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DATELINE USA FROM THE AJPRESS NEWS TEAM ACROSS AMERICA

60 new measles cases across 26 states, worst since 1994 The growing global trend of “anti-vaxxers� a main factor, CDC says

THE United States Centers for Disease Control (CDC) on Monday, May 27 reported 60 new cases of measles, making the total reported cases of the preventable-disease this year to 940 across 26 states.

This is the worst outbreak of measles since 1994 (which had a reported total of 958 cases) and since measles was officially eliminated in 2000, CDC officials said.

The states that have reported measles cases include Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Missouri, New Mexico, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Texas, Tennessee, and Washington.

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

Palace backs Lorenzana: No credible ouster plot vs Duterte

by NESTOR

CORRALES Inquirer.net

MALACAĂ‘ANG backed on Wednesday, May 29, the remark of Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana that there was no credible plot to oust President Rodrigo Duterte.

Presidential spokesperson Salvador Panelo maintained that were plots to unseat the president, but these were not credible because they did not have the support of the military.

Lorenzana on Tuesday, May 28, ruled out any credible plot to oust the president, saying “maybe Malacanang has some information on small groups� wanting to unseat the President.

“Lorenzana said there is no credible plot because there is no support from the military and the police. So there is no inconsistency there,� he told reporters here.

Panelo, who has released a matrix tagging several individuals wanting to oust the president, insisted that there were plots against the president but these were not credible. “Ang sinasabi ni presidente, merong plot. Wala naman siyang sinabing may military support or may PNP [Philippine National Police]. In other words, sa parte ni DND [Department of National Defense] secretary, it will not be realized kasi ang plot to be credible kailangan may military and police support (The president said there was a plot.

He did not say that there was military or PNP support. In other words, on the part of the DND secretary, it will not be realized because for a plot to be credible it will need military and police support),� he said. “Walang inconsistency. He didn’t say na walang plot. Sabi niya lang na hindi credible kasi walang support,� he added. “Walang suporta sa military at pulis, pero may nagpaplano. Sabi ni presidente may plot. So walang inconsistency (There’s no inconsistency. He didn’t there was no plot. What he said was it was not credible because it had no support.

There’s no military and police support, but some people are planning. The president said there was a plot. So there’s no inconsistency).â€? â–

Part of PH, US history is fighting together for freedom -US Filipino Veterans Family chargÊ d’affaires u PAGE A2

Reunification Act introduced in Congress

NEW legislation has been presented in both the Senate and House of Representatives on Wednesday, May 22 to expedite the visa process for children of Filipino World War II veterans.

The Filipino Veterans Family Reunification Act was introduced by Senators Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii) and Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) and Reps. Ed Case (D-Hawaii) and Don Young (RAlaska) in the House.

Currently, estimates show that there are less than 6,000 Filipino World War II veterans still

by NEIL

ARWIN MERCADO Inquirer.net

A PART of the history linking the Philippines and the United States involves the previous wars fought together as allies by the two nations, U.S. Embassy Charge d’Affaires John C. Law said Sunday, May 26, in celebration of Memorial Day. The Philippines and the United States remembered more than 17,000 soldiers who died in World War II during Memorial Day rites at the Manila American Cemetery and Memorial in Taguig City.

Asked what the celebration says about the relationship between the two nations, Law said Memorial Day underscores the

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BUSINESS TRIP. President Rodrigo Duterte poses for posterity with the ofďŹ cials from various companies during the business forum at the Imperial Hotel in Tokyo, Japan on Wednesday, May 29. Seated with the President are Public Works and Highways Secretary Mark Villar, Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles, Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III, and Trade and Industry Secretary Ramon Lopez.

MalacaĂąang photo by Toto Lozano

FDA expands list of countries affected Palace: Japan trip not a reward for 20 Cabinet execs by import ban amid swine fever threat

by RITCHEL

MENDIOLA AJ Press

by IAN

NICOLAS CIGARAL Philstar.com

THE Philippine Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has released an expanded list of countries affected by a temporary ban on the importation and sale of processed pork meat products amid growing fears over the spread of African swine fever virus.

In an updated order dated May 27, 2019 but released Tuesday, May 28, the FDA included Vietnam, Zambia, South Africa, Czech Republic, Bulgaria, Cambodia, Mongolia, Moldova and In an order dated May 27, 2019 but was released Tuesday, the FDA included Vietnam, Zambia, South Africa, Czech Republic, Bulgaria, Cambodia, Mongolia, Moldova and Belgium in its list.

Belgium in its list.

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Philstar.com ďŹ le photo

Alvarez: Bribery for speakership vote up to P1M

by NATHALIE

ROBLES

AJPress

DAVAO del Norte First District Representative Pantaleon Alvarez revealed on Monday, May 28, that two House speaker aspirants were offering money in exchange for the legislators’ votes for the speakership post.

“My colleagues told me that someone offered P500,000 per congressman and then this was countered by another with P1 million per congressman,� Alvarez said as reported by The Manila Times. “Purposely, hindi ako lumapit doon sa mga funders para may-

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opment of the new Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, according to Foreign PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte Assistant Secretary Meynardo on Tuesday, May 28, flew out to Montealegre during a Palace news Tokyo for a visit aimed at deepen- briefing on May 24. ing the Philippines’ political and Duterte, whose plane touched economic ties with Japan — one down in Tokyo at 9:52 p.m. on of the country’s regional allies Tuesday, May 28 (Japan time), that the president had described will be accompanied by about 200 as “closer than a brother.�

For Duterte’s third visit to the Land of the Rising Sun, he is scheduled to attend Nikkei’s International Conference on the Future of Asia from Thursday to Friday (May 30-31), and his seventh bilateral meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Friday.

The meeting will likely be a discussion about defense and security, economic cooperation, infrastructure development, and Japanese assistance for the devel!.$2%7 " 3().

people, including Cabinet members, local officials and their staff throughout the entire visit.

The Cabinet members traveling with the president include Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr., Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III, Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel PiĂąol, Pub-

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From the Front Page

Part of PH, US history is fighting together...

PAGE A1 rich history of the countries in fighting for freedom together. “[Memorial Day] is a perfect example because we have a long history, part of that history involves fighting together for our freedom, and World War II was the most outstanding example of Americans and Filipinos coming ogether to defend countries and to fight for our countries together,” Law told Inquirer.net following the celebration.

In his speech during the ceremony, Law also underscored how the war created a bond between the two countries “that exists to this day and remains strong to this day.”

“Here in the Philippines, hundreds of thousands fought sideby-side, shoulder-to-shoulder, and died to defend our countries, to defend our freedom, and to defend our democracy…

in doing so, they established a bond that exists to this day and remains strong to this day.” Law said.

Armed Forces of the Philippines Vice Chief of Staff Lieutenant General Salvador Mison also expressed support towards the United States in remembering the lives of the fallen troops.

Mison also challenged nations to work together in facing pressing issues.

“Today, we are facing real challenges and even confront threats that transcend boundaries such as transnational crimes, piracy, terrorism, and even climate change,” Mison said.

“Thus, it is necessary that we work together to address and overcome these challenges,” he added.

West Philippine Sea issue Amid the issues between the Philippines and China in the West

Philippine Sea, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on March 1 said the US government’s “commitments” under the U.S.-Philippines Mutual Defense Treaty (MDT) “are clear, our obligations are real, the [West Philippine Sea] is certainly part of an important body of water for freedom of navigation.”

President Rodrigo Duterte also expressed his intentions to maintain the strong relationship between the two nations, particularly ties in defense and security, as well as peace and order Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr., on multiple occasions, also said that the United States is the country’s “only military ally.”

“The U.S. is and will remain our only military ally. You can’t make an ally out of a near power — too close for comfort,” Locsin said in an earlier tweet. n

FDA expands list of countries affected...

PAGE A1 The FDA, which is under the Department of Health (DoH), issued in September last year an order declaring a temporary ban on the importation and distribution of pork meat products from countries suspected to be affected by the virus.

The initial list, which still stands, includes China, Hun-

gary, Latvia, Poland, Romania, Russia and Ukraine.

“The public is advised to exercise extreme caution in purchasing and consuming processed pork meat products and is advised to only consume processed pork meat products which are sourced from countries other than the above listed countries suspected to be af-

fected by ASF virus,” the FDA said.

‘Pull out Ma-Ling’ While the disease is usually fatal in pigs but not harmful to humans, the African swine fever can cause major economic loss to swine industries.

China and Vietnam, two of the countries worst hit by the virus, have already culled millions of hogs infected by the disease.

Also on Tuesday, Agriculture Secretary Manny Piñol urged the FDA to stop issuing import clearances and order the immediate market pullout of processed pork products from countries affected by the virus, including the ‘Ma-Ling’ brand luncheon meat from China.

This was after a reported incident involving a returning overseas Filipino worker who was intercepted while bringing in cans of Ma-Ling pork luncheon meat despite a ban and cut off date for the entry of processed pork products from China issued last year, Piñol said.

“DA Undersecretary Ariel Cayanan and the hog industry stakeholders will meet with the new FDA Director General Dr. Domingo today to thresh out issues involving the continued entry of processed pork products, commodities which are under the jurisdiction of the FDA,” Piñol said. n

BUDGET REVIEW. Senate finance committee chair Sen. Loren Legarda listens to the presentation on the implementation of last year’s budget and the effect of the four-month re-enacted budget this year on the 2019 projected economic growth. Leading the presentation is Department of Finance (DOF) Sec. Carlos Dominguez III and acting Department of Budget and Management (DBM) Sec. Janet Abuel.

Senate photo by Cesar Tomambo

60 new measles cases across 26 states...

PAGE A1 accinations and immunizations (also known as anti-vaxxers) are a principal reason for the re-emergence of measles in the United States, public health officials said.

The anti-vaxxer movement is characterized by fringe, but outspoken parents who falsely believe that the materials in vaccinations are a direct link to autism despite scientific research that disputes these claims.

A majority of those infected this year were people who were unvaccinated.

Measles is a serious and highly contagious viral disease that can be spread through coughing and sneezing. Typically, measles sufferers start with a high fever that evolves into a cough, runny nose and red eyes followed by a breakout of rashes throughout the body.

The disease can also evolve into pneumonia, brain swelling and, in severe cases, death.

According to the CDC, measles is so contagious that if one person is infected, 90% of people in the immediate vicinity of that person will become infected if they are not vaccinated.

The U.S. outbreak is a part of a global chain reaction where countries across the world are experiencing their own outbreak.

The Philippines is undergoing its own severe epidemic which began of January of this year.

Measles was largely eradicated in the Philippines by 2004, but the virus has made a strong comeback within the last few months.

Since January, there have been more than 33,000 reported cases

and 366 deaths from the preventable disease, making the country’s outbreak one of the worst in the world.

“There are multiple factors that may contribute to the low immunization coverage in the Philippines. Inadequate service delivery continues to be a concern, including less than optimal number of immunization sessions at the primary care level and accessibility issues especially in hard-toreach areas in the Philippines,” the World Health Organization (WHO) said.

According to health professionals in the Philippines, the outbreak has been fueled by an uptick of anti-vaxxers and, consequently, the decline of childhood immunizations across the archipelago.

A recent study from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine found that Filipinos who believe “that vaccines are important, are safe and effective” dropped from nearly 100% in 2015 to about 60-80% in 2018.

The reason for the distrust in vaccinations could be a response to the dengue vaccination controversy of 2016 wherein a nationwide effort went underway to immunize children against dengue using a vaccine called Dengvaxia.

The campaign was suspended after the vaccine caused some children to contract severe or, in 10 cases, fatal dengue. The Philippine government brought criminal charges to officials who led the campaign and filed a suit against the pharmaceutical company Sanofi over the fatalities.

“The administration of dengue vaccine eroded vaccine trust,”

Leonila Dans, a clinical epidemiologist at the University of Philippines Manila, told NPR, adding that this “exacerbated” the current measles epidemic and resulted in more parents opting out of routine immunizations for their children.

The Department of Health in the Philippines declared reported measles outbreaks in Metro Manila, Central Luzon, Calabarzon, Western Visayas and Central Visayas.

The Philippine government has since launched a nationwide campaign for measles vaccinations and hopes to immunize more than 20 million Filipinos — one fifth of the entire Philippine population —

by September. About 5.5 million have been vaccinated so far, according to a report in NPR, which has slightly stifled the disease, but the country still sees hundreds of new cases.

The WHO and the CDC urge for all parents of young children to “fully” immunize their children, who need two doses of the measles vaccine. Public health officials recommend children get one dose between the ages of 12 months to 15 months and another dose between 4 and 6 years old.

