081220 - Southern California Midweek Edition

August 12-14, 2020 Volume 30 - No.60 • 2 Sections - 14 Pages

USA

DATELINE US State Dept. issues travel advisory for PH FROM THE AJPRESS NEWS TEAM ACROSS AMERICA

THE United States is urging its citizens to reconsider traveling to the Philippines due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The appeal came after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued a level 3 Travel Health Notice for the country.

“Reconsider travel to the Philippines due to COVID-19. Additionally, exercise increased caution in the Philippines due to crime, terrorism, civil unrest, a measles outbreak, and kidnapping. Some areas have increased risk,” the U.S. State Department said on Thursday, August 6.

It warned tourists against traveling to Sulu Archipelago, including the southern Sulu Sea, due to crime, terrorism, civil unrest, and kidnapping, as well as Marawi City in Mindanao due to terrorism and civil unrest.

It also urged the tourist to reconsider traveling to other areas of Mindanao due to crime, terrorism, civil unrest, and kidnapping.

“Terrorist and armed groups continue plotting possible kidnappings, bombings, and

Foreign spouses of Filipino citizens will now need visas to enter PH

by RITCHEL

MENDIOLA AJPress

THE foreign spouses and dependents of Filipino citizens will need visas to enter the Philippines, the country’s Bureau of Immigration recently announced.

The new requirement took effect on August 9.

“Foreign spouses of Filipinos must now secure entry visas from our Consulates abroad before traveling to the Philippines. Otherwise, they will be denied entry by our immigration officers and sent back to their ports of origin,” said Immigration Commissioner Jaime Morente in a statement.

by RITCHEL

MENDIOLA AJPress

Small business grant program launched for LA’s 13th District

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VILLAGE CHECKPOINT. A barangay personnel checks the temperature of a bicycle rider using a thermal scanner at a barangay quarantine checkpoint on Olalia Road in Barangay Bagong Nayon 1 in Antipolo City on Tuesday, August 11. Metro Manila and the neighboring provinces of Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna, and Rizal were placed under modified enhanced community quarantine from August 4 to August 18 to curb the spike in coronavirus disease cases.

PNA photo by Joey O. Razon

FIVE more Filipinos injured during last week’s explosion in Beirut, Lebanon have been identified by the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), bringing the tally to 47.

“We are still thankful that the injuries sustained by our kababayans (countrymen) are not life-threatening. We also thank our Embassy personnel for taking prompt action,” said Undersecretary Sarah Lou Y. Arriola in a statement on Monday, August 10.

Most of the wounded Filipinos are household service workers, according to the Philippine Embassy in Beirut.

Four Filipinos were killed in the blast, while one household service worker remains missing.

The DFA also reassured that it is intensifying its operations to bring the Filipinos in Beirut back home to the Philippines.

This came after the surprise resignation of Lebanese Prime Minister Hassan Diab and his cabinet resigned on Monday night amid the protests.

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Ramona Diaz’s new documentary‘A Thousand Cuts’offers an immersive look into Maria Ressa’s fight for press freedom in PH

by CHRISTINA

M. ORIEL

AJPress

TWO years into Philippine President Rodrigo’s term, Filipina American filmmaker Ramona Diaz set out to make a documentary about the crackdown on illegal drugs that has drawn international attention.

However, the strongman’s war on drugs has become the focus of many films, which led Diaz — whose previous work includes “Motherland,” “Don’t Stop Believin’: Everyman’s Journey” and “Imelda” — to meeting Rappler co-founder and veteran journalist, Maria Ressa, who soon became the “center of gravity” of the project.

The final product is “A Thousand Cuts,” referring to the supposed chipping away of the Philippines’ democracy,” a thrilling look at the state of press freedom in the Philippines and Ressa’s role as a vocal critic set amidst the backdrop of country’s midterm elections in 2019. Duterte supporters, Mocha Uson and former Police General Bato dela Rosa, now a senator, are also highlighted in the documentary.

“After I met Maria, she was also talking about disinformation and impunity and how that intersected with the drug war, which I thought was a more global story,” Diaz said. “With the rise of fascism and au- PAL Area Manager in Los Angeles Michelle Narvaez and San Francisco Area Manager Dell Marano

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show that passengers must wear a face shield in addition to a face mask.

Contributed photos

Fil-Am leaders praise choice of Senator PAL to require passengers Kamala Harris as Biden’s running mate to wear face shields, masks Harris becomes the first Black woman and Asian American person on a major party ticket

by CHRISTINA

M. ORIEL

AJPress

Former Vice President Joe Biden, the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee, announced California Sen. Kamala Harris as his running mate on Tuesday, August 11. “I’m honored to join him as our party’s nominee for Vice President, and do everything it takes to make @JoeBiden our next Commander-in-Chief,” Harris wrote in an Instagram post.

Photo courtesy of Kamala Harris/Instagram

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DFA: 47 Filipinos among injured during Beirut blast

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SMALL business owners in Los Angeles’ 13th council district can apply for a grant program starting this week.

Led by Councilmember Mitch O’Farrell and the city’s Economic and Workforce Development Department, $1 million of discretionary funding has been allocated to help small businesses pay bills while the safer at home orders continue to be in place.

“Our small businesses continue to experience serious hardships and devastation because of the pandemic,” O’Farrell said in a statement. “This financial assistance helps retain workers while enabling some small and independent business owners to survive.”

The Emergency Small Business Grant Program will help businesses in the district that have at least three and up to 26 employees.

Online applications begin on Thursday, August 13 at 8 a.m. until Monday, August 17 at 11:59 p.m. on www.CD13.com.

The 13th district — considered the most densely populated council territory in the city — covers Historic Filipinotown, Silver

The requirement also applies to children of Philippine citizens and children with special needs, regardless of age, as well as to foreign parents of Filipino and children with special needs, also regardless of age.

Prior to the Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerg-

SEVERAL Filipino American elected officials and community leaders on Tuesday, August 11 reacted to the selection of California Senator Kamala Harris as former Vice President Joe Biden’s running mate.

Juslyn Manalo, vice mayor of Daly City, California, said the announcement “sends the right message” of what a Biden presidency will look like.

“Joe Biden choosing Senator Harris will dramatically improve how the voters look at his candidacy and values,” she said.

Manalo serves as the state’s co-chair for

“Filipino Americans for Biden,” a national group of Fil-Ams working to send the former vice president to the White House this November.

Biden, the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee, revealed the firstterm senator as his pick in a historic move on Tuesday after months of speculation.

Harris — the daughter of Indian and Jamaican immigrants — is the first Black woman and the first Asian American person to be on a major party’s presidential ticket. (She is also the third woman to be a vice-presidential choice after Geraldine

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by AJPRESS

ALL passengers traveling on Philippine Airlines will be required to wear face shields, on top of the mandatory face masks, starting August 15.

The new measure is in compliance with the latest guidelines that the Philippine Department of Transportation set for the public transport sector.

“Passengers are required to wear masks and face shields during all phases of the flight,” the airline said in a recent advisory.

As “safety remains the cornerstone of PAL’s operations,” the airline said the latest directive is in line with the existing mea-

sures, which include the cabin crew in full personal protective equipment during the flight.

“The new directive on face shields complements our existing multi-layered safety measures such as the use by our cabin crew of full PPE or Personal Protective Equipment in flight, the availability of hand sanitizers on-ground and inflight, thermal scanning of all passengers, special inflight service, installation of protective barriers at airport and ticket office counters, intensive disinfection of aircraft surfaces using high-grade eco-friendly cleaning agents, high-tech cabin air flow systems to refresh cabin

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A August 12-14, 2020 • soCal AsIAN JOuRNAL

Small business grant program...

PAGE A1 Lake, Echo Park, Atwater Village, Thai Town, East Hollywood, Hollywood, Little Armenia, Elysian Valley and Glassell Park.

The city’s EWDD has the following requirements from applicants: • Must have an established

business in the 13th District • Must have “active” status with CA Secretary of State • Must provide documents in the application (current BTRC, W-9, etc.)

• Must have at least three and up to 26 employees • Economically affected by

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

From the Front Page COVID-19 Acelera Financial is providing technical assistance to answer questions about the application process. Interested business owners are encouraged to contact Acelera by email at TA@ acelerafinancial.com or call (213) 410-5099. (AJPress)

PAL to require passengers to wear...

PAGE A1 air, and use of HEPA (High Efficiency Particulate Air) Filters to cleanse cabin air of impurities, bacteria and viruses, with 99.99 percent efficacy,” it added.

Cebu Pacific has also required its passengers to wear face shields “during the entire flight” starting Aug. 15.

“This is on top of the mandatory use of face masks upon entering the airport terminal until arrival at the destination,” it said.

Earlier, the DOTr issued a memorandum circular ordering all passengers to wear face shields when using public transportation.

This applies to all public transportation in the aviation and airports, railways, road and maritime sectors.

“Let us remember that no amount of protection is too much when it comes to health and safety, especially that we are battling an invisible enemy,” Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade said.

President Rodrigo Duterte on August 2 placed Metro Manila under a modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ) again as novel coronavirus cases in the country exceed 100,000.

The quarantine classification

will take effect on August 4 and will be in place until August 18.

Duterte approved the Cabinet’s recommendation to return to a more stringent lockdown in response to the medical community’s plea for a time-out.

Aside from Metro Manila, the provinces of Laguna, Rizal, Cavite and Bulacan were also placed under MECQ. Under this quarantine status, 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

FLOODED. Residents wade through waist-deep floodwaters with their belongings to evacuate from their houses on the side of Lagarian Creek in K-6th Street, Barangay Kamuning, Quezon City on Friday (August 7, 2020). The creek suddenly overflowed due to the heavy downpour.

PNA photo by Robert Oswald P. Alfiler

Foreign spouses of Filipino...

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ing Infectious Diseases (IATFEID) Resolution 60, foreigners married to Filipinos only needed to present their marriage certificates and other proof of their matrimonial relationship to enter the Philippines.

“But that is no longer the case with the issuance of this latest IATF-EID resolution,” Morente said.

BI Port Operations Acting Chief Grifton Medina, meanwhile, said foreign spouses, dependents and parents of Filipinos who are holders of long-term visas do not need to apply for a new entry visa.

“Those aliens who already hold valid permanent and temporary resident visas which they acquired by reason of marriage to Filipinos under Section 13(a) of the Philippine Immigration Act can enter the country anytime,” he said.

He also reminded foreign spouses of Filipinos to always bring with them their authenticated marriage certificates and other supporting documents when traveling to the Philippines so they could readily present them when asked to do so by immigration officers.

“There have been many instances already wherein foreign passengers claiming to be spouses of Filipinos were turned back by our officers at the airport due to their failure to show proof of marriage,” said Medina.

International travel under MECQ No additional restrictions on international travel have been imposed by the government de-

spite the National Capital Region being placed under a modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ) anew.

“Existing travel restrictions remain unchanged until these are revised or changed by the IATFEID,” said Morente.

Domestic flights are suspended under the quarantine, but international flights out of the Manila, Cebu and Clark airports are still running as scheduled.

Medina, for his part, said the country remains off limits to foreign tourists. Aside from Filipinos, only holders of permanent immigrant visas and foreign spouses, minor dependents and foreign parents of Filipino minor children are allowed to enter the country.

He added that only foreigners, overseas Filipino workers (OFWs), and Filipinos who are permanent residents or students abroad are permitted to leave

the Philippines.

