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MAY 8-14, 2020 Volume 13 - No. 27 • 16 Pages 133-30 32nd Ave., Flushing, NY 11354 • 2500 Plaza S. Harborside Financial Center, Jersey City, NJ 07311 • Tel. (212) 655-5426 • Fax: (818) 502-0858

Also published in LOS ANGELES, ORANGE COUNTY/INLAND EMPIRE, LAS VEGAS, NORTHERN CALIFORNIA

PH has ‘flattened the virus curve,’ says epidemiologist

by JOVIC

YEE Inquirer.net

MANILA — Despite limited testing and problems involving tests for the new coronavirus in the Philippines, an epidemiologist who serves in the Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases said on Tuesday, May 5, the Female coast guards in full protective gear on Tuesday, May 5 prepare to man 66 country had already flattened testing booths at Palacio de Maynila, an events venue on Roxas Boulevard that has the epidemic curve nearly been converted into a temporary swabbing center to expand the government’s testing two months after the governcapacity for the new coronavirus. The Department of Health aims to conduct 30,000 tests a day by the end of May.

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Inquirer.net photo by Marianne Bermudez

SOUVENIR. Passersby take selfie for souvenir in front of the ABS-CBN building on Mother Ignacia Avenue in Quezon on Wednesday, May 6. The National Telecommunication Commission (NTC) on Tuesday released a cease and desist order against ABS-CBN, prompting the country’s giant media network to sign off after its congressional franchise expired on May 4, 2020.

PNA photo by Robert Oswald P. Alfiler

PH gov’t orders ABS-CBN shutdown This National Nurses Week, remember the Filipino and DATELINE Fil-Am nurses providing care Jersey City outlines and risking their lives daily plans for reopening

USA

FROM THE AJPRESS NEWS TEAM ACROSS AMERICA

“I FIRMLY believe that we shouldn’t make decisions on “opening” based on polling. It should be based on science but also respect that people can make personal smart choices,” Jersey City Mayor Steven Fulop told CNN in an interview earlier this week. “If someone doesn’t feel comfortable with parks or a business, than they should make a personal choice not to go to the park or business.”

With those words, the Jersey City mayor said his city has made plans to slowly reopen, something that has not been discussed by other cities and counties in the New Jersey, which has the second highest total infections and coronavirus related deaths in the country.

“We need to slowly move forward,” Fulop added. “We don’t live in a perfect or risk free world for anything so we shouldn’t pretend that it will be for this. We’re all better off managing risk as opposed to pretending it doesn’t exist.

Jersey City, with a population of about 250,000, is the largest town in Hudson County.

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by MOMAR

G. VISAYA

AJPress

THE Philippines’ largest broadcast network stopped its operations on Tuesday, May 5 to comply with the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC)’s cease and desist order due to the expiration of its congressional franchise.

ABS-CBN went off air after the broadcast of its primetime news pro-

gram “TV Patrol” on Tuesday night around 8 p.m. Manila time.

The order directed ABS-CBN to shut down its various TV and radio broadcasting stations nationwide “absent a valid Congressional Franchise as required by law.” Republic Act No. 7966, which granted the network a 25year franchise to operate TV and radio broadcasting stations expired on May 4, 2020.

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Pope Francis promotes Cardinal Tagle to rank of cardinal-bishop

by RITCHEL

MENDIOLA AJPress

FILIPINO Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle has been promoted by Pope Francis to the rank of cardinal-bishop, the highest position within the Church’s College of Cardinals.

The Catholic Church on Friday, May 1, announced that the Pope elevated the rank of the former archbishop of Manila.

“The appointment was Pope Francis with Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle

CBCP photo

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by MOMAR

G. VISAYA AND CHRISTINA M. ORIEL AJPress

IN honor of the 200th anniversary of Florence Nightingale, the World Health Organization declared 2020 as the “International Year of the Nurse and Midwife.”

The American Nurses Association followed suit by adopting the same observance for this year. Wednesday, May 6 marks National Nurses Day, the annual celebration for the nearly 4 million nurses providing care across the United States, comprising the largest health care occupation.

Typically, the day kicks off the week-long National Nurses Week until May 12, but the ANA expanded it to a celebration for the entire month Araceli Buendia Ilagan, 63, (top) and of May with four themes cel- Noel Sinkiat, 64, (bottom) were the first ebrated by week: self-care, two reported Filipino American nurse

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fatalities on March 27.

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From the Front Page

PH has ‘flattened the virus curve...

PAGE 1 ment placed the nation on lockdown.

Dr. John Wong said that while the data he had was a picture of the coronavirus situation in the country from 10 to 14 days ago, it showed that “the curve has already flattened.” He noted that one of the indicators for saying so was the longer time it now took for the number of cases and deaths to double.

Before the government put major parts of the country on lockdown in March, the average case doubling time nationwide was 2.5 days. Now, Wong said, the average doubling time was 4.6 days, with Luzon, excluding Metro Manila, having the longest doubling time — 5.8 days.

A reduction in coronavirus deaths was also observed across the country. From four days, the average time for the number of deaths to double is now 5.7 days nationwide. Except for Metro Manila, all geographic areas have recorded a mortality doubling time of at least seven days.

In Luzon, the mortality dou-

bling time is 7.8 days; in Mindanao, 7.7 days; and in the Visayas, seven days. In Metro Manila, it is 5.6 days.

“This is a picture [of the COVID-19 situation in the country] about 10 days back. We already saw that 10 days ago, there was already an improvement in both cases and mortality,” said Wong, founder of the health research institution Epimetrics Inc. and a member of the task force’s subtechnical working group on data analytics.

“We already saw that the curve had already flattened. If there’s no significant changes, the flattening will continue, meaning, we will have very few additional cases,” he added.

According to Johns Hopkins University, a country is flattening the curve when it is able to “reduce the number of new COVID-19 cases from one day to the next.”

“This helps prevent healthcare systems from becoming overwhelmed. When a country has fewer new COVID-19 cases emerging today than it did on a previous day, that’s a sign that the country is flattening the

curve,” it said.

Asked if this meant that the Philippines had already reached its peak number of cases, Wong said it was “difficult to predict when the peak will be and how many cases we’ll have at the peak.”

“There are several models going around, but they are [presenting] different numbers. I don’t want to speculate whether we have reached the peak,” he told reporters in an online press briefing.

Wong, however, pointed out that the lockdown imposed by the government in mid-March has had a positive impact on the number of people who got infected with SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, or died of the severe respiratory disease.

“Currently, we still have a lot of reserved capacity. If the [task force] does make a decision [on the lockdown], we’re in a good position to handle or to prepare for the next surge,” he said.

Until a vaccine for COVID19 is developed, the public should expect “surges” in cases, Wong said. n

This National Nurses Week, remember the...

PAGE 1 recognition, professional development and community engagement.

With the coronavirus pandemic, the tireless work that nurses do has been placed under the spotlight and along with it, the rightful recognition that has earlier eluded the profession.

For the over four million Filipinos living in the U.S., this annual observance has also been about recognizing a part of Filipino American culture and the professional contributions many Filipinos have made to the country’s health care system by tending to patients from the beginning to end of life.

Roughly 200,000 nurses in the U.S. are of Filipino descent — all familiar with ironed scrubs, matching clogs or nursing shoes, baon (packed lunch) preparations, and long 12-hour shifts.

In California alone, 20.3% of the state’s registered nurses identify as Filipino. On the opposite coast, one in four Filipinos in the New York-New Jersey region works in the health care industry.

How Filipinos came to be represented in the U.S. nursing pool dates back to the early 1900s as American nursing programs were established in the Philippines.

“This Americanized nursing curriculum inadvertently prepared them to work in the United States. They were trained, oftentimes, in English instruction. Even their early nursing licensure examinations had an English language component,” said Catherine Ceniza Choy, an ethnic studies professor at UC Berkeley and author of “Empire of Care” (2003).

Then, the first batch of government-sponsored scholars arrived in the United States through the Pensionado Act of 1903. Upon graduating, many students went back to the Philippines to work and to help establish nursing schools. Many others remained in the U.S., where they eventually became the first generation of Fil-Am nurses. Some of those who stayed for employment established the Philippine Nurses Association of New York in 1928.

In the 20th century, the Exchange Visitor Program of 1948 and the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965 allowed Filipino nurses and other professionals to come to the U.S. and fill the country’s

shortage of nurses, Choy said.

It’s not uncommon to see nursing become a multi-generational profession for many Filipino families, as Filipino Americans born in the U.S. have followed the footsteps of their parents or extended relatives.

Through the month of May, the Asian Journal honors the countless Filipino and Fil-Am nurses who have been tasked with fighting this pandemic and continue to keep the nation’s hospitals and clinics running smoothly.

We also remember those who showed up to work, or came out of retirement, and have died on the front lines due to COVID-19 since March. Here are their stories of selflessness and passion to improve the well-being and health of others.

Araceli Buendia Ilagan, Jackson Memorial Hospital (Miami, FL) Araceli Buendia Ilagan was the first Filipino American nurse reported to die from complications of COVID-19 on March 27. The 63-year-old worked at Jackson Memorial Hospital’s intensive care unit for 33 years, treating some of the hospital’s most critically ill patients.

She started developing the symptoms on March 24, while working a shift. Three days later, she died.

“During her long and storied career, she also mentored and trained other nurses, and was a champion for the profession,” a statement released by the hospital said. “As we battle this global public health crisis, caregivers throughout the world are bravely serving on the frontlines, often putting their patients’ lives before theirs. These medical professionals — people like Araceli — are the true heroes, and we salute them all.”

Noel Sinkiat, Howard University Hospital (Washington, DC) Noel Sinkiat, 64, was a year away from retirement after working at Howard University Hospital in Washington, D.C for the last 41 years. On March 27, he became the second known Fil-Am nurse in the U.S. and the first of the 155,000-member of National Nurses United to fall victim to the coronavirus.

Sinkiat and his wife Lourdes Gerardo had returned from a trip to the Philippines where they celebrated a reunion with his high school classmates. He went back to work and did his

usual 12-hour shift at Howard. He began experiencing flu-like symptoms on March 22, which he initially thought were his allergies acting up.

He visited an urgent care facility near their home in Olney, Maryland, where he was tested for COVID-19, Gerardo told The Washington Post.

The result came back positive after he died. His wife brought him to a hospital on March 27, with his health rapidly deteriorating. Doctors had to intubate him within an hour, his heart failed and they could not resuscitate him.

Rosary Celaya Castro-Olega, retired RN/volunteer (Los Angeles, CA)

Born and raised in Los Angeles, Rosary Celaya CastroOlega received a bachelor of science in nursing and entered the field in 1980. The registered nurse worked for Cedars-Sinai Medical Center for 37 years and retired in 2017, according to her obituary. Following retirement, she continued to perform her duties as a traveling nurse, spent time with family, and traveled.

