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MARCH 5-11, 2021 Serving San Diego Since 1987 • 12 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 California’s $6.6 billion school re-opening plan prioritizes low-income, special needs children FROM THE AJPRESS NEWS TEAM ACROSS AMERICA

MEMBERS of the California state legislature and Governor Gavin Newsom unveiled a $6.6 billion school re-opening plan, which aims to get children in grades kindergarten through 6th back to classrooms by March 15, and older children by mid next month.

550 East 8th St., Suite 6, National City, CA 91950 Tel: (818) 502-0651 • (619) 474-0588 • Email: info@asianjournalinc.com

After House approval, US Senate prepares to take up $1.9 trillion bill

by Klarize

Medenilla AJPress

AMERICANS may be closer to receiving the long-awaited first COVID-19 stimulus checks of the new administration as the U.S. Senate moves forward on making a decision on President Joe Biden’s sweeping COVID-19 bill, which includes $1,400 direct payments to most

American taxpayers.

The House of Representatives passed the $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief package — dubbed the American Rescue Plan — in the small hours of Saturday, Feb. 27, passing the bill onto the Senate.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) said that Senate Democrats are hoping to pass the $1.9 trillion package before March 14

when the pandemic-driven expanded unemployment benefits expire.

Schumer told fellow senators on the floor this week that the chamber should prepare for “a hardy debate and some late nights. But the American people sent us here with a job to do, to help the country through this moment of extraordinary challenge.”

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Duterte to end VFA if US nukes found in PH

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‘Dedicated to her work’: Pinay nurse dies of COVID-19 in SoCal

by Ritchel

Mendiola AJPress

A FILIPINA mother of two sons from Whittier, California has died from COVID-19 after working on the frontlines as a licensed vocational nurse.

Rowena “Wendy” Miguel, 53, died on January 10, three weeks after testing positive for COVID-19.

She was employed at Kindred Hospital in La Mirada, California for nearly five years, and worked a second job, also as an LVN, at nearby Imperial Convalescent Hospital.

“She was dedicated to her work and really took care of her patients. During a ceremony for her, her co-workers remembered how she

ASTRAZENECA VACCINES ARRIVE. A KLM Royal Dutch Airlines commercial plane carrying nearly 500,000 doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine against COVID-19 arrives at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport on Thursday, March 4. The initial batch was delivered under the World Health Organization-led COVAX Facility and will be transported to Metropac in Marikina.

PNA photo by Joey Razon

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PHILIPPINE President Rodrigo Duterte is threatening to scrap the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) anew if he finds “hard information” that the United States has stored nuclear weapons in the country.

“I am warning you that if I get hold of a hard information that nuclear armaments are here brought by you, I will immediately ask you to go out and I will terminate the Visiting Forces Agreement ora mismo (right now),” the president said during a press conference at Villamor Air Base in Pasay City on Sunday, February 28.

According to Duterte, the Philippine Constitution prohibits the presence of nuclear armaments in the country.

“We are making a big gamble there because if there are no armaments in the Philippines, if we only have what we need for counterinsurgency, we’re OK. We

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Hundreds rally in NYC against PH starts COVID-19 rising Asian hate incidents vaccine rollout

by Momar

G. Visaya

by Ritchel

Mendiola AJPress

AJPress

HUNDREDS of New Yorkers trooped to Foley Square in downtown Manhattan on Saturday, Feb. 27 for the ”Rise Up Against Anti-Asian Hate” rally led by the Asian American Federation (AAF) to protest a rising wave of brutal attacks on Asian Americans, including a large number of elderly people.

The venue was a couple of blocks away from the site of yet another attack two days earlier when a 36-year-old Asian American man was stabbed unprovoked.

In the past few weeks alone, there has been a spate of assaults on Asian elders in New York City and across the county. These are just the latest in a string of violent attacks numbering close to 500 that have targeted Asian New

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AFTER being delayed for weeks, the Philippines has finally kicked-off its vaccination drive against COVID-19 this week.

The first dose of Sinovac Biotech’s “CoronaVac” vaccine from China was administered to University of the Philippines-Philippine General Hospital Director Gerardo Legaspi on Monday, March 1, making him the first person in the country to officially receive the COVID-19 jab.

“Hindi ko ma-describe ang (I can’t describe the) feeling. It’s probably release from all the fears... The honor is there,” said Legaspi.

Dr. Edsel Salvaña, director of the Institute Sen Chuck Schumer and Noel Quintana onstage at the of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology at Rise Against Asian Hate Rally at Foley Square in downtown UP-National Institutes of Health, was the secManhattan on Saturday, Feb. 27.

AJPress photo by Momar G. Visaya

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DAVAO City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio will not be running for the presidency in the 2022 national elections, according to her father, President Rodrigo Duterte.

In a press conference in Pasay City on Sunday, February 28, the chief executive revealed that Sara wants to focus on raising her three children.

“Si Sara ayaw because may anak kasi yan tatlo. Maliliit pa. Gusto niya na magfocus muna siya sa family ano ng — mga affairs. Sabi niya sa akin, marami pa namang panahon (Sara doesn’t want to run because she has three kids. Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte with daughter Davao City

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by Christina

M. Oriel

AJPress

WITH the rise in violence

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What Biden’s US Duterte: Sara won’t run Citizenship Act for presidency in 2022 of 2021 will do for family immigration WHEN Democratic Sen. Bob Menendez of New Jersey and Rep. Linda Sanchez of California first introduced the U.S. Citizenship Act of 2021 in Congress on Feb. 18, the general consensus among immigration activists was mixed.

Some criticized the bill — which largely calls for reviews and not immediate repeals of the immigration policies of former President Donald Trump — for not

GoFundMe launches #StopAsianHate initiative to benefit victims, AAPI community organizations

Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio

Malacañang photo by Richard Madelo

Pacific Islanders (AAPIs), GoFundMe this week launched the #StopAsianHate initiative, a centralized hub of fundraisers that will benefit the community.

The GoFundMe page (gofundme.com/AAPI) features verified fundraisers from across the country that will benefit victims of violence, organizations that provide resources for those affected and increased protection in communities, as well as support for neighborhoods and AAPI-owned businesses.

Some examples of vetted fundraisers include campaigns for: Noel Quintana, a Filipino American who received almost 100 stitches after being slashed in the face on the New York subway; assistance with medical expenses for Marc Quidit, a Fil-Am

store owner in Vallejo, California who was shot multiple times during a robbery; a volunteer group to watch San Francisco Chinatown’s residents and merchants; and restoration for the Higashi Honganji Buddhist Temple, which was recently vandalized in Los Angeles’ Little Tokyo.

Meanwhile, tax-deductible donations to the AAPI Community Fund will help organizations address” the urgent issues that face the AAPI community as well as broader, systemic problems.”

“The recent attacks against the AAPI community have catalyzed a strong response among a diverse cross section of society.

The feedback from those who want to effect change has been clear: what can I do, and where do I go? Working closely with Phillip Lim, and other leaders in the community — we knew we could help by doing what GoFundMe does best — con-

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MARCH 5-11, 2021 • SAN DIEGO ASIAN JOURNAL

http://www.asianjournal.com • (818) 502-0651 • (619) 474-0588

From The Front Page

Garcia: ‘Dream fight’ vs After House approval, US Senate...

Pacquiao not happening PAGE 1 Previously, the bill included a measure that would increase the federal minimum wage up to $15 an hour, but Democrats scrapped the proposal to solicit more Republican support. (The current federal minimum wage is at $7.25 an hour.)

As such, the Senate is expected to make major changes to the bill and undergo a marathon voting session where any senator who wishes to force

by Niel

Victor Masoy ManilaTimes.net

RYAN Garcia said his “dream fight” against Filipino boxing Sen. Emmanuel “Manny” Pacquiao will not be realized anymore or, at least, in the near future.

“To all my fans and supporters, my fight with Manny Pacquiao is not happening right now,” captioned Garcia on an Instagram post on Tuesday, March 2.

“I tried my best after getting the call to fight him, but it didn’t happen due to some issues,” added the American.

Garcia, the current World Boxing Council interim lightweight champion, said he’s already preparing for his next fight.

“I didn’t expect [it] to come up, but I’m already working on the next fight. Thank you for all the support,” he continued.

In January, the 22-year-old teased fans by posting on Instagram a mock-up poster of him and eight-division world champion Pacquiao, dubbing it as a “dream fight.”

Garcia continued posting

Katreena Philstar.com

Cabico

MANILA — The more contagious COVID-19 variant first identified in South Africa has reached the Philippines, the Department of Health said on Tuesday, March 2.

The Philippine Genome Center detected six cases of B.1.351, or the variant that was first seen in South Africa in December last year, when it conducted genome sequencing of samples from 350 individuals who tested positive for COVID-19.

The agency said three are considered local cases, two are returning overseas Filipinos (ROF).

It is verifying if the sixth case is a local case or an ROF. Here are the details about the cases: • 61-year-old female from Pasay City, active case being managed by the city • 39-year-old male from Pasay City, active case being managed by the City • 40-year-old male, already recovered • ROF who arrived from United Arab Emirates

up to $150,000 in their combined yearly income.

It also extends COVID-19 unemployment benefits and imposes bigger tax breaks for households with kids. It also creates a federal task force to oversee and streamline vaccine distribution, provides additional funding for schools to prepare for a return back to the classroom and expands aid to small businesses that have been financially affected.

Duterte to end VFA if US nukes found in...

Ryan Garcia and Philippine Senator Manny Pacquiao

Photo from Instagram/@mannypacquiao

about the “dream fight,” saying that it would be a real fight with all the records on the line and that he eyed knocking Pacquiao out.

Last February, however, Golden Boy Promotions President Eric Gomez announced that the Garcia-Pacquiao fight wouldn’t happen anymore, saying that he didn’t see any possibilities of the fight pushing through.

Meanwhile, the 42-year-old fighting senator announced three weeks ago that he had already begun training for his next fight.

“Training camp has begun.

I’m ready to get back in the ring and to further add to my legacy in the sport of boxing. Big news [is] coming soon. Paradigm Sports. Audie Attar,” posted Pacquiao on Twitter.

PH detects first cases of COVID-19 variant first seen in South Africa

by Gaea

an amendment vote will be allowed to do so.

Because the Senate is likely going to impose major changes to the bill, it will need another pass for approval in the House before it is sent to Biden’s desk for final approval.

The president’s sweeping coronavirus relief plan includes the $1,400 stimulus checks that will be sent to taxpayers who make up to $75,000 a year and married couples who make

• ROF who arrived from Qatar Higher transmissibility, impact on vaccine efficacy Viruses, like the SARS-CoV-2, mutate all the time. As a consequence, the emergence of new variants is expected. Variant refers to the changed virus of the original virus.

Since its emergence late last year, the variant first seen in South Africa has spread to at least 48 countries.

The detection of the new variant comes as the Philippines begins its vaccination campaign against COVID-19 with Sinovac shots donated by the Chinese government.

The B.1.351 variant carries a mutation called N501Y, which also appears in the B.1.1.7. variant, or the more infectious variant found in the United Kingdom.

It also carries another mutation called E484K, which may help the virus dodge some kinds of antibodies.

“While there is no evidence that this variant causes more severe disease, the pattern of mutations within this variant suggests higher transmissibility and may have an impact on vaccine efficacy,”

the DOH said.

Last month, South Africa halted the use of the vaccine developed

by British Swedish firm AstraZeneca after preliminary showed the vaccine offered less protection against B.1.351.

CNN reported that a study suggests that Pfizer-BioNTech’s COVID-19 vaccine can protect people against the variant first seen in South Africa. It also reported that Moderna found there was a reduction in the antibody response to viruses genetically engineered to look like B.1.351 but it was not enough of a reduction to make the jab any less effective.

According to a Reuters report, the Butantan Biomedical Center in Brazil found the vaccine of China’s Sinovac Biotech effective against the variants that first emerged in the UK and South Africa.

More cases of UK variant Thirty additional cases of the variant first detected in the United Kingdom were also recorded, bringing to 87 the total number of B.1.1.7 cases in the Philippines.

Of the 30 additional cases, 20 are ROFs who came from the Middle East, Singapore and the United States between January 20 and February 16. Thirteen of them are asymptomatic active cases, while seven have now recovered.

Three more cases were found in the Cordillera Administrative Region.

“One case is currently active and is admitted to a hospital, one has recovered, and one is a reported fatality. The linkage of the 3 local cases to previously reported B.1.1.7 variant cases in the region is currently being investigated,” the department said.

