080820 - Los Angeles Weekend Edition by Asian Journal Community Newspapers

AUGUST 8-11, 2020 Volume 30 - No. 62 • 2 Sections – 18 Pages

USA

DATELINE Fil-Am Susana Reyes elected vice president of LA Board of Water and Power Commissioners FROM THE AJPRESS NEWS TEAM ACROSS AMERICA

S U S A N A Reyes was recently elected to serve as vice president of the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP)’s board of commissioners. “This is a tremendous honor and responsibilSusana Reyes, the first Fil-Am on ity and a boost the LA Board of Water and Power for [Asian AmeriCommissioners can and Pacific Islander] representation,” Reyes wrote in a Facebook post. Reyes, a 32-year veteran of the city, became the first Filipina American and retiree to join the board in June 2019. The city council unanimously voted for her to serve five more years this past June, as previously reported by the Asian Journal. u PAGE A3

Filipino American History Month 2020 to celebrate the history of Fil-Am activism IN light of this year’s COVID-19 pandemic and movements addressing racial injustice in the United States, The Filipino American National Historical Society (FANHS) in Seattle, Washington has announced the theme of this year’s Fil-Am History Month to be “The History of Filipino American Activism.” This October will be a reflection on how the Fil-Am community has been involved in social justice movements over the years. “We choose this theme to highlight the myriad ways Filipino Americans have participated in social justice movements, including but not limited to, the United Farmworkers Movement, the fight for Ethnic Studies, Hawaii Sugar Plantation strikes, Washington Yakima strikes, and Anti-Martial Law Movements across multiple decades,” the FANHS wrote in a press release on Thursday, August 6. A photo posted to its social media accounts featured the late San Francisco State University professor and “Little Manila is in the u PAGE A4

Palace points to improved testing capacity as PH emerges as SE Asia’s COVID-19 hotspot by RITCHEL

MENDIOLA AJPress

AS the Philippines this week became the country in Southeast Asia with the most coronavirus cases, the government said the increased number is due to its ramped up testing capacity. On Thursday, August 6, the country surpassed

Indonesia’s 118,753 cases after the Department of Health recorded 3,561 additional COVID-19 cases, bringing the national count to 119,460. According to Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque, the country logged more infections than Indonesia because of more tests being conducted. He said that reports claiming the Philippines is now the

COVID-19 hotspot in Southeast Asia were “false” and “inconclusive.” “Dahil mas maigting ang ating pagte-test, hindi po totoo na mas maraming kaso tayo kaysa sa Indonesia (Because we have intensified our testing capacity, it’s not true that we have more cases than Indonesia),” he u PAGE A2

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

ALLOWED TO OPERATE. Tricycle drivers wait for passengers at the Marikina-Infanta Highway Cogeo Gate 2, Barangay Bagong Nayon 1 in Antipolo City, Rizal on Friday, August 7. The city government of Antipolo has allowed tricycles to operate even under the modiﬁed enhanced community quarantine. PNA photo by Joey O. Razon

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 Steven 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 those from low-income communities, u PAGE A2

Locsin, Pompeo discuss US policy shift in the South China Sea, maritime cooperation by RITCHEL

MENDIOLA AJPress

THE United States’ policy shift on maritime disputes in the South China Sea was recently discussed by the top diplomats of Manila and Washington during a phone call. Philippine Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. and U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo also talked about the “U.S. support for Southeast Asian coastal states upholding their sovereign rights and interests consistent with international law, and opportunities for further U.S.-Philippine maritime cooperation,” according to the

U.S. Department of State. “The two secretaries also discussed the strong economic, security, and people-topeople ties that bind our two countries,” it added on a press readout released Friday, August 7. Pompeo, for his part, said the telephone conversation with Locsin was good as they got to discuss their shared interests in the South China Sea. “The U.S.-Philippine Alliance is vital to a free and open Indo-Pacific,” he added. Earlier, Pompeo noted that “Beijing’s claims to offshore resources across most of In this February 28, 2019 photo, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo participated in a joint press

u PAGE A2

availability with Foreign Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. at the DFA headquarters in Pasay City. Photo by Ron Przysucha/U.S. Department of State

Jollibee to close 255 stores after suffering US State Department lifts global over $200 million loss in first half of 2020 health coronavirus travel advisory by AJPRESS PHILIPPINE fast food giant Jollibee Foods Corporation (JFC) is the latest brand to feel the impact of the coronavirus pandemic after it suffered financial losses due to enforced lockdowns in the country. In a disclosure to the Philippine Stock Exchange, the fastfood giant reported a net loss of P10.171 billion from April to June, reversing its P1.04 billion profits recorded in the same three-month period a year ago. Homegrown fast-food giant Jollibee Foods Corp. (JFC) suffered worse ﬁnancial bleeding in the For the first six months of the second quarter as its businesses across the globe felt the full brunt of the coronavirus pandemic Photo courtesy of Jollibee u PAGE A3 and the consequent lockdown measures.

by RAE

ANN VARONA AJPress

AFTER nearly five months, the U.S. State Department lifted its blanket global Level 4 Health Advisory that advised U.S. citizens to avoid all international travel due to the impact of the COVID19 pandemic, and returned to issuing its warnings to individual countries. “With health and safety conditions improving in some countries and potentially deteriorating in others, the Department is returning to our previous system of country-specific levels of travel

advice (with Levels from 1-4 depending on country-specific conditions), in order to give travelers detailed and actionable information about the current status in each country,” the department said in a news release on Thursday, August 6. “We are closely monitoring health and safety conditions across the globe, working in partnership with the CDC and other agencies. As always, we will regularly update our destinationspecific advice to U.S. travelers as conditions evolve,” it added. The Level 4 “Do Not Travel” advisory — the strictest travel ad-

visory warning Americans against international travel — was put in place on March 19 as the coronavirus pandemic began to impact the U.S. Citizens abroad — including in the Philippines — were encouraged to either return to the U.S. or stay abroad indefinitely. As of Friday, about 30 countries like Argentina, China, Belize, the Bahamas, Saudi Arabia, and Mexico continued to have their own Level 4 advisory. The Philippines was issued a Level 3 “Reconsider Travel” advisory as of Thursday, along with u PAGE A3

A August 8-11, 2020 • LA WEEKEND AsIAN JOuRNAL

Census Bureau to end...

PAGE A1 t 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 partnered with the Census Bureau in working with state governments, 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.” On Wednesday, Robert Santos, president of the American Statistical Association (ASA), said in a letter to the Senate that there is “no scientific rationale to curtail the data-collection period of this constitutionally mandated activity.” The ASA was founded in 1839 and works to find objectivity in the decennial census. Santos added that the “premature cessation of census enumeration will produce flawed counts.” Advocates and Democrat lawmakers have also been worried that the push for an earlier deadline was an effort by the Trump

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From the Front Page 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

FACE SHIELD. A woman sells a face shield for PHP50 on Marikina-Infanta Highway in Cogeo Gate 2, Barangay Bagong Nayon 1 in Antipolo City on Friday, August 7. People are required to wear face shields, on top of using a face mask, when entering certain commercial establishments. PNA photo by Joey O. Razon

Palace points to improved...

PAGE A1 t said on Friday, August 7. A total of 1,667,831 people have been tested for COVID-19 in the Philippines, while Indonesia has tested a total of 908,000 individuals. “Hindi lang nalalaman ng mga Indonesian kung sino sino ‘yung mga umiikot na mayroong sakit. At least tayo, alam natin kung sino sila (The Indonesians just don’t know yet who among them are roaming with the virus. At least, for us, we already know),” Roque added. Roque also claimed that Indonesia has only conducted “one-third of the actual testing” that the Philippines has. “So ‘yun po ang aking basis

for saying na hindi naman talaga totoo at conclusive na mas marami na tayong kaso dito sa Pilipinas compared to Indonesia (So that’s my basis for saying that it is false and inconclusive to say that the Philippines has more cases compared to Indonesia),” he added. There are a total of 122,754 COVID-19 cases in the country, with 2,168 fatalities and 66,852 recoveries, as of this writing. President Rodrigo Duterte, in response to the ardent plea from health care workers, has put 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 differ-

ent 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

Locsin, Pompeo discuss US policy shift in the... PAGE A1 t the South China Sea are completely unlawful, as is its campaign of bullying to control them.” “The world will not allow Beijing to treat the South China Sea as its maritime empire,” he said on July 14. “America stands with our Southeast Asian allies and partners in protecting their sovereign rights to offshore resources, consistent with their rights and obligations under international law,” Pompeo added. Beijing, in response, accused Pompeo of “distorting” facts and international law.

“Under the pretext of preserving stability, it is flexing muscles, stirring up tension and inciting confrontation in the region. Under the pretext of endorsing rules, it is using UNCLOS (United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea) to attack China while refusing to ratify the Convention itself,” the Chinese Embassy in the U.S. said in a statement. Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana, meanwhile, announced that Manila will not be joining any naval drills in the South China Sea except within its national waters. “President Rodrigo Duterte has

a standing order to us, to me, that we should not involve ourselves in naval exercises in the South China Sea except our national waters, the 12 mile distance from our shores,” he said on August 3. Locsin, for his part, told Beijing not to read “too much into it.” “We’re sitting out this one, we don’t know if we will the next one. Okay?” he said in a tweet. He also said that Manila’s position on the maritime dispute remains “consistent and clear.” “What is ours is ours under the Arbitral Award and no one else can tell us different,” said Locsin. n

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Dateline USa

LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL • AUgUSt 8-11, 2020

No more parties in LA: County Public Health to issue ‘legally binding’ order to ban large parties during pandemic Existing recommendations include avoiding contact and interaction with folks outside their households by Klarize

Medenilla AJPress

FRESH VEGGIES. Customers choose which vegetables to buy on Olalia Road in Barangay Bagong Nayon 1 in Antipolo City, Rizal on Friday, August 7. The government has placed under the modified enhanced community quarantine Metro Manila and the neighboring provinces of Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna, and Rizal from August 4 to August 18 to curb the spike in coronavirus disease cases. PNA photo by Joey O. Razon

US State Department lifts global health...

PAGE A1 t

other Southeast Asia countries Vietnam and Laos, all member countries of the European Union, and Australia among others. Only a few countries like Fiji, Thailand, and New Zealand had a Level 1 advisory. Advisories by the State Department for specific countries can be found on www.Travel.State.gov. Nearly all countries remain with the Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) highest “Level 3” advisory to avoid non-essential travel, which was imposed on March 27. Despite the U.S. easing up on its travel advisories, citizen travelers still face travel restrictions

abroad as foreign countries continue to block entry to U.S. travelers. The European Union extended its travel ban and barred entry to U.S. travelers last month. By midJuly, roughly 30 countries including China, Canada, and Japan had banned U.S. travelers. Foreign nationals were barred from entering the Philippines in March, but officials announced last month that it would be allowing those with long term visas — like foreigners living and working the Philippines — to enter the country starting August 1. To enter the Philippines, they must show valid visas upon en-

Fil-Am Susana Reyes elected vice... PAGE A1 t She will serve alongside Cynthia McClain-Hill, an attorney and public policy strategist, who was elected president of the commission. “Two women leaders. Two people of color. Two changemakers. The time is ripe for transformational change,” Reyes added. The five-member commission oversees the country’s largest municipal utility by setting policy for the department and voting on utility rates and renewable energy projects. Reyes previously was the director of the LADWP’s Low-Income Customer Access, a position that helped ensure low-income ratepayers could access financial assistance, discounts, and rebates offered by the utility. She also served as a senior analyst on Garcetti’s sustainabil-

ity team, where she oversaw the implementation of Los Angeles’ first Sustainable City pLAn and helped the City secure a $1.7 million grant from the California Air and Resources Board to help launch BlueLA, an EV car-sharing pilot program in low-income communities. “I want to be the commissioner who will continue to champion equity and disrupt mediocrity in the ways LADWP does and operationalizes its business,” Reyes told the Asian Journal in July. “Although LADWP has weathered disruptive periods before, including restructuring, many of the current issues bring challenges for which there is no playbook for guidance. I’m taking notes of best practices and lessons learned as I execute the responsibility entrusted to me.” (AJPress)

Jollibee to close 255 stores... PAGE A1 t year, JFC operated at a net loss of P11.96 billion from a net income of P2.502 billion year-on-year. Its system-wide sales also dropped 48.4 percent to P30.7 billion year-on-year in the same quarter. By the end of the quarter, 88% of JFC’s stores had reopened in a limited capacity, pushing the company to rely on delivery and take-out services. This caused the revenues to fall by 46.6% to P23.3 billion in the 2nd quarter. “The business results were very bad but in line with our forecasts. We are now focusing on rebuilding our business moving forward along with implementing major cost improvement under our Business Transformation program,” said JFC chief executive officer Ernesto Tanmantiong. Jollibee chief financial officer Ysmael Baysa, for his part, revealed some 255 companyowned stores will be closed due to the transformation program. “The P7.0 billion spending for Business Transformation which we disclosed on May 22, 2020 recognizes that our industry and the consumer behavior have changed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. We are changing our cost structure predicting that revenues per store around the

world in the medium term will be lower compared with pre-COVID levels,” he said. “The spending for business transformation includes closure of 255 company-owned stores, change in ownership of 95 stores from company to franchisees, payment of pre-termination penalties of stores in the U.S. and China, closure of supply chain facilities, and reduction in the size of the organization in various countries where we do business,” he added. Jollibee is expecting improved sales and profit in 2021, projecting a growth rate of 15% in 2022. The fast-food giant also plans to open a total of 338 stores worldwide in 2020, including several in the United States. In 2021, it also seeks to make Smashburger and The Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf profitable. “We expect sales and profit to improve over the next few months. Our business building effort includes introducing exciting new products, launching new marketing campaigns, opening cloud kitchens, introducing improvement in our delivery systems and opening new stores at selected locations particularly in North America, Vietnam, Malaysia and China,” Tanmantiong said. n

AWTORIDAD NG REHIYONAL NA TREN SA SOuTHERN CALIfORNIA PAuNAWA SA PAMPuBLIKONG PAGDINIG fY2020-21 TAuNANG BADYET Ang Awtoridad ng Rehiyonal na Tren sa Southern California (Southern California Regional Rail Authority - SCRRA) na nagpapatakbo ng commuter rail system ng Metrolink ay magdaraos ng pampublikong pagdinig tungkol sa pagpapatibay ng panukalang Taunang Badyet para sa Fiscal Year FY 2020-2021. Ang pagdinig na ito ay nasa agenda ng SCCRA Audit at Finance Committee Meeting sa: Setyembre 11, 2020 Ang Pampublikong Pagdinig Accessible Online sa: https://metrolinktrains.com/about/board-meetings/agendas-documents/ Riverside Conference Room, 12th Floor 900 Wilshire Blvd Los Angeles, CA 90017 Ang mga kopya ng panukalang FY2020-21 Taunang Badyet ay makukuha sa pampublikong inspeksyon ng Lunes hanggang Biyernes, mula 8:00 a.m. hanggang 5:00 p.m. sa tanggapan ng SCRRA, 900 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 1500, Los Angeles, CA 90017 sa Agosto 26 hanggang Setyembre 11, 2020, at sa elektronikong format sa aming website sa www.metrolinktrains.com CNSB#3386405

try, be pre-booked with a COVID-19 testing provider, and be pre-booked at a government-approved quarantine facility. Philippine passport holders, as well as former Filipino citizens who retained or reacquired Philippine citizenship, are among those allowed to travel back to the Philippines, and must show their valid Philippine passport or one-way Travel Document, or other valid documents. In light of the latest Philippine lockdown that started Tuesday, August 4, no other travel advisory updates were made as of press time. n

