public health threat but also with the economic impact of the contagion. Unemployment and underemployment could spike, not only within the country but also abroad, affecting workers’ remittances and the Philippines’ consumption-driven economy. The country is fortunate that it doesn’t have to resort to lockdowns of entire cities to contain the COVID-19 threat. So local production can continue and consumption can be stimulated. The work to create jobs and livelihood opportunities government together with the private sector can for those who may be affected. In this contagion,

Editorial

Philstar.com photo

economic displacement is as much a concern as public health. (Philstar.com)

Don’t fear and panic: Coronavirus Q&A and the facts according to the World Health Organization The Fil-Am Perspective GEL SANTOS-RELOS KABABAYANS all over the world are among so many people now in a state of fear over the threats of coronavirus. We’ve seen madness over face masks, panic buying of canned goods, bottled water and other food supplies, scare over traveling either domestically or internationally, and paranoia over being with a person sneezing or coughing, especially if they “look Chinese.” This is understandable because we just need to protect ourselves and our families from this pandemic, especially when we are hearing confusing and nonsensical statements from government officials who either downplay this health emergency and even use this for political warfare and expedience, especially during this presidential campaign season. We need to be empowered during these challenging times, and so let me share with you important information from the World Health Organization (WHO). Please read and share with your family and friends. What is a coronavirus? Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses, which may cause illness in animals or humans. In humans, several coronaviruses are known to cause respiratory infections ranging from the common cold to more severe diseases such as Middle East Respiratory

Demand and Supply BOO CHANCO IT can’t be avoided. Indeed, if only China did it before half of Wuhan’s 11 million population left for the Chinese New Year celebration, we probably wouldn’t see as wide an infection as we are seeing now, geographically. In Rome, the coronavirus has brought its tourism sector to its knees. Tourist cancellations have reached 90 percent in Rome for March due to the coronavirus outbreak. Italian daily newspaper Corriere della Sera reported that the cost of lost revenue to Rome restaurants is €3 million a day, with “thousands of jobs” at risk. Cancelled hotel reservations, coupled with numerous cancelled events, has so far led to the loss of €1.5 billion to the tourism sector in Rome. That’s according to Stefano Fiori, president of the tourism section of Unindustria, quoted in Corriere della Sera. In Japan, Prime Minister Shinzo

Syndrome (MERS) and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS). The most recently discovered coronavirus causes coronavirus disease COVID-19. What is COVID-19? COVID-19 is the infectious disease caused by the most recently discovered coronavirus. This new virus and disease were unknown before the outbreak began in Wuhan, China, in December 2019. How does COVID-19 spread? People can catch COVID-19 from others who have the virus. The disease can spread from person to person through small droplets from the nose or mouth, which are spread when a person with COVID-19 coughs or exhales. These droplets land on objects and surfaces around the person. Other people then catch COVID-19 by touching these objects or surfaces, then touching their eyes, nose or mouth. People can also catch COVID-19 if they breathe in droplets from a person with COVID-19 who coughs out or exhales droplets. This is why it is important to stay more than one meter (three feet) away from a person who is sick. Studies to date suggest that the virus that causes COVID-19 is mainly transmitted through contact with respiratory droplets rather than through the air. The WHO is assessing ongoing research on the ways COVID-19 is spread and will continue to share updated findings. What can I do to protect myself and prevent the spread of disease? Protection measures for everyone Stay aware of the latest information on the COVID-19 out-

break, available on the WHO website and through your national and local public health authority. COVID-19 is still affecting mostly people in China with some outbreaks in other countries. Most people who become infected experience mild illness and recover, but it can be more severe for others. Take care of your health and protect others by doing the following: • Regularly and thoroughly clean your hands with an alcohol-based hand rub or wash them with soap and water. • Why? Washing your hands with soap and water or using alcohol-based hand rub kills viruses that may be on your hands. • Maintain at least 1 meter (3 feet) distance between yourself and anyone who is coughing or sneezing. • Why? When someone coughs or sneezes they spray small liquid droplets from their nose or mouth which may contain the virus. If you are too close, you can breathe in the droplets, including the COVID-19 virus if the person coughing has the disease. • Avoid touching eyes, nose and mouth. • Why? Hands touch many surfaces and can pick up viruses. Once contaminated, hands can transfer the virus to your eyes, nose or mouth. From there, the virus can enter your body and can make you sick. • Make sure you, and the people around you, follow good respiratory hygiene. This means covering your mouth and nose with your bent elbow or tissue when you cough or sneeze. Then dispose of the used tissue immediately.

Travel ban

Abe has already ordered all elementary, junior high and high schools to close until the end of March. Hokkaido has declared a state of emergency. Summer Olympics is at risk. In Singapore, some hotels are closing some floors to save on electricity and manpower, and have told their staff to use their annual leave by the end of May due to the lack of guests. Other cost-cutting measures include reducing restaurant opening hours and shortening times for services such as in-room dining. Some 20 countries have confirmed their first cases in the past week. New outbreak clusters have formed across Europe and the Middle East. The Lonely Planet website noted that while many countries have not yet reported COVID-19, that could change quickly and hightraffic areas such as airports and train stations pose higher risks. Gloria Guevara, president of the World Travel and Tourism Council and former tourism minister of Mexico, said travel bans will not stop the spread of the coronavirus.

But who can blame government officials from taking drastic measures? We are dealing with a new and unknown virus. We don’t have a cure nor a vaccine. The only way to slow down the spread of the virus is by isolating sick people. Problem is, as many as 80 percent of those who carry the virus show no symptoms, but can pass the virus on to other people. To avoid infection, the US Center for Disease Control (CDC) currently recommends forgoing all non-essential travel to China, the epicenter of the outbreak, and South Korea. The tourism industry is, of course, badly affected. Tourism stakeholders are running to their governments for help. In Indonesia, the government has set aside $21.5 million to help lift tourism businesses, according to its minister of finance, Sri Mulyani Indrawati. Airlines and tour operators will be given incentives to encourage special discounts for foreign tourists. Some budget has been allotted for promotional activities and improving tourist areas.

Use a mask only if you have respiratory symptoms (coughing or sneezing), have suspected COVID-19 infection with mild symptoms, or are caring for someone with suspected COVID-19 infection. A suspected COVID-19 infection is linked to travel in areas where cases have been reported, or close contact with someone who has travelled in these areas and has become ill. The most effective ways to protect yourself and others against COVID-19 are to frequently clean your hands, cover your cough with the bend of elbow or tissue and maintain a distance of at least 1 meter (3 feet) from people who are coughing or sneezing. Is there anything I should not do? The following measures ARE NOT effective against COVID2019 and can be harmful: • Smoking • Taking traditional herbal remedies • Wearing multiple masks • Taking self-medication such as antibiotics In any case, if you have fever, cough and difficulty breathing seek medical care early to reduce the risk of developing a more severe infection and be sure to share your recent travel history with your health care provider. ***

• Why? Droplets spread virus. By following good respiratory hygiene you protect the people around you from viruses such as cold, flu and COVID-19. • Stay home if you feel unwell. If you have a fever, cough and difficulty breathing, seek medical attention and call in advance. Follow the directions of your local health authority. • Why? National and local authorities will have the most up to date information on the situation in your area. Calling in advance will allow your health care provider to quickly direct you to the right health facility. This will also protect you and help prevent the spread of viruses and other infections. • Stay informed on the latest developments about COVID19. Follow advice given by your healthcare provider, your national and local public health authority or your employer on how to protect yourself and others from COVID-19. • Why? National and local authorities will have the most up to date information on whether COVID-19 is spreading in your area. They are best placed to advise on what people in your area should be doing to protect themselves. Protection measures for persons who are in or have recently visited (past 14 days) areas where COVID-19 is spreading: • Follow the guidance outlined above. (Protection measures for everyone) • Stay at home if you begin to feel unwell, even with mild symptoms such as headache and slight runny nose, until you recover. • Why? Avoiding contact with others and visits to medical fa-

cilities will allow these facilities to operate more effectively and help protect you and others from possible COVID-19 and other viruses. • If you develop fever, cough and difficulty breathing, seek medical advice promptly as this may be due to a respiratory infection or other serious condition. Call in advance and tell your provider of any recent travel or contact with travelers. • Why? Calling in advance will allow your health care provider to quickly direct you to the right health facility. This will also help to prevent the possible spread of COVID-19 and other viruses. Who is at risk of developing severe illness? While we are still learning about how COVID-2019 affects people, older persons and persons with pre-existing medical conditions (such as high blood pressure, heart disease, or diabetes) appear to develop serious illness more often than others. Should I wear a mask to protect myself? People with no respiratory symptoms, such as cough, do not need to wear a medical mask. WHO recommends the use of masks for people who have symptoms of COVID-19 and for those caring for individuals who have symptoms, such as cough and fever. The use of masks is crucial for health workers and people who are taking care of someone (at home or in a health care facility). WHO advises the rational use of medical masks to avoid unnecessary wastage of precious resources and misuse of masks (see Advice on the use of masks).

