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USA USA

DATELINE DATELINE Palace slamstoMidler ‘A candidate unite for Duterte criticism America’: Why Filipino Americans are coming out in support of Biden’s presidential bid FROM THE AJPRESS NEWS TEAM ACROSS AMERICA FROM THE AJPRESS NEWS TEAM ACROSS AMERICA

MALACAÑANG on Sunday, November 24, slammed singer-actress Bette Midler for describing President Rodrigo Duterte as one of the world’s most detestable leaders as well as lumping him together with the likes of U.S. President Donald Trump and Nazi leader Adolf Hitler. “She, however, has no right as she is incompetent and a gullible talking head as mailed well, WHEN 19-year-old Angelo Salva Cruz oninmatters concerning foreignprimary leaders this sheweek, has his ballot for the California nohispersonal saidVice presidential decisionknowledge to vote for of,” former President spokesperson Salvador Joe Biden was in part Panelo. because he remembered “She should be circumspect as an influencer learning the term ‘political polarization’ in a reand refrain centshould college class. from giving one-sided and judgmental comments ona spectrum, internal affairs of “Instead of there being we’re seeanother if herwith refering twosovereign extremes.state, Even especially though I agree a lot ences are false narratives coming fromtoo themuch poof things Bernie [Sanders] says, he’s litical some on biased outlets of a opposition wild card toand depend him.media Joe Biden is a whose agenda is and to besmirch President Rodrigo lot more sound has the experience,” Cruz, a first-time voter from Cupertino, California, told u PAGE A2

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Governor Newsom FilipinosEarly in USChildhood urged announces to register to vote Policy Council and a teamin PHmaster elections tonext develop plan for early learning and care

AHEAD of the 2022 Philippine national and local elections, overseas Filipinos are being reminded to register to vote. SACRAMENTO – Governor Gavin Newsom Though the deadline to register is over a year on Friday, November 22, selecaway on September 30,announced 2021, the the Philippine tion of diverseonexperts, practitioners and parCommission Elections (COMELEC) and the ents to guide California’sofefforts on Affairs-Overearly learnPhilippine Department Foreign ing and care. Secretariat The Governor today appointed 20 seas Voting (DFA-OVS) are starting members of theefforts, state’sasnew Early Childhood their outreach registration began in Policy Council and advisory committees, includDecember 2019. ing Under national experts,Act practitioners, parents. Republic No. 9189,and as amended He announced creation of an Early by also Republic Act No.the 10590, all citizens of the Childhood Action Research to develop a Philippines or dual FilipinoTeam American citizens, Master Plannot fordisqualifi Early Learning which who are ed by and law,Care, at least 18

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Also published published inin LOS ANGELES, LAS VEGAS, NEW YORK/NEW JERSEY Also

6 Filipinos Grand ship Firing VP onakin to Princess EJK — Lagman

docked in CA infected with coronavirus by JESS

DIAZ Philstar.com

OPPOSITION Rep. Edcel M Lagman of Albay on by RITCHEL ENDIOLA Tuesday, November 26, likened AJPress to an extrajudicial killing President Duterte’s removal of Vice President Leni Robredo as co-chairperson of the Inter-Agency SIX Filipinos aboard the MV Grand Princess — Committee on Anti-Illegal Drugs (ICAD).— have tested now docked in Oakland, California “The summary of the vice(COVID-19), president asthe positive for thedismissal novel coronavirus ICAD co-chairDepartment without anyofvalid reasons Philippine Health confiand rmeddue this process week.is akin to an extrajudicial killing. Like EJK victims, fought based and criticized the Duterte TheRobredo confirmation, on a report from the administration’s bloody for warDisease on drugs,” United States Centers ControlLagman and Presaid. vention (CDC), was delivered by Joel Buenaventura He claimed that the10, president firedprogram Robredo on Tuesday, March chief health offitocer hide her data on theHealth anti-drugs campaign. offrom the DOH’s Migrant Unit during a House of Representatives committee hearing. However, it is not yet clear whether the six in-

PNP says Robredo did not commit Virus cases‘missteps’ rise to 46 asindrug PH asczar public health

Her dismissal “is similar to the extrajudicial killing of some victims to silence them and cover up incriminatory information known to them,” he said. Lagman belongs opposition Party fected Filipinos areto allthe crew membersLiberal or if some of (LP), Robredo chairs. themwhich are passengers. Another LP leader, Christopher Belmonte of Philippine ConsulJose General in San Francisco Quezon City, whoJr. is previously the party’s said secretary Henry Bensurto there general, are 529 said the vice was fired asFilipino she might have Filipino crewpresident members and nine passen“discovered significant information on the root of gers on the luxury cruise ship. ourInnation’s drug trade.” an advisory, the Philippine government is “What was to herEmbassy was putting a stop to working withimportant the Philippine in Washingthe That’s why she talked the right peotonkillings. D.C., Consulate General in SantoFrancisco, U.S. ple, coordinated theline rightonagencies, asked the government andwith cruise the repatriation of right questions. Whyand wascrew she suddenly Filipino passengers membersremoved?” “who wish Belmonte asked. repatriated.” to be voluntarily Another congressman, Rufus of CaThe Grand Princess had beenRodriguez stranded off the coast of San Francisco after it was stopped by United States officials to test those on board for

gayan de Oro City, said Robredo’s removal was “rather unfortunate.” “President Duterte’s experiment in appointing her was doomed from very start. Thethat VP is leader of the potential virus the infection, a move was decidthe opposition, lawyer andwho an advocate of human ed after severalapassengers were on the Grand rights. Herearlier viewsvoyage on the and anti-illegal drugs campaign Princess’ remained on the cruise were diametrically opposed to thedeveloped current thrusts of ship for its next stop to Hawaii flu-like the administration,” he said. symptoms. Rodriguez saidalso Duterte’s Club was thereReports have said “All that Boys the Grand Princess fore worried, to say the least, on her entry into the previously carried the first person who died from picture.” COVID-19 in California. “To her appointment was totally unacceptU.S.them, Vice President Mike Pence announced that able. So it’sout now as usual,” added. 21 people of business the 45 tested were he positive for COThe militant group Bagong Alyansang Makabayan VID-19. (Bayan) said theMarch people9,are Robredo’s On Monday, theawaiting cruise ship dockedreat port on the drug war. (With Rhodina Villanueva) ■ the port in Oakland with its first passengers finally disembarking. As of Tuesday, 1,406 people had dis-

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emergency declared by RITCHEL

MENDIOLA AJPress

CONTRARY to Malacañang’s reasons for by AJP firing Vice President LeniRESS Robredo as cochair of the Inter-Agency Committee on Anti-Illegal Drugs of(ICAD), the Philippine THE number novel coronavirus (CONational Police November 26, VID-19) casesoninTuesday, the Philippines has risen saidtothey did after not President see Robredo make any 49, days Rodrigo Duterte “missteps” her 18-day stint as the declared during a state of public health emergenadministration’s anti-drug czar. cy in the country. “During her stay asDepartment co-chair of ICAD, we The country’s of Health haven’t report or as mis-of (DOH)really confinoticed rmed 16anynew cases steps,” said PNPMarch spokesman Bernard Banac Wednesday, 11. Ten of the new pain an interview with ANC’s “EarlyorEdition.” tients have no history of travel exposure “But in the continuing discussion, of to someone with COVID-19, while two course, is that of ideas werethere exposed to exchange someone with the and viral insofar as discussion on a higher level, the disease. Three from Japan, PNP is not more really foreigners involved anymore so Sinwe gapore, andhigher South Korea with histories leave it to the authorities,” he add-of ed. travel to the Philippines contracted COVID19, the department also announced. According to Presidential spokesperson “WePanelo, have six confirmed cases ofsevforSalvador Robredo committed nationals with history of travel to the eraleign ‘missteps’ including seeking the advice Philippines,” said Health Secretary Franof certain foreign institutions and person-

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SAFETYTOGETHER. GEAR. Seller of faceRodrigo masks made of joins clothother drawsleaders buyersfrom nearthe Munoz public market along Roosevelt Avenue in Quezon City on Wednesday, March LINKED President Duterte Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and Republic of Korea President 11. People clothforface masksphoto amidprior the shortage andofhigher price of surgical masksCommemorative triggered by theSummit new cases of Busan the deadly coronavirus disease. Moon Jae-inresort as theytopose a family to the start the ASEAN-Republic of Korea at the Exhibition and Convention Priceson ofTuesday, fabric face masks range PNAMalacañang photo by Robert Oswald P. Baylon Alﬁler Center November 26. from P25 to P65 depending on the style and design. photo by Arman

SF to provide temporary housing for people needing PH Supreme Court defers action ABS-CBN April Senate Drilon says House to blame foron SEA Gamespetition budgettomess bill seeks to teach GMRC anew by by RITCHEL ENDIOLA AJPM RESS AJPress

SENATOR Franklin DrilonCourt on THE Philippine Supreme Tuesday, November said on Tuesday, March 1026,deferred he House Representatives is action on of Solicitor General Jose oCalida’s blame for thewarranto mishaps in this quo petition year’s AsianABS-CBN, Games againstSoutheast network giant which theback country pushing talksistohosting. April. According theenopposition The court, to sitting banc, gave senator, the for House Represenno reason the of postponement atives was late until in submitting of deliberations the court’s he proposed national budget April 14 meeting to be held in Banguio December, containing some City, according to ABS-CBN. P95Last billion in pork barrel thata fumonth, Calida filed peeled debates. ThisSupreme delay, some tition before the Court congressmen claimed, led to the for the cancellation of ABS-CBN’s SEAG blunders. 25-year franchise, alleging that “If there was anyreportedly delay, it was the TV network viobecause of them,” Drilon said in lated rules set by Congress. Filipino. “We want to put an end to Last we December, what discoveredsome to bememhighly bers of thepractices House ofofRepresenabusive ABS-CBN atives were accused by Presidential Spokesperson Salvador

Panelo employing diversionary benefiof tting a greedy few at the tactics such accusing expense of as millions of Budget its loyal Secretary Benjamin Diokno of irsubscribers. These practices regularities in the preparation of have gone unnoticed or were disthe 2019 national budget. regarded for years,” the solicitor Drilon,said however, pointed out general in a statement. thatThe there are only three opponetwork maintained that sition in the Senate it has members complied with all the laws —governing not enough delay the its to franchise andpassesage of all thegovernment budget. cured and regulaFurthermore, he its said that even tory approvals for operations. if the budget delayed, most Last week,wasseveral senators offiled thea funds used resolution for the SEA concurrent urgGames were from ing theinfrastructure National Telecommunicaseparate loans. tions Commission (NTC) to allow “I really todo not understand ABS-CBN operate while its rethe relationship newal bid remainsbetween pending inthe the blunders and the budget delay,” 18th Congress. Drilon said. those in support of Among Some ofConcurrent the mishaps experiSenate Resolution enced the official launchPro of No. 7before were Senate President the regionalRalph sports Recto, event include Tempore Senate members of foreign Majority Leader Juandelegations Miguel Zuto the sporting event complaining about awful accommodations

and transportation after biri,delayed and Senators Sonny Angara, their arrival in Sherwin the Philippines, Nancy Binay, Gatchalinadequate foodManny servedPacquiao, to the ian, Lito Lapid, athletes, andand unfi nished venues. Grace Poe Joel Villanueva. ‘Apology not enough’ Senate Minority Leader FrankSen. Christopher Go, lin Drilon previously“Bong” filed a simifor part, saidresolution, that the orgalar his concurrent while nizers of SEAG will be Senator Ramonthis B.year Revilla, Jr. made “answerable” “apparfiled Senate Bill No. for 1374 to exent ineffi tend theciencies” franchisethat untilhappened 2020. in the past few days. Palawan Rep. Franz Alvarez “They before, the preparasaid the said House of Representatives tion, venues, Franchises and everything that Legislative Commitwill used for “to the come gamesupwere tee be is meeting and almost ready complete. As agree with theand ground rules we’ll using during the deliberatio” ofbeOctober 30, 2019, PHISGOC of thethat bills that seek are to renew stated preparations 90% ABS-CBN’s franchise. complete. How come these have The Congress, which its happened?” he said in began Filipino break on Wednesday, on Monday, Nov. 25. March 11 will sessionremember, on May 4, “Toresume all theits parties, the same day the failure network’s one’s failure is the of usfranall. chise ■ everyone that you Let meends. remind will be answerable to the Presi-

Duterte urges Fil-Ams to vote Hontiveros: for Trump,‘China-made’ stays firm on VFA stance blackouts can cripple PH R M by

ITCHEL ENDIOLA AJPress by RITCHEL MENDIOLA AJ Press PHILIPPINE President

Rodrigo Duterte told Filipino AmeriSENATOR Hontiveros on cans eligibleRisa to vote to support Monday, November 25, warned U.S. President Donald Trump’s hat “China-made re-election efforts this blackouts” November. could paralyze country’s “I’m tellingthethe Filipinoeconnow: omy, vitalgetting communications system You’re the best deal with and even the electoral system.

