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MARCH 11-17, 2021 Volume 32 - No. 10 • 12 Pages

T H E F I L I P I N O A M E R I CA N C O M MU N I T Y N E WS PA P E R

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Biden signs $1.9T COVID-19 relief bill, Chess champion Wesley So becomes US citizen sending $1,400 checks, vaccine aid DATELINE

USA

FROM THE AJPRESS NEWS TEAM ACROSS AMERICA

Following congressional approval, the bill will be sent to Biden for signature

SUPER Grandmaster Wesley So is now a United States citizen.

by KLARIZE MEDENILLA The 27-year-old U.S. chess champion was AJPress sworn-in as a citizen on Feb. 26, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) ONE day after Congress approved his coronavirus announced in a social media post on Friday, relief bill, President Joe Biden signed the $1.9 trillion March 5. pandemic aid package on Thursday, March 11, marking So, who was born in Bacoor, Cavite, remarked that the “amazing spirit” of the U.S. motivated him to naturalize.

“I want to give back to a country that has been so good to me. From the moment I landed here I was encouraged and enabled to become better than I was. I like this attitude and the tremendous generosity of American culture,” So told the USCIS. The three-time Philippine chess champion

a crucial political victory for Biden and the Demo- of American taxpayers later this month. crats. “[This] historic legislation is about rebuilding the Among the measures of the bill — dubbed the backbone of this country and giving people of this American Rescue Plan — includes much anticipated nation – working people, middle-class folks, people $1,400 stimulus checks that will be sent to millions u PAGE 2

Nevada expands vaccine eligibility to food service, hospitality workers

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by AJPRESS

Noel Quintana

BACOOR ROLLOUT. Bacoor, Cavite health workers began receiving Sinovac vaccines on Wednesday, March 10. The national government delivered an initial allocation of 352 doses for the city’s front-liners.

PNA Photo By Avito C. Dalan

AJPress photo by Momar G. Visaya

‘I’M NOT GOING TO BE A STATISTIC’

by RITCHEL

MENDIOLA AJPress

THE gash on his face may have healed but it has left a big scar on Noel Quintana’s face and every time he looks at the mirror, he is reminded of that terrifying morning on February 3 when an assailant slashed his face with a box cutter.

A few days after the incident, he joined a group of Filipino American leaders and supporters gathered to pray for his recovery. He

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AMERICANS fully vaccinated against COVID19 can now gather with other fully vaccinated individuals indoors without wearing a mask or social distancing, according to new guidelines set by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

A person is considered fully vaccinated two weeks after receiving the last dose in a two-dose series (Pfizer or Moderna) or two weeks after receiving a single-dose vaccine (Johnson & Johnson and Janssen).

“As more Americans are vaccinated, a growing

74-year-old Filipino dies after being attacked for ‘no apparent reason’ in Phoenix, Arizona MENDIOLA

AJPress

AMID the uptick in violence against older Asian Americans, an elderly Filipino man was killed last month in an unprovoked attack in Phoenix, Arizona.

Juanito Falcon, 74, was out on a morning walk on February 16 when he was punched in the face by a man for “no apparent reason,” the Phoenix Police Department said in a statement.

Officers responded to reports of an assault around 11:20 a.m. at a Kentucky Fried Chicken parking lot near 17th Avenue and Bethany Home Road in Phoenix.

When they arrived, they found Falcon with head injuries from falling on the ground and hitting his head on the pave-

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CDC releases guidelines for fully vaccinated people

How Noel Quintana’s faith led him to the path of healing

by RITCHEL

CARSON CITY – Under the collective goal of vaccinating as many Nevadans as possible in accordance with the Nevada COVID-19 Vaccine Playbook, the State of Nevada announced it will be allowing the Southern Nevada Health District to begin vaccinating food service and hospitality workers in Clark County.

These workers are the next group in the Frontline/ Essential Workforce lane (“Frontline Commerce & Service Industries”), and will allow Clark County and the Southern Nevada Health District to use their current supply on-hand while also moving into a critical workforce for Nevada’s economy. These workers include: • Restaurant and quick serve food operations, including dark kitchen and food prep centers, beverage service employees, carryout, and delivery food work-

ment. Falcon was initially believed to have suffered only abrasions and contusions to the face.

However, when he was taken to the hospital, doctors found he had a skull fracture and that he needed surgery. Falcon ultimately died from his injuries two days later on February 18.

“It is in such great sorrow that we are mourning my father’s passing. I have a lot of questions. Nobody should experience what happened to my father. I want this incident to be a cause of awareness to everybody,” Malou Acunin, Falcon’s daughter, told 12 News.

“I don’t want the same incidence of violence and crime to happen to anybody, especially to the elderly,” she added.

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body of evidence now tells us that there are some activities fully vaccinated people can do,” CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky said at the White House briefing on Monday, March 8.

The new CDC public health recommendations said fully vaccinated people can: • Visit with other fully vaccinated people indoors without wearing masks or staying six feet apart; • Visit with unvaccinated people from one other household indoors without wearing masks or staying six feet apart if everyone in the other household is at low risk for severe disease; • Refrain from quarantine and testing if they do not have symptoms of COVID-19 after contact

with someone who has COVID-19.

This means fully vaccinated grandparents can now gather with their unvaccinated grandchildren indoors without wearing masks or physical distancing, provided none of the unvaccinated family members are at risk of severe COVID-19.

“COVID-19 continues to exert a tremendous toll on our nation. Like you, I want to be able to return to everyday activities and engage with our friends, families, and communities. Science, and the protection of public health must guide us as we begin to resume these activities. Today’s action represents an important first step. It is not our final destination,” said Walensky.

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PH police ban public hugs, kisses to contain COVID-19

by RITCHEL

MENDIOLA AJPress

FILIPINOS are prohibited from showing public displays of affection following the recent spike in COVID-19 cases in the Philippines.

The new rules from the Philippine National Police (PNP) will cover kissing, embracing, and even holding hands in public.

The PNP is intensifying efforts in enforcing public health safety protocols to prevent the further spread of infections in the country, according to PNP chief Gen. Juanito Falcon, a 74-year-old grandfather, died from injuries on Debold Sinas.

“Papaigtingin lang natin kasi February 18, two days after being punched in the face while on his morning walk. nga some from the [Inter-Agency

Task Force] at mga local government units are already alarmed again kasi medyo tumaas ang cases (We will just bolster the enforcement because some from the IATF and the local government units are already alarmed because of the rising cases),” he said Wednesday, March 10.

“So PDA, yung hawak-hawak sisitahin na rin yan (So PDA, those who touch one another will be reprimanded),” he added.

Aside from couples, the ban includes family members and close friends.

“We cannot afford to lower our guard against the virus, especially at this point when the

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march 11-17, 2021 • LaS VEGaS aSIaN JOUrNaL

From The FronT Page

Nevada expands vaccine eligibility...

PAGE 1 ers.

• Workers in cafeterias used to feed workers or other congregate settings not already captured in an occupation group listed in the Playbook.

• Frontline hospitality workers, including casino and resort employees who have prolonged/ sustained customer interaction.

• This group includes all employees of restricted and nonrestricted gaming licensees and all employees of vendors and lessees located on the property of such restricted and nonrestricted licensees, regardless of furlough status, in Clark County Workers who fall under the expanded eligibility can schedule appointments online here: https:// covid.southernnevadahealthdistrict.org/vaccine/distribution/.

Proof of employment (such as an employee badge or paystub) as well as photo identification must be brought to the appointment.

If no appointment times are available, the Southern Nevada Health District advises those eligible to check the calendar often. Cancellations can result in appointment slots opening throughout the day.

The State will continue to work with Southern Nevada Health District to expand outreach to existing eligible groups and offer resources to expand appointment hours of existing sites in Southern Nevada, in addition to identifying satellite vaccination sites that are more accessible to eligible workers, underserved communities, and vulnerable populations.

Additionally, the State is working with the Nevada Board

of Pharmacy to open appointments at pharmacy locations to those 55+ with underlying health conditions, individuals with disabilities and individuals experiencing homelessness at pharmacies statewide by next week. This is in accordance with Nevada DHHS Technical Bulletin that was developed in line with recommendations provided by the federal Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP).

Counties across the State continue to work through limited allocation of vaccine doses at their own pace while following the playbook. The State will continue to work closely with all communities to identify challenges and work together on solutions to vaccinate Nevadans as quickly as possible while following the State playbook. n

CDC releases guidelines for fully...

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“As more people get vaccinated, levels of COVID-19 infection decline in communities, and as our understanding of COVID immunity improves, we look forward to updating these recommendations to the public,” she added.

However, the CDC maintained that fully vaccinated people should wear masks, maintain physical distance, and practice other prevention measures when visiting with unvaccinated people from multiple

households. They should also continue to wear masks and social distance in public settings and avoid medium-sized to large gatherings.

On traveling, the CDC has yet to change its recommendations, urging people to delay travel and stay home.

While 30 million people in the U.S. have received their vaccines, the country still averaged more than 60,000 cases per day over the last seven days, as reported by Johns Hopkins University.

“I want to stress that we continue to have high levels of virus around the country, and more readily transmissible variants have now been confirmed in nearly every state, while we work to quickly vaccinate people more and more each day, we have to see this through,” said Walensky.

She stressed, “Let’s stick together. Please keep wearing a well-fitting mask and taking the other public health actions we know work to help stop the spread of this virus.” n

74-year-old Filipino dies after being attacked...

PAGE 1 The detectives found probable cause to arrest 40-year-old Marcus Williams in connection to the homicide, according to ABC15.

Williams was taken into custody on Wednesday, March 3, after an autopsy identified that Falcon’s cause of death was blunt force trauma.

Court documents stated that Williams fled in a car after attacking Falcon. Witnesses were able

to provide a partial license plate and description of Williams’ car, leading to his arrest.

He was booked into Maricopa County Jail for one count of murder.

The Phoenix Police Department said there were “no indications” that the attack on Falcon was motivated by race.

“If information is discovered, that will be part of the investigation,” said the department.

Falcon’s family has set up a GoFundMe page (https://gofund. me/7234e6b2) to help with expenses.

“We will always remember him as a loving man, always attentive to the needs of others.

He was an avid gift giver, willing to go out of his way to make someone’s day. He was a man of sacrifice, especially for his family and us, his grandchildren,” the page said. n

PH police ban public hugs, kisses to...

PAGE 1 cure is already within reach,” stressed Sinas.

Meanwhile, PNP spokesperson Brig. Gen. Ildebrandi Usana maintained that the ban on PDA isn’t a new protocol, reminding the public to maintain physical distance outside their homes.

“This is a mere reiteration of previous advisory from the government. Kahit naman po since the start of the restrictions, bawal naman po ang mga PDA talaga, bawal po magtabi at magkakausap nang malapitan ang sinuman, bawal po ang pagpunta sa mga matataong lugar na nagsisiksikan ang bawat isa (Since the start of the restrictions, PDA was already prohib-

ited, sitting next to each other and talking closely was prohibited, going to crowded places was prohibited),” he said.

“Hindi naman po ito bagong news. Reiteration lang po ng implications ng pagkalat ng virus (This isn’t fresh news. This is just a mere reiteration of the implications of the spread of the virus),” he added Usana also pointed out that police officers do not have the time to ask whether the persons caught showing PDA are couples or living in one house.

“Kapag nakita sila na magkayakap, magka-akbay (If they are seen hugging or placing one’s hand on another’s shoulder) and very close to each other, (that

is an) automatic violation,” he said.

