042220 - Southern California Midweek Edition

April 22-24, 2020 Volume 30 - No. 31 • 2 Sections - 14 Pages

DATELINE

USA

FROM THE AJPRESS NEWS TEAM ACROSS AMERICA

Study: LA County may have more COVID-19 cases than previously reported AS public health officials everywhere are scrambling to find tangible solutions to the coronavirus pandemic, early results from a new study from the University of Southern California and Los Angeles County Public Health show that the infection may be more widespread than the actual confirmed case numbers suggest.

The preliminary estimate means that the actual number of positive cases of the COVID-19 virus is between 28 to 55 times higher than the 7,994 confirmed cases that were reported throughout early April. In terms of figures, that means that between 221,000 adults and 442,000 adults may have been infected with COVID-19 at one point.

This means that a significant number of adults in the county may have developed an antibody to the pathogen. In other words, if the results are true and representative of

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How to support the older Filipino community while social distancing AS older individuals are considered at higher risk for the novel coronavirus, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has advised them to stay at home and limit contact with others.

Studies have shown that people 60 and older and those with severe chronic health conditions — such as heart disease, lung disease and diabetes — are the most vulnerable as COVID-19 continues to spread.

With the social distancing measures in place, it can also heighten the isolation and loneliness that become more common with older age.

“There’s evidence that’s already emerged that COVID-19 can affect our psychological wellbeing. People who are more at risk of contracting COVID-19, including people with chronic illnesses, reported higher levels of depression and stress levels,” said Dr. Erwin Tan, director of Thought Leadership-Health at the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) during a recent press briefing.

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Trump offers additional assistance to PH’s fight vs COVID-19 pandemic

by RITCHEL

MENDIOLA AJPress

UNITED States President Donald Trump has offered more aid to the Philippines as it continues to grapple with the spread of the novel coronavirus, the U.S. Embassy in Manila said on Tuesday, April 21.

“President Trump expressed his solidarity and offered additional assistance to the Philippines as it

continues to battle the COVID-19 pandemic,” the embassy in a statement.

The announcement comes after Trump reportedly called President Rodrigo Duterte on Sunday night, April 19 to discuss how the two countries could collaborate on efforts to contain COVID-19.

“Both leaders agreed to continue working together as long-time allies to defeat the pandemic, save lives, and restore global economic strength,”

the embassy added.

Trump also offered his condolences for 11 Filipino soldiers who were recently killed in a clash with the Abu Sayyaf group in Patikul, Sulu, according to the U.S. Embassy.

“The two leaders also discussed how the United States and the Philippines can continue building upon the string and enduring economic, cultural

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DFA repatriates 867 Filipinos from US

by RITCHEL

MENDIOLA AJPress

OVER 800 seafarers from the United States returned to the Philippines early this week, the Department of Foreign Affairs said on Monday, April 20.

With the arrival of 867 more Filipinos from several Florida-based cruise ships, the agency has repatriated close to 18,000 overseas Filipino workers amid the novel coronavirus pandemic.

“This is the third straight week since the DFA facilitated the series of repatriations that followed the catastrophic economic impact wrought by the COVID-19 global pandemic,” the DFA said.

Composed of seafarers from ships Norwegian Pearl, Sky, Star, Sun, and Escape, the latest batch was assisted by the DFA through the Philippine Embassy in Washington D.C, together with its partner agencies the Department of Health, the Bureau of Immigration, the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA), the Department of

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RECOMMENDATIONS ON LOCKDOWN. President Rodrigo Duterte holds a meeting with members of the Inter-Agency Task Force on the Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) at the Malago Clubhouse in Malacañang on Monday, April 20 to listen to their recommendations on what to do after April 30, the last day of the extended Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ).

Malacañang photo by Ace Morandante

No recommendations of ‘total lockdown’ in Luzon - Palace

by RITCHEL

MENDIOLA AJPress

It looks like a normal day on EDSA except that it shouldn’t be as the COVID-19 pandemic should be enough reason for people to stay at home. But it seems they aren’t if the vehicles clogging the lanes of the major thoroughfare were any indication on Monday, April 20 despite stricter inspection by the Joint Task Force Covid Shield and the PNP Highway Patrol Group.

ManilaTimes.net photo by John Orven Verdote

PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte is weighing whether to “maintain, relax or lift” the enhanced community quarantine in Luzon following his meeting with health officials, Malacañang said on Tuesday, April 21.

At the beginning of the week, the president met with health experts and former heads of the Department of Health, during which there was no suggestion to enforce a “total lockdown” or extend the quarantine past its expiration on April 30.

“Ang option na lumabas kahapon ay ipagpatuloy, ‘di naman kaya i-relax o di naman kaya completely itigil ang ECQ sa iba’t ibang lugar ng bansa, depende sa dami ng kaso ng

COVID-19 (The option being recommended yesterday was continue, relax or completely stop ECQ in different areas in the country, depending on the number of COVID-19 cases),” Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said.

However, Roque revealed that experts lobbied for Calabarzon (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, Quezon), and portions of Bulacan to remain under quarantine after April 30 due to the high number of COVID-19 cases in those areas.

He added that the lifting of Luzon’s lockdown at the end of the month was supported

by Presidential Adviser for Entrepreneurship Joey Concepcion.

“The private sector’s suggestion was to find

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Trump says he will temporarily suspend PH down 2 spots in World Press Freedom Index immigration during COVID-19 pandemic

by DARRYL JOHN

ESGUERRA

Inquirer.net

by KLARIZE

MEDENILLA AJPress

AS the coronavirus pandemic puts his administration under even more scrutiny, President Donald Trump took to Twitter this week to announce that he plans to “temporarily” terminate immigration to the United States.

“In light of the attack from the Invisible Enemy, as well as the need to protect the jobs of our GREAT American Citizens, I will be signing an Executive Order to temporarily suspend immigration into the United States!”

Trump tweeted on Monday,

April 20, unsurprisingly generating controversy and confusion among White House officials and pundits alike.

As a result, the next morning on Tuesday, April 21 administration officials began scrambling to draft the executive order with the hope of Trump signing it later this week.

Though the tweet’s rhetoric displays Trump’s trademark disciplinarian nature, what is actually known about the highly-anticipated executive order fails to introduce new, sweeping policies.

According to an administration official who spoke to re-

porters, the order is expected to temporarily bar the issuance of new green cards and work visas, a policy change already implemented by the State Department in March.

A second administration official said that the executive order will place a 120-day ban for work visas to mitigate unemployment concerns raised amid the massive layoffs and business closures across the country. The executive order is expected to include exemptions for workers in agriculture, health care and other immigrant-heavy industries on whom most U.S. enter-

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MANILA — The Philippines dropped two places in the 2020 World Press Freedom Index, sliding to the 136th place out of 180 countries and regions.

The annual press freedom list, produced by the Paris-based Reporters Without Borders (Reporters Sans Frontieres or RSF), noted how State troll armies in some countries, including the Philippines, use the weapon of disinformation on social media.

The information brief on the Philippines likewise cited the Duterte administration’s response to critical journalism such Supporters and employees of ABS-CBN, the country’s largest broadcast network, hold placards as the harassment of the Philip- as they join a protest in front of the ABS-CBN building in Manila last February 21.

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DFA repatriates 867 Filipinos...

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Transportation (DOTr), and local manning agency (LMA) CF Sharp.

The repatriates underwent mandatory inspection and appropriate protocols supervised by the Bureau of Quarantine (BOQ). They will also undergo quarantine in BOQ-designated facilities.

The two chartered flights that landed at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 1 on Monday morning were paid by Norwegian Cruise Lines, the ships’ mother company. Meanwhile, CF Sharp shouldered the costs for the onward transportation and quar-

antine facility.

As of writing, the DFA has reported 94 new cases of COVID-19 among Filipinos abroad, bringing the official tally to 1,084.

“Following an increase in reports of confirmed cases over the past days, today the DFA reports that the total number of Filipinos abroad infected by COVID-19 has breached the 1,000-mark with 94 new cases from the Americas, Europe, and the Asia Pacific,” DFA Assistant Secretary Eduardo Meñez said Tuesday, April 21.

“Based on the updated figures, the rate of new recoveries and

From the Front Page

new deaths as of today are at 2.28% and 6.99%, respectively,” he said.

The death toll has climbed to 153, while 269 Filipinos have recovered and have been discharged.

“The DFA, through its embassies and consulates, remains committed to supporting global and national efforts against COVID-19 by monitoring the status of our people abroad, providing assistance whenever possible, and helping those who wish to be repatriated in this time of the pandemic,” Meñez said. n

No recommendations of ‘total lockdown’...

PAGE A1

out which barangays have high infection rates and implement ECQ there,” the spokesman said.

Roque stressed that Duterte still has to study the proposals as well as weigh their pros and cons before he can make a final decision.

“President Duterte will look at the recommendation of IATF (Inter-Agency Task Force). He will

look at the recommendation of WHO (World Health Organization) and the recommendation of the experts and then he will make a decision,” he said.

“Ang sabi po ni Presidente ang kaniyang (The president said his) decision may come today or it may come on April 30,” he added.

The spokesman also assured that Duterte’s decision will con-

form with WHO’s advice to consider several factors before lifting the lockdown enforced to contain the spread of the disease.

“Ang WHO advice na dahandahan dapat ang pagbalik sa normal ay iku-konsidera rin ng ating Presidente (WHO’s advice for a gradual return to normalcy will also be considered by the President),” he said. n

BOTTLENECK. Motorists, mostly front-liners, fall in line to get inspected by police at a quarantine checkpoint near the boundary of Las Piñas City and Bacoor City in Cavite on Monday, April 20. They may be riding alone on their own motorcycles and yet obviously there is no physical distancing here. Authorities have tightened security at checkpoints as more vehicles are seen on the roads despite the implementation of enhanced community quarantine in Luzon.

PNA photo by Avito C. Dalan

Trump offers additional...

PAGE A1 and security ties binding the two nations,” it said.

Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque on Monday, April 20 said the call between the two leaders lasted 18 minutes.

“It was cordial and it was about bilateral collaboration on COVID-19 (novel coronavirus) but beyond that, I have no authority to divulge any further details,” Roque added.

Citing Executive Order No. 2 of the Freedom of Information program, Roque said that diplomatic communication is exempted and that the content of the call cannot be disclosed.

“We have notes and transcripts but even that po hindi pupuwedeng inanunsyo sa publiko (cannot be announced to the public).

Humihingi po ako ng inyong pag-iintindi (I am asking for your understanding),” he said.

