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JULY 2-8, 2020 Volume 31 - No. 26 • 12 Pages

T H E F I L I P I N O –A M E R I C A N C O M M U N I T Y N E W S PA P E R

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COVID-19 infections among US report: Philippines overseas Filipinos reach 8,614 remains a destination DATELINE

USA

FROM THE AJPRESS NEWS TEAM ACROSS AMERICA

for foreign terrorists

THE Philippines remains a top destination for foreign terrorists despite the government’s continued efforts to enforce measures against security threats, a recent U.S. State Department study found.

In its Country Reports on Terrorism 2019 released on Wednesday, June 24, the United States found that the Philippine government struggled to apply a concerted approach to prevent terror attacks, as foreign fighters from Indonesia, Malaysia, and countries in the Middle East and Europe continued to arrive in the Philippines.

The report also cited terror groups, such as the Abu Sayyaf, Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF), Ansar al-Khalifa Philippines (AKP) and the Maute group, which were all active in 2019 and linked to the Middle East-based Islamic State.

“The Abu Sayyaf Group has committed kidnappings-for-ransom, bombings, am-

by RITCHEL

MENDIOLA AJPress

THE Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs on Thursday, July 2, recorded 108 new cases of the coronavirus among Filipinos abroad, which brings the total number of infected individuals to 8,614.

“Today, the DFA reports an increase in new con-

firmed COVID-19 cases among Filipinos abroad, The DFA also reported seven new deaths from the mostly in Asia and the Pacific and the Middle East. Middle East, raising the death toll to 561.

This brings the total number of confirmed cases to Meanwhile, 17 new recoveries in Europe and the 8,614,” the agency reported.

Middle East were recorded, which raises the num“The increase is due to more accurate sourcing of ber of recovered patients to 5,148. data, as well as, late reports received by our Foreign 2,905 overseas Filipinos, on the other hand, reu PAGE 2 Service Posts,” it added.

Philppine PResident Rodrigo Duterte Malacañang photo by Ace Morandante

u PAGE 2

Anti-terror bill under final review

Majority of young people in the US are non-white for the first time ever

by RITCHEL

MENDIOLA AJPress

Asian population sees biggest population rate growth

THE United States has grown more racially and ethnically diverse over the last decade and is expected to grow even more so as the nation’s non-white population increases.

According to the latest population estimates by the U.S. Census Bureau released on Thursday, June 25, non-whites made up the majority of people under the age of 16 in 2019 for the first time ever.

Meanwhile, the white population in the U.S. has seen a decrease in the past 10 years primarily due to the number of births being overshadowed by the number of deaths. The decrease in births in the demographic has been made evident by the decrease in people under the age of 18 in the last decade.

The nation’s white population in 2019 was the lowest ever recorded at 60.1%, according to the report. The age group in which the demographic was seeing growth was in the baby boom generation — a group that in general

u PAGE 4

RIDING IN STYLE. A woman uses an electric scooter on her way to work along Aurora Boulevard in Quezon City on Thursday, July 2. Escooter, bicycle, and motorbike are now considered the new mode of transport during the community quarantine amid the coronavirus pandemic.

PNA photo by Joey O. Razon

MALACAÑANG on Thursday, July 2, announced that the controversial anti-terrorism bill is now with the Office of Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea for final review.

“Wala na po sa lamesa ng Deputy Executive Secretary for Legal Affairs, nailipat na po ‘yan sa tanggapan ni Executive Secretary for final review (It is no longer on the desk of the Deputy Executive Secretary for Le-

u PAGE 2

WHO: PH doing well in COVID-19 fight 6 Pinoys join Trump re-election

by RITCHEL

MENDIOLA AJPress

THE World Health Organization on Tuesday, June 30, clarified that it did not say that the Philippines had the fastest rise in COVID-19 cases in the Western Pacific Region.

According to WHO Country Representative to the Philippines Dr. Rabindra Abeyasinghe, the WHO does not compare countries or make assessments based on countries’ performance.

“It is not the World Health Organization that did this. I’ve seen a lot of comments

and commentaries, points of view that the World Health Organization did this. The World Health Organization does not compare countries or make such assessments,” he said.

Abeyasinghe pointed out that it was a journalist who interpreted WHO’s report in a certain way.

“All those assessments [were] done by a journalist of the Inquirer in the Philippines using the data that we have in our dashboard like many other dashboards that are globally available,” he said.

u PAGE 2

campaign’s AAPI advisory board

by AJPRESS WITH four months until Election Day, six Filipino Americans are among those helping President Donald Trump’s re-election campaign court the fast-growing Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) electorate.

The recently announced “Asian Pacific Americans for Trump,”

includes a 26-member advisory board of AAPI elected officials, grassroots leaders and business owners.

Asian Americans are now the fastest-growing demographic of eligible voters out of the major racial and ethnic groups, comprising 4.7% of the electorate this 2020, according to a recent Pew Research Center report.

u PAGE 4

Former VP Biden, Trump surrogate attend virtual town hall addressing AAPI concerns

by RAE

ANN VARONA AJPress

FORMER Vice President Joe Biden and former Guam Governor Eddie Baza Calvo, a surrogate for President Donald Trump, participated in a virtual presidential town hall on Saturday, June 27 to answer questions and address concerns of the Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) community.

The town hall was organized

by APIAVote, a national nonpartisan group that works to mobilize Former Vice President Joe Biden (top) and Former Guam Governor Eddie Baza Calvo (bottom) the AAPI community in electoral address Asian American and Pacific Islander voters on Saturday, June 27 during a virtual and civic affairs. Vicky Nguyen of NBC News and Amna Nawaz of presidential town hall hosted by APIAVote.

PBS moderated the event.

Among the key concerns presented was that of race relations, which has been increasingly tested amidst the current Black Lives Movement and reports of hate crimes towards AAPIs due to COVID-19.

Both Biden and Calvo touched on Trump’s recent remarks in which the president called the coronavirus the “Kung flu” or “China flu,” despite it being named COVID-19 by the World Health Organization after it decided in 2015 to stop using names of people, places, and animals in diseases to avoid prob-

u PAGE 3

A website for “Asian Pacific Americans for Trump” shows photos of a 26-member advisory board comprised of AAPI elected officials and community leaders.

http://www.asianjournal.com • (702) 792-6678

july 2-8, 2020 • lAS VEGAS ASIAN jOuRNAl

From The FronT Page

COVID-19 infections among...

PAGE 1 main under treatment.

“With a new report from another country in Africa, the total number of countries/ regions with COVID-19 cases among Filipinos is now 61,” the DFA noted.

Overall by region, Europe — which comprises 16 countries — has recorded 1,009 Filipino cases, including 468 undergoing treatment, 447 recoveries and 94 deaths.

The Middle East and Africa, covering 22 countries, has reported 6,253 cases; of which, 2,154 are undergoing treatment, 296 deaths and 3,803 recoveries.

The Asia Pacific region, which spans across 17 countries, has 657 cases, with 131 under treatment, 523 recoveries, and three deaths.

The Americas — covering six countries like the United States

— have 695 reported cases, with 152 undergoing treatment, 375 recoveries, and 168 deaths.

“Rest assured the DFA continues to keep track of the status of our nationals abroad and stands ready to assist, whenever possible,” the agency said.

Meanwhile, in the Philippines, the total number of infections has reached 38,805 with 1,274 fatalities and 10,673 recoveries as of Thursday. n

WHO: PH doing well in COVID-19...

PAGE 1 “It is unfair to say that the WHO has made that comment or assessment. We did not,” he added.

The WHO official then lauded the Philippines for its response to the pandemic.

“The Philippines has been doing relatively well,” Abeyangsinghe said.

He added, “We are happy that the Philippines enforced early lockdowns, which actually helped prevent possibly hundreds of thousands of cases and thousands of deaths.”

However, he pointed out that the “compliance” with the Department of Health’s guidelines to contain the spread of COVID19 “does not seem to be universally good.”

“The DOH has come up with very good guidelines on how

to manage positive cases, how to quarantine them – but the implementation at local government levels in different areas of the country is different. So we see poor compliance with the guidelines, we are seeing that number of cases increasing and this is actually becoming a worrying situation,” noted Abeyangsinghe.

The official urged the Philippines to improve its contact tracing efforts.

“What we are advocating is that the DOH and the government – as they invest in expanding testing capacity – to invest (also) in actually contact tracing, identifying contacts, and quarantining and isolating them so that we prevent further transmission from those cases,” he said.

“Unfortunately, this aspect of the Philippine response needs a

HOTEL INSPECTION. Department of Tourism (DOT) Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat (seated, 3rd from right), and Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Secretary Ramon Lopez (seated, left), check the divider at the front desk of Marco Polo Hotel in Pasig City, during the inspection on Wednesday, July 1. Also in photo is Pasig City Mayor Vico Sotto (right). Government officials made rounds on hotels in Metro Manila to check the health and safety protocols being implemented by hotels.

PNA photo by Joey O. Razon

Anti-terror bill under final...

WHO Country Representative Dr. Rabindra Abeyasinghe ManilaTimes.net photo by Gerard Seguia

little more strengthening. There is improvement in the last month but is not keeping pace with the pace of the expansion of the testing capacity,” Abeyasinghe added. n

US report: Philippines remains a destination...

PAGE 1 bushes of security personnel, public beheadings, assassinations, and extortion,” the report said.

It noted that ASG was responsible for incidents like conducting kidnapping-for-ransom operations targeting Canadian, Norwegian, German, and Filipino citizens in 2016 and 2017, killing nine people and injured others in an attack on Basilan Island in August 2017, and detonating a car bomb at a military checkpoint on Basilan Island, killing 10 people, including a Philippine soldier and pro-government militia.

The report also tackled the continued attacks of the Communist Party of the Philippines and its armed wing New Peo-

ple’s Army on security forces and civilians in the country.

“The CPP/NPA primarily targets Philippine security forces, government officials, local infrastructure, and businesses that refuse to pay extortion, or ‘revolutionary taxes.’ The CPP/ NPA also has a history of attacking U.S. interests in the Philippines,” the report said.

It added, “Over the past several years, the CPP/NPA has continued to carry out killings, raids, kidnappings, acts of extortion, and other forms of violence primarily directed against Philippine security forces.”

According to the report, the CPP/NPA’s most deadly attack happened in April 2019, when they detonated bombs by an improvised landmine in a sur-

prise early morning attack clash in Samar, killing six Philippine troops.

