080720 - New York & New Jersey Edition

We’ve got you covered from Hollywood to Broadway... and Online!

AUGUST 7-13, 2020 Volume 13 - No. 40 • 16 Pages 133-30 32nd Ave., Flushing, NY 11354 • 2500 Plaza S. Harborside Financial Center, Jersey City, NJ 07311 • Tel. (212) 655-5426 • Fax: (818) 502-0858

Also published in LOS ANGELES, ORANGE COUNTY/INLAND EMPIRE, LAS VEGAS, NORTHERN CALIFORNIA

DFA: 2 Filipinos dead, 8 injured in Beirut blast

by RITCHEL

MENDIOLA AJPress

THE Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) on Wednesday, August 5, confirmed that two Filipinos were among the people killed in a massive explosion in Lebanon’s capital Beirut.

“Our hearts go out to the Lebanese peo-

DATELINE

USA

FROM THE AJPRESS NEWS TEAM ACROSS AMERICA

How the COVID-19 response worsened the state of public education Education experts and leaders discuss the drawbacks of the U.S. response to COVID-19 and how best to provide for underserved students PUBLIC education advocates for years have been promoting the reality that the future of the United States hinges on today’s kids receiving quality and affordable education.

But when the COVID-19 pandemic is here

u PAGE 2

Google celebrates Fil-Am Olympic diver Vicki Draves

by AJPRESS 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

u PAGE 2

ple. And I hope material and medical help as well. DFA will try to extend as much help as it can out of its own resources not just to OFWs but Lebanese communities,” said Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro L. Locsin Jr. DFA Assistant Secretary Eduardo Meñez also reported that eight Filipinos were injured and 12 were missing, of which 11 are

seafarers and one is a household worker.

The Philippine Embassy in Lebanon, meanwhile, said 10 of the 11 sailors have already been found “safe and accounted for.”

It added that the 10 suffered minor injuries, and are now with the management of the shipping company, Abu Merhi Cruises at Ain el Mraiseh, Beirut.

“The Philippine Embassy Beirut will con-

tinue to ascertain the conditions of the seafarers and the other Filipinos who were reported hospitalized,” the Embassy assured.

Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) administrator Hans Leo Cadac, for his part, said the government will repatriate the remains of the two Filipinos who were killed.

u PAGE 2

USCIS to increase fee to apply for naturalization by $500 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 incoming and outgoing expenditures and make adjustments based on that analysis,” said Joseph

u PAGE 4

MOTORBIKE LANE. Several motorbike riders line up as they wait for their turn to be inspected by authorities at a checkpoint at the intersection of Marcos Highway and Felix Avenue in Cainta, Rizal on Wednesday, August 5. The government has allowed motorcycle back-riding for essential workers and authorized persons outside of residence (APOR) subject to certain rules in Metro Manila, Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna, and Rizal which reverted to the modified enhanced community quarantine.

PNA photo by Joey O. Razon

Filipino-Mexican teen among 9 Is it cultural appropriation service members killed in training or appreciation? How a wine accident off California coast bar in D.C. called ‘Barkada’

by CHRISTINA

sparked a social media debate

M. ORIEL

AJPress

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 18year-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

u PAGE 4

by MOMAR

G. VISAYA & CHRISTINA M. ORIEL AJPress

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

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

u PAGE 4

AUGUST 7-13, 2020 • NEW YORK AND NEW JERSEY ASIAN JOURNAL

http://www.asianjournal.com • (212) 655-5426

From the Front Page How the COVID-19 response worsened the... Google celebrates Fil-Am Olympic diver...

PAGE 1 to stay with no signs of subsiding in the foreseeable future, the state of public education is in emergency levels of paltry funding, resources and aid for disadvantaged and lower-income students.

The Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) and San Diego Unified District (SDUD) — the two largest school districts in California — both announced last month that it would start out the 2020-2021 school year online to safeguard students, teachers and school staff from the escalating COVID-19 situation in California, as previously reported in the Asian Journal.

In the 17th installment of its “Tracking the Pandemic” press briefing series, Ethnic Media Services on Friday, July 31 held a briefing on the ways in which the U.S.’s responses to the COVID-19 pandemic have both highlighted and amplified disparities within K12 public education.

Since March, most schools across the United States have utilized the distance learning

model in which classes are held 100% online. Class times would be held over various forms of video chat like Zoom, which meant that teachers had to find creative ways to best replicate the classroom experience remotely.

But what this model doesn’t take into account are the existing imbalances in education that put already vulnerable students at a major disadvantage: lack of technology accessibility, the reliance on school counseling and child care and the fact that for many students school is a necessary respite from an uncared-for homelife.