Before traveling internationally, infants aged 6 to 11 months need one dose of the vaccine and children 12 months and older need two doses separated by 28 days at least.

For teenagers and adults who were not vaccinated or have no evidence of immunity against measles, the CDC recommends getting two doses (separated by 28 days) before travel. (Klarize Medenilla/AJPress) n

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Palace: Japan trip not a reward for 20 Cabinet...

PAGE A1 lic Works Secretary Mark Villar, Secretary to the Cabinet Karlo Nograles, Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat, Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade, Science Secretary Fortunato dela Peña, Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi, Information and Communications Technology Secretary Eliseo Rio Jr., Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Ernesto Pernia, Presidential Communications Secretary Martin Andanar, National Security Adviser Hermogenes Esperon, Jr., presidential spokesman and chief presidential legal counsel Salvador Panelo and presidential peace adviser Carlito Galvez Jr. Reward trip Philippine Ambassador to Japan Jose Laurel V noted that Duterte seems to be rewarding his Cabinet with a trip to the Japanese capital due to the success of his candidates in the midterm elections.

“This is a reward for the past elections. Why do you bring 20 Cabinet members here, even local government? For land reform?

There’s no land reform here, they’re done with that,” he said.

“But I think the president is so elated with the results of the midterm elections that this is an affirmation of what his administration has done in the last three years.

It’s like a reward,” he added.

Doing their job Malacañang, for its part, was quick to deny Laurel’s statement, with Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea saying none of the Cabinet members were on the campaign trail.

“Each Cabinet member who joined the trip has trade missions.

They are not decorations in the summit,” Medialdea said.

“They are just doing their job,” he added.

Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez also said the trip was not a reward.

“I don’t know about that. But every time we travel with the President, we maximize his presence and have him speak to several investment [forums], and we conduct deal-signing, business matching and networking, roundtable meetings with President Duterte and investors and secretaries do join as an opportunity to dialogue with the foreign business community,” Lopez said.

“We have never seen this as a reward. [We have been] working day and night to prepare for all these activities,” he said.

Business meetings On Wednesday, May 29, Duterte met with Filipino and Japanese executives in Tokyo. In his speech, he vowed a corrupt-free and competitive business environment in the Philippines.

“I will give you at any hour of the day or night you can contact any of the cabinet members or your Filipino lawyers or Filipino workers, and you can ask (for) an audience with me in 24 hours and I will talk to you and just let me know what your problem is and we will kill that problem,” the Philippine leader said.

He also urged Japanese investors to take part in Build, Build, Build;” the government’s ambitious P 8.1 trillion infrastructure program.

“We invite Japanese participation in our game-changing ‘Build-Build-Build’ infrastructure program which we aim to build inclusive and innovative industries and transform our economic archipelago into one of an integrated economic space,” the president said.

“More than Build-Build-Build, let us work together to GrowGrow-Grow our economies,” he added.

A total of 26 deals — worth P288.8 billion — were signed by Philippine and Japanese companies, which are expected to generate 82,737 jobs. The deals include cooperation in trade between the countries, Memorandum of Understandings (MOUs), joint ventures, franchise agreements and letters of intent. (With reports from Philstar.com) n

BRIGADA ESKWELA. SM City Taytay employees and volunteers paint armchairs, classroom walls, and hallways at the Hapay na Mangga Elementary School in Taytay, Rizal. Launched in 2003, “Brigada Eskwela” mobilizes parents, alumni, civic groups, local businesses, non-government organizations, teachers, students, and volunteers to help prepare and refurbish schools ahead of class opening in June.

PNA photo

California Legislature to decide on key proposed laws by end of week Police use of force, housing, worker rights, data privacy, and healthcare rates among considerations

by Rae

ann VaRona AJPress

PAGE A1t roon akong ipamigay na P500,000, P1 million (Purposely, I didn’t approach the funders so that I would have P500,000, P1 million to give away),” Alvarez added in an interview for ABS-CBN’s Headstart.

Alvarez refused to name the lawmaker despite his knowledge of the person behind the bribing activities. The ousted former House speaker said that he doesn’t want to compromise the position of the speakership.

“Ayoko nang sabihin kung sino, ano? Pero ang problema kasi diyan, ‘pag gagawin natin ‘yan, we will be compromising the position of the speakership. Mahirap po ‘yan (I don’t want to say who it is, okay? But the problem here is that, if we do this, we will be compromising the position of the speakership. That’s difficult),” he added.

Another lawmaker also denied the accusation of Alvarez regarding bribing fellow legislators to acquire the speakership position.

Marinduque Representative Lord Allan Velasco said that he himself would be the one waiting for the bribe instead of shelling out that amount of money.

“No, I’m not giving away a million pesos. Then I’ll be waiting for P1 million for myself. True enough, congressmen, they won’t go for that type of wheeling and dealing just to be able to get the votes. Each congressman has his or her own views. So I mean, I don’t think each congressman

THE California Legislature has until Friday, May 31, to decide whether to pass or reject bills that originated in either the Assembly can just be bought that easily,” practice of bribery and vote-buy- and Senate. Closely watched are Velasco said as reported by Rap- ing? How can we attract well- bills having to do with addresspler. meaning politicians to take part in ing the state’s housing issues, A total of 243 district lawmak- public service if at the end of the use of force by police, and data ers and 61 party-list represen- day what matters is money?” he privacy when it comes to home tatives will convene in the 18th added. n smart speakers.

Congress in two months. Should Alvarez’ claim holds up, a speakership candidate resorting to must shell out between P152 million and P304 million if he or she wants all the votes.

Aside from Velasco and Alvarez, there are six other names being floated in the speakership race including Leyte 1st District Representative Martin Romualdez, Pampanga 3rd District Representative Aurelio Gonzales, Davao Oriental 2nd District Representative Joel Almario, Davao City 1st District Representative Paolo Duterte, Taguig City-Pateros Representative Alan Peter Cayetano and Antique Representative Loren Legarda.

However, presidential son Paolo Duterte and outgoing senator Loren Legarda denied interest in the speakership post.

Meanwhile, an incumbent House member condemned the alleged vote-buying by speakership contenders.

“It is disgusting to hear that those aspiring to be Speaker of the House need to shell out money to assure their win,” Magdalo party-list Rep. Gary Alejano said in a statement.

“How can we promote fair and clean elections if leaders, including the president, tolerate the

PAGE A1 t living in the United States who could potentially benefit from the Act. “During World War II, Filipino soldiers stepped up and answered the call to service, fighting and sacrificing alongside American servicemembers,” Hirono said in a statement.“However, because these family members have been stuck in a decades-long visa backlog, they have not been able to reunite with their relatives in the United States. The Filipino Veterans Family Reunification Act would fulfill our nation’s promise to honor Filipino World War II veterans’ service to our country and reunite these families.”

More than 260,000 Filipino soldiers followed America’s call to fight under the American flag in World War II. In 1990, President George H.W. Bush granted U.S. citizenship to about 26,000 Filipino nationals in recognition of their service to the United States during World War II. However, the 1990 law did not confer citizenship or residency to the veterans’ children, who remained separated from their parents. Due to a visa backlog, Filipino applicants must wait more than two decades before their applications are considered.

Actions taken to address the family separation in recent years have included the Filipino World War II Veterans Parole program in 2016, which intended to reunite veterans and their surviving spouses with adult children and certain other relatives.

In addition to Senators Hirono, Murkowski, and Jacky Rosen (DNev.), the Filipino Veterans Family Reunification Act is also cosponsored by U.S. Senators Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.), Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), Kamala Harris (D-Calif.), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), and Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.).

“The time to reunite our brave Filipino American World War II veterans with their families is running out,” Brendan Flores, National Chairman of the National Federation of Filipino American Associations, said.

“We commend Senator Hirono for her unwavering commitment to these veterans, as she reintroduces the Filipino Veterans Family Reunification Act in Congress.

We remain prepared to support any efforts to ensure that this time-sensitive legislation comes to fruition.” (AJPress) n

Alvarez: Bribery for speakership vote...

Filipino Veterans Family...

Locsin: Canada garbage ready to go by nathalie

Robles

AJPress

DEPARTMENT of Foreign Affairs (DFA) Secretary Teodoro “Teddyboy” Locsin Jr on Tuesday, May 28, announced in a Twitter post that the garbage from Canada is set to leave the Philippines on May 30.

“All containers containing garbage cleaned and ready to go. Waiting for a couple of documents and routine permission from China for transshipment to Canada. Departure is May 30,” Locsin wrote in his tweet as reported by Rappler.

“And on this day the foreign garbage imported by native idiots became good and ready to

go,” the foreign affairs secretary added as reported by The Philippine Star.

The country’s supposed top diplomat attributed the success of such move to President Rodrigo Duterte. According to Locsin, Duterte “pushed the right button” in the said garbage conflict between the Philippines and the North American country.

“It is nicer to be appreciative.

To President Duterte for pushing the right button – believe me no one advised him – and to Canada for fully cooperating to get it done as he wanted: pronto. Created under PNoy; left to fester four years; solved by Duterte,” Locsin explained.

PAGE A4

Bills that get past Friday’s deadline will then be up for consideration in the opposing chamber. Surviving bills will be voted on before lawmakers adjourn in the fall.

Below are some areas that may be affected the proposed bills.

Use-of-force by police Under current law, state police are only allowed to use lethal force if their fear of being in danger is “reasonable.” But law en-

forcement groups and civil rights advocates have agreed on a new standard that would make lethal force excusable if such force is “necessary to defend against an imminent threat of death or serious bodily injury to the other officer or to another person.”

The bill, AB 392, was introduced by Assemblywoman Shirley Weber shortly after last year’s police shooting of Stephon Clark.

PAGE A4

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California Legislature to decide on key...

PAGE A3 t She described the policy as one that “will save lives and change the culture of policing in California.”

Housing Closely being watched are bills that could affect California’s housing crisis, which has resulted in the state having the nation’s highest poverty rate.

To be voted upon this week is AB 1482, which after recently made amendments, would cap rent increases for certain tenants.

Also up for a vote is AB 1481, which looks to prohibit landlords from evicting tenants without just cause, and includes a ten-year sunset date and six-month vesting period.

“Just as our anti-rent gouging bill gives renters stability, we are providing landlords stability as well by including a sunset date in the bill,” said Assemblyman David Chiu who announced the amendments last week.

He added, “We also want to be sure that this legislation does not deter housing production so we will be exempting new housing units up to ten years old. These bills are tempered proposals that will protect tenants while still allowing landlords to effectively operate their business.”

Data privacy and smart speakers Called the “Anti-Eavesdropping Act” or “Smart Speaker Privacy Act,” AB 1395, would make it so that makers of smart home speakers like Google, Amazon,

Apple, and Facebook would need affirmative permission from users to store and use recordings.

Companies found to be in violation would be subject to a fine of $2,500 per connected device.

In a statement introducing the bill in January, Assemblyman Jordan Cunningham said: “Recent revelations about how certain companies have staff that listen in to private conversations via connected smart speakers further shows why this bill is necessary to protect privacy in the home.”

Bloomberg reported in April that thousands of Amazon workers were listening and reviewing audio clips of its users in order to improve and review its technology.

To Bloomberg, an Amazon spokesman said in a statement that the company only annotates “an extremely small sample of Alexa voice recordings in order [to] improve the customer experience.” The spokesman assured that employees do not have direct access to personal information that may identify users.

In response to the proposed bill, Google told tech publication Geek: “We believe that the combination of strong and balanced regulations, with products that are designed with privacy in mind, will help provide individuals with confidence that they’re in control of their personal information.”

Worker rights for independent contractors With “gig workers” such as

Uber and Lyft drivers becoming more a part of the state’s workforce, one bill is looking to make sure workers rights and benefits extend to such workers of the gig economy.

AB 5, introduced by Assemblywoman Lorena Gonzalez, shoots off from a California Supreme Court decision made last year that capped the ability of companies to claim workers as independent contractors instead of employees. The bill would “codify” the decision’s results and clarify who in California would be considered an employee or “independent.”

Healthcare rates and surprise emergency bills Also introduced by Chiu along with Senator Scott Wiener, AB 1611 looks to tackle the issue of “surprise billing” that often hits patients in emergency care.

The bill would prohibit hospitals from charging patients for rates above their regular co-pay or deductible charges.

