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AUGUST 6-12, 2020

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

Volume 31 - No. 31 • 12 Pages

2770 S. Maryland Pkwy., Suite 201 Las Vegas, NV 89109 Tel: (702) 792-6678 • Fax: (702) 792-6879

Also published in LOS ANGELES, ORANGE COUNTY/INLAND EMPIRE, NORTHERN CALIFORNIA, NEW YORK/NEW JERSEY

Census Bureau to end counting efforts a month earlier on September 30

by RAE

ANN VARONA AJPress

THE United States Census Bureau will be ending all of its 2020 counting efforts — including door-knocking, and online, mail, and phone responses — on September 30, a full month earlier than it had previously planned.

The sudden deadline change, according to bureau director Ste-

ven Dillingham, was to “accelerate the completion of data collection and apportionment counts by our statutory deadline of December 31, 2020, as required by law and directed by the Secretary of Commerce.”

Aside from finding population changes and gathering information of who makes up the U.S., data derived from the decennial census is critical in addressing

the country’s needs, such as determining political representation and the allocation of federal funds for communities and programs related to education, hospitals, transportation, and veteran assistance among others.

With the deadline cut short, census advocates say the bureau will have a much harder time trying to reach people, including

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All registered voters in Nevada to receive mail ballots

USA

DATELINE Filipino-Mexican teen among 9 service members killed in training accident off California coast

by AJPRESS

FROM THE AJPRESS NEWS TEAM ACROSS AMERICA

SINCE childhood, Bryan Juan-Carlos Baltierra had set his sights on a military career and enlisted a month after graduating from high school.

On Wednesday, July 29, the 18-year-old private first class marked his one-year anniversary of being sworn into the United States Marine Corps.

A day later, he was one of nine service members killed when an amphibious assault vehicle (AAV) sank off the coast of San Clemente Island during a routine training exercise, considered one of the deadliest sea incidents for the Marines in recent years.

“He has always dreamed of joining the military since he was a little boy,” his mother Evelyn Baltierra said in an email to the Asian Journal. “He was able to achieve his dream

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Google celebrates Fil-Am Olympic diver Vicki Draves FILIPINA American Victoria “Vicki” Manalo-Draves was honored with a Google Doodle on Monday, August 3, on the 72nd anniversary of her winning moment at the 1948 Summer Olympics in London.

Draves bagged gold medals for both the 10-meter platform and 3-meter springboard diving events, making her the first Asian American woman to win a medal at the world’s biggest sporting event and the first woman to win gold in both diving events.

She also made history as the first Asian American to win a gold medal.

Google’s homepage on Monday, August 3, showed a Doodle of Draves wearing her gold medals. Behind her was another image of a woman diving into a pool containing letters that spelled the name of the search site. ”Victoria Draves was born Victoria Taylor Manalo in the South of Market district of San Francisco on December 31, 1924. Growing up, she and her family often hopped on the trolley to the enormous Fleishhacker Pool to

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TIGHTER CHECKPOINT. Police officers check vehicles along Emilio Aguinaldo Highway in Cavite at a checkpoint as authorities impose a stricter inspection at the start of the modified enhanced community quarantine anew. The government has allowed the movement of essential workers and authorized persons outside of residence (APOR) subject to certain rules in Metro Manila, Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna, and Rizal which reverted to MECQ until Aug. 18.

PNA photo by Jess M. Escaros Jr.

Nevada Governor Steve Sisolak on Monday, August 3 signed AB 4, which will send absentee ballots to all active registered voters in the state ahead of the November election.

Photo courtesy of Governor Sisolak/Twitter

IN an effort to contain the spread of the coronavirus as the November election draws closer, Nevada is the latest state to approve a plan to send absentee ballots to all active registered voters.

Governor Steve Sisolak on Monday, August 3 signed Assembly Bill 4, which covers conducting elections “adversely affected by certain emergencies or disasters,” including the current COVID-19 pandemic. It also revises provisions on the governing

procedures for mail ballots to ensure all voters will automatically receive a ballot in the mail and that minimum amount of polling places are available for those who choose to vote in person.

“This bill will help prevent Nevadans from experiencing the long lines at polling locations they faced during the Primary election, which will protect their safety, safeguard their right to make their voices heard, and help reduce the spread of COVID-19,” he wrote in a tweet on Monday.

He continued, “Nevada is

widely recognized as being a leader in election administration, and this bill will enable election officials to continue to support the safest, most accessible election possible under these unprecedented circumstances.”

The new law has garnered response from President Donald Trump, who called it an “illegal late night coup” that will make it “impossible for Republicans to win the state.”

“Post Office could never handle the Traffic of Mail-In Votes without preparation. Using Co-

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More OFWs injured in Beirut blast Philippines now COVID-19

by RITCHEL

MENDIOLA AJPress

THE Philippine Department of foreign Affairs (DFA) on Thursday, August 6, reported that the number of Filipinos injured in the massive explosion in Beirut, Lebanon has risen to 24.

The Philippine Embassy in Beirut noted that most of the wounded Filipinos are household service workers.

It added that ”except for one critical, all injured are in stable condition or minor wounds.”

The DFA also confirmed that all 13 Filipino missing seafarers have been found and

are “safe and accounted for.”

“Our Embassy in Beirut has ascertained the conditions of all the 13 Filipino seafarers who were injured in the blasts that rocked the city recently,” said Undersecretary for Migrant Workers Affairs Sarah Lou Y. Arriola.

Eight of the sailors staying at the company accommodations were visited by Philippine Embassy Beirut Charge d’affaires Ajeet Panemanglor.

“Five of the seafarers were at the hospital for another medical checkup when Philippine Embassy officials arrived. Another visit is scheduled to meet the remaining mari-

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USCIS to increase fee to apply for naturalization by $500

by AJPRESS THE cost to become a naturalized United States citizen will increase by over $500, effective October 2, according to a rule change recently published in the Federal Register.

The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) will raise the application fee to become a naturalized citizen from $640 to $1,170, the final rule on Friday, July 31 said.

The changes, which also update the fees for immigration applications like H-1B visas, come after a review from the agency that said the current fees “do not recover the cost of providing adjudication and naturalization services.”

“USCIS is required to examine incom-

ing and outgoing expenditures and make adjustments based on that analysis,” said Joseph Edlow, USCIS deputy director for policy. “These overdue adjustments in fees are necessary to efficiently and fairly administer our nation’s lawful immigration system, secure the homeland and protect Americans.”

The current fees leave the agency, which is funded by fees, underfunded by nearly $1 billion annually, it argued.

There will also be a $50 charge for seeking asylum. Other countries that impose a fee for this are Iran, Fiji and Australia.

“A $50 fee is in line with the fees charged by these other nations,” the USCIS said.

Community organizations like Asian Americans Advancing Justice are urging immigrants eligible for citizenship to natu-

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hotspot in Southeast Asia

by AJPRESS WITH a total of 119,460 cases of the novel coronavirus, the Philippines surpassed Indonesia’s 118,753 and became the country with the highest number of infections among member nations of the Association of Southeast Nations (ASEAN).

The Philippine Department of Health (DOH) on Thursday, August 6, recorded 3,561 additional COVID-19 cases, with the majority of them coming from the National Capital Region.

The health agency also

logged 28 new fatalities and 569 recoveries, bringing the death toll to 2,150, and the number of recovered patients to 66,837.

The latest figures bring the country’s active cases to 50,473, which is also the highest tally of active cases among ASEAN countries.

The coronavirus cases in the region reached 300, 901 on Wednesday, August 5.

Since late July, the Philippines has been reporting record-high numbers of COVID-

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SWAB TEST. Several government workers wait for their turn to undergo swab testing for the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City on Thursday, August 6. Those subjected to the test included personnel from the Bureau of the Fire Protection, Philippine National Police, the Armed Forces of the Philippines, Presidential Communications Operations Office-News and Information Bureau, and the Philippine News Agency.

PNA photo by Avito C. Dalan

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

august 6-12, 2020 • Las VEgas asIaN JOuRNaL

From The FronT Page

Census Bureau to end counting... Filipino-Mexican teen among 9 service members...

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those from low-income communities, people of color, and immigrants.

As of August 2, only 63% of the nation’s households had responded to the census, a percentage that has added to the worries of census advocates. That leaves approximately four of every 10 households still uncounted.

“If we don’t respond right away, the money that has been designated for our community for the next 10 years will go to waste. The benefits for each year and each person who will not be counted will be wasted. Your response is very important. The census is important because it will help the Filipino community to plan for the future,” Ivy Daulo, a Filipino spokesperson of the Census Bureau, said in a recent press call.

Also on Tuesday, the National State Data Steering Committee (SDC), a network that has long worked with the Census Bureau in working with state govern-

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ments, sent out a letter urging Dillingham to consider the consequences of the earlier deadline.

“The credibility of the U.S. Census Bureau as the gold standard of data in the United States will be undermined by rushing an incomplete census count to meet deadlines,” the group wrote.

The original census counting deadline was July of this year, however was extended to October 31 due to the COVID-19 pandemic — a move President Donald Trump supported.

However, Dillingham last week, said in a hearing before the House Oversight and Reform Committee that “the Census Bureau and others really want us to proceed as rapidly as possible.”

Advocates and Democrat lawmakers have also been worried that the push for an earlier deadline was an effort by the Trump administration to gain a political advantage by suppressing minority representation as voting districts are redrawn.

Trump had recently ordered the census bureau to exclude undocumented immigrants from census totals for use in reapportioning the House, and was quickly challenged by lawsuits.

“Trump is again seeking to destroy the integrity and accuracy of the census for partisan gain. If his plan proceeds, the census won’t be a true portrait of America, and every state and community will have to live for ten years under the harm of an unfinished count,” Gupta said in a press release last week, before the deadline change announcement.