Despite Duterte’s move to end the 20-year Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA), the relationship between the two countries continues to be cordial. The Philippine president previously praised Trump and said he deserved to be re-elected this November.

The U.S. has so far committed

President Rodrigo Duterte on Sunday, April 10 received a phone call from U.S. President Donald Trump on bilateral cooperation vs COVID-19. Contributed Photo

$4 million in health assistance to the Philippine government and the country’s fight against COVID-19.

According to the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), the additional aid is for supporting the Philippines’ laboratory systems, intensifying case-finding and event-based surveillance, fortifying systems to prevent and control infections, expanding risk communi-

cation, and supporting Filipino and international technical experts to enhance response and preparedness.

As of writing, there are a total of 6,599 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the Philippines, with 437 fatalities and 654 recoveries.

Meanwhile in the U.S., the number of cases has reached 799,515, with 42,897 deaths and 73,373 recoveries. n

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96% of travel destinations off-limits to tourists, says UNWTO

A NEW report out of the United Nations World Tourism Organization paints a stark portrait of the status of the global travel economy: 96% of the planet’s destinations have imposed travel restrictions.

According to the global review, 90 destinations (countries, territories or states) have completely or partially closed their borders to tourists, while 44 destinations are closed to certain groups of tourists, depending on the country of origin.

The report offers a further breakdown by region: 100% of Africa, Asia-Pacific and the Middle East have introduced travel restrictions since January, while that figure dips in Europe (93%) and the Americas (92%).

Travel restrictions include complete or partial closure of borders; destination-specific travel restrictions barring passengers who have visited or transited through heavilyinfected areas; total or partial suspension of flights; and other measures such as quarantine, self-isolation, medical certificates or the suspension of visa issuances.

Interestingly, while the resumption of travel is largely deemed premature today — the closure of the CanadaUnited States border is being extended by another month as of April 21, and France announced that it would keep its borders closed to non-European countries until further notice — in a statement the UNWTO pointed out the need

to ease travel restrictions as soon as safely possible.

“COVID-19 has impacted travel and tourism like no other event before in history,” said UNWTO secretary-general Zurab Pololikashvili in a statement.

“Governments have put public health first and introduced full or partial restrictions on travel. With tourism suspended, the benefits the sector brings are under threat. Millions of jobs could be lost, and progress made in the fields of equality and sustainable HOT MEALS. A soldier cooks mixed vegetables with meat at the mobile kitchen of the Armed Forces of the Philippine (AFP) deployed in Barangay Tatalon, Quezon City on Monday, April 20. The mobile kitchen will provide free hot meals to the homeless and families affected economic growth could be by the enhanced community quarantine.

PNA photo by Joey Razon rolled back,” he said. “UNWTO therefore calls on governments to continuously review travel restrictions and ease or lift them as soon as it is safe to PAGE A1 it would mean that the county’s sheds more light on the spread do so.” (Inquirer.net) the pandemic in LA County, then fatality rate is lower than origi- of the virus by identifying past about 2.8% to 4.1% of adults in nally estimated. The death toll in infection, both USC experts the county possess the antibody. LA County is at 663 individuals and county officials believe that “These results indicate that as of Tuesday, excluding Long polymerase chain reaction (PCR) many persons may have been un- Beach and Pasadena. testing should be expanded to Watch out for and report knowingly infected and at risk of Though the early study has diagnose current infections. scams transmitting the virus to others,” not been peer-reviewed by the But as the scientific and mediIndividuals are encouraged to said Dr. Barbara Ferrer, director scientific community at large, cal community move forward only seek information and news of LA County Public Health dur- researchers plan to test roughly with these efforts to expand testfrom trusted sources, such as the ing the daily press briefing on 1,000 participants in the forth- ing of all kinds and to find exCDC, the World Health Organi- Monday, April 20. coming weeks to paint a clearer planations and solutions to the zation, their local public health Ferrer shared that the study’s picture of the pandemic in the COVID-19 virus, public health department, or AARP’s website. findings help to better under- Southland. officials maintain the imporSince the outbreak, information stand how many people, at some “We haven’t known the true tance of physical distancing. on websites sharing fake cures point, have tested positive for extent of COVID-19 infections “This does, for me, reinforce or fake testing sites have falsely the virus. in our community because we the need for everyone to continbeen disseminated.

These conclusions are based have only tested people with ue to stay home to observe all of As with any major crisis, this is on results from 11 drive-thru symptoms, and the availability our physical distancing requirethe time when scammers are tar- antibody testing held on April of tests has been limited,” said ments, because there are many, geting vulnerable communities, 10 and 11 at six different sites Neeraj Sood, professor of public many people throughout the including those 50 and older. throughout the county. About policy at USC and lead investiga- county who are positive for COOne of the more recent schemes 863 people participated in the tor of the study. “The estimates VID-19 who may not be showing out there is fraudsters asking study, a group of participants also suggest that we might have any symptoms,” Ferrer shared, older individuals for their $1,200 that researchers said was cho- to recalibrate disease prediction adding that physical distancing payment from the federal govern- sen as a representative of the models and rethink public health also helps protect those most ment as those who receive Sup- county’s population. strategies.” vulnerable to the virus. (Klarize plemental Security Income were Moreover, if the data is correct, Although the antibody testing Medenilla/AJPress) also eligible for stimulus relief.

“We know that scammers are running a number of schemes like COVID-19 charity scams or fake vaccines claiming to cure PAGE A1 ronment for the media and self- crisis (due to the aggressiveness you of the coronavirus. AARP is pine Daily Inquirer, ABS-CBN, censorship, the legal framework, of authoritarian regimes); a techsounding the alarm about coro- and Rappler and its CEO Maria transparency, and the quality of nological crisis (due to a lack of navirus scams, whether it is Ressa. infrastructure that supports the democratic guarantees); a demothrough the AARP Fraud Watch “The persecution has been ac- production of news and informa- cratic crisis (due to polarisation Network or through local author- companied by online harassment tion in 180 countries. and repressive policies); a crisis ities. If you spot a scam, you can campaigns waged by pro-Duterte “It does not evaluate govern- of trust (due to suspicion and stop a scam. So please encour- troll armies, which also launched ment policy,” it noted. even hatred of the media); and age our community to speak up cyber-attacks on alternative news Norway topped this year’s list an economic crisis (impoverishabout fraud to the Federal Trade websites and the site of the Na- while Turkmenistan and North ing quality journalism).

Commission,” said Grace Calve- tional Union of Journalists of the Korea are in the 179th and 180th “These five areas of crisis lo-Rustia, associate state director Philippines, in order to block place respectively.

– the effects of which the Index’s for AARP Pennsylvania. them,” it said.

The Index also suggests that the methodology allows us to evaluAARP has a helpline — 877The Index is compiled by as- next ten years will be pivotal for ate – are now compounded by 908-3360 — for those who sus- sessing the level of pluralism, press freedom due to “converg- a global public health crisis,” it pect a scam. (AJPress) media independence, the envi- ing crises”, such as: geopolitical said. n

Study: LA County may have more COVID-19...

How to support the older Filipino community...

PAGE A1 In the Filipino community, 1 in 3 older adults are affected by social isolation, according to Dr. Paolo Narciso, vice president of impact areas for the AARP Foundation.

The group found that social isolation costs Medicare an additional 7 billion dollars every single year.

Here are some ways to support older adults in the community during the uncertainty of this pandemic: Check in and stay connected Family and friends can reach out and maintain that social connection, especially for older adults who live alone. This can be through texts or regularly scheduled phone calls and video conferences. Experts say this will allow older adults feel more comfortable with seeking help if they need access to food, medicine and other supplies.

AARP has also established Community Connections, a new website that offers steps to find help or give it during the pandemic. Mutual aid can include picking up groceries, providing financial assistance, or lending emotional support to your neighbors.

“While we may be physically isolated because of the virus, we don’t actually have to feel lonely or alone. Social distancing doesn’t have to mean social disconnecting. While maintaining physical distance is important,

we can’t risk having more people to be emotionally disconnected.

Emotional support helps us to see through a lot of these particular tough times,” Narciso said.

Access to mental health services With the COVID-19 pandemic, individuals around the world are feeling increased anxiety, stress and sadness, which can lead to shifts in sleeping patterns and other physical symptoms.

Social isolation and loneliness are also considered serious health issues and can affect mental health. “Some Asian Americans have difficulty accessing mental health services in part because of negative stigmas. One way I try to talk about it is that taking care of your own emotional health during the COVID19 pandemic will help you plan clearly and protect your family,” Tan said.

One way to seek help is through Medicare’s telehealth services, which covers mental health counseling, or check if other private insurance plans cover therapy as well. There are other helplines that provide free and confidential support and crisis resources, such as the SAMHSA National Helpline (1-800-662-4357) or the National Institute of Mental Health Crisis text hotline which connects individuals with a crisis counselor if they text “HELLO” to 741741.

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PH down 2 spots in World Press ...

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Philippines should protest China’s new moves in South China Sea – Del Rosario

by Pia Lee-Brago Philstar.com

MANILA — The government should protest China’s establishment of two new districts to govern the Paracels and Spratlys in the South China Sea, former foreign affairs chief Albert del Rosario said on Monday, April 20.

The announcement by the Chinese ministry of civil affairs on April 18 on the establishment of new districts in the disputed waters came at a time when the world was busy addressing the impact of the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic. The announcement came in the wake of the ramming and sinking of a Vietnamese fishing boat by a Chinese vessel, and China’s es-

Former foreign affairs chief Albert del Rosario

tablishment of two research stations on its artificial islands in Fiery Cross and Subi reefs.

“These recent events in the South China Sea remind us Filipinos to be eternally vigilant in the defense of our country’s territory and sovereign rights even as we confront a very grave threat as COVID-19,” Del Rosario said. “As we struggle against a pandemic that poses a real threat to our lives, we must not also risk losing our national patrimony upheld by international law and meant for present and future generations of Filipinos,” he said.

“China has been relentless in exploiting the COVID-19 pandemic,” he pointed out.

The former foreign affairs chief said China continues to pursue

its illegal and expansive claims in the South China Sea to the prejudice of Filipinos, the ASEAN states and the international community as a whole.

“We therefore respectfully urge our government to protest this recent action of China, as it rightly did over the sinking of the Vietnamese fishing boat on April 8, 2020,” Del Rosario said in a statement issued on Sunday evening.

Vietnam has filed an official protest against Beijing over the sinking of its fishing boat by a Chinese coast guard ship.