President Rodrigo Duterte on August 2 placed Metro Manila under a modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ) again as novel coronavirus cases in the country exceed 100,000.

The quarantine classification took effect on August 4 and will be in place until August 18.

Duterte approved the Cabinet’s recommendation to return to a more stringent lockdown in response to the medical community’s plea for a time-out.

Aside from Metro Manila, the provinces of Laguna, Rizal, Cavite and Bulacan were also placed under MECQ. Under this quarantine status, 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

US State Dept. issues travel advisory...

PAGE A1 other attacks in the Philippines.

Terrorist and armed groups may attack with little or no warning, targeting tourist locations, markets/shopping malls, and local government facilities,” the U.S. State Department said.

“The Philippine government has declared a ‘State of National Emergency on Account of Lawless Violence in Mindanao,’” it added.

The CDC also noted that the COVID-19 risk in the Philippines is high.

“CDC recommends travelers avoid all nonessential international travel to the Philippines.

Some examples of essential travel may include traveling for humanitarian aid work, medical reasons, or family emergencies.

Older adults, people of any age with certain underlying medical conditions, and others at

increased risk for severe illness should consider postponing all travel, including essential travel, to the Philippines,” it said.

“If you get sick in the Philippines and need medical care, resources may be limited,” it added.

As of writing, there are 139,538 COVID-19 cases in the country, with 2,312 fatalities, according to the Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Center. (AJPress)

DFA: 47 Filipinos among injured during...

PAGE A1 “We are not leaving anyone behind,” said Arriola.

“The DFA and its Embassy in Beirut are taking all necessary actions to guarantee the safety of our overseas Filipinos who are still in Lebanon. More steps will be implemented in the coming days to see this through,” she added.

In a statement, the agency said that the first of the DFA chartered-flights from Beirut is expected to land in Manila on August 17, carrying some 400

overseas Filipinos.

“This repatriation will be the first in a number of repatriation flights that the DFA will mount to bring home our kababayans who want to come home,” Arriola said.

The flights will be free of charge for the overseas workers.

Around 31,000 Filipinos remain in Lebanon, the DFA said.

The powerful blast that rocked the Port of Beirut on Tuesday afternoon, August 4 left at least

220 people dead and over 5,000 wounded, according to a recent tally from the BBC. Based on reports, the explosion was triggered by 2,750 tons of ammonium nitrate stockpiled in a warehouse after it was confiscated from an impounded cargo ship in 2013.

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

This picture taken on August 4, 2020 shows a general view of the scene of an explosion at the port of Lebanon’s capital Beirut. Two huge explosion rocked the Lebanese capital Beirut, wounding dozens of people, shaking buildings and sending huge plumes of smoke billowing into the sky.

Inquirer.net photo (STR /AFP)

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

Dateline USa

Amid pandemic chaos, California legislators fight for major health care bills

by Rachel

Bluth Kaiser Health News

California lawmakers are barreling toward an end-ofmonth deadline to pass or kill bills amid the biggest public health crisis the state has faced in a century.

Yet even in a year consumed by sickness, they’re considering significant — sometimes controversial — health policy measures that aren’t directly related to CoViD-19.

Much of this legislation predates the pandemic, having lacked the support to win approval in previous years. now, the bills are making significant progress because they underwent rigorous vetting in the past.

That puts them steps ahead in a year with little time for deliberation or debate.

They include bills to ban the sale of flavored tobacco products, such as menthol cigarettes and vaping liquids; allow California to develop its own brand of generic drugs; enhance the state attorney general’s power to reject hospital mergers; and allow nurse practitioners to practice independently.

“Some of these bills, which have pretty far-reaching effects, may just sweep through because [lawmakers are] trying to get out of here by the end of august,” said Garry South, a Democratic political strategist.

The California legislature has had a bizarre year. lawmakers left town abruptly in March to comply with lockdown orders and then again in July when some assembly members tested positive for CoViD-19, cutting the legislative session short.

The reduced time means most policy committees scheduled fewer hearings in the last weeks of the session to debate bills.

Because of CoViD-19 restrictions, most witnesses are giving testimony over the phone and in video conferences, lawmakers are unable to have informal meetings in the hallways, and advocates have fewer opportunities to lobby officials. lawmakers face an aug. 31 deadline to send bills to Gov. Gavin newsom, who has until the end of September to sign or veto them.

Given the shortened time frame for voting and delibera-

tion, legislative leaders repeatedly asked committee chairs and members of their houses to reduce their legislative load, focusing on the most pressing challenges, like CoViD-19 and wildfires. Despite those directives, most officials acknowledge a need to address more than those issues this year.

“We have the capacity to do many different things, and there are many things we must tend to in this state,” newsom said at a press conference in late July. “i look forward to signing many bills that the legislature sends down.”

Passage is not guaranteed in the last three chaotic weeks of the legislative session, but the following major health care bills have made it through one house of the legislature and are working their way through committees in the second chamber.

SB-977 would give the attorney general new authority to regulate and potentially deny mergers between large for-profit hospitals, private equity firms and physicians’ groups. attorney General Xavier Becerra has been working on this legislation for years in the face of strong opposition from hospitals.

SB-793 is an enormously controversial bill that would go beyond the recent federal ban on flavors in vape cartridges, which excludes menthol and tobacco flavors. This measure would ban the sale of most flavored tobacco products statewide, including menthol cigarettes, an idea that has died and been resurrected in many forms in both the Senate and assembly. aB-890 represents another long-standing Capitol feud, with the powerful doctor lobby opposing. The measure would allow nurse practitioners — nurses with advanced degrees and training — to practice medicine in some cases without oversight from a physician.

SB-852 would establish a state office that would contract with drug manufacturers to produce or distribute low-cost generic drugs in California. newsom floated the idea in January. it’s not an accident that such weighty bills are the ones left standing after legislators were asked to slash their portfolio of bills this year, said Sen. richard Pan (D-Sacramento), who chairs

the Senate Health Committee.

When Pan culled the bills his committee would consider, he eliminated measures with unresolved questions, he said, because administration officials dealing with the pandemic were less available to testify as witnesses and lawmakers were unable to work closely with one another in the Capitol. “is this something that needs to be done this year?” Pan said he asked himself.

That means many of the bills moving through his committee and other policy committees are largely the ones that have been scrutinized in previous years, Pan said.

“We spent a lot of time working through those issues and trying to get those all resolved for the committee,” Pan added.

But South warned that even legislation that has been heard in the past deserves the full debate and deliberation that would take place in a typical year. “i don’t think the process is set up this year to be passing major legislation that affects major sections of society without adequate input from stakeholders and the general public,” he said. at a committee hearing Saturday, some lawmakers disagreed, saying CoViD-19 has made some of these issues more urgent than ever.

Sen. ling ling Chang, a republican from Diamond Bar, said she had previously opposed the nurse practitioner measure but changed her mind because the pandemic exposed the need to increase Californians’ access to affordable health care.

“The current pandemic is changing how we look at these issues,” she said before voting for the bill. in fact, some lawmakers are using the crisis to sharpen pitches for their pre-CoViD bills, with the refrain “now more than ever.” Sure, the bill was important when it was introduced before the pandemic, they argue, but “now more than ever” it reallyhas to pass.

“You’ve got legislators not used to having so many of their bills threatened,” said rob Stutzman, a republican political consultant. “it’s not surprising they’d be trying to adapt PAGE A4

SoCal ASIAN JOURNAL • AUgUSt 12-14, 2020

A

Burba Burbank hanggang Los Angeles na Seksiyon ng Proyekto Pagpapahaba ng Panahon ng Pagkomento Agosto 31, 2020

MAGTATAPOS NA ANG PANAHON NG PAGSUSURI NG PUBLIKO SA DRAFT NA EIR/EIS NG BURBANK HANGGANG LOS ANGELES NA SEKSIYON NG PROYEKTO SA AGOSTO 31, 2020.

Naglabas kamakailan ang Awtoridad sa Mabilis na Tren ng California (California High-Speed Rail Authority, Awtoridad) ng Draft na Ulat ng Epekto sa Kapaligiran (Environmental Impact Report, EIR)/Pahayag ng Epekto sa Kapaligiran (Environment Impact Statement, EIS) para sa Burbank hanggang Los Angeles (B-LA) na Seksiyon ng Proyekto. Bukas ang Draft na EIR/EIS para sa pagsusuri at komento ng publiko sa www.hsr.ca.gov. Pinahaba nang 31 araw pa ng Awtoridad ang panahon ng pagkomento, na nagsimula noong Mayo 29, 2020 at magtatapos sa Agosto 31, 2020.

Para magkomento sa Draft na EIR/EIS, maaari kang magsumite ng komento sa mga sumusunod na paraan: Sa pamamagitan ng pagsulat sa ATTN: Burbank to Los Angeles Draft EIR/EIS Comment, 355 S Grand Ave, Suite 2050, Los Angeles, CA 90071 Sa pamamagitan ng web form sa pagkomento sa website ng Draft na EIR/EIS ng Burbank hanggang Los Angeles na Seksiyon ng Proyekto ng Awtoridad: https://hsr.ca.gov/programs/environmental/eis_eir/draft_burbank_los_ angeles_comment.aspx Sa pamamagitan ng pagpapadala ng email sa Burbank_Los.Angeles@hsr.ca.gov na may linya ng paksa na “Burbank to Los Angeles Draft EIR/EIS Comment”

Ang panahon ng pagkomento para sa Draft na EIR/EIS na ito ay nagsimula noong Mayo 29 at ngayon ay magtatapos na sa Agosto 31, 2020. Dapat matanggap ang mga komento sa elektronikong paraan o nang naka-postmark sa o bago ang Agosto 31, 2020. Maghahanda ang Awtoridad ng Pinal na EIR/EIS, kung saan isasama ang mga tugon sa lahat ng mga komentong natanggap.

MGA KOPYA NG DRAFT NA EIR/EIS

Bumisita sa website ng Awtoridad (www.hsr.ca.gov) upang tingnan at i-download ang Draft na EIR/EIS. Maaari ka ring humiling ng isang elektronikong kopya ng Draft na EIR/EIS at/o mga teknikal na ulat sa pamamagitan ng pagtawag sa Awtoridad sa (877) 977-1660. Hindi nandidiskrimina ang Awtoridad batay sa kapansanan at, kapag hiniling, magbibigay ito ng makatuwirang akomodasyon para tiyakin ang patas na access sa mga programa, serbisyo, at aktibidad nito. facebook.com/ CaliforniaHighSpeedRail

@cahsra

youtube.com/ CAHighSpeedRail

@cahsra

www.hsr.ca.gov | (877) 977-1660 | Burbank_Los.Angeles@hsr.ca.gov

Dateline USa

A August 12-14, 2020 • soCal AsIAN JOuRNAL

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

Ramona Diaz’s new documentary ‘A Thousand Cuts’ offers...

PAGE A1

File photo shows California Sen. Kamala Harris making a plea to AAPI voters in Las Vegas in May 2019 when she ran for the Democratic presidential nomination.

AJPress file photo by Robert Macabagdal

Fil-Am leaders praise choice of...

PAGE A1 Ferraro in 1984 and Sarah Palin in 2008).

“I have the great honor to announce that I’ve picked @KamalaHarris — a fearless fighter for the little guy, and one of the country’s finest public servants — as my running mate,” Biden wrote in a Twitter post.

Melissa Ramoso, Fil-Ams for Biden national campaign cochair and Artesia, California councilmember, said Harris brings “good judgment, good leadership skills and can be a trusted advisor to Biden.”

