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JULY 24-30, 2020 Volume 13 - No. 38 • 16 Pages 133-30 32nd Ave., Flushing, NY 11354 • 2500 Plaza S. Harborside Financial Center, Jersey City, NJ 07311 • Tel. (212) 655-5426 • Fax: (818) 502-0858
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FROM THE AJPRESS NEWS TEAM ACROSS AMERICA
Also published in LOS ANGELES, ORANGE COUNTY/INLAND EMPIRE, LAS VEGAS, NORTHERN CALIFORNIA
BI: Only foreigners with long-term visas allowed to enter PH in August
Legal and housing experts predict a R M ‘tsunami of evictions’ as more Americans become unable to pay rent, housing costs Jollibee’s expansion in the US continues, opens second Jersey City store amid the pandemic
The entry of foreign tourists, non-immigrant visa holders, and other categories of travelers are still prohibited. Anyone attempting to land ONLY foreigners with permanent or existing in any of the Philippines’ ports of entry will be immigrant visas are allowed to enter the Philip- turned away, according to BI Commissioner pines starting August, the country’s Bureau of Jaime Morente. “The resolution of the Inter-Agency Task Immigration clarified on Tuesday, July 21. by
AS the coronavirus pandemic rages on and continues to complicate nearly every system of bureaucracy, housing instability becomes an even greater threat to residents facing job and income loss and renters facing impending expirations on rent moratorium orders. At the pandemic’s beginning in March, most states enacted safer-at-home orders that sequester workers to their homes, resulting in about 50 million households that suffered (and continue to experience) job or income loss due to COVID-19. To make matters worse for renters, many
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Palace: Gov’t can’t afford to test all Filipinos for COVID-19 by RITCHEL
MENDIOLA AJPress
THE Philippines can’t afford to test every Filipino for the novel coronavirus, Malacañang admitted on Tuesday, July 21. “If we can afford it, why not? But the reality is, hindi natin maa-afford ang testing sa lahat ng 110 million Filipinos (We cannot afford testing for all 110 million Filipinos),” said Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque. “Pero gagawa po ng hakbang ang ating gobyerno para mas maparami ang testing natin (But our government will take steps to increase our testing),” he added.
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ITCHEL ENDIOLA AJPress
by MOMAR
Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) is clear – only foreigners with existing long-term visas will be allowed entry beginning August 1,” he said in a statement. He warned, “So if you are not a permanent
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G. VISAYA
AJPress
JOLLIBEE opened the doors of its second store in Jersey City last week, more than a month after the inauguration of its Edison store, in the midst of the pandemic that has been slowing global economic growth. The new stores are part of the brand’s plans to grow to 150 stores in the U.S. by 2023. Jollibee Edison and Jollibee Journal Square are the 53rd and 54th stores to open across North America. Traditional favorites and the chain’s signa-
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OPLAN SITA. Members of the Quezon City Police District in Kamuning Station 10 check the driver’s license of motorists passing along Scout Ybardolaza Street in Quezon City on Tuesday, July 21. “Oplan Sita” aims to enhance crime prevention by beefing up police visibility in the city. PNA photo by Robert Oswald P. Alfiler
Fil-Am nurse who documented love for Trump signs memorandum Disney on Instagram dies from COVID-19 excluding undocumented C M. O immigrants from census count by
HRISTINA AJPress
RIEL
THIS past spring, Joshua Obra and his younger sister Jasmine moved to Anaheim, California to be closer to Disneyland. The siblings considered the theme park their “second home,” as they would visit at least once a week since getting annual passes five years
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Legal and civil rights organizations condemn Trump for blocking ‘undocumented immigrants from fair representation’ by KLARIZE
MEDENILLA AJPress
Joshua Obra, 29, died on July 6 from complications related to COVID19 after 26 days in the hospital. A registered nurse by day, Obra documented his love for the Disneyverse on Instagram under the name, @DisneylandPanda. Photo courtesy of Jasmine Obra
UNTIED States President Donald Trump on Tuesday, July 21 signed a memorandum that would exclude
undocumented immigrants from census counts in what is the administration’s latest attempt to alter the way that populations are tallied and progress its stringent immi-
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From the Front Page
Jollibee’s expansion in the US continues... Trump signs memorandum excluding... PAGE 1 ture dishes like Chickenjoy, spaghetti and peach mango pie are now available for callin and pickup. For now, the store is also open for takeout from 8:00 a.m to 10:00 p.m. “We have a simplified menu for now. Next week, we will offer palabok, family pack of burger steak, and eventually, breakfast meals which would be perfect for PATH commuters,” area manager Merle Caleon, a 32-year veteran of Jollibee, told the Asian Journal. She handles the eight stores in Virginia Beach, Florida, New Jersey and New York. Caleon shared that the store was supposed to open last January but delays hampered the opening and then the lockdown happened last March when New York and New Jersey became the epicenter of the pandemic. They continued to work on both stores and when they got the final clearance from Port Authority, they opened Journal Square last week starting with a simple store blessing
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Jollibee opened a second Jersey City store last week. It is located on the plaza level of Journal Square, a major transit hub in New Jersey. The Journal Square store of Jollibee is open for call-in, pickup and takeout. Officials say that delivery via DoorDash will be available next week. AJPress photos by Momar G. Visaya
Fan favorites like Chickenjoy, Jollibee’s world-famous fried chicken; Filipino-style Jolly spaghetti, U.S.-exclusive chicken sandwich and Peach Mango pie are all available. They also announced that palabok and breakfast meals will be available starting this week.
PAGE 1 gration plan. “I have accordingly determined that respect for the law and protection of the integrity of the democratic process warrant the exclusion of [undocumented immigrants] from the apportionment base, to the extent feasible and to the maximum extent of the President’s discretion under the law,” the order read. The timing of Trump’s memo is crucial. Congressional district lines will be redrawn in 2021 and what hangs in the balance is whether or not undocumented immigrants would be included in population counts in those districts. Also, the president’s memo arrives as the 2020 U.S. Census — which began in January — is still underway with about 62.2% nationwide participation so far, according to the Census Bureau’s website. Much like his proposal to include a citizenship question on the census survey, the memorandum, if enforced, would shift the balance of power in the House of Representatives which is dictated by states’ population count. The first census in the U.S. was administered in 1790, and since then, U.S. citizens and noncitizens have always been included in the country’s official population surveys. The Constitution specifies that all “persons” resid-
ing in the country should be included in the decennial count to determine the number of representatives states get in the House. (The 14th Amendment went on to specify that the “whole number of persons in each state” should be counted, doing away with the classification of slaves as “three-fifths” of a free person.) Like Trump’s past efforts to manifest his immigration agenda, the president’s memo will likely be challenged in court. The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) has continued to challenge Trump’s immigration proposals, and in response to Tuesday’s memorandum, the ACLU once again pledged to take legal action. And like the federal court’s decision on the citizenship question, the courts will determine that Tuesday’s directive will be found unconstitutional, hopes Dale Ho, director of the ACLU’s Voting Rights Project. “[Trump’s] latest attempt to weaponize the census for an attack on immigrant communities will be found unconstitutional. We’ll see him in court, and win, again,” Ho said. Along with the ACLU, other groups that have previously taken legal action against the Trump administration signaled that they are once again preparing to file a suit against Tuesday’s memorandum.
Mirroring the ACLU’s sentiments, the civil rights and legal organization Asian Americans Advancing Justice condemned the president’s memo, saying that it is an attempt by the administration to sabotage “each of our communities to be under-resourced and underrepresented for the next decade.” “We will not be moved by the president’s attempts to silence people in our country,” Advancing Justice said in a statement. “This is the latest in a series of attempts to politicize the census and use it as a weapon in his anti-immigrant agenda. It is a move straight out of the white supremacists’ playbook that has every discriminatory practice to restrict the rights of Black, Brown, Indigenous, and Asian American people.” Advancing Justice also reminded those who haven’t taken the census survey — which comprises nine simple questions about those living in each household — to fill out and submit their form, which can be done online. “Even in the face of racism, we will not be silenced. To individuals in our communities, do not be deterred. Everyone should be counted in the census,” they said. “Asian Americans Advancing Justice will continue to push for a fair and accurate count of all individuals in this country. We vow to fight this unconstitutional attack.” n
BI: Only foreigners with long-term visas... PAGE 1 resident here, do not attempt to travel to the Philippines because you will be excluded and denied entry by our immigration officers.” BI Port Operations Division Acting Chief Grifton Medina also said that only those who fall under the following four categories will be allowed entry starting next month: • Those who were issued non-immigrant visas under Section 13 of the Immigration act; • Those who acquired resident status under Republic Act 7919 or Alien Social Integration Act; • Those who availed of Executive Order 324 or Alien Legalization Program; and, • Native-born foreign nationals Likewise, diplomats and
foreigners married to Filipinos and their dependents will be allowed in the country. “We are therefore advising the different airlines to take note of these latest travel guidelines so that they can accordingly inform their foreign customers who may wish to book their flights to the Philippines,” Medina said. Malacañang on Friday, July 17 announced that foreign nationals with long-term visas will be allowed entry into the Philippines starting August 1, following the Inter-Agency Task Force’s meeting. Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque reiterated that as the airports and seaports in the Philippines are complying with social distancing rules, a maximum capacity of travelers will be enforced. The resolution passed by the IATF says
that it will prioritize returning overseas Filipinos in the ports of entry. While the Philippine government shoulders the quarantine and testing costs for returning overseas Filipino workers, returning Filipinos who are not OFWs normally shoulder the quarantine and test costs out of their own pockets. “Foreign nationals must also secure a pre-booked accredited quarantine facility and a pre-booked COVID-19 testing provider,” Roque said on Friday. The quarantine procedure normally takes at least three days and up to a week as arriving passengers have to wait for COVID-19 test results. In March, the Philippines banned the entry of foreign nationals into the country. n
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Fil-Am nurse who documented love for... PAGE 1 ago. As a family, the Obras experienced the six Disneylands around the world and went on three out of the four Disney Cruise lines. “That was our specialty in the family. When the pandemic started, Josh wanted to go on a Disney Cruise because it was so cheap,” Jasmine, 21, told the Asian Journal. Joshua, 29, expressed his love for all things Disney online by sharing photos of park attractions and characters on his Instagram under the moniker, @DisneylandPanda. “Magic is Happening again!” he wrote in a June 10 post, telling his over 25,000 followers the news that Disneyland and Downtown Disney would reopen soon. Less than a month later, Joshua died on July 6 after a 26-day battle with COVID-19. In early June, both siblings felt sick, with Joshua experiencing a fever and other symptoms related to COVID19. They got tested and quarantined at home together as they waited six days until the results came back positive. “When he gets sick, it’s really hard for him to get better. My parents couldn’t come help because they’re over the age of 60 so I was the one who took care of him,” Jasmine recounted. “It was one of the longest weeks of my life, just checking on him every hour and monitoring his temperature and blood pressure.” A week after testing positive, Jasmine drove her brother to the emergency room as his condition worsened. That was the last time she saw him.