If you were planning on hosting a house party sometime soon, it might be a good idea to cancel it now; if not for the volume of data proving large gatherings increase the likelihood of COVID-19 transmission, do it to avoid getting fined or worse. Los Angeles County Department of Public Health on Tuesday, August 4 issued a “legally binding health officer order that prohibits gatherings, including parties, during the coronavirus pandemic in order to protect the health and the lives of county residents.” The county’s statement was a direct response to a large party held in Beverly Crest on Mulholland Drive on Monday, Aug. 3 that featured hundreds of attendees without masks and appearing to neglect social distancing rules. The LAPD responded to neighbors’ complaints about the party, but since the LAPD does not enforce public health regulations and the party was a private affair, they did not intervene. “Violation of or failure to comply with the Health Officer Order is a crime punishable by fine, imprisonment, or both and the De-

partment of Public Health works with residents, businesses, city officials and law enforcement to be sure residents are aware of and adhere to life-saving directives in the order,” the public health department wrote in a statement. Details about the party itself are unclear, but hours into the party, a 35-year-old mother of three children was shot and killed after an unknown assailant opened fire during the party. LAPD confirmed that another woman and a man were suffering from gunshot wounds; and, the shooting is currently regarded as a “gang-related homicide,” the Los Angeles Times reported. On Wednesday, LA Mayor Eric Garcetti announced that the city will have the Department of Water and Power shut off service at a home that has thrown a large party. “Starting on Friday night if the LAPD responds and verifies that a large gathering is occurring at a property and we see these properties re-offending time and time again, they will provide notice and initiate the process to request that DWP shut off service within the next 48 hours,” he said. Since the beginning of the

pandemic, public health officials have urged LA County residents to follow the pandemic guidelines: wear face coverings in public, stand 6 feet away from others, only go outside if necessary (e.g. you work for an “essential” business/industry) and to avoid large gatherings of people. Large public events like concerts and sporting events have been banned per the stay-athome order, but the county’s new announcement extends punishment for violating public health regulations to family parties and house gatherings like the one on Mulholland Drive. “The high-risk settings are large in-person gatherings where it is difficult for individuals to remain spaced at least 6 feet apart and where face coverings are not worn,” the department continued in their statement. “The consequences of these large parties ripple throughout our entire community because the virus can quickly and easily spread.” As previously reported in the Asian Journal, the virus can be transmitted from human to human through droplets from the nose and mouth. If someone contracts the virus but shows no symptoms, that person may still u PAGE A4

Dateline USa

A August 8-11, 2020 â&#x20AC;˘ LA WEEKEND AsIAN JOuRNAL

http://www.asianjournal.com â&#x20AC;˘ (818) 502-0651 â&#x20AC;˘ (213) 250-9797

LAX now offers personal protective equipment Filipino American History Month 2020 to celebrate... via touch-free-pay vending machines THOSe traveling out of Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) now have access to personal protective equipment (PPe), such as hand sanitizer, face coverings and gloves via convenient vending machines located in the ticketing areas of most terminals. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Los Angeles World Airports (LAWA) is setting new standards for how the airport industry can help keep passengers safe though rigorous cleanings, new technology and an increasingly touch-free experience from curb to gate,â&#x20AC;? said Justin erbacci, Chief executive Officer of LAWA in a statement. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We are proud to offer our guests another convenient way they can access items that will help keep them safe and healthy, as well as help them to comply with our mandatory facial covering policy.â&#x20AC;? As part of its commitment to help passengers Travel Safely at LAX, the airport is collaborating with the Hudson Group and PepsiCo Beverages North America to install the new PPe vending machines in pre-security areas of the Departures Level inside Terminals 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 7 and the Tom Bradley International Terminal. The machines all offer a touchfree payment option, such as tap-to-pay credit card or mobile payment platforms including Apple Pay, Google Pay and Samsung Pay. each vending machine also will have an anti-microbial shield installed on hard surfaces, which provides long-lasting antibacterial protection. All of the items available in the machines, including hand sanitizer, disposable face coverings and nitrile gloves, are TSA compliant and can be brought through any of the TSA security screening check-

Vending machines carrying personal protective equipment have sprung up around LAX this week.

points. Other products available include hygiene kits, thermometers, Ultraviolet-C sanitizers and over-thecounter medications. Products may vary by location. The vending machines are restocked on a daily basis, and many PPe products are also available for purchase at other retail locations post-security. Most of the new machines are already installed and available, with the remaining units to be installed shortly. As more passengers begin to return to LAX, the airport is continuing to provide the safest travel experience possible by piloting new technology, implementing deep cleaning, installing Plexiglas barriers and more. n

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PAGE A1 t Heartâ&#x20AC;? author Dawn Bohulano Mabalon, Fil-Ams who fought eviction threats for tenants of San Franciscoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s I-Hotel in the late 1960s, and Fil-Am activist Kalayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;an Mendoza who has been vocal about Fil-Am allyship for Black lives. Also being celebrated this year are the countryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Fil-Am health workers who have been on the frontlines of the coronavirus pandemic. According to census data, Filipinos in the U.S. make up roughly 1% of the total U.S. population, but over 7% of the nationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s healthcare workforce. When the pandemic reached the U.S., the impact of Fil-Am healthcare workers was felt as headlines commemorated those who passed away due to the virus. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We recognize the advocacy of our Filipino American healthcare workers who are actively protecting and fighting for our lives every day amidst this global pandemic,â&#x20AC;? wrote the FANHS. This year also marks many milestones and anniversaries of historical Fil-Am events like the 50th Anniversary of the Filipino American Far West Convention that took place in Seattle which the FANHS said has been â&#x20AC;&#x153;credited in part as the start of the Filipino American movement.â&#x20AC;? Also commemorated is the 75th anniversary of the Philippinesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Battle of Luzon that was fought during World War II, and the 90th anniversary of the Watsonville Riots that took place in Central California in 1930.

Referring to the upcoming 2020 U.S. presidential election, the FANHS said, â&#x20AC;&#x153;We believe this theme is particularly crucial in 2020, as it is a key election year and we are living amidst a pandemic and mass movement towards racial injustice.â&#x20AC;? According to the FANHS, Filipino American History Month is a chance for Fil-Am communities to commemorate the first recorded presence of Filipinos in the U.S. when Filipinos arrived

in present-day Morro Bay, California aboard the Spanish galleon Nuestra Senora de esperanza on October 18, 1587. FANHS founder Dr. Dorothy Laigo Cordova, along with her late husband Dr. Fred Cordova, first presented a resolution introducing October as Filipino American History Month in 1992. U.S. Congress officially recognized October as Filipino American History Month in 2009. (Rae Ann Varona/AJPress)

No more parties in LA: County Public Health... PAGE A3 t

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

pass the virus onto someone who is immunocompromised or more likely to suffer the more severe effects of COVID-19. LA County still holds the record for most countywide positive COVID-19 cases and deaths in the United States. Although residents have been frustrated by the restrictions of stay-athome orders, LA County Public Health reminds the community that the goal is to slow the spread of the virus and buy enough time before a vaccine is made widely available. The surge in COVID-19 cases began when California began reopening parts of the state in late May. Throughout the summer,

California and LA County began to see a disturbing upward trend of COVID-19 cases as businesses like nail salons, gyms, outdoor restaurants, bars and other public entities reopened. The county has also found a number of businesses that were not mandating face masks and social distancing spacing in their shops, forcing the county to begin investigating non-compliant business owners. Amid major city measures like issuing fines to people not wearing masks in public, on Wednesday, Aug. 5 LA City Councilmember David Ryu officially proposed imposing more penalties for noncompliance such as water and power shutoffs, per-

mit prohibitions or cancellation of certificates of occupancy. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Despite a pandemic that has killed thousands in Los Angeles, some homeowners are choosing to put everyone at risk by renting out their homes to massive house parties,â&#x20AC;? Ryu said in a statement. â&#x20AC;&#x153;This is irresponsible bordering on deadly â&#x20AC;&#x201D; and it must be stopped. Whether it takes shutting off utilities or revoking their permits, we must do what it takes to shut these party houses down.â&#x20AC;? As of Wednesday, nearly 196,000 people in LA County have tested positive for the virus and 4,760 people have died from complications related to COVID19. n

PAUNAWA NG PAMPUBLIKONG PAGDINIG Awtoridad sa Transportasyon ng Metropolitan ng Los Angeles Ang komite ng Measure M Independent Taxpayer Oversight ng Metro (Oversight Committee) ay magsasagawa ng isang pampublikong pagdinig ng 10:00 a.m., Setyembre 9, 2020 sa pamamagitan ng birtwal ng paraan. Ang mga kasapi ng publiko ay maaaring makinig sa pamamabgitan ng pagtawag sa: +1 (877) 422-8614 at pagpasok sa meeting extension 3788155#. $QJ 2YHUVLJKW &RPPLWWH D\ QDLWDODJD VD LODODLP QJ 0HDVXUH 0 NLODOD ULQ ELODQJ /RV $QJHOHV &RXQW\ 7UDIÂżF ,PSURYHPHQW 3ODQ 2UGLQDQFH QD QDJSDWDZ VD NDODKDWL QJ LVDQJ EDKDJGDQ QD WUDQVDNV\RQ DW JLQDPLW DQJ EXZLV XSDQJ PDSRQGRKDQ DQJ mga pagpapaunlad ng transportasyon sa lungsod, napagpatibay ng mga botante noong 2016. Ang Oversight Committee DW DQJ SURVHVR QJ RYHUVLJKW D\ QDLWDWDJ XSDQJ PDVLJXUR QD DQJ 0HWUR DW DQJ PJD ORNDO QD VXEUHFHSLHQW D\ VXPXVXQRG VD PJD WDNGD QJ 2UGLQDQFH $QJ SURVHVR QJ RYHUVLJKW D\ QDJVDVDJDZD QJ DXGLW EDZDW WDRQ QD JLQDJDZD XSDQJ PDWXNR\ DQJ PJD SDJVXQRG VD PJD SURELV\RQ QJ 2UGLQDQFH QD PD\ NDXJQD\DQ VD UHVLER DW SDJJDVWD QJ PJD NLWD QJ VDOHV WD[ VD WDRQ QJ ÂżVFDO $QJ PJD DXGLW D\ GDSDW QD PDLELJD\ VD 2YHUVLJKW &RPPLWWHH XSDQJ WL\DNLQ NXQJ DQJ 0HWUR DW DQJ PJD ORNDO QD VXEUHFHSLHQW D\ VXPXVXQRG VD PJD SURELV\RQ QJ 0HDVXUH 0 %LODQJ SDJVXQRG VD 2UGLQDQFH NLQRQWUDWD QJ 0HWUR DQJ %&$ :DWVRQ 5LFH //3 %&$ XSDQJ JDZLQ DQJ PDOD\DQJ SDJ DXGLW QJ 0HVXUH 0 6SHFLDO 5HYHQXH )XQ DW NXPRQWUDWD VD 9DVTXH] &RPSDQ\ //3 DW 6LPSVRQ 6LPSVRQ XSDQJ PD DXGLW DQJ SDJVXQRG QJ PJD ED\DQ &LWLHV DW DQJ &RXQW\ ng Los Angeles (Lungsod). Ang layunin ng pagdinig ay upang makatanggap ng mga pagpuna mula sa publiko ukol sa mga bunga ng mga malayang SDJ DXGLW QD LVLQDJDZD VD 6FKHGXOH RI 5HYHQXHV DW ([SHQGLWXUHV IRU 0HDVXUH 0 6SHFLDO 5HYHQXH )XQ DW &RPSOLDQFH ZLWK 5HTXLUHPHQWV $SSOLFDEOH WR 0HDVXUH 0 /RFDO 5HWXUQ *XLGHOLQHV PXOD VD +XO\R KDQJJDQJ VD +XQ\R DW ang ulat bawat taon ng Committee sa mga audit na ito. Ang ulat bawat taon ay makikita sa KWWSV ZZZ PHWUR QHW SURMHFWV LWRF PHDVXUHP . ULAT NG MGA MALAYANG AUDITOR Measure M Special Revenue Fund Audit %&$ :DWVRQ 5LFH /OS %&$ D\ QDJVDJDZD QJ DXGLW RI FRPSOLDQFH DOLQVXQRG VD PJD SDPDQWD\DQ QJ SDJ DXGLW QD WLQDWDQJJDS VD 8QLWHG 6WDWHV RI $PHULFD DW DQJ PJD SDPDQWD\DQDJ QDDDQJNRS VD PJD SLQDQV\DO QD DXGLW VD *RYHUQPHQW $XGLWLQJ 6WDQGDUGV QD LQLODWKDOD QJ &RPSWUROOHU *HQHUDO QJ 8QLWHG 6WDWHV .LQDNDLODQJDQ QJ SDPDQWD\DQJ LWR DQJ %&$ plan at gawin ang audit upang makuha ang makatwiran na katiyakan tungkol sa kung ang mga kita at paggasta ng 6FKHGXOHV RI 0HDVXUH 0 D\ ZDODQJ PDOLQJ SDJSDSDKD\DJ QJ PJD PDWHU\DO 1DNLWD QJ DXGLW QD VXPXQRG DQJ 0HWUR VD lahat ng aspeto, sa mga pamantayan na naaangkop sa mga kita at paggasta ng Measure M sa taon na natapos noong +XQ\R

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Mga Compliance na Audit ng Measure M sa mga City at ang County 9DVTXH] &RPSDQ\ //3 DW 6LPSVRQ 6LPSVRQ D\ QDJVDJDZD QJ PJD DXGLW RI FRPSOLDQFH VD /RFDO 5HWXUQ *XLGHOLQHV DOLQVXQRG VD PJD SDPDQWD\DQ VD SDJ DXGLW QD WDQJJDS VD 8QLWHG 6WDWHV RI $PHULFD DW PJD SDPDQWD\DQ QD QDNDSDORRE VD *RYHUQPHQW $XGLWLQJ 6WDQGDUGV QD LQLODWKDOD QJ &RPSWUROOHU *HQHUDO RI WKH 8QLWHG 6WDWHV .LQDNDLODQJDQ QJ SDPDQWD\DQJ LWR DQJ 9DVTXH] &RPSDQ\ /OS and Simpson & Simpson plan at gawin ang mga audit upang makakuha ng maktwiran na katiyakan tungkol sa kung ang KLQGL SDJVXQRG VD PJD SDPDQWD\DQ QJ 2UGLQDQFHD\ QDQJ\DUL QD PDDDULQJ PDJNDURRQ QJ GLUHNWDQJ HSHNWR DW PDWHU\DO VD SURJUDPD QJ 0HDVXUH 0 /RFDO 5HWXUQ 9DVTXH] &RPSDQ\ //3 D\ QDJ DXGLW QJ &LWLHV DW 6LPSVRQ 6LPSVRQ D\ DQJ QDJVDJDZD QJ DXGLW VD LED SDQJ &LWLHV DW QJ &RXQW\ 1DNLWD QJ ,QGHSHQGHQW $XGLWRUV QD DQJ &RXQW\ DW &LWLHV QD KLQGL NDVDPD DQJ 6RXWK (O 0RQWH D\ VXPXQRG VD ODKDW QJ LVLQDVDDG QJ PDWHU\DO VD PJD KLQLKLOLQJ QJ 2UGLQDQFH QD QDDDQJNLS VD SURJUDPD QJ 0HVXUH 0 /RFDN 5HWXUQ SDUD VD SLVNDO QD WDRQ QD QDWDSRV QRRQJ +XQ\R