The government has made some strides in compliance with United Nations Security Council (UNSCR) 2396, which included trying to curb terrorist travel and improving information sharing with foreign partners.

However, the report noted that the proposed amendments to strengthen the 2007 Human Security Act are still pending in Congress as of the end of 2019.

The controversial Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020, which seeks to strengthen the HSA, has yet to be signed by President Rodrigo Duterte. He has 30 days to act on the legislation or else the bill will lapse into law 30 days after receipt. (Ritchel Mendiola/AJPress)

PAGE 1 gal Affairs, it has been transferred to the office of the Executive Secretary for final review),” said Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque in a virtual briefing.

“Meron na pong memorandum na (there is now a memorandum) recommending a course of action to the president, subject to final approval lang po siguro ‘yan ni (of the) executive secretary at dadalhin na po sa lamesa ni presidente (and it will be brought to the president’s desk),” he added.

Medialdea will then submit the Palace’s position to President Rodrigo Duterte, who has until July 9 to sign or veto the measure before it lapses into law.

Meanwhile, United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet on Tuesday, June 30, appealed to Duterte to”refrain from signing” the controversial antiterrorism bill as it “heightens concerns about the blurring of important distinctions between criticism, criminality and terrorism.”

“The law could have a further chilling effect on human rights and humanitarian work, hindering support to vulnerable and

marginalized communities,” she said during the 44th regular session of the UN Human Rights Council.

“So I would urge the president to refrain from signing the law, and to initiate a broad-based consultation process to draft legislation that can effectively prevent and counter violent extremism — but which contains some safeguards to prevent its misuse against people engaged in peaceful criticism and advocacy,” she added.

The anti-terrorism 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 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 terrorist 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. n

LAS VEGAS ASIAN JOURNAL • JULy 2-8, 2020

(702) 792-6678 • http://www.asianjournal.com

NECROLOGICAL SERVICE. Army Honor Guards carry the flag-draped coffin of the late Senator Ramon Revilla Sr. at the Senate in Pasay City where a necrological service was held Wednesday, July 1. According to an advisory, Senate President Vicente Sotto III will present a resolution to the Revilla family during the service. Revilla Sr. died of heart failure on June 26 at the age of 93.

PNA photo by Avito C. Dalan

Former VP Biden, Trump surrogate attend...

PAGE 1 t lematic stigmas.

“Asian Americans are being targeted with violence and are being subjected to xenophobic rhetoric from the mouth of the president himself,” said Biden.

“This is the president who, instead of bringing our country together, does everything he can to fan the flames of hate and division in this country.”

Biden later added, “Words matter and the president’s words matter even more.”

In response to criticism over Trump’s use of divisive language, Calvo took a turn and focused on recent incidents of looting that happened during early Black Lives Matter protests and suggested without proof that Biden’s campaign was responsible.

“I’ve seen some of the impact on Korean American stores, our Vietnamese hair and nail shops, our Filipino restaurants that have been looted and people robbed as a result of the riots,” said Calvo.

He added, “I can tell you that when you look at the destruction — whether it’s from looting, whether it’s robbing, or burning of flags, or tearing down statues — most of all those people aren’t going to vote for President Trump. Many of them actually are supporters of the Biden campaign.”

Administration ‘diversity’ Calvo admitted that Trump was sometimes “unorthodox” with his use of “certain words,” but said people must also look at the president’s actions.

“You also have to look at actions and when you take a look at the Trump administration’s ac-

tions, whether it is my participation or secretary [Elaine] Chao’s,” said Calvo.

In discussing what actions the presidential nominees would take to promote diversity if elected, both Biden and Trump campaigns were challenged to disclose staff diversity numbers.

Biden promised to release numbers after the town hall and said that his administration would “look like America.”

“My administration is going to look like America. Not just my staff, the administration, from the vice president, straight down through cabinet members, to major players within the White House, and the court. It’s going to be a reflection of who we are as a nation,” said Biden.

Calvo said that he could not predict who Trump’s pick for major cabinet positions would be, but that he was confident that Trump would ensure a more diverse staff.

“I can tell you that I’ve seen in my visits to the White House and in meetings with those who are a part of the administration, and whether it’s in an official capacity or even in the campaign, I’ve seen a growing diversity,” said Calvo. “I’m very confident about things and in the weeks ahead, I’m pretty sure that the president and his people will announce any other types or new prospective cabinet members.”

Following the town hall, Biden’s presidential campaign released diversity data for the first time, disclosing that 35% of Biden’s full-time staff are people of color, and 36% of his senior staff are people of color. A major-

ity of both senior staff and fulltime staff also identify as women — 53% of his full-time staff and 58% of his senior staff. His campaign added that 5% of his staff chose not to specify.

Trump’s campaign followed suit and disclosed their diversity numbers — 25% of Trump’s senior staff are people of color, and 56% identify as women. Of his campaign staff, 52% identify as women.

The discussion on race naturally brought in concerns over immigration policy. Of the nation’s 11 million undocumented immigrants, 1.7 million are AAPI. Late last month, Trump temporarily suspended the issuance of new work visas through 2020, preventing hundreds of thousands of foreigners seeking employment through the H-1B visa.

The order disproportionately affected AAPIs, as over 70% of H-1B visa holders are from South Asian countries, primarily India. Following are China, Canada, South Korea, and the Philippines.

Calvo said that Trump’s “number one goal is to move to meritbased immigration.”

“It’s not about immigrants.

They’re important,” said Calvo.

“But [Trump’s] first and foremost priority is getting Americans back to work.”

Referencing the order, Biden said that such a move would not happen in his administration and that “people coming on these [H1B] visas have built this country.”

Biden added that in his first 100 days, he would send an imPAGE 4

july 2-8, 2020 • lAS VEGAS ASIAN jOuRNAl

Dateline USa

http://www.asianjournal.com • (702) 792-6678

Former VP Biden, Trump surrogate attend...

PAGE 3 t

migration reform bill to congress to provide a roadmap to citizenship for undocumented immigrants.

He also vowed to rescind Trump’s Muslim ban, restore refugee admission back to an average of at least 95,000 refugees, and to take immediate action to protect undocumented immigrants who were brought to the U.S. as children, also known as Dreamers.

“My immigration policy is built around keeping families together, modernizing the immigration system by keeping families together, [and having] unification and diversity as pillars of our immigration system, which it used to be,” said Biden.

Another issue of importance to the AAPI community was economic recovery after the current COVID-19 pandemic.

One small business owner — an immigrant Indian-American chef from North Carolina who has worked with Congressman David Price to welcome refugees to eat free at her restaurant — shared how she struggled to get personal protective equipment for her workers during the pandemic and received relatively small relief compared to larger corporations.

Biden criticized the handling of Trump’s CARES Act relief fund and said that the 40% that was supposed to go to small businesses went to large businesses instead.

He said that if elected, he would put back an inspector general to look into where the money was

distributed and hold those who violated rules and participated in “chicanery” accountable.

“Trump’s corrupt recovery is focused on the wealthy and wellconnected, not the millions of mom-and-pops that are out there facing ruin,” said Biden.

Calvo stood by the CARES Act, highlighting the Paycheck Protection Program created as part of the relief fund which, after expiring on Tuesday, was extended through August 8 in an effort to allow more businesses to keep their workforce during the pandemic.

Silent majority Biden and Calvo were also given the opportunity to appeal to the members of the silent majority, which includes many AAPI, who are still unsure of who they will be voting for in November.

Over 11 million AAPI — close to 5% of the nation’s eligible voters — are expected to vote in November, based on a recent Pew Research Center report.

While voter turnout has been low compared to other ethnic groups given the growth of eligible AAPI voters, their influence potential has been noticed, especially after AAPI electoral votes brought over a “blue wave” in some major congressional contests in 2018.

When asked what message he wanted to send to those who saw him as an extension of President Barack Obama, Biden said he was proud to have served under the previous administration, but emphasized the need to build something better — something he said Obama also acknowledged.

He said that his presidency would be significantly different from Obama, with a goal to “undue damage Trump has done.”

Biden also criticized Trump’s recent choice of holding an indoor campaign rally in Tulsa, Oklahoma and for having continuously chosen to not wear a mask despite public health officials’ urges to do so. Biden added that despite not having held rallies himself, over 200 million people have watched him on television.

As the town hall was meant to be an opportunity for both campaigns to appeal to the AAPI community, Calvo was asked to comment on why Trump did not speak at the event himself or send any message or greeting.

During the town hall, Trump was playing golf at the Trump National Golf Club in Virginia.

Calvo said of himself that he — having “Spanish, Chamorro, Filipino, and a little bit of Chinese blood” — represented a “microcosm of the Trump campaign” and that it was best to have a member of the AAPI community present.

The former Guam governor, along with five other individuals of Filipino descent, was recently announced as part of the Trump re-election campaign’s AAPI advisory board, as reported by the Asian Journal.

He added that Trump has been going out to meet people and isn’t afraid to answer questions, “and is not hiding in his basement.”

“I have confidence in the Trump administration because he doesn’t forget the forgotten ones,” said Calvo. n

U.S. Vice President Mike Pence welcomes 16 new U.S. citizens, including Orlando Medrano from the Philippines, during a naturalization ceremony at the Eisenhower Executive Office Building in Washington, D.C. on Thursday, July 2.

Photo courtesy of the Office of the Vice President

VP Mike Pence honors Filipino who became US citizen during naturalization ceremony ahead of July 4

by AJPress A FILIPINO father with sons in the U.S. Army was among the individuals who became a new citizen during a naturalization ceremony on Thursday, July 2 attended by Vice President Mike Pence.

Two days before the country celebrated the Fourth of July

holiday, 16 immigrants from 12 countries, including the Philippines, were present at the ceremony held at the Eisenhower Executive Office Building’s South Court Auditorium.

“I want to commend you for having the courage to reach for your dreams and to make the sacrifices necessary to become part of the greatest nation in the history of the world,” Pence told the new citizens after taking their oath. “Your stories are truly inspiring.”

The vice president gave an example of a “man who came to this country 16 years ago from the Philippines.”

“His family’s already making contributions to this country.

One of his sons, I’m told, serves as an Army medic at Fort Carson in Colorado. Another of his sons is a cargo specialist in the Army Reserve. What a great family,” Pence narrated. “Today, Orlando Medrano is an American and a proud father, to say the least.”

Also during his remarks, the vice president noted that the individuals became citizens as the country is experiencing the coronavirus pandemic and protests.