Obra (right) is survived by his parents Onofre and Cynthia and younger sister Jasmine. The family has visited all six Disneylands around the world and went on three out of the four Disney Cruise lines. Photos courtesy of Jasmine Obra
Six days into his hospital stay, Joshua was put on a ventilator and moved to the ICU, where he spent nearly three weeks until his passing. The day he died, Jasmine went to take another test as her symptoms subsided. Though she was not directly informed yet, she received a text from a cousin: “I’m going to miss him so much.” Her parents came over, wearing masks, to tell her the news. “I was obviously devastated,” Jasmine said. “The first thing I asked was, ‘What happened?’ because it was all so fast and we weren’t expecting it. For me, all the updates I was getting were like, his vitals are stable. Then he died that Monday.” By day, Joshua was the nursing supervisor at Intercommunity Care Center in Long Beach, a skilled nursing facility that specializes in the treatment of individuals with Alzheimer’s disease. The Southern California na-
tive’s passion for serving others drew him to the field early on as he became a licensed vocational nurse right after high school and then earned a bachelor’s degree in nursing in 2016. He got the job at the Long Beach facility last fall and his sister worked alongside him as a nursing student. In the Disneyverse, Joshua connected most with Baymax, a health care robot from “Big Hero 6.” “Baymax is a health care companion and that was Joshua. He was fluffy. He even had the little mannerisms like Baymax and would wobble around or fist bump with friends. Every time we watched that, that was always the character he related to,” Jasmine said. Despite their eight-year age difference, the Obra siblings were inseparable and hardly went to the theme park without the other. “The obsession with Disney happened together after we
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Legal and housing experts predict a... PAGE 1 state moratoriums on evictions are set to expire in August. The Congressional CARES Act that provided financial assistance put forth a 120-day eviction moratorium on tenants in federally-subsidized homes in April and is set to expire July 25. On Friday, July 17, experts in housing policy, medicine and law spoke to ethnic media representatives in a press briefing to unpack the inevitable “tsunami of evictions” that’ll put 28 million renters in danger of losing their homes. “At a time when sheltering in place is paramount to stabilizing the United States and controlling the pandemic, our country is on the brink of
a housing crisis of unprecedented magnitude and with no safety net beneath us,” said Emily A. Benfer, the director of the Health Justice Clinic at Wake Forest School of Law and co-creator of the COVID19 Housing Policy Scoreboard at Princeton University. Before the pandemic even began, the nation was already facing a housing crisis with 25.5 million families at risk of losing their homes, Benfer explained, and only 25% of those families were eligible for housing subsidies. On average, seven evictions were filed every minute in 2016 when the national unemployment rate was 4.7%. The national unemployment rate in April was just under 15% and has since dropped
to 11.1%, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. But the decline in the unemployment rate is expected to increase again as the COVID19 case numbers continue to spike across the country, forcing state and national leaders to consider implementing stronger safer-at-home orders to help mitigate the virus. “To put this in perspective, 10 million people were displaced from their homes over the course of years following the foreclosure crisis in 2008. We are on track to surpass that number in just four months,” Benfer said. Renters in communities of color are particularly at risk, especially Black and Latino
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ARRESTED. Col. Marlon Santos (left), Cavite Police Provincial Office director; and Col. Vicente Cabatingan (2nd left), chief of Cavite Provincial Intelligence Branch, talk with one of the 44 most wanted persons captured — murder suspect Edward Rabang, convicted for 18 years at the New Bilibid Prison in Muntinlupa during a press conference in Camp Pantaleon Garcia in Imus, Cavite on Monday, July 20. He was also charged for the killing of a policeman in Tanza, Cavite. Santos said that amid the pandemic, police operatives continue their jobs to arrest lawless elements that have standing arrest warrants. Suspect Rabang was arrested while hiding in Francisco, Quezon province. PNA photo by Avito C. Dalan
Palace: Gov’t can’t afford to test all... PAGE 1 Roque earlier said that the government is exploring the idea of pooled testing to further maximize its remaining test kits. “We are considering what is called pooled testing, wherein you use one kit to conduct swab tests for 10 people,” he announced Monday, July 20. With pooled testing, swab samples of multiple individuals will be put into a single reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) test. If the swab tests come back negative, individual testing will not be needed. However, if the results re-
turn positive, each individual will be tested separately for the virus. “Easily, 25 million people can be tested using pooled testing at ‘yan na po ang hakbang na ginagawa ng gobyerno dahil alam natin na ‘pag na-test at nahanap natin sino ang may COVID-19 pupwede na sila i-isolate nang hindi na makahawa (And that is the step that the government is taking because we know that when we test and find out who has COVID-19, they can be isolated without infecting more people),” Roque said. Health Secretary Francisco Duque III, for his
part, noted that “no country can do that,” referring to mass testing. “Wala pong bansa ang nakakagawa nito kahit na po ang pinakamayaman katulad ng United States of America (No country can do this, not even the richest ones like the United States of America),” he said Tuesday. According to him, the government may be able to test 1% of an estimated population of 109 million by 2021. As of press time, there are 72,269 confirmed COVID-19 cases in the country, with 1,843 fatalities and 23,623 recoveries. n
Jollibee’s expansion in the US continues... PAGE 2 with the team. Because of the current situation, the opening was devoid of fanfare, a stark contrast to the grand opening festivities people are used to seeing. Jollibee’s opening of its Woodside store in Queens in February 2009 and Manhattan in October 2018 were both packed and crowded with long lines outside even before the doors were flung open. No amount of snow or heavy rain could have prevented the horde of diners from falling in line to witness these events. The Filipino fast-food chain’s first store in New Jersey opened in Jersey City’s Greenville neighborhood in 2012. The newest store is on the plaza level of Journal
Square, a major transit hub in the state where commuters take the PATH train or bus to New York or Newark. Management has assured that the store’s employees know and practice safety precautions to ensure safety for them and their customers. There are designated marks on the floor for social distancing and hand sanitizers are available for employees and customers. There are also plexiglass barriers on the counters and employees are required to wash their hands every 15 minutes, according to store manager Rose Francisco. She is proud to be a part of a company that is helping provide jobs for people. “The store’s opening has provided jobs for many resi-
dents and opened up opportunities despite the pandemic,” she said. Around 55 people are currently employed in this location with Filipinos comprising about 60% of the total. Among them is Janishin Que, who is just thankful that she can work again. “Medyo matagal na walang work, ngayon makakatulong na uli sa pagbayad ng rent (It was kind of a long time without work, now I can help again with paying rent),” she said. In the U.S., Jollibee is now in the states of Arizona, California, Florida, Hawaii, Illinois, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, Texas, Washington, and Virginia, and in Manitoba, Ontario, Alberta and Saskatchewan in Canada. n
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OPINION
FEATURES
Deaths in the NBP WON’T controversies ever end at the national penitentiary? Armored vehicles and Special Action Force commandos have been fielded to curb illegal activities including drug trafficking operations of inmates in the New Bilibid Prisons. The rot in the NBP and its supervising agency the Bureau of Corrections, however, has often involved their own personnel. BuCor officials and prison guards have been linked to rackets such as the grant of luxurious amenities and prolonged stays in private hospitals to moneyed inmates. Before the pandemic, there was the scandal over the early release of inmates based on good conduct time allowance. Amid the ongoing coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic, the Department of Justice is looking into suspicions that the public health crisis might have opened opportunities for illegal activities in the corrections system. The DOJ has initiated a probe into the deaths of 21 inmates
5
allegedly due to COVID-19, with 24 others suspected to have succumbed to the coronavirus. Apart from checking the health conditions in the country’s main prison facility, the DOJ is looking into the intriguing detail that nine of the fatalities were high-value inmates linked to drug trafficking operated from the NBP. The most well known, Jaybee Sebastian, was a star witness in the case that put Sen. Leila de Lima behind bars without bail. Because they were classified as COVID cases, the remains of Sebastian and those of the other fatalities were immediately cremated, according to BuCor officials. So it is now nearly impossible to determine the cause of death – unless someone emerges to contradict the story. With bodies supposedly reduced to ashes, it may even be difficult to determine if the prisoners are actually dead or, as even some lawmakers are speculating, whether they were
Editorial
‘Res Ipsa Loquitur’: After killing ABS-CBN franchise, video call reveals Duterte’s minions now strategize to take over network and seize its assets The Fil-Am Perspective GEL SANTOS-RELOS RES IPSA LOQUITUR. The thing speaks for itself. I remember learning a lot about legal terms in Latin on the legal talk, public service and drama radio program on DZMM with the late Philippine Senator Rene Cayetano, the good fa-
ther of House Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano. The “Compañero ng Bayan”, as I fondly called him, would give pro-bono legal advice to my radio listeners, sharing my objective to make ordinary Filipino people more aware of their rights and obligations as provided for by the law. The Filipino people rewarded the elder Cayetano by catapulting him to the Philippine Senate in 1998. Res Ipsa Loquitur. The thing speaks for itself. I believe the late Compañero will agree
with me that this legal term is very much applicable to the online forum live-streamed on Facebook and shared on various social media platforms. After killing the ABS-CBN franchise on July 10, a Zoom video call shows that Dutere’s minions are now strategizing on ways to seize the assets of and take over ABS-CBN. As InterAksyon reported, and as viewed by Filipinos all over the world on social media, “Deputy Speaker Rodante Marcoleta (Sagip Party-list), PAGE 8
Philstar.com photo
