061921 - Los Angeles Weekend Edition

JUNE 19-22, 2021 Volume 31 - No. 48 • 2 Sections – 18 Pages

USA

DATELINE AAPI organizations, hate crime survivors call on Newsom to approve $210-M budget for community

Nat’l leaders urge US to stop military aid to PH

By AJPRESS

FROM THE AJPRESS NEWS TEAM ACROSS AMERICA

VARIOUS U.S. leaders from religious groups, labor organizations, state legislatures, and the Filipino American community are calling on the government to stop providing military aid to the Philippines due to the “relentless abuse of human rights” under the Duterte administration.

In a statement containing a total of 57 signatories as of Wednesday, June 16, they said, “We appeal to the international community, especially the United States, to help stop the relentless abuse of human rights and escalating assaults on

LA-based Filipino American candidates sound off on political, police accountability

THE California Asian Pacific Islander (API) Legislative Caucus (APILC), Stop AAPI Hate, the Commission on Asian and Pacific Islander American Affairs, and more than 150 community organizations are urging Governor Gavin Newsom to approve the $210 million API Equity Budget to support the AAPI community.

The budget, proposed by the APILC, is divided into three categories: direct response, long-term approaches, and administration and programming.

“Governor Newsom, this is a do-or-die situation,” Oakland Chinatown Chamber of Commerce President Carl Chan said in a press conference on Tuesday, June 15.

The direct response category of the budget will allocate $109.5 million to victim services and prevention including legal services, health care, mental health, vicu PAGE A2

Supreme Court declines to overturn ACA — again

THE Supreme Court on Thursday, June 17 turned back its third chance to upend the Affordable Care Act, rejecting a lawsuit filed by a group of Republican state attorneys general claiming that a change made by Congress in 2017 had rendered the entire law unconstitutional.

By a vote of 7-2, however, the justices did not even reach the merits of the case, ruling instead that the suing states and the individual plaintiffs, two self-employed Texans, lacked “standing” to bring the case to court.

“We proceed no further than standing,” wrote Justice Stephen Breyer for the majority. “Neither the individual nor the state plaintiffs have shown that the injury they will suffer or have suffered is ‘fairly traceable’ to the ‘allegedly unlawful conduct’ of which they complain.”

The two dissenters in the case, Justices Samuel Alito and Neil Gorsuch, disagreed.

“The States have clearly shown that they sufu PAGE A3

A conversation with LA City controller candidate Kenneth Mejia and CA Assembly candidate Mia Livas-Porter

by KLARIZE

MEDENILLA AJPress

DISINFECTION. Housekeeping personnel Ronalyn Cua Jabon (right) and Divine Regua (left) disinfect vacant seats at the vaccination site in Robinsons Place Novaliches, Quezon City on Friday, June 18. A total of 1,000 individuals, consisting of 500 mall employees and registered residents, were inoculated with their first dose of Sinovac jabs.

PNA photo by Ben Briones

AS political campaigns begin to ramp up for the 2022 midterm elections, Filipino American candidates are harnessing the momentum of the tumultuous last year and a half of COVID-19, the rise in anti-Asian hate crimes, and the (still-occurring) reckoning of law enforcement’s relationship with communities of color.

On Wednesday, June 18, two Filipino American Los Angeles-based candidates for office — Mia Livas-Porter, who is running to represent the California Assembly’s 51st district, and Kenneth Mejia, who is running for LA City controller — met with members of the diverse LA community to discuss their campaigns and the importance of Fil-Am representation in government.

After the appointment of Attorney General Rob Bonta u PAGE A4

142 more Filipinos living abroad Palace: ICC report based on ‘hearsay’ information contract COVID-19, says DFA MANILA — The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) reported on Friday, June 18 the COVID-19 infection of 142 more Filipinos living overseas.

The new infections pushed the COVID-19 cases among Filipinos abroad to 20,422, of which 7,109 remain under treatment.

“The spike in the number of cases is due to an increase in reported cases in Asia and the Pacific,” said the DFA. It also reported the recovery of a patient and that the total number of recovered Filipino COVID-19 patients abroad

now stands at 12,093.

Further, the DFA said an infected Filipino has died and increased the tally of fatalities to 1,220.

In the Philippines, 6,833 new cases were reported on Friday, driving the nationwide COVID-19 case count to 1,346,276.

Of these cases, 61,776 remain active while 1,261,115 have recovered. A total of 22,507 COVID-19 patients across the Philippines have died of the disease, including the 110 deaths that health authorities reported Friday. (Inquirer.net)

Romualdez open to tandem with Sara Duterte

by EDU

PUNAY Philstar.com

House Majority Leader Martin Romualdez Philstar.com photo

proposition. Standing up for human rights requires more than rhetoric, it requires action. The organizations involved in this fight demonstrate why it is so crucial. They span spectrum from grassroots human rights organizations to faith groups, to labor unions…” Wild said in an online event organized by Malaya Movement.

The reintroduction of the PHRA came on the same day International Criminal Court (ICC) Prosecutor Fatou Bensouda sought judicial authorization from The Hague tribunal to open a full-blown investigation into the drug war killu PAGE A2

the Philippines’ constitutional democracy by the government of President Rodrigo Duterte.”

The appeal also backs the Philippine Human Rights Act (PHRA), which was reintroduced in the U.S. House of Representatives on Monday, June 14, by Representative Susan Wild of Pennsylvania’s 7th Congressional District.

The bill intends to “suspend the provision of security assistance to the Philippines” until it reforms its military and police forces.

“By blocking assistance to Philippine security forces until such time that human rights standards are met, this bill makes a common sense

Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte Malacañang photo

MANILA — With an endorsement from President Duterte, House Majority Leader Martin Romualdez said he is open to running for vice president, with Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte as administration standard-bearer in next year’s elections.

“We haven’t made any final decisions yet, but we will consider all candidates,” Romualdez said at an online press conference Thursday, June 17, when asked about their possible tandem.

The Leyte congressman is the national president of the oncedominant and now re-emerging Lakas-CMD party.

He said Lakas-CMD is allied with the Davao City mayor’s Hugpong ng Pagbabago (HNP) regional party and that they are “looking forward to strengthening” their alliance for the 2022 elections.

Still, Romualdez said he does not want to preempt Mayor Duterte, who has yet to decide whether to join the presidential race.

“First and foremost, we don’t want to preempt Mayor Inday because she has yet to make her final decision on the matter. But definitely Inday Sara, her brand of leadership, is really qualified for a national post. But we don’t want to preempt, so that question may be premature,” he explained.

He was asked if such possibility u PAGE A2

by RITCHEL

MENDIOLA

AJPress

MALACAÑANG on Wednesday, June 16, maintained that International Criminal Court (ICC) Prosecutor Fatou Bensouda’s report on the country’s drug war is based on “hearsay information.”

“We’re confident it will not prosper beyond this stage, because, in the first place, you need the cooperation of the state for a case buildup. But right now, what they have is hearsay information,” Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said in an interview on the ABS-CBN News Channel.

His statement came two days after Bensouda sought judicial authorization from The Hague tribunal to open a full-blown investigation into the drug war killings in the Philippines.

In the 57-page document released Monday, June 14, the Prosecutor said, “The Prosecution requests the Chamber to authorize the commencement of an investigation into the situation in the Philippines, in relation to crimes within the jurisdiction of the Court allegedly committed on the territory of the Philippines between 1 November 2011 and 16 March 2019 in the context of the War on Drugs campaign, as well as any other crimes which are sufficiently linked to these

events.”

For his part, Roque claimed that the sources cited in the ICC report almost came solely from the media.

“I counted and about 85 percent of sources cited by the prosecutor in the preliminary examination report came from [the] media,” he said.

“As a lawyer, we know that media sources are considered hearsay. We need to present people who have actual personal knowledge of events to prove particularly criminal liability, which is proof beyond reasonable doubt,” he added.

Roque also insisted that the deaths that happened during operations under President Rodrigo Duterte’s war on drugs were “collateral damage.”

“The reality is the alleged killings arising from the drug war were not killings intended to target civilians as such. They were collateral damage so to speak arising from a valid police operation,” he explained.

The spokesman went on to call Bensouda’s report as “fantastic,” adding that it is not based on forensic evidence.

“I find the report of Bensouda fantastic. Without resorting to forensic examination, without resorting to primary documents, relying only on media reports,

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Romualdez open to...

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would not create a conflict with his cousin, former senator Ferdinand Marcos Jr., also reportedly being eyed as runningmate of Mayor Duterte.

“I don’t foresee any conflict as what you’re anticipating. Because you know that all conflicts, problems, as long as we face them, and we talk about them, we will be able to solve the prob-

lem before it arises,” he pointed out.

Romualdez also confirmed that he and Marcos had a meeting with former president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo earlier this week and discussed the 2022 polls.

With them at the meeting on June 14 in the residence of the former president were Sen. Imee Marcos and Rep. Juan Miguel Arroyo.

http://www.asianjournal.com • (818) 502-0651 • (213) 250-9797

From the Front Page “Senator Imee was asking for some advice, and then there were exchanges, updating as to what are the plans of everyone there. It was just another get-together; catching up and exchanges of ideas. And I guess soliciting some advice,” Romualdez revealed.

The ranking lawmaker made the statement after President Duterte said he would not run for vice president – despite being pushed

by PDP-Laban party officials – and instead support Romualdez.

“If you run for vice president, I will support you. And I will hold on to that commitment,” the Chief Executive said last Wednesday, June 16, referring to Romualdez.

Romualdez was among those who flew to Davao recently to personally greet Mayor Duterte on her birthday.

Meanwhile, the camp of former defense chief Gilbert Teodoro Jr. is unfazed by the President’s public endorsement of Romualdez for the vice presidential post.

Teodoro’s spokesman, former Camarines Sur congressman Rolando Andaya Jr., dismissed the endorsement as a mere “promise” that is already “outdated.”

Andaya said the president was only keeping his word of honor after he committed to support Romualdez in the vice presidential race in settling the three-way speakership battle with Speaker Lord Allan Velasco and former speaker Alan Peter Cayetano in 2019.

He stressed that Duterte made such promise to Romualdez before his daughter emerged as a strong presidential contender.

“Things have changed dramatically. Sara wasn’t even in the picture at that time. So obviously, in other words, that promise is outdated,” he explained in an interview with House reporters via Zoom.

“Probably, President Duterte is just showing that he’s a man of his word. But deep down he knows that’s not what Sara wants,” Andaya claimed.

Andaya, who has been pushing for Mayor Duterte-Teodoro tandem for next year’s presidential election, said Teodoro is set to again fly to Davao on July 3 and meet the mayor to get his second shot of the COVID-19 vaccine.

He earlier claimed that the tandem was a “done deal,” but Teodoro and Mayor Duterte denied this, saying nothing was final yet. n

Nat’l leaders urge US to stop...

PAGE A1 ings in the Philippines..

“The worldwide United Methodist Church has long regarded the United Nations, including related bodies like the International Criminal Court as ‘the best instruments now in existence to achieve a world of justice and law,” said Rev. Dr. Liberato Bautista, Assistant General Secretary for United Nations and International Affairs General Board of Church and Society of The United Methodist Church.

“This spotlight on the Philippines by the ICC underscores the accountability of peoples — primarily those exercising power and authority — to international norms and standards that uphold human dignity and human rights,” he added.

Meanwhile, Rebecca Singleton, lawyer and former legal

extern for UN Women’s Peace and Security program, stressed that the U.S. has “a moral imperative to ensure that any of its military aid or arms sales are not used in the furtherance of human rights abuses.”

According to her, any further assistance by the U.S. government to the Duterte administration “renders the United States complicit in the atrocities being committed against Filipinos by their government.”

For her part, Loida Nicolas Lewis, National Chairperson, U.S. Filipinos for Good Governance (USFGG) urged U.S. President Joe Biden to act by sending a strong message to human rights violators.

“We call on President Biden to use the power of his office to send a strong message to human rights violators like

Duterte that America’s continued support is conditioned on his respect for democratic values,” she said.

The urgent appeal also backed Wild in stating that the U.S. foreign policy should be centered around human rights and dignity.

“As U.S. citizens, we have a long history of pressuring our government to end U.S. aid to authoritarian governments who abuse human rights and destabilize democracy. The reintroduction of the PHRA as well as the ICC’s continued investigation into Duterte’s human rights abuses add urgency to our resolve to speak out loudly, now!” said Cindy Domingo of Akbayan North America and a board member of A Legacy of Equality Leadership and Organizing (LELO), Seattle, WA. n

AAPI organizations, hate crime survivors call...