“The pandemic has exposed the great inequities in our society,” Pedro Noguera, the dean of USC’s Rossier School of Education said on Friday’s briefing. “Millions of kids in the United States and in many other countries cannot participate in any learning at all because they don’t have access to the internet in their homes or because they don’t have computers to use for [distance] learning.”

According to the National Center for Education Statistics, in 2020 there are at least 11 million youth who don’t have access to computers or the internet. (This doesn’t include multi-children households where one device is shared among children.)

In July, the Trump administration began pressuring school districts to reopen in the fall, citing the benefits that children receive from a classroom education over the distance learning model.

But neither Education Secretary Betsy DeVos nor President Donald Trump offered specific guidelines for local communities on how to responsibly reopen and ensure students and staff are safe, leaving teachers and schools “left on their own to figure out how to make this work,” Noguera said.

What’s more is that teacher unions across the U.S., including the United Teachers of Los Angeles (UTLA), have announced that they will strike if teachers are forced to work

u PAGE 4

PAGE 1 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 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.

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

Vicki Draves

“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 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

Photo courtesy of the Draves family

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 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. n

DFA: 2 Filipinos dead, 8 injured in Beirut...

PAGE 1 According to him, OWWA has already been in contact with the family of one of the victims. They have yet to identify the other victim.

The powerful blast that rocked the Port of Beirut on Tuesday afternoon left at least 78 people dead and thousands wounded.

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.

Malacañang said the DFA

will intensify its repatriation efforts for Filipinos in Lebanon.

“I think the government will continue with its repatriation of nationals who wish to be evacuated from the area. Lebanon, as we know, is war-torn,” Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque told CNN Philippines.

“We’ve issued [a] series of advisories against working in Lebanon. I believe the DFA will intensify our efforts to bring home our kababayans in that war-torn area,” he added.

The DFA said the Phil-

ippine Embassy is now in touch with the Filipino community in Lebanon to assess the situation as well as provide assistance to any affected Filipinos.

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 70681060 and +961 708-58086, or email them at beirutpe@ gmail.com. n

(212) 655-5426 • http://www.asianjournal.com

NEW YORK AND NEW JERSEY ASIAN JOURNAL • AUGUST 7-13, 2020

AUGUST 7-13, 2020 • NEW YORK AND NEW JERSEY ASIAN JOURNAL

http://www.asianjournal.com • (212) 655-5426

Filipino-Mexican teen among... USCIS to increase fee to apply for...

PAGE 1 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 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 20year-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 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

How the COVID-19 response worsened the...

PAGE 2 while the COVID-19 virus is still causing high positivity and death rates. Countries like Israel have seen major increases in positive cases after reopening schools where other countries like New Zealand and Canada have successfully mitigated the disease to allow safe reopenings of schools.

“The real question for the United States is when will leadership emerge that can provide the guidance that schools need on how to manage instruction appropriately and safely reopen schools in a manner that does not place lives at risk?” Noguera offered.

Among the popular alternatives to distance learning include hybrid learning that serves as a midway solution between distance learning and in-class learning. Under the hybrid model, students and teachers would hold class outside and one half of the class would meet every other

day while the other half would meet on the days in between.

But this model has downsides including the concern over adult staff contracting the virus and the doubled workload teachers would have after teaching each class.

Despite DeVos’s earlier argument that the risk of transmission is low among schoolaged children, a new study from the CDC shows that transmission among schoolaged children may be stronger than previously thought.

The CDC released a report on Friday that confirmed that more than 250 people — mostly children — tested positive for the COVID-19 virus after attending a sleepaway camp in Georgia where masks weren’t mandated.

The summer camp, held in June, had an attendance of 597 Georgians and of the 344 test results that were made public, 260 were positive, roughly 76%, providing evidence that children may pose

an “important role” in disease transmission.

Available knowledge of COVID-19 shows that children are the least likely to succumb to the most severe effects of the virus, but that doesn’t slow the transmission. A child could pass the virus onto an adult who may be more susceptible to the virus’s more harmful impact.

Mirroring the concerns of many public education experts, Noguera acknowledged that most school districts were not prepared for the pandemic and failed to provide adequate guidance to teachers on “how to use the technology and how to deliver meaningful instruction to kids.”

Deepening digital divide The potholed distribution of the internet and technology, known as the digital divide, had been a cause for concern for many families and equal education advocates for years.

u PAGE 7

PAGE 1 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 naturalize 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 Justice-LA,

said in a statement.

Together with the New Americans Campaign, the organization provides lowcost, 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) n

Is it cultural appropriation or appreciation...

PAGE 1 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.

“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 nonissue [this is] on a grander scale of Fil-Am welfare.”

“Instead of being an opportunity to advance Filipino voices, this has become Filipino-vs-Fil-Am, 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 Barka-

da 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

u PAGE 7

(212) 655-5426 • http://www.asianjournal.com

NEW YORK AND NEW JERSEY ASIAN JOURNAL • AUGUST 7-13, 2020

OPINION

FEATURES

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, 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 shockand-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

5

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-

Editorial

ManilaTimes.net photo

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.

