081520 - Los Angeles Weekend Edition

AUGUST 15-18, 2020 Volume 30 - No. 64 • 2 Sections – 18 Pages

USA

DATELINE How COVID-19 escalated the war on immigration FROM THE AJPRESS NEWS TEAM ACROSS AMERICA

SIX months into the COVID-19 pandemic, the federal government’s response to the crisis (or, in some cases, lack thereof) has punctuated cultural, social and political inequities across all communities.

Public education, income disparity and employment, housing retention and immigration are chief among the ongoing public entities that have been rocked by governmental unpreparedness throughout the crisis, which was formally categorized as a pandemic in April.

In the case of legal immigration — President Donald Trump’s political white whale — the plot thickens. Earlier this year, the administration made good on its promise to expand the definition of and enforce the public charge rule to tighten up legal immigration.

In the 18th installment of its “Tracking the Pandemic” series, Ethnic Media Services hosted a briefing on Friday, Aug. 7 detailing how the existing conundrums in American immigration and how the pandemic has boosted Trump’s immigration agenda.

The public charge rule, for instance, accentuated the administration’s pattern of utilizing archaic immigration laws and mandates that are technically legal but were rarely utilized by administrations past. u PAGE A3

Uber and Lyft may leave California if ordered to classify drivers as employees California judge denies motions to delay injunction A CALIFORNIA judge on Thursday, August 13 denied motions by Uber and Lyft to extend a deadline to appeal a preliminary injunction that ordered the companies to classify their drivers in the state as employees.

At a hearing at the San Francisco Superior Court, Judge Ethan Schulman denied the motions after executives at the ride-hailing companies threatened to take their businesses out of California.

Both companies are headquartered in San Francisco.

“I am confident that the court of appeal is capable of acting very quickly where it is necessary for it to do so,” said Schulman. “I am unconvinced that any extension of the 10 day

Select foreign nationals allowed to enter PH

by RITCHEL

MENDIOLA AJPress

THE Philippine Consulate General in Los Angeles this week released an advisory detailing which foreign nationals can travel to the Philippines as the pandemic continues.

“The entry to the Philippines of a foreign national is still dependent on the specific circumstances of each foreign national as determined by the Bureau

of Immigration,” it noted.

Below is the list of foreign nationals allowed to enter the Philippines, as of August 10: • Filipino citizens/Dual citizens • Foreign government and international organization officials and their dependents • Foreign spouse/child traveling or joining Filipino spouse/parent • Foreign airline crew/seafarers • Sec. 13 visa holders

• RA 7919 visa holders • EO 324 visa holders • Native-born visa holders • Indian nationals with temporary resident visas • Chinese nationals with permanent resident visas by reason of marriage to a Filipino.

The advisory also said that Sec. 13 visa holders, RA 7919 visa holders, EO 324 visa holders, and Native-born visa holders are required under u PAGE A2

5 more Filipinos abroad infected with coronavirus as cases near 10,000

by RITCHEL

MENDIOLA AJPress

FREE RIDE. A man gets on the truck of Philippine National Police (PNP) along Marcos Highway in Marikina City on Friday, August 14 with route Cubao-Antipolo City. The PNP offers free rides to health workers as public transport has been suspended anew in Metro Manila which has been put under the modified enhanced community quarantine.

PNA photo by Joey O. Razon

FIVE more overseas Filipinos have tested positive for the coronavirus, bringing the total number of infected individuals to 9,878, the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) reported on Friday, August 14.

The agency also logged two new recoveries, raising the number of recovered Filipinos abroad to 5,823.

The death toll, meanwhile, remains at 722 as the DFA recorded no new fatalities.

“With reports from only two countries in Asia and the Pacific and Europe, the DFA confirms 5 new COVID-19 cases, 2 new recoveries, and no new fatalities today. No new updates from the Americas were received for the fourth consecutive day,” it said.

“Meanwhile, the total DOH IHR verified cases increased to 1,844 with 11 new verified cases reported today in Asia and the Pacific,” the agency added.

Overall by region, Europe — which comprises 18 countries — has recorded 1,146 Filipino cases, including 503 undergoing treatment, 548 recoveries and 95 u PAGE A4

The Philippines remains the world’s largest rice importer

by RITCHEL

MENDIOLA AJPress

THE Philippines will continue to be the world’s largest rice importer until 2021 with the expected decline in local production, the United States Department of Agriculture projected this week.

In its latest report entitled “Grain: World Markets and Trade,” the USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service said that this year’s imports will decline by 10%, reaching 2.6 million metric tons (MT).

However, it will increase by 15% next year, with a projection of three million MT. The USDA also said rice imports of the Philippines in 2021 could decline to 3 million metric tons from its earlier 3.3 million MT projection due to reduced exportable sup-

plies from Thailand and Vietnam, two of the country’s top sources for the commodity.

“Global trade is expected to contract with reduced imports by the Philippines, Nigeria and Cote d’Ivoire as major exporters Thailand, China and Vietnam face tighter supplies,” said the agency.

The USDA projected a 0.5% decrease in global production next year, reaching 500.049 million MT. However, it pointed out that the latest projection is still higher than its 2020 rice imports estimated at 2.6 million MT. The Philippines was also seen replacing China as the world’s top importer as China is expected to buy 2.3 million MT for this year, A farmer spreads fertilizer granules as he walks through his rice field in Bambang town, Nueva and 2.2 million MT for next year.

The implementation of the Rice Tariffica- Vizcaya province. Rice farmers in the country, many of them still relying on manual labor to

u PAGE A2

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produce the staple, worry about competition from cheaper imported rice flooding local markets.

Inquirer.net photo by Karlston Lapniten

Affirmative action remains contentious LA County rent relief program to launch among AAPIs in CA as election nears on August 17 for income-eligible renters Prop 16 would repeal ban on using race and ethnicity in college admissions

Proposition 209, which became

by RAE ANN VARONA part of the California ConstituAJPress tion after passing in 1996, and EVEN amidst a global pan- says that California cannot disdemic, racial justice has re- criminate against or grant prefmained a key issue for voters. erential treatment to individuals As California gears up for the or groups “on the basis of race, upcoming November elections, sex, color, ethnicity, or national one proposition on the state’s origin in the operation of public ballot looks at whether race and employment, education, or conethnicity should play a factor in tracting.” public employment, education, If passed, Proposition 16 and contracting. would essentially remove the Proposition 16 looks to repeal state’s ban on “affirmative ac-

tion” — the practice of taking an individual’s race or gender into account over factors like test scores and grades in academic settings — from the California Constitution.

During a virtual rally held

by Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) supporters of Proposition 16 on Wednesday, August 12, AAPI community leaders shared their thoughts on why affirmative action is imporu PAGE A4

$100 million to go towards rent assistance as pandemic continues

by RAE

ANN VARONA AJPress

THE latest Los Angeles County Rent Relief program created to help county renters who have been heavily impacted by the COVID-19 crisis will launch Monday, August 17, and will remain open for a two-week period, closing on August 31.

The rent relief program will provide $100 million in CARES (Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security) Act funds to renters’ landlords with hopes of

assisting between 8,000 to over 9,000 households.

“This will be one of the largest rent relief programs of its kind in the nation with a goal to assist more than 9,000 households,” said Supervisor Kathryn Barger at a news conference Wednesday, August 12.

The emergency rental assistance is intended to help low-income renters who have struggled to pay rent or have fallen behind on rent due to the pandemic, and is available to all residents of LA

County.

Excluded are those living in the City of Los Angeles as the city has its own allocations of CARES Act funds.

The program, though open to all eligible renters across the county, will prioritize eligible renters who are most in need.

Those living in identified target zip codes will be prioritized for 50% of the available funding, while those not listed in targeted zip codes will be chosen by lotu PAGE A2

A August 15-18, 2020 • LA WEEKEND AsIAN JOuRNAL

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From the Front Page

Select foreign nationals allowed...

PAGE A1 t

the Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) Resolution No. 56 to have pre-booked an accredited quarantine facility and COVID-19 testing provider.

Sec. 13 visa holders refers to holders of Quota visas, and Immigrant visas issued by reason

of marriage to a Filipino, to a returning former Filipino, to a child born to an immigrant visa holder, and to a returning alien resident.

RA 7919 visa holders refers to aliens holding permanent resident status in the Philippines pursuant to Republic Act No. 7919 or the Alien Social Integration Act,

while EO 324 visa holders refers to aliens holding permanent resident status pursuant to Executive Order No. 324 series of 1988 or the Alien Legalization Program of 1988.

Native-born visa holders, on the other hand, refers to children born in the Philippines whose parent/s are lawful permanent resident aliens – usually holders of RA 7919 or EO 324 visas.

Entry visa for foreign spouses The BI also announced that foreign spouses and dependents of Filipino citizens will need visas to enter the country.

“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.

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.

The new requirement took effect on August 9.

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. n

GETTING READY. A customer chooses from among the face shields sold along Kaliraya Street in Barangay Tatalon in Quezon City on Friday, August 14. The mandatory use of face shields in public transport and workplaces will take effect on Saturday, August 15.

PNA photo by Joey O. Razon

The Philippines remains the world’s largest...

PAGE A1 t tion Law in March made imports more available in the market, depressing overall milled rice prices.

The USDA said farmers might

shift to other crops amid the trend of converting lands into other commercial purposes.

Rice farmers also continue to struggle in competing with affordable imports from Southeast

Asia.

However, the Philippines’ rice production this year is expected to increase by 1.5%, improving from 11.7 million MT last year to 11.9 million MT. n

LA County rent relief program to launch...

PAGE A1 t

tery for the other half of the available funding.

Prioritized zip codes can be found online at rentrelief.lacda. org.

“This will not just be first come first serve. Not everyone will get the same amount. This program will be based on equity,” said Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas.

Renters living on 30% of the median income and cannot pay rent may receive up to $10,000.

Renters living on 50% of the median income may receive up to $7,500.

Because the relief funds will be paid directly to landlords to settle unpaid rent, LA County officials ensured that landlords would need to abide by certain terms and would be closely monitored to make sure that the money would be put toward their tenants’ rent.

“We are going to be verifying exactly what the arrearage is, specific to the households that are receiving the assistance,” said Emilio Salas, acting executive director at the Los Angeles

County Development Authority (LACDA), which is managing the program.

“It’s specific to households, but there is a check and balance and a way to make sure we all have the same understanding [about] what money is coming,” added Salas.

“Landlords are going to have to agree to terms and conditions to get the money, so there are checks and balances as it relates to the money being released,” said Barger.

‘Piece of mind’ The coronavirus pandemic has left many Los Angeles renters scrambling to pay rent. A recent study by the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) found that some 365,000 residential renters in the county could face eviction.

While the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors voted to extend a moratorium on evictions for tenants unable to pay rent due to the coronavirus, the moratorium does not absolve tenants of paying missed rent.

The latest rent relief program

is the second program to give renter relief, following the county’s pilot Emergency Renters Assistance Subsidy Program that granted up to $1,000 to $2,000 per month to cover monthly rent for eligible renters.

Anja Carrillo, a recipient of the county’s pilot program, was on the brink of eviction when she applied.

“If I wouldn’t have gotten approved, I probably would have been right now homeless with my 7-year-old son. The landlord threatened to evict me,” said Carrillo.

The single mother of one had worked for a tourism company in Hollywood before being laid off due to the pandemic.

“If you feel like you’re going to be homeless in a month, you don’t really have much to look forward to,” shared Carrillo. “It gave me peace of mind.”

Applications for the LA County Rent Relief program can be submitted starting Monday, August 17 anytime online at 211la.org/ lacounty/rentrelief, or by dialing 2-1-1 between 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. n

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Dateline USa

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A

‘Sotto shows glimpses of Jokic’

by Josef

T. Ramos ManilaTimes.net

MECQ REMINDER. A large billboard shows a health reminder to motorists driving along Edsa in Cubao, Quezon City on Thursday, August 13.

Complying with the safety and health protocols will help limit the spread of coronavirus disease, reduce the impact on the national medical health services, and save lives.

PNA photo by Robert Oswald P. Alfiler

How COVID-19 escalated the war on...

PAGE A1 t The public charge rule is a set of criteria the government uses to determine whether or not an incoming immigrant will rely on public assistance, as reported in the Asian Journal. The rule takes into account the size of one’s family, income, English proficiency and other determinants that could deem someone a public charge.

The implementation of the public charge rule is a “great example of this administration diving into laws on the books and finding things that have never been enforced before,” Sarah Pierce, a policy analyst at the non-partisan Migration Policy Institute (MPI), told reporters.

Pierce shared a recent MPI report that shows the increasing enforcement of existing and new immigration policies and found that in the last four years, the Trump Administration has made 400 policy changes that have greatly eroded immigrants’ rights. Sixty-three of those changes were imposed during the COVID-19 pandemic, with the administration reasoning public health and safety concerns.

Another crucial change that the Trump administration levied into its immigration policy was enforcing a 1944 rule that allows the Surgeon General to restrict certain individuals who may be considered a public health threat from entering into the U.S. In March the CDC used that rule to ban foreign nationals without proper travel documents.

Though the pandemic is the administration’s key motive to these restrictions, they have altered the flow of immigration “disfavoring women, the elderly and nationals in Central America,” Pierce added.

“The really broad changes that have been implemented by the administration would include closing off humanitarian benefits, sealing the southern border and making life in the interior really uncomfortable for immigrants, both legal and authorized, inside the United States,” Pierce shared.

In addition to the CDC order in March, Pierce noted two other major proclamations made during the pandemic that accelerated the administration’s endgame to drastically tighten, not just illegal entry, but legal immigration channels, as well: the April 22 proclamation that restricted permanent immigration channels and the June 22 announcement that restricted temporary workers (excluding essential workers).

The April 22 proclamation put a temporary ban on such programs like family-based petitioning — a favored option among Asian immigrants, especially Filipinos — and the diversity visa lottery.

These were among the longstanding goals of the administration since Trump was first elected, and the pandemic provided an open window for enforcement.

The election in November has been a beacon of hope for Americans seeking to oust Trump and, hopefully, reverse the rigid policies his administration has put in place through new leadership under former Vice President Joe Biden. But Pierce noted that any Democratic administration (whether it’s a Biden administration or beyond) may have a difficult time rolling back some of Trump’s policies.

Though Democrats are broadly pro-immigrant rights, the lack of cohesive vision and their failure to put forth a clear image of immigration among party members may not effectively reverse Trump-era policy.

“Democrats have not been very active or interested in acting on immigration,” Pierce said, citing congressional Democrats’ disorderly management on the immigration platform. “They haven’t really put forward a vision for what the immigration system should look like, so there’s just a

lack of willingness there to undo each of these changes, I think.”

In regards to business immigration — which largely attracts immigrants from Asia — during the pandemic, the Trump administration cited rising unemployment levels in its June 22 temporary ban of workers entering the U.S. This ban affected visa categories including H-1B for workers and their spouses; H-2B visas for non-agricultural workers; J visas for foreign students and L visas for intra-company transfers.

On Aug. 3, the administration doubled down on that proclamation and barred the federal government from employing H-1B workers, of which under 2,000 are currently federal employees.

Unemployment rates have doubled over the last few months, but one field that has not suffered as greatly is the STEM field of which companies employed skilled workers via the H-1B visa program. This includes the vast community of Asian and South Asian H-1B workers in the telecommunications industry.

Gutting the H1-B program, even temporarily, could dramatically exacerbate the tech landscape, including the digital divide, said Kalpana Peddibhotla, an attorney who formerly served as the co-chair of the South Asian Bar Association who said that “the proclamations post-COVID19 are essentially a sledgehammer to business immigration.”

“These are critical workers and these are the workers that are allowing us to have the Zoom call right now,” Peddibhotla said.

“They’re the ones that we need to allow us to get back on our feet and be able to work remotely and provide the technologies we all need.”

Peddibhotla pointed out the severity of these proclamations in families’ goals to reunite. Despite the “economic justifications,” the family preference categories that have now been altered in a COVID-19 world disfavor immigrants who wouldn’t even be threats to the American economy and the job market, she said.

“They were our aging parents, the siblings of US citizens who wanted decades; if you’re from the Philippines they waited at least 20 years. They’re not direct competitors by any measure in the U.S. job market right now,” the attorney mentioned.