“Curtailing operations is an obvious ploy to guarantee the Census Bureau won’t be able to finish counting millions of people — especially those hit hardest by the pandemic,” she added. “The Census Bureau must have the time and space it needs for a safe and accurate count. Congress must extend the 2020 census reporting deadlines in the next COVID-19 package.” n

in protecting the ability of Republican voters to cast, and Republican candidates to receive, effective votes in Nevada elections and elsewhere,” the suit says, as reported by the Nevada Independent. “Major or hasty changes confuse voters, undermine confidence in the electoral process, and create incentive to

remain away from the polls.”

Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders comprise 10% of the electorate in the state, with the leading ethnic group being Filipinos.

More than half of all eligible AAPI voters (61%) in Nevada live in Clark County, which includes Las Vegas, according to data from APIAVote. n

All registered voters in Nevada to receive mail...

PAGE A1 vid to steal the state. See you in Court!” the president continued.

Lawyers on behalf of the Trump campaign and the Republican Party on Tuesday moved to file a lawsuit in the U.S. District Court in Nevada against Secretary of State Barbara Cegavske.

“The RNC has a vital interest

Philippines now COVID-19 hotspot in...

PAGE A1 19 cases. On Tuesday, August 4, the country logged 6,352 additional infections.

Philippine testing czar Vince Dizon attributed the rise of virus infections to the country’s ramped up testing efforts.

“Habang tayo ay nagtetest, talagang marami tayong makikitang positibo. Pero mas importante ‘yun kasi kung hindi natin sila mahahanap at hindi natin sila mai-isolate e lalong kakalat at lalong dadami ang magkakasakit (While we’re testing, it’s expected to see the increase in positive cases. But that’s more important because if we don’t trace and isolate them, the vi-

rus will spread and more people will get infected),” he said.

The DOH, for its part, echoed the statement, noting that as of Tuesday, a total of 1,643,539 people have been tested for COVID-19.

Indonesia, meanwhile, has tested a total of 908,000 individuals.

President Rodrigo Duterte, in response to the ardent plea from healthcare workers, has relegated the country’s capital and its nearby provinces under a modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ) beginning August 4 until August 18.

“I have heard the call of different groups from the medical

community for a two-week enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) in Mega Manila. I fully understand why you, health workers, would like to ask for such a timeout. They have been in the frontlines for months and they are exhausted,” he said.

Aside from Metro Manila, the provinces of Laguna, Rizal, Cavite and Bulacan were also placed under MECQ. Under this quarantine status, a strict home quarantine will be observed in all households.

There will be no public transport, domestic flights, and mass gatherings. There will also be limited transporting services for essential goods and services. n

and become a proud Marine for our country.”

The Filipino-Mexican teen from Corona, California graduated from Centennial High School last year and joined the Marines at the age of 17.

He was a rifleman with Bravo Company, Battalion Landing Team (BLT) 1/4 of the 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) at the time of his death.

Baltierra earned several awards, including the National Defense Service Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal and Armed Forces Service Medal, according to the I Marine Expeditionary Force.

His family last saw him on July 12 when they drove him back to Camp Pendleton — where Baltierra was stationed as part of the 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit — after spending the weekend together, his mother said. He regularly kept in touch through the family group chat or by documenting on Snapchat, she added.

Around 5:45 p.m. on July 30, 15 Marines and one sailor were inside the AAV when it “rapidly sank” with all of them on board, according to a report by the Marine Corps Times.

Eight Marines were rescued, though one died and two were transported to Scripps Memorial Hospital under critical condition, a release from the Marine Corps said. One of the hospitalized members was upgraded to stable condition, the 15th MEU said in a Twitter post.

The body of Lance Cpl. Guillermo S. Perez, a 20-year-old from New Braunfels, Texas, was recovered. After a 40-hour search that ended on Sunday, the other eight, including Baltierra, were presumed dead, the unit said in

Bryan Juan-Carlos Baltierra, a Private First Class (PFC) United States Marine, was among nine service members who died during a training exercise on Thursday, July 30.

Photo courtesy of the Baltierra family

another release.

“Our family received the pronouncement of his death during an in-home visit by military personnel on Saturday, August 1st at 12 p.m.,” Baltierra’s eldest sister Natalie wrote in a Facebook post.

The identities of the other missing service members are: Lance Cpl. Marco A. Barranco, 21, of Montebello, Calif., a rifleman; Pfc. Evan A. Bath, 19, of Oak Creek, Wis., a rifleman; U.S. Navy Hospitalman Christopher Gnem, 22, of Stockton, Calif., a hospital corpsman; Pfc. Jack Ryan Ostrovsky, 21, of Bend, Ore., a rifleman; Cpl. Wesley A. Rodd, 23, of Harris, Texas, a rifleman; Lance Cpl. Chase D. Sweetwood, 19, of Portland, Ore., a rifleman; Cpl. Cesar A. Villanueva, 21, of Riverside, Calif., a rifleman.

Baltierra — who would have celebrated his 19th birthday on September 18 — is survived by his parents Carlos and Evelyn, and sisters, Natalie, Emily and

Sara.

“My dear Bryan, my one and only son, was a wonderful man who radiated positivity and expressed his wonderful smile to all he met. He cared very much for his family and friends,” Evelyn added in the email to the Asian Journal. “Whether it was paintballing, going to concerts, or dining at his favorite restaurants, he enjoyed doing all these activities with loved ones. Bryan truly enjoyed the company of others.

There were always lots of smiles and laughs with whomever he was with.”

The Baltierras over the weekend held a drive-by memorial service outside of their home, inviting people to light a candle and share memories of the fallen Marine.

A GoFundMe campaign has been started to help the family cover funeral expenses. It has reached 50% of its goal with over $10,000 contributed, as of this writing. n

USCIS to increase fee to apply for...

PAGE A1 ralize before the new measures take effect in October. They also argue that the fee increase will prevent many from applying to become citizens.

“This rule change will deeply hurt the low-income immigrants and vulnerable communities of color we serve at a time when those very communities are hit

hardest by the COVID-19 pandemic,” Christine Chen, project director for Advancing JusticeLA, said in a statement.

Together with the New Americans Campaign, the organization provides low-cost, or free, legal guidance to eligible Americans through the naturalization application process. Information can be obtained through

the hotline at (888) 349-9695 for English or (885) 300-2552 in Tagalog.

This final rule is effective Oct. 2, 2020. Any application, petition, or request postmarked on or after this date must include payment of the new, correct fees established by this final rule, the USCIS said. (AJPress)

More OFWs injured in Beirut...

PAGE A1 ners,” the DFA said.

The Filipino seafarers are cruise members of the significantly damaged cruise ship Orient Queen, which was reportedly docked in the port of Beirut.

The powerful blast that rocked the Port of Beirut on Tuesday afternoon, August 4 left at least 135 people dead and 5,000 wounded, Lebanon’s health minister said on Wednesday, according to the New York Times.

Two Filipinos were confirmed to be among those who died in the explosion.

Based on reports, a highly explosive ammonium nitrate stored in a warehouse at a port triggered the explosion. Lebanese authorities are still investigating the incident.

The DFA said the Philippine Embassy is now in touch with the Filipino community in Lebanon to assess the situation as well as provide assistance to any

affected Filipinos.

DFA Assistant Secretary Eduardo Meñez noted that around 33,000 Filipinos are residing in Lebanon, 75 percent of whom are in the Greater Beirut area.

Filipinos in need of assistance are urged to contact the Embassy through +961 385-9430, +961 813-34836, +961 714-74416, +961 706-81060 and +961 70858086, or email them at beirutpe@gmail.com. n

Vicki Draves was honored with a Google Doodle on Monday, August 3, the same day in 1948 when she became the first Asian American woman to win an Olympic medal.

Photo courtesy of Google

Google celebrates Fil-Am Olympic diver...

PAGE A1 swim and watch the divers. When she was a teenager, a member of a local swim team asked if she wanted to learn to dive, and she eagerly accepted, springboarding her into the sport she went on to champion,” Google wrote on its official Doodle blog.

“After thousands of dives to perfect her form and three consecutive U.S. National Diving Championship platform titles, Draves earned a spot at the 1948 Summer Olympics in London.

She dominated the games one faithful leap at a time and made history as the first woman to take home the gold in both the platform and springboard events,” it added.

Google also noted that the Olympic diver’s story included her overcoming unimaginable challenges.

“Since the Pearl Harbor attacks, discrimination against Asians was fierce. She wasn’t allowed in the swanky pools and clubs around the San Francisco Bay Area. It didn’t matter that Vicki was half Filipino (not Japanese) and a contender for the Olympic Team. If she were allowed to practice in public pools, they would often drain the pool

Vicki Draves

after she finished training,” an essay written by Draves’ family said.

“She was also told that in order for her to compete, she would have to use her maiden name, Taylor,” it added.

After the Olympics, Draves turned professional and competed internationally.

In 1969, she was inducted to the International Swimming Hall of Fame. In 2005, Gavin Newsom, then mayor of San Francisco, dedicated the site of Vicki’s, and her twin sister Connie’s, elementary school as the Victoria

Photo courtesy of the Draves family

Manalo Draves Park.

The Olympic diver passed in 2010 due to pancreatic cancer.

She was 85 years old.

“Thank you, Vicki Draves, for inspiring people everywhere to aim high and take the plunge!”

Google said.

The search engine on Friday, July 31 honored another Pinay, Pacita Abad, an artist and activist who became the first woman to receive the Philippines’ prestigious Ten Outstanding Young Men award from the Junior Chamber International in Manila. (AJPress)

LAS VEGAS ASIAN JOURNAL • AUGUSt 6-12, 2020

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Dateline P‘Modest hiliPPines spike’ seen in COVID-19 cases among overseas Filipinos

by Ritchel

Mendiola AJPress

FREE RIDE. A shuttle bus offering a free ride to medical front-liners plies the Epifanio de los Santos Avenue (Edsa) in Caloocan City on Wednesday, August 5. The government has deployed 150 buses in 20 routes to give a free ride to health workers as public transport has been suspended anew in Metro Manila under the modified enhanced community quarantine.