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tim’s compensation, or counseling.

Meanwhile, $20 million will be allocated to culture and economic development to revitalize Chinatowns, Japantowns, Koreatowns, and Little Manilas to beautify areas, create cultural monuments, and notify local businesses of existing grant programs. According to Assemblymember David Chiu, business in the San Francisco Chinatown has dropped by 50% since the pandemic.

Another $20 million will be used for schools, including a restorative justice pilot program that creates safe spaces for API students and staff to report hate incidents and microaggressions, higher education attainment that funds education attainment and mental health services needs for lowincome and first-generation college students, and a peer social media network to connects Californian students.

Hate crime survivors have spoken about the urgency of the plan, like 16-year-old Chinese American Millie Liao.

Liao, a high school student in the Los Angeles Unified

School District, said she has experienced anti-Asian hate since she can remember, sharing heartbreaking stories of her and her mother crying every night because kindergarteners isolating her because she could not speak English, classmates impersonating her mother at lunch, and peers making fun of her eyes.

“We can never change this part of us that people hate,” Liao said on Tuesday.

The long-term category will grant $10 million to Stop AAPI Hate, an organization created to collect data on AAPI hate incidents. $10 million will be dedicated to the Office of Racial Equity, governed by the Racial Equity Advisory and Accountability Council which focuses on advancing racial equity in state government. The California Interpreters Corps will be allocated $10 million which will allow state worker interpreters to assist limited English speakers.

Data equity will receive $10 million in order to survey AAPI experiences and social barriers. The Racial Bias Task Force will receive $500,000 which will include a 15-member

group at the California Department of Justice of stakeholders like community organizations, health/mental health providers, and law enforcement that will address hate violence and propose solutions to the Governor and State Legislature.

Interpreters are critical to increase the reporting of anti-Asian incidents and hate crimes, as language and cultural barriers often prevent survivors of hate from being able to report. The underreporting of anti-Asian violence has also prevented lawmakers from addressing the problem.

AAPI community organizations like Asian Resources Inc. and Stop AAPI Hate said they know the reports they receive do not indicate the actual scale of the issue. Nguyen said she has a folder of anonymous letters from people who are “fearful for their lives” and do not want to report their incidents.

“It’s not just about the hate in the communities,” Stop AAPI Hate co-founder and Asian Pacific Policy & Planning Council Executive Director Manjusha Kulkarni said.

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Palace: ICC report based on ‘hearsay...

PAGE A1 she came up with a fantastic conclusion that almost all of the killings were in fact they themselves were nanlaban (resisted),” Roque said.

“To me, that’s really more of fiction or perhaps, conclusions as I said early based on hearsay information,” he added.

According to Roque, the ICC will need “primary evidence” for Bensouda’s case to prosper.

“Good luck because on the basis of the preliminary examination report, they need primary evidence. And in court, whether it be international, domestic, will require primary documents and primary evidence. Not the kind

of evidence relied upon by Bensouda unfortunately,” he said.

“We’re just asserting that in this instance, there’s no jurisdiction because we never surrendered the obligation to investigate,” he added.

On Tuesday, June 15, Roque said that the Duterte administration will never cooperate with any ICC probe.

“Hinding-hindi magko-cooperate ang Presidente hanggang tapos ng kaniyang termino sa June 30, 2022 (The president will never cooperate until his term ends on June 30, 2022),” he said in press briefing.

“Hindi po natin alam kung anong magiging polisiya after

Dateline USa

agreed with the basis for the suit.

“Today’s decision is the third installment in our epic Affordable Care Act trilogy, and it follows the same pattern as installments one and two,” Alito wrote. “In all three episodes, with the Affordable Care Act facing a serious threat, the Court has pulled off an improbable rescue.”

The law, enacted in 2010, has provided coverage for about 31 million Americans. But hundreds of millions more have had their health care and coverage affected by provisions as wideranging as changes in Medicare drug copayments, requirements for calorie counts on menus, a pathway for approval of generic copies of expensive biologic drugs and, perhaps most important politically, protections for people with preexisting conditions and a ban on lifetime caps on coverage.

The Trump administration took several positions on the case. At one point it asserted that eliminating the tax required the entire law to be declared void and at another time suggested that the health law could be invalided only in the Republican-controlled states involved in the suit.

Before the death of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg last September, most court observers thought the case was highly

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5/19, 5/22, 5/26, 5/29, 6/2, 6/5, 6/9, 6/12, 6/16, 6/19, 6/23, 6/26, 6/30/21 CNS-3469379# ASIAN JOURNAL (L.A.)

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2022. ‘Yan po ay bibigyan ng kasagutan kung sino man ang susunod na Presidente ng Pilipinas (We do not know what the policy will be after 2022. That will be answered by whoever is the next president of the Philippines),” he added.

Roque also claimed that the investigation will only be “a waste of time and resources.”

“They will just waste time and resources of the court because, without cooperation from the Philippine state, they won’t be able to make a case except for one based on hearsay and from the communists and political enemies of the president,” he said. n

Supreme Court declines to overturn...

PAGE A1 fer concrete and particularized financial injuries that are traceable to conduct of the Federal Government,” Alito wrote. “The ACA saddles them with expensive and burdensome obligations, and those obligations are enforced by the Federal Government. That is sufficient to establish standing.”

The ruling represented a win not only for backers of the health law in general, but also for Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra. As California attorney general, Becerra led the Democratic states defending the ACA after the Trump administration sided with the Republican states’ suit.

It was the third time in nine years the court has been offered the opportunity to effectively end the health law — and the third time it has refused.

Democrats lauded the decision. President Joe Biden tweeted that the decision is “a big win for the American people.” Becerra, who helped write the law as a member of Congress and now is responsible for implementing it, said the decision “means that all Americans continue to have a right to access affordable care, free of discrimination.

More than 133 million people with preexisting conditions, like cancer, asthma or diabetes, can have peace of mind knowing that the health protections they rely on are safe.”

Democratic leaders in Congress said after the ruling that they plan to move ahead with efforts to expand the law — something Republicans are wary of.

“The Supreme Court’s ruling doesn’t change the reality that America’s health care system needs to be modernized to better serve patients,” said Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-Wash.).

“Instead of lurching toward socialized medicine, we should be working together to modernize our health care system with solutions like price transparency, lowering drug costs without government price control schemes, removing bureaucratic red tape and spurring more private investment for breakthrough cures and treatments.”

The case, California v. Texas, arose as a result of a provision of the tax-cut bill passed by the Republican-controlled Congress in 2017. As part of that bill, Congress reduced to zero the ACA’s penalty for not having health insurance. The requirement for coverage, often referred to as an individual mandate, was inserted into the law to give insurers a wide pool of customers since they were now required to cover people with medical conditions.

Republicans have long assailed the provision as an overreach by government.

The Republican state attorneys general argued in their suit that it was only the existence of that penalty — which the justices considered a tax — that allowed the high court to rule the law constitutional in 2012. Without the tax, the Republicans argued, not only is the mandate to have coverage unconstitutional, but the rest of the law must fall, too.

At oral arguments in the case last November, several of the conservative justices made clear they were not buying what the Republicans were selling.

On the standing issue, Chief Justice John Roberts asked whether someone would be able to sue to overturn a law requiring homeowners to mow their lawns — even if that law had no penalty. His clear suggestion was that such a person would have no case.

At issue also was the question of whether the rest of the law could stand if the justices believed that those bringing the case did have standing and if the requirement to have health insurance was unconstitutional.

Even some of the court’s most conservative members, including Justice Brett Kavanaugh, suggested Congress did not intend for the rest of the law to fall if the individual mandate were declared unconstitutional.

In the end, only Justices Alito and Gorsuch suggested they

LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL • JUNE 19-22, 2021

unlikely to result in the entire ACA being struck down. That’s because Roberts voted to uphold the law in 2012, and again when it was challenged in a less sweeping way in 2015. But conservative jurist Amy Coney Barrett replaced Ginsburg, and a majority to sustain the law was considered less secure. (Julie Rovner/Kaiser Health News) This story was produced by KHN (Kaiser Health News), a national newsroom that provides in-depth coverage of health issues and that is one of the three major operating programs at KFF (Kaiser Family Foundation).

KHN is the publisher of California Healthline, an editorially independent service of the California Health Care Foundation.

BAKUNA NIGHTS. Economic frontliners wait for their turn to get vaccinated during the pilot implementation of Quezon City’s “Bakuna Nights” at the Quezon City Hall grounds on Wednesday, June 16. People who find it difficult to set a vaccination schedule during the day because of work may now receive their shots at night from 6-10 p.m. Wednesday to Saturday.

PNA photo by Robert Oswald P. Alfiler

De La Hoya warns Spence: Be careful of Pacquiao

by Bong Lozada Inquirer.net

BOXING legend Oscar De La Hoya warned Errol Spence to be wary of Manny Pacquiao in their upcoming welterweight title fight in August.

In an interview with ES News, De La Hoya warned Spence of Pacquiao’s herky-jerky movements and the Filipino icon’s mannerisms before launching a flurry.

“I love that fight, it’s a great

matchup and I think Spence is a great fighter,” said De La Hoya.

“As great as he is, I think Spence has to be careful.”

De La Hoya then mimicked Pacquiao’s mannerism of shuffling his feet and throwing his hands in the air that precedes a barrage of punches.

“I don’t know why anybody hasn’t caught on to that he does this and he throws and he has those fat calves. Spence has to be careful of that,” said De La Hoya who lost to Pac-

quiao in 2008 in what became his final match of his illustrious career.

While De La Hoya, a legend who won titles in six weight classes, didn’t exactly predict a winner, former UFC champion Henry Cejudo did.

Cejudo, who won the UFC’s bantamweight and flyweight belts, said Pacquiao could snatch Spence’s IBF and WBC titles from him.

“I think Manny’s gonna beat him,” said Cejudo. n

Dateline USa

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AAPI organizations, hate crime survivors call... Broad coalition of Americans fights PAGE A2

“It’s about the lack of action and resources being provided.

That’s why it’s so important for Governor Newsom to take action now.”

The budget, which will set $10 million for a statewide hate incidents hotline and $10 million for data equity, plans to address the underreporting of anti-Asian incidents and resources that can be provided.

It will serve as a central hub for callers to access legal, health care, mental health, and law enforcement resources in language.

The administration and programming category will allocate $7 million for ethnic media outreach which will provide grant funding for ethnic media to be a safe platform for the community, and $3 million for State Library, CDE, and CDSS staffing to administer grant programs.

The budget came in response to the increase in antiAsian hate crimes since the coronavirus pandemic, and organizations emphasized the importance of Newsom’s ap-

proval of the budget.

“I don’t want to see it anymore,” Asian Resources Inc. Executive Director Stephanie Nguyen said referring to antiAsian violence and hate. “It needs to stop. And it can only stop if you, governor, take action.”

Legislators who have survived anti-Asian violence also said their experiences affected their career path. Chiu said his encounter of him and seven other Asian friends being attacked by white football players during his freshman year of college led him to switch his path from a pre-med student to pre-law.

“It was an inflection point for me,” Chiu said.

Senator Richard Pan (DSacramento), who is also a practicing pediatrician, said he was placed in a class for students w ith learning disabilities because he did not speak English.

“I was one of the dumb kids, as they said on the playground,” Pan said. “My classmates and I in the learning disabled class were bullied, me

in particular, because I didn’t speak English at the time.”

Pan said seeing Liao, who is “a lot younger than he is,” experiencing similar experiences as him now, is “so sad.”

“That’s why we need to pass this budget,” Pan said. “Because this cannot keep going on for even more decades. I don’t want to see Millie having to share a story with another 16-year-old when she’s my age.”

Chan also spoke about how sharing his own experiences of surviving hate encouraged others to not be afraid.

“I’m excited to hear from what is being shared,” Chan said regarding the efforts speakers were taking to address the hate they have experienced. “Because we are looking into the future.”

Newsom previously allocated funds for AAPI community support, including $5 million for researching, conducting hate prevention activities, and approving grants at the UCLA Asian American Studies Center. (Caroline Giovanie/AJPress)

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against voter suppression laws

THE dramatic image of Texas Democrats leaving the legislature before midnight to block a voter restriction bill spotlights a surge of activism to secure access to the polls. Voting rights advocates believe this growing activism can still win passage of federal legislation to counter measures like SB7 which Texas Governor Greg Abbott has vowed to pass.

