073121 - Los Angeles Weekend Edition

JULY 31-AUGUST 3, 2021 Volume 31 - No. 60 • 2 Sections – 18 Pages

DATELINE

USA

FROM THE AJPRESS NEWS TEAM ACROSS AMERICA

Understanding the upcoming California gubernatorial recall election in September Election to recall Gov. Gavin Newsom scheduled for Sept. 14

Philippines restores VFA with US

by RITCHEL

MENDIOLA AJPress

AFTER moves to cancel the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA), Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has backtracked from his decision and will continue to uphold the defense pact with the United States.

Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque on Friday, July 30, announced the reversal, saying the chief executive is seeking to sustain the country’s “strategic core interests.”

“PRRD’s (President Rodrigo Roa Duterte) decision to recall the abrogation of VFA is based on upholding PH strategic core interests, the clear definition of PH-U.S. alliance as one between sovereign equals, and clarity of U.S. position on its obligations and commitments under MDT (Mutual Defense Treaty),” he said in a statement.

“The Philippines will, however, continue to engage other countries for partnerships that work, based on our core national interests,” the spokesman added.

In February 2020, the Philippines sent the U.S.

PH immigration eases entry rules for foreign kin of Filipino citizens

IN less than two months, Californians will have the chance to either re-elect Gov. Gavin Newsom or elect a new state leader among a pool of mostly conservatives who have criticized the current leader over, among many things, his handling of the COVID-19 pandemic and lockdown procedures.

The controversial recall election is the first in almost 20 years where Californians will be asked to remove or retain the governor from office.

(The last time was in 2003 when former Governor Gray Davis, a Democrat, lost a recall election to Republican Arnold Schwarzenegger.)

The effort to recall Newsom — who is up for re-election in 2022 — began in June 2020 when the Secretary of State (SOS) approved petitions

by RITCHEL

MENDIOLA AJPress

u PAGE A4

Filipina-Chinese senior citizen attacked at San Francisco home A Filipina-Chinese senior citizen was attacked in her own home in the Oceanview neighborhood of San Francisco during an attempted robbery earlier in July.

In an exclusive interview with ABC7 News’ Dion Lim, 71-year-old Remia Reyes said she is considering moving out of the city after being placed in a chokehold and carried by the neck during the incident.

She told the news station that she was in her garage as she was unloading groceries from her SUV on Wednesday afternoon, July 14, when she suddenly felt an arm around her neck. Reyes initially thought it was a relative giving her a playful hug but soon realized something was wrong when the grip got tighter.

“I said, God, if this is my call, I accept it. I will accept. If I have done something wrong

a notice terminating the VFA reportedly after the U.S. canceled Senator Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa’s visa.

The abrogation was later suspended in June “in light of political and other developments in the region,” and the suspension was extended in November for another six months to enable the Philippines and the U.S. to find a more enhanced, mutually beneficial, mutually agreeable, and more effective and lasting arrangement on how to move forward in their mutual defense. u PAGE A2

WARM WELCOME. Filipina Olympic gold medalist Hidilyn Diaz arrived home from Tokyo, on Wednesday, July 28. Upon her arrival, Diaz changed into her Philippine Air Force uniform. Following her golden feat, Diaz was promoted from sergeant to staff sergeant effective Tuesday, July 27. The pride of Zamboanga City was welcomed by members of the Philippine Air Force, the Philippine Olympic Committee, and the Philippine Sports Committee, who all waited for her just outside NAIA Terminal 2.

Philippine Sports Committee photo

FOREIGN spouses, children, and parents of Filipino citizens traveling to the Philippines as tourists no longer need to present entry exemption documents (EED) to enter the country starting August 1.

The Philippine Bureau of Immigration made the announcement on Monday, July 26, in compliance with the latest resolution of the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) which eased the entry travel requirements for foreigners related by marriage or filiation to Filipinos.

Under the new IATF resolution, foreign spouses, children and parents of Filipinos will only be required to present 9(a) tourist visas beginning Saturday.

It also directed the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) to include in the visa of said foreign nationals the notation: “EED not required per IATF Resolution No. 128 (s.2021).” u PAGE A3

Metro Manila, surrounding areas to revert to enhanced community quarantine on Aug. 6

by AJPRESS

METRO Manila will go back to the most restrictive enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) on August 6 to curb the spread of the highly transmissible Delta variant of COVID-19, according to Malacañang.

Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque on Friday, July 30, announced that Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte approved the recommendation of the Inter-Agency u PAGE A4 Task Force for the Management of Emerg-

ing Infectious Diseases’ (IATF-EID) to place Metro Manila under ECQ from August 6 to 20.

“Simula naman a sais ng Agusto, ang NCR ay ma-eescalate sa enhanced community quarantine or ECQ hanggang a bente ng Agusto 2021 (Starting August 6, NCR will escalate to enhanced community quarantine or ECQ until August 20, 2021),” he said in an announcement aired over staterun People’s Television Network.

“Hindi po naging madali ang desisyon na

u PAGE A4

Duterte pledges P3M, house and lot to Olympic gold medalist Hidilyn Diaz

by RITCHEL

MENDIOLA

AJPress

Photo shows a billboard showing Olympic gold medalist Hidilyn Diaz can be seen along EDSA. Philstar.com photo by Michael Varcas

PHILIPPINE President Rodrigo Duterte has extended his congratulations to Olympic gold medalist Hidilyn Diaz with several incentives.

To reward the Filipina weightlifter for claiming the country’s first-ever Olympic gold, the chief executive pledged a money incentive worth P3 million as well as a “fully-furnished” house and lot in Zamboanga City.

The cash grant from Duterte will be on top of the P10 million that Diaz is set to receive from the government through the Philippine Sports Commission, as provided under the National Athletes and Coaches Benefits and Incentives Act. The pledge from the president is in addition to incentives over P50 million

u PAGE A2

Jalen Green

Photo from Instagram/@jalen

‘EXCITED TO REPRESENT THE PHILIPPINES’:

Fil-Am Jalen Green picked

by Rockets during NBA draft

by AJPRESS FILIPINO American Jalen Green was the second overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft, becoming the third player of Filipino descent drafted to the basketball league.

The Houston Rockets on Thursday, July 29 selected the 6-foot-5 guard in the hopes to revitalize the team after its shortcomings in

the 2020-21 season.

Green, whose mother Bree Purganan traces her roots to Ilocos Sur, follows players of Filipino descent before him — Raymond Townsend in 1978, and last season’s Sixth Man of the Year Jordan Clarkson in 2014.

In a post-draft interview, the 19-year-old said he is “always excited to represent the Philipu PAGE A4

A2 July 31-August 3, 2021 • lA WEEKEND AsIAN JOuRNAl

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

From the Front Page

Duterte pledges P3M, house and lot to...

PAGE A1 that the gold medalist is expected to receive from other sources.

Duterte also said that Diaz will receive the Presidential Medal of Merit, “one of the highest of the nation’s presidential medals,” through an “appropriate” ceremony.

“As expected the nation is ecstatic about your achievement. Your achievement is the achievement of the Philippine nation. We are extremely proud. We cannot express even in the words how we should really be shouting Hallelujah,” Duterte said in a courtesy call Wednesday, July 28, after Diaz returned to the country.

“But, over and above for this monetary consideration, it’s always the honor that you brought to the country,” he added.

The 30-year-old Diaz ruled the women’s 55 kilograms weightlifting event in the To-

kyo Olympics on Monday, July 26 at the Tokyo International Forum.

With her victory, she ended the country’s gold-medal drought since it first participated in the Olympics in 1924.

The Philippines now has a total of 11 medals: one gold, three silver, and seven bronze.

‘Forget disappointments’ In his call with Diaz, Duterte advised the Pinay athlete to “forget” about the unpleasant events she experienced in the past.

“Salamat naman sa pagtiis mo (Thank you for how you’ve endured). I hope that the years of toils, the years of disappointments, and the years na hindi maganda ang nangyari (of bad memories that you have) in the past, just forget them,” he said.

“You already have the gold.

Gold is gold. It can be good for you to just let bygones be bygones and dwell solely

on your victory together with your family and, of course, with the nation,” he added.

In 2019, Diaz was among the public figures tagged in a socalled “matrix” to destabilize the government. The diagram was released by then-presidential spokesperson and incumbent Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Salvador Panelo.

Duterte also told Diaz that she can serve the country in another capacity.

“Put your life in order you’ve been blessed by God. This [amount] is not big, but it is also not small. This will go a long way to help your family.

You know the struggle of life is a long, long process. You are already a celebrity, [your fame] is a political stock, so keep note of that,” he said.

“One day you’d want also President Rodrigo Duterte and U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin III to maybe help the country in some other way other than being a soldier,” he added. n

LAW OFFICES OF DARRICK V. TAN SERVING MY FELLOW KABABAYANS FOR OVER 17 YEARS

CIVIL AND PERSONAL INJURY LITIGATION • Breach of Contract and Fraud • Auto and Other Injury accidents

IMMIGRATION

• Family and employment based green cards • Business and Investor Visas • Deportation defense • Motions to Reopen • Appeals • Humanitarian Reinstatement of revoked petition • Naturalization • H-1B and student visas

FAMILY LAW • Divorce/Separation/Nullity • Property Division • Spousal Support • Child Custody and Support • Restraining Orders

CALL TODAY FOR A CONSULTATION 3580 Wilshire Boulevard, Suite 900, Los Angeles, California 90010

323-639-0277

Email: info@dtanlaw.com • Website: www.dtanlaw.com

Darrick V. Tan, Esq. Licensed in California for over 17 years Licensed in Nevada for over 12 years* UCLA, Bachelor of Arts, Political Science with Cum Laude honors Southwestern University Law School, Juris Doctor Admitted to U.S. District Court, Central District of California Member, American Immigration Lawyers Association Member, Consumers Attorney Association of Los Angeles Former Member, Board of Governors, Philippine American Bar Association *Inactive

Presidential Photo

Philippines restores VFA...

PAGE A1

Last month, Duterte extended the abrogation for another six months “while he studies and both sides further address his concerns regarding particular aspects of the agreement,” according to Philippine Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. ‘In full force’ On the same day, the country’s Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said that Duterte decided to keep the VFA after meeting with U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin III at Malacañang Palace on Thursday, July 29.

“Last night after the meeting between Secretary Austin and President, after Secretary Austin left Malacanang, the President decided to recall or retract the termination letter for the VFA,” he said in a joint press conference with Austin.

“The VFA is in full force again, there is no termination letter. We are back on track, Mr. Secretary to plan for future exercises under the VFA, thank you,” he added.

Lorenzana also said that no changes had been made to the original documents, but a side

agreement was being “worked out.”

“I think that’s one of the side agreements that are being worked out by both sides and it will not affect the original document, but it will just be an adjunct or an additional agreement between the two countries,” he said.

Meanwhile, Locsin, in a separate statement, said that he already handed Austin the diplomatic note recalling the abrogation of the VFA. “The alliance has stayed strong and overcome challenges. It is vital to maintaining stability in the Asia-Pacific region. All the protagonists in the region, without a single exception, see a strong US presence as imperative to peace and stability in Southeast Asia,” he added.

US welcomes PH move For his part, Austin thanked Duterte for deciding to recall the termination of the defense agreement.

“We thank the President for his decision to fully restore the Visiting Forces Agreement,” the American defense chief said.

“I am privileged to be here

during my first visit to the Philippines as Secretary of Defense and I’m glad to have the opportunity to reaffirm our shared commitment to the U.S.-Philippines alliance,” he added.

Austin also assured that the two nations’ strong alliance will “remain vital to the security, stability and prosperity of the Indo-Pacific.”

“A fully restored VFA will help us achieve that goal together. I’m especially grateful for our long-standing U.S.-Philippine Visiting Forces Agreement which enabled us to respond swiftly and seamlessly to disasters,” he added.

Likewise, the U.S. Embassy in Manila welcomed the new development, noting the pact’s importance to the two countries’ security cooperation.

“The United States welcomes President Rodrigo Duterte’s decision to recall the abrogation of the VFA. We strongly believe that the VFA, and the broader alliance that the VFA enables, strengthens not only the security of our two nations but also the rules-based order that benefits all nations in the Indo-Pacific,” it said in a statement. n

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

Dateline USa

LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL • JULy 31-AUgUSt 3, 2021

A3

Covered California announces 2022 plans: Full year of American Rescue Plan benefits, more consumer choice and low rate change SACRAMENTO — Covered California announced its plans and rates for the 2022 coverage year, which will include a full year of lower premiums under the American Rescue Plan. The new and expanded financial help provided by the law has led to a record 1.6 million people enrolled in Covered California, which contributes to the state having one of the healthiest consumer pools in the nation, resulting in a low rate change for a third straight year.

“The American Rescue Plan will keep making a huge difference by lowering costs for many who were previously eligible, and by building on California’s state subsidies to provide financial help to lower premiums for many middle-income Californians for the first time,” said Peter V. Lee, executive director of Covered California. “By getting more people insured and lowering the costs of coverage, we are creating a virtuous cycle of more people being insured, healthier consumers and lower rates for everyone.”

“California is continuing to make significant progress towards covering everyone in our state, and a key part of that is to make sure folks can take advantage of the federal support through the American Rescue Plan,” said Gov. Gavin Newsom.

“The pandemic highlighted how important it can be to have access to quality, affordable health care coverage, and Covered California is making that happen for more people than ever before.”