PNA photo by Joey O. Razon

THE PHILIPPINE Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) on Thursday, August 6, recorded 65 additional cases of the novel coronavirus among Filipinos abroad, bringing the total number of infections to 9,692.

“Figures today show a modest spike in the total number of COVID-19 cases among Filipino nationals abroad with 65 new confirmed cases in Asia and the Pacific, Europe, as well as in Middle East/Africa,” it said.

The agency also recorded seven new fatalities, raising the death toll to 702.

Meanwhile, the number of recovered overseas Filipinos

has reached 5,737.

“Total number of recoveries is now at 5,737, while the death toll due to COVID-19 among our nationals has hit 702 with 7 new recorded fatalities in Asia and the Pacific and Middle East/ Africa,” the DFA said.

“The total number of countries and regions with confirmed cases among Filipinos is 72, with a new report from an additional country in the Asia and the Pacific,” it added.

Overall by region, Europe — which comprises 18 countries — has recorded 1,131 Filipino cases, including 505 undergoing treatment, 531 recoveries and 95 deaths.

The Middle East and Africa, covering 27 countries, has reported 6,824 cases; of which,

2,316 are undergoing treatment, 425 deaths and 4,083 recoveries.

The Asia Pacific region, which spans across 20 countries, has 975 cases, with 292 under treatment, 676 recoveries, and seven deaths.

The Americas — covering seven countries like the United States — have 762 reported cases, with 140 undergoing treatment, 447 recoveries, and 175 deaths.

The World Health Organization (WHO) reported around 18,354,342 confirmed COVID19 cases globally, with 696,147 fatalities.

Of the figure, 9,841,842 cases came from the Americas.

This is followed by Europe with 3,451,556 infections. n

Arroyo defends Duterte from critics Cayetano: House to prioritize COVID-19

by Ritchel

Mendiola AJPress

FORMER President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo on Tuesday, August 4, came to the defense of President Rodrigo Duterte following the public backlash he received over the government’s supposed inefficiency in handling the novel coronavirus pandemic.

In her Facebook post, Arroyo called Duterte’s critics “Monday morning quarterbacks,” a term used for people who criticize something and offer alternative solutions after the event has passed.

“It is easy for them to be a Monday morning quarterback because they are not the ones in charge,” she wrote.

Arroyo, who served as House Speaker from July 2018 to June 2019, is known to be a supporter of the president.

In June, she said she has the highest respect for government officials and all the front-liners.

“I was head of our government in the SARS, avian flu, and swine flu [epidemics]. From that perspective, I must say that I have nothing but the highest respect for all of those in our government now battling in the arena, from President [Rodrigo] Duterte to Sec. [Carlito] Galvez,

Former Philippine President Gloria MacapagalArroyo Inquirer.net photo

to Sec. [Francisco] Duque and to each and every front-liner in the trenches and checkpoints, many of whom have given their lives in this fight,” Arroyo said.

“I have been in the arena, so I think I have earned the right to say that an ounce of their effort is worth more than the ton of criticism they receive day in and day out,” she added.

The Duterte administration has been getting flak for its COVID-19 response, especially after Duterte’s fifth State of the Nation Address wherein critics claimed he presented no concrete masterplan to defeat the virus.

Duterte, for his part, said medicine and budget are needed first before a roadmap can be formulated.

“Sabihin niyo wala kaming roadmap. The roadmap ng recovery natin – I do not know din ‘yung headline niyang newspaper. Sabi ko nga hindi ako nagbabasa ng newspaper eh. The roadmap… If it’s about me, I do not read. ‘Duterte, where is your roadmap?’ (You said we have no roadmap to recovery. I do not know but the headline of the newspaper — I said I don’t read newspapers if it’s about me. ‘Duterte where is your roadmap?’),” he said in his address aired on Friday, July 31.

“Hindi nga kami maka-roadmap because we were talking about budget. Itong gabing ito, I could not have uttered a single sentence about roadmap to recovery kasi ang una talaga dyan, ang medicine (We cannot craft the roadmap because we are talking about the budget. This night.

I could not have uttered a single sentence about roadmap to recovery because the medicine is needed first),” Duterte added.

As of this writing, there are 115,980 confirmed COVID-19 cases in the Philippines, with 2,123 fatalities and 66,270 recoveries. n

response over death penalty bill

by Ritchel

Mendiola AJPress

HOUSE Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano on Wednesday, August 5, assured that addressing the novel coronavirus pandemic in the country is the priority of the House of Representatives.

According to him, while discussions on the reimposition of the death penalty is allowed, the COVID-19 pandemic would take precedence in the chamber.

Cayetano listed the proposed Bayanihan to Recover as One Act and the “overhaul” of the Local Government Code as the House’ top priorities.

“There will be a time to debate that and when I became Speaker I promised that we will have full debates on everything but right now, Bayanihan is on our plate, and number two we will prioritize also the overhaul of the Local Government Code,” he said.

“We will also prioritize mga stimulus and how to help not only small, medium, micro-enterprises but how to have jobs, jobs, jobs. ‘Yan ang (That’s the) immediate priority and then da-

dating ang (the upcoming) budget hearing. I will leave it up to the committee [on Justice] to schedule it but hindi ko gustong matamaan (I don’t want to hit) right now yung (the) priorities,” he added.

CHR: No reason to revive death penalty The House Committee on Justice on Wednesday conducted a hearing on bills pushing for the death penalty.

During the hearing, the Commission on Human Rights said there are no compelling reasons to revive the death penalty.

“The Constitution says for compelling reasons, and it is our position that there is no compelling reason to reintroduce the death penalty,” said CHR Commissioner Karen Gomez-Dumpit.

“In the most serious of crimes in international law, if you will have a listing of that, drugs are not found on the list. So we believe there is no compelling reason to impose the death penalty,” she added.

Gomez-Dumpit also stressed that reviving the death penalty will violate international law as

House Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano PNA photo

the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) and the Second Optional Protocol to ICCPR prohibits the reintroduction of the capital punishment.

“If we go ahead and reimpose the death penalty, we will be found to be in serious breach of international law,” she said.

“It is a state obligation to be able to comply with the human rights treaties that we have acceded to or we have ratified,” she added. n

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AUGUST 6-12, 2020 • LAS VEGAS ASIAN JOURNAL

OPINION

Medical workers’ ‘timeout’ sounds like blackmail, triggers Duterte rant THIS time, President Rodrigo Duterte had a good reason to deliver a rant in lieu of a measured speech or public statement.

On Sunday, August 2, the country’s healthcare workers (HCWs), who man the frontlines in the national struggle against the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, provided the provocation in a way that left the president with no choice but to employ his familiar and instinctive shock-and-awe rhetoric.

It all started when some medical groups, claiming to represent all medical frontliners in the coronavirus fight, publicly pleaded over the weekend for a “timeout” in the ongoing battle, suggesting a two-week return of Metro Manila to an enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) regime.

They were doubtless impelled to do so by growing talk that the country’s health system has been overwhelmed and that some hospitals could no longer service new patients and hospitalizations, triggered by the recent spike in COVID cases.

At first glance, the request seemed reasonable enough. The nation has long known of the heavy burden that health workers have had to carry amid the pandemic, including exposing themselves to health hazards. As things have played out during the crisis, sadly, a good number of our brave health workers, unfortunately, contracted the disease; some with fatal results.

As the issue was presented to the nation and the public, however, the timeout request did not look benign. It looked more like a demand or an ultimatum. Or, even worse, a kind of blackmail.

Under the circumstances, a misunderstanding

seemed unavoidable.

At first, with no consultation with the far larger constituency in National Capital Region (NCR), the government agreed to place it under the modified ECQ (MECQ) scheme from August 4 to 18.

MECQ is much stricter than the general community quarantine (GCQ), and it will be applied to the NCR and the provinces of Bulacan, Laguna, Cavite and Rizal starting today.

At the late-night Sunday briefing, Duterte started out expressing sympathy for the health workers, acknowledging that they were “bone-weary” after several months of battling the infectious the respiratory illness.

As he went on talking, however, his tone began to change, and the message became harsh.

He told the healthcare workers that they could have “written a letter” or asked for an audience, instead of issuing a public statement.

“There is no need for you…1,000 of you, telling us what to do publicly. You could have just written us a letter. Lahat naman ng sinasabi ninyo sinusunod namin (We always follow whatever you say),” he said at the televised meeting in Malacañang, which was convened to discuss the HCWs’ appeal.

He then said the health workers’ action was trying to “demean” the government.

“You treat it as if you are about ready to stop work. Huwag naman ganon kasi kawawa ang mga kababayan. Sino ang aasahan namin (do not be like that because our countrymen will be pitiful.

Who are going to depend on)? I am sure that is not

FEATURES

Editorial

The Fil-Am Perspective GEL SANTOS-RELOS COVID-19 in the United States has killed over 158,000 and has infected more than 4.8 million, claiming the lives of at least 1,000 Americans each day in a widespread outbreak throughout the nation, from the densely populated cities to the rural areas.

These are real people who died because of the coronavirus pandemic, with real families who have been bereaved and with lives disrupted and dreams shattered.

Worldwide, the number of coronavirus pandemic confirmed cases has exceeded 18.2 million, with a death toll of more than 692,000 — making the United States the hotspot of infection, accounting for 28% of all deaths around the world.

How could this happen to the most powerful and wealthiest nation in the world, which used to be the leader that the global community looked up to for scientific facts, treatment and the prevention of diseases?

How could other developed countries successfully flattened the curve to the point of bringing down the death toll to almost zero while the United States continues with an uptick in infection and death statistics? Where did we go wrong?