“The overall ripple effect is that there’s actually job creation and our economy does better with immigrants.”

Among the revelations that the pandemic has illuminated, the importance of essential workers was made clear when Americans everywhere realized that daily life has been upended in a huge way.

Among those essential workers are agriculture workers, but they have largely been overshadowed by the administration’s efforts to provide financial support.

They were denied the one-time $1,200 stimulus check distributed in April and are ineligible for federal unemployment support.

Hurdles for dreamers Moreover, recipients and advocates of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) — who, in June, celebrated the Supreme Court’s ruling that Trump’s effort to strike down the program was unconstitutional — found yet another roadblock in the fight to provide benefits and protections for undocumented youth.

In July, Trump quietly signed an executive order that allowed no new applicants and shortened the renewal length from two years to one year. The filing fee of $495 would now be a yearly payment, which Ignacia Rodriguez Kmec, an immigration policy advocate with the National Immigration Law Center, said adds to the mounting economic hardships immigrant families face.

“At a time when many are facing unprecedented financial hardship, this additional fee

could hinder eligible individuals from applying, putting at risk their employment authorization and protection from deportation in the middle of a health and economic crisis. All these things add up to make life as difficult as possible for these immigrants trying to navigate an already complex system,” she said.

Advocates like Kmec urge Congress to step up and provide relief and protections to all undocumented immigrants, especially DACA recipients. (Klarize Medenilla/AJPress)

KAI Sotto is giving NBA veteran coach Brian Shaw the chills, saying the Filipino phenom is giving a glimpse of becoming the next Nikola Jokic.

Shaw, coach of the NBA G League Select, said Sotto has the body as well as the skills set of Jokic.

The Denver Nuggets center towers at 7’0; Sotto is a tad taller at 7’2”. And based on film clips he had seen, Shaw, a former Nuggets coach, said Kai like Jokic could shoot from the outside, could dribble hands-off and could be a facilitator on the floor.

“I think a lot of the big [players] that are there in the NBA now, I think [Kai] has the ability to play like Nikola Jokic,” Shaw told reporters during the NBA online media virtual news conference on Thursday.

“Obviously, I haven’t had the chance to be around him yet, but from the film that I watched, you know [it] looks like he can shoot the ball from the outside. He can be a facilitator, where you can put him on the top of the floor, give him the ball and let him dribble hands-off, much like you see Jokic do.”

And that is saying a lot about Sotto. Jokic, after all, is a tripledouble machine.

But while Shaw expressed excitement over coaching Sotto, he said there was still much to do to make the ex-University Athletic Association of the Philippines junior Most Valuable Player NBA-

Kai Sotto drives on an Argentinian defender during the FIBA U-19 World Cup 2019 in Greece.

Photo from Instagram/@fiba

ready.

“I see him as a guy that’s pretty versatile. He has to get stronger. But I think he can play with his back to the basket as well as facing the basket and facilitate for his teammates,” said Shaw, owner of three NBA championship rings.

He recalled 7-footer former NBA big man Andrew Bynum of the Los Angeles Lakers, the youngest player to enter the world’s most popular basketball professional league in 2005 at the age of 17.

“He was a young, big guy who eventually became very, very good but it didn’t happen overnight.”

Shaw did say that it was not going to be difficult for Sotto to adapt to the system and make his dream of becoming the first ever Filipino to play in the NBA. “I think he has the aptitude to play the game and he has a high basketball IQ. I think he has a good skill set as well, so it’s just a matter of putting in that work every day, doing everything at game speed,” said Shaw.

“One, he does everything at game speed. I think he will just naturally get better because he has the drive to get there.”

Sotto, 18, will join Filipino American high-leaper Jalen Green in the NBA G League Select Team. n

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Roach on Pacquiao: 2 more 5 more Filipinos abroad infected with coronavirus... fights then run for president PAGE A1 t deaths.

The Middle East and Africa, covering 27 countries, has reported 6,889 cases; of which, 2,323 are undergoing treatment, 444 deaths and 4,122 recoveries.

The Asia Pacific region, which spans across 20 countries, has 1,059 cases, with 345 under treatment, 706 recoveries, and eight deaths.

The Americas — covering seven countries like the United States — have 784 reported cases, with

by Celest

Flores-Colina Inquirer.net

PHILIPPINE Senator Manny Pacquiao should consider running for president after two more fights, said his long time trainer Freddie Roach.

In an interview with veteran boxing writer Dan Rafael, Roach said that he’s had discussions with the Filipino legend about fighting some more before the possibility of seeking the highest position in the Philippines.

“I’ve had discussions with Manny on having two more fights for his career and then maybe (stay) in the politician side of it,” Roach told BoxingScene.

“I said, I want to run your campaign,” also joked Roach.

Pacquiao, who currently holds a seat in the Senate, hasn’t fought since defeating Keith Thurman for the WBA (Super) welterweight belt in July last year.

“Manny would like to fight a couple of more times and then run for the presidency of his country,” Roach said. “The first fighter to ever do that and it will

from Lebanon via a chartered flight shouldered by the Philippine government.

More than 134,000 Filipinos have been repatriated since the start of the pandemic, of which 81,972 are land-based while 52,206 are sea-based.

“Sinisikap po natin na by the end of the month aabot tayo ng 200,000 (We’re working to reach about 200,000 by end of the month),” Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Sarah Lou Arriola said. n

Affirmative action remains contentious among...

PAGE A1 t Trainer Freddie Roach looks at prized fighter Manny Pacquiao.

Photo by Wendell Alinea/Manny Pacquiao Promotions

be another part of his history and I think he will be really good at.”

While a lot of boxers–and even a mixed martial arts star– have announced their interest in facing the champion, who is still a great crowd draw at 41, there’s still no confirmed plans for Pacquiao’s next fight.

Roach, though, hopes to see Pacquiao back in the ring by the end of the year or early next year and the Fall of Fame Trainer already has names in mind for a

possible opponent.

“We talked about opponents and a couple of names come up here, a couple of names come up there. There are a lot of names coming up and so forth,” Roach said. “I kind of like Mikey Garcia. I think that’s a really, really good fight.”

But Roach said there’s still one name that piques the Filipino boxer’s interest the most.

“What he would like best is (Floyd) Mayweather one more time,” Roach said. n

Uber and Lyft may leave California if ordered to...

PAGE A1 t stay is required. Both applications are denied.”

In May, California Attorney General Xavier Becerra, along with city attorneys from Los Angeles, San Diego, and San Francisco filed a lawsuit against Uber and Lyft, accusing them of violating Assembly Bill 5 (AB 5), which laid out a test determining whether a worker is an independent contractor or employee.

Schulman ordered the preliminary injunction on Monday, August 10, giving the companies until August 20 to make an appeal.

The lawsuit said that in classifying drivers as independent contractors, the companies were depriving their drivers of employee benefits like overtime pay, paid sick leave, and disability and unemployment insurance.

Under the California Unfair Competition Law, the companies are subject to $2,500 in penalties per violation, and an additional $2,500 per violation against

162 undergoing treatment, 447 recoveries, and 175 deaths.

The DFA also said it remains steadfast in its daily repatriation efforts amid the pandemic.

“The DFA’s resolute commitment to our distressed overseas Filipinos was exemplified yet again by the successful repatriation of more than 500 OFs from the UAE on board two special commercial repatriation flights,” the agency said.

Next week, it will see the return of more than 400 Filipinos

people with disabilities or senior citizens.

At the hearing last week, Lyft’s counsel argued that the injunction would cause more harm than good to Uber and Lyft drivers.

The companies argued that the injunction would also be costly as more money would be needed to amp up human resources and payroll staff.

“The proposed injunction would cause irreparable injury to Lyft and Uber, and would actually cause massive harm to drivers and harm to riders,” said Rohit Singla, counsel for Lyft.

In an interview with MSNBC, Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi said the classification change would likely force Uber to temporarily shut down.

“If the court doesn’t reconsider, then in California, it’s hard to believe we’ll be able to switch our model to full-time employment quickly,” said Khosrawshahi.

Executives at both companies have also said that their drivers

preferred to be independent contractors as their business models were based on allowing drivers to work on their own time.

According to a survey conducted in May by ridesharing blog, Rideshare Guy, more than 71% of the survey’s 734 respondents preferred being independent workers. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, 81% of drivers said they wanted to remain independent contractors.

With the injunction going into effect August 20, both companies have put millions of dollars into Proposition 22 — a measure that will be on the California ballot this November — and allows drivers to work as contractors with benefits like 120% of minimum wage while working, 30 cents per mile, healthcare stipend, and occupational accident insurance among others.

Also pushing for Proposition 22 are DoorDash, Postmates, and Instacart — food and grocery delivery companies that also rely on independent contractor drivers. (Rae Ann Varona/AJPress)

tant in California.

“This is quite personal,” said Assemblymember David Chiu, D-San Francisco. “I would not have been elected to office or in public policy or in politics, but for an affirmative action program when I was 19 that encouraged kids of color, students of color, to enter public policy careers.”

As chair of the California Asian Pacific Islander (API) Legislative Caucus, Chiu said the same went for his colleagues like Assemblymember Rob Bonta, the first Fil-Am to serve in the state legislature; Assemblymembers Evan Low and Todd Gloria, the first LGBTQ members; and Assemblymember Ash Kalra, the first South Asian member.

While the issue of affirmative action does play into career mobility as AAPIs continue to trail behind whites in career advancement and earnings, debate over affirmative action has focused largely on college admissions.

In California, the issue is especially pertinent to the state’s public University of California (UC) system where AAPI students make up large percentages of many of its campuses’ student bodies.

“When we actually looked at the data, it showed to us that if you look at a lot of colleges around the country that have employed affirmative action, you’ve seen Asian-American numbers go up dramatically,” added Chiu. “But in California, since Prop 209 passed, we’ve actually not seen our AAPI numbers go up and when you actually look at the data, it’s very clear we need to do this.”

Since Proposition 209 took effect in 1997, admission rates of AAPI students remained nearly the same before and after affir-

mative action was banned, according to UC data compiled by the San Francisco Chronicle.

Opponents of affirmative action argue that advancing Proposition 16 would move away from a merit-based system and thus make it harder for AAPI students to get into the UC system if it were to implement ethnicity quotas.

The Silicon Valley Chinese Assocation Foundation, one of the most vocal opponents of Proposition 16, said in a public letter defending Proposition 209 that allowing affirmative action would “pit one group of citizens against another simply based on their race, sex, color, ethnicity or national origin.”

“It will minimize the accomplishments of minority groups to a simple result of preferential treatment, a blow to their extraordinary hard work and sacrifice,” wrote the organization’s president, Crystal Lu. The group’s sentiment mirrors that of an anti-affirmative action group that sued Harvard University for considering race as one of the non-academic factors looked at for admissions. A federal judge ruled in favor of Harvard University.

On Thursday, Yale University was accused by the Justice Department of discriminating against Asian-American and white applicants by using race as a “determinative factor” in its admissions decisions.

The university said it used a holistic review of applicants that included other aspects of their backgrounds in addition to leadership experience and academics.

Shikha Bhatnagar, executive director of the South Asian Network (SAN), said during the virtual rally that a similar anti-affirmative action concern has been

voiced in the Indian American community.

However, she continued, “I believe the data still shows that Indian Americans still overwhelmingly support affirmative action.”

She added that Proposition 209 would also prevent targeted investments to black and brown students who need extra support.

In relation to the Fil-Am community, affirmative action proponents point back to the mid1990s when Filipino enrollments at the UC Berkeley’s law school — formerly the Boalt School of Law before the name was dropped due to its racist history — declined.

They note that after the school’s affirmative action program was dropped, zero Fil-Ams and Blacks were enrolled at the school. Thirteen Fil-Ams had been enrolled between 1994 and 1996.

Manufou Liaiga Anoa’i, a Daly City school board member of Samoan descent whose son went to UC Berkeley, said she understands people who may question her son’s opportunities to receive a full scholarship over someone else, but added that the education system was not originally created for students of color.

“The reality is when we look at a merit-based system that has just been tainted with systemic racism for many years, we didn’t create the system that we belong to,” said Anoa’i.

She added, “A lot of times, expectations are made on communities of color that really aren’t applicable because they’re defining us by rules that are put in place, and policies and procedures that are expected to be administered and adhered to.” n

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79% of Pinoys say quality of life worsened in past 12 months Duterte to announce new quarantine status on August 17 percent or about 7.3 million Filipinos by April.

Its data also showed that 13 MANILA — Eight in 10 Filipi- million Filipinos (representing nos believe their lives got worse in 38.4 percent) had jobs but were the past 12 months, according to not able to report to work. Nearly the latest Social Weather Stations all of them attributed this disruption to COVID-19 regulations. The (SWS) mobile phone survey.

The July 3 to 6 poll found 79 resulting lockdowns in numerous percent of Filipino adults saying communities and industries also that their quality of life worsened compared to a year ago (called “losers” by the SWS) and eight percent saying it got better (“gainers”).

This resulted in a net gainers score (gainers minus losers) of 72, classified by the SWS as “catastrophic.”

Meanwhile, 12 percent of Filipinos said their quality of life was unchanged.

The quality of life was also “catastrophic” or a score of -50 and below across the country, the SWS said. It was lowest in the Visayas with a net score of -75, followed by balance Luzon at -74, Metro Manila at -71 and Mindanao at -65.

But the SWS said the scores in all areas improved from May 2020. The biggest improvement was in Mindanao, up from -80 in May, followed by the Visayas from -82, Metro Manila from -77 and balance Luzon from -75.

The SWS survey was conducted using mobile phone and computer-assisted telephone interviews of 1,555 adult Filipinos, aged 18 and above, nationwide.

Presidential spokesman Harry Roque Jr. assured the public that the government is working to improve the lives of everyone despite the recent developments while he continues to trumpet the administration’s good economic standing prior to the pandemic.

“We understand this public sentiment considering that our government economists have mentioned that prior to COVID19, the Philippines was among the fastest growing economies in the region, with low and stable inflation and lowest ever rates of unemployment, underemployment and poverty,” he said. “The coronavirus has indeed adversely affected our economy and people’s livelihood and business.”

The Philippine Statistics Authority reported in June that the Philippines experienced a recordhigh unemployment rate of 17.7

by Edu

Punay Philstar.com

PHILIPPINE President Rodrigo Duterte will address the nation on August 17 to announce the new community quarantine classifications in the country, Malacañang said on Thursday, August 13.

“Inaasahan po natin na magme-mensahe sa taumbayan muli ang ating Presidente sa August 17 kung saan ia-anunsiyo rin niya kung ano ‘yung mga bagong classification (We expect the president to deliver a message to the public on August 17 to announce the new [quarantine] classifications),” said Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque.

The president on August 2 placed Metro Manila under a modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ) again as coronavirus cases in the country exceeded 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 is observed in all households.

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

Roque on August 4 noted that the country’s economy will not be able to withstand a prolonged MECQ, in response to several calls for an extension until the end of the month.

He also stressed that placing Mega Manila under MECQ was a “compromise” with the health workers’ demands. (AJPress)

It’s final: Mary Jane Veloso can testify vs her recruiters

by TETch

TorrEs-TuPas Inquirer.net

MANILA – It is final. Convicted drug trafficker Mary Jane Veloso will be able to tell her story that led to her arrest and conviction in Indonesia.

In a resolution made public Friday, the high court’s Special Third Division has denied the motion for reconsideration filed by the Public Attorney’s Office (PAO) who acts as counsel for Ma. Cristina Sergio and Julius Lacanilao, Veloso’s alleged recruiters.

The high court stood by its October 2019 ruling stating that Veloso should be allowed to testify via deposition against her recruiters so as not to curtail her right to due process.

Veloso is currently detained in Indonesia and facing the death penalty after she was arrested in 2010 at Yogyakarta airport for bringing in more than two kilograms of heroin. She was supposed to be executed by firing squad in 2015 but she was spared after Philippine authorities informed their counterparts that her recruiters were already under police custody.

Veloso denied knowledge of the drugs she was carrying, insisting that the luggage she had was given to her by her recruiters.

With the recent ruling, private prosecutors from the National Union of Peoples’ Lawyers (NUPL) led by its President, Atty.