“SB7 will make it harder for everyone to vote in Texas, but particularly for people of color, people with disabilities, and people who use English as a second language,” said Mimi Marziani, President of the Texas Civil Rights Project, during a press briefing hosted by Ethnic Media Services.

“But there is growing opposition to this bill from people of all different ethnic backgrounds, business leaders like the American Airlines CEO, faith leaders talking to their congregations, economists and even Republicans who are saying this just doesn’t make sense,” Marziani added.

In essence, SB7 seeks to drastically reduce early voting hours, Sunday morning voting that is particularly popular with parishioners in black churches, and NGO efforts to get out the vote.

It also attempts to prohibit local election officials from distributing vote-by-mail applications, and to make it easier for politicians alleging fraud to have an election overturned with very limited proof.

“The people who are currently in power in the state of Texas want to insulate their own power by changing the rules of the game.

But the fact of the matter is Texas has changed (demographically),” Marziani said.

Two federal bills, For the People Act (S1), and the John L. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act, both with strong bipartisan support, aim to counterbalance voter suppression initiatives like SB7.

In North Carolina, a bill in the state Senate to reduce the time to request and return an absentee ballot directly affects the Afri-

can-American community. North Dakota has been pushing a voter identification law that requires residence, something impossible for Native Americans in a state that does not assign residential addresses to reservations. In Georgia, a new voting law that takes effect July 1 prevents proactive ballot requests by mail, and even prohibits giving food or water to people who stand in long lines to vote in person.

“The People’s Act (S1) is advancing the work this country has been doing since the civil rights movement,” said Elizabeth Hira, Spitzer Fellow and Policy Counsel at the Brennan Center’s Democracy Program. “Invidious discrimination, often race based, is very much still alive in American law.”

S1 will be voted on shortly in the Senate. It includes automatic voter registration, online voter registration that is not yet operational in ten states across the country, and two weeks of early voting, which would favor mothers and workers who do not have the flexibility to line up exclusively on a Tuesday, the election day.

Other provisions include increasing the penalties for intimidation at the polls and restoring the right to vote for Americans who have been to jail, which could benefit four million people, 1.7 of whom are Black and Latino. The bill wants to ease identification requirements that would protect 378,000 transgender Americans who are eligible to vote but do not have an ID that matches their gender identity.

It also bans partisan gerrymandering and provides grants for election security and election administration.

Hira highlighted S1’s campaign finance reform limiting large dollar contributions to politicians as “transformative.”

“The current Congress is the most diverse in history and yet 77% of legislators are white and 73% are men ... In the entire history of the United States there

have been 1994 senators and only 58 of them have been women,” Hira said.

“When you look at those statistics, you begin to realize why the policies that matter to everyday Americans have not been prioritized...because the majority of Congressmen are millionaires.”

For Alex Gulotta, National Interim Director of the “All Voting Is Local” Campaign in Arizona, what happens in the fight for the right to vote is not a partisan divide but “a divide over values.”

“It is a struggle between people who believe in democracy over authoritarianism, between people who believe in facts, data and science over lies and conspiracy theories, between people who believe in justice and fairness over pure political power and greed.”

Gulotta highlighted the historic turnout in the 2020 elections, despite the worst health crisis the world has faced in a century with the COVID-19 pandemic. In Arizona, for example, the participation of Asian Americans increased by 17%, of African Americans by 11%, of Native Americans by 8% and of Latinos by 5%. All these communities have the highest rates of coronavirus infections. But thanks to their pressure, of nearly 50 bills with ballot restrictions, only three of them passed the Arizona legislature.

“This is a huge national fight financed by a lot of dark money,” Gulotta said, referring to organizations like Heritage Action which defines itself as “a grassroots army of committed conservative activists on the front line against the liberal agenda.”

The activist nonetheless believes that the education and mobilization of communities that increasingly understand that “voting is the last act in a civic engagement process” will make the 2022 elections even “more successful” than the 2020 elections. (By Jenny Manrique/Ethnic Media Services)

LA-based Filipino American candidates...

PAGE A1

(formerly a California assemblymember) in April, there are currently no Filipino Americans in the State Legislature.

“As attorney general, [Bonta is] doing a lot of protecting of laws and communities, but we need people to make laws that actually help ensure that our kababayan (fellow Filipinos) and all communities of color and working class communities are represented and have a voice,” said Godfrey Plata, a community organizer and former California Assembly candidate, who hosted Wednesday’s virtual meet-and-greet.

The meet-and-greet was a chance for community members to connect with Livas-Porter and Mejia, but it was also a fundraiser to propel each candidate in their respective races.

“June 30 is what the newspapers and journalists will look at to tell how serious incumbents’ opponents are,” Plata said, emphasizing the importance of fundraising in electoral politics.

The primary elections in which both Livas-Porter and Mejia are running will take place on June 7, 2022. If both garner enough votes, they may advance to the general midterm election on Nov. 8, 2022.

Filipinos and Filipino Americans are the largest Asian and Pacific Islander (API) group in California, and out of the 38 APIs who have served in the California Legislature, only two Filipinos have served: Bonta and Todd Gloria, a Democrat who served the San Diego area from 2016 to 2020 before being elected as the city’s mayor.

Livas-Porter, who claims to be a descendent of the great Visayan hero Lapu-Lapu who led the defeat of Portuguese colonizer Ferdinand Magellan, is seeking to become the third Filipino American to serve in the Legislature.

The mother and community activist first soft launched her campaign in March and has been seeking to connect with residents of California’s 51st district, which roughly comprises Northeast LA and East LA. Livas-Porter said on Wednesday that she wanted to hold the incumbent Wendy Carrillo (who was elected in 2017) accountable.

“I hadn’t seen the kind of leadership that I had wanted,” said Livas-Porter, who is a Democrat, noting that she did in fact vote for Carrillo, also a Democrat, in 2017.

“But I feel that she, having accepted fossil fuel money and charter [school] industry money, and seeing her voting record [while in the assembly], doesn’t reflect what our district needs.” (According to public records on the CA Secretary of State’s website, Carrillo did receive donations from political action committees that advocate for charter schools and energy corporations.)

Among the issues important to Livas-Porter includes gun violence and the protection of young chil-

LA City controller candidate Kenneth Mejia

CA Assembly candidate Mia Livas-Porter

dren in schools. As a mother of two, she felt motivated after the 2012 Sandy Hook shooting to become more involved in causes that prevent gun violence, joining the gun control organization Moms Demand Action.

The Filipina also noted a personal attachment to the issue of gun violence. In her early 20s, her brother died by suicide after a fiveyear battle with schizophrenia. As customary within Filipino culture — especially Filipino Catholics — she and her family “kept silent” about the tragedy for decades.

“I shut my voice for 25 years, and it was only until my advocacy with Moms Demand Action that I learned the power of speaking my truth, of being vulnerable and sharing experiences to give others courage to come forward,” she said.

She added, “That’s one of my top priorities, violence prevention, and advocating for those who are the most vulnerable among us, whether they are children or those struggling with mental illness. I want to speak and be the voice of those who do not have a voice.”

Mejia, a fellow working-class advocate, is also seeking to bring more accountability to the ways in which the City of LA spends its money.

The son of Filipino immigrants and lifelong Angeleno, Mejia is a certified public accountant (CPA) and advocate for housing justice who said that Senator Bernie Sanders, the tenacious Democratic socialist, was a major political influence.

Formerly a member of the Green Party, Mejia unsuccessfully ran for Congress to replace Rep. Jimmy Gomez in the state’s 34th congressional district in 2018. However, the loss mobilized Mejia who is gaining traction among the growing number of progressive Angelenos who are fighting for more progressive leadership.

“As a controller, you’re not in a policymaking position; you could only show numbers. The city controller is the city’s auditor and accountant who is there to help root out wasteful spending,” Mejia explained.

As LA city controller candidate, Mejia has been critical of Mayor Eric Garcetti’s spending, particularly his proposed allocation to the Los Angeles Police Department

(LAPD). The national discourse and frenzy over reforming/defunding/abolishing the police has no doubt found its own home in LA, whose police department has a tarnished history of corruption, brutality and discrimination.

But there are residents who believe that the campaign to abolish or defund the police will lead to increased crime and threats to public safety. But activists like Mejia argue that law enforcement is not the only way communities can curb crime.

“One of the things that we’re trying to tell people is that public safety doesn’t always have to be with the police,” Mejia said, noting that public safety manifests itself in stable public rights like education, housing and public transportation.

Garcetti’s proposed 2021-2022 city budget includes about $3 billion to the LAPD, which is roughly 27% of the total budget. In comparison, Parks and Recreation comprises 3%, transportation 3%, housing 2% and cultural affairs 0.25%.

Following the increase in antiAsian hate crimes and the “summer of reckoning” following high-profile murders of unarmed Black individuals across the country, Filipino community members have become part of the coalition of activists who are calling for a greater community investment in public services by redirecting funds from the LAPD. “As Filipinos it’s important to realize we are a people who fight against oppression and against systems that put people down, and that’s what our campaign is trying to do through exposing these finances,” Mejia told the Asian Journal during the meetand-greet. “For example, there are lots of Filipino elders, our lolas (grandmothers) and lolos (grandfathers) who are getting evicted because they can’t afford rent, and there’s not enough people [in government] to protect them because there’s just not enough funding.

He added, “It’s really about seeing what our priorities are as a city, and then helping the most vulnerable people here and most of the time it’s our immigrant community, and they’re usually elders. We’re really trying to shine a light and give people something to reimagine.” n

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Dateline PhiliPPines

PH nominates Roque to be part of international law body

by Xave

GreGorio Philstar.com

MANILA — The Philippines has nominated presidential spokesperson Harry Roque to be part of a United Nations expert panel that develops and codifies international law.

Roque is among 11 nominees from the Asia-Pacific region to the International Law Commission, alongside nominees from Japan, China, South Korea, Thailand, Cyprus, VIetnam, India, Sri Lanka, Mongolia and Lebanon.

President Rodrigo Duterte’s mouthpiece stands to get elected by the UN General Assembly to the commission and become one of eight nationals from Asia-Pacific states to sit for five years in the panel beginning Jan. 1, 2023.

The ILC was instrumental in the creation of the International Criminal Court as it helped draft the statute that created the tribunal that tries genocide, war crimes, crimes against humanity and the crime of aggression.

Roque has been on the attack

A5

Programs to help pay for costs Ito ay serye ng Medicare Tips hatid ng Clever Care Health Plan, isang nangungunang tagapagbigay ng East meets West Medicare services na sensitibo sa kultura ng kanilang mga miyembro.

Para sa mga malapit nang mag-65, maraming importanteng desisyon na kailangang gawin para sa inyong health coverage. Narito ang ilang helpful tips para inyong mabayaran ang inyong healthcare coverages.

Puwede kayong makakuha ng tulong mula sa inyong estado para mabayaran ang inyong Medicare premiums. Sa iilang cases, puwedeng bayaran ng Medicare Savings Programs ang inyong Medicare Part A (Hospital Insurance) at Medicare Part B (Medical Insurance) deductibles, coinsurance, at copayments kung sakop kayo ng mga ilang kondisyon. Para sa Parts C at D, maraming tao ang sumasali sa Clever Care’s Medicare Advantage plan para sa cost-savings na may mas maraming coverage higit pa sa covered ng Medicare.

Nakalista dito ang tinatawag nating countable resources: • Pera sa checking o savings account • Stocks

• Bonds

Ang inyong bahay, kotse, kasangkapan, at personal items ay hindi kasama.

Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque

against the ICC after its former prosecutor, Fatou Bensouda, decided to request judicial authorization to conduct a full investigation into the alleged crimes against humanity committed during the course of the Duterte administration’s war on drugs.

The presidential spokesper-

Individual Resource Limit

Married Couple Resource Limit

Program Name

Helps pay for

Qualified Medicare Beneficiary Program (QMB)

Parts A & B Premiums, Deductibles, Coinsurance & Copayments

$1,094

$1,472

$7,970

$11,960

Specified LowIncome Medicare Beneficiary (SLMB)

Part B Premiums

$1,308

$1,762

$7,970

$11,960

Qualified Individual Program (QI)

Part A Premiums

$1,469

$1,980

$7,970

$11,960

Philstar.com photo

son had taught constitutional law and public international law for 15 years at the University of the Philippines – College of Law. He is also a member of the advisory council of the Asian Society of International Law and was its president from 2018 to 2019. n

Married Couple Monthly Income Limit

Individual Monthly Income Limit

Kung kayo ay qualified para sa mga programang nakalista sa itaas, automatic ang inyong pagqualify sa extrang tulong para mabayaran ang inyong Medicare drug coverage.