With the onset of the coronavirus, Castro-Olega rejoined the front lines and volunteered in LA County. In mid-March, she exhibited symptoms associated with COVID-19 and tested positive. She was hooked up to a ventilator in the ICU at the Panorama City Medical Center and died on March 29 at the age of 63, the New York Times reported.

Castro-Olega is survived by husband Mario, her three daughters, Tiffany, Tatiana, and Trisha, and her two brothers and three sisters.

Divina “Debbie” Accad, Detroit VA Medical Center (Detroit, MI) Originally from Alimodian, Philippines, Divina “Debbie” Accad was a long-time nurse at the John D. Dingell VA Medical Center in Detroit, Michigan.

The 72-year-old nurse, who

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may 8-14, 2020 • NEW yORK aND NEW JERSEy aSIaN JOURNaL

This National Nurses Week, remember the...

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Divina “Debbie” Accad, 72

was set to retire in April, was hospitalized with pneumonia and spent 11 days at a Taylor area hospital before she died on March 30, becoming the first health care worker fatality in Detroit. Her son Mark Accad, one of four children, said he hopes his mother’s death raises awareness of the risks that health care workers face during the pandemic.

“She sacrificed her life for our troops. I want my mom to be known for what she did,” Mark told the Free Press.

Nicanor Baltazar, Long Island Care Center (Flushing, NY)

Nicanor “Nick” Baltazar dedicated 40 years of his life to nursing — 30 of those in the United States. The Fil-Am nurse worked at Long Island Care Center for 15 years, and 2020 would have been his fifth year as the director of nursing, according to the New York State Nurses Association.

Baltazar, who died from COVID-19 on March 31, leaves behind his wife Grace, also an RN, and his daughter Abigail, who just graduated with her bachelor of science in nursing.

Daisy Doronila, Hudson County Correctional Facility (Kearny, NJ)

Daisy Doronila, a nurse at the Hudson County Correctional Facility for over two

decades, died on April 5 of complications related to COVID-19.

She was initially diagnosed by her private doctor with strep throat and was admitted to a hospital later on after developing a fever and dry cough. Eight days later, she was on a ventilator fighting for her life, her daughter Denise posted on Facebook.

A single mom who lived in Nutley, Doronila recently celebrated her 60th birthday. In a tweet, New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy honored Doronila for her service to the state as “she gave tirelessly to her family and community.” Denise plans to fulfill her mother’s wishes by laying her to rest alongside her parents in the Philippines.

Susan Sisgundo, Bellevue Hospital (New York City)

Since 2014, Susan Sisgundo had been working in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at Bellevue Hospital in Manhattan and caring for newborn babies.

After an eight-day battle with COVID-19, she died at Queens Hospital on April 8, a month before her 51st birthday, which she had planned to celebrate with her family in Bicol.

“Susan was a valued and friendly coworker. She was a team player; always willing to work day time, night time, overtime, and weekends. She always went out of her way to greet people. We can all still hear and see her frequent laugh and smile, and appreciate her efforts to connect with everyone. She was a trusted confidant that could protect a friendship, keep a secret, and honor a debt,” her co-workers wrote on a GoFundMe page they organized to raise funds to help send Sisgundo back to the Philippines.

Ali Dennis Guillermo, Long Island Community Hospital (East Patchogue, New York) Ali Guillermo came to New York in 2004 to seek a better life for his family and spent his American career at Long Island Community Hospital.

Guillermo, an intensive care unit nurse who also helped in

Dateline USa

http://www.asianjournal.com • (212) 655-5426 her retirement in 2012.

Known for her encouraging attitude and selflessness, Solomon was laid to rest on April 28 at Mount St. Mary’s Cemetery in Flushing, New York.

Celia Lardizabal Marcos, CHA Hollywood Presbyterian Medical Center (Los Angeles, CA)

Plaza, a nursing home in Passaic, New Jersey. He was planning to retire in the coming year.

A front liner who fought COVID-19 until his last breath, Sison died on April 18. He leaves behind his wife Antonia and sons, Paulo and Dominic.

Marlino Cagas, Harlem Hospital (New York City)

Ernesto “Audie” DeLeon, 61 Ali Dennis Guillermo

the emergency room, fell sick with COVID-19 in mid-March and was hospitalized for two weeks. On April 8, he died in the ICU of the same hospital where he cared for many patients and helped save many lives. The 44-year-old nurse leaves behind his wife Romielyn and children, Denice, Ali and Aljon.

“His expertise as an ICU, stepdown, medical-surgical and emergency room RN was exceptional for he’d always be willing to help and assist the team whenever and wherever.

He’d make the busiest work nights lighter with his jokes and songs,” wrote colleague Carmelo Espiritu in a GoFundMe page for the family.

Felicisimo “Tom” Omaña Luna, Trinitas Regional Medical Center (Elizabeth, New Jersey)

Felicisimo “Tom” Luna, from Pasig City, Philippines, earned a degree in medical technology from the University of Santo Tomas in 1978 and migrated to the United States in 1986. He worked several jobs before working as a licensed medical technologist in the Bronx. He did not enter the nursing profession until the early 2000s when he studied at a local community college in New Jersey and passed his nursing board exam. He later attained a bachelor’s degree in nursing at The College of St. Elizabeth in 2016.

Luna was a dedicated registered nurse in the Emergency Department at Trinitas Regional Medical Center in Elizabeth, New Jersey, where he worked long hours. He prided himself on never being sick a day in his life, according to his obituary, but he died from COVID-19 on April 9 at the age of 62.

Luna, who was a devoted member of the Iglesia Ni Cristo-Church of Christ, is survived by his wife, Enriqueta, of 26 years, children, Gabrielle, Gracielle Dane and Giselle.

Ernesto “Audie” DeLeon, Bellevue Hospital (New York City) Known by colleagues as Audie, Ernesto DeLeon diligently worked at Bellevue Hospital in Manhattan for three decades and most recently was head nurse of telemetry.

On April 13, the Baguio City native succumbed to his 13day infection with COVID-19.

Claire Martinez, a colleague, remembered the 61-year-old nurse as a mentor to other nurses and hospital staff. “He was an immensely kind soul with a humble demeanor. He will always be dearly loved by his friends who have become family, his co-workers, and relatives,” she said.

Estelita Atienza Solomon, retired from Wyckoff Heights Medical Center (Brooklyn, NY)

Estelita Atienza Solomon, a 72-year-old nurse who retired from Wyckoff Heights Medical Center in Brooklyn, died of COVID-19 on April 10. Solomon lost her husband Antonio to the virus two weeks prior to her death, while her daughter Catherine has been recovering. She is also survived by her daughter EmyLou and three grandchildren.

Born in San Luis, Batangas, Solomon — nicknamed Estie — started her 39-year nursing career in her home country before migrating to the United States in 1973, where she spent two years at Indian River Memorial Hospital in Vero Beach, Florida. She came to New York in 1976 and landed a job at the Brooklyn hospital.

She was promoted to head nurse of the telemetry unit and served that position until

Trained as a nurse in the Philippines, Celia Lardizabal Marcos emigrated to the United States in 2001 and settled in Los Angeles. Three years later, she became a telemetry charge nurse at CHA Hollywood Presbyterian Medical Center.

Marcos, 61, was one of three nurses who responded after a suspected coronavirus patient went into cardiac arrest on April 3. Only wearing a surgical mask, she intubated the patient. Three days later, she had a headache, body aches and difficulty breathing.

Her symptoms worsened, and she was admitted on April 15 to the hospital where she had worked for 16 years. Two days later, she went into cardiac arrest and died, becoming the first fatality for the SEIU Local 121RN, which represents 9,000 RN members in Southern California. Her case highlights the dire need for personal protective equipment for front-liners.

Marcos is survived by sons Donald and John, who both remember their mother for her generosity and how she put the well-being of others first.

They plan to honor her wishes to be cremated and buried in her hometown of Tagudin, Ilocos Sur, alongside her parents.

Domingo Victorio “Victor” Sison, Complete Care at Hamilton Plaza (Passaic, New Jersey)

A native of the Philippines, Marlino Cagas joined the Harlem Hospital staff as a pharmacy technician. At the age of 60, Cagas embarked on a nursing career at the hospital and started at the bedside in 2018.

He died on April 20 and is survived by two sisters in New York and other siblings in the Philippines. Colleagues released white balloons into the sky to honor his memory.

Celia Yap-Banago, Research Medical Center (Kansas City, Missouri)

At the end of April, colleagues at the Research Medical Center in Kansas City, Missouri were set to celebrate Celia Yap-Banago’s retirement after a nearly 40-year career at the hospital. The 69-yearold nurse, who had previously expressed concern over the hospital’s preparedness for COVID-19, treated an infected patient in mid-March.

Yap-Banago began showing symptoms on March 23 and tested positive for the disease, prompting her to self-isolate at home for two and a half weeks.

Because she did not experience shortness of breath, the nurse did not seek medical attention. She died at home on April 21 after her son Jhulan found her unresponsive.

A vigil was held at the hospital two days after her passing to remember her dedicaVictor Sison, 64, was as- tion to the field and to shed sistant director of nursing at light on the lack of protection Complete Care at Hamilton PAGE 7

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NEW YORK AND NEW JERSEY ASIAN JOURNAL • MAY 8-14, 2020

OPINION

FEATURES

Pandemic of misinformation WORLD Press Freedom Day was marked on May 3 amid the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic. Various sectors have warned that the COVID-19 crisis has also given rise to what United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres described as “a second pandemic of misinformation, from harmful health advice to wild conspiracy theories.”

The press, Guterres notes, “provides the antidote: verified, scientific, fact-based news and analysis.” A more accurate statement is that the press strives to provide that antidote, while pursuing the theme of World Press Freedom Day 2020: “Journalism without fear or favor.”

This mission is not as simple as it sounds.

The Philippines should know: it has consistently ranked among the most dangerous and stressful places in the world for media workers.

The restoration of democracy in 1986 did not put an end to the murder and harassment of journalists in this country, with the weakness of the criminal justice system allowing perpetrators to get away with permanently silencing

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the press. Since the UN General Assembly proclaimed World Press Freedom Day in 1993, Philippine journalists continued to be subjected to threats, harassment and outright murder.

The sub-themes of the special day resonate with members of the Philippine press: the safety of both male and female media workers as well as gender equality in all aspects of mass media, and the pursuit of independent and professional journalism free from political and commercial influence.

