071021 - Los Angeles Weekend Edition

JULY 10-13, 2021 Volume 31 - No. 54 • 2 Sections – 18 Pages

USA

DATELINE Vaccinations prevent nearly all COVID-19 related hospitalizations and deaths, new data shows FROM THE AJPRESS NEWS TEAM ACROSS AMERICA

BI allows foreigners stranded in the Philippines to renew visas

by RITCHEL

MENDIOLA AJPress

THE Philippine Bureau of Immigration (BI) has allowed foreign nationals stranded in the country to THE California Department of Public renew their visas that expired during the pandemic Health (CDPH) is reminding unvaccinated until November 30 this year.

Californians that the COVID-19 vaccine is safe, free and provides excellent protection from severe COVID-19 illness, hospitalization and death.

Out of over 20 million vaccinated individuals, only 0.003% (584 people) contracted COVID-19 and required hospitalization. The data and science clearly demonstrate vaccines are highly effective at preventing serious illness and death from COVID-19, including the Delta variant.

“As a father and pediatrician, I urge all eligible Californians to get vaccinated to not only protect themselves, but the children in their lives and in their communities who are not able to get vaccinated,” said Dr. Mark Ghaly, California Health and Human Services Secretary. “The data is clear: nearly all new COVID-19 hospitalizations and deaths are preventable. The vaccines work and they protect us.”

The risk for COVID-19 exposure and infecu PAGE A3

US delivers P48.5-M in weapons to AFP THE U.S. on Thursday, July 8 turned over weapons worth P48.5 million to the Armed Forces of the Philippines at Clark Air Base.

The delivery was funded by U.S. grant assistance and is intended to enhance the AFP’s counterterrorism capabilities and readiness, the U.S. Embassy in Manila said in a statement.

Weapons turned over by officials of the Joint United States Military Assistance Group - Philippines include 14 M2A1 .50-caliber heavy machine guns, seven M240B machine guns, and thousands of rounds of ammunition.

“As the United States and Philippines celebrate 75 years of diplomatic relations today, we welcome this key equipment transfer, which will support the continued readiness of the Armed Forces of the Philippines,” Col. Stephen Ma, JUSMAG-P chief and senior defense official to the Philippines, is quoted as saying.

This year marks 70 years since the signing of the Mutual Defense Treaty that formalized the U.S.-Philippines alliance and their close u PAGE A3

According to Immigration Commissioner Jaime Morente, the latest order covers visas that expired from March 16, 2020 up to July 4, 2021.

He stressed that the deadline is non-extendible, warning foreigners that failure to file their applications before November 30 could be subjected to

deportation proceedings for illegally staying in the country.

In addition, foreigners with expiring visas were given a non-extendible period of six months from the expiry of visas to file for renewal or extension u PAGE A2

‘Pacquiao bent on running for president’

by JERRY

ADLAW ManilaTimes.net

RESBAKUNA. Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr. (left), National Task Force Against COVID-19 Chief Implementer, and USAID Acting Mission Director Sean Callahan (right), place the Department of Health’s campaign “Resbakuna” sticker on the AstraZeneca vaccine cargo that arrived on Friday, July 9 at NAIA Terminal 3 in Pasay City. Galvez said this latest delivery will be deployed soon, 1.5 million doses of which will be used for second doses while the remaining will be delivered to different priority areas.

PNA photo by Joey O. Razon

PHILIPPINE Sen. Emmanuel “Manny” Pacquiao will run for president with or without the support of the Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng (PDP-Laban), a local official in General Santos City, the former’s hometown, said on Wednesday, July 7.

Councilor Franklin Gacal said the senator, who is in the U.S. to train for his fight with Errol Spence in August, was bent on running for president in 2022.

“Definitely Pacquiao will run for president in the coming 2022 election. He told me this before leaving for Los Angeles,” Gacal said.

The councilor added that Pacquiao believes that he will be ousted as president of the PDP-Laban in the party’s national council meeting on July 17.

“Once it happens, it will be unwise for the senator to remain with the party,” he said.

Gacal said he has started forming an online movement to support Pacquiao’s bid for the presidency.

“Before leaving for the United States, Pacquiao insisted that he is the legitimate president and not only u PAGE A2

PH ranks last in safest country rankings

by AJPRESS THE Philippines has landed at the bottom of safest countries in the world this year, according to an international business magazine.

In the ranking published Tuesday, July 6, Global Finance took into account three fundamental factors in evaluating 134 countries: war and peace, personal security, and natural disaster risk including the unique risk factors stemming from COVID-19.

“Each of these factors was based on 2020 reports that were done in 2021. In order to make sure the data is relevant to current experiences, the Covid-19 scores were derived from data as of May 30, 2021,” it said in a summary of its World’s Safest Coun-

tries 2021 report.

“In essence, a country’s overall score is made up of one-half fundamental factors, one-third COVID-19 deaths per capita, and one-sixth COVID vaccination per capita,” it added.

The Philippines ranked 134th with a score of 14.8999.

“Countries with serious civil conflict that have high risks from a natural disaster such as the Philippines, Nigeria, Yemen, and El Salvador all reported relatively low death tolls from COVID-19, yet performed poorly in terms of safety overall,” said Global Finance.

As of this writing, the death toll in the Philippines due to COVID-19 stood at 25,720. u PAGE A3

In this handout photo taken on July 4, 2021 and received from the Philippine military Joint Task Force-Sulu (JTF-Sulu), rescue workers arrive as smoke billows from the wreckage of a Philippine Airforce C-130 transport plane after it crashed near the airport in Jolo town, Sulu province, near southern island of Mindanao.

Handout/Joint Task Force-Sulu/AFP

Palace: Duterte may run for VP under Sara’s party AFP identifies remains of 19

by RITCHEL

MENDIOLA AJPress

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte with daughter Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio Malacañang photo by Richard Madelo

PHILIPPINE President Rodrigo Duterte may join his daughter’s party if he decides to run for the second-highest post in the country in the 2022 elections, according to Malacañang.

In a virtual press briefing, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said it’s possible for the Chief Executive to run for vice president under Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio’s Hugpong ng Pagbabago (HNP) party.

However, the spokesman maintained that Duterte has no final decision for next year’s

elections yet.

“Anything is possible. In the first place hindi pa naman siguradong tatakbo ang Presidente (the president has not really decided if he will run for vice president next year). He’s seriously thinking about it,” Roque said Thursday, July 8.

His statement came after Duterte admitted he was “sold on the idea” of running for vice president.

“To the proposition that I run for vice president, medyo I’m (somehow) sold [on] the idea. I am seriously thinking of running for vice president,” Duterte said Monday, July 5, during his meet-

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soldiers in Sulu plane crash MANILA — The Armed Forces of the Philippines on Wednesday, July 7 said it has identified the remains of 19 military personnel who died at the C-130 plane crash in Patikul in Sulu.

AFP chief Gen. Cirilito Sobejana sought to clarify that the death toll from the incident is still at 49, and that there had been a double count. On Tuesday, July 6, he told reporters that the figure was at 50, after another soldier died from chemical burns.

Sobejana said identifying the remains has been difficult since

many were now beyond recognition.

“But we have experts supporting our efforts,” he added.

“We are doing our best to expedite the identification and the ongoing investigation without compromising its credibility.”

Those from the Philippine Air Force were: Maj. Emmanuel Makalintal, Maj. Michael Vincent Benolerao, 1Lt. Joseph Hintay, TSgt. Mark Anthony Agana, TSgt. Donald Badoy, SSgt. Jan Neil Macapaz, SSgt. Michael Bulalaque and Sgt.

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A2 July 10-13, 2021 • lA WEEKEND ASIAN JOuRNAl

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From the Front Page

Palace: Duterte may run for VP under...

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ing with the Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan (PDPLaban) officers.

He also said that the next Philippine president should be “a friend” that he can work with.

“But let me dwell into the reality of things: Kung tatakbo akong bise presidente, hindi ko kaibigan ‘yung maging presidente (If I run for vice president and the next president is not my friend), I would be reduced to inutility,” Duterte said.

“Ito ang dilemma ko (This is my dilemma). The president who will win must be a friend of mine whom I can work with,” he added.

Additionally, Duterte said that he won’t promise anything if he runs for vice president. Instead, he will address the Filipinos’ “present agony and sorrow.”

“If I run as vice president, which you want me to do so, maybe I will,” he said.

“But huwag na tayong magpromise ng mga pabahay, la-

hat ganoon (let’s not make any promises of granting anything, like housing). We just address the present agony and sorrow of the Filipino,” he added.

Last week, Duterte told Filipinos they may “consider” him “a candidate” for the country’s second-highest office.

“Maybe at this time, you can say that maybe para (just) to maintain the equilibrium sa lahat (for all), consider me a candidate for the vice presidency at this time,” Duterte said July 1. n

‘Pacquiao bent on running for...

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acting president of the party as he was referred to by some,” he said.

Not ‘one of us’ Gacal’s statement was supported by lawyer Rogelio “Bic-Bic” Garcia, a PDP-Laban national coordinator.

“The coming July 17 PDP-Laban national council meeting is just a formality and Pacquiao’s position in the party has already been declared vacant,” he said.

Garcia said the party does not and will not support Pacquiao’s “ambition” to be the PDP-Laban standard bearer in the 2022 election.

“Many of our partymates do not even consider Pacquiao as one of us,” Garcia added.

He also took a swipe at Pacquiao’s frequent absences in the Senate, pointing out that since the senator accepted the challenge to be an anti-corruption crusader, he must devote time to it and not leave the country.

“Senator Pacquiao must know that negligence and failure to deliver as a paid public servant are part of corruption,” Garcia said.

But Gacal said Pacquiao remained optimistic that what happened within the party will turn out for the best and that he will still be the head of the party upon his return.

Pacquiao’s optimism hinges on his alliance with the group of Sen. Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III, whose father, the late senator Aquilino “Nene” Pimentel Jr., founded the Partido Demokratiko Pilipino, which later merged with the Lakas ng Bayan party of the late senator Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino Jr. in the late 1970s.

“Pacquiao is considered as the real threat to the PDP-Laban and there are people behind the party feeding false information to President Duterte,” Gacal said.

“Senator Pacquiao is clearly now the voice of the opposition against Duterte’s administration and with so many political parties in the Philippines, I don’t think no one will embrace Pacquiao to be with them,” Gacal said.

After power The rift between President Rodrigo Duterte and Pacquiao was again apparent when the former took a swipe at the latter and likened him to former senator Antonio Trillanes 4th.

The President said both “want to hold power”

CAVITE EXTENSION. Pillars for the Light Rail Transit (LRT-1) Cavite Extension project are built at a river in Las Piñas City on Thursday, July 8. Once completed, the project will span 11.7 kilometers from Baclaran Station southward and will traverse eight more stations, serving at least 800,000 passengers daily.

PNA photo by Jess M. Escaros Jr.

BI allows foreigners stranded...

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Sen. Emmanuel “Manny” Pacquiao

ManilaTimes.net photo

in government.

In his prerecorded public address aired over state-run PTV-4 on Tuesday night, Duterte said Trillanes was “all-talk” after the former senator accused him and his long-time aide Sen. Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go of committing plunder.

The president then likened Trillanes’ latest doing to that of Pacquiao, who earlier claimed that the Duterte administration was three times more corrupt than the Aquino government.

“Si Trillanes pareha ni Pacquiao ‘yan (Trillanes is the same as Pacquiao). They want to, you know, hold power because they must have - may nakita siguro silang magandang oportunidad nila para sa kanila (they may have seen a good opportunity for them),” he said.

Trillanes had said he would run for president in 2022 if Vice President Maria Leonor “Leni” Robredo backed out.

The President also revived the tax evasion allegations against Pacquiao.

“I remember, he has a tax evasion case, and he has been assessed to pay 2.2 billion,” he said.

“I’ll try to find out; may utang ‘yan siya P2.2 billion - not because gusto ko siyang habulin ayaw ko. But sabi kasi niya corrupt. Kung corrupt kami, e di ikaw when you cheat government, you are a corrupt official, lalo na (I’ll try to find out; he owes P2.2 billion - not because I want to run after him but because he accused us of corruption. You, when you cheat government, you are a corrupt official),” Duterte said during his meeting with members and officials of the PDP-Laban on Tuesday, July 6. n

of visas.

“The order applies to renewal or amendment of already converted visas, meaning those who have working, student, or resident visas here,” Morente said Friday, July 9.

However, the six-month grace period does not apply to tourists.

Morente said the latest order was in response to numerous extension requests from foreigners whose visas were expiring or about to expire to be given ample time for renewal applications.

He added that the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) likewise asked the BI to

consider the possibility of giving stranded foreigners due to the pandemic more time to file their application for visa renewal.

Morente maintained that the privilege only applies to foreign nationals who have never left the country since the pandemic began.

“Those whose visas have expired while they are abroad should refile their visa applications if they wish to reacquire the said visas,” he said.

In June, the BI allowed American citizens stranded in the Philippines whose passports expired on or after January 1, 2020 and are expiring up to December 31, 2021 to depart the country.

A memorandum issued by

Morente directed all BI personnel assigned at the different ports to allow the departure of passengers whose American passports expired on or after January 1, 2020 and are expiring up to December 31, 2021.

However, expired passports may only be used for departure to the U.S. until the end of the year, the memo said.

Morente also directed the bureau’s Tourist Visa Section and Alien Registration Division to “process all applications for updating of stay and emigration clearance certificates (ECC) of holders of expired US passports upon presentation of a confirmed ticket bound for the USA.” n

AFP identifies remains of 19 soldiers in...

PAGE A1 Jack Navarro.

AFP said Capt. Nigello Emeterio from its medical corps and 1Lt. Sheena Alexandria Tato from the nurse corps were among those positively identified, too.