The DOH also reported two additional samples from Central Visayas were found to have both N501Y and E484K mutations.

The country has been logging over 2,000 COVID-19 additional cases for five consecutive days.

To date, 578,381 COVID-19 cases have been confirmed, including 12,322 deaths.

PAGE 1 do not need weapons that would fight other countries because we do not have it, the arms, and we do not want it,” he added.

Duterte noted that the Philippines will be the first country to get hit should a war break out between the U.S. and its enemy.

“Kung magka-giyera (if a war breaks out) and it will surely start maybe in the theater of war would be the Spratly and China Sea. Katabi lang tayo. Pangasinan, it’s just — nakaharap. Maraming probinsiya nandiyan. Alam mo kung may armaments sila dito ang unang tatamaan ‘yon. Saan? Sa Pilipinas (We’re just beside it. Pangasinan, it’s just — in front. There are so many provinces there. You know if they have armaments here we’ll be first to get hit. Where? The Philippines),” he said.

He also claimed that the U.S. has “depots” for their weapons in the Philippines.

“The arms are stored everywhere in the Philippines, baka hindi niyo alam (in case you don’t know). May mga depots (They have depots) all around the Philippines,” said Duterte.

“Sinabi ko sa kanila (I told them) I cannot stop you because we

have yet to renegotiate the Visiting Forces Agreement but I am warning you that if I get hold of hard information that the nuclear armaments are here brought by you, I will immediately ask you to go out and I will terminate the VFA immediately,” he added.

Last week, Duterte admitted that he doesn’t know whether to renew or abrogate the agreement with the United States, adding that he wants to hear Filipino public’s sentiment.

“I must be frank, I do not keep secrets to the people. I have not yet decided on what to do. Meaning to say, to abrogate or renew because I want to hear the people,” he said in a public address aired on February 24.

“I want the narratives to come up, not necessarily from the [lawmakers]. Well, of course, they count very much pero hindi limitado dito sa (but it is not limited to) Congress,” he added.

Previously, he said the U.S. would have to “pay” to keep the VFA from being terminated.

“I would like to put on notice if there’s an American agent here that from now on, you want the Visiting Forces Agreement done?

Well, you have to pay,” Duterte

said in his speech on February 12 at Clark Air Base in Pampanga.

The VFA, which came into force in 1999, covers the conduct of U.S. soldiers in the Philippines. Among the provisions of the deal include relaxed visa and passport policies for U.S. troops, and the rights of the U.S. government to retain its jurisdiction over its military personnel when they commit crimes in the Philippines.

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

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

In December, the president threatened to continue with the VFA’s termination if the U.S. did not extend at least 20 million vaccines to the Philippines.

GoFundMe launches #StopAsianHate initiative...

PAGE 1 necting those who need help, with those who are willing and able to do so,” GoFundMe CMO Musa Tariq said in a statement.

“Together, we can help those facing immediate needs in addition to organizations working to address long term, systemic issues.”

In addition to designer Phillip Lim, supporters of the initiative include big names in fashion, media and entertainment, and sports. Among the Filipino American leaders and personalities are Away co-founder Jen Rubio; journalist and immigration activist Jose Antonio Vargas; and actors Manny Jacinto and Joel De La Fuente.

As of this writing, the GoFundMe, which was created on Tues-

day, March 2, received $361,131 of its $500,000 goal in the first day.

Individuals can also start their own GoFundMe for over a dozen identified AAPI organizations, such as Filipino Advocates for Justice, Asian Health Services, Asian Pacific Environmental Network, and Gold House. Beyond monetary aid, supporters are also encouraged to help amplify the messages.

Stop AAPI Hate — an online reporting center started by the Asian Pacific Policy and Planning Council, Chinese for Affirmative Action and San Francisco State University’s Asian American Studies department — received over 2,808 firsthand accounts from March to December 2020 of anti-Asian hate ranging from

shunning to physical attacks.

In recent weeks, several incidents involving older Asian Americans have come to light, including the death of Vicha Ratanapakdee, an 84-year-old Thai immigrant, who was fatally shoved to the ground while out on his morning walk in San Francisco.

“These hate crimes are up by 1,900% and are a symptom of a larger issue rooted in systemic racism. It is a direct result of the xenophobia and colonialism that has existed in America for decades,” Lim said.

Individuals who have experienced an incident can go to the Stop AAPI Hate website (stopaapihate.org) and file a report in English or an Asian language, including Tagalog.

What Biden’s US Citizenship Act of 2021...

PAGE 1 being proactive enough.

But many saw the bill as a win, the first step into what Democrats are calling a more “humane” immigration plan.

“What the immigrant community was just put through these last four years was beyond cruel,” Menendez said in a virtual press conference unveiling the bill. “Trump assailed DREAMERS and [Temporary Protected Status] holders to strip their legal status.

He slashed legal channels of immigration into our country.

He stole from our military to pour billions into an ineffective border wall. And instead of addressing the root causes

of migration, he cut off aid to Central America.”

As previously reported in the Asian Journal, the sweeping immigration bill seeks to address the many facets of immigration policy from improving border security technology and expanding the asylum program to protecting employee-based immigration and creating an eight-year fast-track to citizenship for about 11 million undocumented people.

The bill also includes the Reuniting Families Act, which addresses the exorbitant backlog in granting visas through family-based and employment-based programs.

Chinese American U.S. Rep.

Judy Chu (D-C.A.) first introduced the measure in 2019 and seeks to strengthen and modernize family-based petitioning, the most common way that Asian immigrants reunite with their families in the U.S. According to John Yang, executive director of Asian Americans Advancing Justice | AAJC, about 70% of Asians who migrate to the United States opt for family-based immigration and have done so since the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965, which established family-based immigration.

However, since family-based visa caps have not

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San Francisco, 6 counties move to state’s red tier

by AJPress

NEARLY a year into the coronavirus pandemic, seven counties, including Napa, San Francisco and Santa Clara, moved into the red tier of California’s reopening plan, allowing more businesses and activities to resume.

The counties of El Dorado, Lassen, Modoc, Napa, San Francisco, San Luis Obispo and Santa Clara met the criteria on Tuesday, March 2 to exit the most restrictive purple tier and enter the red, which indicates the risk of COVID-19 in the counties remain “substantial.”

The red tier allows indoor gatherings — though still strongly discouraged — with modifications and three households maximum.

Retail stores and shopping centers can operate at 50% capacity, up for 25% in the purple tier.

Meanwhile, museums, zoos, aquariums and places of worship are allowed to open indoors at 25% capacity. Movie theaters and restaurants can reopen at 25% capacity or 100 people, whichever is fewer.

With this week’s announcement, 40 counties remain in the purple tier, 16 in the red and two in the orange (moderate). No counties are in the yellow or minimal tier. Humboldt, Marin, San Mateo, Shasta and Yolo counties moved to the red tier in February.

Meanwhile, bars, breweries and distilleries that do not serve food will remain closed. Wineries and family entertainment centers like kart racing and mini golf will continue to follow outdoor only operations.

“This year has been incredibly hard on our residents and small businesses, so every step for-

SAN DIEGO ASIAN JOURNAL • MARCH 5-11, 2021

ward is critical to making sure they can survive this pandemic. To make sure we can keep moving forward, we all need to stay focused and continue to follow the health guidance. We are making good progress managing the virus and ramping up vaccinations, and I’m hopeful for what lies ahead. We have shown that San Francisco can do what needs to be done to protect our city and each other,” San Francisco Mayor London Breed said in a statement.

San Francisco is opening remaining activities allowed in the purple tier that had not yet reopened, such as personal services that require mask removal, and groups of up to six people from three households eating together outdoors.

Additionally, the city will lift its local nighttime hours limit for all activities except indoor dining, meaning that non-essential businesses and gatherings, such as outdoor dining, can continue past 10 p.m.

With the move into the red tier, middle schools and high schools that had not yet opened can resume opening with a COVID-19 safety plan approved by the San Francisco Health Officer. All other schools can already be open with an approved safety plan. As they have been able to do since September, all schools may provide in-person instruction and services to youth with disabilities, foster children, English learners, children experiencing homelessness, and children from families experiencing housing or food insecurity among others, without Health Officer approval.

California reported 3,352 new cases and 278 fatalities on Wednesday, March 3, bringing the total to 3,484,963 infections and 52,775 deaths since the start of the pandemic. The 7-day positivity rate is 2.2% and the 14-day positivity rate is 2.6%.

Duterte: Sara won’t run for...

PAGE 1 They are still young. She wants to focus on her family affairs.

She told me that there’s still much time),” explained Duterte.

He added that Sara told him she will be the president if it’s meant to be.

“She used my favorite statement. Sabi niya, kung gusto rin ng Diyos maging presidente ako kagaya ng sa iyo, magiging presidente ako. Hindi kailangan ngayon (She said, if God wants me to be president like you, I’ll be president. It doesn’t need to happen now),” Duterte recounted.

Duterte also said that Sara would have limited options after her term ends if she runs for president and wins in 2022.

“Ayaw niya ngayon. Sabi niya, kung magpresidente siya, just assuming, assuming after six years, bata pa siya, anong

gawin niya? (She doesn’t want it now. She said, if she becomes president, just assuming, assuming after six years, she’d still be young, what would she do?)” he said.

“As an ex-president, hindi siya makatrabaho, hindi siya makaappear ng korte. Eh presidente ka na eh (As an ex-president, she won’t get to have another job, she can’t appear before court. She already became president),” he added.

According to him, the salary of the president isn’t even big.

“At sabi ko mabuti sana kung maganda yung suweldo, makapag-ipon siya. Pero wala ka namang ambisyon. Diyan ka lang, trabaho (And I said, it’s good if it pays well, she’d be able to save. But since you don’t have any ambitions. Just stay there, just work),” said Duterte.

In January, Duterte said he advised his daughter against

running for the presidency in 2022, claiming that women are not fit for the top government post.

“My daughter, inuudyok man nila. Sabi ko, ‘My daughter is not running.’ I have told Inday not to run kasi naaawa ako sa dadaanan niya na dinaanan ko.

Hindi ito pambabae (My daughter, they are urging her [to run for president in 2022]. I said my daughter is not running. I have told Inday not to run because I take pity if she goes through what I went through. It’s not for women),” he said.

“Alam mo, the emotional setup of a woman and a man is totally different. Maging gago ka dito. That is the sad story (You know, the emotional set-up of a woman and a man is totally different. You will become a fool here. That is the sad story),” the chief executive added. (AJPress)

Need help to pay your past-due rent and utilities?

Apply now for the City of San Diego COVID-19 Housing Stability Assistance Program

Visit covidassistance.sdhc.org

Call (619) 535-6921

Households with low income who experience financial hardship due to the COVID-19 pandemic may qualify.

This project is supported, in whole or in part, by federal award number ERA302, awarded to the City of San Diego by the U.S. Department of the Treasury.

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MARCH 5-11, 2021 • SAN DIEGO ASIAN JOURNAL

From The Front Page

Hundreds rally in NYC against..

PAGE 1 Yorkers in the past year.

Among the speakers were elected officials led by Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, Rep. Grace Meng, New York Attorney General Letitia James and Mayor Bill de Blasio, along with community allies and leaders across the city.

Noel Quintana, a 61-year-old Filipino American, spoke about the ordeal he had to go through on Feb. 3 when his face was slashed on the subway as he was on his way to work.

While the most frightening part of the entire ordeal was the slashing, what followed next was just as awful.

“Nobody helped. We’re all New Yorkers and no one helped me. There should be an awareness campaign on how to deal with this kind of problem, not only on the subway but also on the streets, so people know who to respond to victims such as myself,” Quintana told the Asian Journal before the start of the program.

Schumer called Quintana to join him by the podium as he echoed what Meng said about former President Donald Trump and his administration leading anti-Asian rhetoric last year with his usage of the phrases “kung flu” and “Chinese virus” at the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic.

“Last year, at the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic, there were warnings of a potential surge in hate crimes against Asian Americans. Tragically, those warnings came to fruition and the Asian American community, across New York and the country, have been the target of race-based discrimination and harassment,” Schumer said.

“Bigotry against any of us is bigotry against all of us.”

James told the crowd, “When I think of Noel, I think of the words of Dr. King. It is the good people who fail to stand up. It is the silence of good people who fail to stand up, who allow racism and hate to persist and so all of us are here today, all of us who believe in the goodness of one another.

All of us who recognize that all of us bleed red. ”All of us who recognize that his scars will heal but the scars of hate, and the taint of hate, and the pain of hate that we have got to cure, so all of us must stand together,” she added.