“The new and expanded financial help from the American Rescue Plan builds on the Affordable Care Act and is allowing more Californians than ever before to get covered and stay covered,” said Dr. Mark Ghaly, California Health and Human Services secretary and chair of the Covered California Board of Directors. “Health care is a right, and together we are working toward providing everyone in the state with access to quality, affordable coverage.”

California’s individual market rate change for 2022 The preliminary average rate change of 1.8 percent will apply to California’s individual market, which consists of approximately 2.3 million people, including the 1.6 million enrolled through Covered California and those enrolled “off-exchange” who sign up directly through a health insurance carrier.

The average rate change for the past three years is only 1.1 percent. This three-year period marked the launch of California’s state subsidy program, the promotion of coverage to address the needs of those losing insurance due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and the recent rollout of the American Rescue Plan.

“Health care costs are never a one-year story,” Lee said. “The past three years show how California has led the way not only by providing stability and lower costs to our consumers, but also through the state’s modeling of expanded financial help, which is now reflected in the American Rescue Plan.”

While the expanded subsidies available through the American Rescue Plan can only be received by consumers who enroll through Covered California, consumers both on and off the exchange will benefit from the competitive marketplace and standard patient-centered benefit designs, which allow them to shop for the best value and save money if they switch plans.

The average rate change for unsubsidized consumers who switch to the lowest-cost plan in the same metal tier is -7.9 percent, which means many people may be able to get a lower gross premium than they have now if they shop and switch.

The main factor that contributed to the low rate change is Covered California’s strong and healthy enrollment. Covered California saw a big jump in new enrollment in 2020 due to the state subsidy and the implementation of the state penalty for going without coverage. Since then, it has seen a surge in enrollment because of the new subsidies through the American Rescue Plan and actions to meet the needs of Californians who lost their employer-sponsored insurance.

The low rate change for 2022 reflects carriers’ anticipation that this trend will continue during the special-enrollment period that will last through Dec. 31, 2021, and in open enrollment for 2022, which will begin in November.

Covered California now has the highest enrollment in its history, and the state continues

to be home to one of the healthiest consumer pools in the nation. Data from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services shows that California had the second lowest “state average plan liability risk score” in the nation in 2020, which marked the seventh straight year that it has been among the top five states in fostering healthy enrollment in the individual market. Over the period from 2020 to 2022, Covered California carriers have indicated that the improved risk mix from new enrollment has contributed to lowering premiums by 3 to 5 percent. Other factors have caused premium trends to be below the usual medical cost trend of 5 to 7 percent, such as the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and deferred care.

The preliminary average rate change reflects changes in premiums before federal subsidies, which cover about 89 percent of the premium for those getting financial help. In addition, premiums will vary by region and by an individual’s personal situation (see Table 2: Covered California Individual Market Rate Changes by Rating Region). The rates have been filed with California’s regulators, the Department of Managed Health Care and the Department of Insurance, and are subject to their final reviews.

The American Rescue Plan provides big savings The American Rescue Plan is already lowering premiums for an estimated 1.5 million Californians, and hundreds of thousands more could get help becoming insured or reducing the cost of the coverage they have now. The new law ensures that everyone eligible will pay no more than 8.5 percent of their household income on their health plan premiums if they enroll through an Affordable Care Act marketplace.

The latest data shows that nearly 700,000 people enrolled in Covered California now have quality coverage through brand-name health plans for only $1 per month. In addition, the American Rescue Plan dramatically reduced the net premiums paid by households across all income ranges in the state (see Table 1: The American Rescue Plan Lowered Net Premiums Across Covered California Households in 2021).

“The American Rescue Plan lowered the average premium cost by 50 percent for many Californian households that were already eligible for financial help, and newly eligible middle-income families are saving an average of more than $400 per month,” Lee said.

“As federal lawmakers deliberate the future of the American Rescue Plan, we have seen clear evidence that it is lowering premiums and increasing enrollment in California and across the country.”

Increased competition and consumer choice The combination of record enrollment and a healthy consumer pool helped prompt carriers to expand the areas they cover throughout the state, with Covered California allowing a new carrier to join the exchange in one region: • Anthem Blue Cross will return to Alameda, Contra Costa, El Dorado, Marin, Napa, Placer, Sacramento, San Francisco, San Mateo, Solano, Sonoma and Yolo counties.

• Blue Shield of California will bring its Trio HMO plan into portions of Monterey and Santa Barbara counties.

• Valley Health Plan will expand into San Benito and Monterey counties.

• Bright HealthCare, which currently operates in 13 other states and covers more than 500,000 people in the individual market, will begin offering coverage in Contra Costa County.

As a result, with 12 carriers providing coverage across the state in 2022, all Californians will have two or more choices, 94 percent will be able to choose from three carriers or more, and 81 percent of Californians will have four or more choices.

“Across the state, Californians will have a choice in coverage, and most will have four or five choices,” Lee said. “That means the Affordable Care Act is putting consumers in the driver’s seat, and they can choose the option that works best for them.”

Raising the bar on quality, addressing disparities and improving care In addition to providing increased value and choice for Californians, Covered California is also continuing its work to improve the quality of care that is delivered to consumers and to

address the health care disparities that negatively affect many communities of color across the state.

As part of its contracts with health insurance carriers, Covered California holds carriers accountable for providing highquality, equitable health care in the following ways: • Raising the bar on quality: While more than 85 percent of consumers are currently enrolled in health plans with ratings of three or more quality stars, Covered California’s goal is to have all consumers in plans that earn four or five stars. To that end, Covered California will be launching a Quality Transformation Initiative in 2023, which will tie financial penalties to poor performance on key quality measures like colon cancer screening and diabetes control.

• Addressing disparities: Covered California requires its plans to collect race and ethnicity data and is working collaboratively with its plans to identify and address disparities in care for African American and Latino enrollees with diabetes and high blood pressure.

• Delivery system transformation: Covered California is working closely with other public purchasers like Medi-Cal and CalPERS on exploring ways to improve behavioral health for all

VACCINATION QUEUE. Residents of Dasmariñas City line up for the COVID-19 vaccine at the ground floor of Central Mall, Barangay Salitran II, Dasmariñas City, Cavite on Thursday, July 29. The government aims to inoculate up to 70 million Filipinos this year to achieve population protection against COVID-19.

PNA photo by Gil Calinga

PH immigration eases entry rules for...

PAGE A1 Previously, these foreign nationals could only enter the country if they had valid 9(a) tourist visas as well as an EED issued by the DFA through its various embassies or consulates abroad.

For his part, Immigration Commissioner Jaime Morente pointed out that the new guidelines are only for foreign nationals who are not accompanied by the Filipino spouse or parents in going to the Philippines.

“Foreigners who are travelu PAGE A4 ing with their Filipino spouses or

parents are eligible for the Balikbayan program and they may be admitted visa-free for a one-year stay,” he said.

Those who are not traveling with their Filipino principal must apply for a 9(a) tourist visa from a Philippine consulate abroad, which they would use for entry to the country.

Meanwhile, BI Port Operation Division Chief Carlos Capulong stressed that while requirements for foreign nationals with Filipino families have been relaxed, the travel ban on 10 countries due to

the Delta variant of COVID-19 remains in place.

Those coming from India, Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Oman, United Arab Emirates, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Thailand are still not allowed to enter the Philippines.

“This includes those who have a travel history to said countries within the last 14 days from their date of arrival,” said Capulong.

He added that the travel ban will last until July 31, unless extended or expanded by the IATF. n

A4 July 31-August 3, 2021 • lA WEEKEND AsIAN JOuRNAl

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) SetAside 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.)

Dateline USa

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

Covered California announces 2022 plans: Full year of...

PAGE A3 t Californians. It is working with the Purchaser Business Group on Health to develop a set of quality measures to support enhanced payments for advanced primary care.

Staying safe while getting help enrolling While the rates and increased choice will not go into effect until Jan. 1, 2022, consumers do not need to wait for the traditional open-enrollment period in November to sign up for coverage. Covered California opened a special-enrollment period to allow the uninsured, and those enrolled directly through a health insurance carrier, to sign up and begin benefiting from the new financial help offered through the American Rescue Plan. People who sign up by July 31 will have coverage that starts Aug. 1.

“The sooner you sign up, the sooner you can start saving and be covered. We do not want anyone to be uninsured or leave money on the table,” Lee said.

“The American Rescue Plan is making coverage more affordable than ever, and more and

more Californians are getting high-quality coverage for just a dollar.”

Consumers can easily find out if they are eligible for Covered California or Medi-Cal — and see whether they qualify for financial help and which plans are available in their area — by using the CoveredCA.Com Shop and Compare Tool and entering their ZIP code, household income and the ages of those who need coverage.

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

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

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

• Call Covered California at (800) 300-1506.

Interested consumers should go to www.CoveredCA.com to find out if they qualify for financial help and find free local help to enroll. They can contact the Covered California service center for enrollment assistance by calling (800) 300-1506. n

Filipina-Chinese senior citizen...

PAGE A1 t in my life, forgive me. I’m willing to accept it, Lord. That’s what I was thinking,” said Reyes.

One of two suspects reportedly lifted Reyes off the ground and carried her in a headlock through the garage, according to the report.

“I said please don’t hurt me.

I have some money. Not much but I just want to share with you my money,” she recounted.

Her attackers only left after she told them her brother had a gun, and she then called out for her domestic partner, Solita Magsalin, who was upstairs.

“I said ‘Dai! Dai!’ He thought I was telling Dan or Dad,” she told ABC7.

Reyes, who is half Chinese and half Filipino, explained that “dai” is a term of endearment for someone in the Philippines.

ABC7 reported that no possessions other than garage door openers were taken.

After the incident, Reyes said she started carrying around a black rubber mallet for protec-

tion.

“Whoever did this to me, please don’t anymore. My God!” she said, addressing her perpetrators.

A GoFundMe page (https://gofund.me/82f1af1b) was launched

by Reyes to help pay for a replacement garage door that can’t be opened with the stolen openers. As of this writing, the page has raised over $1,400 of its $2,000 goal.

“I’m trying to raise money to change our garage door because everytime I see it I’m having [an] anxiety attack due to the attack [what happened] to me inside my garage. Also our garage door control was taken and I’m afraid that one of [these] days it will just open up using the missing garage door control,” she wrote.

“Please help me raise enough money to replace my garage door,” she added.

The San Francisco Police Department’s investigation on the attempted robbery is still ongoing. (AJPress)

WORK HAZARD. A concrete wall beside the Lagarian Creek collapses while workers were cutting tree branches on K-6th Street, Kamuning, Quezon City on Thursday, July 29. A worker was slightly injured during the incident.

PNA photo by Robert Oswald P. Alfiler

Metro Manila, surrounding areas to revert to...

PAGE A1 t ito. Maraming oras ang ginugol para pagdebatehan ang bagay na ito (It is not an easy decision. We spent so much time debating on the proposal),” he added.

Under ECQ, hospitals, groceries, courier and delivery services, certain manufacturing firms, business process outsourcing will remain fully operational.

Meanwhile, banks, medical clinics, telecommunications, power and energy, internet services, water and sanitation services, and certain legal services can operate with a skeletal workforce.

Public transportation, on the other hand, will be suspended.

Heightened restrictions In the meantime, Metro Manila will remain under the general community quarantine (GCQ) “with heightened and additional restric-

tions” from July 30 to Aug. 5.

“The heightened restrictions for NCR are more stringent compared to the GCQ with heightened restrictions of other areas,” said Roque.

Under the stricter GCQ, only Authorized Persons Outside their Residences will be allowed to travel “in and out” of NCR Plus (Metro Manila, Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna, and Rizal).

Only take-out and delivery will be allowed as indoor dine-in services and al fresco dining will be prohibited.

Personal care services such as beauty salons, beauty parlors, barber shops and nail spas may operate up to 30% of venue or seating capacity.

Indoor sports courts and venues and indoor tourist attractions and specialized markets of the Department

of Tourism may not operate.

Outdoor tourist attractions, as may be defined by the DOT, will be allowed at 30% venue capacity.

Roque reminded the public not to resort to panic buying following the new quarantine status.

“Meron naman tayong isang linggo para mag-prepara dito sa two weeks na ECQ. Wala pong dahilan para mag panic buying dahil maski ECQ po, bukas naman po ang ating mga groceries (We still have one week to prepare for the two-week implementation of ECQ. There’s no reason for panic buying because, despite the ECQ implementation, groceries are still open),” he said.

As of this writing, the country has a total of 216 Delta variant related cases, with eight fatalities. n

Understanding the upcoming California...

PAGE A1 t

for the governor’s recall. On April 26, 2021, petitioners garnered enough signatures and the recall election was certified on July 1.

Early on, the recall effort was snubbed as a frivolous effort on the part of Republicans to oust Newsom for his handling of the COVID-19 pandemic as well as long standing grievances related to Newsom’s management over the housing crisis, high taxes and cost of living.

Now more than a month away from the election and amid a concerning surge in COVID-19 cases, Newsom — who has so far raised $32 million and is counting in his anti-recall campaign — is currently on a campaign to encourage his supporters to be vigilant this election.

According to a July 27 poll from UC Berkeley, 47% of voters supported the recall while 50% opposed the recall, but given how recent recall elections turnout, anything can happen.

California Secretary of State Shirley Weber met with ethnic media representatives on Thursday, July 29 to unpack the controversial recall election and how voters can participate in this crucial vote.

“Even if the turnouts can be low in off-season elections, this is going to be a very highly publicized election,” Weber said. “The media plays a huge role in voter behavior, but it is very important that people know exactly what they’re voting for, how to do it, and why it matters.”

What is on the ballot?