simply allowed to walk to freedom. Apart from the DOJ, the Senate is set to conduct a probe into this latest controversy. Will
such a probe ferret out the truth? Considering the circumstances, senators face a daunting challenge. (Philstar.com)
I’m a Filipino American Republican, but I’m voting for Biden Commentary
NELSON GARCIA HAVING been born in Mandaluyong, and knowing the history of American influence in my country of birth, I have always felt an affinity and a deep appreciation to the United States for the opportunities given to me and my family. The success we had dur-
ing the presidency of Ronald Reagan helped make me a die-hard Republican. It was a party that believed in rewarding hard work, maintaining a strong posture against world communism, and providing opportunities with the least amount of burdensome regulations. In my youth, I formed the first College Republican chapter at the University of California, Riverside. I then served on the California College Republican state board alongside current House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy. I was
a California delegate to the 1992 Republican National Convention in Houston, and proceeded to work on various campaigns. After graduation, I landed a job as a legislative staff member with three Republican members of the U.S. House of Representatives. Still, I knew from the very beginning that support for Donald Trump was going to be impossible, due to his obvious inexperience for the job, but also because of his character flaws — his narcissism, his misogyny, and his racism. PAGE 10
The views expressed by our Op-Ed contributors are solely their own and do not necessarily reflect the predilection of the editorial board and staff of Asian Journal.
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Dateline PhiliPPines
Makabayan lawmakers seek plenary vote on ABS-CBN franchise by Ritchel
Mendiola AJPress
LAWMAKERS from the Makabayan bloc have asked the Philippine House Committee on Legislative Franchises to allow plenary action on the franchise bid of media giant ABS-CBN. In a letter addressed to Palawan Rep. Franz Alvarez dated July 20 and released Wednesday, July 22, the lawmakers asked for the technical working group report as well as the adopted committee resolution on ABS-CBN’s franchise. “May we, therefore, respectfully move and pray for the Committee on Legislative Franchise to submit the said Committee (Technical Working Group) Report and the adopted Committee Resolution to the plenary for ratification of its decision,” the Makabayan bloc lawmakers said in the letter. “Undeniably, [the] majority of the 305 members of the House of Representatives are being deprived of the opportunity to deliberate and even vote on the said issue, in representation of their constituents who were badly affected by the Committee decision,” they added. The lawmakers also pointed out that while Section 49 of the House rules state that a bill that is unfavorably acted “shall
be laid on the table,” nowhere in the Rules does it say that a bill is “killed” if it is laid on the table. “The Committee on Legislative Franchises may no longer tackle the franchise bills because they have been laid on the table, precisely because it is now up to the Plenary to decide on the issue,” they said. Likewise, they noted how the TWG report “is full of uncertainties and doubts,” making them wonder how the decision to deny the broadcast giant’s franchise bid was reached. “Verily, if one reads the TWG report, it is full of uncertainties and doubts that ist is a wonder how a conclusion was reached when the whole Report was littered wit terms like ‘it appears,’ ‘it seems,’” the lawmakers noted. “Even if the TWG report is the most unsure and insecure document ever approved by a Committee, the fact is it was approved by many Committee members. The next step, therefore, is to resolve [these] insecurities and doubts through a Plenary debate and approval,” they added. The Makabayan bloc cited a recent Social Weather Stations survey showing that three out of four Filipinos want Congress to grant ABS-CBN a new franchise. “Many are expressing their
Fil-Am nurse who documented... PAGE 4 got our annual passes,” Jasmine recalled. With an eye for detail, Joshua approached each visit to the park equipped with his DSLR camera and a mission to document its allure. “[What] he always had to do was take a picture of something. He would find the most beautiful angles of Disneyland to share the Disney magic with everyone and everything that the park has,” Jasmine said. Joshua contributed his photos of the park and various events as an ABC7 eyewitness over the years. The local station remembered him on Instagram as a “sweet and kind man, and a talented photographer.” “The weekend shutterbug says he’s inspired by his fellow photographers, and lives by this motto: the shots you take
today are the memories of tomorrow,” it wrote. Though Jasmine couldn’t physically be with her parents to mourn, the tributes and messages about Joshua and his online persona have provided some comfort. On the DisneylandPanda account, individuals commented how they enjoyed viewing Disneyland through his perspective and how he would always respond if they had questions about the theme park or needed suggestions. “There have been times we’d be at the park and someone would ask him for a picture and say, ‘Oh my gosh, you’re Disneyland Panda!’ He didn’t know he was that popular. He was so humble,” Jasmine said. “We were able to find the Disney community and now, we share the same friends who have become part
opposition to the Committee decision. If the SWS survey is to be followed, a total of 76% of the people want to grant ABS-CBN its franchise,” the lawmakers said. “Some committee members may question the public antagonism to the Committee decision, and it is best therefore, that such issues be resolved in the Plenary where members of the House can decide, whether they want to heed the voice of the people or not,” they added. Voting 70 to 11, the House Committee on Legislative Franchises on July 10 adopted the recommendation of its technical working group to deny ABS-CBN a new franchise. Two congressmen inhibited while one abstained. The network stopped its operations on May 5 in compliance with the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC’s) cease and desist order due to the expiration of its congressional franchise. The order directed ABS-CBN to shut down its various TV and radio broadcasting stations nationwide “sent a valid Congressional Franchise as required by law.” Republic Act No. 7966, which granted the network a 25-year franchise to operate TV and radio broadcasting stations expired on May 4, 2020. n
of our extended family.” Joshua left behind a trove of photos and a supportive online community. Jasmine promises to honor him by keeping the popular Instagram account active and continuing to pursue her health care career. Going five months into the pandemic, Jasmine said she “gets really heated” about seeing people defying orders and not practicing social distancing. “I’m obviously going to feel strongly about this because I lost my brother,” she said. “It’s not some joke. We have to work together in order to [get through] the pandemic by following regulations and doing our part…because health care workers are out there saving lives and it puts their lives at risk.” Joshua is also survived by his parents Onofre and Cynthia Obra, who both immigrated from the Philippines. n
BEAUTIFICATION. Workers from the city government of Dasmarinas, Cavite cut and trim the bougainvillea flowers along Gov. D. Mangubat Avenue in Barangay Burol Main on Wednesday, July 22. As part of the beautification project of the city government, workers were allowed to resume services but subject to local health protocol. PNA photo by Gil Calinga
Legal and housing experts predict a... PAGE 4 households, Benfer noted. Medical policy experts over the last few months have unanimously found that job loss, income insecurity as well as positive transmission of the disease have disproportionately affected the Black community. This makes the need for additional financial assistance and renters’ protections not just an issue of government responsibility to its people but a race and generational concern, as well. Margot Kushel, director of the Center for Vulnerable Populations at UC San Francisco, said that children of renters are also a drastically affected class, pointing out that the loss of a home — and the stress that causes — will lead to disturbance in education and overall mental and emotional well-being. Kushel also expects a 20% to 40% increase in homelessness if these moratoriums expire. In California, a state that has for years suffered its own pressing housing issue, lawmakers have put forth efforts to address homelessness during COVID-19 like Project Homekey, a $600 million state-funded program designed to buy hotels and motels to house people on the streets. “But this will be a drop in the bucket for people who are currently experiencing homelessness and will not address the new inflows of homelessness,” Kushel said, sharing that these long-term solutions that will actually lower the homelessness rate in California rely on increasing affordable housing and expanding financial support and protec-
tions for renters. Nevertheless, motel and hotel conversion is a proven model that has helped the homeless community in the past. In 2015, Akash Kalia converted his father’s hotel in Santa Rosa, California into a shelter that housed the homeless in his community. Among industries afflicted by the pandemic, the hospitality industry took a major hit, but Kalia offered a solution for hotel and motel owners whose businesses have suffered immensely. He was able to house individuals for about $13,000 per year and provide support services like rehabilitation and mental health care. “Hotel owners in California have the ability to salvage their livelihoods by really accepting this model,” he said. “None of us know how long the hospitality industry is going to be hit, and this is a way for hotel owners to maintain business viability and also provide a social good for the most vulnerable population.” California currently has the largest homeless population in the country, comprising 22% of the nation’s homeless — about 150,000 people, according to a 2018 tally from the U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness. Additionally, 45% of Californians are renters and, cognizant of this, Governor Gavin Newsom earlier this month extended the state’s eviction moratorium to Sept. 30. But the current state of housing instability and tenants’ protections brings forward the inequities of existing housing and renting policy that favors landlords over renters, said Nisha Vyas, senior attorney at the Western
Center for Law and Poverty. Landlords are represented by attorneys while most tenants are not and don’t have the resources for legal representation. More than 75% of eviction lawsuits (for which tenants must file responses within five days) are filed and settled within 45 days, a system that favors landlords’ need for efficient removal of tenants over the renters who risk being homeless. At the highest risk, Vyas said, are low-income households where 90% of the overall income goes towards paying rent. “The process is designed to be very efficient and to provide consistent results for landlords to be able to eject tenants and recover their properties. There’s often very little regard for the outcome of tenants,” Vyas explained. Currently, a bill that would establish a process for tenants to pay back owed rent is in the California Senate Judiciary committee pending approval. AB 1436 would also allow landlords to seek legal intervention on unpaid rent by way of civil action instead of evictions as well as restrict the influence of evictions on a renter’s credit history. Vyas continued, “Evictions have played a significant role in creating California’s affordable housing crisis and our homelessness crisis. We’ve talked about the eviction crisis as a tsunami and that metaphor is intended to capture the magnitude of the crisis but this is not a natural disaster. It’s a disaster of our own making. To prevent it, we need to advocate for meaningful governmental intervention.” (Klarize Medenilla/AJPress) n