“In these trying times, we also respectfully urge the Chinese leadership to uphold global unity and mutual trust, and not to engage in needless provocations that may only be seen as abusive and may worsen the situation currently being confronted by the world,” he said.

China’s Paracel administration will be based on Woody Island, called Yongxing Island by Beijing, while the Spratly administration will be placed in Fiery Cross Reef, which the Chinese call Yongshu Reef.

On April 8, the Philippines expressed deep concern over the reported sinking of a Vietnamese fishing vessel in the South China Sea by China.

The coronavirus was first detected in the central Chinese city Philstar.com photo of Wuhan in December. n

China commends PH response to pandemic

to fight the contagion.

Huang said on Facebook the team believes “the Philippine THE 10 Chinese medical ex- government has taken prompt perts who assessed the Philip- and strong prevention and conpines’ response to the pandemic trol measures against the epibelieve that the country took demic, which have been widely “prompt and strong measures” supported by the general public to control the spread of COVID- and are producing effective re19. sults.”

The Chinese embassy in MaThe team also offered suggesnila said the team left Manila tions on improving diagnosis and after releasing its findings and treatment capabilities, building recommendations “on how the more medical and quarantine Philippines can better deal with sites, and tracing the source of the COVID-19.” all suspected cases, he said.

Chinese Ambassador to the “China firmly believes that unPhilippines Huang Xilian said the der the leadership of President experts worked round the clock [Rodrigo] Duterte, the Philipto support the Philippines’ efforts pine government and people will

by Bernadette

tamayo ManilaTimes.net

overcome the epidemic at the earliest,” the ambassador said.

“China will continue to provide support and assistance to the best of our ability to the Philippines, and stand together with the Philippine government and people to jointly tackle the challenges and tide over the difficulties,” he added.

Huang said the team was among the first three teams sent by the Chinese government to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations member-countries. “Most of the team members have had frontline experience to fight against the epidemic,” he said.

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UNIFORMED COOKS. Soldiers prepare food at the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Mobile Kitchen to be distributed to the residents of Barangay Tatalon, Quezon City on Monday, April 20. The AFP mobile kitchen provides free hot meals to the homeless and families affected by the enhanced community quarantine.

PNA photo by Joey Razon

House pushes for P613-B in aid for businesses, workers by divina

nova Joy deLa ManilaTimes.net

Cruz 75 percent wage subsidies for

THE House of Representatives’ ad hoc committee on the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) is pushing for a P613-billion stimulus package to aid businesses and workers affected by the pandemic.

The Technical Working Group (TWG) of the House Defeat Covid-19 Committee (DCC) drafted a consolidated bill called “An Act Providing a Philippine Recovery Strategy for the Economic Effects of Covid-19 based on proposals of ecomist-lawmakers Reps. Joey Salceda of Albay and Stella Luz Quimbo of Marikina.

The proposed bill aims to protect Filipino families and jobs, assist workers and businesses, and support transition of the economy out of the impact of the pandemic.

During the TWG meeting on Tuesday, House Majority Leader Martin Romualdez said the stimulus package was geared towards assisting 29 million workers directly affected by the Covid-19 crisis who face unemployment or reduced income. Among these are 6.5 million Filipinos working in the Tourism industry, 494,679 in the Trade Sector under import and export firms and hundreds of thousands more in the transportation sector.

Romualdez also noted that of the 41 million workers, only 9 million were currently working full-time with some of them working part-time amid the quarantine. He said these included government workers, employees in ECQ Essential Businesses, and workers in private households.

The stimulus package includes P110 billion for 25 percent to

workers of critical businesses; 75 percent of minimum wage subsidy for self-employed or freelance workers, and 75 percent of average foreign wage for overseas Filipino workers, all for a duration of two months. Another P1 billion was allotted as paid sick leave for Covid-19-infected employees through the Government Service Insurance System and the Social Security System.

Over P150 billion was also allotted for sectoral interventions, which includes P66 billion for grants, training, and loans for import and export industries; P43 billion for tourism industry; P10 billion for agriculture and fisheries; and about P35 billion various assistance programs for micro, small, and medium enterprises.

Around P350 billion was also allocated for structural interventions such as for zero-interest loans under state-owned banks, the Land Bank of the Philippines (LBP) and the Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP), and credit mediation and refinancing.

Meanwhile, Salceda, who is also chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, sees a “new significant” role for LBP and DBP in the economic stimulus program through carrying out loans.

“Willingness, experience, and scale of the government banks, especially LBP, in delivering socially-imbued, but ultimately commercially viable programs and projects means we get our bang-for-the-buck, in economic impact and in net fiscal cost,” he said.

“LBP and DBP are both relatively well-run government in-

stitutions, and both have been engaged, in recent years, in missionary expansion, so the reach and the relationship with small and medium enterprises (SMEs) will be critical in delivering our stimulus loans,” he added.

Salceda proposed Negative Interest Loans (NIL) as a stimulus program to encourage companies with liquidity to invest with the incentive of what he calls “government’s co-pay for their continued expansion.”

“The NIL essentially provides firms a little bit of free money so that they are encouraged to invest a lot of their own money and retain employment,” he said.

Salceda also said that the state-owned banks would be crucial for the implementation of his proposed Credit Refinancing and Mediation Service (CRMS).

“The CRMS will allow firms to renegotiate or refinance their loans. It allows them to capitalize their survival, transition, and growth on terms that are easier than the loans they previous contracted. Nobody could have predicted the scale of this pandemic’s impact on business, so we’re allowing them to reengineer their position, essentially,” he said.

The lawmaker also cited initial suggestions from stakeholders of the government banks to administer the loans through guarantees from the Small Business Corporation (SBCorp) and the Philippine Guarantee Corporation (PGC).

Meanwhile, Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano, vowed that the House would prioritize and fasttrack legislation of the economic stimulus program and was ready to convene in a special session if the bill is certified as urgent. n

Hospital groups rate DOH coronavirus response ‘10/10’, rally behind Duque by ratzieL

San Juan Philstar.com

MANILA — Four major hospital organizations in the Philippines on Tuesday, April 21 defended Health Secretary Francisco Duque III against calls for his resignation over the Department of Health’s COVID-19 response.

Last week, a majority of senators filed a resolution urging for Duque’s immediate resignation for “failure of leadership, negligence, lack of foresight, and inefficiency in the performance of his mandate...resulting in poor planning, delayed response, lack of transparency, and misguided and flip-flopping policies and measures in addressing the COVID-19 pandemic.”

However, the Philippine Medical Association, Philippine Hospital Association, Private Hospital Association of the Philippines, and the Philippine College of Hospital Administrators said in a collective statement that the DOH has handled the coronavirus crisis “given what is available and its limited resources at the moment,” rating the department’s containment efforts a perfect 10 out of 10. “[We] understand the exasperation of the senators and probably some others as well in the quest for an end to the COVID-19 crisis. The health of the nation is at stake if everything goes not well in addressing the present situation,” read the statement released Tuesday evening.

“It is thus but natural for everyone to look up to the [DOH] headed by its secretary for answers and solutions to this pandemic” The hospital groups told the public that much remains to be

Health Secretary Francisco Duque III

understood about the coronavirus and that Duque’s decisions involve the “sum of all efforts of the private and government experts.”.

“Experts in our Associations composed of known epidemiologists, microbiologists, virologists, infectious disease specialists, and still others, are in constant communication with one another on how this menace is going to be defeated. Every minute, all data, both local and international are gathered and collated,” read the statement.

“There are more than a thousand points that are too technical to explain but suffice it to say that defeating the COVID-19 virus is not that simple as it is thought.”

However, the statement did not specifically address any of the accusations thrown against Duque.

Among the health secretary’s alleged lapses, as stated in Senate Resolution 362, are his warning against imposing a flight ban between the Philippines and China, delayed contact trac-

Philstar.com photo

ing efforts, neglecting to alert the medical community and the public about COVID-19 patients admitted in local health facilities, information gaps, failing to supply frontline healthcare workers with personal protective equipment, and the slow accreditation of testing centers.

“The use of the testing kits, rtPCR tests and antibody-testing results are just as deceiving as how the treacherous virus presents itself, but in the long run we will corner this virus and place it to its final resting place and this is when the vaccine will become available in a year at least,” read the statement.

Malacañang earlier vouched for Duque in light of demands for his resignation.

“As I have been repeatedly saying in the past, every Cabinet member serves at the pleasure of the President and until they are fired by the President, the President continues to have full trust and confidence in them,” presidential spokesman Harry Roque said at a press briefing. n

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Dateline PhiliPPines

SoCal ASIAN JOURNAL • ApRIL 22-24, 2020

A

Biz group wants phased resumption of Metro Manila trains, buses to restart economy by ian

CASH AID. Social Welfare Secretary Joselito Rolando Bautista (2nd from left), hands over to 74-year-old Lola Potenciana Castro (seated), P8,000 in cash as Marikina Mayor Marcelino Teodoro (left), looks on during the distribution of financial aid under the Social Amelioration Program (SAP) to about 3,300 beneficiaries at the Fortune Elementary School and Fortune High School in Brgy. Tatalon. The SAP provides a subsidy that ranges from P5,000 to P8,000 to low-income families affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

PNA photo by Avito C. Dalan

niColas Cigaral Philstar.com

MANILA — With the six-week Luzon lockdown coming to an end by April 30 unless extended, the government should allow trains and buses to operate again in Metro Manila to help essential companies partially resume operations and maintain a skeletal workforce, a business group said.

In an April 20 letter to Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade, the Management Association of the Philippines (MAP) said the government should gradually open public transportation in key routes in the capital to ensure unhampered movements of essential goods and services, as well as to avoid more business closures and layoffs.

MAP said the phased resumption of transport services must be based on demand, adding that “more or less” 250,000 employees out of an estimated 5.4

million total workers in Metro Manila as of July 2019 need to commute to work in order for companies to operate under skeletal force.

As the situation improves, MAP said the government could gradually allow more workers in Metro Manila to go to work.

“There is a need to allow more companies to open in the priority sectors for which public transportation, initially buses including the LRT/MRT and PNR, are required,” MAP told Tugade.

“In other words, the proposed system is a demand-driven transport system where the number of transport vehicles to be authorized will be determined by the size of the requirements for transport service,” it added.

As of Tuesday afternoon, the Philippines reported 6,599 cases of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Of those infections, 437 died due to complications while 654 patients survived.

MAP submitted the proposal as government officials debate over when to reboot an economy hammered by wide-ranging lockdowns without causing a second wave of infection. The business group stressed that reopening public transportation “must be balanced by the need to optimize protection from COVID-19 for commuters to minimize the possibility of infection and spread of the virus.”