“A historic selection Filipino Americans can be proud of and it energizes our community for the November elections,” Ramoso said.

The 55-year-old first-term senator from California has risen as a prominent leader in the Democratic Party and previously vied for the presidential nomination before dropping out in December. Prior to the Senate, Harris was the former California attorney general and San Francisco district attorney.

“Senator Harris represents so many communities and selecting her as vice president solidifies that not only can women and people of color have a seat at the

table, but we can be at the head of it,” added Jessica Caloza, president of the Pilipino American Los Angeles Democrats.

Following Biden’s performance on Super Tuesday in March, Harris threw her support behind him, despite their contentious exchange during a primary debate last summer during which she grilled the former vice president on his civil rights record.

On Tuesday, Harris wrote in a Facebook post, “I’m honored to join Joe Biden in the fight for the soul of our country as the Democratic Vice Presidential Nominee.”

“I know that winning this race will be tougher than anything I’ve faced before, but I’ve never been more ready to roll up my sleeves and get to work. Donald Trump thinks this country belongs to him. But Joe Biden knows it belongs to all of us. To the people,” she added.

For New York-based philanthropist Loida Nicolas Lewis, the announcement is a “winning combination” and a call to action for fellow Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPIs).

“Kamala knows what are the hardships and triumphs of a person of color in America,”

Nicolas Lewis, a spokesperson for Filipino Americans for Biden and AAPI Victory Fund board member, told the Asian Journal. “We will be the margin of victory for Biden/Harris in this historic iconic election, which is a fight for the soul of America.”

AAPIs are considered the fastest-growing segment of eligible voters out of the major ethnic groups in the United States, according to a recent report from the Pew Research Center.

Filipino Americans, along with Chinese and Indian Americans, are among the top three groups in the U.S. Asian electorate.

In an April interview with the Asian Journal, Harris made a plea for Californians to fill out their 2020 Census form, as the data helps determine how federal funds are allocated to each state, and to vote in the upcoming election this fall.

“Who holds these positions matters in times like this,” Harris told the Asian Journal. “We have to make sure that we have elected representatives who understand the community…and who speak up for the community. No one should be made to fight alone, we’re all in this together.” n

PAUNAWA SA PAMPUBLIKONG PAGDINIG SA COUNTY NG LOS ANGELES METROPOLITAN TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY PANUKALANG FY21 BADYET Ang Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority ay gagawa ng isang pampublikong pagdinig sa panukalang FY2021 na badyet (Hulyo 1, 2020 - Hunyo 30, 2021) sa ika-1:30 ng hapon sa Miyerkules, Setyembre 16, 2020. Alinsunod sa California Executive Order N-25-20 at ang mga paghihigpit ng Safer at Home nang iniskedyul ang pagdinig, ang pagdinig na ito ay magaganap nang virtual. Ang link upang ma-stream ang pagdinig at mapanood ang mga presentasyon na gagawin sa pagdinig ay nakapaloob sa agenda ng pampublikong pagdinig na ipo-post nang hindi bababa sa 72 oras bago ang petsa ng pagdinig. Ang link para mapanood ng live ang pagdinig ay mapapanood din sa metro.net/ about/board/board-directors-meetings-audio-archive/ and https:// boardagendas.metro.net/.

Hinihikayat ang mga interesadong miyembro ng publiko na lumahok at dumalo nang virtual sa darating na pampublikong pagdinig upang magbigay ng patotoo. Ang mga hindi makakalahok ay maaaring magsumite ng nakasulat na patotoo na naka-postmark o ipadala hanggang hatinggabi ng Setyembre 16, 2020. Ang mga komento ay maaaaring isumite nang electronically sa budgetcomments@metro.net; ang mga koreo ay dapat na naka- address sa: Los Angeles Metropolitan Transportation Authority One Gateway Plaza Los Angeles, CA 90012-2932 Attn: Michelle Jackson Upang manghingi ng karagdagang impormasyon mula sa publiko at mga stakeholder hinggil sa taunang badyet, ang mga workshop sa badyet ay iniskedyul sa Setyembre kasama ang mga Metro Service Councils, Citizens Advisory Council, Technical Advisory Committee, Bus Operations Subcommittee, Streets & Freeways Subcommittee, at Local Transit Systems Subcommittee.

Bukod dito, ang isang interactive na survey ng badyet, mga channel ng social media at website ay magagamit ng publiko para makilahok sa proseso.

Ang mga kopya ng dokumento sa badyet ay makukuha para sa pagpapamahagi sa publiko 15 araw bago ang pagdinig at maaaring makuha sa Records Management Center (RMC) sa pamamagitan ng email request sa RMC@metro.net. Ang mga kopya ng dokumento sa badyet ay maaari ding kunin sa RMC sa Plaza level ng Gateway Building o mapanood online sa www.metro.net.

Ang darating na pampublikong pagdinig ay ginaganap alinsunod sa mga iniaatas ng pam- publikong pagdinig ng pederal na nakabalangkas sa Seksiyon 5307 (b) ng Title 49 U.S.C., at mga patnubay ng pampublikong pagdinig na nakabalangkas sa Seksyon 2-50-025 ng Administrative Code ng Metro, na inamyendahan.

MGA KINAKAILANGAN NG ADA: Sa kahilingan, ang interpretasyon sa sign language, mga materyales sa alternatibong mga format at iba pang mga akomodasyon ay magagamit ng publiko para sa mga pagpupulong at mga kaganapan na inisponsor ng Metro.

LIMITADONG KAALAMAN SA INGLES: Sa kahilingan, magagamit ng publiko ang mga tagasalin sa wika para sa mga pagpupulong at mga kaganapan na inisponsor ng Metro. Maaari ring makuha ang mga adyenda at mga minuto sa iba pang wika, kung hihilingin.

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thoritarians around the world, it made it more relevant and global.”

“A Thousand Cuts” made its debut at Sundance Film Festival in January and was released virtually on August 7, nearly two months after Ressa and a former Rappler staffer were convicted of a cyber-libel charge. It will subsequently be released on PBS Frontline in January 2021.

In a recent interview with the Asian Journal, Diaz and Ressa talk about the making of the film and how the lessons from the Philippines can resonate with a global audience. The interview has been lightly edited and condensed for clarity.

AJ: First for Ramona, after you finished the documentary, how did you decide to take the festival route and get PBS on board for distribution?

Ramona Diaz (RD): I moved to the Philippines to look for the story in 2018, found the story and went back twice in the span of that year. Then, we shot principal photography in 2019 and then we got into Sundance so our post production was cut short. Usually I have a post production of like 10 to 11 months but this one was really curtailed because we got into Sundance so we had to rush, like four and a half months. PBS Frontline saw it at Sundance and shortly made an offer. I think we had 13 festivals in the spring and then COVID-19 happened.

AJ: For Filipino Americans here in the U.S., there’s still this connection back to the news in the Philippines, yet they are physically distanced from there. What do you want the community to know following the film?

RD: If you watch the film, it’s an immersive experience. It is both a global story and a very specifically Philippine story. I’m not into messages necessarily.

I’m into experiences if you get the experience of what it was like to live in Maria’s shoes in the most beleaguered time of her life when she was arrested twice and the backdrop of the midterm elections, which is always crazy to begin with in the Philippines.

So to me, it’s a perfect backdrop because it shows local color and people are also out and about so it’s kinetic and cinematic.

So just watch it, be there, and feel it. I think messages are really informed by personal history, by lived experiences. But really listen, understand what fake news and disinformation [are], what the drug war is about and how Duterte gets people…Just listen and let’s have a conversation after that. I think my job as a filmmaker is to give you an experience and you come to your own conclusion. I’m not saying it’s purely objective — it cannot be — because film resists objectivity and it’s very subjective.

But I’m not very explicit when it comes to that.

AJ: Maria, in recent weeks, we’ve read about your case, the shutdown of ABS-CBN and President Duterte’s SONA. As Filipino Americans here in the US, again, there’s this connection, but how do we reconcile this dual identity and interest

Rappler co-founder and veteran journalist is the center of the documentary “A Thousand Cuts” by Filipina American filmmaker Ramona Diaz.

Photo courtesy of PBS/Frontline

in what’s happening on the ground and with this sometimes romanticized view of the Philippines and that love of country?

Maria Ressa (MR): By next year, I’ll have been a journalist for 35 years and…at no other time can I remember our two countries, the people in our two countries, the manipulation online of the people in our two countries, be in such identical situations. Love of country is not our beaches or yes, we’re proud of the Philippines. It feels like home and it’s why I chose it as my home. But if you’re like me, you feel most Filipino with Americans and most American with Filipinos, right? I’ve struggled to pull those things together.

But the difference I think today is that our foot in each world gives us a very unique perspective of the trends [and] the patterns of what our democracies are going through. I think the second one is…you can’t even say at any point that tens of thousands of people killed in the drug war is acceptable, that sexist, misogynistic language from the leader of a country is accepted, or that… people who want to stand up for their rights that they get arrested or they get teargassed. There’s a line that is being crossed in both of our countries. So I think the first is to recognize the similarities and the second is recognize…the biggest difference between the United States and the Philippines is that our institutions were significantly weaker than the United States. So the battle for us is for our lives.

Definitely for me, it’s my life and freedom. You [Filipino Americans] are powerful soldiers in this battle, partly because you come from both worlds. So I think relish that, understand your power and help hold the line. I say this all the time because we need to protect our rights that are guaranteed by the Constitution in the Philippines and the U.S. As you know, the Philippines was patterned after the United States so we have a Bill of Rights. The difference here is that our institutions have essentially collapsed. We have the most powerful leader we’ve ever had. The Philippines is now a dictatorship masquerading as a democracy with rule of law. I hope that love of country gains these colors. I didn’t know what that meant until I came under attack. You don’t really know how you are until you forced to fight to defend it then you will draw

your own lines. We choose to create the world we want and that’s the upside of this time period. I hope Filipino Americans look and realize the ties because your ties that bind are positive and are still strong, like Ramona’s or mine. Don’t stop with the beauty of the Philippines because it masks such violence.

AJ: With your cases and ABSCBN, and other news against journalists in the Philippines, as well as the newly signed Anti-Terrorism law, what kind of message does this all send especially to future Filipinos who want to go into a media career?

MR: The shutdown of ABS is unthinkable. We see the government really taking advantage — it’s opportunistic and consolidating power. Yes, it can make you afraid but it is also something history has taught us: the more oppressive a government becomes, the more resistance to it grows. That’s what we’re starting to see as people who didn’t really care before now care. It’s funny, it’s been four years that we’ve been under attack but people who are in Rappler chose to be [here]. We are stronger and the mission and sense of purpose are so clear. Fear and violence will have an opposite fact…I’m not a rebel without a cause. I want to see the Philippines do well in the fight for COVID. I want to see the president to be wise and build an inclusive society. I want to see him let journalists do our jobs because every time they attack journalists, it makes me think that they have something to hide.

Please focus because where our president goes, our entire nation goes. So having said that, this is a rallying cry for journalists. The risks are greater, but the stakes are hire.

AJ: After watching this documentary, what’s the call to action? How can viewers stay engaged and keep a watch on what’s happening with Rappler and Maria?

RD: There’s a coalition of some 80 organizations, the Hold the Line coalition. That’s one way they can really get involved and stay in touch. They should sign up for that. It’s so hard to just keep the story alive because there’s so much happening, there’s so much noise. So that’s one way of really just been shining the light on this story, which is key. Just keep the story alive.