From the Army, there were: Sgt. Butch Maestro, PFC. Christopher Rollon, PFC. Felixzalday Provido, Privates Raymar Carmoana, Vic Monera, Mark Nash Lumanta, Jomar Gabas, Mar-

celino Alquisar and Mel Mark Angana.

The military said 11 of the remains have since been transported to their hometowns. The remains of 1Lt. Tato is being transported via C295 aircraft, and seven more remains being prepared for air and land transport.

Sobejana said efforts are still on identifying 30 more remains currently in Zamboanga City and on the ongoing probe on

the crash.

Some 96 were aboard the Hercules C-130 when it crashed in Patikul on July 4. The plane burst into flames after missing the runway while trying to land.

Three civilians were also killed from the incident and 46 were injured.

The government has vowed that families would receive benefits and assistance accorded to them. (Philstar.com) n

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A family wellness check: California invests in treating parents and children together

by Samantha

Young California Healthline

FAITH IN MOTION. Devotees of Our Mother of Perpetual Help light candles at the Baclaran Church on Wednesday, July 7. Church officials are still mandated to limit the number of people inside places of worship.

ManilaTimes.net photo by Gerard Seguia

Vaccinations prevent nearly all COVID-19...

PAGE A1 tion continues as a number of Californians remain unvaccinated. With the emergence of the more transmissible Delta variant, there is a renewed urgency to get all eligible Californians vaccinated as quickly as possible and complete their two-dose vaccination process if they are receiving Pfizer or Moderna.

“We are closely monitoring the spread of COVID-19 and its variants across our state. COVID-19 has not gone away. If you are not vaccinated, you are still at risk,” said Dr. Tomás Aragón, CDPh Director and State Public health Officer. “Currently, the Delta variant accounts for approximately 36 percent of cases

sampled in California, and we expect this to rise. The most important thing we can do to stop the spread of COVID-19, and the variants, is ensure everyone who is eligible gets vaccinated.”

While overall COVID-19 metrics are near an all-time low, California has always prepared for a slight increase in cases and hospitalizations post-reopening. There is no anticipation of any threat to the state’s healthcare system capacity.

There are enough people vaccinated against COVID-19 that the system is not at risk of being overwhelmed if cases increase.

CDPh will continue to update point in time data on post vaccination cases and outcomes

PH ranks last in safest country...

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Joining the country at the bottom of the list were Bosnia and herzegovina, Nigeria, Guatemala, and Colombia.

Meanwhile, Iceland topped the list with a score of 3.9724. It was followed by the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Singapore, Finland, Mongolia, Norway, Denmark, Canada, and New Zealand.

‘One view out of many’ In response to Global Finance’s ranking, Malacañang said it was “one among many varied points of view.”

“While it is given that the Philippines is prone to natural hazards owing to its geographical location in the Pacific rim as well as due to climate change, our disaster management system continues to improve. The Filipino people are also growing more resilient and adaptive,” said presidential spokesperson harry Roque.

As for the “war and peace” factor of the ranking, the spokesman pointed out that the country is not at war.

“We are not at war, and since the start of the strict implementation of community quarantine in March 2020, there was a significant decline in crimes per the Philippine National Police,” Roque said. he also maintained that the majority of Filipinos expressed satisfaction with the government’s COVID-19 response.

“It is noteworthy to mention that 86 percent of Filipinos are satisfied with the Duterte Administration’s handling of the COVID-19 pandemic, as shown

by Pulse Asia December 2020 survey,” Roque said.

“In addition, we are on track in achieving our target of population protection in Metro Manila and surrounding provinces by November this year as long as the supply of vaccines remains stable,” he added.

As of July 7, a total of 12,489,777 COVID-19 vaccine doses have been administered in the country, according to data from the National Covid-19 Vaccination Operations Center.

“Our COVID-19 mortality rate remains one of the lowest at

US delivers P48.5M in...

PAGE A1 security cooperation.

President Rodrigo Duterte has thrice suspended the abrogation of the Visiting Forces Agreement which is meant to enhance the MDT. The Philippines, a longtime ally and former colony of the U.S., continues to be the largest recipient of American military assistance in the Indo-Pacific region.

Since 2015, Washington has provided more than P48.6 billion in security assistance to Manila, its embassy said. (Bella Perez-Rubio/Inquirer.net)

1.76%, as of July 8, 2021,” noted Roque.

“We are therefore optimistic that things would be better with more and more people get vaccinated, coupled with our strict implementation of PreventionDetection-Isolation-Treatmentand Reintegration (PDITR) Strategy,” he added. n

LOS ANGELES COUNTY METROPOLITAN TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY (LACMTA) REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL LACMTA will receive proposals for PS77608 - Joint Development On-Call Financial Advisor at the 9th Floor Receptionist Desk, Vendor/Contract Management Department, One Gateway Plaza, Los Angeles, CA 90012.

This project is a Small Business Enterprise (SBE) Set-Aside contract. To participate in this RFP, proposers must be SBE certified with LACMTA prior to proposal due date. For information on the Set-Aside Program, visit: https://business.metro.net/ VendorPortal/faces/home1/certifications.

All proposals must be submitted to LACMTA in one of two ways, either (1) sealed envelopes by mail or hand delivered to the address below, or (2) electronically via email to bids@ metro.net. All proposals must be received on or before 2:00 p.m. Pacific Time on Wednesday, August 4, 2021. Proposals received later than the above date and time will be rejected and returned to the proposer unopened. Additionally, it is recommended that proposer’s email(s) are sent with a Delivery and Read receipt for their records. Lastly, proposers should send a verification email to the named Contract Administrator of the RFP after the email submission(s) of proposal to bids@metro.net. The verification email should indicate that a proposal has been submitted

by Vendor Name for RFP# on X number of emails.

A Virtual Pre-Proposal conference will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Thursday, July 15, 2021. Refer to solicitation for details.

For a copy of the Proposal/Bid specification visit our Solicitation Page on our Vendor Portal at https://business.metro.net or for further information email Ni Paul at pauln@metro.net.

7/10, 7/14, 7/17, 7/21, 7/24, 7/28, 7/31, 8/4/21 CNS-3489681# ASIAN JOURNAL (L.A.)

while monitoring vaccination and COVID-19 infection rates.

Californians who have not been vaccinated yet are encouraged to go to myturn.ca.gov or call (833) 422-4255 to schedule their appointment or go to myturn.ca.gov/clinic to find a walkin clinic in their county.

More information on vaccines can be found at the state’s vaccine resource page at https://covid19.ca.gov/vaccines/. n

WhEN a parent takes an infant to the Children’s health Center in San Francisco for a routine checkup, a pediatrician will check the baby’s vitals and ask how the child is doing at home.

Then Janelle Bercun, a licensed clinical social worker, who is also in the room, will look at Mom or Dad and pipe up: What is this like for you? Your frustrations?

Joys? Challenges? And she stays to work with the parent long after the pediatrician has left.

The facility’s team-based treatment is a pilot project, funded by philanthropies. Yet the approach, which California may soon incorporate on a large scale, could hold the key to fostering a healthy home environment where children thrive, child development experts say. Incorporating therapy for the parents, they say, can lower a child’s risk of future mental disorders stemming from family trauma and adversity.

Pediatricians’ offices generally don’t offer formal counseling or guidance to a child’s guardian because they can’t bill insurance for these services. That could soon change for the roughly 5.4 million children on Medi-Cal, California’s Medicaid program for low-income residents, and their parents.

The 2021-22 state budget, which Gov. Gavin Newsom is expected to sign by Monday, dedicates $800 million, half of it

in federal funds, to this new behavioral health benefit over four years. Experts say it would make California the first state to pay for “dyadic care,” treating parents and children simultaneously.

“A baby is not showing up by themselves to the pediatrician’s office. The caregiver is coming in with their own strengths and stressors,” said Dr. Kathryn Margolis, a pediatric psychologist who launched the initiative at the Children’s health Center at Zuckerberg San Francisco General hospital.

“Without a healthy caregiver, we can’t have a healthy baby,” Margolis added. “It is the most obvious thing in the world. It is unbelievable it has taken this long to pay for this service.”

The new program is among a suite of behavioral health initiatives included in the nearly $263 billion state budget negotiated between Democratic lawmakers and Newsom, who has made mental health services a signature issue.

The state will spend the next year drafting guidelines for the services that could be covered and working with insurance providers on new billing codes for the new benefit. Beginning July 1, 2022, caregivers who enter a clinic or pediatrician’s office with a child up to age 21 for routine well visits will be matched with a social worker or behavioral health specialist. They may be screened for depression, treated for tobacco and alcohol use, or offered

family therapy, said Jim Kooler, assistant deputy director of behavioral health at the California Department of health Care Services. New mothers will get postpartum care; parents could also get help obtaining food vouchers, housing or other help.

“It’s a pretty amazing array of services that will be available,” Kooler said. “It’s things we wouldn’t necessarily think about right away, but the health of the young person is impacted.”

States including New York and Colorado fund programs that offer holistic care to parents and children together. But California will be the first to offer the service as part of Medicaid pediatric care, said Jennifer Tracey, senior director of growth and sustainability for Zero to Three. The nonprofit organization runs healthySteps, a program that supports babies and toddlers with integrated care in 24 states, Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico. Getting the benefit funded in the nation’s most populous state was a “groundbreaking” win for children’s advocacy groups, Tracey said.

“We haven’t seen any other state make this kind of investment,” she said. “I hope we’ll see other states following California.”

Newsom and lawmakers this year had a $76 billion budget surplus and $27 billion in federal aid to fund an array of new programs, but they won’t come cheap. New outlays include up

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Attorney General Rob Bonta announces Remy Martin withdraws from NBA Rookie Draft guidelines to investigate fatal police shootings

by Niel

Victor c. Masoy ManilaTimes.net

by caroliNe

GioVaNie

AJPress

CALIFORNIA Attorney General Rob Bonta this week announced the release of initial guidelines and protocols for the state’s Department of Justice to investigate fatal officer-involved shootings of unarmed civilians.

Assembly Bill 1506 proposed the establishment of the California Police Shooting Investigation Teams (CaPSIT), which will be handled by the state Department of Justice instead of local law enforcement and district attorneys as it had been prior to the effective start of July 1, 2021.

“One of the most important tasks ahead for public safety and our society is building and maintaining trust between our communities and law enforcement,” Bonta said in a statement on Wednesday, July 7. “Impartial, fair investigations and independent reviews of office-involved shootings are one essential component for achieving trust.”

Under Assembly Bill 1506, fatal police shootings of unarmed civilians will be investigated and reviewed for potential criminal liability, and all incidents must have a written report detailing why criminal prosecution was not sought or file criminal charges. The Department of Justice is expecting 40 to 50 officer-involved shootings annually based on historical data.

“Today, California is strengthening our state’s mechanisms for accountability and transparency in investigations of officer-involved shootings. These cases are never going to be easy, but the California

Department of Justice will follow the facts and seek to ensure every Californian is afforded equal justice under the law,” Bonta added.

Bonta also announced outreach and services measures for impacted family members such as full disclosure to the decedent’s family and an orientation to the criminal justice and investigation process. The services will include counseling referrals, translator services, the return of personal property when applicable, and crisis intervention.

“I’ve heard firsthand the hurt and the pain that too many families and communities feel in the moments after these incidents,” Bonta said. “I have witnessed the lack of trust that these investigations will be treated fairly by our criminal justice system.”

The law also has a communications policy that requires maximum disclosure of incidents to the media without interrupting the investigation that includes the date, time, location, and law enforcement agencies involved.

CaPSIT, a personal of teams that will be spread across California according to historical patterns of officer-involved shootings, are assigned to immediately deploy to an incident scene after a local law enforcement notification has been made and will serve as independent special agent investigators that will be turned over to the Department of Justice’s Special Prosecutions Section.

For years, police officers who fatally shot unarmed civilians have gone unprosecuted, for reasons cited like insufficient evidence.

CapSIT was created to conduct follow-up investigations for these shootings.

The law was co-authored by Bonta when he was a lawmaker and Assemblyman Kevin McCarty (D-Sacramento), who said he was concerned that the state Department of Justice had denied requests from community leaders to undertake independent investigations of several high-profile police shootings.

“Police shouldn’t police themselves, and the current system is fraught with conflicts of interest,” McCarty said during a debate on the bill.

McCarty said he first proposed the legislation in 2015 and 800 people have since been shot and killed by police in California.

Meanwhile, Bonta said the investigations would not be easy but expected local law enforcement to cooperate.

“I’m honestly not expecting a lot of pushback or tension or obstacles,” Bonta said at a press conference on Wednesday, July 7.

“We will be prepared for any that do arise.”

Community organizers like Black Lives Matter Los Angeles co-founder Melina Abdullah said the law is not enough.

“One of the shortcomings of the new law is that the Attorney General’s office must work collaboratively with local law enforcement so basically what we see is kind of a transference of the kind of muddied waters that the District Attorney finds themselves in to the Attorney General,” said Abdullah. n

SNACKS FOR SALE. A vendor sells assorted snacks inside a public utility bus along Emilio Aguinaldo Highway in Imus, Cavite on Wednesday, July 7. Eating is not allowed inside public transport as part of protocols to contain the spread of COVID-19.

PNA photo by Jess M. Escaros Jr.

FILIPINO American guard Remy Martin withdrew his name from the 2021 NBA Rookie Draft list.

In a report by AZCentral, Martin’s father Sam said the Arizona State University Sun Devils standout has withdrawn from the Rookie Draft as he was not invited to either the NBA draft combine or the G-League combine.

The two events serve as a scouting ground for teams and a showcase for players joining the NBA Draft set on July 29.