However, the PNP would not arrest violators, instead, they would just issue a warning.

“Sisitahin lang po. Siguro sa tingin lang ng pulis, baka madala na sila. O kung lalapitan, pwedeng kausapin, sasabihing ‘di pwede iyan’ (We will just reprimand them. Maybe with just one look from the police officer, they will stop. Or if we have to approach them, we’ll just remind them that it’s not allowed),” said Usana.

Succeeding offenses will be sanctioned based on the existing ordinances of local government units pertaining to quarantine protocols. n

2022-READY. A Pasay City resident registers at the Commission on Elections on Wednesday, March 10. The poll body accepts registrations Tuesdays to Saturdays.

PNA photo by Avito C. Dalan

Biden signs $1.9T COVID-19...

PAGE A1

that built the country – a fighting chance,” Biden said, before signing the bill from the Oval Office on Thursday.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (DCalif.) described the president’s coronavirus relief bill as the most crucial piece of legislation of her career since the Affordable Care Act more than a decade ago.

“It is one of the most transformative and historic bills any of us have ever had the opportunity to support,” Pelosi said after the House vote. “Today we have a decision of tremendous consequence, a decision that will make a difference for millions of Americans, saving lives and livelihoods.

The massive $1.9 trillion COVID-19 bill includes provisions for $1,400 checks to millions of American taxpayers, $300-a-week federal unemployment benefits, and more funding toward vaccine distribution.

The package also allocates billions to help schools and colleges reopen.

“This nation has suffered too much for much too long,” Biden said from the White House on Saturday, March 6. “Everything in this package is designed to relieve the suffering and to meet the most urgent needs of the nation and put us in a better position to prevail, starting with beating this virus and vaccinating the country.”

The $1,400 checks, which were promoted as an add-on to the $600 stimulus checks approved by the federal government in late

Asian Journal, the American Rescue Plan seeks to expand pandemic-related benefits, including a per-child cash payment of at least $3,000 for one year and an expansion of health care subsidies from the Affordable Care Act for two years.

The unemployment benefits would be extended through Sept.

6. Regarding the $1,400 stimulus checks, couples who file jointly would receive double that and an additional $1,400 for each dependent.

The stimulus checks apply to individuals earning up to $75,000 a year and married couples whose combined income does not exceed $150,000 a year.

However, the check’s amount would decrease for those who make more than these benchmarks with a strict cut-off at $80,000 for individuals and $160,000 for married couples.

Most Americans will receive the full amount from the IRS; according to the U.S. Census Bureau, the median household income in the country was $68,703 in 2019.

The bill also allocates $130 billion in federal aid to K-12 schools, specifically to reduce class sizes and adjust classrooms to comply with social distancing and personal protective equipment guidelines.

The bill also creates a new $25 billion aid program to businesses hurt by the pandemic, granting up to $10 million per company with a limit of $5 million per brick-andmortar location. n

How Noel Quintana’s faith led him to...

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has been expressing his thoughts and opinions on the matter, and in recent weeks, he has become the poster child of anti-Asian hate in New York.

Quintana, who moved to the United States from the Philippines in 2007, juggles two jobs with a nonprofit organization and a tax preparer. Migrating to a new country without any family, he has found a support system by volunteering at the Migrant Center, a nonprofit organization at St. Francis of Assisi led by Fr. Julian Jagudilla.

“His attack has made Asian members of our community scared and anxious. Reassuring them and finding resources for them so they can live safely in our city is the need of the hour. We have to fight racism and protect our Asian communities through vigilance and community action,” Fr. Jagudilla said at the ”Rise Up Against Anti-Asian Hate” rally on Feb. 27.

It was a gathering of a veritable who’s who in New York politics led by Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, Rep. Grace Meng, Attorney General Letitia James and Mayor Bill de Blasio, along with community Wesley So is now a naturalized U.S. citizen. allies and non-government orgaPhoto courtesy of USCIS nization leaders across the city.

They were one in denouncing the surge of anti-Asian hate incidents in New York.

A couple of blocks from the rally, a 36-year-old Asian American

Chess champion Wesley So...

2020, are expected to be distributed to an estimated 17 million Americans by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) later this month, Biden said on Saturday.

Because the Senate made numerous amendments to the original legislation — including the deletion of the federal minimum wage increase to $15 an hour — the House still has to approve the amended bill.

Though the House hasn’t officially passed the revised bill as of press time, the Democrat-controlled chamber passed a significant procedural measure on Tuesday evening that will allow House members to debate for two hours before voting.

Approving the American Rescue Plan has proved to be a laborious effort for Democrats, whose seats are likely to be challenged in the 2022 midterm elections.

Historically, the party in power tends to lose seats in Congress in the midterm election, but Democrats are hopeful that the passage of the COVID-19 relief bill will secure their House majority.

“Anytime you’re delivering for the American people, you’re strengthening your position politically. So this is going to strengthen us because it’s good policy,” Rep. Sean P. Maloney (D-N.Y.) said in an interview as quoted by NBC News. “We should shout it from the rooftops that we are passing historic legislation that will reboot the economy and end the pandemic.”

As previously reported in the

man was stabbed unprovoked two days earlier.

“Pagaling na pero medyo masakit pa rin (It’s healing but it’s still a bit painful),” Quintana told the Asian Journal on the sidelines of the program.

“I’m overwhelmed by the support of the people, the community, even outside the U.S. I am so thankful for the support. I think that something has to be done so it would be safer not just for Asian Americans but for everyone,” he said further. “There’s a lot of violence that happened during this pandemic and people should be aware that we need one another so that this would be avoided.”

A Brooklyn resident, he was on his way to work in Harlem that fateful morning. He boarded the subway at the Jefferson Station in Bushwick. It was full so he picked a spot where he stood.

A few stops later at Bedford Station, he recalled that a man hopped in and stood beside him.

He was praying the rosary when the same man kicked the tote bag Quintana was carrying.

Quintana recalled moving his tote bag away from the man but he kicked it one more time.

He turned to the man and said, ‘What’s wrong with you?” and moved to the other end of the train car. At this time, the train has reached the First Avenue station.

The painful memory of an incident two years ago came rushing back that Wednesday morning,

PAGE 1 first came to the U.S. in 2012 as a freshman recruit for Webster University, and is now a world top-ten player, current World Fischer Random champion, two-time US Champion and a member of the 2016 Team USA squad that brought America its first Olympic gold medal since 1976, according to the U.S. Chess Federation.

He lives in Minneapolis, Minnesota with his adoptive family.

“I got so hyper and excited I was talking kind of loud all day. It was literally a dream come true.

I am now a part of the American Dream. I am part of the most successful country on earth, ready to make my own contribution and have my own legacy here,” So added. (AJPress) Noel Quintana speaks at the Rise Up rally in New York on Feb. 27

Feb. 3 as his assailant moved towards him. He thought he was going to be punched again and he somehow readied himself for the strike.

But it didn’t happen. It was moments later when Quintana realized something worse had happened. He saw the shocked faces of his fellow subway passengers.

He touched his face, looked at his hand and saw blood.

“Nobody helped,” he said, his voice almost breaking. “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.”

Realizing that no one called 911 or alerted the train conductor and that the subway was moving on, Quintana stepped out and walked toward the end of the platform. He stayed by the station booth as the attendant called 911 and asked for help. After answering questions from the police, he was brought to Bellevue Hospital where he received about 100 stitches on his face.

New York police arrested the man who attacked Quintana, and according to him, the man is scheduled to be arraigned this week.

As he said in a Zoom prayer meeting a week after the incident, he did not want to just be PAGE 5

AJPress photo by Momar G. Visaya

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Dateline USa

LAPD finds fake ID with Duterte’s photo

by Ritchel

Mendiola AJPress

THE Los Angeles Police Department had a laugh over someone’s fake identification card using a photo of Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte.

On Wednesday, March 10, vice officers retrieved a California ID with the name “Norman D.” They were quick to identify the ID as fake when they recognized the face of the Philippine president in it.

In a tweet, the Rampart Division of the LAPD said: “Vice Officers recognized the picture used on a fake ID, to be that of the President of the Philippines.

Good thing our Officers patrol Historic Filipino Town and are up to speed. Nice try.”

The LAPD did not specify the exact location where the ID was found and did not respond to the Asian Journal’s request for comment.

The tweet has since been met with good humor from netizens.

“A for effort and an F for execution,” one Twitter user said.

Another netizen wondered: “That’s actually very witty... gotta give them one for their humor... wonder if there [are] ‘extra’ charges for impersonating a

Los Angeles Police Department officers found a fake California ID using a photo of Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte.

Photo courtesy of LAPD Rampart/Twitter

country’s leader?”

“Did he use his name as well?

Announcement to citizens of Glendale ‘Rodrigo Duterte, has relocated to our beloved town,’” the user added.

However, one netizen questioned LAPD Rampart’s post.

“I don’t understand this tweet.

Is Duterte’s photo just posted around the neighborhood in HiFi because I highly doubt that,” she pointed out.

LA’s Historic Filipinotown — nicknamed HiFi — was designated in July 2002, becoming the first official geographic locale outside of the Philippines honor-

ing the Filipino community. It exists within the section of Echo Park south of the 101 Freeway, which was the hub for Filipino immigrants in the early 1900s.

In 2019, the global culture and lifestyle magazine Time Out released a list of the 50 coolest neighborhoods in the world and ranked Historic Filipinotown fifth on the list.

In the extensive list, Time Out remarked that “HiFi is a spirit as much as an area, a place that feels refreshing and honest in a Los Angeles landscape that is quickly becoming over-funded and monotonous.” n

Ouch! Needle-phobic people scarred by so many images of COVID shots

by Julie

appleby Kaiser Health News

EACH night it’s the same. Story after story on the TV news is about the covid vaccination effort, and they are all illustrated with footage of needles sinking into exposed upper arms.

Could those visuals, ostensibly making this all seem routine, backfire?

More than causing squeamish people to look away or change the channel, researchers say such illustrations could hamper efforts to get a broad swath of U.S. residents vaccinated.

Bottom line: Many people don’t like needles, and that could further slow vaccination efforts as winter turns to spring when supplies are expected to multiply and efforts to get the hesitant to sign up for a dose will intensify.

“Fear of needles was one of the barriers that was a significant predictor of people saying,

‘I don’t think I will get this vaccine,’” said Jeanine Guidry, an assistant professor at Virginia Commonwealth University who researches visual communication and conducted a survey of 500 people in July.

And it’s not just TV news using what could be sensitive video footage.

Disinformation spread on social media often incorporates images of giant syringes, Guidry recently told the National Vaccine Advisory Committee, which makes recommendations to federal health officials. Social media has been a source of much incorrect information about vaccines in general, and covid specifically, designed to dissuade people from getting shots.

Such “fear visuals,” Guidry said, “get more attention,” and may be remembered longer than other types of illustrations.

Legitimate efforts to encourage vaccination may have also

inadvertently sparked fear by showing exaggeratedly large syringes, said Guidry, who urged public health experts to be careful with their messages, too.

“If you use a picture of a huge syringe that looks twice the size of my head, that makes you go, ‘OK, that’s big,’” said Guidry. “I can’t fathom what that would do to someone who has a needle phobia.”

Even attempts to reassure people by showing leaders such as Dr. Anthony Fauci or the president and vice president getting their covid vaccinations on TV can be triggering, said Hillel Hoffmann, an independent communications consultant and freelance writer in Philadelphia.

“I always turn away,” said Hoffmann, who recently wrote of his near lifelong fear of needles in a piece for Medicalbag, an online publication aimed at physicians.