“If you’re incapacitated or undergoing a life-threatening condition, you don’t have the ability or time to decide what hospital to go to,” said Chiu. “After a trip to the emergency room, the only thing you should be focused on is getting better, not a bill for tens of thousands of dollars.”

Also related to healthcare is AB 731, introduced by Assemblyman Ash Kalra, which would require large group insurance plans not regulated by the state to be regulated in the same way smallgroup plans are. n

WHO: ‘Burnout’ an ‘occupational phenomenon’ not disease

by AJPress THE World Health Organization (WHO) on Tuesday, May 28, clarified that while “burnout” remains an “occupational phenomenon” that could lead someone to seek care, it is not a medical condition. This was after the WHO mistakenly said it had listed burnout in its International Classification of Diseases (ICD) for the first time.

The latest catalogue of diseases and injuries, collectively known as the ICD-11, were approved during the weekend after the World Health Assembly — WHO’s main annual meeting which wrapped up on Tuesday.

Burnout was listed in the ICD10, but its definition has now been changed in the latest edition of the text.

In an email sent by a WHO spokesperson, the organization

COURTESY CALL. Senate Minority Leader Franklin M. Drilon receives H.E. Rafael Harpaz, Israel’s Ambassador to the Philippines, during the latter’s courtesy call at the Philippine Senate on Tuesday,May 28.

ManilaTimes.net photo by Rene Dilan

Locsin: Canada garbage ready to...

PAGE A3 t Locsin also shared the instances wherein other officials would not dare to call out Canada for the fear of having a sour relationship with the first-world country.

“I am having problems with fellow officials hungry to emigrate to Canada so want to keep friendly relations at the expense of defying Duterte and keeping Canadian garbage here,” Locsin said without naming the mentioned officials.

He further noted that “if our officials had done something about it, Canadian garbage would have been long returned to sender.”

He also warned “anybody (who) gets in the way - one way or another, I will screw you dry. Don’t

provoke me.”

The foreign affairs secretary also expressed his indifference to where the garbage would possibly end up. He emphasized that he is only after its departure from the Philippines and nothing more.

“I actually don’t give two f**ks where that garbage was gonna go. All I know is it is ready to go.

Anyone throw a monkey wrench and I will burn his village,” Locsin said.

However, the secretary commended the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Canadian Ambassador John Holmes and Canadian Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland for their close coordination in resolving the garbage row between the

two countries.

“They’re not bullying us; they’re fully cooperating in taking back the garbage pronto,” Locsid said as he noted that Canada earlier announced it has hired a company to ship out its garbage from the Philippines by the end of June.

The Philippine government reportedly recalled its ambassador to Canada after the Canadian government failed to meet the May 15 deadline for its retrieval of the tons of garbage illegally shipped to the Philippines.

The said garbage consists of 69 containers or 1,300 tons of waste materials illegally shipped to the Philippines in 2013 from an Ontario-based company Chronic Incorporated. n

Filipino movie “Ngayong nandito ka.”

Maling was arrested in 2015 after the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) was notified of an arrest warrant for Maling (The DHS had received the warrant in 2011). He was arrested for violations of federal law relating to immigration fraud and was later ordered for deportations by an immigration judge.

After his deportation on May 14, Maling is currently in the custody of the Philippine Bureau of Immigration and the Philippine National Police. (Klarize Medenilla/AJPress) n

Ezra Dave Maling, a fugitive Philippine national, was deported Tuesday due to violations of Philippine law pertaining to murder. He is accused of strangling to death his female ‘live in’ partner with a leather belt in March of 2003.

Photo from ice.gov

Filipino murder suspect deported to PH Photo courtesy of World Health Organization

explained that the definition has been modified based on existing research. It is now defined as “a syndrome conceptualized as resulting from chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed.”

Burnout is classified by “1) feelings of energy depletion or exhaustion; 2) increased mental distance from one’s job, or feelings of negativism or cynicism related to one’s job; and 3) reduced professional efficacy.”

The updated ICD list was

drafted last year after receiving recommendations from various health experts across the globe.

The ICD-11 will take effect in January 2022. It contains several other additions such as the classification of “compulsive sexual behavior” as a mental disorder, and recognition of video gaming as an addiction, listing it along with gambling and drugs. It also removes transgenderism as a mental disorder, including it under the chapter on “conditions related to sexual health” instead. n

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A FILIPINO murder suspect who lived in the Bay Area has been deported back to the Philippines.

Ezra Dave Maling, a Philippine national and fugitive, was accused by Philippine officials of strangling his partner, Rebeny Vergara, to death in March 2003.

Shortly after, Maling fled to the United States and obtained a religious visa through the Bay International Church in Hayward, California for which he worked as a musical director.

According to the Internet Movie Database, Maling worked on the soundtrack for the 2003

Documentary on Duterte’s drug war to be shown in New York human rights film fest

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Katreena Philstar.com

CabiCo

A DOCUMENTARy highlighting the role of law enforcers in waging President Rodrigo Duterte’s brutal war on drugs will be shown in a human rights film festival in New york next month.

The Human Rights Watch Film Festival will screen the documentary “On the President’s Orders” on June 15 and 17 at Film at Lincoln Center’s Elinor Bunin Munroe Film Center in New york.

Central to “On the President’s Order” is Jemar Modequillo, the Caloocan police chief at the time of the filming.

In the trailer, Modequillo asked: “Papatayin ba natin ‘yan?

May buhay din ‘yan. Pero kung matigas ang ulo, patayin talaga (Are we going to kill them? They are human beings. But if they are stubborn, then we kill them).”

Filmmakers James Jones and Olivier Sarbil filmed Modequillo and his men in a span of six months to capture the murderous campaign in action. They also followed the civilians whose loved ones were killed in the drug war.

Police said the policy that has drawn international censure has killed about 5,300 alleged drug personalities—mostly living in urban poor communities—who fought back.

But human rights watchdogs have higher estimates—more than 27,000 since Duterte took office in 2016. “‘On the President’s Order’ is an unflinching exploration of President Duterte’s brutal ‘drug

A scene from documentary.

war’ and its devastating impact on thousands of mostly poor Filipinos,” Carlos Conde, HRW Asia Division researcher, said.

Glimpse of drug war’s sidewalk-level consequences Variety called the 72-minute film a “wholly cinematic, sensory experience with straight-ahead reportage.”

It noted the documentary’s objective is not to provide a political analysis but to show the sidewalk-level consequences of Duterte’s policy.

“The idea here is not to aestheticize a human rights crisis but to show the absurd move-

Photo from Twittwe/@On the President’s Order

logic shoot-‘em-up that Duterte has allowed the Philippines to become, right down to the ‘Fury Road’-style death’s masks worn by the executors. Populist politics can turn all too easily to popcorn ones,” Variety Film Review noted.

It added: “‘On the President’s Order’ vividly captures the tipping point.”

“On the President’s Order”—produced by A Frontline and ARTE France—will also be shown in Sheffield Doc/Fest on June 7.

It will also be available in TV and streaming platforms. n

Overseas voting hit 18%, breached target – Comelec exec

“It surpassed the 15.63 percent turn out in the 2013 midterm elections with 115,318 who THE turnout for overseas vot- actually voted,” she added. ing for the 2019 midterm elecSabile-David said that historitions surpassed the figure of the cally, overseas voter turnout had midterm polls in 2013, an official always been low during midterm of the Commission on Elections elections.

(Comelec) said Monday, May 27.

According to her, overseas FilElaiza Sabile-David, director in ipinos are more interested in votcharge for overseas voting, said ing during presidential elections that overseas absentee voting had that happen every six years. a turnout of more than 18 percent.

The turnout for the midterm “The 2019 midterm elections elections this year exceeded the overseas voting turn out is 18.34 poll body’s target. percent with 334,242 who actuSabile-David earlier said that Elaiza Sabile-David, director in charge of ally voted,” Sabile-David said in Comelec only targeted to breach overseas voting.

Inquirer.net photo by Faye Orellana a Twitter post. the 16 percent mark. n

by Faye

orellana Inquirer.net

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NORCAL ASIAN JOURNAL • MAY 31 - JUNE 6, 2019

A

Dateline PhiliPPines

Cynthia Villar, Manny Pacquiao still richest senators

by PaoLo

romero

Philstar.com

MANILA — Declaring a net worth of P3.719 billion with no liabilities, Sen. Cynthia Villar remained the richest senator in 2018.

Villar, who topped the 2019 senatorial elections, declared a net worth of P3,719,951,858 in her statement of assets, liabilities and net worth (SALN) as of Dec. 31, 2018.

The senator’s husband, former Senate president Manny Villar, was recently named as the Philippines’ richest by Forbes in its 2019 list of richest people in the world, with an estimated net worth of $5.5 billion.

Her net worth last year was higher by about P108 million compared to 2017.

Sen. Manny Pacquiao came in as the second richest with a declared net worth of P3,005,808,000. He also declared total liabilities of P146,005,728.

The third richest in the 23member chamber was Senate President Pro Tempore Ralph Recto, who posted a net worth of P555,325,479.82.

Fourth was Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri, who has net worth of P182,851,570,34 based on his SALN. He was followed by Sen. Sonny Angara, who declared a net worth of P135,840,710.

Sen. Joseph Victor Ejercito is sixth richest with a net worth of P132,820,345.73, followed by Mi-

by aLexis

romero Philstar.com

Senator Cynthia Villarr and Senator Manny Pacquiao

nority Leader Franklin Drilon, who has a net worth of P97,726,758.

Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian declared a net worth of P96,210,607.14 with no liabilities, making him the eighth richest in the chamber.

Sen. Grace Poe came in at ninth spot with a net worth of P93,039,921.54. Rounding up the top 10 richest in the Senate was Sen. Richard Gordon with a declared net worth of P71,285,178.56.

Senate President Vicente Sotto III declared a net worth of P70,120,700.30 He was followed by Sen. Nancy Binay as 12th richest, with a net worth P60,132,461.

Sen. Loren Legarda has a net worth of P56,290,602.11. Next richest after her was Sen. Paolo Benigno Aquino IV, who declared

Philstar.com file photo

P45,205,138.25 as his net worth.

Sen. Panfilo Lacson was the 15th richest with a declared net worth P42,442,341.

Sen. Aquilino Pimentel III declared a net worth P28,662,212 while Sen. Joel Villanueva stated his net worth at P26,921,555.

Incurring no liabilities last year, Sen. Gregorio Honasan reported his net worth at P25,882,099 while Sen. Francis Pangilinan declared his net worth at P16,695,048.

Sen. Risa Hontiveros reported a net worth of P15,627,176 followed

by Sen. Francis Escudero, who declared a net worth of P10,575,228.

The “poorest” members of the chamber are also President Duterte’s chief critics: Sens. Leila de Lima and Antonio Trillanes IV, who have declared net worth of P7,706,392.45, and P7,533,012.10, respectively. n

Locsin: 27,000 killed in drug war is fiction

by Pia Lee-Brago Philstar.com

MANILA — Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. called the Commission on Human Rights (CHR)’s estimates that more than 27,000 have died in the Duterte administration’s war on illegal drugs a fictional figure.

“Offing drug dealers even if not enough (27,000 is the fictional figure as of now peddled by Europeans on the drug trade payroll) still gets A for effort,” Locsin tweeted.

“The drug problem is a people problem as in the equation: drug problem=drug dealers – subtract left, reduce right,” he said.

CHR estimates that more than 27,000 have died in the drug war,

Japan ready to help with PH security needs, envoy says

a number that grows daily as killings extend from Metro Manila to other urban areas.

United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet said President Duterte’s war on drugs is not a model for other countries to emulate.

In the Philippines, the UN human rights chief said several sources now estimate that up to 27,000 people may have been killed in the context of the campaign against illegal drugs since mid-2016.

Although the government has shown it would not carry out necessary investigations, Human Rights Watch said the International Criminal Court (ICC) could still investigate.

Human Rights Watch said:

“Although the Philippines has officially withdrawn from the ICC, the court, which is conducting a preliminary examination into killings during the anti-drug campaign, can still investigate alleged crimes against humanity that occurred while newly elected senator Ronald dela Rosa was Philippine National Police chief, and any other crimes occurring in the future in the context of the same situation.”

Locsin said in a tweet that the Holy Spirit is “one hundred percent in favor” of the Philippines’ bloody war on drugs.

He was also reacting to a report about Ateneo de Davao requiring random drug test for students and employees when the new school year opens. n

TOKYO — Japan is ready to provide the Philippines its security needs because it wants the South China Sea to remain open to ensure the free passage of its goods, a Filipino envoy said on Tuesday, May 28.