These days, Filipino journalists must also contend with laws against cyber libel and trolls unleashed by public officials who have no tolerance for criticism. These are on top of traditional libel laws, wherein litigation costs can lead to the bankruptcy of smaller media outfits, and official resistance to the passage of a Freedom of Information Act. While governments are reminded about their commitments to press freedom, journalists are Unlike anonymous commentators on social also reminded about issues of press freedom media, members of so-called legacy media are and professional ethics. Media licentiousness properly identified and can be held accountweakens the credibility of the press. able for their journalism, putting greater pres-

Editorial

Philstar.com photo

sure on the need for accurate, fair and fearless reporting and analysis. This is of utmost importance especially in this confusing period of a deadly pandemic. (Philstar.com)

If life gives you lemons, make lemonade PH government’s shutdown of ABS-CBN: Déjà vu of martial law’s chilling effect on a free, independent press Street The Fil-Am Perspective GEL SANTOS-RELOS IN THE TIME when the global community is attacked by the coronavirus pandemic — an invisible enemy that has killed more than 251,580 people and infected over 3,584,174 — we would think the leaders of the world would unite us all together. With the help and strength of different societal institutions, humankind could

win over this invisible enemy and save as many lives as possible.

Unfortunately, that is not what we are seeing right now, here in the United States and back home in the Philippines, when personal and partisan interests take precedence over true genuine public and humanitarian service.

On Tuesday, May 5, the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) of the Philippines issued a cease and desist order that prohibits ABS-CBN from continuing its broadcast operations effective immediately. The shutdown

covers five AM stations, including DZMM, 18 FM stations and 42 TV stations, including Channels 2 and 23.

This was yet another tactical move of Philippine Solicitor General Jose Calida, whose perfect sense of timing was pointed out by CBS News.

As journalists marked World Press Freedom Day, Calida threatened to charge regulators at the NTC with graft. NTC officials have said they had no choice but to follow the law.

Calida had also filed a case in February asking the Supreme Court to revoke the operating PAGE 10

her feet – but Jessica succeeded in earning her pilot’s Talk license.

She became the world’s first armless licensed pilot.

But that’s not all. Jessica is also the world’s first armless GREG B. MACABENTA taekwando black belter. She is THERE is a saying, “If life married to her karate instrucgives you lemons, make lem- tor, Patrick Chamberlain. This onade.” In other words, you try suggests that she is also good to make the best out of what in this martial art.

Jessica, who has a book fate has given you.

Jessica Cox, a young Fili- on her life entitled “Rightpino-American from Arizona, handed,” devotes a good part was born without arms. In of her time as a motivational 2005, she decided to learn speaker, inspiring those who how to fly a plane. It took her would otherwise despair over three years and a plane with their misfortunes.

If a college degree is considspecial dual controls that she could manipulate with ered a plum, then dropping out

of college would be like getting lemons. But many high-tech legends converted their lemons into lemonade, among them, Steve Jobs of Apple, Bill Gates and Paul Allen of Microsoft, Mark Zuckerberg of Facebook, and Larry Ellison of Oracle. These multi-billionaires all dropped out of college en route to making their fortunes and changing the world’s digital landscape. Of Forbes Magazine’s 2017 list of the 400 wealthiest people in the U.S., 70 did not finish college.

In another era, industrialist Andrew Carnegie was also a college drop-out, while Thomas Edison, who invented the PAGE 10

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

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Dateline PhiliPPines

Palace: Regardless of what outsourcing COVID-19 cases in PH breach 10,000 mark industry group says, POGOs are BPOs

by Ritchel

Mendiola AJPress

by alexis RoMeRo Philstar.com

MANILA — Malacañang insisted that Philippine offshore gaming operators are into business process outsourcing even if the umbrella group of the information technology and business process management industry has distanced itself from the gambling entities.

Presidential spokesman Harry Roque previously said POGOs are now allowed to reopen even if some areas are under enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) because they can be classified as BPOs. The government has exempted BPO firms from quarantine restrictions but they are required to observe social distancing and health standards.

The Information Technology and Business Process Association of the Philippines (IBPAP) has disassociated itself from

POGOs, citing the differences between its industry and the mostly Chinese-operated gaming entities.

The group noted that BPOs are registered with the Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA) or the Board of Investments while POGOs are registered with the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR).

IBPAP also pointed out that BPOs come to the Philippines to leverage off human capital while majority of the POGOs’ staffing comes from foreign labor brought into the country to support their operations.

Roque, however, insisted that POGOs can be considered BPOs because they render services for activities that are not taking place in the Philippines.

“It’s not for them (IBPAP) to say that (POGOs are not BPOs) because we are following a definition of POGOs that are consistent with the guidelines,

especially of those granting tax incentives,” the Palace spokesman told GMA News.

PEZA director general Charito Plaza previously said online gaming is not included in her agency’s list of BPOs. She said BPO in the Philippines is classified into contact centers, back office services, data transcription, animation, software development, engineering development and game development.

Roque also responded to IBPAP’s statement about POGOs employing foreign workers, saying the sector provided employment to about 31,500 Filipinos.

Roque said the P600 million per month in regulatory fees collected by PAGCOR and the taxes paid by POGOs would help fund the government’s coronavirus response. He said the government is expected to collect P22 billion worth of taxes from POGOs in two years. n

THE Department of Health on Wednesday, May 6, reported 320 new cases of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) in the country, the highest single-day leap recorded in a month. This brings the total number of infected individuals to 10,004.

Of the new infections, 179 or 56 percent came from the outbreak epicenter Metro Manila, while 98 or 31 percent came from Central Visayas.

The agency also recorded 21 new fatalities, raising the death toll to 658. Meanwhile, 98 more patients recovered from the disease, which brings the total number of COVID-19 survivors in the country to 1,506.

A total of 124,420 individuals have been tested for COVID-19, according to the DOH. Of this, 12,872 or 11 percent tested positive, while 111,025 or 89 received negative results.

Health spokesperson Maria Rosario Vergeire said the number of individuals found infected with COVID-19 may be higher than the number of reported confirmed cases as these still undergo case investigation and validation.

She also noted that the country has now at least 8,000 daily testing capacity, with the agency aiming to conduct at least 30,000 tests a day by the end of May. 1,859 healthcare workers tested positive for COVID-19 According to the DOH,

healthcare workers in the Philippines accounted for 19 percent of the country’s confirmed cases.

40 more medical workers contracted the virus, bringing the total number of infected healthcare workers to 1,859.

Of the figure, 34 have passed away, while some 350 have recovered.

As of Wednesday, May 6, the Philippines ranks third in Southeast Asia to have the most number of COVID-19 cases.

Singapore currently has the most with over 20,000 infections, followed by Indonesia with some 12,000 cases.

Globally, over 3.6 million people have been infected with COVID-19, with more than 250,000 fatalities and some 1.2 million recoveries. n

Maynilad Water Services Inc. over the alleged onerous water contracts between them and the government.

On Monday, Duterte thanked the Ayalas and Pangilinan for their contribution in helping the government respond to the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic.

“I apologize for the hurting words. If you can find in your heart to forgive me, because if you do not, I will ask, if you do not want to forgive me, I will undercut you and go directly to God,” Duterte said in his public address late Monday night. “ I’d like to thank you for helping us provide the necessities of the moment,” he added.

The president admitted that he was humbled by the pandemic and how businesses have pitched in to help contain the spread of the coronavirus.

“I can promise you that I will be nice, and if you want to see we can talk and naubos na ‘yung pagkasuplado ko kasi dahil sa Covid (my arrogance has all been used up because of Covid). The Covid humbled me. With the kind of response that you gave to the public, it’s a humbling experience for me that you know, baka kailangan mo rin sila balang araw (you might need them someday),” he said.

“We can talk. I’m ready to talk and I’ll be reasonable,” the President added.

In a joint statement, the Ayala Group’s Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Jaime Augusto Zobel de Ayala and its President and Chief Operating Officer Fernando Zobel de Ayala acknowledged Duterte’s apology.

“We are grateful for President Duterte’s statement .

We have always believed in building a strong partnership between the private and public sectors in addressing our country’s problems and in investing in the country to create jobs and improve the lives of Filipinos,” they said.

“We appreciate the recognition of the Ayala Group’s efforts in supporting the administration as it faces the challenges brought by the Covid-19 pandemic,” they added.

Duterte earlier threatened to sue for economic plunder water concessionaires and former government officials following the ruling of a tribunal that the Philippines should pay P7.39 billion to Manila Water.

The Ayala-owned firm brought the government to court for refusing rate hikes from 2013 to 2017, citing its concession deal which pushes the state to “indemnify” the utility firm against any losses that could result from regulatory actions.

Duterte has ordered the crafting of new and “better” concession agreements with the two water firms. n

Duterte open to settlement with 2 water concessionaires by catheRine

Valente ManilaTimes.net

PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte is open to an “out-ofcourt” settlement with the two Metro Manila water concessionaires, Malacañang said on Tuesday, May 5, following his apology to businessmen Manuel Pangilinan and the Ayala clan for his harsh words in the past.

Palace spokesman Harry Roque Jr. said Duterte’s apology was an “indication” that the President was open to sit down with the businessmen and settle the issue without going to court.

“Sabi naman po niya (Duterte), pwedeng magusap sa mga issues between these companies and the government. I think that’s an indication that he would explore out-of-court settlement (The President said it is possible to sit down and discuss these issues between these companies and the government),” Roque said.

“Siguro po ‘yung pag-uusap eh d’un sa kung paapano babaguhin ang concession agreement ng dalawang kumpanya na nagbibigay ng tubig sa atin (Maybe, the talks will focus on how they will amend the concession agreements with the two companies),” he added.

Duterte had railed at the Ayala-led Manila Water Company Inc. and Pangilinan-led

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Dateline PhiliPPines

NEW YORK AND NEW JERSEY ASIAN JOURNAL • mAY 8-14, 2020

‘PhilHealth faces fund depletion’ This National Nurses Week, remember the...

by Sheila

CriSoStomo Philstar.com

MANILA — The suspension of premium contributions of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) to the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. will deplete PhilHealth’s funds, an official said.

PhilHealth president and chief executive officer Ricardo Morales said the agency would run out of resources if OFWs would permanently stop paying premiums, as mandated under the Universal Health Care (UHC) law.

“The premium contributions that we collect are part

of the funds that we use for the medical needs of those who get sick. If they don’t contribute, our funds will be depleted,” Morales said in an online interview with “The Chiefs” on One News channel Monday night.

President Duterte has suspended the collection of higher premium contributions from OFWs, and said OFWs should pay premiums on a voluntary basis.