“I know those pictures are supPAGE 5

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Dateline USa

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AFSCME and the State of Nevada announce tentative agreement for four state employee bargaining units

CARSON CITY, NV – Tthe State of Nevada and the American Federation of State County Municipal Employees Local 4041 announced that they have reached a tentative collective bargaining agreement that includes both economic and non-economic provisions and covers four of the 11 bargaining units established for state employees.

Before the agreement is sub-

mitted to the Nevada Legislature, AFSCME members must ratify it. Additionally, the State Board of Examiners will meet to approve the agreement, and Governor Sisolak will submit budget amendments to the Legislature to effectuate the economic provisions.

The state employees covered by the agreement include those in labor, maintenance and custodial; professional

healthcare; non-professional healthcare; and category III peace officers/corrections officers.

The tentative agreement between AFSCME and the state is the second collective bargaining agreement reached by the state and a labor organization following the passage of collective bargaining for classified state employees during the 2019 legislative session. n

Palace: Those who broke the law ‘will be punished’

by Ritchel

Mendiola AJPress

BEEFING IT UP. EEI Corp. workers reinforce a pre-cast wall for the Metro Rail Transit Line 7 (MRT-7) railway platform post along the Quirino Highway in Novaliches, Fairview, Quezon City on Wednesday, March 10. The construction of the 22-km. MRT-7 from North Avenue in Quezon City to San Jose del Monte, Bulacan with 14 stations, is expected to be completed by December 2022.

PNA photo by Oliver Marquez

How Noel Quintana’s faith led him to...

PAGE 2 a statistic. Not this time, not anymore.

A couple of years ago, he was assaulted outside his work in Harlem. He just left the office that day and as he was walking, he saw a man running towards him and before he knew it, the man had already punched him in the face.

Gathering his composure, he stood up and attempted to walk but he faltered. He reported what happened to the nearest police station and moved on with his life. That was the end of it.

Little did he know that two short years later, he would be facing another similar incident.

Only this time, it would be more bloody and gruesome.

In the past few weeks, he has been on the front page of the Washington Post and featured in People magazine, along with other mainstream publications. He has no problem being thrust into the limelight and becoming the face of the issue. In fact, he is embracing it.

“I guess you can call it the bright side of the incident because may action na nangyayari (there is action going on). Hindi yung naging victim ka lang at wala ka nang nagawa (It’s not that you just became a victim and did nothing),” he said. “Even if I was victimized, in my little own

way, I would contribute in helping other Asians to not experience what I went through. I don’t want others to experience what I have experienced.”

He is urging people to be safe and aware, to take videos and report incidents. He is also hoping for the strengthening of laws against hate crime.

“It is important for me to voice my story so that people would be aware. Most of the time, Asians, in general, are shy, timid people.

We keep things to ourselves, so it is important to reach out to other people, especially to our government, that we are also part of the society and we should not be neglected by them,” he said.

It has been weeks since the incident and the scars have healed somehow but there’s still a little pain here and there, according to him. On top of that, he admitted he is still unable to sleep as the horrific scene keeps on replaying in his mind.

“Hanggang ngayon hindi pa rin ako makatulog ng maayos (To this day I still can’t sleep well). I try not to think about it and do meditation pero yun pa din ang problema ko, hindi pa rin ako makatulog (but that’s still my problem, I still can’t sleep),” he shared, adding that he continues to undergo counseling sessions.

And when asked about his advice to kababayans who might be

unnerved by his story and now scared to take the subway, he gave the following advice: “Be alert [of] your surroundings and magpasensya na lang din siguro tayo, umiwas (and we should be understanding too, and stay away [from trouble]).”

Quintana is hopeful that in due time he will be completely healed psychologically and physically and that he’d be able to wear the scar across his face like a true survivor. For now, he says he derives strength from God and members of the community who continue to reach out to him and send him their prayers and support.

A GoFundMe page (https://gofund.me/98ac2db9) to support Quintana has received nearly $5,000 as of this writing.

As New York State Attorney General Letitia 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 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.” (Momar G. Visaya/AJPress)

Ouch! Needle-phobic people scarred...

PAGE 3 posed to psych me up for the fact that the vaccine is safe and available, and I’m not worried at all about the vaccines’ safety,” said Hoffmann. “But what I can’t take because of my fear of needles is looking at a picture of someone with a small-bore needle buried in their deltoid muscle.”

Public health experts say it’s important to get at least 70% to 80% of the public vaccinated to reach what is called herd immunity, when enough people will either have had the covid virus or a vaccination, to severely limit its further spread.

But fear of needles contributes to some people’s vaccine hesitancy.

An analysis of a broad range of studies from the U.S. and other countries on this topic by researchers at the University of Michigan showed that 20% to 30% of adults studied cited concern about needles, ranging from mild anxiety to a phobia strong enough to keep some from seeking medical care. Even many health care workers cited a fear of needles, according to the research, published in the Journal of Advanced Nursing in August 2018.

“There’s a perception that people who work in hospitals would be less afraid of needles, because they’re surrounded by them all the time, but one study found 27% of hospital employees who did not take the flu vaccine said it was because of needle fear or they did not like needles,” said Jennifer McLenon, an infection preventionist at Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit who completed the study while getting her master’s degree in epidemiology.

Another study found that 18% of health care workers in longterm care facilities felt the same way, she said.

An extreme fear of needles or medical procedures involving injections is technically called trypanophobia, said Jeffrey Geller, president of the American Psychiatric Association.

“Some people avoid needles because of fear of pain, some from fear of fainting,” said Geller.

“And some people do faint.”

It may have an evolutionary basis, said Thea Gallagher, an assistant professor and the director of the clinic at the Center for the Treatment and Study of Anxiety at the University of Pennsylvania.

“We know from evolutionary biologists that seeing a sharp object going into our bodies is not something we are supposed to be cool with,” said Gallagher.

But Geller and Gallagher said

barriers created by this fear or phobia could be lowered with careful public health messaging, along with self-help techniques individuals can practice or, in severe cases, professional assistance from a therapist.

Public health messaging should avoid drawings that exaggerate the size of needles or syringes, “which are not helpful,” said Geller, noting that the covid vaccinations involve “a small syringe and needle.”

But, as to the effect of those TV images night after night? Well, it could go either way.

“For those with a fear, it could exacerbate it,” said Geller. “For those who don’t have the fear, it could be reassuring to show that it’s a routine practice.”

McLenon, the researcher from Michigan, said she has heard, anecdotally, that those shots on TV “make people more afraid.”

“Can’t we get some pictures of the vials or something else?” she suggested.

For instance, Hoffmann, the writer, said if he were designing the perfect visuals for a covid vaccination campaign, it would not refer to injections directly at all.

“If I were to drive by a drugstore and it had a poster in the window saying ‘Come get it today for your family. Do it for the nation. Do it for the public good’ We would all know what the ‘it’ is. They don’t have to show it.”

Still, McLenon and others say no one has yet studied the effect specific images about the covid vaccine have on people because it’s so new. And the desire to get back to a more normal society may help those with a fear of needles push themselves to get a covid vaccine, whereas they might not feel the same way about, say, an annual flu vaccination.

Hoffmann, who said his fear began after extensive dental work as a child, said he intends to get a shot. But when his turn comes, he said, he’ll likely be very nervous; his heart will race and he will sweat. Unlike some people with a fear of needles, he does not faint, although he understands that reaction.

“A lot of people assume that what I’m afraid of is the pain,” said Hoffmann. The worst part for him, he said, is how he can’t control his fear in that public setting. And it’s embarrassing. “I’m not alone when it happens. The person giving me the injection sees it. I can’t hide it.”

The emergency use authorization granted Feb. 27 by the Food and Drug Administration for the single-dose Johnson & Johnson

vaccine is good news for people like Hoffmann. Both the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines currently available require two doses, spaced a few weeks apart. Which means facing fears twice.

Whether it’s one or two shots, experts suggest a variety of steps to help people who struggle get through the process — bring a support person, take deep breaths, stay positive, just to name a few.

“It’s nothing to be ashamed of. We come by it honestly,” said Gallagher from the University of Pennsylvania. “Anxiety is likely making it into a bigger monster” than it should be. “It’s not worth beating yourself up about.”

Facing the fear For the millions of Americans who have some fear of needles, there are ways to help yourself cope, say experts.

• Put it in perspective. Be positive about the reasons you are getting the vaccine and remember that the pain will be short-lived, like a stubbed toe, said Thea Gallagher, director of the clinic at the Center for the Treatment and Study of Anxiety at the University of Pennsylvania.

For those getting the two-dose regimens, “be objective about how the first one went,” she said, “and that you got through it.”

• Bring a support person.

Some vaccination sites will allow this. Ask. • Practice deep breathing or other techniques to help stay calm at the site. Eat something and drink water beforehand; it reduces the chance of fainting.

And you can request being inoculated in a reclined position.

• Tell your vaccinator of your concerns. “When you get there, you can say, ‘Look, I don’t like needles.’ The health care providers are used to that,” said Dr. Georges Benjamin, executive director of the American Public Health Association.

• Don’t be afraid to seek professional help if your fear is intense but you feel strongly about getting vaccinated. A therapist can use cognitive-behavioral techniques or exposure therapy to help, said Dr. Jeffrey Geller, president of the American Psychiatric Association.

KHN (Kaiser Health News) is a national newsroom that produces in-depth journalism about health issues. Together with Policy Analysis and Polling, KHN is one of the three major operating programs at KFF (Kaiser Family Foundation). KFF is an endowed nonprofit organization providing information on health issues to the nation. n

IMPUNITY has no place in the administration of Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte, Malacañang reiterated on Thursday, March 11.

Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque made the statement after the United Nations condemned the killing of nine activists in the Calabarzon region by state forces targeting suspected insurgents.

“Sa UN High Commissioner for Human Rights at iba pang human rights groups, walang lugar ang impunity sa administrasyong Duterte (To the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights and other human rights groups, impunity has no place in the Duterte administration),” he said.

“Mananagot ang sinuman na lumabag sa batas at mapaparusahan sa ilalim ng ating batas (Anyone who violated the law will be held accountable and will be punished under our laws),” he added.

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights spokesperson Ravina Shamdasani on Tuesday, March 9 said that the UN is “appalled by the apparently arbitrary killing of nine activists in simultaneous police-military operations in Batangas, Cavite, Laguna and Rizal provinces surrounding Metro Manila.”

She also expressed concern over the crackdown further promoting violence and “red-tagging” against human rights defenders.

“We are deeply worried that these latest killings indicate an escalation in violence, intimidation, harassment and ‘red-tagging’ of human rights defenders,” said Shamdasani.

Meanwhile, the European

Pope Francis

Union (EU) reminded the Philippine government of its commitment to ensuring accountability for human rights violators.

“Reports on the use of excessive force against unarmed individuals and alleged irregularities in the law enforcement operations have raised concerns,” it said Tuesday, March 9.

“We recall the commitment undertaken by the Philippines at the Human Rights Council to ensure accountability for human rights violations and abuses, in accordance with due process under national courts of law and in full compliance with its international human rights obligations,” it added.

In response, Roque appealed to the EU to give the Philippines the chance to get to the bottom of the incident in Calabarzon.

“I ask the European Union, please give the Philippines a chance to discharge its obligation to investigate, punish, and prosecute those who may have breached our domestic laws,” the spokesman said.

Philstar.com photo

“We are undertaking and discharging the state obligation to investigate, prosecute, and punish,” he added.