Philippine Ambassador to Japan Jose Laurel V said Tokyo depends on Manila because it is located in an area where its shipments pass through.

The Philippines, located south of Japan, is embroiled in a longstanding maritime row with China over parts of the South China Sea, where about $5 trillion worth of goods pass through every year.

Laurel noted that Japan is surrounded by countries that are not friendly to it namely North Korea in the north, Russia in the northeast, and China in the west.

“When they go south, what is the first country they will reach

there? Philippines. So Japan is a trading...country. It survives on selling their manufactured goods to the world. They have to keep the shipping lanes open. So their only way out is towards the south, keep the east Indian Ocean alive and get to Europe. If they want to get to the (U.S.), then they have to travel towards the west coast of the United States,” the envoy said in a press briefing here.

“Well you must remember that because we are very intimate friends, Japan greatly also depends on the Philippines,” he added.

Laurel said this reality would prompt Japan to help the Philippines in terms of security.

“Japan will support the Philippines in its needs, particularly in security,” he said, noting that the East Asian country has agreed to provide ten Coast Guard ships and other defense assets.

“That is why among others, Japan is very important not only

to the Philippines. But the other countries also depend on them,” he added.

Like the Philippines, Japan also has a maritime dispute with China, with the two east Asian countries claiming the Senkaku Islands—China calls them the Diaoyu Islands—in the East China Sea. Manila and Tokyo have consistently called for a peaceful and rules-based resolution to territorial and maritime disputes in the region.

Japan is also concerned about piracy in Malacca Strait and Sulu Sea which may hamper the free flow of goods, Laurel said. If the risks remain, insurers would demand higher premiums from companies shipping goods, which in turn would raise prices.

“So it is also to the interest of Japan that he supports us and vice versa. So all of this is interrelated. So the talks have to be done,” Laurel said. n

A6

MAY 31-JUNE 6, 2019 • NORCAL ASIAN JOURNAL

OPINION

Compliance with the rules

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

FEATURES

WIN or lose, all candidates in the just concluded midterm elections are required by law to file their campaign statements of contributions and expenditures or SOCE

by June 13, or one month after election day.

The reminder was issued by both the Commission on Elections and the Department of the Interior and Local Government.

The Comelec and DILG have warned that if winning candidates fail to comply with the SOCE requirement, they would not be allowed to assume their posts. Losers who fail to comply may also be barred from running again.

Filing the SOCE has been a long-standing requirement during elections. Candidates have generally complied, but mainly in meeting the deadline. The accuracy of the SOCEs is another story. The Comelec has limited capability to verify the accuracy of every SOCE. Aware of this, many candidates have filed SOCEs that are as laughable as the statements of assets, liabilities and net worth filed by certain government officials. Former first lady Imelda Marcos once emerged as the poorest member of the House of Representatives, based on her

official SALN. She was never held accountable for this unbelievable declaration.

Some Comelec officials have acknowledged the difficulty of verifying the accuracy of SOCEs. Perhaps a random review could discourage lying. The accuracy of SALNs has presumably improved following the ouster of two chief justices over issues related to their asset declarations. In the case of SOCEs, a genuinely random selection of even a handful of candidates for review can compel accuracy.

The SOCE requirement is one of the few ways by which the Comelec can regulate campaign financing. Many corrupt deals have their roots in campaign fund raising.

The Comelec must ensure not only compliance with the SOCE requirement, but also the accuracy of the statements. It must then see to it that violators of the rule will suffer the penalties. (Philstar.com)

Editorial

Trump’s bromances with Xi and Abe

Commentary

FRANK CHING THE U.S.-China trade talks have been suspended for more than two weeks with no sign of a revival. Listening to Donald Trump talk about his good friend Xi Jinping, one may be forgiven for thinking that the two men could easily sort things out between their two countries if they put their minds to it but, so far, this has not proved to be the case.

With Trump, it seems, it was love at first sight at the American leader’s estate in Mar-aLago, Florida in April 2017.

“We have developed a friendship,” Trump told the media after his first meeting with the Chinese president. He spoke of the “great chemistry” between them and said, “We like each

Babe’s Eye View BABE ROMUALDEZ IF anything, with the kind of resources we spent for the midterm elections — only to have a very low turnout of overseas voters — it’s about time we reviewed the absentee voting system. The process is so tedious and inconvenient, many of our overseas Filipinos simply lost their interest to vote.

Picture this: Voting packets containing the official ballot, envelope and sealing paper are individually sent by the Comelec to all the Philippine embassies and consulates worldwide. The embassy personnel then have to manually put all these together before sending them out to the registered voters. By the time the overseas voters receive the packets, they are already complaining about the inconvenience of having to go to the post office and spending money to mail back the ballots. Think about the financial and human resources needed to make this happen.

During the 2013 midterm elections, overseas absentee voting turnout in the U.S. was 10.55 percent. While the turnout for the 2019 midterm elections is higher at 17.29 percent – 39,511 votes cast out of the 228,470 registered OAVs — the canvassing of votes was delayed by glitches primarily caused by defective/malfunctioning SD cards at certain precincts in the Consulates General in Los Angeles and San Francisco. We

Philstar.com photo

other; I like him a lot.”

The Chinese leader was more restrained. Speaking of the bilateral relationship, he said there were “a thousand reasons to get China-U.S. relations right, and not one single reason to spoil them.”

That autumn, Trump visited China. He was given an unprecedented red-carpet treatment, including a tour of the Forbidden City that included a Peking Opera performance and dinner with the Chinese leader and his wife, the singer Peng Liyuan.

Trump appeared overwhelmed by the history and the pageantry of it all.

According to diplomatic observers in China, this “state-visit-plus” treatment was meant to highlight the working friendship between the two leaders.

At one point, Trump joked about what he considered to be China’s unfair trading relationship with the United States. But,

he said, he didn’t blame China, only previous American leaders who allowed this to happen, but added that this couldn’t go on while he was president.

So, in 2018, Trump put pressure on China to drastically reduce its trade surplus with the United States and to lower its trade barriers.

One example of how Trump worked with his “friend” was when he talked with Xi by phone on May 8. Before the call, he tweeted: “I will be speaking to my friend, President Xi of China, this morning at 8:30. The primary topics will be trade, where good things will happen, and North Korea, where relationships and trust are building.”

The Chinese reciprocated.

The Xinhua News Agency reported on the phone call, saying that President Xi attaches “great importance to developing bilateral relations and cher-

ishes his good working relationship with the American president.”

However, something happened in September 2018 that disturbed this happy relationship. Trump, speaking at the United Nations General Assembly, unexpectedly accused China of trying to meddle in the U.S. congressional elections in November. Because of his strong stand on trade, Trump said, China did not want the Republican Party to do well.

“China has been attempting to interfere in our upcoming 2018 election, coming up in November, against my administration,” he said without providing any evidence.

Asked subsequently if Xi remained his friend, Trump replied, “He may not be a friend of mine anymore but I think he probably respects me.”

However, after the two leaders met in Buenos Aires to dis-

cuss the escalating trade war on December 1, Trump was again over the moon: “My meeting in Argentina with President Xi of China was an extraordinary one,” he tweeted. “Relations with China have taken a BIG leap forward! Very good things will happen.”

Without using the word “friend” Trump described his relationship with Xi as “very strong and personal.”

After two months of intense discussions, Trump tweeted that “no final deal will be made until my friend President Xi, and I, meet in the near future to discuss and agree on some of the long standing and more difficult points.”

The word “friend” was back.

To date, however, an accord is still elusive. When Vice Premier Liu He flew to Washington for an abbreviated 11th round of negotiations on May 9, he carried with him a letter from

Xi to Trump.

“He just wrote me a beautiful letter,” Trump said. He later quoted the Chinese leader as saying, “Let’s work together, let’s see if we can get something done.”

It is striking that every time Xi makes a point of being friendly, it is in the context of work, trying to use the friendship to get things done. With Trump, it just seems like puppy love.

By contrast, Trump’s friendship with Japanese leader Shinzo Abe seems more mature. Trump doesn’t let that get in the way of what he considers to be American national interests, such as cutting its trade deficit with Japan.

At the same time, knowing of Abe’s close relationship with the Iranian leadership, he tries to use that to benefit the United States. Now, that’s diplomatic friendship in action. (ManilaTimes.net)

Digital overseas voting: Use it or lose it immediately — meaning on the same day – reported the malfunctions to the Comelec OFOV (Office for Overseas Voting) and had to wait for replacement SD cards which again malfunctioned.

In Spanish, there is a saying which goes, “lo barato es caro” — meaning cheap things can end up being more expensive because they easily break or may require high maintenance costs.

In short, false economy.

Reports say there were more than 1,600 defective SD cards, over a million bleeding markers, and close to a thousand malfunctioning Vote Counting Machines which the Comelec said could be due to the low quality of the SD cards. The COA requirement for the lowest bid is again: false economy.

There are over 10 million overseas Filipino workers, but only 1.8 million registered for the 2019 midterm elections, with voter turnout at a low 20 percent. If even half of the 10 million OFWs register and vote – undoubtedly, their choice can make a big difference in the outcome of elections. With the billions spent on the electoral exercise, there has to be a better way to prevent the wastage of resources and increase the participation and turnout for the OAV. Last week, Boston-based technology company executives flew in to Washington, D.C. upon my request to show me and select embassy staff a digital app that could solve our overseas absentee voting problem. The system utilizes a secure mobile voting

platform accessible via smartphones and tablets (running on either the iOS or Android apps), making it easier for people to vote and the tabulation faster.

Using biometrics and blockchain technology, the app has a three-step authentication process that includes a live video “selfie” or face ID to confirm the eligibility of a voter with the registration base. Once authenticated, the voter can make his choices by selecting a candidate’s name on his gadget’s screen.

Overvoting is prevented because one can’t choose more than the allowed number of votes. Voters can also review their choices and make changes anytime before submission.

I asked how secure the technology was and how much guarantee they can give about the integrity of the system, and they explained that they have military grade security that includes data encryption, blockchain and standards used for overseas and military voters.

From the time the company started the patented app, it has run 37 elections spanning state political parties, governments, universities and organizations and so far, the results have been very positive and promising. The system has worked very well for the pilot programs that include two counties for the 2018 primary elections in West Virginia, then expanded to 24 counties during the November midterm elections. The technology will again be used for the 2020 U.S. elections to enhance participation by overseas voters. Denver

Philstar.com photo

also utilized the voting app in its recent mayoral elections, displaying just how far the smartphone voting has come.

I invited the Boston-based tech company officials to visit Manila sometime in the next couple of months. I plan to arrange for them a chance to demonstrate the technology to members of the Comelec-OFOV and some members of our legislature so they can see how the technology works, and assess its potential.

As early as 2014, Senator Frank Drilon has been urging the Comelec to conduct pilot tests on internet/online voting

to enhance the participation of overseas Filipinos during elections. As he correctly pointed out, there is a need to study the technologies utilized by other countries that allow online or internet voting. Besides, the law allows the Comelec to “explore other more efficient, reliable and secure modes or systems… whether paper-based, electronic-based or internet-based technology, or such other latest technology available.”

As one of the advocates of the mobile voting app pointed out, if we want to maintain a democratic system, then we must enable

as many people to participate in the electoral process — and this radical technology has the capability of enfranchising Filipinos working overseas, government personnel deployed abroad, and perhaps even the physically disabled and senior citizens who have so much difficulty going to polling places.

Undoubtedly, there will be the “usual suspects” who will oppose the introduction of mobile voting, but I am totally convinced that this is an idea whose time has come. The digital age is upon us — we either use it or lose it. (Philstar.com)

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

NORCAL ASIAN JOURNAL • MAY 31 - JUNE 6, 2019

72 percent of Filipinos still believe in soulmates—survey

FLAG DAY. Personnel from the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) and SM City Taytay employees and tenants wave Philippine flaglets in a ceremony in commemoration of the National Flag Day on Tuesday, May 28. The National Flag Day commemorates the Battle of Alapan on May 28, 1898, where Filipino revolutionary fighters unfurled the Philippine flag after defeating Spanish troops.

PNA photo

Language commission alarmed at phaseout of Filipino departments

by EvElyn

Macairan Philstar.com

MANILA — The Komisyon sa Wikang Filipino (KWF) has expressed alarm that some colleges and universities have removed their Filipino departments.

KWF president Virgilio Almario said there are more than 10 universities and colleges, including private educational facilities all over the country, that have dismantled their Filipino departments.