OFWs opposed the .25percent increase in their PhilHealth premium this year. The adjustment will complete the three percent hike in premium for

2020. Last year, the agency imposed an increase of 2.75 percent.

Morales said by becoming PhilHealth members, the OFWs as well as their dependents are protected.

He said they are expecting a net loss as PhilHealth was tasked to shoulder the hospital expenses of COVID-19 patients on case rate package.

“We are anticipating a net loss, especially since we were not given the budget that we asked for this year and then we had this pandemic. Our funds will be affected,” Morales said. n

PAGE 4 for critical workers. Jhulan said, “You’re either not smart to be in this job for 40 years or you are so compassionate and selfless that you dedicate your entire life to helping others.”

Manny Carrillo, The Plaza Rehab and Nursing Center (Bronx, NY)

Pope Francis promotes Cardinal Tagle to rank...

PAGE 1 made in an audience granted to Archbishop Edgar Peña Parra, Substitute for General Affairs for the Secretariat of State, on 14 April 2020,” the Vatican press said.

“In naming Cardinal Tagle to the Order of Bishops, Pope Francis made him equal in all respects to those Cardinals with suburbicarian Churches,” it added.

Tagle has been serving as Prefect of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples since February, replacing Cardinal Fernando Filoni.

Before the Pope appointed him to the role in Vatican City, Tagle was the 32nd Archbishop of Manila from 2011 to 2020.

He is also the president of Caritas Internationalis,

a confederation of 165 national Catholic relief and development agencies, since 2015.

According to the Pontificio Collegio Filippino, the home of Filipino priests in Rome, Tagle is the first Filipino to be named cardinal-bishop.

The College of Cardinals are divided into three orders: cardinal-deacons, who are often called “the pope’s cabinet;” cardinal-priests, who are working in dioceses all over the world; and cardinal-bishops, who are holding jurisdiction over a church in a suburb of Rome, while working in departments of the Roman Curia, the central administration of the church.

“Traditionally, six cardinal bishops from the Latin Church are appointed as

titular bishops of Rome’s ancient suburbicarian sees.

Eastern Catholic patriarchs who are cardinals are also cardinal-bishops,” the Catholic News Agency explained.

However, Pope Francis broke tradition in June 2018, expanding the number of cardinal-bishops beyond six.

“Tagle was not assigned a suburbicarian see. Instead, Pope Francis issued a rescript giving the Filipino cardinal the same status as other cardinal-bishops,” it added.

Tagle is now among the 14 cardinal-bishops who are assigned to the Vatican, and are consulted by the Pope anytime individually or as a group, with regards to any question in the Church. n

Manny Carrillo, originally from Quezon City in the Philippines, was an infection control nurse at the Plaza Rehab and Nursing Center in New York.

A resident of Teaneck New Jersey, Carrillo spent six weeks fighting COVID-19 and died on April 23. He is survived by his wife and their three adult children.

Joyce Pacubas-Le Blanc, University of Illinois at Chicago Medical Center (Chicago, IL)

Jersey City outlines plans for...

PAGE 1

It is planning to ramp up testing this week, loosening restrictions so that any resident who requests one can get it, even those showing no symptoms.

The expansion will eventually include antibody testing.

On Monday, May 4, Jersey City began testing anyone who lives in the city whether they have symptoms or none.

The city is one of the first cities in the country to do this.

On its first day of testing, the city did 747 tests, compared with the previous daily average of 250 tests for those with symptoms.

Antibody testing for residents is also set to begin this week, making the city the first in the state to provide this service. First up will be the city’s front line workers and after that, any resident can call and schedule an appointment.

Appointments are necessary and residents are advised to call (201) 547-5535 to schedule an appointment for this antibody test.

Fulop believes that initiatives such as these are needed to help get the city functioning again since more testing is essential to moving the local economy forward.

Next week, the city will also start opening nine Farmer’s Markets throughout the city in an effort to help the local economy.

“We’ll take precautions, there will be more space between vendors, masks will be required and rules will be in place, but we have to trust residents to make good decisions,” Fulop said earlier.

The city will offer tools to manage costs, provide sanitation stations and provide food for people in need at the end

of the market day, which will help both farmers and struggling families.

In an email, Fulop shared his optimism in taking careful “baby steps” forward.

He reported that there are 5,518 COVID-19 cases in Jersey City and 285 fatalities but the positive signs of progress are starting to show as COVID-19 patients at Jersey City Medical Center are down 48% from the peak and Carepoint has had a 30% decline in their COVID patient count.

“While the fight is not over and you should not be relaxed in social distancing, we must slowly shift our conversation towards a gradual return to the new normal,” he said.

“Again, this is a slow path forward but nonetheless, we are moving forward.” (Momar G. Visaya/AJPress)

Joyce Pacubas-Le Blanc, who served in the neuroscience intensive care unit at the University of Illinois at Chicago Medical Center, had spent over 30 years in the nursing profession. Thirteen days after testing positive for COVID19, she died from the disease on April 23 at the age of 53, becoming the first nurse fatality at the University of Illinois Hospital and Health Systems.

She is remembered by colleagues for being crafty and lending supplies and equipment to her fellow nurses.

“She did not necessarily give physical hugs, rather it was a hug for the soul, a nurse’s soul. She was always ready to say something soothing to all the new nurses or soon-tobe nurses. Or she would feed them or provide whatever they needed. Joyce had the ability to hone in on what someone

over 30 years of her life. As the head nurse of the department of emergency medicine at Kings County Hospital in Brooklyn, New York, Cabillon directed the department and took younger nurses under her wing, mentoring and guiding them to be the best nurses possible. She would often feed co-workers and wouldn’t take “no” for an answer if they declined.

“Mama Gui gave herself to everyone without asking for anything in return. She’s a giver and I’d say she is the epitome of what a giver is,” Shane DeGracia, a co-worker for six and a half years, told the Asian Journal.

Cabillon had plans to retire, but continued to serve on the front lines. After almost a month of battling COVID-19, Cabillon died on April 26, becoming the first staff fatality in the departRomeo Agtarap retired last ment. She is survived by her year after working in the adult husband, four daughters and emergency department of New two grandkids.

York Presbyterian / Columbia Krist Angielen Guzman University Medical Center in (Chicago, IL) Manhattan for 20 years. However, the profession called him back as the hospital was in need of nurses when the coronavirus outbreak hit the city.

On April 24, the 63-year-old RN died from the virus.

His colleagues remember his wit and the way he loved to make them laugh, according to the New York State Nurses Association.

“He was an incredible soul and human being who devoted his life to saving others. He radiated love, kindness and joy and had a spirit full of enthusiasm that was hard to match.

His smile, his compassion and his generosity towards loved Krist Angielen Guzman, ones and strangers [were] 35, followed her passion and what made him special,” his worked on the front lines at a colleagues wrote in a GoFund- hospital in Chicago. She died Me page. on May 2 from COVID-19, Maria Guia Cabillon, Kings leaving behind her husband County Hospital (Brooklyn, Omar and their three young NY) children, ages 6 and 5 years and 4 months old.

“Krist set the bar for exceeding expectations as a life-long learner, a loyal and honest friend, and a strong and fierce nurturer. She made her parents proud when she made the decision to settle in Chicago as she pursued her dreams of becoming a nurse.

She was a front-liner who treated all her patients and colleagues with respect and dignity,” said the description of a fundraiser for Guzman’s family.

If you would like to add a Fondly called “Mama Guia,” Maria Guia Cabillon, Fil-Am nurse colleague or 63, brought her motherly in- loved one to this list, please editor@asianjournstinct to the nursing profes- email sion in which she devoted alinc.com. n needed and then give…generously,” co-worker and friend Eileen Fajardo-Furlin wrote on the Illinois Nurses Association website.

Pacubas-Le Blanc is survived by her husband Lawrence and two sons, Lawrence Jr. and Derek.

Romeo Agtarap, NewYork-Presbyterian (New York City)

may 8-14, 2020 • NEW yORK aND NEW JERSEy aSIaN JOURNaL

PH gov’t orders ABS-CBN...

PAGE 1 ABS-CBN in a statement said that millions of Filipinos will lose their source of news and information “when people need crucial and timely information as the nation deals with the COVID-19 pandemic.”

The network also cited that the order was issued despite the assurance that a provisional authority will be issued pending the renewal of its broadcast license.

“We trust that the government will decide on our franchise with the best interest of the Filipino people in mind, recognizing ABS-CBN’s role and efforts in providing the latest news and information during these challenging times,” the ABS-CBN Corp. statement read.

Malacanang also issued its own statement regarding the NTC’s cease and desist order, saying that ABS-CBN has the right to “exhaust all legal remedies available to it.”

“President Rodrigo Roa Duterte, as a matter of record, accepted the apology of the network and left its fate to both houses of Congress. Let the public be informed that broadcast franchises are within the authority of Congress,” the

statement said.

The Palace thanked the network for its “services to the Filipino nation and people especially in this time of COVID-19” but said its continued operation “is entirely with the NTC’s decision.”

NTC Deputy Commissioner Edgardo Cabarios told CNN Philippines said they had studied the issue very carefully and that they do “not have any other options in the commission but to comply with Section 1 of Act 3846.”

“We commiserate with ABS-CBN but we have to implement the law, we have to comply with the law whether it is harsh or not, ” Cabarios said.

Republic Act 3846, also known as “An act providing the regulation of radio stations and radio communications in the Philippine Islands…” was enacted on August 10, 1963.

The Section 1 that Cabarios referred to is about the need to obtain a franchise from the Philippine Legislature for a person, firm or company to construct, install, establish, or operate a radio station within the Philippine Islands.

The order covers 42 television stations across the coun-

Dateline PhiliPPines

try, 10 digital broadcast channels, 18 FM stations and 5 AM stations, including the flagship stations Channel 2 and DZMM radio.

Reactions Multiple groups have expressed their indignation through social media and via statements released immediately after the network went off air.

In a tweet, Phil Robertson, deputy Asia director of Human Rights Watch (HRW) said, “The Philippines government shows how little it cares about quality information reaching its people during the COVID19 crisis as it shuts down ABSCBN network. This is a disaster on top of a disaster.”

The Foreign Correspondents Association of the Philippines (FOCAP) said it condemns the NTC’s order to shut down the stations of ABS-CBN and calls the move “a case of political harassment.”

“The order threatens press freedom at a time when the public needs an unfettered press the most,” the statement read. “As the Philippines reels from the fallout of the coronavirus pandemic, ABS-CBN’s critical eye is needed now more than ever to help inform

http://www.asianjournal.com • (212) 655-5426

The ABS-CBN main building in Quezon City is draped in the network’s colors.

the public.”

FOCAP is also urging Congress to independently act on pending measures seeking to renew ABS-CBN’s franchise.