Based on reports collected by AAF, Stop AAPI Hate, NYPD, and

Among the speakers at the rally was a recent victim, 61-year-old Filipino-American Noel Quintana, whose face was slashed on the subway earlier this month. “I called for help, but nobody came to help,” he said. “If they took a video of this, the perpetrator would be identified easily.” He urged people to be safe and aware, and to record and report incidents.

Rep. Grace Meng & Sen. Chuck Schumer at the Rise Against Asian Hate Rally at Foley Square in downtown Manhattan on Saturday, Feb. 27. Congresswoman Grace Meng, who represents New York’s 6th District and authored a resolution in the House last September calling an end to the hate incidents against Asian-Americans said, “We need to make sure that we are not fighting racism with more racism. That we are fighting racism with solidarity. That we are not ever, ever pitting one group against the other. It is everyone against racism. We are American, too.”

AJPress photos by Momar G. Visaya

“When I was attacked on the subway, there were so many New Yorkers around me, but nobody came to my help, nobody made a video,” Noel Quintana said. “I was scared I wasn’t going to make it. We are all New Yorkers, and we should be looking out for each other.”

New York Mayor Bill de Blasio said that “anyone who commits an act of hate against the Asian-American community will be found, will be arrested, will be prosecuted.” The Rise Up Against Asian Hate rally was organized by the Asian American Federation (AAF).

the NYC Commission on Human Rights, Asian New Yorkers suffered nearly 500 bias incidents or hate crimes in 2020, ranging from verbal to physical assaults, to being coughed at or spat

upon, to shunning, among other forms of discrimination.

However, these are a fraction of the actual number of incidents that have occurred, as the majority of incidents go unreported,

according to the AAF. For example, over 90% of the reports collected by AAF were not reported to either the NYPD or NYC Commission on Human Rights.

James encouraged individuals at the rally to report hate crimes to her office because hate will not be tolerated in a country of immigrants.

“Come to my office so we can go after these individuals who hate us, so we can shut them down,” James said. “We need a patrol which is staffed by police officers. A full-time, dedicated bureau... that patrol the streets, patrol the subways and keep the Asian community safe from harm.”

De Blasio told the crowd: “Stop Asian hate! This is the message we have to get out, not just in New York City, but all over this country: Stop Asian hate, stop it now!”

Meng thanked the members of other communities in NYC who attended the rally for showing up and lending support.

“We need to make sure that we are not fighting racism with more racism, that we are fighting racism with solidarity, that we are not ever, ever pitting one group against another,” she said.

“Many of our elderly are scared to leave their homes not just because of the virus but because of bigotry. The United States has a long history of discriminating and excluding Asian Americans that stems from ignorant fear,” Meng said, adding that the Trump administration fostered bigotry.

“We’ve been taught our entire lives to just fit in, just be quiet, don’t speak up, be invisible. If you are invisible enough, you will be seen as American,” Meng said tearfully, her voice breaking.

“But we are to say that we won’t be invisible no more, we will speak up. We are saying that we are American, too.”

Jo-Ann Yoo, the executive director of the Asian American Federation, said, “It is heartbreaking that we are being forced to live in fear of our lives. It’s time for our leaders and all New Yorkers to come together and stand against this virus of hate. Our communities deserve to live in safety. They also deserve recovery programs, language services, mental health services, and solutions that center the community. We believe in the safety of all our communities and look forward to working with our leaders, our community, and victims to ensure that the solutions we implement support and uplift all New Yorkers.”

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VACCINE FOR HEALTH WORKERS. Taguig City Mayor Lino Cayetano (3rd from left) looks on as the city’s health workers receive vaccine shots against COVID-19 at the Lakeshore vaccination hub in Taguig City on Tuesday, March 2. The country’s vaccination campaign kicked off on Monday, March 1, a day after 600,000 doses of Sinovac-developed CoronaVac vaccine arrived from China.

PNA Photo By Avito C. Dalan

PH starts COVID-19 vaccine...

PAGE 1 ond person to get the vaccine.

A total of 756 individuals were vaccinated, including Food and Drug Administration Director General Eric Domingo, testing czar Vince Dizon, and Metro Manila Development Authority chair Benjamin Abalos Jr. Following his inoculation, Domingo urged the public to get vaccinated.

“Huwag lang sana natin maging choice yung hindi magpapabakuna. Kasi ‘yung pagpapabakuna para sa COVID-19 para ‘yan sa sarili natin, para sa pamilya natin, tsaka para sa bansa natin (Let’s not choose not to get vaccinated. Because getting vaccinated for COVID-19 is for ourselves, for our family, and our country),” he said in a press briefing before the ceremonial vaccination.

On Sunday, February 28, 600,000 doses of CoronaVac donated by China arrived in the country; 100,000 of the donated doses will go to the country’s military while the remaining 500,000 doses will be for health care workers.

“With this very important shipment, I am confident that more batches of vaccines will be available with great dispatch until every Filipino will be given the chance to be vaccinated at the earliest possible opportunity,” said Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte, who was present at the ceremony.

“I convey my sincere gratitude to the Chinese people and the government of China for this gesture of friendship and solidarity — the hallmark of Philippines-China partnership,” he added.

The Sinovac-made vaccine was the third vaccine brand to secure an emergency use authorization (EUA) from the FDA, following Pfizer and AstraZeneca.

However, the agency advised

against using Sinovac on healthcare workers after data from Phase 3 trials in Brazil showed lower efficacy results (50.4%).

In a Palace briefing on Tuesday, March 2, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said health care workers “celebrated” during the ceremonial vaccination.

“Naging napakatagumpay po ng day one ng ating national COVID-19 vaccination program kung saan lahat po ay nagdiwang (Day one of the national COVID-19 vaccination program was very successful. Everyone celebrated),” he said.

The Sinovac-made vaccine was the third vaccine brand to secure an emergency use authorization (EUA) from the Philippines’ FDA, following Pfizer and AstraZeneca.

Meanwhile, Philippine vaccine czar Carlito Galvez Jr. announced that the delivery of the AstraZeneca vaccines has been delayed.

“The AstraZeneca was delayed because of global acute shortages and logistical challenges,” he said Monday.

Meanwhile, COVID-19 jabs from Pfizer would arrive by the second quarter of the year.

“What we are seeing is maybe by second quarter for Pfizer from COVAX,” said Galvez.

“But not on the procurement as they are saying initially by third or fourth quarter as they no longer have supplies,” he added.

On January 20, the Philippines received confirmation of the country’s participation in the COVAX distribution of vaccines for an early rollout.

The World Health Organization-led COVAX facility is a global platform that aims to ensure fair and equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines for all countries.

The Philippines is aiming to vaccinate 50 to 70 million Filipinos in 2021, with up to 200,000 individuals receiving jabs every day.

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SAN DIEGO ASIAN JOURNAL • MARCH 5-11, 2021

What Biden’s US Citizenship Act of 2021...

PAGE 2 risen since 1990, leading to an extreme backlog in processing these visas for the exponentially growing Asian community in the U.S. Currently, there are 1.7 undocumented Asian immigrants living in the U.S., many of whom are frontline workers in the health, food and emergency industries, Yang pointed out.

“The importance of immigration policy for Asian Americans — and for Americans as a whole — cannot be understated,” Yang said at a press briefing on Feb. 24, referencing census data that projects that Asian Americans will make up the largest community of immigrants in the U.S. by 2055.

Currently, there are about 4 million immigrants stuck in these backlogs; additionally, more than 1 million with H1-B visas are “stuck in temporary status,” Yang said.

Based on current patterns of immigration, about 40% of immigrants hail from Asia and about two-thirds of Asians and Asian Americans are immigrants. About 90% are either immigrants or children of immigrants.

Yet, immigrants from the Philippines are among the groups that have the longest

wait times for processing, along with those from Mexico, China, India and Vietnam, Yang said.

The Trump administration — among its many restrictive immigration policies and practices — included gutting family-based petitioning in favor of more merit-based employment visas, the beneficiaries of which the administration saw as more of a priority.

A majority of immigrants from Asia who are able to come to the U.S. on employment-based visas come from the tech and telecommunications space, but according to Chu, prioritizing one immigration program over another puts families at risk because it narrowly favors individuals who possess certain education and employment credentials over others.

“Prioritizing merit-based or employment-based visas at the expense of family-based visas is counterproductive,” Chu said at the press conference. “In reality, family and employment visas are linked; people with high skills also have families and they are motivated to come to the U.S. if they can also bring their families. Immigrants on family-based visas contribute greatly to the economy, they

go on to start businesses and create jobs and only allowing certain people with higher education would put other industries at a disadvantage.”

Though in the past certain immigration reform bills have garnered bipartisan support, the likelihood of the U.S. Citizenship Act of 2021 passing nervously hangs in the balance as Democrats hold thin majorities in both chambers of Congress.

The bill would require at least 10 Republican votes to bypass a Senate filibuster and advance the bill to a final vote.

But Republicans have criticized the bill for being too lax on border security and argue that the broad pathway to citizenship will encourage illegal immigration.

Upon the first introduction of the bill, both Sanchez and Menendez said that there will be a possibility of alternative approaches to ensure the bill has bipartisan support.

“We are pursuing an ‘all of the above strategy,” Sanchez told reporters in February.

“All options are on the table, and we hope to pass robust immigration reform, but there are other great immigration bills that we also will be taking up and hopefully passing as well.” (Klarize Medenilla/ AJPress)

Facebook, Twitter urged to curb online exploitation of children

by Bernadette

E. Tamayo

ManilaTimes.net

SEN. Ana Theresia Hontiveros has called on social media giants Facebook and Twitter to crack down on criminal activities in their platforms, especially the online sexual exploitation of women and children (OSAEWC).

She made the appeal as the Senate Committee on Women and Children, which she heads, started its inquiry on the reported rise in OSAEWC. The senator on Wednesday, March 3 voiced hope that Facebook and Twitter would cooperate in the investigation after they failed to send representatives to the hearing on Tuesday.

“I hope that social media companies, especially Facebook, can attend our next hearing.

Social networks should start taking this issue seriously,” Hontiveros said in a statement.

“Filipinos use Facebook the most among other platforms, so their insights will be very crucial in finally ending exploitative activities under their roof,” she pointed out. “Social media platforms that still are not able to address this growing problem should be made accountable.”

Lawyer Lawrence Aritao of the International Justice Mission testified that in 2020, his group received over 1.2 million reports of online sexual exploitation.

“That’s almost three times the reports from 2019, which reg-

istered about 400,000 reports.

This is a dramatic rise in a span of only a year,” Hontiveros said.

The pandemic, she added, worsened OSAEWC. “Social networks should prioritize ending the proliferation of these crimes before even thinking of expanding their products,” she stressed.

Hontiveros recently filed Senate Bill 2068, or the proposed “Anti-Online Sexual Abuse and Exploitation of Children Act,” that imposes duties for social media platforms.

The bill states that any social media network or similar entity that is found guilty of failing to comply with the requirements of the bill should suffer a penalty of P10 million.

5

Medicare Story #4

Mga Katotohanan Tungkol sa Medicare Enrollment Periods: Kailan Kailangan Mag-Sign up at Puwedeng Lumipat

Ito ang pang-apat sa serye ng Medicare Tips hatid ng Clever Care Health Plan, isang nangungunang tagapagbigay ng East meets West Medicare services na sensitibo sa kultura ng kanilang mga miyembro.

Importante ang pagkakaroon ng plano para sa kalusugan kung nalalapit na sa edad na 65. Bago pa nito, mabuti nang alam na ninyo ang tungkol sa deadlines at open enrollment dates para sa Medicare upang hindi ninyo ito makalimutan. Limitado kayo sa kung kailan at gaano kadalas puwedeng mag-sign up para sa orihinal na Medicare at Medicare Advantage Plan.

INITIAL ENROLLMENT PERIOD Karamihan ng tao ay eligible para sa Medicare kapag sila ay nag-65. Kung isa ka sa mga taong iyon, puwede kang magsign up sa loob ng seven-month period na magsisimula tatlong buwan bago ng inyong kaarawan, sa buwan nito, at sa tatlong buwan pagkatapos ninyong mag65. Kung ito ay inyong ma-miss, puwedeng magbayad ng late penalty fee. Puwedeng mag-sign up sa panahon ng tinatawag na Medicare’s General Enrollment Period, mula Enero 1 hanggang Marso 31.

