062420 - Southern California Midweek Edition

June 24-26, 2020 Volume 30 - No. 49 • 2 Sections - 14 Pages

Trump signs order temporarily freezing DATELINE USA CA Senate votes in favor of worker visas, prefers ‘merit-based system’ ethnic studies requirement FROM THE AJPRESS NEWS TEAM ACROSS AMERICA

for Cal State Univ. students Critics of the new addition to the curriculum argue the state should not impose academic decisions

UNDER new state legislation passed last week, students attending California State University (CSU) schools will now be required to take courses in ethnic studies.

Starting in the 2021-2022 academic year, the CSU is required to offer courses focusing on race and ethnicity, particularly implementing comprehensive courses on Native Americans, African Americans, Asian Americans and Latino Americans. In order to graduate, students would need to take one 3-credit course, according to AB 1460.

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Thermal camera technology is being tested at LAX’s Tom Bradley International Terminal to help identify travelers with an elevated body temperature.

Photo courtesy of Los Angeles World Airports

by KLARIZE

MEDENILLA AJPress

CERTAIN foreign workers will be barred from seeking employment in the United States as President Donald Trump on Monday, June 22 signed an executive order that places a temporary freeze on work visas through the end of the year.

Those affected include the H-1B visas for tech workers, H-2B visas for low-skill jobs, H-4 visas for spouses of certain visa holders, J visas for those in work and student exchange programs and L visas for “intracompany transfers.”

According to a White House proclamation, the administration would be “moving to a merit-based immigration system” but the president also cited the

economic downturn caused by the COVID-19 pandemic as a reason to preserve jobs for Americans.

“American workers compete against foreign nationals for jobs in every sector of our economy,” the White House wrote, adding that the “economic shocks” reverberating across the country are “likely [to] require several months to return to” pre-pan-

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Trump, Biden campaigns to address AAPI community during virtual presidential town hall

by CHRISTINA

WITH the United States presidential election less than five months away, the campaigns of President Donald Trump and former Vice President Joe Biden will court Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) voters — considered the fastest-growing segment of eligible voters in the United States — in a virtual town hall on Saturday, June 27.

Biden will be present to directly make his pitch, while former Governor of Guam Eddie Baza Calvo will serve as a surrogate for Trump in the livestreamed event hosted by APIAVote in partnership with community organizations.

Rep. Judy Chu (D-Calif.), chair of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus, will provide remarks.

Journalists Amna Nawaz of PBS News Hour and Vicky Nguyen of NBC will moderate.

“This two-hour event will allow the candidates and INNOVATIVE. Since the ban on back-riding remains in effect, this man on scooter uses a nylon cord to pull the bicycle of his woman companion along campaigns to present their vision in how that addresses Epifanio de los Santos Avenue in Caloocan City on Tuesday, June 23. Palace spokesman Harry Roque Jr. the other day said back-riding will soon be

LAX introduces thermal screening to check passengers for PH among the top 10 worst countries for workers coronavirus symptoms allowed again pending the approval of the requirements set by a technical working group.

by RITCHEL

TRAVELERS at Los Angeles International Airport will be asked to undergo another screening before getting to the security checkpoint to help slow the spread of coronavirus.

Starting on Tuesday, June 23, thermal cameras will be deployed at two locations inside the Tom Bradley International Terminal –– at the main entrance on the departures level and inside the terminal near select international arrivals –– with both arriving and departing passengers screened.

The cameras are designed to rapidly identify people with body temperatures of 100.4 degrees or more, which is the current guideline for detecting a fever set by the Centers for

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M. ORIEL

AJPress

MENDIOLA AJPress

THE Philippines is among the top 10 dangerous places for workers in 2020, according to the latest International Trade Union Confederation’s Global Rights Index.

In the 2020 index released Saturday, June 20, 144 countries were rated on a scale from one to five — with one being the best rating, and five the worst — based on the following: • No guarantee of rights due to the breakdown of the rule of law (5+) • No guarantee of rights (5) • Systematic violation of rights (4) • Regular violation of rights (3)

PNA photo by Joey O. Razon

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• Repeated violation of rights (2) • Irregular violation of rights (1) According to ITUC, 85% of countries have violated the right to strike, 80% have violated the right to collective bargaining, 74% have excluded workers from the right to establish or join a trade union, and 72% have zero or restricted access to justice.

It also noted that the countries where freedom of speech and assembly was denied or constrained increased from 54 in 2019 to 56 in 2020.

“In the Philippines, union members were particularly at risk of violence, intimidation SWAB TEST. A member of the Station Investigation and Detection Management Unit of the and murder,” noted the ITUC. Southern Police District (SPD) undergoes swab testing at the SPD headquarters in Pasay City It added, “In a context of extreme state on Monday, June 22. Law enforcement front-liners are among those included in the testing

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to contain the spread of COVID-19.

PNA photo by Avito C. Dalan

Filipino businessman files new cyber libel WHO reports the largest singleday increase in COVID-19 cases complaint vs Ressa over a 2019 tweet

by RITCHEL

MENDIOLA

AJPress

RAPPLER co-founder and chief executive officer Maria Ressa faces yet another complaint filed by businessman Wilfredo Keng, just days after her cyber libel conviction.

The businessman — who was the same private complainant who sued Ressa and former Rappler staffer Reynaldo Santos Jr. — said he filed a separate cyber libel complaint on February 13, before the Makati City Office of the City Prosecutor, according to the digital news site in a report over the weekend.

The complaint was about Ressa’s Feb. 15, 2019 tweet wherein she attached screenshots of a 2002 Philstar.com article entitled “Influential businessman eyed in ex-councilor’s Rappler co-founder and chief executive officer Maria Ressa slay.”

Philstar.com photo by Boy Santos

“The foregoing images pertain to a Philippine Star article published in 2002. The said article maliciously imputes to my person the commission of various heinous crimes, without offering justifiable motive for the false allegation,” Keng said in his complaint affidavit before the Department of Justice.

“No less than the Philippine Star itself has taken down the very same article,” he added.

The Philippine Star took down its article due to Keng’s camp raising the “possibility of legal action.” The news outlet added that it wanted to be “prudent” because “the scope and bounds of the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012 are still unexplored.”

“In publishing the 2002 Philippine Star article in her Twitter account, the respondent

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by AJPRESS

THE World Health Organization reported 183,020 new coronavirus cases on Sunday, June 21, the largest single-day increase of the disease by count.

According to the United Nations health agency, Brazil recorded the most cases with 54,771, followed by the United States at 36,617.

There were a total of 8,708,008 COVID-19 cases with 461,715 fatalities worldwide as of Sunday.

Meanwhile, 4,743 deaths were recorded.

U.S. President Donald Trump on Saturday, June 20, said 25 million people in the U.S. have

been tested, which led to more COVID-19 cases.

“When you do testing to that extent, you’re going to find more people, you’re going to find more cases. So I said to my people, ‘Slow the testing down, please,’” he said.

White House trade adviser Peter Navarro said Trump’s comment was made in jest and that the president was merely being “tongue-in-cheek.”

Currently, the U.S. has confirmed 2,325,970 cases, with 122,659 deaths, according to the Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Center.

Brazil, meanwhile, has

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A June 24-26, 2020 • SoCal ASIAn JOuRnAL

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

May isa tayong magagawa, sabay sabay!

Ikumpleto ang 2020 Census online ngayon.

Ikumpleto ang census ngayon para makatulong i-inform kung saan ilalaan ang bilyones na mapupunta sa mga bagay katulad ng health care, transportation at education kada taon sa susunod na sampung taon.

Ilang minuto lamang para mabigyang hugis ang ating kinabukasan, kaya kumpletuhin and census online, sa telepono o by mail.

Ikumpleto ang census ngayon sa:

2020CENSUS.GOV/tl Paid for by U.S. Census Bureau.

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

SoCal ASIAN JOURNAL • JUNe 24-26, 2020

A

From the Front Page

Trump signs order temporarily...

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demic economic output.

The suspension announced on Monday follows the abrupt halting of visas for certain family members of green card holders, which was placed on April 22 and was also a response to the pandemic. Those working in essential industries, like health care, medical research, food processing and university professors, however, were exempt from that measure.

Though the suspension is temporary, the White House proclamation also noted that it would direct the departments of Homeland Security, State and Labor to draft offshoot regulations that will provide more permanent action that the administration hopes will lead to a “merit-based system.”

These changes would affect a great number of workers including hospitality workers but will also end permits for many asylum seekers and those hoping tocontend in the lottery system for H1B visas.

the world’s talent or create uncertainty and anxiety. Immigrants play a vital role at our company and support our country’s critical infrastructure. They are contributing to this country at a time when we need them most.”

Mirroring Smith’s statement, Apple CEO Tim Cook took to Twitter to express disappointment “by this proclamation,” saying that, “Like Apple, this nation of immigrants has always found strength in our diversity, and hope in the enduring promise of the American Dream.

There is no new prosperity without both.”

Jessica Herrera-Flanigan, Twitter’s vice president of public poli‘BUSINESS AS USUAL’. Unlike other fathers who won’t let this day pass without celebrating Father’s Day, this man has to earn a living cy and philanthropy for the Amer- first by selling guavas to motorists along Katigbak Parkway in Manila on Sunday, June 21. Father’s Day was first celebrated to honor icas, said in a statement that the fathers on the third Sunday of June in 1910.

PNA photo by Avito C. Dalan “proclamation undermines America’s greatest economic asset: its diversity. People from all over the world come here to join our labor force, pay taxes and contribute to PAGE A1 added.

American voters will reach a new our global competitiveness on the the concerns of Asian American, In a 2018 Asian American Voter high this year as more than 11 world stage.” n Native Hawaiian and Pacific Is- Survey released by APIAVote and million will be able to cast their lander folks,” APIAVote Execu- AAPI Data, 46% of total Asian ballots, according to Pew Retive Director Christine Chen said Americans surveyed said they search Center analysis of Census in her remarks on Monday, June were not contacted by the Demo- Bureau data released last May. 22, kicking off a week-long vir- cratic Party, while 56% said they The data added that in the past tual leadership summit with ses- received no communication from 20 years, the electorate grew by 139%, in part due to naturalized sions highlighting how to engage the Republican Party.

The same survey found that immigrants.

AAPI communities.

The Trump campaign in May Saturday’s event is the fourth 22% of Filipinos surveyed said time APIAVote has hosted the they had a “very favorable” im- launched “Asian Americans for Presidential Town Hall as an op- pression of Trump, while 38% Trump,” co-chaired by Fil-Am portunity for campaigns to ad- said “very unfavorable.” Mean- Utah Attorney General Sean dress issues relevant to the AAPI while, 32% of Filipinos said they Reyes and Arizona State Treacommunity. During the 2016 had a “somewhat favorable” im- surer Kimberly Yee. In addition election cycle, former President pression of the Democratic Party to “AAPIs for Biden,” a group Bill Clinton served as a surrogate and 28% said “somewhat favor- of Filipino Americans formed a nationwide “Fil-Ams for Biden” at the event for former Secretary able” of the Republican Party.