“Our lawmakers must tackle these measures as soon as possible, and uphold the freedom of the press that the 1987 Constitution guarantees,” they said.

Several groups from the academe and business sector have also issued statements denouncing the closure.

“Now that ABS-CBN is out of the airwaves, and for the second time since Martial Law, there is no more denying that the Duterte regime will stop at nothing, even amid a national emergency and a crippling lockdown, to crush dissent and stifle a free and

independent media,” said a statement from University of Santo Tomas journalism educators.

University of the Philippines College of Mass Communication decried the NTC action, saying that a free press is needed “to serve as a faithful chronicler of events, a platform for the diversity of voices to be heard, and more importantly, the public’s watchdog of inept, abusive and corrupt governance.”

“Again, the current administration demonstrates the lengths it will go to silence critical media voices,” the statement further read.

The Management Association of the Philippines (MAP), an organization composed of almost 800 chief executives of

Inquirer.net photo

Philippine companies, called Tuesday, May 5 “a sad day for media freedom and the thousands of people and their families who will be adversely affected by the closure of ABS-CBN.” “We in MAP had fervently hoped that this day would never come as we, together with other business organizations, strongly urged Congress to consider in a timely and judicious manner the renewal of ABS CBN’s broadcasting franchise,” Francis Lim, MAP president said in a statement.

The network, however, reassured global Filipinos that it will continue programming under its international arm channel The Filipino Channel (TFC) on cable and satellite, IPTV and TFC online. n

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NEW YORK AND NEW JERSEY ASIAN JOURNAL • mAY 8-14, 2020

10 may 8-14, 2020 • NEW yORK aND NEW JERSEy aSIaN JOURNaL

Dateline PhiliPPines

PH government’s shutdown of ABS-CBN: Déjà vu of...

PAGE 5 franchise of ABS-CBN and its subsidiary ahead of the franchise expiration, for allegedly abusing its franchises and violating a constitutional prohibition on foreign investment in Philippine media.

ABS-CBN denied the allegations in public statements on Calida’s quo warrant petition and in a sworn testimony during a Senate hearing.

As TIME reported, the NTC’s order “caused shock and confusion among lawmakers because the agency’s top officials had agreed to grant a temporary operating license to ABS-CBN while Congress weighs its franchise renewal.”

“Rep. Franz Alvarez, who heads the congressional committee on legislative franchises, told ABS-CBN that he was surprised that the commission backtracked on its pledge. Many senators and Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra have agreed that the broadcaster could operate with a temporary license pending renewal of its franchise. Alvarez added that the company’s franchise renewal application would remain active, and the network said it will pursue efforts to reopen.”

CBS News reported that pursuant to Philippine laws, “Congress has sole authority in the Philippines to grant broadcast licenses, but lawmakers in the Lower House, who are overwhelmingly allied with President Rodrigo Duterte, have declined to act on bills seeking the renewal of ABS-CBN’s permit. Duterte has repeatedly stated his disdain for the network and the family who own it.”

Reporting on this news, the Washington Post said, “President Rodrigo Duterte has repeatedly threatened to close down the network in the past. His office denied that he had a hand in the order, saying the decision was entirely up to the commission.”

CBS News added that “Media organizations [like the Kapisanan ng mag Broadcaster ng Pilipinas] and press freedom advocates call the order for ABS-CBN to stop broadcasting an attack not only on the company, but on freedom of speech and the country’s fragile democracy.”

KBP is a self-regulatory body founded in 1973 that provides its members broadcasting standards to promote professional and ethical standards in Philippine radio and television broadcasting.

In a statement, KBP said as reported by ABS-CBN News online: “ABS-CBN is performing a valuable service to the public in the midst of a public service emergency not only by providing important news and information to keep the public safe and prevent the spread of the coronavi-

rus but also in giving the public much relief from the mental and emotional pressures of quarantine by continuing to broadcast its entertainment programs.”

“Without warning, both the public and the government are deprived of that service. It creates an unnecessary distraction for both government and the private sector from focusing on saving lives and keeping people safe,” it added.

“The KBP urged the government to allow the country’s largest entertainment and media conglomerate to operate under ‘equitable remedy’ while the company’s franchise bills [remain] pending.”

The self-regulatory media organization also called on Congress to expedite deliberation on ABS-CBN’s franchise bills that have languished at the House of Representatives.“The decision is unfair not only to the network and the thousands who depend on the network for their livelihood but, even more important, to the millions of people served by the network through its broadcasting activities.”

The KBP public statement also pointed out how unfair the NTC’s decision has been not only to the network and the thousands who depend on the network for their livelihood but, even more important, to the millions of people served by the network through its broadcasting activities.

ABS-CBN President Carlo Katigbak appealed to people to let their feelings on the closure be “felt, expressed and heard” for the benefit of the network’s more than 11,000 employees and millions of Filipinos who he said need the network’s services “specially now in the worst time of sickness and hunger,” TIME reported.

CBS News reported, that “ABSCBN is not the first news organization to be on the receiving end of pressure from Duterte’s government. Maria Ressa, who was a correspondent for CNN International and now runs the Manila-based online news service Rappler, is facing close to a dozen court cases.”

This report was in corroborated by TIME: “At least two other media organizations, including a leading newspaper, the Philippine Daily Inquirer, have come under attack from Duterte for critical reporting. The government separately accused an online news organization, Rappler, of violating the ban on foreign ownership and sought its closure.

Rappler denied the allegation and continues to operate.”

ABS-CBN has been fearless in its news reporting in fulfillment of its role as “watchdog” of the government, holding elected officials accountable even during the

Marcos dictatorship. The network was shut down and its broadcast headquarter was claimed by the Philippine government from the Lopez Family when Marcos declared martial law in 1972.

The Lopez family was able to reclaim ownership and operation of the broadcasting network after Marcos was deposed by People Power in 1986.

In response to the order of the NTC, the network issued a statement saying: “Millions of Filipinos will lose their source of news and entertainment when ABS-CBN is ordered to go off-air on TV and radio tonight (5 May 2020) when people need crucial and timely information as the nation deals with the COVID-19 pandemic.

This is in compliance with the cease and desist order issued by the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) today that prohibits ABS-CBN from continuing its broadcast operations effective immediately.

Despite Senate Resolution No. 40, the House of Representatives’ committee on legislative franchises’ letter, the guidance of the Department of Justice, and the sworn statement of NTC Commissioner Gamaliel Cordoba, the NTC did not grant ABS-CBN a provisional authority to operate while its franchise renewal remains pending in Congress.

In an interview with DZMM last week, House Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano even gave an assurance that there is no move to shut down the network.

ABS-CBN has been providing comprehensive news coverage on the public health crisis and working with local governments and the private sector in providing food and basic goods for those in need through its ‘Pantawid ng Pag-ibig’ campaign. To date, it has delivered over P300 million worth of goods for the benefit of over 600,000 families affected by the enhanced community quarantine.

We trust that the government will decide on our franchise with the best interest of the Filipino people in mind, recognizing ABSCBN’s role and efforts in providing the latest news and information during these challenging times.

ABS-CBN remains committed to being in the service of the Filipino and we will find ways to continue providing meaningful service to them.” *** 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.

http://www.asianjournal.com • (212) 655-5426

If life gives you lemons, make...

PAGE 5 incandescent lamp, the phonograph and the movie camera, among many others, did not even finish high school.

Abraham Lincoln, one of America’s greatest presidents, had very little formal education. But Lincoln had a voracious appetite for learning. As a barefoot boy, he studied by lamplight in a log cabin.

Max Indolos was the editor-in-chief of the Movie Confidential Magazine, of which I was associate editor as a teenage writer. Max and his wife may not have been in the same league as the high-tech and industrial titans but they did something that most parents would consider daunting. They decided to teach their children at home instead of sending them to regular schools. The kids attained college level education to a degree that would have been the envy of most alumni of exclusive universities.

Well, maybe, these were exemplary human beings who could have made a fortune making virtual lemonades out of the lemons that life had given them. But what about ordinary folks with ordinary talents and skills but subjected to extraordinary streaks of bad luck?

What does one do in the face of the coronavirus/COVID-19 global pandemic that has forced businesses to close down and lay off their employees? And what do you do if you suddenly find yourself without regular earnings while your bills continue coming regularly? What do you do with your time if you are forced to remain indoors for weeks and even months?

How does one make lemonade out of this bitter lemon?

One fine example is the ready-to-wear company in Florida that switched from making clothes to fabricating face masks when the coronavirus pandemic caused most manufacturing operations to close down. The RTW firm has been able to keep its workforce and has even hired extra help. An Asian supermarket and restaurant chain has developed a new online customer segment among young homeowners who had remained untapped through its regular bricks-and-mortar operations. Restaurants that have not been able to offer dine-in services are managing to remain in business with home-delivered meals.

Hunger is said to be stalking those who have lost their jobs. But, as a little boy during the Japanese occupation of the Philippines, I recall that most people did not have jobs either. But the Japanese army, realizing the need to keep the people fed, made it mandatory for every household to grow its own vegetables. Those that did not have land had to plant in pots which were mounted on the window sills of their homes. Home-grown poultry and hogs provided the meat requirements of people, while those living by the sea or near rivers and streams survived by fishing.

Indeed, the squatter problem of Metro Manila would be significantly solved if people remained in the provinces where seeds stuck into the ground can sprout into edibles while the seas and rivers yield fish a-plenty.

Of course, I should not criticize those who decide to go to the big cities to try their luck. My own parents gave up a comfortable existence in Leyte to bring us, their children, to Manila – because they

felt that the city was where we could get our “breaks.” It was a struggle, because no one had a job at the outset, but through God’s mercy and through hard work, we managed to make lemonade out of the lemons of our lives. Of my parents’ five children, four had the benefit of higher education, with two becoming medical doctors.

Only one could not finish college. Me. I guess I was too busy making lemonade out of the lemons.

Years later, my wife and I decided to relocate to the US to give our four children their own “breaks.” To do this, I had to give up my job as CEO of an advertising agency in Manila.

I was willing to take on any kind of job to feed my family and send the kids to school, but being a college drop-out limited my employment options. So I decided to follow a piece of advice that I had been giving to friends who had difficulty finding satisfactory jobs in America: put up a company and appoint yourself President and General Manager.

That would look impressive on a business card. With your self-confidence revived, build a network of contacts and prospects. With diligence, luck and prayers, you could hit paydirt.

I got to know Philippine News publisher Alex Esclamado. With his encouragement and a loan, we set up an ad agency, Minority Media Services, that would specialize on the Filipino- American consumer market.

This was at a time when the major advertisers were not even aware of the potentials of this market segment. But like prospectors digging for gold, through hard work and diligence, we finally hit paydirt. We landed AT&T as a client. The rest, as the cliche goes, is history.