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

Indonesia Transportation minister Budi Karya Sumadi also said the government would inject additional incentives of up to 50 percent for flight tickets to 10 tourist destinations. Total support for airlines, including aviation fuel discounts and reduced aircraft passenger services fees, will be funded by the Ministry of Transportation, Angkasa Pura Airport Authorities and AirNav. The Indonesian central government will provide grants to 33 district and city governments in the 10 tourist destinations in return for waiving hotel and restaurant taxes for the next six months, said Sri Mulyani. Here, the Department of Tourism and the Tourism Congress of the Philippines has launched a domestic tourism campaign. They promise to come up with packages that cuts airfare and room rates to entice locals to go and fill the gap left by foreign tourists. It is a good idea, but I remain skeptical of its success. That’s because I haven’t seen those packages being marketed and the Holy Week is just around the corner. I have messaged Jojo Clemente, who heads TCP, for details and his response was sketchy.

Our hotel owners are reluctant to bring down their rates to match those in hotels in Bali, Indonesia or Phuket, Thailand or Halong Bay in Vietnam. So far, only 37 hotels and resorts are joining the marketing campaign directed at local travelers. Of this number, only 12 out of the 300-plus resorts on Boracay are offering discounted room rates. Even in the best of times, our hotel rates are uncompetitive, which is why my family has often chosen to go abroad instead. I hope they are not just waiting for government handouts. Forget the shopping spree as a domestic tourism ploy. The DOT folks who thought up the shopping spree idea used a survey done in normal times when there were foreign tourists. I think it is silly and dangerous at this time of the coronavirus. Health Secretary Francisco Duque doesn’t think it is a good idea. As for travel bans, we can’t blame Health Secretary Duque for his hawkish approach. He erred badly when he allowed politics to cloud his refusal to impose a travel ban on China at a time when even China had travel bans on domestic and international travelers.

But our officials must make sure they have a proper balance. Travel bans on whole countries are probably uncalled for. A total travel ban on Japan mentioned by Sec Duque is probably too drastic. Countries like Singapore, Taiwan and Japan are able to manage the coronavirus spread and a total country travel ban serves little good. Then again, Dr. Anthony Fauci, the director of the US National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, warned that travel restrictions would become “irrelevant” if the coronavirus became a pandemic because “you can’t keep out the entire world.” For now, the DOT and DOH should have a strict protocol that hotels and restaurants must follow. Are hotels properly disinfecting rooms and utensils? Are restaurants, specially those offering buffets, protecting customers from potential infection when people crowd buffet tables? The DOT and DOH should do surprise spot checks. We must help the tourism industry at this time of emergency. But they must also help themselves and not just depend on government. (Philstar.com)

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

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Dateline PhiliPPines

‘A’ credit rating imperiled if Philippines gray-listed by lawRence

agcaoili Philstar.com

MANILA — The country’s efforts to attain the much coveted “A” grade from credit rating agencies over the next two years could be derailed if the Paris-based Financial Action Task Force (FATF) includes the Philippines in the list of countries with strategic deficiencies in anti-money laundering and counterterror financing. This was according to the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC), which recommended that the country pass and impleScene of the crime operatives process the crime scene where the van of actress Kim Chiu were shot by motorcycle riding gunmen along ment the proposed amendments Katipunan Avenue cor C.P. Garcia in Quezon City Wednesday morning, March 4. Inquirer.net photo by Grig Montegrande to Republic Act 9160 or the AntiMoney Laundering Act (AMLA) of 2001 and RA 9372 or the Human Security Act (HSA) of 2007 before June this year. series “Love Thy Woman” when she said. by Ritchel Mendiola “Our country must also demThe actress also said that she two suspects riding a motorcycle AJPress onstrate effective implementation fired six gunshots at their van doesn’t know the possible motive of these amendments within the FILIPINA actress Kim Chiu along Katipunan Avenue corner behind the attack. 12-month observation period. confirmed she is safe after her van C.P. Garcia Avenue at around 6:15 “I don’t understand what hapHence, these amendments must was shot at by two unidentified a.m. on Wednesday. pened. Maybe it was a case of take effect by June 2020 to progunmen aboard a motorcycle in Chiu recalled the incident, mistaken identity? Maybe somevide enough time for the PhilipQuezon City on Wednesday morn- saying she was asleep when she one did it as a joke? I don’t have pines to demonstrate effective ing, March 4. enemies,” Chiu noted. heard the gunshots. implementation before the ob“Yes I am safe po. I’m ok and my “Whoever did this, God will take “I saw this bullet on the windP.A. And my driver as well. Papa shield where my head is laying. I care of the two of you. I wish you Jesus protected us,” Chiu posted was thinking that it’s a good thing looked at my plate number first on her Instagram page. I was lying down. What if I was before you fired at my vehicle. According to Chiu’s driver awake and continued reading my But at the end of the day, I just Wilfred Taperla, Chiu was on her script? I was so scared, I don’t think that none of us was hurt,” way to the taping of her television know what to feel right now,” she added. n

ABS-CBN actress Kim Chiu safe after van shooting

servation period ends in October 2020,” AMLC said. Malacañang, through presidential spokesman Salvador Panelo, also issued a statement citing an assurance from Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Governor Benjamin Diokno that the passage of the amendments “will complement or boost our efforts towards an A-credit rating for the country.” The Philippines came under the FATF-International Cooperation Review Group (ICRG) 12-month observation period in October last year – an undertaking aimed at helping the country address deficiencies in its antimoney laundering and counterterrorism financing system discovered during the 2019 mutual evaluation report undertaken by the Asia Pacific Group on Money Laundering. “If any or all of the proposed amendments are not passed and not implemented within the observation period, the Philippines will be included in the FATF gray list,” AMLC warned. AMLC said the country’s inclusion in the FATF gray list would

result in an additional layer of scrutiny for regulators and financial institutions, thereby increasing the cost of doing business, delaying the processing of transactions and blocking the country’s road to an A credit rating. “Gray-listing and its implications, however, may prolong the country’s timeline to secure credit ratings within the A scale or may even cause a downgrade, which would mean difficult and expensive borrowing from international debt markets,” AMLC warned. An interagency committee headed by the BSP and the Department of Finance has been tasked to clear the path for an A credit rating. Diokno, who is also AMLC chairman, expressed confidence that lawmakers would be able to pass the amendments by June this year. He said Cabinet secretaries approved the proposed amendments to the AMLA and HSA during a meeting at Malacañang Monday evening. (Alexis Romero/Philstar.com)

Robredo satisfaction ratings remains ‘good’ — SWS by Ritchel

Mendiola

AJPress

PHILIPPINE Vice President Maria Leonor “Leni” Robredo maintained her “good” satisfaction rating in the fourth quarter of 2019, according to a new Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey. According to the survey released Tuesday, March 3, 59% of respondents were satisfied with Robredo’s performance while 23% were dissatisfied, translating to a net satisfaction rating of +36, which classifies as “good.” Robredo’s latest net score was three points above the +33 she received in September 2019. SWS noted that her ratings rose due to the increases in satisfaction points in Metro Manila (+25), Mindanao (+38), and the Visayas (+48), combined with a steady score in Balance Luzon (+33). Robredo’s satisfaction rating remained at “moderate” level in Metro Manila, while her rating in Visayas, Mindanao and Balance Luzon stayed “good.”

Vice President Leni Robredo Inquirer.net photo

Her spokesman, Barry Gutierrez, said the latest rating is proof that people were satisfied with the vice president’s work with the Interagency Committee on Anti-illegal Drugs (ICAD). Robredo served as ICAD co-chair for 18 days before she was fired due to alleged “missteps,” such as meeting with foreign personalities and groups that reportedly have prejudged the drug war, and failing

to present new measures to stop the drug proliferation in the country. “The people can expect Vice President Leni to continue her duty to serve every Filipino and to continue to stand for the rights and interest of the country,” Gutierrez said. Aside from Robredo, Senate President Vicente Sotto III and Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano also increased their net satisfaction ratings. Sotto received a “very good” net satisfaction rating of +62, with 73% saying they were satisfied with the Senate president’s performance while only 10% were dissatisfied. Cayetano obtained a “very good” net satisfaction rating of +53, rising from the +49 “good” he received in September. The poll, which was conducted from December 13 to 16, 2019 among 1,200 adults nationwide, used face-to-face interviews and had sampling error margins of ±3% for national percentages, and ±6% each for Metro Manila, Balance Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao. n

Sara’s party to Cayetano: Removal of ally an ‘affront’ to Duterte DAVAO City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio-led regional party on Wednesday, March 4, said it has no quarrel with Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano even after it denounced the “grossly unacceptable” removal of its ally from a key post at the House of Representatives. In a statement, Hugpong ng Pagbabago (HNP) clarified that it did not see Davao City Rep. Isidro Ungab’s removal as chairman of the House appropriations committee as an “attack” on the party, but an “affront” to President Rodrigo Duterte. The party then emphasized its support for the “credibility and honor” of Ungab, who was replaced by ACT-CIS party-list Rep. Eric Yap upon the House’s approval. “We are loyal to those who are loyal to the president. He (Ungab) was specifically chosen by President Duterte as chairman

of the committee and the last time we checked, the president never ordered the removal of Ungab. If anything, the removal was an insult and affront to the president — and not the party,” the HNP said. “HNP does not want to spar with Cayetano. We want to sit and watch his show,” the party said. Cayetano on Wednesday said that Ungab was unseated as chairman of the House appropriations committee because of the “untenable working relationship.” Ungab’s removal came few days after rumors of an alleged plot to oust Cayetano as House top leader surfaced. The HNP, which Duterte-Carpio heads, slammed Ungab’s ouster calling it “grossly unacceptable as it is disadvantageous to the Duterte administration’s reform agenda for the Filipino people and the country”. Cayetano bared that Marin-

duque Rep. Lord Allan Velasco had been offering chairmanships and funding allocations for congressmen once he takes over from Cayetano based on a “term-sharing” agreement which Duterte had brokered. But Velasco dismissed as “baseless” and “sly innuendos being peddled by certain camps with vested interests” the supposed coup plan to change the speakership even before Cayetano’s term ends. Under the term-sharing scheme, Cayetano will serve as Speaker for 15 months and Velasco for the remaning 21 months of the 18th Congress. Cayetano was Duterte’s former foreign affairs secretary and running mate in the 2016 elections, while Velasco was the top pick of the president’s political party, the Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan, to lead the House. (Catherine Valente/ManilaTimes.net)