Crucial to the success of other developed countries in defeating this invisible enemy are two important factors: Strong factbased decisive and proactive leadership of public officials and the cooperation and compliance of the people.

Case study: Italy defeats COVID-19 Let us take Italy as an example. It was the epicenter of the pandemic in the first quarter of the year after it overtook China.

What did Italy do?

In January, the Italian government confirmed the country’s first cases of the disease in two Chinese tourists visiting. And after two deaths were reported in the Lombardy region, it was put on total lockdown in February, which was shortly expanded to cover the entire country when more cases and deaths were reported in other regions.

Italy was the first nation to implement a national quarantine in the war against the coronavirus pandemic. The Italian national government heeded the call of

in your heart…I would like to tell you na ang iyong gobyerno ay hindi nag-iiwan ng mga trabahante (that your government does not leave workers behind). We are doing everything possible to alleviate the situation, to assist our healthcare workers,” he continued.

With his voice rising, he added, “Pero huwag kayo magsigaw-sigaw rebolusyon (But do not shout revolution)… Go ahead, try it. Sirain natin, patayin natin lahat ng mga may (Let uskill everyone who has) COVID. Is that what you want?” “ I dare you to do it,” the President said.

“But bear in mind na kayo mismo ipa-take over ko…tingnan ko kung ano ang lagay ninyo (that I will personally have you take over…we will see how you will do). We are not incompetents here

because we are not doctors… You should do the soul-searching. Kayo ang makatulong sana at wala kayong ginagawa, puro magreklamo (You’re the ones who are supposed to help, but you are not doing anything except complain),” he went on.

“Do not try to demean government. You are not actually criticizing. You demean my government, your own government,” he said.

Duterte once again disclosed that a lack of funds has been holding back the government’s coronavirus response, even after the country’s debt has hit a record P9.05 trillion because of borrowings to address the pandemic.

As with all rants, the message was tattered by repetition and laced with warnings. (ManilaTimes. net)

‘We’re doing very well’: Trump continues to sugarcoat widespread infection, economy reopening as COVID-19 death toll tops 158K in US local government officials, trade unions, and other institutions asked for a generalized shutdown of the Italian production system.

In March, Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte announced a further enlargement of the lockdown by shutting down all non-necessary businesses and industries. All commercial and retail businesses except those providing essential services, like grocery stores, food stores, and pharmacies, were closed down.

The goal was to limit mobility and halt the spread of the virus.

Checkpoints were implemented and sanctions were imposed against violators. The Italians cooperated and complied with the orders. Google published a series of mobility reports in April using aggregated data to show the trend of how busy some categories of places were.

Comparing to a baseline data obtained for January and February, the data for Italy in April showed a 94% drop for retail and recreation places, an 85% drop for grocery shops and pharmacies, a 90% drop for parks and beaches, an 87% drop for public transit hubs, a 63% drop for workplaces, and a 24% rise for residential places.”

The lockdown went past the initial April 3 deadline and just started to open responsibly in phases beginning in May. Italy’s lockdown showed the importance of acting decisively. The first regions that imposed it recovered faster and the exponential increase of cases stopped.

The New York Times Rome bureau chief Jason Horowitz referred to “the expanded lockdown as “sacrificing the Italian economy in the short term to save it from the ravages of the virus in the long term”.

Fast forward to end of July — from overburdened hospitals and doctors put in the position to prioritize saving people with better chances of surviving than the older ones as in all disasters man-made or natural given limited resources and urgency in time, Italy’s hospitals are now basically empty of COVID-19 patients, with daily deaths nearly zero.

The number of new daily cases has plummeted to “one of the lowest in Europe and the world,” said Giovanni Rezza, director of the infective illness department at the National Institute of Health

“

We had hoped that Trump would realize the magnitude of the problem we are in and for once, do the right thing for the safety and well being of the American people.

”

told the New York Times. “We have been very prudent,” she added but they remain vigilant.

According to the Times, “[Italy’s] government has been guided by scientific and technical committees. Local doctors, hospitals and health officials collect more than 20 indicators on the virus daily and send them to regional authorities, who then forward them to the National Institute of Health.”

Truly a community effort among the government, the people, and different institutions.

Where did the US go wrong?

But what do we do when United States President Donald Trump denies and defies what science says, goes against all the advice of scientists and health officials, and urges people by his misleading rhetoric and example to do the same? How can we have a concerted effort toward defeating the virus and emerge victorious like Italy?

As the United States breaks records in the number of confirmed cases, Dr. Fauci, Dr. Brix, and other health officials continue to advise people to stay at home and warn against the opening of businesses, schools, retail, houses of worship and other places where people gather without social distancing.

They also continue to push for more wide-scale testing and contact tracing and mandating the use of masks. With the new information we are learning about COVID-19, they argue that the spikes we are seeing are coming from asymptomatic people who did not even know they are carrying and transmitting the virus around.

Dr. Birx also warned that the pandemic has entered “a new phase,” different from what it was in March and April, and has become more widespread, contradicting the president’s position as he pushes for schools and more states to open.

In response, Trump called her “pathetic, and said in a press

briefing on Monday, August 3, just when our death toll topped 155,000: “I think we’re doing very well. I told Dr. Birx I think we’re doing very well. She was at my office a little while ago. She’s a person I have a lot of respect for. I think Nancy Pelosi has treated her very badly — very, very badly. Very nasty.”

And as more states are reversing on their re-openings because of the uptick in covid cases, and despite some public health experts calling for areas of the country to enter a hard lockdown to destroy coronavirus, Trump again tried to bend the truth arguing against proven facts. He said: “Lockdowns do not prevent infection in the future. They just don’t. It comes back — many times, it comes back.”

This is misinformation coming from the president himself! Lockdowns work! “Stay-at-home” orders work. Testings work. Contact tracing works. Quarantine works. Social distancing work.

Hygiene works.

Lockdown helps isolate those who are infected to prevent them from spreading the virus. Testing and contact tracing help us identify who these people are, who had contact with them when they were infected by the virus, who should be isolated. Quarantine helps identify and isolate potential virus carriers. Lockdowns prevent further spread of the virus until it is stamped out.

Italy won the war against the virus, as did New Zealand, Taiwan, Vietnam, South Africa and even, China. Other nations are flattening the curve. These nations took early, quick, and decisive action that included nationwide lockdowns, testing, contact tracing, social distancing, mandating people to wear masks.

Another important factor is for the people to work together toward one goal, one objective: Defeat the virus! The leader of a country plays a very important role in unifying its people but it has to start with that objective, overriding any personal, political

and financial interest.

The Trump problem The United States already gave up its head start in the war against COVID-19 when Trump willfully and intentionally chose to ignore the warnings from our own intelligence agencies, the World Health Organization, and the prescience and foreknowledge we should have learned from other countries’ experience.

Instead, Trump chose to cover-up the threat of the pandemic, and worse, even told the American people that it was a “hoax” fabricated by the Democrats who just want to kick him out of office.

And so the United States lost a lot of valuable and unredeemable time that could have otherwise been used to equip the American people with knowledge about this invisible enemy and how the government was strategizing to win this war.

We could have used this lead time to manufacture more PPEs (personal protective equipment) to protect not only our frontlines but every American as a protection against the virus.

We could have used these critical months beginning in January to produce more test kits for more wide-scale testing all over the country, equip our hospitals with more ICU beds and medical equipment in anticipation of the worst-case scenario in this war against the virus.

But NO. Trump chose to berate and denigrate the scientists, health officials, state leaders, Democrats and even manufacturers who were willing to help.

Trump called them “alarmists” engaging in fear-mongering and instead tactically lied to the American people that the United States got the virus under control, that this was just like the common flu that would go away by springtime, and that it would just miraculously disappear like magic.

When the World Health Organization declared the rapidly spreading coronavirus outbreak a pandemic on March 11, Trump reluctantly acknowledged the pandemic and created a Coronavirus Task Force, conducting daily briefing with the country’s top epidemiologist Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases since 1984, and Dr. Deborah Brix, along with

other health officials. During this time, state governors started implementing shelter-in-place and “stay-at-home” safety measures like California and New York, among others.

We would think there was an epiphany and Trump would defer to scientists and health officials on matters relating to a field he is ignorant about, but NO! He would continue undermining the safety measures like social distancing, wearing of masks, and would even encourage Republican state officials and Americans to protest against social distancing and demand to re-open the states. \Worse, he even pushed the use of the anti-malaria drug Hydroxychloroquine, and lied to the American people that this drug is a game changer cure that has already been approved by the Federal Drug Administration for COVID-19, only to be fact-checked

by Dr. Fauci and the agency itself.

Trump would flaunt anecdotal evidence but numerous testings following scientific protocol have disputed his claims, and warned against fatal side effects for out of hospital setting use of this drug that does not work to treat the infection.

We had hoped that Trump would realize the magnitude of the problem we are in and for once, do the right thing for the safety and well being of the American people. Unfortunately, from the beginning of this war against the virus, Trump governed with a tunnel vision that made him focus more on his ratings and the economic numbers, and became obsessed with fighting and defeating his political enemies more than the COVID-19.

His end goal was to win his reelection bid at ALL costs.

“Walang maloloko ang manloloko kung walang nagpapaloko. Hoy! Gising! mga kababayan kong Pilipino sa America.”

Let us do our share in defeating this virus. Make an informed conscientious decision. It will save our lives and the lives of others. *** Gel Santos Relos has been in news, talk, public service and educational broadcasting since 1989 with ABS-CBN and is now serving the Filipino audience using different platforms, including digital broadcasting, and print, and is working on a new public service program for the community. You may contact her through email at gelrelos@icloud.com, or send her a message via Facebook at Facebook.com/Gel. Santos.Relos.