Though AAPI voters have been following the former vice presof State Hillary Clinton’s presioften overlooked by the major ident’s performance on Super dential bid. political parties, the bloc may Tuesday.

“This is also a time for them to The cameras are designed to rapidly identify people with body temperatures of 100.4 degrees Registration for the town hall or more.

Photo courtesy of Los Angeles World Airports listen to this community and un- continue to show influence in can be done at https://www.apiderstand our needs and interests key races and districts. gram will be shared with these site.

The number of eligible Asian avote.org/townhall. n as a growing electorate,” Chen These thermal camera tem- partners and leading airports perature checks will not replace around the world in an effort to set other safety measures in place. new standards for the industry.

In addition to the cameras, the To protect guest privacy, the cameras will not store, transmit, or airport added signage directing PAGE A1 breyesus. announced 200 infections that share any data or images taken. guests to practice social distanc- 1,106,470 cases and 51,271 “We cannot defeat this pan- have been traced to employees Guests who decline to participate ing, wear a face covering at all deaths. demic with a divided world. The at a door-to-door sales company Despite being the second politicisation of the pandemic in Seoul, and at least 70 other inwill have the opportunity to use a times, and wash their hands frecountry with the highest num- has exacerbated it,” he added. quently. different pathway. fections are tied to a table tennis LAX has increased deep clean- ber of COVID-19 cases, Brazilian The airport will work closely The WHO noted that China club. with multiple partners to evalu- ing throughout the airport focus- President Jair Bolsonaro has con- and South Korea both reported The Philippines reported ate the technology including the ing on “high touch” areas, and tinued to downplay the threat of new cases on Sunday that could 1,150 new cases. As of writing, Transportation Security Adminis- has installed more than 250 hand the virus. set back the countries’ recover- there are now 31,825 individuals “The pandemic is still accel- ies. tration (TSA), airlines, CDC, and sanitizer stations. Shops and resinfected with COVID-19 in the LA County Department of Public taurants are also offering contact- erating,” said WHO’s DirectorChina recorded an additional country, with 1,186 deaths and General Tedros Adhanom Ghe- 25 cases, while South Korea 8,442 recoveries. n Health, and results from this pro- free experiences. (AJPress)

Without providing clear projections, the White House says that 525,000 “American jobs” will be saved by these measures.

But CEOs and workers at major tech companies such as Amazon, Apple, Google, Microsoft, Uber, Twitter and Box say that the new measures do more to harm the U.S. economy than save it, denouncing the president’s freeze as “unbelievably bad policy” that would undermine American competitiveness.

Silicon Valley reacts Tech companies routinely rely on H-1B visas to recruit computer engineering from other countries, a tactic that has hoisted Silicon Valley as the capital of tech innovation. Each year, the U.S. offers about 85,000 H-1B visas each year, and according to Business Insider, Google and Amazon each received roughly 9,000 H1B visa applications.

Microsoft President Brad Smith wrote in a statement, “Now is not the time to cut our nation off from

Trump, Biden campaigns to address AAPI...

LAX introduces thermal screening to check...

PAGE A1 Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

“A world-class airport isn’t defined just by our historic investments in a reimagined LAX and an improved traveling experience –– it’s also about world-class safety,” said Mayor Garcetti on Monday. “This project reflects the best of this city’s innovative spirit, and it will help keep travelers healthy and set a new industry standard.”

The voluntary program, which is being tested in the international terminal first, will have signage alerting passengers where this trial will take place.

If a voluntary participant is identified as having an elevated body temperature, a medical professional near the camera operator will approach the identified person and request a secondary screening using a handheld, non-contact thermometer, according to the airport.

Departing guests who are identified as having an elevated body temperature will be advised that they should not travel. Passengers on arriving international flights identified as being potentially ill may be referred to CDC staff on

WHO reports the largest single-day increase...

A June 24-26, 2020 • SoCal ASIAn JOuRnAL

Dateline USa

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

LA County announces 2,571 COVID-19 cases, 18 new deaths LOS ANGELES – The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health (Public Health) has confirmed 18 new deaths and 2,571 new cases of 2019 Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19).

Thirteen people who died were over the age of 65 years old and four people who died were between the ages of 41 and 65 years old. Seventeen people had underlying health conditions including nine people over the age of 65 years old and four people between the ages of 41 to 65 years old. One death was reported by the City of Pasadena.

To date, Public Health has identified 85,942 positive cases of COVID-19 across all areas of LA County, and a total of 3,137 deaths. Ninety-four percent of people who died had underlying health conditions. Of those who died, information about race and ethnicity is available for 2,918 people (99 percent of the cases reported by Public Health); 42% of deaths occurred among Latino/Latinx residents, 29% among White residents, 17% among Asian residents, 11% among African American/Black residents, less than 1% among Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander residents and 1% among residents identifying with other races.

Upon further investigation, 26 cases and one death reported earlier were not LA County residents. There are 1,453 people who are currently hospitalized, 28% of these people are in the ICU and 19% are on ventilators. Testing capacity continues to increase in LA County, with testing results available for over 960,000 individuals and 8% of people testing positive.

“We are thinking of all of the families that are experiencing the sorrow of losing a loved one to COVID-19. You are in our thoughts and prayers every day,” said Barbara Ferrer, PhD, MPH, MEd, Director of Public Health. “Today marks the third

day in a week that we have reported 2,000 or more cases of COVID-19. And while some of the increases are due to test reporting issues, it is clear that much of the increase represents more community transmission.

Continuing to slow the spread of COVID-19 will not be possible without a renewed commitment by all of us to take care of each other by wearing cloth face coverings, keeping our distance, and avoiding crowds.”

Public Health continues tracking the number of positive cases and deaths among healthcare workers related to the COVID19 pandemic response. A total of 7,095 healthcare workers and first responders have confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Los Angeles County. This is an additional 534 new cases since reported last week. Nurses continue to account for the majority of positive cases (43%), though cases have been identified among a range of occupational roles, including caregivers, people who work in administration, medical assistants, and people who work in environmental services and food services. The source of exposure is known for 50% of the healthcare workers who tested positive for COVID-19; 78% of healthcare workers with known exposure were exposed in a healthcare facility.

Public Health has confirmed 52 healthcare workers have passed away from COVID-19, 8 additional people since our report last week; 39 people who died worked in skilled nursing and assisted living facilities, six people worked in hospitals, three people worked in home health, 1 person worked in a correctional facility, 1 person worked in a laboratory, and one person who died worked in an outpatient facility.

For one health care worker who passed away, their workplace setting has not been specified.

Twenty-four of the health care

workers who died identified as Asian, 20 of the people who died were Latino/Latinx, three people who died were African American/Black, four people who died were White, and for one person who died, their race and ethnicity was not specified.

The Reopening Protocols, COVID-19 Surveillance Interactive Dashboard, Roadmap to Recovery, Recovery Dashboard, and additional things you can do to protect yourself, your family and your community are on the Public Health website, www.publichealth.lacounty.gov.

Because this virus is still easily transmitted among people in contact with each other, the best protection against COVID19 continues to be to wash your hands frequently, avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands, self-isolate if you are sick, practice physical distancing, and wear a clean face covering when in contact with others from outside your household. It’s important if someone thinks they could be positive for COVID-19 and are awaiting testing results, to stay at home and act as if they are positive.

This means self-isolating for 10 days and 72 hours after symptoms and fever subside, or until they receive a negative result. If a person tests positive for COVID-19, they should plan on receiving a call from a contact tracer to discuss how to protect themselves and others, to find out where they may have been, and who they were in close contact with while infectious.

People who have underlying health conditions remain at much greater risk for serious illness from COVID-19, so it will continue to be very important for the County’s vulnerable residents to stay at home as much as possible, to have groceries and medicine delivered, and to call their providers immediately if they have even mild symptoms. n

PH among the top 10 worst countries...

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Along with the Philippines, Bangladesh, Brazil, Colombia, Egypt, Honduras, India, Kazakhstan, Turkey and Zimbabwe were recognized as the worst countries for working people in 2020.

The Associated Labor UnionsTrade Union Congress of the Philippines, for its part, said it stood by the list.

“The ALU-TUCP are fully in accord with the findings of the ITUC and stand by their listing of the Philippines as one of the top 10 most dangerous countries in the world for workers,” said the labor group.

“We see the handwriting clearly on the wall: workers rights and workers are and will be victims in the current political environment,” it added.

The Southern California ReThe group pointed out that gional Rail Authority (SCRRA) the unresolved assassinations, is seeking bids for IT Network allegedly labor-related disapSwitches. Upon award, a pur- pearances, various repressions, chase order will be issued for red-tagging and wanton attacks the goods included in the solici- on workers and workers’ fundatation. mental rights made the current Electronic bids must be sub- environment dangerous and difmitted online at https://metrolinktrains.com/doing_business. on or before 2:00 PM Local Time on June 30, 2020. Electronic bids will not be received after this date and time.

The Contract to be awarded PAGE A1 will be subject to a financial For the CSU — which is the assistance agreement between largest public four-year universiAuthority and U.S. Department ty system in the United States — of Transportation under grants the bill was designed to broaden issued by the Federal Transit students’ understanding of nonAdministration (FTA). As a conwhite racial and ethnic groups, dition of financial assistance which the bill’s cosponsors aragreements between the Augue are misrepresented in existthority and U.S. DOT, the Auing school curricula. thority has established a Disad“For over 400 years, we have vantaged Business Enterprise sanitized and white-washed his(DBE) Program and overall DBE tory,” said California Sen. Stegoal in accordance with Title 49 ven Bradford (D-Gardena) when CFR, Part 26. Authority’s overall presenting the bill on Thursday, DBE goal for the current FedJune 18. eral Fiscal Year (FFY) is twelve The state Senate voted overpercent (12%). whelmingly in favor of the bill in The Authority has not set a the 30-5 vote; the bill now heads contract-specific DBE particiback to the Assembly — which pation goal for this U.S. DOTpassed the bill last year — to apassisted project, but bidders prove minor amendments made are encouraged to afford DBEs by the Senate before it heads to every opportunity to compete the desk of Gov. Gavin Newsom for and participate on this U.S. for his approval.

DOT-assisted contract.

Proponents of AB 1460 cite the SCRRA does not discriminate uproar and civil unrest followagainst, or provide preferential ing the police killing of George treatment to any individual or Floyd as a reason to rethink the group on the basis of race, color, ways that academia portrays ethnicity, age over 40, religion, the experiences of marginalized sex, national origin, ancestry, communities in America. physical disability, disability inHowever, critics of the bill, cluding AIDS, mental condition, namely those within the CSU, cancer-related medical condiargue that the California Legistion, political affiliation, sexual lature should not enforce course orientation, or marital status in decisions on academic instituits Contracting activities. tions.

For further information con“The CSU requirement avoids tact David Ambrose, Special setting a dangerous precedent Services Employee at 213-452for legislative interference and 0339 or email ambrosed@scrra. keeps the higher education curnet. riculum setting process within 6/24/20 those institutions,” said Toni CNS-3373702# Molle, director of public affairs ASIAN JOURNAL (L.A.) at the CSU, which has also been plagued by insufficient budgets

violence and suppression of civil liberties, employers’ tactics to label unions as ‘subversive organisations,’ in a process commonly known as ‘red-tagging,’ exposed their members to violence and repression.”

SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA REGIONAL RAIL AUTHORITY IFB NO. PO825-20 Network Switch Rehab Phase II

ficult for workers.

ALU-TUCP also said that the conditions may get worse in the days ahead due to the coronavirus pandemic.

“Using the COVID-19 and the growing great global depression as the justification to justify and peddle their wrong-headed prescriptions to keep private profits high and social spending low, is now making the country more dangerous and more difficult place for workers to live and to work and are promoting unproductive and very dangerous class warfare,” it said.

“We urge our national government to listen to us and to remember the lessons to history.

We plead to our national leadership to step back from the brink of this totalitarian temptation and accept the path of building back better by upholding our individual civil and political liberties, respecting our collective economic rights, and by putting our workers’ interests first. This is the path to saving jobs and saving lives,” the group added. n

CA Senate votes in favor of ethnic studies requirement ...

HATID TULONG. Finally, these locally stranded individuals (LSIs) from Bicol Province will be reunited with their families through the government’s “Hatid Tulong” Program as they board a Philippine National Railways (PNR) train at Tutuban station in Manila. Over 53,000 LSIs have already benefited under the “Hatid Tulong” program which provides either land, air or sea transport to those stranded in various areas due to lockdown measures amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

PNA photo by Robert Oswald P. Alfiler

Easy to say ‘get tested.’ Harder to do. Here’s how.

by Bernard

J. Wolfson

and Phil GaleWitz Kaiser Health News

Will Bondurant decided to get tested for COVID-19 after attending three racial justice demonstrations over a five-day period in San Francisco, where he lives.

The first, on June 3, “was the scariest and most risky from the point of view of COVID infection,” said Bondurant, 31. Although most wore masks, participants were jammed in, unable at times to maintain the recommended 6foot distance, he said.

Bondurant did not have any COVID symptoms but went for the test because he had a meeting scheduled the following weekend with a friend in his late 70s.

As protests continue to ripple across the country nearly a month after Minneapolis resident George Floyd died under a policeman’s knee, political leaders and public health experts warn that mass gatherings — including the indoor Tulsa, Oklahoma, campaign rally President Donald Trump held Saturday — will further fuel new coronavirus cases.

Robert Redfield, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, told members of Congress earlier this month that those who have participated in the protests should “highly consider” getting a diagnostic test for COVID-19. New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said it was their “civic duty” to do so.

The challenge is to get tested in a way that will yield useful information.

If you have symptoms of COVID-19, such as a fever, cough, sore throat or difficulty breathing, you should seek testing immediately, health care professionals say. If you have no symptoms, here are guideposts for testing: Timing Experts disagree on how long to wait post-exposure before being tested: Some say at least three or four days, others say at least seven. The longer you wait, the greater the chance a test will detect any virus. But you need to weigh that against the risk of exposing others if you are infected.

Keep in mind that a test is relevant only for the day you take it. If you plan to attend more protests, you may need to be tested again — and again. And if you’re tested too early in the course of infection, the test might not detect it.

That could give false reassurance since the virus can take up to 14 days to incubate, said Dr. Ravi Kavasery, a medical director at AltaMed Health Services, a large chain of community clinics in California.

Bradley Pollock, associate dean for public health sciences at the UC Davis School of Medicine, belongs to a group of University of California health experts that had initially recommended protesters get a test three to seven days after a protest, but he now suggests waiting at least seven days.

It can take up to three days to receive test results.

How great was your risk?

“Any large gathering creates risk for transmission,” said Anne Rimoin, a professor of epidemiology at UCLA’s Fielding School of Public Health. “It’s just common sense that when you have events where people are shouting or singing or chanting and in close

and an uncertain future due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The CSU is currently in the middle of its own reforms, including a proposed Ethnic Studies and Social Justice requirement that would broaden students’ understanding of communities of color as well as the Jewish, Muslim and LGBT+ communities. CSU Chancellor Timothy White is expected to bring this proposal before the CSU Board of Trustees on July 21 for a vote.

According to White’s proposal, the CSU’s Ethnic Studies and Social Justice plan comprises much more comprehensive courses that consist of other disciplines like humanities, arts and social sciences. Courses could focus on a wide range of topics like class, sexuality, religion and immigration as long as there’s a social justice bend to the course structure.

The CSU — which comprises 23 campuses and more than 484,000 students — is known for PAGE A1 making strides in ethnic studies has feloniously communicated the education, leading the charge for malicious imputations against me other universities and university not only to her 350,000 Twitter folsystems. In 1969, San Francisco lowers, but to anyone who has acState University established the cess to the internet,” Keng said.

College of Ethnic Studies, the He added that he was advised first college devoted to studying by his counsel that Ressa’s tweet the history and contemporary is- was a different publication, which sues of ethnic minorities. makes her “liable for a new and A year before that, in 1968, separate offense, following the Cal State Los Angeles became doctrine laid down by the Suthe first college in the nation preme Court.” to establish a Chicano studies Keng said that he asked Ressa program as a way to serve its to delete the tweet, but the Rapgrowingly diverse student body pler CEO refused to comply. and faculty. (Klarize Medenilla/ “The tweet itself makes referAJPress) ence verbatim to the Philippine

San Francisco Chronicle/Hearst Newspapers via Getty Images

proximity to each other, that is the perfect storm.”

Indoor gatherings are generally considered far riskier than outdoor ones. To assess the seriousness of your exposure risk, Dr. William Miller, a professor of epidemiology at Ohio State University, suggests you consider: Was it difficult to maintain social distancing?

Were people near you not wearing a mask, or coughing, shouting, or singing? Many people, or just one?

Do you live in an area with a large number of new COVID-19 cases every day, or where the daily number is increasing?

“If your answers to those questions are yes, the risk is greater — and so is the benefit of being tested,” Miller said.

Public health experts say the risk is even higher if you were in a crowd where police sprayed tear gas, which makes people cough and rub their eyes — both potentially perilous in the era of COVID-19.

Greater test availability If you decide to get tested, the availability of test sites varies widely by region. Most community health centers now offer testing, as do large urgent care centers and a growing number of CVS and Walgreens pharmacies. Google will show a list of testing sites in your area if you type in “COVID tests near me.”

Remember that you want a COVID virus test — not an antibody test, which is designed to detect past infection.

Some sites may require a prescription for the test, or restrict testing to people with symptoms and workers deemed essential. In some jurisdictions, including California’s Los Angeles, Riverside and Santa Clara counties, testing is available free to all residents, symptomatic or not.

Several U.S. cities, including Boston, San Francisco, Atlanta, Seattle andLouisville, Kentucky, have offered free COVID-19 tests to people who say they participated in the protests.

Federal law requires all insurers to cover the entire cost of testing for the virus, regardless of symptoms and when or where a possible infection may have been acquired. However, some health plans require that the test be ordered by a doctor.

There is also the option of using one of several FDA-authorized home tests, including ones from LabCorp, EverlyWell Inc. and Phosphorus Diagnostics.

They cost from $75 to $150, and results are typically posted online within three days.

Medicare covers their cost, as

do private insurers, although, again, the private health plans may require a referral from a health provider.

People who are uninsured can get cost-free COVID testing through Medicaid in 21 states, and a separate federal program reimburses medical providers for the cost of testing the uninsured.

Accuracy has improved FDA-validated home tests have accuracy percentage rates “in the high 90s,” said Mark Cameron, an immunologist and an associate professor at the Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine in Cleveland. But since the tests are new and were approved on an emergency basis, take any result with a grain of salt, he suggested.

The “nasopharyngeal” test, in which a medical professional slides a long swab to the back of your nasal cavity, is considered by many public health experts to be the gold standard. Less invasive options include oral swabs, shallower nasal swabs and, more recently, a saliva test.

“Oral swabs are probably not as good as nasopharyngeal swabs, but they may be good enough,” said Pollock.

Several factors can cause a test to inaccurately miss an infection, including human error in collecting the sample and a low viral load in the swabbed area.

The most important factor might be the timing of the test.

Bondurant, the San Francisco resident, struggled with that calculation, because he needed the result before he visited his elder friend.

He decided to take the test on June 9, six days after the first protest he attended. The result came back the very next day — negative, he said.

But UCLA’s Rimoin counsels caution on interpreting a test that shows no infection. “A negative test a week after being exposed certainly reduces the likelihood that somebody is infected, but it certainly does not eliminate that possibility completely,” she said.

That’s why many public health experts recommend that, regardless of testing, you limit interactions with others for 14 days after potential exposure to the virus.

“Any opportunity for spread in uninfected populations, this virus will take it,” Rimoin said. “The thing people need to remember is that we may be really tired of this virus, but this virus is nowhere near tired of us.” n This KHN story first published on California Healthline, a service of the California Health Care Foundation.

Filipino businessman files new cyber...

Star news item which the Philippine Star has not recanted for being untrue but which it has taken down only due to threat of legal action against it,” the veteran journalist said, adding “It is protected expression under the Constitution and the law and your demand constitutes outright censorship.”

Ressa and Santos on June 15 were convicted of cyber libel by a Manila court.

Manila Regional Trial Court Branch 46 Judge Rainelda Estacio-Montesa found them guilty of violating Section 4(c)(4) of the Cybercrime Prevention Act

of 2012, or cyber libel, and sentenced them to the indeterminate penalty of imprisonment ranging from six months and one day as a minimum to up to six years.

The court allowed bail under the same bond. It also ordered Ressa and Santos to pay Keng P200,000 in moral damages and another P200,000 (a total of $7,900) in exemplary damages.

Keng in 2017 filed cyber libel charges against the two for naming him in an article as the owner of a sports utility vehicle (SUV) used by the late Chief Justice Renato Corona, who was then facing impeachment in 2012. n

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Duterte: Palace legal team still reviewing anti-terror bill

by Ritchel

Mendiola AJPress

THE controversial Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020 is still being reviewed by Malacañang’s legal team, President Rodrigo Duterte said on Monday, June 22.

The bill, which has passed Congress, is awaiting Duterte’s signature.

“My legal [team] is still reviewing it. My legal team sa Malacañang. There’s only — hindi ko pa natanggap (I haven’t received it yet),” he said in a taped meeting with Cabinet officials aired on Monday night.

He added, “I had it reviewed.

It’s always automatic. Pag daan sa akin (When it reaches me), I endorse it to legal, without even reading it, actually, if you really want to know.”

According to Duterte, the legal team will be the one to recommend whether the bill should be signed or rejected.

“It’s legal who will return it to me, with the recommendation whether I’ll approve it or not,” he said.

The bill, which seeks to strengthen the Human Security Act of 2007, grants any law enforcer to arrest and detain without warrant “a person suspected of committing any of the acts” punishable under the measure for 14 calendar days, extendable by 10 days. The suspected “terrorist” can also be placed under surveillance for 60 days, extendable by up to 30 more days, by the police or the military.