Should the government decide to adopt the proposal, MAP said transport authorities should discuss the plan with bus operators and railway administrators so they can “identify and plug its weaknesses and blind spots” and come up with a compensation system “that is fair to both the operators and the drivers.”

“If DOTr/LTFRB find the proposal feasible, they can begin by experimenting it on a limited basis (such as starting with EDSA) and expand it gradually to other routes,” the group said. n

sharply reduced business and economic activities during the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) period,” RCBC economist Michael Ricafort said.

Ricafort added that six weeks of enhanced community quarantine is equivalent to about 12 percent of yearly output lost for the hardest-hit sectors.

“Since Luzon accounts for at least 70 percent of the country’s economy, the 1.5month lockdown could potentially erase/wipe out about 5-6 percent of the country’s GDP growth (or equivalent to about P1 trillion) for 2020 on a more realistic scenario,” he explained.

The RCBC economist said the estimate would depend on how long the shutdown and significant reduction of economic output would last.

Meanwhile, UnionBank chief economist Ruben Carlo Asuncion said, “GDP growth 2020 would sag to -3.4 percent” under a worst-case scenario.

He added that this was predicated on the United States Federal Reserve’s “rolling

shutdowns” scenario, as the outbreak recedes and a flattening of the curve happens, infections flare back up again when the economic controls are relaxed.

“This scenario is also patterned after the W-Shape scenario wherein the efforts to control the pandemic are loosened prematurely, and the virus stage could come back,” he emphasized.

Asuncion said that a worstcase scenario “involves multiple resurgence of the virus that would merit the return of tightened quarantine measures equivalent to an ECQ.” The worst-case scenario also necessitates higher government stimulus, he added.

The government has earmarked P1.4 trillion for its four-pillar socioeconomic strategy to fight the pandemic.

This includes the P205-billion Social Amelioration Program that will provide cash assistance for 18 million lowincome families and the P51billion wage subsidy program for the 3.4 million employees of small businesses affected by the ECQ. n

Young medical frontliner vs COVID-19 and HIV advocate passes away Economists see zero GDP growth this year MANILA — The Philippines lost another medical frontliner against COVID-19 and HIV advocate.

Love Yourself Inc, a non-profit organization that raises awareness on HIV, mourned the loss of its volunteer and ambassador, Dr. Wilbur Jan Robert Demafiles.

“We remember him for his enthusiasm and commitment to use his role as a medical practitioner to help out in our advocacy campaigns,” the group recalled.

He passed away on April 19.

He was 30.

Demafiles was one of the doctors who took part in Love YourDr. Wilbur Jan Robert Demafiles passed away self’s “Hot Doctors of ‘Pinas Naon April 19. He was 30. tional HIV Testing Day” in 2018.

Photo courtesy of Love Yourself Inc. He helped as the group held a

national HIV testing day on Nov. 11, 2018.

“We honor his memory by recognizing his dedication as a remarkable front-liner doctor in the face of COVID-19, being a great community advocate, and a good friend to many of our volunteers and members,” Love Yourself also said.

His high school, Sultan Kudarat State Univesity – Laboratory High School, also mourned the loss of Demafiles.

SKSU remembered the young doctor for the various medical missions he was part of.

“His dedication to service is something that we can be proud of,” it wrote on a Facebook post.

(Kristine Joy Patag/Philstar. com)

Go to probe erring hospitals

by Javier

J. isMael ManilaTimes.net

SEN. Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go wants the Senate to investigate hospitals that reportedly refused to accept patients during the health crisis.

Go, chairman of the Senate health and demography committee, said he would call for a probe and invite officials of hospitals reported to have turned away patients.

“Ipapatawag natin ang mga ospital na ito sa tamang panahon (I will summon those responsible for these unlawful acts) and those responsible for these unlawful acts should and will be held accountable,” Go said.

He added the National Bureau of Investigation and the Departments of Justice and Health were ready to investigate hospitals that allegedly refused to provide treatment to patients.

The senator said the lack of equipment and facilities was no reason for hospitals to refuse to accept those seeking treatment.

“Kailangan nating gawin ang tama at lahat ng ating makakaya para mailigtas ang buhay ng kapwa nating Pilipino na nangangailangan ng tulong me-

dikal (We need to do the right thing and do everything to save the lives of our fellow Filipinos who need medical attention),” he reiterated.

Go issued the statement following reports that Mary Jane Alpide died during labor at the Rizal Medical Center after being turned down by four medical facilities, allegedly including the Dr. Fabella Memorial Hospital.

“Inuulit ko po, hindi maaaring tanggihan ng mga ospital ang sinumang pasyenteng lalapit sa kanila. Labag po ito sa batas (I repeat, hospitals cannot refuse patients who come to them for help. This is a violation of the law),” he said.

In a statement, the Dr. Fabella Memorial Hospital said it had “designated a separate and exclusive building to care and manage Obstetrics, Gynecologic and Pediatric patients suspected or confirmed to have Covid-19 (coronavirus disease 2019) Infections.”

But the hospital said that “the time to expand and complete the facility may have taken a while considering the renovation and procurement of needed equipment.”

Go earlier warned hospitals after reading reports that

two patients died after being turned away by several hospitals in Cabanatuan City in Nueva Ecija and in Caloocan City without receiving any treatment.

He cited Republic Act (RA) 10932 or the “Anti-Hospital Deposit Law,” which declares it unlawful for a hospital or medical clinic to refuse to administer medical treatment and support to any patient.

“Ayon sa batas, kung hindi sapat ang kapasidad ng ospital, maaaring i-transfer ang pasyente sa ospital na may kakayahang magbigay ng tamang lunas (Under the law, if a hospital lacks the capacity to treat a patient, it is allowed to transfer the patient to another hospital that has the capability to provide the needed medical care and attention),” Go said.

The law, however, provides that “such transfer shall be done only after necessary emergency treatment and support have been administered to stabilize the patient and after it has been established that such transfer entails less risks than the patient’s continued confinement,” he added.

Go warned that violators face steep penalties and may be imprisoned for six years. n

Trump says he will temporarily suspend...

PAGE A1

prises rely.

But the rest of what the order will include remains largely a mystery. It is unclear what legal executive authority Trump will utilize and what other channels of immigration, like family petitioning and parole programs, will be affected.

On Tuesday, the newly-appointed White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany sent a statement praising the president’s commitment “to protecting the health and economic well-being of American citizens as we face unprecedented times,” but she provided no additional details or timing for the executive order.

Though a full-blown ban of immigration has never been enacted in the U.S., the president has broader authority

to restrict immigration during national emergencies and risks; as previously reported in the Asian Journal, the Supreme Court in 2018 upheld Trump’s authority to impose the controversial travel ban that restricted travel from Muslim-majority countries that the administration classified as national security risks.

As expected, the president’s tweet garnered push back from immigration advocates and organizations like the National Immigration Forum (NIF).

“This is not about policy,” Ali Noorani, executive director of the NIF, said in response to Trump’s tweet. “It is about a message that the president wants to send. He wants people to turn against ‘the other.’ And, regardless of the valuable contributions immigrants are mak-

ing to the response and recovery, he sees immigrants as the easiest to blame.”

The announcement of the executive order comes at a time when Trump’s approval rating has faltered significantly during the COVID-19 era. According to aggregated data from RealClearPolitics, Trump’s job approval went down 5 points from early April. (His current approval rating is 46% among American adults, but his approval among Republicans, specifically, is at 93%.)

A Washington Post poll found that 54% of Americans largely view the president’s response to the pandemic negatively while 72% said that state governors like New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo and California Gov. Gavin Newsom have handled the pandemic well. n

China commends PH response to...

PAGE A4 The team met with officials of the Department of Health (DoH), staff of the Incident Command System and officers of the WHO Regional Office for the Western Pacific to exchange experience and practice, to further improve the Philippines’ prevention and control policies, and to enhance the diagnosis, treatment and executive ability.

It visited more than 10 frontline medical agencies, such as the Research Institute for Tropi-

cal Medicine and Lung Center of the Philippines, and met with public health officials and professionals.

It also “shared with the Philippine side their rich clinical experience and diagnosis and treatment methods and in particular the protection measures for the medical staff,” Huang said.

The Department of Foreign Affairs said the team shared technical advice on Covid-19 prevention and control, and exchanged medical experiences with their

Filipino counterparts.

“The best practices shared by the experts gave the opportunity for Filipino and Chinese health professionals to share valuable information in the global fight against Covid-19,” the DFA said.

They presented video lectures on epidemic prevention and personal protection. “More than 50,000 people at the peak joined the online lecture, covering not only Luzon but also the Visayas and Mindanao,” it said. n

by Mayvelin

U. Caraballo ManilaTimes.net

THE coronavirus pandemic could sink the economy, and it is possible the country could see no growth this year, economists warned.

In separate reports released over the weekend, Rizal Commercial Banking Corp. (RCBC) and Union Bank of the Philippines (UnionBank) economists provided -1 percent to 1 percent and -3.4 percent estimates for the country’s gross domestic product (GDP) growth this year.

The forecasts were lower than S&P Global Ratings’ 4.2 percent, Fitch Solutions’ 4.0 percent, ING Bank Manila’s 3.5 percent, World Bank’s 3 percent, Moody’s Investors Services’ 2.5 percent, Asian Development Bank’s 2 percent, Nomura’s 1.6 percent, ANZ Research’s 1.2 percent and International Monetary Fund’s 0.6 percent.

“Philippine economic/GDP growth would slow down to single-digit levels or even negative, at a range of -1 percent to +1 percent, as a result of

A6 APRIL 22-24, 2020 • SoCal ASIAN JOURNAL

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OPINION

No room for thievery

FEATURES

THERE are complaints about favoritism in the selection of beneficiaries and in prioritizing the areas for distribution of aid. There are reports of assistance being diverted for personal use, and of relief items such as rice being replaced with cheaper varieties.

Personnel of the Department of Social Welfare and Development were supposed to be in charge of directly handing out financial and other forms of assistance to people who are suffering from the economic impact of measures to contain the spread of COVID-19 or coronavirus disease 2019. But because of the inadequacy of DSWD manpower, the task has been largely relegated to local governments and barangay offices.

Amid the complaints about anomalies in aid distribution, the Office of the Ombudsman has warned barangay personnel that there will be an audit of the utilization of over P200 billion in COVID-related assistance funds and relief goods provided under the Bayanihan to Heal as One Act or Republic Act 11469.