Roque also assured that the Philippine National Police (PNP) will start using body cameras

by April to allay fears over state forces being violent during police crackdowns.

“Naririyan na po ang mga body cams. Nagte-training na po tayo at inaasahan po natin magagamit na po ang mga body cams na ‘yan sa buwan ng Abril nang maiwasan po yung pagduda ng taongbayan kung ano talaga ang mga pangyayari pag mayroon pong napatay (The body cams are there. They’re training and we expect them to start using body cams in April to avoid doubts that the public may have when someone is killed),” he said.

“Ang body cam ay physical evidence at hindi po magsisinungaling ang physical evidence (Body cams are physical evidence and physical evidence won’t lie),” he added. n

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Women in the time of COVID

WITH COVID-19 affecting the entire planet, some governments are doing better than others in pandemic response. And several of those with the best responses – as gleaned from both the health and economic indicators – are New Zealand, Taiwan, Denmark, Finland and Germany. They happen to have one thing in common: their governments are led by women.

Such performance in a once-in-acentury catastrophic crisis says a lot about the leadership capabilities of women. This is being recognized in this year’s theme for International Women’s Day on March 8: “Women in leadership: Achieving an equal future in a COVID-19 world.”

Women also account for a substantial number of those in the frontlines of the battle against COVID: nurses, caregivers, doctors, scientists, social workers as well as those providing health care for persons suffering from psychological and emotional distress arising from the pandemic. The lockdowns have also seen a spike in domestic violence against women and girls as well as online sexual exploitation of children.

While the leadership capabilities of women have been recognized, the United Nations reports that

women are heads of state or government only in 22 countries, and account for only 24.9 percent of national parliamentarians. At this rate, the UN estimates that it could take 130 years before gender equality is achieved among heads of government.

And while many women are health frontliners in the pandemic, the UN reports that on average, they are paid 11 percent less than their male counterparts for the same work. A study of COVID teams in 87 countries found only 3.5 percent with gender parity.

This month the 65th session of the Commission on the Status of Women will be held. Its theme gains more urgency in the pandemic: “Women’s full and effective participation and decision-making in public life, as well as the elimination of violence, for achieving gender equality and the em-

Editorial

The Fil-Am Perspective Gel SantoS-ReloS

for them to do their job and pass this bill so it gets to President Biden’s desk for his signature to make this legislation final and executory.

As reported by NPR, the American Rescue Plan will provide: Direct payments The bill allocates funds for a third economic impact payment to qualifying Americans.

Individuals earning up to $75,000 and couples earning up to $150,000 would receive the full direct payments of $1,400 per person. Individuals will also receive an additional $1,400 payment for each dependent claimed on their tax returns.

Senate Democrats agreed to lower the income cutoff at which payments phase out from $100,000 to $80,000 for individuals, and from $200,000 to $160,000 for couples filing jointly, following demands from moderate Democrats.

Unemployment benefits Under the Senate version, federal unemployment insurance payments will remain at $300 per week — down from $400 per week in the earlier package passed by the House.

The benefits will extend through Sept. 6. The Senate’s bill makes the first $10,200 in unemployment payments nontaxable for households with incomes under $150,000.

Child tax credit The legislation would temporarily expand the child tax credit, increasing the amount to $3,000 for children ages 6 to 17 and $3,600 for children under age 6.

The amount is gradually

YOU, yes, you. You and all the ordinary hardworking Americans will finally get the much-needed help to defeat COVID-19, save more lives and rebuild our nation -- after a year of death, destruction and desperation brought by the coronavirus pandemic.

Yes, YOU, and not just the millionaires and billionaires and corporations of America, have so much to look forward to in order to rebuild your livelihood that was disrupted by the pandemic.

Despair no more.

This will be made possible by the $1.9 Trillion coronavirus relief that “allocates money for vaccines, schools, small businesses and anti-poverty programs such as an expanded child tax credit that would mean new monthly payments to many parents,” the National Public Radio (NPR) reported.

Following the process of passing legislation, the American Rescue Plan that the House of Representatives passed was sent to the Senate. The Senate, in turn, had to make some changes, which the NPR explained, are needed to satisfy Senate budget rules and to gain bipartisan support.

This process required negotiations and compromise. No one party could get all that they wanted. This paved the way to the vote on the budget resolution which, the NPR reported, “set in motion a decades-old budget rule called reconciliation to get around the 60-vote threshold to end a filibuster and pass the legislation with a simple majority.”

The Democrat-led Senate was

Demand and Supply

Appreciating Pinoy talents

AFTER being sworn in as an American citizen two weeks ago in St. Paul Minneapolis, Minnesota, Chess Grandmaster Wesley So said taking on US citizenship “doesn’t mean that I don’t love the Philippines. I have good memories from there, but I did not have the connections I needed in that culture.

“I was from the province, not a city boy. Had no money, etc. I wanted to go further, and there is only one country that a nobody could make it. The USA.” So became the youngest grandmaster of the Philippines when he was 14 years old. It is well known he left the Philippines for the US after being exasperated with the politics of our local chess and national sports organizations.

So is the inaugural World Fischer Random Chess champion, whipping world No. 1 Magnus Carlsen 13.5 to 2.5 points in the finals held from Oct. 27 to Nov. 2, 2019 in the Norwegian’s

powerment of all women and girls.” While there have been significant gains in women empower-

ment worldwide, there is still much work ahead.

(Philstar.com)

After a year of coronavirus pandemic: Help is on the way to the American people to save more lives and rebuild our nation able to pass the bill because they have the numbers for a simple majority to do so even without Republican support to move the bill back to the House of Representatives.

The Republicans refuse to support the bill which they contend is too broad, and does not just fund COVID-related urgent needs. The Democrats, on the other hand, counter-argue that “the bill takes a holistic look at the entire American economy and how it was affected by the pandemic.”

“The major pieces of the bill — payments to individuals, extended unemployment, money for states and localities, money for schools — all of those things were in the COVID package that passed last year that all the Republicans voted for. So they were OK then, but they’re not OK now, and I frankly can’t really figure out that argument,” Maine’s Independent Senator Angus King pointed out.

President Biden’s legislative agenda aims to help the American people and the nation “build back better,” a campaign promise he aims to fulfill with the support of Congress.

Time is of the essence, especially for Americans who depend on the help coming from the enhanced unemployment benefits to pay for the basic needs of their families. Congressional leaders urgently push to get the bill to President Biden before March 14 — the date when current enhanced unemployment benefits are set to expire.

ALL of us need to do our share to tell our representatives in Congress how important it is

Boo ChanCo

Philstar.com photo

home turf.

He reasserted his supremacy over Carlsen not once, but twice in a span of a few months recently, beating the latter in the finals of Skilling Open, the first leg of the online Meltwater Champions Chess Tour, last November 2020, then again in the Europa Rapid meet finals in February this year.

So’s story highlighted the long running problem with Philippine sports federations which have been plagued by corruption and favoritism for decades.

Our inability to win medals in the Olympics is largely the result of politics infesting sports development in the country.

Even Manny Pacquiao and countless other boxers have been victimized by our exploitative sports structure. Manny only got respect after winning big internationally.

In recent years, those who make good in international sports are those who come from well to do families and are able to support their expenses for training and attendance in international competitions.

It isn’t only sports. Our propensity to make it difficult for

fellow Pinoys to succeed can be seen even in an exalted field like Medicine.

I came across the story of a talented Filipino doctor who went to the US for training, got his specialty credentials as a diplomate in neurosurgery. He opted to go home, anxious to practice, teach, and give back.

Sadly, he found out his colleagues in neurosurgery did not welcome him. He could not get in as a faculty in UST (where he was an alumnus), neither in UP, UE, FEU or MCU, even though he offered to teach with no salary.

None of the major hospitals in Metro Manila would take him as an active staff, but only allowed visiting privileges.

It is not unexpected. Local doctors don’t want him or any foreign trained and credentialed Filipino doctors back.

He patiently tried to work his way into the local system. Eventually, one hospital took him at the behest of a college buddy who knew the hospital CEO personally.

The neurosurgery chief of the hospital in the US where he trained, upon learning about

reduced for couples earning over $150,000 and individuals earning over $75,000 per year.

Families eligible for the full credit would get payments of up to $300 per child per month from July through the end of the year.

Congressional Democrats and the White House may want to figure out how to make the credit permanent.

Paycheck Protection Program The bill includes $7.25 billion in new money for the small-business loan program known as PPP and would allow more nonprofits to apply, including those groups that engage in advocacy and some limited lobbying. It also allows larger nonprofits to be eligible.

Education There are over $128 billion in grants to state educational agencies, with 90% allocated to local educational agencies, plus $39 billion in grants to higher education institutions. Nearly $15 billion in funds are directed to the Child Care & Development Block Grant program to help support child care facilities, particularly in high-need areas.

The Senate version added a provision to make any student loan forgiveness passed between Dec. 31, 2020, and Jan. 1, 2026, tax-free — rather than having the forgiven debt be treated as taxable income.

Support for low-income families The bill includes $4.5 billion for the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program, known as LIHEAP, to help families with

home heating and cooling costs.

One provision would give the agriculture secretary the authority and funding to temporarily boost the value of cash vouchers for the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) up to $35 per month for women and children for a four-month period during the pandemic.

There is $1.4 billion in funding for programs authorized under the Older Americans Act, including support for nutrition programs, community-based support programs and the National Family Caregiver Support Program.

The bill provides $37 million to the Commodity Supplemental Food Program for low-income seniors.

Public health The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is set to receive $7.5 billion to track, administer and distribute COVID-19 vaccines. Another $46 billion would go toward diagnosing and tracing coronavirus infections, and $2 billion would go toward buying and distributing various testing supplies and personal protective equipment.

Industry support There’s a variety of provisions in the legislation to offer support to different industries. The Small Business Administration would get $25 billion for a new grant program for “restaurants and other food and drinking establishments.” Grants would be up to $10 million per entity and $5 million per physical location, with a maximum of 20 locations. The legislation sets aside $5 billion of the total money to

be targeted to businesses with less than $500,000 in revenue in 2019. The bill includes another $1.25 billion for the Small Business Administration’s Shuttered Venue Operators Grant program.

To support the transportation sector, the bill allocates nearly $30 billion for transit costs, including payroll and personal protective equipment; $8 billion for airports; $3 billion for a temporary payroll support program to help support the aerospace manufacturing industry; and $1.5 billion to recall and pay Amtrak employees who were furloughed because of the pandemic and to restore various daily routes. Another $15 billion would also be allocated to support workers in the airline industry.

Rental assistance There is $25 billion for emergency rental assistance, including $5 billion for emergency housing vouchers for people experiencing homelessness, survivors of domestic violence and victims of human trafficking. ***

his plight, wrote and offered to help him return to the US if he wanted to, saying, “You would think they should embrace you with your training. You are a man without a country.”

But he was not deterred.

“Did fairly well very slowly, enough to buy a used car and a home with the help of my wife who taught in UP. Curiously, I had to buy my own portable operating microscope, specialty neurosurgery instruments… none of the hospitals had them.

All the neurosurgeons had their own equipment.”

This doctor didn’t take the snub personally. He said that perhaps we have just developed a tenacious instinct for survival, topped by unsinkable, maybe misplaced, pride.

“We can argue beyond self, that the locals’ brazen efforts to block outsiders are outright wrong! But realistically, we who return to practice in the Philippines, regardless of lofty aims and purposes, are serious competition in the profession and a threat to their income and livelihood. Would we, if we were in their shoes, act or do any different?”