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:DOD VD 2UDV QD 3DJVXPLWH QJ )RUPV Ang mga nakita sa mga City na hindi naisumite ang form sa oras kabuuan ,VDQJ )RUP 0 2QH R )RUP 0 7ZR D\ NLQDNDLODQJDQ LVXPLWH QJ PJD ED\DQ VD /$&07$ QD WXWXNR\ VD NDQLODQJ badyet at gastusin. +LQGL 3DJNXKD QJ $SUXED VD PJD 3DJJDVWRV Apat na bayan ang hindi nakakuha ng pagpapatibay bago gumastos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sang bayan ang hindi QDNDSDJELJD\ QJ PJD DFFRXQWLQJ UHFRUG DW PJD GRNXPHQWR XSDQJ SDJWLED\LQ DQJ SDJVXQRG QLWR

Ulat ng Measure M Independent Taxpayer Oversight Committee 1DNLNLWD QJ &RPPLWWHH QD DQJ PJD DXGLW D\ LVLQDJDZD ELODQJ SDJVXQRG VD 2UGLQDQFH QD SLQDJSDWLED\ QJ PJD ERWDQWH noong 2016; 2) Sumunod ang Metro, sa lahat ng materyal na aspeto, sa mga pamantayan ukol sa kita at paggasta ng 0HDVXUH 0 VD WDRQ QD QDJWDSRV QJ +XQ\R DQG DQJ &RXQW\ DW PJD &LW\ PDOLEDQ VD 6RXWK (O 0RQWH D\ sumunod sa lahat ng materyal na aspeto sa Ordinansa ng Measure M DW PJD SDPDQWD\DQ QD QDDDQJNRS VD SURJUDPD QJ 0HDVXUH 0 /RFDO 5HWXUQ VD WDRQ QD QDJWDSRV QRRQJ +XQ\R 1DNLWD QJ PJD DXGLW DQJ EHVHV QD KLQGL SDJVXQRG VD SDPDQWD\DQ QJ QD ORNDO QD KXULVGLNV\RQ QD D\RQ VD VWDII QJ Metro, ay naisaayos na o nasa proseso ng pagsasaayos. Ang mga komento ukol sa paksa na ito ay tatanggapin hanggang Setyembre 8, 2020 ng 5PM. Ang lahat ng mga komento ay dapat nakatuon sa Board Administration, LACMTA, One Gateway Plaze, Mil Stop 99-31, Los Angeles, CA 90012-2952. Ang mga kopya ng ulat ng mga Independent Auditor at ulat ng Oversight Committee bawat taon ay makikita sa theplan.metro.net, at ang mga hard copy ay maaaring makuha mula sa Records Management Center ng Metro sa LACMTA Plaze Level sa (213) 922-2342. Ang mga dokumentong ito ay makikita, pagkatapos maproseso, sa bawat silid-aklatan sa loob ng Los Angeles County upang masuri ng publiko. &16%

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Dateline PABS-CBN hiliPPines franchise denial linked to House speakership by edu

Punay Philstar.com

Representatives of indigenous and Moro peoples, and civil society groups filed the 26th petition vs the anti-terrorism law. Philstar.com photo

Citing long struggle to self-determination, indigenous, Moro peoples assail anti-terror law by Kristine Joy

Philstar.com

Patag

MANILA — Citing their long struggle to self-determination that may be further endangered with the Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020, indigenous and Moro peoples asked the Supreme Court to nullify the much-feared law. The group, composed of indigenous and Moro peoples and civil society leaders, urged the SC to declare Republic Act 11479 or the ATA as unconstitutional, citing the laws’ several violations to their rights to free speech, expression and self-determination. “Just with any vibrant democracy, the democracy, the petitioners herein, seek to make the government more accountable to its people, especially those belonging to the vulnerable sectors, but RA 11479 broad unambiguous provisions has pathologized these legitimate activities,” they said. Constitutional lawyer and former Ateneo School of Government Dean Tony La Viña serves as the legal counsel of the group. They stressed that the anti-terrorism law expands enforcement powers and intensify “targeting” of the petitioners who have been red-tagged previously, which would “aggravate the petitioners’

constitutionally guaranteed right to self-determination.” IPs, Moro peoples struggle to self-determination The petitioners argued that the anti-terrorism law violates the IPs rights to self-determination as enshrined in the Constitution and would put Moro peoples in “grave insecurity.” “Inextricably and inexplicably linked to the right to self-determination is the right to oppose, criticize and dissent from development aggression and the policy of militarization that comes with it,” the petitioners said. The petitioners said that the Philippine legal system “is both a witness and a narrator of indigenous peoples struggle.” As early as 1919, in the case of Rubi v. Provincial Board of Mindoro, “this Court authorized the forcible displacement of Mangyans from lands they occupied since time immemorial and transfer them to a government reservation under the pain of imprisonment,” they said. “This historical position of disadvantage along with the government’s neglect to respect and recognize indigenous peoples’ rights [has] often found government and indigenous peoples at opposing ends of huge govern-

ment projects,” the petitioners said. “The indigenous peoples assertion of their rights and their consequent opposition to development aggression should never serve as a justification for redbaiting or red-tagging since it is but an exercise of their constitutionally guaranteed rights to selfdetermination,” they added. ‘Wholesale proscription’ The petitioners also pointed out that the executive branch has too engaged in red-tagging, such as when the state prosecution filed a petition for proscription before a Manila court with 461 names and 188 aliases. United Nations experts were also included in the proscription list. Three of the petitioners — Beverly Longid, Windel Bolinget and Joanna Cariño – and the organizations they work for were redtagged under the Human Security Act of 2007 and were included in the “wholesale” proscription case. The proscription case was primarily filed against the Communist Party of the Philippines and New People’s Army but names of those who are not their members were also submitted by the state prosecution. The state pros-

u PAGE A7

be. We have to follow the process and should not ignore it just because of a predicted outcome. MANILA — Does the rejection That report is not final and may of the ABS-CBN franchise renew- not be even legal,” Atienza aral have something to do with the gued. “I believe we have a fighting scheduled change of leadership in the House of Representatives chance if we do it through a secret vote. There are 304 House later this year? Several lawmakers believe so, members. Only 70 voted against citing a report that Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano has allegedly asked the President to let him stay in his post as a “reward” for the rejection of the network’s franchise. Buhay party-list Rep. Lito Atienza, Albay Rep. Edcel Lagman and Parañaque Rep. Joy Tambunting all believe that the decision of the legislative franchises committee to reject the network’s application was political and an act of subservience to the Palace by its congressional allies. They warned that the franchise issue might have an impact on the term-sharing deal on the speakership post between Cayetano and Marinduque Rep. Lord Allan Velasco. Atienza cited the possibility that Cayetano might retain the speakership and the turnover of the House leadership to Velasco might not push through in October after delivering the President’s wish with the rejection of the ABS-CBN franchise. “We shouldn’t allow that. A gentleman’s agreement is a gentleman’s agreement. It should be honored no matter what,” he stressed. Lagman agreed with Atienza’s opinion. Tambunting, for her part, said House members are aware of the turnover of House leadership in October and that “all eyes will be on that.” The three lawmakers who supported the grant of franchise renewal of the network reiterated their belief that Duterte and Cayetano both had a hand in the panel’s decision. He also expressed pessimism on the bid to elevate the matter to the House plenary, saying it might be “futile” due to the subservience of Congress to the President. But Atienza and Tambunting had a different view. “We have to review the committee report before the plenary no matter what the outcome may

the franchise,” said Tambunting. Cayetano has said he would step down from his post in November and honor the term-sharing agreement. With just three months left in his 15-month term as speaker, Cayetano said the chamber is already preparing for the scheduled transition in leadership. n

A6 AUGUST 8-11, 2020 • LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL

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O PiniOn Recession

FeatURes

ECONOMIC performance during the coronavirus pandemic is an indicator of the effectiveness of the response to the public health crisis. Vietnam, for example, had quickly embarked on aggressive testing for coronavirus disease 2019, contact tracing and isolation, allowing the country to avoid prolonged widespread lockdowns and to continue many economic activities. As of Aug. 5, Vietnam had 750 cases, with 392 recoveries and 10 deaths. The country was still affected by the unprecedented 55.8 percent plunge in its international tourism, which accounts for 6 percent of its gross domestic product, in the first six months of 2020. Still, Vietnam managed to register 0.36 percent GDP growth in the second quarter of the year. And the International Monetary Fund is seeing 2.7 percent growth for the country for 2020. In contrast, the Philippines, which now has the highest number of COVID-19 infections in Southeast Asia, has seen its worst quarterly economic contraction since record keeping began. The country is now officially in recession, becoming one of the worst performing economies in the region during the pandemic. With 123,000 coronavirus cases, 66,852 recoveries and 2,168 deaths as of Aug. 6, the Phil-

ippines is now described as the regional epicenter of COVID contagion. The cases have surged despite four months of economically crippling community quarantines and localized hard lockdowns. Officials attribute the high number of cases to what they describe as the country’s more extensive testing for COVID compared to many of its neighbors. The challenge is to avoid becoming the regional laggard in recovering from the pandemic. Analysts have warned that with the country struggling to contain COVID-19, it looks headed for slow recovery compared with its neighbors. The country is seeing the difficulty of restarting the economy without sufficiently addressing the public health crisis. Sick people simply can’t go to work; sick people can infect co-workers and shut down an entire office or government agenPreventing a worse economic contraction will cy. hinge on containing COVID-19. The recession

Editorial

Philstar.com photo

should give more urgency to improving the pandemic response. (Philstar.com)

Coronavirus facts vs fiction: Think critically leading up to the November election to save our lives, our families’ futures

The Fil-Am Perspective GEL SANTOS-RELOS HREE MONTHS until the 2020 presidential election and amid the rising death toll and infected COVID-19 cases in the United States, we are bombarded with even more mixed messages on social media that confuse us more than answer our questions. Unfortunately, there are people in power who capitalize on our despair as this pandemic has turned our world upside down for more than six months now, and sadly for many, even took the lives of their loved ones. More than ever, we need to use our God-given critical thinking skills to make informed decisions to save our lives and our future from today’s America. COVID-19 is not a hoax The United States is now approaching 5 million positive coronavirus cases, with a death toll that has topped 160,000. The United States is the richest and most powerful nation in the world. But we are where we are right now because the president of the United States told the American public early on since January — even after he was already warned by our own intelligence agencies about the pandemic — that the coronavirus was a “hoax” fabricated by the Democrats to kick him out of office. Trump posted on social media on Friday, August 7: “I called the politicization of the Chinese Virus by the Radical Left Democrats a Hoax, not the China Virus itself. Everybody knows this except for

the Fake and very Corrupt Media!” Trump pivots and rewrites his narrative that he did NOT call the virus a hoax? For God’s sake, we all have seen and heard him spew this lie out of his mouth many, many times and his supporters believed him! His fan base would not heed scientists’ and health officials’ reports because they contended that Trump said it was a hoax! Now if you are among those who believed Trump and defended him for saying it was a hoax, would you also swallow this poison of a spin again from this reality show star-turned president with blood in his hands? Then you as enablers have blood in your hands as well! You are complicit to this Trump’s transgressions against humanity and the American people! On the other hand, shouldn’t you take the construction of his statement at face value: “The POLITICIZATION of the [Corona] Virus By the radical left DEMOCRATS a HOAX. Yes! The “politicization of the Democrats is a HOAX” — meaning not true — because Trump was the one who politicized the pandemic instead of acting on it head-on in a timely manner to save lives. Facts are facts! Testing does not cause coronavirus From the beginning, Trump has been opposed to wide-scale testing as suggested by health officials and scientists, including the country’s top epidemiologist Dr. Anthony Fauci.

Trump refused to do this because he knew that if the testing reveals the escalating number of cases and deaths, then lockdown and business closures might have been warranted to mitigate the spread of the virus, which in turn, could affect the economy. Businesses could close, unemployment would go up, the stock market index would down, GDP would contract — all critical to his re-election bid. When the pandemic finally caught up with his attempt to cover-up the medical emergency, he agreed to do testing but not in the level that officials said would be needed, with results not coming out as fast as they had to. He would spew lies like, “We’re testing more people than many other countries” or “We have tested more than all countries put together!” But the truth is, the U.S. lags behind if you look at it not in absolute numbers but in proportion to the population. Wide-scale testing is of paramount importance in determining who may be infected, even and especially if they do not have any symptoms, to isolate and treat them so that they would not spread the virus around. Testing also helps in contact tracing, so those people who were in contact with an infected person may also be tested and quarantined and isolated if the result is positive. This was why Taiwan, with its proximity to China, was able to defeat the virus. It acted proactively, aggressively tested and

Untangling Duterte’s SONA

Street Talk GREG B. MACABENTA I ACTUALLY survived reading the online transcription of the recent SONA delivered by President Rodrigo Duterte before a joint session of Congress last July 27. I noted that it was remarkably substantive. Too bad, the Malacanang speech writers mixed up the key points, in a rambling and disjointed speech, much like pinakbet or chop suey. At any rate, here is my attempt to reshuffle and digest the SONA. With due respect, for his next SONA, the president may want to hire a new team of speech writers. We live in a troubled time (sic). Our dream of prosperity for our country was suddenly snuffed (sic) by a pandemic virulent virus (sic). No nation was spared. Neither rich nor poor were (sic) exempt from the onslaught of this deadly disease. But let us not despair. The vaccine is around the corner.

The dealers and purveyors of illegal drugs, hiding in the shadow of COVID-19, have stepped up their activities. Concomitantly, didiretso rin itong mga criminal na rarami at crimes will increase. But let me assure you, for as long as I am President, there can never be a runaway crime in any of our cities. I reiterate the swift passage of a law reviving the death penalty [applause] by lethal injection for crimes specified under the Comprehensive Dangerous [Drugs] Act of 2002. The corrupt, the grafters and the influence peddlers also take advantage of the fear and confusion that the coronavirus generates. To open up the economy to preCovid-19 levels at this time is not an option because whatever good it can produce will only be gobbled up, or be outweighed, by the bad it will generate...We are not ready and therefore we will not gamble with the lives and health of the people.