PAGE 10

‘We’re doing very well’: Trump continues to sugarcoat widespread infection, economy reopening as COVID-19 death toll tops 158K in US 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 fact-based 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 rePAGE 10

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

ADVERTISING AND ADVERTORIAL POLICIES ROGER LAGMAY ORIEL Publisher & Chairman of the Board Main Office: 1210 S. Brand Blvd Glendale, CA 91204 Tels: (818) 502-0651 • (213) 250-9797 Fax: (818) 502-0858 • (213) 481-0854 e-mail: info@asianjournalinc.com http://www.asianjournal.com Northern California: 1799 Old Bayshore Hwy, Suite 136 Burlingame CA 94010 Tel.: (650) 616-4150 • Fax: (650) 239-9253

Manila Office: 2nd Floor Units D&E, Fort Palm Springs 30th Street, Cor. 1st Ave., Bonifacio Global City, Taguig Tel.: (632) 856-4921 • Fax: (632) 856-1661 New York and New Jersey: 133-30 32nd Ave., Flushing, NY 11354 Tel.: (212) 655-5426 • Fax (818) 502-0858 2500 Plaza S. Harborside Financial Center, Jersey City, NJ 07311 Tel. (212) 655-5426 • Fax: (818) 502-0858

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

CORA MACABAGDAL-ORIEL President

ELIZABETH HILARIO SISON Chief Financial Officer MOMAR G. VISAYA Executive Editor and Editor-in-Chief New York/New Jersey Asian Journal

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Articles published in this paper do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the publisher. Letters to the Editor are welcome. Letters must contain complete name and return address. The materials, however, are subject to editing and revisions.

Contributions and advertising deadlines are every Mondays and Thursdays. For advertising rates and other informations, please call the L.A. office at (213) 250-9797 or the Las Vegas Sales Office at (702) 792-6678 or send us an email at info@asianjournalinc.com

AUGUST 7-13, 2020 • NEW YORK AND NEW JERSEY ASIAN JOURNAL

http://www.asianjournal.com • (212) 655-5426

(212) 655-5426 • http://www.asianjournal.com

NEW YORK AND NEW JERSEY ASIAN JOURNAL • AUGUST 7-13, 2020

Dateline PhiliPPines

Arroyo defends Duterte from critics

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

Former Philippine President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo Inquirer.net photo

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

Is it cultural appropriation...

PAGE 4 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 minority-owned 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 Fil-

in our government now battling in the arena, from President [Rodrigo] Duterte to Sec. [Carlito] Galvez, 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 PAGE 10

ipino 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 FilAm chefs for possible popup 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.” n

How the COVID-19 response worsened the...

PAGE 4 Last week, the leaders of the country’s most influential tech firms testified before Congress and one of the points raised was how these companies, which have accumulated huge profits during the pandemic, would provide technological resources for communities negatively affected by the digital divide.

On Thursday, July 30, Amazon announced that the company doubled its net revenue from $2.6 billion in 2019 to $5.2 billion, the latter figure accounting for the months of April, May and June alone.

Apple also announced gross revenues of nearly $58 billion with $11 million in revenue for the company. “[Founder and chief of Amazon] Jeff Bezos is raking in incredible profits for his business,” Noguera said, also referencing Facebook, Google and Apple as companies that could provide for communities struggling with computer and internet access.

“They have a moral responsibility to bridge the digital divide, but they don’t act.

They should be held accountable by Congress to invest in access to the internet. It is a basic right at this point in our history,” Noguera added.

With many schools starting the new academic year in the next few weeks, help from the private sector may be too late, leaving school districts like LAUSD to quickly provide screens and internet hotspots to their students. However, for students in rural areas like the Central Valley, which is home to a majority Latino and student of color community, the problem becomes a racial issue.

In other words, families of color are going to be more heavily impacted by the decisions made on when and how schools will safely reopen, noted Shaun Harper, executive director of USC’s Race and Equity Center.

These major tech companies were among the vast majority of American corporations that pledged to spend billions of dollars to address structural racism following the high-profile killings of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor by law enforcement.

“Many of those tech companies made those announcements about the money that they were putting up without fully knowing how they were

going to spend those dollars,” Harper noted. “That is a lever that could easily be pulled.”

Community enrichment, which includes providing more resources and funding to schools in lower-income areas, is among the priorities that the Black Lives Matter movement has been pushing for; but, since the beginning of the summer when the uproar began again over systemic racism, these communication and tech companies have yet to deliver.

Although the private sector has not provided a viable solution for the millions of families struggling to maintain a safe and effective learning environment for their kids, some lawmakers and education leaders have put forth their own proposals.