Mary Jane Veloso in a jail facility in Yogyakarta, Indonesia. The latter was convicted of drug smuggling and sentenced to death in Indonesia.

Photo courtesy of Veloso Family

Edre Olalia, in a statement, said: “The Nueva Ecija trial court hearing the qualified human trafficking, illegal recruitment and estafa against her illegal recruiters Cristina Sergio and Julius Lacalinao can now schedule the dates for the taking of Maryjane’s testimony.”

The high court, in its resolution, said the PAO failed to raise the substantial argument that would warrant a reversal of its October 2019 ruling.

“The Court further resolves to deny the motion with finality, the basic issues raised therein having been duly considered and passed upon by the Court in the aforesaid decision,” the high court said adding that “No further pleadings, motions, letters

or other communications shall be entertained in this case. Let an entry of judgment be issued immediately.”

NUPL also acknowledged the complementary roles of the Department of Justice and the Office of the Solicitor-General in joining us in our corner this time to pursue a common objective to render justice to distressed OFWs like Maryjane.

“In time, not only will the illegal recruiters be held to account but her innocence will eventually be judicially established and we look forward to her coming home free as a logical consequence.

Let Maryjane speak out now and bring her home in time. It is a long and tortuous journey but we will get there,” NUPL said. n

pushed the country’s economy into recession.

Roque echoed the statements of the country’s economic managers, who maintained that the Philippines can rise above the challenges caused by the pandemic.

To mitigate the socioeconom-

u PAGE A8

A6 AUGUST 15-18, 2020 • LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL

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O PiniOn Proceed with caution

FeatURes

LOCKDOWNS can be imposed and reimposed and people can strictly observe public health protocols to prevent coronavirus disease 2019 infection.

But it’s clear that this deadly and economically disastrous pandemic can end only when a safe and effective vaccine against COVID-19 is finally released for mass distribution.

About 100 vaccines are said to be in development in laboratories around the world. In the global race, Russia has claimed victory, with President Vladimir Putin announcing this week that their regulators have approved the world’s first COVID vaccine, after just two months of clinical trials.

Called Sputnik V – after the world’s first satellite, which was proudly made in Russia – the vaccine has drawn widespread skepticism in the global scientific community. Among the biggest criticisms, apart from the unprecedented speed of its approval, is the lack of the requisite third phase of clinical trials for any vaccine, which requires hundreds or even thousands of participants. Sputnik V was reportedly tested on fewer than 100 people, most of them members of the Russian military. To reassure the public, Putin said his daughter has been among the first recipients of Sputnik V. His daughter has shown no adverse side effects…

so far. Experts have stressed that it can take time for the side effects of any drug, especially a vaccine, to be manifested, which might require warnings about contraindications for their use. Putin has brushed aside the concerns and is standing firm on his announcement that Russia has won the global race for COVID vaccine development.

The concerns are useful to bear in mind as the Philippines joins the global queue for COVID vaccines. Reports said pre-orders so far for various vaccine products have hit 5.7 billion. China and Russia have reported being ahead of the pack in their vaccine development, and President Duterte has said the two countries may provide the vaccines for free or at least at a discount to the Philippines.

Apart from China and Russia, the Philippines is also in talks with the other countries in advanced er country comes out with the first commercially stages of vaccine development, notably the United available COVID vaccine, the primordial concern Kingdom, the United States and Japan. Whichev- must always be the safety and efficacy of the prod-

Editorial

Philstar.com photo

uct. This will have to be balanced with the urgency of administering the vaccine to Filipinos. (Philstar. com)

Trump’s attack on the USPS suppresses your right to vote amid the pandemic

The Fil-Am Perspective GEL SANTOS-RELOS SUFFRAGE is defined as “the right to vote in electing public officials and adopting or rejecting proposed legislation,” according to Britannica.

The exercise of the right to vote by every citizen is the very foundation of a democracy — the government of the people, by the people, for the people.

But what would and should you do as a citizen when the president of the United States is the person who does and will do everything to sabotage your right to vote amid the threat of the greatest public health crisis the world is now facing in a century?

Since December 2019, the coronavirus pandemic has infected almost 21 million people around the world, killing more than 760,633 people. The United States — the most powerful and wealthier nation in the world which used to lead all the countries in the prevention and fight against diseases including pandemics — now accounts for 22% of the death toll worldwide. The threat of COVID-19 to the American people’s lives and safety becomes even more daunting.

There are now more than 5.26

million confirmed cases in the U.S. and the pandemic has taken the lives of more than 167,000 Americans. Just on Thursday, August 14 alone, we grieved the deaths of 1,149 American people. They were somebody’s father, mother, son, daughter, grandmother, grandfather, partner, friend, or colleague — all lost because of COVID-19.

The pandemic threatens the American people’s ability to exercise their right to vote. It’s one of the reasons why Republicans, aligned with the White House, and Democrats have been failing to reach a deal on another round of legislation to help Americans whose livelihoods have been affected.

Among other things that matter to the basic needs of the lives of the American people, the Democrats have been fighting for election assistance and support for the United States Postal Service (USPS) ahead of the November election.

As CBS News reported, State Minority Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer told reporters that he pushed the White House on August 6 “to include $3.6 billion for the states to hold elections, including vote-by-mail, but the Trump Administration, headed by Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin in the negotiations, refused.”

“Why are they resisting?”

Schumer asked.

This is a valid important question because you would think that everyone in government — the Executive, Legislative and Judicial branches — would work together and do everything possible so that every American will be able to cast their sacred vote while keeping us all safe from the threat of COVID-19.

Mail-in voting is a form of absentee ballot by which a ballot is mailed to the home of a registered voter. The voter then fills it out and returns it by postal mail or drops it off in-person into a secure drop box or at a voting center.

Americans have been voting by mail since the 1760s. In fact, absentee ballots were first used for the military during the American Civil War, spearheaded by the Republicans led by President Abraham Lincoln, who wanted Union soldiers to be able to exercise their right to vote from the battlefield.

For many years thereafter, these ballots have been helpful for people who could not go to the polling place on election day.

Mail-in-voting has increased voter turnout, especially in places where people can be challenged to go to the polls because of the weather, their work schedule, or other health, logistical and

Wannabe dictators?

Street Talk GREG B. MACABENTA HAS President Donald Trump been fantasizing about becoming a dictator like his idol Russia’s Vladimir Putin and his favorite presidents-for-life China’s Xi Jingping and North Korea’s Kim Jung Un? In History News Network, author John C. Waugh, wrote an article with the eyebrow-raising title, “Trump – A Wannabe Dictator in Training.”

“In a view shared by many, it is easy to believe that what Donald Trump really wants is not to be president of the country, but dictator of it. Indeed, he has suggested how good it might be for him to enjoy a third term, perhaps more, even though the Constitution forcefully forbids it.

“In a Father’s Day tweet he fantasized over the possibility, suggesting the public might ‘demand’ that he serve a third term.

The [good news], he wrote, ‘is that at the end of six years, after America has been made GREAT again and I leave the beautiful White House (do you think the people would demand that I stay longer? KEEP AMERICA

GREAT)…’

“After Chinese president Xi Jingping abolished term limits in his own country, Trump said he liked the sound of that. ‘President for life. No, he’s great. And look, he was able to do that.

I think it’s great. Maybe we’ll have (to) give that a shot some day.’ Just joking? It is not all that laughable.” [The quotes in these two paragraphs are from an article by Gabrielle Bruney in Esquire, July 16, 2019. They have also appeared in the New York Times and Washington Post.]

Will Trump be able to pull it off? It is doubtful – not in the U.S. – but it won’t be for lack of trying. Wannabe Dictator Trump (a term coined by website Daily Sound and Fury) has threatened to revoke the licenses of broadcast networks that are airing unflattering commercials. Manila media should find that threat familiar. And in another move reminiscent of the Philippines, Trump recently sent federal troops to suppress protests in Portland, Oregon.

Trump has also given some unsubtle hints, such as suggesting that the Constitutionallymandated presidential election on November 3 this year should be delayed, ostensibly to foil an unfounded “plot” by the Demo-

crats to “steal the election.” In an interview with Fox News’ Chris Wallace, Trump also said he would not readily accept his defeat, assuming that were to happen, until he had confirmed the legitimacy of the voting.

Of course, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi put it very bluntly in a press statement: “Trump will be fumigated out” if he refuses to leave the White House after he loses.

Yes. Fumigated, like getting rid of a cockroach.

Fortunately, the U.S. is not a banana republic or a Communist state like Russia, China or North Korea. And even in the unlikely event that a wannabe dictator succeeds in getting all the services of the U.S. armed forces behind him, he would have to contend with the 50 states of the union, each of which has a degree of sovereignty, each with its own Supreme Court, Legislature, national guards, and the equivalent of a president, the state governor.

Waugh had more to say about this.

“So what does a wannabe dictator who wants to give that a shot some day have to do day-byday to reach his miserable goal?

And how is Trump measuring up? It is not an easy jump from

personal reasons. Even President Donald Trump and his family have been casting their votes through mail-in voting.

And now, heading to the November elections, Trump and his supporters have been peddling conspiracy theories about voter fraud in mail-in-voting without basis in fact!

But how blatantly hypocritical can this president be in allowing and even promoting mail-in-voting in Florida, where he is a resident now, while demonizing and stopping voting by mail in other states, especially those that tend to vote Democratic?

EVEN WORSE, Trump is now using and misusing his power and the taxpayers’ money to make it hard and unsafe for people to vote amid the pandemic, by limiting the United States Postal Service (USPS), one of the most respected government institutions in the United States.

According to Pew Research, the USPS is the most well-liked government agency in the country with a 91% favorability rating.

“Americans have come to depend on the modern iteration of the Postal Service to quickly deliver lifesaving medicines, election ballots, bills, checks, and other goods through rough weather, world wars, natural disasters, and pandemics. Nearly

6,190 USPS employees, deemed essential workers, have tested positive for COVID-19, and more than 60 have died,” Fortune reported.

According to a July 24 report

by Fortune, “Trump has repeatedly said that he refuses to sign any legislation with a USPS bailout provision. ‘The Postal Service is a joke,’ said the President in May. His administration nixed a bipartisan attempt to provide $13 billion to the Postal Service in March and previously recommended measures to privatize parts of the service.”

Moving toward this direction for the USPS is the newly appointed Postmaster General Louis DeJoy, a Trump ally and Republican donor. His prescription to save the cash-strapped institution since he took office in June? Slow mail delivery. Seriously.

No overtime. No new hiring despite the anticipated surge in mail-in ballots. USPS mailboxes are seen and confirmed being hauled away in trucks. On top of this, Vice News’ Motherboard reported that the “USPS is quietly removing mail sorting machines — the very machines that are responsible for sorting ballots. There’s no official explanation for the changes, and it’s unclear why the machines would be removed rather than simply

not used when not needed. The removals and planned removals are reportedly affecting several processing facilities across the U.S.” “Lawmakers from both parties and postal union leaders have sounded alarms over disruptive changes instituted by DeJoy this summer,” CNN reported. “Democrats claim he is intentionally undermining postal service operations to sabotage mail-in voting in the November election — a charge he denies.”

Democrats have asked the inspector general to launch an inquiry into DeJoy. “DeJoy still owns at least a $30 million equity stake in his former company — a USPS contractor — and that he recently bought stock options for Amazon, a USPS competitor.

These holdings likely create a major conflict of interest, ethics experts told CNN, though DeJoy and USPS maintain that he has complied with all federal requirements.”

A survey commissioned by the National Association of Letter Carriers found that 92% of American voters said they supported direct financial aid for USPS as part of the next coronavirus relief bill, the Associated Press reported in May. Yet, Trump declined to approve the $25 billion in emer-

democracy to dictatorship in our country. There is that dratted Constitution in the way. There are laws to be violated. There are critics, opponents, Democrats, immigrants, and the unfaithful to be purged. There is the critical mainstream media to be done away with. There are many lies to be told. It is hard, nasty work and Trump is fast running out of time.

“A dictator must as soon as possible, by any means, shut down the media or control it.

No dictatorship can exist in the presence of a free press. So far Trump has only been able to call the media names – ‘the fake news media,’ ‘the enemy of the people,’ ‘the opposition party’….

“He is particularly incensed by the Washington Post and the New York Times, both of them highly critical of him. He has said that in the event that the public did demand that he stay, ‘both of these horrible papers will quickly go out of business & be forever gone!’

“A dictator must be an avid hater of some minority group and wanting to purge it. Trump hates Muslims. He is not too crazy about blacks and Hispanics either. But there are now many of them, a very tall purging job. On the other side of this coin, Trump seems in no mind to purge white supremacists, who love him as one of their own.

“A dictator must tell lies, lots of lies. Trump is far and away the champion liar in presidential history. It is said by news outlets who keep track of such things, that Trump averages about six lies per day.”

Indeed, a dictatorial caper would be difficult to pull off in the U.S. But this could be easier to do in the Philippines – that is, assuming that President Rodrigo Duterte is inclined to become a dictator.

Is he?

From his recent actions and statements, Duterte may already be acting like one. He has caused the shutdown, displacement and arrest of political and media critics, including a Chief Justice of the Supreme Court. And the police and military have been accused of extra-judicial killings.

Duterte once said that even if he “resigned” from the presidency, Vice-President Leni Robredo could not expect to automatically assume the position as mandated by the Constitution – because the police and the military would have to “find the right successor.”

Perhaps, Duterte has been watching too many movies about Latin American banana republics, where military strongmen grabbed power.

Recently, Duterte dared the people at large to start a “revolution.” According to him, that

would give him an excuse to mount a “counter-revolution” and declare a “revolutionary government.”

It’s not far-fetched that some quarters in the military and police will support Duterte if he were to do this. He may also be able to count on the support of a rubber-stamp Congress and the courts.

But neither is it far-fetched to believe that there are enough patriotic and idealistic military and police officers who will rally behind a civil society resistance to an outright attempt by Duterte to name himself a president-forlife, the way Putin and Xi Jingping did.

Besides, Duterte will also have to contend with those who believe that they also deserve their turn at wielding presidential power.

What is likely to happen is that Duterte will want a surrogate to assume the presidency when his term expires. But then, even the most loyal surrogate, once that person tastes power, will want even more of it.

British historian Lord Acton put it aptly: “Power corrupts.

And absolute power corrupts absolutely.”

In other words, the problem confronting a wannabe dictator is that there are others who want to become dictators, too. (gregmacabenta@hotmail.com)

u PAGE A7

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A

61 Pinoys now hurt in Beirut blast

by Mayen JayMalin Philstar.com

MANILA — The number of Filipinos injured in a powerful explosion in Beirut, Lebanon has climbed to 61, the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) announced on Thursday, August 13.

Citing a report from the Philippine Overseas Labor Office (POLO), Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello said five of the overseas

Filipino workers (OFWs) are still confined in hospitals.

The POLO provided assistance to 28 OFWs affected by the bombing, Bello said.

Earlier, the DOLE announced that the remains of four OFWs killed in the blast are scheduled to arrive in Manila on Aug. 16.

Three of the fatalities were identified as Ardel Maglangit, Perlita Mendoza and Milagros Sumaulob. The identity of the

fourth fatality remains unknown.

Two other OFWs remain missing, according to the labor department.

Thirteen Filipino seafarers who were previously reported missing after the explosison are returning home next week.

The DOLE said the families of the fatalities and the seafarers would receive cash benefits from the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration. n

Trump’s attack on the USPS suppresses your...

PAGE A6 t gency funding the Democrats are negotiating for the cash-strapped FINANCIAL AID. Some 1,139 contractual airport workers of Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 1 received P3,000-financial USPS as part of the coronavirus assistance and groceries from the office of Senator Christopher Lawrence “ Bong” Go on Thursday, August 13. Many workers in the country legislation. have been sidelined or have lost their jobs amid the coronavirus disease pandemic.

PNA photo Avito C. Dalan On Friday, August 14, USPS warns 46 states it can’t guarantee delayed mail-in ballots will be counted!