We must implement online learning, modular learning, and TV- and radio-based broadcast, which students coming from different backgrounds can avail... we plan to increase the number of schools with ICT equipment in the coming months. The DepEd and the DICT are building up the Public Education Network or PEN that will connect all public schools and DepEd offices nationwide… In 2021, we aim to increase access to healthcare services by continuously hiring and deploying more than 20,000 health professionals...We will implement projects to establish and improve Barangay Health Stations, Rural Health Units, and other healthcare facilities. We received a BBB plus credit rating despite a sea of credit rating downgrades and negative outlook revisions worldwide. [applause] The Japan Credit Rating Agency upgraded us from BBB plus to A minus last month. Meanwhile, Moody’s has affirmed and maintained the country’s ratings at B2 --- Baa2 rather...Our fiscal

tracked potential new infections through contact tracing. As CNBC reported, Taiwan with its 24 million population, has had only 451 cases and seven deaths. Taiwan has also been lauded for having “a plan in place for years, which involved quarantines, contact tracing and wide availability of masks, among other things.” Why did the richest, most powerful nation in the world fail on this, especially after the Obama administration left a document to his successor: “Playbook for Early Response to High-Consequence Emerging Infectious Disease Threats and Biological Incidents?” This 69-page National Security Council pandemic guidebook, as reported by Kaiser Health News, was developed along with “similar documents created for the Department of Health and Human Services and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.” The playbook included a list of types of infectious disease which may emerge to be a pandemic and the novel coronaviruses were among the pathogens flagged based on scientific studies. However, after these were endorsed to the incoming administration during the transition period, nobody among the Trump administration followed through. Then Trump blamed the Obama administration as a scapegoat for his inaction. Now, Trump wants to do less testing instead of more and fool-

ishly said if we do not test more, then the U.S. would have fewer coronavirus cases. His focus is just the numbers that would make him look good for his reelection ambition, and not on the role testing to help contain and stop the spread of the disease especially now that the vaccine is still in the works. Testing does not cause the disease, it just reveals the infection or the disease so it can be treated. It’s the same principle as sugar level tests do not cause diabetes nor do pregnancy tests cause pregnancy! Children are not immune In Trump’s push for schools to reopen, despite the escalating threat of COVID-19 in many states, Trump said in a Fox News interview that “If you look at children, children are almost — and I would almost say definitely — but almost immune from this disease,” and that they have stronger immune systems.” Social media companies Facebook and Twitter flagged the video and penalized the Trump campaign for spreading such misinformation. Why would Trump say something like that which goes against what science already proves? While children may have milder symptoms, scientific studies show they may still be able to catch and spread it to other people, including adults at home and in school settings, such as teachers. How irresponsible can these statements come out from the highest leader of the land? Just as irresponsible as denigrating

health officials working so hard to save our lives. Just as irresponsible as defying social distancing, wearing of masks, staying at home orders which he just promoted when his ratings were going down. Just as irresponsible and dangerous as his crazy prescription of ingesting Lysol or any disinfectant to treat/prevent getting infected by COVID-19. Hydroxychloroquine is not yet FDA approved to treat COVID-19 Trump has been touting the drug Hydroxychloroquine and even lied during one of the Coronavirus Task Force daily briefings that this drug has been approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to treat COVID-19 infection. He was subsequently fact-checked by the FDA and Dr. Fauci, who said the drug, while having had good anecdotal evidence, has yet to pass through rigorous wide-scale testing following scientific protocol to be approved for the treatment of COVID-19 infection. The FDA stated that contrary to Trump’s claim, the drug has not yet been approved by the FDA. “Hydroxychloroquine and chloroquine are FDA-approved to treat or prevent malaria. Hydroxychloroquine is also FDA-approved to treat autoimmune conditions such as chronic discoid lupus erythematosus, systemic lupus erythematosus in adults, and rheumatoid arthritis.” While the FDA has initially granted “emergency use authorization (EUA) to use hydroxychlo-

position is strong, our economic and fiscal management prudent and our banking system robust. We have accomplished significant infrastructure projects under the Build Build Build Program... We issued last year Executive Order No. 100 establishing the Diversity and Inclusion Program as a national program of the Government. Part of our efforts to uphold human rights is protection of the rights of children and the right against discrimination. Early last year, I signed Executive Order No. 92 creating the National Council Against Child Labor. Over 4.3 million poor families benefited from the Pantawid Pamilya; over 9.2 million beneficiaries received subsidies under the Unconditional Cash Transfer program; we also made available [free] tertiary education and universal health care. Public utility drivers were given assistance through the Pantawid Pasada Program. The Salary Standardization Law of 2019 increases the salary of civilian government workers. Under the Social Amelioration Program, we allotted [PhP205

billion] for poor and low-income households who were affected during this pandemic --- who thrive on a “no-work, no-pay” arrangement. To our business community and the general public, we assure you that the landmark Ease of Doing Business and Efficient Government Service Delivery Act has been gaining momentum. We are closer to eliminating overregulation in government services. Frontline processes, including consular services, processing of building and... We came up with the COVID-19 Adjustment Measures Program. We extended financial assistance to over 650,000 affected individuals in the formal sector, 110,000 OFWs abroad, and almost 83,000 repatriated OFWs. We also provided temporary wage employment [opportunities] to displaced marginalized workers through the TUPAD Project. Our indigent senior citizens were also provided with a stipend for the [first] semester of the current year...the Office of the President worked closely with Congress for the quick passage of the Bayanihan to Heal as One Act... I likewise issued Executive Or-

der No. 104, which imposed ceilings on the retail prices of at least 133 drugs and medicines, and directed a continuous review of the retail prices of others. We must facilitate the country’s economic recovery. I call on Congress to fast-track the passage of proposed measures such as the Corporate Recovery and Tax Incentives for Enterprises or CREATE Act. [applause] ... The Financial Institutions Strategic Transfer or FIST Act will set up mechanisms allowing banks and other financial institutions to dispose of and transfer non-performing assets and loans to asset management companies similar to Special Purpose Vehicles. ..The [DPWH] has resumed the construction of the North Luzon Expressway Harbor Link, the NLEX-SLEX Connector, the Cavite-Laguna Expressway, the Metro Manila Skyway Stage 3, the R-1 Bridge Project, the TarlacPangasinan-La Union Expressway Project, and the Subic Freeport Expressway Project, to name a few...The TESDA launched an online mode of livelihood and skills training...I ask the TESDA to come up with special training

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Dateline PhiliPPines

LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL • AUgUSt 8-11, 2020

Coronavirus facts vs fiction: Think critically... 4 Filipinos dead, 31 injured in Beirut blast PAGE A6 t roquine and chloroquine to treat COVID-19 in certain hospitalized patients when a clinical trial is unavailable or participation is not feasible. The FDA added that “The EUA was based upon limited evidence that the medicines may provide benefit, and for this reason, we authorized their use only in hospitalized patients under careful heart monitoring.” On June 15, 2020 the FDA announced: “We made this determination based on recent results from a large, randomized clinical trial in hospitalized patients that found these medicines showed no benefit for decreasing the

PAGE A6 t

likelihood of death or speeding recovery. This outcome was consistent with other new data, including those showing the suggested dosing for these medicines is unlikely to kill or inhibit the virus that causes COVID-19. As a result, we determined that the legal criteria for the EUA are no longer met. On July 1, the FDA stated: “A summary of the FDA review of safety issues with the use of hydroxychloroquine and chloroquine to treat hospitalized patients with COVID-19 is now available. This includes reports of serious heart rhythm problems and other safety issues, in-

cluding blood and lymph system disorders, kidney injuries, and liver problems and failure.” Read More at https://www.fda. gov/drugs/drug-safety-and-availability/fda-cautions-against-usehydroxychloroquine-or-chloroquinecovid-19-outside-hospital-setting-or. ***

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.

Untangling Duterte’s SONA

programs to retool our OFWs so they can find employment opportunities here at home. I am also calling on the CHED for scholarship programs for the qualified dependents of our OFWs. I direct the Department of Agriculture and DTI to come up with agri-business and entrepreneurship projects to help displaced OFWs rebuild their livelihood. Further, I ask the LANDBANK and other government financial institutions to continue providing low-interest loans to our OFWs… Nananawagan po ako sa ating mga lessors – nananawagan po ako sa ating mga lessors: malasakit at Bayanihan po sana ang pairalin natin ngayon...Now, it’s time to be fair and compassionate. Come up with amenable arrangement with your tenants. Huwag po natin silang ipagtabuyan, tanggalan ng tubig, kuryente, at bubong. Commercial establishments are requested to give grace periods [or] allow deferment of payments, especially for MSMEs that were forced to close down during the quarantine period. Let us help them recover. [applause]..The DTI, through the Small Business Corporation, set up the PhP1-billion COVID-19 Assistance to Restart Enterprises or CARES Program to provide zero-interest loans for MSMEs affected by the pandemic. As of July 10, 2020, over 2,600 loan applications worth [PhP182.5 million] have been approved...I also enjoin the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas and banks operating in the country to provide regulatory relief for our MSMEs and allow loan payment extensions, without incurring penalties and charges. [applause] ..

In the same manner, the tourism and recreation industries, which are among the hardest hit by the pandemic, count on our full support. I appreciate the law establishing the National Academy of Sports. We can now give our deserving student-athletes the training and support they need to excel in their chosen field of endeavors. The DoST offers its Enterprise Technology Upgrading Program to enable businesses to access training that will help them transition to online and contactless operations. Panahon na para mawala [applause] na ang pila para mapagsilbihan ang gobyerno nang walang kahirapan para sa tao. The DILG, DBM, and the ARTA, along with all agencies and instrumentalities of government, are hereby directed to make [all] possible services available online. We need to adjust to and adopt a paper-less type business and work performance... and cut or minimize red tape. For the remaining two years of my term, all that is good that belongs to government, whether it be the airwaves, whether it be the lines, or whatever that is good for the people, will belong to the government and it should be government who should be given the first option to utilize them... I’ll be straight, iyong Smart pati itong Globe, ilang taon na ito, at ang sagot palagi sa akin, “the party cannot be reached.” .. The next two years will be spent improving the telecommunications of this country without you. I will find a way. I will talk to Congress and find a way how to do it. [applause] I issued Administrative Order

No. 18, directing concerned agencies to strengthen the development of Special Economic Zones in areas outside Metro Manila. I also issued Executive Order No. 114 to institutionalize the Balik Probinsya, Bagong Pag-Asa Program. I welcome the passage of the law postponing the Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections. [But] we [still] need to address internal security. We are pursuing a whole-of-nation approach to bring peace and order and development in the countryside. We need to provide interventions and implement the Barangay Development Program. .. Certain sectors expressed concerns when I declared martial law in Mindanao and its extension three times. But 2019 ended without my office requesting any further extension. I strongly urge Congress to pass a law establishing the Department of Overseas Filipinos [focused] solely on addressing the concerns of Filipinos abroad and their families. Owning safe, decent and affordable housing is every Filipino’s dream. But the housing market remains inaccessible to most of our countrymen. I renew my call for Congress to pass the National Housing Development bill and the Rental Housing Subsidy bill. I also call on Congress to amend Republic Act No. 10912 [or] the Continuing Professional Development Act of 2016. In this time of great pandemic and forthcoming reconstruction, requiring our professionals to undergo seminars is burdensome and not realistic...May mga profession na they

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by AJPress FOUR Filipinos have died in the massive explosion in Beirut, Lebanon this week, while 31 were injured, the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) on Friday, August 7 said. “We are saddened by the latest turn of developments. The higher figure comes as our Embassy personnel work to ascertain the condition of the Filipinos in its jurisdiction,“ said Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Sarah Lou Y. Arriola in a statement. The Philippine Embassy in Beirut noted that most of the wounded Filipinos are household service workers. Meanwhile, two individuals are still hospitalized in critical condition and a household service worker remains missing. “Two Filipinos remain in critical condition. They are confined and are being monitored at Rizk Hospital,” reported Philippine Embassy Beirut Charge d’affaires Ajeet Panemanglor. The DFA on Thursday 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 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 mariners,” 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

An explosion rocked Beirut, Lebanon on Tuesday, August 4, killing at least 135 people and injuring around 5,000. Screenshot via Nader Itayim/Twitter

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. 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% of whom are in

the Greater Beirut area. The DFA is chartering a flight, scheduled for August 16, to repatriate Filipinos from the country as well as to bring the remains of the deceased Filipinos back home. “The president heard the clamor of our kababayans. This chartered flight is the most concrete, immediate and timely assistance that the Department of Foreign Affairs could provide given the current situation in Lebanon,” Arriola said. 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.

Citing long struggle to self-determination...

PAGE A5 t

ecutors later drastically cut down their extensive list to just eight names. The petitioners noted that the case did not under undergo verification by the Department of Justice and “proves the red-tagging policy of the government.” The petitioners stressed that that was not the first and not the

last that they, and people with the same advocacy and work will be red-tagged. “Marginalized sectors such as indigenous and Moro peoples, whose participation in democratic processes ought to be secure when they defend their land and rights or manifest their dissent to policies that further marginalize them, are often met with

militarization and violations,” they said. “The labels ‘terrorist’ and ‘insurgents’ have become the catchall pretext to legitimize attacks on them. Far from a law that protects, RA 11479 legitimizes the structural violence already perpetuated against them and is repugnant to constitutional values,” the petitioners stressed. n

A August 8-11, 2020 • LA WEEKEND AsIAN JOuRNAL

Dateline PhiliPPines

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PH slips into recession

by AnnA LeAh

e. GonzALes ManilaTimes.net

MECQ CHECKPOINT. Village personnel man the entrances to Ybardolaza Street, Barangay Sacred Heart in Quezon City on Thursday, August 6. All roads in the vicinity of the barangay are closed and only Ybardolaza Street remains open to motorists due to the modified enhance community quarantine. PNA photo by Robert Oswald P. Alfiler

Duterte forms task force to probe PhilHealth mess by CAtherine

VALente ManilaTimes.net

PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte ordered the creation of a task force that would investigate issues of corruption surrounding the Philippine Health Insurance Corp (PhilHealth), his spokesman said on Friday, August 7. Palace spokesman Harry Roque Jr. said the task force, to be led by the Department of Jus-

tice (DoJ), would be authorized to issue preventive suspensions against those being investigated for alleged corruption allegations in the agency. “Nakinig po si Presidente at umakto. Bagama’t wala pa pong mapapatunayan sa lalong mabilis na panahon, meron naman pong preventive suspension na mapangalagaan ang kaban ng (The President has listened and acted. Although noth-

ing can be proven now, preventive suspension orders can be issued to protect the funds of) PhilHealth,” Roque said during a virtual press briefing. Also included in the task force are the Office of Ombudsman, Civil Service Commission, Commission on Audit, Presidential Anti Corruption Commission, Office of the Executive Secretary, and Office of the Special Assistant to the President.

BI: No new international travel restrictions under MECQ by neiL

Arwin MerCAdo Inquirer.net

MANILA — The government has not imposed additional restrictions or revised its guidelines on international travel following the re-imposition of Modified Enhanced Community Quarantine (MECQ) in Metro Manila and several other areas in the country, the Bureau of Immigration (BI) said on Friday, August 7. BI Commissioner Jaime Morente said existing travel restrictions remain unchanged until revised or changed by the InterAgency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases. “Unlike domestic flights which are suspended under MECQ, international flights at our airports

in Manila, Cebu, and Clark continue,” Morente said in a statement. Morente issued the clarification after the bureau was swamped with numerous calls and queries from the public after the government announced that Metro Manila was reverting to MECQ. President Rodrigo Duterte has placed Metro Manila as well as the provinces of Bulacan, Laguna, Cavite, and Rizal back under MECQ for 15 days beginning August 4. BI Port Operations Division Acting Chief Grifton Medina, however, said that foreign tourists are still not allowed to enter the country. Aside from Filipinos, only

holders of permanent immigrant visas and foreign spouses, minor dependents, and foreign parents of Filipino minor children can enter the country, said Medina. “However, dependents of Filipinos and children of foreigners who have special needs may enter the country, regardless of age,” Medina said. Medina likewise reiterated that only foreigners, overseas Filipino workers (OFWs), and Filipinos who are permanent residents or students abroad are permitted to leave the country. The public is advised to check BI’s website (www.immigration. gov.ph) and other social media accounts for updates on international travel guidelines being implemented amid the pandemic.