“You come at a time of unique challenges in America and across the wider world as we deal with an unprecedented pandemic…,” he said. “You will continue to be a part of a story that demonstrates the resilience and the strength of the American people.” n

Majority of young people in the...

PAGE 1

has been seeing growth as more people born between 1946 and 1964 reach 65 years old.

The median age of the non-Hispanic white population last year was higher than any demographic group at 43.7.

“As the nation has continued to gray, it has also grown more racially and ethnically diverse,” the release read.

Experts expect the non-Hispanic white population in the U.S. to be the minority in about 25 years.

Biggest growth rate among Asian population The U.S. population has in general been seeing growth in the last decade from a population number of about 308 million in 2010 to about 329 million in 2019.

As steady population increases were seen in non-Hispanic groups, the Asian population saw the biggest increase of any demographic mostly due to international migration.

In 2019, the Asian population in the United States was 22,861,985 — an increase of 5,185,297 or 29% since 2010. The White population in comparison rose 4.3% over the last decade from 248,075,996 to 258,646,488.

The county with the largest

Asian population of 1,716,196 in 2019 was Los Angeles County.

It also had the largest numeric population increase of 180,084 or 11.7% from 2010 to 2019.

Seeing the largest numeric population increase between 2018 and 2019 of 20,779 or 4.3% was Washington’s King County.

Looking at U.S. counties that had a population of at least 20,000 in 2019, the Asian population in Forsyth County, Georgia grew the fastest with an increase of 3,660 or 10% between 2018 and 2019.

The population also saw the largest percentage growth of 230.2% or 27,977 since between 2010 and 2019.

Following in growth were Hispanics whose population grew 20% from 10,093,626 in 2010, to 60,572,247 in 2019.

Black Americans saw a population increase of 11.6% or 5,004,079 in the last decade; Native Hawaiians saw a 21% increase, and American Indians or Alaskan Natives saw a 13.1% increase.

Last year, data from the U.S. Census Bureau showed that the number of Filipinos in the U.S. reached 4,089,570 in 2018 — an increase of more than 52,000 from 2017. (Rae Ann Varona/AJPress)

PAGE 1 Pinoy advisory members include Utah Attorney General Sean Reyes, who is one of the co-chairs; former Guam Governor Eddie Baza Calvo; Vellie Dietrich-Hall, an entrepreneur from Virginia; Brunswick, Ohio Mayor and attorney Ron Falconi; Herman Martir, a pastor from Fort Worth, Texas; and Shirlene Ostrov, a retired U.S. Air Force colonel and chair of the Hawaii Republican Party.

“I am thrilled to be working again with officials from the Trump campaign and the RNC to be a conservative voice in Asian American communities so that we can re-elect the president,” Falconi, who also participated in the president’s 2016 campaign, told the Asian Journal.

On the website for the group, the description reads: “Asian Pacific Americans stand with President Trump to defend freedom, strengthen the American Dream and create a prosperous future with abundant opportunities for generations to come. Asian Pacific Americans cherish the United States as our precious homeland and we will ensure President Trump’s victory in November so our communities and families can continue to thrive under ‘Promises Made, Promises Kept’ for FOUR MORE YEARS!” This past January, Calvo and Martir were sworn into the president’s Advisory Commission on AAPIs, which “works to broaden access by AAPI employers and communities to economic resources and opportunities.” Calvo — who was the governor of Guam from 2011 to 2019 — also served as a Trump surrogate during the

APIAVote Presidential Town Hall on Saturday, June 27.

Reyes, who is Filipino on his father’s side, is also seeking reelection for his position and has received an endorsement from Trump himself.

“Utah Attorney General Sean Reyes (@SeanReyesUT) is a fighter and hard worker for the Great State of Utah. He is a big supporter of our #MAGA Agenda – Strong on Crime, the Second Amendment, and Loves our Law Enforcement,” Trump tweeted in April.

In a 2018 Asian American Voter Survey released by APIAVote and AAPI Data, 48% of Filipinos surveyed said they had a “favorable” view of the Republican Party, while 50% said they had a “favorable” view of Democratic Party.

“Our group only has a short period of time before November comes around, and we should focus on our goals. We need to fight back against the mainstream media/Democrat message that all APAs are liberals and vote to the left. Our community is not monolithic, we have a wide variety of views and political opinions,” Falconi added. “Highlighting conservative Asian Pacific American leaders across the country who support Donald Trump will help to go against this stereotype. We also need to rally and convince APAs within all of our communities to vote for the GOP this fall because they represent our beliefs and our values.”

The same survey found that 48% of Filipinos said they approve of the way Trump was handling his job as president, while another 48% said they disapproved. n

6 Pinoys join Trump re-election...

LAS VEGAS ASIAN JOURNAL • JULy 2-8, 2020

(702) 792-6678 • http://www.asianjournal.com

D ateline PhiliPPines European Union travel ban deems

PH, US not part of ‘safe countries’

by Ritchel

Mendiola AJPress

STARTING July 1, countries in the European Union (EU) will open their borders to nonessential travelers from 15 countries that are deemed to have the coronavirus under control.

The Philippines, as well as the United States, did not make the cut in the list.

EU countries will begin lifting the travel restrictions at the external borders for residents of Algeria, Australia, Canada, Georgia, Japan, Montenegro, Morocco, New Zealand, Rwanda, Serbia, South Korea, Thailand, Tunisia, Uruguay, and China.

However, China is “subject to confirmation of reciprocity,” which means it will depend if the country will open its borders to

European travelers.

The list was created based on criteria that include the country’s epidemiological situation, and containment measures such as physical distancing, as well as economic and social considerations.

Regarding the epidemiological situation, the listed countries need to meet the following criteria: • number of new COVID-19 cases over the last 14 days and per 100,000 inhabitants close to or below the EU average as of June 15; • stable or decreasing trend of new cases over this period in comparison to the previous 14 days; • overall response to COVID-19, which includes testing, surveillance, contact tracing,

containment, treatment and reporting, as well as the reliability of the information and, if needed, the total average score for International Health Regulations (IHR).

According to the European Council, the list will be reviewed every two weeks, and that countries may be added or removed, depending on how well they are in controlling the outbreak.

It also said that for the countries where travel restrictions continue to apply, only those who are EU citizens, long-term EU residents, and travelers with an essential function or need like healthcare professionals, transport personnel, diplomats, military and humanitarian workers, seafarers, passengers in transit shall be exempted from the restrictions. n

Rappler’s Ressa, Santos appeal cyber libel conviction

by Ritchel

Mendiola AJPress

RAPPLER chief executive officer Maria Ressa and former writer-researcher Reynaldo Santos on Monday, June 29, sought reversal of their cyber libel conviction before a Manila court.

In a 132-page motion submitted to Manila Regional Trial Court Branch 46, Ressa and Santos’ lawyers from the Free Legal Assistance Group urged Judge Rainelda Estacio-Montesa to reconsider her decision to convict the journalists of cyber libel.

“We have to acknowledge the real uses of criminal libel if we are to be consistent to protect speech made to make public officers and government accountable. Criminal libel has an in terrorem effect that is inconsistent with the contemporary protection of the primordial and necessary right of expression enshrined in our Constitution,” the motion read.

It added, “The review should include a consideration of the nature of cyberspace as layered communities used to evolve ideas. Such review should re-

sult in a declaration of unconstitutionality of criminal libel in the Revised Penal Code and in the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012.”

The motion cited at least 13 errors committed by Montesa in her June 15 verdict, such as considering complainant Wilfredo Keng as a private citizen, and the court defining updating a story as republication.

According to the motion for reconsideration, the court “did not even bother to cite any shred of support of its unilateral statement” that the update of the article counts as republication.

“The absence of any such reference cannot be trivialized or shrugged off because of the constitutional command that ‘(n)o decision shall be rendered by any court without expressing therein clearly and distinctly the facts and the law on which it is based,’” it read.

It also said that the court’s use of Ressa’s title is “a clever ruse to avoid liability.”

“The court’s role in the trial is to determine malice, not make malicious statements. Ascribing an underhanded and even unlawful motive—without assertion or proof—is malicious. It is

utterly contemptuous and unbecoming of a judge,” the motion added.

The motion also criticized Montesa’s process of arriving at her decision, pointing out that “the court has resorted to language that borders on the sarcastic and, at times, crosses over to the partial.”

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

The two were found 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

SOUTHERN NEVADA REGIONAL HOUSING AUTHORITY Procurement Dept.

340 N. 11TH Street, Las Vegas, NV 89101

INVITATION FOR BIDS (IFB) B20030 REPLACEMENT OF HOT & COLD WATER SHUT-OFF VALVES JAMES DOWN TOWERS PRIMARY CONTACT PERSON(S): Note: Contact with any other SNRHA staff other than the named here, including SNRHA’s Residents and Board of Commissioners will result in your Proposal being rejected.

Linda P. Simpson, Contracts Administrator Southern Nevada Regional Housing Authority Contracts & Purchasing procurement@snvrha.org or

HOW TO OBTAIN THE SOLICITATION DOCUMENTS ON THE APPLICABLE WEBSITE:

DOWNLOAD AND RESPOND TO THIS SOLICITATION: Housing Agency Marketplace website: ha.economicengine.com (no “www”) Registered Users: “Log in and insert Solicitation No. IFB B20030.

1RQ 5HJLVWHUHG 8VHUV <RX PXVW ¿UVW UHJLVWHU your company before downloading the Solicitation. Click on “New Vendor” to register.

Problems accessing the system or registering, call customer support at 866-526-9266, M-F, 9 AM(EST) – 5 PM (PST)

Wanda Beckett, Contracts Administrator procurement@snvrha.org

PRE-BID MEETING VIA WEBEX.COM Meeting No. (access code) 126 133 8291 Password:jWGqY8ept59 Dial In: 408-418-9388, Pass Code: 57696938

Wednesday, July 8, 2020, 9AM (PST)

SITE VISIT:

Wednesday, July 8, 2020, 11AM (PST), 5000 Alta Drive, LV, NV

QUESTIONS & ANSWERS DEADLINE:

Friday, July 17, 2020, 4:00 PM (PST)

SEALED BIDS SUBMISSION DEADLINE:

Mon, July 27, 2020, 10:00 AM (PST)

SEALED BIDS SUBMISSION LOCATION:

Southern Nevada Regional Housing Authority Attn: Linda P. Simpson Contracts & Purchasing 340 North 11TH Street, Suite 180, Las Vegas, NV 89101

ELECTRONIC BID SUBMISSION: ha.economicengine.com

Your two (2) hard copy bids must be sealed in envelopes and/or boxes and must be received in-hand and time-stamped by the SNRHA’s 3URFXUHPHQW 2I¿FH QR ODWHU WKDQ WKH GHDGOLQH date and time. Additionally, electronic pricing must be entered at the noted website by the same deadline date and time. Submitting one without the other deems your bid nonresponsive. LATE SUBMISSIONS WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED – NO EXCEPTIONS

NO PUBLIC BID OPENING:

Results will be posted on the applicable websites.