Martin, 23, is also not included in most of the mock drafts

by U.S.-based media. That is despite the fact that the 6-foot guard played well in his fouryear run with the Sun Devils.

Martin was voted Sixth Man of the Year in his freshman year in the Pac-12 conference, a member of the Second Mythical Team in his sophomore year, and a member of the First Mythi-

Remy Martin

cal Teams in both his junior and senior years.

Last season, Martin, who has been vocal about his desire to play for Gilas Pilipinas, led the Pac-12 in scoring with 19.1 points per game on top of 3.7 assists.

Reports said Martin will play one more year in college and transfer to the University of

Photo courtesy of Arizona State University

Kansas Jayhawks through the transfer portal.

The 2021 batch of the NBA Draft is heavy on the guard position with the inclusion of Cade Cunningham of Oklahoma State, Jalen Suggs of Gonzaga, Keon Johnson of Tennessee, Davion Mitchell of Baylor and another American with Filipino roots, Jalen Green. n

A family wellness check: California invests...

PAGE A3 to $1.3 billion a year to expand health care to undocumented immigrants age 50 and older; $12 billion for homeless programs over the next two years; $4.4 billion in behavioral mental health for people up to age 25 over five years; and $300 million to bolster the state’s public health system beginning next July.

Critics say the spending commits Californians to programs that could be hard to fund in the future. And while offering a new Medi-Cal benefit might be worthwhile, California lawmakers would be better off fixing flaws in the insurance program, said Susan Shelley, vice president of communications for the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association.

For example, the state pays physicians who participate in Medi-Cal among the lowest rates in the nation, she said. And a January 2020 report by the California State Auditor found that just under 48% of children enrolled in Medi-Cal went to the doctor for a preventive visit in 2016-17.

“It’s unwise to commit taxpayers to this,” Shelley said. “All these little kids are going to grow up and have one huge tax bill.”

Offering caregivers preventive behavioral treatment has proven

to save money by avoiding bigger health problems down the road, according to legislative budget documents. An analysis by HealthySteps of its sites in New York, Colorado, Arizona and Kentucky showed average annual savings to Medicaid of 204% for patients enrolled in their program. The group reports that children were eight times more likely to receive developmental screenings and twice as likely to go to well visits when their parents participated in the HealthySteps program.

“It’s a realization that it’s not just about providing services today, but it’s about thinking about the services that will help defer costs down the road by doing the right things today,” Kooler said.

Making a visit to the pediatrician’s office more welcoming to parents, and getting mothers screened for depression and other behavioral issues, could improve California’s dismal rate of child developmental screenings, said Sarah Crow, managing director of First 5 Center for Children’s Policy.

“California, if it really wants to prioritize children’s health, then we really need to pull out all the stops and start thinking of new, culturally relevant ways to serve

our families,” Crow said.

At the clinic in San Francisco, Bercun, the social worker, visits with caregivers for as long as they need, usually about half an hour but sometimes up to an hour. She counsels a mom about a job loss, shows a dad how to soothe his crying infant and guides another mom to lovingly say no to a toddler on the verge of a tantrum. She has helped caregivers develop safety plans if there is violence in the home and has connected them to community resources.

And then there’s the pandemic: She talks families through the isolation so many have felt.

“It’s working through these moments and feeling less alone and building confidence,” Bercun said. “It’s about holding space to explore feelings. My hope is that one day all families could benefit.”

KHN (Kaiser Health News) is a national newsroom that produces in-depth journalism about health issues. Together with Policy Analysis and Polling, KHN is one of the three major operating programs at KFF (Kaiser Family Foundation). KFF is an endowed nonprofit organization providing information on health issues to the nation. n

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A5

Intindihin ang Medicare Parts A, B, C, at D Ito ay serye ng Medicare Tips hatid ng Clever Care Health Plan, isang nangungunang tagapagbigay ng East meets West Medicare services na sensitibo sa kultura ng kanilang mga miyembro.

Para sa malapit nang mag-65, maraming importanteng desisyon na kailangang gawin para sa inyong healthcare coverage. Narito ang ilang helpful tips para maintindihan ang iba’t-ibang parte ng Medicare.

Karaniwang covered ng iba’t-ibang parte ng Medicare ang partikular na mga serbisyo. Pinipili ng halos lahat ng beneficiaries ang makatanggap ng Parts A at B benefits sa pamamagitan ng Original Medicare, ang tradisyonal na fee-for-service program na direktang inaalok ng federal government. Ang Part C ay kilala bilang Medicare Advantage. Ito ay isang all-inclusive na plano na inaalok ng pribadong insurance companies, na kung saan pinagsasama nito ang iba’t-ibang parte ng Medicare sa loob ng isang plano. Halos lahat ng Medicare Advantage plan ay may kasama na rin na prescription drug coverage Four Parts oF Medicare – Parts a, B, c & d

A teacher at Geronimo Santiago Elementary School in Manila sorts out self-learning modules for students who will study at home under the blended and online instruction format during the public health crisis due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Philstar.com photo by Marianne Bermudez

World Bank apologizes over report on PH education

by Neil

ArwiN MercAdo

Inquirer.net

The World Bank apologized Friday, July 9 over its report indicating the poor performance of Filipino students, saying that the report was “inadvertently published earlier than scheduled.”

The World Bank issued an apology after the Department of education (Deped) demanded them to apologize over the report that, the education department said, “insulted” and “shamed” the Philippines.

“We deeply regret that the report on education was inadvertently published earlier than scheduled and before the Department of education had enough chance to provide inputs,” the World Bank said in a statement.

“This was an oversight on our

part, and we conveyed our personal apologies in our communication with the government.

Recognizing the inadvertent release of the report, we have taken steps to temporarily remove it from the website,” it added.

The World Bank said that they have likewise reached out to education Secretary Leonor Briones “and look forward to continuing our dialogue with the Department of education on the opportunities and challenges in the education sector.”

“We are aware of the Department’s various efforts and programs to address the challenge of education quality,” the World Bank said.

“We agree with the Department that the issue of quality has a long historical context, and support its demonstrated com-

mitment to resolve it decisively,” it added.

The report In the World Bank report, poor learning results were observed among students in the country as 80% of them fell below minimum levels of expected proficiency.

The report was based on three assessments the country previously joined — the Program for International Student Assessment in 2018, the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study in 2019, and the Southeast Asia Primary Learning Metrics also in 2019.

Briones earlier said that the World Bank failed to follow the proper protocol in releasing its Philippine education study and supposedly released “old data.” n

Moreno, Pacquiao top social media’s ‘influential list’ of candidates in 2022

by KAithreeN

cruz Manilatimes.net

MAYOR Francisco “Isko” Moreno Domangoso and Sen. emmanuel “Manny” Pacquiao topped social media’s most influential list of potential candidates for president and vice president in the 2022 elections, according to a study.

It said Domangoso received an overall social media influence share of 39%, while Pacquiao re-

ceived a score of 37%. WR Numero said that these two personalities have “highly active personal Facebook pages and are regularly talked about in both mainstream and alternative media.”

Meanwhile, former senator Antonio “Sonny” Trillanes is among the least influential, with a score of -6.69%, after consistently receiving negative engagements among netizens public on social media.

For potential senatorial can-

didates in 2022, Department of Public Works and highways (DPWh) Secretary Mark Villar is the most influential with 34%, followed by Sen. Ana Theresia “Risa” hontiveros with 15%, and Congressman Alan Peter Cayetano with 10.33%.

The research used big data and sentiment analytics of social media data across three data sources: mainstream news, alternative news, and the personalities’ official pages. n

Di tulad ng traditional health insurance plans, nahahati ang Medicare sa apat na bahagi na sakop ang iba’t-ibang serbisyo. uPart a: Ang Medicare Part A ay hospital insurance. Covered nito ang inpatient care at mga ospital, skilled nursing facilities, hospice, at certain home health services. Ang ibig sabihin ng “inpatient” ay isang pasyente na na-admit ng pormal sa isang ospital ayon sa payo ng kanilang doktor. uPart B: Medicare Part B ay insurance para sa doctor visits, preventive screenings, lab tests at ambulance services. Ang mga serbisyong ito ay tinuturing na “outpatient” at tinatanggap ng isang pasyente bago pa mag-issue ang kanilang doktor ng pormal na order for admission sa isang ospital o iba pang inpatient facility.

Binubuo ng Parts A at B ang tinatawag na Original Medicare. uPart c: Ang Medicare Part C ay isang private insurance na tinatawag din na Medicare Advantage. Covered ng Part C ang ospital at outpatient services, kasama ang mas maraming benefits kaysa sa Original Medicare, tulad ng vision, dental, at hearing. Kasama sa ilang mga plano ang prescription drug coverage. Para sa mga tao na gusto ng predictable out-of-pocket costs at comprehensive coverage, madalas ay pinipili nilang mag-enroll sa isang Medicare Advantage plan. uPart d: Ang Medicare Part D ay para sa prescription drug coverage, at ito ay optional.

Kung kailangan ninyo ng drug coverage, may dalawa kayong choices. Puwede kayong sumali sa “stand-alone” na prescription drug plan mula sa isang pribadong insurer, o sumali sa isang Medicare Advantage plan na may kasama nang prescription coverage. Alalahanin na kapag pinili ninyong huwag kumuha ng prescription drug coverage sa panahong kayo’y unang naging eligible, puwede kayong magbayad ng late enrollment penalty kapag sumali kayo sa isang Part D plan later on. Puwedeng hindi mag-apply ang penalty kung mayroon kayong ibang creditable drug coverage, o mag-qualify para sa Extra Help.

Sa madaling salita, kapag inyong pinili ang Original Medicare, tatanggap kayo ng Part A at B benefits. Kapag nag-enroll sa isang Medicare Advantage plan na may Part D, tatanggap kayo ng Parts A, B, C, at D. Bago pa mag-sign up para sa Medicare, magsaliksik muna base sa kung saan kayo nakatira, sa mga doktor na inyong gusto, sa inyong kinikita, kondisyon ng inyong kalusugan, at coverage na kakailanganin.

Para sa mga tamang desisyon ukol sa inyong kalusugan, tumawag na sa Clever Care Health Plan helpline. Handang magbigay ng libreng konsulta ang aming Tagalog-speaking agents, at inyong maging gabay sa aming proseso. Tawag na sa (833) 388-2461 (TTY: 711), mula 8 a.m. hanggang 8 p.m., Lunes-Linggo simula Oktubre 1 hanggang Marso 31, at 8 a.m. hanggang 8 p.m., LunesBiyernes simula Abril 1 hanggang Setyembre 30.

Ang Clever Care Health Plan, Inc. ay isang HMO plan na may Medicare contract. Ang enrollment ay naka-depende sa contract renewal.

H7607_21_CM0472D_TAG_C 06302021

A10106-D-TAG (06/21)

A6 JULY 10-13, 2021 • LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL

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OPINION

Falling student proficiency

FEATURES

THE secretary of the Department of Education was miffed. A week ago the World Bank reported that 80 percent of Filipino children fell below the minimum levels of proficiency in reading and mathematics. Education Secretary Leonor Briones decried what she said was a breach of protocol, which requires that the government be notified first before the release of such reports, especially since this one was based on old data.

Briones said the World Bank had sent her a letter of apology, but she wants a public apology. The report was based on the results of the country’s participation in the Program for International Student Assessment or PISA in 2018, the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study as well as the Southeast Asia Primary Learning Metrics, both in 2019.

As the DepEd correctly pointed out, the quality of education at all levels “is a product of a long process,” with the World Bank itself a party to this evolution in the Philippines through major reform programs that it has funded. DepEd is currently negotiating with the World Bank for a $110-million loan to finance a teacher upskilling program and another $100 million to boost the Alternative Learning System.

Limited resources for education, low pay that has led to an exodus of teaching talent for greener pastures overseas, language issues, a general dete-

rioration in English proficiency, and even poor nutrition among impoverished students have been among the factors that have contributed to the decline in the quality of Philippine education.

The pandemic has aggravated the challenges as DepEd was forced to shift to blended learning and students were confined at home. DepEd reported that 1.1 million basic education students failed to enroll this school year. If proficiency assessments are conducted at this time among Filipino students in the tests mentioned in the World Bank report, it’s unlikely that there will be significant improvements in the results.

Beyond demanding a public apology from the World Bank for using old data to illustrate that math and reading aptitudes of Filipino school children have fallen, it would be better if the DepEd could present updated data showing improvements in those areas. (Philstar.com)

Editorial

Commentary

RIGOBERTO TIGLAO AFTER having been very critical of his ambitious plans, I thought about the issue the past few days, and I’ve changed my mind. I’m convinced Sen. Emmanuel “Pacman” Pacquiao should run for the post of President of the Republic.

His candidacy will be good for our democracy and the country’s image, especially globally, which is in tatters because of the US media and their brown minions’ relentless tirades against President Duterte.

For a dirt-poor Filipino to become one of the greatest boxers of all time, and to cap his career by going for the highest post of the land, Pacquiao running for president will show the world that we are such a vibrant democracy, where anybody can vie for the position. The downside to this of course is the possibility that there would be a deluge of young Filipinos going into boxing rather than college, believing they could, like “Pacman,” later in their life get a four-year course in three months.

The silly reportage of U.S. media and by the likes of Maria Ressa, Randy David and Sheila Coronel that we have an authoritarian government will be totally debunked if Pacman runs for president. The Philippines will be the darling of the foreign press, as we will be only the second country after Liberia to have a sports

Run, Pacman, run!

celebrity running for president.

(The football star succeeded in Liberia.)

Pacman is loved by the masses and is even being transformed into a martyr because of President Duterte’s attacks against him, Ramon Tulfo argued in his recent Philippine Star column, implying that he has a chance of winning. But that means he would be a worthy competitor to Mayor Sarah Duterte-Carpio or Sen. Bong Go, which means we will be portrayed in the world as having a vibrant democracy.