Eligible kayo para sa premium-free Part A, o hospital insurance, kung kayo ay 65 o mas matanda, at kayo at ang inyong asawa ay nag-trabaho at nagbayad ng Medicare taxes ng at least 10 taon. Puwedeng makakuha ng Part A sa edad na 65 na hindi nagbabayad ng premiums kung kayo ay tumatanggap ng retirement benefits mula sa Social Security o sa Railroad Retirement Board.

Automatic ang pag-enroll ng Medicare sa inyo para sa Part B, o coverage para sa mga bisita sa doktor at medical services.

Ipapadala ang inyong Medicare card mga tatlong buwan pagkatapos ninyong mag65. Kung hindi nakakatanggap ng disability benefits at Medicare kapag kayo’y nag-65, kailangan ninyong tawagan o pumunta sa inyong lokal na Social Security office o tawagan ang Social Security sa 1-800-7721213.

Importanteng malaman na hanggang sa mayroon kayong group health insurance mula sa trabahong pinapasukan, maging sa iyo o sa inyong asawa, pagkatapos ninyong mag-65, puwedeng ipagpaliban ang enrollment sa Medicare hanggang sa kayo’y umalis sa kompanya, o kapag natapos ang inyong coverage (anuman ang mauna), na walang penalties na kailangang bayaran sa inyong pag-enroll.

INITIAL ENROLLMENT PERIOD Nagsisimula ito sa Oktubre 15 hanggang Disyembre 7. Sa panahong ito, puwede kayong mag-sign up para sa bagong plano, o mag-palit ng plano.

MEDICARE ADVANTAGE OPEN ENROLLMENT PERIOD

Nagsisimula ito sa Enero 1 hanggang Marso H7607_21_CM0380D_TAG_M Accepted 022121

31. Sa panahong ito, kung kayo’y enrolled sa Medicare Advantage Plan, puwede kayong mag-palit ng plano o bumalik sa orihinal na Medicare.

SPECIAL ENROLLMENT PERIOD Ito ang panahon na pinapayagan ng Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services ang beneficiaries na mag-enroll sa labas ng standard enrollment periods na nakalista sa itaas. Ang mga tao na may qualifying event lang ang puwedeng mag-enroll.

Lumipat ng tirahan, kasama ng pag-alis sa service area ng inyong current plan Lumipat ng tirahan pero sakop pa rin ito ng inyong service area, pero may bagong plan options Bumalik kayo sa Amerika pagkatapos manirahan sa ibang bansa Lumipat o umalis sa isang institusyon tulad ng long-term care nursing facility Lumaya sa pagkakakulong Nabigyan ng legal status sa Amerika Natapos ang coverage ng inyong plano Nawalan ng coverage na hindi ninyo kasalanan Kung eligible kayo para sa Medicare at Medicaid (Medi-Medi), o qualified para sa Extra Help. Puwedeng mag-palit ng plano isang beses kada quarter during the first three quarters of the year.

May pagbabago sa dami ng Extra Help inyong tinatanggap o sa inyong Medicaid status Pinili ninyong mag-palit ng trabaho o union coverage Nawala ang inyong coverage sa PACE, the Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly Nagbago ang kontrata ng inyong plano sa Medicare, tulad ng paggawa ng official action o tapusin ang kontrata ng inyong plano Apektado kayo, o isa ninyong kapamilya na tutulong sa inyong makapag-enroll, ng isang emergency o weather disaster (ayon sa Federal Emergency Management Agency, FEMA, o ng isang Federal, state o local government entity) Available din ang Special Enrollment Period kung tinapos ninyo ang inyong Medigap policy, at nag-enroll kayo sa Medicare Advantage (MA) sa unang pagkakataon. Sa sitwasyong ito, mayroon kayong 12-month trial period. Kung gusto ninyong umalis sa MA Plan, kailangan ninyong mag-enroll sa orihinal na Medicare.

Kung mayroon kayong mga katanungan na hindi nasagot dito, kumunsulta sa inyong heath care provider. Handa ring tumulong ang Tagalog-speaking representatives ng Clever Care Health Plan sa: (833) 365-1888 (TTY: 771). clevercarehealthplan.com A10049-D-TAG (0221)

6

MARCH 5-11, 2021 • SAN DIEGO ASIAN JOURNAL

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Opinion

Features

Body cameras

Philstar.com photo

LONG before the COVID pandemic, agencies involved in the campaign against illegal drugs had been talking about the procurement of body cameras for use by their operatives. The devices are meant to promote transparency amid criticism of the brutal way the war on drugs has been carried out.

The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency procured 100 body cameras together with 20 aerial surveillance drones back in 2018. PDEA agents underwent training in May of that year on the use of the equipment.

Media workers accompanying PDEA teams during operations were also required to use body cameras.

Meanwhile, the Philippine National Police procured 2,696 body cameras, to be used for all its operations and not just against illegal drugs. Training on the use of the cameras began only last Friday, involving members of the National Capital Region Police Office. The waterproof camera can record video for up to eight hours. Its configuration cannot be altered and it cannot be switched off by the police officer until his or her duty ends.

It’s unfortunate that neither the PDEA nor the PNP considered using the body cameras for the

anti-drug operation that resulted in a shootout between members of the two agencies in a fast-food outlet last week in Quezon City. Two policemen, a PDEA operative and a civilian allegedly serving as an informant were killed in the shootout that is now the subject of a probe by the National Bureau of Investigation.

Instead of body camera footage, what investigators have are video or photos of the shootout and its aftermath, taken by bystanders, by civilians caught in the crossfire, and by the Quezon City police officers who staged the drug sting. The use of body cameras would have made the search for the truth over what happened easier. Thousands of the cameras are now available for use. Both the police and PDEA should be reminded that the cameras are supposed to be used for law enforcement rather than for taking selfies. (Philstar.com)

Editorial

Spring forward: Vaccine supply for every adult in the US by end of May The Fil-Am Perspective Gel Santos-Relos SPRING comes early with great news that brings us closer to our collective aspiration to defeat COVID-19, so we can go back toward “normalcy” and rebuild our lives and our nation.

President Joe Biden announced on Tuesday, March 2 that the United States will have the vaccine supply we need to cover ALL adults in the country by the end of May, which brings us two months ahead of his previously announced target to vaccinate almost all Americans by the end of July.

In a televised message, Biden broke the news that two competing companies in the fields of health care and pharmaceuticals — Johnson and Johnson and Merck — have joined together to help produce more of the Johnson & Johnson single-shot vaccine that was authorized for emergency use over the weekend.

As CBS News reported, “Johnson & Johnson’s vaccine has been shown to provide 85% protection against severe COVID-19

by 28 days after vaccination.

Among people who got the vaccine in clinical trials, there were no COVID-related deaths.” This vaccine will augment the vaccines from Pfizer and Moderna that were approved earlier.

This has been made possible by having a true leader who uses the power of the Office of the President of the United States and the National Defense Production Act to truly help the lives of people to defeat COVID-19. Biden announced in his televised message that he will use the act to accelerate the production of equipment, machinery and supplies.

This will also help fulfill the aspiration “to get the country’s public school system back up and running for in-person learning nearly 10 months after the coronavirus pandemic shuttered classrooms for 50 million children,” one of Biden’s initiatives on Day One of his presidency, U.S. News reported.

On Biden’s first full day in office, the administration rolled out a plan which stated: ”The United States is committed to ensuring that students and educators are able to resume safe, in-person learning as quickly as possible, with the goal of getting a majority of K-8 schools safely open in 100 days.

Biden’s executive order gave the Education Depart-

ment and Department of Health and Humans Services with the mandate “to provide guidance on how to reopen safely for in-person learning and operate in a way that allows schools to stay open”. This collaboration would “produce a Safer Schools and Campuses Best Practices Clearinghouse to share lessons learned from across the country,” U.S. News further reported.

Tuesday’s announcement by the president is a step toward this direction. Biden is asking states to prioritize vaccinating not only essential workers, but also “teachers, childcare workers and school staff through the administration’s partnership with pharmacies, although the president cannot make states prioritize educators. Mr. Biden said he wants all such educators and support staff to have at least one vaccine shot by the end of March,” CBS News reported.

The president has warned in January that in this war against the pandemic, the situation” could go worse before it gets better.” However, the “war time effort” of the Biden administration gives us much to be hopeful about. We have been seeing positive developments that indicate we can go back to “normalcy” if we ALL work together and do our share of responsibil-

ity, especially in light of the new variants we have yet to know more about.

Given the generally downward trend in new cases, hospitalization and deaths, many states, including California, have downgraded their restrictions based on science and data.

However, Biden urges Americans in his speech to continue abiding by safety measures of wearing masks, physical distancing, avoiding crowds and practicing hygiene like washing our hands, using sanitizers to mitigate the spread of the virus.

While getting vaccinated protects us at best or at least prevents us from having deadly symptoms, we still need to practice these safety measures, especially wearing masks.

Gregory Poland, M.D., a Mayo Clinic infectious diseases expert and head of Mayo Clinic’s Vaccine Research Group, explains three important reasons to wear masks and practice all safety measures: “Number one, while the vaccine reduces your risk, it does not eliminate the risk of being exposed to having the disease and asymptomatically transmitting the virus to others,” says Dr. Poland. “Remember that even the best of these vaccines is about 90%–95% effective, meaning, you might still have a 1 in 10 or 1 in 20 chance of being

On the Record Governor Gavin Newsom AFTER one of the most challenging years of our lives, there’s a light at the end of the tunnel— the COVID-19 vaccines are here, and my administration is working to ensure that no community is left behind.

The COVID-19 vaccines are safe and effective. They are our best hope to end the pandemic.

Getting a COVID-19 vaccine is free, even if you’re undocumented or don’t have health insurance.

After the federal government authorized the use of the vaccines back in December, our own Western States Scientific Safety Review Group confirmed that the vaccines are safe. The Panel includes nationally acclaimed scientists, many from California, with expertise in public health.

Although supplies of the vaccine are limited right now, we’re working in close partnership with the federal government to get more vaccines into the state.

And we’re working hard to build a system for swiftly and safely

nity centers, places of worship and health clinics.

Vaccination sites are being set up throughout the state, and we’re working closely with community partners to make sure that vaccines are distributed to those who have been hit the hardest by this virus.

You may see people in uniform or police protecting vaccine sites. They are here to help Californians get vaccinated and are not immigration officials.

The federal government, under President Biden, has confirmed that they will not conduct immigration enforcement operations at or near vaccine sites or clinics. You should not be asked about your immigration status when you get a COVID-19 vaccine.

Also, your medical information is private and cannot be shared with immigration officials. And, vaccinations do not count under the public charge rule.

All Californians can sign up on myturn.ca.gov to be notified when they are eligible for a vaccine. Eligible individuals in several counties, including Los Angeles, San Diego, Fresno and San Francisco, can also use My Turn to schedule an appointment, with more counties expected to begin using My Turn for scheduling in the

u PAGE 7

as of today. It’s got to stop. We need the United States Senate to follow the House and pass the American Rescue Plan, because despite the optimism, without new resources, our entire effort will be set back. We need the resources, the American Rescue Plan, and we need it urgently.

We need them expanding testing, ramp up vaccine distribution, fund FEMA and other federal vaccine efforts, and continue reimbursing states for their efforts. We need the resources to expand genomic sequencing, to stay ahead of emerging variants, find the protective gear, transportation, staffing, and other costs required for school and businesses to open safely. We need to fund it. The bottom line is, we need the American Rescue Plan now, now.” *** The opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by the author do not necessarily reflect the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints of the Asian Journal, its management, editorial board and staff.

***

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

Put more czars on the job

A shot in the arm against COVID-19 vaccinating Californians with equity at the forefront.

While supply of vaccine is constrained, we’re prioritizing vaccines for the Californians most at risk--including healthcare workers, individuals 65 and older, and workers in education and childcare, emergency services and food and agriculture.

That means grocery store workers, restaurant workers, farmworkers, those who work in food processing facilities and many others may now be prioritized.

And we’re working to ensure that the communities most impacted by COVID-19--so often the communities of color and essential workers who have been sustaining us through this crisis-can access the vaccine.

We’re investing in community-based organizations and partnering with trusted messengers who have been providing critical services and information to California’s diverse communities during the pandemic so that they can help educate, motivate and activate people to get vaccinated when it’s their turn. We’re also building messaging through a public education campaign, creating in-language content with cultural humility and meeting Californians where they are—literally, through the mobile vaccination sites that have deployed throughout the state to commu-

exposed and getting the disease.

So the mask is protecting you.”

The third reason is related to these new mutant variants and other variants still to come.