APPROVAL BY BOC, IF NECESSARY:

Thursday, August 27, 2020, 12N

WOMEN AND/OR MINORITY-OWNED BUSINESSES ARE ENCOURAGED TO PARTICIPATE

FARMERS PRODUCE NOW IN SUPERMARKETS. Department of Agriculture (DA) Secretary William Dar (right) and Resto PH (group of restaurant owners) president Eric Teng do the elbow bump after the signing of Memorandum of Understanding with SM Supermalls on Wednesday, July 1 for a joint project called the “Farmers Produce” at the DA central office in Quezon City. The project aims to provide livelihood support to farmers and fishermen and help reboot the restaurant industry amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Under the agreement, SM will provide underutilized spaces free of charge for farmers and cooperatives for the selling of their local produce.

PNA photo by Robert Oswald P. Alfiler

122 children killed in Duterte’s drug war – report

by Ritchel

Mendiola AJPress

AT LEAST 122 children’s lives have been claimed by President Rodrigo Duterte’s war against illegal drugs, according to a newly released report by two non-governmental organizations.

A report released on Monday, June 29 by the World Organization Against Torture and the Children’s Legal Rights and Development Center found that the killings are often deliberate and “far from being only ‘collateral damage’ as callously stated” by government officials.

They documented 122 killings of children, aged from one to 17 years old, from July 2016 to December 2019.

However, the report said that the real figure of killed children is higher.

“This number is a minimum: with parents and relatives often too afraid of reprisals to report or testify, it is likely that the actual

figures are higher,” it noted.

The report also noted that the killings fall under four patterns: direct targets, killed as proxies when real targets could not be found, killed as a result of mistaken identity, or killed by stray bullets during police operations.

“Far from being only ‘collateral damage,’ as callously stated

by President Rodrigo Duterte, these have been often deliberate killings,” it said.

“Our investigations show that 38.5% were carried out by policemen as [part] of police operations, while 61.5% were executed by unknown individuals, often masked or hooded assailants, some of them with direct links to the police,” it added.

The report also highlighted six cases, which includes “one particularly horrific case” wherein a seven-year-old boy was “killed in cold blood because he had witnessed the murder of an adult by a member of the local

authorities.”

The report likewise found that the youngest victim was 20 months old, and that seven children had been killed between January and March this year.

“These revelations must be a wake-up call for the international community, who has been largely absent as the Philippine government has kept trampling human rights,” said OMCT Secretary General Gerald Staberock in a statement.

“Over the past four years, we have hardly seen any meaningful reaction to the wanton killing of thousands of people under the pretext of the ‘war on drugs,’ the targeting of the poorest and most marginalized citizens of the Philippines, and the persecution of human rights defenders, many of whom are in prison for their legitimate work. It is the total lack of accountability that feeds the cycle of violence, including the war on children we are witnessing,” he added. n

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july 2-8, 2020 • lAS VEGAS ASIAN jOuRNAl

OpiniOn & Features

http://www.asianjournal.com • (702) 792-6678

Fine-tune the response

NO one is perfect, and the Duterte administration is doing its best to address the challenges posed by the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic. This was Malacañang’s reaction on Monday, June 29 to the World Health Organization’s report that the Philippines is registering the fastest increase in COVID19 cases among 22 countries in the Western Pacific region.

The Department of Health had earlier urged the WHO not to “cherry pick” countries for comparison in the region, as it balked at the Philippines being rated worse than Singapore in the number of new COVID infections from June 16 to June 27.

Aside from disputing the WHO assessment, the government should see it as an additional challenge to ramp up capabilities for containing COVID-19. The WHO was not criticizing any country but merely reporting the status of the pandemic in the region.

Those criticizing the response of the Duterte administration are mainly in the Philippines. They say that the government has failed to maximize the three-month quarantine, which has ruined the economy and worsened poverty, to sufficiently increase capabilities for contact tracing, isolation and mass testing using the real-time reverse transcription–polymerase chain reaction test. Lo-

cal government officials outside the National Capital Region are complaining about the recent spread of COVID in their areas because of the poorly coordinated return of locally stranded individuals and repatriated overseas workers from the NCR. As of 4 p.m. Monday, the DOH Bulletin No. 107 showed 36,438 COVID infections nationwide, with 985 confirmed cases added – 643 of them fresh cases and 342 late. The death toll rose to 1,255 with the addition of 11 fatalities. Recoveries, meanwhile, reached 9,956 with 270 reported.

An expert warned that COVID cases could hit 60,000 by July 31 amid the surge in Cebu City, which prompted the national government to revert the city to enhanced community quarantine. The Philstar.com photo contagion may be slowing down in Metro Manila, the epicenter of the pandemic in the country, but it reviving the economy is a difficult balancing act. appears to be on the rise in parts of the Visayas.

There are places that have done better than most Around the world, protecting public health and and can serve as models in containing COVID-19,

Editorial

The Fil-Am Perspective Gel SantoS-ReloS IF you and your family have been depending on Sky Direct, TV Plus for news and entertainment, especially after the Duterte Administration’s National Telecommunications Commission ordered the shutdown of the Philippines’ biggest broadcasting network ABS-CBN and its subsidiaries on May 5 amid the country’s fight against the coronavirus pandemic, then effective June 30, you will no longer be able to watch programs via these digital platforms.

As ABS-CBN News reported, “While channel 43 is not mentioned in NTC’s cease and desist order (CDO) of May 5, 2020, and it is ABS-CBN’s informed understanding that channel 43 is not included in the CDO, digital TV transmission in Metro Manila using channel 43 will cease tonight (June 30), consistent with the intent of the alias CDO.” ABS-CBN Corp issued a statement on the NTC order vs TV Plus channels: At 2:26 PM today, ABS-CBN received an alias cease and desist order from the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) directing ABS-CBN to cease and desist from operating digital TV transmission in Metro Manila using channel 43.

While channel 43 is not mentioned in NTC’s cease and desist order (CDO) of May 5, 2020, and it is ABS-CBN’s informed understanding that channel 43 is not included in the CDO, digital TV transmission in Metro Manila using channel 43 will cease tonight (June 30), consistent with the intent of the alias CDO.

Street Talk GReG B. MacaBenta I HAD an interesting exchange on social media with a good friend, over the issues of “colonial mentality” and “assimilation.” My friend stated, with a hint of sarcasm, “Forgive me If I seem to relate more to the American culture and way of life unlike some of my close friends that came to America when they are fully grown and find it difficult to assimilate, I did not have the luxury of bringing the colonial mentality with me to use as a crutch. I don’t think myself as a minority but simply an American.”

Sensing the patronizing tone, I responded, “By the way a ‘colonial mentality’ is not a ‘luxury.’ It is a manifestation of an inferiority complex.”

It was then that I recalled a speech I delivered before FilAm students in Maryland in the mid90s, on the subject of “assimilation” and the seeming conflict between being “Pinoy” and be-

among them Hong Kong, Taiwan and Vietnam.

The latest WHO assessment should lead to finetuning of the Philippine response. (Philstar.com)

After shutting down ABS-CBN on May 5, the Duterte Administration’s NTC now directs network to stop operating Sky Direct, TV Plus This means that viewers with TV Plus set-top boxes in Metro Manila will be unable to watch Teleradyo, Jeepney TV, Yey!, Asianovela Channel, CineMo, and KBO. ABS-CBN has a pending petition with the Supreme Court questioning the NTC’s CDO and hopes that such petition will be resolved soon in its favor so that it can resume broadcasting on both analog and digital platforms in the service of the Filipino.

Meanwhile, Sky Cable Corp released this statement on NTC’s cease and desist order to stop its direct broadcast satellite service called Sky Direct. As ABS-CBN news reported, SkyCable Corp was asked “to show cause why frequencies assigned to it shall not be recalled for lack of necessary congressional franchise to operate”: “SKYdirect’s 1.5 million subscribers nationwide, including those in remote areas that do not receive television signals, will be deprived of access to the channels we carry that bring them news, information, education, and entertainment starting tonight June 30, 2020, as Sky Cable Corporation complies with the cease and desist order (CDO) issued by the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) stopping the company from operating its direct broadcast satellite service immediately.

In the spirit of fairness, we continue to appeal to the NTC to extend the same privilege given in the past to other companies whose franchises have expired but are currently pending in Congress to continue its operations until a resolution is passed.

We assure our subscribers that we will exhaust all legal remedies to resume our services.

We commit to attend to the concerns of our valued subscribers and partners arising from this decision. We will refund all unconsumed prepaid loads and advance postpaid payments. We appeal to our SKYdirect subscribers and partners for understanding and patience as we undergo this process.”

After all the allegations and false accusations thrown at ABSCBN and its management which had already been addressed under oath and cleared by government officials and institutions – Department of Justice, Department of Labor, Securities and Exchange Commission, Bureau of Internal Revenue; and after the shutting down of the network on May 5 because of Congress’ failure to conduct hearings on its renewal despite allowing other broadcast entities to continue operations while franchise hearings were ongoing and pending, the Duterte Administration is now focusing on yet another angle: Cable TV operators’ opposition to ABS-CBN’s franchise application, insisting on a supposed “one franchise, one channel” rule.”

What is mind-boggling is that during the hearing on Monday, June 29 the NTC admitted that ABS-CBN Corp. did NOT violate the terms of its old franchise when it introduced multiple programs through its TV Plus digital boxes.

NTC Commissioner Gamaliel Cordoba told a joint congressional hearing on ABS-CBN’s application for a new operating

franchise that digital television technology allows broadcast franchise holders to provide up to 6 programs using a single 6 MHz frequency. “Insofar as 6 programs in 1 channel is concerned, okay po yun (they’re okay),” he said.