MR: Please hold Silicon Valley accountable because if you don’t, the poison or virus of lies will continue infecting all of us and that is global. Journalists can’t even begin to do our jobs if lies laced with anger and hate spread faster and further than the stories of facts. Number two is, please help us keep shining the light. The only reason I think I’m still “free,” kind of, because I think my government forgot I spent a lot more time outside the Philippines and so people are doing our stories. Thank you for that. Ramona is now the major rabble-rouser. The third is, sign the petition for Hold the Line and we also have a crowdfunding campaign [for] our legal fees. We wouldn’t have been able to pay this so it’s from the kindness of strangers. That to me puts my faith back. I think people know what’s right and wrong. But power and money are very big incentives. In the Philippines, it’s been really hard to get beyond what the Duterte Ressa and Diaz, known for her films “Motherland” and “Imelda,” in New York in 2019. administration has done and to Contributed photo punch through the fear. n

Amid pandemic chaos, California...

PAGE A3

their proposals to the narrowed purview of this session, which is obviously COVID-related.”

Sen. Jerry Hill (D-San Mateo), author of the tobacco flavor bill, is employing this tactic.

“I know we’ve all had to reassess our priorities,” Hill said at an Assembly committee hearing. “Yet emerging evidence about smoking and COVID-19 suggests smoking can put people at greater risk.”

Another example of the “Now more than ever” trend is SB-855, a “mental health parity” bill that would strengthen requirements for private health insurance to cover medically necessary treatment for mental illnesses.

“Even before COVID, mental health and addiction were major crises in this country,” but the pandemic is making the crises worse, the bill’s author, Sen. Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco), said at a press conference last week. “People who were stable with their mental health are now losing stability.”

Wiener’s measure has survived the Senate and several committees, but other lawmakers haven’t seen the same success.

Assembly member Adrin Nazarian (D-Van Nuys) lobbied hard for AB-2203, which would have capped out-of-pocket payments for insulin. Nazarian pointed to a studyfrom the Centers for

Disease Control and Prevention that showed 40% of people who died of COVID-19 had diabetes.

His bill sailed through the Assembly but wasn’t given a hearing in the Senate. He said he followed directions from leadership to reduce the number of bills he was carrying, paring them down from about 25 to fewer than 10.

“Without a pandemic, this was a straightforward bill that would protect consumers and curb health care costs,” Nazarian said. “I’m extremely upset and frustrated about this.”

This KHN story first published on California Healthline, a service of the California Health Care Foundation. n

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Dateline PhiliPPines

Dateline USa

Duterte: Gov’t running out of funds amid coronavirus pandemic

by Ritchel

Mendiola AJPress

The Philippine government has run out of funds to help those directly affected by the coronavirus pandemic in the country, President Rodrigo Duterte admitted on Monday, August 10.

This comes after medical frontliners have called on the modified enhanced community quarantine (MeCQ) until the end of the month. however, the president said the government would not be able to fund its social programs.

“Ito ang dilemma ko, dito ako (This is my dilemma, I’m here) between the devil and the deep blue sea. Gusto ng mga doktor na i-lockdown kung may mga infected diyan (the doctors want to lock down infected areas),” Duterte said in his public address Monday night.

“Ito namang sa kabila, kailangan natin nang palabasin ‘yung mga tao lalo na sa mga trabaho na kailangan talaga ng bayan — food and everything — and also to move the economy (On the other hand, we have to let people out especially those whose work involve jobs needed by the nation like on food and everything — and also move the economy),” he added.

Duterte said that with the government out of money, Filipinos must go out to work and provide for their needs.

“Alam mo, sa mga doktor, sabihin ko sa inyo. hindi ko na sila (public) mapigilan, dahil po wala na akong pera na ibigay sa kanila. Kaya kailangan sila luma-

President Rodrigo Roa Duterte updates the nation on the government’s efforts in addressing the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

Inquirer.net photo

bas para magtrabaho. I-lockdown ko, ubos na ‘yung pera na ibinigay ng Congress na bigyan kayo ng ayuda. ‘Yung pera panggastos, wala na ako niyan (To the doctors, I will tell you this. I cannot stop the public because I don’t have any money to give them. That’s why they need to go out of their house to work. If I will place again on lockdown, the funds given by Congress for assistance have been depleted. I don’t have money to spend anymore),” he said.

“So I’m telling the doctors, as much as I want to give in to your demands, especially in the matter of lockdown… I want it because I don’t want the contamination to continue...it’s a continuing thing,” he added.

Palace: MECQ extension ‘highly unlikely’ Malacañang, for its part, not-

ed that extending the MeCQ in Metro Manila and its nearby provinces would be “highly unlikely.”

“Ang tanong eh kung possible: Ang sagot ko (The question is if it’s possible: My answer is) anything is possible but highly unlikely,” Presidential Spokesperson harry Roque said Tuesday, August 11. however, he stressed that neither the Inter-agency Task Force on emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-eID) nor Duterte have made a final decision on it.

“Ang bottomline po, naubos na po ang ating resources for ayuda (The bottomline is we no longer have resources to give assistance),” Roque said.

As of writing, there are now 139,538 COVID-19 cases in the country, with 2,312 fatalities and 68,432 recoveries. n

Revilla tests positive for Covid

tion.

“Nakakalungkot po na balita (Sad news). I am Covid-19-posiSeN. Ramon Revilla Jr. on Sun- tive,” he said. day said he tested positive for “Pero huwag po kayo mag-alacoronavirus disease 2019 (Covid- la (But don’t worry), I am okay,” 19). he added. he was the fourth member of Revilla said his wife, Bacoor the Senate who got infected by the Mayor Jesusa Victoria Mercado viral disease after Senators Juan and his children tested negative Miguel Zubiri, Aquilino Pimentel for Covid-19.

3rd and Juan edgardo Angara.

“Kami ay nag-patest at nagRevilla turned to social media isolate agad matapos may magto announce his medical condi- positive sa aming household at

by BeRnadette

taMayo ManilaTimes.net

isa sa aking mga tauhan (We immediately underwent testing and went on isolation after one of our household [members] and one of my staff were tested positive [for Covid-19]),” he continued. he said he was the last one out on Tuesday during the observance of the 40th day of the death of his father, former senator Ramon Revilla Sr. The senator said he would continue his quarantine, “but will be under observation.” n

SoCal ASIAN JOURNAL • AUgUSt 12-14, 2020

A

OpiniOn & Features

A August 12-14, 2020 • soCal AsIAN JOuRNAL

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

Proper screening Filipinos continue returning en masse from different countries, most of them workers who lost their jobs abroad amid the coronavirus pandemic. since the start of the community quarantine in mid-March, 221,275 overseas Filipinos have returned to the country. All of them were required to undergo 14-day quarantine upon arrival.

The Department of Health has reported that 211,540 of the returning Filipinos have been released from quarantine while 4,831 have tested positive for coronavirus disease 2019. of that number, the DoH said 4,113 have recovered, 574 remain in hospital while five have died of CoViD-19.

Another 1,796 Filipinos staying abroad have also tested positive, the DoH reported. The Department of Foreign Affairs, for its part, has recorded 9,692 confirmed CoViD cases among Filipinos staying abroad. screening of all people entering the philippines amid the pandemic, Filipinos and foreigners alike, must be stringent as the country grapples with community transmission of CoViD-19. international flights are still limited so this is possible.

The global spread of CoViD from the Chinese city of Wuhan has been attributed to international travel. in the philippines, the belated

ban on travelers from China gave the country its first CoViD case on Jan. 30: a 38-year-old female Chinese tourist from Wuhan. Her male companion from Wuhan, the philippines’ patient no. 2, died on Feb. 1 in Manila.

By March 7, the first case of local transmission was recorded. And by March 11, a 67-year-old woman with no history of overseas travel became the first Filipino to die of CoViD. These developments show the importance of screening travelers and subjecting them to proper testing and isolation. in the philippines, local government executives have complained of recording their first CoViD cases only after the arrival of locally stranded individuals from Metro Manila.

The DoH has stressed that detecting sARs-CoV-2 requires the “gold standard” reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction swab testing and not just the rapid test for the presence of antibodies. A positive swab test result must be followed by proper isolation for anyone who tests positive.

There is general agreement that the country needs to gradually reopen the economy. But reopening without the necessary measures to prevent the further spread of CoViD can only spell disaster, for both the economy and public health. (Philstar.com)

Editorial

The Joe Biden-Kamala Harris tandem represents the diversity and the soul of the new generation of America

The Fil-Am Perspective Gel SantoS-ReloS YEs, BiDEn-HARRis 2020! “i have the great honor to announce that i’ve picked @KamalaHarris — a fearless fighter for the little guy, and one of the country’s finest public servants — as my running mate,” former Vice president Joe Biden, the presumptive Democratic nominee, announced on Twitter on Tuesday, August 11.

This personally excited me and i know Harris will energize all the more the Democratic party as this tandem works together toward ending the chaos and retrogression we are experiencing right now under the presidency of Donald Trump and his spineless Vp Mike pence.

Harris is intelligent and well educated, and has exemplary work experience in public service. A gifted communicator and a fierce, substantive debater with great presence and energy, she will be a great asset during the campaign.

Her roots and life experience have very well equipped her to represent us immigrants in America.

Choosing Harris is the first executive decision made by Biden and this judgment call reflects much about Biden’s discernment, values, priorities and vision for America.

And he delivered on his promise to select a woman of color for his

running mate. should they win, Harris will be the first woman of color vice president in America. senator Kamala Harris represents California, home to the biggest population of Filipinos in America and outside of the philippines.

Harris was sworn into office in 2017, and as her webpage states, she is the second African-American woman and first south AsianAmerican senator in history. she serves on the Homeland security and Governmental Affairs Committee, the select Committee on intelligence, the Committee on the Judiciary, and the Committee on the Budget.

Harris was born in oakland, California on october 20, 1964 and was raised in Berkeley, California. she shares the experience and perspective of many people in today’s America, being biracial and born to immigrant parents.

Harris’ father is Donald Harris, a respected stanford University Emeritus professor of economics.

He is came from Jamaica with African descent who moved to America in 1961 to pursue graduate study in economics at UC Berkeley.

Kamala’s late mother was shyamala Gopalan Harris, an immigrant from south india who emigrated to the United states in 1960 to pursue a doctorate at

UC Berkeley, earning her ph.D. in nutrition and endocrinology at age 25.

This amazing woman who raised Kamala and her sister Maya “embodied an independent, confident and curious spirit that led her to travel alone to the U.s. as a teen; forge a career as a brilliant breast cancer researcher; join the Civil Rights Movement; introduce a generation of students of color to careers in science,” her obituary stated when she died after a courageous battle with cancer in 2009.

Harris’ mother was respected as a breast cancer researcher around the world. Her body of work as a researcher made substantial contributions to the field of hormones and breast cancer, publishing her research in countless journals and receiving numerous honors.

Her parents separated when Kamala was only five years old. she and her sister were raised singlehandedly by her mother, who inspired Kamala to make a name for her self and make a difference.

Her bio on her web page talks about her early childhood: “Growing up in oakland, Kamala had a stroller-eye view of the Civil Rights movement. Through the example of courageous leaders like Thurgood Marshall, Constance Baker Motley, and Charles Hamilton Houston, Kamala learned the kind

of character it requires to stand up to the powerful, and resolved to spend her life advocating for those who could not defend themselves.”