Trump,” Duterte said during a press briefing on Monday night, According to her, with China March 9. controlling 40 percent of the NaThe Philippine president tional Gridabout Corp.“interfering” of the Philippines quipped in the (NGCP), it hasprocess the capability to U.S. election by endorsundermine national security and ing his American counterpart, “even topple government.” equating it the to how several U.S. Hontiveros out themeddled warnsenators havegave reportedly ing after deliberating on critithe in domestic affairs and have

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cized the administration’s human rights violations associated with the anti-drug campaign. “To the Filipinos… bumoto kayo kay Trump (vote for Trump). And they say that I am interfering. Of course, I am interfering. Tell that to the Americans, that Duterte is insisting on interfering,” he add-

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to quarantine duenity,torespect possible coronavirus exposure for oneself and giving of Lacson’s bill, a copy of which M R by

ARION

AMOS

was furnished locations the media onfor SunInquirer.net oneself toRVs, otherswill in the spirit of quarantine Temporary housing, including provide community, for the effective and day, November 24. individuals have exposed to COVID-19 cannot “The teachingself-isolate method shall be holistic development of the deci- and SENATOR Panfiwho lo Lacson hasbeen

filed a measure institutionalizing SAN FRANCISCO – As the City good manners and right conduct continues to strengthen its re(GMRC) separate sponse as to areduce thesubject spreadfor of pupils from kindergarten to Grade coronavirus (COVID-19), San 3Francisco to counter negative effects is the working to provide of the internet on thefor attitude of quarantine locations individuyoung Filipinos. als who have tested positive for In filing Senate No. 1185, COVID-19 and do Bill not need to be Lacson said no Educahospitalized, as less wellthan as individution als Secretary who haveLeonor been Briones exposedhad to pointed outand thatdo“technology withthe virus not have access out good manners a disaster” to adequate shelterisdue to homeand that “online or technologylessness or shared living ardriven pedagogy” could not inculrangements. Shared-living situacate values and shelters, skills among tionssocial include SROs, and young students. Permanent Supportive Housing. Strong “Our values top priority is public By having a separate health and slowing the GMRC spread subject, he saidinthe students would of COVID-19 our community,” be able to understand digsaid Mayor London “human Breed. “Not everyone in our city has access to housing where they can go if they are infected or are exposed to the virus, and it’s important that we take measures like this to care for our most vulnerable residents, including people who are homeless.” Temporary isolation housing will include recreational vehicles (RVs), which have been leased and will be staged in the Presidio. The RVs will be placed in various secure locations throughout the

sion-making skillsThe of the child.” city as needed. City is also is process the aim ofofthis act… to betin“It the identifying adter mold our youth tofor have strong ditional locations auxiliary values and moral foundation which quarantine housing, including will contribute in shaping a reunoccupied residential property. spectable society,” read atoportion As the City continues work to secure additional locations, City leaders are asking local hotels to join in identifying vacant hotel rooms for this purpose so that San Francisco can be better prepared to care for all of its residents. “We are working on many fronts to disrupt the spread of COVID-19 throughout San Francisco, from cancelling large gatherings and encouraging tele-commuting, to instructing

actual or situational, rather than vulnerable populations to limit conceptual, thereby the their outings,” saidallowing Dr. Grant [students] toFrancisco directly relate to the Colfax, San Director of lessons, readily incorporate them Health. “By providing quarantine in practice make who such are behavsupport forand people exior commonplace,” he added. ■ periencing homelessness or who live in SROs or other congregate settings, we can help ensure that those who are exposed to the virus are able to self-isolate.” The City’s Emergency Operations Center (EOC) has expanded its operations to prepare for and mitigate the effects of COVID-19. The EOC manages the procurement of supplies and equipment needed to effectively manage the COVID-19 emergency in San

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MARCH 13-19, 2020 • NORCAL ASIAN JOURNAL

http://www.asianjournal.com • (650) 689-5160

(650) 689-5160 • http://www.asianjournal.com

Dateline USa

NORCAL ASIAN JOURNAL • MARCH 13-19, 2020

SF to provide temporary housing for people... ‘A candidate to unite America’: Why Filipino... PAGE A1 Francisco, including securing auxiliary quarantine facilities. The City’s public health system manages the intake and evaluation of COVID-19 exposure and makes recommendations to the EOC regarding who is a candidate for a temporary quarantine housing. The EOC will then coordinate transportation and supplies for the individual to safely and comfortably quarantine. “Reducing the spread of COVID-19 within our community means mitigating exposure to the virus,” said Mary Ellen Carroll, San Francisco Department of Emergency Management, Executive Director. “Being able to self-isolate or quarantine for at least 14 days is not a viable option for everyone. Many of us live in shared living spaces making the coronavirus spread much more likely. We need to help these individuals by giving them temporary isolated housing while aggressively reducing the spread of the virus in San Francisco.” On Monday, March 9, Mayor Breed and the Department of Public Health announced new investments and a Public Health Order to protect vulnerable populations who are at risk of becoming ill or dying if they contract COVID-19. This emergency fund and Order will focus on reducing risk of exposure to the virus for the many seniors, homeless individuals, and people with underlying health conditions living in shelters, single-room occupancy hotels, and Permanent Supportive Housing. On February 25, Mayor Breed declared a local emergency in

order to better-prepare for confirmed cases of novel coronavirus in San Francisco. The emergency declaration allows the City to mobilize resources, accelerate emergency planning, streamline staffing, coordinate agencies across the city, allow for future reimbursement by the state and federal governments and raise awareness throughout San Francisco about how to prepare for and respond to the novel coronavirus. The City is in regular contact with all hospitals and health facilities in San Francisco, and our health system is prepared to deliver care to everyone in need and provide a coordinated response as additional cases of the novel coronavirus are confirmed. The San Francisco Department of Public Health began testing for cases of novel coronavirus last March 2, and continues conducting tests seven days a week in cases that meet the CDC criteria. On March 6, the Mayor issued aggressive recommendations by the Department of Public Health to reduce the spread of coronavirus that is now circulating in the community. Read the recommendations that apply to vulnerable populations, large gatherings, workplace and businesses, schools, transit and health care settings at www.sfdph.org/dph/ alerts/coronavirus.asp and stay up-to-date on coronavirus news and information. You can also call 311 and sign up for the City’s alert service for official updates: text COVID19SF to 888-777. Remember, these are the best ways for all San Franciscans to

6 Filipinos aboard Grand Princess...

PAGE A1 t embarked from the ship, leaving at least 1,000 still on board. The individuals who disembarked are being relocated to a cluster of buildings on the Asilomar State Beach and Conference Grounds in Pacific Grove. They will be temporarily housed in buildings that are removed from visitors and the public, and will not interact with other Asilomar guests, employees or the general public.

While none of them contracted COVID-19, they will be tested and monitored by medical professionals while at Asilomar. “We understand people across California are concerned about novel coronavirus, and that’s why we’re collaborating with our federal partners to ensure that the community surrounding Asilomar is not impacted,” said California Health and Human Services Agency Secretary Dr. Mark Ghaly. n

Filipinos in US urged to register... PAGE A1 years of age by May 9, 2022 may register as an overseas voter and vote for president, vice president, senators, and party list representatives in the upcoming 2022 elections. Registration is conducted in person for biometrics capturing at the nearest Philippine Embassy or Consulate to the voter. Registered voters who wish to change their mailing address, transfer their registration from other countries nto a new country or city, or correct other details in their registration — such as a change in their name — must also do so in person. There is no online registration option. Consulate offices will also begin outreach missions to other nearby cities where there is no of-

fice within the registration period. Overseas voters must have a photocopy of valid Philippine passport; documents required by the Consulate General for passport application, such as a PSAissued birth certificate and other supporting docs (i.e. valid Green Card, valid U.S. visa, Notice of Action). Or if the voter is a dual Filipino American citizen: a copy of Dual Citizenship Identification Certificate or Order of Approval. COMELEC and DFA-OVS also remind voters to check the list of previously registered voters on the website of Philippine foreign service post nearest them. If they are on the list, then they have to reactivate the registration in person, subject to the requirements stated above. (AJPress) n

Duterte urges Fil-Ams... PAGE A1 ed. “Do you know why I’m interfering? Because they did it first. They (accuse us of) extrajudicial killing 70,000 (people).” Earlier in the press briefing, Duterte reiterated his decision to terminate the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) between the Philippines and the United States after senators filed a petition asking the Supreme Court to compel him to seek Senate concurrence in the treaty’s abrogation. “They cannot compel me. I refuse to be compelled. I have terminated it, tapos ang problema ko (my problem is solved),” he said. Senators, led by Senate President Vicente Sotto III, filed the Petition for Declaratory Relief and Mandamaus before the SC on Monday, urging the high court to order the Office of the Executive Secretary to seek their concurrence in the termination process. Declaratory relief is an action that seeks to determine a question of construction or validity arising from an instrument, executive order, regulation or statute, among others. Meanwhile, Mandamus refers to compelling the other party to perform a particular act. “It is respectfully prayed that this Honorable Court…issue an order directing respondents to forthwith refer the Notice of Withdrawal to the Senate of the

Philippines for its concurrence, pursuant to Section 21 Article VII of the 1987 Constitution,” the petition read. While there is no explicit provision in the 1987 Constitution stating whether or not the concurrence of the upper chamber is necessary for the abrogation of a treaty, Section 21 of the 1987 Constitution states that no treaty or international agreement shall be valid and effective unless concurred with by at least two-thirds of all the members of the Senate. Aside from Sotto, Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon, Senators Panfilo Lacson, and Richard Gordon were present to file the petition that included Resolution 337, asking the high court to define the chamber’s authority in the abrogation of international treaties. Following Duterte’s order on February 11, Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro “Teddy Boy” Locsin, Jr. sent the U.S. a notice to terminate the two-decade-old VFA. The treaty is said to be terminated 180-days after the notice. “As far as I am concerned, we are beginning to count the 180 days for them to pack up and go. I am not reneging on the VFA [abrogation] and I am not going to America to discuss this with anybody, though I respect highly Trump,” Duterte said. n

reduce their risk of getting sick, and preventing COVID-19: • Wash hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. • Cover your cough or sneeze. • Stay home if you are sick. • Avoid touching your face. • Try alternatives to shaking hands, like a wave. • If you have recently returned from a country, state or region with ongoing COVID-19 infections, monitor your health and follow the instructions of public health officials. • There is no recommendation to wear masks at this time to prevent yourself from getting sick. You can also prepare for the possible disruption caused by an outbreak: • Prepare to work from home if that is possible for your job, and your employer. • Make sure you have a supply of all essential medications for your family. • Prepare a child care plan if you or a caregiver are sick. • Make arrangements about how your family will manage a school closure. • Plan for how you can care for a sick family member without getting sick yourself. • Take care of each other and check in by phone with friends, family and neighbors that are vulnerable to serious illness or death if they get COVID-19. • Keep common spaces clean to help maintain a healthy environment for you and others. Frequently touched surfaces should be cleaned regularly with disinfecting sprays, wipes or common household cleaning products. (From SF Mayor’s Press Office) n

PAGE A1 the Asian Journal. Despite data that shows Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders largely capturing the hearts of young and Asian American voters across the nation with a progressive agenda, Cruz is among the younger end of Filipino American voters who are throwing their support behind the former vice president, citing his track record and relationships to unite the Democratic party. For Nicole Carcel, who falls under the millennial age group, Biden won her over during a gun control forum in Las Vegas last year. “His message really resonated with me because gun violence is such a big issue in America, particularly in the wake of so many mass shootings,” Carcel, an executive team member for the Los Angeles City Attorney’s office, told the Asian Journal. “I have a niece who’s now in kindergarten and it’s crazy to think that she’s growing up in a time when this is the new reality.” The Fil-Am voter also said that debunking the perception that Biden only appeals to older voters has been part of her mission on social media. “The vice president has broad support, not only for older, white individuals. He has a platform that reflects that he has thought about things that are reasonable and achievable,” Carcel said. “We have other candidates who say some really great things, but when you think about it, how will those things actually be implemented?” Recalling her grandfather who fought in World War II, Artesia Councilmember Melissa Ramoso

Filipina Americans Nicole Carcel and Artesia Councilmember Melissa Ramoso attend a rally for former Vice President and Democratic presidential hopeful Joe Biden on Tuesday, March 3 at the Baldwin Hills Recreation Center in Los Angeles. Photo courtesy of Melissa Ramoso

said that no other candidate has direct experience addressing the needs of the Fil-Am community, such as pushing for compensation and recognition for veterans. “Filipinos should remember in 2009 when [Biden] was able to rally the last votes for the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, which allowed Filipino World War II veterans to receive compensation. Not many elected officials or other candidates can say that. He really understands our community — that means so much for me and my lolo,” said Ramoso, who is also state chair of the California Democratic Party’s Asian Pacific Islander Caucus. Following the former Vice President’s 10-state win on Super Tuesday, Ramoso joined other community leaders in launching a national “Filipino Americans for Biden” coalition in a similar

vein to groups formed during the presidential campaigns for former President Barack Obama and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. Mark Pulido, a councilmember for the city of Cerritos, set up a Facebook group to virtually connect those Fil-Ams in support of Biden and said that they are in the process of gathering a list of endorsements from community members and creating a platform that addresses their concerns. “I didn’t back a candidate early on but I was following all of the options and each of the contests. I am now excited to be a part of FilAms for Biden because he is the one who can unify the party and nation and take the country back from Trump,” Pulido said. In the coming months, the group expects to begin grassroots, direct