Proposal to include drug use record in driver’s license ‘unfairly discriminates’ — CHR MANILA — The proposal to include in driver’s license the history of drivers who have been apprehended due to dangerous drugs use is unfair to people who turned their back on illegal narcotics, the Commission on Human Rights said. CHR stressed that while the intent of the proposal to promote public safety is noble, policies should be fair and mindful of the complexities of social issues they seek to address. “Such proposal unfairly discriminates, especially for those who have fully rehabilitated and turned their backs on the use of dangerous drugs and other similar substances,” Jacqueline De Guia, CHR spokesperson, said Wednesday, March 4. The rights body made the statement in response to the proposal of Sens. Ronald Dela Rosa

and Francis Tolentino to include a driver’s record of drug use to be indicated in a new license card or if he or she underwent a rehabilitation program during a Senate hearing on drug-related road accidents Tuesday, March 3. The senators said it would “forewarn” institutions that the license owner had been a user. “Instead of allowing them to fully reintegrate, the proposal may bar them from accessing opportunities for employment, as well as other means to be productive members of the society—worse, possibly pushing them back to drug use and sale again,” De Guia said. She added that not everyone who is undergoing or underwent rehabilitation was a result of criminal offense. “It seems to be a punishment for all those who voluntarily

submitted themselves for treatment to always bear the mark for simply wanting to be better,” De Guia said. Dela Rosa said the Anti-Drunk and Drugged Driving Act of 2013—which penalizes acts of driving under the influence of alcohol, dangerous drugs and other intoxicating substances—must be amended to give more teeth in law enforcement. “This law already recognizes the importance of protecting the people from accidents and violence that may arise from drunk or drugged driving,” De Guia said. In February, a student was killed while crossing a pedestrian lane in Makati after a jeepney hit him and six others. The jeepney driver tested positive for drugs. (Gaea Katreena Cabico/ Philstar.com)

WOMEN POWER. A platoon of policewomen parade during the Philippine National Police (PNP) flag-raising ceremony held in Camp Crame, Quezon City on Monday, March 2. Eight PNP women personnel were given the “Good Deeds” award for their significant accomplishments and contributions in the performance of their duties. PNA photo by Joey O. Razon

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Filipino environmental defenders ask UN Relocation of 700 jobs doesn’t mean rights body to look into threats they face Wells Fargo ‘withdrawal’ from PH by Gaea

Katreena CabiCo

Philstar.com

MANILA — Environmental defenders called on the United Nations Human Rights Council to conduct an independent investigation into the worsening situation of environment and land activists. They asked the UNHRC to conduct an independent fact-finding mission or establish a Commission of Inquiry in the Philippines. “There are serious challenges to life, security and liberty of environmental defenders in the Philippines, which redound to transgressions on the rights to a safe, clean, healthy and sustainable environmental of communities, including that of indigenous peoples and peasants,� Clemente Bautista, international network coordinator of environmental group Kalikasan, said during the 43rd UNHRC session in Geneva. In 2019, 46 environmental defenders were killed in the Philippines, according to Kalikasan. This was a 53-percent increase from 30 deaths recorded in 2018. The Philippines was the deadliest country in the world for envi-

ronmental and land defenders, according to watchdog Global Witness, which tracks threats and attacks against rights defenders. There were at least 113 murdered environmental and land activists since President Rodrigo Duterte assumed office in July 2016. Three years before administration, no fewer than 65 were killed. Cullamat: IPs, peasants targeted for opposing mining and logging Rep. Eufemia Cullamat (Bayan Muna), a Manobo leader, said that most of the environmental defenders killed were indigenous peoples and peasants who were at the frontline of protecting the country’s forest and land resources. “In the course of conserving our natural resources and defending communities from big mining companies, commercial loggers and agro-corporations, indigenous peoples and peasants are targeted for extrajudicial executions and judicial harassment,� the Bayan Muna representative said. She told the UNHRC session that many of her fellow envi-

ronmental defenders in Surigao del Sur are facing trumped-up charges and at least 60 households from her community evacuated from their homes due to indiscriminate firing and attacks by the military. Clarissa Ramos of Paghida-et sa Kauswagan Development Group said the encroachment of mining corporations, conversion of agricultural lands and establishment of industrial economic zones in Negros island “will displace thousands of poor families and destroy Negros’ remaining forests and coral reefs.� The Armed Forces of the Philippines has accused many activist groups opposed to industries like mining and logging of being in league with communist rebels. The Presidential Communications Operations Office has also advised the UNHRC to be prudent “in assessing claims particularly from sources who have enjoyed the hallowed status of human rights defenders while waging the longest insurgency in Asia and terrorizing communities in the Philippines,� the PCOO said in a press release distributed through state media. n

Arroceros, Manila’s last lung, declared a permanent forest park by Gaea

Katreena Philstar.com

CabiCo

MANILA — The city government of Manila has declared Arroceros Park, the capital’s last forested area, a permanent forest park. Manila Mayor Isko Moreno Domagoso signed on February 27 an ordinance declaring a parcel of land along Antonio Villegas St. in Ermita a “permanent forest park.� Dubbed as the “last lung� of Manila, the 2.2-hectare park is home to 61 tree varieties and 8,000 ornamental plants. It also hosts 10 bird species. Moreno said the city would allocate P1 million for the upkeep of Arroceros Park. The city government would also designate “peace officers� and would create the Arroceros Forest Park Governing Committee, which will formulate a plan for the maintenance and operations of the park.

MANILA — The relocation of 700 technology jobs from Manila was never intended for a planned withdrawal of Wells Fargo in the Philippines, the financial services company said on Monday, March 2. Wells Fargo, one of the biggest banks in the world, issued the statement in response to reports that it will lay off people holding the said jobs currently outsourced in Manila, leading to its downsizing of operations in the Philippines. According to Wells Fargo, its planned “global workplace optimization strategy� is part of its three-year technology strategicplan, aiming “to help increase

technology’s speed and engagement.� It added that, out of the 5,500 employees sourced in Manila, 700 of them would be moving to locations with a “with a larger technology employee presence,� primarily in India. “Wells Fargo will continue to have approximately 50 Technology team members in Manila and nearly 4,800 employees overall located in the Philippines,� the finance company said. “Relocation of these limited technology roles was never intended to imply that there was a larger planned withdrawal of Wells Fargo from the Philippines, as has been

incorrectly represented by some media channels,� it added. The finance company also maintained: “Wells Fargo remains committed to operating in Manila as a strategic location and has no plans to close its Manila operations.� Wells Fargo also said that the Philippines would remain as “strategic location� for the company. “The relocation of these limited technology roles does not impact Wells Fargo’s clients in the Philippines, who will continue to be served through the Wells Fargo Manila Representative Office and regional teams across Asia Pacific,� the company said. (Inquirer.net)

As summer nears, govt assures of water supply by Catherine

Valente ManilaTimes.net

WITH summer almost here, the government has assured the water supply is enough for the year. Palace spokesman Salvador Panelo said Environment Secretary Roy Cimatu told President Rodrigo Duterte that the country would not be experiencing a water shortage this year. Cimatu presented the government’s outlook and action plan in preparation for summer during the Cabinet meeting in Malacaùang on Monday, March 2. Panelo said Cimatu inspected Angat Dam, which supplies more

than 97 percent of Metro Manila’s water supply. In March last year, Metro Manila suffered its worst water crisis in years, as the water level at Angat dipped, leaving families queueing for hours to get water from tanker trucks. Duterte blamed officials of the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System and the two water concessionaires for the water shortage, claiming they knew about the problem, but did nothing to prevent it. The president also questioned the concession agreement with a water company, which he did not

identify, that bound the government to the deal until 2070. Both Maynilad Water Services Inc. and Manila Water Co. Inc. are in the middle of negotiations for a new concession agreement. Panelo also mentioned that the China-funded Kaliwa Dam project was scheduled to break ground by July or August this year. The controversial project, which involves the construction of a reservoir straddling Rizal and Quezon provinces, has been long delayed. Kaliwa Dam is designed to augment Metro Manila’s water supply. n