Apart from facing penalties provided under RA 11469, those who misuse the COVID funds will face charges for violating laws against graft and plunder, the ombudsman warned.

Allegations of wrongdoing in aid distribution are

on top of continuing complaints about barangay personnel, together with some police officers, going overboard in punishing people who violate quarantine rules.

In several areas, local executives and barangay officials who like playing god have also imposed narrow window hours – apart from the nighttime curfew hours – for going to markets and drug stores even in areas that are not under extreme lockdown. This has effectively promoted crowding and difficulty in observing physical distancing. Yesterday, the Department of the Interior and Local Government ordered local executives to stop imposing such window hours. The DILG should see to it that its order is followed, with penalties imposed for defiance.

Amid complaints about officials pocketing COVID funds, there is a sound proposal for the publication of the names of aid beneficiaries, in platforms that can report complaints, even anonymously. be accessed by the public for verification of identities Life under quarantine is arduous enough without and qualifications for emergency aid. The govern- people being victimized by abusive and crooked ment must also provide hotlines where people can public officials. Revenue collection has also been

Editorial

Philstar.com photo

badly hit by the quarantine, and every centavo of that P200-billion COVID relief fund must be utilized judiciously. There is no room for thievery in this pandemic. (Philstar.com)

CDC director warns of deadlier second virus wave this winter as many GOP-led states open despite uptick in cases

The Fil-Am Perspective GEL SANTOS-RELOS WE are in a war against the coronavirus infection.

After bragging he is a “wartime president,” we would think President Donald Trump would finally unite the country in leading us all, regardless of political affiliation, race, age, gender, income, and immigration status toward safety and to mitigate the spread of this pandemic.

But instead, Trump has again pushed to irresponsibly re-open the United States for business, despite serious warnings from scientists, health officials and experts, many governors and mayors that “we are not there yet” and that relaxing the social distancing safety measures would put the lives and safety of the American people at risk.

More ominous is a dire warning from the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) that “There’s a possibility that the assault of the virus on our nation next winter will actually be even more difficult than the one we just went through.”

CDC Director Robert Redfield said in an interview with The Washington Post, “We’re going to have the flu epidemic and the

coronavirus epidemic at the same time.”

In the report, Redfield explained that having two simultaneous respiratory outbreaks would put unimaginable strain on the health-care system. The COVID-19 pandemic alone has overwhelmed hospitals, and contrary to the claims of the Trump administration, the United States has concerning shortages in test kits, ventilators, hospitals beds, ICU, and even protective equipment for health-care workers, who have already killed so many of our front liners in the line of duty.

As of press time on Tuesday, April 21, COVID-19 has killed more than 44,000 Americans and infected more than 816,240 people. Many parts of the country continue to report a record number of deaths and infection cases.

Globally, total cases have topped 2.5 million, with a nearly 176,000 death toll.

This is the reality we are now facing and yet, Trump has been encouraging people from different Republican-led states to protest against the social distancing, stay-at-home and shelter-in-place safety measures.

Trump even praised these protestors for their “patriotism,”

saying they love this country and want to go back to work. He has been encouraging and inciting protesting people to defy the safety orders of the governors, which the demonstrators say violated their “civil rights” — eating out in restaurants, getting tattoos, chilling in the bars, getting their hair and nails done, working out in the gym, attending concerts, partying, etc.

CEOs have also been pressuring Trump about their businesses’ growing losses, leading them to fire or furlough workers and causing an uptick in the unemployment rate, and investors selling their shares in the stock market has lowered the GDP. These are “numbers” Trump has been obsessed with and critical to his re-election.

Trump himself has been complaining how the social distancing measures have prevented him from holding his campaign rallies, which he boasted had been attended by hundreds of thousands of American people, the numbers of which he claims the world has never seen before.

Another important number for Trump: crowd size and ratings!

Therefore, the president has been using the taxpayer-funded coronavirus daily briefings to

US luring medical professionals

Commentary

REYNALDO ARCILLA FOR the past three weeks, I’ve been trying to replenish the twice daily maintenance medication that my wife and I need, to no avail.

Not one of the Mercury Drug and other drugstores in and around our area (Muntinlupa City) have them. I’m talking about medication for hypertension, Type 2 diabetes and another for the heart — health issues that are common among persons of age group 60 and above.

The reason given is that they are out of stock and there have been no deliveries. They also said they would call us as soon as supplies become available. Still nothing available as of this writing.

I’m almost sure the same situation exists in other areas in Metro Manila, if not the entire country.

The Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) for the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) may wish to look into this situation before it becomes dire.

Another form of ‘modern piracy?’

Three weeks ago, I wrote about the accusation leveled against the United States by a German official for committing what he called “modern piracy” for the alleged

diversion of face masks ordered

by Berlin from China. This was later labeled as fake news. Nonetheless, the masks reportedly remain unaccounted for.

France and Canada also talked about shipments of face masks being allegedly diverted from China to the U.S. These, too, were denied by the U.S. But one thing the U.S. cannot now deny is its attempt to lure, to pirate if you will, medical professionals from other countries, including the Philippines, to come to the U.S. to help in battling COVID-19 with a promise to disregard the usual waiting period.

The U.S. State Department posted the following advisory in its website: “We encourage medical professionals seeking work in the US on a work or exchange visitor visa (H or J), particularly those working on #COVID19 issues, to contact the nearest U.S. Embassy/Consulate for a visa appointment. Please see more information here: http:// ow.ly/rPU450yX6fJ.” No doubt, many Filipino nurses, and doctors too, will want to take advantage of the opportunity to avail of the U.S. offer.

Fortunately for us, the IATFEID has decided that the temporary deployment ban on health workers exempts only those with existing contracts returning to their jobs abroad and those with contracts signed as of March 8.

The temporary suspension is “until the national state of emergency is lifted and until COVID19-related travel restrictions are lifted in the destination countries.”

As it were, the country already had a shortage of nurses even before COVID-19, mainly because many chose to work in other countries because of higher pay.

President Rodrigo Duterte, aka Digong, says he has no “emotion,” one way or the other, about the deployment ban and that he does not mind seeing Filipino health workers leave while the number of COVID-19 cases in the country is rising.

“I do not blame anyone. I am not angry. I do not have emotions actually about this. But if you Filipino nurses want to serve other countries, other people, it’s OK with me,” he said.

“America is part of the problem of the Filipinos now kasi sa karaming tinamaan sa kanila, marami nang patay, maski sino nalang nananawagan sila basta ‘yung nars, mga nars, sige punta kayo sa embassy, i-process nila ang visa, one day; kinabukasan, lipad ka na (because many people there have been infected, many are dead, [that is why] they are calling on anyone; nurses, you can go to the embassy, it will process your visa in one day; the next day you can already fly [out of the country]),” Digong lamented.

rewrite history about his inaction for two months after he was warned about the possible threat of the pandemic by our own intelligence agencies. He has called COVID-19 a hoax and accused the Democrats of using it to kick him out of office. He has taken advantage of the briefings to spread lies, confusing the American people with his “doublespeak” to give him political cover.

And even after the coronavirus has progressed to be a pandemic, killing so many Americans, Trump remained fixated on his ratings and his need to be praised by the governors before he starts heeding their call for help from the federal government. Further, he has directed coronavirus stimulus funds to give more money to rich corporations instead of ordinary hardworking Americans.

Trump also announced Tuesday that he will stop immigration to the United States for 60 days, explaining that this freeze will block green card recipients from moving to the country but allow temporary workers to arrive.

Trump regurgitated his demonizing claims against immigrants.

As the Post reported, Trump decreed late Monday that he “wanted to protect the country from the

threat of foreigners bringing the virus to U.S. shores and to stem the economic crash the pandemic has triggered — and he retweeted the same post Tuesday, in one measure of his enthusiasm for the plan.”

WE ARE IN A WAR. And yet this president continues to divide the nation and has been riding on and enflaming the frustrations of the people to demand the relaxation of social distancing and force their local government officials to open for business — all because of his personal and political motives.

This is a betrayal of the oath he took as president of the United States: to protect the people’s safety and lives. More Americans have been killed by this war against the coronavirus more than any other war before!

This is selfish. This is short-sided. This is electioneering. This is criminal. This is immoral.

We are in a war and our first goal is to keep our people safe and alive. But this president, who has put the blame to all but himself, continues to pull the country into his quagmire, stirred by his own greed for power and money more than anything else.

This is not a Democrat argument. This is a fight for our life.

Former Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Steele called out Trump for defending those protesting stay-athome orders to stop the spread of the coronavirus pandemic. Steele pointed out that those protestors “aren’t just putting their own lives at risk, they’re also endangering the lives of vulnerable people around them.”

“Go to work and die?” he asked in a report by MSNBC. “Go to work and get sick? What is the point of that?”

He continued, “And if you weigh your job greater than you weigh your grandparents’ lives or your children’s lives or your own life, maybe that’s your individual choice, but that’s not something that I’m willing to take a risk with my life on.”

WHAT is more important to you? Money and “civil liberties” or your life and the lives and safety of your family and country? ***

Last Sunday, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported 720,630 COVID-19 cases in the U.S., an increase of 29,916 cases from its previous count, and that the number of deaths had risen by 1,759 to 37,202.

Trump politicizing COVID-19?

Not too long ago, U.S. President Donald Trump spoke on the phone with Chinese President Xi Jinping and they reportedly agreed to cooperate with each other in battling COVID-19. China sent face masks and other paraphernalia to the U.S. afterwards.

So, why does Trump now keep on blaming China for causing the pandemic, notwithstanding the fact that there has been no concrete evidence uncovered to justify the accusation?

The answer: politics! Trump is running for reelection this November and the Democrats are accusing him of being “soft” on China.

Trump also seems to be trying to cover up his failure to act posthaste in battling COVID-19 by using China as a scapegoat.

Ex-military men and Locsin in Cabinet As far as I can recall, President Digong’s idol, the late president Ferdinand Marcos, appointed during his nearly 20-year watch only two ex-military officers — Alejandro Melchor Jr. and Ernesto Mata. All his other Cabinet members were civilian technocrats who proved themselves to be highly qualified and effective.

Of course, there was Gen. Carlos Romulo, who was not, strictly speaking, from the military. He was a journalist and an editor. He was also the spokesman of Gen. Douglas MacArthur during World War 2. It was he who coined MacArthur’s famous “I shall return” vow when he left the Philippines for Australia. MacArthur at first wanted to say “We shall return,” but Romulo advised him that the Filipino people would believe him more if he said “I shall return.”