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LAS VEGAS ASIAN JOURNAL • AUGUSt 6-12, 2020

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Journal The sparkling rise of Sanzo: How a Fil-Am Is it cultural appropriation or millennial is disrupting the beverage industry appreciation? How a wine bar by

MoMar G. Visaya / AJPress

A Filipino American has been silently but efficiently disrupting the heavily evolving and saturated market of carbonated beverages, and in this specific case: sparkling water.

Meet Sandro Roco, the 31year-old founder of nYC-based company called Sanzo.

The global pandemic has thrown a huge curveball to everyone, derailing business plans all over and forcing some small businesses to close shop.

“The biggest thing i’d say is that the pandemic, unfortunately, caused much of our wholesale business to shut down. However, we were able to quickly shift resources to our online store, which had already been up and running. This has allowed us to grow the total business tremendously,” Roco told the Asian Journal.

For the past few months, he has been working hard to adjust to the situation and to pivot accordingly. Earlier this year, he

already had about 185 retail partners in new York, about 30 in los Angeles and 10 in Chicago. last week, he announced that they have begun to roll out to the first of 50 Whole Foods stores in the new York tri-state area, covering Western Connecticut to South new Jersey. Quite fitting for a product that was launched exactly a year ago. “now, more of the focus is on what the retail landscape looks like in a ‘new normal’ world.

We don’t know all the answers yet, but we do know that it will involve a mixture of online and offline selling,” he said.

Before the pandemic, we had a chance to sit down with Roco at one of the trendy cafes in new York’s Koreatown, which serves his drinks. We talked about how the sparkling water market is big and growing and how he is celebrating fruits and flavors through his products.

This stretch of restaurants and bars on 32nd Street is also where the idea of his own sparkling water came about. it happened with

Sanzo’s original flavors: calamansi, mango and lychee.

Photos courtesy of Instagram/@drinksanzo

in D.C. called ‘Barkada’ sparked a social media debate

By MoMar

a visit to an H Mart, an Asian grocery a few doors down from the cafe. “if you walk into that H Mart, the first thing you’d see is a huge beverage shelf. Half of it has this iconic modern ‘American better for you’ products. A little down the middle is the Asian section,” he shared.

He wondered why there were little to none when he looked for Asian flavors. Sure, there were iconic and legacy brands, imported sodas and juices from across the region but most were too sweet for his taste.

“When you look at the ingredient panels of some of these products, you can see that it’s all sugars, concentrates, preservatives,” Roco said. “i think in general, we are now more discerning about these things.”

Since sparkling water is all the rage, he thought about using real fruit with no added sugar.

He thought about the comforting calamansi drink he had been drinking since childhood. in the

Sanzo founder Sandro Roco

G. Visaya & Christina M. oriel AJPress

FouR white men recently opened a wine bar along u Street in Washington, D.C. named “Barkada Wine Bar,” a nod to the Filipino word for a closely-knit group of friends.

The name was the only Filipino part of it; they did not announce plans to serve Filipino food or drinks nor is it an establishment owned by anyone of Filipino heritage.

Features from the Washington City paper and Eater DC last week led to a barrage of criticism from some Filipino Americans who said that the usage of the term was cultural appropriation.

“This is problematic on so many levels. Completely ignorant and of course, a pRiVilEGED thought-process. What makes you think it’s okay to take a word from another culture when you pay no respect or homage to the culture itself?” Jessica Millete wrote in a Facebook post. “no Filipino items on your menu, no Filipino flavors incorporated, no Filipino winemakers included, not even in your decor? no support going towards a non-profit benefiting Filipino Americans or back in [the] philippines?”

The said post, which also called the owners out for their white privilege, has been shared more than 13,000 times and generated over 800 comments as of this writing.

Millete also urged the owners to change the bar’s name.

PAGE B5

instances, he had the citrus as a beverage, it was hot and almost medicinal. He wanted to celebrate calamansi more.

“The very first thought that came to mind when i was playing with the idea was calamansi. it’s the best possible version of a citrus fruit. it has the beautiful tart elements of a lime, but unlike a lime that just stays tart, it rounds up a little bit of sweetness in it,” he said. “i love the taste of calamansi so i looked for the right taste or version of a calamansi juice or calamansi ade for me. That’s how it came to be.”

And as such, Sanzo’s original flavor was born.

He had to look at specialty farms in Florida or California for his supply of calamansi but ended up importing purée straight from the philippines.

The exterior of Barkada Wine Bar in the U Street neighborhood of Washington, D.C., which next up was mango. recently became the subject of an online debate after some Fil-Ams said the usage of the He initially started with philip- term, without any other aspects of Filipino culture or cuisine, was cultural appropriation. pine mangoes, then transitioned Photo courtesy of Barkada Wine Bar PAGE B4

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EntErtainmEnt

Alden and Nadine stay strong despite challenges

by Nika

Roque ManilaTimes.net

THE pandemic has proven to be a challenge for everyone across the globe. Apart from the risks of illness, it has been hard to maintain a positive mindset and take care of both physical and mental health. Even for top actors Nadine Lustre and Alden Richards — who have continuously voiced their health advocacies to help inspire more people — this crisis has been difficult to deal with.

They are part of the celebrity Superbods of Century Tuna, an annual competition and community to promote a fit and healthy lifestyle through diets and exercise. The actors have evidently achieved this part of healthy living. However, both Lustre and Richards have advocated for mental health awareness and used their platforms to speak up about ending the stigma.

And just like everyone, they too have struggled with adjusting to life’s crazy turn. With this in mind, the company launched the Stay Strong campaign, which serves as a call to action for Filipinos to remain physically and mentally resilient given the new risks of the world today.

During the campaign launch and introduction of the Everybod Superbod contestants via Zoom, The Manila Times Entertainment had to ask the top stars and health advocates how they managed to take care of themselves while under the pandemic, not to mention living amidst various social issues.

Lustre said that it was hard living under the Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ) as she is living far from her family and friends. Only living with her brother, assistant, and dog, the award-winning actress and musician said that she is very thankful to have friends who constantly ask how she is doing.

“I’m really thankful because they’re always there to check up on me and just ask me how I was doing,” she said. “We always watch a movie and then chat at the same time.”

Since gyms are closed and trainers are only available through online classes, Lustre would do simple workouts at home, using an exercise band and books rather than equipment. Another way for her to deal with stress has been through meditation and yoga.

Over the past few months, one

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Will Korina surface on TV5?

by Ricky Lo Philstar.com

after that, news spread that Pokwang had turned Kapuso (the network is closely identified with APT). If that’s the case, could it be possible that more Kapamilya are moving over (forward!) to the Kapatid channel, including those who have similarly guested in Bulaga — Cristine Reyes, Valerie Concepcion and Empress Schuck, among them? Under negotiation is Jessy Mendiola...and also Gonzaga sisters Toni and Alex (a former Kapatid)?

The loudest whisper is that Korina Sanchez-Roxas is poised to surface on TV5 perhaps with a recharged version of her longrunning Kapamilya show Rated K. If ever, Korina will be a big boost to the Kapatid Network which is spreading open arms to Kapamilya talents, announced no less by Kapatid big boss Manny V. Pangilinan/MVP who was quoted in a STAR story saying that TV5 is going to strengthen its entertainment content. Korina is reportedly among those who have already received “letters of termination” from the Kapamilya management along with Ces Drilon who

WITH the end of the ABS-CBN franchise, it’s but natural for the network talents to, so to speak, look for greener pastures. Life has to go on and hope springs eternal.

As I was saying, although she said that she remains a Kapamilya at heart even if her ABS-CBN contract has expired (not renewed), Pokwang is the first Kapamilya to “migrate” to the Kapatid TV5 network, with not just one but two shows lined up for her by the blocktimer APT Entertainment headed by Antonio P. “Mr. T” Alden Richards Nadine Lustre Tuviera — the daily (Monday thru Photo from Instagram/@aldenrichards02 Photo from Instagram/@nadine Saturday) morning show Rise & of the hobbies that Lustre has dis- a positive mindset would already Shine with Pauleen Luna-Sotto covered and become passionate be a huge help in getting by. and Ria Atayde (still a Kapamilya) Also, time at home for the movie as co-hosts and a sitcom with Jose about is writing.

“I’ve been writing a lot because and TV star meant personal com- Manalo. Bongga!!!

I have thoughts and I was very munication with his family, as The “feeler” came a few weeks emotional during the ECQ kasi opposed to their usual calls and ago when Pokwang appeared nga I was really far from my fam- messages. as “judge” in the popular Bawal “What really kept my sanity Judgmental segment of the APTily. There’s really no one to see here kasi not allowed to go out as during this period was I took the produced Eat, Bulaga! (airing on well. That was one of the things time to take advantage of spend- Kapamilya’s arch rival Kapuso that kind of helped me with every- ing time with family and to do GMA network channel). Soon other recreational stuff, such thing that’s been going on.”

The hobby-turned-outlet has as I got into online gaming and eventually become a driving force streaming.

“What I did really during this for releasing something creative, as Lustre hinted that her writ- pandemic was to look at the bright ings will be part of an upcoming side of it and not look at the things album. She has released music that I can’t do anymore.”

Richards has become popular under the label and production

by Niña GuNo memorate the occasion, describcompany Careless Music Manila. in the gaming industry, which is Inquirer.net ing the day as “90s momshies Lustre has also proven her talents something he is very passionate reunite” on Instagram on Tuesday, BEFORE jetting off to the Unitin directing music videos for art- about. A photo of his customized gaming rig became viral and has ed States, Donita Rose was thrown August 4. ists under the label.

She said the party took place beRichards, meanwhile, said that gained more popularity for his a fun party and received sweet goodbyes from her dear friends fore Metro Manila went on modified the pandemic and quarantines Mobile Legends streams. enhanced community quarantine in show biz.

Journey to self-love really “challenged my sanity.” He Ruffa Gutierrez, Karla Estrada, (MECQ) and that they had tested Lustre and Richards also spoke remembered how everything had happened so suddenly and that about their insecurities. When Sunshine Cruz, Vina Morales and negative for COVID-19.