Almario said some administrators of these colleges and universities betrayed their preference for English and dismantled the Filipino departments.

He admitted that the decision of some educational institutions to abolish their Filipino departments is “alarming” as this indicates killing the language.

“If you dismantle your Filipino department, this means that you want to kill the teaching of Filipino,” he said.

Almario expressed belief there is still a demand for Filipino teachers, especially in some parts of the Visayas and Mindanao.

“The problem is that they lack Filipino teachers. Maybe about a third of Filipino teachers in Mindanao did not major in Filipino,” he said.

He said some of these educational institutions must have based their move to scrap their Filipino departments on a Supreme Court (SC) ruling that cit-

MANILA — Filipinos love love!

From the highs of “kilig” and “ligaw,” to the lows of “hugot” and “TOTGA,” Filipinos embrace love in every stage and every situation.

According to a new survey conducted by media service provider Netflix, when it comes to finding “The One,” 72 percent of Filipinos believe in soulmates… even those who said they are NBSB/ NGSB (no boyfriend or girlfriend since birth).

The online survey covered 800 Filipino video streamers, aged 18 to 34, across Metro Manila, North and Central Luzon, South Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao, to find out how they view love. And it turns out that a majority of Pinoys online (85 percent) say that love rules!

Who says romance is dead?

About 89 percent of Filipinos say

that romance is very much alive in the Philippines, said the survey.

But let’s face it: when love rules, it can sometimes suck, too.

About 68 percent of those in a relationship say they have found “The One,” but one in five Filipinos in a relationship also confess that they do not see their partners as their soulmates. And 65 percent say that they have been heartbroken by someone they did not even officially date. Ouch!

When love sucks, 52 percent turn to friends and family for comfort, and 29 percent watch romantic movies and shows to nurse their broken heart. In fact, 63 percent prefer to laugh off the pain with comedies. “Sawi” or brokenhearted men go for action and sci-fi, while heartbroken ladies watch more romance and dramas.

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But no matter what the state of the heart is, Pinoys just really love onscreen romance. A whopping 80 percent say romantic movies cheer them up when they are down, and 71 percent feel “kilig” when watching romantic films.

Filipinos love to share the love, too: more than half of the respondents watch romance (53 percent) and rom-coms or romantic comedy flicks (55 percent) with “bae.” In fact, they love romance so much that two out of three Filipinos say they tend to compare their relationships with the ones they see onscreen.

When it comes to Netflix romcoms, the top five rom-coms that Filipinos would want to find themselves in are (in particular order): “To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before,” “The Kissing Booth,” “The Perfect Date,” “Isn’t It Romantic” and “Set It Up.” (Philstar.com) n

PCGG warned anew over P1 billion unsold Marcos assets

by ElizabEth

MarcElo Philstar.com

National Artist for Literature Virgilio Almario, chairman of the National Commission for Culture and the Arts, speaks in Intramuros, Manila on Monday, May 27.

Philstar.com photo by KJ Rosales

ed a memorandum of the Commission on Higher Education (CHED).

In the memorandum, CHED said that Filipino and Panitikan (Philippine Literature) are no longer core subjects.

Almario, who was named National Artist for Literature in 2003, said these educational institutions might have misread the SC ruling.

The SC, in its April 29 resolution, explained that the memorandum only provides the minimum standards for the general education component of all degree programs.

“It does not limit the academic freedom of universities and colleges to require additional courses in Filipino, Panitikan and the Constitution in their respective curricula,” the SC said.

KWF director general Anna

Katarina Rodriguez said the CHED believed that there was a need to change the curriculum in the tertiary level because of the changes brought about by the K-12 educational program.

Almario said they are appealing to all colleges and universities, as educational instruments in fulfilling the mandates of the Constitution, to be the model and vanguard in the propagation of the language provision.

The KWF appealed to writers, publishers and teachers of technical or scientific subjects such as mathematics, engineering and economics to keep the Filipino language alive and explore their linguistic capabilities.

It suggested that they could embark on writing projects for books and textbooks in Filipino, as well as translations into Filipino. n

MANILA — The Commission on Audit (COA) has again called out the Presidential Commission on Good Government (PCGG) over its continued failure to sell more than P1 billion worth of assets recovered by the government from the Marcos family and their cronies, which have been up for disposal since 2015.

In an annual audit report recently uploaded on its website, the COA said that just like in 2017, the PCGG has again failed to sell any of the recovered properties, stocks, jewelry and other assets listed for public bidding based on its privatization plan for 2018.

The COA said the PCGG has in fact been failing to meet its annual privatization plan since 2015 despite the objective to use the proceeds from the assets’ sale in the implementation of the government’s Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP) as provided under Republic Act 6657.

“The privatization plan for calendar years 2015 to 2018 for surrendered assets under the agency’s control was not completely accomplished, thus negating its goals and objectives to augment the budgetary requirement of the CARP,” the report read.

“We noted that there were real estate properties and shares of stocks which were part of the

Imelda Marcos

privatization plan since 2015 and yet remained undisposed of as of Dec. 31, 2018,” it added.

The COA said that for the last four years, the PCGG only managed to dispose of one real property – a 1,146-square-meter lot in Wingman Compound in Baguio City sold to a certain Rey Florence Reyes on June 17, 2016 for P20.742 million; and 157,500 shares of stocks of Showa Unit-

Philstar.com file photo

ed Food Inc. sold to Greenfield Development Corp. on April 20, 2016 for P50.050 million.

On the other hand, COA’s records showed that a total of P1.081 billion of the recovered illgotten assets remain unsold, including the Marcos family’s jewelry set referred to as the Hawaii Collection which is being kept in a vault at the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas. n

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MAY 31 - JUNE 6, 2019 • NORCAL ASIAN JOURNAL

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SF The Asian Jour nal SF MAGAZINE - May 31, 2019

Friday, May 31, 2019

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cover story

From the cover: Photo by Arkipelago Books and Christina M. Oriel

The Asian Jour nal SF MAGAZINE - May 31, 2019

Filipino literature stays alive at San Francisco’s Arkipelago Books by

THERE are only two bookstores dedicated to Filipino literature in the United States, both in California: Philippine Expressions Bookshop in San Pedro and Arkipelago Books in San Francisco.

Named after the Philippines’ group of islands, Arkipelago Books sits inside the Bayanihan Community Center in the heart of the South of Market (SOMA) Pilipinas, the 10-block Filipino Cultural Heritage District in San Francisco.

The bookstore, a pillar of the San Francisco Fil-Am community for over 20 years, continues to live on through its current second-generation owners, Lily Prijoles and Golda Sargento after original owner Marie Romero retired in 2017.

The roughly 400-squarefoot space that the bookstore occupies at the ground floor of the community center is filled with shelves of comics/ graphic novels, cooking and food books in the center, history and social science, fiction, new releases and a section for children and Tagalog language books.

Prijoles, who grew up in San Diego but studied film

Sargento said it can be educational for some customers who discover new Filipino books, but will instead go to Arkipelago to actually purchase them, “In some ways, Amazon is a resource for our audience who would otherwise not know about that book in the first place,” she said.

Currently, a lot of their online orders come from the East Coast, which is encouraging about Arkipelago’s physical future in that side of the country.

“Being online also helped us contextualize what Arkipelago is to the community. Both Lily and I shopped here before we were even thinking about owning it so it’s always been in our minds, but as a community foundation business, it’s a big deal,” Sargento said. “We have regular customers from out of town who make sure to come and see us.”

Some of the best-sellers in the past year have been Elaine Castillo’s “America Is Not the Heart”; “Journey for Justice” by Gayle Romasanta and the late Dr. Dawn Mabalon; “Pulutan! Filipino Bar Bites, Appetizers and Street Eats” by Marvin Gapultos; “I Am a Filipino: And This is How We Cook” by Nicole Ponseca and Miguel Trinidad; and “The New Filipino Kitchen: Stories and Recipes from Around the Globe” edited by Jacqueline Chio-Lauri.

Other consumer trends the bookstore has noticed include books about Filipino mythology, pre-colonialism in the Philippines and bilingual books that parents and their kids can learn from.

“Most of the time people don’t know what they want or just want to look around. It’s a lot of talking to people and getting a feel of what they are interested in or want to learn more about. Sometimes people will sit here for an hour and we’ll chat about their lives,” Prijoles said.

Both Prijoles and Sargento have ambitious plans for Arkipelago, such as launching a subscription service with a new book each month and becoming more of a network Photo courtesey of Arkipelago to connect Filipino readers

Sargento typically reads upcoming releases that will at Academy of Art in San find their way into the bookFrancisco, recalls coming into store or Prijoles will find new Arkipelago to learn about books from the Philippines to Filipino literature and hisbring back, but most of the tory. After spending about 10 inventory decisions come from years in San Diego to run her customers’ demands. Almost parents’ restaurant, Prijoles every month, Arkipelago has moved back to the Bay Area book signings and readings and was presented the oppor- with various Filipino and Filitunity to continue the shop’s pino American authors, either legacy, alongside Sargento, a at the community center or at songwriter and performer who another site in the area. had past experience working “Sometimes reading is a for a publishing company. The solitary thing, but the books two Filipina Americans had are about an individual’s part previously worked together of a community,” Sargento at Eighth Wonder, a spoken said. “When you do book word arts collective. readings, the world of the “Golda and I took over author gets to meet with the the bookstore to further the world of the audience.” legacy and what it did because A main goal in the transia lot of people told us that the tion was to also bring the bookstore couldn’t close and bookstore to the digital age that we needed to do someand to connect to other conthing,” Prijoles said. sumers outside of San FranOne of the biggest hurdles cisco. two years ago was letting “It was mainly the online the community know that the aspect that became stronger bookstore was still around when we took over. We through outreach to college streamlined and made it easier students, the local comto purchase things from the munity and off-site events bookstore and for it to be like Pistahan Festival. These connected to the inventory we events have also attracted new actually have,” Prijoles said.

Filipino customers who didn’t With other online book even know such a bookstore retailers like Amazon that existed in the city. may be seen as competition,

Christina M. Oriel / AJPress

Arkipelago second-generation owners Golda Sargento and Lily Prijoles, and her son Miles.

Arkipelago Books is located inside the Bayanihan Center, in the city’s Filipino Cultural Heritage District; SOMA Pilipinas. The front of the building was recently decorated with a mural to celebrate Filipino culture and Filipino American heroes, including historian, author, and educator Dr Dawn Mabalon.

PapaLoDown Agency photo

Yana Gilbuena delivering her new book ‘No Forks Given’ to Arkipelago Books co-owner, Lili Prijoles before the book launched in April 2019.

PapaLoDown Agency photo

and writers.

“The bookstore being what it is, is a place where Filipino and Filipino American and Philippine international

books go. It’s a really interesting position that we’re in. The diaspora is so massive, yet connected through online,” Sargento said.

For Dawn, family comes first Kit just lives the moment by riCky lO Philstar.com

WHILE some actresses become so engrossed in raising their bank accounts at the expense of their families, Dawn Zulueta is the exception. For her, it’s family first.

“Why shouldn’t I do it?”

Dawn asked. “I think I’m fortunate that I have the means and the freedom to make that choice. I’m very grateful for that. That’s why I am more practical in how I handle my career. While it is important for me to do also what I love, I do not forget that my first priority, first and foremost, is my family, especially my children who are the be-all and end-all.”

Dawn and her husband, former Davao del Norte Rep. Anton Lagdameo, have two children, Jacobo who is turning 14 in October and Ayisha, 10 in June.

As the mom of fast-growing children, Dawn said that she tries to go with the times.

“So that I can understand what and how kids are these days,” she explained. “But I try not to get carried away by the way the world has changed compared to what it was in my time. So I’m quite conservative in disciplining them. Anton and I share the same values in how we discipline our children. We want them to flourish as adults so they can think for themselves.

We want to raise them in a way that they do not forget the important values.”

Dawn has been turning down offers to do teleserye

by bOy abunda Philstar.com

KIT Thompson is back in the acting fold after being away from the public eye for almost three years. Reason: He flew to New York and studied acting for a year at the New York Film Academy.

The acting break he got right after his stint in “Pinoy Big Brother Teen Edition” in 2012 caught his interest to learn more about the craft. It was his father who supported his schooling. Kit also did part-time jobs, among them was food delivery, to support his other expenses.

The ABS-CBN actor said that since he was under a student visa, he couldn’t work full-time.