WHY is Trump doing this?

by Kristine Joy Patag Here is Trump in his own Philstar.com words, as we have seen and heard on TV and on social media, and as MANILA — Sen. Leila De Lima reported by the much-respected filed a motion for bail before the National Public Radio (NPR): Muntinlupa court handling the “Responding to questions drug case against her, the secabout comments in a Thursday ond time she is moving for provimorning interview with Fox Busisional liberty by saying evidence ness Network’s Maria Bartiromo, against her is weak. who had asked why the White De Lima, through her lawyer, House and congressional Demofiled a Motion for Bail before the crats are still miles apart on apMuntinlupa Regional Trial Court proving a new relief deal.

Branch 205 where a drug case Trump said one major factor is she is facing with co-accused the Democrats’ push for an injecRonnie Dayan remains pending. tion of funds into the Postal SerThis is the second case she is vice to expand voting by mail. facing at the same court. Like “They [the Democrats] want $3 her previously filed motion at a Opposition Sen. Leila de Lima in front of her supporters and members of the media earlier different case, she also asserted August 9, 2019 at the continuation of her trial at the Muntinlupa Regional Trial Court Branch 1/2 billion for something that’ll turn out to be fraudulent — that’s that evidence against her is weak 205.

Senate photo election money basically. and, “on the contrary, the record Continued the president: “They “General Magalong actuis replete with evidence present- pleadings that he has made ed by the Prosecution itself that throughout the various stages of ally absolved Accused De Lima want $25 billion for the post offrom any links to the illegal drug fice. Now, they need that money support the innocence of herein the case.”

“It is important to note that in trade. He and his team in the in order to have the post office Accused De Lima.”

De Lima argued that the testi- the original affidavit of Ragos, PNP CIDG have investigated the work so it can take all of these monies of prosecution witnesses the latter never mentioned the drug operations inside the New millions and millions of ballots. are hearsay and have no eviden- delivery of money to Accused De Bilibid Prison and he stated on Now, in the meantime, they aren’t Lima. To recall, this allegation record that there was never an getting there. But if they don’t get tiary value.

Initially, De Lima is facing a only cropped up after Ragos was integrity issue against then Sec- those two items, that means you drug trading case with her former detained and prior to amend- retary of Justice Leila De Lima,” can’t have universal mail-in voting because they’re not equipped aide Ronnie Dayan and Rafael ment of the Original Information, the motion read.

“Ultimately, there is but one to have it.

Ragos, former officer-in-charge which resulted in his removal as Eight states are mailing ballots of the Bureau of Corrections. accused in the case,” the motion question facing the Honorable Court: is the evidence of to all active voters this fall, inBut the Information was later read.

Meanwhile, De Lima said that guilt against Accused De Lima cluding five that have been doing amended to attempt or conspiracy to commit illegal drug trad- the testimony of former chief of strong? It is as simple as the an- so for years, but most states are ing, while Ragos was dropped as the Criminal Investigation and swer to it is clear: it is not,” the not conducting what Trump calls universal mail-in voting.

Detection Group, and now Ba- motion read. accused.

Trump continued: “If we don’t “Certainly, the granting of bail Meanwhile, Ragos became guio City Major Benjamin Maga prosecution witness, but De along only detailed the planning to Accused De Lima will result make a deal, that means they Lima argued that he lacks cred- stages of “Oplan Galugad.” This in upholding her constitutional don’t get the money. That means ibility and his testimony “suffers was the raid in the Bilibid, which presumption of innocence, rec- they can’t have universal mail-in from clear and irreconcilable in- De Lima said, Magalong deemed ognizing her right to due pro- voting. They just can’t have it.”

During his Thursday briefing to cess,” it added. n consistencies with several other as successful.

De Lima moves for bail in second drug case

reporters, Trump reiterated that stance, saying: “We have to have an honest election, and if it’s not going to be an honest election, I guess people have to sit down and think really long and hard about it.”

“If they’re not going to approve a bill, and the post office, therefore, won’t have the money, and if they’re not going to approve a big bill — a bigger bill — and they’re not going to have the $3 1/2 billion for the universal mailin votes, how can you have those votes?”

“What [it] would mean is the people will have to go to the polls and vote like the old days, like two years ago, three years ago. ... It doesn’t say anybody is taking the vote away, but it means that the universal mail-ins don’t work,” Trump said.

Pressed on what that means for Americans who would be reluctant to vote in public for fear of the coronavirus, Trump said: “They’re going to have to feel safe, and they will be safe. And we will make sure that they’re safe, and we’re not going to have to spend $3 1/2 billion to do it.”

In less than 81 days from today, the American people will be making their most consequential and sacred decision on the direction we think the country should be heading to, and the leader we trust to steer it in that direction.

We, the people, will elect a president who will live up to the sacred oath of upholding and defending the Constitution; a commander-in-chief who will protect and defend the lives and rights of the American people he has sworn to serve and not be served by; a chief executive who will be committed to fighting for the greater good of the American people and not just the privileged few.

We will be electing a president

who reflects our values and the true soul of America — someone who can bring out the best in us instead of the worst in us as we all move toward creating a more perfect union.

Trump only sees everything from his lens that will lead him to the pathway to help his re-election bid. Just like how he would push for businesses and schools to re-open just despite what science says about how children and other people can spread the virus despite being asymptomatic.

It’s just like how he would say more than 1,000 people dying in America every day is “insignificant” because it does not fit his narrative even if it has been bending the truth for his personal agenda.

Abraham Lincoln allowed our troops to vote from the battlefield via mail-in-voting so that all Americans’ right to vote may be exercised, protecting the very foundation of our democracy.

We are all on the battlefield in our war against the coronavirus and Trump, the supposed president, should never get in the way in our way to cast our vote safely via mail.

DEMAND funding for the USPS for mail-in ballots to be delivered on time so our votes will be counted.

Stop Trump from suppressing our right to vote amid the pandemic. What he is doing is an affront to our democratic principles and processes enshrined and protected by the Constitution. *** Gel Santos Relos has been in news, talk, public service and educational broadcasting since 1989 with ABS-CBN and is now serving the Filipino audience using different platforms, including digital broadcasting, and print, and is working on a new public service program for the community.

You may contact her through email at gelrelos@ icloud.com, or send her a message via Facebook at Facebook.com/Gel.Santos.Relos.

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World Bank realigns $1.9 billion lending to help Philippines

by Mary

Grace Philstar.com

Padin

MANILA — The World Bank has realigned around $1.9 billion worth of loans in the pipeline for approval this year to help the Philippines recover from the impact of the coronavirus disease 2019 or COVID-19 pandemic.

In a letter addressed to Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez, World Bank country director for Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines and Thailand Ndiame Diop said the multilateral lender has redesigned some projects for financing and realigned them with efSAFETY HELMET. A cyclist wearing a helmet traverses the Quirino Highway in Quezon City on Friday, August 14. The government has urged forts to address the COVID-19 cyclists to wear helmets aside from face masks as an added precaution.

PNA photo by Robert Oswald P. Alfiler health crisis.

These include programs to improve social protection of poor and vulnerable households and strengthen the government’s capability to deliver basic education through distance learning.

They will also cover projects BI Intelligence Chief Fortu- Chinese workers were suppos- that aim to sharpen the country’s MANILA — The Philippines has deported 75 Chinese nation- nato Manahan Jr. added that 75 edly employed by Lambda Busi- competitiveness, bridge gaps in als arrested in December 2019 foreign nationals were among ness Processing Outsourcing, a the food supply chain, and profor illegal online gaming opera- the more than 300 Chinese na- POGO registered with the Philtionals arrested in their rented ippine Amusement and Gaming tions in the country.

In a statement on Thursday, offices in Bago Bantay, Quezon Corp. (PAGCOR).

However, Manahan said dethe Bureau of Immigration said City in December 2019.

The operation was conducted spite having a license from PAGthe arrested foreign nationals

by Lawrence aGcaoiLi departed the country via the by joint operatives of the BI In- COR, the POGO company is not Philstar.com Ninoy Aquino International Air- telligence Division and Quezon yet allowed to operate.

“We sought the assistance of port on Wednesday, August 12, City Police District.

MANILA — The Philippines is Manahan said the arrested the gaming regulator in confirmaboard a chartered plane bound seen booking the highest unemChinese nationals violated the ing the company’s permit. We for Zhengzhou, China. ployment rate in Southeast Asia, Immigration Commissioner conditions of their stay as tour- found out that Lambda was duly with about eight million FilipiJaime Morente said the 75 Chi- ists and were working without licensed, but is not yet allowed nos expected to lose their jobs nese workers were arrested late proper permits and engaging in to operate,” Manahan then-said. as the coronavirus disease 2019 Morente said the Chinese last year but their deportation unauthorized online gaming opor COVID-19 pandemic continnationals nationals will be proswas delayed due to the COVID- erations. ues to overwhelm the economy, “Chinese authorities said that ecuted economic crimes upon 19 pandemic. according to Maybank ATR Kim “They were expelled pursuant they were engaged in cyber their arrival in their homeland.

Eng. to a summary deportation or- crime activities and investment They are also placed on an imIn its ASEAN economics report der issued against them by our scams that victimized many of migration blacklist and be barred titled “Labour market: RetrenchBoard of Commissioners for vio- their compatriots in China,” Ma- from re-entering the Philippines. ments and Recovery,” Maybank (Kristine Joy Patag with reports lating our immigration laws and nahan added. said the country’s unemployBrig. Gen. Ronnie Montejo, from Non Alquitran, Romina Cabeing undesirable aliens,” the BI ment rate is expected to hit a redirector of the QCPD, said the brera/Philstar.com) Chief said. cord 18.5 percent this year, the highest in Southeast Asia.

This is higher than Thailand’s 15.9 percent, Malaysia’s 6.5 perPAGE A5 and will be incorporated in the tocols, to create jobs and stimu- cent, Indonesia’s 5.9 percent, Singapore’s four percent, and ic impact of COVID-19, he said Updated Philippine Development late the economy.

The Department of Labor and Vietnam’s 3.6 percent. government economists have Plan 2017-2022,” he said, echoIn all, the six ASEAN counprepared a whole-of-society pro- ing again the statements made Employment expects the numgram in a recovery plan called earlier by National Economic ber of workers who will lose their tries would have an unemployRecharge PH, which seeks to and Development Authority act- jobs due to the pandemic to still ment rate of 8.8 percent due to refocus, sharpen the design and ing chief Karl Kendrick Chua at a increase. It also reported that the impact of the global corona944 establishments have laid off virus pandemic. accelerate the implementation of briefing in Malacañang.

“The COVID-19 pandemic Roque reiterated that the gov- workers in the first nine days of programs under the 2020 General ernment’s priority Build, Build, August as they downsize or shut and business shutdowns have Appropriations Act. “We will implement Recharge Build programs have also started, their operations. (Christina Men- led to massive employment losses, unprecedented in both PH within 2020 and into 2021 subject to health and safety pro- dez/Philstar.com)

Immigration bureau deports 75 Chinese nationals for illegal POGO operations

vide jobs and livelihood to communities badly hit by the economic standstill caused by the pandemic, Diop said.

“Further, we are committed to support the Philippines’ infrastructure expansion program, which is indeed critical for a solid recovery,” the World Bank official said.

Diop also emphasized the need to accelerate and streamline the processes required to get the pipeline of projects moving in their various approval stages, “given the emergency situation we are in.”

As of Aug. 5, the World Bank has already provided $1.2 billion in financing assistance to the Philippines to help contain the spread of COVID-19 and provide emergency relief to sectors most affected by the pandemic.

This includes the $500 million Third Disaster Risk Management Development Policy Loan, $500 million Emergency COVID-19 Response Development Policy Loan and the $200 million ad-

ditional loan for the Social Welfare Development and Reform Project II. On top of these, the World Bank has also provided project loans amounting to $100 million for the COVID-19 Emergency Response Project and $370 million for the Support to Parcelization of Lands for Individual Titling Project.

Overall, the Philippine government has already secured $8.13 billion in loans and grants from bilateral and multilateral lenders, as well as the offshore commercial debt market to finance measures that address the COVID-19 pandemic.

For 2020, the government is planning to borrow a record P3 trillion to bridge the deficit in its budget, which is expected to widen to 9.6 percent of gross domestic product this year.

The bulk or about 75 percent of this amount is estimated to come from domestic sources, while the remaining 25 percent will be borrowed from foreign lenders. n

‘PH jobless ratehighest in Southeast Asia’

79% of Pinoys say quality of life worsened in...

speed and magnitude. We estimate that about 25 million jobs may be lost across ASEAN-6, almost nine percent of total employment because of the pandemic and lockdowns,” Maybank said.

The Malaysian financial giant said the pandemic is a regressive shock, disproportionately hurting lower-wage workers and labor-intensive sectors.

“Risks of social unrest are high if jobless numbers remain high and the recovery is weak,” it said.

It added sectors with largest job losses are in manufacturing due to lockdowns, tourism particularly hotels and airlines, as well as consumer-facing sectors including retail and food and beverage.

“We think the jobs recovery could take two to four years, depending on the degree of fiscal support, labor market flexibility, and severity and duration of lockdowns,” it said.

Maybank pointed out the jobs recovery would likely be slower compared to the global financial crisis, during which unemployment rates took only around

four to six quarters to return to pre-crisis levels.

Maybank said a sizeable proportion of job losses, possibly as much as a third, are from companies that have entirely ceased doing business.

“Job search and matching will be slower for workers shifting to growing from shrinking sectors (airlines, hospitality, recreation, retail),” it noted.

According to Maybank, stricter border controls would hurt countries more reliant on remittances, particularly Philippines, Vietnam, Cambodia, and Myanmar as well as tourism including Thailand, Vietnam, and Cambodia.

“The jobs recovery will likely be fastest in Singapore, Malaysia and Vietnam; and slower in Thailand, Indonesia and the Philippines,” Maybank said.

Latest data from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) showed the Philippines booked a record unemployment rate of 17.7 percent in April as at least 7.3 million Filipinos had no jobs aggravated by the longest and strictest COVID-19 lockdowns in the world. n

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A

School opening moved to October 5 –DepEd MANILA — Opening for the next school year has been moved to October, from August 24, Education Secretary Leonor Briones announced on Friday, August 14.

Ten days before the set school opening on August 24, Briones said the next school year will start on October 5.

“As per the memorandum from the Office of the President, based on our recommendation, we will defer the opening of classes to October 5,” Briones, as reported by The STAR, said.

“We trust that this is the final adjustment of the school opening. Even with the implementa-

tion of [modified enhanced community quarantine], we will use this time to make the necessary adjustments and ensure that all preparations have been made for the successful opening of classes,” Briones added.

This announcement comes after Vice President Leni Robredo, senators, a teachers’ group and other stakeholders raised several concerns about the preparedness of the public education system to implement new distance learning protocols.

The Alliance of Concerned Teachers, which has ardently pushed for the postponement of class resumptions amid the COVID-19 pandemic, released an

initial statement celebrating the schedule change announced by the government.

“DepEd’s announcement of deferring school opening to October 5 is brought about by the clamor of stakeholders grounded on very valid and sound arguments which the agency can no longer deny,” ACT SecretaryGeneral Raymond Basilio said.

“We have proven today that the people’s voices can and will triumph, and we shall continue to push the government to fulfill the requisites for a safe, accessible, and quality education.”

(Kristine Joy Patag and Bella Perez-Rubio with a report from Janvic Mateo/Philstar.com)

RIDING IN TANDEM. A police officer checks the documents presented by the motorcycle-riding couple entering San Mateo town at a quarantine checkpoint along Batasan-San Mateo Road in Rizal province on Thursday, August 13. The rider uses a motorcycle barrier, a government requirement for motorcycle back riding couples and/or live-in partners.

PNA photo by Joseph O. Razon

Moscow to ship vaccine to PH by red

Mendoza ManilaTimes.net

RUSSIA could ship to the Philippines the vaccine it developed for the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) before the year ends, according to the chief executive of the Russia Direct Investment Fund (RDIF).

But first Manila must run clinical trials on the drug parallel to similar trials in Moscow, Kirill Dmitriev, RDIF chief executive officer, said in an exclusive interview with The Manila Times on Thursday.

RDIF is a sovereign wealth fund that supported the Gamaleya Research Institute in developing the Sputnik V vaccine.

Moscow is prepared to deliver the vaccine to the country once it is mass produced as long as the Department of Health (DoH) and the Department of Science and Technology (DoST) agree to confirm its safety, Dmitriev said.