According to Weber, the ballot will contain two critical questions that will be counted independently. The first question will be, “Do you want to recall the governor?” to which voters may only answer “yes” or “no.”

If more than 50% answer “no” then the governor will not be recalled, and if more than 50% answer yes, then the governor will be recalled and voters will get to choose who the replacement should be.

The second question will ask, “Who do you want to replace as governor?” to which voters will choose one among the list of 46 certified candidates, a diverse pool of former elected officials, currently elected officials, students, philanthropists, CEOs and media personalities.

Even if you vote no on the first question, i.e. if you vote to keep

Newsom as governor, “you should still pick a person for the second question because you would still want to have input for who gets to be governor” if a majority of California voters vote to recall Newsom, Weber explained.

How do I vote?

Like every statewide election, potential voters should check their voter registration status, which can be done on the SOS website.

Once you register to vote, or if you are already registered, you will receive ballots in the mail on Aug. 16 by the county you live in.

For those who opt to vote-bymail, ballots must be postmarked by election day and received by the county elections office within 7 days, or voters may drop ballots off at polling locations.

The final day to register to vote online is Aug. 30, but voters who miss the deadline may opt for same day voter registration, where you can fill out a registration and vote on the day of the election at polling locations, which will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Why this election matters This recall election, which is largely fuelled by partisan vim and vigor, is positioning itself as just as if not more high profile than the 2003 recall election.

Proponents for the recall say that the reasoning is twofold: to get rid of Newsom and his “failed policies” and to reform California as a whole. Opponents feel that the recall election is a wasteful attempt by conservatives to take back the heavily blue state.

But the election is certified and scheduled, which shifts the focus to voter turnout.

“We’re in a critical period where people are voting in great numbers, and as a result of that there’s also an effort to suppress those numbers,” Weber said, adding that her office is ramping up efforts to encourage communities across the state to show up for the election.

Historically, special elections — i.e. elections that aren’t the quadrennial presidential election — don’t typically garner much voter turnout. Voter apathy is profoundly common in elections of all levels, but the 2003 recall election garnered 61.2% voter turnout.

This election also sheds light on the ways in which the state undergoes recall elections. Weber noted on Thursday that there were “serious problems” with the state’s current recall protocols and that

after the Sept. 14 election, the process should be reviewed either by a commission or a committee.

In order to kickstart a recall, organizers are required by law to gather signatures equal to 12% of votes cast in the last election; translated into quantifiable numbers, that means just 1.5 million signatures were needed to recall the governor.

Weber said that she doesn’t believe that “a small number” like that should have the power to force an election that could cost hundreds of millions of dollars. In comparison, other states require around 20-25% of votes cast.

“We’re in this position where we have to ask ourselves if it is reasonable to have such a low bar because there’s always going to be about 10 to 15% of people who don’t like an elected official,” Weber said.

She added that the rules for who wins the election should also be changed. In a recall election, a candidate could be elected to office without winning the majority of votes.

Recall rules state that it takes a majority of votes to remove an elected official, but when their replacement is being determined by voters, the candidate who receives the most votes wins, even if they don’t get more than 50% of the vote; hypothetically, a candidate who earned 15% of the vote could win if all other candidates received less than that.

“It doesn’t make sense, and we have to really reconsider if a person could become governor of the state without the approval of more than half of the electorate,” she said.

What is this election costing the state?

While the partisan division between pro-recall and anti-recall Californians may be wide, there is one thing that Californians of all political ideologies can agree on: elections are expensive.

In early June, the California Department of Finance reported that the recall election is set to cost the state and county election officials around $276 million to conduct.

Polling data shows that, across the board, Californians are largely opposed to the recall effort. A survey from the Public Policy Institute of California found that 70% of likely voters think that the recall election is a waste of money. (Klarize Medenilla/AJPress)

Fil-Am Jalen Green picked by Rockets...

PAGE A1 t

pines.”

“So, the fact that there’s ties in Houston, it’s kind of like it was scripted. So I’m excited to take that out there and just represent and put on for the Philippines and can’t wait to meet everybody and see the fans,” added Green.

He also took pride in having the support of the whole country behind him.

“The Philippines loves me for me. So, I’m just going to keep being myself. I’m going to keep

working hard and staying in the gym,” Green said.

“It’s not really a responsibility, it’s the game I love and they support me, so I just can’t wait to get out there and just put on for them,” he added.

When asked about a future game against fellow Filipino Clarkson, Green expressed excitement.

“I’m excited… I can’t wait, I’ll tell you that much,” he said.

In a social media post, Philippine Senator and boxer Manny

Pacquiao posted a photo with Green with the message: “Congratulations to Jalen Green on getting drafted #2 overall. Looking forward to watching your journey to becoming a superstar.”

Green previously played for the Ignite team in the NBA G League, averaging 17.9 points, 4.1 rebounds, 2.8 assists, and 1.5 steals in 15 games.

He was selected behind Oklahoma State’s Cade Cunningham, who went to the Detroit

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

LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL • JULy 31-AUgUSt 3, 2021

A5

California issues updated school What kind of dental coverage is guidance for 2021-22 school year included with Original Medicare?

EARLIER in July, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued updated K-12 school guidance reinforcing the shared priority of full in-person instruction for students by recommending strategies for schools to reduce COVID-19 exposure to achieve this goal.

California will align with this guidance by implementing multiple prevention strategies, including continued mask guidance and robust testing capacity, while not recommending physical distancing due to the obstacles it would present to California schools’ full reopening.

According to the CDC guidance: “When it is not possible to maintain a physical distance of at least 3 feet, such as when schools cannot fully re-open while maintaining these distances, it is especially important to layer multiple other prevention strategies, such as indoor masking.”

“We applaud the CDC’s commitment to ensuring that schools are fully, safely opened for in-person instruction. Given California’s science-based approach and the fact that the state’s school facilities can’t accommodate physical distancing, we will align with the CDC by implementing multiple layers of mitigation strategies, including continued masking and robust testing capacity,” said California Health & Human Services Agency Secretary Dr. Mark Ghaly. “Masking is a simple and effective intervention that does not interfere with offering full in-person instruction. At the outset of the new year, students should be able to walk into school without worrying about whether they will feel different or singled out for being vaccinated or unvaccinated – treating all kids the same will support a calm and supportive school environment.”

Mask enforcement will continue to be handled by local schools as the state recognizes the unique needs of each district and child.

California’s school facilities will also layer multiple preven-

tion strategies including: • Continued vaccinations: Vaccination for all eligible individuals to reduce COVID-19 rates throughout the community.

• Continued masking guidance: California will continue to require that masks be worn indoors in school settings, which also will ensure that all kids are treated the same.

• K-12 students are required to mask indoors, with exemptions per California Department of Public Health (CDPH) face mask guidance • Adults in K-12 school settings are required to mask when sharing indoor spaces with students.

• Masks are optional outdoors for all in K-12 school settings.

• Robust testing program: Every California school has access to free testing through the state testing program for schools.

“There’s no substitute for in-person instruction, and the CDC guidance clearly reinforces that as a top priority, issuing recommendations for how schools throughout the country can achieve this goal. Here in California, we’ll get there through continued masking and robust testing capacity,” said Dr. Tomás Aragón, CDPH Director and State Public Health Officer. “The CDC issued a full commitment, with which California agrees, to full in-person instruction for students in the coming school year.”

The guidance will build on multiple state initiatives to ensure schools are prepared to fully reopen safely: • Historic budget investments. In March, Governor Newsom signed into law a $6.6 billion investment in education to safely reopen schools and to address learning loss, especially for students most heavily impacted and school districts with concentrations of low-income and homeless students.

According to the most recent data, essentially all schools in California are planning to be fully open for the upcoming school year.

• In-person summer learn-

ing. This summer, students in 88 percent of school districts are already receiving learning acceleration (e.g., high-dose tutoring), enrichment, and mental health services, based on $4.6 billion appropriated in early March and strong encouragement from leaders throughout the administration.

• Vaccinating young people. In early May, California launched a multi-faceted statewide campaign to drive vaccinations of schoolaged youth ahead of the next school year, including schoolbased pop-up clinics throughout the state, schools serving directly as providers, and both earned and paid media to educate youth and families.

• Safety and family engagement. In early June, CDPH launched a family engagement campaign to address the concerns of students and parents reluctant to return to in-person instruction – especially Latinx, African American, and Asian American and Pacific Islander parents in communities disproportionately impacted by the pandemic. Investments include a campaign to reach parents ($1 million), build on-the-ground local collaborations between local public health departments ($10 million) and county offices of education ($10 million), and provide ongoing statewide technical assistance and encourage two-way communication through enhanced technology ($4 million).

• COVID-19 testing support. California has a robust testing infrastructure, particularly for schools, with the capacity to offer free PCR or antigen testing to every school in the state. Innovations being piloted include at-home testing, pooled testing (decreases collection time), and on-site molecular (similar to PCR) testing, among others.

To learn more, visit the CDPH Testing Task Force for schools website.

Parents can learn more about the new guidance by visiting the Parent Page of the California Safe Schools For All website at https://schools.covid19.ca.gov/.

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 desisyon na kailangang gawin para sa inyong healthcare coverage. Maraming mahusay na serbisyo ang Medicare, pero karamihan sa dental services ay hindi covered ng Original Medicare plan. May mga ilang Medicare Advantage Plans na nag-aalok ng extra dental benefits. Narito ang ilang helpful tips para inyong maintindihan ang Medicare dental coverage at kung paano piliin ang plano na tama para sa inyo. uWhat does original Medicare cover?

Ang Original Medicare ay may dalawang parte, Part A (Hospital Insurance) at Part B (Medical Insurance). Hindi covered ng Original Medicare ang routine dental care tulad ng exams, cleanings, fillings, pagbubunot ng ngipin, pustiso, at karamihan sa dental care services. Gayunpaman, ang anumang emergency o komplikadong dental procedure na kailangang gawin habang naka-admit sa ospital ay covered ng Original Medicare.

Halimbawa, covered ng Original Medicare ang pagbunot ng ngipin kung kailangan ito para ihanda ang panga ng isang pasyente para sa radiation treatments, ang oral examination na kailangan para sa isang kidney transplant, operasyon para sa panga o mukha dahil sa isang aksidente, o iba pang mga pagkakataon ng emergencies o komplikasyon.

Kung may plano kayong mag-enroll, o kasalukuyan kayong naka-depende sa Medicare, pag-isipan ang pagsali sa Medicare Advantage plan upang makatanggap ng coverage para sa routine dental care, at benefits na higit pa sa puwedeng ibigay ng Original Medicare. uhoW to get More coverage Ang Medicare Advantage plans (Part C at Part D) ay alok ng mga pribadong insurance companies na aprubado ng Medicare. Sa mga planong ito, tatanggap kayo ng mga serbisyo na covered ng Original Medicare, plus karagdagang mga benepisyo na partikular sa inyong plano. Depende sa pribadong insurance provider na inyong pinili, puwede kayong makatanggap ng routine dental services tulad ng oral exams at cleanings, crowns at pustiso. Sa Clever Care Medicare Advantage HMO plans, kasama ang mga benefits tulad ng: • Routine dental cleanings, exams, fluoride treatments, at X-rays.

• Hanggang sa $400 allowance kada tatlong buwan para sa mga karagdagang serbisyo tulad ng fillings at restorations, root canals, bridges at implants, pustiso, pagbubunot ng ngipin, at iba pang services.

• $0 copays para sa Medicare-covered services, dalawang cleanings at exams, isang fluoride treatment, isang X-ray, at karagdagang mga serbisyo na sakop ng allowance bawat taon.

Bukod pa rito, covered ng Clever Care Medicare Advantage ang iba pang supplemental benefits tulad ng vision, hearing, prescription drugs, at Eastern medicine treatments tulad ng acupuncture, massage, reflexology, herbal supplements, at marami pang iba!

Para sa mga detalyeng sakop ng inyong Medicare plan, tumawag lamang sa in-language helpline hatid ng Clever Care Health Plan. 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., Lunes-Biyernes 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. Ang Clever Care Medicare Advantage Plan ay offered lamang sa mga residente ng Los Angeles County, Orange County, at San Diego County.

H7607_21_CM0473D_TAG_M Accepted 07192021

A10107-D-TAG (07/21)

A6 July 31-August 3, 2021 • lA WEEKEND AsIAN JOuRNAl

‘But not yet a surge’

OpiniOn & Features

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

HIDILYN Diaz lifted our collective spirit, but things look grim with the local transmission of COVID-19’s Delta variant confirmed and the number of infections inexorably rising. By way of emphasizing the gravity of the situation, infectious disease expert Dr. Anna Lisa Ong Lim was quoted as saying on Saturday that every detected case should be deemed a Delta case so as to ensure implementation of strict border control and efficient disease surveillance.

Lim described border control as “a very critical component” of the government’s response to the pandemic and, along with disease surveillance through genome sequencing, an instrument that would enable experts to “keep one step ahead.” But how to balance border control with the renewed push for local tourism?

Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said the Department of Health (DOH) was assuming breached border control protocols with the confirmation of the Delta variant’s local transmission. She said all ports of entry nationwide should implement these protocols “strictly and uniformly” — a point that should by now go without saying yet still requires constant repetition. She added, however, that infections in arriving travelers might have gotten past RT-PCR tests. Reality check: The reputed “gold standard” in tracking COVID-19 infections is not 100-percent failsafe and also requires proper health monitoring and assessment.