The main reason given by Digong for appointing so many exmilitary men to his Cabinet is that they were more disciplined and followed orders without questions or something to that effect.

Many suspect it is more than that. They say that if discipline is the main reason he appoints exmilitary men to his Cabinet, all the more reason he should demand that of the civilians in his team.

They cite, for instance, his defiant, recalcitrant, quarrelsome, disobedient and insubordinate Foreign secretary, Teodoro “Tweeterboy” Locsin Jr. They believe, as I do, that Locsin should have been fired long ago, especially after he appeared before the Senate Foreign Relations committee and stated that the Visiting Forces Agreement with the U.S. should be “vigorously reviewed” instead of abrogated as Digong wanted.

The question that has been bugging us is what is the compelling reason President Digong couldn’t let go of Locsin, even af-

ter committing such a flagrant insubordination? To begin with, he is suspected of actually belonging to the Yellow horde, whose members are unabashed U.S. worshipers.

Mr. President, Sir? Imelda’s jewels There is a proposal to sell the jewelry confiscated from former first lady Imelda Marcos to augment the funds for fighting COVID-19.

I believe this is not the right time to do that. “Babaratin lang ang mga iyan!”

Incidentally, the only Marcos I have heard of who is doing something to help the victims of COVID-19 is one Francis Leo Marcos who apparently is not related to the late president.

Many people are wondering why president Marcos’ family does not seem to be doing their bit. Maybe they prefer to do it quietly? *** From an internet friend: “The current pandemic is exposing not only our [US] government’s utter failures to protect its own citizens, but also its profound lack of human decency in dealing with other nations.” — Oliver Stone, legendary Hollywood director.

(Stone was referring to Washington’s “contempt for human compassion and global solidarity to lift draconian sanctions against Cuba, Iran, Nicaragua and Venezuela during this COVID-19 pandemic.” (ManilaTimes.net)

Gel Santos Relos has been in news, talk, public service and educational broadcasting since 1989 with ABS-CBN and is now serving the Filipino audience using different platforms, including digital broadcasting, and print, and is working on a new public service program for the community.

You may contact her through email at gelrelos@ icloud.com, or send her a message via Facebook at Facebook.com/Gel.Santos.Relos.

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

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cover story The Asian Jour nal MDWK MAGAZINE - April 22, 2020

Remembering Leila Benitez-McCollum, the first lady of Philippine TV by

MoMar G. Visaya / AJPress

LEILA Benitez-McCollum, Philippine television and radio legend, passed away on April 8 due to complications from the coronavirus disease. Her niece, Vivian Talambiras Cruz, an active leader in the Fil-Am community, told the Asian Journal that she spoke with Benitez the night before she died.

“She was a bit lethargic and spoke about going to the airport to go home to Pagsanjan,” Cruz shared. “She has many beautiful memories of Pagsanjan as I do, especially the times we spent at their house by the river which still stands today, a bit dilapidated but nevertheless our memories of that house live in our hearts.”

The 89-year-old icon rose to fame in the Philippines back in the 1950s as one of the hosts of the variety show “Student Canteen,” which began as a radio show and eventually transformed into a television program to discover new singers.

In a career spanning almost two decades, she was called the “First Lady of Philippine

Leila with her sons Gerry, Gil & Martin

Television” and became a household name as her star continued to shine until the early 1970s.

Benitez was brought to Mt. Sinai Hospital in Manhattan eight days prior to her passing because she was unable to eat for a few days and her doctor suggested bringing her so they could check the best options for her, like a feeding tube, if it was necessary. She was tested positive of the virus shortly after being moved to the hospital from a rehabilitation clinic.

Before they ended what would be their last phone conversation, Cruz asked her if she had a special craving for food and she told me her she was tired because she hasn’t eaten and they could talk again “tomorrow” and ended with their usual exchange of “I love you.”

“Sadly, that tomorrow never came,” Cruz lamented.

“Gerry (Benitez’s son) called me in the morning saying that the doctor called to say she was unresponsive and in the afternoon, he called to say she passed on. It was a blessing

Leila Benitez McCollum with her niece, Vivian Talambiras Cruz.

Leila Benitez McCollum with her sons Gerry, Gil & Martin.

that she was unconscious so that she didn’t feel the pain and not be aware that she was alone at the end.”

Cruz considered her Tita Lei as her second mother.

Her grandfather Cirilo and Benitez’s mother Enday were siblings.

Benitez left behind her three sons Gerry and Gil from first husband Gerardo Roses, and Martin from second husband Mervyn Simpson, and four grandchildren. She and her third husband Donald McCollum were married for 38 years, until his death in 2015.

Aside from “Student Canteen,” which in its heyday became the biggest daytime program of its era, Benitez also hosted a couple of television shows, including “Darigold Jamboree” and “The Leila Benitez Celebrity Hour.”

As a child growing up in Batangas, Cruz vividly remembers watching her Tita Lei in “Student Canteen.”

“Often times my classPhotos courtesy of Vivian Talambiras Cruz mates would excitedly tell me

Contributed photo

‘Oh your Tita Leila mentioned your family in her program,’” she shared. “We spent many unforgettable moments at their Pagsanjan house by the river and their mansion in Cubao.”

Benitez, who graduated from Georgetown University, was in the United States when Martial Law was declared in 1972. She decided to stay and later landed a job as a news anchor of the Voice of America, a program under the U.S. Information Agency broadcast across the Asia Pacific Region.

Among the most precious memories Cruz treasures fondly happened in her Tita Lei and Uncle Don’s place in Manhattan, among them special holiday celebrations like Thanksgiving, Christmas and birthdays.

“As an adult living in New York, Tita Lei took it upon herself to take care of some of my needs. When I gave birth, it was Tita Lei and Uncle Don who picked me up from the hospital with my newborn son, Francis,” Cruz shared. “I

Leila with Vivian’s son, Francis

Leila with niece Vivian at a Fiesta in America Empowerment Awards a few years ago.

had German measles on my first trimester and the doctor recommended abortion which I refused. I hid it from my parents but somehow when I was about to give birth they found out and my mom’s blood pressure was so high and when Tita Leila found out, she picked me up from [the] hospital.”

It didn’t end there because when Francis was baptized, Benitez also became his

ninang or godmother.

“She insisted on hosting the reception at their beautiful Beresford place by Central Park. She cooked dinuguan among other dishes. She was a great cook!,” Cruz exclaimed.

There are no services scheduled at this time but the family is planning a memorial service and a celebration of her life with family and friends will be held at a later date.

Luis shares how he adjusts to the ‘new normal’ WITH his pedigree in the entertainment world, and his wide reach in touching lives of viewers since first stepping in the limelight as a VJ in “MYX” and a host in “ASAP,” Luis Manzano has since been the default premiere male presenter on ABS-CBN in hosting reality programs and game shows.

His many accolades and successes are indeed glimmering, while his charm is forever endearing. But while we would appreciate him in the spotlight, with his gregarious and boisterous world surrounding him — how does a muted lifestyle constrained in his Greenmeadows home amid the current Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ) affected him?

“To some degree, I’m a loner so it medyo works for me despite what people see on TV. But at the same time it’s sad honestly,” Luis admits in an exclusive interview through an online video chat.

But Luis stressed that while he may have found difficulty in adjusting to his alone time during the quarantine, he knows his conditions are a blessing compared to conditions being faced by people who need to work amidst the COVID-19 crisis.

“We see people by the streets having to work. Our front-liners risking their lives while saving others. I am fortunate and I thank God every night for keeping us safe at home,” Luis noted.

And in adjusting to his “new normal,” Luis shared how he is coping, spending the entire day and keeping himself productive at home.

Luis still keeps himself busy around the house—even if it isn’t much of a variety. “Basically, it’s workout, eat, watch TV, get ready for bed,” Luis revealed.

He also detailed his other activities that keeps him busy during the lockdown. “It’s a bunch of TV, a bunch of news. I’m trying to pick up a new skill. Sulitin natin ito. If it’s something like learning a new language, something about business or stocks,” Luis pointed out.

But above all, aside from still enjoying family ties

Fashion designers do bayanihan in style

through convenient innovation, the ECQ is an opportunity for introspection and reflection.

“It gives us time with our thoughts. It gives us time with the Supreme Being. Para sa akin, pagka ganitong nasa bahay ka lang when everything is a bit more quiet than usual, it gives you a nice conversation with God. That’s the way I see it. When everything slows down, mas masarap pakinggan ang mensahe sa’yo ng Diyos.”

These realizations certainly affect his outlook in life.

“I appreciate everything more,” Luis declared. “You get to appreciate the smaller things in life and you realize you appreciate something no matter how minute or grand it will be. We always tend to ap-

preciate something grand. But sa akin, there is more magic, there’s so much more love and appreciation with the minute details.”

Luis, who turned 39 while the ECQ is still in effect on April 21, looks forward to spending a post-birthday bash with family and friends in Batangas when a possible “relaxed” quarantine happens, aside from resuming his deep passion for diving.

ECQ might be constraining and limiting, but this necessary action certainly does not prevent us from taking advantage of the technology to strengthen ties with family and loved ones, learn new things reflect and ponder on life decisions.

(Philstar.com)

Luis Manzao

ABS-CBN photo

Barbie’s to-do list after lockdown

I would love to be under quarantine with either Meryl Streep or Sean Penn. I’d only have one question for them, CELEBRITIES are used to

By Nika roque “How do you do it?” being mobbed wherever they ManilaTimes.net What’s the first thing you go. But all of a sudden, there BAYANIHAN in style is want to do when the pandemis no clamor for photo-ops and how top and up and comic is over? autographs as stars are quaring fashion designers are Get my haircut and treatantined, just like all of us. And meaningfully expressing their ment, go to my derma, get just like that, the pandemic creativity amid the Covid-19 my eyelash extensions, get has rained on their (showbiz) pandemic. pampered at the nail salon, get parade.

By making their own a massage, eat ramen and have Since TV and movie versions of personal proteccoffee with Jak. projects have been put on hold tive equipment or PPEs, not What are the “quaranand controversies are nonexistonly have these gifted artists tunes” on your playlist that ent in the time of COVID-19, I helped medical workers stay help you stay calm? find it more interesting to intersafe from battling the virus as I only listen to music when view stars now that they can be they treat patients every day, I’m working out. Rihanna keeps more of themselves. but their designs also bring me going and sometimes, I Quarantine has stripped off Barbie Forteza smiles to those who wear the glitz and glamour. It is makPhoto from Instagram/@barbaraforteza even sing along with her while them and see them across I plank. ing us see showbiz personalihospitals in the country. voice, and I do not mind hearWhat are the top five ties as ordinary people, too.

