061722 - San Diego Edition

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JUNE 17-23, 2022

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Biden signs off on first steps Pinoy family mocked, attacked toward national AAPI museum in California DATELINE

USA

FROM THE AJPRESS NEWS TEAM ACROSS AMERICA

by Klarize

Medenilla AJPress

A FILIPINO family was a victim of another hate crime when they were mocked and physically attacked at a fastfood restaurant in North Hollywood, California.

An ABS-CBN report said the incident happened on May 13 that began at the fastfood drive-thru around 10 p.m. when a jeep bumped the family car of Patricia Roque.

“As we were about to get to the drivethru, someone bumped the back of our car and we immediately went ahead and called 911 and our dad to help us,” Roque said.

“What started out as a minor traffic

UNITED States President Joe Biden on Monday, June 13 signed a bill that will kickstart the creation of a national museum dedicated to Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) history and culture.

HR 3525, also called the Commission to Study the Potential Creation of a National Museum of

Asian Pacific American History and Culture Act, will establish a select group of AAPI leaders who will issue recommendations for a “plan of action for the museum.”

In other words, this commission will be responsible for what is included in the museum as well as possible locations, likely within the Washington D.C. area.

At the signing in the East Room of the White House, Biden spoke on the generations of AAPIs

who “have literally shaped the history and the contours of this country.”

“It’s about time for a national museum to capture the courage, the character, the imagination and – maybe from my perspective, looking at it from a little bit from a distance – the dreams and the heart and the soul of the generations of our fellow Americans that came before you,” Biden added.

The commission will also study the costs of such

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Romualdez: Bright future awaits Pinoys under Marcos, Sara

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by shiela

CrisostoMo Philstar.com

Camille Hoffman’s installation, titled “Storied Waters: Dreams of Bayanihan,” features the silhouettes of historic photos of Filipinos in California and honors “laborers, past, present, and future.”

City in California unveils Fil-Am’s public art work Gov’t urged to open up the PH

WELCOMING PBBM. Workers put up a tarpaulin welcoming President-elect Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. on Wednesday, June 15 at the Philippine Information Agency building on Visayas Avenue, Barangay Vasra, Quezon City. Congress declared Marcos the presidential winner after he amassed more than 31 million votes in the official tally.

PNA photo by Rico H. Borja

A new, immersive public art piece by award-winning contemporary Filipino American artist Camille Hoffman was unveiled by the City of San Luis Obispo, California and the San Luis Obispo Museum of Art on Saturday, June 11.

The installation, titled “Storied Waters: Dreams of Bayanihan,” features the silhouettes of historic photos of Filipinos in California and honors “laborers, past, present, and future.” “Bayanihan” is the spirit of community and cooperation.

Artist Camille Hoffman says the sculpture

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MANILA — Filipinos can look forward to a “better life” under the leadership of president-elect Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. and vice-president elect Sara Duterte, House Majority Leader and Leyte 1st District Rep. Martin Romualdez said on Wednesday, June 15.

The “biggest challenge” that the incoming administration will face is “reducing poverty through the attainment of inclusive growth,” according to Romualdez.

“Everyone should benefit from the gains of economic growth,” he said.

He added that this is what he aims for “in Tacloban and even in the whole of Eastern Visayas in the next three years under my next term as your representative in the 19th Congress.”

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to more foreign investments

of Economics, said in an online forum organized by Hinrich.

Crescenzi did not explain when this MANILA — The Philippines should opportunity would come, nor what’s with open further to foreigners if it wants to this window that would allow the economy corner more job-generating investments, to open up more to foreign investors. For Asia-based Hinrich Foundation said on years, the Philippines has lagged behind its regional peers in attracting FDI, no thanks Tuesday, June 14.

There’s a “window of opportunity that to its decrepit infrastructure.

After reaching a record-high $10.1 billion might be the right moment to open the country,” Riccardo Crescenzi, professor of net inflows in 2017, data showed FDI to the economic geography at the London School u PAGE 2 by raMon

royandoyan Philstar.com

Philippine candidate Deputy Administrator Efren P. Carandang speaks at the 32nd Meeting of the UNCLOS state parties.

Photo from Philippine Mission to the UN

Duterte to Sara Philippines elected to seat at California officials call for more funding for Asian-language teachers on drug war: UNCLOS implementing body

by Klarize

Medenilla AJPress

DESPITE the growing Asian community in California and nationwide, the Golden State does not have enough accredited Asian-language teachers and instructors, statewide officials say.

For the 2020-2021 school year, almost 1,200 accreditations for bilingual instructors were confirmed by the California Dept. of Education (CDOE), but only 93 of those accreditations were for Asian-language instructors.

California lawmakers and community leaders are calling for a one-time $5 million funding package to address what they described as a shortage in accredited Asian-language teachers.

Advocates for the Asian American community say that this shortage of dual-

immersion language instructors puts immigrant children — who could learn English simultaneously with their native language — at a disadvantage.

“We must address the shortage of accredited Asian-language teachers,” said Connie Chung Joe, CEO of Asian Americans Advancing Justice - Los Angeles said in a press conference on Monday, June 6. “Access to dual-immersion language programs [isn’t] keeping up with demand.

It’s unacceptable when Vietnamese and Mandarin were the second and third most spoken languages in K-12 public schools.

Yet only 4 teachers were accredited to teach Vietnamese and 58 to teach Mandarin.”

Other than Spanish, Vietnamese and Chinese are the most commonly spoken non-English languages across the state.

And with the growing Asian population

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‘Take over’

by Kristina

Maralit ManilaTimes.net

PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte, stressing the importance of shielding the youth from the harmful effects of illegal drugs, wants his daughter and Vice President-elect Sara Duterte-Carpio to continue his advocacy.

“Take over,” the outgoing leader said at an event in Valenzuela City last Sunday, June 12.

“Ikaw na... Kunin mo ‘yang trabaho (You do it. Get the job),” he said.

Duterte pointed out that the Department of Education (DepEd), which DuterteCarpio will soon lead, will play a vital role in ensuring school-aged children will not be influenced to be drug users. “’Yang Department of Education,

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MANILA — The Philippines was elected to a seat at the United Nations body that implements guidelines establishing the limits of the continental shelf of coastal states.

On Thursday morning, June 16, Manila time, the Philippine Mission to the UN said Manila won a seat in the Asia-Pacific Group of the Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf (CLCS), which aims to implement the guidelines of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. The UNCLOS provides that a coastal state’s continental shelf beyond 200 nautical miles “from the baselines from which

the breadth of the territorial sea is measured.”

“Philippine candidate Deputy Administrator Efren P. Carandang is one of the country’s most eminently qualified technical expert for the CLCS, with quality management skills,” the Philippine Mission to the UN said in a Twitter post.

The country won with a majority vote of 113 votes out of the 164 state parties present and voting “after four tough rounds of voting.”

Secretary of Foreign Affairs Teddy Locsin Jr. thanked China for casting a vote for the Philippines.

“We have differences, sure;

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JUNE 17-23, 2022 • SAN DIEGO ASIAN JOURNAL

Gov’t urged to open...

PAGE 1 Philippines started declining from that peak, with the pandemic worsening the downtrend.

As virus curbs ease around the globe, FDI net inflows hit an all-time high of $10.5 billion last year. Meanwhile, the outgoing Duterte administration managed to make a last-minute push to enact laws that relax restrictions on foreign investments.

Crescenzi and Oliver Harman, cities economist for the International Growth Centre at the University of Oxford, wrote a research commissioned by the Hinrich Foundation that looked into different ways FDIs and global value chains could be leveraged by countries.

For Harman, the Philippines has experienced “outward and inward” FDI, wherein a country would invest overseas and bring home lessons it picked up from that investment experience.

The research noted that the Philippines, alongside Cambodia, Indonesia, Thailand, and Vietnam, depend on its regional peers for “inward” investments. At the same time, this same cluster of countries also directed their investments to countries in East and Southeast Asia — a type of “outward” FDI that, the researchers said, could bring in new knowledge that facilitates economic development.

“There are pressure to sort of engage in economic resiliency policies by looking inward. In the long run, it’s important for economies to remain open,” Harman said.

Harman believes opening the Philippines further to the rest of the world could prove easier in the coming years, citing the local call center industry which has thrived in regions outside the capital. He said cities like Baguio and Bacolod managed to win investments from BPO firms when they understood the needs of the industry and identified the regional assets with whom the two cities should couple.

“Attracting FDI requires a consideration for actions at lower geographical scales. It also reminds policymakers that, while regional assets can take a long time to change, local institutions can match existing links to global networks in the short term,” the researchers said. n

http://www.asianjournal.com • (818) 502-0651 • (619) 474-0588

From The FronT Page

Biden signs off on first steps toward national...

PAGE 1 a museum and whether or not it should be an off-shoot to the Smithsonian Institute.

Biden was also joined by Vice President Kamala Harris, who as a South Asian American is the first Asian American vice president.

“Growing up, my mother made sure that my sister Maya and I learned of the important, glorious history of Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders in America,” Harris said.

“Because that, of course, is part of the history of America.

She continued, “To teach this history is to help all of us as Americans understand where we come from, and to teach this history is to help us understand who we are,” Harris added.

In addition to celebrating the American triumphs for which Asian Americans are responsible, the museum is expected to provide a sobering look into the history of anti-Asian discrimination in the U.S. “This is also a story about some of our country’s darkest moments,” Harris said on Monday, June 13, before the signing. “The Chinese Exclusion Act, the internment of Japanese Americans, the murder of Vincent Chin, discrimination against South Asian Americans after 9/11, and today’s epidemic of [anti-Asian] hate.”

As previously reported in the Asian Journal, AAPI advocacy groups all agree that education and more exposure to the nuances of Asian cultures is a necessary step to curbing anti-Asian hate.

Biden and Harris have been vocal about their commitment to addressing the rise in

United States President Joe Biden on Monday, June 13 signed Rep. Grace Meng’s bill to establish a commission to study the creation of a Museum of Asian Pacific American History and Culture into law.

Photo courtesy of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus

anti-Asian hate crimes since their election.

Among his first acts as president, Biden signed the COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act, a broad piece of legislation that promised to strengthen law enforcement to better address hate crimes.

The legislation comes as Washington is also in the process of planning two

other cultural museums: the National Museum of the American Latino and the Smithsonian Women’s History Museum.

In 2016, the National Museum of African American History and Culture opened, which kickstarted talks to establish other museums dedicated to other minority identities. n

Romualdez: Bright future awaits Pinoys under...

Mall-goers enjoy the nightlife as they dine at restaurants in Quezon City on Friday, June 10.

Philstar.com photo by Miguel de Guzman

Philippines elected to...

PAGE 1 we tried but failed to bridge them but the endeavor was sincere; we are patriots each of our respective causes; but we have a deep respect and genuine affection for each other,” Locsin said in a post on Thursday, June 16.

China has been dismissing a 2016 tribunal ruling that invalidated its nine-dash claim

over the South China Sea, which includes an area of the West Philippine Sea. However, Locsin earlier said he was “extremely disappointed” that Australia did not support the Philippines’ bid for the CLCS seat.

It is the Philippines’ first time to serve in the commission, with a term starting 2023 until 2028.