july 24-30, 2020 • NEW yORK AND NEW jERSEy ASIAN jOuRNAl
‘Res Ipsa Loquitur’: After killing ABS-CBN... PAGE 5 Deputy Speaker Jesus Crispin Remulla (Cavite, 7th District), Rep. Michael “Mike” Defensor (Anakalusugan Party-list) and Rep. Yedda Romualdez (Tingog Sinirangan Party-list) talked about the different ways that ABS-CBN’s properties could be used and acquired, including seizing the broadcast giant’s sprawling headquarters in Quezon City.” Cognizant of the fact that an overwhelming majority of Filipinos surveyed (75 percent) said Congress should have renewed the franchise of ABS-CBN, this “leaking” of such sensitive (or should I say insensitive) zoom meeting was purposely done by Defensor. The Partylist Anakalusgan representative, who appeared to be more obsessed about killing the franchise of ABS-CBN than to help kill COVID-19 as he has sworn to do, hosted the informal meeting and made the streaming public on his official Facebook page. The report said Defensor contended that “the online discussion was meant to “explain” the franchise committee’s technical working group’s recommendation on
rejecting ABS-CBN’s application, which was eventually upheld by the House panel.” President Rodrigo Duterte — whose vow was: “ Ikaw, ABS-CBN, ang inyong franchise, mag-end next year. If you are expecting na ma-renew Yan, I’m sorry. You’re out” — must be very happy with his minions in Congress. After all, he has repeatedly threatened to shutdown the network for not airing some of his campaign ads [regional ads, because of shorter time allocation, per ABS-CBN President Carlo Katigbak] during the 2016 Presidential elections with Speaker Cayetano as his running mate, and not issuing the campaign the refund for unaired materials. After all, he has made public again and again with expletives you wouldn’t want your children to hear from their president, his rage against ABS-CBN’s critical reporting of him and especially of his war on drugs, his hatred for ABS-CBN management, especially Chairman Emeritus Gabby Lopez, for failing to air his campaign ads. After all, Duterte himself said “Yun namang ABS-CBN
binaboy ako. Pero sinabi ko kapag ako nanalo, bubuwagin ko ang oligarchy ng Pilipinas.” He also said, “’Yung kaibigan kong tumutulong, ‘pag yumaman ka nang yumaman, mas maligaya ako (My friends who are helpful, if you get richer and richer, I will be happy).” After all, it was Duterte himself, amid his threats, who urged ABS-CBN to sell the network to a new owner. Some have speculated that the president’s friend Dennis Uy, who donated P30 million to Duterte’s campaign, will acquire the Lopez-owned network, as Rappler reported. Amid his doublespeak and quoting verses from the Bible, Speaker Cayetano never had a single hearing about the franchise renewal even before the pandemic, and waited for the franchise to expire, despite numerous petitions waiting to be heard as early as 2014. After all, the rule of law mandates that franchise renewal applicants should be accorded a fair hearing before any decision is made. Furthermore, contrary to the treatment given to other applicants, ABS-CBN was not allowed to operate while the
http://www.asianjournal.com • (212) 655-5426 decision was pending. Worse, the dishonorable minions who voted to kill the franchise did not take into consideration the testimonies given by the officials of the Department of Justice, Department of Labor, Bureau of Internal Revenue, National Telecommunications commission, that ABS-CBN had no violations of the provisions of its franchise as alleged by detractors in the court of public opinion. They also penalized the network for issues which were non-issue in their treatment of other franchise applicants like GMA-7. On February 24, Duterte’s former aide turned Senator Bong Go was quoted in a Rappler article, saying the president was “hurt” as ABS-CBN chose to air “black propaganda” instead of “legitimate” ads paid for by the Duterte campaign. “Kung masama ka sa Pangulo, mas maging masama siya sa ‘yo (If you are mean to the president, he will be meaner to you),” he says. RES IPSA LOQUITUR. The thing speaks for itself. The politics of vendetta and cronyism and political dynasty in the Philippines. Condoned and perpetuated not only by the three supposedly indepen-
dent and co-equal branches of government, but by many Filipinos who are loyal Duterte supporters. Mrs. Chita Lopez-Taylor, the mother of Gabby Lopez and widow of the late Geny Lopez, the one who built ABSCBN, shared with me a statement from a priest which she allowed me to share in my column. I can only imagine what Tita Chita is going through right now, after having experienced how the Marcos dictatorship imprisoned her husband, sequestered ABS-CBN when martial law was declared in 1972, all because of a vendetta for the network’s reporting. The Lopezes were only able to take back the broadcast headquarters in 1986 when Marcos was deposed by People Power. Here is the statement: WE ARE BACK TO THE STREETS I was here in these same streets with a throng of discontented crowd last February 24-25, 1986. That was 34 years ago when I was still a young seminarian. Today, I am back with the same arms in protest. Deja vu! Despite the COVID-19 scare, people are out again
- from Makati, from Luneta, from Quezon City - raising their fist, honking their horns, shouting, creating any kind of noise. I can again feel what I felt during the days of People Power - the emotion, the disgust, the anger, the dedication, the commitment, the youthful faces. Why are they risking their lives when the virus is just lurking in the air? Because something is wrong, terribly wrong. There was even a young lady who brought out her body and sat by the side window of her car with tears falling on her cheeks as she raised her arm in silence. She was not born yet in 1986. But I saw in her eyes the same anger, the same cry, the same “No” that emerges out of the depths of our humanness when our moral fiber is violated. We say “this is wrong” and we raise our fist in protest. I am here for some of my ABS-CBN friends - Inday Espina-Varona, Eli Sepe, Ilsa Reyes, Paul Catada, and several others. But I am also here in the name of thousands of people whom I do not know, their camera men, drivers, waitresses in restaurants, production assistants, techniPAGE 10
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NEW YORK AND NEW JERSEY ASIAN JOURNAL • JULY 24-30, 2020
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july 24-30, 2020 • NEW yORK AND NEW jERSEy ASIAN jOuRNAl
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Palace to Pangilinan: It’s Congress’ job to pass laws by Ritchel
Mendiola AJPress
MAlACAñANg on Tuesday, July 21, reminded Senator Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan that passing a legislation that will ban political dynasties is the job of Congress, not President Rodrigo Duterte. “Parang mali po yung paghamon niya kasi ang pagpapasa po ng batas ay isang katungkulan ng lehisletibo (I think he’s challenging the wrong branch of government because passing new laws is the duty of the legislative),” said presidential spokesperson Harry Roque in a virtual press briefing. According to him, Pangilinan should be challenging his fellow lawmakers instead. “Kinakailangan po siguro hamunin niya yung mga kasama niya sa Senado at sa mga Kamara na ipasa ang batas na ‘yan (I think he needs to challenge his colleagues in the
Senate and House to pass that law),” Roque said. Pangilinan on Sunday challenged Duterte to certify as urgent the anti-political dynasty bill to prove his desire to dismantle oligarchy in the country. This came after Duterte, in a July 13 speech in Jolo, Sulu, claimed that he has “dismantled the oligarchy” that controlled the progress of the country’s politics and economy without declaring martial law. “We challenge this administration to make a difference and certify the anti-political dynasty bill as urgent, so that it will move in Congress,” Pangilinan said. In July 2019, Pangilinan filed Senate Bill 264 defining and prohibiting political dynasties. However, he noted that the bill has “hardly moved.” Pangilinan also said that Congress has the constitution-
PNP Chief Gen. Archie Francisco Gamboa
al duty to enact a law defining and prohibiting the establishment of political dynasties in accordance with the intent of Section 26, Article 2 of the 1987 Constitution. “Three decades later and despite numerous attempts to enact such legislation, there is still no enabling law prohibiting political dynasties in the country. Thus, its existence has undermined the checks and balance in government, weakened the competition in the political system, resulting in less access for alternative leaders to be part of the political arena, and perpetuated personality-based politics by prompting politicians to invest in their relatives,” the opposition senator said in his bill. Duterte, for his part, had previously said that he was for a ban on political dynasties, but pointed out that political families tend to stay in power due to voters who keep on supporting them. n
ManilaTimes.net photo
PNP chief claims victory in drug war by daRwin
Pesco ManilaTimes.net
PHIlIPPINE National Police (PNP) chief gen. Archie Francisco gamboa on Monday, July 20 declared that the country had been victorious in its war on illegal drugs. “generally, yes, we have won. As a matter of fact, we have reduced the number of users,” he said in a virtual briefing. gamboa also cited the recent seizure of huge caches of illegal drugs that resulted in the scarcity of supply. The country’s police chief
said the government provided ample support to the operating units that went after high-value drug personalities. Based on PNP data, 6.5 tons of shabu or methamphetamine hydrochloride had been seized since July 1, 2016. Under gamboa, 2.2 tons of illegal drugs were recovered from high-value targets, which translated to 34 percent of the total drug haul for the past three years. According to PNP Director of Operations Mgen. Emmanuel luis licup, since 2016, the police had con-
ducted more than 217,000 drug operations, leading to the arrest of 337,000 individuals. He noted that the police were continuing to hunt down high-value targets. “Marami po tayong nahuli na malakihan dahil po nagconcentrate ang operatives natin dito sa high-value targets (We had a huge haul because we focused on highvalue targets),” the official said. gamboa plans to destroy all seized drugs to dispel public suspicion on the integrity of the PNP’s anti-illegal drug operations. n
HOME AT LAST. Mortuary personnel carry the cadavers of dead overseas Filipino workers from Saudi Arabia at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport on Sunday, July 19. The workers died of COVID-19 and other causes in the Middle-Eastern country. PNA photo by Avito C. Dalan
I’m a Filipino American Republican...