Acts punishable under the bill

President Rodrigo Duterte reviews a document during a meeting with members of the InterAgency Task Force on the Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) at the Malago Clubhouse in Malacañang on Monday, June 22.

Malacañang photo by Robinson Niñal

include: • Engaging in acts intended to cause death or serious bodily injury to any person, or endangers a person’s life; • Engaging in acts intended to cause extensive damage or destruction to a government or public facility, public place, or private property; • Engaging in acts intended to cause extensive interference with, damage, or destruction to critical infrastructure; • Developing, manufacturing, possessing, acquiring, transporting, supplying or using weapons; and • Releasing of dangerous substances, or causing fire, floods or explosions.

Any person who will propose, incite, conspire, participate in the planning, training, preparation, and facilitation of a terror-

ist act; as well as those who will provide material support to terrorists, and recruit members in a terrorist organization will also be penalized by life imprisonment without the benefit of parole.

Meanwhile, anyone who will threaten to commit terrorism, and those who will propose any terroristic acts or incite others to commit terrorism will suffer imprisonment of 12 years.

This goes the same for anyone who will voluntarily and knowingly join any organization, association or group of persons knowing that such is a terrorist organization.

Malacañang on June 9 confirmed that it has received a copy of the anti-terrorism bill.

The president has 30 days to act on the legislation or else the bill will lapse into law 30 days after receipt. n

PeRez-RuBio Philstar.com

MANILA — The country’s top diplomat on Monday defended President Rodrigo Duterte’s handling of the country’s dispute with China over the West Philippine Sea, saying it is “the opposite of appeasement.”

Foreign Affairs Secreraty Teodoro Locsin Jr. said this in response to retired Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio, who previously criticized the Duterte administration for what he said was the government seeking to placate China even at the cost of Philippine sovereignty.

He added that Carpio is “deliberately misinformed” in his crtique of the country’s defense strategy.

“The president brings [the dispute] up himself with [Chinese President Xi Jinping].

Sometimes its not so well-received...There was one time he brought it up where I said: ‘Sir, perhaps maybe you shouldnt bring it up at this moment,’ [but] he did. The reception was very cold but he does bring it up straight to President Xi, and anyone who says otherwise is making things up” Locsin told ANC’s “Headstart.”

Carpio recently warned that China would soon reclaim Panatag Shoal after hinting that it would impose an air defense identification zone (ADIZ) in the South China Sea. Panatag or Scarborough Shoal, a traditional fishing ground as ruled by a United Nations-backed tribunal in 2016, lies 124 nautical miles off the coast of Zambales.

Locsin said he is not sure if China was building an air defense system in the area and that he would ask his counterparts in the U.S. for confirmation.

He also criticized America for what he called the former colonizer’s inaction while China sought to reclaim and weaponize the area.

“Since all we have is the law and at that time the United States was very wary of committing its military resources to this region, and I think theyre not so keen about it even now, I said we must be absolutely precise in our legal responses because all we have is the law, we don’t have power,” Locsin told ANC. The Duterte administration has, though, played down incidents with China, including an incident in 2019 where a Filipino fishing boat was damaged near the Recto Bank after being hit by a Chinese vessel.

The president referred to it as a “little maritime incident.”

Duterte also said Chinese fishers are allowed in Philippine waters due to an unannounced deal with China.

Duterte said in 2019 that, Interior Secretary Eduardo Año and Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana were present at the bilateral meeting with China.

After this meeting, Filipino fishermen were again allowed access to Scarborough Shoal, the president said.

“They asked, ‘Will you allow the Chinese to fish?’ I said, ‘Of course,’” Duterte said, referring to opposition senators questioning his policy in the

Over 52,000 OFWs returned home since the onset of COVID-19 pandemic

by Ritchel

Mendiola AJPress

OVER 52,000 overseas Filipinos have returned to the Philippines since the start of the coronavirus pandemic, according to the latest figures from the Department of Foreign Affairs.

The DFA on Tuesday, June 23 repatriated 60 stranded Filipinos from New Delhi, India, while the day before, it brought home a total of 667 overseas Filipinos from Barbados and United Arab Emirates who arrived on two separate flights at Clark International Airport.

It also welcomed the return of 280 Filipinos from Algeria, Libya, and Tunisia in its first repatriation from North Africa on the same day.

Over the weekend, overseas Filipino workers came from Japan, Norway, Oman, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, United States, and Vietnam. The agency added that it chartered four flights carrying 1,464 FilipiWest Philippine Sea. “’Yan ang pinag-usapan na- nos from Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, min noon, kaya tayo nag-uu- and Macau.

Meanwhile, 30 stranded Filipisap eh. And that was we were allowed to fish again. It was a nos in India and Sri Lanka were mutual agreement. Sige bigay- able to return home on June 12 an tayo. Fish ka doon, fish ako on board the BRP Davao Del Sur with the assistance of the DFA. dito,” he said then.

Foreign Affairs Undersecretary VFA termination The top diplomat previously for Civilian Security and Consular announced that the termination Concerns Atty. Brigido J. Dulay of the Visiting Forces Agreement would be suspended for six months.

Carpio criticized the administration’s earlier move of withdrawing from the VFA, saying Duterte’s foreign and defense policy was in “total disarray.”

“We just terminated on a whim. That is not how to conduct foreign policy, that is not how to defend our country.”

He added that the subsequent move to suspend the VFA’s termination signified a lack of planning.

“Suddenly we realize that because we notified the U.S., we are terminating the VFA we are suddenly without an ally to protect and defend Scarborough Shoal,” Carpio said.

Last January, President Rodrigo Duterte announced his plan to terminate the VFA after his political ally and former police chief Sen. Ronald dela Rosa’s U.S. visa was cancelled.

Officials claim that the move was also in response to the U.S. Senate resolution condemning the human rights violations in the Philippines and the call made by some American senators for detained opposition senator Leila de Lima to be freed. (With reports from Patricia Viray/Philstar.com)

Locsin: Policy in West Philippine Sea ‘the opposite of appeasement’

by Bella

CLEAN-UP FIRST. A worker splashes water in cleaning a modern jeepney at the terminal in Uniwide in Parañaque City on Monday, June 22. Around 1,500 modern jeepneys and 3,600 public utility buses were allowed to travel at the start of the second phase resumption of public transport subject to health and safety protocols.

PNA photo by Avito C. Dalan

attended the arrival ceremony on June 16 to welcome the repatriates home.

“The DFA, together with its Philippine embassies and consulates around the world, remains fully committed to bringing home our nationals abroad amid the COVID-19 pandemic,” the agency said.

It also noted that they are expecting the number of Filipinos returning to the Philippines to increase in the coming months as countries continue to struggle to restart their economies amid the pandemic.

Malacañang said it is expecting that the number of repatriated Filipinos would reach 100,000 in the coming months.

According to President Rodrigo Duterte, nearly 29,963 seafarers are expected to be sent home.

The DFA also said 17,830 landbased OFWs showed interest in being repatriated.

“Barring any complications, this would bring the total number of repatriates to 93,675,” Duterte said.

However, he noted that “the number of repatriated Filipinos could reach 100,000 or even higher in the coming months” due to the pandemic.

Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque, meanwhile, cited the Department of Labor and

Employment’s data that showed 50,105 OFWs have been transported back to their home provinces as of June 15.

He also said that the Palace will prioritize OFWs and locally stranded individuals before deciding whether to allow provincial buses to operate again.

“As of now our main problem are the stranded individuals and OFWs which provinces don’t want to accept,” Roque said in Filipino.

The Department of Labor and Employment earlier estimated that some 500,000 OFWs may be displaced and out of work by the end of August, with the number growing to about 700,000 by the end of 2020 as the pandemic continues to sweep across the globe and affecting industries, such as tourism and trade.

DOLE Undersecretary Claro Arellano assured that the agency will provide the repatriated Filipinos with assistance through its “OFW recovery plan,” which centers on reintegrating the now-jobless Filipinos back in society.

“We have our recovery plan for the OFWs, ‘yung tulong po na gagawin natin sa kanila. Kaya lang ang wala pa po tayo ay ‘yung projected [number] (That’s how we will help them. What we don’t have right now is the projected number),” he said. n

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OPINION

Mental health in a pandemic

FEATURES

WITH no vaccine or cure in sight for the coronavirus disease 2019, people are focused on protecting public health and economic health. But there is another health aspect of the COVID-19 pandemic that isn’t getting enough attention: mental wellness.

Around the world, health professionals are reporting a spike in mental problems since people were forced into lockdowns at home to contain the pandemic and millions lost their livelihoods. This is apart from the suffering of those who lost loved ones to COVID-19 or who were themselves infected with the coronavirus.

In the Philippines, suicide prevention hotlines have reported a doubling of calls for help since March when Metro Manila and the rest of Luzon were placed under enhanced community quarantine. The calls for help cut across age groups, from youths to senior citizens, according to mental health advocates.

Philippine society has traditionally paid little attention to mental wellness, even as suicides continue to rise especially among the youth. The focus on public health during the pandemic provides an opportunity to give special attention to mental wellness and the full implementation of Republic Act 11036 or the Mental Health Act, which was signed

into law on June 20, 2018. The implementing rules for RA 11036 were released last year.

Under the rules, communitybased mental health care facilities must be set up apart from hospitals dedicated to mental health so that counseling and other services can be accessed at the grassroots.

The community facilities can be set up in outpatient care centers, for example, or even in halfway houses.

All regional, provincial and tertiary hospitals are mandated to provide psychiatric, psychosocial and neurologic services, including hotlines and other mechanisms for suicide prevention, with special attention on the youth. Over two years, mental health subjects will be included in the school curriculum and mental health programs must be integrated into the education system as well as workplaces.

Under the law, those seeking mental health services are assured of privacy as well as protection from stigma and discrimination. Barangay personnel will be given training for community-

Editorial

based mental health promotion, and to act as first responders in emergency cases. The Philippine Council for Mental Health is tasked to develop a national multisectoral strategic plan for mental

health promotion. The mental health problems now emerging amid the COVID pandemic should give urgency to the full implementation of the Mental Health Act. (Philstar.com)

International confidence in US leadership plummets under Trump, especially during the war against the coronavirus pandemic

The Fil-Am Perspective GEL SANTOS-RELOS BEFORE Donald Trump was elected president of the United States in 2016, the nations and people of the free world looked up to America to lead the global community in matters of shared concerns like peace, human rights, hunger, the threat of nuclear arms, climate change, protection of the environment and pandemics. That was then.

But now, a big majority of people living outside the United States do NOT trust Trump to do the right thing in world affairs, with fewer than one-third expressing confidence in him.

Surveying 32 countries, “a median of 64% say they do not have confidence in Trump to do the right thing in world affairs, while just 29% express confidence in the American leader,” according to Pew Research Center.

The study finds that “antiTrump sentiments are especially common in Western Europe: Roughly three-in-four or more lack confidence in Trump in Germany, Sweden, France, Spain and the Netherlands. He also gets especially poor reviews in Mexico, where 89% do not have confidence in him.”