Harris earned her undergraduate degree from Howard University and a law degree from the University of California, Hastings College of law. After graduating, she began her career in the Alameda County District Attorney’s office.

“In 2003, Kamala became the District Attorney of the City and County of San Francisco. Among her achievements as District Attorney, Harris started a program that gives first-time drug offenders the chance to earn a high school diploma and find employment.

Having completed two terms as the District Attorney of San Francisco, Kamala was elected as the first African-American and first woman to serve as California’s Attorney General. In this role, she worked tirelessly to hold corporations accountable and protect the state’s most vulnerable people.

Over the course of her nearly two terms in office, Kamala won a $25-billion settlement for California homeowners hit by the foreclosure crisis, defended California’s landmark climate change law, protected the Affordable Care Act, helped win marriage

equality for all Californians, and prosecuted transnational gangs that trafficked in guns, drugs, and human beings.

In the United States Senate, Kamala’s mission remains unchanged: fighting for the rights of all communities in California.

Since taking office, she has introduced and cosponsored legislation to raise wages for working people, reform our broken criminal justice system, make healthcare a right for all Americans, address the epidemic of substance abuse, support veterans and military families, and expand access to childcare for working parents.”

When she ran for president during the Democratic party primary elections, Harris was already being attacked for her ethnicity, just as president Barack obama was.

Contrary to her detractors’ false allegation that she was not eligible to run for office to be president [and Vp for that matter] because she is not a “natural-born American”, HARRis is An AMERiCAn, according to the provisions of our Constitution.

The U.s. Constitution Fourteenth Amendment, section 1, which was added in 1868 states: “All persons born or naturalized in the United states, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United states and of the state wherein they reside.”

What are the technical requirements a presidential candidate must meet to run for office? This is important for a Vp candidate because she will be next in line in the order of succession should something happen to the president that would incapacitate him to perform his duties as president.

The candidate for president (and Vp) has to be: a natural-born citizen of the United states, a resident for 14 years, and must be 35 years of age or older.

Kamala Harris checks all of those requirements. she has birthright citizenship, and that makes her eligible to run for president (and Vp).

Harris is only 55 years old. if Joe Biden, who is now 78, decides not to run for re-election in 2024, then Harris may very well be the frontrunner of the Democratic party, and therefore be the elected as the first woman president should she win the election in four years.

MABUHAY! *** 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.

Who got the coronavirus right? New Zealand, Sweden, US?

Commentary

Yen Makabenta THE question in my title will probably annoy some readers. like interior secretary Eduardo Año, who has declared that no country in the world can claim success against the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19), perhaps to disguise the shortcomings of the inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging infectious Diseases (iATF-EiD), of which he is co-chairman. still, to paraphrase leo Tolstoy, Covid-stricken countries are not all alike. Every country has suffered in its own way. some have been spared the worst of the pandemic while others have suffered severely and are struggling to keep their heads above water.

Experience and outcomes have varied depending on the strategic response that each country employed to battle the virus.

Country size (population and land area) played a major part in the equation. The bigger the country, the tougher the challenge to control the outbreak.

Relatively small countries, which are not densely populated, had an easier time coping with Covid-19.

Countries differed also according to their philosophy or strategy to beat the virus. The variance in philosophy and strategy has caused a lot of debate. no one has caused more debate than sweden, because it pointedly refused to lock down its economy, while the rest of the world did.

When i report here that many analysts concede that sweden has been successful in its Covid19 strategy, despite an alarming death count, there will still be

those who won’t be convinced.

The issue is still rife, because many countries are now battling a second wave of the virus outbreak, and they must ponder again sweden’s rejection of a lockdown, i will start this discussion with a report on new Zealand, whose experience i earlier reviewed positively in this column. new Zealand: 100 days of no virus transmission The Agence France-presse filed the following report on August 9, which got many countries salivating in envy: “new Zealand marked 100 days on sunday with no recorded cases of the coronavirus in the community but health officials warned there was no room for complacency.

There are still 23 active cases but all were detected at the border when entering the country and are being held in managed isolation facilities.

‘Achieving 100 days without community transmission is a significant milestone, however, as we all know, we can’t afford to be complacent,’ Director-General of Health Ashley Bloomfield said.

‘We have seen overseas how quickly the virus can reemerge and spread in places where it was previously under control, and we need to be prepared to quickly stamp out any future cases in new Zealand.’ new Zealand, with a population of five million, has won widespread praise for its effective handling of the coronavirus since closing its borders on March 19.

The World Health organization has hailed the country as an example to others for having ‘successfully eliminated community transmission.’ since the first patient was di-

agnosed in February, there have been 1,219 confirmed cases of the virus in new Zealand with the last case of community transmission recorded on May 1.

As a result, new Zealanders are enjoying a near-normal, pre-coronavirus lifestyle with no social distancing and spectators allowed at sports and cultural events, but with the border strictly controlled and all arrivals required to spend 14 days in quarantine.

The government has maintained that the prospect of a second wave remains a possibility.” it is striking that the celebrated “lord of the Rings” trilogy was filmed entirely in new Zealand.

The country’s Hobbit-like proportions enabled it to defeat the virus. sweden, Us: 2 very different approaches i turn my attention next to sweden and the United states.

Dr. David samadi, a renowned surgeon in new York City who sometimes corresponds with me, has copied me an article, which was published in the newsmax website on August 6 , titled: “Who got the coronavirus right, sweden or Us?” in his article, he touched on all the key factors for evaluating the relative success or failure of countries in responding to Covid19. He leaves no issue unturned. i want to reproduce here key excerpts of Dr. samadi’s article because of its many insights. He wrote: “someday in the future, when the pandemic is gone, books will be written on the subject of which countries managed Covid-19 the best and which ones did so in the worst possible ways.

Guaranteed, enormous material pertaining to the actions taken

by sweden and the United states will be scrutinized as a cautionary tale for future handling of pandemics.

A tale of two very different countries with two very different pandemic approaches, and so far (this pandemic is not over yet) resulting in a mix of similar yet different outcomes that will be analyzed and debated for years to come… sweden’s approach From the beginning, sweden’s approach to preventing the spread of the virus was controversial. While its bordering neighbors of Denmark, Finland and norway, along with the rest of Europe imposed strict stayat-home orders, closed schools, borders and businesses, sweden’s relaxed approach to Covid19 stood out like a sore thumb. strong criticism came swiftly from around the world. sweden said ‘no’ to a lockdown by keeping primary schools, nonessential businesses like bars and restaurants (at reduced capacity), and its borders open. instead, it relied on trusting its citizens using common sense to make wise, voluntary decisions for their own personal safety and health rather than dictated by heavy-handed government interventions. sweden has encouraged its citizens to work from home if possible, socially distance from others in public, refrain from nonessential travel, to avoid gathering in crowds of over 50 people and to follow restrictions on visiting the elderly in care homes.

Masks were not mandated or ever required. Their strategy was similar to the Us in emphasizing flattening the curve so as not to overwhelm their health care system.

Why such a freeing and liberat-

ing approach to an easily spread and deadly virus? As their public Health Agency’s lead epidemiologist Anders Tegnell stated months ago, ‘The long-term sustainability of strict rules doesn’t last. You can only impose such restrictions for a limited time.’

How has sweden’s approach to controlling the pandemic panned out? As of August 2, according to the Johns Hopkins University Coronavirus Resource Center, 80,422 swedish citizens have contracted the virus while 5,743 people have perished from it. That amounts to a 7.1 percent case fatality rate, or 56.40 deaths per 100,000 people. sweden is a country of 10 million people, comparable to the population of either Michigan or north Carolina.

About half of sweden’s deaths occurred among those in eldercare homes.

Us approach “The Us opted for a more severe lockdown approach. As Covid-19 cases escalated, the 50 state governors, some harsher than others, individually made their own decisions.

As of August 2, the Us had more than 4.6 million people who’ve tested positive for Covid19 with 154,447 deaths with a case fatality rate of 3.3 percent, and 47.21 deaths per 100,000 people.

Compare these numbers with sweden, and America looks better.

The United states is a massively much larger country in terms of land mass and a population of close to 330 million people, or 33 times the population of sweden. it’s estimated that more than 40 percent of Covid-19 deaths in the Us have occurred in nursing homes and assisted living facili-

ties. sweden has had its fair share of heartache and grief during the pandemic. Even Anders Tegnell admits more people could have been saved if stricter mandates had been imposed.

Economically speaking, sweden did feel some pandemic economic pain but according to a May report from Capital Economics, the swedish economy was also the least harmed in Europe and actually grew in the first quarter of this year.

Meanwhile, the Us economy was flattened. in February, the Us had a record 50-year low unemployment rate of 3.5 percent which rose to a shocking 14.7 percent in April.

Did anyone get it right?

“To answer this question is not easy. The Us so far has managed its death rate from the virus when compared to sweden. However in July, sweden successfully flattened its curve of Covid-19 cases to less than 200 a day and daily death totals in the single digits for two weeks. Certain areas of the Us are still struggling to contain viral outbreaks.

But the biggest factor separating sweden’s carefree approach from the United states is the fiercely contentious Us presidential election like none seen before…

As a country, we haven’t had a chance to catch our breath and just live our lives normally for many months. We’re weary from everything Covid-19.

As far as who got it right, right now the Us has a lower death count per capita than sweden. let’s each do our part keeping it that way.

Ultimately, only time will tell who wins this viral battle.” (yenobserver@gmail.com)

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DRAWING A MORE VIBRANT FUTURE: Fil-Am animators on their creative beginnings, the universality of Filipino narratives in animation

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By

KlaRiZe Medenilla / AJPRESS

N the inclusive rider era of Hollywood, it’s almost become a pedestrian party line to pledge support for diversity but the actual outturns thus far of that proclamation still leaves more to the imagination.

But the world of animation — a space governed by entertainment bigwigs, Disney, Pixar and Dreamworks — is a space where anything goes, and the effort to diversify is evidently much easier when characters can be drawn whichever way, new fantastic worlds can be rendered from pure imagination and voice talents don’t typically have to contend with the marketability factor in casting.

Little do many of us know that behind such cherished films like “Zootopia� and “Wreck-It Ralph� and TV shows like the cultural behemoth “Avatar: The Last Airbender� are Filipino American animators who have established fruitful careers as animators, storyboard artists and, most recently, directors.

Rise Up Animation, an initiative created by people of color in the animation industry, was co-founded by Fil-Am animator Bobby Pontillas, whose credits include contemporary Disney classics such as “Wreck-It Ralph� and “Big Hero 6.�

The initiative’s objective is, simply put, to buoy up aspiring animators of color and uncover

their potential. In the year of COVID-19, the Rise Up Animation’s offerings of programs and workshops are, like most things these days, limited.

But the organization — which has partnered up with various Disney properties — has been hosting talks with some of the biggest veteran animators in the game.

Among those animators include Filipino American talents such as Pontillas, Josie Trinidad, John Aquino, Ian Abando and Bobby Rubio, all of whom have worked on an entire generation’s worth of nostalgia and developed enough career longevity to become formidable forces in the push for Filipino visibility and recognition in animation. “It’s quite an honor to be in the presence of directors and Filipino artists whom I admire and look up to and it’s great that we are in this time and space where our work is being recognized,� Pontillas said in a special “Filipinx Directors in Animation� panel with Trinidad, Abando, Rubio and Aquino on Thursday, Aug. 6.