The rise in infections caused by the highly transmissible Delta variant is truly worrying. Other countries, even the developed ones, are fighting soaring numbers of infection; lockdowns are again in place when freedom from face masks was celebrated only recently. In Australia, citizens have taken to the streets of Sydney, Melbourne, and Adelaide to protest restrictions on their mobility.

In these parts, the figures daily announced by the DOH are on the whole estimates, with a num-

ber of labs unable to submit their respective results on any given day. It’s also a given that a number of infections, whether they end in recovery or death, will be unregistered. Nevertheless, the official numbers have breached the 1.5-million mark, and 119 Delta cases, of whom four have died, have been recorded as of this writing.

That the Delta-positive do not exhibit the common COVID-19 symptoms makes disease surveillance more difficult. The scarcity of genome sequencing machines also hobbles the government’s pandemic response. The experience of a returning overseas Filipino worker, as narrated by Quezon City’s Epidemiology and Surveillance Disease Unit (Cesu), illustrates the limitations of testing and contact tracing efforts.

The man, 34, flew in from Saudi Arabia on June 24 and stayed in a Makati hotel for mandatory quarantine. He noted a slightly itchy throat on June 28 and was administered a swab test on June 30. He tested positive and was moved to a hotel in Manila on July 4. He was considered recovered and allowed to go home to his family on July 11.

But his sequenced sample that found him positive of the Delta variant was turned over to the Cesu only on the evening of July 25. He and family members were swabbed the next day and put on strict quarantine.

According to Cesu head Dr. Rolly Cruz, the man

Editorial

The Fil-Am Perspective Gel SantoS-ReloS I FEEL YOU. I feel as exasperated as all of you are as we have been fighting this war against COVID-19 for more than a year now. We thought COVID-19 has retreated and that we are on our way to living life as we knew it before March 2020. But now we hear that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) wants us to mask up again, even us the fully vaccinated. What happened?

Didn’t the CDC relax certain public safety measures in May when nearly half of us have been fully vaccinated, and about 76% of us had at least one dose of the vaccine? Didn’t the infection, hospitalization and death rates go down?

Before we lose ourselves to knee jerk reactions because of our pandemic burn-out, let us pause for a while and get our bearings back, grounded not on how we feel at the moment but on what is our collective goal and that is - to defeat COVID-19 and go back to our normal life.

We were there near our much awaited victory but two factors got

Demand and Supply Boo ChanCo IT is scary to see folks in California and Colorado almost back to normal. Some still use face masks, but most no longer do. As the Manila I left went back to GCQ, Los Angeles and Denver appear to be going back to life as it was before the pandemic, as if the Delta variant threat isn’t real.

Indeed, my connecting flight to Denver on Southwest was packed full, as in all seats taken. No social distancing on the aircraft.

The only concession to the virus was the requirement to wear a mask on the flight. It was the longest two hours for me, feeling totally insecure and vulnerable to the virus, my two Sinovac jabs notwithstanding.

Apparently, the U.S. airlines have been allowed to go back to normal… no more vacant middle seat. And the airlines are eager to recoup as much of their losses when they flew almost empty planes.

U.S. health authorities have

Inquirer.net photo

and his family will be swabbed anew as part of the protocol “even if he is considered a recovered patient.” Extensive contact tracing is supposedly being done—but can one be blamed for thinking it’s a catch-up effort?

A similar occurrence made up the gist of Manila Mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso’s recent lament: the length of time it took the DOH to inform the city government of a 33-year-old Deltapositive patient at a public hospital. “Hopefully,” the mayor said late last week, “it would not take a month for the local government to be informed, so that what should be done can be done.”

On Monday, Vergeire said Metro Manila and five other regions — Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon, Calabarzon, Central Visayas, and Northern Min-

danao — have been showing “trend reversals,” or an increase in infection rates, in the past two weeks, and the Ilocos and the Cordillera Administrative Region in the past six weeks. But no way, she said, should the word “surge” be used in reporting on the marked increase in cases (which, it is bruited about, prompted an emergency meeting of the pandemic team at this late stage). What the government can “verify” is that the numbers are increasing, she said.

Precise language is fine, but it’s unclear if it comforts those forced to stand in line in a flood to get vaccinated, or those anxious about the efficacy of the jab they received against Delta and other variants — or those simply unsure if the government truly has their back. (Inquirer.net)

Protecting against the Delta variant: Get vaccinated, wear masks to save our lives, vulnerable groups in the way — despite the push and all-out support of the Biden administration, the vaccination rate stalled at close to 50 percent, far from the target 70 percent minimum to attain herd immunity. This was exacerbated by a new FACT: the Delta variant of COVID19 has released its full arsenal, driving the infection, hospitalization and death rate up again.

The Delta variant comprises well over 80% of cases in the United States. Data show that 90% of those who are hospitalized are the unvaccinated. Worse, 97% of those who die are unvaccinated.

Take note that the Delta variant is a NEW factor that scientists need have to confront head on, and health officials are duty bound need to recalibrate health guidelines according to new information as they come. This explains the changes in policy and guidelines which are all science and data-based.

According to the CDC, “the delta variant of the coronavirus appears to cause more severe illness than earlier variants and spreads as easily as chickenpox, according to an internal federal

health document that argues officials must “acknowledge the war has changed,” the Washington Post reported.

The Delta variant has now found to be spreading faster and more aggressively than ebola and even the common cold, infecting BOTH the unvaccinated and the vaccinated, except that those who are vaccinated are mostly asymptomatic — meaning some do not exhibit any usual symptoms, while others just get the mild symptoms that do not require hospitalization that may lead to death.

“Vaccinated individuals infected with delta may be able to transmit the virus as easily as those who are unvaccinated.

Vaccinated people infected with delta have measurable viral loads similar to those who are unvaccinated and infected with the variant”, the Post report stated.

The problem here is that the vaccinated people are also found to spread/ be carrier of the delta variant to the unvaccinated, which leads to their hospitalization and death.

We have known previously that “there is a higher risk among old-

Back to normal earlier loosened their rules as the number of vaccinated Americans approached the halfway mark.

But the U.S. CDC is once more urging Americans to mask up due to the Delta virus surge.

Over 56% of Americans over the age of 12 are now fully vaccinated, according to the CDC. That’s more than 161 million people getting two doses of an approved vaccine.

They are still working to achieve herd immunity levels of between 70 to 90%.

Nationwide, more than 99% of recent deaths have occurred among unvaccinated people, and more than 97% of recent hospitalizations have occurred among the unvaccinated, according to the CDC. This led U.S. President Biden to say “the only pandemic we have is among the unvaccinated.”

Based on the packed flight I took and the crowded airport at Denver, it seems Americans now think the summer is too good to waste being locked down.

U.S. health officials were initially worried they were hitting a wall of vaccine hesitancy, an

unfortunate development in the light of the Delta threat. The number of cases is rising in all 50 states. And with the colder months just around the corner, a serious surge can happen.

The New York Times reported that a Kaiser Family Foundation poll at the start of the year among American adults revealed that 23 % said no to being vaccinated.

But a significant portion of that group have since changed their minds in a follow up interview by the Kaiser pollsters.

Vaccination has become a political issue, thanks to Trump supporters who think vaccines are either unnecessary or harmful.

Far right evangelicals are also resisting the call to vaccinate.

Vaccination rates are higher in blue states and rather low in red states.

For someone coming in from Manila after over a year of being locked down, it takes a while to get adjusted to the approach the Americans are taking on COVID. The airport was almost empty when we arrived, and the immigration people were at their friendliest best.

er age groups for hospitalization and death relative to younger people, regardless of vaccination status. Another estimates that there are 35,000 symptomatic infections per week among 162 million vaccinated Americans.”

However, new data from the CDC now show that that more and more young people are being hospitalized for COVID-19 as the Delta variant surges. Currently, as of July 24, people ages 18 to 49 make up the largest demographic of hospitalized people due to COVID-19. As reported by Healthline, this age group is currently affected more than those ages 50-64, and signifiucantly more affected than those 65 and older. This trend began March of this year.

And because a COVID vaccine has not yet been authorized for children under the age of 12, they are among the unvaccinated who are at risk of infection.

As of July 8, the American Academy of Pediatrics reported that more than 4 million children had been diagnosed with COVID19, representing 14.2% of all cases. More than 31,000 new cases were reported during the

June 24 to July 8 timeframe.

CDC data further revealed that at least 335 children, ages 17 and younger, have died from COVID19.

Therefore, “the new guidance reflects a strategic retreat in the face of the delta variant.

Even people who are vaccinated should wear masks indoors in communities with substantial viral spread or when in the presence of people who are particularly vulnerable to infection and illness,” the CDC said.

I know how frustrating it is for us who are vaccinated to be affected in how we live our life because of those who choose to be unvaccinated — I feel the same way too. However, the reality of public health is that we are all in this together.

If we truly want to go back to our normal life, we have to have a collective effort in protecting and saving ALL LIVES from the virus - the vaccinated AND the unvaccinated; the patriotic ones who think of the greater good AND the self-centered stubborn ones who cannot think of causes bigger than their selves; those who believe in facts, science AND those

who rely on conspiracy theories, chismis, myths, misinformation from those who do not know what they are talking about.

Bottom line: the risk factor for hospitalization is now vaccine status. Be part of the solution and not the problem. Get vaccinated.

Communicate facts with those who hardly know science-based information about the virus and urge them to get vaccinated.

And please, mask up even if we are vaccinated. Let us think of the unvaccinated, especially the children, the elderly and the sick.

We are all in this together! ***

No one checked my test results at LAX, most likely because the All Nippon Air check-in clerk at NAIA already took a copy of it, as well as the U.S. CDC health declaration form, and uploaded everything even before take off. I hope this approach to living with the virus works.

The first thing I had to discard is the face shield, never required in the U.S. I felt insecure without it, though. They were giving free tests as you exit the airport.

But the U.S. government has also announced last Monday it will not lift any existing travel restrictions as lobbied for by the airlines. The U.S. currently bars most non-U.S. citizens who within the last 14 days have been in the UK, Ireland, the 26 Schengen nations, China, India, South Africa, Iran, and Brazil.

Colorado is essentially wide open spaces and the freedom to walk around without masks outdoors feels good. I still wear my mask indoors, but not too many do. I will next check when I can get a booster shot of Pfizer or Moderna as I feel insecure with my two Sinovac shots.

Pfizer had been suggesting that even with their vaccine, a booster shot may be needed six months after the second shot.

American health officials are still to be convinced that is necessary.

Delta may prove the need for such a booster.

Have been reading about the COVID situation back home and I am hoping a more rounded approach to the steps being taken is adopted. There is more to the pandemic response than lockdowns. The IATF should have more sectors represented.

We should know by now the exmilitary and the clueless DOH Secretary need help to widen their perspectives.

Officials like NEDA Secretary General Karl Kendrick Chua can contribute facts-based solutions instead of the knee jerk conjectures that become policy.

Right now, the President is being led blindly, a case of the blind being led by the blind.

We are in our second year of the pandemic. We all deserve better.

Olympic gold Congratulations to Hidilyn Diaz, the first Filipino to win an Olympic gold medal. Actually, many other Filipinos have won the gold, but they represented the United States.

We almost lost Hidilyn too, thanks to the politics of Philippine sports. She complained of being

under funded during her training.

This is awful considering that after winning silver in Brazil, she was obviously our best chance for a gold in Tokyo.

We keep on losing good athletes because of the self-serving politicians who have similarly been the bane of our country overall. A politician heading the chess federation lost Wesley So, a top world chess grandmaster to the U.S. In the case of Hidilyn, the Duterte administration demonized her, even including her in a list of political enemies out to destabilize Duterte’s reign. How stupid can that be? Par for the course!

For now, let every Filipino bask in the glory Hidilyn made possible by her gold win. Hopefully, she will inspire other athletes to aim for the gold… and our sports officials to think of developing the athletes rather than their bank books. ***

The opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by the author do not necessarily reflect the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints of the Asian Journal, its management, editorial board and staff.

*** Gel Santos Relos has been in news, talk, public service and educational broadcasting since 1989 with ABS-CBN and is now serving the Filipino audience using different platforms, including digital broadcasting, and print, and is working on a new public service program for the community. You may contact her through email at gelrelos@icloud.com, or send her a message via Facebook at Facebook.com/Gel. Santos.Relos.

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.

*** Boo Chanco’s email address is bchanco@ gmail.com. Follow him on Twitter boochanco@ yahoo.com

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

ADVERTISING AND ADVERTORIAL POLICIES ROGER LAGMAY ORIEL Publisher & Chairman of the Board

CORA MACABAGDAL-ORIEL President

ChRISTINA M. ORIEL Editor-in-Chief

MOMAR G. VISAYA Executive Editor

US hEADqUARTERS: 1210 S. Brand Blvd Glendale, CA 91204 Tels: (818) 502-0651 • (213) 250-9797 Fax: (818) 502-0858 • (213) 481-0854 e-mail: info@asianjournalinc.com http://www.asianjournal.com

IVY MANALANG Vice President - Marketing Los Angeles Asian Journal

MONETTE ADEVA MAGLAYA Senior Vice President Los Angeles Asian Journal

With offices in Los Angeles, San Francisco, New York/New Jersey Las Vegas, San Diego, Philippines

DING CARREON Videographer

ANDY TECSON Photographer

Asian Journal Publications, Inc. (“AJPI”) reserves the right to refuse to publish, in its sole and absolute discretion, any advertising and advertorial material submitted for publication by client. (“Client’s Material”) Submission of an advertisement or advertorial to an AJPI sales representative does not constitute a commitment by AJPI to publish a Client’s Material. AJPI has the option to correctly classify any Client’s Material and to delete objectionable words or phrases.