When asked by Ako Bicol party-list Rep. Alfredo Garbin to clarify if ABS-CBN’s previous 25-year franchise contained any provision that prohibited the operation of multiple programs, Cordoba said digital TV was not yet available when the franchise was granted in 1995 through Republic Act No. 7966. “Baka hindi po yun na-forsee ng RA 7966,” he said as reported by ABS-CBN News.

Dissecting the previous franchise of ABS-CBN, Laguna Representative Sol Aragones noted that it mentioned “frequency” and not “channel.” Cordoba concurred and explained in the hearing how advances in digital TV technology allowed the more efficient use of an existing frequency.

As ABS-CBN News reported, “Congressmen blocking the network’s application for a new franchise have accused the network of illegally introducing payper-view features in its TV Plus units.”

Despite affirming ABS-CBN did not violate any laws nor any provision in the previous franchise, Cordoba said the NTC had asked the network not to offer PPV until it released guidelines for the conditional access system.

But Rep. Garbin was quick to ask: “But if there’s no regulation, would you consider that there’s a violation of any law? An activ-

ity that has not been regulated, would you consider that there’s a violation even if it’s not regulated?”

To this Cordoba replied that ABS-CBN should have waited for the implementing rules from NTC. If found to have indeed committed a violation, ABS-CBN can be fined P200 for every unauthorized offer of PPV, under the Public Service Act, he said, as reported by ABS-CBN News.

But echoing Rep. Garbin’s point, what law was violated?

Why punish ABS-CBN and the Filipino people dependent on the network for news, information and entertainment especially during the pandemic?

Is it the network’s fault that the government has lagged behind and got stuck in analog while ABS-CBN has ushered the use of digital technology in the country?

Isn’t it ironic that the Philippine government once praised ABS-CBN for keeping pace with “rapidly evolving technologies” in a document that outlined the country’s shift to digital TV technology”?

A 2014 National Telecommunications Commission circular also “encouraged” broadcasters to introduce new programs, including those in HD format, “in addition to the analog legacy program”.

Digital Vs Analog This was how ABS-CBN News reported on such transition from analog to digital: The Framework of the DTTB Migration Plan, which seeks to complete the transition from analog to digital transmission by 2023, described ABS-CBN as “the largest multimedia network

in the country,” citing its “humble beginnings” and “undeniable successes” over 60 years.

DTTB refers to digital terrestrial television broadcasting, which provides viewers with “enhanced TV picture and sound quality” while allowing broadcasters to offer “broader” programs and services.

In 2013, the Philippine government picked the Japanese standard for such digital technology, owing to its lower cost and an emergency warning system.

“In the face of changing governments, despite natural disasters, and amid rapidly evolving technologies, ABS-CBN remains steadfast in its commitment to serve the Filipino,” the October 2017 document said.

“The organization is continuously evolving to provide better service through radio, free TV, digital terrestrial TV, cable TV, film, movie, music, publishing, online, events, licensed products, cash remittance, and various advocacies.”

What is the true intention of the Duterte administration in shutting down the digital transmission of ABS-CBN programs, given how limited its audience reach is at the moment? Whose interest is the NTC really serving? *** 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.

Reach back to your roots but grow new fruits ing “Kano,” an issue that today’s young FilAms may still be struggling with.

(Speech delivered at the University of Maryland at College Park before members of the Filipino Cultural Association, a student organization) When our family came to the United States, our children had many of the wonderful traits that a traditional Filipino upbringing develops. Respect for elders. A closeness with members of the family, including those several layers removed. Pride in the country of their birth.

Oh, yes, they also had many of the unhealthy values that the same Filipino upbringing infects you with. They thought that doing manual labor was demeaning. That waiting at tables, washing dishes and doing the laundry was only for the lowly.

That it was normal to be served hand and foot by maids. That they were more equal than others and could jump the line or get ahead of the pack by pulling strings.

One of the best things that happened to our children in America, aside from the education that they received, was a

reorientation of values: learning the dignity of honest labor and the virtue of self-sufficiency, and taking pride in getting ahead based on one’s talents and skills, rather than on padrinos and connections.

Yes, all of our children waited at tables while going through college. And they are proud of it.

For many years, we lived on the eastern shore of Maryland, in the small town of Cambridge, a crab-oyster-corn-and-soya community. There were only two Filipino families in that town: mine and that of my elder sister.

The children went through high school with American schoolmates and neighbors. Their friends would spend weekends at the house and were exposed to our Pinoy ways, as we were exposed to theirs.

The result was that their American friends learned to eat rice and native Filipino dishes and they also learned to eat with fork and spoon. To this day, many of these young Marylanders still visit us in San Francisco and are treated like members of the family - for such is the Fili-

pino way.

Our children, on the other hand, all learned to work with their hands, to do things for themselves, to stand proud and confident alongside their American friends, to compete with them on equal terms in academics and sports, and to be every bit the teenage Americans that their new environment had made of them.

Over time, our four children ceased being the young Filipinos that we brought over many years ago. They changed. Today, they are a shadow of what they were back in the Philippines.

What have they become? Suffice it to say that how they define themselves is not as important as the upright, respectful, selfconfident, affectionate individuals that my wife and I know them to be.

We certainly do not regret that they are different from their mother and myself and different, too, from their childhood friends back in the Philippines. This is what the development of the species is all about.

On the other hand, we are glad that in a multiethnic and

multicultural society such as this, they recognize that they are fortunate to have Filipino roots to reach back to and American dreams to reach up for.

I would like to believe that you who are members of the Filipino Cultural Association have metamorphosed in a similar way. I advise you not to feel any guilt for not being as Pinoy as your old folks nor feel any inferiority for not being as “Kano” as your Anglo friends.

I encourage you to enrich your lives with the finest portions of the American pie. In science and technology, in culture and the arts, in business and trade, and in its relations with the rest of the world there is much to be admired and learned in America.

Those of you who are Americans should stand proudly as citizens of this great country.

At the same time, I suggest that you immerse yourselves in Philippine history, culture and traditions so that you can also speak proudly of your antecedents.

In this regard, take pride and participate in the celebration in 1998 of the first centennial of

the declaration of Philippine independence – a courageous act undertaken in the face of threats from colonial powers, Spain and the United States.

Take pride, too, in the fact that natives of Las Islas Filipinas were crossing the Pacific Ocean to the New World over half a century before the Mayflower traversed the Atlantic, and that Filipinos, especially those in California, played a role in the making of these United States.

There is one last thing that I would like to suggest to you. In the same manner that, through the Filipino Cultural Association, you are nurturing in America the best part of your Filipino-ness, I urge you to visit the land of your parents and to introduce back home the best of your American-ness.

And never try to be what you are not, nor bewail what you cannot be. Don’t waste your time pondering whether you are American enough or Filipino enough. To paraphrase that advertising slogan for the US Army – simply be the best you can be. *** (gregmacabenta@hotmail.com)

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

ROGER LAGMAY ORIEL Publisher & Chairman of the Board

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Dateline PhiliPPines

LAS VEGAS ASIAN JOURNAL • JULy 2-8, 2020

DOH: Anti-viral drug in COVID-19 trial in ample supply despite US mass purchase

by Red

Mendoza ManilaTimes.net

THE Department of Health (DOH) assured the public that there as ample supply of an antiviral drug that was being tried as a possible cure for COVID19 amid reports that the United States bought all the available stocks.

Remdesivir is included in the World Health Organization’s solidarity trial, which also includes HIV anti-viral drugs Lopinavir with Ritonavir, and Lopinavir with Ritonavir plus Interferon Beta 1a.

The U.S. has bought 500,000 stocks of the drug from patent holder and drugmaker Gilead, which represents its global supply for the next three months.

Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said Remdesivir was given to the Philippines by WHO as part of the trial.

Vergeire, concurrent spokes-

man, said that the procurement of the drug by the government was still being discussed although some patients have used it for humanitarian considerations.

“Sa ngayon, yung pagbili ng Remdesivir ay pinaguusapan pa ng DOH and tinitignan natin kung pwede nating isama sa current resources natin. (Right now, the procurement of Remdesivir is still being discussed and we are looking to see if it can be added to our current resources),” Vergeire told reporters in a media forum on Thursday.

Dr. Rolando Enrique Domingo, Food and Drug Administration director general, said there were other suppliers in Asia that could provide the drug.

Domingo cited studies where Remdesivir was said to have hastened the patient’s recovery.

“Umiiikli yung time ng pagkakaroon nila ng sakit, from 15 days, nababawasan to 11 days.

(The number of days the patient is ill is reduced from 15 to 11 ), ” Domingo said during a televised press briefing.

As of July 1, the solidarity trial has 450 patients but Domingo said the FDA gave compassionate permits for the use of Remdesivir to 19 others.

The DOH has said that it was waiting for the approval of its ethics committee and the FDA for the clinical trial of another antiviral, Avigan (favipiravir), which is expected within this month.

It has also collaborated with the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) for research on the use of convalescent blood plasma, melatonin, tawa-tawa plant, and melatonin as possible assistive cures for COVID-19.

The anti-malarial drug hydroxychloroquine was removed from the solidarity trial as it did not show any evidence that it cured the virus. n

UP team: COVID-19 trend not a game by neil Jayson

seRvallos Philstar.com

MANILA — The trend of COVID-19 cases in the country gives no reason for Filipinos to raise their fists in the air in exuberance, according to the University of the Philippines research team, whose projections Malacañang claimed the Philippines beat recently.

UP researcher Prof. Ranjit Singh Rye said what their team does “has never been a game” where there are winners and losers, adding there was no reason to be happy when the country has registered 10,000 cases in two weeks up to the end of June.

Fr. Nicanor Austriaco, also of the OCTA Research team, said it was more important to look at the trend that figures from the government were showing rather than the target being hit, as the former was more representative of the pandemic happening in the country.

June 30 data from the Department of Health (DOH) showed that there were already 47,347 individuals who tested positive for COVID-19 out of the 666,678 individuals tested nationwide.

Subtracting the 37,514 confirmed cases will yield a 9,833 gap between the number of confirmed cases and the number of positive individuals.

While the number of those who tested positive may not all turn out as confirmed cases after validation, it gives an approximation of what the trend could be in subsequent days.

“If there are 46,000 individuals positive for COVID-19 but there are only 38,000 that are validated, which number is more representative of the pandemic happening in the country?” Austriaco told “The Chiefs” the other night on Cignal TV’s One News.