(Philstar.com) n

PAGE 1 Romualdez emphasized that achieving such a goal may be a “tall order,” given that inflation is rising, the budget deficit is widening and the global economic outlook is bleak.

“But the election of dynamic and compassionate leaders at the highest levels of government gives us all hope of a brighter future,” he said.

The lawmaker made the statements during his inaugural address after taking his oath of office Wednesday, June 15 in Tacloban City with Duterte as witness.

Romualdez took his oath before Barangay 109-A chairman Rodolfo Padillo at the Remedios T. Romualdez Medical Foundation Gymnasium along Calanipawan Road.

Other officials who took their oaths before Court of Appeals (CA) Associate Justice Bautista Corpin Jr. were Tingog representatives-elect Yedda Marie Romualdez and Jude Acidre and Tacloban City Mayor

The “biggest challenge” that the incoming administration will face is “reducing poverty through the attainment of inclusive growth,” according to House Majority Leader and Leyte 1st District Rep. Martin Romualdez.

Philstar photo by Boy Santos

Alfred Romualdez.

Sara thanks Martin Duterte thanked Romualdez for taking her in to LakasChristian Muslim Democrats (CMD), which she described as among the oldest and most

respected political parties in the country.

Speaking as a guest-witness at Romualdez’s oath-taking in Tacloban City, Duterte also had words of appreciation for for his role as one of her two campaign

managers during the May 9 elections.

“I’d like to personally publicly thank Cong. Martin Romualdez for taking me in, in Lakas-CMD and accepting the challenge to be my campaign manager, one of my two campaign managers during the last elections. It was not without ... challenges, but you did very well… 32.2 million votes,” Duterte said.

Romualdez “did it all” for her, covering even for her meals during the grueling campaign period, according to the vice president-elect.

“So I am truly thankful for all that happened because (it was) a learning experience for me, and I (appreciate) all that you have taught me, all of you, my fellow countrymen, and I commit to be beside you in the service of our country,” Duterte said in English and Filipino.

Her other campaign manager is Davao Occidental Gov. Claude Bautista. – Janvic Mateo, Paolo Romero, Evelyn Macairan, Pia Lee-Brago n

California officials call for more funding...

PAGE 1 in California and nationwide, the pool of immigrant students enrolling in California public schools is also increasing, which signals a demand for a multilingual teaching force.

California State Sen. Richard Pan (D-Sacramento), who chairs the state’s Asian American and Pacific Islander Legislative Caucus, is introducing the program to the Legislature. During the press conference, Pan acknowledged the API Equity Budget, the comprehensive $166.5 million spending package passed last year that funds stronger tracking and prevention of antiAsian hate crimes.

However, anti-Asian bias and harassment should go beyond that.

Recalling his own experience as an elementary school student who could only speak

Mandarin, Pan said that, like so many ESL students, he would have developed more confidence and progress with a bilingual teacher. He added that the linguistic barrier that puts immigrant children at a great disadvantage also negatively affects their mental health.

“We need to be sure that every child, no matter what language they speak at home, and how they got here, has the opportunity to get an outstanding education — and that not only benefits that child; it benefits the whole state,” Pan said.

In addition to helping immigrant children thrive in the classroom, the program could also help native English speakers learn a second language and, more importantly, help them understand other cultures — which, given the rise in antiAsian attacks in recent years,

could be critical, advocates say.

Victoria Dominguez, policy director at Advancing Justice - Los Angeles, said that there is a psychological component to introducing multilingual studies at a young age, saying that “when we are exposed to other communities, other cultures, and other languages, literally, our brain rewires in a different way that allows us to be more empathetic.

The spending package, if passed, would be invested into the California State Universities’ Asian Bilingual Education Program Consortium, a group representing 10 campuses in the CSU system, to increase the number of bilingual teachers in six East and Southeast Asian languages: Cantonese, Hmong, Japanese, Korean, Mandarin, and Vietnamese. (Tagalog and other Filipino dialects, as well as Central and South Asian

languages were not mentioned during the briefing.)

Fernando Rodríguez-Valls, a professor of secondary education who works at the consortium at Cal State Fullerton, noted that classes being offered to bilingual teachers to better support their diverse classrooms do not come with financial aid as of yet. The fee for the two classes required are around $2,500 on average, classes that are designed specifically to prepare teachers on how to help students understand class materials in another language.

“It’s not just learning the languages; it’s learning mathematics in Khmer. It’s learning science in Korean, learning history in Vietnamese.

And in order to accomplish that, we need teachers who are qualified,” Rodríguez-Valls said. n

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SAN DIEGO ASIAN JOURNAL • JUNE 17-23, 2022

Mayor Gloria launches city’s new ‘Employ + Empower’ youth workforce

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New program will provide 1,000 local youth with paid internships, workforce training opportunities

SAN DIEGO – Continuing his commitment to supporting and investing in San Diego’s youth, Mayor Todd Gloria on Friday, June 10 launched a new youth workforce training program called “Employ + Empower“ that is specifically aimed at providing paid internships and job training opportunities with the City of San Diego to local youth.

“As Mayor, I have made investing in our youth a priority for the City of San Diego. Thanks to the State of California’s investment in this important program, we will be able to employ and empower young people through public service jobs,” said Mayor Todd Gloria.

“Employ + Empower provides our youth with a career pathway while compensating them for their work. Our goal is to show young San Diegans the opportunities open to them while they earn a paycheck and gain skills they can ultimately use in their careers.”

The Employ + Empower youth workforce program is made possible by $18.5 million in state funding for #CaliforniansForAll Youth Jobs Corps. The program will help approximately 1,000 opportunity youth from 16 to 30 years of age gain real-world work experience while serving their community and earning money.

“The new #CaliforniansForAll Youth Jobs Corps is a transformative program that invests in underserved youth by creating meaningful pathways for public service careers while providing participants with significant financial support,” said Senate President Pro Tem Toni Atkins. “This program enriches our communities through impactful community service, tackling issues such as climate action, food insecurity, educational disparities and COVID-19 recovery. California is pleased to partner with the City of San Diego to launch this visionary program.”

The goal of Employ + Empower is to increase youth employment and attract, employ and empower the next generation of public servants through a robust paid youth internship and jobs program. It also strives to

San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria File photo/www.sandiego.gov

enhance recruitment, retention and diversity of the City’s more than 11,000 employees.

“California’s leadership in both innovation and talent are recognized across the globe,” said Assemblymember Chris Ward.

“The #CaliforniansForAll Youth Job Corps, which is funding the City’s Employ + Empower paid internship program, encourages historically underserved students and youth to serve our communities while earning money. Investing in our youth, serving our communities…these are key to California’s continued and future success.”

Employ + Empower is intended to serve youth who meet one or more of the below criteria: • Difficulty finding employment • Low-income • Unemployed and/or out of school • Justice system-involved • Transitioning from foster care • Engaged with the mental health or substance abuse system.

The city will conduct targeted outreach and partner with historically underserved communities through events and career fairs to help get the word out to San Diego youth. The city also will lean on successful existing partnerships dedicated to creating opportunities for youth in the areas of workforce

development, wrap-around services addressing housing and food insecurities, and other programs designed to eliminate barriers for youth to succeed.

“These kinds of investments are a game-changer for California youth. Earning money, while developing career-building skills AND helping their community – a win-win-win,” said Josh Fryday, Chief Service Officer at California Volunteers.

The Employ + Empower program aims to hire more than 1,000 young people and provide 581 student internship positions, 351 management internships, 68 management trainee positions and 75 junior lifeguard scholarships.

Management trainee positions provide a bridge between internship and entry-level employment, which is lacking in many departments and divisions, such as Parks and Recreation Open Space Division, Human Resources, IT, Sustainability and Planning.

“Every young person should have an opportunity to fulfill their potential and find a quality career. Our Employ + Empower program will create that opportunity for young San Diegans from underserved communities, many of whom are disconnected from educational and career opportunities,” said City Council President Sean EloRivera, representative for District 9. “As an added benefit, Employ + Empower participants will be helping San Diego provide our residents with the improved, more responsive service they deserve. This is a win-win that every San Diegan should be excited about.”

Employ + Empower enhances the city’s existing successful internship, apprentice and volunteer programs.

Under this program, current citywide unpaid internships will be converted to paid internship opportunities. Youth within the program will have the ability to work in many areas throughout various City departments and will be able to contribute to the city’s own work on climate change, food insecurity and COVID-19 recovery.

COVID-19 boosters are now available for

children ages 5+

Boosters can help protect the whole family against serious illness and hospitalization.

Visit MyTurn.ca.gov to find a vaccine near you.

PHILIPPINES MATTERS TO U.S. (From left to right) Department of Foreign Affairs Assistant Secretary Jose Victor Chan-Gonzaga, U.S. Embassy in the Philippines Charge d’ Affaires ad interim Heather Variava, Department of National Defense Undersecretary Cardozo Luna, lead the launching of the East-West Center publication “Philippines Matters for America, America Matters for the Philippines”, held at the U.S. Embassy Chancery Ballroom on Wednesday, June 15. The launching of the publication concludes the celebration of the 75th anniversary of U.S.-Philippine diplomatic relations.

PNA photo by Avito Dalan

City in California unveils Fil-Am’s...

PAGE 1 references the historic date of October 18, 1587, when the first Filipinos stepped foot on Chumash land and the present-day Continental United States at Morro Bay. They arrived as crew members aboard a ship which was a part of the Manila galleon trade under Spanish rule.

Hoffman’s family ancestry is rooted in the Philippines, and her art practice has involved an “unraveling and re-threading of misplaced

personal and collective narratives in the wake of colonialism.”

San Luis Obispo’s Public Art Program is designed to strengthen the city’s commitment to sustaining a vibrant and historically-aware community. The resulting artwork represents diversity of thought that can take a wide range of forms, sizes, and scales, and can range from temporary to permanent. Hoffman’s installation is the third project of the program in partnership with the SLO Museum of Art. (Inquirer.net) n

Outgoing President Rodrigo Duterte with daughter Vice President-elect Sara Duterte-Carpio

Malacañang photo

diyan sa kanila (among them),” PAGE 1 maraming bata diyan (there are he urged. a lot ot children involved). Do The President likewise u PAGE 4 not ever allow contamination encouraged his daughter to

not hesitate in ruling with an iron fist and just “do it” if it would mean having a drug-free school system. n

Duterte to Sara on drug war...

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JUNE 17-23, 2022 • SAN DIEGO ASIAN JOURNAL

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County surpasses 800,000 COVID-19 Pinoy family mocked... cases since start of pandemic

MORE than 800,000 COVID-19 cases have been reported in the San Diego region since the start of the pandemic, the County Health and Human Services Agency reported on Thursday, June 9.

The County has recorded a total of 803,293 cases of the virus since the first local case was identified in March 2020.

Weekly average coronavirus cases have more than tripled in the past 30 days. Hospitalizations are also on the rise.

“The somber milestone and recent spike in cases should serve as a reminder this isn’t the time to let our guard down,” said Cameron Kaiser, M.D., M.P.H., County deputy public health officer. “Please, make sure you’re up to date on your vaccinations and boosters, and consider a mask, especially if you’re medically vulnerable yourself or may be around people who are.”

Masking is particularly important when traveling or moving through crowded indoor spaces, as is avoiding large gatherings.