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MARCH 13-19, 2020 • NORCAL ASIAN JOURNAL

http://www.asianjournal.com • (650) 689-5160

Asian diaspora stands up to be counted in upcoming Census Bhutanese, Mongolians, Burmese, Nepalese among fastest-growing but invisible sector

From left: Urtnasan Enkhbat, Tammy Vang, Yeri Shon, Myat Soe Mon and Ganesh Subedi, members of the second panel of speakers to address the importance of their communities being included in the 2020 Census, and some of the challenges standing in the way of obtaining a complete count, in a press briefing at Chinese for Affirmative Action, March 5 in San Francisco. Photo by Photo by Nida Qasim Khan/Ethnic Media Services

AS the 2020 census begins in earnest, representatives of Nepalese, Burmese, Bhutanese and Mongolian immigrants joined census officials and community organizers at a briefing for Asian American media to discuss the high stakes of getting an accurate count for their communities. Together with Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders, these and other immigrants from Central, South and Southeast Asia represent the fastest growing sector of Asian immigrants to California over the last decade. Yet they are too new to have formed the civic organizations or media platforms to make their presence felt in the broader Asian American landscape. Speakers agreed that being counted in the 2020 Census would change that. Some 20% of Californians identified as Asian American-Pacific Islander in the 2010 census, said Hong Mei Pang of Chinese for Affirmative Action, which cohosted the March 5 briefing along with Ethnic Media Services. “More immigrants come to the United States from Asia than from anywhere else,” Pang said. “But the Asian American community is not monolithic, and without an accurate count, these newer waves of Asian immigrants will be invisible.” Stephanie Kim of United Way Bay Area echoed Pang’s point on the opening panel: “We have diverse needs requiring data and

approaches customized to each community. If one of us is not counted, we all suffer from the undercount. If every one of us is counted, we all benefit.” Linguistic and cultural isolation are challenges common to every recently-arrived group. But speakers pointed to some immigrants’ experiences in their home countries that make them especially fearful of being counted. Robin Gurung of Asian Refugees United, born and raised in Nepal, recalled how the Nepalese government used a census in the late 1980s to divide the country between native Nepalese and people of Bhutanese origin. He and his family were deported to Bhutan along with thousands of others. “So in the United States, there’s still a lot of worry and questions about the census – like what are the benefits, and what do we need to be careful about?” “When they hear the word ‘census,’ it’s like a nightmare,” agreed Ganesh Subedi, of the Bhutanese Community Association of California. His community’s fear of government intrusion, he said, caused it to be vastly undercounted in the 2010 census. Among its population of 45,000, he estimates, only 19,000 completed the census questionnaire. In 2012, the Nepali Association of Northern California tried to collect census-type data on its own, the association’s former di-

rector Prem Pariyar said. But fear got the best of the community and the effort failed. Meanwhile, the community kept growing (http:// facts.aapidata.com/nationaldata/) by some 222% between 2010-2016, according to data compiled by Karthick Ramakrishnan of U.C. Riverside’s Center for Social Innovation. “This is a great opportunity for us to establish our community,” Pariyar said. “We don’t want to lose our chance at being represented.” Population growth of their communities was a common theme at the press briefing. Myat Soe Mon, of One Myanmar community, spoke about ethnic cleansing in her country based on information the government gleaned under the pretext of conducting a census. “But here,” she said, “our population is growing. We have to keep moving forward.” “The census data says we are just 32,000 Mongolians living in the U.S.,” noted Urtnasan Enkhbat, a student from Mongolia who wrote her senior thesis on Mongolians in the Bay Area. “We are a lot more. We have close to 10,000 just in the Bay Area. Our numbers are growing rapidly, but it’s difficult to learn about us – we have no community centers or channels for communication.” She recently told a group of fellow Mongol immigrants, “We live in the U.S. But without data, PAGE A5

Cory Aquino, Maria Ressa among Time’s 100 influential women by AJPress TWO Filipinas are among those featured in Time Magazine’s “100 Women of the Year” project in celebration of March as Women’s History Month and to highlight a century of influential women often overlooked by history. Former Philippine President Corazon Aquino and Rappler CEO Maria Ressa, both of whom were previously named Woman of the Year by the magazine, were included in the esteemed list of women from the past century. With this year marking the 100th anniversary of women’s suffrage, the magazine “revisited each year since 1920, looking for women whose reach transcended their time,” wrote Time’s former editor-in-chief Nancy Gibbs. “Their influence in public and private life was not always positive; part of this exercise is acknowledging failures and blind spots as well as genius and vision,” she continued. For 72 years, Time named a “Man of the Year” honoring world or industry leaders until 1999, but “while the name rightly changed, too often the choice was the same,” the magazine wrote in its introduction of the project. “With this 100 Women of the Year project, we’re spotlighting influential women who were often overshadowed. This includes women who occupied positions from which the men were often chosen, like world leaders Golda Meir and Corazon Aquino, but far more who found their influence through activism or culture,” it added. Aquino was named Woman of the Year in 1986 after she ended the nearly 21-year dictatorship of Ferdinand Marcos and became president of the Philippines. “That democracy has endured on the archipelago. So have its power structures: a tradition of elite rule helped her son Benigno Aquino III to a widely admired

Former Philippine President Corazon Aquino was named Time’s “Woman of the Year” in 1986, while Rappler CEO was the magazine’s “Person of the Year” in 2018 alongside other global journalists. Both Filipinas are now part of the magazine’s “100 Women of the Year” project unveiled this March.

term as President. And his coarse, swaggering successor, Rodrigo Duterte, daily demonstrates both the machismo Corazon Aquino overcame, and the value of the principled civility she modeled,” wrote Karl Vick in his piece about the former Philippine leader. Ressa — who has become an international icon for press freedom and for being a vocal critic against the current administration of President Rodrigo Duterte — was named Person of the Year in 2018 alongside other “Guardian in the War on Truth.” In addition to her long journalism career, she was one of three women who started the news organization Rappler in 2012, “aiming to serve a Filipino population rapidly moving online.” “But the news site turned into a global bellwether for free, accurate information at the vortex of two malign forces: one was the angry populism of an elected President with authoritarian inclinations, Rodrigo Duterte; the other was social media,” Vick wrote. The list also includes British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, Princess Diana of Wales, former U.S. first lady Michelle Obama, fashion icon Coco Chanel, artist Frida Kahlo, and entertainment personalities like Beyoncé

Knowles-Carter and Oprah Winfrey, among others. “The 100 choices in this project are the result of a months-long process that began with more than 600 nominations submitted by TIME staff; experts in the field; our creative partner, filmmaker Alma Har’el; and a committee of notable women from various backgrounds,” the magazine explained. In the process, 89 new magazine covers were designed by prominent artists, while 11 covers were left intact for those named Person of the Year. n

tory Fund endorsed Biden in early February and has since organized grassroots events in Los Angeles, Las Vegas, and parts of Virginia and Michigan along with AAPIs for Biden. Rep. Bobby Scott of Virginia (who is of Filipino ancestry) and Filipina American businesswoman and philanthropist Loida Nicolas Lewis have also joined a growing list of prominent AAPIs like Olympic medal-winning figure skater Michelle Kwan and Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.) as Biden supporters. Leading up to the Nevada caucuses last February 22, the campaign distributed campaign materials in Tagalog and released Biden’s “vision for the AAPI community,” which includes increasing more AAPI representation in government (citing the Obama administration’s strides of appointing the most AAPI judges and senior staffers than all presidents combined), eliminating language barriers and disaggregating data to tackle the specific needs of each community. As the once crowded and diverse field dwindled this week, the Democratic primary is now between Biden and Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders, who was victorious in four states, including California. The Fil-Ams for Biden hope voters, who are still undecided or may have supported another candidate, take the time to consider the former vice president. “For Filipino Americans who can vote, it’s important to make their voices heard and take part in the process. Vice President Biden

is going to be that leader that we need to unite the country. He’s genuine when he talks about getting things done. He has been in Washington, D.C. and he knows how the system works. I think it’s important that on day one, he can hit the ground running and work to better the country,” Carcel said. Both Ramoso and Pulido are also encouraging Fil-Ams across the country apply to be Biden convention delegates in their respective congressional districts. “I’m energized to be part of what will be a historic convention [in July] and hope other Fil-Ams will join us. Inspired by manong Larry Itliong, who was a delegate in 1972, we hope to play a similar role in advancing the community’s political interests this year,” Pulido added. But ultimately, the Fil-Ams interviewed agreed that no matter who secures the Democratic presidential nomination, voting blue will still be the way to go. “I will still participate in the general election because voting is my obligation as a citizen,” Cruz said. “To me, to not vote would mean that I don’t care about these issues and if I lived with an attitude like that, it would be sure to bite me in the butt at some point in the future.” Pulido added, “I love our party, but I love our country even more so I believe that as an American, I have to do everything in my power to bring people together to heal from this past presidential administration so we can unite and be victorious this November.” (Christina M. Oriel/AJPress) n

Rappler CEO and Executive Editor Maria Ressa attended the first night of Los Angeles’ Press Freedom Week last September 16, 2019. AJPress photo by Christina M. Oriel

‘A candidate to unite America’: Why Filipino... PAGE A3 voter contact by making phone calls and walking precinct in neighborhoods heavily populated by Fil-Ams. Polls from the past year showed that no one candidate had overwhelming support from the collective AAPI community, though a majority preferred an alternative to the current administration, according to an October 2019 survey from AAPI Data and PRRI. The same data had 45% of AAPI eligible voters in California favoring Biden, while 42% were for Sanders. However, Sanders received the most support among Asian American voters at around 39%, according to an NBC News analysis of exit poll data from Super Tuesday states. Meanwhile, 21% rallied behind Biden. Most Asian American respondents (46%) said health care was the most important issue, followed by income inequality (19%) and climate change (18%), the analysis found. “The community wasn’t coming out for any candidate early on as a whole and that’s very telling of how our numbers and exit polls are. If we’re not coming out for people we believe in, then we don’t get counted and that’s unfortunate. We need to take a stand as a community because we are being lost in the numbers,” Ramoso said, adding that she finally declared her support for Biden to help rally other voters and bring the “Joementum” to the community. Super PAC Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Vic-

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NORCAL ASIAN JOURNAL â&#x20AC;˘ MARCH 13-19, 2020

Dateline PhiliPPines

â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Misogyny keeping more women out of governmentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Foreign ownership of utilities pushed by FranCo luna

by Divina

Philstar.com

MANILA â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Although there have been strides in the corporate world, women are still underrepresented in the Philippine government, according to recent studies on gender diversity. According to results of a study released at the Gender Diversity Benchmark for Asia forum at the Thomson Reuters office in Taguig this week, women make up 56% of the total workforce in the Philippines. In terms of representation in senior level or leadership positions, women in the Philippines also ranked first in Asia while still being significantly unrepresented compared to men at 33%. The World Economic Forum, in its Global Gender Gap report released in December 2019 noted that the political empowerment gap in the Philippines had â&#x20AC;&#x153;widened considerably over the past two years, albeit from a relatively high base...causing the country to drop from 13th to 29th position.â&#x20AC;? WEF said that â&#x20AC;&#x153;[the] downgrade is almost entirely attributable to lower female representation in the cabinet, which declined from 25% to 10% between 2017 and 2019.â&#x20AC;? On the current Duterte Cabinet, only Education Secretary Leonor Briones and Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat are women. â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Misogyny a factorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; A perceived lack of women in government has not been helped by President Rodrigo Duterteâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s misogyny, a journalism professor said on the sidelines of the GDBA forum. In an ambush interview with reporters, Ma. Diosa Labiste, assistant professor at the University of the Philippines Department of Journalism, said: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Sa Cabinet ni Duterte, increasingly nagiging male dominated na. Some members of the Cabinet na babae are no longer there.â&#x20AC;? Labiste, who has a doctorate in Sociology from the University of Birmingham, said this was not surprising considering how the president, whom she referred to as a â&#x20AC;&#x153;source of such misogynist commentsâ&#x20AC;? talks about women. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I think itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s expected because the way he treats women and the way he would put across comments about them, mas mahirap na mag-demand ka (it is more difficult to make demands). What would you expect from a president like that?â&#x20AC;? The presidentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s spokespersons and supporters, and the president himself, have said that his off-color remarks about women are just part of his style and an expression of freedom of speech. He said in March 2019, after being called out over his remarks about women, that he does not mean to malign anyone with his statements. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I love women. You see, I have two wives. That means,