Client represents and warrants that a Client’s Material does not and will not contain any language or material which is libelous, slanderous or defamatory or invades any rights of privacy or publicity; does not and will not violate or infringe upon, or give rise to any adverse claim with respect to any common law or other right whatsoever (including, without limitation, any copyright, trademark, service mark or contract right) of any person or entity, or violate any other applicable law; and is not the subject of any litigation or claim that might give rise to any litigation.

Publication of a Client’s Material does not constitute an agreement to continue publication.

Client agrees and covenants to indemnify AJPI and its officers against any and all loss, liability, damage, expenses, cost, charges, claims, actions, causes of action, recoveries, judgments, penalties, including outside attorneys’ fees (individually and collectively “Claims”) which AJPI may suffer by reason of (1) Client’s breach of any of the representations, warranties and agreements herein or (2) any Claims by any third party relating in any way to Client’s Material.

AJPI will not be liable for failure to publish any Client’s Material as requested or for more than one incorrect insertion of a Client’s Material. In the event of an error, or omission in printing or publication of a Client’s Material, AJPI shall be limited to an adjustment for the space occupied by the error, with maximum liability being cancellation of the cost of the first incorrect advertisement or republication of the correct advertisement.

Under no circumstances shall Asian Publications, Inc. be liable for consequential damages of any kind.

ASIAN JOURNAL PUBLICATIONS, INC. publishes the Los Angeles Asian Journal, published twice a week; the Orange County and Inland Empire Asian Journal, Northern California Asian Journal, Las Vegas Asian Journal and the New York / New Jersey Asian Journal which are published once a week and distributed to Los Angeles, Riverside, San Bernardino, Orange Counties, Northern California, Las Vegas and New York and New Jersey respectively.

Articles published in this paper do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the publisher. Letters to the Editor are welcome.

Letters must contain complete name and return address. The materials, however, are subject to editing and revisions.

Contributions and advertising deadlines are every Mondays and Thursdays. For advertising rates and other informations, please call the L.A. office at (213) 250-9797 or send us an email at info@asianjournalinc.com

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

Dateline PhiliPPines

DOH reports 97 new Delta cases

by Red

Mendoza and CuRRie CatoR ManilaTimes.net

GOVERNMENT officials on Thursday, July 29 continued to argue whether tighter quarantine restrictions should be imposed in the National Capital Region (NCR) to head off a surge even as more cases of the highly contagious Delta variant were discovered.

The debate continued even as 97 new cases of the Delta variant were detected in the country on Thursday, pushing the total to 216.

The Department of Health (DoH) said 88 of the 97 Delta variant cases were from local transmission and six were from returning overseas Filipinos.

Two of the returning Filipinos were seamen from the M/T Clyde and the barge Claudia currently moored off Albay province, while the rest were from the M/V Vega ship that arrived from Indonesia.

Thirty-two of the local cases were from Central Visayas, 25 from NCR (Metro Manila), 10 from Eastern Visayas, six each from Central Luzon and Calabarzon (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal and Quezon), three from the Western Visayas and one from Ilocos Region.

The DOH said 94 of those who had Delta variant have recovered, while three died, pushing the fatalities from the variant to eight.

‘Hard lockdown not justified’ President Rodrigo Duterte approved the recommendation of the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATFEID) to keep the NCR Plus in general community quarantine (GCQ) with heightened restrictions until August 15.

The DoH admitted that Covid cases in Metro Manila are rising, but it does not mean the region is experiencing a surge that will justify a hard lockdown.

The independent OCTA Research group believes Metro Manila is on the verge of a surge and recommended a two-week “circuit breaker” lockdown to prevent an explosion of cases which could lead

to “thousands” of deaths.

On Thursday, Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire told reporters the DoH’s definition of a “surge” considers not only case numbers but other factors as well, including health system capacity.

Vergeire said to consider the rise in cases in NCR as a surge will unnecessarily alarm the public.

As far as OCTA founder Professor Ranjit Rye is concerned, the NCR is already on the onset of a surge, and that tightening measures early is “the right thing to do.”

“The key now is for the LGUs (local government units), communities and the private sector in the NCR to work together to implement strategies to prevent the surge in cases from accelerating further,” Rye said.

The mayors in Metro Manila also want stricter quarantine measures and requested for at least 4 million more vaccine doses to protect the people from a possible Delta-driven surge.

Metro Manila mayors willing In a briefing on Thursday, Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) Chairman Benjamin Abalos Jr. said the mayors are willing to have a two-week enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) as long the national government has the funds to prop up underprivileged families that will be affected.

If an ECQ is not feasible, the mayors will propose more restrictions added to the existing GCQ with heightened restrictions, Abalos said.

Among these restrictions are reducing seating capacity in restaurants or allowing only take-out orders and controlling mobility.

Abalos said the suggestions are based on the mayors’ assessment that COVID-19 cases are increasing, and that one area in Metro Manila recently reported a 56-percent rise in the positivity rate.

“Aggressive contact tracing, massive testing, and strict isolation would then be ramped up to further reduce COVID-19 cases in Metro Manila while

waiting for the requested 4 million vaccines from the national government to achieve population protection as early as possible and prevent exponential growth of positive cases from Delta variant,” he said.

Economic disaster Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez is against a hard lockdown, saying 1.8 million workers could suffer.

“I mentioned before - the economy cannot bear another massive lockdown, unless the situation really calls for it. We lose P30 billion in wages for two-week lockdown. The loss of jobs will worsen the hunger situation. More MSMEs (micro, small and medium enterprises) will close down,” said Lopez in a Viber message to reporters.

“Covid cases are still within manageable levels. Delta has been detected but so far being monitored and contained. It is being closely watched,” he added.

He said his department has a “more holistic assessment” of the Covid situation in Metro Manila. “As long as we have an intensified vaccination rollout plus strict public health standard and granular lockdown, we keep the economy going and save jobs and livelihood.

What is key is we allow the economy to reopen in a safe and very calibrated way, but we make more restrictions on nonessential activities and mass gatherings and definitely no superspreader activities,” Lopez said.

Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI) acting President Edgardo Lacson said a knee-jerk reaction to declare a lockdown will be disastrous to the economy, which is already reeling from losses arising from months of lockdowns.

“Such a decision will cause the loss of hundreds of thousands of jobs again, not to mention business losses of enterprises, which our citizens can ill afford,” Lacson said.

The government should focus instead on intensifying vaccination, he said.

The Philippines reported 5,735 new COVID-19 cases on Thursday, for a total of 1.572 million n.

LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL • JULy 31-AUgUSt 3, 2021

A7

A8 July 31-August 3, 2021 • lA WEEKEND AsIAN JOuRNAl

Dateline PhiliPPines

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

PH extends ban on travelers from 10 countries until August 15

MANILA — The Philippines has extended restrictions on travelers coming from 10 countries until August 15 to control the spread of the highly contagious Delta variant of COVID19.

Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque Jr. announced on Friday, July 30 that President Rodrigo Duterte has approved the recommendation of the government’s pandemic task force to extend the ban currently imposed on inbound

SLOW BUT SURE. A delivery worker carefully pulls a trolley loaded with boxes of instant coffee to the Kadiwa Public Market along Congressional Avenue in Dasmariñas City, Cavite on Thursday, July 29. The worker made sure he is protected against COVID-19 by putting a cloth mask on.

PNA photo Gil Calinga

Bicol Int’l Airport operational by year end TO prove the construction of the Bicol International Airport (BIA) is on track, Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade landed at the gateway’s runway Friday, July 30 whether it was finished or not.

He inspected the airport on May 13, 2021.

Tugade said his landing at the airport will serve as a challenge and an encouragement for the gateway’s builders to keep up the pace.

“I will land at Bicol International Airport [whether it is] finished or unfinished in July,” Tugade said during his inspection of the airport last May. After landing, he will inspect the airport’s facilities.

Tugade assured the BIA, dubbed as the “country’s most scenic gateway” with the iconic Mayon Volcano for its backdrop, will be operational by or before the end of this year.

Once completed, the gateway is expected to boost air traffic in the region and accommodate a total of 2 million passengers annually.

The construction of the P4.798billion BIA in Barangay Alobo, Daraga in Albay has been certified a priority by the Duterte administration under the Build, Build, Build program.

The international airport started pre-construction works in 2008.

The airport project gained traction when Tugade directed the Department of Transportation’s (DoTr) air sector to fast-track the airport’s construction.

Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade

Under his direction, the project’s construction was also able to employ 755 workers despite the Covid-19 pandemic, with 1,100 more indirect jobs awaiting locals once the airport becomes operational.

Meanwhile, the two contractors of the airport project have committed to complete all civil works under their respective contracts by Aug. 30, 2021.

As of July 28, 2021, the BIA’s construction accomplishment rate is at 89 percent.

This constitutes Package 2A and Package 2B of the project.

Package 2A is already 96 percent accomplished and is expected to be fully completed by Aug. 30, 2021, subject to further necessary works after inspection by the DoTr and by the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP).

Included under Package 2A are the construction of the airport’s

FOTR photo

air traffic control tower, administration building, crash fire rescue building and cargo terminal building, among others.

Package 2B, meanwhile, is at 86 percent completion and is expected to be fully completed by the end of August 2021, subject to further necessary works after inspections by the DoTr and CAAP. Included under Package 2B are the construction of the BIA’s passenger terminal building, which is now 90.5 percent complete and is expected to be finished by Aug. 31, 2021.

Also included under Package 2B is the extension of the airport’s runway, which is now 75 percent finished and is also expected to be completed by Aug. 31, 2021.

The BIA is also expected to be technically operational for day operations by Oct. 7, 2021, and to be night-rated by Nov. 4, 2021.

(ManilaTimes.net)

travelers from the following countries: • India • Pakistan • Nepal • Sri Lanka • Bangladesh • Oman • United Arab Emirates • Indonesia • Malaysia • Thailand The ban, which was set to expire on July 15, was implemented to prevent further domestic

transmission of the Delta variant, which is driving spikes in cases in other Southeast Asian nations.

Health authorities have so far detected 216 Delta variant cases in the country.

Roque also announced that Metro Manila will again be placed under enhanced community quarantine—the strictest quarantine classification—in a bid to avoid putting pressure on hospitals. (Gaea Katreena Cabico/Philstar.com)

NEDA: Hard lockdown to cost economy P210-B

by Louise

Maureen Philstar.com

siMeon

MANILA — The economy will lose at least P210 billion, further dimming the country’s already dark path to recovery, as the capital returns to the strictest lockdown next week to prevent widespread transmission of the Delta variant and collapsing the health care system.

Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Karl Chua said the economy is seen to bleed hundreds of billions of pesos and increase the number of poor and unemployed Filipinos as a result of the government’s decision yesterday to place Metro Manila under enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) from Aug. 6 to 20.

“Each week of ECQ in the National Capital Region will cost the economy P105 billion,” said Chua, noting that the NCR is where the bulk of the country’s economic activity is centered.

“It will also increase poor people by up to 177,000 and 444,000 more without jobs,” he said.

At present, the capital is under general community quarantine (GCQ) with heightened restrictions.

But putting Metro Manila under ECQ will put a halt to some 40 percent of the country’s economic activities as businesses and services are forced to temporarily stop operations for two weeks, Chua said.

He said the economic impact can be partly reversed if the lockdowns will be properly used to accelerate vaccination of Filipinos, especially in high-risk areas.

“This way, the ECQ will be an investment to pave the way for

a recovery once we control the Delta spread. Cash aid will also mitigate the impact,” he said.

The Foundation for Economic Freedom (FEF) emphasized that the country has no choice but to go on ECQ for the nth time as the Delta variant is threatening to overwhelm the health care capacity as it did in neighboring Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam.

FEF president Calixto Chikiamco said it is better to have the ECQ now when the virus has yet to spread at a faster pace than have it before the Christmas season when demand and consumption are high.

“If done early, the two weeks may be enough. Vaccination should be ramped up during this time to contain the variant spread,” Chikiamco said in a text message.

As to the impact on the country’s much-needed recovery, ING Bank senior economist Nicholas Mapa said the lockdown will directly hit economic engines as it hinders household spending while mobility curbs will likely shackle the troubled services sector and constrain overall industrial activity.

Mapa said the latest round of ECQ will force would-be investors to rethink their plans as lockdowns appear to be the blunt weapon of choice to deal with the crisis, despite authorities repeatedly vowing to never resort to such measures.

Michael Ricafort, chief economist at Rizal Commercial Banking Corp., noted that the twoweek ECQ could be more or less 0.5 percent of GDP per week.

Ricafort said this can be partly mitigated as August is consid-

ered a “ghost month” when economic and business activities are relatively less. The Chinese “ghost month” starts on Aug. 8.

“Still, it would definitely slow down economic recovery prospects in terms of reduced production, income and wages, especially for the hardest-hit businesses and the most vulnerable sectors,” he said.

United effort?

In Congress, Sen. Bong Go expressed confidence that the country is better prepared to confront the threat of the Delta variant and urged all government agencies and the general public to help meet the goals of the scheduled ECQ.?The chairman of the Senate committee on health stressed that the lives and welfare of Filipinos have always been the main consideration in the government’s decisions, which is why the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) decided on reverting to a lockdown.

“I appeal to government agencies to make sure that there are enough funds for assistance to the poorest of the poor and those most in need living in areas under ECQ,” Go said in Filipino.