So, this doctor thought that “rather than fight fire with fire, I opted to humble myself and

took extra effort to keep a low profile, be one of the guys. The initial enmity, which was overt, has gradually softened.”

Actually, the local medical community has been inhospitable not just to returning medical practitioners who are seen as competition. They are also making it difficult for medical missions organized by USbased Filipino doctors. Visiting Fil-Am doctors who serve for free should not be seen as competition.

Since 1998 Fil-Am doctors have met with seven different secretaries of health to try and work things out to no avail. In 2016, leaders of medical mission groups formed the FilAmerican Initiative to Transform the Homeland (FAITH) and once more they met with the DOH secretary and Philippine Medical Association leaders.

A memorandum of agreement was drawn up by 2017, but has not been signed by DOH Secretary Francisco Duque.

We need a new attitude that looks at all Filipinos, including those in our diaspora, as allies in the task of building our nation. In Medicine, so much change and progress is happening and interaction between our foreign-based doctors and

local practitioners should be helpful.

As this neurosurgeon puts it, “There is much to do in Medicine and for the country as a whole, and the hurdles are many, and steep. We cannot give up on our Philippines now.

Shouldn’t we who are in positions to help be part of it?”

Our inability to appreciate Pinoy talent out of jealousy or simply because they don’t fit into our culture of corruption explains why there is so much misery in our country today.

We could be roaring with the region’s tiger economies if we welcomed and used all the talents Filipinos have worldwide.

A change of attitude is called for. We must put out a wide welcome mat for Filipinos returning from the diaspora to help us improve life in the motherland.

Our ability to compete and even survive depends on it. (Philstar. com) ***

The opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by the author do not necessarily reflect the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints of the Asian Journal, its management, editorial board and staff.

*** Gel Santos Relos has been in news, talk, public service and educational broadcasting since 1989 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.

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.

*** Boo Chanco’s e-mail address is bchanco@ gmail.com. Follow him on Twitter @ boochanco

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

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Dateline PUNhiliPPines condemns killing of 9 Filipino activists

by Ritchel

Mendiola AJPress

THE United Nations has condemned the killing of nine activists in Calabarzon region by the Philippine police targeting suspected insurgents.

“We are appalled by the apparently arbitrary killing of nine activists in simultaneous policemilitary operations in Batangas, Cavite, Laguna and Rizal provinces surrounding Metro Manila,” UN High Commissioner for Human Rights spokesperson Ravina Shamdasani said in a news briefing on Tuesday, March 9.

She also expressed concern over the crackdown further promoting violence and “red-tagging” against human rights defenders.

“We are deeply worried that GROUNDBREAKING. Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque Jr. (left), Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez (2nd from left), and officials and personnel of the Cooperative Development Authority (CDA) lead the groundbreaking for the construction of the new CDA tower at its head office along these latest killings indicate an Aurora Boulevard, Cubao, Quezon City on Wednesday, Match 10. The event was one of the highlights of the agency’s 31st anniversary with the escalation in violence, intimidatheme “Trailblazing Transformative Cooperatives Against Poverty, Inequities, and Social Injustice”. PNA photo by Robert Oswald P. Alfiler tion, harassment and ‘red-tagging’ of human rights defenders,” said Shamdasani.

The crackdown took place on Sunday, March 7, two days afat least 5.6 million COVID-19 vac- the country’s general population ter Philippine President Rodrigo

by Ritchel Mendiola AJPress cine doses from Pfizer-BioNTech will start once the vaccines from Duterte ordered state forces to and AstraZeneca through the CO- Moderna and other brands arrive kill communist rebels and “ignore human rights.” in the Philippines.

SOME 117,000 doses of Pfizer- VAX facility.

Of the nine killings, seven were “Pagdating po sana ng ModerBioNTech’s COVID-19 vaccine In January, vaccine czar Carlito will arrive in the Philippines next Galvez Jr. said the country will be na at ng ibang mga bakuna, mag- identified by human rights group month, according to National provided with 117,000 doses of sisimula na tayo sa ating general Karapatan as members of proTask Force Deputy Chief Imple- the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine and population (When Moderna and gressive and indigenous groups. menter and Testing Czar Vince 5,500,800 to 9,290,400 doses of other vaccines arrive, we will start Among them were Ugnayan ng with our general population),” Mamamayan Laban sa PagwaDizon. the AstraZeneca vaccine. wasak ng Kalikasan at Kalupaan The batch of Pfizer jabs is unThe initial shipment of As- said Dizon. n der the COVAX Facility, a global traZeneca vaccines containing initiative from the World Health 487,200 doses already arrived in Organization (WHO) that aims the country on March 4. to ensure fair and equitable acSince the start of its vaccination cess to COVID-19 vaccines for all campaign last week, the Philipcountries. pines has so far administered “Nag-commit na po ang WHO around 44,000 doses to Filipino na darating po iyong 117,000 healthcare workers. doses ng Pfizer ngayong Abril, According to Dizon, the governsa susunod na buwan (The WHO ment aims to finish vaccinating all has committed that the 117,000 medical workers and senior citidoses of Pfizer will arrive this zens by April and May. April, next month),” Dizon said at “Ang objective po natin ay by the Laging Handa public briefing mid-year ay natapos na natin on Wednesday, March 10. ang healthcare workers pati na “Kaya malaking bagay din po rin ang ating mga senior citizen ito lalung-lalo na para sa ating (Our objective is that by mid year, mga healthcare workers na prior- we have finished vaccinating our ity nating matapos hanggang sa healthcare workers as well as our buwan ng Abril at Mayo (So this senior citizens),” he said. is also a big deal, especially for He also said that some 3.4 milour healthcare workers who are lion doses are needed to complete our priority to get vaccinated by the vaccination of the country’s April and May),” he added.

1.7 million medical front-liners.

The Philippines is set to receive Meanwhile, the vaccination for

PH to receive 117K Pfizer jabs by April

PH emergency response gets boost as US donates truck by chRistian

cRow Maghanoy ManilaTimes.net

THE Philippine National Police Highway Patrol Group (PNPHPG) got a boost in its capability to respond to emergencies after it received from the U.S. one unit of F550 Ford Truck.

“The PNP extends its heartfelt appreciation to the U.S. Embassy for the donation of a Ford truck that will help our HPG augment their police visibility in public roads and highways, especially in this time of the COVID-19 pandemic,” said PNP chief General Debold Sinas.

Sinas signed a deed of donation together with U.S. Attach Jason B. Hapkins, followed by the blessing of the Ford Truck at the PNP Transformation Oval, Camp BGen Rafael T. Crame on March 10, 2021.

Also present in the ceremony as witnesses were Motorpool Supervisor of the U.S. Embassy, Mr. Ermilio R. Samson, Jr., the PNP Command Group and directors of the PNP Logistics and Highway Patrol Group.

The donated truck has been officially recorded at the PNP Property Book as “PNP-owned mobile asset”. n

SC upholds case dismissal vs Arroyo over NBN-ZTE deal

MANILA — The Supreme Court upheld the Sandiganbayan’s dismissal of case against former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo over the allegedly anomalous National Broadband Network deal signed while she was the chief executive.

The SC’s Third Division has dismissed the Petition for Certiorari filed by the Office of the Special Prosecutor of the Office of the Ombudsman to reverse the Sandiganbayan’s grant of Arroyo’s demurrer to evidence in August 2016 for lack of merit.

A demurrer to evidence is a challenge to prosecution evidence. If granted, the case will be dismissed, without the accused needing to present their defense evidence.

In the assailed ruling, the Sandiganbayan dismissed the graft charge against Arroyo as it found that “the prosecution failed to prove the existence of any direct or indirect interest for personal gain on the part of [Arroyo] during the entire deliberations of the NBN Contract.”

But the Ombudsman, in its petition, said the anti-graft court committed grave abuse of discretion amounting to lack or excess of jurisdiction when it granted Arroyo’s demurrer.

The SC, however, junked the petition as it found it bereft of merit.

Double jeopardy The court held that while a grant of demurrer to evidence in a criminal case may be assailed

through a petition for certiorari under Rule 65, the plea at hand “infringes upon [Arroyo’s] constitutional right against double jeopardy.”

“We adhere to the finality-ofacquittal doctrine, that is, a judgment of acquittal is final and appealable. The right against double jeopardy is enshrined in Article III, Section 21 of the Constitution,” the resolution further read.

It added that the petition assails the Sandiganbayan’s evaluation and assessment of evidence presented by the prosecution, which are “purported errors of judgement or those involving misappreciation of evidence or errors of law.”

“All told, the instant petition primarily raises issues pertaining to alleged errors of judgment, not errors of jurisdiction, which is tantamount to an appeal contrary to the express injunction of the Constitution, the Rules of Court and prevailing jurisprudence.

Conformably then, we need not embark upon review of the factual and evidentiary issues raised by petitioner as these are obviously not within the realm of our jurisdiction,” the resolution read.

The SC resolution is dated Oct. 14, 2020, but was only recently made public. Associate Justice Marvic Leonen was noted as on leave, while Associate Justice Alexander Gesmundo stood as acting chairperson of the division. (Kristine Joy Patag/Philstar.com)

staff Chai Lemita-Evangelista and Ariel Evangelista, SIKKAD K3 members Michael Dasigao and Mark Lee Bacasno, Bagong Alyansang Makabayan-Cavite secretary general Manny Asuncion, and Dumagat tribe leaders Puroy dela Cruz and Randy dela Cruz.

At least six were also arrested during the search warrant operations including Courage-Rizal member Eugene Eugenio, Olalia KMU executive vice president Esteban Mendoza, BAYAN Laguna spokesperson Elizabeth Camoral, and political prisoners’ paralegal aide Nimfa Lanzanas.

The UN rights office, in response, urged the Philippine government and members of the security forces to “refrain from rhetoric that may lead to violations, and instead make public commitments to uphold human rights and the rule of law.”

It also appealed to the police to take “urgent measures to prevent the use of excessive force resulting in loss of lives during law enforcement operations.”

‘Disappointed’ Philippine Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra, for his part, said that he will include the CALABARZON killings in the Department of Justice’s ongoing task force probe into political killings.

He also expressed disappointment over the killings, saying they need to “sit down” with state

forces to ensure bloody crackdowns won’t happen anymore.

“I am quite disappointed kasi nga hindi nabawasan, notwithstanding na sinabi na natin ‘yan before the international body (I am quite disappointed because these were not avoided, notwithstanding my already saying this before an international body),” Guevarra said Monday, March 8.

“I was really hoping that with that statement I made before the UN, our law enforcers would be more careful in their operations but these things continue to happen so we really need to sit down with Philippine National Police (PNP), with the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA), and with other law enforcement to make sure na hindi na masyadong mangyayari itong ganito (that these things don’t happen anymore so), it could be avoided,” he added.

On Tuesday, Shamdasani welcomed Guevarra’s statement, but pointed out that the government’s probe into the recent killings “will be a critical test for the domestic investigative mechanisms it has established for cases of this kind.”

“The United Nations is working with the government to strengthen these mechanisms, but we stress that these must be prompt, transparent, and effective in order to meet international standards,” she added. n

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PH, US sign P4.8 billion educational aid

MANILA — A blanket curfew in Metro Manila may return for two weeks starting March 15, exactly a year since the capital region was placed under quarantine and with a new surge in COVID-19 infections already underway.

Metro Manila Development Authority Chairman Benhur Abalos in a briefing Thursday night said mayors reached a consensus for a 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. curfew in the National Capital Region.