Landslide Look: If instead Leni Robredo were to be the opposition’s standard bearer, who would likely lose by the biggest landslide ever in our country, you can just imagine the furor, with the U.S. media and the Yellows shouting that it’s a worse rerun of Marcos defeating Cory in the 1986 snap elections.

Pacman’s running will also be good for the country, especially if he becomes the standard bearer of the PDP-Laban, of which he is the president. That looks likely based on an alleged document given to me, dated June 8, 2021, showing that he had written to the PDP leadership demanding that vice chairman “Alfonso Cusi and his cohorts” (who have criticized him for his accusations against the Duterte administration) be “immediately and automatically expelled from PDP-Laban.”

I’m not sure though if looking down from heaven, the opposition’s saint, Benigno Aquino Jr., who founded the party, would be smiling or scowling at the PDP-

“A PEOPLE without history,” T. S. Eliot wrote in Four Quartets, “is not redeemed from time, for history is a pattern of timeless moments.”

Redemption seems far off from where I write, for every year, in June and July, I receive messages asking, sometimes arguing, why we celebrate Philippine Independence on June 12 instead of July 4. I patiently answer all these messages with a heavy heart realizing how far off we are to even imagine ourselves as a nation.

Next month, Buwan ng Wika, will roll out to be noisily resisted by those who rightly defend their regional languages against the inevitable inroads of Fili-

Laban coalition – which had been famous for its anti-Marcos struggle – for picking a soon-toretire professional boxer for its standard bearer.

PDP-Laban, together with the Liberal Party, had been the core of the Yellow plague that has ruled the country since 1986.

Pacquiao’s defeat in 2022 will mean the institutional death of the Yellows, so fitting as it would be following the death of former President Benigno Aquino III. Celebrity Pacquiao thinks he can win the presidency because of his celebrity status, since recent Philippine elections had celebrities (those with brand names) running for that highest of government posts – Fernando Poe Jr., his daughter Grace and of course Benigno Aquino III. That in fact has been the fatal weakness of our modern democracy, because media has been able to spread the celebrities’ name throughout the land, and fool voters that their persona, their image, is their real persons, i.e., the movie hero FPJ as the hero who would save the country, FPJ’s daughter as continuing his fight, and the son of the saints of democracy as “not falling far from the tree.” I suspect one of Pacman’s campaign lines would be “Patutumbahin ko ang kahirapan.”

Pacman’s losing the presidency will mean the excision of this celebrity cancer in our presidential elections But to borrow the immortal words of Dolphy when he was offered to run for president, what if Pacman wins? Who knows?

In addition to being a senator, Manny Pacquiao is the one and only eight-division boxing world champion in history.

Inquirer.net file photo

Maybe he’ll demonstrate a brilliance we’ve never seen before, a miracle since with the more than 10,000 blows to his head, experts on boxers’ injuries say, he is almost certain to suffer later brain shrinkage and degeneration, the scientific term for which is chronic traumatic encephalopathy.

Brutal On his inauguration, Pacman will likely kneel and look at the sky in a prayerful pose to thank the Deity for his biggest victory.

That’s what he does after every fight that he wins, to thank God that he nearly killed with brutal blows another human being for the sake of gold and glory. His best friend, the jovial Buboy Fernandez, will probably be his Bong Go. However, I don’t think running for the presidency will be a good idea for him personally. The

stress of the political campaign led to FPJ’s death. So did being president in the case of Noynoy, who apparently had gone down with kidney, heart and, some say, even lung, diseases.

Pacman will likely have to spend his entire multibillionpeso fortune. Despite reports of Ramon Ang supporting him (which the business tycoon has denied, saying he was terribly misquoted), I don’t think any business magnate would give him campaign funds. They would tell him he has the money anyway, and to use that first. Wakes of political and media vultures will be circling him incessantly, promising him he would win if he just paid for their political network, PR prowess and media coverage.

This early, a clever PR operator has already wangled P50 million from him for a program to

portray him as a viable presidential candidate. Believe me, if he runs and loses, he will lose his shirt so that he may have to sell his Forbes Park and Dasmariñas mansions and move to an apartment in General Santos.

Who would be Pacquiao’s running mate? In deference to the founder of the party that Pacquiao is the standard bearer of, it should be none other than the late opposition leader’s popular daughter Kris Aquino. His PR people, however, would struggle to come up with a catchy name for the tandem - Pacq-Aq? PacKris? (ManilaTimes.net) *** The opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by the author do not necessarily reflect the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints of the Asian Journal, its management, editorial board and staff.

*** Email: tiglao.manilatimes@gmail.com

Why June 12, not July 4?

Commentary

AMBETH R. OCAMPO

Philstar.com photo

pino. All Philippine languages should be allowed to flourish.

Filipino is not the enemy. When I try to persuade friends in the regions to accept Filipino as a common language over English, I am dismissed as speaking from “Imperial Manila” where I was born and raised. With over 7,000 islands and 175 ethnolinguistic groups, the Philippines is like the biblical Tower of Babel. Slowly built by an undivided people who had one language and culture, the tower threatened to scrape the sky and God’s personal space. The tower was not completed because God intervened: “Come, let’s go down and confuse the people with different languages. Then they won’t be able to understand each other” (Genesis 11:7). So we are an archipelago with many languages, cultures, and histories.

I was nine months old when

Diosdado Macapagal signed the proclamation that moved Philippine Independence Day from July 4 to June 12. I learned in school that after the devastation left by the Japanese Occupation and the 1945 Battle of Manila, the United States of America recognized the independence of the Philippines.

My teacher emphasized that the US did not give or grant the independence of the Philippines, it was recognized as an independence stolen from our First Republic under Emilio Aguinaldo, who, unfortunately, is the national hero every Filipino loves to hate.

The U.S. acquired the Philippines from Spain in 1899 after winning the Spanish-American War. Since the US could not, in principle, openly take colonies, she treated the Philippines under a program of “Benevolent Assimilation” and set out to

Christianize, educate, and civilize the Filipinos and prepare them for self-government. In 1916, the Jones Law was enacted promising recognition of Philippine independence.

In 1934, the Tydings-McDuffie Act stipulated a 10-year transition period to independence that was derailed by World War II. During the Japanese Occupation, from 1941-1945, the Philippine Commonwealth Government went into exile in the US with Manuel Quezon as president, succeeded in 1944

by Sergio Osmeña who served as president till 1946 when Manuel Roxas emerged the victor in the first postwar elections.

It is not well-known that Roxas took two oaths of office: first as third and last president of the Commonwealth on May 28, 1946; second, as first President of the Third Republic on July

4, 1946, after Philippine Independence was recognized. The First Republic was the stillborn nation under Emilio Aguinaldo, the Second Republic was established under the Japanese Occupation with Jose P. Laurel who has unfortunately gone down in history as the “puppet president.”

What most people know about Roxas, aside from his being the lolo of Mar Roxas, they get from the P100 Philippine banknote. Roxas and Quezon have been consistently on our banknotes since 1959: Roxas originally appeared on the P500 bill before he was demoted to P100 and Quezon on the P200, before he was demoted to the P20 bill that will soon be replaced by a P20 coin.

Those who are old enough to remember the former P100 bill (New Design Series 1987-2013) should know that some people

objected to the U.S. stars and stripes appearing on our currency. Misplaced nationalism blinded them to the fact the image on the banknote was the lowering of the US flag and the raising of the Philippine flag on July 4, 1946.

Reading what passes for Philippine history on social media I see in the contentious comments individuals insisting on the version of the past they want to be, even if it is wrong.

We seem far from redemption, confused without seeing the pattern in timeless moments that is our history. *** The opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by the author do not necessarily reflect the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints of the Asian Journal, its management, editorial board and staff.

*** Comments are welcome at aocampo@ ateneo.edu

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LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL • JULy 10-13, 2021

A7

Palace: New baselines law needed to assert PH sea rights

by Catherine

Valente ManilaTimes.net

FRESH HARVEST. A fruits farm owner checks a jackfruit for possible harvest on the Sinasajan National Irrigation Administration Road in Peñaranda, Nueva Ecija on Friday, July 9. Jackfruit has yellow edible flesh which is used in local delicacies like turon and ginataang halo-halo.

PNA photo by Oliver Marquez

Phivolcs records continued phreatomagmatic bursts in Taal by helen

Flores Philstar.com

MANILA — Over the past 24 hours, phreatomagmatic bursts continued at the restive Taal Volcano, according to the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs).

Five short phreatomagmatic bursts occurred at 6:47 a.m., 6:06 p.m., 9:21 p.m. and 9:50 p.m. on Thursday, July 8 and 2:59 a.m on Friday, July 9.

“The phreatomagmatic bursts produced short, jetted plumes that rose to 200 meters above the main crater lake,” Phivolcs said.

The agency also recorded 58 volcanic earthquakes, including five explosion-type earthquakes, 24 low frequency volcanic earthquakes and 27 volcanic tremor events that lasted for one to six minutes.

High levels of volcanic sulfur dioxide or SO2 gas, averaging 6,095 tons, were also detected on Thursday. The volcano spewed steam-rich plumes that rose 1,200 meters before drifting northwest from the main crater.

Phivolcs said Taal remains under Alert Level 3 and entry into the volcano island, a permanent danger zone, and the high-risk barangays of Agoncillo and Laurel is banned.

“All activities on Taal Lake should not be allowed at this time,” Phivolcs added.

Batangas Gov. Hermilando Mandanas issued Memorandum

Five short phreatomagmatic bursts occurred at 6:47 a.m., 6:06 p.m., 9:21 p.m. and 9:50 p.m. on Thursday, July 8 and 2:59 a.m. on Friday, July 9.

Photo courtesy of Philvocs

Circular No. 01 Series of 2021 restricting leisure travel to highrisk areas, a radius of seven kilometers from the volcano crater.

The memo said leisure travel to Barangays Banyaga and Bilibinwang in Agoncillo town and Barangays Buso-buso, Gulod and Bugaan East in the town of Laurel shall not be allowed.

Leisure activities like staycations, camping, sunbathing, pool swimming, picnicking, island hopping, group water activities, partying and merriment events are also prohibited. Existing hotel bookings or resort reservations in high-risk areas shall be cancelled, with establishments encouraged to give a refund or allow rebooking of reservations.

Exempted from this prohibition are Department of Tourism

(DOT)-accredited establishments authorized to accommodate guests and clients for legitimate purposes under a state of public emergency.

Mandanas said only essential travel in and out of the high-risk areas shall be allowed. For nonessential travel, travelers must use the Safe, Swift and Smart Passage (S-PaSS) travel management system of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST).

Meanwhile, other DOT-accredited accommodation establishments in other parts of Batangas shall continue to operate on a limited capacity until the DOST-Phivolcs and RDRRMC orders total evacuation within a 14-km radius from the volcano. n

A NEW baselines law should be passed to enable the Philippines to better assert its rights in the West Philippine Sea (South China Sea), Palace spokesman Harry Roque Jr. said on Thursday, July 8.

During a virtual media forum, Roque said the Philippines has a “treaty obligation” to amend its domestic laws to be in compliance with the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (Unclos).

Under international law, legislation is an act of sovereignty that establishes territorial title.

Roque said the national legislation claiming sovereignty and sovereign rights must name the contested individual maritime features.

“What does this mean? This means, number one passing a law, including all of the islands, islets and rocks covered by our claim under [Presidential Decree] 1596 as part of the Philippine territories, not as part of our archipelago but enclaving each of these islands now as part of our territories and generating a territorial sea of 12 nautical miles,” Roque said.

“Unless we do this, we will be in default with what jurisprudence has said that part of proving sovereignty is the fact that you identify under your domestic laws what the state submits as part of its national territories,” he added.

Roque pushed for the amendment of Republic Act (RA) 9522, the baselines law, as the country marks the fifth year of the arbitral award the Philippines won in its West Philippine Sea disputes with China.

He said the arbitral tribunal pointed out that RA 9522 or the law defining the archipelagic baselines of the Philippines was not consistent with the Unclos.

“One of the things the tribunal ruled upon also in that same arbitration is that the manner by which we incorporated the Kalayaan Group of Islands under Marcos PD 1596 is also contrary to the rules of Unclos. So, ibig sabihin po parang ang sabi ng Korte Suprema, kinakailangan ng Pilipinas na bumuo ng bagong batas dahil ‘yung batas po natin na kumakabit sa Spratlys or Kalayaan

Jardeleza said the bill should be certified as urgent as it “is the most inexpensive and yet most effective means of enforcing the Arbitral Award and strengthening our territorial and maritime rights.” n

Palace spokesman Harry Roque Jr.

Group of Islands sa ating teritoryo ay hindi rin po sang-ayon sa Unclos (the Supreme Court is like saying that we need a new law because the existing ones are not aligned with Unclos),” Roque said.

“So, I think the challenge now is to comply with that portion of the arbitral award. We cannot cherry pick in invoking portions of the decision which are not in our favor and ignore a portion of the same arbitral ruling which is not consistent with our national policies,” he added.

The Philippines on July 12, 2016 won its petition filed against China before the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague, Netherlands. The court ruled that Beijing’s sweeping claims over almost the entire South China Sea have no legal basis.

China, however, ignored The Hague ruling.

Earlier, President Rodrigo Duterte directed his office to review the proposal of retired Supreme Court Associate Justice Francis Jardeleza to craft a new baselines law to enforce the arbitral award.

This, after Jardeleza on June 5 submitted a letter to Duterte urging the President to certify as urgent the measure that seeks amendments to RA 9522.