“I think it’s important that we emphasize that it’s more important to look at a trend rather than a target. And the concern that many of us have is the trend is going up,” he added.

The research team’s statements came on the heels of presidential spokesman Harry Roque’s ecstatic welcoming of the country’s 37,000 cases the other day, “beating” the UP OCTA research team’s projection of 40,000 coronavirus cases nationwide by the end of the month.

The latest projection by the group of researchers estimated that cases may hit 60,000 by end of July if there is significant

community transmission across the country.

In exuberance, Roque had said: “Let’s do it again in July!

So we are winning.”

“We stand by our forecast, we missed it by less than 6 percent which is kind of good, but we’re also very sad that we’ve reached this far,” Rye said.

“While we respect the exuberance of our very hardworking and burdened spokesman, we should be more cautious.

The message is: ‘the pandemic is here’ and it’s spreading and we need to work together and there’s so much work to be done,” he added.

Roque, however, remained unfazed as he set a goal to monitor the Philippines’ ‘successes’ against the virus. “Every month now, I’m going to keep on doing it and I really don’t care about the critics because, I think, people should be reminded that although there are mathematical models, we could still control what happens in our lives,” he said.

Meanwhile, Prof. Guido David, also part of the UP OCTA group, explained that the trend “slightly” slowed down because it did not reach the 40,000 prediction – mainly because of the government’s move to revert Cebu City back to the strictest enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) due to the continued rise of infection.

Had the government relaxed quarantine protocols in the territory, cases in Cebu City would have risen by 3,000 or 4,000 more cases, according to their projection.

“And we would say, we are over the projection and that means we were not able to manage the spread in Cebu,” the professor said.

“In some sense, there is some positive (outcome) there because the government made some right decisions, but we need a lot more positive (outcomes) to be able to beat this virus,” he added.

Upticks Researchers also warned of the upticks being observed in several territories in Luzon and in Southern Philippines, citing mobility and proximity as some of the drivers of the high transmission rate.

Among these, according to Rye, were Leyte, Bulacan and Calabarzon, whose quarantine restrictions have since been relaxed – meaning, a significant amount of mobility through public transportation has been allowed.

The researchers also cited several areas which previously had little to no COVID-19 cases that now have a significant number of infected patients. These include Lanao del Norte, Lanao del Sur, Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur and Misamis.

The reasons why upticks were observed were, according to them, ramped-up testing in select areas, the real surge of cases in Cebu and the mobility, proximity and noncompliance in several areas that has caused the rise in the number of COVID-19 cases.

“We’ve been pointing out that while we have been scaling up testing in NCR, it was important to do so everywhere else and especially in hotspots,” Rye said.

Discrepancies explained The DOH yesterday reiterated its explanation about the discrepancies in the daily testing data for coronavirus disease.

According to DOH Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire, the number of “unique individuals” tested pertains to those who have been tested for the virus.

She said the number of individuals tested will “never” be the same as the number of cases that were confirmed to be positive for COVID-19.

“People are asking why there has been discrepancies in the figures. It is because the cumulative number of unique individuals tested is being validated to remove duplicates,” she noted at a press briefing.

Vergeire was referring to the lists submitted by testing laboratories which may contain double names or entries and case numbers that have been tagged more than once in laboratories.

Meanwhile, National Task Force against Coronavirus Response chief implementer Carlito Galvez Jr. said the other day that the government is gaining ground in its fight against COVID-19.

“From the start of our fight against COVID-19, we have a plan. We have a National Action Plan. Majority of the areas in our country are now classified as moderate and low risk already,” Galvez said.

“What I’m seeing based on the plans that we do in the National Task Force is we are winning. From the threshold of WHO (World Health Organization), meaning our big positivity rate (which is below 10 percent), the situation is getting better,” Galvez said. n

Supreme Court: Bayanihan Law legal

by JoMaR

Canlas ManilaTimes.net

THE Supreme Court (SC) on Tuesday, June 30 declared as constitutional the Bayanihan to Heal As One Act and the presidential issuances to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The tribunal’s Public Information Office chief, Brian Keith Hosaka, said the high court junked the petition of a former law dean that assailed the legality of Republic Act (RA) 11469, the Bayanihan Law. RA 11469 authorized President Rodrigo Duterte to realign unused public funds to address the COVID-19 pandemic.

The court ruled that the petition for certiorari and prohibition filed by Jaime Ibañez, former law dean of the Laguna State Polytechnic University, must be dismissed for lack of merit.

Ibañez had asked the Supreme Court to strike down the Bayanihan Law because it is partly unconstitutional.

Voting 11-2, the justices upheld the legality and constitutionality of the Bayanihan Law. Associate Justice Alexander Gesmundo, the ponente of the ruling, found no grave abuse of discretion amounting to lack or excess of jurisdiction on the part of the executive department.

Associate Justices Mario Victor Leonen and Samuel Gaerlan dissented in the majority ruling.

Ibañez raised constitutional issues against the Bayanihan Law because it is “not compliant with the letters of the law.”

He argued that there was grave abuse of discretion amounting to lack or excess of jurisdiction when the executive department “passed” the Bayanihan Law. Named respondents to the case was Cabinet Secretary Karla Alexei Nograles, Health Secretary Francisco Duque 3rd and the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID).

Ibañez argued that the imposition of the enhanced community quarantine violated the people’s liberty guaranteed by the Bill of Rights.

He stressed that the IATFEID went beyond its powers since “legislative power to make laws is vested in Congress. The President is merely tasked to execute the law.”

He asked the high court to declare as void Executive Order 112 imposing the enhanced community quarantine and the IATF Resolution 37 that placed Metro Manila under modified enhanced community quarantine.

“The power to make laws cannot be delegated. The IATF has no power to define the law on quarantine, set its own parameters and restrictions and to even invent the modified enhanced community [quarantine] according to its own bizarre definition, which all amount to an exercise of grave abuse of discretion or in excess of its jurisdiction,” Ibañez said. n

MOBILE TESTING. Health workers assist residents of Baesa, Quezon City undergoing swab tests at a mobile testing unit parked along Mendez Street on Wednesday, July 1. The mobile unit goes around the communities to test residents for COVID-19.

Inquirer.net photo by Grig Montegrande

Hontiveros calls for ‘extensive reform’ after police shoot 4 soldiers in Jolo MANILA — Sen. Risa Hontiveros on Thursday, July 2 filed a resolution calling on the Senate to launch a probe that will aid legislation in response to the killing of four soldiers by police officers in Jolo, Sulu.

Hontiveros said her resolution “aims to institutionalize measures against the excessive use of force and violence within the police force.”

Congress can hold investigations in aid of legislation because it has oversight powers on how the executive branch implements laws and policies.

“The incident in Jolo further feeds the public’s distrust toward the [national police]. Especially since this is not the first time this has happened...our police cannot be trigger-happy,” the senator said in a mix of English and FIlipino.

While initial police reports on the incident state that the soldiers tried to flee when apprehended, military reports counter that the soldiers identified themselves, were complying with the police and were in fact parked in front of a police vehicle when the shooting transpired.

On April 21, army veteran Winston Ragos was shot by Police M/ Sgt. Daniel Florendo at a quarantine checkpoint after the former allegedly started an argument with personnel of the Quezon City Police District unprovoked.

Hontiveros further said the

shootings may be indicative of how police handle interactions with civilians.

“The police gunned down unarmed plainclothes soldiers, who could easily have been innocent civilians. We also know that so many civilians have died at the hands of police. How many more need to die — whether civilian or soldier, in Manila or in Jolo — for this injustice to end?” She pressed in a mix of English and Filipino.

The senator also claimed that the public’s trust in institutions has eroded as these police killings unfold, highlighting the need for “extensive reform.”

“The PNP has a lot to do to live up to its motto to ‘serve and protect.’ Our law enforcers should preserve peace in our communities, not disturb it.”

‘War on drugs’ The Philippine National Police has been under intense scrutiny from human rights groups, both in the Philippines and abroad, as it carries out President Rodrigo Duterte’s campaign against illegal drugs.

While the government places the campaign’s death toll at 5,655, rights groups count fatalities as high as 27,000.

The Commission on Human Rights on Thursday said it has monitored 55 complaints of alleged extrajudicial killings during the community quarantine period alone.

To allay these concerns, Jus-

tice Secretary Menardo Guevarra on Tuesday said the government created an inter-agency panel to investigate the drug war killings nearly four years after it was launched by the Duterte administration.

Guevarra said the panel, chaired by the Department of Justice, was formed to conduct “a judicious review of the 5,655 anti-illegal drug operations where deaths occurred.”

However, rights groups fear that the creation of the interagency panel is performative— a “ruse” to avoid international scrutiny and investigation.

Human Rights Watch has said that the panel is “deeply flawed” on its face.

Phil Robertson, the group’s deputy director for Asia, pointed out that agencies directly implicated in the drug war — the PNP and the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency — are part of the newly-minted oversight team.

The Departments of Justice and the Interior and Local Government, both of which are also involved in the bloody campaign, will evaluate and finalize the review. “[The panel is] a naked attempt to discourage the Human Rights Council from starting an independent, international investigation into the ‘drug war’ killings and related violations as recommended by the UN high commissioner,” he added.(Philstar.com)

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FILIPINO FOOD MOVEMENT’S ‘SAVOR FILIPINO’ SUMMIT

How to survive a post-COVID-19 market: ’Dial it up’ and ‘Buy Filipino products’

By MoMar

G. Visaya

AJPress

WITH its goal to create a framework in order to innovate the business of Filipino cuisine in the time of the pandemic, the Filipino Food Movement held a virtual summit called ‘Savor Filipino’ on Monday, June 29.

The meeting was attended by almost a hundred people across the globe, coming from different fields and industries but all share the same love and commitment to Filipino food.

“Filipino cuisine is no longer the next big thing. It is a part of the American culinary landscape,” said Department of Tourism Secretary Berna RomuloPuyat who opened the summit.

Puyat added that the best way to promote a country is through its food and what better way to understand Filipino culture but also through its food.

The tourism secretary mentioned that they brought in three Filipino American chefs to the Philippines late last year so they could visit culinary destinations in order to learn about heirloom delicacies and heritage ingredients which they could use in their respective restaurants when they return to the United States.

Sonia Delen, Filipino Food Movement president talked briefly about how they adjusted with the times and came up with Kulinarya Live, quarantine cooking series streamed online featuring Filipino chefs from the diaspora. The project came about when they realized that because of the quarantine, people have reignited their interest in baking and cooking.