PAGE 5 Since the moment he stepped on that escalator at Trump Tower in New York to declare his candidacy in 2015, I knew that the United States of America was in real danger. His initial attacks on Mexicans as bringing drugs, as bringing crime, as being rapists, were tell-tale signs of where we were headed as a people upon his election as president of the United States. From Charlottesville, to the Muslim-ban, to Tweeting “white power” videos, culminating in his racist labeling of the coronavirus as the “kung flu,” his presidency showed how much in the gutter the office has become. If this was not enough, we now have over 2.8 million Americans infected with COVID-19, over 140,000 Americans dead, 42.7 million Americans newly unemployed, and
an 11.1% American unemployment rate, as among his greatest “accomplishments.” It is with this in mind that I urge my fellow Filipino American Republicans to join me in endorsing and supporting Joe Biden as our next president. Joe has real solutions that can begin to address the very difficult challenges we Filipino Americans face in these terrible times. Joe has a plan outlined in his website that addresses the scourge of the COVID-19 epidemic, impacting Filipino Americans where they work, as essential workers, in health care, and as small business owners. Joe has a plan outlined that will tackle the difficult issues of immigration and education. And Joe even has ideas laidout that affect us as a Catholic community. Finally, Joe has a plan that will restore America’s leader-
ship in the world…where the world looks to as a true beacon of hope, respect, human rights, and democracy. Joe Biden says we are in a fight for the soul of our nation. We need Joe Biden! ••• Since 2009, Nelson Garcia served as the founder and current President of the Washington Intergovernmental Professional Group, LLC (WIPG), a non-partisan professional networking organization dedicated to working closely with Congress and the diplomatic community in Washington, DC. He served in government relations for the Motor and Equipment Manufacturers Association (MEMA), the Intelligent Transportation Society of America (2003-2008); and the Alliance of American Insurers (2000-2003). He also served in the legislative staff of California Republican Representatives Gary Miller and Ken Calvert, and served four terms as President of the Congressional Legislative Staff Association.
‘Res Ipsa Loquitur’: After killing ABS-CBN... PAGE 8 cians of transmitters, tindera ng sari-sari store sa kanto ng Esguerra at Panay, people we do not see on camera, who will go home to their families in the following weeks with nothing, not knowing how to start again. Only because of the personal vendetta of the king by the Pasig river, legitimated by the rude dramatics of his cohorts in Congress. We do not need to be lawyers to see that something is wrong in those hypocritical charades in high places. How many times in this country shall we see the law being weaponized to kill the poor. No, he has not destroyed the oligarchs in this country; he has killed the poor! I have joined small picket lines of 20-30 workers in some
factories or displaced lumad since I was a student. Today, we are talking of 11,000 workers and many others without a future. They and the many victims of this government deserve our support. It is time to stand up, to rise and make our voices be heard. In the face of evil, silence is yes to the status quo. Neutrality is to be complicit with the powers that be. I write my name below to show that I am fully responsible for what I write here; it is necessary especially now that the Terror Law is in effect. Because I also raise my fist in protest of this dangerous and unjust law. I also cry in protest for the extrajudicial killings which I see at close range and their wailing widows and orphans. And I say No to all the values proliferated by this gov-
ernment that is against the basic human sensibilities that my poor parents, my best teachers and my dedicated guides have taught me in my life. Fr. Daniel Franklin E. Pilario, C.M. St. Vincent School of Theology Adamson University danielfranklinpilario@yahoo.com 07.19.2020. *** Gel Santos Relos has been in news, talk, public service and educational broadcasting since 1989 with ABS-CBN and is now serving the Filipino audience using different platforms, including digital broadcasting, and print, and is working on a new public service program for the community. You may contact her through email at gelrelos@ icloud.com, or send her a message via Facebook at Facebook.com/Gel.Santos. Relos.
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NEW YORK AND NEW JERSEY ASIAN JOURNAL • JULY 24-30, 2020
COMMUNITY Journal
Immigration Corner Atty. MichAel Gurfinkel, eSQ
August 2020 priority dates The Priority dates for the Philippines are as follows: FAMILY CATEGORY: First Preference
EACH month, the Visa Office of the State Department publishes, in the Visa Bulletin, the priority dates for that particular month, for the various family and employment based categories. A priority date is a person’s “place in line” for a visa, meaning immigrant visas (or green cards) would be available for persons whose priority date is earlier than the cut-off date lisqted below. If your priority date was “current,” but later retrogressed (or “moved backwards” and became unavailable) before your immigrant visa was issued (or before you adjusted status in the U.S.), you would have to wait until it becomes current again. Beginning in October 2015, the format of the Visa Bulletin changed, in that a new column was added, called the “Application Filing Date.” If a person’s priority date is earlier than the Application Filing Date, they can already file for adjustment of status and work authorization (provided they are otherwise eligible and USCIS indicates on its website it will use the Application Filing Date for that month). This could allow people to obtain work authorization much sooner than before, where they had to wait for the priority date to be current (in the Visa Issuance or Final Action Date column) in order to both file for adjust-
Unmarried sons and daughters of US citizens (over 21 years of age)
Application Filing Date
Visa Issuance Date
June 08, 2012
September 01, 2011
(2A) Spouse and Second Preference minor children (below July 01, 2020 21 years old) of green card holders
Current
(2B) Unmarried sons December 01, and daughters (21 years old or older) 2011 of green card holders
April 01, 2011
Third Preference
Married sons and daughters of US Citizens
August 22, 2002
November 15, 2001
Fourth Preference
Brothers and sisters of US Citizens
May 08, 2002
September 01, 2001
Application Filing Date
Visa Issuance Date
LABOR CERTIFICATION:
Second Preference
Advanced Degree (Masters)
Current
Current
Third Preference
Professional/ Skilled Workers
April 01, 2020
April 01, 2019
Other Workers
Non-Skilled Workers
April 01, 2020
April 01, 2019
ment and be eligible for a green card. *** Michael J. Gurfinkel has been an attorney for over 35 years and is licensed, and an active member of the State Bars of California and New York. All immigration services are provided by, or under the supervision of, an active member of the State Bar of California. Each case is different and results may depend on the facts of the particular case. The information and opinions contained herein (including testimonials, “Success Stories”, endorsements and re-enactments) are of a general nature, and are not intended to apply to any particular
case, and do not constitute a prediction, warranty, guarantee or legal advice regarding the outcome of your legal matter. No attorneyclient relationship is, or shall be, established with any reader. WEBSITE: www.gurfinkel.com Follow us on Facebook.com/ GurfinkelLaw, Twitter @GurfinkelLaw and YouTube: US Immigration TV Call Toll free to schedule a consultation for anywhere in the US: 1-866-487-3465 (866) – GURFINKEL Four offices to serve you: LOS ANGELES ∙ SAN FRANCISCO ∙ NEW YORK ∙ PHILIPPINES (Advertising Supplement)
Bea, Alden drop sweet photos of new love team By Jan
Milo Severo Philstar.com
KAPUSO star Alden Richards and Kapamilya actress Bea Alonzo released the much-awaited first look of their love team, fondly called by fans as “BeaDen.” In separate Instagram posts last Monday, July 20, Alden PAGE 12
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Alden Richard with Bea Alonzo
Photo from Instagram/@aldenrichards02
BAHALA NA MOTHER TOOK HER TIME IN PETITIONING HER MAKULIT DAUGHTER. Nanay Rosita (2nd from right) went to the U.S. in 1984, leaving behind her children. It was in 1994 when she finally got her green card, and she was able to get all her children, except for Apet (left) who aged out at that time. Nanay became busy juggling two jobs, so she kept putting off the petition for Apet, even when Apet kept hounding her mother. At Apet’s urging, Nanay finally reached out to leading U.S. Immigration Attorney Michael J. Gurfinkel (right) in 2005 to consult and sign up, but it took Nanay another two years before she completed the forms and sent the necessary documents. Meanwhile, Apet was anxious and wanted to expedite the process, so she wrote to the National Visa Center (NVC) without the knowledge of the Law Offices of Michael J. Gurfinkel, when the visa was not even available, creating confusion with the NVC. After follow-ups and monitoring by Atty. Gurfinkel and his team, they were able to reunite Apet and Nanay Rosita in the US, and were also able to bring in Apet’s daughters, Tracy and Nicole (2nd from left). Watch this family reunion, years in the making, on an encore episode of CITIZEN PINOY on Sunday, July 26 at 6:15 pm (PST) on TFC. (Advertising Supplement)
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july 24-30, 2020 • NEW yORK AND NEW jERSEy ASIAN jOuRNAl