Jardeleza’s proposal titled “Philippine Maritime Features of the West Philippine Sea Act” aims to specifically name and identify the maritime features in the West Philippine Sea claimed or occupied by the country.

It identified at least 100 maritime features in West Philippine, 25 of which are said to be rocks or high tide features that generate a territorial sea and a contiguous zone.

SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA REGIONAL RAIL AUTHORITY IFB No. JO138-22 FENCING, GATES AND SIGNAGE The Southern California Regional Rail Authority (Authority) is seeking Bids for a Job Order Contract (JOC) to install FENCING, GATES AND SIGNAGE. The total value of the work to be performed under the contract shall not exceed $4,900,000, and the term of the contract shall not exceed one year.

Beginning July 8, 2021, Invitations for Bid (IFB) documents may be obtained via download by visiting Authority’s website athttp://www.metrolinktrains. com/agency/page/title/doing_ business.

Electronic Bid Submittals are due at 2:00 p.m. on August 5, 2021. The contract to be awarded will be funded in part by grants under the U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Transportation Administration and is subject to a DBE Participation Goal of 7.73%.

Bidders must possess a valid California Class “A” General Engineering, Class “B” General Building, or a C-13 Fencing Contractor’s License at the time of contract award. Payment of prevailing wages and compliance with all required employment and training programs established by the State of California Department of Industrial Relations is required. Compliance with Davis-Bacon regulations will be required.

For further information contact: Melissa Cousart, Contract and Compliance Administrator at email cousartm@scrra.net.

7/10/21 CNS-3482565# ASIAN JOURNAL (L.A.)

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Only 17% of Pinoy families feel they’re not poor, 49% say they are — SWS

by GaBriel

PaBicO Inquirer.net

DOWNPOUR. Motorists slow down during a heavy downpour along Elliptical Road near Visayas Avenue in Quezon City on Friday, July 9. Most parts of the country will experience rains on Friday due to the intertropical convergence zone affecting Palawan, the Visayas, and Mindanao.

PNA photo by Joey O. Razon

PH debt to hit record P13.41-T in year Duterte steps down

by Ben

O. de Vera Inquirer.net

MANILA—The national government’s outstanding debt will hit a record-high P13.41 trillion by end of 2022 as the Department of Finance (DOF) on Friday (July 9) said the recent borrowing spree would finance the prolonged fight against the health and socioeconomic catastrophe inflicted by COVID-19.

Despite debt building up across emerging markets, UKbased Oxford Economics said in a report that the Philippines, Colombia, India and Malaysia “have the most fiscal space; their existing plans (as calibrated by the International Monetary Fund) entail primary balances well above those necessary to stabilize debt.”

“Existing fiscal plans, if implemented, would be more than sufficient to stabilize debt-to-GDP [gross domestic product] at 2021 levels in Chile, Colombia, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Mexico, the Philippines, Russia, and Thailand,” said Tianchen Peng, Oxford Economics’ head of emerging market macro research, in a report last July 8.

The Philippines’ debt-to-GDP ratio—a metric which credit-rat-

ing agencies watch as this reflected an economy’s capacity to pay—climbed to a 16-year high of 60.4 percent at the end of the first quarter of 2021 as the government ramped up borrowings while the pandemic-induced recession spilled over to that period.

The end-March debt-to-GDP level breached what debt watchers considered as the manageable public debt threshold of 60 percent, but Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III last May said the end-2021 ratio will be equivalent to 58.7 percent of GDP, higher than 54.6 percent in 2021 and the record-low 39.6 percent in 2019.

According to a DOF infographic, outstanding debt will reach P11.55 trillion by yearend, up from P9.79 trillion in end-2020.

Total gross borrowings in 2021 will rise to P3.03 trillion from P2.65 trillion in 2020 and ease to P2.64 trillion in 2022.

Citing estimates by the Bureau of the Treasury, the DOF said that had COVID-19 not happened, outstanding debt levels should have been lower–P8.59 trillion in end-2020, P9.35 trillion in end-2021 and P10.17 trillion in end-2022.

However, the COVID-19 cri-

sis entailed filling the war chest against the pandemic, hence bigger borrowings than levels programmed by the government pre-pandemic amounting to only P1.4 trillion for 2020, P1.39 trillion for 2021 and P1.37 trillion for 2022.

The DOF said the larger borrowings for 2020, for instance, will finance public infrastructure spending worth P989.28 billion, expenditures on social services amounting to P1.49 trillion plus P492.59 billion in COVID-19 response measures.

The DOF also noted that the cost of borrowing measured by the weighted average interest rate (WAIR) declined to 4.17 percent in 2020 compared to 4.99 percent at the start of the Duterte administration in 2016.

“Our prudent debt management gave us the fiscal headroom to deal with the pandemic.

The anticipated temporary rise in debt remains within the prescribed bounds of fiscal viability,” Dominguez said.

“Rest assured that we continue to exercise prudence in managing our fiscal affairs. We will protect our fiscal sustainability and ensure we have an ample war chest for this long battle,” Dominguez added. n

lalu

“This is similar to the findings in November 2020 when only 16% felt Not Poor, 48% felt Poor, and 36% felt Borderline Poor,” it added.

Of the families who rated themselves as poor, 9.4% did not consider themselves poor one to four years ago, thus placing them in the newly poor category.

“The total%age of poor families consists of 9.4% who were non-poor 1-4 years ago (“Newly Poor”), 4.9% who were non-poor five or more years ago (“Usually Poor”), and 34.9% who never experienced being non-poor (“Always Poor”),” SWS said.

“Of the estimated 12.4 million Poor families in May 2021, 2.4 million were Newly Poor, 1.2 million were Usually Poor, and 8.8 million were Always Poor,” it added.

Even though the number of Filipinos who perceive themselves to be poor is not too far from preCOVID-19 levels — as self-rated poverty was at 45% on average for 2019, — people who believe they are not poor have not yet returned to pre-COVID-19 levels.

As an average for 2019, 24% of households then believed that they are not poor — a seven%age point difference to the latest data.

The number of those who consider themselves borderline poor

is slightly higher in May 2021, at 33%, compared to 2019’s 31%.

The high self-rated poverty MANILA — The latest surveys numbers — and the data on the on self-rated poverty said that lower number of families who only 17% of Filipino families felt say they are not poor — were they were not poor compared obtained over a year since the to 46% who said that they felt COVID-19 pandemic altered the poor. country’s normalcy and economAccording to the Social Weathic growth. er Stations (SWS) survey released In 2020 alone, the Philippine on Friday, July 9, 49% of families economy shrunk by 9.5%, maksurveyed from April 28 to May 2 ing it the worst figure since stat— or around 12.4 million across isticians started recording gross the country — described themdomestic product numbers after selves as poor. the Second World War. Meanwhile, 33% identified Other SWS figures also back themselves as borderline poor. up the devastating impact of the Figures are somewhat simipandemic over the country: aflar to numbers obtained last ter the adult unemployment rate November 2020, although the reached a record-high of 45.5% percentage of people who said in July, Filipinos still believed they were poor is higher than they were poor or food-poor the previous 48%. On the other even after the economy was parhand, 33% of respondents said tially opened. they are borderline poor in NoWhile the country recorded vember, while 16% said they do depressing figures for self-rated not qualify as poor. poverty, the number of Metro “The national Social Weather Manila families that considered Survey of April 28-May 2, 2021, themselves poor decreased from found only 17% of Filipino fami42% in November 2020 to 30% lies rating themselves as Hindi in May 2021.

Mahirap or Not Poor, 49% rating However, the%age of families themselves as Mahirap or Poor, in the capital region that say they and 33% placing themselves on are not poor also decreased from the borderline dividing the two 45% to 39%. Consequently, the categories (recorded by SWS as number of borderline poor inBorderline Poor),” SWS said. creased from 14% in November 2020 to 31% in May 2021.

Overall, comparing numbers from November 2020 and May 2021, self-rated poverty increased in all locales, except in the Visayas: “In Luzon outside Metro Manila, the Self-Rated Poor, Borderline Poor, and Not Poor are 45%, 31%, and 24%, respectively, in May 2021 compared to 42%, 39%, and 20% in November 2020,” SWS said.

“In Mindanao, the Self-Rated Poor, Borderline Poor, and Not Poor are 59%, 35%, and 6%, respectively, in May 2021 compared to 54%, 43%, and 3% in November 2020,” it added.

SWS said that the survey was conducted through face-to-face interviews of 1,200 adults subdivided into 300 each from Metro Manila, Balance Luzon, Visayas, IMPROVING NUTRITION. Barangay chairperson George del Rosario (2nd from left) and Llanely and Mindanao.

Fabello (left), president of the Cavite Educators Lions Club, join the distribution of free food The polling firm maintains items such as vegetables and eggs to residents at the South Garden Covered Court, Barangay sampling error margins are ±3% Salitran 3, Dasmariñas City, Cavite on Friday, July 9, in celebration of Nutrition Month. This for national%ages and ±6% for year’s observance of Nutrition Month theme calls for continued efforts to address malnutrition Balance Luzon, Metro Manila, in the country which is expected to worsen as a result of the pandemic and limited resources. the Visayas, and Mindanao. n PNA photo by Gil Calinga

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Deportation case dismissed!

Immigration Corner Atty. MichAel Gurfinkel, eSQ IN a previous column, I discussed a new memo from the Biden administration, that they are limiting deportations by exercising what is called “prosecutorial discretion,” in terms of whether or not to bring deportation cases or even dismiss existing deportation cases.

We were monitoring how this memo would be implemented and how soon. I already have an update, and it is good news, especially for one of my clients. We have a case where there is a pending deportation, and we just received in the mail a motion from the trial attorneys asking the court to dismiss the case.

If you are presently in deportation, maybe what happened to our client could also benefit you. Of course, I am not giving you any guarantees that your case would be dismissed, as it would depend on the facts of each case and the discretion of the government. But we see the Biden administration is finally acting on that memo, going so far as to even urge the court, on their own, to dismiss cases.

Your case does not have to be exactly like my client’s case, and I’m giving the factual background only as an example. But if you are in removal proceedings, or even if

you have a final removal order, maybe this Biden memo could benefit you.

Our client had married a U.S. citizen, who petitioned him, and he received a 2-year conditional green card. He was supposed to file a petition to remove conditions when that green card expired. The marriage did not work out and they got divorced. However, his conditional status had never been terminated.

His mother then petitioned him as a single adult child (F-1). Eventually, the priority date became current, and he filed for adjustment of status.

When he went to the adjustment interview, USCIS had a policy that if a person was under conditional status based on a marriage, the person had to go in front of a judge in order to terminate their conditional status. USCIS put him in deportation, and the hearing was scheduled for 2022. Then USCIS changed its policy and said it would no longer be necessary for people who are in conditional status to go in front of a judge to terminate that status. But still, the case was pending in deportation. Of course, during Trump, there was almost no chance of the government exercising prosecutorial discretion or agreeing to dismiss cases.

As a result of Biden’s memo, we recently received the government’s motion to dismiss, which stated in relevant part, “the Department of Homeland Security requests this Honorable Court to dismiss the instant proceedings without prejudice…the circumstances

of the case have changed to such an extent that continuation is no longer in the best interest of the government. The respondent is a beneficiary of an approved I-130 petition and may adjust before USCIS.” In other words, the government was exercising prosecutorial discretion for a person in deportation, and on its own, was urging the court to dismiss the case, so our client can go back in front of USCIS and adjust status under his mother’s petition.

How can this benefit you?

If you are now in deportation or have already been ordered deported and you are not one of the “enforcement priorities” (such as a felon, terrorist, etc.), maybe you could be eligible for prosecutorial discretion, to have your case dismissed or reopened, provided you now have a way to legalize your status.

For example, at the time of the deportation, you did not have a way to get a green card, and so were ordered deported. But perhaps a petition was filed for you long ago and only now the priority date is current. Or, you just married a U.S. Citizen, and now you have a way to get a green card.

This new policy by the Biden Administration could benefit you because perhaps the government would be willing to re-open an old deportation case or be willing to dismiss the case.

Also, you do not necessarily have to wait for the government to bring the motion. You should consult with an attorney, who can perhaps package

SAME-SEX GREEN CARD THIS WEEK ON CITIZEN PINOY. For Jonathan (left), love conquers all. He was visiting friends in the U.S. to take a break from a recent upheaval in his life when he met his future husband. He then quickly gave up his life and career in the Philippines to be with the one who “completes” him. He got married with his same-sex partner and, with the help of leading U.S. Immigration Attorney Michael J. Gurfinkel (right), he was able to acquire a green card and eventually his U.S. citizenship, so he could spend the rest of his life with his one true love in the U.S. As a post celebration to Pride Month, watch how true love wins on an all-new episode of “Citizen Pinoy” this Sunday, July 11 at 5:30 PM PT (8:30 PM ET thru select Cable/Satellite providers). (Advertising Supplement)

your case and negotiate with the government – the trial attorneys, if they would be willing to dismiss the case or join in what’s called a joint motion to dismiss.

But this is great news! If you think you may be eligible, consult with an attorney, who can evaluate your case, and assist in helping you legalize. *** Michael J. Gurfinkel has been an attorney for over 40 years and is licensed, and an active member of the

State Bars of California and New York.

All immigration services are provided by, or under the supervision of, an active member of the State Bar of California. Each case is different, and results may depend on the facts of the particular case. The information and opinions contained herein (including testimonials, “Success Stories,” endorsements and re-enactments) are of a general nature, and are not intended to apply to any particular c a s e, a n d d o n o t co n s t i t u te a prediction, warranty, guarantee or legal advice regarding the outcome of

your legal matter. No attorney-client relationship is, or shall be, established with any reader.