As a nonprofit organization, FFM has been at the forefront in promoting Filipino cuisine and creating sustainable impact on the Filipino culinary industry whether it is through dinners, outreach or gala events.

‘Dial it up’ Ligaya Mishan, the awardwinning New York Times food writer and critic and writer, delivered the keynote speech along with restaurateur and cookbook author Nicole Ponseca Mishan shared a little bit of her own personal history. Her mom, originally from Cotabato City in the Philippines, married her dad who was from England.

They met in Tokyo and ended up living in Hawaii.

Mishan said that as a writer, how she writes about food matters.

“I don’t use the words ethnic

or cheap. I’m uneasy with ‘authentic’, too,” she said, citing the fact that recipes are not static and they tend to change based on the availability of ingredients, among other reasons.

As a writer for NYT, Mishan has reviewed and featured dozens of restaurants, among them Filipino rests in Manhattan and Queens. She also wrote a long feature on Doreen Fernandez, the doyenne of Filipino food writing.

She echoed Puyat’s thoughts on the role of Filipino food in the American culinary landscape and said that “America has changed, particularly the way we eat now” and that Filipino cuisine is a part of the “brilliant pastiche of colors from around the world” that makes American dining unique.

Nicole Ponseca, foundered and owner of Jeepney and Maharlika talked about her own journey, including how she decided to close Maharlika in December after almost ten years of operations.

“I don’t really know what the future holds, restaurants like us are earning a fraction of what we used to make,” she said. “But we are warriors and we are going to figure out how to move on together.”

PJ Quesada, one of the Filipino Food Movement founders

Filipino Food Movement president Sonia Delen

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Like her colleagues in New York, Ponseca pivoted and worked on getting donations in order to send food to frontliners in hospitals across the city.

While she has been mentioned many times as the one who broke down walls when she and chef Miguel Trinidad opened Maharlika in 2010, Ponseca along with Mishan paid tribute to those who began the fight to bring Filipino cuisine to New York’s mainstream. They mentioned Amy Besa and Romy Dorotan who ran Cendrillon in Soho and King Phojanakong who opened Kuma Inn in the Lower East Side for opening the door and the conversations that followed suit.

Ponseca, who also published a bestselling book on Filipino cuisine (and a 2019 James Beard Award finalist) called “I Am Filipino: This is How We Cook”, shared the challenges they had to hurdle in order to keep both restaurants running. Her strategy to use what used to embarrass her as a child and made them work for her.

As a teen, Ponseca said she was embarrassed when she would bring friends to her home and they would see her dad using his hands to eat. At Jeepney, she introduced Kamayan din-

ners, where diners would eat with their bare hands. It was what saved Jeepney then, she quipped.

“We turned it around, and for those wondering about now, I say go for the boldness of the flavors. Dial it up instead of dial it down,” she added.

As she closed her talk, Ponseca mentioned about how Filipino food in the United States has evolved and that now, more than ever, the next generation of Filipino American chefs have access to what she referred to as the “4Cs”: capital, creativity, consciousness and community.

“Money is running out and if our doors should close, another door will open,” she said. “We have not come this far only to get this far.

Buy Filipino products Five concurrent breakout sessions followed and they focused on topics that are key to the cur-

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rent environment. Breakout panelists include successful Filipino chefs, technology trailblazers, and industry experts.

The Philippine Department of Trade and Industry and the Department of Tourism made their presentations as well to help connect Filipino food producers and manufacturers with end-users across America.

Celynne Layug, trade attache of the DTI, talked about the journey of products and ingredients from the Philippines. Among the products she mentioned include coconut byproducts which have been used by private labels including Costco and Trader Joe’s and companies like Nestle.

Layug also talked about the platforms and specialty stores where Filipino products are now available and the companies which use Filipino ingredients such as ube and pili nuts in their PAGE 10

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Understanding dementia

by Dr. Luz

Island Pacific now offering contactless payment technology for the community’s safety Island Pacific Supermarket, with locations in California and Nevada, is the first Filipino supermarket chain to offer online shopping with sameday grocery delivery in the United States.

As phases continue to reopen in California and Las Vegas, the grocery chain is taking even more precautions to keep our community safe amidst the coronavirus pandemic.

Island Pacific now accepts contactless payment at all their locations to keep shoppers, their families and employees safe!

Contactless payment is a secure method for our customers to be able to purchase their favorite Filipino grocery items using a debit, credit, or smartcard—stored on their mobile device.

Everyone who has yet to shop online using the Island Pacific App and chooses to physical shop in their local stores are highly encouraged to utilize their Apple Pay or Google Pay, depending on their mobile operating system. Once they’ve shopped their Filipino grocery needs at Island Pacific in

Health@Heart PhiliP S. Chua, MD, FaCS, FPCS COVID-19, like many diseases known to man, infectious or not, afflict each one of us according to our individual discipline and behavior.

With almost 10.5 million COVID-19 cases and more than half a million deaths worldwide – greater than 2.6 million in the USA with around 230,000 deaths, and about 36,500 cases in the Philippines and almost 13,000 deaths – the COVID-19 pandemic (officially declared by the World Health Organization on January 30, 2020) still rages on. How long it will last depends on “We, The People.”

Several countries like Bolivia, Argentina, Columbia, Iraq, the Philippines and Panama were all badly hit and lockdown was imposed. After re-opening, Argentina, for one, and some States in the U.S., have more than quadrupled its cases. In the Philippines, the highest one-day trajectory was close to 1100 cases around June 21st.

Saudi Arabia and Iran are having a “second wave” after relaxing lockdown measures.

The same is true in South Korea, Lebanon and Singapore.

In the U.S., the re-opening has been marred by flare-ups: Florida having 8,530 new cases in one day; Alabama, 1,734; North Carolina, 1,287; Arizona, 625; Virginia, 453; all these surges in one day with a total new death of 120 on June 28. The States with the highest death rates are New York, 31,484; New Jersey, 15,118; Massachusetts, 8,060; and Illinois, 7,089.

The riots, demonstrations and protests for civil rights, where the crowd did not wear masks or practice social distancing, contributed a lot to the V-curve of the pandemic and sharp rise in new cases. Most of these were young people. Disregarding health guidelines, carelessness, and arrogance take their toll. COVID-19 could also be deadly for young people.

The first death from COVID19 outside China was a 44year-old male on February 2, 2020. More than 4,000 deaths in New York alone were people under the age of 65, 600 below 45, and 9 below 17. So, COVID19 also kills young people. But as great, if not a greater tragedy, is when a careless, indifference, arrogant young person gets infected and transmits it to seniors who are more vulnerable and have the highest risk of dying from COVID-19, and who are scared and being very careful, following the guidelines religiously, only to be victimized by a virus carrier anyway.

A group of 16 friends in Florida all tested positive for COVID-19 after a night’s drinking at a bar. There are countless similar incidents around the world, where crowds did not follow the guidelines.

store, checking out at the counter is efficient and easy. Simply pull out your digital wallet from your smartphone and Island Pacific will process payment without ever having shoppers touch the keypad!

“The safety, well-being and health of our shoppers in our communities are our biggest concern at this time so offering contactless payment technology is one way that we are taking all precautions necessary. With diligent sanitation measures, sneeze guards, social distancing, and now contactless payment, we can mitigate the spread of COVID19 and provide a safe shopping experience at Island Pacific,” shares Niño “Jeff” Lim, founder of Island Pacific Market.

Island Pacific is a supermarket chain dedicated to promoting Filipino Food and Seafood to the rest of the world. It is headquartered in Walnut, California and currently has 16 supermarket branches serving communities in California and Las Vegas.

(Advertising Supplement)

Discipline and COVID-19 There is no question that people’s discipline and behavior could spell the difference between health and illness, and between life and death.

The success of ending this pandemic sooner, opening the economy earlier, will depend entirely on the wisdom and responsibility of the entire community. Flattening the curve and re-opening businesses are not mutually exclusive. This could be achieved in synchrony, simultaneously, if people are disciplined to follow the COVID-19 guidelines: when outside wear a cap/hat, mask, avoid touching public doorknobs and handrails, do distancing of at least six feet, wash hands or use hand sanitizers. All these inconveniences and discomfort are worthwhile if we are to ward off a potential killer and get back to a better tomorrow sooner.

Decoy to destroy SARSCoV2 Scrambling to find tools to eradicate COVID-19 infection, simultaneous independent researches are ongoing around the world. One study “has found that nanosponges, tiny bio-friendly plastic coated in lungs and immune cell membranes, act as a decoy for SARS-CoV2, neutralizing the virus. The nanosponges mop up the virus like a sponge.”

They reduce the inflammation also, thus treating the body’s reaction to the infection. Once the SARS-CoV2 virus attaches to the nanosponges rather than the lungs’ cells, the virus quickly dies. This new technology effectively distracts and neutralizes various viruses (Influenza, Ebola, Marburg and Lassa), including the COVID-19 virus in the lab, reports a paper in the journal Nano Letters.

The medication could be in the form of nasal spray also. The promising data are from investigators at Boson University’s National Emerging Infectious Diseases Laboratories and the University of California, San Diego.

Half a billion cases less A review published in Nature of the COVID-19 pandemic says the emergency measures promulgated by five countries, including the U.S., in response to the COVID-19 pandemic have prevented more than half a billion additional cases, and proportionately, saved about 1,250 lives.

Professor Solomon Hsiang, the lead researcher, stated “the last several months have been extraordinarily difficult, but through our individual sacrifices, people everywhere have each contributed to one of humanity’s greatest collective achievements. I don’t think any human endeavor has ever saved so many lives in such a short period of time. There have been huge personal costs to staying home and canceling events, but the data show that each day made a profound difference. By using science and cooperating, we changed the course of history.”

COVID-19 “triggers” diabetes?

A panel of 17 international diabetes experts, in a study published in The New England of Medicine journal, suggested that COVID-19 could actually trigger among some people the development of T2 diabetes among COVID-19 patients who were not diabetic to begin with. Whether the diabetes would resolve after the COVID19 infection ends is not known.

A global registry has been established to investigate the possible link and inform future therapy. Diabetes occurs when the body is unable to regulate blood sugar level, either due to damage to the beta cells in the pancreas which produces insulin (T1 diabetes) or from the body cells becoming insensitive (resistant) to insulin (T2 diabetes, the most common type). While having diabetes is a risk to severe COVID-19 infection, new evidence shows non-diabetics could develop diabetes for the first time as a result of COVID-19. The riddle of this two-way relationship is being investigated worldwide.