The move will take effect on the 15th, a Monday, after the 17 local chief executives formalize it through a resolution of the Metro Manila Council.

But past decisions of the policy-setting council required approval from the Inter-Agency Task Force on the Management of Emerging Infectious Disease and from President Rodrigo Duterte.

A previous decision to relax restrictions in the region to a more lenient Modified General Community Quarantine in February was ultimately rejected by the president.

Abalos said they consulted the health department twice on the decision, and also met ear-

lier Thursday with members of OCTA Research, who warned that daily cases in NCR could reach between 2,000 to 3,000 by end of the month.

“They gave projections that if this is left unattended, the numbers will not be good,” the MMDA chief said in Filipino.

“From February 4 to 10, we have 360 cases a day. After a month, it became 1,411.”

The rise in new COVID-19 infections has reflected in the overall daily numbers that the country has reported. In recent days, new cases were at over 3,000, and today’s 3,749 was the highest in nearly six months.

Add to that, new variants of the COVID-19, particularly the B.1.1.7 or the one first seen in the United Kingdom and the B.1.351 or that detected in South Africa, have already reached the country with cases in Metro Manila.

The developments have led some local governments in the capital region to reimpose curfews, even before the decision on a uniform curfew.

Abalos said workers covered by the curfew need only to present company IDs to prove that

of health services, especially in treating tuberculosis and providing access to family planning services and community-based drug dependence treatment.

It also includes that with the Department of Finance to accelerate inclusive, market-driven economic growth by advancing policies that increase investment and trade, promoting private sector-led innovation and increasing information and communications technology access for the digital economy as well as that Philstar.com photos with the National Economic and Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte, Pasig City Mayor Vico Sotto and Manila City Mayor Isko Moreno Development Authority to protect the environment by promoting sustainable use of natural resources, expanding access to renewable energy and reducing risks from natural disasters.

Since 1945, the U.S. has supagenda in eradicating corruption. 30%).

by JanVic Mateo ported the Philippines in advancPhilstar.com Manila constituents approved The survey asked a total of ing the country’s development Moreno’s initiative for going 3,500 respondents, randomly segoals. Over the past 20 years MANILA — Quezon City Mayor around the city even at nighttime lected and divided proportionally alone, it has provided nearly Joy Belmonte emerged as the top to address problems. per local government unit based P228.8 billion ($4.5 billion) in performing local chief executive Rounding up the top five were on official population data. It had total assistance. n in Metro Manila, according to a Valenzuela Mayor Rex Gatchal- an error margin of +/- three%. non-commissioned, independent ian (76%, up from 75%) and Reelection survey released on Wednesday.

Marikina Mayor Marcelino TeWith 80% support, Sotto obBelmonte received the highest odoro (75%, up from 72%). tained the highest support among approval rating of 86% followed They were followed by Mayors his constituents when asked if

by Pasig Mayor Vico Sotto with Lino Cayetano of Taguig (69%, they would vote for him again in 83% and Manila Mayor Isko up from 67%), Abby Binay of the 2022 elections.

Moreno with 80%.

Makati (68%, up from 64%), Sotto was followed by BelmonThe poll was conducted from Toby Tiangco of Navotas (65%, te and Moreno at 76% and 75%, they are allowed to be outside Feb. 20 to 28 by the RP Mission down from 69%), Carmelita Ab- respectively. during the said hours, and quar- and Development Foundation alos of Mandaluyong (58%, up They were followed by Teantine passes would no longer Inc. (RPMDinc). from 55%), Francis Zamora of odoro (67%), Cayetano (60%), be needed.

The approval ratings of Bel- San Juan (55%, up from 53%) Binay (62%), Tiangco (58%), Medical personnel and other monte and Sotto increased by and Jaime Fresnedi of Muntin- Abalos (53%), Zamora (45%), essential workers such as those a point compared to a similar lupa (51%, up from 49%).

Ponce (39%), Aguilar (33%) and in food services are also exempt- survey last December. Moreno’s Six chief executives in Metro Rubiano (25%). ed from this, he added. score rose by three points.

Manila got approval ratings of Gatchalian, who is on his last Uniform hours, localized sancCiting comments from the re- below 50%: Oscar Malapitan of term, received 70% support tions spondents, Paul Martinez of RP- Caloocan (48%, up from 47%), from the respondents should he Despite a uniform curfew, lo- MDinc said Belmonte emerged Ike Ponce of Pateros (47%, up decide to run for reelection. cal governments will be given as the top performer based on from 45%), Edwin Olivarez of Other Metro Manila mayors the autonomy to determine innovations in addressing public Parañaque (44%, down from obtained less than 50% support sanctions or penalties for those concerns during the pandemic, 45%), Imelda Aguilar of Las Pi- from their constituents should caught violating in their cities. social and welfare services and ñas (37%, up from 34%), Anto- they run for another post: MalaAside from this, Abalos said ease in doing business and trans- lin Oreta of Malabon (35%, up pitan (42%), Fresnedi (40%), testing and tracing efforts will actions at city hall. from 31%) and Imelda Calixto Olivarez (38%) and Oreta also be ramped up in Metro Sotto was lauded for his core Rubiano of Pasay (33%, up from (27%). n Manila.

March 11 marks a year since the World Health Organization declared the COVID-19 a pandemic. Since then, it has infected MANILA — Philippine Nation- day morning. But before that, him to have themselves tested over 607,000 Filipinos at home, al Police (PNP) chief Gen. Debold all his swab tests, including the too and observe themselves for with more than 12,600 deaths.

Sinas tested positive for COVID- March 9 results — his second- possible infection.

The return of curfews as the 19, PNP spokesperson Brig. Gen. most recent test — were negaThe PNP chief said that while country battles a new surge Ildebrandi Usana confirmed on tive. he is recuperating, Lt. Gen. Guillcomes at a time when govern- Thursday, March 11.

He is still asymptomatic or has ermo Eleazar, the PNP’s Deputy ment claims that its response to In a statement, Sinas said that not experienced any symptoms. Chief for Administration, would the health crisis — long criticized his COVID-19 RT-PCR swab Sinas asked people who might be the officer-in-charge. (Inquiras being militarized — has been test results came out on Thurs- have come in direct contact with er.net) excellent, despite, it seems, that the world’s longest quarantine is back to square one. (Christian Deiparine/Philstar.com)

by Pia Lee-Brago

it’s an internal problem,” he said.

The envoy emphasized that ASEAN has the responsibility to protect the people of Myanmar.

“So we’re asking all the countries in ASEAN, our friends, our dear neighbors, to please stand with the people of Myanmar,” Sasa said.

Sasa said the 10-nation bloc would not earn the respect of the world if it will demonstrate weakness, noting that it should take immediate and decisive actions when there is an emergency.

“The ASEAN has the responsibility to stand where the truth is.

They can’t stand again and again covering these generals who have committed crime against humanity. If they still stand with them they’ll be blamed in history,” Sasa stressed.

“We’re calling on the internal community to act quickly and decisively, especially our ASEAN friends. This is the time for them to act. If they don’t act this time, again I believe history will judge us harshly,” he added.

Sasa slammed the military

junta’s plan to hold another election following their government takeover.

He called the military junta’s push for new election as “stupid” and “unjustified.”

“It’s meaningless. We don’t need another election,” he said.

The Philippines has expressed concern over the escalation of violence in Myanmar.

The Philippine government reiterated its call for a “complete restoration of the status quo and allow State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi to play her unifying role.”

UN Special Envoy to Myanmar Christine Schraner Burgener said the situation in the country challenges “the stability of the region” and could lead to a “real war.”

Myanmar has been in turmoil since the army seized power and detained Suu Kyi and much of her National League for Democracy leadership, who won the November election in a landslide, which the military said was fraudulent.

The election commission said the vote was fair. n

by Pia Lee-Brago Philstar.com

MANILA — The United States and the Department of Education (DepEd) have signed a new fiveyear bilateral assistance agreement, valued at more than P4.8 billion or $100 million, to improve basic education outcomes in the Philippines.

Through the agreement, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and DepEd continue and deepen their commitment to help children and out-of-school youth acquire the education and skills they need to succeed.

The agreement will advance the country’s efforts by increasing literacy rates, improving math competencies, enhancing social skills, improving secondchance education, employment and life skills for out-of-school youth and strengthening education governance.

Lawrence Hardy II, USAID

Philippines mission director, said this new bilateral agreement with DepEd to improve basic education outcomes marks a new era in the longstanding partnership to achieve a shared vision of quality education for all Filipino children and youth.

“These programs will strengthen Philippine institutions to provide quality education. It also recognizes the important and unique contributions the private sector and civil society bring to partnerships in achieving better education results,” Hardy added.

The bilateral agreement with DepEd is one of the four new assistance agreements between the U.S. and the Philippines launched in 2020 and 2021, with an anticipated total value of P32.7 billion or $675 million over five years.

The other new agreements include that with the Department of Health to strengthen health systems and bolster the quality

Belmonte, Sotto, Moreno top performing mayors – poll

Unified Metro Manila curfew may be back on March 15, a year into quarantine

PNP chief Sinas tests positive for COVID-19

4.5 million Filipinos jobless Myanmar envoy to ASEAN: Stand where truth is in 2020; highest in 15 years Philstar.com

MANILA — The special envoy of the Myanmar Parliament to the United Nations has urged the Association of Southeast Asian Nations to “stand where the truth is” and described the ASEAN’s response to the unrest and developments in the country as “very unfortunate.”

In an interview with “The Chiefs” on OneNews/TV5 on Monday night, Dr. Sasa, elected by a parliament committee to represent Myanmar to the UN, said the 54 million people of Myanmar are living in fear.

“Again and again some of our ASEAN friends continue to stand with the military junta, which is illegal. It’s not the will of the people of Myanmar,” Sasa said when asked about his assessment of the ASEAN’s response and individual countries.

“We’re calling them to stand with the people of Myanmar.

Not again with the illegitimate and illegal military-led government. That means that some of the countries again think that

PERSONAL

SERVICES

by Ben

o. de Vera Inquirer.net

MANILA — Some 4.5 million Filipinos were jobless last year for an average unemployment rate of 10.3%, the highest in 15 years, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) said on Monday, March 8.

In 2020, the Philippines imposed the longest and most stringent lockdown in Southeast Asia to contain the spread of COVID19, which, however, plunged the country into its worst postwar recession.

Citing the preliminary results of its annual estimates for the quarterly labor force survey rounds conducted last year, the PSA reported that of the 73.7 million in the labor force population or those age 15 and above, only 43.9 million or 59.5% were working or actively looking for a job, down from 61.3% in 2019.

“This translates to three in every five of the population 15 years and over who were either employed or unemployed. This annual labor force participation rate is lowest since the adoption

of the new definition of unemployed in April 2005, reflecting the effect of the various community quarantine restrictions, business closures, and physical distancing measures that were put in place in the Philippines starting March 2020 amid the COVID-19 pandemic,” the PSA said.Underemployment It added that the number of Filipinos with jobs last year also dropped to 39.4 million from 42.4 million in 2019 while the underemployment rate worsened to 16.2% compared to 13.8% in 2019.

The PSA defines underemployed as “employed persons who express the desire to have additional hours of work in their present job, or to have [an] additional job, or to have a new job with longer working hours.”In 2020, 6.4 million Filipinos considered themselves underemployed, up from 5.9 million in 2019.