County health officials

County public health nurse administers a COVID-19 test. File photo/www.countynewscenter.com

stress that vaccination and boosters continue to be the best defense against COVID-19 and associated hospitalizations or death.

Boosters are available for everyone age five and older.

Those 50 and older, and those who are moderately or severely immunocompromised, are encouraged to get a second booster four months after their initial booster.

Treatment options San Diegans who test positive

for COVID-19 can access monoclonal antibody treatment and antiviral drugs free of charge, regardless of health insurance or immigration status.

Antiviral drugs are administered over the course of several days in pill form.

They are available to patients with mild-to-moderate COVID-19 symptoms who are at risk of progressing to severe coronavirus disease, including hospitalization or death.

Monoclonal antibody

therapies are used to treat mildto-moderate COVID-19 in adults and children 12 years and older.

Antiviral pills must be prescribed by a health care provider and started within five days of symptoms to be effective.

Monoclonal antibodies must be started within seven days.

“The available treatments are safe and effective and lower the risk of severe illness and hospitalization by nearly 90 percent,” Kaiser said.

You may be eligible for treatment if you: • Tested positive for COVID-19; and • Have symptoms of COVID-19, but not for more than 10 days; and • Are at high risk for developing severe illness from COVID-19.

To learn more about all treatment options, visit the County’s COVID-19 Treatment page at https:// w w w. s a n d i e g o c o u n t y. g o v / content/sdc/hhsa/programs/ phs/community_epidemiology/ dc/2019-nCoV/Treatment.html.

(Katie Cadiao/County of San Diego Communications Office)n

Board votes to oversee grant program to harden homes in rural communities

THE County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously on Tuesday, June 14 to establish a Home Hardening Program as part of a state pilot program to encourage homeowners to create fire-resistant homes.

San Diego County is one of three counties selected to take part in the California Wildfire Mitigation Program which will fund the county initiative. In December, the Board accepted a $250,000 CAL FIRE/CAL OES grant for the development of the program. CAL FIRE/CAL OES has since approved the County’s nearly $25 million grant request to implement the 3-year program. The funding is expected in the fall which will allow the project to officially kick off.

“I am proud to serve on a Board that prioritizes fire prevention and preparedness, especially in the rural areas

of my district that we know are most prone to wildfires,” said County Supervisor Joel Anderson. “Hardening homes and creating defensible spaces is crucial to saving lives, and I am grateful that three backcountry communities in District 2 will be given this opportunity for financial assistance.”

Two of the most effective measures that homeowners can take to protect themselves and their home from wildfire is maintaining defensible space and updating their home using fire resistant materials, also called “home hardening,” San Diego County Fire Chief Tony Mecham said.

The program will provide direct financial assistance, up to $40,000 dollars per home, to complete defensible space and home hardening retrofit measures. The program will help some 500 homeowners in

County Fire inspectors examine a home’s exterior looking for fire vulnerabilities.

File photo/www.countynewscenter.com

the three-year pilot, he said.

“Homes that lack defensible space or were built long before the modernization of the fire code are far more vulnerable during a wildfire,” San Diego County Fire Director Jeff Collins

said. “The initial phase takes place in one of our highest atrisk communities, where we intend to better safeguard a number of homes with fire resistant materials and critical

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PAGE 1 collision escalated into something more dangerous, and something we never would have expected,” she said.

She said her family was verbally attacked and threatened by the other driver after telling them they were “so Asian.”

“He said ‘I’ll kill you,’” she said.

Nerissa, Patricia’s mother, narrated that her husband Gabriel arrived in the area, but the driver of the other car rushed to him and punched him as he fell to the ground.

“The attacker then tried to open our car to get my daughter.

My husband stopped him and the man punched him. My husband fell on the ground, and as I was helping him to get up, the suspect strangled me,” Nerissa said in Filipino.

Bystanders tried to intervene and police arrived in the area.

She was able to avoid the attacker who tried to hit her.

“But he hit my chest. So the pain until now is with me. I remember the pain until now. The attack left my husband with a broken rib,” she said.

“I was traumatized. It hurts. It’s different when your very family is the one being attacked. That’s what we see on TV. I thought it would not happen, but it happened to my family. It’s traumatizing.

Up to now, it’s painful,” Nerissa said.

Police would not identify the attacker yet pending investigation, the family said. (By Pia Lee-Brago/Philstar.com) n

Mayor Gloria launches city’s new ‘Employ...

PAGE 3 “When organizations don’t offer paid internships, they disqualify young people who come from underserved communities, as many of them are unable to work for free,” said Councilmember Raul Campillo, representative for District 7. “The Employ + Empower program is one of the many historic investments our city is making to support workforce development by ensuring the youth in San Diego who would otherwise not consider a career in public service gain experience AND receive compensation for their service.”

To learn more about Employ + Empower, visit sandiego.gov/ employ-empower. Applications went live following City Council approval of the program on Monday, June 13.

“Access to paid job experiences instills our youth with leadership, communication and problemsolving skills, and the California For All funding is a vital step in creating a strong workforce for our future generations,” said Council President pro Tem Monica Montgomery Steppe, representative for District 4. “I’m proud that our city is invested in working collaboratively to help connect young people to opportunities for growth and development.”

“Employ + Empower is a much-needed program that will give hope to youth in marginalized communities, providing them with a pathway to chase their dreams and climb the social ladder,” said Anusha Kadiyala, Chair of the City’s Youth Commission.

“These internships and on-the-job training in city departments will help prepare today’s youth to tackle tomorrow’s challenges.”

“These public service opportunities will provide equitable career development skills in public service, which will be a critical path for youth to gain experience, social capital and income,” said Andrea O’Hara, Executive Director of the City’s Office of Child and Youth Success. “The City of San Diego, through this grant, is committed to placing hundreds of San Diego Youth in high-quality, careerfacing paid internships.”

“The City’s Human Resources Department is committed to developing a thriving, skilled and educated workforce capable of tackling the challenges and opportunities of tomorrow, by providing a clear, unified pathway for career growth, learning and development today,” said Julie Perez-Rasco, Director of the City’s Human Resources Department.

(City of San Diego Release) n

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SAN DIEGO ASIAN JOURNAL • JUNE 17-23, 2022

Dateline PhiliPPines

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De Lima ‘frustrated’ at COVID-19 cases up by 53% in NCR DOJ decision to continue prosecuting her cases

by Red

MendozA ManilaTimes.net

by AngelicA

Y. YAng

Philstar.com

MANILA — Outgoing Sen. Leila De Lima said Thursday, June 16, that she is frustrated but not surprised at Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra’s move to follow the panel of prosecutor’s decision to continue prosecuting her two drug cases, despite several recantations of allegations against the lawmaker.

“Secretary Menardo Guevarra’s decision...is plainly a safe and nonchalant gesture. It is devoid of any effort to dig deeper in the wider scheme of things behind my persecution by Duterte,” De Lima said in a statement shared by her team on Viber.

“Frustrating but not at all surprising or unexpected. I guess it was wishful thinking to expect anything different from Sec. Guevarra,” she added, claiming that he only based his decision on the assessment of the Justice department’s panel of prosecutors.

She expressed doubt that Guevarra read the retraction of ex-Bureau of Corrections officer Rafael Ragos where he admitted to the panel that his testimony is not perfect because “it was all made up lies and forced upon him by former SOJ (Secretary of Justice) Vitaliano Aguirre.” Ragos earlier claimed Aguirre coerced him to make false statements linking De Lima to the drug trade in New Bilibid, and the latter has denied this.

“It pains me that the very institution that I served faithfully has failed in its foremost, noble task to protect the innocent,” De Lima, who formerly served as Justice Secretary for five years until 2015, said.

Days ago, Guevarra said there is what he

called good reason to continue the lawmaker’s prosecution, following the advice of the panel of prosecutors who reviewed the evidence related to De Lima’s cases.

Three personalities, including a star witness of the government, recanted their allegations against De Lima and admitted that their testimonies were false and were made because they were threatened.

The first one to retract was confessed drug lord Kerwin Espinosa, followed by prosecution witness Ragos who once testified that he gave P10 million in two tranches to De Lima’s aide Ronnie Dayan- but also recanted this. Dayan, who is also co-accused in one case, said there was no such delivery of money to him.

Guevarra said that these three individuals must be presented in court for examination “to ascertain their truthfulness, their alleged recantations have no probative value whatsoever”, citing the prosecution panel.

De Lima has been detained at the Philippine National Police Custodial Center since February 2017 over conspiracy charges to commit illegal drug trading. She is accused of participating in the proliferation of the illegal drug trade at the New Bilibid Prison during the time she was Justice Secretary.

She has consistently denied the allegations. In 2021, a Muntinlupa court acquitted one of her cases after ruling that the prosecution was not able to present “strong evidence” to show that she was guilty. She still faces two more drug charges.

De Lima ran for another senatorial bid in this THE amount of money sent year’s elections from her detention cell, but did home by overseas Filipino not make it to the so-called “Magic 12.” n workers (OFWs) fell to its lowest level in 11 months in April, according to data released on Wednesday by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP). that the program will recommend for funding, if Personal remittances, or the home needs it. cash or kind transfers between After those measures, they will look at home families, totaled $2.67 billion in modifications prioritized by vulnerability the fourth month of 2022, down to embers, radiant heat, and flame. These 7.51 percent from $2.88 billion retrofits may include replacing roofing with in March of this year, but up a noncombustible material, installing metal 3.76 percent from $2.57 billion gutters, and upgrading to dual-paned windows in April 2021. It’s the smallest with one pane of tempered glass. amount sent since $2.65 billion Construction costs will be fully covered for was sent in May last year. households under 120% of the Area Median The year-on-year gain in April Income. As fire has no economic barriers, was attributed to a 4.7-percent homeowners who earn above the 120% Area increase in remittances from Median Income for household will still be able to land-based workers on one participate in the program with a cost share of year or longer contracts, which between 10% to 25% of the total project cost. inched up to $2.02 billion from (Yvette Urrea Moe/County of San Diego $2.93 billion a year ago, the Communications Office) n

Board votes to oversee grant...

PAGE 4 vegetation clearing.”

Based on a detailed analysis of wildfire risk and vulnerability in the county, the program will assist the communities of Dulzura, Potrero and Campo, which are the highest areas of need, Mecham said.

County Fire has already started outreach in the community of Dulzura and is accepting applications for those in the 91917 ZIP Code. The goal is to help harden 25 homes by year’s end. In 2023, the program will expand to Potrero with a goal for another 100 homes in both communities.

By 2024, they will add Campo and set a goal to harden 375 more homes in all three communities.

Defensible space, which includes trimming, cutting and clearing vegetation within 100 feet of a home or accessory unit, will be the first thing

CORONAVIRUS disease 2019 (COVID-19) cases had been increasing by as much as 53 percent in the National Capital Region (NCR or Metro Manila) over the past week, but independent tracker OCTA Research said there is no need to reimpose stronger restrictions like lockdowns.

According to OCTA Research senior fellow Dr. Guido David, the seven-day average cases also jumped from 86 cases per day to 131.

The reproduction number in the region has increased, too, to 1.5, while the positivity rate rose to 2.7 percent.

David said if the current case trends continued, the NCR may experience around 200 to 300 cases in the coming days and 400-500 cases by the end of the month, and below a thousand cases across the country.