But to go back to the coronavirus pandemic, there have been some positive results, of sorts. With most cars kept off the streets and traffic minimized, the environment has been cleared of smog and the air has been cleansed, The coronavirus scare has also kept wayward husbands at home for their children to finally get to know, although this has also created marital problems among stir-crazy adults and frustrated adulterers.

Of course, life’s lemons can also be used to make bad lemonade. The face masks and gloves that have become necessary as protection against the virus can hide the identities and fingerprints of criminals. I haven’t heard of any incidents, so far – but the pandemic has already been used in other unsavory ways.

Hustlers have been soliciting donations from unsuspecting folks, ostensibly for the benefit of the poor and those who have lost their jobs.

It should also have become obvious by now that a certain politician has been using the television briefings on the pandemic as a means to gain high visibility and prominence.

And if you believe in karma, then you may also have noted that this tactic has backfired on the politician. Instead of enhancing his popularity, the TV briefings have exposed his mean-spirited nature and his ignorance.

That’s what you call harvesting rotten fruits from the lemon tree. (gregmacabenta@hotmail.com)

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NEW YORK AND NEW JERSEY ASIAN JOURNAL • MAY 8-14, 2020

COMMUNITY Journal

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US Embassy cancels visa interviews through May 31, 2020 Immigration Corner Atty. MichAel Gurfinkel, eSQ THE U.S. Embassy in Manila announced that because of the COVID-19 pandemic, it is canceling all immigrant and nonimmigrant visa interviews scheduled through May 31, 2020. They hope to resume routine visa services as soon as possible, but cannot provide a specific date at this time, meaning it is possible visa interviews will be canceled beyond May 31.

Once the quarantine is lifted in Manila, applicants should reschedule their own

visa interviews through the Embassy’s call center. If your immigrant or nonimmigrant visa interview was canceled, don’t sit back and wait to be notified by the Embassy of a new interview date. Instead, you must take steps to have your interview rescheduled.

And make sure you do so within one year, or it could be possible the Embassy will terminate your case.

However, Pres. Trump has already signed a 60-day “suspension” of immigrant visa applicants coming to the U.S. through June 22, 2020 (except for spouses and minor children of U.S. citizens), so it would seem only nonimmigrant visa applications would be entertained starting May 31, 2020, unless the Embassy further cancels interviews.

And there may be further confusions or delays because of Pres. Trump’s proclamation, in that while people applying for their immigrant visas outside the U.S. are subject to that 60-day suspension, workers in the U.S. applying for adjustment of status inside the U.S. are not. They could still be interviewed and have their green cards issued in the U.S. What’s more, the annual allotment and distribution of employment visas are based on those applying both outside and inside the U.S. If only those inside the U.S. can apply, the State Department may advance or move the priority date forward, allowing even more applicants in the U.S. to apply, so as to PAGE 12

Is it a buyer’s market again?

Real Estate Knowledge MArtin SAntiAGo, Broker-ASSociAte

A BUYER’S market refers to a situation in which supply exceeds demand. Driven by pandemic fears, shutdowns and job losses, U.S. home prices are expected to dip between 2 and 3 percent this year, with sales falling by as much as 60 percent, according to a new forecast by Zillow. Historically low inventory and rock-bottom mortgage rates would normally set the stage for a highly competitive home buying season.

While recessions normally have only a minor effect on the housing market, the coronavirus is making life and markets anything but normal.

Buyers are more cautious to proceed. Either they have been laid off or furloughed or they fear they might be. Even with the mortgage forbearance under the CARES Act, buyers are still hesitant to purchase a property in other parts of the country.

But the roaring Bay Area home market, heedless of economic ups and downs for nearly a decade, will likely see few price retreats and discounts. The housing market projections look relatively mild compared with the precipitous fall during the mortgage foreclosure crisis in 2008, which drove median home values down 30 percent across the country. We’ll see prices drop by as much as 10 percent, particularly at the level of homes priced at $4 million and up. The under $2 million market should still remain strong as inventory is so low and demand is still high.

Bidding vs Priced at Value.

Many new listings are priced at value due to limited showings by appointment only.

The less exposure a property gets, the fewer number of offers it receives. Though there are still a lot of homes listed with a low teaser price and a set offer due date, a common technique makes the sellers switch to “accepting offers as they come” if they will not get the price they expect. This is common especially in homes owned by investors. Home prices are changing as inventory increases and the number

of buyers diminishes. If this lockdown will be extended beyond May, we can expect home prices to go down.

Home showings. Appointments and residential real estate viewings can only occur virtually or, if a virtual viewing is not feasible, by appointment with no more than two visitors at a time residing within the same household or living unit and one individual showing the unit. Open houses and brokers’ tours are off the table. Last Monday (May 4), owner-occupied homes can now be shown by appointment. Bay Area health officials loosened real estate restrictions allowing agents to now show occupied homes as long as the residents are not present. But open houses are still banned and state and local real estate groups are encouraging agents to do virtual tours when possible.

Difference in offers. It is normal for sellers to accept offers with contingencies.

Since the housing market is not as strong like in March of this year, sellers are willing to take the risk of accepting contingent offers. Limited showings are allowing buyers PAGE 12

CASE REVIVED AFTER NVC TERMINATES IT FOR FAILURE TO APPLY FOR VISA WITHIN ONE YEAR – FULL STORY ON CITIZEN PINOY. Khalidha (second from right) was petitioned by her mother Shami (center) in 2004. In 2011, the National Visa Center (NVC) sent a notice that Khalidha’s visa was available and gave her one year to reply. However, Khalida never received any notice, until she finally received one advising that her visa petition had been terminated for failure to respond to the NVC within one year. The family went to two lawyers, to a U.S. senator, and to a congressman, but none were successful in reviving the case. Finally, a Filipino co-worker (and fan of Citizen Pinoy) suggested they consult with leading U.S. immigration attorney Michael J. Gurfinkel. After going through hundreds of pages of documents, and diligently reviewing the case history, Attorney Gurfinkel was able to convince the NVC to reopen the case and issued visas for the entire family. Watch this success story on an all-new episode of CITIZEN PINOY – on Sunday at 6:15 pm (PST) on TFC. (Advertising Supplement)

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May 8-14, 2020 • NEW yORK aND NEW JERSEy aSIaN JOURNaL

Marijuana and COVID-19 Health@Heart PhiliP S. Chua, MD, FaCS, FPCS THE target organs of the SARS-CoV2 virus (COVID19), which eventually kills patients, are the lungs.

While this deadly viral infection also affects other organs in the body like the heart, liver, and kidneys the destructive effects it has on the pulmonary system transform the lungs from airy soft, spongy, alveolar tissues that efficiently absorb life-sustaining oxygen and eliminate the waste product carbon dioxide into hard solidified non-functional organs with disabled air exchange capability.

This deprives COVID-19 patients of vital oxygen and literally suffocates them in the end – even a ventilator (which pushes oxygen into the lungs) is no longer of any help at that stage.

One of the recommendations to lessen the risk for COVID-19 is for those who smoke tobacco to quit because smoking burns and reduces the resistance of the lungs and weakens the entire body’s immune system.

Since the recreational use of marijuana has been legalized in many states, the question is, do smokers or users of any cannabis products have higher risk to acquire COVID-19 infection?

It appears that marijuana smokers and illicit drug users have increased risk of getting the COVID-19 infection and their use also negatively impacts the outcome of the infection, compared to non-users.

Is marijuana the same as cannabis?

Basically, they are the same. Cannabis is the plant and refers to cannabis products in general, while marijuana is cannabis products made from dried flowers, leaves, stems, seeds of cannabis plants.

What is the difference between THC and CBD? THC (Tetrahydrocannabinol) comes from cannabis sativa plant and CBD from hemp. While both substances interact with cannabinoid receptors in the human body and brain, their effects are very different. THC is the psycho-active component of cannabis, which provides the feeling of “high” with the use of recreational marijuana. CBD is non-psychoactive and does not produce “high” among users, hence it is more popular in dietary and natural supplements.

Is hemp the same as marijuana?

No, hemp is the sterilized roots, seeds, stems, stalks; marijuana refers to the viable leaves, flowers and seeds. Hemp comes from cannabis plant with less than 0.3 percent THC, while marijuana, also from cannabis plant, has more than 0.3 percent THC, the psycho-active substance.

Hemp is native to Central Asia and dates back to 2800 BCE in Ancient China. Its fibers are used to produce burlap, canvas, artificial sponges, cable, rope, twine, paper, biofuel, etc., and its roots and seeds produce oil with medicinal use. It is the cannabidiol content of cannabis plant which provides its various medicinal properties.

What conditions has CBD been used for?

Cannabidiol, an anxiolytic (sedative) and cellular antioxidant, sometimes used in combination with THC, has been tried as an adjunctive therapy for seizures, includ-

ing epilepsy, Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, Multiple Sclerosis, and muscular (neurological) spasm or pain.

What are the side effects of marijuana?

Contrary to popular belief, marijuana is not harmless.

The adverse effects of marijuana use include memory loss, paranoia, addiction, psychosis, lowers testosterone, panic, anxiety, mood disorders, heart, lungs, liver, kidney problems, decrease motor responses, hallucination, altered decision-making, cognitive impairment, chronic bronchitis, poor school performance and educational outcome, depression, altered judgement and decision making, and lung cancer. Cardiac complications with the use of Cannabis, especially among the young, has a death rate of 25.6 percent. Marijuana users are also more prone to use addictive illicit drugs.

Like in second-hand cigarette smoking, the hazards of second-hand marijuana smoke to heart and lungs have been found to last even longer and equally deleterious, including cancer formation.

While medical marijuana has a legitimate place in society to help countless patients, it seems senseless legalizing recreational marijuana, in view of the world’s 140 years devastating and dreaded experience with killer tobacco which does not even have as much multi-organ side effects and complications listed above compared to marijuana.

Regular use of marijuana, like smoking tobacco, could also lead to lung cancer. We have so many recreational avenues today that mankind does not need another that is potential destructive.

The opium addiction in the whole of China in the 1700 PAGE 15

Is it a buyer’s market again...

PAGE 11 to have an inspection contingency. Appraisals are always based off the recently sold properties but with the lockdown extension, Bay Area home prices might start to slide down. Loans are protected with the new COVID19 Addendum Form from the California Association of Realtors letting buyers cancel escrow in case they lose their jobs.