While the prolonged lockdown halted the provision of nonessential services to promote social distancing and prevent the further spread of COVID-19 last year, the services sector still ac-

SERVICES

counted for the biggest share of workers at 56.9%, although down from 58.4% in 2019.

“Among the workers in the services sector, those engaged in the wholesale and retail trade, and repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles made up the largest proportion (20.5%) of employed persons,” the PSA said.

The agriculture sector cornered 24.8% of the employed in 2020, a larger share than 22.2% in 2019. The industry sector, meanwhile, accounted for 18.3% of last year’s jobs, lower than 19.3% in 2019.

Among the employed, wage and salary workers remained the biggest class, accounting for 62.9% of the total, of which 48.9% worked in the private sector compared to 9.5% in government and state-run corporations, 4.2% in private households, and 0.3% in family-owned businesses.

In work hours, the number of full-time workers as a share of total employed people fell to 55.9% last year from 69.3% in 2019, while part-time employees climbed to 34.5% last year from 2019’s 29.9%. n

Las vegas ASIAN JOURNAL

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VEGAS&STYLE Journal

inside

LifestyLe • Consumer Guide • Community • MARketpLAce

Hear me roar: A brief history of the groundbreaking Filipina Looking back at revolutionary Filipinas who broke — and continue to break — barriers in national independence, social work, medicine and arts and entertainment by

Klarize Medenilla / AJPress

TO understand the world, one must understand women; it is simply impossible to know world history without the history of women — in a biological sense and in a cultural sense.

The Philippines is a country built on the strength of resilient women. On a macro level, women in the Philippines — before, during and after colonial occupations —have always held positions in power.

On a micro level, women are the central figure of the household, as mothers, wives, lolas (grandmas) and titas (aunts) are respected members of any extended family.

That being said, to honor Women’s History Month is to honor the Filipinas — of the motherland and

Illustration of Gabriela Silang by Bayani Art

of the diaspora — who helped cultivate the strong and resilient identity of the Groundbreaking Filipina, the woman who pushes boundaries and subverts patriarchal systems of power in the name of equality and fairness.

Early national heroines For nearly four centuries, the Philippines was a colonial instrument during the golden ages of world imperialism. The influence of European — and then, American — occupation remains in the country today, but with the help of early Filipina revolutionaries, the fight for a truly unique Filipina identity continues today.

Gabriela Silang (1731-1763) was a military leader who spearheaded the Ilocano campaign for independence from Spain. Born in Ilocos Sur to a

Teresa Magbanua

Spanish Ilocano father and a Tinguian mother, Gabriela Silang was separated from her parents as a young girl and was raised by a priest.

Known as the “Joan of Arc of Ilocandia,” Gabriela Silang became integral to her second husband’s, Diego Silang, effort to overthrow Spanish control in Ilocos and appoint native Filipino leaders. After his assassination by the Spanish in 1763, Gabriela assumed her husband’s position as commander of rebel troops and mobilized local fighting forces to lodge successful guerrilla attacks against Spanish soldiers.

During the fight to liberate Vigan, the fearless Filipina leader led more than 2,000 soldiers against a formidable Spanish force of more than 6,000 men, but outnumbered natives were captured and eventually, the Spanish military executed her in September 1763.

Despite her demise, Gabriela Silang is regarded as a national symbol in the fight for independence and is known as “the first Filipina to lead an uprising against a foreign power.”

More than a century after the exploits of Gabriela Silang, a school teacher from Manila named Teresa Magbanua (1868-1947) parlayed her skills in horseback riding and marksmanship (which she learned while married to a wealthy businessman) to join the Katipunan’s women’s chapter in Panay.

She was influenced after her brothers joined an uprising against the Spanish military and convinced her uncle, General Perfecto Poblador, to led her lead trips in the Visayas during the revolution, the first and only woman to do so. During this time, she lead a group of bolo soldiers during the Battle of Barrio Yoting and the Battle of Sapong Hills, two victories that led to the liberation of Iloilo City.

After that first success, Magbanua collaborated with guerrilla forces in fighting against Americans at the turn of the century and later, against Japanese forces during WWII, making her one of the few who fought for Philippine independence against all three of the country’s main instigators: Spain, the U.S. and Japan.

Pioneers in the modern era As the Philippines was slowly moving towards

Encarnacion Alzona

becoming a totally sovereign nation, innovation and cultural expansion grew among the Filipino people. A standard for what it means to be a pioneer had been set, and Filipinas of the Modern Era helped catapult the global Filipino community onto the world stage.

Encarnacion Alzona (1895-2001) was a pioneering Filipino historian, educator and suffragist who was also the first Filipina to earn a Ph.D. As white American women won the right to vote in 1920, Alzona was among the few who spoke out in favor of the right to vote for Filipino women.

Born in Laguna, Philippines, Alzona’s father was a trial court judge and a distant relative of the renowned national hero Jose Rizal. Both Alzona’s parents encouraged the young girl to pursue academic excellence, an influence that helped Alzona earn undergraduate and master’s degrees from the University of the Philippines in Manila (UPM).

PAGE 10

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Hear me roar: A brief history of the...

PAGE 10 She pursued further studies in the U.S., earning a master’s degree from Harvard University in 1920 and a Ph.D from Columbia University in 1923.

When she moved back to the Philippines at the end of the 1920s, Alzona dedicated herself to the suffragist movement and penned several books on the topic; many credit her 1934 tome “The Filipino Woman: Her Social, Economic and Political Status (1565-1933)” as an integral piece in granting Filipino women the right to vote in the Philippines in 1937.

In 1985, she was granted the rank and title of National Scientist of the Philippines and her extensive bibliography continues to be a staple in the Philippine history genre.

Another Harvard graduate, Dr. Fe Del Mundo (1911-2011), another boundary-breaker in higher education, was an extremely influential pediatrician who founded the first pediatric hospital in the Philippines.

As reported in the Asian Journal, Del Mundo was inspired to become a doctor after one of her sisters died of appendicitis in her youth. After a stellar undergraduate stint at the UPM, then President Manuel Quezon recognized her achievements and offered her a full scholarship to any U.S. college of her choice for further studies. She chose Harvard University, and became the first woman ever to study at Harvard Medical School.

After years of frustration of working for a government hospital, Del Mundo sold her home and possessions to establish the Philippines’ first pediatric hospital, The Children’s Medical Center in Quezon City, in 1957 — the first medical facility of its kind in the entirety of Asia.

Del Mundo continued working through her 90s, making hospital rounds and seeing patients even when her own health began to deteriorate.

“I’m glad that I have been very much involved in the care of chil-

Knowing that community trust is crucial for AAPIs to seek help from violent home life, Rimonte established the Center for the Pacific Asian Family in Los Angeles, the first anti-domestic abuse organization dedicated to serving AAPI survivors and victims.

“We got high statistics but people didn’t want to talk about it. The issue of concealment and detail is huge. People told me not use the word ‘rape’ [for the center’s rape hotline] because women wouldn’t use it. I refused because I thought this was colluding with the community in hiding the issue. I thought it was time to bring it out, and it paid off,” Rimonte told the Los Angeles Times in 1981.

The multi-lingual and multicultural center — which still operates today — provides emergency and transitional shelter as well as counseling and case management.

Though Filipino American musicians today are mainly associated with hip-hop culture and Broadway, a little known band from the early to mid-1970s called Fanny set an important standard for women in music.

Filipina American sisters June and Jean Millington — who were born to a Filipina socialite and a U.S. Navy lieutenant commander — moved from the Philippines to Sacramento, California, where they formed two all-female bands in high school with June on the guitar and Jean on the bass.

The sisters — and their former bandmates Alice de Buhr, Nickey Barclay and Brie Brandt — moved to Los Angeles and rebranded as Fanny after being discovered by producer Richard Perry during a gig at The Troubadour Club in West Hollywood in 1969.

Altogether, the band released three albums, but because of the male-dominated nature of rock music at the time, the band largely went under the radar, despite being the first all-female group to achieve a Billboard Top 40 single (they released two during their short duration).

But those within the music industry lauded Fanny for its fresh sound, even garnering high profile fans like the legend David Bowie, who told Rolling Stone in 1999 that “[they] were extraordinary: they wrote everything, they played like m*therfuckers. They were just colossal and wonderful, and nobody’s ever mentioned them.”

Though the group ended up splitting by 1975, Fanny’s impact was monumental for women in rock. Throughout their career, the Millington sisters were adamant in rejecting record executive’s suggestions to emphasize sex appeal like other female acts of the time, preferring to acquire a reputation based on their talent and sound.

The now and beyond As the Filipino diaspora continues to grow, so do the possibiliNilda Rimonte ties for the Groundbreaking Filipina. The arts and entertainment are the lifeblood of the Filipino community with acute attention placed on Filipino representation in Western media.

But there are many groundbreaking Filipinas in the arts today who are redefining the boundaries of what it means to be a storyteller.

As the conversation on gender continues to evolve, Filipino figures within the LGBTQ+ community are part of the force leading the way to cultural inclusion.

Model Geena Rocero, born in Manila, started her career as a beauty pageant contestant at the age of 15. After moving to the U.S. in the aughts, Rocero Filipina American sisters Jean (left) and June (far right) Millington with Fanny bandmate was discovered by a fashion Brie Darling. Fanny was an all-women rock band in the 1970s that achieved critical success photographer in New York City, like two Billboard Hot 100 top 40 singles.

Photo by Madeloni Photography a chance encounter that led to a dren, and that I have been relevant to them. They are the most outstanding feature in my life,” Del Mundo said in 2007.

Another pioneer of the crucial mid-century was Victoria “Vicki” Manalo Draves, a Filipina American competitive diver who became the first Asian American to ever win Olympic gold medals.

Draves was born in San Francisco to a Filipino father and an English mother and became interested in diving at the age of 16. As she became more competitive, she changed her name to Vickie Taylor to avoid racial discrimination for her Filipino background.

In 1948, at the age of 23, Draves won five U.S. diving championships, which allowed her to join the U.S. team at the London Olympics, where she won a gold medal in the 10-meter platform and springboard, becoming the first woman to win both titles.

She was also the first Asian American to ever win a gold medal. Staying true to her roots, she dedicated her post-diving life to advocate for Filipino American issues, supporting the Filipino Education Center in San Francisco in the 1960s when the second wave of Filipino immigrants came and settled in the Bay Area.

As Filipinos were adjusting to their newfound sovereignty after centuries of colonialism and occupation, the community and the diaspora boomed, clearing the way for Filipinas to make their mark in society and pop culture.

As more and more Asians began migrating to the U.S., the need for social services that specifically cater the Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) community became acutely apparent.

In the late 1970s, Filipina American domestic violence survivor Nilda Rimonte saw the need for a resource that supports AAPI victims of domestic abuse and understood that AAPIs (especially immigrants) are among the least likely groups to seek help.

Dr. Fe del Mundo

Vicki Manalo Draves

Geena Rocero

Diane Paragas

Isabel Sandoval

Eva Noblezada

fruitful career in fashion editorials.

As a transgender woman, Rocero rose up as an advocate for trans rights; she and fellow trans model Tracey Norman became the first two openly transgender models to appear on the cover of Harper’s Bazaar in 2016. But Rocero’s big breakout came in 2019 when she was chosen as the Playboy Playmate of the Month for August 2019, becoming the first openly transgender AAPI model to pose for the lauded publication.

“As the first trans Asian Pacific Islander Playmate, I feel that I’m making it possible for someone to reach for their biggest dreams just like the people who came before me,” Rocero said in 2019. “I also hope that for anyone who’s been deemed ‘other’ to know that what makes you different, is your power, especially the unapologetic expression of your sexuality, gender and the value of your unique perspective.”