“If we believe that if your health minister confirms and works well with us, we believe that the vaccine can be available en masse in the Philippines in November or December this year,” he added.

Malacañang, however, said the vaccine could be sent here in October.

While confident about the safety and the efficacy of the vaccine, Dmitriev urged the Philippine government to conduct its own clinical trials.

“We believe it is efficient to have Russian trials which will be done in a way that the Philippines and other countries can just accept those results. We are happy to conduct clinical trials of 1000 people for Phase Three,” he said, referring to the last stage of testing for the vaccine.

Twenty countries had agreed to hold the clinical trials in the hope of getting the first crack at Sputnik V. Aside from the Philippines and Russia, Saudi Arabia, Brazil and the United Arab Emirates are among the nations interested in acquiring the vaccine, Dmitriev said, adding he is open to a collaboration in producing the vaccine in the country as long as the machinery is available.

In a previous media forum,

Health Undersecretary Ma. Rosario Vergeire indicated that any vaccine that would be introduced in the country must first undergo clinical trials.

Dmitriev revealed that in the first two phases of trials, 100 people were inoculated. The third phase will coincide with the mass vaccination of Russians starting this month.

“We expect to have vaccinated 40,000 people in mid-September” he said.

A Russian law allows three stages of trials for a vaccine while making it available for commercial use during a pandemic.

Dmitriev said that in the third phase, a flu vaccine would be used as a placebo.

Sputnik V was central to the country’s ongoing research on Ebola and the coronavirus disease Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS) vaccine, Dmitriev said in explaining why it was developed in record time.

“We thought that the Gamaleya Institute had a great head start on other companies because of their work on the Ebola vaccine and the MERS vaccine,” he said.

When Covid-19 broke out, the institute used the same delivery platform for the Ebola and MERS vaccines called the human adenoviral vector, created from the weakened human flu virus instead of the mRNA (messenger ribonucleic acid) that other companies are using.

The vaccine uses two vector mechanisms, Vector 5 and Vector 26. If combined, it provides a longer-term immunity. To achieve this, Sputnik V must be administered twice.

“Two shots are needed, as after the first shot, people get to a level of a person who had Covid, but after the second shot, you get to a level of antibodies higher than people who had Covid, your immunity response will last for much longer.” Dmitriev said.

He said the human adenovirus vectors were tested on many people and there were no side effects noted.

Dmitriev said it was up to the DoH if President Rodrigo Duterte would be allowed to be inoculated with the Sputnik V, but he noted that he, his wife and his

DOJ confirms death in Philippines of German businessman linked to Wirecard probe

by Kristine Joy

Philstar.com

Patag

MANILA — Philippine authorities confirmed the death of a businessman linked to investigation into scandal-hit Wirecard AG, Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra said Thursday, August 13.

“Per official documents submitted to the [National Bureau of Investigation], Christopher Reinhard Bauer, a German national [and] businessman, died on July 27, 2020 in a Parañaque hospital, due to natural causes,” the DOJ chief told reporters.

Guevarra last week said that the NBI is investigating a certain Christopher Bauer in connection with the global search for the $2.1 billion missing funds of Wirecard.

He added that Bauer appears to be a former executive of Wirecard Asia. “In 2015, an inward remittance to his account from Wirecard Asia was noted, reportedly for consultancy services rendered,” the DOJ chief then-said.

The NBI sent subpoena to the city health officer and the civil registrar of Parañaque City to submit the death certificate, burial permit and other relevant records with the death of Bauer.

On Thursday, Guevarra said that the NBI was able to confirm that the Bauer they are investigating and the person who died last July 27 is the same. “He (Bauer) was the same person summoned by the NBI in connection with the Wirecard fraud investigation,” he added.

Bauer also appeared to be a Philippine citizen married to a Filpino and in the tour operations business, Guevarra added.

Earlier Thursday, the NBI said they filed complaints against two employees of the Bureau of Immigration for falsifying the travel records of ex-Wirecard COO Jan Marsalek.

The bureau said it recommended the prosecution of Perry Michael Pancho, an immigration officer at Mactan Cebu Airport and Marcus Nicodemus, an IO at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 1 for falsification of public documents by a public official under the Revised Penal Code Article 171.

They will also face a complaint for violation of Republic Act 6713 or the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees in relation to RA 3019 or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act. n

parents, who are both more than 70 years old, had had the shots.

He also answered criticisms about the haste in creating the vaccine, saying Russia has a legacy of developing vaccines using a proven and safe platform.

“Imagine, every year, you get flu vaccination, but every time they change it a little bit, because it is a different strain of flu.

It does not mean that every time it gets into three phases of approval. This is the same, we had the platform already using, already safe, we slightly changed A teacher at Jose Dela Peña National High School in Marikina City during webinar training on e-learning last July 21. it.” Dmitriev said. n Philstar.com photo by Michael Varcas

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The Asian Journal

WKND Immigration Corner Atty. MichAel Gurfinkel, eSQ IN A previous article, I wrote that on July 29, 2020, a federal court judge issued a nationw ide i njunct ion proh ibit i ng USCIS from enforcing, applying, implementing, or treating as effective, President Trump’s new publ ic charge r u les as long as t her e i s a nat iona l health emergency caused by t he COV ID-19 outbrea k. On the same day, the judge also issued a nationwide injunction prohibiting the Department of State (DOS) and U.S. embassies around the world from applying their own 2018 public charge regulations, which went into effect February 24, 2020.

As everyone is aware, DOS’s 2018 public charge rules were ver y st r ic t a nd r est r ic t ive, and people could have their visas refused on public charge g r ou nd s u n less t hey cou ld demon st r ate, a mong ot her things, that they already had available, wit hin 30 days of ent r y, “approved hea lt h i nsurance” or the financial resou rces to pay for med ica l expenses, and had not received 12 months of public assistance during a 36-month period.

The previous/existing 1999 publ ic charge guidance def i ned “publ ic cha r ge” as a noncitizen who has become, or is likely to become, “primarily dependent on the gover nment for subsistence, as demonstrated by either (i) the receipt of public cash assistance for income maintenance or (ii) institutionalization for long-term care at government expense.”

In 2018, DOS changed the publ ic cha r ge a na lysis, i nstructing consular officers to give negat ive weight to t he

LifestyLe Consumer Guide Community marketpLaCe

Federal court also bans State Department’s 2018 public charge rule

receipt of any kind of public assistance, including non-cash benefits, and that the affidavit of support would merely be a positive factor, rather than normally sufficient to satisfy the public charge requirements.

(In other words, before these changes, if a sufficient affidavit of support (Form I-864) was submitted, that was the end of the inquiry on public charge.

But in 2018, an aff idav it of suppor t merely became one of many factors in the public charge analysis.)

In its 52-page r uling, t he cou r t concluded t he DOS’s 2018 public charge revisions “ l i kely exceed t he l imits of the ‘public charge’ definition u nder t he I m m ig rat ion a nd Nat iona l it y Act” ( I NA ), because they require consular officers to evaluate the receipt of publ ic assista nce of a ny type, at any time, and by any family member in making the public charge determination, including non-cash benefits, and are t hus “arbitrar y and capricious.”

W hi le t his is great news, I wou ld st i l l adv i se people to consult with an immigration attorney concerning their eligibility for the immigration benefit they are applying for, and concerning public charge issues. The Trump administration could appeal the injunction and have it overturned or lifted. That means you should still evaluate your case in reference to eligibility under these new, proposed rules, and be careful about applying for or accepting the types of public benefits included in this new rule, just in case this injunc-

tion is lifted.

In addition, Trump issued a proclamation banning issuance of immigrant visas until 2021.

So, there could be further developments on public charge or visa eligibility. The rules on eligibility for immigration benefits are changing all the time, and it can be very confusing and complex for people.

That’s why I advise that rather than taking chances and handling your case on your own, you should seek the advice and assistance of an attorney. *** Michael J. Gurfinkel has been an attorney for over 35 years and is licensed, and an active member of the State Bars of California and New York. All immigration services are provided by, or under the supervision of, an active member of the State Bar of California. Each case is different and results may depend on the facts of the particular case. The information and opinions contained herein (including testimonials, “Success Stories”, endorsements and reenactments) are of a general nature, and are not intended to apply to any particular case, and do not constitute a prediction, warranty, guarantee or legal advice regarding the outcome of your legal matter. No attorney-client relationship is, or shall be, established with any reader.

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

Filipino dance group UPeepz stunned the “World of Dance” judges with an explosive routine that featured the Philippine national dance Tinikling.

Photo from Instagram/@upeepz

Filipino dance crew UPeepz ends ‘World of Dance’ journey

By RitcheL

MendioLa

AJPress

DESPITE delivering a stellar performance during the semifinal round, Filipino hip-hop dance crew UPeepz failed to reach the

final stage of this year’s “World of Dance.”

Oxygen, MDC3, Jefferson y Adrianita and Géométrie advanced to the final round of the American dance competition. Contemporary group MDC3 eventually took

home the crown and the $1 million grand prize.

“It was definitely a big highlight for us this 2020. Shoutout to the judges, producers, and competitors-turned-friends we’ve made PAGE B2

Julia & Joshua happily reunited (but only on reel, not for real)

do everything in peace...work in peace, able to come face-to-face in peace, talk to each other in CAN ex-lovers be good friends? peace. We are grateful. PinaNot in the case of some showbiz mature kami ng panahon.” couples who leave a trace of bitTo kind of test how time has ter words and ill feelings when made them mature (but not the good times are over. I guess necessarily to heal old wounds Julia Barretto and Joshua Garcia because, in the first place, there are an exception. were no wounds to heal), Funfare As Julia puts it beautifully, requested Joshua and Julia to “We saved the friendship. Hindi separately answer the same set namin na-sign off ang mga ba- of questions. It’s okay to read As the song goes, never lovers ever friends. Or gay-bagay. That’s the foundation between the lines if you care how Julia Barretto and Joshua Garcia keep the (Advertising Supplement) of a good friendship. You can peace between them. Philstar.com photo PAGE B3

by Ricky Lo Philstar.com

B AUGUST 15-18, 2020 • LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL

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Why Gloria Diaz, beauty queens are not in favor of pageant ‘new normal’

by Deni Rose M. AfiniDAD-BeRnARDo, JAn Milo seveRo Philstar.com

IF they would only have their way, beauty queens Gloria Diaz, Winwyn Marquez and Maxine Medina would still rather have beauty pageants in an actual setting as “new normal” pageants are very challenging both for contestants and judges.

During the recent online press conference for their new iWant series “Beauty Queens,” Winwyn said she is not in favor of pageant “new normal” because she didn’t know how to be fair in judging the contestants based on such setup.

“To be honest, sobrang hirap sagutin ng question na ‘yan kasi di ko alam kung paano nila ijujudge, how to be fair. There’s a lot of questions, pati sa’kin, ‘di ko alam kung papano,” Winwyn said.

“For me, nalilito pa ko kung paano kasi everyone’s adjusting.

But for me, ang priority pa rin ‘yung health natin di ba? For me, kung paano nila naiisip gawin ‘yung pageant na ganu’n talaga then they can go through it. But I’m really not sure what’s going to happen. I’m not sure kung paano ba i-aaccept ng tao ngayon ‘yun kasi pwedeng hindi maging fair eh,” added the Philippines’ first and only Reina Hispanoamericana titleholder.

The actress also pointed out

Filipino Food Movement leaders held a dialogue over Zoom with Anthony Aligo and Nate Fisher, two of the owners of Barkada Wine Bar in Washington, D.C., which recently sparked a social media debate over the usage of the term.

All’s Well thAt enDs Well?

Gloria Diaz leads a powerhouse cast in the new iWant original series ‘Beauty Queens.’

ABS-CBN photo

that the looks of a person is different onscreen and in person, making it harder to be fair in judging a contestant.

“I really don’t know how to answer it kasi nag-aadjust pa rin ako pagdating sa pageant, so pa’no pa kaya ‘pag gan’un (judging)? I really don’t know,” she said.

“Kasi pwedeng maging biased eh? Kasi ang hitsura ng tao onscreen iba ‘pag nakita mo in person,” she added.

Maxine echoed Wynwyn sentiments, saying that it is really difficult to determine a contender’s looks in person and virtually.

“Agree ako kay Winwyn...

Actually nahirapan ako for the candidates. Kasi hindi mo mafeel ‘yung presence ng tao right in front of you, ‘yung aura n’ya is talagang okay... Sobrang ibang iba s’ya in person and sa virtual...

Mas gusto ko s’yempre in person, pero kung s’yempre GCQ or ECQ tayo ngayon, I’m after the health talaga,” she said.

For Gloria, a “new normal” pagent will have a different way of judging.

“Yes, you have there both sides, but if it must be, it must be. It’s like Miss Photogenic.

Miss Photogenic doesn’t necessarily mean most beautiful. It means photos where they’ll be judged, so it’s an entirely different concept. So go with the flow,” she said.

“And I can’t be a good judge.

But maybe they can do the usual turn around and stuff like that.

And of course, more than anything, if they’re charming, if they have nice teeth kasi ang lapit n’yan, ‘di ba? So I think, it’s a different way of judging,” added Miss Universe 1969.

Drew: Quarantine made me a better father and husband

by AllAn

PolicARPio

Inquirer.net

Drew Arellano

GMA photo

BECAUSE of the COVID-19 pandemic, Drew Arellano has found himself spending more time at home. And that, in turn, he feels, has allowed him to grow as a family man. “I’m the one usually outside, so that has been the major adjustment we experienced the past couple of months. But the effect of quarantine … it made me better in terms of being a father and

husband,” he told the Inquirer in a video conference.

Drew has three children with wife Iya Villania: their boys, Primo and Leon, who are turning 4 and 2, respectively, this month; and daughter Alana Lauren, who was born last July.

“I’m fortunate to have little ones, because they give me so much happiness every single day,” said Drew, who currently hosts the new lifestyle show, “Family Time”—a part of GMA PAGE B3

Filipino dance crew UPeepz...

PAGE B1 along the way,” UPeepz shared on their Instagram account (@ upeepz).

“Thank you for giving us a platform to showcase Filipino talent, and for the production for treating us artists like VIPs! World of Dance definitely made us feel our worth as dancers.”

UPeepz’s 11 members showcased Filipino culture on the international stage by incorporating several local influences in their performance. They wore costumes that featured local weaves that remind of royalty

from Mindanao, danced to Black Eyed Peas’ “Bebot” with a short mash-up of Francis Magalona’s “Mga Kababayan Ko,” and added traditional folk dances like tinikling and singkil into their oneminute routine.

Judge Jennifer Lopez was fascinated by the routine, praising UPeepz as a “strong group” that ”dance almost as one.”

Judge Ne-Yo, for his part, enjoyed grooving along with the dance crew and commended the overall “cleanliness” of their performance.

He also gave UPeepz a shout-

out on Twitter, sharing the group’s performance with the caption: “Pagmamahal @UPeepzOfficial.”

Meanwhile, Judge Derek Hough said he loved that UPeepz featured Filipino culture in the dance routine.

“I just feel your passion for dance so much and I love the fact that you brought in your culture into this piece,” he said.

UPeepz received a score of 88 from Lopez, 89 from Ne-Yo, and 90 from Hough for an average of 89.0.

UPeepz is a two-time World Hip Hop Dance Champion.

Filipino Food Movement engages Barkada DC owners in a conversation

By MoMAR

G. visAyA

AJPress

A COUPLE of weeks ago, the word “barkada” triggered a social media debate within the Filipino American community, later expanding to the Filipino diaspora. It stemmed from the news that four white men opened a wine bar in Washington, D.C. and used the name “Barkada.”

No Filipino dishes or Filipino wines and spirits were on the menu as well. The owners just said then that they used the word because it was “a totally cool word to describe” them: “a group of friends serving crazy delicious wine, hanging out just off U Street in DC.” One camp said it was cultural appropriation, the other side said it was merely appreciation, as previously reported by the Asian Journal.

A subsequent Facebook post

by Jessica Millete castigating them and demanding them to change their name became viral. As of press time, the said post has been shared more than 13,000 times with nearly 30,000 reactions and 900 comments.