Since its inception, Disney set the blueprint for animation, and like other kids, Aquino acknowledged Disney’s role in fueling his early interest in drawing. But Aquino — like Rubio and Abando — was more influenced by comic books, particularly those of Will “Whilce� Portacio, who created works on popular superheroes like the X-Men, The Punisher, Iron Man and Spawn, to name a few.

Like the other artists on the panel, Aquino knew early on that he would lead a life in illustration, a dream that led him to Walt Disney Animation Studios.

As a crucial figure in its visual effects and animation departments, Aquino has worked as a modeler for some of the biggest hits to come out of Disney and Pixar of the last decade: “Tangled,� “Wreck-It Ralph,� “Frozen� and “Frozen 2,� “Big Hero 6� and “Moana.�

Though he’s celebrated major achievements in his professional life, Aquino acknowledges his mother as a key motivator that has gotten him to the point he is now. His

Josie Trinidad, a story artist at Walt Disney Animation Studios.

File photo

mother, who contrasted the Dragon Lady stereotype of Asian mothers, championed the artist’s dreams. “She encouraged me to do whatever brought me joy and she always supported me, and I think that kind of [parental] support goes a long way for Filipinos who want to pursue careers in the arts,� Aquino shared.

For these artists, the shared goal of establishing a cultural foundation for Filipino animators may be an uphill journey, but it’s a battle that they don’t plan to quit. And that tenacity, coupled with the inherent desire to share personal stories through animation, is what prompted a crucial milestone in 2019. “Float,� Rubio’s directorial

debut about a Filipino father with a son who can float in the air that was released on Disney+ in November, was the first-ever animated short featuring CGI Filipino characters.

With a running time of only seven minutes, “Float� beautifully tells a heart-warming story that was inspired by his own experience as a father with a Continued on Page 2

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T h e A s ian Jour nal MDW K M A G A Z I NE - Augus t 12, 2 0 2 0

Census 2020 presentation to faith leaders of the Korean, Chinese, Vietnamese, Indonesian and Filipino communities, Asian Pacific Ministry, Diocese of San Bernardino on February 29, 2020.

Census 2020 will bring billions for health care services in the Inland Empire

Josie Trinidad, a story artist at Walt Disney Animation Studios

Photo courtesy of Walt Disney Animation Studios

Drawing a more vibrant...

From Page 1 son on the autism spectrum. In the story, the father struggles with showing his son’s special abilities to the world, afraid that the son will be subject to ostracization. Eventually, the father realizes that the son’s unusual ability is not a hindrance, but a gift.

A gift, too, is the short film’s expansive relatability and universality, said Rubio, who also worked as a story artist on Disney and Pixar’s “Inside Out” and “Monsters University” as well as the wildly popular Nickelodeon series “Avatar: The Last Airbender.”

After two decades of working on various Disney projects (Rubio’s first animation credit was on the 1995 film “Pocahontas”), Rubio began storyboarding “Float,” which was directly inspired by his son’s autism diagnosis in 2010.

“The floating was a metaphor for me. It was supposed to be a story about autism, but then I saw that it could mean other things and could represent any kind of difference like gender difference, racial difference,” he noted. “I also heard Filipinos suggest that they thought it was a metaphor for assimilation, that the boy was trying to embrace his Filipino heritage but the dad was, like, ‘No, you’re American,’ and tried to stifle his Filipinoness.”

Rubio added, “That’s important because it’s like, I don’t have to assimilate and I could accept and embrace my culture. [When I heard this interpretation from Filipinos] I felt so grateful that my story could be seen that way, and I’m so thankful for all the love and support that the film has gotten.”

If “Float” is the foundational genesis of emerging Filipino stories in the mainstream, then the future is boundless, which Rubio’s fellow Disney animator Trinidad acknowledges.

Trinidad, a second-generation Filipino American, grew up in Oxnard, California and, like Aquino, had parents who were “very supportive of the arts.”

The moment that she knew animation was in her future was an early viewing of Disney’s “Robin Hood” when she was a young child and realized that cartoons were drawings that were created frame by frame.

What followed was her entrance into CalArts and employment at Disney in the early aughts when animation went from a strictly 2D medium to one that now employs CGI and other technological advances.

At Disney, Trinidad wears many hats, providing voices in various Disney and Pixar films to working as a story artist on award-winning films like “The Princess and the Frog,” “Tangled,” “Zootopia” and the “Wreck-It Ralph” films. But, now more than ever, Trinidad feels emboldened to share Filipino narratives through her art.

“I want to show that it’s beautiful and very, very unique and complex and that it’s not a monolith,” Trinidad remarked.

For her work as a story artist on the 2016 hit “Zootopia,” Disney sent Trinidad to the Philippines to gather inspiration for the film, which would later win the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature. While in the Philippines, she visited De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde and the animation studio Toon City in Mandaluyong.

“I’ve just been floored by the Philippines. There’s so much talent there and so many different storytellers and filmmakers that I have just been so impressed by and that makes me very, very proud,” Trinidad shared, punctuating the reservoir of talent and artistry within the global Filipino community.

Walt Disney Animation Studios environment modeler John Aquino, who’s worked on films from “Frozen 2” to “Moana.”

Photo courtesy of Walt Disney Animation Studios

Ian Abando, a director at Netflix and storyboard artist

VICTORIA S. Clamor is a Doctor of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine licensed to practice in California.

A majority of her patients at Trinity Medical Clinic in Ontario are on health care programs, such as Medicaid, the need-based health insurance program for low-income people, and Medicare. Understanding that funding for these public health care services uses data from the U.S. Census Bureau, she urges all co-workers and colleagues in the health professions and her patients to immediately complete and campaign for participation in CENSUS 2020.

Prior to 2005, acupuncture was not included as a benefit on any government healthcare programs. Unless the patient had the ability to pay for acupuncture services, Americans could not avail of acupuncture therapy.

Due to proven effectiveness and wide acceptance, Rep. Maurice Hinchey of New York reintroduced H.R 818 (aka Federal Acupuncture Coverage Act of 2005).

H.R. 818 provided amendments to the Social Security Act and Federal Civil Service Law of the Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) program coverage to qualified acupuncturist services to be included under Part B (Supplementary Medical Insurance) of title XVIII (Medicare).

In 2005, it was estimated that enactment of the bill would enable more than 40 million Medicare eligible Americans access to acupuncture treatment in addition to nine million federal employees, including their dependents, and retirees. Consequently, for Fiscal Year 2015, more than $700 billion in federal funding were distrib-

ManilaTimes.net

“Float” made history as the first Pixar animation featuring Filipino characters.

Photo courtesy of Pixar

The artists who shared their enthusiasm for diverse storytelling on Thursday emanated excitement over the future of animation, even taking asides to brainstorm Filipino-centric stories they could tell.

But the reality is that, even though an animation department and writers’ room could be diverse, nothing will happen unless power dynamics change within studios like Pixar and Dreamworks and, especially, in the corporations that own them like Disney and NBCUniversal.

Abando, who is a story and storyboard artist at Dreamworks (and has worked with Laika Studios), pointed out that studios are often guided by profits and marketability over cultural impact and narrative innovation. This, he remarked, is what leads to sequels of sequels and reboots (and then reboots of those reboots).

“Studios are always trying to look for the next thing to kind of riff from, the next thing that [they can foresee] will be successful,” said Abando, whose credits include “Despicable Me 2,” “The Emoji Movie” and “Trolls.”

“It’s like, you have all this room and you buy all these properties that are about people that aren’t like you, but why aren’t any of those people on your team? Why do you strip away all those things that

you think scare your audience away?” he pondered, noting that pushing projects based on the premise that they showcase diverse talent and storytelling should be “enough” for studio executives to greenlight those projects.

But, at the same time, Abando rejects quotas and tokenism in Hollywood, or the notion of shallowly telling diverse stories without the intention of taking those projects seriously as forms of art. In other words, studios should recognize that both ideas — that Filipino animators should be uplifted and their art should be valued as universally-relevant stories — are simultaneously true.

“I appreciate people like you, Bobby [Rubio], who can be 100% true and not be afraid of being rejected because people want to be as personal as possible and be seen, and I think that lack of precedent in [the animated] industry isn’t understood,” Abando said, adding that he hopes that animation will be valued more as an art form rather than just juvenile, escapist entertainment.

He added, “People are like, ‘Oh, it’s just animation,’ but to us, this is our culture as much as being Filipino is our culture.

I take animation culture very seriously and I hope to see it elevated to being appreciated as a film and real art form.”

uted to support federal programs based on data obtained from 2010 Census. Included in this funding are $312 billion to Medicaid and $64.2 billion to Medicare Part B. Today, patients can avail of acupuncture benefits in most health insurances. Medical doctors have been referring patients to acupuncturists for various pain related illnesses.

Today, more Americans choose non-invasive therapy, and lessen the use of addictive narcotics.

Now, billions of dollars from federal funds are spent every year for health care services, including acupuncture and other alternative modalities.

Dr. Clamor added that many of her patients are middleaged and seniors with different ethnic backgrounds have access to no cost prescriptions, no out-of-pocket copay and free transportation to commute from their residences to her medical clinic. Know that most of these programs are provided to residents in the communities based on the last CENSUS. Remember that health care is an essential

(Advertising Supplement)

‘Love Life with Kris’ might not preem on schedule

By Iza IglesIas

Bobby Rubio photographed on August 20, 2018 at Pixar Animation Studios in Emeryville, Calif.

Photo by Deborah Coleman / Pixar

Dr. Victoria S. Clamor, LAc, DAOM

service that is vital for the development of our communities, and our nation.

By 2030, it is estimated that approximately 79 million individuals would be eligible under Medicare coverage alone. It’s important to know that allocation and availability of the funds are dependent upon each of us. By participating in Census 2020, each of us takes responsibility to ensure that we have the voice and right representation in our government to make legislative decisions that benefit us, including but not limited to making sure sufficient funds are allocated for all eligible health care programs, such as Medicaid/Medicare.

Dr. Clamor, together with NEFFCON-IE, urges everyone to complete Census 2020 now via: • ONLINE by going directly to https://my2020census. gov (available 24/7); • TELEPHONE by calling either 844-330-2020 (English); check it out - other languages are also available; or • US POSTAL MAIL by completing and mailing the enclosed self-address CENSUS 2020 form they received to: U.S. Census Bureau, National Processing Center, 100 Logistics Avenue, Jeffersonville, IN 47144 (Contributed by: Dr. Victoria S. Clamor, LAc, DAOM and Naida Castro / NEFFCON-IE) The National Ecumenical Forum for Filipino Concerns in the Inland Empire (NEFFCON-IE) is an organization comprising of people of faith who believe in the dynamic presence and integration of Filipinos and Filipino-Americans in the US Church and society. People of faith are called to be faithful citizens.

IT was indeed exciting news in showbiz when erstwhile Queen of All Media Kris Aquino announced early July she was returning to television within the month. Shortly after, however, the ever-controversial personality kept quiet on social media for many weeks as buzz grew louder that TV5 seems to have changed its mind in giving her a block-timer slot. Loud whispers persisted that politics was getting in the way of the deal.

By the end of July, Aquino resurfaced on social media anew, announcing that her talk show,

“Love Life with Kris,” is finally airing on the free TV station on August 15.

Still three weeks delayed from its original premiere of July 25, however, what really happened between TV5 and Aquino, including her management team Cornerstone Entertainment Inc.?

In a virtual presser on Thursday, director and TV5 Head of Programming Perci Intalan set the record straight that amid rumors the network postponed and even canceled Aquino’s comeback show is fake news.