Comparing the view and confidence of the world, in the United States and in Trump’s predecessor, Pew Research Survey revealed that “in nearly all nations

where trends are available, Trump receives lower ratings than his predecessor, Barack Obama. As reported by the Center in 2017, international confidence in the U.S. president plummeted after Trump’s inauguration, while favorable ratings for the United States also declined.”

The current medical emergency that has hit the global community just reinforced the mistrust and confidence in Trump, whose incompetence, ignorance about science, denial of facts, and selfish interests have pulled the country down with him in his quagmire.

Imagine the United States is now in the same level as his Russian and Brazilian counterparts, Vladimir V. Putin and Jair Bolsonaro, both of whom, according to a report by the New York Times, have “followed what critics call a comparable path in their pandemic response that leaves all three countries in a similarly bad spot: they were dismissive at the outset of the crisis, slow to respond to scientific advice and saw a boom of domestic cases as other parts of the world, notably in Europe and Asia, were slowly managing to get their outbreaks under control.”

Consequently, as the officials of the European Union are now “racing to agree on who can visit the bloc as of July 1 based on how countries of origin are faring with new coronavirus cases

— Americans, so far, are excluded.” This news was based on the draft lists reviewed by The New York Times.

The Times reported that the “EU is prepared to block Americans from entering because the United States has failed to control the scourge.”

While the United States provides the EU nations with tourists that boost the bloc’s economy, the consideration leaned headily on what would keep the people of the bloc more protected from a re-surgance of the COVID-19 infection, unless the future numbers change for the better in the future.

“Countries on the E.U. draft lists have been selected as safe based on a combination of epidemiological criteria. The benchmark is the E.U. average number of new infections — over the past 14 days — per 100,000 people, which is currently 16 for the bloc. The comparable number for the United States is 107, while Brazil’s is 190 and Russia’s is 80, according to a Times database,” the report said.

As the country’s highest leader, Trump is responsible for the American lives lost and for the continued upswing in the number of confirmed cases in the United States. Had he acted on warnings of the U.S.’ own intelligence agencies and the World Health Organization on the possible escalation to being a pan-

demic of the coronavirus instead of calling it a “hoax” fabricated by the Democrats to kick him out of office; Had Trump not been consumed by his “economic numbers” that he needed to boast for his re-election bid and instead followed the country’s top epidemiologist Dr. Anthony Fauci, the U.S.’ own health officials and scientists on the need for protective gears, social distancing, and not rush to open the U.S. economy to help mitigate the spread and not overwhelm our health systems, then more lives could have been saved.

But NO. Trump continues to defy science, facts, data by pushing through with his failed comeback campaign rally in Tulsa, Oklahoma where he wanted a big crowd of adoring fans with no masks just to show off and energize his base.

And he really thought not doing more testing will save lives because there would be no measure of confirmed cases? How stupid is this prescription! This is not like his sex scandals whereby when he pays people to be quiet, the scandal never happened! We are talking about the lives of the American people here, for God’s sake!

Trump’s approval rating in the U.S. Here in the United States, President Donald Trump’s job approval rating has fallen to 39

percent, down among ALL party groups, and especially so for his handling of issues that matter to the American people.

According to the Gallup Poll conducted during the period May 28-June 4, this finding includes drops of seven percentage points among Republicans (to 85%) and independents (to 39%), and nine points among Democrats (to 5%). Moreover, Republicans’ approval of Trump is the lowest it has been since September 2018 (also 85%).

On specific issues, Gallup Poll reports: Forty-seven percent of Americans approve of President Trump’s handling of the economy, a decline from 63% in January and 58% in February.

Approval of Trump’s handling of the economy had not been under 50% since November 2017, when 45% approved.

Americans are also increasingly critical of the president’s response to the coronavirus pandemic itself. Currently, 42% approve of the way Trump has handled the matter, down from 50% in the prior reading in late April, and 60% just after coronavirus infections spiked in many areas of the country in mid-March.

Also, 41% of U.S. adults approve of the president’s handling of foreign affairs, seven points lower than the previous measure in February. The current approval rating on foreign affairs nearly

matches the 40% average approval on this issue throughout his presidency.

Public anger over the Floyd killing and racial injustice more generally have proven to be a significant challenge for the president, in addition to the ongoing challenges for society and the economy arising from the coronavirus.

His current level of approval would make another term as president unlikely, given the historical relationship between job approval ratings and incumbent reelection. With five months to go before Election Day, there is still time for those ratings to improve and get back near the 50% level associated with incumbent reelection in the past, but also time for them to get worse and give the president even longer odds of winning a second term.

ENOUGH, AMERICA. We need to wake up. We cannot afford four more years of this madness, selfishness and disrespect to the lives of Americans in Trump’s own reality show. *** 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.

I drank the Kool-Aid then migrated to the US to unpack biases

Commentary

ENRIQUE

Philstar.com photo

DE LA CRUZ

I CAME to the United States in the late 1960s to pursue graduate studies at UCLA. Like almost everyone who was college-educated in the Philippines, and immigrated after the passage of the Immigration and Naturalization Act of 1965, we were beneficiaries of the removal of race-based immigration policies from the lawbooks.

Many of us and our children were able to gain admission into America’s elite universities thanks to affirmative action programs that were implemented to address racial bias in admission programs.

I took these for granted oblivious to the fact that my admission to UCLA may have been facilitated by the decades-long struggle for civil rights led by the African American community. I believed then that I was admitted largely on my own merit. I still think that I did help myself get to UCLA.

But did I also get help from elsewhere? I now think that I did, given the context of the U.S. in the 1960s and 1970s. The 1960s saw the passage of landmark civil rights legislation, including the passage of the Immigration and Naturalization Act of 1965.

During the same year, President Johnson through an executive order announced a policy of affirmative action to help address the effects of racial discrimination in publicly funded institutions.

Not only was I oblivious to this history, I also drank the “KoolAid.” My education in the Philippines, from elementary through college, was heavily influenced by the educational system established by Americans during the colonial period. The language of instruction was in English, textbooks in elementary and high school were those approved by an American centric Department of Education. I still remember learning jingles like “dashing through the snow…” and reciting my alphabet lesson, “A” is for apple…even though I had never seen snow nor tasted an apple.

My history books taught me that

“Magellan discovered the Philippines.” I was definitely full of that Kool-Aid. The early 1960s, my years in college, also saw the genesis of a nationalism movement in the Philippines. Thanks to nationalist historians like Renato Constantino, I gained a new perspective of my own history. Then I immigrated. I brought with me, the racist preconceptions and biases, especially those implicit biases, which often trigger and unconsciously recalibrate our actions as we interact with folks out there.

I consider myself very lucky. After completing graduate studies, I had shared an apartment with two ex-Black Panthers, Ray “Masai” Hewitt, and Bobby Bowen. Bobby was also a Vietnam veteran. We shared that apartment for many years, enough time for me to learn about racism, and the anger and frustration from those who lived it. I learned of behavioral adjustments that they engage in, automatically, to live with that racism.

For example, do not go shopping for food items in white neighborhoods, even if it’s just for bottled water or beer. They are not used

to seeing you there, and might call security, or worse, the police.

They are very conscious that white folks often weaponize their discomfort with black folks around their neighborhood by calling the police.

Over time I, too, learned these adoptive behaviors. But have I unlearned implicit biases from the Kool-Aid? I do not know.

Some which have been surfaced, yes. But here are some simple tests, to find out.

Everything else being equal: Would you prefer to be treated by a Black doctor or a white doctor? If your son/daughter were to have a girlfriend/boyfriend, would you prefer him/her to be white or Black? If your daughter were to marry, would it matter if he was Black or white. What is important is to pay attention to your initial, instant reaction. If questions like these elicit a racial preference for whites, you probably carry implicit biases against Blacks.

We have a family friend, a Pinay born in the U.S. to immigrant parents. When she got married to an African American, her fa-

ther was so upset that he banned them from his house, and did not forgive them until they had their first-born. The old man (may he rest in peace) could not deny his “apo.” This is deep-rooted bias learned from white culture and sustained by it.

To exercise myself and my daughter’s dog, I often hitch him to my bike and bike around the neighborhood doing laps. One afternoon, I noticed I was being followed by a woman in a large luxury SUV. Then she pulled up alongside me and yelled something about animal cruelty. I politely answered back that “he likes to run” and kept going. She kept following. I decided to cut short my exercise and returned the dog to my daughter’s home, a few blocks from mine. As I turned to ride home, she was there, partially blocking the driveway. So I stopped. She says “I have called the police, and I will wait till they get here.” I rode away like I had just stolen my bike. I had no desire to be there when the LAPD showed up.

I read that the CEO of a San Francisco based skincare compa-

ny called the police on a Filipino man who was stenciling “Black Lives Matter” in chalk on his property in San Francisco’s upscale Pacific Heights neighborhood. A woman had weaponized her discomfort about a person of color, doing something by calling the police. If we feel the urge to weaponize our discomfort by calling the police. Stop! Think about possible consequences.

This person was lucky the police knew him, and did not even bother to get out of their car.

The Filipino American experience does span both ends of the racist spectrum. From Carlos Bulosan being made to feel that it is a crime to be a Filipino in America, we have been victims of overt and subtle forms of racism. But we have also drunk the Kool-Aid, and carry racist biases, especially implicit ones.

I have to be especially vigilant about mine. It’s the only way when one lives in a society that makes the Kool-Aid, and drinking it is as “American as apple pie.” *** Enrique de la Cruz is Professor Emeritus of Asian American Studies at CSU Northridge.

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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A

SC junks Quo Warranto vs ABS-CBN Corp. pired.

According to unimpeachable sources of the Manila Times in THE Supreme Court (SC) en the high court, there was “no banc on Tuesday, 23 junked more justiciable controversy the petition for Quo Warranto to discuss” in reference to the filed against ABS-CBN Corp. petition of Solicitor General on the ground that the case Jose Calida. had been rendered moot after The high court, however, the network’s franchise ex- did not touch the issues on

by Jomar

Canlas ManilaTimes.net

ABS-CBN Convergence so the case remains alive.

The Quo Warranto Petition filed by Calida against the company assails the legality of ownership and transfer of shares of ABS-CBN Corp. and ABS-CBN Convergence after the network was awarded the franchise by Congress. n

IATF eyes easing flight restrictions by ma.

reina tolentino ManilaTimes.net

EDSA BUSWAY. The Department of Transportation starts implementing the Edsa Busway concept which transferred the dedicated bus lanes from the outermost to innermost lanes. Photo shows a bus travels along the busway near the Edsa-Kamuning flyover in Quezon City on Tuesday, June 23.

PNA photo by Joey O. Razon

CHR: Misogyny and victim blaming not protected by freedom of speech

by Gaea

Katreena Philstar.com

CabiCo

MANILA — Misogyny and victim blaming fluorish online because of a lack of government action on comments that encourage violence against women, the Commission of Human Rights said.

In a statement Tuesday, the CHR—the country’s gender ombudsman—said it is alarmed by the prevalence of gender-based violence and victim blaming both online and offline.