Palace blames businessmen bowing to bribery for corruption in PH by Krissy

aGuilar Inquirer.net

MANILA — Businessmen tolerating bribery should be blamed for the persistence of corruption in the country. This was presidential spokesFile photo shows a man taking refuge under the trees of Arroceros Forest Park amid searing person Salvador Panelo’s reheat in Manila. The 2.2-hectare park, considered the city’s “last lung,â€? is home to about 60 sponse to a global survey that tree species and a small population of birds belonging to six different species. showed bribery and corruption Inquirer.net photo by Richard Reyes were among the top disruptions Ordinance 8607 prohibits the nance for the third time will pay a in the country’s economy as both cutting of trees and the dumping P5,000 fine or face imprisonment are on the rise since 2018. of waste within the area of the not exceeding one year depend“Do not complain of corruption forest park. Any form of excava- ing on the court’s discretion. when you yourselves are involved Moreno earlier said he would in them,â€? Panelo said in an intertion is also prohibited. Violators will be slapped with a keep the park and even expand view in MalacaĂąang. P2,500 fine for their first offense it as part of his ambitious plan to “You can prosecute them. Ang and P3,500 for their second of- transform Manila into a “green problema tumatahimik kayo eh fense. Those who violate the ordi- city.â€? n tapos (The problem is you stay

mum then) you complain about corruption. If you keep it to yourselves, how would you eliminate corruption?� he added. A survey by auditing firm PricewaterhouseCoopers showed that bribery and corruption increased in the country in the last two years. Of the 101 businesses asked in the 2020 Global Economic Crime and Fraud Survey, 43 percent said they have encountered fraud at least two to five times while 10 percent experienced over six to 12 incidents of fraud. “Kaya nagkakaroon ng (There is) corruption because you are cooperating with the corrupt people, ‘yun ang punto (that’s the point). Any administration will never

succeed unless you on the ground are cooperating with this corrupt people,�Panelo said. Panelo advised businessmen to report any incidents of bribery or corruption so that the government could act on it. “The government will always be there to respond. But unless you tell them kung sinu-sino ‘yung mga ito (who these are), wala kang magagawa kasi hindi mo alam kung sino ang hahabulin mo (you won’t be able to do anything because you won’t know who to chase). That’s why we’ve been appealing to all the people, any act of corruption, any act of illegality, you tell the government so that we can immediately address them,� Panelo said. n

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VEGAS&STYLE Journal

Fil-Am chefs named semifinalists for James Beard Awards By MoMar

G. Visaya

AJPress

FiILIPINO American chefs across the United States woke up to great news on Wednesday, Feb. 26 as the James Beard Foundation Awards released its Restaurant and Chef Awards semifinalists for 2020. Five finalists per category will be announced on March 25 and winners will be announced at the James Beard Awards Gala in Chicago on May 4. Up for Best New Restaurant

Archipelago won Eater Seattle’s Restaurant of the Year Award for 2019.

Award is Tanam, in Somerville, Massachusetts. Margarita Manzke of Republique (Los Angeles) is a returning semifinalist for Outstanding Pastry Chef. Manzke and her husband Walter run Republique, a French restaurant in the Hancock Park neighborhood of Los Angeles that the couple opened in December 2013. Three Fil Am chefs are in the mix for the Best Chef: Northwest & Pacific award: Chera Amlag of Hood Famous Café + Bar (Seattle), Sheldon Simeon of Lineage (Wailea, HI) and Aaron Verzosa of Archipelago (Seattle). Simeon’s Lineage, a semifinalist for Best New Restaurant last year is the chef’s second solo restaurant. He opened Lineage in October 2018, two years after Tin Roof in Maui, his first venture. He was in two seasons of the Bravo reality show Top Chef, first in the show’s 10th season in Seattle and in the show’s 14th season shot in Charleston. Tom Cunanan of Bad Saint (Washington, DC) won as Best Chef: Mid Atlantic last year, after being nominated for the third time. Eater Boston named Tanam as

Restaurant of the Year for 2019. It also describes Tanam as “This tiny Filipinx American restaurant at Bow Market in Somerville is one of the most daring restaurant openings in recent memory: It’s worker-owned, for one thing, and the bulk of its services are multicourse feasts with moderately expensive tickets that must be purchased ahead of time.” In essence, Tanam is a food and artspace based in Union Square Somerville, about four miles outside Boston. It is an offshoot of Pamangan, a Filipino American pop up that made its way through Chera Amlag of Hood Famous with Chef Marcus Samuelsson in a scene from PBS’ “No Passport the Boston area in the past four Chef Sheldon Simeon Photo courtesy Bravo TV Required,” which featured the burgeoning Filipino food scene in Seattle. years or so. Tanam opened its doors in January 2019. The place offers “Kamayan Dinners” every Wednesday and Sunday and “Storytelling Dinners” every Friday and Saturday. Among the dishes they serve are Sugba Kilaw, Sinigang Chawanmushi and Kare Kare. They also have a bar that serves creative cocktails made with Tanduay, pandan, calamansi, bitter melon and ube, aside from Red Horse and San Miguel Beer. Ellie Tiglao, Tanam’s chef and art director, has been pushing for “narrative cuisine” ever since Ellie Tiglao, chef and art director of Tanam, a Fil-Am restaurant in Somerville.

Chef Aaron Verzosa and Amber Manuguid of Archipelago in Seattle.

Tanam won Eater Boston’s Restaurant of the Year Award for 2019.

their pop up days and says that Tanam is about “telling stories that don’t often get told, shared by the people who live those stories.” America’s Classics Last week, James Beard Foundation also announced the winners of America’s Classics 2020, given to “older, tried and true restaurants that reflect the character of their communities.” Among the six honorees this year is Oriental Mart in Seattle, a three-generation family-owned Filipino lunch counter in the heart of Seattle’s iconic Pike Place Market. The mart opened back in 1971 selling groceries, the turo turo style dining began in 1987 and its chef-owner Leila Rosas has Photos courtesy of Instagram/@tanamofficial been serving her famous dishes

since then. What could be better than the freshest salmon collar sinigang from the market across the street? Pair that with a plate of silog and call it a day. It has been said that a trip to Pike Place is not complete without a meal at Oriental Mart. Marcus Samuelsson, the acclaimed chef behind Red Rooster in Harlem featured Rosas and the growing list of Filipino chefs and restaurants in the greater Seattle area in the premiere episode of the new season of PBS’ “No Passport Required.” “Aunt Leila, she’s such a good cook. Her set up is real simple but her flavors are not,” Samuelsson remarked. “When you taste Filipino food, you taste the history.”

Samuelsson spent time with immigrant and second-generation Filipinos who are taking charge of Seattle’s food scene. As Filipino food gains more national, mainstream recognition, members of the community are working to tell the story on their own terms. Two of these Seattle-based chefs are now James Beard semifinalists: Archipelago and Hood Famous Café + Bar. Eater Seattle named Archipelago as Restaurant of the Year for 2019 citing the tiny restaurant for its ingenuity, storytelling and passion. Chef Aaron Verzosa and his wife, Amber Manuguid opened Archipelago in December 2018. PAGE 14

Sustainable, ethical wear: How Pinay Sharon opens up on cosmetic procedures designer Claire Powers built her KINdom by Jan

Milo seVero Philstar.com

By MoMar

G. Visaya

AJPress

THE words “fashion” and “sustainability” were rarely ever used in the same sentence before. However, things began to change when people began talking about climate change and its chilling effects on the planet, and policies were made in order to make sure that the next generations to come would have a future. This was the impetus for Filipina American designer Claire Powers. Her epiphany happened the first time she held her sister’s baby who was then a week old. Knowing what she knew about the usual practices done in the industry (which she calls “natural phenomena, because they happen all the time”), she told herself she was going to make a stand. Armed with decades of experience and know-how due to her work in fast fashion, she decided to start her own eco company in 2007. However, her timing was not right because the economy tanked the following year and she decided to close shop and return to the world of fast fashion. Fast forward 10 years and the baby she was now holding was her own. She knew she was not going back to her old world. She knew it was time to start something new. And that was how KINdom was born. When Powers started KINdom in 2017, she reached out to the Philippine government and a couple of non-profit organizations for her to be connected to the indigenous communities that need help the most because she wanted to help the most impoverished and marginalized tribes. She also went to local Philippine cultural trade shows and connected with other artisan weavers, and bought directly from them as well. “The Philippines is a nation with a rich culture, and with my passion being in fashion, I have a purpose and expertise to help preserve and protect it, as it is the roots and identity that future generations will have, so they don’t just read about it in textbooks or see disintegrating textiles in museums,” Powers said.

Claire Powers was one of a handful of designers invited to showcase their designs at the Sustainable New York Fashion Week held last month at the Chelsea Piers Sports and Entertainment Complex. AJPress photos by Momar G. Visaya

ACTRESS Sharon Cuneta opened up on cosmetic procedures she has done in the past. During a recent press conference for her “A Mega Celebration” contract signing with ABS-CBN, Sharon said she had nothing surgically done yet on her face, except for Ultheraphy and Thermage. “I have not done anything except for Ulthera, Thermage, they have this thing called (m-scalp) kasi I lost so much weight para hindi saggy ‘yung skin ko. That’s basically it,” Sharon said. “I do Ulthera with Doc Ivy but if you come close and look at my face, see I still have lines. When I do bottocks, it’s minimal and really not often because I don’t want to lose my expressions lalo na ‘pag artista ka. Ayoko kasi nang iiyak ka, tatawa ka nang hindi gumagalaw,” she added. The “Megastar,” however, said that she was thinking of having her eyes fixed. “These are my dad’s eyes. ‘Yung eyebags ko minana ko sa daddy ko. My mother had beautiful eyes. I got everything in my mother’s face except her beautiful eyes. For the longest time, ayoko talagang galawin. Pero no’ng pinanood ko ‘yung ‘Kwaresma,’ over na yata ‘pag umiiyak ako. Baka ito ang ipaayos ko ng konti. You owe it to your audience to look as good as you can but still looking your age,” she said. Sharon added that she wanted to look herself when she’s old that’s why she didn’t want to go

Sharon Cuneta

under the knife. “I want to age gracefully. I don’t want to look like I’m not myself. I want to look like me even when I aged. So kahit magka-wrinkles at lahat, alam niyong ako pa rin ‘yon.”