Despite the increasing numbers, hospital and intensive care unit utilization rates in the NCR remained stable at 23 and 18 percent, respectively.

Dr. Jose Rene de Grano of the Private Hospitals Association of the Philippines echoed

David’s sentiments in a separate interview, saying while they are experiencing slight increases, non-COVID cases still dominate their facilities.

“Bumabalik na kasi ang mga pasyente sa mga ospital at nagkokonsulta na (The patients are now returning to the hospitals, and they are now consulting),” de Grano said, noting that most of COVID-19 cases in their hospitals are mostly unvaccinated or partly vaccinated.

David said there is a possibility that the Department of Health may escalate NCR to Alert Level 2 if cases and hospitalizations continue to rise and the risk level in the region worsens from low risk to moderate risk based on their own metrics.

“At the minimum, the government needs to decrease the capacities in public transport and indoor establishments so that it would allow more space and prevent crowding in establishments,” he added.

David urged private companies to delay their return to work and implement flexible working arrangements, which would also help workers deal with increased oil prices and fares.

In a separate forum organized by the Integrated Studies and Development Institute, OCTA founder Ranjit Rye said while it is yet premature to remove the current state of a public health emergency, he believes that this possible surge will not lead to a crippling lockdown that could affect the economy.

“We have seen that this [COVID-19] variant, if it becomes dominant, will provide us more leeway to make decisions veering away from lockdowns. I don’t think we would have that kind of lockdowns like we had last year,” Rye added.

He urged the incoming administration of Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. to strengthen the public health system, improve the collection of taxes, and keep corruption at bay to allow the country to “restart” the economy that has been battered by the pandemic.

“You really have to start confronting the real problem, which is weak institutions, and that would require not just geniuses in the government, [but] it requires confronting the problem head-on and that would require a whole-of-nation approach, whether it is on COVID or on finance,” Rye said.n

OFW remittances fall to 11-month low central bank noted. Meanwhile, remittances from sea- and landbased workers on short-term contracts saw an uptick of 1.4 percent to $581 million in April 2022, up from $609 million a year earlier.

Total remittances for the first four months of the year totaled $11.31 billion, picking up 2.6 percent from $11.02 billion in January to April 2021, according to the latest numbers. In the meantime, cash remittances were $2.39 billion in April, plunging 7.67 percent from the previous month, but accelerating 3.90 percent from $2.30 billion a year ago.

The BSP said revenues from land-based and sea-based workers soared by 4.7 percent to $1.86 billion from $1.77 billion and 1.4 percent to $533 million

from $526 million, respectively, fueling the annual increase in cash remittances in April.

Cash remittances surged by 2.7 percent from January to April 2022 to $10.16 billion, rising from $9.89 billion a year earlier.

“The growth in cash remittances from the United States, Saudi Arabia, Japan, Taiwan and Singapore contributed largely to the increase in remittances in January-April of 2022,” the Bangko Sentral reported.

In the four months ending April this year, the United States had the greatest share of overall remittances, accounting for 41.2 percent. Next were Singapore, Saudi Arabia, Japan, the United Kingdom, the United Arab Emirates, Canada, Qatar, South Korea and Taiwan. Remittances

u PAGE 7

6

JUNE 17-23, 2022 • SAN DIEGO ASIAN JOURNAL

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OpiniOn

Features

No gas, no transport

THOSE who have been stuck in traffic regularly since COVID restrictions were eased will not believe it. But take it from the Metropolitan Development Authority: there have been fewer vehicles recorded at least on EDSA in recent weeks. And a likely reason, according to the MMDA, is the continuing surge in fuel prices.

To save on fuel costs, motorists are reducing vehicle use, whether private cars or public utility vehicles. PUV drivers and operators have lamented that even the higher minimum fare is not enough to offset the ever-increasing prices of fuel. Free rides offered by the government, while naturally welcomed by commuters, have also cut into PUV earnings. Operators have grounded their jeepneys or reduced their trips, while some PUV drivers have said they will just return to their home provinces to try their luck at farming, because in Metro Manila, their earnings are no longer enough to feed the family.

The grounding of jeepneys and reduction of bus deployment are happening at the same time that private car owners are being forced to leave their vehicles at home and take mass transportation to save on fuel costs. The result can be seen in those long,

slow-moving lines of people waiting for rides at bus stops, transport hubs and light railway stations.

The lack of mass transport facilities will inevitably impact efforts to revive businesses. Commuters account for the majority of the workforce, and mass transport services were already inadequate even before the pandemic. The inadequacy of mass transport facilities is the biggest reason why people who can afford it prefer to use private vehicles.

Even the full resumption of face-toface classes, meant to promote economic recovery, may have to be reviewed as the fuel price surge leads to a reduction in mass transport services. PUV operators have said even cash assistance doled out by the government is not enough, and doesn’t cover all mass transport drivers. What they want is for the government to deal with the high fuel prices. (Philstar.com)

Editorial

Philstar.com photo

The irony of Independence Day: When Filipinos embrace and hail their oppressors as their heroes

The Fil-Am Perspective Gel SantoS-ReloS THIS year’s celebration of Independence Day felt like there was a dark cloud hovering above the 7,100 beautiful islands of our beloved Philippines.

Where there should be pride and joy and a jubilant spirit in celebrating the day when we won our freedom from foreign intrusion and occupation of our Motherland, gloom and helplessness were the overriding emotions for many Filipinos, exacerbated by the meanness and hatred of other kababayans who live in a parallel universe. ”Alab ng puso, sa dibdib mo’y buhay” goes a line in the Philippine’s national anthem “Lupang Hinirang,” but I do not feel that burning, pulsating enthusiasm that I felt from our kababayans just before the May 9, 2022 election — the fire of hope for a better brighter Philippines seemed to have lost its flame to become a dying ember.

“Sa manlulupig, di ka pasisiil” is another popular line in “Lupang Hinirang,” which means the Filipino people will never allow ourselves and our nation to be oppressed again by its conquerors.

Our victorious bloodless revolution to fight for freedom from the Marcos dictatorship in

1986 had earned the admiration and respect of people from all over the world. Imperfect as our journey back to a true democracy — government of the people, by the people, for the people — might have been, we have gone a long way, only to transgress to where we were during Martial Law, sinking to a new low when Rodrigo Duterte was elected President, and even to a seemingly bottomless pit when Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., the son of the dictator we deposed 36 years ago, was elected to the Presidency.

Our national hero Jose Rizal once said, “Kailanman hindi ako natatakot sa mag mananakop, mas natatakot ako sa kamangmangan ng aking mga kababayan (I have never been scared of the conquerors, as I am afraid of the ignorance of my fellow Filipinos)”.

Indeed, we Filipinos have become our worst enemy toward our collective quest toward realizing and owning the clean and honest government we all have been yearning and praying for.

We may have been freed from foreign oppressors, but many of us have not realized that the chains of oppression from within us, from among us, has been the most difficult to break free from.

We have allowed our minds to be manipulated and conquered

by the conquistadores of our generation, and they were not tyrants from foreign soil. They are Filipinos.

They used the toxic arsenal of lies, disinformation, fake news, revision of history, spread by social media platforms more deadly than COVID-19. And many of us took them all in, without question, without critical thinking.

The conquistadores used our frustrations to fan the flames of hate and division, and many of us allowed our minds to be conquered by the very people who have been abusing them, violating the Constitution to rule as if they are above the law.

What is there to celebrate on Independence Day after we drank their poison wine, that made many of us believe they were the heroes, and those who fought for our freedom are the enemies of the people.

And we hailed and exalted the very people that oppressed us, the very people that abused us.

We betrayed ourselves.

When will we ever be truly free? Do we even deserve to be free? *** The opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by the author do not necessarily reflect the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints of the Asian Journal, its management, editorial board and staff.

*** Gel Santos Relos has been in news,

FLYBY. Philippine Air Force aircraft make a flyby above Rizal Park in Manila as the country commemorates it’s 124th Independence Day on Sunday, June 12. President Rodrigo Roa Duterte led the flag -raising and wreath-laying at the Rizal Park, reiterating his call for Filipinos to join hands and work together for the benefit of the country and people.

PNA photo by Joey O. Razon talk, public service and educational broadcasting since 1989. She was a news anchor, TV host and radio commentator and public service host for ABS- CBN

and DZMM. She is now working on her advocacies independently, serving the Filipino audience using different media platforms. You may contact her through

email at gelrelos@icloud.com, or send her a message via Facebook at Facebook. com/Gel.Santos.Relos. Also on Twitter, Instagram: Gel Santos Relos

With rising inflation, just say no to California’s costly Plastics Tax Initiative Commentary

Faith BautiSta LIVING in California, in good economic times, is an expensive endeavor. But, with rapid inflation and runaway home prices, the state is quickly becoming unaffordable for all but those at the top of the income pyramid. The nation’s highest gas prices, shortages of essential consumer items and rising grocery bills make it increasingly harder for working families in the Golden State to make ends meet.

Despite this reality, special interests have plans that, unless stopped, will make our current economic situation even worse. One such example

is a statewide tax initiative on this November’s ballot. Unless defeated, it will raise the cost of living by nearly $9 billion – costs borne by families and small businesses.

Thankfully, voters will decide the fate of the Plastics Tax Initiative, a new tax on plastic products, and a series of complex regulations that targets businesses and consumers.

While the initiative allegedly reduces plastic waste, it’s doubtful that its lofty goals will be achieved. For years the state has mismanaged its recycling programs despite spending billions of dollars while recycling has decreased. This initiative neither substantially improves the recycling rate nor benefits consumers. Instead, it will raise costs for businesses and consumers when we can least afford it. The scope of what’s covered under the proposed tax is immense. It

targets virtually all consumer products, from the food containers in the grocery store to diaper packaging.

One estimate highlights that the average family of four will pay $900 per year in higher costs. Given how expensive everything is now (even more expensive than last month because of inflation), most families simply cannot handle the additional burden of increased costs.

That’s why the National Asian American Coalition opposes this measure. We’ve enthusiastically joined a diverse coalition that is strongly opposed to the Plastics Tax Initiative.

Ballot box lawmaking is a risky endeavor. By circumventing the traditional legislative process, major flaws in special interest-drafted initiatives can’t be changed.

Consumers typically bear the brunt of such drafting

“errors.” The Plastics Tax is no exception.

One of our biggest concerns with the measure is its overreliance on a state bureaucracy that has failed to do its job: CalRecycle. For years, this agency has mismanaged the state’s beverage container recycling program. CalRecycle has been unable to detect fraud and has held onto huge recycling deposit surpluses that are supposed to be refunded to consumers.

Ignoring this checkered past, the Plastics Tax Initiative vests even greater authority to CalRecycle to create new programs and charge unlimited administrative expenses for implementing these new taxes.

Without radically reforming CalRecycle, all Californians will pay billions in higher taxes with little to show for it and little assurance that our tax dollars will be used as promised.

Worse still, the tax

will expand inequality.

Underserved communities are already hurt by rising prices.

The initiative will not only raise the cost of food, but it will also cost Californians goodpaying jobs. More than 40,000 California workers employed in the plastic manufacturing industry would likely see their jobs vanish. These are middleclass jobs that do not require a college degree. The initiative’s maze of mandates will squeeze in-state employers and displace these jobs to factories outside California – a lose-lose on all fronts.