Naniniwala ang Clever Care sa kumpletong kalusugan ng kanilang mga miyembro, kaya hatid nila ang mas maraming benefits kaysa sa Medicare. Dulot ng Clever Care ang extra benefits para pangalagaan ang kalusugan ng ating seniors, tulad na lamang ng dental allowance of up to $1600 bawat taon na puwedeng gamitin para sa fillings, crowns, bridges, at root canals. Mayroon din silang allowance para sa over-the-counter supplies, eyewear, contacts, at hearing aids. Pero mas nakakaangat sa iba ang Clever Care kumpara sa ibang Medicare Advantage plans, dahil sa kanilang pokus na pagsamahin ang healing approach ng Eastern medicine sa advances ng Western medicine. Kasama din sa Clever Care Medicare Advantage plan ang allowance para sa herbal supplements, unlimited acupuncture, at Eastern wellness therapies, tulad ng cupping, tui na, gua sha, moxa, at infrared therapy.

Tumawag lamang sa in-language helpline ng Clever Care Health Plan para sa karagdagang impormasyon tungkol sa Medicare Advantage Plans. Handang magbigay ng libreng konsulta ang aming Tagalog-speaking agents, at inyong maging gabay sa aming proseso. Tawag na sa (833) 388-2461 (TTY: 711). Oras ng kalakal ay mula 8 a.m. hanggang 8 p.m., Lunes hanggang Biyernes, mula Abril 1 hanggang Setyembre 30.

BOUNTIFUL HARVEST. Farmers repack okra to be sold in Barangay Sto. Niño, San Josef Peñaranda, Nueva Ecija on Thursday, June 17. The farmers said it takes two and a half months to start harvesting them.

PNA photo by Oliver Marquez

Ang Clever Care of Golden State ay isang HMO plan na may Medicare contract. Ang enrollment ay naka-depende sa contract renewal. Available ang Clever Care Medicare Advantage para lamang sa mga residente ng Los Angeles County, Orange County, at San Diego County.

H7607_21_CM0460D_TAG_M Accepted 06032021

A10099-D-TAG (0521)

A6 JUNE 19-22, 2021 • LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL

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OPINION

A challenge to do better

FEATURES

WHILE neighbors such as Vietnam and Taiwan managed to see gross domestic product grow in 2020 despite the COVID-19 pandemic, the Philippines suffered its steepest post-war recession. Economic analysts have blamed this on the mediocre pandemic response, which is also putting the country on track to become the regional laggard in recovering from the public health crisis.

The latest indicator of the weakness of the pandemic response is the seven-notch drop in the Philippines’ ranking in global competitiveness. Out of 64 economies, the Philippines fell to 52nd place in the 2021 World Competitiveness Ranking prepared by the Switzerland-based Institute for Management Development.

It was the sharpest drop in the Asia Pacific and the country’s worst ranking in five years. Economists attributed the fall to the pandemic response, which has relied heavily on lockdowns without the corresponding significant improvements in the other aspects such as contact tracing, isolation and the vaccination program. The IMD noted the slow vaccination rollout and the resurgence of COVID last summer, which forced a return to stricter quarantines in the National Capital Region and neighboring provinces.

The rankings are based on four factors, with the

country falling in three: economic performance, government efficiency and business efficiency. In the fourth metric, infrastructure, the country retained the same score, where it registered the lowest rank at 59th. It also slipped two notches in health and the environment.

It wasn’t all bad news. Minor improvements were noted in basic, technological and scientific infrastructure as well as education. Respondents in the Executive Opinion Survey cited the strengths of the Philippines that can improve competitiveness.

These include the skilled work force, a high educational level, open and positive attitudes, competitive costs and a dynamic economy.

The fall in ranking can be regarded as a challenge to improve the pandemic response, which even Filipinos find wanting, from contact tracing to testing, isolation and now vaccination. Restor- is now spreading in othe regions. Even as infecing livelihoods and reviving the economy will rely tions ease in Metro Manila, health experts warn on the quality of the response to COVID-19, which that there is always a possibility of another surge

Editorial

The Fil-Am Perspective GEL SANTOS-RELOS OUR generation has been facing the biggest threat to our life and safety because of the coronavirus pandemic, which to date has already infected more than 178 million people around the world, killing at least 3.84 million.

The United States of America, supposedly the most powerful and richest country in the world, has not been spared with more than 33.5 million confirmed cases and claimed the lives of at least 601 thousand.

Yet even as we faced this prolonged war against the invisible enemy, the Republicans have never ceased their 10-year battle to trash the Affordable Care Act, aka Obamacare — the biggest legacy of the first Black President of the United States, Barack Obama.

Since Obamacare was enacted into law, the Grand Old Party (GOP) has been obsessed in repealing and replacing Obamacare, without offering anything to replace it, despite more than a decade of promising to deliver a better healthcare program for the American

Philstar.com photo

in the capital. The competitiveness index should firm up the resolve to do better in dealing with the pandemic. (Philstar.com)

Worried about your health care during the pandemic?

Supreme Court rules Obamacare lives on! people.

Such obsession resulted to three cases that went all the way to the Supreme Court.

However, on Thursday, June 17, the highest court upheld the Affordable Care Act in a vote of 7 judges to two judges.

As MarketWatch reported: “The now-rejected legal challenge from Texas and 17 other Republican-leaning states said the entire Obama-era statute had to fall because the mandate to take out insurance or pay a fee was unconstitutional.

In 2017, Congress reduced the mandate’s fee for people without insurance to $0. Obamacare also survived two previous Supreme Court decisions in 2012 and 2015.”

If you are among the 31 million Americans who have coverage in some form or fashion under the 2010 Affordable Care Act, fear no more. Obamacare lives on with the Supreme Court decision.

According to the report, “the Urban Institute, an economic- and social-policy research organization in Washington, D.C., estimated that overturning the ACA would have left

21.1 million people uninsured, a 69% increase nationally.

Those estimates are based on a projection of coverage and spending in 2022 that anticipates partial economic recovery from COVID-19” The people who would be most affected should Obamacare fall “would be located in the states where the healthcare coverage was most widely adopted per capita, the reporting explained. “They include Maine, Kentucky, West Virginia, Montana, Michigan, and Pennsylvania.

“Overall, un-insurance in the 37 states that expanded Medicaid eligibility under the ACA (including D.C.) will more than double,” the report said, quoting Urban Institute.

In this third case the Supreme Court had to decide on — California v. Texas, No. 19840 —the majority contended that “the states didn’t have standing to question the ACA’s validity. Separately, a group of attorneys general, led by the California attorney general, said that Obamacare was working effectively, given that the penalty was reduced to zero

and, as such, they also argued that the “individual mandate” is separate from the workings of the law”, Market Watch reported.

Filtering through all the noise and lobbying efforts by health insurance companies, hospitals, pharmaceutical companies and their allies in Congress to discredit Obamacare, let us recall how the Affordable Care Act has indeed been saving lives by giving healthcare insurance to more Americans than ever before, especially during our war against COVID19.

As the MarketWatch reported: “When enacted in 2010, the Affordable Care Act made several significant changes to the health insurance industry. It created new marketplaces for qualified health plans, it offered tax credits as subsidies for income-eligible people using those marketplace plans. It expanded Medicaid eligibility and also barred insurers from using pre-existing condition exclusions.

As of February, there were 11.3 million people enrolled

in the marketplace plans, according to the Department of Health and Human Services.

Approximately 1 million people are also enrolled in the ACA’s Basic Health Program for income-eligible consumers. It also includes 14.8 million people with coverage via broadened Medicaid eligibility and around 4 million people who were already eligible for Medicaid, but gained coverage through outreach.

The Biden administration opened a special sign-up window through Aug. 15 to give people the chance to get coverage as the pandemic continued. More than 528,000 people signed up by April, according to the Associated Press.”

These facts beg real honest answers to the question: Why do Republicans want to kill Obamacare when they could not offer anything better to help save peoples’ lives?

Is health care just for the privileged few?

Isn’t health care an integral part of the fulfillment of the promise of America that in this country, “all men are created equal, that they are en-

dowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness”?

Thankfully, the Biden administration is reclaiming this promise for the American people. Health care is a right for all, and not just for the rich and the powerful. A healthier citizenry creates a richer, more productive nation. Let us invest in our people. Health care and education for all is the key to America’s success, leadership and greatness. *** 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, talk, public service and educational broadcasting since 1989 with ABS-CBN and is now serving the Filipino audience using different platforms, including digital broadcasting, and print, and is working on a new public service program for the community. You may contact her through email at gelrelos@ icloud.com, or send her a message via Facebook at Facebook.com/Gel.Santos.

Relos.

Protecting our kids with COVID-19 vaccines

On The Record DR. ERICA PAN CALIFORNIA’S future is brighter now that protection from COVID-19 is within reach for even more of our loved ones. Adolescents aged 12 to 15 can join older teens in getting the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine – the same vaccine that has been safely administered to millions of California adults, including more than 30 percent of 16 - and 17-year-olds in just the first month of eligibility.

As a pediatric infectious disease specialist and a parent of two eligible adolescents, this was exciting news. My husband – who is also a pediatrician – and I immediately scheduled an appointment to get our teenagers’ first dose once available.

The past year has been hard on all of us, but especially difficult for our teens who have had to put their lives on hold. Now that eligibility has expanded, we can confidently give our kids a shot at being kids again with the comfort of knowing they are protected from COVID-19.

I have spent my career treating and preventing infectious diseases in children as a pediatric infectious disease physician and a public health official. I understand the concerns that parents have when thinking about their children’s health and wellness. I am incredibly grateful that science and technology have brought us this gift of vaccines to protect us and end this pandemic in an unprecedented timeline.

It is incredible to see how quickly we’ve vaccinated millions of people to increase our confidence in both the safety and effectiveness of these vaccines. While continuing to vaccinate more of our population is a critical step to getting back to our normal lives, this news likely brings up many questions.

We know our teens have questions, too – and that’s OK. It’s important for everyone to get the facts on vaccination.

Here are the facts: • Safety – As a physician and a mother, I want to reassure parents and guardians that Pfizer’s COVID-19 vac-

cine is proven to be safe and effective in youth aged 12 to 15. Clinical trials have proven the Pfizer vaccine can protect young people 12 years old and up from severe illness, hospitalization, and death due to COVID-19. The technology used to make the vaccine has been developed over the past 20 years – it is not new. It does not change our DNA, nor does it contain the COVID-19 virus.

• Side Effects – The shot itself is nearly painless, and most teens who get vaccinated may only experience side effects such as a sore arm, fever, or fatigue. These are completely normal and are signs the body is building immunity to the virus. Individuals concerned about the vaccine’s potential impact on fertility can rest assured, there is no evidence that fertility problems are a side effect of any vaccine, including COVID-19 vaccines. This is including all data reviewed in clinical trials or amongst the millions of women who have since received COVID-19 vaccines.

• Equity and Access – California is working closely with

local health departments, community partners, school districts and others to provide vaccines equitably to underserved youth, including those who are experiencing homelessness or in foster care. Rural communities and those without access to transportation continue to be a priority for the state as it expands its network to include free rides, at-home services, mobile clinics and more.

COVID-19 vaccines are free to everyone, even if you’re undocumented or don’t have health insurance. Your immigration status will not be asked when you or your child is vaccinated, and information will not be shared with immigration agencies.

• Getting Back to Normalcy – Vaccines are how we can finally get back to normal.

When more Californians become vaccinated, we can feel safer as restrictions are lifted and life begins to return to a sense of normalcy. When 12to 15-year-olds are vaccinated, families can be safer as they venture out more, go on vacations and get back to doing the things they love.

Young people have been heroic throughout this pandemic.

They have suffered stress and isolation. Now it is their turn to join grandma and grandpa, mom and dad, aunts and uncles, guardians and neighbors, teammates, and friends in getting vaccinated so that they can safely return to fully-in person schooling and hang out more often with friends.

• Book Appointments – Parents and guardians can learn more about the COVID19 vaccines at VaccinateAll58. com and check vaccine availability and book appointments through My Turn or call California’s COVID-19 Hotline at 1-833-422-4255. You can also call your family doctor, local community health clinic or public health office for more information.