Health@Heart PhiliP S. Chua, MD, FaCS, FPCS DEXAMETHASONE for COVID-19 New studies (2,100 patients in the UK) reported in the New England Journal of Medicine have shown that the steroid dexamethasone (6 mg once daily for up to 10 days) given to serious COVID-19 patients on a ventilator almost doubled the survival rate (41% versus 29% for those not given the steroid) among these patients. Those on oxygen (no ventilator) also benefited. Dexamethasone given to those with less severe COVID-19 did not show any benefit. Update on COVID-19 stats: Globally, 14,980,328 cases, deaths - 616,098, almost 9 million recovered; USA, 3,994,998 cases, deaths – 144,900; Brazil, 2,129,888 cases, deaths - 80,693; India, 1,195,920 cases, deaths - 28,990; Philippines, 72,800 cases, deaths - 1,958; Colombia - 204,200 cases, deaths - 6,989. New cases in one day: Globally - 204,017; USA 62,035, (Florida, the highest, 10,347); India - 39,610, next to USA; Brazil - 21,750; Philippines - 1,981. The Vatican City had 12 cases, all recovered, no deaths. Only Antarctica, southernmost continent on earth, site of South Pole (size: 5,483 million miles, population, seasonal - 1,000 to 5000) has no COVID-19 cases as of today. Night owls – early bird A scientific research in Brazil revealed that those who sleep late at night are three times prone to develop symptoms of depression compared to individuals who go to bed early each night, even if the total number of sleeping hours are the same in both groups. Staying up late obviously is not healthy. Antioxidants in spices A teaspoon of cinnamon has as much antioxidant as half a cup of blueberries! Cinnamon is, of course, versatile, being used in baking, in coffee, syrups, ice-cream, gums, etc. And the other spices that are antioxidantrich include oregano, curry powder, red pepper, ginger, thyme and rosemary. They are, indeed, also the spices of life. Immunity enhancer Vitamin D, when taken
Medical news, tips regularly, will strengthen the immune system against colds, reports a study from Harvard. Those with lowest Vitamin D level were found to be about 36% more prone to upper respiratory tract infection. And those with asthma, whose Vitamin D level is low, are 6 times more likely to get sick. Vitamin D aids in the production of cathelicidin, a protein that kills viruses. Vitamin D has also been found to help lower the risk of developing colon cancer, and 2000 IU has been found to be safe. The other is Vitamin C, ascorbic acid as found in citrus fruits. Exercises that aid sleep Some people want to exercise before going to bed to help improve their sleep. Two of the best are gentle yoga and tai chi. They induce sleep and a more restful night. Although some people are not bothered by caffeine, for most of us, it is best not to drink coffee before bedtime. Somehow, tea seems to be soothing for most people. Watching the television immediately before going to bed could cause so much excitement and impaired sleep, especially among children. Eating every 3 hours Scientifically speaking, the more stable the blood sugar level is in a person’s body, the healthier it is. The conventional practice of eating 2 to 3 times a day works well for most, but eating every 3 hours, which will maintain the blood sugar level in a more even keel is healthier during the day when we are most active, so long as the total amount of calories does not exceed the total 24-hour caloric requirement of the person. Ginkgo biloba not helpful For years, everyone thought ginkgo biloba would help improve memory and prevent Alzheimer’s or dementia. New studies contradict such widespread impression. A study where subjects took Ginkgo biloba for six years did not improve the memory, and neither did it stop the onset of dementia. Ginkgo meds are expensive. Spend your budget for Ginkgo on your children and grandchildren, instead; they will provide you with wonderful memories better than the GB can. The same with Prevagen and almost all supplements on the market today. What they surely improve is the
wealth of the manufacturer and vendors of the useless, and potentially harmful supplement and herbals. Caveat emptor! Buyers beware! Brain exercise Just like our muscles need exercise to maintain good health, our brain also benefits from mental exercise. Science has shown that individuals who habitually and regularly engage in challenging mental endeavors reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s or dementia. Reading, doing crossword puzzles, watching intelligent games on television, etc. are good exercises for the brain. What’s even more interesting is that various studies have shown that those who indulge in multiple hobbies develop the healthiest mind. Red wine is better Is white wine as good as red wine when your health is concerned? A glass or two of white wine among persons who enjoy them with meals is healthy. But studies have shown that red wine is better, especially Pinot Noir, which has the highest level of resveratrol (antioxidant polypehnols from the skin of the Pinot Noir grape), which is cardio-protective. White wine is not made from skin of grapes, and confers more limited benefit compared to red wine. The final deadly clot When someone develops a sudden heart attack, it usually means that the coronary (heart) artery, which has been narrowed by cholesterol plaques over the years, is totally plugged by a clot with lightning speed. The heart muscles are instantly deprived of blood, which carries oxygen supply, and the muscles go into spasm causing severe, vice-like, chest pains. These individuals, especially when they smoke or eat a lot of saturated fat (red meat, egg yolk, dairy products), have blood consistency that is thicker than normal, which tends to clot more easily. The narrowed artery is a frequent target of these clots, leading to heart attack, or stroke (blockage of artery to the brain). Taking a tablet of aspirin when one develops chest pain is a popular strategy while waiting for transport to the emergency room. Make sure you consult your physician before you start taking aspirin. Fish oil is no fish tale
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Kelsey Merritt back in Sports Illustrated Swimsuit issue for another year By Ritchel
Mendiola AJPress
FILIPINA American model Kelsey Merritt is once again featured in the 2020 issue of Sports Illustrated Swimsuit. The 23-year-old model took to Instagram to express her excitement. “Soooo excited for Sports Illustrated Swimsuit to come out on newsstands July 21st!” she wrote under a photo from her shoot in Dominican Republic. Merritt, who was born and raised in Pampanga, Philippines, was part of the magazine’s “rookie class” last year. She previously hailed Sports Illustrated Swimsuit as “a powerful and iconic brand that celebrates women of all color, size, age, and ethnicity.” “Whenever I see them do something groundbreaking that no one else has done before, I am in awe that I get to call this brand my family,” she shared.
Photo courtesy of Swimsuit Illustrated
“They continue to shatter ceilings for inclusivity. I am so proud and honored at the same time to be amongst the company of strong, confident women that encourage
everyone to be their true authentic self,” she added. Merritt made history as the first Filipina to walk on the Victoria’s Secret fashion show runway in 2018.
Michael V contracts coronavirus disease VETERAN comedian Michael V. announced on Monday, July 20 that he tested positive for the coronavirus disease. Also popularly known as “Bitoy,” the 50-year-old “Kapuso” actor shared his story through a vlog in his YouTube page titled “#BitoyStory 29: ‘POSITIVE.’” He said he had flu-like symptoms and lost his sense of smell. “Siyempre nag-isolate na agad ako, nag-quarantine na agad ako. I took medicine nagpa-check up ako sa doctor online (Of course, I immediately isolated and
quarantined myself. I took my medicine and had an online checkup with a doctor), I got better the following day,” Michael V. said. “Hindi naman tumaas ‘yung temperature ko (My temperature did not spike). I mean, the highest was 37.1 [degree Celsius]… Isa daw sa mga symptoms ng (They say one of the symptoms of) COVID is loss of smell and taste. I was afraid that it could be something like that kaya tinry ko and, apparently, ang weird because wala akong maamoy ngayon. Kumuha ako ng mga strong na perfume na normally ginagamit ko, mga alcohol, food.
Medyo weird kasi wala ako maamoy ngayon (so I tried and, apparently, it is weird because I can’t smell anything right now. I tried the perfume I normally use, alcohol, food. It is a bit weird because I can’t smell anything),” he said on the fourth day of his isolation at home since experiencing the symptoms. He added that his family followed all safety protocols imposed by the government. “I just wanted to add [that] for the past few months na talagang nagsimula itong pandemic (since this pandemic began), we’ve been very PAGE 13
The benefits of ingesting fish oil (by eating fish, or taking fish oil capsules as an alternative) have been medically proven beyond doubt. Fish is loaded with nutrients, like omega-3 fatty acids, selenium, vitamin D, and protein. And all these ingredients are interactive and play an important in health as a whole, and not
as individual, independent, nutrient. Their resultant combined effects are what benefit those who eat fish or take fish oil supplement. We cannot alter our genes, but we can live a healthy lifestyle. Let’s take full control of our health. The power is in our hands. And within our grasp. ***
Philip S. Chua, MD, FACS, FPCS, a Cardiac Surgeon Emeritus based in Northwest Indiana and Las Vegas, Nevada, is an international medical lecturer/author, a Health Advocate, and Chairman of the Filipino United Network-USA, a 501(c)3 humanitarian foundation in the United States. Websites: philipSchua.com and FUN8888. com; Email: scalpelpen@gmail. com.