Executive Director Dan Domenech of the School Superintendents Association shared that his organization has asked Congress for $200 billion to bridge the digital divide to ensure that students have computers and access to the internet. Senate Republicans have also proposed a $70 billion aid package to school districts while Democrats proposed a similar package at $175 billion.

“The solution here is to get the federal government to put up the money,” Domenech said, adding that school districts shouldn’t wait for the private sector to lend a hand.

In California, the State Legislature has two measures currently on the docket that require communications companies to provide high-speed internet for all residents. Eddie Valero of the Tulare County Board of Supervisors said that many residents in the Central Valley (and in other rural areas of the state) rely on antiquated DSL networks that are incompatible with video chat software like Zoom (the most used choice for distance learning).

“These bills are gamechangers for education,” Valero remarked, noting that these two bills would upgrade infrastructure to provide fiber broadband to under-served areas. “We have reached a pivotal moment in real-time where we need to re-envision what school looks like for the future. We can no longer look back or stay stagnant.”

But the proven mental and emotional downsides of the distance learning model

among younger children — lower energy, increased agitation, lack of socialization — won’t be fixed with increased access to technology.

The dilemma between reopening schools so kids can return to some semblance of a normal academic environment and ensuring the risk of viral transmission stays low is possibly the most difficult decision amid this crisis.

In addition to getting an education, many of these vulnerable students rely on schools for food, guidance counseling and much-needed socialization among other kids. With stay-at-home orders and campuses remaining closed for the time being, the options become slim for these kids to receive other necessities from school.

“We do need to find ways for people who are most severely affected by this pandemic and those who already had special needs before the pandemic to receive the services they need,” said Mary Helen Immordino-Yang, professor of education, psychology and neuroscience at the Brain and Creativity Institute and Rossier School of Education at USC. Immordino-Yang noted that for people, especially young children, to be able to excel in school, all other areas of their lives must be attended to effectively; in other words, if a child’s emotional well-being is low, less energy will be spent on schoolwork.

Parents of children who are struggling mentally during this pandemic do play a key role here, Immordino-Yang added. To keep kids motivated, parents should foster a learning environment where kids could “connect their disciplinary learning to” personal projects, helping out the community and other ways to empower them to make a change.

In other words, parents and guardians should encourage kids to utilize critical thinking in ways that aren’t directly related to their schoolwork because “it teaches young people that learning is powerful and what you know how to do empowers you to make a change in the world, rather than sort of waiting to do things that feel irrelevant and don’t feel like they’re connected to the situation we’re all in now,” she added. (Klarize Medenilla/AJPress) n

AUGUST 7-13, 2020 • NEW YORK AND NEW JERSEY ASIAN JOURNAL

http://www.asianjournal.com • (212) 655-5426

(212) 655-5426 • http://www.asianjournal.com

NEW YORK AND NEW JERSEY ASIAN JOURNAL • AUGUST 7-13, 2020

10

AUGUST 7-13, 2020 • NEW YORK AND NEW JERSEY ASIAN JOURNAL

‘We’re doing very...

PAGE 5 gion, 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 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 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-athome” 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

http://www.asianjournal.com • (212) 655-5426

Medical workers’ ‘timeout’...

PAGE 5 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 in your heart…

I would like to tell you na ang iyong gobyerno ay hindi nagiiwan 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-search-

Arroyo defends Duterte...

PAGE 7 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 makaroadmap because we were talking about budget. Itong gabing ito, I could not have uttered a single sentence

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 worstcase 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 shelterin-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 reopen 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

ing. 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) n 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 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 re-election 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.

(212) 655-5426 • http://www.asianjournal.com

NEW YORK AND NEW JERSEY ASIAN JOURNAL • AUGUST 7-13, 2020

COMMUNITY Journal

Immigration Corner Atty. MichAel Gurfinkel, eSQ ON July 29, 2020, a federal court judge issued a nationwide injunction prohibiting USCIS from enforcing, applying, implementing, or treating as effective, President Trump’s new public charge rules as long as there is a national health emergency caused by the COVID-19 outbreak.

There is also great news, because USCIS announced it will abide by this injunction, and that as long as the court’s decision is in effect, “USCIS will apply the 1999 public charge guidance that was in place before the public charge rule was implemented on February 24, 2020 to the adjudication of any applica-

Federal court bans USCIS’s new public charge rule tion for adjustment of status on or after July 29, 2020.”

They will also apply the old/ existing public charge rules in connection with any non-immigrant application for extension or change of status.

As everyone is aware, the new public charge rules were very strict and restrictive, and people could have their adjustment of status denied if they ever received certain public benefits, were too old or sickly, or if an immigration officer believed it was likely that they could, at any time in the future, be dependent on public benefits.