“Pinaaalalahan ng Komisyon ang lahat na ang pagpo-post ng misogynistic remarks at mga komentaryong naghihikayat ng victim blaming at iba pang uri ng karahasan laban sa kababaihan ay labag sa batas. Hindi ito saklaw ng karapatan ng malayang pagpapahayag,” Commissoner Karen Gomez-Dumpit said.

(The commission is reminding everyone that posting misogynistic remarks and commentaries encouraging victim blaming and other forms of violence against women is against the law. This is not covered by the right to free speech.)

It also called on the Philippine National Police and the National Bureau of Investigation, particularly their cybercrime units, to respond to incidents of rape threats and gender-based violence and remove social media pages of personalities who perpetuate violence against women.

“Karapatan ng mga babae ang maging ligtas sa karahasan, offline o online, mabigyan ng proteksyon, at matugunan ang kanilang mga reklamo,” GomezDumpit said.

(It is the right of women to be safe from violence, whether offline or online, be given protection and have their complaints addressed.)

“Ang kawalan ng aksyon at ang pananahimik ng ating mga law enforcement agencies sa isang maling post na mula mismo sa kanilang hanay at sa laganap na karahasan sa social media ay lalong nagpapalakas ng loob ng mga mambabastos. Ito ay nagdudulot ng panganib sa mga babae,” the CHR official added.

(The lack of action and the silence of law enforcement agencies on a wrong post from one of their kind and the widespread violence on social media embolden perpetrators. This is causing danger among women.) #HijaAko The statement came following discussions on social media about sexual violence against women in the Philippines, which were sparked by a post of a police station in Quezon province telling women not to wear skimpy clothes—a harmful notion on women and rape—which they claimed to provoke sexual harassment.

“Nakababahalang ito nanggagaling sa mga dapat asahan na tumugon sa karahasan laban

sa kababaihan. Paano lalapit ang babaeng biktima ng rape at ng iba pang gender-based violence kung ganito mag-isip ang mga pulis?”

Gomez-Dumpit said.

(It is alarming that this statement came from those who are expected to respond violence against women. How will victims of rape and other gender-based violence reach out to police if this is the way they think?)

Accounts of rape and sexual violence from survivors and advocates were then told on social media using the hashtag #HijaAko. “Hija”—Spanish word used by adults to address daughters or girls—was used in the word war between Frankie Pangilinan and Ben Tulfo for their differing stands on rape culture and victim blaming.

“Rape culture is real and a product of this precise line of thinking, where the behavior is normalized, particularly by men.

The way anyone dresses should not be deemed as ‘opportunity’ to sexually assault them. Ever,” Pangilinan said, responding to Tulfo’s Twitter post.

Victims of sexual violence and abuse are often blamed for the crime that happened to them, citing the clothes they wear or their activities at the time of the incident provoked perpetrators. But women’s rights groups and victims themselves have since been trying to condemn and correct such harmful perceptions. n

THE Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATFEID) was studying relaxing flight restrictions, Malacañang said on Monday, June 22.

In a briefing, Palace spokesman Harry Roque Jr. said there were requests from embassies to fly in foreign workers involved in the government’s flagship projects.

He added that the Bureau of Customs and the Department of Justice would determine issuing of visas not only to foreigners working in flagship projects, but to permanent residents like retirees and special investors as well.

“So, mamaya pong hapon, sa pagpapatuloy ng meeting ng IATF, magpi-presenta po sila ng datos at para magkaroon po ng desisyon kung bubuksan pa nga natin ang ating bayan sa mga dayuhan (This afternoon, the IATFEID meeting will continue; they will present data in order that they can come up with a decision on whether we will open our country to foreigners),” Roque said.

He refused to identify the embassies that made the requests, but acknowledged that there was a sizeable number of foreigners contracted for big-ticket construction projects.

Roque added that if a policy were to be made, it must apply to all foreigners in the country and not just to one nationality.

Air travel to and from the Philippines continues to be limited because of strict quarantine rules amid the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.

Roque has said the IATF-EID was also studying allowing backriding on private motorcycles “subject to health and safety protocols.”

Allowing the return of provincial buses “depends on the state of the quarantine in the areas.

Because of the rising cases of COVID-19 The PAL stop international flights resulting non presence of passengers in Paranaque Manila Terminal 2 last March 26.

ManilaTimes.net photo by Mike Alquinto

Because, of course, if you allow provincial buses, there will really be cross-border movements.

I could see that maybe if that will be allowed, it would first be in areas where [COVID-19] cases are low,” he added.

He also explained why modernized jeepneys were allowed to operate again in Metro Manila ahead of traditional jeepneys.

“Let me emphasize that the commuter remains the priority of the government. If there are not enough buses and modernized jeepneys, we will allow jeepneys and UV Express and even tricycles,” Roque said.

Meanwhile, Sen. Mary Grace Poe called on concerned officials to continually assess the demand for public transportation as businesses slowly reopen.

“Public transportation should complement the increasing number of economic activities so as not to leave the burden on commuting workers,” she said.

The chairman of the Senate Committee on Public Services said transportation officials must ensure a safe travel amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Poe earlier asked the government to meet the demand for public transport without compromising safety as Metro Manila shifted to general community quarantine and more workers returned to their jobs.

She said the government “must show it is on top of the situation” amid the pandemic.

“Clearly, the mass transportation we have now does not meet the surge of people who have come out of quarantine to begin working again to feed their families,” Poe continued.

Interior and Local Government Secretary Eduardo Año gave assurances that the government would address the transport needs of the general public, Sen. Christopher Lawrence ‘Bong” Go said.

“Ang hangad po natin dito ay mabigyan ng transportation options ang ating mga kababayan na ligtas at alinsunod sa health protocols habang kasalukuyang mayroon pang community quarantine measures (Our aim is to provide safe transportation options in accordance with protocols),” he added. n

A June 24-26, 2020 • SoCal ASIAn JOuRnAL

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

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From Bukidnon to West Point: Filipino nuclear engineering graduate shares US Military Academy journey by

MoMar G. Visaya / AJPress

CADET Lieutenant Jesson Peùaflor graduated from the United States Military Academy (USMA) at West Point on Saturday, June 13 with a bachelor’s degree in nuclear engineering.

PeĂąaflor, who comes from the town of Kalilangan, Bukidnon spent a year at the Philippine Military Academy in 2015 before being accepted to West Point the following year, becoming the lone Filipino member of the batch.

An original member of the PMA Mabalasik Class of 2019, PeĂąaflor said he was looking forward to his homecoming to the Philippines. “We Filipinos are globally competitive. We’ve been sending Filipino cadets to the West Point since 1913,â€? he told the Asian Journal when asked about what getting in and graduating from the top military academy in the United States meant for him.

U.S. President Donald Trump addressed the 1,107 Class of 2020 graduates, including Peùaflor, who gathered for the military academy’s annual commencement exercises.

The graduation ceremony was a little bit surreal for him since there were no personal guests and the cadets were seated about a meter apart at the Plain Parade Field. They were also not allowed to bring cellphones and smartwatches for security reasons. Family and friends were not allowed

to attend the event, which was broadcast online and monitored closely by his family in Bukidnon.

When it was over and done with, it dawned on him how quickly it happened. “Yun na pala yun, parang rehearsal lang (That was already it, it felt like a rehearsal),� he said laughing.

He expressed a tinge of sadness since he had always thought of bringing his parents in for his graduation so they could see the fruit of his hard work and sacrifices.

The opportunity to study at West Point came through the Foreign Service Academy program between the PMA and USMA, which counts among its alumni two presidents of the United States, Ulysses Grant and Dwight Eisenhower; NASA astronauts; and a number of Fortune 500 CEOs. PeĂąaflor is grateful for the chance. “I did this for my family,â€? the eldest of three children said, adding that his father Jose PeĂąaflor was an enlisted Army sergeant in the Philippines. “Honor and glory.

I want to really help my family, and for the Filipino people, especially the service members and uniformed personnel, our frontliners right now.�

His first assignment upon his return to the homeland will be a six-month stint at PMA. After that, he is unsure about the Continued on Page 2

The 24-year-old PeĂąaflor is thankful to the Fil-Am families and organizations in the tri-state for helping him survive his four years at West Point.

The new West Point graduate will go back to the Philippine Military Academy for a six-month stint before joining the Special Rangers or the CBRN unit of the Philippine Army.

PeĂąaflor with some of his fellow cadets at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point.

PeĂąaflor with some of his West Point classmates.

Photos courtesy of Jesson PeĂąaflor

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T h e A s ian Jour nal MDW K M A G A Z I NE - J une 24, 2 0 2 0

Lea apologizes for viral ‘PI’ post ing aimed at no one particular and was used only as an outburst.

AWARD-winning internation“So, to further clarify, I didn’t al actress Lea Salonga clarified say p- i- mo, or p- i- ka. If that her recent viral Facebook post, was what I meant, I would’ve saying that she didn’t curse the been explicit in my expression.

Philippines.

My p- i- was aimed at no one in In a series of tweets in her particular, and was used only as Twitter account today, the “The an outburst, a cry. My apologies Voice Philippines” coach said if I hurt your feelings with my that while she stands with every choice of words,” she said. single word she wrote in a now “If after following this post deleted Facebook post, she said you still decide to cuss me out, that as an expression of her frusyou’re well within your right to tration with the current events in do so. I totally understand and the country and not against the get that you’re doing it as one country itself. tasked to protect our country “Hi, gang. It seems a recent from anyone that dares to desFacebook post of mine has ecrate it. Know though that that gotten quite a bit of attention was not my intent.” and launched all sorts of... I don’t She thanked her fans for even know what word to use, so I defending her from bashers. thought to use this platform and “To my fans and friends that this space to offer some clarificahave my back, you have no idea tion in the hope that I’m more the amount of appreciation I clearly understood,” Lea said.

Lea Salonga ABS-CBN photo hold in my heart for your tireless “Regarding the post itself, efforts to explain my side of yes I stand by every single word is her greatest honor. things. Thank you so much. You I wrote as an expression of my “To serve her is one of my will always have my gratitude.” frustration with certain events greatest honors. To be able to It can be recalled that Lea currently taking place in our hold my head up high and say, became a top trending Twitter country. However, contrary to ‘Yes, I am Filipino’ representtopic last week after she tweeted what some of you might believe, ing the hundreds of millions of “I hate this year. I really, really I never, NOT EVER, cursed the brethren both here at home and hate this year” and wrote the Philippines,” she added. all over the world is a source of now deleted Facebook post The theater sensation also pride and pleasure,” she said.

“Dear Pilipinas, p***** ina, ang said that serving the Philippines She explained that her curshirap mong mahalin.”

By Jan

Milo Severo Philstar.com

BB bares ‘untold story’ behind Rustom, Carmina split

By Jan

Milo Severo Philstar.com

MODEL BB Gandanghari opened up on the relationship Rustom Padilla had with Carmina Villaroel.

In BB’s YouTube channel, BB said Rustom loved Carmina and their breakup was the saddest part of Rustom’s life.