After a furious back and forth, the owners Anthony Aligo, Nick Guglietta, Nate Fisher, and Sebastian Zutant decided to retreat and issue a statement that they were going to change their name. “We are actively looking to change our identity and our brand and engage in further dialogue with each of you,” they said in a social media post. Millete called it “a step, but their apology on Instagram was all fluff and performative.”

What followed next was the opening of a floodgate of conversations from various touchpoints leading up to meetings in person or virtual, in order to sort things out.

The National Federation of Filipino American Associations (NaFFAA) Capital Region hopped on and issued a statement representing “many Filipino organizations, Filipino business owners and workers, and concerned Filipino community members within and beyond the DC Met-

Barkada Wine Bar in the U Street neighborhood of Washington, D.C. became the subject of an online debate after some Fil-Ams said the usage of the term, without any other aspects of Filipino culture or cuisine, was cultural appropriation. Photo courtesy of Barkada Wine Bar

ropolitan Area.”

Entitled “Barkada is Cherished, Not Appropriated: A Statement from the Capital Region Filipino American Community to Barkada Wine Bar & DC Food Media,” the statement said that the group’s usage of “barkada” is “disrespectful and misleading to use a Tagalog word for a bar that does not serve Filipino-inspired food or drinks, nor use Filipino vendors for the products they sell” and that they “should not have used our language as an accessory for profit, as they do not share our cultural heritage.”

The statement has been deleted from NaFFAA’s website.

On Wednesday, August 12, the Filipino Food Movement (FFM), a nonprofit organization dedicated to the advancement of Filipino culinary arts, led a Zoom conference call and invited the owners to a conversation.

They were represented by two of them, Anthony Aligo and Nate Fisher.

First, some backgrounders.

The word was introduced to them years ago by their Filipino American roommate of over three years. They would go out for food and drinks, hang out and come home together and built a friendship and bond over the years.

“He introduced us to the word barkada and what it meant.

That name was in our head for a long time. In 2019, we were looking to open a small community bar. It’s not a big establishment, just the right size, only about 35 seats inside,” Aligo said.

The whole idea stuck with them and when the time to build the bar they wanted, they realized that they had this name that seemed to fit exactly what they were trying to do, in terms of the environment, space, friendship, and the community they wanted to build.

They also tried to find another option, another name, if there is “an English word that kind of made sense but there is none.”

“Nothing translated as well, it was a name that encapsulated, kinda how we felt and it paid a little homage to our Filipino roommate who had moved out.

There is no ill intent about using it or anything,” Aligo said, adding that they reached out to their former roommate and talked to other people about using the word.

Another advice they received was not to cook Filipino food from their perspective, which was, for them a given since they have such a limited kitchen space, which factored into the complexity of what they can actually do in the kitchen.

The four friends are not in the food industry, some of them work in IT and another in the nonprofit space. The bar was their project after having lived in DC for over 20 years and just wanting to create a space for a small community inside a bigger city.

Inclusivity “This is an opportunity for us as a community to be more inclusive,” said Sonia Delen,

FFM president. “This is exactly what we do in the Filipino Food Movement, to bring Filipino food and culture to the mainstream.”

Michael Ang, FFM director, added, “If anything, that should be celebrated, not vilified, honestly.”

“The concept of having something like Barkada is so attractive to me as a Filipino American,” said Keesa Ocampo, FFM vice president, before asking the two representatives if they had considered hosting Filipino style popups and putting Filipino beverages, wines and spirits on their list.

Aligo responded that one of their goals is “sourcing locally first because people are doing great things in the DC area” and that their idea is international and showcase the best out there.

“Our goal is really to celebrate all the cultures across,” he added.

Now, they are bringing together people around Filipino food using their space.

“We are working with two local Filipino restaurants that are supportive of us,” Aligo revealed. “What we are looking to do is that they’ll do pop-ups but the food will be cooked in their respective kitchens since Barkada’s is small and limited.”

PJ Quesada, FFM founder, then talked about the three things that define Filipino food: diverse, inclusive and intensely personal, and praised the owners for their decision.

“Your experiment with Barkada DC has opened up conversations. You guys are actually accomplishing your mission in a bit more of a zigzaggy way than you thought,” he said. “In the spirit of bayanihan, we want to support you in your decision, we see how mindful you are being and we want you guys to be successful.”

“I really hope that you will not feel discouraged. I really want this to be a teaching moment for both sides. We just have to understand why the name came about and celebrate it, more than vilify and that’s what we would like to do. We will be here to support you,” Delen added.

The decision Quesada referred to is whether or not the group will change the bar’s name.

Thousands of Filipinos have come forward to say that there’s nothing wrong with the usage of the word as long as they explain it to their customers.

“The tens of thousands of messages of support from Filipino Americans and Filipinos around the world that we’ve gotten through Facebook, Instagram and email during this time has been really, really special so thank you for that,” Fisher said.

“It’s challenging opening up a bar when we’ve never done it before, and we’ve all been going through challenging time over [COVID-19] and with the first initial backlash that we had online, those messages of support that we received have warmed our hearts and made us smile during all these.”

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LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL • AUGUST 15-18, 2020

B

Jericho Rosales’ son Santino now a Viva talent by

Katrina Hallare Inquirer.net

ACTOR Jericho Rosales’ son Santino, like his father, is also out to make waves in the local showbiz industry.

The 19-year-old son of Jericho with former partner Kai Palomares is now a Viva artist, the talent agency announced Thursday via an Instagram post.

Viva even described the up and coming artist as “Viva’s newest heartthrob.”

“We are pleased to announce that Santino Rosales is now part of the VIVA ARTISTS AGENCY family!” Viva said in its post.

The up and coming artist will also have a press conference on Friday at 6:30 p.m. This press conference will be streamed over Viva Artists Agency’s Facebook page.

Santino is a runway model and runs a business — KAISAINT skews & brews — with his mother.

But in a “Tonight with Boy Abunda” interview in December 2017, Jericho revealed that he had other plans for his son.

Santino Rosales Photo from Instagram/@santino_rosales “I have a dream for him and it’s not show business. I want that time. life for him. I want him to him to be an Olympian,” Jericho “I just see that he loves focus sa [in] school, so show biz told “King of Talk” Boy Abunda sports… I don’t want the crazy was not an option.”

Julia & Joshua happily reunited...

PAGE B1 to. In their words now, Joshua is straight Tagalog and Julia in straight English, “uncensored” (hehehe)!!!

Joshua How does it feel to be back working after more than four months of “forced” vacation?

“Masaya ako na nakakapagtrabaho ako, na may trabaho ako, at nakabalik na ako sa pagtrabaho, pero at the same time may konting lungkot pa rin kasi parang pakiramdam ko hindi pa din totally nakakabalik ang lahat sa dati.”

Tell us what Love Unlock (Enuman) is all about and what your roles are.

“Love Unlock, hindi lang siya tungkol sa dalawang dating magkasintahan, tungkol din ito sa dating samahan (barkadahan).

Ako dito si Benj, isa akong reporter na hindi naman masyado nalalayo ang personality sa sarili ko.”

How has the lockdown affected your outlook in life and your attitude toward your work?

“Affected lang siya in a way na hindi na siya tulad ng dati when it comes sa trabaho at pag gumagala kasama ang mga kaibigan. Madaming nagbago, pero marami din namang pina-realize sakin itong mga nangyayari at isa na dun ang pagpapahalaga sa oras ko at tamang balanse sa lahat ng ginagawa ko.

“Madami din akong natutunan at natuklasan sa sarili ko na kailangan ko pang i-improve bilang isang tao at isang aktor. Hindi naman nito binago ang attitude ko sa trabaho, never din naman akong nagbago sa trabaho ko, kasi mahal ko ang trabaho ko.

Kung may nabago man, eh, mas cute at sexy ako ngayon.

Hehehe!!!”

Have you and Julia maintained your being friends in spite of what happened?

“Ang masasabi ko lang po ay miss ko na ang mga kaibigan ko at looking forward ako na makita silang lahat pagkatapos ng pandemyang ito.”

How was the atmosphere on set and how did you adjust to the new normal of filmmak-

ing?

“Nakakapanibago sa umpisa, hindi lang ako pati ‘yung mga kasama ko sa shooting pansin ko na naninibago silang lahat. Pero nung naka-dalawang linggo na po kami medjo nakaka-adjust na naman po ako.”

How is your relationship with your co-stars?

“Actually ilang beses ko na po sinagot ito, at ganun pa rin po ang isasagot ko, wala po.

Hindi po ako naiilang lalo na may pinagsamahan din naman kami.”

Any conditions if and when there’s an offer for you to star together in another project?

“Wala pa po akong natanggihang trabaho, it’s either natatanggal ako or napapalitan ako, ‘yun lang po ang mga dahilan.

Pero siempre dapat interesante pa din ‘yung istorya and so far hindi pa naman po sumasablay ang Star Cinema sa pagbibigay sakin ng dekalidad na pelikula.

I’m a fan of Star Cinema films at mahal ko po ang mga tao sa likod nito.”

Julia How does it feel to be back working after more than four months of “forced” vacation?

“Felt good. It felt good to be acting again, to be in our element. To have a sense of ‘normalcy’ even if shooting from home was a totally different challenge...a challenge I was happy to take on.”

Tell us what Love Unlock is all about and what your roles are.

“Love Unlock Presents: E-Numan is about a group of friends from college deciding to get on Zoom to catch up. Of course, given the past of the characters in the story, there was tension, and a lot of revelations.”

How has the lockdown affected your outlook in life and your attitude toward your work?

“I’ve become more appreciative. I have learned to appreciate every little thing, especially because we do not know when this will be taken away from us.

As much as we love to work, and love what we do — we can’t help sometimes but to stress

about how tired sometimes we feel, and as a result we tend to complain. Now with the itch I have to go back to shooting, to do interviews, shoots, guestings etc. I’ve come to appreciate my work more.

“How good, content and satisfied I felt being in my element.

How happy it made me. How much of an outlet acting was and is for me. The minute we get a sense of normalcy at work or shooting, I think I’ll just be happy feeling tired from it — and if ever I do get tired at least I am tired from doing what I love to do. Less complaints, more gratefulness.”

Have you maintained your being friends in spite of what happened?

“Yes. I think ever since ‘what happened,’ we always had constant communication, constant reassurance that we were still there for each other. From both ends, we always showed willingness to save our friendship, which I think for the both of us, more than anything, was the most important thing to protect.”

How was the atmosphere on set and how did you adjust to the new normal of filmmaking?

“It was different, but a good kind of different. I learned a lot of things. From audio, wardrobe, set design and being the camerawoman. I’ve always admired the people behind the camera but even more so now, having to do their job. Great energy while shooting, it was a breeze and it was lots of fun!”

How was your relationship with your co-stars?

“Good. I was very excited to be reunited with Josh and direk Dado whom I both have worked with, especially Josh for multiple projects. Everything came so naturally which made our work so easy and fun.”

Any conditions if and when there’s an offer for you to star in another project?

“I just hope that the set I will be going into will be safe and virus-free. I do not want anyone’s health at risk, not just for us, but for our families and everyone back home.”

Drew: Quarantine made me

PAGE B2 News TV’s “New Normal: The Survival Guide” series, which aims to discuss various topics related to life in the new normal.

If there’s one thing to be grateful for in these times, it’s being able to spend more quality time with the kids. “It’s golden,” Drew stressed. “I grew up thinking that family should be the top priority. Work is second. That has always been my mindset.

And this is something I want to do even after things return to normal.”

While he misses going on adventures as he so often does for his travel show, “Biyahe ni Drew,” time at home is priceless. “I miss the sea, submerging myself and tasting salt.

We shoot two days a week and I miss waking up at 5 a.m. and experiencing the serenity alone,” he said. “But spending [time with] my family trumps that feeling.”

Show biz has been one of the hardest hit by the quarantine.

And the flow of projects has considerably slowed down for many celebrities. But if the go-

ing gets tough, Drew is prepared to hustle.

“A lot of people know that I’m a joker, but I’m serious when it comes to fighting to make my family comfortable,” Drew said.

“I grew up being super independent. I left our house when I was just 20 years old to have my own business, and didn’t have to ask for money from then on. Having said that, seeing other celebrities creating opportunities for themselves and exploring new ways to earn is nothing short of admirable.”

“Some of us are fortunate to have that ‘soldiering on’ and ‘I will pivot because I don’t want to perish’ kind of mindset. It’s the kind mindset that allows us to say, ‘OK lang, I will scale down my lifestyle, because I’m not earning the same amount of money that I had been earning prepandemic,’” he related.

In “Family Time,” which airs on Fridays at 8:30 p.m., Drew shows what he’s like as a father at home, and features experts who can give parents valuable tips on how to juggle working and raising children at home.

“We can ask these experts

how to build strong relationships, how to create a safe and happy home. We also hope to show simple and fun activities that parents and children can enjoy together. We will talk to families dealing with the new normal. And hopefully, we also get to talk to people about love and relationships in this period.

Relationships are an important aspect of our lives right now— whether within the household or social media,” he explained.

The good thing about working from home, he joked, is that it forced him and Iya to make the rooms look “presentable” for filming. “We turned one of the rooms into a makeshift studio … It’s also where Iya does her work for ‘24 Oras,’” said Drew, who doesn’t mind his children interrupting his shoots.

“Most of the time, the shoots aren’t serious, so I let the children walk around. But if it’s a serious interview, I’d tell Iya to look after them. But if they cry and the audio catches that, then there’s nothing we can do,” he said, laughing. “We don’t live in a soundproof mansion, so we gotta do what we gotta do.”

LEADING U.S. IMMIGRATION ATTORNEY MICHAEL J. GURFINKEL ANSWERS YOUR IMMIGRATION QUESTIONS VIA ZOOM ON THE THIRD EDITION OF CITIZEN PINOY – SOCIAL DISTANCING STYLE. Citizen Pinoy continues its public service by providing relevant information and updates on immigration. In this episode, Atty. Gurfinkel answers questions from Kapamilya in New Jersey, Alaska, California and the Philippines.

Are there any new requirements that could affect the petition of a person who arrived in the U.S. on a tourist visa, but married a U.S. citizen? A son petitioned by his mother is now preparing for his Embassy interview. On a business trip to the U.S., he made a side visit to his brother in Canada, and was denied re-entry to the U.S. Would that affect his mother’s petition? Answers to these and more on a brand-new episode of CITIZEN PINOY: Your Tanong, My Sagot – Social Distancing Style this Sunday, August 16 at 6:15 pm PST/EST (9:15 pm EST thru select Cable/Satellite providers).

(Advertising Supplement)

Third edition of ‘Citizen Pinoy: Your Tanong, My Sagot – Social Distancing Style’ answers more of your questions on Sunday, Aug. 16

CITIZEN Pinoy seeks to provide answers to individuals and families who have concerns about the latest immigration policies and how these affect their case.

Leading U.S. immigration attorney Michael J. Gurfinkel continues a fascinating series of special Citizen Pinoy episodes, where he answers questions from Maricor of Jersey City, NJ; Jhoy of Anchorage, AK; and mother Minda from National City, CA with her son, Jonathan, from Quezon City in the Philippines.

Stay tuned as Atty. Gurfinkel answers questions

like: What are the latest immigration policies for a tourist who married a U.S. citizen? Is there any bearing on the petitions of children if their birth certificates indicate that their mother is married to their father, even if she is not?

These and more questions will be answered on the third online episode of CITIZEN PINOY: Your Tanong, My Sagot – Social Distancing Style this Sunday, August 16, at 6:15 pm PST/EST (9:15 pm EST thru select Cable/Satellite providers).

(Advertising Supplement)

Ogie and friends sing to fight donor fatigue for kids in need

By CHristina

alpad

ManilaTimes.net

FIVE months since the Coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic struck the country, Filipinos have selflessly demonstrated the bayanihan spirit to help less fortunate countrymen. However, because

there is always one more group, one more cause or one more community in need of help, it is no surprise if donor fatigue is quickly seeping through generous hearts and pockets as these words are being read.

As the phrase clearly expresses, donor fatigue happens when

patrons who are always ready to give have already done so much too often that the willingness to do more good understandably wanes.