In the era of diversity and inclusion in Hollywood, the primary concern among cinema aficionados — who fear for the disintegration of the art form — is the preservation of authentic and sophisticated story-telling.

Streaming services and content pushers like Netflix and Marvel are regularly criticized for mass producing narratively sub-par content that may be diverse, racially and culturally, but lack creativity and

imagination: which, to many, will eventually render the art of cinema nearly obsolete.

But filmmakers like Diane Paragas (writer, director and producer of “Yellow Rose”) and Isabel Sandoval (director, writer, producer and star of “Lingua Franca”) are bridging the gap between mainstream representation trends and auteur filmmaking.

As written about in the Asian Journal, “Yellow Rose” (available on Amazon Prime) tells the coming of age tale of a young undocumented Filipina in Texas named Rose who longs to be a country music star and struggles to find herself after immigration officers detain her mother. The film’s style is reminiscent of the raw, elegantly dusty pictures of John Ford and the ethereal and devastatingly poetic films of Terrence Malick.

“I kind of wanted to do a country song as a film, something that is something authentic, simple and straight with a lot of emotion,” Paragas told the Asian Journal in a 2019 interview.

“That’s what I was going for in terms of the tone of the film: a simple, true authentic story that feels real and grounded in something poetic.”

The film stars Tony-nominated Filipina American actress and singer Eva Noblezada (“Miss Saigon,” “Hadestown”) in her feature film debut, but the resolute spirit with which she brought to the role powered the film.

Carrying a narrative isn’t new to Noblezada, another Groundbreaking Filipina, who brought an effortlessly youthful energy as the leading character of Eurydice in the popular Broadway musical “Hadestown.”

In 2020, Sandoval made waves in the prestige independent film circuit with her third film “Lingua Franca,” a dramatic love story about a Filipina living in New York City who struggles to make money for her mother in the Philippines and to pay for an American man to marry her for a green card.

The intimate lens with which Sandoval — who is trans — tells her story rejects popular filmmaking styles that opt for grandiosity and exclamations, preferring “complexity” in her “quiet, patient [and] subtle” narrative approach.

“We have to establish what is distinct and unique about our voice and our worth because it’s so easy to get pigeonholed or to be put in a box especially for someone like me,” Sandoval told the Asian Journal last year.

“There will always be several expectations about you and the community you belong to and it’s easy for Hollywood to just be like, ‘You’re an immigrant so you should be telling immigrant stories or you’re trans so you should be making films about the trans experience,’ and kind of impose on me the kinds of stories that I should be telling and [am] only capable of telling.”

Liza Soberano, Shay Mitchell to voice Alexandra Trese in upcoming Netflix anime series

By Ritchel

Mendiola AJPress

ACTRESSES Liza Soberano and Shay Mitchell have been cast to voice supernatural detective Alexandra Trese in the upcoming Netflix original anime series “Trese.”

Soberano and Mitchell will be lending their voices for the titular character of the highly-anticipated anime series, Netflix Philippines announced on Monday, March 8.

The series is based on the Philippine graphic novel created

by Budjette Tan and KaJO Baldisimo.

“Call Alexandra… cause I’ve got news. It’s official, @lizasoberano [and] @shaymitch are Alexandra Trese!!! May strong women always lend a voice to one another, especially when there’s an aswang or two around.

Happy International Women’s Day,” the streaming platform said in a tweet.

Soberano will voice Alexandra Trese in the Filipino language version of the series. She took to Twitter to share her excitement over the project.

“Screaming on the inside!!!!!!

It’s an honor to be the voice of an iconic character such as Alexandra Trese. I’m a huge fan of Budjette and KaJO’s award-winning Trese comics. Maraming salamat! Excited nako (Thank you so much! I’m excited)!” she said.

Filipina-Canadian Mitchell, who previously starred in “Pretty Little Liars” and Netflix’s “You,” will voice the female lead character in the English version.

“I’m so excited to be a part of a unique and amazing project like Trese, and to voice a character as brilliant as Alexandra Trese.

Philippine folklore is rich and fascinating, and I am thrilled to be a part of the team bringing this story to life,” she said.

“Trese” tells the story of Alexandra Trese, who protects Manila from threats of the supernatural kind such as tikbalang and kapre.

It is executive produced by Jay Oliva and produced by Shanty Harmayn and Tanya Yuson of BASE Entertainment, a Jakarta and Singapore-based studio.

Oliva, a Filipino American, is an executive producer, director, and showrunner for several animated series as well as the founder and CEO of Lex and Otis animation studio. He directed “Batman: The Dark Knight Returns” 1 and 2, and worked as a storyboard artist for live-action films such as “Man of Steel.”

In a release to the media, he admitted that casting Alexandra Trese was going to be challeng-

Pinay actresses Liza Soberano (left) and Shay Mitchell will voice Alexandra Trese in the upcoming Netflix original anime series “Trese.”

ing.

“It is important for the voice talent to embrace the layered character to fully become Alexandra Trese,” he said.

“My concerns went away as soon as Shay Mitchell stepped into the recording booth. Shay’s Alexandra exceeded my expec-

tations and she delivers a performance of strength, determination and family duty that is at the very core of the character,” he added.

Oliva also praised Soberano’s casting, saying he was a “big fan” of hers.

“If that wasn’t enough, imagine my delight when we con-

firmed Liza Soberano joining the Filipino voice cast! I am a big fan of hers and she fits the character so well. Having Liza play Alexandra Trese for the series makes this project even more special to me and my team!” he said.

“Trese” will be released on Netflix later this year.

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Features

LAS VEGAS ASIAN JOURNAL • mARch 11-17, 2021

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Fil-Am star Olivia Rodrigo NaFFAA-NV honors 16 Filipina makes Billboard history, achievers for outstanding social, economic, surpassing Mariah Carey, BTS cultural and civic engagement

by Gloria

T. Caoile

To celebrate Women’s History Month, the National Federation of Filipino American Associations—Nevada (NaFFAA-NV) has honored 16 outstanding women for achievements in five fields.

The honorees were selected by

the awards committee, and then recognized during a Zoom event on Monday, March 8.

Friends, family, and other members of the community joined the virtual ceremony, where they got to hear the women share lessons they have learned and participate in a Q&A session.

‘Float,’ Pixar’s first short featuring Filipino characters, reaches 20M views on YouTube By riTChel

Mendiola AJPress

PIXAR Animation Studios’ “Float,” written and directed by Filipino American storyboard artist Bobby Alcid Rubio, has garnered over 20 million views since its February release on YouTube.

First released in November 2019 on Disney+, “Float” is the first Pixar short to feature Filipino characters.

The seven-minute animated film tells the story of a father trying to keep his infant son’s special ability to fly a secret.

The animated short is based on Rubio’s relationship with his son Alex, who is on the autism spectrum. He submitted it to Pixar’s SparkShorts, an immersive storytelling program that gives studio employees six months and a budget to develop animated short films. on Tuesday, March 9, Rubio took to Twitter to express his excitement over the short’s milestone.

“20 MILLIoN VIEWS. 720K Likes. Just a week has passed and the response has been overwhelmingly positive! #PixarFloat’s message to #CelebrateourDifferences is much needed right now and I am glad that

it has resonated with people all across the world!” he wrote.

Pixar on February 27 released “Float,” along with “Wind,” another animated film by Korean director Edwin Chang amid the recent spike of violent attacks against Asian and Asian American communities in the United States.

“Pixar Animation Studios and the SparkShorts filmmakers of FLoAT are in solidarity with the Asian and Asian American communities against Anti-Asian hate in all its forms,” the studio said.

“We are proud of the onscreen representation in this short and have decided to make it widely available, in celebration of what stories that feature Asian characters can do to promote inclusion everywhere,” it added.

As of this writing, “Float” has amassed 24,783,926 views and over 735,000 likes on YouTube.

“At the end of the day, [‘Float’] is about the bond between father and son. It’s about unconditional love, especially amongst family members and amongst everybody. I want that to be the end thing that people get. It’s about love and acceptance and hopefully, that will resonate,” Rubio told the Asian Journal in a 2019 interview.

“Float” made history as the first Pixar animation featuring Filipino characters.

Photo courtesy of Pixar

“We were delighted to honor this incredible group of Filipino Women Achievers of NV and pay tribute to their accomplishments and contributions,” said Cynthia Deriquito, chair of NaFFAA-NV. “Women’s History Month is about acknowledging the women who have shaped American history, and these women are all positive forces in their own right,” she continued.

This year’s honorees received recognition for making their mark in the following fields: community;education; health care; business; and philanthropy.

The women recognized are: Community: Judge Cheryl B. Moss; Josie Harrison; Margie Gonzales; Florence Remulla Education: Doris Bauer; Katrina Hernandez; Leslie Tiratira Health Care: Dr. Teresita Melocoton; Dorothy Domingo; Joy Guideng Business: Edna White; Magnolia Magat; Jackie Lim Philanthropy: Minda Banaria; Luz S. Micabalo; Minddie Lloyd “our honorees work in different fields and come from different walks of life, but what they all have in common is that they are working to uplift our community.We are so proud of these Filipino Women Achievers of NV, and it was a privilege to hear from them all in one event,” echoed the Awards Committee in unison.

By riTChel

Mendiola AJPress

FILIPINA American Disney star and singer olivia Rodrigo has made Billboard history with her debut single “Drivers License.”

The song is now the longestrunning number-one song on the Billboard Global 200, dominating the chart for seven consecutive weeks. It surpassed BTS’s “Dynamite” and Mariah Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas Is You,” both of which racked up four frames atop the list.

“At present, it continues to succeed not only thanks to sustained sales and streaming activity, but also due to a lack of serious challengers,” according to a Forbes article published on February 21.

“Drivers License” collected 63.5 million streams, the week’s top streaming sum, as well as 20,000 sold worldwide in the tracking week of February 19 to 25.

Billboard on Tuesday, March 2, also announced that Rodrigo’s chart-topping hit became the seventh song in history to spend its first seven weeks on the Billboard Hot 100 chart at number one.

It joins “one Sweet Day”

by Mariah Carey & Boyz II Men, “Candle in the Wind 1997”/”Something About the Way You Look Tonight” by Elton John, “God’s Plan” by Drake, “I’ll Be Missing You” by Puff Daddy &

Olivia Rodrigo’s official debut single “Drivers License” has been dominating the charts of major streaming platforms.

Photo from Instagram/@olivia.rodrigo

Faith Evans feat. 112, “Hello” by Adele, and “Fantasy” by Mariah Carey.

The 17-year-old star of “Bizaardvark” and “The High School Musical: The Musical: The Series” was born to an American mother of Irish and German descent, and a Fil-Am father.

In an interview with the Center for Asian American Media (CAAM), Rodrigo talked about the Fil-Am side of her family.

“My great-grandfather immigrated here from the Philippines when he was just a teenager.

He’s my grandma’s dad, and my grandpa is also Filipino as well,”

she said.

“My dad grew up in a house where they were always making Filipino food, his grandpa always spoke Tagalog. All of those traditions have trickled down to our generation. Every Thanksgiving we have lumpia, and things like that,” she added.

Rodrigo also revealed that she wants to go to the Philippines one day.

“I have never been to the Philippines, but I really, really want to. We still have extended family there, but I’ve never met them.

That’s on my bucket list, definitely,” she said.

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March 11-17, 2021 • LaS VEGaS aSIaN JOUrNaL

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