While this injunction is in effect, USCIS will apply the 1999 public charge rules: • For any petition or application adjudicated (processed) after July 29, 2020, USCIS will

not consider any information provided by the applicant or the petitioner relating to the new public charge rule, including information provided on the Form I-944, or any information on the receipt of public benefits.

• For any petition or application postmarked on or after July 29, 2020, applicants should not include the Form I-944 or provide information about the receipt of public benefits on their adjustment of status applications.

• USCIS will not reject any adjustment of status application on the basis of the inclusion or exclusion of form I-944.

While this is great news, I would still advise people to consult with an immigration PAGE 12

11

ANOTHER BRAND-NEW EPISODE OF CITIZEN PINOY “SOCIAL DISTANCING” HAS LEADING U.S. IMMIGRATION ATTORNEY MICHAEL J. GURFINKEL ANSWERING MORE QUESTIONS FROM KAPAMILYA THIS SUNDAY. Atty. Gurfinkel answers questions sent from Kapamilya in Seattle, WA, Las Vegas, NV, and Las Pinas, Philippines. Can a person marry their cousin and petition her for a green card? Are nurses from the Philippines included in Trump’s immigration ban? These questions and more will be answered on a brand-new episode of CITIZEN PINOY: Your Tanong, My Sagot – Social Distancing Style this Sunday, August 9 at 6:15 pm PST/EST (9:15 pm EST thru select Cable/Satellite providers).

(Advertising Supplement)

12

AUGUST 7-13, 2020 • NEW YORK AND NEW JERSEY ASIAN JOURNAL

COVID-19 misconceptions

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 one-day 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 one-day 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 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 COVID19 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 selfquarantine 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 COVID19 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 COVID-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 COVID-19; 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 COVID-19 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 best thing: religiously follow the COVID-19 guidelines.

Behavior that kills is criminal negligence Each of us has the obligaPAGE 15

http://www.asianjournal.com • (212) 655-5426

‘Citizen Pinoy: Your Tanong, My Sagot – Social Distancing Style’ answers more questions on Part 2 on August 9 UNDER the “new normal” amid the pandemic, Citizen Pinoy continues its public service by providing information and updates on immigration.

On the second episode of “Your Tanong, My Sagot: Social Distancing Style,” Atty.

Gurfinkel answers questions from KC of Seattle, WA; Edith

of Las Vegas, NV; and Kate of Las Pinas in the Philippines.

Find out what to do if no updates from NVC have been received, even if the petition has been approved and the priority date is December 2011. Or if a brother who was petitioned as single by his sibling, but got married and has a child, can bring his

family along?

These questions and more will be answered on a new online episode of Citizen Pinoy: Your Tanong, My Sagot – Social Distancing Style this Sunday, August 9, at 6:15 pm PST/EST (9:15 pm EST thru select Cable/Satellite providers).

(Advertising Supplement)

Catriona asking P10-M, public apology vs Bulgar for fake nude photo

By Jan

Milo Severo Philstar.com

MISS Universe 2018 Catriona Gray demanded P10 million and a public apology from a tabloid after publishing her nude photo, which her camp later on dismissed as fake.

The Filipino-Australian beauty queen said the tabloid Bulgar caused “immeasurable” damage to her reputation by publishing an article with the fabricated nude photo.

A Pep report showed the demand letter titled, “Libelous Online Post and Tabloid Article With Attached Explicit Photo,” from the beauty queen’s legal counsel Joji Alonso. The letter said the tabloid maliciously capitalized on the issue surrounding Catriona’s former boyfriend Clint Bondad by publishing the the fake photo.

“After ng bantang pasabog ni Clint... NUDE PHOTOS

Miss Universe 2018 Catriona Gray arrived at the NBI headquarters in Manila last July 31 to file a case against the uploader of her fake nude photo.

Philstar.com photo by Krizjohn Rosales

NI CATRIONA, KALAT NA! OMG!!!” the tabloid wrote in their headline.

“It appears that Bulgar, being aware of the trending issue of Clint Bondad’s Instagram posts and thereafter having obtained a copy of an explicit altered photo from an unidentified source, pur-

posely uploaded the subject photo in its online platform and subsequently published it in its tabloid, without verifying its sources,” the demand letter read.

“The caption further made a baseless and malicious claim, that the subject photo PAGE 15

Federal court bans USCIS’s new...

PAGE 11 attorney concerning their eligibility for the immigration benefit they are applying for, and concerning public charge issues. Remember, USCIS states it will abide by the injunction as long as it is in effect. However, the Trump administration could appeal the injunction and have it overturned or lifted, or the COVID-19 emergency ends.

That means you should still evaluate your case in reference to eligibility under these new, proposed rules, and be careful about applying for or accepting the types of public benefits included in this new rule, just in case this injunction is lifted.