Claudine expresses gratitude to sister Gretchen for helping her through tough times by ian

BionG Inquirer.net

expressed her gratitude to the former via Instagram on Feb. 29. “[I’ve] been feeling down lately & depression is starting, my Ate always knows what to do & what to say & [I] am blessed,” she said. “Thank you will never [be] enough. I [love you] @gretchenbarretto.” Claudine’s message also came with the quote, “Everything I am, you helped me be.” Gretchen meanwhile commented on her sister’s post to reiterate her support, saying, “Mom needs you too & JJ [Barretto] do not ever give up my baby girl.” “@mimiyque, @ana_abiera, Dominique, dada & everyone loves you so much,” Gretchen said in another comment, to which Claudine replied with a simple “I love you so much.” The two, who are known to have been in bad terms for years, reconciled in February 2019. Late last year, the two got involved in a controversial scuffle with their other sister Marjorie, during their late father Miguel’s wake in Photo from Instagram/@claubarretto October.

and helping her get through a dark period in her life. CLAUDINE Barretto has taken Gretchen has been helping to social media to honor her older her younger sister “be the best sister, Gretchen, for supporting version” of herself, and Claudine

KINdom showcases designs made with indigenous fabrics created by artisans from tribes in the Philippines and Africa.

The designer was surprised to learn that in Tawi-Tawi — a province in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao — there was only one weaver left, and there is no one to pass the weaving art to because no one wants to learn it. “It’s sad that the art and heritage for that indigenous community may die out,” she said. At a recent fashion show in New York coinciding with Fashion Week and focusing on sustain-

Photo from Instagram/@reallysharoncuneta

ability, Powers showcased items she sourced out from various tribes like T’boli, Iranun, Bagobo and Yakan in the Philippines and Xhosa in South Africa. Sustainable fashion About 93 billion cubic meters of water — enough to meet the needs of five million people — is used by the fashion industry annually, and around half a million tons of microfiber, which is the equivalent of 3 million barrels of PAGE 13 Claudine Barretto with sister Gretchen

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COMMUNITY JOURNAL

Coronavirus facts and information Health@Heart PHILIP S. CHUA, MD, FACS, FPCS ACCURATE and timely information is vital to any preventive, pre-emptive, proactive strategy when it comes to almost any potentially harmful or catastrophic situation or diseases, like the COVID-19 pandemic that is spreading around the world today. To educate the public on this 2019 nCorona virus, I am presenting this FAQ from the World Health organization to ward off any misinformation that could make this current devastation even worse. Don’t panic; influenza kills a lot more each year. Coronavirus FAQ [to dispel fake and harmful advice] The current outbreak of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is making headlines by the minute. However, some less-than-trustworthy advice can be found among the information. Understandably, many people are concerned and confused. To prevent unnecessary panic, the World Health Organization (WHO) has assembled advice for the public. Q: Are hand dryers effective in killing the new coronavirus? A: No. Hand dryers are not effective in killing the SARS-CoV-2. To protect yourself against the new coronavirus, you should frequently clean your hands with an alcohol-based hand rub or wash them with soap and water and dry them thoroughly using paper towels or a warm air dryer. Q: Can an ultraviolet (UV) disinfection lamp kill the new coronavirus? A: UV lamps should not be used to sterilize hands or other areas of skin as UV radiation can cause skin irritation. Q: How effective are thermal scanners in detecting people infected with COVID-19? A: Thermal scanners are effective in detecting people who have developed a fever (i.e. have a higher than normal body temperature) because of infection with the new coronavirus. However, they cannot detect people who are infected but are not yet sick with fever. This is because it takes between 2 and 10 days before people who are infected become sick and develop a fever. Q: Can spraying alcohol or chlorine all over your body kill the new virus? A: No. Spraying alcohol or chlorine all over your body will not kill viruses that have already entered your body. Spraying such substances can be harmful to clothes or mucous membranes (i.e. eyes, mouth). Be aware that both alcohol and chlorine can be useful to disinfect surfaces, used under appropriate recommendations.

Q: Can regularly rinsing your nose with saline help prevent COVID-19? A: No. There is no evidence that regularly rinsing the nose with saline has protected people from infection with the new coronavirus. There is some limited evidence that regularly rinsing nose with saline can help people recover more quickly from the common cold but has not been shown to prevent respiratory infections. Q: Is it safe to receive a letter or a package from China? A: Yes, it is safe. People receiving packages from China are not at risk of contracting the new coronavirus. From previous analysis, we know coronaviruses do not survive long on objects, such as letters or packages. Q: Can pets at home spread the new coronavirus? A: At present, there is no evidence that companion animals/ pets such as dogs or cats can be infected with the new coronavirus. However, it is always a good idea to wash your hands with soap and water after contact with pets. This protects you against various common bacteria such as E.coli and Salmonella that can pass between pets and humans. Q: Do vaccines against pneumonia protect you against COVID-19? A: No. Vaccines against pneumonia, such as pneumococcal vaccine and Haemophilus influenza type B (Hib) vaccine, do not provide protection against the new coronavirus. The virus is so new and different that it needs its own vaccine. Researchers are trying to develop a vaccine against 2019-nCoV, and WHO is supporting their efforts. Although these vaccines are not effective against 2019-nCoV, vaccination against respiratory illnesses is highly recommended to protect your health. Q: Are antibiotics effective in preventing and treating the new coronavirus? A: No, antibiotics do not work against viruses, only bacteria. The new coronavirus (2019-nCoV) is a virus and, therefore, antibiotics should not be used as a means of prevention or treatment. However, if you are hospitalized for the 2019-nCoV, you may receive antibiotics because bacterial coinfection is possible. Q: Are there any specific medicines to prevent or treat the new coronavirus? A: To date, there is no specific medicine recommended to prevent or treat the new coronavirus (2019-nCoV). However, those infected with the virus should receive appropriate care to relieve and treat symptoms, and those with severe illness should receive optimized supportive care. WHO is helping to accelerate research and development efforts. Q: Does sesame oil kill the new coronavirus? A: No. Sesame oil does not kill

the new coronavirus. There are some chemical disinfectants that can kill the 2019-nCoV on surfaces. These include bleach/chlorine-based disinfectants, either solvents, 75% ethanol, peracetic acid and chloroform. However, they have little or no impact on the virus if you put them on the skin or under your nose. It can even be dangerous to put these chemicals on your skin. Q: Are older and younger people more susceptible? A: People of all ages can be infected by the new coronavirus (2019-nCoV). Older people, and people with pre-existing medical conditions (such as asthma, diabetes, heart disease) appear to be more vulnerable. WHO advises people of all ages to take steps to protect themselves from the virus by following good hand hygiene and good respiratory hygiene. *** As of March 4, 2020, 2:29 PM, GMT, there are 82 countries with cases of 94,343 COVID-19 cases and 3,222 deaths. China has 80,282 infected, with 2,981 deaths. There were 3 cases in the Philippines, 2 recovered, one death, the first one outside China. In the U.S., there are 128 cases, the very first in Washington, which now has now 27 cases, with 9 deaths; followed by California, with 24 cases. Next to China, South Korea has the most infected at 5,621 (35 deaths), followed by Iran with 2,922 (92 deaths), and Italy, with 2,502 (79 deaths). It is prudent to avoid crowded places and non-essential travel, even in your city; to wash hands frequently, especially after touching money, public door knobs, handles, handrails, surfaces; avoid touching the face; say “Hi” instead of a handshake; avoid areas with confirmed cases; eat healthy, get enough sleep; avoid activities or behaviors that would lower body resistance. Stay well-informed, be vigilant. A clean home is the best sanctuary. CDC warns that even the better N95 mask is not enough when an infected person is nearby. UVC-ozone lights (anti-bacterial anti-viral, anti-mold) are routinely used to sterilize operating rooms, ICUs, instruments, etc., and for CPAP masks and accessories, baby bottles and bibs, cellphones, tooth brush, etc. at home. Email steriletote@hotmail. com about efficacy, proper use, and safety details of UVC-ozone lamps for personal use. *** Philip S. Chua, MD, FACS, FPCS, Cardiac Surgeon Emeritus in Northwest Indiana and chairman of cardiac surgery from 1997 to 2010 at Cebu Doctors University Hospital, where he holds the title of Physician Emeritus in Surgery, is based in Las Vegas, Nevada. He is a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons, the Philippine College of Surgeons, and the Denton A. Cooley Cardiovascular Surgical Society. He is the chairman of the Filipino United Network – USA, a 501(c)(3) humanitarian foundation in the United States. Email: scalpelpen@gmail.com

PH to make it to Oscars in 5 years – Diño by ARLO

CUSTODIO ManilaTimes.net

THE Philippines has yet to reap honors from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, but the country may make it to the Oscars in five years, said Liza Diño, head of the Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP). Since 2016, when Diño took over the reins of the FDCP as chairman and chief executive officer, Filipino movies have made leaps and bounds in festivals abroad. Although Filipino-made films or the actors in those movies have won awards in festivals abroad like the Cannes Film Festival, Venice International Film Festival, Berlin International Film Festival, Toronto International Film Festival, Cairo International Film Festival, Asia Pacific Film Festival and Brussels International Independent Film Festival, among others, no local film has been nominated to the Oscars Best Foreign Language Film since Manuel Conde’s “Genghis Khan” in 1953. The Judy Ann Santos-starrer