Philstar.com file photo

I really like women,â&#x20AC;? the president also said. Women identified with the political opposition have also been subject to attacks that question their modesty as well as their intelligence, she said. Among those women, she said, are Vice President Leni Robredo and detained opposition Sen. Leila de Lima, whom she called â&#x20AC;&#x153;targets of cyber-hate.â&#x20AC;? Labiste, who was among the UP journalism faculty that spearheaded election fact-checking initiative Tsek.ph, said: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re seeing the rise of cyber-hate and gender trolling. These are the ways women are attacked.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;If we have a government encouraging misogynist comments and demonizing critics, we should fight back,â&#x20AC;? she said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;If you keep quiet, theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll think itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s okay.â&#x20AC;? Most women in government are in bureacracy Labiste added that the gender gap can also be seen in the legislature, where, she said â&#x20AC;&#x153;if you look at representation of women in Congress, I think there are still more men.â&#x20AC;? The WEF Global Gender Gap report noted that â&#x20AC;&#x153;representation in the parliament was also slightly down and stood at 28% at the beginning of 2019.â&#x20AC;? Labiste added that â&#x20AC;&#x153;many of the women who are there are there because theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re part of political dynasties. They havenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t really gotten there because of their socio-political capacity but more because of their social and political capital.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;There should be more women who should be elected to public office on the basis of their capacity,â&#x20AC;? she said. She clarified, however, thet â&#x20AC;&#x153;weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re not saying na walang women sa bureaucracy,â&#x20AC;? saying many of them are in â&#x20AC;&#x153;the middle rangeâ&#x20AC;? of government service. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We have [members of] government who [are] very strong on gender equality,â&#x20AC;? she noted, adding however, that â&#x20AC;&#x153;they should be able to translate it into policy even in their workplaces.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Bright spot but not perfectâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; The GDBA study found that women make up 56% of the total workforce in the Philippines, and 33% in terms of representation in senior level or leadership positions in the private sector. Researchers said that the Philippines was a bright spot among its counterparts in Asia but was

still not perfect. Despite the glowing results of the Philippines, the countryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s inclusion of women is clearly not without its lapses. Asked why the Philippines could have ranked first across the board, Labiste credited this to much of the growth of the womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s movement from the 60s to the 80s. She said these â&#x20AC;&#x153;paved the way for the country to have more laws that will promote equality and support for universal access to education [gave] women access to education on many levels.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;Years of having women and feminist groups raising issues and consciousness in society, these are the gains weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re seeing now,â&#x20AC;? she said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Having women assert themselves in workplaces through associations and labor unions, I think this helped close the gap. We have to credit the part of our history where women demanded these laws and equal pay and fair and better representation.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Men, too, should take partâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; In a statement on Sunday, March 8 Sen. Risa Hontiveros said that men, too, should take part in the struggle for womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s rights, citing the statistic that, in the Philippines, one woman is raped every hour while one in four women have experienced spousal violence. Acknowledging the gap in gender empowerment, Hontiveros said: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Male privilege should be used one last time to provide a platform for issues surrounding women, then dismantled.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;Men need to unlearn this entitlement to womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s bodies, clothing and attention,â&#x20AC;? the senator said, adding that that attitude leads to â&#x20AC;&#x153;gender-based abuses directed at women.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;Sexual harassment, domestic violence, and rape start with the thought of ownership over women,â&#x20AC;? Hontiveros, chairperson of the Senate Committee on Women, Children, Family Relations, and Gender Equality said. She said that men must acknowledge that they are prone to traits that could lead to disresepcting women, and that â&#x20AC;&#x153;they also have the power to stop themselves from exercising these traits.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;Kaya ngayong araw, at sa mga araw na susunod pa, men must actively participate in womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s call for justice and equality. Sama sama tayo dito,â&#x20AC;? Hontiveros said in her statement for International Womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Day. n

nova Joy Dela ManilaTimes.net

Cruz

A MEASURE that seeks to allow foreign ownership of traditional public utilities was approved by the House of Representatives on third and final reading on Tuesday, March 10. House Bill (HB) 78 was passed with 136 affirmative votes, 43 negative votes and 0 abstention. HB 78 aims to amend the 84year-old Commonwealth Act 146 or the â&#x20AC;&#x153;Public Service Actâ&#x20AC;? (PSA). It seeks to limit the definition of public utility to only power distribution and transmission, and water pipeline distribution or sewerage pipeline system. It also distinguishes the term â&#x20AC;&#x153;public serviceâ&#x20AC;? from â&#x20AC;&#x153;public utility,â&#x20AC;? making other entities such as telecommunications and transportation businesses open for foreign ownership. Albay Rep. Joey Salceda, the principal author of the bill, said, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Competition and foreign investment are inhibited because

limitations that should only apply to the operation of a public utility are applied to all public services.â&#x20AC;? HB 78 hurdled second reading on February 24 after six months of deliberation on the plenary. But Minority leader Bienvenido Abante Jr. said the PSA amendment violates the Constitution, which provides that public utilities must be majority-owned by Filipino citizens. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The reality is, HB 78 intends to lift the nationality restrictions on all public services, and limit the application of the same to those that fall within the proposed limited definition of public utilities. Ang layunin po ba talaga ng amendment na ito ay papasukin ang mga dayuhan sa mga negosyong nilimitahan ng Saligas Batas sa mga Pilipino lamang or at least 60-percent Filipino-owned (Is the real goal of the amendment to allow the entry of foreigners in businesses limited by the Constitution to be Filipino-owned or at least 60-per-

cent Filipino-owned)?â&#x20AC;? Abante said. Agusan del Norte First District Rep. Lawrence Fortun opposed foreign ownership of public services such as telecommunications, water supply and power generation. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Telecommunications is such a critical and sensitive industry that has far-reaching implications on a countryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s political and sociocultural life, that it is unimaginable to place the same in the absolute ownership and control of foreign entities,â&#x20AC;? Fortun said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Just imagine a situation where Filipinos no longer control telecommunications, water supply, power generation and petroleum right in our very own country. â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Di po ba nakakatakot iyon (Isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t that scary?) This we cannot, in conscience, allow,â&#x20AC;? he added. House Deputy Minority leader and Bayan Muna Rep. Carlos Isagani Zarate said the measure would lead to higher and uncontrolled prices of the affected services. n

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Asian diaspora stands up to be counted... PAGE A4 we donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t exist in the U.S.â&#x20AC;? Almost every speaker raised the issue of confidentiality as a further barrier in promoting the census. Sonny Le, a refugee from Vietnam who has worked as a Partner Specialist for the Census Bureau since the 2000 Census, was quick to respond. Personal data collected by the census is forbidden to be disclosed to anyone for 72 years, even other government agencies and law enforcement, Le asserted. Penalties for violations run to a quarter million dol-

lars and five years in prison. Nor has the data been breached. Yet even among the Hmong, well-established now as the seventh largest population of Asian Americans, with a 13% increase between 2010 and 2016, the census is still an unknown. â&#x20AC;&#x153;People my age had never heard about the census before,â&#x20AC;? said Tammy Vang, a Fresno-born daughter of Hmong refugees from Laos who works as a community organizer for Hmong Innovating Politics. As the youngest speaker at the briefing, she also raised what for

her is a deeply personal concern about the census -- how to identify oneself in terms of gender. â&#x20AC;&#x153;There is still a deep stigma attached to LGBTQ issues in the Hmong community,â&#x20AC;? she said, holding back tears. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The single binary choice on the census only makes it harder.â&#x20AC;? Summing up the energy among attendees in the room, Gurung had the last word about the importance of the census: â&#x20AC;&#x153;We have to make ourselves visible. Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s nobody (else) out there who will.â&#x20AC;? (Ethnic Media Services) n

Virus cases rise to 46 in PH as public health... PAGE A1 cisco Duque III at a briefing with the House Committee on Health. According to him, a Japanese who stayed in the country for nine days has been admitted to a medical facility in Japan. A Singaporean was also found to have contracted COVID-19 after staying in the Philippines for three days. A South Korean who has an â&#x20AC;&#x153;extensiveâ&#x20AC;? travel history in the country also tested positive for the novel coronavirus. Duque said the patient stayed in the Philippines for two months. â&#x20AC;&#x153;What we have now is localized transmission in the areas we have earlier mentioned. But the situation can very quickly progress into a community transmission, which means, there could be a larger area of affected communities,â&#x20AC;? Duque also said during the briefing. Earlier, the DOH confirmed that a 38-year-old Taiwanese male, a 44-year-old Japanese man and a woman based in Australia caught the virus after traveling to the Philippines. But Duque pointed out that the two men may have caught the virus elsewhere based on their travel histories. The department also confirmed the death of a 67-year-old Filipina woman with no history

of travel abroad of exposure to a known case, making her the first Filipino to die from the disease. A Chinese man previously died in the country on February 1, which was the first virus-related death outside of China. The president signed the proclamation putting the country under the state of public health emergency on Monday night, March 9 in accordance with the Republic Act 11332 or the Mandatory Reporting of Notifiable Diseases and Health Events of Public Health Concern Act. Under the act, a public health emergency is an â&#x20AC;&#x153;occurrence of an imminent threat of an illness or health condition which could pose a high probability of a large number of deathsâ&#x20AC;Ś widespread exposure to an infectious agent.â&#x20AC;? Duterteâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s proclamation orders government agencies and local government units to provide assistance and resources to address the current cases and prevent the virus from spreading further. â&#x20AC;&#x153;All citizens, residents, tourists, and establishments owners are urged to act within the bounds of the law to comply with the lawful directives and advisories to be issued by appropriate government agencies to prevent further transmission of the COV-

ID-19 and ensure the safety and well-being of all,â&#x20AC;? he added. PhilHealth to shoulder testing costs for COVID-19 Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles announced that the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) will be shouldering the testing costs for the novel coronavirus in hospitals. Apart from that, PhilHeath will also shoulder hospital fees for quarantine and isolation. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The last thing we want is for our citizens to worry about medical costs and expenses. Their only concern should be their well-being and the well-being of their families,â&#x20AC;? said Nograles in a statement. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The president recognizes that everyone in the country is concerned about COVID-19 and the threat this poses to the health and lives of our loved ones, especially vulnerable individuals like senior citizens,â&#x20AC;? he added. The state of emergency declaration will remain in effect until Duterte lifts it. Coronavirus symptoms include fever, tiredness and dry cough, according to the World Health Organization. The respiratory disease has left more than 3,800 dead and affected over 110,000 worldwide. n

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MARCH 13-19,2020 • NORCAL ASIAN JOURNAL

http://www.asianjournal.com • (650) 689-5160

OPINION

Disappearing beaches

FEATURES

THE Philippines may be small in land area, but with over 7,100 islands, the country has one of the most extensive coastlines in the world. This makes the archipelago among the most vulnerable to the impact of global warming. Last week, researchers warned that sea level rise and climate change are on track to wipe out half the world’s beaches by 2100. Even with a drastic reduction in fossil fuel pollution — the biggest driver of global warming — the researchers warned in the journal Nature Climate Change that over a third of the sandy shorelines around the planet would still disappear. Several communities in Bulacan are already feeling the impact of rising sea levels. Across the country, coastal areas that depend on tourism would feel the impact on their main source of livelihood. The researchers warned that sandy beaches also serve as the first line of defense from coastal storms and flooding. The destruction of beaches could make inland communities more vulnerable to extreme weather events. In recent years, the Philippines has seen an increasing number of coastal cities and towns dev-

astated by powerful storm surges and freak floods, including areas in secluded bays where tropical cyclones used to be rare. Even with ongoing global efforts to cut down on fossil fuel consumption and pollution, too many beaches will still disappear, and vulnerable countries must prepare for the disaster, the researchers warned. The 10 countries that stand to lose the largest sandy shorelines, according to the study, are Australia, Canada, Chile, the United States, Mexico, China, Russia, Argentina, India and Brazil. Advanced economies are drawing up massive — and expensive — engineering interventions to reduce the impact. Obviously, countries with limited means for disaster mitigation such as the Philippines would need help to prepare such defense systems. as well as strictly impose construction easement The research said the problem was aggravated rules along shorelines. by reduced sediment from dammed rivers. CounCoastal communities in the Philippines are fatries with limited resources can stop such projects miliar with the consequences of natural disasters.

Editorial

The Fil-Am Perspective GEL SANTOS-RELOS I HEAR YOU. As a mother of four millennials who have campaigned and voted for Senator Bernie Sanders since the 2016 presidential election, I feel your pain and understand your worries for your future. The facts have been so excruciatingly painful in the past decade as you transition to adulthood and have to take care of yourselves. It just hit you that the America that had raised your Boomer parents has now turned out to be so different from the America where you are working so hard to survive in right now. Whatever happened to the American dream — the ideal by which equality of opportunity is available to any American, allowing the highest aspirations and goals to be achieved? You worry about your chance of finishing your bachelor’s degree, or the opportunity to go to graduate school. Quality affordable higher education has given your Boomer parents the chance to go up the economic ladder even if they were born to a low-income or middle-class family. Now, most of you would have to contract student loans to afford the astronomical rise in the cost of tuition and attendance fees. You worry about your student loan debt in the tens of thousand, if not in the hundreds of thousand dollar range, that would take you decades to pay off, while banks have increasingly been more powerful and unbridled in their loan shark business practices, condoned by the government in the name of “free market economy.”