When can real estate bounce back? I expect that home sales will bounce back in the second half of the year as the economy begins to improve. Continuous vaccine research sheds light at the end of the tunnel and since most Bay Area home buyers are millennials working in tech and biotech, our market is more stable as compared to the rest of California. ***

Martin Santiago is a broker associate at Compass Burlingame, a full-service residential brokerage firm. He is also a licensed mortgage loan originator & an International Associate at the American Institute of Architects. The information presented in this article is for general information only and is not, nor intended to be a formal legal advice nor the formation of a broker-client relationship. Call or email Martin at (415)8507704; teammsquare@gmail.com; www. teammsquare.com.

(Advertising Supplement)

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NVC terminates daughter’s case for failing to apply for visa within one year on an all new Citizen Pinoy this Sunday

KHALIDHA was petitioned by her mother, Shami, in 2004. Seven years later, in 2011, the National Visa Center (NVC) sent notices to Khalidha, informing her of the availability of her visa and giving her one year to apply.

However, Khalidha never got these notices and therefore did not respond within the one-year deadline. The

The Kite Runner ProF. EnriquE M. Soriano AS the world economy grounds to a complete halt, a looming recession is at our doorstep and deaths and infections continue to surge everywhere, it is time for business owners to assess the impact of an agonizingly painful journey towards normalcy both on the family and the business aspect. Looking beyond this lockdown, we can expect that losses will be staggering. We also acknowledge that this unprecedented crisis is wrought with uncertainty.

Yes, we can see the tip of the iceberg but we do not

NVC then terminated the case.

The family went to two lawyers without any success. They even sought the help from a U.S. senator and a U.S. congressman, to no avail.

A Filipino coworker suggested the family consult with leading U.S. immigration attorney Michael J. Gurfinkel, who reviewed

and evaluated hundreds of documents provided by the family and came up with a winning strategy. He was then able to convince the NVC to reinstate the petition and issue visas for the entire family.

Watch this success story on a brand-new episode of CITIZEN PINOY on Sunday at 6:15 PM (PST) on TFC.

(Advertising Supplement)

Business owners must never, never give up! know how deep it is. If the infection spread decelerates, we can anticipate that the crisis will be severely felt in the third and fourth quarter of 2020.

However, if the pandemic worsens, the economic impact will extend until the end of 2021. While we are all in a state of shock and making sense of this unheard-of disruption, it is important for business leaders to take a step back and make a full assessment on the severity of the impact and immediately plan on how to navigate, weather and hopefully bounce back as quickly as possible.

Upside-down world In a well written Forbes article by globally recognized family business expert and author Prof Dennis Jaffe, he highlighted that “today’s pandemic crisis is turning everyone’s world upsidedown in ways that couldn’t have been anticipated just a short time ago. After a half-century of observing and sometimes resisting the increasing pace of change and the many innovations disrupting our behavior, we are now encountering a situation that makes it impossible not to change. However, there PAGE 13

US Embassy cancels visa...

PAGE 11 use of the supply of annual visas. For example, right now the priority date for EB-3 and other workers is January 1, 2017. In order to make sure the annual allotment of visas is used up by those in the U.S., the State Department might make that category “current,” and the annual supply could be quickly depleted. Then, no more visas would be left for those applying outside the U.S. until October 2020, which is the new fiscal year for visas.

I understand many people are anxious and confused because the rules, regulations, and procedures are constantly changing in the middle of the game to deal with

this pandemic. People have followed the rules, waited patiently in line, and it seems now they’re being told they will have to wait in an even longer line.

If you have any questions or concerns about your case, you should consult with an attorney who can evaluate your situation and determine your best course of action. *** Michael J. Gurfinkel has been an attorney for over 35 years and is licensed, and an active member of the State Bars of California and New York. All immigration services are provided by, or under the supervision of, an active member of the State Bar of California. Each case is different and results may depend on the facts of the particular case. The

information and opinions contained herein (including testimonials, “Success Stories”, endorsements and re-enactments) are of a general nature, and are not intended to apply to any particular case, and do not constitute a prediction, warranty, guarantee or legal advice regarding the outcome of your legal matter. No attorney-client relationship is, or shall be, established with any reader.

WEBSITE: www.gurfinkel.com Follow us on Facebook.com/GurfinkelLaw and Twitter @GurfinkelLaw Call Toll free to schedule a consultation for anywhere in the US:

1-866-487-3465

(866) – GURFINKEL Four offices to serve you: LOS ANGELES ∙ SAN FRANCISCO ∙ NEW YORK ∙ PHILIPPINES

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NEW YORK AND NEW JERSEY ASIAN JOURNAL • MAY 8-14, 2020

Alden considering to join military as reservist

By Jan

Milo Severo Philstar.com

ACTOR Alden Richards revealed that he is considering to join the military as a reservist.

In his Instagram live recently, Alden said he received an invitation from the Phillipine Air Force and he is considering it.

“There was an invitation sent to me (by the Philippine Air Force) and I’m really considering to be part of it. I’m just clearing things up with the management,” Alden said.

The “Hello Love Goodbye” actor said he wanted to be a part of the military to express his concern for the country.

“Siyempre it’s a way of being part of people who are really concerned sa Pilipinas and I want to be part of it,” Alden said.

Alden is not the first Kapuso actor to join the military if he decided to.

Dingdong Dantes was recently named Lieutenant

EMPLOYMENT

Alden Richards

Commander while Rocco Nacino is Petty Officer 3rd

Photo from Instagram/@aldenrichards02

Class, both with the Philippine Navy.

FOR RENT

Business owners must...

PAGE 12 appears to be no clear way to reasonably plan what to do next or how to manage the extent of the upheaval.

Yet every day we must act and even make some tough choices—despite the lack of any reliable information about the best direction to take.” He further added that “every business, large and small, is feeling threatened, and every family faces deep challenges just to stay af loat. Without being able to go to work or attend school right now, we cannot imagine how life will return to some sense of normalcy. That uncertainty and inability to control makes us anxious. And when we’re anxious, we can do impulsive, short-sighted things.”

As a family business advisor, my advice to entrepreneurs and business leaders is straightforward: Never, never give up even when the going gets tough.

Sail along despite the headwinds and manage your emotions! When we help turnaround businesses, our go-to-mindset will

always be on a long-term view but in our current situation, it’s nothing but crafting a short-term future. Time can be our friend or foe and speed in decision making is paramount. Additionally, alignment of strategies with well-defined roles within the ownership and management team is extremely important. Every owner must learn how to adapt by constantly tinkering with business models outside his industry.

Focus on solutions At this juncture, it is in the best interest of owners to break down the issues so ICU’s (Important, Critical, Urgent) that need immediate intervention is prioritized. As you start sorting the problems, you can now rationally focus on how you can move forward with a certain degree of confidence. One of the first few items that are usually raised is the current financial state of the business. Understandably, when the lockdown restriction was imposed, most companies experi-

SERVICES

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enced a sharp downturn in their top lines. When sales dropped, the natural reaction was to preserve cash while maintaining a workforce. By default, the leadership team should have stepped up and prepared a financial and workforce contingency plan outlining the operational aspect of cash f low and human resource management during and post lockdown. In my ICU interventions since March, sadly most companies did nothing, and their leaders were passive all throughout the lockdown.

Interventions Moving forward, any decision that can impact cash must be studied. But preserving cash is one thing, managing the workforce is another significant and sensitive variable in the equation therefore any decision that will impact people must always be thoroughly planned with a strategic intent in mind.

Owners must demonstrate empathy toward its employees as work reduction PAGE 15

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MAY 8-14, 2020 • NEW YORK AND NEW JERSEY ASIAN JOURNAL

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people events arts culture entertainment

Meals over video chat, self-care rituals: Fil-Am moms share how they’ll spend Mother’s Day at home

T

by

AJPRESS

HIS Sunday, May 10 marks Mother’s Day — another major holiday that families will have to celebrate while sheltering in place and social distancing.

While treating mom to a dine-in meal at her favorite restaurant or going to a church service may not be viable options, the Asian Journal asked Pinay moms and their children around the country how they’ll be spending their special day this year.

Schedule a video chat with loved ones For family members who live in different cities or are quarantining apart, a group video call is one of the easiest ways to mimic a large festivity. The options to host this are aplenty, whether it’s Facebook Messenger, Zoom, FaceTime, Skype or Google Hangouts.

Digital communication is how Amira Allah Arcangel of Jersey City, New Jersey has been keeping in touch with and parenting her daughter Aylah in Manila from afar.

“We will spend it as always via Facebook messenger talking about anything under the sun,” Arcangel said. “Since I am thousands away from my daughter and [the] time difference is an issue, as a Mother, I have to be flexible. I always check her in the morning before going to work, if she has eaten dinner, done with homework and ask how her day was with friends. Then while at work before going home, my alarm at 5:30 p.m. EST is to wake my daughter up at 6:30 a.m. Manila time so she will get ready for school...My motherhood has been virtual for the past 10 years. My daughter even told me, ‘Ma, LDR couples will get jealous at us, we have been talking for 8 hours now.’ Talking to my daughter online keeps me stay connected with her as if she is just [in the] next room.”

Paloma Concordia, a public relations professional

Grace Labaguis with husband Ron and children Jericho and Marc

Ledy Almadin and daughters Ellie and Elena

Sara Meredith and her mom, Rhiza, who lives in Dubai

and mother of four in Daly City, California, said she’ll be watching a movie with food and a cocktail in hand with other mom friends, thanks to the “Netflix Party” extension on Google Chrome.

For Sara Meredith, who runs skincare brand Kaya Essentials in Los Angeles, honoring her mom has been a virtual celebration for the past decade as her parents live in Kuwait. Each year,

she schedules a video call with her mother Rhiza and cooks her favorite Filipino dish.

“I would make my favorite Filipino dish that my mom cooks for me, sinigang na baboy (pork in sour tamarind soup). Although I have the recipe written down, I still like to call her and go through it with her because it makes her feel special, needed, and like she’s tak-

ing care of me,” Meredith said. “Even though — [and] maybe this is kind of typical of Filipino moms — she doesn’t say that, but I know she feels it.”

Make a meal together Ria Pretekin, a mother of two in Chicago, said her family has to forgo their annual tradition of having afternoon tea at a hotel, but they will be having a brunch meal at home. Fortunately, her parents live at their house so they can all celebrate together and have a Zoom call with her sister’s family as well.

“We’ve been craving Filipino treats but they’re pretty hard to come by where we live so we’ve been learning how to bake in quarantine.

We’ve learned how to make our own pan de sal and it has been such a nice family activity to make something from scratch together,” said Pretekin.

For those in Los Angeles, Kristine de la Cruz of Créme Caramel LA has partnered with coffee shop Kindness & Mischief and online retail store Manila Oriental to develop a “Mother’s Day Cupcake Kit” that gives families an interactive, yet easy way to make treats at home.