“Ploning”raised some hope in 2008, but it fell short despite its strong plot. The multi-awarded “Heneral Luna”also raised expectations in 2015, but it failed to get enough attention from the 7,000-strong voting members of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to merit a nomination. South Korea’s “Parasite,” making history in this year’s Oscars, shifted the focus to Asian cinema. With the Philippine cinema celebrating its centennial from Sept. 12, 2019 to Sept. 11, 2020, the question as to when a Filipino movie can finally make it to the Oscars is inevitable. For Diño, it could be soon. “It took 30 years for [South] Korea to achieve that feat [of making it to the Oscars]. And with our movies technically now at par with international productions — what with the stringent technical requirements of Netflix to show films on the platform, I can say that we can make it in five years,” Diño told The Manila Times in an interview when she and her team visited The Manila Times TV for a meeting with its Chairman

Emeritus Dr. Dante Arevalo Ang on Tuesday, March 3. “As anyone working in the Asian film industry knows, a Korean Oscar winner is no accident. Bong [Joon Ho] is a product of an industry that benefits from a strong studio system and venture capital funds, a generation of savvy producers that understand both arthouse and mainstream filmmaking, and decades of state support,”she said. “FDCP’s mechanisms of support are patterned after Kofic (Korean Film Council) and CNC (National Center for Cinema and the Moving Image) because the FDCP has been working closely with these agencies for technical support and assistance in the past three years — kahit malayo ang budget natin sa kanila (even if our budget is not as big as theirs),” she added. “To those who question the Philippines’ participation in international film festivals and film markets, but aspires to have a ‘Parasite’-like success in Philippine cinema, international success in a globally competitive market doesn’t happen overnight,”Diño said.

Film Development Council of the Philippines chief Mary Liza Diño (fourth from left), poses with Dr. Dante A. Ang, Chairman Emeritus of The Manila Times (fourth from right). With them were (from left) Jennifer Jones, operations manager of The Manila Times TV; Renneth Moldes, communications lead officer; Maiza Ilustrisimo, junior executive assistant; Anna Abalahin, Distribution and Exhibition Division head; Maria Rosanna Mina, PR and communications officer; and Joanna Ang, assistant operations manager of The Manila Times TV. ManilaTimes.net photo

Immigrant Living: 101 and Beyond MONETTE ADEVA MAGLAYA THE default setting for modern life is to plan a vacation elsewhere, the farther away, the better. Vacations are fine. They are meant to recharge our energy levels so we can come back swinging and getting into the groove of normal life. The problem with an elaborate, all too often expensive vacation, is we come home tired, jetlagged, light in the wallet, a few pounds heavier and needing a vacation from the vacation. Are we idiots or what? So how about learning the art of “staycation?” This is when we decide that our home is the best place to stay put and spend our time away from work, away from stresses and just away from it all: ringing phones; deadlines and production quotas, intrigues, to-do lists and every aggravation known to man. Sure, the mountain of laundry is there, the kitchen, bedrooms and bathrooms need cleaning, the garden needs weeding. But for a “staycation” to recharge your spirit, you may need to turn a blind eye to the screaming demands of your immediate environment. Just say NO. This time is for you alone. So okay, you are obsessive about a clean home. Just reserve a day or two of your vacation time to sprucing up just the essentials.

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Bucket list No. 8 The art of ‘Staycation’ “When you clear your mechanism and tune out the noise that invades your being, you may come to a rare state of grace — that state when you are thoroughly convinced that God is in His heaven and all is right with the world.” Don’t go to Home Depot and decide painting the house as your “staycation” project. It doesn’t work that way. The art of doing a proper “staycation” is deciding you just want to give yourself time to JUST BE. You rip and shred your to-do list and find joy in the moment, forgetting the demands of your life, for the time being. So go ahead. Wear your pajamas all day. Turn off or mute the phones. Turn off the TV and mute the music. Vegetate. Order pizza. Let the world turn without your input. If you have a stressful job, you will appreciate a true “staycation” done right. Swing in a hammock and look at the sky and dwell on the wonderful parts of your life as you remember lessons learned over the years mixed with countless moments of overwhelming joy. Edit out the ugly and blot out its existence, for the time being. Or better yet, think of nothing and

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take a nap just because you’re sleepy and just because you can. Wake up happy. There will be time enough for all the demands of your life in the next few days. But for the moment, all you want is to do absolutely nothing and JUST BE. There is an upside to a quiet “staycation.” When you clear your mechanism and tune out the noise that invades your being, you may come to a rare state of grace — that state when you are thoroughly convinced that God is in His heaven and all is right with the world. Unplug and be receptive. It is in the stillness that we find who we truly are. It is when we are quiet that we can listen to our thoughts and perhaps, listen to that still small voice that speaks to us. *** Nota Bene: Monette Adeva Maglaya is SVP of Asian Journal Publications, Inc. To send comments, e-mail monette. maglaya@asianjournalinc.com

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

MARCH 10

Glenn Miller Orchestra to perform in Stevenson Ranch, CA The World Famous Glenn Miller Orchestra will swing into the Santa Clarita Valley for a special one-night-only event to be held at West Ranch High School on Tuesday, March 10 at 7 p.m. The most sought-after big band in the world will take the stage with Bandleader Nick Hilscher at the helm, performing beloved hits from their extensive library which includes In the Mood, Moonlight Serenade and Pennsylvania 6-5000. Hosted by West Ranch High School’s music program, the concert will be an event for all ages and offers the chance to experience history, enjoy the magical melodies and walk away knowing you’re supporting a new generation of talented musicians in the process. The most popular and sought after big band in the world today for both concert and swing dance engagements. With its unique jazz sound, the Glenn Miller Orchestra is considered to be one of the greatest bands of all time. The present Glenn Miller Orchestra was formed in 1956 and has been touring consistently since, playing an average of 300 live dates a year all around the world. The performance will be held at West Ranch High School Theater (26255 Valencia Blvd. Stevenson Ranch, CA 91381). Ticket prices are $25 – Seniors/Students/Military; $30 – General; or $40 – Premium Seating. Prices increase by $5 at the door the day of the event. Tickets available online at westranchmusic.com or by calling (661) 222-1220 ext. 645.

MARCH 14

#EveryFilipinoCounts: US Census Filipino Outreach in LA County The Filipino Complete County Committee of Los Angeles County on March 14, beginning at 10 am, will he hosting a day of action to ensure everyone in the Filipino American community takes part in the upcoming 2020 Census. Activities will be in Artesia/Cerritos, Carson, Long Beach, Los Angeles, Panorama City and West Covina. Contact filipinoscountca@gmail.com or call (562) 301-2593 for more information and how to be involved.

Annual Fly Pinays Leadership Summit in Santa Clara, CA LEAD Filipino’s 2020 Annual Fly Pinays Leadership Summit will be held on Saturday, March 14th from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. at Mission College (3000 Mission College Boulevard, Santa Clara, CA 95054) in Santa Clara, CA. The Annual Fly Pinays Leadership Summit is a day-long conference dedicated to elevating, highlighting, and engaging ~150 Pinay women and students in stories on sisterhood and mentorship. Since 2017, the Annual Fly Pinays has gathered women and students from across the Northern California region in breakfast and lunch, and series of speaker sessions, interactive workshops, and notable keynotes. 2020 will be even better. 2020 Themes: The 2020 Annual Fly Pinays will have three centering themes that will resonate through our workshops, guest speakers, and content: Mental Health, Ethnic and Cultural Identity, and Professional Development. Featured Workshops: Memories, Migrations, and Movements: Situating WOC Voices in the Diaspora: Leah Sicat; Public Speaking 101: Pam Dominguez, Vice President, Alliant Insurance Services; Intro to Tagalog; Eskrima. The keynote speaker will be Kamille Rose Soler, Founder and CEO of Ultimate LYFE. Since 2017, LEAD Filipino’s volunteer-run and community-based Annual Fly Pinays Leadership Summit has celebrated sisterhood and mentorship with nearly 200 Pinay women and students from across the Northern California region. Held every March during Women’s Herstory Month, the Annual Fly Pinays continues to engage professionals from leading brands and companies to share their stories, experiences, and insights with students from every major Bay Area college and university. For more information, please visit https://leadfilipino.org/.