Aside from the imposition of ECQ, authorities should also tighten border controls and travel restrictions from high-risk countries, improve contact tracing and genome sequencing, strengthen the capability of healthcare facilities and, most of all, speed up the vaccination, Go said.

“Let’s not waste the favorable rollout of the vaccines. Like the President said, we would have eased restrictions if you’re protected with vaccines,” he said. n

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

LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL • JULy 31-AUgUSt 3, 2021

A9

A10 July 31-August 3, 2021 • lA WEEKEND AsIAN JOuRNAl

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

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

LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL • JULY 31 - AUgUSt 3, 2021

Asian Journal

WKND

B1

Sat urday, J uLY 3 1 , 2 0 2 1

LifestyLe Consumer Guide Community marketpLaCe

August 2021 priority dates Immigration Corner

The priority dates for the Philippines are as follows: FAMILY CATEGORY: First Preference

Atty. MichAel Gurfinkel, eSQ THE August 2021 priority dates, continue to provide great news for workers in the EB-3 (skilled/professional) and “other worker” (unskilled workers like caregivers). The priority dates for all countries (except India and China) are CURRENT! This includes the Philippines! This means visas are available, regardless of the person’s priority date. If a person is being petitioned by an employer, and their Form I-140 employment-based petition has been approved or is pending, they could possibly be eligible to file for adjustment of status and work authorization, assuming they are otherwise eligible for adjustment of status (i.e. no issues re maintaining status, no fraud/crimes, etc.) People with approved or pending I-140 petitions should see an attorney about their eligibility to file for adjustment, now that the priority dates for these employmentbased categories are current.

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

Unmarried sons and daughters of U.S. citizens (21 years old or older)

(2A) Spouse and Second Preference minor children (below 21 years old) of green card holders

Application Filing Date

Visa Issuance Date

April 22, 2015

March 01, 2012

June 01, 2021

Current

(2B) Unmarried sons and daughters (21 years old or older) of green card holders

October 01, 2013

October 22, 2011

Third Preference

Married sons and daughters of U.S. Citizens

October 01, 2003

June 08, 2002

Fourth Preference

Brothers and sisters of U.S. Citizens

February 01, 2004

August 08, 2002

LABOR CERTIFICATION:

Application Filing Date

Visa Issuance Date

Second Preference Advanced Degree (Masters)

Current

Current

Third Preference

Professional/ Skilled Workers

Current

Current

Other Workers

Non-Skilled Workers

Current

Current

date listed 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. *** 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 HUMANITARIAN REVALIDATION OR SURVIVOR LAW: THIS SUNDAY ON CITIZEN PINOY. Allain (left) was petitioned by his mother in active member of the State Bar of 1997. He came to the U.S. as a tourist with his wife, Lorraine (center), in 2002 and overstayed. His mother passed away in 2006, California. Each case is different and which, at that point, Allain thought his mother’s petition for him was gone. What would now happen to Allain and his petition?

Leading U.S. Immigration Atty. Michael J. Gurfinkel (right) is the attorney-of-last-hope, who guided them through the process and results may depend on the facts of the presented them the option to be able to acquire their green card, despite the death of the petitioner. Watch this success story particular case. The information and on an all-new episode of “Citizen Pinoy” this Sunday, August 1 at 5:30 PM PT (8:30 PM ET thru select Cable/Satellite providers). opinions contained herein (including (Advertising Supplement) testimonials, “Success Stories”, endorsements and re-enactments) (866) – GURFINKEL are of a general nature, and are not your legal matter. No attorney-client GurfinkelLaw, YouTube: US Immigration Four offices to serve you: intended to apply to any particular relationship is, or shall be, established TV and Instagram.com/gurfinkellaw Call Toll free to schedule a LOS ANGELES ∙ SAN FRANCISCO ∙ c a s e , a n d d o n o t c o n s t i t u t e a with any reader.

WEBSITE: www.gurfinkel.com consultation for anywhere in the US: NEW YORK ∙ PHILIPPINES prediction, warranty, guarantee or Follow us on Facebook.com/ 1-866-487-3465 (Advertising Supplement) legal advice regarding the outcome of

B2 JULY 31 - aUgUst 3, 2021 • La WEEKEND asIaN JOURNaL

EntErtainmEnt

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

The immigration journey that took 24 years, on an all-new Citizen Pinoy this Sunday

LEADING U.S. Immigration Attorney Michael J. Gurfinkel presents another brand-new success story, after he provides the latest immigration developments, as featured on his YouTube channel: US Immigration TV. After the important U.S. immigration highlights, Citizen Pinoy shares an inspiring success story on how a family persevered, despite the many bumps along their immigration journey.

Allain was petitioned by his mother in 1997.

Due to certain circumstances, Allain and his family entered the U.S. in 2002, but overstayed.

Meanwhile, Allain’s mother, his petitioner, passed away in 2006. Uncertain about the future of his petition, Allain and his family lived

in fear because of their undocumented status.

Still, they took on several odd jobs to make a living. They persevered and kept the faith that someday they will achieve their American dream.

Finally, after 24 years, Atty. Gurfinkel was able to help Allain and his family adjust their status and acquire their green cards.

Watch this success story on a brand-new episode of “Citizen Pinoy” this Sunday, August 1 at 5:30 PM PT (8:30 PM ET thru select Cable/Satellite providers). Citizen Pinoy is also available on iWantTFC. Viewers may download the app for free.

(Advertising Supplement)

Saweetie taps in for a new collab with McDonald’s USA, unveiling her signature order The Saweetie Meal will arrive at participating US restaurants on Aug. 9

Coco Martin and Julia Montes

ABS-CBN photo

Julia to join Coco in ‘Ang Probinsyano’ as she returns to TV By ian

Biong Inquirer.net

JULIA Montes is finally making her television comeback by taking on a leading lady role opposite Coco Martin in “FPJ’s Ang Probinsyano.”

Montes will be joining the growing roster of actors in the action-drama series as it approaches its sixth year on air, Dreamscape Entertainment and ABS-CBN confirmed via its Instagram accounts on Friday, July 30.

“FINALLY, #COCOJULisback!

The most awaited reunion on television is happening as Julia Montes joins ‘FPJ’s Ang Probinsyano,’” the Kapamilya network said in the release.

Montes and Martin have been a rumored couple for a long time now, with fans spotting them together at different locations in the past few weeks.

The two, however, have yet to confirm or deny the romance rumors.

The pair was also recently seen in Mindoro, where they

will be shooting for an upcoming film by Brillante Mendoza.

Aside from Montes, joining the “Ang Probinsyano” cast are actors Rosanna Roces, Tommy Abuel, Michael Flores, Vangie Labalan, Marela Torre, Chai Fonacier, Elora Españo and Joseph Marco.

The entry of Montes and her fellow actors into “Ang Probinsyano” comes shortly after ABSCBN announced Jane de Leon’s exit from the show. De Leon is set to start filming for “Darna” this September. n

CHICAGO – Summer is about to get icy as McDonald’s and platinum artist Saweetie team up to bring her favorite order to fans nationwide.

Starting Aug. 9, everyone can order The Saweetie Meal, which features a Big Mac®, 4-piece Chicken McNuggets®, medium World Famous Fries®, a medium Sprite®, Tangy BBQ Sauce and “Saweetie ‘N Sour” sauce – the same Sweet ‘N Sour sauce you know and love, re-named in honor of the new meal.

If you know Saweetie, you know she likes to put her own spin on all her favorite foods to create unique combinations and flavors. And so can our fans... simply order the Saweetie Meal and try remixing it in one of these four tasty ways on your own, just like she does.

• Fries can be more than a side. Add a little crispiness to your Big Mac when you top it with some fries.

• If it’s a dip, it’s also a topping. Top your World Famous Fries with Chicken McNuggets... what could be a better combo?

• Anything can be a sandwich.

Chicken McNuggets + Big Mac buns = Chicken McNugget sandwich.

• Seriously, anything. But you don’t need buns. Put the best fries in the world between two fresh Big Mac patties for a new kind of sandwich. … And no matter how you mix it up, don’t forget to add the Saweetie ‘N Sour and Tangy BBQ sauces.

Saweetie is the latest charttopping artist to be featured on McDonald’s menu since the Famous Orders program kicked off last year. Like so many fans who have their own menu hacks, her combinations bring a creative twist to McDonald’s iconic food.

“McDonald’s and I run deep – from growing up back in Hayward, California, all through my college days – so I had to bring my icy gang in on my all-time favorites,” said Saweetie. “Depending on the mood I’m in, there are so many ways to enjoy my order. I like to keep things fresh – I know that’s right.”

Since first hitting the scene with her viral single My Type, Saweetie has quickly become one of the most sought-after hiphop artists. And in true Saweetie fashion, she’s not just mixing up her go-to order... her meal will also be served in icy new packaging inspired by her one-of-akind style.

“We’re thrilled to team up with Saweetie, a true brand fan who puts her own spin on everything she touches across music, fashion, beauty and culture,” said Morgan Flatley, Chief Marketing and Digital Customer Experience Officer, McDonald’s USA. “And

now she’s brought that spark and creativity to her signature McDonald’s order by celebrating her love for our food and passion for mixing things up.”

So starting Aug. 9, grab your Best Friend, turn up the music, and swing by McDonald’s to grab Saweetie’s order. The meal will be available in the U.S. inrestaurant, at the Drive Thru, through McDelivery, and on the McDonald’s app using contactless mobile order and pay.

And, through MyMcDonald’s Rewards*, you can now earn

points on every dollar you spend at McDonald’s – unlocking different delicious rewards across the menu.

Stay tuned for some more saweet(ie) surprises from McDonald’s and Saweetie over the coming weeks! *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.

(Advertising Supplement)

Sharon, Marco lead a new wave of Pinoy film storytelling

By MJ

Marfori Philstar.com

INDEPENDENT movies are no longer the go-to avenues to show us what happens in the real world and how things work in relationships nowadays.

The rom-com, family drama, buy bust action-drug related movies took a rest since the pandemic hit and major studios, producers and even networks scrambled on how to make things work in terms of content and storytelling, especially how the landscape of viewing rapidly changed due to lockdowns and whatnot.

Gladly, most of them figured it out. Viva Entertainment, which is an industry pillar, launched its own streaming platform VIVAMAX, where

people in the Philippines and now even in Japan, Singapore, Europe, Middle East and more, could check out new offerings from the film arm as it produces stories nonstop to satiate the Pinoy movie fans’ appetite.

One of the directors whom Viva tapped is Darryl Yap. The millennial director is working round the clock and has trending digital movies such as Paglaki Ko Gusto Kong Maging Pornstar, Tililing and Ang Babaeng Walang Pakiramdam.

His new offering is topbilled by the Megastar, Sharon Cuneta, nonetheless, and titled Revirginized, which is a new comedy movie dedicated to all the titas who still “have it”!

Viva encapsulates Sharon in her role as Carmela as The Mother of all MILFs, which is slang PAGE B3

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

LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL • JULY 31 - AUgUSt 3, 2021

B3

Do I have a community property interest in a house which my spouse acquired before our marriage?

Barrister’s Corner

FinLocker and eCredable announce strategic partnership

Combine efforts to accelerate the dream of homeownership for Americans with low to moderate incomes MOST Americans will experience a lifelong reliance on credit to qualify for everything from credit cards to home loans.

Navigating this series of credit journeys can be quite complex – especially the home buying experience.

FinLocker provides an end-toend user experience that begins with helping the consumer understand their current financial situation, setting financial goals, monitoring their credit, shopping for an affordable home, and preparing for a digital mortgage closing. eCredable provides a complementary credit building service that helps consumers build better credit scores to qualify for credit cards, student loans, personal loans, auto loans, and home loans.

The two companies are announcing eCredable LiftLocker, which brings the combined benefits of both offerings to address the needs of consumers who are most challenged with demonstrating their creditworthiness to access necessary financial services and products.

Homeownership is still an elusive dream for many Americans, but there is a renewed energy amongst many organizations that are committed to helping this dream become a reality.

“My involvement with Project ReACh has illuminated the need to help people with low to moderate income – especially people of color – find a faster path to homeownership which is key to financial stability and wealth creation for many families,” said Steve ely, Chief executive Officer, eCredable.

Project ReACh is an effort being led by the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) to foster collaboration between every part of the financial ecosystem that touches the potential home buyer. This includes banks of every size across the United States, national civil rights organizations, non-profits, businesses, and technology companies to reduce the barriers to full participation in the nation’s economy.

Many of the people eCredable and FinLocker are trying to help are “credit invisible,” which is the first hurdle that needs addressing. “your credit score is a critical factor in the home loan approval process,” said ely. “We can help the person who is credit invisible build an initial credit score.

This includes young people and immigrants who need to build their credit history and would benefit significantly by adding their rent and utility accounts to their TransUnion credit report.

They can also benefit from credit

atty. Kenneth URsUa Reyes GeNeRALLy, in California, property acquired by a spouse prior to marriage is considered separate property under family code section 770 while those acquired after marriage are considered community assets under family code section 760. How do you characterize real property purchased prior to marriage but with the mortgage principal paid down using community income or funds during the marriage?

The community in this situation acquires a pro tanto interest in the ratio that the payments on the purchase price made with community funds bear to the total payments on the purchase price and any appreciation should be apportioned accordingly. Marriage of Moore

Pastor’s Notes monitoring, and specific advice on how to achieve a credit score that helps them qualify for better mortgage terms.”