The full video, posted on Younot being allowed to go out had asked by a member of the media Jackie Forster organized a despeTube, shows the six friends at dida for the former MTV VJ. been such a big change for him. whether they would join a compeMorales made a video to com- Morales’ house swimming and “I will have to admit, during tition like Superbods if they were the first weeks of this crisis me- not celebrities, they both said that dyo mahirap siya,” he expressed. it was unlikely.

“I’m not gonna lie, it’s really “I’m a very active person, I always went to work 24/7 for the past hard to stay fit and to stay healthy especially if you’re a foodie like five years.

“I mean, mentally, of course, me. Iba kasi yung discipline ng you wake up, you do your thing. mga Superbods eh. They really You take a bath, you workout, and have a routine, they’re strict with then you sleep again. And for the their food, they’re strict with past three months, ganun lang everything.

“So to be honest, I would love yung nangyayari.”

Around the second month of to join, but personally, I don’t the quarantine, Richards recalled think I’m that I’m disciplined himself thinking, “Kailan ba enough to be in a competition like matatapos ‘to? Ang hirap, I’m not this,” answered Lustre.

Richards answered, “Siguro used to this.”

Nonetheless, Richards under- prior to my showbiz career, it stands that it would still be up to would probably really take a lot him on how to take in the current of push from the people around Donita Rose, Ruffa Gutierrez, Karla Estrada, Sunshine Cruz, Vina Morales and daughter Ceana; Photo from Instagram/@sunshinecruz718 situation. He knew that keeping PAGE B5 Jackie Forster at rightmost with daughter Caleigh

Korina Sanchez Photo from Instagram/@korina

just “might” also avail of MVP’s invite.

Contacted by Funfare, Korina was mum (but her smile gave her away), and said just to wait and see.

Donita gets despedida from showbiz friends before flying back to US belting their hearts out on karaoke.

Forster shared a snippet of the video on Instagram showing them all sing to Whitney Houston’s “Greatest Love of All.” She poked fun at Gutierrez’s off-key vocals, stating, “The only time @iloveruffag isn’t poised,” and told her friends: “Love you ladies mucho!!!”

Cruz, meanwhile, posted photos of them on Instagram posing in the pool.

“Taken before MECQ. So happy to see these beautiful momshies for Donita’s despedida. We will miss you Dee. We love you!”

Last July, Gutierrez revealed that she had a farewell dinner with Rose and stated that she would “wisely start a new life in America.” She shared hope too that her friend might find her “Prince Charming” in the States.

Rose was born in the U.S. and was previously based there while she was married to her now exhusband Eric Villarama. She has been raising their teen son as a single parent.

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Health@Heart PhiliP S. Chua, MD, FaCS, FPCS MASKS and distancing do not work While there were limited data early this year about the effectiveness of personal hygiene, frequent handwashing, and wearing a mask and social distancing when in public to avoid getting infected with the COVID-19 infection, today, 7 months later, after the pandemic started in Wuhan, China, evidence-based data have confirmed their effectiveness. Behavioral modification, compliance, and vigilance can prevent getting this deadly infection, which has so far infected (as of August 3, 2020 GMT) almost 18.6 million (191,000 new oneday increase) and killed almost 700,000 in 213 countries around the world: USA, nearly 5 million cases (46,247 new one-day increase), with almost 160,000 deaths; Philippines, about 107,000 cases (3,226 new oneday increase), with about 2,200 deaths.

Warning on COVID-19 test results Positive means the person is infected. However, there is about 3 percent false positive in some of the test kits on the market, meaning the result says positive but the person is actually not infected. On the other side of the coin, Johns Hopkins Medicine reported PCR-based tests have a false negative rate of about 20 percent, meaning 1 in 5 tests is false negative; the patient is actually infected but the test result says negative. Medical guidance is prudent in interpreting any medical test results.

Who should be tested In an ideal situation, everyone should be tested. But this is impractical and expensive, and may be a waste of resources. Testing the entire population will tell us who were infected in the past, who are infected, and who are not. Those who obviously need to be tested are those individuals who do public service or who are in contact with a lot of people, like healthcare personnel, cashiers, food servers, stores and restaurant staff, airport personnel, travelers, teachers, public transportation drivers, etc., and those who may have been exposed to an infected patient, or suspected

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COVID-19 misconceptions

to have been so. Those who are on self-quarantine at home, and religious in wearing a mask and social distancing in public, and strict in their personal hygiene, are less likely to need the test.

A common-sense approach is to wait for 14 days after being in public and in compliance with the COVID-19 guideline. Someone infected in such a situation would show within two weeks or so.

Negative result confers no immunity It is not uncommon to hear people being very eager to get COVID-19 test to “be sure” they test negative. For one thing, if after two weeks of self-quarantine at home, strictly following the guidelines, and no symptoms appear, chances are the test would be negative. But even if the test done were negative, if the person is thereafter exposed to an infected person and was so careless as to get infected, the next test would be positive! A negative test result on any day does not protect the person at all. The test is not a vaccine and does not confer immunity or lessen the chance of getting infected. It is merely a test. This is the reason why getting a test without a medical justification is useless and a waste of money. A negative result today, could be positive in a few hours or days, if you let your guard down and disregard the COVID-19 guidelines, and get infected.

Post-COVID-19 immunity Those who got infected and have recovered from COVID-19 have some degree of immunity.

Whether it is enough to ward off future COVID-19, and for how long, are still in question. Time will tell as more patients recover around the globe. Reinfection among those who have recovered have been reported. So, those who have recovered should still follow the health guidelines.

5G causes COVID-19 5G radio waves (internet) do not cause COVID-19 as alleged in many social media postings.

The opposite view that claims 5G waves provide protection against COVID-19 is equally false. And 5G cannot provide Viagra-power, either. There are so many fake news and misinformation on social media. Do not believe everything you read on social media.

Get data from renowned medical centers. Do your own due diligence. Get the facts.

Lemon juice prevents CO-

VID-19 False. Lemon juice, garlic, onion, pepper, broccoli, fruits, herbals, etc. cannot prevent COVID-19. Fruits and vegetables are good for our health, but they are not prophylactic or therapeutic for COVID -19. Drinking silver cannot prevent or cure COVID19; it is a poison! Irresponsible people spreading baseless claims on social media are doing a great disservice to the world. Gullible readers could have a false sense of security and get infected because of their posts. There is no food or medication which has been found effective in preventing COVID-19. Only by following the COVID-19 guidelines strictly can we ward off this killer viral infection. By the way, cow urine, or any urine, or bodily secretions, cannot prevent or cure COVID-19 or cancer.

Mosquito bites transmit the virus While mosquito bites can cause a number of illnesses, mosquitos are not carriers of the SARS-CoV2 virus that causes COVID-19. We, humans, are the carriers and transmitters of this virus and infect other people.

This is why it is vital for everyone of us to strictly follow the COVID19 guidelines, otherwise several millions of people might actually die from this pandemic while it also devastates our economy and family life – if we allow it to linger much longer by our careless behavior and non-compliance, which technically borders on manslaughter.

Vaccines a decade away There are more than 150 COVID-19 vaccines being investigated around the world. Normally, it takes about 10-15 years for vaccines to be ready for sale, but the mumps vaccine was the fastest one developed, in four years, in the 1960s. There are some on their Third Phase of trials, with 30,000 subjects, to make sure they are safe and effective.

The Trump administration’s Operation Wrap Speed initiative pledged $10 billion to ramp up the vaccine development and deliver 300 million doses by January 2021. The WHO is also coordinating worldwide efforts to develop corona vaccines and aiming to deliver two billion doses by the end of 2021. Cautiously optimistic, it seems a COVID-19 vaccine could be available by the end of this year, or early next year. In the meantime, let’s do the next PAGE B4

Postscript

FeDeriCo D. PaSCual Jr YOU must have heard some unusual expressions from the old folks and may have wondered about their meanings and origins. The list below lifted from our Pinoy ’55 chat group on Viber as prepared by brod Ernie Salas sheds some light on them.

1. “Tapos na ang boksing!”

Meaning: It is finished. It is doomed and it’s done.

Origin: During the Japanese Occupation, “tapos na ang boksing” was a favorite expression of teenagers. Boxing was a sport promoted by Americans in the 1920s. So, for pro-Japanese elements, the expression meant that America was finished and that Gen. Douglas MacArthur would never return to the Philippines.

But those who continued to believe in America’s promise used the phrase to denote that Japan would ultimately be defeated.

2. “Mabilis pa sa alas kwatro.”

Meaning: To leave in a mad rush.

Origin: At Plaza Lawton (now Liwasang Bonifacio) at the southern foot of Puente Colgante (now Quezon Bridge) once stood the imposing Insular Ice and Cold Storage Plant with its 10-floor chimney. Designed by Edgar Bourne, it was built in 1902 and operated by San Miguel Brewery.

It had a siren that sounded off loudly three times in a day to indicate the start of work at 7 a.m., lunch break at 12 noon, and dismissal of workers at 4 p.m. At the day’s last siren signal, Insular workers would head for the exit gates, where they fell in line to log out. There was so much anticipation for the dismissal time that workers rushed to be at the head of the line – faster than the 4 p.m. siren.

3. “Agua de Pataranta.”

Meaning: Euphemism for hard liquor.

Origin: Medicinal waters sold by boticas and pharmacists in the ’20s and ’30s carried Spanish brand names. For example, Botica Boie on the Escolta listed in its stock water-based remedies like Agua Fenicada (phenol water) Agua de Botot (a mouth rinse), Agua Boricada (boric acid solution for the eyes) and Agua

LAS VEGAS ASIAN JOURNAL • AUGUSt 6-12, 2020

B

Tracing roots of odd Pinoy expressions de Carabaña (mineral water).

A drinking man’s bottle was disguised as medicine too – Agua de Pataranta – liquor strong enough to addle his brains and put him in a confused stupor, or “taranta.”