A top pick from social ing it at all. things on your grocery list For the third part of my media is definitely Iloilo-based What’s the most producduring this crisis?

“QuarantInterview” series, I am designer Ram Silva’s headtive thing you’ve done during Eggs, mushrooms (surprisfeaturing Kapuso sweetheart turning PPE collection. Inquarantine? ingly), butter, milk and instant Barbie Forteza. Let’s take a spired by the trending Netflix I’m finally working out coffee peek into the cocooned life of crime series “Money Heist”— again—and, this time, I get to While you watch the rerun Barbie in her “dollhouse.” also known as “La Casa De Here’s my chat with Barbie: do it regularly. When I feel like of your show “Meant to Be,” Papel”— his atelier produced what do you remember most How do you and Jak (Rob- my body is getting used to an maroon-colored hazmat suits about it? erto, her boyfriend) keep your exercise and I don’t sweat as for the Internal Medicine deI remember how much fun relationship strong in the time much anymore, I combine two partment of Western Visayas or three exercises together so we had doing it. When I watch of COVID-19?

Medical Center. that there’s more effort and, so some of the scenes, I rememHe knows my routine well The show “Money Heist” ber the inside jokes we shared so, he serves as my alarm clock far, it’s been working well. follows a group of thieves If you could choose to be during blocking, especially my every day. I usually wake up attempting to rob the Royal under quarantine with any scenes with Sef Cadayona (who to his video call.

Basically, he Iloilo-based designer Ram Silva’s ‘Money Heist’-inspired PPE collection. celeb, who would you pick? played Kuya Bats).

Continued on Page 5 Photos from Instagram/@ramsilvacouture_ starts my day with his sleepy

By Dolly

aNNe CarVajal Inquirer.net

entertainment

The Asian Jour nal MDWK MAGAZINE - April 22, 2020

Darren teaches kids how to fight COVID-19

By Ratziel

San Juan Philstar.com

McDonald’s celebrates health care workers and first responders with free ‘Thank You Meals’ Frontline heroes can enjoy free meals at participating U.S. McDonald’s restaurants

IN appreciation for the healthcare workers, police officers, firefighters and paramedics who are committed to our health and safety, McDonald’s will offer free Thank You Meals*, between Wednesday, April 22 and Tuesday, May 5, as a token of appreciation for their selfless service.

While the majority of America is staying home, McDonald’s has remained open, with our franchisees and hardworking restaurant employees serving hot meals to communities who need quick and affordable options, especially those on the frontlines such as healthcare workers and first responders. The company is grateful for the ongoing dedication and commitment of McDonald’s employees who enable McDonald’s to stay open to serve our communities during these challenging times.

Each Thank You Meal will be available at no charge via drive thru or carry out at participating McDonald’s restaurants nationwide through May 5. The Thank You Meal, available during breakfast, lunch or dinner, will feature a choice of sandwiches, drinks, and a side featuring small World Famous Fries or a Hash Brown, along with a note of appreciation. It will be served in McDonald’s iconic Happy Meal box, in

the hopes of bringing a smile along with delicious food.

“We have been inspired by the way our franchisees have been going above and beyond to support their local communities throughout this trying time,” said Joe Erlinger, President, McDonald’s USA. “I couldn’t be more proud of how our company, franchisees and supplier partners have come together to give back to those who are working tirelessly for our country. That is truly our McDonald’s system at its best.”

Day or night, these frontline heroes can simply show their work badge, or be in uniform, to receive one of the below Thank You Meal options: Breakfast A choice of an Egg McMu ffin®, Chicken McGriddles® or a Bacon, Egg and Cheese Biscuit. All options come with any size soft drink, tea or hot coffee and a Hash Brown.

Lunch and Dinner A choice of a Double Cheeseburger, 6-Piece Chicken McNuggets® or a FiletO-Fish® will be offered. All options come with any size soft drink, tea or hot coffee and small fries.

Serving these brave men and women would not be possible without McDonald’s dedicated and unwavering restaurant employees, who are also doing their part to

help during this time. McDonald’s employees are the heart of the business, and their health and safety has been, and will continue to be, the company’s top priority.

McDonald’s has implemented nearly 50 new safety measures to ensure the well-being of its employees, and is continuing to explore additional safety steps in accordance with guidance issued by local and national health authorities including the CDC. “Emergency physicians and other health care workers on the frontlines are spending hours a day on their feet, often missing meals in their efforts to care for their patients,” said Dr. William Jaquis, President of American College of Emergency Physicians. “McDonald’s Thank You Meal is a much appreciated gesture for those risking their lives each day to take a break with a hot meal amidst the turbulence.”

During past times of national crisis, McDonald’s has helped and served communities in need, from donating funds to disaster relief efforts to providing food for those impacted by natural disasters. McDonald’s commitment to feeding the nation’s healthcare workers and first responders throughout the current pandemic is a continuation of that dedication.

Continued on Page 4

SINGER-actor Darren Espanto already got to work as the new Youth Advocate of United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Philippines, using his position to guide children to protect themselves during the novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak.

In a two-minute, animated video explainer posted on social media, Darren addressed kids in Filipino to teach simple but lifesaving reminders like social distancing.

“Kumusta mga, bata! Si Kuya Darren niyo ito. Alam niyo ba na ang mga bata ay mayroong maitutulong upang malabanan ang paglaganap ng COVID-19?,” began the video.

(Hi, children! This is your Kuya Darren! Did you know that you can help in the fight against COVID-19?)

“Excited na ba kayong malaman kung ano ang mga ito? Tara at panoorin natin at sundin ang mga tips sa video na ito.”

(Are you excited to know how you can help? Let’s watch this video and follow the tips!)

Darren Espanto Photo from Instagram/@darrenespanto

Here’s the advice that Kuya Darren had to offer to Filipino youth.

• Keep 1 meter apart • Avoid kissing and hugging • Keep your hands clean

• Cough or sneeze into your elbow • Wipe clean things often touched by family • Tell your parents if you feel sick

entertainment The Asian Jour nal MDWK MAGAZINE - April 22, 2020

Immigrant Living: 101 and Beyond Monette AdevA MAglAyA I NEARLY had a vehicular accident three years ago. Operative word: Nearly.

I was minding my business at a traffic stop when the vehicle before me decided to back up because her car was caught in the crosswalk. I then noticed her white backlights were lit indicating that she had left her car in reverse gear.

Instinctively I knew it was an accident waiting to happen.

I was ready with just my senses, reflexes and an annoying horn to blast the danger away.

But full disclosure and credit go to my Guardian Angels for the countless times of full protection. It is like being in tune with God’s cosmic script and being on the same page, most times.

When the lights turned green, true enough, she stepped on the gas and was doing a fast reverse headed to the front of my car. I pounded on my horn and let out the screechiest, loudest, longest honk, enough to scare the daylights out of her. And NO 3-fingered salute. It’s not something I want to give or receive in tenuous situations.

Besides, my mother and the nuns who taught me will be aghast.

She braked about a hairline away from my car grille — and then froze. She didn’t know what to do and held up the lane longer. I had to hand signal her to go. The cars behind us were blasting away with their horns at being kept waiting, unaware that a chain collision that could involve them, has just been averted.

Whew! That was a close call. Imagine the hours that would have been lost never to return again if a crash did occur and you are left to tussle with insurance matters.

I don’t know whether she was a young, new driver, on the phone or just preoccupied with something. But when

EMPLOYMENT

Mindfulness as a survival skill in today’s tech crazy world “Be present. It is the only thing that matters.”

— Ways of the Peaceful Warrior you are behind the wheel, it requires all of the neurons in your brains and all your senses to be engaged in just that one activity. Without it, you can do damage not only to yourself but sadly, to others as well, within your immediate physical orbit. I kept 3 car lengths as following distance until she turned left onto another street.

These are, indeed, the best of times. These are the worst of times as well. Charles Dickens could have said these words just as fittingly to apply to this crazy world we live in today.

I would like to plead the case for mindfulness for everyone at all times and in all places.

Do you feel incomplete, naked, inept and insecure when you are not tethered electronically to your cellphone or your computer? Do you feel less of a person? Take heart. You are not alone.

The advances in communication technology have created a world where we can send and receive information at breakneck speed.

The thoughts, the images of anyone, from kings to paupers, from the most profound to the most profane, from the wisest to the most foolish, from the most beautiful to the most horrific, once formed, can be transmitted to billions of people around the electronically wired community.

Just like the common cold, thoughts and images “go viral…” The power of a message is now measured by the number of tweets, hits and views it gets. Many are choosing to live in virtual reality rather than in the real world believing they can safely hide

behind a cloak of anonymity.

Disabuse yourself of the idea. No one remains anonymous for long. No one in the internet is sacrosanct. Everyone is fair game.

These thoughts and images go around fast just like the weather patterns that change and swirl around the globe.

And just like the weather, our cultural world is being shaped by our collective thoughts within the structure and framework of the technologically wired environment we live in today.

Do we then damn technology because of the potent power it helps wield over us?

Certainly NOT! It would be a big mistake to blame technology for our present woes. Just like fire and electricity and practically all of man’s tools and inventions through the ages, technology is a doubleedged sword. It can enhance human life or it can destroy just as well.

The fault, dear tech user, is not in our stars but in OURSELVES. It is how we define our relationship to technology and use it in our daily lives.

We can be the boss of it.

Or if we lose control, we can let ourselves be obsessed by technology and all its bells and whistles. It can wreak havoc on our souls, our persona and ultimately our lives if we use it as a tool to enable a hubristic tendency among many people today who think the world revolves around them and who then count their worthiness with the number of likes they get from their posts.

How do we know if technology has us wrapped around its little keypads? It is easy

Should I create a will and living trust in preparation for the COVID-19 Pandemic?

Barrister’s Corner Atty. Kenneth UrsUA reyes THE COVID-19 Pandemic is a scary reality which affects everyone globally and has shut down the global economy. Individuals over 60 years old and individual that are immune compromised are more at risk of having serious complications with this virus. Individuals are dying all over the world in exponential numbers. Although we cannot completely control how our bodies and immune system would respond to this virus, we can prepare our finances and estate in case the worst happens to make sure our loved ones are properly provided for. Legally, there are several ways you can do this.

1. Create a Living Trust If you pass away with at least $166,250 in gross assets and you do not have a living

with 4% of the gross estate.

The probate referee will have to be paid for appraising the assets of the estate. If it is necessary to post bond, the premium on the bond would have to be paid as well.