Babe’s Eye View BABE ROMUALDEZ WITH the recent developments following the decision of the president to terminate the Visiting Forces Agreement, the challenge now is balancing our relationship with the United States and China. Being nuclear powers, there is no doubt both countries are competing for world dominance. The U.S. intends to maintain its status as a super power (based on a book I read — Unrivaled: Why America Will Remain the World’s Sole Superpower by Michael Beckley) —— especially with President Trump’s creation of a U.S. Space Force. Some $2.3 trillion is being spent to build up the U.S. military within this decade, with the U.S. Space Force receiving $15.4 billion in its first budget request for 2021. As early as 2000, the U.S. Department of Defense had already developed a blueprint known as

Philstar.com photo

Long-term measures must be drawn up to prevent the loss of lives and destruction of property and livelihoods as a result of rising sea levels. (Philstar. com)

Open letter to the millennials who believe Sanders should be the Democratic nominee and not Biden to defeat Trump and transform America

You worry about having to take on a job, or two jobs just to pay for your bills, cover the living expenses of going to college. Even after graduation, you worry about having less purchasing power because the decent wages that your boomer parents enjoyed in the past are now gone. While the government boasts of low unemployment rate, a $7/ hour minimum wage that has not coped up with the higher costs of living is not a living wage, and has not been so for 10 years. This reality is contrasted by the millions of dollars in bonuses raked in by the CEOs of corporations even when their companies go bankrupt. Again, this is protected by the government in the name of “free market economy.” You worry about your health and are afraid that you are jus one accident or medical diagnosis away from bankruptcy. Prices of premiums have skyrocketed and would have to take a much bigger share from your already lean income. What happens when you turn 26 after the Affordable Care Act kicks you out of your parents’ health plan? How can you afford to give your own family health care coverage when you are struggling to have your self covered as employers fight hard to cover just the barest minimum for you to lower their cost and maximize their profits? What happens to you when you are hit by a pandemic like the coronavirus and are asked to self-quarantine? How do you pay for the expensive tests? How do you pay for your family’s bills when you cannot work? How do you pay for your treatment when

your insurance coverage doesn’t give you enough coverage? You worry about the taxes you have to pay every year to Uncle Sam, even as the quality social services accorded to you by the government get leaner and leaner every year. You wonder why you, as part of the middle class, pay for so much taxes as millionaires and billionaires pay less commensurate to the wealth they are amassing from the economy you help build? You wonder why corporations are given corporate welfare and pay zero taxes as you struggle to pay for the basic needs of your family? You worry about racial biases and discrimination being persons of color, a sad reality in America that has escalated even more during the present administration. You worry about how carbon emissions have been threatening our planet earth and the life of your family and the future generation, and yet the government has not been doing enough to fight against climate change, and even deny the facts and science of it to protect the interests of the fossil fuel industry. YES, you worry about these realities and you have lost faith in the ideals of the American dream because you feel betrayed. You have witnessed how politicians do not really represent the interest of ordinary hardworking Americans like you, and have election cycle after election cycle failed to deliver on their campaign promises. This is until Senator Bernie Sanders ran for president in 2016. You got to know about his vision for America and how he has been fighting for this for decades since

he was a young adult like you. You found out how Sanders marched with Dr. Martin Luther King to fight against racial discrimination, and for the protection of civil rights, justice and protection for all Americans. Sanders has been fighting for an America where health care is a right for all Americans, and not just for the privileged powerful few by proposing to create a Medicare for All, just like how it is in all other major industrialized nations in the world. He has introduced a proposal to eliminate past-due medical debt. He also proposed measures to guarantee housing as a human right and to eliminate homelessness. Sanders has been fighting for free public college education and wants to cancel all student loan debt, and place a cap on student loan interest rate going forward at 1.88%. He has proposed to guarantee universal child care and preschool for families in need and to reinvest in public education. Sanders has been fighting to empower workers by strengthening labor laws and regulations so that each worker will get the fair and equitable living wages and benefits. Sanders has been fighting to expand social security and to protect the most vulnerable sectors of society. Sanders has been fighting to protect the environment by transforming our energy system away from fossil fuel and toward energy efficiency and renewable energy. He has been proposing to pay for all of these by making the millionaire and billionaire people

and corporations pay their fair share in taxes, establishing an income inequality tax and wealth tax, and make the fossil fuel industry pay for their pollution. THESE ARE WHY the powerful corporate elites have been fighting against a Sanders presidency. This is why Sanders does not accept hefty campaign contributions from Wall Street, Super PAC, millionaires and billionaires so that he will not be beholden to anyone but only to the American people. For many Boomers like your parents and grandparents, Sanders’ vision for America may be too radical, too extreme. This is just how corporate lobbyists have been framing Sanders’ vision to tap into that fear of change, just like how Social Security and Medicare that our Boomers are now enjoying had been fiercely fought against in the past. Millennials, you have been marginalized and mocked for being loud and fierce supporters of Sanders who did not show up in the polls to vote for your candidate last Super Tuesday that gave former Vice President Joe Biden the momentum moving forward. Again, do not give in to these labels and intimidation to dishearten you and make you stay home and out of the game. The Boomers have all to lose, having already established their life and fortunes, that is why they are more cautious and are more leaning to protect and perpetuate the status quo, fighting against “radical” changes, clinging to the same old model they have grown accustomed to, no matter how imperfect. This is why for many of them,

Biden is the safe choice. Centrist is the safe choice. Moderate is the safe choice. This is exactly the position and the message of the Democratic Party, that is why the other centrist, moderate, safe candidates dropped out of the race to rally their support for Biden. But changes in history have not been driven by those who want to play it safe. It is propelled by the youth, fueled by their dreams and idealism, lifted by their fearlessness and hunger. The students spearheaded the French Revolution and ended the reign of abusive monarchs. The Filipino youth of the 70s to the 80s fought against the Marcos dictatorship through a peaceful and bloodless revolution. Millennials, this is your time. You have the numbers to write the next chapter of our history. You have the power to transform America and make it live up to its ideals. But history is written by those who show up and vote. Millennials, this is your revolution. Fight it to win it by getting out of your comfort zone, by going to the polls, by voting for Bernie Sanders to be the Democratic nominee who will defeat Trump. Fight it by empowering others to vote. Your future depends on it. *** 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.

Balancing our relationship with the United States and China “Joint Vision 2020” whose goal is to achieve “full spectrum dominance.” A way to do this is to “invest in and develop new military capabilities,” the blueprint said, with emphasis on taking advantage of technology to “achieve warfighting effectiveness.” In 2018, the Protected Tactical Satellite Communications (PTS) program was launched to develop jam-resistant satellite communications that the U.S. government, its military and allies can use. According to intelligence sources, the PTS program will enable U.S. allies to have facilities for satcom payload (equipment) to complement the Advanced Extremely High Frequency satellites that are used for classified-level communications. Along with the ground-based Protected Anti-jam Tactical Satcom (PATS), the PTS will enhance the “eye in the sky” capability of the U.S. to monitor the movement of enemies and mount effective defense, among others. China on the other hand has

also been expanding its space program, reportedly focusing research on cislunar space (the area between Earth and the moon), sending a Chinese lunar exploration rover on the far side of the moon last year. Reports also assert that China wants to set up a cislunar “space economic zone” that could allegedly generate for it $10 trillion a year by 2050. China has emerged as an economic powerhouse, acknowledged as one of the fastest growing economies in the last two decades, surpassing Japan to become the second largest economy in the world next to the U.S. A major driver of Chinese economic growth are the factories that produce everything from clothes to toys to gadgets for consumers worldwide. China has also been ramping up military spending in the last few years. According to an International Institute for Strategic Studies report, China increased military spending by 6.6 percent to $181.1 billion in 2019. Last

year showed the biggest rise in global defense spending, the report said, with the U.S. spending $684 billion. Analysts also note the military modernization efforts of China, with President Xi Jinping saying he wants the Chinese navy to be the biggest by 2035, and its armed forces to become world class by 2050. “A military force is built to fight. Our military must regard combat readiness as the goal for all its work and focus on how to win when it is called upon,” said President Xi. Military experts however say the fighting capacity of the People’s Liberation Army is not yet at par with a super power like the United States. There is no doubt that China has become a major player in the global arena, emerging as an economic powerhouse and offering a huge consumer market. But both the U.S. and China recognize that they have to live with each other, in spite of the fact that they are strong competitors. Obviously, we have to deal with both coun-

tries in a manner that would also redound to our benefit. After all, every nation has its own interest to protect. I thank my friend, Professor Richard Heydarian, for his kind words in his column last week, acknowledging our efforts at diplomacy. Our challenge today is to balance our relationship with both nations while assuring our friends in Washington that we want a renewed relationship wherein we are not entirely dependent on them – which our president has always made clear. Very early on in life, I learned to get along with all levels of society. I went to two so-called rival schools — Ateneo and La Salle — which perhaps prepared me for this. I went to grade school and high school at the Ateneo, finishing my high school in the United States. During those days, the rivalry between the two schools was very strong. It was important to get along with my new La Salle friends while maintaining my relationship with old Ateneo school-

mates. Today, I consider myself lucky to have friends from both sides of the fence. My close personal friend and media mentor, the late Philippine Star publisher Max Soliven, told me that in writing a column, one must put out both sides of the argument and not make readers feel as if you are saying, “it’s my way or the highway.” That advice from my dear friend taught me a lot. Before I left for the U.S. to take up my post as ambassador in November 2017, I was seated beside former Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile during a dinner. JPE is no fan of the U.S., his visa having been cancelled many years ago allegedly for his involvement in a coup plot against Cory Aquino in 1986. I will never forget what he said: “I have no love lost for the United States. But your job is very important; we cannot afford to ignore a country like the United States.” And I might add – neither can we ignore a country like China. (Philstar.com)

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SF The Asian Jour nal SF MAGAZINE - March 13, 2020

Friday, March 13, 2020

cover story The Asian Jour nal SF MAGAZINE - March 13, 2020

Filipino talent and heritage exhibited during Sacramento Kings game by

AJPress

FILIPINO pride, talent and the collective love for basketball were in full display on Tuesday night, March 3 at the Golden 1 Center in Sacramento, California. Over 17,000 fans packed the center for the Sacramento Kings game versus the Washington Wizards. While it was a win for the Kings that night, it was extra special because the game was dubbed “Filipino Roots Night,” featuring performances from Bay Area Filipino American talent like PLo, SACBxY (Phil Tayag), Ruby Ibarra, MBNel, and One Vo1ce, and a post-game match with Fil-Am influencers. It was presented by Cache Creek, myx, Kollective Hustle and the Filipino Channel (TFC). Roslynn Alba Cobarrubias, ABS-CBN Global Head of Music and Talent, said events like these are opportunities to bring Filipino talent to mainstream stages. “It’s been a new rewarding and purposeful mission in life to create shining opportunities like this not only for the entertainers and artists in our community, but the entrepreneurs and influencers too to inspire the next generation of passionate and creative ‘kollective hustlers,’” Cobarrubias said. Those who purchased group tickets got an official Filipino Roots Night bucket hat in red, blue and yellow colors like the

Rapper MBNel, who is originally from Stockton.

Philippine flag, access to the grand entrance pre-game show, Kollective Hustle Filipino Roots Night shirt (for the first 150 guests) and access to the postgame match. The night kicked off at 6 p.m. with Pinay rapper Ruby Ibarra and MBNel, both of whom grew up in northern California. Ibarra, who went to school at nearby UC Davis, said being able to perform at a Kings’ game while celebrating her culture was her “worlds colliding.” “It’s extremely important for a world renowned sports team like the Sacramento Kings to recognize communities like Filipino Americans. A lot of people in our community have a deep love for basketball, and for many of us, a lot of these athletes are our idols and heroes,” Ibarra said. “Many of us grew up watching and loving basketball because I think it relates to the immigrant experience — basketball is about community, hard work, and resilience. So for us to see brown faces performing on the court or unified and celebrated in the stands— it’s beautiful. It’s particularly empowering for young FilipinoAmericans to see us represented and normalized in these spaces.” Added MBNel, “Back home in the Philippines, a lot of people are in tune with basketball, they love the NBA. You saw

Filipina American rapper Ruby Ibarra proudly shares her Bay Area roots.

the stuff they did for Kobe, the mural they made, they are just really big on that and we are big fans here too. I feel like we deserve the recognition that we are getting from these professional teams.” Female trio One Vo1ce, who recently reunited and recorded their fourth album, sang the national anthem. “It feels great to reunite to perform the National Anthem here, near our hometowns in Northern California, representing our community. We have shared the stage with artists like Pink and Destiny’s Child, but events like these are not only monumental, but special in our hearts,” the group said. SACBxY — who’s best known for his choreography and appearance alongside Bruno Mars in music videos like “Finesse” with Cardi B. and his live performances at the Super Bowl with Beyonce and at the 2016 GRAMMYS — not only danced with his TRYBE crew, but performed his own original song as well, singing his new single, “in mY way,” for the first time that features the “SACBxY” dance craze popular on TikTok. He recently released a music video for the song that was shot live during rehearsals and during the live performance. At half-time, rapper and producer P-Lo amped up the crowd with his performance of his top hits showing the fresh sound coming out of the

SACBxY danced with his TRYBE crew and performed original songs.