“As far as we are concerned, Kris Aquino is very much welKris Aquino’s show on TV5 ‘Love Life With Kris’ come on TV5. In fact, we are will be pushed into another date anew.

Continued on Page 3 Photo from Instagram/@krisaquino

The awakening of Liza Soberano Screen sweetheart dishes about the eye-openers that helped her ‘come into full bloom’

By RIto

P. asIlo

Inquirer.net

IF you suddenly found yourself dealing with anxiety attacks or low self-esteem issues some time over the course of “the world’s longest lockdown” in this COVID-19-stricken part of Asia, Liza Soberano wants you to know you’re not alone. Liza, who’s about to finish her first year as a Psychology student in Southville International School and Colleges, disclosed to a panel of journalists last Friday that she has since decided to make “Day by Day” her theme song because “we’re facing too many crises these days, so it’s important to constantly keep resetting our minds, feelings and emotions [to help us cope with the difficulties].”

The actress explained, “These past few days, I’ve been trying to get off social media and not read too much because while it’s important to [be aware of what’s happening around you], we also need to take care of our mental

being. And you can do that by focusing on things that make you happy. It’s important to take a break [from all the noise].”

Liza isn’t just saying niceties. In fact, in the beginning of the Metro-wide quarantine, the 22-year-old screen sweetheart admitted without batting an eyelash that she sometimes found herself crying because of feelings of helplessness and uncertainty— reactions shared these days by so many Filipinos, whose busy lives were brought to a screeching halt by the pandemic.

“It’s weird not to be doing anything when you’re used to doing something all the time,” she shared. “Before the lockdown, I already had a routine of waking up at 5 in the morning to prepare to go to taping. On weekends, I would shoot commercials. Then, suddenly, nothing—it was ‘deafening silence!

“I thought, ‘Is this the end of the world? Is this the end of my life? At first, I didn’t know what to make of it. But I soon realized that there’s more to life

than all that. There are so many things I need to figure out about myself and the future. And over the course of the quarantine, I’ve learned to love myself even more.”

Deeply intimate and welcome disclosure like this couldn’t have come at a better time than during the launch of Nivea Blooming Pink Range’s “ComeIntoFullBloom campaign in the midst of NCR’s return to modified enhanced community quarantine last week, where Liza was joined by “Ang Probinsyano” star Yassi Pressman and beauty vlogger Raiza Contawi during the virtual event.

Like the similarly lovely Yassi, there’s nobody more suited for the impressively organized beauty-and-wellness campaign that is as much about self-care as it is about skin care.

Put in place for the virtual launch was a fun and relaxing atmosphere that allowed us to get more intimate with Liza and Yassi, far removed from the time-conContinued on Page 4

Netflix adds 15 more Filipino films

By The

T h e As ian Jou r n al MDWK MAGAZ IN E - A u gu st 1 2 , 2 0 2 0

Manila TiMes

STAYING true to their commitment to bring more Filipino content to the service, Netflix is announcing new films from Viva Communications, Regal Films, TBA Studios, The IdeaFirst Company, and CleverMinds.

This exciting new lineup cuts across multiple genres and has something for everyone to absolutely enjoy. There will be a brand new slate of 15 Filipino films coming on to the service starting this August, including Netflix Original “Love the Way U Lie.” Director RC Delos Reyes said, “It is an honor having ‘Love the Way U Lie’ be included as a Netflix Original and be shown across Asia. It is a huge opportunity not just for me but also for every Filipino filmmaker to continue creating quality films that can be shown to the world and that every Filipino can be proud of.”

“Very few films get to become a Netflix Original, and we at Viva and 1017 are very proud that ‘Love the Way U Lie’ is part of that elite. This film is a testament to Filipino creativity and we can’t wait for Asia to enjoy

entertainment

Andi Eigenmann defends Philmar Alipayo from ‘mean’ comments on skin color, living in province

By Ryan Xian Lim and Alex Gonazaga in the Netflix Original ‘Love the Way U Lie.’ Netflix Photo

it!” said Vincent Del Rosario, president of Viva Communications, Inc. The 2019 Metro Manila Film Festival frontrunner “Write About Love,” under TBA Studios will also be made available on the platform.

“It will surely help our movie reach a wider audience and bring them this wonderful story of the Female Writer and Male Writer, as well as the characters of Marco and Joyce. In this time of a worldwide pandemic, we all need something to hold on to, and what else is worth holding on to but love,” expressed director Crisanto Aquino.

President of TBA Studios Vincent Nebrida expressed that

the film is one of the company’s best productions, and they have become more proud that it has been picked up by the streaming platform.

“We’re grateful that a bigger audience will now have the opportunity to discover this uniquely entertaining movie that celebrates the art of writing. For those who enjoyed it during its theatrical release, this is the chance to see it again, along with their family and friends,” he said.

These films will be added to the lineup of other wildly popular Filipino movies that have come to Netflix including “Through Night and Day” and Continued on Page 4

Sharon Cuneta remembers Gabby Concepcion’s mom: ‘Thank you for being good to me’

erstwhile inlaws.

“Oh my MANILA, Philippines — Sha- gosh… I just ron Cuneta on Tuesday remem- got the sad bered her former mother-in-law news that KC’s Lourdes Arellano, who is the Mommyla mother of Gabby Concepcion, passed away upon learning of her death. this morning…

In an Instagram post on My deepest Tuesday, the Megastar thanked condolences her former mother-in-law for to the Arelbeing good to her, as well as lanos and for loving granddaughter KC Concepcions… “with all your heart.”

Rest in peace, KC Concepcion Sharon’s dear Mommy firstborn child with Gabby.

Baby…,” she “Thank you for being good said. to me while I was part of your It was KC family, and for loving KC with who announced all your heart,” the veteran her grandmother’s passing. singer-actress said.

Lourdes, according to Sharon also extended her Gabby, is the granddaughter heartfelt condolences to her of Filipino architect and painter

By KaTRina

hallaRe Inquirer.net

Photo from Instagram/@reallysharoncuneta

Juan Arellano.

Sharon and Gabby wed in 1984, but separated three years later. Their marriage was officially annulled in 1993.

aRcadio Inquirer.net

Andi Eigenmann defended her partner Philmar Alipayo from people who bash him for his brown skin and for living in a province.

The couple addressed the criticism he faced during a vlog post on their joint YouTube page Happy Islanders on Wednesday, Aug. 5. The video showed them answering their fans’ questions about their relationship.

As they responded to questions, one supporter asked Alipayo about how he adjusted to having a celebrity as a partner.

The professional surfer admitted it was hard at first since people would say negative things about him.

While Alipayo did not immediately explain what he was criticized for, Eigenmann said that people would pick on him because of his skin color.

“Yeah, bakit ‘yong Pilipino, sa tingin nila ‘yong itsura ng Pilipino pangit?” Eigenmann wondered.

(Yeah, why do Filipinos think that that the way Filipinos look

would get rid of the mentality that one is not successful just because they came from the province. Eigenmann noted that living in the province does not make anyone inferior to those who look for jobs in the city.

They then stated that they choose to stay on Siargao island because they love their life there.

“But it’s OK because while people are being mean, we’re happy,” Eigenmann said with a laugh. “We’re living our happiest, awesomest life.”

Aside from facing criticism, Eigenmann revealed that Instagram/@andieigengirl people used to tell Alipayo they were not good together since is ugly?) he was from the island.

She then stressed that Eigenmann then told Alihaving brown skin is great and payo not to belittle being born assured Alipayo that he has nice skin. Meanwhile, Alipayo stated and raised on an island since she considers island people that nobody is ugly and that there are only people with ugly lucky to be able to live in “paradise.” She also expressed how attitudes. glad she is to currently live on “I didn’t expect that bean island herself. cause of me, people would be Eigenmann moved to saying bad or negative things to Siargao in 2018 and shares a Philmar just because of his skin 1-year-old daughter named Lilo color, and also because he’s from the province,” Eigenmann with Alipayo. They each have kids from previous relationadded.

She also hopes that Filipinos ships.

‘Love life with...

From Page 2 preparing na for her show, but I think there are a few things that they need to fix within their side because TV5 is not producing the show — it’s actually produced externally. Kaya hihintayin namin silang maging ready. But again as far as we are concerned, we gladly welcome her and we look forward to having her on our channel,” he clarified.

“August 15 is really the original airing. I guess ang hirap sagutin nung details [why they postponed] kasi that’s their turf kung ano yung nangyayari inside in their discussion, within their production. But one thing is for sure, excited na talaga kami,”

Intalan reiterated.

“But again, maraming factors [that they will have to consider] I guess kasi tatamaan sila ng MECQ. Bawat show kasi iba-iba yung lead time eh. So nung sinabi nila na hindi pa ready before, wait muna, we respect that,” he added, hinting that the premiere date may indeed be pushed back.

It was on July 30 when Aquino shared a teaser for her upcoming show over Instagram with the caption, “Thanks to all of you, I’m starting my new beginning.”

The same day, she also shared a clip where she was welcomed by the network’s news

anchor Raffy Tulfo [aka the “King of Pulic Serice”] in his very own studio at TV5’s headquarters in Mandaluyong City.

According to Intalan, Aquino will greatly help TV5’s revival on the entertainment side.

“Yes, she’s a big help for TV5.

Kris Aquino is Kris Aquino. Kita mo naman with the few things that is happening with her show, pinaguusapan na eh. Yun yung power ng isang Kris Aquino — everything that she does is already news worthy. Wala pa yung show pinaguusapan na, what more kapag nandiyan na yung show.”

“Love Life with Kris” will be the seasoned host’s fist TV venture in four years after her last show “Kris TV” was on air at the now defunct ABS-CBN.

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Netflix adds 15 more...

From Page 4 “Ang Pangarap Kong Holdap,” which have consistently appeared in the Philippine’s Top 10 row. Both under Mavx Productions, CEO Erwin Blanco has expressed warmest thanks for allowing Filipinos to watch the films at the comfort of their own homes, and to be entertained during these times.

“The success of our films on Netflix goes to show how people are really starting to appreciate locally and independently produced films with unique and authentic storytelling, and we hope that Netflix will continue to empower more talented

filmmakers in the Philippines as they have done with us,” Blanco said.

Completing the Filipino titles slated for release in August and September are “Hindi Tayo Pwede” (“Once Before”) with Marco Gumabao, Tony Labrusca, Lovi Poe; “Time & Again” starring Winwyn Marquez and Enzo Pineda; “Stranded” starring Jessy Mendiola and Arjo Atayde; “Kung Paano Siya Nawala” (“How She Left Me”) with JM de Guzman and Rhian Ramos; “Finding You” starring Jerome Ponce, Jane Oineza, and Barbie Imperial; “Us Again” with Jane Oineza and RK

The awakening of...

From Page 4 suming and rigidly by-the-numbers “show biz” press cons that were the norm in prepandemic times. Later on in the launch, even Liza was “game” enough to show attendees a breezily choreographed number to pitch the product, realized with the help of boyfriend Enrique Gil naturally.

At the event, we were also just as thrilled to quickly catch up with ABS-CBN’s MJ Felipe and TV5’s MJ Marfori, dear friends in media we haven’t seen in a long time. So, kudos, Nivea and Castro Communications.Like the happy circumstance of reconnecting with old pals, Liza said she was only too happy to embrace any form of normalcy these days. Being a student, she said, has taken her mind away from all the doom and gloom happening around her.