There is also the cost of administering the estate such as selling some of the assets to satisfy the estate’s obligations and to divide the estate according to the will or the intestate line of succession if there is no will. The entire process could take up years specially if certain beneficiaries and creditors file certain claims. The probate court file would be public record.

On the other hand if you have a living trust, your estate can avoid the entire court system and court supervision. In certain situations, the process may also save you estate taxes which may be substantial if your assets exceed a certain threshold. Basically, you and/or your spouse can be named as the initial trustee of the trust while you are alive. The trustee is the person who manages the Continued on Page 5

McDonald’s celebrates health care...

From Page 3 nation’s healthcare workers and first responders throughout the current pandemic is a continuation of that dedication. Additionally, McDonald’s local franchises have also been working throughout this crisis to support the thousands of communities their restaurants call home.

“Our restaurants have always been a place for the community to come together and share everyday feel-good moments with family, friends and neighbors,” said Vicki Chancellor, an Atlanta-based Owner/Operator and chair of McDonald’s Operator’s National Advertising Committee. “And, now during times like this, it’s more important than ever for our restaurants to continue to serve and help the communities that have supported us for so long.”

Nearly all McDonald’s U.S. Continued on Page 5 restaurants remain open and

EMPLOYMENT

trust (even if you have a will), your beneficiaries would have to open up a probate case before title to the assets can pass to them. When I say gross asset, I mean regardless of how much debt you owe on them. For example if you own a house valued at $350,000 at the time of your death, it does not matter that your mortgage balance is $300,000, a probate case has to be opened in order to pass title to that property. The same is true with other types of assets such as owning a business, a professional practice, bonds, equities, etc. This is a very low threshold to exceed specially in California where real estate prices, even after the economic crisis, remains in the upper end of the curve among the 50 states.

Commencing a probate case is expensive and a very slow process. Someone qualified will have to file a Petition with the probate court to have someone appointed as executor or administrator. The Petitioner’s attorney gets paid a statutory rate for attorney’s fees commencing

are offering convenient and contactless ways for customers to enjoy McDonald’s favorites through drive thru, carry out, McDelivery, and mobile order & pay with our app. *Thank You Meals offered at participating US McDonald’s 4/22/20 through 5/5/20.

Valid ID required. Limit one per person per day. Menu options may vary by restaurant.

Visit McDonalds.com for more details.

McDonald’s approach to challenging situations is guided by our belief that we are all in this together, and our system has come together in extraordinary ways to help each other, our customers and the communities we serve. In the U.S. we remain committed to leading by example as an organization, which is why we’ve donated $3.1 million in food to support local communities, made commitments to support truck drivers across

SERVICES

the country, donated 1 million N95 masks to Chicago and the state of Illinois and donated $1 million to the Illinois COVID-19 Response Fund to ensure non-profits in our home state have the supplies they need during this time. McDonald’s has always been a home base for our communities, and we’re proud to provide calm and comfort to them throughout this crisis. We are here to serve.

McDonald’s USA, LLC, serves a variety of menu options made with quality ingredients to nearly 25 million customers every day. Ninety-five percent of McDonald’s 14,000 U.S. restaurants are owned and operated by independent local business owners. For more information, visit www. mcdonalds.com, or follow us on Twitter @McDonalds and Facebook. www.facebook. com/mcdonalds.

(Advertising Supplement)

Fashion designers do...

From Page 2 Mint of Spain and the Bank of Spain later on. They hide behind Salvador Dali masks, which of course Silva also sent with his hazmat suits to complete the look.

The designer clarified, however, the masks are not PPEs but merely props for the fun photo shoot the medical staff had when his donation arrived.

Another Iloilo designer by the name of Adrian Pe is doing double duty. That is, in between working as a CVOR (cardiovascular operating room) nurse, he churns out colorful hazmat suits to give to his colleagues, which netizens have likened to the “Teletubbies” and “Power Rangers” costumes.

“My goal is for each member of the healthcare team to feel confident rather than scared and intimidated when they step inside the battlefield each day. The Pink Ranger once said, ‘We can’t change Another Iloilo designer by the name of Adrian Pe is doing double duty as a nurse in the frontline and the past but we can work making colorful hazmat suits on his days off.

Photos from Instagram/@senoritoaidz for a better future.’ I hope these hazmat suits empower everyone, nurses and patients alike,” he wrote on Facebook.

Interestingly, Pe had help from the nurses of The Medical City Iloilo whose emergency room and OR skills came in useful in cutting and sewing the designer hazmat suits.

And as more and more people offered to help Pe, so did his PPE ideas grow with newer suits inspired by the “Star Wars” movies in black, white and red. As of April 13, Pe and his friends have produced and donated a total of 463 suits to a number of hospitals in Iloilo and nearby provinces of Guimaras and Aklan.

Giving a more sophisticated feel to protective gear next is Marvin Garcia. The fashion designer, who is also a councilor in Barangay Maysantol in Bulakan, Bulacan, has rallied his team to make face masks since the pandemic began, using special non-woven fabric he has in stock for his brand, Marvin Garcia Collections.

Giving each piece a unique touch, the designer has incorporated beadwork and lace on the masks reminiscent of high fashion gowns.

He has been giving out these masks for free to security guards and healthcare workers, as well as to prisoners, traffic enforcers and anyone else who needs to go out and require protection.

To date, the artist-cum-public servant has given out more than 2,000 face masks and continues to produce and distribute them during the quarantine.

Barangay councilor and fashion designer Marvin Garcia of Bulakan, Bulacan and his high fashion face masks.

Photos from Facebook/Marvin Garcia

Mindfulness as a...

From Page 4 enough to self-diagnose this condition.

Observe if you cross streets and railroad tracks with your phones tethered to your ears.

Note if you like taking selfies even in dangerous places. See if you become unhinged because you forgot or lost your phone. If so, break the habit. If not, you as a specie will disappear just like the dodo bird who has become so stupid that it has foolishly lost its instinct to danger.

When we are no longer mindful of our present conditions and depend on technology overly much to do the thinking for us, then we are truly in deep doodoo.

People have become so preoccupied and distracted by the mind boggling possibilities presented by multitasking that is engendered by a tech-enhanced way of life, that they tend to forget what is important and what truly matters.

How badly can it get?

There are horror stories of mindless idiocy. Countless car accidents borne of texting while driving, are a testament to the tragic loss of mindfulness and by extension, common sense, among us earthlings.

Witness the number of news items about overly busy working parents, juggling balls of parenthood and a career and who forget that they have babies strapped in car seats in the back of their cars leaving them to die in the heat of the

sun. It is a sad commentary that while we have all the technological aids at our disposal to make our lives better, we fail to use them appropriately.

How do we detox? Try going tech free at designated times or for long stretches of time without having to check your phone or your computer for messages that you feel compelled to respond to ASAP. As I have said in another article championing the cause of living mindfully in the moment, “Log off and enjoy your hot chocolate.”

Unless your work involves saving lives, taking a vacation from technology may prove to offer a higher quality of life. Eventually, as we learn to synch and balance our lives with our tech tool, it will be an obedient dog serving us as its master.

Think of the perks. We get to appreciate the present moment and appreciate and deeply love the people we are with right then and there.

We get to “Carpe Diem” and experience JOY in real time.

We get to open our eyes and our hearts to the beauty and infinite majesty of just breathing and knowing LIFE IS GOOD – so good you can feel it in your bones.

Best of all, we get to reserve the eminent right to remain ESSENTIALLY HUMAN. ***

Nota Bene: Monette Adeva Maglaya is SVP of Asian Journal Publications, Inc. To send comments, e-mail monette.maglaya@ asianjournalinc.com

entertainment

The Asian Jour nal MDWK MAGAZINE - April 22, 2020

Should I create a will and living trust...

From Page 4 trust. This means you retain control of all your assets the same way as if you never had a trust. For revocable trusts, you can later on, at any time during your lifetime, revoke the entire trust if you change your mind.

The assets held in your living trust will be managed by the trustee and distributed according to your directions without court supervision and involvement when you pass away. This can save your heirs time and money. Since the trust would not be under the direct management of the probate court, your assets and their value and your beneficiaries’ identities would not become a public record.

Your heirs and beneficiaries would still have to be notified about the living trust and advised, among other things, of their right to obtain a copy of the trust.

Having a trust is also beneficial in case you become incapacitated. The person you name as successor trustee can step up and manage the assets in your trust on your behalf.

2. Power of Attorney A power of attorney designates another individual the power to manage your financial affairs on your behalf.

You can limit this power and

define what the scope of the power you are giving your attorney in fact. A power of attorney is also revocable if you decide to cancel the power you have given this individual. By giving another person the power of attorney, you do not lose the power to manage your financial affairs.

You can continue to make financial decisions on your own affairs.

3. Durable Power of Attorney for Healthcare A Durable Power of Attorney for Healthcare allows your to designate specific individual to have the power to make healthcare decisions on your behalf incase you no longer have the capacity to make decisions for yourself due to health conditions.

You can define the scope of your agent’s authority. This is also revocable if you change your mind in the future. Your agent will have the authority to access and review your medical records and sign any authorization on your behalf.

This is helpful incase you are unable to make healthcare decisions for yourself.

4. Last Will and Testament A Last Will and Testament allows your to designate how your assets will be distributed after you pass away.

This allows you to customize

how your estate will be divided and distributed. In the absence of a Will, you would pass away intestate and the probate court would simply follow the California intestate succession laws which are in the probate code. *** Please note that this article is not legal advice and is not intended as legal advice.

The article is intended to provide only general, non-specific legal information.

This article is not intended to cover all the issues related to the topic discussed.

The specific facts that apply to your matter may make the outcome different than would be anticipated by you. This article does create any attorney client relationship between you and the Law Offices of Kenneth U. Reyes, P.C. This article is not a solicitation. *** At torney Kenneth Ursua Reyes is a Certified Family Law Specialist. He was President of the Philippine American Bar Association. He is a member of both the Family law section and Immigration law section of the Los Angeles County Bar Association. He is a graduate of Southwestern University Law School in Los Angeles and California State U n i ve r si t y, S a n B e r n a rd i n o S c h o o l of Business Administration. He has extensive CPA experience prior to law prac tice. L AW OFFICE S OF KENNETH REYES, P.C. is located at 3699 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 747, Los Angeles, CA, 90010.

Tel. (213) 388-1611 or e-mail kenneth@ kenreyeslaw.com or visit our website at Kenreyeslaw.com (Advertising Supplement)

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