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Pia to pageant hopefuls: ‘Be Raffy Tulfo now in the ‘league’ of Liza Soberano proud of your Filipino lineage’ by RoNNie

CaRRasCo ManilaTimes.net

by iza iGlesias ManilaTimes.net

MISS Universe 2015 Pia Wurtzbach has indeed inspired a lot of people with her story. A girl with perseverance, she made it her mission to win the coveted Binibining Pilipinas crown three times — and she definitely outdid herself every single time. Her win in Miss Universe became memorable after breaking the 42-year drought for the Philippines. Since then, she continues to champion in the fight against HIV/ AIDS in the Philippines, became UNAids Ambassador for Asia and The Pacific, while juggling her acting career. The 30-year-old’s life definitely changed forever because of her desire to represent the Philippines in the international stage. And now because of the successful streak of the country topping off the ladder in Miss Universe, a “new” pageant in the Philippines has officially started — it’s namesake pageant called Miss Universe Philippines (MUP). The MUP organization last December took over the Binibining Pilipinas Charities Inc.’s task to look for the country’s representative to the yearly Miss Universe pageant. Recently, they have introduced 52 candidates vying for this year’s first ever Miss Universe Philippines crown. Miss Universe 2013 Third Runner-Up Shamcey Supsup-Lee is named the national director of the organization. Apart from her, other members of the Miss Universe Philippines board are Albert Andrada as the Design Council Head, pageant mentor Jonas Gaffud as the Creative Director, Lia Ramos as Head of Women Empowerment Committee and Charity, lawyer Nad Bronce as Head of Legal Affairs, and Mario Garcia as Business Development/ Marketing Head. With the separation of the Miss Universe franchise, the current titles under Binibining Pilipinas are Bb. Pilipinas International, Bb. Pilipinas Supranational, Bb. Pilipinas Intercontinental, Bb. Pilipinas Globe, and Bb. Pilipinas Grand International. Forever a Binibini With this big news in the mind of the pageant fans, many are wondering if Wurtzbach have a

EMPLOYMENT

Pia Wurtzbach’s advice to pageant hopefuls is to veer away from changing themselves. Photo from Instagram/@piawurtzbach

role in this new pageant, most especially that her friends Lee, including her mentor Gaffud and Andrada — the designer of her iconic blue gown, have parts in the organization. In an interview at the sidelines of her launch as the newest endorser of Jollibee’s Tuna Pie, Wurtzbach answered, “Right now I don’t have any role in Miss Universe Philippines because I’m trying to focus on my career and other things I want to do. This year I want to pursue business, I want to get into business. So those are the things I’m focusing on right now.” “But I offered my time, like if ever they need me to come in and do a pep talk with the girls or just to give a session just to talk to them or give them motivational talk maybe, then I’m up for that as long as kaya ng schedule,” she added. Despite the separation of Miss Universe from Binibining Pilipinas, the beauty queen still expressed her full support for

the Stella Marquez Araneta-led national beauty pageant. “Of course [I will still support], galing ako sa Binibining Pilipinas and they’ve been around for more that 50 years. Sa kanila ako lumaki so I really still owe a lot to them,” Wurtzbach pointed out. Be proud of Filipino lineage Filipinas without a doubt dominate the world of beauty pageants here and abroad. However, some of the country’s win raised longsimmering debates not only about beauty standards and race, but about class and colonialism. More and more foreign-sounding names are being added to the already growing list of Filipina beauty queen. Some of them include Wurtzbach who was born in Germany, Miss Universe 2018 and half Australian Catriona Gray, Miss World Megan Young — who is half American, Filipino-Indian Venus Raj, Miss Intercontinental 2018 Karen Gallman, also FilipinaAustralian and more. But according to Wurtzbach, she is more Filipino than any other people than she is German. And lineage should not be a hindrance especially to those beauties who will compete in different pageants. “I am more a Filipino than I am German. I guess I shouldn’t be ashamed to say that kasi dito ako lumaki. I grew up here, I grew up in the province — in Cagayan de Oro and I spent most of my life here. So I adopted to a lot of Filipino culture, tradition and manners. Lahat yun na adopt ko na,” Wurtzbach told the members of the press. “The number one thing when I was in the States as reigning Miss Universe is the way I speak. I have a very Filipino accent. And back in the States they actually like it. They find it endering kasi ako minsan I get conscious because people here back home I feel like I need to tone it down a little bit and sound more American. But over there, they don’t really care so much about your accent, not even you having a perfect english or grammar. It’s more about the personality, how you present yourself, your wit,” she continued. “I think this also applies to the other beauty queens, other aspirant of Miss Universe Philippine or any pageant of that matter kahit Binibini pa — don’t focus too PAGE 14

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RARELY do we come across a media personality who engages the services of a business manager. Not that he needs one but broadcaster Raffy Tulfo might just have found a talent manager cum ally in Ogie Diaz. Raffy is officially just one of the increasingly popular, if not controversial Tulfo brothers now making a dent in the field of public service — via his daily afternoon radio program “Tulfo in Action on Radyo Singko.” “It was Cristy Fermin (whose program follows Raffy’s) who recommended me to Sir Raffy. We sat down just last February 17,” Ogie said of Raffy who he had previously featured on his vlog. Tulfo is the latest addition to Ogie’s growing stable of artists led by Liza Soberano. “In fairness, madali siyang kausap. I told him straight that if he no longer likes the way I do things, he’s free to tell me. We can save the friendship, after

all,” he told Vignettes matterof-factly. It’s actually the same thing with his former ward Vice Ganda who Ogie managed in 2007 until December of 2011, Vice and Ogie have remained friends to this day. It was in the late ‘90s when Ogie, then a fledgling showbiz scribe, took the plunge at artist management getting his inspiration from the late Douglas Quijano. “Ironic nga because the first one I handled was named Liza Ranillo and the next one who came along after many years was Liza Soberano.” But what will make Ogie’s approach to Tulfo’s career different, considering that the latter is no entertainment personality? “With Sir Raffy, I take charge of his commercial endorsements, promo campaigns and other career-related deals. In fact, I’ve met with a production house for a possible collaboration. As regards his other endorsements, Youtube and fan pages, he has a separate team for that,” Ogie told Vignettes.

Raffy Tulfo Photo from Instagram/@raffytulfoinaction

Isn’t it difficult to manage as big a name like Tulfo? “During our first meetup, I only had this to tell him, ‘Know your market value.’” The rest is well taken care of.

Coleen on having no kids yet with Billy by Niña

GuNo Inquirer.net

kids—twins even—because that was all that was “lacking.” The comment came after Crawford posted a picture of him and Garcia at a Boracay resort with the caption, “Feeling the summer breeze with my wife on this beautiful island. What more can a man ask for?” One @jamesselim14 responded, “I suggest anak na [lang] po. [M]aybe one or a twins (sic). Yun na [lang] po kulang. [H]opefully, girls para make-up vlog sila ni ma’am @coleen.” (I suggest just kids. Maybe one or twins. That is all that is lacking. Hopefully girls so they can do a make-up vlog with Coleen.) Garcia replied, “Wala pong ‘kulang’ (There is nothing ‘lacking’). Everything in God’s time, not other people’s.” The fan apologized and said, “Correct in God’s time po.” The couple wed in April 2018 on Balesin Island. The 27-yearold actress told the Philippine Entertainment Portal in a May 2018 article that a marriage could be planned but a baby was Photo from Instagram/@coleen “really from God.”

children, even if fans want to see them become parents already. Garcia responded to an InstaCOLEEN Garcia and Billy gram user who hoped that she Crawford are in no rush to have and her husband would have

Coleen Garcia with husband Billy Crawford

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Sustainable, ethical wear: How Pinay... Why Carlo wants Angelica back—as a friend PAGE 10

oil, is now being dumped into the ocean every year, according to the UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD). The fashion industry also generates around 10% of global carbon emissions, more than all international flights and maritime shipping combined. As someone who spent decades designing and working in fast fashion, Powers had firsthand experience in seeing the ugly side of things. It has been said that the amount of water used to prepare and make one pair of jeans is equivalent to the amount of water the average person drinks over a period of seven years, according to experts. Asked about where she thinks sustainable fashion is right now and how far is it from the ideal, Powers said that it is still in the early adopter stage. “We are still a long way away from the ideal, because the masses have been trained to consume fast fashion at cheap prices, which have been, and still is, destroying the environment and continuing the unethical treatment of workers,” she explained. It’s not all grim, however, since there seems to be growth every year. “The good news is, I’m seeing it grow exponentially each year, especially in 2019, when they introduced the UN (United Nations) Alliance for Sustainable Fashion (which follows the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals) and the rise of youth activist Greta Thunberg. It’s just a matter of continuing to educate both consumers and corporations on how important sustainability is, and to keep pushing eco-efforts in order to make a difference,” she said. Producers and consumers of fashion are increasingly waking up to the idea that the industry needs to change. A number of companies, including large volume retailers, are integrating sustainability principles into their business strategies. Because sustainable fashion is in the early adopter stage, it only distributes to a small market. An article from a major fashion media discussed how there is a sustainability gap that needs to be bridged between brands and consumers. “Being from a fast fashion background with the knowledge of both worlds, I know how to bridge that gap, but it’s up to the shareholders and stakeholders of fast fashion brands and retailers to decide if they are going to stay with the status quo and destroy the planet and its people, or are they going to do something about it?” Powers asked. The fashion industry is a $2.4 trillion-dollar industry that employs approximately 60 million people worldwide—most of them women—and the scale of the industry is only expected to grow over the coming years. Smaller companies like KINdom are helping change the environmental landscape of fashion and building sustainability into their whole business model. Design process Powers describes her design process as something not too complicated. “It’s actually very brief, because having your own fashion business, you must split your time between technical development, production, sales and distribution, marketing, accounting, etc. I would love to take a few

by Marinel

Cruz

Inquirer.net

AJPress photos by Momar G. Visaya

days to really sketch and explore what the designs will be, but at this moment, I’m lucky if I put in a few hours each month in designing,” she shared. Luckily with the experience she has earned in the last couple of decades, she tries to focus and maximize what little design time she has when she gets into design mode. Powers follows and adheres to the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) when she designs, among them #17, which is Partnership for the Goals. By collaborating with other artists or organizations, it helps the design process while at the same time, educate others about the importance of sustainability. The SDGs are global objectives set by the United Nations in 2015 dealing with issues including poverty, hunger, health and well-being, education, equality, sanitation, climate action, peace and justice and more. Growing KINdom At KINdom, it is all about the relationship between humans and nature, and that is why they carry it in their name. “We are created from the same building blocks of the universe, and we are related to each other. We are KIN, and that is what we stand for,” Powers said. “We are of the same elements that make up the world around us and beyond the reaches of space. Let’s build an environment where we are all connected.” That interconnectivity with the environment is what propels KINdom to reach greater heights. Powers told us that in order to promote sustainability, they use a variety of fabrics in their designs, from indigenous to sustainable, reclaimed, recycled fabrics. They also use ethical, certified and compliant factories to make sure that there’s no child labor and the workers are treated fairly. “We also use sustainable packaging. Every single garment or product shipped from anywhere in the world has to be packed individually in its own plastic to protect it from damage. If there’s 80 billion garments that get produced every year, that’s 80 billion pieces of plastic,” she said. “Ours is made from vegetable resources, the minimums are high because it is not common practice in the industry. I refuse to pack our products in [a] plastic bag.” Her dream now is to expand the market by increasing sales and distribution for KINdom and she is doing it by adding sales distribution to major retailers who need help understanding how to convert their business