The rules on eligibility for immigration benefits are changing all the time, and it can be very confusing and complex for people. That’s why I advise that rather than taking chances and handling your case on your own, you should seek the advice and assistance of an attorney. *** Michael J. Gurfinkel has been an attorney for over 35 years and is licensed, and an active member of the State Bars of California and New York. All immigration services are provided by, or under the supervision of, an active member of the State Bar of California. Each case is different and results may depend on the facts of the particular case. The information and opinions contained

herein (including testimonials, “Success Stories,” endorsements and reenactments) are of a general nature, and are not intended to apply to any particular case, and do not constitute a prediction, warranty, guarantee or legal advice regarding the outcome of your legal matter. No attorney-client relationship is, or shall be, established with any reader.

WEBSITE: www.gurfinkel.com Follow us on Facebook.com/GurfinkelLaw, Twitter @GurfinkelLaw and YouTube: US Immigration TV Call Toll free to schedule a consultation for anywhere in the US: 1-866-487-3465 (866) – GURFINKEL Four offices to serve you: LOS ANGELES ∙ SAN FRANCISCO ∙ NEW YORK ∙ PHILIPPINES (Advertising Supplement)

(212) 655-5426 • http://www.asianjournal.com

NEW YORK AND NEW JERSEY ASIAN JOURNAL • AUGUST 7-13, 2020

13

Donita gets despedida Amy Schumer shares Emmy nomination for cooking from showbiz friends before flying back to US show with Filipino nanny

By Niña

By Niña

V. GuNo

Inquirer.net

BEFORE jetting off to the United States, Donita Rose was thrown a fun party and received sweet goodbyes from her dear friends in show biz.

Ruffa Gutierrez, Karla Estrada, Sunshine Cruz, Vina Morales and Jackie Forster organized a despedida for the former MTV VJ. Morales made a video to commemorate the occasion, describing the day as “90s momshies reunite” on Instagram on Tuesday, August 4.

She said the party took place before Metro Manila went on modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ) and that they had tested negative for COVID-19.

The full video, posted on YouTube, shows the six friends at Morales’ house swimming and belting their hearts out on karaoke.

SERVICES

V. GuNo

Inquirer.net

Donita Rose, Ruffa Gutierrez, Karla Estrada, Sunshine Cruz, Vina Morales and daughter Ceana; Jackie Forster at rightmost with daughter Caleigh Photo from Instagram/@sunshinecruz718

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 despe-

dida. 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 ex-husband Eric Villarama. She has been raising their teen son as a single parent.

SERVICES

AFTER comedienne Amy Schumer received an Emmy nomination, she made sure to include her Filipino nanny, Jane, in the acclaim.

Food Network show “Amy Schumer Learns to Cook” got the Emmy nod last Wednesday, July 29. It features Schumer and her husband, chef Chris Fischer, cooking and making cocktails while in quarantine.

To mark the achievement, Schumer posted a selfie of her and Jane on Instagram and said, “We got got nominated for an Emmy today (Chris too. But mostly us).”

Jane takes care of the couple’s baby boy, Gene, whom they welcomed in May 2019. While Gene’s asleep, the couple and Jane work on the show, with Jane filming them from a handheld camera.

Schumer has shown love

Comedienne Amy Schumer with her Filipina nanny Jane Photo from Instagram/@amyschumer

to Jane on Instagram, saying in a post in January as they wore skincare face masks: “This is our nanny who makes it possible for me to work and know that our baby is happy and healthy.

I love her very much and we

SERVICES

also both want to have nice skin.”

The show’s first season has four episodes, and it seems Jane will have to continue her camera work as it has been renewed for a second season last June.

14

14

AUGUST 7-13, 2020 • NEW YORK AND NEW JERSEY ASIAN JOURNAL

• (212) N E W http://www.asianjournal.com YO R K / N E W J E R S EY 655-5426 AU G U ST 7, 2 0 2 0

people events arts culture entertainment

Virginia’s new Poet Laureate is a Filipina immigrant from Baguio City

L

by

MoMaR G. ViSaYa / AJPress

UISA A. Igloria, an award-winning and prolific Filipina American poet and author, has a new title: Poet Laureate of the Commonwealth of Virginia.

Originally from Baguio City, Igloria currently teaches at Old Dominion University’s MFA Creative Writing Program and has written several books of poetry. She was informed in early May that her name

was on the short list along with two other poets being considered for the position.

“Because of everything that’s going on— the pandemic, Black Lives Matter— I didn’t think too

much about it anymore after that. Honestly, I didn’t think I would actually be selected,” she told the Asian Journal.

What followed next was an an email from the Office of the Governor letting

Prof. Luis A. Igloria, Virginiaʼs Poet Laureate and her upcoming book Maps for Migrant and Ghosts.