When Botica Boie folded up, the famous soda fountain moved to the Round Table restaurant at Manila Doctor’s and, much later, to the Floating Restaurant at Makati Medical.

4. “Noong bata pa si Sabel.”

Meaning: A descriptor for something that has been in existence or in practice a long time ago.

Origin: This expression pays tribute to Queen Isabella II of Spain, who reigned from 1833 to 1868. “Noong bata pa si Sabel” literally means “when Isabel was but a child,” hence when the world was younger.

Queen Isabel’s reign was rocked by internal palace intrigues, influence-peddling, and conspiracies, which ended with her exile and abdication. Isabel’s profile appeared on local 1860’s coins. The late National Artist Alejandro R. Roces contends that Isabel’s enemies referred to her as “la perra” (the bitch), hence the coins that bore her profile became known as “perra” or “pera,” a term used today for all forms of money.

Her bronze statue has been moved from Liwasang Bonifacio (erstwhile Lawton), her space taken over by the Great Plebian, to the front of Puerta Isabel II in Intramuros near the Bureau of Immigration.

5. “Hanggang Pier.”

Meaning: To be left behind with an unkept promise.

Origin: The assignment of American military personnel in Clark Field, Subic Bay and Sangley Point since the 1900s spawned a “good time” industry in the adjoining R&R (rest and recreation) liberty towns that included food, drinks, dancing, and damsels!

Through the ’30s-’60s, relationships developed between GIs on furlough and local girls, many of them from the bars and cabarets. Some affairs were for real, but many others ended at the departure area when the ships had to sail out – hence “hanggang pier”. The expression has come to refer to a person’s not

keeping his promise, as experienced by a Pinay left behind by a ‘Kano, often with a FilAm child, at the pier.

6. “Natutulog sa pansitan.”

Meaning: Failure to grab an opportunity because of laziness or negligence.

Origin: Pansit-pansitan (Shiny bush, Peperomia pellucida Linn) is a common herb that grows abundantly in cool, damp places, carpeting nooks and yards with its soft, fleshy leaves.

Workers in the field often took a respite from the harsh sun by napping on a patch of pansitpansitan — hence, “natutulog sa pansitan.” It may have happened that a few took their naps too long, and thus sleeping on the job resulting in unfinished work and lost opportunities.

7. “Lutong Makaw.”

Meaning: A decision or deal that has been rigged; a pre-arranged victory or success.

Origin: In the “peacetime” of the ’30s, “makaw” (derived from Macau, now a special administrative region of China that used to be a Portuguese colony) was an unofficial generic term used

by Manilans for a Chinese immigrant, especially a cook. Their culinary creations were called “lutong makaw” or cooked Macau-style.

Macau Chinese chefs were noted for their pre-arranging their ingredients in advance, even before a dish was ordered.

A trademark dish was “pansit makaw,” always a bestseller along with pancit canton.

Macau’s gaming history dates back to more than three centuries, earning the title “Monte Carlo of the Orient” and now “Vegas of China.” In 1930, “Hou Heng Company” won the monopoly concession for operating casino games. Game-fixing was one of the hazards of the business, including “cooking” (i.e. tampering with) the outcome of the game even before it is played -- hence “lutong makaw.”

(There are more items in this compilation, but we’ve run out of space. To read the rest, please go to: https://tinyurl.com/yahkcvnf) *** Nota Bene: All Postscripts are archived a t m a n i l a m a i l .c o m . Fo l l o w a u t h o r on Twitter as @FDPascual. Feedback can be emailed to fdp333@yahoo.com

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Massage Envy Las Vegas franchise locations will The sparkling rise of Sanzo: How a Fil-Am... partner with the Philippine Nurses Association To show their appreciation to healthcare workers and first responders – including doctors, nurses, firefighters and EMS technicians – who risk their health and safety during the CoVID-19 pandemic, Massage Envy Las Vegas franchised locations are providing its members the opportunity to donate accrued but unused Wellness services, such as massages and skin care services, beginning July 1 through August 31.

“During this difficult time, our healthcare workers and first responders have been heroes,” said Marissa Hawkins, Las Vegas Massage Envy franchisee owner.

“These heroes have worked long hours and exposed themselves to the possibility of contracting the coronavirus all for the sake of taking care of the community. Because of this, local Massage Envy clinics – and the community – can say thank you to them by donating pre-paid service credits.”

Massage Envy Las Vegas franchised locations will partner with the Philippine Nurses Association LV/NV Chapter that will distribute vouchers to healthcare workers to redeem one free, 60- minute massage, facial or stretch session.

Recently, Massage Envy Las Vegas franchised locations reopened to serve members and guests a`er several months of mandated temporary closures.

Prior to reopening, a scientific consulting firm, leaders in their field, that specializes in environmental health and provides advice based on reliable science to safeguard individuals and communities, was hired to review

brand standards targeted at sanitation and infection prevention and control.

In addition, franchisees’ team members have received certification training for infection control

and prevention that included instruction on the spread of viruses, including CoVID-19, basic blood pathogen awareness, handwashing, and disinfection and cleaning.

COVID-19 misconceptions

PAGE B3 best thing: religiously follow the CoVID-19 guidelines.

Behavior that kills is criminal negligence Each of us has the obligation to protect ourselves, our family, and others, especially the high-risk elderly, from this killer SARS-CoV2 virus. Careless, irresponsible behavior that causes spread and deaths is technically criminal. Not wearing a mask in public in some countries, like India, is punishable for up to six months in prison. Qatar exacts a heavy fine on top of a 3-year jail term for the same offense. Non-

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compliance could spread the infection, kill people, and devastate society as a whole. Any action or behavior that contributes to injury and death is a crime, not much different from poisoning, stabbing, or shooting somebody.

Some European and Asian countries, unlike the U.S., have mandated the use of masks and social distancing. The U.S. has the highest number of cases (26 percent of global cases) and deaths (22 percent of global deaths). People who do what they want to do (even against health guidelines), demanding their civil rights, some protesting

in public without masks and not doing social distancing, are contributing to the spikes in infection and deaths. How about the rights of the majority, especially the vulnerable and helpless seniors? Every life matters. *** Philip S. Chua, MD, FACS, FPCS, a Cardiac Surgeon Emeritus based in Northwest Indiana and Las Vegas, Nevada, is an international medical lecturer/ author, a Health Advocate, and Chairman of the Filipino United Network-USA, a 501(c)3 humanitarian foundation in the United States. Websites: philipSchua.com and FUN8888.com; Email: scalpelpen@ gmail.com.

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PAGE B1 to Indian Alphonso mangoes. He said he personally felt the difference and that the Alphonso mango just had a deeper flavor to it when mixed with sparkling water.

Lychee became the third flavor, completing a trifecta of robust and unadulterated flavors, minus any sugar substitutes or sweeteners.

“I thought it was the best way to celebrate and highlight each of the fruits’ elegance. When you douse something with sugar, that overpowers the flavor,” he said.

Business venture Roco launched Sanzo in July 2019. A piece of trivia, the brand is a portmanteau of his given names: Alessandro and Lorenzo.

Before this, he went into early beta testing. His initial products were in bottles but his goal was to get into cans, but it was a bigger dollar investment so he wanted to do get it right.

He had the same original flavors: calamansi, lychee and mango. Then, he upgraded the sourcing of the purees, manufacturing quality and made some tweaks in the packaging and on the labels.

A year in and despite the current situation, he saw the growth and it was better than expected.

“I self-funded the whole operation up to last December so I only just recently started taking outside investor money.

That’s of note because a lot of brands come to market and they raise a lot of money before they launch so they can afford bigger blowouts and within a couple of months, they can be in 500 or 1,000 stores,” he explained.

Roco has always hoped to rally the Asian American community behind the product, from restaurateurs to owners and operators and coffee shops like Grace Street and Kabisera.

He said he wanted to take more of a bootstrap, methodical approach but even then, he has been surprised as to how quickly people have gotten it.

“What got me even more excited is that we’ve been able to crossover into the “mainstream”, I hate using that word but for these purposes, fine. While we’re doing well at Momofuku, Grace Street or Kabisera, we’re also selling at By Chloe, this very trendy vegan fast-casual chain, or Charlie Street, an Australian hip coffee chain,” he said. “I was

To celebrate his first anniversary earlier this month, Sandro Roco posted this photo on Sanzo’s Instagram and thanked the people and companies who have supported him. He ended his message with “From the basement of my parents’ house and the bottom of my heart, thank you. - Sandro.”

Sanzo founder Sandro Roco with his dad, Angel Roco outside Whole Foods in Hudson Yards.

Photos courtesy of Instagram/@drinksanzo

always hopeful that the product would be good enough to sell in these places.”

Now, he has reached a point where the company is growing despite the challenges brought about by the current world situation. He hopes to continue to grow with it, learning and un-

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learning lessons along the way.

“Launching a product is hard but now that we’re beginning to grow, I realized that it is also hard to scale. You have to be constantly leveling up and learning because, in six months, there’s going to be something new to tackle,” he said.

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EntErtainmEnt

Alden and Nadine stay strong despite challenges

PAGE B2

me kasi I really lacked self-confidence during that time.

“I [had] insecurities in a lot of ways — my attitude, my physical look, even my motivation to join competitions kasi I have a fear of showing myself in public. I always feel like all the other members or contestants are better than me.”

Richards’ journey to building self-confidence was the product of various personal and professional experiences. He had never made the final cut in talent search competitions, made ends meet as a model, and appeared in a string of films and television shows, but has only garnered popularity after being in the industry for years. Now, everyone knows his name and his work as an actor, host, recording artist, and endorser.

Going through so much to build the good career he has now, the hardworking actor had some pieces of advice, and shared that

getting to know oneself is definitely the key.

“Find your strengths, find your weaknesses. Find your passion, pursue that passion,” he noted.