“The vaccine might protect you against death, but maybe your protection against disease ends up being about 50%–60%,” says Dr. Poland. “If that’s true, then we still want to wear masks to prevent disease and prevent the spread of those variants which could then mutate further causing even more infections.”

If you have family and friends in Texas and Mississippi, or have family members who, because of financial priorities and because of defiance of science and facts, hastily go back to pre-COVID days, urge them to continue wearing masks, practice physical distancing, avoid crowds, wash their hands and get vaccinated. This is all for their own safety and for the greater good so we can all go back to “normalcy” faster.

Finally, call your senators to vote for the passage of the $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan that the House of Representatives just passed. Biden said in his message: “Now’s not the time to let our guard down, people’s lives are at stake. We have already, and I carry this in my pocket, lost more… As of today, we’ve lost more than 511,839 Americans,

Street Talk Greg B. Macabenta MY favorite anecdote about “improving operations efficiency” is that one about the kid who overheard his engineer father tell his assistants to “put more men on the job” in order to fast-track an infrastructure project.

The kid, being an only child, also wanted his parents to give him a baby brother.

When his father replied that it would take a while to do so, the kid suggested, “Why not put more men on the job?”

While I realize that the subject is no joking matter, the fact that the Philippines has lagged behind the other ASEAN nations in acquiring COVID-19 vaccines reminds me of that anecdote – because it appears that President Rodrigo Duterte’s solution to the problem is, in effect, to put more officials on the job.

Duterte has appointed five “czars” to deal with the coronavirus crisis. No kidding!

Last July 13, 2020 – over

half a year ago – the Philippine Daily Inquirer ran this headline: “Palace names ‘PH anti-covid czars’”.

The news item read: “MANILA, Philippines — Five months since the Philippines recorded its first coronavirus case, Malacañang on Monday introduced the country’s anti-coronavirus czars who would spearhead the country’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic.”

At that time, Duterte designated four senior officials to address specific aspects of the anti-pandemic effort: Public Works Secretary Mark Villar as “Chief Location Czar,” to take charge of “overseeing the country’s quarantine facilities;” Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong as “Chief Tracing Czar;” to handle contact tracing; Vince Dizon, president of the Bases Conversion Authority as ”Testing Czar;” and Health Undersecretary Leopoldo Vega as “Treatment Czar.”

Then, in November last year, Duterte added a fifth czar: retired Philippine Army General and Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process, Carlito Galvez, as “Vaccine Czar,” apparently in anticipation of the availability of

COVID-19 vaccines.

Don’t be surprised if Duterte adds a sixth Czar – an Inoculation Implementation Czar – to guarantee the efficient conduct of the vaccination process.

You see, this January, Manila City Mayor Isko Domagoso organized what the media described as a “mock inoculation” exercise, with the mayor – who prefers to be called Yorme – simulating a vaccination. It was a dress rehearsal of sorts, in preparation for the arrival of the first shipment of the vaccine.

President Duterte will probably want to carry the title of Czar-in-Chief, unless he decides to give his presidential wannabe daughter, Sara Duterte, the title of Czarina (no truth to the rumor that the title could be conferred on presidential spokesman Harry Roque).

Using the title of “czar” is one way of giving due importance to the various “critical aspects” of solving the coronavirus crisis (not to mention the need to rationalize the extra emoluments, as well as the new budgets for personnel, office quarters, equipment and official vehicles).

But why use the title,

u PAGE 7

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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SAN DIEGO ASIAN JOURNAL • MARCH 5-11, 2021

‘Dedicated to her work’: Pinay nurse dies of...

PAGE 1 was a hard worker and how she was precise about everything,” her 22-year-old son, Ken Miguel, told the Asian Journal.

Miguel, who was from Candelaria, Philippines, began her nursing career in her home country.

“This was my mom’s way to pay my grandma back for the hard work she’s done. That’s why she became a nurse because it was a gateway to a good life,” Ken said.

She and her family moved to Southern California in 2006 and she landed her first job as an LVN two years later at La Habra Convalescent Hospital, where she worked before joining Kindred Hospital.

Two weeks before Christmas, Miguel experienced symptoms, such as chills and a high fever, before she was taken to Kaiser Permanente in Downey, where she was hooked up to an oxygen machine to help with breathing. She later tested positive for COVID-19.

Miguel was discharged from the hospital and recuperated from home for the next week, while her family kept their distance, until the evening of December 23 when she had an accident in the bathroom and couldn’t stand up.

Her husband Dodjie and son Ken carried her into the car and brought her back to the hospital, where she was admitted to the intensive care unit and was hooked up to a ventilator. She was later transferred to Kaiser Permanente in Woodland Hills and showed signs of improvement.

Despite their mother not being home for Christmas, the family still opened presents and kept in touch with her through FaceTime each day she was in the hospital.

“It was kind of weird, but it was the best thing that we could do. She was there in spirit even though she was at the hospital,” Ken said.

After the holiday, Ken and his father, Dodjie, started experiencing symptoms like the loss of taste and smell and fatigue. They tested positive for COVID-19 and recovered in about 10 days.

On the morning of January 8, they were notified that Miguel had gone into cardiac arrest. Her family rushed to the hospital, which is over an hour drive from their house in Whittier, to be by her side.

“We basically had two choices. It was try to revive her at risk of hurting her even more or let her pass away,” Ken recounted, pushing for his mom to be revived. “But [the doctor] told us that even if my mom were to recover from this, and the chances would be super low, she would be in a vegetative state.”

Two days later, in the early morning of January 10, the family received a call that Miguel had died.

Forty days after her passing, her family had a private viewing ceremony before she was cremated.

Ken set up a GoFundMe page to help the family with expenses.

“It would really help me support my family and

Rowena “Wendy” Miguel is remembered for her dedication to the nursing field.

Photo courtesy of Ken Miguel

Miguel (center) is survived by her husband Dodjie and sons Ken and Kyle.

Photo courtesy of Ken Miguel

it would really help to pay off my mom’s debts,” he said.

Miguel worked two jobs and rarely had days off, but whenever she had free time, she would study to be a registered nurse. She is also remembered for her love of shopping and sewing clothes.

“During our last conversation before she passed away, she said, ‘Study hard and become a nurse.’

I’ve latched onto how caring she is and I’m going to hold onto that forever,” Ken said.

In addition to her husband and eldest son, Miguel leaves behind a 14-year-old son named Kyle.

Though vaccinations against COVID-19 are a step toward curbing the pandemic, the grim toll of over 500,000 deaths in the United States serves as a reminder that it is not over.

“When the pandemic first started, I didn’t think it was going to personally affect me the way that it did,” Ken said. “The biggest lesson I’ve learned is always cherish your loved ones because you don’t what’s going to happen.” (Christina M. Oriel / AJPress)

A shot in the arm against...

PAGE 6 t coming weeks. My Turn is also accessible via a toll-free hotline at 1-833-422-4255. Operators speak English and Spanish, and third-party interpretation is also available in 250+ languages. You can also ask your physician or your pharmacy about scheduling

an appointment.

After you’ve been vaccinated, it’s still important to wear a mask, wash your hands often and continue to stay six feet apart to protect others in your community who have not yet been vaccinated.

I encourage every Californian

to get vaccinated as soon as it’s your turn. Together, we can end the pandemic. *** The opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by the author do not necessarily reflect the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints of the Asian Journal, its management, editorial board and staff.

EXPRESS YOURSELF. PROTECT YOUR COMMUNITY.

MASK UP. Wear a mask to help keep your community healthy.

Take a risk with fashion, not your health. covid19.ca.gov

Put more czars on the job...

PAGE 6 t “Czar”? Why not a Chinese title like Kabisi, since the Duterte government reportedly prefers to acquire the Chinese-made vaccine, Sinovac? Does this suggest a secret Russian leaning on the part of the president? (Didn’t we always wonder why Duterte’s language has been loaded with such expressions as Putin-Ina?) At any rate, with their functions delineated and their titles properly conferred, one would expect the czars to get to work and deliver results.

Wellll…. they have – in a way. After all, it’s hard work batting out press releases on their important appointments.

Besides, there are important preliminary steps to be taken. We can only guess what these are (accuracy not guaranteed).

First of all, there is the all-important oath taking ceremony to be officiated by the president himself, and then a solemn induction of all key personnel and staffers – the

undersecretaries, assistant secretaries and the secretaries of the assistant secretaries, as well as the department supervisors, section heads, and the confidential assistants of each of the czars.

With that done, the Pandemic Czars would be ready to get some serious work done. Right?

That’s exactly what the czars may be expected to do.

But first, to ensure optimal coordination and to avoid duplication of key areas of accountability and responsibility, the czars must first hold a Coordination and Integration Summit (in the Philippines, a meeting of important high-ranking officials is always called a “Summit”).

But prior to the summit, the czars and their retinue need to go on an Overseas Observacation and Tourientation Trip to critical coronavirus areas, like New York, Los Angeles, London, Brazil and South Africa. This is in order to learn “Best Practices” in combating the pandemic.

Thus, when the czars stage

7

the Summit, each one will be armed with a Comprehensive COVID-19 Battle Plan. Naturally, each czar has to hire foreign consultants and experts to help formulate the strategies.

Needless to say, the individual strategy documents have to be presented to the president – but only after seeking the imprimatur of the Secretary of Health who, in turn, must get the approval of the Speaker of the House and the Senate President, with the endorsement of the House Committee on COVID-19 and its equivalent in the Senate – of course, after thorough study and analysis by the respective Sub-Committees on Testing, Isolation, Contact Tracing, Treatment and Vaccine Procurement (assuming only five czars, but then, there is the possibility of an Inoculation Implementation Czar, remember?).

I guess these critical preparatory steps must be taken to ensure the effective and efficient execution of the

u PAGE 8

8

MARCH 5-11, 2021 • SAN DIEGO ASIAN JOURNAL

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California’s $6.6 billion school re-opening...

PAGE 6 t The plan prioritizes students who would benefit the most from in-person instruction kids from low-income families who may lack computing devices and high-speed internet, English language learners, and those with learning disabilities, among other disadvantaged students.

The additional dollars will include money for extended academic and mental health support, help schools adjust for smaller classrooms, and provide Personal Protective Equipment for three months. The state is also set to receive $8 billion in federal funding to re-open schools, and may receive additional funding in the proposed $1.9 trillion COVID relief package.

Schools are set to re-open even in the state’s most-restrictive purple tier. Schools will likely operate over summer to catch students up with coursework missed during the year of remote learning.

“We cannot re-open the state’s economy until you safely re-open schools,” said Newsom, noting that positive testing rates

have dropped to 2.4%, from a high of over 9% at the start of the year.

Hospitalization and intensive care unit admissions have also dropped by 41%. More than 9 million people in California have received at least one dose of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine — which requires two doses for full efficacy — and more people are expected to be vaccinated as the Johnson and Johnson vaccine, which only requires one shot and was approved Feb. 27, rolls out.

For school personnel, 75,000 doses of the vaccine have been set aside.

Additionally, the state will run a mega-vaccination event only for school personnel on March 4 and 5, using FEMA super-sites.

The plan was unveiled after weeks of negotiations with the state’s teacher’s unions, the governor’s office, and members of the state Legislature.

Late last year, Newsom had released his ‘Safe Schools For All’ plan, which was thrashed by the state’s teachers’ unions and state legislators.

Sen. Richard Pan, a Democrat who chairs the state Senate’s health committee, said the plan represented a deep compromise between the Legislature and the Governor’s office. “As a pediatrician, I know that kids are suffering anxiety, depression, and isola-

LEGAL NOTICE

tion.”

“We need to make up for delays and keep our students on track, but we also know that our teachers are concerned about family members who may be at greater risk of exposure (to COVID),” he said, during a press briefing at Franklin Elementary School in the Elk Grove Unified School District. Senate President pro Tempore Toni Atkins and Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon also attended the briefing along with members of the state Legislature.

AB 86 and SB 86, which formalize the plan, are set for a vote March 4. At press time, the California School Employees Association had not released a statement on the plan.

The California Teachers Association released a statement Feb. 23, noting that the state Legislature had heeded its recommendations. “Vaccinating teachers and education support professionals, coupled with the multi-layered safety protocols, including testing, Personal Protective Equipment, six-feet social distancing, sanitization, proper ventilation, testing and contact tracing are all key to protecting students and their families as well as educators and school staff,” said CTA President E. Toby Boyd. (Sunita Sohrabji/Ethnic Media Services contributing editor)

CASE NUMBER: 37-2021-00005191-CU-PT-CTL

CASE NUMBER: 37-2021-00007358-CU-PT-CTL

TO ALL INTERESTED PERSONS: Petitioner Damiana Starr Young filed a petition with this court for a decree changing names as follows: Damiana Starr Young to Damiana Starr Rojas.