“School keeps my mind running. I am enjoying my time as a student,” she mused. “I started going back to school two years ago, but this [arrangement] is even better. Back then, I had to go to school once a week or twice a month, which was something I couldn’t really commit to doing [because of my schedule].

“But the quarantine gave me the opportunity to really focus on my studies and attend school more often. So, in a way, even if it’s not really the regular classes as we know them, they feel like ‘regular’ to me because there’s a regular schedule I need to

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adhere to.

“I feel like I’m learning a lot.

In the beginning, the intention was to take psychology as a prelaw course because I wanted to become a lawyer. Then, I realized I didn’t want to have anything to do with the law or politics in general (laughs). So now, I just want to be a counselor and help people who are dealing with mental health issues.”

More than dealing with personal endeavors she had little time to focus on before the pandemic, the political and social unrest that soon engulfed the country triggered an “awakening” of sorts in Liza.

It’s a testament to the actress’ likability as a public figure that she doesn’t get trolled as brutally as the other celebrities who speak their mind about the injustices they see, or the culture of impunity in government that has been spreading like wildfire.

For many people, the urge to protect or respect Liza’s views is stronger than their need to put her on the spot—an enviable ability for any celebrity of her stature to possess.

When we asked Liza how she thought women her age could “come into full bloom” in times of unrest and global disasters, she stressed the importance of knowing oneself and the things that affect her.

“The issues that came out during the lockdown became eye-openers for a lot of people,

Bagatsing; “D’Ninang” starring Ai-Ai de las Alas, Kisses Delavin, and McCoy De Leon.

More films coming soon are “Tayo sa Huling Buwan ng Taon” (“Us, at the End of the Year” starring Nicco Manalo, Emmanuelle Vera, and Alex Medina; “Gasping for Air” with Therese Malvar and JC Santos; “Sleepless” with Glaiza de Castro, Dominic Roco, and TJ Trinidad; “Kung Paano Hinihintay ang Dapithapon,” (“Waiting for Sunset”) starring Dante Rivero, Menggie Cobarrubias, and Perla Bautista; “Distance,” starring Iza Calzado, Therese Malvar, Nonie Buencamino; and finally, “Tuos” (“The Vow”) starring Elora Españo, Barbie Forteza, Nora Aunor. including myself,” she admitted.

“Before this, I wasn’t as vocal or outspoken because I was scared of what the public would say.

But I eventually gathered the confidence from other people I admire, like Ate Angel (Locsin) and Ate Bea (Alonzo).

“I realized that I’m the type of person who fights for what I believe in. I decided to make a choice, to stand up for what’s right. When I saw that Ate Angel and Ate Bea were fighting, it also encouraged me [to let my voice be heard]. But the way I fight is through emotions, which can sometimes be a bad thing.

“It’s best to weigh things out carefully when I’m speaking because I know that my work can influence or have an impact on a lot of people. Also, I make sure that I keep an eye out on the younger women, the younger generation … so I can inspire people in a good way.

“So, for people who want to come into full bloom, they really need to get to know themselves better and love themselves before anything or anyone else, because media feeds us a lot of things that influence. You have to set aside your biases and get to the core of things.

“Think for yourself, know what your thoughts are about something—and that’s what I’m trying to focus on. Despite everything, there’s always something to be hopeful about.”

After disclosing to us that she had just spoken to Star Cinema executive Olivia Lamasan about a movie idea for Liza that the com-

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Immigrant Living: 101 and Beyond Monette AdevA MAglAyA

How to defend yourself from COVID-19 Part 1 of 2 installments

“… Oh, to go back to the comforts of the past, pre- pandemic, To breathe freely, sans the mask…

Back to the touchy feely hum of life Never again will I take it for granted …”

—MAM

OH 2020!!! I wish I saw you coming.

But could we have taken evasive action? Could we have bombed that Wuhan lab to smithereens if we had the intel? Okay, just kidding on the bombing…

That’s my roadrunner and the wily coyote cartoon animation brain imagery where no one dies in the altercations, just the coyote getting foiled all the time.

But kidding aside, we know a lot more about the coronavirus now, 6 months later than its onset in early 2020. This election year heavily tainted by the dire effects of this blasted virus is definitely shaping up to be a consequential year, not only for America but for the whole world.

They say,“When America sneezes, the world catches a cold.” Now this could very well read, “When China messes up big time, the world catches a virus.”

We now know that Covid19 is more than likely a lab-created bat virus from Wuhan, China tweaked to make it highly contagious. As to whether it was a deliberate or accidental release by China is still unclear. Experts believe it is likely to mutate like most other corona viruses, either weaker or stronger.

No one knows for certain.

Hammer, meet Nail. If all you have is a hammer, you are likely to think that all problems are like nails that need to be pounded.

And so it is with this virus. Big pharmaceutical firms seeing the situation as a juicy opportunity for their bottom lines are in a mad rush jockeying for position to create vaccines against the virus.

Why vaccines you ask? There

is big money to be made in vaccines. There is a law in place that where vaccines are concerned, the liability for big pharmaceutical firms is limited, minuscule, probably even non-existent.

There is a growing body of thought that this law needs to be revisited and struck down mightily. Pharmaceutical firms and other foundations, like the Gates Foundation, which purports to address global health problems and seems hell bent on depopulating the world should get no dispensation and be held to account at all times if and when they foul up whole populations.

There should be a big commensurate comeuppance and not only financially.

How about laser-focusing instead on boosting the immune system of individuals and whole societies? How about developing natural herd immunity etched into our DNA over time through the generations that no virus in the future, natural or man-made, can ever again gain traction, cause widespread contagion and place the world on lockdown (more like a chokehold in the hands of power crazed so-called leaders, experts and bureaucrats) and

create the current crisis that is imposed on over 188 countries?

How about an emphasis on building internal, layer-by-layer biodefense? The amazing human body is God’s crowning glory of creation. Man is created in God’s image and likeness. There exists, at this time, a vast amount of verifiable science to figure out a way.

But first, a disclaimer is in order. I am not a doctor or an expert so any information in this article must be discussed with your physician. If you are not comfortable with your doctor, then get a second opinion from another medical expert. Every person’s physical health condition is different from the other.

But as thinking human beings, we can do our own observation and research and consult with a capable, trusted medical expert before beginning any health regimen.

Here is a rough aggregate of what is known about fighting off and winning your personal do or die battle with this virus. Aside from assiduously applying the general knowledge about getting enough sleep, drinking adequate water, exercising, avoiding stress Continued on Page 5

pany is toying with, we asked the actress what she sees herself doing if she has to quit acting or other causes she’s advocating.

“It’s my dream to become a humanitarian. I’m reading up right now on the most famous humanitarians we have,” she said. “I’ve also been very vocal about children’s rights. I admit I don’t know everything about the urgent issues of the world, but I’m trying my best to understand the difficult situations we’re facing and figuring out what my true opinion is about them.

“We easily get affected by the things people say and we take them to heart. We never forget if someone says, ‘Oh, you don’t look pretty enough’ or some other putdown. We tend to talk about it too much. But, does that really matter? What truly matters are the people close to us.

“People should be more aware or conscious of the words they say to other people. We should try to be nice to everybody, especially because we’re all going through something right now. A lot of people lost

their jobs, so it’s not the right time to pick on people’s flaws or poke fun at them. It’s time for us to connect and work together if we have to survive this crisis.

“We only have one earth, and we were given one life, so let’s make the most of it! I just hope the coronavirus would end soon so that our front-liners can breathe a little bit. Hoping for things to go back to the way it was would probably be impossible at this point. But there’s nothing wrong with being hopeful, right?”

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FOR RENT

4 ways of filing for divorce can benefit your immigration case

(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 Atty. Kenneth years ago, then you can adjust UrsUA reyes to a green card now instead of waiting another 10 years.

2. Married Sons and COUPLES get divorced for Daughters of Legal Permanent various reasons. California is a no fault state. The reasons why Residents If your parents a couple is getting divorced are often irrelevant to the issues of are legal permanent residents, getting the family law case. Divorce is divorced will convert often a difficult and negative you back single status experience for most families. making you eligible However, getting divorce may have some unintended benefits to be petitioned by your legal permanent in the immigration law arena. resident parents under Four situations in which filing for divorce can be beneficial to the family based second preference (F2b) your immigration case are as category if you are follows: 21 years old or older 1. Married Sons and or under the family Daughters of US Citizens based second preferIf you were petitioned for ence A (F2a) if you are legal permanent residence under 21 years of age. by your US Citizen parent as For those who a married son or daughter 21 years old or over, you are classi- married after they were petitioned by their LPR parents fied in immigration law under (F2A and F2B), the petition is family sponsored third preferautomatically revoked under ence (F3) which usually carries operation of law the moment a long wait time. The wait time for Filipinos for example is you get married and cannot be reclaimed by a divorce. In currently 22 years. The priority theory, it can be argued that fildate is normally the date the ing a subsequent petition after petition was initially filed by your US Citizen parents. If you your divorce under the same category inherits the previous get divorced, you revert back petition’s priority date under to single status and your cat9 FAM 42.43 N10 and 8 CFR egory automatically becomes 204.2(h), Part 205. However, reclassified to first preference

Barrister’s Corner

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

How to defend...

From Page 4 and abiding by the standards of good, healthy nutrition on a daily basis, there are certain available vitamins and minerals that can work well and equip the body with defensive ammunition to fight off this virus.

Since the Covid-19 virus thrives at the onset of the cold and flu season during fall and winter, it would help greatly to boost your immune system by taking Vitamin C, Echinacea, elderberry and zinc. Zinc, in particular, is a mineral known to stop the replication of Covid19 in the lungs.

A caveat is in order about taking supplements. Too much of a good thing can be toxic so read and understand the fine print and follow recommended dosages. There are no silver bullets.

Observe your body’s reaction and tell your doctor.

Isolate yourself. Cut off close human contact, for the time being, when you sense its onset.

Wear a mask but guard against hypoxia and shortness of breath.

You cannot be without oxygen and inhaling your own carbon dioxide for long stretches of time.

You are not a plant–based specie and cannot do photosynthesis.

Breathe deeply. Wash hands with soap and water often. By now, we all know the drill. This virus has been tweaked to be highly

contagious.

At the early onset of the Covid-19 within the first 2 or 3 days when such symptoms as fever, the loss of the senses of taste and smell and bodily pain become apparent, 51 studies around the world have shown that Plaquenil, the common name for hydroxychloroquine, in combination with zinc and zythromax, an antibiotic to arrest opportunistic infections when taken within 5 days of early onset, can give the afflicted the advantage to fight off the virus and WIN BIG. Many doctors, at the risk of losing their professional licenses because of irrational, politically motivated decision-making by bureaucrats, are coming out in the open to support this.

Zinc needs an ionophore. It is a substance able to transport the zinc ions through the lipid or fat membrane in the cell so that the zinc can do its job of stopping the virus from stealing the resources present in the lungs and replicating itself to critical mass and creating a cytokine storm. That is the tipping point. You don’t want to get there. This is when all hell breaks loose.

(To be continued next week …) ***

Nota Bene: Monette Adeva Maglaya is SVP of Asian Journal Publications, Inc. To send comments, email monette.maglaya@asianjournalinc.com

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ration 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 NonImmigrant Visas and those without Status For those who enter the US as a non-immigrant and are

“Divorce is often a difficult and negative experience for most families. However, getting divorce may have some unintended benefits in the immigration law arena.”

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 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 expi-

community 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 sum-

mons. 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, APLC. 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. Visit our website at Kenneth@kenreyeslaw.com.

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