If something sounds too good to be true, it usually is.

The Plastics Tax proponents hope we ignore the massive tax increase with the promise of a better tomorrow – if only we agree to their “solution” that will increase the cost of our food, ship jobs to other states and radically grow a government agency that’s

not succeeding today with a smaller mandate.

California voters need to get the facts about this tax measure and its harmful provisions. We have time before the November 2022 election. It’s time to get informed and educated. *** The opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by the author do not necessarily reflect the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints of the Asian Journal, its management, editorial board and staff. *** Faith Bautista is the president and CEO of National Asian American Coalition, a HUD-approved, program-oriented nonprofit that provides housing counseling, small business lending, and technical assistance services to minority and low-income populations. She also serves as the founder and president of National Diversity Coalition, a nonprofit advocacy organization comprised of community organizers, faith-based leaders, and business owners working collectively for greater financial equality and empowerment for underserved communities.

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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SAN DIEGO ASIAN JOURNAL • JUNE 17-23, 2022

Despite super majority, Senate won’t be rubber stamp – Angara

by CeCIlle

suerte Philstar.com

FelIpe

MANILA — Despite having a super majority, the Senate in the 19th Congress will not be a rubber stamp of the administration of president-elect Ferdinand Marcos Jr., a senator gave this assurance on Thursday, June 16.

In an interview with “The Chiefs” on OneNews, Sen. Sonny Angara said senators in the 19th Congress will be “critical collaborators” and keep the tradition of overseeing the checks and balances in the executive department.

“Just the mere fact of a super majority does not mean Congress will become a rubber stamp. So I think if you look at previous Congresses, the previous Senate even where there was a super majority,

be part of the minority, Angara described them as “two very capable senators.”

“I think we’ve been a critical collaborator or co-worker of the executive branch because the executive branch performs and the Senate… our role is to lay out the policies whereas the ones who execute the policies are the executive branch. You can’t always be opposing,” Angara said.

He added that “in the way to really achieve progress, everyone must work together on common advocacies. Common cooperation between the UMBRELLAS GALORE. A car drives under several colorful umbrellas hanging from wires on Cristobal Street in Sampaloc, Manila on Thursday, legislative and the executive June 16. Residents said people from other areas visit the place to enjoy the food choices of stalls and shop at the flea market, especially branches has resulted in very at night.

PNA photo by Ben Briones good laws over the years and benefits to our people.”

Among the fruits of this cooperation, he noted, are the laws on free tuition for college further opening of economies along with the and on universal health care. n PAGE 5 from these 10 countries accounted for 79.2 percent continued mass use of vaccines to prevent the spread of COVID-19 are also expected to continue of all cash remittances for the four-month period.

The BSP forecasts a 4-percent increase in to lend support to the growth prospects for cash remittances this year, citing “projected OFW remittances.” (By Mayvelin U. Caraballo/ improvements in global growth prospects and ManilaTimes.net) n business in the Philippines and international markets, where off-premise channels like delivery contributed significantly to total sales,” Gomez said.

Another strategy Jollibee implemented is opening off-premise outlets. These include Delivery and Takeout Only (DelTo) stores such as that of Greenwich and Panda Express in the country.

“We have also launched the Jollibee Cloud Kitchens in key locations like Singapore and the U.S. to make delivery even more efficient,” Gomez said.

The Jollibee Group also accelerated menu innovations such as ready-to-cook products and group meals offered at good value so that its customers can enjoy all these in the safety of their own homes.

Gomez said consumer needs are evolving, thus, the need for marketing pivots. These needs will continue to evolve even after the pandemic, he said.

“The global pandemic brought about several shifts in consumer habits and these changes happened swiftly. Our challenge was to quickly respond to these changes so we can continue delivering taste and value superiority to our customers amid a crisis,” Gomez said.

At present, the Jollibee Group has eight wholly owned brands; Jollibee, Chowking, Greenwich, Red Ribbon, Mang Inasal, Yonghe King, Hong Zhuang Yuan, Smashburger; six franchised brands (Burger King, Panda Express, PHO24, and Yoshinoya in the Philippines; Dunkin’ and Tim Ho Wan in certain territories in China); 80 percent ownership in The Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf; and 60 percent in the SuperFoods Group that owns Highlands Coffee and PHO24. n

administration measures were also scrutinized, and some may have been passed, but they were in a form that was not necessarily the form originally proposed by Malacañang,” Angara pointed out.

“So I think that is the role of the Senate that makes it very unique in our democracy, and that’s a role we want to preserve,” he added.

He assured the public that the role of the Senate to ensure checks and balances in the executive department will not disappear during Marcos’ time.

Angara noted that the Senate also did not approve the reimposition of death penalty even when the Duterte administration was also pushing for it.

Although only Sen. Aquilino Pimentel III and Sen. Risa Hontiveros indicated plans to

Jollibee continues international expansion

by IrIs

Gonzales Philstar.com

MANILA — The Jollibee Group, a Filipinoowned Asian food conglomerate, will continue with its sustained and aggressive international expansion on the back of easing restrictions in global markets and businesses worldwide.

Jollibee Group chief marketing officer Daniel Gomez said their strategic pivots in marketing helped the company overcome the challenges brought about by the health crisis, which led to its continuous store openings, growth, and profitability.

These initiatives, he said, would continue as it enabled Jollibee to report a net income of P5.9 billion last year, a reversal of the P11.5 billion loss recorded in the previous year. Its operating income amounted to P6.3 billion, about the same level in 2019 or pre-pandemic, which was P6.5 billion.

“With these encouraging results, we are more determined to continue improving our marketing strategies and sharpening our customer focus so we can sustain the growth momentum and help the Jollibee Group emerge as a stronger organization, even postpandemic,” Gomez said.

During the pandemic, the Jollibee Group’s marketing team shifted to a digital-first media strategy to align its marketing communication with its customers’ media consumption habits.

One of its major marketing pivots is the improvement in the takeout and delivery channels of its various stores and brands.

This initiative, Gomez said, proved effective in driving sales at the height of the pandemic in 2020.

“This was the scenario we saw in our

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OFW remittances fall to 11-month...

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JUNE 17-23, 2022 • SAN DIEGO ASIAN JOURNAL

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CHR reminds PNP: Dissent is part of a vibrant democracy

by Beatrice

Pinlac Inquirer.net

CHECKPOINT. Lieutenant Alnor Tagara, Quezon City Police District (QCPD) Station 10 Police Community Precinct-2 (PCP-2) Commander, checks the documents presented by a rider at a police checkpoint along Mother Ignacia Avenue in Quezon City on Thursday, June 16.

Checkpoints are set up for police visibility and to deter riding-in-tandem criminals.

PNA photo by Joey O. Razon

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LEGAL SERVICES FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT NO. 2022-9011468

PHO KHA located at 2424 Hoover Ave., Suite K, National City, CA 91950.

Registrant: PHO KHA INC, 8718 Longwood St., San Diego, CA 92126.

This business is conducted

by Corporation.

REGISTRANT FIRST BEGUN TO TRANSACT BUSINESS UNDER THE NAME(S) AS OF 05/17/2022.

Signature: Hai Phuong Tran.

Statement filed with Recorder/County Clerk of San Diego County on 05/17/2022.

AJ 957 05/27, 06/03, 06/10, 06/17/2022.

AJSD#957

MANILA — The Commission on Human Rights (CHR) has renewed its call for the Philippine National Police (PNP) to continue protecting people’s freedom of expression and rights.

CHR Executive Director Atty. Jacqueline Ann de Guia expressed concern over the statement of PNP officer-incharge Lt. Gen. Vicente Danao Jr. that only pro-administration rallies are allowed near the inuaguration of President-elect Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.’s on June 30 at the National Museum of Fine Arts in Manila.

“While we note his concern in keeping the inauguration orderly, CHR continues to stress the primacy of upholding human rights, as similarly stressed by the President-elect himself during a meeting with the United Nations Resident Coordinator in the Philippines on Friday, 10 June 2022,” De Guia said in a statement on Wednesday, June 15.

“The freedom of speech, of expression, and the right of the people peaceably to assemble are guaranteed rights under the 1987 Constitution.

These rights are meant to be enjoyed by all—regardless of whether they express dissent or support, may it be spoken

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT NO. 2022-9010642

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Registrant:Alberto Paniagua, 22 E. Olympia Court, Chula Vista, CA 91911.

This business is conducted

by Individual.

REGISTRANT FIRST BEGUN TO TRANSACT BUSINESS UNDER THE NAME(S) AS OF 05/06/2022.

Signature: Alberto Paniagua.

Statement filed with Recorder/County Clerk of San Diego County on 05/06/2022.

AJ 959 05/27, 06/03, 06/10, and 06/17/2022.

AJSD 959

CASE NUMBER: 37-2022-00019612-CU-PT-CTL

TO ALL INTERESTED PERSONS: Petitioner Sonia Vilmorin filed a petition with this court for a decree changing names as follows: a. Sonia Vilmorin to Sofia Cohen Gindi.

THE COURT ORDERS that all persons interested in this matter appear before this court at the hearing indicated below to show cause, if any, why the petition for change of name should not be granted. Any person objecting to the name changes described above must file a written objection that includes the reasons for the objection at least two court days before the matter is scheduled to be heard and must appear at the hearing to show cause why the petition should not be granted. If no written objection is timely filed, the court may grant the petition without a hearing.

NOTICE OF HEARING Date: 07/11/2022 Time: 8:30 AM Dept. 61 Superior Court of California, County of San Diego 330 WEST BROADWAY DEPT. 61 San Diego, CA 92101 A copy of this Order to Show Cause shall be published at least once each week for four successive weeks prior to the date set for hearing on the petition in the following newspaper of general circulation printed in this county.

Asian Journal: MAY 24, 2022 NO HEARING WILL OCCUR ON ABOVE DATE: SEE ATTACHMENT Michael T. Smyth Judge of the Superior Court AJ 960 05/27, 06/03, 06/10, 06/17/2022 ATTACHMENT TO ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME (JC Form #NC-120) NO HEARING WILL OCCUR ON THE DATE SPECIFIED IN THE ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE. The Court will review the documents filed as of the date specified on the Order to Show Cause for Change of Name (JC Form #NC-120).

If all requirements for a name change have been met as of the date specified, and no timely written objection has been received (required at least two court days before the date specified), the Petition for Change of Name (JC Form #NC-100) will be granted without a hearing. One certified copy of the Order Granting Petition will be mailed to the petitioner.

If all the requirements have not been met as of the date specified, the Court will mail the petitioner a written order with further directions.

If timely objection is filed, the Court will set a hearing date and contact the parties by mail with further directions.

A RESPONDENT OBJECTING TO THE NAME CHANGE, MUST FILE A WRITTEN OBJECTION AT LEAST TWO COURT DAYS (excluding weekends and holidays) BEFORE THE DATE SPECIFIED. Do not come to court on the specified date. The court will notify the parties by mail of a future hearing date.

Any Petition for the name change of a minor, that is signed by only one parent, must have this Attachment served along with the Petition and Order to Show Cause, on the other, non-signing parent, and proof of service must be filed with the Court.