THE Philippines slipped into “technical recession” in the second quarter of 2020, contracting by 16.5 percent as the lockdown to stem the spread of the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) took its toll on industries and businesses, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) reported on Thursday, August 6. It was the lowest quarterly growth since 1981. A technical recession occurs when the gross domestic product (GDP) shrinks for two consecutive quarters. The second-quarter decline is far worse than the -0.7 percent in the first and a reversal from the 5.4 percent growth in the second quarter of 2019. It also exceeded the -11 to -14 percent projection of economists earlier polled by The Manila Times. “The last time we had a doubledigit negative growth that happened in the third quarter of 1982 which is -10.7 percent and followed by quarter one of 1985 which is 10.9 percent,” said National Statistician Dennis Claire Mapa. The agriculture sector grew by 1.6 percent in the second quarter, up from the 0.7 percent posted in the same period last year. Industry plunged by 22.9 percent from 2.5 percent a year ago as manufacturing and construction were hit hard by lockdowns. Services shrank by 15.8 percent from 7.5 percent in 2019. Transportation and storage; wholesale and retail trade; repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles; accommodation and food service activities; real estate and ownership of dwellings; professional and business services; education; and human health and social work activities practically ground to a halt. On the expenditure side, declines were seen in household final consumption, which dropped by 15.5 percent; gross capital formation (-53.5 percent); exports (-37.0 percent); and imports (-40 percent). Mapa said on the demand side, only government final consumption expenditure and breeding stocks and orchard development survived the second-quarter onslaught, notching 22.1 percent and 2.2 percent, respectively. Net primary income or NPI from the Rest of the World dropped by 22 percent and gross national income or GNI by 17 percent.

“Our country is facing the biggest crisis in nearly eight decades. How we respond to the Covid-19 pandemic and how united we are in facing this common threat will determine the course of our nation,” said National Economic and Development Authority Acting Secretary Karl Chua in a briefing. Chua said reverting to a modified enhanced community quarantine “is an opportunity to address new challenges brought about by the virus. If we use this time well, we can improve our health care system and pave a stronger foundation for the resumption of the economy. For the time being, the economic team will be providing the necessary fiscal support, as far as available resources can afford.” The proposed Bayanihan 2 bill; the Build, Build, Build program; and the 2021 budget are among the props that the country needs to recover from the effects of the pandemic, he said. “These are extraordinary times and the road ahead of us continues to be challenging and uncertain. At this critical juncture in our history, working together to address this unprecedented crisis is our best recourse,” said Chua. Economists believe that with the steep dive in the second quarter, the Philippines will likely face one of the slowest recoveries in the Asian region. “A failure to contain the virus, continued restrictions to movement and inadequate policy support mean the Philippines is also likely to experience one of the region’s slowest recoveries,” Capital Economics Asia economist Alex Holmes said in a report. Holmes said that there was still no sign that the virus was being brought under control. “The economic costs of trying to contain the virus is leaving large scars to household and corporate balance sheets, which will weigh heavily on demand for many months to come,” he said. In a separate report, ANZ Research noted that the country’s growth outlook was challenging. It said the reimposition of mobility restrictions would impede growth recovery. “Real time indicators signal a very modest improvement. Private investment is likely to remain weak as well on the back of subdued business sentiment and excess capacity,” said ANZ Research. In the face of dismal growth figures, the government will be

“working round the clock” to ease the socioeconomic impact of the coronavirus pandemic and ensure sustainable recovery, Malacañang spokesman Harry Roque Jr. said Thursday. “While we understand that the decrease in our gross domestic product growth rate is a result of the enhanced community quarantine/modified enhanced community quarantine, we are concerned by the steep drop which is much worse than what our government economists had expected,” Roque said in a statement. “The Philippines, we underscore, is not the only nation facing this economic situation. Covid-19 has had an adverse economic impact on countries like Singapore, Indonesia, the United States, France, Spain, Mexico,” he added. Roque said the administration’s economic managers put together a phased and adaptive economic recovery program, the PH-Progreso or Philippine Program for Recovery with Equity and Solidarity, to fight the pandemic’s effects on business and livelihood. He said the government “recalibrated our budget for next year and restarted our Build, Build, Build programs, subject to health and safety protocols to create jobs.” The government recovery efforts must be complemented by the people’s behavior during the health crisis, according to the heads of the central bank and the Finance department. Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Governor Benjamin Diokno said a big part of the success in overcoming the crisis can be attributed to leadership, clear messaging, and human behavior. “Each individual has a role to play in winning the war against the virus. The virus won’t go away soon, so we have to learn to live with it,” he said in a message on Thursday. Diokno said the comprehensive and nationwide lockdowns, which caused heavy damage to the economy, jobs, livelihoods and incomes, were over. The focus of national leaders should be on more localized village-level or building-level containment of the virus, he noted. For Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez 3rd, the country’s recovery lies in the people’s ability to either live with the virus or to conquer it. “It is very important for us to

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Dateline PhiliPPines

LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL • AUgUSt 8-11, 2020

COVID-19 strands 3.5M Pinoys in July - poll by Catherine

Valente ManilaTimes.net

UNDER MAINTENANCE. An electric power lineman fixes the cables in the area of Barangay San Francisco, General Trias, Cavite on Thursday, August 6. Power line maintenance is one of the essential works amid the coronavirus disease pandemic. PNA photo by Avito C. Dalan

2 broadcast firms get 25-year franchise extension by alexis

romero Philstar.com

MANILA — President Duterte has signed laws granting a 25year extension to the franchises of two broadcasting firms weeks after a House panel denied ABSCBN a franchise. Duterte signed Republic Act 11481, which extended the franchise of First United Broadcasting Corp., and Republic Act 11482, which renewed the franchise of Broadcast Enterprises and Affiliated Media Inc., last July 30. The full texts of the laws

were published in a newspaper on Wednesday, August 5. First United Broadcasting Corp., known as Global Satellite Technology Services Inc., is based in Makati. Broadcast Enterprises and Affiliated Media Inc., meanwhile, is owned by Bethlehem Holdings Inc., an investee of Globe Telecom Group Retirement Fund. The laws were signed 20 days after the House legislative franchises committee rejected bills renewing the franchise of ABSCBN, a move widely viewed as an assault against press freedom

Untangling Duterte’s SONA

PAGE A7 t would require --- I think it’s the nurses --- they would require them to come to Manila to retrain and -- for another round of expenses. Itong mga seminar-seminar na ito dapat mahinto….Now is the time to pass the Advanced Nursing --iyan ho --- Nursing Education Act and the law instituting the Medical Reserve Corps. COVID-19 will not only be the last pandemic. We need to create a National Disease Prevention and Management Authority to better respond to future outbreaks. I call on Congress to prioritize the passage of a law for the Unified System of Separation, Retirement and Pension of the Military and Uniformed Personnel without however diminishing the benefits that our uniformed personnel are entitled to under existing laws. [applause]. We need to build trust and confidence in online transactions, stronger protection for online consumers and enabling measures for online businesses is needed through the enactment of an Internet Transactions Act (ITA). [applause]. Major economic activities take place in a borderless environment with meager regulatory controls. They expose consumers to various risks related to security, data privacy, and misrepresentation. ...We must run after online scammers and those undermining the people’s trust in online transactions. I cannot stress enough the importance of agriculture. The growth of our economy depends on a robust agricultural sector... I once again urge both Houses of Congress to pass a version of the bill establishing the Coconut Farmers’ Trust Fund...I am also requesting Congress to pass the Rural Agricultural and Fisheries Development Financing System Act. We aim to provide adequate, accessible and affordable food for every Filipino [family] through the Plant, Plant, Plant Program. [applause] After the Build, Build, Build…This P66-billion agricultural stimulus package will help the agriculture and fisheries sector recover. [ap-

plause] Within ASEAN and beyond, the Philippines will continue to work with partners to address global perils and ramp up cooperation to secure for our peoples, greater peace, progress and prosperity... Alam mo, I read a little over three weeks or last month na the Americans would --- intends to go back to Subic...I have nothing against America, I have nothing against China but if you put bases here, you will double the spectacle of a most destructive thing just like Manila during the Second World War --Now, plenty of critics, both sides, claim about nothing has been done to retake forcefully or physically the South China Sea. Alam mo, unless we are prepared to go to war, I would suggest that we better just call off and treat this, I said, with diplomatic endeavors. China is claiming it. We are claiming it. China has the arms, we do not have it. So, it is simple as that... So what can we do? We have to go to war and I cannot afford it.... And I’m willing to admit it. Talagang inutil ako diyan. Wala akong magawa. Great wealth enables economic elites and corporations to influence public policy to their advantage. Media is a powerful tool in the hands of oligarchs like the Lopezes who used their media outlets in their battles with political figures. I am a casualty of the Lopezes during the 2016 election. Senator Frank Drilon... In an interview, he arrogantly mentioned among others that oligarchs need not be rich. Then he linked the anti-dynasty system with oligarchy and the topic was my daughter and son. This happened after the Committee on Franchise voted 7011 to deny the grant of franchise to ABS-CBN. Obviously, he was defending the Lopezes that they are not oligarchs. The oligarchy that exists in this country is the oligarchy that existed during the Spanish time... This is the oligarchy that controls the Philippines by what? By taking control of the water and the electricity and power. Thank you. I am through. (gregmacabenta@hotmail.com)

PAGE A8 t learn how to live with it and to also not get discouraged when we have spikes. The whole world right now is experiencing spikes. It’s not only the Philippines,” he said during the Security Bank Economic Forum 2020 held on Thursday. Economic managers expect the economy to recover with a 6.57.5 percent GDP growth next year until 2022. Some senators had different reactions to the onset of recession. “I expected it. It will be hard for people to get back to work unless the government can prove that it can beat the virus. So far, the people, consumers, workers, investors think the government is losing the battle. There is a lack of confidence. Hopefully, we can get our act together in the next two weeks,” Senate President Ralph Recto said. “We lost P1.4 trillion during the first half. About P10.8 billion daily from April to June alone. The economy is gasping in the ER (emergency room) and a more robust stimulus package is the venti-

lator that it needs,” he said. Sen. Juan Edgardo “Sonny” Angara, chairman of the Senate finance committee, said all economies of the world are in recession, and what is important is the recovery strategy which a country pursues. Angara said the Bayanihan 2 would help initially but many commented it should be followed by other economic actions. For Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian, vice chairman of the Senate economic affairs committee, the economic contraction will push many families back into poverty and eventually worsen hunger and malnutrition. “At this point, it is important for the government to guarantee that there is food on the table for every Filipino family. I implore the government to expedite the distribution of the second tranche of the Social Amelioration Program to the 18 million low-income beneficiaries since most areas have again been placed under stricter quarantine protocols,” said Gatchalian in a statement. n

PH slips into...

and a decision that led to the layoff of thousands of workers. While Duterte had accused ABS-CBN of spreading “garbage” stories about him during the 2016 polls, Malacañang claimed that the President was neutral about the network’s franchise. Duterte, however, called the Lopezes, the family that owns ABS-CBN, “oligarchs” during his fifth State of the Nation Address last month. The President also claimed that he was a “casualty” of the Lopezes during the 2016 election.

ABOUT 3.5 million Filipinos of working age were left stranded due to community quarantine measures implemented across the country to curb the spread of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), according to the latest Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey. The mobile phone survey from July 3 to 6 among 1,555 respondents showed that 5.1 percent of working-age Filipinos or those 18 years old and above were not staying at their permanent residence during the lockdown. This represents 3.5 percent of the country’s working-age population at 69.5 million, according to the SWS. “This is almost the same as, though a slight 0.3 point below, the 5.4 percent (estimated 4.1 million) working-age persons (15 years old and above) stranded by community quarantines in May 2020,” SWS said. “The differences are not statistically significant between these two probability samples,” the

polling firm added. Of those stranded in other places because of the community quarantines, Mindanao recorded the highest number of stranded Filipinos at 8 percent or about 1.3 million. It was followed by those whose permanent homes awere in the Visayas at 5.9 percent or 770,000; Balance Luzon, 4.1 percent or 1.3 million; and Metro Manila, 2.1 percent or 200,000. SWS said the July 2020 figures were not statistically different from the May 2020 figures, when those stranded by community quarantines were 6.4 percent among those whose permanent homes were in Mindanao, 5.3 percent in Balance Luzon, 5.0 percent in the Visayas, and 4.8 percent in Metro Manila. The proportion of those stranded by community quarantines was higher at 6.5 percent (estimated 2.3 million) among men than the 3.6 percent (estimated 1.3 million) among women. By age group, those stranded by quarantines were 9.1 percent (estimated 790,000) among the

18 to 24 year olds, compared to 6.6 percent (estimated 1.1 million) among the 25 to 34 year olds, 3.9 percent (estimated 670,000) among the 35 to 44 year olds, 3.7 percent (estimated 490,000) among the 45 to 54 year olds, and 3.3 percent (estimated 440,000) among those 55 years old and above. The proportion of those stranded by community quarantines were 6.9 percent (estimated 820,000) among college graduates, compared to 5.4 percent (estimated 1.2 million) among junior high school graduates, 5.1 percent (estimated 870,000) among those with some college, 4.4 percent (estimated 160,000) among non-elementary graduates, and 3.1 percent (estimated 470,000) among elementary graduates. The SWS survey, using mobile phone and computer-assisted telephone interview, had sampling error margins of ±2 percent for national percentages, ±6 percent for Metro Manila, and ±5 percent for Balance Luzon, ±5 percent for the Visayas, and ±5 percent for Mindanao. n

Twitter now labels government , state media accounts

MANILA — Social media company Twitter will now label government and state-affiliated media accounts in a bid to make conversations more transparent on the online platform. Twitter on Thursday said it would use two distinct profile labels – “government account” and “state-affiliated media” – to enable users to easily identify them

and their tweets. The policy had been rolled out to accounts linked with the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council – China, France, Russia United Kingdom and the United States – with a future plan to expand to other countries. Covered by the new policy are the accounts of key government

officials, including foreign ministers, institutional entities, ambassadors, official spokespeople and key diplomatic leaders. However, personal accounts of heads of state such as that of US President Donald Trump have not been labeled “as these accounts enjoy widespread name recognition, media attention and public awareness.” (Philstar.com)