WEBSITE: www.gurfinkel.com Fo l l ow u s o n Fa ce b o o k .co m / GurfinkelLaw, YouTube: US Immigration TV and Instagram.com/gurfinkellaw Ca l l To l l f re e to sc h e d u l e a consultation for anywhere in the US: 1-866-487-3465 (866) – GURFINKEL Four offices to serve you: LOS ANGELES ∙ SAN FRANCISCO ∙ NEW YORK ∙ PHILIPPINES (Advertising Supplement)

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Arjo on the lessons of his new show’s compelling socio-political series

By Tessa

MauriCio-arriola ManilaTimes.net

“YES po, it’s finally on Netflix,” boomed a deep yet gentle voice on the other end of a Viber call early this week. It was Arjo Atayde’s – the young and gifted actor who made history for the Philippines in 2020 with his huge triumph at the Asian Academy Creative Awards for his riveting role as family manturned-henchman in iWant’s original socio-political series, “Bagman.” It was the country’s first-ever Best Actor win in the prestigious regional awards and truly an impressive one, what with the Philippine bet beating nine other established actors from China, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Singpore, Thailand and Taiwan.

Grateful and ever humbled to this day for the momentous achievement, Arjo interestingly said in this interview that more than being able to show his award-winning performance to a much bigger audience via Netflix, it is the very timely story of Bagman which he is passionate for people to see.

“Ang dami na pong naunang Filipino series and movies sa Netflix but I’m very happy all the same that we’re finally streaming [Bagman] only now,” Arjo started to explain. “Because even if it’s just a coincidence, with the national elections just around the corner, I can’t think of a better time for people to watch the series. I just hope that somehow, it will help them make the right decisions in choosing our country’s next leaders.”

Bagman, of course, sees Arjo in the critically acclaimed role of Benjo Malaya, a soon-to-be father, whose meager livelihood – an honest, small-town barbershop – is about to be demolished for a roadwidening project. Afraid for his family’s survival, desperation forces him to agree to become the governor’s “bagman” just to keep his business.

Before long, Benjo finds himself sucked into the dark, dirty and dangerous side of politics – with all its wheeling and dealing, power struggles and insatiable temptations – just because of every husband and father’s desire and every human’s instinct to protect his family.

“Alam n’yo po, I believe in stories that have to be told,” Arjo confided, opening a new side to him.

“My passion as an actor goes beyond [portraying a role]... and I always try to look for that depth in my character – something that I can learn – and definitely, Benjo has been an eye opener for me on so many levels.”

According to Arjo, he was drawn first of all to the character’s catalyst in going from good guy to anti-hero.

“It’s the fact that he would do anything for family. In that sense, I’m quite like Benjo because I’m very attached to my family and I’d do anything for them. In his case, though, the question is how far should he go, di’ba? But, I mean, how can you judge someone who only wanted to put food on their table three times a day, but was pushed to the wall?

“So, it’s this desperation of Benjo for his family to survive – just like so many people who are forced to steal so their family can eat – is what really hit me hard. It’s a reality that I’ve taken to heart and that I’m pretty sure will be with me for the rest of my life, because something needs to be done to

Arjo Atayde

Photo from Instagram/@arjoatayde

help out.”

For many reading this, Arjo’s raw empathy may come as a surprise. It’s common knowledge after all, even outside showbiz, that he has always lived a life of privilege. The son of well-liked businessman Art Atayde and revered dramatic actress Sylvia Sanchez, it’s practically been gated communities, private schools, a celebrity-filled social life and foreign holidays all the way for this well-bred mestizo.

In a previous interview with his mom, however, The T-Zone already had an inkling of how Arjo is a keen and compassionate observer of the world around him. According to Sylvia – who never hid the fact she braved showbiz to rise above a very humble background in Agusan del Norte – she made sure to bring Arjo and his siblings to the province every year since they were kids to show them the other side of life.

“Yung unang beses namin pumunta, siyempre nagulat sila. The next time na bumalik kami ayan na, ang dami nang dala nila Arjo na damit, laruan para i-share sa mga bata doon,” Sylvia proudly said in The Sunday Times Magazine back in 2019.

Secondly, Arjo said that in building Benjo’s character for his portrayal, he seriously realized the danger of electing corrupt and dishonest politicians to office.

“I asked my directors if they could help me find a bagman I can talk to so I can figure out exactly the dirty works they had to do. But of course, it wasn’t going to happen and I had to work with the actual stories they had, which inspired the series, in delivering the part.”

And what he learned about real-life politicos – the greed, corruption and downright immorality – shocked and saddened him to no end.

“That’s why there are people like Benjo and why a lot of people are in need of help,” Arjo decided.

It’s also the reason why the very talented actor is always willing to play bad guy roles, just like anPAGE B4

McDonald’s USA celebrates the nationwide Arrival of MyMcDonald’s Rewards with World Famous Fan Day on July 13 The Golden Arches has something for everyone: free fries for all, 1 million rewards points for 66 lucky fans and even free fries for life for the most loyal

CHICAGO – The loyalty program you’ve been craving is finally here with the nationwide launch of MyMcDonald’s Rewards*. After 66 years of unrivaled fandom, you could say our customers’ loyalty has become just as famous as our World Famous Fries®, and they deserve to be rewarded. So, we’re going to do just that by serving up rewards big and small.

We’re kicking off the fun on July 13 with a day that we’ve renamed after our beloved fans.

Move over National French Fry Day, it’s World Famous Fan Day and we’re coming in hot with free fries, on us – because the only thing better than our World Famous Fries are FREE World Famous Fries. To join the fry party, download the McDonald’s app, opt-in to MyMcDonald’s Rewards and add the deal for medium fries to your cart**.

But we’re not stopping there.

We know some of you are more than just fans – you’re loyal for life. We’re on a mission to find and reward our devoted, diehard fans on World Famous Fan Day – giving you a chance to prove that you’re the most loyal with the World Famous Fan contest: • Sixty-six fans, one for every year of McDonald’s history, will score one million MyMcDonald’s Rewards points, helping your “McDonald’s Money” go further.

• One lucky World Famous Fan will walk away with free fries for LIFE. All you gotta do is share WHY you’re the most loyal McDonald’s fan on Twitter starting on July 13, tagging @McDonalds, and including #MyMcDonaldsFanContest and your home state (e.g. #IL)***. Check out the full rundown at MyMcDonaldsFanContest.com. And the best part?

We’ll have real super fans as the judges, because who better to spot our most loyal fans than

a true World Famous Fan? “We have the best fans in the world who deserve to unlock perks for their loyalty,” said Alycia Mason, Vice President of Digital Customer Experience, McDonald’s USA. “That is why we are so excited to bring MyMcDonald’s Rewards nationwide and celebrate with all of our guests on World Famous Fan Day. We’re eager to repay years of fandom by giving them what they love most about McDonald’s – our delicious food – for years to come.”

Join us on World Famous Fan Day as we celebrate you, our amazing fans, and thanks for coming along for the ride!

McDonald’s Corporation introduced Accelerating the Arches, our new global growth strategy, in November of 2020.

One of the pillars includes doubling down on the 3 D’s (Digital, Delivery and Drive Thru).

The MyMcDonald’s Rewards program is part of our new digital experience growth engine, “MyMcDonald’s,” which aims to give customers enhanced

speed, rewards and deals for a seamless McD’s experience.

McDonald’s USA, LLC, serves a variety of menu options made with quality ingredients to nearly 25 million customers every day. Ninety-five percent of McDonald’s nearly 14,000 U.S. restaurants are independently owned and operated by local business owners. For more information, visit www.mcdonalds.com, or follow us on Twitter @McDonalds and Facebook. www.facebook. com/mcdonalds. *Program available only at participating McDonald’s in the local area. Refer to MyMcDonald’s Program Terms for details. Excludes delivery. McD App download and registration required. **Valid 1x on 7/13/21 at participating McDonald’s. Mobile Order & Pay at Participating McDonald’s. McD App download and registration required. ***No Purchase Nec. 50 US/DC 16+ Ends 7/20/21@11:59pmET Rules: MyMcDonaldsFanContest.com. n

Donnalyn airs frustrations after being not paid P1-M borrowed by fellow vlogger

By Dana

Cruz Inquirer.net

DONNALYN Bartolome has vented her frustrations after a fellow influencer who had borrowed P1 million from her failed to pay her back on the day promised. She said the borrower even used her name to get loans from other people.

“Gandang birthday gift sa akin. Utang na [one] million, gone just like that,” the vlogger stated, showing screenshots from her conversation with the unidentified borrower through her Facebook page yesterday, July 7.

(What a great birthday gift for me. A P1 million loan, gone just like that.)

The borrower supposedly needed P1 million as “show money” to purchase a car. He asked for Bartolome’s help on June 28 and said he would pay her back the following day. But despite a written agreement between him and Bartolome, the borrower has yet to pay back his loan.

“This guy is not the only one na nakautang sa akin (who borrowed money from me), but he is using my name to fool people into lending him money,” Bartolome said.

It was not known if the borrower indeed bought a car, but he said he was willing to

Donnalyn Bartolome

give his YouTube earnings to Bartolome so he could pay her back.

“Di mo naiintindihan. Hindi lang naman [one] million ang kinuha mo at di mo binalik.

Kinuha mo tiwala ko (You don’t understand. You did not just get one million. You also took away my trust),” Bartolome lamented.

She also pointed out that the borrower was not supposed to spend the P1 million because it

Photo from Instagram/@donna

was to be used only as “show money.”

“Pay up. Everyone who treats me with disrespect, minamalas (reaps bad luck),” she warned in a separate Facebook post on the same day.

Bartolome admitted that she should not have lent money to the said influencer, and warned fans not to get fooled.

She stressed that for her, trust is worth more than any amount of money. n

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How celebrity status helps Francine Arjo on the lessons of... realize dream of healing others

By Marinel

Cruz

Inquirer.net

WITHOUT realizing it, actress Francine Diaz is turning out to be almost like the person she dreamed of becoming when she was younger, a doctor.

The teen star recently told Inquirer Entertainment that she had wanted to become a doctor to help heal her siblings, who were sickly while growing up, and also because her family didn’t have enough resources for their regular checkups.

These days, Francine is involved in helping young people like herself, but individuals who feel they are going through mental and emotional problems as a result of the isolation related to the current pandemic.

“When I was younger, I dreamed of becoming an astronaut, a teacher and a model/ actress. When I went to high school, I imagined being a doctor because my siblings were often sick, and we didn’t have

EMPLOYMENT

six siblings. “This was why, I would always go online to learn how to treat common illnesses in kids, like headaches, tummy aches and back pains.

“Come to think of it, these ambitions are all connected to my being an actress today. I hope to be able to portray all of them in future film and TV projects,” said Francine, who is the family breadwinner.

It is also Francine’s celebrity status that allows her to be able to reach out to many people through social media. After all, she is a member of the popular teen group, “The Gold Squad,” along with her onscreen partner Kyle Echarri, as well as Andrea Brillantes and Seth Fedelin.

“I don’t have a definite answer to all the mental health problems that people my age are going through as a result Francine Diaz Photo from Instagram/@francinediaz of the pandemic. But I do know money to take them to the hos- if I become a doctor, then we that what they’re dealing with pital. We would always borrow don’t have to pay,” recalled is not easy,” she explained.

PAGE B6 money for medicine. I thought, Francine, who is the third of

EMPLOYMENT

PAGE B2 other one of his critically acclaimed parts, drug lord Biggie Chen in the 2018 blockbuster “Buy Bust.”

“It’s my 10th year in the industry next year and I’ve been a villain all my life [in showbiz],” Arjo exclaimed laughing. “There are actually people who think I’m really bad in real life.

“On the one hand, it’s the best compliment to ever receive as an actor because if they’re scared or angry at me for being a villain, it means I’ve done my job well. But on the other – like I said, I want to do more in series or movies I take on. So, if portraying a villain can show them reality then so be it. Maybe it can even help them out if they find themselves in a similar situation... I don’t know,” he trailed off, suddenly seeming conscious of blurting his hopes out loud.

“I’m not trying to be deep,” he chuckled. “It’s just that I’m 30 years old now and I find myself really thankful to have this kind of life my parents worked so hard to give us. But now that I’m working, because I truly believe in the virtue of hard work – kumakayod na din mag-isa, not just in showbiz but in a couple of businesses I set up – my goals have changed from when I was young.”

As Arjo continued to open up, he revealed preparing to support his future family is a major priority, but with both his career and nonshowbiz ventures going well, he also sincerely hopes to be able to give back to those in need.

“Doing Bagman is really one of the things that made me realize I need to do more and want to do more to help others. I’ve been doing it long before, naman po...” he said quietly, so as not to sound self righteous, “but from what I see happening around us today... Let’s just say I want to be able to share what I’ve been given because it’s so much more than what I expected.”

The iWant original series, Bagman, is created Philip King, Lino Cayetano and Shugo Praico, who also directed both seasons. Costarring Yayo Aguila, Raymond Bagatsing and Alan Paule among others.

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Investing in value stocks (Part 3 of 3)

Tax Tips ViCtor Sy, MBA, CPA (retired) • GROWTH stocks are expected to grow sales and earnings at a faster rate than the market average.

• Growth stocks have a history of strong revenue growth and projected strong revenue growth and strong earnings.

• Growth stocks have the potential to outperform the overall market over time because of their future potential.

• Growth stocks often look expensive, trading at a high P/E

ratio, but such valuations could actually be cheap if the company continues to grow rapidly.

• Investors pay more based on expectations, but but these stocks dip and dive if those expectations aren’t realized.

You lose.

• Growth stocks typically don’t pay dividends.

• Growth stocks have the potential to perform better when interest rates are falling and company earnings are rising.

• Growth stocks tend to excel during bull markets or periods of economic expansion.

• Growth stocks are anticipated to grow significantly above the average growth for the market.