AJSD#960

Vangie’s Shuttle located at 7425 Alsacia St., San Diego, CA 92139.

Registrant: Evangeline A. Carino, 7425 Alsacia St., San Diego, CA 92139.

This business is conducted

by Individual.

REGISTRANT HAS NOT BEGUN TO TRANSACT BUSINESS UNDER THE NAME(S) ABOVE. Signature Evangeline A. Carino.

Statement filed with Recorder/County Clerk of San Diego County on 05/26/2022.

AJ 961 06/03, 06/10, 06/17, and 06/24/2022. AJSD#961

been clarified by PNP director for operations Maj. Gen. Valeriano de Leon, saying they were merely being cautious of left-leaning groups.

“We have no problem on that dahil mayroong namang [karapatan] ang mga kababayan na gustong mag-air ng kanilang mga hinaing at issues,” he said in a Wednesday press briefing.

“But what we are worried about is ‘yong mahaluan ito ng mga left-leaning groups.”

(We have no problem on that because they have the right to air-out their concerns and issues, but what we are worried about is the possibility of the presence of left-leaning groups in these rallies.) n

LEGAL SERVICES

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT NO. 2022-9011377

a. Cotija Mexican Food located at 7695 Broadway, Lemon Grove, CA 91945. b. Cotija Taco Shop No 6 located at 7695 Broadway, Lemon Grove, CA 91945.

Registrant: Gonzalo F Gonzalez, 4618 Barrington Ct., Bonita, CA 91902.

This business is conducted

by Individual.

REGISTRANT FIRST BEGUN TO TRANSACT BUSINESS UNDER THE NAME(S) AS OF 03/17/1978.

Signature: Gonzalo F Gonzalez.

Statement filed with Recorder/County Clerk of San Diego County on 05/16/2022.

AJ 962 06/03, 06/10, 06/17, and 06/24/2022. AJSD#962

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT NO. 2022-9012361

Jonna Bon Bon located at 2426 F St., San Diego, CA 92102.

Registrant: Kenneth Taylor, 2426 F St., San Diego, CA 92102.

This business is conducted by Individual.

REGISTRANT HAS NOT BEGUN TO TRANSACT BUSINESS UNDER THE NAME(S) ABOVE. Signature: Kenneth Taylor.

Statement filed with Recorder/County Clerk of San Diego County on 05/27/2022.

AJ 963 06/03, 06/10, 06/17, and 06/24/2022.

AJSD#963

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT NO. 2022-9012457

PHUONG NGA located at 4016 54th Street, San Diego, CA 92105.

Registrant: PHUONG NGA INC, 4016 54th Street, San Diego, CA 92105.

This business is conducted by Corporation.

REGISTRANT FIRST BEGUN TO TRANSACT BUSINESS UNDER THE NAME(S) AS OF 05/17/2013.

Signature: Nga Pham.

Statement filed with Recorder/County Clerk of San Diego County on 05/31/2022.

AJ 964 06/03, 06/10, 06/17, and 06/24/2022.

AJSD#964

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT NO. 2022-9012189

or in any other form,” the CHR executive added.

De Guia also reiterated that during protests, police authorities must “practice maximum tolerance” and adhere to directions on peaceful dispersal if deemed necessary.

“CHR reminds our government leaders and authorities that criticism or dissent is part of a vibrant and functioning democracy,” she further stressed.

The commission, at the same time, echoed the call for rallyists to “never resort to violence or harm” when exercising their inalienable rights.

Danao’s sentiment has since

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT NO. 2022-9012458

a. PHUONG NGA 2 located at 9353 Clairemont Mesa Blvd. H1, San Diego, CA 92123. b. PHUONG NGA Bakery and Cafe located at 9353 Clairemont Mesa Blvd. H1, San Diego, CA 92123.

Registrant: PHUONG NGA INC, 4016 54th Street, San Diego, CA 92105.

This business is conducted

by Corporation.

REGISTRANT FIRST BEGUN TO TRANSACT BUSINESS UNDER THE NAME(S) AS OF 10/26/2020.

Signature: Nga Pham.

Statement filed with Recorder/County Clerk of San Diego County on 05/31/2022.

AJ 965 06/03, 06/10, 06/17, and 06/24/2022. AJSD#965

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT NO. 2022-9011090

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT NO. 2022-9012934

STATEMENT OF ABANDONMENT OF USE OF FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT NO. 2022-9012639

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT NO. 2022-901210

a. NLE, LMFT located at 1855 First Avenue, Suite 103, San Diego, CA 92101. b. N. LE, LMFT located at 1855 First Avenue, Suite 103, San Diego, CA 92101.

Registrant: Nancy Le, 46914 Kramer Street.

This business is conducted

by Individual.

REGISTRANT FIRST BEGUN TO TRANSACT BUSINESS UNDER THE NAME(S) AS OF 01/03/2022.

Signature: Nancy Le, LMFT. Statement filed with Recorder/County Clerk of San Diego County on 05/12/2022.

AJ 968 06/10, 06/17, 06/24, and 07/01/22.

AJSD#968

San Diego Toastmasters 7 located at 4649 Hawley Blvd., San Diego, CA 92116.

Registrant: Toastmasters International, 9127 S. Jamaica Street, Suite 400, Englewood, CO 80112.

This business is conducted

by Corporation.

REGISTRANT FIRST BEGUN TO TRANSACT BUSINESS UNDER THE NAME(S) AS OF 08/18/2016.

Signature: Lynette Benitez.

Statement filed with Recorder/County Clerk of San Diego County on 06/06/2022.

AJ 971 06/10, 06/17, 06/24, and 07/01/2022. AJSD#971

DMG Packings located at 12665 Camino Mira del Mar #212, San Diego, CA 92130.

THE FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME REFERRED TO ABOVE WAS FILED IN SAN DIEGO COUNTY ON: 10/25/2021, and assigned File no. 2021-9024040 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME IS BEING ABANDONED BY: Marcos Lencioni, 12665 Camino Mira del Mar #212, San Diego, CA 92130.

Signature: Marcos Lencioni.

Statement filed with Recorder/County Clerk of San Diego County on 06/02/2022.

AJ 969 06/10, 06/17, 06/24, and 07/01/2022.

AJSD#969

ALLPRO COATING located at 2500 B Ave. Apt#12, National City, CA 91950.

Registrant: ALLPRO COATING, 2500 B Ave. Apt#12, National City, CA 91950.

This business is conducted by Corporation.

REGISTRANT HAS NOT BEGUN TO TRANSACT BUSINESS UNDER THE NAME(S) ABOVE. Signature: Juan Alejandro Rios Manriquez.

Statement filed with Recorder/County Clerk of San Diego County on 05/25/2022.

AJ 966 06/03, 06/10, 06/17, and 06/24/2022.

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT NO. 2022-9011921

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT NO. 2022-9011763

DMG Packings located at 12665 Camino Mira del Mar #212, San Diego, CA 92130.

Registrant: DMG Packings LLC, 12665 Camino Mira del Mar #212, San Diego, CA 92130.

This business is conducted

by Limited Liability Company.

REGISTRANT FIRST BEGUN TO TRANSACT BUSINESS UNDER THE NAME(S) AS OF 10/25/2021.

Signature: Marcos Lencioni.

Statement filed with Recorder/County Clerk of San Diego County on 05/24/2022.

AJ 970 06/10, 06/17, 06/24, and 07/01/2022.

AJSD#970

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT NO. 2022-9011422

GoCryo located at 7807 Convoy Court #103, San Diego, CA 92111.

Registrant: Nextgen Cryo Inc., 7807 Convoy Court #103, San Diego, CA 92111.

This business is conducted

by Corporation.

REGISTRANT FIRST BEGUN TO TRANSACT BUSINESS UNDER THE NAME(S) AS OF 11/16/2018.

Signature: Mark Amparo.

Statement filed with Recorder/County Clerk of San Diego County on 05/17/2022.

AJ 956 05/27, 06/03, 06/10, 06/17/2022.

AJSD#956

AJSD#966

Sprits Of St Germain located at 3251 Holiday Ct., Ste 101, La Jolla, CA 92037.

Registrant: Hyon S. Song, 3563 Voyager Circle, San Diego, CA 92130.

This business is conducted

by Individual.

REGISTRANT FIRST BEGUN TO TRANSACT BUSINESS UNDER THE NAME(S) AS OF 08/11/2015.

Signature: Hyon Sook Song.

Statement filed with Recorder/County Clerk of San Diego County on 05/20/2022.

AJ 967 06/03, 06/10, 06/17, and 06/24/2022. AJSD#967

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT NO. 2022-901810

Koi Sushi located at 1430 E. Plaza Blvd., Ste E7B, National City, CA 91950.

Registrant: JZ Food Inc, 1430 E. Plaza Blvd., Ste E7B, National City, CA 91950.

This business is conducted

by Corporation.

REGISTRANT HAS NOT BEGUN TO TRANSACT BUSINESS UNDER THE NAME(S) ABOVE. Signature Jian Zheng.

Statement filed with Recorder/County Clerk of San Diego County on 05/23/2022.

AJ 958 05/27, 06/03, 06/10, and 06/17/2022.

AJSD#958

SAN DIEGO

(818) 502-0651 • (619) 474-0588 • http://www.asianjournal.com

SAN DIEGO ASIAN JOURNAL • JUNE 17-23, 2022

JOURNAL

9

9

J U N E 1 7, 2 0 22

Fil-Am collaborates with Vans to design shoes inspired by father’s immigration story

by Donnabelle

GatDula arevalo / AJPress

L

OS ANGELES – When Filipino American artist and graphic designer DJ Javier was designing the shoes for his biggest collaboration with shoe manufacturing giant, Vans, all he could think about was to pay tribute to his father, Liberato.

On this Father’s Day 2022, Javier wants to remember all his dad’s sacrifices and hard work being one of the first generation immigrants in America who opted to leave the Philippines and seek greener pastures to be able to give a better life for his family.

Javier’s father, along with his mom and two older siblings, migrated in United States in the early 80’s on a work visa as an accountant. Javier and another sister were born here.

“I’m inspired most by my dad and what he has put in to build a better life for our family,” he said.

The 29-year-old is recalling his father’s sacrifices uprooting his family to a new country.

DJ Javier shows off collaboration with shoe brand Vans, as a tribute to his father and Filipino “He really sacrificed everything and I feel heritage.

Photos courtesy of DJ Javier like this collaboration is like a fruit of him coming here in the U.S. If he hadn’t come here, who knows, I wouldn’t have been born and pursued art and so just seeing him worked so hard to give me and my siblings and my mom a better life I think that is a direct result of where I am in my career right now,” said Javier.

Javier also simply admires his father’s work ethics which he tries to replicate in all his works and projects.

“Even though we have different career path, I think a lot of my work ethics comes from my dad. He always does his best. He never does just an okay job. If he’s gonna do something, he does it well. So in whatever I do, whether it’s a big project, a mural, a painting, I am always inspired by how my dad works. If I’m gonna do something, I’m gonna do it right the first time,” he said, when asked who is his greatest inspiration.

Liberato, who came from San Pablo City in Laguna, Philippines, now owns and runs a telecommunication business.