“Buying a home is a challenging experience for the most experienced homebuyer,” said Henry Cason, Chief executive Officer, FinLocker. “The process can be intimidating for the firsttime homebuyer who does not have someone to guide them to achieve mortgage readiness. We worked with eCredable to create LiftLocker to provide the firsttime homebuyer with a tool that guides them through the entire homeownership journey and allows them to engage with their “home buying team” along the way.

LiftLocker provides a robust step-by-step home buying journey that includes: • Understanding their current financial situation, which includes a HUD budget used by the first-time homebuyer and the HUD-approved counselor • Using TransUnion’s CreditCompass™ and VantageScore® Simulator, which educates consumers on how to optimize their credit score • A collection of more than 140 videos to educate the homebuyer on the myriad of complex financial topics such as what DTI (debt-to-income) means • Searching for a home that they can afford to buy and afford to own • Sharing the financial data and documents required to achieve a successful digital mortgage closing.

“Project ReACh is really gaining momentum based on all the efforts from the many participants that are committed to helping first-time homebuyers,” said Faith Bautista, Chief executive Officer and Founding Member of the National Diversity Coalition, and President and CeO of The

National Asian American Coalition, a founding participant of Project ReACh. “We view eCredable LiftLocker as a powerful tool that will increase our capacity and our velocity. We will be able to help more people realize their dream of homeownership. Creative partnerships with innovative fintech’s like FinLocker and eCredable can create safe and responsible “on-ramps” to our country’s financial infrastructure and homeownership-based wealth-building for our underserved communities.”

“We believe FinLocker is a game-changer for the mortgage industry,” said Joe Mellman, Senior Vice President, and mortgage business leader for TransUnion. “Our analysis shows that a majority of consumers potentially fit the definition of low-to-moderate income and a significant percent of these people could benefit by leveraging their rent and utility payment histories. When you combine the power of consumer contributed data that eCredable brings to the experience, even more consumers who are currently credit challenged have the opportunity to build their financial resume and qualify for home ownership.” eCredable serves all consumers in the United States. eCredable Lift® allows the consumer to report phone and utility accounts to TransUnion. A branded version of FinLocker will be marketed by eCredable under the name LiftLocker™. LiftLocker will also allow the consumer to report their rental account to TransUnion in the near future. eCredable LiftLocker is available as an app to download from the Google Play store and the Apple store in addition to accessing the web app on your phone, tablet, and laptop at http://www.eCredable.com.

(Advertising Supplement)

Sharon, Marco lead a new...

PAGE B2 for “Mom I’d like to f****!” It is now claiming that you will see Mega in a new light, in her hottest, most virgin role ever.

The plot revolves around the distraught Carmela, who decides to go for an annulment after finding out about her husband’s infidelity. Dazed and confused, she then loiters at a sari-sari store. She accidentally meets her goddaughter and her friends, who are buying tons of alcohol drinks at the store before they head out to a beach party.

Wanting to escape from her reality, Carmela blackmails her goddaughter that she will snitch her to her mom if she doesn’t bring her to the beach party and the rest is history or herstory, I should say.

Sharon is partnered with millennial heartthrob Marco Gumabao, who plays as the hunk young tattoo artist and owner of a resort, where he meets the former’s character.

Marco shared how Sharon put him at ease as they had their first scene with the Megastar doing a body shot on him with alcohol. Marco was surprised to experience and witness how Sharon showed her approachable, gracious and giddy side as she fan-girled over Marco’s mom,

Loli Imperial-Gumabao, who was an It girl and model during her heydays in the ‘80s.

“I found out na si Miss Sharon was a fan of my mom back in the day because my mom was a model before,” said he. “Noong nag-live nga kami ni Miss Sharon sa Instagram niya, I brought in my mom and siya pa iyong super happy to meet my mom kahit over a video call lang. Nakakatuwa because si Miss Sharon mayroon din siyang fan girl side.”

For Marco, it is an honor to be at the helm of projects, where a new kind of storytelling is introduced to all generations. “First of all, I’m also very happy that prior to this, I was also casted sa Just A Stranger with Anne Curtis, and now with Miss Sharon and I also did a movie with Lovi (Poe). So for me, it’s nice na hindi lang dapat magkaka-age iyong dapat i-pair up so now it opens up a lot of storylines and a lot of opportunities for people older and of course, younger to be paired up. It’s a fresh new thing to be looked at and it’s very new and refreshing to get to experiment on new things.”

He, like many others, hopes that this evolution and bravery in unexpected storylines will continue to be on the rise even after the pandemic. n

ReveRend Rodel G. BalaGtas In his book, Alive in God, Timothy Radcliffe shares the Catholic Relief Services of America’s reason for helping the poor: “We are called to help others not because they believe, or because they might someday believe, but because we believe.”

This statement says a lot about active faith. Our belief in Jesus is not a mere creedal statement but an action, a verb. It is not solely a proclamation but a transformation of people’s hearts and lives. It’s a call to share what we have, to reach out to someone in compassion and love. It changes

(1980) 28 C3d 366, 371, 373, 168 CR 662, 664, 665. Other expenses associated with the property are not considered in the calculation such as mortgage interest, taxes, and insurance. In essence, the real property would accumulate both a separate property and a community property component by the date of separation.

The appropriate remedy in this situation where separate property is subsequently paid with community funds is “apportionment.”

The process of apportioning between the separate and community property component is laid out in the Marriage of Marsden. In that case, the court determined the ratio or percentage in which the mortgage loan principal was reduced during the marriage and applied that percentage to the appreciation of the real property during the marriage. The community property component would then consist of the reduction in the mortgage loan principal during the marriage plus the portion of appreciation

during the marriage applying the ratio discussed above.

In the Marriage of Marsden, the real property was purchased by the husband for $38,300 prior to the marriage.

The original mortgage was $30,000. By the time the husband got married, the house was now worth $65,000 while the mortgage has gone down by $7,000. Both the appreciation of $26,700 and the mortgage reduction of $7,000 would be separate property since it occurred prior to marriage.

Marriage of Marsden (1982) 130 CA3d 426, 181 CR 910.

During the marriage until the time of trial, the property has appreciated another $117,500 (property now valued at $182,500) while the mortgage has further declined by $9,200 up to the date of separation.

The ratio at which community funds paid down the mortgage ($9,200) during the marriage to the original purchase price ($38,300) amounts to 24.02%.

This percentage of the property appreciation during the marPAGE B6

We believe!

lives, brings hope, and inspires others to serve.

It’s the urging of the Spirit to respond to the call for help in our church, to share one’s time and talent, not just one’s treasure. Ultimately, it’s a realization of what gives meaning, purpose, and joy in one’s life.

We all look for a fulfilling and purposeful life. Well, let’s search no more elsewhere because anywhere else will not satisfy us. It’s only the person of Jesus Christ--his life, passion, death, and resurrection— that would feel our hunger and quench our thirst.

Our communion with Jesus in prayer, worship, and service gives us life, passion, patience, endurance, and hope.

For those of us who are involved in service, whether it is in family, community, or society, we firmly believe self-sacrifice for the sake of love like

that of Christ gives us a nonperishable life. Not only do our noble love and profound care for others stay in the hearts and minds of people around us, but they also lead us to eternal life. It’s Christ’s promise for us.

It’s why Jesus says in the Gospel this Sunday: “I am the bread of life whoever comes to me will never hunger, and whoever believes in me will never thirst.”

Let’s all say this prayer every day, “Lord, give us this bread always!” *** 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.

B4 JULY 31 - aUgUst 3, 2021 • La WEEKEND asIaN JOURNaL

EMPLOYMENT

EMPLOYMENT

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

EMPLOYMENT

FOR RENT

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

Trading strategies for technical analysis Tax Tips ViCtor Sy, MBA, CPA (retired) 1. USE moving average crossover strategy.

• Buy when its 50-day simple moving average crosses above its 200-day simple moving average.

• Sell when the short 50-day SMA drops back below the long 200-day SMA. 2. Use RSI (Relative Strength Index) to measure of short-term momentum that varies from zero to 100.

• Sell or short “overbought” stocks when RSI is above 70.

• Buy “oversold” stocks when the RSI drops below 30.

3. Look for historically bullish and bearish patterns in stock charts that serve as signals of when to enter (buy) or exit (sell) a stock.

4. Utilize related patterns of head-and-shoulders, flags, wedges, cup-and-handles and double/triple tops and bottoms.

Gradually step up to these more complicated patterns as you learn how to trade.

5. Set stock screeners. Set low P/Es, positive EPS growth. Set a price to immediately eliminate thousands of stocks. For example, set a price of $100 to exclude

(Part 2 of 3) all stocks priced over $100.

6. Research sectors and industries. Look for strong sector and industry groups if you want to go long (buy), and weak ones if you want to go short (sell).

7. Study momentum to identify strong up-trending stocks for potential longs and weak downtrending stocks for shorts.

8. Use moving averages: • Moving averages eliminate noise (a lot of noise) and smooth out the day-to-day price movements.

• Use them to act as support and resistance levels.

9. The long and short of stock trading: • For longs, buy stocks when short-term moving average trend above long term average.

• For shorts, do the opposite - sell when 20 days crosses below 100 day moving average.

• For liquidity, look for stocks that trade at least 200,000 shares a day.

10. Scan charts for good entry (buy) points: • For swing trading, look for breakouts in the direction of the trend (new highs and lows) and pullbacks.

• Skip the first new high and enter on the second new high (for confirmation) after the stock has traded sideways for a few days.

• For shorts, sell on the second new low after a few days of sideways movement.

• Look for pullback and gap downs. Buy when the stock starts to correct.

• Buy into that short-term weakness on the longs, and sell into that short-term strength on the shorts.

12. Use stochastic oscillator to compare where a security’s price relative to its price range over a period. Values range from 0 to 100: • Readings over 75 indicate that the stock may be “overbought” and overextended on the upside.

• Readings under 25 indicate that the stock is “oversold” and overextended on the downside.

Of all these strategies, one works best for me: discipline.

Don’t let emotions ruin your trades. Don’t fall in love with particular stocks. Focus only on $$$. Fall in love with gains - realized gains. *** 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.

When Chapter 13 is safer than Chapter 7 WHAT is the meaning of the title of this article? Does this imply that Chapter 7 is risky such that Chapter 13 is safer in certain situations?

Yes, that’s exactly what it means. Now that interest rates on mortgages are historically at their lowest and given the shortage of houses in Southern California, the prices of houses here keep on going up.

Just remember this: Chapter 7 trustees have the power to sell your house under certain circumstances. Chapter 13 trustees do not have the power to sell your house under any circumstances. In Chapter 13, the non-exempt portion of your house is used as leverage against you by the trustee

EMPLOYMENT

Debt Relief

Atty. LAwrenCe yAng to force you into a higher plan payment using the liquidation analysis. But a Chapter 7 trustee can sell your house if there is a viable amount of non-exempt homestead.

Let’s put these in numbers that are easily understood. You have a $600,000 balance on your mortgage owed to the bank. You check with Zillow or Redfin and they say the current market value of your house is $1.2 million.

You think it’s all good because the homestead exemption you qualify since your residence is in LA County is $600,000. You believe that the $600,000 is exactly enough to cover your equity of $600,000 because $1.2 million minus $600,000 mortgage balance is $600,000 and you can fully exempt that equity in the Chapter 7 case that you are thinking of filing to get rid of $50,000 of credit cards.

So let’s imagine the likely scenario that will happen. You appear for the 341A hearing and this is what happens. The Chapter 13 trustee asks, “How did you arrive at $1.2 million as the current market value of your house?” You reply, “I got it from Zillow and Redfin.” Then the

EMPLOYMENT

LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL • JULY 31 - AUgUSt 3, 2021

B5

Your rights at work after a personal injury

Q: I WAS badly injured in a recent car accident. I had to undergo multiple surgeries. I missed several weeks of work and will need more time off for treatments. I am afraid to tell my boss that I need more time off because I might be fired. What should I do?

A: You need to notify the employer immediately about the need for more treatments related to your injuries or medical condition. In this way, you are protected from any adverse action that may be taken against you at work. You are not required to disclose the nature of your medical condition or disability (i.e., your diagnosis).

You are required only to provide reasonable medical documentation which describes your physical or mental limitations, which may prevent you from doing your work. For example, the medical documentation may simply state that you are restricted from lifting more than 25 lbs.

Once notified of your medical condition or the need for more treatments related to a medical condition, the employer is obligated by law to engage you in a timely, good faith interactive process to determine if reasonable accommodation can be made.

There are several instances where an employee’s personal injuries (whether these injuries happened at work or outside

work) lead to violations of the employee’s rights. Consider the following situations: • The employer denies the employee’s request to take time off to undergo treatments.

Employers with 5 or more employees are prohibited from denying the right to use medical leave, or for disciplining, discharging, demoting, suspending, or discriminating against an employee for using such leave for themselves (or to attend to an ill family member).

• The employer denies the employee’s request for reasonable accommodation. The employer must engage in a timely, good faith interactive process to determine if reasonable accommodation can be made for a disabled employee to accommodate restrictions. Sometimes, granting an additional short-term extension of an approved leave may constitute reasonable accommodation.

• After filing a request for family or medical leave (or after filing a worker’s compensation claim), the employee experiences an adverse employment action, such as demotion, decrease in pay, decrease of work hours, loss of benefits, assignment to unfavorable tasks, suspension, or termination. Such actions contradict California law.

• The employer retaliates against the employee for filing a worker compensation claim or some other claim by withholding the payment of all the employee’s wages due on the last day of employment. The employer must immediately pay all compensation due, and ensure that the employee receives the payment.