By iza iglesias ManilaTimes.net
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Sam in defense of girlfriend Catriona By Ricky Lo Philstar.com
BREAKING his long silence, the usually unflappable Sam Milby has just unburdened on his Instagram how hurtful the nasty rumors and socmed posts are against his girlfriend Catriona Gray that are being spread by an evil mind (nay, “minds”). “Silence doesn’t imply guilt,” wrote Sam, “and that does not mean that there is truth to any of these false stories and fake news that people are creating to fill in the blanks,” adding with a stern reminder, “the wrongful accusations and defamatory lies are dangerous.” Among the ugly things being circulated against the 2018 Miss Universe is a “topless” photo edited from Catriona’s Bench pictorial. “It’s a digitally altered photo that gives a false impression of nudity,” declared Catriona’s lawyer, film producer Joji Alonso, warning that she would take legal action against whoever is (or “are”) behind it. “We are coordinating with the authorities and will hold accountable whoever is behind this and including those involved in its manufacture and publication. We already have one suspect and, with the help of the NBI, we are tracing
Catriona Gray and Sam Milby performed together in their music video “We’re in This Together.” Photos from Instagram/@cornerstone
others who have even put up fake social media accounts to spread bad things about Catriona. If, as rumored, tabloid or any publication will print those fake photos, we will also take legal action against them.” The socmed bashing against the sweethearts started after Sam admitted last May, coinciding with his 36th birthday, that he and Catriona are going steady. Some of the posts were calculated to “tarnish” Sam’s personal life. More than defending himself, Sam stands behind and beside Catriona. “I cannot simply stand by and allow other people to take control of a narrative that is not theirs to
tell. I will be here for her and I will do everything in my power to protect her.” Since Sam admitted his relationship with Catriona, they have avoided being photographed together. One very rare time was three weeks ago when Sam accompanied Catriona to a farm in Batangas to appear as a special guest in chemist Pinky Tobiano’s online show (which will resume streaming on Cornerstone Entertainment YouTube Channel same time, 2 p.m., Thursday next week). “They are two great people and dear friends who have something beautiful develPAGE 15
Bea, Alden drop sweet...
PAGE 12 and Bea posted their “kilig” photos together to promote their first commercial together for a haircare brand. “Our Head and Shoulders TVC dropped today!” Bea said. “Yun oh!” Alden commented on Bea’s post, soliciting over 1,500 likes. Alden also posted another photo of him and Bea in a staring contest. “Sino kayang mananalo sa staring contest na to?” Alden captioned the post. “@aldenrichards02 me!!” Bea commented, drawing over 2,000 likes. Both artists used the hashtag “#NoItchuationsWithMyBae.” “Welcome both to the family Bea #ProudTito,” modelentrepreneur Nico Bolzico commented. “Bagay kayo Ms. Bea!” a fan exclaimed. “(Mag-)guest ka po sa Bawal Judgemental please!” suggested another fan. “Love the chemistry,” add-
ed another. “Welcome to kapuso network bea,” said another Internet user. “Kayo na lang po please!” cried another. Many fans called Bea and Alden “Tisay” and “Tisoy,” as well as “Basha” and “Ethan,” their iconic characters from separate blockbusters “One More Chance” and “Hello, Love, Goodbye.” Last February, before the lockdowns imposed due to coronavirus pandemic, the two were seen together in an airport in Thailand. Recently, Bea made headlines when she revealed that some people were trying to buy her fan social media accounts. Fellow Kapamilya star Angel Locsin also bared that she also received a message from an administrator of her fan page that someone was trying to buy her fan page account. In her Instagram story yesterday, Angel posted a screenshot of the conversation about the buy-out attempt.
“After reading Bea’s post na may bumibili ng mga accounts… eto rin ang nabasa ko. Sabi nga ni Bea, you be the judge. What’s happening?” Angel captioned the post. Bea recently revealed that her fan page accounts received offers for a buy-out. “Had to post this. Woke up to these messages from my supporters. I wonder why these people would offer to buy these accounts all of a sudden? For what?” Bea wrote on her Instagram story. “Also heard that diff fan groups of diff ABS-CBN artists received the same offer today. You be the judge,” she added. In another post, Bea posted a screenshot that a fan page of her and Ian Veneracion also received offers. “Like abscbn my BeaIan precious acc is not for sale po. Pra lang to sa mga lovesko @beaalonzo and papa ih,” the fan page captioned the post.
A screengrab from Youtube shows Michael V. announcing his fight against the coronavirus disease. Photo from Instagram/@michaelbitoy
Michael V contracts coronavirus...
PAGE 12 strict about safety, ‘yung social distancing pinapractice namin yan, ‘yung PPEs (we have been practicing social distancing and using personal protective equipment) every time we go out and interact with other people… Halos wala nga kaming labas eh. Very, very minimal ‘yung times na lumalabas kami (We al-
most never went out. The times we did were very, very minimal),” Michael V. disclosed. He took a swab test along with his wife Carol at the St. Luke’s Medical Center and on July 18, his eighth day of isolation, the results came back positive. At the end of the video, Michael V. assured his supporters that he would con-
tinue to fight the disease. “We’ve been through worse. Sobrang nami-miss ko na ‘yung pamilya ko (I really miss my family),” he said. Other personalities who tested positive and recovered from the virus are Iza Calzado, Christopher de Leon, Sylvia Sanchez, Niña Jose, Jon Lucas and Howie Severino.
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people events arts culture entertainment
Fil-Am makeup guru Patrick Starrr on defying beauty standards and debunking misconceptions about being an ‘influencer’
S
Interview by
cHRiSTiNA M. oRiEL / AJPress
EVEN years ago, Patrick Starrr wasn’t given a shift at a MAC Cosmetics store he was working at in Orlando, Florida, so he turned to YouTube and uploaded his first tutorial walking viewers through his daily makeup routine.
To date, Starrr has become a leading beauty guru in the online space, amassing over 4.4 million followers on the video hosting platform and 4.6 million on Instagram. Born Patrick Simondac, Starrr grew up in Orlando as the eldest of three boys. Like the pressures in many Filipino families, he was encouraged to study nursing, but his heart was in all things beauty after experimenting with photography and Photoshop to eliminate blemishes and add makeup. His digital following has garnered him opportunities to have famous faces from Naomi Campbell to the Kardashians in his videos and brand collaborations, including a five-collection line with MAC Cosmetics. Most recently, he worked with Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Fire for its “Drag Queen Mukbang” series for Pride Month in June, during which he filmed a video talking about his foray into makeup and first drag experience — while eating a spread of food and mixing cocktails using the whiskey. On top of his collaborations, Starrr recently announced that he will be launching his own beauty brand called ONE/ SIZE, debuting on Sephora online on July 17 and in stores on July 30 through a joint venture with Luxury Brand Partners. The brand’s moniker comes from Starrr’s mission of inclusivity and body positivity. “ONE/SIZE is diversity, vari-
Starrr has collaborated with major brands, including most recently, with Jack Danielʼs Tennessee Fire for its Pride Month “Drag Queen Mukbang” series.