“It’s prohibited but it also depends on the school kasi yung sa school ko, meron silang tinataDawn Zulueta with husband former Davao del Norte Rep. Anton Lagdameo and their children Jacobo wag na OPT (optional practical and Ayisha: I think I’m fortunate that I have the means and the freedom to make that choice. While it’s training), parang OJT, but you important for me to do what I love, I do not forget that my first priority is my family.

Contributed photo can only work under your field.

So, I did that. Six months ako sa “I’m happy to be back exactly for the same reason.

New York ‘cause I’m only given doing comedy,” said Dawn “The offers were not up to a year. I told myself that whose last movie appearexciting enough,” she admitif ever nothing happens, I have ance was in the 2017 comedy ted. “Doing teleserye takes a to go to L.A. right where HolMeant to Beh. It was a wellot of time. If I’m not happy lywood is as well as the agents. come breather from doing a doing it, sayang lang ang Luckily for me, I found an agent series of dramas. time. I will just be miserable and I did auditions.”

“I like my role in Family going to work every day. As I After several auditions, Kit History because it’s true-tosaid, I am fortunate because scored commercial bookings. life.

I mean, nangyayari sa I have the freedom to choose In fact, he made it to the ABC tunay na buhay.” whether to work or not. I can showcase where he lasted until She and Michael V. play budget my time. The project the final round before the actual, parents raising a teenager has to be good and worth it final showcase. while grappling with isfor me to be away from my Kit was still in New York sues confronting them as a family even only for a while.” when Pia Wurtzbach stayed couple.

One such project is GMA there and fulfilled her duties as “It shows how the parents Pictures and Mic Test Enterthe 2015 Miss Universe. The two tainment’s Family History, the avoid making the child carry have been friends even before the burden of their problems. directorial debut of Michael the latter won in the Binibining It’s a role that I can easily V. who wrote the story and Pilipinas pageant. That’s why, identify with. stars in it.

Kit Thompson

they would often hang out while there, which led others to surmise that the two had a romantic past. However, Kit stressed that they are just friends who share the same vibes. Truth is, he is going steady with his model girlfriend for two years now.

These days, Kit is in the cast of “Sino Ang May Sala? Mea Culpa” with lead stars Jodi Sta. Maria and Bela Padilla. His butt exposure in the said drama series became a hot topic recently and many were left wondering if Kit is also willing to do frontal nudity.

“I did it because my character Greco Catapang was

ABS-CBN photo

flirting with Lolita (Ivana Alawi’s character) and that act was part of the scene,” reasoned Kit who added that he would never dare flirt with a married woman in real life.

Regarding frontal nudity, he would have to consider a lot of things before giving his nod. “It would depend on the role, its artistic value and how essential it is in the story. Otherwise, I have no plans of doing it just for the sake of accepting an offer.”

If there is something that Kit has learned in life in the past three years, it is “to just live in the moment; enjoy and cherish the moment because it will never happen again.”

Trump cracking down on immigrants who receive public assistance alien and ensure that the alien does not become a “public charge,” by seeking certain public assistance and/or living off of taxpayers. The affidavit of support is basically a contract between the sponsor and the Atty. MichAel U.S. government, where the Gurfinkel, eSQ sponsor agrees that if the alien applies for and receives such ON May 23, 2019, Pres.

Trump issued a memorandum to public assistance, the sponsor will reimburse the government. strictly enforce obligations unOver the years, this law was der affidavits of support (Form not strictly enforced. There I-864), including: were many aliens who, as soon • Seeking reimburseas they received their green ment from sponsors when the sponsored alien receives certain cards, immediately applied for forms of “means – tested public as many public benefits as were benefits,” such as Supplemental available, and were basically being supported by taxpayNutrition Assistance Program ers. Governmental agencies (SNAP), Medicaid, and Temwere supposed to request the porary Assistance for Needy sponsor to reimburse them, and Families (TANF); and possibly take steps to recover • When the sponsored those amounts from the sponalien applies for certain means sor. Now, Trump wants this – tested public benefits, “the financial resources of the alien’s implemented.

There were other public sponsor must be counted as benefits based on the alien’s part of the alien’s financial income. If the alien was poor, resources in determining both they could be entitled to those eligibility for the benefits and the amount of benefits that may benefits. However, Trump be awarded.” In other words, if states that the law requires the an alien’s sponsor on an affidavit sponsor’s income should also be counted in determining the alof support is a rich uncle, and the alien’s entitlement to certain ien’s income level and therefore entitlement to these benefits. benefits is based on the alien’s I know there are some aliens income, governmental agen(including green card holders) cies must now also include the sponsor’s income in determining who have applied for government assistance. It can also be eligibility. very complicated as to which Trumps goal is to crack benefits these aliens are eligible down on immigrants who apply for, and which benefits could for public benefits, “to ensure trigger enforcement action that ineligible non-citizens do not receive means – tested pub- and/or demands for repayment. lic benefits.” If an alien receives Regulations define “means – tested public benefit,” but such public assistance, governmental agencies should request Trump’s memorandum requires agencies to provide more guidthe sponsor to reimburse them ance, procedure, and details. “in an amount equal to the Many people have the unreimbursed cost of such benefit.” Trump believes that agen- attitude or belief that the various governmental programs cies are not fully or adequately constitute “free money,” where enforcing these requirements. they can receive public assistIn 1997, Bill Clinton signed ance without consequence. But a law concerning affidavits of these public benefits are not support. Trump is now seeking “free.” The money comes from to strictly enforce Bill Clinton’s law. That law basically required taxpayers, and it seems Trump does not want aliens living off an affidavit of support for famtaxpayers, especially when they ily- based petitions, where the have a sponsor promising to sponsor agrees to support the

Immigration Corner

KC Concepcion

Photo from Instagram/@itskcconcepcion

KC addresses breakup, pregnancy rumors

by Niña V. GuNo Inquirer.net

IN an Instagram post on Sunday, May 26, Concepcion talked about “taking care of your thoughts, soul and body.”

“Everyday I try my best to watch what I think, and to stop when I feel s[elf-doubt]. [Every day] I try to surround myself with people who make me feel good, not otherwise, and I love being around people who I care about and admire,” she said.

However, there were still some who seemed to only find something negative to say to the actress.

“Avoid alcohol lady, and accept your size,” said one @ jameswalker1581.

“Avoid passive-aggressive bashing, dear, and accept your terribly sad approach on my comments section that just made you look bitter, judgemental and quite bored actually,” she replied.

Another commented that her relationship with boyfriend Pierre Plassart must have been “short-lived” because she did

not have recent social media posts with him. The last picture she shared on Instagram of her and her French boyfriend was in April. “ganun lang ba yun? Ganun lang ka shortlived (sic)?” said @ lucero6388.

(That’s it? That’s how shortlived it is?)

Concepcion laughed it off: “Dahil hindi nagpopost at may konting privacy, ganun agad?

Grabe (Just because I don’t post and have some privacy, that’s it? Wow).”

There were some who came to her defense. A certain @sadfolaud wondered why some speculated that she was pregnant because she was “blooming.”

“Oh how I WISH I could be pregnant. Unfortunately, I’m not. I do want to have babies already though,” she admitted.

Concepcion is on a hiatus from acting and is pursuing her passion as a jeweler, having created her own bespoke jewelry line Avec Moi by Kristina.

She revealed her relationship with the French filmmaker in August 2018.

support that alien.

If you are a non-citizen and considering applying for public assistance, or a benefit that you are not entitled to under the affidavit of support law signed

by Clinton, you and your sponsor may later on be required to reimburse the government. *** Michael J. Gurfinkel has been an attorney for over 35 years and is licensed, and an active member of the State Bars of California and New York. All immigration services are provided by, or under the supervision of, an active member of the State Bar of California. Each case is different and results may depend on the facts of the particular case. The information and opinions contained herein (including testimonials, “Success Stories”, endorsements and re-enactments) are of a general nature, and are not intended to apply to any particular case, and do not constitute a prediction, warranty, guarantee or legal advice regarding the outcome of your legal matter. No attorney-client relationship is, or shall be, established with any reader.

WEBSITE: www.gurfinkel.com Follow us on Facebook.com/GurfinkelLaw and Twitter @GurfinkelLaw Call Toll free to schedule a consultation for anywhere in the US: 1-866-487-3465 (866) – GURFINKEL Four offices to serve you: LOS ANGELES ∙ SAN FRANCISCO ∙ NEW YORK ∙ PHILIPPINES (Advertising Supplement)

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The Asian Jour nal SF MAGAZINE - May 31, 2019

TRUE LOVE FOUND OVER A CUP OF COFFEE RESULTED IN MARRIAGE, A GREEN CARD, AND A MOTHER AND DAUGHTER’S REUNION. Magoy (center) had been separated from her first husband for over 17 years, and was lonely and guilty for having left her children behind in the Philippines, when she arrived in the U.S. She found love at a random stop in a coffee shop, where she met U.S. citizen Daniel. Magoy was able to get a divorce from her first husband, which allowed her to marry Daniel (without having to obtain an annulment in the Philippines), which, in turn, enabled Daniel to petition Magoy in the U.S. and Magoy’s daughter, Kara, from the Philippines, without having to adopt Kara. Watch this heartwarming story on an encore episode of “Citizen Pinoy” – on Sunday at 6:15 p.m. (PST) on TFC. (Advertising Supplement)

SF

celebrityworld The Asian Jour nal SF MAGAZINE - May 31, 2019

US President Donald Trump heads list of June birthday celebrants

celebrity world

By Ferdie Villar THE 45th and current President of the United States Donald John Trump heads the list of prominent personalities celebrating their birthdays this June. He will turn 73 on Friday, June 14.

Trump was born and raised in Queens, New York; and earned an Economics degree from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. He then took charge of the Trump Organization, a real estate and construction firm founded by his paternal grandmother, which he ran for over four decades until 2017.

During his real estate career, Trump built, renovated and managed numerous office towers, hotels, casinos and golf courses. Besides real estate, he started several side ventures and has licensed the use of his name for the branding of various products and properties.

He also owned Miss USA and Miss Universe pageants from 1996 to 2015, and hosted a reality TV series on NBC, “The Apprentice,” from 20014 to 2015. His calculated net worth in 2017 was $3.5 billion, making him the 544th richest person in the world.

Other personalities celebrating their birthdays this June are: June 2 - Former First Lady (of Manila and the Philippines) Dr. Loi Ejercito Estrada; June 3 - Christine “Tin Tin” Garcia; June 4 - Kundiman Queen Sylvia la Torre, and former actress Pacita Arana; June 5 - Former Senator Ramon Magsaysay Jr., and choreographer Anna Feliciano; June 8 - Former Mr. United Nations-World Scott Ancheta; June 9 - Hotel executive

EMPLOYMENT

Ben Carian; June 11 - Former Mrs. United Nations-International Estela Bijar McCovey; June 12 - Sexy actress Rufa Mae Quinto; June 13 - Daly City businessman Lambert Paniza, and writer-columnist Julie Yap Daza; June 14 - The late Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago; June 15 - Philippine News owner and publisher Francis Espiritu; June 19 - Fiesta Filipina Cuisine owner Ernie Guevarra; June 20 - Ballroom dancing king Louie Rubio; June 21 - Actress Andi

Eigenmann, and former Miss RP-Tourism and Miss Philippines runner up Krystle Ann Dizon Grant; June 22 - Colma community leader Aida Viray; June 23 - Former Ilocos Sur governor Luis “Chavit” Singson; June 24 - Actor John Lloyd Cruz (who is celebrating his 36th birthday), and Burlingame business executive Mightor Garcia; June 26 - Singer Gab Valenciano, and former First Gentleman Mike Arroyo; June 30 - Bank executive Bernie de Barrio.

To all celebrants, a very happy birthday!

Former beauty queen Estela Bijar McCovey will celebrate her birthday on Tuesday, June 11.

Former Senator Ramon “Jun” Magsaysay Jr. will celebrate his birthday on Wednesday, June 5.

Multi-award winning actor John Lloyd Cruz will celebrate his 36th birthday on Monday, June 24. He is shown in photo with beauty impresario Ferdie Villar.

His Excellency, U.S. President Donald John Trump heads the list of personalities celebrating their birthdays this month of June.

EMPLOYMENT

Multi-award winning veteran actress Pacita Arana will be celebrating her birthday on Tuesday, June 4.

Daly City businessman Lambert Paniza will celebrate his birthday on Thursday, June 13.

Sexy actress Rufa Mae Quinto will be celebrating her birthday on Wednesday, June 12

SERVICES

SERVICES

Health@Heart

Cologuard: A lifesaver

What are the risk factors?