• Examples of growth stocks

are: Amazon AMZN, FaceBook FB, Apple AAPL, Netflix NFLX, Zoom ZM, Square SQ, Bidu BIDU, Alibaba BABA (which by the way is also a value stock trading at low P/Es). *** Victor Santos Sy graduated Cum Laude from UE with a BBA and from Indiana State University with an MBA. Vic worked with SyCip, Gorres, Velayo (SGV – Andersen Consulting) and Ernst & Young before establishing Sy Accountancy Corporation. *** He retired after 50 years of defending taxpayers audited by the IRS, EDD, BOE and other governmental agencies. He published a book on “How to Avoid or Survive IRS Audits” that’s available at Amazon. Readers may email tax questions to vicsy@live.com.

What is the difference between an annulment and a divorce?

Barrister’s Corner Atty. Kenneth UrSUA reyeS WHAT is the difference between a divorce and an annulment? Many people think these concepts are the same and interchangeable. There are many differences between the two concepts. A divorce ends a valid existing marriage. In a nullity, a determination is made about the validity of the marriage itself.

When a marriage is annulled, it has the same effect as if the marriage never existed. A nullity results in a void.

In California, any spouse can obtain a divorce regardless of the reason. A common basis used is a catchall phrase “irreconcilable differences.” However, anyone who wants to end a marriage can end the marriage and there is nothing the other spouse can do to stop that. However in a petition for nullity, the court will not automatically grant you the nullity. There has to be a legal basis for seeking the nullity as outlined in the family code.

Some of the basis are 1) entering into a bigamous marriage 2) incestuous marriage 3)fraud in obtaining the other spouse’s consent to marriage 4) incurable physical incapacity 5) unsound mind among others. The petitioner would have to prove one of these grounds in court to be able to get a nullity.

In a Nullity, there is a statute of limitations. That means you have to file your nullity within a

certain time period depending on the basis for seeking the Nullity. Each ground has a different statute of limitation. For example, if you are filing the nullity based on fraud, you have to file within 4 years of discovering the fraud. If you blow the statute of limitation, this can be used as a defense to dismiss your case.

On the other hand there is no statute of limitation in a divorce.

You can file a divorce at any time regardless of how long you have been separated from your spouse.

In a divorce, husband and wife are presumed to be the parents of children born during the marriage. In a Nullity, the marriage has no validity so it will affect the presumption of parentage of the children. The Court will have to make a finding of parentage for the children on a different basis before it can make orders relating to custody, visitation, and support.

The treatment of spousal support (alimony) is different between the two. In a divorce, the spouse that has less earning capacity and access to resources may seek an award of spousal support. This is not available in a Nullity since the marriage is invalid and there is no spouse as a result.

The division of property is also different. In a divorce, community property is divided equally between the spouses. In a nullity, since there is no valid marriage, there is no community property created and properties are not divided between the spouse.

Similarly, neither party can receive survivorship benefits and inheritance rights from the other party in a Nullity.

Finally, there are different

immigration consequences between a divorce and a nullity when an immigrant spouse is involved. In a divorce, the immigrant spouse who obtains a greencard from a US Citizen spouse stands a bigger chance of keeping his or her greencard and ultimately become a US Citizen. In a nullity, the immigrant spouse may lose their greencard status when the marriage is found to be invalid since it is the basis for the greencard. It can jeopardize the immigration status of the legal permanent resident spouse. *** Please note that this article is not legal advice and is not intended as legal advice. The article is intended to provide only general, non-specific legal information. This article is not intended to cover all the issues related to the topic discussed. The specific facts that apply to your matter may make the outcome different than would be anticipated by you. This article does create any attorney client relationship between you and the Law Offices of Kenneth U. Reyes, APLC This article is not a solicitation. *** Attorney Kenneth Ursua Reyes is a Certified Family Law Specialist. He was President of the Philippine American Bar Association. He is a member of both the Family law section and Immigration law section of the Los Angeles County Bar Association. He is a graduate of Southwestern University Law School in Los Angeles and California State University, San Bernardino School of Business Administration. He has extensive CPA experience prior to law practice. LAW OFFICES OF KENNETH REYES, APLC. is located at 3699 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 747, Los Angeles, CA, 90010.

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

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Break the shackles of debt after COVID

WHY do we say break the shackles of debt? Because debt ties the debtor to the creditor in a slave-master relationship until the shackles of debt are broken for good. No one wants to be a debt slave. A debt slave uses all of his or her disposable income to pay debt, daily, monthly, yearly and forever, and even until death, debts have a claim on the estate of the deceased!

The client is 60. His wife is 62. They’re about to retire sooner than later. What happens when they retire? Obviously, their household income goes down because they stop working and start relying on social security. The average social security for Americans in 2018 is about $1,400 a month.

So, the client gets $1,400 and the wife gets $1,400, or a total of $2,800 a month of social security. While working, the clients make $50,000 a year, and the wife makes $40,000 a year, or a total of $90,000.

That’s about $7,500 a month of income. When they stop working, instead of getting $7,500 a month gross, they will get let’s say $3,000 a month as combined social security benefits.

That’s a 60% reduction in the client’s household income. I have another client who is 68 and he continues to work and make a salary of $4,000, plus his social security of $1,600.

However, his wife who is 69 has stopped working and draws social security of $900.

She used to make $2,500 a month when still working as a cashier at a supermarket. So, even in that case, where one spouse continues working, there’s a reduction in household income.

As they say, “you gotta do what you gotta do.” Once the household income drops, the first problem that rears its ugly head is debt service. The client

Debt Relief

Atty. lAwrenCe yAnG owes $30,000 of credit cards.

They need $1,000 a month to keep those cards current.

That’s paying minimum interest only. They’ve been paying $1,000 a month on this very same $30,000 of credit cards for the last 20 years. So they’ve paid a total of $240,000 to keep $30,000 of credit cards current for the last 20 years! How much do they still owe now after paying $240,000? They owe the very same $30,000. It’s really a big deal because the client has transferred $240,000 of the household’s hard-earned money, that’s a quarter of a million dollars in the last 20 years, just to keep $30,000 of credit cards current.

Isn’t that just plain dumb?

They could have filed a Chapter 7 15 years ago and gotten rid of the $30,000 in credit cards.

What would they have now if they did that? They would have $180,000 of savings, which probably would be about $300,000 now if wisely invested in equities, notwithstanding the present wild stock market gyrations; they would have no debt; and their credit score would be perfect if they handle new credit in a timely manner.

Yes, your credit score increases yearly after bankruptcy and you do get new credit cards and new credit lines. I just suggest that you pay off the cards completely every month.

Don’t leave any balance outstanding. Otherwise, the balances start accumulating again, and you’re on the hook again. Your credit score will be good enough to buy a car

immediately after bankruptcy, just bring the discharge order to the dealer. That’s all they look for. In three years from filing bankruptcy, your credit score is good enough to buy a house, albeit at higher interest than one with perfect credit.

In year six or seven, your credit score is over 700, and in year 10, your credit score is perfect once more. It’s over 800.

No matter what your age is, if you have accumulated significant credit card debt that you are not able to significantly pay down and you just keep making minimum payments on these cards, you really are a slave to debt. That’s your life.

You are shackled to debt for the rest of your life. That’s not a good idea, is it? Being a debt slave for life is a bad idea. You will be living in darkness. Your family will be living in darkness.

If you don’t agree with me, go ahead and add to your debt and see what happens. Each year that goes by, these accumulated credit cards will become bigger and bigger and demand more and more of your household income.

If you need debt relief, call our office to set an appointment. I will analyze your case personally. *** DISCLAIMER: NONE OF THE FOREGOING IS CONSIDERED LEGAL ADVICE. EACH CASE IS DIFFERENT. *** Lawrence Bautista Yang specializes in Bankruptcy, Business, Real Estate and Civil Litigation and has successfully represented more than five thousand clients in California. Please call Angie, Barbara or Jess at (626) 284-1142 for an appointment at 20274 Carrey Road, Walnut, CA 91789 or 1000 S. Fremont Ave., Mailstop 58, Building A-10 South Suite 10042, Alhambra, CA 91803.

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LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL • JULY 10-13, 2021

B5

Can employer fire employees in a post-COVID ‘reorganization’?

Protecting Employee & Consumer Rights Atty. C. Joe SAyAS, Jr. Q: I work for a mid-size company in Los Angeles. Because of the COVID pandemic, I, together with half of our work force, worked from home for over a year. Now, we are returning to the worksite. However, management has told us that there will be a “reorganization” and some employees will not be asked to come back and will be let go. I was one of these persons who was told not to come back. After talking with other co-workers, it seems the company laid off workers who have the highest pay (most of them older), and workers who have had some medical condition. I am an older worker and I had taken medical leave months prior to the lockdown for a heart surgery. What are my rights?

A: In California, employment is generally “at-will.” This means that either the employer or the employee may end the employment relationship at any time. An employee can quit their job for any reason at any time. Likewise, the employer may terminate the employee at any time, even if the employee’s job performance was excellent. The employer may also terminate employees for unfair reasons such as nepotism or favoritism. Or the employer may terminate employees for business reasons, such reorganization or eliminating job positions. The employer may even terminate the employee for no reason at all.

However, an employer is prohibited from firing an employee due to a discriminatory or retaliatory reason. Discriminatory intent exists when an

employee was terminated because of their protected characteristics such as age, race, sex, color, national origin, disability, medical condition, pregnancy, religion, and even union affiliation. A retaliatory intent exists if the employer fires the employee for engaging in a “protected activity” such as registering internal complaints regarding the safety of the employer’s products or for exercising a legal right such as taking a medical leave. Where discrimination or retaliation can be proven, the employee may have a claim for wrongful termination.

As employees return to work after the lifting of the stay at home order and after a long absence from the worksite, employers may be legitimately re-evaluating their staffing needs post-COVID. It may be true that they are streamlining and doing away with superfluous or more expensive positions as a business necessity.

However, COVID or not, employers must continue to comply with existing laws regarding age and disability under the California’s Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA) and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

An employer’s policy and conduct must not result in either disparate impact or disparate treatment against employees.

Disparate impact is often referred to as unintentional discrimination.

Employer policies, practices, or decisions may appear to be neutral but result in a disproportionate impact on a protected group. In the inquiry above, the employer’s stated intent to eliminate higher paid employees may sound neutral on its face and can be justified as a business decision. However, if it results in the firing of a disproportionately large number of employees older than 40 years old to be replaced by

cheaper but also younger employees, the supposedly neutral business decision may in fact be age discrimination.

On the other hand, disparate treatment is intentional discrimination. This means the employer has intentionally singled out a protected class of employees and subjected them to adverse action. In the inquiry above, the employer’s conduct of firing employees who have a medical condition or who took medical leave may be considered disability or medical condition discrimination.

As employers resume normal operations, existing laws as well as newly enacted ones are in place to protect workers. For example, in certain industries, laid-off employees have the legal right to be recalled to their former jobs or to any open position for which they could be trained to do. Where employers are asking some employees not to return to work but instead are hiring new ones, one must ask whether the employer is engaging in discrimination.

It would certainly benefit an employee in this situation to consult with experienced employment counsel to protect themselves. *** The Law Offices of C. Joe Sayas, Jr. welcomes inquiries about this topic. All inquiries are confidential and at no-cost. You can contact the office at (818) 291-0088 or visit www.joesayaslaw.com. [For more than 25 years, C. Joe Sayas, Jr., Esq. has successfully recovered wages and other monetary damages for thousands of employees and consumers. He was named Top Labor & Employment Attorney in California by the Daily Journal, consistently selected as Super Lawyer by the Los Angeles Magazine, and is a past Presidential Awardee for Outstanding Filipino Overseas.]

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Pedestrian accidents Commentary

Atty. PAyAM tAVAKoli A PEDESTRIAN is crossing a typically busy street in a marked mid-block crosswalk.

A car approaching the cross walk in the slow lane sees the pedestrian crossing and stops for the pedestrian. This car blocks the view of another car approaching the crosswalk in the fast lane. There is no stop.

The driver of the car in the fast lane is only required to stop if they see someone in the crosswalk. The driver of the car in

the fast lane does not understand that the driver of the car in the slow lane has stopped for a pedestrian in the crosswalk. The driver of the car in the fast lane continues driving straight and strikes the pedestrian in the crosswalk and kills the pedestrian.

This particular crosswalk has a few previous similar incidents. Is the City responsible for creating a dangerous condition by not putting up a traffic signal to protect pedestrians?

Government Code section 830.4 states that the City is not liable for a dangerous condition created solely from the failure to provide traffic control signals, stop signs, or other traffic control signs.

This code section is, however,

slightly not as clear. There are case laws that have defeated this Government Code section.

During the initial investigation, my office will help your attorney assess the facts surrounding this accident. *** The opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by the author do not necessarily reflect the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints of the Asian Journal, its management, editorial board and staff. *** If you have further questions, an experienced Injury Lawyer at the Law Offices of Tavakoli & Associates will be able to help you navigate the issues and provide you with the aggressive representation you need and deserve.

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We are not alone

Pastor’s Notes reVerend rodel G. BAlAGtAS “IN him, we were chosen. In him, we were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit.”

Let’s make these words from today’s Second Reading (Ephesians 1: 3-14) our mantra this week because it is vital to us always to remember the assurance of God that he has confidence in us. For he has sealed us with the power of the Holy Spirit, especially through the Sacrament of Confirmation.

There are moments when we may feel unmotivated or uninspired to do God’s work. There are periods when we experience doubts and discouragement.

It’s during these times when

we need to exercise a proper discernment of the Spirit.

The Enemy of Christ has a way to pull us down through the inner voices of negativity and discouragement. He’s the one who tells us that there’s not much that we can do to change the world, to rebuild our church, or to pursue our dreams, ambitions, and goals.