Over a year and a half ago, Javier sealed a Vans slip ons and high tops sharing Javier’s deal with Vans, an American manufacturer of skateboarding shoes and apparel, to design designs A pair of Vans slides designed by Javier

DJ Javier and father Liberato

three kinds of shoes: a slip-on, a high top and a slides. Two of these, the slip-on and high top shoes, have already been released to the market earlier this June. The slides will be out by next month.

A graduate of Bachelor of Arts in Graphic Design in 2015 at Azusa Pacific University, Javier is known for his bold artwork that blur lines between fine arts and graphic design.

In designing this big project with Vans, Javier drew up his design idea by combining traditional and diverse Filipino culture with his influences in Southern California where he grew up in. Growing up, Javier used to go skateboarding, drawing graffiti with his friends, and playing rap music. Now, he is in to surfing.

Javier lives in Santa Barbara, California most of his life and now with his wife Courtney and son, Duke.

“Every design element in this collection is rooted in my Filipino culture, from the Filipino flag checkerboard, Carabao (Water Buffalo), and Sampaguita (Philippine National Flower) on the Sk8-Hi, to the warrior and rice field worker on the slip-on, to the bamboo “Nipa Hut” scene on the slides,” Javier said in a Facebook post.

His dad’s life experiences were also incorporated in his shoe designs.

“This project represents Filipino culture, identity and Filipino people. It represents the immigrant story,” he said. “This only goes to show that Filipinos are tough and resilient.”

Javier is thankful that his dad is appreciating all his works and arts. “My dad is now my biggest fan and supporter, and I am honored to tell our story and hopefully encourage the many Filipinos, Asian Americans and first generation immigrants who share this same story.”

He is also overjoyed by the overwhelming response that his shoe collection has been receiving from all over the world. “I was checking out the Vans website and I’ve seen that about 2/3 of the slip-on designs have been sold out and the high tops are halfway sold out,” he said.

He said he had been receiving warm messages from Filipinos all over the world who would want to purchase his Vans’ shoe collection.

“I got a lot of messages from complete strangers telling me how excited they are. I feel truly honored to be able to work on this and put it out in the world and see a sense of pride. These Filipino people that I have never met, they can see the story and they see it as this is my moment as well and that’s one thing that I am really excited about. As much as I wanna say that this is my project,

u PAGE 10

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JUNE 17-23, 2022 • SAN DIEGO ASIAN JOURNAL

SBA Administrator Isabella Casillas Guzman

Milan-based Filipino designer invited to Asia Pacific Fashion Week 2022 in Los Angeles, Las Vegas

File photo/www.sba.gov

Four million hard-hit businesses approved for nearly $390-B in COVID Economic Injury Disaster Loans

SBA delivered an unprecedented level of economic aid to small businesses impacted by the pandemic WASHINGTON, DC – As the country continues to transition from a historic economic recovery to stable, steady growth that works for families and small businesses, Administrator Isabella Casillas Guzman, the voice for America’s 32.5 million small businesses in President Biden’s Cabinet, highlighted the impact of the SBA’s COVID Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL). Through the life of the program, the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) disbursed approximately $390 billion to nearly four million small businesses and nonprofits.

Taken together with the American Rescue Plan-funded programs – the Restaurant Revitalization Fund, the Shuttered Venue Operators Grant, the COVID EIDL Targeted and Supplemental Advance Grants, and the Paycheck Protection Program – COVID EIDL, which was often used for critical business operations such as making payroll, has helped small businesses power historic economic growth. In the first three quarters of 2021, small businesses with fewer than 50 employees created 1.9 million jobs, the fastest nine-month start in any year on record.

This historic level of investment in saving our small business economy has resulted in high marks of trust in the SBA among the American public.

“The SBA has delivered historic economic relief to millions of America’s small businesses through the COVID Economic Injury Disaster Loan program,” said Administrator Guzman.

“President Biden believes we can deliver government services and ensure critical relief gets into the hands of those who need it the most with equity, speed, and certainty. We delivered on his vision by revamping the COVID EIDL program to expand the delivery of low-interest, flexible loans to meet the continued needs of small businesses for financial relief so they could recover. At the same time, we enhanced anti-fraud measures to protect taxpayer dollars and ensure that funds benefited those Congress intended to help. Nearly 90 percent of loans went to small businesses with 10 employees or less, which tend to include the hardest-hit and most underserved populations. The hardworking team members of the SBA and the Biden-Harris Administration will continue to use every tool at their disposal to support small business owners.”

Helping hard-hit small businesses survive and thrive Under the Biden-Harris Administration, Administrator Guzman has made it her top priority to deliver relief quickly and equitably, make COVID EIDL more flexible, and streamline the application process. At the same time, the fraud controls introduced under Administrator Guzman’s leadership have ensured the SBA can fight fraud by identifying and mitigating fraud risks.

Under Administrator Guzman’s leadership, the SBA: • Eliminated an Over One Million Applicant Backlog. Eliminating a one million+ applicant backlog and reducing application processing to an average of two-three weeks which is faster than industry

http://www.asianjournal.com • (818) 502-0651 • (619) 474-0588

timeframes.

• Instituted Changes to Increase Loan Processing Volumes. Under streamlined processes, the SBA processed $1 billion of relief to 50,000 small business owners per day at peak stages, dwarfing the processing volumes of the world’s largest financial institutions.

• Established a 30-Day Exclusivity Window. To ensure the smallest of businesses had additional time to access these funds, the SBA implemented a 30-day exclusivity window for approving and disbursing funds for loans of $500,000 or less, after the cap was increased to $2 million.

• Increased the COVID EIDL Cap. The SBA lifted the COVID EIDL loan cap to $2 million for eligible applicants.

Loan funds can be used for any normal operating expenses and working capital, including payroll, purchasing equipment, and making debt payments.

• Implemented Deferred Payment Periods. To assist small businesses struggling to make ends meet, the SBA established extended deferred payment periods so small business owners will not have to begin COVID EIDL repayment until 30 months after loan origination.

• Expanded Eligible Use of Funds. Recognizing the importance of capital flexibility, the SBA made COVID EIDL funds eligible to prepay commercial debt and for payments on federal business debt.

• Instituted Industry Best Practices to Reduce Fraud. To ensure federal relief dollars reached the small businesses Congress intended to help, the SBA instituted anti-fraud measures, including IRS verified tax returns and checking Treasury’s Do Not Pay List.

Staff review of loans flagged for possible fraud has protected taxpayer dollars and led to the referral of suspected fraud to federal law enforcement authorities.

The SBA remains committed to increasing capital for small businesses, including those in underserved communities. Small business owners still seeking assistance can participate in the Community Advantage loan-guarantee program, the 7(a) and 504 loan programs, or connect with their local SBA field office to get connected to an SBA lender that can best meet their capital needs and/ or a Community Navigator to get connected to additional small business resources. For additional information on SBA funding opportunities, please visit www.sba.gov/fundingprograms.

The U.S. SBA helps power the American dream of business ownership. As the only go-to resource and voice for small businesses backed by the strength of the federal government, the SBA empowers entrepreneurs and small business owners with the resources and support they need to start, grow or expand their businesses, or recover from a declared disaster. It delivers services through an extensive network of SBA field offices and partnerships with public and private organizations. To learn more, visit www.sba.gov.

(SBA Release) n

MILAN-BASED Filipino young designer Lionell Christian Lanuzo comes across as a humble man with a strong desire to accomplish his job with excellence and passion.

Christian, as he is known among his friends, is one of the designers to be showcased at Asia Pacific Fashion Week 2022, a global platform for emerging designers to be held in Los Angeles and Las Vegas in August 2022.

He is the chief designer of his own fashion house, LCL, a brand that specializes in luxe wear with a neo-ethnic flair.

Christian was born in the Pampanga province in the Philippines, and migrated to Italy when he was thirteen years old. He graduated from Milan’s Instituto Tecnico Industriale Ettore Molinare with a diploma in Industrial Chemistry. It was no easy task to study in Italy, let alone chemistry!

But having finished his academic goal with flying colors, it was now time to focus on his love of art and fashion. It’s no coincidence that the Italian city Christian chose to reside in is Milan, one of the world’s fashion capitals.

Christian is only 34 years old today, yet his ambition to make art dates back to his childhood years. He began his fashion career by creating designs for beauty pageants in Italy. But, since then, he’s wanted to test his ability to think beyond the box and accomplish things that would stretch his creativity.

He started by creating gowns made from unconventional materials such as paper, plastic spoons or shells. His aesthetics are decidedly wild but detailed, and he has an eye for intricacy and construction that make his work stand out.

Since graduating, he’s been making waves in the fashion world and making the Philippines proud. The Bayanihan (communal unity) spirit of Filipinos shines within Christian as he wowed the European audience at the “Lange Nacht der Konsulate” (Long Night of the Consulates) in Stuttgart, Germany with creations made of capiz (natural seashells), sigay (another type of shell), paper foils, and barong (type of dress) with beads and pearls.

Christian has also participated in other fashion events in Europe, such as the “MultiEthnic Fashion 2018” event in Rome, with other stylists from all over the world.

As a patriotic Filipino, Christian wants to show that Filipino designers are talented and worthy of their own space in the global

PEARL OF THE ORIENT. This modern rendition of the Philippine terno is festooned with over 7,000 pieces of pearls, representing the 7000-plus islands that comprise the Philippines, worn by model Celine Z. Photo by Theresa Sujata Senti

NEO-ETHNIC FASHION. Lionell Christian Lanuzo celebrates Filipino culture in his designs by using neo-ethnic Philippine textiles made of natural or indigenous materials. Shot on location in Bern, Switzerland featuring model Magali Alcantara.

Photo by Roger Schnorf

fashion industry, particularly in Italy.

Christian has now evolved as a designer, despite being new in the fashion business.

His ball gowns, evening gowns, and “modern Barong Tagalog” now show his evolution towards creating fashion-forward garments made of traditional textiles, as opposed to his customary non-conventional materials.

Like the works of Christian, the range of designs within the Filipino community is unlike any other. But what makes them extra special is their subtle nod they make to their culture.

Indeed, Christian and many patriotic Filipino designers like him are drawing welldeserved attention to Filipino glam. Asia Pacific Fashion Week (APFW) will be their newest global platform to showcase the diversity of their designs.

Asia Pacific Fashion Week: A global platform To showcase Christian’s most recent work, One Global Management Company Inc. – in cooperation with the Philippine Consulate General in Los Angeles, Philippine Department of Trade and Industry-Los Angeles office, Center for International Trade Expositions and Missions (CITEM) and The Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel – proudly

UNCONVENTIONAL FASHION. Lionell Christian Lanuzo (left) started by creating gowns made from unconventional materials such as paper, shells or feathers.

Photo courtesy of LCL

MAJESTIC GOLD. An ultra-modern interpretation of the Philippine Terno, with its iconic butterfly sleeves rendered not in fabric, but in gold wire worn by model Suki Ai. Photo by Theresa Sujata Senti

presents Asia Pacific Fashion Week (APFW) in two iconic American cities.

The first show is on August 6 (Saturday), at 4 p.m., at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel, a historic landmark on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in the heart of Los Angeles.

The second show is on August 13 (Saturday), at 4 p.m., at the Decades Event Center, located in Vegas Pointe Plaza, Unit 168, 9175 S Las Vegas Blvd., Las Vegas.