In the Jack Danielʼs video, Starrr talks about his journey from living in Orlando to being a makeup YouTuber and LGBTQ+ causes he supports. Photos courtesy of Jack Danielʼs Tennessee Fire
ety, for everyone,” Starrr told WWD. “This is an overweight, bald, Asian American man. But I’ve somehow been able to break through the glass ceiling to be celebrated. It is allencompassing diversity and I think that is gonna be something special.” In a recent interview with the Asian Journal, Starrr talks about developing relationships with major brands and how he’s defying Filipino
beauty standards through his platform. Asian Journal (AJ): During June as Pride month, you took part in a campaign with Jack Daniel’s. How did you get involved and what was the process of filming yourself for that? Patrick Starrr (PS): With my manager, who I’ve had for five years now, it’s always been a thing to get a Jack and Coke with a little lime at events. It
was organic when this partnership happened because she was like, ‘You love Jack Daniel’s.’ Never in my life would I have known Jack Daniel’s to be an advocate for the LGBTQ+ community. For me, I had to jump on this because the magic of my social media and my [YouTube] channel was to partner with people larger than my own to create a presence and make a difference in the room and in the space that I live in on social media. For example, partnering with celebrities, I was able to create a conversation and utilize the viewership and spark conversation. The same goes for the brands that I chose to work with. It was so exciting to see Jack Daniel’s want to partner with drag queens and myself. AJ: It’s now July but what do you want viewers to learn from your episode and how can they continue to support the LGBTQ+ community? PS: Social media is not enough. I think people assume that a retweet or a post is enough. It does spark change, but what are we doing that’s action-based and that we can actually grow intention within our community? In working with Jack Daniel’s, I was able to highlight my favorite centers in Florida, which is where I’m from, and what we can do to spark conversations. During COVID-19, there’s so much more to consider like living situations for the LGBTQ+ community and it’s hard even finding a job. It was hard for PAGE 15
Patrick Starrr, a leading beauty expert online, has amassed over 4 million followers on various platforms from YouTube to Instagram. Photo courtesy of Patrick Starrr
Starrr (center) with his two younger brothers and parents during their 2019 holiday photo. Photo courtesy of Patrick Starrr
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Fil-Am makeup guru Patrick Starrr... PAGE 14 me to find a job growing up in Orlando and I was reprimanded for wearing makeup. I can’t even imagine my trans brothers and sisters having a hard time keeping up a substantial livelihood. These centers provide refuge for those who don’t have the means to carry on and to find people who are like them to talk to. The places I highlight are like the LGBTIQ Center in Orlando, which has programming, activities and testing. Also, GaYBOR District Coalition in Tampa and here in Los Angeles, the Trans Wellness Center. I think it’s amazing to just spark conversation to encourage them to participate in any way that they can, whether it’s through donation or participating in programming. Social media is what we’re depending on, especially now because of quarantine. So I want to challenge people what we can do within our means and reach to do something to make a difference in people’s lives? AJ: In the episode, you talk about growing up in Orlando and being encouraged to do your first drag pageant. What was that conversation like with your Filipino family about this form of self-expression and your identity? PS: It’s funny because being Filipino and Asian American, I had to come at it with a business angle — this is makeup, this is what I love to do, and to reassure my family that this is a potential livelihood. I’m first-generation, born here in the U.S., with my parents who immigrated and eventually became citizens of the U.S. So for me to prove to them economically that I could make it…that conversation was long and hard and just proving it to them. I’m sure a lot of POC members of the LGBTQ+ community have had a hard time relating to their traditional families and their ideologies of what it is to be new and to evolve and to be LGBTQ+. Through the spectacle of drag, my fellowship and followers, they were able to see that I was making a positive difference. Simply eating at a restaurant, people would come up and say, ‘Oh my god, are you Patrick Starrr? I love what you do. I love what you stand for.’ I think that brought the change in their minds that this was with positive intent and with good faith to bring a voice for myself and millions of other people. AJ: What does this mean for you to inspire a new gen-
Starrr posted a 10-year challenge showing an old photo of him before his YouTube days in contrast to him now. Photos courtesy of Patrick Starrr
Patrick Starrr, born Patrick Simondac, grew up in Orlando, Florida. His parents were originally from the Philippines.
Patrick Starrr shows off a Filipina inspired look, while donning a yellow terno.
eration of Filipino Americans and show that they’re represented on social media and in big partnerships with brands like Jack Daniel’s? PS: It means everything. When I tell you I was at the grocery store last night, with my mask on and a fitted hat, and this girl looked at me and was like, ‘Do you know Patrick Starrr’ and I’m like, ‘Yes.’ And she goes, ‘Are you Patrick Starrr?’ It’s funny because I didn’t have makeup, a turban or [acrylic] nails on. She was Filipino and to see just through my eyes that have been viewed over 300 million times on the internet, my connection, and that they see a little bit of themselves and their heritage in me, means so much. I’m very proud to have sparked a change in the Filipino community and represent them in the beauty community as well. AJ: How has quarantine been for you? I know you’re so used to doing things at home and through a screen, but has anything changed in terms of what kind of content you’re putting out there or connecting more with your audience? PS: I would say, if there was a FaceTime bill, I would be way past my bill and my limit. FaceTime has been such a saving grace to me in con-
necting to my peers in the influencer community and with all my friends back home. I encourage people to continue to connect with people with the power of technology and to make a difference. We have a purpose and that is to make the world a better place for humanity through Pride, Black Lives Matter. AJ: With the Black Lives Matter, I’m sure you’ve found in a lot of Asian American, especially Filipino American, conversations is how people are talking to their families about the movement. It’s also opening up questions about anti-blackness and colorism in our culture given how Filipinos have put lighter skin on a pedestal. How have you used your platform to defy those beauty standards and show that Filipinos are diverse in skin tones and no one type of skin is superior? PS: In 2017, I met the one and only Kris Aquino. I was fortunate enough to have a collaboration internationally with MAC Cosmetics. She was a such a fan. She looks at me over some lumpia, pancit, adobo, the whole nines — she had showered the table with all the food at her favorite restaurant — and goes, ‘You’re so tan.’ The video was viewed millions of times on Facebook and her YouTube channel. My
Sam in defense of...
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PAGE 13 oping,” Pinky told Funfare. (She provided this corner her photo with the sweethearts who gave Pinky their permission.) “Let us allow them to be happy. As it is, the world has so many problems already and let us plant seeds of positivity around us, and allow people to grow in love.” Both with Cornerstone, Sam and Catriona have just recorded an acoustic remake of the 2018 song We’re in This Together, released recently on several music platforms, hoping to raise P1M for Young Focus Philippines (YFP’s) Quality Education For All campaign to benefit students struggling against the pandemic. “Special thanks to my love Sam Milby, my Young Focus Philippines family and my Cornerstone Entertainment family,” said Catriona. (YFP is her favorite advocacy which she mentioned during the 2018 Miss Universe pageant.
She has been helping raise funds for the construction of a school building in a depressed area in Tondo, Manila.) Catriona has also done for Star Music (a label of ABSCBN Music) her rendition of the KZ Tandingan song Raise Our Flag flipsided by Kritiko. The former was the “soundtrack” of her Miss U journey. “The message is still one that needs to be heard,” noted Catriona. “But now it applies to all of us...in raising our voice and raising our flag for what we stand for. Actually, the meaning of the song has evolved just as I have. I hope other people will see this meaning, too.” (The song can be found in the Cornerstone digital music platform.) Meanwhile, Sam granted Funfare permission to print his Instagram post in full. Here it is: I cannot simply stand by and allow other people to take
control of a narrative that is not theirs to tell. Cat and I have chosen to keep our relationship mostly private. It was only until recently that we made an exception to lend our voices to charitable causes. But that does not mean that there is truth to any of these false stories and fake news that people are creating to fill in the blanks. In fact, these wrongful accusations and defamatory lies are dangerous. One’s silence doesn’t imply guilt. It has been our initial choice not to dignify nor respond to all these baseless claims. Cat is one of the kindest souls I’ve ever known. She is always putting other people first, thinking of how to use her voice and talent to help other people in need. Her grace, dignity and strength even in the midst of all these false accusations make me admire and love her even more. I will always be here for her and I will do everything in my power to protect her.
image was plastered everywhere in the Philippines and I proudly have my tan skin. For the Asian community to see someone that is unconventionally beautiful at the top of their game, whether it’s me, Bretman [Rock] or anyone else, it really speaks volumes. I told her, ‘Yes, I’m tan and I’m plussized and I’m different. Yet I’m here eating with you with my MAC collaboration.’ She was very surprised after our interview. It was so thrilling to have that experience and to praise diversity and adversity all at the same time. AJ: There are times when you share yourself without a full face of makeup and open up about what’s going on in your life. How do you balance being vulnerable and sharing your life for everyone to watch while having a sense of privacy? PS: This younger influencer asked me the same question in regards to how we go about standing for what we believe in and balancing our privacy. I said, ‘Who you are on social media, no boundaries, tell them who you are — your race, your ethnicity, everything.’ For what you stand for, I think there’s a balance between you know, asking your friends and educating yourself. That way you can protect and really make the right move because sometimes people share too much and then it’s almost like an IOU to the audience when that’s not what you originally came to do to serve your community. I’ve been able to develop authentic friends in my
close circle, being my makeup artists and family. You’ll start to find a sense of balance and where you fit and where you’re called. For me, if I’m going to talk about something that may or may not get me in trouble, I’m able to talk to my family and best friends to vent to them. If it’s something that I’ve evaluated and considered to post online, then I’ll take that next step. It’s still unfiltered but I want to make sure it’s said in the right way. That to me is balance in having a sense of community both in personal and public life. AJ: What are some of the misconceptions about being an online influencer that you want to debunk? PS: The misconception is that being an influencer is easy and that we are not entrepreneurs. But people need to understand that we have our own wheelhouse, a business. I have an amazing team close to 10 people that no one may see or know. I’m here to support the business and the messaging, whether it’s amplifying through PR, beauty, production value or storytelling and how we authentically tell that. Influencers in general, beauty or not, we may not have inventory or a distribution center to fulfill our supply and demand. We’re here as advertisers in the space and how we go about advertising and voicing who we are and what we stand for is a misconception. People think we just TikTok. But that’s the point of difference between me as Patrick Starrr and a younger influencer. In
a matter of seven years that I’ve done this, that’s what I’ve learned. Also being Asian, Filipino, that’s the other part of it too, and having to build a business as a minority. I encourage people to really find their voice and their business to become a successful entrepreneur and influencer. AJ: Any beauty and makeup trends you foresee in the coming months. People aren’t really going anywhere right now but they’re taking the time to focus on their skincare versus makeup. PS: The biggest trend I foresee happening is skincare and how we go about removing the makeup. I’ve been talking to a few of my friends about how do you take off your makeup here and how do you do that there? That way we can have a proper skincare [routine] because those of us who love makeup aren’t properly taking it off. That’s something I found really interesting on how to remove makeup in a very performative way, but also beneficial. I’ve been looking at brands like Tatcha, Glam Glow, Ole Henriksen and Drunk Elephant — they have so much in their positioning when it comes to what they put into their brand. But for us in makeup, we have to make sure that they perform to the highest levels. So I think makeup removal will become the trend. AJ: Anything else you want to add or what we can expect from you later this year? PS: More content! For me, my mantra is that makeup is a one size fits all.
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