Jane salutes past ‘Darna’ stars: ‘Symbol of a strong Filipina’ By ryAn

ArcAdIo Inquirer.net

JANE de Leon honored the women who portrayed the Filipino superhero Darna in the past, just as the world marked International Women’s Day on Sunday, March 8. De Leon, who is the latest actress to take on the role, uploaded photos of the previous Darnas on her Instagram page on the same day. Among the women she featured were Nanette Medved, Vilma Santos, Anjanette Abayari, Sharon Cuneta, Regine Velasquez, Angel Locsin, Marian Rivera and Rosa del Rosario. She also included a drawing of Liza Soberano wearing the heroine’s red helmet. Soberano was named the newest “Darna” star in 2018 but withdrew from the project last April due to a finger injury. “I respect and salute all these women (and to all the Darnas before them) who became a symbol of a strong and independent Filipina,” de Leon said. “The voice of their generation who have been continuously doing their part as superheroes behind the costume through their individual achievements, efforts, and advocacies to help human-

After the Sacramento Kings game, Filipino American influencers and entrepreneurs divided into Team P-Lo and Team Anthony Presents for their own match, wearing jerseys made by Fil-Am-owned company New Jersey Sets. Team P-Lo won the friendly game. Photos by Mark Paragas and Jake Soriano

West Coast rap scene. He has worked with top artists like Chris Brown and G-Eazy and is no stranger to performing at professional sporting events. He recently performed in Miami during Super Bowl weekend and alongside E-40 during the 49ers NFL Playoff game. “I played basketball in junior college and growing up Filipino, basketball was such a big part of my life, so it’s always fun to hoop it up on the court after these heritage nights, like we did for three years at the Staples Center and now in Northern Cali in Sacramento against Team Anthony Presents,” the rapper said. After the game, Fil-Am influencers and entrepreneurs divided into “Team Anthony Presents” and “Team P-Lo,” with the latter team winning. “Team P-Lo” consisted of Cal-A, Ruby Ibarra, MBNel, SWAGPITT, Nump, DJ E-Rock, DJ Romeo, DJ Ibarra, DJ Marlino. Jeff Bayani, DJ Sqiintz, Romeo Marquez, Kevin Gray, Brian Samson, and Koa Samson. “Team Anthony Presents” included Nikki Blades, DJ E-Man. Lumpiachef (Alex Retodo), Justin Aquino, Terrence Aguas, Ashley Vee, Chris Cruz, Myron Marten, Chris Duran, Francis “Franboogie” Garcia, Julian Noche, Aubrey Aquino, Juan “Jappy” Francisco, and Roslynn Alba Cobarrubias. Other highlights included various Filipino food items available for purchase by Kings Filipino Chef JayDel like the lechon sisig rice bowls and lechon-loaded tatertots, as well as the Lumpia Company’s famous cheeseburger and tinola lumpias created by Chef Alex

Female trio One Vo1ce sang the national anthem.

Roslynn Alba Cobarrubias, ABS-CBN Global Head of Music and Talent, and Romeo Marquez, head of ABSCBN Kollective Hustle Head Romeo Marquez.

Retodo. The night also featured New Jersey Sets’ exclusive Filipino Roots Night jerseys. The company creates custom clothing for high profile TV shows like MTV’s Nick Cannon’s Wild N’ Out and is owned by Filipino husband and wife, Kevin and Jackie Grey. The team gives back to the community by having a company based in the Philippines that designs and creates the specialty jerseys for

specialty events/teams. myx x Kollective Hustle co-branded New Jersey sets “Filipino Roots Night” jerseys are currently on sale for a limited time at newjerseysets.com. Cobarrubias said that more Filipino heritage nights will be held with other sports teams, like Los Angeles Dodgers with Baseballogist throwing the first pitch on June 2, as well as the annual night at the LA Clippers sometime in the fall.

Mylene finds working with Nora ‘surreal’ By IzA IglesIAs ManilaTimes.net

Jane de Leon with Marian Rivera

ity and nature in general,” she added. “You are all and will always be an inspiration today and onwards.” De Leon was chosen as the latest actress to portray the iconic heroine last July following Soberano’s deci-

FOR almost 25 years in the entertainment industry, Mylene Dizon’s career has flourished from being a teen star in the youth-oriented show “Gimik” in ‘90s to portraying heavy dramatic roles in such programs as “Sahaya” in 2019. With an astounding 30 films and almost 50 television appearances under her belt, not to mention three Best Actress Awards from Cinemalaya, Gawad Urian and Golden Screen Awards for Movies for her portrayal as Joyce De Leon in “100,” Dizon has indeed proven that she is one of the most respected actresses in Philippine cinema. The 43-year-old depicted numerous characters onscreen, and of course, she has been with a lot of co-actors throughout her profession. But there is one actress that she has been dreaming to work with ever since, and that Photo from Instagram/@imjanedeleon is no other than the country’s one and only superstar, Nora sion to back out from the upcoming “Darna” film. Paulo Aunor. In an intimate interview Avelino will also star opposite with select members of the de Leon in the production, press, Dizon shared that she which will be helmed by filminitially wanted to take a rest maker Jerrold Tarog, known from soaps after doing “Safor “Heneral Luna” and “Goyo: Ang Batang Heneral”. haya” so she can focus on her two sons Tomas and Lucas.

Myline Dizon with Nora Aunor and Kyline Alcantara

However, when she got an offer to star in “Bilangin ang Bituin sa Langit” with Nora Aunor, without hesitation she accepted it right away. “Ngayon lang ako na-offer na may kasamang Ate Guy… first time ko. Tapos fan pa ang mommy ko. To be honest lumaki ako around Kislap magazines. Kulang na nga lang i-plastic cover ni mommy yung Kislap — yung malalaki pa,” Dizon recalled. According to her, it was a

Photo from Instagram/@missmylenedizon

surreal feeling when she got to first share a moment with the acting legend during one of their scenes. “In the beginning, nahuli ko yung sarili ko na nakangiti. Dapat serious, dapat paiyak yung eksena eh. Sabi ko sa staff, ‘Teka lang naka-smile ako.’ Kasi talagang, ‘Oh my goodness. I’m really in front of her and I’m going to be doing scenes with her,’” she shared. “It’s not starstruck, it’s Continued on Page SF3

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The Asian Jour nal SF MAGAZINE - March 13, 2020

No more visitor visas for ‘birth tourism’ Immigration Corner Atty. MichAel Gurfinkel, eSQ THE U.S. Department of State (DOS) has revised its regulations on eligibility for visitor visas, establishing that “travel to the United States with the primary purpose of obtaining U.S. citizenship for a child by Family petitioning Family For employment-based green card. many people believe the only way to bring a family member to the U.s. is through a giving birth in the United States family petition. Auntie Eva started as a caregiver when she first set foot on American soil. Through the years, she was able to put up her own six-bed facility, is an impermissible basis for the but desperately needed help. Eva’s niece, Russell, just finished her nursing courses back in the Philippines. While watching an episode of Citizen Pinoy, Eva issuance of a B non-immigrant learned a valuable lesson: family members in the U.S. who have businesses that are financially stable can legally petition relatives for an employment-based visa.” Consequently, “a consugreen card (PERM/labor certification). Watch this informative episode on how Atty. Gurfinkel’s office was able to complete all the necessary requirements, and lar officer shall deny a B nonimhelp Tita Eva get the much-needed help for her facility (and a green card for her family member) on a brand-new episode of Citizen Pinoy. (Advertising Supplement) migrant visa to an alien who he or she has reason to believe intends to travel [to the United States] for this purpose.” The practice of pregnant women coming to the U.S. on visitor visas in order to give birth to a child (so the child would be a U.S. citizen) has been commonly referred to as “birth tourism.” DOS Michael J. Gurfinkel, who she had a niece, Russel, who THIS Sunday’s episode states that birth tourism is no prepared all requirements and just graduated from Nursing in deals with family petitioning helped Eva’s niece, Russel, pre- longer considered a “legitimate the Philippines. family members for a green pare for the Embassy interview, activity” on a visitor visa, and Eva found out from an card through an employbirth tourism creates risks to guiding her every step of the earlier episode of Citizen Pinoy ment-based petition or labor U.S. national security and law way. that relatives can petition famcertification. enforcement. Find out how leading U.S. ily members for a green card if Auntie Eva has a six-bed There have been news rethey fulfill certain criteria. In this Immigration Attorney Michael boarding care home in the ports of various agencies advercase, Eva owns a business (care J. Gurfinkel was able to proU.S. that she was operating by tising (especially in China) on vide Auntie Eva the help she home) and she has a relative herself. It was very challengdesperately needed on all-new how they could assist women in who is qualified to work in the ing to be doing the cooking, obtaining visitor visas in order episode of CITIZEN PINOY facility. So, she can legally petithe cleaning, medication, and to give birth in the U.S., and – on Sunday at 6:15 pm (PST) tion Russel for a green card. bedside care or her residents, emphasize the advantages to on TFC. Eva consulted with leadon top of the administrative (Advertising Supplement) their newborn baby, such as ing U.S. Immigration Attorney work. She needed help, and free education, free medical, job opportunities without the need to obtain a work authorization, and the ability to petition their parents once they are From Page SF2 after she got to see for herself Cinderalla, ganun eh. So I’m 21 years old. the “Nora Magic.” more like surreal. Kasi parang not scared, not really nervIn some cases, these “Yung magic ng mata, yun nakikita mo lang siya sa magaous,” she enthused. women plead poverty to the ang inabangan ko talaga. Sabi zine [while] growing up, at sa “Kayo, you see her all the hospital social workers, and ko ‘Ay totoo nga yung tsismis.’ time. Ako this was my only pelikula. Nasa harapan mo give birth at U.S. taxpayer Yung pag tumitig siya sa na siya, so it’s not starstruck. chance to be with her, to share expense. In one reported case, ‘yo…it’s not intimidating, it’s Parang mapapatanong ka, ‘tothe same space with her. So I a woman paid the hospital the not scary, it’s not something too ba ito?’” she continued. had to say yes. And whenever indigent (poor person) rate for to be nervous about pero Dizon also mentioned that there’s an opportunity to sit hospital bills of $4,000, when parang katulad niya yung mga she felt head over heels right Continued on Page SF5 the actual cost was $28,000. mata sa mga cartoon – nila ni

See how one can petition relatives for a green card through employment on a brand-new Citizen Pinoy this Sunday

Mylene finds working...

But it turned out she had more than $225,000 in a U.S. bank account, and had made purchases of Rolex watches and Louis Vuitton purses and handbags during that same “visit” to the U.S. In fact, some business travelers have referred to the flight from Los Angeles to Shanghai as the “Baby Express,” because the business and first-class sections were filled with women with crying newborn (U.S. citizen) infants, as a result of birth tourism. I know that many people from around the world wish to come to the U.S. and give birth in order to give that child the future opportunities that the U.S. has to offer. But DOS is cracking down on birth tourism, and if a woman applies for a visitor visa for the primary purpose of giving birth in the U.S., the visa will be denied. Even if a woman already has a visitor visa, and enters the U.S. noticeably pregnant, it would be up to the CBP to decide whether to let her in or not. She might also be questioned in secondary inspection, to evaluate if her primary

purpose in coming to the U.S. is to give birth to a U.S. citizen baby. *** Michael J. Gurfinkel has been an attorney for over 35 years and is licensed, and an active member of the State Bars of California and New York. All immigration services are provided by, or under the supervision of, an active member of the State Bar of California. Each case is different and results may depend on the facts of the particular case. The information and opinions contained herein (including testimonials, “Success Stories”, endorsements and re-enactments) are of a general nature, and are not intended to apply to any particular case, and do not constitute a prediction, warranty, guarantee or legal advice regarding the outcome of your legal matter. No attorney-client relationship is, or shall be, established with any reader. WEBSITE: www.gurfinkel.com Follow us on Facebook.com/GurfinkelLaw and Twitter @GurfinkelLaw Call Toll free to schedule a consultation for anywhere in the US: 1-866-487-3465 (866) – GURFINKEL Four offices to serve you: LOS ANGELES ∙ SAN FRANCISCO ∙ NEW YORK ∙ PHILIPPINES (Advertising Supplement)

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The Asian Jour nal SF MAGAZINE - March 13, 2020

Immigrant Living: 101 and Beyond Monette AdevA MAglAyA I AM suspending my idea series for a Bucket To-Do List for the time being to share a story told to me by Sister Anna. A little back story… Anna Cinco was a classmate in high school who graduated way up the rungs and copped a college degree majoring in Mathematics. She taught at the International School in Manila for a while and decided to join the religious life thereafter. She lived in Rome for more than a decade working on the canonization of Mother Candida Maria de Jesus, foundress of her religious order, Hijas de Jesus. Mother Candida is now a saint with documented miracles ascribed to her intercession. Sister Anna speaks Spanish and Italian fluently. Her story is not cut and dried as all that. There are twists and turns in every life story and hers is no different. She told me the Cliff Notes version of her conversion from someone who repudiated and did not need God at one point. But that riveting story when she became, as she describes how her young, irrepressible students at the International School saw her at the time of her epiphany, “positively radiant,” is for yet another day. I reconnected with her on a trip to Europe in 2011 with my husband spending a wonderful spring day in Rome: dusting off the cobwebs of the past, cracking jokes (yes, religious people have a squeaky clean sense of humor that will have you ROTFLOLing, that is, rolling on the floor laughing out loud), scarfing down pizza margherita at one of those small joints by the Vatican and walking aimlessly about, shopping for Italian-made sandals on the sidewalks while slurping on scoops of gelato, all three of us looking positively ghetto. HAH! A perfect day in