• After the employee re-

quests intermittent leave or comes back from leave, the employee experiences an adverse employment action such as being assigned to unfavorable assignments, given difficultto-achieve deadlines, being written up, demoted, stripped of supervisory responsibilities, laid-off, or fired.

• The employee was fired for “excessive absences” even though the employee provided doctor’s notes for these absences.

If an employee experiences any of the above, they would be smart to consult with an experienced employment attorney. Employees who are let go based on a disability or medical condition, or for asserting their legal rights related to their disability or medical condition, may sue for wrongful termination. If they are found to have been discriminated or retaliated against, they are entitled to the following: reinstatement, back pay, loss of earnings, damages for emotional distress, attorneys’ fees and costs, and punitive damages in certain instances. *** The Law Offices of C. Joe Sayas, Jr. welcomes inquiries about this topic.

All inquiries are confidential and at nocost. You can contact the office at (818) 291-0088 or visit www.joesayaslaw. com. [For more than 25 years, C. Joe Sayas, Jr., Esq. 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.]

(Advertising Supplement)

trustee says, “I think the value may be higher. I think it is $1.3 million. I will send my realtor over to your house tomorrow so he can look at your house and tell me what he thinks the value of your house is.” Your reply “WTF?” If indeed his realtor says it’s worth $1.3 million, then you are now at high risk of losing your house to the Chapter 7 trustee. He will sell your house to the highest offer, likely over $1.3 million, give you $600,000,

your homestead exemption, and use the difference to pay your $50,000 of credit cards and pay himself, his realtor and his lawyer. That’s another $50,000. So you lost your house for $50,000 of credit cards. Sure you got $600,000 of cash in your pocket. $600,000 can get you a lot of houses out of state or even in Europe. You can get a golden visa for permanent residency there if you buy a house for 300,000 Euros in Greece, or

500,000 Euros in Spain. This is certainly an interesting option since you are now cash rich but nevertheless homeless. You can even go back to your country of origin and live like royalty because $600,000 of cash is a lot of cash anywhere in the world, except maybe in Hong Kong where you will need more than that to live royally.

The foregoing nightmare scenario cannot happen in Chapter

Protecting Employee & Consumer Rights Atty. C. Joe SAyAS, Jr.

EMPLOYMENT

PAGE B6

B6 JULY 31 - aUgUst 3, 2021 • La WEEKEND asIaN JOURNaL

Commentary

Atty. PAyAm tAvAkoli WITH so many drivers in California driving without valid insurance coverage, it is important to make sure that your insurance policy includes uninsured motorist coverage. Your insurance agent is the best source to

Uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage inquire about in obtaining this coverage.

Uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage have several similarities. For both, coverage applies only if a vehicle with insufficient liability insurance injured my potential client. In this situation, a potential client may be able to receive Uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage from their own policy. In this

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

K-1 fiancé(e) visa: Getting your significant other to the United States

case, the insurance they receive will bridge at least some of the gap left by the insufficient liabilUpon approval of the I-485 SEvERAL options exist for ity insurance of the at fault party. application, the fiancé(e) is a US citizen to bring his/her Legal Accordingly, it is important that granted a conditional green foreign-national fiancé(e) to your attorney look to see if these card that is valid for 2 years, the United States. One pop- Advice coverage are available. after which he/she can apply ular option is to marry the Uninsured and underinsured to remove the conditions on fiancé(e) in the country in motorist coverage also have sigthe green card. which he/she resides, and file nificant differences. Uninsured an I-130 immigrant petition, The K-1 Fiance(e) status motorist coverage requires the with the fiancé(e) to under- Atty. DArrick tAn automatically expires after potential client to have been ingo consular processing for 90 days. If marriage with the jured by a vehicle with no availan immigrant visa when the were terminated by divorce or US Citizen who petitioned the able or active liability coverage.

I-130 petition is approved. death), and 4) the petitioner fiancé(e) does not occur withThere are many reasons for liHowever, this option often is and fiancé(e) must have physi- in that time, the fiancé(e) beability coverage to not be active, not advisable in that the US- cally met each other within 2 gins to accrue unlawful presone main reason is for nonecitizen petitioner would have years of filing the K-1 Fiancé(e) ence. Also, the fiancé(e) will payment. to learn and comply with visa petition (certain excep- be precluded from adjusting By comparison, underinsured complicated, country-specific tions apply to this fourth re- to permanent resident status motorist coverage requires that marriage license require- quirement). Minor unmarried in the US if he/she marries the potential client’s Underinments, or legal barriers to children of the fiancé(e) may another US citizen (however, sured motorist limits be greater marriage may exist to the US- also come to the US under a K- he/she may be able to become than the liability limits of the at citizen petitioner in the for- 2 visa classification. a permanent resident through fault vehicle that injured the clieign country (as consular proent. (Ins. Code § 11580.2, subd. in the case of cessing with (p)(2).) the Philippines, provisional The K-1 Fiancé(e) visa allows a fiancé(e) awaiver).

Meaning, that if the potential which in some If you client has $50,000 in Underinto enter the US for 90 days to allow circumstances are a US Citizen sured Motorist coverage, it is will not recogwho is planning marriage to take place. By having the recoverable only if the liability nize a foreign to marry your limits of the at fault vehicle that divorce judgmarriage take place in the US, couples are foreign national injured the potential client are ment). In such or able to bypass the foreign country’s license fiancé(e), less than $50,000. cases, the best you are someUnderinsured motorist covway to get your requirements and/or other impediments to one who arrived erage also requires that the fiancé(e) to the under a K-1 marriage imposed by a foreign law. potential client has exhausted US is via a K-1 Fiance(e) visa all available liability coverage Fiance(e) visa. whose marriage before claiming coverage. (Ins. The Kdid not take Code, § 11580.2, subd. (p)(3); Upon arrival in the US, the place, it is recommended you 1 Fiancé(e) visa allows a Wedemeyer v. Safeco Ins. Co. of fiancé(e) to enter the US for fiancé(e) can immediately ap- consult with an experienced America (2008) 160 Cal. App.4th 90 days to allow marriage to ply for authorization to work in attorney.

1297, 1303. take place. By having the the US. He/she does not have *** Uninsured and underinsured marriage take place in the US, to wait until marriage to apply Darrick V. Tan, Esq. is admitted motorist coverage is a criticouples are able to bypass for work authorization. The to practice law in California and cal, and sometimes overlooked the foreign country’s license work authorization issued to Nevada. Mr. Tan is a graduate of source of help for potential clirequirements and/or other the fiancé(e) is valid for 90 days UCLA and Southwestern University ents who have been injured by impediments to marriage im- after entry. This provides the School of Law. He is a member of vehicles with insufficient auto-lifiancé(e) the ability to immedi- the American Immigration Lawyers posed by a foreign law. ability coverage.

To be eligible for the K- ately seek lawful employment. Association and Consumers AtAllow the lawyers at the Law Once married, the spouse torney Association of Los Angeles.

1 Fiancé(e) visa petition, Offices of Tavakoli & Associates the following are required: of the US citizen can file an I- Previously, He was a member of the navigate your potential unin1) the petitioner must be a 485 application for adjustment Board of Governors of the Philippine sured and underinsured motorUS Citizen, 2) the petitioner of status (from K-1 to perma- American Bar Association. ist claims after a vehicle accident must have an intent to marry nent resident), and remain in LAW OFFICES OF DARRICK V. TAN, that has caused you injuries. the fiancé(e) within 90 days the US while the application 3580 Wilshire Boulevard, Suite 900, *** of his/her arrival in the US, is pending. At the same time Los Angeles, CA 90010. Tel: 323The opinions, beliefs and viewpoints 3) the petitioner and fiancé(e) the I-485 application is filed, 639-0277. Email: info@dtanlaw. expressed by the author do not necesmust have the ability to marry the fiancé(e) may apply for an com sarily reflect the opinions, beliefs and (i.e. any previous marriages extended work authorization.

(Advertising Supplement) viewpoints of the Asian Journal, its management, editorial board and staff. *** If you have further questions, an experienced Injury Lawyer at the Law Three, the parties can execute a transmutation Offices of Tavakoli & Associates will be PAGE B3 able to help you navigate the issues riage of $117,500 ($28,223.50) plus the reduc- agreement with a waiver of any family code secand provide you with the aggressive tion in mortgage balance during the marriage tion 2640 reimbursement claim. If your divorce representation you need and deserve. ($9,200) would constitute the community com- case involves complex issues of asset distribu(Advertising Supplement) ponent of the real property. The rest was the tion, it is best to retain the representation of husband’s separate property. The husband in competent counsel. *** that case was awarded his separate property component of the real property plus one half of Please note that this article is not legal advice and is not intended as legal advice. The article is intended to provide the community property component.

The Marsden apportionment method is also only general, non-specific legal information. This article applicable to situations where a community real is not intended to cover all the issues related to the topic property is later transmuted into one spouse’s discussed. The specific facts that apply to your matter separate property through execution of a quit may make the outcome different than would be anticipated claim by the other spouse but is subsequently by you. This article does create any attorney client paid using community funds. Marriage of Brod- relationship between you and the Law Offices of Kenneth erick (1989) 209 CA3d 489, 257 CR 397. In liti- U. Reyes, APLC. This article is not a solicitation. *** gation, the community interest in the situations mentioned about is proven through expert wit- Attorney Kenneth Ursua Reyes is a Certified Family Law Specialist. He was President of the Philippine American Bar ness testimony typically by a forensic CPA. Since California case law allows the creation Association. He is a member of both the Family law section of a community interest in real property ac- and Immigration law section of the Los Angeles County Bar quired prior to marriage, one has to consider ve- Association. He is a graduate of Southwestern University hicles to protect themselves if you own property Law School in Los Angeles and California State University, and you are contemplating of getting married. San Bernardino School of Business Administration. He has There are several ways of avoiding the creation extensive CPA experience prior to law practice. LAW OFFICES of a community interest on your separate real OF KENNETH REYES, APLC is located at 3699 Wilshire Blvd., property. One, you can sign a prenuptial agree- Suite 747, Los Angeles, CA, 90010. Tel. (213) 388-1611 or ment. Two, the parties can execute a postnup- e-mail kenneth@kenreyeslaw.com.

(Advertising Supplement) tial agreement if the parties are already married.

Do I have a community property...

When Chapter 13 is safer than Chapter...

PAGE B5 13, why? Because the Chapter 13 trustee has no power to sell your house. Sure you pay a plan payment whatever that is, paying a portion of the $50,000 over 60 months without interest. But there is zero risk of losing your house. Better to be safe than sorry. In Chapter 13, you might be able to go as low as $150 a month if you can present an appraisal report from a licensed appraiser that says your house’s current market value is $1.2 million. But most Chapter trustees will accept a printout from a Zillow appraisal, which costs you nothing. On the other hand, an appraisal report from a licensed appraiser costs about $250. It’s not a major expense.

What happens when you get into a nightmare scenario with the Chapter 7 trustee putting a for sale sign in your front yard other than letting your rottweilers out to prowl in your front yard?

Here’s the most important thing you have to do, kneel down be humble and sincerely ask God for his help to get your case back on Chapter 13.

In Chapter 6 of the Bible, the prophet Daniel was sentenced by King Darius to die in a den of lions. If you are in chapter 7 and the trustee has now listed your house for sale, you are now in the den of lions. These lions are the chapter 7 trustee(s), his realtor(s), and his lawyer(s). Every action to take will cost you big bucks. Let’s not even get into how much those big bucks can get.

You won’t even be able to imagine the figures involved.

To sell your house to get $30,000 to pay your credit cards, it will take $100,000, that’s how absurd it can get. Of course, that will all come out of your house sale proceeds, it’s coming out of your skin.

So Daniel is now in the lions’ den getting ready to be eaten. But lo and behold, our God sends an angel into the lions’ den and closes their mouths!

“Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God, whom you serve continually, been able to rescue you from the lions? Asks king Darius.

“May the king live forever! My God sent his angel, and he shut the mouths of the lions. The have not hurt me, because I was found innocent

in his sight. Nor have I ever done any wrong before you, your majesty.”

“I issue a decree that in every part of my kingdom people must fear and reverence the God of Daniel. For He is the living God and He endures forever His kingdom will not be destroyed, His dominion will never end. He rescues and He saves; He performs signs and wonders in the heavens and on the earth. He has rescued Daniel from the power of the lions.”

Look at the incorruptible body of the blessed Carlo Acutis who died at 15 in 2007. You can look at his body in Rome, Italy, now 14 years after his death. He looks like he’s just asleep in his jogging suit and rubber shoes! That is a perfect example of an ongoing sign on earth that the God of Daniel, our God, my God, is almighty and allpowerful that He even suspends the natural laws of biology and physics without any effort. He resurrected His one and only beloved son from death on the cross. He has power over death.

I have actually thought, “What would the other religions believe if they actually saw the incorruptible body of the blessed Carlo Acutis? I think even Buddha, if he were alive today, would truly believe that Yahweh is the one True God.” No need to think about reincarnation and nirvana because his incorruptible body is available for all to see in Rome, Italy. We won’t need any kind of explanation on the efficacy of modern-day mummification. Come on, man, that’s all bull. The truth is in plain sight. Believe your own eyes, that the one true God is all-powerful and His name is Yahweh, “I am who am.”

If you need debt relief, set an appointment to see me. 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.

(Advertising Supplement)

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

LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL • JULY 31 - AUgUSt 3, 2021

B7

B8 JULY 31 - aUgUst 3, 2021 • La WEEKEND asIaN JOURNaL

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

SEAFOOD CITY FPFC