A10 August 8-11, 2020 • LA WEEKEND AsIAN JOuRNAL

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The Asian Journal

WKND Immigration Corner

Federal court bans USCIS’s Fil-Am actor Jon Jon Briones new public charge rule stars in Ryan Murphy’s Netflix drama, ‘Ratched’

the COVID-19 outbreak. There is also great news, because USCIS announced it will abide by this injunction, and ON July 29, 2020, a federal that as long as the court’s decourt judge issued a nation- cision is in effect, “USCIS will w ide i njunct ion proh ibit i ng apply the 1999 public charge USCIS from enforcing, apply- g u ida nce t hat was i n place ing, implementing, or treating before the public charge rule as effective, President Trump’s was implemented on February new publ ic charge r u les as 24, 2020 to the adjudication of long as t her e i s a nat iona l any application for adjustment health emergency caused by of status on or after July 29,

Atty. MichAel Gurfinkel, eSQ

LifestyLe Consumer Guide Community marketpLaCe

2020.” T hey w i l l also apply the old/existing public charge rules in connection with any non-immigrant application for extension or change of status. As ever yone is aware, the new public charge rules were ver y st r ic t a nd r est r ic t ive, and people could have their adjustment of status denied if they ever received certain public benefits, were too old or PAGE B2

The new horror show from Hollywood powerhouse Ryan Murphy follows the origins of the iconic screen villain Nurse Ratched By KlaRize

Medenilla AJPress

AS Hollywood and the entertainment industry embark on the long-awaited journey toward inclusion and diversity, there’s one Filipino American who continues to lead the way for the culture. Stage and screen actor Jon Jon Briones will be co-starring in the highly-anticipated new Ryan Murphy (“Glee,” “American Horror Story”) vehicle called “Ratched,” which drops on Netflix on Sept. 18. “Ratched” follows the origin story of Nurse Ratched, the legendary villain of Ken Kesey’s novel “One Flew Over the Cuck- Sophie Okonedo as Charlotte Wells and Jon Jon Briones as Dr. Richard Hanover in “Ratched,” premiering on September 18 on Netflix. Photo by Saeed Adyani / Netflix PAGE B2

Alex shares lessons learned over the quarantine

Even if you’re busy, Alex said spending and making time for your family is crucial. CELEBRITY vlogger Alex “Before, it was the least of Gonzaga has had her fair share your priorities, ‘di ba? You of learnings during the quar- make time for your family beantine period with much of cause you’re always thinking her time, like most of us, spent they’re always there naman,” within the confines of home. she said, admitting how houseIn an exclusive interview with hold members are usually taken Philstar.com, the YouTube star for granted. bared some of her rawest real“This time that you’re always izations and caught us up on her at home, you work around, you personal life. rest, you watch TV, they’re still Alex Gonzaga Family Photo from Instagram/@cathygonzaga PAGE B2 by Ratziel

San Juan Philstar.com

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)

EntErtainmEnt

B AUGUST 8-11, 2020 â&#x20AC;˘ LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL

Federal court bans USCISâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s new... PAGE B1 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: â&#x20AC;˘ 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. â&#x20AC;˘ For any pet it ion or appl icat ion post ma rked on or after July 29, 2020, applicants should not include the Form I-944 or provide information about t he receipt of publ ic benefits on their adjustment of status applications.

â&#x20AC;˘ USCIS will not reject any adjustment of status application on the basis of the inclusion or exclusion of form I-944. W hile t his is great news, I would still advise people to consult with an immigration 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. T he r u les on el ig ibi l it y for immigration benefits are cha ng i ng a l l t he t i me, a nd it can be very confusing and complex for people. Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s why I advise that rather than taking cha nces a nd ha nd l i ng you r case on your own, you should seek the advice and assistance of an attorney.

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Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s time to protect your family from secondhand smoke ALL forms of secondhand smoke can damage lungs. Make your time at home as safe as possible. Even as COVID-19 restrictions ease, most Californians are staying home to play it safe. But unless you live in a smoke-free building, the safety of your home is worth a closer look. Did you know that secondhand smoke from cigarettes kills 41,000 nonsmoking adults and

400 children each year in this country? Now secondhand vape is adding its own toxic particles to the air we share. Same with secondhand marijuana, which contains many of the same cancer-causing chemicals as tobacco smoke. And secondhand smoke doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t affect everyone equally. People from low-income communities may be at an increased risk of exposure. With all these forms of secondhand smoke,

Californians need to pay special attention to protect their homes and health, especially when itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s more important than ever to keep our lungs healthy and immune systems strong. Visit Tobacco Free CA (https://tobaccofreeca.com/viet/topics/secondhand-smoke/) for tips and resources on how to keep your homes and families safe from secondhand smoke.

(Advertising Supplement)

â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Citizen Pinoy: Your Tanong, My Sagot â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Social Distancing Styleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; answers more questions on Part 2 on August 9 UNDER the â&#x20AC;&#x153;new normalâ&#x20AC;? amid the pandemic, Citizen Pinoy continues its public service by providing information and updates on immigration. On the second episode of â&#x20AC;&#x153;Your Tanong, My Sagot: Social Distancing Style,â&#x20AC;? 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

*** 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, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Success Storiesâ&#x20AC;?, 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 Catriona Gray and Sam Milby Call Toll free to schedule a consultation for anywhere in the US: 1-866-487-3465 (866) â&#x20AC;&#x201C; GURFINKEL Four offices to serve you: By Katrina Hallare LOS ANGELES â&#x2C6;&#x2122; SAN FRANCISCO â&#x2C6;&#x2122; Inquirer.net NEW YORK â&#x2C6;&#x2122; PHILIPPINES (Advertising Supplement) AS the famous Hotdog song goes, â&#x20AC;&#x153;I kaw A ng M iss Un iverse ng buhay ko.â&#x20AC;? A nd Sam Mi lby somehow believes this, as he sees Miss Universe 2018 Catriona Gray as â&#x20AC;&#x153;The One.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s early naman (to say), but I do believe sheâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the one,â&#x20AC;? Milby proudly said during the press conference of his upcoming teleserye â&#x20AC;&#x153;Ang Sa Iyo Ay Akinâ&#x20AC;? on Friday, August 7. It was on his 36th birthday t h at he m ade h i s r el at ionship w it h t he beaut y queen public.

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 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Social Distancing Style this Sunday, August 9, at 6:15 pm PST/EST (9:15 pm EST thru select Cable/Satellite providers).

(Advertising Supplement)

Photo from Youtube/Catriona Gray

Sam believes Catriona is â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;The Oneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;

Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Time for EggCeptional International Egg Recipes By Grace O

Is there any more perfect food than an egg â&#x20AC;&#x201C; both to look at and to eat? The pristine white or cafĂŠ au lait brown ovals are so full of promise. The rich golden yolk is quivering with possibilities. Besides being beautiful, eggs are nutritional powerhouses and prime FoodTrients. They are rich sources of selenium, vitamin D, B6, B12 and minerals such as zinc, iron and copper. Eggs contain fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E and K and are a source of high-quality protein at a mere 84 calories each. Their inexpensive yet high-quality protein content makes you feel fuller longer so theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re helpful in managing weight. They also contain about 5.7g fat of which only 1.6g is saturated fat.

Berry Clafoutis a la Francoise This Berry Clafoutis recipe is a French dessert, but it could easily be served for brunch. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s made with fruit that is covered with batter that FRQVLVWV RI HJJV VXJDU PLON DQG Ă RXU YHU\ PXFK OLNH Ă DQ LQ WH[WXUH ,WÂˇV WUDGLWLRQDOO\ made with cherries, but other fruits can be used such as pears, apples or plums. You can whip this up in less than an hour before everyone gets up! Besides the delicious taste DQG WKH DQWLR[LGDQW Ă&#x20AC; OOHG EHUULHV LWÂˇV VLPSOH WR prepare from items you probably have on hand in your pantry and refrigerator. If you use frozen berries, defrost them for about an hour Ă&#x20AC; UVW 7KH EHUULHV RI FRXUVH SURYLGH DQWLR[LGDQWV to go with the protein from the eggs and the calcium from the milk. Who says dessert canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be FoodTrient-worthy?

Ru mor s about M i lby a nd Gray being a couple started when t he t wo were spot ted together in a farm in January 2019. Mi lby was also ident if ied as the â&#x20AC;&#x153;mystery guyâ&#x20AC;? who attended Grayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 26th birthday party last January 7. With all the past heartaches he has gone through, is the actor ready to settle down with his Miss Universe girlfriend? â&#x20AC;&#x153;Syempre, may difference sa edad namin, Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m 36, and sheâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 26, and kakastart pa lang ng career niya,â&#x20AC;? Milby said. (Of course, thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a difference in our age. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m 36 and sheâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 26, and she just started

with her career.) A nd i f someone suddenly wou ld tel l hi m â&#x20AC;&#x153;T he Gi rl is M i ne,â&#x20AC;? just l i ke M ichael Jacksonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s song, how would he respond? â&#x20AC;&#x153;Kung akin talaga, ipaglalaban ko (If itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s really mine, Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; ll fight for it). Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s really mine, Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll fight for it. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll fight for her,â&#x20AC;? the actor responded. Milby is set to appear on t he newest teleser ye â&#x20AC;&#x153;A ng Sa Iyo Ay Akin,â&#x20AC;? opposite Iza Calzado, Jodi Sta. Maria and Maricel Soriano. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Ang Sa Iyo Ay Akinâ&#x20AC;? will prem iere on t he K apam i lya Channel and through steaming service iWant on Aug. 17.

Fil-Am actor Jon Jon Briones...

BERRY CLAFOUTIS A LA FRANCOISE MAKES 6 SERVINGS

Ingredients 1 cup milk Â˝ cup cane sugar 3 eggs 1Â˝ tsp. vanilla extract Zest of 1 lemon 2 Tbs. melted butter Ă´ FXS Ă RXU 1 Â˝ cup mixed fresh or frozen berries Powdered sugar, for garnish Instructions 1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. 2. In a bowl whisk together the milk, sugar, HJJV YDQLOOD OHPRQ DQG EXWWHU $GG WKH Ă RXU and mix until there are no lumps. 3. Pour the batter into a well-buttered 8-inch pie dish and top with the berries. Bake for 40-45 minutes. Dust with powdered sugar just before serving. Tastes best warm!

ABOUT GRACE O

GRACE O is the creator of FoodTrients, a unique program for optimizing wellness and longevity. She is the author of two award-winning cookbooksâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;THE AGE GRACEFULLY COOKBOOK and THE AGE BEAUTIFULLY COOKBOOK, which recently won Gourmandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Best in the Worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Award for Innovation. She is a fusion chef with a mission to deliver delicious recipes built on a foundation of anti-aging science and her 20 years in the healthcare industry. Visit FoodTrients.com to learn more. Email us at info@FoodTrients.com

PAGE B1 ooâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Nestâ&#x20AC;? and the iconic 1975 film adaptation. Briones, 55, will play Dr. Richard Hanover, an unhinged doctor who works alongside Ratched in a hospital during post-WWII America. The trailer for the psychological horror mini-series was released on Tuesday, Aug. 4 and promises a glamorous, macabre horror signature of Murphyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s storytelling. According to a press release, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Ratchedâ&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;will follow Ratchedâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s journey and evolution from nurse to full-fledged

monster. The series will track her murderous progression through the mental health care system.â&#x20AC;? Joining Briones is fellow Murphy regular Sarah Paulson, who will play the titular Nurse Ratched, as well as other renowned actors such as Cynthia Nixon, Sharon Stone, Don Cheadle and Judy Davis. Brionesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; casting in â&#x20AC;&#x153;Ratchedâ&#x20AC;? is a pivotal moment for Filipinos in prestige television. Briones previously co-starred on the critically-acclaimed second season of FX and Murphyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s â&#x20AC;&#x153;American Crime Story: The As-

sassination of Gianni Versaceâ&#x20AC;? as Modesto Cunanan, the father of Versaceâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s murderer Andrew Cunanan (played by fellow Filipino American actor Darren Criss, who won a Golden Globe for his performance). A stage actor originally, Briones starred in the original West End production of â&#x20AC;&#x153;Miss Saigonâ&#x20AC;? in 1989, playing multiple roles throughout the years including the Engineer. As a mainstay on Broadway and the global theatre community, Briones has also advocated for the inclusion and visibility of Asian Pacific American actors.

Alex shares lessons learned... PAGE B1 there. So parang nagkakasawaan na kayo ng mukha but actually I appreciate it more that you get to spend more time with your family.â&#x20AC;? The 32-year-old said that being extensively home-bound with her family reminded her of deeper obligations. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Kasi bumalik saâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;kin yung core value mo. Bumalik saâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;kin â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;yung mga objectives mo in life na why are you doing this, whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s your inspiration, what keeps you going, what are your motivations? Parang we are reminded.â&#x20AC;? Empathy Alex also observed that everyone is more sensitive and empathetic toward other peopleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s plight during the new normal. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Sometimes when weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re very busy kasi we forget na other people, may mga ibang tao na nagsa-sacrifice, may mga ibang tao na madaming sufferings,â&#x20AC;? she noted. â&#x20AC;&#x153;So right now na andito ka sa bahay mo ngayon sa new normal, you see news, you see

a lot of viral pictures, videos of people, parang you get to be more in touch with the reality that there are people who are really suffering and that need your help, need more consideration, need more understanding.â&#x20AC;? The COVID-19 crisis brought Alex to forego pushing through with some initially-set collaborations and instead focus on helping others however she can. Technology During her downtime, Alex said that she is still able to spend time with fiancĂŠ Mikee Morada every night via video call. Mikee usually visited every once in a while but will now have trouble doing so for the time being due to the recent imposition of modified enhanced community quarantine until August 18. Notwithstanding, Alex said theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re just lucky to have technology that allows them to go on with their lives during the new normal. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re really blessed that we are in this time na nagkaroon tayo ng lockdown but we have

already these technologies that we can use to still work kahit papaano, to see your friends, to see your loved ones, even if theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re far away. So kahit paano is meron ka pa ring communication sa mga tao,â&#x20AC;? she said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;And in a way, because of the technology also, parang kahit papaano, tuloy pa rin â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;yung ibang work. Hindi naman talaga totally nag-stop.â&#x20AC;? Alex said that as a content creator, her Oppo A92 mobile phone particularly helped her cope creatively and professionally with features like a rear quad-camera system, 5000mAh battery and large RAM and ROM. â&#x20AC;&#x153;So â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;yun talaga ang lagi kong kaagapay sa aking trabaho ngayon. So very, very helpful siya. At the same time, â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;yung camera niya... video-video ka, picturepicture ka. So for me as a content creator, malaking tulong talaga â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;yung nagawa ng Oppo and â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;yun hindi pa siya mabilis mawalan ng battery so mas nama-maximize mo â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;yung time and â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;yung mga nagagawa mo.â&#x20AC;?