“Marami ang nagtatanong, minahal ko raw ba talaga si Carmina? Honestly and true, oo. Ang pinakamasakit na nangyari kay Rustom, nung dumating sa panahon na kailangan na silang maghiwalay. It’s the fact na they thought they found the right love, para kay BB Gandanghari Carmina Villaroel Photo from Instagram/@gandangharibb Photo from Instagram/@mina_villaroel Continued on Page 3

From Bukidnon to Westpoint...

From Page 1 path he has to take yet and is planning to join either the First Scout Rangers Regiment or the Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear (CBRN) unit of the Philippine Army.

He also corrected the misconception among friends and family when they learn that he studied nuclear engineering, explaining to them that he did not study nuclear weapons or how to make bombs.

“Pinag-aralan namin mostly is about the use of nuclear energy, sa mga power plants, how to shield from nuclear radiations. We talked about weapons, but not as in-depth as power usage and energy consumption,” he revealed.

The 24-year-old graduate studied mechanical engineering at Mindanao State University for three years prior to his PMA stint. At West Point, he was influenced by an upper-class student about nuclear engineering because it might have a possible future in the Philippines.

Asked what the biggest lesson learned from this experience, he replied, “The biggest obstacle here is yourself. Once you overcome yourself, not even the devil can stop you.

Just push yourself hard. You can use your motivation, ako nga ang sinasabi ko sa sarili ko, nakakahiyang umuwi kung hindi ko matapos ito (I tell myself it’s going to be shameful if I don’t finish).”

“Iba ang punctuality ng U.S. Army, lalo nasanay ako sa Filipino time (US Army punctuality is different, especially since I was accustomed to Filipino time),” he told the Asian Journal, laughing. “Dito, pag sinabi nilang alas singko may formation, dapat five minutes before nandun ka na. If you are on time, you are late (Here, if they say there is a formation at 5:00, you should be there five minutes before 5:00.)

West Point journey Peñaflor was 20-years-old when he started as a plebe at West Point and he had to go through major adjustments and changes, from food to climate to his study environment.

While he was already a stickler to punctuality, he still had to adjust.

“Iba ang punctuality ng US Army, lalo nasanay ako sa Filipino time,” he told the Asian Journal, laughing. “Dito, pag

Photo courtesy of Jesson Peñaflor

sinabi nilang alas singko may formation, dapat five minutes before nandun ka na. If you are on time, you are late,” he shared. (U.S. Army punctuality is different, specially since I was accustomed to Filipino time.

Here, if they say there is a formation at 5:00, you should be there five minutes before 5:00.)

“I was one of the first plebes in my class na nag-walk ng punishing hours, kasi na late ako ng 30 seconds,” he revealed.

Punishment tours, or “hours” as the cadets call them, are punishments given to cadets where they walk a specified number of hours as a penalty for their infractions, from being late to class or having a dirty room.

There was also a dearth of Filipino food in the area, which is why he is thankful to the “foster families” that brought them food. It was one of the first major adjustments he made.

“Pagkain, walang kanin, walang Filipino food. Malaking adjustment yun (Food, no rice, no Filipino food. That was a big adjustment),” he admitted.

He expressed gratitude for the foster families from New York, New Jersey and Connecticut that helped them, along with Fil-Am organizations such as FALCONN and PMA Alumni Association Northeast Group.

The families would also bring him to gatherings, including picnics and gala events.

“They were my home away from home. Wala kam-

ing pamilya dito kaya sila yung naging family namin dito for four years (We had no family here so they became my family for four years),” he said. “Sila yung source ng Filipino food namin, malaki yung role nila that’s why I survived West Point (They became our source of Filipino food, they played a big role that’s why I survived West Point).”

Long-term plans Studying at West Point gave Peñaflor a different perspective and he hopes to be able to use that in the future. He has set lofty goals for himself.

“I want to have a star, I want to reach General position if possible. But if I can be president [some day], why not, di ba? It’s not out of the table. Pero as of now, gusto ko lang mag-serve,” he said, mentioning the name of former President Fidel V. Ramos, one of the most famous West Point graduates from the Philippines.

Peñaflor now joins the ranks of West Point alumni from the Philippines, including Vicente Podico Lim, the first Filipino graduate of West Point, Brigadier General Danilo Lim, and former Defense Secretary Gen. Rafael Ileto.

He said he observed many things that if applied to the Philippine setting, the system in the Armed Forces would improve.

Among those he cited is the empowerment of enlisted personnel.

“Here, they are the backbone of the U.S. Army. Maybe giving more influence and responsibilities to non-commissioned officers (NCOs) would strengthen the military. And if they want to study, they can enlist. Para ma-attract yung mga youth natin na hindi makapagaral (So they can attract the youth who can’t afford to go to school),” Peñaflor shared.

The new graduate has promised himself to work hard and make his way up if he wants to implement these changes.

For now, it’s one step at a time as he looks forward to his homecoming.

“Hopefully, I can also be an inspiration to the youth, lalo na yung mga nag-a-aspire to serve the country through the military (Hopefully, I can also be an inspiration to the youth, specially those who are aspiring to serve the country through the military),” he quipped.

Special-enrollment deadline extended to give consumers more time to sign up for health care coverage during pandemic SACRAMENTO – Covered California announced on Tuesday, June 23 that it would be giving consumers more time to sign up for health care coverage during the COVID19 pandemic by extending the current special-enrollment deadline through the end of July.

“Covered California is committed to helping people get access to the health care they need, and while California is reopening parts of the state, there is still a lot of uncertainty out there due to the pandemic,” said Peter V. Lee, executive director of Covered California. “We want to make sure that people have a path to coverage, whether it is through Covered California or Medi-Cal, and giving people more time to sign up is the right thing to do.”

Covered California initially opened the health insurance exchange to any eligible uninsured individuals, who needed health care coverage amid the COVID-19 nation emergency, from March 20 to June 30. The new deadline means that anyone who meets Covered California’s eligibility requirements, which are similar to those in place during the annual open-enrollment period, can apply for coverage through July 31.

The most recent data shows that 175,030 people have signed up for health care coverage between March 20 and June 20, which is more than twice the number who signed up during the same time last year.

Every year, Covered California provides eligible consumers the opportunity to sign up for health care coverage outside of the traditional open-enrollment period if they experience a qualifying life event. These can include events like losing your health insurance, moving, getting married or having a baby.

Overall, 242,600 people have signed up for coverage since Jan. 31, when Covered California ended its open-enrollment period, through June 20, which is nearly twice as many as seen during the same time period last year.

People who sign up through Covered California will have access to private health insurance plans with monthly premiums that may be lowered due to federal and new state financial help that became effective in 2020. After selecting a plan, their coverage would begin on the first day of the following month — meaning individuals losing job-based coverage would not face a gap in coverage.

The latest data from California’s Employment Development Department shows that 6.3 million unemployment claims have been processed in the state since the pandemic started.

“We know that when peo-

ple lose their jobs, they often lose the health care coverage that was protecting them and their families,” Lee said. “While Californians who lose coverage can always sign up outside of open enrollment, we want to make sure even those who have lost work and did not have insurance have access to the health care in the middle of a pandemic.”

Medi-Cal and Off-Exchange Coverage In addition, consumers who sign up through CoveredCA. com may find out that they are eligible for no-cost or low-cost coverage through Medi-Cal, which they can enroll in online.

Those eligible for Medi-Cal can have coverage that is immediately effective.

California has suspended Medi-Cal renewal reviews through the end of the public health emergency, ensuring that those already enrolled can continue their coverage and freeing up resources to quickly process new enrollments. The Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) also received expanded authority to expedite enrollment for seniors and other vulnerable populations, expand the use of telehealth and take other steps to make it easier to access care.

“The ongoing challenges of COVID-19 make it vital that we help Californians get into and stay in Medi-Cal and Covered California health coverage. The goal is to make it easier to access needed care and services during these difficult times,” said Will Lightbourne, recently named as the new director of the Department of Health Care Services.

DHCS oversees MediCal, California’s version of Medicaid, which provides coverage for about 13 million Californians.

The California Department of Managed Health Care (DMHC) and the California Department of Insurance have also extended the special-enrollment period through July 31, 2020, which applies to all health plans on the individual market, including off-exchange health plans. This will ensure consumers enrolling in the entire individual market in California will have access to coverage during the pandemic.

“We want to make sure that Californians can access comprehensive and affordable health care coverage options when they need it,” said DMHC Director Shelley Rouillard. “The DMHC continues to work closely with our state partners and the health plans we regulate to protect the health and safety of the people of this state. Taking this important action to extend the special-enrollment period will help those impacted by the COVID-19 emergency.”

“With Californians continuing to experience job loss and, with it, the loss of employer-based insurance,

the ability to access individual health insurance coverage is even more critical,” said Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara. “Substantial federal and state premium subsidies are available through Covered California to continue to keep quality, essential coverage within reach, especially during these extremely challenging times.”

All Covered California and Medi-Cal Plans Offer Telehealth Options All health plans available through Covered California and Medi-Cal provide telehealth options for enrollees, giving individuals the ability to connect with a health care professional by phone or video without having to personally visit a doctor’s office or hospital.

All screening and testing for COVID-19 is free of charge.

This includes telehealth or doctor’s office visits, as well as network emergency room or urgent care visits for the purpose of screening and testing for COVID-19. In addition, Medi-Cal covers costs associated with COVID-19 in both its managed care plans and with fee-for-service providers.

Covered California health plans will help cover costs that arise from any required treatment or hospitalization.

New State Subsidies Help Californians Lower Their Health Care Costs Californians who sign up for coverage may be able to benefit from a new state subsidy program that expanded the amount of financial help available to many people. The subsidies are already benefiting about 625,000 Covered California consumers. Roughly 576,000 lower-income consumers, who earn between 200 and 400 percent of the federal poverty level (FPL), are receiving an average of $608 per month, per household in federal tax credits and new state subsidies (which averages $23 per household). The financial help lowers the average household monthly premium from $881 to $272, a decrease of 70 percent.

In addition, nearly 32,000 middle-income consumers have qualified for new state subsidies, with an average state subsidy to eligible households of $504 per month, lowering their monthly premium by nearly half.

Many of those eligible for the new middle-income state subsidies are an estimated 280,000 Californians who are likely eligible for new state or existing federal subsidies but kept their “off-exchange” coverage. They are also eligible to switch to Covered California and benefit from the financial help. During this special-enrollment period, Covered California, its health insurance companies and Certified Insurance Agents will be reaching out to these Californians to let them know how they can Continued on Page 4

Sofia reveals baby with racer boyfriend

By Niña

V. GuNo

Inquirer.net

ACTRESS Sofia Andres celebrated Father’s Day by introducing her child with racer Daniel Miranda, as well as giving a peek into her pregnancy journey.

The actress paid tribute to both her own father and Miranda in an Instagram post on Sunday, June 21. “[Since] today is a special day for the fathers, I just want to take the chance to celebrate my first love, my dad who has been with me through ups and downs. Thank you Daddy for the generosity and the love,” she said.

“I also want to celebrate my greatest love, Daniel. I’m so grateful that I have you by my side because you have brought so much color and adventure into my world,” she wrote. “Not only that, you [have] also been part [of] giving me my greatest happiness — our little angel.”

One of the pictures she shared was of her and Miranda seated together on the grass while kissing their baby’s cheeks.