THE COURT ORDERS that all persons interested in this matter appear before this court at the hearing indicated below to show cause, if any, why the petition for change of name should not be granted. Any person objecting to the name changes described above must file a written objection that includes the reasons for the objection at least two court days before the matter is scheduled to be heard and must appear at the hearing to show cause why the petition should not be granted. If no written objection is timely filed, the court may grant the petition without a hearing.

NOTICE OF HEARING Date: 03/23/2021 Tine: 8:30 AM Dept. C-61 Superior Court of California, County of San Diego 330 WEST BROADWAY DEPT. C-61 San Diego, CA 92101 A copy of this Order to Show Cause shall be published at least once each week for four successive weeks prior to the date set for hearing on the petition in the following newspaper of general circulation printed in this county. Asian Journal: FEB. 05, 2021 NO HEARING WILL OCCUR ON ABOVE DATE: SEE ATTACHMENT Lorna Alksne Judge of the Superior Court AJ 691 02/12, 02/19, 02/26, and 03/05/2021 ATTACHMENT TO ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE – Name Change (NC120) Due to the Covid-19 Pandemic, which poses a substantial risk to the health and welfare of court personnel and the public, rendering presence in, or access to, the court’s facilities unsafe, and pursuant to the emergency orders of the Chief Justice of the State of California and General Orders of the Presiding Department of the San Diego Superior Court, the following Order is made: NO HEARING WILL OCCUR ON THE DATE SPECIFIED IN THE ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE. The Court will review the documents filed as of the date specified on the Order to Show Cause for Change of Name (JC Form #NC-120).

If all requirements for a name change have been met as of the date specified, and no timely written objection has been received (required at least two court days before the date specified), the Petition for Change of Name (JC Form #NC100) will be granted without a hearing.

One certified copy of the Order Granting Petition will be mailed to the petitioner.

If all the requirements have not been met as of the date specified, the Court will mail the petitioner a written order with further directions.

If timely objection is filed, the Court will set a hearing date and contact the parties by mail with further directions.

A RESPONDENT OBJECTING TO THE NAME CHANGE, MUST FILE A WRITTEN OBJECTION AT LEAST TWO COURT DAYS (excluding weekends and holidays) BEFORE THE DATE SPECIFIED. Do not come to court on the specified date. The court will notify the parties by mail of a future hearing date.

Any Petition for the name change of a minor, that is signed by only one parent, must have this Attachment served along with the Petition and Order to Show Cause, on the other, non-signing parent, and proof of service must be filed with the Court.

TO ALL INTERESTED PERSONS: Petitioner FE PRADO ESCALONA filed a petition with this court for a decree changing names as follows: FE PRADO ESCALONA to MARIA FE PRADO ESCALONA. THE COURT ORDERS that all persons interested in this matter appear before this court at the hearing indicated below to show cause, if any, why the petition for change of name should not be granted. Any person objecting to the name changes described above must file a written objection that includes the reasons for the objection at least two court days before the matter is scheduled to be heard and must appear at the hearing to show cause why the petition should not be granted. If no written objection is timely filed, the court may grant the petition without a hearing.

NOTICE OF HEARING Date: 03/22/2021 Time: 8:30 AM Dept.: 61 Superior Court of California, County of San Diego 330 WEST BROADWAY DEPT. C-61 San Diego, CA 92101 A copy of this Order to Show Cause shall be published at least once each week for four successive weeks prior to the date set for hearing on the petition in the following newspaper of general circulation printed in this county. Asian Journal: FEB. 09, 2021 NO HEARING WILL OCCUR ON ABOVE DATE: SEE ATTACHMENT Lorna Alksne Judge of the Superior Court AJ 695 02/19, 02/26, 03/05, 03/12/2021 ATTACHMENT TO ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE – Name Change (NC120) Due to the Covid-19 Pandemic, which poses a substantial risk to the health and welfare of court personnel and the public, rendering presence in, or access to, the court’s facilities unsafe, and pursuant to the emergency orders of the Chief Justice of the State of California and General Orders of the Presiding Department of the San Diego Superior Court, the following Order is made: NO HEARING WILL OCCUR ON THE DATE SPECIFIED IN THE ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE. The Court will review the documents filed as of the date specified on the Order to Show Cause for Change of Name (JC Form #NC-120)..

If all requirements for a name change have been met as of the date specified, and no timely written objection has been received (required at least two court days before the date specified), the Petition for Change of Name (JC Form #NC100) will be granted without a hearing.

One certified copy of the Order Granting Petition will be mailed to the petitioner.

If all the requirements have not been met as of the date specified, the Court will mail the petitioner a written order with further directions.

If timely objection is filed, the Court will set a hearing date and contact the parties by mail with further directions.

A RESPONDENT OBJECTING TO THE NAME CHANGE, MUST FILE A WRITTEN OBJECTION AT LEAST TWO COURT DAYS (excluding weekends and holidays) BEFORE THE DATE SPECIFIED. Do not come to court on the specified date. The court will notify the parties by mail of a future hearing date.

Any Petition for the name change of a minor, that is signed by only one parent, must have this Attachment served along with the Petition and Order to Show Cause, on the other, non-signing parent, and proof of service must be filed with the Court.

TO ALL INTERESTED PERSONS: Petitioner Daniel Young Bahn filed a petition with this court for a decree changing names as follows: Daniel Young Bahn to Daniel Young Ho Bahn.

THE COURT ORDERS that all persons interested in this matter appear before this court at the hearing indicated below to show cause, if any, why the petition for change of name should not be granted. Any person objecting to the name changes described above must file a written objection that includes the reasons for the objection at least two court days before the matter is scheduled to be heard and must appear at the hearing to show cause why the petition should not be granted. If no written objection is timely filed, the court may grant the petition without a hearing.

NOTICE OF HEARING Date: 04/06/2021 Time: 8:30 AM Dept. C-61 Superior Court of California, County of San Diego 330 WEST BROADWAY DEPT. C-61 San Diego, CA 92101 A copy of this Order to Show Cause shall be published at least once each week for four successive weeks prior to the date set for hearing on the petition in the following newspaper of general circulation printed in this county. Asian Journal: FEB. 22, 2021 NO HEARING WILL OCCUR ON ABOVE DATE: SEE ATTACHMENT Lorna Alksne Judge of the Superior Court AJ 697 03/05, 03/12, 03/19, and 03/26/2021 ATTACHMENT TO ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE – Name Change (NC120) Due to the Covid-19 Pandemic, which poses a substantial risk to the health and welfare of court personnel and the public, rendering presence in, or access to, the court’s facilities unsafe, and pursuant to the emergency orders of the Chief Justice of the State of California and General Orders of the Presiding Department of the San Diego Superior Court, the following Order is made: NO HEARING WILL OCCUR ON THE DATE SPECIFIED IN THE ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE. The Court will review the documents filed as of the date specified on the Order to Show Cause for Change of Name (JC Form #NC-120)..

If all requirements for a name change have been met as of the date specified, and no timely written objection has been received (required at least two court days before the date specified), the Petition for Change of Name (JC Form #NC100) will be granted without a hearing.

One certified copy of the Order Granting Petition will be mailed to the petitioner.

If all the requirements have not been met as of the date specified, the Court will mail the petitioner a written order with further directions.

If timely objection is filed, the Court will set a hearing date and contact the parties by mail with further directions.

A RESPONDENT OBJECTING TO THE NAME CHANGE, MUST FILE A WRITTEN OBJECTION AT LEAST TWO COURT DAYS (excluding weekends and holidays) BEFORE THE DATE SPECIFIED. Do not come to court on the specified date. The court will notify the parties by mail of a future hearing date.

Any Petition for the name change of a minor, that is signed by only one parent, must have this Attachment served along with the Petition and Order to Show Cause, on the other, non-signing parent, and proof of service must be filed with the Court.

EMPLOYMENT

PAGE 7 t anti-pandemic campaign – and understandably, these steps take time, which explains why up to now the Philippines has not brought in the vaccines. But better to be safe than sorry, di ba?

What we cannot understand is why the Presidential Security Command couldn’t wait a year or two for the entire process to be consummated.

We understand that the PSG went ahead and smuggled its own supply of vaccines from China. Last we heard, smuggling is illegal. but that doesn’t bother Duterte because of the need to protect the president. Indeed, it would have been more dangerous for the president’s security force to be the main reason for his health insecurity.

Duterte’s special envoy to China, columnist Ramon Tulfo, recently admitted having been inoculated with a smuggled vaccine which he got from an unspecified source. But he himself had not participated in the smuggling. In fact, Tulfo wants to bring in the vaccines legally by becoming a Philippine distributor.

He sees no conf lict of interest in this.

After all, as the late Senate President Jose Avelino aptly put it, “What are we in power for?”

In this regard, there are VIP Vaccinations for powerful and inf luential folks who are more entitled to survive the vi-

LEGAL NOTICE

CASE NUMBER: 37-2021-00005554-CU-PT-CTL

AJSD 691

Put more czars on the job...

AJSD 695

AJSD 697

EMPLOYMENT

rus than the average Pinoy.

Thus, Mang Juan, Aling Maria, Karyas and Kikay have to wait for the vaccines to become available for them in a year or two – that is, if they have the money to pay for the antidotes.

There are other issues swirling around the Philippines’ determined effort to fight, conquer, eliminate and irrevocably vanquish the virus. Too many to cover in one column.

Hopefully, COVID-19 will eventually be overcome. But there is a virus that may continue to gnaw at the guts of the poor people of the Philippines.

Last February 25, the country observed the elimination of one such virus – but the virus has mutated in many ways.

It may take more than five, six or even a dozen czars to eliminate that virus. In fact, before that happens, the Filipino people may develop “herd immunity” – which is another way of saying, “If you can’t beat the virus, then be a virus yourself!” *** The opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by the author do not necessarily reflect the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints of the A sian Journal, its management, editorial board and staff.

***

gregmacabenta@gmail.com

LEGAL NOTICE FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT NO. 2021-9000305

XIN CHAO A VIETNAMESE EATERY located at 3545 DEL MAR HEIGHTS RD C5, SAN DIEGO, CA 92130.

Registrant: XIN CHAO DEL MAR, 3545 DEL MAR HEIGHTS RD C5, SAN DIEGO, CA 92130.

This business is conducted

by CORPORATION. REGISTRANT HAS NOT BEGUN TO TRANSACT BUSINESS UNDER THE ABOVED NAME AS OF 11/19/2020.

Signature: ANH HUYNH. Statement filed with Recorder/County Clerk of San Diego County on 01/21/2021.

AJ 693 02/12, 02/19, 02/26, 03/05/2021.

AJSD 693

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT NO. 2021-9001722

SKYLINE DENTAL CENTER located at 1411 SKYLINE DRIVE, LEMON GROVE, CA 91945.

Registrant: JEAN EMILE F. PIANSAY, DDS, INC., 1411 SKYLINE DRIVE, LEMON GROVE, CA 91945.

This business is conducted by CORPORATION. REGISTRANT HAS BEGUN TO TRANSACT BUSINESS UNDER THE ABOVED NAME AS OF 09/28/2000.

Signature JEAN EMILE PIANSAY. Statement filed with Recorder/County Clerk of San Diego County on 02/03/2021.

AJ 692 02/12, 02/19, 02/26, 03/05/2021.

AJSD 692

STATEMENT OF ABANDONMENT OF USE OF FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT NO. 2021-9001504 DATE: 02/01/2021

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS(S) NAME TO BE ABANDONED: LIMAN located at 11269 CARMEL CREEK RD., SAN DIEGO, CA 92130.

MAILING ADDRESS: P.O. BOX 7011, RANCHO SANTA, CA 92067.

THE FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME IS BEING ABANDONED BY: A. KARILYN M. PERRY, P.O. BOX 7011, RANCHO SANT, CA 92067.

B. SVETLANA MARIC, 11269 CARMEL CREEK RD., SAN DIEGO, CA 92130.

This business is conducted by GENERAL PARTNERSHIP. Signature SVETLANA MARCI. Statement filed with Recorder/ County Clerk of San Diego County on 02/03/2021.

AJ 696 02/26, 03/05, 03/12, 03/19/2021.

AJSD 696

EMPLOYMENT

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT NO. 2021-9001534

SWINE MERCHANT located at 10207 CAMINO RUIZ APT. #160, SAN DIEGO, CA 92126.