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SEAFOOD CITY FPFC

B AUGUST 8-11, 2020 • LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL

Barrister’s Corner Atty. Kenneth UrSUA reyeS COUPLES get divorced for various reasons. California is a no fault state. The reasons why a couple is getting divorced are often irrelevant to the issues of the family law case. Divorce is often a difficult and negative experience for most families. However, getting divorce

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4 ways filing for divorce can benefit your immigration case may have some unintended benefits in the immigration law arena. Four situations in which filing for divorce can be beneficial to your immigration case are as follows: 1. Married Sons and Daughters of US Citizens If you were petitioned for legal permanent residence by your US

Citizen parent as a married son or daughter 21 years old or over, you are classified in immigration law under family sponsored third preference (F3) which usually carries a long wait time. The wait time for Filipinos for example is currently 22 years. The priority date is normally the date the petition was initially filed by your US Citizen parents. If you get divorced, you revert back to single status and your category automatically becomes reclassified to first preference (F1) where the waiting time is substantially shorter. For example, for Filipinos the wait time under F1 category is 10 years shorter than F3 category. This means if your parents filed your immigration petition 12 years ago, then you can adjust to a green card now instead of waiting another 10 years. 2. Married Sons and Daughters of Legal Permanent Residents If your parents are legal permanent residents, getting divorced will convert you back single status making you eligible to be petitioned by your legal permanent resident parents under the family based second preference (F2b) category if you are 21 years old or older or under the family based second preference A (F2a) if you are under 21 years of age. For those who married after they were petitioned by their LPR parents (F2A and F2B), the petition is automatically revoked under operation of law the moment you get married and cannot be reclaimed by a divorce. In theory, it can be argued that filing a subsequent petition after your divorce under the same category inherits the previous petition’s priority date under 9 FAM 42.43 N10 and 8 CFR 204.2(h), Part 205. However, success of such argument is not clear since the old petition was automatically revoked the moment you married. The best thing that can be done in this situation is to have your LPR parent repetition you as an F2A or F2b even if you are unable to reclaim the previous petition’s priority date. 3. Conditional Legal Permanent Residents in failed Marriages For those who obtained their legal permanent residence status through marriage based petition by their US Citizen spouse of less than 2 years marriage, the legal PAGE B6

Tax Tips Victor Sy, cPA, MBA & roger L. orieL

Nine short tips on penalties for late tax filing & paying

not to exceed 25%. 3. The failure-to-pay penalty is only ½% per month, not to 1. THE failure-to-file penalty is exceed 25%. Compared to the generally more than the failure-to- failure- to-file penalty, this is pay penalty. If you cannot pay small. You really should file on all the taxes you owe, file anyway time. to prevent the more costly failure4. You will not have to pay a to-file penalty. failure-to-file penalty if you can 2. The failure-to-file penalty is show that you failed to file on time 5% per month of the unpaid taxes, because of reasonable cause and

not because of willful neglect. 5. If you filed an extension and you paid at least 90% of your actual tax liability by the due date, you will not be faced with a failureto-pay penalty. 6. If both the failure-to-file penalty and the failure-to-pay penalty apply in any month, the 5% failure-to-file penalty is reduced by PAGE B6

Client needs bankruptcy to get rid of accumulated debt from failed business Debt Relief

Atty. LAwrence yAng THE client is 53. He is married and owns a house. He used to have a business, which was a DBA sole proprietorship. “DBA” means “doing business as.” Sole proprietorship means that an individual conducts a business in his personal capacity, without a corporation, or other kind of business entity. Other business entities used to conduct business include LLC, S corporation, C Corporation, reg-

istered partnership etc. In a sole proprietorship, all of the debts incurred for and by the business, are personal debts of the individual conducting the business. For example, client was in import and wholesale distribution of electrical parts. The business has a warehouse for the inventory. The client signs the warehouse lease in his personal capacity even if the lease is in the name of the business. The client has a line of credit from a bank for $100,000. Even if this line of credit is in the name of the business, client is personally liable on this line of credit such that the line of credit is treated as a personal loan to client for him to operate his business. It appears that the Trump trade war has been creating pressures

on client’s business. His overseas suppliers based in China are encountering shipping delays. Shipping delays have negative impact on collections because client cannot ship an order, bill and collect without merchandise. There is added pressure on the business when a factoring company is used. A factoring company finances the receivables of the business. Delayed shipments cause havoc on factoring arrangements because if the merchandise is not timely delivered, the customers may not pay or may even cancel the order. The client’s business was running smoothly for 10 years. But the recent hiccups in delivery caused major problems for client. PAGE B6

Removal of conditions after divorce Tapat Sa Batas Atty. rheA SAMSon NOONG isang linggo ay aking tinalakay ang Removal of Conditions on Green Card. Sinabi ko na kapag ang green card ay nakuha sa pamamagitan ng kasal sa isang U.S. citizen (USC) at ang kasal ay wala pang 2 taon noong naaprubahan ng USCIS ang green card, ang green card na makukuha ng dayuhan ay conditional green card na may bisa na 2 taon. Ang dayuhan ay tinawag na conditional permanent resident (CPR).

Upang matanggal ang conditions sa green card, ang CPR ay kailangang mag-file ng I-751 Petition to Remove Conditions on Residence sa loob ng 90 araw bago ang ikalawang anibersaryo niya bilang conditional resident (90-day limit). Kapag ang CPR ay nag-file ng I-751 Petition, kailangan niyang magbigay ng ebidensya na magpapatunay na ang kanyang kasal sa USC ay totoong kasal at ang kasal ay hindi naganap upang lumabag sa US immigration laws. Ang I-751 Petition ay joint petition at kailangang pirmahan ng CPR at asawang USC. Ngunit paano kung ang USC at CPR ay nag-divorce na bago ang 2nd anniversary ng green card ng CPR? Sa ganitong sitwasyon, ang joint petition para sa removal ng conditions ng green card ay hin-

di na possible. Ngunit ang CPR ay kailangan pa ring mag-file ng I-751 Petition to Remove Conditions on Residence at dapat siyang humingi ng waiver ng joint filing requirement. Ang 90-day limit ay hindi kailangang sundin para sa pag-file ng waiver request. Sa ilalim ng Immigration and Nationality Act (INA), ang waiver ng joint filing ay maaaring maaprubahan sa tatlong paraan: (1) Extreme hardship sa dayuhan ang magiging resulta kung siya ay madedeport (hardship waiver); (2) Ang kasal ay good faith marriage at ang dayuhan ay hindi nagpakasal para lamang makakuha ng green card. Maliban dito, ang divorce ay hindi dahil sa kasalanan ng dayuhan (good faith marriage waiver); o (3) Ang kasal ay good faith marPAGE B6

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Minding Your Finances atty. Raymond Bulaon IF you’re in debt and are considering bankruptcy as an option for you to get needed relief, perhaps just hearing the word “bankruptcy” makes you extremely nervous. Maybe the word conjures up images in your mind of losing everything you have and not having a financial future. Relax. It’s not what you think. Regardless of what you may heard about bankruptcy, it is really nothing more than a petition that you file with the court in order to get relief from debts that you can no longer pay. If you were physically sick, the best thing to do is to go to get immediate medical help. If you’re not well, you may be admitted to a hospital where you can get medical care and treatment until you recover and are able to function again. The same is true if you are financially sick and are no longer

EMPLOYMENT

When filing bankruptcy becomes necessary

able to take care of yourself. I always tell my clients that bankruptcy is like getting a needed surgery. Yes, it may hurt but it’s exactly what you need to get better. How do you know if bankruptcy makes sense for your situation? Well, here are 4 situations that may tell you if you are going in the right direction. You can no longer afford to make your monthly debt payments. If you are always late in making your debt payments and you are sometimes forced to borrow even more just to pay other debts, this is a serious sign of financial trouble. To get out of debt, you need to stop borrowing and not do the exact opposite. Otherwise, the financial hole you’re in just keeps getting deeper every month. Your income is not sufficient to even pay for living expenses, let alone pay your debts. This is one of the most common reasons whey people file bankruptcy. If you have suffered a loss of income

and can’t even cover basic necessities such as rent, food, utilities, etc., the question is whether or not you’d be able to replace the lost income right away in order to avoid defaulting on your debts. If your current situation is likely to continue for a long period of time, it will not take very long to be broke unless you have financial reserves. Sadly, most people don’t. Your credit is already damaged. A lot of people consulting with me about bankruptcy often ask about the impact that filing may have on their credit. That’s understandable especially if maintaining a good credit rating is important to you. But if your credit is already damaged due to late payments, repos, foreclosure, lawsuits or judgments, what “credit” are you really trying to protect? Filing bankruptcy may actually help you re-establish credit much faster (usually 2-3 years) instead of having a lot of collection accounts on your record. Remember that as long as you do not pay creditors,

EMPLOYMENT

LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL • AUGUST 8-11, 2020

The Prophetic Voice

”It is I; do not fear!”

WE have another fascinating Gospel Reading (Matthew 14:-36) this Sunday. As the disciples were on a boat in the midst of fierce winds and waves, Jesus showed himself to them by walking on the water. Then the disciples shouted saying, “It is a ghost!” Jesus responded, “Take courage, it is I; do not be afraid.” The story continues with the

classic scene of Peter asking Jesus, “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.” To which Jesus responded, “Come!” So Peter began walking toward Jesus. But when he saw the strong wind and waves he was frightened and shouted, “Lord, save!” Jesus immediately stretched out his hand and caught Peter, and said to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” Many times we find ourselves in the shoes of Peter. Certainly, we trust the Lord. In fact, we always say that the Lord provides and he takes care of us. But when we start to feel the waves

of problems, responsibilities, and insecurities in our lives, we begin to sink in the ocean of life like Peter. We start to drown in our fears and anxieties. It’s then that God reminds us to have faith in him and not be afraid. Many factors contribute to our fears and anxieties. We’re afraid of not meeting people’s expectations, of failures and the uncertainties of tomorrow. We’re scared of getting sick, getting old, and yes, dying. Of course, we’re human, and it’s natural for us to be fearful. Who’s not scared of getting the

they will continue to report you month after month which then makes it impossible for you to regain your credit. Because every situation is unique, there may be reasons other than the above which could make filing bankruptcy the best option in getting out of debt. Before going down this road, of course, you need to know the pros and cons by seeking legal advice so that you can make an informed

decision. If you have not read my book, “What You Need to Know Before Filing Bankruptcy”, you can download it free of charge at HYPERLINK “http://www.beforefilingbk.com” www.beforefilingbk.com. For a free evaluation of your case, please call our office at TollFree 1-866-477-7772 to schedule a free consultation. *** NOTE: Due to the virus lockdown, I am

currently offering consultations via phone or video. Please call the office to schedule your appointment with me. Questions? Email me at gethelp@rjb-lawoffices.com. *** None of the information herein is intended to give legal advice for any specific situation. Atty. Ray Bulaon has successfully helped over 5,000 clients in getting out of debt. For a free attorney evaluation of your situation, please call RJB Law Offices at TOLL FREE 1-866-477-7772.

ReveRend Rodel G. BalaGtas

EMPLOYMENT

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Can the employer fire you for joining protests? Your work and your right to political expression

Q: I CARE about today’s issues of social justice - from racial inequality to voting rights suppression to fighting for decent wages. I want to participate in peaceful demonstrations, but wanted to know its effect on my job. Can I be terminated from work if I join any of these marches or protests? A: The general answer to your question is no, your employer cannot legally terminate an employee simply for participating in political activities outside of work. An employer is prohibited under California’s Labor Code from engaging in any adverse action towards an employee, such as demotion or termination, if the employee engaged in “lawful conduct” during non-working hours and away from the workplace. In addition, employers cannot control or direct the political activities or affiliations of its employees. Hence, employers cannot enforce a rule or policy that forbids employees from participating in political acts. Nor can employers force or influence employees to follow any particular course or line of political action by threatening employees of termination. Therefore, an employer is generally prohibited from discharging, or threatening to discharge, an employee for attending rallies

Protecting Employee & Consumer Rights Atty. C. Joe SAyAS, Jr. or protests against actions by government agencies. Political activity may also include “the wearing of symbols, association with others for the advancement of beliefs and ideas, and espousal of candidates or causes.” However, the employer may have a right to discipline or fire an employee if they missed work without permission while engaged in some political activity outside work. The employer may also discipline or terminate an employee if their political activities cause significant disruption to the employer’s business. What if, in the course of attending a rally or protest, the employee was arrested? Can the employer then discipline or fire the employee because of the arrest? If the arrest disrupts the employer’s business, then the employer may act adversely toward the employee by suspending or demoting or even terminating an employee pending a trial. However, the employer cannot use the arrest, without a conviction, as the only factor in the employer’s decision to disci-

4 ways filing for... PAGE B4 permanent residence status conferred is usually a “conditional legal permanent residence” valid only for 2 years. The couple would need to sign and file a joint petition to remove this condition prior to the expiration of the 2 years or the conditional legal permanent resident spouse would fall out of status. The problem arises when the marriage is in trouble. Often it becomes difficult to obtain the cooperation of the US Citizen spouse specially when the couple has separated. US Citizen spouse often refuse to sign the I-751 for or appear at the I-751 interview if one is set by the USCIS. Filing for divorce would terminate the marriage and allow you to file a “waiver” of the joint petition to remove the conditional LPR status based on entering into the marriage in good faith. Terminating the marriage by filing a divorce is a requirement in order to file the “waiver.” It is important to time this correctly as soon as the marriage starts falling apart because by terminating the marriage early on, you might be able to file the waiver before the expiration of your 2 year conditional LPR thus allowing you to extend your LPR status in 1 year increments until a final decision is made in your case. 4. Married Aliens in Non-Immigrant Visas and those without Status

For those who enter the US as a non-immigrant and are separated from their spouse but still married, filing a divorce would open up opportunities in case they meet a new significant other who is a US Citizen and who can petition them as an immediate relative. This is usually the fastest of process in obtaining legal permanent residence. In countries such as the Philippines where there is no divorce, many people come to the US to start a new life after they have been separated from their old spouse (often still married to them). Even if the alien over stays their status as a visitor, the alien can still adjust to that of a legal permanent residence if petitioned by a US Citizen spouse. If the alien was never inspected, the alien can still adjust to legal permanent residence if they are grandfathered under INA 245(i) and there are no special restrictions on their status. To be grandfathered under INA 245(i), the alien must have been a beneficiary of a legal permanent residence petition filed no later than April 30, 2001. Finally, a common concern of divorcing immigrants is “What happens if my spouse refuses to sign the divorce papers?” The truth is you do not need your spouse’s signature to obtain a divorce in California. You only need to provide your spouse notice that you filed a divorce by personally serving your spouse the divorce petition and

Removal of conditions...