“Kasi for me personally, I went through that phase wherein wala akong bilib sa sarili ko, I feel like I’m not good enough in a lot of things.

“But really, every individual is unique, and they have their own capacity to deal with things.

By knowing yourself first, then probably you can start off somewhere and really conquer that insecurity.”

The 26-year-old Lustre has a similar story, in which she also did not love herself growing up.

The actress noted insecurities with her body and personality.

Like Richards, she had to work extra hard to build a good career.

She was 12 years old when she started in showbiz, but gained mainstream success in 2014 after appearing in “Diary ng Panget.”

She continued to shine, and just last year, won best actress awards from two of the country’s top film honors, the Gawad Urian and Famas, for her lead role in “Never Not Love You.” “To be honest, I’ve struggled with [self-confidence] for so long. But eventually, I learned how to accept everything. I had this thing before when I would always be too hard on myself if there are things that I couldn’t do or I couldn’t achieve, parang lagi kong dina-down yung sarili ko.

“Like what Alden said, nag-iisa ka lang eh, wala nang ibang katulad mo. So you just have to accept all your flaws and love yourself for who you really are. Love the skin that you’re in, wala ka nang katulad eh.”

The biggest lesson she learned was to be best friends with herself. “Because at the end of the day, yung sarili mo lang yung kakampi mo and that’s a really beautiful thing.”

Is it cultural appropriation or appreciation...

PAGE B1 “Absolutely WILD that in our current social climate, you still think this is okay. Just because you think the Asian stereotype is that we stay silent and go along our way, doesn’t mean that’s the case now,” she said.

On their website, the owners wrote: “Barkada – noun, Tagalog – a group of friends: A totally cool word that describes us: a group of friends serving crazy delicious wine, hanging out just off U Street in DC.” In addition to the term, Krisha — a D.C. native who asked to withhold her last name for privacy reasons — pointed out another layer of how the restaurant is contributing to the gentrification of the U Street neighborhood.

“And this is all on top of contributing to the ongoing problem of gentrification in Washington, D.C. The owners have to expand outside of simply executing their business and be more mindful of the impact they create on the city they’re opening in,” she told the Asian Journal.

While some expressed their dismay, there were others who didn’t find a problem with using “barkada.”

A Change.org petition with a goal of 5,000 signatures called on the owners not to change the name and that fellow Filipinos should “give them a chance” instead of “bashing or bully[ing] them.”

One Facebook user, Maricar Tangonan, said that language is “dynamic and organic.”

“It’s often borrowed and has crossed cultural boundaries — no one owns the word ‘barkada,’” she wrote. “Not because there are no Filipino ‘pulutan’ or drinks means there is no Filipino element.”

Another Fil-Am, Mark Libatique, lamented that the debate within the community has become a “dumb, petty thing” and that it is “a non-issue [this is] on a grander scale of Fil-Am welfare.”

“Instead of being an opportunity to advance Filipino voices, this has become Filipino-vs-FilAm, community organizer vs non-advocate,” he said.

Bing Cardenas-Branigin, a community leader in D.C., told the Asian Journal that this conversation could have been a teaching moment about Filipino culture and cuisine.

“As a community, we could have used this as an opportunity to tell them about our food, sisig for example and our drinks made with calamansi. Their usage of Barkada could have been our leverage in order to promote our cuisine and culture more,” Cardenas-Branigin said.

Changing the name In response to this backlash, Barkada issued an apology on its website and social media accounts.

The partners, Sebastian Zutant, Nick Guglietta, Nate Fisher, and Anthony Aligo, responded to the hundreds of comments on the bar’s social media pages asking to change their name.

Part of the statement read: “When we ventured outside of our own language to capture that sentiment, we missed the mark.

We apologize to all we offended, and to our community we hope to serve. It was never our intention to appropriate or capitalize on the Filipino culture and we recognize we fell short in engaging more of the Filipino community.”

They are also “actively looking to change our identity and our brand and engage in further dialogue” and promised to donate “proceeds from our opening to support the Filipino community as well.”

“Barkada is a beautiful world with a deep meaning of friendship. We want to honor that, and you, as we move forward,” the statement read.

“Part of the reason we did this

is not because it’s our identity but we resonated with the meaning and thought behind the word,” Guglietta told Eater. “But it was a mistake.”

He added that they spent five months coming up with the name. Also according to Eater, in the course of considering Barkada, they received positive feedback from a few friends with Filipino heritage, but the owners recognize they should have done more to evaluate the decision.

Moving forward The National Federation of Filipino American Associations (NaFFAA) Capital Region released a statement “concerned by the lack of sensitivity and awareness” of using the Barkada name.

“Barkada is derived from the Spanish word barcada, meaning ‘boatload.’ Yes, the original barkadas were boatloads of Filipino prisoners shipped away from their homes by boat, but from these trying circumstances, our ancestors formed bonds that would help them survive colonization, imprisonment, and enslavement. To water barkada down to ‘A totally cool word’—as Barkada Wine Bar’s website originally described it—strips it of its resonance as a symbol of Filipino resilience,” the group wrote.

The statement — representing Fil-Am organizations, business owners and community members in the DC Metropolitan Area — also provided recommendations to the establishment’s owners and to news outlets on how they can inclusively cover the city’s food scene.

“We urge the business owners to commit to a habit of unlearning, undoing, and unmaking in an industry that is not isolated from racism. As established restaurateurs in the area, they have influence and connections in the industry that many BIPOC do not; they have a voice that is not afforded to marginalized communities. We ask that they commit to supporting minorityowned businesses as well as be transparent in how they choose to serve the community moving forward,” it added.

For food media, the organization urged the hiring of more writers and editors of color and to give equal news coverage to BIPOC business owners who are historically underrepresented.

“It is particularly disheartening to see Barkada’s opening receive the amount of coverage that it did when Filipino business owners have been wary of giving their establishments Filipino names lest they alienate customers,” NaFFAA Capital Region said.

The Filipino Food Movement, a nonprofit organization dedicated to the advancement of Filipino culinary arts, said they’ve begun a dialogue with Barkada’s owners about what a constructive way forward could look like for the community and bar. (The owners also shared with the movement’s representatives that they reportedly had a Filipino roommate a few years ago who taught them the word barkada.)

“In many ways, this is a cautionary tale when it comes to opening food businesses, especially in the U.S. where the audience is so woke, there is no room for making mistakes. You can’t make missteps like this, especially in this day and age,” Keesa Ocampo, vice president of the Filipino Food Movement, told the Asian Journal. “You have to do your research and for your brand, marketing and development, you have to put in a lot of thought into not only how do I want this brand to look? But also, how can I be inclusive?”

The group also said it’s an opportunity to be “bridge builders” and to uplift Fil-Am chefs for possible pop-up events and Filipino wine and spirit brands that can be showcased at the bar.

“This is no longer the time to be divisive. When people try to

find resonance and relevance in our food and culture, we think it’s a great thing,” Ocampo added. “Now, yes, there may be missteps, but I don’t think that we should be dissuading them from trying again and trying harder…

If their heart is in the right place and if they commit to really doing this the right way, then we want them to do well because they’re now carrying a piece of our culture and a word that belongs to us.”

LAS VEGAS ASIAN JOURNAL • AUGUSt 6-12, 2020

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Richard raves about Coco’s multitasking skills, mental focus

by Alex

BrosAs Inquirer.net

ACTOR Richard Gutierrez had a ringside view of Coco Martin’s working style as he forayed into the world of “Ang Probinsiyano”.

“Bilib ako sa energy niya kasi siya rin ang nagdidirek ng mga eksena, at the same time ay alam niya ang mga lines ng mga tao pati blocking. So, for me nabilib ako sa kanya doon. Grabe ‘yung mental focus niya,” Gutierrez said in a conference via Zoom on Monday, Aug. 3.

(I am impressed with his energy because he is the one directing the scenes. At the same time he knows people’s lines including blocking. I was so impressed with that.)

Martin left a lasting impression on Gutierrez who will play the third wheel in the Cardo-Alyana romance angle of the series.

“Hindi ko makakalimutan ‘yung sinabi sa akin ni Coco na dito sa ‘Ang Probinsiyano’ ay teamwork tayo. Kaya nagwowork ang ‘Probinsiyano’ kasi teamwork and story-based talaga lahat. Kumbaga, naka-focus sa story, hindi sa isang tao lang o sa isang character lang,” Gutierrez explained. “Na-appreciate ko ‘yun kay Coco na winelcome niya ako ng ganoon.”

(I cannot forget what Coco told me that here in “Ang Probinsiyano” there is teamwork. The show works because of teamwork and it is really story-based. The

Richard Guiterrez

focus is on the story, not on one person or one character only. I appreciated Coco for welcoming me that way.)

Gutierrez is also very thankful over his inclusion in the series.

“Actually, si Coco nga, nagusap na kami before sa Star Magic ball. Sabi nga niya ay gusto niya akong makatrabaho.

Ganoon din ako, gusto ko rin siyang makatrabaho. ‘Kapag nabigyan tayo ng opportunity ay gusto sana kitang i-guest sa “Ang Probinsiyano”.’ Sabi ko, ‘Game, anytime. Just let me know kung kailan.’ And then, finally nga ay dumating ‘yung offer,” Gutierrez recalled.

Photo from Instagram/@richardgutz

(Coco and I were actually talking during the Star Magic Ball. He told me that he wanted to work with me. It’s the same thing with me, I also wanted to work with him. “If we could be given an opportunity, I would like to guest you in ‘Ang Probinsiyano’,”[he said]. I said, “Game. Just let me know when.” And then finally the offer came.)

Gutierrez describes his character Angelo as “very complex” due to a good backstory with Pressman’s character. “[I loved that part with the] flashbacks,” he said. “[The role is] very challenging but at the same time I’m excited to portray it.”

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seafood city fpfc