There are many reasons why donor fatigue occurs, one of which is the lack of creative doPAGE B4

B AUGUST 15-18, 2020 • LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL

The Prophetic Voice ReveRend Rodel G. BalaGtas A PRIEST flew thousands of miles to spend a month with the community of Mother Teresa in Calcutta, India. He was in a stage of discernment for God’s further purpose in his priestly life. On the first morning that he met Mother Teresa, the pious nun asked him, “What do you want me to pray for you?” The priest answered, “Pray that I have clarity.”

She said no. That was that.

Then the priest asked why she announced that clarity was the last thing he was clinging to and had to let go.

“But Mother,“ he explained, “you had always seemed to have the clarity I longed.

Mother Teresa laughed and answered, “I have never had clarity; what I’ve always had is trust. So I will pray that you trust.”

Mother Teresa, now a canonized saint, is right. Many times what we need is the grace to trust because there are a lot of things that we are unsure of in this life and that we can never see clearly. We need faith because, as St. Paul tells us in his Letter to the Hebrews: “Faith is confident assurance concerning what we hope for, and conviction about things we do not see.” (He-

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The power of faith during challenging times brews 11:1) In the Gospel this Sunday, we find the deep faith of Canaanite woman, who, in the eyes of the Jewish people of her time, was at a disadvantaged position when she asked Jesus to heal her daughter, who was tormented by a demon. First, she was a Gentilefrom pagan inhabitants of Tyre and Sidon, who did not belong to the “chosen race.” Second, as a woman of her time, she didn’t have much influence on society.

However, Jesus admired her faith in beating all odds, just to make her possessed daughter become well. When Jesus told her, “It is not right to take the food of the children and throw it to the dog,” she responded, “Please, Lord, for even the dogs eat the scraps that fall from the table of their masters.”

Her comments moved Jesus’ heart that Jesus told her, “O woman, great is your faith! Let it be done for you as you wish.”

Indeed, faith is the “inexhaustible treasure” we need to carry in our journeys of life. Many of us possess a lot of treasures, such as money, properties, knowledge, and skills. These are good, but they do not last. What God offers us is the infinite treasure of faith and life in his bosom.

For us Christians, faith comes from the grace of the Holy Spirit through Jesus Christ. It’s is the reason that St. Paul wrote in Second Letter to Timothy (3:144:2): “Remain faithful to what you have learned and believed, because you know from whom you learned it, and that from infancy you have known the sacred Scriptures, which are capable of giving you wisdom for salvation through faith in Jesus Christ.”

St. Paul also reminds us to be “persistent whether it is convenient or inconvenient.” It implies perseverance and strong faith in God despite our struggles, difficulties, and confusion.

Psalm 121 expresses this treasure of persistent faith: “The Lord is your guardian; the Lord is your shade; he is beside you at your right hand.

The sun shall not harm you by day, nor the moon by night.

The Lord will guard you against all evil; he will guard your life. The Lord will guard your coming and your going, both now and forever.”

May we take the advice of St. Teresa of Calcutta to pray for trust in God all the days of life! *** Fr. Rodel “Odey” Balagtas is the pastor of Incarnation Church in Glendale, California.

Sharon assures KC that she’s not alone Cha Lino Inquirer.net

by

SHARON Cuneta revealed that she and her ex-husband, Gabby Concepcion, are “blocked” from each other’s Instagram accounts supposedly to maintain “world peace.”

Cuneta raised the topic after writing a heartfelt message to her only child with the veteran actor, KC Concepcion. Cuneta told KC that despite their family’s situation, she was not alone, as per the Megastar’s Instagram post last Wednesday, Aug. 12.

“My eldest, this baby girl, should never have been made to feel alone,” Cuneta said. “She didn’t choose to be born into a family that started out with so much love only to be broken apart into a million pieces, like her mother’s heart.”

The 54-year-old singer and actress said that if she could turn back time, she knew that her breakup with Gabby would still happen. Her only wish now is to be able to shield KC’s “innocence from time.”

“Once, we were a family,” Cuneta affirmed. “And in a sense, whether we – or they – like it or not, we three still always will be, my Maria Kristina Cassandra Cuneta Concepcion. Papa and Mama will love you forever.”

KC is Cuneta’s and Gabby’s first child and the first “who made [them] parents.”

“I forget how many of you we planned to have. But I wouldn’t have minded having 5 more like you,” Cuneta told KC. “You are not alone. If anything, there’s more of us on both sides for you!”

The Megastar then requested

her fans to tag Gabby in her post. “We haven’t unblocked each other on IG,” she said. “For World Peace.”

Cuneta’s message came after KC was invited for an interview in the talk show “Usapang Real Life.” The 35-year-old actress showed a snippet of her interview with veteran journalist Luchi Cruz-Valdes via Instagram on the same day.

KC emotionally disclosed that since her mother and father are both married to their respective spouses and have their own children, she always strives to do things that would make Cuneta and Gabby proud of her.

“Ako lang kase yung nag-iisang anak nila na silang dalawa,” KC said. “So meron akong complex na gusto kong [maging] proud [sila] sakin.”

(I am their only child to-

Ogie and friends sing to fight

PAGE B3 nation drives to inspire possible donors.

Enter humanitarian organization World Vision’s exciting upcoming online concert, “One Voice for Children” for the benefit of the most vulnerable children, their families and communities across the country.

Happening on August 29, 7 p.m. via World Vision’s official Facebook page, the live and free concert unexpectedly taps OPM artists hardly seen together in Ogie Alcasid, Christian Bautista, Quest and the Perkins Twins to perform their signature hits and inspirational numbers while taking part in their common advocacy for children.

“There is this thing called donor fatigue. But with all of us here, as part of one team, we can do this despite the challenges, because we are blessed, because we are pumped up and because we want to encourage and inspire,” OPM icon Alcasid optimistically shared during the concert’s virtual media conference.

Bautista, Asia’s Pop Balladeer echoed the Singer-Songwriter’s message and said their objective is to encourage those kind souls who may still have more to give.

“We may be in an office somewhere, in a house, we have internet, lights; others have an electric fan or aircon on but there are really some communities, as you know, na walang wala talaga. We want to inspire a lot of people to the point that if they may still have a little bit, they may still be able to give,” Bautista seconded.

Meanwhile, Paolo Valenciano, who directs the virtual concert,

The virtual concert is also an effort to address health and nutrition, access to education and child protection as issues faced by the World Vision beneficiaries.

Photo courtesy of World Vision

said that One Voice for Children in itself provides help to live performers who have been hit just as badly but strict quarantine classifications.

“When World Vision came up with this project, I’ll be honest, I felt like it’s not just good for the beneficiaries but it’s really also giving us, the people in the industry, more. That feeling na may nagagawa kaming mabuti para sa bayan, more than just singing songs or creating content. This is really something close to my heart,” Valenciano imparted.

Other World Vision ambassadors and advocates such as Kim Atienza, Christine Babao, Jasmine Curtis-Smith, JJ Dolor, Tippy Dos Santos, Matteo Guidicelli, Gretchen Ho, Marc Nelson, Enzo Pineda, Miriam Quiambao, Bianca Umali, Janina Vela, and Gelli Victor have been invited to share their messages of hope for

affected Covid-19 affected children and their families.

All proceeds from the concert will support World Vision’s education projects that aim to assist the children during this Covid-19 pandemic, including the annual distribution of school kits and the “Abutin Na10” campaign in partnership with the Department of Education.

“In an unprecedented global crisis like the Covid-19, when all of us are affected, the most to suffer are the vulnerable families especially the millions of children whose education, health and well-being are at risk. If we don’t act as one united community that truly care for children, we are denying a better future for the next generation. Together in this concert, we can share one vision, one hope, one voice for children,” ended World Vision’s Donor Care Manager Precious Basco.

Sharon Cuneta carrying baby KC with Gabby Concepcion (left); actress KC Concepcion (right).

Photos from Instagram/@reallysharoncuneta; @itskcconcepcion

gether. So I have this complex that presses me to make them become proud of me.)

After starring together in

the romance film (1981) “Dear Heart,” Cuneta and Gabby tied the knot three years later in 1984. However, the former love

team’s marriage did not last, as they had their union annulled in 1987. KC was born on April 7, 1985.

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Tax Tips Victor Sy, cPA, MBA & roger L. orieL IT’S bad enough to receive a tax bill from the IRS. It gets worse when penalties and interest are added. Malo.

1. If the penalty is minimal, do it yourself. You may want to ask a tax accountant to review your letter.

2 .If the amount is substantial, ask a tax professional to represent you.

3. Sign a Power of Attorney (POA) in favor of your tax representative.

4. If you do it yourself, call the IRS agent that you are requesting penalty abatement.

5. The agent will probably ask

Tapat Sa Batas Atty. rheA SAMSon NOONG Hulyo 31, 2020, inihayag ng Department of Homeland Security na mayroong final rule na magbabago ng filing fees para sa ilang mga immigration at naturalization benefit requests para paniguraduhin na ang USCIS ay makabawi ng kanilang costs of services. Ang final rule ay magiging epektibo sa Oktubre 2, 2020.

Para sa N-400 Naturalization Application, ang current filing fee na $640 (+$85 biometrics fee) ay tataas at magiging $1,170 (+$85 biometrics fee), o 83% na pagtaas.

Kayat hinihikayat ang mga eligible na sa naturalization na sila ay mag-apply bago mag-Oktubre 2020.

Ang naturalization ang proseso ng pagbigay ng U.S. citizenship sa isang dayuhan pagkatapos niyang ipakitang natupad niya ang lahat ng kailangan sa ilalim ng Immigration and Nationality Act (INA). Ito ang mga sumusunod: (1) ang aplikante ay may 18 taon gulang na; (2) siya ay 5 taon nang green card holder o 3 taong green card holder para sa asawa ng US citizen (USC); (3) maipapakita ng aplikante na siya ay may “con-

EMPLOYMENT

10 more tips to request IRS penalty forgiveness

you to write a letter and submit supporting documents.

6. Do not send original documents. Agents are just like us – some are organized, some not so, just like most of you (not me, I’m very organized). A letter not received is, just as it says, not received.

7. Write a formal letter using standard business format.

8. This is not the time to write a novel. Be concise. Use a 1-2-3 with A-B-C or bullet style. This style will be appreciated by the agent who doesn’t have time to read War and Peace or Dr Zhivago.

9. Be clear and specific. Cite tax issues, dates, and amounts.

10. If there are complex is-

sues, plead reasonable cause.

Read our tax tips on reasonable cause. *** Victor Santos Sy graduated Cum Laude from UE with a BBA and from Indiana State University with an MBA. Vic worked with SyCip, Gorres, Velayo (SGV - Andersen Consulting) and Ernst & Young before establishing Sy Accountancy Corporation in Pasadena, California. *** He has 50 years of experience in defending taxpayers audited by the IRS, FTB, EDD, BOE and other governmental agencies. He is publishing a book on his expertise - “HOW TO AVOID OR SURVIVE IRS AUDITS.” Our readers may inquire about the book or email tax questions at vicsy@live.com.

LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL • AUGUST 15-18, 2020

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Will incorporating a separate property business during marriage make it community property?

couple later divorces becomes 1) did your separate property business become community property by virtue of incorporating it during the marriage? 2) Was your separate property business “transmutAtty. Kenneth ed” to community property UrSUA reyeS by incorporating it during the marriage?

No Community Property YOU own a successful business, as a sole proprietor, Presumption Family Code §760 defines prior to marriage. You later meet the love of your life and “Community property” as decide to marry her. Years “Except as otherwise prointo the marriage, you decide vided by statute, all property, to incorporate the business. real or personal, wherever A common question when the situated, acquired by a mar-

Barrister’s Corner

ried person during the marriage while domiciled in this state is community property.

However under Marriage of Koester, the Court held that the community does not “acquire” a separate property business simply because the business is incorporated during the marriage. The mere incorporation of a business operated by spouse is not a change in its character, for purposes of division of community estate following divorce. In Koester, the Court stated that he incorporation PAGE B6

Increase in filing fees for What are the common questions about naturalization application bankruptcy? Here are some answers

tinuous residence” na hindi kukulang na 5 taon bago i-file ang naturalization application o 3 taon sa asawa ng USC; (4) ang aplikante ay physically present sa U.S. nang hindi kukulang ng 30 buwan sa 5 taon bago i-file ang naturalization application o 18 buwan sa 3 taon para sa asawa ng USC. Ang pagtira sa labas ng U.S. ng mahigit ng 6 buwan ay maaaring maging disruption ng “continuous residence requirement”; (5) siya ay nakatira ng 3 buwan sa State o USCIS district kung saan siya nag-file ng naturalization application; (6) ang aplikante ay may good moral character; (7) siya ay sumasangayon sa mga prinsipyo at adhikain ng U.S. Constitution; (8) ang aplikante ay marunong magbasa, magsalita, at magsulat ng Ingles; (9) mayroon siyang pagkakaunawa ng kasaysayan at gobyerno ng US; at (10) ang aplikante ay kailangang mag oath of allegiance sa U.S. Pagkatapos magfile ng naturalization application, ang aplikante ay makakatanggap ng fingerprinting notice. Pagkatapos ng mga pangunahing proseso, siya ay makakatanggap ng Interview Notice. Sa Interview, ang aplikante ay bibigyan ng speaking test, reading test, writing test at

civics test. Ang speaking test, reading test at writing test ay kailangan para madetermina ang kaaalaman at pag-unawa ng Ingles. Ang civics exam naman ay magpapakita kung ang aplikante ay may kaalaman at pag-unawa sa kasaysayan at gobyerno ng U.S. Pagkatapos ng interview, sasabihin ng USCIS Officer sa aplikante kung ang kanyang naturalization application ay aprubado, nasa ilalaim ng pagsusuri, o denied. Kung aprubado ang naturalization application, ang aplikante ay maaaring sumali sa naturalization ceremony kung saan kailangan siyang mag-Oath of Allegiance sa U.S. On July 31, 2020, the Department of Homeland Security announced a final rule adjusting fees for certain immigration and naturalization benefit requests to ensure that USCUS recovers its costs of services. The final rule is effective October 2, 2020.

For N-400 Naturalization Application, the current fee of $640 (+$85 biometrics fee) will be increased to $1,170 (+$85 biometrics fee) or 83% increase. Hence, those who are already qualified to apply for naturalization should do so before October 2020.

PAGE B6

EMPLOYMENT

Debt Relief

Atty. LAwrence yAng IS there a constitutional right to file for bankruptcy?

Yes, there is. The United States Constitution adopted 250 years ago provides for the creation of bankruptcy courts and the power to administer them. Our founding fathers believed that people should be given a chance to have a fresh start in life to become productive again without accumulated debt. Before the adoption of the Constitution, we followed the concept of having debtor jails as that was the practice in England.

Debtors who could not pay their debts were jailed until they paid their debts. Thus, if you lived in before the adoption of the constitution and defaulted on your credit card debt, you would end up in jail, just like a criminal.

However, with the adoption of the United States Constitution on September 17, 1787 at Independence Hall in Philadelphia, forging a new government for the United States, debtors who can’t pay their debts do not have to go to prison. Instead, they can start

life anew without accumulated debt, making them productive again, while being able to keep most if not all of their assets. Our founding fathers believed that allowing debtors to get rid of debt would be beneficial to society.

How many kinds of bankruptcies are there? Chapter 7 of the bankruptcy code gives debtors a new start by discharging most of the accumulated debt. Chapter 13 of the bankruptcy code gives debtors a financial reorganization by allowing partial payment of the accumulated debt. Chapter 13 is sometimes called the “wage earner reorganization plan” because the payment plan is funded by the debtor’s regular wages or business income. There are also the options of Chapter 11 and Chapter 12. There is also the urban legend of Chapter 20. This is doing Chapter 13 after Chapter 7 in certain circumstances.

Can you keep your assets if you file for bankruptcy?

Yes, debtors are able to keep most if not all of their assets while getting rid of their debt by claiming “exemptions.” “Exemptions” keep an asset out of the bankruptcy estate and out of the jurisdiction of the bankruptcy trustee.

For example, the homestead exemption in CA under 704.730 of the CA code of civil procedure is

EMPLOYMENT

FOR RENT

$75,000, $100,000, and $175,000 of home equity depending on the applicable circumstances of the debtor. So, if you are a senior at 65, and your house, which has a current fair market value of $600,000 has a mortgage balance of $425,000, your homestead equity of $175,000 us fully exempt. You get to keep your house in Chapter 7. For instance, you owe $100,000 of credit cards.