• Vax for the Win – The state recently launched an incentives campaign called “Vax For the Win” to motivate more eligible Californians 12 and up to get vaccinated against COVID-19 leading up to June 15, when the state fully reopens.

The program is the biggest in the nation and totals more than

$116 million in giveaways for vaccinated Californians. The program You Call The Shot gives $50 incentive cards – for things like groceries or to shop at your favorite small business – to the next two million Californians who begin and complete their vaccination against COVID-19. Vax for the Win also includes $16.5 million in cash prizes for all vaccinated Californians – “$50,000 Fridays” – with drawings on June 4 and June 11 – when there will be 15 winners each day for a total of 30 Californians getting $50,000. Then there’s the grand prize giveaway on June 15 when 10 lucky vaccinated Californians will each win $1.5 million. Learn more about “Vax for the Win” at covid19. ca.gov. *** 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.

*** Dr. Erica Pan is the California State Epidemiologist and Deputy Director of the Center for Infectious Diseases at the CA Department of Public Health.

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

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Dateline PhiliPPines

PH ranks 8th among 10 in ASEAN vaccine rollout

by Neil JaysoN

servallos Philstar.com

MANILA — The Philippines ranks eighth among 10 Southeast Asian nations in terms of vaccinating its whole population and second in vaccine deployment against COVID-19.

Data provided by international think tank Our World in Data this month showed that the Philippines has vaccinated only about 4.23% of its total population as of June 8, with 6.31 million doses of the COVID-19 vaccine administered so far.

Singapore – the second least populated nation in the region – leads with 42.8% vaccinated, followed by Cambodia with 16.72%, and Brunei – the least populated country in the region – with 11.37. With an absolute growth of at least 11% since

April, Brunei is already ahead of Laos, which has vaccinated 9.74% of its population.

Meanwhile, Malaysia recorded 8.76% and is now ahead of Indonesia, the most populated country in the region, which had vaccinated 7.19%.

Thailand recorded 5.94%, and the Philippines was trailed by Myanmar and Vietnam at 3.26 and 1.40%, respectively.

In terms of doses administered the Philippines is second to Indonesia, which had deployed 31.2 million doses. The Philippines is trailed by Thailand with 5.67 million, Cambodia with 5.13 million, Singapore with 4.39 million, Malaysia with 4.1 million, Myanmar with 2.99 million, Vietnam with 1.41 million, Laos with 1.08 million and Brunei with 61,000.

Vaccine czar Carlito Galvez

Jr. earlier said the Philippines is expecting to ramp up its daily vaccination rate, when vaccine supply normalizes following the arrival of 2.2 million Pfizer vaccines, one million Sinovac vaccines and 100,000 Sputnik V vaccines last week.

The National Task Force against COVID-19 said the country was expecting 12 million doses to arrive next month and about 17 million in August.

Galvez said the country was still working on closing supply agreements with Pfizer and Johnson & Johnson, which is expected to yield 45 million doses.

The Philippines is currently racing its target of inoculating 70 million Filipinos by December to achieve herd immunity, while grappling with supply constraints, vaccine bias and hesitancy. n

Overseas deployment limit for health care workers raised to 6,500 MANILA — The Philippines has increased from 5,000 to 6,500 the annual deployment ceiling of newly hired healthcare workers abroad, Malacañang said on Friday, June 18.

“The Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) on Thursday, June 17, 2021, increased the annual deployment ceiling of new hire healthcare workers (HCWs) for

Mission Critical Skills (MCS) to 6,500,” presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said in a statement.

Healthcare workers who already have perfected contracts as of May 31, 2021 are included in the adjusted ceiling.

“Healthcare workers under government-to-government labor agreements shall, however,

be exempted from this adjusted ceiling,” Roque noted.

Earlier, the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration suspended the deployment of nurses abroad after the 5,000 cap was reached.

The quota was imposed last year amid the country’s battle against COVID 19. (Inquirer. net)

ESSENTIAL INFO. Department of Health (DOH) Administrative Assistant II Janjalani Basaula (left), encodes all the information in his laptop provided by Ian A. Givera (right), rider of JMTG Marketing, during the vaccination rollout at the Zabarte Town Center activity area, Zabarte Road, Camarin, Caloocan City on Thursday, June 17. Some 400 individuals under the A1 to A4 categories were inoculated with Sinovac vaccine.

PNA photo by Ben Briones

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President Rodrigo Duterte and Senator Manny Pacquiao

ManilaTimes.net file photos

Duterte, Pacquiao camps rift deepens

by Bernadette

e. tamayo

and Currie Cato ManilaTimes.net

THE dissension inside the Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban) over the selection of its standard bearer in next year’s elections appears to have deepened.

On Thursday, June 17, Sen. Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel asked fellow senator Emmanuel “Manny” Pacquiao to declare whether he intends to run for president in 2022.

Pimentel said he believes Pacquiao, the party’s president, “has been preparing for this possibility (a run at the presidency).” But first, “he must formally declare if he is really interested.”

He said as “a loyal PDP-Laban member and officer,” he would support Pacquiao.

Pimentel’s word carries a lot of weight in the party. His father, Aquilino “Nene” Pimentel Jr., founded the PDP-Laban during the martial law years.

Pacquiao has squabbled with the group supporting President Rodrigo Duterte, the party’s chairman, after it convened the national council, which eventually called on Duterte to run as vice president in 2022 and even gave him the authority to name his running mate.

Pacquiao snubbed the council meeting, saying convening it without his consent broke party rules.

By endorsing Pacquiao, Pimentel risks further deepening the gap between Pacquiao and Duterte loyalists in PDP-Laban.

“There are many people from different sectors of our society and different socioeconomic

classes who have pledged support to him,” Pimentel said in a television interview, referring to the boxing icon.

“They are there, consulting with him, telling him their problems. Sharing with him, dialoguing with him, this is the leader that we need – the president that we need,” he said.

Pimentel apparently told Pacquiao that if he wanted to run for president, he should declare his plan in August or September.

He deplored the haste of party stalwart Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi and his camp in pushing their presidential and vice presidential bets.

“They did not even involve the party president (Pacquiao) in the fixing of the agenda. So, the question is, is there a ‘secret agenda’?” Pimentel said.

“For all of us who have been in the party for decades already, we have invested blood, sweat and tears in this party, we are worried about this secret agenda, and we will not allow such a secret agenda to prevail,” he stressed.

He said he would not allow a party outsider to be given the PDP-Laban presidential nomination.

“We, who invested blood in this PDP-Laban party, why should we allow those who only joined during the time of President Duterte in 2016 – just new members – to dictate the future direction of the party? Hindi po kami papayag dun (We will not allow that),” Pimentel said.

Among the newest party members is former president Gloria Macapagal Arroyo and some of her followers from the LakasCMD party.

Pimentel said he would not sup-

port the party resolution endorsing Duterte as its vice presidential candidate because the council assembly “was an unauthorized and unlawful gathering.”

“The meeting must be called by the chairman. But the agenda must be open. It must be fixed with the party president. But they kept the party president unaware of the agenda. My basic question then was why? Why the need for secrecy? Is there a secret agenda being pursued by Secretary Cusi and his group?” he said.

If Duterte does not choose Pacquiao as the standard bearer, Pimentel said: “We have prepared a process in the party. According to the party constitution, there will be some formality, it’s not one person choosing [the presidential candidate].”

“But if there is a person who would be dissatisfied with the party’s nominee and cannot live with it, then maybe we can part as friends. You can join the other parties. And then support their candidates,” he added.

PDP-Laban Executive Director Ron Munsayac said Pacquiao would not attend the July 17 assembly that Cusi scheduled to discuss party concerns.

“The PDP-Laban national leadership, grassroots membership and old guards of the Party sees this as an unauthorized assembly,” Munsayac said in a text message, “Any resolution or decision that will be borne out of this unauthorized activity will be ignored.”

The PDP-Laban has about 100,000 members. “But the socalled politicians, persons actively involved in elections, who were actually elected will number around 5,000,” Pimentel said. n

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LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL • JUNE 19-22, 2021

Asian Journal

Sat urday, J une 1 9 , 2 0 2 1

WKND Immigration Corner Atty. MichAel Gurfinkel, eSQ DEAR Atty. Gurfinkel: I entered the U.S. on a tourist visa and then overstayed and am out of status. My U.S. citizen boyfriend recently proposed to me, and we plan on getting married and have him petition me.

Also, years ago, I married someone else in the Philippines.

But he abandoned me, he already has another family, and we have not seen or spoken with each other in years. Since we married in the Philippines and have been separated for so long, would there be any problem in now marrying my boyfriend and having him petition me?

Very truly yours, MA Dear MA: If a person has ever been married, and that marriage was valid in the place/country of celebration, that marriage remains valid for U.S. immigration purposes. The person cannot lawfully remarry (or marry a second spouse) without first terminating all prior marriages. Otherwise, the marriage to the second spouse would be considered bigamous, void ab initio (from the beginning), and there would be no “petitionable relationship” with the 2nd spouse. Any green card obtained through such a marital petition would be fraudulent, making the person subject to having their green card revoked and being put in deportation/removal proceed-

B1

LifestyLe Consumer Guide Community marketpLaCe

‘Separated’ is not ‘single’ ings.

It does not matter how many years you have been separated or whether your original spouse has a new family.

Unless that marriage is terminated, you cannot remarry anyone else.

There are several ways a marriage can be terminated: • Divorce in the U.S. If a person is already in the U.S., they could divorce the first spouse in the U.S., even though their marriage took place in the Philippines. An annulment in the Philippines would not necessarily be required. This is because if a divorce is valid in the place (jurisdiction) it was obtained, then it would be valid and recognized for U.S. immigration purposes.

• Annulment in the Philippines.

If a person is in the Philippines, then annulment might be their only option.

If they are in the U.S., annulment in the Philippines could present issues, because if they are out of status and need to travel back to the Philippines for court hearings, they could be subject to the 3/10-year bar. Also, in some cases, it could take years for a Philippine annulment.

• Death of prior spouse. If the prior spouse has already died, then a person could remarry as a widow or widower. However, if the previous spouse was still alive at the time of the second marriage, and died later, that could present issues, because technically, on the date of the second marriage, the person was still married to their first spouse and the marriage would have been bigamous as of the date of marriage.

I once had a consultation, where a Filipina had married a U.S. citizen and the couple came to me on a Friday in connection with a marital interview that was to take place the following Tuesday. She advised that she was still married to her first husband in the Philippines. We stopped that in-

terview, she obtained a divorce in the U.S., re-married the American, and was later able to get a “clean” legal green card.

If you plan to be petitioned by a U.S. citizen spouse, but have a previous marriage, I would recommend you consult with an attorney who can evaluate the situation and determine the best course of action, and could make sure that you are lawfully/legally married to your new spouse, and that your green card was obtained lawfully rather than fraudulently. *** 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. *** Michael J. Gurfinkel has been an attorney for over 40 years and is licensed, and an active member of the State Bars of California and New York. All immigration services are provided by, or under the supervision of, an active member of the State Bar of California. Each case is different, and results may depend on the facts of the particular case. The information and opinions contained herein (including testimonials, “Success Stories,” endorsements and re-enactments) are of a general nature, and are not intended to apply to any particular case, and do not constitute a prediction, warranty, guarantee or legal advice regarding the outcome of your legal matter. No attorneyclient relationship is, or shall be, established with any reader.

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

LEADING U.S. IMMIGRATION ATTORNEY MICHAEL J. GURFINKEL (TOP LEFT) ANSWERS QUESTIONS FROM KAPAMILYA AROUND THE U.S. REGARDING THEIR IMMIGRATION SITUATIONS ON AN ENCORE EPISODE OF CITIZEN PINOY! Mila from Menifee, California (top right) wants to know what her brother can do regarding his visa which already expired due to the shutdowns caused by the pandemic. Nanding from Aurora, Illinois (bottom right) recently became a U.S. citizen. He has been separated from his wife for over 32 years, and now has a girlfriend. He wants to know if he can bring his girlfriend to the U.S. Cora from Los Angeles, California (bottom left) petitioned her daughter last 2012 when she was still a green card holder. Cora is now a U.S. citizen and wants to know if her daughter can come to the U.S. as a tourist and just wait for her petition to be current. Find out the answers to these questions on an encore episode of “Citizen Pinoy” this Sunday, June 20 at 5:30 pm PT (8:30 pm ET thru select Cable/Satellite providers).