Let’s not listen to the Enemy’s voice. Instead, let’s listen to Christ’s voice that tells us that we matter, that we can do his work and that we have each other for support.

It’s no wonder that Jesus sent the Twelve two by two and gave them authority over unclean spirits. He knows that his Enemy can dampen, frighten or intimidate us.

So, yes, let’s be confident in the power and abilities that God

has given us through the Holy Spirit. Like Prophet Amos in today’s First Reading, when the Lord tells us to go and prophesy to his people in a world that seemed to have forgotten God, let’s do it! He will give words, wisdom, and courage. He will never leave us alone.

Indeed, “In him, we were chosen. In him, we were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit.” *** The opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by the author do not necessarily reflect the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints of the Asian Journal, its management, editorial board and staff. *** Fr. Rodel “Odey” Balagtas is the pastor of Incarnation Church in Glendale, California.

Despite acting pedigree, Claudia more comfortable creating music

By AllAn

PolicArPio Inquirer.net

CONTRARY to some people’s presumptions, Claudia Barretto didn’t take the music route for the sake of standing out from her family of actors. Writing was a constant part of her childhood, she said, and so it only felt natural that she honed that talent and pursued a career that allows her to freely express herself.

“Some people think that, ‘Oh, maybe she did this deliberately so she could set herself apart.’ But growing up, it was just my natural inclination to turn to music as

a form of self-expression. I have always liked writing, journaling and listening to singer-songwriters like Taylor Swift,” she said in a recent virtual conference for her new single, “Nothing to Do.” ‘Secret dream’ While her mom, Marjorie, aunts Gretchen and Claudine, and sister Julia found success in film and television, Claudia harbored her “secret dream.”

“I loved singing, but I was unusually shy about it. It was a secret dream. I didn’t tell anyone about it, because I didn’t have the confidence then. It wasn’t until I was 15 that I told them

about it. Thankfully, they have been nothing but encouraging,” she related. “It just all fell into place. Music felt like something I could hone.”

Her famous surname has been a constant topic since she entered show biz a few years ago.

Is it an advantage or a weight she has to carry? “It can be both. It can make you feel small and that you have something to prove. But you can also see it as a source of inspiration, knowing that you have all these family members who did really well,” said the 21year-old recording artist, who PAGE B6

B6 JULY 10-13, 2021 • LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL

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

How celebrity status...

PAGE B4 Francine observed that “some people from my generation are having a hard time opening up to their families. Most of them said grownups would simply tell them to stop acting up and be serious. I made my social media accounts more accessible to them so that they can express themselves freely.”

Serious topics The actress also said she is well aware that depression,

anxiety and mental illness are “serious topics we all need to focus on, along with physical illness. Kung gaano kahirap ang sakit sa labas, gano’n din ang nasa loob. I don’t want anyone to feel that they’re alone so, in the account that I created for them, they can freely rant or share their problems. I’m here for them.”

Francine said she was surprised to have received so many messages, and she is

now trying her best to answer all of them in spite of her busy schedule. “Whenever I answer, I try to put myself in their shoes so I could approximate how they feel. I then tell something to make them feel better,” she shared with Inquirer Entertainment.

Of the numerous messages she got, Francine took exception to one from a girl who is now in her 20s. “At the time she was feeling depressed, she said she felt nobody understood her. People told her she was just being overly dramatic.

I will not say what she did to herself in the past anymore.

Thankfully, she was able to survive, and that it was ‘Bro’ (local slang for God) who helped her. She said prayer is a powerful weapon. She’s OK now.

She said she never wanted to go back to that extremely sad phase in her life, so she chose to focus on the positive. Even I felt good after she shared this with me. I also felt motivated as a person.”

When asked to share her personal struggle, Francine said she also felt anxious, especially when ABS-CBN was forced to shut down during the strictest implementation of the pandemic lockdown. “I’m fine when I’m busy, but when I’m idle, I would worry about things. In my mind, I would ask, ‘What will happen to my family tomorrow? Where will I get money for food? My siblings need to go to school. What will I give them for their baon?’ The questions never stop. It felt like torture,” recalled one of the lead stars of the drama series “Huwag Kang Mangamba.”

‘Don’t give up’ For a more holistic approach to the problem, Francine said she partnered positive mental motivation with physical workout. “Kahit pagpawisan lang ako for a short period, physical activity really helps. I also played with my younger siblings,” she said.

Francine said she has been asked numerous times to give advice to people her age who might be going through the same troubles, and this is what she would always tell them.

“I know exactly how you feel.

This is a test to determine how strong we are. I promise you, this will end soon. Don’t give up. Just keep praying.” n

Kylie breaks silence over split with Aljur

By Kathleen

a. llemit

Philstar.com

ACTRESS Kylie Padilla is asking for respect from the public amid her breakup with actor husband Aljur Abrenica.

“Every family goes through a lot of challenges and sometimes we think that it is only the couple that goes through the ordeal. We forget the kids and people that are involved,” read the actress’ statement sent to GMA News on Thursday, July 8.

She said that she and Aljur are working on a co-parenting set-up for their two sons, Alas and Axl. News broke out on the same day after her father, actor Robin Padilla, shared that she and Aljur have split. Robin divulged it on the YouTube vlog of talent manager/comedian Ogie Diaz.

She added that they are on the

“process of recovering, healing, and moving on” in the past few months.

“All we need right now is respect—first and foremost on the decisions we have made as a family and respect for each and every member of our family—to Aljur who is the father of my two wonderful boys, most especially to Alas and Axl who are at this point very fragile, and to our families from both sides who have guided us along the way,” Kylie added.

The actress said that she and Aljur are working on a “healthy co-parenting relationship.” They married in December 2018.

“We pray and hope that we will become better persons through this experience and will bring out the best in all of us. Thank you for your love and support,” Kylie Padilla Photo from Instagram/@kylienicolepadilla she said. n

Kapamilya stars, directors share thoughts on first anniversary of ABS-CBN franchise non-renewal

By Charmie Joy

Pagulong Philstar.com

A YEAR after the House of Representatives voted on July 10, 2020 denying ABS-CBN’s 25year broadcast franchise application, Kapamilya employees could still feel the network’s pain of losing its bid to air the television’s programs and shows.

During the virtual media conference for Maalaala Mo Kaya’s (MMK) July episodes Loving to Care and My Two Mothers, stars and directors for the show shared their thoughts a year after the decision took place.

“Masakit pa din kahit one year na siya. But it’s not na iniinda mo pa ‘yung pain. Because what you gotta do is just move on. Show them that you are still standing. You’re doing this not just for yourself but for everybody. Who’s still there and who still believe in us. This is not just a job. This is not just a company that you work for. This is a family and you are there for your family and I am here for my family. And I’m still here. And I will be here for my family,” said Mae Czarina Cruz-Alviar, the director for My Two Mothers episode.

She added that that’s one motivation that keeps them going in spite of the difficulty of filming amid the threat of COVID-19 pandemic. “It’s because you are also doing this to survive not just for yourself but for everybody. Also, for the industry na rin because this is really tough on all of us.”

Director Jerry Sineneng for Loving to Care episode echoed what direk Mae said, “Hindi nawawala yung sakit lalo na palapit na ‘yung anniversary.” But he was still thankful that the network survived despite the absence of the franchise.

“Hindi nila napatay ang ABS-CBN. Hindi napatay ng ilang makapangyarihan ang ABS-CBN. Siguro dahil we are a family. We have formed a strong family. Na kahit ganyan na ‘yung pagsubok naghawak-kamay, nagkapit-kapit at ‘di ba kahit papano natawid ang isang buong taon. Hindi lang basta naitawid. Naitawid naman siya ng matagumpay sa kabila ng kawalan ng prangkisa,” which goes to show that, “ang inaapi ay inaalalayan ng Diyos,” shared direk Jerry.

Iza Calzado, who plays a mother with schizophrenia in MMK’s episode, commended ABSCBN’s efforts. “Of course, surviving but I’d like to think that we are thriving, really. Because despite the loss of the franchise, there have been talks about shows. I mean, andami pa rin and I have to commend and congratulate the network, everybody I know that is working really hard to make this possible.”

She was amazed by how the media giant handled the challenge that has become their strength later on. “How amazed I am of how we have managed to turn our struggle and turn it into our strength. It has made us stronger. It has united all of us. Pero gaya ng nasabi ni direk Mae, para sa industriya talaga itong ginagawa natin. It has been a tough more than one year for everybody but I guess, moreso, for ABS-CBN. I think it is very meaningful that we are doing this for our Kapamilya. So thank you for this opportunity,” said the award-winning actress.

Veteran actress Shamaine Buencamino (as the second mother-teacher in MMK’s My Two

Mothers), for her part, added that she is proud of ABS-CBN because “considering what they went through, they still do not cut corners when it comes to being safe in the production.” “’Yung standard operating procedure nila talagang nakaka-proud na considering there’s not a lot of ads now, and they’re not as financially robust like before, hindi pa rin sila nagtitipid when it comes to the safety and health of their people,” she continued.

Young stars Heaven Peralejo and Zaijian Jaranilla also praised ABS-CBN. “All I can say is, I will be loyal to my family,” stated Heaven.

“Dito na ko lumaki sa ABS-CBN, dito na ko nakilala at nagkaisip. So, ‘nung nangyari po ‘yun (non-renewal of franchise), siyempre malungkot kasi lahat ng artists, mga directors, lahat na nagta-trabaho sa ABS, mga loyal din na supporters naapektuhan,” said Zaijian.

The former child star was also grateful that the media company survived the odds. “Pero sobrang happy ako kasi kahit papano, naka-survive pa rin tayo. Nakakagawa pa rin tayo ng mga telerserye na magaganda para maka-inspire at i-present sa mga tao sa kabila ng lahat.”

Heaven plays the role of a young girl who is blessed with two mothers while Zaijian is a Nursing student, who along with his father, played by Nonie Buencamino, do their best to fight despite losing their loved ones due to chronic kidney disease (CKD). Karen Reyes plays the character of Dideng, Zaijian’s sister in the Loving to Care episode, who also has CKD. The MMK cast members were also asked why they chose to stay as Kapamilya and they proudly said that they are happy and contented with where they are right now.

“Why am I here? This is where God put me. You know. At this point in my life, I’m not looking for change. I’m not looking to shake things up in my life. I’m at peace with where I’m at,” shared Iza. The actress likewise said that she is quite satisfied with her career and from other facets of her life as well. She continued, “And why am I still a Kapamilya? Honestly, the past year seeing how the network has really stood firmly with everything that’s been our, their way, it made me respect the network and everybody in it even more.”

She also took pride in being part of Ang sa Iyo ay Akin and MMK. “My intuition says stay here and it might not be the same for others but this is my reality. This is where I’m at and I’m very proud to be still a Kapamilya.”

“Kung nasaan po yung trabaho, nandun po ako.

Kasi hindi naman po ako contract actor. Isa po akong character actor,” said Shamaine.

Zaijian, who grew up with ABS-CBN as an actor, shared how his life has improved because of the opportunities given by the network. “Parang utang na loob ko rin po ‘yun sa kanila. Andami na rin nilang nabigay sa akin. Tulad ng makatulong ako sa pamilya ko. Makilala ako ng ibang tao at willing naman ako na dito na mag-stay. Hindi ako lumipat sa kung saan man. I’m so happy sa ABSCBN kahit papano po.”

Former Pinoy Big Brother housemate Heaven who started her career with ABS-CBN expressed her loyalty, “I will always be a Kapamilya. Naging pamilya na rin kasi sila sakin eh and masaya ako dito kaya tulungan lang din.” n

Despite acting pedigree, Claudia...

PAGE B5 considers her mom as her mosttrusted critic.

Newfound confidence “Nothing to Do,” which Claudia cowrote with rapper Curtismith, is her digital release under Viva Records, her new label. She described the writing process as “organic”—“no inhibitions” or “holding back.”

“It’s about having completely nothing to do. But if you’re with the right person, it can still be a special experience,” she said of the pop-R&B track. “I don’t know exactly how to classify my sound, but I have always gravitated toward those genres.”

Claudia is at her most comfortable when she’s writing songs.

Performing live, on the other hand, is something she needed to get used to.

“When I started doing music and live performances, I lacked the confidence, experience and practice. But now, I have become more aware of what it takes to do a good job onstage. That’s why I’m excited to do live performances now,” said Claudia, who’s currently taking up psychology at the Ateneo de Manila University.

This newfound confidence can be attributed to all the prepara-

Experiment She’s also more willing to experiment with different genres, and is no longer afraid of collaborations. “I feel like I have grown a lot from my previous projects. I’m more comfortable writing what I want and being honest with my lyrics. Working with other artists was something I wasn’t used to.

Now, I no longer feel as conscious when I have to write or work in front of others.”

Claudia knows that not everyone is privileged enough to have the same pandemic experience, so the least she could do, she said, was to make use of her time productively.

“The pandemic is something we all struggled with. But it made me realize how lucky and privileged I am, because, given the circumstances, I was able to use my time to learn more about myself—not everyone has the same experience,” she pointed out. “The best Claudia Barretto thing I can do for myself is make Photo from Instagram/@claudia something out of the time I have.”

Now that she’s with Viva Entertion and work she has been doing during the pandemic. “I took tainment, acting no longer seems voice and dance lessons to build far-fetched. “I always say, ‘Never my confidence. I tried to write say never.’ So, it’s something songs even if there was no inspi- that can happen. Or maybe I can ration, so I can have that kind of explore that in my music videos first,” she said. n discipline,” she related.

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LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL • JULY 10-13, 2021

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B8 JULY 10-13, 2021 • LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL

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