PAGE B4 riage, ngunit sa loob ng kasal na ito, ang dayuhan o ang anak ng dayuhan ay inabuso at sinaktan o kaya pinailalim sa matinding kalupitan ng asawang USC (waiver based on extreme mental cruelty or battery). Kung mayroon nang divorce decree bago pa ang 2-year anniversary ng conditional green card, ang basihan ng waiver ng joint filing requirement ay good faith marriage waiver. Kailangang mapatunayan ng CPR sa USCIS na may mga mabisang dahilan para sa exception sa joint filing requirement dahil ang kasal ay totoong kasal at hindi business transaction para lumabag sa US Immigration Laws. Ang mga ebidensya ng bona fide marriage ay mga dokumentong magpapakita ng commitment ng mag-asawa sa isa’t-isa tulad ng pagsasama ng kanilang mga pera at kayamanan, haba ng kanilang pagsasama bilang mag-asawa, at birth certificate ng kanilang mga anak. Ang I-751 Waiver ay discretionary kaya’t ang CPR ay kailangan ding magbigay sa USCIS ng paliwanag kung bakit sila ay nag-divorce; na ito ay hindi kasalanan ng CPR, ngunit kasalanan ng asawang USC - tulad ng pag-iwan at pagabandona sa kanya ng USC, pagkakulong ng USC, o pangangalunya ng USC. Last week I discussed Removal on Conditions on Green Card and stated that when a green card is obtained through marriage to a U.S. citizen (USC) spouse and the couple is married less than 2 years during the adjudication of the green card, the green card that the alien/conditional permanent resident (CPR) will receive

will be a conditional green card, valid for 2 years. To remove the conditions on the green card, the CPR must file an I-751 Petition to Remove Conditions on Residence during the 90 days before his 2nd anniversary as a conditional resident (“90-day limit”) and submit evidence on the bona fides of the marriage - the marriage was not entered into for the purpose of evading US immigration laws. This Petition is a joint petition that must be signed by the CPR and USC spouse. But what happens if the couple is already divorced before the 2nd anniversary of the green card? If a divorce decree is obtained, the joint petition for removal of conditions on green card will not be possible. The CPR will still need to submit an I-751 Petition to Remove Conditions on Residence, but the CPR will have to request for a waiver of the joint filing requirement. The 90-day limit is not imposed for the filing of a waiver request. Under the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA), waiver of joint filing may be obtained under the following three circumstances: (1) Extreme hardship will result if the alien is deported (hardship waiver); (2) The qualifying marriage was entered into in good faith by the alien spouse, but the qualifying marriage has been terminated (other than through death of the spouse) and the alien was not at fault (good faith marriage waiver); or (3) The qualifying marriage was entered into in good faith by the alien spouse and during the marriage, the alien spouse or child was battered by or subject to extreme cruelty perpetrated by the USC spouse (waiver based on extreme mental cruelty

Removing the conditions of your permanent residence without your petitioning spouse’s participation

pline the employee. If the arrest is resolved without a conviction, then the arrest alone cannot be used to demote, or terminate the employee. At the heart of the First Amendment of the United States Constitution is the right to join with fellow citizens in protest or peaceful assembly to petition the government for a redress of grievances. This is critical to a functioning democracy. It is even more critical to ending systemic injustice and advancing social changes that uphold human rights and dignity. If employees make the patriotic choice to peacefully stand up and defend the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness – they can take comfort in the fact that California has employment laws that protect them. *** The Law Offices of C. Joe Sayas, Jr. welcomes inquiries about this topic. All inquiries are confidential and at nocost. You can contact the office at (818) 291-0088 or visit www.joesayaslaw. com. [For more than 25 years, C. Joe Sayas, Jr., Esq. successfully recovered wages and other monetary damages for thousands of employees and consumers. He was named Top Labor & Employment Attorney in California by the Daily Journal, consistently selected as Super Lawyer by the Los Angeles Magazine, and is a past Presidential Awardee for Outstanding Filipino Overseas.] (Advertising Supplement)

A PERSON who obtains his/ her green card via marriage to a U.S. citizen spouse, and who is married for less than 2 years has conditional permanent resident status. A conditional permanent resident has a green card that is valid for 2 years. In order to continue to have permanent resident status after 2 years, the conditional permanent resident and his/her U.S. citizen spouse must file an I751 Petition to Remove Conditions on Residence during the 90 days before the expiration of the green card. 8 CFR 216.4(a)(1) But what if things don’t work out with the U.S. citizen spouse after getting married, and the conditional permanent resident can no longer get the participation of his/her U.S. citizen spouse in filing the I751 petition? In such a case, the conditional permanent resident may seek an I-751 waiver of the joint filing requirement. In order to qualify for an I751 waiver of the joint filing requirement, the conditional permanent resident must show that the marriage upon which his/her status was based was: 1) entered into in good faith, and 2) terminated. 8 CFR 216.5(a)(1)(ii) With respect to the required showing that the marriage was entered into in good faith, the conditional permanent resi-

summons. In countries that are members of the Hague Convention, special procedures need to be followed to effect service. So yes it is possible to divorce your spouse even if your spouse is in a country that does not recognize divorce among its citizens such as the Philippines. For some immigrants, filing for divorce opens up opportunities in this land of milk and honey. *** Please note that this article is not legal advice and is not intended as legal advice. The article is intended to provide only general, non-specific legal information. This article is not intended to cover all the issues related to the topic discussed. The specific facts that apply to your matter may make the outcome different than would be anticipated by you. This article does create any attorney client relationship between you and the Law Offices of Kenneth U. Reyes, P.C. This article is not a solicitation. *** Attorney Kenneth Ursua Reyes is a Certified Family Law Specialist. He was President of the Philippine American Bar Association. He is a member of both the Family law section and Immigration law section of the Los Angeles County Bar Association. He is a graduate of Southwestern University Law School in Los Angeles and California State University, San Bernardino School of Business Administration. He has extensive CPA experience prior to law practice. LAW OFFICES OF KENNETH REYES, APLC is located at 3699 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 747, Los Angeles, CA, 90010. Tel. (213) 388-1611 or e-mail Kenneth@kenreyeslaw.com or visit our website at Kenreyeslaw.com (Advertising Supplement)

Client needs bankruptcy to get rid of...

or battery). If a divorce decree has already been obtained before the 2-year anniversary of the conditional green card, the basis for the waiver is good faith marriage waiver. The CPR has to convince USCIS that valid reasons exist to allow an exception to the joint filing requirement by showing that the marriage was bona fide and was not a “business transaction” for the purpose of evading US immigration laws. The evidence of bona fide marriage should include evidence relating to the amount of commitment by both parties to the marital relationship such as documentation of joint financial activities, length of residence together, and birth certificates of the children born of the marriage. I-751 Waivers are discretionary so the CPR must prepare a written explanation as to why the marriage ended and if possible, submit documents on the circumstances surrounding the end of the marriage not due to the fault of the CPR such as abandonment, imprisonment or adultery of the USC spouse. *** ATTY. RHEA SAMSON is the principal of SAMSON LAW FIRM, P.C. She has been a member of the State Bar of California for over 15 years and the Integrated Bar of the Philippines for over 20 years. Atty. Samson received her Legal Management degree from the Ateneo de Manila University and her Juris Doctor degree from the Ateneo Law School. She was a Professor for over 10 years, teaching Obligations and Contracts, Labor Laws and Social Legislation and Taxation Law. Atty Samson is the author of The Law on Obligations and Contracts (2016), Working with Labor Laws-Revised Edition (2014) and Working with Labor Laws (2005). SAMSON LAW FIRM, P.C., 3580 Wilshire Boulevard, Suite 1710, Los Angeles, CA 90010; Phone: (213) 274-4561; Email:info@ samsonlawfirmpc.com.

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PAGE B4 If customer suspected the client had delivery problems, customer will just cancel large orders and give the business to others who do not have delivery problems. So, the client’s business has suffered greatly and no longer profitable. Worse, client has to fend off suppliers and banks that want to get paid. The client then uses his credit cards to refinance his business debts, one by one. Why do I mean by refinance? For example, he has an American Express card with a credit line of $20,000 . He draws on that to pay off a portion of credit line from the other bank. In other words, he is borrowing from Peter to pay Paul. Soon enough, he has maxed out all of his credit cards. He tells me that he maxed out at $150,000 of credit cards. He now pays $4,500 a month of minimum monthly payments to keep the $150,000 current. He did that for 6 months but could not make the minimum payments anymore. Well, that’s obvious. To be able to pay $4,500 monthly, client’s gross income should at least be five times that amount. To pay that with ease, his gross income should be at least $22,000. But his gross income now from employment is only $4,000 a month. It’s clear he has to get rid of the $150,000 credit card debt, right? There are only two effective ways of getting rid of his $150,000 of credit card debt. The first is Chapter 7 bankruptcy. The second is Chapter 13 bankruptcy. The other options are pie in the sky: getting a 2nd trust deed to pay off the $150,000 or, consolidating these with a settlement company. The first pie in the sky is sucking $150,000 of equity out of your house and using the proceeds to pay off the $150,000 credit cards. Replacing credit card debt with a mortgage on your house is

Legal Advice Atty. DArriCk tAn dent must show that his/her marriage was not a “sham.” A marriage is considered a “sham” if, when they married, the couple did not intend to establish a life together. An intent to obtain something other than or in addition to love and companionship (such as a green card) from that life does not make a marriage a sham. Matter of Soltan, A76 888 125 (BIA 2001). Documents such as joint bank and credit card statements, and photos that demonstrate that the marriage was entered in good faith should be presented. Also, in order to qualify for an I-751 waiver of the joint filing requirement, the conditional permanent resident must show that the marriage was terminated. By “terminated,” the USCIS requires a valid, formal divorce judgment. An I-751 waiver of the joint filing requirement cannot be approved in cases where the conditional permanent resident is legally separated or in divorce proceedings that are still pending. Also, once the marriage is terminated, the conditional resident may file

never a good idea. By doing this, you increase your mortgage payments. You put your house at risk. Need I say more? Instead of paying $1,700 for your house payment, you will now pay another $800. That increases your house payment to $2,500. That’s a bad idea. The second pie in the sky involves signing a contract with a debt settlement company. The so called settlement company will deal with all your credit card companies and beg them to give you some kind of settlement deal. The problem is this settlement company is somewhere in Timbuktu, it’s anyone’s guess which credit card will agree to whatever kind of settlement (this is why debtors who opt for this pie in the sky still get sued by creditors despite the “arrangement”), payments are sent to the settlement company, not the creditor. In other words, what actually happens to the money you send to the settlement company again is anyone’s guess. And the settlement company may have its own cash flow problems putting your payments at risk. If you are eligible for Chapter 7, that’s the simplest way to go. Chapter 7 will wipe out client’s $150,000 and all other debts and give him a fresh start in life without accumulated debt for a business that failed. Why should he spend the rest of his life paying back a business loss? He should be given a fresh start without debt, just like Walt Disney who filed for Chapter 7 twice before his Disneyland business became wildly successful. Of course you’ve been to his Disneyland theme parks a couple of times with your family, haven’t you? He filed for Chapter 7 twice. So don’t get into the “holier than thou” mentality. It is counter-productive and you’ll never get out of your ever-deepening debt hole. If client does not qualify for Chapter 7 because he has too

the I-751 petition immediately, and does not have to wait until the normal 90 days before the expiration of the conditional green card. It is worth noting that if the conditional permanent resident and his/her U.S. Citizen spouse live in California, a valid divorce judgment must be obtained in the California courts. I have had numerous California-resident clients in the past who have obtained a “quick” divorce judgment in Nevada only to face USCIS scrutiny after presenting the Nevada divorce judgment in support of an I-751 waiver request (since one must be a Nevada resident to obtain a divorce in Nevada). The assistance of an experienced attorney in handling the divorce as well as the I-751 waiver request is accordingly recommended. *** Darrick V. Tan, Esq. is admitted to practice law in California and Nevada. Mr. Tan is a graduate of UCLA and Southwestern University School of Law. He is a member of the American Immigration Lawyers Association and the Consumers Attorney Association of Los Angeles. He has also served on the Board of Governors of the Philippine American Bar Association. *** LAW OFFICES OF DARRICK V. TAN, 3580 Wilshire Boulevard, Suite 900, Los Angeles, CA 90010. Tel: 323-639-0277. Email: info@dtanlaw.com (Advertising Supplement)

much equity in his house that is beyond the homestead exemption, then he should file for Chapter 13 reorganization instead. In Chapter 13, he may pay only a portion of the $150,000. If the non-exempt equity of his house is $20,000, he need only pay $350 a month for 60 months, and after that is done, the court wipes out $130,000 and all of his other debts. There is no risk to his house. All of his payments are paid to the Chapter 13 trustee who is an officer of the court. All payments are guaranteed by Federal law and the Federal bankruptcy court to be paid to all creditors who timely file a proof of claim. Creditors who do not file a proof of claim need not get paid. Those debts just get wiped out. When the Chapter 13 is filed, a court order protects client’s house from liens and judgments, and all creditors are prohibited from calling or suing debtor. Peace of mind and order out of chaos. If you want to become productive again without accumulated debt, you absolutely need to wipe out accumulated debt with Chapter 7 or Chapter 13 bankruptcy. If you want to straighten out your financial life once and for all, do Chapter 7 or Chapter 13. You will not regret it. It’s the best remedy to accumulated debt short of winning the lottery. *** Disclaimer: None of the foregoing is considered legal advice. Each case is different. *** Lawrence Bautista Yang specializes in Bankruptcy, Business, Real Estate and Civil Litigation and has successfully represented more than five thousand clients in California. Please call Angie, Barbara or Jess at (626) 284-1142 for an appointment at 20274 Carrey Road, Walnut, CA 91789 or 1000 S. Fremont Ave., Mailstop 58, Building A-10 South Suite 10042, Alhambra, CA 91803. (Advertising Supplement)

Nine short tips on penalties for late tax... PAGE B4 the failure-to-pay penalty, meaning the maximum combined penalty tops at 5%. 7. Request a payment plan. Use form 9465. 8. IRS may ask you to provide financial information (Form 433-A for individuals or Form 433-B for businesses) if you owe over a certain amount or if you have some

issues such as delinquencies in paying or filing. 9. M advice: If you can’t pay, file. Reduce your penalties by filing on time and saving the bigger late filing penalty. *** Victor Santos Sy graduated Cum Laude from UE with a BBA and from Indiana State University with an MBA. Vic worked with SyCip, Gorres, Velayo (SGV - Andersen

”It is I; do not fear!”...

PAGE B5 coronavirus? But that’s when we turn to Jesus and ask him to save us from all these fears and anxieties. That’s when we entrust to him all our concerns and ask him to interfere in our lives. Yes, that’s when we should trust the power of God! Today’s Gospel according to Matthew emphasizes divine power. “It is I; do not be afraid,” the Lord says. As biblical exegetes say, the heart of this Gospel story is the manifestation of God who does what he does, “walking on the sea and rescuing those in danger of drowning.”

He’s the God who reveals himself to us, not in winds, earthquake or fire as the First Reading in this Sunday’s Mass tells us (1 Kings 11-13), but in a tiny whispering sound that assures us of his presence and his power to save us. In the whispering sound, God tells us to increase our faith and to remain firm. We’ll need to remember the many ways that God has interfered in our personal histories and the history of the world. It’s what St. Paul tells us in the Second Reading when he refers to God’s involvement in the lives of

Consulting) and Ernst & Young before establishing Sy Accountancy Corporation in Pasadena, California. *** He has 50 years of experience in defending taxpayers audited by the IRS, FTB, EDD, BOE and other governmental agencies. He is publishing a book on his expertise - “HOW TO AVOID OR SURVIVE IRS AUDITS.” Our readers may inquire about the book or email tax questions at vicsy@live.com. the Israelites. Paul said, “theirs the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the worship, and the promises; theirs the patriarchs, and from them, according to the flesh, is the Christ, who is over all, God blessed forever. (Romans 9:5) Covenants, promises, and the reign of Jesus Christ—these are God’s manifestations throughout the history of the world and the history of our lives. May we never fail to recall them so that our hearts will remain courageous to face all uncertainties and fears! *** Fr. Rodel “Odey” Balagtas is the pastor of Incarnation Church in Glendale, California.

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