(Advertising Supplement)

EntErtainmEnt

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Father’s Day 2021: Fil-Ams celebrate their famous dads

By Ritchel

Mendiola AJPress

AROUND the world, Father’s Day is celebrated annually to honor the contributions of dads in the family. Being a father is no easy task — it comes with a great amount of responsibility and dedication.

To mark the holiday this year, Filipino Americans readily shared personal stories about their famous Filipino fathers: Sylvia Amorsolo-Lazo, daughter of Fernando C. Amorsolo, the Philippines’ first National Artist in painting; Lindsay Taguba-Keys, daughter of retired Major General Antonio Taguba, the second Filipino-American to be promoted to general officer rank in the United States; Rey Banatao, a materials scientist and entrepreneur who is the son of inventor, Silicon Valley pioneer and philanthropist Dado Banatao; and Vicki Nievera, daughter of famous balladeer Bert Nievera. She is also the twin sister of the Philippines’ concert king Martin Nievera.

National Artist Hailed as the first National Artist of the Philippines for painting, Fernando Amorsolo was known for his signature lighting technique, which utilizes the sun’s different colors and brightness. His major works included Maiden in a Stream (1921), Planting Rice (1946), and Under the Mango Tree (1952), which sold for P46,720,000 in 2018.

While his love and passion for art were evident in his works, they came second to the love and devotion he had for his family, according to Sylvia.

“In between his commissioned paintings, he was able to paint portraits of his first and second spouses, his children, and grandchildren,” she said during a panel hosted by online magazine Positively Filipino.

Sylvia noted her father’s financial generosity, sharing that she and her siblings were compensated whenever they posed for him.

“He requested us to pose for him, for his landscapes, always with a compensated allowance.

When he sold a painting, we

Bert Nievera

Diosdado Banatao

Fernando Amorsolo

Retired Major General Antonio Taguba

had additional pay,” she said.

Sylvia also talked about her father being humble, revealing that he sometimes asked his children to attend events in his stead.

“When he was awarded Doctor of Humanities (Honoris Causa) on April 8, 1961, he had no choice but to appear personally. Papa was a person who did not brag about these occasions in his honor. We were the last one to know, and (he) even...asked one of us to proxy for him,” she said.

As Sylvia pursued her own path in the arts, her dad became her mentor. One of his pieces of advice to better her art was to be observant and precise, as well as have joy while making her work.

“As a mentor, papa was a person who...only pointed out the things that I should correct,” she said.

“He motivated me to establish my own identity, although he allowed me to copy his own paintings unless I put my own signature. He even encouraged me to do things that I thought I couldn’t do,” she added.

To honor her father, Sylvia speaks and writes about his life and works, but she admitted to stepping out of her comfort zone in order to do so.

“I’m a very shy person and sometimes I have stage fright, I’m not even a good speaker nor a professional writer, but when people would invite me to make talks and publish books about his life and works, I definitely say yes because I think this is one way of giving thanks to him for the blessings that he had given me,” she explained.

Sylvia concluded by saying her father led “a full life with happy and bad memories...and handed down, through his ex-

amples, virtues of values.”

“Fernando C. Amorsolo was a genius artist by the grace of God, deserving to claim first National Artist of the Republic of the Philippines,” she added.

Major General As a military brat, Lindsay was no stranger to moving from one place to another.

Her father, Maj. Gen. Antonio Taguba, served the U.S. in a military career that spanned more than three decades, moving his family in different cities in the U.S., Germany and South Korea.

“As a military child, I moved 12 times before going to college, and so you can imagine that that’s a difficult thing for a child,” said Lindsay.

“My dad was working a lot, he was serving his country, and he would sometimes be away... in the field or training, and there were times when mom was basically a single parent,” she added.

However, Lindsay maintained that she wouldn’t want to change her childhood, since constantly moving around had its own perks.

“It was difficult moving around, but at the same time, I wouldn’t change it. Moving around afforded me the opportunities to see the world, experience different cultures and learn how to adapt to new surroundings,” she explained.

While her father was hard at work, he was “very present” when he was home, according to Lindsay.

“I played a lot of sports and I have memories of him coming to my games, soccer games, softball games, yelling things at me like ‘get that bowling ball out of your back pocket’ to encourage me to run faster,” she said.

“There was even a story of him getting kicked out of a softball game because he was, I guess, being a little too loud.

He was very encouraging in that way, very supportive,” she added.

After retiring, her father participated in a number of things, leading Lindsay to describe him as “the busiest retired person that I know.”

PAGE B3

Melissa Valerio

Photo courtesy of City of Hope

First-generation Fil-Am university student devotes career to finding new cancer treatments to honor dad’s memory

By Zen

ON June 11, Melissa Joyce Valerio became the first in her family to receive a master’s degree, putting her a little closer to her goal of helping to develop innovative cancer treatments.

Valerio, 25, had wanted to be a dentist but when her father’s diffuse large B-cell lymphoma relapsed in 2018, she decided not to go to Arizona for schooling. She wanted to stay in Lancaster and help take care of her dad, Mario Jay Valerio. As she researched treatments, she became enthralled with immunotherapy, where the body’s own immune cells are re-engineered to kill cancer cells.

“I want to be part of a team that develops new therapies to help families like mine feel that a cancer diagnosis does not translate to immediate death,” Valerio said. “I want them to know that there are options and new, promising treatments.”

She graduated from the Irell

Vuong

& Manella Graduate School of Biological Sciences at Beckman Research Institute of City of Hope with 32 other students on June 11 in a hybrid commencement. This ceremony was the first gathering City of Hope has hosted since the COVID-19 pandemic began more than a year ago.

While there are 33 graduates, only 17 were expected to attend in person because many of last year’s graduates have moved on to prestigious postdoctoral programs, research institutions or competitive biomedical jobs in distant locations.

Valerio’s parents had emigrated from Pasig City, Philippines, to Lancaster, California, when she was 6 years old. Her dad worked at a glass company and her mom was employed at a shipping company for international cargo. Although Valerio is the youngest of four children, she was the first to earn a bachelor’s degree.

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Fil-Am internet star Bretman Rock among Nike’s campaign ambassadors for Pride month

By AJPress

The Blue team won the 2021 Philippine Independence Day basketball league held June 13 at Dolphin Park in Carson, California. In the photo is Alex Cainglet (third from left) who has been organizing the tournament for the past 15 years.

Father’s Day 2021: Fil-Ams...

PAGE B2 Maj. Gen. Taguba served as chairman of the board of directors for Pan-Pacific American Leaders and Mentors, a nonprofit that promotes the advancement of Asian American and Pacific Islander leaders.

He also helped organize the Filipino Veterans Recognition and Education Project, which aims to obtain national recognition of the FilipinoAmerican WWII soldiers for their wartime service to the U.S. and Philippines from July 1941 to December 1946.

In 2016, FilVetREP successfully lobbied Congress to award a Congressional Gold Medal to Filipino and American Veterans of World War II. The Congressional Gold Medal is the highest civilian award bestowed by the U.S. Congress to an individual or group that contributed to American culture and history.

“This is a huge thing for Filipino veterans to be honored in a way that they may have not been in the past. He pours a lot of time and energy into that,” Lindsay noted.

She shared the most important thing that she learned from her dad: “Love my family first, be a person of integrity.”

Filipino Bill Gates Touted as the Philippines’ own Bill Gates, Dado Banatao is a Filipino entrepreneur and engineer most notable for his invention of the first single chip, 16-bit microprocessor-based calculator He is also known for being an entrepreneur and a philanthropist, funding scholars and providing free education to Filipinos.

Meanwhile, his son Rey described him as someone who “prides himself on being a geek and geeking out on tech.”

He also revealed that his father was “someone who led by action,” explaining that he and his siblings were influenced by watching their dad do “a lot of hands-on things when he was around.”

“He was super active so he would go running all the time, play tennis, and so me and my brother, that’s how we learned to become active. We chased him around the block either running, skateboarding, or riding bicycles, had to show him off our speed and athleticism and that played a key part in us growing up because that passion for the outdoors, that passion for sports, that carried on and really inspired the earlier stages of our careers,” explained Rey. “Even though it wasn’t something that he necessarily planned or told us to do, it was just through his actions and when he was around, doing things with us, that really influenced us,” he added.

Growing up, Rey said his family told him stories about hard work and resiliency. “(My father) would always tell me how he was never the smartest in his class, but he always worked the hardest, and so we just learned by his example,” he said.

“Family dinner conversations were always about technology and business and startups. We saw him fail multiple times and not give up, only to succeed multiple times and win more than losing on average and that resiliency is something we carried into our careers,” he added.

Rey also shared that his parents instilled generosity in him and his siblings, and he grew up watching his father lend a helping hand to other entrepreneurs.

“During his days as he transitioned into venture capital after being an entrepreneur, we watched him directly help fellow entrepreneurs, meeting with them. Founders who would eventually become some of the biggest companies in the world,” he said. “(We watched) them form their ideas in our

family kitchen, watched them all together and innovate the future of the industry,” he added.

That generosity continues to carry over to the work that Rey’s family does today. His father founded the Philippine Development Foundation, a nonprofit organization focused on eradicating poverty in the Philippines through entrepreneurship, education, and technology.

Timeless balladeer Having a celebrity dad, Vicki grew up learning about the glitz and glamour of show business.

Throughout his career, Bert Nievera earned titles such as “the Johnny Mathis of the Philippines,” “Romantic Balladeer,” and “Timeless Balladeer.”

But his beginnings started at Camp John Hay in Baguio, where he performed regularly when he decided to sing professionally in 1958. A year later, he joined the search for Johnny Mathis of the Philippines on a show called Student Canteen, a contest that he won.

In 1966, he joined a group called the Fabulous Echoes, who later became known as the Society of Seven.

“It was the then-number one show band in Hawaii with nightly performances in the main showroom at the Outrigger Hotel right there in Waikiki,” recalled Vicki.

“For several months, we lived in that hotel.

Actually, Martin, Rachel and I grew up in that hotel,” she added.

According to Vicki, watching her father perform made her want “to be on a stage very soon in life.” This newfound dream pushed her to start playing the guitar, write her own songs, and explore music.

Vicki went on to recall her family being on the road as her father performed with his band.

“My dad went on the road a lot, to cities like Las Vegas, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and other cities on the west coast of the United States with the Society of Seven. He performed with the band for 10 solid years as the romantic balladeer of the group,” she said.

“I do have very very fond memories of us being on the road with him. There was something that seemed so exciting about packing our bags and taking a road trip or taking a flight to different cities and staying in different hotels all around the U.S.,” she added.

According to Vicki, being on the road was a “fun experience,” but noted that the best part of the whole thing was watching her dad perform on stage at various shows.

“We were thrilled watching the audience just applaud for my dad,” she explained.

When her father took a break from show business, he ventured into the restaurant industry, opening a restaurant called the Roadrunner Burgers in Concord, California. He also moved back to the Philippines and opened up the Bert Nievera Music Lounge in Makati.

In 2003, he went on a self-semi-retirement in Las Vegas.

“I say semi because he could not keep himself away from the stage for too long. In fact, we got to perform with him — Martin and I. So we had several performances together as a family which was always fun, doing what we love with the people that we love,” said Vicki.

She admitted that her fondest memories of her dad are mostly of him just being a “normal” dad.

“As exciting as it was to have a celebrity dad, I can say that my fondest memories really are of when he was just plain old dad sitting at the dinner table, maybe at a picnic on a beach in Hawaii, that’s how I remember my dad the most,” Vicki said.

“Some of my fondest memories are of when we were kids growing up and dad was cooking and taking care of us,” she added.

FILIPINO American internet star Bretman Rock is among the faces of Nike’s 2021 Be True campaign, created in honor of June as Pride Month.

Across social media platforms, the influencer shared the announcement along with photos of his shoot with the sportswear brand.

“Strength has no gender! It’s measured from within,” Bretman wrote Tuesday, June 8.

“I’m excited to announce that I’m one of Nike’s faces for it #BeTrue campaign this year. Truly such an honor to be seen and heard from Nike.

It’s so surreal,” he added.

Meanwhile, Nike noted that Bretman “isn’t afraid to break the rules and blur the lines.”

“The digital superstar owns his identity and finds fortitude and freedom in movement. With a strong foundation of supportive friends and family, Bretman has hit his stride and there’s no slowing down,” the brand said.