She also shared a blackand-white picture of their baby’s feet, as well as a video encapsulating her pregnancy journey where she thanked Miranda, family and friends for

Sofia Andres celebrated Father’s Day by introducing her child with racer Daniel Miranda.

Photo from Instagram/@iamsofiaandres

their help.

Andres mentioned in the video that she and Miranda have been in a relationship for four years and that “he made everything easy for me” during her pregnancy, such as doing chores for her.

Miranda, meanwhile, shared on Instagram a video of him carrying their daughter on a balcony overlooking the sea.

“First [Father’s] Day, I Love

You Very Much!!” he said.

He posted a picture on Instagram Stories of him with Andres carrying their bundled-up baby, with the message, “I love you both very much.”

Andres, 21, took a break from showbiz in 2018. She has starred in the Liza SoberanoEnrique Gil TV series “Forevermore” which ran from 2014 to 2015, and in the 2017 thriller film “Bloody Crayons”.

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T h e As ian Jou r n al MDWK MAGAZ IN E - Ju n e 2 4 , 2 0 2 0

BB bares ‘untold story’...

From Page 2 Rustom,” BB said.

“Pero hindi na rin niya ipinaglaban kasi, at that time, binibigyan nila ng pagkakataon ang sarili nila na mag-isip. Napakabait ng Diyos, I hope si Carmina, ganito rin ang pakiramdam. I don’t wanna be selfish about it, pero itinuturing kong blessing si Carmina sa buhay ni Rustom.”

BB said Rustom dreamt of a happy family with Carmina but Carmina understands what Rustom really wanted.

“Ano ba ang pangarap ni Rustom? Magkaroon ng pamilya, magkaroon ng mabuting asawa, magkaroon ng mga anak, maging mabuting asawa, maging mabuting provider,” BB said.

“Yun ang pangarap ni Rustom. And Rustom thought na si Carmina din yung babae para sa kanya to fulfill that dream, pero sa paglipas ng panahon, nagkakaroon ng mga natutuklas mo kung ano ba yung katotohanan sa kaibuturan ng puso mo.”

BB also said that if Rustom is here again, he will court Carmina again.

“Rustom may be right, he may be happy with Carmina, but he wasn’t happy with himself. That’s the problem. Doon nag-umpisa na bakit kasama na niya ‘yung babaeng… kasi ‘yung pagmamahal, walang question,” BB said.

“Kung ako magiging lalake ulit, babalik, siya pa rin liligawan. Hindi ko naman naiisip noon na bilang Rustom, magpapatawag ako na BB after 21 years or 31 years?

I really don’t know. Sabi ko nga, it may be the right love, but hindi lang wrong time, but wrong body.”

BB also admitted that a part of Rustom died when they decided to separate.

“Dumating sa punto na nagdesisyon si Carmina to move on. Isa sa mga pinakamasakit na panahon, you can just imagine, isang tao na pinaka-importante sa iyo, nagpapaalam. So Rustom was really devastated, pero hindi na siya nag-disagree. It was a very amicable separation, walang sigawan, walang sumbatan,

pero pinakamasakit,” BB said.

“Did it kill Rustom? A part of him died. Definitely kung pag-uusapan yung dreams, kung pag-uusapan ni Rustom, yun yung kabuuan, yun ang Carmina. Definitely after the separation, hindi ko alam kung ano nangyayari noon. Hindi

ko na alam how to move on, pero, at that time, wala naman choice, but to move on. Wala naman choice, but to overcome, so gaano man kasakit, na-overcome.”

Rustom and Carmina separated in 1997 after three years of marriage.

Waiver of joint petition to remove conditional permanent residency on a ‘Gameboys’: the pandemic’s breakout hit marriage entered less than two years

entertainment

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AT the height of the pandemic, while everyone was in quarantine, the think tank of The IdeaFirst Company challenged themselves to create a series that can be shot remotely with everyone in their respective homes.

The result was a YouTube series titled, “Gameboys,” which, sans any fanfare or big promotions, hit over a million combined views after just episodes.

The shows fans are not just in the Philippines as the views and comments come from the US, Europe and Latin America.

‘Gameboys’ stars Kokoy de Santos and Elijah Canlas In fact, it sparked a new trend of Filipino “BL” (“Boys Love”) series ally acclaimed film, “Kalel, that enjoys a global following.

15”), Gameboys is also the “Gameboys is ultimately first Filipino series to ride the about love overcoming all latest wave of successful Asian boundaries — even physical “BL” or “Boys Love” series ones set by our new reality,” says that have been trending the Executive Producer Jun Robles past few months. The genre’s Lana. “It is about two people most recent hit was Thailand’s who find each other at a time “2Gether: The Series” and when they can only connect with currently, Korea’s “Where Your one another virtually. I think that Eyes Linger.” is what makes it so resonant with Gameboys director Ivan audiences around the world. We Payawal admits he is overwant to believe that you can still whelmed to see that this series find love and companionship is getting so much international even in the middle of a panlove too, “I knew we had a show demic.” we can all be proud of, but it’s Starring Kokoy de Santos just overwhelming to see fans (one of the stars of the Cinemafrom around the world comlaya hit, “F*ccbois”) and Elijah menting and posting about it Canlas (the star of internation— a lot of them even create

Photo courtesy of The IdealFirst Company

reaction videos to chronicle how much they loved our episodes!”

The dialogue in Gameboys is in Filipino but The IdeaFirst Company uploads episodes with English subtitles. Within hours of posting, though, the fans themselves contribute subtitles in other languages. To date, Gameboys has French, German, Spanish, Portuguese, Polish, Russian, Ukranian, Czech, Turkish, Korean, Thai, Indonesian and Arabic subtitles.

Gameboys episodes are available on The IdeaFirst Company’s YouTube channel Written

by Ash Malanum and co-starring Adrianna So, new episodes are uploaded every week. (ManilaTimes.net)

Actor Manolo Robles passes away at 88 years old

By Ryan

aRcadio Inquirer.net

ACTOR Manolo Robles (real name: Manolo Tolentino), who starred in movies alongside Filipino film icons such as Fernando Poe Jr. and Joseph “Erap” Estrada, has passed away at the age of 88.

He died after succumbing to prostate cancer on June 4, his children told INQUIRER. net today, June 21. Robles had passed away in the company of their stepmother here in the Philippines.

Robles first appeared in the 1961 film “Ikaw O Ako”, which starred Fernando Poe Jr. and Romeo Vasquez. Following his

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acting debut, he went on to play roles of villains in other movies such as “Pasong Diablo”, “Markang Rehas” and “Batang Maynila”.

Robles also had a gig as part-time chauffeur for Tony Ferrer, known as the James Bond of the Philippines, whom he later worked with on the 1961 production “Baril Sa Baril”.

His latest works before retiring were the 1973 films “Hulihin si Tiagong Akyat” and “Pepeng Agimat”, which both starred Ramon Revilla Sr. After his last projects, Robles moved to the United States but eventually returned to Manila.

Robles was also the cousin of former Manila Mayor Alfredo

Manolo Robles (L) and a still photo of him with Fernando Poe Jr. in “Batang Maynila”.

Photo courtesy of Manolo Robles’s children

Lim. He is survived by his nine sons, who reside in Canada, United States and the Philippines.

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documents showing the marriage was entered in good faith.

Barrister’s However, sometimes alien spouses are not able to file this Corner Joint Petition to remove the condition on their green card because the couple got divorced Atty. Kenneth or are in the process of filing a UrsUA reyes divorce and is having difficulties getting the cooperation of the US citizen spouse. When the alien THE Immigration Marriage spouse falls into this situation, it Fraud Amendments of 1986 (IMFA) requires an alien obtaining is still possible for them to obtain their permanent green card by a green card through a marriage filing a waiver. The waiver must less than two years old to come back at the end of that two years be based on one of the following reasons 1) Extreme hardship with the petitioning spouse and show that they are still married or, would result if such alien is removed 2) The qualifying marriage if the marriage was terminated, was entered in good faith by the to show that the marriage was alien spouse, but … has been entered in good faith before the terminated (divorce or annulled), USCIS will issue them a permaand the alien was not at fault nent (unconditional) green card. in failing to timely file the joint Any alien who obtains a petition and attend the interview; green card through a spousal or 3) The qualifying marriage petition by virtue of a marwas entered into in good faith riage entered less than twenty by the alien spouse and during four months before the status the marriage the alien spouse is obtained will only receive a conditional green card under INA or child was battered by or was the subject of extreme cruelty §216(d). To remove this condiperpetrated by the US citizen partion, both spouses must file a ent or permanent resident spouse form I-751 with the USCIS within or parent and the alien was not 90 day period preceding the exat fault in failing to file the joint piration of the conditional green card along with other supporting petition and attend the interview.

INA §216(c)(4); 8 CFR 216.5 If you have a conditional green card and your are having difficulty obtaining cooperation from your US citizen spouse in signing a joint petition to remove this conditional green card, you should consult an attorney to assist you in planning for and obtaining a waiver. *** 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, APC. This article is not a solicitation. *** Attorney Kenneth Reyes is a graduate of Southwestern University School of Law in Los Angeles. He was President of the Philippine American Bar Association. He is a member of the American Immigration Lawyer’s Association (AILA) and the Los Angeles County Bar Association, Immigration and Family Law Sections. You may contact Atty. Reyes at (213) 388-1611 or via e-mail at kenneth@kenreyeslaw. com. LAW OFFICES OF KENNETH REYES, APC. is located at 3699 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 747, Los Angeles, CA. (Advertising Supplement)

California extends special-enrollment...

From Page 3 save money on their premiums, which will help them keep their coverage in challenging financial times.

Staying Safe While Getting Help Enrolling Covered California is working with the more than 10,000 Certified Insurance Agents that help Californians sign up and understand their coverage options through phone-based service models.

“We continue to be in a different world right now, but social distancing does not mean you cannot get personal help,” Lee said. “Health insurance is just a phone call away, and our agents and staff stand ready to help people get the coverage they need.”

Consumers can easily find out if they are eligible MediCal or other forms of financial

help and see which plans are available in their area by using the CoveredCA.Com Shop and Compare Tool and entering their ZIP code, household income and the ages of those who need coverage.

Those interested in learning more about their coverage options can also: • Visit www.CoveredCA. com.

• Get free and confidential assistance over the phone, in a variety of languages, from a certified enroller.

• Have a certified enroller call them and help them for free.

Call Covered California at (800) 300-1506.

Covered California is the state’s health insurance marketplace, where Californians can find affordable, high-quality insurance from top insurance

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companies. Covered California is the only place where individuals who qualify can get financial assistance on a sliding scale to reduce premium costs. Consumers can then compare health insurance plans and choose the plan that works best for their health needs and budget. Depending on their income, some consumers may qualify for the low-cost or no-cost Medi-Cal program.

Covered California is an independent part of the state government whose job is to make the health insurance marketplace work for California’s consumers. It is overseen by a five-member board appointed by the governor and the legislature. For more information about Covered California, please visit www.CoveredCA. com.

(Advertising Supplement)

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