KINdom’s accessories created by artisans complement the indigenous fabrics the company uses for its designs. AJPress photos by Momar G. Visaya

model to be more sustainable, decreasing the space of that gap and bridge sustainability, and reducing the amount of pollution and reliance on the planet’s finite resources. Powers is also hopeful that consumers get to be more mindful and aware of their purchases, particularly since it takes two to tango, and with informed and conscious consumers, the industry will be forced to adapt to their needs. “It’s also up to the consumers to say ‘enough is enough,’ and demand more sustainability from companies, and choose to purchase and consume sustainable products versus products that pollute the planet,” she said.

IF he would have it his way, Carlo Aquino said he would like to regain Angelica Panganiban’s friendship. The onscreen partners, popularly known as “CarGel,” had a falling out while they were working on the family-oriented TV series “Playhouse” in 2018. “I want our friendship restored. Sayang kasi. Angelica is a good and kind person,” Carlo told reporters during the renewal of his contract as endorser of the cosmetic brand Beautederm. He is now promoting its new line of products called Spruce & Dash. The actor said they would say hello whenever they’d bump into each other on ABS-CBN grounds. “We’re civil,” he added. “There’s no awkwardness, at least on my part, because Angge (Angelica’s nickname) and I have known each other for a long time.” Carlo also said he doesn’t mind working with Angelica again. “I just don’t know whether our bosses or the audience would like that or would have violent reactions. I think [a reunion project] is possible, but not in the near future,” said Carlo, who also did the hit romantic drama “Exes Baggage” with Angelica. “No regrets. We were happy when we were working together on that movie,” he added. The actor was then asked whether Trina Candaza, his girlfriend of a year, would get jealous of his closeness to Angelica. Carlo said “never,” but then added that what they had to deal with where the bashers. “She used to get upset because of them; but not anymore. She used to show me negative posts and would say, ‘’Di pa rin tumitigil!’ I told her what else can they do other than post mean things about us? They’re angry while we’re very happy,” Carlo pointed out. “I would always remind her that what other people are saying isn’t important. What matters is that we love each other and that we’re happy together.” Carlo said he now preferred to have a girlfriend who is not from show biz “because the relationship is more peaceful, except when you guys keep asking questions about it,” he told reporters.

Carlo Aquino

Inquirer.net photo

As to whether or not his supporters should expect him to settle down soon, Carlo replied: “I’m already 34. Of course, I think about that now. But it’s all about finding the right person and feeling that it’s finally the right time for it. As of now, I know that she’s the one, but the moment [for me to propose to her] hasn’t arrived yet. I still don’t know. It could be anytime soon.” As for his dream wedding, it would have to be on a mountaintop. “This is because I love nature. I enjoy mountain climbing,” said the cast member of the action-drama series “A Soldier’s Heart.” “As to when this will happen, you will all know soon enough.”

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Sheriff Lombardo holds dialogue with Las Vegas Asian American community leaders

IN an effort to strengthen the relationship between the Las Vegas’ Asian American community and local law enforcement, Sheriff Joe Lombardo and his Area Command Captains met with community leaders last February 26 at the Mint Indian Bistro (located last 4246 S. Durango Drive, Last Vegas, Nevada 89147). During the dinner, hosted by the Asian American Group of Las Vegas and the Asian American Coalition of Nevada, Lombardo shared his initiatives for the Chinatown and addressed other concerns by the Asian American communities. “Last year we had a really, really, really good year. Last year, we

depressed violent crime by 12% and we depressed property crimes by 3%. So that’s a big deal,” Lombardo proudly reported. Lombardo said that his agency has hired more cops and got them to training. “We [got] them out in the street, create that presence and conduct some proactive investigations with all [have] an effect on crime. And the proof is in the pudding because our numbers are great and everybody has the opportunity to speak about it,” Lombardo said. Lombardo is a member of the elite Major City Chiefs, an organization that represents the 62 largest police departments across the United States, including Canada.

AJPress photos by Robert Macabagdal

Fil-Am chefs named semifinalists for...

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Their premise is simple: Pacific Northwest ingredients as the star in Filipino dishes. They get these ingredients, including fresh produce, from Filipino farmers in the Washington area. “Can I find the taste of what I grew up with in ingredients that are not used in Filipino cuisine?” Versoza said, describing the idea behind Archipelago. The couple offers a tasting menu consisting of ten courses. According to a glowing Seattle Times review, the meal costs $126. “An evening at Archipelago is both entertaining and enlightening, as much a cultural odyssey as a culinary adventure, though to be sure, at $126 per person, including tax and tip but not beverages, it’s no cheap ticket,” the reviewer said. “Save up. The evening is worth it.” “It’s a deeply affecting dining experience that also drives the Seattle food conversation forward,” Eater says, describing the experience.

Like Tanam, Archipelago also pushes for narrative cuisine. As they served Chef Samuelsson, Verzosa and Manuguid showed their spin on the Filipino culture’s food traditions, marrying Filipino flavor with Northwest ingredients. The meal started with a pan de sal made with Washington wheat and served with shallot butter and sustainable caviar from Idaho, followed by kinilaw steelhead belly ceviche served with ver jus and mixed apples. The gustatory experience went on with Oregon king salmon sinigang and Maria Orosa, a ribeye steak dish and an homage to the inventor of banana ketchup. Samuelsson described the overall experience as “incredible, well curated,” an “absolutely amazing meal” and a “theatrical performance with smell, flavor, taste, aesthetic, design”. Chera Amlag and Geo Quibuyen are another power couple in the Seattle Pinoy food scene. Amlag and Quibuyen are the

co-owners and founders of Hood Famous Bakeshop (Ballard) and Hood Famous Cafe + Bar, a dessert shop offering her original takes on traditional Filipino sweets and flavors. She was born in the Philippines, grew up in Bremerton, graduated from the University of Washington, and currently resides in Seattle with her husband, Geo, and two sons. Hood Famous has become a favorite among Seattle foodies and visitors for their sweet pastries and among their most famous and bestselling products are the ube cheesecake, buko pie and mango calamansi cheesecake, perfect with a cup of hot coffee or pandan latte. Established in 1990, the James Beard Awards recognize culinary professionals for excellence and achievement in their fields and furthers the Foundation’s mission to celebrate, nurture, and honor chefs and other leaders making America’s food culture more delicious, diverse, and sustainable for everyone.

The famous cheesecakes of Hood Famous in Seattle.

The star and most famous among Hood Famous’ cheesecakes: ube. Photo courtesy of Instagram/@hoodfamousbakeshop

Archipelago’s version of pinakbet is cheekily called “Anak ni Bet”. It has spot prawn, wild mushrooms, bitters, squash, and Archipelago’s own in house fermented bagoong.

Pia to pageant hopefuls: ‘Be proud of...

PAGE 12 much on changing your accent or trying to have perfect English because that’s not what they’re looking for. They’re looking for somebody who can express themselves whether perfect or not in English by showing your wit, your humor and your grace. So there’ were the things,” Wurtzbach ended. Acting plans Meanwhile, since Wurtzbach is not busy on helping out in Binibini nor Miss Universe Philippines, she said she is focused on the milk tea shop she built with her best friends, actress Pauleen Luna and chef Niña Almoro.

“We haven’t done a proper grand launch of Bestea yet but that’s what we’re working on for the next few months. We’re also thinking of opening a few more branches around Metro Manila before we start franchising them out. So that’s our plan. Other businesses in the works I’ll talk more about it when I’m ready,” informed Wurtzbach. She also updated the press that she is preparing for a movie come back, this time with comedian Vhong Navarro. “Right now we’re working on reshooting the movie with Vhong. That was put on hold for a while.

Kahit kami we’re waiting on the go signal to continue shooting again. No title yet. It’s not our fault ni Vhong. We’re ready for this project for a while now. It’s just something internal, they’re just fixing something with the script and other things. But hopefully we’ll get going soon,” she said. “I have fun with this role because I play a crazy girlfriend. Like sobrang selosa, yung talagang gone girl pero comedy. Yung talagang selosa. I have fun with this role because I get to do things that I otherwise would never try to do in real life,” Wurtzbach ended.

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LAS VEGAS ASIAN JOURNAL • MARch 5-11, 2020

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March 5-11, 2020 • LaS VEGaS aSIaN JOUrNaL

http://www.asianjournal.com • (702) 792-6678

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