Nike’s 2021 Be True collection is inspired by the idea that sport can be the setting for radical inclusivity. The line features sportswear, its iconic Blazer, Air Max, and Infinity React Run shoes, all of which feature a distinct rainbow flag-inspired design.

“Sport is richer when it includes the diverse stories, backgrounds and orientations of every individual person. A wide spectrum of nine LGBTQIA+ flags, highlighting the personal stories deep inside each stripe color, is broadly explored in this year’s footwear, featuring a diverse set of flag patches that can be applied to the Blazer ’77 Low, the Air Max Pre Day, the All Out Utility Slide and the Infinity React Run 2,” the brand said.

“A belief in the value of diverse representation has long been a cornerstone of Nike and its Be True collection, not only through the product,

Internet sensation Bretman Rock, 22, is among the creatives featured in Nike’s “Be True” campaign for Pride Month.

Photo courtesy of Instagram/@BretmanRock

but also through engagement with the community,” it added.

Bretman, 22, was born in Sanchez Mira, Cagayan in the Philippines. His family moved to Hawaii when he was 8 years old.

He cultivated his online persona by doing makeup tutorials and vlogs on YouTube. Currently, his channel has amassed over 8 million subscribers, while his Instagram has around 15 million followers. Earlier this year, he debuted his reality show on MTV, “Following: Bretman Rock.” n

First-generation Fil-Am university...

PAGE B2 She is now a doctoral candidate for a degree in translational medicine at City of Hope’s Irell & Manella Graduate School of Biological Sciences and is satisfied with her career decision.

“While I didn’t experience it myself, there is a lot of pressure in the Filipino community to go into medical fields and become doctors or nurses, but if your interest is in something else, don’t succumb to the pressure of your heritage or your family. Do what feels right for you,” she said.

Her father died just as she started her master’s program. It was hard but she didn’t let her grades fall. She continued to earn straight A’s because she knew Dad would have wanted her to focus on her studies, she said.

“Maybe one day my research can help im-

prove the current therapies available for people with lymphoma or any kind of solid tumor,” Valerio said. “Although my dad can’t be at my graduation, I know he is proud of my path and is cheering me on in every step.”

Nearly 200 students have graduated from the Irell & Manella Graduate School of Biological Sciences since its founding in 1994. Alumni have gone on to positions at major universities, research institutions, and pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies.

The Irell & Manella Graduate School of Biological Sciences is accredited by the accrediting agency WASC Senior College and University Commission. It offers doctorate degrees in biological sciences and translational medicine and master’s degrees in regulatory affairs as well as translational medicine through a joint program with the Keck Graduate Institute.

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REAL ESTATE

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How do you know if a stock is overvalued?

Tax Tips ViCtor Sy, MBA, CPA (retired) A STOCK is overvalued when its price can’t be justified by its fundamentals and earnings outlook.

Overvalued stocks are risky and subject to selloffs. Specifically, stock is overvalued stocks when: • P/E ratio over 50.

• PEG ratio over 3.

• P/S ratio over 10.

• P/B ratio over 10.

• Price/Free Cash Flow ratio greater than 50.

• D/E ratio high over 0.5.

Let’s discuss the meaning and significance of these ratios.

1. P/E Price/Earnings Ratio: • The price-earnings ratio is the ratio of a company’s stock price to the company’s earnings per share.

• The ratio is used for valuing companies and to find out whether they are undervalued (good) or overvalued (bad).

2. PEG Price/Earnings Growth: • The PEG Ratio is a more accurate measure of value than the P/E ratio.

• Divide the P/E ratio by the anticipated growth rate of a stock.

• PEG Ratio evaluates a company’s value based on both its current earnings and its future growth prospects.

• A PEG less than 1.0 is considered low and indicates that the stock is undervalued (good).

• Anything above 2.0 is fre-

quently considered aggressive (bad).

3. P/S Price/Sales Ratio: • T h e p r i c e - t o - s a l e s ra tio shows how much investors are willing to pay per dollar of sales for a stock.

• It’s calculated by dividing the stock price by the underlying company’s sales per share.

• A low ratio implies that a stock is undervalued (good), while a high ratio indicates that the stock is overvalued (bad).

• When a company experiences a period of early growth, investors place an unrealistic valuation.

• When the value of the company drops below their expectations, investors panic and sell the stock.

4. P/B Price/Book Ratio: • Comparing its market price to its book value indicates if stock is underpriced or overpriced.

• Ratio less than one = trading at less than its book value, or stock is undervalued and a good buy.

• Ratio greater than one can be interpreted as being overvalued or relatively expensive.

• It’s better to compare P/B ratios within industries.

5. P/CF Price/Cash Flow: • The cash flow to sales ratio is cash generated by the regular operating activities of a business.

• Divide the share price by the operating cash flow per share • A low ratio indicates that a company is generates ample cash flow that is not yet properly considered in the current share price (good).

• A high ratio indicates that a company is trading at an overvalued range and is not generating enough cash flow to support the multiple (bad).

• It’s more insightful when it is compared with companies within the same industry.

6. D/E Debt To Equity Ratio: • The debt-to-capital ratio is a measurement of a company’s financial leverage (loans).

• This ratio is used to evaluate a firm’s financial structure and how it is financing operations.

• It focuses on the relationship of debt liabilities as a component of a company’s total capital base.

• Capital includes the company’s debt and shareholders’ equity.

• A low debt to equity ratio implies a more financially stable business (good).

• A high debt-to-capital ratio indicates that it uses uses debts to finance operations and assets that can lead to danger of selloffs and higher default risk (very bad).

Sample list of overvalued stocks: • Enphase Energy (ENPH) • IDEXX Laboratories (IDXX) • ServiceNow (NOW) • Square (SQ) • Tesla (TSLA) • Amazon (AMZN). *** Victor Santos Sy, MBA. CPA (Retired) Victor Santos Sy graduated Cum Laude from UE with a BBA and from Indiana State University with an MBA. Vic worked with SyCip, Gorres, Velayo (SGV – Andersen Consulting) and Ernst & Young before establishing Sy Accountancy Corporation. *** He retired after 50 years of defending taxpayers audited by the IRS, EDD, BOE and other governmental agencies. He published a book on “How to Avoid or Survive IRS Audits” that’s available at Amazon. Readers may email tax questions to vicsy@live.com.

What is postnuptial agreement?

Barrister’s Corner Atty. Kenneth UrSUA reyeS A POSTNUPTIAL agreement is a contract between you and your spouse entered into after you get married resolving issues in your marriage. It is similar to a prenuptial agreement except it occurs after your marriage. For couples that get married without a prenuptial agreement, it is not too late to have an agreement dealing with issues of property division, management of finances, spousal support, division of a business that takes effect in case of a divorce.

You can enter into a postnuptial agreement even if the marriage is going well. People grow and change over time. You can never predict if your relationship with your spouse will stay the same in the future. In a way, it is a form of planning to cover the contingency in case the marriage does not work out in the future.

If you are the spouse who is the primary breadwinner such as a Registered Nurse, a Physician, or other Professional, California community property law provides for a 50% interest to your spouse for any income earned by you during the marriage and any property acquired by you and your spouse during the marriage. Basically, your spouse has a one-half interest in your salary, earnings, and any assets you acquired during the marriage even if it was you who sweated to earn that money and even if a particular asset or bank account is under your name alone. This 50/50 division can be changed even after the

marriage by ways of a postnuptial agreement.

What issues can be resolved in advance through a postnuptial agreement? You can agree on how a business or a professional practice is to be divided in case of a divorce. Through the postnuptial agreement, the division does not have to be 50/50. The agreement can provide that the business will be awarded to one spouse alone or it can provide a certain amount of buyout to the other spouse.

There is a lot of flexibility as to how you want to structure this.

You can also provide for how real property is to be divided such as a house or rental property. Typically, a house purchased during the marriage is community property to be divided equally. A house purchased before the marriage is separate property but if there was a mortgage or refinancing during the marriage and the monthly mortgage payment is paid from earnings during the marriage, there could be a community interest in that separate property house which entitles your spouse to a portion of the house. This confusion can be squared away and clarified in a postnuptial agreement. You can provide for who gets the house and what buy out , if any, your spouse will get in case of a divorce.

Spousal support can also be addressed in the postnuptial agreement. A common provisions is to agree to a certain amount of spousal support which varies depending on how long the marriage was at the time the parties divorce. It is also possible to waive spousal support altogether. However, such waiver of support will be scrutinized as to unconscionability at the time of the divorce.

Other issues that can be resolved in a postnuptial agreement are division of debts and

credit cards, ownership of a life insurance policy, beneficiaries to a life insurance policy, and who gets the family pet.

Since the postnuptial agreement is the first issue that can be attacked in a divorce case, it is best that each party be represented by their own attorney in negotiating the agreement.

In that case, there is less likelihood that the postnuptial agreement will be found invalid since you can argue that there was no undue influence since both parties were represented by counsel. Having a postnuptial is definitely beneficial in minimizing the uncertainty in the future pertaining to your marriage and finances. *** Please note that this article is not legal advice and is not intended as legal advice. The article is intended to provide only general, non-specific legal information. This article is not intended to cover all the issues related to the topic discussed. The specific facts that apply to your matter may make the outcome different than would be anticipated by you. This article does create any attorney client relationship between you and the Law Offices of Kenneth U. Reyes, APLC. This article is not a solicitation. *** Attorney Kenneth Ursua Reyes is a Certified Family Law Specialist. He was President of the Philippine American Bar Association. He is a member of both the Family law section and Immigration law section of the Los Angeles County Bar Association. He is a graduate of Southwestern University Law School in Los Angeles and California State University, San Bernardino School of Business Administration. He has extensive CPA experience prior to law practice. LAW OFFICES OF KENNETH REYES, APLC. is located at 3699 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 747, Los Angeles, CA, 90010.

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

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Trust the reopening process Pastor’s Notes reVerend rodeL g. BALAgtAS FINALLY, we’re back to having indoor Masses without restrictions: 100% seating capacity, no required wearing of a mask, and social distancing!

Of course, some of us are still frightful and cautious, and we understand their situations.

At Incarnation Church, we’re committed to providing parishioners with a safe environment as we worship together. We’re together in unity and peace!

We continue to pray that this pandemic ends ultimately. And we’re all together to tackle the

challenges of ministry during the post-pandemic. We’ll encourage one another to go back to church and will keep finding new ways of reaching out in faith to all.

Fear will never paralyze us. As a matter of fact, the Holy Spirit encourages us to come to a new vision of being a parish community, aligned with the vision of Jesus Christ and the Church.

Indeed, the pages of world history will be full of stories of the one year and three months of the pandemic. I hope that our parish and school will be part of the many Catholic churches and schools that historians will recognize because of our steadfastness, creativity, and cooperation with the State and the city in protecting our people’s health, especially those of our children, youth,

and elderly.

This Sunday, our Scripture Readings encourage us to keep trusting the Lord and believing in his power to save us. No conspiracy theory lies, and misinformation would cripple our faith in fear. We know that the power of God is greater than any pandemic and any evil attempt to destroy humanity. God will never destroy the beauty of his creation. We’ve got to believe this truth of the Scriptures.

In the First Reading (Job 38:1, 8-11), God speaks to Job with maternal care because of Job’s diminishing hope. God had delayed answering Job’s prayers. At last, he softens Job’s despair, saying: “Who shut within doors the sea, when it burst forth from the womb; and when I made PAGE B6

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Protecting Employee & Consumer Rights Atty. C. Joe SAyAS, Jr. Q: MY work requires personal interaction with several people on a daily basis. We are getting back to the worksite after working from home for over a year. My employer sent a company-wide memo saying that employees must be vaccinated to return to work. I am not sure I want to get the vaccine. Can my employer force me to get vaccinated?

A: The short and general answer is “yes.” But there is more. California’s Department of Fair Employment and Housing (“DFEH”) is following guidance outlined by the Fair Employment and Housing Act (“FEHA”) regarding vaccinations. Such guidance essentially states that an employer’s vaccination requirements must not discriminate against employees based on a protected characteristic, such as disability or religion. For employees returning to workplaces and being required to be vaccinated, the following information should be useful: 1. Employees with a disability or medical condition may request reasonable accommodation to be exempt from vaccination.