Besides age, the other risk factors include: Race (AfricanPhiliP S. Chua, Americans appears to have MD, FaCS, FPCS higher predisposition to develop this cancer); a family history IN the United States, of colorectal cancer; a personal colorectal cancer (cancer of the history of colorectal cancer or colon and the rectum) is the polyps; Crohn’s disease and second leading causes of canother inflammatory bowel concer deaths. This year, 2019, the ditions; a diet high in red meat, projected number of new casprocessed meat, low in fiber, es: colon cancer —-101,420, high in fat; lack of daily physical and rectal cancer — 44,180. exercise; smoking, alcohol use, Colorectal cancer is the third obesity, diabetes, and past leading malignancies in the history of radiation treatment Philippines, 8000 cases profor cancer, where the radiation jected to afflict Filipinos. About was aimed at the abdomen. All one third of Americans are not these are factors. up-to-date in their screening Do young people get this tests for these cancers, and I cancer? suspect the number is greater Yes. Although the inciin the Philippines. The more dence of colon cancer appears recently introduced Cologuard to be going down among 50 test would surely increase the and older, colorectal cancers compliance for screening. are increasing among people What causes colorectal under 50. Those in their 30s are cancer? about 30 percent more prone The exact cause is not than any other age groups to known, but the risk factors be found to have later stages contributing to the develop(III and IV) of these cancers. ment of colorectal cancers are The American Cancer Society well publicized. Age is a factor: projects that “by 2030, colorthe chances of getting colorectal cancer incidence rates ectal cancers (and some other will be up 90 percent in people malignancies) increases as between ages 20 and 34, and individuals get older. Most of 28 percent for people between those who developed colorecages 35 and 49.” tal cancers (91 percent) were How does cancer develop? older than 50. The average Following repeated expoages at the time colon cancer is sures to the risk factors and detected are 68 for men and 72 carcinogens in our food and for women. environment, the healthy cells

The Bucket List Grazing in the Grass 11th of a Series

“ … If life is like driving on the freeway, it is supposedly a time when you begin to downshift your gears, getting off the fast lane as you move to the middle lane and gradually sidle to the farthest right lane to find your exit.…”

Immigrant Living: 101 and Beyond Monette aDeva Maglaya WHAT’S your game plan when you retire?

The timing can be one of 3 ways: you yourself planned when it will happen; the government said it’s time you did; or circumstances beyond your control, like the onset of illness, finally put you out to pasture.

Or are you one of those who have decided to keep on going and going simply doing what you do best beating the bushes, like the energizer bunny? There is tremendous life force in you that needs to be spent. You ignore your age and trust your instincts. You are powered by nothing but chutzpah and prayer, knowing deep down that you will simply wake up one day and decide this is as far as it goes.

Enough is enough.

Typically around your early sixties, retirement, as a stage of life, looms large staring at you in the face. If life is like driving on the freeway, it is supposedly a time when you begin to downshift your gears, getting off the fast lane as you move to the middle lane and gradually sidle to the farthest right lane to find your exit.

You head home to the gentle comforts of home sweet home knowing you never have to get up so early starting tomorrow to do the same darn thing you’ve been doing for decades.

Freedom at last!!! Breaking the shackles of the workaday world feels wonderful. There is now time to do the things that you have always wanted to do and maybe flesh out those dreams that have been percolating quietly in the back burner. Now you have the time, adequate resources and, most importantly, the blessing of all blessings, you are still in the pink of health.

Thank God, hallelujah!!!

You have run the course with time left over to savor being alive.

You feel like doing cartwheels —that is—if your osteoporotic bones and stiff limbs will let you. Meh… Prob-

ably NOT! Ideally, you are ready for this stage of life. That is —if you have dotted your i’s and cross your t’s— as you render a full plate of life experiences, good and bad, while trying to balance home life and work life for many years…

Of course, you can always go into denial and think and act young but your contrarian body will probably beg to differ at times yanking you back to face the reality of having logged a lot of miles on your one and only body.

Suddenly you have to deal with aches and pains in places you never thought existed. It doesn’t help that your doctor reads gobbledygook sets of numbers about your blood sugar levels, cholesterol levels, creatinin levels, blood pressure readings, A1C number, kidney and liver health and so forth.

Your medical provider wants to submit you to mammogram and colonoscopy and all types of tests to find out if you are still of sound mind and sound body, purportedly so you can enjoy the rest of your remaining years. It’s something borrowed from the automotive industry: 100 K check, 200 K check to see if all your parts are still in working order and which parts need replacement.

Okay, admittedly, these are not gobbledygook numbers but they indicate that this time around, you have no excuse to ignore the warning signs of your mortality. All it says is: SHAPE UP OR SHIP OUT. OR ELSE you can go to the wide blue yonder flat on your back sooner rather than later. SIGH… But there is a serious reason why you hem and haw to put off all these gamut of tests. What if they find something? Oy vey! You’ve run the full course of life only to deal with another daunting challenge. Also, you ascribe to the belief that what you don’t know won’t hurt you. Or so it seems.

I have heard of sad stories of people, who after just a few years of retirement, are diagnosed with aggressive stage 4 cancer or some form of serious illness and are left to deal with a very short lease on what is left of life. Of course, Continued on Page SF7

in our colon undergoes transformation (mutation) in their DNA, which is the brain and “GPS” of the cell. The DNA has within itself instructions (directions) that command the cell what to do. Normally, the cell divides according to the need of the body, and in an orderly and timely fashion. When the DNA is adversely affected and damaged by all those insults (our abuses and bad behavior and habits, plus environmental pollution), the DNA goes haywire and keeps instructing the cells to divide and multiply rapidly without control, leading to the formation of a tumor that grows non-stop. The cancer cells travel (metastasize) to he liver, brain, bones, etc., which spread ultimately kills the victim.

What are the signs and symptoms?

In many cases, there were no signs or symptoms, the very reason why colorectal screening tests are vital for early detection and treatment, to assure a cure. The common signs, when present, are: persistent change in bowel habits, constipation or diarrhea, shape and consistency of stools; rectal bleed or blood in the stools or black stools; frequent abdominal discomfort, cramps, gas; a sense of incomplete bowel emptying; tiredness, loss of strength; and surprising weight loss.

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The Asian Jour nal SF MAGAZINE - May 31, 2019

How is colorectal cancer detected early?

Early detection, second to prevention, provides the best strategy to deal with all cancers. The method is called screening and the simplest screening test for colorectal cancer used to be Fecal Occult Blood (FOBT) annually after age 50, and even at age lower thjan 30 for those with familial history of colon cancer. The new test is called Cologuard, a more accurate test, that detects at least 92 percent of colorectal cancers and 42 percent of advanced (precancerous) adenomas (polyps). This test is a life saver.

How is colorectal cancer prevented?

The old cliché that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure is indeed true, more especially for cancers.

Having a healthy environment helps greatly, but our world today is so polluted all around (air, water, land), that we, the people, and governments around the globe, must address this issue soon before we lose Mother Earth. Besides making our homes safe and healthy, we must also live a healthy lifestyle (view philipSchua.com), for our overall health to prevent illness, like hypertension, diabetes, heart attack, stroke, Alzheimer’s and

all cancers. Lifestyle changes could dramatically reduce the risk for colorectal cancers and all other diseases.

Does aspirin reduce the risk for this cancer?

The regular use of aspirin and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) has been associated with reducing the risk for precancerous polyps or colon cancer in some studies.

The dose and details of this observation have not been fully determined. The option to use these pills for prevention is only for those with a high risk for colorectal cancer and not for those with average risk. The use of mini-dose (81 mg) aspirin for cardiovascular health under medical supervision is very popular. These over-the-counter drugs have the potential side-effects of gastrointestinal/ulcer bleeding.

It is prudent to consult a physician before starting it.

What are those lifestyle changes?

Diet: Reduce meat intake to once or twice a week; stay away from processed meats (hot dogs, bacon, salami, pepperoni, ham, etc.) and other processed foods; eat fish at least 3 times a week (Salmon, small — not king — mackerel, sardines, trout, small (light canned tuna is safer than albacore tuna which is a large

fish and contains a lot of mercury, like all large fishes), not farmed but wild-caught fish; eating a lot of varieties of vegetables, and some fruits, nuts, and whole grains; staying on low-carb diet, minimizing (or abstaining from) rice, pasta, bread, sweets, and any soft drinks which are all toxic, especially to children.

Behavior/habits: Have a positive attitude; abstinence or moderation from alcohol; no smoking or vaping; daily physical exercise for 30 minutes, at least 3 times a week; disciplined and safe use of cell phone, computer and television; stress management/frequent mini-vacation or staycation. Maintain a normal weight by diet and exercise, not by pills or potion, which are toxic to the body. Adjust daily caloric intake to maintain desired weight.

Our health and longevity are, to a significant extent, within our control. *** Philip S. Chua, MD, FACS, FPCS, a Cardiac Surgeon Emeritus based in Northwest Indiana and Las Vegas, Nevada, is an international medical lecturer/author, and Chairman of the Filipino United NetworkUSA, a 501(c)3 humanitarian foundation in the United States. Websites: philipSchua. com and FUN8888.com Email: scalpelpen@ gmail.com (Advertising Supplement)

people & events â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Greaseâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;: Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the beloved rock nâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; roll celebration of fast cars, first loves and the fabulous fifties

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The Asian Jour nal SF MAGAZINE - May 31, 2019

The hit Broadway musical begins a limited engagement June 7, at Redwood Cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s historic Fox Theater

REDWOOD CITY, Calif. â&#x20AC;&#x201C; A wop baba lu mop, ahh wop bam boom! Broadway by the Bay continues their 2019 season with â&#x20AC;&#x153;Greaseâ&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x201D; the beloved rock nâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; roll celebration of teen angst, fast cars and first loves all set in the fabulous fifties. This all-new production is on stage June 7 to 23 and features the irresistible songs from the Tony Award nominated Broadway show and hit movie, including â&#x20AC;&#x153;Summer Nights,â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;?Greased Lightninâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;,â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;Born to Hand Jive,â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;There are Worse Things I Could Do,â&#x20AC;? and many more. So get out your leather jackets and pull on your bobby socks with Rydell Highâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s senior class of 1959! â&#x20AC;&#x153;Greaseâ&#x20AC;? follows love-struck bad-boy Danny and girl-nextdoor Sandy as they navigate the highs and lows of high-school in the late 50â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s - a time when teens had the freedom of leisure time, cash to spend, and independence in the post-war economic boom. They rebelled against the adult worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s behavioral codes and conservative expectations, emerging with a culture of greasers that were aloof and cool, clad in leather jackets, tight pants and slicked hair. Their decadent behavior was often blamed on a new and unstoppable influence â&#x20AC;&#x201D; rock nâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; roll. Inspired by the music of Buddy Holly, Little Richard and Elvis Presley, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Greaseâ&#x20AC;? became the soundtrack of a generation. After an eightyear run on Broadway and two subsequent revivals along with innumerable regional and community productions, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Greaseâ&#x20AC;? is among the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most popular musicals. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Greaseâ&#x20AC;? runs for nine performances only beginning June 7, 2019. Tickets (ranging from $44â&#x20AC;&#x201D;$66) are available by calling (650) 579-5565, online at www.broadwaybythebay.org, or at the Box Office located at 2219 Broadway Street in downtown Redwood City. The Box Office

Alex Alvarez and Kylie Abucay

Kylie Abucay

is open Monday through Friday from 12pm to 5pm. On performance days, the Box Office is open 60 minutes prior to the start of each show and remains open for 30 minutes following the start of the performance.

Group rates are available for 10 or more.

Broadway by the Bayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s production features Kylie Abucay as Sandy Dumbrowski and Alex Alvarez as Danny Zuko. The Pink Ladies include Chelsey Ristaino as Rizzo, Samantha Arden as Marty, Katharine Andrade as Jan and Kate Byrd as Frenchy.

The Greasers include Anthony Maglio as Kenickie, Ted Sclavos as Doody, Nick Quintell as Roger, and Jake Daniel as Sonny.

The cast also features Jessica Bennett (Patty Simcox), David Blackburn (Eugene), Nick Kenrick (Vince Fontaine), Kathryn Han (Miss Lynch), Daniel Lloyd Pias (Teen Angel), and Breanna van Gastel (Cha Cha DiGregorio).

The ensemble includes Nathan Belara, Cameron Burrill, Jorey Cantu, Miko Ison, Katherine Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Toole, and Neal Pascua.