Photo by Chuck Thomas, ODU University Photographer

Luisa A. Igloria at her virtual swearing in ceremony as Virginiaʼs 20th Poet Laureate.

her know that Gov. Ralph Northam was appointing her as the 20th Poet Laureate of Virginia. Igloria was officially sworn in on July 29 at a virtual event, with First Lady of Virginia Pamela Northam in attendance.

Secretary of the Commonwealth Kelly Thomasson administered the oath and outgoing VA Poet Laureate

Screen grab from Gov. Ralph Northamʼs Youtube Channel

Henry Hart talked about his term and read a poem.

“It was a lovely surprise, and an incredible honor as I follow in the footsteps of many amazing poets,” Igloria said at the ceremony, streamed live on the web.

The position of Virginia Poet Laureate is honorary and does not come with any compensation or cash prize.

It was established in 1936 and beginning in 1998, the Governor appointed a poet laureate from a list of nominees presented by the Poetry Society of Virginia.

Igloria, who will serve for two years, is the fourth poet of color to become the state’s poet laureate.

She follows in the steps PAGE 15

(212) 655-5426 • http://www.asianjournal.com

At home in Hong Kong with Belle & Adrien

By Ricky Lo Philstar.com

BEFORE the government recently imposed stricter measures against COVID-19, Isabelle “Belle” Daza told her Aunt Pat-P Daza (Razzle Daza, Mondays in this paper) that she and husband Adrien Semblat, together with their son Balthazar/Baltie, were “enjoying the best of Hong Kong by daily strolls and family trips to the beach on weekends.

Mother and son arrived in Hong Kong last March 16 when the lockdown was declared in the Philippines to join Adrien who is the vice president of Adidas and Reebok in Hong Kong and Macau.

“We were given tags which are monitored by an app that you download on your Smartphone for contact-tracing purposes,” recalled Belle.

Like other women concerned with their looks, Belle said yes to the offer of the Belo Medical Group (BMG) to be the face of Belo Skin Genius, posing in the pictorial without make-up (check photos with this story). According to Dr. Vicki Belo, “The most advanced micro-needling and skin rejuvenation technology helps improve skin texture and tighten and lift the skin.”

Being the outdoor type,

Isabelle ‘Belle’ Daza and husband Adrien Semblat with their son Balthazar/Baltie.

Photo from Instagram/@isabelledaza

Belle said she feels confident to show her bare skin (meaning no make-up).

“Since I started undergoing the Belo Skin Genius, I’ve definitely been wearing less make-up. My skin immediately tightened and brightened, and I feel like I have a more defined jawline but very subtle that’s why I like it.”

Added Vicki, “Looking and feeling beautiful is part of the process of self-care. There’s a demand for beauty treatment these days. I call this phenomenon ‘skin hunger’.”

Asked what else she has discovered about herself while confined to their well-appointed “minimalist” condo unit, Belle said in an e-mail interview, “I realized that to

be happy, I don’t really need much...just my family to be safe and healthy, and a yummy meal. Oh yes, and a workout session.”

How are her days like out there?

“When I was in quarantine, I would keep myself busy with the usual...baking, teaching Baltie some activities, YouTubing workouts and catching up with friends. I also wrote an animated story called Tralala The Tiger which I posted on my YouTube channel and my IG.” Not only that. Belle manages by remote control her Frank Milk Bar business in Manila, checking on her staff by daily calls. Belle told her Aunt PatP that she also helps an NGO called Empower-U that tracks and shuts down abusive and illegal manpower agencies that exploit OFWs. Still, her main concern for herself and her family is their safety and health.

And what was the first thing that she did when she arrived in Hong Kong last March?

“I hugged my husband and had a burger, hahaha!!!”

Incidentally, any beauty tips that she gets from her mom (the “un-aging” Miss Universe Gloria Diaz)?

“Always put on sunblock even on my neck.”

Catriona asking P10-M, public...

PAGE 12 is indeed our client — despite evident uncertainty as to its legitimacy,” it added.

The demand letter named Bulgar Facebook administrator John Doe and entertainment editor Janice Navida and writer Melba Llanera as

the possible culprits behind the fake photo.

“Clearly, the upload of subject photo with the libelous caption has gravely besmirched and caused discredit to our client in the minds of the general public, taking into account biases and moral

prejudices, the consequences of which produced irreparable harm and injury to our client,” the demand letter said.

Recently, Catriona sought the help of National Bureau of Investigation against those spreading her alleged topless photo online.

COVID-19 misconceptions...

PAGE 12 tion 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-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.

NEW YORK AND NEW JERSEY ASIAN JOURNAL • AUGUST 7-13, 2020

15

Virginia’s new poet laureate...

PAGE 14 of Rita Dove who was the first African-American Poet Laureate of Virginia and of the United States, Sofia Starnes, who is of Spanish and Filipino ancestry, and Igloria’s friend and retired ODU colleague Tim Seibles.