If an employee has a health issue or a disability that prevents them from being administered a vaccine, the employee must notify the employer of this and request reasonable accommodation. An employer is required under the law to reasonably accommodate an employee’s disability or medical condition. Once the employer is notified about the employee’s disability or medical condition that prevents them from being vaccinated, the employer is required to engage the employee in an interactive process to de-

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Can my boss force me to get a COVID vaccine?

termine what reasonable accommodation may be provided to the employee. The employee may be asked to provide the employer with a doctor’s note containing any limitations and possible accommodations.

Reasonable accommodation may include providing personal protective equipment, allowing remote work, or granting leave of absence.

2. Employees with a sincerely-held religious belief or practice may request reasonable accommodation to be exempt from the vaccination.

Religious beliefs or practices are protected under the law. If an employee’s sincerely-held religious beliefs and practices prevent them from being vaccinated, the employer is required to engage in interactive process with the employee and determine reasonable accommodation for that employee.

Aside from those already mentioned, reasonable accommodation in this instance may also include assigning the employee to a different position or location that would prevent the risk of the employee contracting a COVID illness.

3. Employees who request reasonable accommodation must not be retaliated against.

Requesting reasonable accommodation due to a disability, medical condition, or a sincerely-held religious belief or practice, is a protected activity. “Protected activity” also includes complaints or opposition to conduct, policy, or practice the employee “reasonably” and in “good faith” believes to be unlawful, even if the conduct is not actually prohibited under the law. An employer cannot retaliate against an employee by subjecting an employee to adverse employ-

ment action (i.e., discipline, demote, or terminate an employee) for engaging in protected activity.

4. Employees must be compensated for the time spent obtaining an employer-mandated vaccination.

The time spent for testing or vaccination, including travel time, is considered “hours worked.” If the employer requires an employee to obtain a COVID-19 test or a vaccination, or if the test or vaccination is required for a job, the employer must pay for the costs of the test or vaccination as a reimbursement for necessary business expenses.

Given the above, the employee may not be allowed to return to the workplace if: a) no reasonable accommodation may be found without imposing an undue hardship on the employer; b) the employee cannot perform their essential duties even with reasonable accommodation; or c) the employee cannot perform their essential duties without endangering the health or safety of themselves and others even after reasonable accommodation. *** The Law Offices of C. Joe Sayas, Jr. welcomes inquiries about this topic. All inquiries are confidential and at no-cost. You can contact the office at (818) 291-0088 or visit www.joesayaslaw.com. [For more than 25 years, C. Joe Sayas, Jr., Esq. has successfully recovered wages and other monetary damages for thousands of employees and consumers. He was named Top Labor & Employment Attorney in California by the Daily Journal, consistently selected as Super Lawyer by the Los Angeles Magazine, and is a past Presidential Awardee for Outstanding Filipino Overseas.]

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What are the common questions about bankruptcy? Here are some answers How many kinds of bankruptIS there a constitutional cies are there? Chapter 7 of the right to file for bankruptcy?

Debt Yes, there is. The United States Relief bankruptcy code gives debtors Constitution adopted 250 years a new start by discharging most ago provides for the creation of the accumulated debt. Chapof bankruptcy courts and the ter 13 of the bankruptcy code power to administer them. Our gives debtors a financial reorgafounding fathers believed that Atty. LAwrenCe yAng nization by allowing partial paypeople should be given a chance ment of the accumulated debt. to have a fresh start in life to be- the United States, debtors who Chapter 13 is sometimes called come productive again without can’t pay their debts do not have the “wage earner reorganization accumulated debt. Before the to go to prison. Instead, they plan” because the payment plan adoption of the Constitution, can start life anew without accu- is funded by the debtor’s regular we followed the wages or business concept of having income. There are debtor jails as that also the options Instead, they can start life anew was the practice of Chapter 11 and without accumulated debt, making them Chapter 12. There in England. Debtors who could not is also the urban productive again, while being able to pay their debts legend of Chapter were jailed until 20. This is doing keep most if not all of their assets. Our they paid their Chapter 13 after founding fathers believed that allowing debts. Thus, if you Chapter 7 in cerlived in before the tain circumstancdebtors to get rid of debt would be adoption of the es. constitution and Can you keep beneficial to society. defaulted on your your assets if you credit card debt, file for bankruptyou would end up in jail, just mulated debt, making them pro- cy? ductive again, while being able like a criminal.

Yes, debtors are able to keep However, with the adoption of to keep most if not all of their most if not all of their assets the United States Constitution assets. Our founding fathers be- while getting rid of their debt on September 17, 1787 at Inde- lieved that allowing debtors to by claiming “exemptions.” “Expendence Hall in Philadelphia, get rid of debt would be benefi- emptions” keep an asset out of forging a new government for cial to society.

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Sooner or later, you will need to face your debt problems

FACING difficult financial times can be a frightening thing for a lot of people. When bill collectors are hounding you, at some point, you realize that something must be done but you just don’t know where to begin or where to go for help.

Often, options can also be confusing unless you get the right information that you need to make the right decision. Should I consider filing bankruptcy or is that the worst mistake I can make under the circumstances?

What can creditors do to me if I continue to ignore my debt problems?

If a lawsuit, wage garnishment, repossession or foreclosure is imminent, you need to take action immediately so you can protect yourself and your property. If filing bankruptcy is your best option, consult with an experienced bankruptcy attorney who can explain to you how this process works so you can get immediate debt relief.

Unfortunately, most people feel a certain shame or stigma about petitioning for bankruptcy when in reality it may be the best thing they can do to protect themselves from creditor actions. Listen to me: If your home, wages, assets and your financial future are at stake, you

Minding Your Finances Atty. rAyMond BULAon don’t need to feel embarrassed about anything.

If you have done your best to do everything you can with no success, you need to at least find out what your legal options are.

Forget about what you friends and family may think if they find out that you are considering bankruptcy. That should be the least of your concerns. What you need to know is to find out the advantages and disadvantages of bankruptcy so you can determine if it is right for your situation.

If you have been sued by a creditor and you don’t file an answer to the complaint, the creditor can get a default judgment against you. The judgment obtained will then allow the creditor to further collect the debt by seizing your bank accounts or garnishing your wages. In certain cases where the creditor obtains a court order to force you to appear in

court to be examined regarding your assets (debtor’s examination), your failure to appear may result in a bench warrant issued by the court to compel your attendance.

Keep in mind that in the above scenario, you do not go to jail for owing money but you can get arrested for failure to appear at the judgment debtor’s examination (i.e., contempt of court). If you file bankruptcy, of course, at any point during the collection process, the legal proceedings against you are immediately stopped.

If you are under a lot of financial stress and don’t know what to do, I’d like to help you figure out the best way to get your finances back in order again. *** NOTE: Due to COVID-19 concerns, I am offering free consultations BY PHONE OR VIDEO to anyone who needs help in dealing with their debt problems. *** None of the information herein is intended to give legal advice for any specific situation. Atty. Ray Bulaon has successfully helped over 5,000 clients in getting out of debt. For a free attorney evaluation of your situation, please call RJB Law Offices at TOLL FREE 1-866-477-7772.

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What are the common questions...

PAGE B5 the bankruptcy estate and out of the jurisdiction of the bankruptcy trustee.

For example, the homestead exemption in CA under 704.730 of the CA code of civil procedure is $75,000, $100,000, and $175,000 of home equity depending on the applicable circumstances of the debtor. So, if you are a senior at 65, and your house, which has a current fair market value of $600,000 has a mortgage balance of $425,000, your homestead equity of $175,000 us fully exempt. You get to keep your house in Chapter 7. For instance, you owe $100,000 of credit cards. You can file Chapter 7 to get rid of the $100,000 of credit cards while you “exempt “ your house, i.e. you keep your house even as you get rid of your $100,000 of credit cards. You also keep your retirement account of $200,000 by exempting it. Let’s say your 401k is $350,000, can you still exempt it? Sure you can. Even if you had a 401K or IRA or another kind of ERISA qualified retirement account like 403 or whatever of $1.0M, you can exempt the entire $1.0M, exempt your $600,000 house, while discharging your $100,000 of credit cards.

Is there a minimum debt required for Chapter 7? No. There is no minimum debt required. Owing $1,000 or $1 billion, it doesn’t make any difference. So, you can owe $1 billion of credit cards and other debts and have these wiped out, while

you keep your $1.0M of 401K? Absolutely.

How often can you file for Chapter 7?

Every eight years.

Can you keep your cars in bankruptcy? Absolutely. Let’s say you have a car loan of $25,000 on your 2013 Tesla-S, and a lease on your 2017 MBenz c-300, and you want to keep both of them even as you file for Chapter 7 to discharge $50,000 of credit cards and other debts. You have to continue the monthly payments on the Tesla and the M-Benz as before bankruptcy filing. You don’t get the cars for free. Most of the time, you can just continue payments. Sometimes, the creditor will require that you sign a “reaffirmation” agreement. This means that you recognize that the car loan or car lease survives the bankruptcy.

If you don’t want to keep the car, you can surrender the car and you will not owe the voluntary return deficiency. For example, you return the Tesla. Creditor sells the Tesla for $15,000.

Without the bankruptcy, you will still owe Elon Musk, $10,000 of return deficiency. With the bankruptcy, you owe Musk zero.

How fast can you rebuild credit after bankruptcy? Pretty fast. Right after bankruptcy, you can walk into a Toyota car dealer and buy a new car. However, the interest on the car loan will be higher. You might end up with 10% instead of 4% with good credit. And, there are creditors who specialize in providing credit cards to people who have just finished bankruptcy. After two years, you can get a mortgage loan to buy a house but your interest will be higher. After two years, your credit score will be about 600 to 620. After three to five years, your credit score will be about 650 to 700, depending on how you handle new credit.

Between six to seven years, your credit score will be about 730 to 750. On the 10th year from filing bankruptcy, there is no more record of your bankruptcy filing in any credit report. You’re back to over 800 or perfect credit.

Are income taxes dischargeable in bankruptcy? Yes, they are provided you meet qualify-

ing factors. For instance, the tax owed must be at least three years old. An assessment must have been made at least 260 days ago and there is no fraud involved. For instance, you owe the IRS $300,000 of income taxes for 2014. Chapter 7 will discharge the $300,000 and you won’t owe the IRS anymore provided all qualifying factors for discharge are met.

Who are famous now successful individuals who have filed for Chapter 7?

Walt Disney filed Chapter 7 twice. Now Disney business is global and worth many billions of dollars. Disney has theme parks in China, Japan, France, etc. Milton Hershey filed for Chapter 7. Now Hershey Chocolates is probably the biggest global chocolate business that exists worth many billions of dollars.

Will you be the next Walt Disney or Milton Hershey if you file for bankruptcy?

Who knows, maybe? But surely, if you don’t get rid of your accumulated debt now, you won’t ever become productive again.

You will remain a debt slave forever. As you know, being a slave will get you nowhere in life because slaves can’t do much for themselves. Slaves work for their masters.

Whatever you become, debt slave, a free man, and wildly successful entrepreneur, that’s really up to you. Decide and choose a productive life again or remain a debt slave until you die.

If you need debt relief, call to set an appointment. I will analyze your case personally. You won’t regret it. *** DISCLAIMER: NONE OF THE FOREGOING IS CONSIDERED LEGAL ADVICE. EACH CASE IS DIFFERENT. *** Lawrence Bautista Yang specializes in Bankruptcy, Business, Real Estate and Civil Litigation and has successfully represented more than five thousand clients in California. Please call Angie, Barbara or Jess at (626) 284-1142 for an appointment at 20274 Carrey Road, Walnut, CA 91789 or 1000 S. Fremont Ave., Mailstop 58, Building A-10 South Suite 10042, Alhambra, CA 91803.

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Trust the reopening...

PAGE B5 the clouds its garment and thick clouds its swaddling bands?

When I set limits for it and fastened the bar of the door, and said: Thus far shall you come but no farther, and here shall your proud waves be stilled?”

In the words of Fr. John Foley, SJ, God tells Job: “Weren’t you present when I lavished such love on everything I created? Don’t you remember my love? Don’t you trust it? “ God’s infinite love has been there all along. Apparently, God’s delay was needed to strengthen Job’s faith and trust.

I would say no more then how we can relate to Job’s story during the pandemic.

So, friends, let’s keep trusting in God, who has power over the storms of life. Let’s keep listening to Jesus, who tells us in our prayers: “Quiet! Be still! Have faith! *** 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. *** Fr. Rodel “Odey” Balagtas is the pastor of Incarnation Church in Glendale, California.

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