You can file Chapter 7 to get rid of the $100,000 of credit cards while you “exempt “ your house, i.e. you keep your house even as you get rid of your $100,000 of credit cards. You also keep your retirement account of $200,000 by exempting it. Let’s say your 401k is $350,000, can you still exempt it? Sure you can. Even if you had a 401K or IRA or another kind of ERISA qualified retirement account like 403 or whatever of $1.0M, you can exempt the entire $1.0M, exempt your $600,000 house, while discharging your $100,000 of credit cards.

Is there a minimum debt required for Chapter 7? No. There is no minimum debt required.

Owing $1,000 or $1 billion, it doesn’t make any difference. So, you can owe $1 billion of credit cards and other debts and have these wiped out, while you keep PAGE B6

B AUGUST 15-18, 2020 • LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL

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Can the employees be fired for political posts on social media?

Your right to expression in the workplace

Q: I SAW your article about employee protections for political activities like attending rallies. What about posting political messages on Facebook or other social media sites?

Can my employer legally fire me for postings like these? Do they have the right to ask me to take my posts down? What are my rights when it comes to expressing my political beliefs in the internet?

A: Dealing with employees’ political expression in social media platforms can be tricky.

For employees who use social media and regularly post political content in them, here are a few things to remember: The First Amendment to the United States Constitution prohibits the government from abridging freedom of speech – a limitation against government incursions into a person’s right to political speech. However, the First Amendment does not apply to non-governmental actors such as private employers. In certain instances, your employer may have some say in what you can and cannot say, in what platform, and which time.

Having said that, there are legal protections for employees. An employer’s right to discipline or fire employees for the latter’s posting online is limited in the following situations: 1. Expressions of political beliefs. As we discussed in this column last week, employers cannot control the political activities or affiliations of its employees. Employers cannot enforce a policy that forbids employees from participating in political acts. Employers cannot force or influence employees to follow any particular course of political action by threatening employees of termination.

California employees cannot be fired for engaging in political

Protecting Employee & Consumer Rights Atty. C. Joe SAyAS, Jr. activities, including expressing their political views online.

2. Conduct during non-working hours. As we said last week, an employer is prohibited under California’s Labor Code from engaging in any adverse action towards an employee, such as demotion or termination, if the employee engaged in “lawful conduct” during non-working hours and away from the workplace. This means an employee who posts messages online outside of work hours may be protected from discipline. There are exceptions to this law, however.

Even if they are doing the posts while off work, employees may still not post information pertaining to company trade secrets or finances, confidential client or customer information, or posts that are homophobic, racist, sexist or discriminatory.

3. Activities that may or may not be union-related. The National Labor Relations Act protects the rights of employees to communicate with one another about terms and conditions of their employment, whether the workplace has a union or not.

Therefore, if a group of employees post criticisms about their working conditions or the fact that they are not paid correctly, this might be considered protected activity, for which the employees may not be disciplined or fired. However, the law generally may not protect employees whose posts are damaging to the business or which encourage insubordination.

4. Whistleblowing activities.

California’s Whistleblower Protection Act prohibits employers from retaliating against an employee for making a ‘protected disclosure’ as provided by law.

This means an employer must not retaliate against an employee for providing information to a government or law enforcement agency, where the employee reasonably believes that a violation of law has occurred.

It also protects employees who complain within a company about unlawful practices, where the employee truly believed the conduct they complained about was unlawful, even if it was not.

“Protected disclosure” may include matters involving unpaid wages, discrimination, harassment, unsafe working conditions, or other unlawful acts at work. If an employee is fired for posting online about these issues, the firing may be illegal retaliation.

Social media has drastically changed how people engage in political discourse. Some may see this as a gift, others a curse.

But for those who believe in the value of speaking up, and who do speak up, they can rest assured that there are laws that protect them. *** The Law Offices of C. Joe Sayas, Jr. welcomes inquiries about this topic.

All inquiries are confidential and at nocost. You can contact the office at (818) 291-0088 or visit www.joesayaslaw. com. [For more than 25 years, C. Joe Sayas, Jr., Esq. successfully recovered wages and other monetary damages for thousands of employees and consumers. He was named Top Labor & Employment Attorney in California by the Daily Journal, consistently selected as Super Lawyer by the Los Angeles Magazine, and is a past Presidential Awardee for Outstanding Filipino Overseas.]

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the bankruptcy.

If you don’t want to keep the car, you can surrender the car and you will not owe the voluntary return deficiency. For example, you return the Tesla. Creditor sells the Tesla for $15,000.

Without the bankruptcy, you will still owe Elon Musk, $10,000 of return deficiency. With the bankruptcy, you owe Musk zero.

How fast can you rebuild credit after bankruptcy? Pretty fast. Right after bankruptcy, you can walk into a Toyota car dealer and buy a new car. However, the interest on the car loan will be higher. You might end up with 10% instead of 4% with good credit. And, there are creditors who specialize in providing credit cards to people who have just finished bankruptcy. After two years, you can get a mortgage

Minding Your Finances Atty. rAymond BulAon

THE COVID-19 pandemic has changed everyone’s life in only a matter of months. As the virus continues to batter the economy, a lot of people are finding bankruptcy as their only way out. This is a sad reality but if you look on the bright side under the grim circumstances in which you find yourself if you are one of the millions affected, bankruptcy still offers a ray of hope so you can start over.

The last recession in 2008 caused a wave of bankruptcy cases from consumers seeking a new start after getting terribly behind on their mortgage and debt payments. Back then, foreclosures were at an alltime high after the millions of adjustable subprime loans obtained just a few years earlier adjusted to double the initial mortgage payment amounts making them unaffordable to homeowners. The Obama administration did what it could to stem the tide of foreclosures. You may be familiar with the HAMP program. A lot of my clients were able to save their homes through that program; although for some, even the modified payments still became unaffordable after they lost their jobs as the recession continued.

People don’t normally just rush immediately to the bankruptcy court in a time of financial crisis as we are facing now. They see it as a last resort, and it should be. But I also see how the lack of preparation can cause big problems that could have been avoided if people just took the time to at least consult with a bankruptcy attorney at the first signs of filoan to buy a house but your in- nancial trouble. terest will be higher. After two years, your credit score will be about 600 to 620. After three to five years, your credit score will be about 650 to 700, depending PAGE B5 on how you handle new credit. simply effects a change in Between six to seven years, your credit score will be about 730 to the legal form under which 750. On the 10th year from filing the business is conducted and bankruptcy, there is no more re- property does not change its cord of your bankruptcy filing in character merely because of any credit report. You’re back to a change in form or identity.

Marriage of Koester (1999) 73 over 800 or perfect credit.

Are income taxes discharge- CA4th 1032, 1035, 1038, 87 able in bankruptcy? Yes, they CR2d 76, 79, 81. The Court are provided you meet qualify- in Koester also stated that “In ing factors. For instance, the tax contrast with the way title is owed must be at least three years taken when a married couple old. An assessment must have own residential property, the been made at least 260 days ago incorporation of a sole propriand there is no fraud involved. etorship business is typically For instance, you owe the IRS done for reasons extrinsic to $300,000 of income taxes for the marital relationship. To 2014. Chapter 7 will discharge say ... that an asset was ‘acthe $300,000 and you won’t owe quired’ by the community ... the IRS anymore provided all because some aspect of corpoqualifying factors for discharge rate formation took place during the marriage is to elevate are met.

Who are famous now suc- semantics over substance” No Transmutation cessful individuals who have Incorporation of a sole profiled for Chapter 7?

Walt Disney filed Chapter 7 prietorship business during twice. Now Disney business is the marriage can trigger a global and worth many billions of family code § 2640 tracing dollars. Disney has theme parks right of reimbursement only in China, Japan, France, etc. Mil- when it is also accompanied ton Hershey filed for Chapter 7. by an unambiguous express Now Hershey Chocolates is prob- written transmutation of the ably the biggest global chocolate business to community propbusiness that exists worth many erty as required by Family Code § 852. Marriage of billions.

Will you be the next Walt Koester, supra, 73 CA4th at Disney or Milton Hershey if you 1036–1037, 87 CR2d at 79–80 & fn. 5. Under Family Code file for bankruptcy?

Who knows, maybe? But surely, if you don’t get rid of your accumulated debt now, you won’t ever become productive again.

You will remain a debt slave forPAGE B5 ever. As you know, being a slave Naturalization is the prowill get you nowhere in life because slaves can’t do much for cess by which U.S. citizenthemselves. Slaves work for their ship is granted to an alien after he fulfills the requiremasters.

Whatever you become, debt ments under the Immigration slave, free man, and wildly suc- and Nationality Act (INA). An cessful entrepreneur, that’s re- applicant is eligible for natually up to you. Decide and choose ralization if he fulfills the fola productive life again or remain lowing requirements: (1) He must be at least 18 years old; a debt slave until you die.

If you need debt relief, call to (2) He has been a permanent set an appointment. I will analyze resident for at least 5 years or your case personally. You won’t has been a permanent resident for 3 years as a spouse regret it. of a U.S. citizen (USC); (3) *** Disclaimer: None of the foregoing is He must demonstrate conconsidered legal advice. Each case is tinuous residence in the U.S. for at least 5 years before fildifferent. ing the application; (4) He *** Lawrence Bautista Yang specializes in must show that he is physiBankruptcy, Business, Real Estate and cally present in the U.S. for Civil Litigation and has successfully at least 30 months out of the represented more than five thousand 5 years immediately before clients in California. Please call Angie, the date of filing the applicaBarbara or Jess at (626) 284-1142 for tion. Absences of more than an appointment at 20274 Carrey Road, 6 months but less than 1 year Walnut, CA 91789 or 1000 S. Fremont may disrupt an applicant’s Ave., Mailstop 58, Building A-10 South continuous residence; (5) He must have lived for at least 3 Suite 10042, Alhambra, CA 91803.

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What are the common questions about...

PAGE B5 your $1.0M of 401K? Absolutely.

How often can you file for Chapter 7?

Every eight years.

Can you keep your cars in bankruptcy? Absolutely. Let’s say you have a car loan of $25,000 on your 2013 Tesla-S, and a lease on your 2017 M-Benz c-300, and you want to keep both of them even as you file for Chapter 7 to discharge $50,000 of credit cards and other debts. You have to continue the monthly payments on the Tesla and the M-Benz as before bankruptcy filing. You don’t get the cars for free. Most of the time, you can just continue payments. Sometimes, the creditor will require that you sign a “reaffirmation” agreement. This means that you recognize that the car loan or car lease survives

Experts say bankruptcy filings will increase soon. How to prepare yourself, just in case For example, a lot of people who have lost their income will often resort to credit cards and loans to keep themselves afloat hoping that they can replace the income soon. While this may work in the short term, it is rarely a good idea unless there is also a plan B. What happens is that without a plan, you can get easily buried in debt in a very short period of time if you are continuing to borrow every month. It’s even worse when you already have a lot of debt to begin with, and you just continue to dig a bigger financial hole for yourself.

Experts say that there is no doubt that given the effect of the pandemic, business and personal bankruptcies are likely to surge very soon. It’s simply a matter of time. I hate to be a gloom and doom preacher, but this is a reality that we all face and in my opinion, it is better to be prepared for what’s coming instead of being caught unprepared when the money runs out. In other words, hope for the best but be prepared for the worst. That’s more practical, in my opinion. Hope alone is not a good plan.

I have a lot of people asking me if it’s wise to dip into their retirement plans or sell assets in order to avoid bankruptcy.

Yes, in some cases this may be a good option, but it all depends on your situation- your income, expenses, future financial goals, etc. If bankruptcy becomes inevitable, it is often not a good idea to deplete your savings and your assets to pay debts that you can discharge in the bankruptcy.

Consumer bankruptcies typically come in 2 types. There’s a Chapter 7 bankruptcy which allows you to protect all or most of your assets while you discharge debts that you can no longer afford to pay. And then there’s Chapter 13 which allows you to significantly reduce your debt amounts and your monthly payments to something you can afford.

This helps you live within your

means while you protect yourself and all your assets from creditors. In Chapter 13, you can include all kinds of debts including taxes, student loans, back mortgage payments. So, if you are facing foreclosure, Chapter 13 can help you save your home. A lot of homeowners have taken advantage of the temporary forbearance offered by their lenders for 3-6 months.

Be aware that even though your lender has allowed you to skip these payments, they are not forgiven, and you will need to catch up on these payments when the forbearance period is over. I am getting calls from people who are shocked to hear that their lender is requiring to pay it all back immediately! I’m asking: What was the point of the forbearance then? If people couldn’t pay their regular mortgage payment to begin with, what makes the lender think that the homeowner has the cash to pay the 3-6 months of late mortgage payments all at once? This is insane. Not all lenders are doing this. But I’m starting to hear this from some of the people who are calling me for help.

If you have not read my book, “What You Need to Know Before Filing Bankruptcy”, you can download it free of charge at www.beforefilingbk.com.

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

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Will incorporating a separate... §852, a transmutation of real or personal property is not valid unless made in writing by an express declaration that is made, joined in, consented to, or accepted by the spouse whose interest in the property is adversely affected. In Koester, the act of changing the legal form under which a business is conducted does not meet the requirements of family code § 852 for a valid transmutation. Marriage of Koester (1999) 73 CA4th 1032, 1037, 87 CR2d 76, 80 & fn. 5.

Incorporation of a sole proprietorship business is typically done for reasons extrinsic to the marital relationship.

Although the mere act of incorporating a separate business during the marriage does not change the character of the business to community property, the community may still acquire an apportionment interest if the value of the business substantially appreciated during the marriage due to the labor and hard work of the managing spouse during the marriage.

The apportionment calculation is done using the formula in the Pereira or Van Camp case where the contributions of effort and return on capital are separated from the value

of the business. *** 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 m a t te r m ay m a ke th e o u tco m e different than would be anticipated by you. This article does create any attorney client relationship between you and the Law Offices of Kenneth U. Reyes, P.C. This article is not a solicitation. *** Attorney Kenneth Ursua Reyes is a Certified Family Law Specialist.

He was President of the Philippine American Bar Association. He is a member of both the Family law section and Immigration law section of th e L os A n g eles C o u n t y B a r 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 REYE S, APLC is located at 3699 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 747, Los Angeles, CA, 90010. Tel. (213) 388-1611 or e-mail Kenneth@kenreyeslaw.com or visit our website at Kenreyeslaw. com (Advertising Supplement)

Increase in filing fees for... district where the application is filed; (6) He must be a person of good moral character; (7) He must demonstrate an attachment to the principles and ideals of the U.S. Constitution; (8) He must be able to read, write and speak basic English; (9) He must have a basic understanding of U.S. history and government (civics); and (10) He must take an oath of allegiance to the U.S. After the application for naturalization is filed, the applicant will receive a biometrics notice. Once the preliminary process is complete, USCIS will schedule an interview, together with speaking test to demonstrate an ability to speak in English, reading test to demonstrate an ability to read in English, writing test to demonstrate an ability to write in English, and a civics test to demonstrate a basic understanding of U.S. history and government. After the interview and exams, the alien will be notified if his applica-

tion is approved, continued or denied. If the application for naturalization is approved, the applicant can participate in a naturalization ceremony where he would need to take his Oath of Allegiance to the U.S. *** ATTY. RHEA SAMSON is the principal of SAMSON LAW FIRM, P.C. She has been a member of the State Bar of California for over 15 years and the Integrated B a r o f th e P h i l i p p i n e s f o r ove r 20 years. Atty. Samson received her Legal Management degree from the Ateneo de Manila University and her Juris Doctor degree from the Ateneo Law School.

She was a Professor for over 10 years, teaching Obligations and Contracts, Labor Laws and Social Legislation and Taxation Law. Atty Samson is the author of The Law on Obligations and Contracts (2016), Working with Labor Laws-Revised Edition (2014) and Working with Labor Laws (2005).

SAMSON LAW FIRM, P.C., 3580 Wilshire Boulevard, Suite 1710, Los Angeles, CA 90010; Phone: (213) 274-4561; Email: info@samsonlawfirmpc.com.

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