Registrant: BRANDON EUGENE AKIATEN, 10207 CAMINO RUIZ APT. #160, SAN DIEGO, CA 92126.

This business is conducted

by INDIVIDUAL. REGISTRANT HAS BEGUN TO TRANSACT BUSINESS UNDER THE ABOVED NAME AS OF 01/04/2021.

Signature: BRANDON E. AKIATEN. Statement filed with Recorder/County Clerk of San Diego County on 01/21/2021.

AJ 694 02/12, 02/19, 02/26, 03/05/2021.

AJSD 694

SAN DIEGO

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SAN DIEGO ASIAN JOURNAL • MARCH 5-11, 2021

JOURNAL

9

9

M A R C H 5, 2 0 2 1

Mission to Mars: Fil-Am NASA engineers play key roles in Perseverance rover landing A

by Christina

M. Oriel and Ritchel Mendiola / AJPress

FTER a seven-month-long journey, NASA’s Perseverance rover made its historic landing on Mars in mid-February, ushering in a new era of exploration and study on the red planet.

Perseverance is touted as the “most advanced astrobiology laboratory ever sent to another world.” The mission was launched on July 30, 2020 from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida, and touched down in Jezero Crater on Mars on February 18, 2021 at 12:55 p.m. PST. The 2,263-pound robotic geologist and astrobiologist, which is roughly the size of a car, will undergo several weeks of testing before it begins its two-year science investigation of the Jezero Crater. Its primary aim is to study the rock and sediment of Jezero’s ancient lakebed and river delta to characterize the region’s geology and past climate.

“This landing is one of those pivotal moments for NASA, the United States, and space exploration globally — when we know we are on the cusp of discovery and sharpening our pencils, so to speak, to rewrite the textbooks,” acting NASA Administrator Steve Jurczyk said.

Several Filipino Americans were among the thousands of brilliant minds who played integral roles in the momentous landing. They include Gregorio Villar III, an entry, descent, and landing (EDL) systems engineer, and Marianne Gonzalez, a chemical engineer. Both work at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California.

Gregorio Villar III The 33-year-old engineer has been with the space agency for over 12 years, working as an EDL systems engineer at JPL. His career highlights include directing a Mars parachute test campaign at the world’s largest wind tunnel, as well as leading a council of atmospheric scientists from institutions around the world to characterize the Martian atmosphere.

He also spent seven-and-a-half years building and testing a system that would land a car-sized rover on Mars.

To add more to his list of achievements, Villar is also the head verification and validation engineer for the EDL phase of Perseverance.

Villar credited his education in the Philippines for his NASA journey.

“I thank part of my education in the Philippines for that. I studied so much in the Philippines, my foundation in math and physics because of my teachers there in high school,” he said in an exclusive interview with Teleradyo.

Villar was born in the United States to Filipino parents, but he

Photo shows the first 360-degree panorama taken by Mastcam-Z, a zoomable pair of cameras aboard NASA’s Perseverance Mars rover.

The panorama was stitched together on Earth from 142 individual images taken on Sol 3, the third Martian day of the mission on Feb. 21, 2021.

Photo courtesy of NASA/JPL-Caltech/ASU/MSSS

Members of NASA’s Perseverance Mars rover team watch in Mission Control at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California as the first images arrive moments after the spacecraft successfully touched down on Mars on Thursday, Feb. 18.

Photo by NASA/Bill Ingalls

went to the Philippines when he was 13 years old to spend time with his father.

He studied high school at Saint Louis University-Laboratory High School in Baguio City, Philippines before moving back to the U.S. where he earned a bachelor’s degree in physics from the California State Polytechnic University in Pomona and a master’s degree in astronautical engineering from the University of Southern California.

A career-related to space has been a life-long dream for Villar, who grew up fascinated by science fiction films like “Apollo 13” and “Independence Day.” He wanted to be an astronaut, and the thought of going to Mars himself one day is what excites him about the Red Planet and space exploration.

“The dream is to go to space someday, maybe even Mars...

It’s just cool right? Like another planet, like outer space. Things that we grow up watching in movies like ‘Star Trek’ and ‘Star Wars.’ Just the idea of going to another planet is really really awesome,” Villar said.

As the EDL engineer of the Mars 2020 mission, the Fil-Am engineer was involved in assisting the safe landing of the rover.

It was a complicated process to land since it can be affected by a lot of factors, he said.

“It’s known as the ‘seven minutes of terror.’ That’s what entry, descent, and landing is. We enter the atmosphere of Mars, we descend the atmosphere and we land,” he told Teleradyo.

The landing on the atmosphere of Mars causes friction to slow the rover down, prompt-

Villar previously led the space agency’s Mars parachute tests in the world’s largest wind tunnel.

Photo courtesy of Instagram/@gregoryvillar

Gonzalez hopes to inspire more women to enter STEM-related fields.

Contributed photo

ing the team to release a large parachute called the supersonic parachute which is ejected faster than the speed of sound.

“After that, we separate the heat shield that covers the spacecraft. The Rover comes down on rockets; it has its own jet pack.

The jet pack lowers the Rover, it separates the Rover on its cables.

It safely touches the ground, then the jet pack flies away,” explained Villar.

“All of that is extremely complicated with thousands of things happening left and right.

There’s so many things that can go wrong in those seven minutes. It’s extremely frightening, extremely nerve-racking,” he added.

Villar also revealed that he was not the only Filipino American who worked on the Mars 2020 mission.

“There are other Filipinos who worked on Perseverance as well.

Not just me,” the engineer said.

Marianne Gonzalez Gonzalez, a 28-year-old second-generation Filipina American, has spent nearly six years at JPL as a chemical engineer.

She earned a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering from California State University, Long Beach and went on to pursue a master’s degree in the same field at the University of Southern California. After undergrad, she interned at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida before moving back to Southern California to join JPL. She has made her mark on several agency projects, including: Mini Total Organic Carbon Analyzer (miniTOCA), a miniature water quality monitoring instrument that will be used to replace the current water analyzer on the International Space Station; the Spacecraft Atmosphere Monitor (SAM), which is analyzing cabin air for astronauts on the ISS; and the Ventilator Intervention Technology Accessible Locally (VITAL), a ventilator for COVID-19 patients, which received approval from the Food and Drug Administration.

For Perseverance, Gonzalez was part of the team that built Mars Oxygen In-Situ Resource Utilization Experiment (MOXIE), a device about the size of a car battery housed inside the rover.

She specifically helped deliver sensors to measure the gases in the device and created a model simulator of MOXIE to “understand how it would operate on Mars and to help decide what commands we should send it,” Gonzalez said in an email to the Asian Journal.

“It is going to demonstrate the autonomous production of oxygen on Mars from the carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. We can potentially use the technology for future crewed missions to Mars to make rocket fuel,” she added.

Witnessing the successful landing on Feb. 18 was surreal and dreamlike, the Pinay engineer recounted.

“It is amazing to see something that I worked on for so long finally arrive at its destination. I felt so appreciative of the thousands of people who worked on this rover.

We all did our part and are excited to see the rover finally start its mission on the surface

Gregorio Villar, an EDL engineer, was involved in assisting the safe landing of the rover.

Photo courtesy of NASA

of Mars; this is only the beginning. It felt great to see the world celebrate with us and to see the public excited about science and space exploration,” she said.

After MOXIE, Gonzalez has several tasks on her plate, a spacecraft called Europa Clipper, which will visit a moon orbiting Jupiter to search for signs of life,

Marianne Gonzalez, a chemical engineer at NASA, was part of the team that built MOXIE, an oxygen measuring device inside the Perseverance Rover.

Contributed photo

and projects for the International Space Station to monitor life support systems for the astronauts.

She hopes that her career as a Filipina American and woman of color at NASA will inspire others to pursue opportunities in a male-dominated field like STEM. “As a Filipina and a minority in this field, it is easy to feel like you

might not belong. I would encourage any aspiring Filipina engineers to work on building their confidence. Being a woman of color in a dominantly male field can be scary at times. As long as you remind yourself about why you’re passionate about engineering, it makes it all worth it,” she said.

SAN DIEGO ASIAN JOURNAL

Recipe Corner

Ilocos Empanada Ingredients: For the Dough: 1 cup rice flour 1 1/2 tsp Pamana Annato powder/Atsuete 1 tsp salt 1 tsp Pamana ground pepper 2 cups water For the Filling: 1 package of split mung beans 1 green papaya 1 package of Ilocos Longganisa Eggs Directions 1. To prepare the dough, put water on pot. Add annato powder, salt and pepper.

2. Bring to boil. Add rice flour.

3. Stir and mix well until there are no more lumps.

4. Take out from the heat and cool it down.

5. Knead and add rice flour until it’s soft and sticky and not easy to pull apart.

6. Set aside.

7. To prepare the filling, boil the mung beans with water until half cooked. Strain and remove skin peelings.

8. Grate the green papaya and boil with

water. Strain and squeeze out absorbed water.

9. Mix the cooked mung bean and grated papaya. Add salt and pepper to taste.

10. Cook the Ilocos Longganisa according to package directions.

11. While preparing the filling, pour oil on a frying pan and set it on medium heat.

12. Once the dough is prepared, get a handful and place it in between 2 clear plastic sheets.

13. Flatten the dough and make it into a round shape.

14. To assemble the empanada, start by laying the papaya and mung bean mixture.

15. Add the Ilocos Longganisa, creating an opening in the middle for the cracked egg.

16. Close the empanada by lifting a half end (making a D-shape).

17. Press the edges to seal then trim it by rolling a plate.

18. Fry the empanada until crispy and golden.

19. Drain excess oil. Serve while hot with Ilocos Vinegar.

This recipe is provided courtesy of Seafood City. Visit their Facebook Page or http://www.seafoodcity.com for more recipes.

If you have any recipes that you would like to share with Asian Journal readers, please send email to editor@asianjournalinc.com or info@asianjournalinc.com, and include a photo of your dish.

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Entertainment

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KZ Tandingan sings Disney’s first Filipino-language song for ‘Raya and the Last Dragon’

By Ritchel

Mendiola AJPress

“Asia’s Soul Supreme” KZ Tandingan sings “Gabay,” Disney’s first song in Filipino.

Photo from Instagram/@kztandingan

Rocky Gathercole was an avant-garde designer who dressed celebrities from Lady Gaga to Jennifer Lopez.

Photos courtesy of Rocky Gathercole/Facebook

FILIPINA singer KZ Tandingan will sing Disney’s first Filipino song for its upcoming animated film “Raya and the Last Dragon.”

Tandingan — dubbed “Asia’s Soul Supreme” — will be “lending her voice” for “Gabay,” which was described as a song about trust, strength, and unity, Disney Philippines revealed on Tuesday, March 2.

“Asia’s Soul Supreme KZ Tandingan will be lending her remarkable voice to an all-new song titled ‘Gabay’ from Disney’s Raya and the Last Dragon. This first-ever Filipino-language track from Disney will be coming your way very soon. Abangan!” it said in a tweet.

Disney Philippines on Monday, March 1 announced that “Raya and the Last Dragon” will feature its first Filipino-language song, attaching a teaser photo of the mysterious Filipina singer.

“The first Filipino-language song from Disney, sung by one of the Philippines’ most powerful voices. Find out who she is tomorrow,” Disney Philippines said Monday across social media platforms.

Tandingan, for her part, said she was “very grateful” to sing the first-ever Disney track in Filipino for an international animated film.

“I am very grateful and I feel very proud to be singing in my language, and show off its beauty to the rest of the world. I am proud to be part of history,” she said in a statement sent to Philstar.com.

“I grew up watching Disney movies. Finally, there is a Disney

Princess who I can feel a very strong connection to, and that is Raya as the first one inspired by Southeast Asia,” she added.

Set in the fantasy world of Kumandra, where long ago humans and dragons lived together in harmony, “Raya and the Last Dragon” — directed by Don Hall and Carlos López Estrada — tells the story of Raya (Kelly Marie Tran), who embarks on an adventure to track down the legendary last dragon, Sisu (Awkwafina), to restore the fractured land and unite its divided people.

Other cast members include Daniel Dae Kim as Raya’s father Benja; Gemma Chan who plays Raya’s nemesis Namaari; and Sandra Oh as Virana, Namaari’s mother.