Experts think that it would take a couple of years to know for certain if the overall rates of diabetes in various populations have increased as a result of the pandemic.

UVC lights deactivates SARS-CoV2 Ultraviolet C, which was discovered in 1801 but came into practical use in 1903 as a germicidal agent, has been shown to destroy viruses in general, including SARS, MERS, and SARS-CoV2, which cause COVID-19, by damaging their protective lipid (fat) capsules surrounding the virus molecule and destroying their DNA. UVC light is harmful to the eyes and the skin. UV-C lights have been used to sterilize operating rooms, ICUs, ER, etc. It is also used to sterilize meats, vegetables, etc. in manufacturing plants. The available lamps in the market are used safely with a remote control device to allow people and pets to leave the room to be sterilized before it is turned on.

Professor David J. Brenner of Columbia University has developed a Far UV-C (200-122 nm) which is safe to use around people, pets, and plants. This will be in the form of a ceiling lamp, or a unit much like our present day portable mosquito eletric zapper, which could be used in various public establishments, airports, restaurants, grocery stores, theaters, and homes, to provide constant real-time deactivation of viruses and killing of bacteria, and to some extent, molds. Hopefully, it will be available soon to help us fight the SARS-CoV2 virus. * * * Philip S. Chua, MD, FACS, FPCS, a Cardiac Surgeon Emeritus based in Northwest Indiana and Las Vegas, Nevada, is an international medical lecturer/author, a Health Advocate, and Chairman of the Filipino United NetworkUSA, a 501(c)3 humanitarian foundation in the United States. Websites: philipSchua.com and FUN8888.com; Email: scalpelpen@gmail.com.

Morrow

YOU know that old saying about the only things certain in life are death and taxes? You can almost put dementia in that same category, as for sure, one way or another, our lives will be affected by it at some point either with our own person, or through our family, relatives, or friends. There is currently no magic bullet to wipe this monster out of existence, and the fact that it could be a situation that lasts a while makes its pervasiveness in our lives even more tangible.

According to the latest report from Alzheimer’s Association, nearly 9 in 10 primary care physicians (87%) expect to see an increase in people living with dementia during the next five years. The same report estimates there are currently more than 5 million Americans 65+ living with Alzheimer’s (the most common type of dementia), and this is expected to nearly triple by 2050.

Dementia, in itself, manifests a wide range and variety of symptoms that most often involve progressive decline in cognitive skills, among which are: memory, use of logic and reasoning, and judgment. Dementia, by itself, is not necessarily part of the aging process, but because the travails of time and living for everyone of us sadly sometimes involve incurring diseases (e.g., stroke or aneurysm) and/or injuries (e.g., vehicular, sport), these then may damage or change parts of our brain, causing total or partial loss of learned skills.

Briefly, there are several types of Dementia, the most prominent of which are Alzheimer’s, vascular, Lewy Body, and Parkinson’s Disease. Alzheimer’s is the most common type, comprising 60 to 80% of dementia cases, affecting 1 in 8 individuals aged 65 and over. Nonetheless Swaab and Swaab et al. (1991;1998) noted that, despite of the ravaging degenerative processes of this disease, regeneration was still possible. Research findings showed that loss of neurons

during the aging process and even in AD could be neutralized by stimulating them through an enriched environment and mental exercises. These findings have led many scientists to search for magic bullets to “fix” brain aging in lieu of care and prevention. However, it was a known fact that brain aging was not something that can be cured. The cognitive decline that accompanies old age was inevitable; nevertheless, we can find ways to reduce the gravity and deleterious impacts of these cognitive challenges (Yuill & Hollis, 2011). In this framework, the struggles of AD can be taken as an opportunity for personal transformation during the natural process of aging rather than an unrelenting battle against a degenerative adversary. In other words, the degenerative struggles of a person with AD may be extended beyond traditional medical care by integrating the whole aspect of his or her being to include cognitive, emotional, and psychosocial functions of the individual. Halligan and Wade (2005) considered this form of intervention Cognitive Rehabilitation (CR).

Early symptoms of Alzheimer’s, in particular, can be not as obvious or conclusive when first noted. You may notice your mom forgetting where she kept her reading glasses again, and you may just ascribe it to her “getting up there in age”. You may think that your dad having some trouble remembering a ball game that you two were just talking about a couple of days ago could be laid at him just having a busy, cluttered mind. You may observe your grandpa being more quiet and withdrawn or wearing the same clothes two days in a row as not caring too much about his surroundings anymore. One or two incidents may really be just isolated instances that happen in the course of an eventful day, but observation over time brings to light that what you early on thought as nothingepisodes may be amounting to symptoms that are now affecting their daily living and could,

in fact, be pointing to the onset of Alzheimer’s. You just never know...

Given the existing empirical studies, cognitive rehabilitation has addressed the gap to better understand the span of the rehabilitation intervention, the memory aids and brain activities being used, and their effectiveness in improving memory and mood functioning. Consequently, new pathways of intervention models has been explored both to serve as a guide for establishing a care model for learning and relearning information and skills when it came to treating individuals with dementia. Further, the CR approach has contributed to positive social change by moving treatment goals toward wellness, social adjustment, and life satisfaction.

According to a 2018 article from dementiafriendlynevada. org, Alzheimer’s disease is on the rise in the state of Nevada, and is expected to continue to increase based on reports from the aforementioned Alzheimer’s Association - a 48.8 percent increase over the 2018 estimate of 45,000 residents, making it the third largest increase in the nation. The influx of people from different states who come to Nevada, and in particular, to Las Vegas, to either retire or seek better opportunities for their families are one of the foremost reasons for this increase.

Among the current institutions in Nevada that put helping people with dementia and their family top-priority is Southern Nevada Psychological Services.

We humbly offer our services in testing/diagnosis, teletherapy, in-person sessions, cognitive rehabilitation, and other therapeutic interventions all for the main purposes of maintaining the quality of life and developing coping mechanisms for our family members. Let us help you.

Southern Nevada Psychological Services is located on S. Maryland Parkway, Las Vegas, NV. Our phone number is: 702483-8017. E-mail at admin@ snvpsyc.com

Iza Calzado, Dingdong Dantes and Angelica Panganiban are members of Aktor.

Photos from Instagram/@missizacalzado, @dongdantes, @iamangelicap

Dingdong, Iza, Angelica, more stars in actors’ group hit anti-terror bill, ABS-CBN shutdown

by Niña

V. GuNo

Inquirer.net

DINGDONG Dantes introduced Wednesday, July 1, an organization of actors that aims to play an active role in nation-building.

The group, called Aktor (League of Filipino Actors) released a statement critical of measures that it says threaten freedom of expression in the country.

Members of the group include Agot Isidro, Angelica Panganiban, Cherry Pie Picache, Gabbi Garcia, Iza Calzado, Janine Gutierrez, Jasmine CurtisSmith, Joel Torre, Khalil Ramos and Richard Gutierrez, among others.

Aktor was formed last May 30 to create a community of artists who seek to defend their desire to create stories that contribute to nation-building.

Dantes read the group’s statement in a Facebook Live session on the Film Workers Unite page.

The statement can also be

seen in members’ individual social media pages.

Aktor has taken a critical stand on the ABS-CBN shutdown, production guidelines from the Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP) and the passing of the anti-terror bill.

The FDCP guidelines, released as Advisory 6 on June 27, has been criticized by groups in the entertainment industry. The Directors’ Guild of the Philippines denounced FDCP’s “overreach into regulatory and oversight functions over productions.”

“Hindi maiwasang isipin na ang lahat ng mga nangyayari ay may layunin,” the statement said, as recited by Dantes. “Ang lahat ng mga utos na ito ay may layuning kontrolin ang daloy at esensya ng pagkwento.”

(You cannot help but think that everything that is happening has a purpose. All these orders have a goal to control the flow and essence of storytelling.)

“Ang mapigilan ang pagha-

hayag ng mga tunay na kwento ng bayan. Ang lahat ng ito ay lumilikha ng kultura ng takot,” read the statement.

(To stop the spread of the true stories of the nation. All this creates a culture of fear.)

The group stressed in the statement that it wanted to end the perception of actors as mere entertainers, and instead be viewed as “responsible” members of society.

“Madalas itinuturing na lamang ang karamihan ng mga aktor na mga manika at tau-tauhan na panlibang at nagdudulot ng saya,” it said.

“Tumitindig ang AKTOR ngayon bilang responsable at mahalagang bahagi ng lipunan at kinatawan ng industriya.”

(Most actors are usually thought of as dolls and characters to provide entertainment and give joy. Aktor stands as responsible and important part of society and representative of the industry.)

How to survive a post-COVID-19 market...

PAGE 8 products.

“We also have new and innovative products including the line of Mama Sita’s vinegars including cashew vinegar, bean to bar artisan chocolates, volcanic pili nuts from Bicol and the “dinosaur egg,” among others,” she added.

Dinosaur egg or asin tibuok is considered by enthusiasts as the rarest among Philippine sea salts from Bohol which is now imported to the United States. It is currently sold at $149.99 per “egg”.

“It is an age old craft but it is a dying process so we are hoping that the remaining family in Bohol which makes it is able to preserve this tra-

dition,” Layug shared. Called dinosaur egg because of its shape, this salt is grated over a dish and takes up to four months to make.

Getting these products to the United States is already a feat, according o Layug, but surviving the competition is another battle that needs to be hurdled. She suggested patronizing Filipino products when we see them in our local groceries or supermarkets.

“Let us harness the power of the Filipino diaspora,” she said, adding that there is a strong need to advertise the availability of these products.

PJ Quesada, one of the founders of FFM, said he wanted to leave the participants with three

points as he closed the summit’s proceedings.

“Rethink the stories you tell because your stories matter now more than ever; we have to be fluid and adaptable because there’s so much uncertainty right now and we have to survive this; and finally, experiment with new things, don’t be scared,” he said.

The online summit brought together some of the most prominent members of the Filipino food business community in the United States to discuss the economic repercussions of the COVID-19 pandemic and develop actionable solutions that will keep the Filipino food industry competitive in a post-COVID marketplace.

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LAS VEGAS ASIAN JOURNAL • JULy 2-8, 2020

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july 2-8, 2020 • lAS VEGAS ASIAN jOuRNAl

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