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God’s list “Sister, do you speak Italian? Can I talk to you? I am very angry with God.” I turned my head and it was a beautiful lady, elegantly dressed. I thought, “She has tortured eyes.” my book … I emailed her just recently hoping to see her in Rome again mentioning in passing that I am putting together a Bucket List series of sorts. Her story stuns me. It never occurred to me that while we are busy making plans, the Big Man upstairs also has plans for us to do. And whether we like it or not, we are part of His Grand Plan. It is up to each one of us to find out our part in His plan and decide to get in with the program or not. Yes, God loves us so much, He gave us free will. So enjoy this story. The actions happened in airports just before boarding. Time was on Sister Anna’s side. She checked in way early and didn’t miss her flight. We might be able to widen our perspective just a tad and realize in time that we are each a piece of colorful mosaic in God’s Grand Mural for HIS story about us.] HE HAS PLANS, TOO. By Sister Anna Cinco, Hijas de Jesus In 2015 I had to make a 12-day trip to Spain and then a 9-day trip to Rome. Usually, for these short trips, I plan and make to-do lists way ahead, because I cannot afford to miss anything. One day, as I was coming to the end of my stay in Salamanca, I was praying in the chapel before the Blessed Sacrament. I took out my to-do list for Spain, checked it carefully, and saw that I had pretty much achieved what I had come for. I was very satisfied with myself, when the thought came to me, “I have a

list, too.” Startled, I looked at the tabernacle. “I have a list, too.” “You have a list, Lord?”, I asked. “Yes, I have a list.” I pondered that for a few moments. Of course, He has a list. So I prayed, “Make me open to Your plans, Lord. Give me a docile heart, a docile spirit.” The day after, I left for Madrid for a 2-day stay. I had a few things more to do there. When the day of my departure for Rome came, since I was going to the airport alone, I decided to go early and leave a wide margin for the unforeseen. When I reached Barajas, I had almost the whole morning to wait. So I sat by my boarding gate and buried my head in a book about causes for canonization. Suddenly I heard someone say, “Anna Cinco!” Surprised, I looked up - it was a young woman in jeans but wearing a silver cross like mine. She smiled and came over and introduced herself. She was a young sister of ours from the Dominican Republic who had been in one of our houses in Brazil, and said that she had met me in one of my trips there. (We have a cause for canonization which had been initiated in Brazil.) So I asked why she was in the airport, and she said she had just come from Rome where she had participated in the preparatory course for final profession, and that she was on her way to her boarding gate for her flight to the Dominican Republic. Since she was young and was not familiar with Madrid

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Why Gladys doesn’t get tired of playing ‘kontrabida’ roles

Sana.” I’m full of energy, which rubs off on her. I always make her laugh, so she asked me if I ASIDE from the bedroom, could sleep over in her house. the fave part of Gladys Reyes Before we knew it, we became and hubby Christopher Roxas each other’s BFF. We totally get of their home is the kitchen. each other. The Kapampangan in her and What are the ingredients the French in him are certified of your happy marriage? foodies. That’s why they put up First is loyalty, followed by Estela Restaurant, which is the trust, good sex, open commugo-to place for good food and nication and having fun. Love cool vibes in Cainta. spices it all up. Here’s my chat with Gladys: Still on Mommy Divine If you and Chris were a In my previous column, I dish, what would you both be? wrote that Divine Geronimo I will be chicken curry, bemust not be too much of a cause that’s the dish that Chris mother to be a friend to her cannot have enough of. Chris daughter, Sarah. will be grilled salmon, since A colleague commented, that’s my fave. “Although you have a point, If Sommereaux could cater I feel sad for Mommy Divine. Gladys Reyes Inquirer.net photo for a foreign celebrity, who Out of respect, she should have would you want it to be? been informed about the plans with Juday (Judy Ann Santos) Robert Downey Jr. and Paris from your “Mara Clara” days? of Sarah and Matteo (Guidicelli). Hilton. Since it was a Christian wedWhen we were doing outDon’t you get tired of play- of-town shows. There were ding, ’di ba dapat, ‘Honor thy ing “kontrabida” roles? father and mother?’” times we’d go from North to Not at all. I still enjoy playI countered in jest, “In every South. ing them. Being mean and rude, What makes you and Carmi wedding, there must be somewhich I can only do onscreen, is (Martin) the best of friends? thing old, new, borrowed and really challenging. blue. Mommy Divine is the blue Our friendship started in What’s your fave memory one.” 1997, when we did “Ikaw Na By Dolly

Anne CArvAjAl Inquirer.net

airport, and I knew her boarding gate was half an hour’s walk away, I insisted on going with her. We laughed and chatted along the way, and I was sorry to leave her at her boarding gate. I still had plenty of time before my scheduled flight, so without any hurry, I began walking back to my own boarding gate. Then I heard a voice say in Spanish, “Sister, Sister!” And as I stopped and looked back, I saw a dark young man running towards me. And he said, “Sister, do you speak Spanish? Can I talk to you, please?” I wondered what for, but stopped. And he began to walk with me, and tell me about his problems. It was hard to talk while walking, and I was afraid we were getting too far from his boarding gate, so I invited him to sit down with me. He was a migrant worker from Mexico who had marital problems and did not know what to do. I listened to him in sym-

pathy, and pretty soon he was in tears. I looked around with some embarrassment. People were beginning to look at us. I prayed for wisdom. After some time, he stopped and asked me, “Sister, is there still hope for us? for me?” I directed that question to the Lord, and found myself saying, “Of course, there is hope for you. Look, I shouldn’t even be here. My boarding gate is half an hour away, on the other side of the airport. But the Lord brought me here because He wanted to reach you! So yes, there is hope for you.” I myself was surprised at my answer... His face began to clear, and then light up, and by the time we parted, he was smiling. He still emails me once in a while. So I continued with my trip to Rome, still pondering what had happened. Toward the end of my stay in Rome, I did the same thing – tick off items on

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my list. Then, on the day of my departure, the Superior, who was bringing me to the airport, asked if I would mind leaving early for the airport, since she had to get back to the house for an appointment. I said, why, no, I would not mind at all. I always bring material to read. So we reached the airport early, and I found that my boarding gate had not even appeared on the screen. I took one of the seats nearby. You know, those airport seats where people sit back to back. I had just opened my book, when I heard a voice behind me say in Italian, “Sister, do you speak Italian? Can I talk to you? I am very angry with God.” I turned my head and it was a beautiful lady, elegantly dressed. I thought, “She has tortured eyes.” Saying, “May I sit beside you, then?”, I went over to do so. Then I saw that she was Continued on Page SF7

On accessory dwelling unit or ADU homeowners to add accessory dwelling units, or ADUs. As a result, homeowners are weighing the pros and cons of such an endeavor. We took a look at some of the costs and potential benefits of adding an ADU. To MARTIN SANTIAGO, determine the maximum ROI BROKER-ASSOCIATE you can gain from adding in ACCESSORY Dwelling Units ADU, you’ll want to get a sense of the rents for similar units (ADUs) have been known by many names: granny flats, in-law in your area. Be cognizant of local rent control laws as well. units, backyard cottages, secondary units and more. No mat- Obviously, the potential rental income from the ADU will be a ter what you call them, ADUs are an innovative, affordable, ef- key data point in your assessfective option for adding much- ment. Another way you can apneeded housing in California. The ADU housing approach is a praise the value brought by the fast and creative way to address ADU is by the number bedrooms, bathrooms, and living affordable housing. space square footage that the ADU have been around for ADU will add to your property. years. In 2020, it got a heavy For example, adding an ADU push for affordable houscan make a 3,000-square foot, ing perfectly timed with state regulation and advancements in three-bedroom, two-bath home suddenly become a 4,500 construction technology. With square-foot, five-bedroom, the urgency on the part of lawthree-bath home. And this can makers, employers, and renters to create more housing in Silicon put your home in a whole new tier of pricing. Valley and the Bay Area, it apThere are different types pears the ADU’s time has come. of ADU: Detached ADU, an While many California legisindependent structure entirely lators are bullish on homeownseparate from the primary dwellers adding ADUs, it’s important ing that includes full amenities; to first determine if adding an Garage Conversion, A converADU to your property is legal sion of an existing garage or in your area. You may have a structure that includes full ameperfect room with a bathroom off your garage, but that doesn’t nities; or Attached ADU. Interior Conversion. automatically make it legal. So, Two important factors in be sure to research the rules for determining the ADU are: 1) having ADUs in your area. Size – Under California State Many Bay Area cities are regulations, your ADU is limited offering incentives and relaxin size to 1,200 square feet or ing zoning rules to inspire

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one-half the size of your primary residence, whichever is smaller. In most cases however, towns further limit the size of ADUs. Depending on the city, ADUs may be limited to just 600 feet in size. In spite of that, there are still plenty of companies that manufacture ADUs and deliver to the San Francisco Bay area.; 2) Standard vs. Custom – Many prefab manufacturers offer predesigned models small enough to qualify as an ADU. However, if you have specific design requests or live on a tricky lot (small work area, hilly lot) your options for a standard design may be limited. How long does it take to build an ADU? While the usual building time for a prefab primary residence is 1 to 2 years, the start-to-install time for ADUs can be significantly less. Some companies even have install times as quick as 6 weeks from the time of deposit. How much does an ADU cost? Variables such as location, designer/ manufacturer, and lot conditions may change your exact cost, your ADU will likely cost between $250-$500 per square foot. *** Martin Santiago is a broker associate at Compass Burlingame, a full service residential brokerage ﬁrm. The information presented in this article is for general information only and is not, nor intended to be a formal legal advice nor the formation of a broker-client relationship. Call or email Martin at (415)8507704; teammsquare@gmail.com; www. teammsquare.com. (Advertising Supplement)

Mylene finds working...

From Page SF3 with her while waiting for the set to be finished, I would do it. Not to talk about how she was when she was younger, not talk about how she started. We can all read that, we can all Google that. But how she is now and just talk to the Nora Aunor as she is,” she added. Dizon admitted that if not for Aunor, she would not accept any shows even “Bilangin ang Bituin sa Langit.”

“Si Ate Guy kasi hindi ko kailangan tanungin para magkuwento but she would really talk about how everything started for her, how different it is now, like yung nakatira sila near train station, yung nagbebenta siya [ng tubig], kinuwento naman niya. Hindi ko na kailangan tanungin, nakakatuwa naman,” Dizon said. “Sabi nga niya hindi na daw sana siya magtatrabaho. Sabi ko ‘bakit ka naman hindi magtatrabaho, kaya ko nga

tinanggap ito dahil sa iyo.’ Sabi niya ‘Kasi siyempre yung Ate mo… nahihirapan din ako.’ Sabi ko ‘Ooh, parang hindi naman,” she jested. “Pero kung hindi kay Ate Guy, gusto ko mag-slow down kasi lumalaki yung mga anak ko nang wala ako. Ang daming changes sa buhay nila dahil ang teenager pala, ang dami talagang changes sa buhay. So I wanted to be with them because it wasn’t easy for the boys,” Dizon ended.

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The Asian Jour nal SF MAGAZINE - March 13, 2020

Love and deportability: Divorce, domestic violence and immigration laws The CTV Files

ATTY. LILLI BACULI COLLINS, ESQ

WHAT if I do not have legal papers, and my spouse is abusive? If safety is a concern, we urge people to seek help first, particularly if there are minor children who may also be at risk of abuse. For nonemergency calls, individuals may dial 2-1-1 to seek help finding resources for health, mental health, or temporary shelter. Options available for victims of abuse: VAWA Self-Petition The spouse or child of a U.S. citizen or a Lawful Permanent Resident, or the parent of a U.S. citizen, who is battered or subject to extreme cruelty may file a selfpetition independently of the abusive U.S. citizen or Lawful Permanent Resident. The spouse or child must demonstrate that he or she resided with the U.S. citizen or Lawful permanent spouse or parent; was battered or subject to extreme cruelty during the marriage (or, in the case of a spouse self-petitioner, the child was battered or subjected to extreme cruelty); the marriage was entered into in good faith; s/he is otherwise eligible for immediate relative or preference status; and has good moral character. In certain cases, though an individual has not suffered any physical harm, abuse can still be argued depending on the circumstances, since “abuse” is not limited to physical harm. Each application will be reviewed and

examined on a case-by-case basis, and given the whole picture, an individual might just be able to show that he or she is a battered spouse or has suffered extreme cruelty from their U.S. citizen or Lawful Permanent Resident husband/wife. If so, a VAWA Self-Petition will enable him/ her to adjust his/her status without having to rely on their spouse. California Divorce – “No Fault” California is a no-fault divorce state. A party filing for divorce does not need the consent of the other in order to file a Petition for Dissolution (Divorce) or, in some instances, to get a judgment of divorce. What needs to happen is that the other party (your soon-to-be ex-spouse) needs to be served with process. In proceeding in an action for divorce, there are procedural requirements dictated by law that must be followed to ensure that the other party has notice of the action (that is, that s/he is being brought to court for an action of divorce) and that s/he is given time to respond. However, there is no requirement for the other party to respond. There is no requirement that s/he sign any document at all. All that needs to happen is that s/he is properly served with process according to the rules. Deportability Issues for Green Card Holders with Domestic Violence Conviction(s) A non-citizen, even if a Lawful Permanent Resident (green card holder) for ten years, is liable to be deportable if s/he commits or is convicted of certain crimes, even if it’s “just a misdemeanor.” A conviction for domestic violence can make a non-citizen deportable.