“‘Raya and the Last Dragon’ is inspired by various Southeast Asian cultures and, as such, we found it fitting to launch ‘Gabay’ as a way for us to celebrate the film and connect with our Filipino fans,” said Allie Benedicto, studio marketing head of Disney Philippines. “‘Gabay,’ the first-ever Disney track sung in Filipino, demonstrates our commitment to work with local creative talents to tell our stories in a locally relevant manner,” she added.

“Gabay” is set to drop on Spotify on Friday, March 5.

“Raya and the Last Dragon” will be released in theaters and on Disney+ with Premiere Access for an additional $29.99 fee on March 5 as well.

dle East, my line was wedding dresses. I can do anything.

Here in the U.S. is where I got noticed so I’ve been associated with kabaliwan (madness). That’s okay as long as I am enjoying what I’m doing.

Personally it’s important masaya ako (that I am happy). I can make a lot of money but if hindi ako masaya, wala rin, (if I wasn’t happy, there’s nothing also) I wouldn’t enjoy,” he said.

In 2010, Gathercole showcased designs at Miami Fashion Week, his first fashion show in

the United States. Since then, he held shows in New York, Los Angeles and Australia. For The Stars Fashion House along Melrose Avenue in LA served as his home base in the U.S. Gathercole’s creations have also been worn by Nicki Minaj, Britney Spears, Cardi B, Ariana Grande, Carrie Underwood, and Paris Hilton.

Among his famous designs include Katy Perry’s gold corset in her “Dark Horse” music video and a black-and-white

flare dress Hilton wore at Cannes Film Festival in 2014.

In the past year, he designed a black gown with a blue, jeweled crusted hood for Cardi B, while J.Lo donned his bright red gown on Christmas Eve 2020.

Despite his international and star-studded clientele, he remained grounded and was reminded of his early years.

“It’s important that the client trusts the designer. I don’t get starstruck anymore. I think liv-

ing on the streets [helped] with that because I never expected a life where everything was given to me,” he said.

When asked about his advice for future designers, he shared, “I don’t believe designers are made; I believe they’re born.

From [my experience], I didn’t study to be a designer. Somehow, designer talaga ako (I really am a designer). The best advice I can give is to be yourself and find it in your heart, and the art will come out.”

Gathercole’s designs have been worn by Britney Spears, Cardi B, and Katy Perry.

Filipino avant-garde designer Rocky Gathercole, known for dressing Hollywood stars, passes away unexpectedly

By AJPress

ROCKY Gathercole, a celebrated Filipino avant-garde designer who dressed Hollywood celebrities from Lady Gaga to Jennifer Lopez, died unexpectedly at the age of 54.

Gathercole was found unconscious at his Quezon City home on Wednesday, March 3, ABSCBN News reported.

A cause of death has not been revealed as of this writing.

In a 2016 interview with the Asian Journal, the designer recounted his humble beginnings when he left home at 14, resorting to taking refuge at the foot of the Quezon Bridge in Quiapo and supporting himself by working various jobs. He sold tapsilog on a kariton (push cart) along Roxas Boulevard in Manila.

His “dream” at the time was to be a janitor at an SM mall but the job required a high school diploma. He instead waited tables at a Makati restaurant and would sketch designs during his free time.

Gathercole received a job opportunity in Saudi Arabia, where his employer encouraged him to become a designer.

“There were other Filipino designers who taught me things like how to bead and cut [fabric]. That was for two months and the rest is history. I went to Dubai and that’s where the idea enhanced that I wanted to really be a designer,” he

told the Asian Journal.

Gathercole spent over two decades in the Middle East, opening up a shop in Dubai, where he primarily designed wedding dresses and formal couture gowns for women.

It was his artful, over-the-top designs — which include edgy bodysuits and gaudy headpieces — that caught the attention of Hollywood A-listers.

“I could do the weird things and at the same time, I could do the very simple and elegant wedding dresses. In the Mid-

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Community

SAN DIEGO ASIAN JOURNAL • MARCH 5-11, 2021

11

Help fight COVID vaccine scams: San Diego Public Library’s Share these tips with those you know ‘Snapshot’ project captures images

SINCE the start of the pandemic, people are spending a lot more time alone at home. What’s more, there’s a lot of confusion about when, how, and where to sign up and get vaccinated. Add those two things together, and you get scammers taking advantage and spreading false information, hoping isolated people will believe their lies.

As you may have noticed from a recent blog of the Federal Trade Commission, we’re focusing on ways you can connect with people who are isolated while fighting fraud at the same time. In this short article, we’re highlighting tips you can share to help people avoid COVID vaccine scams.

• Don’t pay to sign up for the COVID vaccine.

Anyone who asks for a payment to put you on a list, make an appointment for you, or reserve a spot in line is a scammer.

• You can’t pay to get early access to the vaccine. That’s a scam.

• On Medicare? You don’t have to pay to get the

COVID-19 vaccine. Only scammers will ask you to pay.

• Ignore sales ads for the vaccine. You can’t buy it – anywhere. It’s only available at federal- and state-approved locations.

• Nobody legit will call, text, or email about the vaccine and ask for your Social Security, bank account, or credit card number. That’s a scam.

Now that you know fact from fiction, share what you know, and ask others to do the same. Sometimes a friendly call and conversation is all it takes to brighten someone’s day, help them feel connected, and ease their worry and confusion.

Learn more about COVID-related scams at ftc. gov/coronavirus/scams. Sign up for consumer alerts at ftc.gov/alerts. Tell us about scams you’re seeing at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.

Thanks for being a friendly fraud fighter!

(Colleen Tressler/Division of Consumer and Business Education, FTC)

Second dose of COVID-19 vaccine administered at convention center

SAN DIEGO – After receiving their first vaccination just one month ago, a number of residents and staff at Operation Shelter to Home on Wednesday, March 3 received the second dose of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine, administered by City of San Diego Fire-Rescue Department firefighters and lifeguards at the San Diego Convention Center.

On Feb. 3, there were 41 people experiencing homelessness and 61 shelter and outreach staff members at the Convention Center who were eligible according to the County of San Diego’s Phase 1B – Tier 1 guidelines at the time and opted to receive the vaccine.

“It has been a unique opportunity to be involved with Operation Shelter to Home over the past year during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Being able to offer the vaccinations to this vulnerable population is an important milestone and speaks to the care and effort that the City has placed on protecting the health of our homeless population,” said Deputy Fire-Rescue Chief Chris Heiser, who serves as the Incident Commander for the operation at the Convention Center and oversees the City’s vaccination efforts.”

In the weeks leading up to the initial vaccination effort, the City of

San Diego worked closely with the County, San Diego Housing Commission and homeless service providers Alpha Project and Father Joe’s Villages to provide information to clients about the vaccines, develop notification and scheduling procedures, and establish an on-site workflow for administering the vaccines.

Individuals who are experiencing homelessness and fit into the current criteria for vaccination are able to make appointments via the County’s online system or through their healthcare provider. For more information about COVID-19 vaccine distribution, visit coronavirus-sd.com/vaccine.

Operation Shelter to Home launched on April 1 [2020] by moving individuals already in shelters into the San Diego Convention Center to allow for proper physical distancing to help prevent the spread of COVID-19. Because the effects of the pandemic were creating staffing challenges at the City’s various shelters, the program centralized staff in one place to ensure personnel could be efficient even with limited numbers.

One of the core missions of Operation Shelter to Home is to find permanent housing for individuals. So far, the agencies have housed more than 1,234 individ-

Second doses are priority at SD vaccination sites GIVEN the ongoing shortage in supply of COVID-19 vaccine doses in the region, local vaccination sites are prioritizing people with second appointments, according to a report from the county news center on Wednesday, March 3.

Two conflating issues are delaying the release of new appointments for San Diegans who want to get their first dose. One is a shortage of Moderna doses coming into the region to make up for the shipments delayed a few weeks ago by bad weather across the country. The other is that Pfizer doses that have arrived are being used almost exclusively to vaccinate people who are due to receive their second dose of vaccine.

While some first-dose appointments have been released for use by the County and its partners, they are reserved under state guidelines for groups such as law enforcement, teachers and other school personnel.

“Our sites are working diligently to complete the vaccinations of people who are due for their second doses,” said Wilma Wooten, M.D., M.P.H., County public health center. “When we get through the Moderna backlog, and more doses arrive, including the new Johnson and

Johnson vaccine, first-dose appointments will be released for the many people who are both eligible and eager to get vaccinated.”

Meanwhile, more than one million COVID-19 doses have been delivered to the region and over 946,000 doses have been administered. Of those vaccinated to date, nearly 290,000 are fully vaccinated.

Overall, more than 595,000 County residents over the age of 16 have received at least one shot of the two-dose vaccine.

That’s 22 percent of those eligible.

“These vaccination numbers are important milestones in our work to achieve herd immunity, but we still have a long way to go,” said Wooten. “San Diegans need to stay focused and continue wearing masks, practice social distancing and washing their hands as we protect our health and that of those around us.”

More information about vaccine distribution can be found on the County’s vaccination dashboard. For details on groups currently eligible and vaccination opportunities, visit vaccinationsuperstationsd.com.

(Compiled from San Diego County News Center)

uals and 43 families during the pandemic with more than 200 others in the process of finding a permanent or longer-term housing solution.

The emergency shelter is a collaborative effort between the City of San Diego, County of San Diego, San Diego Housing Commission, Regional Task Force on the Homeless, San Diego Convention Center and homeless service providers, Alpha Project and Father Joe’s Villages.

Updates on the shelter are posted online at sandiego.gov/coronavirus/sheltertohome. (City of San Diego Release)

of the COVID-19 pandemic

San Diegans encouraged to submit photos taken over the last year SAN DIEGO – The San Diego Public Library (SDPL) has launched a program to document the experiences of San Diegans during the COVID-19 pandemic. “Snapshot: A Photo Journal of Life During the Pandemic” will collect and archive photographs taken during this historic time.

SDPL is asking people to share photographs of how the pandemic has impacted their lives.

The photographs may show the practical side of life such as social distancing, telecommuting or remote learning, or they may be images that capture strength, humor and hope experienced over the last year.

Submissions are limited to 10 images per person and the deadline to submit is June 30, 2021. Each submission should include a short description of the photo.

Information on how to submit photos can be found on SDPL’s Snapshot web page at https://www.sandiego.gov/public-library/snapshot. The photographs will be part of the San Diego Public Library’s Special Collections Department’s photograph and digital archive collections and may be displayed on the SDPL website.

With a vision of being the

Above: Some of the sample photos submitted to ‘Snapshot’ project spearheaded by the San Diego Public Library Photos courtesy of www.sandiego.gov

place for opportunity, discovery and inspiration, the San Diego Public Library is a hub for knowledge and lifelong learning. As the largest library system in the region, it serves a population of more than 1.4 million people. Learn about events at

“A Taste of History”

In celebration of the 500th Year Anniversary of Christianity in the Philippines in 2021, experience MonteMaria Cellars, an exclusive wine collection cellared and bottled in Napa Valley, California by the Buhman Estate Vineyards specially made in honor of the Holy Site of MonteMaria located in Batangas Province of the Philippines.

Emergency rental assistance applications now open in SD county LOW-INCOME San Diegans who have experienced a financial impact due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic can now apply for rental and utility assistance grants from the County.

During the COVID-19 update to the County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday, March 2, David Estrella, director of Housing and Community Development Services, said San Diegans can apply for financial assistance to help lessen housing cost burdens and maintain housing stability.

The County’s Emergency Rental Assistance Program is funded by over $100 million in state and federal monies.

To be eligible, households must be renting and have experienced a financial hardship related to COVID-19 or have qualified for unemployment during the pandemic.

Both landlords and tenants can

apply; however, tenants will have to co-sign applications submitted by the landlord.

For more information or to apply, visit www.sdhcd.org. The application period will be open for three weeks and will be extended if necessary.

“If you’ve received assistance through a past rent or utility assistance program, you may still apply for the outstanding rent or utilities that have not been covered,” Estrella said.

The County’s Emergency Rental Assistance Program will assist San Diego residents countywide, except for those residing in the cities of San Diego and Chula Vista. Residents of San Diego and Chula Vista can visit http://www.

ERAPSanDiego.org for information about rental assistance programs in those cities.

(Jose A. Alvarez/County of San Diego Communications Office)

the San Diego Central Library @ Joan Irwin Jacobs Common and 35 community branch libraries, find links to programs and resources or search for materials in the online catalog at www. sandiegolibrary.org. (City of San Diego Release)

Browse our collection and order today on MonteMariaCellars.com.

Please enjoy our wines responsibily.

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MARCH 5-11, 2021 • SAN DIEGO ASIAN JOURNAL

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