Broadway By the Bayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s creative team for â&#x20AC;&#x153;Greaseâ&#x20AC;? is headed by director and BBBay Executive Artistic Director Alicia Jeffrey, choreographers ZĂśe SwensonGraham and Allison Paraiso-Sili-

cani, music directors Jon Gallo and Nick Perez, and vocal director Daniel Lloyd Pias. The team also includes scenic designer Kelly James Tighe, lighting designer Marcia Madeira, sound designer Jon Hayward, costume designer Merissa Mann, properties designer Bridget Wylie, hair and make up designer Alexis Lazear, and stage manager Matthew Jower-Ho. Broadway by the Bay inspires, educates and engages our community and local talent through the power of musical theatre. Broadway by the Bay was established as San Mateo Community Theatre in 1965. We are the largest community musical theatre company between San Francisco and San Jose producing large-scale musical productions using local talents.

We are committed to producing the highest-quality shows while maintaining accessibility to our community. In our 54year history we have received numerous awards and countless acclamations, but none as valued and important as the continued patronage by our community.

We are the resident musical theatre company of the historic Fox Theater in downtown Redwood City.

Calendar of Events across

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America

ADVERTISE YOUR EVENTS! PRE-EVENT AND POST EVENT GO DEEPER. GO WIDER. LET THE WORLD KNOW.CALL ASIAN JOURNAL: (818) 502-0651 DISPLAY AD SIZES AT SPECIAL RATES FOR NON-PROFIT GROUPS M AY 3 1 - J U N E 29

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Tagolilong: Hidden in Plain Sightâ&#x20AC;? exhibit in San Pedro, CA An interactive homage to Indigenous California Habitat will be on exhibit from May 18 to June 29, 2019. Created by LA-based artists-collaborators, champoy and Sarita Doe, it will open on Saturday, May 18th, 2019 from 3:00pm-6:00pm at Pinta*Dos Philippine Art Gallery which is located at 479 W Sixth Street, Suite 108, Historic Arts District, San Pedro, CA 90731. Tagolilong: Hidden in Plain Sight will be the sixth exhibit at Pinta*Dos Gallery since it was inaugurated in June 2017. The Gallery is open from Wednesday to Friday, 3:00pm to 6:00pm except on First Thursdays when it is open until 8pm. It is also open by appointment.

For further information, email Linda Nietes-Little, Founder of the gallery at info@pintadosgallery.com Also visit their website: http://www.pintadosgallery.com , facebook and instagram pages.

JUNE 1

7th Historic Filipinotown Kalayaan Parade and Festival in LA

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The 7th Historic Filipinotown Kalayaan Parade and Festival Committee (7KPFC) announced that it will holding the 7th Kalayaan Parade in Los Angeles on Saturday, June 1, 2019 in commemoration of the 121st PH Independence Day on June 12, 1898. This will be the 7th Kalayaan Parade and Festival in Historic Filipinotown, as the first was held in 2013 in cooperation with the PH Consulate General in Los Angeles. This is the only Independence Day parade and Festival in Los Angeles and is held every year in Historic Filipinotown. For more information, please call Freddie at (818) 220-2075 or email at jfavusa8@gmail.com.

Kalayaan Incorporatedâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s annual Philippine Independence Day gala in LA Kalayaan Incorporated invites the community to its celebration of the 121st Anniversary of the Proclamation of Philippine Independence on Saturday, June 1, 2019, at the Los Angeles Airport Marriott Hotel (5855 W. Century Blvd. Los Angeles, CA). Kalayaan is extremely proud to have Honorable Risa Hontiveros, an incumbent senator who assumed office on June 30, 2016, as the grand galaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s guest of honor and speaker. For tickets to the Gala Night, please contact Annie Cuevas-Lim, Kalayaan President at (213) 447-7078. For more information, contact KI PROs Violet Mislang at vmislang@gmail.com or Lady Hope Robillos at lhopepr@yahoo.com.

Diva2Diva concert in Arcadia, CA The JIR Foundation enthusiastically presents Diva2Diva on Saturday, June 1 at 6:30 p.m. at Arcadia Performing Arts Center (188 Campus Drive, Arcadia, California 91007). The concert will feature Kuh Ledesma, Zsa Zsa Padilla, Mitch Valdes and Nanette Inventor. Ticket prices are $145, $100, $75, $60 and $50. Call or text (818) 726-6333 or (818) 612-4500 or visitladiva2.eventbrite.com.

If you have an upcoming event and would like us to post it, please email us the details at info@asianjournalinc.com or calendar@asianjournalinc.com

Supervisor Haney introduces critical increase to Jobs-Housing Linkage fee SAN FRANCISCO – On May 14, Supervisor Matt Haney, with co-sponsors Supervisors Sandra Lee Fewer, Hillary Ronen, Gordon Mar, Aaron Peskin, and Shamann Walton, announced new legislation to increase the JobsHousing Linkage fee, a critical source of funding for affordable housing.

If passed, this legislation would benefit, among others, the low income working class Filipino population who in recent years have been facing evictions and constant threats due to the imbalance in the housing market created by the influx of large-scale commercial developments.

The majority of those affected among the Filipino population are residents of the South of Market district also known as SOMA Pilipinas, the Filipino Cultural Heritage District.

The Jobs Housing Linkage fee is based off of a formula that finds the nexus of impact between new large-scale commercial developments and the increased demand it creates for affordable housing in San Francisco. The fee is intended to be updated and increased regularly to meet today’s housing needs, but it hasn’t been updated since 1997.

“Our jobs housing ratio in our city is completely out of whack. We’re seeing booming office job growth, but are falling far short in building enough housing, especially affordable housing. This fee is intended to help add the needed housing that results from office job growth, yet it hasn’t been updated in over 20 years. San Francisco has the most expensive rental market in the country, and it’s getting worse, the time for action is now,” said Supervisor Haney.

Construction costs have increased nearly 200 percent since the base Jobs Housing Fee was last updated legislatively in 1997. Supervisor Haney’s legislation would raise the fee to reflect those rising costs of construction.

The fee generated $30 million in 2015, and $67 million in 2016 for low- and middleincome housing. But now, almost a quarter of a century since the 1997 “nexus study” was last prepared, the fee is based off of 22 year old data about the number of workers per square feet of office space, the costs of construction, and the demand for affordable housing. From the latest jobs-housing balance report, we know that office densities have increased by at least 12% since 1997.

The City is expected to release a new “nexus study” this summer, but advocates have been asking for the new study--which would likely justify an exponential increase in the fee--for years.

The City is experiencing an extreme imbalance between housing affordability and the

jobs and wage levels being created by the city’s current economic boom. As the historical regional job center, San Francisco has the highest ratio of jobs-to-housing units in the Bay Area. The increase in JHL fee would help offset the impact of the continued housing needs that new commercial development projects create.

“Job growth has completely ignored housing the workforce. We are in a crisis,” said David Woo, Community Development Coordinator with SOMCAN, the South of Market Community Action Network. “An immediate update of the Jobs-Housing Linkage fee is critical in protecting families and residents currently living in San Francisco. It will also help in providing housing for the growing number of low and middle-wage workers as the City continues to experience job growth and commercial development.”

The need for more resources for affordable housing in San Francisco to keep up with this economic boom period has been well known for years, and the City consistently falls short. Affordable housing production in 2018 was 23 percent below the fiveyear average, and 56 percent below 2017’s production.

“There are tens of thousands of jobs being created, but very few new units of affordable housing that can house that workforce. By updating this fee, we can take immediate action to create more balance, and get thousands of seniors, formerly homeless people, and low wage workers into stable and secure housing,” said Supervisor Matt Haney.

Alexandra Goldman, Senior Community Organizing and Planning Manager at TNDC says, “TNDC is excited to be moving 112 households into our new building at 222 Taylor in the next few weeks, but there were over 5,000 applicants for those spots! We need more resources to meet this huge and pressing need.”

Office spaces have large numbers of administrative/ clerical, marketing, recruiting, and other employees who rely on affordable housing, and that’s not counting the accessory cafeteria, janitorial, and other contract workers and small businesses that keep offices going. The City’s Jobs-Housing Linkage fee provides much needed funding to provide housing for these thousands of San Francisco workers.

“Raising the Jobs-Housing Linkage Fee will fund programs to help protect existing tenants and acquire vulnerable rent-controlled apartments and SRO buildings for preservation as permanent affordable housing as well as provide funding for new affordable housing,” said Lorenzo Listana, organizer with the Tenderloin People’s Congress.

The Bucket List

From Page SF5 these stories are purely anecdotal and isolated but they do happen.

You feel older and if you culled out the nuggets of wisdom from yours and other’s experiences, you’ve become even a little wiser perhaps.

You have listened half-heartedly to those financial planners and even those persistent advance funeral planners who have been bugging you about the benefits of being prepared for the inevitable.

You have taken pains to sock away a smidgen of moolah for a long time in your 401K or saved a few bucks by yourself and by your estimates (and provided you are sensible with a tight fixed income), you will remain fiscally viable, without having to rely on a government dole-out, even if the unthinkable happens. You

plan to exit this world with your dignity intact.

You hope that a smattering of beautiful memories, yours as well as of those you leave behind, are indelibly marked in a few hearts and minds for a generation or two — strong enough to move them to bring you flowers on your gravesite long after you’re gone. If your life were to be compressed to a 60-second video, you hope that the awful parts were edited out and landed on the cutting room floor permanently deleted.

The saddest thing about a life is to be forgotten as though you never lived.

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

people & events

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The Asian Jour nal SF MAGAZINE - May 31, 2019

Distribution of the relief aid packages provided by the Batangas City-Sto. Niño Devotees Association (Northern California) for the victims of the Barangay Santa Clara fire in Batangas City last April 19, 2019. Shown with the aid relief recipients are our Batangas City relief aid facilitators: Vicky Atienza, Alfon Perez and Barangay Captain Derick Arago.

Bay Area group provides relief aid for Batangas City fire victims

ON April 6, 2019, a big fire hit Sitio Ibaba in Barangay Santa Clara, Batangas City and destroyed 150 houses belonging to 490 families. The evacuees are currently housed in four evacuation centers, Colegio ng Lungsod ng Batangas, Livelihood Center-Batangas Port, Barangay Hall at Barangay Santa Clara and Santa Clara Elementary School.

Recognizing that time is of the essence, President Romel Chozas of the Batangas City Sto. Niño Devotees Association (Northern California) convened an emergency meeting of the officers and board members on April 16 to discuss providing material relief aid to the evacuees. On a unanimous vote

by the nine board members present the board appropriated the amount of $4,000 (PhP 204,000) for the purchase and distribution of much needed relief aid materials.

On April 18, the $4,000 was wired to Mr. Alfon Perez one of the association’s facilitator on the relief aid in Batangas City. With the assistance of the other relief aid facilitators Vicky Atienza and Barangay Captain Derick Arago of Barangay Santa Clara, they proceeded with the purchase and packaging of the relief aid materials and commenced the distribution to the 490 families in the four evacuation centers. The relief aid packages consisted of coffee, a bag of rice, canned foods and

bottled water. The distribution was completed on the end of April.

On the other hand, Dr. Mallou Atienza Cuasay and Lakewood Dental Clinic also donated supplies consisting of large plastic drums, plastic water basins and plastic cans to the 490 families in the evacuation centers.

The following are the officers of the Batangas City-Sto. Niño Devotees Association (NorCal): Romel Chozas-President, Fe Remo-Bueno-Vice President, Bobby Reyes-Secretary, Rosie Agustin-Treasurer, Becky Gamab-Auditor, and Christian Buquid-PRO. Other members of the Board of Directors are Delia

Godoy Montano, Bernie Ayap, Bayani Baliwag, Ching Calucag, Malou Atienza Cuasay, Melvin Macatangay, Philo Mendoza, Ardie Perez, and Cecil Zaraspe.

A text message from Barangay Captain Derrick Arago of Barangay Santa Clara sent via Messenger on April 29 said: “Thanks po sa tulong ninyo, sa samahan ng Batanguenyo/ Batangas City Sto. Nino devotees ng California. Malaking tulong po ito para sa kanila. Si God na po bahalang magbalik ng blessings po sa inyo...

Kay Mam Vickie Atienza lalo na, alam ko pong pagod kayo at 4 na evacuation center ang ginaor. Sa barangay officials, Team Alfon salamat din sa inyo...To God be the glory.”

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The Asian Jour nal SF MAGAZINE - May 31, 2019