Each $45 kit includes three ube and three vanilla cupcakes, two piping bags with vanilla mascarpone buttercream and Belgium chocolate frosting and sprinkles, plus 1 16oz Oat Chai and 1 16oz Oat Matcha from Kindness & Mischief Coffee and PAGE 15

Amira Allah Arcangel Facetimes with daughter, Aylah

For Ria Pretkin (far right), a Chicago mom of two, Motherʼs Day will include a brunch with her parents and a Zoom call with her sisterʼs family

Paloma Concordia from Daly City, California and her four children

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NEW YORK AND NEW JERSEY ASIAN JOURNAL • MAY 8-14, 2020

Marijuana and...

PAGE 12 has almost doomed the entire Qing Dynasty. There were two Opium Wars, the British against China (1839-1842) and British and French against China (18561860). Indeed, addicting substances can destroy a nation.

Can Marijuana or CBD prevent or cure COVID19?

No, at this time, there is no known drug or substance that can cure or prevent COVID-19 infection. Various anti-viral drugs and potential vaccines are currently being tested. Remdesivir intravenous anti-viral treatment – 140,000 rounds might be available by the end of May 2020 and about one million rounds by the end of this year – could be a game changer in this pandemic. The popular heartburn medication, famotidine (as in Pepcid), is being studied as a potential drug useful in the treatment of COVID-19. HydroxyChloroquine-Azithroymcin combo has not been proven to be fully effective against COVID-19 and found to have a potentially fatal cardiac rhythm side-effect, among others.

For the entire duration of this pandemic and possible resurgence, the best prophylactic strategy to avoid getting infected is discipline and this C-O-V-I-D acronym: Cover face to scratch, sneeze or cough; Omit non-

essential travels; Voluntary quarantine; Intensive handwashing; Distancing.

Indeed, staying home, when possible, is the safest “bunker” in our war with this invisible enemy, where viral bullets outside are flying all around, looking for human host-targets in order to survive, and hit the maximum number possible. And those of us who are non-compliant with that basic C-O-VI-D strategy, will be aiding the enemy (traitors in this war) and help spread COVID-19 further, and more massively, prolonging this pandemic. Let us all be responsible and do our part to help end this pandemic soon and save lives.

Could COVID-19 pandemic recur?

For patients who have recovered from COVID-19, reinfection among those who did not develop enough antibody is deemed possible. As for resurgence of the pandemic, the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy (CIDRAP), analyzing the data from past influenza pandemics, predicted the future of the COVID-19 with these scenarios in the U.S.: the current wave is followed by a larger wave in the fall or winter of 2020, and one smaller wave in 2021. Also, “this current pandemic will likely last 18 to 24 months and 60-70 percent of the population may need to be immune for the pandemic to end.” This could also be

true for the Philippines, which has almost 10,000 cases and nearly 700 deaths.

The figures in the U.S. (cases: 1,240,000, with about 73,000 deaths) could double

by August, 2020. Worldwide there are about 3.8 million cases and nearly 260,000 deaths in 212 countries.

In the meantime, CDC says the healthcare workers who tested positive could be higher than the reported 9,200 and that the infected medical front-liners account for 11 percent of the COVID-19 cases in the United States, with 27 deaths so far. In UK and Italy, more than 100 healthcare personnel have died from COVID19 in each country.

The entire world has lost countless healthcare workers who have heroically exposed themselves in harm’s way saving the lives of others, and many losing their own. They are the unsung heroes of this pandemic who shall forever inspire us with their dedication, service, self-sacrifice, and grit and grace under fire. *** Philip S. Chua, MD, FACS, FPCS, a Cardiac Surgeon Emeritus based in Northwest Indiana and Las Vegas, Nevada, is an international medical lecturer/author, a Health Public Advocate, and Chairman of the Filipino United Network-USA, a 501(c)3 humanitarian foundation in the United States. Websites: philipSchua.com and FUN8888. com; Email: scalpelpen@gmail. com.

Business owners must...

PAGE 13 and termination are highly likely options for as long as the crisis continues to compromise business operations. I commiserate with the owners as they are wrestling with many tough decisions – including being forced to let some employees go especially when the same employees may have spent a significant part of their careers in the organization. It is a very delicate balancing act and requires really tough decisions. Apart from cash and workforce planning, there are other key metrics that must be considered. Some of them are highlighted below: • Capability and commitment of the leadership team • Control of Operating expenses

• Managing inventory levels • Compensation cuts of the senior team • Temporary or permanent layoffs • Elimination of dividends • Rationalizing or deferment of capital acquisitions • Communication plan for partners, employees, customers and suppliers For skeptical leaders who think their businesses are so small and feel that contingency planning has no place in their companies, I urge you to think and ref lect on this critical initiative. We are experiencing an uncertain environment out there and your inaction coupled with the impact of the COVID-19 virus on most sectors can lead to irreversible damage to

your business. Believe me, without a plan, this crisis can take your business out overnight! It does not distinguish between big or small businesses. Just like when you were starting your business, every day was all about survival.

That instinct must be reactivated. You must take action, move fast, rise to the challenge and decide on things that you need to do.

Now! *** Prof. Soriano is a National Agora Awardee for Marketing Excellence, an ASEAN Family Business Advisor, Book Author and Executive Director of ASEANbased Consulting group, W+B Strategic Advisory. He has close to three decades of real estate experience and is currently the Program Director for Real Estate at the Ateneo Graduate School of Business.

Meals over video chat...

PAGE 14 a mug from Manila Oriental that says “tulog kain tae.” $5 of each purchase will go toward the bake shop’s Pandesal for Health Heroes donations.

Order from a local restaurant Too tired to cook or craving a particular dish? Let a local restaurant take care of your dining needs!

In Los Angeles, Filipino restaurant La Rose Cafe is offering a $150 meal good for up to five people, featuring eight savory dishes like seafood paella and Cebu lechon plus a dessert choice. Tatang in North Hollywood is offering a $70 “Mama Bundle” with lumpia, chicken sisig, bistek, salad and an assorted tray of small bibingkas for dessert.

There are several eateries in the Bay Area to choose from, such as 7 Mile House, a local Pinay and family owned restaurant in Brisbane, which is now reopened. The restaurant has savory comfort dishes, desserts like the ube cheesecake, and a long list of cocktails for take-out or delivery. Little Skillet in San Francisco’s SOMA Pilipinas district has family meal boxes for up to four people, with options like its famous fried chicken or cajun crispy catfish with a choice of three sides and one dessert.

Make time for self-care Many families have been holed up at home for over two months since stay-athome orders were put in place. In addition to work and other household tasks, mothers have taken on an additional role as a teacher because classes have moved online. Taking a moment for one’s self and putting individual needs first are definitely welcomed, even if you can’t book a service at your usual salon or spa.

“Our labors are an incredible expression of love, though we need to remember that it’s necessary to make time to love ourselves too. It’s important for our families to remember this, and give us the love and support to breathe. This weekend, our advice goes out to the gift-givers, to those wondering what mom really wants. Let ‘tulog (sleep), kain (eat), tae (poop)’ be your guide. Let mom sleep in (or even just stay in bed to hide out for an extra hour).

Feed her a meal she didn’t have to think about, cook or bake, and celebrate her

with cupcakes and coffee.

And finally, let her poop in peace. Oh, and don’t forget to say thank you,” said Olivia Reyes, co-founder of Manila Oriental.

For Menchu Sanchez of Secaucus, New Jersey, selfcare is about “taking time to rest, sleep and pray a lot for the healing of the whole world” and “doing self pedi and mani, like I am in a real salon.”

She maximizes the time she has at home by doing chores, and recently, she brought out an old sewing machine and she has been making cloth face masks and shields for neighbors and friends.

Grace Labaguis, a marketing consultant and mother of two sons in Jersey City, New Jersey, said that “me time” for her has been rediscovering an old hobby, whether that’s baking, writing, reading or playing an instrument.

“Two weeks ago, I saw my keyboard that’s been sitting in our attic for many years. I got so excited that I immediately asked my boys to set it up for me,” Labaguis said. “I tried playing my piano piece back in grade school and was surprised that I still know the exact keys, but not the title of the song. I’m now thinking of getting a piano refresher course online.”

Julie Cruz, a mother of three young children in Pasadena, California, said keeping a list of one’s favorite self-care rituals is a good reminder.

“Take the time to reflect on what self-care activities re-energize you and make a list of them. Keep the list visible — either post it in your bathroom and glance at it while you brush your teeth and/or keep a list in your daily planner where you can easily refer to it. The point is to keep it top-of-mind and easily reference your go-to options when you need to recharge,” said Cruz, who runs FilAm Fam, an organization that teaches the next generation about Filipino heritage.

Arcangel said that selfcare for her is also giving back to others by checking in on relatives and friends and see if they need anything. “‘Virtual moms’ like me take time for myself by keeping myself healthy physically by doing home exercises, home cooking, cleaning and volunteering in the community,” she said. “I always

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send photos to my daughter of my daily activities.”

Self-care can also mean delegating and asking for help from your support system.

“Do what works for you.

Don’t feel pressured to do it all because it’s an impossible task to work from home, assist your kids with distance learning, keep the house clean, and still find time for yourself. My tip for self-care would be to ask for help from your partner or parents if you can and be specific about what you need,” Pretekin said.

Safely go outside and enjoy nature The weather in many cities on Sunday is projected to be warm and perfect for a day outside, but local governments are closing down parks and other areas to prevent large crowds gathering.

However, there are some other options to spend time outside as a family.

“Go to your local farmers market and have the kids choose flowers (or a new plant) for you, it’s always a nice touch to have fresh flowers in the home (not just on Mother’s Day!), and the kids will love the experience. You could even make it a learning moment and find out the names of the flowers they picked,” Concordia said.

Cruz said she and her husband have started a “merienda and tea time ritual” with the kids and hope to make that into a Mother’s Day tradition.

“In these past weeks, we’ve been itching to pitch a tent somewhere, have a picnic and let the kids run around. Unfortunately, it has yet to happen when factoring in the logistics plus our depleted energy levels as a result of caring for three young children 24/7,” Cruz said. “This Mother’s Day, we’ll likely set out an elevated version or our usual merienda and tea time — as a picnic, with flowers, candles and jazz music playing in the background.”

For Ledy Almadin, a mother of two adult daughters in Summit, New Jersey, going out for a walk nearby will be a way to unwind on Sunday.

“Time for myself since I can’t go to a spa or salon to treat myself is to [go for] a walk at our local hiking trail since this is the only recreation outside without any physical contact,” Almadin said.

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May 8-14, 2020 • NEW yORK aND NEW JERSEy aSIaN JOURNaL

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