The Los Angeles leg of APFW enjoys the support of Asian Journal Publications, Inc. Trending Beverages Inc., Napa Valley Distribution Inc., Montemaria Cellars, House of Pacquiao Wine, Individual Health Care, Lombard by the Bay, MTS Law Firm, Premier Asia Pacific Real Estate & Development, and Tina Modeling.

The Las Vegas edition is co-produced

by InterEdx, a dba of Dynasty Exchange Ltd. LLC., headed by Dr. Lee Dedicatoria, in cooperation with Asia on Earth, Dynasty Ventures, Club Paradisia, World Edoption, Royal Blue Staffing, Lend with Love and Decades Event Center.

(Advertising Supplement)

PINTADOS. An interpretation of pre-colonial aesthetics inspired by “pintados,” the term Spanish colonizers used to describe the heavily-tattooed natives of pre-colonial Philippines, as worn by model Erica Paula Castillo.

Photo couresy of LCL

GMA Network’s ‘The World Between Us’ becomes the first Filipino language title on Amazon Freevee ASIA’S Multimedia Star Alden Richards’ hit Kapuso program “The World Between Us” will now be available for streaming on Amazon Freevee starting June 22, 2022 in the United States.

Amazon Freevee, formerly IMDb TV, is a streaming video service with thousands of premium movies and TV shows, including Originals and FAST channels, available anytime, for free.

For its premiere offering, GMA International will launch “The World Between Us,” a romance drama series that proves that no matter how deep our divide is, true love can bridge it all.

The series follows the story of Luisito “Louie” Asuncion (Alden Richards) and Emilia “Lia” Libradilla (Jasmine Curtis Smith). Louie and Lia grew up together at the home of the Libdradillas – they will both feel that they are destined for each other but there are people keen on keeping them apart.

Joining Louie and Lia in proving the power of true love is Kapuso versatile actor Tom Rodriguez in an off-beat role, portraying the character of Lia’s older brother, Bryan.

The series also stars award-winning actors, including Dina Bonnevie, Sid Lucero, and 2016 Cannes Best Actress Jaclyn Jose

Nikki looks back on doing her cake business amid the pandemic

ACTRESS Nikki Valdez bakes cakes as a business, and with the heightened restrictions last year due to the pandemic, she hurdled problems which she was able to find solutions to.

Valdez has returned to her cake business which she started in 2015 and shared her experience via her Instagram page on Wednesday, June 15, where she showed some photos of her creations.

“I [realized] I haven’t posted my cake creations in [a while] so here goes! Sorry if I will be flooding your timeline. I haven’t been feeling my usual self lately and doing this helps me appreciate my past errors and struggles— that you shouldn’t be too hard on yourself and downfalls are temporary ONLY if you push yourself to pick up the pieces again,” she said.

She recalled that she created a cake in September 2021 “at the height of the pandemic when it was so hard to cross borders from Manila.”

“This was supposed to be an all

under the direction of critically acclaimed director, Dominic Zapata.

“We appreciate this growing partnership, and are thrilled to have one of our hit programs on their AVOD service Amazon Freevee. It is a testament that GMA Pinoy TV in providing world-class entertainment that Filipinos all over the world truly deserve,” says GMA International’s First VP and Head of Operations, Joseph T. Francia.

Freevee is available as an app on Fire TV, Fire Tablets, and as a free Channel within Prime Video, across hundreds of devices.

Freevee is also available as an app on third party devices including Roku, Samsung smart TVs (2017-2021 models), Apple TV 4K, Apple TV HD, Comcast’s Xfinity Flex, Xfinity X1, Chromecast with Google TV, NVIDIA SHIELD and other Android TV devices, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 consoles, as well as LG Smart TVs (2018-2021 models). The app is also available on iPhone, iPad, and Android mobile devices.

For more details about Amazon Freevee, visit www.amazon.com/ freevee. For more information on how to watch Kapuso programs overseas, visit www.gmapinoytv.com/subscribe or follow GMA Pinoy TV on social media. n

edible 3-tiered naked cake which I usually stack at the venue itself but due to heightened restrictions during that time, I had to come up with a solution that would not disappoint my client,” she recalled.

It took Valdez three “grueling days” before she can finish the cake with the help of florist The Flower Guy. “Biggest challenge was to make the dummy cake look real and make sure it arrives safely all the way to Pangasinan!” she said. “Thank goodness, it did along with the other giveaways.”

Life, for Valdez, is “never meant to be easy; setbacks are inevitable but if you constantly teach yourself to find ways and not give up easily, you will surely rise after each fall.”

Aside from baking cakes, the actress is also into the bazaar business where she features her other food creations like Spam Rice bowls, brownies and breads. (By Alex Brosas/Inquirer.net)n

Fil-Am collaborates...

PAGE 9 it’s really not. It’s a project for all, it’s our project, it’s the Filipino people’s collaboration with Vans,” he said.

He also wants to encourage all young Filipino artists like him to try to stay authentic to their story and not waver and continue to find richness in Filipino culture and heritage.

“I think the best inspiration comes from just staying true and authentic to yourself. It’s a big thing because for me that’s why this collaboration even just in a few days have done so well because people can see that the story is true and is real to me,” he said.

Javier said he hopes to seal a more long-term collaboration with Vans. His shoe collection is available in select Vans stores and retailers across the U.S. Customers can also visit Vans.com for orders.

For interested buyers in the Philippines, they could visit select Vans stores or go to Vans Philippines’ Instagram account for more information.

At present, Javier said his company is working out another huge collaboration project. “I have a similar project with a big company that would be coming out later this summer,” he said.

Javier currently owns Bayan Surf Club Inc., a multidisciplinary creative studio which does art direction, branding and identity, graphic design, illustration, artist collaborations, apparel design, murals, and fine art.

His list of clients include: L.A. Rams, L.A.FC, Adidas, Amazon, SeaVees, Paragonia, Hucberry, Coors Banquet, Surfrider Foundation, Parks Project, Teva, Vissla, Undefeated, Roark, Farm League, General Admission, True Ames. n

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SAN DIEGO ASIAN JOURNAL • JUNE 17-23, 2022

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Las Vegas to evolve as future new entertainment, sports capital of the world

By RealtoR

Fely Quitevis-Bateman

THE potential is great for Las Vegas, and many companies are taking the opportunity to develop projects in the city.

The Oak View Group, which is slated to build on 25 acres south of the Las Vegas Strip, recently released more details on its planned development, which it says will definitely be a game-changer – something that will “usher the evolution of Las Vegas as the new entertainment and sports capital of the world.”

A state-of-the-art privately financed sports and entertainment arena, according to a recent news report, “will set a new global standard for events in Las Vegas.” That arena will also be NBA-ready should the National Basketball Association go through with their plans to expand their league (Las Vegas

and Seattle are the two cities often mentioned as places that the NBA will expand to).

The $1 billion, 20,000-seat arena at Las Vegas Blvd. and Blue Diamond Road, will be part of a $3 billion entertainment complex that is also expected to attract major events into the city.

It will bring in a gaming partner to operate the planned hotelcasino in the development, while the group will be fully responsible for arena operations.

Aside from the arena and hotelcasino, the Oak View Group plans to build an amphitheater and convention facility.

The entire project will take about 30 months to build, and should be completed by 2026.

The site of the planned Oak View Group project is adjacent to the planned train station for a

high-speed rail of Brightline that would eventually link Las Vegas and Southern California. Just imagine the opportunities that such a project would bring to the city!

That high-speed rail project has been talked about for many years now, and it looks like the $8 billion project may be pushing forward. That will be a gamechanger for Las Vegas as it will provide a transportation mode that will be clean energy – on zero-emission electric trains. The trip between Las Vegas and Los Angeles, which is 260 miles long, is expected to take 3 hours.

The same group that is developing the high-speed rail project is looking at the possibility of building a major league soccer stadium on vacant land adjacent to the proposed train station.

Soccer, which is a sport followed by millions of people worldwide, is gaining popularity in the United States.

That arena would bring a tremendous boost to the city and continue its journey to truly becoming a sports destination as well. Las Vegas already has football, triple AAA baseball, women’s basketball, hockey and soccer teams, among the many professional sports teams that make Las Vegas their home.

And talking about Las Vegas, the city has diversified itself to attract many other businesses and activities that present other opportunities for both residents and visitors to enjoy themselves

with. Whether it is shopping, dining, relaxation, indooroutdoor sports, walking/hiking, watching musical acts or shows or nightlife, Las Vegas is no longer just a gambler’s paradise – it is a complete travel destinatioin that needs to be experienced and savored.

That diversification has led to development in Las Vegas and to its neighboring communities, with housing extending beyond traditional boundaries. The Las Vegas skyline and the popular Strip has grown by leaps and bounds, and it will continue to do so as more projects are being planned and developed.

If you are in the market for real estate, be it land or housing, Las Vegas and its neighboring communities are worth looking at. Besides being more affordable than other high-priced cities, property values in Nevada keep improving, and that is a tremendous benefit for those looking to gain a foothold in property ownership.

Areas like Pahrump, for instance, which is 62 miles west of Las Vegas, is barely an hour’s drive. If you crave for an easier, medium-paced lifestyle away from the bustling city lights and heavy traffic, but still want access to the nightlife and various offerings that a big city houses, Pahrump may just be the ticket for you. It certainly is worth taking a look at – especially since property values in the area continue to trend upward. In fact,

Realtor Fely Quitevis-Bateman (middle) with her savvy investors both in Las Vegas and Pahrump, Dr. Philip Paleracio (left), the best dentist in Clark County and the City of Las Vegas, and Las Vegas auditor Virgilio Longakit Jr. (right). They are closing almost a million-dollar deal before June 30.

Another of Realtor Fely Quitevis-Bateman’s Turnberry Tower neighbors and clients is Gloria Estillore (right) of Cupertino, CA.

in April 2022, home prices in Pahrump were up at least 23.5% compared to last year, which median prices of homes pegged at about $395,000, per industry analysts.

Some of my clients have begun reaping the benefits of their investments – either in the uptick of property values, or through their rental properties.

Now is the perfect time to take a look at what’s out there in the market, whether it’s in bustling cities like Las Vegas or emerging towns like Pahrump. And I can assist you in your search for that perfect piece of real estate or Realtor Fely Quitevis-Bateman helps those who need business financing, including Realtor Fely Quitevis-Bateman’s (middle) young investors from Palm Springs, CA are property for your needs.

Kenneth (right) and Angelica Games (left).

Their offer of $550K for a house in Pahrump loans for small businesses. For more information, call (702) 538-4948 or send email I bring a few decades worth of was accepted by the sellers. to fely@precious-properties.com or fely.precious@gmail.com.

experience in real estate that will help you, my kababayans, in your search for real estate – whether it is for a new home, a second/ vacation home, an investment property, or a piece of land where you want to construct your dream home.

My company, Precious Properties, is a full-service company that has served its clientele since 1992. You can reach me at 775-513-8447, 805559-2476 and 702-538-4948 for more information. We have investors who buy houses in California and Nevada for cash and quick escrow in as short as 7 days.

(Advertising Supplement)

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JUNE 17-23, 2022 • SAN DIEGO ASIAN JOURNAL

http://www.asianjournal.com • (818) 502-0651 • (619) 474-0588