“As an immigrant, I am proud to increase the number of poets of color who have been appointed to this distinguished position,” she said. “I feel this is a significant indicator of important changes manifesting across the country that have to do with the reevaluation of history and the place that marginalized communities have been accorded in it.”

“I read somewhere that the Poet Laureate should ‘encourage the exchange of arts information and perspectives...[but] is not obligated to write any verse,’” Igloria shared.

“But in the communication I received from Richmond: “Governor Northam is focused on building a Commonwealth that works better for all people, no matter who they are or where they live. During your term, you will assist the Governor in solving real problems real people face.”

Because of the current situation brought about by the pandemic, there are restrictions on travel and gathering as crowds so for this new platform, Igloria is planning to organize virtual programs, workshops, panels, and similar poetry events centered around this theme that other writers have affirmed: “how poetry (and creativity) are more important than ever during this time, and necessary for our survival because the cornerstone of poetry— of all the arts, really— is the condition of empathy.”

“Many poets I admire, like Natasha Trethewey and Martin Espada, talk about how poetry is not a luxury; poetry can help us through grief and trauma as well as celebrate being alive. I like this idea that the Laureateship is a unique position for this kind of service and engagement through poetry,” she added.

Maps for Migrant and Ghosts Her next project is a book coming this fall, Maps for Migrants and Ghosts (its manuscript is a co-winner for the 2019 Crab Orchard Open Poetry Prize) which,

according to her “continues to look at recurrent themes in my work — displacement, exile, origins; how even our most personal and intimate experiences are linked to larger collective histories that precede us.”

“The poems in this book look at the selves we used to be before we traveled to where we are now, before we became who we (think/ feel) we are now. We think we leave others behind when we leave a country; we also leave ourselves behind. I had to write this book in part to make my way back to that abandoned self, though she has also changed,” she added.

Earlier this year, she found her way back to her old home in Baguio City.

“The Baguio of my childhood seems irretrievable now,” she said. “There were more pine trees then, and not this sense of streets choked with traffic and new construction upon new construction that I saw.”

Igloria recalled her youth walking from their house in City Camp Alley down through Kisad Road to Burnham Park, to the church, to the Midland Courier offices, to the City Hall, to market, to Harrison Road, Session Road and back.

“You had the feeling that you knew everybody, and that everybody knew you. I remember the fog on the mountains, and our frosted breath in the cold months from December to February,” she reminisced.

“I think the long, damp months of the monsoon in some way predisposed me to the solitude that comes with writing.”

Back in the Philippines, she is an eleven-time recipient of the Carlos Palanca Memorial Award (the country’s highest literary prize) for Literature in three genres (poetry, nonfiction, and short fiction). In 1996, she was elevated to its Hall of Fame, after winning five first prizes.

Igloria finished her Ph.D. English with a concentration in Poetry/Creative Writing in 1995, at the University of Illinois in Chicago where she was a Fulbright Fellow. This added to her degrees from the University of the Philippines and Ateneo de Manila University. She taught in the Literature Department of De La Salle University

for a couple of years after earning her PhD and Old Dominion University hired her in 1998.

ODU has been her home since as a Professor of Creative Writing and English, and from 2009-2015 as Director of the university’s MFA Creative Writing Program.

Daily poems The author of 14 books of poetry and 4 chapbooks has been writing at least one poem a day since 2010.

She posts them daily at ViaNegativa.us website.

“When I started my daily writing practice ten years ago in November, I was simply looking for a way to structure my attention and to make some kind of time for me to drop into and write, even if it’s only for half an hour,” she shared.

“Now I look forward to it every day—and I realize that poetry is really where I prefer to process my thinking and my “living,” in language.”

She does not set a specific time of day to write nor is there a fixed theme. At least four books have come out of this daily practice.

Igloria shared that she had learned to read by the age of three.

“My parents, who had a huge age difference between them, liked to take me with them to whatever activities or social events they went to,” she recalled.

“They’d plop me down in some corner chair with a book or paper, pencils and crayons, and I would be content.”

She considers herself to be lucky to also have teachers who supported her love for reading and words.

“It just seemed like a natural thing that I would wind up writing my own stories and poems,” she quipped.

Now, she is the one supporting young people who love reading and words.

For young FilAms who want to pursue a career in arts or poetry, her message is simple: “I say more power to them.”

“We frequently hear people say that if you pay attention to your heart and do what you really want to do, then the rest will follow,” she said. “We need more writers, more artists, musicians— because they help to shine a light on things that otherwise we would find too difficult to even articulate.”

16

AUGUST 7-13, 2020 • NEW YORK AND NEW JERSEY ASIAN JOURNAL

http://www.asianjournal.com • (212) 655-5426