A Criminal Conviction’s Negative Impact on Immigration Status The Record of Conviction (ROC) details an individual’s criminal history – his/her arrest, what s/he plead to, and the final judgment/sentence. The relief(s) available to an individual facing removal/ deportation proceedings will depend largely on that individual’s record of conviction. If you are a non-citizen, it is best to consult both with a criminal attorney and with an experienced criminal immigration attorney who handles deportation defense before pleading to anything in criminal court. No two cases are exactly the same. Consult with an experienced and competent family law and immigration attorney immediately, and more importantly prior to filing any applications with the USCIS or prior to pleading to anything in any court, in order to explore your options and possible legal ramifications that you might be facing. As always, be wary of online tools that offer immigration help or notarios who are not licensed to practice law. *** Atty. Lilli Berbano Baculi is an associate attorney with Chua Tinsay & Vega, A Professional Legal Corporation (CTV) – a full-service law firm with offices in San Francisco, San Diego, Sacramento and Philippines. The information presented in this article is for general information only and is not, nor intended to be, formal legal advice nor the formation of an attorney-client relationship. Call or e-mail CTV for an inperson or phone consultation to discuss your particular situation and how their services may be retained at (619) 9556277; (415) 495-8088; lbaculi@ctvattys. com. Visit www.chuatinsayvega.com for more information and other articles. (Advertising Supplement)

people & events The Asian Jour nal SF MAGAZINE - March 13, 2020

celebrity world

Networks suspend accepting live audiences for variety shows in Philippines

By Ferdie Villar AS COVID-19 cases continue to increase worldwide and affect our way of life, the same can be said for the Philippines’ entertainment industry. In new developments per reports from Inquirer and The Philippine Star, both Kapamilya (ABS-CBN) and Kapuso (GMA-7) networks have suspended accepting live studio audiences for their variety show. As of presstime, these include “ASAP Natin ‘To,” “Banana Sundae,” “I can See Your Voice,” “It’s Showtime,” “Magandang Buhay” for ABSCBN, and “Eat Bulaga” for GMA-7. In a statement released by the Kapamilya network, it stated that it “decided to temporarily stop admitting studio audience to its shows starting 10 March 2020 following the governmnent’s declaration of a state of public health emergency.”

“The safety and well-being of our studio audience, artists, crew and production teams are of utmost importance to us and we are taking this option for their protection. We feel that it is our shared responsibility to help in preventing the spread of the COVID-19,” it added in the statement. TV hosts Ogie Alcasid and Gary Valenciano urged their fans to pray for everyone’s safety, not to panic, and just enjoy their brand of entertainment via their television sets. Both issued messages on Instagram, with Valenciano saying, “Rest assured we will continue to inspire, encourage, and entertain from the studios where we are to wherever you may be. May God bless us and shower us with His grace as we face this threat.” Alcasid, for his part said, “Panandalian lang naman

po ito (this is only for a short while). Meanwhile, let us not live in fear but in faith through prayer. God bless you all po and be safe.” In a related development, “Eat Bulaga” host Paolo Ballesteros told PEP.ph that it feels very different not having a live studio audience for their show, which started on March 9. “Nakakapanibago na walang nakikitawa at nakikisayaw sa amin na audience. Pero nandoon pa naman ang staff namin na nagtatrabaho, so may nakikisabay naman sa mga kakulitan at kalokohan namin,” he said. “Challenge is gawing mas lively pa yung pagtatrabaho, kasi malaki ang studio. Tapos walang audience, malamig at madilim sa audience gallery. Pero mas lumalabas yung mga kakulitan namin kasi kailangang buhay ang show,” Ballesteros added.

*** In simple ceremonies held on March 10, the Philippine Congress recognized Kapamilya actor Gerald Anderson as the Philippine Youth Commission KASAMA (Kabataang Sama Samang Maglilingkod) Ambassador of Goodwill. According to news reports, House Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano and House Majority Leader Martin Romualdez led the legislators who recognized the newly-named youth ambassador. After the ceremonies, Gerald spent some time going around the Session Hall of the Batasan Complex to meet with several Representatives, among them Speaker Cayetano, Leyte Congresswoman Lucy Torres-Gomez, Batangas Congresswoman Vilma SantosRecto and Bataan Congresswoman Geraldine Roman. It was said that Rep. Santos-Recto, known as the “Star Star Magic and Kapamilya actor Gerald Anderson was recognized by Members of Congress in the Philipof All Seasons” in entertainment circles, expressed an in- pines recently as Philippine Youth Commission KASAMA Ambassador of Goodwill. Photo above shows Photo from PEP.ph terest in doing future projects Gerald (left) with House Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano. with Gerald and the youth of the country. Congratulations to Gerald Anderson!

Beauteous actress Rhian Ramos is now portraying the role of an unwed mother in the GMA Pinoy TV teleserye “The Love of My Life.”

Talented actor and model Mikael Daez of GMA Pinoy TV is now one of the lead actors in the teleserye “The Love of My Life.”

Multi-awarded actress Celia Rodriguez is portraying a motherly role in the GMA Pinoy TV teleserye “Anak ni Waray vs. Anak ni Biday.”

Kapamilya TV host Ogie Alcasid told fans in an Instagram post that the barring of live studio audiences for “ASAP Natin ‘To” and other shows will only be temporary. mb.com File Photo

Marie Joselle Oliveros, daughter of Daly City community leaders Jay Oliveros and Ching Resques-Oliveros, graduated recently Cum Laude from San Jose State University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing. Shown in photo above are (from left) Myrna Oliveros, Marie Joselle Oliveros, Jay Oliveros and Ching Resques-Oliveros.

“Eat Bulaga” co-host Paolo Ballesteros says they are up for the challenge of performing before an empty audience gallery as TV networks have issued a temporary ban on accepting live studio audiences for its variety shows. Philstar.com File Photo

Philippine Consulate in SF issues COVID-19 protocols WITH new cases of COVID19 being added to the U.S. cases, and to protect the health and safety of the public availing themselves of services at the Philippine Consulate General in San Francisco, the following measures are being employed: • Walk-in applicants will no longer be allowed entry into the Consulate unless they have a pressing emergency. Beginning March 11, Consular services will be provided only to those with appointments for the following transactions: a. Legal documents (e.g. Acknowledgement for Special Power of Attorney, Certifications, etc.) b. Visa application c. Civil Registry d. Dual Citizenship e. Passport and Travel Documents Out-of-state applicants for Dual Citizenship and other services are now required to schedule an appointment. The following are appointment links for all Consular services:

Civil Registration – https://pcgsfcivilregappointment. eventbrite.com Notarial Services – https:// pcgsfnotarialservicesappointment.eventbrite.com Visa – https://pcgsfvisaappointment.eventbrite.com Passport – https://pcgsfpassportappointmentsystem. eventbrite.com Dual Citizenship – https:// pcgsfdualcitizenshipsf090418. eventbrite.com. • Persons who have fever (100.4F temperature) or are feeling feverish (above 98.6F) are advised to postpone their transaction at the Consulate until they have become better and have contacted a health professional. Thermal scanning will soon be available. • Those who exhibit flu-like symptoms, such as sore throat, cold, cough and shortness of breath, will no longer be allowed entry into the Consulate. The public is advised to call a healthcare professional if they develop a fever and symptoms of respiratory illness. • Those who had close

God’s list...

From Page SF4 reading a Spanish book, so I asked, “Do you speak Spanish?” And she said she was from Argentina. “Fine,” I said, “I speak Spanish better than Italian. Let’s talk in Spanish.” And she began talking. I listened to her (prayerfully) for about an hour - it was a list of problems, sick family members, one trial after another, anger with God, etc. And I thought, looking at her, “Without those problems, she would be very self-satisfied, with no thought of God whatever, angry or not.” So when she had come to the end of her list and was looking at me expectantly, I said, “So now you wanted to tell God how angry you are with Him?” And she nodded her head vigorously and asked, “Is that wrong, Sister?” I answered slowly, “I guess, when things were going

right, you never talked to Him. Now you are angry with Him, but at least you are talking with Him, right?” Her eyes flew open in surprise, then she began to nod slowly, and as she saw me smile, she began to laugh. We laughed together for a while. And I said, “Don’t you think God prefers this, than have you go back to ignoring Him?” Her face changed completely. And we continued talking happily, and she laughed heartily when I told her that story of St. Teresa of Avila, that in one of her travels, “... her saddle slipped, and she found herself head down under the belly of a donkey as she crossed a stream. Complaining to the Lord of her treatment, she heard him reply, “Teresa, whom the Lord loves, he chastises. This is how I treat all my friends.” She replied

contacts with persons with COVID-19 or with travelers returning from affected international locations with reported community spread are advised against visiting the Consulate. Please call a healthcare provider for medical advice, or be on self-quarantine. • Maintain proper hygiene at all times. The Consulate has provided hand-sanitizing stations in its premises to help stop the spread of germs and prevent the spread of respiratory diseases like COVID-19. Arm yourself with information and check official website for important updates: https://www.cdc.gov/ coronavirus,https://www.sfdph. org/dph/alerts/coronavirus. asp, https://www.smchealth. org/coronavirus. For those based in San Francisco, text COVID19SF to 888-777 for official updates. For San Mateo County residents, call (650) 363-4422 between the hours of 7a.m. to 7p.m. Monday to Friday for non-medical questions about COVID-19. tartly, “No wonder you have so few!” (http://www.paceminterris. org/experience-pacem/the-hermitages/st-teresa-of-avila/) Time passed quickly, and I had to catch my flight. The lady had already told me her name (she was from Argentina but she was married to an Italian), and said she was so happy to have met me and talked with me. She invited me for coffee, but I had to go. And as I walked to my boarding gate, I remembered that thought, “I have a list, too.” And I realized that had I fallen short of my to-do lists for Salamanca and Rome, the entire trip would still have been worthwhile if only for these two of His children... Next week: Back to yet another idea to consider for The Bucket List *** Nota Bene: Monette Adeva Maglaya is SVP of Asian Journal Publications, Inc. To send comments, e-mail monette.maglaya@ asianjournalinc.com

people & events

The Asian Jour nal SF MAGAZINE - March 13, 2020

SF issues moratorium on large gatherings of 1,000 or more to slow spread of COVID-19

SAN FRANCISCO – Mayor London N. Breed on Wednesday, March 11 announced that the Health Officer of the City and County of San Francisco will issue a Public Health Order prohibiting all large group events of 1,000 or more persons. This measure is necessary to slow the spread of novel coronavirus (COVID-19) in the community and builds on the City’s March 6 public health recommendations. “We know that this Order is disruptive, but it is an important step to support public health,” said Mayor Breed. “We’re following the recommendations of public health officials to slow the spread of COVID-19 in our community. This order mirrors actions being taken by other local governments and is informed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines. We know cancelling these events is a challenge for everyone and we’ve been talking with venues and event organizers about the need to protect public health. Today I spoke with the Warriors to discuss the steps we’re taking to cancel large events and they are in support of our efforts.” “Today’s action is going to help us fight the new corona-

virus together. The virus needs people to spread. It jumps from person to person, so by reducing the opportunity for that to happen, we can effectively slow the spread,” said Dr. Grant Colfax, Director of Health. “Our chief concern is for vulnerable populations who are most at risk of getting very sick, or dying, if they get COVID-19. That is why we are recommending that people over 60, or with certain underlying health conditions, stay home as much as possible. For the general public, reducing the opportunity for exposure to the virus is the top priority, and by cancelling events, we are improving the odds. We encourage all San Franciscans to cut back on the time you spend in groups and wash your hands consistently.” On March 6, the Department of Public Health issued aggressive recommendations to reduce the spread of COVID-19 in the community. The recommendations for social distancing are intended to disrupt the spread of the virus and protect community health. These are systemic as well as individual changes that will make a difference in people’s lives. Although the recommendations cause in-

convenience, they are necessary and worthwhile to reduce the spread of the virus and interrupt its transmission from person to person. The Public Health Order will initially go into effect for two weeks and can be reauthorized by the Health Officer. The Order will be updated as the COVID-19 situation evolves in San Francisco. On March 7th, the City issued a Public Health Order restricting non-essential group events at City-owned facilities. The order is available here: https://www.sfdph.org/dph/ alerts/files/OrderProhibitingGatherings-City-OwnedLocations-Order-C19-02-03072020. pdf. Read the recommendations that apply to vulnerable populations, large gatherings, workplace and businesses, schools, transit and health care settings at www.sfdph.org/dph/alerts/ coronavirus.asp and stay up-todate on coronavirus news and information. You can also call 311 and sign up for the City’s alert service for official updates: text COVID19SF to 888-777. (From SF Mayor’s Press Office)

Midpen announces annual photo contest LOS ALTOS, CA – The Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District’s eleventh-annual digital photo contest is now open for submissions. Photographers of all abilities are encouraged to submit images taken in publicly accessible areas of Midpen’s preserves throughout the South Bay, Peninsula and San Mateo County coast. Midpen encourages middle and high school students to submit photos to the aspiring photographers

category. “The contest is a fun way for people to use everyday technology to connect with nature close to home,” Midpen General Manager Ana Ruiz said. “We hope people will feel inspired to explore their public open spaces, perhaps for the first time, and capture those moments of awe and wonder in nature.” Participants can submit up to three images in the following categories: wildlife, plant life,

landscapes, people in nature, and aspiring photographers. The contest concludes on May 31, 2020. There is no fee to participate and winners are chosen by a public vote on Midpen’s Facebook page. The winner in each category receives a $100 REI gift card and will have their image featured in Midpen’s fall newsletter. For more information visit www.openspace.org/Contest.

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The Asian Jour nal SF MAGAZINE - March 13, 2020